After leaving Emroy's temple, Eriri and Rory got back into the sports car and leisurely drove toward the nearest town.
Most towns in this world were similar to those of traditional fantasy settings—buildings with a magical flair, cobblestone streets, and winding alleyways.
However, the town that now appeared before Eriri and Rory had a few differences.
It was the academic city of Rondel, also known as the magical city of Rondel. The city's theme was centered around magic, and its history even predated that of the Empire.
When the god of scholarship, Elange, and Lar were still demi-gods, they founded a private school here. That institution became the cornerstone from which the city of Rondel gradually took shape.
The buildings throughout the city were almost entirely light blue, with only the rooftops bearing slightly darker hues.
Adjacent to the city was a vast lake, making seafood one of Rondel's specialties.
The city was also encircled by tall mountains, as though the peaks stood guard over it.
Being a city of scholarship, Rondel had a large student population. At a glance, more than half the people on the streets wore garments resembling magical robes—the standard uniform for students.
Unsurprisingly, the arrival of Eriri and Rory drew significant attention from the townspeople.
Eriri, with her dazzling beauty, stood out no matter where she went. But Rory, too, attracted a great deal of attention.
The locals of this city were all proficient in magic and were naturally familiar with the uniforms worn by priests of the various temples. They also had some awareness of Rory, who had been active in the world for hundreds of years.
As a result, most who saw her respectfully greeted her and addressed her as "Your Holiness."
Upon entering Rondel, Eriri stored away her pink sports car, and the two began exploring the city on foot in a relaxed, sightseeing manner.
The city wasn't especially large, so in no time, Eriri and Rory had toured most of its main areas.
Rondel wasn't populated solely by humans. Beastkin, fairies, and even tiny spirits all lived here.
Despite the diversity of races, the community was surprisingly harmonious, with no visible signs of conflict.
Due to time constraints, Eriri and Rory didn't linger in Rondel for long. After their casual stroll through the city, they promptly departed.
Also pressed for time, Eriri didn't rely on the car to reach the next town. Instead, she brought Rory along and teleported directly outside the gates of their next destination.
In this way, three hours quickly passed. Combined with the time spent in Rondel, they now had less than an hour left before their scheduled meeting with Emroy and Hardy.
Of course, Eriri and Rory hadn't explored every town they came across. Aside from a few particularly interesting places, Eriri skipped the rest. Otherwise, even dozens of times more time wouldn't have been enough to visit every settlement in the world.
Finally, they arrived at their last stop for the day: the Imperial Capital of the Empire.
Compared to the magical city of Rondel, the capital was dozens of times larger. Its architectural style was entirely different, and its grandeur was on another level entirely.
The Imperial Capital was divided into two main zones. The outer section was where the commoners resided, while the inner section was reserved for the empire's nobility. A towering wall separated the two regions, and only specific passageways allowed movement between them.
The imperial palace itself stood atop a high mountain, overlooking the city below like a monarch surveying its subjects.
Under the curious gazes of passersby, Eriri and Rory casually bypassed the dividing wall and entered the inner city.
Rory's identity as a divine apostle carried considerable weight even within the Empire. Many nobles, upon seeing her, greeted her with respectful expressions.
However, compared to the reverence shown by commoners, the nobility's respect was noticeably more subdued.
Because of Rory's presence, even though Eriri's beauty drew immense attention, none of the nobles dared to approach her, fearing to offend a demi-god.
But as always, there were exceptions in this world.
...
Inside a palace hall, a burly young man sat on the main throne, listening to the report of another elaborately dressed youth before him.
This burly man was Crown Prince Zorzal El Caesar of the Empire—an arrogant, cruel fool with a notorious reputation.
His elevated status had long since eroded any sense of reverence he might have held toward others. Not even divine apostles commanded his respect.
"Are you sure about what you're saying? You know what happens if you're lying to me," Soshal said sharply, his gaze filled with pressure.
"Your Highness, I wouldn't dare lie to you. I saw her with my own eyes. Her beauty was beyond imagination. I never thought such a stunning woman could exist in this world. That's why I rushed here to report it to you," the younger man said obsequiously.
He was the son of a high-ranking imperial official, and also a known sycophant of Soshal. This wasn't the first time he'd brought such reports.
He knew Soshal's tendencies all too well. Any woman the Crown Prince fixated on was doomed to a miserable fate.
Still, he would do anything to curry favor, without the slightest shred of guilt.
And he was hardly alone—the capital was filled with lackeys just like him.
"In that case, what are you waiting for? Go bring her to me! I want to see what kind of beauty could make you say such things. I'm getting bored of the women we dragged back from the other side of the 'gate,' anyway," Soshal said impatiently, a lecherous and cruel gleam in his eyes.
However, the young man didn't move. Instead, he stood in place, hesitating.
Seeing his reticence, Soshal asked, "What is it? You have something to say?"
"Your Highness... the girl is accompanied by none other than Emroy's apostle, Rory Mercury..."
The Crown Prince sneered. "So that's it. I was wondering why you hadn't taken her for yourself already."
Though clearly displeased, he didn't punish the man. After all, birds of a feather flock together, and he knew the man's true nature.
"Looks like I'll have to handle this myself. Whatever I desire, no one can stop me. Not even Emroy's apostle."
"But of course, Your Highness. You are the Empire's Crown Prince, the future Emperor. Those so-called apostles are nothing compared to you," the young noble quickly chimed in, laying on the flattery thick.
Soshal accepted the praise without an ounce of embarrassment. In fact, he looked even more smug.
Though apostles like Rory often walked among mortals, most people in this world only had a vague understanding of their true capabilities.
While it was known that they possessed formidable combat strength, very few were aware of their immortality—mainly because so few ever pushed a demi-god to the brink of death.
Most of the reverence people held toward apostles was based more on their divine titles than true understanding.
Soshal, obsessed with indulgence and surrounded by sycophantic nobles, naturally had no clue about Rory's actual power. This ignorance gave him the audacity to speak so arrogantly.
Since the Empire was the most powerful force in this world, Soshal believed even demi-gods were no match for it.
He rose from his seat with a haughty expression and said to the young man, "Lead the way. I'll take my men and seize her myself."
"At once, Your Highness."
Soshal moved quickly. Eager to meet the girl who had piqued his interest, he wasted no time and took fifty of his elite guards, following the young noble's guidance straight to the street in question.
Because his movements were far from discreet, news of his departure quickly spread, reaching not only various courtiers but also Emperor Molt Sol Augustus and Crown Princess Pina Co Lada.
Molt, well aware of his son's personality, had a decent guess as to what Soshal was up to.
Still, he was puzzled. Soshal had never made such a scene for something like this before, which made Molt slightly curious about the girl in question.
Unlike Soshal, who had eager lapdogs feeding him information, Molt hadn't yet heard of Eriri and Rory's arrival. Otherwise, he would have at least extended a formal invitation to Rory as a guest of the palace.
His curiosity didn't last long. Molt had no interest in wasting his time on such trivial matters. As long as Soshal didn't cause a disaster, he couldn't be bothered.
But Pina—his daughter and the empire's crown princess—felt differently.
Unlike her arrogant and cruel brother, Pina was kind-hearted, just, and deeply devoted to the people. She was every bit the ideal royal.
Though she didn't know Soshal as thoroughly as their father did, she was aware of some of his misdeeds.
She wasn't privy to the full extent of his depravity, but she knew enough.
While she wasn't sure of the Crown Prince's intentions for marching out with fifty elite guards, she knew it couldn't be anything good.
So upon learning of his movements, she quickly assembled members of her personally founded Rose Knights and followed him.
She intended to uncover his motives. And if her brother was threatening the citizens in any way, she would do everything in her power to stop him.
...
Meanwhile, in one of the noble district's streets, Eriri and Rory sat side by side on the stone edge of a fountain, each holding a paper bag filled with food.
"Mmm..."
Rory raised her left hand to shield her mouth as she chewed, her eyes gleaming with delight.
After about ten seconds, she swallowed and licked the grease from her rosy lips, a satisfied look spreading across her face.
Then she extended the skewer in her right hand toward Eriri with a hopeful expression. "This grilled meat skewer is really good. You should try it, Eriri."
Without hesitation, Eriri opened her mouth and accepted the bite from Rory.
"Mmm... not bad. I'd say it's ordinary delicious," Eriri commented with a small nod.
"Huh? 'Ordinary delicious'? What kind of rating is that? Is there such a thing as special delicious?" Rory asked, tilting her head in confusion as she withdrew the skewer.
"Ordinary delicious means it's good by general standards. But for me, it's just okay. Next time, I'll take you to try what real gourmet skewers taste like."
"Oh? I'll be looking forward to that~" Rory replied with a cheerful grin. She didn't argue, and instead grew even more excited about the culinary experience Eriri had promised.
With that, she resumed eating the rest of her skewer, thoroughly enjoying it until she discovered what Eriri considered "true deliciousness."
Since the street they were sitting on was one of the busier and more populated areas in the noble district, their affectionate food-sharing hadn't gone unnoticed. Many passersby had witnessed their close interaction.
To the townsfolk, anyone who could be so casually intimate with a divine apostle had to be someone of extraordinary status.
And paired with Eriri's captivating beauty, their curiosity about her identity only deepened.
Just then, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from not far away. The people gathered in the square, who had been secretly watching Eriri and Rory, were immediately drawn to the commotion and turned their attention toward the approaching sound.
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