episode_0154

“Marie, you said it’s your first time in Helios, right?”

“Yes, Assault Captain oppa~ I had a few chances to come, but each time the security costs were too high, so I ended up refusing~”

Eugene looked down at the excited Marie and said.

Based on Pangaea, Helios is not as far as Alexandria, but it’s a 1-night 2-day trip by horse. It is a 2-night 3-day trip by carriage.

This time, the representatives of the Red Fox Mercenary Group rented a carriage and came to Helios.

Since there was no particular rush, they chose a more comfortable way.

Arriving near the Helios gate, they got off the carriage and began to hurry towards their destination, the Imperial Knights Arena.

“There are so many people. Pangaea’s city itself is huge, but the floating population wasn’t that high.”

Unlike Marie, the elf Priscilla had been to Helios once.

But at that time, she didn’t come through the gate but went in through a back door.

She went in through the back door, looked around only where she wanted to see, and then left, thinking it didn’t suit her taste.

“Helios is the capital and its internal commerce is much stronger than Alexandria, whose external commerce is strong. The floating population cannot be compared to Pangaea.”

The explanation encyclopedia Thomas kindly explained the characteristics of Helios.

As the capital, Helios boasts the largest population.

And most of the population is middle class, so buying and selling goods is more active than in any other city.

“Ugh…it takes so long…”

Marie, who had been expressing her joyful mood, now had a very tired expression on her face.

Because there was a large floating population, it took a lot of time to pass through the gate.

Rough inspections were being carried out at the gate’s customs office.

Since it was the capital, Helios, and there were many important facilities, each person was being thoroughly checked.

‘Hmm… it will take more than two hours?’

Eugene also crossed his arms and looked at the checkpoint situation with slightly frustrated lips.

“Excuse me,”

At that moment, someone’s voice was heard from behind him.

“Huh?”

Swish…!

Eugene slowly turned his head back and reacted.

“Are you the representatives of the Red Fox Mercenary Group from Pangaea?”

The person who spoke to Eugene was a blonde woman wearing a uniform and a mask covering part of her face.

“Who are you?”

Eugene, quite wary, asked in a low voice as someone who knew their identities suddenly appeared.

“Oh? Are you perhaps from the Imperial Knights?”

At that moment, Thomas next to Eugene asked the masked woman in an even lower voice if she was affiliated with the Imperial Knights.

“That’s right. I am affiliated with the Imperial Knights. It seems you recognized the general uniform.”

“Yes, that’s the job I’m in charge of in our mercenary group.”

The masked woman nodded slowly and agreed to Thomas’s reaction.

The Imperial Knights have several uniforms.

Uniforms designed to clearly imprint the Imperial Knights’ image on outsiders,

Uniforms with the nature of formal attire worn only when dispatched to important institutions or entering the Imperial Palace,

And general uniforms meant to be recognized only by those in the know.

Thomas, who had even been involved in large-scale black market deals, knew about the Imperial Knights’ general uniforms.

‘Hmm… the Imperial Knights?’

At the words that she belonged to the Imperial Knights, Eugene’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at the masked woman.

After being adopted into the Oblean Grand Duchy, he had been practically only in the house and had never left Pangaea.

For Eugene, it was rare to actually see members of the Imperial Knights.

Even then, it was mostly just a glimpse when Antoine received reports at the Grand Duchy’s mansion.

This was the first time he had seen a member of the Imperial Knights so close up, and his expression was one of awe.

‘They certainly look different from the start. The noble knights were also quite well-dressed and of high quality, but this is on a different level. The feeling they give off is different.’

In any case, thanks to Thomas’s intervention, Eugene’s wariness towards the masked woman subsided.

The Imperial Knights’ force shown by the masked woman in that state was truly amazing.

It felt like it was making even the visuals of the noble knights look like squids.

Eugene was able to fully enjoy the visuals of the Elysium Empire’s top-tier group, the Imperial Knights.

The Imperial Knights, being directly under the Imperial Family, clearly differentiate themselves in appearance to convey the authority of the Imperial Family.

Even though it was a general uniform with relatively fewer such elements, the fit was definitely different.

“Ah, is that so? The merchant festival has begun?”

Thomas had a keen expression and confirmed the blonde woman’s words.

“It is a merchant festival held twice in early summer and early winter. That is why more people than usual are flowing in. Therefore, the checkpoints are also checking the incoming personnel much more meticulously.”

The blonde woman was explaining the background of the people lined up at the checkpoint.

Helios usually has a large influx of people, but it’s not usually this crowded.

The reason why so many people are entering the city, to the point where Eugene thought it would take about two hours, is because of the large-scale festival of the Helios Merchants Association.

When the Merchants Association festival is held, various items are sold at low prices, so merchants trying to buy goods and ordinary people trying to buy goods gather in large numbers.

In other words, Eugene Schneider and his party were caught right in the middle of that peak season.

“Similarly, our Imperial Knights are also strengthening security through our own methods.”

Because it is such a large festival, it is difficult for ordinary administrative knights to maintain security.

Therefore, the Imperial Knights are also supporting under the guise of shadow defense, wearing general uniforms that people don’t know about.

While doing so, the blonde woman discovered those who appeared to be the Red Fox representatives and approached them.

“But then I discovered the elf here. So what flashed through my mind was that you must be the Red Fox Mercenary Group who came to discuss cooperation with the Imperial Knights special quest team. I am also part of that team.”

Of course, realistically, it didn’t make sense to recognize the Red Fox delegation, who didn’t have any particular distinguishing features.

Nevertheless, the reason it was possible was, of course, the elf Priscilla.

“Oh oh… it looks like we’re getting a free pass? It seems all thanks to Priscilla?”

“Ugh… I hope we can get out of this crowd soon.”

After having some conversation with the Red Fox Mercenary Group representatives, the blonde woman approached the checkpoint guard and spoke to him.

It was to give Eugene Schneider and his party a free pass as an Imperial Knight privilege.

“Wow… Helios’s internal situation is completely different from Pangaea.”

Thanks to the blonde woman, Eugene Schneider and his party entered the inner city of Helios.

Eugene Schneider was very impressed by the sight.

There were many tall buildings inside the city, and there were also many buildings with relatively modern architectural styles.

“Strictly speaking, Helios is a young city. Compared to Pangaea and Alexandria, which have deep traditions and deeply rooted nobles. You can think of it as the mecca of alchemy and magic?”

Thomas, who had been to Helios the most among the Eugene Schneider party, once again demonstrated his encyclopedic knowledge.

Helios had been the capital of Elysium from the beginning, but the size of the city itself was smaller than Pangaea, Alexandria, and Cleopatra, which had great history and tradition.

However, it was reversed as peace settled and alchemy and magic were encouraged.

“That’s right. The Helios Merchants Association Festival is strongly characterized by commemorating that. That’s why our Imperial Knights are also supporting it.”

The blonde woman, who was walking in front of the Red Fox Mercenary Group representatives to guide them to the Imperial Knights Arena, agreed with Thomas’s words and gave a supplementary explanation.

“I don’t like this feeling. I dipped my toes in once and left right away.”

“Haha! Is that so, Priscilla?”

Unlike Marie, who was fascinated by the surrounding buildings, Priscilla shook her head as if she was feeling drained.

As an elf who is full of life when she is with nature, Helios, full of the benefits of civilization, does not suit Priscilla at all.

“What about you, Assault Captain Eugene?”

“I’m not the type to be picky. Although I don’t particularly like crowds like Priscilla.”

Marie comforted Priscilla and then asked Eugene for his thoughts.

‘Eugene…?’

Swish…!

At that moment, the blonde woman who was walking ahead turned around slightly to look at Eugene as his name was mentioned.

“Now, if you show this artifact to the arena checkpoint guard, you will be able to pass without any difficulty and receive guidance.”

The blonde woman, who stopped at the point where the arena building was visible, handed Thomas a dazzling Imperial Knights artifact.

It was because she had to go back to the field now.

“Thank you! We are supporting, so I can’t even ask for your name.”

“You will be staying at the arena for a few days, so I think we will see each other. Let’s formally greet each other then.”

“Haha! That’s right!”

Thomas is usually the one who takes the lead, but since Eugene is the leader of the delegation as the assault captain,

He gave the blonde woman, who was about to leave, a regretful farewell.

Hmph!

The blonde woman left.

Eugene Schneider and his party were immediately stopped at the arena checkpoint.

Then, Thomas revealed that they were the Red Fox Mercenary Group and presented the artifact that the blonde woman had given him to the checkpoint guard.

Then, the checkpoint guard’s expression became even more stern.

‘Huh? What is this reaction?’

Eugene, seeing the reaction, tilted his head.

Of course, he thought that the item that the blonde woman had confidently handed over was an item that would skip the complicated procedures of identifying them,

But the reaction shown by the checkpoint guard was considered to be more than that.

After that, the Red Fox representatives, guided by the Imperial Knights Arena internal administrative staff summoned by the checkpoint guard, headed to the central building there.

“Thank you for your hard work coming here, everyone. I am Victoria von Bayern, the supreme commander of the special quest team that requested your cooperation.”

They were surprised to meet Victoria von Bayern, the representative of the Imperial Knights, there.

‘That blonde-haired, masked woman from earlier?????’

The person who brought them here,

The blonde-haired masked woman was Victoria von Bayern.