As I stepped outside the UOR building, I noticed the sky darkening. Mark's warning about vampires still lingered in my mind—they might not attack me within the city, but I wasn't willing to take any risks. My first priority was to find a place to stay for the night.
Looking around, I spotted a fruit vendor who seemed like a normal human. Hoping he could help, I approached him and asked, "Do you know where I can find a place to stay?"
He gave me a curious look. "Are you human?" he asked. "And if so, are you a normal human or a supernatural?"
Instead of answering, I asked my own question. "Can normal humans even come here?"
The vendor nodded. "Yes, but only the wealthy—politicians, rich businessmen, and a few others. However, it's an unspoken rule that they must hire adventurers from the UOR as their guards while they're here." He paused, examining me more closely. "You don't seem like you belong to any union. You're not emitting magical power, qi, or aura."
His observation confirmed something I had been wondering about. It also made me more aware of how different I was from the others in this world.
"The best place for lodging is a tavern near the end of the road," he continued. "It's called Cat-Bench."
I thanked him and started walking in the direction he had pointed. My mind drifted back to Mark's reaction when I told him I got my enhanced power from a human practicing a script. That's when I realized something—the vendor's words made it clear that supernatural beings in this world cultivated either qi or aura.
Qi was for those who practiced inner cultivation, refining their energy from within.
Aura was for those who practiced body cultivation, typically using weapons to enhance their strength.
I knew very little about this supernatural world. If I gave the wrong answer to someone, they would know I was lying. And if they saw through my deception, they would start judging me—or worse.
I stopped my train of thought as I reached the tavern. The building was dimly lit, with a warm atmosphere. Inside, I spotted three or four people sitting and drinking.
I made my way to the reception desk, where a beautiful vampire woman stood behind the counter. So far, my impression of vampires was that they were both deadly and stunning—a combination of beauty and danger.
She glanced at me before asking, "Your ID card?"
I handed it to her. As soon as she looked at it, her eyes widened slightly. There, under the powers section, was a single word: Confidential.
She looked at me again, her expression unreadable, but didn't say anything. After a brief pause, she returned my ID and said, "One room costs 20 bronze coins per day."
I nodded, handing her the coins.
"If you want food, it will be an additional 5 bronze coins," she added.
"Can it be delivered to my room?"
She nodded again, handing me the room key.
I walked upstairs and unlocked my room. It was simple—just a table, chair, and a lamp for lighting. I noticed that there were no electrical appliances.
Sitting on the bed, I wondered why electricity wasn't being used in a world with so many supernatural abilities. Maybe the tavern owner could answer that.
After resting for about twenty minutes, I heard a knock at the door.
I opened it and saw the same vampire woman from the reception. She stepped inside and spoke.
"I forgot to introduce myself earlier. My name is Lilla."
I extended my hand. "I'm Adam."
She shook my hand before setting a tray down. "This dish is famous—it's been around for over two centuries."
As I ate, we talked for a while. She asked about the human world, particularly about technology. I told her about phones, televisions, and other modern inventions. She was fascinated, listening intently.
Curious, I asked, "Why don't you use electricity here?"
Lilla sighed, then explained, "Wherever elements exist in high concentrations, large-scale electrical systems become unreliable." She continued, "Elements are everywhere. If someone tries to control a particular element in a place where the concentration is high, they need to be at least S Rank—and even then, they have to focus constantly. Otherwise, the electricity just won't work."
I thought about it for a moment. "So, electricity just isn't feasible in supernatural cities?"
She nodded. "Yes. There are only two exceptions:
A city lord or someone extremely powerful might be able to stabilize an area.
Witches can create magical power sources, but they're incredibly expensive. Only the largest cities can afford them."
That made sense. It explained why only powerful figures had access to technology like humans did.
As our conversation continued, I asked her, "How can I earn money here?"
Lilla leaned against the wall. "Well, if you know how to make potions or forge weapons, you can sell them. If not, the only real option is hunting."
I frowned. "Hunting?"
She smiled. "Yes. In fact, my shift ends in the morning, and my team is heading out to hunt. You're new here, right? You should come with us—it'll be a good learning experience."
I hesitated. I had no experience in hunting supernatural creatures, nor did I know the best locations for it. But if I wanted to survive in this world, I needed to learn.
After a brief moment of thought, I gave her my answer.
I'll join you!