I wasn't sure what I expected Markus to say in that moment. But I sure as hell wasn't expecting his expression to twist so intensely the way it did.
"The other cities…" Markus began, his tone heavier than before. "They're somewhat taboo topics around here."
"Why is that?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. Just how bad could it be?
"Well… if you travel far enough east of Pera, you'll reach Erna—the City of Hatred."
I blinked, trying to process the words. "What?" I blurted out, unable to hide my surprise.
"Yes, that's the official title. For good reason, too."
"Care to elaborate?" I pressed.
"Erna is much larger than Pera. But its population is significantly smaller. It's called the City of Hatred because of its inhabitants—advanced yet barbaric."
That tracked, more or less. I figured it was some mix of hatred toward Pera's people or, hell, everyone else.
"The inhabitants are artificial. Man-made."
That statement made me pause. Artificial? If I wasn't misunderstanding, Markus was saying these "people" weren't entirely… people.
"What exactly are they?" I asked, my curiosity sharpening.
"Mutants," Markus said simply. "Some are hybrids—part normal races, part animals. Others are closer to cyborgs."
"That's… something," I managed. I wasn't sure what to think, especially about the animal hybrids. What made them different from the ones I'd already seen in Pera?
"How hateful are these people for their city to earn that name?" I asked, shelving my other questions for now.
"Actually… they don't hate others at all. The name refers more to their way of life."
I had a feeling I knew where this was heading.
"Let me guess. It's about their complete disregard for ethics in their experiments?"
Markus raised a brow, clearly caught off guard before nodding. "That's exactly it. Did you already know about them?"
"Nope. Just guessed," I said with a shrug, internally cringing at how cliché it was. Seriously, why is that no matter the world, there will always be a bunch up to this kind of shit? Honestly speaking, what bothered me wasn't them actually doing it, but the fact that it was on such a seemingly large scale.
"Well, that's all anyone knows about Erna. No one who's gone there has ever returned, so details are scarce."
Great, I thought, suppressing a chuckle at the grim yet absurd image of someone investigating Erna only to become a glorified lab rat.
"And the last city?" I asked.
"That one's less a city and more a fortress. But it's pretty populated, thanks to an underground network."
"Do its people resemble any of the other cities?"
"Sort of. It's mostly races that don't get along with Pera's inhabitants."
I raised a brow. What kind of races could that include if even trolls and orcs were welcome here?
"And those would be?"
"Vampires, dhampirs, dark elves… and fairies."
I nodded at the first three but froze at the last one. "Fairies? Why them?"
"They're annoying as hell," Markus said with a chuckle. "Plus, the dark elves and fairies formed some kind of alliance. Don't ask me the details."
His description of the fairies made me imagine mischievous little things that messed around a bit too much. Somehow... I found it endearing. Say I've got a weird taste, but the image of chaotic cute things was rather amusing to me.
Anyways, I wanted to dig deeper into the world I had found myself in, but we'd arrived at the so-called City Center.
Looking over at it, I saw a building that towered above the rest of the city, made of gleaming glass and sturdy metal. With the sky dark now, the structure appeared shadowy, save for patches of warm light glowing from certain windows.
"This is where we drop you off," Markus said as the truck rolled to a stop in front of the stairs leading to the entrance.
"Thanks for the ride and the company," I said, hopping out.
"It's been an honor, sir," he replied with a salute.
I chuckled, waving as the truck rumbled away.
The City Center seemed oddly quiet. No crowds bustled about, and the area felt eerily empty. Without lingering, I climbed the steps and approached the automatic glass doors.
Inside, a reception desk came into view, staffed by a single elf. She rose from her seat the moment I approached, her movements stiff and uneasy. Her long, dark hair framed a delicate face, and her eyes sparkled a bright, clear blue. She wore a fitted suit, elegant yet practical.
"Good evening," I greeted her.
"G-good evening, esteemed sir!" she stammered, standing ramrod straight.
I tilted my head. Nervous much?
"Relax. I don't bite," I teased, hoping to calm her down.
Her response? She tensed up even more. Is that sweat forming on her brow?
"Seriously, relax. Are you new here or something?" I couldn't think of any other reason for her to be so nervous.
"N-no, sir! I've been working here for two years!" she exclaimed, her voice full of vigor.
Two years? And this is how you act? Something was off. Either she was really darn bad with social interactions or there was something about me that was making her act that way.
The former didn't make much sense, since if it were the case, she wouldn't be working as a receptionist. Then, was it the latter? I got curious.
"You seem nervous," I said, meeting her blue eyes and peering deeply into them. "Why?"
Her reaction was not what I expected. She froze completely, and a faint floral scent wafted into the air. Then, I noticed it—a damp patch on her trousers, all too clear thanks to my enhanced eyesight.
Oh, fucking hell...