Chapter 78
Chapter 78
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Port City Libertine (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After the commotion died down, everyone climbed onto the Kirin's back.
“Hold on, Kirin. I’m going to put this on.”
It was my first time riding a horse since coming to Elsia, and it would be quite uncomfortable without a saddle, so I had prepared four of them.
“How dare you put such a lowly object on me...”
“Is that so? Nyx.”
“Poyo!”
“Uh... Hurry up and put it on.”
The moment Nyx took to the air again, it changed its tune.
I quickly fastened the saddles and we set off.
“Hey, Kirin, stop for a second.”
Less than a minute later, I had the Kirin stop again.
“I was just about to pick up some speed.”
This wasn't even its top speed?
I knew from its information that it was fast, but this was a ridiculous speed.
The surrounding scenery was blurring as if we were on a high-speed train.
Even with saddles, this speed was dangerous.
Fortunately, my companions hadn't fallen off, but they looked like they were on the verge of death.
“Hyeon... Hyeon-ung? It's too fast...”
“Mister, I'm dizzy.”
“Hey, Kirin, can't you go a little slower?”
“But, Contractor, you asked me to go fast...”
“If even one of my companions falls off and gets hurt, Nyx won't just stand by.”
In the end, the Kirin agreed to slow down, but I couldn't trust it completely, so I took a rope out of my inventory.
Normally, I wouldn't worry, but here, my companions were no different from ordinary people.
I tied us together securely with the sturdy rope and we set off again.
The speed had decreased a bit, but the scenery still rushed past us.
Just as I was thinking it was a good idea to secure us with the rope, I felt an unfamiliar touch on my waist.
“Hanna? Are you scared of this too?”
“Hyeon-ung, I feel... sick.”
“Wait, wait, stop!”
I should have known when she ate so much for breakfast.
Fortunately, she didn't throw up on my back, but as soon as she got off, she went to a corner and emptied her stomach.
The faster we went, the bumpier the ride.
I was considering summoning another mount to go a bit slower when Nyx approached the Kirin.
“What now... I was just running as I was told...”
“Poyo! Poyo!”
Thankfully, this time it didn't attack the horn. It just chirped a few times before flying back to me.
“Kirin, what did Nyx say?”
“It suggested that we could just fly.”
But the Kirin doesn't have wings.
“Why didn't I think of that...”
“Huh? You can fly? You don't have wings.”
“I just haven't brought them out.”
As it spoke, wings sprouted from the Kirin's torso.
“Hyeon-ung?”
“It suddenly has wings...”
“We're going to fly now.”
After we got back on its back, it ran a little and then lifted 50 centimeters off the ground.
The speed was much slower, but since it wasn't kicking off the ground, the shaking was drastically reduced.
The breeze was cool and just right.
“This is so much better.”
“We should have done this from the start.”
My companions also seemed much more satisfied than before.
After flying along the main road for about two hours, a city came into view in the distance.
The port city of Libertine.
I'd heard that it traded with various countries from a large port in the southeast and had the widest sandy beach in the empire in the southwest.
“Kirin, can you go up a little higher?”
“Of course.”
As we ascended a bit higher, the vast horizon stretching out behind the city became visible.
Large sailing ships could be seen near the port.
They said it was the largest trading city in the Cartea Empire, and it certainly felt a bit bigger than Kramis.
“Mister, is that the sea?”
“Looks like it. Kirin, let's start heading down.”
We could have gone straight to the sea, but I wanted to look around the city as well.
We landed, and I dismissed the Kirin, summoning three horses, including Red Hare.
The residents might mistake the Kirin for a monster.
I had Alpen ride his own horse, while Hanna and Rina rode together.
After riding at a steady pace for about 15 minutes, the entrance to a large city wall appeared.
Just like in Kramis, guards were standing watch.
There was a rather long line in front, likely due to a security checkpoint.
I'd heard that high-ranking nobles of the empire often visited for vacation, so you couldn't enter without proper identification.
So, I had already made some arrangements with the lord.
“Let's go.”
“Aren't we getting in line?”
“We don't need to.”
As we headed straight for the entrance without lining up, the guards blocked our way with their spears.
“Halt! Where are you from?”
“We're from Kramis.”
I tossed the identification plaque I had prepared to the soldier.
While planning the trip to the sea, I had asked the lord in advance and received an identification plaque.
The guard's attitude changed in an instant.
“Sir Repen Arte. You're a knight of Duke Almondeu's personal guard. And the people with you are...”
“My family. Do you need further confirmation?”
“Not at all. Please enjoy your time in Libertine.”
In fact, Libertine was also part of Duke Almondeu Syupereuteu's territory.
He wasn't just an absolute ruler in Kramis; he was a high noble who owned about ten other domains besides Libertine and Kramis.
Of course, since he spent most of his time in Kramis, territories this far away were said to be governed by an administrator appointed by the lord.
Once inside the city walls, it wasn't much different from Kramis, but being a trade city, it seemed to have far more people.
“Which way is the sea?”
“We should head southwest.”
We headed roughly west, asking people for directions along the way, and eventually reached our destination.
An endless stretch of golden sand.
Bright sunlight shining down.
A transparent, emerald-green sea that looked like you could see to the bottom even from a distance.
The 43rd floor of the Labyrinth was similar, with clear water, but that place was teeming with monsters.
Of course, there were monsters here too, but I'd heard the domain periodically exterminated sea monsters, so we could enjoy it without worry.
“Wow, it's so huge.”
“So this is the sea...”
“So? Are you all ready to have fun?”
“Um, Hyeon-ung, where do we change clothes?”
“Clothes?”
“I'm already wearing mine underneath.”
“Me too!”
Rina and Alpen stripped off their clothes and tossed them aside.
“You two, wait. We need to find a spot first.”
It wasn't extremely crowded, but there were enough people that we could easily get separated.
Since I'd heard it was a resort frequented by nobles, I figured there would be proper facilities and asked around until I found a changing room.
It also had a shower room attached, and the price was a rather wicked 5 silver, but hey, it's a resort.
Besides, they said that once you paid, you could use it as much as you wanted for the whole day.
I bought day passes for the four of us, changed, and found a spot.
“Hyeon-ung, can we go in the water now?”
“Mister!”
Man, they were really excited.
“Alright. Don't go in too deep. And stay where I can see you.”
“Okay.”
“Understood.”
“Hanna, aren't you going?”
“What about you, Hyeon-ung?”
“I'm going to set up our spot a bit more. You go on ahead and play with them.”
I sent my companions off to play first. I'd brought a cloth to spread out like a mat, but there was no shade, so it seemed like it would be hot.
It wasn't a big deal for me, since I had mana and clothes with temperature control, but my companions didn't.
There was a place renting out round canopies similar to parasols, so I rented one.
It was a whopping 50 silver for half a day.
An icebox that stayed cold for 12 hours was 20 silver, a bottle of fruit juice was 1 silver...
The prices here would put any tourist trap back home to shame.
No matter how much money I had, I hated getting ripped off, but we were here to have fun, and it was for my companions, so I decided to just bite the bullet and bought everything.
I set up the parasol and put the fruit juices and the drinks I'd brought in my inventory into the icebox.
After finishing the preparations, I looked toward the sea and saw my companions playing happily.
Especially that Alpen.
He'd said he would get revenge for all the suffering he endured in the Labyrinth once we got out, and now he was splashing Rina like crazy.
Goldie and Nyx joined in, and poor Rina looked like she was about to cry.
“You're all so dead! Big Sis, help me!”
She and Hanna fought back, splashing water, and they all looked like they were having a great time.
I guess it's time for me to join in.
I put the icebox and the kids' bag of clothes into my inventory and headed for the water.
“Mister, the others are bullying m—what... what are you doing...”
I swept Rina up into my arms.
“So long, Rina!”
And then I tossed her into the water.
*Splash—*
“Pfft... Salty! Mister, why'd you do that?”
“As expected, Hyeon-ung, you're on our side! I knew I could trust you!”
“Kkyuing!”
“Poyo! Poyo!”
Alpen, Goldie, and Nyx were all delighted.
“Hyeon... Hyeon-ung?”
Hanna took a step back with a flustered expression, but she couldn't escape my grasp.
“Our Hanna needs a taste of the water too, right?”
“But, Hyeon-ung. I didn't do anything wrong...”
“This is just how you're supposed to play at the beach.”
Just like with Rina, I lifted Hanna in a princess carry and threw her.
“Kyaaaaah!”
*Splash—*
Maybe because she was heavier, the splash was much bigger than before.
“Pfft, you're so mean.”
“Don't worry. I'm fair to everyone.”
“Hyeon... Hyeon-ung?”
“It wouldn't be fair if you were the only one left out, would it, Alpen?”
Alpen also quickly backed away.
He seemed to be a good swimmer, but without mana, he was no match for me.
“No... It's fine.”
“What do you mean, 'it's fine'? We're outside now, aren't we?”
With a grin, I also swept Alpen up and sent him flying into the sea.
*Splash—*
Did I use too much strength?
He flew a little farther than the others.
“Gasp, Hyeon... Hyeon-ung, my feet can't touch...”
Alpen disappeared under the water.
It seemed like a dangerous situation, so I quickly went over to him, but huh?
It wasn't that deep.
Even for Alpen, his feet should have been able to touch the bottom. Just as I was thinking that, Alpen resurfaced.
“Alpen, what are you doing?”
“Everyone, now!”
Somehow, Hanna and Rina had snuck up behind me and grabbed both of my arms.
I felt Alpen, who had gone back underwater, grab my feet.
Honestly, I could have broken free easily with a bit of strength, but I let them have their fun.
“How does it taste?”
“Hyeon-ung, you look like a drowned rat.”
The seawater was salty and cold, but in this moment, my heart felt sweeter and warmer than ever before.
We played in the water for about two hours before returning to our spot.
We quenched our thirst with chilled fruit juice and cola from the icebox and had the food we'd brought from Kabisa for lunch.
“Eating out here like this makes it taste even better.”
“Mister, I'm done eating, so I'm gonna go play again.”
“Me too!”
Alpen and Rina barely touched their food before rushing off again.
Thinking they were just like typical kids, I opened my inventory and took out two video recording crystals.
“Oh? Are you going to film?”
“Yeah.”
I couldn't let such a happy moment remain only in my memory.
****
The golden sun had turned into a red sunset, but Alpen and Rina still showed no signs of getting out of the water.
“It's about time we get going.”
“I'll go get them.”
Hanna went and brought them back.
“Time to head back now.”
“This place is so nice. Mister, can we... tomorrow too?”
Our Rina had completely fallen in love with the sea.
Alpen didn't say anything, but he looked at me with the same pleading eyes as Rina.
“Kkyuing!”
“Poyo! Poyo!”
It seemed Nyx and Goldie liked the sea too.
“Alright, should we stay here for the night? We can play until tomorrow morning and then head back.”
“Yes!”
“I'd like that too!”
Seeing them all jumping for joy made me happy as well.
We packed up our spot and returned to the city, but we ran into a problem finding an inn.
“Hyeon-ung?”
“This place has no rooms either.”
We'd asked passersby for recommendations and visited five different inns, but it seemed to be peak season, as every place was fully booked.
We had no choice but to look for a shabbier inn, and we finally managed to find one room.
“It might be a little uncomfortable, but we'll have to sleep here tonight.”
“This place is fine.”
“We're only going to sleep here, anyway.”
There was only one bed, and it was quite old, but the inside was clean, as if they at least tried to maintain it.
There was no dust, and the sheets were well-laundered.
After looking around the room, we went down to the first-floor dining area for dinner.
The place was packed, and we had to wait nearly ten minutes to finally get a table.
I ordered whatever their specialty was and was waiting when the main door burst open and a group of tattooed thugs swaggered in.
“Innkeeper! Get out here!”
“Goodness, sirs, what brings you here?”
A kind-faced, middle-aged man in his forties, the owner, went out and bowed obsequiously.
“What now?”
“You haven't paid this month's taxes yet, have you?”
Taxes?
They look like thugs, but are they from the lord's castle?
“Those guys look like they're from Scorpion.”
“Let's get out of here before we get caught in the crossfire.”
Scorpion?
It seems they really are gangsters.
“What are you looking at? Is this a show?”
“Lower your eyes.”
As the thugs created an intimidating atmosphere, the customers started leaving money on their tables and leaving, one by one, either heading out or going up to their rooms.
Trash like this exists everywhere, huh.
The gangsters casually swept up the money from the tables.
“Hey, Max. You have this many customers, you should pay your taxes on time. Do we have to bother coming to collect it ourselves?”
“But I paid you last week.”
“You haven't paid for this week yet.”
“But what kind of protection money is paid every week...”
Sigh, even Misha's subordinates didn't act so brazenly...
It's probably because this is a rundown inn.
“Hey, you thugs. If you want to live, just leave.”
I didn't want to ruin my good mood, so I gave them a polite verbal warning.
“Thugs?”
Unfortunately, they showed no signs of backing down.
“This young punk, just because there are girls around... Gaaah!”
I stood up and twisted the arm of the thug who was approaching me threateningly.
I had forgotten.
For guys like these, actions speak louder than words.