Published: September 2, 2025
Satou here. I’m not much of a traveler, but even though I was only in this town for a few days, I’ve grown strangely attached to it.
After checking out the notable sightseeing spots, I definitely want to come back.
◇
At the bookstore, the white-haired old shopkeeper was already back, but Simone-san wasn’t there. It’s a shame I couldn’t see that amazing figure of hers…
I asked the shopkeeper for a map to the labyrinth city.
Honestly, it felt like the map was saying, “Surveying? What’s that? Is it tasty?” I wasn’t expecting symbols or contour lines, but having the directions east, west, south, and north so haphazardly assigned made me question its usefulness as a map.
Maybe it showed on my face, because the old man added a comment. Apparently, accurate maps are classified information, kept only by those involved in government operations. I miss Cooqle Map.
Since it was better than nothing, I bought about five maps to the labyrinth city. Later, I found out the merchant guild sold better maps.
That settled my business, but the shopkeeper’s mix of business savvy and kindness led him to recommend various books.
There were intriguing titles like “Plants You Can Eat While Traveling,” “The Road to the Royal Capital,” “Herbal Medicine Encyclopedia,” and “Horse-Drawn Carriage Repairs.” I bought them all as recommended.
There were also beginner’s books on crafts like woodworking, blacksmithing, and metal engraving, but they didn’t sell well since demand was low and the books were old.
When I showed interest, he piled up similar books one after another. When I asked the price, he said two gold coins for everything, so I decided to buy them.
He also recommended some novels to read during the journey. Most were hero or romance stories, but there were some unusual titles like “The Ancient Battlefield and the Dead Labyrinth,” “The Mad Magician and the Army of Death,” and “The Man Who Creates Labyrinths.” I bought those three plus about five popular picture books.
If you’re learning to read, starting with picture books is the usual approach.
It was a bit over budget, so I bargained it down to ten gold coins.
◇
I definitely bought too much. The bag holding nearly thirty books was incredibly heavy. Without status boosts, I would have hurt my back.
Combined with the items I received from the magic shop, it was quite a load. I could carry it all on foot, but I didn’t want to attract too much attention, so I waited for a covered wagon to pass by.
“Hello, nimble young man.”
I turned at a voice from behind.
There stood Lirio, Zena-san’s colleague, wearing a face that confirmed her prank had succeeded.
“Hello, Lirio-san. Are you copying Zena-san?”
“Hehe~ Did I look similar? Hey, did it make your heart skip a beat?”
Somehow, I felt Lirio and Arisa shouldn’t meet.
“Your voice was different, so I noticed right away.”
“Aww, too bad~ But, hey, is that love? The power of love?”
Girls really love romance.
Lirio pressed her petite body close to me. Since I already have enough little girls bothering me, I gently pushed her back to avoid contact.
“Are you traveling alone today?”
“Yeah, the others are sleeping at the barracks. But Zena’s been on duty since noon yesterday until late tonight—there aren’t enough magic soldiers.”
Before I left, I wanted to say a parting word to Zena-san…
Alright, I’ll change my departure to tomorrow morning.
“Lirio-san, could you please pass a message to Zena-san?”
“Sure~ But no burning hot lines, okay? If it gets too heated, I’ll twist it into something extreme~”
She said with mischievous hands waving.
I asked her to tell Zena I would leave early tomorrow morning. She gladly agreed.
“Oh no~ Zena’s first love is a heartbreak~ I’ll treat her to something next time,” she muttered to herself, but I heard every word.
Without replying, I took the covered wagon back to the inn by the gate.
◇
In the wagon, I stored the books in my Treasure Vault (Item Box). Arisa, who learned I went to the bookstore, was initially angry, saying, “You should have taken me too~,” but her expression brightened when she saw the beginner-level spellbooks of various attributes.