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As we got closer to the Capital City, the speed of the cargo cart gradually slowed down. The line heading towards the Capital City was growing longer, filling the broad avenue. There were people like me riding cargo carts, and I even spotted a luxurious carriage that seemed to belong to a noble.

“Move aside, move aside! Out of the way!”

In the middle of the wide avenue, a single carriage dashed by quickly. Unlike the cargo cart I was riding, it had a pristine roof and was pulled by two horses. The carriage didn’t slow down, as if expecting everyone to get out of its way.

“Whoa, what the—! Cough.”

A pedestrian who nearly got hit by the horse was about to shout curses but, upon seeing the noble emblem prominently emblazoned on the carriage, quickly lowered his head and hurried on. He knew there was no benefit in getting into conflict with a noble.

A wise decision. Although the double horse carriage didn’t seem to belong to a particularly powerful nobleman, still, a noble was a noble. What irritated me the most during the war wasn’t the Demon King’s army of monstrous creatures but the officers who only knew how to strut around like peacocks claiming to be nobles.

No wonder the saying “Our true enemy is the officers” spread among the soldiers.

Of course, the monstrous creatures brought equal death to both commoners and nobles, so that kind usually didn’t last long. The incompetent officers had a knack for taking good soldiers down with them when they died, which was the real issue.

Anyway, because of such experiences, I found myself feeling wary around nobles. The only exception was the down-to-earth and friendly Commander-in-Chief, who never flaunted his authority even towards common soldiers.

The noisy avenue grew quiet again as if it had never been busy. The glare of the sun shone on the weary faces of those walking towards the Capital City, leaving little room for annoyance at nature’s whims. People like me riding a cargo cart were merely part of the procession, while most had to struggle on foot, without even a cart to help them.

I glanced at the profile of a passerby. He had dark skin, a rarity in the Empire. But that wasn’t all. There were others: nomadic tribesmen exposing their upper bodies, beastmen with ears like animals, and even the rare sight of Easterners from the fringes of the continent.

“There are quite a few foreigners.”

The coachman chimed in on my mumblings.

“Indeed. Right now, the Capital City is bustling with immigrants and exotic races from all across the continent. It’s like a melting pot of races.”

“I hear that sounds problematic.”

“Oh, certainly. The broke ones threaten the Empire’s peace from the bottom, while the wealthy ones take jobs away from honest citizens. They’re like parasites, draining the Empire’s lifeblood. If any of those foreign races tried to board my cart, I’d give them a proper beating.”

“Hmm.”

That wasn’t the problem I was hinting at. Uncomfortable with the conversation, I crossed my arms and nodded absentmindedly.

With just that simple gesture, the coachman seemed to get increasingly passionate about how foreign races inflicted harm upon the Empire, how they made it hard for honest citizens to live, and eventually, how all foreigners and exotic races should be chased out of the Empire.

I paid little attention to the coachman’s rant, distractedly enjoying the scenery outside the cart.

Eventually, the cargo cart arrived at one of the gates of the Capital City. Though it was just one of many gates, the crowds of people gathered there were so numerous that it seemed impossible to count them. I doubted I would get through the line that day, even if I waited until tomorrow.

Having already paid for the cart fare, I jumped down without delay. Just then, the coachman, unloading cargo from the cart, shouted loudly after me.

“Hey, wait! Sir!”

“Hmm?”

“Are you looking for an inn? As you can see, the Capital is swarming with outsiders, making it tough to find a room. If you’re struggling to find a place to stay, you should go here.”

The coachman chuckled as he slipped a small piece of paper into my hand. When I unfolded it, it read, “District 21, Red Bear Inn.”

“A hidden gem in the Capital? The rooms are clean, but especially the drinks are delicious. I just feel like we’re on the same wavelength, so I wanted to let you in on it. Well then.”

I watched as the coachman hopped back into the cart and drove off.

An inn recommended by a racist isn’t exactly on my list of places to stay. With a reluctant face, I slipped the paper into my pocket. It wouldn’t hurt to know about it, I suppose.

I had no intentions of waiting in that long line. Yet, I couldn’t just walk into the special gate reserved for nobles.

I shifted my gaze to a small, unnoticeable entrance at the corner of the gate that would be easy to miss if you weren’t careful. It must be the staff entrance that the soldiers used for coming and going.

The small side door was indeed frequented by a couple of people slipping in and out, but two armed soldiers were standing guard at the entrance.

As I approached the entrance, one soldier spoke in a threatening tone.

“Halt! Only authorized personnel can enter here. You look like a soldier in uniform, so if you have no business, you should use the main gate.”

Just then, the other soldier next to him slapped the first soldier on the back of the head.

Whack! The blow was so powerful it nearly knocked his helmet off, leaving the first soldier bewildered as he looked at his partner, who paid him no mind and instead came to me with a perfect Imperial salute.

“Glory to the Empire! Welcome, Captain. I am Gillem Roxon of the Capital City Gendarmerie.”

“Is the other one a rookie?”

“I apologize. He’s only been on duty for three days, so this is the first time he’s acted like that. I’ll make sure to train him properly later.”

“If it’s his first time, he might not know. I appreciate the diligence.”

“Thank you, sir! You too, hurry and greet him.”

“Th-thank you, Captain.”

As if finally understanding the situation, the new recruit adjusted his helmet and bowed low. I merely nodded in acknowledgement and took out the duty transfer request from my pocket, handing it to Gillem. He took the document politely with both hands.

“Transfer to Philion Academy… Subject: Captain Ion Graham. Confirmed. Welcome to the Capital City, Captain Graham.”

“Ah, good work.”

Having a rank definitely has its perks. If I hadn’t been discharged as planned or if the Kalstein Marquis hadn’t preserved my rank, I would’ve been stuck waiting in that long line.

In fact, just showing my rank would’ve generally gotten me through, but it felt better to show the order and avoid any unnecessary awkwardness.

Once through the entrance and inside the Capital, I was met with an overwhelming sight. The streets, carved of pure white marble, were lined with shops and merchants selling all sorts of goods, from spices and fabrics to weapons and armor.

The merchants loudly called out to potential customers, their faces bursting with energy while a vibrant blend of races and backgrounds filled the bustling yet colorful scenery of the Capital.

“Whoa.”

They say the first impression you get when entering a city lasts, and my first impression of the Capital was ‘splendor.’ The sunlight reflecting off the marble illuminated the street in a way that stirred echoes of emotions long dulled by war.

Indeed, after living in a place like this, one is bound to miss it when they return to the countryside.

But impressions aside, there were things I needed to do. I lifted my gaze, and from far away, I could see indigo darkness beginning to creep into the sunset-lit sky. The sun would be setting soon. It would be awkward to visit the Academy at this hour, so I decided tonight I should focus on finding a place to stay.

Though I had gotten an address from the Kalstein Marquis, asking me to visit upon arriving at the Capital, I had no intention of going there. It was obvious that his mansion bore the mark of nobility, luxurious and overwhelming. After all, I could sleep soundly on a rough stone floor during the war, so a shabby inn would surely suffice for a single night.

But perhaps I underestimated the Capital.

“Looking for a room? None, zero! Go look somewhere else.”

“Is there any room left in a place this crowded? We can give you food, but no beds.”

“Trying to find a room at this time? That’ll be tough… how about checking District 4? That area caters to nobles, so they might have some vacancies. Of course, it’ll be very expensive.”

“……”

No matter how many inns I searched, there were no available rooms. The Capital was vast, and though I might find a place if I searched thoroughly, the sun was already setting, and the lights of magical lamps were igniting one by one in the streets. If I didn’t find a room soon, I might end up sleeping outside on the streets.

Given the situation, I thought about staying at the Gendarmerie’s quarters… no, wait. What would the Gendarmerie think if a captain came looking for a place to stay for a night because he couldn’t find a room? I couldn’t let that happen. That would seriously affect my pride.

“…I guess I have no choice.”

I checked the paper the coachman had given me. “District 21, Red Bear Inn.” District 21 was on the outskirts of the Capital, so it couldn’t be too far from here. Besides, I would only be staying for one night, so it should be fine.

District 21 could hardly be described as clean. True to the characteristics of the Capital, the further I got from the gate and main road, the worse the safety became, and District 21 was situated somewhere between the bustling area and the poor district.

A place where struggling lower-class workers and day laborers gathered to make ends meet. It felt like life was present here, but there was a nagging feeling that I shouldn’t be walking these streets late at night.

The Red Bear Inn sat right in the middle of District 21. A place where hard-working individuals, living day to day, gathered to clink a pint of beer and wrap up the day. The name and appearance of the Red Bear Inn exuded just that kind of atmosphere.

So I never expected it. The moment I pushed the door open and entered.

“Welcome! Is this your first time here?”

 

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