Chapter 35
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 035
Chapter Title: The Great City
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Following the group through the city gates, Andy finally entered the metropolis.
He couldn't help letting out an exclamation of awe.
"Wow... there are so many people."
The first thing he saw upon entering the city was an endless throng of humanity.
People streamed along the long, straight avenue. Countless individuals hurried about, weaving between buildings and roads. It was a dizzying spectacle.
Having spent his entire life in a remote rural village on the frontier, Andy had never seen so many people at once.
The boy glanced around, taking in the sights.
'The buildings are all so tall. Even on the outskirts, they're three or four stories high...'
Three- and four-story structures crowded every street.
Multistory buildings were rare in frontier villages or small towns, but here in the great city, they were everywhere.
And the road beneath his feet? It was paved with stones precisely cut and fitted together.
This was the first truly flat road Andy had ever seen.
Nothing like the roughly laid cobblestones of small towns. Thanks to the craftsmanship, carriages rolled along with minimal jolts.
Even with so many people and wagons, the road showed no significant wear—clearly, it was maintained regularly.
"Amazing. So this is a great city?"
Everything astonished him—the crowds filling the streets, the towering buildings packed tightly together, the impeccably paved roads.
Every sight was leagues beyond what he'd known in small towns. He couldn't help but marvel.
But what truly captured his gaze was something else.
'What is that? I can sense mana coming from over there.'
His eyes fixed on a peculiar structure by the roadside.
It had an odd appearance: a long iron pole topped with a crystal orb the size of a man's head. It looked like a giant matchstick.
What could it be used for? Andy had never seen anything like it, so he couldn't guess its purpose.
"Mayor, what's that?"
Andy pointed at the mysterious object and asked Dietrich.
The mayor kindly explained.
"That's... a mana lamp. It charges with mana during the day and lights up the streets at night. A magical tool."
"A magical tool? Lighting the streets at night? No way!"
Andy could hardly believe it.
He approached the 'mana lamp' and placed his hand on it, sensing the flow of mana.
He had to admit it was true.
'It's real. It's absorbing ambient mana and storing it in the crystal. A genuine magical tool.'
He could feel the structure drawing in and storing surrounding mana. This thing really was a functional magical device.
Andy examined the mana lamp more closely. His spiritual senses scanned the object.
Its design seemed simple. With some materials and basic alchemy knowledge, he could probably replicate it.
It wasn't some high-level artifact.
Even so, it was astonishing.
"Lighting streets with magical tools..."
What a luxury.
Magical tools—devices powered by mana—were inherently valuable, creatable only by 'mages.'
Yet here they were, casually lining the streets.
And not just one or two—they stood at regular intervals along the roads.
Each gleamed like new, recently made.
The faint lingering mana traces around them clinched it.
'That means there's likely another mage here besides me.'
It made sense.
Mages were rare, but in a city of over a hundred thousand, there had to be at least one.
A developed metropolis like this probably had more.
Andy felt a spark of hope.
Maybe he could meet other mages here, exchange knowledge, learn more about magic.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind...
"Let's find an inn first. I'm eager for some rest."
Dietrich took the lead, guiding them. The group followed, wagons in tow.
The group headed straight to an inn to rest.
They devoured a hearty meal, bathed in hot water, and collapsed into soft beds.
The month-long winter journey had been grueling. Fatigue weighed heavy, and they fell asleep the moment their heads hit the pillows.
The next morning, as the group recovered bit by bit...
"I'll head to my family home. Back the day after tomorrow. Wait here at the inn."
Dietrich donned his overcoat as he spoke.
As he prepared to leave, he paused.
"Oh, and... Andy?"
"Yes?"
"Any rewards you're after? Even hard-to-find items are fine."
Dietrich asked what Andy wanted as compensation.
Now that they'd reached the big city, it was time to fulfill the promised reward.
"This is where my family is based. I can get rare things easily. Mana potions, staves, crystal orbs... even proper mage gear."
"Really?"
"Yes. As long as it's not top-tier."
Andy perked up at Dietrich's words.
Mana potions, magic staves, mage robes, computation-assist crystals...
And other items mages used directly.
These were hard to obtain. Unlike the basic magic books Andy had acquired before, these were treated as 'war materiel.'
Mana potions were consumables battle mages guzzled like water. Staves amplified spell power.
Crystals aided complex spell calculations. Robes protected mages in combat and smoothed mana flow.
Essential gear for frontline mages.
They were strictly controlled wartime supplies, given mages' massive battlefield impact.
'He can get mage equipment like that?'
Hard to believe.
Even as a quasi-noble and mayor of a city.
His city was gone, his position meaningless now. How could he procure such items?
His family might be wealthy, but they were commoners. It would be tough.
'Maybe from a noble house?'
The thought crossed his mind, but Andy dismissed it.
Nobles were elitist, rarely mingling with commoners.
Someone from nobility wouldn't have lived among villagers in a rural outpost.
Probably not.
'Or maybe an incredibly rich merchant family?'
He'd heard wealthy merchants sometimes rivaled low nobles in influence.
Andy guessed Dietrich might be from such a clan.
No point dwelling; he wouldn't learn more.
Dietrich seemed reluctant to discuss his family anyway. No need to pry.
So, Andy's response was straightforward.
"What I want is..."
He'd state his requests and wait.
If he got them, great. If not, oh well. Simple as that.
Andy listed his desired items. Dietrich nodded and headed out.
Mana potion. And a mage's robe.
Those were Andy's requests.
Dietrich muttered softly.
"Not too hard to get."
To ordinary commoners, mana potions and mage robes were near impossible.
Not just commoners—even minor nobles without clout struggled.
For a mere quasi-noble like Dietrich, normally unobtainable.
But here, it was different.
This was Carius City, home to his family.
Whether it still deserved the name 'family home' was debatable.
"..."
Dietrich looked up at the count's castle in the city center.
The grandest, most ornate structure towered over the metropolis, the count's banners fluttering from its spires.
Complex emotions flickered in his eyes—regret, longing, anger.
He twisted his lips slightly and murmured.
"It's been a while. Your Excellency... no, Father."
Dietrich was the count's bastard son.
Born to a commoner concubine, tormented for his lowly origins, he'd fled to become mayor of a rural town.
That town was gone now. He'd returned to his family's seat in Carius City.
Dietrich muttered again.
"If I renounce my succession rights, getting mage gear should be easy."
He'd trade his nominal claim for Andy's reward.
He'd never cared much for nobility anyway. His place in line was rock bottom—no great loss.
Properly rewarding the city's hero, Andy, and earning his favor?
Worth the price.
'This will sever ties for good.'
His connection was already half-broken. Renouncing would make it final.
He didn't care.
He'd wanted to cut it long ago. If this ended it cleanly, all the better.
Dietrich set off toward the inner castle.
Home to the city's lord and the vast countship's ruler: Count Carius.
Dietrich stepped out of the inn.
Andy watched from his room's window. The mayor strode off with determined steps, like a man with a heavy decision.
Andy muttered softly.
"Now what to do."
He pulled two books from his pocket.
Well-worn volumes: the mysterious ancient magic book he'd started with, and the fire-attribute tome Dietrich had procured.
Flip, flip.
Andy skimmed the pages lightly and murmured.
"Can't train magic; my circles are still a mess. But wasting time until the mana potion arrives doesn't appeal."
He had nothing pressing to do.
Mana reserves empty—no spell practice. Nothing else suited him.
He'd always devoted free time to magic.
Now, unable? He couldn't decide how to fill the hours.
'Maybe practice mana circulation?'
He shook his head.
Not bad, but drawing ambient mana was inefficient.
Dietrich might return with potions in days. No point wasting time on that.
Then what?
'It's a rare chance in a big city.'
Unlike villages, opportunities abounded. He wanted to do something unique here.
After a moment's thought...
"The library."
He'd heard great cities had libraries.
Mountains of books, accessible for a fee—read or borrow as desired.
Andy loved reading. A library sounded like paradise.
The boy rose from his seat.