The large wall clock hanging in the hotel lobby showed 8:30 in the morning when Kazuki came down the stairs. The sound of his footsteps was almost inaudible on the thick maroon carpet that covered part of the floor. Several hotel guests passed by, most wearing luxurious clothes typical of nobles.
His black eyes quickly found the figure he was looking for. Amira was already waiting on one of the large sofas in the central area of the lobby, sitting with a slightly awkward posture, clearly unaccustomed to the luxury around her. The girl wore a simple light white dress that they had bought yesterday. She looked like an ordinary village girl amidst the luxury of the hotel, but it was precisely that innocence that made her stand out in an interesting way.
"Morning," Kazuki greeted lightly, taking a seat on the sofa facing Amira. The sofa was covered with soft dark blue velvet, with intricate wood carvings on its back and arms.
Amira raised her face, slightly surprised. "Oh, morning," she replied with a small smile. "Did you sleep well? I could hardly sleep because I was still..." She didn't finish her sentence, but Kazuki could guess she was still not used to staying in a hotel.
"Well enough," Kazuki answered briefly. He observed Amira's face carefully—there were thin dark circles under her eyes, evidence of lack of sleep.
Just as Kazuki was about to call a server, a familiar soft voice greeted them. "Good morning, young sir and miss. I hope you slept well last night."
They both turned to find the beautiful woman who had welcomed them at the reception desk last night now standing beside their sofa. Her name was Lilina, as indicated by the small pin on the chest of her purple uniform.
"Good morning," Yuina replied with a friendly smile.
Lilina smiled, showing a perfect set of teeth. "Breakfast will be served in the main dining room in fifteen minutes. In the meantime, is there anything I can help you with?"
Kazuki nodded, seeing an opportunity to gather information. "Actually, we'd like to know where the capital is located. We're planning to go there today or tomorrow."
Lilina's beautiful face immediately brightened. "Ah, of course! I can help with that information." She clapped her hands once, and with an elegant movement, she took out a flat, square-shaped object from a hidden pocket in the folds of her skirt.
The object looked like a transparent tablet with silver edges. Lilina carefully placed it on the carved wooden table in front of them. As soon as the object touched the table surface, a pale blue light radiated from its center, forming a three-dimensional holographic screen floating about thirty centimeters above the table surface.
Amira gasped in surprise, reflexively moving back a little. Her eyes widened as she witnessed the technology of this world. "That's..." she stammered, unable to finish her sentence.
Kazuki, although equally surprised, managed to keep his facial expression calm. He only raised one eyebrow, observing the holographic screen with curious eyes. His suspicions were increasingly confirmed—this world was far more complex and not as simple as they had thought.
"If you're looking for the capital, you can see it from this screen," Lilina explained in a professional voice. Her graceful fingers moved nimbly over the blue projection, scrolling and enlarging a map that looked like a combination of a topographical and political map. "This is an interactive map of the Kingdom's territory. It contains complete information about cities you might want to visit."
The holographic map showed a large continent with various geographical features—mountains depicted in three dimensions, dense forests that appeared to move in a virtual breeze, blue rivers that gleamed like real water, and points representing cities of various sizes. At the top of the map, there was a list of city names that could be clicked for more detailed information.
"The city of Valoria is where you are now," Lilina pointed to a small glowing spot in the southern part of the map. The city was depicted in detail.
Lilina's finger then moved northward, pointing to a much larger spot that shone with a golden light. "And this is the capital of the Kingdom of Nivara."
The capital looked magnificent even in hologram form—a large metropolis with a towering palace at its center.
"If you want to go to the capital, there are several routes you can take," continued Lilina. Her finger moved again, this time drawing a red line across a dark green area on the map. "The first route is through the Haranth Forest. This is the quickest route, but also the most dangerous."
The hologram changed, displaying a three-dimensional image of a dense forest with giant trees whose trunks appeared to be made of black wood. The foliage was so thick that almost no light penetrated to the forest floor. "The Haranth Forest is famous for the dangerous monsters that inhabit it—shadow wolves, giant spiders, there's even a rumor about an earth dragon hiding in the deepest part of the forest."
Amira swallowed with difficulty, her face turning slightly pale upon hearing the list of dangerous creatures. Her eyes met Kazuki's, as if asking 'are you sure we have to go through this?'
"Most people choose to avoid this route," Lilina continued in a warning tone. "Even the royal army usually sends a minimum of ten experienced soldiers if they must pass through the forest. But indeed, if you manage to pass through it safely, you could reach the capital in about two days on a fast horse."
Lilina moved her finger again, this time drawing a blue line across the eastern part of the map. "The second alternative is this route. Longer, but much safer."
The map shifted, now showing a wide road that appeared well-maintained, crossing green meadows and low hills. Along the road, there were small posts that might be guard posts or rest areas.
"This route will take you through the City of Eldoria," Lilina pointed to a blue glowing spot in the middle of the route. "Eldoria is a large and bustling city. If you choose this route, you can rest there."
The City of Eldoria appeared in 3D projection.
"From Valoria to Eldoria, you can use the train," added Lilina. The word 'train' made Kazuki and Amira exchange surprised glances. "The train station is not far from this hotel, only about twenty minutes on foot. The train from Valoria to Eldoria takes about three days of travel, with several stops in small towns along the route."
The hologram changed again, showing an image of a train that surprised Kazuki and Amira. Instead of an ancient steam train as they might have imagined according to the medieval world setting, what appeared was a train with a futuristic design—sleek carriages with wide windows that seemed to be made of bulletproof glass, and a locomotive that didn't emit smoke, but rather a faint bluish aura.
"Inter-city trains use magic crystals as their energy source," Lilina explained, as if reading the confusion on their faces. "Cleaner and faster than old steam trains."
Amira looked increasingly amazed with each explanation. The world they thought was primitive actually had technology that was even more advanced than their world of origin in some aspects—a blend of magic and technology that created unique advancements.
"After you arrive in Eldoria," Lilina continued, "the journey to the capital will take about five hours on foot. But I strongly recommend renting a horse carriage in Eldoria to reach there faster. The route from Eldoria to the capital is very safe because it is frequently patrolled by the Royal Knights. Chaos or monster attacks rarely occur on that path."
Lilina finished her explanation with a professional smile, then with an elegant movement closed the hologram projection and took back the projector device. "So, which route do you choose, young sir and miss? Both have their own advantages and disadvantages."
Kazuki glanced at Amira, giving the girl an opportunity to express her opinion first. Although he had extraordinary power and could probably protect them even on the most dangerous route, Kazuki wanted Amira to feel comfortable and safe on their journey.
Amira appeared to be thinking hard, weighing the options.