Chapter 17: The Long Road to the Imperial Capital – Part 19
Three days had passed since we left Cassina’s checkpoint, and the chill in the air was becoming more pronounced. While I had prepared warm clothing for the nights, the cold was more intense than I had anticipated. Fortunately, we possessed the ability known as Cold Resistance, so it wasn’t much of an issue for us. However, I noticed many travelers we passed were bundled up in thick coats.
That afternoon, we finally caught sight of the Imperial side’s checkpoint.
The checkpoint itself was a tall wooden fence stretching out to the sides, with a simple gate at the front and barracks for soldiers nearby. Beyond the gate, a fortress loomed at the base of a mountain, protected by sturdy walls, indicating that this was a crucial defensive point.
A dozen soldiers stood at the gate, checking those who wished to pass and collecting tolls. As we approached, the soldiers looked at us with puzzled expressions.
Given our numbers and the fact that all but me were beautiful women, not to mention one of them being half-human and half-snake, it was no surprise they were taken aback. Especially since we were dressed as adventurers.
“Are you all adventurers?” one of the soldiers called out as we neared the gate.
“Yes, that’s correct. Our party is called ‘Soul’s Guidance,’ and I am the leader, Soushi,” I replied.
“‘Soul’s Guidance’? That name sounds familiar,” the soldier mused, and another soldier rushed over, looking flustered.
“Ron, that’s the party we received instructions about! The leader is said to be a count from the kingdom!”
“Oh, that one…!”
The two soldiers straightened up and saluted sharply.
“My apologies! We have been instructed to let ‘Soul’s Guidance’ pass, but we need to confirm with the captain. Please wait a moment!”
As if on cue, an older soldier emerged from the barracks and approached us.
“Ron, what’s going on?”
“Captain, this is the party of ‘Soul’s Guidance.'”
“What… one man and eight women… My apologies, but is Count Okuno among you?”
“Yes, that would be me, Count Okuno.”
I took out the letter of authorization from the royal family stored in my Item Box and showed it to them. I doubted they could discern its authenticity, but…
“I apologize for the oversight! Count Okuno and the party of ‘Soul’s Guidance’ are permitted to pass. Please proceed!”
The captain stood at attention and saluted, and the other soldiers followed suit.
“Thank you. We will pass without hesitation. Your service is appreciated.”
I hadn’t expected such treatment at the Imperial checkpoint, but upon reflection, I realized that my presence was indeed quite unusual. Normally, nobles traveling to another country would require various procedures and notifications, but I was bypassing all that as an adventurer.
What was even more surprising was that information about me had already reached even the soldiers stationed at the border. This demonstrated the efficiency of the Imperial information network. Moreover, the fact that even the lower-ranking soldiers could respond appropriately indicated their high level of training.
“It seems the Empire is a country far superior to what I had imagined.”
Once we moved away from the checkpoint, I couldn’t help but mutter those words. It seemed wise to gather more detailed information from Sakurahime later.
After walking for another three days, we finally arrived at our first city within the Empire: Gashera.
As a city located along the border, it was naturally surrounded by sturdy walls, governed by a count, just like in the kingdom.
The city gate on the border wasn’t particularly large, but the security was tight, with numerous soldiers stationed there. As we approached, their vigilance heightened, but upon recognizing us as ‘Soul’s Guidance,’ they saluted and allowed us to pass without any further procedures.
Gashera, a hub for trade with the kingdom, bore a striking resemblance to cities within the kingdom in terms of architecture and atmosphere. The people walking the streets were also quite similar, and it wasn’t uncommon to spot a few adventurer parties as we strolled through a district.
“First, let’s head to the Adventurers’ Guild…” I thought, but just then, Larni, who had been looking around curiously, came up to me, her nose twitching.
“Just like Sakurahime said, the southern part of the Empire isn’t much different from the kingdom. The smell of food is quite similar too.”
“Borders are just lines drawn for the sake of convenience. If the geography is close, the culture won’t differ much either.”
“Hmm, I see. Oh, by the way, it feels less like we’re being watched here compared to the Royal Capital.”
“That’s true… We’ve become too famous in the Royal Capital.”
Now that I thought about it, while I could feel some eyes on us, it was nothing compared to the overwhelming attention we received back home. I realized just how stressful it was to walk through a city when you were well-known.
As we made our way to the central street, Mariane led us to the guild without any trouble, as she was familiar with the location.
Inside the guild, around fifty adventurers were gathered, but what caught my attention was the unusual tension in the air. They had been like this from the start, so it wasn’t our presence that caused it. In fact, most of them barely acknowledged us as we entered. While that was somewhat relieving, it also made me uneasy.
“There might be something going on. I’ll go find out,” Mariane said, heading straight to the reception counter.
Larni and Shizuna, the more socially adept members of our group, quickly approached the receptionist to gather information. However, their questions were about good restaurants and inns, which, while important, wasn’t the pressing matter at hand.
Leaving them to their inquiries, I headed towards the bulletin board with Freinir.
The first thing that caught my eye was a large bounty notice prominently displayed in the center of the board.
The target for the bounty was none other than a dragon. The required adventurer rank was, of course, A. It was surprising to see the rumors I had heard from Toronto materialize so quickly. Could the tension among the adventurers be due to this? The notice also mentioned that nearby towns had been attacked.
“Soushi, are you interested in that request?” Freinir asked.
“Well, yes. Depending on the situation, we might consider taking it. It seems there are only B-class dungeons around this city, so the adventurers here are likely only B-rank. If there have been attacks, we can’t just ignore it.”
“Your willingness to help those in need is commendable, Soushi. You truly are an admirable person.”
“Responding to situations as they arise is a fundamental principle of being an adventurer. It’s nothing extraordinary.”
“To say that defeating a dragon is nothing extraordinary… Truly, the words of a hero who straddles three nations are different.”
Suddenly, a voice called out from behind me, causing me to turn around sharply, startled.
It wasn’t the voice that surprised me, but rather the fact that I hadn’t sensed their presence until the last moment.
“Oh, your expression is surprisingly ordinary. Yet the power that resides within you is terrifying. Perhaps that gap is what attracts those beautiful girls to you.”
The calm voice belonged to a figure who appeared to be a young woman at first glance. Her short silver hair shimmered with a purple sheen, and her longer bangs were parted to frame her face, falling to her cheeks. She wore a suit-like outfit made from high-quality materials sourced from dungeons. Her features were androgynous, making it hard to determine her gender, but her physique was undeniably feminine. She looked to be in her twenties, but the slightly pointed ears and the wise glint in her deep violet eyes suggested a maturity beyond her appearance.
“…Could you be the Grand Master of the Adventurers’ Guild?” I asked, recognizing her identity immediately upon seeing Mariane’s apologetic expression behind her.