The next day, with the help of butler Alberto, I went out to the city.
"To our left, is the city square, a collection of exquisite shops awaits us," Alberto said. White hair, black suit with a white shirt tucked underneath. His veiny and rugged appearance may have put off most people but I liked him: He seemed to be of the professional bunch and was respected by Dominic.
"Everything okay so far," said the knight in silver armor. His face was covered.
Got some looks. Most people knew I was rich but they didn't know I was the viscount's son since I was still young and didn't go out much. However, most paid more attention to Niyue who happened to be in typical clothes; a white dress with some blue frills and a big white hat. She'd dressed up as a low rank noble, yet… yet drew attention to herself. I couldn't and wouldn't call her a great beauty but the way she carried herself, the confidence she displayed… I suppose I had to admit they were charming.
She'd been rather quiet so far. I didn't remember her to be chatty, but she probably wasn't this quiet either. In other words, she wasn't interested in this tour, or rather… me. No, still too early to jump to conclusions.
This part of the town was the rich part, home to other lesser nobles and merchants of our domain, or just well-off people. The roads were well-built, carriages passed by, and the wide variety of shops and stalls drew my attention more than I thought they would.
The scale-like roofs, the weirdly calloused walls, Chinese-esque lamps with occasional concrete buildings. I'd seen them before, at least according to my memory, but nothing beat seeing fantasy stuff with your own eyes.
"Sir, don't go there," Alberto said.
I only walked near the edge of the road, not necessarily going into the alleyway but he still stopped me. I suppose the alleys weren't safe? No, that wasn't it. Rather, he perhaps thought I'd mistakenly wander down the alleyway into a particular section of the district where I didn't belong… yet.
"Why?" I said, innocently.
He smiled, almost like he was hiding something. "They're very dirty."
"Dirty," Niyue repeated. "That's one way to phrase it."
Oh, she knows.
I retained some memories of the first time David went down there. The wonderful colors amazed him and he might have done some questionable things. Afterwards he was scammed and nearly beaten to death by the husband of one particular courtesan. Back then David thought all of it was a crime and he'd executed the husband, and imprisoned the courtesan but… now that I actually gave it a thought. He really was a scum. After all, it was David who'd done those fucked up things to that pretty lady and-
Anyway, I didn't bother thinking about it. The things David done in my past life, the memories, and the ideology were formed in very different circumstances; but the same went for me. My ideologies were different and I was going to live differently. Fuck him and his shit. I didn't owe him anything.
Chapter 4
"It is mostly made of clay," Alberto said, pointing at some clay cottages in the distance.
We were at the very edge of the 'good' part of the city. Anything beyond this part, separated by a small fence, was considered the 'not good' part. There was a drastic difference in appearance of both the people and the architecture. Instead of brick and stone, most of the buildings on this side used clay or wood, or just plain straw. I'd never seen straw houses before.
While still considered part of the city, this was not a city, at least to me.
"Don't they get cold in the winter?" I asked.
I saw some kids running about. Close to my age but they looked so… devoid of laughter.
They're just running around for the sake of running around? Then again, that's what kids did so it was fine?
"They do; during winter they huddle by a fire to stay warm. Oftentimes, they end up burning their houses and… it is regrettable," the knight said.
I was not expecting him to say anything.
Oh well.
Alberto noticed I was staring a bit too much so he steered me away from the fence, toward the 'good' part again.
Still, it was a bit hard to forget the green fields and fantasy village-esque scenario… even though it technically wasn't a village.
I'd actually forgotten about the girl. She'd been so quiet I kept losing track of her. But she was always with us. Always by the knight's si-
Shit… "Um… Alberto?"
"Yes, sir?"
"Where is Niyue?"
He looked at me. Smiled for a good few seconds before his mouth hung, brows stretched and a bit of snot leaked.
Yup, we done fucked up. Or so I thought but nope, Niyue was here just she was sort of inside the not good zone and was asking something to the kids.
"She doesn't have much of a presence, huh?" I wondered.
"Sir, I believe it is prudent you be more mindful," Alberto said.
Yeah, right back at you pal.