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It took a long, long time. By the time I entered the royal capital, the sky was pitch black.

However, that wasn’t entirely right to say, as the stars were blinking. One might think that in a world such as this, the stars would be brighter and more beautiful than on Earth, but unfortunately, the night in the royal capital was bright.

There were outdoor lights, shining with a light whose source I couldn’t fathom, and countless stores. The stores open at this time were mostly restaurants and pubs. I’d once mistakenly taken a sip of fruit-flavored alcoholic drink, but even then, I still preferred juice.

The alcohol dulled the fruity flavor, and I didn’t feel like I’d grow to like it, but it was likely different when one became an adult.

(Fini is anly 0 ears old, so she dasn’t know.)

That being said, I did enjoy alcohol-infused chocolate. I would buy the ones that came out during the winter. However, I would only get one because I found them expensive.

Apart from that, one of the food vendors informed me that several stores stay open late into the night for those who arrive late through the gates. And even if the gates did close, there were a lot of people that would have come through them, so the stores remained open until late to give them a place to dine.

I was impressed that they had the technology to support this. It sort of reminded me of how Japan was. Though I say that, the people here did not use electricity. They were using some kind of fantasy-like magical tools.

With the power of magic, these tools could potentially surpass even Japan’s in performance. These tools were crafted by Alchemists or Magic Tool Specialists.

I recalled that I had a skill known as Alchemy, so I was able to guess that one of my former classmates would be able to create these tools.

Those things aside, it was lucky that even the inns were open until quite late. There were all kinds of them, offering everything from budget to luxury.

Given that the night was this lively, I assumed it was probably fine to just walk around without even finding a place to stay. However, I quickly gave up the idea.

It was okay to stay at a cheap place, but because I looked like a girl, I felt uncomfortable staying at places that didn’t meet a certain standard. So, I opted for something in the middle. A room at a moderately priced inn would do well for a good night’s rest.

Although I didn’t have to, I could still sleep. It wasn’t until I didn’t need to worry about sleep that I could truly experience its joy.

◇◇◇

My slumber was interesting. I couldn’t tell whether I was awake or asleep. This time was both appealing and disconcerting to me.

Sleep wasn’t eternal. You would eventually wake up. Life wasn’t eternal. Death came to us all. Death was terrifying. It was painful, harsh, and cold. That was why I hated a life in which I knew death would come. I hated the classmates who had killed me.

(So that’s why I don’t hate her…)

The ringleader behind our summoning to this world. If we hadn’t been summoned in the first place, I wouldn’t have met such an end. Even now, I should’ve been at school, yawning through the classes. I wouldn’t have had to act out of character or face a painful death.

Yet, when I was consumed by death, she’d seen me off with a wicked smile on her face. On my end, she’d helped me forget about death. This was likely why I couldn’t hate her. The feeling known as hatred had long since faded inside of me.

I was sleeping lightly, so much so that I couldn’t help but wonder if I was still alive or not. The emotions that arose in me were as fleeting as bubbles. Just like this crumbling world.

I enjoyed what I was doing, and thus I acted as I pleased. That was because, ultimately, I was not that interested in a world facing its death.

◇◇◇

I eventually woke up from my light sleep, which had been filled with random thoughts.

The morning was brisk. It was a complete contrast to the time I’d left the border town. I couldn’t help but wonder if the weather was nice thanks to the spirit’s power or if it was just a simple coincidence.

Regardless, today I’d decided to explore the royal capital. Thus, I was grateful that the weather was nice.

No meals were served at this inn; after all, I’d opted to stay here without requesting one. I didn’t know how many days I’d end up staying, but I was still in the royal capital. If I wanted to eat something, I’d just eat out.

(And if I don’t feel like eating, I just won’t eat. There’s no point in forcing myself.)

Some unhealthy thoughts pass through my mind. It was said that regular meals were important for staying healthy. I’d also heard that skipping breakfast here and there was even worse than not eating it at all.

However, that likely didn’t apply to Demigods. After all, I wasn’t a god that lived for the people¹.

It was dawn, the time when the sun was just beginning to rise. In this world, people started their day with the sun. In the villages, they headed to the fields, while in the towns, markets sprang to life.

There was also a market in the royal capital, but it was incredibly noisy. The calls of the merchants, the bustling crowds, and the chatter filled the air. Some might even describe this atmosphere as vibrant. With no particular plan in mind, I decided to immerse myself in the hustle and bustle.

1. Silva: this line is a bit confusing, but I couldn’t figure what’s wrong with it.
   Robinxen: I believe the intent here is to reference the deities like to live among mortals and do mortal things with mortals? However in this case she’s talking about how her particular path isn’t dependent on human experiences and such, as opposed to someone going around and testing all the wines because they love wines or partying, or just generally wanting to experience the mundane because they enjoy seeing people go about their ordinary lives. Editors thoughts.