Wataru headed towards the Jizo statue.
After the mysterious experience he had, he stared at it intently, but it looked like an ordinary Jizo statue with nothing particularly special about it.
No one would believe that it could be connected to another world.
As usual, the surroundings weren't very clean, with dust and moss making it look rather dingy.
Wataru and the others passed through the gate again.
The phenomenon of the scenery changing in an instant when passing through the gate still felt fresh and surprising to him, even though he hadn't gotten used to it.
Eia, being her second time, remained cautious, with her ears perked up and her tail fluffed out.
Even as they exited the small shrine, no one around seemed to pay attention to them.
It felt as though some mysterious force was at work.
(Is this something that will become normal one day?)
(But it's a special thing.)
(Not everyone gets to experience this.)
(Maybe it's not a good thing to get too used to.)
Wataru cautioned himself.
He decided that he would clean the Jizo statue and the shrine again next time.
It is common for those who forget reverence and become arrogant to receive a harsh reprimand from life.
After looking around to confirm that the location hadn't changed from last time, Wataru left the area.
In any case, walking around was necessary to get a sense of the land.
Fortunately, since there weren't many tall buildings, the view was open, allowing them to see far into the distance.
Since William had told them that the back streets were less safe, they tried to stick to the main roads as much as possible.
The streets were busy with people and there were many carriages and carts passing by.
Shops lined both sides of the road.
The road was wide enough for two vehicles, with trees planted along the center.
There were statues at the intersections, which probably helped the locals avoid getting lost.
In the distance, a large building stood out, its material and height making it impressive.
It was obvious that it was an important building.
"What's that tall building?"
"That's the church dedicated to the Sun God Hespus."
"I see..."
Wataru pondered for a moment in response to Marielle's answer.
He hesitated on whether to continue the conversation lightly.
(Talking about religion or religious sects can easily ruin trust.)
(It's a golden rule not to discuss politics, religion, or sports clubs that people are passionate about.)
(However, not knowing anything could be like stepping into a minefield.)
For now, Wataru decided to hold off on further questions and ask at a better time later.
Marielle didn't press the issue and kept silent.
Eia followed a few steps behind, keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings.
Although Wataru didn't notice much, the sight of the three walking down the main road attracted quite a bit of attention.
A strange-looking man accompanied by two strikingly beautiful women, walking leisurely as if they were tourists, was bound to draw attention, whether good or bad.
As Marielle turned a corner, she pointed ahead.
The church they had seen earlier was large, but the building before them now was even bigger.
"That is the lord's facility in this area."
"It's huge and impressive."
"I was surprised by the size of the buildings in your city, Master. I thought they might reach the sky."
"Well, that's said to be the tallest building in Japan. But here, with all the single-story buildings around, it looks enormous in comparison to me."
The massive three-story building was hard to miss.
Not only was it tall, but it also covered an area large enough to house a big commercial facility by Japanese standards.
Despite the large number of people using it, guards at the gate were armed with spears, questioning everyone who approached, adding to the imposing atmosphere.
"Now that I think about it, I don't really know the name of this town or anything about it. I only just arrived."
"This area is called Nansenmachi, located south of the capital. It's about three days' walk from here. While it doesn't have any major industries, the town is quite lively due to river trade, as there's a river running alongside it."
"I see. So it's relatively close to the capital."
"Yes. They say that if you follow the river and walk for another three days, you'll reach the sea."
"Have you ever been that far, Marielle?"
"No, I've only been to my hometown and the royal capital. I only came to this town after I became a slave..."
"I'm sorry."
Marielle seemed to recall how she became a slave, her expression turning downcast, so Wataru apologized softly.
Although he wanted to know the details of her past someday, their relationship was still new, and he didn't intend to pry just yet.
As long as she worked well, that was what mattered most.
"What kind of person is in charge here?"
"This town is a royal domain, so there's no direct lord. It's managed by the deputy, Lord Herodotus."
"Thanks. I suppose I won't have anything to do with him, though."
"Even if you don't interact with the lord, many people come here to get various permits. If you plan to continue doing business here, Master, you might need to use this place too."
"That's true."
Upon closer inspection, everyone who was questioned by the guards was allowed inside without any issues.
Wataru thought that being overly fearful might cause problems too.
"Master, may I speak with you for a moment?"
"What is it, Eia?"
Eia, who had been silently following behind, called out to Wataru.
Her voice was low, making it clear she didn't want others to hear.
Her tail twitched nervously from side to side, and her ears stood upright, occasionally moving.
She subtly closed the distance between them, speaking in a small voice.
Eia's eyes darted left and right.
"We're drawing a lot of attention, and not all of it is good. Be careful."
"R-Really? I didn't notice at all."
"The obvious ones don't come out on the main street. You should close your bag properly and hold it more securely."
"O-Okay."
"Marielle, stay close to Master so that pickpockets or thieves can't get close."
"Got it, thank you."
"And to properly guard you, Master, I might struggle against some tough foes if I'm unarmed. Could you buy some weapons?"
"Understood. Do you or Marielle know of a good weapons shop around here?"
Although they could enter any random shop, given that standards in this town seemed uncertain, there was no guarantee of finding good quality weapons.
If that's the case, they would need either a shop with a good reputation or someone who could discern the quality of weapons, but Wataru lacked both the knowledge and experience.
Unfortunately, Eia and Marielle didn't seem to know either.
"I'm sorry, I don't know."
"I don't either."
"Well, it can't be helped. Let's just go into a place that looks decent."
They also needed to decide what to buy.
Here, it might be okay to carry around something intimidating, but in Japan, carrying a blade could get you arrested.
Perhaps he should arrange for a place to store it here.
With those thoughts in mind, Wataru held his bag tightly, stayed close to Marielle and Eia, and entered the first weapon shop they came across.