Meren is a port town built on the shore of a lake about three kirlos southwest of Orario. Connected to the sea through Lolog Lake, Meren is Orario's bridge to the world's oceans, situated on the westernmost edge of the continent.
Every day, countless ships from distant lands enter port, disgorging countless people, creatures, and items destined for the city that many consider the center of the world. And what flows into Meren are magic-stone products bound for barges setting out to sea. Orario has a monopoly on the production of magic-stone items, and most trade is conducted not overland, but by sea.
Considering that, it might not be an exaggeration to say ships from all around the world gather here. As for me, this wasn't my first time coming to Meren, but every time I'm here, it feels like visiting a foreign country.
The lively main avenue felt like a bazaar, and many of the shops were filled with the bounty of the sea. The streets were packed with suntanned fishermen and visitors from faraway islands, deserts, and all sorts of other places. Everything brought home the feeling that this was a port town.
"Whhhoooaaa!"
Several people exclaimed as the giant ship entered Lolog Lake through the channel, blue sails fluttering in the breeze like a majestic sea dragon. It's so tall that my neck hurts looking up at it. This one ship was filling the entire western half of the harbor, where hundreds of ships would normally dock.
An explosion of cheers filled the bay.
"Welcome back!"
"Tell us about your adventures!!!"
"Welcome to Meren!"
People were holding hands and dancing for joy under the blue skies. The moment the ship entered the brackish lake, the constant cheers crescendoed. There were so many people lining the port, it almost looked like the whole population of Meren was out.
An enormous number of humans and demi-humans were waving flags or their hands, and some were even playing instruments. Several children ran past, jumping around as I stood dumbstruck in the middle of the crowd.
"Although I had known it beforehand, it really looks like a festival," I commented, observing our surroundings filled with people.
"That's not far from the truth. The School District returns to Orario once every three years, and it's easily one of the city's biggest events," Eina explained.
The inspection at Orario's city gates is incredibly strict—especially for deities and followers of familias considered key assets—so it would normally be impossible to leave without filling out incredibly time-consuming and tedious paperwork.
But the return of the School District is apparently a special occasion, and for the duration of the School District's stay, the southwestern gate that connects the city to Meren—and only that gate—is kept open. Adventurers still have to undergo a check by Ganesha Familia's guards, but Eina and I were let through pretty easily.
We came here together with a stream of Orario's residents flowing out of the gate.
Even after the massive ship finished docking, the cheers were still going strong. When the crowd finally started to move, we went with the flow and began walking toward the giant school.
"I remember you once told me you also studied there, right?"
"Right, as a former student...I was asked to handle most of the formalities for the School District's return, but..."
"Eina?" I noticed that even though she looked proud, her expression also made it seem like she was deeply troubled by something. I studied her expression until I noticed the flow of people had stopped.
We'd reached the western side of the harbor. Or, more accurately, we had reached the giant shipyard. The crowd was pushing close to see the docked School District from up close. There were lots of other Guild employees and members of Ganesha Familia directing the flow of traffic. Apparently, no residents of Orario, whether adventurers or just regular townsfolk or even deities, were allowed to get near that giant ship.
"I'm home, Meren!"
"We're baaaaack!"
"This is my first time! Meren! And Orario!"
The cheers from the people were still ringing, and from the outer railing sixty meters up—the ship's gunwales—a visible crowd of boys and girls had gathered, waving back. They were wearing similar uniforms, and it felt like there were a lot of them close to my age.
I guessed they were students at the School District?
"......"
Looking up at the students, Eina screwed up her emerald eyes, and she looked almost like she was wavering about something.
Before I could ask her about it, she beat me to it.
"...Sorry, Arin. I have work to do now, so I should get going."
I hesitated for a moment, conflicted on whether to ask her about it or not, then nodded.
"Okay, I will be around here for a while longer, so call out to me if something happens."
Eina gave a gentle nod and a soft smile as she walked away. I watched her leave before I also walked away from the crowd to a secluded place.
"Well…now what to do? Or maybe you have something to ask me, Hermes?" I called out to the hidden presence that lingered around me.
Hermes appeared out of thin air, wearing the Prototype of Hades Head, which had made him invisible.
"Ya! Arin, I should have expected you to catch on! I guess first-class adventurers really are different."
He flicked the brim of his trademark winged cap as a sort of greeting.
"You do know that Asfi and I are still working on it, right? And she would be beyond furious to see you already using—You know what, never mind. Why are you here?"
I tried to warn Hermes, but seeing his easy-going smile, I decided it was a wasted effort and instead asked for the reason.
"The School District's finally back, so of course I'm going to come out and see it for myself. Every god and goddess with a familia is here," he whispered into my ear, wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "See, look over there in the crowd, and up there on the rooftops...You can see deities and adventurers here and there, right?"
"I do." Looking where he pointed, I could see deities who were presumably patron gods and goddesses, and also followers. They were all looking at the School District and whispering to each other, as if plotting something.
I had a bad feeling when Hermes answered.
"They're all here to scout for their familias."
"Scout...? Do you mean the students at the School District?"
Clenching his fist, Hermes answered,
"Because the School District is a treasure trove of talent, obviously! Have you heard how the School District is an educational institution that travels around the world?"
"Yes, Eina told me all about it."
"Then that makes it quick. The School District is famous, so it has a tendency to get involved in troublesome things. If there's a request from a town, they'll slay monsters, and at times even intervene in conflicts between countries."
"Okay, that part I didn't know. Intervening in conflicts between countries sounds like a big deal."
"'Make thy will a sword, thy knowledge a staff, and thy failures a crown.' If anything, they have a habit of sticking their nose into things without waiting for a request. Practical studies, they call it. Helps the students grow. With all that happening, it's an environment that isn't lacking for experiences, even if it isn't quite to Orario's level. It's standard for the students to be Level Two."
I nodded along.
"Yes, I heard they even have some Level Three mixed here and there."
"You are right. It is a place for learning. The students pretty much always graduate and proceed down various career paths. Naturally, some of them want to become adventurers. And we gods absolutely love recruiting them! That's the long and short of it."
"Oh, now I understand why Loki and others have been so excited about the School District return," I said, remembering how Loki was so enthusiastic about interacting with the students.
"Yes. Thus the rules. Can't have anyone getting the jump on recruiting and internships. However! Everyone still wants to get dibs on a promising prospect! You understand it, don't you?!"
I pushed his face away from my ears.
"Stop screaming in my ears…but yes, I do," I said, massaging my ear.
But Hermes didn't seem to care and once again wrapped his arm around my shoulders.
"Which means, Arin, my friend, we're going to slip inside the School District!"
I stared at him as if he were an idiot.
"Yes, good luck with that cause I'm out of here."