"Wow... The streets and the way houses are built here are completely different from Al-Flare."

"Well, of course. This is the Royal Capital, where everything gathers. Naturally, the construction and processing techniques here are far more advanced than those in Al-Flare."

We are currently sightseeing in the Royal Capital with all the employees.

As we walk along one of the city's main streets, just as Lange explained, the buildings here are significantly more developed, or rather, the quality of construction appears to be much higher than in Al-Flare.

Well, considering we came straight from a town filled with rookie adventurers, skipping over many other villages and towns, it makes sense that the architectural styles here seem to have advanced in leaps and bounds.

"Hehe, everyone is always surprised when they visit the Royal Capital for the first time."

"The inn we stayed at last night was really big and beautiful too! And there are so many tall buildings—it's amazing!"

"Yes. The inn from last night was impressive, but the Royal Capital is full of large, tall buildings. Just walking through the city is exciting!"

As Berna, Fia, and Angel pointed out, that luxurious inn was incredibly grand and extravagant. I’ve seen plenty of tall buildings in my previous world, but in Al-Flare, the tallest structures were only about three stories high. For everyone else, the sights in the Royal Capital must be overwhelmingly impressive.

"This street is the largest avenue in the Royal Capital. Since many carriages pass through, it was built this wide. If we keep going, we’ll reach the biggest marketplace in the city."

"I've never seen such an impressive street before. The Royal Capital really is an amazing place."

"I’ve seen many cities, but this truly feels like the capital. Roads this wide are rare."

As Ferry explained, Dolph and Lange both nodded in agreement. Indeed, there are many large carriages passing through, yet the road still feels spacious. Just walking through streets so different from Al-Flare is incredibly fun.

...That being said, people keep staring at us.

Of course, it’s natural since Berna and Ferry are well-known A-rank adventurers in this city, but the employees from our shop are just as striking.

Lange is a handsome elf, Lilia is a well-known and beautiful B-rank adventurer from Al-Flare, Dolph and Angel are a pair of good-looking siblings, and Fia is an adorable beastkin girl... Yeah, I’m fully aware that I’m the only ordinary-looking one here.

The people we pass by are probably thinking, "That one guy looks out of place..."

Well, whatever. Worrying about it would be a loss! I'll just ignore the stares and enjoy exploring the Royal Capital!

"T-These prices are way too high..."

"Really? The shops in this area are considered relatively cheap."

"The high-end stores further inside have even better quality goods, but their prices are much higher than here."

Oh... It seems like Ferry and Berna live in a completely different world from me.

We had just left the main avenue and arrived at the large marketplace. We were strolling through the relatively affordable street stalls and vendor carts, but even here, the prices were much higher than in Al-Flare's major shops.

I had heard that the cost of living in the Royal Capital was higher, but I never expected things to be two to three times more expensive.

We received a large sum of money from the Adventurers' Guild as a reward for the compass, but considering the Royal Capital’s economy, maybe that amount wasn’t as substantial as I thought.

"Wow, everything in the Royal Capital is really this expensive..."

"How do people even afford to live here...?"

Angel and Dolph shared my sentiment. Their living expenses, including food and rent, are probably just as expensive.

"That’s why adventurers in the Royal Capital earn higher rewards. There are many strong monsters in the surrounding area, and the materials from them sell for a high price. It’s a great place to make money."

Come to think of it, Lilia mentioned she had spent some time in the Royal Capital. If the cost of living is high, it means that income is also good, which suggests the economy here is thriving.

If I ever reached the point where I could casually afford these prices, it would probably feel amazing. Plus, there are plenty of rare and high-quality ingredients here that I’ve never seen in Al-Flare. It makes sense that living in the Royal Capital is considered a status symbol.

"I see... But still, there are so many different ingredients and seasonings on sale. It’s fun just looking around. We'll take our time shopping for ingredients and spices later, but for now, let’s get some lunch. Berna, Ferry, do you have any recommendations for a good place to eat?"

There are still many stalls and carts I want to check out, but I’m starting to get hungry. While I’d love to try street food, it seems like a good idea to have Berna and Ferry, who are familiar with the city, recommend a nice place to eat.

...I just hope they don’t take me to some ultra-luxurious place where a single meal costs 100 gold coins.