Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Holy Blood (12)
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The vehicle dispatched from Lumina Group arrived precisely on schedule.
It was the exact same sedan-type AV as the one I'd seen before.
The sleek, aerodynamic body gleamed in a deep, dark shade like the night sky, and the windows were tinted so heavily that no one could peer inside.
"......"
The heavy door slid open smoothly, and I cautiously stepped aboard.
I was the only passenger this time. No security detail accompanied me.
The destination was a megacorp's headquarters, after all.
Once I'd decided to accept the invitation, bringing any escorts wouldn't make much difference anyway.
If something unexpected happened there, the only truly effective bodyguard would be Esty.
But I couldn't bring her to a place like a corporate fortress. Not when she still hadn't recovered her full memories. If she ran into someone from her past... who knew what might happen.
So I'd decided to handle this alone.
Pshhh-
The door sealed shut automatically as I settled in.
The interior was far more luxurious than I'd imagined.
The seat adjusted itself electronically to my body shape the moment I sat down, molding into the most comfortable position and leaving me speechless.
The refined leather cradled me wherever it touched, and the spacious cabin could easily accommodate several grown men.
There was even a mini wine bar on one side, making it feel like I was riding in a lavish limousine.
"......"
In silence, the vehicle lifted smoothly into the air.
There was no noise or vibration—nothing to suggest we were airborne.
Only the slight press of acceleration against my body and the scenery blurring past the windows betrayed our speed.
As we gained altitude, the vast cityscape unfolded below.
Looking out over Omega Detroit, buildings packed the horizon as far as the eye could see.
A metropolis too immense to take in at a glance, even from the sky.
The density only intensified as we approached the downtown core.
High-rises and apartment towers, pushed to the limits of their floor-area ratios, competed skyward in a dense thicket.
Gaudy hologram billboards clung to their exteriors, cycling through images and scattering brilliant lights nonstop. Every direction brimmed with the glow of human life, overwhelming in its intensity.
A forest of skyscrapers made possible by advances in construction tech.
That was the very cityscape I'd gawked at from afar on my first day here—the glittering heart of downtown.
"......"
It had already been months since then.
That much time had passed since I'd settled in this city.
Even as I lost myself in quiet reflection, the AV pressed on without pause.
After flying past the scenery for a good while longer, we finally reached our destination.
There, towering alone amid the already lofty downtown skyscrapers, stood one colossal structure.
Its overwhelming height seemed to scrape the clouds, yet its design was strikingly elegant.
A candelabra-shaped building with only silver frames and sky-blue reinforced glass catching the light.
Unlike the others, it bore no cluttered external ads to offset maintenance costs.
Just a single logo etched upon it.
LUMINA.
As I admired the awe-inspiring edifice, my ride slipped into the landing pad high on its upper levels.
Guided by hologram markers, the vehicle touched down softly. The door opened, revealing a neatly suited staffer waiting to greet me.
He extended a white-gloved hand as if escorting a lady from a carriage.
"Welcome to Lumina Tower, Evania. I hope your trip here was comfortable?"
I gave an awkward smile and assured him it was fine.
As I stepped out, he gestured politely and led the way.
"Thank you for accepting our invitation, Evania. Before meeting the chairman, you'll need to wait briefly due to scheduling. Allow me to show you to a comfortable lounge."
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Following the staffer's lead, we walked a short distance down the corridor from the landing pad.
Even that brief stroll through the building felt like stepping into another world.
Everything was impeccably neat and pristine—worlds apart from the outskirts I'd known. The softly lit hallway was spotless, without a speck of dust. Even a mere passageway outshone my own lodgings in cleanliness and luxury... It was honestly a little intimidating.
Standing here in a megacorp's headquarters—by my own two feet—really drove it home.
"......"
After a bit more walking, the attendant halted before a door.
"This is the lounge where you'll wait, Evania."
Before entering, though, he presented a document for my signature.
'Nondisclosure agreement?'
It stipulated that nothing seen or heard within the company premises could be shared externally, with legal penalties for violations.
"Just a formality—your understanding is appreciated."
I signed, and he accepted it graciously before speaking.
"The chairman will summon you shortly. Please wait here until then."
With a light bow, the staffer withdrew quietly.
"......"
I took a deep breath, then opened the lounge door and stepped inside.
It was a vast space that could pass for a banquet hall.
Bottled water, assorted drinks, and light snacks were neatly arranged throughout, including fresh fruit I'd only seen once since arriving in the city—trimmed and stacked impeccably.
Suddenly, I felt eyes on me. A few others had arrived ahead and were waiting.
Some read books in solitude, while others gathered by the windows, conversing in low tones.
Mostly older men and women in formal attire.
Among them, I stuck out awkwardly. Unlike the rest in suits, I'd come straight from mass at the church, still in my religious garb.
I'd assumed the invitation was due to my role as a cleric and dressed accordingly... but a twinge of embarrassment was unavoidable.
Still, I kept a straight face, grabbed a bottle of water, and settled into an empty seat at a table in the corner.
Then I quietly observed the others.
'These must be the prominent figures from various fields Yoanna mentioned.'
Professors, philosophers, activists, writers... Yeah, they had that vibe. Authoritative, scholarly faces?
But what I still couldn't figure out was why I had been invited alongside them.
And what exactly was I supposed to do here?
I'd accepted without full details because refusal wasn't an option.
'No choice now that I'm this far in.'
As I swallowed my anxiety and tried to compose myself—
"Hey there?"
"...!"
A voice suddenly addressed me.
Turning, I saw a girl about college age standing right beside me.
She had a pretty face, but her style and vibe were utterly unique—standout, even.
In a room full of conservative outfits, hers screamed attention.
A fluorescent overfit jacket over a crop top.
Her hair was a flashy white-and-pink two-tone, tied in low twintails.
But the most striking feature was her eyes.
Probably cybernetic implants. No natural human eye sparkled in so many colors.
This strangely dressed, unfamiliar beauty approached with her glittering gaze and struck up a conversation.
"You're seriously pretty! What's your name? You got invited too, right?"
I was caught off guard. She closed the distance with excessive friendliness.
Clearly an extreme extrovert, she barreled on without waiting for my reply.
"Whoa, that outfit's super unique! What brand? It's got such a hip vibe—love the feel! Wanna be friends?"
To put it bluntly... total social butterfly. Her overwhelming energy was sucking the air out of the room, leaving me a bit dizzy.
I barely managed to stem her machine-gun chatter.
"W-Wait a sec. Calm down..."
"Oh, right! Look at me—self-intro first! Ahem! I'm Rico!"
She stepped back, flashed a bubbly grin, and threw up a V-sign with both hands.
"Rico from the streaming channel Rico Time! Nice to meet ya! Yee~!"
Then she launched into another torrent of unasked-for details in her bright voice.
"My channel's all about daily chit-chat, songs, and listener advice—talk radio stuff! Don't worry, not streaming now! Those suit guys earlier were super strict. Broke my 700-day live streak, haha. No viewer reactions, just serious-faced uncles and aunties here—boring as hell! But then my dream same-age buddy shows up—total luck! Hey, hey, is my new friend a celeb? Haven't debuted yet? I'd never miss visuals like yours! So, who are ya? What do you do to get invited here?"
Amid her nonstop ramble, a sudden question made me pause.
"Don't stress—everything here is under NDA, right? No spilling on stream, promise. No secrets between friends already? Spill! C'mon?!"
'Friends... what?'
Had she built up some imaginary closeness in her head during her monologue?
Her expectant, sparkling gaze poured over me.
Avoiding her eyes, I hesitated.
'Who... am I?'
I'd never really thought about it. If anything, 'Saintess of the Radiance Church' now?
From recent events, the church's existence was somewhat exposed. Corps could uncover it easily if they wanted. Revealing myself truthfully here probably wouldn't add much risk.
But this was downtown, not the outskirts.
To people who knew nothing of the church or divine miracles, introducing myself as its saintess upfront—who knew the reaction?
'Should I even say it? Won't they think I'm a total weirdo?'
As I wavered, another idea struck.
'Hold on. Wouldn't that actually be perfect?'
Truth be told... she was overwhelming me right now.
No ill feelings. Just bad timing before a tough meeting ahead—she was too chaotic to keep entertaining.
But bluntly telling off someone who'd approached with clear goodwill was hard.
What if I mentioned 'God' now...?
'Maybe she'll back off on her own—no need for me to be rude.'
The thought hit me, so I straightened up, mustered a solemn, serious tone, and went for it.
"Sure, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Evania—call me Eve. Though unworthy, I lead the church that serves Lord Radiance as its saintess."
Rico stared blankly for a moment.
"What... does that..."
I thought it'd worked.
In a faithless world, seriously bringing up religion upfront would naturally mark you as odd.
But I'd overlooked one thing.
"Whoa...!"
Rico's eyes sparkled even brighter as she leaned in close.
A pair of tiny exclamation marks popped up in her electronic irises.
"That's your concept? Totally hip...!"
What I'd missed was how much of an oddball she truly was.