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This Is A City Of One's True Color
In any case, it’s the north. I could see the blue sky from the gap between the gray buildings. I kept walking straight while the strong sunlight shone on my back. I might have gotten a little lost. No problem. I still had about 2 more hours.
Although wandering around too much without a good reason was not exactly a good idea. I had to properly watch people’s movements here. If there are a lot of people walking, then I’m sure I would find the place I was looking for there. Thinking like that, I let my gaze roam around the surroundings.
I could see people coming and going on a street 2 blocks away. There was a torii-like gate at the entrance of the street, and furthermore, unusually in this lifeless-looking city, it was painted in bright vermilion. Moreover, a vermilion cloth was hanging from the top of the gate, serving as a partition between that street and the outside.
This was it, I thought, and ran up there in a jog.
Passing through the gate, it suddenly became a magnificent-looking street. The road was wide, and the cobblestones, if anything, seemed to be in a brighter shade. On the left and right were about three-story-high stores made of stone lined up. The materials used for those buildings were the same as those around them, but first, their size was incomparable. Each house was around 20 meters wide. And the atmosphere was more flourishing. As for the reason, that’s because cloths of various colors decorated each store. A large cloth hangs down from the space between the first and the second floor, the kind that lets you see just faintly through to the other side. Some of them even had embroidery stitched into them. And, on the other side of those cloths, were wide entrances left open, which released pleasant fragrances.
Every place has a veranda on the second floor. On the left and right of the buildings are hollowed parts that appear to be for lighting fixtures. The buildings themselves were around 3 stories tall but they only had small windows fitted with glass that were not very transparent.
It was such a magnificent street but it was roughly 500 meters long. And on the other side was, as expected, another vermilion gate.
I see, this was undoubtedly the center of the merchant town. It has quite a stylish atmosphere. But, it was a little inconvenient. Every store had cloth hanging in front. Since it was this time of the year, they were probably trying to prevent the sunlight from entering the store, but I simply had no idea what they were selling. Perhaps it was possible to tell the difference from the cloth hanging in front of the store, but unfortunately, I had no idea since I knew nothing about this area.
The important thing is, where was the grocery store, I wonder. Which wholesaler purchases ores? White, red, blue, green, black.....not good, I could not imagine which was which.
I might just get kicked out after they see my appearance and think I’m a beggar, but even so, I should enter a store and ask for directions. I might surprisingly meet kind adults like the miners from before. Thinking like that, I turn toward a nearby store that has black cloth hanging in front of it. The edge of the cloth was embroidered with golden thread, and it gave the store a truly elegant and luxurious feeling. I’m sure this was not a grocery store.
「Excuse me」
I tried calling out after passing through the cloth. There was no one inside. I looked inside the store. To my surprise, the inside of the store was spotlessly clean and well-kept, nothing like its rough exterior walls. There was a comfortable-looking sofa, and beside it was a thin curtain hanging down to protect the privacy of the guest, as expected. There was no one at the reception desk right now, and it seemed to be unattended.....
Soon, there was the sound of light footsteps. You could tell from the sound that it was a woman.
As soon as the young woman who appeared saw me, she smiled brightly.
「Well, welcome」
A beautiful woman.
She was wearing a white dress that looked like clothes from the southern country. She was also lightly dressed, with her make-up perfect. Her brown hair was tied up in a ponytail with bright flowers tucked in as decorations at the base.
「Are you perhaps the kid who was arranged to come today? Then it has to be through the back door, you know?」
「Eh?」
What?
I felt like there was a misunderstanding. I had no arrangement or promise to come here. First, let’s deny that.
「No, I’m not. I’m here for salt」
「Eh? Salt!?」
As soon as I said the word ‘salt’, the woman cried out in surprise.
「Well, now, a kid like you is already doing salt now....」
「Is there something wrong with that?」
「Eh? No, well, that might happen sometimes. So, how much salt do you carry?」
Huh? Something just isn’t clicking.
「Um, that’s not it. I want some salt」
「Eehh!?」
The oneesan’s confusion and surprise reached a peak.
「Hey, you shouldn’t say that even if you’re joking! That’s not something a child should use!」
「Hm? But, it’s important for adults and children, right?」
There, the woman’s expression suddenly vanished.
「Perhaps.....you, what did you come here for?」
Finally, she seemed to have realized that there was some big misunderstanding.
「I came here to buy salt」
「Sal, you say, it’s that salt, right? The kind for cooking.....」
「Yes. Is there any other salt?」
She blinked in surprise, still looking a bit displeased.
「You know.....this place, what do you think this place is?」
「Isn’t this the wholesale district? I’m looking for a grocery store」
Her gaze at me gradually became harsh. Her previous welcoming attitude at the start was gone, and now, even a hint of hostility was already beginning to show on her face.
「Haa? Then, who are you? I’m sorry, but it’ll be troubling if a beggar kid enters this store」
「I’m not a beggar. I may look like this, but I’m actually an apprentice serving a merchant of knightly rank」
「And why would such an apprentice be looking for salt? You won’t be able to purchase salt in a place like this, you know?」
「No, my master told me to learn things and check the market price of salt」
Hearing my explanation, she pressed on her temple and looked down.
「Ahー...so that’s how it is. Un un, I understand. This is not the wholesale district. Also, it will be better not to mention ‘salt’ around here, alright? People will misunderstand after all」
「Ehh?」
「Just leave. I’m sorry but you’re in the way of my business」
I gave a slight bow to her and dashed outside at her firm tone that brooked no argument.
What's this?
She said this was not the wholesale district, so where was this place? The place was extremely impressive and bright.....I stood in the middle of the street and looked around my surroundings. Buildings decorated with colorful cloths. Beyond that lies the imposing sight of the green mountain and bare rock. Even though this was the most beautiful and lively place in the city, what happened in this place?
I don’t understand what’s going on, but let’s go north for now. This way, I might finally reach the wholesale district. And it was the moment when I was about to pass through the northern gate.
Suddenly, a shadow appeared from the front, and I was sent flying back a bit.
「Oh? Ah, boy, are you okay?」
In front of me was a young man with a frivolous look on his face. He was not badly dressed. He was wearing a neat, bright jacket and seemingly good-quality, navy blue pants. Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be a somewhat wealthy merchant.
「Ah, yes. I’m fine. I’m sorry, I was careless」
I bow while apologizing.
「Boy....wait, are you a girl? Your hair is covered though.....」
That was right. My hair was still hidden under the cloth the size of a towel I wrapped around my head. I had fair skin and unexpectedly delicate features, I guess it’s no wonder people might mistake me for a girl.
「No, just so you know, I’m a boy you know. Um, this」
Once we had a conversation, it was an opportunity. Let’s ask him where the wholesale district is.
「I lost my way, so if possible, could you please tell me the way? I'm looking for a broker for food but do you know where the wholesale district is?」
「Hoeh?」
He made a shocked expression at my question. 1
「Aren’t you an extremely levelheaded kid」
「Thank you」
「You exit through here and go straight to the left to reach the wholesale district」
「So it was that way! Thank you」
Now I could finally relax.
But, then, where was this place I wonder?
「There are the square and warehouses beyond the wholesale district but there are stray dogs wandering that area. Especially for a kid like you, be careful, alright?」
「Thank you very much for the warning」
「Sure」
Now I could just bow and move on, but my curiosity was piqued.
「By the way, oniisan, why did you come to this place?」
He looked uncomfortable at this question.
「Why you say.....why is it, that is you know.....aah, a kid wouldn’t understand」
「Yes?」
「I came here to cleanse my soul. Well, it’s okay once in a while, right? You’ll understand when you grow up」
Ah.....so it’s that kind of place!
I look back. So all these buildings lined up, they were all brothels?
「Maybe.....the women, this place are.....」
「That’s right. It’s embarrassing, so quit making me say it」
Ah, I’m sorry for interrupting you. Just when you’re having fun.
But, going to this kind of place in the middle of the day, this guy was just as bad.
「Haa.....it doesn’t look like that at all to me」
「Oh. This place is special. Gruvy is in Korapt after all. And it is actually popular with peddlers, you know?」
Gruvy, you say?
What’s the difference with or without him here?
「You won’t find such a fine adult street in another city. Look, this street, all of them belong to Gruvy, y’know」
「Eh! All of them?」
「Gruvy is practically this city’s boss after all. Using money and his authority, he turned this whole area into a red-light district. Just between you and me, Korapt is the most erotic spot in the southern part of Forestia, y’know?」
What a guy. I certainly had heard that Gruvy managed brothels, but I never imagined it was on such a scale. It’s roughly 50 brothels. And all of them are his.
「Doing it nonstop at some black-market shop while getting high on a little salt, that’s what real connoisseurs are into now」
「Black-market shop, is it? Also, salt?」
Right. That’s what I’m wondering about.
I realized this was a brothel cluster. If so, I wonder what those colorful cloths mean? Also, that so-called 「salt」, it does not seem to be salt in its literal meaning.
「Ahー, so basically」
It seems like men really like chasing after women. He started talking, as if he had met someone with similar tastes to his.
First off, the cloth’s color could tell the store’s type and tendency. Stores with black cloths are places with experienced and well-trained prostitutes. And you could enjoy extreme play while taking in an aphrodisiac called 「salt」. Green clothes are the opposite of black, they are stores that specialize in amateurs with little experience. While their service level was low, there seemed to be a constant demand for them.
Red and blue are not only for doing the deed, but also for other forms of entertainment. The reds are the kind where you could drink while enjoying singing and dancing. Blues are associated with bathing and massages. So what about white? White was not a place where they offered direct service, but a place to buy and sell female slaves.
All of Gruvy’s stores were said to be thoroughly managed and were of very high standards. Therefore, people chose to add this city to their trade route in order to secretly have some fun.
It could not simply be dismissed as just ridiculous. Even in my previous life, for example, in Corinth, Greece, the ports were always full of ships. It was not because there were some attractive goods that so many sea merchants frequented the place. It was because there was the temple of Aphrodite and the prostitutes affiliated with the temple. But, even if it were for such a reason, the market would gain momentum if people gathered.
「Moreover, it’s not just here. There is a super high-class store you can’t enter unless you have the connections. I don’t know where it is」
They probably had some fascinating services over there. But, I don’t think I would enjoy that place myself. I mean, they would only have the elite prostitutes over there.....which meant, they are probably that guy’s 「leftovers」. And above all, Groovy might be hanging in the back, secretly casting his Mind Manipulation Magic on us. Even if that was not so, using a store that offers such special services would probably give them all kinds of leverage against you. That’s too scary.
……Dona too, I wonder if he would pass her around there if he got tired of her.
「Ah, we ended up talking for a long time. I’m sorry, but it’s about time I go」
「Ah, yes. Thank you very much for the useful information」
「Make use of it 10 years from now. Bye then!」
Once we finished our chat, the man quickly walked away down the street.
I see, this was how much authority Gruvy had in this city. It was an unintentional side trip, but it was not wasteful.
What if, he turned against me? If he found out about my secret and started pursuing me, it would be troublesome.
I pulled myself together and left the red-light district.
……the sunset was dazzling.
The thriving Pyris was made of only white stones but at this time of day, it did not look nice somehow. It probably would not feel that way from the ground but looking from the sky, it was quite a letdown. White square buildings dotted the landscape in the reddish light of the evening sun, which somehow makes me think of miso soup or mapo tofu.
Ah, come to think of it, I haven’t had either of them in a long time. Has it been 6 years since I last had my rich, Japanese diet? I should be able to gather the ingredients in Pyris if it’s mapo tofu so it might not be impossible to make it. But, you could not expect something like that from the chef who serves the servants. When I thought about the usual thrown-together meal. No, let’s not think about it.
I circled around the Viscount House’s warehouse. There was no shadow of a person by the window. It was just about time for dinner. That was why there was no one around. I quietly folded my wings and slipped inside the room. Then, I immediately changed back into my human form and unpacked my luggage again. I needed to get dressed at once.
I spent all the pocket money I had brought with me. Even the remaining 5 copper coins were used to buy my own light meal and feed for my bird’s body.
But, I got enough information in exchange.
Salt was usually priced at 4 to 5 silver coins per kilo in Korapt, and it was 6 silver coins if they are good quality. It was 3 to 5 silver in Pyris, so it was quite expensive. However, Pyris was not the origin of the salt.
Further southwest of Pyris lies the fishing village called Vulcan, where they produce salt made from seawater. There, they sell it for 1 to 2 silver coins. Of course, that depends on the quality of salt.
The salt that enters Korapt seems to be split between this Vulcan village and rock salt from Tintinabria in the north. Also, there was no means of producing salt locally.
So, transporting and selling salt from there would net a huge profit. That was how it was, but it took around 3-4 days from Vulcan to Pyris, and from Pyris to Korap would take around 7 days, so you had to travel quite a long distance. A one-way trip takes more than 10 days so going there and back would be quite the journey. Moreover, using horses would also add to the cost. In addition, there would be bandits along the way, and both Pyris and Korapt would charge you an entry tax.
So, normally, it was not such an easy business. Normally, that is.
Well, that means I’d have to take to the skies again tomorrow.
I hurried to the mansion in order to get dinner.
Just past noon on the day before the departure. I was being called by Khan.
In a corner within the mansion’s grounds, the merchant caravan was preparing its departure. Several horse-drawn carriages were loading the various packaged goods there.
「You’re here」
Dressed in his usual Western Saharia-style traditional costume, Khan called out to me.
「Did you bring it?」
The servants who delivered the message to me told me I had 2 tasks to do. The first was my luggage. Departure was tomorrow morning. There was no time to leisurely pack my luggage there. So, I had to bring my personal belongings, such as a change of clothes, while there was still time. And the other one was medicine.
「Yes, first is this」
I handed over the completely dried Kona drug. Khan opened the bag and checked the contents. He sticks his finger inside to check the quality.
A little while later, he looked at me doubtfully.
「……these, did you make them all alone?」
「Yes」
「Really?」
「Really」
Well, it’s natural for him to doubt me. It was clearly on a different level from drugs made by beginners as practice.
「Next time, you will work in front of me」
「I don’t mind」
It was a skill I snatched from Irich, but it was now my skill. You could look as much as you want.
「Also about your personal belongings during our travel, is that bag sufficient?」
「It is but」
Khan told me. He said, he would bring my luggage and me, myself, by carriage. So, let them carry it.
「I have other luggage, but can you help me carry it?」
「What?」
「It is, to heavy for me to carry」
Khan’s expression grows stern.
「……what do you mean」
He started walking despite saying that.
「It’s this」
I started walking too. Khan followed behind me without saying anything.
What he saw in my room was a large bag. And there were 2 of them. The total weight was around 40 kilos.
「This is, salt?」
「Yes」
「Where」
Khan started to speak but then stopped. The sternness from his expression had disappeared. But, his expression was still serious. His curiosity had gotten the better of him.
He slowly turned around and looked at me, and spoke.
「Can I see the inside?」
「Yes」
He crouched and gently opened the thick paper bag. He took out a small spoon from the small tool bag on his waist and took just a small amount of salt. After carefully returning the bag, he raised the spoon and stared at the salt. Pinching a bit of salt with his fingers, he put it in his mouth.
「This is……」
That was salt collected in Vulkan. It was also a high-quality product where they had carefully removed any impurities. Shortly after returning from Korapt, I judged that I did not have time, so I flew to Vulcan the next day. And after that, I immediately purchased the high-quality salt wholesale from Vulcan. At first, they looked down on me because I was just a kid, but I had the skills of a merchant. In addition, I was also a chef back in my previous life. So I was well accustomed to judging the quality of salt. At the same time, I also had the status of a servant of the Viscount House. Their attitudes changed - albeit I looked small - when they realized I was an expert.
And I somehow managed to rush back by horse and finally arrived last night. And since I made them transport the salt just for my own convenience, the transport cost alone was fairly expensive. Still, it was 40 kilos. Even if I were to sell it in Pyris, the net profit would be 2 gold coins. But, if I really want to make a profit, I would have to take all of these all the way to Korapt. Of course, I shouldn’t sell it at the highest price at the actual place. If anything, I should sell it quickly, even at a slightly discounted price. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to restock on the other side next time.
「This is not rock salt.....this is, Vulcan’s salt? Also, such good quality. But…..」
Khan turned around to face me.
「Where did you buy this?」
「They sell salt in Pyris too, right? And since Korapt is in the mountains, I thought I could sell salt at a high price」
There was no way I could be honest here, and I told him I took the trouble of having them sent directly from Vulcan. Even if it was a place that would take less than 2 hours if you fly in the sky, it still takes 3 days if you go on foot. So how did I get to Vulcan and back if he asked me? That would become a problem in itself. So, I insist that I bought it in Pyris.
Naturally, Khan notices the inconsistency. You can't purchase such an amount of salt with this quality at Pyris’s selling price.
「This is also my luggage, so you can load it into the carriage, right?」
「……yeah, of course. I’ll carry them to the carriage」
After forcing out just those words, Khan turned on his heel. He can't pursue any further. He was the one managing the caravan after all. He did not have time to engage in trivial issues. But, guess I had to be more careful with my actions in the future so I would not get caught. As expected, inconsistencies would inevitably appear somewhere if I were to use my ability.
Now then, the trip starts tomorrow. I would just take it easy on the 1-week journey I could reach in 3 hours. Let’s enjoy it as much as I can. www.ihavesinnedtranslation.com
TL Note :
1 . Like a pigeon shot by a peashooter
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