Author’s Apothecary

This is what we could see in the last chapter, and it was already enough to know there are city maintenance issues, look at the state of this alley, from floor to walls and the trash laying around. And the fact that it is present to a lesser degree in the part of the alley leading from the door to the tourist area...

Before Sakura even brings it up look at the disrepair, the trash, the state of the walls and floors but also the dark somber ambiance we're being shown, like it gets darker as you get further into the city.

I think the one who says "he was right, it's real dirty here" is Umemiya. They have issues with their trash, because there's a pretty big trashcan and yet they have a pile of trash bags as well.

Sakura noticing how stark the difference is, this place is old, just from how the AC units are installed, those buildings are a fair amount of decades old. The state of disrepair is insane. But I truly wonder, was Suo reminded of his city when he first saw where Sakura lives, because I mean, I'd venture to say the area Sakura lives in is in a pretty similar state. "So this is it. Suo's city" yup, let's see what's up with this place and why Suo had to drop out of school and couldn't explain anything to them

What I also find interesting is that they show us that this disrepair is everywhere, the area where the dojo is, is also run down

The dojo itself is run down too, from the inner patio

To the area they use as a communal kitchen

To the railings of the balcony and corridors

Listen, a city doesn't fall in this state of disrepair in just a couple years, this has to run deep and old, and definitely the economic issues are a confirmed thing by now, there's no money to repair things, and maybe all of it gets put into up keeping the tourist area so they can at least get some income so at least some families don't starve.

If RC hoarded money at any point and that's the corruption, then they certainly didn't invest on their own buildings...

The clothes the RC members wear being hand-me-downs is becoming more and more plausible too, I mean, Suo's are literally obvious cause that coat looks big on him.

Whatever is going on that Suo says they're better off not knowing is definitely big and I'm pretty sure these 3 are trying to fix it.

Also, I just realised the lights at the dojo seem to be all natural and not electric, which says that this is old and old fashioned even from back then and that maybe the electric system might not work well.

How exactly do these guys get water and electricity, and how are they paying for it 🤔