Chapter 75 - 74: Settling Down

Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Settling Down

Securing a place to live was only the first step to settling down in Bremen. After seeing Mrs. Misu out and leaving his luggage in Room 437, Gaode closed the door, ready to head to his next destination. Of course, he made sure to take his coin pouch with him.

"Take me to the clothing shop with the best value for money nearby. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?" he said to Leman.

Food, clothing, shelter, and transportation—with shelter sorted out, clothing was naturally the next step. Even now, Gaode still wore the rough linen clothes from his apprentice days. It wasn’t that they were unwearable, but clothes made the man. Since he planned to work as a Repair Craftsman, his young age was already a disadvantage. If he dressed shabbily on top of that, people would definitely doubt his skills.

Leman didn’t charge his one Silver Coin guide fee for nothing. Upon hearing Gaode’s request, he nodded without hesitation. "No problem. Please follow me, sir."

"Where is the Artisan Guild located in the city?" Gaode asked, gathering information about Bremen as he followed Leman toward the clothing shop.

"Aside from the Mage Association, most guilds in the city are located in the Siren District," Leman explained in detail. "However, if you wish to join the Artisan Guild, you must either pass their assessment or secure a recommendation from an official guild member..."

After quietly listening to Leman’s explanation, Gaode asked about another matter of interest. "How many Mage Associations are there in Bremen?"

"Three," Leman rattled off familiarly. "Ranked first is the official Bremen Mage Association. Then comes the Ancient Book Guardian Association, and finally, the Jade Alliance."

Pierre hadn’t been bragging; the Jade Alliance truly was one of the three great Mage Associations in Bremen. He just conveniently left out the fact that there were only three Mage Associations in the city to begin with.

The Camond District was a hub for numerous small workshops. While following Mrs. Misu to Room 437 earlier, Gaode had noticed a scattering of them along the way. Clearly, many artisans used their homes as workshops, typically operating with a storefront in the front and a residence in the back, or a shop on the ground floor and living quarters upstairs.

Leman led Gaode around a few corners, and as they chatted, they arrived at a street bustling with workshops. The businesses on both sides of the street hung prominent signboards or cloth banners featuring images of bread, hammers, and other symbols that clearly indicated their respective trades.

Leman brought Gaode to a stop in front of a shop with a pair of scissors painted on its banner. "Don’t be fooled by the small storefront. Old Hatton’s craftsmanship is widely recognized as excellent, and he uses solid materials," Leman introduced.

Gaode nodded slightly and stepped inside.

The interior was relatively cramped, with various fabric products hanging on the walls on both sides. The selection ranged from rough, heavy linen to finer wool, smooth linen, and even silk. Additionally, several wooden mannequins stood in the shop, displaying the latest clothing styles. The air was filled with the distinct scents of freshly cut fabric and tanned leather.

The shop owner, an older man with slightly graying hair and a matching beard, sat at a large wooden table, buried in a pile of fabrics and sewing supplies. Seeing a customer walk in, he immediately set down his work. "Sir, what would you like to buy?"

Gaode thought for a moment before replying, "Two sets of everyday clothes. Linen, please."

Wool and linen were the two most common materials for everyday wear. However, it was currently the Flame Flower Moon—the traditional equivalent of May. The weather would foreseeably only get hotter from here on out. Considering this, the more breathable linen was clearly the better choice.

"Please wait a moment." Old Hatton carefully looked Gaode up and down before getting up and heading to the back of the shop. A short while later, he brought out several outfits. "Take a look at these. Are they to your liking?"

Summer clothing tended to be simple and practical. The tops mainly consisted of loose, belted tunics, with robes as an alternative option, while the bottoms were spacious linen trousers. Even in his past life, men’s clothing styles had been severely limited. In this world, there was almost nothing to choose from.

The colors were even more monotonous, restricted to the browns, grays, and deep blues provided by Nature’s dyes. Ultimately, it all came down to the fit.

Clearly, despite his age, Old Hatton’s eyes were still as sharp as ever. That single glance he took before heading to the storeroom had essentially scanned Gaode’s measurements. As a result, the clothes he brought out fit perfectly.

Gaode ended up choosing one gray and one brown set for his everyday wear. The two linen outfits, along with two pairs of low-top cowhide leather shoes, cost him a total of twenty-six Silver Coins.

After leaving the clothing shop, Gaode had Leman take him to a watch shop. Living in a major city was different from Hogan City; it was much more convenient to know the exact time. Thus, a pocket watch that he could carry around became incredibly important.

Under Leman’s lead, Gaode pushed open a heavy wooden door. Accompanied by the gentle chime of a bell, he entered a watch shop filled with the mixed aroma of leather and metal.

Compared to the clothing shop, the interior of the watch shop was far more elegant. Mirrors with gold-inlaid frames hung on the walls, and exquisite pocket watches were neatly arranged in the display cabinets.

A clerk politely came forward to greet them. After taking an extremely subtle glance at Gaode’s attire, he asked, "Sir, what do you need?"

"An accurate pocket watch."

The clerk nodded and bent down, using his white-gloved hands to retrieve a silver pocket watch from the display cabinet. "Sir, how about this one? It was crafted by Master Nide. Look at the engravings—aren’t they charming?"

The watch case indeed featured beautifully engraved patterns. "How much is it?" Gaode asked. He wasn’t particularly picky about the style as long as it worked; he was much more concerned about the price.

"It’s not expensive. Only one Gold Coin, and it comes with a complementary watch chain," the clerk explained. "Furthermore, if the hands ever stop moving or become inaccurate, you can bring it back to our shop. We’ll fix it for free."

As if worried Gaode would find it too pricey, he pointed to the gold-cased pocket watches in the cabinet. "These watches all cost upwards of five Gold Coins."

"Alright, I’ll take it." Gaode deferred to the will of his wallet. Following the clerk’s Guiding, he paid at the counter.

Upon leaving the shop, Gaode glanced at his newly acquired pocket watch and realized it was almost five o’clock. "Thank you for your trouble today. You can head back now," Gaode said to Leman.

"You’re very welcome, sir!"

After dismissing Leman, Gaode didn’t immediately return home. Instead, he found a small nearby restaurant for dinner. Moving into a new place was worth celebrating with a good meal. Truth be told, it was a bit embarrassing to admit, but this was actually his first time eating out since coming to this world.

Gaode ordered a serving of roast pork with apple sauce for seven Copper Coins, a large mug of tea for one and a half Copper Coins, sausage with mashed potatoes for three Copper Coins, a portion of vegetables for one Copper Coin, and a fried egg for one and a half Copper Coins.

The total came to fourteen Copper Coins, or one Silver Coin and two Copper Coins.

After polishing off all the food, he still hadn’t had enough, so he paid an extra Copper Coin for a serving of buttered bread. It was an incredibly hearty meal. But it was also quite expensive.

"My savings are about to drop below the three-hundred Gold Coin mark..." Gaode thought to himself.

After paying the bill, Gaode found that the loose change in his pocket had dwindled down to just four Trifoliate Flower Silver Coins and a few scattered Copper Coins.