Chapter 157

“No, it’s not like that…” Noah diverted her gaze, hurriedly spewing from her mouth the information she had discovered regarding Lenia and her supposed plans. 

“Ah… So, the real Lenia Valtalere is gone. Then, there is a fake and the original. I was suspicious of it, but you just solved the mystery.”

“I did a good job, right? So don’t nag.” She looked down, but Kyle’s eyes still seemed to be fixed on her. Otherwise, her right cheek couldn’t be burning hot. 

“Good job, not being caught.” A praise fell from Kyle’s lips, accompanied with a short laugh. “In fact, the Magic Department’s library was not accessible by any means from the Bureau of Investigation and Security, so I left it out of the plan. That’s an unexpected harvest… how did you get your permission, Miss Noah?” He asked rather suspiciously.

“I didn’t seduce Adrian!”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Kyle, who now had his chin on her head, seemed to organize his thoughts, repeatedly muttering a few words. 

Noah tried her best not to be conscious of his presence and prayed for the train to reach its destination rapidly. Soon, the wheeled wagon increased its speed, the light on the tunnel wall flashing past their eyes. 

Kyle suddenly tapped his chin against her shoulder and whispered, “Oh, once we get through this tunnel, you’ll see a view that could hardly be seen from anywhere. Since you’re here, it’s too great and rare of an opportunity to miss, so don’t close your eyes.”

There was a glimmer of light at the end of the railroad in the distance. As the train rumbled faster along the railroad, the light, which looked like an atom, gradually grew to the size of a ball, and soon consumed their sight.  Along with the train’s rattle, the orange light devoured the wagon. 

Noah closed her eyes reflexively. At the same time, Kyle, who had his arms wrapped around her waist, tilted her body to the right. “Open your eyes, Miss Noah.”

As she opened her eyes, she beheld a magnificent spectacle. What unfolded before her was a panoramic view of the Maobiana mine, where the sun kissed the horizon. Over the mine, the skies were painted with rich shades of red and purple. 

The train was running along the railroad tracks on the outer wall of the mine. The massive, artificial pit almost appeared like a rocky cliff at every side, and there was an entrance of the tunnel, which seemed to have been dug by a giant nib. It was a workshop where the miners worked.

And beneath, there lay a vast emerald lake, deep enough that it almost appeared black; one would be vertiginous at the sight. The lake as it mirrored the sunset glowed brilliantly, as if millions of rubies and diamonds were scattered among the waters. 

Noah stared at the breathtaking view in front of her, utterly speechless. She had completely forgotten the dangerous situation she was in. It was a spectacular sight, enough to rival the moment she witnessed a black dragon ascending the heavens from the deep blue seas.

“Maobiana, the dragon’s cradle,” Kyle whispered. “It’s beautiful, even though it’s a  product born out of human hands, isn’t it?”

Indeed, it was astounding to gaze upon a colossal pit that used to be a part of the mountain ranges until just over a hundred thousand years ago. Noah murmured, unable to take her eyes off the emerald lake, “It’s really pretty. I’m glad I bought this place.”

“What did you do?”

Noah looked up in awe, then realized the close distance between them, and immediately shifted her gaze away from him. Kyle, who wouldn’t miss a detail, inquired persistently. “Come to think of it, when did Miss Noah arrive? What excuse exactly did you give to Minister Rossinell?”

“Volunteer work. I was on my way to Fugin, and I slipped into Noviscosha. You know you’re not in a position to scold me, don’t you?” Noah hastily sputtered excuses in fear of being reprimanded. Then, she observed him. Kyle’s eyes, which were almost concealed beneath his hat, had a suspicious gleam. 

Noah managed to open her mouth, glancing at the tip of his chin. “So what’s this outfit for? Undercover investigation?”

“It’s similar. I thought I had to visit the mine myself and just in time, there was a mysterious disappearance. We can investigate it together.”

“I heard there’s a monster in that lake…”

“We’ll know if they’re monsters or criminals extorting Mane Ore. But didn’t Secretary Rossinel finally release this restraint?” Kyle poked the chains around Noah’s neck, which was covered with a scarf, and repeated the nagging he had made several times a day before he left. Annoyed, Noah banged her head against his chest, unwilling to listen. 

As they argued in silence, Muell looked down at the landscape that unfolded before the train with a bewitched look. The boy, who was sitting on the railing, tilted his upper body outwards. His black curly hair danced with the wind. Noah turned her head towards the child at the sound of his muttering.

“…I feel like I’m back in the egg.”