episode_0101

Although the Labyrinth City is said to have the status of a neutral neutral city-state, the area where the Labyrinth City is currently located is the territory of the Empire. That is, a situation where it’s unavoidable to be influenced to some extent. Furthermore, since it’s been quite a long time since the Empire seized hegemony over the continent, although it is the Labyrinth City which is said to be neutral, the Empire’s influence is the greatest. That’s a fact that can be known just by looking at the proportion of knights stationed in the Labyrinth City. Even during the 5th Floor incident when the Crown Prince came down and gave compensation. Because the Empire directly handled tasks that various countries should have done. Should I say it feels like bearing obligations, as much as it takes rights? Well, anyway, I received an invitation from that Empire. To be precise, not just me, but a large number of people who made achievements this time. And surprisingly, if you count by clan, it was even possible for all clan members to attend. Usually for such an occasion, it would be normal for only a few representatives to go. Even just counting the Magic Tower, while the incident occurred, even wizards who simply helped in the conference room received invitations. Of course, it’s not about giving awards and rewards. If there is someone to commend, inviting even his family to the party, it feels like celebrating grandly. However, since it’s unthinkable for everyone from the Magic Tower to go, only the Magic Tower Master who holds representativeness, a few school heads, and the wizards who follow them attended. For clans too, depending on the clan, for small-scale clans, everyone attended, and for large-scale clans, only a few representatives decided to go. In the case of our clan, we decided to have everyone attend. Just going near the Imperial Palace is something hard to do in a lifetime.

However. Unlike ordinary people who can enjoy it this ordinarily. I, Noah, and the Crown Prince were in an awkward situation.

“First of all, I won’t return to the Empire. I don’t know when they might call me in with a strange reason, but I should stay outside as much as possible.” The Crown Prince refused to attend. It’s obvious. The Crown Prince who ran away from home in the first place would have no reason to specifically return, and since he did nothing inside, even with the perfect explanation that there’s no reason to receive an award.

“But what will you guys do? You roughly know what kind of place the Imperial Palace is, don’t you?” As you know, the Crown Prince claims that the core of the Empire is in a state of being encroached upon by the evil god. Of course, I don’t know how much of that is true, but if combined with the intuition obtained from the 2nd Floor hidden dungeon, it’s also a plausible statement. So, if possible, I didn’t want to go either, but.

“Master said it wouldn’t matter, right? Since he’s going anyway.” “There are certainly a lot of eyes watching. Of course, if the Empire just makes a move, the Magic Tower wouldn’t be able to resist, but there seems to be political pressure.” Just looking at the Crown Prince’s reaction, it seemed like not such a bad choice, so. I decided to do as originally planned.

*

The Empire, the hegemonic nation of the continent. As expected of a nation that has ruled the continent for quite a long time, in terms of money and everything else, it is the strongest on the continent. Even the Ariel Church, which influences all nations, has such power that it has to concede a move. However, possessing that overwhelming power, from a certain point, without waging wars of invasion, it changed peacefully. There are also records saying it was strange because it was the exact opposite of the appearance seen during the process where the Empire originally grew. Regarding that reason, there are various theories, and since no accurate hypothesis has been proven. If we roughly hypothesize, it makes one wonder if the evil god infiltrated the Empire around that time. From the evil god’s perspective, it has no interest in how prosperous a nation becomes. Of course, as a ‘hand’ used, it might have solidified the interior. Rather, that made it hold hegemony for a long time, so it must be a truly strange thing.

Anyway, the Empire with such a history was overwhelming right from the entrance. The massive bridge, the Gate of the Empire, where countless enemy commanders are said to have failed to cross and fallen. I didn’t know why a bridge was called a gate. By getting onto that bridge, you’ll know by crossing the wide river. Why here countless enemy commanders fell. Outside the carriage, a massive river, a bit narrower than the Han River, but comparable to that. While the current isn’t extremely strong or appears dangerous, crossing this river itself would not be easy. Therefore, even with a large-scale force, while relying only on this one bridge, they would have had no choice but to attack. Furthermore, if even this is cut off, it’s truly nothing short of a natural fortress. The capital of the Empire is surrounded on three sides by very high mountains, and a massive river passes in front of that. In terms of Feng Shui, mountains behind and water in front. Of course, from what I heard, because the river is to the north, it’s a bit different from the common sense I knew, but the general framework would be similar. Starting with such perfect geography, the appearance of the Empire seen far away was overwhelming. Gold and steel. Based on those two, a massive castle with an atmosphere like a fortress. That design, seeming to show strength with steel and wealth with gold, made it possible to know how powerful a nation the Empire was. Passing through the castle gate, seen upon entering inside, countless people. Citizens were sending cheers towards us and welcoming us. An atmosphere as if welcoming knights returning from the battlefield. In reality, since Karin belongs to the Empire, she would actually be feeling something like a triumphal return, wouldn’t she? After receiving such cheers, all the distinguished guests from the Labyrinth City entered the inner castle. The inner castle seemed to control ordinary citizens, and here there were specifically no cheers from citizens welcoming us. Most of the people moving around were servants and soldiers. Even the population density, unlike the outside, was not dense and was quiet. If you advance forward along the largest road traversing straight through the inner castle, you arrive at the Imperial Palace. Usually, places like this often show the nation’s power first of all with massive buildings, and the Empire was exactly like that. Everything is big, and gold is included. Of course, because it’s not excessive and is included in that just exquisite proportion that feels refined, one feels the thought of how much the people who made it must have struggled.

“…It’s no joke.” “Indeed.” All the clan members, like country mice who came up to Seoul, secretly looking around. Rather, having seen that appearance, the Empire’s servants become even more kind. They say even a slave should be a slave in a nobleman’s house. For them, seeing the Empire and feeling greatness seems to feel more like a compliment. However, we couldn’t enter the Imperial Palace interior. The number of people who came here now is roughly over 500 people. They said there are no facilities inside to accommodate all those people. In a way, it’s obvious. Because 500 people is not a small number. In the first place, inviting such a large number of people at once is also a great thing. Quietly, we were assigned the building for guest reception in front of the Imperial Palace. Our clan was assigned together with the Magic Tower. Because Master had made arrangements. Furthermore, because I am the Magic Tower Master’s disciple, I ended up in a slightly better room next to Master’s. No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem like the Empire is pulling any strings. In fact, even Noah, who had been observing the surroundings without saying anything until now, expressed the same impression.

[There’s nothing I feel?] ‘The inside of the Imperial Palace might be different.’ [They might have hidden it well, right? In the first place, there was no one specifically caught besides the Crown Prince for that long time.] I will only be able to know the exact thing by going inside the Imperial Palace later.

The next day. Unfortunately, we couldn’t immediately receive the Imperial Palace’s summons. It’s obvious. In the first place, because we came earlier than the scheduled date. In medieval times, in the case of such long-distance travel, they originally set the schedule generously. It’s similar in reality too. While kids living near the school are always late, aren’t the kids who have to take a bus or car from far away the first to go to school? The distance between the Empire’s capital and the Labyrinth City, they said, was roughly about 10 days by carriage, so thinking something might happen along the way, we departed planning for 2 weeks. But for the trip to the Empire, it took about 8 days, so time truly overflowed. And at times like this, it’s usually visiting the Empire’s capital, a natural thing.

“You must not lose this.” The entry pass received from the soldiers guarding the inner castle. Surprisingly, as if some special magic was applied, as it’s stamped on the wrist like a barcode, it seems like it would be impossible to lose even if you want to lose this.

“Wizards sometimes try to dispel it out of curiosity, and then it is made to be automatically destroyed. Please be careful. Master of the Magic Tower’s Disciple.” “…Yes.” It seems they’ve made a device so that curious wizards cannot unravel the secret of the magic tool. Naturally, the fear of blueprints leaking out would be the same for people of this era. Like that, with the magic tool called an entry pass engraved on my wrist, I wandered around the Imperial capital. The party was Grace and Luca.

[You are just overflowing with blessings.] While ignoring Noah’s words adding a word, saying. I wandered around without a destination. The capital of the Empire felt similar to the Magic Tower. As expected of the strongest country, the hegemonic nation. Should I say it’s like a single laboratory where all sorts of continental technologies gather? Furthermore, and whether there is no racial discrimination or something, since all sorts of races are gathered, such as Elves, Beastfolk, and Dwarves, it felt somewhat similar to the Labyrinth City. The strange phenomena coming from magic tools spread everywhere were good for attracting attention, and the river and the waterfall on the cliff, etc., seen from the castle walls, were spectacular scenery. Besides that, as I wandered around all sorts of ruins or tourist spots, before I knew it, a day had quickly passed. Deliberately under the pretense of sightseeing, I tried wandering around every corner of the Empire’s capital, but there was nothing at all that I found.

“I can’t figure anything out?” “…Me neither.” Grace and Luca were the same. Well, if evidence of being related to the evil god had been found this easily, that would be an even stranger thing.

“There’s no one tailing us, right?” “Yes.” If so, the influence of the evil god must be spread among a very small number of humans, centered around the court wizards, according to the Crown Prince’s words. That was at least a fortunate point.

“Are we having a date like this again tomorrow?” “…Where shall we go next?” Seeing Grace and Luca, who had completely entered tourist mode, I smiled. Sometimes something like this might not be bad. With that kind of feeling.

*

After greeting Master and returning to my room, I roughly throw some food to Noah. Since Noah said he won’t come out of my shadow because he’s uneasy, when I throw food into the shadow like this with a ‘tak’ sound, it goes in with a ‘ssok’ sound. And since only the plate and cutlery come out, it’s as if a gourmand deboning and eating a chicken leg in one go also comes to mind. Casually sitting at the table and looking outside, I wait for the time. What I’m waiting for is naturally the shop usage time.

『Remaining Time 00:00:05』 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. As soon as the time arrived, when I pressed the status window, consciousness quickly recedes. And before I knew it, a bonfire is in front of my eyes. Kaman was waiting for me.

“It’s been a while.” “…Yes. You have arrived at the Empire’s capital.” “Did another memory come to mind?” “…Unfortunately.” The great disaster that happened in the last District 11. Because there was conflict among various groups such as the evil god and the Ariel Church, etc., I naturally thought Mr. Kaman’s memory would have returned a little, but. There was no significant difference. Just in case, I entered every time the cooldown period came around, and now already since then it’s the 4th entry, but since he said nothing changes, it seems I shouldn’t expect anything from this side.

“Then shall you look around?” “Of course!” I showed a large amount of coins spread on the floor. Now, the amount of coins is to the extent that it’s difficult to count. From what I heard, they were coins easily over 5000. Because there was a tremendous amount that I did, such as the black mage defeated in District 11, repelling the evil god, etc. However, just because there is a lot of currency, it doesn’t mean it can be used infinitely. Unfortunately, because there are limitations for relics, cards, or potions. During that time, during the 3 visits, because there was nothing particularly I liked, I only did card removal. Thanks to that, the card called [Shield] in the Elementalist’s deck became impossible to find. Now, the only basic card remaining is one card [Strike]. Rather than adding useless things, just removing like this seems like it might be better. Postponing deck building until after farming becomes possible on high floors will yield the best ‘efficiency’. Anyway, and time is also plenty. Anyway, when I see this overflowing currency, laughter immediately comes out. Having seen that, Kaman smiles slightly and spreads out a cloth.

“Then choose what you need.”