“What’s wrong?”

Seriana, seemingly puzzled by my sigh of relief, spoke to me from where she rested against my chest.

“Hmm? I was just thinking that you stayed within the city properly.”

Seriana had been heading directly south from the Adventurer’s Guild but stopped just before the city walls. Then, she began moving east along the perimeter of the wall.

There were soldiers stationed atop the wall, keeping watch over the area outside the city… but they hadn’t noticed us.

As expected, people in this world have little awareness of the sky.

This area must be included in her inspection plans because she was moving much more slowly than before, giving me enough time to look down and reply.

So, I answered her earlier question—

“What do you take me for…?”

Apparently, she found my words rather offensive. She pinched my cheek with two fingers.

Well, she wasn’t doing it too hard, so it didn’t hurt.

After pulling at my cheek two or three times, seemingly satisfied, Seriana released me and turned her gaze downward.

The only other time she had come this way before was when she used the outer training grounds to test 【Danrem’s Thread】.

Perhaps she found this place intriguing.

“Well, whatever… Sera, you usually pass through this area, don’t you? Have you noticed any changes?”

“Changes, huh…”

At some point, we had reached the eastern edge of the territory, where the East Gate was visible.

Seriana stopped there and asked about the state of the city.

I took another look at the town from here.

Originally, this city’s eastern edge had been where the Adventurer’s Guild stood.

However, as expansion continued further and further east, the Adventurer’s Guild was now located closer to the city center rather than at the outskirts.

The newly expanded eastern section was divided into north and south sections.

The northern area was controlled by the Commercial Guild and artisans, while the southern area was under the control of the Adventurer’s Guild.

The plan had been to use that southern area as a trading hub for dungeon-sourced materials, but up until now, it had remained untouched—just vacant land.

However, ever since a dungeon quietly opened in the spring, large hall-like buildings had gradually started appearing.

Now, several were already complete.

Recently, the dungeon’s official opening had been announced, making it accessible to the public.

Around that time, I remember seeing multiple carriages frequently coming and going.

Was it the people from the Commercial Guild?

Even though the buildings had been completed for a while, there hadn’t been much foot traffic until now.

“…The number of carriages has increased, I suppose.”

That was about the only change I could recognize.

Even now, another carriage was making its way into the premises.

However, they weren’t simple freight wagons or public carriages.

They seemed like slightly upscale carriages.

That said, they weren’t extravagant enough to belong to nobles.

They likely belonged to some merchant association.

Yet, there weren’t any visible guards… well, this was the capital, after all.

They probably couldn’t afford to parade around with an entire security detail.

“…You don’t know much, do you?”

“The East Gate and its surroundings, the Adventurer’s Guild, and a few workshops… those are about the only places I frequent in this city.”

Even though I often passed over the city while flying, I never stayed long enough to take in the details.

Seriana, on the other hand, regularly met with guild executives and other important figures, so she likely knew far more about the city than I did.

“That’s true. Well, it’s fine.”

With that, Seriana closed her mouth and focused on observing the streets below.

“…There have been some changes in the city, but the Adventurer District appears to be normal.”

After a while, she finally spoke again, sounding somewhat relieved.

…Was she worried about the stalls she had suggested earlier?

Maybe that’s why she had gone out of her way to inspect the city in the rain.

“We’re done here. Let’s move on.”

“Whoa!?”

Just as I was beginning to think she had a surprisingly normal side, she suddenly accelerated 【Floating Orb】.

That quick shift in pace…

◇

“Just like you said earlier… there are more carriages than usual.”

“Yeah. I assume it’s normally much quieter?”

“Yes. During the rainy season, nobles rarely leave their homes… For now, there haven’t been any accidents, but I’ll have them stay vigilant.”

As we continued moving northward along the city walls, observing the town, the sheer number of carriages stood out.

The rain was still coming down heavily, and hardly anyone was walking in the streets.

However, there were plenty of carriages.

The passengers wouldn’t get wet, but driving through the rain naturally soaked both the carriage and the horses, causing wear and tear.

It wasn’t an immediate issue, but carriage use typically declined during the rainy season.

Yet, that didn’t seem to be the case now.

Even though the city had grown significantly since becoming the capital of Riana Territory, its population mostly consisted of rural folk.

It had remained a rather modest town.

But with a dungeon in place, it had rapidly transformed into a bustling city.

“Now then… what’s next?”

Seriana, still observing the city, finally lifted her gaze and turned westward.

To the west lay the church, the orphanage, and the treatment center.

Additionally, the west side was home to inns frequented by adventurers.

“Are you sure we should head over there…?”

I wasn’t sure what Seriana was planning, but there didn’t seem to be any major threats over there.

Even so, I wasn’t keen on wandering into unfamiliar territory without reason.

However, Seriana remained silent, keeping 【Floating Orb】 suspended in midair, her gaze fixed intently on the western district.

Had she noticed something unusual?

—————————————————————————————————————————————————————

Sera・【Hideout】+1【Prayer】【Mira’s Blessing】【Wind’s Mantle】・【Floating Orb】+1【Shadow Sword】【Scarlet Bee Needle】【Fairy’s Eye】【Dragon’s Lungs】【Amber Sword】【Danrem’s Thread】【Serpent’s Tail】【Ankle Bracelet】【Amber Shield】【Purple Wings】・15 cards

Seriana・【Area Identification】・【】・28 cards

Elena・【】・【Green Fang】【Amber Sword】・4 cards

Alec・【Strong Strike】・【Red Shield】【Fierce Horned Trumpet】・8 cards