Chapter 104 : Chapter 104
Chapter 104. The Atmosphere of the Barrier
The cold wind blew even more fiercely.
The snowfall intensified, making it difficult to see ahead.
If it weren't for Saint-Sard, I wouldn't know where we were going…
“Hmm…”
Does this bastard not know either?
“Ah! Over there.”
I hope he knows where he's going.
In any case, I believe it's better than nothing.
I have to believe, or there's no other way.
That aside…
“What was it you wanted to talk about separately?”
Saint-Sard glanced at Rodrigo and Bethel following behind.
He didn't seem to welcome them.
“I heard you know more about Uresra than anyone else.”
“I don't know more than anyone. What is it you really want to talk about? You're dragging it out, so it feels heavy.”
Saint-Sard showed an awkward smile.
“There is intelligence that Uresra has made a move.”
It was something I had already expected.
“As you know, we are currently overhauling our operational plans due to the spy issue. So, information on their route, scale, and commander is crucial, but…”
“You've sent out reconnaissance teams, but nothing is coming back.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
“I get that, but you wouldn't have suggested we go like this, in this cold wind, just for that story.”
Saint-Sard took out a note and gave it to me.
“That one found it.”
The designated eagle, as if seeking praise, landed on Saint-Sard's shoulder.
“Does it understand human speech?”
“Yes, it does. It's the smartest one. It has good eyes, so it flies higher and sees farther than the others.”
Kururuk.
It looked at me with its head held high, as if boasting.
“We call it Itz.”
“Yeah, it's cool.”
It felt like it would peck me with its sharp beak if I didn't praise it.
Kuruk!
It really seemed to understand human speech.
I'll have to make sure not to accidentally swear in front of that fellow.
Anyway, I opened the note that Itz had found.
<Converging Attack, Corridor, 6th Army.>
“It seems to mean they are moving in six units, but no matter how much we search, we can't find such movements. We are presuming the corridor is the Akal Corridor. To enter Poinus from Uresra, the Akal Corridor is the only way.”
The mountain range that stood like a barrier in the north of Poinus was ‘Parne.’
Following the Parne Mountains down, there was a sunken area. As if a tree had been split by an axe, it was sharp. There was a long, corridor-like path where hundreds of people could come and go, which was called the Akal Corridor.
‘It took about an hour just for 8,000 soldiers to pass through the Akal Corridor.’
In Leonhardt's time, we made a pact with Poinus and sought a path to strike Uresra.
At that time, the Akal Corridor was virtually the only path for a large-scale ground force to move.
-We must find another way. If they have set up camp in front of the exit, we cannot avoid heavy casualties.
When we set up the expedition plan and confirmed the route, Alfred insisted that we must avoid the Akal Corridor at all costs.
I rejected Alfred's words. It was because we had to enter the Uresra capital before the severe cold came. Otherwise, soldiers would die of freezing on the barren land, unable to do anything.
-I understand we must avoid the severe cold. But we must find another way. The number of those who freeze to death and those who die by arrows will not be different.
I had thought Alfred judged so because he had no experience in winter combat. So I pushed forward with breaking through the Akal Corridor.
As expected, the Uresra bastards had set up camp and were waiting for us.
Hundreds of thousands of arrows covered the sky. To clear them, hundreds of mages and knights gave their all. And the result was a painful victory.
The damage was less than Alfred's prediction. But it was greater than my prediction.
After that, I always avoided corridors where the enemy's preparations were expected.
“They wouldn't be unaware of this either…”
“Pardon?”
“The Akal Corridor. Uresra wouldn't be unaware of the danger of coming through here either.”
Saint-Sard said, “Ah.” As a search party leader, he would know the risks of using the Akal Corridor.
In any case, it was strange for the enemy to gather in front of the Akal Corridor to enter Poinus.
“Are you sure our scout left this?”
Saint-Sard, who took the note back, nodded.
“It matches my colleague's handwriting.”
So, they killed all the scouts without missing any, just to use the Akal Corridor?
It was very strange to do so to avoid being caught taking an obvious path. Since we would already be prepared to greet the enemy.
And it was unlikely that Saint-Sard would have given me the note just to confirm something obvious.
“Is there another corridor?”
“It's not exactly a corridor, but…”
Saint-Sard once again checked the atmosphere of Rodrigo and Bethel.
“Could you see and judge for yourself?”
“There must be personnel specializing in search and reconnaissance, so why me?”
“No one is willing to go.”
A weight could be felt on Saint-Sard's face.
It seemed there was something that others refused to do, something only he insisted on…
***
Poo! Poo! Pu!
With the sound of the horn, a red light on top of the barrier flickered.
“Is that fire?”
Piontek strained his eyes, wanting to know the identity of the light. But due to the thick snowstorm, the top of the barrier was not visible. Not only that. He couldn't even tell where it stretched from or to.
“What is this big?”
“I-I know, right.”
Piontek and Odekerkh were tense from the overwhelming pressure of the barrier.
Egbaldo, Bartier, and Michelle were not much different.
“My lady. If you wish to return, please tell me at any time. I will prepare immediately.”
“Quiet.”
“……Yes, I apologize.”
While they were feeling awkward looking at the unfamiliar space, the carriage arrived in front of a firmly closed iron gate.
Saint-Sard stood before the gate. He knocked loudly three times on the handle attached to the corner of the iron gate.
Vrooom!
“The blood-stained jackal.”
A giant voice echoed with a throb.
“Does not suit the white snow.”
Click.
After Saint-Sard's reply, the iron gate went up with the sound of a heavy piece of metal moving.
Maxim, with his face wrapped in a fur hat, exhaled white breath and approached Saint-Sard's side.
“That's quite a fancy password.”
“It's to someone's taste.”
“Someone I know?”
Saint-Sard smiled faintly.
Maxim scoffed. It was clearly the taste of the mage who prided himself on being clever, Chris.
Kuuung.
The iron gate opened completely, and dozens of bonfires lit the way.
Behind the bonfires, soldiers equipped with their gear stood in straight lines in a rigid posture. As one, they drew their swords simultaneously.
Kwang!
The sound of stomping feet shook the earth.
“We are the shield of our motherland!”
“We walk in darkness for the light!”
“We are devoted only to the protection of Poinus!”
“For peace, tranquility, and glory!”
A shout that seemed to tear the world apart.
The soldiers placed their sword-wielding hands on their chests.
The flickering lights reflected off the blades, illuminating the surroundings, and the breath of hundreds of people created a fog.
Kwang!
The sound of countless soldiers' footsteps echoed again.
At the end of that echo, silence fell.
Saint-Sard, Maxim, Rodrigo, and Bethel, on their horses, stood still and quietly watched beyond the gate.
“Wh-what is this?”
“They're not going to capture us, are they?”
“……My lady. A-are you alright?”
“Why are they doing that?”
An extreme tension flowed inside the carriage. They didn't even dare to look out the window. Some among them thought it was fortunate to be inside the carriage. Others found it difficult to breathe due to the heavy atmosphere pressing into the carriage.
“Heo (Proceed)!”
Thump! Thump! Thump!
As the drum sounded, Saint-Sard started to ride his horse.
Following him, Maxim and Rodrigo, and the rest of the group moved, tense.
“What is this?”
Maxim asked Saint-Sard.
“It's a kind of ceremony for when a high-ranking person arrives.”
“Tsk, tsk. Unnecessarily intimidating.”
Saint-Sard's eyes widened as he looked at Maxim.
No matter how he looked, he was a teenage boy, yet he was not daunted by the intimidating ceremony. Instead, he was clicking his tongue, saying the ceremony's direction was flawed.
It was a ceremony that even adults would be nervous about.
‘Is he really different because of his royal bloodline?’
Bethel and Rodrigo had frequently said that Maxim was different from other boys. He had thought that, at best, he was just a teenager.
But from the moment he first saw him, he felt like he was dealing not with a boy, but with an experienced veteran.
“What are you looking at?”
“I find it fascinating.”
“What is?”
“That you are unfazed even after seeing the soldiers lined up.”
Maxim looked at Saint-Sard with a face that said, ‘Do I have to react to something like this?’
“Everyone gets flustered. Isn't it an intimidating ceremony by anyone's standards?”
“Only young brats get flustered. And inferior brats.”
Saint-Sard thought to himself, ‘Young?’ No matter how he looked, the word ‘young’ suited Maxim.
“At ease!”
Maxim and his party passed the soldiers standing motionless like statues and stood before the middle gate leading into the main castle.
Kung!
Once again, the sound of stomping feet, and then.
“Dismount!”
It was a signal to stand before the entrance.
The soldiers thrust their swords into the ground.
A sharp sound shot out fiercely, signaling not to try any funny business.
Kreeeak.
The thick doors opened, and about twenty knights came running out.
With their swords at their sides, they looked down at Maxim's party and spoke with their eyes to wait quietly.
“They know who I am, yet they're making such a fuss. Such a fuss.”
“This ritual was created because of stiff people like Your Highness.”
Chris walked out.
“Others being stiff is their business. Since I was coming anyway, why did you have to tire them out with something like this?”
“They are doing it for their own convenience. They have to press down like this. So that you don't act bothersome.”
Maxim felt the words, ‘Tell them to do it depending on who they're dealing with,’ rise up to his throat, but he swallowed them.
The soldiers and knights would have no way of knowing who he was. And he thought he knew why Chris deliberately didn't stop them.
‘He wants to see for himself whether I'm overwhelmed by this much pressure or not, is that it?’
He thought Chris, who loved tests, was more than capable of that.
“Why are you so late?”
Maxim looked around.
“Let's talk separately.”
Because of the location, even if he answered in a small voice, one or two soldiers would inevitably hear.
‘I can't spread anxiety.’
It hadn't been long since they had suffered from internal strife due to spies.
They must have pushed the atmosphere to be tense to quell the anxiety.
But the seeds of anxiety still remained.
It was too soon for them to disappear completely.
In such a situation, if it became known that the enemy was preparing to strike from behind…
‘A situation of psychological collapse would come. Deserters might even start appearing.’
So it was best to cover up whatever could be covered.
“Let's do that.”
Chris, who read Maxim's intentions, approached the others and offered kind greetings like, ‘You've all worked hard coming here.’
Maxim watched Chris's back.
‘He must be quite fatigued.’
His bent back was telling.
That he was struggling to block the impending threat.
Maxim slowly looked over the knights and soldiers standing in a straight posture.
The skin exposed outside their clothes was covered in large and small scars.
‘These aren't scars you can get from practice.’
It was proof that they had experienced constant real combat.
‘And their faces are full of shadows.’
It was something Maxim had often seen in his past life. The anxious feelings of those who sensed a large-scale battle, the worries of life and death.
All of them were feeling it on their skin that a war with Uresra was about to break out.
“War is about momentum.”
Kaang!
A spark flashed from the blade of Dawn as it struck the ground.