Day 491-500/Day 493

Day 493 / 23rd day
When we came near the "Free Trade City of Sectriad," we found a wide concrete road that seemed to have been paved to facilitate traffic.
　We were able to proceed without getting lost because of this, but there was a regular flow of traffic instead of disorderly traffic, as if there was a rule to drive on the left side of the road.
　As I followed a cart heading in the direction of the "Free Trade City of Sectriad", I was able to see it in the early morning.
　A long stone wall stretched out to the left and right, probably to protect against monsters, and the road leading to it led to a magnificent gate in the stone wall.
　There were many people leaving, but there were also many people like us trying to get in, and a good amount of queuing.
　However, we were able to proceed more smoothly than expected, as the well armed gatekeepers at the gates were working in a familiar manner.
　Then it was our turn, and we were assigned to a spider-man gatekeeper with spider-like features, who demanded a rather high entrance fee.
　The payment went through without a hitch, as we had enough street money from our hunting trip to live without any problems for a while, and after that, we were allowed to go through a simple procedure without any particular inspection.
　Apparently, the entrance fee is quite high to pay for the maintenance of public facilities, an arbitration body to intervene in disputes between merchant associations, and a security force to deal with those who cross the line, such as murderers and robbers.
　I've heard that if you go through certain procedures, you can get in and out at a much lower price, but since that's not available right now, I'll leave that aside.
　The first thing that struck me about the "Free Trade City of Sectriad", which I was able to enter much more easily than I expected, was the cobblestone boulevard that stretched in a straight line from the gate to the far side.
　In the middle of the street, large four-legged beasts and carts pulled by golems pass by, and on the left and right sides of the street, there are large brick stores that sell and buy various products, and a wide variety of people come and go for them.
　While admiring the lively scene, I was hungry, so I went to a café on the main street and started to watch the multiracial street with the help of the ant boy.
　"A crucible of races".
　If I had to describe the "Free Trade City of Sectriaad" in one word, it would be this.
　There was a father and son of beastmen with the features of a bear. On their backs were piles of smoked meat of some kind in large chunks.
　There was a man and a woman with the features of bees and centipedes. Their strong exoskeletons gave them the appearance of soldiers who had fought in many battles, but from the way they moved, they were probably just ordinary people.
　At the side of the large hippopotamus-like hexapod pulling the cart was an old man with an outer shell made of minerals. The cart was stacked with a large amount of goods, and there were dozens of similar carts behind it.
　There was a small, hairy dwarf who carried a barrel of wine larger than himself lightly on his shoulders, humming a tune. It smelled delicious, and I would love to join him.
　There were many other species that the antsy boy didn't know, but the scene was somewhat relieving in that it maintained a certain degree of order.
　However, it seems that while there are positive aspects, there are also negative aspects.
　The main streets are lined with relatively wholesome products, but if you go into the back alleys, there are stores there as well, and the products are a little more extreme than in the main streets.
　If you go deeper, you will probably find more dangerous goods.
　And in such a place, there is always an underworld organization or their kind.
　After some observation and filling our stomachs, we decided to go out for a walk.
　In the meantime, I'd like to go to the information shop I've heard about.
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PLACE TRANSLATIONS ABOVE THE BAR. THESE ARE THE RAWS, LEAVE THEM HERE. CLICK EXPAND TO VIEW THEM.
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“二十三日目”　／　“四■九■三■目”
　≪自由商都セクトリアード≫の近くに来ると交通の便を良くするためか、幅広いコンクリートで舗装されたような道路があった。
　これで迷う事無く進む事が出来たのだが、道路には左側通行というルールでもあるのか、無秩序に行きかうのではなく規則正しい流れが出来ていた。
　≪自由商都セクトリアード≫がある方向に向かう荷車の後ろを追いながら進んでいくと、早朝にはその姿を見る事が出来た。
　モンスター対策なのか周囲を囲っているのだろう長大な石壁が左右に伸び、進む道路は石壁にある立派な門へと続いている。
　出ていく者達も多いが、入ろうとする俺達のような者も多く、それなりに列ができている。
　しかし門では立派な武装をした門番が手慣れた様子で作業していて、思ったよりもスムーズに進む事が出来た。
　そうして俺達の番になったのだが、俺達の担当は蜘蛛のような特徴を持つ蜘蛛人の門番で、かなり高い入場料を要求された。
　先の狩猟によってしばらくは問題なく暮らせるだけの路銀が手に入ったので支払いは滞りなく済み、その後は特に検査も無く簡単な手続きだけで通される。
　どうやら公共設備の整備や商会同士の揉め事に介入する仲裁機関、殺人や強盗など一線を越えた者達を取り締まる治安維持部隊などの費用として入場料はかなり高いが、他では取り扱いの難しい後ろ暗い商品も普通に扱われる為あまり深く詮索されないようだ。
　ある手続きをすればもっと安く出入りできるそうだが、それは今は使えないので横に置いておくとして。
　思った以上にアッサリと入る事が出来た≪自由商都セクトリアード≫でまず目に入ったのは、門から遥か向こうまで一直線に伸びる石畳の大通りだった。
　軽く百メートルは横幅がありそうな大通りであり、中央付近は四足の大型獣からゴーレムなどに牽引される荷車などが行きかい、その左右には様々な商品を売り買いするレンガ造りの大店が立ち並んでいるので、それを目当てにした多種多様なヒトが行きかっている。
　活気に満ちた光景を感心して見ながら、丁度小腹も空いたので大通りの手頃な場所にあったカフェに入り、蟻人少年に教えてもらいながら多種族が行きかう大通りを眺める事から始めた。
　――人種の坩堝。
　≪自由商都セクトリアード≫を一言で表現するならこうなるだろうか。
　熊の特徴を持つ獣人の親子がいた。背負子には燻製された何かの肉が大きな塊のまま積み上げられている。
　蜂や百足の特徴を持つ甲蟲人の男女がいた。強固な外骨格姿はまるで歴戦の兵士のような雰囲気だが、動きの仕草からただの一般人だろう。
　荷車を牽引するカバのような大型六脚獣の側には、鉱物で出来た外殻を持つ魔人の老人がいた。荷車には大量の商品が積み重ねられ、似た荷車がその後ろに何十台も連なる大所帯だ。
　自分よりも大きな酒樽を肩に軽々と担ぎ、鼻歌を歌う毛むくじゃらで小柄なドワーフがいた。美味しそうな匂いがするので、ぜひご一緒したいモノである。
　その他にも蟻人少年が知らない種族に溢れているが、ある程度の秩序を保った光景はどこかホッとするものがあった。
　しかし陽の部分もあれば、陰の部分もあるらしい。
　大通りなどでは比較的健全な商品が並んでいるが、少し裏路地に入ればそこにも店があり、商品は大通りなどと比べて少々過激な品が増えている。
　更に深い場所まで潜れば、より危険な品なども増えるのだろう。
　そしてそんな場所には目的の裏組織か、あるいはその同類が巣くっている。
　ある程度観察し、小腹を満たした後は一先ず出歩く事にした。
　とりあえず、聞き出した情報屋に行ってみようと思う。
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Category:Novel
Category:Articles that needs cleaning
Category:Re:Monster ~ The Dark Continent ~ Vol. 2