CH 53

[Beastman City Inbahanes]

Our wagon entered the territory of the beastmen city of Inbahanes.

At the end of the highway, I can see the remains of the garrison of the soldiers dispatched from the kingdom.

It seemed that hundreds of troops of the kingdom were stationed at the garrison over there at all times, monitoring the inhabitants of the city of Inbahanes, where armed uprisings repeatedly occurred.

However, only a few soldiers are stuffed there now, as the task of maintaining security was taken over by the vigilante corps.

After passing through the garrison, I saw a city with neither walls nor ramparts at the end of small hills and stretched out flat grasslands.

According to Suzana, who had been investigating Inbahanes in advance, its population is smaller than that of Youg Hannotes, and the number of people living in the territory is about 30,000 including the surrounding villages.

There were only about half the people of Youg Hannotes.

Although some monsters lurk in the surrounding area, no wall was built to protect the city. The reason being that the residents of the city didn’t hold good feelings toward the kingdom, so it is possible that the inhabitants would start an uprising and hole up inside the city. It seems that afraid of it, the kingdom wouldn’t issue the construction permit.

Therefore, the residents of Inbahanes are always highly conscious of self-defense in preparation for the raid of monsters, and formed a vigilante corps.

It seems that vigilante corps often caused a conflict with the garrison of the kingdom, leading to armed uprisings.

However, that was only until Gile of the Radcliffe family became the lord, now, the vigilante corps was hired as is as an organization to protect the public order.

Our carriage was proceeding toward such a city of Inbahanes.

“It seems that the remains of the garrison are not being used… Are the few people there not enough in order to maintain it?”

“It’s been two years since the kingdom army pulled back from there after all. It seems that the place was overgrown with grasses. Besides, the identification of the passersby here seems to have been abolished too.”

The wagon has passed through the remains of the garrison, which once served as a barrier for those entering the city of Inbahanes from the highway.

Although it is said to be a garrison, it is surrounded by walls; the place is essentially a fort if it was well maintained.

At such a garrison, the remaining soldiers of the kingdom were just weeding in their spare time.

“What a waste, to leave these facilities alone…”

“The place has been like a symbol of the kingdom’s rule over Inbahanes for a long time. Besides, this is the place where the independent country of Inbahanes was annexed in disgrace, so I think it is inevitable that the residents want to destroy the place.”

While leaving the garrison, Suzana told me the history of the place.

“Is that the case… I was conscious of being a citizen of the Kingdom of Hartford from the time I was born, but are the inhabitants here different?”

“It’s been a long time since the annexation, so most of the residents of Inbahanes should have think so, right? However, I think it can’t be helped since the beastmen race is treated colder compared to the human race in the Kingdom of Hartford after all, and it is hard to turn over the cold treatment in the current society.”

“Is that the case…”

“I think that is the case.”

It is true that beastmen are rarely seen in the Royal Capital because of their appearance, and although not to the extent of discrimination, I saw that the human race unconsciously looked down on them sometimes.

Because their number was small in the Royal Capital, beastmen were called beastmen without differentiating them.

Therefore, I feel that there was an extra wall that surrounds them.

“Inbahanes is a city with many beastmen, so I would be grateful if you could avoid troubles. It seems that with his skill, Frick-sama can knock down all the beastmen in the city after all.”

Driving the wagon, Suzana jokingly advised me to be careful.

Even if she didn’t advise me, I’ll be mindful of trouble, even if I encounter trouble, I will seek a peaceful solution.

By no means I have the intention of acting savagely to knock down all the beastmen.

“It’s okay. I’m not that savage. I’m not going to pick a fight with someone I can have a talk with.”

“What will you do to opponent who you can’t have a talk with?”

“…In case the opponent attack first, I will fight. That’s it. I’m not that kind either.”

“Understood.”

I don’t know whether she was satisfied or shocked with my answer, but Suzana didn’t ask any more questions.

Afterward, the wagon arrives at the entrance to the city of Inbahanes.

“Just in case, I’ll check the inside. Currently, we, the Inbahanes vigilante corps, are undertaking the work of maintaining public order.”

At the entrance of the city where a simple railing was made, a beastman holding a weapon was checking the people entering and exiting the city.

The beastmen in the Royal Capital or the ones we passed by in the highways looked like humans, but in the center of beastmen, as expected, there are some people who are strongly tending to beastification.

The beastman inspecting our wagon had the face of a wolf on human body, and his whole body was covered with gray hair.

The beastification that occurs in the body of a beastman seems to be different for each person.

There are people who have human face and figure with only their ears beastified, there are also people who have their face and limbs beastified, furthermore, there are also some people who have a figure similar to the creature that is the source of the beastification; even though they are collectively called beastmen, but there infinite variation of their appearance.

It seems that there are eight types of creatures that is the source of beastification that have been confirmed so far: rabbit, tiger, cat, dog, wolf, bird, ox, and fox.

I thought it was rude to stare at him, so I was just glancing at the beastmen who inspected the inside of the wagon.

“First of all, there is only a woman inside the wagon as stated, so there is no problem. What is the purpose of your visit?”

“We have something to do with the Adventurer’s guild here… We’re from Youg Hannotes.”

“Adventurer’s Guild… Come to think of it, the woman inside is a platinum rank adventurer. And that swordsman is also an adventurer, huh. Are you going to take request here for a while?”

The gaze of the wolf beastman who had completed the inspection inside the wagon was concentrated on the adventurer’s badge on the collar of my cloak.

Judging from the look in his eyes, this city is not very welcoming the adventurers who usually came from the other cities.

“Yes, we’re going to stay in this for a while and doing some requests. And we—”

When Suzana tried to show the letter of recommendation from the Frontier Count of Youg Hannotes, the surroundings suddenly became noisy.

“E-enemy attack—!! It’s a Wyvern! A huge Wyvern is coming! All hands, grab your bow!!”

Although he was flying in a fairly high position in order to not be discovered, but he was discovered, huh…

Beastmen seem to have better eyes than human race.

“W-wait. That Wyvern is not an enemy. Actually—”

When the beastmen started shooting at Dimol from the lookout, I jumped off the carriage and explained in an attempt to stop them.

It was pitiful to leave Dimol alone, so I asked him to fly to a high place where arrow could not reach, but it seems that a beastman with good eyesight discovered him.

As if they were accustomed to the raid of monster, hearing the warning from the lookout, the beastmen’s vigilante corps immediately returned to their camp to get bows and began shooting at Dimol.

However, there was no arrow that reached Dimol who was flying at a considerable altitude.

“Don’t get in the way. There’s no way a Wyvern won’t attack people!”

The wolf beastman who inpected our wagon also seems to have taken up his own bow and shoots arrows at Dimol.

“Please wait. That Wyvern is the property of my family. Can I conclude that anyone who draws their bow on that Wyvern is hostile to my Henestrosa family?”

When Noelia, who noticed the commotion, came out of the luggage compartment, she showed the beastmen who were holding bow a pendant containing the crest of the Henestrosa family.

Noelia’s action stopped the beastmen from drawing their bows.

“Henestrosa family… Frontier Count of Youg Hannotes!? But Wyverns usually attack people—”

“Please rest assured. That Wyvern always keeps what Frick-sama, the person over there, says. It is already trained; if he tells it not to eat, it will not eat until it died from starvation. I hereby declare that if by any chance, that Wyvern rampages or attacks people without permission, the Henestrosa family will take full responsibility.”

“Even if you say so… we’re the ones who are troubled.”

The wolf beastman seemed to be in charge of the vigilante corps, hearing Noelia’s words, bewildered expression floated on his face.

Suzana showed him Lloyd’s handwritten letter.

“This is the handwritten letter from Frontier Count-sama. Since it is a letter for the lord, I can’t show the content, but in it was written, as Noelia-sama said, that the Henestrosa family will take full responsibility for all the problems caused by that Wyvern.”

“I would be troubled even if you told me such a story beforehand. Besides, it was unheard of to let a Wyvern into the city!”

The wolf beastman was even more confused when he saw Suzana’s letter.

Perhaps, he doesn’t want to let it go through only for it to be a problem later.

At this rate, we wouldn’t come to a settlement.

Until the decision of the magistrate who manages the city was handed down, I felt that it would be better for me and Dimol to distance ourselves from the city.

“Noelia, I will stay in the garrison over there with Dimol. I think I’ll be able to explain the situation to the remaining soldiers of the kingdom and take care of Dimol. I’d appreciate it if you could handle the talk in the meantime.”

Noelia glanced at me, but eventually, she sighed and nodded.

“I understand. We will negotiate for the permission for Dimol to stay. As soon as it is over, we will visit the garrison, so please wait for a while.”

“That helps. I’m sorry to have troubled you.”

“No, I do not think it is a trouble if I can help Frick-sama.”

“Really, sorry.”

I bowed deeply to Noelia, who I troubled, and I whistled to call Dimol.

Dimol, who was flying over the sky, noticed my signal and came down to the ground at once.

“T-the Wyvern is coming!! Get ready!!”

“Dimol doesn’t come down to attack, so please calm down.”

Reacting to the plunging Dimol, the beastmen nocked their arrows again.

Realizing that I couldn’t persuade them, I immediately started chanting magic.

“Oh unseen air. Become a solid barrier and manifests yourself in the surroundings. Wind Barrier.”

I create a wind barrier on the body of the approaching Dimol.

The activated magic repelled the arrows shot by the beastmen, I jumped upon the body of Dimol who had descended until he brushed with the surface of the ground and flew to the garrison just like that.