Chapter 46: The Academic City of Selene
Chapter 46. The Academic City of Selene
Four days had passed since we left Verene village.
Passing through the village of Ilsana on the way without a break, the carriage safely entered the territory of Selene yesterday.
Although Selene is a single city, it has a vast territory. Considering its size, it would not be surprising if also included multiple villages, but Selene's rulers stubbornly continued to protect only Selene.
The wagon drives along a grassy road.
According to Roland, we would soon arrive at the town of Selene. Once we reach this point, we will not be late. It seems that we did not have to run.
I pat my chest and look at my surroundings.
On the road, we saw many travelers.
Some were adventurers, others merchants. These must be a sign that Selene is near.
The sound of approaching wheels made me look back. Then I saw a carriage come to us from behind, overtaking our carriage without slowing down.
It is a beautifully decorated carriage.
It must have been a noble's carriage. I try to remember, but I don't recognize the emblem.
Whatever the case, if they are going to Selene at this time of the year, they must be in the same entrance group as me.
I returned my gaze to the meadow.
I think this area isn't getting hit by heavy snowfall, and the signs of spring are growing stronger with each passing day.
I wondered if the snow had disappeared by now.
As I gazed at the colorful flowers and fresh greenery glistening in the sunlight, thinking back to my faraway hometown, an ear of winter wheat suddenly leaped into view. They spread out all around, covering the meadows in the blink of an eye.
Cultivated land – it's about time.
I leaned forward from the carriage, then Roland raised his voice.
"I can see it!"
Far ahead on the road, a faint black line emerges.
Gradually it grew thicker, and the towering spires and buildings beyond the outer walls became clearer.
Is that Selene?
I thought it was not a small town, but it is many times larger than Reedwald.
The carriage moves forward, with cultivated fields on either side.
As we approached, the exterior of the town became more apparent.
What caught my attention was the oddity of the outer wall.
The high stone walls are covered with carvings. The walls are covered by carvings of birds, lions, and countless warriors.
It looks intimidating for some people, but I don't think so.
I activate "Appraisal" and groan unintentionally.
The human-shaped colossal statues carved into the outer walls were all golems.
"You've noticed?"
Danil speaks to me as I exclaim.
"People said that it is not the walls that protect Selene, but countless golems. I heard that in emergency cases, those things will fight back all at once."
"That's absurd. No one is going to attack Selene."
"Yeah. Since the golem was there, it hasn't been on the battlefield once."
Of course not. As far as I could tell, there were not more than ten or twenty of those golems.
If that many stone golems attacked all at once, any army would be annihilated. It would take a powerful individual or party to win, but inside the outer wall, there are countless wizards, including the leaders of the magic guilds. It was impossible.
But still, the animals are ordinary stone statues.
Birds are understandable. They can't fly, so moving them is of little use. I wonder why the others are not. If a stone warrior astride a lion were approaching, I think the enemy soldiers would cry and run away.
While I'm thinking about this, the carriage arrives at the east gate.
The gatekeeper immediately recognizes it as a nobleman's carriage and leads us aside.
Roland dismounts from his horse and starts talking with the gatekeeper.
I observed the gatekeeper from the dais and felt a little relieved.
The gatekeeper is equipped with ordinary weapons and not with any magical gear.
It seems that no matter how rich Selene is, it does not have enough magical tools to supply ordinary soldiers.
The gatekeeper read the parchment handed to him. He went to the back of the carriage and greeted me.
Then, after inspecting the cargo and collecting the town tax, he permitted me to enter the town.
Eleven days had passed since my departure from Reedwald.
Finally, I arrived at the academic city of Seren.
◇◇◇◇
As a parting gift for studying abroad, my father had secured a very luxurious lodging for me.
I took a rest in the room allocated to me and went downstairs.
"Battle Axe of Destruction" and "Sword of the Deep Silence" just gathered in the entrance hall but now are on their way out.
When I show up, Markant opens his mouth.
"I'm going to the guild."
"That's Ovech's report. I'm sure everyone in the village of Verene is worried about you. I'll be in touch with them. So, are Pidosios and the others going with you?"
"No, we are delivering letters."
Efrut responded, showing me a bundle of letters.
The guild will ask adventurers with good records and credentials to deliver documents and letters when they're moving around. It is a win-win situation for both parties.
"And while I'm at it, I'll go ask them to finish up Gowthus."
Pidosios points to Dailas with his thumb.
I thought he was carrying a big bag, so is it Gowthus leather? Oh yeah, the tanning still hasn't finished. Except for my share, the rest of the leather is to be so. For a C-rank, Gowthus' leather is too late. And as for my share, I haven't decided what to do with it. I can sell them later, so I will keep them for the time being.
Unlike Ovech, however, neither of these deals is urgent.
It is the nature of a scout, isn't it? Letters and chores are incidental, and their purpose may be to see Selene.
Incidentally, the "Sword of the Deep Silence" had a row when they arrived at the inn.
Since they were only companions, they are not included in the group of guests staying at the inn. When Pidosios found this, he started screaming that my family was heartless aristocrats. In the end, he asked Roland to prepare a room for him.
Except for the one incident with Gowthus, their search helped us avoid several unnecessary battles. Since they contributed more than just accompanying me, my father should at least have money for lodging.
"Well, I'm off."
Then everyone headed for the guild.
I'm interested in Selene's Adventurer's Guild – can we go there anytime?
Let's get our business done first.
"Let's go, too. We'll go with you.
"I'll send a carriage for you."
"No need. Once I'm in the academy, I'll be walking around the city anyway."
"Ordinary aristocrats ride in carriages in the city. They don't walk around."
Yeah, I can't hear you. I can't afford to ride in a carriage when I leave Reedwald.
We leave the inn with Roland, who laments.
We're staying at the inn located along the main street, on a corner for the wealthy in the center of town.
Selene has gates on the east, west, south, and west sides, and the main street extends from the gates toward the city center. Looking at the size of the stores and residences, I think the land prices are higher in the center of the city, which is farthest from danger, and cheaper the closer one is to the gate. No matter how well protected by the golem, it seems that the potential fear is the same in every city.
The Cartilard Academy of Advanced Studies is in the center-west of Selene.
The government building that handles administration and the headquarters of the magic guild is in the center-west of Selene. So that area is probably the heart of Selene.
Mixed in with the horse-drawn carriages and passersby, we headed west.
What immediately surprised me was the presence of show windows.
Although not large in scale, some of the stores had large glass windows built into the walls so people can see what they sell from the outside. In addition, they were even covered with protective magic "Preserve Items to Protect Goods" to prevent them from breaking. They did this because of the poor quality of the glass, but the result was more luxurious.
If it were litten up with this, it would be on par with the previous world.
While walking around, I use "Appraisal" on the weapons of the goods without thinking about it.
It is, after all, a magical tool.
It is a weapon that strengthens sharpness, durability, and special effects against certain demons, and the price is about five to ten gold coins. For a moment, it seemed affordable, but in my previous life, it would have cost from 500,000 to 1.000.000 yen. Not affordable at all. Still, I think this price is unique to Selene. If it were Reedwald, the price would rise due to transportation and scarcity.
I can buy it with what I have on hand, but not right now.
Besides, I wanted to strengthen my Rhino sword and Stilettoes rather than buy ready-made ones. Even if I buy them, they will be daggers or knives for auxiliary weapons. So I don't have to rush.
I look back to the front and almost stop in my tracks.
The boulevard seemed to have been cut off.
After looking back, the cobblestones, which felt straight, had a subtle arc.
"Can I help you?"
"No, it's more complicated than I thought. It looked like a dead end."
"That's how it is in the city, isn't it?"
Roland twisted his head curiously.
It is true, but I feel there is a discrepancy between the image and the reality. I had assumed that there was an orderly townscape in the city center, even near the gates. It was chaotic everywhere. You could even say it was obscene. If you peek into the branch roads, they immediately bend and turn, making it almost impossible to see what lies ahead. In the worst cases, some buildings loomed over the road, deforming the road. And yet, there are so many tall buildings that if you are not careful, you can lose track of where you are. It was like a maze.
Was it for defense?
Somehow, I felt it was not.
Alphas Cartilard is the most powerful wizard in the history of the Arsis Empire.
About 750 years ago, many magicians and intellectuals gathered to admire him, who withdrew from his hometown
Selene at a young age. In the blink of an eye, Selene possesses the strongest, yet untouched military power. At that time, the territory of the Arsis Empire was smaller than it is today, and it was at war with the Kingdom of Baromat and the Unified Kingdom of Hazel. Because of the war, Alphas Faction's independent military power must have seemed like salvation to the people.
Inevitably, the population must have increased rapidly. Moreover, Selene was a country town owned by a certain count, who had a regent. Even in the duke's domain, it would be impossible to suppress the Alphas' Faction, and even more so with a regent. In addition to such a situation, the population grew without limit.
This townscape is a remnant of that time, perhaps a lament from the regent.
"It should be around here…"
Roland's voice interrupts my thoughts.
It seems that we had left the commercial zone at some point, and the atmosphere of the surrounding area had changed.
I looked around, but there were no buildings that looked like that anywhere. The school must have been quite large.
Roland asked a man passing by and pointed to a branch road.
The road was wide enough for two carriages to pass each other, but it was as cluttered as ever. We had no idea where it led.
We thanked the man and continued on our way.
We turn a few corners, and the atmosphere finally changes.
Small restaurants, cheap hotels, and general stores lined the street, and the number of young people and students who looked like academy students began to increase. As we turned a right-angled road, a huge structure appeared at the end of the road.
Is that Cartilard?
Even though it was cut off by the buildings on either side. I could still imagine its size.
We proceeded in silence and reached the main gate.
"I'm starting to think you're a little bit different, Selene."
Despite my words, I was overwhelmed by its majesty.
At the end of the cobblestone pavement extending from the main gate was a school building with two spires that seemed to pierce the sky. On either side of it, large buildings lined the street. Even though I looked around, I could not get a panoramic view of the entire building.
It seems to be quite deep.
On the grounds, men and women who appeared to be upperclassmen were chatting under a row of trees, and a young boy entered the building with a man who appeared to be his valet.
Cartilard is huge school buildings and facilities on a vast site.
I looked at the contrast of green and gray with deep emotion.
This is an academy with a history of 700 years.
I would attend here for the next few years.
Staring at the worn cobblestones, I took the first step toward the big break in my life.
● Status on arrival at Selene up compared to just before the Hunter Fitch battle
Name: Alter Les Riedwald
Race: Human
Level: 18 (+4)
HP: 92/92 (+25)
MP: 225/225 (+52)
Str: 13 (+1)
Int: 16
Dex: 15 (+1)
End: 13+2 (+2)
Agi: 17+2 (38: doubled) (+1)
Charm: 15
[Skills]
Increased Growth Potential, Increased Growth Value, Status Disguise,
Language Proficiency, Fast Movement, Multiple Chanting, Mental Resistance 5 (+1), Ice Resistance 2, Appraisal 4, Mixing 6, Tracking 3, Stealth 4, Presence Detection 3, One-handed Sword 6, Taijutsu 6 (+1), Dagger 5, Archery 3, Fire Magic 4, Water Magic 4, Wind Magic 5, Earth Magic 6 (+1), No-Attribute Magic 4, Ice Magic 1, Lightning Magic 2, Denatured Magic 5 (+1)
[Magic]
Beginner level
Fire Bolt, Water Bolt, Wind Bolt, Earth Bolt, Magic Bolt, Ice Bolt, Lightning Bolt, Flame Blow, Water Blow, Stone Blow, Water Shield, Wind Shield, Earth Shield, Magic Shield, Physical Up, High-Speed Movement, Create Solution
[Title]
The Reincarnated One, Ace of the Homecoming Club (+2 End, +2 Agi), Second Son of Baron Reedwald
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