Chapter 146
Chapter 146. The Return Journey - Assault
Pushing aside the heavy fur, I sat up to find everyone except Yunek already awake.
Balner and Verrot, who had retreated to rest last night, seemed to have struggled to sleep properly due to the rain and cold.
Well, even if they had stayed awake, it would've been miserable—Lambert spoke up with a hint of exasperation.
"How anyone can sleep well in this rain…"
"I've slept in the snow before. A little rain is nothing."
"I'll pass on both."
Perhaps imagining it, Lambert grimaced in disgust and held his hands toward the campfire.
I spoke confidently, but the real reason for my sound sleep was the [Mental Resistance] effect.
Ah, snow probably requires [Freezing Resistance] too. Either way, I barely felt any discomfort despite the fur being damp with humidity.
[Mental Resistance] has always been a lifesaver.
As I got up, I dug through the bundled furs near the tree roots and found Yunek.
The moment I shook her shoulder to wake her, she shivered from the morning chill.
Then, sitting by the campfire, she accepted the simple breakfast and warm tea Sekies had prepared before draping herself in a dry fur and joining us for the meal.
"We were just discussing today's plans earlier."
Timing it as we finished eating, Sekies spoke up.
"And?"
"We were supposed to reach Fasden by midday, but the rain will likely delay us. That said, we never planned to stop in town, and we aren't short on supplies. I'd like to gather intel on the beastkin village, but that can wait."
"Agreed. Our main objective comes first. Assuming we pass through, how far is Fasden from the Deepwood Forest?"
"That's the issue. None of us have been to Fasden, so we can only guess. It's unlikely they'd build a town right next to it, but if it's too far, adventurers wouldn't use it as a base."
"So we'd make it back by evening, round trip?"
"Most likely. Even at the farthest, we should return to Fasden before nightfall."
I see. If the gates are closed, we'd camp outside the walls.
It's reasonably safe, and if monsters attack, the guards are nearby. In an emergency, they'd send reinforcements or let us in through the side gate if things get dangerous.
That means we'd reach the Deepwood Forest by evening or just after sunset.
I shifted my gaze from Sekies to Lambert.
"The conclusion?"
"Avoid engaging at night. Ideally, we'd arrive before dusk. If that's impossible, we'll have to spend the night near Fasden."
"Then we'll pick up the pace even more. Understood."
I pulled out some healing potions with fatigue recovery effects and handed them out.
"Plenty in stock. Take them now or later, up to you."
"Then, if you insist—"
Verrot was the first to down his.
Ambel followed, then Lambert and Felix after some hesitation, while Sekies and Balner stashed theirs away with thanks.
Yunek hesitated, clutching the small bottle, but when I gestured for her to drink, she happily complied.
Afterward, we packed up camp and set off south along the rain-soaked road.
Time passed, but the rain showed no sign of stopping.
Even when it lightened, thick clouds quickly rolled back in, bringing heavier downpours.
The further south we went, the more the road's mud settled, but for now, it was a mess.
Like at the start of our journey, we moved along the grassy edges of the road.
I was curious about the Tepa Turtles, but cunning monsters are also cautious—they wouldn't set up hunting grounds near a road frequented by armed adventurers.
Keeping an eye on the ground just in case, we pressed on.
Even in the rain, Yunek did her best to scout, but her ears and nose—her greatest strengths—were muffled, leaving her unable to detect anything.
Her stamina was draining fast, so I had her drink a potion while walking.
Just as she finished her third bottle, she froze while trying to hand the empty vial back.
"There's something over there—"
Yunek muttered, looking east.
I followed her gaze, but [Presence Detection] picked up nothing. Maybe she misread the scenery.
Or rather—was that a mountain? It looked unusually low.
In the rain-blurred distance, a gentle ridgeline rose from the plains.
It was hard to make out, but I could vaguely see some structures.
Hearing our exchange, Verrot shielded his eyes with a hand.
"The Torpus Salt Mine. Seems we've entered Viscount Fasden's territory without realizing."
"That's it? Looks nothing like I imagined."
"It's in the hills, so it might differ from typical mines. The entire hill is walled off, guarded by the Lasmano Fort. There are also lodgings for miners, taverns, and the like—practically a small town."
Verrot didn't mention it, but there were undoubtedly rows of slave quarters there too.
Yunek had likely been kept in one.
I'd never paid much attention to salt sources before, but I'm pretty sure I've used Torpus salt.
Probably even the rock salt stored in my magic bag, the Telpas' Bag.
Best not to get too close—might ruin the taste.
Glancing at the ink-black hills, we continued south.
Before the distant view faded, something else caught our attention—this time, unmistakable.
Yunek noticed too, her ears twitching forward.
"Master Alter, I hear something."
"A carriage. Heading this way."
Struggling through the mud, the carriage slowly moved north.
As it came into view, it suddenly veered sideways.
Must be a side road. Heading to the salt mine, then.
The carriage carried a dense cluster of presences—likely slaves.
I pitied their fate, but—we had our own concerns.
Someone's sharp-eyed.
One of the guards noticed us and waited at the side road, sizing us up.
I could feel his scrutinizing gaze.
After scanning each of us, his eyes locked onto Yunek.
Sekies adjusted his cloak to reveal his sword hilt and stepped toward the guard.
In the pouring rain, the two faced off across the side road.
"You lot, adventurers?"
"Yeah. On a job."
The guard's eyes flicked from Sekies to Yunek.
"We've got a runaway slave. Show me your face."
"Show you? Who the hell do you think you are to—"
Sekies cut himself off as Lambert stepped forward.
Ignoring the guard's hand moving to his sword, Lambert removed his hood and raised the back of his hand.
A signet ring gleamed on his finger.
"I am Lambert Alois Keten. Are you implying a runaway slave is hiding among the retinue of House Keten?"
The guard's eyes widened, fixed on the crest.
Behind Lambert, Felix rested a hand on his sword, and when Sekies flashed his C-rank adventurer's tag, the guard's face paled instantly.
"N-No! Just warning you about runaways in the area! Never meant to accuse—"
"Good, then. My apologies for the misunderstanding. We'll keep an eye out for your runaway."
Lambert gave a dismissive nod, and the guard bowed before scrambling back to the carriage.
Watching him go, I stood beside Lambert.
"A baron's house might not have backed down."
"A viscount knows his place. Would've been trouble if I wasn't here."
"Well, you were."
"Let's move. No time to waste on this."
Lambert strode off without another word, and the others hurried back into formation.
As I followed, I glanced at the dark sky.
The rain saved us, huh?
Everyone had hoods or furs covering their faces. If Yunek had been the only one hiding hers, the guard would've pushed harder.
Even with Lambert's name, he might've countered with Viscount Fasden's authority.
We pressed on, using potions to stave off fatigue as the rain continued.
Still no sign of pursuers, and though Yunek occasionally peeked her ears out from under her fur, she heard nothing.
The only encounter was another slave-laden carriage—likely avoiding the rain like us.
We marched in silence until, eventually, the rain began to ease.
"Fasden."
As if rehearsed, Sekies pointed ahead.
Through the misty rain, the town of Fasden came into view.
The gloom made it feel like evening, but it wasn't even noon yet—we'd arrived ahead of schedule.
Lambert studied the town before turning to the group.
"Good work. I'd like to let you rest, but this is where the real mission begins. They'll assume Fasden is our destination. If we head straight for the Deepwood Forest, the enemy will panic and move. From here on out, it's a battlefield. Scouts, stay sharp. The rest of you, don't let your guard down for a second."
With our acknowledgment, Lambert gave the order to move out.
Yunek's joining, the change in destination—
After nearly ten days of travel, this journey was finally reaching a turning point.
◇◇◇◇
We passed through the town of Fasden and entered the grasslands.
Only a single road extended from Fasden, with no path leading to the Depthswood Forest.
As we walked, the light rain soaking our bodies, Fasden vanished behind us.
The drizzle thickened into mist, shrouding the grasslands entirely.
The visibility was worse than in the morning.
The worst possible weather—but that also meant our enemies would move more freely.
But what if they didn't attack?
Lambert was still in danger. We could stay in Keten for a few days, but we couldn't protect him forever, and I doubted Felix could hold out alone.
If his so-called elder brother had prepared countermeasures, that would be ideal—but who knew if that would happen.
We pressed on through the undulating grasslands, climbing a small hill.
Suddenly, Sekies at the front came to a halt.
On guard, the rest of us lined up atop the hill and froze as well.
Before us sprawled an immense forest.
The Land of the Dead, the Saenum Labyrinth, Mez Liese's Dragon Nest—
This great forest stood alongside those infamous places.
"So this is the Depthswood Forest…"
I stood motionless, sweeping my gaze left and right.
An endless sea of trees, veiled in mist and rain.
How many months—no, years—would it take to cross this forest?
"I didn't believe there was a beastman village here… but seeing this, anything seems possible."
"What lies beyond it?"
Lambert muttered as he gazed at the vast forest beside me.
"No idea. Maybe it just ends, or maybe something unimaginable waits beyond. Many adventurers have died trying to find out. Common sense says the forest just ends, though."
"Still, there'd be a sense of accomplishment. If you achieved something."
"An unexpected opinion. I thought you were more pragmatic. Anyway, what's next? Proceed into the forest as planned to shake off pursuit? Waiting here is an option, but honestly, it's too quiet. If they don't attack en route, then—"
"Alter-sama! Something's moving!"
At Yunek's voice, I turned.
I stared at the northern grasslands but sensed nothing, saw nothing.
As Hashou fanned out protectively around Lambert, I asked Yunek for the location and focused harder.
Faintly, I caught a disturbance in the grass.
"I take it back. Finally showed themselves."
Not monsters. Clearly human.
Five of them—fewer than I expected.
I'm the one who lured them out, but… I'm a little surprised. They actually came.
"Where are they?"
Lambert's voice came from behind.
Sekies and the others scanned the area, but their gazes slid past the presence.
Even in this open grassland, they couldn't see them.
"Five, likely using camouflage magic tools. They're blending into the scenery. Annoying, but it's a long-range tactic. Look closely."
A patch of green shifted where I pointed, and Sekies finally noticed.
The camouflage was crude, like slathered paint.
Hard to spot from afar, but the closer they got, the more obvious it'd be.
Useless up close, but that depended on how they used it.
Outside [Presence Detection] range, they could observe freely. Without Yunek's keen eyes, they'd have gotten even closer.
In monotonous landscapes—snowfields, deserts, or at night—they'd be near impossible to detect.
The matching gear suggested they planned a night assault.
Perhaps because I pointed them out, the attackers abandoned stealth.
As the green mosaics advanced leisurely, I quickly activated [Appraisal].
Skilled scouts—no, assassins.
The central mosaic was formidable: [Shortsword 5], [Martial Arts 7], basic attack skills, and even beginner wind magic.
Their gear was solid too. Beyond camouflage, they wore resistance-enhancing armor.
Their weapons were likely magic tools as well.
At least mid-C-rank, probably low-B-rank. Even Hashou would struggle.
And as I thought—it's him.
"The one in the middle—the man we saw outside the academy."
His face was hidden, but his presence and build matched my memory.
With skills like that, no doubt he's the leader.
I glanced back, spotting Lambert, Yunek, and Felix.
A sweep of the surroundings revealed no one else.
Had we seized the initiative?
There were probably observers watching from afar, but taking these five down would be a major blow.
"Be careful. They're hiding other magic tools."
"Understood."
Sekies acknowledged my warning tersely.
Even if they were impatient, they'd come head-on.
The leader aside, the others were skilled but not overwhelmingly so. They must have something prepared.
Would indirect tactics be dangerous?
Most skills and magic require visual confirmation.
Area spells only need the cast point visible, but isolated spaces are unaffected.
We should strike first to secure safety.
"Lambert, we'll encase you in stone walls."
"Me? Moving before combat would tip them off. If they retreat, this was all for nothing."
"Then, at the moment of engagement—"
A chill shot down my spine, and I jerked my head around.
What… was that?
Nothing had changed.
The attackers were still distant, no ambush in sight.
My pulse pounded violently.
Unlike when I faced Jarid, this was an unfamiliar sensation.
No—that's not it.
I know. I know what just happened—but why?
Hashou, arrayed around Lambert.
Why did they look at us?
Why did they react to our conversation?
The past events flashed through my mind.
Meeting Yunek, Sekies and Verrot's argument, the Depthswood Forest.
As memories raced, Sekies' voice echoed.
—You're dragging us into your request!?
Our… request…
Sekies, who should've been wary of the attackers, turned his gaze to me.
The moment I saw his pained profile, I shouted.
"Run, Lambert!! They're—"
My cry was cut off by a sudden impact.
Slowly, I looked down at the blade's tip.
Piercing my chest—my heart—was the sword of Fortitude.
"I won't apologize. This is my choice."
As the sword was pulled free, I toppled backward, twisting to look.
In my fading vision stood my expressionless friend.
"Alter-sama!?"
Yunek's scream rang out, swiftly turning into a shriek.
Following Felix's sword swing, a spray of blood scattered through the air.
In my sideways world, a boy's figure stumbled into view.
His wide eyes glistened with rain.
A man's foot interposed, obscuring him.
A kick to my shoulder flipped me onto my back.
At the edge of my sight, our former companions and the pursuers stood encircling us.
Verrot, against the rainy sky, gazed down at me.
"You're too kind, Alter-sama. So kind, it's painfully obvious."
A smile played on his lips as he reversed his grip on the dagger.
"I won't apologize either. This is just business."
With a grin, Verrot brought the dagger down.
Another shock to my heart, the blade twisting as it was pulled free.
No anger. No despair.
Just a dull understanding.
From the start, this journey had no allies.
Not even the friend I sought to protect.