Chapter 162
Rattle, rattle…….
On the afternoon bus, there were only Lapin and me. Just the two of us.
The one we were riding was the last student bus operating from Yggdrasil as of today.
The seats bathed in sunlight streaming through the windows were completely empty.
Everything felt peaceful. I even started to grow drowsy little by little.
I leaned back comfortably in my seat and looked down at the accessory in my hand.
‘……A ring, huh.’
It was something Professor Hilda had handed to me before we parted.
An old silver ring.
I didn’t know how long ago it had been made.
The silver-colored system screen appeared. Just as it said.
I examined the ring thoroughly, but there were no surveillance or eavesdropping functions.
I couldn’t feel any special abilities either.
Still, as I observed it carefully, I noticed one thing.
‘The jewel from the trophy would probably fit perfectly if I set it in here.’
Looking at the groove on the ring, I thought so. Since it was very old, it would need some overall refinement, but I could probably insert it with almost no error.
‘It doesn’t look dangerous, and it seems useful, so it’s better to keep it.’
I put the ring into my subspace, then turned my gaze to Lapin beside me.
For a while now, Lapin had been staring out the window with fascination.
Perhaps her curiosity had gotten the better of her, because she briefly opened the window.
“Ugh.”
Only after getting hit square in the face by blade-like wind rushing in through the open window did she quietly close it again.
“……My face is cold.”
“That’s what happens when you suddenly open a window while the bus is moving.”
Lapin blew warm breath onto her hands, then pressed both fists against her cheeks.
Even then, she couldn’t take her eyes off the scenery beyond the glass.
After watching the outside view for a while, she finally spoke.
“If it goes this fast, it feels like we could go anywhere.”
“……Yeah, but why are you talking like someone riding a bus for the first time?”
Nobles preferred private vehicles or carriages to show off their wealth, but commoners or poor nobles without carriages used buses.
Yet Lapin gave an unexpected answer.
“Yeah. It’s my first time on a bus.”
“……Your first time?”
I straightened my posture and looked at Lapin.
“Then how did you get to the academy?”
Lapin shook her head.
“I didn’t ride anything. I walked.”
“……You’re tougher than I expected.”
“?”
Lapin tilted her head, but that innocent expression was oddly frightening.
From the Black Tower to the academy, it was a distance that would take about a week of nonstop walking.
……To think she had actually walked that far herself.
‘She’s scary, Lapin.’
Unlike her relaxed appearance, she had surprising persistence.
“Villed, where are we going?”
After looking outside for a while, she finally seemed curious about our destination.
“There’s a nice tourist spot in the southern region.”
I took out a booklet from my subspace and showed it to Lapin.
「Kirchen, the representative resort city of the Empire’s south.
It has the mild climate unique to the south, but on the outskirts, the Spitz Snow Mountains hold eternal snow that never melts throughout the four seasons, earning it the name ‘the Miracle of Snow Blossoms.’
In addition to mountain tourism, the large-scale lodging complex that includes open-air hot springs serves as a hub for healing and relaxation.
It is also known as a natural habitat of the legendary medicinal herb of the spirit-herb lineage, ‘Moonlight Grass.’」
There was also a photograph of snow-covered mountain ranges and a village of blue conifers.
“Oh……. It looks nice.”
Lapin’s eyes sparkled, as if she liked it.
“Then, are we going there by bus?”
“No. First, we’re going to the train station.”
“We’re riding a train too?”
“The bus doesn’t go wherever we want. It only operates within designated areas. Since buses don’t go to Kirchen, we’ll have to take a train.”
“We could just walk.”
“……Give me a break.”
In this weather, that was really not an option.
It didn’t take that long.
When the bus came to a stop, Lapin and I got off together.
The large building before us had ‘Rimpelz Central Station’ written on it. It was a state-owned railway belonging to the Empire.
As expected of a train station where people gathered, the area was crowded with people.
Not only people, but carts and automobiles were mixed in on the roads.
Some rode automobiles, a new technology, to show off their wealth, but those who distrusted chunks of metal still stubbornly stuck to carriages.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve been in a city, ever since the Dorados Auction House.’
I glanced at Lapin beside me.
She too was looking around with curious eyes.
‘If Lapin walked all the way to the academy…… this is probably her first time at a train station as well.’
I took my wallet out of my pocket.
The money I had on hand was roughly a thousand gold.
It wasn’t enough to live like a noble, but it was more than sufficient for the two of us to spend a few months comfortably.
Even if I was from a high-ranking family, I had no intention of indulging in excessive luxury like other nobles.
“Lapin, let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
First, we entered the Rimpelz Central Station building to buy tickets.
The most central place in the city, where all routes converged. Living up to the name ‘Central Station,’ the interior was quite splendid.
A Gothic-style building. Murals made of ornate tiles filled the walls.
I also remembered the game setting that described it as a vast station with 44 platforms.
There was already a fairly long line at the ticket counter.
However, something was a bit unusual…….
“Kirchen.”
“To Kirchen Station, please.”
“An Almatz Mercenary Group check. To Kirchen.”
People with swords at their waists, muscular builds, or fierce looks were all buying tickets to Kirchen Station.
They seemed to be mercenaries or adventurers.
Other people avoided them, perhaps frightened by their appearances.
Before I knew it, the long line had shortened, and it was my turn. I bought two tickets to Kirchen Station.
Since I wanted to relax while on the train, I purchased first-class seats.
“……Kirchen, you say?”
The ticket clerk briefly swept her eyes over my clothes, then made a puzzled expression.
I silently nodded.
“Understood. Two first-class tickets for the high-speed train to Kirchen Station.”
As she stamped the tickets, the clerk asked me,
“Um, sir. Are you perhaps going because you heard the rumors?”
“Rumors?”
“Ah…… no, never mind. Have a pleasant trip.”
After hearing that, I put the tickets into my pocket.
Looking at the timetable, there was still plenty of time before the train arrived.
Lapin was at the nearest platform, looking at the tracks.
When I approached, Lapin spoke.
“There’s no end.”
“Right. If you can see the end of the tracks when riding a train, that’s a big problem.”
“What happens if you see the end?”
“Something bad.”
“?”
Lapin tilted her head, then brought her hands close to her mouth.
“Hoo, hooo…….”
She blew warm breath into her hands.
Even though it was a sunlit afternoon, the weather was quite chilly.
‘It really is cold. I should change into casual clothes.’
Now that winter was fully setting in, it was only natural that it would be quite cold.
The Yggdrasil uniform was divided into summer wear and winter wear.
The winter uniform had some thickness and provided a certain level of protection against the cold, but in weather like this, it was unreasonable to endure with just the uniform alone. On top of that, we were planning to climb a snow mountain.
‘Since I’ve been wearing nothing but the uniform every day, this might be my only chance to wear casual clothes.’
I also didn’t particularly want to walk around in uniform and openly show that I was a Yggdrasil student.
I stepped forward first and spoke.
“Lapin, follow me.”
“Yeah.”
The place Lapin and I arrived at together was—
“……A clothing store?”
It was a clothing shop famous in this area.
The clothes sold here were made of good materials, and the designs were decent as well.
The downside was…… they overcharged.
“Welcome!”
As we entered, a man wearing a hat greeted us.
I chose clothes focused on functionality, ones that looked warm enough. A black coat that reached my knees and pants. Boots and gloves to prevent slipping on snowy mountains as well.
“What do you think, young lady?”
At some point, Lapin seemed to have changed clothes based on the owner’s recommendation.
Lapin was wearing a white women’s robe coat.
A tailored belt wrapped around her waist, and straps were attached to the cuffs to adjust the silhouette. The long boots that reached her ankles were made of matte leather, drawing the eye even without excessive decoration.
“Do you like that one?”
“Yeah.”
When I asked, Lapin nodded.
“Well, you seem like you’d like anything. Is there anything else you want?”
Lapin shook her head.
“No, I’ll go with this.”
“……Alright.”
The clothes she was wearing suited her well and looked quite warm.
When I turned my gaze to the owner, he rubbed his hands together like a fly.
“All together, it’ll be 500 gold. Yes, hehe.”
Hearing that, I blinked.
‘That’s not worth that much, is it?’
It was outrageously expensive.
Even being generous, it should have been around a hundred gold at most.
I spoke with a faint smile.
“The material is excellent. The design is fairly acceptable too.”
“Ahh, you can tell? You have a discerning eye.”
“But.”
In the game, there was a negotiation system.
When a shopkeeper called an excessive price, you could adjust it to some extent through bargaining.
“I don’t care how much it costs. But I have a pretty nasty personality, so I can’t just let it slide if it feels like I’m being deceived.”
“D-deceived, you say! Th-that couldn’t possibly be the case!”
Which merchant supplied these clothes?”
“Ah, the merchant guild? They’re produced by a workshop operated by the famous Bortz Trading Company.”
“I see. A familiar company.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s a trading company under my family’s control.”
I quietly took out something golden from my uniform pocket. It was a badge symbolizing the Dedenkman family.
The owner fell silent for a moment, then finally spoke.
“If you’re a young master of the Dedenkman family…… could it be Lord Toledo?”
“No. I’m the second son.”
“Ah.”
For some reason, the owner’s face turned deathly pale.
Regardless, I stepped closer and asked him,
“Alright, I’ll ask again. How much for everything?”
“Th-three hundred…….”
“Three hundred?”
As I took another step closer and looked down at his face, the owner shook his head repeatedly.
“N-no, that was a slip of the tongue. O-one hundred…….”
“One hundred, huh.”
Considering the quality of the material, it was a fairly reasonable price.
As I smiled in satisfaction to show my agreement and was about to take out my wallet, the owner suddenly squeezed his eyes shut, as if recalling something upon seeing my smile.
His body trembled, and he shouted as if crying out,
“As a commemoration of such an honored guest visiting our clothing shop, we will give it to you as a gift!”
I was momentarily dumbfounded by that. I took out my wallet and said,
“No, there’s no need for that—”
“Please accept my sincerity……!”
“…….”
I was troubled.
I had no intention of taking it for free. I had only planned to purchase it at a fair price.
‘……I don’t know. He’s already terrified and offering it, and I can’t exactly refuse.’
Of course, I didn’t plan to just take it without giving anything back.
If I ever stopped by the Dedenkman family estate later, I could casually mention it to my father.
That the clothing shop in front of Rimpelz Central Station was quite good. That alone would likely bring some positive influence to this place.
Though I didn’t know when that day would come.
After some time passed, we boarded the train.
The seats were quite luxurious. They felt soft and warm at the same time.
“It’s warm.”
Lapin seemed to like it as well.
There was no vibration traveling through the floor. No ear-scratching noise either—it was very quiet.
‘It really is comfortable, as expected of first class.’
I unfolded the newspaper I had with me.
The world was moving along exactly as it had in the game.
And then, one article caught my eye.
「The recent whereabouts of the Empire’s greatest swordsman, the missing First Knight Order Captain Vedervel, have been identified as the Kirchen district.
A reward will be given upon providing information. Upon delivery or capture, 100,000 gold and a title of Imperial Knight will be bestowed.」
‘……This is proceeding according to the main story as well.’
After confirming that, I folded the newspaper. Like Lapin, I shifted my gaze out the window. But only for a moment—drawn in by the comfortable warmth, I ended up closing my eyes.
……And then.
When I opened my eyes again, snow was falling in the sky outside the window, and the surroundings had grown dark.
Soon, the train slowly came to a stop.
We had arrived at Kirchen Station.