I followed Olivia into the metal spider-like vehicle parked in front of the building.
Calling it a vehicle was generous—from up close, it looked like nothing short of a Monster. Mounted all over it were what were clearly armaments, far more than would be necessary for mere transportation.
"So they really do enjoy the benefits of a high-tech civilization, but travel is pretty conventional, huh?"
I'd heard that some places within the Treasure Halls of high-tech civilizations had teleportation devices linking certain areas, but apparently nothing like that existed in this city.
Olivia answered in an exasperated tone.
"...This is the most reliable method. A spider capable of three-dimensional movement won't be subject to ambushes."
"Ambushes!? This is... in the middle of the city, isn't it? Who would ambush us?"
"There are insurrectionists among the lower-class citizens. Idiots who indiscriminately attack Class 1 and above citizens, trying to seize the city's coding system—which they could never obtain by any legitimate means. Consider this fair warning: be careful when you go outside. Class 1 citizens receive only minimal protection from the city system. Even someone called lower-class could tear you apart if they're armed. Finding a replacement would be troublesome."
I'd worried from the briefing materials that the law and order might be rough, but... this was beyond what I'd imagined. Insurrectionists, huh...
The interior of what they called the spider was surprisingly comfortable. I couldn't tell what material the cushions were made of, but they were soft, and despite the tremendous speed, there was absolutely no shaking. There wasn't even a hint of vibration during the leaps—that alone spoke volumes about the technological prowess of this high-tech civilization.
Through the nearly perfectly transparent windows, I could see the full panorama of the city.
I'd assumed it was just a forest of tall buildings, but from high up, I could see that wasn't quite right.
The city appeared to be shaped like a mountain. A mountain of buildings—higher in the center, with progressively shorter structures toward the outer perimeter.
The buildings were packed together with almost no gaps, an impressive sight. Even by city standards, it was enormous. It might have been bigger than the Imperial Capital Zebuldia.
A few structures that seemed to float in the sky were also visible.
"Olivia, are you a noble?"
"...No."
At my question, Olivia furrowed her neatly shaped brows.
She glanced at her wristwatch, sighed once, and began explaining in a slightly hurried voice.
"I'd like to say 'ask your superior once we arrive,' but I'll tell you the bare minimum now. This is common knowledge in this city—no, you could say it's essential for surviving here. I'm talking about the class system defined by the city's coding system."
In Zebuldia, class divisions weren't nearly this rigid.
There was an emperor and nobles, but beyond that, people were free to choose their occupations, and the slavery systems that still existed in some nations had been abolished long ago.
But Code was different. The clerk had registered our class first thing, and everything seemed to operate by rules entirely different from the outside world.
"In Code, every citizen is assigned a class. This class determines your rights within the city, which in Code is synonymous with power. Classes range from one to nine. Classes one through five are ordinary citizens, six and seven are the noble class, eight is royalty, and nine belongs to the Code King alone. Classes are represented by the number of stars. So when I have five stars and you mistake me for a noble—well, only an outsider could make that mistake."
Quite the complex system... nine classes seemed like a real pain to memorize.
Well, I didn't plan on staying that long, but none of this information had been in the Explorer's Guild either.
"I see... And the lower-class citizens you mentioned earlier?"
"Lower-class citizens are Class zero—that is, according to the city's coding system, they are not considered people."
Not considered people. Those ominous words made my eyes widen involuntarily.
"The first Code King once used the city's power to absorb the surrounding nations. Among those captured, the ones who were docile and posed no risk of rebellion were designated Class one, and the rest were designated Class zero. They can't use the city system at all—they're the weaklings of this city—but honestly, there isn't a huge difference between them and Class one citizens. I said 'insurrectionists,' but most of them are perfectly harmless. If you ignore them, they won't come near you."
The spider, which had been leaping high, was pulled down by gravity and touched down on the road. Similar buildings crowded all four sides. In the gaps between buildings, a few figures were watching us. They weren't emaciated or filthy. But their eyes were filled with deep wariness.
Olivia noticed what I was looking at and said with a grimace.
"Just because they can't use the city system doesn't mean they can't manage food, clothing, and shelter. They're simply unprotected by the system. For example, even if I killed one of them, the city system wouldn't consider it a crime in the slightest. And at Class five, I could even request the system to eliminate them for me. I won't, since there's no point, but I could."
Like spiders scattering from their nest, the people who had been watching us fled.
Hearing that, the story sounded quite terrifying. Daily life was apparently built entirely on the city system of this high-tech civilization. I'd better be careful not to get "eliminated" myself...
But just memorizing the city's rules was going to take forever.
Citry and Lusia were the ones who were good at learning rules like these. As expected, I was useless without my companions.
"We've arrived. This is the headquarters where you'll serve as a royal guard for Her Highness."
The spider stopped, and I stepped outside. What awaited me was an unadorned building that was virtually indistinguishable from the surrounding structures.
There was no symbol of authority to speak of—if no one told you, you'd never guess a princess was here.
Following Olivia, I entered the building. Doors that opened silently, strange devices installed everywhere that I'd never seen before.
The building was made of metal that wasn't cold to the touch, and I couldn't even imagine how it had been manufactured.
As I looked around, a calm male voice reached me.
"Welcome back, Olivia. Is that the last one...?"
What appeared was an elderly man dressed in a black tuxedo. White hair and neatly groomed beard. His wrinkled expression looked thoroughly gentle, and his bearing carried an air of refinement.
I'd visited noble estates several times before, and he reminded me of a butler working in one—though slightly softer in demeanor. Five stars adorned his chest.
"This individual has a comprehensive evaluation of four—an unparalleled talent, in a manner of speaking. His name is Klye Andrich. Weak, unmotivated, and without ambition. By any normal standard, he's someone no one would ever choose. If we recruit him, no one will raise an objection. In fact, we could use twenty-seven more like him. I've attached prohibitory constraints as a precaution, of course."
Was that... a compliment? Or an insult?
From the moment I'd first met them, I'd gotten the sense that their words and evaluations didn't quite match. Was incompetence actually being *demanded*?
If there were twenty-eight of me, that would be a disaster.
"I see... Well, whatever the case, it's good we have the required number before time runs out. Now we just wait for the moment to arrive."
The old man ignored me and let out a relieved sigh. I couldn't make sense of the situation. Even someone like me was starting to want an explanation.
The content of their conversation was strange enough, but the idea of making a newly arrived incompetent rookie into a princess's royal guard was something even I could tell was deeply abnormal.
"Um... I just entered Code, and I know absolutely nothing about what's going on... And honestly, I haven't even been introduced to you, Olivia. I don't have a problem with serving as a royal guard, but I'd appreciate at least some kind of explanation."
According to the client's information, the princess should have been imprisoned by nobles who opposed her calls for peace.
Seeing me raise my hand slightly, Olivia furrowed her brows and clicked her tongue in annoyance.
That was when the old man finally made eye contact with me.
"I am Jean, chief butler to Princess Alicia. She is Olivia, chief attendant. Though I say 'chief,' she has no subordinates, of course. Klye, what we ask of you is—to do nothing. Simply refrain from unnecessary actions, cause no problems, make no demands, and remain there quietly, like a shell, like a stone. Is that understood?"
Oh... I might actually be good at that.
His tone wasn't so much stern as it was the way one might talk to a particularly stubborn child.
"Understood. I won't brag, but doing nothing is something I'm genuinely good at."
Jean's eyes went wide for an instant, and he glanced at Olivia. When he saw her shrug, he offered an awkward half-smile and continued.
"...If I must say one thing, please just try not to die, since replacing you would be a hassle. Her Highness needs to register the royal guard... Come with me. You'll have an audience."
He'd said "try not to die" multiple times now—was this place really that dangerous?
Following Jean's lead, I walked through the building.
It was an extremely simple structure with almost no furnishings. There were a fair number of rooms, but they were silent and devoid of any sign of life.
There was no conversation. As I followed him while looking around, Jean entered a small room with no furniture at all.
Tilting my head, I followed, and the door closed automatically behind us before opening again almost immediately. I couldn't help but widen my eyes.
Beyond the door was an entirely different hallway stretching far in either direction.
Through the windows on both sides, I could see the Code cityscape—a forest of towering buildings arranged like blocks.
This was probably the top floor of the building. The Footprint Clan House was also a high-rise, and the view from the Clan Master's office on the top floor was spectacular, but this felt even higher than that.
I'd been unaware of it during my entry into Code, but this was also different from an elevator. Were they bending space itself with super-technology? It was convenient, but the sensation was strange.
For a brief moment, I caught Jean's gaze on me, as if observing a specimen. He then started walking without a word, so I decided to ask something that had been on my mind.
"Are there other royal guards besides me?"
"...According to the city system's regulations, royalty must be assigned a minimum of one butler, one attendant, and twenty-eight royal guards. You are the twenty-eighth."
Jean answered without breaking stride.
He did respond when I asked questions, but he was giving me the cold shoulder. We were supposed to be colleagues serving the same princess, after all.
"Until just a few days ago, Her Highness had thirty-two royal guards. However, in a stunning display of poor judgment, five of them attempted to make improper advances toward Her Highness and were reduced to ashes by the city system. Despite having had a comfortable surplus of guards, we were suddenly one short. We had told them so many times not to cause trouble—"
"Improper advances!? The royal guards tried to assault the princess!?"
This was complete lunacy. Jean said it as casually as if discussing the weather.
"You should be careful too. The city's coding system allows for no extenuating circumstances. That said, as long as you follow our instructions, there won't be a problem. We've arrived. This is Her Highness's room."
No, wait—even in the outside world, royal guards attacking a princess was completely unthinkable...
At the end of the hallway was a single door. A smooth metal door, seemingly a sliding type. The upper half had a gray panel embedded in it.
Jean spoke toward the door.
"Her Highness, it's Jean. Please register the new royal guard."
That was when it happened. The gray panel's color faded away. Through the now-translucent window, the room's interior became visible.
Inside was a woman with an air of fragile beauty, as though she might shatter at a touch.
I couldn't tell her age. But she probably wasn't too far from mine. She wore a simple dress without ornamentation.
The phrase "a sheltered lady" might have been coined for someone like her.
Her Highness had apparently been sitting in a chair reading a book, but upon noticing us, she rushed to the door. She peered down at me through the window with eyes like those examining a rare creature.
I'd encountered people called princesses several times before, but this was a first in terms of reaction.
"Your Highness, please register him—Klye Andrich—as a royal guard."
Her Highness's eyes went round, and her lips opened and closed rapidly. But no sound emerged.
The room's walls were entirely windows, letting in soft sunlight. But with almost no furniture, the space gave an impression of desolation.
"Can... can she hear me from this side?"
"She cannot."
"Can I open the door?"
"That is impossible. The door is locked."
I see, I see, I see, I see... This was a bit different from what I'd imagined, but yes—she was definitely being confined.
Jean spoke to my strangely fascinated expression.
"Her Highness's care is handled by the city system. I should mention—please don't attempt to break the door. It would be impossible by human strength anyway. The guards who were reduced to ashes swung Treasure Weapons—axes—at it, and didn't leave a single scratch. If the system judges someone as malicious, humans are utterly powerless."
"She can't open it from the inside either?"
"No. Her Highness doesn't have that authority. Apparently, she has never left this room since the day she was born."
This went beyond mere confinement. Being sealed in so perfectly, a royal guard seemed unnecessary. But if the door couldn't be opened, how was I supposed to protect her?
Quite the dilemma. I'd have to consult with Kaiser and the others.
Her Highness sighed, then pointed her index finger at me and twirled it around. Then she broke into a bright smile.
That innocent, guileless smile made me instinctively wave back with equal enthusiasm.
Jean said with an exasperated expression.
"The royal guard registration is complete. That takes care of that."
"Out of curiosity—if you're not going to have me take care of her or protect her, why even bother with the registration?"
"...If the city system requires it, we register. It may seem strange to an outsider like you, but this ancient civilization's system is what it is—there's no flexibility."
So that's why they welcomed an incompetent like me. It was purely to fill a quota.
Not being expected to do anything was honestly kind of nice.
Her Highness was still looking at me, but the window turned gray again. It never became transparent once more.
Maybe she couldn't operate it from the inside.
Could I make it transparent? I'd try it once I was free to move around.
The future was opaque and hardly grounds for celebration, but there was something almost exciting about it—it was reminiscent of testing out a Treasure Weapon.
"Next, I'll take you to meet the other royal guards. Class-wise, they'd technically be your direct superiors. Though they're all new arrivals too, so there isn't much difference—"