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“Hey, sorry to keep you waiting. That old clothes shop nearby didn’t have any decent kids’ clothes.”

After waiting patiently for a while, Mr. Philip returned. A familiar female staff member followed right behind him, carrying a pile of clothes.

“Four pieces total, including spares.”

We got four oversized linen dresses—pretty decent for secondhand. They’re a bit small for Noche and Filia, but they’ll probably fit. Finally, we got some proper clothes over here.

“Okay, let’s get you two changed… Sir Philip, could you please step outside?”
“Sure thing. This is an advance on the job. I’ll pay the same amount when it’s done.”

The moment I received the heavy little pouch, Philip was ushered out. Oh well, I thought, shedding my rags and slipping into the newly acquired dress.

“Ah!”

A tearing sound overlapped with Sufi’s yelp. It seemed the rag she’d been wearing tore off right as she took it off. Well, it was barely hanging on, and we’d been washing and reusing it so many times…

“…I’ll make sure you get the best room possible.”

Seeing Sufi in her new dress all dejected and ears dropped, a look of determination settled on the female staff member’s face. Her eyes and hair were light in color, and she didn’t seem to have any discriminatory attitudes at all. Perhaps she was from the East?

“Oh, right. I’m Casey. I’m from the Eastern Continent, so I have lots of beastkin friends. Don’t worry.”

When I glanced at her questioningly, she caught my puzzlement and smiled.

Actually was discrimination here that severe that she just had to say that? Or did we look that terrible?

…Probably the latter. But she doesn’t seem prejudiced, so maybe I can ask her some things.

We’re done changing and I’ve checked the contents of the small bag. Maybe I should ask her something.

“Casey, how did you get to the West?”
“Hm? I think I flew over the mountains in an airship.”
“Can we ride one too?”
“Hmm… Probably not. The airport’s in Emur, in the Kingdom of Bayer… Oh, you know it?”
“I know it.”

It’s the country east of Roud that established the Luminism Faith as its state faith. If we wanted to circumvent the ruins, we’d have to pass through one of its territories. They’re extreme human supremacists with a law that captures any demihumans found and makes them lifelong slaves. Something something about the claim of how demihumans were created to serve humans, and slavery was actually purification for the sin of disobedience.

They’re constantly at odds with the Beast Fang Federation, a tribal confederation of demi-humans including beastmen, located beyond the mountains.

Even within the Kingdom of Bayer, Emur is where the Luminism Faith’s authority is so incredibly strong that it’s even called the City of the Church. They even forced the airport, the gateway to the Western Continent, to be built there under the pretext of monitoring incoming heretics.

In fact, the Church largely controls the airport locations on the western side. The exception is the horse-riding nations in the northwest with their own religions, but that’s a conflict zone constantly at war with the Church.

In terms of danger, it’s not much different from the ruins.

“I wish I could help…”
“I’ll think of something for now. Thank you.”

It wasn’t something an administrative staff could do something about, and I wouldn’t ask her to do the impossible anyway.

“Finished changing?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“No need to thank me. What about your room? Since work starts tomorrow, shall I bring you there right away?
“Ah, about that…”

We do have another thing we need Philip’s help with.

“We didn’t have enough money, so we left our friends waiting outside the gate. Two of them. It’d be great if we could get four rooms, and… haah… I’d like you to be their guarantor until we get their IDs made.”
“Is that so? Four kids? Maybe we can manage with a double room. I’ll take care of the guarantor part.”
“Thank you… haah… very much. I’ll go pick them up, so I’ll be back to the room later.”
“Got it. Go ahead.”

I asked on a whim, and she agreed more easily than I expected.

“Thank you, cough, Sufi, please.”
“Sure.”

After thanking her, I was carried on Sufi’s back as we left the Alchemist Guild. It went so smoothly it was almost scary.

■■■

“Alice, found them!”
“You really did find them instantly.”

After talking to the same gatekeeper and leaving the town, Sufi headed straight for the nearby forest. I’d been wondering if we could find both of them before sunset, but Sufi, walking while sniffing around, found Noche and the others hiding in plain sight.

“I never thought we’d be found so easily, nya.”

The route from the gate to here was almost a straight line, and even then, I couldn’t see them. Noche, who’d been hiding and was suddenly found, looked a bit startled too.

Usually, you’d spot them first and call out.

“Did you manage to get the money, nya?”
“Yep, and clothes too.”

Handing the dresses I was holding to the two of them, they accepted them with an expression that was hard to describe.

“The shirt looks way more comfy, nya.”
“Ugh, yeah, once you put that on…”
“Just change and head into town.”

Well, the shirt is from modern times, after all.

Noche and Filia were being picky, so I urged them to get changed. I wanted to get back to town before dark.

“So, how much money did you manage to get together, nya?”
“Didn’t count it.”
“Nya?”

Don’t give me that glare. I checked the contents—it’s silver coins, so it should be enough. I just didn’t count the amount.

Opening the pouch while on Sufi’s back, I counted the coins inside. Hmm…

“Thirty silver coins, nine large copper coins, and ten copper coins.”
“Hah?! That much… nya?”

Looks like Philip mixed in some copper coins for convenience. That explains why it felt heavy.

“Here’s the promised silver coins for now.”

As promised, I repay Noche and Filia with silver coins for what I borrowed from them, one coin each. A man’s word is his bond.

“…Being around you messes with my sense of money, nya.”
“…Meanwhile, I worked so hard and only got 18 copper coins…”

Well, that’s the bad circumstances to blame, so…

“The stage is set for me to give it my all. I won’t let money hold us back anymore.”

I puffed out my chest with a deep snort, only to get called out immediately.

“Now if you could just walk on your own, that’d be pretty cool.”

Those words might as well kill me, sis…

***

#Author’s Note:#

This is exactly the reason why Alice isn’t all that bothered when her valuable items were robbed & doesn’t feel bad being deadweight throughout the journey. AKA, her skill as an alchemist brings in good money.

The value calculations are starting to get a little weird, so I’m changing the currency settings (I’ve also corrected previous chapters).

Small copper coins → Copper coins → Large copper coins → Silver coins → Gold coins → Large gold coins

I moved to the next denomination in decimal, for a total of six types of coins (minus 2 types. We didn’t need the smaller silver coins!).

Since there’s no exchange rate, I can’t convert exactly, but
The general feeling is that one large copper coin is worth 1,000-2,000 yen, and one silver coin is worth about 10,000-20,000 yen.

There is a reason why currency is still high in value even though the Alchemy Guild can produce silver and gold, and that reason will be explored later.