The first thing that registered to Karl's senses was the warmth gripping his entire body. The second thing he realised was where it came from. He cracked open his eye to gaze at the form of Aurelia hugging him with all her limbs. Her head rested on his chest, her arms around his neck while her legs wrapped around his waist. She had worn a long robe before going to bed yesterday. It was thin and silky and was currently riding up her thigh.
Taking a moment to appreciate her beauty, he brushed away a lock of hair from her face. Her sleeping form looked so peaceful, so beautiful, that he couldn't help but kiss her forehead.
Untangling her proved to be difficult, as her hold was iron, and with the way she was snug so close to his body, it resulted in her waking up. She groaned and unwound her arm, taking a moment to stretch her muscles, and then opened her eyes to find his face so close to her own.
"Good morning." He greeted with a smile.
"Perfect morning." She moaned and lifted her head to steal a smooch. He was entirely happy to kiss her back.
As the two bodies entangled on the bed, a heated passion was set aflame. Before it could burst into blazing fire, a bell rang to douse the flame. Karl groaned and lifted himself off the bed. Just as he turned to check up on the door, Aurelia called from behind.
"Hey, you forgot this." She waved the amulet in her hand, and he hurried to put it on. Edward had stressed their need for secrecy, and the last thing he wanted was for the negotiations to end prematurely because he couldn't be bothered to remember all the rules and warnings.
"Thanks." He accepted the medallion and draped it over his neck.
Opening the door, he came face to face with the man who was supposed to be their escort. "Yes?" he asked.
"Good morning, sir," the man greeted, "hope you had a good night's rest. Actually, I came to ask if you would like to tour the city. Also, to deliver these."
He held out a tray atop which rested a book and a translator. Karl recognised the latter as a product of Wind Guild that was released a few years back. Usually they all agreed to use a single language unanimously, but each community had their own local dialect. That wasn't the case with Earth, though.
Even if Edward knew how to speak their native language, the same couldn't be said for humans. It would run counterproductive to what they intended. Instead they had to have built something that could help translate the language for inhabitants of other realms. Like himself.
"What's this book about?" He asked the guy.
"This is a compendium of all things you might come across and their uses and functionality written in a language you understand." He explained. "As for the translator, it's to help you understand the language of locals."
Karl accepted both and looked at the man. "I didn't get to ask you yesterday, but what's your name?"
The man raised a brow. "Oh! My name is Liam, sir." He answered.
Karl nodded. "Very well, I will accept these and your offer for the tour." He spoke. "And if you would be so kind, can you prepare a change of clothes for us?"
"It would be my pleasure." Liam bowed slightly and left promptly.
He closed the door and moved back inside. Resting the book and buds of the table, he threw a suspicious glance at the latter. Mages were known for their cunning, and Karl wouldn't dismiss their attempts at trying to spy on him. In fact, in similar circumstances he would've done the same.
Thoughtfully staring at the two for a few moments, he ultimately turned to his companion with whom he had been attempting silent communication since their journey began.
"What do you think, Cin?" He voiced at his hovering ally. "About all of this?"
"In one word: riveting." She replied. "I have never heard of this place before. Like you, I'm also amazed at the heights these humans have attained. And the fact that Mages have hogged this place for who knows how long hints at the fact that this place has more to offer than meets the eye."
"That's what I thought too." Karl nodded. "I wonder how this will affect our negotiation?"
"Don't worry," Cinis grinned, "one of the functions of a grimoire is to absorb knowledge from other sources like books. Although you might lack proper understanding, I can learn at an accelerated pace."
"That will be appreciated." He agreed. Although it might not directly impact his upcoming meeting, being aware of certain things could only benefit him in the long run. Not to mention the fact that Golden Leaf Emporium was set up in a world where the supernatural was a fairytale. He would have to be an idiot to believe they didn't engage in shady deals with these humans.
Cinis drew from his now substantially larger mana pool and willed the grimoire into existence. Atop the cover of the grimoire, a swirling black vortex took form. Karl helped by pulling the book closer and watched as it was sucked within.
"All done." She clapped her hands cheerfully, dissipating the grimoire with a wave of her hand. "Truly amazing. This knowledge, it's delectable."
Karl smiled, happy at another source of knowledge now at his disposal. He left the translators on the tray and moved back to his room.
"What did he want with you?" Aurelia asked just as he stepped foot inside.
"He came to deliver these translators and offered us a tour of this place." He replied.
"Wait," Aurelia shot up, sitting straight on her bed. "Did he really offer to show us around?"
Karl smiled at her. "Yes." He nodded. "Better start preparing early. I requested a change of clothes for us too."
Seeing her beaming at him, Karl could tell the idea pleased her too much. Being able to watch these wonderful fronts of creation had been an eye-opening experience, but it was another matter to visit these places and take joy in knowing and understanding this alien culture. Maybe try out some of that excellent food also.
He watched as the raven-haired girl rushed to prepare for the coming activity. Anything that could take her mind off the nerve-wracking meeting, and his also. He might not show anything outwardly, but each second that passed filled him with nervousness. Though he was better able to control his profile. A skill his uncle had stressed he learn, and he was thankful to have listened to the advice.
As he walked to the balcony, Karl felt a pleasant rush of air grace his nostrils. There was a lack of decaying odour in the air that was so ever-present in the Night Realm. But more than anything, it was the heat that felt both unbearable yet refreshing.
"The sole star in this system of planets, they call it the Sun." Cynis informed. "Apparently, unlike Night Realm, Earth sees both night and day, with the lack and presence of the star, respectively. It grows progressively hotter as the day rolls forward, and temperature experiences a drop once the sun sets."
Karl nodded while looking at the giant ball of fire. It was similar to the Red Star in the Night Realm, except the light was more intense and heat was nowhere near comparable. In fact, looking at this Sun made him realise just how insignificant the Red Star was in comparison. Even looking at it hurt his eyes.
He turned his vision downward where the traffic had started picking up. Cars dotted the roads, carrying passengers within. A rush of pedestrians in all manner of clothing, some he was familiar with, others he found quaint, filled the square with hustle and bustle.
"Hey, the bath is empty, in case you want to take one." He couldn't see her form anywhere behind him; she must've called from within.
"I will, thank you." He hollered back and turned back to admiring the scenery. Just as Cinis had mentioned, the heat was starting to pick up, and it was bound to get uncomfortable as the day pressed forward. Thankfully, being a tempered vampire had its benefits.
"The mana here is so thin." Cinis commented. "And it feels mixed. Like it was supposed to belong here."
"Certainly a curious world." He agreed. "It might also be the reason the people lack magical potential. That would also explain their drive to push in another direction, to advance their civilisation."
"Science," Cinis said. "I think you should also prepare yourself. This tour will no doubt be fun."
Karl couldn't agree more. He turned around and stretched his back. Taking a breath, a thin coating of mana covered his lean form. "Yeah, it's definitely going to be fun." He grinned and marched off in the direction of the bathroom.
Author's note: Apologies for the delay, but you might expect a similar update rate until 15th. I am currently occupied with my exams, but once I done with those, a more stable rate of update is in order.