The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom: Part 1

“I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to that…”

While the Captain obviously wanted Sea Giants to be stronger, the important thing now was the sort of treatment these Frost Giants faced in the Sorcerous Kingdom.

Were they treated as friends, enslaved with force, or were they paid for their services in a mutually beneficial relationship?

There was no way to tell from the forms of the silently laboring Giants.

Still, it would seem these Giants are excellent laborers. The Holy Kingdom has worked with demihumans in the past, but if they expanded the scope of that, it could do many more things. Of course, the Holy Kingdom would never do that.

While there were races such as the Mermen, with whom the Holy Kingdom had a long history of mutual cooperation, the memories of war with demihumans still remained, so such a thing would never be accepted.

Had the Sorcerous Kingdom only accepted Giants? Or did it also take in other strange races? If she encountered demihumans here similar to the ones who had attacked the Holy Kingdom, could she rein in the anger within her heart?

No, if I don’t control myself…

For instance, what would happen if she met a Snakeman here? It would be a Snakeman who came from a land far removed from the Holy Kingdom, living in peace with humans in this nation. Perhaps it might not be possible to use an emotional appeal to dissuade the others from showing hostility, but given the present circumstances, they would have to do just that.

Neia looked uneasily at Remedios’s back.

Could she do it?

She mentally shook her head. Worrying about Remedios like that was very rude. She was the leader of this diplomatic party, and she was working to save the country. She could certainly do that much. Such concerns were were being disrespectful to her.

“Can we just enter like that? How about going in through another gate?”

The gates might be open, but the Giants were working. She was worried about whether they would mind the passing of the humans at their feet.

“We’ll go in like this. If word gets out that the Hoy Kingdom’s emissaries went in through another door because they were afraid of Giants, everyone who knows will laugh at us.”

“...Understood. Then we shall obey your instructions, Captain.”

And so, the group advanced toward the gates.

Fortunately, the Giants took a look at them and then stopped their work for a while, allowing them to pass without incident. Neia felt that this was less goodwill towards humans than a mysterious sentiment towards visitors to the Sorcerous Kingdom.

Normally, they would have been stopped outside the gates, but since they had sent someone to announce them, they were ushered in by human soldiers who looked like street guards, and the group passed through the gates, under the light of magical lanterns. Their illumination was distinctly different from that of the sun, and the trained warhorse harrumphed uneasily under their radiance.

“Welcome to E-Rantel, city of the Sorcerous Kingdom. Is this your first time visiting here, honored paladins?”

“Ahh, yes.”

“I see. Then, I beg your pardon, but can you please dismount?”

This was probably a luggage check, Neia thought. While it was somewhat inconsiderate to conduct one on people calling themselves emissaries from another nation, they were justified in doing so

There was no protest as the group got off their horses and obeyed the instructions to “Walk this way please,” which brought them to a huge door beside the gates.

Going by common sense, this ought to be a side tower, a combination of troop barracks and a defense base.

“Please enter here. This city is different from the cities of the Kingdom and the Empire in that it possesses all manner of different locations within, so first time visitors will have to attend a workshop in the room ahead.”

“A workshop?”

“Yes. This is to minimize unnecessary disturbances. Only people who have attended this lecture may enter the city. What say you?”

They had come all this way, so obviously they could not refuse the request to attend. While it was to be expected, Remedios’s answer was a definite “Yes.”

“Then, may I request that you give your weapons into our safekeeping?”

Naturally, they could not refuse that, but just as naturally, Remedios had a put-upon look on her face.

Remedios’s sword was a divine treasure of the Holy Kingdom. Just by bearing it, she would not even need to kneel before the Holy King. She could not surrender such a treasure before even meeting the king of the realm, and after hearing that much, the soldier nodded in understanding.