Legend

For the first time in a while, the Imperial Capital had clearly fewer people than it had been when the martial arts tournament was taking place.

Because the image of Teito in Ray was from the fighting tournament, I can't help but feel lonely somewhere.

But it's still the capital of the Bestian Empire. It is a fact that there are so many people crossing the city that it is not comparable to Gilm, and that it is a metropolitan area.

But...

"You've lost a lot of people."

The one who squealed, Wydere.

It was a small voice, so it would only have sounded like Ray riding after Widare.

Ray also hears the words and understands the general situation.

The reason why the number of Imperial Capitals is decreasing is definitely because of us.

Naturally. The rebels are approaching, albeit gradually.

Precisely where the rebels are still forming their positions a little out of Count Obrisin territory, but we have not yet moved on from there.

I can't help but fear more than there is talk of defeating the Crusaders the most.

Does the salvation at least mean that it is Merclio, the third prince, who leads the rebels?

Many had the idea that it would do no more harm to the imperial capital than be the prince of the empire.

Well, that was a hit.

Even for Merclio, it was the two of Schuls and Kabazid who should be defeated, because they had no intention of doing this to the Empire itself.

There is no way that anyone who is about to become an emperor would like to do something hostile from the people.

(Most likely, if the Imperial Capital turns into a battlefield, there's nothing we can do about that.)

Ray, whining inside, turns his gaze toward the castle as his horse rocks him.

Even with the size of the Empire, the castle's beauty was sufficient, and its appearance was visible at the time it entered the Empire from the gate.

You must have noticed Ray looking at the castle. Widare opens his mouth as he advances his horse.

"Lord Ray, do you mind if I keep going straight to the castle?

"Hmm? Oh, I don't mind.... or can I go with grandeur? You'll probably check your identity before you go into the castle. When I entered the Imperial City, I managed with the glory of the White Rose Knights. If that reveals who I am, it's gonna make your position taste bad. I don't care about myself."

I don't think I can stop myself where I've got a bunch of soldiers.

The same goes for knights.

If anything, use the magic of flames, ram the Death Size into your hands, and the means Ray should adopt are determined.

I just don't want to get that far in the Imperial Capital, even if it's Ray.

There's something about those who live here - except for a very small number - and I don't like to do damage to anyone but the enemy in vain.

Also, the fire whirlwind, which can be considered Ray's wife's hand, cannot be used without Ceto.

There are other desires to avoid hostility turning to Merclio and Vihera.

But it was Widare's confident grin that returned to Ray's question.

"I want you to leave that area to me. Even if we look like this, we belong to the White Rose Knights under His Highness Frizione. Nothing in particular can be blamed unless you make some suspicious moves. Even for all the fine nobility, you wouldn't want to be admired by His Royal Highness Frizione. In the first place, it is not an important compartment, even in the castle, that I will now take Lord Ray"

"... is that so"

No matter how many rays were reinforcements sent by Merclio... no, that's why they can't all of a sudden be put through an important compartment.

Ray, convinced by Wydere's words, then where do you want to take him? and ask with a gaze.

"When it comes to castles, there's a section inside that almost never comes. Don't you think a place like that would be a hideout for the outfit?

"I see. Surely with this huge castle, there seems to be a lot of places out of sight for people. I can understand the area."

"That's the thing. Well, I guess it's time to go now that we're done talking."

He also turned his gaze to the knights of his own men, and as he stood, the line proceeded all over the capital toward the castle.

(I knew there were fewer stores than there were when we were playing martial arts)

Ray whines inside as he watches the street from the top of his horse.

Many merchants opened stalls and outdoor shops as a way to earn money because tourists arrived during the Bestian Empire and even from surrounding countries at the Martial Arts Games.

Naturally, without the tourist you are looking for, each merchant leaves in search of another business.

It was only natural, but Ray's impression of the Imperial Capital was still strong during the tournament, making it harder for him to walk in the crowd.

There are other concerns that fewer stalls may make the procurement of food somewhat inconvenient.

As I sighed and looked around, Wiedele, who was inadvertently in front of Ray, turned his gaze back.

With a grinning look on his face, Widare opens his mouth with regret.

"Lord Ray, I'm sorry, but don't move too much on the horse. I hear this horse is a little restless."

"Yeah? Oh, bad"

Apologize to Widare and just move your gaze, not your face, to see what's going on in the city.

It should also be noted that the horse is extremely nervous about Ray because the smell of Ceto remains strong on Ray.

Even if it is not about dogs, the horse's sense of smell is very high, and he also does things like discerning his companions by smell.

Just to have that sense of smell, naturally it's Ray on my back... and I could understand that the smell of Seto, which is literally another dimension of being with me, is stained.

So the horses on which the White Rose Knights were riding were somewhere frightened against Ray, naturally the horses on which Wideret was riding were similarly frightened again, and that was what made them quite nervous.

Ray, who is also the cause of the tension, is moving as he pleases on his back. Even if the horse gets restless, it will be natural.

But Ray himself couldn't possibly understand what it was like to be a horse, and he looked around.

It was nevertheless a thankful event for the horse that stopped moving his body thanks to Wideret's attention.

A line that goes that way towards the castle.

Eventually, the surroundings change from cluttered to well-organized streets.

I guess the castle is approaching.

(Heh... is this how it's going)

It was Ray, who had experience coming to the castle with Dusker once before, but at that time it was a carriage trip.

Sometimes this time traveling by horse, you can get a good view of what's going on around you.

It is not uncommon to differ from several carriages on the way to the castle.

"... Shit!

Looking around, the tongue pounding sounded unexpected.

Unexpectedly surprised by the tongue pounding I heard from Widare, Ray.

Essentially because I just knew my character as a courteous samurai and I didn't think I would imitate that.

But soon I'll find out why I'm pounding my tongue.

A few horsemen blocked the way of Widare.

"Dune......"

To that name, which came out of Wideret's mouth following a tongue strike, Ray leans his neck.

Because it was a familiar name somewhere.

I immediately remember when I put my face out of the back of the widere thinking about where it was...... to see the other person's face.

He said he was a man who was winding up tolls on his own from travellers on his way to Teito as a Dusker line.

When I ran into Ray before, a man named Deputy Commander of the Knights of Unicorn came and set the scene...

(I didn't expect to see you here. In the first place, it's very different from the Prime Minister's story... the impact of this civil unrest?

Though slightly frowned upon, it is also not so far from the Imperial City that I encountered a man previously known as Dune in the first place.

Given that, no wonder we encountered it within the imperial capital.

But... there's a bigger problem than that.

That is, a man previously known as Dune is face-to-face with Ray.

Of course, things were different then. There is no Griffon Ceto now, which is also the biggest reason he is making Ray recognize as Ray, and the dragon robe Ray wears in the first place is also given the effect of cover-up, plus a hood to hide his face.

I mean, even if Dune sees Ray now, he just looks like a common beginner wizard.

Still seeing Ray in person once was enough to give Ray a bad feeling.

I guess the way he tried to hide himself behind Widare attracted Dune's attention the other way around. Sometimes I guess it was easy to gaze because I was on a horse as well.

Dune looks toward Ray and stares.

"... Lord Widere. And the wizard? It's a little hard to tell if you're a man or a woman because you're wearing a robe... but no, considering you're with the White Rose Knights, is that a woman?

"Well, I don't think I need to tell you that? What are you going to stand in front of us more than that? Just a squad leader. Is there something about the flair to me? And stop being such an asshole."

Dune's expression seems unpleasantly distorted by the word just troop leader.

If I made it a widere, it was a decision that I originally hated this man rather than being directed weirdly towards Ray, and that I should stand on the arrow side that hated him, but it seemed to annoy Dune more than I expected.

"Ha, you look great even though you're the same captain as me."

Dune stares at Wideret with crude words that are different from the rude language a few seconds ago.

(That being said, you used to have these words before)

In front of Ray, who remembers previous exchanges, the exchange between Wydere and Dune continues.

"Same squad leader? Me, the head of the White Rose Knights unit under His Royal Highness Frizione, and you, the head of the unit, who leads the little villains. I don't want you to be the same."

Ray also nods in his heart to Weidele, who tells him with disgust that this is still in his gaze and words.

In fact, because from what Ray had seen before, there were no elements that could deny it.

(He said something about being sheltered by the 2nd prince... Shurus and I, what makes you like a man like this? Given that we talked about aligning incompetence in the first Crusaders and there wasn't this guy, is there any reason to value him apart from his character and abilities?

Leaning his neck, Ray turns his gaze toward the knights of the White Rose Knights nearby as he listens to the two of them, without asking why he couldn't be allowed to join the Crusaders to end his incompetence.

The look on the knights' faces, this one is as disgusting as Widare.

Some of them are reaching for weapons so they don't care when it comes to fighting.

The same was true of Dune's men.

The look on your face is the kind of grin you make a fool of yourself, or provocative grin, but you're ready to pull out your weapon and attack your opponent as soon as you have something.

It is precisely a one-touch, sinister state of affairs, and everyone will have figured out how much they dislike each other when they look at the current situation.

In fact, it was easy to imagine that Ray also had a small number of causes for these two populations.

"... So, Dune. What did you think you were doing all the way out here to block our way? Or is this an order from His Highness Schulz?

"No way. I just wanted to say hello to a facial acquaintance I haven't seen in a long time. I haven't seen your face here in a while, but where have you been?

"Why should I bother telling you that? If you're going to say such nasty words, do your job. Don't bother anyone else."

"Ha, I didn't expect you to say that."

Taunting words emanate from Dune's mouth, and once again the air flows around each other staring at each other...

"What are you doing!

I heard voices like that when tension seemed to reach the extreme that it was not strange when each other pulled out their weapons.

It was clear that the Lord of Voices wore lavish metal armor and not such people as gatekeepers and soldiers around it.

"Kingsguard knight? More so..."

Ray's, or more precisely the knights of the White Rose Knights behind the Widare, squeal into Ray's ear.

(Kingsguard knight? I see, that does sound like it)

Ray accidentally gets a convincing look when he sees the person approaching him.

This was the first time Ray had seen the Kingsguard.

It was because I had never seen it before when I came to the castle or at a martial arts competition.

A Kingsguard knight is a direct family member... more precisely to protect the emperor, but there was no Kingsguard knight around when Ray saw the emperor's tragist, happy or unhappy.

So this was the first encounter between Kingsguard Knight and Ray...

"Unpleasant."

A small, murmuring voice in Ray's ear.