Chapter 2: The Countryman Comes to the City (II)

The sound of leather boots approached from afar, and a burly patrol officer strode into the hotel lobby with his hands clasped behind his back. Upon seeing Joan paying for a room, his sullen expression softened.

"Good evening, Mr. Restwood," the night-shift hotel clerk greeted the officer with a broad smile, eager to please.

The patrol officer nodded in acknowledgment and then turned to scrutinize Joan closely, as if the eyepatch he wore sparked some unfavorable suspicion.

Joan grew uneasy under the officer’s sharp gaze and instinctively reached up to touch the eyepatch.

“Sir, may I ask if you’ve just disembarked from a ship?” the officer inquired politely.

“No, officer. I come from Derin Town,” Joan replied uneasily, tugging at his cloak. “I’m a freshman in the Arcane Studies department at Leyton Academy, here to register.”

The officer relaxed and smiled, removing his small, iron-bowler-like helmet and bowing slightly to Joan.

“Sorry to bother you, Mage. I wish you a pleasant night.”

“Uh, and I wish you a good night as well, honorable officer.”

“Ah, I’m not so lucky—I’m on night duty tonight,” the officer grumbled as he left the hotel. Joan watched his retreating figure and silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Though Joan had paid three golden ducats for the hotel room, the accommodations were hardly luxurious. What pleased him most was the round-the-clock hot water, allowing him to soak comfortably in a hot bath before bed, washing away the dust and weariness of travel.

Lying in bed, Joan’s worries deepened. The exorbitant lodging fee was a stark glimpse into the madness of prices in Leyton Harbor. He was to live in this expensive city for at least a year, and the small sum he carried wouldn’t suffice. He would have to find a part-time job to supplement his living expenses.

With a troubled mind, Joan drifted into sleep and woke promptly at six the next morning. Fully dressed, he suddenly remembered that checkout was by nine. Considering he had paid three gold coins yet only slept five hours, he felt increasingly aggrieved. Frustrated, he stripped off his clothes and burrowed back into the warm covers, deciding to stay in bed for an extra hour. Even if sleep eluded him, occupying the bed seemed a way to make the costly fee feel more worthwhile.

After begrudgingly lingering for five minutes, Joan admitted to himself how ridiculous he was—unable to sleep, wasting precious time. He got up again, dressed properly, and prepared his spells. After washing up, he entered the hotel lobby to check out and inquire about where to find an inexpensive breakfast. Learning that the room price included a meal, he was delighted. He downed a large cup of warm milk and ate two sandwiches stuffed with fried eggs, patting his round belly with satisfaction as he left the hotel.

Walking through the city streets bathed in morning light, Joan reflected that today was the last day of March; the official start of school was tomorrow. It was still a bit early to go to the academy, so he thought it wise to use this free time to seek out possible jobs.

With this in mind, Joan strolled along the street, eyeing the shops. Turning a corner, a golden sign caught his attention—a leather goods store. His eyes lit up as he pushed open the door, planning to negotiate with the owner about collaborating on enchanted leatherwork.

Perhaps due to the early hour, the shop was empty except for two young clerks cleaning. Hearing the door open, they turned and greeted him with a routine, “Welcome.” But when they noticed a rustic-looking youth wearing an eyepatch, their expressions subtly shifted to disinterest.

Though it was clear Joan was not the type to afford high-end leather goods, the clerks maintained polite smiles and approached to assist.

Joan thought to himself that city folk, unlike those from the countryside, were polite and spoke kindly, not judging by appearance. Yet his optimism was premature. Upon stating that he wasn’t there to buy but to seek work enchanting leather goods—similar to his collaboration with Mr. Langford in Derin Town—the clerks’ smiles vanished instantly. Before he could finish explaining, one clerk opened a door while the other half-forced him out, then slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Rubbing his nose, nearly bruised by the door, Joan’s frustration boiled. He fought the urge to curse the clerks for their narrow-mindedness and turned away.

He took a deep breath to quell his anger and reasoned with himself: Leyton Harbor was no small town like Derin. It was normal that a country bumpkin like him failed to attract the attention of a high-end leather shop. If one place wouldn’t have him, there were others.

But matters proved more complicated. Whether by misfortune or fate, Joan spent the whole morning wandering the streets, entering no fewer than ten shops. At first, clerks greeted him warmly, but the moment he mentioned wanting a job, their faces hardened. Most dismissed him without a word, and the few polite ones asked if he held a professional license in that trade. Joan didn’t understand what a “license” was and left dejected each time.

After wasting the morning, Joan had neither found work nor any satisfaction. Passing through the central plaza of the commercial district, he sat beside the fountain to rest, unpacked his bag, and nibbled on some dry rations from home. A group of pigeons strolled nearby—whether tame or wild, they showed no fear. Seeing Joan eating dry bread, they gracefully approached to peck at the crumbs.

Watching the pigeons, a pang of melancholy stirred in Joan’s heart. He felt his days in this unfamiliar city were harder than those of the birds.

Crushing the remaining bread to feed more pigeons, he sat for a while before deciding he couldn’t waste time like this. Rising, he left the plaza. The flock followed for a short distance but, realizing he wouldn’t feed them more, they flew away one after another in disappointment.

After bypassing the fountain plaza, Joan’s eye caught a familiar sign on the street. Turning to look closely, he read the words: “Yangbo Trading Company,” with smaller text beneath stating: “Far East Yangbo Chamber of Commerce Leyton Harbor Office and Exclusive Business Agent.”

“Yangbo Trading Company”—a branch of the Far East Yangbo Chamber of Commerce in Leyton Harbor.

Joan’s grandfather had mentioned this before. The chamber’s headquarters in Seagull Port was the most significant trade city in the Northeastern Bay region of the Old Continent. The current chairwoman, Lady Liubo Yangbo, was also the lord of Seagull Port. One could imagine the immense influence behind this multinational trade chamber.