Heavenly Castle

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

Scared by the sight of knights lining up on the central plaza like in wartime, denizens of the capital run to hide inside buildings.

Such a solemn situation was extremely rare for the capital of Karluk Kingdom, which constantly avoided getting into wars, so even those that didn’t spend long in those lands looked at that display with amazement.

Meanwhile, there was a certain category of people that immediately took to action.

Merchants.

Some hid their property, to avoid it being levied, some immediately checked the situation at the neighboring countries, and some, to ensure their own safety, loaded their luggage on carriages in preparations to leave the country.

Were it to come to a war with the neighboring countries, the Karluk Kingdom, with its military might, had no prospects of winning. In which case, all that awaited the losing country was plunder, looting, and execution of the royal family.

It would depend on the victorious country, but in most cases, all that awaits the defeated country is a tragedy.

And quite often, goods and assets of merchants would be included in that looting.

Thus, the merchants that made living by reading where the wind would blow were the first people to act.

「With whom are they going to war?」

「The countries that could have taken action should still be observing how the Blau Empire would move. Could it be that some dangerous monsters......」

「As if they would gather troops at the center of the capital just to subjugate some beasts. Isn’t it clearly meant to strengthen the defenses of the capital?」

Merchants that had stores in the capital, gathered in a dark alleyway of the capital to exchange information. There, gasping for breath, another merchant runs up to them.

「He-hey! I asked the peddlers that just arrived at the capital, and none of them saw any invading armies!」

After hearing that report made in a yell, the looks on the merchants’ faces changed.

「......So it’s not a war.」

「Then, a purge of a very high ranking noble?」

「Then it would’ve been carried out more swiftly, without allowing the opponent to take action.」

「They are gathering troops without any rush as if trying to make it known to everyone...... They want to make an example out of this. So the opponent should be considerably weaker.」

After that line, a number of merchants raised their heads simultaneously.

「Just which is it?」

「They are either out for nobles or for that new slave store.」

「No matter how you look at it, it’s a purge. Heavenly Country is involved with that store. Have you seen their golems? They aren’t normal.」

They immediately reached a conclusion. Upon arriving at the answer, the merchants’ expressions completely changed, losing nervousness and even changing to smiles.

「So that bunch is after nobles, huh. We are losing customers because of them. Serves them right.」

「However, in that case, flames would spread through the city. Depending on the area, even we might take damage.」

「......The aristocratic district should certainly be okay.」

「Not necessarily. On the contrary, cornered, their target would surely try to escape to the aristocratic district.」

Hearing the last line, everyone went silent with grim faces. Sweat was running down their foreheads.

And almost simultaneously, all of them broke into a run.

☆

The morale of the knights was high.

Their days were nothing but practice, maintaining public order, and bandit extermination.

Even during extremely rare skirmishes with foreign realms, it was experienced mercenary bands who stood on the frontline. Thus, the knights of Karluk Kingdom were evaluated pretty low both inside and outside the country.

Being discontent with that and yet being pessimistic about any possible chances of redeeming themselves ever coming up, the knights gradually lost their pride as knights and transformed into thugs that cared about nothing but lining their pockets.

As for those that reached the rank of a captain, they would use it to threaten wealthy merchants, extorting them to give away money and slaves, living a lifestyle akin to that of high ranking nobles.

This time, the knights, that received the order to capture Grey and his people, were those that have progressed the furthest into corruption, the group responsible for patrolling streets of the royal capital.

They were supposedly chosen for their great knowledge of the city’s layout, but the knights themselves saw this as merely another chance to enrich themselves.

Show off the strength of their order. Mercilessly cut down offenders, making their future business easier.

Holding such lowly motives at their hearts, the knights paraded through the city.

Eventually, the knights left the center of the city and arrived at the gloomy backstreets.

「Draw swords!」

With that command from a man at the very end of the column, the troops drew their sword all at once.

「We are the strongest knights of Karluk Kingdom! Knightly Order Desperado! Since we were deployed, the only possible outcome is a complete annihilation! Slay everyone not leaving even a single person alive!」

「Yeeah!!!」

Nodding, seemingly satisfied with the bellow from the troops, the man then raised his hand and swung it down and pointed it forward.

「Now go! Crush them! It’s time for a massacre!」

Troops rushed into an alleyway with a thunderous roar. As if sucked in there, a large number of soldiers disappeared, charging, and soon came screams. 𝘧𝔯e𝗲𝙬ℯ𝙗𝓷o𝘷e𝗹.𝐜𝑜𝒎

Shrieks that sounded akin to those of a dying agony and sounds of some heavy impact.

The man, who was smiling at first, now looked somewhat confused.

He heard metallic clangs, but far more numerous were earth tremors and sounds of collision.

Something strange was happening.

The moment the man thought so, stone walls on the right and left side of an alley cracked and crumbled.

Thunderous boom and dust clouds accompanied by the rain of debris happened right beside the man.

Cowering, the man gulped.

Meanwhile, buildings near the entrance to the alleyway kept collapsing one after another, then, soldiers clad in what should be a considerably heavy armor flew out of there like a ball in a game.

「Wha-wha-what...... What happened?!」

His voice betrayed him, cracking as he shouted, then, behind the clouds of dust, he managed to spot a giant silhouette.