17 – The Poison Bell
In the end, I was the only one who could properly join the formation in the equipment warehouse where the three of us stayed.
There was no room for feelings like regret or helplessness.
Because the challenges were not over yet.
“Let us pass there!”
“Hey, calm down. Impatient, aren’t you?”
It had been an hour since the anchor dropped at the Federation’s unnamed port.
The deck was still crowded with hundreds of passengers disembarking, and time seemed insufficient for everyone to get off.
I, too, joined the descending formation.
Fortunately, no one seemed interested in the ash-gray hair sticking out from under my hat.
The chaos caused by the sea breeze, various luggage, and countless people mingling obscured people’s vision.
Some closed their eyes and surrendered to the crowd.
But I, on the contrary, widened my eyes.
The sight I had been drawing in my dreams.
For a whopping eight years, the scene I had only imagined is unfolding before my eyes. I cannot turn a blind eye.
Caught up in the rush, I suddenly find myself walking along the auxiliary bridge that stretches from the Edington Hotel to the pier.
Descending along the slope, the dizzying sensation gradually fades away.
Thud.
With the last step, it completely disappears.
“Hoo.”
Solid ground.
A feeling of both feet firmly planted.
Although only half a day has passed since I disembarked from the ship, walking on land feels quite awkward.
“Maybe because it’s unfamiliar terrain.”
Well, the entire Federation’s land isn’t covered in mud, I suppose.
From Noble mtl dot com
After quickly dispelling such futile thoughts, I move forward.
Unlike the imperial port city of Rosco, which was more like a developed area, this unknown port has a massive building right next to the pier.
Some sort of immigration checkpoint, perhaps.
Even though I see the crowd from the Edington Hotel heading straight there, the reason I can’t be sure is simply because of its scale.
Four towers with red bricks and domes.
The building, twice the size of Leman’s bank, illuminated by magical lamps scattered in all directions, looked endlessly grand.
If I hadn’t surveyed the port area from the deck, I would have simply thought that only that building was so large.
No.
Even this unknown port city is more prosperous than Leman, one of the empire’s core cities.
Due to the war with the Empire, most of it would have been rebuilt.
I closed my mouth and just stared.
“If you hadn’t crossed, you probably wouldn’t have known for a long time.”
It means that the world is changing so rapidly.
At that moment, someone pushed my shoulder.
“Hey, young man. Don’t block the way, move.”
Yeah. It wasn’t over yet.
I took steps again.
The immigration inspection office, matching its size, boasted a monstrous grandeur like the mouth of a monster.
The only difference was that if you were swallowed by a monster, it would be surrounded by endless darkness, but the interior of the inspection office was filled with soft light.
Magic lamps hanging under the roof supported by iron beams evenly illuminated the spacious area.
The crowd, which was chaos itself, gradually began to organize.
The inspection is imminent.
While about ten inspectors worked tirelessly, people sat in chairs lined up in front of them, waiting for their turn.
From what I observed briefly, it seemed that for soldiers belonging to the Federal Army, there was a separate certificate, making the process simple.
The problem is for ordinary people like me.
It’s not going to be that meticulous in screening.
But seeing someone moving to the VIP room at a rate of one in a hundred made it seem like I couldn’t relax.
“Please.”
Time flowed like an arrow, and it was my turn.
Thud.
“Hello.”
I stood in front of a weary-looking judge and a young assistant at the judgment desk.
Without even looking at me, he gave me instructions in a lifeless tone.
“Um, show me your identification.”
I already had it in my hand.
Without hesitation, I handed him my identification card, and the judge who took it slowly raised his head.
“Hmm.”
Our eyes met.
“An informal identification card without an address. What brings you to Osloviah?”
Osloviah.
Once a separate country, it was one of the three core states of the Pravia Federation.
Fortunately, I anticipated this question.
“I came to study magic.”
As I briefly showed him the magic book, his expression softened a little.
But it seemed that his suspicions didn’t completely dissipate.
“Take off your hat.”
“….”
If I hesitated here, it would only increase suspicion.
I took off the distinctive gray hat of Diamen’s Lady. It was the moment when my distinctive ash-colored hair was revealed to the many people in front of me.
This time, it was the turn for the examiner to remain silent.
“Hmm. Gray hair, huh?”
In his right hand, two stamps were held.
‘Qualified’ and ‘Disqualified.’ The latter stamp meant an immediate transfer to the ‘Star Chamber.’
Not immediately caught, but if a detailed investigation were conducted in the Star Chamber, the fact of being an ineligible candidate would inevitably be exposed.
He maintained a calm expression, though tension was evident.
Yet, the examiner reluctantly clenched the disqualified stamp.
It was when the examiner was about to imprint the stamp on the document.
“Senior. Are you doing it again?”
The young assistant opened his mouth.
“Do you not remember when you falsely accused that bald-headed old man of being an imperial and got scolded last time?”
“Well, still.”
“Anyway, ineligible candidates show up here maybe once every three months. They carry identification and magic books. Are you going to detain such a promising talent?”
The assistant tilted his head with a playful expression.
This guy probably just wants to leave work early.
But for me, it was an unexpected stroke of luck.
The examiner acquiesced.
“Fine. I get it. I understand.”
Thunk!
He handed me the document with the stamped impression.
[ Approved ]
“Welcome to Oslovia.”
“…Thank you.”
After receiving the documents, she hastened her steps.
The immigration checkpoint was a kind of gateway, and as she passed through the inspection desk, another door appeared.
A door leading directly to the city.
There was a city ahead, softly illuminated even in the midnight, with no guards or soldiers in sight.
Finally, it hit her.
This was the first step of her dream.
*
As exciting as the pounding heart and the march toward the dream were, what mattered more was awareness.
Especially if she couldn’t find an inn tonight, she might find herself back to that time three years ago, not knowing where to sleep under some bridge.
Having no money wouldn’t be so bad, but unlike back then, there were twelve pounds in her pocket.
Finding an inn wasn’t difficult.
In this port city, the industries supporting it seemed to include both logistics and accommodations.
Seeing signs hanging everywhere for taverns and inns confirmed it.
“If possible, a place with fewer guests would be better.”
Among numerous inns, she randomly chose a seemingly sturdy one with dimmer lights.
Clang—accompanied by a cheerful bell sound, she stepped inside.
The interior was snug.
The cozy ambiance of the duplex home, akin to the Oslo family, though lacking in sophistication, exuded a sense of life in every corner.
Except for the somewhat eccentric owner, I liked it.
Instead of asking about my business, he nodded at me.
I, unfamiliar with the customs between innkeepers and guests, inquired with as natural gestures and expressions as possible.
“One night. Without meals. How much?”
Seems like the correct response.
After scanning my appearance, the owner replied, without any extra words.
“Eight pounds.”
“Excuse me?”
“Deaf, are you? I said eight pounds.”
Eight pounds?
Exorbitant to say the least.
However, without uttering a word, the owner just stared at me as if questioning what the problem was.
“Oh.”
From his nonchalant demeanor, I could deduce the nature of my mistake.
Empire and Federation. Federation and Empire.
After the war, the Empire found itself borrowing the currency of the Federation.
Naturally, prices wouldn’t be the same.
*
“One night, please.”
“This is the last room on this floor.”
After exploring five more inns and confirming that the price for one night’s stay was not more expensive than eight pounds, I finally returned to the original inn.
The living conditions there were not significantly better than my storage room, to be honest.
However, it was about twice as spacious.
“Oh!”
There was a bed.
Lying on the bed for a few minutes, I felt the remnants of nausea and tension gradually dissipating.
I looked up at the ceiling and tried to gather my thoughts.
“The cost of living is high.”
And it was quite high indeed. In the empire, one shilling could buy you a loaf of bread, but here you had to pay about three shillings.
That was the least of my worries.
The biggest problem was transportation and accommodation.
When you talk about the Prauvia Federation, it mainly refers to an alliance of three countries.
There’s Oslobia, where various industries such as steelmaking and weaving are thriving.
Prausen, the center of magic.
And Berleu, abundant with massive ranches and farms.
Among them, the place I was heading to was none other than Prausen.
“It’s called the center of magic for a reason.”
According to Benjamin, his wife Susan and the rest of the family live there, and most importantly, the Federal Magic University is located there.
Benjamin said he sent a letter to the Prausen family to let them know about my existence, but who knows.
I have no intention of spreading my hands wide right now.
Because I have that much dignity.
But even if I restrain that, going to Prousen where the Magic University is located was the most tempting option.
The problem lies in transportation and accommodation here.
It’s a distance that takes several weeks on foot. So, I must use the railroad.
The initial plan was like this. Enjoy a budget-friendly railway journey to Prousen while carefully spending twelve pounds.
But.
“How much is the cost if I stay overnight for eight pounds?.”
Money is scarce. Extremely so.
There is only one solution.
Thoroughly conceal my imperial status and manage the money to get to Prousen.
In other words, it meant finding some kind of work.
“…It seems the journey will be longer than I thought.”
First, it’s time for a break.
I buried myself in a cozy bed and fell asleep.
I didn’t dream. It’s already become reality.
