Chapter 12 : Gleam Gardens

Joining the sparse line of people after exiting the side door, I drew odd glances, mostly from women, either due to my entrance or something else.

“He’s handsome. But that girl… is he married?”
“Nah, they don’t look alike, so probably not.”

The stares suggested I didn’t blend in as smoothly as I’d hoped.
Not that it’d cause trouble.

“Then I’ll go talk to—ugh!”

A woman approaching me stumbled, but it wasn’t my doing.

“…”
“Freesia, what’s wrong?”
“…Nothing.”

Soothing a sulky Freesia, I walked further until a narrow, translucent rectangular passage rose from the ground to the cliff’s top.
Inside, translucent compartments cycled—ascending on the right, descending on the left.

“Neat. We ride that to get up, right?”
“…Up there, lots.”
“Hm? Lots of what?”

Looking down at Freesia in my arms, she stared upward, pointing.

“…Signals, waves, screens. All mixed.”
“Hm… not sure what you mean. Not dangerous, right?”
“…No. Just, noisy.”

Noisy, huh.

Gazing at the cliff’s top, I saw dazzling lights spilling down.
Focusing, I caught faint, chaotic noise too.

“Yeah, it is. But it’s where we need to go.”

Following the shrinking line, we reached the passage’s door.

Whirr—
“Oh.”

The door slid open as a compartment arrived.

Stepping in with others, the door shut, and we ascended swiftly, a strange pressure wrapping around me.

Ding—
“Ten’s of meters up, and already?”

An alarm chimed, the door opened, and I stepped out, mildly surprised.

Flash—

A blinding ad screen greeted me.

“…Bright.”

Freesia, seeing the same, squinted and turned away.

“Yeah.”

I gently shielded her eyes and ears, looking up.

Before me sprawled a chaotic mess of gaudy neon signs, dense ad screens, cascading light illusions, and steel drones zipping between.
Everything, drones included, blared light and sound to promote something, yet it felt hollow.
People navigated the dizzying streets, ignoring it like it was routine.

High above, Flare Ring blocked the sky, darkening the area, yet it was brilliantly lit despite the shadow.
Glimmer Garden, where all Flare Ring’s rejects gathered, stared up at its unreachable glamour.
But that glamour was hidden by the ring’s thick floor—visible from afar in Lake City, yet invisible directly below.

“So this is Glimmer Garden.”
“…Noisy.”

Freesia furrowed her brow slightly, covering her ears.

What kind of environment was she in before?
A lab from the start, or only later?
Even in a lab, what kind?
I don’t know, but her lack of tolerance, like mine, suggests a quiet, controlled lab setting her whole life.

“Hm, that Luma guy’s supposed to find us, right?”

I checked Kang Rimun’s letter, then tucked it away.

I can’t wander these hectic streets aimlessly until he shows, so I need an inn.

“…Where are they?”

The map didn’t help—building shapes didn’t reveal their purpose, and even zooming in on detailed signs, no inns stood out among the clutter.

Tap, tap—
“…Roland.”
“Ugh… yeah?”
“…Here, search.”
“Search? Oh, not that search.”

Tessarix’s city-wide scan, which drew ORRYX’s ire and eased Cheongdo’s pressure, was a diplomatic faux pas, it seems.
Why’d they do it?

“Not important. So, what’re we searching?”
“…Press this. Motel, search.”

Freesia stretched, tapping the terminal. The map zoomed out, displaying numerous markers across the city.

“Oh, these are inns? Thanks, Freesia.”

She said “motel.” Is that what inns are called here?
Guess I’ll find out.

Checking my location, I zoomed in on the nearest marker, still a ways off.

I scratched my chin, eyeing a low, sprawling building.

Crackle, fizz—
“Hm…”

It’s… rundown.
Most buildings in Glimmer Garden were, but usually their ad screens and signs glowed brightly. This one’s were dim and faulty.

“Not this one. Keep looking?”
“…Okay. Roland, warm, comfy.”
“Haha, you’re not tired, huh?”
“…Roland, okay?”
“Yup, I can roam for days like this.”

But Freesia won’t last, so I need to find a place before sunset.

I glanced at the hazy sun, just peaking, no clouds in sight.
“Should find one before then.”

“Phew…”

The streets are loud and eye-searing, but no decent rest spots.

“Freesia, hang in there a bit more.”
“…Okay.”
“Walking here wears you out fast.”

Cheongdo felt overly exclusive, but…

I scanned the surroundings I’d been ignoring.

A woman on an ad screen, silver skin shimmering, rainbow hair gradating.

A man with devices for ears, pulsing waves as music played, eyes replaced by a flat sunglass-like strip, swaying as he walked.

Another man, upper face covered in unknown metal, lower face and torso embedded with glowing lines under translucent skin, wearing exaggerated clothes.

A woman, face hidden by black glass displaying simplified expressions, chattering at the air.

Even “normal” people had metallic hair or skin with mechanical seams.

“…Cheongdo was better.”

No wonder they shun outsiders.
This place is depraved.

My world’s legends spoke of cities fallen to corruption, judged by gods.
They looked different, but if this isn’t corruption, what is?

“I’ll find a place fast, Freesia.”
“…Really, okay.”
“I’m not okay.”

I gently covered her eyes and ears again, walking on.

Step, step—
“Now that I think about it, for a city this size, no big inns?”

Checking the map, I reexamined the markers.
I’d seen most nearby, all small inns.
That’s probably why they’re rundown. A bigger one might be better for Freesia.

“…Looking for, motel.”
“Right, you said motel.”
“…Nice place, hotel.”

As Freesia reached, I brought the terminal closer before she struggled.
Her touch zoomed out the map, showing fewer markers than the motel search.

“Different places this time. Check the closest one?”
“…Okay.”

Patting her head, I followed the map’s route.

After some walking:

“This one’s in good shape.”

The building was leagues above the motels—clean and grand.
No wonder I felt eyes on us as we stopped at the entrance.

“Hm…”

I don’t know how much Kang Rimun’s credits are worth.
The language translator’s no cheap trinket, so the credits might just be a bonus.

Pausing at the entrance, Freesia spoke.

Tap, tap—
“…No, worry.”
“Hm?”
“…Credits, enough.”
“Oh, really?”

If Freesia says so, it must be true.
She knows more than I do.

“Let’s go.”

Entering, a person at the counter, eyeing us, stood.

“Welcome. Thank you for choosing Rubel Lumiere Hotel.”

He bowed politely, subtly scanning us again.

“You’ve made the finest choice in this district. Let me assist with check-in.”
“Uh, before that, can you tell me how much these credits are worth?”
“Hm? Oh… yes, I’ll check.”

He took the credit chip calmly but seemed puzzled by my question.
Still, he checked it.

“This would cover… about two days in our Lumiere Standard room. Shall I prepare that option?”
“Hm…”

“Standard” sounds like the lowest tier.
But given this hotel’s look, it’s probably better than those motels’ best rooms.

“Just one day for now.”
“Understood.”
“Wait, how much for a meal with natural ingredients?”

His composure cracked briefly, then recovered.

“Uh… unfortunately, Rubel Lumiere doesn’t offer meals with natural ingredients. My apologies.”

A nice place like this doesn’t have them?
Kang Rimun was right—two meals for one job was a steal.

“Fine, go with what you said.”
“Yes, please wait… Check-in complete.”

He gestured to a translucent passage like the gate’s.
“17th floor, Room 1706. Enjoy a radiant stay.”

Bowing, he handed back the credit chip and another similar chip.

“Thanks.”

I took them and headed where he pointed.

Unnoticed, the employee, now upright, was transmitting something while watching my back.

At Glimmer Garden’s highest point, near Flare Ring:

“Hm, hm-♪… hm?”

Someone lounging on a chair paused a screen.

“Asked about credit value… and natural meals?”

Odd. But that alone wouldn’t warrant a message to me.

The figure, voice soft, flicked through screens, zooming in.

“Oh?”

Handsome… with an old-fashioned vibe. Not outdated, but classical. Alien in a bad way, but appealing in a good one.

“Hm?”

The girl in his arms, though, is out of place.
Not his daughter, but she seems tied to him.
Robotic yet pretty—could work.

And—

The screen zoomed closer, highlighting her yellow pupils.

“Oh-ho?”

—Natural yellow pupils, not mechanical or dyed.
Impossible to be natural… Intriguing.

A faint smile curled on the figure’s red lips.