Chapter 85:The Monster of Spitzenberg (12)

The long night of nightmare, where the monster had driven the entire city into fear, had passed, and a new dawn had broken.

Keldric gazed at the distant view of Spitzenberg , overwhelmed by an unknown emotion.

The people of Spitzenberg  were making a living here and there.

Some were selling goods at the market, while others were chopping wood beyond the city walls.

There were also charcoal burners struggling to pull carts full of charcoal.

The charcoal was headed for the ironworks, which occupied a large part of the city district.

The ironworks was constantly hot, burning with intense heat throughout the year.

The northern winds that blew over the mountain range helped cool the surrounding area.

From the perspective of the ironworks, cooling down might be problematic, but in some nearby workshops, it might be one way to escape the heat.

The iron produced in the ironworks was sent to various blacksmiths, and craftsmen used it to create useful items.

Laborers heading into the mines would exit the city gates accompanied by three or four soldiers.

They would become the driving force of the city.

Due to the disadvantageous terrain for farming, food was mainly supplied by merchants from outside or gathered from nearby villages.

Thus, there was no shortage of food, and people worked diligently in their roles, making the vitality of the territory flourish.

It was all thanks to their prosperous diligence.

“It’s a good territory.”

“Indeed, it is.”

Alyssa, who had quietly approached, agreed with Keldric’s words.

Spitzenberg  was a decent territory.

Although it had the disadvantage of struggling with food self-sufficiency in wartime, it had resolved this problem to some extent by transforming from a fortress into a city.

Keldric recalled the cities he had passed with Alyssa.

From Bellam to Bogenberg and finally to Spitzenberg , it had been hard to find any flaws in the territories.

Every city had its dark side, but even so, those cities that minimized it were filled with life.

“How do you see them?”

“They seem happy, Sir Keldric.”

“I think so too.”

Keldric smiled, having gained a small realization as he watched the citizens of the city busily going about their day.

A good territory wasn’t something extraordinary.

It was simply a territory where the living standards of its people were high.

The same applied to a good lord.

A good lord wasn’t just a kind and diligent noble.

A lord who ensured the daily lives of their people.

One who did their best to make sure that no one went hungry or was exploited, even if they couldn’t guarantee a life of luxury.

For them, life existed.

The families they had to protect, the small pleasures of eating three meals a day without hunger, and the joy of watching children grow up.

All of those lives combined to form a territory.

‘But if it’s war…’

Keldric thought deeply as he watched a few soldiers leisurely walking along the city walls.

Though northern war clouds were forming, here it was peaceful.

This was thanks to the Baron of Spitzenberg  maintaining neutrality up until now.

But that would no longer be the case.

The conflict between Count Bogenberg and Count Rassau was, as they say, getting messy.

The other lords and knights who had gotten involved would soon have to face bloodshed.

Once they were involved, there were two choices.

Either lose the driving force behind the territory and slowly fall into decline, or take everything from the hostile lord and grow rapidly in an instant.

Most would aim for the latter.

However, not everyone could be happy.

While some would expand their territory, accumulate wealth, and raise their family’s honor, others would find themselves in the opposite situation.

And Keldric would always be the one leading the fate of the former.

“It’s time to go in.”

“Yes.”

Fate may be set, but Keldric didn’t think so.

For someone like him, drifting aimlessly with the wind and clouds, there could be no fixed destiny.

His fate would follow wherever Keldric led it. He had that conviction.

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Preparing to leave Spitzenberg  required more than expected.

They had stayed much longer than anticipated.

The food bought earlier in Bogenberg had long run out.

“Arno, Helga. Go to the market and buy what I tell you.”

“Yes, Sir Keldric!”

“Yes, yes…!”

Arno and Helga were the ones to take care of these things.

Keldric smiled with satisfaction, realizing how the two young attendants were gradually getting used to this task.

Not asking them to do anything just because they were kids would, in fact, harm their future.

They had grown up quickly for their age.

However, it was too late to treat them as children.

Though it was a regret, Keldric concluded that it was better to give Arno and Helga tasks they could handle at times like this.

‘Nothing is more awkward than resting alone,’ he thought.

Keldric was a knight, and Alyssa was a mage.

For two such individuals to have attendants who didn’t get their hands dirty and could manage the hard work would surely create awkwardness.

“Well, everything’s written down.

Can you read it?”

“Uh, um… yes!”

“Wow, your handwriting is beautiful…”

“Go quickly to the market. Make sure to get everything.

There shouldn’t be any shortage of money, so don’t worry too much.”

Arno and Helga held hands and ran off, their goal being the market.

Keldric sighed lightly as he watched their figures.

He wondered if this was what it felt like to raise children.

“Such diligent children”

Keldric nodded, glancing at Alyssa’s leather pouch, which was likely filled with charcoal.

“They deserve praise for not resorting to trickery.”

Hiring attendants had certainly been a good decision.

Arno and Helga slowly but surely took on all the odd jobs, and it would be hard to return to the days when they had no attendants.

Looking back, hiring attendants had been thanks to the advice from Sir Henri of the  Candeillon family and Sir Allen of the Hawksworth family.

Keldric recalled the two he had met in Salzplus and Bogenberg—Sir Henri and Sir Allen—and wondered where they might be now.

Were they still in Bogenberg?

He would probably find out when he returned there.

“Keldric, Sir!”

Keldric, coming out of his thoughts, gave a light nod as he saw Investigator Markus walking toward him.

Markus, approaching, made the sign of the cross in response. Keldric immediately pulled out a small leather pouch.

“This is… what you mentioned earlier… that…”

“It seems to be.”

Not long ago, Keldric had had a very strange dream, and in that dream, a demon had dropped a fang, which Keldric immediately reported to Investigator Markus.

Markus, who had been staying at the church due to the sealing of the side gate, was startled and rushed over to personally retrieve the fang.

Markus trembled as he opened the leather pouch.

Something inside moved around, and soon, it dropped onto Markus’ wrinkled palm.

Seeing it, Markus furrowed his brows.

“Evil…I can feel an evil aura.”

“Do you know what it is?”

“I don’t think I can tell for sure.

For something like this, we would have to take it to the monastery for further examination…”

It was quite difficult.

It felt uncomfortable to entrust something demonic to Markus, but it also seemed unsettling for Keldric to carry it around himself.

“If it’s too much of a burden, can we just break it?”

“Usually, breaking an object is the most effective way to get rid of it.

However, I cannot be sure what would happen if we were to destroy a demonic object.”

Keldric nodded, understanding. Indeed, destroying something left behind by a demon?

Who knew what would happen?

“Then what should I do?”

“I will take care of it.

It doesn’t seem to cause any immediate issues…”

The Liechten monastery, where Markus belonged, was originally established underground in Spitzenberg  to keep watch over demons, so Keldric felt at ease knowing that Markus would take care of it.

He certainly preferred to avoid any troublesome issues caused by a demonic object.

“Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes. Please, trust me with it.”

After willingly handing over the fang, Keldric began to prepare to leave.

To leave, he couldn’t just entrust everything to his attendants.

Unlike before, he wasn’t alone; he had two young attendants, Alyssa, and the Ironclaw Mercenaries to return to Bogenberg with him.

To do so, it seemed appropriate to start looking for Radomar.

Two days passed quickly.

When the day broke, it was already the morning that Keldric had planned to leave Spitzenberg .

After bidding farewell to the many people he had met during his stay in Spitzenberg , Keldric, as usual, reluctantly made his way toward Boreas.

“Thank you, Sir Keldric.

If we meet again, it might be on the battlefield.”

“That seems likely.

I look forward to that time.”

“Then, when that time comes, I shall rely on you.

Ha ha!”

Baron of Spitzenberg , who had come to see Keldric off, laughed heartily. Keldric, too, smiled in return.

“Count Bogenberg may call for you. You should prepare beforehand.”

“Hmmm… does that mean I should offer a token of goodwill?”

“You’ve arrived a little late.

Those who have already joined might not welcome you.”

“That makes sense.

Thank you for the advice.”

Having exchanged the necessary words, it was finally time to leave.

“Alright!

Let’s go!”

With Radomar’s strong voice, the Ironclaw Mercenaries led the way, marching in line.

Keldric lightly kicked Boreas in the side.

Boreas slowly began to walk forward.

Following behind, Alyssa, riding her own horse, and then Arno and Helga, leading Abellin, followed in order.

“Sir Keldric! Next time we meet, let’s go hunting!”

The Baron of Spitzenberg , already quite a distance away, shouted out.

Keldric turned around and waved his hand in response.

As he walked out of the inner city toward the city gate, he found that many of the citizens had gathered to see him off.

“Sir Knight! Thank you!”

“Thank you for defeating the monster!”

“Please come again next time!”

Just as mercenaries did not regard knights lightly, the citizens of the territory had no reason to treat knights so casually.

However, Keldric was different.

Even in situations where he could have shouted or punished them, Keldric would simply raise his hand briefly toward the citizens and respond appropriately.

This would also be remembered as an honorable act and spread as rumors.

The rumors would say that Keldric of the Bellaf family was truly honorable.

Keldric and his companions walked along the winding road and finally passed through the gates of Spitzenberg .

It was the same road they had walked when they arrived in Spitzenberg .

They simply had to retrace their steps.

Keldric looked at the path he had walked before with a strange gaze.

When he had come here, it had been under the mystic night sky sparkling with starlight, but now it was the faint light of dawn.

Despite the turmoil they had caused in Spitzenberg  in the last few days, the tall mountain range seemed to say that the commotion was nothing but a dream.

“…”

“Sir Keldric, let us go.”

“Right. Let’s depart.”

As they began to slowly ride Boreas again, Keldric briefly turned his head and looked at the distant Spitzenberg .

A fortress city rising like a peak, surrounded by mountains.

The sight of it under the starry sky had been beautiful, but the view of dawn from afar was also quite pleasing.

Spitzenberg , the city of rock.

He had met many good people and, unexpectedly, had done some good deeds.

That, too, would become a rumor and be spoken of by merchants and gossipers.

Keldric imagined his name spreading not just within this small land, but throughout the Empire, and he shuddered slightly.

Fame spreads slowly, but surely.

If he helped Count Bogenberg and participated in the territorial war, it might engrave Keldric’s name in the minds of people much faster.

But Keldric didn’t care.

He simply moved forward, silently.

Beyond the mountain range, the northern wind began to blow.

It was the refreshing wind he had inhaled to exhaustion in his hometown, the village of Carlton, where frost lingered.

As he felt the familiar yet new wind on his face, Keldric turned his head again and looked ahead.

Once Lent ended, things would become busier.

There was no need to regret the connections he had made in Spitzenberg .

Just as winter ended and the spring of the next year began, Keldric moved forward silently toward his next destination.