The Kingdom of Deros, Weismar Fief.
A troop of a hundred men marched along the path at the foot of the mountain, occasionally startling a wild tit, which fluttered noisily past the treetops.
Baron Weiss reined in his horse about half a mile from the ridges.
He looked up at the sky, then at the gray ridges, and called out over his shoulder:
“Camp here. We spend the night here and head into the mountains first thing tomorrow morning.”
The knights dismounted one after another, and their squires began unsaddling the horses, pitching tents, and gathering dry firewood.
The soldiers patrolled the perimeter of the camp, keeping watch.
Rosie leaped down from Carrot's back and patted its rump, letting it graze on its own nearby.
Nook, his hands bound, was hauled down from horseback by a soldier. One of his legs had swollen to the size of an elephant's.
He tried to stand on his own, but the moment his toes touched the ground, his face contorted, and a muffled groan escaped his throat.
The soldier sat him down against the trunk of a pine tree.
As Rosie walked over, Nook suddenly looked up. His eyes held a complex mix of tension, as if he knew what she was about to do but didn't dare believe it.
“As promised,” Rosie said, crouching down.
She extended her right hand and chanted the incantation that was already carved into her muscle memory.
“O shining Holy Light, answer my call and bestow your power upon me.”
“Holy Light.”
A golden glow materialized out of thin air, enveloping Nook.
The people busy around them stopped what they were doing, their gazes turning toward them in unison.
Nook's body trembled slightly in the golden light.
His swollen leg began to shrink, and a suppressed groan escaped his throat.
The golden light lingered for a moment before dissipating.
Nook looked down at his leg; his knee had returned to its normal shape.
He tried bending his knee, then suddenly stood up, standing firm and steady as if he had never been injured.
He stood frozen in place, and only after a long moment did he look up at Rosie.
“Th-thank you, My Lady!”
“Lead the way well tomorrow.” Rosie clapped her hands and stood up.
“A miracle...”
The older soldiers had already taken off their helmets, drawing the symbol of Light across their chests.
Sir John stood not far away, his gaze lingering on Rosie for a few breaths before looking away.
Camp was filled with praises to the God of Light.
In their eyes, Rosie was practically a powerful cleric.
Although almost everyone in Deros believed in the God of Light, in reality, only larger cities had temples and clerics.
Smaller towns didn't even have a temple, let alone a cleric.
After all, this world was different from her previous one. In her past life, anyone could be a priest, but to become a cleric in this world, just saying “May the Light guide you” wouldn't cut it; one had to actually be able to cast divine magic.
For the clerics and priests in neighboring temples truly possessed divine magic.
If they had it and you didn't, you would not only lack credibility but also be treated as a charlatan.
As someone who could perform miracles, Rosie was instantly elevated to a very high status.
And this was precisely the result Rosie wanted.
At night, the campfire crackled in the damp air, the tongues of fire licking at the stacked pine branches, making a faint sizzling sound as the resin dripped down.
The toasted aroma of flatbread mingled with the scent of pine resin, drifting through the air as some chewed on dried meat while others discussed tomorrow's route in low voices.
The mountain wind swept down from the ridges, whistling through the pine forest with a low howl.
Rosie sat by the fire, poking at the embers with a twig.
She wondered what would happen tomorrow.
Would there be a battle?
A spark rose, tracing an orange-red arc in the night before fading out.
“Have some of Weismar's specialty flatbread,” the baron said, handing a piece to Rosie.
“Thank you.”
Rosie took the flatbread, raised her visor, and took a bite. The aroma of wheat spread between her teeth, mingled with a hint of smoky charcoal.
“I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow,” the baron said.
“Perhaps...”
Rosie put on a profound look, though in reality, she knew nothing.
The camp was already on the move before dawn the next day.
Baron Weiss left twenty infantrymen behind to guard the pack horses and supplies, while the rest set off light.
Nook walked at the very front of the line, his steps agile as he paused from time to time to identify the path.
He occasionally glanced back at Rosie, his eyes filled with a cautious, eager-to-please look.
The mountain path grew narrower and narrower, and the loose gravel beneath their feet became increasingly unstable.
The trees on both sides grew denser, their branches and leaves intertwining to block out most of the sky.
Those on horseback were forced to dismount and lead their mounts forward.
After another two hours or so, the path ahead suddenly opened up.
The trees thinned out, revealing a clearing.
The smell in the air had changed.
The earthy scent grew stronger, mingled with the clatter of iron and the shouting of men.
The ground was a messy expanse of churned earth, littered with tire tracks and footprints.
“This way, it's just a bit further.”
Nook pointed to a grayish-yellow dirt slope ahead and whispered.
Rounding the slope, the full view of the excavation site was revealed before them.
A massive pit gaped open below, surrounded by piles of fresh earth and gravel.
Several crude wooden hoisting rigs were set up above, with workers turning winches to lift baskets of dirt from the depths of the pit.
The perimeter of the pit was lined with rows of low tents, with a few dusty garments hanging to dry between them, swaying slightly in the wind.
Dozens of armed men poured out.
They dressed in a hodgepodge of armor; some held swords, others carried sabers, and some held crossbows. They quickly formed a loose line across the clearing, blocking the path.
At their head was a stocky, burly man. He squinted at Baron Weiss and the dozens of fully armed men behind him, then barked:
“Halt! Who are you, and what are you doing here?”
The baron's men reacted immediately; the soldiers formed ranks, and the knights mounted their horses.
Nook, who had led them here, quietly slipped to the rear.
Baron Weiss, now back on his horse, looked down at the burly man and sneered, “Asking who I am on my own land? How ridiculous.”
The burly man's expression shifted, but he did not raise his weapon.
The other side was clearly a regular force, complete with cavalry. If a fight broke out, his side would lose miserably.
“Hold on!”
Just then, a voice came from behind, accompanied by the heavy panting of someone rushing over.
A middle-aged man in a dark coat pushed through the crowd and ran out.
His hair was neatly combed, and he had a round face, wearing a soft cap. Sweat clung to his cheeks. As he reached them, he bent over slightly, catching his breath for a few moments before looking up, a broad smile plastered across his face.
“Why, if it isn't Lord Weiss! What brings you here, My Lord?”
Baron Weiss looked down at him coldly. “Kaluk. I don't recall giving you permission to bring people into my territory to excavate ruins.”
There was not a hint of embarrassment on Kaluk's face. He rubbed his hands together, his tone remaining warm and welcoming:
“Lord Weiss, you misunderstand. I was merely surveying the area before. You see, the moment I discovered there really was a ruin here, I immediately asked Lord Morris to inform you. I just haven't had the chance to report to you in person yet.”
“If Count Morris hadn't informed me, you would be a dead man by now!” Baron Weiss snorted.
The smile on Kaluk's face stiffened slightly, but he quickly plastered it back on.
Although giving up thirty percent of the profits was painful, it was still better than losing his life.
He turned and waved his hands at the mercenaries. “Put them down, put them all down! This is the lord of Weismar!”
The mercenaries glanced at the burly man, who nodded, before they gradually sheathed their weapons.
Baron Weiss also waved his hand.
The knights and soldiers behind him sheathed their weapons as well.
Kaluk bowed slightly. “Lord Weiss, this way, please. Let me guide you.”
Baron Weiss swept his gaze over the tents and piles of dirt around the pit, finally looking back at Kaluk. “How is the excavation going?”
“We've only excavated a small portion, but we've already confirmed the location. There is indeed an ancient ruin below, and it's highly likely to be perfectly preserved. We just need to keep digging.”
Baron Weiss did not respond to this.
He dismounted, handed his reins to a nearby soldier, and looked back at Rosie. “Miss Rosie, let us go take a look together.”
Rosie followed suit, dismounting and letting Carrot wander off to play.
Several knights also leaped off their horses, handing their reins to their squires, and followed behind the two.
The rest of the men remained in place, vaguely forming a defensive perimeter.
At a single command from the baron, they would instantly be ready for battle.
Kaluk led the baron and his companions through the tent area, walking toward the pit.
The earthy smell in the air grew stronger, mixed with an indescribable musty odor, as if something had been sealed deep underground for a very long time and was now being unearthed.
The pit was massive, extending downward in terraced layers.
At the entrance of the pit, the winches of the hoisting rigs creaked and groaned as basket after basket of dirt was hauled up and dumped nearby, forming a small hill.
Rosie stood at the edge of the pit, looking down.
The walls of the pit were damp, glistening with tiny droplets of water that caught the light.
Further down was a dense, impenetrable darkness.
Kaluk stood beside her, saying with a trace of pride:
“Lord Weiss, the excavation site is just below. To maximize efficiency, I specifically brought in professionals from the Explorers Association to assist.”
Baron Weiss sneered. “You just said you were only surveying, and now it has turned into an excavation?”
The smile on Kaluk's face finally faltered.
His lips twitched as if he were trying to find the right words, but Baron Weiss did not give him the chance to speak.
“Furthermore, do not even think about targeting my daughter again. Otherwise, next time, even His Majesty won't be able to protect you.”
“Your daughter?” Kaluk blinked in confusion. “What daughter?”
Baron Weiss stared into his eyes. “Don't play dumb. Don't think I don't know you hired people to kidnap my daughter.”
The expression on Kaluk's face turned into complete bewilderment, and he waved his hands repeatedly:
“Lord Weiss, I did bribe some poachers to keep outsiders out, but I absolutely never kidnapped your daughter! I swear it!”
Baron Weiss said nothing.
He stared at Kaluk for a long time, so long that the knights beside him instinctively gripped their hilts.
Rosie stood to the side, her gaze shifting between the two.
She had originally assumed Kaluk wanted the ruins and thus sent men to kidnap Rhine.
But looking at his expression now, it did not seem feigned.
If it wasn't him, then who was it?
Could there be another faction behind this?
Baron Weiss had clearly realized this as well.
His face darkened.
To give Kaluk a warning, he had brought almost all his knights and direct soldiers, leaving only servants and a few gatekeepers back at the manor.
If another faction had been watching from the shadows this whole time...
“I must return immediately!” the baron said, preparing to leave.
“Lord Weiss, please allow me to remain here. I would like to see the true face of the ancient ruins,” Rosie said.
Baron Weiss looked at her, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded:
“Kaluk, Miss Rosie is my advisor. She will remain here in my stead. You had best not try any tricks.”
Kaluk nodded frantically. “Of course, of course. Miss Rosie will certainly receive the finest hospitality here.”
Baron Weiss did not say another word, turning to leave.
The knights nodded to Rosie, then quickly followed behind him.
A moment later, the baron's troop began their return journey.
The prisoner, Nook, did not stay behind either, departing along with the baron.
The clatter of armor plates echoed across the open hillside, the sound of footsteps gradually fading until it was completely swallowed by the wind.
Kaluk watched the direction in which Baron Weiss and his men disappeared, the smile gone from his face, replaced by a thoughtful expression.
Rate on N.U.
