Chapter 39

It was no exaggeration that the way to the east was blocked.

All land and sea routes to the east were barricaded.

The gates leading from the west to the east were the same.

People who had just returned from the east and those who were planning to go east were all tangled together, causing extreme confusion.

"It was the same regardless of who we asked. There seems to be no one heading east."

"This is serious."

They inquired about people heading to the east.

They said they would provide a few gold coins if they could accompany them.

But it was natural that no sane person would go east right now.

The anomalous phenomenon in the east that he had witnessed in his previous life.

The scene of black mud overflowing and filling the wasteland came to mind.

Who were those people who threw themselves into the pit as if out of their minds?

What if they were people who couldn't escape the wasteland in time?

And what about Arndt, whom he had sent to the east?

Would he be safe?

He had thought that Aisling would be able to pull out of the business being conducted in the east.

And Aiden wouldn't be the only one to swiftly withdraw, would he? He would surely share this information.

So naturally, he had thought the business would be halted or stopped.

He seemed to be a step too late.

Things must not be allowed to proceed along the same route as before.

If that happened, this time his limbs would truly be scattered throughout the kingdom.

If he died like that, there was no guarantee he would return again.

There was too little information known about revelations.

"All routes to the east are blocked."

"That's the current situation."

"Any news from the royal palace or the capital?"

"The royal palace has stated they will expedite an on-site investigation. No specific timeline has been set."

The one fortunate thing was that there was a difference when comparing the present with the past.

Namely, that rumors had spread this far.

He had never heard such rumors when they were heading to the east before.

It might have been because they had traveled mostly on foot without stopping much in villages.

But still, a change was a change.

What was important was that the protagonist was now hearing and seeing different things.

The inn they had temporarily visited for the sake of the black horse.

A map was spread out on the dining table.

It was to check the routes to the east.

He traced the route from west to east with his finger, then stopped.

If what Leandros had just said was true, there was no way to the east.

"You said all routes were blockaded."

"Yes."

"Then shouldn't we go through places that aren't routes?"

There was only one option.

Except for crossing the mountain range.

The massive Dikenter Mountains, which separated the north from the kingdom.

The branches originating from that mountain range were stretched out like the tentacles of a jellyfish or an octopus.

Those extended branches occupied the northeastern and upper western regions.

The direction he had pointed to was to choose a path from the west to the north, climb the mountains, and head directly to the east.

If they crossed the mountain range, they could enter the east directly.

An efficient but implausible route.

In short, it was a crazy idea.

"Do you think this is too unreasonable?"

His past self would probably have wondered if there was something wrong with his head.

He asked Leandros.

By this point, he thought Leandros might at least make a mild reproach.

Saying that it wasn't right to assume an impossible journey.

But surprisingly, Leandros began to carefully observe that route.

"It shouldn't be unreasonable."

"Really?"

"Since we'll be crossing mountains, it will take some time, but I expect it's better than not being able to go to the east at all. It's a situation where we don't know when passage will be possible. Moreover."

Leandros rolled up the map.

"I can also guess the reason why we must go to the east."

"Reason?"

"Isn't it because of that fellow? I thought you would be concerned about the one you personally sent to the east."

Arndt?

Of course, Arndt was an important factor.

He was excellent in many aspects of daily life, providing good support.

He also collected rumors well, and always paid attention to condition management.

There was certainly a sense of emptiness without him, but he hadn't thought he felt it that much.

Leandros was overinterpreting him.

"Yes. Perhaps that's it."

...But since Leandros was interpreting it favorably, he might as well accept it.

Rather than going out of his way to correct him, it seemed better to be thought of as a Duke who cared for his attendant.

"Should we get one more horse on the way?"

"Will you be able to ride a horse?"

"It's not that, but isn't it uneasy having only one horse?"

The black horse they had purchased at the beginning of their journey boasted the best cost-effectiveness among all their expenditures so far.

He had been worried because it was said to have a bad temperament, but that didn't seem to be the case.

No matter how far they traveled, he had never seen it sweat a single drop while carrying two people.

Come to think of it, was this really a horse?

Wasn't it some kind of new life form?

"It's stronger than expected. I've never seen it tire on the way here."

"If you're so confident, I have no objections."

The image of the black horse, whose coat grew increasingly glossy rather than showing signs of fatigue as days went by, was clearly drawn in his mind.

He would have to inquire about its breed later.

As he was thinking this, Leandros answered seriously.

"The issue you should be aware of isn't the horse."

"Then what is it?"

"It's Your Grace."

Me?

Leandros left it at that and called the innkeeper to prepare provisions.

And he only came to understand the meaning of Leandros's words when they ascended the mountain range.

He had been concerned about the pitiful muscles of his previous body.

* * *

Night, in a corner of the eastern wasteland.

The barracks, which originally served as an outpost for the reclamation project and accommodations for distinguished guests, had now been transformed into a temporary shelter.

Artisans, workers, mercenaries, and merchant group personnel who had failed to escape the eastern wasteland in time were crowded in the shelter.

Each with worried faces, they gathered in groups of three or five to talk.

Among them, there was one young man sitting alone on a small supply box, separated from the others.

He was watching people with a gloomy face that did not match his round features.

And there was someone offering him a cup of hot water.

"At least drink this."

"...Aren't you anxious, Mr. Aisling?"

Aiden shrugged and forcibly placed the cup in the young man's hands.

"It's not that I'm not anxious. I'm probably as anxious as you are. It's a hard time for everyone, Arndt."

"But you look quite peaceful despite that."

"I'm just pretending."

Aiden took a seat next to Arndt.

Arndt fidgeted with the cup and asked.

"Has there been any contact from outside?"

"None. Not at all. We sent messenger birds, but they didn't return. I'm curious as to why."

"What about the reconnaissance team?"

Aiden shook his head.

The fact that even those who had gone to examine the situation in the wasteland had not returned was a serious problem.

The seventeenth day after the tenth.

Many days had passed since the day the pit in the wasteland went berserk.

At first, Arndt had come to help with work in the wasteland at the request of Aiden, with whom he was to stay in the east.

-You're probably aware, but we're currently sending main personnel outside the east.

-Dispatching?

-It's a nominal excuse. We're discussing the investment matter with the royal family, and it will certainly take a lot of time. We're a bit short-handed, would you help?

-What would I need to help with?

-Simple tasks. Have you been to the wasteland before?

Arndt had assisted with personnel management.

It was a job that only required checking the number of accidents or missing persons, and how many mercenaries had been injured in battles with occasionally appearing demonic beasts.

The routine was to go out with Aiden from morning and return to the Aisling mansion in the evening.

So Arndt thought it would be fine.

He thought what Arenheit had said when they parted wasn't such a big deal.

That he had only cautioned him because he didn't know what might happen in the wasteland at night.

But what had happened now because he didn't listen?

Arndt could still vividly remember.

The sensation of shaking from deep within the ground.

The screams of workers that came from beneath the pit.

The black mud that began to rise rapidly, and the unknown things emerging from it.

Those who shouted for help as they were submerged in the mud.

The survivors who barely escaped headed for the barracks located farthest from the pit.

But that was all.

There was nothing more they could do, and the mud continued to overflow and advance.

Strength entered Arndt's hands as he held the cup.

He should have listened to His Grace's words.

Aiden, who had been watching Arndt with his head bowed all along, patted his shoulder.

"Let's think positively. Dozens of messenger birds we released might have reached the outside. There might be people who escaped the east and spread the news."

"Do you think so...?"

"The royal palace must know by now. How about imagining rescue teams from outside trying hard to enter the east? Doesn't that lift your spirits?"

Arndt tried to imagine good things as Aiden suggested.

But his shoulders remained slumped, devoid of strength.

"No matter how hard I try, I can't imagine anything good."

"I understand you're anxious, but..."

"It's not anxiety, I just can't think that way. Do you understand? It feels like something is grabbing my ankles and pulling me down. I just can't think of anything."

As Arndt spoke rapidly, Aiden, who was about to counter, suddenly noticed that the cup in his hands was trembling slightly.

Arndt continued.

"I only feel ominous certainty. What if they abandon the east from outside? What if our Young Master doesn't hear this news? If we all can't leave here, and so we..."

"Arndt."

"What if we die here like this...?"

Arndt made a sniffling sound.

Aiden didn't know what to say.

He too had not avoided considering the worst-case scenario.

But Arndt seemed particularly more severe in that aspect.

Perhaps it was only natural.

Aiden had forced himself to sleep and eat terrible meals even in difficult situations.

But Arndt appeared to be not sleeping properly, worrying about his Young Master outside and the mud.

It was reasonable that his patience would have reached its limit in some way.

"That's all the more reason not to think like that."

"But."

"Think about the fun things you can do with your Young Master when you get out. This is a battle right now."

Aiden tapped his own head.

"A battle of mental strength."

"...You seem to be good at that."

"When you do trading business, you develop guts."

"Why trade though?"

"Imagine a ship on which I've poured my money sinking completely or being pirated on a distant sea. And I can't do anything about it on land. It's a complete act of God."

Seeing Aiden becoming rapidly tired as soon as the topic of trade came up, Arndt felt a bit better.

Perhaps Aiden was right.

It didn't make sense that an anomalous phenomenon of this scale would go unnoticed outside.

So His Grace must also know.

He would take some measures for him.

It didn't matter whether he used people or sent Leandros.

Arndt took another sip of water and opened his mouth.

"Have you been on a ship before?"

"Ah, of course. Have you? If not, I'll take you. By the way, your Young Master asked me to do something in the south..."

Just as Aiden was about to continue, someone outside shouted.

It wasn't a voice announcing the change of guards or sleep time.

Someone nameless was shouting desperately.

"Demonic beasts! Demonic beasts! The demonic beasts are coming!!"

Demonic beasts.

From the pit, demonic beasts were coming all the way here.

Even before most people heard the sound and assessed the situation.

Aiden grabbed Arndt's wrist, stood up, and ran.

The shelter was engulfed in chaos in an instant.