Chapter 95

---

The breakfast at the inn was a thinly baked bread topped with a spicy minced meat sauce.

“So, where do you want to go today?”

Tetra asked me while scooping up the sauce that had spilled onto her plate with a spoon.

“Well… I want to see something that I can’t see in Iralin.”

“Again, so vague…”

Tetra muttered, sounding exasperated, and brought the collected sauce to her mouth.

Indeed, it is vague, but that’s the truth.

This meat sauce is heavily spiced, and it’s so spicy that I honestly don’t think it’s something to eat for breakfast.

Looking at the floor, the carpet is woven with colorful threads, creating intricate patterns. Unlike the carpets in Iralin, which mostly feature floral designs, the carpets here use more geometric patterns and animal motifs, which is quite interesting.

The cuisine and the carpets are influenced by the neighboring country, Muzikal, unlike Iralin.

Just as the village I grew up in was influenced by the Mealman, the main members who developed Clarisen likely had ties to Muzikal.

Additionally, due to Mayor Shigan’s policies, this town has become a key trading point between Essen and Muzikal.

All these factors combined make this town overflow with things I’ve never seen before.

To be honest, just wandering around the town is enough for a satisfying trip.

“Alright, fine. Then I’ll just show you around. We already visited the grocery stores yesterday, right?”

“I still want to try some new foods, so if you could show me around…”

“Right?”

Tetra overlapped her words to prevent me from saying I want her to do it.

Is she still angry about overeating at the food stalls yesterday?

I don’t really want to share anymore, so I don’t mind.

But, I guess it’s fine not to go against her here. I can always go food shopping on my own later.

“…Understood. I’ll hold off this time.”

“Wise choice.”

When I said that, Tetra propped her cheek on her hand and smiled brightly.

---

“First, the main street of this town!”

Tetra dramatically spread her arms and pointed ahead.

After leaving the inn, we first headed to the entrance of the town, which borders the forest.

From there, a straight road runs east to west through the town, extending all the way to the other forest. This road has existed since the town was a village.

“At that time, a family of four architects built it. They were responsible for the maintenance and everything for this three-mile-long road.”

“This main street? That’s impressive.”

Now, the town commissions the construction guild for such tasks, but back then, it must have been quite a challenge.

They cleared the forest and made it habitable. I could feel their resilience from the uneven ground under my feet.

As we started walking, Tetra continued to talk enthusiastically.

“The shops lining this street haven’t decreased at all since the village days. They’ve been renovated into beautiful and large buildings, but the interiors are still the same as before.”

After saying this with a proud look, Tetra’s face briefly clouded over.

“Well, now there are more shops for traders and such, so not all of them have been here since the village days.”

“It’s lively, and that’s good, isn’t it?”

The noisy calls of vendors and the merchants running around with their goods made the town seem more vibrant than Iralin, which is more stable.

“Yes.”

Tetra smiled, looking a bit melancholic.

Regaining her composure, Tetra continued the tour.

“So, what I want you to notice is the shape of the eaves!”

“The eaves?”

Pointing to the overhanging roofs, Tetra said:

“Look closely. Can you see two different types?”

“Ah, indeed.”

Upon closer inspection, it seemed that some shops used tiles on their roofs, while others had wooden planks.

“The shops with tiles are the ones that have retained the design from when it was a village. Personally, I recommend those.”

“Why is that?”

Is there some kind of design regulation?

“Those shops are generally run by people who have been here since the early days of the village. They are trustworthy.”

“So, they’re familiar shops, right?”

These familiar shops are still loved by the local residents, even now.

However, from the looks of it, the newer shops seem to be more prosperous.

The vendors are only found in the newer shops. When I peeked into a few of the tile-roofed shops, the owners were either just sitting or working.

As we walked, we saw a large stone monument.

This flat monument, about five meters square, was placed right in the middle of a crossroads where four roads extended.

“What’s this?”

“Um…”

Tetra looked away, with a troubled expression.

“I’m not sure. The former mayor… or maybe the former former mayor… built it to commemorate the town’s establishment…”

As she said this, I noticed that the monument was adorned with an unfamiliar emblem of a flower.

“No one knows what it means. It was supposed to be a symbol of the town, but it seems to be unfinished.”

“Ah, I see.”

My exclamation was lost in the noise of the crowd.

---

Tetra’s tour was fluent and very interesting.

Although I asked for it, her way of speaking was like a guided tour. She seemed very familiar with it, and it was designed to keep the listener engaged. If she tried, she could probably even make a living from it.

From her tour, it was clear that Tetra liked this town, or rather, this village.

Perhaps that’s why she disliked Mayor Shigan, who changed the town.

Looking at Tetra’s cheerful smile, I had that feeling.

---

“So, that’s what the main street is like. Do you have any questions?”

After crossing the town and reaching the opposite forest, Tetra’s eloquence finally came to a stop.

“No, I don’t.”

Overall, this exotic town is heavily influenced by Muzikal.

The walls are decorated with a variety of designs, using primary colors like red, blue, and green.

This is a significant difference from the simpler, more streamlined Iralin.

If this town had continued to grow, the mixed landscape of these two countries would have become a unique attraction.

But that seems difficult.

I don’t think the culture of tourism is widespread in this world.

The value is seen in the goods of one’s own country, and enjoying the culture of another country is limited to watching traveling theater groups or orchestras.

People go to other countries to seek resources or goods, not for enjoyment.

Even if a town is fun, it’s hard to attract people just for that.

Therefore, the mayor provided incentives to attract people.

He gathered merchants and guided them to increase the population. As a result, the people living in the town can live more conveniently.

Mayor Shigan was an enemy to me, but he might have been a good politician.

Well, I’ve never spoken to him, so I don’t really know how he was.

---

In conclusion, I enjoyed seeing the town.

That’s enough.

I’m grateful to Tetra for showing me around.

---

“Next, let’s go down the side streets we saw earlier.”

“Sure, sure, you seem to like the general stores.”

I’ll look at the items and decide on a gift.

It will be fun to think about what would be a good thank-you present.