21: 21.
Nolen city 21: 21.
Nolen city The airship had been flying through the sky for an entire day.
During his time aboard, Val hadn’t done much.
Most of his time was spent inside his room, doing physical training and meditating.
He had also been trying to better understand his telekinetic abilities, but while staying alone in his room, he began to realize something about himself.
“Do I have some kind of gloomy aura?” The question suddenly appeared in his mind as he wondered why so many soldiers kept watching him.
Val began thinking back to what other people had said about him.
Meila had once mentioned that Val was an outsider to the kingdom, so perhaps the people of this country considered him strange or unusual.
On top of that, Val hadn’t seen anyone with black hair since arriving here.
“I see.
Maybe it’s like how travelers look when they encounter the local people for the first time.” Val took off his clothes, revealing a lean but muscular body.
The muscles on his arms, chest, abdomen, and the rest of his body were clearly defined without being overly bulky, while his waist was noticeably slimmer than his chest.
“Is my body this lean because I didn’t get enough food while I was in prison?” Val commented on his own body.
“Val, there’s something—” Arturia opened the door, then immediately froze after seeing Val’s bare upper body.
“Arturia, what’s wrong?” “W-why are you taking your clothes off?!” Arturia panicked and quickly looked away, her face turning red.
“I was just checking my body.” Sera arrived shortly afterward and stopped beside Arturia.
She looked at Val’s body with mild interest.
“Hm.
That’s a nice body.” “So, why did you two come here?” Val put his clothes back on.
“Ehem.
We’re going to make a stop somewhere before heading to Olym.” Arturia informed them about the unexpected situation.
“A stop?
Why?” “The captain told me that the airship needs maintenance before continuing to Olym.” “Maintenance?” Sera looked confused.
“That’s right.
At first, I was reluctant and wanted to ask the captain to take us directly to the capital, but he said the airship needed maintenance first.
Some parts have already been repaired several times because the ship is quite old.” “So how long will it take?” Val sat down on the bed.
“Approximately six or seven days.
I wanted to report the Blight invasion to the authorities in the capital as soon as possible, and after that, I planned to take leave and rest at my residence.
But it looks like I’ll have to spend that time in Nolen instead.” “Residence?” “I have a mansion in the capital.” Val let out a sigh and closed his eyes.
I almost forgot that she’s a noble.
Even though Arturia had a difficult past, that was still the background she came from.
He had been somewhat misled by the story Arturia had told him about her past.
“So Nolen is where we’re going now, right?
What kind of place is it?” Sera looked curious.
“Nolen is just an ordinary city governed by a noble.
It has one of the factories that manufactures airships, and it’s also a place where airships are maintained.” “When will we arrive?” “You’ll be able to see the city soon.
While the airship is being repaired, we can stay in the city and find an inn for the time being.” “I see.
Thanks for telling us.” Val gave his response.
Arturia then left Sera and Val alone.
“What do you think?” Sera wanted Val’s opinion.
“We don’t have any other choice.” In the distance, a large city gradually came into view.
Its architecture resembled that of medieval European cities, particularly the old cities of England.
Massive walls surrounded the city, even larger than the defensive walls of the fortress they had seen before.
The city itself looked orderly and well-planned, its infrastructure carefully arranged.
Outside those walls, however, dense settlements stretched along the enormous barrier.
From above, crowded slums could clearly be seen surrounding the city from the outside.
The contrast was striking.
The massive defensive wall served as a boundary separating two completely different lives.
Looking at the scene, Val felt that this world wasn’t very different from Earth.
There would always be places where the poor lived in every city, no matter where that city existed.
“That’s quite a depressing sight,” Sera commented.
“Even so, situations like this are normal in society.” The airship slowly descended into the city within the walls.
Once it landed, the doors opened and a staircase was lowered.
Arturia, Sera, and Val stepped off the airship while carrying their belongings.
“I’ll show you an inn where we can stay.” Arturia took the lead.
“Alright.” Sera followed behind her.
Val walked after them, quietly observing the lives of the people inside the city walls.
The city appeared peaceful, but several beggars sat in the alleys, trapped in their own misery.
If life inside the city looked like this, Val could imagine just how harsh and lawless life might be in the slums outside the walls.
Val looked toward the massive walls surrounding the city.
They were tall and well-maintained.
Several guards were stationed around them, but they looked incredibly relaxed and lazy.
Some were even sleeping while leaning against the walls.
The soldiers guarding this city were clearly living comfortably, which showed just how peaceful life here had become.
It was almost as if they had forgotten about the threat known as the Blight wandering beyond the walls.
The three of them continued walking as they searched for a nearby inn.
The streets were neatly paved with precisely arranged, smooth stones.
Horse-drawn carriages barely shook as they traveled across them.
Shops lined the streets, selling all kinds of goods.
Some even had glass windows that allowed people to see the merchandise displayed inside.
A small child suddenly ran out from an alley and passed between Arturia and Sera, nearly crashing into Val.
Several adults appeared to be chasing the child, though Val had no idea why.
Val watched the child disappear into the distance.
Even in a peaceful city, the poor still had to survive in their own ways beneath the wealthy and those who ruled over them.
“That’s the inn.” Arturia pointed toward a multi-story building.
The three of them entered.
Arturia spoke with the receptionist and attempted to reserve three separate rooms for them.
Meanwhile, Val looked around the interior.
Lanterns were mounted along the walls.
However, something about them caught his attention.
Each lantern had a small mechanism resembling a button beneath it.
Instead of a wick or flame being used for illumination, there was a small sphere positioned above a needle-like structure inside the lantern.
Val found it strange.
At the same time, he was curious.
What kind of technology does this world use?
Was it something similar to electricity in modern-day Earth?
Or was it a completely different technology powered by another form of energy?
After speaking with the receptionist, Arturia returned to Sera and Val.
“I have bad news.” “What is it?” Sera looked curious.
“There’s only one room left.
It only has one bed.” “Then let’s just find another inn.” “The problem is that the noble who governs this city is holding a festival for his child’s birthday.
Most of the other inns are probably already full.” The three of them fell silent.
The situation could technically be solved by sharing a room.
The problem was that Val was the only man between two noblewomen.
Val was fully aware of how awkward that situation could become.
“I’ll sleep outside.
Please take care of my belongings.” Val handed his bag to Sera and started walking away, but Sera stopped him.
“Actually, we can share the room.
But if that’s what you want, then fine.” Sera offered a solution and didn’t seem bothered by the idea of sharing a room with Val.
However, Arturia was another matter.
“I-I don’t mind either.
What else are we supposed to do in a situation like this?” Arturia said that while clearly trying to hide her embarrassment.
Unexpectedly, Arturia didn’t seem to object.
Val had no idea why, but perhaps she had her own reasons.
Val still had his back turned toward them.
His face remained as stiff and expressionless as ever.
But inside— ‘WHY DID THIS SUDDENLY TURN INTO A ROMANTIC COMEDY SCENE?!’ He definitely hadn’t expected something like this to happen out of nowhere.