I am the Monarch Chapter 194: Lancephil County (4)

The inside of the gateway was a new world.
But even so, it didn't mean that it was a world where carriages flew in the sky and were decorated with all kinds of jewels.

“Look at this road.”

The road that widely spread in front of their eyes.
Because it was paved even stones, there was no worry of the ground being dug up even if heavy carriages passed by.
Furthermore, the roads carriages and horse carts passed by and the roads people walked by were differentiated, so there was absolutely no hindrance in each's traffic.

“Even though it's a gateway city at the fief's border, look at the number of stores.”

Goden was being surprised at a different place.
Shops that were very various to a point where there wouldn't be anything they didn't sell were lined up on the road's side, and they were all clean stone buildings.

“Oh my! That's Istel Kingdom's wheat!”
“Look at those gold ornaments.”
“There's a bunch of good grade mushrooms.”

The people who passed through the gateway naturally moved their steps towards the shops.
Clyde and Goden's gazes too kept turning, but there was no time for them to take their eyes off.

“Let's stop by on our way back, sir.”

Clyde nodded at Goden's words.
Their steps effortlessly headed towards the end of the road.
At that moment.

“Stagecoach to Mediasis leaves soon! People who are going to Mediasis Castle, please purchase the tickets!”

A loud voice.

“Un?”

Clyde and Goden's gazes naturally moved following the voice.

“Hmm.”

Suddenly, a quiet exclamation flowed out.
At the place their gazes met, a giant carriage tens of people were riding on were seen.
It was that very giant stagecoach that passed in front of the two people the instant they passed through the gateway.

“Just two horses can pull a carriage that big?”

Clyde shook his head with a surprised expression.
Their steps, before they knew it, were leading towards the stagecoach.
When they exited the road and entered into a rather big lot, a scene much more shocking was spread out.

“It's not just one or two?”

Inside the lot, five sets of giant stagecoaches were parked.
Ten people at fewest, and more than twenty people at the most were getting on.
The number of horses pulling the carriages also changed depending on the size, but however many there were, they never exceeded four.
When Clyde and Goden were looking at each other with surprised expressions.

“Welcome to the Unham Stagecoach Station.”

A young man approached and lowered his head.

“You can purchase the tickets inside, sirs.”

On his left chest, a badge with his name called O'Connor, together with his organization name called Lancephil Transportation Division Unham Coach Station, written on was hanged.
Goden awkwardly smiled and asked about the curious thing.

“Ah, yes. Can we ride that giant carriage all the way to Mediasis Castle if we purchase the ticket?”
“Yes. Of course, sir.”

O'Connor cheerfully smiled and nodded his head.
Clyde, with an expression seemingly suspicious, asked.

“Even though there's that many people riding on it, could it make proper speed with just two horses?”

At those words, O'Connor answered in a gentle and bold voice as if to say not to worry.

“You must be using our Lancephil Transportation Division's stagecoaches for the first time. Our stagecoaches are magic carriages that carved Reno Magic Tower's magic array onto the latest carriages that Lancephil Alchemy Department and the Lancephil Engineering Department have worked together to create.”
“Magic carriages?”

Clyde's eyes widely opened.
O'Connor lightly nodded his head.

“I don't know exactly what kind of magics are engraved either, but I heard that magic that reduces the carriage's total weight and a magic that sets the carriage's balance are included as standard.”
“Hmm.”

Clyde and Goden once again leaked quiet groans.

'Although I've seen magic to reduce weight many times……'

Research to reduce heavy armors' weight for application of powerful infantry troop were actively in progress.
In fact, heavy armor troops with weight lessening magic arrays carved on were partially active in Estia Empire and few other kingdoms.

'I have never thought of grafting that magic on carriage transport.'

Clyde inwardly shook his head and looked at O'Connor.

“How many magic carriages like this are being run?”
“There aren't that many yet, sir. Even if we include the number of carriages being operated across the entire fief, it should be about a bit over twenty sets. Of course, that number is continuing to grow larger.”

An inconcealable pride was felt in O'Connor's voice.
Clyde and Goden slowly nodded their heads.
Twenty sets of magic carriages.
That was absolutely not a small number.

'For a result gained from merely one year, it's incredible instead.'

In fact, although O'Connor didn't know of the detailed situation in his case since he was the Transportation Division's bottom level employee, the Lancephil County was currently repeating brilliant developments under the fief development plan.
Especially the Lancephil's transportation plan that was represented with the magic carriage was participated by not only the Lancephil Alchemy Department, Lancephil Engineering Department, and Reno Magic Tower as well as Lidia Lumber Co. and Ford Mining Co. that were producing the raw materials.
On top of here, the Sale Company that Goldmaster Sale, no, Aily was master of was directly operating the road construction and the Transportation Division together.
In short, it meant the transportation network business was one of the most important businesses amongst the Lancephil County's development plan.

'Incredible.'

Clyde inwardly exclaimed greatly.
He knew that the Lancephil County had risen as the Rinse Kingdom's new center of commercial supremacy.
But he hadn't expected for it to be completely redoing its infrastructure itself.

'Count Lancephil may be much more amazing person than I had thought.'

Rather than obsessing over short term results, he was leading the fief with long term insight.
Of course, Roan must not had done all this alone.
But the fact that geniuses who could make such things possible were staying at his side too was an amazing feat.

“Goden. We should also use the stagecoach.”

Clyde cheerfully smiled and signalled with his eyes.
His curiosity arose.
He wanted to personally experience and feel it.
Goden soon nodded his head, then purchased two tickets to Mediasis from a ticket booth inside.

“Please have a pleasant trip.”

O'Connor bowed with a polite posture.
Clyde and Goden lightly nodded their heads, then moved their steps towards the signpost where trip to Mediasis was written on.
On the giant carriage, there were still a few empty seats.
A carriage made with thick and soft cloth as the roof.
When they entered inside, small yet comfortable wooden chairs appeared.

'Not bad.'

If they could actually carry and transport this many people with just two horses, they would be able to carry and transport goods as well as soldiers in emergencies.

'Transportation of goods and soldiers become much faster?'

If the transportation network was to be set like this, Lancephil County's military strength would become tens of times stronger.
Clyde and Goden, sitting opposite of each other, looked at each other's eyes.
Complicated looks were clear on both people.
At that moment.

“Number 3 Stagecoach to Mediasis is now departing.”

The voice of the driver sitting on the coach box was heard clearly as if he was talking from right next to them.
Simultaneously.

Ggiiig.

Together with a sound of wooden boards twisting, the giant carriage gently began to move.

Clop. Clop.

The two horses, without even a little bit of tired look, powerfully kicked the ground.
The carriage that slowly began to move soon left the Unham Stagecoach Station and entered into a wide road.
Clyde, shining a light from his eyes, looked at Goden.

“The shaking isn't as harsh as I thought.”
“Like that man named O'Connor said, I believe it's because balancing magic is also carved.”

Goden immediately answered and raised his sense of touch to the carriage's movements.
Although it was comfortable without shaking, the speed wasn't on the very fast side.

“It's slower than I had thou……”

When his words reached about that point.
The driver's voice was heard once again.

“We have left the gateway city Unham Village. We will now begin to increase our speed. Please have a comfortable trip.”

The instant his words ended, the speed of the carriage went up.
The one thing that was at least well was that the sense of speed instead greatly went down as the speed went up.
It was to a point that they wouldn't have realized that the carriage was running if it weren't for the rough windows that were periodically punctuated.
Clyde and Goden looked at each other and shook their heads.
They now looked too tired to be surprised any more.

“Since a gateway village is this much, how much would the Mediasis Castle be?”

Clyde muttered in a small voice.
When Goden couldn't answer because he too didn't have anything he knew of, another merchant cheerfully smiled and answered.

“That place is really a different world. It's a city where the night view is especially fantastic.”

Night view.
Clyde and Goden creased their brows.
Unfamiliar words.
Did that mean that there was something special to the night's scenery?

'It should probably be about putting on few oil lamps at most.'

Even the capital, Miller, was lighting the dark by installing oil lamps in the palace and parts of the main street.
The capital, Miller, that was called the most brilliant and large city in the Rinse Kingdom was about that much level.

'But……'

Clyde had a feeling of maybe.
From some time onwards, he began to anticipate the unknown from Roan.
Clyde's chest raced as quickly as the running carriage.

*****

A space that was simple but not crude, and frugal yet not poor.
The Lancephil Lord's Castle located at the center of the Mediasis Castle was essentially work focused space that only had the essentials.

“Have we still not found any traces?”

The head seat that technically was not a head seat.
Roan, who was sitting at the end of a long circular table, asked with a serious expression.

“I've no face, my lord.”
“Apologies, my lord.”

Agens's President Chris and Tenebra Troop's Vice-Captain Keep, who were called the Lancephil County's eyes and ears, lowered their heads with dismal expressions.
Roan exhaled a short sigh.

“Where has godfather gone……”

The person Roan and his numerous retainers were desperately searching for was Io Lancephil.
It was already one year since Io had disappeared.
They found out to the fact that he had left the capital, Miller, and headed towards the Estia Empire during the fief war.
However, they couldn't figure out the reason he chose the trip to the empire nor his whereabouts since entering the empire.

'We couldn't yet stretch our hands all the way to Estia Empire.'

Even though Agens and the Tenebra Troops too had strengthened their internal affairs and increased their sizes, they were still insufficient to collect even the information within the Estia Empire.
Within the last one year of time, Roan strengthened the fief's internal affairs while searching for Io's whereabouts on the other hand.
But despite all kinds of efforts, he couldn't find Io's trace.
At that moment.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Together with a sound of knocking on the conference room's door, a sentry showed up.

“Lady Baroness Elva Dionell has come, my lord.”

At those words, the faces of the core retainers including Austin solidly stiffened.

“I've come to meet Sir Count.”

Simultaneously, a woman beautiful yet exuding a powerful presence, Elva Dionell, showed herself.
Approximately one year ago, Elva had came to the fief and was staying up to now at the Count's House as an important guest.
From a glance, it wasn't a situation with a big problem.
But as the time flew, her status came to the fore as a problem.
When Elva first visited the Lancephil County, she called herself a representative of the youth party nobles' organization, 12 Hatchlings.
At the time, she requested of Roan to become the 12 Hatchling's thirteenth member.
However, Roan couldn't accept that offer since he was chasing the disappeared Io's whereabouts and strengthening the fief's bases.
An indirect refusal.
Then Elva became stubborn and settled down at the Count Lancephil House, but she herself began to confuse her role as the time passed.
Originally, Elva was a noble who supported the Third Prince Kallum Rinse.
As she left her seat vacant for a long time, Kallum began to send letters and people to her through various reasons.
He had wished to draw Roan into his camp using Elva.
From this point on, Elva began to wander between her two roles as the representative of the 12 Hatchlings and a person of Kallum's camp.
Count Lancephil House too fell into a concern that technically wasn't a concern on how to deal with to her.

“As whose person did you come today, Lady Baroness?”

At Roan's question, Elva faintly smiled and lowered her head.

“I came as Prince Kallum's person, Sir Count.”

Quite a bold look today of all days.

'She seems to be overflowing with confidence today.'

Roan inwardly made a bitter smile.
Although she was an important guest of the house, right now was a conference table that dealt with the Count House's major issues.
It wasn't a situation where they could share a talk.

“Baroness Dionell. I apologize but let us talk a bit later since I'm in a conference now.”

At those words, Elva faintly smiled and shook her head.

“Just a moment is fine, sir. I brought a very important news, you see.”
“An important news?”
“Yes. It's an important news.”

Elva looked straight at Roan's two eyes.
Roan, looking at that bold and brave light devoid of deceit in her eyes, nodded his head.

“Alright. What news is it?”

At those words, Elva collected her breath for a moment, then answered in a small voice.

“We've discovered news of Sir Io Lancephil.”

*****

Neeigh!

The carriage that was running well suddenly stopped.

“We will be momentarily stopping.”

Soon following, the driver's hurried voice was heard.
Clyde and Goden, who were having a light sleep for a moment, stretched with puzzled expressions.
At that moment, one of the merchants who were looking outside the window shouted with surprised expression.

“It's the Lancephil Legion's military truck troop.

A military truck troop.
They were separately called Gale Troop at the Lancephil County, and was a troop newly made together with the magic carriage development.

Dudududududu!

Together with an incredible sound of horsehooves, a cloud of dust rose up around the stagecoach.

“Just what's happening?”
“For the Lancephil's military truck troop to suddenly surround us……”
“Is there perhaps Count Chase's remnant hiding amongst us?”

Scared voices poured out from everywhere.
Clyde and Goden dryly swallowed with slightly nervous expressions.
At that moment, the tightly closed carriage door widely opened.
Simultaneously, a trustworthy looking young man wearing a crimson armor showed himself.

“I'm Gale Troop 1st Squad commander Caldwell. Is Sir Clyde perhaps here?”

Although it was a thunderously ringing voice, the tone of the voice itself was greatly polite.
Clyde, who was sitting at the very back in the carriage awkwardly stood up from his seat.

“I'm Clyde.”

Following that, Goden stood up from his seat and stood in front of Clyde.
A movement that he naturally practiced into his body while aiding Clyde for over thirty years.
Caldwell slightly bowed his head and saluted.

“I've came to escort you on the lord's order. Please board our military truck.”
“Sir Count Lancephil has……?”

Clyde muttered with a slightly shocked expression, then soon nodded his head.
He finally had a rough grasp of how the situation was flowing.

'So Lady Baroness Dionell spoke up the story first.'

Roan must be wanting to hear the news of Io Lancephil even a moment faster.
Clyde pulled Goden with one hand and climbed off the carriage.
In front of his eyes, a solid and giant military truck colored red was seen.
Although it was a very simple looking shape without a cap or a roof unlike the carriage, it exuded a feeling that it would be much more faster and destructive instead because of a such point.

“Please hook your feet on the floor ring after climbing on, and tightly hold the strap hanging on the side wall.

Together with an explanation, Caldwell personally demonstrated it.

“Yes. Thank you.”

Clyde and Goden, nodding their heads, followed Caldwell and fastened their bodies on the inside of the military truck.

“Please hold tight.”

Caldwell meticulously checked the two people's state, then held the reins that was longly drooped.
The warhorse that was panting out rough breaths soon raised its head and powerfully cried out.

Neeigh!

When the two warhorses began to dart off, the military truck much smaller than the carriage brushed the ground as if dragged along, no, as if flying.

“Uhugh!”

Clyde and Goden emptily gasped from the wind that struck their ears.
It was a breakneck speed not even comparable to the magic carriage.

Dududududu!

Together with the loud horsehoove sounds, ten sets of military truck crossed the fields.
The destination was Mediasis Castle.
Dodging the wind that hit his face, Clyde lowered his head to the military truck's below.
It was hard to breathe.
Unconsciously, he grasped his left chest.

“Once I arrive at Mediasis Castle……'

Once Clyde and Goden meet Roan, no, the moment the letter inside his chest pocket is passed to Roan to be exact, the precariously continued peace will meet its end.
Clyde slightly raised his head and looked at the sky.
The sun, before he knew it, was going over to the west and spraying a crimson light.

'So the world is already starting to be colored in a red light.'

A bitter smile hanged on Clyde's mouth.
The sunset yellow world would change to bloody red world.
A war they knew of but can't dodge nor were allowed to avoid.
It was the moment when that prelude was just about the open.

< Lancephil County (4) > End.

Translator : CSV
Proofreader: Sai101

Chapter end