Chapter 84

Chapter 84 - Path of the Castellan (3)

Several days passed after Eugene's party was dragged into the Moving Castle.

The Rostock guards, who were controlling the surrounding crowds, ceased their duties.

"We are withdrawing. Tear down the guard posts."

"Really, Captain?!"

"Finally!"

Subordinates who were mentally exhausted cheered and embraced each other.

- You bastards! Do you know who I am to do this?

- We are sorry. It is an order from His Grace Duke Ismar so...

For travelers, mercenaries, or adventurers, pressing them down with the authority of the guards was enough.

But nobles visiting from all over the continent were the problem. Among them, even royalty was mixed in, even if their succession rank was low.

- According to the customary law passed down from ancient times, this castle is classified as surface abandoned property. It's not the Duke's private property, yet you won't even let us touch it? Even if it is his territory, isn't this too much!

In a situation where the status gap was already severe and difficult to deal with, bringing up nobles' customary laws that ordinary guards didn't even know of left them with no capability to handle it.

- Just withdraw them. We'll end up accumulating ill feelings with all families while worrying about accidents.

Eventually, even Duke Ismar had no choice but to give up control.

Meanwhile, if one stands, one wants to sit, and if one sits, one wants to lie down.

Those whose emotions moved to the next level of curiosity appeared. That is precisely greed. There were also many who came running harboring greed from the very beginning.

"When are the Dwarf bastards coming?"

"They say they will be two days late because they were hastily looking for a ship."

"What if some other bastard opens it during those two days!"

Looking at the mercenaries and adventurers fiddling with the castle gate, a certain Count burst with anger.

"Count. Would a castle gate built by the ancients be penetrated by the likes of them? Honestly, it won't work even if Dwarf siegers come. Rather than that, I am worried if we can hit the castle gate without Duke Ismar's permission."

Bringing siege weapons and striking could risk offending the Duke's mood if one made a mistake. Because anyway, they were operating something akin to an army in someone else's territory.

"Ahem! Challenging abandoned ruins is strictly a noble's right. The Duke should also overlook it since we didn't bring another military force."

Direct property like mines belongs to the lord of the territory where it is discovered with top priority authority.

But artifacts like abandoned ruins or research facilities left by ancient magicians are different. Since they are treated as a sort of ownerless loot, the one who explores them first is recognized with great rights.

It is a customary law created when humanity's territory was taken away massively by monsters that proliferated after the fall of the ancient kingdom.

It was to encourage a pioneering spirit risking one's life. That right is invariably respected even now when the world has stabilized.

"Magician. Try opening it somehow."

"Me?!"

"From what I heard from the one who introduced you, you are an expert at opening seals?"

In front of the castle gate, there were a glaring knight and a timid young magician.

"My magic is taking out the letter paper without breaking the wax and putting it back in."

Even if it doesn't seem like much, it was an amazing trick. Because it meant one could steal a glance at high-ranking nobles' letters in the middle without being caught.

"I don't want to hear it! Since the Viscount unconditionally told you to produce results, do it somehow! If not, I will report that you are a scammer trying to earn money deceiving nobles."

"A-Ah, no! Wait a moment!"

The magician who was struck by lightning on a dry day made a crying face.

Magicians of this era are in the position of advisor and comprehensive solver simultaneously. Thanks to that, being demanded areas outside their expertise was common.

Touching a wax seal and breaking the seal of a giant castle gate that makes one suffocate just looking at it.

The two are completely different fields, but the ignorant knight bastard didn't care. He was forcing him to open it with the logic of 'Since you are an expert at opening seals anyway.'

"Now now, Sir Berman. Have a drink."

During that time, nobles who came from various places endlessly held banquets. As if competing on who could set up tents and put out food more luxuriously.

Merchant groups, clowns, laborers, city residents aiming for them, mercenaries seeking work or coming to play, and even free knights trying to make connections with nobles joined in.

With candles and torches from numerous tents, and the lanterns of people roaming around, the plain was brightly lit even at night.

However, that light only shone on the lower part of the Moving Castle. Earthly light could not reach up to the middle section.

Then one night.

"Huh?"

A Dark Elf who was monitoring the upper side without even paying attention to the castle gate opened his eyes wide.

"What is it?"

"Tha-That over there! Report to Lord Rex immediately!"

Intense white lightings never seen in any noble family were shining from the middle section of the castle.

Because everything was pitch black and it alone was sparkling, it quickly caught the eye.

Rumble.

A low and dull sound as if the giant castle was stretching echoed through the plain.

Like muscles rejoicing as blood circulated in blood vessels that had been parched dry for a long time.

Flash!

Even in the darkness, lights began to turn on in succession all over the castle, exuding presence with even blacker silhouettes.

"Oh my God!"

"Am I dreaming?"

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked up in admiration.

The torches, candles, and lanterns lit on the plain totaled over a thousand. But the less than 100 lights wrapping the giant castle eclipsed them all.

"Beautiful."

A noble lady who had a bored face next to her husband throughout the banquet clasped her hands together and looking up at the castle enchantedly.

It felt like the stars in the night sky had descended right above her.

"So this was how it's done."

The culprit who woke those stars nodded his head clenching his fist at the core of the Moving Castle. He had successfully completed his first order after assuming the post of castellan.

Vooom.

The Moving Castle's core also absorbed the new owner's thoughts with its whole body. As if rejoicing at the end of the long past spent as an empty shell.

* * *

A throne lacking nothing even compared to the one the Roman Emperor sits on. Eugene is seated there.

"It is fascinating that this giant castle is controlled by one person's hand. Even a single galley ship requires dozens of oarsmen and a crew to lead them."

"I wanted to show Lady Valda around as well, but it was set up so only the castellan can enter."

"It's a shame, but on the other hand, it's a relief. Since no one other than you would dare to sneak in and play tricks."

Valda nodded with satisfaction.

She seemed more pleased that Eugene's authority as a castellan lay on solid ground than her own curiosity.

"May I offer a word of advice?"

"There is no need to ask for permission. Please speak comfortably anytime. You can even kick my butt to wake me if I am sleeping."

"Kuk."

Valda chuckled, feeling touched overflowing. Feeling joyful yet somewhat ticklish, she stroked her abundant chest.

Changes in a person are hard to realize while living together. It's often noticed after being apart for a while.

But the knight before her eyes, despite always being together, leaped high every moment.

And each time, he presented words like this, bringing her by his side.

"If so, I will speak comfortably, but perhaps it's slightly time to put away the sword on your lap."

Eugene sat on the throne with Final Autumn resting on his lap. He was even holding the handle, fully prepared to swing it at any moment.

"Just in case this damn castle tries to play tricks, it's bothering me."

"Are you referring to the chains you saw in your dream? That bound you when you tried to stand after sitting."

Eugene nodded and swung the sword in his hand this way and that.

"With this, I should be able to cut them in a single strike."

"To my eyes, there doesn't seem to be any sign of danger at all."

Valda recalled when Eugene first sat on the throne.

- Succession is complete.

- Since the tempered flesh and tempered soul have connected as one.

- The cheap will originating from a lump of meat is now unnecessary.

The voice filled with joy melted as if rotting away. Since then, Valda and Homi couldn't hear any whispers.

What remained were only two bodies obedient to one soul.

"This is not like a contract with spirits. You simply became the owner. The castle won't harm you like in the dream. There is no reason, nor any will left to do so."

Valda's eyes directed slightly downwards.

Below the throne, Homi sat hugging her knees. Her buttocks were resting on a plush cushion she procured from somewhere.

"Above all, having a blade near the head of a precious squire is not good."

"You are correct."

At those words, Eugene immediately sheathed the sword.

"Isn't it uncomfortable? There are plenty of good sofas and chairs lying around, so there's no need to necessarily stay like this."

Shake shake.

Homi thoroughly liked the composition of looking up at her liege sitting on the throne. Occasionally she rubbed her tail or back against Eugene's leg, smiling brilliantly.

Eugene stroked her head with his chin resting on his hand.

'That's more like... rather than a knight and squire...'

Perhaps thinking it was a discourteous thought, Valda stopped thinking. At any rate, it was a warm sight that brought a smile just looking at it.

Thud!

At that moment, a small collision sound was heard from the main gate of the audience room. Homi and Valda's ears twitched.

Geuooh-.

Keureuk-.

Strange noises faintly leaking out. Eugene didn't hear them, but the two ladies with more sensitive hearing frowned.

Even though Eugene had become the castellan, numerous demons, undead, and other monsters were still roaming inside the castle.

When Homi tried to grab the military hammer she put down next to her, Eugene stopped her.

"It is okay. Because those bastards cannot come in here."

Since the architecture of the ancients was applied, the inside is also sturdy even if not quite as much as the outside.

"Castellan or not, at this rate we are practically hostages trapped in a fallen place."

"It's fortunate that there are living facilities inside the audience room."

Perhaps preparing for such a siege, there were toilets, bathrooms, and magically maintained plantation areas inside.

No matter how strong Eugene is, it was wise to step back from the siege of monsters whose numbers and identities were completely unknown.

When Eugene stood up from his seat, Valda and Homi followed behind.

Walking quite a bit down a passageway diagonal from the throne, there were large windows for observing the outside. They are about 10 meters wide and reach up to the ceiling in height.

"They truly flocked in large numbers."

The plain in the front yard of Rostock. The numerous tents and crowds surrounding the Moving Castle looked tiny.

"The Blackhand Tribe is there."

Valda found familiar flags with an Elf's vision that pierces the darkness.

"They have increased since yesterday. It seems they stopped their mercenary business and gathered all the tribe's strength here."

"By now, they would slowly feel destiny. Even those who argued the prophesied place was another city or land will lose their words upon seeing this castle."

Troubles with other mercenary groups or nobles were also slowly arising.

"Do you plan to accept them?"

"Naturally. A promise must be kept. Anyway, many people will be needed in this spacious castle. Wouldn't it be far too empty with just the three of us and dozens of mercenaries?"

Tap.

Homi placed both her palms on the glass. She had a resentful face that she couldn't immediately boast to the people down there about the achievements her liege had accomplished.

Even though it was late at night, all kinds of technicians were coming and going at the castle's main gate, agonizing over how to open it.

"It would be nice if we could open the main gate from here."

"I can open it, though?"

"...!"

Valda looked at Eugene, who spoke lightly, with a surprised face.

"I am still in the learning stage too, but among the operations possible from the core, there is also opening or closing the castle gate."

Eugene touched his temple.

When he enters the core, whispers echo in Eugene's head. As if engraving the manual for operating the castle into his brain.

It wasn't a very pleasant sensation, so he didn't stay long. He planned to learn it slowly.

"Even if detailed operations are impossible, things that can show off the castellan's authority to vassals are sufficiently possible."

"For example?"

"Turning on the lights like earlier, managing the castle's internal heating and cooling, or major functions like teleporting the castle to another region."

Tok tok.

Homi tapped Eugene's arm. She gestured suggesting how about opening the castle gate when day breaks.

With such a large military force gathered and everyone full of the desire for exploration. Organizing the internal monsters would be sufficiently possible.

"That is troublesome. I could secure safety without lifting a finger, but it creates debts."

"Ah!"

Homi let out an exclamation. She had a face ashamed of having thought too simply.

"Since it's not just one or two nobles, it would be a headache if they demand stakes later."

"Yes. Right now I have a giant castle, but my army is merely dozens. I am a very deformed monarch."

A completely solitary lord without even a barony title, blood ties, or marriage alliances in noble society.

The moment he opens the gate, all sorts of mercenary groups, free knights, and nobles will rush in thinking 'This is the time!'.

Even if they just stick a knife into a trivial monster, they will blabber on exaggerating it and demand treatment.

"Besides, if I open the door, our Dark Elf friends will rush in first and most eagerly."

"That would probably happen."

The promised place to end the arduous wandering passed down through generations is right before their eyes. The safety of the dragged Eugene is a bonus.

"They are strong warriors, but they are specialized in outdoor guerrilla warfare. If they fight the numerous monsters inside the castle, casualties will pour out."

Eugene shook his head.

"I cannot do that. Since they are friends I have many things to do for and receive from now on."

"Then what do you plan to do?"

"I have planned one thing."

Eugene took out a map depicting the continent from his embrace and unfolded it.

"Here is...?"

"There's a reason they say hometowns are good."

The place Eugene's finger pointed to was the southwestern end of the continent. It was the middle of the forest extending further west past Kingdom End village.

"It is a dense place where you can't see the sky even walking a hundred steps in."

"A uniquely dangerous place boiling with all sorts of monsters and beasts as well."

Valda smiled as if she had read Eugene's thoughts.

"After teleporting the castle here, I plan to open the castle gates. Since suppressing monsters with monsters will be easier. Then no debts are created either."

Using enemies to control enemies was always an excellent virtue for a monarch. It was just difficult to use.

"There are really many excellent facilities in this castle. There are plenty of things Lady Valda, Sir Marbas, and the tribal friends would like. I want to recover them quickly and let everyone taste them."

Homi and Valda looked down below the window.

"They gathered with much effort, but it seems everyone will end up returning without achievements."

"Heh."

Despite saying that, both ladies were smiling. Because they had absolutely no intention of sharing stakes in this splendid castle. It's a beautiful yet somewhat evil-looking smile.

"By the way, what if we open the castle gate but the monsters don't leave and hold out? This place must already be a familiar place like home to those bastards."

"There is a method for that as well."

This time Eugene smiled an evil smile.

* * *

A little while later, Eugene had entered the core of the Moving Castle. It is a place that can be entered using the castellan-exclusive passage connected behind the throne in the audience room.

In front of him is a device that looked similar to an armillary sphere.

Its diameter is about 2m. Inside several exquisitely turning intersecting rings, there is a metallic sphere the size of a human head.

Guuuuung.

As if rejoicing at the owner's visit, the device vibrated.

Every time the rings rotated, the air rang. That became an indescribable whisper and seeped into Eugene's brain, no, his soul.

As if asking him to quickly know about it. Asking him to use it fully.