Chapter 23

Chapter 23

#23. Spring in the Northern Region (4)

No matter how much my body had maxed out its riding skill, compared to knights who’d spent their whole lives fighting on horseback, I was still just a novice.

Ordinary swimming becomes combat swimming when done in the military.

Riding had become battle-riding for these knights. In fact, in the game, there was even a combat riding skill called Charging.

Anyway, the knights’ battle-riding collided with my Golden Carriage.

Chaaaarrrging-!!

Whoaaaaa!

Neighhhhhh!

We recreated ‘Mad Max’ across the snowy plains of the Magic Realm.

And before we knew it, we arrived at Haven.

“Huh? That golden carriage?”

“I know it! It’s the carriage Arad took to the Magic Realm!”

“The driver of that carriage and the knight on top! Are they the knights from High City?”

“Hey hey hey! They don’t seem to be planning to stop!”

“Eh, what should we do?”

“What can we do?! They’re not strangers and they’re important people! Just open the gate!”

Thanks to the quick-witted guards of Haven,

we passed through Haven without stopping and kept going straight up through the Northern Region.

Passing through Haven, Shuen, Narvik, and Remme, we quickly arrived at High City.

“For now, stay in the guest room. Let us know if anything happens.”

“Do not wander around recklessly.”

“This might sound strange since we invited you as guests… But you’ll likely feel a tense atmosphere for a few days.”

Upon arriving at High City, Valkyrie, Eopte, Roji, and Karot handed Ariana over to the witch Isabel, then started dancing with swords with fierce expressions.

Because of this, the atmosphere in the Lenslet Castle was extremely chaotic and intense.

Every time I walked around the castle, I inevitably smelled blood, and there were bloodstains everywhere that hadn’t been cleaned up yet.

It was the second day since arriving at High City.

“Seriously, these knights whose brains are all muscle! How could they just neglect someone who’s a benefactor of the North like this?!”

In such an atmosphere, I was considering just leaving, reward or no reward, when…

“Nice to meet you, Arad Jin, soon-to-be Junior Baron. I’m Isabel, in charge of housekeeping at High City. Ah! Thank you so much for saving our Duke!”

A witch introduced herself as the Great Witch of Spring, Isabel, and came to find me.

Then two days later today.

“Arad! What kind of food can you make with this mandrake root?”

“Ah, that… If you boil a chicken with various medicinal herbs inside, it’s good.”

“Is it good?”

“It’s especially good for men’s vitality.”

“Hehehehehe! The knights will go crazy!”

At the farmland created on the southern outskirts of High City, I was completely absorbed in farming, covered in dirt on my face and clothes.

Now, I’m here with the northern witches, the only ones left in the continent.

“Arad~! What else can we use this root for?”

“This is more suited for alchemy than medicine. I’ll teach you the combination spell formula, would you like to take notes?”

“Umm…?! No, no! It’s fine! You don’t have to teach me!”

“…? Alright then.”

I tried several times to teach them magical knowledge, but they refused or avoided it every time, seemingly due to their pride as witches.

And I acknowledged and respected their pride and level of magic.

‘It’s hot…’

I could directly feel the witches’ magical skills right where I am now.

‘They’re amazing. A greenhouse farm.’

Even though it’s spring, the north is still cold, but here it’s warm.

Coming from the always chilly north, this hot and humid air feels surprisingly refreshing.

‘Of course, greenhouses similar to those in the Joseon era did exist, so it’s not that strange. Especially since this is a world with magic.’

I wiped away sweat while looking around the farmland.

‘Even so, a greenhouse this large… Now I understand why the north could survive without support from the empire.’

The scale of this medieval-style greenhouse farm was impressive.

Magic circles floated faintly in the sky above the farm, maintaining temperature and humidity through barrier magic.

Elementals summoned by the witches flew around between the ground and sky.

Though not on the scale of American corn farms, given the chronic food shortages in the north,

this amount of wheat, barley, potatoes, and fruits felt like an oasis in the desert at the very least.

At the very least, it seemed there would be no worries about feeding the citizens of High City and the soldiers guarding the Great Northern Wall.

‘There was nothing like this in the Silver Age. The empire that annexed us must have deliberately destroyed and erased it.’

If this farm had been maintained, the north wouldn’t have suffered so many famine-related deaths during the great famine to come.

‘After the duke went missing, the witches became part of the Northern Resistance Army led by the Snow Witch Mary, right? But where is Mary? There doesn’t seem to be anyone here who looks like her future self.’

While briefly recalling the original history of the north, the witches quietly approached me and asked…

“Arad~! Arad~! Can we check out your Golden Carriage after work today?”

Despite refusing magical teachings due to their pride (at least, that’s my guess), the witches showed tremendous interest in the magical artifacts I had created.

“Of course.”

When I readily agreed, the young witches happily hugged my arms from both sides.

“Kyaa!!”

“Thank you!”

“Arad, you’re the best!”

The smell of dirt and herbs wafting from them mingled softly with the elementals into my nose.

Combined with the soft, squishy sensation from their tightly clinging bodies…

‘Is this heaven?’

Yeah! If I’ve come to another world, I should enjoy these clichés too.

I was particularly popular among the witches in High City.

Not only because I developed Arad Salt, but also because of the Golden Carriage – I had plenty to stimulate their curiosity.

From young witches to older witch ladies and elderly witch grandmas,

everyone treated me with all kinds of kindness.

Thanks to this, my life in High City has been pretty good lately.

“Girls! Breaking news! Breaking news!”

At that moment, a witch wearing a wide-brimmed hat and robe came flying down shouting from the sky. She was riding a broomstick zooming “Poo-poo-poo!”

“Our Duke has awakened!”

That witch proudly announced the news, clearly pleased to be the first to deliver it.

“Oh my…”

Then she noticed me and the witches and covered her mouth with her hand.

Because the young witches were still tightly hugging me.

“…? Heeek!”

The face of the broom-riding witch suddenly turned pale.

Her gaze moved past me and the witches to something further behind…

‘Hmm?’

Still closely surrounded by the witches, I couldn’t help but turn around.

There stood Ariana and Isabel.

“Ho ho ho ho…”

Isabel was smiling, but her eyes weren’t.

“…”

Ariana stood silently beside her, looking somber.

* * *

Life in the north is constant struggle. Thus, the elite soldiers of High City match the skills of regular knights from the rest of the continent.

The northern plain knights who command these soldiers are each comparable to high-ranking knights from any decent kingdom.

And the High Knights of Lenslet who lead these plain knights are so powerful that all the imperial royal knights combined couldn’t stand against them.

…However, even these proud knights have someone they dare not move against.

“…”

“Uh… Your Majesty? Is there somewhere you’re uncomfortable?”

“Is your wound not fully healed yet?”

“My wound is fine.”

This is none other than Duchess Ariana Rune Lenslet of the North.

Though betrayed by someone she trusted and suffering injuries that reset her dantian, none of the gathered high knights looked down on the duchess.

Didn’t Arad say it, and didn’t Isabel confirm it?

The mana core accumulating in the newly born dantian will be much stronger than the previous one.

And who is Ariana? A genius among geniuses. Unofficially, she was the youngest Swordmaster in continental history, only not publicized due to the empire.

She was also the first Swordmaster to appear in the Lenslet family since its founder and Swordmaster Rune Lenslet.

This means there’s a possibility that the first Grand Swordmaster since the Golden Age may be born on the continent.

“Then… Who made Your Majesty upset?”

“You haven’t looked well since earlier.”

Thus, the knights’ loyalty grew even stronger than before. To the point of reacting immediately to even the slightest change in the duke’s mood.

“Speak only, sir!”

“What scoundrel is it? I’ll rip his head off immediately!”

“No, no.”

At the knights’ questions, Ariana shook her head.

However, that very attitude revealed more positive meaning.

“…”

Suddenly, Ariana glanced at Arad sitting right next to her.

“Hmm?”

Making eye contact with Arad, Ariana quickly turned her gaze away.

“!”

The eyes of the high knights who noticed that the source of the duchess’s discomfort was Arad trembled.

Four high knights present – Valkyrie, Karot, Eopte, and Roji – practically owed their lives to Arad.

The other high knights had heard endless stories about Arad’s exploits in the Magic Realm.

“So, you… What exactly did you do to upset His Majesty?”

“I did nothing.”

“I don’t want to kill you.”

“?”

The oldest knight Valkyrie first spoke to Arad in a troubled voice.

“Did you perhaps spy on His Majesty bathing?”

“Even for you, that’s something we can’t help with.”

“Whatever it is, quickly reach an amicable agreement with His Majesty.”

Next, Sirs Eopte, Roji, and Karot gave Arad sincere advice (?).

Since Arad was someone of his caliber, it stopped at this – anyone else would have had all their fingernails ripped out on the spot.

“Everyone, focus on the meeting.”

The atmosphere, which had briefly become chaotic, quieted down at the request of the person who caused it, and the knights and bureaucrats present closed their mouths.

“Let’s start with the purge status report.”

“Yes! First, we’ll report the results of interrogating the Doyle Barden family and associates captured as traitors in Frosthaven.”

“We won’t extend punishment beyond the individual unless necessary. The Barden family has dedicated themselves to Lenslet for generations.”

“That’s unfortunate, but…”

“Indeed… Was it as expected?”

At the subsequent report from Frosthaven, Ariana looked sad.

“Please execute me! Such an event happening in Frosthaven should never occur.”

“Enough. This matter has already been discussed with the elder. Let the offenders pay through responsibility and cleanup.”

“Your grace is boundless! Your Majesty!”

“Next, let’s hear about the rats nesting in High City.”

“I will report, Your Majesty.”

Following the knight from Frosthaven, a bureaucrat-looking official spoke.

“Two valets and four maids are currently being interrogated in the underground prison. Additionally, we have captured 37 suspicious individuals including maids, servants, merchants, and officials, and investigations are ongoing.”

“Perhaps we’ve been too complacent.”

“Please execute us!”

“Enough. Let the offenders pay through responsibility and cleanup.”

The heavy topics from the beginning of the meeting darkened the atmosphere.

“…”

Arad, attending this meeting for the first time, merely rolled his eyes blankly without saying a word.