“What are we going to do? From the looks of it, I think she’s taken straight to the tower.”
“Hmm, we’re going to enter the tower anyway, so it shouldn’t be a problem if she goes first. Just to be on the safe side, I already told her not to say anything unnecessary.”
Lill, who was found to have unparalleled magical powers, was already taken away by the officials. In this city, the treatment varies greatly depending on whether you have talent or not.
“Now then~, we will guide everyone who got B rating to the residential area~!”
A person wearing a rabbit costume announced this in a slightly high-pitched voice. There are several others who are wearing costumes of the same kind, and they may be the mascots of this city.
Such a mysterious rabbit takes us to the residential area.
Apparently, after getting in the castle gate, each individual is already divided into several residential area and permission is required to enter and exit their respective residential area. Moreover, residents of the lower residential areas are basically not allowed to enter the upper residential areas.
We were graded B and the residential area allocated to us is in the middle grade.
“Apart from the tower, there are three residential areas, from the highest one, District A to District C huh…”
“……Somehow, that sounds suggestive, isn’t it?”
Before we knew it, we arrived at the residential area.
“Your residence will be a condominium in this lot~. Please use one room per household~.”
We, the B-rated immigrants were given a room in an apartment complex.
When we went inside, there are three rooms in total, all equipped with showers and toilets so it was not a bad environment.
“In District A, each household is given their own house. Those who are particularly allowed to enter the tower seem to be provided with quite luxurious mansions. District C, on the other hand, is an apartment building just like this one, but it is much smaller. Their toilets and showers are also shared.”
The food, clothing, and medicines that are distributed also seem to vary greatly depending on the residential area.
“Hmm, there’s a lot of disparity.”
“However, even in District C, the minimum standard of living is guaranteed, so poor people from all over the country are coming up, wanting to emigrate here.”
Of course, the residents are given jobs. The city seems to be one of the world’s leading producers of magic tools, and the factories are always in need of a lot of labor. Food, clothing, shelter and work are guaranteed. Therefore, even in District C, many of the residents are not dissatisfied with their life here.
“That sounds like this is an ideal city, doesn’t it?”
“It doesn’t look like an evil stronghold.”
Listening to Meltera’s explanation, Anje and Fana looked confused.
“……What I said so far was the facade of this city.”
Apparently, there is something else behind such luxury.
“We will be invading the tower at night… We have some time until then, so let’s go and take a look at that place. It’s the fourth residential area hidden beneath this city —commonly known as District X.”
We left District B and came to District C, which is considered to be the lowest residential area. In District C, there is a building that is off-limits to anyone other than those involved. It is said that this heavily guarded place is the entrance to the underground residential area, Discrict X.
As we look around for the place that is hidden due to the concealment magic, we come across a group of people who seem to be residents of District C being taken there.
“They look like ordinary residents.”
“It’s not just criminals and people who are rebelling against the city that are being taken to District X. Those who are unable to fulfill their labor obligations are taken there as well. Of course, ostensibly, they are supposed to end up in a rehabilitation facility or a vocational training facility.”
We sneaked into the building and joined them.
After descending a long spiral staircase, we eventually arrived at a dingy area that looked like a slum spread out in the vast underground space.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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