Chapter 302: Nobility of the Kingdom of Faerdehelde
Upon hearing the details, it seemed that the woman had lost sight of her son for just a moment, and when she turned back, he was gone. As she searched for him, she heard a scream from the Main Street, and with a sense of foreboding, she rushed over to find out what had happened.
“Thank you so much,” she said, sitting on a bench near a street stall, bowing deeply once again.
When she offered me money as thanks, I asked her to share more about the nobility in this country instead.
“Thank you, big sister!”
The boy, having stopped crying, happily popped the candy I had given him into his mouth.
“Still, it’s shocking that even after such an incident, the Guards didn’t come over,” I remarked, my voice tinged with indignation. The woman’s expression darkened slightly, revealing a look of resignation.
“Well, it was a noble’s carriage, so it can’t be helped.”
“Huh?”
“That’s just how it is with the nobility.”
As I expressed my surprise, Ivan chimed in with a sage-like comment from the side.
“Every year, there are commoners who are killed for offending a noble’s mood…”
“Seriously…?”
“That’s just cruel.”
I was left speechless, and it seemed Ivan was equally taken aback. Is this country truly a bastion of noble supremacy?
“Because of such laws, large cities have their commoner districts and noble districts strictly separated by tall walls.”
The Main Street was designated solely for noble carriages, and as long as one was careful when crossing it, contact with the nobility in daily life was almost nonexistent. Still, the fact that it was codified into law was quite troublesome.
“I see…”
I couldn’t help but recall the nobles I had encountered in the Empire, but these nobles seemed even more troublesome. I wondered if it would feel satisfying to stand in the middle of the Main Street and send a charging carriage flying. No, that would likely lead to more trouble later, so perhaps I should refrain from such thoughts unless I was truly frustrated.
In any case, cautioning the owner of the carriage that had run over Lian seemed rather pointless. I recalled that there was a law in Japan against trespassing on train tracks. If a similar law existed here, it could lead to unnecessary complications.
“I’m sorry for only knowing this much.”
“No, no, it’s more than enough.”
While I had no interest in the names of the lord or the king, the information about the strict separation between the commoner and noble districts was invaluable.
“Well then, we’ll take our leave.”
“Thank you!”
After parting ways with the mother and son, El wore an expression that was hard to read.
“What’s wrong?”
“I just thought that kind of information would be readily available from Hinomaru.”
When I prompted her, El pulled out her smartphone from her pocket, chuckling wryly. Since then, she had been distributing smartphones, and I often saw her making good use of it.
“Huh? What’s that?”
“From what I’ve gathered, it’s true that there are many worthless nobles in this country.”
“Wow…”
Rio was taken aback by El’s revelation.
“Oh, but it seems that towns near the Forest of Enchantment are perfectly fine. Nobles apparently don’t reside in dangerous towns.”
Just as I was beginning to regret our choice of destination, this was indeed good news.
“Ha ha, that’s a relief.”
Ivan sighed in relief, and I felt the same.
“Well then, let’s not linger in the city too long. We’ll just look for ingredients and then head straight for the Forest of Enchantment.”
With that decision made, we wrapped up our ingredient gathering in the city and set off northward once again. By evening, we arrived at the royal capital of this kingdom. True to its status, the city walls were grand and the scale was the largest we had seen. As we approached, we could already see a settlement forming from a distance, with residents spilling out beyond the city walls.
We quickly entered through the gate and checked into a recommended inn suggested by the gatekeeper. Naturally, it was located within the commoner district. I had no desire to encounter any nobles.
“Hey, commoner, hand that over.”
“Huh?”
I instinctively turned at the voice. Standing there was a pompous-looking man, well-dressed and leaning back with an air of superiority. His neatly curled mustache was impressive enough that it looked like it could hold several toothpicks.
Behind him stood an older man, equally disdainful, casting a similar glare. Was it just my imagination, or did he remind me of that Ero-jii I had seen somewhere before? Given that he didn’t stray far from the man who spoke, he was likely a servant.
We were in a magic tool shop located in the upscale area of the commoner district. After spending a night in the royal capital, we had come here after browsing various ingredients, drawn to this magic tool shop. It was a sizable three-story building filled with an array of magic tools.
There were practical tools that produced fire or water, as well as odd items like a spinning top that spun indefinitely and a board that made a loud noise when struck.
Now, I was holding a mirror. The moment I saw it, a wave of nostalgia washed over me, prompting me to pick it up. I recalled that I had a mirror stuffed away in the Dimensional Box.
“Is this it?”
I raised the mirror in my hand.
“Yes, that’s it. Hand it over quietly. Commoners are meant to obey nobles.”
He flashed a nasty grin as he spoke. I had sensed something ominous when he called me a commoner, but could this man truly be a noble? No way…
“Indeed, he is wearing an emblem that only nobles can don.”
My faint hope was shattered by El’s telepathic communication, leaving me with a sinking feeling.