Steampunk dimension(1)

I stretched out my hand in an attempt to pass through the portal, and it easily penetrated the invisible barrier. I inwardly gulped and forced my way inside the gear-shaped portal.

***

What had entered first was my arms that were stretching out. Next up was my head and chest. Then finally my hips and legs got through.

But apparently I had made a single miscalculation when it came to entering the portal.

Once both of my feet were through inside the portal, I noticed that something wasn't right. Why can't I feel any sort of ground below me? My left eyebrow raised up and I gazed down to take a look at what was wrong.

It was as if cartoon logic was applied in this place because once I saw that I was standing high up in the air, the laws of gravity were immediately applied to my body that was floating just moments ago.

The rush of air caused from currently falling down was forcefully shoved into my mouth that was wide open from attempting to scream. My throat showed no signs of vibrations whatsoever, and the realization hit me as I understood that I was mute.

||His target glared at him with fury in his gaze and shouted, "Don't you have anything to say!"

The man was angry. He was angry that all of his loved one's had been killed ruthlessly by the very person in front of him. And that person was also cornering him with a sword to his neck. The man expected him to answer, but, in the blink of an eye, he swung his sword and neatly sliced the man's head off.

The only reason he did not answer the man was because he was not given the ability to speak. Think. And most importantly, feel human emotions.

The [Punisher] turned his back to face the man that was now beheaded, and he nonchalantly left the bloodied scene.||

A certain scene in the novel 'The Final Punishment' flashed through my mind as I thought of the reason why the body I was possessing was mute.

The expression I wore became slightly confused as I wondered,

'Why did I think of that all of a sudden?'

Was it coincidental? Wait, then again...

'<The new [Punisher] has been successfully selected>'

The robotic voice which I had heard before everything was as it was now echoed in my head, and I gnashed my teeth.

'... This is a dream. Yes, of course. It isn't real, not at all. But if it's a dream, then why did I feel pain earlier?'

My thoughts went silent as my body continued to fall like an airplane about to crash because its fuel tank was empty.

I didn't want to come to terms with the fact that I had transmigrated. In addition to that, I was also occupying the body of the main character from the novel I had read right before unknowingly getting transferred into another person's position. Any sort of chuunibyou would gladly accept this with open arms.

'But I am a normal person! Why choose me out of all people!!'

Despite being a director and reading every kind of fantasy setting story in my original life, I was very uncomfortable when it came to wanting to experience them. Setting out for an adventure? Fighting gods and eldritch horrors? Solving the mysteries and problems of the universe? I found these types of things to be interesting and fun, of course.

'Only if I wasn't the one doing them!'

It was only entertaining for me to watch them unfold. Not happen to me directly. Putting yourself in such a burdensome position would burn you out almost immediately. Which is why only delusional people who felt that their current life was too boring would want such things to happen to them.

'Where did I go wrong...'

I inwardly began to cry as I tried to search for the qualities I shared with the people that qualified for the process of transmigration. But then I quickly snapped myself out of it as I remembered my current situation.

The height of the fall I was taking was actually dangerously high. I hadn't even passed through the clouds which were still below me as I quietly panicked in my mind. My head slowly turned to both of my sides and my eyes scanned each area carefully. Unfortunately, I saw that there was nothing else present that I could try and grab onto to soften my landing.

My feet that were diving straight down felt as if they were beginning to burn up. I hurriedly moved my body to position my back forward to the ground below and the heating sensation on my feet gradually subsided.

Fwooo

My body had passed through the clouds that used to be below me a while ago and I faced down as I started to search through my surroundings again.

"Tonight will be marked in the history books as the first flying aircraft to ever exist has been made!"

The sound of a man speaking through a megaphone passed through my ears, and I swiftly darted my eyes to see where it was coming from.

A large and oblong balloon slowly rose up from the building it was tied to as the rope holding it down was cut. The was a tiny room-like thing attached underneath it and I smiled.

'It's a blimp.'

These things were quite cliche when it came to appearing in fiction films or shows, but when it came to reality they were overwhelmingly underrated. Quite understandable, considering that one of them easily burst into flames the moment it set out to fly for the first time.

My body made a swimming motion as I desperately decided to use it as my landing spot.

***

A party was being held located on the rooftop of the tallest tower in the city. The same tower was also owned by none other than the richest person in the entire city.

"Grand Duke Lumiere Welle!"

A man with a furry mustache and a round body energetically greeted the man who was claimed to be known as a 'Grand Duke'. At the sound of his name being called out from behind, a young man wearing the most eye-catching clothing among the several people present, switched his body to face the person who called him.

Lumiere: "Ah, well if it isn't my good acquaintance Sir Peston Brent. How have you been?"

Peston Brent, the man who looked jolly on the outside but was genuinely pure on the inside, laughed as he playfully hit Lumiere Welle's back.

Peston: "Haha, I'm doing great as usual! I came here to talk to you about the party."

Lumiere: "I see. Are you encountering a problem related to it then?"

Peston: "Not at all, not at all. I just wanted to thank you for inviting everyone here!"

Peston gazed at Lumiere with admiration. He admired him for the fact that he invited everyone in the city, including those who were penniless, to the party that they were celebrating tonight.

But little did Peston know that that wasn't the actual case.

Lumiere, indeed, did invite the poor people. But where were they? Why weren't they together with the people celebrating on the rooftop of this extravagant tower? The reason was simple. Lumiere led them on to believe that he had invited them when in reality he led them down to the basement of his tower to work while the 'important' rich people could play.

Lumiere wore an expression filled with delight and his voice very gentle. But he was secretly judging Peston for being such a naive and plain old man.

Lumiere: "Yes. After all, we are all human in the end. That clearly goes to say that we are all equal too."

Peston: "Grand Duke..."

Peston softly smiled as he bowed his head after hearing Lumiere's satisfying response.

And in the far left corner, the entrance door clicked open as three people individually stepped inside.

A woman with black hair tied to a bun fanned herself as she whispered to the man beside her.

"So this is the 'grand celebration'. Truly, he did not disappoint."

By 'he' she meant Lumiere Welle, the man who hosted the party.

The stone-faced man heard her remark and nodded as he whispered in return.

"It will take a lot of effort to get him on our side."

Lastly, they both glanced at the person standing behind them. The woman closed her fan shut and used it to slap the person to come forward. He flinched at her hit, but he continued to stay aloof as he was used to her hitting him. Once he stepped forward, the lanterns that lit up the rooftop they were on illuminated his figure.

He was a bit short for his age despite being an adult. His hair, which is normally messy, was now tied to a short ponytail to make it seem like he had groomed it properly. There were a few outlines below his tired eyes and his dry lips moved as he swallowed a sigh.

"I will do my best to convince him. Father, Mother, you do not need to remind every passing second."

He spoke to his parents in a flat tone and that made them both very irritated. But he had always acted this way, which is why they let it slide this time.

"You shall not do you best but you must give it your all. Put everything on the line. So long as it means getting him to our side."

His mother coldly whispered as her eyes danced around the room in search of someone. Her husband was the same as he also whispered to his son, whom he rarely cared about.

"We will remind you one last time. Make sure to get on his good side and use that opportunity to strike up the offer."

Their son visibly disliked the idea of using him as the 'business man' to get the Grand Duke to work with their family but they did not care as they immediately spotted the person they were searching for.

The woman hit her son again with her fan and pointed it towards the direction of Lumiere Welle, who was peacefully sitting by himself.

At this, a long sigh escaped through his mouth and he pretended to act noble as he walked up to the direction his mother was gesturing at.