A Stranger in the Buerau

The door closes behind me with a solid thump. For a moment, I just stand there, breathing in the morning air. The streets of Olburg are slowly coming to life. This city sure looks livelier today.

As I cross into the main road, I can hear the rattling sound of the wheels of the heavy carts being carried by their hunchback merchants. One can deduce the profession of these merchants from the contents of their carts. One of them trundles past, piled with gems, minerals, and metals. The other is loaded with various tools and weapons, clapping against each other as the cart rushes through the cobblestone pavement. Then comes another, filled with fruits, vegetables, and jars. On the streetside, a bunch of kids are chasing each other playfully. As I move past the tumultuous crowd, I notice the tall buildings at the end of the road.

After a few more minutes of walking, I finally reach the main square. It's surprisingly not as crowded as I thought it would be. A gnarly, old tree stands in the middle with its silver foliage. The buildings here stand in contrast with the wooden and stone shacks along the road. Their marble structures stand firmly. Their facades and columns are decorated with carvings of beasts, crests, and flowers. One of them stands out even more, with its towers scraping the sky.

This must be it... The Residence Office.

I head inside. A small line has already formed before me, filled with people holding papers scrolled up in their hands. There are a couple of booths, but except for one, all of them are closed. A short, wrinkled woman sits inside the single one that's open. Her round glasses rest on her pug nose. Her expression is utterly blank—as expected from a person working in bureaucracy.

Yep, that's the place... I look at the crowd. Let's get this over with. I stand in line awkwardly.

I look around the enormous hall. The ceiling rises into a high dome, supported by thick wooden beams that arch outward along the sides. Tall, ornamented windows line the upper walls, their stained glass catching the morning light. The sunlight pours through in long rays, casting soft patterns across the floor and filling the room with a quiet, golden glow. I spot a giant map above the booth.

So this is Terra Magna... I let my eyes wander across its vast lands. The map marks both the terrain and the territory of the different settlements.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I hear a voice from behind me. It's soft and composed.

Snapping out of my wandering thoughts, I turn slightly. It's a man standing behind me, slightly thinner and taller than me. His black hair is a bit messy. He's wearing an elegant coat with golden pads over the shoulders. He stares at me with a polite smile.

"This map was drawn hundreds of years ago, right after the Great Demon War," he continues, looking back at the map. "Except for a few villages that disappeared since, everything else looks the same."

He pauses. His smile starts to fade, just a little, as he looks back at me.

"But the world has changed. In ways that a map simply can not show," he says in a mysterious tone.

I look back at the map. Right. The terrain might not change. But people do.

Turning back, I meet the stranger’s gaze. His demeanour has changed. His smile seems friendlier than before.

"Lucien," he extends his hand.

"Kaito," I introduce myself.

His handshake is firm and warm. It exerts its power on mine. I can feel the blood pumping through his veins. He looks deep into my soul with his dark blue eyes. For a moment, I feel tense. But the tension suddenly fades as he speaks.

"Are you a traveller?" he asks.

I nod.

"Come from afar, I see," he then looks in the direction of the booth, checking the line, then back at me.

"It’s moving slower than I expected," he says, putting his hand on his hip. "No wonder they say this city holds onto its people."

What does he mean by that?

The abrupt voice of the clerk breaks our conversation.

"Next."

"It's your turn," Lucien says.

I step forward to the booth. 

"Name?" the woman asks flatly, not even looking up from her pile of scrolls.

"Kaito Nagamichi," I answer bluntly. "I came for a seven-day permit."

"Affiliation?"

"Uh... I'm travelling with someone. An elf. But she couldn't come. She's sick. I must take care of her until she gets better."

She shuffles through a stack of documents, moving it quickly between her fingers and pulls one out, seemingly ignoring what I've just said.

"Seven days?" 

I nod. She keeps staring at me as she stamps the document with a seal, turning and sliding it towards me. As I try to take the document, she suddenly pulls it back, clicking her tongue.

"Huh?" I frown in confusion.

"Put your hands on the vampire detection rune first," she says, pointing at a strange object glowing with a red light towards my right hand on the counter. 

I hesitantly follow her instructions and put my hand slowly onto the rune. For a moment, I don't feel anything. Then suddenly...

"Argh... It's hot," I pull up my hand as a sharp burn spreads across my palm, as if I were touching hot iron.

I rapidly shake my hand in the air to get rid of the burning sensation.

"You're clear," the clerk says, handing me the paper and a pen for signature.

"And the elf?" I ask as I realise there's only one paper.

"You’ll only need a document for yourself. Elves are exempt," she says, taking a condescending glance at me. "No vampire can imitate an elf. If your friend really is an elf, she doesn't pose a threat."

So it was just me who needed a permit! I take the document and thank her quietly.

"Next!" the clerk says, looking at Lucien behind me as I turn.

Lucien gives me a polite nod.

"Mine is going to take a while," he says. "Merchants have it tougher."

"You're a merchant?" I ask, measuring him with my eyes.

"Sometimes..." he shrugs. "You look like you're in a hurry. I advise not to wait for me," he says as he grins. "See you around, Kaito!"

I say goodbye to him with an awkward nod as I jog towards the exit with the scroll under my arm. 

I step outside, looking up. The sun has climbed higher now, warming the square. I cover its blinding rays with my palm to look around. As I make my way halfway down the steps of the Residence Office, something catches my eye.

People are gathered around, near the edge of the square, buzzing loudly. 

What might be the source of this upheaval?

As I walk closer, a man moves to the side, revealing something horrifying. My eyes widen in shock.

A body lies on the ground. Its skin is pale white, its lifeless eyes eternally staring at the sky.

The noise of a certain word fills my head as it ripples through the air.

"A vampire."