It was overwhelmingly massive.
That was the singular thought running through Rei’s mind as he gazed upon the scene unfolding before him.
Even compared to the largest cities Rei had ever seen—the frontier bastion of Gilm, the Kingdom of Mireana’s premier port town of Emocion, and the Labyrinth City of Exil—this place was colossal. It was as if ten or twenty of those cities had been stitched together, and it still wouldn't have matched the scale of the Bestia Empire’s Imperial Capital.
The gargantuan metropolis was encircled by equally immense, heavy ramparts. Rei couldn't even begin to fathom the sheer amount of labor required to construct such walls.
Though the city was still some distance away, it appeared to stretch across the entire horizon.
For the first time in his life, Rei truly understood what it meant to have his jaw hit the floor.
"This is... incredible," a knight guarding Daskar whispered beside him.
A few of the knights had previously accompanied Daskar to Mireana's Royal Capital, but this particular man evidently hadn't been among them.
"Well, this is the Imperial Capital of Bestia. They don't have any other name for it besides 'the capital.' They're so thorough about it that it shows exactly how much confidence they have in their supremacy," another knight replied.
The surrounding knights nodded in silent agreement. Many of them knew Mireana’s Royal Capital well, yet they could only describe this sight as gargantuan in comparison.
One look at this vista made it clear: this was the capital. There was simply no need to give it a specific name when it stood so far above all others.
As Rei and the guards stared blankly at the city, other carriages, merchants, and adventurers streamed past them. They weren't exactly stationary, but most seemed eager to get inside as quickly as possible.
The reason for their haste became apparent as they drew closer to the city. A massive queue had formed in front of the main gate. It was a line that clearly exceeded a thousand people.
"...Hey, I really don't want to know, but I’ll ask anyway. Is that line waiting to get inside?" Rei asked with a look of dread.
The knight gave a wry smile and nodded. "Yeah. It's my first time here too, so I can't be certain, but I’d wager most of them are spectators for the fighting tournament."
"The Empire is treating this like a national festival. Tourists are flocking here from every corner of Bestia, not to mention the invited distinguished guests from neighboring countries like Lord Daskar."
"Still... there's no way they can process that many people in a single day, right?"
Just as Rei predicted, even as the line swelled past a thousand, new arrivals were constantly tacking themselves onto the end.
If this were some backwater village, things might be different, but this was the capital of the Bestia Empire. Security was naturally tight, which meant procedures were slow. Considering the sheer volume of travelers, Rei couldn't imagine everyone currently in line getting through by nightfall.
However, the knight simply nodded. "Of course not. That's why some people have brought things like that."
He pointed toward several groups already setting up tents.
"You mean they're camping out until tomorrow? ...That’s a luxury we don't have on the frontier."
If someone tried that near Gilm, where monsters of all stripes prowled the night, they wouldn't survive to see the dawn. This was a scene possible only because safety was guaranteed in the lands surrounding the Imperial Capital.
Though "guaranteed" was a relative term; people still occasionally fell victim to monsters like Goblins.
The knight continued his explanation as Rei looked on with a mix of admiration and exasperation.
"It’s similar to Mireana's Royal Capital. The guards work in multiple teams, so they can handle quite a few people at once. They also split the queues by category—adventurers, merchants, travelers, and so on."
"...What about us?" Rei asked.
The knight had listed several categories, but "nobles" hadn't been among them. The knight smiled as he responded to Rei’s unspoken concern.
"Nobles are in a completely different league. Look over there."
He gestured toward a gate that was a size larger than the one for commoners. Guards were posted there as well, but they were letting carriages through almost immediately after a few seconds of conversation with the drivers.
As it was the gate for nobles, the traffic was significantly lighter than the commoners' area. Furthermore, since they weren't performing baggage inspections, the process was incredibly smooth.
"...That’s quite the gap. I mean, I knew there was a difference, but still."
One group had to camp out for days, while the other practically waltzed through. Rei muttered in disbelief, but the knight took it as a matter of course.
"They’re nobles and commoners. It’s only natural. Besides, do you really think the Empire would invite foreign dignitaries only to make them wait outside for days? Doing that would be a catastrophic blow to the Bestia Empire's prestige."
"I guess you're right. ...Still, I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't want to see a bunch of fancy nobles trying to sleep in tents."
The knight's cheeks twitched as he fought back a grin, likely picturing the same ridiculous image Rei had conjured.
At that moment, one of the knights who had ridden ahead called back to them. "Hey! Move it! We’ve got time, but we want to get inside while we can!"
"Y-Yeah. Got it... Be there... in a second..."
The knight was currently doubled over, suppressing a fit of laughter. Rei figured holding one's stomach was useless over a layer of plate, but the knight seemed to be struggling so hard against his hysterics that he couldn't help the gesture.
"...Set, shall we?"
"Guruuu?" Set tilted its head as if asking if it was alright.
Rei had plenty of his own thoughts, but falling behind would only lead to a lecture later. He left the struggling knight behind and caught up with Daskar's entourage.
"What's his problem?" asked the knight who had called them over. He was looking back at the man they'd just left, who was now performing a series of strange, jerky movements as he tried to stabilize his breathing.
"He's just got a lot of things pent up, I guess," Rei said.
"I see. Well, just tell him that once we’re in the capital, we’re representatives of Mireana. Going to a brothel to 'unburden' himself isn't a great idea."
"Do we even have the time for that? We’re on guard duty, aren't we?"
"It’s not like we're on the clock twenty-four-seven. We’ll likely be on a three-shift rotation. Besides, we have Elk for security."
Elk’s presence alone was enough to put the guards' minds at ease. An A-Rank adventurer possessed that much power and fame.
Furthermore, while Elk—the leader of the Axe of the Thunder God—was the most famous, his wife Min was also an A-Rank mage. Between the two of them, the delegation's security was practically untouchable.
I just hope they don't get complacent, Rei thought. He then voiced a more practical question. "So, what's the plan once we're inside?"
"First, we go to the inn. We'll be staying here until the fighting tournament is over, so the lodging is a priority."
"...Are you sure we can even get a room with this many people in town?" Rei gestured toward the massive crowds.
Since these people hadn't all arrived today, it was safe to assume the city was already packed with tourists, merchants, and adventurers. Unless they had local connections, all of them would be staying at inns. Rei suspected every bed in the city was already spoken for.
The knight blinked in surprise before nodding as he realized Rei’s concern.
"No need to worry about that. Lord Daskar is here as an official guest of the Empire. As such, they've already prepared accommodations for us."
"Is that so?"
"Naturally. Think about it—inviting guests only to tell them to find their own lodging on their own dime? The Empire's face would be ruined. And besides..."
The knight trailed off, making Rei tilt his head in confusion. Set mirrored the gesture on its back. The knight didn't elaborate, simply shaking his head.
Doing that to Lord Daskar, a dignitary from the victorious Kingdom of Mireana, would spark a diplomatic crisis, the knight thought. But Lord Daskar aside, there's Rei. There's no doubt people will try to pick a fight with him. He and Set have been attracting hostile glares ever since we crossed the border.
"Anyway, once we enter, a guide should be waiting for us. We just follow them to the inn. Rest easy—it’ll be a high-end place. It won't be like that village we stopped in during the rain where the stables were full and Set had to stay outside."
"Guruuu!" Set let out a happy trill.
Fortunately, they were far enough away from the commoners' queue that the cry didn't cause a stir, though a Gryphon was impossible to miss regardless.
Rei had grown accustomed to the stares since entering the Bestia Empire. As long as they didn't try to touch him, he was content to ignore them.
He rode toward the Gate for Nobles alongside the knights. The man who had been struggling with his laughter finally regained his composure and hurried to catch up with them.
They reached the gate without further incident, and a guard immediately approached the lead carriage.
"Pardon me. May I ask which noble house you represent?"
His tone was impeccably polite. Given he was addressing a noble, any rudeness could potentially be met with a sword, so he had little choice. However, considering he had already spotted Rei and Set, he likely had a good idea of who they were.
"This is Margrave Larkus of the Kingdom of Mireana. We have arrived by invitation for the fighting tournament."
The driver responded while handing over several documents. These included the official invitation from the Empire and papers identifying the carriage as belonging to House Larkus, along with a list of everyone in the party.
The guard scanned the papers with practiced speed. While keeping a noble waiting was risky, letting a potential criminal inside with forged papers was worse. The guard was evidently skilled, managing to be both thorough and quick. Seeing the unmistakable duo of Rei and Set helped confirm the identities; he finished his check in about a minute.
"Very well. Everything is in order. Since you have a tamed monster with you, please ensure it wears this."
The guard produced a Tamed Monster's Necklace. Rei dismounted and approached him to receive it.
"Do you require an explanation for its use?"
"No. I assume it doesn't work any differently in this country," Rei replied.
"Indeed. Now then... ah, it looks like your guide has arrived. He will handle any further questions once you are inside the city."
The guard looked toward the interior of the gate, where an elderly man in his 50s was waiting, bowing politely.
"Lord Daskar and your esteemed party, welcome to the Imperial Capital of the Bestia Empire. I pray your stay is a pleasant one."
With that, Daskar's entourage finally set foot into the heart of the Empire.