"I wonder, is this silk?"
Inside the clothing boutique Veronica had led them into, Jin found himself far more intrigued by the fabrics than the actual designs.
"This is a botanical fiber..." Elsa murmured, her interest piqued by the Celuroa-style silhouettes. "It has some similarities to the Shouro Empire, but there are touches of the Kingdom of Egerea style as well."
Given that the country bordered both nations, it was only natural that their fashions would bleed into one another.
"Young Mistress, these are our latest designs," a shop clerk said, stepping forward to showcase the trendiest pieces. "We are also happy to take custom orders, if you would like."
"Oh, thank you, but that won't be necessary. We have to move on tomorrow," Elsa replied.
She spent about an hour browsing the shop, clearly enjoying the change of pace. Afterward, the group moved on to a district that felt remarkably like a wholesale tool market.
"This area is the tool district," Veronica explained.
"I see."
The streets were lined with shops selling everything from daily household goods to weapons for self-defense. By gathering similar businesses in one area, the district allowed customers to compare products easily while forcing shopkeepers to hone their craft through constant competition.
It’s convenient to have everything under one roof in a shopping mall, but... Jin mused. This was closer to the philosophy behind the Kappabashi tool district or the Akihabara electric town back in Japan. For specialized goods rather than daily essentials, these dedicated districts might actually be better.
Lost in thought, Jin peered into a magic tool shop. "Oh, they have a refrigerator."
It was the very same "refrigerator" he had developed with Beena back in Blue Land within the Kingdom of Egerea. Seeing it for sale here in the Celuroa Kingdom gave him a small sense of pride. The rest of the shop's inventory was fairly standard, mostly consisting of various magi-lamps.
He peeked into the shop next door and was surprised to find "water heaters" on display. He wondered why magic tools produced in the same way ended up in different shops, eventually concluding that the procurement routes for refrigerators and water heaters must be separate.
"Ah, the water heater? They are incredibly convenient!" Veronica said, noticing Jin's interest. "It’s summer now, so it’s less of an issue, but on freezing winter days, using cold water to wipe off sweat after training is miserable. The ritter order keeps several of these on hand for the knights."
She kept her voice low, mindful that they were supposed to be incognito.
"Is that so?" Jin replied. It was a good feeling, he decided, to see the magic tools he had helped create being used so widely and effectively.
The third shop they visited specialized in self-defense equipment. In this context, "self-defense" meant items with relatively low offensive power, such as knives and daggers, or light protection like leather armor. Full suits of plate and short swords were classified as proper military gear, not for civilian protection.
As they hopped from shop to shop, time slipped away. The sundials positioned throughout the town indicated it was nearly noon.
"Jin-sama, shall we find somewhere for lunch?" Veronica suggested.
Jin nodded. "If you have a place you recommend, lead the way."
"Understood. Please leave it to me," she said, before pausing to ask one more thing. "Um, is there anything in particular you would like to eat? Or perhaps any ingredients you dislike?"
"Well, let’s see... we aren't exactly fans of kokarisk meat," Jin answered on her behalf.
Elsa’s cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she lowered her eyes, a small, happy smile playing on her lips, clearly touched that he had remembered her preferences.
"In that case, let’s go here," Veronica decided.
She led them to a restaurant that specialized in dishes made from fish caught in Azul Lake.
"Oh, if it isn't Veronica!" a woman called out as they entered.
"Hey. Are you off duty today?" Veronica asked.
"Yeah. What about you?"
"I'm guiding some guests for work."
After exchanging a few brief words with her colleague, Veronica turned back to Jin and Elsa. "My apologies. That was an off-duty colleague," she explained.
The other woman seemed to grasp the situation; she gave Jin and Elsa a polite nod and didn't attempt to prolong the conversation.
"What would you like to order?" Veronica asked as they sat down.
"Hmm, where's the menu?" Jin asked, looking around the table.
"Ah, this place only has a few options, so they're listed on the wall."
Veronica pointed to a board where the day's offerings were written.
"What is that 'Chef's Special'?" Jin asked. It reminded him of a "daily special" at a Japanese diner.
"That would be the meal recommended by the chef, using whatever fresh ingredients came in today."
"I think I'll try that, then."
"Me too," Elsa added.
"Three orders of the special, please," Veronica told the server.
The restaurant occupied a comfortable middle ground, catering to both the general public and the nobility. It seemed to be a favorite among those who worked at the Royal Palace, which suited Jin's tastes perfectly.
"This is delicious," Elsa said.
"Yeah, it’s grilled perfectly."
The dish featured a white-fleshed freshwater fish similar to trout, seasoned with just the right amount of salt. The precision of the heat and seasoning spoke volumes of the chef's expertise. Despite the relatively low price, the chef clearly didn't cut corners, performing his work with sincerity. Veronica mentioned between bites that the man was immensely popular among the castle staff for that very reason.
Jin found himself enjoying the meal immensely, secretly thinking he preferred this honest fare over the grand banquets served at the palace.
Once they finished eating, they realized they only had time for one or two more stops before they were due back.
"Let's make this the last one," Jin said as they arrived at a material shop.
Because the Celuroa Kingdom encouraged magi-craft, there were shops available to the public that stocked specialized materials. This particular shop sat on the outskirts of town, featuring a large storage yard to one side. A row of simple roofs protected the lumber and ingots from the elements, and a golem stood vigilant guard to deter thieves.
"Now this looks like an interesting shop," Jin said, heading straight for the storage yard. "Hmm, this bronze is high quality. Very few impurities."
He wandered through the aisles of materials, muttering to himself. "This timber has been dried well. The grain is straight, too—no signs of warping."
Elsa watched him with a gentle smile. Even after getting married, he hasn't changed a bit, she thought affectionately.
"I see, the brass over here is a sixty-forty copper-to-zinc ratio..."
Utterly absorbed in his element, Jin continued to pace through the yard at his own speed, with Reiko following faithfully at his side.