Chapter 28

In a season with a noticeable temperature difference, experiencing the cold and warm spells, how are you doing? This is Herman. The cycle of the seasons is quick, and spring will be here before we know it. It's about time to start preparing for the carriage journey. It's best to do these things early; otherwise, you'll feel like you're lagging behind.

During this winter, I met my sister Marie. I simply went to the church and asked, "Is there a saint named Marie? I'm her brother." And I met her just like that. Marie was very energetic. She had changed in many ways, but the most significant change was in her speech. She had transformed from a rough village girl into a lady from the city. She seemed to have various duties at the church, and she was currently studying magic and combat training. She was learning healing magic and anti-undead magic. She was also practicing with a mace, which is typical for a cleric warrior. She emphasized that her talent as a saint had improved her mace skills, but I was surprised that her talent covered such a wide range. I wondered if she was really going to go on a quest to defeat a storybook demon king. It was good to see her after a long time; she was still the kind sister I remembered. I was worried that she might treat me differently, but it turned out to be a groundless concern.

As for me, I think I enjoyed the winter break to the fullest. I mostly talked to the receptionists at the Adventurer's Guild and the Alchemy Guild. I asked them about things I didn't know or understand. I learned a bit more about the nobility and gathered information about what they do at the Alchemy Academy. I had many casual conversations as well. The talks about the nobility were particularly challenging because there was so much I didn't know, but I thought it would be good to know a little since I would be studying alongside nobles who had lost their status at the Alchemy Academy. It turned out to be more complicated than I expected, and there was a lot to remember, but I think I grasped the key points.

There are various ranks of nobility, such as Duke, Marquess, Margrave, Count, Viscount, Baron, Knight, and Magician. Generally, from top to bottom, Marquess and Margrave are considered about the same, and Knight and Magician are both one-generation nobles. For some reason, there are seven Dukes in this country, and the one with the most suitable talent to be king becomes the king. The monarchy is not hereditary. Due to this, there are factions and ministerial posts, but since it doesn't affect the Alchemy Academy much, I didn't worry about it. ...Yeah, because I didn't understand it well, and if it didn't concern me, it didn't matter, right? But in the end, I didn't remember much of it. Oh well.

Some nobles have territories, while others don't. Few have a noble pension, and those who don't have one receive more. This applies to Knights and Magicians as well, as they don't have territories and receive a substantial noble pension. ...However, they have to spend money on their mansions and hire servants, so they end up using most of it. I think the nobles are spreading money to boost the domestic economy. If they only took taxes, it would be bad. The economy is about circulation, after all.

Nobles also have the duty to participate in wars. ...However, there hasn't been a major war in a few hundred years, and some nobles are radical and want to invade somewhere. But none of the Dukes approve of war, so it seems unlikely. Peace is a good thing. Instead, the kingdom is focusing on large magical territories. There is a vast, unexplored magical territory to the west of this kingdom. Two Margrave families are working on its development. The territory is as large as a country, so it must be quite something. I'm curious about how it differs from other magical territories, but I doubt I'll go there. It would be too busy.

Speaking of Margraves, the northern Margrave family, which faces the sea, is planning something interesting. The continent, including the large magical territory, is surrounded by the sea, and there are rumors that a new continent exists beyond the sea. They are preparing a large fleet to search for it. It's quite an ambitious plan. There are magical territories and spirit lands in the sea, but they believe there is something beyond them. It might not happen in my lifetime, but such a grand adventure could become a saga, and I found it an interesting story. ...But if someone asked me if I wanted to go, I wouldn't.

So, the nobility is quite diverse. I learned that the Viscount Selerols, the lord of this territory, has a somewhat mixed reputation among the nobility. He has a single magical territory and shares another with other noble families, but he has fewer one-generation nobles like Knights and Magicians compared to other noble families. Despite knowing this, he hasn't taken much action, and if this continues for a few generations, there's a possibility that his territory will be reduced. ...However, the neighboring lord has a similar reputation, so it's said that things will be stable for a while. But if the neighboring lord has a capable child, it's uncertain what will happen. ...But for commoners, the only change is where to pay taxes, so it doesn't matter what happens to the Viscount Selerols.

Anyway, I'm at the Adventurer's Square now. I've already checked out of my inn and am waiting for a carriage. The journey to Nera Town will take seven days. I'm looking for a shared carriage, but unfortunately, there hasn't been one to Nera Town for the past two days. It seems there won't be one today either, so I'm thinking of reviewing the collected items at the Alchemy Guild. I don't have particularly good luck with shared carriages; I've just been able to board them easily so far.

There are two types of shared carriages. One has a fixed destination, and the other doesn't. The fixed ones are commissioned by the lord to travel to various towns and collect requests and complaints from the mayors and local officials. They cover all the towns and villages in the territory within a year. The carriage owner decides the schedule, and they try to finish the job as quickly as possible by setting efficient routes. The non-fixed ones are usually operated by guild staff. They can change the destination, and alchemists who travel as merchants are a type of shared carriage, often employed by the Alchemy Guild. They are more known for buying materials than as shared carriages, and they only stay in a village for a day when operating as a shared carriage. Most shared carriages are non-fixed, and you can't always tell which guild they belong to.

However, this is a period just before the carriage business gets busy, so there aren't many shared carriages. The most common ones are those heading to the salt springs of Jema. I thought there would be early carriages to the Rail Forest, a popular spirit land, but I was wrong. I could have stayed at the inn a bit longer. ...But that's just hindsight. I was just too eager and couldn't wait. There are always things you should do during such times. Lack of preparation or something missing is a warning to be more careful. ...Is there anything missing? My equipment... I've maintained it, so it should be fine. I have all the necessary items: warm cloth, splash-proof cloth, snug boots, all-night glasses, a finger magic stone necklace, and a magic mechanical watch. Yeah, I think I have everything. What else...? No, right? If anything, maybe an extra tent? Fires occur every few years in York Forest and a few times a year at the Adventurer's Square. It would be better to have an extra tent in case I end up homeless and have to return to Nera Town.

I got my first tent from the Adventurer's Guild, so they might sell them. So, I came to the Adventurer's Guild. I've been talking to the receptionists there during the winter, and we've become good friends. They are all happy to chat, which is very nice. ...Well, except in the morning, they are probably just free.

"Excuse me, do you sell tent cloth?"

"Tent? Yes, we do. It's two large copper coins. --- Here you go. What's the matter? There haven't been any fires recently, have there?"

"I'm going to the Rail Forest, so I thought I'd buy one for fire prevention. It's a popular spirit land, so I assume there might be fires."

"Oh, you're going to the Rail Forest. Then I think you should buy a few more. It's the place with the most fires in this territory."

"Is that so? Then I'll buy three more."

"Sure thing. That's six large copper coins. --- Here you go. By the way, you're going to the Rail Forest. Nera Town is a bit different from other towns, so it's interesting."

"Really? How is it different?"

"It's a fabric production area, so the town has large fields. There's a plant called 'Great Cotton' that you might not have seen before."

"No, I haven't. It's the first I've heard of it."

"It's a plant that can be grown year-round. After the flowers, it bears fruit, and the cotton is taken from the fruit. The fruit is larger than a person's head and splits open when the seeds fall, revealing a lot of cotton inside. When the fields are full of these, it looks like the town is on a cloud. You should look from a distance when you're on the carriage. If you're lucky, it's beautiful. But the cotton farmers harvest it quickly, so you might not see it."

"Wow, that's an interesting town. I've never heard of it."

"Exactly. If you have time, buy a quilt there. Many retired adventurers live in Nera Town, and the most popular item is a quilt made with plenty of cotton. It's expensive, but it's very comfortable. It's said to feel like sleeping on a cloud, and it was developed by a previous lord. If you have extra money, you should buy one. You can use it on top of the inn's quilt, so it's a good investment."

"Sounds nice. Where can I buy it? At the free market?"

"It's made to order at the Adventurer's Guild, so it takes time. But if you order in spring and pick it up in autumn, it should be fine. If you can collect enough materials in the Rail Forest, you can afford a quilt. It's expensive, but you can buy it if you try. You've been to Lara's Swamp, right? If you know about preservation bottles, it's within reach. You should try buying one."

"The reason the fabric is cheap is so that commoners can afford it, right?"

"Yes. In some places, the lord hires people to grow it, but here, the quilt sales allow them to be self-sufficient. But it's good that the fabric is cheap. If clothes are too expensive, people can't afford them, and it's no good if they can't replace them."

"That's true. Thank you for the information."

"You're welcome. It's always nice to have you come and chat. Good luck with your collection in the Rail Forest."

"Thanks, I'll do my best."

I only came to buy a tent, but I got some good information. A quilt, huh? I thought a straw mattress would be enough, but a 100% cotton quilt is definitely better. It's expensive, but it's manageable with gold coins. However, a town on a cloud... I might not see it, but I'll definitely buy a quilt.

But I ended up buying a lot of tents. When you're told it's a place with fires, you buy them. A tent is just a 2m x 5m piece of cloth, so it's not expensive. This tent has a central pole and only covers two sides, leaving one side open. The rain protection is so poor that my past self would have been angry. It's not even good against sideways rain. If you don't set it up properly, it can be disastrous. ...But I learned from watching others. I made a mistake once, in Campano Forest. I had to work in the rain, and it was the same whether I was in the tent or not.

Well, that's it. I bought new clothes during the winter, so I don't need any more. Is there anything else I need? I'll look around the free market to see if I'm missing anything.

Whether you found it interesting or not, I'd appreciate your feedback. If you could point out any issues in your review, it would help me improve my writing.

...Probably.