Chapter 55

July 7th.

Today’s journey is only a mere 25 km, but considering the business in Periclitur, I set off at 7 a.m.

After leaving Meiguru Village, we soon entered a gently undulating grassland. Occasionally, wild deer could be seen, but there was no sign of dangerous beasts or monsters.

It was a yawn-inducing tranquility, but as the sun rose higher, the scorching summer rays began to burn us.

I took off my cloak and jacket and rode the horse in just a shirt.

The noon bell rang from the northwest.

After crossing a small hill, a huge city surrounded by a wooden fence stretching for several kilometers came into view.

(That’s impressive. How large is it? And it’s not made of stone walls. Well, building such a wall would be a massive undertaking...)

Periclitur was originally a key transportation hub, but its development was delayed due to its proximity to the border with the Kaelm Empire and the Lax Kingdom.

When the Kaelm Empire changed its northern policy and the trade volume on the Aurela Road, which extends from the commercial city of Aurela, increased dramatically, the damage caused by monsters in this area became significant, leading to the creation of the predecessor of Periclitur. Then, an organization called the Adventurer’s Guild was established to efficiently hunt monsters.

(They say it was created by the Commercial Guild, but the person who came up with the system of the Adventurer’s Guild was a genius. First, by introducing a ranking system, they increased the motivation of adventurers. Next, by collecting taxes on their behalf, they forced the state to recognize the guild. And then, by forming a network of branches, they ensured the mobility of adventurers and minimized regional disparities...)

Shortly after noon, the caravan arrived at the south gate of Periclitur.

The entry tax for Periclitur is low.

One large copper coin per person, 50e = 500 yen. Horses are charged the same, which is much cheaper compared to other cities.

In Kylnerack and Thornbrow, it was one small silver coin, 1C = 1000 yen.

Since it was still early, there were only a few cargo wagons from nearby farmers who had left early, and the queue for procedures moved quickly.

Gai completed the purpose, name, and entry tax payment, and each of us showed our orbs—magical devices that prove our identity.

The guard, wearing leather armor and holding a short spear, had a well-tanned face with a smile, not at all like a bureaucrat.

When it was my turn, I showed the guard my orb in my left hand.

"Wow, you’re young. Can you tell me your name and age?"

"I’m Zacharias Rockheart. I’m ten years old."

The guard said, "Hmm, no problem. Welcome to Periclitur," and then, noticing my sword, asked, "Are you here to become an adventurer?"

"No, I’m on my way to Doctus."

The guard smiled and said, "I see. Have a good journey." I bowed slightly, and he raised his hand and said, "Next person," returning to his work.

(I wonder if this guard is particularly good at his job, or if all of them are like this... I thought people in such positions would demand bribes or be arrogant, but this is surprising...)

After passing through the south gate, Norton called out to us.

"Thank you for accompanying us this time. Thanks to everyone, we were able to move smoothly without any monster attacks. If you need anything, please visit Norton & Co. in the northern district."

Norton bowed again and returned to his wagon.

The mercenary guards also bowed slightly and passed by us.

The captain, Byron, stopped.

"This was a good learning experience. If you need mercenaries, feel free to contact me. I’m usually here in Periclitur, so just ask for Byron Seedorf at the Mercenary Guild."

"Understood. Byron’s skills are reliable. I’ll contact you if I need anything."

Byron bowed deeply and followed Norton.

After Byron and the others were out of sight, Gai said, "He was an interesting man, wasn’t he?"

"Yeah, he was. I feel like I got a sense of what mercenaries are like."

I thought I might meet them again soon and watched the road they had taken.

Since it was still early in the afternoon, we decided to find an inn first and then have lunch.

I asked Gai if he had a place in mind.

"I only stayed here about fifteen years ago. What about Lydia?"

Lydia waved her hand and said, "I was here even longer ago."

We decided to walk around the southern district to find the inn Gai used to stay at.

Periclitur is roughly divided into the southern district, which is the adventurer’s town, and the northern district, which is the commercial town.

With a population of 50,000, it is the largest city in the area, and the main street running north to south was crowded with people.

Side streets were lined with weapon shops and equipment stores. The sound of hammers could be heard from the back of the weapon shops, and small items were displayed on the eaves of the equipment stores.

(What a lively city. It’s no wonder it’s a city of 50,000 people. Compared to Japanese cities, the population is smaller, but it seems more crowded without the tall buildings. It’s a melting pot of races...)

We encountered many people as we walked down the side streets. Most of them were adventurers wearing armor and carrying swords. Among the adventurers were humans, elves, dwarves, and beastmen, a diverse mix of races that made me feel like I had stepped into a movie set.

After walking for a while, Gai stopped in front of an inn.

It was a rather impressive three-story wooden building. A sign hanging at the entrance read "The Nest of the Wild Eagle" with a picture of a fierce eagle perched on a nest in a tree.

"This is the inn I used to stay at, but I think the owner has changed. The last time I came, it was full, and I couldn’t stay, so I’m not sure what it’s like now..."

I suggested to the uncertain Gai, "Since we don’t know which one is good, let’s try this one."

Lydia seemed to have no objections, and Gai went to check if there were any available rooms.

He soon returned and said, "There are rooms available," and led us to the stables to take care of the horses.

"The horse care is charged, but I’ve already arranged it. Let’s unload the luggage and go to our rooms."

The check-in process at inns in this world is quite casual; if there are rooms available, you can usually stay.

After leading the horses to the stables and taking our luggage, we entered the inn. A woman in her mid-thirties, who seemed to be the innkeeper, was waiting at the front desk.

After checking our orbs, she explained the meal times and other details.

"...Dinner is available anytime after 4 p.m. Breakfast is served around dawn. If you need a bath, let us know early. There is a bath on the first floor, so you can bathe there..."

The cost for one night with two meals is 6C = 6000 yen. Horse care, including feed and basic care, is 2C = 2000 yen per day. This is about the same as in local cities like Kylnerack and Thornbrow, which is probably the standard price.

While the innkeeper was explaining, a man about Gai’s age came out from the back. He had a pot belly and a red, sunburned face. The apron he was wearing suggested he was the cook.

He looked at Gai and tilted his head, asking, "Didn’t you stay here before?"

"About fifteen years ago... Could you be Johann?"

Johann is the current owner of the inn and was the cook when Gai stayed here fifteen years ago.

While Gai was catching up, we asked the innkeeper, Mira, if she knew any good places for lunch.

"Why don’t you eat here? I can only serve simple dishes, but they’re better than the local cafes."

Gai returned, put our luggage in the room, and we went down to the dining room.

The dining room was quite large, with about twenty tables and fifteen counter seats. The chairs were stacked on the tables, giving it a pre-opening feel.

Johann was starting to cook in the back, and we sat at a nearby table and waited.

After about fifteen minutes, Johann came out of the kitchen with the food.

"I made it from the ingredients for tonight’s meal."

The dish consisted of bread, pan-fried pork, and a soup with added vegetables from the morning’s leftovers. It tasted quite good.

(The spices are well-used. Is it because this is a large city that they can get spices?)

"Yeah, it’s good... What spices are you using for the pork? And the broth of this soup has a unique aroma..."

Johann, who had been watching me, was a bit surprised by my comments and patted my shoulder, saying, "You’ve got a good palate, kid."

Gai glared at him, saying, "He’s the son of the house I serve. Don’t treat him rudely."

I told Gai, "It’s fine," and smiled at Johann, saying, "I’m Zacharias Rockheart. You can call me Zack."

"Rockheart? The Rockheart? I remember you left to serve the Rockheart family. So you really are serving them."

Gai looked a bit proud and said, "That’s right. So, treat him with respect," warning Johann.

Johann nodded but said, "I understand, but I don’t know anything about noble etiquette," looking a bit troubled.

I shook my head at Gai and said to Johann, "This is an adventurer’s town, right? I’ve heard that here, it’s all about ability, regardless of status. So, just treat me normally until you recognize my ability."

Johann said, "You get it. You’re a true descendant of the Lionheart," and patted my shoulder again.

"Then, I don’t need to use formal language with you. But I’ll call you Zack."

I nodded, and Gai, looking a bit dissatisfied, reluctantly accepted it.

After that, Johann and I hit it off over the seasonings, and we talked about spices until Lydia and the others got up, looking exasperated.

The white pepper we used is a high-priced spice that comes from the southern part of Kaelm via the commercial city of Aurela. Other spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves are also available.

(This place might be a good find. I could consider this "Nest of the Wild Eagle" as a distributor for "Scotch." I’ll let them try the Scotch I brought later.)

For this trip to Doctus, I brought five bottles of three-year-old Scotch, thinking I might stay in Periclitur. I had hoped to distribute it to the restaurants in Periclitur, but I didn’t expect to find a potential distributor so quickly.

(Travel is indeed interesting. Byron was one, and now Johann. I’m sure I’ll meet many more interesting people on this journey. It’s a good start...)