Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: The Elf and the Coffee Farm (8)
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"This kind of reception is a first for me."
Ever since ascending to the throne as emperor, Alina had been consistently welcomed with fanfare wherever she went, so a city utterly indifferent to her was a truly rare experience.
Of course, the city's officials and guards had greeted them according to protocol, but Astraea's streets buzzed with everyone minding their own business.
"Ahaha. Well, you see..."
"Enough. This isn't so bad. Most of the residents are adventurers anyway, so they probably don't care much about anything outside the labyrinth, right?"
"Thank you for understanding."
The cat beastkin before her eyes—Cosetica, the Adventurer Guild Master—gave an awkward smile as she made excuses, but honestly, Alina didn't mind it at all. Wasn't it the proper way for humans to live their lives from their own stations?
It was far preferable to the sight of lazy, senile old nobles lounging in the palace.
She waved off Cosetica, who bowed her head deeply, signaling it was fine, then decided to unpack at the lodging and walk on her own two feet to handle the first day's itinerary.
Astraea had been founded as a city by adventurers, for adventurers, and of adventurers centered around the labyrinth, so unlike the capital, it lacked orderly boulevards, making it difficult to navigate by carriage.
She wasn't as strong as a knight or noble raised for frontline combat, but as a mage and swordsman who could at least take care of herself, walking around the city wouldn't tire her out.
Her eyes lingered on the relatively short elf standing impassively as escort beside Cosetica, but since the elf wouldn't even meet her gaze—whether out of displeasure or something else—Alina quickly lost interest.
"I hope we're not just being a nuisance by coming here."
"Normally, I'm just cleaning up after the troublemaking adventurers."
"That sounds tough in its own way."
Even in the capital, famous for its strong guards and good public order, outrageously powerful criminals occasionally disrupted the peace. For a city where adventurers had to police other adventurers to keep things running smoothly without major issues, Cosetica clearly had real talent.
It was a shame such types couldn't be pulled away from their cities.
Feeling a twinge of regret, Alina clicked her tongue.
She noticed Cosetica flinch at the sound. Was her skittishness a flaw? Cat beastkin did tend to be naturally wary, after all.
"Personally, I'm looking forward to the labyrinth's products, but even more to any original ideas or inventions. Something like that crosses my mind. Any shops you'd personally recommend?"
"Ugh, if I say that, it'll look like I'm playing favorites."
"If I don't like your recommendation, it'll be out. Speak freely."
Cosetica hemmed and hawed for a moment, a bead of sweat trickling down her temple, before leading them to one spot. Alina and her entourage followed. They moved along what passed for a main street—decently maintained, at least—toward the plaza, where a crowd gathered alongside merchants with tents and stalls.
With her sparkling silver hair neatly braided in a style that could turn heads even among the white-haired, and her ornate attire, most people quickly realized she was the emperor.
The guild master had been running around announcing the visit beforehand, so everyone knew a VIP was coming, and Alina's appearance and demeanor screamed she was no ordinary person. It was only natural.
Cosetica, her face half-smiling and half-stiff, parted the crowd and led Alina first to the stall Leimi had set up.
Leimi, lounging half-reclined in her chair and casually polishing her monocle, shot up the moment she locked eyes with Cosetica's tense gaze.
"...Artifact dealing?"
"Yes. I'm Leimi Kaisra, making a living in Astraea appraising and crafting artifacts."
"Oh... Quite a few items I've never seen before. Hold on. Leimi Kaisra?"
Alina fanned herself against the humid air thickened by the crowd's heat, but the name nagged at her, furrowing her brow in thought for a moment.
Then, as memory clicked, she snapped her thumb and middle finger together and spoke.
"From the Magic Tower, right? I recall hearing the name before my ascension."
"...No need to remember something like that."
"No, no. I couldn't forget the Magic Tower's youngest prodigy ever recruited in the last 200 years. When I was reviewing talent pools for magic personnel and they said you weren't there anymore, I was a bit flustered. Turns out you're here. Nice to meet you."
"Y-Yes. Th-That happened, huh."
"Indeed. A change of station doesn't erase talent, does it?"
"Leimi's products get rave reviews. They're expensive, though."
"Hey, not all expensive things are good, but good things usually are pricey, right?"
Leimi responded with a hint of irritation at the price comment, drawing a chuckle from Alina, who slapped Cosetica on the back and said,
"Price hardly matters to me, at least. Teasing a friend is fine, but save it for later."
"Nyaa."
"Let me see. The exterior looks perfect, at least. The magical structure is a bit complex. Care to explain?"
"It's based on interpretations of magitech from the labyrinth, so the structure differs from standard artifacts."
As Leimi explained in simple terms, minimizing jargon, Cosetica pinched the side of Mina, whose cheeks were puffed out in the background.
Even if she was the one who'd sent the cafe manager out of town, there was a limit to showing displeasure.
"I see. I heard labyrinth products are impossible to replicate perfectly, but that's not entirely accurate?"
"Perfect replication is impossible. Simply copying the structure won't yield the exact same effects intact."
"So, the key is figuring out how far human ingenuity can interpret them. Right?"
"Yes. Interpretation requires substantial knowledge and effort, so no universal methodology exists."
"What about distributing the results after interpretation?"
"Possible, but the effort outweighs demand, and Astraea's environment isn't ideal for exporting such high-end goods..."
"Hm. Fair point. What if you shared newly interpreted results with the capital quarterly or semiannually? Assuming full payment for the knowledge."
"If you dispatch someone who can fully grasp my explanations, yes."
"Haha. Such confidence is admirable. When we formalize a contract later, I'll make sure to send a sharp one who won't cramp your style."
Leimi bowed deeply, and Alina waved her off as she stepped back.
With a slightly bittersweet expression, Alina muttered,
"At least she doesn't look displeased. Good. For a free spirit, this place might suit better than some stuffy confines."
"As long as they're not a nuisance, we let them live freely."
"That's commendable. Not everyone can thrive as cogs in the same machine. Even those who can't adapt to society deserve a paradise—a place to escape to, a hill to lean on. Something precious like that."
"...."
"Don't make that face. I'm just parroting what I heard."
"Pardon?"
"One of those high noble heirs understood the common folk suspiciously well."
Cosetica's ears perked up in curiosity, but Alina didn't elaborate and urged the next destination.
Cosetica racked her brain for reliable, non-troublemaking folks, eventually settling on one of the cafe's more decent regulars.
Her choice was Dras.
Mina shot her a glare at the reminder of the cafe manager, but in this damn city, well-mannered merchants with integrity were few and far between. Cosetica apologized inwardly as she led them to Dras.
"Mr. Dras. Her Imperial Majesty has arrived."
"Oh my. A distinguished guest in our midst. Greetings. I'm Dras."
"A dwarf well-versed in refined etiquette. May I ask your family name?"
"Just Dras these days."
Alina's expression shifted subtly at his hearty chuckle. Dwarves typically had sky-high noses that ignored the heavens, shunning normal relations with other races.
A dwarf maintaining a business in such an isolated city while knowing manners was exceedingly rare—and one who'd survived on skill alone as an elder was no ordinary foe.
"...I see. Asking about a discarded past would be rude."
"Thank you for your understanding."
"Got anything interesting?"
"I've recently started using a hydraulic device that inspired me. I'd like to introduce it."
Based on the principle that water barely compresses under pressure, the cylinder—reinforced with alchemy and magic—converted small forces into much greater ones.
Alina's eyes sparkled as she watched it lift heavy loads effortlessly, without levers, pulleys, or user magic.
The gauge inside the cylinder moved with the water flow, allowing precise height control, and she nodded vigorously.
"Exactly. Fluids like water or oil shift under force without shrinking much. Brilliant idea. Precise control should be easy, and linking it to other machines would let a single worker haul incredibly heavy loads—no magic required. How'd you come up with it?"
"One customer wanted water output at exact pressure. Ideas from chatting with him formed the basis, and he even helped with development."
"Is that customer local?"
"He was. But he's away on business now, far off."
"Can I see the commissioned device, then?"
"It was a one-off custom job, no reprints, so it's out of my hands now. Heh."
"Shame."
Cosetica breathed a silent sigh of relief watching Alina smack her lips in disappointment from behind. That device was probably the silver machine at the cafe—if it came up and led the emperor there, she didn't want to imagine the fallout.
Especially with her elf friend starting to growl menacingly behind her. If the emperor took a liking to the cafe manager and offered a capital job... God forbid what shape she'd end up in.
Save me, Your Majesty.
After a lively discussion on machinery that buoyed her spirits, Alina returned with a satisfied look and said to Cosetica,
"The sunlight's harsher than expected, and all this talking has parched my throat. Any recommended spots?"
Cosetica had braced for the question, but facing one of her greatest hurdles, she squeezed her eyes shut.