When they arrived in the city, Rosie warned Satoshi not to get out of the wagon until they were inside. Rosie had been here before and didn't want to get into trouble with the guards at the city gate, after all, Sven wasn't there to protect her...
*Rosie*
Once we were inside and I sneaked a look around behind the wagon, I recognized by the structure of the buildings and the people's clothes that I was in the northern part of the city.
**
The composition of the city: There were three statues of heroes in the city, a Sorceress, an Alchemist man and a Sword Master, although the three of them worked together to defeat the old demon king, their statues were not side by side. The City was divided into three different parts, in the North, there was the statue of the Sorceress heroine, in this part there was the church and the religious people were living there.
To the West of the city and a small part to the South, there was the statue of the Alchemist hero and the nobles were living there.
In the East and the rest of the South there was the statue of the Sword Master hero, where adventurers, merchants and travelers were gathered, and the merchants often crossed over to the west to sell their wares to the nobles.
The building structures in the North and West were very different from those in the east. In North and West there were white and gray, stately old but well-maintained buildings. In other hand the Eastern part was no different from a village.
This structure of the capital of this country was a perfect reflection of its people, the people of this country discriminated with each other, let alone with other races...
**
What the hell are we doing in the North of the city?! I moved back into the wagon and talked to Satoshi quietly, who was lying comfortably,
"Hey, we're in the North, North!?"
He replied in a very nonchalant manner,
"Wake up, Rosie, we're in the capital of Aetheria?"
"No, I mean we're in the North of Arcadia, if we run into a cleric we'll get in trouble, they consider us the same as demons"
Satoshi still looking very calm. How the fuck does he have so much confidence?! He's only a little stronger than a toddler who's just started to use his mana.
Satoshi began to pick his nose as he replied,
"The rest of the country wasn't that different, Rosie, relax, I'm here."
"Oh, what a relief to have the world's weakest Northern man by my side."
Suddenly, he responded to me with anger,
"Hey I at least I can stand up against these shitheads!... Sorry, I didn't mean it like that."
"It's okay, you're right, I'm a coward..."
There was an awkward silence, I tried to hold back my tears... It's like I don't want to fight back, not that they're strong, they're just humans after all, but after years of not being able to stand up to them, I just can't suddenly change... At that moment Satoshi approached me and talked to me in a sincere way.
"Hey Ros, there's something that's been bothering me the entire trip."
"What's that?"
"Do these guys only recognize us as Northerners by the color of our hair? Or do they have some other method?"
"I-I guess by our hair?"
"Then why don't we just dye our hair?"
**
At this question, Rosie looked at Satoshi in such a way that it was like she had been enlightened, as if she had solved the secret of life...
Satoshi realized what was going on from Rosie's reaction.
"You're fucking with me, right?!? You really didn't think about that before?"
"Hey, not everyone is as smart as you, okay?"
"Smart ? Smart ? Even toddler could have able to think of that... Hey wait a minute, is that why Sven is bald? And he didn't cut his daughter's hair because it was too precious or something, but he couldn't think of dyeing it?"
With each passing second, he figured out of what caused Rosie's trauma. And it made Satoshi more and more angry.
"So the other kids bullied you and caused you trauma just because you didn't dye your hair?"
Rosie was too embarrassed to open her mouth and Satoshi said,
"You know what?!"
"What?"
"Aetherians are right, you Northerners are fucking imbeciles, the moment I dye my hair, I'll be one of them!!"
Rosie was at a loss how to react,
"You'll be one of th-- mm- what?"
The wagon stopped and the travel was over.
Cedric went to the back and called out to the two.
"Hey, I'm sure you wanted to go to the adventurers' area, but I've got some work to do here and we're going to stay in the church for a while. If you want you can go to the adventurer's land on your own, but I warn you it's a long way to there, after all it's a big city"
**
Church?! Are you trying to get us killed or something? The last time I came here I was a little girl and that maniac priest chased me like I was the devil. Luckily he couldn't catch me...
Satoshi still seemed nonchalant and angry with me, and I was extremely nervous.
When we got out of the wagon I think Cedric could tell I was nervous, he said in a confident voice,
"Don't worry, that crazy priest is no longer here"
"How did you know I was worried about him?"
"I visit here often for trade and I have to talk to people all the time because of my business, so I know a little about people. As for the previous priest, he was obsessed with the gods, even I was getting nervous around him"
Cedric and I continued chatting as we made our way to the church,
"Cedric, just out of curiosity, how did you and my father met?"
"Actually, we met in this town, when you were still a little girl. I was a young man, carrying goods from town to town, from village to village with the ambition of becoming rich... Long story short, I needed a bodyguard and when I saw your giant father in a tavern, I thought there was no better choice."
"Then he was your bodyguard, so that's why at some point, it became so easy to go to other cities and villages... But why didn't you stay away from us like the other Aetherians?"
He gestured money with his hand,
"I don't care about what you are or what you look like. I would not care even if you were the demon king himself, as long as you make me rich! Besides, Sven has been a really good companion alon-"
Satoshi interrupted,
"Yeah, we noticed that along the way, you capitalist asshole!"
I mean, what is a capitalist? Ever since I met him I keep hearing words I never heard before, I wonder if I would know such words if I had lived in the North for a little while?
Cedric answered Satoshi with a laugh,
"Business is business, my friend, nothing personal!"
By this time we arrived at the church and an elderly priest met us at the door. He had glasses, a long white beard and a warm smile, his eyes closed as he smiled.
He waved and invited us in. That's when I heard Satoshi quietly saying.
"Tch!...at least make it less obvious."
I wonder what he was talking about, make what less obvious?... Anyway, we went in and the priest was showing us around.
...
*Satoshi's Diary: My prejudice*
According to them, we are in the part of the city where 'religious people live'. Oh Man, I don't know why but for some reason I just can't trust religious people at all, that's how it was in my previous life too.
When we approached the door of the church, a Priest greeted us.
I decided to be unprejudiced this time, but the moment I saw the Priest's creepy smile, I got goosebumps. At least open your fucking eyes while you're speaking...
He looks like one of those pedophile Priests portrayed in every novel, Hmm… so that's why I can't trust them. Every time I watch a movie, TV series or read a novel or news, the Priests are always related to pedophilia.
He invited us in and showed us around. I thought these assholes were supposed to see us as demons? Maybe I really shouldn't be prejudiced, who knows, maybe he's a good guy...
If I were to describe inside a little bit, it was quite modest and at the same time spectacular. How can I put it, the structure of the church, the embroidery, the colors were simple, but at the same time everything was eye-catching. I guess this is what good architecture looks like.
First he showed us the room where the people would come and worship to their Goddess, and in this room they had laid a kind of carpet on the floor and the locals would take off their shoes before entering. Then he showed us the room where they baptized the newborn babies, and in this room there was a very shallow pool with a statue of a woman at the center of the pool.
He said that this woman was the Sorceress heroine, who the church believed was sent by the Goddess and guided the other heroes.
Finally we entered the largest room in the Church, which despite its size was very empty. There was only one statue, where the heart of this statute should be, there was a big red gem, it was glowing, but it looked as if it could be extinguished at any moment... and beside all that guess what? This statue was very familiar to me, it was Aurora herself…
He said that the Goddess gives them messages, sometimes about the future, sometimes to correct some of the wrong things they have been doing. While I was in that room, I couldn't go on touring without asking anything.
Since I was in their playground, I had to play by their rules, so I respectfully bowed my head and asked,
''Venerable Priest, can you explain a little bit more about how you are communicating with your glorious Goddess?''
''Oh, a Northerner is curious about our goddess, very interesting... Well I can't tell you about the ritual, after all you are not a fellow believer in our religion, but I can tell you that when we complete the ritual, she speaks in our minds. We all hear what she says, what she predicts, what she demands us to do... I know it is difficult for a Northerner like you to understand, but I hope my answer was satisfied your curiosity.''
"Pardon my boldness, but I have to ask, is there any way I can participate in this ritual?''
''You are indeed very well mannered for a Northerner, but unfortunately you can't do that unless you are part of this religion. Our goddess welcomes everyone, if you want to believe, you are free to do so, but I am sorry to say that our people will discriminate against you and prevent you from joining. We really shouldn't be like that but... I am truly sorry, child.''
Tch I guess I can't talk to that bitch, and being part of her religion? Ugh!
''I am grateful for your answer, Your Excellency!''
He smiled at me and said, "You're welcome, child'' Dude, he seems like a really nice guy, but for God's sake, please open your fucking eyes for once. You give me goosebumps every time you smile…
Anyway, the church tour was over, it was time to show us to our place to stay. There was an orphanage at the back of the church and he escorted us there.
It was a two-story orphanage, upstairs there was a guest room for the noble guests and downstairs there was a guest room for the commoners and etc. Cedric was going to stay upstairs while Rosie and I were going to stay downstairs.
It seemed to me that this man was being treated too well for a mere merchant, but maybe all merchants were treated this way. After all, they say money is the key to everything.
I left my bag in the room and went out outside Cedric and the Priest were talking.
The priest looked like he was about to leave, from a distance, when he saw me and Rosie he came up to us and said,
''I think for your safety, don't show yourself out too much until you get to the adventurer's district...''
He sighed and continued,
''Sometimes I feel so sad that our people cannot tolerate such little differences, whereas our Goddess sees us all as equals and treats us as such. After all, we are all her children, what kind of a mother would treat her children unequally, right?''
I'm so ashamed of myself right now, I thought he was a pedophile just because his appearance was a bit creepy. How am I any different from these stupid Aetherians...
Meanwhile, a woman with a friendly face who worked at the orphanage approached and started talking to Priest,
"Your Excellency, wouldn't you like to greet the children before you leave?''
He looked at us then answered,
''Sure, would you allow these two guests to join us?''
The woman looked at us as if she was disgusted by us, and replied to Priest.
"If that is what you wish, Your Excellency.
As we moved towards the children playing in the garden, Priest quietly told us,
"It would be nice if at least a few of the next generation weren't prejudiced against you, wouldn't it?''
Oh, I can't fucking believe how nice he is.
While Priest was chatting with the kids, we participated in their games... I learned that day that Rosie was really good with the kids.
At the end of the day, when we were going to say goodbye to the brats, Priest smiled and waved to the kids as he waved to us at the entrance. Aw buddy for some reason I still get goosebumps when I see him do that.
Anyway, I decided to close my eyes like him and wave goodbye to the kids with my sweet smile.
When I opened my eyes, the kids were looking at Priest with terrified eyes. What the fuck did you do in the blink of an eye? I knew there was something wrong with you Priest, you're all exactly the same...
…