Chapter 489: The Country’s Largest Noble Territorial Capital

The Saint’s procession entered the Halagoura Marquisate.

Because the territory belonged to the leader of the Kingdom of Sart’s largest noble faction, Tauro was curious to see what it would be like.

The main road was well maintained, and frequent patrols by territorial soldiers created an impression of excellent public security.

“This is what I expected from the country’s largest noble domain. Still, the roads branching away from the highway don’t look nearly as well maintained.”

Tauro commented while looking through the carriage window.

“That’s normal. Roads and security usually deteriorate once you leave a major route. You must have noticed that during our journey. Of course, even the smaller roads in the Van Dyne Marquisate are well maintained and safe.”

Aeris answered his observation with a small boast about her homeland.

“The same is true in Count Graunewald’s domain. I imagined that the mighty Marquis Halagoura’s territory would’ve flawless infrastructure, excellent security, and an exceptionally high standard of living. Instead, most of it seems much like any other noble domain.”

“Now that you mention it, the scenery is certainly familiar, for better or worse. Duke Barriera’s territory actually seemed safer and more prosperous.”

Ankh agreed with Tauro.

“Count Graunewald’s domain and the Van Dyne Marquisate don’t lose by comparison at all. Perhaps the Halagoura Marquisate isn’t such a remarkable place after all.”

Ragune compared it with the territories she knew.

“I was thinking the same thing!”

Zion, who also regarded the Graunewald domain as her home, had noticed the difference as well.

Just then, a Royal Guard knight riding beside their carriage called to them.

“Lord Tauro, the Halagoura territorial capital has come into view.”

Tauro opened the carriage door and leaned out to look ahead.

“…I take back what I just said. This truly is the country’s largest noble domain.”

The sight before him immediately changed his opinion.

“What is it?”

Curious about his reaction, Aeris looked through the window.

Enormously high walls stretched across the horizon ahead, enclosing an area comparable to the Royal Capital.

Even from a great distance, their scale was unmistakable.

The view reminded Tauro of his first approach to the Royal Capital and showed just how extraordinary the Halagoura territorial capital was.

“I’d heard the rumors, but it really is enormous…”

Aeris shared his astonishment before settling back into the carriage.

Ankh, Ragune, and Zion leaned out to see for themselves.

“““It’s huge!”””

Duke Barriera’s territorial capital was large and prosperous, as befitted the Prime Minister’s domain, but Halagoura’s capital was clearly larger.

It might even have surpassed the royal capital of a small, impoverished kingdom.

The sight overturned every judgment Tauro and his companions had made along the way.

The city became even more striking after they passed through its gates.

Rather than merely impressive, however, “ostentatious” might have been the better description.

Expensive-looking buildings filled the streets, making it obvious that much of the territory’s wealth had been concentrated in its capital.

The roofs rose into sharp spires, many tipped or plated with gold and silver at tremendous expense.

They reminded Tauro of the Gothic architecture from his previous life, only made even more extravagant.

The uniform decorations produced an overwhelmingly gaudy cityscape.

“It’s obvious that an enormous amount of money was spent here, but much of it seems wasteful.”

Tauro couldn’t keep the thought to himself as he stepped from the carriage and surveyed the lavish buildings.

“Wasteful? This city is the symbol of House Halagoura’s wealth! Not even the Royal Capital has a cityscape like this. How could an ignorant commoner understand its magnificence?”

Back on his family’s home ground, Marquis Halagoura’s grandson Suguro had regained all his arrogance.

“A noble can look at this much excess and reach the same conclusion.”

As a marquis’s daughter herself, Aeris answered on Tauro’s behalf.

“Hmph! Fools who can’t recognize value could never understand the burden of leading the kingdom’s largest noble faction. My grandfather’s generation finally completed this ‘perfect city.’ Wealth isn’t the only thing gathered here. Magical power is concentrated in the capital and used through advanced magical technology. This is literally a perfect city, built with the latest techniques to repel every kind of disaster!”

Suguro boasted so freely that he revealed details of the city’s technology that probably shouldn’t have been discussed in public.

“Magical power is being concentrated here?”

That phrase immediately caught Tauro’s attention.

Aeris appeared equally concerned.

“Do you mean magical power is flowing into the city from every direction? It seems to be forming a barrier around the entire capital… but I don’t like the way it feels.”

Aeris frowned as she examined the sensation.

“Heh heh heh. House Halagoura’s technology is coveted both at home and abroad. An ordinary person like you could never comprehend it.”

Suguro scoffed at her warning and strode into his family’s castle-like residence with his followers.

“Aeris, I don’t like the feeling of that barrier either.”

Zion’s expression showed that she shared Aeris’s unease.

“Exactly. This may sound strange, but it feels more like sorcery than ordinary magic.”

Encouraged by Zion’s agreement, Aeris stated her suspicion more firmly.

“Sorcery? Now that you mention it, I’ve felt something similar before… Ah! It resembles the sensation from the curse I reflected back at its caster.”

Tauro remembered the curse placed on him by an Assassins’ Guild sorcerer in Count Dareder’s territorial capital.

“That was when you fought the enemy alone while the rest of us were escorting the client’s mother.”

Ankh remembered the incident as well.

“Whatever this technology is, it doesn’t feel benevolent.”

Tauro exchanged a troubled glance with Aeris.