Chapter 6 – The Capital’s Central District
The next morning, I woke up buzzing with excitement as I got ready to head out. Today was the day I was finally going to the central district.
I wanted to make sure I didn’t stick out too much, so I changed into my newest clothes and put on the leather shoes I usually wore to the forest. It had to be better than wearing ragged, patched-up clothes and shoes woven from grass. To put it nicely, the people around here really cherish their belongings; even if clothes tear, they mend them and keep wearing them. Eventually, they turn them into dust cloths and use them until they literally fall apart. That makes clothes without patches a rarity.
Wearing my precious outfit and leather shoes, I tied a small hemp sack containing my entire life savings to my waist. By ‘entire life savings,’ I mean just a few small copper coins—worth only a few hundred yen in Japanese currency—but I figured it was better than being penniless.
Alright, ready to go! Let’s get moving!
It was still early in the morning, but I was too fidgety to sit still, so I decided to head over to Marcel’s place. Even if I was too early, I could just think about magic tools while I waited.
“Okay, Mom, Dad, I’m off! Marie, I’m leaving now. Good luck with the diner!”
“Be careful out there.”
“Watch your step.”
“Big brother, tell me all about it when you get back!”
“I will! See you later!”
When Marie heard I was going to the central district, she threw a bit of a tantrum wanting to come along. But the moment Mom mentioned she was making raspberry pancakes for lunch, she suddenly stopped complaining. Marie acts mature sometimes, but moments like that remind me she’s still just a kid. It was heartwarming. If I can afford it, I should buy her a souvenir.
Thinking about that as I walked, I arrived at Marcel’s house in no time. I went to open the door as usual, but it was locked. I guess I really was too early… Still, hoping he might at least let me wait inside, I knocked and called out loudly.
“Marcel! Good morning!”
After waiting a while, the door opened, and Marcel welcomed me.
“Leon, you’re way too early.”
“I was just so excited I couldn’t sit still.”
“Hah, well, I suppose we can take our time getting there. That’s fine.”
Marcel let out a sigh with an exasperated look on his face.
“I thought we’d take the midday public carriage, but we can probably catch an earlier one. Do you want to head out right now?”
“Yes! Going right now sounds great!”
“Alright, wait here a moment.”
Marcel went back inside. He probably hadn’t finished getting ready.
A few minutes later, Marcel came out wearing clothes that were far superior to his usual attire. The fabric looked soft and high-quality, and the colors were vibrant. Seeing him like this reminded me that Marcel really is a quasi-noble. usually, he just feels like a regular old grandpa…
I obviously couldn’t say that to his face, though. While I was thinking these rather rude thoughts, Marcel peered at my face with a suspicious expression.
“Leon? Why are you zoning out? You aren’t thinking this doesn’t suit me, are you?”
“N-No, not at all! I was just thinking that you really look like a noble.”
“This outfit is actually the lowest tier of noble wear. Even wealthy commoner merchants sometimes wear things nicer than this.”
“Is that so?”
Looking up at the wealthy makes me feel empty… I thought as I looked down at my own clothes. Is my family considered poor even among commoners? We have a house and live in the royal capital, so I thought we were doing okay. I really don’t understand the standard. But if my family’s life is considered ‘good,’ then anyone below us must be living a pretty tragic life. Thinking about it that way, maybe we are on the poorer side.
While I was comparing my clothes to Marcel’s and pondering my social standing, Marcel locked his door and finished his preparations.
“Right, let’s go. The public carriage stop is near the plaza.”
“Okay! Oh… how much does the carriage cost?”
I hadn’t thought about the fare at all. Nervous that I might not have enough, I timidly asked Marcel.
“To the central district? About one copper coin.”
“One copper coin!?”
What do I do? That’s already over my budget. Is the carriage that expensive?! Actually, the problem is that my ‘life savings’ is just a few small copper coins. I have way too little pocket money… Seriously, what should I do? Maybe I can ask him to pay for everything today and deduct it from my future earnings? But asking for an advance before I’ve even earned a penny seems pretty bold, doesn’t it?
As I stood there flustered, trying to figure out what to do, Marcel noticed and spoke in an exasperated tone.
“Leon, I’m not going to make you pay. You don’t need to panic. I intended to pay for everything today anyway, except for the deposit to open the account.”
“Eh!? That’s incredibly generous of you, but are you sure? I’m just a stranger…”
“I don’t think of you as just a stranger. If I did, I wouldn’t be going out of my way to take you to the central district. I never married, so I have no children or grandchildren. Watching you, Leon, makes me think that if I did have a grandson, he’d be like this. It makes me happy.”
…Marcel, what a good person you are! I will absolutely repay this favor someday. First, I need to work hard on thinking up magic tools.
Also, I feel like I might be able to tell Marcel about my affinities… Thinking that made my heart feel a lot lighter. Keeping it a secret from everyone is tough, after all.
For now, I’ll enjoy the central district, and maybe I’ll tell him after we get back.
“Thank you so much, Marcel! I’ll accept your offer for today. Please make sure to deduct it from the money you transfer to me later.”
When I said that with a much brighter smile than before, Marcel made that exasperated face again and let out a big sigh.
“Haaah… I’m not going to go out of my way to collect money from you, Leon. I’ll take the account deposit later because that was the promise, but everything else is my treat. Don’t make me say it again. Look, we’re almost there.”
“Eh!? But that’s bad!”
“Just accept it as the selfishness of an old man who wants to spoil his grandson.”
After saying that, Marcel turned away, looking a little embarrassed. How can I refuse when he puts it like that? To be honest, I’m incredibly happy.
“I understand. Thank you very much!”
I replied with a beaming smile.
The public carriage stop we arrived at was a bit distance from the plaza near my house. There were several carriages, apparently heading in various directions. The drivers held signs indicating their destinations, but they also called them out for people who couldn’t read. Since we were going to the central district, we headed toward that carriage.
“Two of us. Can we board?”
“Yes, it’s one copper coin per person.”
“Here’s two copper coins, covering the lad as well.”
“Thank you. Go ahead.”
Once the money was paid, we were allowed to board. It was a covered wagon with a cloth-like material draped over it, pulled by two horses. We entered from the back. Inside, there were wooden benches on either side. A couple who looked to be in their forties and a young woman in her late teens were already seated.
When Marcel and I sat down, the couple spoke to us.
“Hello there. Are you sightseeing today?”
“We have a bit of business to attend to.”
“Oh, is that so? We’re going for sightseeing.”
“Well then, I hope you enjoy yourselves.”
Marcel chatted with the wife. So there are people who go to the central district just for tourism. Come to think of it, the couple’s clothes were dyed nicely and didn’t have any patches. They were slightly lower quality than Marcel’s, but still good clothes. They must be wealthy commoners.
Compared to them, the young woman sitting there looked about the same as my family, maybe even poorer. I was wearing my one patch-free outfit, but she was going to the central district in clothes full of patches. Why would she go there if she’s that poor?
I must have been staring at her blankly while thinking that, because our eyes met.
“You want something, kid?”
“Ah, um, I was just wondering what you were going to do in the central district… I’m sorry for staring!”
She seemed a bit annoyed, so I hurriedly apologized.
“You don’t have to apologize. I’m going to look for work. It’s not that unusual. There aren’t many jobs around here, so lots of people go to the central district. There’s plenty of work in servant roles for nobles or merchant houses.”
“I see. Thank you.”
When I thanked her, she abruptly looked away. Did I offend her? I probably shouldn’t talk to her anymore.
Still, I didn’t realize so many people went to the central district to find work. She mentioned working as a servant for nobles, but that sounds like a tough job. It would be a nightmare if you ended up with an unreasonable noble… I guess your whole life depends on the luck of the job you find.
While I was thinking about that, the carriage started moving. It’s my first time riding a carriage, so I’m excited!
However, I could only maintain that carefree attitude for the first few minutes. The ride quality was awful! It shook constantly, and my butt hurt. For someone like me who has experienced the comfort of modern cars, this was torture. But everyone else was riding calmly, so I couldn’t complain. Just get there already!
Huff, huff… We finally got off the public carriage and arrived at the plaza at the entrance of the central district. That was brutal. Just constant shaking. The ground was dirt, so it was uneven, and we were bouncing around the whole time.
I miss Japanese roads! And the seats—wooden planks with zero cushioning—made my butt scream in pain.
“Leon, what’s wrong? Let’s go.”
“O-Okay…”
Enduring the pain in my rear, I managed to follow Marcel.
This seemed to be one of the entrances to the central district, opening into a large plaza. Beyond the plaza, the streets were paved with stone, and the town was incredibly beautiful. Anyone can enter, but dressing like a poor commoner like me makes you stick out. There are people like that young woman from the carriage, but once they find a job, they get uniforms, so there aren’t many people walking around in dirty clothes. Looking at the pedestrians, many seem to be wearing work clothes. Is everyone out on business?
As I observed my surroundings and walked down the wide stone-paved street, I saw many high-class shops lining the main avenue. But I didn’t see any buildings that looked like noble mansions. I wonder where they are?
“Marcel, where are the noble mansions?”
“Noble mansions don’t face the main avenue. You have to go further in, down the side streets. This area has the barons’ mansions. Go a bit further and you get viscounts, then counts, marquises, and finally dukes as you get closer to the royal castle. The higher the rank, the closer to the castle.”
“I see.”
So the noble titles really do follow that order. To a commoner, a noble is a noble, but among themselves, there must be a huge gap depending on rank. Being a noble seems tough, too.
Anyway, if they’re tucked away down the streets, I probably won’t be able to see the mansions. I was kind of curious, so that’s a shame. Well, Mom did say it’s better not to get involved with nobles, so maybe it’s for the best. Even though Marcel is technically a noble, too.
We’ve been walking for a while since arriving in the central district, observing the surroundings, but Marcel hasn’t stopped. We are heading to the bank, right? I recall Marcel saying the bank is near the royal castle. Are we walking all the way there?
“Marcel, we’re heading to the bank, right?”
“Yes, it’s best to get business done first.”
“That makes sense, but… are we walking all the way to the bank? Are there no public carriages in the central district?”
“No, there aren’t any public carriages here. Nobles travel in their own private carriages, so no one would use them. And commoners rarely come to the central district, let alone go near the castle.”
“But don’t they come to go to the bank?”
“They do, but any commoner with business at the bank usually owns their own carriage.”
I guess that’s true… Only exceptional commoners like me have to suffer like this. I want a carriage too. I’m envious of nobles who have their own.
“We’re almost there, though.”
As Marcel said that, a massive building came into view ahead. Knights were patrolling the perimeter, giving it a somewhat imposing atmosphere. Is that the bank?
“Is that the bank?”
“It is.”
That is incredibly intimidating to enter! If I came here alone, I’d probably be turned away at the gate. They say anyone can use it, but surely that’s just a formality. I’m so glad Marcel is here.
Feeling a bit nervous, we approached the building. Contrary to my expectation that we’d definitely be stopped, no one stopped us. However, once we got inside, I understood why. There was a line of knights standing inside as well.
This basically means no one would be stupid enough to try anything funny in a situation like this. Even if they did, they’d never succeed. Even though I hadn’t done anything wrong, I walked timidly behind Marcel until we reached a reception counter. The receptionist was a young man.
“Hello. How may I help you?”
“I’d like to open an account for this child today. Can we do that quickly?”
“Is it for that child?”
“Yes.”
“Excuse me, but he doesn’t appear to need an account. Accounts expire if there is no movement of funds for three years. Are you sure?”
“Oh, it’s fine. I’ll pay the opening fee properly.”
The man hesitated for a moment at those words, but deciding there was no reason to refuse, he proceeded with the standard protocol.
“Understood. Please fill out these documents. We prefer the individual to write it themselves, but will he need a proxy?”
“No, he can write. It’s fine.”
“Understood. Please go ahead.”
That was a close call, but it looks like we’re okay. Thank goodness, my heart was pounding.
So I just have to write this document. It only asked for name, gender, age, and the name of the city I live in. I blanked on the city name for a second, but I searched Leon’s memories and remembered it immediately. The Royal Capital, Lasria. I need to memorize that. I filled out the form and handed it back to the receptionist, who checked it and then brought out something that looked like a crystal ball.
“Please flow a little bit of mana into this. We will record your mana signature.”
I did as I was told and flowed some mana into it. The crystal ball glowed briefly, but the light faded quickly.
“Your mana has been registered. It will take about ten minutes to create the account, so please wait a moment.”
With that, the receptionist disappeared into the back.
Um, what was that crystal ball? It can register mana? That’s some serious over-technology. How does that work?
“Marcel, what was that crystal ball?”
“Ah, that’s a crystal ball capable of registering mana. From now on, whenever you deposit or withdraw money, it can verify your identity.”
“Um, did someone invent that?”
“No, those were found about a hundred years ago in a church deep in the forest. I believe there were about a hundred crystal balls. At first, no one knew what they were for, but after research, they discovered that they could identify individuals via mana and that all the crystal balls were connected. Since then, banks have been using them.”
“I see. I wonder who made them?”
“No one knows. They say they are Relics of God.”
“Relics of God?”
“Aye. Items of unknown origin that cannot be destroyed and do not degrade are called Relics of God. It’s good that we found a use for those crystal balls, but apparently, there are still items whose purpose remains unknown.”
“I had no idea things like that existed…”
To think such things exist. Does that mean there really is a God in this world…? Or maybe God existed on Earth, too?
While I was pondering this, the receptionist returned.
“Thank you for waiting. Here is Leon-sama’s bank card.”
He handed me a palm-sized card made of wood. My name, account number, and the name of the registering branch were written on it.
“By presenting this bank card at the reception, we can verify your identity via mana, allowing you to withdraw, deposit, or transfer funds. Please be careful, as reissue fees for a lost card cost one silver coin. Now, the fee for opening the account today is three silver coins. Please proceed with payment.”
Three silver coins!? That’s so expensive! Most commoners couldn’t possibly afford that. And wait, is it really okay for Marcel to pay that much for me?
“Here are three silver coins.”
“Received. Thank you very much.”
The receptionist bowed slightly. So bowing exists in this culture. No one around me does it, so it’s the first time I’ve seen it. Wait, never mind that—the money!
I hurriedly chased after Marcel, who was already heading toward the exit.
“Marcel, are you sure about paying that? It’s so expensive!”
“I told you I’d pay for everything today, didn’t I? Besides, the promise is to deduct the account opening fee from the amount I transfer later, so there’s no problem. Personally, I wouldn’t mind not deducting it, though.”
“Please, make sure you deduct it!”
“Alright, alright. More importantly, you should buy something to hang that card around your neck so you don’t lose it. Next up is shopping.”
Marcel said that and kept walking briskly. Will he really deduct it? He seems like the type to say “don’t worry about small change” and end up paying for it himself… But arguing further won’t make him happy. I should just honestly thank him. But wait, he’s trying to buy me more stuff. Surely anything more than this is too much!
“Marcel, thank you. But really, you don’t need to get me anything else!”
“No, you should buy one. Besides, I haven’t had anyone to spend money on until now. Let me buy it for you.”
Marcel said this with a slightly happy expression. If he puts it like that, I can’t refuse…
“Then, I accept. Thank you so much, really.”
“Good. Now then, let’s do some sightseeing in the central district. We need to grab lunch, too.”
“Yes!”
I followed Marcel with a slightly wry smile.
We left the bank and walked with Marcel, looking at the shops in the central district.
“Let’s have lunch first. What do you want to eat, Leon?”
“Let’s see… what kind of places are there?”
“Well, there are high-class restaurants, trendy cafes, and standard diners for commoners.”
“There are diners for commoners here too?”
“Of course. Most of the employees in these shops are commoners, and there are many commoners working in the noble mansions. However, the prices are higher than in your neighborhood.”
I knew prices would be higher in the center. Anyway, given those three choices, there’s only one I can pick.
“I’ll take the commoner diner.”
“Alright, a trendy cafe it is.”
“Marcel! I didn’t say that!”
“It’s fine because I want to go. I actually wanted to go to a restaurant, but they have a dress code. You can’t get in with your outfit, Leon. Though, I suppose buying you clothes first and then going is an option?”
Buying clothes first!? That would be way too imposing!
“The cafe! I want to go to the cafe!”
“Good, let’s go to the cafe then.”
I feel like I’m dancing in the palm of Marcel’s hand. Well, I do want to go to a cafe, so I’ll gratefully let him treat me.
After walking for a while, we arrived at the cafe. From the outside, it just looked like a nice, ordinary house, but it had a stylish sign hanging out front.
Inside, unlike the tables in commoner homes which are just bare wood with no decoration, there were stylish tables and chairs painted white with intricate carvings on the edges.
“Welcome. Would that table over there suit you?”
“Is that okay, Leon?”
“Y-Yes! That’s fine.”
I wasn’t expecting him to ask me suddenly, so I panicked. A young woman showed us to our seats. I assume everyone working here is a commoner, but since they interact with nobles, they must be taught proper speech and etiquette. She was using polite language normally, which is different from the people around me.
“Here is the menu. Please call me when you have decided on your order.”
The waitress bowed and left.
“Leon, what would you like?”
“W-Wait a second.”
Marcel was already looking at the menu, so I hurriedly looked down at mine. True to the name ‘cafe,’ the menu was lined with fancy names. There were many things I recognized, like French Toast and Sandwiches, but there were also some dishes I’d never heard of.
This is just a guess, but I think my translation function translates things into Japanese names if a similar item exists in Japan, and if it doesn’t, it converts the local pronunciation into Katakana.
—
TL Note: Katakana is Japanese phonetic script used for foreign words. The MC notices his translation converts unfamiliar terms phonetically rather than finding Japanese equivalents.
—
And presumably, the words I speak are being translated into this world’s language. It’s incredibly convenient, but a mysterious ability… Well, it works, so whatever. Anyway, lunch first!
What should I get… Okay, I’ll go with a sandwich and French toast.
“Marcel, I’d like a sandwich and French toast.”
“What about a drink?”
Right, drinks are on the menu too. Commoner diners only serve water, so this is the first time I’ve chosen a drink since coming to this world. Let’s see… looks like they have black tea, green tea, and fruit juice. Hmm? Green tea!? This world has green tea? I’ve had a vague feeling that this world is somewhat Japanese-ish. I wonder why. But since black tea and green tea come from the same leaves, maybe it’s normal to have both?
It’s frustrating having questions with no answers. It’s not like I can ask anyone… I’ll try not to worry about it.
“Black tea, please.”
“Understood. I’ll order then.”
Marcel called the waitress and placed the order. He ordered jam toast and black tea. I thought the food culture in this world wasn’t very developed, but looking at this menu, it might actually be quite advanced among the nobility and their circles. Maybe it only started developing recently and hasn’t trickled down to the commoners yet.
“Marcel, are noble meals much more developed than commoner ones?”
“I suppose so. It’s developed rapidly since the war ended over ten years ago. Before that, nobles just ate larger quantities and better cuts of meat, but recently, cooking methods have really evolved. Plus, we can import sugar now, so sweets are becoming more common.”
There was a war? I’m really glad it’s over… So, does that mean commoner tables will get richer soon?
“Will commoner meals get better soon too?”
“Well, eventually, I suppose. But that’s decades away. It might spread to the wealthy class relatively quickly, but the poor have little connection to the central district.”
Is that so? Only the nobles again? I want to be a noble! I’m so jealous! For that, I definitely need to get into the Royal Academy.
As I renewed my resolve to enter the Royal Academy, the food arrived.
“Here you are.”
First the drinks came, then the food. Both the French toast and the sandwich looked incredibly delicious. My stomach involuntarily gave a loud growl. E-Embarrassing… let’s eat quickly.
“Shall we eat? Itadakimasu.”
“Itadakimasu!“
I decided to start with the sandwich. There was a knife and fork, so I assumed I should use them. My first silver cutlery in another world. Nobles probably have strict table manners. I glanced at Marcel, but his usage didn’t seem much different from how we use silverware in Japan, so I ate normally.
I held the sandwich with the fork and cut it with the knife. The first surprise: the bread isn’t hard! The bread generally eaten by commoners is rock-hard, like a baguette, but this was close to sandwich bread. Bread is evolving too.
Anyway, let’s take a bite. Chomp… Delicious! It’s insanely good! It has lettuce and chicken with something like a herb tomato sauce. Even by Japanese standards, this is a high-level sandwich. I devoured it in no time.
Next is the French toast. It looked like it was made from baguette, but it was incredibly soft. Chomp… Wow, the sweetness spreads in my mouth the moment I bite down. It’s too good! It’s the taste of happiness.
They definitely used sugar. It’s not much different from French toast in Japan. In fact, since I’ve been craving sweets so badly, it tastes even better. Oh no, I feel like I’m going to cry. Food really is important.
Finally, I drank the tea. It was fruitier than the tea I used to drink in Japan. It might even be better than the Japanese kind.
Ah~, everything was too delicious. I’m truly happy and completely satisfied. I definitely want to come back. As I let out a breath with a beaming smile, thinking about that, Marcel spoke to me.
“Was it good?”
Only then did I realize I had been eating in complete silence, utterly absorbed in the food.
“I-I’m sorry. It was so good I got lost in eating…”
“It’s fine. You looked so happy eating it, it made me feel happy too.”
Marcel said this with a bit of a teasing tone. E-Embarrassing… I’ll be careful next time.
“Um, it was incredibly delicious. Thank you for the meal.”
I was so embarrassed my voice came out small. Marcel chuckled a little at that and said,
“Glad to hear it. Well then, shall we go shopping next?”
Marcel stood up and paid the bill, and I followed him out of the shop.
“Right, next is a leather goods shop. You’ll want something that can hold a little money in addition to your bank card.”
Leather goods are definitely expensive. But rather than holding back, it’s better to accept his kindness gratefully.
“Thank you very much.”
We walked for a while after leaving the cafe and arrived in front of a fairly large shop. This seemed to be the main branch of a company dealing mainly in leather goods for nobles and the wealthy.
“Welcome. What are you looking for today?”
“I want something that hangs from the neck, capable of holding a bank card and a little money.”
“Certainly. In that case, we recommend this product here.”
The item the clerk showed us was like a pass case that hangs around the neck. No, it was bigger than a pass case, so strictly speaking, it was more like a wallet that hangs from the neck.
“Leon, which one do you like?”
Even if you ask me which one, they all look pretty much the same. If anything, the difference is just whether the color is dark or light…
“Um, I like the darker color.”
“Certainly. In that case, this product uses durable leather, so it comes highly recommended.”
The clerk recommended a specific one among the dark-colored ones. That’s very helpful.
“Okay, we’ll take that one.”
“Certainly. That will be five silver coins. Is that acceptable?”
“That’s fine.”
“Please pay here.”
Five silver coins!? That means it’s like 50,000 yen! Is it that expensive?! But Marcel is already paying… My debt of gratitude to Marcel just keeps piling up.
While I was panicking over the price, Marcel finished paying.
“Leon, put your bank card in it. It would be trouble if you lost it.”
“Yes, thank you so much.”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I have leftover money since I had no one to spend it on.”
Marcel laughed as he said that. I’m truly grateful. I will absolutely repay him.
Thinking that, I put the bank card in the wallet he bought me. With this, I can wear it under my clothes at all times, even while sleeping. That’s the best security. Besides, carrying a high-quality wallet like this is basically announcing “I have money.” I’ll keep it tucked inside my clothes unless I’m in the central district.
“Is it in safely?”
“Yes! Perfect. Thank you.”
“Good. I plan on having you earn plenty for me from now on, after all.”
“Of course! I’ll work hard on thinking up magic tools.”
“Well, no need to rush. Shall we head home?”
“Yes. It takes a while, so we should probably head back.”
And so, Marcel and I started walking toward the plaza where we first got off the public carriage.
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