121 Nightlife (1)

"I heard this building is the oldest building in the second district!" I laughed while taking photos with my own two hands.

Jules chuckled along with me, offering to take a picture of me and the building together. The building was actually a library that resembled the newest, updated version of a library in the third district. In the book I read during my studies, the temperature was regulated by the use of an air conditioner or heater.

Most of the buildings in the second district didn't possess an old relic like a machined air conditioner as they opted to use energy stones that were spelled to do it in its place. Energy stones were like mana crystals, except they didn't possess even 1% of the concentrated mana inside the mana crystals.

The mana inside was heavily diluted, mixed in with other chemicals to make up for the difference. The second district was known for its alchemy that made good use with tiny amounts of mana. Mana was barely existent in the second district, the air itself was almost like the third district.

I smiled as I posed in front of the library. I made cheesy poses like a heart with my arms and my hands which made Alex cough a few times. I even earned some stares from the people walking past us as I jumped for an even better pose.

"This is a great way to spend some time before the concert," I stretched my arms.

I never got to appreciate all the clear-cut buildings. This was also the chance to explore the hidden places like the narrow alleyways. When else would I get the chance to explore the second district this freely?

I was on the main road where everything glittered with the translucent windows towering over me due to the high land costs. There were almost no imperfections to be seen when the robots helped keep the streets clean and safe. They were cutely designed to resemble animal mascots while promoting the city's values whenever they had the chance with their uniforms.

Alleyways weren't usually found on the usual maps where they only displayed the main roads and streets. I kept my eye out for any hidden gems while taking more pictures of the nightlife where screens filled Lilika Yuri constantly flashed wherever I went.

I tried to keep myself from smiling when I finally found a narrow passage between two of the skyscrapers in front of me. The two buildings were close together to the point that not even two adult cats could pass by at the same time. I walked sideways to try to fit in as Jules abruptly grabbed my other hand.

"Where are you going?" He stopped smiling for the first time.

"I'll be back soon," I tried to shake off his grasp.

"I'll go with you," His usual smile returned again.

I nodded my head as I kept moving forward without looking back. As I went deeper into the unknown pathway, my eyes adjusted to the darkness as there were no lights present anymore. But the heat around me rose as if there were other beings present in this space with me.

When I finally found myself in an open space, freed from walking sideways, I could not believe that I was in the reputable second district. The sky was filled with abundant stars that could not be seen in the main roads from the artificial lights. I was inside a planetarium with a large microscope stuck into the ground a few steps ahead of me.

I could finally see I was inside a building overgrown by moss and wild weeds that wrapped the stony walls. The concrete walls were cracked while the ground was uneven with the littered shards of the same glass that made up the world outside it. I began to mind my steps as I found sharpened blades mixed in with the trash.

I gulped as I tried to pick up the rustic weapon that fit perfectly within my small hands. It resembled the dagger I had abandoned in the third district after shattering the dimensional barrier. My heels clacked as it couldn't avoid all the junk on the floor. Unfortunately, I currently didn't own a proper pair of running shoes that I could wear just for a casual walk. It filled the silent space a noise of movement, giving away our presence.

It didn't help when the gems on my buttons displayed a beautiful debris of light onto the roof when it reflected the glass. The familiar leather grip on its handles made me wonder if the weapon were originally created for use by children. It certainly didn't compare to the enchanted swords that Luke and Alex possessed, but it was better than being undefended.

I almost screamed when a small figure tugged on my blouse. The small being smelled foul like it hasn't bathed in months with its long hair all tangled and messed up into a bad bird's nest. Its skin was cracked and blackened from all the dust in the ruins. When I looked closer, I realized I was staring at a young child that wore rags that were tattered and outgrown.

The child's eyes were unrelenting as it pulled me closer with its determination. When the child had recognised it had gotten my attention, the child pulled out both of her hands with her soft voice, "please give me some food".