Yamiyo no Hotaru

Chapter 48

Nestled a short distance from the imposing Shiro'oku Castle, a formidable fortress fortified by multiple layers of walls and protected by water and air moats, and built directly on top of the sacred vein, which also serves as the seat of government for the entire northern region.

　A store stood out more than any other on the street, where many wealthy merchants set up their stores and displayed a variety of goods brought from all over the northern region and beyond.

　"Hey... by the way... is that kitschy building your destination?"

　"Are you disappointed?"

　"No... it's not that I'm complaining... but..."

　I chuckle to myself as I observe the boy's conflicted expression, despite his words. Well, in a country where wooden Japanese architecture is the norm, this building is certainly kitschy and probably a bit intimidating... this thought crosses my mind as I take a second look at the structure in front of me.

　The building was made of red bricks with glass windows in the Nanban style, reminiscent of Russian architecture in my previous life... but it was not just for the sake of appearances.

　The red bricks, with their excellent heat insulation and fire resistance, were more suitable for Fusō-kuni, which has many wooden buildings, and especially for the northern region, where the harsh winters and snowstorms can result frequently making fires inside the buildings. Its red color was proof of the high iron content of the bricks, which meant that the bricks were made of earth and sand from the nearby iron mines. It is also relatively easy to purchase firewood for making bricks in the northern part of the country where wood is abundant. So, in a sense, this trading house had a more rationalistic background behind it than expected.

　"Well, we can't stand around here talking forever. Let's go."

　"Y-yeah..."

　Shirowakamaru has no choice if I say so. Because I was holding the reins of the horse he was riding and then we started heading toward the trading building.

　As we reached the main entrance of the northern region branch of the Tachibana Trading Company, where a guard monitors visitors, we were stopped by a staff member of the trading house. I told him who I was and why I was there, and I was immediately taken to the waiting room.

　"Excuse me, the horse and your escort are going that way. A laborer will escort them to the stables. We will take care of your formal wear."

　The receptionist woman in hakama (traditional Japanese dress) came to greet us and says so. Following her, a laborer puts the load on the horse on a hand-pushed cart (手押し車).

　"Can I take him with me?"

　"With all due respect, we only allowed one messenger the other day..."

　The receptionist replied apologetically. It must have been a sudden decision. So, the receptionist is puzzled and embarrassed.

　However, I realized at this point that this was some sort of prevention against infection. Apparently, the higher-ups were aware of the situation, but it was still a top secret to the lower levels.