Chapter 16: Towards the Royal Capital
“Paying a fee for Kaito is a small price to pay. The reason I’m bringing this up is that there are many who have escaped, and they are involved in the underworld. Those who act alone or in pairs possess a certain level of skill. During the commotion, the city gates were sealed, so they shouldn’t have made it outside the city. That said, there’s a risk that those lurking around might harm you, so I want you to be careful. Also, at the beginning of February, we will be heading to the Royal Capital for the Spring Magic Tournament, so I would like to request your protection along the way.”
Considering that this request is made with my safety in mind, it might not be a bad idea to take advantage of this opportunity to explore the Royal Capital.
“Understood. I will accept the request. However, once we arrive at the Royal Capital, we will part ways, is that alright?”
The Viscount nodded with a wry smile, as if he understood the reason behind my words.
Since I no longer need much practice with magic attacks, that’s not an issue. I can train for mana depletion anywhere. Secretly, my Spatial Storage can now hold a sphere of 3.4 meters; when I stored a 1-meter cube, it fit 32 of them. With various items inside, I believe I could ultimately fit something as large as 4×4×4 meters.
Having acquired two Magic Pouches, I only store fresh food, cooked meals, and some clothing in my Spatial Storage.
As for Transfer Magic, I can now jump 400 meters five times, but anything beyond that is impossible. I tried at 410 meters, but the spell didn’t even activate, so my hypothesis seems correct. I managed to jump ten times at 200 meters and thirty-three times at 60 meters, which led me to understand that the number of jumps depends on my mana capacity, aside from the maximum distance.
For Stone Lance, I can shoot 55 times at 40 meters, 120 times with Stone Arrow, and 60 shots with a small shotgun, while the medium shotgun allows for 45 shots. I think I can defend myself to some extent. I have no desire to test the Stone Javelin, but I would like to try it once my mana capacity increases.
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At the end of January, Hyalda and Fiene visited the hotel, asking for my advice. It turned out they wanted to discuss the outfits for the magic tournament. While women typically wear loose riding attire, they desired something more comfortable and easier to move in. I suggested that with a few modifications, the clothes I planned to make could work for them.
I proposed lengthening the sleeves of the samue and making the cuffs adjustable, while also extending the pants’ hems. The trousers would be loose-fitting and could be tightened at the ankles, allowing for adjustments over boots.
For the women’s version, I thought it would be sufficient to increase the number of ties to prevent the neckline from gaping and to keep the hem about 10 to 15 centimeters above the knee. Since the arms and legs would be covered, there would be no exposure of bare skin, and it would also conceal their figures, which Fiene liked, so we decided to proceed with the design. I wanted sturdy fabric suitable for adventurers that could be enchanted with magic, so we headed to the Commercial Guild for recommendations.
Among the several counters, only one was open, with a clerk leaning against it, polishing his nails and facing away from the entrance. Though I was reluctant, I approached that counter and called out to him. He glanced at me sideways, clicked his tongue, and made a displeased face.
“Back again, kid? This place isn’t for you…”
He froze upon noticing Hyalda and Fiene behind me.
“This place isn’t for you… what was it again?”
“No, um, the child… is here on business, Hyalda-sama, Fiene-sama.”
He waved his hand dismissively at me, as if shooing away a dog.
“While he is an acquaintance of ours, do you always treat customers like this?”
He stood rigidly, mumbling something unintelligible.
A distinguished gentleman seated at a fine desk in the back noticed Hyalda and hurried over. He glanced at me but said nothing, instead bowing deeply before Hyalda and inquiring about their business.
“We’re looking for materials for our clothing, and we wanted to know where we could purchase them.”
“Don’t just stand there, you dolt.”
“Oh, he’s fine. Please assist the others.”
My mischievous side began to surface. Despite having dressed well, he was still as arrogant as ever.
The clerk, sensing something, turned to me and asked, “What can I help you with?”
“I’d like to create clothing suitable for adventurers, and I need fabric for about five to six people that is durable and can be enchanted with magic. Could you recommend a supplier?”
“Could you please come to the negotiation room in the back? I will call someone knowledgeable, so please wait a moment.”
How charming, unlike some people. We moved to the back room, and as soon as I sat on a plush sofa, a delightful-smelling tea was served. Being with nobles certainly improved my treatment.
As I pondered this irony, a person appeared carrying a thick sample book of fabrics.
“For your request, we will be using special spider silk from the deeper regions, so I need to check our stock. How much do you require?”
“For Fiene, I need at least three sets of both top and bottom. If there’s any extra, I’d like about three sets for myself. Since the design will be loose-fitting and the tops will be longer, I will need a bit more fabric.”
I was assured that the finest quality would be secured for Fiene, and there was plenty of stock for my order. I placed an order for three sets of samue and three sets of adventurer clothing, in addition to enough fabric for the four outfits I was currently wearing. The fabric would be delivered to the tailor associated with the Hamawal family.
The Viscount agreed to cover all the costs. I tried to offer to pay for my share, but he refused, so I decided to accept his generosity.
We then headed to the tailor to convey the clothing design, and when it came time for my measurements, I found that my previous dimensions were still accurate, so I left the rest to them. However, I requested that my clothing have subtle decorations, akin to those of a moderately wealthy merchant’s son.
“Kaito, that outfit suits you well.”
“I’m just a street kid wearing it. It looks better if I seem like I’m trying too hard to dress up. If I wander around in this outfit, I’ll stand out too much.”
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As February approached, preparations for our departure to the Royal Capital Herisen began, with the departure set for February 10th. It would take about twenty days to reach the Royal Capital, but once we arrived, I was told I would waste about a month socializing with the nobles after reporting to the Royal Castle. The Magic Tournament is said to start around April 10th, and I heard we wouldn’t return to Egdra until the end of June, which made me groan.
The finished outfits were satisfactory. The adventurer clothing was dyed in a muted khaki and a slightly lighter shade, with one intentionally patterned with dye splotches—essentially a camouflage design. With a removable hood, if I wore it in the grasslands or forests, I would blend right in. In the city, I would look like a scruffy adventurer, perfectly blending into the lower town, allowing me to visit the market without worry.
The crucial magic enhancements included magic defense, blade and impact resistance, and temperature regulation for comfort in varying climates. Since I would be wearing these throughout the spring, summer, autumn, and winter, comfort was essential. This was also to prevent any unforeseen accidents during the Magic Tournament where Fiene would be competing.
In my everyday wear and adventurer’s samue, I made sure to attach Magic Pouches in places that wouldn’t be visible from the outside, using an eighth-class Magic Pouch for my everyday wear.
I cleverly stowed away a dummy, well-used longsword and knife, along with the clothes I had previously worn, ensuring that even if they were confiscated, they wouldn’t raise suspicion. The twelfth and tenth-class Magic Pouches were safely stored, so they should remain undetected unless I declared them.
It was amusing to see Hyalda wanting a samue as well, and she had a Magic Pouch attached just like mine. Fiene favored a samue with the hems tied over her boots and a knee-length top with side slits for ease of movement. She wore it for her magic practice without fail.
When I mentioned my intended use and asked the Viscount to sell me a Magic Pouch, he generously gave it to me for free. He mentioned that he had earned quite a bit from the Hohen dealings and that I might need it someday. He had informed the lords of other territories about the crimes related to the associated merchant guilds, which led to their dissolution. It seemed he had received considerable gratitude from the lords he informed, and he chuckled, saying his reputation had grown significantly.
Nobles can be quite intimidating, can’t they?
My favorite creation was a camp house designed to fit inside a slightly larger wooden box, complete with two bunk beds, a four-person table and chairs, a simple cooking area, and a toilet and shower room at the back. It could accommodate up to four people for sleeping and was stored in my Magic Pouch. Of course, I had disguised the exterior with Earth Magic to resemble a rock, and I even built a lookout tower on top.
When Hyalda and Fiene saw it, they were astonished, but they also appreciated the convenience of being able to pop it out anywhere and rest immediately. Even in dangerous situations, I could deploy it quickly for a makeshift stronghold.
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On the early morning of February 10th, we departed Egdra, heading towards the Royal Capital Herisen.
Accompanying me were six attendants to take care of my needs, along with twenty knights and twenty adventurers as guards, making a total of forty. The two carriages and forty mounted riders set off from the city in an orderly fashion, bidding farewell to the knights and the city guards who saw us off.
Even though I was supposed to be one of the guards, I found myself crammed into the same carriage as the Viscount and his entourage, dressed in a tattered camouflage adventurer outfit. The adventurers who recognized my face grinned slyly, while those who didn’t looked at me with puzzled expressions, making a point to steer clear.
I wish I could be in the maidens’ carriage instead.