Two days later.
"Yes, there are no problems."
"Thank you very much."
The journey had been peaceful, without a single ambush, and I successfully passed through the gates of Kereban.
"Ah, excuse me. I’d like to ask one more thing—do you happen to know the way to the Dinome Magic Tool Workshop? This is the address I was given..."
"That address? It's toward the eastern district. Head straight down this road until you reach 24th Street, then... Actually, I’m sorry. The streets are a bit like a maze around there, so it's hard to explain properly."
"No, knowing that much is already a big help. Thank you."
"I see. Well then, take care. Oh, and if you use the shared carriage over there, you'll get there much faster!"
I thanked the helpful gatekeeper and headed toward the carriage stop he had indicated.
Waiting there was a vehicle that looked more like a large, oversized cart than a carriage, lacking both a hood and proper seats. Only a single coachman sat at the front. This had to be the right one, didn't it?
"Excuse me, how much to 24th Street?"
"24th? That’ll be two small copper coins."
"Here you go."
"Hop in the back. We're about to leave."
"Pardon me."
Once the coachman confirmed I was aboard, he set the carriage in motion.
"Can't you make this pot just a little cheaper?"
"Give me a break, lady!"
"Hey! Don't get separated, you hear!?"
As I watched the scenery drift slowly by, I could feel the city’s vibrant energy. The last time I visited, it was crowded, but it seemed even more packed now.
"Hey, kid. Where are you from?" the coachman asked.
"From Gimul."
"That’s fairly close. Are you here for sightseeing?"
"I'm an adventurer. Once I finish my request, I'm thinking of looking around. I heard there's a Magic Tool Fair coming up?"
"Yeah, starts tomorrow. This time, it’s all about the magic tools."
"Are there other kinds of fairs?"
"What, did you come from far away? Even in Gimul—no, in this whole region—these fairs are famous. They happen six times a year. The theme changes every time, but the venue is always the Central Square. Stands and stalls pop up all over the place; it’s a regular tradition. Once you’ve lived here a few years, it stops being a novelty."
Six times a year meant a fair every two months. It was no wonder the locals took it for granted.
"On the bright side, it gives us plenty of work, so I'm not complaining. There, everyone squeeze in a bit, will you?"
The carriage pulled over, and a sudden wave of new passengers surged aboard. The density was becoming quite high.
"Hm? Everyone, grab onto something tight! It might get a bit bumpy!"
The coachman shouted his warning, and the passengers instinctively gripped the edges of the cart. I followed suit, wondering what the trouble was. Was the road damaged? Then I saw it—a small cart moving at a snail's pace on the right side of the road.
"Stop dawdling!"
"You're too slow, you old geezer!"
The cart was loaded with heavy barrels and pulled by a very elderly man. A string of carriages driven by foul-mouthed youths were aggressively overtaking him.
"Man, that's dangerous..." the coachman muttered with a scowl.
From an amateur's perspective, the youths were being reckless, but the old man was undeniably slow and blocking the flow of traffic. I wasn't sure whose side the coachman was on.
"Oh boy..."
"Is she... is she getting on here?"
The passengers around me began to stir. Following their gaze, I saw a woman with the build of a sumo wrestler standing at the next stop.
"To 24th Street, please. Up... we... go!"
"Gufh!?"
With a tremendous amount of momentum, the woman tumbled into the cart. Directly onto me.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!"
"I'm... I'm fine..."
I managed to gasp out that I was uninjured despite the sudden crushing weight. The woman sat down right next to me. The already cramped carriage now felt like a vacuum-sealed bag.
"We're here. This is your stop."
"Thank you very much!"
"Don't mention it. Good luck with your work, kid."
With directions from the woman who had sat beside me, I finally arrived at my destination: the Dinome Magic Tool Workshop. To be honest, I probably would have gotten lost without her help. I was glad I’d asked.
"Item Box."
I retrieved the luggage and the request form. All set.
"Welcome! Oh? What a charming little customer."
When I stepped through the door, I was greeted by a counter where a plump, cheerful woman sat. The shop couldn't be called spacious by any stretch of the imagination—it was roughly the size of a train station kiosk.
"I don't recognize your face. Are you on an errand? Magic lights are over here, and fire starters are over there."
She pointed to the shelves beneath the counter where small magic tools were displayed. I felt a bit bad, but I had to explain I wasn't a customer, but an adventurer making a delivery.
"A delivery?"
"Yes. Could I get a signature here?"
"Wait a second. Dad—!"
"Yeah—!? Just wait a bit!" a voice rumbled from the back.
"Hold on, he’ll be right out."
A few minutes later, a man with a thick, bushy beard emerged.
"What is it?"
"A delivery. It’s for you, Dad, so you should take it yourself. Here."
"A delivery? ...Ah, the parts. I didn't think they’d make it in time. Give it here."
I received the signed request form back. Mission accomplished. All that was left was to report back to the guild.
"Thank you very much. I'll be on my way..."
"Wait. You came all the way from Gimul for this, didn't you? If you aren't in a rush, stay for a cup of tea. It's the cheap stuff, but still. Hey, I'm leaving the rest to you."
"Yeah, yeah."
The man scurried back into the workshop, but his daughter began preparing the tea. I decided to accept the offer.
"Here you go."
"Thank you."
I sat at the corner of the counter and took a sip. I paused. This tea... it tasted remarkably like coffee.
"How is it? Is it to your taste?"
"It’s delicious. I like it very much."
"I'm glad. I was worried because it’s a bit unusual."
"I’ve had something similar before. Is this made from roasted beans? Or the roots of a flower?"
"Apparently, it’s the root of the Dante flower. I don't know the specifics, but they say it’s good for you."
I see. Dante Coffee—or as I knew it on Earth, dandelion coffee. How nostalgic. Back when I was a salaryman, I used to drink a modified version of this all the time.
"Where can I buy the ingredients?"
"You liked it that much? The person who gives it to me is an old man at the local pharmacy, but he just makes it as a hobby. It’s not for sale."
"I see. Thank you anyway."
Now that I knew the name of the flower, I could just gather it and make it myself. If I remembered correctly, you just wash the roots, dry them, roast them, and then brew them. It wasn't a complicated process.
"Thank you for the tea. It was lovely."
"You're very welcome. Leaving so soon?"
"Yes, I need to find an inn for the night. Thank you again."
I stood up and reached for the doorknob. At that exact moment, the door pushed inward.
"Whoops."
"Oh, my apologies..."
The person entering and I both froze to avoid a collision. As I looked up at the stranger, my body went stiff for a completely different reason.
"Ryoma-sama?"
"Serge-san?"
Standing before me was unmistakably Serge Morgan. The fact that he knew my name immediately ruled out a coincidence or a lookalike.
"Hello. What a surprise. I knew you were coming for the Magic Tool Fair, but to meet here..."
"Indeed. Whatever brings Ryoma-sama to this workshop?"
"I'm here on an adventurer's delivery request. It was an urgent matter, so it was decided quite suddenly."
"Well, well... I am simply doing my greeting rounds. This is one of the workshops I do regular business with."
"Is that so?"
"Master Serge! You finally made it."
"Ah! My apologies, Lord Dinome. It has been quite some time."
"Don't be dramatic; it's only been two or three months. Well, I'm glad to see you're well. By the way, how do you know this kid?"
The bearded man reappeared from the back and looked at me with curious eyes.
"My name is Ryoma Takebayashi. Serge-san has been very kind to me."
"The kindness is mutual, I assure you. As you can see, he is young, but he is a person of exceptional character. He also has a keen interest in magic tools."
"Hmph... if the Master says so, I'll believe it. I'm Dinome. Since you're interested, do you want to take a look at the back?"
"Are you sure?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't. I have something to show the Master anyway."
Without waiting for a reply, Dinome headed into the workshop. Serge followed as if it were routine. I bowed to the daughter and hurried after them.
"In here."
"Wow..."
Passing through the door, I found a room far larger than the tiny storefront suggested. There were four objects that looked like wooden boxes on wheels—likely the rumored magic cars. Parts and workbenches were scattered throughout the space. The back wall had a large set of double doors for loading and wide windows that flooded the area with natural light.
"Just don't touch anything you shouldn't, and feel free to look around. Master, this way."
Since I didn't want to break anything, I stayed close to Serge. It seemed they were about to discuss the magic cars.
"So this is the latest model? It doesn't look very different."
"The exterior is the same, but I’ve strengthened the power source and lightened the chassis. Look here. But... I still haven't solved the main hurdle."
"It still can't carry cargo...?"
"If it’s something very light, maybe. It’s a delicate balance. If I lighten it any more, I lose structural integrity. I refuse to sacrifice safety."
"Yes, that is a serious concern. Accidents and collisions are a given in the races, after all..."
The mention of magic car races made me wonder if Serge was a participant. It seemed Dinome was the mechanic and Serge was the sponsor.
I could follow the conversation at first, but the two of them soon delved into highly technical jargon while fiddling with various magic tools. Once they started debating the rotational speed of the drive unit, I quietly excused myself.
I wandered around the workshop, but honestly, I didn't understand most of what I saw. I had no idea what half these parts were for. Then, something caught my eye.
"This looks... normal."
Among the rows of boxy magic cars, there was one object that looked like a regular horse-drawn carriage. The only real difference was that it lacked a hitch for a horse. It even had a coachman’s seat. Was it a different type of magic tool?
I waited for a lull in their technical talk and asked.
"Dinome-san, what kind of magic tool is that one over there?"
"That? That's not a magic tool at all. It's just a regular carriage. A neighbor asked me to repair it."
"Oh, I see."
I was satisfied with the answer, but Serge looked genuinely confused.
"That's rare. I didn't think you ever accepted repairs for ordinary carriages."
"Well, you see..."
Dinome hesitated. Serge leaned in and whispered to me.
"He’s mellowed out since his grandson was born, but he used to be a purist who wouldn't touch anything that wasn't a magic tool. I fully expected him to tell the neighbor to go to a carriage shop."
"...The truth is, I needed a bit of extra cash. For my grandson."
Embarrassed, Dinome’s face flushed red beneath his beard, and his voice turned gruff.
"A gift? If that’s the case, I’d be more than happy to help you with the cost," Serge offered.
In the midst of this surprisingly tender atmosphere, Dinome shook his head.
"I appreciate it, Master. But it's not for a gift. It's for his tuition."
"Tuition? Do you mean for the Royal Academy?"
"That's the plan. And the reason is..."
Dinome sounded like he was trying to be mysterious, but he was clearly bursting with pride.
"The truth is, my grandson might be a genius! He only just turned four, but he's always coming in here to watch us work. My youngest apprentice started acting like a big shot and explained things to him—I was going to scold the half-wit for being so arrogant, but then, look at this!"
Beaming with a doting smile he couldn't hide, Dinome pulled several gears from a drawer. He picked one up and flowed magic power into it.
"Oh?"
The gear began to rotate. It was the same type of enchantment as the gears Serge had given me. However, compared to those, this one spun incredibly slowly and stuttered constantly, as if it were trying to move through sludge.
"Based on the story, did your grandson make this?"
"You catch on quick, kid! Isn't it amazing? It’s not a finished product yet, but he’s only four!"
"That is certainly impressive for such a young age."
"Right!? I used to carry him on my back while I worked when he was a baby, so maybe he picked it up then... but still, it's incredible."
"I can't use Enchantment Magic at all, so I'm actually quite envious."
With people like this, it’s best not to offer any criticism. To keep them happy, you just have to stay positive and show that you're listening. Drawing on my years of experience from my previous life, I resigned myself to listening to him brag about his grandson for a very, very long time.