Before anything else, Chloe took Orion to a currency exchange. The place was discreet, with a suited man behind the counter eyeing them with suspicion. Chloe approached and smiled politely.
— We'd like to exchange gold for cash. — she said casually.
The man raised an eyebrow but maintained a professional posture.
— How much gold, exactly?
Without hesitation, Orion pulled a handful of golden bars from his dimensional pouch and placed them on the counter. The man's eyes bulged, choking slightly on his own breath.
— I-is this… pure gold?!
Orion simply nodded.
— Yes. Can you exchange it?
The clerk looked at Chloe, then at Orion, and finally at the gold. Clearing his throat, he picked up one of the bars and examined it, visibly shaken. Chloe sighed, already expecting this reaction.
— I'll… need to verify its authenticity — the man mumbled, trying to maintain composure.
After some tests and plenty of disbelief, Orion finally received a generous amount of money. He looked at the bills in his hand with curiosity.
— This is worth as much as gold? — he asked.
Chloe laughed.
— To us, yes. For you? I doubt it'll ever be enough.
With money secured, the next step was a trip to the mall to buy suitable clothes. As they entered the shopping center, Orion was fascinated by the window displays, mannequins dressed in various styles, and the glittering lights. People hurried past, many carrying full shopping bags.
— Pick whatever you want. — Chloe said, arms crossed as she watched his curious expression.
Orion wandered through the aisles, picking up random clothes and examining them. Ellie giggled quietly as he grabbed a long, elegant coat.
— You trying to look like a movie villain? — she teased.
Orion raised an eyebrow.
— Villain?
— Never mind. — Chloe shook her head and guided him toward a more casual section.
After a few comedic attempts—including a moment where Orion tried to wear a button-up shirt without unbuttoning it and nearly tore the fabric—he finally chose a proper outfit: a modern black coat, a white tank top, light jeans, and black boots. He stepped out of the changing room and looked at himself in the mirror.
— Does this look good? — he asked.
Chloe and Ellie exchanged looks and nodded.
— Now you actually look like someone from this century. — Ellie commented.
After shopping, they headed to an ice cream parlor. Chloe ordered vanilla, Ellie got chocolate, and Orion, intrigued, picked strawberry. He stared at the dessert for a moment before taking a big bite.
Seconds later, his eyes widened as he clutched his head with both hands.
— What is THIS?! — he grumbled, struck by brain freeze.
Ellie burst out laughing, nearly dropping her ice cream.
— That's called a brain freeze! Happens when you eat cold stuff too fast! — Chloe explained, trying to hold back laughter.
Orion blinked, looking at the ice cream with suspicion.
— So this thing tries to kill you if you're too fast? Interesting...
Chloe shook her head, still chuckling.
While enjoying their ice cream, Chloe glanced at Orion, curiosity growing.
— Alright, now that we're more relaxed... You still haven't explained anything about yourself. — she said, arms crossed. — Who exactly are you?
Orion looked at his ice cream for a moment before replying.
— My name is Orion. I… come from a place where none of this existed. Everything changed when I woke up in that cathedral. I don't exactly know what brought me here. — he said vaguely, though his expression showed a hint of discomfort.
Chloe and Ellie exchanged a look but chose not to press him.
After finishing their ice cream, Orion tossed the wrapper in the trash and turned to Chloe.
— Do you know any vampires around here? — he asked casually.
Chloe was taken aback by the question but answered after a brief moment of thought.
— Well... There's a famous vampire in France. He owns a bar called 'Le Nocturne'. If there's any vampire worth meeting, it's him.
Orion pondered for a moment, then nodded.
— I need to find him.
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
— You know him?
— Maybe. But there's only one way to find out.
Ellie looked at Orion with curiosity.
— You have a lot of allies like this?
Orion gave a faint smile.
— A few... And they're special.
Chloe sighed.
— Well, if you want to go to France… Flying's not an option right now. — she muttered, checking her phone. — Most flights were canceled because of the cathedral incident. So... You'll have to take a train.
— Train? — Orion asked, frowning.
Ellie grinned.
— Oh, this I gotta see. You're gonna love riding a train...
✨ Thank you for reading GOLD AGE! ✨