Chapter 150: A Brief Interlude (Afrasia United Kingdom)
The residents of Flatara City gazed up at the sky in stunned silence.
It had appeared from the southern horizon.
Indeed, there had been multiple announcements from the Paraiso, warning them not to be alarmed as a military force would be passing overhead on this day, en route to the royal capital.
They were aware of the ships flying back and forth from the massive fortress constructed on the outskirts, and while it had initially startled them, they had grown accustomed to it.
Thus, the townsfolk assumed that the vessels soaring through the sky were simply more of the usual ships.
Those who could take time off work seized the opportunity for a holiday, gathering in the square with cups of sake in hand to witness the grand event of the royal capital’s invasion. Stalls were set up in anticipation of the crowds, hoping to profit from the occasion.
And then, it arrived.
At first, it appeared as a mere blot against the southern sky. Some of the onlookers began to stir, excitement rippling through the square as they shouted, “It’s coming! It’s coming!”
Yet, as the commotion grew, it gradually quieted down.
Everyone realized that this was not the familiar sight of the usual airships.
“Hey… isn’t that a bit too big…?”
Someone muttered, voicing the thoughts of many.
This was nothing like the cargo planes they were accustomed to. It was also different from the small, pointed triangular ships they occasionally glimpsed.
Though they lacked the words to describe it, the silhouette that approached resembled a boomerang. It was a flying machine of the category known as a Flying Wing, and it was barreling toward them from the southern sky.
“Is the small one in front the usual cargo ship…?”
A small aircraft flew ahead of the massive machine, acting as a guide. It was a familiar sight, a type of air superiority fighter often seen escorting cargo planes. While it measured around 20 meters in length—quite large when viewed up close—it appeared relatively small in the sky, especially when compared to the typical 70-meter cargo vessels it usually accompanied.
But still…
The aircraft behind it was far too enormous.
It was more accurate to say it was the size of an adult compared to a mouse.
“What in the world is that…?”
That was likely the sentiment shared by all the residents gazing up at the sky.
It was simply too massive.
It was far too alien.
And the instinctual fear of such a thing passing overhead stirred within them.
“That thing… is Paraiso using something like that…?”
Those words escaped Radaeri Flatara, who was watching from the terrace of the lord’s mansion. He felt a renewed sense of fear and awe at the unfathomable power of the force that ruled over them.
Fortunately, the colossal ship did not pass directly over Flatara City. Had it done so, the townsfolk might have descended into panic.
The enormous vessel flew by, accompanied by the smaller ship.
Everyone watched in silence.
“…Hey, look over there!”
Someone noticed, and everyone was reminded of the truth: one must never defy Paraiso. They were the rulers, the absolute sovereigns.
The gigantic ship, even larger than the first, slowly drifted past.
The initial vessel was merely a knight protecting this colossal ship.
Days later, they would learn from Paraiso about the formation of this fleet.
A flying fortress.
Its name was Gigantia, and it was guarded by three Titans.
Both bore the names of the “Gods of Giants” from a foreign land, representing the formidable military power of Paraiso.
“What is this… What is this…?!”
In the duke’s residence of the Aflarasia Royal Capital, Aklai Yubarden Afrasia, one of the three great dukes of the kingdom, shouted in alarm as he beheld the enormous something approaching from the southern sky.
Upon closer inspection, it seemed that small particles were scattering from the airborne entity.
“D-Duke! What shall we do…?!”
His attendant, who had brought him out onto the terrace in a state of panic, asked frantically.
“Is it… a monster attack…?”
However, even a duke could not have imagined such a scenario. As he stood there in shock, the situation continued to escalate.
The small particles that had separated from the massive entity approached the royal capital, spewing fire as they drew near. This spectacle was noticed by everyone watching, not just the duke.
The bells of the royal capital rang out, signaling an emergency.
“D-Duke! We must evacuate at once…!”
“Y-Yes…”
He did not understand what was happening. He couldn’t grasp the situation, but he knew it was going to be catastrophic. Following his attendant, the duke ran.
For now, their destination was the knight order’s garrison. That would be the safest place at this moment, where forces were concentrated.
Yet, the sudden onset of this emergency left everyone in chaos. It wasn’t that they were unprepared for such a situation, but it had come far too abruptly.
Typically, if a force were to invade, a complete surprise attack was unlikely. The surrounding area was wilderness, and any large army would have been visible days in advance. Even a cavalry charge would stir up dust on a clear day or become bogged down in mud during rain.
Moreover, moving an army directly without passing through the nearby towns was impractical due to issues of water and food supply.
However, the enemy had circumvented these problems by descending from the sky in an utterly nonsensical manner.
“Your Grace Yubarden! I apologize for the circumstances, but this way!”
“Understood…”
Inside the knight order’s building, Aklai was led into a reception room. The air was filled with the sounds of knights rushing about, the clanging of equipment, and the shouts of commanding officers, creating a cacophony that made one want to cover their ears.
“Shall we check the situation, Your Grace?”
“Ah… no, not yet. It would be disruptive to call for them now; let us wait until things settle down a bit. I doubt I will be needed for a while…”
Calming his flustered attendant, the duke settled heavily into a sofa. For now, it was a time for gathering information. If he requested a report, someone of sufficient rank would have to respond. Word of the duke’s evacuation would have spread, so someone would come to report eventually. If the chaos was so great that no one could come, it would be better to remain quiet.
“Ah… I apologize. If the kitchen is available, I shall prepare some drinks. Please excuse me for a moment.”
“Thank you.”
Once he confirmed that his attendant had left, the duke let out a deep sigh.
Currently, there were two knight orders in the royal capital.
One was the Duke Aklai Yubarden’s own Royal Guard, and the other was the Royal Capital Defense Force led by Duke Grogaria Mercatia.
While the two knight orders had distinct roles as their names suggested, they operated independently, often in a state of semi-hostility.
This was due to the power struggle currently unfolding within the Afrasia United Kingdom. The three dukes were at odds with one another, each vying for the opportunity to strike at the other’s throat.
Among them, Duke Riana Calvark appeared to lack military power, but she controlled the economy, creating a peculiar triangular relationship.
That said, Duke Aklai did not believe for a moment that Duke Riana was without her own military strength.
“Y-Y-Duke!! A group of armed individuals believed to be from Riana’s faction is here!!”
At that moment, a flustered attendant and a large man clad in ornate armor burst into the room.
“Your Grace, I will protect you!! I apologize, but the Vice Knight Commander has gone out to confront the monsters outside, so I will remain by your side!”
“Ah…! Knight Commander, I apologize. I see…”
This was perhaps something he could have anticipated. The knight order was thrown into disarray by the external threat. The same was likely true for the defense force. Someone would move to break the stalemate. Given the current situation, it was not necessarily a bad strategy.
However, could they truly face an external enemy while weakened by infighting?
“Outside the walls, there appears to be a giant spider-like monster surrounding us. And above, something far larger than any dragon is hovering, raining down spider monsters upon us. Honestly, I have no idea what is happening. Furthermore, while our knight order was deployed, an unidentified armed force launched an attack. Judging by their equipment, they are likely mercenaries gathered by Riana. Their numbers are small, so this situation must also be unexpected for her…”
“Damn it… How foolish of me to be unable to grasp the situation…”
Duke Aklai cursed under his breath, pressing his back against the wall and hiding behind the knight commander. The attendant followed suit, positioning himself as a shield for the duke.
And then…
“Here they are!!”
“There he is, the Knight Commander!!”
Armed men burst into the room, kicking open the double doors.
“Kill him!!”
The men wielded crossbows, a new type of bow. The duke knew all too well the power they possessed, as the Royal Guard had been the first to adopt them.
The bolts were fired, hurtling toward the knight commander and the attendant who stood as his shield. The knight commander deflected the bolts with astonishing reflexes, but the attendant, not being a combatant, had no means to defend himself. He was struck in the torso by three bolts and collapsed.
“Damn it!”
“Graaaahhh!!”
“Get him!!”
The armed men clashed with the knight commander.
And then…
With a thunderous roar, everything was engulfed in a cloud of dust.