The Transmigrated Author

The four hours were almost up, and we hadn't talked much.

Being with Valencia wasn't as bad as I expected, but I still wanted to make it a pleasant experience, especially since we were in the city that had inspired my dreams.

I also wanted to revisit my favorite spots in Milan, so I ended up leading the way, with Valencia quietly following.

I wasn't sure if she was enjoying herself, but at least I felt nostalgic about each place we visited.

First, I bought her lunch at a small trattoria near the canals.

I didn't want to deal with any hunger complaints, and the food was decent.

Then, we strolled through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a magnificent shopping arcade with a glass ceiling and ornate architecture.

Valencia was genuinely impressed, saying she'd never seen anything like it.

Afterwards we went around countless shops since she wanted to buy something, and to my surprise, she even got me a red scarf.

Though the weather was still chilly, I considered giving it back to her.

But she insisted it matched my outfit and kept muttering something about me looking good in it?

Well as a bit of a fashion enthusiast, I wasn't sure if it would go with my all-black trench coat, sweater, and baggy jeans combo, but I appreciated the gesture.

Besides, buying a scarf had been on my bucket list.

After that, we got gelato and wandered through the Piazza del Duomo, the grand square dominated by the majestic Duomo di Milano.

It wasn't quite the peak of the afternoon, but the place brought back memories.

I remembered coming here a week after graduating high school.

...

...

...

Standing at the center of the Piazza del Duomo Valencia and Rel stood side by side.

"This place..." Rel said, gesturing towards the cathedral. "It inspired me the most."

Shit... I blurted that out randomly. Valencia was looking at him with a questioning expression.

"Really?" she murmured, too softly for Rel to hear. "Now that I look at it... this place is inspiring."

The two stood among the crowd massive crowds rushing in Valencia would be touching shoulder to shoulder with Rel.

"..."

Ah... what do I do? she thought. I want to lean my head against him. We've been standing all day.

WOOSH!

A sudden gust of wind knocked Valencia off balance, and she fell into Rel's arms.

"I'm just glad it exists," he murmured, his gaze fixed on the cathedral. His hands had caught her instinctively, and a soft smile played on his lips.

Valencia followed his gaze, but couldn't understand his fascination.

Seeing him like this, holding her like this, sent a strange warmth through her chest.

Rel gently helped her back to her feet.

"You look cold,"

He unwrapped his red scarf and looped it around her neck.

"...!"

Her eyes widened as he wrapped it a second time, pulling it snug.

"Let's go," he said, glancing at his watch. It was time to leave.

Valencia watched him walk off and couldn't but drift off to his hands.

She impulsively leaned in and reached out, but stopped short when Rel turned around.

"Are you not coming?"

"Ah!... Y-yes... coming," she stammered, flustered.

Rel turned back and waited.

Valencia who hurried to catch up, smiled brightly under his scarf.

***

[Milan, Via Palestro - Montclair Residence]

After 30 minutes of taking an uber, Valencia and I arrived at the Montclair mansion.

I had expected the typical rich estate, but this place was on another level.

Instead of just seeing one mansion it was actually a combination of two mansions.

The imposing structure blended seamlessly with the rolling hills on the outskirts of Milan. A wrought iron gate marked the entrance, leading to a long, paved driveway that wound through manicured gardens towards the main building.

The mansion itself was a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, with towering columns, arched windows, and intricate stonework.

Even I, who had only ever seen it in my imagination, was impressed.

"Hey, look! Rel and Valencia are finally here," Bazz announced.

I initially ignored him, but then I felt a burning glare and a cold stare directed at me.

"Is there something wrong, Louise?"

Jae asked, leaning forward.

I realized Louise was barely suppressing his emotions.

He was doing a good job hiding it, but I suspected trouble might arise if I didn't defuse his brewing anger.

"What are you talking about?"

Louise gritted his teeth, trying to maintain his composure. Despite his efforts, his veins were bulging on his forehead.

"There's nothing wrong. You're probably just thinking about other things."

"Okay..." Jae shrugged nonchalantly and moved on to Alice, who had also been glaring at me since we arrived.

"Alice?"

"What?" she snapped, her voice cold. Jae furrowed her brow, confused.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am. Hmph." Alice shrugged, and Jae couldn't help but find her reaction amusing.

I wonder what's going on with them? I thought. They just get crazier by the day.

Lan clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.

"Okay, guys," he said, "please be mindful that the rooms you'll be staying in are within the Montclair residence. And I beg of you all, please don't touch things you're not supposed to touch. After that hotel incident in France, I heard complaints about phone lines and toilets being destroyed."

Bazz's shoulders tensed. I remembered what he had done to the toilet back in Paris. He had accidentally clogged it, and in trying to fix it, he had smashed the entire thing.

Jan nudged Bazz, who nearly fell to his knees. "Ack!" he yelped.

"And also," Lan continued, "I'm here on official Villerion business, so for the next two days, your task is to find an artifact of Montclair's history that you find most interesting."

Just then, a man in a crisp black suit appeared at the gate. He opened it, revealing a sweeping pathway leading down to the mansion.

"Welcome, fellow guests," he said with a polite bow. "I hope you all enjoy your stay here. I'll give you a quick tour, and right after that, I'll have our workers organize your rooms."

Jan and Bazz exchanged surprised glances. "Are all the servants here like that?" Jan asked.

"Of course not," Camila replied, appearing next to Jan with a smile, "but he sure looks experienced."

Yeah, an experienced smuggler. Though I didn't have a name for this villain yet, I was determined to find out who he was.