As the caravan came to a halt in the city, I turned to Leonard, who looked like he hadn’t slept in days. 'Can’t say I blame him. Having a ‘noble’ in his wagon has probably shaved a few years off his life.'

"So, we’re stopping here, huh?" I asked, more for my own amusement than anything else.

Leonard nodded quickly, his eyes darting nervously. "Just for a while to rest the men, my lord, and we shall continue to—"

I cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "No need. I have somewhere to visit here. Feel free to rest tonight. We’ll continue in the morning."

Leonard blinked, momentarily caught off guard, but he recovered quickly. "As you wish, my lord."

"Good. I’m leaving my sword in the wagon," I added, casually glancing at the massive blade. "I’ll go on my own for now."

'Carrying that thing around would draw too much attention. Not a big deal in a village, but here?'

Leonard, clearly still nervous, suggested, "Then, my lord, please take a few of my guards with thee—"

"No need." I raised my palm, letting a small but noticeable aura tornado form on it, the energy twisting lazily around my hand. Leonard’s face went pale again.

"I see... forgive my foolishness, my lord," he stammered, barely able to keep his voice steady.

"No need to worry," I said, waving him off. "Feel free to spend the night in whatever inn or hotel you want. I’ll meet you here tomorrow morning."

I could almost see the relief wash over him. 'Poor guy’s probably been worried about what fancy hotel to put me up for the night.'

Leonard knelt down on one knee, his voice still trembling. "As you wish, my lord."

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I walked away, shaking my head with a smirk. 'Now, let’s go see what I can scrounge up as a decent gift.'

As I wandered through the city streets, the shops lined up before me like an endless maze of goods, I couldn’t help but think about the royal gift. 'What should I bring?' The nobility, of course, loved to exchange luxury items. Fine textiles like silk, velvet, and embroidered fabrics were always a safe bet. Then there were exotic furs, jewelry, and precious metalwork.

I glanced at a shop window filled with ornate weapons—daggers and swords with intricate hilts, perfect for showing off wealth and martial prowess. But the princess? She wouldn’t care for just any old dagger. Royals liked their gifts practical too—horses, hawks, some kind of rare pet, magic tools, things that could be useful for their hobbies and their image.

'Grandmother’s gift was perfect, of course.' She’d heard the princess had a fondness for violen, so she buyed a high-quality one. Too bad that’s nothing but ash now. And the price of replacing it? Yeah, I didn’t have that kind of money in my pocket.

'Great. Now what?' I continued down the street, scanning the shops for something that might catch my eye until i found a fancy shop.

I stepped up to the shop’s entrance and couldn’t help but smirk. The place screamed “noble’s playground.” The sign above, written in big red letters, read [Klassikós] and the shop was crawling with guards. 'Of course it is. Fancy shops like this always need protection from the riff-raff—or maybe from people like me.'

The moment I stepped inside, I was greeted by the smell of polished wood and leather. The shelves were lined with all manner of luxury items. Fine silks in deep purples and reds draped over elegant mannequins. Glass cases held intricate jewelry, studded with gemstones that sparkled in the dim lighting. The walls were adorned with paintings, some of which looked older than the shop itself, while others were detailed landscapes that probably cost more than a small house. A display near the back showed off ornate weapons—daggers and swords with hilts so decorated you’d almost forget they were for killing. 'Definitely a rich man's paradise.'

As I wandered through the shop, an old man wearing thick glasses appeared beside me, looking like he’d been here since the shop’s opening. "Can I help thee ?" he asked, his voice polite but practiced.

I didn’t waste time. "Do you sell any kind of violins here?"

The old man blinked, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise. "Violins, hmm? Well, my shop does carry a few. Any particular type?"

"Hmm... chrotta?" I replied, recalling the princess’s fondness for the instrument. It was outdated in my old world, but around here, it seemed to be all the rage.

The old man’s face lit up with a smile. "Ah, I see. Follow me, please."

I followed him to the back of the shop, where various string instruments were displayed in neat rows. Violins, violas, cellos, and double basses—every type of string instrument one could imagine. And there they were: the chrotta. Three of them, all the same type but with different price tags. 'Probably because of their quality.'

The shopkeeper gestured toward them. "Do any catch thine eye?"

I studied them for a moment, though to be honest, I had no clue what made one better than the other. I pointed to one at random. "This one looks... expensive?"

The old man nodded. "Ah, an excellent choice. That one is made of high-quality black-wood, and its strings are crafted from the rare aethon bird's gut."

'Two gold coins and fifty silver ...Not terrible, but I don’t have that on me right now.'

"Give me some time to think it over," I said. "I’ll return later."

"Of course, Please, take thy time," the shopkeeper replied, bowing slightly.

I left the shop and stepped back into the bustling streets, my mind already working through options. 'Should I just steal it?' Five guards wouldn’t be much of a problem—they were just normal humans—but I didn’t exactly have any fancy stealth skills. And getting caught would be more annoying than it was worth.

'Or I could just make some money.'

I had one day to scrape together two and a half gold coins. Not impossible, but definitely not easy.