Chapter 5: The Dragon Kingdom

With the current situation in the Draconic Kingdom many have come to the Capital seeking refuge. Everyday well over a thousand people would line up at the city gate in search for asylum and every day the guards stationed there haVE to search them in order to make sure they posed no danger to the city. It was a time consuming job that could last from dawn well into the night. As guarding the city gates has become very unpopular, every soldier dreaded the day they had to handle the influx of refugees.

The old captain of the city guards sighed as he looked at the line in front of him. Hundreds- no, thousands of people had gathered again with their belongings. He was in charge of clearing them for entry and unlike the normal soldiers he was stationed at the gate everyday without rest. Since the beastmen invasion began his hand had long since gone numb from scribbling the names of everyone who was granted entry. Although he complained every night to his wife he did not blame the people for making his job harder. The situation in the kingdom has grown more desperate with each passing day. The number of people coming to the capital in search for asylum would only grow from here on.

The refuge seekers were usually distinguishable even in the city. Those who had borne witness to the carnage rout by the beastmen wore haunted expressions and those who didn't bore frightened ones. You could usually tell from the dark rings under their eyes that they had not slept days because they of their rushed journey to get away from the vile fiends. Their clothes were always dirty and their eyes pleaded with the captain's in order to be let through. That said, the people in front of him right now looked nothing like refugees.

Right now the captain was interviewing a trio who were too well off to be refugees. They were two men and a young woman of about eighteen.

The first man was a giant who stood nearly two metres. He had orange spiky hair and almond eyes with a handsome beardless face that would have women swooning over him. He wore a red chainmail shirt, greaves and metal boots, all seemingly made from the same metal. At the waist a short sword was fastened while a black spear and shield rested on his back. This man had a hardened expression of an experienced warrior. He looked like someone who would rather die than retreat, which is why it was so hard to believe that he would be seeking refuge from the beastmen invasion.

The second man was just over 180 centimetres. He looked quite average compared to the other two with his black hair and eyes. His twenty-something year old face spotted a neatly trimmed beard. He was covered neck to toes in blue armour that the captain recognized as being made of adamantite. A sword and sheath made from the same metal hung at his sides.

The young woman was dark skinned with short white hair and crimson eyes. Unlike the other two who seemed to be dressed for battle she wore short black shorts and thick leather boots. She wore a white jacket that was left open, revealing some kind of bodice that covered her only from neck to diaphragm. Of course the man did not know that this was a sports bra, it did not exist in this world. On her hands he spotted a pair of black gloves. He spotted a pair of metal batons with two curved prongs each jutting out of their handles strapped in an X on her lower back.

Because of her peculiar choice of clothing he had originally thought she was an Adventurer, but soon changed his mind after seeing her careless pouty expression. Before him stood someone who held an air of entitlement. From her attitude it was clear she was the leader of the trio. Her pouting was probably from the fact that she had to stand in line for hours before he got to them. The fact that she did not complain to him about it relieved the captain. In his years as a city guard he had seen different types of people come and go. This girl was one of the rare cases... a noble playing at being an Adventurer, trying to sound like a brute by referring to herself with the masculine ore. She was probably here to register with the Guild.

"We are done Ojou-sama," he said polite. "You can enter the city now."

"Is that so?" the girl responded with a look of relief. "Okay then. Ramiel and Nia, let's go."

The captain of watched their backs as they entered the gate. When they were gone he looked down at the name he had written on the paper, Shiva. He had a daughter her age and offered a silent prayer to the gods for her sake. Let her not go charging into battle, she won't survive.

"Thank goodness it's finally over," Shiva said as she entered the city.

They had arrived early in the morning and only now, close to noon were they permitted entry. It seems for every traveller they required documents with a person's personal information and when the person in question lacked those they would be detained until the guards have gotten all there is to know about them and issued new documents. It was a tedious affair. We should have just teleported into the city, would have saved a lot of time.

Shiva looked up ahead and spotted two men standing in the middle of the street. They beheld panicky expressions and were jumpy every time someone got close to them. These men had clearly gone through a traumatic experience. They were those who had been treated as livestock by the trolls. The third person, the woman, had decided to stay behind in Zion and was being taken care of by the humans situated in Jerusalem.

The men had entered before Shiva, Ramiel and Niahoggr and had waited for them.

"Are you okay?" She asked them. When they nodded in an unconvincing manner Shiva sighed. She felt sorry for them. They had gone through so much pain and suffering. If she were to go through the same thing she would probably have committed suicide. She would not have been able to live from day to day in a literal pen being treated like an animal, fearing if today would be the day she would be killed and eaten. Of course Jophiel had altered most of their memories so most of the trauma had been negated.

"Okay," Shiva said. "Let's get on with business."

She placed herself between Ramiel and Niahoggr in order to avoid being seen. Then she reached into her Item Box and pulled out a backpack.

An hour later, with the help of the locals, the five of them entered the bank of the kingdom. There they met a pretty woman with a smile too wide to not be forced at the receptionist. "Good afternoon," she greeted them. "Welcome to this fine establishment. How may I help you?"

"We would like to exchange our ingots for money," Shiva replied, unslinging her backpack from her shoulders and opening it, displaying its contents to the receptionist. The woman's jaw dropped when she saw the gold bars spilling from the backpack. Without another word she rushed from her desk and came back a minute later with a plump middle-aged man trailing her.

"I'm the manager of this bank," was the first thing he said to them. There was a shrewd look in his eyes as he rubbed his hands together in a greedy manner. "Can we talk in my office?"

"Sure," Shiva replied. She signalled her companions to stay put and followed the manager, backpack in hand. She followed the man through a series of corridors until he they came to what seemed like the last door. The man turned to her, told her they were there and invited her in. About half a minute later they were both seated across each other with the contacts of the backpack on the table.

"This is a lot of gold," he began. "May I ask where you got it?"

"Family savings," Shiva replied. "How much is it worth?"

The truth was that she had taken iron bars and asked Shiro to transmute them. They had needed a way to get their hands on the money of this world so Shiva had requested they use the Sacred Beast's magic instead of exchanging items from the treasury. They might come in handy some other time. On the table rested twenty gold bars of about one five kilograms. Looking at the greedy face of the bank manager she knew he would try to rip her off, not that she minded, but if he took it too far she would tear him a new one.

"200 gold," the manager replied.

Shiva sighed in disappointment. She stood up and began gathering the ingots, returning them to the backpack. "I guess I'll have to go sell my wares somewhere else."

"P-p-please wait a minute miss!" the manager called out before she could leave. Shiva of course had not been planning on leaving. She had gambled on the fact that he would call her and it paid off. Truth is, she had nowhere else to go. She didn't know of another place besides the bank. So when the manager called for her to wait she didn't hesitate to do so. "I'm listening," she said. "And next time you pull such a stunt I'm seriously out of here."

When she met Ramiel, Niahoggr and the two humans she had managed to squeeze five hundred gold out of the manager. She still felt like it was not the correct amount but she didn't really care. If she wanted more money she would just make Shiro transmute more iron. "Let's go" she ordered.

It was in the streets a few blocks away that Shiva decided to part with the two men by giving them three fifths of the gold she'd gotten from the bank. After about ten minutes of them weeping joyously and thanking her, one of them almost exposing her by foolishly calling her Tenshi-sama, she saw them off with a wide smile. In the real world she had always heard the phrase giving is better than receiving(which in her case was hypocritical since many only used it when they want something), however it was only at the moment the men were thanking her that she truly understood the saying. The knowledge of knowing you had affected someone's life for the better brought an incredible feeling. Seeing how happy she had made them almost brought tears to her eyes as well.

"Chichi-ue?" Ramiel called to her after the men had disappeared. "Where to now?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Shiva asked with a glint in her eyes. "We buy some food!" she yelled as she pumped her fist in the air.

Ever since she had come to this word she had yet to eat food of any kind. Having turned into one a being that did not require sustenance she had not given it much thought until this morning when she had to stand in line to get into the city. Around noon some people started taking out the lunch and the smell almost had her drooling. It seems in this world meat was like a staple food. Back on Earth a kilogram could cost you more than your whole month's salary. Apart from humans and insects all animals were considered endangered and were in captivity. Her eyes had almost popped out when she saw people treating what would be considered a super rare delicacy in her world like it was food they ate every day. She wanted to eat it. Even thought she had no need for food it did not mean she could not eat anything, she had a stomach after all.

She entered the most expensive inn she could find and booked two rooms, one for herself and another for Ramiel and Nia. She would be staying in the city a for few days. "And please bring us lunch as well, the best meat dish you have."

She joined Ramiel and Niahoggr at a table in the common room. No one spoke until the food was placed on the table. Without wasting time Shiva cut a piece of her meat and put it in her mouth. Then-

"Mmmm... sho good!" she exclaimed while chewing. It was like a piece of heaven had been dropped on her tongue. The way it stimulated her taste buds was unreal, clearly the best meal she had ever had in her entire life. Originally she had plan on using the table manners that her sister had beaten into her after her parents failed but thoughts of that flew out the moment she tasted the meat. She felt everyone's eyes on her as she grabbed the meat with her hands and tore at it like a wild beast. Then she grabbed Ramiel and Niahoggr's plates and repeated the act. Ramiel didn't seem to mind and Niahoggr's current body was a golem he was controlling using his weird unknown magic (She was going to question him on that when they returned). She felt sorry for him not being able to eat in his current state.

After finishing she suddenly got serious. "Nia-san, does the dragon who founded this country still live?"

"Yes," Niahoggr answered. There was a note of caution in his voice, as if he was watching his tone not to anger her. "However I do not know where he resides. Unlike me he is perfectly capable of blending in with humans."

"Is that so? What a shame." She paused for a second before she asked the next question. "Between the two of you who is stronger?"

Being that the body he currently occupied was made of adamantite, somehow Niahoggr was able to snort in it. He remained silent for half a minute before he responded. "It shames me to admit that he is stronger than I am?"

"Oh, what level is he?"

"I am not sure, however, I am certain his level exceeds two hundred."

"WHAT!"

Shiva felt her heart beat rapidly in panic. This is bad. Shit! I got too careless after learning the average level in this world was low. I should have gotten more information. Level 200? That was something beyond her imagination. In Yggdrasil the level cap for every monster, no matter how strong, was 100. How strong would a level 200 being be? Equivalent to five World-Class disasters? Ten? How powerful was its normal attack, the level of a Twenty? She wouldn't stand a chance against such a creature, Zion wouldn't stand a chance against it.

"Ramiel, we're withdrawing immediately," Shiva said firmly, standing up and preparing to open a Gate.

Ramiel didn't argue. The moment he had heard about a dragon being over level 200 hundred he had suddenly found himself standing next to his creator, eyes surveying the room for threats. His spear was now in his hands and Shiva noticed it was not the one he had been carrying all morning but his God-Level red spear. "Yes Chichi-ue," he replied. "This place isn't safe for you."

"You're right. There's no way we can win against a monster with a level of 200." She was going to open the Gate, when Niahoggr's confused voice reached her ears.

"What are you talking about? The two of you will be able to beat him. Your levels are way above his."

"Eh!"

This was all Shiva was able to say as she stopped short of opening the Gate. Niahoggr had lost her.

"What do you mean we're above level 200? We're only level 100."

"That's not possible," Niahoggr replied, there was something strange in his voice. "My level is 192 so your level is definitely higher. In fact, I have never seen beings as strong as you before."

"Huh?" She thought about what he had just said. Niahoggr, a dragon with a level of 64, claimed that he was level 192 and that hers and Ramiel's level's were far above 200. The only way that was possible is if there existed a different levelling system in this world. Coming to that conclusion she let out a breath of relief. There is nothing to worry about in the end. When she realised how she had reacted and how many people had witnessed it she suddenly felt her cheeks go red with anger and embarrassment.

Five minutes later they were walking down the main street. Shiva had stormed out of the inn as soon as she could and didn't plan on going back for a while. She had made a spectacle of herself in front of those people. First the food, then the overreaction. She didn't know if she wanted to see them anytime soon. Because she didn't need to sleep and eat she was contemplating staying out all night.

"Where do we go now Chichi-ue," Ramiel asked.

"Why don't we separate for now?" she replied. "You and Nia visit the Adventurers and see what you can learn. I'm visiting the church."

Shiva knew nothing about the religion of this world, something that would make her former guildmate Religious Nut look on with disappointment. No matter what world religion is a powerful thing. It could gather more people faster than monarchs to fight for its cause. Many people in the past did things in the name of their gods. Whether good or bad, people will do anything in the name of religion. The Inquisitions, the Crusades; in this medieval setting she found herself in she didn't doubt the Church could do such a thing. One of the countries in the vicinity was founded on religion after all.

"Oh, and take this," she threw a pair of glass at him. These were translating glasses, though Shiva did not know if they really worked or not. When she had put them on earlier to at the city gate but there hadn't been any change like in the game. She couldn't rule out the possibility that they didn't work though. She suspected that the reason they had not worked for her was because she could read the language. As a Psychic Jophiel was excellent with memory magic, so much so that she could extract not only memories but also knowledge from a person's mind. The downside of all this of course was that it had a large mana drain. If not done properly or mana is depleted while the magic is being used on someone the chances of the person's mind being damaged were high. Shiva had ordered Jophiel to do it because she was in a hurry and didn't have time to sit down learning to read a new language; English and Katakana had been hard enough. She also didn't want to wear glasses every time she had to read something. Having to do it in one world was bad enough. "I'll be off then. Oh," she leaned into Ramiel and whispered. "Don't call me Chichi-ue while we are here. You'll make people look at us in a weird way. Call me Ojou-sama or something else."

With that she left them and headed to the church building. It looked like a typical European church from the middle ages. Inside the building there were around two dozen rows of wooden chairs on each side of the room and six altars at the front. Further to the sides there were stone beds, some with sickly people lying on them. There were priest tending to those people, casting the 2nd Tier spell [Heal]. Shiva's eyes left the people and moved to the front. She walked on and sat in the front row, staring at the altars.

"My daughter, have you come to pray?" came a voice from behind her. A second later a priest in white red robes stood in front of her.

"I have come seeking knowledge Father," she said replied. This was usually how people in fantasy novels spoke to priests. Hopefully she was did it properly.

It seems she had said the right thing because his expression remained kind and his eyes remained soft. "Pray tell, what would you like to know?"

"I would like to know of the glory of the gods."

"Ahhh," a smile graced his face. He sat next to her with a glint in his eyes. "Where should I begin?"

"If it doesn't trouble you much then could you please start from the very beginning?" Shiva told him. "My parents neglected to teach me about the gods."

The priest began without saying delay. "In an age when mankind's future was uncertain..."

Shiva listened to the priest rant for three hours, asking questions here and there. According to him the Six Great Gods descended from Heaven six hundred years ago to save mankind. Most of what the priest said went into one ear and out of the other but she remembered the important stuff. The Six Great Gods as the name implied, were six. Their names were not known to any but the highest ranking individuals in the Slane Theocracy, the country that was founded by them. Most people only knew them by their spheres. God of Fire, God of Water, God of Wind, God of Earth, God of Life and God of Death. It seems they represented the six elements of water, earth, fire, air, aether and nether. They accomplished many things before they ascended back into the heavens, the most interesting being the introduction of the current magic system.

Shiva's ears perked up at this. Shiva had had doubts about the existence of the Six Great Gods until the priest mentioned this. She had not been blind to the fact that all magic she had seen so far was Yggdrasil magic, but she had not thought much about it until she heard that. Normally in fantasy novels where two worlds possessed the same knowledge or skills there was common factor. Could it be? Maybe the reason the ranked magic system also existed in this world was because someone like her had introduced it. I have to check what kind of spells exist in this world.

"I just remembered something I should have done," she suddenly said, getting to her feet. "I need to get to the Mages Guild. Thank you for your time Father. Bye."

With that she rushed out of the church, not looking back once.

The little girl on the throne sighed. "This is exhausting."

"Please bear with it your majesty," the man standing at her side mumbled to her. "Just one more meeting and you're done or the day. I am certain you won't find this one as exhausting as the others."

"Oh, is it them?"

The inclusion of five former Black Scripture members the elite team she wanted to strike at the Beastman General was almost finished. With the two who she would be meeting next the elite team she would send to the forefront of the battle field against the beastmen was complete.

In the last week Draudiron Oriculus had been more stressed than she had ever been in all her years as a ruler. If she reverted to her original form she was sure there would be deep worry lines on her forehead. The Beastmen Army had captured their fourth city and were now on route to the capital with an estimated arrival time of 20 hours. The assembled team would be her last chance to halt the advance. After that she would have no choice but to resort to wild magic.

Draudiron was trying to avoid that situation as much as possible. To use the required amount she would probably have to sacrifice everyone in the city. Having to make such a decision filled her with dread. There would be no country if she went through with it. She would be massacring her own subjects. She could already imagine the epithets future scholars would attach to her name. Genocidal Queen, Draudiron the Red. There were already two rulers in the area who made names for themselves by massacring countless people. There was no need for a third one.

The doors to the throne room opened and in stepped two figures. The first was a huge muscular figure that many would at first glance think to belong to a man until they took a closer look at the person's face. The second was an obviously female silhouette with blonde hair tied in a ponytail dressed in red and black clothes of an Assassin. With their arrival the strike team was complete.

The two came to stop in front of her throne and knelt. Then the masculine woman spoke up. "Your majesty. We have come to assist with your problem."

-END-

Heteromorphic Races

Shiro Byakko: White Beast of the West

Job: One of the Sacred Beasts of Eden

Alignment: Neutral, Sense of Justice: -50

Racial Level: Imp 10

Youkai 10

Others

Job Level: Manipulator 10

Expert Manipulator 10

Master Manipulator 5

Transmuter 10

Beast 10

Striker 7

Racial Level: 35, Job Level: 52, Total Level: 87

Ability Charts

HP: 60, MP: 60, PHYATK: 70, PHYDEF: 50, AGI: 100, MAGATK: 45, MAGDEF: 55, RESIST: 50, SPECIAL: 40

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Heteromorphic Races

Penemue: The Highly Intelligent Rogue

Job: One of the Watchers of Babylon

Alignment: Evil, Sense of Justice: -200

Racial Level: Angel 10

Virtue 10

Cherub 10

Job Level: Rogue 15

Swashbuckler 15

Nightblade 15

Assassin 10

Gladiator 6

Racial Level: 30, Job Level: 61, Total Level: 91

Ability Charts

HP: 80, MP: 20, PHTATK: 75, PHYDEF: 60, AGI: 80, MAGATK: 15, MAGDEF: 65, RESIST: 65, SPECIAL: 50