Chapter 45: Breaching the Castle Gate
As we approached the castle gate, the wide avenue on either side was almost entirely lined with walls. The sprawling estates of the nobility stretched out, making the road feel like nothing more than a path flanked by street trees. Perhaps this is what gives the Noble District its quiet and leisurely atmosphere.
“Shall we take the shared carriage back?”
“Yay!”
I called out to Rio as we reached the carriage stand in front of the castle gate, and her cheerful response filled the air.
In contrast to the tranquility of our journey, the area in front of the castle gate buzzed with activity. Neatly arranged street stalls lined the way, and a few tourists could be seen mingling, along with carriages queuing to enter the castle. The lack of chaos was a testament to the refined nature of the Noble District.
But what was this feeling? As we drew closer to the castle, an urge to enter began to swell within me. Yet, since we were heading there for information gathering, it didn’t pose any real issue.
“Do you think we should line up in that queue to get into the castle?”
The castle walls towered about five meters high, with a moat in front that had a trickle of water flowing through it. Beyond the walls, a particularly tall spire was visible—was that part of the castle? A bridge led to the castle gate, which had two lanes for carriages and two smaller doors for pedestrians, making a total of four entrances. Oddly enough, one side of both the carriage and pedestrian entrances was completely empty, yet no one seemed inclined to use them.
“Maybe? I wonder what the empty side is for?”
As I pondered, a carriage approached from a distance. I thought it might join the queue, but it veered toward the empty entrance instead. It stopped just before the gate, exchanged a few words with the gatekeeper, and then smoothly passed through.
“Was that a noble’s carriage?”
“Could be. It was quite an impressive carriage. …So, does that mean we should definitely line up?”
Since we were neither nobles nor B Rank adventurers treated as nobles, it seemed we had no choice but to join the queue.
“Do you think they’ll let us through if we show them the brooch?”
“Who knows? There’s a chance they might turn us away instead.”
“Ugh, what would we do then?”
“We’ll figure it out when we get there. The fact that we’re standing here in front of the castle means they must have noticed us. Worst case, we can always make a run for it.”
“Geez…”
Despite her discontent with my optimistic outlook, Rio intertwined her arm with mine. Unlike when we entered the city, there were indeed many well-dressed individuals around. After all, this was the castle; it wouldn’t allow those in tattered clothes inside.
Thus, we stood in line at the back, oblivious to the oddity of carrying the brooch.
“What is your business?”
As the line progressed and it was finally our turn, the gatekeeper asked succinctly.
“I was hoping to take a look around the castle,” I replied, keeping my response just as brief.
However, my words only seemed to deepen the furrow in the gatekeeper’s brow.
“Hmm? …A tour, you say?”
“Yes. Don’t you have any general tours available?”
It seemed like a potential tourist attraction, but perhaps such services didn’t exist in this Otherworld.
“Ah, um, sorry. First, I need to see your identification.”
“Of course.”
Rather than turning us away outright, he was handling the situation properly. I presented the Guild Certificate hanging from my neck, and the gatekeeper stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Hmm… Do you have any letters of introduction or anything like that?”
It appeared that an E Rank Adventurer’s Guild Certificate wouldn’t suffice. So, was it time for the brooch to shine? Feeling a slight unease, I pulled the brooch from my pocket and presented it.
“How about this?”
“This… is…!”
The gatekeeper’s expression shifted dramatically upon seeing it. Did he understand what it represented? It seemed we might get through without any unnecessary complications.
“Pl-please wait a moment. I’ll call someone from above…!”
Without waiting for our response, he dashed away.
“Hmm… I wonder if we’ll be kept waiting for another thirty minutes.”
I muttered while massaging my forehead, letting out a deep sigh. There was another gatekeeper present, so the line wouldn’t completely back up, but the atmosphere felt quite uncomfortable.
…Just then, the gatekeeper returned from wherever he had gone.
“Thank you for your patience. I apologize, but please follow me to the private room.”
He arrived breathless and ushered us inside. I briefly considered if this was a trap, but then thought it was a reasonable response from the gatekeeper. After all, I was still navigating the unfamiliar customs of this Otherworld.
“I’m glad we didn’t have to wait long,” Rio murmured quietly, eliciting a wry smile from me. It seemed she had heard my earlier comment.
Led by the gatekeeper, we passed through the gate and walked along the inner side of the castle wall for a while. Crossing over the castle gate’s exit, we approached a series of doors that dotted the wall, each likely leading to a room. We were guided to the innermost chamber.
Inside sat a man dressed slightly more elegantly than the gatekeeper, seated behind a desk. He had a chiseled face and a neatly trimmed beard—an impressive-looking gentleman whom I couldn’t help but admire.
“I’ve brought them,” the gatekeeper announced, standing at attention.
“Ah, thank you for your hard work.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. Back to my usual duties.”
With that, the gatekeeper exited, leaving just the three of us in the room: the man who appeared to be the gatekeeper’s superior, Rio, and myself.
“Please, have a seat over there.”
“Ah, yes.”
I sat down in the chair as he gestured.
“I am Tobil, in charge of the security at this castle gate.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Shuu, an E Rank Adventurer.”
“And I’m Rio.”
We introduced ourselves in kind, surprised by the formality of the exchange. It seemed that someone in charge of castle gate security would frequently interact with nobles. The atmosphere felt different from usual, and I found myself growing tense.
“Without further ado, may I see the brooch in question?”
“Of course, no problem.”
With a sense of anticipation, I retrieved the brooch from my pocket once more, observing it closely. It still emanated a certain allure, but it was just a brooch, after all. I placed it on the desk for him to examine.
“May I hold it?”
“Please do.”
Though I appreciated his overly polite demeanor, it made me feel somewhat uneasy.