After a long journey, we finally arrived at our destination, the Domain of the Second Lord.
As we entered through the castle gates, the cityscape gradually came into view. Among them, the most striking was Steel City Karn, which could be called the gateway to the Second Lord’s domain.
Steel City Karn was a bustling commercial city lined with blast furnaces and blacksmith shops.
The sound of blacksmiths’ hammers could be heard in every street, and the rumbling of carts never ceased.
Smoke rising from the blast furnaces unmistakably proclaimed the city’s identity.
As the sun was slowly setting, we found a nearby inn to rest for the night and recover from our fatigue.
Damn, the carriages in this other world rattled so badly that even a few hours’ ride left my head pounding. Rest was definitely needed.
The next day, we set out in earnest to explore the ruins.
The ruins of Marsika were located in the abandoned mine on the northern outskirts of Karn.
Under normal circumstances, it would have taken considerable time to find the way, but this time we had a fairly accurate route, so there was no hesitation.
So I relayed all the information I knew to Siron.
Siron belonged to the Royal Internal Affairs Bureau, and no one knew the geography of the continent better than those in the Internal Affairs Bureau.
He stroked his chin thoughtfully before continuing.
“Yungcheon Mine, is it?”
“How much do you know about Yungcheon Mine?”
“Exiting the north gate of Karn, you’ll find the old mining road. It starts out as a well-maintained avenue, but as it turns toward the eastern mountain range, it gradually narrows. It’s barely wide enough for a carriage to pass.”
Siron paused for thought before continuing.
“Following the road, you’ll come across the old miners’ village. It’s almost abandoned now, but I’ve heard a few citizens still live there. It would probably be best to hire a guide there.”
Without realizing it, I tilted my head in confusion.
I knew there was a village, but from my original perspective, it was a ghost town completely devoid of people.
I was about to ask if it was really inhabited, but decided against it.
We’ll find out when we get there anyway.
“How long will it take to get there?”
“If we set out when the sun is high in the sky, we should reach the village by sunset at the latest. However, the road is rough, so it would be better to leave the carriage in the village and proceed on foot.”
Siron calculated for a moment with his eyes.
It wasn’t as short a time as I had hoped, but it wasn’t excessively long either. I nodded in agreement.
Walking directly might be slightly bothersome, but what can you do?
We had no choice but to finish our business as quickly as possible and leave.
Still, compared to other ruins, this wasn’t too difficult to find.
…At least, that’s what I thought.
But as soon as we entered the mining road, I realized it was a complete mistake.
“…This is the road?”
Adina perked up her ears and complained.
Underfoot were piles of stones, with deep grooves filled with dirt and gravel.
It looked like the road had been destroyed by landslides every time it rained.
“This used to be the road for transporting mining materials…”
Siron trailed off.
No further explanation was needed.
Considering this was a road neglected for several decades, it was fortunate it was still this recognizable.
“Why do we always end up in such trouble?”
Adina grumbled incessantly from behind.
Meanwhile, Rudine continued to walk quietly while keeping an eye on me.
Whenever our eyes met, she would startled and look away.
Suddenly, the road took a steep turn.
As the ascent began, I was breathless.
Moreover, the road kept getting narrower.
Steep cliffs rose on both sides, and a deep valley yawned beneath us.
The remains of collapsed mining rails could be seen in the cracks of the cliffs.
Rusty tracks hung precariously in the air.
Though I was effectively invincible and didn’t personally care about the rough road, the grandeur of the surrounding scenery was still breathtaking.
The road grew increasingly treacherous.
It was hardly a proper road anymore.
A narrow path just wide enough for one person wound along the sheer cliffs.
This narrow mountain path began to descend deeper. It was like a steep slope leading underground.
“Be careful. There are frequent rockfalls from here on…”
Before Siron could finish speaking, there was a whooshing sound and gravel came pouring down.
Adina let out a sharp scream and stepped back.
“Coward.”
Rudine muttered quietly.
She didn’t miss an opportunity to tease Adina, even while avoiding my gaze.
How many hours had we walked?
As the treacherous mountain path was about to end, the faint outline of a village came into view in the distance.
Siron, conveniently leading the way, said:
“It’s been a while since I’ve come here.”
“Is that the village?”
“Yes, my Lord. It’s called Yungcheon Village.”
While Siron was explaining, we descended into the valley, and the village came into clearer view.
About a dozen shabby wooden houses were clustered together. Most of the roofs were worn and tilted, and many of the windows were half-broken.
Smoke rose from only two or three chimneys.
As I was idly gazing at the village landscape, I sensed someone approaching from afar.
“Ah, hello.”
A boy approached with a flushed face and greeted us cautiously.
His expression was full of pure curiosity and joy, as if he hadn’t seen another person in decades.
Still startled, I watched as Siron smiled kindly at the boy and asked:
“Are you a villager here?”
“Yes!”
“Can you guide us to the village chief? We’ll compensate you.”
“Yes, yes!”
His youthful enthusiasm was so refreshing that I couldn’t help but smile.
Having spent so much time fighting monsters in the remote corners of the magic realm, it felt different meeting such a pure-hearted boy.
“This way.”
The boy led us to a shabby wooden house tucked away in a barren field.
An old man standing at the door smoking a pipe looked up at us with a stiffened expression.
“…Humans?”
The frail-looking old man stopped smoking and approached us.
With salt-and-pepper hair, deeply wrinkled face, and a scruffy beard, he inspected me for a long time before turning his gaze to the boy who had guided us.
“Ian, do you know these people?”
“No, it’s my first time meeting them.”
“…Did you guide them here?”
The boy tilted his head innocently as if there was nothing wrong with it.
Seeing this, the old man broke into a hearty laughter and spoke.
“Hehe, well now. Judging from your appearance, you seem to be strangers. What brings you to this abandoned ghost village?”
“Are you the village chief here?”
“That’s me.”
“We have no intention of causing trouble. I just need someone to guide us, so I came.”
At the mention of a guide, the old man narrowed his eyes.
“Where’s your destination?”
“Yungcheon Mine, as I’ve heard it called.”
“…..What business do you have at that abandoned mine?”
“I’m looking for something.”
The old man chuckled at this before inviting us in with a gesture.
“Come in. We need to have a word.”
I nodded in agreement.
Following him inside, the fresh, slightly bitter scent of medicinal herbs reached my nose.
The house was full of traces of its age, yet well-maintained, giving an impression of tidiness rather than mess.
The old man sat at the wooden table and gestured to the seat opposite him.
“Sit there.”
Sitting down roughly as he instructed, the boy named Ian appeared again moments later with tea, smiling cheerfully.
The village chief clicked his tongue as he sipped the steaming tea.
“Let me get straight to the point. Is the reason for visiting the mine related to the rare iron there?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I’m looking for a ruin.”
“…I think I have a rough idea of which one.”
I gave a curt reply.
The chief nodded, then spoke with a worried tone.
“Exploration won’t be easy. The inside is like a maze, and it’s difficult to breathe in the deeper areas due to the gas. And since it’s been abandoned for several decades…”
“One hundred gold coins. I’ll offer it in return for guiding us.”
“…”
He paused for a moment before continuing.
“There are only two people in the village who know the mine’s layout. Even with a determined exploration, it’ll likely take a few days.”
“It doesn’t matter. All I need is someone to guide us in. We don’t plan to go deep inside.”
The chief stroked his chin thoughtfully.
“Guiding you won’t be difficult, but exploring Yungcheon Mine, as I mentioned earlier, requires substantial stamina. The problem is… my aged body might not be enough to assist you properly.”
“Is there anyone else who knows the way?”
“There is. Ian! Come here.”
At the chief’s call, the boy ran over with wide eyes.
“As I mentioned earlier, there are only two people in the village who know about that place. One is the village chief – me, and the other is this child.”
“…This child, you mean?”
“That’s right. This child can be your guide.”
The village chief invited us into his modest wooden house, where the scent of medicinal herbs filled the air. The interior revealed signs of age but was well-maintained.
After a brief negotiation, the chief proposed an unexpected solution – young Ian, who had innocently greeted us earlier, would serve as our guide through the treacherous terrain of Yungcheon Mine.
