Chapter 124 – Imperial Capital (1)

The imperial capital Charmania was located in the central north of the continent, beyond the northern mountain range.

From here in the Demon King’s land in the southeast of the continent, it could take regular people months of walking to reach the imperial capital.

Knights or awakened ones could arrive much earlier, but it was nothing compared to space movement formations that enabled instant travel.

Perhaps because these space movement formations transported people and goods such long distances at once, activating them wasn’t easy.

After the hero candidate’s group passed us and entered the building with the space movement formation, the mage who had greeted us guided us to the adjacent building.

Perhaps because it was next to the space movement formation, this building was also relatively intact.

The mage guided us to the largest room.

It was like a noble’s waiting room.

The guided room was luxurious. Intact high-end sofas and tables, familiar-looking murals and decorations.

It was impressive they found such items in this destroyed city.

Though I had used this space movement formation before, I had never waited in such a waiting room.

Back then, I sat sprawled with other soldiers in the open space in front of the building.

“The waiting room finally looks decent now. Last time I saw it was empty and unsatisfactory.”

At the viscount’s words while looking around the room, the mage answered with a friendly smile:

“After many people, including the viscount, commented, we brought suitable furniture from the Empire. We’ve also assigned staff, so it shouldn’t be bad for waiting briefly.”

I decided to take back my earlier admiration.

Learning they brought it via space movement formation rather than finding it in this city, what a waste.

Afterwards, the mage who guided us here continued trying hard to please the viscount.

He was clearly an orthodox mage who had held his nose high when seen on the battlefield.

Seeing such an orthodox mage bowing deeply before nobles gave me mixed feelings.

Though surely this too was a survival tactic.

To a knight who just fought, it wasn’t a pleasant sight.

I understood why battle mages disliked orthodox mages.

“Then instead of waiting like this, it seems we could move together with the hero candidate.”

When the mage kept bowing deeply, the viscount carefully spoke.

“Ha ha ha, after news spread of the previous hero dying in another world, the temple people became very sharp. Even now they sent many priests and soldiers to escort the hero candidate.”

Even with such a submissive attitude, some things weren’t possible.

The mage shook his head with a serious expression at the viscount’s words.

The viscount quietly clicked his tongue, and we ended up having to spend time in the room.

After several hours passed like that, our turn came late afternoon.

We didn’t wait as long as expected. Previously, I had waited over half a day.

Entering the building with the carriage through wide open doors, the huge magic formation carved in the lobby center caught my eye.

A large circular magic formation with mages standing in its four directions.

Finally, in the formation center was an elderly mage rubbing his waist.

“Another trip to Charmania? Could just send them together. What nonsense is this.”

Unlike the mage who guided us, this elderly mage seemed to be a high-ranking mage.

Despite the elderly mage’s criticism, the viscount just looked away.

“Let’s finish quickly. Need to research the Gate after sending them.”

“But there’s still time…”

“You lot can handle that. Fulfilled the promised number with the tower master, so I’m done today.”

Though another mage protested at the elderly mage’s words, it had no effect.

“Get up here quickly!”

The elderly mage shouted at us while tapping the floor with his staff, and we shrugged while stepping onto the magic formation.

“Strange group earlier and strange composition again now. People in never-before-seen clothes, and even the World Tree’s daughter wearing strange clothes.”

He tilted his head looking at our group on the magic formation.

“They are special envoys going to the imperial capital…”

“Enough. Learning such things is just troublesome. Just got scolded by priests earlier about hero candidate this and that.”

“Understood.”

The mage who guided us stepped back at the elderly mage’s words, leaving just our group, carriage, and elderly mage on the formation.

“Well, preparing to transport now, so get ready. Those who can use mana, don’t block it and make trouble.”

At the elderly mage’s words, Ye-rim looked at me.

“He means don’t reject incoming mana.”

Ye-rim nodded at my words, and the elderly mage tapped the floor with his staff.

*tap* *tap* *tap*

Mana spread from his staff awakening the magic formation.

The mages standing in the formation’s four directions assisted the elderly mage, and the space movement formation accepted mana and spread magic.

Mana becoming magic began enveloping our bodies.

Unlike before, Ye-rim, who had been dipping her fingers in the visible mana flow, asked me with a worried face:

“This won’t be super dizzy too, right?”

I shook my head at her words.

“It’s fine, not like the Gate.”

Though I heard regular people without mana get quite dizzy, it wasn’t very difficult when I rode before.

Just slightly dizzy?

Ye-rim was relieved at my words, but another person’s eyes widened.

“Could they have crossed the Gate? Then those two in strange clothes are people from that world?”

The surprised person was the elderly mage casting magic.

He looked back and forth between David and Ye-rim, then tried to cancel the magic.

“Wait. First let’s talk…”

But the mage’s actions were too late.

*flash*

Space rippled and vision flipped.

Before he could cancel the magic, the space movement magic sent us to the imperial capital.

Many scenes quickly passed before our eyes.

The Demon King’s withered land seen from the sky, Ea and the continent seen from outside the atmosphere, then the northern mountain range and imperial capital Charmania’s panorama.

These were visions seen each time using space movement.

Though mages said they were just visions since we weren’t actually flying, people who had used space movement found it hard to think of them as mere visions.

Anyway, after those visions passed, we stood in a different place.

A magnificent huge hall.

Multiple huge space movement formations were drawn inside.

This was the Empire’s space movement tower I had only heard about… People were waiting in front of the formation we appeared on.

Knights in shining armor and mages. Even officials in fancy clothes.

“Welcome, American Empire’s special envoy. We’ve been waiting.”

An official in fancy clothes greeted David.

As expected, the Empire was formidable.

Though the timing changed due to the hero candidate, they still waited perfectly timed like this.

I had looked down on the Empire after seeing the viscount earlier, but seeing this snapped me to attention.

While the official greeted David, a knight came before me and placed his hand on his chest.

“Good work, Knight Jansen. From now on, the Carlos Knights will escort the envoy.”

The Carlos Knights were the imperial knight order guarding the imperial capital.

I also placed my hand on my chest at the knight’s words.

“Understood. I will hand over escort duty here.”

David’s escort was originally only to the imperial capital.

Though I thought we would escort him to the palace, with them coming to meet us, ending the escort here was proper.

I looked back at the party members and then went before David, who was talking with the official.

“Since the imperial household has come, we must end the escort here.”

David nodded at my words.

“I see. Thank you for your work. Requesting you all as escorts was truly the right choice. Then please help when returning too.”

“But the escort ends here?”

Clearly, both the Expeditionary Force Commander and the orders stated that.

“By the time I return, negotiations with the Empire will be done. The expeditionary force and vacationers will all return then.”

Oh no.

Come to think of it, America wouldn’t just send an envoy for nothing.

Back then, America, hearing our story, was preparing to kill the Demon King.

Then David must have come with that message.

The Empire wouldn’t refuse if a great nation from that world like America offered to fight together.

The Great Temple urgently calling the hero candidate must be because of this too.

“So this is the last vacation.”

At my words, David shook his head.

“Have to make sure it’s not the last vacation.”

“I suppose so.”

He wasn’t wrong.

I just felt somewhat upset at seemingly being deceived by Count Rihardt.

But I couldn’t say anything to a great noble who was the Expeditionary Force Commander, so I decided to just keep it in mind.

There would be time for payback someday.

After greetings like that, David departed first with the imperial household people.

Though he seemed scared before crossing the Gate, now David looked very dignified.

To be so composed despite being alone in a strange world, truly an experienced spy.

No need to worry about David since the imperial household took him.

Though a regular person who couldn’t use mana, as a sent envoy, he must have hidden cards.

Well, even if there were no such cards, it wasn’t my concern.

“Then the first place to go is the Great Temple?”

“Yes!”

Ye-rim raised her hand high at my words.

Ye-rim came to this world not just as my party member but to have her faith certified at the Great Temple.

Long ago, when religions made by humans nearly oppressed religions made by gods to extinction, after religions were restored later, temples formed a kind of council.

The restored religion leaders, to prevent such things from happening again,

To have priests know each other and protect themselves from fake gods deceiving the world,

Built a huge temple in the imperial capital where priests resided.

That temple handled recognizing new religions, temples, and priests, and also finding holy maidens and heroes, infusing holy power.

The Great Temple wasn’t far from the space movement tower.

We headed straight to the Great Temple after leaving the space movement tower.

The imperial capital was a far more impressive city than expected.

Even I, who imagined the imperial capital based on my current life’s homeland, the Sorbia Kingdom’s capital, was shocked.

Nearly 10-story-tall buildings, clean proper streets, well-dressed people, and magic lamps everywhere.

At this level, it seemed it wouldn’t lose to European metropolises seen in my previous life.

Zahina, who had visited before, wasn’t amazed, but others were busy sightseeing.

Walking while looking around like that, we soon arrived at the Great Temple.

A huge majestic building with countless people entering and unfolding before us.

“We’ve been waiting.”

Surprisingly, people were waiting for us this time too.

Priests were lined up at the entrance waiting for us.

An elderly priest approached Ye-rim, who was as surprised as us.

He bowed to Ye-rim.

And spoke words that surprised everyone:

“Welcome, holy maiden candidate. We’ve been waiting since receiving the revelation.”

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