Weekly chapters (1/2)
Enjoy the chapter~
Translator: Raizu
Editor: Shirayuki
Chapter 21 – The Information Office
After putting my luggage in my room and storing my valuables in another space, I headed out into the city.
As expected, it is a vibrant tourist city. It’s not as busy as Shinjuku, but you’ll still have to deal with the crowds here.
When I looked behind me, I was in time to see Sasha getting swept away by people and falling behind. I stopped for a moment and waited for her to catch up, then slowly held out my hand to her.
[Umm?]
She tilted her head, wondering what’s going on, so I forcefully took her hand and pulled her closer to me.
[Don’t get lost in the crowd.]
[Ah…yes.]
Returning to the main street where Emond Company was located, we entered the small building at the entrance to the square.
This was the place I had discovered on my way to the inn.
On the door was a large wooden frame with the words『Auguri-Cures Port Information Office』.
[Welcome.]
The inside was surprisingly empty. There was just a short lady who was talking in a whisper with the staff at the counter.
Waiting for my response was a man at the counter next to it.
[What can I help you with?]
[It’s my first time here. I was hoping to get a map or something of this area.]
When I told the young man who had slipped out from the back, he silently nodded and began flipping through the materials.
[Um, yes, each piece costs 30 copper coins.]
It costs money?
Well, I’ve heard that depending on the era, maps were valuable items, and were often treated strictly as military supplies… Maybe it can’t be helped.
[That will do.]
[I’ll go get it, so please wait a moment.]
After saying that and seeing off the young man who retreated to the back, I killed some time by flipping through the materials near the counter. Hmm, so the information agency is operated by the city?
The top seems to be some sort of noble, but I don’t think it’s a very important position. It might be something like a destination for old-age nobles who have retired from the ranks.
[Sorry to have kept you waiting, is one piece alright?]
He asked before I went looking for more. I thought to myself, but I just nodded and accepted it.
On the counter was a map of this area. It roughly depicts the branching roads of this ward, and notes on some shops and famous places.
It can be used to vaguely understand the route, but it is impossible to see the terrain. Maybe they did it intentionally to protect military secrets, but it’s a bit disappointing.
On the back was a larger scale map, with the location relative to other areas and the location of the gates leading to it roughly marked.
There is no information beyond the surface which was disappointing. Hmm.
[Is this the only map available?]
[Yes, that’s all.]
[Is it possible to find out the location of the store I want to go to at this information center?]
[It’s the information office. Well, if I know anything, I’ll tell you.]
[I see. Is there a convenient place to learn magic?]
The young man was silent for a few seconds, as if thinking about it, then knitted his eyebrows together and answered.
[Magic, huh? Speaking of which, are you a mage?]
[Ah, no, yeah, I guess I’m at the stage where I’m thinking about becoming one.]
[Is that so? In addition to the high school in the center district, there are several private schools that teach magic.]
[I see.]
[Otherwise, if you want to learn privately…umm.]
[Is it difficult?]
[I guess it’s like becoming an apprentice to a mage… as for that, you might find out something if you go to the mage guild after becoming a mage.]
[Oh, the mage guild?]
Now that’s something interesting.
[Yes, but if you imagine something like a commercial union or a professional guild, that’s not it. It’s more of a club for mages.]
[Club…?]
All of a sudden, I felt that it’s gotta be shabby.
[It’s where people with mage-type jobs gather to chat… exchange opinions and start research on new magic. I’m not a mage myself, so that’s all I know.]
[I see. Thank you.]
I didn’t have high hopes for it, but loose, circle-like organizations are easier to get into than rigidly exclusive organizations or interest groups. Let’s go give it a visit later.
[If I need some weapons for my travel, where can I find a store for that?]
[I can’t suggest a fixed location, but in terms of the variety of products, I think it would be a good idea to look for a large store along this street. The most famous ones are… this one called Sacred, and… this one called Armin’s Arms Shop.]
The young man traced the location with his finger on the map. For now, let’s mark it off with the pen provided at the reception desk.
[Fumu.]
[If you’re looking for higher quality or want to order something made to custom order, it’s best to visit a store in the craftsman’s district. That’s around here.]
It seems that the second commercial district also includes a craftsman’s district. I feel like I can live a complete life here in this city.
[Does the weapon’s quality differ in each commercial district?]
[Well, I don’t know much about weapons either…However, the second district is one of the busiest commercial districts, so I think you can get most of the things you need.]
[I see, that’s good enough.]
Looking at the overall image (outline) of the city on the back of the map, it appears that there are commercial districts in the north, south, east, west, and center, and residential districts in between.
In the center is a high-class residential area, probably where the aristocrats and wealthy people live.
Although they are different in shape and scale, the north, west, and south sides are designed with similar structures. The only difference being the east side faces the sea. It seems that various considerations have been made to fulfill the role of a military port and a trading port, but the maps are vague and there is little information about it.
All I could tell was the rough location of the ship’s boarding area and a list of numbers assigned to each location.
[That was helpful. Thank you.]
[No problem.]
What a helpful young man. At first glance, he seemed unmotivated, but it turned out to be quite useful.
[Ah, that’s right, I forgot one thing. Is there a place in this area where I can read books?]
[A library, perhaps? I believe there’s one small public one. If you’re looking for the bigger one, you’ll have to go to the center district.]
In other words, I have to go to the high-class residential area?
[Is there something more private or personal?]
[Yes. There are places where merchants, mainly merchants, pay to read the books they have acquired. If you go to the center district, I heard there is a place where nobles lend out the books they have acquired for free. You can’t enter those places unless you have their introduction though.]
I see, the way books in this world are treated is less than modern Japan and more than Earth’s medieval and early modern times, but it seems that they are treated as valuable items in their own way.
It would be difficult to make connections and get into an aristocrat’s private library, so I should either go to a merchant’s paid library or go to the big library in the center district.
Maybe I need to do something before I leave? So I placed a silver coin as a tip, and the young man took it with a happy look on his face. Hmm, was it correct?
In fact, the young man’s mouth might have moved more smoothly if I had given him coins before asking anything. I screwed up.
For now, I’d like to stop by the mage’s guild, which location had been marked on the map.
==============
The Mage’s Guild wasn’t particularly grand, but it had the air of a decently sized local community center.
It’s located quite far down a back street, and its presence stands out from the surrounding area. It may be perfect for the image of a mage who is far from the world.
When you step inside, you’ll find yourself in an empty space, and on what looks like a blackboard in front of you, information on today’s use of conference rooms, laboratories, etc. and reservation information are written.
Yep, it’s a local community center after all.
[Ah, is that over there?]
There is a small counter space in the back on the left, and it feels like someone will come if you call.
[Excuse mー]
When I called out a little louder, a small figure wearing a robe appeared with the sound of pattering footsteps.
[Yes, yes~. Ah, are you a customer?]
[Yep. Is this the mage’s guild?]
[Yes, that’s right, is this your first time?]
[Yeah.]
The robe-wearing person spoke with a high-pitched voice, so I guess they’re female… they’re short; only as tall as my chest, so they could probably be a young child whose voice hadn’t undergone a change yet.
But well, I don’t think they’d hire a child to work at the reception desk, so it’s most likely a woman.
[Are you registered?]
[Ah, well, I was told at the information office that if I wanted to learn magic, I should go visit here.]
[Eh, I see.]
I noticed that she nodded and looked up at me. I couldn’t really see her face because of her robe, but she seemed like the type of person whose emotions can be conveyed through her movements.
[Would you like to start with the registration explanation?]
[Please do.]
[Very well. Our guild is a gathering place for those who love and practice magic. If you register for one silver coin per month, you can use some of the facilities within the guild and attend lectures given by guild members.]
One silver coin per month? It’s affordable. But considering that it costs about 10k yen a month, it may be quite expensive.
[Next is affiliation. By paying the annual membership fee, you can officially become a member of our guild. Guild members can freely use the facilities and receive research pamphlets that are published from time to time. …Here, is that okay?]
[Yeah.]
[Customer… your name?]
[It’s Yoyo.]
[Yoyo? Alright, you said you want to learn magic?]
[Yeah. Actually I’ve never been a mage before, but when I went to the church the other day, I was told that I could become one. It’s my dream, so I just took the plunge and changed my job.]
[Oh, so you’re still level 1?]
[Maybe. It’s impossible to work and go to school at the same time, so could you perhaps arrange for someone to teach me?]
As usual, I explained it to her fluently, and Robe-san responded with a “hmm”. She seemed to be thinking about it.
[…Well, in that case, why don’t you just register and then I’ll ask someone to set aside some time for you?]
[Can you do that?]
[Maybe. But it will cost money, are you alright with that?]
[How much?]
[At the market price, a session takes about 1 to 2 hours at a time, and it costs about 3 silver coins…]
[That’s expensive… no, of course it is. Alright, can you handle the formalities for me?]
[Got it. It might be a good idea to take it once and think about whether or not you want to continue. Sometimes there are people who are not good at controlling their magic and are taught beginner magic, but there are people who start from scratch.]
[I, I see.]
[Since you’re really a beginner, I guess it’s okay to teach you from scratch, right?]
[That’s right.]
I’m already good at starting a fire, but there may be something I’m missing, so let’s try starting from scratch.
[Then, could you please come again tomorrow at a convenient time? I’ll have someone to look after you and talk to you.]
[Got it.]
Can’t we just start from today? Well, it looks like I’ll be able to practice magic starting tomorrow.
[Do I need to pay 1 silver coin on registration?]
[Yes, that’s right. …..I have received the payment.]
I was given a piece of high-quality paper to write down my personal information.
Let’s just write my name as Yoyo, and『Mage』for my job. Specialized magic? Would it be fine to write “none”?
[…Yes. Now, please place your hand on this paper with your palm facing down… Yes, that’s it. I have registered Yoyo-san’s magic power on this card, so please keep it.]
[Wow, you can even do something like that?]
[Yes, we can. Merchants also use magic registration paper when making important contracts. It’s a convenient way to verify your identity.]
[I see.]
I was told that it was like a club, but somehow the equipment was more high-tech than a mercenary guild.
Well, it seems like there’s a system where people whose hobby is researching magic are officially affiliated with it, so there might be some people whose hobby is making magic tools like this.
[Then, I’ll come back tomorrow. Thank you for helping me in so many ways.]
[Yes, I’ll be waiting for you～]
Just as she waved her hand, her robe came undone and a little of her face was visible.
She looked like a normal child, a girl. Despite the evidence being quite solid now, I still couldn’t believe it was really a child. But as I went outside, thinking about it, Sasha, who was in a relaxed mood, spoke up again.
[That’s a female Tutuk.]
[Female Tutuk?]
[Didn’t you know that? They’re a type of so-called dwarf race, but often mixed with humans, because at glance they look like normal children. There aren’t many of them, but there are a lot of dwarfs around here. I think it’s the Rattuk tribe.]
[Hee~]
Are there such things as dwarfs? I just didn’t notice it until now because I mistook her for a child, but I wonder if there are more of them in the city?
[In the case of mixed race, I hear that if the mother is from the Tutuk tribe, the child will inherit those characteristics. On the other hand, even if there is Tutuk blood on the father’s side, their appearance will not be the size of a dwarf, so the child will not be noticed. In fact, I only found out about it after a friend told me about it.]
[Hoo~. Hmm? Come to think of it, if you are a mixed race, what will happen to the race displayed in your status?]
[Basically, the thicker blood will be displayed. It seems that it is not uncommon for mixed-race species to be recognized as a unique race.]
[Is that so…]
[However, I have heard that some people are able to choose their race later.]
[You can choose? That’s like having dual citizenship…Is there any benefit to changing the display?]
[Well, after thinking about it, there are some people who don’t like having partners of other races or half-breeds.]
[Ah, I see. If you were to talk about it earlier, if you marry a woman with Tutuk blood, it’s possible that your child will be mini-sized. Even if you don’t have any sense of discrimination, there are various inconveniences that you may be concerned about. I’m sure there are some people who do that. Even if they have that kind of thinking, can’t you criticize them?]
[I agree.]
But if you can change the display, isn’t there much point? No, there may be cases where you think that there is no problem as long as your human blood is strong enough to make a choice. That’s confusing. But anyhow, it doesn’t matter to me.
[Well, we’ve got our sights set on magic. Next is equipment…no, now that I think about it, I haven’t exchanged my magic stones for cash.]
The magic stones that I got during this escort mission had been sorted out and thrown into a corner of my other dimension, so I had completely forgotten about them. What a waste, what a waste.
[Is there a purchasing center for monster materials?…Oh, this is it.]
When I unfolded the map and looked at it, I saw a small building near the gate that said [Magic Stone Purchase]. This map is appropriate as a map, but it’s not really useful. As expected, what we get is what we pay for.
=============
[I made more money than I expected~]
The cloth bags containing silver and copper coins jingled as they were tossed away into my other dimension.
The magic stones were priced at around 10 copper coins each, which was the same as usual, or slightly cheaper, but there was one exception.
The rock dog’s magic stone.
It had a smooth spherical shape and was brown in color, making it perfect as fuel for earth-attribute magic tools. It amounted to 13 silver coins. Delicious.
The value more than compensates for the unexpected splurge at the information office and mage’s guild.
[Well, I guess I’ll use the money left over to repair some weapons.]
[Yes.]
First, I did some window shopping at a major weapon store and checked the market prices.
It’s expensive after all. Things like swords are extremely expensive, and when I looked at the price tag of something that looks good, I would see the gold coins dancing in the price tag. I couldn’t buy any of it.
Metal armor costs even more money. When someone is wearing a complete set of the top, bottom, head, and various accessories, that means they can afford the gold coins.
In addition to Sasha’s arrows, which I had planned to purchase, I also purchased reinforcement armor such as archer’s gloves and elbow pads.
My plan is to give up on renewing my armor and use points to reinforce it until I have enough gold coins or the leather armor that I’m currently using becomes useless.
I decided to purchase the gloves after Sasha complained that her hands hurt when holding a bow for long periods of time.
The entire purchase ended up costing about 10 silver coins.
My shield is also getting pretty worn out, so I’ll upgrade it.
Since I don’t feel scared even if I don’t have a shield on hand all the time, and because I often throw away my shield and charge, I bought a small shield that can be strapped to my hand.
In games, its shape would categorize my new shield as a buckler.
It’s two silver coins. I could’ve traded in my old shield, but it’ll only sell for a few coins. It couldn’t be helped since it’s a cheap shield to begin with.
[How about upgrading new weapons?]
When I was groaning, Sasha looked at me as if she had an opinion.
[Master, if you have some money to spare, why not buy some kind of dagger?]
[A dagger? You mean like a side-arm?]
[Yes, both Master’s long sword and my bow are a little difficult to handle. When I want to move quickly or when I need to engage in close range, I feel a little uneasy without a dagger.]
[Hmm. That’s true too.]
The dagger is cheap in proportion to its size, so I guess that’s fine for this time. I adopted Sasha’s opinion and purchased three daggers.
One is a spare.
A regular iron dagger? It cost 3 silver coins, and a dagger with a black blade cost 7 silver coins.
The black dagger is made from the fangs of monsters, and is said to be extremely durable. It’s the type of magic weapon that becomes slightly sharper when infused with magic power.
I was interested in magic weapons, and the cool value of the lackluster black color made me buy it on impulse.
I was not reflecting.
Well, it would be wrong to expect smart money sense from a man who buys slaves as soon as he has gold coins.
[Having a new weapon in my hands makes me itching for a fight.]
[I guess so?]
Sasha didn’t seem to be paying attention, but since we’ve already spent all of our money, we have to make some money, so we rush out through the west gate.
However, while we were wasting our time eating lunch and getting lost, the sun was starting to set by the time we got outside.
It seemed that most of the monsters nearby had been hunted down, so we searched extensively after entering the forest, but only found one fang dog.
Sasha fired her bow, and when she could no longer escape, she slashed the fang dog with her dagger. I think the sharpness is perfect, but sadly I was unable to test it by myself this time.
I’ll collect information from tomorrow onwards and get my revenge.
Nega Translations 