Chapter 14: Layers Beneath the Light
Inside the small guild building, the noise of the streets was muffled.
Sanat leaned against the wall while Lira watched him carefully.
Her eyes moved briefly toward Boba.
Then she smirked.
"Quite the robot you have for a Tier-3 viscount side-branch noble."
Sanat shrugged casually.
"Gift."
"From one of the Tier-2 count houses."
Lira raised an eyebrow.
"Really?"
She laughed quietly.
"Well, they're pretty generous then."
"Especially for nobles who spend their time living off the work of poorer layers."
Sanat smiled faintly but didn't argue.
He had already noticed something.
People in Layer Two didn't seem to love nobles very much.
"So," he said, changing the subject, "what were those guilds fighting about earlier?"
Lira leaned back against the table.
"Crystals."
"Always crystals."
Sanat nodded.
"Energy crystals?"
"Yes."
She continued explaining.
"A noble house contracted the Crimson Meridian Guild to retrieve a shipment of mountain crystals from a dungeon."
"They were supposed to deliver them to the Iron Fang Guild."
Sanat raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
"Half of them disappeared."
"So now everyone's accusing everyone else of stealing them."
Sanat chuckled.
"So basically a business argument with swords."
"Exactly."
The Layers of Astra Prime
Sanat crossed his arms.
"Tell me something."
Lira looked at him.
"What?"
"Explain the lower layers."
Lira tilted her head.
"You really are clueless, huh?"
"Pretty much."
She pointed toward the ground.
"You're standing in Layer Two right now."
Sanat nodded.
"And Layer Three?"
Lira smiled slightly.
"Layer Three is where things get interesting."
Sanat leaned forward.
"How so?"
"Layer Two is just a cleaner version of Layer Three."
"More businesses."
"More markets."
"More legal operations."
She continued.
"But Layer Three…"
"That's where the guild world really lives."
Sanat listened carefully.
"Guild headquarters."
"Dungeon contracts."
"Beast hunters."
"Black markets."
"Underground arenas."
Lira shrugged.
"If you want to see where the real fights happen, that's where you go."
Sanat smiled slightly.
"Sounds exciting."
"It's also dangerous."
Population of the Layers
Sanat looked out the window toward the endless neon streets.
"How many people live here?"
Lira answered immediately.
"Layer Two?"
She pointed toward the city.
"Roughly seven to eight hundred billion people."
Sanat blinked.
"…Billion?"
"Yes."
"And Layer Three?"
"Another six to eight hundred billion."
Sanat whistled.
"So almost half the planet lives below the nobles."
Lira nodded.
"Pretty much."
Sanat asked another question.
"Do people from Layer One come down here often?"
"Sometimes."
"Inspectors."
"Noble envoys."
"Security forces."
"They check Layer Two occasionally."
She shrugged.
"But Layer Three?"
"They rarely bother going there."
Sanat frowned slightly.
"Why?"
Lira smirked.
"Too messy."
"Too many gangs."
"Too many guild wars."
"And honestly…"
"They don't care."
The Real City
Sanat walked toward the door and looked outside.
The neon lights flickered across the crowded street.
People were laughing.
Arguing.
Trading.
Fighting.
Living.
Sanat smiled.
"This city is insane."
Lira nodded.
"Welcome to Astra Prime."
Then she looked at him again.
"So what's a viscount noble doing wandering around Layer Two before academy trials?"
Sanat shrugged.
"Sightseeing."
Lira laughed.
"You're weird."
Sanat grinned.
"I've been told that before "
Inside the small Iron Fang guild building, the noise of Layer Two echoed faintly through the walls.
Lira leaned against the table, watching Sanat carefully.
Then she suddenly frowned.
"You should leave."
Sanat blinked.
"Leave?"
"Yes."
She crossed her arms.
"Preferably go back to Layer One as fast as possible."
Sanat raised an eyebrow.
"And why is that?"
"Because people are looking for you."
Sanat smiled slightly.
"The thieves?"
"Not just them."
"The crystal aura you're carrying has already attracted attention."
Sanat thought for a moment.
"Is there any way I could stay hidden?"
Lira tilted her head.
"There is."
"Go deeper."
Sanat narrowed his eyes.
"…Layer Three?"
Lira nodded.
Before Sanat could respond—
Boba suddenly spoke sharply.
"No."
Sanat turned.
"Master, entering Layer Three is not advisable."
"It is significantly more dangerous than Layer Two."
Sanat looked at him calmly.
"You work for me."
"Yes."
"Then follow my orders."
"I'll decide where we go."
Boba paused.
"…Understood."
Sanat turned back toward Lira.
"So."
"How do we get to Layer Three?"
His curiosity was obvious now.
Lira sighed.
"Well…"
"It's definitely dangerous."
"But unlike the entrance between Layer One and Layer Two…"
"…Layer Two and Layer Three are directly connected."
"There are portal gates scattered all around."
Sanat nodded slowly.
"That sounds easy."
Lira shook her head.
"It isn't."
"Layer Two is poorly protected right now."
"Most security forces are busy with Royal Academy trial preparations."
She looked him directly in the eye.
"This is actually the perfect time for someone to kill you and steal your crystals."
Sanat smiled faintly.
"Good thing I'm not planning to stay here."
The Portal
Lira led him through several crowded streets.
Eventually they entered a narrow residential building.
Inside the hallway stood a small glowing portal frame.
"This one goes to Layer Three," she said.
Sanat looked at it.
"So simple."
"Most people don't even notice these."
They stepped through.
Layer Three
The world shifted.
Layer Three looked similar to Layer Two at first glance.
But something felt different.
The streets were darker.
The neon lights were dimmer.
And the people…
The people looked far more serious.
Hunters.
Guild fighters.
Mercenaries.
Everyone looked like they knew how to fight.
Lira immediately turned to Sanat.
"First rule."
"Change your clothes."
Sanat blinked.
"What?"
"You still look like a noble."
"If you walk around like that…"
"…someone will suck you dry."
Sanat laughed.
"Alright."
A few minutes later he had changed into simple dark street clothes from a nearby shop.
Lira nodded approvingly.
"Much better."
Then she pointed at Boba.
"And the robot has to disappear."
Sanat turned.
"Boba?"
The robot nodded.
Then suddenly—
His body shimmered.
And vanished.
Sanat jumped slightly.
"…What?"
"Are you still there?"
Boba's voice came calmly beside him.
"Yes."
Sanat shook his head.
"I didn't know you could do that."
"The technology of Astra Prime is quite advanced."
Sanat chuckled.
"Understatement."
A Taste of Layer Three
They walked through the streets of Layer Three.
No one paid much attention to them.
Without the noble clothes and visible robot, Sanat blended into the crowd.
Eventually they stopped at a small street food stall.
Sanat ordered something random.
The food turned out to be incredible.
Spicy meat with glowing herbs.
He took another bite.
"Okay."
"This is amazing."
Lira laughed.
"Layer Three food is the best."
While eating, Sanat casually asked another question.
"What about Layer Four?"
The reaction was immediate.
Both Lira and the shopkeeper froze.
The shopkeeper's eyes widened.
"Kid…"
"Don't talk about Layer Four."
Sanat blinked.
"Why?"
Lira spoke quietly.
"I've only been there once."
"And even from a Layer Three perspective…"
"…it's bad."
Sanat nodded slowly.
"Noted."
Time to Leave
After finishing their food, Lira looked at the sky.
"We should go."
"Why?"
"It's getting late."
"Night in Layer Three isn't friendly."
Sanat nodded.
"Fair enough."
Then he asked something.
"Is there a way to go directly to Layer One?"
"I'd rather not go through Layer Two again."
Lira thought for a moment.
"There is."
"But it costs money."
Sanat shrugged.
"That's fine."
He activated the holographic card in his wristwatch.
A glowing credit card interface appeared in the air.
Lira stared.
"…Wow."
"You're actually rich."
She smirked.
"You know…"
"I'm suddenly tempted to kill you and take all that money."
Sanat became serious for a moment.
Then Lira burst out laughing.
"I'm joking."
"Relax."
Sanat sighed.
"You're not funny."
"Yes I am."
Return to the Top
They walked to another hidden portal building.
This one led directly upward.
A few seconds later—
They emerged again in the shining skyline of Layer One.
The clean air.
The quiet streets.
The towering buildings.
Sanat looked down toward the lower layers.
Layer Three had shown him something important.
This planet was far bigger and more complicated than he first thought.
He smiled slightly.
"This world just keeps getting more interesting."