Chapter 499
"As expected," said Ian.
Diana finally turned around. Her head tilted slightly as she took in Lucia and Ian. Both were frowning, but they didn't seem particularly surprised or shocked.
"You already expected this?" Diana asked, her brow furrowed.
Before Ian could answer, Yog's laughter-tinged whisper pierced her mind.
—I'm more surprised that you didn't know. What did you think happened to all that chaos and madness pooled in the demonic realm you used to live in? It was enough to expand the boundary. Surely you didn't think it had just vanished into the void.
Diana just paused, unable to answer. That was enough to make Yog burst out laughing.
—So that's what you thought. Why such a convenient conclusion, pointy-ears? Did you just want to believe it?
"Well, since the Platinum Dragon destroyed the wall, I thought it would have… taken care of it properly," Diana finally murmured, her gaze shifting slightly. "Without any major problems."
Yog chuckled as if it had heard a funny joke. The laughter was cut off sharply, as if sliced with a blade. Ian had tossed the creature into his pocket dimension.
"Don't worry. You won't have any problem passing through the front lines," Ian said flatly."I wasn't even worried about…" Diana, who had turned back again, trailed off. Contrary to his tone, Ian's eyes and expression didn't seem upset at all.
"It will take quite some time for the Imperial family and the Great Church to grasp the full story and come to a conclusion. Whatever it is, by then you'll have already arrived in your hometown. So you don't need to worry about this problem. You just need to guide us well."
Diana's eyes wavered—for a different reason now. She'd realized Ian was trying to look out for her, so that she wouldn't get dragged into any more dangerous or troublesome situations.
"Yeah. Okay. I will." Finally nodding, Diana turned forward again, inwardly adding that she should just pretend not to hear whatever conversation was going on, as she always did. Even so, the tension around her eyes didn't ease easily. Diana tilted her head in mild confusion, not quite sure why.
"I am worried, though," said Lucia.
"No matter what conclusion the Imperial family and the Great Church come to, I don't think the Platinum Dragon will be able to avoid that responsibility. Perhaps…" She turned back, let out a short sigh, and added, "You too, Sir Ian, as its agent."
"Well, it's unavoidable," Ian answered and shrugged. "It's not like I don't have any responsibility."
"What responsibility do you have?"
It was Diana who asked back. Having turned back at some point, she was looking up at Ian with a furrowed brow.
A faint, dry laugh spread across Ian's lips. "I told you not to worry about it."
"I mean, I don't really care about the Platinum Dragon, but you're different. You're our comrade—and our savior, too… at least for now…" Diana mumbled, her gaze shifting slightly away.
"So, what responsibility is it?" she asked.
Ian let out a low, dry laugh but readily replied, "You know it already. The Platinum Dragon was preparing to tear down the Wall, sure. But I'm the reason it had to finish things early."
Looking at the desert shrouded in darkness, Ian added, "If I hadn't crossed the Wall, there might not have been these side effects."
His eyes darkened again, heavy with guilt.
The chaos and madness of the black land seemed poised to spread across every corner of the continent. Perhaps it wouldn't vanish at all, but continue creeping outward, devouring everything in its path. At the very least, nights would become more dangerous from now on, and the gods' influence would wane even further.
The Fifth Chapter must have already begun.
The inevitable darkness the Round Table Parliament had long desired—perhaps the true age of chaos had finally begun.
"Not sure about that," said Diana, who had been walking in silence for a moment. "I think a little differently."
Ian tilted his head and looked back at her.
Diana, meeting his eyes, added, "You didn't ask the Platinum Dragon to save you. It's the one who rushed things on its own. So you have nothing to be responsible for. Strictly speaking... you could even say you're a victim."
Ian's brow furrowed slightly, but Diana shrugged, unconcerned, "Just because you're his agent, you ended up shouldering unnecessary responsibility. Besides, you were also moving to destroy the Wall, weren't you? In the proper way, too. If you had destroyed the demonic realm, this situation might not have happened."
Ian, who had been staring into her serious eyes for a moment, soon burst out laughing. "Must be nice, being a fairy. That attitude is worth learning from."
"That doesn't sound like a compliment," Diana scrunched one of her eyes.
"It's not the perspective I expected, but there's some truth in it," said Lucia, nodding.
She looked back at Ian again. "Even if preparations had been flawless, it might've been impossible to avoid all the side effects. The fact that the demonic realm was forcibly destroyed remains unchanged. So, I don't think you need to carry any guilt or feel responsible, Sir Ian."
Ian, who had been looking into her eyes for a moment, finally had one corner of his mouth curl up slightly. "I never felt such things. I'm just worried about the future of myself and my friends."
He meant it sincerely, but neither Lucia nor Diana seemed to believe him much.
Nodding as if they had expected him to say that, Lucia added, "I'm glad if that's the case. Well, whatever. It's not like anything changes now. Whatever the truth is, the royal family and the church won't take it into consideration."
"Exactly. So we just—"
Ian's words were cut off as Lucia jumped in smoothly. "You mean we should do what we can, right? Just like we've always done."
"Yeah. I'd say you're ready to graduate, Lucy."
"I've always been a fast learner, you know." Lucia, who had deftly responded to Ian's joke, then casually shifted her gaze. "In that sense, how about you continue the story you were telling earlier, Diana?"
"Uh, now?" Diana blinked and asked back, stealing a glance at Ian.
Ian nodded. "Do as you please. It looks like we're not getting to bed early tonight anyway."
"If that's the case, well," Diana scratched her chin under her mask. "Where was I… right… Amiphivs… about those arrogant pointy-ears…"
With Lucia chiming in now and then, Diana's tale continued for quite some time—until dawn broke, and the golden waves that had slumbered in darkness rose to greet the group.
***
The Golden Desert, even under the dark clouds, did not lose its light. The group crossed its center very smoothly.
Swoosh—
The dark clouds were still thick, and there were no night attacks. There were monsters in the Golden Desert, but most of them scurried away the moment the group passed by. Perhaps it was because of the smell of the demonic beast carcasses hanging from Moro's saddle.
Of course, it didn't really matter either way.
Woosh—
The important thing was that they had almost crossed the desert.
The golden dunes that had been churning on all sides had now subsided, and in the distance, a ridge of rocky cliffs stretched like a folding screen, gradually revealing itself. Beyond them lay canyons of pale brown, slightly more faded than the desert itself.
The wind, mixed with sand like gold dust, swept over their bodies.
"I'm not seeing a mirage, am I?" Lucia murmured, clutching the shrunken leather water pouch to her chest.
"Of course not. I see it too."
The one who answered was Diana, walking with tired, trudging steps.
Even so, her eyes narrowed as she added, "It looks like the Jahandar Ridge. The great canyon that separates the desert from the South."
"And also the southern front," said Ian.
It was still quite far off, but his gaze was already locked on a specific part of the ridge. A massive castle wall began where the canyon opened up. The base of the wall looked as though the earth itself had been carved away, rising straight from the rock like a natural extension.
Right at the center, blocking the canyon halfway up, a massive gate stood tall. It looked as though a whole section of the terrain had been sliced out and turned into a doorway.
I feel this every time… things like that are more unrealistic than monsters.
Ian turned his horse toward the frontline fortress. Beyond its walls, the roof of the inner keep rose just above the outer buildings. Unlike the fortresses of the Empire or the North, it was just a simple square, with no pointed spires to be found.
"Must be the years that have passed. There's no trace of erosion left. Though maybe this fortress is an exception," Lucia murmured, taking in the nameless frontline fortress that was gradually getting closer.
Ian shrugged. "Even a monster driven mad wouldn't have much energy left after crossing this desert. The southern front is in the perfect position."
"That's also true. The reason the southern front is known to be relatively safe doesn't seem to be just because of the multi-racial army. Of course…"
Lucia turned back and smiled.
"I also get why people hesitate to be deployed to the South. Maybe not every southern front line is like this, but this area just feels like an extension of the desert. Kind of like how the northern front is practically a snowfield."
Well, extremes meet.
Ian nodded listlessly. Even though the northern front moved farther from the Black Wall the farther north it went, the defense forces still hesitated to go that way.
"Anyway, the atmosphere is not ordinary," added Diana, her eyes scanning not the wall itself, but what stood atop it—soldiers, stationed at intervals, holding bows or spears. They were figures with their bodies and faces wrapped in brown cloth.
Of course, they did not make Ian and Lucia nervous at all.
"Indeed. Just as expected."
The Black Wall had collapsed, after all. It wasn't difficult to guess that every frontline fortress would be on high alert. They'd likely stay in a state of emergency until the situation was fully assessed and orders arrived from the Empire.
"Diana, just stay by Moro's side and watch. I'll take care of the rest," said Lucia, looking back at Ian. "And Sir Ian, put on your most dignified expression."
"Got it, so moisten your throat first. Your voice is all cracked." Ian gestured with his chin, frowning slightly.
Lucia smiled and uncorked her water pouch, raising it to her lips. The water was lukewarm and starting to smell sour, but she didn't seem to care in the slightest. As long as it wasn't completely rotten or poisoned, there was no need to worry about getting sick.
"They've spotted us," Diana added. She was slowing her steps to stick closer to Moro.
Ian looked up at the looming wall that crowned the canyon.
Bwooo—
A horn blared from the wall a moment later. Activity stirred atop the battlements. The stationed guards readied their weapons, while others in similar garb filed up onto the wall in formation.
They carried not only bows but also spears and throwing axes.
"Isn't that a bit excessive?" Diana muttered. "It's obvious there are only three of us."
"Wouldn't that make us look even more suspicious?" Lucia said in a much more moistened voice.
Even though hundreds of soldiers were gathering in an instant, there was no sign of nervousness on her face.
"We crossed the desert with just the three of us after the Black Wall collapsed. And we're even on horseback."
Diana licked her lips and nodded. "Right… well… what we see might not be all there is."
"Well, that's actually the case," Ian added.
By now, the ground was starting to firm beneath their feet. The massive gate rising at the canyon's midpoint was coming into clear view.
The group adjusted their attire, and the soldiers on the wall had also finished gathering. Though they all had their faces covered with cloth, revealing only their eyes, it was not difficult to notice that humans, orcs, and elves were mixed among them.
Clip, clop—
Despite the sharp gazes, Moro's steps did not slow down at all. The creature instead held its head high and moved forward. It wouldn't stop unless Ian gave the order.
That was when a man in full plate armor emerged atop the watchtower above the gate.
"Stop right there!"
Judging by his appearance and speech, he was clearly an Imperial. He even had a round chin.
His armor looks tight.What, does he deal with the stress of a southern post by stress-eating?
As Ian continued his unfitting thoughts for the situation, the commander's shout followed.
"And reveal your proper identity, or disarm and lie on the ground and await the proper procedures! I will not warn you twice!"
At the same time, the soldiers aimed their respective weapons.
Ian pulled the reins without hesitation. Moro snorted and came to a stop.
"Well then, I'll be back," Lucia whispered calmly and swung down from the saddle. She had already hung her water pouch by the saddle beforehand.
Step, step—
She landed lightly and strode confidently toward the gate, clearing her throat quietly as she reached beneath her cloak.
Every gaze on the wall turned to her. What made their eyes twitch wasn't just the fact that she was a young girl. It was the soft, amber radiance now glimmering in her eyes as she looked up at them.
Finally stopping, Lucia said, "Everyone, lower your weapons."
Though it wasn't very loud, her voice, tinged with heat, spread throughout the wall like the sound of a bell.
Placing a hand on her breastplate, she looked up at the commander with shining eyes and added, "As the Apostle of the Blazing Goddess and the new ember of the Brazier, I, Lucifer Ash Riurel, now present him before you."