CHAPTER 284: FINALLY HERE

As Leon, Seraphine, and Loriel took their next steps forward, the oppressive fog vanished. Moonlight bathed them in silver-white radiance—night had fallen while they traveled through the mist.

But they weren’t greeted with peaceful silence.

"FREEZE! DON’T MOVE!"

Shouts erupted from atop massive walls stretching in both directions. Authoritative voices—both men and women—barked commands from different positions, their tones sharp with tension and readiness.

Leon’s eyes immediately locked onto what drew his attention most: rifles. Dozens of them, pointed directly at the three of them from the walls above.

Rifles. In a magical world.

The sight surprised him more than he’d expected. They looked like 19th-century models—bolt-action, probably single-shot, nothing like the automatic weapons from his previous life. But still. Firearms. Here.

Leon, Seraphine, and Loriel remained perfectly still. No need to make unnecessary enemies, Leon thought, his body relaxed but ready.

Both he and Seraphine turned their gazes toward Loriel. She was from the upper domains, not some hillbilly from the lower regions. Someone important. Their looks clearly communicated: Do something about this.

Loriel avoided their eyes, panic flickering across her face. When she’d crossed with her master, nothing like this had happened. They’d just walked through. She had no idea what to do now.

Hopeless,

Leon and Seraphine realized simultaneously.

Leon’s spatial awareness was fully activated, expanding outward to map the entire area. Guards on the walls, positions of cover, potential escape routes. If this escalates, I’ll have no choice but to resort to violence.

Five figures descended from the wall through a side exit near the massive gate—an enormous structure of rock covered in strange, glowing patterns. Four kept their rifles trained on the trio while the fifth walked ahead, clearly the commanding officer.

Countless more rifle barrels tracked their movements from the rooftop.

As the group approached, magical lighting around the gate illuminated their faces more clearly. The officer’s eyes widened in recognition.

The VIP.

He recognized Loriel immediately—not by name, but by face. She was one of only two VIPs who had entered the gate in years. The gate that led... somewhere. Even the guards didn’t know what lay on the other side.

The officer raised his hand. A signal. Every rifle on the wall lowered.

But tension remained. Two unknown individuals accompanied the VIP, and the situation felt suspicious.

The officer stopped a few paces away, his attention fixed entirely on Loriel while deliberately ignoring Leon and Seraphine.

"Miss," he said formally. "Who are these two beside you?"

Loriel felt relief flood through her when the weapons lowered. Everything’s fine. Just answer the question and—

Then the question registered.

Panic seized her mind. Normal people in the middle domain didn’t know what existed on the other side of the gate. It was kept secret for reasons she’d never learned. She couldn’t just explain the truth here.

"These two are my slaves," Loriel blurted out.

Seraphine’s eyes turned to daggers, her glare so intense that Loriel actually trembled.

Leon, meanwhile, was focused on examining the rifles up close. He’d heard what Loriel said, but he didn’t mind being called a slave—it was just words. Still, he wouldn’t forget to get answers from her later about why she couldn’t come up with something better. Hopeless. And clearly trying to anger Seraphine.

"Slaves," the officer repeated slowly. The word wasn’t uncommon in the middle domain, but his tone carried skepticism. "I don’t remember them entering with you."

Loriel’s outward appearance remained calm, but inside, she was screaming. Silence stretched around them, thick and uncomfortable.

Leon’s patience was wearing thin. I’m getting annoyed. If this drags on much longer, I’ll just destroy them all. His senses had already mapped every guard’s position. None of them felt particularly strong—certainly nothing compared to what he could handle.

Loriel’s mind raced. There’s a 50-50 chance this works. If it doesn’t, we’ll have to fight. The gate matter is taken seriously here—they won’t just let suspicious people through.

She made a split-second decision to bluff.

Her entire demeanor changed. Her voice turned sharp, cutting, filled with authority and barely restrained anger.

"You shouldn’t be prying into matters beyond your station," Loriel said coldly, her eyes narrowing. "Cross that line and there will be consequences. Is that clear?"

The officer flinched, genuinely startled by her tone.

She’s right,

his mind supplied automatically. We’re not supposed to investigate anything related to the gate. Guard it, yes. Question it, no. That’s above our clearance level.

Fear of overstepping his bounds warred with his duty to secure the area. Fear won.

"My apologies, miss," the officer said quickly, bowing his head slightly. "You and your... companions may proceed."

He stepped aside, gesturing toward the path leading away from the gate. The other guards followed his lead, rifles remaining lowered but eyes still watchful.

Loriel walked forward with forced confidence, Leon and Seraphine following. None of them spoke until they’d put significant distance between themselves and the giant gate.

Once they were out of earshot, Seraphine’s voice came low and dangerous. "Slaves?"

"I am sorry!!, I panicked!" Loriel whispered desperately. "I couldn’t think of anything else! The gate’s existence is secret—I couldn’t just say you came from the lower domain!"

"You could have said traveling companions," Seraphine hissed. "Hired guards. Literally anything else."

"I said I panicked!"

Leon finally spoke, his tone casual but carrying an edge. "Loriel."

She straightened immediately. "Y-Yes?"

"Next time you’re in a situation where you need to lie," Leon said, "maybe prepare some lies beforehand. Your improvisation skills are terrible."

"I’m sorry!"

They continued walking, leaving the gate and its confused guards behind. The middle domain stretched before them—a vast landscape illuminated by moonlight, with distant lights suggesting civilization beyond the immediate area.

Leon’s attention, however, remained partially on those rifles. Magical world with firearms. How does that work? Enchanted ammunition? Mana-powered mechanisms?

Questions for later. Right now, they had a new domain to explore, and Loriel had proven—once again—that her actual usefulness was questionable at best.

But we’re here, Leon thought, looking at the unfamiliar landscape. The middle domain. Finally, somewhere with real challenges.

Seraphine’s hand found his, squeezing once. Her earlier anger at Loriel had faded, replaced by excitement for what lay ahead.

They walked forward together into their new world, leaving the lower domain—and all its limitations—behind forever.