Chapter 35 – Ethan Conrad (5)
“Suddenly a request, I was shocked to hear the news.”
“Well, it’s a request, but it’s really nothing much. You can think of it as a light trip.”
In the morning, when the fog hadn’t completely lifted, Patrick, who was yawning, chuckled when he saw us arriving. I informed him about what we would be doing moving forward.
The more he listened, the rounder his eyes became.
“Sightseeing, exploring restaurants… just hearing about it sounds like a real vacation, is that all?”
“Yes. I’ll handle the practical work, so you can just hang out with Rina.”
I smiled as I patted his back. I didn’t feel the need to share the detailed circumstances. Both Ethan and Patrick were exceptional companions, but there was no reason to involve them unnecessarily.
“Alright. If you say so.”
Perhaps he had a rough idea, as Patrick didn’t press for more details. Given the previous erosion incident, he seemed disinclined to interfere in my work.
“I’ve been to Id a few times. The city itself is smaller than this place, but when you consider the surrounding areas developed alongside it, it’s much larger.”
Moreover, he had experience from the past visiting that place and could perform wonderfully as a guide. Our first trial after departing for the meeting point was to instantly move to our destination, Id, through spatial teleportation.
There was a reason Ethan used the term ‘trial’ when explaining that process to me. Just hearing about it brought to mind the strict checks done at airports.
“If we’re not careful, we might drop dangerous people we don’t know in the middle of the city. The place with the teleportation is called the ‘castle within the castle.'”
Patrick pointed to a dome-shaped building visible in the distance. Just as he said, that was a kind of ‘station’ where the teleportation occurred, resembling a castle within a castle.
Hearing it, it truly sounded like a dream mode of transportation. It was essentially the manifestation of warping, which only appeared in science fiction.
“I heard a long time ago that people used to dig tunnels in the ground and transported people in enormous carriages that moved at incredible speeds.”
“Where did you hear that?”
“I don’t remember well, but it was probably at some tavern. Scholars, excited to discover relics, claimed that something thought to be an absurd illusion actually existed.”
It was then that Patrick abruptly brought up the old tales. I frowned at him since he was looking directly at me, and he shrugged.
“Spatial teleportation allows for quick travel anywhere, but it’s complicated and expensive to use, so it’s a privilege of those who have it, like most magical civilizations. I’ve only used it once myself. In contrast, back in the day, even commoners could use it easily, making it quite remarkable.”
He preferred the subway over spatial teleportation.
Elders ride for free, and it was a representative form of public transport that served the common folk—such phrases had been humorously distorted over the years.
“From that perspective, I suppose that’s a valid point.”
Our impressions seemed to differ based on our standards of what ‘great’ meant. To me, the spatial teleportation, which seemed like magic, appeared miraculous when juxtaposed with the subway I frequently took. However, for Patrick, who lived as a poor adventurer without enjoying the advancements of magical civilization, he rated the past civilization that most people could enjoy more highly.
Seizing the moment, I explained more about the subway to him—its speed, how it moved, and how it was operated.
As I spoke, I began to understand why stories of the past get transformed and twisted.
“You’ve sparked a lot of interest in me.”
Of course, Rina, who was next to him, seemed genuinely intrigued by all the information. Seeing the sparkle in his eyes, it seemed his interest was not a lie.
“Stop. Those heading to Id, please.”
The checks were complicated, but the process was carried out smoothly. No matter how expensive it was, the convenience in using it meant there were plenty of users, and the staff were experienced.
“Hmm.”
The employee overseeing our check made us reveal our faces as if checking our passports while confirming our identities.
Fortunately, there was no rule like having to show our ears, so I didn’t need to remove the frilly hairband covering mine.
‘This is taking forever. No bribes work here.’
The management of the teleportation was co-operated by the local ruler and an association that managed teleportation across the continent. In this place, rampant bribery didn’t hold.
“Good. You seem to have no issues. If you go to the indicated place, you’ll find the teleportation point you need.”
Fortunately, the staff allowed us through to enter. To reach the place he indicated, we began to walk down the maze-like corridor.
There were no windows, and it was only illuminated by glowing stone lanterns, making it feel as if we had entered an underground dungeon.
“Why is it so maze-like?”
“For security. In case there’s an issue inside, we could seal parts off one by one to buy time. Over there.”
Every detail served a purpose. In response to my grumbling, Patrick pointed us toward where we needed to go.
“Confirmed. When you stand on that magic circle, the device will activate. Take this and show it to the person there. Be careful not to lose it. If you lose the permit, you could be arrested there.”
The person operating the magic circle for us was, naturally, a wizard.
With a face that clearly showed his work-related woes, wishing he could go home, the wizard groaned as he tapped the magic circle with his staff, causing a complex diagram written in an unrecognizable script to flash brightly.
“—?!”
“—!”
Even I and the spirits were surprised, as an intense energy suddenly enveloped our bodies.
A strong pull, unlike anything I had ever experienced before, made me grit my teeth and suddenly everything was over.
“We’ve arrived.”
“The permit, please… oh, that’s okay. I’ve seen it now. You may exit through here. You’ll be allowed out once your identity is verified.”
Similarly, a wizard greeted us. However, he was entirely different from the previous one.
“It may seem similar, but it’s different. Many styles of the past remain, so it’s possible to feel a somewhat similar vibe if you go near the adventurer’s guild.”
Finally exiting the building, which had been separated from the outside. As Patrick said, we were in an entirely different city.
Although the overall scenery was somewhat similar, it was indeed different. The atmosphere truly felt different.
“But the reason we’re here isn’t to do adventurer work.”
“That’s right. For now, let’s do a bit of sightseeing. We should at least know where things are.”
Ethan had already informed me about this place and the targets I needed to investigate. To begin my investigations today, we decided to naturally blend into the city.
‘If we go that way, there’s the mansion of the guy.’
He might think this city was under his control like the palm of his hand. However, since he didn’t know anything about me, that was meaningless.
“—! —?!”
However, things unfolded earlier than I had planned.
While I initially intended to leisurely explore the city and find accommodations, a wind spirit suddenly rushed to deliver news to me.
‘He’s nearby?’
It was information that the person described by Ethan was in the vicinity of this bustling area. Thinking about it, my target wouldn’t always be stuck at home, so it was entirely possible.
“Where are we going?”
“Let’s check that way.”
I led my companions in that direction. Looking at the area, it seemed like a commercial district filled with restaurants, and it felt like a natural place to head towards.
They were probably dining somewhere there.
“This seems like quite an expensive place, are you sure?”
“It was originally part of the plan to have a meal. It wouldn’t feel right to come all the way here and eat what we usually do.”
What awaited us there was indeed the front of a luxurious restaurant.
Patrick flinched at the considerable price that a regular adventurer wouldn’t easily think twice about, but considering I was prepared to go out like this and had taken quite a bit of money from Ethan beforehand, I pulled on Rina’s sleeve.
“The food here is quite good today. I suppose lamb isn’t to my taste.”
At the same time, I directed a wind spirit to flutter around the target, conveying that sentiment.
As we got close enough, I distinctly heard the voices of two men talking, as if they were whispering alongside us.
‘Captain Herman. Is the guy in front of him one of his subordinates?’
By coincidence, we were assigned seats quite near them. It wasn’t quite close enough to overhear, but it was irrelevant to me.
