#022. The City of Knights (1)
The continent of Jaha was largely divided into four regions.
In the east, the Divinos Holy Empire, which worshipped the Sun God as its chief deity.
In the west, the Aria Mountain Range—called the backbone of the continent—and the nations of the demi-humans beyond it.
In the north, the frozen tundra where no man could live.
Finally, in the south, there was the ‘Drain Free City Union.’
The ten cities belonging to this union had been founded by ten heroes who saved humanity a hundred years ago, each named after their own clan, and for over a century they had lived mutually supporting one another.
However, as time passed, the title of the Ten Heroes faded, and under their leaders, disparities emerged between the cities.
Among them, only two places used the title of King: one was Hirandel, the star of the south where various races lived together, and the other was the City of Knights, Rowen.
Rowen had developed around the Knight Academy established by Leonard Rowen, the greatest knight and Swordmaster of his era, for the purpose of nurturing successors. It was recognized as a city-state and possessed immense wealth and powerful military might befitting that status.
“Haah!”
Hanna downed the mug of beer before her in one go.
“So what does that have to do with this festival?”
“Right now is the period when they select who will next ascend to the throne of Rowen. Here, they call it the Coronation.”
“Aah….”
“Just keep that in mind.”
“Okaaay. But Sir Virgil.”
“What.”
“May I ask a favor?”
Hanna fiddled with her empty beer mug.
“…Just one more mug.”
“Yes! More beer over here, please!”
Two days had passed since the incident with Denif.
Virgil and Hanna had come straight to Rowen.
Thanks to having stolen and ridden the village chief’s horse, they had arrived quickly, and since last night, they had been resting well at an inn.
“By the way, the scenery here is really nice….”
The four-story inn where they were dining was located in the second-highest district in Rowen.
Thanks to that, the districts below could be seen at a glance; beside them stood the Knight Academy, and above, the magnificent royal castle towered.
“This totally puts Europe to shame….”
Hanna rested her chin on her hand, admiring the view of Rowen.
The scenery of Rowen was truly worthy of being called the City of Knights.
As if everything had been built according to plan from the very beginning, the spacing and size of the buildings were uniform by district.
Likewise, the roads were divided strictly according to their purpose.
Humans for humans, horses for horses, carriages for carriages.
The entire city was like this.
It was as if the city wore a seamless suit of armor—sleek, yet rigid.
However, in the center of the city, a massive golden statue erected by the previous king neutralized the dryness of the backdrop, and besides that, artworks showcasing the romantic ideals of knights filled every corner of the city.
Moreover, combining various colors in one’s clothing had recently become fashionable among ladies, so the whole city was as colorful as flowers blooming atop stone.
“Nice…. It’s like a black sesame three-tier cake sprinkled with candy…. Especially that, it’s the absolute best. I want to take a picture….”
Hanna pointed beneath the royal castle with slightly glazed eyes.
The central square, right in the middle of the city.
There stood a massive golden statue of a knight astride a horse, extending his sword forward.
It was majestic, yet meticulously detailed down to the slightest gap.
You could practically feel each individual strand of Leonard Rowen’s beard, the model for the statue.
Virgil looked at it and spoke flatly.
“One day, I’ll turn this place into a wasteland under that thing.”
“…Huh?”
“Just kidding.”
“Ah….”
“Just eat your food.”
He stabbed the chunk of meat before him with a fork.
Hanna, completely deflated, let out a deep sigh and looked around the inside of the inn.
“But Sir Virgil.”
“What.”
“Here, we really are the only shabby ones.”
“Hmm.”
Virgil looked around their surroundings.
The inn was packed with people.
Everyone was adorned in fine silk or flashy accessories, or clad in sleek weapons and armor.
With Virgil and Hanna among them, they looked like foreign contaminants stuck to clean white clothes.
However, their appearances were another matter entirely.
They exuded nobility and dignity.
Perhaps that was why people couldn’t stare openly, only glancing at them from the corners of their eyes.
“It’ll be like this the whole time we’re in this district. Just get used to it.”
“Ah… Did you say this is the Third Layer? The district for knights and nobles?”
“Yeah.”
Rowen was divided into four districts, or layers.
Due to the nature of the city being built by cutting into a mountain, it was inevitably made in a terraced fashion, and as was always the case when humans gathered, people naturally came to live grouped by social status.
From the First Layer where slaves lived to the Fourth Layer where the king resided.
There wasn’t any particular law regarding this, but it had naturally become this way over time.
“Stop asking questions and eat.”
At Virgil’s words, Hanna scooped up a spoonful of the dish before her and put it in her mouth.
The taste was as excellent as its appearance.
*I thought he was a cheapskate, but he sure knows when to spend.*
This was an inn that appeared as a very famous restaurant in the game.
Virgil had wanted to visit this place if he ever came to Rowen, so he had endured the massive expense.
As they were savoring the food, Hanna spoke first.
“Ah, what was it we needed to do here? Are we going to the black market right away?”
“Check again if there’s a time limit on the quest.”
“Yes, I’ve checked more than ten times.”
“Then we proceed according to my original plan.”
“Okaaay, tell me that plan too.”
Hanna said confidently.
“Hmm.”
Her confident attitude was not without reason.
Last night.
In front of ‘The Wanderer’s Breath,’ said to be the finest inn in Rowen.
“Ah, well, there are no vacancies right now! And do you even know how much it costs to stay here?”
A militiaman guarding the inn door blocked Virgil and Hanna.
Virgil’s brow twitched.
He wanted to swing his greatsword right then and there, but he suppressed the urge.
At least in the City of Knights, he didn’t want to cause a scene.
If things went wrong, they might be pursued by an overwhelming number of knights.
This militiaman was likely acting so bold because he knew that too.
“I told you I have money.”
“Oho! Goodness, what makes you think we’d accept that kind of money? Go down to the lower districts right now. You’ll find vacancies there.”
*Grit.*
Virgil ground his teeth.
Then Hanna, who had been behind him, pulled back her hood and stepped forward.
“Sir knight.”
“Ah, goodness, I’m not even a kni… hup!”
He started to complain but was struck speechless.
In all his life, he had never seen such a beautiful woman up close.
His lips trembled along with his heart.
“Sp-speak… my lady….”
“We have traveled a long way. Although our present appearance may leave something to be desired, we have sufficient funds.”
“G-goodness… I told you it’s not possible….”
As he was about to refuse, a different thought suddenly crossed his mind.
Could a woman this beautiful truly be an ordinary person?
Perhaps….
A princess come to attend the Coronation.
A princess visiting from a foreign country.
A princess who had been captured by demons.
Anyway, a princess.
*Gulp.*
He swallowed his saliva and looked at the man beside her.
That’s right… this guy was her escort knight.
So the way he kept pushing the woman back was to protect her!
I thought he was pushing her aside because he was annoyed by her big movements, but I was wrong.
Well, a man with this kind of physique couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
“Ahem.”
The militiaman composed his voice.
Recalling the chivalry he had picked up secondhand, he asked politely.
“Might you be a princess or a noble lady, my lady?”
“Pardon?”
Hanna was bewildered; Virgil frowned.
He lowered his hand and gripped Somnium.
He couldn’t stand it anymore.
It was time for intimidation.
Then Hanna, who had been diligently racking her brains, stopped Virgil’s hand.
Haughtiness was added to her expression.
“That is enough, Sir Virgil. It seems he has already caught on.”
“…….”
“Hah… We have our reasons for concealing our identities. Let us go elsewhere now, Sir Virgil.”
Hanna turned around and tapped Virgil’s hand.
The quick-witted Virgil added a word.
“The First Prince spoke so highly of this place’s cuisine, yet it seems we won’t be able to taste it.”
Hearing Virgil’s words, Hanna whipped her head around and looked at the sign.
‘The Wanderer’s Breath.’
She mumbled her lips, chewing on the name.
That was immediately caught by the militiaman’s eyes.
“Wait! I-I was mistaken! Please forgive me!”
He bowed deeply.
*Acquaintances of the First Prince! I nearly caused a disaster!*
In fact, the First Prince of Rowen was fond of this inn’s food, and only a handful besides the staff knew that.
“I-I shall give you a suite!”
“Now? But how could someone like you manage such a thing?”
“A-actually, I am the son of this inn’s owner…. I offer you a suite on my honor!”
And so, through Hanna’s quick wits and Virgil’s knowledge, the two were able to stay at the finest inn in Rowen.
Back to the present.
“So give me some information too. I’ve earned some qualifications. I even saw you smile slightly earlier when you drank the tea.”
“Well. I have no memory of that.”
“Tch, how mean.”
Hanna focused on her food again.
Watching her, Virgil opened his mouth.
“We will carry out three things here.”
Hanna chewed her food, focusing on Virgil’s words.
“First, we make Mater’s son king.”
*Cough!* “Wh-What? King?”
“Yes.”
“Who is that woman’s son? No, more importantly, how can we make someone king….”
Virgil continued, leaving the bewildered Hanna behind.
“Second, we recruit our first comrade here.”
“Ooh….”
Hanna’s eyes sparkled.
Could it be that she would finally have someone she could talk to without walking on eggshells?
“And the next?”
“We root out the spy of the Blood Cult in Rowen. This is likely an extension of the main quest you received.”
“Sounds like a lot is going to happen. *Munch munch.*”
Hanna didn’t seem very interested.
“So who are they all?”
“Wait.”
“Just tell me….”
Just as Hanna was about to press him further, a clamor echoed from outside the inn, toward the city streets.
A march played by trumpets and drums.
It gradually grew louder, seeming to approach the inn.
Then everyone around abandoned what they were doing and gathered toward the road or the windows.
“Kyaa!”
“Your Highness!”
“Hurrah! Long live Rowen!”
People didn’t gather at the window where Virgil and Hanna were.
Thanks to the innkeeper’s son standing firmly in front of it.
As soon as the outside grew noisy, he had rushed over and appointed himself their bodyguard.
“Hey! Don’t come close! A noble lady is dining here!”
Hanna gave him a faint smile, then looked back at Virgil.
“He’s a bit overwhelming….”
As expected, the innkeeper rushed over and smacked his back.
*Smack!*
Then grabbed him by the ear and dragged him downstairs.
Even after he disappeared, people couldn’t approach the window where Virgil and Hanna were.
Because Virgil’s greatsword leaning against the wall felt like a silent threat.
Already accustomed to it, Hanna tilted her head and cast her gaze back out the window.
“Is this some kind of parade?”
“Something like that. It’s a procession of the princes that happens once a week.”
“Ooh, princes.”
The sound drew even closer.
“Make way! Make way!”
At the very front, a knight was shouting at the top of his lungs.
Behind him, a brass band was playing a majestic and powerful piece.
“Wow, I haven’t seen something like this since I went to an amusement park with my dad as a kid.”
“Focus.”
After the brass band passed, knights riding stately horses appeared.
Knights clad in full black plate armor.
*Clop clop clop.*
The horses’ hoofbeats echoed in perfect unison, as one.
On their right pauldrons, a lion’s face was engraved, and a lion was likewise embroidered on the cloaks billowing behind them.
And among them.
A man who alone wore no helmet was visible.
A strong impression and a stately physique.
A firm mouth and fierce eyes.
He looked straight ahead with a solemn face.
“That man is the First Prince. He’s the commander of the Black Lion Knights.”
“Wow… except for the short hair, he’s practically you, Sir Virgil….”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
Once the Black Lion Knights passed, another brass band appeared.
Music that was fast and cheerful, unlike before.
It was so lively that people clapped along to the music.
After the band passed, this time knights wearing armor with a subtle blue glow began their march.
“Huh? I saw that emblem before.”
Hanna pointed at the flag fluttering above them.
“Yes, those are the Blue Wolf Knights led by this prince.”
Their blue armor shone mysteriously in the sunlight.
Among them, too, was a man alone without a helmet.
Long golden hair and a sharp jawline.
A perfect handsome man with blue eyes and translucent skin.
He wore a gentle smile and waved to the surroundings.
Then women screamed and praised him.
“Ugh, I’ve never been into that type.”
Once the Blue Wolf Knights had completely passed, no brass band appeared this time.
Instead, a smaller-scale group of knights trotted along on their horses.
Men wearing comparatively thinner armor than the two previous orders.
Clad in silver armor, with bright red cloaks draped over their backs.
The cloaks bore the silhouette of a hawk, and the helmets were decorated with red feathers.
When they appeared, the crowd’s cheers grew softer.
And a different atmosphere was created.
One of barrier-less intimacy.
“My goodness! Prince Luke! Have you eaten?”
The restaurant owner across the way shouted, shaking his cooking utensils.
Then a man of slightly smaller stature among the knights waved his hand.
Red hair and a youthful face.
His upturned eyebrows showed his mischievous personality.
“Ah, I don’t know! They told me I look puffy, so I’m supposed to lose weight!”
At his words, people laughed loudly and waved their hands.
It looked like the prince was saying ‘Am I really starving?’ to the knight beside him.
This time, the fabric shop owner next to the restaurant came out and waved.
“Your Highness! I think you’ve grown taller! You should get a new coat fitted!”
“If you give me a discount!”
“Haha! Of course!”
And so the man exchanged words with the citizens here and there as he urged his horse along after the preceding procession.
“That is the Third Prince. He commands the Red Hawk Knights.”
“Is it because he’s the youngest? He has no dignity.”
“Perhaps.”
“Ah, so the next king will be one of those three?”
“Yes, in about a week, those three will compete in various events for the throne. The winner becomes king, essentially.”
“It’s a public audition no matter where you go.”
Virgil ignored her words and focused on eating.
“So who are the three people we’re looking for? When will you tell me?”
“Didn’t I just tell you?”
“What?”
“The three targets we’re looking for are the three princes who just passed by.”
“R-really? Mater’s son too? The Blood Cult spy too? O-our comrade too!”
“Your voice is too loud.”
“Ah… yes…. Well, you said we’d make someone king, so I guess that makes sense… but who is which?”
Virgil took a swig of beer and opened his mouth.
“Well, guess.”
“You bas…”