Chapter 146 Moving Hotels
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
We made it back to the hotel from the wharf well after the clock had struck two in the morning.
Not that my schedule for today was particularly packed. The Vitz¹ curriculum was shifting gears, so the most I had to worry about was moving to our new accommodations.
Lana was a soft, shifting heap under the covers.
”Zzz… mnn…”
The sleep magic (majutsu²) was doing its job perfectly; she was out cold again tonight. I made short work of my bedtime routine and slid into the sheets beside her. Between the mental tax and the physical exhaustion, sleep claimed me almost instantly.
(…One week left.)
Our stay in Vitz was slated for two weeks; we were officially at the halfway mark. I needed to pick up the pace, but I wasn’t about to get reckless.
(If I pour everything into making contact with Nauru, I might manage a few meetings at best.)
Our next encounter was in two days. I desperately needed a breakthrough. Just then, something soft pressed against me.
”Nn…”
A half-asleep Lana had instinctively snuggled up to me. What a little treasure.
”Time for sleep,” I whispered. As I closed my eyes, the world blurred. I surrendered to the weight of exhaustion and drifted off.
* * *
The next morning proved that being young has its perks. Even after a late night, there was no lingering grogginess.
”Good morning, Ms. Lana,” I said.
”…Morning, Alba,” she replied, her eyes still bleary. I was in a similar state, but the fatigue was gone. I really have to thank my lucky stars for being born into such a resilient body.
”We’re moving hotels today, aren’t we?” I asked.
”Yeah. Hard to believe a week has passed already…”
”It’s a strange feeling,” I replied.
”This might be the first time I’ve felt this attached to a place that wasn’t home,” Lana admitted.
”I feel the same way.”
There’s something special about a training camp-especially when you’re spending it with the person you love. After a meticulous sweep for any forgotten items, we set off for our next destination.
The second half of the camp focused primarily on art and cultural refinement. Vitz was a seaside hub for the arts, and our task was to immerse ourselves in the galleries to sharpen our sensibilities. To be honest, it felt more like “How to be an Aristocrat 101.” While it was part of the curriculum, actual magic didn’t play much of a role. Unlike the art of my previous life on Earth, this wasn’t about creation; it was purely academic.
By late morning, we arrived at our new hotel-a premier establishment situated near the city port.
”…It’s certainly flashy,” Lana remarked.
”That it is,” I agreed.
The hotel was a brilliant, almost blinding sight, its walls catching and throwing back the sunlight. It was a stylistic choice you’d never see in the Royal Capital. A building this conspicuous back home would have been buried in noise complaints within a day. However, the moment we stepped inside, the vibe shifted. In stark contrast to the exterior, the interior was a masterclass in understated elegance, draped in soothing beiges and deep browns.
”I see. They’re playing with the contrast,” I noted.
”I think so. It’s a bold concept.”
”You could never pull this off in the Capital, right?”
”Definitely not,” Lana agreed. “The high nobility would be up in arms over the breach of tradition.”
Neither of us were top-tier nobles, but we understood the rigid social codes of the Capital well enough. This hotel was effectively picking a fight with those very conventions-a bit of designer’s pride, I suppose. It reminded me of the architectural statements from my past life, an artist’s way of rebelling against the status quo.
Interestingly, the service and amenities inside were perfectly traditional. We boarded a magic-driven elevator-still a rare luxury-and ascended to our room on the top floor. I walked over to the window and took in the view.
”Whoa…”
The vista was peerless. The port town, the sea, and the ships-it felt as though the entire world was resting in the palm of my hand.
”It’s incredible,” Lana said.
”Isn’t it!” I replied.
Lana and I caught each other’s eyes and shared a smile. We spent the afternoon unpacking and organizing our study materials for the coming days. The rest of the time was spent lounging-a necessary recovery period after the hectic week we’d just had. We capped the day off with a meal at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant.
Amidst this productive day, I quietly slipped a letter to a liaison I had positioned beforehand. Isabella and Nauru. I needed to play them both correctly to finally sink my hooks into the Golden Crab³.
…And, of course, I’d be making plenty of time for some intimate moments with Lana along the way.
—
Summary:
After a late-night return from the wharf, Alba and Lana conclude their first week in Vitz. They move to a new, high-end hotel near the port that features a subversive architectural design. While enjoying the luxury, Alba continues his covert operations to target the ‘Golden Crab’ through Isabella and Nauru.
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Trivia:
- Alba is only halfway through his two-week stay.
- The curriculum has shifted from general magic to aristocratic cultural studies.
- Alba is using a pre-positioned liaison to send letters.
- The ‘Golden Crab’ is the primary target Alba is currently tracking
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Character Insight:
Alba shows a balance between his ruthless strategic goals and his genuine affection for Lana. He is also revealed to be a reincarnated individual who recognizes Earth-like architectural subversion.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author notes at the end promote a new series involving an S-class adventurer and a Red-Light District building theme.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Nauru – a female worker on the ship, originally from a seaside town plagued by scarcity, drawn into her current life by circumstance, now cautiously hopeful after connecting with the mafia boss over shared interests in baking and sweets
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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