## Chapter 678 – The Capital

As expected from the lake, the journey to the capital was scorching hot. Every time we stopped at a city, I’d get caught by them, drained all day, and then we’d set off again the next morning.

It was a luxurious 1:7 ratio.

Liz noona kept saying things like it was vulgar and unbelievable, but she was the most enthusiastic about shaking her hips. I could tell this was exactly her taste.

Anyway, I promised to go see the Saintess quickly, but I might be late.

That can’t happen.

“Hurry up, you fucking bastards.”

ㅡGrrrr.
ㅡKrr, krr.

Il-ryong and I-ryong were just silently doing their jobs. I was worried they might get exhausted since they were faster than regular horses, but as Karin said, they were tough. These bastards are really competent. They’re specialists dedicated to pulling things.

So, all my cursing is just affection.

ㅡRustle.

Looking at the map, it was clear we were moving smoothly.

We only took the main roads leading to the capital, so there weren’t any attacks from bandits or highwaymen. Small groups of monsters occasionally appeared, but Il-ryong’s roar took care of them all.

ㅡGaaah!

Well, not exactly “Gaaah!” but more like “Krrrl…!” When they opened their maws, the approaching monsters would all run away. These guys are drakes, after all. They’re also quite large, so even the bravest monsters wouldn’t easily attack.

More than anything, we only stayed in our rooms when we stopped at cities or went out to buy supplies, so there was no chance of trouble. Honestly, I was worried because if seven women travel together and they’re all pretty, the chances of trouble are high.

Like that bastard George Hailen last time.

That kind of trouble is a waste of time.

Anyway, I only used the main roads. It would be safer that way. I sometimes traveled with other merchants and diligently drove the carriage. The most important thing right now is getting to the capital. Since I’m getting my essence drained every time we rest, I need to move as efficiently as possible.

With that mindset, I kept driving the carriage.

* * *

It was about three weeks after I started driving the carriage.

“Huh? The road’s connected?”

Even after leaving the city where we had rested for a day, there was a stone road laid out. A flat road outside the city, in the suburbs.

It was even quite clean, as if it was well-maintained.

“Oh, shit.”

Does that mean we’re in the capital’s sphere of influence from around here? Karin and Winia said something similar yesterday… but it’s a vague memory, erased by moans.

Anyway, whether it was Isbant or Krasheim, or any of the cities I went to for work, they only had paved floors inside, not outside.

They were all dirt roads.

The capital really is something else. If the road is this well-maintained, the carriage’s speed will increase. As proof, Il-ryong and I-ryong were marching at a faster pace than before.

ㅡCreak.

There are many other carriages ahead, and a few are following behind.

The traffic itself is different from around here.

Besides that, there were pedestrians on the sidewalks on both sides. Although those were dirt roads. And in the distance, fields and paddies began to appear.

“Hehehe.”

I drove the carriage, feeling the ambiance of ancient Rome. After driving the carriage for three weeks straight, I felt like an expert. It’s actually more comfortable than walking.

How much further did we go? Something began to appear in front of us.

“What is it?”

Was it something like a post station?

There were a few buildings built there, and since it was next to the road, it seemed inevitable that we would pass by.

As we approached, a man in chainmail came up and held out his hand.

“Carriage toll, 50 coppers.”

What the hell is he talking about?

“There’s a toll?”
“What?”

He looked puzzled for a moment.

“…You must be from out of town. Isn’t it obvious that you have to pay a toll to use such a wonderful road? This is the law of the kingdom. The carriage toll is 50 coppers, so pay up and go.”

What the hell, is this a toll road?

“I see.”

But it made sense.

The road was so well-maintained that I hadn’t thought about it, but of course, it takes a lot of money to build a road like this, and there are maintenance costs too.

They wouldn’t let us use it for free, so they’d collect money.

Everyone would want to use the road to get there faster, so it was only natural.

“Here you go.”

I immediately took out ten 5-copper coins from my wallet and handed them to him.
I decided to ask him something I was curious about.

“By the way, what do you call these facilities?”
“We just call them gates.”
“How many are there to the capital?”
“Including this one, there are five in total.”

What the fuck.

That means it costs 2.5 silver just to get to the capital. But it’s not just the capital, there must be many other cities inside.

Looking from here, the road is connected in all directions. The signs are also written in a friendly way. They even sell food, so it felt like a rest stop.

“Keep the fee in mind.”

The man in chainmail said that and approached the carriage behind us. I immediately drove the carriage towards the capital.

A few hours later, the sunset covered the world as the sun set.

Looking ahead, the carriage in front of us went off the road and parked there, starting a fire. The carriages behind us did the same.

Since everyone was doing that, it must be the rule here.

There were still carriages moving, but those who were going to sleep would come out of the road and start a fire. There were so many people that the security seemed good.

I also drove the carriage off the road.

ㅡCrumble.
ㅡKrr, krr.

“Eat some weeds.”

I immediately opened the lid of the water bottle attached to the side of the carriage, held it to Il-ryong’s mouth, and went to the back to open the door.

“Let’s sleep here tonight.”
“Ugh, we’re finally out of the road. Good job, Blackie.”
“Hehehe, yeah.”

Starting with Winia, my wives, wearing coats, came out in slippers and stretched.

We started a fire, ate, brushed our teeth, washed our faces, and went inside the carriage. Let’s sleep and leave early tomorrow morning.

* * *

Finally, we arrived at the capital.

“Finally…!”

A huge fortress wall began to appear in the distance. No lie, the capital was different from Isbant from the atmosphere itself. The bright-colored fortress wall was very magnificent, and at the same time, it stretched out long to the left and right.

“Damn.”

It was really huge. I wondered how they built something like that, and the carriages were lined up long.

It was so tall that I was overwhelmed.

ㅡThump, thump.

This… it’s so different from where I used to play that I’m getting nervous. Now I have to go to the Great Temple in that big city.

To the headquarters of the Brass Holy Angel Order.

“Ah.”

Of course, Demon King Kim Kat doesn’t get scared. The fortress wall is tall, but I’m someone who used to live in an apartment. No matter how developed the most advanced city in this world is, it can’t match a modern city.

As I slowly drove the carriage towards the fortress gate.

“No, what the fuck. What is that?”

The fortress gate was also huge, but that wasn’t what surprised me.

ㅡGggk.
ㅡKug.

An obese giant, almost 3 meters tall, stood proudly, covered in angular armor, and watched the carriages entering and exiting. He was also very wide from side to side, and just looking at his size, he was a crazy bastard who looked like he was very good at killing. Those guys don’t think of people as people. They just think of them as meat to be minced like pork cutlet.

“Crazy.”

Could it be that the capital also uses such murderous giants as soldiers?

No, but I haven’t really heard of a race called giants.

His cool helmet had wings, and instead of eye holes or breathing holes on his face, there was some kind of magical pattern engraved.

“There are no eye holes or breathing holes?”

How does he see in front… Ah, could that be a golem?

ㅡGggk.
ㅡKug.

It slowly moved only its head and watched the carriages. Of course, the soldiers were also doing inspections.

“Hmm.”

If you put such a big golem as a guard, there would be no one to mess with you.

Thinking that, I waited for my turn.

“What is your business?”

A soldier came up and said.
It would be good to reveal my identity right away here.

I took off the cloak that was covering the armor’s emblem and handed him the pre-prepared quasi-priest certificate.

“Kim Kat, a quasi-priest of the Brass Holy Angel Order. My business is visiting the Great Temple.”
“A quasi-priest of the Brass Holy Angel Order?”

The soldier who received the ID card began to examine me. But what should I say if they ask what’s in the carriage?

Would a quasi-priest traveling with seven women be a little suspicious?

While I was thinking that, another soldier came up and hit him on the head.

ㅡPow!

“Aah!”
“Hey, hey. You still haven’t memorized the emblem?”
“Ah, no!”
“He’s a member of the Brass Holy Angel Order, you stupid bastard. Just write down his name and purpose and let him through. You can tell just by looking at the armor, what are you doing?”
“Ah, I understand! P, please enter!”

Sweet, a high pass.

I immediately drove the carriage inside. The religious power is strong, but it’s really strong. They just let me through by looking at the armor’s emblem and the ID card.

In other words, my backing is that strong.

If I said “Paladin” instead of “quasi-priest,” I’d get a lot of authority that I didn’t have before. I was sure of it. I have to bury my bones in the Brass Holy Angel Order. If I have such a strong backer, living in the capital wouldn’t be a problem.

“Oh.”

That’s how Kim Kat entered the capital.

“Damn.”

The inside was… beyond imagination. I had a rough idea when I saw the fortress wall, but the capital was already more than Isbant from the entrance. The buildings are taller, more luxurious, and more sophisticated.

The floor was also very well-paved, and there were a lot of pedestrians.

ㅡCivilization.

This was really civilization.

“Come this way!”
“How about our inn!”
“You can park your carriage! All large carriages are welcome!”

While I was looking around for a moment, touts rushed in from all directions and started soliciting customers to come to their inns.

“There, Mr. Mirkesha Warrior!! Your carriage is a bit big, don’t you need a place to park it!”
“Hmm.”

I definitely need to find a place to stay first.

I’ll have to get the Paladin investiture ceremony at the Great Temple first, take care of other miscellaneous tasks, and then find a house, so I’ll have to stay at an inn until then.

I parked the carriage appropriately near the fortress wall, following the carriage in front, got off, and opened the door. Let’s discuss what to do with my wives first. Karin and Winia’s opinions are essential.

“Ugh, we finally arrived.”

Karin, who came out first, started stretching.

Everyone came out next, and they all had very bright expressions.

“…It’s better than I thought?”

Liz noona was almost shining her eyes.

“Hoo, it’s quite nice, isn’t it.”
“It seems bigger than Isbant.”

Risha and Claudia also had interesting expressions.

“Heung, this is the biggest of the human cities, right?”

Hilde also seemed to be having fun.

“Father…”
“Oh, yeah, Aria.”

But Aria didn’t know much and just came and clung to me.
As soon as I hugged her shoulder, Winia said.

“Good job, Blackie. We made it. What do you think, should we find an inn first?”
“I was going to. But I don’t know where to go. It’s my first time in the capital, so I don’t know the geography.”
“That’s true. Then we’ll have to find out for a while.”

First of all, it has to be a place with a big room and a place to park the carriage.

“It seems really nice.”

Liz noona kept looking around.
Her face was slightly flushed, and she seemed to have high expectations.

“Kyahh, look at this year’s eyes getting bigger. Is it your first time in the capital? Master of the Martial Arts Guild?”
“Ugh…! I, I have nothing to say about this! Karin, you said you were from the Royal Knights…!”
“It’s very different from our country bumpkin.”
“Eek…! Shut up! Kat, you! Come here and take my side!”

She blushed and screamed, embarrassed.

“Hehehe, don’t fight. Anyway, Karin noona. Do you have an inn to recommend? I think we should park the carriage and unpack first.”
“There’s a good place. Then I’ll drive from here. Go inside for a while.”
“Okay.”

I immediately got on the carriage. Let’s find an inn, unpack, and rest. We can go to the Great Temple tomorrow.