Chapter 289: The Trade City of Rudark

Early the next morning.

Sheila and I woke up earlier than usual, got ready, and set off right away.

Since the distance was quite far again, we decided to have Ash take us instead of Nyx.

We brought sandwiches for breakfast and had just boarded Ash’s carriage when… we spotted another carriage approaching from the direction of the royal capital.

“Hm? A carriage at this hour?”

“Right when we’re about to leave… who could it be? It’s not Lady Velvet, is it?”

It wasn’t a luxurious carriage—just an ordinary one.

From the looks of it, I assumed it wasn’t Velvet… but to my surprise, the person who stepped out was indeed her.

“Lady Velvet? Did you come to help out?”

“Nope, that’s not it. I heard from a servant that Sheila came by yesterday. When I found out you were going on a trip, I thought I’d tag along.”

So she came to join the trip.

That explained why her outfit was more casual than usual—and why she had so much luggage.

“You decided to come along just like that? Won’t the king and ministers make a fuss?”

“It’s fine. I got permission. So, if you and Sheila are okay with it, can I come along?”

“I’m totally fine with it. It might turn into a bit of a chaotic trip, though.”

“I’m the one forcing my way in, so I won’t complain. …Though Sheila doesn’t look too happy.”

“That’s not true.”

“Your cheeks are puffed out, though? Well, I’ve already got Sato’s permission, so I’m coming whether you like it or not.”

And just like that, our two-person trip suddenly turned into a three-person journey with Velvet.

Back when we first met, the three of us used to do things together, so it felt a bit nostalgic.

“Alright, let’s head out right away. Put your luggage in the back and hop into the carriage.”

“Got it.”

After picking up Velvet, we departed immediately.

Sheila handled navigation, but since Rudark was such a large city, we mostly just followed the main paved roads.

Because of that, the three of us ended up chatting the whole way, especially about manga, and time flew by.

Naturally, Velvet enjoyed manga, and so did Sheila, making the trip incredibly fun.

As expected, it took a full day to reach Rudark—but thanks to the lively conversation, it didn’t feel long at all.

“Sato, that’s the city of Rudark.”

Looking in the direction Sheila pointed, I saw a massive city, comparable to the royal capital.

Even though the sun had already set, the city was brightly lit—almost like daytime—reminding me of Japan somehow.

“That’s amazing. Not just the size, but how bright it is even at night…”

“The capital is bright at night too, but Rudark is on a whole different level. But the other world you came from was bright at night too, right?”

“Yes. In fact, some cities were even livelier at night than during the day. It was normal for places to be lit up at night.”

“So manga really is based on real life, huh… I’d love to visit someday.”

“Same here. It’s hard to imagine a place being more lively at night.”

Even in Japan, there were plenty of cities that came alive at night.

Even in rural areas, convenience stores were often open 24 hours—it really was a convenient world.

…But right now, I wanted to focus on Rudark.

Since we’d come all this way, I wanted to enjoy it fully without comparing it to anything else.

“Let’s set my old world aside for now. I want to fully experience Rudark.”

“That’s fair. Rudark is just as impressive—you’ll definitely be amazed.”

“Have you two been to Rudark before?”

“I’ve been about three times,” Velvet replied.

“I’ve only come once, accompanying Lady Velvet,” Sheila added.

“But that was just for work. This is my first time coming here for fun. I’ve always wanted to, so I forced my way into this trip.”

I see.

So they had been here before, but never properly explored it.

In that case, I wanted to visit everything—even the typical tourist spots.

While we were talking, it became our turn at the checkpoint.

We weren’t carrying anything suspicious, but I still felt a little nervous.

However, with the special identification given to me by the king—and with Princess Velvet present—we were practically waved through.

In fact, a high-ranking official from Rudark even rushed out to greet us.

Since this was a private trip, we exchanged brief greetings and parted ways—but it really drove home just how important Velvet was.

We’d spent so much time together, and she treated us so casually, that I’d almost forgotten…

Well, I wasn’t planning to change how I treated her, though.

“Thanks to Lady Velvet, getting in was easy. What should we do now?”

“It’s already late, so let’s find a place to stay, grab a quick meal, and rest. We can start sightseeing tomorrow—does that work?”

“Of course. I’m tired from the trip, and we’ve only had sandwiches since morning. Let’s secure a room, eat, and also grab something for Ash.”

We found an available inn and headed out for a meal.

Thanks to places still being open late, we were finally able to enjoy a proper meal for the first time since breakfast.

After eating our fill, we returned to the inn and fell fast asleep.