No 500 yet. Aw, and I even had the chapter ready. Wink. Wink.
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Travelling to a different nation after spending your whole life in your homeland was certainly an experience, terrible for some, incredible for others, but an experience nonetheless. There came culture shocks, the difference in architecture and local customs, the way people treated each other and the way they looked, and all those different things that served to build a society.
And, even though I'd spent an entire life in the city of New York, I still left the airport to a city that was largely unfamiliar to me. But then again, I did spend a lot of time cooped up in my apartment or in other states chasing hobbies so I supposed it made sense. Then, there was the little bit of uncertainty that came with being a magus in a new land.
According to my Professor, each land soaked up the beliefs and faiths of the people that made it home. This stabilised and empowered certain magicks while weakening others. Maybe that was why it felt like I had stepped into a new world altogether when the city surrounded by water came into view. A direct consequence of how attuned I'd become to the workings of mana.
Arriving here was easy, we'd caught a direct flight from London to NYC on the same day after I left a message for my mother with Flat... Well, I'd told her I was going to another city... not another country, but I was going to be back soon enough so there was no need to worry her.
"It seems the Lord has freely blessed this land with bountiful harvests." Caren breathed out a plume of hot air, rubbing her arms as she observed the people passing by. Her eyes narrowed at a family of four, a rather fat family of four, "Maybe a bit too bountiful."
"Are you jealous?"
Caren glanced at me, then put a hand over her stomach. "You still haven't fed me. What a cruel kidnapper."
"That's bullshit. We flew first class, you slept like a child through the night, and then you ate a whole chicken... somehow."
"Lying is a sin." She averted her gaze.
"Yeah, so stop doing it."
There was a decided difference in the people here. For one, they were even less concerned about others than Londoners and that was saying something. Then there was the fact these people dressed more 'freely' compared to the trench coats and hats and whatever the 'gentlemen' preferred. Even the women took to t-shirts and jeans and the likes instead of the long dresses and skirts you'd find back home.
Still, the people looked similar enough. I didn't get why most of the Clock Tower looked down on the United States as a youngling nation that had no respect for those that paved the way or something superfluous like that. And while it was indeed true that this country had no magecraft to really call its own except for the dying native american shamanism, they had more than enough to provide ample challenge through technology.
That was the second thing I noticed.
The latent mana here was sparser, maybe it was because we were in a city. In my opinion, it was more because of what this nation represented at this point in time. The march of man. The progress of science. A hub of technology built by gathering the brightest minds in the world.
A burgeoning nation that had no time for faith in superstition or the immaterial.
Suddenly, a man in a shabby coat brushed up against me, mumbling a quick apology before speeding away. I curiously tilted my head.
"He took your wallet." Caren informed, watching his back disappear into the crowd.
I opened my closed hand to reveal leather wallet, a much dirtier but thicker one compared to mine. "And I took his. Wait, he's coming back. He definitely noticed."
"Oi! What's the fucking idea?!"
He made to grab me. I stepped back with a smile and thoughtlessly kneed him in the guts before pulling back again, this time spinning the wallet he'd pickpocketed atop my finger.
No one batted a single eye towards the exchange except a few tourists.
"Thanks for bringing back my stuff, mate. Come on, Caren."
Chuckling, I sauntered away.
The city was... cold. People wore thick jackets, blazers and coats to cope with the chill setting in as Winter began to creep in with the coming of October. The Sun hid behind a sky painted white by puffy clouds, and a thick mist that made it hard to see rolled in from the bay.
Neither of us were properly dressed. I only wore a charcoal mockneck over a pair of trousers, and Caren was in her habit. Admittedly, I was starting to feel the weather, even with the natural enhancement that came with possessing a vast number of magic circuits.
Quickly, we stuffed ourselves into the back of a cab, partially to escape the cold, and partially to set about the task.
"Where to?" The fat, middle-aged man spat out, scratching his grey stubble as he leaned over to look back... giving us a full view of his hairy armpits... ew.
"To a hotel that's livable."
"Gotcha."
When he began driving, Caren turned to look at me with large golden eyes. "You're being dangerously hasty with this job."
"I can't put into words how excited I am about this." I replied without meeting her gaze. "So, yeah."
In truth, it was getting harder and harder to hold myself back from just breaking out into another laughing fit or something along those lines. With a mobile bounded field in my hands, I could easily recreate a version of the Limitless' impregnable defense.
It was something of a personal goal I had ever since coming here, and finally, I was so oh so close. So yes, I was being hasty and going into a situation with no prior recon... but that was how I went into every situation. That was what made life so terribly exciting.
"Why did you agree to his request? You were offered no reward in exchange." Caren continued, "But, I suppose I expect too much reason from someone-... Oh Lord, please forgive me for thinking this man is mentally challenged... even though he likely is."
"Snarky midget."
"Midg-... What?"
"Midget."
"I'm still growing," She defended. "I'm not a midget."
"Sounds like something a midget would say."
She let out a strange hum and turned away to look at the city passing us by. I took that time to lean back, arms crossed behind my head.
"Well, it's not really that big of a secret. Why do you think a magus would want to find someone like that?"
For a moment, Caren offered no response. I even thought she was genuinely upset with being called a midget. That was a mistake. She proceeded to prove me wrong by spouting some of the vilest shit-talk I'd ever heard.
For someone with such a detached yet elegant beauty, her personality was quite unsuitable and rotten.
"Far be it from me to understand the mind of a man that clearly made the doctor responsible for delivering him apologise to his parents for the heinous act. Truly, the Lord gave a great trial to the woman who birthed you, I shall pray for her well-being and eternally admire her tenacity for being able to deal with a manchild that puts-... I wonder how she pushed that big head through. Oh Lord, forgive me for my unseemly thoughts. Such curiosity is unbecoming of me."
...
...
...
Bruh.
Even the driver stared at us through the rear-view mirror with eyes as wide as saucers before breaking out into a sudden coughing fit.
"Damn..." I went over her words in my head once again, "DAMN! Chill. I'm sorry, damn."
"Why would you be sorry? The Lord rewards his servants for being kind to the impaired. It is not your fault Satan takes such a liking to you."
"...You're being kind? Again, damn. But still, respect. You have to teach me how to do that."
I had found another teacher on the level of Krishna. That was crazy.
She offered a small smile. Seemingly satisfied with my words for some odd reason.
"As for your question, well. Do you expect to learn his spells? I don't think he'd be open to teaching a magus, even if excommunicated, he is still an Executor." Noticing my silence, she kept speaking. "Not that I intend to complain if you try, it is ideal to finish this assignment as quickly as possible."
Now, it didn't escape my notice that she was most definitely with an agenda of her own. I'd already caught the eye of the Holy Church, and it would be strange if Caren wasn't meant to report back on everything she saw and heard. HOWEVER, this was of no issue to me. I wanted all the smoke and attention anyone had to offer.
I was about to be on that Gojo-type untouchable grindset.
"I do hope you understand that I can not help my kidnapper with any physical conflict."
"Yeah yeah." I scratched the back of my head and finally looked out the window. "All you need to do is find me the guy."
At this point in time, it became evident that something was off. Instead of heading right into the cluster of high-rise skyscrapers that dominated the cityscape, our cabbie had elected to divert onto some road that led to one of the harbours, specifically on the Eastern Coast.
"Did you two plan this? Is there where you plan on acting out your vile fantasies?"
I ignored Caren's bullshit in favour of trying to figure out what was going on.
"Oh Lord, grant your servant strength."
The cabbie brought the car to a halt in the middle of a suspiciously empty harbour, with not a soul in sight. Evidently, the place had been emptied out in something of a hurry considering the haphazardly open gates and still running machinery all around us.
I rubbed my hands together, shivering.
"I don't think this is part of some tourist scam, yeah?"
"Nah."
"Figured."
I leaned forward, grinning, "I thought just jumping that Sancraid dude would make for a boring trip anyway. Thanks for mixing things up."
He gave me a strange look, and left the car. Not a moment later, two men in suits took his place. They wore red silk scarves and striped fedoras giving the image of cliche... mobsters from romanticised mafia flicks.
Wait a second... It couldn't be.
One of them turned around, and put a small Smith and Wesson pistol against the head of his seat. He even had a thin, neatly cut moustache. He fixed me with an intimidating glare... or at least, that was what I imagined he thought it was.
"Whatcha doin' on our turf, pal?"
Ignoring that... The strangest thing was that both of the men had magic circuits.
"Are you serious right now? Magi mobsters? H...How'd you know I was a magus though?"
"What? Did we scare ya already?"
"This is genuinely amazing."
I put a hand against my mouth with the biggest of grins.
"W...What?"
Caren only slightly tilted her head, not the least bit bothered by the situation, "How may I be of service to you... gentlemen?"
Things had just gotten a lot more interesting.
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