The Ball (2)
The upper city of Frida had no portal.
Portals were convenient, but because low-status individuals could use them to sneak in illegally, they could only be used for guaranteed or verified means of travel.
“Ah, that’s to the left.”
“Yes.”
“Right here.”
Following Lucia’s directions, daring to take her hand and stepping out of the research institute. As requested to provide an escort, he led the way without knowing the path. A bizarre sight without a brain or idiot, but for Seowoo, this was quite a hardship as well.
“But is it okay to show me the way out of the research institute?”
If the prey runs away, what then?
“No problem. I can’t go out without me.”
“I see.”
Her words saying don’t worry made Seowoo lightly agree.
After all, if I could go out alone, I would have gone out already.
After passing through the labyrinth-like path connected from the top floor of the research institute and unlocking the layered locking magic, one could finally come out of the research institute.
“… ”
The size of the research institute seen from outside was so enormous that it was hard to even imagine its shape. Even though I knew it was completely outside, seeing the dark forest surrounding it gave a somewhat scary feeling. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind also added to it.
“From now on, where should I go?”
“It will arrive soon.”
“Huh? What is …”
Seowoo, about to ask her what she meant, couldn’t finish his words. The sound of steam from the train swallowed his voice.
Puuu---
The magical light bursting behind Seowoo’s back. The rails laid as the dimension tears apart connect from the ground to the sky.
Soon, an oddly shaped locomotive appeared between the dimension and the light.
“W-what is this?”
“It’s the train operated by the Ceylon Family.”
Magitech Train.
One of the five families, the transport provided by the Ceylon family, who have expertise in dimensional magic. No need to use carriages, the dimensional leap and steam locomotive flying in the sky was famous for being very popular even among nobles.
Seowoo, who was far from such high-class information, found it hard to take his eyes off it. After all, he was using something like a magitech device with simple floating magic, but he rarely saw such high-level magic.
Chik---
When the magitech train stopped, the conductor personally opened the door and came out.
“We greet the heads of the five families.”
“Thank you for your hard work, Richard.”
The neatly uniformed conductor, Richard, knelt on one knee in front of Lucia. She, who was called director in the research institute, Lucia Earl Grey. Seowoo didn’t know that outside, as the leader of Nectar, she received a lot of admiration. He looked at Richard’s kneeling knee and newly realized that her power was enormous, even a fragment of it.
“I will escort you to the cabin.”
“Okay.”
Richard’s hand pointed politely into the train. At the moment Seowoo, who had been quietly watching from behind, was about to follow her in.
“Human, you can’t.”
He said it bluntly, looking down arrogantly at Seowoo.
“Richard. He is our family’s guest. Please be careful with your words.”
“Ah…! Sorry. I didn’t see the family crest on you. Please come in.”
“Yes.”
It looked like Richard made a mistake, but it wasn’t. He deliberately provoked after seeing the crest on Seowoo’s clothes. Even though he didn’t have much knowledge about magic, he knew what kind of place the Ceylon family was. In Nectar, the family that hates humans the most, the Ceylon family. There were rumors that their hatred had continued since hundreds of years ago, and that they had been affected by humans in the human realm. Vampires raised in the Ceylon family, influenced by that, often did such mischievous discrimination. Even while saying words of apology, look at the displeased expression. From experience, Seowoo’s answer was to consistently ignore it, whether good or bad.
Entering the inside of the magitech train, a wide and long corridor and rooms were seen first. And a red carpet laid under golden lighting. Richard brought him to the room at the very front among the rooms spaced out.
“Then, I will escort you with comfortable operation.”
With his head bowed, he left, and Lucia also nodded once.
“… Luxurious.”
“Of course. I always ride first class.”
The room was spacious as a matter of course. There was a bed and sofa, of course, a bottle of champagne that could lightly sip and magazines, etc.
“Seowoo.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“Until we arrive, can I lie down for a moment?”
Lucia, perhaps because she didn’t sleep well last night, felt like lying on the bed a bit. Since the night of the ball would be long, it was a good idea to take a short nap.
“Of course. I will wake you when we arrive.”
“Please… ”
Before the words ended, Lucia entered the blanket and soon fell asleep with breathing sounds. For Seowoo, it was more comfortable than being awkwardly there, rather than sleeping like this. Although he hadn’t been particularly interested in magic, seeing something like this magitech train made him interested.
Seowoo moved his steps to the window where the outside scenery was visible. He saw the world spread beyond the glass window. The horizon of the night that has no end. A city with countless lights embroidered like embroidery. Looking back at the place I left, there was a huge dome there.
“… That must be the research institute.”
After all, it was hard to imagine the size. If the scale that can be seen clearly even when riding the train is understood.
Seowoo, who had been staring at the night view for a long time, got up from his seat. The atmosphere was good, but for some reason, staring at the night sky for a long time made his chest feel stuffy.
‘Well, you slept well.’
Seowoo thought while looking at the sleeping Lucia. Thinking about how many days like today I can use the name of the Earl Grey family. He decided to look around the inside of the train a bit.
Tap tap.
Because he was wearing shoes, the clear footsteps echoed in the corridor of the train.
“No one is coming out… ?”
As expected, first class is different? Or perhaps only noble nobles ride it? Rather, Seowoo thought that being alone like this was better because it didn’t stand out.
Walking a bit down the corridor, a lounge with a cocktail bar came out. Seeing that coffee was also sold together, it seemed to be a cafe as well. In front of the counter where gentle classical music flowed. There was a person sitting alone at the bar table lined up horizontally. A bartender with long green hair that had a green tint. Seeing other people drinking cocktails, Seowoo felt thirsty and sat at a slightly distant seat.
“Welcome.”
“Hello.”
The bartender, who smelled Seowoo’s scent and realized he was human, gave a slightly late greeting. Looking around to find the price list, but it wasn’t written anywhere.
“Since it’s a place for first class customers, we don’t charge separately.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Fuh… ”
While thinking what to drink after hearing the bartender’s kind explanation. Mockery came from the next seat. Since there was nothing good to do anyway, unless spoken to, he thoroughly ignored it.
“Is this your first time?”
The green-haired woman asked rudely in banmal (casual speech). It seems that vampires can’t leave humans alone for even a moment.
“Yes, it’s my first time.”
“Whoa~ Nectar has become a good place to live. Even humans like you can ride first class.”
The woman who was sneering seemed a bit drunk, and when she glanced to the side, her face was flushed. At least today, I wanted to take advantage of Lucia a bit, so I responded.
“Then, did the nobles’ dignity fall to the bottom? They bully and pick on humans, right?”
“What did you say? You lowly bastard. Do you know who I am?”
Even though he didn’t answer back, the smell of alcohol was pouring out from the woman.
“If you’re so great, who are you? If you’re saying that, it must be someone I know too, right?”
“Haha! Are you crazy? You don’t know me, Faye Ceylon?!”
“I don’t know.”
Who is that. Ah, I know that vampires who hate humans the most.
“… Well, I really endured a lot. Was I rude? I’ll admit it. I hate humans. But you crossed the line now. You piece of shit. Even now, if you kneel and beg, I’ll spare you.”
The woman who called herself Faye seemed very angry, her hands trembling. Was the stimulation too strong…?
Seowoo felt a bit withdrawn at the intense reaction that seemed like a fight.
“I will decline that.”
“Who the hell are you to decline!”
Faye, who was about to stand up by pulling the chair, seemed to have drunk a lot more than expected, staggering with the chair and falling. Seowoo, feeling that this was the opportunity right now, quietly got up from his seat.
“… I don’t feel like drinking much today. I’ll come back next time if there’s an opportunity.”
“Hey! Where are you! Come here! Hey! I remember your face?! Hey!!”
With half-heartedness and half-fear, Seowoo left the lounge and regretted it a bit. To not be able to eat him like that. He thought he shouldn’t do that in the future.
“… It almost became a disaster.”
After all, people die if they do things they don’t usually do.