While waiting for the cab, Arlo patiently answered Vielle's countless questions, ranging from the nature of the vehicles parked around them to the intricacies of their operation.

"Hey, Arlo," Vielle began, her gaze fixed on a nearby car, "this 'Car' vehicle. You say it's powered by fuel and not magic?" She turned to him, her crimson eyes wide with curiosity.

Arlo nodded. "Yeah, that's right. In fact, one has just arrived to pick us up," he said, pointing down the road.

A yellow cab came into view, making its way towards them before coming to a stop right in front of Arlo's house. As Arlo was about to approach the vehicle, a sudden realization dawned on him.

'Those clothes that she's wearing, they'll stand out... mainly the staff at the very least,' he thought, his brow furrowing in concern.

Vielle, unable to contain her excitement, approached the cab. "Pick us up? We're going to ride one? How interesting...!"

Arlo glanced back at the house, then at Vielle, a sigh escaping his lips. 'Well, if anyone asks, I'll just say she's a cosplayer. Besides, it's not unusual for hunters to go walking around with their equipment either,' he reassured himself.

With that, the two entered the vehicle. After Arlo gave the driver their destination, the car took off, eliciting a surprised gasp from Vielle as she settled comfortably into her seat.

"E-Even the seats are comfortable... It's nothing like sitting on a carriage..." she whispered, adjusting her butt on the plush cushion.

Arlo glanced over at the driver, who seemed unfazed by Vielle's unusual behavior. Letting out a sigh of relief, Arlo turned his attention back to Vielle, who was now gazing out the window as they drove through the city.

Her crimson eyes were wide with wonder, taking in the countless new sights that surrounded her. After figuring out how the window worked, Vielle lowered it and stuck her head out, the wind whipping through her silver hair while amazed.

As the car sped through the city streets, Vielle had to hold onto her hat with one hand to prevent it from flying off. While securing her headwear, her gaze suddenly shifted upwards, and she began to tug at Arlo's sleeve excitedly.

"A-Arlo! Is that another type of these vehicles? It's flying!" Vielle exclaimed as she looked up at the sky, her hair swaying beneath the rim of her hat in the rushing wind.

Arlo leaned closer to her, following her gaze, only to find her staring at a plane passing overhead. A smile spread across his face, and he let out a sigh before explaining the concept of aircraft to her.

Throughout the journey to their destination, Arlo found himself teaching Vielle about the countless spectacles of his world. To his surprise, she proved to be a remarkably fast learner, grasping foreign concepts with ease.

Screech.

The cab came to a halt, and Arlo and Vielle stepped out, finding themselves standing before a towering glass skyscraper.

"...This is one big building..." Vielle muttered, craning her neck to gaze up at the sleek, angular structure that seemed to reach the very clouds above.

"Yeah... this is the 'Shard,' the tallest building in central London," Arlo explained, gesturing for her to follow him. "I told you that I'd take you to the best view I knew. It's gotta be from the observation deck at the very top."

As Vielle followed Arlo, she couldn't help but wonder aloud, "If you wanted to show me a view from a high point, why not just use magic? We can fly up there with my spell—"

Arlo suddenly covered her mouth with his hand, his eyes darting left and right to ensure no one had overheard. Vielle blinked, a faint blush coloring her cheeks as she gazed at him.

"You can't do that," Arlo whispered. "I'm sure you could tell already, but there's no such thing as magic in this world. There's something similar, but using it would get you unwanted attention. So, no magic, understood?"

Vielle nodded, her blush deepening as she processed his words. Noticing that she understood, Arlo pulled his hand away, letting out a sigh of relief.

"N-No magic, and yet your civilization was able to get so advanced and developed..." Vielle mused, a smile spreading across her face. "This world is truly fascinating, isn't it, Arlo?"

Arlo returned her smile, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Not as fascinating as your world," he replied.

With smiles on their faces, Arlo and Vielle entered the lobby of the Shard, their footsteps echoing on the polished marble floor. The vast, open space was filled with the countless people going about their daily lives.

In the center of the lobby stood a large, circular reception desk, its glossy black surface a stark contrast to the pristine white marble floor. The staff behind the desk were dressed in crisp, black uniforms, assisting visitors with tickets and information.

Arlo and Vielle waited their turn in line before approaching the desk. Vielle watched silently as Arlo completed the transaction, paying for their tickets.

After receiving the tickets, Arlo handed one to Vielle. She stared at it, admiring the quality of the paper before following Arlo as he made his way towards the elevators.

"Arlo, what did you and the lady talk about?" Vielle asked.

Arlo looked at her, with a confused look before a realization dawned on him. 'Ah, right. She can't understand this world's language. Wait, that means that at the cab, the driver probably found her even more unusual because he couldn't understand what she was saying...'

Furrowing his brows, Arlo delved deeper into his thoughts. 'No, wait, it should be fine... It probably just looked like a foreigner speaking from his perspective...'

"Arlo?" Vielle called out to him again, snapping him out of his musings.

"Oh, right, sorry," he replied, shaking his head to clear his mind. "Yeah, we were just talking about the payment. I paid her for the tickets."

Vielle tilted her head, a puzzled expression on her face. "You did? But I didn't see you hand her any money. You only tapped on something with your 'smartphone.'"

“That was a digital form of payment. I have money stored in my digital bank, and I'm able to withdraw money from there to make payments through my phone whenever I need to," he said, holding up his smartphone for emphasis.

"That's awfully convenient, not having to carry all the money on you," Vielle muttered, her brow furrowed as she seemed to contemplate something.

Ding!

As they arrived at the elevators, Vielle's eyes narrowed at the sight of the metallic doors.

"What are those?" she asked.

"Those are elevators," Arlo explained, pressing the button to call one down. "They're engineered and designed to transport us to different floors of the building."

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

The elevator doors opened, revealing a brightly lit interior. Vielle's eyes sparkled with excitement as they stepped inside, her gaze darting around the confined space, taking in every detail.

The doors closed, and the elevator began its ascent, carrying Arlo and Vielle higher into the upper floors of the Shard.

Whoosh~

The elevator rocketed upwards at an alarming speed, the digital display rapidly ticking off the floors as they ascended. In mere moments, the number settled on 72, and the elevator slowed to a stop.

Ding!

As the doors slid open, Arlo and Vielle stepped onto the observation deck, their breaths stolen away by the stunning panorama that greeted them.

The spacious deck was encircled by floor-to-ceiling windows, displaying a 360-degree view of London stretching out before them. Benches were scattered throughout the area, providing visitors with a place to sit and take in the sight.

"This is truly something..." Vielle muttered as they ventured around the deck, marveling at the sprawling cityscape below.

At the center of the observation deck stood a circular, glass-enclosed bar, its shelves lined with an impressive selection of drinks.

"Would you like something to drink?" Arlo asked, trailing after Vielle as she explored the space.

Vielle shook her head, her attention drawn to one of the many interactive touchscreens mounted on the walls.

"What's this?" she asked, pointing at the telescopes beside them.

Arlo explained the purpose of the telescopes, watching with a smile as Vielle eagerly experimented with the devices. After satisfying her curiosity with the various attractions inside the observation deck, she made her way to the windows, her gaze fixed on the scenery below.

Arlo silently watched Vielle take in the view, her crimson eyes wide with wonder, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. He couldn't help but admire the way the soft light played across her features, highlighting the delicate curve of her jaw and the silvery sheen of her hair.

"Hey, Arlo," Vielle called out, her voice soft and filled with emotion. "This world... it's beautiful, isn't it?"

Arlo, who had been lost in his admiration of Vielle, turned his attention to the view before them. The city stretched out as far as the eye could see, a mixture of buildings, winding streets, and lush green parks. The sun hung low on the horizon, painting the sky in a breathtaking array of pinks, oranges, and golds.

"Yeah..." he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "It really is."

As they stood side by side, their shoulders brushing, Arlo felt a sense of peace wash over him. In that moment, all the worries and fears that had plagued him seemed to melt away.

Until recently, he had been spending all his time locked away in his room. He couldn't recall how many years had passed since he last took in the view of the city. Although he had brought Vielle here for her sake, he felt that the experience was just as beneficial for him.

"Vielle," Arlo called out, turning to face her. "I've been wondering... this is just an idea, but I think if I took some of the inventions from this world to the other, I might be able to make a substantial profit with a trading company. However, I'm not sure what to take or what might be in demand, so... I was hoping you'd share your knowledge of your world with me and help me out."

Arlo's voice trailed off as Vielle turned to him, gazing at him with a smile.

"N-Not for free, of course," he quickly added, his nerves getting the better of him. "I believe this deal would be beneficial for you as well. We'll be business partners—"

"I accept." Vielle interrupted, her response blunt and swift.

"Huh?" Arlo blurted out, taken aback by her immediate agreement.

"I said I accept," she repeated, her crimson eyes sparkling with excitement. "If we're working together, that means I'll have more opportunities to visit this world, right? How could I possibly say no to that?"

Arlo's heart raced as he processed her words, his nervousness dissolving into laughter.

"Ha... right, I guess I was worried for nothing," he said, catching his breath as he extended his hand towards her. "I'll be counting on you, Partner."

Vielle looked at his hand before meeting his gaze, a smile spreading across her face as she grasped his hand firmly. "Yeah, I'm counting on you too, Partner. Don't expect me to do much when I can't read or speak the language, though."

Arlo's brow furrowed, a sudden thought occurring to him. "About that, don't you have a translation spell or something?" he asked, his voice lowering to a whisper.

Vielle winced, shaking her head. "I do, but you're the one who told me not to use magic."

Arlo glanced away nervously, realizing his oversight. "A-Ah, right. If it's just that, then you can go cast it in the toilet. Make sure no one is there when you do so."

"Sure, but why the toilet?" Vielle asked.

"That's one of the few places in this building without a camera... or at least that's what I think." he explained as they made their way back to the elevator. "Let's head down to the floor with the restaurants. After you cast your spell, we'll get you something to eat and then discuss what we'll be trading afterwards."

Vielle nodded in agreement, and together they entered the elevator, descending to the floor housing the various eateries.

The doors opened, and Arlo guided Vielle to the restrooms, where she could cast her spell in privacy. When she emerged, her eyes sparkled with excitement as she tried to pull him back inside to inquire about the many unfamiliar appliances she had discovered within.

However, for the sake of his own social well-being, Arlo firmly refused to enter, instead leading her to a nearby Korean barbecue restaurant.

The aroma of grilling meat and vegetables filled the air as they took their seats at the table, the sound of sizzling food and lively conversation enveloping them.

"Were you able to cast the spell?" Arlo asked.

Vielle nodded, a smile spreading across her face. "Yeah. I can understand what they're saying and read what's on the menu," she said, her eyes scanning the various dishes on offer. "It all looks so tasty!"

Arlo was pleased to discover that vampires could enjoy food just like humans, but he was surprised to learn that Vielle's spell allowed her to read as well.

"My spell only translates verbal words... How is it that yours was able to translate written language too?" he asked, leaning forward in his seat.

"Because I cast a Saint-Class translation spell," she explained, her voice filled with a hint of pride.

"Saint-Class?" Arlo repeated, tilting his head to the side, confusion etched upon his face.

Arlo listened intently as Vielle took the time to explain the ranking of spells while they ordered and waited for their food.

He discovered that beyond the elementary, intermediate, advanced, and divine class magic he was familiar with, there existed a hierarchy of magic classes far more extensive than he had initially realized. The order, from lowest to highest, was as follows:

Elementary Class Magic.

Intermediate Class Magic.

Advanced Class Magic.

Saint Class Magic.

King Class Magic.

Imperial Class Magic.

Divine Class Magic.

And the rumored Celestial Class Magic.

"The higher a mage's tier, the higher the class of magic they can use," Vielle continued.

Arlo stared at his grimoire, his eyes wide with wonder.

"To think there were so many classes after Advanced class... magic really is amazing," he whispered, his fingers tracing the patterns on the book's cover.

Whenever Arlo flipped through the pages of the grimoire he always noticed that once he reached a certain point, the book would refuse to let him proceed further. He couldn't help but wonder if there were Saint Class and higher ranked spells hidden within the grimoire, just waiting for him to unlock their secrets.

'I haven't even gotten halfway through the book yet... I wonder what kinds of spells it hasn't revealed to me yet...' he thought.

"By the way, Arlo," Vielle began, her eyes sparkling with excitement, "I want to try out this tasty—"

Slam!

Her words were abruptly cut off as a loud noise erupted from a nearby table. Both Vielle and Arlo turned to the source, only to find a waiter standing beside a table drenched in food broth, her head bowed shamefully before the two men seated before her.

"Hey! Do you not know who this is? This is B-Rank Hunter Michael Slyther! If you're going to serve him food, do it right!" the man on the left shouted.

The man was short and nerdy-looking, with glasses perched upon his nose and a few sparse strands of hair clinging to his balding scalp. He wore a black uniform suit, his appearance a stark contrast to the imposing figure seated beside him.

The man on the right, who was also drenched in broth, was tall and muscular, with hair growing out of the sides of his face and chin. His short, messy brown hair and sharp, piercing brown eyes were accentuated by his unshaved beard. He was so large that one could almost mistake him for a bear.

Like the man on the left, he wore a black suit, the fabric clinging to his broad frame.