51 Is everything going well at the moment?

I look up at the sky as the carriage rocks.

The blue of the clear sky is a little dazzling, but it doesn't make me feel bad.

After passing through the forest road and the Tarz, we are now traveling through the plain of the Ghanaian territory.

I was expecting to have to go through some kind of formalities when I passed the border on the way, but surprisingly nothing happened.

I guessed that Raheit, who had been doing a lot of dark work here and there, might be related to the Scarlet Demon King, and my goal was to gather information in Garnets, where the Demon King had once appeared, but I didn't find anything that looked like a clue.

If I may say so, the new king of Garne is ruling at a revolutionary pace, which seems to be unique in history.

That's why I'm going to visit Gurne, while keeping my title as a candidate for Tarz's high priest.

And here are the members who are following me on this journey.

First, there is Ilias, who continues to stand by as an escort, and I have nothing to say about her.

Next is Wolfe, who I had the option of leaving behind, but I couldn't leave him home alone.

So I had to bring Lakra, this guy.

He was the first person we should not have taken with us, and the reason why we had to leave Wolfe under surveillance, but unfortunately, the need arose.

It's the possession of a spirit with an automatic translation function that I'm currently indebted to, and its maintenance.

Maja has been developing and replenishing the magic power to maintain the possession, but she is the Archbishop of Taze and could not take him out to Garne.

I thought about asking him to replenish the magic for a month at a time, but he said it would be too risky to give more than a certain amount of magic to a body without a shred of magic.

I tried to get Ilias to learn how to do it, but it was a difficult procedure, and only Lakra was able to acquire it by the time we left.

Ilias also learned how to replenish the supply, but since he was a gorilla who did not know how to take it easy, there was a possibility that he would burst like a balloon if he was not careful, so he gave up.

Wolfe came close, but unfortunately fell short of the mark.

That's why we decided to take Ilias and Lakra with us, and since we didn't want to leave Wolfe alone, we ended up taking Wolfe with us.

In the end, the usual four members of the Ilias family all headed for Garn.

However, there was one more roommate on this trip.

"Hey!　We'll be in Gurne soon!　Can you hear me, my friend?

The woman with the short cut barking at me in a ridiculously loud voice even at close range, her name is Mixu-Taze.

I'm not sure if you've heard of it or not, but I'm sure you've heard of it.

She is said to be an outstanding person who is both literate and skilled, and even when the previous king tried to choose Marito as his successor, many people from the Mixu faction protested.

However, Mixu had a fierce respect for Marito, and he immediately gave up his position to silence the Mixu faction.

Although he was second in rank after Marito, he left the kingdom as soon as Marito became king, and after that he made a name for himself as a talented adventurer.

As a result, Marito's ascension to the throne was solidified.

Mixu, whose whereabouts have always been unknown, was recently captured and is now traveling with Marito as his second guard.

Incidentally, when he heard Marito's request, he agreed to it, saying that he would give his life to be his brother's only friend.　"I hear you, Mix.

"I can hear you, Mix, but your voice is too loud for me to hear you.

"Again!

Mixu slaps me on the back in an amusing way, it hurts. 　

This is the first time in this world that I've interacted with a character who is always high strung. ...... Honestly, it's exhausting.

By the way, Mix is a wanderer, and he treats everyone the same, without any regard for their position.

I'm sure you've heard of it.

She's a good match for Wolfe, but she's a former princess in Iliad's eyes.

She can't keep her face up, and her high-pitched conversations keep her engrossed.

As a result, there are two limping people in the carriage, or three if you include myself, looking at the sky, wondering if Gernet is still there.

"My friend, are you not fond of carriages?　Sir Ratzel and Mister Lakra, please take your anti-sickness medicine!

He's intoxicated with you. Leave him alone.

Oh, my God!　Your friend is very good at seducing women!

You'll be smacked with an embarrassed look and a sly grin, ouch.

He's not as powerful as the Iliad, but he's made a name for himself, and that's no lie.

I think he's more powerful than Godz.

If I were to describe him in terms of noisiness, I would say he is a positive chimpanzee.

I had always prided myself on being a strong member of the group, but I had never expected to see an even stronger one.

Aside from that, the mainland of Ghanaians can be seen from a certain distance.

In a word, it's huge. The mainland of Tarz is surrounded by a huge wall, but Ghane has none.

There are some magnificent walls around the castle in the center, but beyond that, there are only small walls built like partitions at regular intervals.

The reason why they don't have a wall to protect their land from foreign enemies is because the Ghanaian nation, which exists in a vast plain, is still expanding its territory.

In terms of size alone, it is five times the size of Tarz's homeland.

There is no limit to the number of houses, fields, and homes you can see from one end of the field to the other.

There is a huge river in the center, and you can see huge bridges and boats moving along the river.

The scenery in the foreground is a group of people working on a construction project.

It looks like they're expanding their territory step by step, but how many layers are there?

The castle's walls have been removed to make seven layers, and since the previous king had five layers, the expansion has been completed in two stages.

You mean to say that the territory created by history has been increased by 40% in a few years, that's great.

I walked straight ahead until I came to a simple wooden gate, where I completed the entry procedures.

From the first level to the fourth level, where there is not even a basic wall, anyone can come and go as they please.

Most of the facilities are available in this area alone, and travelers come and go as they stay here.

The fifth level is a licensed commercial area, a special zone where credit transactions, including large-scale business, are allowed.

It is also home to a variety of industrial facilities and is a key area for Ghanaian industry.

The sixth layer is a military facility area with armories and stables.

The seventh layer is the wealthy area including the castle.

You might think that there would be regional disparities, but this is not the case, and the streets are similar up to the fourth level.

If I had to say, from the third level onwards, there are a lot of rather tasteful buildings, and you can see the scenery of renovation work being done each time.

The river that runs through the center of the city is pulled by many waterways, and seems to supply water to almost the entire area.

Although not as large as modern infrastructure, the scale is impressive.

In a situation where civilization is still in its infancy, there is no doubt that the availability of water sources is an important factor in the prosperity of a civilization.

After completing the formalities, we passed through the fifth level, where we could sense that Taze was a rural area.

There are many fine buildings, like Mr. Van's trading post, and neatly dressed merchants are hustling and bustling about.

If I had been wearing a suit, I would have thought that I had returned to the modern world.

The others were transfixed by this scene.

"It's huge!

I wonder if there will be any business conflicts with all these big trading houses lined up side by side.

"Of course it's happening, but Ghana is a meritocracy. It's a country where only those who can do business more skillfully survive. In the case of the Tarz, we can guarantee each other's territory to a certain extent, but in this case, we're competing for business space.

Hmmm, I feel an atmosphere similar to modern society.

I feel that you are way ahead of your time.

I get the impression that he is trying to stay ahead of the times, and that he is trying to keep the situation from spinning out of control. 　

However, as long as these things work together, Ghana will remain one of the world's leading commercial nations.

And then, with even more rigorous procedures, we head to the sixth layer.

This is ...... breathtaking.

There are also territories around Tarz Castle for each order of knights, and many of them are training.

But what we have here is an army.

The unbroken ranks, the resounding orders.

A multitude of soldiers in training, honing their skills and coordination.

"Don't forget, we're only training young men who've reached conscription age. Every single person of a certain age at every single level you've ever been to is a soldier who's been through this training!

"So in the event of an emergency, all of the people of Ghana will be able to pick up a weapon and face it with a certain level of leadership and skill. That's frightening.

Even the untrained eye can see that the knights are superior in terms of individual skill.

In fact, I think they might even win a one-on-one match.

However, we must not forget that the opponents that modern people say they can beat are basically superior to us, and we must not be conceited.

People who watch a boxing match on TV and complain, "Even an amateur can avoid that punch! You should see a professional's fist in action.

If you watch a boxing match on TV, you should see a professional boxer's fist in action. If you have a chance to spar with a professional boxer, you will realize how shallow your words are.

However, compared to a knight, you are certainly a lower rank.

However, against this number of knights, ordinary knights would be swallowed up by the violence of numbers without demonstrating their abilities.

"Can there be a thousand of them?

No, not the gorillas muttering beside me.

The Iliad will fight like a great warrior on a game screen.

Such a thing is no longer considered an individual force, but a disaster.

As I watched the swords, spears, and bows training in their respective neatly divided groups, we finally arrived at the 7th level.

The carriage stops and Mikus hands the letter to the guard.

With the words, "Wait a while," the carriage is dismounted and we are made to wait for about ten minutes.

Then the gate to the seventh level opens and a woman on a horse appears from behind.

The woman, who looked a bit like a cool beauty, got off her horse and greeted us.

I am the Minister of Ghane. My name is Lud Fain, Minister of Garn. I am the Minister of Garn, Ludfein. I will be your guide.

"I'm a young man, but I look forward to working with you, Mr. Ludfein.

While shaking his hand, I also greeted him.

I had heard that there would be someone in a certain position, but I was surprised that a minister would show up.

A minister is the head of each department that runs the country's politics.

Today, I would like to show you the lodgings and confirm the schedule for your stay. Please follow me as I show you around.

And so we proceeded with the carriage, riding alongside Mr. Ludfeuin.

The seventh level is the world of the wealthy and the aristocracy, literally lined with mansions.

Everything from the buildings to the bridges to the roads is a view worthy of luxury and splendor.

Normally, these mansions should be scattered all over the city, but I didn't expect them to be so densely packed around Garne Castle.

The nobles of Taze suddenly seem like provincial nobles, a mild culture shock.

Mr. Ludfein, how did the wealthy people living in this area get to this point in their lives?

The people who live in this area are merchants who own some of the best trading houses in Ghanaian, noblemen who own the land of other classes, and military men who have made great achievements in military affairs, and have made great achievements in developing this country. Some of the noble families have been around for generations, while some of the merchants and soldiers have risen in a single generation.

I've always imagined that aristocrats live in separate fiefdoms, but in this country, each class manages its own land.

It's like managing a condominium.

Are the criteria selected by ministers like Mr. Ludfeuin?

No, the approval of the King of Garnets is essential to qualify to live in this seventh level. In addition, there are some famous families that are deprived of their qualifications by the King of Garnets.

So those who have proven themselves worthy of the king's approval are allowed to live in this region, while those who have fallen into the hands of the king will be deprived of their place.

It's a nation that loves competition.

But it is the hunger to rise and maintain one's position that makes a nation prosper.

Even the life of the people who are considered to be the lowest class is not so bad.

It is of a high standard compared to the surrounding villages.

After walking for a while, we arrived in front of the walls of Ghane Castle, which we had been seeing for a long time.

It's hard to get around in a big country, isn't it? 　

Your lodgings are in the guest house by the castle gate. Please make it your home and do as you please.

After passing through the gate and the garden, we finally arrived in front of the house.

The interior of the house, which was reserved for the aristocracy, made my eyes tired.

It was hard to believe that this was his home.

But Ilias and Mikus are unconcerned, they were originally a nobleman and a princess.

Wulfe, on the other hand, is bewildered by the overwhelming size of the place.

Feeling a sense of closeness, he pats her gently on the head.

They don't seem to understand my intentions, but they respond with a wag of their tails.

The servants who had been waiting for us in the house carried our luggage to our respective rooms, and we were led directly to the guest room.

The arrangement of our stay schedule was almost the same as the confirmation of what we had discussed in advance.

We visited the first through sixth levels in units of a few days, and then talked to the officials of each level.

The seventh level is just a land where the wealthy live, so the inspection was omitted.

Up to the fourth level, you can look around freely, though it would be nice if you could do some research during your visit.

The only thing I'm curious about is the new king who rules such a large country.

Can we have an audience with the King?

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but the King is very busy. There are other reasons as well, but only a limited number of people in the country are allowed to see him.

Unlike Marito, the security seems to be very high.

No, Marito has a dimension of security that I don't understand, so I can't say who's better.

The darkest part of Garne's uniqueness that we were told about beforehand was that no one knew what King Garne looked like.

The previous kings had made their appearance known to the public, but no one from any other country had ever had an audience with the current King of Ghanae.

The immovable king who never moves from his castle, never appears at ceremonies or festivals.

Well, he's unique.

I would have loved to thank you for granting His Majesty King Taze's wish, but alas.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to pass on your kind words to His Majesty.

It seems that a minister like Ludfen will be able to meet you.

If the ministers can't meet, who can? It's not like Himiko, who could only meet her brother.

If you need me, please contact me. If you need me, please inform my servants and I will rush to you.

After the discussion was over, Mr. Ludfen left the house.

I'm also tired from the long trip to Garnets, especially because of the mix.

Let's take a good night's rest, because tomorrow we'll have to search for something we don't know if we'll find.

All right, let's get some rest.

I turned around and Lakra was gone.

I don't remember seeing her since I arrived at the house.

Lakra had gone to her room to sleep before the meeting.

...... Well, as long as he doesn't cause any trouble.

I was relieved to hear that the servants were in a hurry.

Let's listen in.

The pantry has been ransacked and some liquor has been stolen!

...... Okay, let's hurry up and turn that woman in.

After that, I caught Lakra, who was drinking alone in her room with some liquor she borrowed without permission, and brought her before the servants to apologize.

He pleaded his innocence, saying, "I was told I was free to go, so there should be no problem! He pleaded his innocence, but his request was denied.

The assassins from the Mejis were not only from the dark side, this woman, Lakra, did not hesitate to degrade the Taze.

------------------------------------

After parting ways with the group, Ludfen went to the throne room at the far end of the castle.

"A delegation from Taze arrived today. They are currently resting in the guest house.

"I see. So, who are they?

"Well, who are they?" asked the throne-seated King Garne in an amused voice.

He was sitting on the throne, with a pleasant voice, and although we could not see him, it was easy to imagine that he was enjoying himself.

...... What kind of people are you talking about?　One of them is Ilias-Ratzel, one of the top five female knights in Tarz.

"Oh, I've heard of her. And she's a beautiful girl?

Yes, yes, she was very dignified and beautiful.

Well, well, well. That's good!　And what about the others?

Rudofein went on to give information about the Tarzian inspectors and their appearance.

Rakhra-Sarv, priest of the Church of Yggra, High Exorcist.

The former princess and wandering adventurer, Mikus-Taiz.

Wulfe, a subhuman who resembles a white-haired wolf.

A fine selection, especially for a white wolf.

"And lastly, there's the man you introduced as a potential librarian. I shook his hand to make sure I hadn't heard his name before, and I looked at his powers, but he seemed to be just a regular guy. It seems that they are just ordinary people, possessing a lower spirit to resist some kind of magic.

"With such a gorgeous group, it would be harmonious to have at least one ordinary man in the mix.

"Yes, although the man also had distinctive black hair and dark eyes.

"Ho, ho?　Huh?

The silhouette of King Garne stood up as if he were jumping up and down.

What's wrong, Your Majesty?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

King Garne paced around the throne, muttering to himself.

But he seemed to have an epiphany and pointed at Ludfen.

"Mmm-hmm, they're going on a tour tomorrow, aren't they?　Then say these words to him afterwards.

King Garne opened his mouth slowly and pronounced each word carefully.

"Ha, ha, is that some kind of code?

"Yes, a heartwarming curse word. "Well, it's a heartwarming curse word, and you should say it with all your heart.　Mmm-hmm.