Chapter 19

Snake Report

Never thought I’d live to see the day I’d be in a human city again.

Living in the Dungeon for so long… honestly, finding out that humans still existed was pretty much where the line stopped for me.

Getting up to the surface and getting to a real city, seemed like a stretch back then.

I wonder if all human cities are like this?

Walled up, I mean.

Now that we’re inside, I have a bit of a better idea of what that’s about. The walls seem to stretch all the way around. Way off in the distance, I can see that “plateau” just like when we were approaching, only it wraps off to either side of us too: the city is surrounded.

Aside from some sort of structure in the center, they’re also the tallest things around.

Maybe some sort of castle?

Miles and miles away, plus we seem to be heading into a slight downhill on this street, so I guess we’ll have to find out more later.

Castle… no, a palace.

That would make sense.

Any crazy magical city should have a palace.

I mean, they have flying boats.

Sss…

Those are super cool.

Flying boats.

Seems like there are a couple of them floating around up there. They’re a lot like ordinary ships, but more elongated. Like, they could set down in water, but aren’t really intended for it. They seem to be circling a couple specific areas.

We’re heading towards one of those, now.

There are store fronts and boards. Lamps, of some variety. I think they have mana crystals in them… everything is closed, probably on account of it being nighttime, but we’ve been walking along, following the guard’s directions.

I’m excited to see what this place is like during the day.

Really wish I could read the signs. The artwork for the last one seems to suggest it sells something mystical.

Man.

To be back in a place that makes sense. I can’t even believe it.

Humans.

Humans like me- well, not like me, exactly, but close!

Once I can figure out how to speak again, I can turn everything around. Imra and I can get some sort of job, and we’ll go from there. Maybe save up, get some pennies together, open a food-stand- no: a bakery!

The Snake’s Baked Cakery.

Yeah!

I’ll get my Earth magic back, build some ovens, use fire magic to heat them. All we’d need is the raw materials, and we’d be in business.

Was this our turn?

Imra, I think this was our turn.

Oh, this is so great. I mean, look at all of these buildings. Stone- I can work with that. Rooftops of ceramic and… copper? I think that’s copper! Windows? Not that many, but some sort of composite shuttering and how do these street lamps work?

Do they run on some sort of magic current, like electricity... or is this some sort of chemical reaction?

How much can people do in this world, without magic?

Hmm.

Why would they bother to learn, when the easy way is readily available? If you could just use magic to solve a problem, you’d probably never bother to try and find another way to do it…

“Great One.”

Yes, Imra?

“Danger.”

Danger?

Now, what does she mean by...

Sss…

Yeah, okay, never mind.

Fantasy Magical City, or regular boring city, I forgot what all of them have if you look hard enough.

Bad neighborhoods.