Chapter 60: Night Stay
Two hours had passed since Mira left Lunatic Lake. She was currently looking at the sky while standing on a grassy hill with a stream flowing nearby. She had relieved herself in the stream, and was replenishing the lost hydration with apple ale. The sky was a distant blue, with specks of clouds that slowly changed shape like playdough in the hands of children. There was a gentle breeze caressing Mira’s cheek like a gentle hand, completing the scene of a calm afternoon.
She lay with her back against Pegasus, the wind whispering into her ears as birds and small animals gathered around them, which Mira petted and let her heart at ease.
「So peaceful…」
Mira was compelled to voice those thoughts, which Pegasus agreed to with a neigh, followed by many chirps. It was so peaceful there that even the multitude of small animals gathered there were calm and quiet. Mira enjoyed an entire hour like that before she climbed back on Pegasus’ back and they took off.
The sky turned a bright orange before the sun vanished behind the horizon, shrouding the sky in darkness. Stars overtook the sky as its rulers, twinkling as lanterns were lit on the ground as well. Under that dim light, Mira spotted a large building that stood out in the distance.
「We’re getting close now.」
Mira spoke to Pegasus, clinging to his neck while her eyes focused ahead. The darkness made it hard to make out any railroads, but the number of lights told her it was a rather lively city. Silverside was a large city, though not as big as the capital Lunatic Lake. Most of its success was due to the station built there.
When Pegasus arrived at Silverside, they headed straight towards the large building. Mira had wanted to walk around and get acquainted with the city first, but since they arrived later than expected she decided it was best to just search for an inn.
The building was expertly constructed with wood, iron and stone, a large sign reading ‘Silverside Station’ on its front. They landed to the side of it and Mira jumped off Pegasus’ back. The flying horse began rubbing his snout against her face as she thanked him for his work and sent him home.
As Mira walked towards the road, she noticed a crowd was forming, everyone suspicious of the sudden appearance of a pure white pegasus there. To escape, Mira used her sage skill Ground Shrink and mixed in with the crowd, coming out as just a regular passerby on the other side as she approached the front of the station building. There was what looked like a reception desk with a ‘The last train has departed’ sign on it, but there were still a lot of people inside the station. While the station itself was out of service until the next day, the stores inside were still open.
Mira peeked inside to see how it looked there. She saw a lot of people coming and going from what looked like a large shopping center.
「What era are they living in here…」
The entire building was made of stone, iron and wood, but the structure was more modern, having two floors packed with stores. The customers all had very varied clothing as well, giving Mira the feeling she had wandered into some form of amusement park rather than a common station.
The stores were laid out all along the building, and the many lights made the interior look like it was still the middle of the day there. But Mira turned her back to that spectacle of light and crowds, walking away from the station.
(I can always explore the rest of the station tomorrow, I’m too tired now. I have to find an inn soon and call it a night.)
All the stores inside the station had piqued Mira’s interest, but her exhausted body had more agency.
The area in front of the station was also filled with streetlights, showing people of all races and occupations moving from one place to another. Some hurried home after a long day of work, others were in merry groups celebrating the night that was only starting, and then there were travelers looking for an inn to pass the night. Time seemed to flow differently for everyone at the station.
Mira followed a group of travelers, quickly finding the brightly illuminated sign of an inn. And not just one, but almost all the buildings surrounding the station appeared to be inns, even further into the city.
「There’s even more than I imagined…」
Solomon had told her there were many inns there, but this was even more than Mira had anticipated, which made her speak her thoughts without noticing. Not only were they numerous, but there was a lot of variation in the buildings as well. Some looked compact and comfortable like rooms in a dormitory, while others had more lavish designs akin to palaces. It was like an entire district of inns, all trying to stand out in their own way.
This was fun for her as well as she looked at each individual building while slowly walking through the streets.
The first one she saw had a subdued style, which seemed to attract the most guests as the lobby was full of people, while ‘No Vacancy’ signs hung outside.
The second inn had many barrels piled up outside. Mira’s knowledge of the fantasy genre quickly told her that it was your regular adventurer’s inn, with the first floor being more like a tavern. The guests inside were high spirited young men drinking and chattering loudly. The smell of alcohol and sweat could be felt even outside the door, so Mira passed by quickly.
The third one looked like a palace. The employees as well as the guests visible in the lobby all had a high aristocratic air to them, so that was a quick pass for Mira as well.
The fourth one looked more like a restaurant proud of its food. Hung outside was a ‘Today’s Chef’ sign, together with a beautifully framed picture. Mira was curious seeing many familiar items on the menu, but that vivid photograph interested her more. It was not a screenshot, it was an actual photograph. Mira was impressed all over again by how that world’s technology was advancing as she walked to the next inn. Before getting there, she caught a glimpse through the window, seeing most of the clients were female, which made her think they were there to meet the chef rather than to stay for the night.
The next inn was essentially the opposite of the fourth one. Mira only needed to see all the employees wearing maid outfits and the male clientele in a passionate frenzy to run past it.
The sixth inn had music as its main theme. They had an exclusive orchestra playing catchy songs that got Mira tapping her foot to the rhythm. There was also a 「Troubadours Welcome」 sign outside. Mira waited by the door until the song was over before going to the next inn.
At the next building, Mira found herself in front of what looked like a traditional Japanese hotel. There was a neatly tiled roof all around the building, completing the traditional look. Hung from the roof were many paper lanterns with ‘Starry Moon’ written vertically on them. Mira instantly fell in love with the place and opened the sliding door as if in a trance.
Even the dry rattling of the door sounded satisfying.
The entrance had a black stone floor, but then there was a wooden step onto a raised tatami floor that covered the entire lobby. There was also a scent identical to soft rush
: Ryuusen HirotsuguOriginal Source: SyosetuWord Count: 2656 characters: NomadEnglish Source: Re:LibraryWord Count: 1329 wordsEditor(s): Fire
: Ryuusen HirotsuguOriginal Source: SyosetuWord Count: 2779 characters: NomadEnglish Source: Re:LibraryWord Count: 1380 wordsEditor(s): Fire
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