Chapter 148 : War Preparations

The scenery of Bernhard, which I visited after quite a long time, had changed markedly from before.

The outer walls on the outskirts that had once collapsed due to an invasion of demonic beasts had apparently been reinforced and expanded, becoming so majestic that it could not even be compared to the past, and the buildings that had fallen had also been rebuilt into new forms.

“It’s been a while, this place too.”

Conlan said in a voice that sounded like he was soaked in sentiment somewhere.

“Hmph. Looks like you’re about to cry because you want to go home, huh?”

When Albino sneered, Conlan gave a light laugh.

“Well, maybe.”

“……Huh.”

As if Albino had not expected Conlan to admit it so readily, he wore a stunned expression for a moment.

I had felt it for a long time, but Albino had a side that got pretty flustered when the other person came at him sincerely.

As we reached the entrance of Bernhard like that, a familiar face was waiting for us.

“The heroes of Winter Castle have arrived. I truly welcome you.”

Councilman Garrett Mason.

A man who had now become a core power holder of Bernhard had come out personally to welcome Winter Castle’s not-so-large force.

“Sir Edric, you have come.”

It was an odd sight by anyone’s standards for a core power holder of Bernhard to greet a mere special task force captain in person, yet among those here, there was no one who pointed out that fact.

That was because Edric was someone who, in many ways, had strayed far from being an ordinary special task force captain.

“Isn’t it only natural that I come for the Empire’s affairs? Hahaha.”

“With you coming, I feel reassured. It’s been a while for all of you from the 4th Special Task Force as well.”

“You say that, and I hardly know where to put myself.”

“Ah, I shouldn’t be standing around like this. Please, come in. Lodging to rest in and water for bathing have been prepared. Of course, there’s also alcohol and meat.”

“Then we’ll be in your care.”

“In your care? Not at all. Aren’t all of you here because you came for Bernhard?”

It was not as though I could not understand Garrett Mason’s reaction.

No matter how Bernhard ended up getting caught up in the war between the Empire and the Eastern Union, if the Empire did not help Bernhard in this war, Bernhard would be taken far too easily.

That was why, from Bernhard’s side as well, they had no choice but to treat the Empire’s forces with utmost courtesy, if only to protect Bernhard itself.

After the conversation between Edric and Garrett Mason ended, only then did Garrett Mason’s gaze shift to Gunnar Winterheart.

“I am Garrett Mason. I hold the position of councilman of Bernhard, though I am lacking.”

“I am Gunnar Winterheart. I came here to represent Winter Castle. There will be no letting Bernhard fall into the hands of a vicious mob.”

“Just hearing you say that reassures me. Now, please come in.”

Even though it could have been an unpleasant scene to greet Edric before the commander with authority, Gunnar Winterheart did not seem to care much.

That, too, must have been part of the power carried by a man named Edric.

“Hah!”

“Haah!”

“One more time!”

“Hah!”

Following Councilman Garrett Mason’s guidance, the moment we properly stepped into Bernhard, I saw soldiers training in various places.

Some looked like soldiers belonging to Bernhard, and in other places, it looked like troops drafted from other territories.

Overall, it was an atmosphere that made it clear war was right around the corner.

Also, compared to before, the number of Bernhard residents visible on the streets had noticeably decreased, and above all, their faces held fear and tension about the war that would soon come.

‘In many ways, this war wasn’t ordinary.’

It wasn’t the first or second time the Eastern Union had bared its teeth at the Empire, but strictly speaking, that was closer to the Eastern Union protecting itself.

The Empire had always used all sorts of schemes to split apart the incomplete collective called the Eastern Union, and the Eastern Union used the Empire as a common enemy in order to resist that.

Therefore, while these two forces had had large and small disputes up to now, it was not very common for it to spread into an all-out war.

But with the appearance of the one called the Supreme King, the war between the Empire and the Eastern Union—something that had been at the level of small-scale local skirmishes—had spread all the way to the level of total war.

‘Supreme King, I didn’t know what that man’s objective was.’

I didn’t know how much the Eastern Union had changed compared to before, but the Empire was still mighty.

In other words, once the war started, there was a high chance it would become mutual ruin.

‘And yet they started a war, which meant there was some kind of reason…….’

The problem was that I still couldn’t know the reason.

Even the users on the Anonymous Bulletin Board and the Verification Board, who flew and crawled for information, seemed not to know that part either.

‘For now, I should take a look around once.’

To find out what the real purpose of this war was, I felt it was necessary to examine the battlefield where the war would take place.

“Captain.”

“Speak.”

“May I go take a look around on top of the walls for a bit?”

“Why are they there all of a sudden?”

“There’s something I want to check.”

“Well, sure. You heard where the lodging is, right?”

“Yes. I’ll come find you later.”

“Alright.”

After getting simple permission from Edric, I headed toward Bernhard’s walls.

“Halt. What business do you have?”

A guard of Bernhard stopped me.

“I’m Vell Blackwood of Winter Castle’s 4th Special Task Force. By the special task force captain’s order, I came to examine the battlefield.”

“Ah, I see. Please go up.”

Standing atop Bernhard’s walls, which had been expanded at some point, I looked out over the vast Mülhen Granary Zone spread wide.

The granary zone that had once been burned down by demonic beasts and the Lightning Emperor now had golden wheat fields spreading out vast and wide.

It was far too peaceful a scene.

For now.

‘Huh?’

The sight of the wheat fields swaying in the wind felt quite calm, yet within that scenery, I discovered a strange regularity.

Normally, I would have let it pass.

Yeah, if this place wasn’t soon going to be a battlefield where countless casualties would occur.

‘Wait, that…….’

Something was strange.

A regularity I couldn’t be sure about even though I was well-versed in nearly all magic that existed in World of Justice Online.

The moment I felt that, the regularity of the moving wheat disappeared.

As if what I had seen was a mirage.

‘I didn’t see it wrong.’

Rather, because the regularity vanished so instantly, I was able to notice that sense of incongruity.

A regularity of that scale.

What it implied was clear.

‘A magic circle.’

And not a small magic circle used for making a contract or using a summary contract, but a gigantic magic circle at a level that could even cause phenomena.

What did it mean for such a magic circle to be in the middle of a battlefield where endless blood would soon flow.

I had a bad feeling.

‘I don’t know what magic they’re trying to use, but I can’t leave it like this.’

Something ominous was about to happen beyond a mere war.

I might have let it be if I hadn’t known, but now that I had noticed it, I couldn’t just ignore it.

I immediately came down from the walls and returned to the lodging.

Because I felt the need to talk to Edric, who held the greatest authority among those I could directly approach right now.

“Captain.”

“Ah, you’re back.”

“Let’s talk for a moment. There’s somewhere we need to go together.”

Since I almost never said something like this to Edric, Edric looked surprised for a moment, then stood up from his seat.

“Sure. Where is it, that place?”

“Follow me.”

Together with Edric, I headed up to Bernhard’s walls.

“Hmm, up on the walls. Is there something you can see from here?”

“Do you see that wheat field over there?”

“Ah, Bernhard’s pride, the Mülhen Granary Zone. It’s not even an exaggeration to say three-tenths of the Empire’s food comes from here.”

Edric chuckled.

“Of course you didn’t bring me here just to talk about that……. What is it you want to say?”

“It seems someone installed a magic circle in the wheat fields of the Mülhen Granary Zone.”

“……Is that true?”

“Yes. I found it by chance.”

Edric’s expression hardened.

“Hmm, that’s not something we can just overlook. If we mishandle it, it could become a major variable in this war. Thanks to you, we could prevent a big accident.”

“This isn’t a story that ends with just that.”

“What do you mean?”

If it were only that, I wouldn’t have reacted like this either.

I would have simply assumed it was the Eastern Union’s scheme and dismantled the magic circle, and that would be that.

But this magic circle had too many strange parts to see it as merely the Eastern Union’s scheme.

“The magic circle installed here is clearly different from a typical trap or destruction-magic circle. If it were a magic circle for that kind of magic, it would have been possible to install it far more stealthily.”

“So it was a magic circle that couldn’t help but be exposed? Why?”

“Magic circles of this lineage usually demand an offering. And that offering would probably have been the soldiers who would be sacrificed in this war.”

“……That’s serious. Then is there anyone you suspect as the one behind installing this magic circle?”

“I don’t know. I can’t say I know that far yet, but it’s not as if there’s absolutely no one I can think of.”

“Someone, who is it?”

It seemed it was time to say that name now.

“Do you know someone called the Supreme King?”

“Supreme King? I’ve never heard of it.”

Seeing that even Edric didn’t know the name Supreme King at all, it seemed Supreme King was a name known only among the players.

“I heard that the one called the Supreme King is the center of the Eastern Union that started this war.”

“……Is that true?”

“Yes, probably.”

“I don’t like statements without certainty, but in any case, it’s valuable information. Supreme King…….”

Edric quietly mouthed the name.

“From the way you suddenly brought this up, it seems you have something you want to say.”

“This war must not happen.”

“Hmm, not many people want war. I’m the same. But isn’t war something you can’t avoid just because you want to avoid it?”

“That’s not what I’m saying. This war must not happen, no matter what it takes.”

The appearance of the Supreme King preparing for war with the Empire, and the magic circle installed in the Mülhen Granary Zone.

Could all of that really be a coincidence?

I didn’t think so.

There was surely some kind of relationship between these things, and if so, the possibility that the one behind the magic circle was the Supreme King was high.

Edric’s expression became strange.

“……Heh heh. Don’t tell me, are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Yes. We have to kill the Supreme King.”

Edric let out a short hum.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

“If what you say is true, then the one called the Supreme King would be like the emperor of the Eastern Union. How do you plan to kill someone like that?”

“The method isn’t important. What’s certain is the fact that we have to do it.”

At that moment.

Rustle─

From the Mülhen Granary Zone below the walls, over there beyond, I heard a small sound.

A distance where I wouldn’t have been able to see or hear anything normally.

But as my sharply trained senses were amplified by demonic energy, I didn’t miss the small movement that occurred beyond the Mülhen Granary Zone.

At a time like this, a human wandering the Mülhen Granary Zone was one of two things.

An enemy, or an ally.

“Captain.”

“Hmm, looks like a rat was here.”

Edric said in a low voice.

“First, we catch them.”

“Yes.”

At the same time, Edric and I jumped down from the walls.

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