“Whoo…”
A bright moon rose in the early dawn.
The breath, escaping from the mouth, brushed against chilled cheeks in the cold weather.
Despite winter gradually yielding, the Vulcan dawn still retained its frosty bite.
Walking down the deserted streets, his coat collar pulled up, and a bag in hand, Lennok’s mood inexplicably shifted.
“Hehe…”
“What the—”
Naturally, there were still hoodlums lurking in the city, refusing to sleep.
From darkened corners, they indulged in cigarettes, eyeing Lennok before slowly closing in, gauging their target.
After dispatching them with a few bolts to ensure their silence, he continued his journey.
Typically, there were three ways to exit a sprawling city.
One could utilize a ship docked at the port, take a car through the city’s lanes leading outward, or soar into the skies aboard an aircraft.
However, a majority of Vulcan’s residents remained unaware of an unconventional mode of transportation discreetly overlooked by the city authorities.
This mode was none other than the old railway track.
In retrospect, this revelation was hardly surprising. Even in the past, when Lennok had accompanied Aris to a conference, they had departed Vulcan aboard a similar train.
The distinction lay in the fact that this method was not officially recognized, and its utilization remained a well-guarded secret for the convenience of a select few.
And the situation was no different now.
Formally, Vulcan and the Philenom Autonomous Region had entered a ceasefire agreement, but given the precarious state of relations since The Great Seer’s demise, the specter of war loomed ominously, ready to descend at any moment.
Using transportation that left an official record of entry and exit posed an unacceptable risk.
Gradually, Lennok ventured into the suburbs. As he followed the instructions relayed by Jenny, he observed that the already faint human presence dwindled further, and his breaths grew lighter.
Only the frigid scent of concrete remained in the air.
At the outermost perimeter of the district, a stooped figure emerged, silhouetted by the moon’s radiance.
“You’ve arrived. I was waiting.”
Wearing a sinister grin, he led Lennok past the barbed wire fence.
Although the path was rough, resembling a makeshift opening, Lennok refrained from complaints.
This was a mode of transportation arranged by Jenny. Doubt had no place here.
The lead figure continued to chatter.
“It’s an honor that the lady contacted me directly. It’s fortunate I could be of help… all the more touching since this was a job I was holding onto just to make a living.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
The man chuckled, waving his hand dismissively.
“It won’t take too long to reach the Autonomous Region… It’s an old machine but not slow. You won’t exceed a day.”
“Is it safe?”
“Scout teams are always ready between Vulcan and the Autonomous Region, preparing for an emergency situation. But in this time, when the train only comes once a month… it will rather serve as a sturdy fence.”
The man was subtly alluding to a bribe.
Yet, what troubled Lennok was the train’s infrequent schedule. Had Jenny considered the train’s timetable when orchestrating every detail thus far?
The coincidence seemed too remarkable to be accidental.
With these thoughts in mind, Lennok changed the subject.
“If we depart now, we should arrive before sunset.”
“Because I chose a time when customs would turn a blind eye, I end up operating at this hour.”
The night wind is cold. Despite maintaining his body temperature with thermal magic, he could still feel the chill on his skin.
After traversing the desolate wilderness and engaging in conversation with the man, he spotted a small railway station in the distance.
“Over here.”
Instead of heading toward the railway station, the man led him to a small shack adjacent to it.
The shack was in poor condition, with a flickering yellow light.
The facility guarding the outskirts of Vulcan appeared surprisingly dilapidated, but considering the official closure of the train station, it was not unexpected.
The counterpart here was a government official rumored to be corrupt, and he hailed from a remote area.
A middle-aged man who had propped his feet up on the worn desk in the guardhouse and was gazing at a newspaper glanced at the two newcomers.
“So you’ve brought another guest. At least you’re diligent in reporting.”
The man mumbled with little enthusiasm, cigarette dangling from his mouth.
No, maintaining such a nonchalant attitude at this hour might indicate an unusually audacious disposition.
As Lennok contemplated these thoughts, the man retrieved something from his coat and handed it to the official.
It was unnecessary to speculate about what the official discreetly stashed away. If he didn’t accept such bribes, there would be no reason for him to turn a blind eye to guests arriving in the middle of the night.
Leaving the official, who dismissively waved his hand, behind, the two proceeded toward the train station once more.
“How many guests are there today?”
“Let’s see… Not many today. About ten.”
They stepped onto the moss-covered train station platform and finally spotted the train.
It paled in comparison to the one he had ridden with Aris—a rusty train comprising only five cars rested on the aged tracks.
As they boarded the swaying train in the dim light of dawn, the man nodded at Lennok.
“Have a pleasant journey.”
“……….”
As they stepped onto the train and the door closed behind him, he felt the gaze of every passenger already seated.
The faces of these passengers were diverse—a towering figure donning a deeply sunken fedora, a boy in attire that appeared scavenged from the streets, a cyborg whose modifications blurred the line between human and machine…
Lennok found an unoccupied seat without drawing much attention.
He had been disguising his face and magical pattern for a while, eliminating any risk of exposing his Van identity.
Given the uncertainties that lay ahead, Lennok also had to rigorously conceal his destination—Philenom Autonomous region.
Now it seemed like he was concealing not just a dual but a triple identity.
Though not of paramount significance, he couldn’t help but chuckle at his own predicament.
Once seated at the rear of the dusty train, he opened the window wide.
Retrieving a cigarette from his coat, he lit it and placed it between his lips. Soon, the train commenced its journey.
The train rolled into the obscurity along the rusted tracks.
The faint moonlight outside the window dimly illuminated the barren plateau.
The atmosphere inside the train was profoundly chilly and eerily hushed.
Anyone departing from the metropolis for the Autonomous region at this hour likely harbored extraordinary circumstances.
Recognizing this, the air of emptiness appeared perfectly reasonable.
As Lennok stared out with his arms crossed, someone suddenly occupied the seat beside him.
“Seeing another wizard here, what a pleasure.”
A woman concealed behind a mask exuding an enigmatic aura caught Lennok’s attention. Her voice, emanating from behind the mask, hinted at a similar age to Lennok.
Her composed demeanor and the unusual magical energy surrounding her provided clear evidence of her formidable wizardry skills.
As Lennok casually surveyed his surroundings, the woman extended her finger as if she had been anticipating this moment.
“Don’t worry about eavesdropping. I’ve already set up a magical barrier around us.”
Without awaiting Lennok’s response, she continued, “It’s comforting to know that I’m not the only one heading to the Autonomous Region at a time like this.”
Rather than approaching him with prior knowledge of his identity, it seemed like she found solace in encountering another wizard in such an unexpected place.
Lennok, his eyes half-lidded, exhaled a plume of smoke before responding. “….Do you have something to say?”
“………”
Rather than answering, the woman glanced around and reached into her bag.
She proceeded to turn the bag upside down, causing its contents to cascade onto the makeshift table positioned between them. In a matter of seconds, everything from her bag lay scattered across the table.
“……?”
Caught off guard, Lennok opened his mouth in astonishment. However, he swiftly grasped the significance of this gesture and offered a wry smile.
All the items she had emptied from her bag were imbued with mana—magical artifacts.
Having unveiled her collection in this manner, the woman spoke. “I’ve heard that if you ask for a favor, compensation is required.”
“And so?”
“Pick what you want. I’d like to talk after that.”
“………”
Lennok regarded the woman with a perplexed expression. However, she seemed to interpret his gaze differently and calmly extended her hand while introducing herself.
“My apologies for the late introduction. My name is Casia.”
Her decision to conceal her face and reveal only her name appeared to be a calculated choice. Both her name and identity were likely fabricated to maintain anonymity.
Although she hadn’t completely obscured her magical pattern, the faint aura suggested she possessed an artifact or skills capable of concealing her identity.
Nevertheless, she couldn’t evade Lennok’s magical perception.
He subtly channeled his mana inward and unraveled a veil imperceptible even to the skilled wizard before him.
In an instant, Lennok’s senses penetrated her carefully constructed defenses, revealing her true nature.
While she might believe she had successfully concealed her identity, Lennok had already discerned her magical pattern in its entirety.
Recalling the magical patterns he had committed to memory, Lennok furrowed his brow upon finding a match.
‘This is… a magical pattern I’ve seen before. From what I remember, perhaps…’
Once a magical pattern was observed, it became indelible in his memory.
Briefly, his memory transported him to a conversation he had with Aris while en route to an auditorium for a demonstration of battlefield control spells during a conference.
A middle-aged woman had questioned Aris about her recruiting Lennok and discussed matters of talent.
The magical pattern unmistakably belonged to the young female wizard who had assisted that woman—Baila, the director of the research institute.
As the time and place aligned with her magical pattern, related memories resurfaced.
Director Baila had been grappling with health issues stemming from an internal mana disconnection, and hadn’t Lennok offered his advice on her condition?
Although the specifics of the encounter remained elusive, he had managed to recollect the crucial details.
If the woman assisting Baila was boarding a train to the Autonomous Region at this hour, it wasn’t a leap to assume she had a compelling reason.
She fixed a penetrating gaze on Lennok’s face and nonchalantly shrugged when he remained silent.
“Well, if you don’t want to answer, I’ll get to my point first. That should be fine.”
“…..Is that so?”
For someone who seemed cautious at first, her demeanor was remarkably audacious.
Lennok found himself chuckling at the thought that it wouldn’t hurt to hear her out, especially considering the unexpected offer of compensation and her forthright manner.
However, what followed after a brief silence was entirely different from his expectations.
“The likelihood of this train arriving safely in the autonomous region is very low. I’d like to ask for your cooperation to resolve this issue.”
“………”
While offering compensation upfront and then presenting a request could be an effective negotiation tactic, it seemed rather incongruous with the current circumstances.
Her inexperience in such clandestine negotiations was evident, suggesting she hadn’t engaged in many shady dealings before.
Although she must have prepared various aspects of what she wanted to convey, it all appeared somewhat clumsy from Lennok’s perspective.
However, what she was saying couldn’t be summarily dismissed.
Gazing pensively, Lennok took a deep breath and inquired, “What are you talking about? Are you saying this train is going to explode or something?”
“Exactly. If left alone, similar incidents could occur.”
Casia looked at him with sincere eyes behind her mask and continued, “As of 2 a.m. today, all drones and reconnaissance forces circulating the outskirts of Vulcan have gone in for emergency inspection. With eyes off monitoring the plateau that connects the Vulcan and the Philenom autonomous region, the likelihood of wanted outlaws roaming freely increases. Trains using unofficial routes become easy targets.”
“………”
“Under the pretext of upgrading equipment for the reconnaissance team, Toyina Laboratory committed this act. I also happened to acquire this information indirectly. You probably wouldn’t have found it easy to know either.”
Toyina and Baila Laboratories. Lennok was familiar with both names.
They were prominent research facilities supporting technology at Rabatenon University. The fact that he had encountered the names Baila and Toyina while assisting Aris was no coincidence.
Could this be a deliberate maneuver by Toyina, who had likely caught wind of her activities and sought to disrupt them?
Casia’s attempts at concealing her intentions might have appeared somewhat clumsy, but only Lennok would have been astute enough to discern this connection.
“And if there is an undefended moving target at that moment, then surely….”
There was no need for her to elaborate further.
“Why are you bringing this up to me, who’s hearing this for the first time?”
“Simple.”
Casia smiled.
“Because without a doubt, you are one of the most crafty wizards I’ve ever met.”
