Wizard: I crush legends with martial arts.

Chapter 131 Arrival in the Capital

Alphonse and his group did not travel very fast.

The breakthrough in internal energy cultivation caused some delays.

It took fifteen days to reach the capital.

Although I had already anticipated that the royal city of San Sentano would be more magnificent and imposing than any of the bustling central cities I had ever seen.

But when Zhen Ge saw the city wall, which was at least seven or eight zhang high, he was still taken aback.

It's not because the city walls are too high, of course.

With Alphonse's agility, reaching that height wouldn't be difficult.

By leveraging the momentum, we can climb upwards by stepping on things.

Besides, the toe sword can now fly.

Every few feet along the city wall, there was a strange spire, with faint electric light flowing from its metal tip.

Moreover, several huge gun emplacements were mounted on the wall.

Although painted with pure white paint, adorned with exquisite gold patterns, and decorated with several pairs of wing-like panels that gleamed with a dazzling luster, making them look somewhat like decorative items, Alphonse dared not underestimate those cannons.

Its diameter alone is frighteningly large.

Count Mujik used magical weapons when attacking Blue Feather Territory; it's impossible for a royal city to be without magical weapons.

Mia, along with Midio and Tessi, were visiting San Centano for the first time, but the two veteran guards accompanying them had been there before.

However, they were involved in the kingdom's internal strife as part of the attacking side.

Upon hearing Alphonse's question, the two soldiers immediately launched into a long explanation.

"That spire has a magical barrier. Once activated, it forms an impenetrable magical shield, protecting the entire royal city. It's said to be the masterpiece of the deceased Grand Archmage Andrell, what was it called again?"

"It's an isolation barrier," another soldier added. "And those inside can attack enemies outside, while attacks coming in from the outside will be completely blocked."

"The stones used to build the city wall were carefully selected hard stone, and the stones were reinforced with molten copper and lead. I heard that inside the city wall, at intervals, there are magical crystals blessed by the earth element to ensure that it will not crack or collapse."

"Back then, it took us a lot of effort to get to the city wall. We had to withstand the fire from the magic cannons above and it was extremely difficult to finally blast open the city gate."

Both soldiers were quite proud when they talked about their deeds back then.

Surviving that great battle was something to brag about for a lifetime.

"Since the defenses were so strong, how did you manage to break through?" Alphonse asked curiously.

"It is said that Her Majesty the Queen planted an inside agent in the royal city, which caused the barrier to malfunction and the magic cannons to stop firing, allowing us to break in."

Judging from the expressions of the two soldiers, they only knew the general idea and were not clear about the details, so they were not entirely certain.

Even the most impregnable fortress can crumble and fall apart if internal problems arise.

This must involve some power struggles. Alphonse guesses that the Queen must have offered some conditions, otherwise she wouldn't have left the Council of Elders as an institution to hinder her after ascending the throne.

With valid travel documents and reliable proof of their noble status, Alphonse and his party entered the city without any trouble.

The guards at the gate were used to seeing all sorts of nobles in the royal city, and a little baron from that poor, remote northern region was not worth paying special attention to.

In San Centauri, viscounts and marquesses are a dime a dozen.

Although the palace was damaged by war a few years ago and has been renovated, its deep color scheme and solemn style still carry a sense of gravity as if it has stood for a thousand years.

Alphonse had envisioned the queen's appearance and demeanor.

The style of this other world is Western-influenced. The queen should be wearing an elegant and luxurious long dress, a crown inlaid with many jewels, and holding a jeweled scepter.

However, when they actually saw it, they found it to be completely different from what they had imagined.

Queen Junon, the ruler of the Kingdom of Bastian, wore a white and gold high-necked fitted short coat that reached her waist, embroidered with intricate and delicate patterns in gold and silver thread. A white scarf was tied around her neck, and she wore a wine-red velvet cloak with gold tassel epaulettes over it.

She had fiery red, voluminous curly hair, a full bust and a slender waist that flared out in an astonishing curve below her waist, and a pair of perfectly long, slender legs encased in close-fitting pure black riding breeches and long boots.

Her eyebrows were thin, her pupils were emerald green, and her lips were thin beneath her high, straight nose.

She possessed a striking beauty with a touch of heroism. Though her face wore a faint smile, it conveyed an air of haughtiness and disdain for everything.

In modern terms, she's a very cool and sophisticated older woman.

She was as ripe as a peach, and Mia's figure paled in comparison.

If we only compare the size of their chests, they are probably about the same, but Mia is a bit too slender, while Queen Junon is much fuller.

The crown wasn't one of those huge hats that looked like it weighed over ten pounds; instead, it was a lightweight one with several points, studded with pearls and gemstones.

A section of the sword hilt was also visible at the waist. The gauntlet was quite peculiar, with thin metal twisted and coiled several times to form a strange shape. One could imagine that when holding the sword, this gauntlet could effectively protect the palm.

This is clearly men's clothing!

That seems normal. According to rumors, she was a ruthless character who preferred martial arts to feminine makeup and was willing to compete with her brother for the throne.

Facing a Sword Saint-level expert for the first time, Queen Junon did not deliberately display her aura, but Alphonse could already sense the imposing pressure.

She's much stronger than Mia!

Moreover, the imposing nobleman with gray hair and a short beard standing beside the throne was no less imposing than Queen Junorne.

Is this also a sword saint?

He is definitely Queen Junorne's confidant. Could he be the Duke of Wensalf whom she has never met?

But it doesn't seem like it. The Duke of Unsalf's letters are exceptionally warm and friendly, while this nobleman has a cold and unsmiling face.

For some reason, Alphonse always felt that there was a vague and inexplicable gloomy aura about this nobleman.

Alphonse thought he would be the only one to be received, but to his surprise, the Queen also summoned Mia.

I don't know why.

The etiquette was taught by Rivera, the messenger.

Alphonse placed his right hand on his chest and abdomen, stepped his right foot back slightly, leaned his body forward slightly, and gave an elegant bow.

Mia, who was a step behind, also bowed.

"Your Majesty, Baron Alphonse Tartarus of the Coldwind Lands greets you and pays his highest respects."

"You are Alphonse?" Queen Junon smiled slightly. "Judging from your bearing, the half-elf lady beside you seems more like a noblewoman."

Alphonse was surprised to be mocked as soon as he arrived.

"Mia Sagrando, right?" Queen Junon asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Mia replied calmly.

(End of this chapter)