Now, now, we have a lot to talk about with each other, but first, let's sit down and have a chat.

　Should I just turn back here?
　But to refuse without talking would be an injustice to the adventurer's guild that I mediated with.

　I reconsidered my decision to at least listen to what they had to say, and sat down in the seat across from Alexia with Garnett.

''It's been exactly a year or so since we last saw each other. By the way, who's that boy over there?
That's my employee, Garnett.

　I guess my backward emotions have been conveyed, and Garnett is also looking at Alexia with wary eyes.

''You seem to be an acquaintance of the manager, what the hell kind of relationship is that?''
Manager?　Oh, you mean Mr. Luke. Actually, Luke, you're the first person I've ever met.
Oh?

　Garnett glares at Alexia with a guileless stare.

'First time I've ever partied with you, huh? 'Don't talk about it in a misleading way.'

　I was about to cause too much serious reputational damage, so I quickly interjected a correction.

　I honestly don't know what Alexia's thought process was, whether it was a joke or a plain statement.

''Technically, it was. Then I'll change my mind. My name is Alexia from the multi-layered city. My adventurer rank is C-rank, and I have a relationship with Luke-kun who took care of me when I was just starting out.
The multi-storey city, that's what it's called in the north. It's officially called Springfield.
'Is. The original name is so impersonal that the alias is better on the street. There's probably a hundred of them in Springfield or Westland.

　Alexia moved her hand across the table, gesturing to describe something that piled up in layers.

　A hundred is a bit of a stretch, but since the name of Springfield is rather conventional, other distinctive designations are often used in the name calling.

　The multi-story city of Springfield stands out from all of these names.

　Literally, the city is built up in layers to resemble a tower.

　Originally, the city was surrounded by circular walls, but as the war continued, the population grew due to refugees from other parts of the world, and the city was expanded upwards as a response.

　One can't help but wonder if there was a better way, but they chose it anyway.

　And after the war was over and the walls were removed, all that was left was a tower-like city.

　This is how the multi-story city of Springfield came to be.

　The city itself is illegal construction, so to speak.

　I haven't been there yet, but according to my acquaintance, I couldn't help but wonder why it hasn't collapsed.

By the way, being an adventurer is a side job. I've been working as a mechanic on the side as my day job.
Technician?　...... Yeah, those guys who make spring-loaded clocks and stuff.

　The so-called clocks - different from sundials, water clocks, and hourglasses, the mechanical clocks, which are powered by a combination of metal and spring, are a new tool invented in a country decades ago.

　The method of manufacture was considered a secret, and it was never manufactured outside of that country, and was only distributed abroad as a very expensive import.

　The situation changed, after all, with the unification of Westland by His Majesty Alfred.

　That country did not surrender to His Majesty and fought a thorough war, so after the conquest, the state was dismantled and completely absorbed.

　As a result, the monopoly on human resources and the belief in the 'God of the Crafty Engineer's Protection' was widely liberated, and crafty clocks were manufactured in various parts of Westland.

　However, they are still a luxury item, and outside of the homes of the wealthy, only a handful of towns and villages have one.

　In Green Hollow, in addition to being owned by an inn of a reasonable size or larger, there is also one placed in the town hall, and the time bell is supposed to be rung based on that time.

It's a pretty rare skill if that's the case. Even those people are adventurers?

　The second half of Garnett's statement was a fact check directed at me, not Alexia.

'He doesn't normally do that. He's just an oddball. You said you wanted to see the performance of your work in a real battle or something.
And I'm hoping to find a glimpse of the technology of an ancient civilization.

　Me and Alexia look together at the coffin-like metalwork propped up against the wall.

　Before a dubious Garnett can say anything, Alexia explains what 'it' is.

''That's the portable ballista I'm researching and developing - I've personally named it the Scorpion. It could also be called a super-sized crossbow.
That looks like an iron coffin to me.
It's just folded and covered. It holds a good number of arrows, too.

　Alexia is confidently explaining her self-made armament.

　Garnett, the one being listened to, listened with an attitude that wasn't particularly interested or even listening.

'Hey, white wolf. From what I've heard, I have a feeling you're not such a bad person.
I know, right?
Don't be so quick. It's that homemade armament thing that's a real crook.

　Alexia's shoulders shook with a smile as she wriggled and shook her shoulders.

'The one you used before the Scorpion, I believe, was a large tube that held a magic scroll and spat out magic?　Didn't that scroll you left in there go off indoors and make things miserable?
Awawa: ......
'The next one was some kind of Scorpion prototype. The automatic retractor was so strong that it snapped the metal strings and nearly blew your face off. I remember you cowering.
Well, yeah. Well, that's what I'm talking about. ......

　Garnett's expression gradually changes to something that looks like he's going to say, "Wow.

　The reason I'm so backward about hiring Alexia is that this guy's homemade armament is always in some kind of danger.

　The victim of the previous outburst was an unfortunate, half-vanquished cabin - a resting place near a dungeon deep in the mountains - but I can't bear to have a similar accident happen in my shop! It's not there.

'I'm fine!　This time we've been able to operate for the first six months of development without incident!　If you want, I'll take it apart in front of you so you can check it out carefully!

　Alexia leaned over the table and put her face as close to mine as she could.

'I can't let this case pass me by!　Whatever it takes!
'...... Why are you so desperate? If you're going to market your weapons, you've got other ways to get them out there.
No, sir.

　Seeing through my interest in Alexia's situation, Alexia sat back in her chair and got ready to start talking at length.

'Luke, do you know the former name of the brave Falcon?'
The Falcon?　I don't know, but what does it have to do with anything?

　Alexia mouthed the answer with her usual loose expression in a controlled manner.

'I'm the Falcon of the Multiple Cities. Julia and Falcon are from the same hometown as me ...... or more specifically, we're childhood friends.