Chapter 74: Travel Notes

Chapter 74: Travel Notes

“This small city called Utopia is, in essence, no different from the places I have visited before. Whether its folk customs, races, or architectural style, all are standard Loen.”

“I have heard that the Southern Continent has many strange and unusual customs. I hope that one day I will be able to experience them personally—of course, after East and West Balam regain peace.”

“Returning to Utopia, its most special point is its changeable weather. Storms are common, so much so that most people own umbrellas and raincoats coated with Donningsman tree sap. A server at the inn told me that as long as one has a certain income and must go out to work, one has to save money for a raincoat no matter what; otherwise, illness will take even more away.”

“There are no meteorologists here, so I have no way to know the cause of this changeable climate. I can only guess that it is related to being near the sea and located in a hurricane belt. Yes, several kilometers from Utopia there is a deep-water harbor, but they lack manpower and cannot manage it well. They can only maintain it on a very small scale.”

“They also have no local newspaper. After all, this is only a small city of several thousand people. The newsboys mainly sell the Tussock Times, the Desi Mirror, and the Sea Breeze…”

“The second reason I like this place is that many people in Utopia are cheerful and optimistic, full of passion toward life.”

“As I write these words, a band happens to be passing outside the inn.”

“This is not a professional band, but a group formed purely from amateurs. Among them are government employees, magistrates, solicitors, professional policemen, schoolteachers, candy factory workers, shop owners… Those with money and time play the more difficult instruments like the tuba and violin, while lower- and middle-class citizens use simpler items such as seven-stringed guitars and harmonicas.”

“On certain days of rest, they take to the streets, starting from the municipal square, making a circuit around the city, and returning to the Saint Arianna Church near the square. They call this a ‘music parade.’”

“During the parade, they not only do not reject the participation of citizens, but encourage them to sing or dance along with the procession. From my observations, the participants are all quite happy and satisfied, freely expressing their love for life. It let me experience a vigorous, spirited attitude.”

“I must admit, this is highly infectious. I once tried joining the parade, and amid the music, dancing, and singing, I forgot my worries. I remembered only happiness…”

“Today, they are not parading. They are going to the church to offer blessings to a newlywed couple.”

“Speaking of weddings, the point about Utopia I least understand is that it has only a Church of Evernight. One must know that in most places in the kingdom, even in a small town, there will be at least two churches: one belonging to the Evernight Goddess, and one worshipping the Lord of Storms.”

“Before today, I absolutely could not imagine there would be an ordinary town in the kingdom that believed in only one deity.”

“However, this does not trouble me much. Before the age of eighteen, due to family influence, I could only believe in the Lord of Storms. But after graduating from grammar school, I truly understood that the Goddess is the most benevolent and merciful one.”

“Returning to the wedding itself, I attended a wedding two days ago and discovered that Utopia does have some special customs in this area.”

“Among them, what I appreciate most is that, when the priest announces that the marriage has been established, the bridegroom and bride bow to each other. There is no question of who is higher or lower. They are simply expressing sincere gratitude for sharing the rest of their lives together.”

“Perhaps this is a manifestation of equality between men and women within the Goddess’s teachings…”

“In addition, at the celebration after the wedding, there are certain special game segments. For example, the bridegroom and bride are asked to recount their love story.”

“For them, that may be rather embarrassing. But for the guests, it is quite interesting. Yes, I think so too. However, I will definitely not add a similar segment to my own wedding.”

“At that wedding, I heard the best love story I have ever heard in my life so far. If the opportunity arises, and if the readers of this column like it, I will consider retelling it. Of course, I will change the names and some details so that the couple will not be troubled…”

“The most important reason I like Utopia is that the food here is extremely delicious. The limited number of restaurants all maintain a very high standard, and the best is undoubtedly the restaurant attached to the Iris Inn where I am staying.”

“Whether the most basic fried steak, pork cutlet, charcoal-roasted meat, and pan-fried fish, or the slightly more complex and difficult lamb stewed with peas, cream soup, buttered mashed potatoes, and roasted potato skins, all have absolutely reached the level of chefs from the metropolis. In addition, the cooks here are very good at creating unusual dishes and foods, such as sweet-and-sour diced meat and grilled fish repeatedly brushed with various seasonings…”

“Even with staple foods, where it seems impossible to play tricks, Utopia’s chefs have not given up. In this city, I have eaten all kinds of toast: taro paste, mashed potato, butter, light cream, and fruit-studded… As long as one wishes, one can go an entire week without eating the same variety twice.”

“And among all the delicacies here, the most praiseworthy are the desserts:”

“Cream pudding, fruit pudding, Black Forest cake, carrot cake, milk cake, muffins, egg tarts…”

“Writing this, I feel hungry again. This is why I have stayed here for a week and still do not wish to leave. What I now worry about most is not my wallet, but my weight. I feel glad the inn has no mechanical scale, yet at the same time complain that they do not have one.”

“Utopia’s red wine is also quite outstanding. Its only problem is that the wines lack the sedimentation of age. It seems the manors around this town still have not developed that awareness.”

“Here, I must solemnly recommend one drink: Utopia sparkling iced tea. It is very special. Beyond sweetness and bubbles, it offers an even more wonderful experience…”

“Every evening, I go to the municipal square for a stroll. That is also the Utopian citizens’ favorite leisure spot. They have an extraordinary affection for those white doves.”

“At the municipal square, I met a painter named Anderson. He is handsome and extremely skilled in painting. Unfortunately, he is mute…”

“I also met a writer named Alesso—quite a strange name. He said he was writing a long novel and asked me to comment on its opening.”

“As for his novel, I will not comment. I only found it strange that several familiar names appeared in the opening.”

“These include Anderson and Wendy. Mm, Wendy is the owner of my favorite bakery…”

“I raised this question, and Alesso told me very seriously that when a writer cannot think of character names, using people he knows around him as references is an extremely reasonable thing to do.”

“I agree very much.”

“…”

“Due to limited space, this sharing ends here. Charlotte, who loves you all.”

Monica put down her fountain pen, carefully read the manuscript twice, and corrected errors in words and grammar.

She was a writer. Originally, she could not be considered famous and could only rely on writing third-rate romance novels to sustain herself. After she converted to the Evernight Goddess, her father had practically cut off all contact with her.

But ever since Miss Fors Wall, author of Stormwind Manor, had created the travel column, which had gained considerable popularity after the war, Monica had also begun writing travel notes for certain Backlund newspapers. This perfectly matched her interests, and those interests filled her articles with a unique vitality, helping her become a travel writer of no small renown.

Charlotte was her pen name.

After the ink fully dried, Monica specially copied the piece again, placed it in an envelope, and pasted a stamp onto it.

After confirming that the address was correct, the Desi Bay-style lady with wavy black hair picked up her handbag, left the inn, and headed to Utopia Post Office.

The post office was next door to the telegraph office. Every time Monica passed the latter, she felt it was a waste.

In her view, Utopia rarely had matters requiring a telegram. Setting up a dedicated telegraph office was far too extravagant.

After mailing the letter, Monica looked at the sky and leisurely walked toward the municipal square.

When she arrived at the entrance of Saint Arianna Church, she encountered Byers.

He was a policeman. Because of the matter involving the witness in Tracy’s murder case, he had once gone to the Iris Inn to question Monica.

Unfortunately, Monica did not know that gentleman named Wendel.

After the two nodded to each other and exchanged greetings, Monica entered the church, found a seat, and quietly listened to the priest named Townsend preach.

This was the priest with the most clerical temperament she had encountered since converting to the Evernight Goddess. His hair was half-white, his speech unhurried, his temperament peaceful, and his voice deep. He always made people unconsciously calm down.

Monica then closed her eyes and focused on listening to the scripture.

…

East Chester County, inside a forest belonging to the Hall family.

Alfred, Hibbert, and Audrey each led their own foxhounds and brought servants of varying number as they circled the forest’s edge, chasing their prey.

This was the first time the three siblings had hunted together since reaching adulthood.

In front of their younger sister, Alfred and Hibbert both seemed very happy—at least on the surface.

As for Alfred, his biggest problem was controlling himself so he would not display anything too extraordinary. Otherwise, if a Retribution Knight took part in the hunt, no one else would have any chance at all.

He knew his younger sister was a Beyonder, but he likewise knew that Sequence 7 of the Spectator pathway had no substantial direct combat ability.

During the chase, they rushed out of the forest and saw a wheat field.

“Where is this?” Audrey, dressed in hunting clothes, asked casually.

It was her first time hunting in this part of the forest, so she did not know where the surroundings led.

Hibbert was also not very familiar with it. He turned his head and said to his attendant,

“Ask someone.”

While waiting, the three siblings chatted and laughed about the harvest just now, while the golden retriever Susie glanced at the foxhounds that wanted to approach her, making them consciously keep their distance.

After a while, Hibbert’s attendant returned and reported,

“My lord, nearby there is a village called Hedrak…”

Hedrak… That village with dragon-worship customs? I came here from another direction? Audrey froze for a moment as she listened.