As we made our way through the commercial district, we made a few more stops to check out a few shops. While me and my sister raided the snack stands and bakeries, Mum and Grandma got into the shopping mood and stopped off at a few clothes and jewelry stores themselves.
This naturally meant that Dad and Grandpa were dragged along to be asked by their wives things like “Does this look good on me?” or “Does this make me look fat?”
So while the husbands were being tortured by questions with no correct answers, the butler was chaperoning me and Charlotte around to toy and trinket stores.
“We should bring Emma and Otto with us next time.” Charlotte said as she was licking a lollipop and walking with me hand in hand.
I agreed with her, but as much fun as it has been tasting the local treats, I have noticed something since exiting the carriage and going on foot. Everywhere I go, out of the corner of my vision where they think I am not looking, people seem to be whispering with their attention focused on me.
I even checked if the focus was on me specifically by separating from my sister for a moment to check out a trinket at the window while keeping an eye out on my surroundings, and sure enough, nobody was focused on my sister.
When I got back to my sister’s side, I let Charlotte lead the way while I slowed my speed to match steps beside the butler and whispered to him, “Why are so many people focused on me and whispering?”
The butler whose name is Digby nodded and said “Very astute of you Young Master, as expected of a talent such as yourself. To answer your question, I must inform you of the rumors and gossip going on about you. Besides a few outrageous and ridiculous ones, the main speculation the citizens of the town have about you is that you were born sickly and were restricted to the mansion, and now that everyone sees you for the first time traveling with your family and calling Lady Charlotte, sister, people are wondering if their speculations were correct or not.”
I nodded and thought about it for a while before saying, “I get that people are curious, but this is rather uncomfortable having whispers behind my back.”
“I understand Young Master, but it can’t really be helped, from their point of view your situation is a weird one. Usually, there will be gossip from the servants of the mansion, but due to your situation and the confidentiality agreements we signed, information about you has been restricted.
As for all this whispering behind your back, I am afraid that is something you will have to get used to, especially when you enter into noble society in the future, which will be much worse, potentially career-ending. So don’t worry about the whispers, you just need to show your face around more often for the people to get used to you.” Digby said as we trailed behind Charlotte.
After visiting a few more stores, Mum and Grandma satisfied their shopping impulse and loaded half the carriage’s storage compartment, Charlotte and I were called back to the carriage and we made our way to the next district.
The industrial district.
The moment we entered the industrial district, the noise of vendors promoting their wares and people bargaining prices, was replaced by the sound of… well, industry. There were the sounds of hammers beating metal, wood being sawed, and commands being shouted to coordinate with each other.
As we rode down the street, I was told of the different crafting professions available in the town. First and most noticeable were the blacksmith shops, there were quite a number of them when compared to other workshops, Dad explained it was so because we were one of the towns closest to the border, so we provided weapons and armor to a few nearby forts.
I got out of the carriage to see how the blacksmiths worked, it was 1 thing to watch videos online of people forging things, but seeing it in real life felt a lot more engaging and impactful. Soon after I started watching, a big burly man came out of the smithy while wiping his hands of soot and asked, “Can I help you with something young sir?”
I wanted to ask the blacksmith if I could give it a try, but I could see the rest of the blacksmiths were uncomfortable with my presence, and even if he obliged my request, it would take quite some time and keep the rest of my family waiting.
I told the man I was interested in their work and was just taking a look, I thanked the man for his time and went back to the carriage.
I could see they did not want me around while they worked, being observed by some noble kid with his parents nearby can be unnerving for normal people.
The next thing I was interested in was the Alchemy shop, they work with magical and natural ingredients to create potions, elixirs, and substances with various effects.
When I entered the Alchemy shop, I was greeted by the tinkle of a bell on top of the shop’s door, as I looked around, there were some display cases and shelves stocked with small bottles behind the counter.
The other thing that I noticed is that compared to the building, the Alchemy shop’s storefront was tiny, as I was wondering what the rest of the space was used for, my question was answered by the door behind the counter opening to reveal the rest of the Alchemy workshop.
After the door opened, the only thing I saw was the top of a wide-brimmed hat, which was soon followed by hearing footsteps and the wide-brimmed hat moving along the counter. Soon I saw the head the wide-brimmed hat was resting on as a middle-aged woman popped over the counter and took a look at me and Digby.
“What can I get you, kid?” the woman asked.
Before Digby could correct the woman on the honorifics to use to address me, I asked the woman whom I recognized from my studies as a gnome, “What potions do you sell?”
The gnome woman smiled and pointed around the storefront while listing out her stock, “We got healing potions, mana potions, stamina potions, resistance potions, antidotes, boosting elixirs, sleeping draught, and a few cures for minor ailments.”
Hearing about healing and mana potions, I got excited and asked, “Do healing potions heal injuries in an instant? How about mana potions? Do they instantly replenish mana after drinking?”
The woman scoffed, “Kid, don't be taken in by those wild stories. Healing potions do not work like you are thinking, if you drink it, it will increase the rate of your body’s regeneration, and also works to reduce bleeding when you pour it on the wound. As for the mana potion, it only increases the rate you regenerate mana.”
That was disappointing, I bet if I isekaied into a world with an RPG system I would get instant recovery potions instead of this lame regeneration bullshit.
The gnome woman did not seem to notice my disappointment and kept on describing the effects of the other potions.
After she was done, I thanked her for the time, excused myself, and went back to the carriage.
After the Alchemy shop, we went by carpenter shops, jewelers, tailors, and tanners.
I asked about the entertainment district, but my parents said that was for when I grew up.
We rounded off the day with lunch at a restaurant and went back home.
With all the things I have seen today, I was tempted to pick up a crafting profession for fun, but then I remembered my current commitment to my magic studies and aura training, I sighed and told myself, ‘Maybe next time.’
