Chapter 269

Before evening, while the sun was still high, Tatsuro and the group reached a spot where the walls surrounding the town of Holmes were clearly visible. The sheer grandeur of the walls left them standing still, forgetting to line up at the gate.

“Wow… this is…” Tatsuro said.

“Yeah. Can I take a picture?” Ai asked.

“There are lots of people around now, so it’s best not to, Mother,” Nana replied.

The walls of other towns they’d seen were made of plain metal, designed solely to protect the town. That approach had always seemed sensible, and neither Tatsuro nor Ai ever thought it strange. But here, while the walls were likely made of some metal, they shimmered with different colors in sections, adorned with intricate carvings covering every inch.

“It’s definitely got more carvings than when I last saw it,” Leah said. “I don’t know if it’s been exactly thirty-six years, but it’s certainly more than a decade.”

“What do you mean?” Tatsuro asked.

“Well, in this town, every year, selected artisans are allowed to carve whatever they want on the walls. So, as the years pass, the carvings spread, and the walls grow taller.”

“So, it’s a clear way to gauge how much time has passed, right?” Ai said.

It seemed part of the purpose was to hone craftsmanship, but for Leah, checking the walls was also a way to confirm the passage of time. She recalled a memory of her mother pushing her wheelchair to see these walls, believing it was unhealthy to stay cooped up at home. A slight pang touched her heart, but Leah kept it hidden.

After marveling at the magnificent artwork, they joined the line of people enjoying the wall carvings. The vast surface kept them entertained while waiting, and before they knew it, it was their turn. They showed their identification to a beastman guard with droopy eyes, who seemed slightly surprised.

Nana and Athena presented theirs too, but then they realized Leah had no ID. Using their high-ranking adventurer status, they promised to register her as an adventurer later, successfully obtaining a temporary ID.

Despite sharing the same family name as the victims of a past murder case in the town, it wasn’t an issue—both because it was years ago and because the name wasn’t uncommon among dwarves. After this minor hiccup, they were allowed entry and passed through the thick-walled tunnel.

“There are paintings here too! Amazing!” Ai exclaimed.

“These are incredible. I’m no art expert, but I’m genuinely moved,” Tatsuro said.

The paintings on the tunnel’s walls and ceiling glowed faintly, illuminating the path for those entering. Everyone passing through looked up, captivated by their beauty.

“Hehe, the paintings here change every hour,” Leah said. “Back in my day, they said it’d take four full days to see them all, so there must be even more now.”

“They change!?” Nana gasped.

Apparently, a special metal stored the paintings and projected them, with a worker switching them at set times. The current artwork depicted a religious scene of people gathered in a vast prairie, venerating a glowing orb in the sky.

According to Leah, other paintings ranged from landscapes and portraits to abstract art, showcasing masterpieces from selected artists across genres. Impressed, they decided to check the paintings each time they passed through and exited the beautiful tunnel.

“…This too?” Tatsuro muttered.

The others, seeing it for the first time, stopped in surprise, then moved to the side to avoid blocking traffic while observing the town. They had imagined a rugged, utilitarian town reflecting the blacksmiths’ temperament, given Holmes’s reputation as a blacksmithing hub.

But instead of simplicity, the town was opulent. Even ordinary roadsides were etched with paintings or carvings, and corners featured meticulously designed statues and beautiful ornaments. Houses and buildings had painted walls, and even small front yards exuded the elegance of miniature gardens.

“This is indeed known as the blacksmithing capital, but anyone who’s visited calls it the town of art,” Leah said.

Over half the town’s population were dwarves. While dwarves were often associated with blacksmithing, their dexterity and perseverance excelled in more than just metalwork. They thrived in clothing design, painting, sculpture, ceramics, dyeing, and more.

To nurture artistic sensibility from childhood, the town displayed masterpieces everywhere, allowing residents to encounter top-tier art just by walking around. This approach had paid off, with the number of artistically inclined individuals growing significantly over the years.

This artistic influence extended to blacksmithing, producing equipment that was both high-performing and beautifully designed. Most of the gear owned by the country’s elites, and even foreign royalty who came to commission work, was crafted by Holmes’s artisans.

“But with all these artworks out in the open, don’t they get stolen?” Ai asked.

“Stealing art here is a grave crime, potentially punishable by death. Plus, guards patrol round the clock, making theft nearly impossible. That’s why the town’s safety is exceptional,” Leah explained.

Impressed again, they started walking, enjoying the art while heading to the adventurer’s guild to register Leah and eliminate any future concerns. Despite over thirty years passing, the guild’s building was unchanged, though its outer walls were painted with striking images of adventurers slaying monsters to match the town’s aesthetic.

After admiring the artwork, they entered through an ornate, expensive-looking door. The interior was almost exactly as Tatsuro and Ai remembered, evoking nostalgia.

“As expected, the inside hasn’t changed much. Let’s get you registered, Leah,” Tatsuro said.

“Okay,” Leah replied.

They lined up at the shortest counter, staffed by a plump woman—likely a dwarf—about a meter tall. After a few people finished their business, it was their turn.

“Hellooo! How can I help you?” the woman said.

“Uh, we’d like to register this girl as an adventurer,” Tatsuro explained.

“Got it! Just a moment, please!”

Her high-pitched, nasal voice threw Tatsuro off, but he explained while she smiled and leisurely retreated to the back. She quickly returned with a form and pen, handing them to Leah.

“Please fill this out.”

“Okay.”

The registration went smoothly, and afterward, they browsed the available quests to see if anything had changed in the decades since. Nothing stood out—mostly gathering or monster-hunting quests, though the sheer volume of material collection requests for equipment was notable, fitting the town’s blacksmithing reputation.

After a quick look, they left without taking any quests and returned to the gate to convert Leah’s temporary ID to a permanent one. Then, they set out to find a place to stay.

“We’ve got plenty of money, so let’s splurge on the best inn in town!” Ai said.

“Sounds good. Leah, know any?” Tatsuro asked.

“No, I wasn’t really interested in inns back then…” Leah replied.

“Fair enough, with your health and having a home here,” Tatsuro said, then asked a nearby townsman for recommendations. Cross-referencing the man’s advice with his Map Function, Tatsuro memorized the location, thanked the man, and led the group to the inn.

The inn was reached by heading straight into the town’s depths, climbing three sets of elaborately decorated stairs that felt almost too grand to step on, and walking five minutes up a gentle slope to a high ground.

The building was a massive structure over two hundred meters tall. That alone wasn’t surprising, but its construction—interlocking circular, triangular, square, diamond, and star-shaped sections in a wavy, puzzle-like form—was astonishing.

“How does this not collapse?” Tatsuro wondered.

“Yeah, how’s it staying together?” Ai added.

It looked precarious, as if a gust could topple it, but Leah’s [All-Seeing Eye] revealed it was designed to be incredibly sturdy. After marveling at the strange structure, they stored Jeanne in Tatsuro’s [Infinite Item Field] to avoid any “no animals” issues and entered through the circular first-floor entrance to the front desk.

Five attractive women staffed the reception, and Tatsuro approached the one on the far left with long gray hair.

“We’d like to stay in the best available room,” he said.

“Understood. Please wait a moment while I check.”

She pulled a ledger from a stepped section of the counter, checked it, and looked up with a professional smile.

“We currently have four top-tier rooms available. Even one room is spacious enough for five to relax comfortably. How many would you like?”

Since Leah was now like a sister, sharing a room with the opposite sex might be awkward, so after a quick telepathic discussion with Ai, they decided on two rooms.

The cost was steep—600,000 Shis per room per night—but with enough cash to live comfortably for a century, they paid for a few nights without hesitation. They received two metal keys shaped like ice cream sticks and took a spiral chair-lift to the 50th floor, the top level.

The ride was enjoyable, with paintings on the walls and glass panels offering views of the ground below, feeling like an attraction. At the 50th floor, with only two rooms per floor, they essentially had the entire level to themselves. Tatsuro, Ai, and Cardina took one room, while Nana, Leah, and Athena took the other.

“There’s room service for dinner, so let’s order and eat together,” Tatsuro said.

“Got it. We’ll check out our room and come over,” Leah replied.

“Cool, we’ll be waiting!” Ai said.

They inserted their keys into the beautifully carved doors facing each other and entered their rooms.

“Wow, this is amazing!” Ai exclaimed.

“Even this carpet looks expensive. Every chair feels like a museum piece,” Tatsuro said.

Though they weren’t experts, the handwoven carpet, desks, chairs, sofas, coat racks, and closets exuded a luxurious yet tasteful elegance, unlike any inn they’d stayed at before.

“Leah said this is also called the town of art, and she’s right. If we lived here, we might’ve developed some artistic sense,” Tatsuro mused.

Muttering such idle thoughts, Tatsuro sat carefully on a chair that could belong in a gallery. Ai grabbed the room service menu near the door, sat on Tatsuro’s lap, and leaned back against his chest. Tatsuro wrapped his arms around her waist, savoring her warmth.

“Maybe we could buy furniture for our portable house here,” Ai suggested.

“Yeah, the quality’s guaranteed—but would these be custom orders?” Tatsuro tapped the chair’s armrest lightly.

“Who knows? But with Leah’s skill training in mind, taking some time shouldn’t be an issue.”

“True. We cleared the dungeon, so we can hunt nearby monsters and focus on shopping.”

“Totally agree!”

As Ai reacted enthusiastically to the idea of shopping, a knock sounded at the door. Ai answered, and as expected, Leah and the others were there. They invited them in and had them sit wherever they liked.

“Let’s eat first. Meals are included in the room rate, so we can order a ton and store leftovers in the Infinite Item Field for emergencies!” Tatsuro said.

“Sounds a bit stingy… but having ready-to-eat food in a pinch is appealing,” Ai replied.

“Exactly! It’s not about being cheap!”

“Sure, sure. So, Leah, what do you want?”

“Hmm, let’s see…”

They ordered an almost excessive amount of food for five, savoring dishes likely crafted by renowned chefs.