episode_0117

– Oooong!

At the top of the hill of Banditsa Fortress. A huge amethyst floating above the hexagonal structure emits a vast amount of magic power with a continuous rumble.

The vast magic emitted by the amethyst turned into a pale light river flowing like a galaxy, splitting into five branches and seeping to the top of the watchtower standing in the plain.

Though broken in places, the five watchtowers still standing shone like lighthouses, brightly illuminating the ruins below.

Collapsed barracks. A frozen blacksmith. A garden devoid of leaves and frozen puddles.

A road that has sunken and risen, turning into a mess. Even the remnants of rusty weapons and armor scattered on it.

It was a scene resembling a fortress abandoned for over a thousand years just after the war.

“Wow… something is really… beautiful? No, it’s magnificent….”

“Yeah.”

While it could be considered a picturesque scene, due to the densely concentrated magic light, it felt somewhat dreamlike in a way that was clearly visible to the eye.

A little, what’s that… atmosphere? Yes, an atmosphere of sorts, as Freide mentioned. It did look magnificent.

Once inside the fortress, thoughts might change a bit.

“But don’t let your guard down too much; I heard the inside is quite dangerous despite appearances.”

After examining the view of Banditsa, I tidied Freide’s hair and sat next to her, resting while letting my clothes dry in the chilly wind.

Given that we had just fought a horde of undead and battled underwater, both Freide and I were honestly a bit tired.

In such a state, if we were to venture inside and not be able to walk out, it could be problematic.

What appeared to be an empty ruin was only surface appearance. It was undoubtedly one of the hidden dungeons.

“Oh, right. Hilde, your arm! Show me your arm, quickly.”

As I rested, Freide suddenly turned to me and grabbed my left hand as if something had occurred to her.

“Huh, why your arm all of a sudden…?”

“Why wouldn’t it be? You got stabbed with a dagger earlier.”

Ah, that’s right, she did.

I almost forgot about it because I was busy fighting, but as I suddenly realized, my arm seemed to be regaining its strength.

“You suddenly touched my arm without a word… Do you know how surprised I was?”

Freide grumbled in a half-worried, half-scolding tone as she took off my gauntlet and rolled up my sleeve to check the wound on my arm.

Bright red sword marks vividly engraved on the fair skin.

The wound itself wasn’t very deep, but perhaps due to swimming in the river, the blood hadn’t stopped and was still flowing steadily.

“Look at this, what’s this on your pretty arm…”

Carefully touching my arm, Freide sighed and then rummaged through her small bag at her waist, taking out a small potion bottle.

…That hurt more than I thought.

Proper potions contained an anesthetic that healed wounds without pain, but over-the-counter cheap products were unlikely to have such an effect.

All we could get as fugitives were those cheap products.

It was regrettable, but we continued to use them. However, every time we did, it honestly felt like pouring sulfuric acid on the wound.

“Hey, Freide? Isn’t it a waste to use a potion on a healing wound if we leave it alone…?”

So, with an awkward smile, I subtly expressed my reluctance to use the potion on such a wound.

“No, if you leave it alone, it will scar!”

Of course, my reasoning didn’t work. Freide firmly grabbed my wrist like a wet dog, shaking her head vigorously.

It was a foregone conclusion, so there was nothing to argue about. Even if it naturally healed on its own, as Freide said, a clear scar would inevitably remain where the wound had been.

…Can’t be helped. Judging by her attitude and expression, trying to justify it to a knight was likely to be futile.

“…Alright. Go ahead.”

I closed my eyes slightly and obediently extended my arm. Freide, who had removed the potion bottle’s stopper with her teeth, poured the potion onto my forearm.

– Sizzle…

A red liquid covering the wound bubbled and let out a wisp of smoke. The torn flesh wriggled and adhered to each other, filling the wound.

Ah, it stings…

I frowned at the arrogant manner, turning my head slightly so that Freide wouldn’t see me.

As expected, it really stung. It felt like pouring salt, pepper, and vinegar on a heightened sense of touch, almost tenfold.

I could endure it to a certain extent, but accepting it nonchalantly was still somewhat difficult.

Really, this is why you should use genuine products for everything.

Damn adventurers. Each one carries around fake potions for cheap thrills, and in using them, we too had to suffer from the agony of counterfeit potions.

◆◆

After what seemed like I would shout that our base was to the north of the mountain once the treatment was over, we rested until our strength fully returned, sharing various stories.

More accurately, I kept talking, and Freide listened attentively, nodding her head continuously, like a high school girl concentrating during her favorite teacher’s class.

Well, when you think about it, there isn’t much difference.

The stories I brought up were not about appreciating the scenery or trivial chitchat, but rather information and precautions regarding the banditry.

“Oh, so… it was built by Mr. Hilde’s ancestors, and just before it fell to the enemy, one of his ancestors sealed the castle itself…?”

“Something like that.”

I nodded. I had given the gist, even though some important details were omitted.

Explaining it as if it were a legend passed down through generations like a novel, I couldn’t help but omit some information or use vague expressions.

“To be honest, I was skeptical, but seeing it firsthand… it’s a bit—no, very fascinating. Just like the old stories my parents told me.”

“Um… Mr. Hilde, I’m just asking in case, but… were you from some fallen kingdom’s royal family or something like that…?”

Freide cautiously asked, with an expression as if wondering if I might have been a princess from somewhere.

Well, that’s a natural reaction.

The castle itself was easily several times larger than the lord’s castle of a considerable noble family, and this place was clearly closer to a frontier base rather than the nature of a lineage.

In other words, it meant that the Einstain family in its heyday possessed at least two castles of this size or larger.

Moreover, there were even formidable forces present to seal off such castles entirely from the rivers.

In ancient times, such power would have been sufficient to claim kingship.

In fact, during the time when banditry was rampant, the Einstain family was one of the strongest forces contending for supremacy.

Although more akin to a military organization than a royal dynasty, they were such a powerful force that if they claimed themselves as a kingdom, all others would acknowledge it.

The existence sealed within the amethyst to maintain banditry was evidence of that.

…No, should I say witness?

The lord of banditry, Valphreya Einstain.

According to the novel’s setting, she was the former commander of the old Einstain’s knights and a sorceress, who was said to be a formidable opponent in the past.

How strong was she to earn such a description? Well, to put it simply…

Estimated level 90.

The guardian of banditry sealed within the amethyst was a monster that no demon could defeat one-on-one, except for the Demon King.

It was precisely because of Valphreya that it was strictly forbidden to approach the fortress near the hill.

If any being approached the amethyst near the fortress of Einstain, Valphreya would finally break the amethyst and emerge.

Then it would be all over.

Not only for me and Friede, but even if all the heroes from each country were gathered, they would be wiped out with just a gesture at this point.

As a descendant of my ancestors – no, of Brunhilde’s ancestors, wouldn’t it be a reliable ally for me?

That’s an absurd notion. She wasn’t that kind of benevolent being.

No, from the start, Einstain itself was a force far removed from goodness or justice.

The ones who attacked the Bandit’s Nest, leading the fortress to be sealed, were none other than humans from the past.

Perhaps even heroes from that era were involved?

Einstein in his prime has been completely erased from records, so it’s a rare story for anyone to know now.

Even Gunter only knows the Einstein family as a rebellious one in the Line Kingdom, showing no interest in their previous history.

Perhaps the Line Kingdom didn’t know either.

So those who carried the name of Einstein – perhaps they harbored the descendants of the fallen ancient Einsteins as nobles of their own country.

Even though those descendants have now been expelled from the noble list due to inciting rebellion, the original novel being serialized makes it a bit ambiguous, but Brunhilde probably didn’t know about her family’s past either.

The reason she was fixated on the hero party was to redeem the stigma of being a rebellious family and revive the Einstein family.

She only knew about the rebellion, not much about the flourishing era, which could easily be considered a thousand years ago.

…Well, it wasn’t something I particularly cared about.

My goal wasn’t the revival of the family, but to obtain a peaceful life and future. My purpose for coming here wasn’t to meet Valphreya.

Awakening a level 90 boss monster is insane. My goal wasn’t to defeat the boss of this dungeon and clear it, but to grab what I needed and escape, just like the possessed character in the original novel.

“…Let’s start moving. You remember everything I told you, right?”

“Yes, yes! I remember everything!”

I got up from my seat, lightly patting Freide’s head as she nodded. I felt grateful and relieved knowing that Freide’s true identity was “Frit.”

Her role was crucial to achieving my purpose here, specifically her characteristic .

Yes, I’ll trust only you, Freide.

So please protect me well, my own hero.