episode_0023

We left the burning Grand Biere behind and headed for Paris. Except for the central square where there was a cursed box, there were no bodies gathered, so it was deemed too inefficient to cremate each one individually. Eventually, they resorted to setting fire to the entire city. My concern about how to burn such a large city with magic was unfounded. It was simply a matter of using ordinary fire, although it would have taken half a day’s investment from sixteen people to make it possible.

“It must be a city that’s been around for hundreds of years….”

I murmured as I looked back at the engulfed Grand Biere. Since it was a city with remnants of medieval walls, it might have been a city that had been around for over a thousand years. Seeing such a city being reduced to ashes due to monster attacks, to prevent the resurgence of the plague and cursed boxes, felt regrettable.

It took us an additional five days to reach Paris. There were seven more battles along the way, and we could have sent a courier from a small village in between. Unfortunately, we couldn’t change horses, so we couldn’t travel at the same breakneck speed as the first two days.

As we approached Paris, the condition of the roads gradually improved, and the number of people visible on the roads increased. We didn’t see anyone evacuating immediately after Paris was attacked. Thanks to the troops in the capital, they must have managed to hold off the attack well. However, as we entered Paris, we could tell that even the seemingly peaceful city had recently experienced a battle.

Unwiped bloodstains, shattered roads, buildings under repair, and the stern gazes of the troops—judging by their military uniforms, they all seemed to be magical infantry. Just the brief glance at the number of magical infantry stationed in these alleys and along the roads seemed similar to the number of magical infantry in the Delphine Legion.

“There are an enormous number of magical infantry in the capital.”

“The capital is the most important place in the Kingdom of Francia.”

Clare replied curtly to my question. What could she be dissatisfied with? Could it be resentment towards the increasing power of the royal family from the perspective of a member of the Montjoie family?

“Halt, dismount from your horse!”

The person who appeared to be a castle guard gestured forward to Cler, who was at the forefront. Instead of speaking, Cler presented the orders given by Commander Gerald from her pocket.

“Hmm. Is this a royal decree? There’s no reason not to obey. For safety, proceed on foot. Hey, let them through!”

Well, if you’re a castle guard, you’ve probably been through this kind of situation more than once. Moreover, it’s normal to adhere even more strictly to principles after a monster attack. Cler and the other squad members had to dismount with tired expressions. Of course, I was included.

“If you follow this road straight ahead, you’ll reach Etu Palace.”

A massive building loomed in the distance. Depending on the size of the building, it might be several kilometers from here, at least judging by the rough estimate. Do we really have to walk all the way there on foot? As I made an incredulous expression, Cler smirked. Why is she laughing?

“Is this your first time in the capital, Marianne?”

“H-how did you know?”

“People visiting the capital for the first time all make that expression when they have to walk down that street.”

I guess that’s what being a noble is about. If it’s the Montuaire family, they might have roamed the capital as if it were their own backyard. Come to think of it, where is the Montuaire family’s territory? I decided to look it up later and waited for Cler’s next words.

“In Paris, there are public carriages.”

“Public carriages?”

It feels like a taxi from a past life. In a world without telephones, how do they call taxis? If public carriages are like taxis, there wasn’t a single carriage in sight near the bustling city entrance. Cler seemed to have just had the same thought, as she quickly but not too hastily scanned the surroundings. She didn’t seem to want to show her confusion, but it was clear to me that she was flustered.

“Guard! Are you saying all the public carriages that were here have gone?”

“Public carriages? When the monsters attacked, every single one of them was destroyed. It’s regrettable, but you’ll have to walk to Etu Palace.”

“What? Every single one of those many public carriages? Ugh.”

Clare shrugged her shoulders and gestured as they moved. Walking all the way to the palace was a hassle, but she thought that using magic would at least allow them to move fairly quickly. At the same time, she noticed the reins held in her right hand. If she didn’t plan on abandoning the horse, they would ultimately have to move together, making it impossible to move quickly with magic.

Walking was actually quite beneficial for her. It was an opportunity to appreciate the city of this era, which she hadn’t seen for a long time, even if Granbier was excluded since it was a city in ruins.

Traces of battle were scattered throughout, yet the city still teemed with life. It had been so long since she had seen people who weren’t soldiers. Buildings, spanning two or three stories, extended endlessly. Ununified, colorful roofs and clotheslines covering the sky, uneven roads, numerous alleyways branching off from the main street, and children playing within those alleys.

“Obstacles…”

What shattered my appreciation was the barricade in the middle of the main street. It was a serious one, a mix of broken furniture, wood, and sandbags. Initially, they had gathered whatever they could find nearby to make the obstacle, but now they were replacing it with sandbags as they had some spare.

“Not dismantling the obstacles even though the battle is over must mean they think there could be further attacks, right, Lieutenant Clare?”

“Our reconnaissance unit should have arrived in Paris two or three days ago. It’s probably a countermeasure for that.”

You might expect the upper echelons not to be completely incompetent. However, there was no room for reassurance. After all, we didn’t know that the Delphine Legion wouldn’t issue absurd orders.

Taking a broader view, aside from the barricade being built with sandbags, she saw several other things. As expected, there were magic infantry positioned high up like church spires, and weapons visible through windows in various places, neatly displayed under the soldiers’ watchful eyes in public areas.

“The huge number of magic infantry at the entrance… and the fact that the city itself seems to be on edge.”

“Attacks on the capital of the Kingdom of Francia were unprecedented in centuries. It seems we have no choice but to respond unusually. The royal family and the Montesquieu family probably share similar thoughts on this matter.”

When Claire mentioned the Montesquieu family, I felt it was the perfect time to ask about something I had been curious about for a while. When else would I get the chance to ask?

“Sir, it may be impertinent to ask, but what is your relationship with Colonel Auguste?”

“Curious, aren’t you, little sister?”

She casually responded to the questions that had been on my mind since I first met Colonel Auguste in Saint-Marc.

“You mentioned that the Colonel is the heir of the Montesquieu Viscountcy. He’s a more important person than I thought, being siblings with someone like you.”

“Marianne, even though you knew my surname is Montesquieu, did you really think that way?”

“Well, at first, I didn’t realize how significant the Montesquieu family was, and even after finding out, I thought that someone commanding lower-ranking officers like me must be just a figurehead.”

Anyone would think the same, not just me. The beloved scion of the Montesquieu family, who had seized real power in the Kingdom of Francia, was serving as a platoon leader on the border with the Muscovy Principality? If this person could handle such responsibilities without causing chaos, it would be fortunate.

“The Viscountcy doesn’t use their title. By the way, Marianne, if you grew up in an orphanage and still didn’t know about the Montesquieu family, how ignorant were you of the outside world?”

I had never heard that the Viscountcy couldn’t use their title. So, Claire is from the renowned Montesquieu family. She mentioned that she and Colonel Auguste are different siblings, so does that mean they have many siblings?

“Does that mean Colonel Auguste is the only sibling you have?”

“Sister, do you have too many questions? Of course, there are more. But is that important?”

We arrived at the location where the palace guards were stationed, so the conversation had to end. Since Claire didn’t seem eager to continue, it was the appropriate moment.

“Are you Captain Claire Montesquieu?”

At the city entrance, just as she had done before, Clere produced the orders once again. After carefully inspecting the orders, the guards opened the main gate leading to the palace gardens.

The garden was more magnificent than anything I had seen in my entire life. Of course, it couldn’t compare to the skyscrapers of the 21st century, but it held a different kind of awe. Unlike other parts of Paris, there was not a single trace of battle here.

Perhaps it hadn’t been breached in the first place, or it had been prioritized for cleanup. The garden was filled with shrubs and ornamental trees like a maze, and if our guide hadn’t been leading us, we might have easily lost our way.

After winding around for some time—almost feeling intentionally disorienting—we finally emerged from the garden, revealing a grand palace with a massive marble fountain and white walls. In front of it stood a wise-looking middle-aged nobleman who greeted us.

“I’ve been expecting you, my daughter.”

Surprisingly, he was Frederick Montua, the head of the Montua family.