Chapter 421

421 – To the City of Kings, Jeruite #3

Clang, rattle, rattle-,

Clack, clack-.

Jeruite was located in the mid-west of the continent, or to be more precise, a few days’ ride west from Sodomora.

Since this road leads from the large city of Sodomora to the most distant castle city, it is impeccably clean and comfortable.

The road leading to the royal castle is considered such a valuable asset that there are many soldiers guarding it, and the security is excellent.

Thus, even the ordinary bandits and highwaymen can’t dare approach it.

Thanks to this, we were able to enjoy a safe journey to the capital.

On a snowy winter day, huddling together in the carriage sharing warmth while enjoying the gentle jolts was quite a charming experience.

But even the most delightful of journeys tends to grow dull after a few days.

I wonder if some bandit brats might ambush us. It’s incredibly boring. The problem with this kingdom is that it’s surprisingly secure.

“Hassan, look at this! People in Jeruite drink tea every day after lunch!”

Luna suddenly exclaimed, reading an article from a magazine Elpride had abandoned midway due to loss of interest.

It seemed to me that Luna’s life has always been akin to popping popcorn, utterly devoid of any boredom.

Sneak-.

As I turned my gaze, I noticed the corner of a magazine Luna was pointing at, which read something like ‘All About Traveling in Jeruite.’ It was a travel magazine.

“Hassan, look at this! It’s fashionable for women in Jeruite to wear hats adorned with hawk feathers!”

“Apparently, raccoon fur scarves are also a trend. Fur from creatures raised on a diet of only fruits is said to emit a sweet apple scent.”

“It seems there are rest spots for nymphs scattered all around the Royal Capital. It’s a truly nymph-friendly city…”

Both Luna and Hippolyte, and even Paranoi, carried a sense of strange excitement about their visit to the Royal Capital.

Only Elpride sat quietly. Perhaps reading books in the swaying carriage for days on end was making her seasick.

Sneak, sneak-.

Even Elpride, despite her apparent disinterest, perked her ears when the topic turned to fur scarves or hats popular in the capital, indicating she was also looking forward to the trip.

Comparing it to my experience, it felt like traveling from a provincial city to Seoul.

No, not Seoul, but the old capital of HanYang.

Without advanced communication devices or means of transport in this world, moving from one city to another isn’t an everyday experience.

Thinking this way, I somewhat understood the excitement of my companions.

Of course, I wasn’t traveling for leisure but for work.

Though officially I was a circus leader presenting a nymph performance troupe at the royal castle, my real reason for visiting was to learn more about the Thunderblade’s tale.

“Phew…! I hope we arrive soon…! Can’t the horses be driven any faster? Even the nymphs look incredibly bored from being in the carriage for so long.”

“There’s no need to rush. We’ll arrive by tonight. The horses can’t be pushed any harder.”

“Once we arrive, we must first stop at a major shop to get all of us new outfits as the women of the Royal Capital wear!”

Unlike me, who had many thoughts on my mind, everyone else seemed to be eagerly counting down the moments until our arrival.

Swoosh-.

I shifted my gaze to the back of the carriage.

The odd sensation that had been trailing us for days was no longer detectable. Did they give up?

Though relieved that the peculiar stalking was over, I felt a tinge of emptiness.

Thus, as evening descended.

The two carriages we were traveling in finally reached the massive gate of a fortress wall.

Considering the night was deep and even the moon was concealed by clouds, the only sights were the towering fortress walls and the regularly spaced torches atop them.

The bearded faces of soldiers with deep-set helmets glistened alongside the gleaming edges of the weapons in their hands. They all looked rather seasoned, with an air of veteran guards protecting the capital city of a nation where the king resided.

d*mn, it’s freezing.

Why on this night of all nights was there such heightened patrolling? Who exactly was expected to visit to warrant such increased security?

I listened carefully to the murmurs near my ears.

Commander sir, shall we stop by a tavern after work? There’s a newly hired lady at our regular joint who’s incredibly pretty.

Man, don’t you ever talk about anything but women? I envy your youth.

So, you’re not joining us then? There’s an elf waitress! Isn’t it rare to find an elf employee?

Can’t miss this then. Guess I’ll tag along.

Their casual conversation was ordinary enough. Even the soldiers protecting the capital appeared somewhat average.

Then, as several carriages passed before ours for inspection, the soldiers signaled us with swinging torches.

An eerie silence enveloped the darkened carriage interior.

“…”

“…”

The chatty Luna and Paranoi were now silent, their eyes blinking in the torchlight that illuminated their emerald irises filled with trepidation and faint dread.

And then, just as a soldier approached the carriage,

“Paranoi has done absolutely nothing wrong!”

Without being asked any questions, Paranoi abruptly shrieked, resembling a thief caught red-handed. I felt my vision momentarily blur from shock.

“Hey, cut it out, man.”

Paranoi’s anxiety was understandable.

Being originally a cultist, he instinctively quivers with fear when encountering regular soldiers.

“Something feels tense…! I haven’t done anything wrong…”

This was likely true for Luna as well, who had sneaked into Ideope before attaining an adventurer’s status. She used to avoid guards altogether.

Indeed, soldiers were unsettling for me too.

Though I’ve recently grown to a point where I sign autographs for soldiers, having previously been subjected to frequent random inspections, the uneasiness remains.

“Inspection, please disembark and answer a few questions and confirmations.”

“Shall I disembark.”

Of us all, only Hippolyte didn’t seem tense at all.

Since it appeared uncomfortable for Hippolyte, seated in the middle, to get out, I decided to disembark, as I sat closest to the door.

Sneak, snap-.

Also, I wanted to enjoy a bit of fresh air on this occasion.

WHOOSH-.

A biting wind greeted my face as I stepped down from the carriage. It was quite cold.

The all-seasons leather shirt I wore was not enough to shield against the severe cold. Yet, it was somewhat bearable. In fact, the sharp chill was invigorating and refreshing.

CLANK-.

At that moment, from various directions, the sound of armor rattling was heard. The soldiers inspecting our carriages had their hands on the hilts of their sheathed swords at their waists.

…

…

Though unspoken, it seemed they were on high alert due to the giant figure of the Samaritan who had disembarked.

Then, a soldier approached me.

His gear looked considerably heavier than the others.

From the cape draped from shoulder to back and the feather ornament on his helmet, he seemed to be some form of commander, a section leader or officer of sorts.

The man exhaled a puff of white breath as he spoke.

“Are you the one responsible for these carriages or are you escorting them? The flags indicate you’re coming from Sodomora.”

Escort?

I recalled that some Samaritans led lifestyles similar to mercenaries.

Rich merchants or nobles often hire Samaritans to show off their wealth and security.

Anyone seeing a Samaritan disembarked from carriages drawn by four horses would naturally assume an escort role. They wouldn’t perceive him as the carriage’s owner.

“I am Malcasus, the commander of the eastern gate of Jeruite. First, please inform us of your affiliation and the purpose of your visit.”

It would take a while to explain the situation. I showed the silver adventurer’s ID from the Mars Guild hanging around my neck.

Tinkle-.

“I’m Hassan from Sodomora.”

“A-? Hassan? That name sounds familiar…Wait, please hold.”

Commander Malcasus then entered a small office hut built beside the gate.

A rustling noise came from inside for a while, then he reappeared with an urgent look on his excited face, waving his hands.

“Please hold on a moment! A royal command to wait at the gate for a man named Hassan has been issued!”

*

We waited in front of the gate for around 5 minutes.

To be more precise, it felt like about 8 minutes—a time that could either seem long or short.

During this time, exhaling puffs of white breath in slight anxiety, we waited. Then, Commander Malcasus signaled us with his torch.

“Alright! You may proceed!”

In response, I gestured to the coachmen to lead the carriages within the large and towering fortress wall.

At that moment, I overheard some whispering among a few soldiers.

There are two carriages. Shouldn’t we check what’s inside or who is riding?

Our usual commander doesn’t handle matters so loosely. I don’t know. He’ll take care of the responsibility, I suppose.

It seemed this entrance was slightly abnormal and unfamiliar compared to the usual procedure for these individuals.

At that moment, Commander Malcasus sharply whispered to his subordinates.

You fools. Don’t you read the papers? That man is Hassan from Sodomora, the son of Pluto…!

A deity? I’ve heard tales of those local folks discussing something of the sort. Wow, then am I seeing a living god right now? This is a first for me…!

Me too. We all are, I suppose. We thought deities were creatures from ancient stories told by our grandparents.

It seemed they were talking about me. Why did such whispers reach my ears?

At that moment, a story Hippolyte once told me floated to mind.

When demigods or younger gods awaken to their divinity, their five senses abruptly develop. Not equally, but one of the senses such as hearing, sight, or smell evolves exceptionally.

For instance, Luna’s powerful sense of smell or Hippolyte’s robust eyesight would fall into that category. In my case, if I focus, I can hear whispers from people to the extent that I can eavesdrop on their private conversations.

I thought about this development being due to me being overly sensitive to others’ evaluations or stories.

However, compared to expectations, he seems pretty ordinary, doesn’t he? There’s no lightning wrapped around him. Although he indeed looks robust. Young recruit, what’s your take? They say he’s reached close to the Silver Tier as an adventurer.

We’d surely lose if we fought against him. Doesn’t anyone else feel the same? That man is a monster. What exactly are we letting into the city?

Shh, monster? Be careful with your words, man. No matter how troll-like in size, you shouldn’t say that. If exposed, you might face divine punishment!

I’m hearing it all, kids.

In any case, it seemed people were doubting the claims of me being a god.

After all, gods have been silent for already 30 years.

As the saying goes, good intentions last three days; even a strong resolve fades in just three days.

With three decades having passed, the memories of gods now remain only in the o*al traditions of the knowing ones, as ancient tales.

Moreover, I lacked any artifacts befitting a god, not to mention any dazzling effects like bolts of lightning encircling my body or miraculous flashes in my eyes.

Would it improve my divine image if there were some grand effects?

How does one achieve such visual splendor? Do I have to purchase them with in-game currency?

As I mused over these trivial thoughts, preparing to reboard the carriage, I heard someone call out.

“You there, look this way!”

Turning at the sound, I saw a peculiar figure wearing a coat made of elongated raccoon furs.

He was small in stature.

“Are you calling me?”

“Yes! This Mirnoi is assigned as your herald from the Royal Palace! A high-ranking official, if you will…! A civil servant!”

“Hmm”

I narrowed my eyebrows slightly.

What an odd nymph.

“Waiting for you turned me nearly into the nymph of snot! It was very chilly, you see! But since I am a high-ranking official…! I endured!”

Perhaps sent in advance from the Royal Palace to guide us?

We guided our carriages into the deep recesses of the Royal Capital as the night grew darker.

“At the palace, we’ve prepared a fine place to rest for you! It’d be appropriate to show your gratitude!”

Mirnoi, the herald from the royal palace, strutted significantly as if leading an important mission.

Indeed, he had good reason to feel prideful. Our lodging was more like a mansion than an inn.

Actually, it wasn’t an inn but more of a hotel.

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