Chapter 161 - 159 Fortress
The first week.
Lione had fallen ill after that thing arrived.
"Again... just like my family home, I've become poor. Am I a plague god or something...?"
She was weeping in a state of despair.
"It's okay! That's why you called for me, right?"
"The only one in this world I can rely on is you..."
"Are you having a child and becoming a Yulman?"
When I laughed and teased her, she smiled a little.
"I am not!... I think... hey! Make me your type again!"
"You're a wicked wife, aren't you?"
"Oh? Did you used to hate wicked wives?"
She chuckled softly, regaining a bit of her energy.
I applied [Skill: Revive] and [Skill: High Heal], entered the bath with her to clean and remove her hair, and finished it off with [Skill: All-in-One].
"How is it? You look beautiful, right? Once that's over, I'll hold you."
She smiled looking in the mirror, but her expression darkened when she thought about reality.
"Can you really... do something about this desperate situation?"
"Just believe in me."
Well, she probably knew that was the only way.
In this Marvellous territory, the eastern half was flat land, while the western half was covered in mountains. What I did during the first week was lead the soldiers toward the western mountains to exterminate monsters and pests.
In the meantime, I did little more than ensure crops could be harvested again on the flat lands and refined iron ore while making the mines easier to excavate. Thanks to the high-purity iron, I was able to handle the back taxes for the time being.
When the harvested crops were distributed to the farmers and soldiers, they were overjoyed.
"Is it really alright?"
"You can sell them or use them for your own food."
The soldiers, who had been full of a delinquent vibe and harbored feelings of hatred toward me, completely flipped their attitudes, becoming honest and saying, "He's such a great person!"
With the agricultural products circulating, the territory capital was also starting to settle down a bit, but the merchants were at a loss and came to consult me, complaining that the crucial iron was merely passing through the capital without becoming a business opportunity.
Among them was the Lombard Trading Company, the parents of Marfa, one of the Seven Idols.
"Why is Shivans-sama here?"
"Are you going to save us?"
Thinking that if business was stagnant and they had free time, I decided to listen to the townspeople talk about things that might become local specialties, while also gathering intel.
"I don't know if it exists, but if you go deep into the western mountains..."
"Fool! Don't say such reckless things! There's an old legend that says you must never step foot in there!"
It seemed there was an unwritten rule that the western mountains, located behind the iron mountains, were a place humans must not enter.
Forest of Darkness
"Because, I heard that due to the thickly overgrown trees and grass, it becomes as dark as night even during the day?"
It seemed the older brother Marfa said she liked had also entered this Forest of Darkness and become one of those people who never returned. The townspeople told me that even soldiers had never ventured deep inside.
"I know not if this is truth or falsehood, but such a legend exists."
The first Emperor of this country was called the 'Hero' and brought a 'Great Sage' to this land. It was said this was because he heard a rumor that a dragon resided in these mountain depths.
"And it is said that the Hero's party defeated the dragon, obtained many treasures, and founded this nation. Well, I think it's just a fairy tale, though..."
The Elder's story seemed to be a famous tale in this town.
But there was a sequel to this story.
"It is said that because the dragon was defeated, monsters that had previously feared the dragon and stayed away have now appeared in swarms and made a home here. Recently, there have been reports of sightings of things like 'Hornfang Tigers.' My grandson was likely eaten by one of them..."
It seemed the person Marfa admired as her older brother was this Elder's grandson.
Oh! This is truly the world of a fantasy adventure! The Great Sage must be Otfrid-sama! There might be some clues!
I reached my second week in this territory.
I was using earth magic to till the land that had finished harvesting and spirit magic to grow the crops. The soldiers headed toward the mountains again, and when I said, "I'm joining you this time! Just follow behind me," 3,000 people arrived.
Maximizing my Map Function, I entered the mountains.I threw [Skill: Flaming Arrow Bomb] at Goblins, Kobolds, and Wild Wolves.
"BOOM"
"KABOOM"
Hearing the tremendous explosions, the frightened soldiers kept their distance from me.
"Hey... is Shivans-sama really only 17 years old?"
"He looks it, but... you don't want to go any deeper, do you?"
The soldiers following behind had no choice but to follow while clearing away monster corpses and grass scattered by the blast waves.
When I used [Skill: Burning Flare] to burn excess grass and trees, hidden monsters would emerge, causing the soldiers to shout "Waaaaah!" and charge at them.
Additionally, I cut through things like Maple Trents with [Skill: Wind Cutter], and Mandrakes and Man-Eaters were pulled out by my Mind Threads and stored in my inventory.
As the second and third days passed, the soldiers noticed something.
"Hey, we haven't seen any bears or boars at all, have we?"
"Did you notice too? I feel a dangerous presence coming from those mountains over there."
There were no bird calls, and even mice had disappeared.On the fourth day, I saw it with [Skill: Hawk Eye].
What on earth is this!? What does this mean?
The entire mountain had been turned into a fort—or rather, a fortress. I returned to the territory for a moment, gathered the main members of Shivans' Guard and the Marine Corps, and showed them a model made with maps and earth magic.
Looking at it, Regias groaned.
"Monsters have this kind of ability? Young... is this true?"
"To be honest, I am surprised. Do you all not want to conquer it?"
Yaris immediately said, "I want to attack!"
It seems I should also make a request to the military.
I showed the model to His Majesty and Klaus, and then took them to the site via [Skill: Instant Movement] to show them.
"Is someone manipulating the monsters in an attempt to destroy my nation?"
Klaus could not hide his surprise at His Majesty's words.
"I would believe it even if you told me it was a devil's laboratory..."
They were peering through telescopes, frightened.I could imagine that in that vast mountain castle, over 100,000 monsters were lurking.
Thus, eighty thousand of the Imperial Army were to set out. The commander was my Father Butler, but His Majesty, Klaus, and the Cabinet Ministers also said they would watch from the opposite mountain through telescopes.
The enemy's castle was covered in earthen ramparts, and the surrounding ponds and rivers served as moats. In the ponds and rivers, there were Wild Alligators and crab-like creatures called Giant Pincer Crabs.
"These must be for eliminating enemies approaching the water and for monster food."
As I observed, Orcs and Trolls were catching and eating them.Besides them, giant chickens called Giant Cocks were being kept roaming at the foot of the mountain, and Orcs and Trolls were riding horses called Battle Horses, acting as if they were on guard.
Windam observed that scene.
"Hey, Shivans-kun... do monsters have language and wisdom?"
"I don't know about other monsters, but the monsters in this fortress likely do. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense."
Around the castle, monster birds called Rock Birds were attacking by grabbing rocks with their feet. They were flying as if they were conducting surveillance.
We decided to take countermeasures as well.We used earth magic to create earthen ramparts around the mountain and prepared catapult and ballista batteries. To prevent attacks from the sky, I made roofs with earth magic so they wouldn't break from a few rocks. Of course, I also applied a barrier, Anti-Magic, and [Skill: Perception Block].
Since there was a possibility of being discovered by the enemy during the day, I worked hard to build them every night. I also applied camouflage using wood and grass so they wouldn't be noticed. Additionally, I built encampments and field hospitals. I also tamed the Rock Birds that were patrolling, as well as the Orcs and Trolls.
I'll do as much as I can while I have the chance!
To prevent being ambushed by monsters lurking nearby or being forced into an early engagement, we prepared many pitfall traps and quagmires around our camp.
Soldiers were gathering one after another through magic circles.
And then... along with my family, Emilia and Reimi of the Silver Wolf, Milfe, and two Silver Wolves also arrived. Aristo and the other six also came.
Klaus made a sour face when he saw Aristo, but Aristo looked happy for his first battle.
Father Butler spoke to Klaus.
"It will be fine, Excellency Klaus! Leen and I trained them, after all!"
"This is not a game! You understand that, don't you?"
In the rivers and ponds, there were swarms of Wild Alligators and Giant Pincer Crabs, likely numbering in the tens of thousands. Klaus let out a sigh, wondering how many there must be inside the castle.
Yaris and the others of Shivans' Guard, as well as the Marine Corps, had changed into Body Suits under their Battle Armor. The three from Silver Wolf and Aristo's group of seven were also made to change.
With over 100,000 soldiers surrounding the castle, preparations were complete, and we held a strategy meeting.
"First, we will attack the enemy with catapults!"
We would attack the enemy with gunpowder bombs infused with fire magic.The surprised enemy would likely charge out.
"We will use [Skill: Confu] and [Skill: Berserk] to confuse the enemy and make them fight amongst themselves! If we use [Skill: Cold] to freeze the ponds and moats, they should find it difficult to charge out!"
This would be handled by me and my Mother Leen.For enemies that didn't fall for it and charged toward us, we would attack with ballistae and Flaming Arrow Bombs. Remaining enemies would be attacked with magic and crossbows. We would avoid close-quarters combat as much as possible.
Klaus, who had been nodding while looking at the map, muttered as if to himself.
"The troublesome ones will be the enemies from the sky..."
"We will attack those with [Skill: Sleep] and magic."
"If it's a distance where arrows can't reach, that's how it will be..."
The problem was that the entire mountain was like a fortress.Klaus thought it would be troublesome if they retreated into cave-like structures.
"When we charge in, I will use my Summoning Magic to bring out Golems and let them lead the charge!"
"I see! That sounds good!"
Yaris commanded the catapult and ballista attack units. Regias commanded the defense against enemies approaching the earthen ramparts. Vel took on the role of messenger and transporting wounded soldiers to the field hospital.
The Quack Doctor Trio, Saya, and Lara were also on standby at the field hospital.
""Good luck in battle!""
Saya and Lara, who had given birth to my child, called out in unison.
"Thank you. We will definitely win!"
Detailed plans were relayed to each department, and everyone took their positions.Aristo and the other six were also nervous.
"Watch me, Shivans! I've had Butler-san train me so that I can stand by your side!"
I thought he was a strange one, but when I said, "I understand. However, life is the most precious thing. Please, do not overdo it," he nodded, though he was trembling slightly.
Every night, I had been secretly snatching Giant Pincer Crabs, Giant Cocks, and Battle Horses. I had escaped them to our territory and the Marvellous territory to keep them penned up.
It would be a waste to let them die.
Perhaps because they had been tamed for many years, they were docile.By the day before the decisive battle, I had collected them all, and I had frozen the ponds and moats!
And finally, the morning of the decisive battle arrived.With the sunrise came Yaris's voice shouting, "Fire!"
The sound of air being sliced whistled through the air, exploding all over the mountain.
"KABOOM, KABOOM"
Along with those sounds, the screams and angry roars of monsters could be heard.Rock Birds and Hornfang Tigers appeared from the surrounding mountains, but we were defending, and the Hornfang Tigers were stuck in pitfall traps and bottomless quagmires, unable to move.
"Take them down with arrows!"
"YEAH!"
The immobile Hornfang Tigers were destined to become fur and meat. The Rock Birds were put to sleep and crashed into the fortress while still holding rocks. They became victims of friendly fire.
The wooden gates and walls were smashed, and angry Orcs and Trolls tried to charge out. They fell prey to the ballistae, but even when they tried to charge without fear, they would be hit by [Skill: Confu] or [Skill: Berserk] and begin fighting each other.
"Ugaa!"
"Ugyaa!"
Enemies trying to cross the frozen ponds and moats would instantly vanish into the water if we released the ice magic. They would then become prey for the surviving Wild Alligators.
Gale was using wind magic to cut down the trees of the mountain castle with [Skill: Wind Cutter].
Since he was felling trees with [Skill: Wind Cutter] and drying them with wind magic, when I started a forest fire with [Skill: Fireball], Gale laughed and said, "Not bad, kid! It's burning nicely!"
Once the trees were gone, it became clear that there were proper enclosures like a castle, with structures like San-no-maru, Ni-no-maru, and Honmaru, which left His Majesty, Klaus, and even Windam astonished.
"The interior is a cave, Klaus!"
"It seems so, Your Majesty!"
They were watching through telescopes. The fortress was thick with the smell of blood, so monsters were approaching one after another from the surrounding mountains.
The 'Silver Wolf' and Aristo's group of seven acted as a mobile unit, fighting the enemies attacking our camp.
"Don't let your guard down!"
"The crossbows aren't hitting!"
"Don't panic!"
They attacked the weakened enemies with arrows using [Skill: Fire Arrow] and [Skill: Wind Cutter].
"It's endless, Kate..."
"Are you tired already, Aria?"
"Not yet! Come on! Let's finish them!"
I was busy collecting corpses while using [Skill: Presence Concealment] and [Skill: Concealment] to defeat monsters, but I was surprised by how remarkably Aristo was performing.
"I've been training too, are you surprised, Shivans!"
"I am surprised. As expected of Aristo-sama!"
He had certainly trained under Father Butler. He calmly found the enemies' weaknesses and defeated them through coordinated play. After I applied [Skill: Heal] and [Skill: Clean] to everyone, they continued fighting until evening.
When His Majesty, Klaus, and the Cabinet Ministers heard this and praised Aristo, for some reason, Windam was fuming.
"Father! I cannot afford to lose to Aristo yet! After all, I am the man called 'Hero Windam'!"
When Klaus told him, "Then try leading the army!", he seemed quite motivated.
That Night.
Soldiers who tried to attack the female soldiers, Saya, or Lara had disappeared in places unknown to me.
"You guys are no longer necessary to the Imperial Army."
"W-who are you...?"
"Is there any point in asking? Well, fine. I'll tell you before you die. My name is Gale. Go on ahead and wait for me!"
They were being eliminated in secret.
I was standing alone on a plain away from the mountain.
"A dark night without even a moon. It suits you all."
Bloodthirsty monsters were surrounding me, letting out intimidating growls, but they couldn't bring themselves to attack.
Many monsters gathered on the plain where monster blood had been scattered. They sank into the quagmires one after another and died. Even when they tried to pounce on me, they couldn't use their legs and could only growl.
"What's the use of growling?"
Without receiving an answer, they died one after another as if being sucked into the ground. I collected all the corpses and applied [Skill: Purification] to the land.
With this, tomorrow's attack should be much easier.
Since there were so many corpses, I immediately requested Blood Drain and Butchering from the Adventurer Guild in Butler's territory and the Adventurer Guild in the Imperial Capital.
The Next Morning
From early morning, we surged into the enemy's castle with Rock Golems in the lead, and the enemy fled into the caves. I used earth magic to expand the interiors so the Rock Golems could enter. Outside, the soldiers led by Windam were engaged in melee combat with the remnants of the monsters.
"Ohh! Windam-sama, brilliant!"
"He is no less than my son!"
The Cabinet Ministers, watching from afar, cheered and supported them.
The Rock Golems and I proceeded deeper.I could move through the darkness without issue, and while a few Orc soldiers resisted, they were no match for the Rock Golems or me.
So this is where the King and Queen are...
They must be in charge of breeding.The Orc King challenged a Rock Golem, but with a "crunch" sound of its head being crushed, it turned into a corpse in a single blow. The Queen followed suit, being crushed and dying. I collected all the corpses and applied [Skill: Purification] to the cave interior.
When we moved up to the elevated Ni-no-maru, remnants of Trolls were waiting.
"I have no business with you!"
As I sliced them up, the Rock Golems were already making "crunch" sounds inside the cave. They attacked the Rock Golems with giant clubs, but they were defeated without being able to leave even a single scratch.
Since I had also dealt with the Troll King and Queen, I collected the corpses, applied [Skill: Purification] to the cave, and finally stormed the Honmaru.
The soldiers could not come up.Because the path up had been destroyed by the catapults, they had no room to complain.
When the Rock Golems and I arrived at the Honmaru, what was waiting for us was a monster called an Ogre.
As expected of something said to be closest to the demon race. Its size and presence are on a completely different level from Orcs or Trolls.
Despite its massive body, it possessed swift movements and destructive power. It had enough strength to halt the movements of the Rock Golems, which hadn't taken a single scratch from Trolls. I also applied Body Enhancement and fought while applying [Skill: Intimidation] to the enemy. When it swung its iron club down, it was certainly terrifying.
However, because I didn't feel as much fear as I did with Father Butler, I was able to fight without flinching.When I used the [Skill: One-Stroke Severance], the enemy began to recoil. The emotionless Rock Golem took advantage of that gap to strike; it couldn't be defeated in one hit, but the damage was significant.
Beyond the enclosure was not a dungeon, but something like a shrine.
'This is a sacred place! Depart!'
A skeleton in black clothing waved a staff, and skeletons appeared.
"A necromancer. Who are you enshrining?"
'A person like you! That is not a name you should utter!'
I was annoyed by being called "a person like you" by the skeleton, so I applied [Skill: Purification] to it.
The necromancer vanished, saying, "How regrettable..."
Then, it seemed only I was transported to another world.
Good grief. You again, Shivans?
"If Otfrid-sama is here, is this the shrine of the First Emperor?"
He did not answer that question, but instead asked, "Why have you come to ravage this place?"
"You are mistaken. We have merely come to exterminate the monsters ravaging the vicinity. If they are Otfrid-sama's pets, then perhaps they have not been properly disciplined?"
I felt as if he were laughing at my question.
I see. Was it my mistake to make monsters the guardians to prevent interference with my Lord's sleep? As a result, it seems I have drawn in a great many. Even after 250 years, humans are foolish creatures.
As he spoke, the altar in the shrine vanished, leaving only a simple cave.
I couldn't ask the important thing again.
Only the offerings that had been presented to the altar remained.Looking with [Skill: Appraisal], they were Azuki Beans.
While I was rejoicing that I could now make Anpan and Zenzai, the presence of monsters disappeared from the surrounding mountains.
After collecting and purifying the Ogre's corpse, there wasn't a single Wild Alligator left in the ponds or moats, and even the Goblins and Kobolds had vanished from the mountains.
Did Otfrid-sama finish them off? Rock Birds and Hornfang Tigers are gone too. It's a good thing I moved the Giant Pincer Crabs, Giant Cocks, and Battle Horses.
In the evening, His Majesty watched the whole affair and wore a satisfied expression. He offered words of appreciation to the soldiers.
Windam and Aristo were included, but Aria was rejoicing, saying, "I feel like Father has praised me for the first time!" The soldiers of Viscount Marvellous also shed tears of emotion because His Majesty had spoken to them, saying, "This is all thanks to Shivans-sama!"
It turned into a banquet.
Windam, who had been feeling frustrated until now, was making a huge fuss after being called 'Hero' by the Cabinet Ministers and the soldiers.
Had Aristo also grown bolder?
"Right now, I don't feel like I'll lose to Shivans! Even at night!"
Saying that, he embraced Limone and Carla, and made me embrace Kate and Aria, challenging me with, "Let's see who can make more people climax!"
"I don't think there's any meaning to that contest..."
I tried to back away, but Aria said, "I love watching my own wife being held and made to climax by another man! There's no problem! Hold me, it's been a while!" and crossed her arms.
"That's right! I want to be made to climax so much I go crazy! You can hold me until morning!"
Since Kate was also naked and very much into it, I ended up holding the two of them until morning as promised.
Afterward, an article was published stating, [Hero Windam Defeated the Monster Castle!], and even the subordinates who had mocked him before began to respect him, which made Klaus happy as well.