ocean-life Chapter 117
Chapter 117
"Hurry and move along. Only bring valuables and leave any unnecessary items behind."@@@@
The soldiers were directing the residents of the Somerset estate, guiding them towards the manor. The villagers’ faces were filled with anxiety as they followed the soldiers' instructions on this unexpected evacuation.
"What on earth is happening?"
"I overheard the soldiers saying that Sleepy Estate has already been laid to waste."
"Our lord wouldn't evacuate us without good reason, so we should follow along!"
Since the founding of the Borus Empire, it had always been the invader, never the invaded. For the estate residents, this was their first time fleeing, a situation wholly unfamiliar.
Despite the circumstances, however, the residents followed the soldiers’ orders with remarkable discipline. Though visibly anxious, they remained orderly for one simple reason.
They trusted that their lord, Earl Bradley, would never put them in harm’s way. That assurance was enough to keep them moving as directed.
“There are signs of enemy infiltration along the eastern and northern edges of the barrier.”
“They’re slower than expected.”
“Yes. Judging by their typical speed, they should have arrived much sooner.”
The allied forces’ barrier was reactive only to the creatures of the night. Positioned along the estate’s perimeter, the barrier’s late alert suggested that Sleepy Estate had resisted far longer than anticipated.
The final stand of Baron Sleepy and his warriors had effectively slowed down the night creatures, holding them at bay.
“Allow me to share our view of the situation.”
The mages of the Tower began channeling magic, projecting images from the barrier's perimeter for the allied forces to see.
“What’s with these numbers? This isn’t the size of an ordinary unit!”
“This many! If we’d encountered them while on the move without preparation, we’d be doomed.”
“Wait! I can spot some of Satanail’s twelve direct subordinates mixed among them.”
The night creatures, typically hiding to avoid the Empire’s watchful eyes, rarely engaged in open warfare within imperial lands. The members of the Crimson Warden, noticing this unusual behavior, felt an increasing sense of dread.
And their suspicion was well-founded.
The projected image revealed an overwhelming number of dark elves, easily numbering over a thousand.
Considering a typical unit consisted of 50 to 100 creatures, the number gathered here seemed to represent nearly their entire fighting force.
“They’re going all out.”
Sifris glanced at the barrier stretching across the estate boundary and recalled Earl Bradley’s earlier insistence on extending it. At the time, she’d thought it excessive, but now it seemed like a stroke of foresight.
Had they only placed the barrier around the manor, the flood of night creatures would have overrun Somerset just as they had Sleepy Estate, possibly wiping out most of its inhabitants.
“Prepare for battle. Once the people are safe, we’ll face them here.”
At Alexander’s command, one of the allied mages voiced a concern.
“With the barrier in place, might they not retreat?”
“Their numbers suggest their leader is likely here. If so, it’s only a matter of time before the barrier falls.”
Edric remarked as he lightly swung the sword, and Krun’s pride was visible in his expression.
“A sword? Isn’t that a bit dangerous?”
Creating new items was a source of joy for Krun, but crafting weapons like swords held an irresistible allure.
Yet every time he attempted such a creation, Rupert’s incessant warnings about material costs forced him to craft in secret. Now, seeing someone appreciate his hidden work, Krun couldn’t help but be pleased.
“The core of the sword is made from northern steel! I mixed in some mithril on the surface, so it stays sharp for ages.”
“Impressive. And the leather on the handle—isn’t this dragonhide?”
“You noticed! You have a good eye!”
The leather came from a wyvern, commonly called a drake in the local dialect. This material was renowned for its adaptability, highly prized in armor.
Dragonhide could conform to its environment, making it an ideal choice for the grip, allowing users a consistent feel no matter their hand position or grip strength—a subtle but significant benefit known only to the user.
It was a technique only a skilled artisan could execute with dragonhide.
“With this, I think I’ll manage.”
Edric was relieved to have found such a fine sword, given he’d come to Somerset to study art without bringing a weapon.
“Sir Edric, perhaps you should seek shelter....”
“I’d rather die than live like that.”
Kyle, who had been preparing for battle alongside Edric, tried to persuade him, but it was futile.
“My master’s killers are here; my place is here as well.”
Edric, Kyle, and Adrian had all been asked by Rupert to seek safety. Considering Edric, the Empire’s third prince, Kyle, the second son of the northern Marquis, and Adrian, a foreign prince, any harm coming to them would lead to serious repercussions, without question.
Yet none of them chose to leave Somerset, surprising Rupert.
“In the North, food shortages often lead to monsters raiding human settlements.”
As a member of the Prius family, the Marquis of the North tasked with defending the Empire’s frontier, Kyle felt that fleeing in such a situation would result in his father disowning him.
Adrian, meanwhile, stated,
“I’ve stayed here without paying rent all this time; I can’t just leave.”
While Adrian himself wasn’t much of a fighter, the royal knights who accompanied him were elite warriors chosen from Silvania, sure to be valuable allies.
And as for Edric—
His first master, who taught him swordsmanship,
“This should be sufficient for your aspirations, Your Highness. Teaching you has been a pleasure. Take care of yourself.”
Swordmaster Carl Oregon had departed unexpectedly after bidding him farewell.
It was hard for Edric to believe that his master was gone, but he recognized the only tribute he could now offer.
“I shall play a requiem for my master with the screams of my enemies.”
For the first time, Edric, usually calm and composed, revealed his anger in front of others.