Chapter 25: To Have.. Pizza

Finals were, in fact, easy. Jen and I also baked a lot. My bread is nearly on her level, and my pastries are ok, but even Jen’s pastries aren’t as fluffy as I remember from my last life. I didn’t get to do much bandit smashing, but I’m stocked on enough paddle horn to last into my 20s. So it goes.

I have three weeks until classes start again, and I’ve convinced my friends I’ll be back home the whole time, while my family thinks I can only make it back towards the end of the break. Jen’s the only one who knows where I’m going.

I pack up my dorm and undo all the spell stone appliances in case someone goes through my room during the break, then hide myself with light refraction and take to the skies. I could’ve explored the northern area between the capital and the sea, but I look at it the same way I look at Alaria. It’s the same as where I’ve been.

I fly along the northern river, passing through Marquis Duren’s territory. I don’t think there are any conflicts in the area, but it’s swarming with knights. From the main port to the city center, it looks like a President is trying to ride through the center of a city. Maybe there’s a big party?

My flight doubles as sightseeing in a new area, so I’m not pushing the pace, and the view is nice. It’s cold and snowy back home, the capital has a chill too, but it’s still pretty green to the north. Maybe this is around the equator? It was always warm there in my last life.

I arrive at the ocean a bit before sundown and move east to place my house in the mountains before setting up some lobster and crab traps. The ocean smells saltier than it does in the south and west, it reminds me of the east coast on my last world, and if I recall, they had massive lobsters.

I’ll turn in early. Tomorrow’s a big day, I’m crossing the ocean.

***
The sunrise in the north is beautiful from the mountains; it’s similar to the view next to the academy, but the cold there has soured me on it.

I pack the house and fly to the coast to check the traps I set the night before. Two are empty, but one has a lobster that I swear underwent medical experimentation. How the hell did it fit itself into the trap? I have to bend the trap to get it out. You’re going to be quite the meal, my brolic crustaceous friend.

I fly west to find the main ocean port for the Sante Kingdom. It’s bustling. Wooden ships line the harbor, and more are docked at sea waiting for their turn to deliver or pick up goods. I could ask a ship captain about the route they take, but if I book it north, I know I’ll hit land. That’s just what I do, lifting myself with condensed magic until the port below me is barely visible. I coat myself in a magic shell, then take off.

Sonic booms are quite loud. I can’t move like that near people, but over an empty ocean, I can let loose. I strengthen the magic pushing me along until it sounds like a thunderstorm explodes around me. Under an hour later, I’m coming up on land, but it doesn’t look like there’s a port. It’s fine, there’ll be a town somewhere.

I fly in a wave pattern until I see a walled town to my northwest. I descend out of sight, then walk up the road to the guard.

“Good Afternoon,” I say with a light bow, and the guard clears his throat.

“Ahem – first time in Albert?” the guard asks.

“Albert? Sorry, yes, I’m from the southern continent and came to explore this area,” I explain in ignorance.

“Southern? Are you from Sante? We trade with them a bit..” the guard asks, looking me up and down and settling his eyes on my hair.

“I am, my name is Sio, I’m hoping to procure a map of the area in town and explore what the merchants have to offer,” I answer. The guard seems to like this response as his suspicious expression fades.

“Right, there’s a deposit to get in, one silver for one pass. If you don’t cause trouble and return the pass when you leave, you get the silver bac,k” he explains.

“Not a problem,” I reach into my fake pocket to retrieve a silver, “here you are, do you have any suggestions on what to look for in town?”

“Hmm, if you’re from Sante the only thing we have that you wouldn’t have is some crops that go bad in transport.. ready-to-eat food is just past the wall, but crops and meats are the next street over,” the guard explains.

“Got it, thank you, and for a map, do you have any libraries I could copy one down from?” I ask, but the guard shakes his head.

“No libraries in town, we do a lot of trade since we’re near the sea, but that’s about it. There’s an adventurers' guild you can check with, but they’re a bit of a relic,” the guard says.

“Understood, thank you for the information,” I reply with another bow before stepping into the town.

The town is lively, with food stalls on either side of the entrance clearly aimed at travelers. There are inns as well, but I’m staying in my house whenever possible; it’s so cozy.

Past the inns is a conveniently placed adventurers' guild, and it’s as shoddy as the guard made it out to be. I walk in and glance around. There’s a board listing odd jobs that mostly include transportation security. The fantasy world monster-slaying adventurers' guild doesn’t seem to be in this world.

I walk up to the counter at the center of the first floor-

“Excuse me, do you have a moment?” I ask.

A young woman with strawberry blonde hair and long, slender legs walks over to greet me. At least they nailed the hot receptionist.

“Hello there, are you turning in an assignment from a different guild office? I don’t recognize you..” she asks while examining my appearance.

“No, I am not, I’m a traveler who’s looking for a map of the area. The guard in front of town said the guild may sell maps,” I reply.

“I see, we have two types. One is the local region around Albert, which costs five bronze pieces. The other is a wider region including areas to the north and west, they’re rather detailed and hard to replicate, so they cost five silvers..” the receptionist says.

I pull five silvers from my fake pocket and place them on the counter.

“I’ll take the more detailed one, please,” I say.

“Oh my, I can’t remember the last time I sold one of these. Just a moment,” she says.

The receptionist scurries to the back of the guild office and makes all sorts of paper-shifting noises. I hear something fall on the floor, something rips, and finally she scurries back.

“Here you are sir,” she places a large map in front of me, it’s easily half a meter long with an extremely detailed southern coastline. And there’s an X in the bottom left of the map..

“Miss – do you know what the X on this map is?” I ask, and her expression turns serious.

“That’s the cursed land, sir, it’s to our southwest, and it’s home to the monsters humanity couldn’t defeat in the holy war,” she explains.

“Oh, I’ve heard of that before. Thanks for all your help,” I part with a cheerful smile then tuck the map into my waist and under my shirt.

I leave the main street and move one street to the right. It's skinnier and has fewer carts, but there’s no smoke rising from them. This must be the place.

Walking down the street, I see a number of stands with potatoes, fresh cuts of meats and other crops. Nothing too interesting, but I should stop and ask for information. The potato cart guy looks bored so-

“Excuse me, sir, I’m new to the area. Would you mind answering a question for me?” I ask.

“Hmph yea what is it? I’m guessing it isn’t about potatoes..” the man replies.

“My apologies, it is not. I am curious if there are any crops unique to this area being sold in town?” I ask.

“Unique, huh? Three streets over there are fancier offerings, but they’re pricey. There are good roads from the farming towns in the north that lead to our west, so you’d have better luck there if you want ‘unique,’” he says with a scoff.

Well, he’s a jerk, but I thank him anyway and head to the street he mentioned. It’s wide like the one that leads into town, and people are better dressed. My clothes are clean, but all black clothes stick out here.

I walk the street and see a few fruits that look unfamiliar; they remind me of grapefruits, which I never liked. I walk and walk until I find treasure – a cart selling a small number of tomatoes.

“Oh, hi, excuse me, sir, the red fruit at the front here, how much for one?” I ask eagerly.

“One silver, they’re difficult to get down here before they go bad..” the man behind the treasure answers like he feels bad about the price.

I see his point, and only two or three of them actually look good. Still, worth a try, I take out the money and hand it to the man, then grab one of the better tomatoes. I make a water blob with magic to clean it, then bite into it. It’s really a tomato.

“Wow, it’s delicious, with a bit of salt it’d be the perfect snack..” I mutter to myself, and the man takes notice.

“They’re pricey for a snack, but I’m glad you like it..” the stall owner says, looking at me like I’m deflowering something virtuous.

“You said these are grown in the north? Are they plentiful up there?” I ask.

“From what I’ve heard, but the roads to the north from this town are terrible. I’ve even heard stories of monster attacks, but I can’t say if they’re true..” the man says.

“I understand, I’d like two more red fruits please,” I say with a smile, handing over two more silver pieces and taking the remaining two good-looking tomatoes.

I’m so close. My goal is within reach. To have.. Pizza.