A strange-looking group was proceeding along the highway of the Forest Kingdom of Levresta.
At the front was a refined, four-horse carriage, and its escorts.
This was a carriage used by Levresta officials with posts, and while rare, it was not strange enough to be called bizarre.
It simply had more guards accompanying it than usual.
The problem was the some-thing running after that carriage.
A gigantic golem that moved using as many as six legs.
Its overall length was far larger than the lead carriage.
Two of them, with a form that somehow suggested a living creature, advanced side by side as though blocking the highway.
The smooth motion of each leg, and the stable movement of the body that did not sway up and down, made those who saw it recall a primal fear.
If one did not notice that a relief carved to resemble someone’s profile was engraved into that pure-white, shining exterior, it would not have been strange to have it reported as a new species of monster.
However, behind those two golems, an even more gigantic structure continued.
Its width completely blocked the highway.
Its length was extremely long, even larger than four four-horse carriages lined up side by side.
It had many wheels, and one could predict that it was some kind of artificial vehicle.
But no animal was hitched to pull it.
That enormous vehicle was moving of its own accord.
Furthermore, behind that, there were self-propelled freight wagons which, though about half the size, were still more than huge—these, too, likely golems.
And then, six-legged giant golems, and [N O V E L I G H T] small six-legged golems walking at the very rear as though following them, continued on.
But that was an optical illusion.
The golem that looked small at the rear was the same size as the six-legged golems at the front.
In other words, there were three of the six-legged golems, and giant golems twice their size.
The difference in size was so great that the lead carriage looked like a toy.
The citizens of Levresta who witnessed that group all ended up staring up with blank faces.
The route they were currently traveling corresponded to the trade road between the Forest Kingdom of Levresta and the United Kingdom of Aphrasia.
Various trade goods brought from East Gate City of the United Kingdom of Aphrasia—especially at its peak, because it carried large quantities of wheat, trained horses, and above all, the precious Fuelstone Tone Mag, a magical strategic commodity—a large-scale highway had been developed.
However, along with the decline of the United Kingdom of Aphrasia, the highway became deserted, and multiple post towns collapsed.
What made it abruptly begin to take on vitality was that the number and volume of trade goods had increased to a certain extent.
What could be heard in rumors was the story that the United Kingdom of Aphrasia had been reunified.
Thus, domestic circumstances had improved, and trade had started again.
That said, the personnel who did business in post towns were, in the end, just laborers.
Of course they did not understand the detailed circumstances, and there was no way for them to know.
They were only told not to be surprised, because the new force that had unified the United Kingdom of Aphrasia would be dispatching an envoy delegation along with gigantic vehicles.
Considering travel by carriage, they advanced at twice the usual speed.
An entourage of ambassadors normally traveled at considerable speed, changing horses almost daily.
At the post towns prepared every other day at about a person’s walking speed, they arrived around noon.
As for the ambassadors and their escorts, because the post town had taken care of them every time they went back and forth, there was familiarity.
Even if an outrageous group had come, they were working. Water and feed for the horses were prepared at once.
Of course, meals had to be served to the ambassadors, and to the guards as well.
It was not, as one might expect, extravagantly lavish, but by ordinary standards it was quite high-quality food.
And this time, in addition to them, it was also necessary to prepare for the envoy delegation of the United Kingdom of Aphrasia.
They had been told insistently that there was no need for the horses’ portion, and thanks to that, they had not prepared it, albeit suspiciously. Looking at that group, they could understand.
To begin with, there were no horses accompanying them.
Furthermore, no special preparation for a dining place was needed, and they were only made to secure a spacious area, because the envoy delegation of the United Kingdom of Aphrasia would set up that place themselves.
People got down in a scattering from the pure-white giant golems.
They looked slender, and at first glance they looked like nothing but a group of girls.
They briskly carried baggage out of the giant golems, and in the designated place, in no time at all, they set up a dining space so well-arranged that it could be mistaken for the open terrace of a high-class cafe restaurant in the royal capital.
“Have the guards go over there as well. Ambassador, is this acceptable?”
“Yeah... ...What splendid workmanship. I admire it.”
The ambassador’s attendants hurriedly began preparations.
They spread out the food and drink that the post town had prepared, gave instructions to them, and put the lunch venue in order.
They seemed to have been taken aback, but they were professionals.
One after another, the prepared food was carried in before those seated.
“I said we would prepare the meals on the road, but to have you produce tables and chairs like this in such a short period. This is quite interesting.”
“All of it was made using timber produced in the United Kingdom of Aphrasia. Perhaps because the environment is harsh, there are many varieties that are hard and tightly grained. They can withstand severe use outdoors. If you have interest, we can add them to the trade items.”
“Please do, by all means. However... I still cannot believe it, but those golems of that size truly can continue moving. As for speed, it seems you are matching us, though.”
If they dawdled too much, the sun would set before they reached the next post town.
While immediately putting a hand to the meal, the chief diplomat, Tiariada Elemes, continued speaking.
“Truly, it feels unbelievable. The one that goes through the sky as well—you are the ones flying it, aren’t you. I heard you use it for transporting supplies, but even so, you also use things like this that run along the ground.”
“The sky is wide, but it takes great power to fly about. Besides, there is also the threat of monsters. The sky is not as free as you imagine. Therefore, we also operate transport vehicles that can carry things on the ground.”
What had been prepared was sand bread cut into small portions so it could be eaten quickly. Ingredients were sandwiched between bread, something that could be eaten with one hand, and in one bite.
Depending on the ingredients, one could also produce a sense of luxury.
And the fact that it would not be called vulgar even if eaten with one’s hands was also welcomed in places like this.
Tiariada was eating in one bite, but the Android Communicators, Arborea=Heath and Alistarta=Heath, were nibbling little by little, bringing it to their small mouths.
If they stood side by side, their heads came below his shoulders, so that was only natural.
Even so, Tiariada was by no means making light of them.
When he first faced <Paraiso>, he had underestimated them, but because they were administrative despite appearances, and showed deep intelligence with every exchange of words, he had given them a high evaluation.
If anything, that they were far more capable than them.
They also cared about their appearance, and preferred girlish outfits.
But even so, they did not use the weapons of a girl—nor, above all, of a woman.
They did not want to be treated as women, and always sought negotiations on equal footing.
They showed none of the pampering unique to girls, did not reveal emotion, and considered it good to proceed with matters calmly.
Dreizich, the one in charge of East Gate City, also let slip that she was somehow of a bloodline connected to the royal family of the home country, so she likely received that kind of education.
However, Tiariada only came to know, after beginning exchanges with the two now seated with him, that their clan was uniformly like that.
Both of the two had large cat ears attached to their heads.
They looked like foxes of different colors, but since they themselves said they were cats, that must be what it was.
Certainly, the tail that swayed at times was thinner and longer than a fox’s, supple.
Well, setting aside appearances.
Tiariada had been completely influenced by their stoic attitude.
Their stance of not pushing femininity to the forefront, and of proceeding with things in a businesslike way, looked extremely preferable to him.
Even for him, who had abundant experience as a diplomat, they were the easiest to deal with, and yet the toughest opponents.
