This city was full of religious people. Well, if it wasn't, I'd be concerned. The entire place practically breathed faith. Statues, banners, prayers, and hymns drifting through the streets. Basically everyone here was a follower of the Goddess of Creation.
From what I remembered, the hierarchy of the church went something like priests, bishops, then saints. Priests handled everyday blessings and scripture. Bishops stood one step below the divine, and saints were said to be chosen by the Goddess herself no one really knows. Maybe they were extremely strong, maybe they just had good marketing. Hard to tell.
The daily lives of the people here were a mystery, but rumor said the priests dedicated their entire existence to deciphering the Goddess's scriptures. Apparently, every line of scripture held cryptograms and hidden spells left behind by the Goddess Of Creation. They spent their days translating, chanting, theorizing, and sometimes going half-crazy trying to interpret divine text. That kind of life sounded exhausting. At least I only fight monsters.
And that wasn't even the most impressive part. The city had a grand library where Mage Flamme's spells were recorded. A full collection of one of history's strongest mages. If that was true, then this place really was a gold mine of knowledge.
It was also the headquarters of the mage exam. A test recognized throughout the entire continent. Pass it, and you gain status, influence, and access to rare spellbooks. Fail it, and you walk home embarrassed while everyone laughs at you. I was planning on taking it later, but for now I had my priorities straight. A new city, new potential threats, and a bunch of information to gather.
Still, I couldn't deny the excitement simmering inside me. A place filled with mages, priests, divine spells, ancient hero archives, and magical research? It was like dumping a child into a candy store and telling him everything was free.
"Well, Strahl… show me something interesting," I muttered, watching the crowds move like a river of color and noise.
The sound of prayers mixed with merchants yelling discounts. Children ran through the streets with holy charms hanging from their necks.
Walking through the street was still a hassle as always. Elbows, shoulders, noisy vendors, children running circles, and the occasional horse that definitely did not care where it stepped. Even so, the ability to pick up information so easily without hiking into some remote forest was kind of nice. Gossip flowed through the streets like water. You just had to listen.
While enjoying the chaos, I noticed a man sprinting through the crowd with a bag of coins clutched under his arm. Behind him, another man chased after him, shouting for the thief to give him back his money.
"Nahh, you're never getting this back," the thief yelled, shoving past people.
Normally, I wouldn't care. The average civilian getting robbed was not my problem. You cannot save everyone, and half the time people just cause their own trouble. But for some reason, something in my mind screamed for me to help this one. Maybe the city was getting to me. Maybe I was bored. Or maybe the thief just picked the wrong place to run.
He crashed straight into me.
"Watch it," he spat, trying to slip past, but I grabbed him by the wrist. The moment my hand closed, he froze like a deer staring into a carriage headlight.
A small fire formed in my palm, gentle at first, then crackling brighter. His eyes went wide.
"Sorry, man. You won't be getting the money today," I said. Then I slammed the flame into the side of his head. He screamed loud enough for half the street to look.
"Let go, you bastard! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"
He crumpled to the ground clutching his head. I reached into his hand, grabbed the coin pouch, and turned to the victim.
"Here's your money," I said, handing the pouch back. The entire street went quiet. Eyes stared at me like I was some kind of monster or hero. Hard to tell which.
"What?" I said to the crowd. "Nothing special is happening here."
People quickly looked away, pretending to mind their own business. The man who had been robbed stepped forward, still shaking a little.
"Thank you. You saved me. What is your name, sir?"
I just grinned. Not every act of kindness needed a name attached to it. But if he really wanted one, he could guess on his own.
"Dude, you have to tell me your name!" he said.
I ignored him. I was trying to walk away dramatically. You know, cool stranger helps someone, disappears into the crowd, never to be seen again. That kind of thing.
"What is your name, sir!" he repeated, louder this time. "Such a great act of kindness cannot go unrecognised!"
I kept walking. The dramatic exit was still salvageable.
Unfortunately, he was surprisingly fast for someone who had been robbed two minutes ago. He sprinted up beside me, clutching the pouch like it was his newborn child.
"You do not understand what you have done today. You saved money that I so wonderfully worked up for. Months and months of sweat, tears, and selling useless junk to stubborn villagers. If anything, is your name not too much to ask for!"
I sighed. My cool escape was ruined anyway.
"Satoru Gojo," I said.
The man froze. His jaw dropped so far I thought it might hit the ground. Then, without warning, he clasped both of my hands like I had just cured an incurable disease.
"Satoru Gojo. I will remember that name forever. I will tell my grandchildren that a mysterious hero saved my life on this very street!"
"I only saved your wallet, not your life," I said.
"Same thing," he replied proudly.
Before I could correct him, he turned around and sprinted off, shouting to everyone who would listen.
"A hero is among us! Satoru Gojo! Spread the word!"
I stared at him disappearing into the crowd.
"…What have I done," I muttered.
Now half the street had turned toward me again, whispering. A few even tried to memorize my face. Some kid pointed and yelled that I must be some kind of super knight with cool magic. Another said I was probably a legendary assassin trying to live a peaceful life. Someone else claimed I was a runaway prince.
"All of that just because I stopped a pickpocket?" I sighed. "This city is dramatic."
To fix the situation, I put on my most serious face and waved the crowd away like a distant noble.
"Please, humble citizens, remain calm. I am simply a… passing guy."
That, of course, made people whisper more.
So much for being low-profile.
I crossed my arms, glanced up at the sky, and groaned quietly.
"At this rate, everyone will know my name before dinner," I muttered. "Next time, I am letting the thief run."
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At this rate I might be uploading twice a day.
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Power Stone Goals (changed ):
450 - 1 Bonus Chapter
700 - 2 Bonus Chapters