NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 105
The place called “Star City” is the central hub of governance for the planet and the most developed urban area.
“I’ll be acting as your attendant here, so be aware that you’ll have to handle most conversations within the city,” said Rene.
“Got it,” I replied.
Much like the protective walls surrounding the capital of the Kainriese Kingdom, Star City was encircled by towering alabaster walls, shielding it from the outside world. These walls were nearly twice as tall as those of the capital, their surfaces smooth like polished concrete.
Above the towering walls, a translucent blue membrane arched over the city in a dome-like structure. Floating at regular intervals within the membrane were spherical objects, and high in the sky, an orbital elevator stretched upward, as though piercing the heavens.
“The line on the left is for third-class citizens. We’ll be in the line on the right,” Rene explained.
“I see. The difference in numbers is staggering,” I noted.
In this futuristic city, even the sky had entry gates, but Rene and I would enter from the ground. The well-maintained road ahead of us split into two lines—one stretching for what seemed like kilometers, filled with countless people.
On the other hand, the line we were in had almost no one, and the security checks at the gate were done quickly, almost as if it were a mere formality.
“The government has tightened security, preparing for potential internal conflicts with Sears. They’re particularly wary of third-class citizens, especially those from outside regions where Sears has more influence,” Rene commented.
It made sense. Second-class citizens, mostly government officials or members of the upper class with little to no ties to Sears, faced much lighter security scrutiny.
“It’s a matter of resource allocation. More attention is given to those who pose greater threats, leaving the rest with thinner security,” I said, walking alongside Rene toward the city gates, ignoring the stares from the long line of people on the left.
The gazes were palpable, but engaging with them wouldn’t benefit us, so I kept my head held high as we moved forward.
—
“Whoa, so this is a futuristic city,” I muttered in awe.
“This is nothing compared to the capital planets. This city is considered minor. If you’re amazed by this, you’ll be stunned at what comes next,” Rene replied.
After a quick security check, our forged second-class citizen passports, courtesy of Nias, passed without issue, and we entered the city. What greeted us was a skyline of towering iron buildings.
Surprisingly, the area near the gate wasn’t as futuristic as I had expected. It felt calm and peaceful, similar to the capital of Kainriese or even parts of Japan. The architecture wouldn’t seem out of place back home, with neatly arranged buildings giving the impression of a tourist district.
However, the deeper we moved into Star City—toward its core and the orbital elevator—the more immense the structures became. Massive buildings, both tall and wide, stood densely packed, their towering forms blocking out the sunlight. Despite it being midday, the ground level was as dark as night.
But the streets were far from gloomy. Neon signs and gigantic holographic advertisements illuminated the area, making the dark streets vibrant and lively. The bright lights might have been hard on the eyes, but they certainly compensated for the lack of natural light.
“If I had to compare, it’s like a cyberpunk version of Kabukicho,” I thought to myself.
“This is the entertainment district. Most of the facilities here are for Star City residents. Be careful, or you’ll end up being taken advantage of,” Rene warned.
As expected, humans dominated the streets, not demi-humans. Most of them had pale skin, reminiscent of Westerners, rather than the brown-skinned Wemer people. Their hair colors were striking, ranging from vibrant reds to greens, and their fashion was decidedly punk.
The people here, with their futuristic and cyberpunk appearance, added to the atmosphere of this SF-like entertainment district. Despite its intrigue, I wasn’t keen on getting too close.
There were other things that caught my eye—like stores selling androids almost indistinguishable from humans or shops offering prosthetic limbs—but our destination was further inside the city. With some reluctance, I kept walking toward our goal.
—
“The center of the city feels surprisingly calm,” I observed.
“The area we passed earlier was unusually flashy. Much of Star City is more like this,” Rene said.
After passing through the entertainment district, we arrived at the city’s core, where towering structures formed a circular pattern. At the center was a massive building, so tall that looking up made my neck hurt.
When I asked what the building was, Rene told me it was the Central Star Bureau—the governing institution of this planet.
The Star Bureau, shaped like a pyramid, had a gigantic pillar extending upward from its top, connected to the orbital elevator. A star shield spread across the sky like the Milky Way, further emphasizing the building’s connection to the elevator.
However, our destination wasn’t the Star Bureau or the elevator above it. Instead, we were heading to a nearby skyscraper. In that building, a high-end restaurant linked to Sears, having evaded government crackdowns, awaited us. We planned to meet with an agent of the Sakura Empire there.
That being said, we hadn’t received a definite confirmation, so there was no guarantee they would show. Still, according to Gons, who acted as our intermediary, the agent had been quite surprised, so I was hopeful it wouldn’t be a wasted effort.
—
“What exactly did you write in the letter to the agent? Gons said even he was shocked,” Rene asked.
“I used an official seal from the world I live in. It’s something I use formally there, so anyone who’s familiar with it should recognize it,” I explained.
In Japan, I’m registered as an employee of the Saioji Group. My position is unique, so when I send formal documents or personal letters, I use a special seal. While the seal is personal to me, it’s ultimately a part of the Saioji Group. Even if it’s no longer in use today, anyone with ties to the Saioji family might recognize it, which is why I decided to use it for this letter.
Of course, just the seal wouldn’t have been enough, so I also added certain phrases that would make sense to those in the know, but obscure enough to be meaningless to outsiders.
I had Saioji review the letter to make sure it conveyed the right message.
“I see. If the agent is looking for you, they’ve likely done their homework. No wonder they were surprised,” Rene nodded, seemingly satisfied with my explanation.