Chapter 129: Port Town Reburos
We ended up staying in the border town for two whole days. It was all because that baby at the inn was just too adorable. Rio had been cradling the little one, and it was such a picturesque scene. I even poked the baby’s cheeks, which were delightfully squishy.
“Do you think we’ll have kids someday…?”
With a slight blush, Rio turned her gaze toward me, and I couldn’t help but feel my heart race.
“Well, I suppose we will eventually. I never really thought about it until now, but seeing that baby made me realize that we’ve become a couple, huh?”
“Hehe, I actually feel the same way.”
Not too long ago, she was just a high school student. Although we had gotten married, I hadn’t truly felt the weight of that commitment until now. We had spent some time under the care of my mentor after arriving in this world, but fundamentally, it had always been the two of us together.
“I can’t really picture having kids just yet. If things had gone differently, I’d probably still be in high school right now.”
“Right? But I was really surprised by that.”
“Yeah. I never expected her to be a year younger than us.”
Indeed, the mother of the inn’s baby was only sixteen, just a year younger than us. It seemed to be a common occurrence in this Otherworld. In a place where life is cheap, perhaps the mentality is to have children whenever possible.
“But I still want to travel to various countries with you, Shuu.”
“Absolutely. Since we’ve come this far, we should enjoy it to the fullest.”
It was a relief to know that Rio felt the same way. I still wanted to explore many places with her.
After about five days heading southwest toward the sea, we finally arrived at the Imperial Capital. However, to be honest, we decided to skip it.
Why, you ask?
“I want to eat sashimi.”
“What a coincidence, Shuu. I want sashimi too!”
“Woohoo!”
As we got closer to the sea, the fish were becoming more delicious. With the harbor just a day’s journey from the Imperial Capital, how could we resist heading straight there? Nil was wagging his tail silently, seemingly in agreement as he imagined devouring fish.
While we might find sashimi in the Imperial Capital, the real deal was just around the corner. Besides, flying would make the distance to the shared carriage a mere thirty minutes.
Thus, it was unanimously decided to bypass the Imperial Capital. The sun was beginning to set, but that didn’t matter. We veered away from the capital and headed straight south.
Even without Enhanced Sense of Smell, I could already catch the scent of the sea, indicating that our destination was near.
“Oh, I can see it!”
“I’m getting hungry, so we need to find a good restaurant right away.”
“Shall we ask for some recommendations at the gate?”
As we descended into the forest, a little off the main road, we emerged onto the path leading directly to the entrance of Port Town Reburos. Being so close to the Imperial Capital, the comings and goings here were bustling. Although the line was long, we quickly made our way to the front.
When I showed my Guild Certificate, there were no issues passing through.
“By the way, where’s the best place to get fish dishes in this town?”
“Huh? You folks are after fish, huh?”
The gatekeeper grinned, stroking his chin thoughtfully as he shared various recommendations. Being a local, he seemed to know all the best spots, from fishermen’s meals that could only be found at the harbor to high-end gourmet restaurants.
“Thank you very much!”
“Haha, no problem. With your C Rank, you should be able to manage a meal at a high-end restaurant if you try hard enough.”
Is there really a high-end restaurant that a C Rank adventurer would struggle to afford? My sense of money had been skewed lately, so I wasn’t sure, but with the profits from the auction, I figured we’d be fine.
“Let’s go right away!”
Rio took my arm, leading me into the town. Our first destination was our lodging for the night. We headed straight down the Main Street, crossing the central plaza, and it was said to be just ahead, near the sea.
“Isn’t it wonderful to have an inn with a view of the ocean?”
“Yeah, it’s nice that it’s not just luxurious but also has character.”
Stalls were selling freshly grilled seafood, but we held off for just a little longer.
“Oh, is that it?”
As we approached the sound of waves, the inn we were looking for came into view. The entrance was through a courtyard, leading to a building that exuded a calm atmosphere. Upon passing through the gate, we were greeted by a well-kept garden that showcased thoughtful design.
“Welcome!”
Upon entering the building, one of the employees greeted us with a warm smile. She had long rabbit ears that twitched adorably, and her gentle demeanor suggested she was a bit slow. Noticing the black choker around her neck, I wondered if she was also a slave. My appraisal confirmed it: “Status: Subjugation.”
I had inquired about the treatment of slaves at the Adventurer’s Guild in the previous town, and it seemed that aside from criminal slaves, there was a proper system in place that respected their rights. Debt slaves were more like live-in labor contracts, and they apparently had some free time.
“Is it alright for the two of us to stay?”
As we approached the counter, I addressed a man dressed impeccably in a butler’s outfit. He didn’t appear to be a slave, as he wore nothing around his neck.
“Thank you for your patronage. Will you be staying overnight, or just dining with us today?”
“Oh, we’ll be staying.”
“Understood. Do you have any specific requests for your room?”
We reserved a two-person room with the best view of the sea for about ten days. Given that this was a relatively high-end inn and located in a harbor town, having a bath was a welcome bonus.
Thus, we decided to temporarily stay in the port town of Reburos.