The Master of the Brave Chapter 110 – The old fortress of Mount Soil

The Master of the Brave

Chapter 110 – The old fortress of Mount Soil

The military alliance between the Lemmrousell Empire and the Kingdom of Lyon was finalized. As a result of the previous secret agreement between Crown Prince Alfred and Crown Prince Raul, the alliance was carried out without delay. Princess Cornelia, who disappeared from the imperial capital Simurgh and suddenly appeared in the Kingdom of Lyon, signed the agreement as a representative of the Empire. From here, the experienced and reliable bureaucrats Alfred had sent in advance would work out the details with the kingdom. There was nothing more Wynn and the others could do, as this was the territory of political diplomacy. Wynn and his party’s plan for the future was to remain Cornelia’s escort, who would stay behind to follow up on the various matters arising from the alliance, and to ask the Kingdom of Lyon to reveal information and investigate the legacy left behind by Conrad Heisenberg and Sarah Ferrule, which was ordered by Alfred when they left Erz.

In the morning after the party. That day the signing of the military alliance between the Lemmrousell Empire and the Kingdom of Lyon was scheduled. Only those who had been informed about Conrad Heisenberg’s legacy were invited to the breakfast in the hall. That is, Raul, Wynn, Leticia and Cornelia.

As soon as the servants had prepared breakfast, Raul quickly dispatched them.

“Breakfast is served, though I’m sorry for the delay. For now, listen while we eat.” Raul said, then quickly reached for the plate of eggs in front of him.

Although the general plan for the alliance document had been finalized with Alfred, there were still several issues that would arise regarding the alliance that needed to be handled quickly. Raul, who was not only the crown prince but also the general in charge of an army, was extremely busy.

“Wynn-kun. You have an important role to play. Not only as the Master of the Brave, but also as a follower of Her Imperial Highness. That’s why I need your help. I need someone from another country who can confirm the results of my investigation. If you’re the one present, we won’t have any problems.”

Wynn looked at Cornelia’s face, his mistress. When she saw him look in her direction, she nodded slightly.

“All right. But please tell me what this is about first.”

“It all started with the urgent news of those who had been sent to the old fortress that was once Conrad Heisenberg’s base.” Raul then began to speak.

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Now that the war against the demons had come to an end, the story most favored by the people was the one celebrating the exploits of Leticia von Mavis, the heroine who destroyed the demon king. Many bards and preachers followed in her footsteps, each with their own interpretation of the various stories that were written and offered to the people. In one such story, Brave Mavis stopped a pagan ritual plotting to revive an evil god, and rescued a maiden who was to be sacrificed.

According to the preacher or bard, the maiden could become a prince, but the story is especially popular among the Lyonnais because the country in which it was set was the Kingdom of Lyon and the famous battle that the Crown Prince of Lyon, Raul Orto Lyon, fought for the first time after becoming a companion of the Brave Mavis.

The Majil Mountains stretched from the Lemmrousell Empire to the Kingdom of Lyon. In this range of mountains four-thousand-meters-high, there was a mountain called Mount Soil by the locals. In the middle of the mountain, there was an old castle that seemed to stand out from the tall coniferous trees growing around it.

Several huge stones were used to give a very massive impression to onlookers. There was no town or village near the old castle, so how could such an ancient castle be built on this land that seemed so difficult for people to access? The answer to this question could easily be found by looking closely at the area surrounding it. It was covered with short bushes, dead leaves and moss, but here and there one could see stone stairs and what looked like collapsed stone walls, which had been preserved in a wide area in the middle of Mount Soil.

In addition, if one consulted the old documents and maps kept in the Royal Library of the Kingdom of Lyon, one could find descriptions of this old castle. According to these documents, the old castle was built by the nobles of the ancient Kingdom of Rentheim, a continental hegemonic state that flourished hundreds of years ago, and the castle town extended around it. However, it was attacked by barbarians at the end of the kingdom, and the family of the castle’s lord died in the battle. The city was burned and destroyed. The town, located in the middle of the mountains, used a now defunct magical means of transportation to get in and out, but was lost when it was burned down. Even the few survivors abandoned the town, which had become difficult to access, and it was forgotten by the people until several hundred years later, when a mage made the old castle his base.

Yes, this wizard was the evil mage Conrad Heisenberg, who, for the story, was defeated by Brave Mavis, and who planned to revive an evil god. And the place where the Brave Mavis and the mage Conrad are said to have clashed was this old castle.

Conrad Heisenberg, a court mage of the ancient Kingdom of Thane, was a candidate for Great Sage. After the fall of the Kingdom of Thane, he traveled from country to country researching how to destroy the Demon King, and finally settled on this place as a base. After confronting the Brave and being defeated by her, the old castle contained many objects left by him. Liquids that, if even a single drop fell to the ground would create a poisonous smoke that could kill thousands of people. A grimoire with a curse that would kill an ordinary wizard instantly if they opened it. Mirrors that summoned spirits, demons and other non-humans.

There were dangerous objects that had to be forbidden, such as those that could turn an entire town into a necropolis in one night if handled incorrectly, or those that could overthrow an entire country depending on how they were used.

It was not easy, even for the best magicians at the court of Lyon, to analyze the secrets of such magic. They were not allowed to touch them even by carelessness. Faced with these forbidden objects that were not to be shown to the world, the high officials of the Kingdom of Lyon decided to seal the entire ancient fortress with a strict magical seal. In addition, several trusted knights and magicians were sent to make sure that no one could approach them.

In front of the gate leading to the old castle, the coniferous forest there suddenly opened up, into what seemed to have once been a front courtyard. The ground was covered with palm-sized stones, which must have prevented the conifers from growing there. There were also traces of a flower bed on one side of the road. In those days, flowers of all seasons must have bloomed profusely to entertain visitors. Now, however, there was no trace of them, weeds grew between the stones and the flowerbeds were covered with tall, rooted grass.

In a corner of the old courtyard was a simple hut, built of wood. After the confrontation between the Brave and Conrad, this hut was built to house the stewards sent from the Kingdom of Lyon. Those who became stewards were to serve in six-month shifts. One of them, an old knight, Gidman, had also been put in charge of a small station built on the hillside of the old castle. His colleagues were all of a similar age, though a little younger than him.

Even though he belonged to the upper echelons of the Royal Knights, he was already on the verge of retirement because of his achievements in the army, so he could have a place prepared where he could spend his time quietly until retirement without being overwhelmed by the daily work. As a knight, he would no longer participate in spectacular battles, but since he was about to retire, he had no desire to take credit for any more accomplishments. Apart from the loneliness of living away from his family, he had no complaints about the place to which he was assigned, as he planned to live out the rest of his life quietly after receiving his retirement pay and pensions. First of all, since he belonged to the army, it was his duty to leave his homeland and go to faraway places if anything happened. So, if he saw himself that way, living away from his family as he was now was not even a big deal.

Although there was the risk of encountering demonic beasts and wild beasts like bears and wolves, it was still a much more peaceful and quiet place compared to the battlefields where death was just around the corner.

He no longer had the energy to lead a stimulating life, but, even so, such a mission deep in the mountains without any entertainment was more boring than he had imagined. So, to pass the time, Gidman cleared part of the forest and made a small field.

He put down his sword, which seemed to have little chance of being wielded here, and took up the hoe that a peasant would wield. He created fields and cultivated them. The area surrounding this ancient castle was managed by the kingdom, but people rarely visited it anyway. At most, there were only a handful of people hired by the military who came twice a month from the villages at the foot of the mountain to deliver supplies and food. If they cleared some forest and grew enough vegetables to feed themselves, there would be no problem.

The main job of a steward was to scare off the rarely seen adventurers who would visit the old castle, mistaking it for a ruin, and thieves who would try to use it as a fortress.

There was plenty of time to work in the field, and it was a good way to pass the time. His colleagues stewards were also interested in making their own fields, and they all set to work in such a trade unknown to them.

As for knowledge of field work and the crops they were to plant, the two mages staying with them in the fortress took the trouble to order a few books.

Perhaps the mages had too much time on their hands, because they too were dressed in light work clothes and helped them by removing small stones and pulling weeds. Gidman was under the impression that the mages were quiet imbeciles who spent all their time in dark rooms reading books and conducting experiments, so he was surprised to see them actively engaged in physical labor. Perhaps it was because there were no books to read and only a limited number of experiments to do in that place.

They removed the cobblestones, the remains of where the road used to be, and dug up and removed the roots of the trees that remained deep in the ground. Then they plowed the soil and climbed the trees to cut the branches that were in the way to improve the sunlight. It was all unfamiliar work to these men who had been running around the battlefield with swords, but it was quite fun to work with their friends.

“The crops we harvest by our own hands must be exceptionally delicious. When I retire as a knight, I will hand over the leadership of the family to my son and use the retirement money I have received to buy a plot of land in some village and start a farm.”

Some of them even said those things.

“My legs hurt.”

It didn’t matter if he was a knight or a mage, everyone laughed at his words. Knights and mages rarely interacted with each other. Knights, who fought with their weapons and their bodies, and mages, who fought with their magic and their knowledge, did not get along, as was the case with many in the Kingdom of Lyon. However, by working together in the field, they were able to cooperate with each other and strengthen the unity of the stewards. This was a pleasant side effect.

When I finish my labors here, I think I will also devote myself to tilling the field.

They may have been criticized for clearing government-managed land without permission, but it was valuable experience. There might come a day when fields would be planted at front-line forts and elsewhere. As Gidman thought of such ideas, with his hoe in hand, a sudden tremor shook the stewards. A huge tremor, as if the earth and sky were moving. It was such a strong shake that the body of the old, burly steward staggered. He dropped the hoe without a second thought and tried to balance his body. The surrounding trees roared and shook. The shaking was so great that Gidman could not stand, so he got down on all fours with his hands on the ground. There was loud thumping that could be heard intermittently. He couldn’t see much through the flying dust, but the roof and outer walls of the old castle might have collapsed. There was a crunching sound near Gidman and, with a clatter, the hut collapsed. He shielded his head and face with his hands as small pieces of wood and pebbles flew toward him from the shaking.

How long did the shaking last? When the shaking finally stopped, Gidman stood up. He felt his body still shaking somehow, but it was probably just his imagination.

“Hey guys, are you all right!?”

When he shouted, he could hear everyone’s response behind the dust in the air.

“Wow… This looks pretty bad.”

The hut had collapsed spectacularly. Fortunately, since everyone was outdoors working in the fields, no one was caught in the cabin collapse and no one was hurt.

“What was that earthquake, did the mountain start to catch fire?”

Some of the hills in the Majil Mountains were volcanoes and erupted once every several decades. If the earthquake had been caused by an eruption, they would have to evacuate immediately to the foot of the mountain, because the pyroclastic flow would have burned everything in a short time. However, there were no smoke plumes visible in the mountains between the trees.

“Let’s check the damage to the old fortress.”

The others nodded at the words of the oldest: Gidman.

Their temporary home, the hut, had collapsed and was in a terrible state of disrepair, but first they had to report the damage to the old fortress to the royal capital. The paper and pencils for writing the report were trapped in the collapse of the hut, so they would have to dig them out later, but first they wanted to take a quick look at the fortress they were in charge of, before making a detailed survey of the damage.

The dust settled and they could see the devastation caused. The sturdy stone walls of the old fortress had withstood the elements for hundreds of years, but the earthquake had caused cracks to appear everywhere, and in some places they had collapsed. The main tower of the castle had also collapsed and was gone. There were several large pieces of stone rubble lying on the ground. They knew then that the loud crashing sound they had just heard was that of the walls collapsing. If the stewards’ quarters and fields had been built closer to the fortress, they might have been under the large rubble.

“The old fortress was supposed to be magically sealed, but the earthquake didn’t care…”

The impact was such that the roof and stone walls of the fortress, made of large stones, collapsed. He wondered if the objects Conrad had left inside were safe. It was possible that containers of hazardous substances had fallen to the ground and poisonous smoke had leaked out.

“We approached without thinking about it, but it could be dangerous to do so any further without taking any precautions.”

Gidman nodded at the opinion of one of the mages. In any case, there was nothing they could do, as the sealing protections applied beyond this point, but they were thinking of filing a report with the royal capital, saying that there might have been significant damage inside the fortress.

“Ah!” At that moment, one of the mages who had been casting a spell elsewhere shouted.

“What is it?”

“The barrier! The magical protection barrier!”

The mage who raised his voice began to run in panic. Seeing that this was no ordinary matter, the stewards ran after him. They immediately knew where he was going. To prevent anyone from setting foot in the old castle, a powerful protection magic with five magic circles called “Fivefold Protection Magic Circle” had been set up. The mage rushed over to one of the five magic circles that created that protection magic and sat down, dropping to his knees on the spot.

“This is impossible…”

The other mage, who had arrived late, let out a growl from the back of his throat. There was a large crack in the pentagram of the magic circle showing a gap.

“What’s going on?”

Gidman asked, and the first mage who ran out said with a pale face.

“They broke the sealing spell!”

“What do you mean they broke it?”

Gidman felt a bad feeling at the mage’s words.

It wasn’t broken, but that they broke it…?

“What do you mean they broke it?”

“It means exactly what I said: The barrier that sealed the old fortress is gone!”

“Didn’t it happen because the magic circle was damaged in the earthquake earlier?”

“That’s not possible.” Without hiding the tinge of impatience in his voice, the mage appealed to Gidman in a strong tone. “This is not a simple magic formula that can be broken by an earthquake. Besides, the mage who created it was the ‘Great Sage’ Tiara Sciurus Velf. No simple earthquake could break it.”

“So, you’re saying that the fact that the barrier broke has nothing to do with the earthquake that just happened?”

“No. Perhaps the earthquake just now was the consequence of the barrier forcibly breaking. Tiara-sama’s magic contains enough magical power to cause an earthquake of that magnitude. However, if a mage is able to break her magic…”

The thoughts of the nervous stutterer were transmitted to everyone present. If the earthquake earlier was the consequence of breaking through such a powerful barrier, as the mage said… It was someone who had been able to break through the barrier set up by the best mage in the world without the stewards present noticing. At the very least, their ability was probably that of a high-ranking court mage of great power. Such a person could have entered the old fortress full of forbidden items left behind by Conrad.

“I have a bad feeling about this…”

Gidman’s little murmur was a hunch shared by all the attendants present. They all remembered that feeling, and when they had such hunches, something bad always happened. When their father, a knight, did not return from the battlefield. When a comrade-in-arms who had fought shoulder to shoulder for years alongside them lost their life. When their sons lost their lives in their first battle.

“Hey, look over there.”

One of the handlers pointed behind a crack in the shattered fortress wall.

“…What’s that light?”

They saw a small blue light moving unsteadily. Gidman couldn’t help but think of the old superstition he had heard about the blue fire that the dead lit to lure the living to hell. But he couldn’t abandon his duties just because he was afraid. He had to find out the source of the light.

“Let’s go check it out.”

Gidman announced in a stifled voice, and they all nodded and cautiously made their way to the crack in the wall where they could see the light. They proceeded to put some cloths over their mouths, hoping it was a comforting thought, taking into consideration that the vials containing the dangerous drugs would have been damaged and produced poisonous vapors.

The crevice where they had seen the light was much higher than their heads when they looked closer to the old fortress. And when they reached the crevice, there was a pile of rubble strewn about, probably from the collapse, making it very difficult to stand properly. The younger and more physically fit steward took the lead and started climbing over the rubble, checking his position.

Meanwhile, the others could see the light peeking through the cracks flickering and moving. They had considered the possibility that the light from outside that had come in through the collapsed roof was reflecting off some blue glass or something, but it was clearly an artificial movement of light.

There was definitely some kind of intruder. But…

“I detect no sign of a crowd. But it’s not like the person responsible doesn’t know we’re here. If they’re done so much with so few, they must have a lot of confidence… Keep your eyes open.” To drown out the anxiety swirling in his chest, he whispered a warning to his colleagues.

Whoever was ahead was strong enough to destroy the barrier erected by the Great Sage Tiara Sciurus Velf. It was possible that they were strong enough to take on everyone present by themselves.

The steward who had been leading the way finally arrived just below the crevice. Using the rubble as a foothold, he put his hand on the crack and tried to slowly climb up. That’s when it happened.

“…!” In the middle of the climb, the steward let out a gasp and collapsed hard. He lost his footing and fell straight down to the rubble below, only to be grabbed by another steward who was trying to follow him.

“Hey, hang on!”

Gidman also rushed over. The fallen steward was convulsing in his colleague’s arms. His eyes were unfocused and blood was pouring from his mouth and nose.

Was it some poisonous smoke…?

As he had feared, the earthquake might have damaged some kind of drug vial or something, causing poisonous fumes to leak out. But when his uniform was unbuttoned to loosen the fallen steward’s collar and it came into view, Gidman’s movements stopped.

This is…!

A black bruise appeared on the steward’s neck. They were able to confirm that it was also slowly and visibly spreading.

“Miasma! So, but it’s impossible…”

The experienced Gidman, who had once joined the Continental Anti-Demon Alliance, was familiar with the symptoms. It was a thing of miasma that was produced when people who came in contact with demons, who were on the upper echelon of demonic beasts, were exposed to the miasma. The bruises from the miasma would slowly spread throughout the victim’s body, eventually rotting and dissolving the skin and flesh underneath.

In the time it took him to think about it, the flesh around the fallen steward’s shoulders was already crumbling and bones were beginning to appear. His breathing was already labored, and it was only a matter of time before he died.

“…We have to run.” Gidman stood up. Then he looked at his colleagues.

“But…”

The stewards who had been sent to this place, even though they were nearing retirement, all had a strong sense of duty. He could understand that they might find it hard to accept the idea of losing their colleagues to something unknown and then running away from the mission to protect the old fortress. However, the old steward looked at them all with a serious expression to cut through those hesitations of them, and then said in a strong tone:

“Let’s get out of here, let’s get as far away from this place as possible!”

If they were demons, Gidman and the others could not handle it alone. If they went in without any countermeasures, they would end up like their recently deceased colleague. So that their sacrifice would not be in vain, they should withdraw from this situation and call for support from the royal capital as soon as possible.

The other stewards and mages were all war veterans. They quickly cleared their doubts when they saw Gidman and started to run. They decided to leave their colleague’s body there as well.

A corpse affected by the miasma could spread to the surrounding area. Like an infectious disease, it could spread to anyone who came in contact with it. Fortunately, Gidman did not touch the area where the miasma was spreading. It was unfortunate to leave his colleague’s body as it was, but it would be safer to leave it in the old fortress with nothing but debris around it than to carry the infected body to the city at the foot of the mountain.

Then the stewards hurried down Soil Mountain. When they reached the city at the foot of the mountain, they hurried to report the situation to the capital. And the report reached the pride of the Kingdom of Lyon, the hero of the Demon King’s defeat, the Sword Saint Raul Orto Lyon.

The Master of the Brave Chapter 110 The old fortress of Mount SoilThe Master of the BraveChapter 110 The old fortress of Mount SoilThe military alliance between the Lemmrousell Empire and the Kingdom of Lyon was finalized. As a result of the previous secret agreement between Crown Prince Alfred and Crown Prince Raul, the alliance was carried out without delay. Princess Cornelia, who disappeared from the imperial capital Simurgh and suddenly appeared in the Kingdom of Lyon, signed the agreement as a representative of the Empire. From here, the experienced and reliable bureaucrats Alfred had sent in advance would work out the details with the kingdom. There was nothing more Wynn and the others could do, as this was the territory of political diplomacy. Wynn and his party's plan for the future was to remain Cornelia's escort, who would stay behind to follow up on the various matters arising from the alliance, and to ask the Kingdom of Lyon to reveal information and investigate the legacy left behind by Conrad Heisenberg and Sarah Ferrule, which was ordered by Alfred when they left Erz.In the morning after the party. That day the signing of the military alliance between the Lemmrousell Empire and the Kingdom of Lyon was scheduled. Only those who had been informed about Conrad Heisenberg's legacy were invited to the breakfast in the hall. That is, Raul, Wynn, Leticia and Cornelia.As soon as the servants had prepared breakfast, Raul quickly dispatched them.Breakfast is served, though I'm sorry for the delay. For now, listen while we eat. Raul said, then quickly reached for the plate of eggs in front of him.Although the general plan for the alliance document had been finalized with Alfred, there were still several issues that would arise regarding the alliance that needed to be handled quickly. Raul, who was not only the crown prince but also the general in charge of an army, was extremely busy.Wynn-kun. You have an important role to play. Not only as the Master of the Brave, but also as a follower of Her Imperial Highness. That's why I need your help. I need someone from another country who can confirm the results of my investigation. If you're the one present, we won't have any problems.Wynn looked at Cornelia's face, his mistress. When she saw him look in her direction, she nodded slightly.All right. But please tell me what this is about first.It all started with the urgent news of those who had been sent to the old fortress that was once Conrad Heisenberg's base. Raul then began to speak.Now that the war against the demons had come to an end, the story most favored by the people was the one celebrating the exploits of Leticia von Mavis, the heroine who destroyed the demon king. Many bards and preachers followed in her footsteps, each with their own interpretation of the various stories that were written and offered to the people. In one such story, Brave Mavis stopped a pagan ritual plotting to revive an evil god, and rescued a maiden who was to be sacrificed.According to the preacher or bard, the maiden could become a prince, but the story is especially popular among theLyonnaisbecause the country in which it was set was the Kingdom of Lyon and the famous battle that the Crown Prince of Lyon, Raul Orto Lyon, fought for the first time after becoming a companion of the Brave Mavis.The Majil Mountains stretched from the Lemmrousell Empire to the Kingdom of Lyon. In this range of mountains four-thousand-meters-high, there was a mountain called Mount Soil by the locals. In the middle of the mountain, there was an old castle that seemed to stand out from the tall coniferous trees growing around it.Several huge stones were used to give a very massive impression to onlookers. There was no town or village near the old castle, so how could such an ancient castle be built on this land that seemed so difficult for people to access? The answer to this question could easily be found by looking closely at the area surrounding it. It was covered with short bushes, dead leaves and moss, but here and there one could see stone stairs and what looked like collapsed stone walls, which had been preserved in a wide area in the middle of Mount Soil.In addition, if one consulted the old documents and maps kept in the Royal Library of the Kingdom of Lyon, one could find descriptions of this old castle. According to these documents, the old castle was built by the nobles of the ancient Kingdom of Rentheim, a continental hegemonic state that flourished hundreds of years ago, and the castle town extended around it. However, it was attacked by barbarians at the end of the kingdom, and the family of the castle's lord died in the battle. The city was burned and destroyed. The town, located in the middle of the mountains, used a now defunct magical means of transportation to get in and out, but was lost when it was burned down. Even the few survivors abandoned the town, which had become difficult to access, and it was forgotten by the people until several hundred years later, when a mage made the old castle his base.Yes, this wizard was the evil mage Conrad Heisenberg, who, for the story, was defeated by Brave Mavis, and who planned to revive an evil god. And the place where the Brave Mavis and the mage Conrad are said to have clashed was this old castle.Conrad Heisenberg, a court mage of the ancient Kingdom of Thane, was a candidate for Great Sage. After the fall of the Kingdom of Thane, he traveled from country to country researching how to destroy the Demon King, and finally settled on this place as a base. After confronting the Brave and being defeated by her, the old castle contained many objects left by him. Liquids that, if even a single drop fell to the ground would create a poisonous smoke that could kill thousands of people. A grimoire with a curse that would kill an ordinary wizard instantly if they opened it. Mirrors that summoned spirits, demons and other non-humans.There were dangerous objects that had to be forbidden, such as those that could turn an entire town into a necropolis in one night if handled incorrectly, or those that could overthrow an entire country depending on how they were used.It was not easy, even for the best magicians at the court of Lyon, to analyze the secrets of such magic. They were not allowed to touch them even by carelessness. Faced with these forbidden objects that were not to be shown to the world, the high officials of the Kingdom of Lyon decided to seal the entire ancient fortress with a strict magical seal. In addition, several trusted knights and magicians were sent to make sure that no one could approach them.In front of the gate leading to the old castle, the coniferous forest there suddenly opened up, into what seemed to have once been a front courtyard. The ground was covered with palm-sized stones, which must have prevented the conifers from growing there. There were also traces of a flower bed on one side of the road. In those days, flowers of all seasons must have bloomed profusely to entertain visitors. Now, however, there was no trace of them, weeds grew between the stones and the flowerbeds were covered with tall, rooted grass.In a corner of the old courtyard was a simple hut, built of wood. After the confrontation between the Brave and Conrad, this hut was built to house the stewards sent from the Kingdom of Lyon. Those who became stewards were to serve in six-month shifts. One of them, an old knight, Gidman, had also been put in charge of a small station built on the hillside of the old castle. His colleagues were all of a similar age, though a little younger than him.Even though he belonged to the upper echelons of the Royal Knights, he was already on the verge of retirement because of his achievements in the army, so he could have a place prepared where he could spend his time quietly until retirement without being overwhelmed by the daily work. As a knight, he would no longer participate in spectacular battles, but since he was about to retire, he had no desire to take credit for any more accomplishments. Apart from the loneliness of living away from his family, he had no complaints about the place to which he was assigned, as he planned to live out the rest of his life quietly after receiving his retirement pay and pensions. First of all, since he belonged to the army, it was his duty to leave his homeland and go to faraway places if anything happened. So, if he saw himself that way, living away from his family as he was now was not even a big deal.Although there was the risk of encountering demonic beasts and wild beasts like bears and wolves, it was still a much more peaceful and quiet place compared to the battlefields where death was just around the corner.He no longer had the energy to lead a stimulating life, but, even so, such a mission deep in the mountains without any entertainment was more boring than he had imagined. So, to pass the time, Gidman cleared part of the forest and made a small field.He put down his sword, which seemed to have little chance of being wielded here, and took up the hoe that a peasant would wield. He created fields and cultivated them. The area surrounding this ancient castle was managed by the kingdom, but people rarely visited it anyway. At most, there were only a handful of people hired by the military who came twice a month from the villages at the foot of the mountain to deliver supplies and food. If they cleared some forest and grew enough vegetables to feed themselves, there would be no problem.The main job of a steward was to scare off the rarely seen adventurers who would visit the old castle, mistaking it for a ruin, and thieves who would try to use it as a fortress.There was plenty of time to work in the field, and it was a good way to pass the time. His colleagues stewards were also interested in making their own fields, and they all set to work in such a trade unknown to them.As for knowledge of field work and the crops they were to plant, the two mages staying with them in the fortress took the trouble to order a few books.Perhaps the mages had too much time on their hands, because they too were dressed in light work clothes and helped them by removing small stones and pulling weeds. Gidman was under the impression that the mages were quiet imbeciles who spent all their time in dark rooms reading books and conducting experiments, so he was surprised to see them actively engaged in physical labor. Perhaps it was because there were no books to read and only a limited number of experiments to do in that place.They removed the cobblestones, the remains of where the road used to be, and dug up and removed the roots of the trees that remained deep in the ground. Then they plowed the soil and climbed the trees to cut the branches that were in the way to improve the sunlight. It was all unfamiliar work to these men who had been running around the battlefield with swords, but it was quite fun to work with their friends.The crops we harvest by our own hands must be exceptionally delicious. When I retire as a knight, I will hand over the leadership of the family to my son and use the retirement money I have received to buy a plot of land in some village and start a farm.Some of them even said those things.My legs hurt.It didn't matter if he was a knight or a mage, everyone laughed at his words. Knights and mages rarely interacted with each other. Knights, who fought with their weapons and their bodies, and mages, who fought with their magic and their knowledge, did not get along, as was the case with many in the Kingdom of Lyon. However, by working together in the field, they were able to cooperate with each other and strengthen the unity of the stewards. This was a pleasant side effect.When I finish my labors here, I think I will also devote myself to tilling the field.They may have been criticized for clearing government-managed land without permission, but it was valuable experience. There might come a day when fields would be planted at front-line forts and elsewhere. As Gidman thought of such ideas, with his hoe in hand, a sudden tremor shook the stewards. A huge tremor, as if the earth and sky were moving. It was such a strong shake that the body of the old, burly steward staggered. He dropped the hoe without a second thought and tried to balance his body. The surrounding trees roared and shook. The shaking was so great that Gidman could not stand, so he got down on all fours with his hands on the ground. There was loud thumping that could be heard intermittently. He couldn't see much through the flying dust, but the roof and outer walls of the old castle might have collapsed. There was a crunching sound near Gidman and, with a clatter, the hut collapsed. He shielded his head and face with his hands as small pieces of wood and pebbles flew toward him from the shaking.How long did the shaking last? When the shaking finally stopped, Gidman stood up. He felt his body still shaking somehow, but it was probably just his imagination.Hey guys, are you all right!?When he shouted, he could hear everyone's response behind the dust in the air.Wow This looks pretty bad.The hut had collapsed spectacularly. Fortunately, since everyone was outdoors working in the fields, no one was caught in the cabin collapse and no one was hurt.What was that earthquake, did the mountain start to catch fire?Some of the hills in the Majil Mountains were volcanoes and erupted once every several decades. If the earthquake had been caused by an eruption, they would have to evacuate immediately to the foot of the mountain, because the pyroclastic flow would have burned everything in a short time. However, there were no smoke plumes visible in the mountains between the trees.Let's check the damage to the old fortress.The others nodded at the words of the oldest: Gidman.Their temporary home, the hut, had collapsed and was in a terrible state of disrepair, but first they had to report the damage to the old fortress to the royal capital. The paper and pencils for writing the report were trapped in the collapse of the hut, so they would have to dig them out later, but first they wanted to take a quick look at the fortress they were in charge of, before making a detailed survey of the damage.The dust settled and they could see the devastation caused. The sturdy stone walls of the old fortress had withstood the elements for hundreds of years, but the earthquake had caused cracks to appear everywhere, and in some places they had collapsed. The main tower of the castle had also collapsed and was gone. There were several large pieces of stone rubble lying on the ground. They knew then that the loud crashing sound they had just heard was that of the walls collapsing. If the stewards' quarters and fields had been built closer to the fortress, they might have been under the large rubble.The old fortress was supposed to be magically sealed, but the earthquake didn't careThe impact was such that the roof and stone walls of the fortress, made of large stones, collapsed. He wondered if the objects Conrad had left inside were safe. It was possible that containers of hazardous substances had fallen to the ground and poisonous smoke had leaked out.We approached without thinking about it, but it could be dangerous to do so any further without taking any precautions.Gidman nodded at the opinion of one of the mages. In any case, there was nothing they could do, as the sealing protections applied beyond this point, but they were thinking of filing a report with the royal capital, saying that there might have been significant damage inside the fortress.Ah! At that moment, one of the mages who had been casting a spell elsewhere shouted.What is it?The barrier! The magical protection barrier!The mage who raised his voice began to run in panic. Seeing that this was no ordinary matter, the stewards ran after him. They immediately knew where he was going. To prevent anyone from setting foot in the old castle, a powerful protection magic with five magic circles called Fivefold Protection Magic Circle had been set up. The mage rushed over to one of the five magic circles that created that protection magic and sat down, dropping to his knees on the spot.This is impossibleThe other mage, who had arrived late, let out a growl from the back of his throat. There was a large crack in the pentagram of the magic circle showing a gap.What's going on?Gidman asked, and the first mage who ran out said with a pale face.They broke the sealing spell!What do you mean they broke it?Gidman felt a bad feeling at the mage's words.It wasn't broken, but that they broke it?What do you mean they broke it?It means exactly what I said: The barrier that sealed the old fortress is gone!Didn't it happen because the magic circle was damaged in the earthquake earlier?That's not possible. Without hiding the tinge of impatience in his voice, the mage appealed to Gidman in a strong tone. This is not a simple magic formula that can be broken by an earthquake. Besides, the mage who created it was the Great Sage' Tiara Sciurus Velf. No simple earthquake could break it.So, you're saying that the fact that the barrier broke has nothing to do with the earthquake that just happened?No. Perhaps the earthquake just now was the consequence of the barrier forcibly breaking. Tiara-sama's magic contains enough magical power to cause an earthquake of that magnitude. However, if a mage is able to break her magicThe thoughts of the nervous stutterer were transmitted to everyone present. If the earthquake earlier was the consequence of breaking through such a powerful barrier, as the mage said It was someone who had been able to break through the barrier set up by the best mage in the world without the stewards present noticing. At the very least, their ability was probably that of a high-ranking court mage of great power. Such a person could have entered the old fortress full of forbidden items left behind by Conrad.I have a bad feeling about thisGidman's little murmur was a hunch shared by all the attendants present. They all remembered that feeling, and when they had such hunches, something bad always happened. When their father, a knight, did not return from the battlefield. When a comrade-in-arms who had fought shoulder to shoulder for years alongside them lost their life. When their sons lost their lives in their first battle.Hey, look over there.One of the handlers pointed behind a crack in the shattered fortress wall.What's that light?They saw a small blue light moving unsteadily. Gidman couldn't help but think of the old superstition he had heard about the blue fire that the dead lit to lure the living to hell. But he couldn't abandon his duties just because he was afraid. He had to find out the source of the light.Let's go check it out.Gidman announced in a stifled voice, and they all nodded and cautiously made their way to the crack in the wall where they could see the light. They proceeded to put some cloths over their mouths, hoping it was a comforting thought, taking into consideration that the vials containing the dangerous drugs would have been damaged and produced poisonous vapors.The crevice where they had seen the light was much higher than their heads when they looked closer to the old fortress. And when they reached the crevice, there was a pile of rubble strewn about, probably from the collapse, making it very difficult to stand properly. The younger and more physically fit steward took the lead and started climbing over the rubble, checking his position.Meanwhile, the others could see the light peeking through the cracks flickering and moving. They had considered the possibility that the light from outside that had come in through the collapsed roof was reflecting off some blue glass or something, but it was clearly an artificial movement of light.There was definitely some kind of intruder. ButI detect no sign of a crowd. But it's not like the person responsible doesn't know we're here. If they're done so much with so few, they must have a lot of confidence Keep your eyes open. To drown out the anxiety swirling in his chest, he whispered a warning to his colleagues.Whoever was ahead was strong enough to destroy the barrier erected by the Great Sage Tiara Sciurus Velf. It was possible that they were strong enough to take on everyone present by themselves.The steward who had been leading the way finally arrived just below the crevice. Using the rubble as a foothold, he put his hand on the crack and tried to slowly climb up. That's when it happened.! In the middle of the climb, the steward let out a gasp and collapsed hard. He lost his footing and fell straight down to the rubble below, only to be grabbed by another steward who was trying to follow him.Hey, hang on!Gidman also rushed over. The fallen steward was convulsing in his colleague's arms. His eyes were unfocused and blood was pouring from his mouth and nose.Was it some poisonous smoke?As he had feared, the earthquake might have damaged some kind of drug vial or something, causing poisonous fumes to leak out. But when his uniform was unbuttoned to loosen the fallen steward's collar and it came into view, Gidman's movements stopped.This is!A black bruise appeared on the steward's neck. They were able to confirm that it was also slowly and visibly spreading.Miasma! So, but it's impossibleThe experienced Gidman, who had once joined the Continental Anti-Demon Alliance, was familiar with the symptoms. It was a thing of miasma that was produced when people who came in contact with demons, who were on the upper echelon of demonic beasts, were exposed to the miasma. The bruises from the miasma would slowly spread throughout the victim's body, eventually rotting and dissolving the skin and flesh underneath.In the time it took him to think about it, the flesh around the fallen steward's shoulders was already crumbling and bones were beginning to appear. His breathing was already labored, and it was only a matter of time before he died.We have to run. Gidman stood up. Then he looked at his colleagues.ButThe stewards who had been sent to this place, even though they were nearing retirement, all had a strong sense of duty. He could understand that they might find it hard to accept the idea of losing their colleagues to something unknown and then running away from the mission to protect the old fortress. However, the old steward looked at them all with a serious expression to cut through those hesitations of them, and then said in a strong tone:Let's get out of here, let's get as far away from this place as possible!If they were demons, Gidman and the others could not handle it alone. If they went in without any countermeasures, they would end up like their recently deceased colleague. So that their sacrifice would not be in vain, they should withdraw from this situation and call for support from the royal capital as soon as possible.The otherstewardsand mages were all war veterans. They quickly cleared their doubts when they saw Gidman and started to run. They decided to leave their colleague's body there as well.A corpse affected by the miasma could spread to the surrounding area. Like an infectious disease, it could spread to anyone who came in contact with it. Fortunately, Gidman did not touch the area where the miasma was spreading. It was unfortunate to leave his colleague's body as it was, but it would be safer to leave it in the old fortress with nothing but debris around it than to carry the infected body to the city at the foot of the mountain.Then the stewards hurried down Soil Mountain. When they reached the city at the foot of the mountain, they hurried to report the situation to the capital. And the report reached the pride of the Kingdom of Lyon, the hero of the Demon King's defeat, the Sword Saint Raul Orto Lyon.