Otome Game Mob Villain

Chapter 606

"The walls are impressive, but I see there are a lot of beastmen in the royal capital, regardless of their tribes."

"Well, of course. The royal capital of Bestia is located at the heart of Zveera. Goods from each tribe's territory are gathered here and then distributed back to the tribes. It's essentially the hub of commerce. That's why the Beast King has made this the royal capital."

"I see."

I had some prior knowledge, but seeing it with my own eyes made me truly realize how central the royal capital was to Zveera.

As I looked at the approaching city walls, the inns, the street stalls, the people passing by, and the carriages, I suddenly felt a sense of unease.

"Something feels off. The colors of the buildings and the clothing seem familiar, like I've seen them somewhere before."

"That's probably because of the materials related to the Holy Nation of Toga."

Tink's words made me gasp.

"That's it! The illustrations from the materials about Toga that I studied in Baldia. They look very similar. But why is that?"

Tilting my head in confusion, Tink chuckled.

"Both Toga and Zveera have legends that say Saintess Mistina Martel was involved in their founding. That's why some parts of their cultures are somewhat similar."

"Ah, I see."

The Mistina religion, huh.

It's surprising how things connect in unexpected ways.

As I nodded along, Ammon's eyebrows twitched.

" Ladt Tink, Rid. That legend is strictly forbidden in Zveera. It's fine to talk about it here, but don't mention it outside."

"Eh, why?"

When I asked, Ammon shrugged.

"It's just how it is. Toga and Zveera are still clashing at the border, and beastmen captured by Toga are enslaved. The state religion of Toga is the Mistina faith. On top of that, they use the legend to justify claiming Zveera as a vassal state. It's an old legend, but it's not well-regarded these days."

"I see. That could be a dangerous topic. I'll be careful."

Territorial disputes between nations are troublesome no matter the world.

Especially in a world like this, where even small incidents can easily escalate into armed conflict. We have to be extra careful, or it could lead to an actual war.

I'll keep this topic under wraps.

As I nodded, Tis's cheerful voice rang out.

"Brother Rid, we're almost at the gate."

"Eh, really? Ah, are those the gatekeepers?"

The beastmen gatekeepers were of two types: one group wore simple but sturdy armor with cloaks and carried swords, while the other wore lighter armor protecting their vitals, with arm and leg guards.

I wondered why their equipment was different.

As I stared curiously, Ammon cleared his throat.

"Beastmen warriors are divided into two types: those who transform and wield weapons, and those who fight with their claws and martial arts. Since warriors from various tribes come to Zveera, there are roughly two types of equipment prepared."

"Ah, I see."

Now that he mentioned it, the kids in the Second Knight Order are also divided into those skilled with weapons and those who rely on martial arts.

In a beastmen nation like Zveera, they must have put a lot of thought into such details.

As we passed through the gate and entered the royal capital, the city was even more bustling.

As a result, the charcoal carriages drew even more attention.

The lodging facilities for the tribal chiefs attending the tribal council are prepared within the royal castle grounds, with separate accommodations for each tribe.

Fortunately, the roads in the royal capital were wide enough for four carriages to pass side by side, so moving around in the charcoal carriages wasn't a problem.

By the way, on the way to the lodging facilities in the royal castle, the thing that caught my eye the most from the carriage window was the various cute and beautiful ornaments being sold at the street stalls by the monkey beastmen.

From the looks of it, they seemed to use materials gathered from the 'sea,' which were rare in inland regions like Baldia and the Empire.

Since the cultures are different, the design philosophies are also quite different, making the shapes interesting to look at.

If I have time after the meeting, I'd love to buy souvenirs for Fara, Mel, Mother, and everyone else.

Especially the various 'masks' modeled after the different tribes—they would definitely suit Father.

Though he probably wouldn't wear them if I gave them to him, maybe if Mother, Mel, or Fara asked, he might.

Eventually, the charcoal carriage arrived at the gate leading to the royal castle grounds.

Ammon, the fox beastmen tribal chief, stepped out of the carriage and showed some documents to the fully armored warriors wearing dragon-like helmets, engaging in a brief conversation.

Soon, the inspection seemed to be over.

The gate slowly began to open.

Ammon returned to the carriage and gave me a wry smile.

"Was there some kind of problem?"

"No, no. It seems Sekmetos has informed the royal castle that Lord Rid Baldia is coming as the representative of the Baldia family, so they're being extra careful not to be rude. They seem to have high expectations."

"Ah, I see. Well, I'll do my best, within reason."

I scratched my cheek and glanced out the window at the fully armored warriors.

"By the way, these warriors have a different vibe compared to the ones before we entered the royal capital."

"Ah, they're called the Dragon Warriors, exclusive to the royal castle grounds. They're elite warriors selected from each tribe. The design of their full armor hasn't changed since the founding of the nation. Apparently, it's modeled after the 'Sky-Soaring Dragon' from the Mistina religion."

"So, it seems like Zveera has some historical connection to the Mistina religion after all."

Even though Toga and Zveera are still clashing at the border, it's fascinating to see the similarities in their cultures firsthand.

The fact that the legend persists suggests that there must have been some historical event that served as its origin.

If traces of the Mistina religion are intricately woven into the beastmen's culture to this extent, it's possible that Saintess Mistina Martel was indeed involved in the founding of Zveera.

It's an old story, so there's no way to verify it now, but if archaeology develops in the future, the truth might come to light.

Though that seems like it'll be a long time from now.

"I think so too. But as I said earlier, given the current strained relations with Toga, that's a taboo topic. Lid."

"Right, I'll be careful."

As the charcoal carriage passed through the gate into the royal castle grounds and moved a bit further, a rather extravagant mansion came into view.

"That's the mansion reserved for the fox beastmen tribal chief."

"Ah, so that's..."

The mansion Ammon pointed to was dazzling, with gold and silver decorations reflecting the sunlight.

Even from this distance, it was almost blinding.

It had a nouveau riche vibe, not exactly a calming atmosphere.

"Just so you know, the mansion's style is from the previous chief. It's not my taste."

"Ah, I see."

If it's from Ammon's predecessor, then it must be the taste of either 'Gareth Grandork' or 'Elba Grandork.'

"Wait, but isn't this building within the royal castle grounds? Can the tribal chiefs remodel it according to their preferences?"

"Ah, yes. Even within the royal castle grounds, the area reserved for the tribal chiefs' mansions is considered part of their respective territories. It's the same as the mansion you stayed in while stationed in the fox beastmen territory."

"I see."

Ammon's explanation made sense.

The mansions where the tribal chiefs stay within the royal castle grounds also serve as embassies.

Apparently, the mansions are built around the royal castle, mirroring the positions of the tribes' territories relative to the capital.

When we arrived at the three-story mansion with its flashy exterior, fox beastmen women in formal attire greeted us.

By the way, the formal attire worn by fox beastmen women resembles what I remember as the 'Ao Dai' from my past life.

After unloading the luggage from the charcoal carriage and confirming our respective rooms, I, Ammon, Capella, Dynus, and Rapha gathered in the first-floor office.

It was for final preparations and discussions ahead of tomorrow's tribal council.

As the discussion was winding down, Rapha suddenly murmured, "Now that I think about it..."

"This office was Gareth's favorite, but I seem to recall there being a basement. There might be some documents left down there."

"Eh?! This is the first I've heard of that, sister."

"Oh, my apologies. I just remembered it now."

Ammon's eyes widened, but Rapha shrugged playfully.

"Documents hidden by Gareth? If there's something like that, I'm very interested. Let's all look for the entrance."

"Understood."

At my words, Capella and Dynus nodded, and we all began searching the room thoroughly.

Before long, we discovered a draft coming from a slightly open space behind the desk.

After investigating the area, we found a removable floor panel leading to a staircase descending into the basement.

However, the path leading underground was pitch black, and we couldn't see what lay ahead.

The eerie atmosphere made me hold my breath.

"Could Gareth and the fox beastmen's secrets be down there?"

"What do you think, Rid?"

At Ammon's question, I smiled.

"Of course, let's go take a look."

I picked up the candlestick on the desk and lit it with magic.

Then, I stepped forward to the staircase leading down.