Chapter 9: Arrival at the Old Capital
I had come to realize something. Anon, gripping my shoulder with a strength akin to a vise grip, had eyes that were undoubtedly wide open, despite being hidden beneath his hood.
This is bad! This is really bad! If this continues, I’ll be thrown into a sea of sweaty old men, tangled up without any chance of escape!
But this wasn’t the time to be panicking. I needed to recharge my energy…
My self-proclaimed gray matter kicked into high gear, working at full throttle to navigate this tricky situation.
And after about three seconds of Anon’s grip on my shoulder, I finally found a way to turn this predicament around.
“Ash, I want to leave this to you. Time is of the essence.”
I turned to face Ashley, trying to maintain a serious expression. Naturally, Anon interjected, “Row, that’s—” but I had anticipated that. It’s fine. I already had a plan in place.
“Anon!” I called his name, keeping my expression steady as I spoke.
For some reason, Anon wanted to see my cool side. Perhaps it was because he had always harbored a desire to be a Hero himself, and now he expected me to embody that heroic aspect. That’s why—
“Shouldn’t we head straight to the Old Capital (Bienetta) to treat the Clan Master’s brother? That’s something only we can do!”
I locked eyes with him, peering into the depths of his hood.
“Right?”
“Ah, yeah… that’s true, definitely true.”
I then turned back to Ashley.
“Ash, you’re the only one I can rely on here. There are people suffering from illness in the Old Capital (Bienetta). This is a race against time, and only Sensei and I can save them! I’m counting on you to help!”
I bowed deeply, feeling a twinge of guilt for using Ashley’s pure heart, but I had to get through this situation. I’m sorry, Ash; do your best among those muscle-bound men. I do feel remorse.
With that, the story returns to the present. We were riding on the back of an Eagle Dragon, heading towards the headquarters of the Old Capital (Bienetta).
“By the way, Anon, is the defensive strength at the locations with Holy Knights other than Ashley okay?”
“Are you talking about Virtuous and Arrogant? They’re well taken care of. Since Arrogant is relatively close to the Royal Capital, Chancellor Madison is sending direct support.”
Chancellor Madison. He was one of the three who came to see me off when I left the Royal Castle. I heard that the seal on the Affirmative Sword had been lifted by the king’s order, siding with the Hero’s opinion, but I wondered what his stance was on that matter.
“Also, as a request from the Chancellor, the largest Clan, Seventh Blue, will be lending a hand to Virtuous.”
“Getting the Chancellor involved, Anon, what exactly are you—”
“Ichi, I’m just me. Just Anon. Nothing more, nothing less.”
A particularly strong wind blew. I wanted to know more about the person hidden beneath the swaying hood. But, seeking immediate answers—
“Yeah, you’re you.”
That would be a bit dull. So, we should just get to know each other, one step at a time.
As Anon began to lecture me about the Old Capital (Bienetta) we were heading towards and the Clan Master, a town came into view after about half an hour.
Once we dismounted from the Eagle Dragon, we entered the town, following Anon’s lead. After a brief stop at the dragon stable, we finally arrived at the headquarters of the Old Capital (Bienetta).
“Please inform them that Anon has arrived,” Anon instructed the gatekeeper.
“Ha!!” The gatekeeper responded sharply before hurrying off to confirm.
“Whoa, it’s huge!” Sensei exclaimed. I found that cute about her.
That aside, I couldn’t help but marvel at the size of the Clan House, which far surpassed that of any Guild building. While it wasn’t particularly tall, its vastness and structure resembled a small fortress.
“Well, it’s one of the top five major Clans in the Arcana Kingdom. The headquarters is the face of the Clan. Every Clan wants to show off a bit.”
“Is that how it is?”
“That’s how it is. If Seekers are looked down upon, it’s all over for them.”
As we exchanged lighthearted banter, the gatekeeper from earlier rushed back.
“I apologize for the delay, Anon-sama. Please, come inside.”
A figure, presumed to be an executive of the Old Capital (Bienetta), was waiting at the entrance. After exchanging a few words with Anon, he instructed us to “follow me” as he led us to the Clan Master.