73 — Chapter 73

Two days later, we arrived at the city that was to serve as the meeting’s venue.

We had passed through several towns and villages along the way, but it had been a comfortable journey with no major incidents.

From a certain point, we had crossed out of my sphere of influence and traveled through the territory of another Representative.

However, there weren’t any checkpoints at the borders or anything of the sort; travel back and forth was unrestricted.

This free-spirited nature was a defining characteristic of Eurea.

“Ho, now this is interesting,” I remarked, impressed as I steered the Golem Car toward the main gate.

The host city possessed a unique appearance.

The outer walls surrounding the city were made of flora—constructed from layers upon layers of intertwined vines and trees.

I found myself wondering what would happen if it caught fire, but I assumed countermeasures were in place.

I had a feeling that even my bombs would have a hard time destroying it.

In the center of the city, a gargantuan tree soared toward the sky.

Thousands of branches stretched out, thick with lush green leaves.

Its sheer scale was bizarre, even from a distance.

From what I could see from the outside, the tree was disproportionately large—towering like a literal skyscraper.

“It’s spectacular. Feels like a natural air purifier.”

“It’s a cultivated World Tree,” Alice explained, her gaze fixed on the giant central tree. “Its functions are inferior compared to the real thing, but the entire city is saturated with mana.”

“Is a World Tree rare?”

“Extremely. It would be impossible without a significant amount of research and technical expertise.”

Alice’s curiosity and interest were piqued.

For her to go that far, cultivating a World Tree must be dozens of times more difficult than I imagined.

While we chatted, we passed through the main gate and entered the city.

Aside from the giant tree, the city’s unique characteristics were visible everywhere.

There were no stalls on the streets, and the surrounding buildings were uniform, following only a few specific architectural patterns.

Most were three or four stories tall.

The walls of the buildings were draped in vines.

The roads were wide and well-maintained, even featuring divided lanes.

Roadside trees were planted at regular intervals.

Everywhere you looked was green; it truly deserved to be called an “Arbor City.”

“It seems they’re supplying mana to various locations via the vines. The design is very well-calculated,” Alice noted, observing the cityscape from the passenger seat.

The surrounding vines weren’t just decorative objects; they were apparently a functional part of the city.

It was certainly an interesting structure.

In my original world, I suppose they would be the equivalent of power lines.

The fact that such a system was established spoke volumes about this city’s level of development.

The Representative ruling this place seemed quite keen on urban progression.

Compared to Dorgu’s domain, the difference was night and day.

This Arbor City was modernized through and through.

The Black Wall City and the Fortress City had the bare minimum facilities, but they weren’t on this level.

Their roads weren’t maintained, leading to chronic traffic congestion.

The residents there had no breathing room, and the atmosphere was somewhat bleak.

To put it bluntly, public order was poor.

I only realized how terrible the situation in the slums was after I became the ruler.

Dorgu monopolizing technical expertise was likely one of the causes.

That guy was devoted solely to the evolution of military power—armored vehicles and the sturdy black walls being prime examples.

Things had improved slightly since I took over, but many challenges remained.

For the sake of my future, I wanted to develop the cluster of cities that served as my source of income.

This Arbor City would serve as an excellent reference for future urban development.

It would be wise to take a good look at the infrastructure.

That alone made the visit worthwhile.

I continued driving along the well-paved roadway.

The city’s inhabitants were moving back and forth along the sidewalks.

There didn’t seem to be any particular racial bias among them.

Judging by their appearances, they held a wide variety of professions.

I got the feeling that there were fewer rough-looking types than usual.

With the lifelines and infrastructure this well-organized, public order was likely quite good.

However, something was bothering me.

Whenever people caught sight of the Golem Car, they hurriedly turned their faces away.

They were doing their best to put as much distance between themselves and the vehicle as possible.

Their attitude practically screamed that they didn’t want to be noticed.

That said, none of them directed any actual hostility toward us.

If anything, they seemed frightened.

Still, it wasn’t exactly a pleasant reaction to receive.

I watched the people on the sidewalk with a wry smile.

“It seems our fame has reached this place as well.”

“…It feels more like infamy than fame, though,” Alice pointed out.

“Haha! You’re absolutely right.”

I laughed at her observation.

There was only one reason for them to react that way.

They knew I had taken over as ruler after Dorgu’s death.

It was a bit surprising to be recognized even in a city where I had no direct dealings.

I suppose Dorgu’s assassination really was major news.

It must have been the talk of the town even for the people living here.

Regardless of whether the impact was good or bad, I’d certainly become quite the celebrity.

From now on, I’d have to get creative whenever I didn’t want to stand out.

I didn’t want people cowering in fear everywhere I went.

To be honest, it didn’t feel great.

I’d have to look into preparing some disguise tools when the opportunity arose.

After continuing down the street, we secured a room at a suitable high-end inn.

I handed over four days’ worth of lodging fees in cash.

This should be enough for the time being.

If we decided to extend our stay, I’d just pay then.

With the cash I had on hand, I could easily afford to stay for a month, so there was no issue.

We were shown to a suite on the fifth floor.

The interior was spacious, and the furniture consisted entirely of high-end pieces.

Magic tools were installed throughout the room, ensuring a comfortable stay.

There was even a communication device linked to the lobby.

“Not a bad room at all.”

I tossed my luggage onto the bed and immediately headed for the kitchen.

A magic tool functioning as a refrigerator was stocked with chilled alcohol and fruit.

When I opened the cupboard, I found smoked cheese and meats as well.

It looked like they had a full range of food and drinks.

They had also explained that I could simply contact the lobby for anything else I wanted.

The service was excellent.

I suppose I got what I paid for.

It didn’t look like I’d need to go out for supplies.

After setting down her bags, Alice looked at me and asked a question.

“What do you plan to do until the gathering?”

“Hmm? I don’t really have any plans. I’ll just stay cooped up and keep a low profile.”

I carried a bottle of liquor and the smoked cheese to the table, answering as I poured a drink into a glass.

The amber liquid filling the glass was beautiful.

A mellow aroma tickled my nose.

I didn’t know the brand, but it was definitely high-quality.

I was convinced of that much just by the color and scent.

Alice sat down across from me and tilted her head slightly.

“That’s unexpected. I thought you would want to explore the city, Jack.”

“I’d love to go sightseeing, but there’s a chance I’d get caught up in trouble, right? It would be nonsense to cause a scene right before the meeting. It’s only for a few days, so I might as well relax for once.”

Just driving the Golem Car down the street had elicited that kind of reaction.

If I got out and walked around, it wouldn’t be much of a tour.

At worst, I might even trigger a panic.

I was well aware that my past actions warranted such a reaction, so I couldn’t exactly complain.

I prepared another glass and poured a drink.

I pushed it toward Alice.

“First, a toast. Let’s enjoy the luxury of drinking in the middle of the day.”

“…You’re right. Resting is important too.”

Alice smiled as she accepted the glass.