The tour guide introduced herself with a smile, "My name is Laura."
Rain grinned slightly before replying, "I'm Doran, Doran the explorer."
He couldn't help but chuckle at his own words, feeling a bit amused. It wasn't entirely a lie, after all. He really did want to explore this new world. He dreamed of seeing it in peaceful times, free from conflict. But to truly explore, he knew he had to become stronger—strong enough to stand against both the demons and humanity.
"Sir Doran, this clothing store is one of the best in the city. They sell clothes with the finest quality at the best price," Laura explained.
Rain raised an eyebrow, looking at the display. "Really? They look pretty plain to me."
Laura chuckled softly. "That's because their value comes from the comfort, not the appearance. Would you prefer a store that focuses on style instead?"
"No, it's fine. Comfort is important," Rain replied, his tone casual but satisfied with her explanation.
After twenty minutes of browsing through the options, Rain finally selected a gray robe with a hood from the VVIP section. The robe had intricate magical carvings that allowed it to repair itself using ambient mana. It could even clean itself and had temperature control, ensuring the wearer always felt comfortable. In addition, it was waterproof, making it perfect for all kinds of weather.
The set came with pants, boots, and gloves, all of the same high quality. The total cost was five imperial gold coins. Rain admired the craftsmanship as he prepared to try it on.
'It's my first time seeing magic circles carved into clothing,' Rain thought, intrigued, as he entered the fitting room. He quickly discarded his worn, reconstructed clothes into his inventory and began putting on his new outfit.
After changing, he counted the imperial gold coins left in his pouch. There were still 22 remaining.
'So, Nara gave me a total of 30, huh? It should last for a while,' he mused, feeling reassured by his remaining funds.
As Rain moved around in the new outfit, he noticed how well it fit. "Oh? It even has a size adjustment function?" he remarked, pleasantly surprised.
The store owner, overhearing him, approached with a nod. "Yes, Mr. Doran. The garments adjust themselves to ensure that our VVIP guests never experience discomfort while wearing them."
Satisfied with his purchase, Rain left the store with Laura and allowed her to guide him to a good, affordable place to eat.
As they walked, Rain asked, "Hey Laura, is five imperial gold coins for a single set of clothes too much?"
Laura shook her head. "No, sir. It's a fair price. That robe will last for centuries, as long as it isn't used in battle or kept in an area without mana."
Rain nodded, glad he hadn't been overcharged. 'I would've had that merchant on my list if he'd tried to overprice me,' he thought with a smirk.
Soon, Laura led him to a restaurant that was well-known for serving quality food at prices even commoners could afford. Rain treated Laura to dinner, and they enjoyed the meal together. Afterward, Laura introduced him to a reputable place to stay.
She teased him with a playful grin, "Why don't you stay at my place instead?"
Rain was about to agree, but before he could say anything, Laura waved it off with a laugh, "Just joking!"
Though slightly disappointed, Rain's mood lifted again when they reached the hotel. The building was impressive.
Laura pointed to it and said, "This place charges 10 silvers a month for a regular room and 1 gold a month for luxury accommodations."
Rain raised his brow. "So, your pay for showing me around is worth five months of rent here?" he asked with a smirk.
Laura puffed her chest with pride. "Of course! I did a good job, didn't I? And 50 silvers is a great price for a guide who not only shows you the city but also brings you to the best places!"
Rain chuckled softly. "Alright, alright. Yes, you did a good job. You even took me to different stores to prove this one was the best."
After securing a room for one month, Rain handed over 30 silver coins—10 for the rent and 20 for the deposit in case of any damages. The hotel staff guided him to his room, which was surprisingly cozy.
The room had a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and living room, all furnished with high-quality wooden craftsmanship. Everything was neatly arranged, from the tables and chairs to the kitchenware and bed. The cabinets were spacious, and the whole place had a warm, inviting feel.
Rain measured the room with his eyes. It was about 8 meters wide, 16 meters long, and 5 meters tall.
"This is enough space, even for a whole family. This is just the regular room, right?" Rain asked, turning to Laura.
"Yes, this is one of the regular rooms. There are places that offer rooms this size for only 1 silver a month, but those don't come furnished. Would you prefer one of those?" Laura asked.
"Would it be more beneficial?" Rain inquired, considering the option.
"No, because here you already have magic carvings for water, light, fire, temperature control, and ventilation. Plus, the staff cleans the room, keeps your belongings safe, and replaces any broken furniture. In the 1 silver room, it's literally just an empty space. You'd need to buy everything yourself, including magic tools," Laura explained.
"Yeah, sounds like more trouble than it's worth," Rain agreed, nodding thoughtfully.
After receiving the key to his room, Rain asked, "When does your service as my tour guide officially end?"
"It ends tomorrow at noon," Laura replied with a smile.
Rain raised an eyebrow. "That's about the time I hired you, right?"
"Exactly. I'll be your guide for one full day. So unless you want to let me off early, I'll be with you until then," Laura confirmed.
As the sun began to set, Rain looked up at the sky and asked Laura to properly guide him through the city before nightfall.
Laura proceeded to show him the Guild Hall, city hall, the mage towers, the church, and the plaza. She also introduced him to the noble and VIP districts, places for entertainment, and the arena.
Rain noted that the Guild Hall was one of the largest buildings in the city, and all adventurers were restricted to hunting in human territory unless they were elves or trusted adventurers with permission to enter elven lands. This rule was in place to prevent anyone with ill intentions from crossing into elven territory.
The mage towers were particularly impressive, towering at 500 to 600 meters tall. Rain realized that in this mana-rich world, everything from trees to buildings was massive due to the strengthening properties of mana.
But the most awe-inspiring sight was the Great Wall, standing 1 kilometer tall and 200 meters thick. Such a structure could only exist in a world of magic.
Rain learned that the mage towers were scattered throughout the city, with the Red and Blue Towers being the closest. They corresponded to the domains of fire and water magic, respectively.
By the time they finished the tour, night had fallen. Unlike Earth, where pollution often obscured the sky, the city had clear, unpolluted air. Despite the towering buildings, Rain could still see the stars. He looked up and noticed something unusual.
'There are so many moons here,' he thought, counting them. 'Eight moons...'
After a final shared meal, Rain bid Laura farewell and returned to his room. Exhausted, he cast a cleaning spell on himself before throwing himself onto the bed.
"A bed! Finally, a bed! It's been a week!" he shouted in joy, feeling the soft mattress beneath him.
As he lay there, he counted the days in his head. 'Let's see... Half a day in the elven village, three days escaping the elves, two days traveling with Laura... This is my sixth day in this world.'
During his escape, he had slept in a lotus position, gathering mana and qi. With Laura, he had used a portable tent, but the bed in it had been uncomfortable. Now, for the first time in days, he could finally rest properly.
Within minutes, Rain felt his mental exhaustion catch up to him. His body relaxed into the bed as sleep overtook him, and he drifted into a deep, peaceful slumber.
The sixth day in this world passed without incident. He had spent 35 silver coins that day on food, transportation, and lodging.