Chapter 11

First, what stands out is the city wall.

It's probably about 10 meters high.

It's as tall as a three-story building, but it seems to enclose a considerable area.

The reason I say "seems" is that I can't see the whole thing.

The city wall also extends out to sea, so it would be difficult to swim around and enter.

Inside the city wall stands a tall tower, no, a lighthouse.

It doesn't seem to be lit now, but the light I saw the other night must have been from here.

On the opposite side of the lighthouse, I can see a castle.

Its shape is simple, so it might be a fortress, but I can't tell the difference.

At least, these are the only two buildings visible beyond the city wall.

The castle doesn't seem to be that large, more like a stack of large supermarkets or a small shopping mall.

The castle gate is wide open, like a sliding door facing outward.

There doesn't seem to be a moat like in Japanese castles.

Two soldiers stand by the gate.

One yawns lazily, while the other has a sharp gaze directed toward the road, that is, toward us.

As Hagg and I chat and try to pass through the gate, the soldier with the sharp gaze blocks our path with his spear.

"Hey, you two, hold it!"

Ah, so we can't just walk through. Hagg does look suspicious.

"You there, the one in the strange outfit!"

It seems to be me.

"Is there a problem?"

I flash my best sales smile, and the soldier's guard only intensifies. Why?

"You have a very unusual outfit and hair color around here. What brings you to this country?"

"Country?"

"That's right! The glorious maritime nation of the Kingdom of Piratas!"

When I put a question mark on my head and look at Hagg, he replies, "It's one of the city-states scattered to the west."

"It's true that it's a city, but don't lump it together with those pseudo-nations where the head of state changes every few years!"

"I apologize for the rudeness. I come from afar and am unfamiliar with the local situation. I had no ill intent, and I would be grateful if you could accept my apology."

I speak smoothly, though I don't really mean it.

"Hmm, well, that's fine. So, what brings you here?"

"Well, actually, I was planning to make a big profit with some merchant friends. We pooled our money and bought a large ship to bring in rare goods from afar, but we encountered a storm and sank. I drifted for a few days on a barrel and was saved by this gentleman, Hagg, who then guided me to town."

It's a rather tragic story, but I don't let my sales smile waver.

This is one of the few weapons I've cultivated.

...Though I'm also good at looking gloomy and silent, thanks to handling many complaints.

"That's tough. Hey, Dwarf! Is that true?!"

"Of course! I found him nearly dead and helped him."

"Hmm... The open sea around here is rough, and accidents are common, but... it's not just Chelina who thinks about risky business like trading by sea..."

He mutters to himself, perhaps organizing his thoughts.

"I understand the situation. If you cause any trouble in town, you'll be arrested immediately! Dwarf! The fee for bringing weapons into town is one silver coin! If you draw them in town, you'll be arrested without question!"

"I understand."

"Good, then stay still."

The soldier takes out something that looks like a tennis racket made of metal without strings.

"What's that?"

"It's for checking item bags... Dwarf, show me your bag."

Hagg silently hands over the item bag.

The soldier fiddles with a switch or dial on the racket and waves it over the bag.

"The contents... are forging tools. That's 11 silver coins with the weapon fee!"

Hagg sighs and hands over the silver coins.

"Here's a wooden token. Don't lose it! You're good to go!"

And so, Hagg and I step into the town.

Incidentally, the other soldier just stood there yawning the whole time.

Do they get the same pay?

---

We enter the town just as it's noon.

It's more like a city-state.

This town, or rather, city, surrounded by the city wall is the Kingdom of Piratas.

It's big, but not too big.

A wide road stretches straight from the city gate.

This area is paved with cobblestones, wide enough for three carriages to travel side by side.

On both sides, buildings made of wooden posts and earth-colored bricks line up.

Most are two-story buildings.

"Sun-dried bricks. The soil from the wilderness, when mixed with water, becomes quite good. However, it's not suitable for growing crops due to its clay content."

"You're well-informed."

"I've been traveling for a long time."

After walking 200 or 300 meters straight, we reach a circular square.

Here, stalls line the outer perimeter.

To the left, a road turns at a right angle and stretches straight ahead.

At the end is another city gate.

"By the way, a lot of wood is used in the buildings. It doesn't seem like a place where wood is easily available."

"There's a river on the opposite side of the gate we entered. They probably import it by raft from upstream. The river is large, so the current is gentle."

I see, I was wondering how they manage water in such a place, but it must be along the river.

I can't see it from here, though.

"Well, we've seen the main street. There's a good inn, so let's go there."

"Sure, but I don't want it to be too expensive."

"I wouldn't want that either, so don't worry."

That's reasonable.

---

"Welcome..."

We receive a greeting that doesn't seem very welcoming.

It's a middle-aged man with a bit of a belly, leaning on the counter.

I wonder about his customer service, but Hagg starts a normal conversation without hesitation.

"Owner! Do you have any rooms available? Two rooms!"

He shows the back of his head with thinning, dull blonde hair and looks at the wooden tokens and keys hanging on the wall behind him.

He picks out two at random and throws them on the counter.

The keys are tied to the tokens with strings.

The tokens read 13 and 21.

I'll ignore the Arabic numerals for now.

"Four silver coins."

No charm or anything.

"4000 yen for Akira."

...Yeah, it's still a mysterious translation. When I think "4000 yen," four silver coins appear in my hand.

I take them out of my pocket.

Remaining balance: 10014 yen.

Oh, this is bad. I can only stay for two more nights, and suddenly I feel a sense of urgency.

"Hey, is there a cheaper inn?"

I ask in a low voice.

"There are, but they're like dens of thieves."

"That won't do."

I don't have anything valuable on me, but I feel like I might be killed out of spite.

No, if they try to take my clothes and shoes, I won't be let off.

No, no, I need to think about what to do if I'm robbed. That's what these inns are for.

"I'll take the first floor, you take the second."

"Got it."

I don't really care which, so I take the key with the 21 token.

"I'm going to the blacksmith guild. Come to my room tonight, we'll talk about what to do next."

"Sure, thanks."

"Alright then."

Hagg leaves the inn.

I really need a break.

I want to lie down on a bed.

I've been holding it in, but my legs are like sticks, and I'm in severe muscle pain.

Actually, my shoes are also falling apart.

It's a mystery that the soles haven't come off.

Honestly, this type of synthetic leather shoe doesn't fit in this world at all.

I need to somehow make money to buy new shoes.

To begin with, I can't smoke without money.

It's ridiculously expensive.

While self-criticizing that there are more important things, I reach room 21 and try to open the door, but it's already slightly ajar.

Was it for ventilation? I enter and find a girl inside.

In just her underwear.