Even though many of the buildings were different, the layout of the main thoroughfares and districts was nearly identical to what Shiayar remembered.
This time, Shiayar did not wear a mask but rather showed his face openly to the world... After all, in this world, he always wore a mask while using the alias Cain, and no one knew his true appearance.
Shiayar glanced at Augutina following beside him, especially the black stockings beneath her black dress. "However, don't you think such an outfit is somewhat inconsistent with your identity as the 'Queen of the Night'?"
He found that Augutina seemed to possess the ability to freely switch between the mature "Queen of the Night" and the youthful "Black Princess." Yet, for some reason, Augutina seemed to prefer showcasing her youthful side in front of others, completely masking the fact that she was an old crone who had lived since the Second Era. And the Queen of the Night's preference for dressing youthfully was one thing; even her fashion choices, which closely followed the latest trends, stood out oddly against the ancient Camelot City. Indeed, the other long-lived women he knew... well, the women he was close to, whether Silvia or Hathaway, tended to dress more traditionally. At least, Shiayar had never before imagined Silvia Babe or his own Golden Elf Instructor in black stockings.
He cleared his throat softly, forcibly channeling his spiritual power to rein in his wandering thoughts.
Now if only there were a chance to turn those fantasies into reality... but as for Silvia Babe, forget it; and if he asked his instructor to wear black stockings, not even the Flashback Pocket Watch might save him.
"To have survived since the Second Era, you must also be of the long-lived species."
"My instructor once mentioned she knew you from before. Are you, like my instructor, an advanced Elf?"
He turned his head, trying to see the shape of Augutina's ears among her black tresses, but his view was obscured by the faint shadows of the night, making them difficult to see clearly.
"You've been a regular at my establishment for a while now, so I think you should know the rules here," Augutina said with a light chuckle.
"Attempting to discover the original species of a Throne... such a deal is a Deathbringer Angel Level transaction. Moreover, since you're inquiring about information related to the Dark Shadow Council Leader, that requires an even higher level, reaching Prometheus Class."
"What do you think? Have you decided how to pay the price? Information at the Fire-Thief Level can only be traded with Sacred Relics, or perhaps..." Her eyes twinkled with amusement as she fixed her gaze on Shiayar. "You could trade yourself."
"Can't afford it. Forget it," Shiayar immediately shook his head.
Who was he kidding? When he was of low rank, he might not have realized, but now he was acutely aware of the significance of the term "Sacred Relic." These were items that truly touched upon the domain of rules. Even an ordinary True God could not create them. Although there were less credible items like the Knowledge Holy Chalice that lowered the standard, he had deeply experienced the might of the Sacred Sword and Sacred Spear. Pure cheats.
Of course, Shiayar understood as well that this was Augutina's indirect way of declining to answer his question; after all, she had previously revealed to him so many secrets of the Ancient Era within Millennium Castle without charging extra.
The two of them walked side by side through Camelot City for a while longer, until the proud noon sun began a slight descent.
DONG—
The distant tolling of a bell sounded from within the Royal Palace in the Inner City District, sending its echoes outward.
And with that city-wide ringing, in the blink of an eye, the entire outer city area erupted into commotion.
Then, a torrential flood of people surged toward the Inner City District, toward the direction of the Royal Palace.
Everyone knew it was the announcement that the founding ceremony was about to begin.
...
Within the throngs of people jostling shoulder-to-shoulder, only Shiayar and Augutina stood still.
The noisy, chaotic crowd passed them by, yet seemed to avoid contact at the last moment.
Though they were in the same city, on the same street, it was as if they were distinctly in two separate worlds.
"Do you see it?" Augutina's Red Gold eyes looked down at the churning tide of people beside her, her voice cold yet indifferent, reaching Shiayar's ear.
"Hmm." Shiayar merely nodded silently.
He could feel the breaths of Camelot City's citizens and their heartbeats. But with Astral Vision—all he saw was an empty city devoid of life.
Only the blood-red moonlight under the night sky remained an eternal presence in Camelot City.
"They, all these citizens and everything in Camelot City... are just phantoms from the past within the Imaginary Zone, right?"
Shiayar gently extended his hand. A kaleidoscopic butterfly alighted nimbly on his fingertip, fluttering its wings before flying away again.
Yet Shiayar simply closed his eyes. That butterfly, and those citizens too, they were all real lives, real flesh and blood. But as beings in the Imaginary Zone, independent of space and time, they had been deprived of a future.