"The Heavenly Unicorns!" In the lush magical herb garden, Muria observed four unicorns grazing peacefully on the lawn. These creatures, imbued with a holy aura, were not native to this world. "Such extravagance," he muttered.
These divine unicorns could only be transported from the celestial realm and couldn't reproduce in this world. If they did give birth here, their offspring would regress into ordinary unicorns, making large-scale breeding impossible.
"Your Highness, please board the carriage!" Carmen, Andrew's son, acting as the attendant since everyone else had been cleared from the manor, beckoned. "Once you're seated, the carriage will take you to your destination without further ado."
"Understood," Muria nodded, stepping into the carriage. Behind the carriage, twenty-four Black Knights followed closely, mirroring the standard procession of Princess Gladys.
"This wouldn't be the princess's personal carriage, would it?" Muria mused as he settled inside. The carriage was permeated with a delightful, intoxicating fragrance, reminiscent of a young girl's natural scent. It stirred a slight warmth in Muria's body.
"Interesting," Muria noted, spotting a small golden magic array on the tea table before him. The array seemed deliberately conspicuous, almost begging for his attention.
"Operational array?" After a few moments of scrutiny, Muria recognized it as a simple, user-friendly control system. With a basic understanding of runes, it was easy to manipulate.
Muria extended a finger and tapped a couple of runes. Instantly, the carriage walls turned transparent, rendering the entire compartment seemingly invisible. Now, Muria could observe his surroundings without obstruction.
By this time, the carriage, drawn by four unicorns, had ascended into the sky, racing swiftly through the air. Yet Muria felt no sensation of movement, not even realizing when they had taken off.
"Such luxury," Muria sighed, admiring the surroundings. The carriage was now soaring above a bustling city, which he presumed to be the capital of the Uranus Empire. Below, squads of formidable griffin riders patrolled in strict formation.
The city stretched endlessly to the horizon, with its clean and orderly buildings. Despite his elevated vantage point and keen eyesight, Muria couldn't see the city's edges, evoking memories of the sprawling metropolises from his previous life.
However, this city's grandeur surpassed even those mega-cities. As the carriage flew on, the buildings below grew increasingly grand and majestic, towering structures crowned with swirling elemental clouds came into view. These towers were even taller than the skyscrapers of his previous world.
"We must be heading toward the city's central area," Muria concluded. "So, the headquarters of the Deep Blue Trading Company is in the outskirts of the capital? That's a surprisingly low status for merchants."
"We're entering the noble district now," Muria observed, noting the changing architecture below. The buildings were clustered in distinctive blocks. He spotted a shift in the patrols too; the griffins were replaced by more powerful creatures, like lion-dragons and fierce wyverns.
"Impressive. In other duchies, griffin riders are ceremonial guards. Here, they're just patrolmen in the capital's outskirts," Muria marveled, gaining a new appreciation for the empire's strength.
In this world, griffins were the most successful mid-tier beasts, flourishing massively with the help of humans. Estimates suggested there were over a billion griffins bred by humans, and almost every human nation trained griffin riders.
As wind-aligned beasts, griffins weren't the strongest mid-tier creatures and had average reproductive and taming capabilities. Yet, they thrived due to their regal appearance. The majestic blend of lion and eagle, golden wings, and white feathers made them highly appealing to human aesthetics.
In many smaller countries, griffin riders served as part of the ruler's ceremonial guard, purely for display. This demonstrated how appearance could significantly alter one's fate. As long as humans existed, griffins would likely continue to thrive alongside them.
"Greetings, Princess Gladys!"
Upon entering the noble district, the sky was filled with not only the usual patrol knights but also young nobles riding various flying creatures, engaged in playful antics. Yet, when they noticed Muria's procession, they respectfully made way, avoiding any offense.
Just as Muria anticipated a smooth journey through the capital's scenery to Princess Gladys's palace, an unexpected incident occurred. Over a dozen streaks of light, resembling long rainbows, emerged from behind a mage tower. Given the short distance, neither the heavenly unicorns nor the Black Knights had time to react before these streaks collided with them.
Fragments of black armor and blood-stained white fur began to fall from the sky. The sudden chaos stunned the nearby nobles and patrolling knights alike.
The violent collision caused Muria to feel the impact even within the carriage. A sense of absurdity washed over him. In the heart of the Uranus Empire's capital, while riding in the Seventh Princess's carriage, he was being attacked? The level of security was laughable.
"Dare to crash into the royal entourage? Capture them!" The patrolling knights immediately surrounded the area, their expressions fierce. Allowing such an attack under their watch was a disgrace.
"Princess Gladys, are you unharmed?" Some young nobles also sprang into action, rushing towards the carriage.
The airspace turned chaotic as Muria finally got a clear look at the culprits. They were sleek, spindle-shaped magitech devices with energy thrusters at their rear.
"Drag racing gang!" The term popped into Muria's mind as he surveyed the crashed devices. He hadn't expected to encounter such a group in Erathia, and on their first encounter, they crashed into him.
Though he was unharmed, more than half of the Black Knights given to him by Gladys had lost their life force. One of the four celestial unicorns was dead, another severely injured, and the carriage itself had a deeply indented side.
...
"How brazen! To dare disrupt the royal escort," Muria muttered as the chaos settled around him. The nobles and knights continued to secure the scene, ensuring no further threats loomed.
As the dust settled, Muria stepped out of the damaged carriage, surveying the aftermath. He walked up to one of the damaged magitech vehicles and inspected it closely. "These devices... they must belong to some reckless young nobles showing off their wealth and influence," he thought.
It wasn't long before several knights approached Muria, saluting with a mixture of respect and embarrassment. "Your Highness, we deeply apologize for this incident. We will ensure that those responsible are brought to justice."
"Make sure that you do," Muria replied calmly, though his gaze carried a warning. "Princess Gladys's reputation must not be tarnished by such reckless behavior."
"Yes, Your Highness!" The knights responded with renewed determination.
Just then, the skies cleared and a regal figure approached on a grand drake, its scales shimmering like emeralds. "Who dares to cause trouble in my realm?" The voice boomed with authority, immediately recognized as belonging to a high-ranking noble, possibly a duke or an imperial family member.
Muria watched with interest as the newcomer landed gracefully near the scene. "This should get interesting," he thought, crossing his arms and waiting for the unfolding drama.
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