Chapter 648: The Strength of the Ordinary
After getting rid of the mud covering his face, Julius observed the town’s houses.
If he had expected the outside world to be technologically advanced, with flying devices powered by mana, powerful artifacts lightening every corner, or straight streets organised cleverly to ease movement, the least he could say was that reality disappointed him.
No different from his birth village, old thatch, brown from the passing of years, served as roofs. Though the buildings weren’t nearly as decrepit, they still were a far cry from Alkemia Al-Nur’s luxurious villas, much less the beast empire’s grand capital.
’Well, it’s just a town, after all. Perhaps the center will look better...’
Once his companions cleaned themselves, they strolled down the main street.
Soon, the first citizens met his eyes. Pleasantly surprised to see the defined muscles under their supple skin, he reasoned that food didn’t lack. However, their modest shirts, more often than not yellowed and covered in stitches, exposed another problem.
’Do they lack artisans because of the conscription? No, it seems like a long-time problem. Do they barely earn enough to lodge and feed themselves?’
He walked deeper into the town, food stalls beginning to appear one after another. The bloody scent of fresh meat and the gripping stench of artisanal cheese refined for months overwhelmed the more reserved aroma of fresh vegetables and fruits.
Citizens negotiated with vehement tones, counting their bronze coins reluctantly as if the merchants asked for a part of their bodies to pay for the food.