Ch.190The Jewel of the West Sea. Zirconia (3)

*Gulp..!*

The inspector’s swallowing sound triggered my sensitive hearing.

“You… you’re truly strong.”

“Of course. I’m a Gold-rank adventurer, after all.”

“G-Gold rank…”

Just as gold coins are the highest among currencies, Gold rank was the pinnacle among mortals.

I don’t particularly feel like boasting, but my power doesn’t diminish just because I refrain from bragging about it.

Even setting myself aside, my party no longer had any members below Metal rank. We—or rather, I—possessed enough strength to repel ten amateur mercenary groups hired by farmers with no proper combat experience or training.

“We chose this request because we have the ability to fulfill it. Just watch quietly. At least for the next month, things won’t be boring.”

“I… I understand.”

I smiled, then slung the Purifier back over my shoulder and gave orders to the soldiers while looking at the fallen trees.

“What are you all doing? The materials for the watchtower are right there on the ground. Hurry up and gather them to build the tower.”

“Yes, sir!”

And so, with materials procured in just a few seconds, the watchtower was completed in less than two days.

*

“Hmm…”

A week had passed since our arrival here.

Even after ten days, there was still no sign of anyone outside the blockade line, and the mercenary group we’d heard about was nowhere to be seen.

During this time, the airship carried several crew members to thoroughly search the area. The aerial reconnaissance was apparently effective, as they reported seeing the quarantined villagers and mercenaries.

“So, what did you see?”

“Bad news, sir. We spotted battering rams and catapults. They didn’t look very large, but… our defensive facilities aren’t built that sturdy either. We should prepare thoroughly.”

“Catapults and battering rams…”

In truth, the blockade line was literally just a “line,” with no entrance gates like a fortress would have.

It was merely a collection of hastily erected wooden palisades and earthen walls.

We had archers well-equipped, but if the enemy properly covered themselves with shields or leather for protection, arrows would be useless.

Without an entrance, even I would find it difficult to freely cross the blockade line to fight, and if there were Aura users of Steel rank or higher among the mercenaries, I literally couldn’t guarantee my survival.

“But something puzzles me. Catapults and battering rams? Those aren’t children’s toys. Even if they’re not large, they require specialized skills to even attempt building. And the villagers and mercenaries built them…?”

“The mercenary group might have specialists, but… I’m suspicious too. People dying from plague willingly engaging in such hard labor? And mercenaries aren’t immune to disease either…”

Such siege weapons aren’t made from just any trees found on the nearby mountain. They require elastic and sturdy wood, and it seems suspicious that dying plague victims could pool their resources to hire mercenaries with such specialized skills.

“Is there really a plague going around?”

“Yes… that’s certain. I saw decomposing corpses, and some people bleeding or vomiting. There was even someone who died coughing up blood while assembling a catapult.”

“…This is becoming more suspicious.”

I looked at the inspector.

His face was also contorted with seriousness, and he approached me saying:

“Lord Victor, I believe there’s external intervention at play. It’s strange how dying patients willingly engage in hard labor, and how the mercenaries work with the patients without concern for the disease.”

“All my soldiers have been vaccinated. Could the mercenaries have been as well?”

“Vaccines aren’t cheap… and even if they’re immune, they must know that viruses or bacteria can contaminate weapons or clothing. Given how mercenaries frequently interact with others, they should know that carriers are also subject to quarantine.”

“Hmm…”

Now that I thought about it, there were many suspicious elements.

The epidemic seemed like a smokescreen hiding something, and I had the feeling that digging a little deeper would reveal a larger conspiracy.

But…

“But why…? If there’s external intervention, it implies an outside force… but the only external forces would be inland small and medium-sized cities with no connection to us, or allied coastal cities in the same maritime region. There’s no one who would benefit from provoking our Zirconia like this!”

The inspector began pulling at his hair.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t discern the opponent’s intentions, and he couldn’t even find evidence that such an opponent existed.

The world is vast, with countless circumstances, so we couldn’t entirely rule out the possibility that there was simply a group of tough mercenaries who didn’t care about becoming carriers or getting sick, faithfully following their farmer employers who were determined to siege even if it meant their death.

“For now… I need to contact the homeland.”

“I’ll provide you with a communications officer.”

“Thank you…”

The inspector returned to the airship with the communications officer, and I sat in the barracks, absentmindedly rubbing my wife’s cheek while lost in thought.

This was clearly different from an ordinary plague situation. Plague victims hiring mercenaries… that could happen, but what’s stranger is that the mercenaries accepted the job of escorting infected patients.

Even if mercenaries aren’t known for their intelligence, they wouldn’t be so stupid as to not know that being close to patients would spread the disease…

Moreover, if they had money to hire mercenaries, using it to buy medicine would have been a much more rational choice.

Unless regional tensions in Zirconia were severe enough to approach civil war. When a plague spreads, letting the dying die is the standard quarantine procedure practiced worldwide.

“Damn it. I don’t understand either.”

If even a civil servant more knowledgeable about international affairs than me was clutching his head, how could I, a mere adventurer, investigate and explore such complex dynamics?

There’s only one thing I can do.

Kill and eliminate every being that tries to cross the blockade line.

*

Two weeks passed like that.

The inspector continued communicating with the homeland, but it seemed they weren’t providing any specific solutions.

According to the inspector, they needed more information, which required additional investigation, which in turn required ensuring local safety—and what we were doing was precisely ensuring that safety, so there was nothing more we could do.

“This is so frustrating I could go mad! There’s clearly something going on, but nothing’s coming out! In my twelve years as an inspector, I’ve never encountered anything so bizarre!”

Gulp! Gulp!

Saying this, the inspector downed strong wine in quick succession to soothe his burning frustration, and soon collapsed on the floor.

“Take the inspector to his room.”

“Yes, sir.”

After confirming that the crew members were dragging him away, I left the airship and headed back to the blockade line.

My soldiers still maintained impeccable vigilance, and I nodded approvingly at the well-built watchtower and blockade line.

The blockade line consisted of earthen wall-wooden palisade-earthen wall, so even with battering rams, it wouldn’t be breached quickly. Simon had cast spells on the wooden watchtower to make it resistant to fire.

This was quite a formidable defensive line.

The only regret was the lack of catapults or cannons to strike the rear, but that couldn’t be helped.

We had the dwarf brothers, but they specialized in direct combat, not in crafting siege weapons.

Such things required professional knowledge beyond racial characteristics, so eyeballing it wouldn’t work.

“Well, at least we have superior numbers. This is perfect for experts in flames and explosions to shine.”

“Hahaha! That’s right, boss! With flames and explosions, you can solve all the world’s problems!”

“Yes, I suppose so.”

I had a brief conversation with the dwarf brothers and was about to return to the airship.

“Lord Victor! There’s a cavalry soldier outside the blockade line!”

“…Wait a moment.”

Just then, a report came from the watchtower about a cavalry soldier outside the blockade line. My soldiers and I hurried to the top of the barrier wall to observe.

“…”

A single cavalry soldier covered in chain mail, holding a spear with a white flag, was silently staring in our direction.

“What should we do?”

“Are there any other forces visible?”

“None yet, sir. This looks like an envoy… Do farmers send envoys these days?”

“That’s what we’re about to find out.”

I stood up, removed my helmet, and revealed my identity to the cavalry soldier.

“I am Victor Walker! The commander responsible for this blockade line! State your purpose!”

Upon my declaration, the cavalry soldier planted his spear in the ground and spoke:

“Open… the blockade line…”

In an eerie, chilling voice that seemed impossible for a living person.