The ritual of the Contract Festival is conducted in a manner that replicates the meeting between the spirit and the shrine maiden depicted in the Bible. In other words, it involves a pure-hearted woman preparing her body in the sacred place to meet the spirit, walking through the sacred grounds to admire its beauty, and receiving blessings from the spirit in response to her words of praise.
The first day corresponds to the scene of acclimating the body, so the shrine maidens consume the meals of Elrand.
The second day is a continuation—namely, the procession through the sacred grounds.
With that in mind, Leo took a deep breath and psyched himself up in front of the gates of the cathedral.
The morning of the second day of the Contract Festival.
As always, the sunlight poured down brightly, tinting the reddish soil with a smooth texture. The sky was blue, the wind gentle. It seemed like the perfect day for a pilgrimage.
Leo, on the other hand, had completed the repairs of the provided shrine maiden attire—having discreetly added storage pockets here and there—and tied his troublesome black hair into a neat bun, brimming with enthusiasm.
(Enjoying local cuisine on the first day, sightseeing on the second. What a ritual that’s nothing but beneficial for me.)
For a young lady serving as a shrine maiden, spending half a day walking around on her own and, moreover, speaking about the splendor of the sacred grounds in Elrandic at the end, was indeed a significant ordeal. However, Leo viewed it as nothing more than a leisurely sightseeing tour followed by a brief comment.
Of course, Leo was inclined towards solo travel rather than group tours.
(If I could stroll lazily with a buddy I’m familiar with, that would be the best, but well, walking alone in silence isn’t bad either.)
As he pondered over these thoughts while unfolding the map he had been given about ten minutes ago, Leo was currently making his way alone to the designated location from the cathedral, all under the pretext of the trial.
The shrine maidens of felicity, having finished breakfast, were gathered in the hall of the cathedral. Each was handed a map marked with a different destination, and they would depart one by one at intervals.
Since Leo’s destination was the farthest, he had the honor of leading the way through the gates. However, apparently, they couldn’t just let a foreign lady walk alone. Attendants followed at a discreet distance, ensuring they didn’t disturb the ritual.
It would have been nice if they could sightsee together, but apparently, it was a rule that the trial was to be faced by the shrine maiden alone. Leo easily accepted this with a casual “Oh well” since he was always preoccupied with thoughts of making money.
“Hehe… Elrand, a place I might never have come to in my lifetime. Let’s observe it thoroughly this time and find some business opportunities…”
Completely relegating the trial to the back of his mind, Leo fired up his entrepreneurial frontier spirit and took the memorable first step from the cathedral.
But…
“What kind of ‘trial’ is this supposed to be, really…”
As Leo confidently marched forward, there were two shadows following behind him, Kaie and Gustaf, their expressions clouded.
Kae, the worrywart attendant, and surprisingly, Gustav, with a strong sense of chivalry.
They walked, keenly observing their surroundings, making sure not to get too close to the attendants to avoid being seen as interfering with the ritual, yet not losing sight of the important young lady.
“Sir Knight, is the ‘pilgrimage trial of the Shrine Maidens’ imposed really this harsh?”
“No… Even in the church records, there’s nothing like this. Rituals tend to become formalities over time. Despite calling it a ‘trial’ during the Contract Festival, the recent substantive purpose seemed to be to treat noble ladies from various countries, show them the splendor of Elrand’s lands, and send them back.”
“Indeed…”
Kai confirmed that his senses were not wrong and narrowed his eyes.
“We had prepared for a certain level of difficulty as part of the trial, but… to think it would be such blatant harassment by the jurisdiction towards the suzerain state.”
He said so because it was clear that the girl was being treated with disrespect.
Her attire resembled nothing of what one would expect for a state guest.
The contents of the banquet were of poor quality.
The two attendants assigned to the girl showed an attitude that did not regard her as a guest.
From what Kai had gathered from information about shrine maidens from other countries since last night, it seemed that only this girl was subjected to such treatment.
Other shrine maidens were meticulously taken care of by their attendants and seemed to spend their time comfortably.
Furthermore, they were expelled from the cathedral in the morning—while other shrine maidens only went out for a short walk before noon—and made to walk extensively under the strong sunlight, all to praise the land of Elrand…
“Moreover, as far as I know, beyond this road should be the slums. Usually, shrine maidens just stroll around tourist spots near the capital, so why is Lady Leonora subjected to this…! Is Elrand planning to provoke Weitz?”
“No.”
Gustav’s reply was brief.
While keeping an eye on the girl as keenly as Kai, he answered.
“It’s precisely because Elrand, which has the protection of the benevolent spirits, wouldn’t initiate such actions from their side. So they are probably pushing the limits to provoke Weitz within the guise of the ‘trial’.”
For instance, if one were to justify the worn-out clothing and inferior meals as means to “temper a spirit of frugality,” it would somewhat validate their actions. That’s the power of religion.
With a low growl, Gustav murmured provocatively.
“Elrand never initiated wars on its own. In order to obtain the protection of the spirits, they must be seen as unfortunate victims. Therefore, they push Weitz to the brink within the framework of the ‘trial’.”
“If the slum residents were to attack Harkenberg, we could respond… But it’s strange to hope for such a thing. We have to trust in Harkenberg’s tolerance and the goodwill of the surrounding areas.”
Amber eyes glaring sharply ahead, the powerful sun of Elrand began its ascent into the sky.
“Looks like our Shrine Maiden is unexpectedly putting up a fight.”
“…Indeed.”
Watching the girl with her black hair tied up in a bun as she walked, Surya muttered, and Khaje beside her nodded quietly.
It had been almost three hours since they left the cathedral.
During this time, the girl had never once faltered in her pace, steadily moving forward while surveying her surroundings, and Khaje and the others had followed behind, keeping a certain distance.
As they moved away from the cathedral, the road narrowed, the pavement disappeared, and now it was more like a path—a mixture of mud, stones, and weeds.
The sturdy buildings that used to line the sides of the road in an orderly fashion became sparse, replaced by shabby shanties made of stone and tile.
Catching a faint whiff of cow dung in the air, Khaje furrowed his brow.
“…Things haven’t changed around here.”
“How could they? Sweating away in filth, chased by filthy jobs, leading miserable lives. It’s no wonder nothing changes.”
The work of the poor in Elrand usually consisted of nothing but “smelly” tasks such as picking up garbage or butchering livestock.
The slightly better-off jobs were at best subcontracting for spirit cloth or tile laying.
Using bright threads or stones, they would combine them day after day, barely making enough to make ends meet.
However, while calling such work “crap,” Surya’s expression, which stopped short of outright denial, resonated painfully with Khaje.
Despite being slums, their comrades were here.
Their memories with them, their lives were intertwined.
Now that they had caught glimpses of luxurious life in the capital, they understood that their hometown environment was dire, but… even so, they couldn’t completely deny it.
However, aristocrats like those would never understand such sentiments.
Khaje and his comrades, instructed to send the girl to their home, Elrand “to corner her,” were annoyed by the arrogance and insensitivity of that order.
“…Hey, Khaje. I think that girl is starting to feel the strain, isn’t she?”
“Yeah. She’s been stopping more frequently. Physical exhaustion isn’t something you can just brush off with pretty words.”
As Khaje squinted, the girl stopped and wiped away her sweat.
With her black hair clinging to her white neck, she took a short breath to calm herself and gazed around at the town.
It seemed like the heat was taking its toll; her large purple eyes were moist even from afar, and her cheeks were flushed.
Physically and in this unfamiliar environment, she seemed utterly exhausted.
It was understandable, Khaje thought.
Near the eaves that jutted out right next to where the girl was walking, slaughtered cattle and pigs were hanging to drain the blood.
Surrounding scents of blood and animal musk would be unbearable for a noble’s daughter. Bits of tiles scattered along what could barely be called a road hindered their steps, and at the roadside, garbage was discarded at regular intervals.
Watching the girl’s eyes widen at the sight, the Khaje pretended not to notice.
Most of all, it was the impertinent gazes cast upon the girl by women knitting cloth and men butchering cows. Though they refrained from making advances due to the girl’s ethereal beauty, their expressions of suspicion towards outsiders were thinly veiled.
Noticing the presence of the Khaje walking behind, they understood this to be part of the ordeal of the contract festival—that is, understanding that this girl was a princess from another country—her face became even more bitter.
Judging her to be from Weitz based on her features and skin color, they whispered among themselves, “What’s she doing here?” “Did she come to look down on us?” Some even brazenly muttered, “Get out, you Imperial sow.”
The Khaje murmured softly as they stopped walking alongside the halted girl. “It would be better if that girl didn’t understand their slang.”
“Khaje?”
“It’s not like I don’t want her to be hurt or anything like that… It’s just… Isn’t it embarrassing to have idiots among us who use derogatory terms like ‘sow’ despite relying on pigs for their daily sustenance?”
Daily sustenance. Surya realized that the influence of the girl lingered in that phrase. However, she didn’t say anything. She glanced at her stubborn older sister and then at the girl standing idly by the roadside.
Though her voice could reach if she shouted loudly, the girl was at a distance where even small encouragement would never reach her.
“…Don’t collapse,” Surya whispered, clenching her fists beneath her fine robe, praying for this “ordeal” of a festival to end as soon as possible.
“Elrand, this is…,” Leo was in awe. In the midst of his admiration, he noticed his slight excitement and, to calm himself, he took a small breath.
“Is this like a major tourist destination or something?” Following the map for a few hours. He had stumbled upon something far more splendid.
What lay before Leo was what could be called a slum. The streets were narrow, the houses crowded, and people who had taken up less than respectable occupations toiled under the bare sun.
Though there was a hint of livestock smell in the air, it reminded Leo more of nostalgia than disgust.
Nostalgic. Yes, there were many things reminiscent of the atmosphere in Leo’s hometown. Yet, the beautiful mosaic tiles adorning the houses and the spirit cloth hung about were so exotic and enticing.
(What’s with this high population density vibe, and “elegance? What’s that, is it sellable?” But it’s like, it’s really something. The only difference is the skin color—maybe the sunlight?)
He looked up at the sun for a moment. Unlike in Weitz, where the sun shone down abundantly, here it added a strong exotic vibe to the atmosphere.
(The sunlight is intense, and this fair skin burns easily, but the heat itself isn’t unpleasant.)
The priestess attire, being of the Elrand style, not only protected the skin from the sunlight but also allowed for plenty of ventilation, making it quite comfortable.
Unlike the dresses in Weitz, which would become stuffy, this was no problem at all. In fact, in terms of heat, it was worse when he worked at the smoked meat shop, so this was nothing.
(Also, when I worked at the tavern, the old man at the shop used to say that sweating actually makes ale taste better. So in the tavern, they deliberately close the windows and make it hot.)
He wiped the sweat off and stared at the droplets remaining in his palm.
In other words, this was a magical water that loosened people’s wallets.
Leo had been thinking since yesterday about how to produce Hormonayaki [a fictional dish] here. This was a great discovery.
(After all, it wouldn’t be good to introduce that dish to Weitz. Organs have to be fresh, and besides, in this environment where you just want to drink ale like mad! That’s not the case.)
Under the scorching sun, he gulped down the foaming ale, and in between, savored the crispy, deliciously grilled offal. This was it. This was the secret.
Then, instead of introducing the dish to Weitz, he had to think about bringing Weitz people to Elrand.
However, Elrand had already been thoroughly developed as a tourist destination, especially as a religious pilgrimage site, which he thought would be a bottleneck—
(Found it. Found it! The last untapped area. The budding tourism business of the downtown tour…!)
Leo felt like praising himself for the brilliance of his inspiration.
Elrand was originally known as the first land of spirits, where devout nobles and upper-class citizens often visited as a pilgrimage site.
Due to the refinement of its meals and the beauty of its buildings, concepts like “A Four-Day Stay in the Elegant and Sophisticated Capital of Elrand” were abundant.
However, what Leo was about to propose was a completely different style of travel.
The target audience would be the middle to lower-class citizens who would gradually become richer due to the spread of Jin and other factors.
He would propose a friendly and stimulating tour without any pretense, catering to them.
First, they wouldn’t stay in luxury inns but in churches scattered throughout Elrand.
Rooms like the one in the church Leo was staying in, with poor sunlight and cool temperatures, would surely soothe the unaccustomed Vaits people.
And they wouldn’t eat refined court cuisine of Elrand but rather B-grade gourmet food such as Hormonayaki.
Eating these robust and fresh-tasting dishes under the exotic sun, while downing ale, would be the highlight.
Once they rented comfortable Elrand-style clothing, the excitement would surely increase.
(I was worried that there wouldn’t be many tourist attractions like cathedrals or holy sites, but with this pace, there’s no need to worry about that!)
Leo grinned and once again admired the downtown scene.
Women knitting threads of vibrant colors, not seen in Weitz.
Children combine bright tiles into geometric patterns.
Men sorting out organs meticulously rather than just cutting meat, displaying their outstanding skills.
Here, there was beauty and craftsmanship that Weitz lacked.
Surely, Weitz people would want to buy spirit cloth and tile decorations in bulk, and eating unfamiliar offal dishes live would be quite an experience.
Though the smell of livestock was somewhat bothersome, compared to the slums of Reichelt, it was nothing at all.
Probably, the way of feeding livestock and disposing of waste was different from Weitz.
(Something about this place… their level of civilization is high overall. They’re clean or maybe conscious… They gather garbage on the roadside instead of scattering it, they neatly hang meat in front of every shop, and instead of throwing away the offal, they cook it.)
People’s characters here were vastly different from the ferocious spirit of the Reichelt slums.
For instance, if outsiders wandered around the eastern district, they would be lynched and stripped of all their belongings within three seconds, but here, though people looked at them suspiciously, they didn’t lay a finger on them.
Though there were those who shouted insults, even he received disapproving looks like “How dare you say that in the language of spirits” and “Disgusting” from the surroundings, making him shrink back.
Their morality was touching to a certain extent.
Yes. Khaje, who knew nothing but Elrand’s downtown, thought the environment was terrible, but there was an even lower level beneath it.
The slums of Weitz, inhabited by pure carnivores and hunter-gatherers, were much harsher in terms of hygiene and humanity.
With that in mind,
“Oh, Lord Kaa…!” Leo, overwhelmed by the continuous amazement and admiration, finally clasped his hands together and offered thanks to the god Karlheinz Raimund.
Yesterday’s offal dish, and today’s downtown tour had been consecutive, which had led even him, who was halfway through being a miser, to come up with such a complex business idea. Surely, this was also guidance from Lord Kar.
(Man, since coming to Elrand, everything has been going so well. Maybe… there really is a gold spirit here.)
He even thought about such things.
He had no interest in the light spirits at all, but if there were a gold spirit here, he would definitely want to meet and offer a prayer.
However, suddenly praying, Leo startled the boy who had been crouching at the edge of the road, “Wow!” He let out a small scream.
It seemed he had been in the middle of throwing out garbage, as he was holding a small box filled with what seemed like garbage.
Their eyes met sharply, and Leo instinctively smiled at him.
The boy’s face turned red instantly, then he looked around as if suddenly coming to his senses and finally cast a wary gaze towards Leo.
“…What are you doing here, Weitz priestess? We’re not a spectacle!”
“No—”
Seems like he’s at that rebellious age where he can’t be satisfied without hurting anyone he touches. But Leo, with his steel mental, wasn’t bothered even if the boy lashed out at him.
What caught his attention more was the garbage box the boy held and the garbage pile by the roadside where he intended to dispose of it.
Something that reflected an orange light similar to a gold coin seemed to be mixed in there.
(What’s that… fruit peel? It smells refreshing. Thanks to it, I don’t even mind the stench of garbage.)
Since a while ago, despite being so hot, Leo found it strange that he wasn’t bothered by the smell of garbage, feces, or slaughtered meat.
Could this be the wisdom of the slums?
If so, he definitely wanted to learn how to make it.
If it was a powerful natural deodorizer, it would be useful when producing offal dishes or downtown tours. It would surely sell well even within Weitz.
Trusting in the feeling that his Gold Sense had triggered, Leo was about to ask, “What are you mixing with the garbage?” but—
“Um, we’re not for show, and we’re not garbage—”
“We’re garbage!?” Interrupted and misunderstood midway, Leo felt terrible.
What an impatient boy.
“No, that’s not it—”
“Huh, don’t mess with me. You may look pretty on the outside, but you’re noble scum rotten to the core. Listen, you’re the garbage here. Let me show you how it’s done…!”
With his words, the boy pushed Leo into the garbage pile.
The ritual of the Contract Festival is conducted in a manner that replicates the meeting between the spirit and the shrine maiden depicted in the Bible. In other words, it involves a pure-hearted woman preparing her body in the sacred place to meet the spirit, walking through the sacred grounds to admire its beauty, and receiving blessings from the spirit in response to her words of praise.
The first day corresponds to the scene of acclimating the body, so the shrine maidens consume the meals of Elrand.
The second day is a continuation—namely, the procession through the sacred grounds.
With that in mind, Leo took a deep breath and psyched himself up in front of the gates of the cathedral.
The morning of the second day of the Contract Festival.
As always, the sunlight poured down brightly, tinting the reddish soil with a smooth texture. The sky was blue, the wind gentle. It seemed like the perfect day for a pilgrimage.
Leo, on the other hand, had completed the repairs of the provided shrine maiden attire—having discreetly added storage pockets here and there—and tied his troublesome black hair into a neat bun, brimming with enthusiasm.
(Enjoying local cuisine on the first day, sightseeing on the second. What a ritual that’s nothing but beneficial for me.)
For a young lady serving as a shrine maiden, spending half a day walking around on her own and, moreover, speaking about the splendor of the sacred grounds in Elrandic at the end, was indeed a significant ordeal. However, Leo viewed it as nothing more than a leisurely sightseeing tour followed by a brief comment.
Of course, Leo was inclined towards solo travel rather than group tours.
(If I could stroll lazily with a buddy I’m familiar with, that would be the best, but well, walking alone in silence isn’t bad either.)
As he pondered over these thoughts while unfolding the map he had been given about ten minutes ago, Leo was currently making his way alone to the designated location from the cathedral, all under the pretext of the trial.
The shrine maidens of felicity, having finished breakfast, were gathered in the hall of the cathedral. Each was handed a map marked with a different destination, and they would depart one by one at intervals.
Since Leo’s destination was the farthest, he had the honor of leading the way through the gates. However, apparently, they couldn’t just let a foreign lady walk alone. Attendants followed at a discreet distance, ensuring they didn’t disturb the ritual.
It would have been nice if they could sightsee together, but apparently, it was a rule that the trial was to be faced by the shrine maiden alone. Leo easily accepted this with a casual “Oh well” since he was always preoccupied with thoughts of making money.
“Hehe… Elrand, a place I might never have come to in my lifetime. Let’s observe it thoroughly this time and find some business opportunities…”
Completely relegating the trial to the back of his mind, Leo fired up his entrepreneurial frontier spirit and took the memorable first step from the cathedral.
But…
“What kind of ‘trial’ is this supposed to be, really…”
As Leo confidently marched forward, there were two shadows following behind him, Kaie and Gustaf, their expressions clouded.
Kae, the worrywart attendant, and surprisingly, Gustav, with a strong sense of chivalry.
They walked, keenly observing their surroundings, making sure not to get too close to the attendants to avoid being seen as interfering with the ritual, yet not losing sight of the important young lady.
“Sir Knight, is the ‘pilgrimage trial of the Shrine Maidens’ imposed really this harsh?”
“No… Even in the church records, there’s nothing like this. Rituals tend to become formalities over time. Despite calling it a ‘trial’ during the Contract Festival, the recent substantive purpose seemed to be to treat noble ladies from various countries, show them the splendor of Elrand’s lands, and send them back.”
“Indeed…”
Kai confirmed that his senses were not wrong and narrowed his eyes.
“We had prepared for a certain level of difficulty as part of the trial, but… to think it would be such blatant harassment by the jurisdiction towards the suzerain state.”
He said so because it was clear that the girl was being treated with disrespect.
Her attire resembled nothing of what one would expect for a state guest.
The contents of the banquet were of poor quality.
The two attendants assigned to the girl showed an attitude that did not regard her as a guest.
From what Kai had gathered from information about shrine maidens from other countries since last night, it seemed that only this girl was subjected to such treatment.
Other shrine maidens were meticulously taken care of by their attendants and seemed to spend their time comfortably.
Furthermore, they were expelled from the cathedral in the morning—while other shrine maidens only went out for a short walk before noon—and made to walk extensively under the strong sunlight, all to praise the land of Elrand…
“Moreover, as far as I know, beyond this road should be the slums. Usually, shrine maidens just stroll around tourist spots near the capital, so why is Lady Leonora subjected to this…! Is Elrand planning to provoke Weitz?”
“No.”
Gustav’s reply was brief.
While keeping an eye on the girl as keenly as Kai, he answered.
“It’s precisely because Elrand, which has the protection of the benevolent spirits, wouldn’t initiate such actions from their side. So they are probably pushing the limits to provoke Weitz within the guise of the ‘trial’.”
For instance, if one were to justify the worn-out clothing and inferior meals as means to “temper a spirit of frugality,” it would somewhat validate their actions. That’s the power of religion.
With a low growl, Gustav murmured provocatively.
“Elrand never initiated wars on its own. In order to obtain the protection of the spirits, they must be seen as unfortunate victims. Therefore, they push Weitz to the brink within the framework of the ‘trial’.”
“If the slum residents were to attack Harkenberg, we could respond… But it’s strange to hope for such a thing. We have to trust in Harkenberg’s tolerance and the goodwill of the surrounding areas.”
Amber eyes glaring sharply ahead, the powerful sun of Elrand began its ascent into the sky.
“Looks like our Shrine Maiden is unexpectedly putting up a fight.”
“…Indeed.”
Watching the girl with her black hair tied up in a bun as she walked, Surya muttered, and Khaje beside her nodded quietly.
It had been almost three hours since they left the cathedral.
During this time, the girl had never once faltered in her pace, steadily moving forward while surveying her surroundings, and Khaje and the others had followed behind, keeping a certain distance.
As they moved away from the cathedral, the road narrowed, the pavement disappeared, and now it was more like a path—a mixture of mud, stones, and weeds.
The sturdy buildings that used to line the sides of the road in an orderly fashion became sparse, replaced by shabby shanties made of stone and tile.
Catching a faint whiff of cow dung in the air, Khaje furrowed his brow.
“…Things haven’t changed around here.”
“How could they? Sweating away in filth, chased by filthy jobs, leading miserable lives. It’s no wonder nothing changes.”
The work of the poor in Elrand usually consisted of nothing but “smelly” tasks such as picking up garbage or butchering livestock.
The slightly better-off jobs were at best subcontracting for spirit cloth or tile laying.
Using bright threads or stones, they would combine them day after day, barely making enough to make ends meet.
However, while calling such work “crap,” Surya’s expression, which stopped short of outright denial, resonated painfully with Khaje.
Despite being slums, their comrades were here.
Their memories with them, their lives were intertwined.
Now that they had caught glimpses of luxurious life in the capital, they understood that their hometown environment was dire, but… even so, they couldn’t completely deny it.
However, aristocrats like those would never understand such sentiments.
Khaje and his comrades, instructed to send the girl to their home, Elrand “to corner her,” were annoyed by the arrogance and insensitivity of that order.
“…Hey, Khaje. I think that girl is starting to feel the strain, isn’t she?”
“Yeah. She’s been stopping more frequently. Physical exhaustion isn’t something you can just brush off with pretty words.”
As Khaje squinted, the girl stopped and wiped away her sweat.
With her black hair clinging to her white neck, she took a short breath to calm herself and gazed around at the town.
It seemed like the heat was taking its toll; her large purple eyes were moist even from afar, and her cheeks were flushed.
Physically and in this unfamiliar environment, she seemed utterly exhausted.
It was understandable, Khaje thought.
Near the eaves that jutted out right next to where the girl was walking, slaughtered cattle and pigs were hanging to drain the blood.
Surrounding scents of blood and animal musk would be unbearable for a noble’s daughter. Bits of tiles scattered along what could barely be called a road hindered their steps, and at the roadside, garbage was discarded at regular intervals.
Watching the girl’s eyes widen at the sight, the Khaje pretended not to notice.
Most of all, it was the impertinent gazes cast upon the girl by women knitting cloth and men butchering cows. Though they refrained from making advances due to the girl’s ethereal beauty, their expressions of suspicion towards outsiders were thinly veiled.
Noticing the presence of the Khaje walking behind, they understood this to be part of the ordeal of the contract festival—that is, understanding that this girl was a princess from another country—her face became even more bitter.
Judging her to be from Weitz based on her features and skin color, they whispered among themselves, “What’s she doing here?” “Did she come to look down on us?” Some even brazenly muttered, “Get out, you Imperial sow.”
The Khaje murmured softly as they stopped walking alongside the halted girl. “It would be better if that girl didn’t understand their slang.”
“Khaje?”
“It’s not like I don’t want her to be hurt or anything like that… It’s just… Isn’t it embarrassing to have idiots among us who use derogatory terms like ‘sow’ despite relying on pigs for their daily sustenance?”
Daily sustenance. Surya realized that the influence of the girl lingered in that phrase. However, she didn’t say anything. She glanced at her stubborn older sister and then at the girl standing idly by the roadside.
Though her voice could reach if she shouted loudly, the girl was at a distance where even small encouragement would never reach her.
“…Don’t collapse,” Surya whispered, clenching her fists beneath her fine robe, praying for this “ordeal” of a festival to end as soon as possible.
“Elrand, this is…,” Leo was in awe. In the midst of his admiration, he noticed his slight excitement and, to calm himself, he took a small breath.
“Is this like a major tourist destination or something?” Following the map for a few hours. He had stumbled upon something far more splendid.
What lay before Leo was what could be called a slum. The streets were narrow, the houses crowded, and people who had taken up less than respectable occupations toiled under the bare sun.
Though there was a hint of livestock smell in the air, it reminded Leo more of nostalgia than disgust.
Nostalgic. Yes, there were many things reminiscent of the atmosphere in Leo’s hometown. Yet, the beautiful mosaic tiles adorning the houses and the spirit cloth hung about were so exotic and enticing.
(What’s with this high population density vibe, and “elegance? What’s that, is it sellable?” But it’s like, it’s really something. The only difference is the skin color—maybe the sunlight?)
He looked up at the sun for a moment. Unlike in Weitz, where the sun shone down abundantly, here it added a strong exotic vibe to the atmosphere.
(The sunlight is intense, and this fair skin burns easily, but the heat itself isn’t unpleasant.)
The priestess attire, being of the Elrand style, not only protected the skin from the sunlight but also allowed for plenty of ventilation, making it quite comfortable.
Unlike the dresses in Weitz, which would become stuffy, this was no problem at all. In fact, in terms of heat, it was worse when he worked at the smoked meat shop, so this was nothing.
(Also, when I worked at the tavern, the old man at the shop used to say that sweating actually makes ale taste better. So in the tavern, they deliberately close the windows and make it hot.)
He wiped the sweat off and stared at the droplets remaining in his palm.
In other words, this was a magical water that loosened people’s wallets.
Leo had been thinking since yesterday about how to produce Hormonayaki [a fictional dish] here. This was a great discovery.
(After all, it wouldn’t be good to introduce that dish to Weitz. Organs have to be fresh, and besides, in this environment where you just want to drink ale like mad! That’s not the case.)
Under the scorching sun, he gulped down the foaming ale, and in between, savored the crispy, deliciously grilled offal. This was it. This was the secret.
Then, instead of introducing the dish to Weitz, he had to think about bringing Weitz people to Elrand.
However, Elrand had already been thoroughly developed as a tourist destination, especially as a religious pilgrimage site, which he thought would be a bottleneck—
(Found it. Found it! The last untapped area. The budding tourism business of the downtown tour…!)
Leo felt like praising himself for the brilliance of his inspiration.
Elrand was originally known as the first land of spirits, where devout nobles and upper-class citizens often visited as a pilgrimage site.
Due to the refinement of its meals and the beauty of its buildings, concepts like “A Four-Day Stay in the Elegant and Sophisticated Capital of Elrand” were abundant.
However, what Leo was about to propose was a completely different style of travel.
The target audience would be the middle to lower-class citizens who would gradually become richer due to the spread of Jin and other factors.
He would propose a friendly and stimulating tour without any pretense, catering to them.
First, they wouldn’t stay in luxury inns but in churches scattered throughout Elrand.
Rooms like the one in the church Leo was staying in, with poor sunlight and cool temperatures, would surely soothe the unaccustomed Vaits people.
And they wouldn’t eat refined court cuisine of Elrand but rather B-grade gourmet food such as Hormonayaki.
Eating these robust and fresh-tasting dishes under the exotic sun, while downing ale, would be the highlight.
Once they rented comfortable Elrand-style clothing, the excitement would surely increase.
(I was worried that there wouldn’t be many tourist attractions like cathedrals or holy sites, but with this pace, there’s no need to worry about that!)
Leo grinned and once again admired the downtown scene.
Women knitting threads of vibrant colors, not seen in Weitz.
Children combine bright tiles into geometric patterns.
Men sorting out organs meticulously rather than just cutting meat, displaying their outstanding skills.
Here, there was beauty and craftsmanship that Weitz lacked.
Surely, Weitz people would want to buy spirit cloth and tile decorations in bulk, and eating unfamiliar offal dishes live would be quite an experience.
Though the smell of livestock was somewhat bothersome, compared to the slums of Reichelt, it was nothing at all.
Probably, the way of feeding livestock and disposing of waste was different from Weitz.
(Something about this place… their level of civilization is high overall. They’re clean or maybe conscious… They gather garbage on the roadside instead of scattering it, they neatly hang meat in front of every shop, and instead of throwing away the offal, they cook it.)
People’s characters here were vastly different from the ferocious spirit of the Reichelt slums.
For instance, if outsiders wandered around the eastern district, they would be lynched and stripped of all their belongings within three seconds, but here, though people looked at them suspiciously, they didn’t lay a finger on them.
Though there were those who shouted insults, even he received disapproving looks like “How dare you say that in the language of spirits” and “Disgusting” from the surroundings, making him shrink back.
Their morality was touching to a certain extent.
Yes. Khaje, who knew nothing but Elrand’s downtown, thought the environment was terrible, but there was an even lower level beneath it.
The slums of Weitz, inhabited by pure carnivores and hunter-gatherers, were much harsher in terms of hygiene and humanity.
With that in mind,
“Oh, Lord Kaa…!” Leo, overwhelmed by the continuous amazement and admiration, finally clasped his hands together and offered thanks to the god Karlheinz Raimund.
Yesterday’s offal dish, and today’s downtown tour had been consecutive, which had led even him, who was halfway through being a miser, to come up with such a complex business idea. Surely, this was also guidance from Lord Kar.
(Man, since coming to Elrand, everything has been going so well. Maybe… there really is a gold spirit here.)
He even thought about such things.
He had no interest in the light spirits at all, but if there were a gold spirit here, he would definitely want to meet and offer a prayer.
However, suddenly praying, Leo startled the boy who had been crouching at the edge of the road, “Wow!” He let out a small scream.
It seemed he had been in the middle of throwing out garbage, as he was holding a small box filled with what seemed like garbage.
Their eyes met sharply, and Leo instinctively smiled at him.
The boy’s face turned red instantly, then he looked around as if suddenly coming to his senses and finally cast a wary gaze towards Leo.
“…What are you doing here, Weitz priestess? We’re not a spectacle!”
“No—”
Seems like he’s at that rebellious age where he can’t be satisfied without hurting anyone he touches. But Leo, with his steel mental, wasn’t bothered even if the boy lashed out at him.
What caught his attention more was the garbage box the boy held and the garbage pile by the roadside where he intended to dispose of it.
Something that reflected an orange light similar to a gold coin seemed to be mixed in there.
(What’s that… fruit peel? It smells refreshing. Thanks to it, I don’t even mind the stench of garbage.)
Since a while ago, despite being so hot, Leo found it strange that he wasn’t bothered by the smell of garbage, feces, or slaughtered meat.
Could this be the wisdom of the slums?
If so, he definitely wanted to learn how to make it.
If it was a powerful natural deodorizer, it would be useful when producing offal dishes or downtown tours. It would surely sell well even within Weitz.
Trusting in the feeling that his Gold Sense had triggered, Leo was about to ask, “What are you mixing with the garbage?” but—
“Um, we’re not for show, and we’re not garbage—”
“We’re garbage!?” Interrupted and misunderstood midway, Leo felt terrible.
What an impatient boy.
“No, that’s not it—”
“Huh, don’t mess with me. You may look pretty on the outside, but you’re noble scum rotten to the core. Listen, you’re the garbage here. Let me show you how it’s done…!”
With his words, the boy pushed Leo into the garbage pile.
