The Taube, carrying Jin and his party, looked down upon the mountain range spanning the central Elias Peninsula.
Hanbarf Pass, Moft Village, Flathead Village, and... Port Rock Town.
As these nostalgic names surfaced in his mind, Jin gazed at the world below from the descending Taube.
I hope they don't have a memorial hall for me in Florenz too, he thought.
"We will be landing in approximately three minutes," the pilot, Hope, announced.
The cityscape of Florenz drew closer.
"I see what looks like an airfield."
At the same time, several flying objects approached. A voice drifted from one of them, likely utilizing wind-attribute magic similar to an Aco-tube.
"This is the Kingdom of Elias, Zaus Province flying squadron. We welcome your visit. Please follow this aircraft."
Aside from the craft leading them, one followed from behind, and two others flanked them on either side. A total of four Blow Floaters now surrounded the Taube.
Suspecting that some form of enforcement would follow if they ignored the request, Jin did not bother testing them. He followed the lead craft obediently and began slowly lowering the Taube.
The airfield was a vast area, five hundred meters square. It was divided into four quadrants; it appeared that tourists were assigned to Sector D.
The square airfield was partitioned into a grid—much like the character for "field." Northeast was Sector A, northwest was Sector B, southwest was C, and southeast was D.
Sectors A and B were reserved for official use by the flying squadron and foreign chief ambassadors. Sector C was for private contracts, such as merchants and tourism operators, while Sector D was designated for general visitors.
The airfield also featured rental warehouses. Jin paid 1,000 Toll and placed the Taube into storage for the day.
"Welcome to the town of Florenz, Zaus Province, in the Kingdom of Elias," an immigration administrator greeted them amiably.
Passports and visas did not yet exist in this world; it was sufficient to fill out a form with the necessary details and provide a signature.
Jin filled out the paperwork while reflecting that fingerprint or magic pattern registration might eventually become mandatory here as well.
"Hou-hou! From the Nord Federation, are you? Welcome to the south, travelers from the north!"
Once Jin submitted the documents, the administrator offered another cheerful greeting.
"Here is your guidebook."
Jin was handed a small booklet. The cover read "Florenz Tourist Guide," and inside were listings for inns, shops, and local sights.
"This is quite well-thought-out," Jin remarked.
It was typical of the Kingdom of Elias, a nation well-versed in managing tourism resources.
"Or perhaps it’s unique to Zaus Province," he reconsidered.
He recalled that the region had long been adept at marketing itself to visitors, famously hosting the Golem Boat Race in Port Rock Town.
"This is very convenient," Lordtoss said, looking impressed by the guidebook.
"Let’s settle on an inn first. We can decide on the rest after that."
"Agreed."
The two decided on the inn listed closest to the airfield. It was roughly a ten-minute walk. Reiko walked by Jin's side, while Hope followed behind the group carrying their luggage.
"The roads are quite beautiful," Lordtoss noted.
"True. It looks like they’re kept very clean."
The road extending from the airfield was the first thing a tourist would see; ensuring it didn't leave a bad impression was vital. Florenz clearly put effort into such details.
The inn was a grand three-story stone structure. It looked impressive without feeling prohibitively expensive.
"The 'Amber Inn,' is it?"
"Let’s head inside."
The front desk featured a clearly displayed price list—a helpful gesture for first-time guests, even if it slightly diminished the sense of high-end luxury.
"2,500 Toll for one night with two meals included. Considering the quality of the building, that seems reasonable."
"It does. Let's start with a two-night stay."
With that decided, they secured their rooms.
"Room 203 on the second floor."
They took the key and headed upstairs. Rooms lined both sides of a straight hallway; Room 203 was the second door on the right from the stairs. Inside was a twin-style layout featuring a large living area and two bedrooms. From the window, the airfield was visible in the distance beyond the streets of Florenz.
"This is a fine room."
"Indeed."
After setting down their bags, Jin and Lordtoss discussed their plans. It was currently 3:30 PM—a somewhat awkward time of day.
"We can save the proper tour of Florenz for tomorrow, but..." Jin flipped through the guidebook. "Oh, this might be interesting."
The guide mentioned a workshop located near the inn.
"...It seems to specialize in jewelry, though. Is that alright?"
As Lordtoss pointed out, the workshop produced accessories. He guessed the shop was positioned there specifically to tempt travelers into buying souvenirs.
"Why not? I'm curious to see what kind of techniques they use. Besides, it might be nice to buy a souvenir for All-Creation."
"For All-Creation? I wonder what would make her happy..."
Jin offered a wry smile. It seemed Lordtoss was even more of a blockhead than Jin when it came to such things.
"Perhaps a simple pendant or a necklace would be a safe choice?" Reiko advised, perhaps taking pity on them.
"Yes, that sounds right. I think that would be perfect," Jin agreed.
"...Understood. Let's go take a look."
After leaving their key at the front desk, Jin and the others departed the Amber Inn.
"Is this the place?"
"The 'Mechirei Workshop.' This is definitely it."
Having asked for directions on their way out, they reached their destination without any trouble.
"It’s surprisingly clean and orderly."
"Probably because it's a jewelry workshop."
The Nord Federation lacked workshops dedicated solely to accessories. There, ornaments were usually crafted as a side project by those making practical goods. Because of that, Lordtoss had imagined a workshop to be a dingy, cluttered place.
This workshop, however, had a wide storefront with large glass windows that offered a clear view of the interior. Samples were displayed in a show window, designed to entice customers.
"There's a lot of silver. It shouldn't be too expensive, so the prices should be accessible."
After saying that, Jin realized he wasn't entirely sure of the current market value for metals. When he mentioned this to Lordtoss, the other man replied, "I've heard the prices of gold and silver haven't shifted much."
Jin nodded; in a world on the gold standard, it would be disastrous if gold prices fluctuated wildly.
"However, the price of 64 light silver has dropped significantly."
While 64 light silver (titanium) was a useful metal, its high price had once been driven by the difficulty of the smelting process. Long ago, Jin had developed the magi-devices and facilities necessary for smelting, causing the price to plummet.
"In that case, silver bullion for jewelry should be roughly the same as it was in the past."
With that, Jin stepped inside the shop.