Carastra is the capital city of the Brealian kingdom. It's a city with a history, that used to have outer walls but outgrew them decades ago.

As a result, even though the period of reference for The Great Hero is a Schoolteacher is the European eighteenth century, not every place in Carastra looks baroque. Potions' Corner, in the center, a stone's throw southeast of the royal palace, is an example of a district with a more ancient architecture. A district that acts as a reminder that there's been magic users in Brealia for a long time.

The main inspiration for Potions' Corner is the kind of sixteenth-to-seventeenth-century streets that you can still find a lot in Europe.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

Exhibit A: Strasbourg, France.

An old street in Strasbourg, France [https://i74.servimg.com/u/f74/12/09/03/58/3-qui-10.jpg]

Exhibit B: Rouen, France.

An old street in Rouen, France. [https://i74.servimg.com/u/f74/12/09/03/58/photo_10.jpg]

Narrow cobblestone streets, half-timbered buildings, colorful shop signs, you'll find all this in Potions' Corner.

The district isn't large, half a dozen streets at most. It even lost some blocks to a fire ten years before the events of Book 1. Yet it's crowded every day with customers from Brealia and beyond, wishing to buy all sorts of magical components, but also with tourists coming for the atmosphere. One wouldn't necessarily guess it just by looking at the picturesque shop signs, but there aren't that many magic stores in Potions' Corner. Most shops sell unmagical goods, some of which are outstanding enough for magical applications.

One of them, while selling actual rare woods, might also serve you a special kind of lamb stew if you ask.