In Asura Kingdom's capital of Arus, its thoroughfare had become packed with people.
The crowd was thick enough that you would bump into someone if you stumbled one step to the side and disappear into the crowd several meters in.
The density is just like a certain Obon festival's third day.
It was the eve of the coronation in the capital city of the Asura Kingdom, Arus, and people had gathered from all over the world.
There are those who came to the country with the hope of glancing the next ruler of the world's most powerful nation.
To offer congratulations, there are nobles from other countries who have been dispatched as goodwill ambassadors.
Unemployed swordsmen have gathered for the chance at work in case the government services will be hiring at this time.
Predicting simple jobs with straightforward rewards, adventurers had gathered.
Bounty heads trying to escape from their pursuers taking the opportunity to hide like a tree in the forest.
The merchants who came in order to pursue a money-making scheme, selling a dubious product in a place were many people have gathered.
So on and so forth...
Every race dwelling on the Central Continent had been gathered in this country.
In addition, the White Knights of Asura were performing a parade that day.
In an attempt to catch a glimpse of the admired Knights, the townspeople had stretched out their legs into the thoroughfare.
"Whoa..."
Meanwhile, while craning her neck restlessly, Nina walked towards the center of town.
This was the first time in her life she had seen such a crowd.
This girl had thought she had seen large numbers of people in many towns before, but the crowd here was beyond her imagination, she couldn't help but become confused.
"Tch, watch where you're walking!"
"Now... which one of you... where?"
The opponent she thought was selling her a fight vanished into the crowd.
This was a first for her.
She has been a Sword King for some time. With her characteristic sharp senses, never before has she failed to understand the source of abusive language.
This time, the other side was allowed to walk away with only words as a response.
Perhaps he did not even see Nina's face.
( In this city, words like that... I wonder if such a thing is like a greeting. )
In the Holy Land of the Sword, someone who approached her with a mouth like that would have been sent to the healing magician in an instant.
You must not think that someone is trying to pick a fight with you even if they are rude in this city.
"Hey, hey, pretty onee-san, why don't you come over here for a little bit?"
"I-I.. I'm pretty?"
As she was walking along in a daze, she was abruptly stopped by a person with the air of a merchant about him.
He had a small shop nearby, and seemed to be selling something.
"Yes, yes. This is the first time I've seen a woman as beautiful as you... By the way, it seems like you aren't familiar with the capitol, is this your first time visiting?"
"Yes, but how did you know?"
"It's obvious at first glance. The way you are jostled about in the crowd is proof that you are a person from another country."
To hear that her movements were obviously that of someone from the country, Nina blushed.
She had previously stretched her legs out into other cities.
But, from the point of view of this urbanite, the places Nina had thought were cities was still in the countryside.
"It's a terrible crowd of people. Are all of them here to witness the coronation?"
"Yeah, there is that, but there is also going to be a parade of the White Knights, so everyone is gathering in the street for that."
"I see..."
"There are signboards everywhere instructing people who wish to see the parade to head for the main streets. As for the people with no business there, they should keep to the back streets..."
"That's my fault, I can't really read..."