Chapter 89

Chapter 89 - Time of Purification (3)

Moving from the Moving Castle to Northfork was arduous, but the reverse was easy.

"Sending a reconnaissance team to prepare a monster attack is sufficient. There is no need to travel far to find the way."

Eugene ordered the lined-up Blackhand Tribe scouts.

"Will it be alright? In this dry land, taking the wrong path once is difficult to turn back."

Rex looked anxiously at the horizon. With nomad blood flowing in them, it is the kind of place they most shun.

With nothing to use as a milestone and even sandstorms whipping around, it is the perfect place to get lost.

Furthermore, there is no water source, so unless careful, the army could collapse like a sandcastle even without fighting a single time.

"I can tell where the castle is even if I close my eyes and block my ears. We just need to go straight that way."

Eugene calmly pointed in one direction.

"To our eyes, it only looks like the exact same wasteland."

"May we ask how you are so certain?"

The tribal scouts asked cautiously.

It wasn't because they distrusted Eugene. It was a question born from their anticipation of the fateful relationship between him and the Moving Castle.

"It is like a dream. Everyone has walked in a distant foreign land, swam in the ocean, or looked down on the world from the top of a mountain within a dream, right?"

"Of course. I have even flown in the sky like a bird."

With small laughs, the tribal scouts each added a word. In an era lacking entertainment, dreams are an excellent plaything and topic of conversation for these people.

"Then what happens when you wake up?"

"Well, you open your eyes in bed, right?"

"That is the relationship between the castle and me. No matter how far away I explore, when the dream ends, the soul always returns to the body in bed. Similarly, I can always know where the castle is."

One soul, two bodies.

Just as a compass always points north, Eugene can clearly sense the existence of the Moving Castle.

"Indeed!"

"It is somehow amazing."

Although they are warriors who do not know magic, it seems they sufficiently understood the bond between Eugene and the castle. They rejoiced that their belief was correct.

Rex, who watched the sight pleasantly, spoke.

"Since the castle appeared, the faction wanting to find a city or an unexplored territory has sharply decreased. The tribal members sharing our thoughts have surpassed half."

Just a year ago, those who thought of the Moving Castle as a cradle were only a handful. Because even Rex himself hadn't believed it.

"That's a tremendous progression."

"Well, they couldn't help but change their minds after seeing that castle. Whether they felt a fateful attraction, or mistakenly thought of it as a desire to possess."

In the Rostock plains, burning with exploration and conquest, it wasn't only human nobles who looked up at the castle.

The Moving Castle itself gave off the scent of a treasure that charmed those who saw it and sparked desire.

At that time, messengers arrived from those who received special missions and departed early.

"Knight. We fulfilled the vow by finding the marked trees you mentioned."

"You worked hard."

They had found the two trees that bestowed kindness upon Eugene, Valda, and Homi.

They dug the ground carefully so as not to injure the roots and filled it with high-quality soil and fertilizer. They presented more than 10 times the water Eugene's party had received.

The assisting landscaper removed the dead branches, and the laborers meticulously exterminated any parasitic pests.

Upon hearing the detailed explanation, Valda sighed.

"Is it done now?"

"Yes. You can sleep comfortably starting today."

"I am a bit anxious. Perhaps there was some inadequacy or they treated the wrong trees. My heart wants to verify it myself."

She was worried she might suffer the disadvantages of breaking the vow from that. If it weren't a busy situation, she would have stepped forward herself.

"Would subordinates handle your order sloppily? If you are really worried, you can check again after completing this operation."

"Even so, it is a vow on Lady Valda's name..."

"A magician's vow is tiresome, but it is also convenient in some aspects. In a transaction with an existence lacking a soul like this time, it is my conscience that judges the fulfillment. As long as I am honorable, there is no damage to the magic even if the promise fulfillment is delayed."

Of course, it absolutely didn't mean she considered the promise lightly.

With a much more relaxed heart, Eugene surveyed the marching troops.

Human heavy infantry advancing with respect for their employer, expectations of earnings, and a spirit of adventure.

Dark Elf warriors seething with a sense of mission for the clan's future.

The Hammer Brotherhood marching silently with the professional spirit borne of the inherent stubbornness of Dwarves.

Although their fundamental emotions were different, their morale was high.

Among them, Eugene conversed especially much with the newly joined Dwarves.

"I heard a lot about the Knight from Torim."

The centurion's name is Rampage. Seeing that he uses a nickname, he seems to be a mercenary with a backstory.

Exceptionally large for a Dwarf, he has smashed numerous shields and enemies with his two-handed warhammer exceeding 1m.

However, the nickname 'Frenzy' is merely a praise for his combat prowess. His character is that of a typical Dwarf warrior loyal to his employer.

"Do you know Torim?"

"We are from the same hometown. Though both of us ran out because we each had our own circumstances."

Rampage made a motion of grabbing something with his hand and hitting the front thump thump.

"He clung so much to the battering ram, and thanks to the Knight, his wish was fulfilled. I've never seen that fellow laugh so relievedly."

Eugene highly valued the tactical guerrilla abilities of the Blackhand Tribe while associating with them, but the peak of the mercenary industry is indeed the Dwarves.

Unlike humans who think of running away in emergencies, the spirit of fighting to the death is their basic default. They do not cause discord with their employers or other units like Dark Elves or Centaurs.

Solid in both offense and defense, and skilled at building and repairing fortifications, they are an all-rounder warrior group sought by all nobles.

"I never imagined I would see our hammers shining completely silvery."

The hammers of Rampage and the veteran soldiers were silver-plated at the blacksmith in Northfork.

"As I said during the contract, the enemies we will face will mostly be undead or equivalent existences. Swinging that hammer will be a very spectacular sight."

"I sincerely hope it's something a bit harder than skeletons."

Because the momentum of the army was so fierce, trivial monsters didn't even dare think of tackling them.

While crossing the wasteland in a straight line like that, at a certain moment, the mercenaries' chatter stopped.

"Th-That!"

At the edge of the horizon, a blurry figure started to become visible. Its massive silhouette, which even a sandstorm couldn't hide, had a demonic charm that drew everyone's gaze.

"Seeing it from afar, it looks even more like a ship."

"I know, right? Is that what the artifact the priest told us about looked like?"

The imposing presence given off by a grand stone building built by the ancients was immense, but the location of the barren wasteland added excitement.

A mirage-like sight existing in a place where a castle seemed impossible to be. That captivated people's hearts. Like saying, 'It truly is a magic castle.'

"I swear on my beard, I've never seen a sturdier-looking castle than this."

"How in the world did the ancients build such a thing?"

Immortal structures left by the Ancient Kingdom hold special meaning to Dwarves, who are natural-born architects. For an artifact on the level of the Moving Castle, calling it a holy site would not be lacking.

The massive castle gate was tightly closed. As Eugene alone drove his horse and approached it, everyone watched with glaring eyes.

When Eugene reached out his hand, the castle gate responded.

Clank.

The firm castle gate that hadn't budged no matter how much various challengers in Rostock tried opened wide. Its internal figure, hidden for so long it was dismissed as an ancient legend, revealed itself to everyone.

Gulp.

At that sight, although they hadn't even fought yet, Rex and the tribal warriors felt their hearts race.

"Shield bearers and pikemen line up in front."

At Eugene's command, the heavy infantry stepped forward.

Establishing a shield wall at the frontline as trained, those holding silver-plated pikes positioned behind them.

Dwarves holding hammers were ready to run to any spot where a crack formed and smash the enemies' heads.

Tribal warriors holding bows also firmed their fighting spirit by grabbing quivers full of silver arrows.

* * *

The moment they stepped inside the Moving Castle, everyone felt the air change.

The thick and dry smell unique to the wasteland disappeared, and the clean air of an appropriate coolness and humidity entered their lungs.

"Ventilation device?"

"But to say that, no driving sounds or rotary blades can be seen."

Dwarves well-versed in engineering technology whispered looking around.

"This is the power of magic, my friend."

Marbas told them, reading the aura of mystery flowing throughout the entire castle wall.

"This is truly a living building. It's on a different level from looking at it from the outside. This vitality, this warmth, this mystery. Finally, my long-cherished wish is fulfilled."

Marbas's eyes teared up. It's already been 30 years since he set foot into the mysteries of the other world. He had finally arrived at the party venue that had continuously sent him invitations.

"Be careful not to destroy the lighting during the battle."

On the upper part Eugene pointed at, magic lightings were lined up. A clear pure white incomparable to things like torches or candles brightly illuminated the inside of the castle.

"Of course."

"We will consider them more precious than our lives."

"Calm down. Because you don't need to go that far."

At the tribal warriors' determined replies, Eugene smiled bitterly.

But they were sincere. Those lightings would become a second sun entirely becoming the tribe's eyes for an immensely long time in the future.

It was a lamp for all the tribal elders whose eyes were dimming and their children to be born in the future.

The hall that appeared after passing the castle gate was wide enough to comfortably hold the entire army and then some.

Everyone grew tense confirming the bloodstains and traces of battle everywhere on the floor.

"As you heard in the briefing, the battle traces here were created when I released monsters into the Demonic Realm's forest."

Eugene entered riding a horse, and for the first time in a while, a flail was held in his hand.

In order to navigate among the allies forming a square formation and support combat in a timely manner, it was most appropriate to ride a horse and swing a flail.

Clink clank.

The mercenaries in the front rank looked relieved hearing the unique sound of iron chains from above their heads.

"It is reassuring since the Knight is behind us."

"If we hear this sound, it feels like we won't lose in any battle."

The mercenaries said while fixing their gazes on the front.

Eugene's flail had also completed its silver-plating. Thanks to that, the three brutally linked maces gleamed with silvery light. A majestic appearance acting like a disaster to all evil existences in this world.

"Everyone tension up. Uninvited guests inside the castle pursued up to this hall during my escape process. Even if we cannot see anything immediately, a battle is not far off."

They were able to escape just by quickly closing the door. But it was certain the bastards would be waiting not far from the hall.

"Kkiiiieeeek-!"

As if answering that, a hideous monstrous shriek flew in. From beyond the hall, a rotten smell and an even more sinister aura pushed in.

A mercenary who saw the appearance of the enemies they had to fight involuntarily mumbled.

"Demons."

Even veteran mercenaries with abundant monster experiences had their voices tremble before enemies they saw for the first time in their lives.

Bipedal, but unlike other monsters, they have no body hair. Their skin is ugly like old wood that might be in a wicked witch's house.

Skull-like faces and eyes glaring with malice, and disorderly teeth seemingly existing to inflict pain rather than to eat.

"Oh, Lord."

Endless malice. If there existed a race created by clumping bones and flesh formed from that single ingredient, they would look like that.

When such demons die and stand up as Wights, that detestability jumped several times.

"Tension your minds! Aren't they already dead bastards, be it demons or whatever? They are bastards that have degenerated to be softer, weaker, and stupider than their original forms."

At Dwarf centurion Rampage's roar, the human heavy infantry firmly gripped their weapons and shields.

They felt ashamed of their appearance that had cowered even a little. What was there to fear as members of this mighty army?

'Dwarves as expected.'

Eugene admired the appearance of the strong warriors without an inch of wavering.

There was a reason Dwarves were recognized as the only infantry unit that could withstand a knight's charge.

"My sanctuary and half-body."

As if responding to Eugene's words, a spiritual resonance spread from the entire castle.

Even mere warriors who didn't know magic could understand that the inexplicable resonance contained the joy of a warm welcome.

"Spread our scent. So that the pests settled in every corner inside you will crawl here."

At that moment, the Dwarves sensed the direction of the air inside the hall changing through their beards.

Marbas and Valda also sensed that the aura of mystery flowing like a river along the inner walls was partly blocked and partly opened.

"He is truly the master of the castle."

The Dwarves and Marbas looked at Eugene with awe.

They had seen lords displaying arrogance while sitting on a throne and looking down on everyone. But at this moment, they all felt trivial.

Communicating directly with the castle and manipulating even the flowing air with a single word. This could truly be called the authority of a genuine Castellan.

"Guuuuuu-."

"Kireuk-."

The Wights gathering from beyond the hall were a mix of several demonic species including Imps.

There were also Living Armors possessed by the vengeful spirits of ancient people who died in the castle, and evil spirits flying through the air in blurry forms.

The enemies Eugene's army had to fight were not only undead. Living monsters were also mixed in.

"Keureureureu-."

A Ghoul born taking the corpses of demons and monsters as a womb swallowed saliva at the fresh meat smell.

'It's about time to start the battle.'

Eugene lifted his spear.

In order to maximize the strength of the army he brought, they had to organize into a square formation in a wide place like the current hall.

Defeat in detail is an attractive option, but there was a reason he intentionally lured enemies using the castle's ventilation system.

Even so, having too many enemies swarm in was also a problematic matter. It is time to wipe them off once.

Sswaaaek!

The two Wights in the lead were piercingly felled side-by-side by a javelin carrying fierce force.

The string of tension that was precariously maintained snapped with that.

"Kuaaaaa-!"

Along with the Ghoul's roar, evil monsters gathered in the triple digits charged toward Eugene's army.

Thud!

Dozens of large shields struck the floor and were firmly fixed.

The silver pikes that had been soaring toward the ceiling descended all at once and aimed forward.

"There is no retreat! Banish the evil existences from the world!"

"This is an opportunity to add our names to the monumental battles of our ancestors!"

The Hammer Brotherhood all raised their weapons simultaneously.

Being born with resistance to evil by receiving God's blessing. Demons crawling up from hell bestowed upon them greater fighting spirit instead of fear.

This is one of the reasons Eugene brought them in this battle.

"Everyone of the tribe will eternally envy us who were in this place."

Rex and all the tribal warriors nocked silver arrows to their bowstrings.

Tremble tremble.

Everyone was in a posture to brave the fight, but the trembling spear tips and arrowheads everywhere could not be helped.

It is human nature to instinctively fear demons.

"..."

Homi, holding a silver arrow on her string, felt a ticklish sensation in her heart.

Her instincts, flowing with the blood of struggle, were reminding her there was something else she needed to do right now. And for Beastkin, following instincts is very easy.

Huwuuuuung!

The battle cry Homi let out echoed throughout the castle.

A refreshing resonance as if passing through the souls beyond everyone's armor and skin.

"...!"

"...!"

Trembling spear tips and arrowheads stabilized at once.

It was the moment when all warriors with different races, lives, and mindsets were completed into a single mass of a united army.

Fwoosh!

Did the castle also rejoice at the fateful moment it had waited an eternity for?

As if wishing for the warriors' martial luck, the lightings behind them emitted immense light.

"Kieeeek-?!"

The charging ghouls shrieked at the light attacking their eyes, and even the wights who don't feel pain severely twisted their foot movements.

Even though it was clearly a battle taking place inside a castle, the warriors felt as if they were fighting a siege-defense battle from behind a castle wall.

Everyone realized that the protection of the living castle was with them.

"For victory!"

That blew away even a piece of anxiety remaining like a speck of dust in the warriors' hearts.