The Transmigrated Author-Chapter 151: France (3)

[Paris, H?tel Plaza Athénée - Outside]

The limo ride was peaceful, from my side at least.

Turns out, sitting by Jan wasn't a bad idea after all..

We had a brief conversation... he pried about my free time.

My usual answers were study and rest; disclosing more than necessary was unnecessary.

All things considered, it went well enough.

...

...

...

[Flashback to a few 20 minutes ago.]

"So Rel... what do you do in your free time?" Jan, beside me near the end of the row, broke the silence.

"Study and sleep," I answered flatly.

Jan's eyebrow shot up. I knew something stupid was coming.

His voice boomed, "BUT WEREN'T YOU PRA-"

I reacted fast, slapping a hand over his mouth. "Thought you weren't going to tell anyone."

He shoved my hand away with a grin. "Just joking, wanted to see if I could get a reaction. Still stone-faced as always."

My brows furrowed. "That's how my face looks."

"Sure, sure..." Jan shrugged, clearly unconvinced. "I bet a certain someone could change that." He nudged me and nodded towards the front of the limo.

haah...

Internally, I sighed. This was the savior of the world?

"Whatever..."

...

...

...

Stepping into the H?tel Plaza Athénée, I was taken aback by its grandeur.

Classic French styling, opulent decor... it was pure luxury. Elegant artwork adorned the walls, the furniture plush and inviting.

"Alright, everyone," Lan returned from the front desk, holding three keys. "We're splitting up. Girls on one floor, boys split between two. All on the top floor, of course."

He handed the keys to Valencia. "Take these for the girls' room." She smiled and led the others away.

"Jan, you're with Rel and Bazz." Jan shot me a smirk, and I rolled my eyes.

"Louise, Miya, and Noah, you're with me."

Louise groaned. "Can't I just have my own room?"

"Budget constraints," Lan quipped back.

I was surprised at how smoothly Lan handled that... Louise didn't even throw his usual tantrums.

There seems to have been a slight change there, maybe?

Up until now, Louise should've been harassing Jan at the very least. But I guess Lan's approach isn't the worst.

He even seemed to get along with Miya and Noah during the limo ride.

And I'm just hoping those three become friends... they're probably better than the idiots who usually harass me.

"Rel, Bazz, let's go! Long day ahead!" Jan jangled his keys in front of me.

Slap!!

I felt a sharp pain hit my back and as I turned to see who it was.

I saw a 6'8 redhead right before me.

"Hurry up, man! He's a monster if you let him claim all the good space." Bazz said.

Wincing, I grabbed my luggage and hustled after them, aiming for the best spot I could get.

...

...

...

[Paris, H?tel Plaza Athénée - Top floor - Room: 2#]

[Friday, 9:34 AM]

"Woah!! This place is huge!" Jan dropped his bags immediately after reaching our room.

"I never thought a place like this could really exist..." Bazz spoke almost at a loss for words.

The suite was a masterclass in space utilization.

Distinct areas: living room, sleeping quarters, even a small office.

Elegant fixtures, top-of-the-line tech... everything had a purpose, zero wasted space.

Clearly designed for efficiency as much as luxury.

I knew this hotel wouldn't disappoint, It's safe to say that I can tick this off my bucket list.

I noticed that there was a short hallway down to my right...

"...!"

I noticed three separate bedrooms lined a short hallway.

I dashed with my belongings and headed straight for the one furthest away.

Now what? The story skipped straight from Jan to the museum, and that wouldn't be until Sunday.

That left me a few days to kill... I might as well explore Paris, and relive some old memories.

BZZZT!!!...BZZZT!!!

As I felt a vibration going off on my wrist I checked my watch to see what it was.

[??°? Histories Breakfast Club GC ??°?]

[Lan.Villerion <9:40 AM> Hey guys! So for the first day you guys are free to do whatever you like but also I do advise not going anywhere outside of Paris, since I'm responsible for your safety and all. but if you'd like recommendations the academy L'Institut des Lumières has an open day if you'd like to attend! anyways, that's all from me! stay safe!]

L'Institut des Lumières is having an open day? Interesting.

This could be a way to kill some time until the next event unfolds.

Plus, there's the possibility of encountering Alessandro.

Of course, I haven't crossed paths with him yet.

For all I know, his personality might be completely different from how he was portrayed in the novel.

Originally, his transfer wasn't supposed to happen until the second year.

Then again, even with the limited control I have over altering pre-determined events, maneuvering him into Pinnacle early would only create more problems for Jan.

Alessandro strikes as the type who would latch on and relentlessly compete with his opponent .

Basically he was Just another Louise, dragging things out with his constant need to one-up Jan.

Quickly, I dug through my luggage, stashing my duffle bag where Jan and Bazz wouldn't find it.

Just grabbed my mask – a precaution, just in case anything bad happened.

Suddenly I heard a loud rumble of hurried footsteps.

"Rel!" Jan and Bazz popped their heads through the doorway.

I couldn't tell who was on top of which.

"Yes?" I shoved the mask behind my back.

"Me and Bazz, we're off to Dawn's Blade Arena. Wanna come watch some matches?"

Arena... that word triggered a flashback to the D-League tournament.

But hey, maybe I could swing by later, bet on some surefire winners, make a little cash…

"Maybe tomorrow," I said.

Jan frowned. "Okay, but... you already said you would."

gulp

Only then did I realize the trap I'd just walked into.

haah...

"Fine."

"Great!" Jan grinned. "See ya then!" He and Bazz took off.

Well... with the two of them gone I think I should get going now...

***

[Paris, L'Institut des Lumières Academy]

30 minutes was all it took through an Uber to the academy, since their IDS station is inaccessible because I'm not a student that attends there.

But I'm surprised for how it looks.

In the novel I initially never described what it looked like but now that I'm standing right before the place it exceeded all my expectations for a 1st rate academy.

The imposing gates of L'Institut des Lumières felt familiar – cameras, pristine walkways… It was Pinnacle, but with a dash of European flair.

The architecture here was distinctly classical, less sleek and modern than I was used to.

Beyond the gates, a smaller, grand structure marked the entrance to the main campus.

Library, training grounds, what looked like alchemy labs would be further in.

Stepping through the double doors of the entrance building, I found myself in a spacious foyer.

Gleaming marble floors reflected the natural light streaming through high windows.

A receptionist sat behind a sleek desk, a welcoming smile curving her lips.

"Hello sir!" The attendant's mixed French-English accent was charming. "Here to apply for a trial today?"

"Ah, actually... the open day," I replied, the words feeling slightly odd coming out of my mouth.

Her surprise flickered briefly before she recovered. "Of course, sir. There's a small entry fee – standard liability coverage for the campus tour. May I please?" She gestured towards an EFTPOS machine on the counter.

With a silent tap of my watch, I paid the fee.

"Excellent. Just a quick form here, sir. Name, date of birth, and signature."

She slid a form across the smooth surface. A practiced motion, efficient and polite.

I filled out the form in a matter of seconds, and she handed me a card with a lanyard attached.

A simple plastic badge declared me an "Open Day Visitor."

"Right this way," she said, gracefully pushing open a set of heavy oak doors.

...

...

...

[Paris, L'Institut des Lumières Academy - Main Courtyard]

Warm sunlight washed over me as I stepped out into the expansive courtyard.

The first thing that caught my eye was the statue.

Massive, and imposing, it dominated the space. It was a long-dead hero, undoubtedly.

But something about the figure triggered a memory, a nagging sense of familiarity.

It stood in a classic pose, a weathered bronze axe slung across its broad back. freēwēbηovel.c૦m

As I drew closer, details came into sharper focus.

Then, a plaque at the base solidified the connection.

'This Statue is dedicated to the hero that dethroned the tyrannic emperor.'

'Known As The Uncrowned King - Vincent Nazara Celeste'.

'Built by the Royal Family Of Valois'.

That was when I realised who it was...

Vincent Nazara Celeste, the third captain of the Golden Horizon.

He wielded a massive two-handed axe with a long, curved black blade.

If I recall, I think his weapon name was 'Sunset's End'.

It was called that because each victory was a sunset for him, and for his nickname as the Uncrowned King, he was seen as the harbinger of doom for those with too much power.

Vincent himself was up there with the legendary monsters, Garrick Florentina and Dawn Frisk.

Not only that but he was just as strong as Dawn Frisk in his prime.

But why a statue here?

Something must have happened before Jan's arrival to this world.

This was probably another result of Auto-Generation.

________

Authors Notes:

- Vincent and Dawn are extremely-strong aura users but Garrick was always a step above the two.