Volume 3 Chapter 64: Reunion?

“Whoa…”

I couldn’t help but let out a small gasp of admiration at the sight before me.

Apparently, the building where I and the white-robed figures had been was located on the outskirts of the Floating City Pharmament. Just one step outside, and I was greeted with a breathtaking view of the entire city.

The Floating City was, to put it simply, a wondrous place.

The ground—or rather, the foundation, since we were high above the sky—was supported by countless slender (though still quite thick) cylindrical pillars. Each of these pillars swelled into a spherical shape at their tips, resembling skewers with a single dumpling stabbed on top.

All the buildings shared the same basic design, differing only in height. The architecture was distinctively unique, with no visible windows, though, judging from the building I had just exited, light likely entered through the tops of the cylindrical pillars. From the spherical portions of these avant-garde buildings extended platforms—pathways that connected one building to another. I was currently standing on one of these pathways. It was wide enough to feel secure, but with no railings, it seemed a bit hazardous. What would happen if someone fell? The distance to the foundation below was significant. They really should prioritize safety more.

The pathways themselves were independent, crossing each other in three-dimensional layers but not connecting directly. The Capital City of Elist had a complex structure, but this city was practically a maze. They should simplify things a bit.

Still, no matter which path you took, it seemed they all led to the same place eventually.

The city’s center—a particularly massive sphere.

It looked like… a castle, perhaps? Whatever it was, it was enormous and undoubtedly important. Unlike the other spheres, this one was directly connected to the ground without any pillars. How does it not roll away? Also, why is everything so round here?

The city itself was probably spherical in shape as well. I couldn’t see below, but a faint, glass-like dome encased the city in a hemispherical barrier. The foundation likely mirrored this structure.

And everything was white. Pure white. There wasn’t a hint of any other color. Every building and pathway was seamless and white, as if the entire city had been carved directly out of a gigantic white stone.

I had no idea what materials were used to build this city.

It was smooth and glossy—somewhere between stone and metal. But since I wasn’t about to figure out its composition, there was no point in overthinking it.

Even outside the city, the view was obscured by a sea of white clouds, leaving no room for any other color. It was all white and round. How bizarre. Was this some kind of trend among gods?

Despite the oddity, it was mesmerizing. There was nothing like it on the surface world. Its sheer scale was overwhelming.

A breathtaking sight. This place could easily become a top tourist destination.

That said, I wouldn’t want to live here. I prefer more ordinary environments. Besides, while there were subtle differences, the overwhelming whiteness was harsh on the eyes. Most importantly, there was no sign of nature. No seas, no rivers, no ponds—no water at all.

It felt lifeless. A world without fish is meaningless. What value does a place hold if there are no fishing spots?

This is the kind of place you visit occasionally, but it’s not meant to be lived in. The people who live here must be insane.

After marveling at the surreal landscape, I came to that conclusion.

Now, what should I do?

I was still stark naked, hovering in the sky, with no escape in sight.

I glanced back at the two white-robed figures standing behind me. Camouflage, maybe?

The two figures, whose eyeholes seemed to float eerily in the blankness of their robes, stood silently without saying a word.

What am I supposed to do? They’re not helping at all.

I decided to take a few steps forward experimentally. The two followed at a fixed distance, maintaining their silence.

Say something! This is terrifying.

It seemed they intended to follow me wherever I went. But I didn’t know anything about this city. They should be guiding me instead!

Still, directly asking them for guidance would be a bad move. To them, I was the creator of this city—a god. A god wouldn’t say, “I don’t know, can you show me around?” I needed to keep up the act to stay alive.

In that case…

“Hmm… it hasn’t changed.”

With no good ideas coming to mind, I decided to say something cool and fitting, at least on the surface.

“Indeed, Lord Lumelherc, the city you created still shines as brilliantly as ever,” one of the white-robed figures replied.

“Hmph… I know. I’ve been watching it all along.”

Wait, what the hell was that?

I mentally scolded myself for the contradiction.

This is bad. Really bad. I feel like I’m going to blow my cover much faster than I expected. I tried to say something that sounded grand, but I’m dumber than I thought.

“Ohh…! So Lord Lumelherc has truly been watching over us all this time…!”

“Uh, yes…”

Apparently, Aizon was dumber than I expected too. Listening to his overwhelmed voice, I reached that conclusion.

“…Of course I have. —My children.”

“Pfhfff…!”

What the hell was that sound?

Damn it. He made a weird noise, but he didn’t faint. Aizon wavered for a moment but managed to steady himself, clasping his hands in prayer. The other white-robed figure had dropped to their knees, trembling as if barely holding it together.

I had racked my brains trying to come up with words to knock them out, but these two were tougher than I thought.

Oh well. In that case…

When I started walking, Aizon and the other figure scrambled to follow me, clearly flustered.

Without looking back, I spoke in a stern tone.

“Do not follow me.”

“W-Why…? Ah, no, as you command.”

Huh, that was easy.

I thought they’d push back a little more—

“In that case, we shall await you at the Grand Sacred Orb.”

“Ah, I see… yes.”

What’s the Grand Sacred Orb?

It’s probably that massive sphere in the center, but honestly, you don’t have to wait for me. I’m planning to escape. Actually, it’d be better for me if you just waited there for eternity.

“Then go on ahead.”

“Yes, my lord!”

With Aizon’s resounding reply, the two white-robed figures flew away from me—literally.

…They can fly? That’s nice. I can’t. Even with mana, I can’t fly.

Feeling slightly dumbfounded, I turned back to look at the building I’d been dragged to earlier.

Inside, the other white-robed figures were still unconscious. I figured it was fine to leave them as they were.

If most of the city’s population was incapacitated back there, that actually worked in my favor.

For a moment, I considered stealing some of the white fabric from them, but decided against it. I was already pretty used to being naked at this point, and if they woke up while I was grabbing clothes, it’d just complicate things.

Besides, if I kept exploring, I’d probably find something to wear eventually.

Taking a deep breath, I started running down the pathway.

Time was of the essence—I needed to find a way to escape, fast.

As hopeless as it seemed, even these lunatics couldn’t possibly sustain their entire existence within the Floating City. Surely, they had to descend to the surface world at times. If that was the case, there had to be a way to get down there. I just needed to find it while I was still alone.

In search of both an escape route and clothing, I ran through the white city.

◇

Let me give you the conclusion.

This city has nothing.

No clothes, no supplies, nothing.

To be precise, every building looked nearly identical to the one I’d started in. The only difference was the lack of the geometric patterns etched into the floor. Otherwise, everything was so identical that I eventually lost track of which buildings I’d already checked.

Though I hadn’t explored every single building, after running around endlessly, I came up empty-handed.

At this point, there was only one conclusion left.

If there’s anything to be found, it’s inside that massive sphere in the center.

Resolving myself, I dragged my exhausted body toward the structure referred to as the Grand Sacred Orb, located at the heart of the city.

Despite all the time I’d spent exploring, Aizon and his companion were, of course, waiting for me at the entrance to the Grand Sacred Orb. I couldn’t see their faces due to the white cloth covering them, but that tall, lanky figure was definitely Aizon. The other one must have been the same silent partner from before.

“We have been awaiting your arrival, Lord Lumelherc.”

Aizon bowed deeply, and his white-robed companion followed suit in silence.

I ignored them both and stood in front of the Grand Sacred Orb’s entrance. I didn’t have the energy to deal with them anymore.

The door, which opened horizontally, should have slid open silently without me even touching it—just like every other door in this city. At first, I was amazed at the automatic mechanism, though I still didn’t understand how it worked. But by now, I was used to it.

However, the door to the Grand Sacred Orb didn’t open. Every other building’s doors had opened effortlessly, so why not this one?

As I stood there, confused, Aizon addressed me.

“Is something the matter, Lord Lumelherc?”

“… …”

I hesitated, unsure of how to respond. A bead of cold sweat rolled down my cheek. Judging by Aizon’s demeanor, opening this door shouldn’t be difficult. At the very least, he and his companion likely could open it with ease. For their god—the creator of the Floating City—to fail at such a task would be beyond suspicious.

“… Don’t you understand?”

After a moment of thought, I decided to turn the question back on him.

Standing tall and exuding authority, I spoke in an imposing tone. At my words, Aizon visibly trembled, dropping to one knee and bowing his head.

“M-My sincerest apologies! Lord Lumelherc! Please forgive me for my inability to fathom the depths of your divine intentions!”

“… I forgive you, my child.”

“Ohh…! Lord Lumelherc…!”

This isn’t solving anything, is it? We just had a dumb back-and-forth.

I managed to buy some time, but the problem remained. What now? … Oh, wait! I could just have Aizon open the door for me. I’ll make it seem like I don’t want to sully my hands with something so trivial. Why didn’t I think of that sooner?

As the idea struck me, the door suddenly opened without a sound.

“I apologize, Lord Lumelherc. Please, enter. I was just about to trouble you with such a minor task,” said a woman’s voice—not Aizon’s.

I turned to see the other white-robed figure standing beside the door, her hand placed on a mysterious sphere embedded in the wall. It was about the size of a person’s head and resembled a miniature version of the buildings in the Floating City. I’d noticed these spheres before, but it seemed they were the key to opening the doors.

Wait… so you’re a woman?

“Oh, as expected of the Divine Child! Truly remarkable!” Aizon exclaimed, sounding genuinely impressed.

Wait a second. Could it be that this white-robed woman outranks Aizon? I’d assumed he was the highest authority in this city, but judging by this interaction, that doesn’t seem to be the case.

The white-robed woman, referred to as the Divine Child, bowed gracefully to me.

I found myself staring at her.

There was something about her… As I focused on her voice, I felt a strange sense of familiarity. No, that couldn’t be. There’s no way I’d know anyone here. My life’s been a mess, but I’ve never been involved with a dangerous cult like this. It must be my imagination. Plenty of people have similar voices.

That’s what I told myself—until it happened.

The woman slowly raised her bowed head.

“Is something wrong, Lord Lumelherc?”

Our eyes met, and through the two holes in her mask, I saw her eyes—one of which closed in a deliberate wink.

“Lord Lumelherc?”

Her question made me catch my breath.

That was no accident. It wasn’t dust in her eye or anything like that. It was unmistakable—an intentional signal. She then shifted her gaze briefly toward the interior of the Grand Sacred Orb.

I somehow understood her intention.

“Aizon… I will enter with her. Allow no one else to follow.”

“B-But… as you command.”

“Do you have a problem with that?” I added sharply.

“N-No! Of course not! It’s just that… it’s not fair—ah, never mind! Forgive me for my impudence!”

“Good. That’s how it should be, my child.”

“Lord Lumelherc…! Then, I shall remain here with the others to offer our prayers for you!”

With that, Aizon hurriedly stood up and flew away. Honestly, he’s so easy to handle, I’m starting to like him. His goofy loyalty even feels a bit endearing.

“Come inside…”

Once Aizon was out of sight, the white-robed woman urged me softly. I followed her into the Grand Sacred Orb, more focused on her than on the interior.

As soon as I stepped in, she quickly shut the door behind us.

“Phew… No need to keep up the act anymore.”

“Who are you…?”

She exhaled and, in a relaxed tone, discarded her formal speech. She pulled off the sheet-like robe covering her head and turned to face me.

Her glossy black hair swayed as she moved, and I widened my eyes in shock.

“Oh man, I was so close to cracking up back there.”

That voice. Now that nothing was muffling it, I could hear it clearly. I’d just heard it recently, but the way she spoke earlier had thrown me off.

And that expressive smile on her face—it was so different. So far removed from what I knew of her. And yet, there was no mistaking it.

“Sierra…?”

I murmured, stunned, as I stared at the smiling woman before me.