Seogyumun in ＜Seolryeongjangseong＞ also had Cheongpoksumun, but the tunnel was wide open as the lintel of the watergate collected the holy water from the waterfall.
It was the way from this huge achromatic world to the world of vivid colors.
At the threshold of the road, Kiran Wolf Vlado, a young man with dark red hair who led the ranks of the beastmen, hugged us tightly.
“It was all right… … How worried were you?”
I don’t need to explain how warmly those words resonated in my heart.
Kiran didn’t ask what happened on the other side of the Wall. Rather than asking about it, he might have been considerate of our fatigue. I don’t know if I heard the story from the warriors who came earlier.
Instead, she looked at Akirea sleeping above my head, smiled sadly as if she understood everything, and even politely bowed in an aristocratic style, surprising me.
“Meet Alakish-sama’s alter ego.”
After that, he talked with the leader of the warriors, Grifion. One of his wings was cut off and he could no longer fly.
“I heard that you opened the barrier gate. I don’t know how to pay off this debt.”
“Don’t say that. It’s a very small reward compared to what you’ve done in this world.”
Kiran held out his hand to Gryfion.
“You have worked hard to fulfill your mission for fourteen hundred years. We will now follow your wishes.”
Gryfion, who looked at Kiran’s attitude with amazement, finally took his hand.
At the same time, the wolves under Kiran’s command shook hands with Gryfion’s warriors. It was truly historic, no, it was supposed to be normal, but everything was twisted.
Just thinking about it made me sweat cold, what the hell was that 5-star Spirit of Possession… … I had to go back to the Empire as soon as possible and investigate the whole situation.
“I’d like to let you stay here, take care of the wounded, and relieve the travel poison of the forced march, but… … .”
Kiran let out a bitter sigh as if he had no face.
Instead, Kiran brought out a large amount of supplies necessary for the expedition, such as cold weather equipment, smoked ham and oats, from Seo Gyu-moon’s supply warehouse and loaded them into the wagon.
The wall always assumed large-scale expeditions and sieges, so a large amount of food was stored. Perhaps because it was the product of the preparations, there were so many supplies that it filled 30 four-wheeled wagons.
“Kiran, is this okay?”
“Ever since I opened the barrier gate, I am a traitor who broke the rules of the barrier. Who’s to say that it’s a little more violating?”
“but… … Just come with us!”
“no. Desertion is a colossal felony, and it is punishable by beheading without the possibility of obtaining protection from the family.”
As if not to worry too much, Kiran patted Cassena on the shoulder and came closer to me.
I was sitting on the pavement, catching my breath.
Because of the wound in his side pierced by Shar’kath, even a short walk left him bleeding and short of breath.
“Listen, Lane. From now on, you must pass the Trident Point with the beastmen.”
To briefly point out the geographical description of Trident Point, there are three capes side by side like a trident, and they are called First Finger, Second Finger, and Third Finger from the left.
In the Third Finger, close to the western part of the Empire, a port called the Far West Branch has been established, and it is the home base for adventurers exploring this cursed land.
In order to move the prisoners to the land of the Empire, they had to rent a boat here.
“It’s not as bad as Harvadonia, but it’s also formidable. I wanted to help somehow, so I looked through various books and made a map, but… … .”
Kiran held out the scroll.
It was a scroll sealed with a strong leather strap, and the approximate geographic information of the Trident Point was marked.
Once again, I was impressed by Kiran’s sincerity, it wouldn’t be bad to just accept it, but let’s make it clear so that we don’t worry about it.
“Thank you so much, but it’s okay.”
“hmm?”
“Because Frisbia gave me a guide. They must be coming from the back.”
A frisbee… … Kiran, who pondered over the name of the person, smiled as if he was really surprised and couldn’t stop it, and patted my shoulder.
“It’s really nice to hear that someone famous for being picky is helping. It must mean that you are such a good person.”
“Am I? No, I… … .”
“He is perfect even without being arrogant. Then Lane, see you later. I can buy you two days.”
I don’t think Baekrangdae, which has already suffered devastating damage, will pursue the beastmen, but no one knows what they will do out of hatred.
I was also worried about Kiran’s treatment, but at the moment, it was best to quickly disperse and get on with each other.
I grabbed Kiran’s hand and stood up, and Kiran gave me a firm grip on my shoulder and smiled.
“May the gods bless you on your way.”
“And Kiran too. See you again later.”
While more than 50 wolves, led by Kiran, saluted, a large procession of prisoners left Seogyumun.
The trip isn’t over yet.
I had to cross the Trident Point, the land where the ancient labyrinth opened its mouth. A lawless zone where countless first-class adventurers are lined up.
* * *
Madelia Page stared blankly into space, then turned her head out the window.
Warm sunlight and a hot summer breeze blew in from the arched windows that filled all eight sides.
In the time passing by without any time to be sad, ＜Deleiten＞ welcomed the opening ceremony and Madelia returned to politics after Marhena’s persuasion.
“… … .”
I’m back, I’m back, but… … I couldn’t do anything because of my daughter’s laughter that brushed my ears from time to time.
nothing, nothing.
That’s why I went to work at the university president’s office, but most of the time I used to spend my days staring at the empty space like this.
– Stop holding the child’s funeral like the Ludwigs family. I can’t let you go from my heart, so aren’t you ruined too?
Marhena gave such advice, but she could not follow her words… … .
to kill your daughter
Admit that your daughter is dead.
Fortunately, this coincided with her husband, Yuren, and Cassena was still listed as missing. Although Lane, who had a funeral, was officially recognized dead.
“Your Excellency, Your Excellency!”
Just then, secretary Kenneth rushed in with a letter. Madelia glared at him with nervous eyes.
“done. No matter how urgent the task, I would have told you to take care of it.”
“This, you must see this!”
“He said it was done.”
“Your Excellency, it’s about Lady Cassena! It says that the young lady is alive!”
Madelia’s movement, which was about to wave her hands, and the thoughts in her head stopped for a moment.
what?
From noble mtl dot com
what now?
It took an enormous amount of time to accept the signal transmitted to the brain through the auditory organ. Meanwhile, Kenneth approached and politely presented the letter.
“It’s from Kiran Wolf Vlado. They say you passed through the barrier.”
Kiran, how could he send a letter about Cassena when he’s at the North Pole now?
Kiran was the second son of Prince Vlado, and was an excellent young wizard who enlisted in the White Rangdae in the year he came of age.
However, the place where Cassena disappeared is the peninsula of blades in the southeastern part of the empire… … Though thinking so, Madelia was reading the letter.
Dear Sir Madelia Page.
Sir, how are you, Kiran Wolf Vlado, greetings after 10 years.
Please forgive the rudeness that has no choice but to get to the point quickly. I urgently send this letter before being imprisoned in Backbone.
First of all, it may be hard to believe, but I will tell you the most auspicious truth.
Cassena Page is alive. My face was swollen, probably because I cried a lot, but I passed through Seogyumun today in perfect health.
The problem is that we are with 200,000 prisoners. I opened that door.
Unprecedented unrest in the West is expected… … If you are not the leader of the Magic League and have a position comparable to the Elector Count, the person who will mediate the situation… … .
In the hazy, blurry, shaky vision, the contents behind it did not come into my head.
are you alive
Cassena, that child is alive?
It didn’t matter how he got there, why he passed through the barrier, or why he was with the beastmen. The only thing that mattered was this.
“Casena is alive… … .”
When I came to my senses, I had accidentally gotten up from my seat. After catching my breath for a moment, I immediately kicked in the door and ran out.
“I’m going west right now.”
Kenneth didn’t say anything about a mountain of work to be done right now, or that His Excellency had school schedules to do after school started.
I just bowed my head and groaned.
Because I knew what was most important to Madelia and to the Page family.
“I will summon all the magic guards.”
“Well, I’ll take all the Guardian Knights too. I will go with only elite troops. I’ll give you an hour. Logistics will be purchased from the city you pass through, so prepare your soldiers and money as soon as possible.”
“I’ll finish it in 30 minutes, Your Excellency.”
* * *
Adventurers chase unknown fears.
Forgotten ancient labyrinths, which ordinary people are reluctant to even approach, or castles of old kings in ruins were just a place for them to live.
Trident Point has been regarded as a sacred place for these oddballs who enjoy the terrifying thrill that only adventure can provide.
I knew the reason at once, even before I set foot in it.
“It’s a swamp all around… … .”
The ground was very wet.
It was a feeling I had felt ever since I passed through Seogyumun in ＜The Great Wall of Snow＞ two days ago and entered this trident point.
It’s cold enough, if not as cold as Harvadonia… … The fact that the ground was not frozen at all was oddly ominous.
“There is nothing to be ashamed of. This is the surface of the earth, and at this level, the vegetation and topography are on the mild side.”
Eldwig, a boy with mechanical armor, replied bluntly to my self-talk.
A gold-grade adventurer whom Frisvia had assigned as a guide, he was skillfully guiding the way in the eerie swamp or desolate jungle.
Due to the nature of a child whose appearance stops growing in adolescence, the possibility that he is in his 20s and 30s cannot be ruled out.
“So you’re saying there are worse places?”
“Trident Point is a land of labyrinths. There is a labyrinth entrance just across the bridge. There is one right there.”
The entrances to the labyrinth were obscured by gloomy overgrowth or hidden behind strange rock walls.
However, if you keep looking at it, something is so ominous that it makes you feel cold. The feeling of being stared at by an indescribable being… … .
Cassena, who was next to her, clenched her fists tightly, revealing her excitement about the land of adventure.
“I don’t know? At Trident Point, all the labyrinths are connected underground.”
“Really?”
“Yes, so split the layers according to the depth! 1st deep layer, 2nd deep layer, 3rd deep layer… … They say the 4th depth is the end where adventurers have been able to explore until now! This is the ground floor!”
As he chattered with an expression reddened with excitement, the smile suddenly disappeared from his face, and gloom filled his eyes.
“Aw, aww!”
It was because Akirea, who was hanging over my head, vigorously waved her arms in response to Cassena’s excited voice.
“How many floors have you been to in Frisvia?”
“3rd Floor. You could have gone further down, but he didn’t like it here.”
“Why?”
“Because there are so many things to be careful about.”
There are so many things to be careful of… … No matter how much it is, if you’re bored with beastmen, warriors, the dead, and old things, you should only do Harvadonia, which appears.
As if he didn’t like my tilting his head, Eldwig informed me of the correct answer with a clear sigh.
“Humans, you humans.”
At first, I thought I was joking and had to tilt my head, but there was no mischief in the voice that came out of the optical helmet.
“Let’s make one thing clear. The reason you were able to convince the beastmen and the wolves was that they were a group bound by one mission or discipline. But what about adventurers? no.”
“… … !”
“The rogues live as they please. One day I’ll kill someone or steal someone, and another day I’ll protect someone. It’s all up to you. These are the guys you have to meet now.”
Perhaps because she had fantasies about the profession of an adventurer, Cassena blinked her eyes as if confused by the reality of an adventurer that Eldwig pointed out in detail.
“It doesn’t end with convincing one person. If you can’t give them what they want… … It would be better to be prepared.”