The carriage rolled forward, its wheels clattering softly over the smooth streets.
Mize, sprawled lazily inside, had one elbow propped against the window frame, his cheek resting in his palm.
His eyes drifted outside, trailing after the massive figure casually keeping pace with them on foot.
Titrus moved with an ease that shouldn't belong to someone his size.
His long strides were measured, his steps light for someone built like a moving fortress.
Mize's brows scrunched.
'Is he for real?'
The carriage picked up speed, turning sharply around a corner.
And then.
Poof.
Gone.
Vanished.
"What the?!"
Mize practically lunged out the window, hands gripping the frame as he leaned halfway out, his wide eyes darting toward the now-empty street.
'T-The hell?!'
The spot where a literal human tank had been just moments ago was now a vacant blur of moving figures and bustling shops.
A huge guy like that, moving like a fleeting shadow?
His head tilted, his expression torn between awe and resignation.
He stared for a few extra seconds, then slowly, very slowly, leaned back into his seat, arms folded across his chest.
"...Big fierce guy loves to decorate flowers."
He sighed.
"Harmless scholar guy is actually a warmonger"
Another sigh.
"And now… a guy the size of a mountain can move like a damn leaf?"
His hand lifted to his forehead.
'Don't think about it, don't think about it, don't think about it.'
He let out a long breath and forcibly shifted his focus elsewhere.
The carriage rolled on, nearing an intersection.
A crowd had gathered there, the people chattering among themselves, their eyes flickering toward the emblem of the Lord's castle emblazoned on the side.
Their hushed whispers weren't so hushed.
"They said it's the Lord's wife! Is it true?"
"Hush! Don't say 'wife', the Lord only has one. That's why she's the Main lady!"
"My son works the castle gates, he swears she's breathtaking!"
"My daughter too! She said she's like a celestial fairy!"
"Hiss… really?! Move! I wanna see!"
People shoved and jostled for a better view, their eyes bright with curiosity.
Inside the carriage, Mize listened with a distinct lack of shame.
He didn't bother showing his face. That would be too much effort.
But a hand?
A single hand wouldn't be too excessive, right?
Stretch.
His jade-like fingers casually extended from the carriage window, waving lightly at the gathered crowd.
Cheering.
Loud, excited cheering.
The points rolled in like a dam bursting.
Mize's smile widened.
'Oh.'
'Oh-ho.'
'This… this is nice.'
The realization struck him like a divine revelation, public appearances = profit.
Profit = points
Even if it was barely amounted to a thousand each time. But what if there was a lot moe people in the future?
"For the people!"
"For the development of the territory!"
"For the queen!"
[Host, you are the queen]
"..."
And just like that, every street they passed through became a stage.
More people gathered. More cheers erupted.
And each time, Mize's dainty hand would wave just enough to keep the crowd hooked but not satisfied.
Inside the carriage, he was grinning ear to ear.
His fingers drummed against the window frame as his eyes flickered toward his status panel.
'Hehehe… points.'
The butler cast a glance over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing slightly as he caught sight of Mize, curled up in his seat, giggling softly to himself.
Strange.
But somehow, the sheer beauty of the scene overpowered the weirdness of it all.
'Is this… what they call beauty privilege?' he mused, shaking his head as he flicked the reins, urging the horses forward.
Well, whatever.
With a face like that, who was he to judge?
Besides, in the near future, the First Lady would become the most beautiful existence in this world.
That much was obvious.
The carriage moved steadily, leaving behind the bustling heart of the town.
The further they traveled, the fewer the crowds became, replaced by a different kind of district, factories, forges, workshops.
A layer of dust and smoke hung faintly in the air. The scent of metal, oil, and burning coal carried on the wind.
Mize's expression dropped.
'Why the hell is the industrial district inside the town?'
He frowned, stretching out a hand to yank the window's curtain shut.
The air would only get worse as the town expanded. Pollution, waste, filth, if left unchecked, this place would turn into a cesspit.
Something to deal with later.
For now, a short nap.
With a soft sigh, Mize slouched deeper into the cushioned seat, arms crossed, body angled sideways.
'This territory is huge anyway. It'll take a while before we reach the wall.'
And with that, the once-smug princess drifted off into slumber.
The butler noted it immediately.
His hands on the reins, he subtly slowed the horses, making the ride smoother, gentler. Less jarring against the uneven road.
Outside, the scenery shifted.
Vast, rolling plains stretched endlessly in every direction.
Unlike the inner region, where resources were being mined, logged, and harvested at every turn, this outer zone, now spanning over 20 kilometers, was mostly untouched land.
Occasionally, lakes shimmered in the distance, reflecting the late afternoon sun.
Mize stirred.
Half-awake, half-asleep, he peeked through the small gap of the curtain, squinting at the passing landscape.
"This place is huge…" he murmured, voice drowsy. His long lashes fluttered, and his hair, slightly tousled from sleep, gave him an almost unfair level of charm.
"And once it's upgraded further… it'll only get bigger and bigger, I wonder at that time if we would still be using horses or not"
"..."
"I want to ride on a flying sword..."
His head leaned against the wooden window frame, cheek pressing against the cool surface.
His gaze swept across the golden plains, appreciative.
…He couldn't help it.
Back in his old life, places like this didn't exist anymore.
He had lived in a concrete jungle for as long as he could remember. Buildings scraping the sky, metal and neon replacing forests and rivers.
Nature was a thing of the past.
Forests? Death traps. Filled with mutated beasts and things that could tear a man apart in seconds. No sane human would step foot into one.
Then, the Warp arrived.
The world changed.
The first Lords survived, fought back, grew stronger, and when they returned to Earth, they slaughtered the creatures that had pushed humanity to the brink of extinction.
"It's the cliché 'monster revival' trope except without the aura revival"
A soft chuckle left his lips.
"But I guess the Warp gave this world a pretty solid backstory"
The warm glow of the sun flickered against the curtain. Shadows danced, stretched, retreated.
Mize let his eyes slip shut again.
Not long after.
Until the carriage came to a halt.
"My Lady," the butler called gently. "We've arrived."
Mize blinked.
His fingers instinctively reached for his ring, summoning a pocket mirror.
A quick check, lips, cheeks, hair.
'Nothing amiss… except for the permanent side effects of that transformation.'
With a soft hum, he patted his cheeks, dabbing a bit of light powder to smooth his already flawless complexion.
Then, he stepped out.
Brisk. Unbothered. Effortless.
And his eyes widened.
'What the hell…?'
The wall.
Towering, Massive.
Even taller than the castle itself.
From this angle, it was impossible to see where it ended, stretching far into the horizon.
'This wall covered the whole edge of the territory? Just how massive is that?'
'No wonder Liam didn't upgrade the territory teir first, it must have been this wall that sucked up the territory's resources!'
His gaze flickered toward the gate.
It was colossal, at least 40, maybe 60 meters tall, and easily 10 meters thick.
Made of metal, reinforced with something that definitely wasn't normal steel.
A low whistle slipped past his lips.
'...Liam sure doesn't hold back, huh?'
Not far from the gate, a squad of soldiers stood at attention.
The moment Mize's foot touched the ground, the maids rushed in, lifting his long, flowing hair before it could brush against the dirt.
Mize… let them.
No use fighting over it.
With a quiet sigh, he turned toward the butler.
"Let's go."
The wall was monstrous.
A towering behemoth of stone and steel, its shadow stretched endlessly, swallowing the land beneath it.
The air was cooler here, sharper, heavier, as if the moment he stepped near the gate, he had entered an entirely different biome.
But was it really?
Mize's gaze swept the area, taking in every little detail.
The structure.
The texture.
The defenses.
Everything about this place screamed fortress.
'Those arrow towers are huge' He muttered, eyes catching the sight of those bulky huge crossbow the size of a house in the distance wall.
As he approached, a group of armored soldiers hurriedly assembled under the gate, standing at attention. Their movements were practiced, sharp, clearly trained well.
But…
Liam was nowhere in sight.
Mize's expression didn't change, but his fingers drummed lazily against his shoulder.
"Where's Liam?"
The one leading the soldiers, a burly man with broad shoulders, immediately lowered his head at the question, showing proper deference.
"The Lord is at the top, My Lady."
"I see…"
Mize's fingers tapped rhythmically against his sleeve, his gaze subtly shifting from the captain to the soldiers in formation.
The armor, the same standard issue as the ones back at the stele guards. No signs of damage, no rust, meaning regular maintenance.
'Well... 3 days only, so of course there's no rust' Mize rolled...
But…
There were too few of them.
His foot pivoted slightly, the dress twisting elegantly along with him as he stepped forward.
His eyes flickered between the soldiers one by one, inspecting them in the same way a seasoned general would evaluate his troops.
And finally, he spoke.
"Why are there so few of you guarding the wall?"
His tone was casual, light.
The captain, who had been keeping a step behind out of respect, immediately answered.
"We are not the main forces assigned to guard the wall, My Lady," he explained, his voice steady.
"The Lord's personal army is responsible for all territorial defenses. The Town Guard, under General Halb, only oversees the gates, the town, and the castle."
"Liam's personal army?" Mize's brow lifted slightly.
"Yes, My Lady. The Shadow Knights. They are stationed along the walls at all times, handling both offensive and defensive measures. The Lord positions them strategically across the perimeter for maximum efficiency."
"…I see"
Mize hummed, stepping onto the first stone stair leading up the wall. The cool touch of the surface seeped through his thin shoes, a contrast to the sun's warmth above.
"Enough of that. You're dismissed."
"Yes, My Lady."
With that, the soldiers dispersed.
Mize ascended the stairs at a leisurely pace, one step at a time, the butler trailing closely behind.
The maids followed as well, their hands gently holding up his long hair to prevent it from touching the ground.
And behind them, twenty guards maintained a tight formation, their silent presence ensuring no harm could ever come near him.
Not that it would be possible to harm him in any way.