Aerial Garden (1)

Monday morning.

The fourth week of the first quarter at College Boards Clemen Hall.

Yawn.

By now, no one is surprised to see me at Clemen Hall, but todays scene is pretty unusual.

Kain and Asher appeared to have had a fight and were separated; Elise was diligently reading and taking notes from a hardcover book.

Curious about what she was so engrossed in, I zoomed in with my SZX-9500

Isnt that my script for [The Bard]?

Good morning.

Then Chedric appeared. As always, it was exactly 9 oclock.

Does that guy have a clock in his head or something?

We will commence the fourth weeks Monday assignment for the College Board without delay. The assignment is called Experience and Art.

At this, a collective groan erupted. It seemed like a very exhausting assignment.

For the entire day today.

Moreover, its all day.

From the current time of 9:03 AM until midnight.

Just as the seniors were on the verge of losing their minds at the thought of the remaining 14 hours and 57 minutes

Travel around Edsilla.

A statement that left everyone in Clemen Hall bewildered.

Travel?

I was dumbfounded. Kain and Asher instinctively sought each other out, then growled again. Layla was asleep with her face buried in her desk. Elise seemed to be contemplating her destination with her hand on her chin, and Soliette, who had safely escaped from the diner this morning without paying, turned on her smartphone first.

Gerkhen Kal Doon took out his Endex library card from his card wallet.

Is he planning to find his travel destination at the library?

The journey you will undertake today is the experience in Experience and Art.

The next part is important.

It may be called a journey, but it could be hell from there.

Art is the beautiful expression of that experience. Its okay to write an essay or travelogue, its okay to draw a picture, its okay to compose music, and its okay to take photos or videos. Bring back your experience in any form of art.

In other words, go on a trip and bring back your impressions, beautified.

Fortunately, this assignment doesnt seem to have any practical implications.

Chedric looked at his wristwatch and said,

Its 9:20. Gather your materials and set off on your own. The assignment can be submitted to the University Association office at Endex by this Friday.

The seniors glanced at each other and began to rise from their seats one by one.

I sat and pondered.I remained seated, contemplating.

Travel.

I had been to many places before my regression, but I never really traveled. It was more like work.

So, where would I want to go for a trip that I would want to cherish like art?

Hmm.

No matter how much I think about it, theres no such place.

Instead, there are places I want to go.

A place I desperately want to go.

A place where I want to smash the ground, light a fire, and slit throats.

The main house of Libra.

Aerial Garden

Of course, theres no other place.

Okay.

I got up. I happened to make eye contact with Soliette, but we both pretended not to know each other

She gave me a slight nod.

A very faint eye greeting, no, a chin greeting. Watching her leave, I thought.

Isnt this a breach of contract?

Anyway, I also left Clemen Hall.

Ding-

My smartphone rang.

[Lunatic: Where are you going?]

It was a text from the Lunatic.

Hey~ Shion~!

Then Layla, who seemed to have just woken up, rushed over. She, who had dyed her hair back to black, was shaking the script printout at me while looking at me with wide eyes.

But why does she have a printout? Elise had a hardcover.

Cant you give me a few more lines in this script~?

You have plenty.

Eing~

Ding- Another text from Elise.

[Lunatic: Go and watch a play or something. Im going to watch a musical or a play too.]

It seems to be because of The Bard, but is she feeling some kind of belonging all of a sudden? Why is she working so hard, its tiring.

[Lunatic: Ill recommend the Gale Opera House. I dont know where you are going.]

I replied.

[Shoo]

[Lunatic: The play with the highest rating these days is Bellasos Artes.]

[Lunatic: What? Shoo? Are you crazy?]

Comeon~ Just one more line~

Move.

Ah!

I pushed Layla away and left Clemen Hall straight away.

But thinking about it, I dont have cash. Because of the taxi night surcharge.

I rummaged through my pocket.

Whats this?

A few casino chips were caught.

Ah.

Theyre the leftovers from the last assignment.

I sneakily looked back. Layla was glaring at me with a chubby face.

Huh. What.

Give me some money. For transportation.

What! No!

Ill give you one more line.

Then Layla hesitated for a moment and took out cash. It was three bills.

Are you really giving me one more line?

Of course. I keep my promises.

I was surprised as I put away the bills. I thought it was 10 Ren, but it was 100 Ren.

Layla was nowhere to be seen. I muttered in disbelief.

She really is rich.

Thanks to her, I can take a taxi.

Its floating in the air, so its aerial.

When you look up from the ground, it looks like a large garden, so its a garden.

Moreover, Aerial Garden is the main house of Libra.

Wow. As expected.

I muttered, looking up at the place.

In fact, its not just a main house, Aerial Garden is a city that is practically a territory of Libra. In Edsilla, even the largest nobles cannot own territories, but due to the law being limited to ground, Libra created land in the air and legally owns a territory. A massive territory with an area of 13 and a population of 40,000.

One of the items on my bucket list.

To drop this Aerial Garden and bury it deep into the earth.

Of course, with as little civilian damage as possible.

The fare for the elevator is 50 Rens.

To enter the Aerial Garden, one must first take the Libra elevator that goes up to the Aerial Garden.

The entrance fee is 50 Rens. They dont even check IDs.

Alright. Everyone can go in.

With the sound of tourists exclaiming in awe, I entered the elevator

A spacious and transparent elevator that can hold up to 300 people at once.

Inside, as the sky gets closer and the ground farther away, parents and children, lovers, all have joyful faces.

Ding-

As soon as the door opens, tourists pour out.

Im back again.

I stood still, looking at the other side. The sun and clouds were right in front of me. The moon in the daytime was as clear as a biscuit.

The view from an altitude of 3,333m was indeed worth seeing.

Its been 5 years.

The Aerial Garden was always open like this, but I couldnt come often before the regression.

I was blacklisted for being caught planning a terrorist attack.

Wasnt that too excessive?

Anyway, the Aerial Garden is divided into six zones. From Zone 5 to Zone 1, and the Libra clans mansion, which is practically Zone 0.

It looks exactly like an onion.

The outskirts are typical cityscapes, and as you get closer to the center, it becomes more glamorous, then from Zone 2, it transforms again into something secretive and magical, and Zone 1 and the main mansion has never been seen by the media.

Especially Zone 0 is literally a space for the clan only, so unless you are a confidant recognized by Libra, or an elder of the family, or a close relative, you cant even enter.

There are a lot of people.

On the other hand, where Im standing right now, the outermost Zone 5, doesnt even check IDs, so half of the people are tourists.

The Aerial Garden is a quite famous tourist spot. Just looking down from the sky is thrilling, and there are many things to enjoy, such as monorails, parks, restaurants, cafes, clubs, hotels, swimming pools, and so on.

But my destination is not just Zone 5.

I took the monorail and arrived at the entrance of Zone 4.

Please show your ID.

From here, they check IDs, but a student ID should be enough.

Is an Endex student ID okay?

Yes. Please show it.

The guard in Zone 4 only checked the authenticity of the student ID and nodded.

Yes. Its confirmed. Please go in.

Zone 4 is similar to Zone 5 but more upscale. Luxury boutiques, department stores, five-star hotel casinos, apartments, and luxury mansions, etc. Therefore, wealthy tourists often visit.

Most of the people who have a mark in the Aerial Garden, that is, whose address itself is the Aerial Garden, live in Zone 4, but my destination is not here either.

I kept walking and reached the entrance of Zone 3.

Stop.

The guard in Zone 3 was a knight. He scanned my face up and down.

Whats your purpose?

Im a senior at Endex. Im on an assignment.

I extended my Endex student ID. The knight asked,

Assignment?

Yes. To experience the brilliance of Libra-

Impossible.

He rejected it without even listening. Whoosh- He waved his hand with a stern face.

Go back.

Yes.

Well, I cant get in even if I make a fuss. Theres no workaround here. Unlike Endex, if I forcibly jump over the fence, Ill be shot on the spot.

Its a shame, but Ill have to doodle around in Zone 4, draw some pictures, and go down.

As I turned around and walked, a luxury car brushed past me.

Loyalty!

Following that, a shout echoed from the Zone 3 gate. I glanced over there.

The knight who had turned me away was talking to the luxury car.

Ah, yes! He said he came from Endex to do an assignment!

It seemed like he was talking about me, and the knights head, which was stiff just a moment ago, was almost touching the ground.

Yes! He said he came to experience the brilliance of Libra!

Even cold sweat was dripping down his face.

Yes, I understand. Stu, student!

Soon, he pointed at me.

Come here!

I went back to him and stood next to the car. It was a royal-class sedan Kes Royce.

The car body reflected the sunlight so brightly that it was hard to open my eyes. It was like a fluorescent light.

Whats the matter?

As I asked, the backseat window, which vibrated oppressively, slowly descended.

I inadvertently looked inside and my back stiffened. My eyes widened. Almost instinctively, my Mana Heart throbbed.

The man in the backseat smiled faintly, as if he liked my reaction.

So it was you.

Hair combed up without a single strand out of place, skin as white as snow, and a chiseled jawline.

A man who was literally like a sculpture.

Are you a student known to Lord Jade?

The Zone 3 guard said that fucking name.

Jade.

The owner of the Limto mine, and the second son of Libra.

Yes. From the mine.

He stopped speaking.

Could it be, he heard about what I did in the mine from Belingham?

I swallowed my saliva. Whether my appearance was pitiful to Jade, he spoke with a hint of laughter.

You gave me a very enthusiastic applause.

.

Anyway, theres no way he received a report. Belingham must have handled it within his own line.

So, you came to experience the brilliance of Libra?

Jade asked,

Yes.

I answered briefly. Jade raised his eyebrows, as if he were already expecting the next words from my mouth.

Of course, I knew what he wanted.

Because I, who was obsessed and immersed in Libra to the point of madness, had scraped together even the most trivial pieces of information. Because my Notepad and I knew their tendencies and habits, not only their present and past but also their future.

But.

I pondered intensely.

Even so, it was a statement I sincerely did not want to make. Its a flattery that makes my heart cringe.

Looking back, it was because of such petty pride.

An orphan without parents. Despite having nothing, I flaunted my worthless pride and died without achieving anything.

I was torn apart like a bug.

Now, I shouldnt do that.

Huu.

I took a deep breath. I vomited out all these rotten things in my heart.

Pride is old-fashioned. It must be discarded in order to achieve what I want.

Therefore.

Now I have to speak sincerely.

That brilliance is now before my eyes.

Ha.

Then Jade chuckled. He shook his head as if he couldnt believe it. He even sighed as if he couldnt help this guy.

Youre pathetic. You found brilliance while looking at me in this magnificent Aerial Garden?

He said that, but there is no one who loves one-dimensional flattery as much as Jade. He especially loves compliments about his appearance and business.

Appearance is the only perfect thing about him.

Business is always being chewed up.

Well. Im much better than that germaphobe or the gambling addict.

The germaphobe would be the eldest son Derek, and the gambling addict would be the eldest daughter Johanna.

They are siblings who despise each other whenever they get a chance.

Take him. Ill let him in up to Zone 2.

At that moment, someone got out of the passenger seat. He guided me to the passenger seat, which was his seat until a moment ago.

Get in.

No, I dont really-

Get in.

Yes.

I had no intention of hitching a ride.

I got into the Kes Royce. The interior was tremendous. The back seat was much more spacious than it looked from the outside, and there were countless stars embedded in the ceiling.

Lets go.

Loyalty!

The guard saluted and opened the gate to Zone 3.

I stared intently at the scenery of the Aerial Garden revealed beyond the magic barrier.