“There are twenty-six swords, twenty-two if you exclude the broken ones. As for spears, we only have forty-four, including the broken ones. Out of these, only thirty-five are strong enough to pierce the tough skin of the Mozes. The rest are just pieces of iron attached to wooden handles. We have four battle axes, but one is too dull to use. If we include the axes for chopping wood, we have fifteen in total.”
Vigilante Group Captain Koret was busily moving around, even with a bandage wrapped around his head. He had been knocked unconscious by a stone axe to the head shortly after the battle began the previous day, and seemed to feel guilty for not being able to fight.
“Give the spears to those who know how to use them and axes to those experienced in axing. And for the rest, give them swords and assemble them outside.”
Loyal briefly instructed Koret.
Koret gathered all the soldiers, excluding those on guard duty. The soldiers, mostly the remaining youths of the Vigilante Group and middle-aged men and boys from the village who volunteered, were less than half of what they used to be. Ideally, he would have liked to entrust them all to guardians and keep them at the very back of the battle. But even gathering them like this, there were barely a hundred, leaving no choice.
Additionally, about a hundred teachers and students from Kainswick, armed with swords instead of staves, joined them. Dunmel found it pitiable to see these future Sorcerers, who would be respected and admired on the continent, mingling with ordinary soldiers.
The first thing the Mozes destroyed when they invaded was not the fortress walls, but the mystique of the Sorcerers.
“It can’t be helped. It’s better than exhausting ourselves by pouring all our magic into killing a single creature and collapsing from fatigue.”
Flora, who was sitting next to Dunmel, sharpening arrows, also looked extremely tired.
“I couldn’t sleep last night, scared that the monsters would attack again. Oh, is it okay if I sit here?”
She asked belatedly, unnecessarily worrying about whether it was okay to sit. If she was genuinely concerned, it was a tiring personality trait; if she was doing it on purpose, there was no better way to display her charming qualities. In any case, her droopy eyes and such a personality suited her well. Dunmel, who had also spent the night awake with the same worries, found comfort in her trivial behaviors.
Apparently having nothing to say, she just sat there silently. Dunmel quietly finished checking his bowstring.
Flora waited for a while, then left without a word. It was unlike her to come over, talk to herself, and then run away apologizing for being a nuisance. It felt empty when she was there, and even more so when she left.
Dunmel took out his dagger, which he had only wiped the blood off the day before, and began sharpening it. The swords made by Lergo hardly ever got damaged. He didn’t know what kind of magical power it was, but if they got somewhat dull, they would be sharp again the next day.
They never rusted. So, sharpening the dagger now was just a way to pass the time and calm his tense nerves. It was also a rest to shake off the fatigue from the previous day. He never knew when the monsters might attack again in large numbers.
When he was about to get up to quench his thirst, Flora returned. In her hands, she carried a large kettle and a cup.
“Would you like some?”
The two sat back down, leaning against the wall.
Dunmel slowly drank water while watching the process of repairing the fortress gate. Among the young men working shirtless, the long blond-haired sorcerer, Philip, stood out conspicuously. His hair sparkled so much in the sunlight that it seemed it would even glow in the night.
“Master Philip was very close to Master Ettley. No one was more saddened by the fact that there was no time even for Master Ettley’s funeral than him. So, he would want to take the lead in this matter.”
Dunmel picked up a twig and wrote on the ground.
— The magic of the masters, killed the monsters.
“Yes, that’s right. We also killed a couple…”
— Mozes, I heard magic doesn’t work on them.
“Ah, that’s a bit complicated to explain.”
Flora created a small flame in her palm and burst it in the air. Although it was a small explosion, Dunmel reflexively jerked his head back.
“I’m sorry! That was too strong.”
Flora apologized as a habit and continued speaking.
“This is a magical flame. This flame has almost the same power as a natural flame. You can think of magic as extremely enhancing or diminishing natural forces. Fire, ice. For small objects, I can move them like this.”
Flora, standing about five steps away, picked up and threw a fist-sized rock without touching it. Coincidentally, it hit a passing soldier’s shoulder. She quickly stood up to apologize.
“Ah, I’m sorry. Really sorry. Are you okay? Really?”
Flora kept repeating her apologies even after being assured several times that the person was okay, and then sat down again.
“I’m always a troublemaker.”
She said, scratching her head.
“Anyway, the masters are very skilled in such magic. If I concentrate, I can even use arrows. My role in a fight is actually to use such magic. I would only be a hindrance with a sword in my hand, and someone of the status of a Kainswick teacher cannot just stand and watch.”
Dunmel wrote again.
— Yesterday Justin threw ten Mozes.
“It’s possible for the masters. If it’s the weight of a person, I can lift and place them in the air. But as you doubt, magic doesn’t work on monsters, so naturally, we can’t pick them up and throw them either. What was done to the Mozes was indirect. It’s about moving the air. We also move objects like rocks to attack, just like I use arrows.”
Flora let out a long sigh.
“The problem is that we’re running short of arrows, rocks, and other objects to use as weapons. That’s why even the sorcerers have no choice but to resort to swords.”
Inside the fortress, there was a designated person collecting and gathering arrows from the bodies of the monsters hit, which showed how severe the shortage of arrows was.
A familiar face among the sorcerers learning swordsmanship from Loyal approached the two. It was Bedford, who had first guided them inside the tower.
“Listening to your conversation makes me want to join in. Could I have some water, Knight Dunmel?”
After drinking a glass of water handed by Dunmel, Bedford let out a deep breath. It seemed like everyone here started their conversation with a sigh.
“Even though this is a city where sorcerers teach magic, when an actual battle occurs, the most useless in this fight ended up being the Kainswick teachers.”
“I agree, Bedford. We always thought if danger came to this place, we would solve it with our own strength, but now we are unable to do so.”
At Flora’s words, Bedford burst into laughter and spoke to Dunmel.
“I’ve heard a lot about you two. The bravery of the two White Wolves has deeply impressed all the soldiers. The number of Mozes you two have killed surpasses the total killed by the young men of the Vigilante Group. Moreover, I heard your actions after the fortress gate was destroyed were truly remarkable.”
Dunmel just nodded. In truth, he didn’t remember much other than fighting frantically. Bedford, expecting some reaction, just smiled and wrapped up the conversation.
“Honestly, how many more attacks do you think this city can withstand?”
At Bedford’s blunt question, Dunmel hesitated and glanced at Flora. She spoke up.
“I’d like to hear an honest answer too. I won’t tell anyone.”
Eventually, Dunmel wrote in the dirt with a twig as they wished.
— One.
Both fell silent. They probably both regretted asking the question. Dunmel also regretted giving such an honest answer.
Bedford went on about Lutia, saying the village had nearly two thousand inhabitants, most of them elderly, and that only about a hundred people could use magic to the extent of a Kainswick teacher. During the conversation, Dunmel found the relationship between the magic trainees and the villagers, similar to that of boarders and boarding houses, interesting, but he didn’t want to focus on such pleasant stories in the face of crisis.
Bedford, having talked at length, eventually left to resume his sword training.
Flora, with nothing particular to say or do, remained by Dunmel’s side. Dunmel didn’t send her away either. She was embarrassed to be there, but more embarrassed to explain why she wanted to stay, which only added to the awkwardness. However, neither found the other’s presence bothersome or unwelcome.
☆ ☆ ☆
As dinner time arrived, Flora, who had stayed by his side, left without a word. Dunmel figured she might eat separately and didn’t mind. Instead, Loyal came over and they went to have dinner together.
Excluding a brief nap during the day, Dunmel was extremely tired, having not slept at all since the battle the day before. Loyal said he felt the same. However, both of them did not show it outwardly and ate roasted bread with goat’s milk and cheese. The hot chicken soup was comforting for their weary bodies.
The women of the village, filled with determination to defend it, seemed almost resentful that they couldn’t participate in the battle and were very enthusiastic in preparing the meal.
Soldiers returning from guard duty joined the makeshift tent-turned-dining area, making it bustling. Torches and bonfires lit up the barracks, attracting swarms of insects. A young man, tending the fire, complained to a Kainswick teacher about the lack of insect-repellent properties in White Mystery.
“We should take turns sleeping. It’s not efficient for both of us to be awake.”
Loyal finally spoke, having been silent throughout the meal.
Dunmel suggested through sign language.
‘You sleep first. I’ll wake you at dawn.’
“Isn’t it more advantageous for me at night?”
‘I’m better suited. I become more alert when I can’t see.’
Dunmel jokingly pointed to his ears.
“Everyone says Azwin and Gerald are optimistic, but that’s just their personalities. I think you’re the truly optimistic one. I wish I could learn that from you.”
‘Is that a Gerald-style joke you made?’
“It’s sincere. You don’t have any complexes about your weaknesses, not being able to hear or speak. I think that’s amazing.”
Dunmel stuffed the rest of the bread into his mouth. Loyal watched him for a moment and then said,
“Hoiromomo.”
Dunmel chewed his mouthful, looking at Loyal for a while before asking.
‘What does that mean?’
“It was something the sword said to me. It suddenly came to my mind while I was sleeping last night.”
‘A sword speaking?’
“Do you remember? When I lost my magic sword in Camort. I always thought I had lost it in my sleep. But it seems that wasn’t the case. The sword left me.”
Dunmel was surprised after he had swallowed the bread. Loyal went on to explain in detail, speaking aloud without using sign language, as if it didn’t matter if others heard.
“I suddenly fell asleep. I kept thinking it was just a mistake, falling asleep. Even when I was supposed to protect Latilda, this thought occurred to me several times. It wasn’t. Hoiromomo. I heard that voice. I can’t remember what the sword said to me exactly, but I roughly understood its meaning. ‘Let me go. Abandon me. I’ll come back, so let me go for now.’ That’s what it said.”
Loyal’s expression showed a hint of displeasure as he continued.
“Yeah, I didn’t lose the magic sword. I did what the sword compelled me to do unconsciously.”
Dunmel responded after a while through sign language.
‘Why didn’t you say anything? You didn’t need to tell everyone, but you could have discussed it with Kassel or Sheyden.’
“I never got the chance. Actually… I hate making excuses. I lost the magic sword, that’s a fact. That’s why Kassel came. What could I say to him? I wasn’t confident to explain.”
‘Then why are you telling me now?’
“The sword said it would return. When the Black Lion Count gave me the magic sword in front of Kassel, I thought that was the moment. But the sword remained silent. That wasn’t the time. I returned the sword to Kassel, thinking it would come back to me someday.”
Loyal looked at Dunmel with slightly sad eyes. Dunmel asked.
‘So the magic sword will return to you someday. Wait for it.’
“It’s not that, Dunmel. I’m not hoping for the sword to return. I’m actually scared.”
‘Why?’
“I feel like when it returns, there will be an enemy in front of me, far more formidable than the dark power that enveloped the Black Lion Count.”
Dunmel had no words to say.
Loyal patted his shoulder and got up to leave.
“I’ll go to sleep first. Wake me up at dawn.”
Dunmel nodded. There was nothing else to do.
After sending Loyal off, Dunmel stood on the watchtower. Until past midnight, there was no significant movement in the forest.
Occasionally, the Mozes would poke their heads out of the forest only to disappear again, and sometimes they approached the fortress as if teasing, then fled when an attack was initiated from this side. The soldiers tensed up each time this happened, but relaxed again when the creatures vanished.
Dunmel found the repeated behavior of the monsters unsettling, and he was not the only one who felt this way.
“It seems they’re getting smarter,” observed Master Luder.
Master Luder did not fully commit himself to defending the fortress as one might expect. He was diligent only when the monsters attacked or during his guard duty, and at other times, he returned to the tower. Dunmel wondered if he had some important task; if defending the fortress was his primary duty, shouldn’t he devote himself completely to it? However, Dunmel generally refrained from interfering in or making assumptions about the lives of the sorcerers.
‘Now these creatures even know how to tease us. Just by coming in and out of the forest, they’re draining our strength…’
Everyone had expected another massive onslaught the night after the huge offensive. However, nothing happened.
The monsters appeared again during the day, but only to increase tension before leaving. Even now, they were repeating this behavior.
“If the other Wolf Knights were here, what kind of strategy would you devise?”
Dunmel quickly wrote a meaning with his finger on the railing.
— No strategy. If they were here, we would fight. That’s all.
“Hmm. With about fifty knights like you, it wouldn’t be strange at all. If only our magic worked, we could say the same with confidence…”
The sorcerers, having lost their own weapon, seemed to have lost their confidence as well. This was true for Flora, Bedford, and everyone else.
Luder started to say something, then awkwardly bid farewell and left. Other soldiers also refrained from speaking carelessly to Dunmel, knowing he couldn’t hear or speak.
A group of about five, carrying lanterns in the darkness, approached the base of the watchtower.
One of them was Flora. She gestured for Dunmel to come down. It occurred to him that Flora had spoken to him the most since his arrival in Lutia. She was shy about her actions but never seemed to mind Dunmel’s inability to speak.
“These are the students I teach. They wanted to meet you, so I brought them.”
Flora introduced the people she had brought. Each one of them greeted him. There were people of various ages, from a seventeen-year-old girl to men over thirty. Since the school had no age restrictions for teaching, such an age range was natural.
“Oh, and the five of us have been working on magic to counter the Mozes. Especially since we’re all weaklings who know nothing about combat, we’ve been thinking of such methods instead of learning swordsmanship.”
Flora explained, and a young man named Metra stepped forward. He held a square wooden box at his side, open for viewing. There were grooves at the top and arrows inside.
“It may not look like much, but it’s quite efficient.”
He said, positioning a target for bow shooting practice. Soldiers on the nearby watchtower and Vigilante Group youths working on fortress repairs at night gathered to watch.
As Metra chanted something, four arrows levitated around his forearm from the box. Sweating, he finished the last of his incantation, and the four arrows precisely struck the center of the target. The soldiers nodded and applauded; the arrows penetrated deeper than if shot directly from a bow.
“By pulling arrows along these grooves, we can use several at once. Using a bow with magic is less efficient, but maybe this method could work.”
Dunmel watched seriously and then signaled for them to follow him. Flora’s students, not quite understanding, followed him up the watchtower.
Dunmel pointed to the forest and gestured for them to shoot. Metra did as instructed. Dunmel adjusted the angle of his arm slightly higher and then spread his fingers.
“Do you mean to scatter the arrows when shooting?”
Flora, now used to communicating with Dunmel, quickly understood his gesture. Dunmel nodded. Metra followed the instruction and shot the arrows into the air. Four arrows landed near the edge of the forest. Dunmel gave a thumbs-up and then wrote on the railing.
— Remember the position where the arrows landed, the angle of the arm when you shot, and the force.
Metra quickly grasped what Dunmel wanted.
“Thank you. When they attack, they’ll fall to my arrows first!”
Metra said excitedly.
Flora also smiled and spoke to everyone.
“Let’s all practice this a few times. Then go to Koret and tell him about this method of attack. He will assign positions for each of us during the battle.”
Despite not practicing for long to conserve arrows, multiple attempts were unnecessary. It was more important and sufficient to get a sense of the distance rather than the strength or accuracy. Dunmel calculated that with this magic, at least fifty of the Moz creatures attacking could be taken down.
“Your practice has inspired everyone.”
Flora, having sent away the excited students practicing archery, stood next to Dunmel and said.
“I feel the same.”
Dunmel wrote on the railing.
— It will help.
“I thought about how I could be of help, and I’m glad it worked. Magic involving the movement of objects is very difficult. Only students like Metra can generate the same power as an arrow leaving the bowstring. This barrel is worth more research.”
— To what extent?
Flora grabbed an arrow from the ground and sent it flying into the air. The arrow circled around the dark tower before obediently returning to her hand. Dunmel nodded his head.
If she wanted, Flora could easily perform the terrifying assassination technique demonstrated with a dagger by the Blackfoot sorceress Metzel. Despite appearing weak, Flora was also a teacher at Kainswick. Even the best assassins of Blackfoot would be mere students under her.
“Actually, what Bedford wanted to say this evening…”
The smile disappeared from Flora’s shyly smiling face.
“There might be a traitor among us.”
Dunmel had also been thinking about this since it was mentioned in Lutiano.
“The first suspicion arose when someone in the Sky Mountains forest attacked the Mozes. I mean, not here in Lutia, but in another part of the Sky Mountains. There, the Mozes were burned black by magical flames. But strangely, magic doesn’t work on the Mozes that come into Outsearch.”
Flora, unsure how to continue, opened her mouth again.
“If only magic worked, we could have stopped them with our own strength. Even the masters wouldn’t have needed to step in. The magicians of Acrand are actually just our students. But magic doesn’t work on these monsters. If they were creatures affected by magic, they wouldn’t be able to step into the sacred power emitted by the White Mystery.”
Flora pointed to the dimly glowing gem on top of the tower. The gem, twinkling from a great height, no longer felt mystical. Considering that Nadium’s White Gate never lost its subtle mystique, Lutia had seemingly lost a significant power.
“Because magic doesn’t work only when they cross a certain line, it’s suspicious as if someone is protecting the monsters! But a teacher like us at Kainswick can’t cast magic powerful enough to protect that enormous number of Mozes. It’s a very difficult spell. At least a master from Lutia would be needed.”
At Flora’s last words, Dunmel tilted his head in confusion. She hurriedly waved her hand.
“I misspoke. What I mean is there might be a traitor, possibly a magician of a master’s level from Lutia. I’m not saying one of the masters there is a traitor. Why would they protect the monsters attacking Lutia?”
A traitor in Lutia protecting the monsters? That was akin to saying one of the Wolf Knights would betray and attack Nadium. Dunmel couldn’t imagine such a scenario.
— If a protective spell is cast on the monsters, couldn’t that spell be broken?
Dunmel took his time to slowly write and ask.
“To use counter-magic, we need to know what kind of magic is being used on the Mozes, but we haven’t been able to find that out yet. Master Golbein and many Kainswick teachers under him are researching with all their might, but still haven’t found anything. All the masters are focused on this problem, but even Grand Master Ruskin couldn’t solve it.”
The fact that even the Grand Master couldn’t handle the magic made Dunmel immediately think of the basement of Denmoju. He had first felt fear of magic when he faced the intangible attacks that flowed through the darkness.
“And even if the magician helping the Mozes is indeed a master from Lutia, I don’t want to believe it. They are like another set of parents and teachers to me. If for some reason they say they must kill me, I might even comply.”
Tears formed in Flora’s eyes. Her affection for Lutia was even deeper than Dunmel’s for Aranthia.
Suddenly, terrified, Flora grabbed Dunmel’s shoulder tightly. Dunmel, seeing the fear in her eyes, turned his gaze to the forest. On the other tower, some were gathering their comrades.
Dunmel thought it must be some meaningless provocation by the Mozes. But there was no movement from the Mozes.
There was something else!
A strange movement leaping between the trees was faintly visible in the dark night. With only the light from the torches of the fortress and the White Mystery, it was impossible to see what it was. Dunmel moved his gaze from left to right in the forest, following not what he saw but the odd sensation he felt.
He felt as if he had seen this scene before.
A strange shadow emerged from the trees. It looked like a horse but was entirely different, with a thick mane and protruding eyes. The lush mane covered the chest of the rider above. Its fangs protruding outside its mouth, it didn’t seem like a herbivore. The rider atop the beast was cloaked in a black robe.
It looked like a ghost knight.
It was too dark to see who was inside the black robe. The arms and legs protruding from the robe were armored in black. The strangely dressed knight running through the dark seemed to be moving slowly despite its speed.
The knight came out of the forest and ran again from right to left in front of the fortress. The soldiers on the tower only observed the knight and did not prepare for an attack or assume a combat stance.
It was a being they had seen before.
“It’s ‘Kagua’.”
Flora, without loosening her grip on Dunmel’s forearm, said.
“Even the oldest magicians don’t know its true nature. It’s just been named after a ghost in Lutia’s legends because it didn’t have a name. I can’t remember exactly, but it seems to have appeared about 5 or 6 years ago. It just quietly shows up, runs around the villages of Lutia, and then disappears as suddenly as it appeared. Recently, it has been appearing more frequently.”
— A ghost? A legend?
Dunmel asked.
He remembered the giant object that shook the forest and the black flag-like object that appeared and disappeared in an instant when he first entered the Sky Mountains. Perhaps that object was Kagua.
Then, can this creature climb trees too? Suddenly, the ‘Twelve Black Knights’ who had scaled the walls of Normant came to mind.
“There are many legends about Kagua. The most famous one is that it’s a being transformed by the blood of an evil dragon touching a Lemif, having no definite form or shape, but visible under moonlight. It’s said that Kagua preys on humans who lose their way off the beaten paths in the Sky Mountains or on the Lemifs there.”
Flora pointed to the sky. A large full moon was visible.
“Master Philip told me a story from Lemif legends. A highly skilled human hunter challenged the Sky Mountains, got lost and, while dying, cursed the gods and Lemifs of the Sky Mountains for trapping him there. He was reborn in that form and hunts Lemifs. It was just a scary story told to children before bed, but now both have become undeniable legends.”
The black knight in the fluttering robe circled the fortress three times and then, just as Flora said, suddenly disappeared. Flora, finally relaxing, quickly removed her hand from Dunmel’s arm.
“I’m sorry. It happened again. It’s a habit of mine. When I get scared, I grab whoever is next to me. Once, I hugged the Grand Master and got scolded by the masters.”
Flora heavily blamed herself.
— Don’t worry about it. But about Kagua, more.
“Ah, sorry. That’s all I know.”
— The animal Kagua rides?
“I mentioned it briefly, right? That’s a Venon. There used to be a few in Lutia, but they were all released. They’re livestock of the Lemifs and a bit too aggressive for humans to tame. A spirited one could even leap into trees while carrying a person, so they could be useful if tamed well, but nobody has succeeded.”
Flora added.
“Oh, one strange thing is that Venons don’t have black fur. Only white or grey. But the Kagua rides a black-furred Venons. Riding an impossible animal lends credibility to the legend of the cursed hunter’s ghost.”
Dunmel pondered for a moment and then wrote with his finger on the ground.
— Appeared 5 or 6 years ago?
“Yes.”
— When did the Mozes appear?
“About a year ago. Oh, are you thinking that Kagua might be controlling the monsters?”
— Just a guess.
Flora watched the dark forest where Kagua had disappeared.
“Some people think that too. Especially since recently, whenever Kagua appear, the Mozes attack the fortress the very next day.”
— Tomorrow as well?
Flora nodded.
“Maybe.”
The conversation between the two paused again. Soon Flora thanked Dunmel for being there and went down from the tower. This time too, she left quickly, too shy to even let Dunmel respond.
Dunmel gazed at the forest, reflecting on the appearance of the black knight referred to as Kagua. He still seemed to see the ghost knight roaming somewhere in the forest, riding the creature known as Venon.
‘Am I overthinking?’
No matter how much he tried to think otherwise, Dunmel couldn’t shake off the feeling that they resembled the Twelve Knights of the Red Rose Count. There was no terrifying feeling like that time, their behavior was different, and the animals they rode were different, but he couldn’t help feeling they were similar.
The Lord of the Undying… perhaps that specter hasn’t been resolved in Camort yet. Dunmel was worried about Queen Sanadiel. He was also concerned about Kassel and Sheyden he had left in Aranthia.
‘It’s not over yet.’
Gerard’s last mention came to mind. Dunmel remembered the day he left Blackfoot after discovering that the Black Lion Count was the client who had ordered the assassination of the White Wolves in Camort. Loyal had said the same thing. It wasn’t over yet. But could all that truly be related to what was happening in Lutia?
☆ ☆ ☆
As promised, Dunmel woke Loyal at dawn. Loyal immediately asked if anything had happened overnight, and Dunmel summarized his conversation with Flora.
With his hair tousled, Loyal said,
“Magical protection… Assuming someone is shielding the enemy attacking the fortress with an invisible shield makes it easier to understand. But is such a thing possible?”
‘Just as magicians can’t understand our swordsmanship, the same applies to us. We can’t measure them by our standards.’
“It reminds me of the Black Knights of the Red Rose Count.”
‘You think so too?’
The vigilante group youth were stirring up dust as they tidied the beds and cleaned the building. The busy morning routine was starting again.
Dunmel opened a window. Fresh air embraced them both.
“Do you think this is related to the incident in Camort? I mean, Latilda… the Red Rose Count.”
Loyal asked, seemingly reluctant to mention Count Johnstein as Latilda’s father.
‘You know better, but the Count was more a religious leader of the area than a ruler of Denmoju.’
While signing, Dunmel also refrained from mentioning Latilda.
‘Meylumil also told me something. The same kind of incident happened in Irophis. The royal knights resolved it, but the damage must have been severe. Think about it. If such incidents occurred in multiple places, then the Red Rose Count is not the main body. The master of those Black Knights was undoubtedly the one you killed in front of everyone with your sword. However, the Red Rose Count died in the Denmoju basement, trying to save his daughter.’
As he signed, Latilda was inevitably mentioned. Loyal’s face grew somber, but Dunmel continued his thought.
‘So, the entity that gave power to the Count might still be out there, yet to reveal itself. In the cave’s basement, I witnessed a different dark power, not just the Count. If such a force really influenced the events in Camort and Irophis, then the Sky Mountains wouldn’t be an exception.’
Loyal, ruffling his hair, got up from the bed and took a sip of water.
“But what about this Kagua? Is it on the same side as the Mozes?”
Dunmel shook his head at Loyal’s speculation.
‘There’s no evidence yet to suggest it’s with the Mozes. It’s been appearing for about 5 years, but attacking now doesn’t make sense.’
After finishing his cup of water, Loyal said,
“Dunmel, you’ve been opening up a lot since you came here.”
‘With no one else to chatter, I might as well do it.’
Loyal laughed loudly, waking up a few youths who had just managed to fall asleep after staying up all night.
After Loyal left, Dunmel lay down in bed to sleep. But shortly after dozing off, he was awakened again.
It was Loyal.
‘Why all of a sudden?’
Dunmel barely opened his eyes and asked with sign language.
“Suddenly?”
Loyal looked puzzled and then said,
“Well, anyway, something strange happened. Come and see.”
It turned out to be evening when he went outside.
Dunmel, surprised, tilted his head and asked,
‘How long have I slept?’
“You fell asleep at dawn, and now it’s just before sunset.”
Slept all day? Dunmel couldn’t believe it.
“So you asked because it was ‘sudden’? You must have slept well.”
Loyal laughed as he spoke.
Dunmel had only stayed up for two nights, but he felt unusually tired. He followed Loyal, still not fully awake. It was the first time he felt so heavy after waking up in the morning. Had the battle with the Mozes been that exhausting?
The place Loyal led him to was not the fortress’s watchtower but a barracks where soldiers’ meals were served. The women preparing dinner were busy with their work. They entered a small house next to the barracks. After waking up, that house had turned into a meeting room for the masters.
Inside were Luder, Dethain, Philip, and Grand Master Ruskin. The old sorcerer Ruskin, with his long beard, had a mysterious power that both overwhelmed and comforted everyone just by being there.
Ruskin quietly raised his head and welcomed them with his eyes. Dunmel, without realizing it, bowed his head in greeting.
Golbein and Justin were not there.
“Luder and I have finished studying Ettley’s magical documents. I would like to thank Master Luder for his hard work in both the fortress’s security and this task.”
The other masters also thanked Luder for his hard work. Dethain continued.
“We don’t have much time, so let’s skip the introduction and everyone please look at the map on the table.”
Dethain spread out a parchment that completely covered the table. It was a large map made of six pieces joined together. The jewel around his neck shone, and its light transferred to the map.
Parts of the towers and houses drawn on the map rose transparently above it. The area indicating Nonsearch showed faintly glowing spots moving minutely, and the same was happening in Downsearch.
“The gray dots indicate the residents of Lutia. If we directly connect the power of the White Mystery, each dot will appear in detail, in real-time.”
Dunmel, having no idea how this magic worked, was simply amazed by the moving dots floating transparently over the map. However, Ruskin and the other masters were wide-eyed in surprise. Why were they surprised? Dunmel, not understanding the map’s meaning, waited for an explanation.
Dethain spoke.
“I did a brief test in front of Knight Loyal earlier, and this appeared. I thought it had failed. So I called Luder to review it, but there was no issue. In other words, this is the truth.”
Dethain pointed outside the fortress, encompassing Downsearch. A faint green wave representing the forest’s trees was floating. There was nothing else unusual.
The red dots he had seen in Lutiano were nowhere to be seen. Had the map changed? Had they used a different color to represent the Mozes, or a different method?
“Aren’t the monsters represented by red dots?”
Philip, who had the same question as Dunmel, asked.
“I intended to mark the Mozes with red dots as Master Ettley did. But nothing appeared. I reviewed it several times. Even Knight Loyal bravely went outside the fortress to check.”
As Dunmel turned to look, Loyal just shrugged his shoulders.
Ruskin asked.
“Does this mean the Mozes have disappeared?”
“Indeed, Master. There’s not a single Moze left in the forests of Outsearch.”
The masters looked at each other in astonishment. Dunmel too stared seriously at the map.
Ruskin said.
“There’s no way to know if this is the first time this has happened or if it has occurred before. Before we developed this map, if the Mozes had ever left Outsearch, we wouldn’t have known.”
Luder replied with a worried expression.
“After the large-scale attack, we indeed need to be cautious. We should strengthen the security.”
“Then I should also spread the light of the White Mystery more strongly tonight.”
Ruskin, leaning on his staff, rose from his seat.
Loyal suddenly called out to him.
“Master Ruskin, any news about the search for my friends?”
Ruskin looked intently at Loyal with kind eyes. Loyal, who wouldn’t bow even in front of Her Majesty, could withstand Ruskin’s gaze, but Dunmel felt he might be overpowered by the old man’s benevolent eyes.
“I must tell the truth, Loyal Wolf. I have searched all the Sky Mountains within my capabilities. Unless they have used some special method to escape my magic, they should have been found by now. Otherwise, well, unfortunately, those two might have…”
“Do not say they are dead! If they haven’t been found yet, please keep searching until they are!”
Loyal shouted excitedly.
Dethain stepped in front of Loyal.
“That’s disrespectful, Loyal Wolf!”
Ruskin, on the other hand, stopped Dethain.
“No, I should apologize. You are right. I will expand the search area. It’s unlikely, but they might have moved beyond my range.”
Ruskin quietly left the room.
Dethain sighed and said to Loyal.
“He’s someone who loves Lutia more than anyone and thus worries the most. And yet, he’s making an effort to find your friends. How can you not be grateful for that?”
“I value the whereabouts of my friends more than the alliance between Lutia and Aranthia. Didn’t I come here believing I could find my friends?”
Loyal remained hostile towards Dethain.
“Is the alliance between nations so trivial in your eyes?”
“It’s not that the alliance is trivial; it’s that my friendship is weightier.”
Loyal growled back, unyielding. Dethain glared at him too. If the masters and Dunmel hadn’t intervened, it might have led to a fight.
‘Stop it, Loyal. This isn’t the time, is it?’
Dunmel also tried to calm him.
“Aren’t you worried about the two?”
Loyal was angry.
‘I am worried. But we have no choice. And those two will find a way to survive. We can’t afford to be upset here. We already have enough on our hands dealing with external enemies. We can’t fight internal ones too.’
Loyal glared at Dethain until the last moment before leaving the room. Dunmel had never seen Loyal react so sensitively. Darkness was casting over Lutia, the whereabouts of the missing friends were unknown, and now even Aranthia was a concern.
Exhaustion overwhelmed him again. He couldn’t understand why he was so tired.
‘Why is this happening?’
Dunmel held his head.
☆ ☆ ☆
After being stabbed by Quain’s sword, Karlsten, on his knees, said,
“I want to entrust my disciple to you, Quain.”
“What do you mean, Karlsten?”
Quain turned his gaze towards Themar.
“I didn’t want that child to be the disciple of an assassin. Take him under your wing.”
Quain nodded.
“Then tell me. Who ordered the assassination of Her Majesty?”
“I don’t have the right to say that. But Themar knows. The child will reveal the client when he chooses to do so.”
The red blood spilling from Karlsten’s abdomen spread widely on the smooth stone floor. It was a wound that would not have been surprising if it had been fatal. Yet, Karlsten, still alive, crawled towards the Queen of Aranthia. Was it Nadium’s magic? Or was it his own will?
Karlsten passed by Quain and approached the Queen of Aranthia, kneeling before her. He said something, but Themar, unable to see his master’s face, did not know what he said.
“I understand your intention.”
Queen Sanadiel placed her hand on Karlsten’s head and continued.
“You hold a wish in your heart. Speak it.”
Karlsten said something more, but Themar still couldn’t see his lips. Sanadiel looked closely at Themar and then spoke.
“Your disciple will act as he wishes.”
Karlsten looked at Themar one last time and spoke. Themar already knew he could not make a sound and was just opening his mouth.
‘Remember, Themar. You are the most talented child I have ever seen. If you set your mind to it, no one can catch up to you.’
These were Karlsten’s last words to Dunmel. Then he turned his head towards the man who killed him.
‘I entrust Themar to you, Master Quain.’
And with that, Karlsten breathed his last.
Themar did not cry. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, trying to remain composed in front of his master’s death. He then turned his gaze from his master’s body to Queen Sanadiel. She spoke softly.
“May the power of Nadiuren guide your soul, Master Karlsten.”
She extended her hand to Themar and spoke sternly.
“Now, child. Take care of your master’s body with your own hands. Perform the funeral in the way you wish on the first mountain of Nadium. Then come back and decide whether to follow your master’s last will or leave. Whichever path you choose, you will bear the responsibility for trying to kill me.”
Staggering, Themar carried Karlsten’s body out of the Queen’s room, followed by the Queen’s maids. The Wolf Knights who had followed drew their swords to block Themar.
“Her Majesty has given permission. Let him pass.”
The maids spoke, and the knights stepped aside.
Themar cremated his master’s body at the place mentioned by the Queen. The maids did not help him but stayed with him until the end.
Themar watched the burning flames, recalling the moments he had spent with Karlsten, and envisioned a life without him.
Did his master choose his own death to abandon him here?
The only question remaining in his mind was that.
‘What should I do now?’
Themar looked at Nadium’s castle, hazy in the light of the rising sun. Finally, he stood up and conveyed his intention to the maids in writing.
— I want to return to the Queen
☆ ☆ ☆
The sun had risen. Dunmel, with tired eyes, leaned on the railing and looked out at the forest. If this was intentional, it was a well-planned strategy. The soldiers, expecting an attack at any moment for the past two days, were completely exhausted. If there was to be an attack, it would be tonight.
‘There might be a commander among them.’
Dunmel recalled the ‘being that was not a Moze’ hiding in the bushes during the battle two days ago. Kagua. He tried to remember the appearance and feeling from that time, but it was faint.
Flora called out to him from below.
“Master Luder urgently needs to see you. Knight Loyal is also waiting in the masters’ meeting room.”
Dunmel, still dazed and not fully recovered, shook his head several times while running to the small house used as a meeting room with Flora. Before entering, he doused his head with water from a bucket prepared for washing.
Leaning against the wall and catching his breath, Flora placed a towel over his neck.
“I only used it once. Even that…”
Flora spoke apologetically. Dunmel just nodded his head to express his gratitude and entered the meeting room.
The others were already gathered around the table, looking down at the magical map they had seen the day before. Dethain and Luder were standing in front of the table, saying something to Loyal. The map showed Lutia in three dimensions. Flora, who had entered inadvertently, apologized and was about to leave.
“Ah, Miss Flora. Please stay. This matter is something the Kainswick teachers also need to know about. Listen as a representative and pass on the information later.”
Luder gestured for her to stand next to him, but Flora chose to stand beside Dunmel. Luder started to say something but then stopped.
Dethain, pointing at the map, said,
“We expanded the power last night to search the Mozes even beyond Outsearch. And just now, we got these results.”
Dethain’s jewel was shining brighter than ever before.
Everyone’s faces stiffened at the movement of the red dots spread over the map. Dunmel had already suspected that something like this might be happening.
Philip, who entered the room last, immediately understood the situation without needing an explanation and let out a near-scream.
“How many of them are there?”
The map was filled with red dots representing Mozes, densely packed beyond the eastern side of the Outsearch forest. There were so many that they were impossible to count.
“It seems they weren’t disappearing; they were gathering here,” said Dethain.
“Is this their one-sided pattern? It almost looks like they are holding a strategy meeting,” Luder said with a grave face.
“Since Ettley began researching this map, they’ve never shown such movement,” Philip asserted firmly.
Loyal interjected.
“If it’s beyond Outsearch, isn’t that an area where magic works?”
In Dunmel’s world, the concept of a silence filling the room did not exist. But at this moment, Dunmel felt such a silence enveloping the entire room.
“A preemptive strike? It’s a bit radical, but…”
Luder spoke cautiously, and Philip stepped forward enthusiastically.
“It might not be a bad idea. What do you think?”
“It could be a trap, dangerous, but maybe…”
Luder was still cautious. The short-haired, white-haired old man, who seemed to be made of charisma, hesitated when it came to making a bold decision.
“Haven’t you thought that we might be counterattacked?”
Dethain poured cold water on the idea.
“The place where they’ve gathered is just a step outside Outsearch. If they understand the concept of where magic works and doesn’t, it would be the end for us. The moment they’re hit by magic, they’ll sprint into the forests of Outsearch. Then, we would be walking into our own demise.”
“Still, it’s not something we can’t attempt. This might even be a good opportunity. Of course, we need to be cautious as you said.”
Philip and Dethain argued, while Luder pondered the strategy in his mind. Flora, having understood the situation quickly, pointed her trembling finger at the map and said,
“Th-they’re moving.”
The red dots were returning to Outsearch. Philip waved his hand in disappointment and said,
“Even if there was a chance for a counterattack, it seems we are too late…”
He stopped talking. Silence fell once again. The red dots on the map, almost forming a straight line, were heading towards the main gate of the Downsearch Fortress. Initially in a single file, they now spread widely across the map, tinting it red. The reflected light, as if the dots were leaping off the map, bathed everyone’s faces in red.
“Considering the scale of the map, they must be sprinting at full speed. Dethain, how many do you think there are?”
Luder asked.
“It’s not a number that can be counted as dots…”
Everyone waited silently for Dethain’s answer. After a few seemingly long seconds, he spoke.
“Fifteen hundred.”
Luder immediately left the room.
Loyal informed Dunmel that Luder was shouting ‘Prepare for battle!’, and signed,
‘This won’t be like the previous battles.’
Dunmel signed in response,
‘Explain to Dethain about the worst-case scenario.’
‘The worst?’
‘He said it, didn’t he? That we might have to destroy the bridge.’
Loyal nodded.
Dunmel took Flora outside.
‘Evacuate.’
Dunmel pointed towards the tower. The message was simple and quickly understood, but she refused.
“I have my own area to protect now. The sorcerors have left the fighting to the young soldiers of the town until now. But everyone will fight this time. I’ve learned how to use arrows! You said it would be a big help.”
Dunmel regretted teaching Flora and her students how to fight. If there were enough arrows, using magic to shoot them could be quite useful. But now, even killing two Mozes with a single arrow seemed insufficient.
Dunmel couldn’t stop her stubbornness. Instead, he wrote on the wall,
— If the fortress gate breaks, head to Nonsearch immediately.
“Understood. Be careful, Dunmel.”
Flora said with trembling lips, turned around, and ran towards her assigned area. Dunmel grabbed her hand to stop her and signed briefly,
“What does that mean?”
She asked with a surprised face.
— It means, everything will be fine.
She finally relaxed her face and signed back to Dunmel,
‘Everything will be fine.’
Flora ran off to her area.
Loyal, who had stepped out of the door, stood beside him.
“Dethain has decided to destroy the bridge if the situation worsens. Let’s go.”
Dunmel nodded and stood by the watchtower. The soldiers, having heard of the massive influx of monsters, stood tense and alert. Some sorcerors stood beside the archers, preparing arrows behind the fortress walls.
Dunmel also readied his bow. His vision blurred momentarily before clearing again. It wasn’t due to fatigue. Dunmel scratched his forearm, feeling an itch, and found a scratch from the claws of a Moze.
‘There’s a commander among them.’
Dunmel signed. Memories of conversations with Flora atop the watchtower on a dark night flashed through his mind.
The Ghost of the Forest.
The Curse of the Hunter.
Flora’s words that after they appeared, Mozes always invaded…
‘At first, I thought the Mozes were learning from battle experience. Maybe they could even use tools or have such basic thoughts. I thought so too, complacently, because the sorcerors here did. But it’s not true. They have a commander, and this commander is teaching the monsters. It’s not that they’re learning on their own, but being taught by someone. Becoming familiar with battle and using new weapons isn’t their own learning; someone is teaching them.’
Loyal also signed.
‘Who? For what purpose? And using these monsters?’
‘I don’t know either. It might be the traitor of Lutia as we’ve heard, or an unknown external attack…’
Dunmel stopped signing. It was because Loyal had heard something and stopped watching Dunmel’s signs. Soon, Dunmel too noticed the presence in the direction of Loyal’s gaze.
The forest was shaking. The movement of the Mozes at once made numerous trees sway simultaneously, making it seem as if the entire forest was moving. And in front of the fortress, emerging from the forest, stood a knight in a black robe, riding a black-furred Venon.
‘Kagua.’
It wasn’t just the darkness that made it appear black. The robe was black, and the armor occasionally visible inside the robe was also black. Naturally, a figure in black armor and robe would seem like a ghost in the dark.
‘Black armor.’
Something flickered on the edge of his memory. The Twelve Thorns? No, different.
The soldiers stirred. It was only natural to be startled by the appearance of the Ghost of the Night during the day. Dunmel worried about how terrified Flora must be.
The black knight drew his sword from his waist. Dunmel’s speculation, now confirmed by the sight before him, surely sprang into the minds of all the soldiers watching. It was a shock akin to panic for everyone. Moreover, over a thousand monsters were charging from behind.
There was a commander among the Mozes. And that commander was the Ghost of the Sky Mountains, Kagua.
The black knight lowered his drawn sword. Taking this as a signal, the Mozes charged down from the forest. Their monstrous cries vibrated through the air.
–TL Notes–
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