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Chapter 100

He added, glancing at Bor, who was riding alongside on horseback. "Anyway, you look at it, they\'re not ordinary folks, are they?"

He was referring to Ian\'s mercenary group. Although there had been further monster attacks since their joining, not a single one of the caravan\'s guards had fallen. Moreover, their approach was daring; rather than defensively protecting the wagons from monsters, they aggressively charged to intercept them.

To Fael, it was a kindness that was a bit confusing to understand. Thanks to them, the caravan\'s guards only had to deal with a few monsters that slipped through, and Fael had generously provided the mysterious mercenaries with plenty of wine and cheese.

"They are rare experts in handling demons. Among the mercenaries of the Empire, I haven’t seen anyone as strong as them." Fael mused, stroking his beard.

"I don\'t understand why they move just in a group of three. If they formed a mercenary band, they could create a massive force, maybe even settle somewhere and gain some titles."

"...There must be a reason they can\'t." Bor, who had been quietly listening, chimed in.

He was Fael\'s employee but almost a friend when they were alone; they spoke freely.

"And you go on like this again. You’re too pessimistic for a Northerner."

"I\'m just stating the facts. You heard what that beastfolk said."

"It might just be that they failed to protect their employer. Being a beastfolk, it would be easy to be falsely accused."

Bor stared intently at Fael. "Do you want to hire them? Is that why you keep checking for my reaction?"

"What do you mean checking... The world is becoming increasingly dangerous. Not just in the North, but now in the Empire\'s lands too, with bandits roaming and monsters nesting. We\'ll need as many capable guards as you soon."

Ambition burned within him to grow the caravan. That always entailed some risk. His gamble with the Northern barbarians had initially been just like that. It had paid off and brought considerable wealth to the caravan, at least until last year.

"We need to carve new paths. At this rate, we’ll go bankrupt in a few years. We can\'t just keep watching what big caravans do."

"If you covet something beyond your reach, you’ll end up losing your head someday."

"You’re not afraid to speak your mind to your employer."

"They aren’t the kind that a merchant should take in. It’s better to give up on that idea."

"Are you saying I should be just satisfied with you? Hmm... cunning as a fox."

"Make sure of our next steps once we pass the gate. I think it\'s right that we return."

"And abandon everything we\'ve loaded on the cart? No. We’re going to Travelga, so just so you know."

Bor clenched his jaw. Ignoring his gaze, Fael turned to the front of the cart and smiled.

"When we reach the gate, I should ask them. Ask if they\'ll accompany us to Travelga."

Beyond the valley, the towering gate and the walls stretching to its sides became visible.

***

Ian surveyed the walls stretching to the distant mountain slopes.

"Impressive..." Despite her stoic tone, Charlotte seemed quite taken as well.

It was understandable; even to Ian, the wall that spanned the gap between distant mountains was formidable. Seeing such things, Ian often felt the realness of the world, which had once been a game.

As the gate drew nearer, the caravan slowed down. Soon, Fael, on his horse, approached the cart carrying Ian and his party.

"Should we handle the identity checks first? Will you come with us?"

In his hand, he held a bottle of liquor.

A bribe...?

"Well, let\'s do that." Ian stepped down from the cart and began walking.

Matching his stride, Fael asked, "Once through here, will you head straight to Travelga?"

"Probably. For starters."

"It’s quite the distance. Wouldn’t it be too quiet for just the three of you?"

Ian looked back at Fael. "You’re really set on going there?"

"If we turn back now, the loss would be too great. We\'ll sell what we can and then return." He smiled at Ian.

"What do you think? As before, we’ll cover your meals and drinks, of course."

Simultaneously, a quest completion window popped up in front of Ian. Surprisingly, another linked quest appeared.

[The Fate of the Caravan.]

As Ian read the quest details, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"...Well, traveling with us here might have been safer. But inside there, it might not be."

“What do you mean by that..?”

Fael turned toward Ian as he was about to speak, but they were interrupted.

"Halt! Dismount and present your identification!"

The shout of the border guard resonated through the area. Soldiers on the gate and the walls eyed them intensely. Unlike the frontier kingdoms, the discipline here was tight. Soon, a middle-aged man who appeared to be the gate captain approached. As Fael handed over the caravan\'s credentials, the captain read through them.

"You passed through Ninglosth when you went north. Why enter through our second gate this time?"

"It seems trading up there has become difficult. We plan to stop by Travelga to offload our goods." Fael responded calmly, extending the bottle of liquor he was holding.

"This is one of our products. Please, have a taste."

"Hmm... Ark Caravan, I see." At a nod from the captain, the following soldier took the liquor bottle.

He’s accepting it?

The captain\'s gaze then turned to Ian, who smirked slightly.

"And these folks? Not part of your group?"

"We met on the way here. Mercenary, Ian Hope." Ian presented a parchment.

As the captain unfolded it, his brow furrowed.

"The Temple of Brazier...? Who are you to have an identity verified by the Temple of Brazier?"

"A mercenary. There should be records of me passing through Ninglosth’s gate."

"That may be, but the seal here is the High Priest’s. "

"It was issued by her."

"Do you understand whom that represents?"

"I am aware. It seems you are too."

Realizing this wouldn’t be as straightforward as before, Ian noted the captain\'s reluctance despite having accepted a bribe. Perhaps he was hinting at wanting more.

While Ian pondered, the captain turned away. "We\'ll need to verify this further. Wait here."

Without waiting for a response, the captain walked away briskly, still holding the parchment. Ian leaned back nonchalantly; such incidents were part of the journey. From his tone, it seemed the captain knew of Cherwyn’s existence. Holding a certificate with a royal seal as a mere mercenary was bound to raise suspicions, but since it wasn\'t a forgery, there was no real concern.

"Are you speaking of the Hearth that contains the sacred flame?" After a brief silence, a stuttering voice continued. Fael looked dazed as he held the reins.

"Do you know of it?"

"I do... We stayed in a village nearby on the way here. To have one’s identity guaranteed by the temple is unusual unless one is a priest. It seems you must have greatly aided the temple."

Ian asked instead of answering. "How did it look?"

"What do you mean?"

"The village. And the temple."

"The village was bustling. I heard the fire of the Brazier was rekindled. Craftsmen who had left are returning. It will soon prosper as it once did."

"And?"

"They say a new spark has come to the temple. A girl, extraordinarily clever, they say. I couldn’t enter the temple myself, but it’s rare these days for a declining temple to revive..." Fael paused momentarily.

Ian\'s lips curled into a faint smile.

"Do you know her?"

"A bit." Ian\'s smile faded as he responded.

"They talk of mercenaries known as the bearers of the flame. Could it be...?"

Ian offered no further answer. It wasn\'t a secret, but he didn’t feel the need to broadcast it.

She\'s doing well then.

That was enough for him. The wait lasted about ten minutes before the gate captain returned, accompanied by someone else. Plate armor and moderately short brown hair. As the quest completion window appeared before Ian, he smiled enigmatically.

[The Young Commander.]

"...I didn\'t expect to encounter you here."

It was Lucas Lamfield, the young commander he had met previously in Ninglosth.

"I also did not expect to see you again, Sir Ian," Lucas responded with a mix of surprise and pleasure.

"The identity has been confirmed. I apologize for any rudeness." The gate captain spoke formally as he handed back the neatly rolled parchment with both hands.

Fael looked at Ian again, surprised, while Lucas gestured toward the inside of the gate.

"Could you spare some time? I’d like to have a word inside."

***

Once through the gate, Lucas led Ian into the fortress.

"I thought you\'d be in Travelga. I was actually planning to visit you there." Ian spoke as they walked.

Lucas smiled gently. "Indeed, I’m currently assigned to the Second Legion. I\'m here on a temporary mission."

"A mission? If it\'s something you can’t discuss, I won’t pry." Ian added, prompting Lucas to shrug.

"I’m here to reorganize the garrison of this second gate fortress. We need to reallocate the troops."

"Reallocate... To Karlingion?"

"You remember our previous conversation. Yes, we’re pulling troops from all the autonomous fortresses."

So that\'s why the barriers were so easily breached...

Ian frowned slightly and nodded.

Lucas continued. "The area might be under-armed, but this fortress is impregnable. It’s quite a formidable barrier, isn’t it?"

Ian shrugged. "It is impressive."

"It\'s a legacy of the past. The Ancient Northern Kingdom built many walls and fortresses, believing that one day the Giant Kingdom would resurrect and reclaim their territories. We are benefiting from their foresight."

"I heard they’re still expanding the barriers."

Ian recalled what Fael had told him. The ongoing construction of walls was a national project and a form of punishment. Criminals worked in dangerous areas, while free citizens built in relatively safer locations. The North was known for its mines, fur, and quarries, not just as fortresses.

"They plan to fortify the entire North as a massive wall defending the continent. It seems the homeland doesn’t care much about it though. Let’s go inside."

Lucas then opened the door. It appeared to be the room where he was staying. He immediately placed a bottle of liquor on the table.

Ian accepted a glass without hesitation.

As Lucas poured the drinks, he added, "It’s not surprising. They don’t even intervene when disasters strike the borderlands."

Ian paused with his drink at his lips. "Are you referring to the border kingdoms?"

"Yes. War is spreading there like wildfire."

"..."

Ian set down his glass and looked at Lucas with a calm gaze.