CH 4.34

Journey and Whim

Translated by Mlzkzr

Edited by Mlzkzr

The southwesternmost country of the group of small nations, the Principality of Travoia, is a city-state consisting of a city called Janpemon and surrounding villages.

Not only the Principality of Travoia, but also other small states have a mild climate and fertile lands, and since they draw water from large rivers and their tributaries, they do not have much trouble finding water and producing a lot of food.

It was, in short, what one would call a blessed land.

Conversely, it is precisely because the land was so blessed that it afforded the small states the luxury of being able to establish themselves in disarray.

When I arrived at the town of Janpemon, the sky was beginning to turn red.

Around the town of Janpemon, fields of wheat, the main product, stretch endlessly, as if the end isn’t in sight.

The wheat shines golden in the setting sun……and the town of Janpemon looked just like a stone ship floating on a golden sea.

……Would it be poetic to say something like?

As a matter of fact, the expression was from a poem by a poet who used to work in this area, Paku, about the town of Janpemon……. a quotation so to speak.

A traveling merchant with whom I shared a table at a bar in the previous town told me about it for the sake of making conversation.

Well, to me, it looks just like a town of wheat fields and stone buildings, but just knowing a phrase or two like this gives me the illusion that my heart has become a little richer.

Yeah, there’s no point in dressing up in the middle of nowhere, so let’s enter the town of Janpemon before the sun goes down.

I also left the deep forest, and even after leaving the Kingdom of Ludria, I traveled across several countries, so I’m quite accustomed to the procedures when entering a city.

Since the small nations are very cautious about people coming in and out of other regions, I know that I will stand out this time, so I will use my senior blacksmith’s license as an identification card.

Since leaving the Kingdom of Ludria, I haven’t had the opportunity to go in and out of the forge, so my blacksmithing skills have probably dulled a bit.

Therefore, I don’t plan to stay in Janpemon very long, but I would still like to do one or two blacksmithing jobs in there.

Besides, having a history of working in a town in a small group of states would make the guards’ attitude a little softer than that of a traveler who goes on ahead without doing anything.

Now then, as I entered the town of Janpemon, the first thing I always do is look for an inn on the street.

The sun is already setting, and my belly is gurgling and asserting itself as if it’s about to reach its limit.

That’s why, I can’t resist the smell of dinner wafting through the air, and I dive into a nearby inn where the first floor is a dining room, as if I were being sucked into it.

I will probably stay in this town for a week or two for my blacksmithing work, maybe a little longer, but that doesn’t mean I can’t change my lodgings once I’ve decided.

If I did like it, I can extend my stay. If don’t, I can simply decide again on a place to stay that’s closer to the blacksmith shop where I will rent a room.

“Ye~s, you’re alone, right! Good evening, are you eating today or are you staying the night?”

When I entered the inn, a girl about ten years old or younger, who was serving someone, turned to me and asked so.

She is young for a hired employee, yet she’s skilled at her work.

In other words, she must be a child born and raised in this inn.

“I’m staying the night, but I’m also hungry. So can I ask for both?”

When I say this, the girl smiles happily.

From the child’s point of view, one more customer is just one more work to help out with, but the smile on her face seemed like she was genuinely happy.

The cafeteria was reasonably crowded, and even now it would be busy, but apparently, she is a very good girl.

“Mooom, there’s a guest staying overnight! Ah, err, a room for one cost 50 copper coins. The meal costs 12 copper coins for dinner and 8 copper coins for breakfast. If you don’t mind, please put your name in the ledger.”

The sight of the girl working so hard makes me smile just watching her.

The cost of lodging is a little cheap, but the cost of the meal is fair to normal.

If anything, this is the type of inn that mostly makes its money from dining.

For the time being, I ask for one night and dinner, then I write my name on the ledger.

“Acer-san. It’s Acer-san, right. Then I will show you to your room. Please come down to eat after you put your luggage aside. Ah, the hot water and laundry will each cost five copper coins.”

I nodded to the girl who added so in a flustered manner.

I would get the hot water after dinner, and if I were to continue to stay at this inn, I would probably ask for laundry.

It is not a luxurious inn, but the atmosphere is not bad.

Guided by the girl, I climbed the stairs to the second floor.

Then with a sparkle, she occasionally looks back at me and steals a glance.

When I looked at her, she waved her hand in surprise and panic.

“Uh,uhmmm, Acer-san, you’re an elf, aren’t you?”

Then, she timidly asked so.

She probably thought it was rude to pry into the guests.

The girl’s face paled as if she had just asked a question that unintentionally came out of her mouth.

Well, since I don’t care about that,

“Yes, yes, I’m an elf. Is this your first time seeing one?”

I placed my hand on her head and stroked it as if to soothe her.

Even I encountered only a few elves who were active outside the forest, even in the capital of a large country like the Kingdom of Ludria, so being in small countries or city-states, she probably never saw any.

“Ah, err, only once, from a distance. But you are the first elf who comes to us as a guest. Ah, the room for one is here. Please don’t lose the key.”

The girl says shyly and bashfully

I unlocked the door and entered the room, and she went back downstairs to work.

I wouldn’t go so far as to say the rooms are old-fashioned, but it was showing their age.

The quality of the bed is also commensurate with the price.

However, the room was clean, and a single flower was placed in a vase on a chest by the window, which showed the thoughtfulness of this inn.

The locks were well made, so it might be okay for me to stay here for a while.

…… I guess it depends on the taste of the dinner.

Yes, if it’s about the meal that this inn will serve, it’s still too early to decide.

After making a quick check of my room, I put down my luggage, locked the door, and went downstairs to the dining room.