"By the way, Princess, we'll soon be passing through the capital's main gate," said the secretary, Miya, trying to shift the mood with a report.
It hadn't been long since they crossed the border, and yet the royal capital was already in sight. This really was a small country.
"Lord Seiou, please take a look. Those are the grand outer walls and the triumphal gate protecting the capital," said Princess Ellis, gesturing toward the window.
Looking out, I was impressed.
"Wow, those walls and that gate are massive."
Towering at nearly ten meters tall, the castle walls were enormous. And the triumphal gate, like a tall decorated tower, was close to fifteen meters high.
This country may be small, but its capital's defenses were surprisingly grand.
"These were built 200 years ago during our kingdom's golden age, by Queen Victorina herself," said Princess Ellis proudly.
Although the walls showed some wear, they were still impressive.
(But... there aren't many guards.)
What caught my attention was the almost complete lack of soldiers on the walls. Only around the gates could I spot a few guards.
They wore simple armor and carried spears or bows, typical of medieval times.
Then, as we passed through the gate, the scene completely changed.
It was practically... a ghost town.
"...No one's living here."
"Yes. Our kingdom is in a serious decline. Only the areas around the royal castle are still inhabited."
It wasn't just words, the country really was falling apart.
The carriage continued down the main road.
Unlike old historical castles with their winding paths for defense, this road was straight. It hadn't been designed with warfare in mind.
As we climbed uphill toward the palace, I noticed the air smelled like salt.
"Is the ocean nearby?"
"Yes. The capital is protected by the sea on one side and the great wall on the other."
Princess Ellis still sounded proud. But with so few soldiers, no wall, no matter how large, could stop even a small group of bandits.
Soon, we passed through a small checkpoint.
There were people here. This seemed to be the residential area, the real heart of the capital.
The women wore corsets and simple long dresses, typical of medieval times. Strangely, most of them were young.
(It really does feel like the middle ages. And the level of technology seems all over the place.)
"What's the gender ratio like?" I asked.
"Most of the population is female."
"What!?"
"Because of the blessings of Lady Freya, only girls are born in our country. The only men here are foreign husbands, merchants, or mercenaries."
"No one works in farming?"
"The land isn't very fertile. And since most of our people are women, almost no one works in agriculture. We earn money through the brothel district and our sewing industry, and buy food to distribute to everyone."
"What about those flashy men in armor over there?" I asked, pointing to a group of men loudly drinking beer in the middle of the day.
"They're soldiers from the Kingdom of Zeles. They're stationed here to protect us."
(That princess Katua's country... come to think of it, she mentioned something about the cost of stationing troops. So the capital is guarded by foreign soldiers? That's even worse than I thought...)
"But all they do is drink and gamble."
"Well... it's peaceful now, and they need to relax too..."
For the first time, Princess Ellis hesitated to answer.
"And the women in armor?"
"They're our kingdom's royal guard. They protect the castle and keep rowdy men in check."
"So... the foreign troops can't be trusted?"
"...That's correct. But since women lack physical strength, we still need the foreign troops' support."
"I see. What's that building over there?"
"That's our country's brothel."
"I'd like to visit later."
"Of course. But it only opens at night. I was planning to show you the textile workshop first."
"Is sewing a big industry here?"
"Yes. Our women are very skilled with their hands, so most work in sewing. Only a small number work in the brothel. And according to Lady Freya's teachings, only volunteers may work there."
Hmm. So even in a country known for its brothels, it's not as wild as one might think.
"I'm glad you seem interested," said Princess Ellis.
I mean, being a history nerd summoned to a medieval fantasy world? Of course I'd be excited, brothel aside.
"What exactly is my role here?" I asked.
"You'll serve as my personal advisor," she replied.
Then, taking a decorated sword from Miya, she gently rested it on my shoulder.
Her expression turned serious, so much that for a moment, I wondered if she was about to execute me.
"This is informal, but I hereby grant you the title of noble. Your rank will be Baron," she said.
Then she smiled again, her expression softening.
If the ranks are the same as in my world, a baron is one step above a knight, the lowest rank among nobles. By the way, "Baron Potato" got its name from a real baron in my world who spread that variety of potato.
"As proof of your noble status, I present you this sword. I wish I could grant you a higher title, but without achievements, this is the best I can offer."
"That's totally fine by me," I said, accepting the ornate sword.
It was a double-edged longsword, large, two-handed, and clearly ceremonial.
"We're almost at the sewing workshop. If you have any suggestions, please share them," said Princess Ellis.
I understood what she was getting at.
She wanted me to use the knowledge from my world to help theirs.
"Princess, something seems off at the sewing workshop," Miya said from the window.
I looked outside too. A large number of women had gathered in the street, seemingly waiting for the carriage.
But their expressions were tense.
They didn't seem to be welcoming us.
(Just what's going on here...?)