In the Underground City's residential district, at the Old Li Noodle House.
At a square table by the window, four students in school uniforms slurped noodles from large bowls.
The tall, skinny one with glasses set down his chopsticks and lowered his voice.
"Did you guys see yesterday's official announcement? Another world! There's actually another world!"
"Yeah, yeah."
The short-haired girl pushed up her glasses.
"I thought it was an April Fools' joke."
"The Elves, Dwarves, and stuff in the information looked exactly like the ones in games!"
The boy with a buzz cut grinned.
"The officials said a delegation of other races would be visiting our base over the next few days."
"I wonder if we'll get to see them."
"Probably not."
The tall, skinny boy picked up some noodles and spoke indistinctly.
"They're bound to be under protection."
"So what if we see them? The notice was clear. We can't crowd around and gawk at them like they're monkeys."
The round-faced boy suddenly looked up, his eyes shining.
"Elves can use magic, right?"
"Didn't you read the information? Yes!" The short-haired girl rolled her eyes.
"Then if I run into an Elf, could I ask them to teach me magic?" The round-faced boy looked full of longing.
"Once I learn, I'll be able to fly through the sky and burrow underground!"
"Are you an idiot?" The buzz-cut boy smacked him on the head.
"The information said Blue Star has no magic elements. Learn magic, my ass!"
"Besides, with that brain of yours, could you even learn it?"
"Oh..."
The round-faced boy lowered his head in disappointment and went back to eating his noodles, seemingly catching something out of the corner of his eye.
His eyes suddenly widened, and his chopsticks clattered onto the table.
He raised his hand,