Volume 5 - Chapter 15 – City Stroll (1/2)

05-15 City Stroll

The following day, after breakfast. Jin and the others finally got around to touring the city.

The capital, Bolgia, was built to have three districts. The royal castle is of course in the center. The residence of king of Elias, Blitzen Scala Elias XII and his ministers. It’s where the government affairs take place.

Surrounding the royal castle’s outer solid walls is the first district, the noble district. In addition to nobles’ villas, it has multiple high-class shops. It also has its own walls surrounding it.

The second district, outside the nobles’ walls is the commoners’ district. Prosperous merchants, skillful artisans, and small stores aimed for the general public are there.

The third district is farmland spread around the commoners’ district. Among other things, the homes of agricultural workers and people who can’t live in the commoners’ district are there.

Presently, Jin, Reiko, Elsa and Reinhardt are outside the royal castle, traversing the noble district in a roofless carriage. The view is fine, with the only fault being that it’s a little dusty.

“How do you like it, Jin?”

Aside from all the dust, for a while now Jin has been restlessly looking around as if everything was new. A country bumpkin, by all appearances.

Well, it’s understandable, this being his first time in a noble district since being summoned.

“Oh, uh, there’s a lot of noteworthy sights to be sure.”

“Is that so? The buildings here, many of them date back to before the Great Magic War. The population declined due to the war, but in the parts of the country that weren’t involved in the destruction, many aged buildings like these still remain.”

Comparing to Earth, should it be called a gothic style? Countless stone towers with distinctive sharp tips. The ornamentation seems to be a bit over the top.

However, it could be said that at the second glance the buildings’ age gives them an overall balanced outlook.

Jin expressed his thoughts to Reinhardt who responded with admiration,

“Yep, you’ve hit the heart of the matter. I agree. I think the post-war architecture’s functionalism is rather dull. The old buildings have a certain beauty in form, while these new ones are just…”

Prattling on and on like that, Reinhardt eventually noticed Eliza glaring at him, and he soon shut up.

“First, shall we go to a tailor?”,

Reinhardt said and gave orders to the coachman. The coachman skillfully maneuvered the carriage off the main street and around the corner, arriving in front of a tailor shop.

“Come on Jin, get out of the carriage. Miss Reiko too.”

“Eh? But I don’t have any business at the tailor shop.”

Even so, Reinhardt brought Jin into the shop.

“Welcome, Reinhardt-sama.”

Immediately the owner turned up and offered greetings.

“Ah, I’m one day late. Is it done?”

“Yes, it has been completed. Is the order perhaps for this gentleman?”,

The owner said and looked at Jin who was next to Reinhardt. Reinhardt nodded.

“Then, please step this way.”

The owner took Jin to the back of the shop.

“Um. Uh, Reinhardt.”

“Oh well, I guess I’ll go with him.”,

Jin said and went to the back of the store, unsure of what was going on.

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“Hey. This is…”

After a while, Jin came back wearing an extravagant coat.

Originally Jin’s attire had been like an average commoner’s: black trousers, a white shirt, and a beige vest.

Actually, since the material was thread woven from a Ground Spider’s silk, if you told someone it was commoner’s clothing, they’d retort by asking where on earth that’d be common.

Nitpicking aside, Jin was now wearing the fancy coat on top of his commoner’s clothing.

“Father, it fits you well.”

Reiko complimented. The coat was slightly purplish deep grey in color, length to just above his knees, and had a large lapel. It had decorated silver buttons, and a fancy ornamental “J” embroidered on the chest.

“It’s a gift. It’s the standardized coatwear for a Magi Craftsman. As long as you wear it, even other nobles wouldn’t act impolite in front of you.

Seems like it’ll be useful on the journey after this.

“Even though it’ll be spring soon, since you’re headed north it’ll get colder, right?”

With that Reinhardt finished his speech. Him having thought it that far, Jin had to obediently accept the gift.