Majolica has two faces. Itâs known as the city with a magic academy, and the city with a dungeon. There is another one like this to the west, called Preques, so itâs said that to the west thereâs Preques, and to the east Majolica.
âAre there any conditions to join the academy, besides the entrance exam? Like, if youâre a slave you canât join?â
âThere is no such restriction. Although I donât think there are records of any slave enrolling.â
Yes, itâs hard to imagine a slave going to school. Although Hikari would probably be a special case.
âAnd do you need documents or anything when you go into the dungeon?â
âYou do need an admission card, so you need to register. It registers when you go in and out, and what floors you have been through.â
âWhy does it need to register when I go in and out?â
âIf someone goes in but there is no record of them leaving after a certain period of time, a rescue team is put together. I feel like this is mostly applicable for students of the academy.â
âWhat about students who are also adventurers, like you?â
ââŚI believe they would send a rescue team. Most students that venture out into the dungeon are students anyway.â
This system was put in place after an incident when a lot of students didnât make it back. This is what we talk about while going from Lochia to Majolica.
We need to walk for four days. I donât know if sheâs used to walking by now, or if her stamina is just improving, but Mia doesnât seem to be pushing herself anymore.
Then again, we do get to rest more, because having more people means having more people to keep watch. We do some mock battles here and there too, but what Mia is most interested in is learning about holy magic from Trisha.
Mia can only use Heal and Recovery, so sheâs learning about offensive magic, like Holy Arrow and Turn Undead.
I hear a bit about it too, but donât get it at all. For some reason, I havenât learned any other Holy Magic spells besides Heal and Recovery no matter how much I level up. I donât know why, but I guess at least for the time being the only benefit to leveling up this skill is to increase the effectiveness of its spells.
For example, if we consider just the amount of healing itself, my Heal is better than Miaâs. Not that Iâve been using it a lot lately.
Mia has been practicing along with Hikari when we rest. She used to be bad at controlling her magic, but sheâs getting a lot better. Sheâll probably be able to use it freely soon.
My cooking keeps getting a favorable reception too. Theyâre not just being polite, are they? They arenât, are they? Itâs praised so much that it rolls back around to making me feel insecure.
Iâve been accepting that praise without thinking anything of it, so Iâve been getting confident. But I need to not let that get to my head, and remember that Iâm still experimenting. Then again, I have to consider that I have the blessing of my skill, and theyâre eating things theyâve never tasted before.
We reach Majolica eventually, and I show my guild card as usual, and Iâm let in without any issues. But when itâs Leilaâs turn, the gatekeeperâs expression changes when he sees her card.
Leila doesnât seem too bothered by it.
âWhat are you going to do now, Sora?â
âWeâre going to stay in an inn for now, but is there a way to rent a house here?â
âHouse?â
I answer Leilaâs question with a nod. I donât know when Rurika and Chris will be coming here, so if renting a house is cheaper, we could go for that option.
Staying in an inn comes with its privileges, but weâll probably have more time in a rented house, if Mia is going to practice her cooking.
âI see. I will be going home for now, so I will ask if they know anyone who can help.â
âThanks. And are there any inns you recommend? Especially ones with nice meals.â
âI do, but it might be a little expensive, you know? Are you all right with that?â
ââŚYes.â
And so, Leila guides us to an inn.
This city gets a lot of monster meat from the dungeon, and apparently this inn is popular in Majolica because of the refined meals they serve. I ask for a room for four people for three nights.
Iâm not wasting time resisting, Iâve learned my lesson.
âThanks.â
âI will have to go to the academy tomorrow, but I will come visit again at night.â
âThen Iâll take care of some things during the day too.â
And so, we say goodbye to Bloody Rose for today.
They all live in the academyâs dormitory, but Leila and Casey are going to be visiting their homes. Iâm sure their parents are worried about them going to another country, even if they are B ranked adventurers.
The other four arenât from here, so theyâre going straight back to the dormitory.
I head to the merchant guild the next morning. People in the inn told me where it is.
This world doesnât have guide maps or anything, so if you want to go someplace, you have to look for it yourself. Thatâs why I end up asking gatekeepers and people in inns a lot.
Map shows me buildings, but I canât tell what they are. Once I know what they are, it just sort of learns it too.
âHow may I help you?â
âI was thinking about renting a house. Is it possible to do this through the merchant guild?â
âYes, no problem. What kind of house are you looking for?â
âA detached house that can accommodate at least six people, preferably with a separate room for all of them.â
âAre you planning to stay here long?â
âIâm a traveling merchant, so Iâm thinking of going to the dungeon to gather materials. That is why I need a base of sorts.â
I hand my card.
âVery well. We have a few options. Would you like to see them in person?â
âThat would be great.â
âUnderstood. Please wait while I call someone who can guide you.â
This person is very competent. It all got taken care of really fast.
After a while, a woman that kind of reminds me of a small animal walks out, who will be my guide as I check out the houses.