Chapter 11: Guests with a Hidden Agenda
As we stepped through the grand gates, a wave of golden light washed over us.
Scarlette blinked, momentarily overwhelmed. The Light Kingdom seemed even more dazzling than she had imagined—almost too dazzling.
Wait... why was I looking at her?
Floating lanterns drifted lazily in the air, their soft glow illuminating pristine streets paved with shimmering stone. Delicate vines of luminescent flowers curled around ivory pillars, their petals opening and closing as if breathing. The air carried a faint scent of jasmine and honey—thick and sweet, almost cloying—far too inviting.
I couldn’t help but let out a low whistle. "Well, isn’t this just paradise?" I mused, amusement flickering in my tone.
Yes, I do get amused.
Scarlette, however, seemed to be starting to feel uneasy. I noticed her gaze flickering skeptically around, and I couldn’t blame her. Everything here felt too perfect, like a polished mask barely concealing the darker truths lurking beneath.
Her hesitation wasn’t unfounded. To me, it was all too clean, too controlled—a place where every shadow seemed carefully banished. A place like this didn’t exist without a cost. There was always a price for perfection.
"Why is it so bright in here?" she asked, shielding her eyes.
"Yeah, isn’t it supposed to be night?" I asked, glancing up at the unnatural brightness that seemed to stretch on forever.
Lumera smiled. "Night doesn’t happen here. But you can rest at my place—there’s a spare room, and yes, a washroom," she added, glancing at Scarlette with a knowing smirk.
After a short walk from the gates, we stepped onto gleaming pavements made of gold. The streets hummed with an energy I couldn’t place—like everything was just a little too alive, a little too perfect. Around us, Light Fairies drifted gracefully through the air, their white and yellow robes billowing like sunlit clouds. Their glowing wings shimmered, just like Lumera’s, as they laughed and twirled effortlessly in the air, basking in the endless sunshine. It was as if they had no cares at all—a world of pure, unending light.