NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: I Don't Know the Location of the Royal Capital
===A Certain Undead With Communication Disorder===
I jumped over the rampart to escape from the female Holy Knight for the second time.
Maybe… I couldn't go back to that city anymore.
I mean, it was highly possible that I would meet that girl again.
「Well then, let's take this chance to go to the Royal Capital.」
I recalled what Jean had told me before and decided my future policy from there.
Though honestly, I had no idea just how much I could put my trust in that guy's words. There was nothing wrong with going to the most populated place to gain some information.
The problem was my inability to hold a decent conversation with humans, but…
That was exactly the main reason why I kept being attacked by humans.
「… In the first place, I should ask him where how to get to the Royal Capital.」
I looked at my surroundings, completely at a loss.
I really had no idea which direction I should take to go to the Royal Capital.
When I was worrying over this matter, my ears suddenly caught a certain sound.
BWOOOOOOOOOOO~!
It was similar to the horn of that giant lump of iron that ran out of the city.
The one which could leave the city in the blink of an eye.
「I came from the opposite direction of this city, huh.」
Meaning that I might arrive in another city if I followed the rails toward the other end.
「If I'm lucky, the city on the other end of this rail might be the Royal Capital.」
Well, even if it wasn't the Royal Capital, I might be able to do something about that.
It would be faster if I asked someone for directions… but it wasn't that easy for me.
Even if I got lost, it might be faster than asking someone for directions.
After all, such a thing was possible thanks to my endless stamina.
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=== Situation in Royal Capital of Romana Kingdom===
―Romana Kingdom.
A certain country with a long tradition and history amongst the western countries.
This was especially the case in Arte, the kingdom's Royal Capital, which was already prosperous since long ago. One could spot ancient buildings as soon as they arrived in the city.
Naturally, the building wasn't just a mere ancient building.
The city was developing at a rapid pace. It was a lively city filled with many brand new things every day.
Currently, numerous people from various places were taking refuge in the Royal Capital.
「This city should be safe.」
「Yeah, this city is the safest place in the kingdom after all.」
There was a reason why those people came to this city…
To escape from the new great disaster-rank monster, a being called the No Life King.
Thanks to the appearance of the newspaper and the magic tool for distance communication called "telephone," the news about the appearance of a new great disaster-rank monster spread far and wide in just a few days.
Even though that news caused the price of tickets to skyrocket, one could find that there was almost no seat left in the train. It was fully booked.
Naturally, even though the riches could still rest with them, there was no way to know when the common masses would break into panic.
「Even though Your Eminence had said that there's no need to feel anxious, I think it's better safe than sorry.」
「Well, if that great disaster really appears, even the Royal Capital won't hold a chance against it.」
「No, no, no, don't forget. We still have Your Majesty, the king of our country-」
KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
That conversation was interrupted by a scream.
When everyone shifted their attention to see what happened, there was a two-meter-long, giant lizard rampaging while destroying the street.
「D-Dragon?!」
Considering its size, it was an infant dragon.
Seeing the snapped chain coiling around its body, one could see that it was in the middle of being transported.
Dragons were especially popular amongst monster's enthusiasts. That was why dragon children, who were relatively harmless, were their main target.
Even this Royal Capital didn't put any laws to forbid the trade or raising of dragons in one’s home.
「GRUAAAAAAAAAAA!」
Naturally, a dragon was still a dragon, even if it was a child.
Nothing could stop it once it started to rampage.
In addition, it also discharged an electric current around.
It was probably a special breed called Thunder Dragon.
「C-Calm down―GYAAAAAAA?!」
Its trainer, who tried to calm the dragon child, ended up getting himself zapped by the thunder, falling down where he stood.
Since no one could stop the rampaging dragon anymore, the peanut gallery—who were watching quietly until a moment ago—began to scramble in panic.
At that moment…
Something like rope flew out of nowhere and coiled around the dragon's feet.
Its huge body flipped around, and it was plunged into a nearby cart head first.
「GURUUU!」
The dragon child tried to raise its head, but what came next was a strike right on the crown of its head.
It fell unconscious, which was then followed by a long silence.
「Good grief, that noisy lizard sure is annoying.」
The one who approached the fainted dragon while smacking their lips was a woman who wore underwear-like armor.
She held an unbelieably long whip in her hand.
「W-WOOW… did she just use such a long whip to accurately hit the leg and the head of that dragon child?」
「Who is that woman?」
「Anyway, we are safe for now.」
The people who saw the situation from the beginning to the end heaved a sigh of relief.
Some amongst those people realized the woman's identity.
「That red hair and attire… Could it be that you're that Estina, a Platinum-Rank adventurer?」
Yes, that woman was Estina.
The one who confronted the undead who became hot news in these few days. She was also the one who tasted the kind of fear that she never felt before.
All rich folks are choosing to escape… It seems everyone has the same idea. It seems I was correct when I chose to move away as fast as possible.
In fact, she was amongst the refugees who relied on the mighty defensive power of the Royal Capital.
The Royal Capital should be safe… Yes, it must be safe, right? I mean, I came from far away after paying those sky-high prices for train tickets. Yup, that guy shouldn't be able to arrive in this place that fast.
That was how Estina tried to persuade herself.
But she might have to blame her shitty luck.
The morning of the next day, she saw the headline of the morning newspaper write:【BREAKING NEWS! THE GREAT DISASTER-RANK MONSTER NO LIFE KING IS HEADING TO THE ROYAL CAPITAL!】.
「W-What's the meaning of this?」
「W-We're doomed.」
「Are you trying to leave the people you have to protect? You bastards are supposed to be the people who govern this country!」
「SILENCE! I ALREADY KNOW ABOUT IT! YOU BASTARDS ARE ALREADY MAKING PLANS TO LEAVE THE ROYAL CAPITAL IN SECRET!」
Angry roars flew around inside the assembly hall.
This even happened right in the center of the Royal Capital, Kanbeira Palace, the center of the government of this kingdom.
Although the nobles who gathered from around the country were supposed to think about countermeasures, before they noticed, all of them were scared shitless. They could only think about how to save their own lives.
「CALM DOWN!」
A powerful and loud roar resounded in the hall.
The one who oversaw the nobles and silenced them with just a single order was a great man who stood in the entrance of the hall, brimming with the aura of a sovereign.
「「「… YOUR MAJESTY!」」」
The one who appeared was the ruler of Romana Kingdom.
Alendros the Third.
He was still brimming with youthful vigor, even though he was already more than fifty years old.
His splendid beard along with his toned and muscular body, tempered from daily training, were truly those of a splendid monarch.
「What are you worrying about? The more you lose your composure, the more restless your citizens become.」
「B-but… Your Majesty… the great disaster-rank undead is heading here.」
「I received the report about that matter from our prided airship.」
Airships were the groundbreaking magic tool that could fly in the air while carrying many people.
Long ago, only a select few powerful magicians could fly in the sky, but now, even talentless magicians could fly in the sky by riding on an airship.
This great invention led to many technological breakthroughs, and in recent years, many countries used airships to form special units of their own.
「Y-Yes. The undead ran along the railways that were heading to the Royal Capital without sleeping or eating at all. Judging from his speed, we estimate that he will arrive in the Royal Capital the morning the day after tomorrow.」
「Humph. I guess we won't make it in time to evacuate our citizens. Let's block every movement in and out the Royal Capital to prevent unnecessary panic. Naturally, don't forget to tell the citizens that they'll be okay as long as they're in the Royal Capital.」
Alendros the Third explained his plan to his subordinates.
「I'll go to face the No Life King from the frontlines. I won’t let him take a single step into the Royal Capital.」
He declared an attack with him leading the charge.