My companion Kirika and I took a hackney carriage to the Holy King’s Castle, built in the center of Kamiyan, the former capital of the Kamiyar Holy Nation, after heading out to the main street.
Compared to the Imperial Capital Granza of the Espana Imperial Kingdom, this city is characterized by fewer stone buildings and many wooden structures.
The reason given is that high-quality, inexpensive lumber is transported from the Great Forest Zone.
Furthermore, because the former Kamiyar Holy Nation was a religious state, temples and churches were established at every key point, occupying vast grounds.
Perhaps due to the deep faith of the common people, the temples and churches were magnificent, with a continuous stream of worshipers entering and exiting. Along the temple grounds and approach roads, the food stalls that had served us yesterday were lined up.
Most of the stalls sold food, and the majority of the products displayed were no different from those seen in the Grand Market of the Imperial Capital Granza, but some stalls sold cut fruits, which appeared to be specialties of the Southern Nations, skewered on bamboo.
Customers seemed to be having their preferred syrup poured over them.
Since most of these tropical fruits do not keep well, they were not seen in the Imperial Capital Granza.
Another characteristic product sold at the stalls here were amulets and figurines derived from the blessings of temples and churches, which were advertised as having benefits such as “family safety,” “marital harmony,” “prayers for children,” “repelling thieves,” and “warding off demons.”
Of course, from my perspective, possessing the memories of Lester the Cleric from my past life, these are merely soothing words, but since God Clan indeed exists in this world, there is a possibility, perhaps one in ten thousand, that wishes could be granted.
Our “Princess Harem” also includes Swan Hilda, a Valkyrie from the Lower God Clan, but only Upper Gods possess the divine power to grant people’s wishes as miracles.
Valkyries are beings who exhibit divine authority through their majestic appearance and superior combat prowess, and are the only members of the God Clan who frequently descend to the human realm.
In that sense, the Frog God, a wicked god who demanded sacrifices, was secretly worshipped for the worldly benefits it offered.
It is natural that the main street is populated by humans, but the figures of Elves, Dwarves, and Beastkin are also seen here and there.
Speaking of which, the red-light district we visited last night also had brothels run by their respective races.
So far, the only non-human I have experienced is Dietlinde of the Elf race, and she had just emerged from a unique state specific to royalty called “purplish impurity.”
If the opportunity arises, I would like to experience other demi-human maidens as well.
Incidentally, although this region is still considered part of the Western Nations, its separation by the Great Forest Zone makes Southern Nations’ culture feel dominant.
In fact, the adjacent former Kingdom of Sazania belonged to the Southern Nations, and the former Kingdom of Portland and the former Kingdom of Vandis beyond that were also, of course, in the Southern Nations. Currently, all of them have been incorporated into the dominion of the Espana Imperial Kingdom.
By the way, a portion of the former Kingdom of Sazania’s border has become the frontline for the invading demon army, and intense battles are said to be taking place there, but no impact is felt around here.
Many carriages traversed the main street, and I saw town residents, believers and tourists visiting temples, and what appeared to be the Espana Imperial Army, responsible for maintaining public order.
Regarding the Espana Imperial Army, their combat readiness felt quite poor, but this is likely due to the rapid expansion of their territory.
I heard that they are recruiting soldiers even in occupied territories, but only the mediocre are applying.
Also, assemblies against the Espana movement, like the one held by Albus Gassara yesterday, are frequent in various locations.
Emperor Henry of the Espana Imperial Kingdom is likely aware of his approaching death and is in a hurry.
He seems to intend for the young Princess Elizabeth to inherit the Espana Imperial Kingdom, which has become a unified nation of humanity, but this is causing disarray within the United Human Army and complicating the war against the demon race.
Speaking of which, the collapse of the former Kingdom of Vandis, Freya’s homeland, was also triggered by the invasion of the demon army, but it was eventually annexed by the Kingdom of Sazania, which was supposed to provide support.
As we were talking, the Holy King’s Castle came into view.
A moat was dug around the Holy King’s Castle, and water was drawn from a nearby river.
The castle walls and the first floor were made of stone, while the second floor and above were made of wood.
Kirika and I disembarked from the hackney carriage and approached the Holy King’s Castle to observe it.
From the main street, the Holy King’s Castle appeared completely intact, but upon circling it, we saw that part of the wall had collapsed and several turrets had been burned down, showing scars of battle.
Even after walking around the perimeter, Espana Imperial Army soldiers were heavily guarding the gate, and it seemed impossible to enter.
Further on, we saw a crowd of people, so I asked them what they were looking at.
“Excuse me. What are all of you looking at?”
“Can you see that wall over there… with the stains on it?”
“Yes, there are several stains on the white wall.”
“Those are the marks left after the Holy King and the rest of the Holy Royal family were executed and put on display.”
Come to think of it, Alicia’s report also mentioned that the entire Holy Royal family was exterminated and displayed, and it seems this was the place.
Even Kirika, usually so outspoken, silently offered a prayer.
The suspended bodies were put on display for several days before being thrown into a hole in a corner of the Holy King’s Castle’s northern garden.
After piling up the dirt, only a rough stone was carelessly placed there as a tombstone…
“How anticlimactic…”
Kirika murmured softly, a short distance from the crowd.
“I was suddenly restrained one morning and put in a palanquin… I was then taken to the altar of Ji’u-sama, made to change into sacrificial maiden’s attire… but in the end, I survived while the others passed away first… such is karma.”
I could not possibly fathom the emotions swirling within Kirika’s heart.
“As expected, the Holy King’s Castle is heavily guarded, so it seems difficult to enter. Shall we go to the detached palace where Kirika lived next?”
“Understood. But it’s a long distance from here, so we’ll need to find a hackney carriage.”
“I’ll leave it to you, Kirika.”
Kirika and I left the Holy King’s Castle and hailed another hackney carriage to head to the detached palace. However, while one might imagine a proper building for a detached palace, it was actually a small, rustic hermitage in a remote mountain village on the outskirts of the Great Forest Zone, hardly resembling a royal residence.
“I imagined a proper mansion of a certain scale when you mentioned a detached palace…”
“Well, it can’t be helped… this hermitage, which is falsely called a detached palace, was a prison for my deceased mother and myself…”
Kirika’s mother was a beautiful dancer called a Shirabyoshi from a remote island nation at the end of the Eastern Nations.
Her circumstances were similar to those of my mother, Shakura.
When she performed in the Kamiyar Holy Nation, she became renowned and caught the ear of the Holy King. She was summoned for night duty, eventually granted the status of consort, and gave birth to Kirika. However, she was disliked by the legitimate queen and was half-imprisoned here.
Kirika herself rarely ventured beyond the vicinity of this residence, and her rare talent as a summoner was seen as heretical.
This is likely why her hobby, like changing costumes, is introverted.
Incidentally, Ly, who knew her to some extent, apparently did so because Kirika’s talent as a summoner was undeveloped when she made her debut in high society, and she was presented as a pawn for a political marriage.
In other words, although she briefly appeared on the public stage, she quickly retreated.
Hearing all this, Kirika seems to have had a life of great ups and downs.
Since Kirika was sacrificed as a sacrificial maiden, no one had lived in this detached palace, and the Espana Imperial Army soldiers were not monitoring it.
In fact, they would not have realized that this dilapidated hermitage, built in such a remote location, was once the residence of someone connected to the Holy Royal family.
The roof was thatched, and parts of it were moss-covered, with weeds growing here and there, giving it a rustic charm or simply making it look very old.
It was a single-story wooden building with wooden shutters for the windows and entrance.
Although ornamental trees were planted in the garden, part of the grounds had been cultivated, and vegetables appeared to have been grown there.
“Well, I think it’s quite charming this way, isn’t it?”
“I didn’t particularly like it… but to be able to visit again… brings back some sense of nostalgia.”
The two of them then proceeded through a narrow path that led to the gate, where the hedge surrounding the hermitage, which was slightly shorter than their height, was broken, and entered the grounds.
Weeds grew sparsely, but traces of Kirika’s life were evident everywhere.
“There are still edible vegetables left in the vegetable garden…”
“Did you grow this garden, Kirika?”
“Yes, you are correct! …Or rather, that’s what I’d like to say, but there was a former maid in attendance to the main queen who served as my attendant, or rather, my supervisor.”
The garden was small, so we quickly reached the entrance of the hermitage.
“When I lived here, the key to the entrance was hidden here.”
Kirika searched behind a raccoon figurine placed next to the entrance and found the key.
“It seems the location of the key hasn’t changed.”
Then, inserting the key into the keyhole of the wooden shutter to the entrance and fiddling with it, the ill-fitting shutter finally opened.
“There’s a knack to opening this shutter. Now, let me guide you inside.”
Thus, Kirika and I entered the abandoned house, known as the detached palace.
Thank you for reading.
episode16-3 , Mimic, has been scheduled for publication on May 23rd at 0:00.
