Chapter 43: Uninvited Guest (3)

Not long after, a large-scale demonic beast subjugation operation was declared in Winter Castle.

It also meant that all sorts of units that had been quietly hunkered down defending the castle within Winter Castle revealed themselves.

“……Were there this many soldiers in Winter Castle?”

To Conlan, who was gaping at the truly overwhelming crowd, Albino said.

“Units that were out on external missions must have temporarily returned. That’s how important Winter Castle views this subjugation operation.”

Just as Albino said, Winter Castle was currently housing more personnel than ever before, along with the Pegasus Merchant Guild.

It was to the point that even the flesh-slicing northern cold snap felt cool, warmed by the heat generated by the people.

“Hmm, I see. In any case, we’d better hurry. We’ll have all our prey stolen.”

“As if those bastards could do much.”

“Rich, coming from the one who couldn’t even get out of the medical unit bed until just a while ago.”

“That’s not something you should be saying. You must miss the medical unit bed?”

“Try me, if you can.”

Conlan and Albino growled at each other, but since it was a normal sight that always happened, there was no need to pay it any mind.

In any case, the preparations to depart were all finished, and all that was left was to move.

“If you’re ready, let’s go.”

“Yes.”

As soon as I got up from my seat, Alicia followed and got up.

Soon, Conlan and Albino, who had been growling at each other, also tagged along.

“Hey! Wait up!”

The north gate was currently forming a sea of people due to the units participating in the demonic beast subjugation operation, so we headed to the relatively less crowded south gate, even if it meant taking a slight detour.

Although it would be a slight detour in terms of distance, the judgment was that it was better to leave Winter Castle quickly, even if it meant taking a detour, rather than waiting for our turn in that sea of people.

In addition to that, there was also the thought that entry and exit would be a bit easier since there was a familiar face at the south gate.

“Guard Team Leader.”

“Ah, Vell, it’s you.”

“Good to see you again. May we pass?”

“Hmm? Ah, of course.”

Thanks to that, we were able to pass through the gate first without waiting in the long line.

It could be said that the connections, or lack thereof, that I had built up until now had paid off a little.

“I’ll wish you good luck.”

“Yes. I wish you good luck too, Guard Team Leader.”

“Good luck, my foot. Looks like I’ll be managing entry and exit all night again. They should at least let us get some duty sleep……”

“Haha. Work hard.”

“You too, take care.”

As we left the gate, Albino spoke in a somewhat strange voice.

“Hmph, a mage of your stature doing such unfitting things…….”

“And we got out right away without waiting in line, didn’t we?”

“……I really can’t figure you out.”

“You too.”

Conlan cut in.

“That aside, where are we going now? I don’t know the geography of the north.”

“It’s the same for me.”

With that, Albino, Conlan, and Alicia’s gazes naturally gathered on me.

“The demonic beasts near Winter Castle will have all been hunted, so there’s probably no point in looking around near Winter Castle.”

“Then?”

“We are going to the Demonic Realm.”

Conlan’s and Albino’s expressions were dyed with shock.

“The Demonic Realm…… You’re insane.”

“……Are you serious?”

It was only natural for them to show such a reaction.

The Demonic Realm.

The home where an endless sea of trees unfolded and countless demonic beasts roamed, and the biggest reason for Winter Castle Kreutz’s existence at the northernmost tip of the Empire, which had a harsh cold climate that people’s footsteps rarely even reached.

That was why, in the general perception, the Demonic Realm was the most forbidden of forbidden zones for humans.

“There’s no need to worry much. The place we’re going is the outskirts of the Demonic Realm, so there won’t be many threatening demonic beasts.”

In truth, even if the Demonic Realm was a forbidden zone, I had already been to the Demonic Realm when I obtained the Orb of Water.

The Demonic Realm was a very dangerous place, but if you knew about the demonic beasts’ spheres of activity, you could use the boundaries of those spheres as a kind of path.

However, even so, in the general perception, rashly stepping into the Demonic Realm was not an easy thing to do.

“Even so…….”

“I know you’re a great mage, but I don’t feel like taking the risk of entering the Demonic Realm trusting you. No, rather, it looks better to take this chance to escape Winter Castle. How about it? I think it’s a good opportunity for all of us.”

It was a statement typical of Albino, who had been looking for a chance to flee since we first met.

In fact, now that we were outside Winter Castle without Edric, Albino might be able to desert, which he had wanted so much.

And I didn’t have any intention of stopping Albino either.

“Go if you want to. I have no intention of stopping you, but I have no intention of leaving with you either.”

Of course, if Albino deserted, those who remained might have to take responsibility for it, but that was better than being with someone like Albino who always had other thoughts.

The existence of an ally you didn’t know when would backstab you was always more bothersome than an enemy.

In addition to that, if it came down to it, I could just roughly cover it up by saying he died during the demonic beast subjugation.

Edric would probably pretend to be fooled even if he knew.

“……I just can’t understand what reason a mage of your stature has for remaining in Winter Castle. Hey, big guy, what about you?”

“I’ll stay.”

“……You’ll stay? You’re saying you’ll just play soldier here?”

“It’s not that bad, now that I’ve been here. The food is delicious too. Isn’t this better than living while being chased by those damned Order bastards?”

“That’s absurd.”

Albino’s gaze turned to Alicia.

“What about you?”

“I’m going to stay.”

Alicia said, glancing at me.

“Tsk. Pitiful, every last one of you…….”

Albino shook his head.

“Are you going? I won’t stop you if you go.”

Albino looked at me, seemed to contemplate for a moment, and then let out a deep sigh.

“……I’ll stay.”

“You said you were going just now?”

“I need to find out just why a mage of your stature is trying so hard to stay in Winter Castle.”

“There’s no special reason.”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

It’s true, though.

The reason I was staying in Winter Castle was simply that I could get stronger much faster by being here, there was no other reason.

If there was anything else, it would be the fact that I could encounter mutants with Ascension Stone Fragments a little more often here.

“Anyway, if you’ve decided, let’s go. We don’t have much time.”

“……Understood.”

Although there was a brief commotion, the situation eventually concluded with Albino giving up on deserting.

I didn’t know what possessed him to make such a choice, but I decided to watch Albino for now.

It was true that a mage of Albino’s caliber would be a great help in terms of combat power.

‘Of course, I don’t know how much longer he can use magic…… but he looks fine for now, so he’ll hold out to some extent.’

To be honest, it didn’t really matter even if he couldn’t hold out.

Although Albino was affiliated with the same 4th Special Task Force, I didn’t yet think of him as any sort of comrade or colleague.

‘Then…….’

I turned my gaze.

“Is everyone ready?”

“Are we going now?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, the Demonic Realm…… I’m looking forward to it.”

Conlan’s fighting spirit soared.

“……Hmph.”

Albino, who was next to him, made a displeased face, but he didn’t say anything else like before.

“…….”

Lastly, Alicia had her usual expressionless face, but for some reason, it looked like she might be smiling a little.

“Then let’s go.”

It was time to head to the Demonic Realm.

***

It went without saying, but I couldn’t use the shortcut I had used before as the path to the Demonic Realm.

Not only did I have no intention of telling them about the existence of such a shortcut, but in the first place, the Orb of Water that had created the water trap was now in my hands.

That’s why, to head to the Demonic Realm, we had to directly break through the territory of the demonic beasts on the outskirts of the Demonic Realm.

“……Hey, is this the right way?”

“It is.”

“No matter how I look at it, it looks like a dangerous path……. If we’re going to enter the Demonic Realm, wouldn’t it be better to go where the demonic beasts have already been subjugated?”

Conlan’s words were not without grounds.

In fact, after the large-scale demonic beast subjugation order was declared in Winter Castle, the units of Winter Castle advanced not only near Winter Castle but also to the northern region where the Demonic Realm was, and hunted demonic beasts.

It meant that a well-trodden path already existed.

The reason I nevertheless chose this path was simple.

“It’s better not to be seen by others if possible. You don’t want to share the prey, do you?”

“Hmphf…….”

Conlan shook his head as if he was fed up.

Of course, there were other reasons besides that, but there was no need to explain those reasons to them.

“Wait.”

A small path surrounded by trees was tangled and twisted, and the scenery created by the shaded trees was quite gloomy.

A scenery that was extremely familiar to me.

Yes, this was it.

“This is the Demonic Realm.”

“Already?”

“The border between the Empire and the Demonic Realm isn’t drawn in a straight line like on a map. The place where the territory of demonic beasts, which humans cannot rashly invade, begins, that’s where the Demonic Realm starts.”

In the first place, the map was drawn so roughly because even the Empire didn’t grasp the exact territory.

“Ha, to think the Demonic Realm was this close…….”

“If you leave the territory of Winter Castle among the northern territory drawn on the Empire’s map, it’s practically no different from the Demonic Realm. Since the Demonic Realm itself means the territory of demonic beasts anyway.”

Albino cut in.

“You know such things well. In that case, are you planning to hunt the demonic beasts here?”

“No, we’re going a little deeper.”

“What?”

Albino’s eyebrows twitched.

“I know that usually, the demonic beasts on the outskirts of the Demonic Realm are weak. It’s because they were pushed out of the territory fight in the Demonic Realm. But why?”

It was a valid question.

Just as he said, the demonic beasts on the outskirts of the Demonic Realm were species that were incomparably weaker than the demonic beasts in the center.

However, that was only when the comparison target was the central demonic beasts, so going a little further inside wasn’t much of a problem.

No, rather…….

“Because it’s easier.”

“……What does that mean?”

“The demonic beasts on the outskirts of the Demonic Realm were pushed out of the fights between demonic beasts, but conversely, they are relatively skilled in fighting humans or mages. Because they are species that have adapted that way.”

Throughout the long history of the Empire, there had been countless attempts to pioneer the Demonic Realm into the Empire’s territory.

As a result, all those attempts returned to nothing, allowing the Demonic Realm to remain as the Demonic Realm, which in other words, meant that the demonic beasts that had taken root on the outskirts of the Demonic Realm until now were all species that had finished adapting to humans.

Although their absolute strength might be inferior to the demonic beasts further inside, it meant they were much trickier to deal with.

Albino spoke as if in disbelief.

“How on earth do you know about the Demonic Realm in such detail? No matter how great a mage you are, that should be a completely different matter.”

“Do I have to answer?”

“……Nevermind.”

I had no intention of answering even if he asked, but since he said he wouldn’t ask further, I didn’t need to say more.

At that moment.

“Wait.”

Rustle…….

It was a small sound, but it was enough to alert the members of the 4th Special Task Force, who possessed extraordinary senses.

-Shik, Shik shik…….

-Shishishit!

The sound coming from beyond the sea of trees dyed in darkness was clearly the sound of something other than a human.

Demonic beasts.

The owners of this territory had revealed their presence.

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