Chapter 128: Assemble
The wind was picking up outside the mountains.
Last night’s delicate snow had finally stopped when the night deepened, but now, under the clear morning sky, it was blowing in from everywhere, dancing with the wind. The cold, damp air seeped in through the collars and noses of the sturdy soldiers from Erin Castle, who could still endure it, while the logistics crew trailing behind the supply carts had already started shivering.
“d*mn it, this cursed weather…”
“The snow isn’t even that heavy, so why the heck is it so cold…?”
With each gust of biting wind hitting them, their complaints grew more colorful, and I later learned, from others, including that wildebeest-ranching Ral, that these guys weren’t even from the Northern Region; some weren’t even from the Empire.
Most of their homes were far away, in places like Silgaya or Ethanbel near the Empire’s borders. In these chaotic two years, they had journeyed long distances just to feed their families, seeking out this dangerous yet plenteous job on the battlefield.
In other words, these folks absolutely weren’t there for Shanter Castle. Unlike the men from Erin Castle, they were not warriors and would never pick up a weapon, willing to throw themselves into the fray.
I hoped not all logistics troops were like this.
After moving beyond the Snow Mountain and trudging through the endless white plains, I had a couple conversations with a soldier named Sanks, who offered me a blanket and suggested that if I got tired, I could hitch a ride on one of the supply carts. It was a nice gesture, but this guy had a weird way of talking that sounded almost condescending, like he was looking down on everyone. His emotional intelligence was at rock bottom. If it weren’t for him being one of Erin Castle’s soldiers, I might’ve thrown a punch at him by now.
I wanted to ignore him, but he was relentless, the kind of annoying person who takes your silence as an invitation to provoke you even more. He always made sure to speak loudly enough for everyone around to hear, practically begging for a fight. Maybe he thought this would stir my rage, coaxing me into throwing down with him… Erin Castle men must think this is how you express feelings or something. Ridiculous…
He’s bound to be single for life.
“Hey there, little girl! How old are you today? Still waiting for those hairs to grow in, huh?”
After a moment, the incredibly bored man came back for the third time, asking that incredibly cringy question. The soldier beside him burst out laughing, and many others joined in.
What better to do on a march than find some amusement? Plus, there were two girls in the group; they wouldn’t let an opportunity like this slip. After teasing me, they turned to the usually silent Sword Demon and said, “Hey? Maid girl, now that I look closely… You’re actually kind of pretty? Hey! Look at that doll-like face! I heard women with doll faces are really strong…”
“Come on! Let your lady show her face to us! What’s there to hide…”
“Could it be she’s actually ugly? Doesn’t seem like it from her voice…”
“Shut up, you j*rk,” I couldn’t help but snap back.
But that only got him more excited: “Come on, come on! Scream at me some more! Fiercer! Go on, make those claws out like you’re gonna eat me up! Awoo~ Ha ha ha—”
“……”
I was really about to lose it!
Trying to deal with this delinquent was tricky, neither ignoring him nor wanting to actually fight. It’s been ages since I felt this way—so annoyed, yet not intensely so. It felt like a pathetic little insect was trying to intimidate me with its tiny, frail mandibles. The ridiculous sight made me want to laugh, but it still affected my mood.
My mood…
Would I have gotten worked up over something like this six months ago?
Suddenly, the sound of hooves rang out ahead.
Thud thud! Thud thud! Thud thud—
The hurried noise of heavy hooves interrupted the lame jokes. Everyone looked up, and through the cold wind, a powerful black wildebeest came thrumming through the snow, emerging from the mist, stopping just in front of the supply line… The rider atop was another soldier in a matching red armor from Erin Castle.
But I quickly noticed that this soldier’s armor was different from anyone I’d seen before. It was clearly more intricate and heavier; the imposing helmet covered their entire head, with thick, sharp horns poking out, looking like a bull. Even the beast beneath was clad in fiery red armor, and a massive lance hung menacingly at its side—definitely the presence of heavy cavalry.
That intimidating cavalryman quickly dismounted, and the man, presumably the squad leader, hurried over to him. They exchanged words amid the commotion, and I caught snippets like “valley ahead” and “meet with the supply team from the New City of Kaliye.” The cavalryman soon left; it seemed he was just there to relay orders, and after that, the noise in our ranks died down.
“What’s going on…?”
“Why are cavalrymen here…?”
“Aren’t the red rides from Erin Castle always following Lady Annie…?”
“Is the Lord Count over here?”
Whispers of uncertainty mixed with the confusion were rising as the squad leader’s man waved his hand, signaling the group to stop. The supply crew couldn’t figure out what was going on, even as five or six guards gathered not too far away, discussing something. Moments later, one of them couldn’t help but shout in that direction, “What’s happening!?” But nobody paid them any mind.
After a bit, once the soldiers finished talking, Sanks and one of his companions came back. The leading soldier waved them on, urging the supply team to move forward again. Starting from the lead cart, the entire group slowly began to move again. The scruffy guy, Ral, with a leaf hanging from his mouth that he must have foraged somewhere, turned to Sanks as he passed by and asked, “Hey, what’s going on?”
Sanks paused, glancing at Ral, then shook his head: “New orders from above. We’re supposed to head to the valley ahead and meet up with the supply team from the New City of Kaliye. Looks like the lead team has already arrived… No idea what’s going on; I wanted to ask someone myself.”
“The supply team from the New City of Kaliye? The logistics supply crew? Where did they come from?”
“Where else?” Sanks shrugged, “The southeastern front, duh.”
“The southeastern front has retreated?”
“I said I don’t know, didn’t I? Don’t ask me; I’m not the source of all knowledge…”
“……”
It sounded like the soldiers had merely received simple orders.
Even though no one knew exactly what was happening, everyone seemed to have some guesses brewing in their minds. The warrior Sanks suddenly looked deflated and just came over, glancing at me without a word, giving a half-hearted smirk before walking quietly along with the rest. He didn’t walk far before he had to check the sword at his waist.
…In a way, I’d enjoy the peace.
No need to conjecture; it wouldn’t do any good. We still had to follow these people until we reached a place where we could clarify what was really going on and find out the whereabouts of my father or Viki before making further plans—at least, that’s what I thought as I munched on my bread. After about twenty minutes, the hilltops faded away, the wind and snow grew fiercer, and a vast, shallow valley sprang into view below.
Above the valley, pristine white snow displayed countless figures of soldiers walking or running, each clad in various armors.
That number…
At least two thousand strong.
