112 – City of Adventurers #2
When the city gates first opened, we were greeted by a government official from City Hall.
However, when he saw the unrecognizable evidence of the imperial family that he had hidden eyes in the party, he became contemplative and committed blasphemy by running away after leaving the words ‘Please wait for a while’ in front of the princess.
And after a while, the mayor of the city rushed out to the gates himself.
“hahahaha, I didn’t know that Her Highness, the 3rd princess, would be here. If she had known this in advance, she would have prepared a grand party.”
“This is strange. Didn’t the academy send you a letter in advance?”
“Well, that was only a week ago… Wouldn’t it take enough time to move from Jedo to here on horseback? I never thought it would be this fast… Oh, great! Is this the rumored airship? I see, you were able to come so quickly when you rode something like this! Thanks to that, the city was saved, so it is truly a blessing from the goddess!”
The mayor laughs exaggeratedly and tries to change the topic. He was embarrassed in front of Elizabeth all the time, wiping the sweat off his greasy face with a towel.
On the other hand, Elisabeth showed no emotion at all, only slightly lifting her red lips to create a well-made smile. Of course, from the outside, she just looked like a benevolent princess.
“Parties are fine. But I would appreciate it if you give us a place to rest.”
“Yes, yes, of course! We will make you a room in the best accommodation in the city.”
“If you do, thank you. Please, Mayor Roman.”
“Oops, no words! If it’s what Her Highness, the 3rd princess said, of course it should be. Why don’t you stand and talk in a place like this? Let’s eat inside. First, I will guide you to City Hall.
Mayor Roman looked at Elisabeth while bending his waist at 90 degrees.
From that figure, I could see how strong the imperial family’s power was. Even so, I didn’t feel a bit excessive.
Gwynn opened her mouth curiously.
“Market? Isn’t the highest person in the city an ordinary lord?”
“That’s because Schwarzheim is under direct control of the Empire.”
Schurtz raised his glasses and said to Gwynn.
“Originally, Schwarzheim had a different name before the war, and it was a territory ruled by a noble family. However, the city was destroyed because it could not handle the undead pouring in from the Ionian Kingdom, and the lord evacuated to the islands with his family.”
“Huh? Will that work?”
“It’s not that the law says it can’t be done, but it’s something to be criticized as a noble. He could not protect his own territory and fled dishonorably. Well, since the opponent is the demon lord, there is room for extenuating circumstances for that lord, but….”
Shurtz cleared his throat briefly and continued.
“Anyway, after the war, the restoration of the city was carried out under the leadership of the imperial family, who felt the need to restore the borders. Later, the lord’s family claimed ownership of the city, but of course the imperial family couldn’t acknowledge it. That’s how the border city was created with the new name Schwarzheim.”
Schurz pointed his chin at the flattering mayor, always sticking to Elizabeth’s side.
“That’s why I’m so low-key. If you are a lord, the city is your land anyway, so there is nothing to be embarrassed about, but the mayor is just a position appointed by the administrative office. If you hate the imperial family, you’re the mayor and there’s no such thing as that.”
“Um, I see…” .”
Gwynn nodded his head at Schurz’s words, then looked around for a moment and said.
“By the way… Why aren’t people only watching us?”
“Isn’t that obvious? They appeared in an airship from the sky and were part of a group of people who saved the city. Even if it’s strange, I’ll go blind.”
“No, it’s not like that… How come the gaze is not serious….”
Gwynn was right. Because I’ve been feeling it since before.
With more than 200 people passing by, it is natural to draw attention, but nonetheless, the eyes of the citizens showed the same emotion.
It was desperate. They were looking this way as if we were the only saviors. No matter how much I drove out the undead army, it was a gaze that felt a bit excessive.
Then an old woman cut in front of us. She was right in front of the market to be exact.
“Mayor! Mayor, please… !”
While everyone was embarrassed, the old woman knelt down in front of Mayor Roman, weeping bitterly.
“Please help my daughter! Those freaks took my daughter away! Please, please save my daughter… !”
“What! I’m not dragging you away right now, what are you doing!”
“Oh, yep!”
“Mayor, Mayor… ! Aww! Are you still the mayor of this city-!”
The guards escorting the mayor dragged the woman roughly. She burst into tears and grabbed the hem of the mayor’s clothes, but in the end she couldn’t escape being dragged away.
The atmosphere around me became even heavier. While the students panicked, Mayor Roman smiled brazenly as if nothing had happened and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“Heh heh, something unpleasant happened. Follow me. I will guide you.”
“… What was that just about?”
“This is a malicious complaint. Things like that were widespread in the city. You don’t have to worry too much.”
While the students were frozen, the expressions of the city’s citizens who were watching the scene were calm.
No, rather, it was as if he was seeing the expected result. A clear hostility was felt in the eyes of the citizens watching the mayor.
Anyway, the state of the city seemed dire. Much more than it appears on the surface.
I took a black cloth from a nearby fabric store and threw a silver coin at the merchant. The merchant smiled brightly and approached Instructor Lilya while leaving behind the coin.
“I will visit the city for a while.”
“Yes? Instructor Graham, can’t you-“
“It is not dangerous. And I will be right back.”
Instructor Lilya looked up at me with worried eyes and asked.
“… Do you really need to come back soon?”
I nodded her head at her and wrapped her black cloth around her body like a robe.
After pressing the cloth tightly to hide the face, it hid all of its presence without making any sound.
“What? Instructor Ion, where did you go?”
“You were here a while ago… Strange?”
Leaving behind the panicking voices of the students, I quickly disappeared into the alleyway.
***
The current situation in the city was nothing special.
I could sneak in overhear the swearing and laments of life-weary citizens, and if that wasn’t enough, I could get a little more information by catching a few gangsters in the back alley.
The current situation of Schwarzheim that I found out in that way could only be expressed in words.
Anyway, since we’ve got all the information we want, we head back to City Hall. It was much more convenient to enter through the window than to go through the hassle of checking in at the front door.
It was easy to find where the students were. It was because something loud was coming from upstairs.
I went straight upstairs to find the students.
Marian, who found me, said with a puzzled expression.
“Instructor Ion? Where the hell have you been? No, and how did you get in?”
“No big deal. But why is it so noisy?”
“Right now, the mayor and Red Garnet’s instructors are talking inside. However….”
I didn’t have to listen to Marian’s explanation until the end.
From noble mtl dot com
Instructor Lirya’s voice resonated loudly even outside.
“What are you talking about! There is not a single horse in the city!”
“It is as I have been saying all along. The city’s horse has been suffering from a disease for several days, so it is not possible to provide a suitable means of transportation for 200 people.”
“… Great. Then I will give up the carriage and move on foot. Then it won’t matter, right?”
“Oops, that’s actually… The only bridge connecting the city was cut a few days ago by an undead attack. To go to the islands, you have to go around the river or cross the Ionian border.”
“Are all the carpenters who will be repairing the bridge sent to repair the walls?”
“Exactly.”
“Then I will buy a boat. You wouldn’t say you don’t even have a boat, would you?”
“I’m really sorry, but in fact, all the boats anchored in the river were damaged during the raid. As I said, carpenters are-“
“This doesn’t work, neither does that… ! Then you’re telling me to stay in the city!”
In the drawing room, an argument between Instructor Lyria and the mayor continued.
To be precise, the mayor just continued talking like an excuse, and the only one who got angry unilaterally was Instructor Lilya.
“Ummm, but we sent Zeggler, so reinforcements should arrive soon. Why don’t you stay in the city until then?”
“You mean in this place where you never know when the undead will strike again? No! I can’t put my students at risk! They’re not combat personnel! We will leave the city as soon as possible!”
“Even if you say that, the situation is not easy. And if it’s a combatant, isn’t it? Well, I heard that there is a very great warrior….”
“… Even so, there is no reason for us to risk our lives! The dangers of the city are really pitiful, but we just got caught up in it somehow!”
“Now, now. Instructor Lyria. Calm down… Didn’t you see Instructor Graham fighting? First of all, there is some truth in what the mayor said….”
“Instructor Haiger really talks like a stranger! It’s Instructor Graham who fights for his life! Then how about fighting Instructor Haiger himself!?”
“Oh, no… I’m not saying that… !”
Um….
I don’t know if it’s okay to keep listening to this.
Anyway, the conversation continued a little longer, but the parallel lines continued without a clear conclusion.
In the end, it was Instructor Lilya who took the seat first.
“You really don’t understand! I cannot agree that the people at the academy are at risk, including students and instructors!”
“Instructor Lyra!”
Boom!
I met eyes with Instructor Lilya who opened the door of the drawing room and came out.
She looked puzzled for a moment, but then quickly walked down the aisle to the other side of her.
I asked, catching up with her as she walked hard.
“Are you okay?”
“… Did you hear everything I said?”
“Not all. Because it came a little while ago.”
“Then you have heard everything. Ha….”
Instructor Lilya paused in the hallway and looked around her.
After confirming that there were only two people, Instructor Lyria and I, I carefully lowered my voice.
“I don’t understand the market’s attitude. They’re using various excuses to keep us from leaving the city. Do you really want us to fight instead of the city guards?”
“It could be that dangerous, right?”
“But, it makes no sense… ! This is Schwarzheim! City of adventurers! It is the place with the most master-class, S-class adventurers on the continent, but no matter how many undead there are, they can’t last for just a few days when support comes?”
Instructor Lilya’s thoughts made sense.
No matter how terrifying the undead are, even if they brought siege weapons with them.
Considering that most of them were lower-class undead, it is also true that the city was being helpless to the extent that it was incomprehensible. As if the adventurers were rarely involved in battle.
This is Schwarzheim, the city of adventurers.
It is a place where pros who are good at catching monsters in the world, especially the undead, are scattered.
“Maybe so.”
“Yes?”
I calmly explained what I saw in the city to Instructor Lyria.
“The majority of adventurers in the city have declared a strike.”