Chapter 559: Chapter 546: City life
[Realm: Álfheimr]
[Location: Heart Kingdom]
[Pulchritudo]
The city seemed to stretch endlessly beneath the overcast sky, its horizon swallowed by layers upon layers of towering structures. From their point of view, it almost looked like a place caught between two different eras.
Tall buildings constructed from black stone, iron, and glass rose high above the streets, their sharp silhouettes cutting through the skies. Some structures carried the elegance and complexity of older architecture, with influences that reminded Mikoto of the Victorian era. Narrow towers reached towards the clouds, neat metalwork around balconies and windows, and large ornate frames surrounded stained glass.
Yet besides those older designs stood newer creations that felt almost out of place. Smooth surfaces, glowing signs, mechanical systems built into walls, and strange devices whose purposes Mikoto did not immediately care to understand blended seamlessly into the city. It was a strange combination.
Throughout the city, towering statues overlooked the streets below.
Each one depicted the same woman.
A beautiful figure, yet one that carried an obvious sense of authority. She was carved wearing a suit of armor that represented royalty. Every statue captured her differently. Some showed her holding a sword with a commanding posture, others displayed her standing above the crowds, while others portrayed her looking down upon the streets with an almost judgemental expression.
The dark stone of the statues clashed against their silver accents, making them stand out even among the already shadowed surroundings.
The streets below were just as alive.
Despite the gloomy skies above, humans still moved through the streets in tailored clothing, wearing dark coats, elegant dresses, and formal attire that seemed to match the atmosphere of the city. Merchants called out from storefronts, workers carried supplies between buildings, and people walked with confidence through the wide avenues.
Street lamps illuminated the roads beneath them, and signs flickered above shops. Gardens decorated the spaces between grand buildings.
Sleek carriages moved alongside more advanced vehicles, while traditional markets stood near modern shops and workshops.
A place that seemed far more alive than the world surrounding it.
"That was remarkably easy to enter," Robert admitted, unable to hide his slight surprise.
He looked down at the smooth rectangular patch in his hand. The object was simple, almost unimpressive, but the neat incursive writing across its surface clearly identified it.
’Visitor Pass.’
Stamped besides the words was the emblem of a heart.
The others carried one as well, each having placed theirs away after entering the city.
Robert turned it slightly between his fingers, studying it for another moment before looking ahead.
"I was expecting more resistance."
"It isn’t going to be so convenient anymore," Mikoto replied.
His voice remained casual, but his attention was elsewhere. His red eyes moved across the towering buildings, the crowded streets, and the technology embedded throughout the city.
"Using magic now will bring us attention."
The statement was simple, but there was a reason behind it. They had already drawn enough attention simply by existing.
Mikoto continued walking, his gaze moving across the cityscape.
("This place looks surprisingly modern. They’ve got streetlamps and everything.")
For a city in a world that appeared so damaged elsewhere, this place had managed to maintain a strange level of advancement.
His eyes continued scanning.
He noticed the occasional demi-human walking through the streets. They were not common, but they existed. Most of them, however, were not walking freely.
Many carried luggage, followed behind humans, and performed tasks for others.
Glorified servants.
Mikoto’s expression remained unchanged as he noticed it, though his attention lingered for only a moment before moving on.
"Gretel," the girl turned towards him. "You take these two and ask around about the dragons." Mikoto’s gaze shifted briefly towards Echidna and Shuten-dōji. "Whether you three want to split up from there is up to you."
His eyes then moved towards Robert.
"Carrot top, you’re with me." That was all the explanation he gave.
Mikoto simply turned and continued forward.
Robert stared after him for a moment before giving a small shrug. Apparently that was how things worked now. With no better option, he followed after him, leaving Gretel, Echidna, and Shuten-dōji behind.
("Great. I get the best company.") Gretel thought dryly, watching the two disappear into the crowd.
Meanwhile, Mikoto continued walking through the city at an unhurried pace.
Robert moved besides him, matching his stride.
For a while, neither spoke.
The sounds of the city filled the silence instead. Footsteps on stone roads. Conversations from passing citizens. The distant mechanical sounds of vehicles moving through the streets.
Eventually, Robert broke the quiet.
"So just how are you going to go about gathering information on the dragons?" His eyes moved towards Mikoto. "They were last seen a good while ago." Robert paused slightly. "And I’m not so sure how hospitable Heart Kingdom people are going to be towards strangers asking questions about something like that."
Mikoto did not immediately answer.
He simply continued walking.
Then, without looking back, he spoke.
"Take a look around you."
That was all, Robert frowned slightly. It was not exactly an explanation, but he followed the instruction anyway.
At first, he only saw the city, the buildings, people and the crowds.
Then he noticed.
The stares, a few at first, then more. Eyes followed Mikoto as they passed; people turned their heads, and conversations quietly stopped. Some stared openly while others tried to pretend they were not watching. Admiration, shock, curiosity and fascination. And some emotions that were far less innocent; they were all drawn towards him.
Simply because of his appearance.
The beauty he carried was impossible for people to ignore; even in a city filled with countless people, he stood out.
The attention followed him with every step.
"These people are practically drooling over me," Mikoto muttered with a quiet scoff.
He shook his head slightly, clearly more amused than flattered by the attention.
The number of eyes following him had become almost ridiculous.
Every few steps, another person looked over. Some attempted to be subtle, quickly turning away when they realized they had been noticed, while others made no effort at all to hide their curiosity. The reactions varied, but the reason behind them was always the same.
Mikoto stood out.
It was not simply because of the unusual armor he wore or the fact that someone like him was walking through the city without any apparent concern for the attention he attracted.
It was him.
It was almost unnatural about the way people reacted. His delicate features, his almost unreal beauty, and the difference between his appearance and the intimidating armor surrounding him created a strange impression. Many seemed unable to reconcile the two images in their minds.
Robert found himself understanding the reactions more than he wanted to admit.
He could not exactly blame them.
Even he, despite knowing better, found his attention occasionally drawn toward Mikoto. There was something almost impossible to ignore about him. It was not merely physical beauty; it was the strange presence that came with it.
Like looking at something that should not exist.
What surprised Robert most, however, was how little people seemed to care about anything else.
The heavy armor or the fact that Mikoto was clearly not some ordinary person.
None of it mattered.
Their attention remained fixed on his face alone.
It was almost as if everything else about him had disappeared.
"You’re a little too young to be using your looks like that," Robert eventually remarked. His tone was not truly accusing, more confused than anything.
He still struggled to understand Mikoto.
The boy’s personality was impossible to predict. One moment he acted completely indifferent to everything around him, and the next he seemed fully aware of the effect he had on others and was willing to use it.
Mikoto glanced toward him.
A small smirk tugged at his rosy lips.
"And why not?" His voice carried a hint of amusement. "It would be a shame not to use something useful when I have it." He casually looked ahead again. "This pretty face has advantages."
Robert stared at him for a moment.
The problem was that he genuinely could not tell if Mikoto was joking. There was no embarrassment or hesitation. Mikoto spoke with the same tone he used when discussing matters far more serious.
Robert still had no proper understanding of his personality.
"You do realize that advantage would disappear the moment they discovered you’re a man, do you not?" Robert questioned.
Mikoto glanced back at him.
"They’re not interested in that." His answer came immediately. "They only care about what they see." He gave a small shrug. "People like pretty things. They don’t always bother looking deeper."
There was almost a small amount of contempt hidden beneath the casual remark.
Then his expression returned to its usual calm.
"Besides..." His eyes briefly moved toward the people still watching him. "They should know better." A brief pause followed. "Lust is a sin."
Robert opened his mouth, prepared to respond; there were several things he could have said. The contradiction in Mikoto’s statement. The fact that Mikoto himself seemed perfectly willing to exploit the attention. The strange confidence with which he delivered moral judgment while simultaneously benefiting from the situation.
But before he could form a reply, something else caught his attention.
A figure approaching.
Robert’s expression shifted slightly as he looked past Mikoto.
Someone was coming toward them.
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