The Train Aurelia

"They operate most of the major railway routes between the districts." Shinji looked toward the engine again. "Are they the ones who made this?" 

"They built the train." 

"All of it?"

" Well, not all, but most of it."

Shinji stared at the enormous machine for a few minutes.

He couldn't imagine how many people it would take to build something like this.

The doors opened.

Another burst of steam rolled across the platform.

 Shinji hesitated, he was nervous but...

Maya reached for his hand.

"Come on, don't be shy ."

He followed her inside.

The difference was immediate.

The cold disappeared.

Warm air surrounded him.

Shinji blinked as he could not believe he was entering a train for the first time.

The carriage was illuminated by small glass lamps fixed along the ceiling. Each lamp contained a tiny glowing stone. 

Not bright enough to hurt the eyes, just enough to bathe the carriage in a warm golden light. Shinji looked up.

"Those are magic stones too?" Maya nodded.

"Smaller ones."

He looked along the ceiling.

There were dozens of them.

"Does everything use magic?"

"Not everything."

Irina stepped inside behind them. "But almost everything important does." Shinji looked around.

The seats were covered in dark brown leather. The wooden armrests were polished smooth. Thin brass pipes ran beneath the windows.

Every few seconds, steam moved through them with a quiet hiss. The windows were thick and reinforced with metal frames. Above each seat was a small brass number. Shinji ran his fingers across one of the armrests. It was warm.

He looked at Maya.

"Why is it warm?"

"Heating pipes."

She pointed beneath the seat.

"Steam from the engine is redirected through the carriage." Shinji crouched.

Sure enough, a narrow copper pipe disappeared beneath the seat. He stared at it.

The train wasn't simply a machine.

It was a machine that had been built around magic.

They found four seats together. Maya sat beside Shinji.

Irina sat opposite them.

Shinji remained quiet.

He watched everyone entering the carriage.

There were so many different people.

A woman with long pointed ears and silver hair walked past.

Shinji stared.

He had never seen anyone like her.

Another passenger had small horns protruding from his forehead. A third had a short tail visible beneath his coat.

Shinji slowly looked at Maya.

"Maya."

"Hm?"

"What's wrong with them?" Maya blinked.

"Nothing."

"Their ears." She smiled.

"They're Demi-Humans."

Shinji looked back. "Demi-

Humans?" "Yeah."

"Are they human?"

"Sort of."

Irina answered this time.

"Demi-Humans are people whose ancestors developed traits from various magical species." Shinji looked at the woman with pointed ears.

"So she's not human?"

"She's still a person."

Shinji nodded slowly.

A small boy walked past their seats.

He had brown fur covering the backs of his hands and small rounded ears on top of his head.

He looked at Shinji.

Shinji looked back.

The boy smiled.

Shinji hesitated.

Then smiled back.

The boy continued down the carriage.

Shinji watched him disappear.

There were people in the world he had never even known existed.

The doors closed.

A bell rang.

Ding.

The train gave a deep mechanical groan.

Shinji gripped the seat. The wheels began turning.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

The platform started moving backward.

Maya looked out the window.

"Here we go." The train accelerated. The station disappeared. Then the buildings.

Then the last few houses.

Soon, there was nothing but snow.

Shinji sat against the window.

The mountains stretched across the horizon.

Huge white peaks rose into the clouds.

The sunlight reflected off the snow so brightly that he had to squint. He had spent his entire childhood surrounded by those mountains. But from the train, they looked different.

Smaller somehow.

Yet somehow more beautiful. The railway wound between them. Bridges crossed enormous valleys. Tunnels disappeared into mountainsides.

Sometimes Shinji could see another train in the distance.

Sometimes he saw small settlements tucked between the mountains.

People living their lives.

Smoke rising from chimneys.

Children playing in the snow.

Farmers working beside strange mechanical equipment. The world kept moving.

Even though his had stopped.

Shinji rested his forehead against the glass.

Maya quietly watched him.

She didn't say anything.

She understood that he wasn't really looking at the mountains. He was saying goodbye to the only world he'd ever known.

Hours passed.

The mountains slowly began to change.

The snow became thinner.

The valleys widened.

The railway became busier.

One track became two.

Then four.

Then six.

Shinji sat upright. "What happened?" Maya smiled. "We're getting close." To what?

Shinji didn't ask.

He simply watched.

The wilderness gradually disappeared.

Fields appeared.

Then roads.

Then buildings.

At first there were only a few.

Then dozens.

Then hundreds.

Factories appeared on the horizon.

Their enormous chimneys released clouds of white steam. Mechanical cranes moved between warehouses.

Railway tracks crossed the landscape in every direction. The further they travelled, the more crowded everything became. Then Shinji saw it.

The wall.

He slowly stood.

"What is that?"

Maya looked out the window.

"District 7."

The city wall stretched across the horizon. It was enormous.

Stone formed the foundation, reinforced by thick steel supports.

Large mechanical gates stood open around the railway entrance.

Towers rose along the wall at regular intervals. Some carried enormous clocks. Others housed glowing magical lamps. Beyond the wall—

a city.

Shinji couldn't see the end of it. Buildings rose higher and higher.

Stone towers stood beside steel factories.

Wooden houses stood beneath enormous apartment blocks.

Brass pipes crossed between buildings.

Steam drifted through the streets.

Magic lamps illuminated roads even though the sun was still above the horizon.

Railways ran through the city like veins. And everywhere—

people.

Humans.

Demi-Humans.

Half-Borns.

Merchants.

Workers.

Students.

Soldiers.

Children.

The city seemed alive.

Shinji stared through the window.

He had never imagined there could be so many people in one place. Maya leaned against the glass beside him.

"Pretty amazing, isn't it?" Shinji nodded.

"Yeah."

Irina watched him from across the carriage. She could see it in his expression.

Wonder.

Confusion.

Fear.

And underneath all of it—

grief.

The train passed through the enormous gates.

A brass plaque stood beside the railway entrance.

WELCOME TO DISTRICT 7 Below it was the symbol of the district.

Shinji read the words silently.

District 7.

The place where his new life would begin.

The train continued deeper into the city.

And for the first time, Shinji Sugimoto saw a world much larger than the forest he had called home.

Chapter Three — The City Beyond the Mountains

The train began to slow.

Shinji felt it before he saw anything.

The steady rhythm of the wheels beneath the carriage changed, becoming slower and heavier. The gentle rocking of the train gradually disappeared as the brakes engaged.

Hssssssss—

Steam escaped from beneath the carriage.

Shinji lifted his head from the window.

The city outside had grown enormous.

Buildings crowded both sides of the railway now. Some were made from old stone, their walls covered in moss and darkened by age. Others were constructed from steel and brass, with enormous gears turning behind glass windows.

Pipes ran between buildings.

Some carried steam.

Others carried glowing streams of blue magical energy.

Shinji watched a small crystal embedded inside one of the pipes pulse.

Once.

Twice.

Then the light travelled along the length of the pipe and disappeared into another building.

He stared.

Everything here seemed to move.

Even the buildings seemed alive.

The train entered a vast structure.

Shinji's eyes widened.

The ceiling disappeared into darkness far above them.

Multiple railway lines crossed through the station at different heights. Trains arrived from different directions, each one releasing clouds of steam as passengers poured onto the platforms.

Large mechanical signs hung above the tracks.

Their letters shifted and clicked into place.

DISTRICT 4 — THE CROWN

A moment later, another sign changed.

DISTRICT 5 — DEVILS' CARNIVAL

Then—

DISTRICT 6 — THE FORGE

And finally:

DISTRICT 7 — CENTRAL

Shinji read the last one slowly.

"District 7..."

Maya leaned over.

"That's where we are." The train gave one final shudder.

Then stopped.

A bell rang throughout the carriage.

Ding.

The doors opened.

Warm air rushed in.

But it wasn't the warmth of a home. It was the warmth of hundreds of people. Shinji heard voices everywhere. "Move aside!"

"District Six train arriving!"

"Fresh bread!"

"Tickets!"

"Careful!" "Coming through!" He froze.

There were too many people.

People passed around him in every direction.

Humans.

Demi-Humans.

Half-Borns.

Workers in heavy coats.

Children carrying school bags.

Merchants pushing carts.

Soldiers wearing dark uniforms.

A woman with long rabbit-like ears hurried past while carrying a basket.

Behind her walked a broad man with short horns and dark scales along his cheeks. Shinji

stared.

He had never seen anything like them.

Maya noticed. "Demi-Humans." Shinji looked at her.

"Again?"

She nodded.

"There are lots of different kinds."

"Are they dangerous?"

"No."

Maya frowned. "Why would they be?" Shinji looked down.

"I don't know."

Maya's expression softened. "You don't have to be scared of everyone." Shinji didn't respond.

Maya took his hand.

"Stay with me." He nodded.

They stepped onto the platform.

Shinji immediately looked down.

The floor wasn't stone.

It was metal.

Large circular patterns had been built into the platform, glowing faintly beneath his shoes.

"What's that?"

Irina looked down.

"Heating plates."

"Heating?"

"They keep the platform from freezing during winter." Shinji crouched.

The metal beneath his fingers was warm. He pulled his hand back. "Magic?" Irina nodded.

"Magic."

Shinji looked around again. It was everywhere.

A street cleaner stood near the station entrance. A small artificial tattoo covered the back of his hand. He pressed his palms together.

The tattoo glowed faintly.

A thin stream of water rose from a nearby drain and flowed into his bucket. Shinji watched.

The man separated his hands.

The water stopped.

Further away, a mechanic held a broken metal gear between his fingers.

A faint orange light surrounded his hand. The damaged metal slowly fused together. A baker pushed a tray into an oven.

Instead of lighting a fire, she touched a small rune carved into the side. The rune glowed.

The oven became hot.

Shinji looked at his own hand.

His natural tattoo remained hidden beneath the sleeve. He pulled the fabric down.

Irina noticed.

She didn't say anything.

"Shinji."

He looked up.

Maya was standing several steps ahead. "Come on."

He followed.

The station opened into a massive central hall.

Shinji stopped again.

A huge clock hung above them. Its hands were made from brass.

Several smaller gears moved behind the glass face.

The clock chimed.

BOOOONG.

Shinji flinched.

Maya laughed.

"Sorry."

"It's loud."

"It does that every hour."

"Why?"

"So people know the time." Shinji frowned. "Don't people have clocks?" Maya looked at him.

"Of course."

She pointed toward a man walking past.

A small mechanical watch was attached to his waist.

Another woman had one strapped around her wrist.

Shinji looked at his own empty wrist.

His mother had never owned one.

Time had always been measured by sunlight in the forest.

Morning.

Afternoon.

Night.

Here, the city measured everything.

They finally reached the station entrance.

The doors opened.

District 7 stretched before them.

Shinji forgot to breathe.

The city was enormous.

Roads stretched in every direction.

Buildings rose several stories high.

Steam-powered carriages travelled along the streets.

Some moved by mechanical wheels.

Others were pulled by large animals.

Magic lamps hung from iron poles, glowing even though the sun was still visible above the city.

People filled the streets.

Music came from somewhere nearby. A vendor shouted about fresh bread. A group of children ran past laughing.

A Demi-Human woman argued with a merchant.

A pair of soldiers stood beside a large mechanical checkpoint.

Everything was moving.

Everything was alive.

Shinji turned slowly. "Everyone lives here?" Maya smiled.

"Pretty much."

"How many?"

"Lots."

"How many is lots?"

Maya thought.

"I don't know."

Shinji looked at the buildings.

His old home had been one small wooden shack surrounded by trees. This city seemed endless.

He didn't know where the forest ended.

He didn't know where District 7 began.

He didn't know where he belonged anymore.

Then Irina stopped.

"There."

Shinji followed her gaze.

A man stood across the street.

He was tall.

His dark hair was slightly messy, and he wore a long brown coat over a simple shirt. He wasn't dressed like a soldier.

He wasn't dressed like a wealthy man either. He looked ordinary.

But the moment his eyes found Shinji, his expression changed. He crossed the street quickly.

"Irina." He spoke. "Where have you be-" The man stopped.

His eyes moved to Maya. Then

back to Shinji.

He stared at the boy for several seconds.

"Shinji?"

Shinji didn't answer.

The man's face softened.

He slowly crouched in front of him.

"It's me."

Shinji stared.

The name came back to him. A distant memory.

A man's voice from years ago.

Someone who had visited their home before.

"Uncle..."

The man's eyes trembled.

"Yeah."

He smiled. "It's Uncle Ryo." Shinji looked at him. He wanted to say something. He

couldn't.

Ryo looked at the ash covering the boy's clothes. Then at the cuts on his hands.

Then at his exhausted face.

His smile disappeared.

He didn't ask what happened.

He already understood. Ryo opened his arms.

Shinji didn't move.

For several seconds, neither did they.

Then Shinji took one small step forward.

Ryo pulled him into his arms.

Shinji stood completely still.

He didn't cry.

He didn't speak.

He simply stood there.

Ryo held him tightly.

"You're safe now."

Shinji's fingers slowly curled into the back of Ryo's coat. His lips trembled. But still— nothing came out. Ryo closed his eyes.

"You're safe." Maya watched silently.

Irina looked away.

After everything that had happened, Shinji had finally reached the place where his new life would begin.

Not because he was ready.

Not because he wanted it.

But because there was nowhere else left for him to go.

Ryo stood and took Shinji's hand.

"Come on." Shinji looked up. "Where?"

"Home."

The word made Shinji pause.

Home.

He didn't know what that word meant anymore. But he followed.

And as the four of them disappeared into the streets of District 7, the city continued moving around them.

Unaware that an eleven-year-old boy had just entered its world. A boy carrying a power he didn't understand.

A tattoo he couldn't explain.

And a past that would eventually shake the foundations of the Districts.

Chapter Four — A Place to Sleep

The streets became quieter as they left the station behind. The crowds thinned.

The enormous buildings gave way to smaller homes and narrow streets lined with old stone walls. Steam drifted from pipes running beneath the pavement, rising through small metal grates in the road.

Shinji walked between Ryo and Maya.

He hadn't said much since leaving the station.

Every few steps, his eyes wandered toward something unfamiliar. A magical streetlamp.

A mechanical clock mounted to a building.

A small shop with glowing crystals displayed behind its window. A cat-like Demi-Human sleeping beneath an awning.

A woman using a small artificial tattoo to heat a cup of tea.

"FLAME" she chanted

Everything was strange.

Everything was new.

And somehow, none of it mattered. Shinji kept looking back.

Ryo noticed.

"You don't have to keep looking." Shinji stopped.

"What?"

"The station."

Shinji looked behind him.

The distant glow of the central district could still be seen between the buildings. "I know."

Ryo crouched beside him. "We're not leaving you there."

Shinji stared at him.

Ryo placed a hand gently on his shoulder.

"You're coming home with me." Shinji didn't respond.

After a moment, he nodded.

They continued walking.

Ryo's house stood at the end of a quiet street. It wasn't large.

Compared to the buildings Shinji had seen in the centre of District 7, it was almost tiny. The walls were made from old stone and dark timber.

A narrow chimney rose from the roof, releasing a thin stream of steam. A small brass lamp hung beside the front door.

Ryo inserted a key.

The lock clicked.

"Come in."

Shinji stepped inside.

Warmth immediately surrounded him. He stopped.

The house smelled different.

Wood.

Tea.

Something cooking.

There was a small furnace built into the wall.

A blue magic stone glowed inside its metal frame, providing heat throughout the house.

Shinji stared at it.

Ryo noticed. "Heating crystal." Shinji nodded.

"Does it stay on?"

"Most of the day."

Shinji looked at the furnace again.

His old home had never been warm like this.

There had been fireplaces.

Wood.

Blankets.

But winter always found a way inside.

Here, the cold stopped at the door. Maya walked inside behind him. "It's

nice."

Ryo smiled. "It's not much."

"But it is suitable for boys." Maya grinned with excitement.

Irina raised an eyebrow.

Maya immediately returns to her formal standing and shows adequate appreciation, prostrating herself.

Shinji watched them.

But he didn't understand why things felt normal. it felt.

Like this was an ordinary evening.

Like people weren't dying somewhere in the forest.

Like the world hadn't ended.

He didn't understand how they could act this way .

Ryo walked into the kitchen.

"Sit down."

Shinji sat at the table. Maya sat beside him. Ryo opened a cupboard.

"What do you like?" Shinji stared at him.

Ryo paused. "Food."

Shinji didn't answer. "Anything you normally eat?" Shinji thought.

"Stew."

Ryo nodded.

"I can make stew."

He began preparing ingredients.

Maya watched him.

"Can you actually cook?"

Ryo looked over his shoulder.

"Better than you."

"I can cook."

Irina looked at her.

"You burned water."

"That was one time."

"You somehow managed to burn it." Maya crossed her arms.

Shinji stared at them. Then something happened. The corner of his mouth lifted. Just

slightly.

Maya noticed.

She smiled.

Ryo noticed too.

He didn't say anything.

He simply continued cooking.

An hour later, a bowl was placed in front of Shinji. Steam rose from the food.

Potatoes.

Carrots.

Meat. Thick broth. Shinji stared at it. "Eat." He picked up the spoon. His hand shook slightly. He took a small mouthful. It was warm.

He swallowed.

Another spoonful.

Then another. Maya watched him. "Is it good?"

Shinji nodded.

While bawling his eyes out, tears dropping into his food.

"Good."

He continued eating.

He hadn't realised how hungry he was.

His stomach hurt.

But he kept going.

Ryo eventually placed a hand on the table.

"Slow down."

Shinji stopped. "You'll make yourself sick." Shinji looked at the bowl.

There was barely anything left.

Ryo smiled.

"There's more."

Shinji looked up.

"More?" "Of course."

Shinji nodded.

He looked down at the bowl again. For a moment, he remembered his mother. She used to make stew.

Not the same.

But close.

His hand stopped moving.

Maya noticed.

She didn't speak.

Ryo did not ask. He simply sat beside him. The room became quiet.

Later that evening, Irina stood by the front door. "Maya." Maya looked up.

"Already?" "It's getting late." Maya looked at Shinji.

He was sitting quietly beside the window.

She walked over.

"Shinji."

He looked up. "I'm going home." Shinji nodded.

Maya hesitated.

Then she smiled.

"I'll see you again."

Shinji looked confused.

"Why?"

Maya blinked.

"Because..."

She thought for a moment. "Because we're friends now." Shinji stared at her.

He wasn't sure what that meant.

Friends.

The word felt unfamiliar. But it didn't hurt. "Okay." Maya smiled.

"Goodnight, Shinji."

"Goodnight."

She turned toward the door.

Irina waited for her.

Before leaving, Maya looked back once more.

Shinji was still watching her. Then the door closed. The house became quiet.

Ryo led Shinji upstairs.

The hallway was narrow.

Three doors.

Ryo opened the last one. "This is yours." Shinji stood in the doorway.

The room was small.

A wooden bed, a desk, a chair, and a wardrobe.

A small lamp containing a glowing magic stone. There was a window overlooking the street.

Snow had begun falling.

Shinji walked inside.

He touched the blanket.

Soft.

He had never owned a blanket this soft.

Ryo stood behind him.

"You can change the room later." Shinji looked at him.

"Change it?" "Whatever you want." Shinji looked around.

"This is mine?" Ryo nodded.

"Yes."

"For how long?"

Ryo's expression softened. "As long as you need it." Shinji looked down.

He didn't know what to say.

Ryo walked over and placed a clean set of clothes on the bed. "These

should fit."

Shinji nodded.

Ryo moved toward the door. "Bathroom's across the hall." He paused.

"Shinji?"

Shinji looked up.

"You don't have to be afraid here." Shinji looked at him.

Ryo smiled.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Uncle." The door closed.

Shinji was alone.

The bathroom was strange too.

Water came from a metal pipe.

Warm water.

Shinji stared at it.

He touched it cautiously.

Steam rose from the basin.

He washed his face.

Then his arms.

Then his hair.

The water turned grey.

Ash, Dirt and Smoke.

He scrubbed harder.

His fingers trembled.

Something dark remained beneath his fingernails. Shinji stared.

He scrubbed again.

And again.

But it wouldn't disappear.

His mother's blood.

He remembered her hands.

Her green aura.

Her voice.

Go.

Shinji shut his eyes. He scrubbed until his skin hurt. Ryo stood outside the bathroom. He heard the water running. Then—

nothing.

He knocked softly.

"Shinji?"

No answer.

Ryo opened the door slightly. The boy sat on the floor beside the basin. His knees were against his chest.

Ryo didn't ask what was wrong.

He simply sat beside him.

For several minutes, neither spoke.

Then Shinji whispered: "Did my mum know you?" Ryo looked at him.

"Yes."

"She knew you?" "Very well, I am her brother after all." Shinji stared at the floor. "Why did she live so far away?" Ryo was silent.

There were answers.

Too many answers.

But none belonged to a Eleven years old. "Your mother had her reasons."

"What reasons?"

Ryo looked away. "One day, I'll tell you." Shinji nodded.

He didn't ask again.

That night, Shinji climbed into the bed.

The blanket was warm.

The room was quiet.

Outside, District 7 continued living.

He could hear distant trains.

Steam engines.

People talking in the street.

A mechanical clock chiming somewhere far away.

He closed his eyes.

For a while, there was nothing.

Then—

Crying.

Shinji's eyes opened.

He sat upright.

He listened.

A baby was crying somewhere. Softly.

Far away.

"Hello?" Silence.

Shinji waited.

Then he heard it again. A

child's cry.

His breathing became shallow. He climbed out of bed.

The room was empty.

He walked toward the door.

Another sound.

A laugh.

A woman's laugh.

High.

Distorted.

Shinji froze.

The forest flashed through his mind.

Fire.

Teeth.

Hana.

Ren.

His mother.

He covered his ears.

"Stop."

The laughter continued. Then—

nothing.

Shinji stood in the darkness.

His hands slowly began trembling.

He looked down.

The tattoo beneath his sleeve was faintly glowing. Only for a moment.

A thin pink light moved across his palm.

Then disappeared.

Shinji pulled the blanket around himself. He climbed back into bed.

He didn't sleep.

Not until the sun began to rise over District 7.

And even then, he dreamed of the forest.

Of his mother's voice.

Of his brother calling his name.

And of something laughing in the darkness.

Chapter Five — The City

Morning came quietly.

There was no screaming.

No fire.

No footsteps running through the forest.

Only the distant sound of a train.

Hooooooonk.

Shinji opened his eyes.

For a moment, he forgot where he was.

Then he remembered.

He stared at the ceiling.

District 7.

Uncle Ryo. His new room.

His family was gone.

Shinji slowly sat up.

The room was cold compared to the warmth of the previous night but not freezing. A faint blue light came from the magical stone inside the wall.

The crystal pulsed every few seconds.

Shinji climbed out of bed.

He walked toward the window.

District 7 was already awake.

People were moving through the streets below. A baker opened the shutters of his shop.

A delivery cart rolled past.

Steam rose from a metal grate in the street.

A train moved between the buildings in the distance. Shinji watched it disappear behind a row of buildings. He wondered where it was going.

Then he heard footsteps.

"You're awake." Shinji turned.

Ryo stood in the doorway.

He was carrying two mugs.

"Morning."

"Morning." Ryo handed him one. Shinji looked inside. Steam rose from the drink. "What is it?" "Hot milk." Shinji took a small sip. It was warm.

Sweet.

He looked at Ryo.

"Do you drink this?"

"Sometimes."

"Why?"

Ryo shrugged.

"Because I like it."

Shinji nodded as if that explained everything.

Ryo smiled.

"Come downstairs."

Breakfast was simple.

Bread, Eggs, Fruit and a little meat.

Shinji ate slowly.

Ryo didn't rush him.

For several minutes, there was only the sound of cutlery against plates. Then Ryo spoke. "Did you sleep?" Shinji nodded.

"Mostly."

Ryo knew what that meant.

He didn't press him.

Instead, he looked toward the window.

"I thought we'd spend today getting you familiar with the city." 

Shinji looked up. "The city?"

"You've spent your whole life in the forest." Ryo smiled.

"District 7 is going to seem rather large." Shinji looked down at his plate.

"Is it bigger than the forest?" Ryo laughed softly.

"Much bigger."

Shinji considered this.

"How big?"

"Too big to understand in one day." That caught Shinji's attention. "Then how long?"

Ryo smiled.

"Years."

After breakfast, Ryo gave Shinji a coat.

It was dark brown and slightly oversized.

"Put this on."

Shinji struggled with the buttons.

Ryo crouched down.

"Here."

He fastened them for him.

"You'll get used to them." Shinji looked at himself.

The coat was warm.

It had several pockets.

He put his hands inside them. "How much does this cost?" Ryo looked surprised. "Why?" "Everything has a price." Ryo paused.

"Who told you that?"

"Mum."

Ryo's expression changed slightly.

"She wasn't wrong."

He stood.

"But you don't need to worry about money."

"Why?" "Because you're six." Shinji frowned.

"What does that have to do with it?" Ryo laughed.

"Everything."

They stepped outside. The morning air was cold.

But District 7 was already alive. Shinji looked in every direction.

The street they lived on was narrow, but it connected to a much larger road. Ryo led him toward it.

A large carriage rolled past.

There was no horse.

Instead, a small magical stone was mounted beneath the front. It glowed orange.

Metal pistons moved underneath the vehicle.

Shinji stopped.

"There's no horse."

Ryo looked at the carriage.

"Correct."

"What moves it?"  "Magic."

Shinji frowned. "Everything here is magic." "Not everything."

Ryo pointed toward a man pulling a wooden cart.

"That isn't."

Shinji looked.

The man was struggling.

"Oh."

Ryo smiled.

"Magic makes things easier. It doesn't replace everything." They continued.

They reached a market. Shinji immediately stopped. The smell hit him first.

Fresh bread, Cooked meat, Spices, Fruit, Coffee and Smoke.

He had never smelled so many things at once.

Ryo watched his expression.

"Hungry?"

Shinji nodded.

Ryo bought him a small pastry. Shinji took a bite.

His eyes widened.

Ryo laughed.

"Good?"

Shinji nodded rapidly.

They continued through the market. Shinji saw humans selling alongside Demi-Humans. A fox-eared woman sold vegetables.

A large man with blue skin sold metal tools.

A small rabbit-eared child helped his mother carry baskets.

Nobody seemed surprised by them.

Nobody stared.

Shinji slowly realised something.

The strange people he'd seen yesterday weren't strange here.

They were simply people.

They passed a building covered in enormous posters. Shinji stopped.

One showed a knight wearing heavy armour. Another showed a mage surrounded by flames.

A third displayed a group of people wearing uniforms.

"What are those?"

"Advertisements."

"For what?"

"Schools. Guilds. Companies." Shinji looked at the knight. "Can people become knights?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"Training."

Shinji stared at the poster.

The knight was holding a sword.

He looked powerful.

Strong.

Someone people could depend on. Shinji remembered his mother's voice. Then

his siblings.

Then the monsters.

His fingers tightened.

"I want to be one."

 Ryo looked down at him.

" A knight?"

Shinji nodded.

"Or an officer."

"Why?"

Shinji looked at the poster.

"Because I want to be a hero"

Ryo looked surprised hearing those words from Shinji's mouth.

"I want to protect people." Ryo didn't answer immediately. Then he crouched.

"That's a good reason." Shinji looked at him.

"But protecting people isn't about being strong."

"What is it?"

Ryo looked toward the crowded street.

"It's about deciding what you're willing to stand between." Shinji didn't fully understand.

Not yet.

But he remembered the words.

They continued walking.

Ryo showed him the public baths.

The markets.

The medical district.

The schools.

The railway offices.

The workshops.

The libraries.

The city guard headquarters.

Everywhere they went, Shinji found something new.

Magic wasn't just something used in battle.

It powered lamps. Heated buildings.

Moved trains.

Purified water.

Helped doctors.

Repaired machinery.

Created tools.

Even the city gates used enormous magical stones embedded into their foundations. District 7 had built an entire civilisation around magic.

And Shinji was beginning to understand how far away his childhood had been from the rest of the world.

Eventually, Ryo took him somewhere quieter.

A large stone building stood behind an iron fence.

Shinji looked up.

"What is this?"

"A school."

"Do you go here?" Ryo smiled.

"Not anymore."

"Why?" "Because I'm old." Shinji stared at him.

Ryo laughed.

"Not that old."

Shinji looked at the building.

Teens were leaving through the gates.

Some were humans.

Some were Demi-Humans.

A few wore gloves covering their hands.

Others had visible artificial tattoos.

One boy accidentally released a small spark from his fingers.

His teacher immediately shouted:

"Control your output!"

The boy quickly extinguished it. Shinji watched.

Ryo noticed.

"Education starts early here."

"Do they learn magic?" "Some."

"Can I?"

Ryo looked at him.

"Eventually."

Shinji looked confused.

"Why not now?"

"Because you need to be a bit older before you learn how to control magic." Shinji looked down at his hand.

His tattoo remained hidden beneath his sleeve. Ryo noticed.

"We'll get there."

By the time they returned home, the sun was beginning to set.

Shinji was exhausted.

His feet hurt.

His head was full of things he didn't understand. District 7 was enormous.

And he had barely seen a fraction of it. Ryo opened the door.

"Tomorrow we'll see somewhere else." Shinji looked up.

"There's more?" Ryo smiled.

"Much more."

Shinji walked inside.

For the first time since arriving in District 7, he wasn't thinking about the forest. He was thinking about tomorrow.

And somewhere inside the Eleven-year-old boy, something very small began to grow. Not happiness.

Not yet.

Something simpler.