Sand Mage of the Burnt Desert

Chapter 250

The first place Zeon and Brielle visited after entering Neo Seoul was Mandy’s apartment.

“Welcome.”

Mandy, still in her pajamas, greeted them with a surprised expression.

She hadn’t expected the two of them to show up so suddenly without any notice.

“Seems like you’ve been well.”

“Hi!”

As they greeted her, Mandy, still a bit dazed, gestured for them to sit.

“What’s going on? No call or anything?”

“Sorry about that. It’s just… we haven’t heard anything from Levin.”

“It’s been over two weeks since he entered Neo Seoul, and you haven’t heard from him?”

Mandy asked, her eyes wide in shock.

Mandy had been the one who arranged a month-long entry pass for Levin.

She hadn’t heard from him either, but she assumed he was fine. Now, learning that they hadn’t received any contact from him at all was concerning.

“No. Do you know where he might be?”

“Give me a moment. Ah! He said he’d be staying at a hotel in the Western District.”

“The Western District?”

Zeon frowned.

The Western District was ruled by Kim Hyun-soo, known as the King of the West.

It was one of the most technologically advanced areas in Neo Seoul, a place that prided itself on cutting-edge mechanical innovations.

Most of the Awakeneds in the Western District were mechanized Korean-bloodline awakened individuals.

As a result, someone like Zeon, who was purely human, would stand out even more in the Western District.

“He’s staying at a hotel in the Western District?”

“Yes, that’s what he told me. But he didn’t mention which hotel. Still, there aren’t that many hotels in that area, so finding him shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Got it.”

Zeon stood up, and Mandy rose to her feet as well.

“I’ll go with you.”

“There’s no need for that.”

“The Western District is a rough place. I’m not worried about you, of course, but if I go along, I can help smooth out some of the more tedious formalities. After all, I am a Neo Seoul Supervisor.”

“In that case, I’ll be counting on you.”

“Just give me a second. I’ll change quickly and be right out.”

Mandy went to change and returned swiftly, dressed and ready to go.

Brielle looked at her with a curious expression.

“You look completely different.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re so different from Eloy.”

“Well, of course. Eloy is tougher and stronger than I am. Compared to her, I’m just a coward.”

“You’re strong, too.”

“Huh?”

Mandy blinked, confused by Brielle’s unexpected words.

“You live life on your own terms. Being strong isn’t just about physical power. Leading your own life makes you strong, too.”

“Haha! That’s a pretty mature thing to say. Thanks for the encouragement.”

“I’m not trying to encourage you. I’m just saying what I see.”

At Brielle’s blunt response, Mandy smiled silently.

‘You’ve grown the most, haven’t you?’

When she first met Brielle, the elf had been distant and cold.

Her distrust of humans was deeply rooted, and she was always suspicious. Brielle and Eloy had clashed daily.

Back then, Mandy had been submerged beneath the surface, unable to take control, but she had heard every conversation between Brielle and Eloy.

She had watched Brielle’s growth firsthand.

Mandy had never realized how gratifying it could be to witness someone else’s growth. Although Brielle still had many rough edges, Mandy now saw her with a bit more fondness.

The three of them walked down the street together.

Brielle was still adjusting to Neo Seoul, her eyes wide as she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings.

She looked like a country bumpkin who had just arrived in the big city.

The Brielle who had spoken maturely to Mandy earlier was gone, replaced by a wide-eyed elf marveling at the vast metropolis before her.

“Wow, look at that building…”

Despite her growth, Brielle was still very much a child.

“The Western District is this way.”

Mandy said, leading the two of them.

Zeon followed Mandy quietly.

Although he had been to Neo Seoul a few times before, he still wasn’t used to the ultramodern civilization.

After walking for some time, they finally arrived at the Western District.

“That river marks the boundary of the Western District.”

“A river running through the city? Does that mean Neo Seoul has plenty of water?”

Mandy shook her head.

“It’s not that abundant. This river is actually treated wastewater from Neo Seoul. After flowing through here, the water is treated again and supplied to households.”

Nothing was wasted in Neo Seoul.

Almost everything was recycled and redistributed.

Beneath Neo Seoul, there was a massive recycling plant where discarded materials were melted down and reused.

Water was no exception.

Since water was vital for survival, they put extra effort into purifying it with magic.

That was one of the reasons Neo Seoul had managed to sustain itself for so long.

A large bridge spanned the river, connecting the Central District to the Western District.

Clang! Clang!

As soon as they crossed the bridge into the Western District, the sound of metal clashing echoed from all directions.

It was the sound of Mechanized Awakeneds moving.

True to its reputation as the home of Mechanized Awakened individuals, the Western District was filled with all sorts of machinery.

From workshops that made prosthetic limbs to stores selling lubricants for smooth movement of mechanical parts, the district was teeming with businesses related to machinery.

The smell of metal and oil was ever-present in the air.

“Ugh, it stinks!”

Brielle wrinkled her nose in disgust.

For an elf who cherished purity, the smell of oil was overwhelming.

It made her nose and throat burn, and she couldn’t bear it.

In the end, Brielle pulled something out of her cone hat.

Mandy, full of curiosity, watched as Brielle produced a small, transparent bottle filled with a clear liquid.

Brielle quickly drank the liquid.

“Pahh!”

After consuming the liquid, she felt much better.

Mandy asked.

“What kind of potion is that?”

“A calming potion.”

“What?”

“It’s exactly what it sounds like. It blocks external stimuli and helps calm the mind.”

“Does something like that even exist?”

Mandy thought Brielle was joking, but Brielle was dead serious.

“While making various things, I stumbled upon it. I was going to throw it away since it didn’t seem useful, but it turns out it’s coming in handy.”

“You’re amazing. How do you come up with these things?”

Mandy was genuinely impressed.

Brielle might have considered the potion insignificant, but Mandy could see how useful it would be.

Especially during dungeon raids, it could be invaluable.

Some dungeons were filled with unbearable stench, deterring even the most experienced Awakeneds from entering.

With a potion like Brielle’s, they could proceed unaffected by the smell.

“Can you make more of that?”

“No, I don’t plan to.”

“Why not?”

“The cost-benefit ratio is terrible. It’s not worth the effort.”

“What kind of elf is so calculating?”

“Humans live that way, so why can’t elves?”

Brielle’s retort left Mandy speechless.

The elf standing before her was no longer the pure, innocent creature she once was. She had become as pragmatic as any human.

The fact that the high elf Brielle had changed so much left Mandy feeling a twinge of sadness.

As Mandy mulled over her emotions, they arrived at the first hotel in the Western District.

The hotel was called Mechanic Paradise.

The name was fitting—it was truly a haven for machines.

Whoever named it had been quite straightforward.

The moment they stepped inside, they were hit by the thick scent of oil.

The hotel primarily catered to mechanized Awakeneds, and as such, it was filled with equipment and facilities designed for them.

When Zeon’s group entered, the hotel concierge looked puzzled.

It had been a long time since a purely human guest had come through the doors.

Not just the concierge, but every Awakened in the lobby turned to stare at Zeon and his companions.

“What’s this? Why are regular humans coming into this hotel?”

“Never seen them before. Who are they?”

“Maybe they’re from another district?”

The Awakeneds’ faces were full of curiosity.

Although most of the Western District’s residents were fully human, they were vastly outnumbered by the Mechanized Awakeneds.

The fact that pure humans were causing such a stir showed how unusual it was for ordinary people to visit this hotel.

This place catered almost exclusively to Mechanized Awakened individuals.

The lobby even had a full-service center, where the needs of mechanized individuals were handled.

On the third basement level, they sold prosthetic limbs, mana pumps, and weapons designed for Mechanized Awakeneds.

On the second basement level, they replaced and installed these parts, and the first basement level was dedicated to optimization work.

In short, Mechanic Paradise was a one-stop service center for Mechanized Awakeneds. Pure humans had no reason to be there.

Especially not in the Western District.

This made it clear that Zeon and his group were outsiders.

At that moment, one of the awakened individuals in the lobby stood up.

Clang!

The heavy sound of metal echoed through the lobby.

His left arm was equipped with a large mana gun, and his right arm had been replaced with a massive mechanical prosthetic, as thick as a log.

His broad, gorilla-like chest and slightly hunched mechanical legs made him resemble a giant beast.

Thud! Thud!

Boom! Boom!

He approached Zeon and his group with heavy footsteps.

“Hey, brats! Where are you from? This is not the place for you. With such insignificant bodies, you don’t deserve to be here. Hehe!”

He mocked Zeon’s group.

The other Mechanized Awakenerds joined in with approval.

“If you really want to come, first put on a mechanical arm. Then we might accept you.”

“To put on a mechanical arm, you first need to cut off your arm. Should I do it for you?”

“Oh! That sounds fun.”

Boom boom!

The Mechanized Awakeneds stood up from their seats and surrounded Zeon, Brielle, and the others. Until then, the hotel concierge and guards had not taken any action.

Those who were supposed to prevent problems were standing by.

The Mechanized Awakeneds surrounding Zeon were notorious even in the area for their poor quality.

They often picked fights with those they deemed easy targets.

Zeon and Brielle, being pure humans and not looking very strong, were perfect targets for them.

Mandy frowned and said.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh! It looks like the pretty one is mad. Should I comfort you, little sister?”

“Leave now while you still can.”

“Even your angry face is pretty.”

Mandy took out her ID from her pocket and held it out to the Awakened.

Neo Seoul City Hall Supervisor Mandy Systein.

The words indicating her affiliation with the City Hall were clearly written.

The rank of Supervisor was by no means low.

It was a rank high enough that most people wouldn’t dare to look her in the eye.

She was definitely not someone who would receive disrespect anywhere.

The Awakeneds who had picked a fight with her looked at the ID with wide eyes. They seemed surprised at first, but soon burst into loud laughter.

“Puhaha! What is this?”

“Hahaha! If you’re going to fake it, make it look more convincing.”

“Supervisor? Was there such a rank at the City Hall? Damn! Why didn’t I know?”

Their ridicule made Mandy’s face turn red.

An Awakened resembling a gorilla shook his lower body back and forth in front of Mandy and said.

“I changed everything to mechanical, but that’s still the same. Once you’ve tasted it, you can’t forget it. How about it…?”

Boom!

At that moment, a bomb-like sound exploded from the face of the Awakened who was engaging in an obscene act.

“Stop it already, gorilla bastard! Damn it, with a tiny thing like you…”

The punch thrown with the same posture was followed by a furious woman, Eloy.

Eloy, who had been submerged under the surface, could no longer hold her anger and jumped out.

Before Zeon and Brielle could even intervene, Eloy cracked her fingers.

“Come on then! You bastards.”

———-

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