novelraw Chapter 31 : The Twin Gorge (4)
Chapter 31 : The Twin Gorge (4)
Chapter 31: The Twin Gorge (4)
Enrico Turis, the Consul of Remtana, couldn't believe what he was seeing. He rubbed his eyes so hard he might've irritated them, but the scene before him refused to change.
‘No, this can't be... By Remillion, what is this?’
In his forty years climbing to the position of Consul, he'd seen all kinds of shits that would make most people lose their lunch. He thought by now nothing could shake him, that he could keep his composure in any situation.
What arrogance that was. Right now, his heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might explode.
The troll blocking the Twin Gorge was currently Enrico's worst nightmare. With the eastern and western routes blocked off, the Twin Gorge was now the only path connecting Remtana to the southern territories under his jurisdiction. If he wanted to collect taxes and keep the area under control, he had to deal with that troll as soon as possible.
The subjugation shouldn't have been that difficult. Trolls were monsters that regular humans struggled against, but this territory had something far more powerful at its disposal.
Ymir Demir, the advisor dispatched from the Vestana Council.
The man was a mage from that coastal city's pride and joy, the Mage Tower.
And he wasn’t just any mage either, but a Conjurer, the third-highest rank in the tower's hierarchy. If he actually bothered to use his skills properly, taking down one troll should've been child's play.
But he didn't help the Consul. Instead, he'd vanished without a trace.
The reason was simple enough.
'He has no reason to help me, as I belong to a different council. In fact, that bastard is likely hoping this place falls into chaos. Then he could argue that the next Consul should be chosen from the Vestana Council...’
Enrico hadn't just sat around hoping the mage would magically appear. He'd sent messengers to his family and council multiple times to request backup. But every single messenger either disappeared right after leaving or never came back. There aren’t even bodies to be found, so there is no way to know what happened to them.
In the end, Enrico had no choice but to handle the troll subjugation on his own.
Unfortunately, Remtana had no other mages.
His Consul's guard had practically no experience hunting monsters. So Enrico put out a hefty bounty and started recruiting mercenaries willing to take on the troll. By the time the recruitment notice on the wall was tattered and worn, he finally managed to find one mercenary company willing to take the job.
‘You said the payment's 50,000 Luden, right? Hmm, hmmm, just leave it to us, Consul! Every single member of our company is a seasoned monster-hunting expert!’
Something felt off about them, but what choice did he have? Remtana is small, and with hardly any monsters nearby, finding a mercenary company wasn't easy. After months of waiting, he couldn't let this opportunity slip away.
And so Enrico assembled the overconfident mercenary company along with twenty of his guard soldiers for the troll hunt...
Crack—crunch! Crack—crunch!
"Guhhk!"
"Ahhhhh, save me!! I, I don't wanna di—"
"GYAAAHHH! GYAAAAAAAHHH!!!"
...only to watch the mercenary company get absolutely decimated the moment the battle started.
Contrary to their boasting, the mercenaries had zero experience hunting monsters. They'd just been blinded by the massive payout and taken on a job way over their heads.
Their strategy was to rain down the troll with arrows from crossbows and javelins, and unfortunately, that was a total miscalculation. The troll plucked the arrows and spears from its hide like toothpicks. Whatever wounds they managed to inflict healed up almost instantly.
—KWARRRRRRRGH!!
"Wh-what?!"
If anything, their stupid strategy only served to piss of the troll.
Had they maintained their formation and assumed a defensive posture, the damage might have been minimized, but the mercenaries were incapable of such thinking. Keeping your cool in front of a rampaging troll was damn near impossible without experience.
"Uhhhhhhh..."
"GYAHHH! R-RUN!!"
The whole thing fell apart in a second.
Starting with the crossbowmen in front breaking ranks, the mercenary company scattered like ants. A few heavily armored soldiers held their ground, but their shoddy defensive formation was no match for the troll's attacks.
Thud! CRUNCH!
"Ugh!"
For each wound they managed inflict was exchanged for a life.
It was a laughable, desperate attempt.
What’s even more laughable is that the wounds they painstakingly inflicted were regenerated in seconds.
The brave ones died, the less brave ones fled, and in the blink of an eye, not a single mercenary remained.
With the mercenary company wiped out, the Consul's guard was next on the menu. The troll charged after the soldiers with terrifying momentum.
Every swing of its club sent men flying with injuries.
Soldiers with twisted limbs and ruptured organs rolled through the mud like broken dolls.
—KWOARRRRRRGH!
"GYAAAHHH!! My leg!! My leeeeg!!"
"Ugh, it hurts, it hurts so much..."
Enrico groaned.
He'd only brought his guards along to act as an escort and to clean up the troll's remains afterward. They weren't prepared to actually fight the damn thing. He was about to order a retreat when...
Out of nowhere, a barbarian just appeared in the gorge.
The guy took down the troll single-handedly in seconds and snuffed out its life.
—uuuunngh...
And with a few casual swings of his axe, the head came off. The troll's fist-sized hooked nose slammed into the mud and the barbarian calmly wiped the blood splatter from his eyes.
"..."
The sight of what seemed like an invincible monster being butchered as casually as a pig left Enrico completely speechless.
"..."
The Consul was shocked, but the soldiers were even more shaken.
They'd felt firsthand just how powerful that monster was. The thing that even heavily armored mercenaries couldn't handle and this guy took it down alone with nothing but a sword and an axe? The story was so ridiculous you couldn't even make a joke out of it.
But it was too early to be shocked. The truly eerie spectacle came afterward.
Schliiiiiick.
The barbarian cut open the troll's belly and started rummaging through its insides.
"..."
"...Urgh."
Blood spurted and pooled at his feet as the stench spread.
Torn entrails flopped around in the mud.
It looked like a scene cut straight from hell and recreated in the mortal world. The soldiers couldn't tell if what was running down their backs was cold sweat or rainwater.
Only after he'd turned the troll's entire body into rags did the horrific carnival finally end. The barbarian turned his blood-soaked, grotesque face toward the soldiers and asked, "Who are you people? Who's in charge here?"
The soldiers trembled as they looked at the Consul.
Befitting of his station, Enrico handled it far better than his men.
Enrico is a Consul who has been through all manner of trials and tribulations. He swiftly regained his composure and stepped forward boldly.
"I'm the Commander. Enrico Turis, Consul of Remtana. Who might you be?"
"Kadim. If you know anything about this troll, I'd appreciate a full explanation."
"..."
A Consul was roughly equivalent to a Lord in the Empire. Asking questions so bluntly like that was incredibly rude.
But Enrico wasn't stupid enough to worry about etiquette at a moment like this. Without this man, his soldiers would already be meat paste. He just wanted to avoid getting on this monster-like savior's bad side and have a calm conversation.
***
While the soldiers tended to the wounded and cleaned up the troll's remains, Kadim had a discussion with Enrico in front of the gorge. After hearing the general explanation, Kadim frowned and asked, "So there haven't been any trolls appearing in this gorge recently?"
"That's right. When I checked the records, there was a massive subjugation order issued long before I took office. The Mage Tower practically wiped out all the monsters in the area. After that, it became rare to see even goblins around here, let alone trolls."
It didn't seem like he was lying. After all, they hadn't encountered a single monster crossing through that vast forest. Well, except for that Paladin, the leper with three pairs of arms, the swarm of mutant vipers, and the Hydra...
‘...Actually, running into monsters would've been better.’
Kadim shook off the distracting thoughts and asked again, "Then why did a troll suddenly show up again?"
"I don't know either. If this were an area where monster appearances were common, we would've been prepared. But having one pop up out of nowhere like this is why we're in this mess..."
Enrico glanced at his guard soldiers. There weren't many deaths, but seeing that about half of them were injured left him feeling unsettled. If they'd been diligent with training and monster hunting under normal circumstances, they wouldn't have been fooled by some charlatan mercenary company or ended up in this state.
Meanwhile, Kadim clasped his hands together with a serious expression. When he'd dug through the second troll's innards, he'd found the same dark residue as before. This was something he couldn't just ignore.
"Are there any demons in this area?"
After a brief pause, Enrico shook his head firmly.
"No, there aren't. If there were demons, Ymir wouldn't have just sat by. The Mage Tower is just as aggressive about demon hunting as the Order of Elga."
"Who's Ymir?"
"Ah, Ymir is one of my advisors. We have different political stances, so he hasn't been much help... but he's a skilled mage from the Mage Tower. If a demon had appeared, he would've been the first to deal with it."
Kadim's eyes sharpened.
"Is there any chance he was involved in the troll blocking the gorge by using magic or other means?"
Enrico's shoulders flinched.
He pressed his temple and sank deep into thought. Only after considerable time had passed did his dry lips finally part.
"...I can't say it's completely impossible. I've heard there are spells that can control the minds of people or monsters."
"What about the possibility he made a contract with a demon?"
"That wouldn't have happened. The Mage Tower strictly forbids such things. If mages were selling their souls to demons left and right, the Empire's Paladins would've stepped in long ago and turned the entire Alliance into a wasteland. Unless Ymir's gone completely insane, I'd say there's zero chance of that."
"..."
Something felt off.
The source of magic is mana, the supernatural energy floating in the atmosphere. It's clearly distinct from a demon's demonic energy. There's no way ordinary magic alone could leave residue similar to demonic energy.
So naturally, Kadim had been assuming that a mage who'd contracted with a demon had tampered with the troll. But now he was being told that was completely impossible?
"..."
It was unsettling, but there weren't any more leads. For now, getting paid for the job he'd completed took priority.
Kadim stood up. Enrico moved his lips for a long moment as if to speak, then slowly shook his head. Instead, he offered his thanks.
"...Anyway, on behalf of Remtana and all the residents of my jurisdiction, thank you. If we hadn't dealt with the troll, the road would've been blocked for quite a while longer. You've saved countless people from hardship."
"No need to thank me. I'm doing this because the village chief of Ekul promised me payment. They were pretty desperate too."
"Ah, I see. So that's the situation..."
When Kadim stood up, Duncan came scurrying over. He'd been helping with emergency treatment for the injured soldiers. Kadim glanced back and forth between the hesitant Duncan and the exhausted soldiers before making a suggestion to Enrico.
"You've got a lot of wounded. How about heading to nearby Ekul to recuperate? I need to go back there to collect my payment."
"Ah, good idea. I was planning to stop by there anyway... I'll gladly accept your proposal."
Kadim and Enrico took the lead of the procession.
The wounded and Duncan held the center while the soldiers who were still in decent shape watched the rear. The entire time they entered the narrow gorge, the soldiers kept their shoulders hunched and kept stealing glances at Kadim.
The spring rain was gradually letting up.
A damp breeze seeped through the gorge that hadn't seen human footsteps in a while. The towering rock cliffs cast deep shadows like fortress walls. The yellowish-brown sediment layers stacked identically on both sides seemed to testify that the name of this place wasn't just for show.
Enrico had no time to pay attention to his surroundings.
He was lost in thought about the barbarian's identity and his advisor. The soldiers, on the other hand, were too exhausted. The crisis that had nearly cost them their lives had drained them completely. And Duncan was too busy helping the wounded to notice anything else.
That's why Kadim was the only one who caught the abnormality.
They were dead center in the gorge, a long way from either end. A narrow path, walls on both sides.
This is definitely the perfect spot to set a trap and ambush your enemy.
Suddenly, faint smoke began rising from the cliffs above. A subtle vibration could be felt, and heat haze shimmered in the air.
And then the smell of sulfur hit his nose.
"..."
Kadim clenched his teeth.
This wasn't a sign of some random fire. This was a trap someone had deliberately set to prevent escape.
And they had walked right into it.
BOOM!
An explosion erupted and debris came crashing down from the cliff in droves along with burning trees mixed with falling rocks.
The impact shook the earth and kicked up thick clouds of dust. The flames on the trees and rocks didn't die even after hitting the ground. Just like that, their path forward was blocked by a wall of fire.
"AHHHHH!"
"Wh-what the hell is this?!"
"Watch out! Behind us too—"
BOOM!
It’s the same for the rear.
A great roar echoed in their ears, and the flame-wreathed debris trapped them like a rat in a ring of fire.
And before anyone could gather their wits, a bolt of fire struck right in front of them.
BOOM!
A searing light that burned away the gorge's shadows descended like a second sun. Everyone squeezed their eyes shut against the blinding brilliance. Scorching heat surged up and waves of fire rolled toward their feet. The burning air scraped their skin and choked their breath.
As the radiance slowly faded, the source of the firebolt was revealed.
Rippling red-gold hair, divine energy wrapping her entire body like a cloak of flames, plate armor heated to the temperature of molten lava, a crimson longsword spreading hellfire with violent intensity.
A woman whose very presence seemed to personify divine wrath itself.
The soldiers cried out in shock.
"A-a Paladin...! It's a Paladin from the Order of Elga!"
"Why would a Paladin be in a place like this...?"
Her emerald eyes were locked on one person. From the moment she'd waited on the clifftop to the moment she attacked, she hadn't looked at anyone else.
Archpaladin Helia Munel spoke through her gritted teeth.
"Finally... I've finally found you, you demon wearing human skin."
"..."
"Your sins swarm like vermin in the depths of the abyss... Now that the Light of Judgement has arrived, this sword's hellfire will burn your rotten soul without leaving even a speck of ash..."
Kadim silently met the paladin's gaze. Then he casually glanced back and asked, "Didn't you say an Archpaladin would never cross the border, Duncan?"
"Huh? Uh, um... that's... uh... I, I don't know what’s going on either..."
Duncan looked like he was about to burst into tears and Kadim sighed deeply to himself.
Something that absolutely shouldn't have happened just did. There seemed to be two possibilities. Either this Archpaladin had somehow reached a diplomatic agreement with the Alliance at miraculous speed, or she'd gone crazy enough to cross the border without one.
Either way, a head-on collision was unavoidable.
If he ran now, there was no telling when she'd ambush him again. Even if the odds were low, he had no choice but to fight.
Never leave loose ends.
Kadim reminded himself of the principle he always lived by. His large hand slowly moved toward the canteen hanging at his waist.
But then an unexpected person suddenly stepped forward.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?! Aren't you a Paladin of the Empire? Why is a Paladin committing such atrocities on the Alliance’s territory?!"
The enraged middle-aged man was fearlessly approaching the flames.
Helia narrowed her eyes slightly.
"That may be, but who are you? I'm currently executing a sacred mission. Outsiders should stay out of it and move asi—"
"I am Enrico Turis, Consul of Remtana under the Delutana Council! This is my jurisdiction, and I've heard absolutely nothing about you in advance! This is a clear border violation! If you don't withdraw immediately, I'll send a formal protest letter to the Order through the Council!"
"...!"
Enrico held up a ring engraved with the seal of the Delutana Council. It was clear proof that he was the Consul of this region.
A bewilderment as clear as flames spread across Helia's face.