Arc 27: The Reverse World

Chapter 279: The Capital Alen, and a Golem

Upon arriving in front of the castle town of the Holy Kingdom of Alentt, I end up in a bit of a situation. Apparently, some sort of identification papers or a fee is required in order to enter the town since there are people standing in line in front of the gate. That in itself isnt really something unusual or anything to be surprised about, but I am guessing that my guild card wont be of any use in this world. Needless to say, I also dont have any of their currency.

I got lost in thought for a moment, but after a while, I started laughing at my own stupidity. I wonder if I can just pass by the gate as if its nothing. I wont be seen due to Invisible magic anyway. I quickly pass by the gatekeepers side and step into the town. For the sake of argument, I couldve just descended inside right from the start.

In a back alley away from the streets, I undo Invisible after confirming that theres no one in the vicinity.

As soon as I step out once again to the streets with Invisible cancelled, I can feel the peoples bustle with my skin. It doesnt look like the brickwork buildings or stone-paved streets are that much different from our world. There are also objects that look like street lights everywhere. The garments that the people are wearing are pretty much the same. If I have to absolutely say something, doesnt it seem like there arent that many people who have the air of an adventurer around them?

No, wait a minute. Is that stores sign made of neon? Its letters are furnished with long and narrow pipe-like tubes. It isnt dark right now so it isnt shining, but it should probably do so with electricity. Or is it possibly powered by magic?

Just as Ive thought. The details are different (Touya)

As I walk around and look at things restlessly like a country bumpkin, a merchant-like man straddled on a noisy ostrich-looking machine crosses the intersection on the road in front of me. What the hell?

Accurately speaking, it looks like an ostrich from the neck downwards, but it has only the legs and lacks the upper torso. Its something akin to a luggage carrier. This time, a spider-looking machine with eight wheels attached to its legs glides from the other side of the street. A seat similar to the ones used in carriages is attached on its back while a man and a woman, who appears to be a couple, are talking and laughing on it.

Seeing them off with just my glance alone, I feel a slight dizziness due to an overwhelming cultural shock. Thus I would like to enter some place even a cafe would do in order to quiet myself down for a bit, but I have no money.

I suppose I should start from that store.

Since I am able to read the letters, I enter a place that looks like a general store. Lets make some money by selling anything salable.

Hey, Welcome~

The store facing the street is apparently a privately-owned store called Clonz General Store. It doesnt have a spacious interior. Nevertheless, there are various general goods placed inside. These include things I can immediately recognize like needles and strings or scissors and sheets, there are also some glass-looking objects with some sort of liquid inside and ores which I dont really understand.

Are you looking from something? (Shopkeeper)

The proprietor speaks to me whos restlessly looking at the commodities. I wonder if Im being seen as a suspicious fellow.

A man in his thirties with a red moustache is sitting at the counter.

Well, as a matter of fact, I very much need some money right now, so I wonder if I could ask you to purchase something from me (Touya)

Purchase, you say? If you have Rukuuji thread or magic light stones then I will buy them for a high price. (Shopkeeper)

I know neither of those things, but the magic light stone is likely an ore. If he buys ores, then I may be able to sell him golden or silver ones.

May I ask if you buy golden or silver ones as well? (Touya)

Golden and Silver? Those are not good here. It will be difficult to assess them at our store, which will only end up in beating down the price. Its the customer who will incur the loss, you know? You better head to a jewelry store. (Shopkeeper)

Hes surely a kindhearted shopkeeper. Still, should I go sell at a jewelry store then? It may net me some money that way. Oops, thats right. I should probably ask about Sancho-sans store.

There is supposed to be a trader with the name of Pedro Sancho in this city. Do you know him?(Touya)

What? So you are an acquaintance of Sir Sancho, huh? His store is located straight to the north of the street we are at. Listen, he should be able to buy stuff like gold or silver from you at reasonable prices in his place, Sancho Company.(Owner)

Apparently, Sancho-san is quite well known in this city, which is unexpected (though its rude of me to say so). Expressing my gratitude and farewell to the shopkeeper, I then return to the street and begin to walk.

Meanwhile, I witness a robot that appears to be a mechanical armored knight following on foot behind someone who looks like an adventurer. As for the citizens, they arent fussing about the robot in particular even after seeing it. This spectacle seems to be an everyday occurance in this world for them. Whats mysterious in this world is that science and technology didnt advance that far despite having robots and the like due to the presence of ordinary carriages still running around.

Somehow, I have an odd impression of this technological gap. Thats probably because this is a different world, right? As I walk along the street going to the north while thinking about this odd inconsistency in their technological advancement, a conspicuous signboard comes into view.

Oh, so Sancho Company is here, huh?(Touya)

The store looks three times bigger than the general store Ive been to earlier. Next to this shop made of high grade brickwork is a space similar to a parking lot. That crab bus from before is parked there. There is no mistake. This place is most likely Sancho-sans store.

After climbing three-step staircase, I open the stylish and ornamented door. The doorbell chirps and a woman in her late 20s wearing an apron turns her eyes toward me from inside the store.

Welcome. Ara? Ara-ara-ara! You are that person from before!(Apron Woman)

Hee?(Touya)

This woman, with her chestnut-colored hair held up by a large hair clip, approaches me as soon as she sees my face. She then slightly bows to me.

Thank you for your help on that occasion.(Apron Woman)

Ehm?(Touya)

Ah, you probably dont remember me since you only spoke with my husband. My name is Mona, I am Pedros wife. I was inside the golem carriage at that time, you know? (Mona)

Golem?(Touya)

Look there. Its the vehicle parked outside. That one.(Mona)

Mona-san points at the space on the other side of the glass window where the crab bus is parked alongside the building. It looks like that area is being used as some sort of garage for the store. Say, is that thing, by chance, a golem? Or is it not?

I will call the owner right now, okay?(Mona)

Ah, please do.(Touya)

With light steps, Mona-san runs toward the stairs inside the store. As for me, I move to a place where I can see the garage while not being a hindrance for the other customers or the clerks. There are lots of various commodities being sold here. They look expensive, which makes this store feel different from the one Ive been at a while ago despite both of them being general stores. While making sure not to touch the articles that much, I continue gazing for no special reason at the mechanical crab, the one they call a golem, on the other side of the glass window.

Theres an area that looks like a cockpit, but there are no handles or levers. Does it operate automatically?(Touya)

For the time being, I take a picture of it with my smartphone while considering the possibilities. There are probably stores here that sell stuff like this golem, right? Assuming that object is a vehicle. If they are, I am sure the professor will be delighted if I bring one. Though I feel its price will be quite expensive.

Well-well, youve done well to come here, Touya-san! Its a joyous moment to be able to meet an acquaintance again!(Sancho)

Aah, Sancho-san. Good day to you(Touya)

I turn around after being greeted and see Sancho-san standing there while showing a friendly smile. Though I feel that even his body is that of Ebisu-sama. Grasping the hand he has presented, I convey my delight to our reunion and hurriedly talk about my reason for coming to his store.

As a matter of fact, I am a bit troubled with money. Thus I would like to ask if you could purchase gold or silver from me?(Touya)

Purchase, you say? No problem. Then, may I take a look at the goods first?(Sancho)

As soon as I take out a single golden ingot from my Storage, Sancho-sans eyes goes round.

Umm is there something wrong?(Touya)

Well, Ive already assessed that you are not an ordinary person, seeing your skill at defeating that magic beast, but You sir look to be really well versed with magic That surprised me.(Sancho)

Mmm? So using magic isnt that common in this world, huh?

To use storage magic without using a card is(Sancho)

A card?(Touya)

This one. Dont you know about them? Its a Storage Card. I see you really have come here from somewhere quite far away(Sancho)

Sancho-san takes out a card from his breast pocket and lightly places it on the counter. A few silver coins falls out from it soon afterwards. Ooh? Is this card enchanted with storage magic?

Its an essential item for us merchants. Those cards are separated into common, uncommon, rare, legendary types, with each having different storage capacity. This one here is an uncommon type card.(Sancho)

Hee its the first time Ive seen one.(Touya)

I gaze at the card that Sancho-san is holding. I see. I may even be able to make one of those. It may come in handy in a lot of different ways. But after hearing about it in detail, it turns out that its only capable of storing things, this thing may not be able to stop the time inside it just like how my Storage does.

Im not that curious about this. Nevertheless Who are you, Touya-san?(Sancho)

Dear, you are being impolite toward your savior and benefactor.(Mona)

Oops, I am sorry. I ended up inquiring too much. Now then, let me take a look at those items for a bit.(Sancho)

Sancho-san doubtfully looks at me but, he still inspects the ingot I have brought out after his wife chides him. Measuring its weight with scales, he places some sort of a cylinder-shaped object next and wrote down the numerical values on paper.

Fumu. So its pure gold. Would you like to sell it?(Sancho)

Yes.(Touya)

I see How about ten platinum coins?(Sancho)

I am fine with it. Please go with that amount.(Touya)

I still dont know the value of gold on this side even if I say that Im fine with the price. Still, a platinum coin, huh? The value of money here may not be that different from ours. That is unless a piece of bread costs one gold coin here. That doesnt seem to be the case though, based on what the shopkeeper has told me.

That reminds me, I saw a splendid machine before I came here. It was similar to that one(Touya)

Saying this, I point at the crab bus on the other side of the glass window.

Have you seen a golem? We are in the royal capital, so its natural that there are different types of them in here, isnt it? Factory transport types like ours are not the only ones present here. Legacy machines can be seen from time to time as well(Sancho)

Can those golems be bought even by someone like me?(Touya)

I think that you can buy them. However, you wont be able to buy a very decent one with just ten platinum coins.(Sancho)

It looks like those golems are quite expensive. Are they as expensive as the high class automobiles of my previous world?

They surely dont appear to be something an ordinary person would readily be able to buy. Additionally, the price seems to depend on the usefulness of each type.

It appears that you arent quite knowledgeable regarding golems, huh? Is that right, Touya-san? Shall I give an explanation if its okay with you?(Sancho)

I am sorry. I will be in your care then (Touya)

What comes afterwards is what Ive heard from Sancho-san about golems.

There has been a war once. Its said that the dispute between two ancient kingdoms developed into a great war which eventually involved the whole world. Then, the mechanical automations were born. They would obey people and fight in their stead.

Those mechanical dolls were, naturally, the golems of today in this world. A wide variety of these golems were created one by one and the war gradually escalated due to their power. It grew so much that even the ancient kingdoms that started this war were unable to stop these golems. As a result, this world was once ruined.

However, humankind rose once again from all of this and built up a new civilization. They excavated the ancient inheritance ~ which are the golems ~ of those two kingdoms, analyzed the machines called Legacy and then managed to construct and mass-produce downgraded versions of the original one. The most widespread model, which is currently being used, is called the Factory type model..

So the things outside are also the mass-produced Factory models, right? (Touya)

Yes, but Legacy golems are somewhat hard to come by, primarily because its rare for one to appear in the market. I suppose you may have no other choice but to excavate one from ancient historic ruins if thats what you want.(Sancho)

It seems those Legacy golems are quite rare. However, its not like that they cannot be obtained at all.

Do the Factory and Legacy versions have a big gap in performance?(Touya)

There is that, but Legacies are also called as Ability holders, you see. There are many who have special abilities, like being able to fire thunder or manipulate ice. They may not really be necessary for Touya who can use magic(Sancho)

I see. Those abilities make the ancient frames more valuable than the mass-produced frames. I suppose its expected for something being called as the inheritance of the ancient kingdoms. Our so-called artifacts of our world may be similar to the inheritance of this world in that area.

While giving such a reply, Sancho-san takes out ten platinum coins. The value of one platinum coin is huge, so I ask him to give me the nine platinum coins and convert the single platinum coin left into ten gold coins. With this, Ive finally managed to obtain