The Extra's Rise - Chapter 499

Chapter 499: Lumiaren City (5)
Dawn crept over Lumiaren, bathing the pale stone in soft golden light. I woke to find Seraphina already up, seated by the window with a small tea service, watching the city come alive below. She’d pulled her silver hair into a loose braid that hung over one shoulder, and wore a simple robe of pale blue—comfort rather than formality for once.

“How long have you been up?” I asked, stretching as I joined her.

“Not long.” She handed me a cup of steaming tea. “The city is beautiful in the morning light.”

Below, Lumiaren was stirring to life. Market vendors set up stalls on the fourth terrace, their colorful awnings bright against the pale stone. Disciples from our delegation were visible on the training platforms of the fifth terrace, their morning exercises creating a synchronized dance of movement against the backdrop of the rising sun.

“What’s the plan for today?” I asked.

Seraphina set down her cup. “Nothing.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Nothing?”

“Nothing official,” she clarified. “The elders suggested I take a day to explore the city properly, without formal escorts or obligations. To get a feel for it.” She glanced at me. “Would you care to join me?”

“A day off?” I feigned shock. “The Princess of Mount Hua, taking leisure time? Has the world ended while I slept?”

She tossed a cushion at my head, which I caught easily. “Apparently exploring one’s new command is considered strategic reconnaissance, not leisure.”

“Ah, of course.” I nodded solemnly. “And I suppose eating at the famous floating restaurants on the lake would be… cultural intelligence gathering?”

“Precisely.” A full smile now. “And visiting the legendary crystal gardens of the second terrace would be botanical research.”

“Essential knowledge for a city commander,” I agreed.

We dressed casually by our standards, though neither of us would dream of venturing out unarmed. Evolvis hung at my side, its weight reassuring against my hip. Seraphina wore Moonfall in a simple sheath across her back, the legendary sword nearly invisible beneath her outer robe but always within reach.

The city felt different without the weight of official inspection. We wandered the terraces at our own pace, stopping to examine anything that caught our interest. On the sixth terrace, artisans worked with the luminescent stone native to the region, carving delicate figurines and jewelry that caught the light like captured moonbeams.

“For you, princess,” I said, purchasing a small hairpin shaped like a crescent moon from an elderly craftsman whose eyes widened in recognition as we approached his stall.

“This isn’t necessary,” she murmured, though she accepted the gift with careful hands.

“Consider it research into local craftsmanship,” I replied. “Very strategic.”

The old artisan bowed deeply. “An honor to serve Mount Hua’s princess,” he said. “My family has worked the moon-stone for seventeen generations.”

“It’s beautiful work,” Seraphina replied, examining the pin. “The detail is extraordinary.”

The man beamed with pride. “If I may…” He gestured to her hair.

Seraphina hesitated only briefly before nodding. The artisan carefully slid the pin into her braid, positioning it so the crescent caught the light perfectly.

“There,” he said, stepping back. “Now you truly look like the Lady of Lumiaren.”

We continued our exploration, making our way down to the famous floating gardens on the crescent lake. Small boats ferried visitors between floating platforms where exotic plants from across the Eastern continent grew in carefully tended arrangements.

We settled on a bench beneath the willow, watching the play of light on the water. Somewhere in the distance, a musician was playing a string instrument, the notes drifting across the lake like scattered petals.

“This is nice,” Seraphina said after a while, her head resting against my shoulder. “Unfamiliar, but nice.”

“The legendary Princess of Mount Hua—defeated by the concept of relaxation.”

She elbowed me lightly. “I’m relaxing. See? Completely relaxed, even in war.”

“Progress,” I conceded, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

We stayed that way for some time, listening to the distant music and watching light-motes dance across the surface of the lake. Seraphina gradually relaxed against me, her breathing slowing to match the gentle rhythm of the water lapping against the floating platform.

When hunger finally drove us from our sanctuary, we found a small restaurant on the edge of the lake. Unlike the formal banquet of the previous night, this was simple, hearty fare—steamed dumplings filled with local mushrooms, bowls of spiced noodle soup, and fresh lake fish grilled with herbs.

“I could get used to this,” I said, watching Seraphina savor a bite of fish. “The great commander, enjoying simple pleasures.”

“Don’t get too accustomed to it,” she warned, though her eyes were light. “Tomorrow the real work begins. The third terrace reconstruction needs oversight, and the defensive formations need reviewing.”

“But not today,” I reminded her.

“No,” she agreed. “Not today.”

After our meal, we climbed back up to the fourth terrace to browse the market stalls. Merchants offered everything from exotic spices to intricate mechanical toys powered by simple mana crystals. Seraphina was drawn to a display of ancient texts, engaging the bookseller in an animated discussion about pre-Imperial Eastern literature.

I wandered a few stalls away, examining a collection of carved wooden practice weapons. The craftsmanship was exceptional, each piece balanced perfectly despite being made from a single block of wood.

‘Arthur.’ Luna’s voice in my mind was uncharacteristically serious. ‘Something’s wrong.’

I stiffened. Luna rarely used that tone.

‘What is it?’

‘I’m not sure yet, but…’ She paused. ‘The air just changed. Like before a storm, but… darker. Colder.’

I casually scanned our surroundings, one hand drifting to Evolvis’s hilt. Nothing seemed immediately amiss, but I had long ago learned to trust Luna’s instincts.

“Beautiful work,” I commented to the stallkeeper, maintaining an appearance of normalcy while continuing my scan. “You have a good eye for balance.”

‘It’s coming from the central pavilion,’ Luna continued, her mental voice tight with tension. ‘Something… powerful.’

A chill crept up my spine—the unmistakable sensation that preceded vampire encounters. Not the common foot soldiers we’d dispatched countless times, but something ancient. Something that made even Luna, normally flippant in the face of danger, fall solemnly silent.

I glanced toward Seraphina, catching her eye. She picked up on my tension immediately, giving a nearly imperceptible nod before gracefully concluding her conversation with the bookseller.

“Find anything interesting?” she asked casually as she joined me, though her hand had already shifted to a position where she could draw Moonfall in an instant.

“Nothing worth lingering for,” I replied, the code phrase we’d established years ago for potential threats. “Perhaps we should check on the elders.”

As we made our way back toward the central pavilion, the sensation grew stronger. The late afternoon sky seemed to darken prematurely, clouds gathering with unnatural speed. The usual bustle of the city continued around us, citizens unaware of the malevolence I could feel pulsing from the direction of our destination.

‘This is bad, Arthur,’ Luna said, all trace of her usual sarcasm gone. ‘This feels like… like that time in the Northern Wastes.’

My blood ran cold. The Northern Wastes incident had involved a vampire elder who had nearly killed both Seraphina and me despite our combined efforts. If Luna was making that comparison…

“Vampire,” I murmured to Seraphina, low enough that only she could hear. “Powerful one. Possibly Elder-class or higher.”

Her steps didn’t falter, but her eyes hardened. “At the pavilion?”

“Yes. Luna feels it.”

Seraphina nodded once, sharp and decisive. “The elders are there.”

We increased our pace, not quite running but moving with purposeful urgency. The dread sensation intensified with each step toward the central pavilion. By the time we reached the base of the stairs leading up to the main entrance, it felt like wading through ice water.

The usual guards were at their posts, but something was wrong. They stood too still, their eyes glazed and unfocused.

“Enthralled,” Seraphina whispered.

I nodded grimly. Vampire enthrallment—a technique only the most powerful could manage over trained warriors. We moved past the unresponsive guards, hands now openly on our weapons.

The large doors to the pavilion stood open, apparently normal—except for the faint miasmic residue that clung to the threshold like morning dew, invisible to normal sight but clear to my enhanced perception.

‘Careful,’ Luna warned. ‘Whatever is in there… it’s ancient. And waiting.’

We entered the pavilion cautiously, senses heightened. The main hall was empty, though the usual staff could be seen frozen in place along the walls, entranced like the guards outside. Silence hung heavy in the air—not the peaceful quiet of an empty building, but the tense silence of a predator about to strike.

“Something’s wrong,” Seraphina said, drawing Moonfall in a smooth, silent motion. The blade gleamed with a cold light that pushed back against the creeping shadows.

I unsheathed Evolvis, the ancient-grade artifact thrumming with responsive energy as it sensed the nearby threat.

We moved deeper into the pavilion, toward the council chamber where the elders would typically be at this hour. The doors were closed but not sealed—another irregularity. Protocol dictated they remain open unless a private session was in progress, in which case formal seals would be applied.

As we approached, the sensation of dread became overwhelming. My every instinct screamed danger, and Evolvis grew almost hot in my grip, reacting to the powerful malevolence beyond the door.

‘Arthur, wait—’ Luna began, but it was too late.

The doors swung open of their own accord, revealing the council chamber beyond. Inside, the scene froze my blood.

The elders—all three of them—hung suspended in mid-air, held by invisible forces, their faces contorted in silent agony. Elder Wei’s chest bore a gaping wound, blood dripping slowly to form a complex sigil on the floor below. The other two still lived, but barely, their life force visibly draining into the growing pattern of blood.

And in the center of it all stood a woman of impossible beauty and terrible presence. Her skin was pale as death, her eyes ancient and cold as the void between stars. She wore a gown of deepest crimson that seemed to flow like liquid around her slender form. When she smiled, revealing delicate fangs, the temperature in the room plummeted.

Vampire Ancestor.