Ch.144The City That Denied the Sun. Belfort (3)

“Five breakfast sets, please.”

“Coming right up~”

The next morning.

After having lunch, we checked into a room and spent the day recovering from a month’s worth of travel fatigue in bed, and so the next day arrived.

“I feel like we’re living too simply. Earn money, spend it, eat, sleep…”

“I never thought I’d hear you say something like that, sis…”

As Lucia spoke while shoveling potato stew into her mouth for breakfast, I started thinking about today’s schedule while licking my spoon.

Even if yesterday we had an awkward amount of time left, today we have a whole day ahead of us.

“Let’s look around the city today. It’s a historic city, so there must be some famous places, right?”

“Like what?”

“Well… places where the military executed riot participants en masse… or where the first rebellion broke out…”

“That sounds too bloody.”

“Well… it’s where the first rebellion started. Not where it succeeded…”

The Nariaki Empire was humanity’s first and last world government, which lasted for 300,000 years.

It’s just a number—300,000 years. Listing everything that happened during that time would be impossible even for well-educated historians due to the limits of their lifespans.

“Hey!”

“Yes?”

I called over a waiter and took out a silver coin from my pocket to hand to him.

“I’d like to visit famous places in this city. Tell me everything you know.”

“Uh….”

And so we obtained valuable information from a local, found our horses at the stable, and headed out of the inn.

*

“Ah.”

“What?”

“I just realized. My birthday has already passed.”

“Oh…?”

Today is February 18th.

It’s been over a week since my birthday on February 3rd.

Actually, no one knows if February 3rd is my real birthday.

I just went to the hospital and asked them to tell me my birthday, and after charging me an obscenely expensive examination fee, they told me there was a 63.42% probability it was February 3rd.

“Why… are you mentioning this now?”

“There are people in this world who don’t get birthday celebrations.”

I replied while squishing the cheeks of my wife, who was giving me an incredulous look.

It was natural for me not to have anyone to celebrate my birthday with.

I was always alone in Parcival, and even Aileen, who looked after us ruins children and the homeless, wasn’t particularly well-off.

“Well, at least now I have party members. Even if not a birthday cake, I could have received a few kind words…”

“We can celebrate it next time. We have plenty of time, don’t we?”

“That’s true.”

When Lucia responded, I sighed and silenced my wife, who was about to argue with me, by covering her mouth with mine.

Covering a mouth with a mouth… what an interesting expression, isn’t it?

After mingling our tongues for a few minutes, my wife eventually quieted down, and we continued moving toward our planned destination.

“So where are we going?”

“The Tolerance Hall. It’s where the conspirators of the rebellion gathered for their meeting.”

“Hmm…”

Every rebellion needs a flint to spark the fire, and the place we’re going to is the historic site where that spark turned into a bonfire.

It might be just another stone building with little significance to locals, but for us, it should be a meaningful place.

Even if it’s not… it will have meaning for me.

Because I am a Knight of the Sun.

*

And so, with my wife whose cheeks were puffed up though she wasn’t openly angry, along with the rest of the party members, I arrived at the Tolerance Hall.

The Tolerance Hall was a massive, imposing stone structure that practically screamed “I am a historic building,” standing 15 stories tall with a height equivalent to 60 floors.

“This hall was built during the imperial era and has been maintained until now.”

“It must be hundreds of thousands of years old. Can it really withstand that, even if it’s made of stone?”

“It can’t. Even with reinforcement magic, it’s impossible.”

“Then how?”

“They just replace it. None of the stones that witnessed the formation of the rebellion are anywhere in this hall now.”

“Huh… I see.”

In simple terms, it’s a replica.

It’s a different building in the same location, but as long as people call this building the Tolerance Hall, it can only be the Tolerance Hall—a remarkably simple solution to the dilemma.

“I was wondering why there was no security personnel, so that’s the reason.”

“Well, if it gets damaged, they can just rebuild it…”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

In truth, there was no reason to hold back.

In the end, they rebelled by denying the sun, but they couldn’t prevent themselves from withering under it, could they?

How truly great is the power of the sun!

“Sir Victor. Mind your manners. This isn’t a place where you should stay long.”

“Huh? What expression was I making just now?”

“An expression that said ‘serves you right, you rebels.'”

Heeding Simon’s advice, I began to manage my expression to look as solemn as possible.

Of course, since my expression management skills aren’t that great, anyone looking at me would recognize not that “Ah, this person has a solemn expression” but rather “This person is trying to make a solemn expression”—an ambiguous look at best.

“Well… let’s go in. I want to see how they’ve decorated the inside.”

“Why are you making that face?”

“So I don’t get beaten up.”

After answering Lucia’s question, I, representing our group, pushed open the main door of the Tolerance Hall.

*

When I opened the door, what greeted us were numerous tables surrounded by translucent fabric.

The people inside the fabric were enthusiastically discussing something, and their fervor seemed ready to penetrate through the fabric all the way to where we stood.

“What is this? Magic?”

“I don’t think so… I don’t sense any magical energy. It must be specially woven fabric.”

“Special fabric…”

I suddenly recalled the pavilion where we briefly stayed in the Crusis Mountains.

If the screens of that pavilion were made a bit more opaque, wouldn’t they look like this?

“Is this some kind of café?”

“Something similar, I’d say. The first floor is arranged like this, and different things must be waiting on the higher floors.”

I had expected something like a community center since it was called a hall, and was about to be disappointed thinking it was just an upscale café when I heard this useful information.

We passed by tables of people who were passionately expressing their opinions (though no sound reached us) and went up the stairs to the second floor, where another scene greeted us.

“This seems to be a place for lectures or discussions.”

Room-like spaces, separated by translucent walls, resembled classrooms. In some of these rooms, a single lecturer was teaching several seated people, writing something on a blackboard and explaining enthusiastically.

It appeared to be a place used for reporting, teaching, or explaining something.

“Do we have to look around all 15 floors?”

“I don’t think so. Look… do you see this?”

“What’s this…?”

Simon handed me a booklet.

It was a guide explaining the Tolerance Hall, and reading it, I found that the floors were organized as follows:

1st Floor – Cafeteria

– Enjoy small silent spaces created with silence fabric along with refreshments!

2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th Floors – Presentation Halls

– Recommended for those who need a hall for presentations or explanations! Each room, separated by soundproof partitions, can accommodate up to 60 people!

6th, 7th, 8th, 9th Floors – Medical Clinic

– Those eligible for free medical care can receive examinations from doctors anytime (please inquire at the cafeteria about free medical care eligibility). From simple check-ups to major surgeries, Belfort City’s doctors will take care of your health!

10th, 11th, 12th Floors – Cultural Arts Center

– From ballet performances and operas to movie theaters and video games. Enjoy comprehensive arts for all ages and generations for free! (Free use applies only to Belfort City citizens.)

13th, 14th Floors – Bar

– An adult space where you can enjoy delicious and beautiful cocktails. Come and enjoy a space for everyone from commoners to the wealthy (those not dressed appropriately will not be allowed to use the facilities.)

15th Floor – Rooftop

– Walk where the historical masterminds of the rebellion gathered! Parasols are essential!

“Phew…”

Having realized that it was more of a multi-purpose complex with all sorts of random facilities thrown together rather than a hall, I handed the booklet back.

Well, I suppose this is the kind of place where rebels would gather.

It would be a bit strange if the masterminds of a rebellion met at a community center, wouldn’t it?

“Alright. Let’s all go up to the rooftop. It’s time to walk with history.”

“Since when did you start saying such cringeworthy things?”

“It was written like that in the booklet, you know?”

“I don’t like men without principles.”

“What would you do if you didn’t like me?”

I boasted while kissing my wife.

There was a hint of viciousness in Lucia’s expression, but why should I care about that?

“Sister… did you lose again?”

“Ugh… why don’t I have an awesome boyfriend…”

“It’s because you like alcohol more than men, sis.”