"My God... my God..." As I approached the capital and witnessed its magnificent sight, I couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
After a peaceful overnight stay in the wilderness, dawn broke, and after about two hours, we arrived at the city gates.
When I brought Paul back, the capital I saw from afar was probably only a tiny fraction of it.
The walls were about twice the height and thickness of those in Ladia—no, even three times as large.
That alone was breathtaking, and the walls were also adorned with ornate carvings, stretching endlessly to the horizon.
I had thought the scale of Ladia's walls was already unbelievable... but the sheer size of the capital dwarfed Ladia's; it was truly astonishing.
No matter how far you run along the city wall, you can't see the end, only a city gate barely appearing on the distant horizon… The Great Wall of China on Earth wouldn't even be able to reach this scale… Though the length is unknown, in terms of scale, this place is absolutely overwhelming.
What method was used to build such a terrifying city wall? Whether it's magic or architecture, no method seems capable of handling such a scale; it's even dizzying to think about.
"Hey… the capital city is indeed huge."
"I came here once when Paul was appointed bishop… Paul told me that the scale inside the walls is also quite astonishing."
Even the city inside the walls is this vast.
Radia also has many buildings of 4-5 stories, and even a few skyscrapers approaching 10 stories, which is truly amazing… If its scale is even larger than Radia, then it's no other world to be underestimated.
But… compared to Earth, shouldn't it be attributed to differences in technology or magic?
"Ha... just how big is the capital city?"
"Uh... 20 times the size of Ladia? I've heard it's terrifyingly vast."
"Eek..." 20 times... Ladia is already big enough to drive around in, and this place is 20 times that size!
At that scale, even if someone deliberately hides, it would be hard to find them... What was the thought behind building such a vast city?
Just as I was marveling at this, I unknowingly approached the city walls, and Paul came into view standing ahead.
He seemed to hear my horse's hooves, and Paul was waving in this direction.
The men around me, who appeared to be soldiers, were sweating profusely and gripping their weapons tightly... They should have finished their business by now, right? When I slowly slowed down and stopped in front of Paul, he looked relieved and spoke to me.
"You've arrived, Mr. Shimo. Earlier than expected?"
"Ah. Seeing the capital city walls made me quicken my pace."
After setting down Claire and Lisbeth, Paul smiled and walked towards Claire.
Despite Claire's subtle reaction, Paul, oblivious to her tact, continued to speak to her with a smile.
Paul… your perception is on par with Ars's.
Just as Paul was greeting Claire, soldiers approached from a distance and stood before me, scrutinizing me.
"Ah, Mr. Shimo. These are soldiers sent by the royal family. They may need to verify your identity before letting you in…"
"No problem. I've experienced this kind of situation in Ladia too."
After I replied in a teasing tone, a murmur arose among the surrounding soldiers.
"See, they really were right…!"
"It really is a divine beast…"
"Bishop Paul was right…"
"It looks so fierce… What's up, kid?
Want to fight?
Seeing this novel reaction that I'd never seen again in Ladia, I felt an inexplicable itch.
Paul smiled slightly awkwardly at the soldiers' whispers and said to me.
"Um… I've heard about Mr. Shimo in the capital, but I still need to confirm it first…"
"Ah, it's alright… just confirming my appearance is enough?"
"Yes. I guess the royal family will send an invitation during the election period."
Ew. I have to see the king? Even so, I'm still a little apprehensive. This is a monarchy! What if the king is in a bad mood and says, 'Cut that guy's head off!'
"Oh, and… thinking someone might come along, there's one more…" Paul said, stepping aside to reveal a young man in magnificent armor standing there. "…Nice to meet you, Mr. Shimo. I am Brandy Malt, a hero of the Heroic Knights of the Kingdom of Reinhardt."
"Ah, hello. I am the Divine Beast Zheng Shimo, an adventurer in Radia."
"Hmm… I've heard about you, but your appearance is quite different from the rumors." What?!
What's wrong with my appearance?!
Phew… I have something to say… This guy, indeed, seems very confident, as if he belongs to the kingdom. On the surface, he was just a handsome young man, about 170cm tall, like a protagonist from a light novel… but, how should I put it, unbelievably, I could definitely sense a powerful aura.
I never expected to have such an absurd feeling.
Can you really sense an aura?
Even though we're both heroes, he's completely different from that immature Ars; he exudes the aura of a powerful being.
If I were to fight this guy, I feel like I'd be instantly killed… Is this… a true hero…?
"…I'm just here to confirm what kind of person Mr. Semo is. Because the Kingdom of Reinhard has never had a divine beast enter as a citizen."
"Ah, yes. I've heard about it."
"I heard you can transform into a half-monster form… could you demonstrate it now?"
"Ah, if I transform now, I'll be completely naked."
"Ah-ha… I see." Malte nodded and circled around me… nodding again as he spoke.
"Um... alright. Well... since you have Bishop Paul's guarantee, and you seem to be alright... if we have the chance to meet again, then so be it." The hero and knight named Brandy Malt nodded slightly to me, then leaped onto the city wall... Seriously?
What's going on?
He didn't even push off the ground with much force, and the ground didn't collapse... the hero seemed to fly, leaping to the top of the city wall, which was at least eight or nine stories high.
Ha... if Ars had that kind of strength... I might have been instantly killed... I secretly rejoiced that I had encountered Ars in his novice days, and breathed a sigh of relief.
After a brief conversation with the soldiers, Lisbeth, Claire, and I showed our citizen cards and, through the soldiers' coordination, borrowed the rest room of the city wall guards, switching into our demon forms.
When we emerged, dressed in our armor with Lisbeth's help, the soldiers stirred again, half in amazement and half in fear.
These guys. Making a fuss over nothing.
Although I found it amusing, the soldiers seemed to calm down after a while, walking a considerable distance while still asking me questions.
They said it was quite a walk from the city walls to the city itself. And I heard the city was divided into several districts, truly giving me a sense of the vast scale of the capital.
However, while we were talking about this… I gradually noticed the soldiers stealing glances at Lisbeth and Claire.
Claire's eyes were closed, but her saintly beauty was undeniable… Lisbeth's looks were certainly outstanding, and her attire was definitely eye-catching.
Ha… I know they're beautiful… these females are mine. These bitches. Stop fucking looking.
After I appropriately ended the conversation with the soldiers, I had Lisbeth stay close to me, and Claire was placed nearby, and we headed towards the capital.