Chapter 24
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Translator: Xrecker
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Mountain Reconnaissance
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Dorothea’s reason for summoning me was mountain reconnaissance.
Until now, her subordinates had always vehemently opposed her attempts to scout the mountainous terrain alone. However, with my arrival, they now had two mage-level magic users, making it a viable option.
She rode her pet Cerberus, Toto, while I rode Eva the Centaur.
Since it was a strenuous climb and there wasn't enough room for everyone, Camilla, whose presence would have been a burden, stayed behind at the camp.
And so, our unexpected mountain climbing expedition began early in the morning.
“Huff… huff…”
“Are you alright?”
“I’m… fine.”
The trek was physically demanding, not only because of the steep incline but also because the snow was knee-deep.
However, Eva, carrying me as a burden, continued climbing without complaint.
Despite my apologies and concerns for her well-being, she insisted she was fine, saying it was necessary to maintain the pace.
After about an hour of silent ascent, we finally reached the fifth ridge of the Vulcan Mountains.
“Let’s take a break here.”
Having conquered the highest peak visible from the camp, a vast expanse of snow-covered plains stretched before us. Dorothea dismounted from Toto.
Seeing this, I quickly dismounted from Eva as well, wanting to check on her condition.
“Are you alright? Would you like some water?”
“…Please.”
Eva, seemingly too exhausted to speak, simply collapsed onto the snow.
This wasn't good. She would lose what little body heat she had left.
But I couldn’t tell her not to sit down, so I simply went about my business.
I filled a camping pot with snow and dug a small pit in the ground, building a fire on a patch of dry earth.
With snow everywhere, obtaining drinking water wasn't difficult, as long as you could start a fire.
In a pinch, we could even eat the snow directly. It wasn’t polluted like the snow in the modern world.
While the water was heating up, I asked Eva to stretch out her legs.
She tilted her head, asking why, and I replied confidently,
“I’m going to give you a massage. You deserve it after that climb.”
Eva, seemingly finding the offer appealing, readily agreed.
Let’s see…
I started with her hind legs.
Horses had less stamina than humans and tired easily if their legs were overworked.
Regular breaks were essential for long journeys on horseback.
Recalling my own experiences riding horses, I pressed my thumbs into her strong leg muscles.
“Oof!”
Her long tail stood straight up.
Twitch! Twitch!
Her glossy brown body twitched involuntarily.
I eased my grip slightly.
“Does that hurt?”
Eva shook her head, her voice breathy.
“N-No. It feels… good. I didn’t realize I had knots there.”
“You use your legs every day. They’re the part of your body most prone to fatigue. You might not have noticed the pain because you’re so used to it.”
Centaurs, unlike regular horses, had a human upper body in addition to their 400–500 kg equine lower body. Their relatively slender legs carried the brunt of this weight.
It was no wonder their muscles were often tense.
I continued the massage, moving from her thighs to her calves.
Her fur was smooth and glossy, a sign of good health.
I kneaded her thigh with one hand while gently stroking her calf with the other.
Eva, who had initially been shy, covering her mouth to stifle her moans, now began to moan openly.
“Oh! Ah! Aaaah!”
Her voice was unexpectedly seductive. If you closed your eyes, you might mistake it for something else entirely.
But my intentions were purely therapeutic, and I continued massaging her legs diligently.
After about ten minutes of working on all four legs, Eva, unable to endure the pleasure any longer, collapsed onto the ground, exhausted.
Seeing her state, I decided to stop.
“Here’s some warm water.”
“…Thank you.”
Her hands, still trembling slightly from the aftereffects of the massage, fumbled with the cup I offered.
While she sipped the water, I turned my head, curious about what Dorothea was doing.
She was leaning against Toto, watching Eva and me with an amused expression.
As our eyes met, she beckoned me with her finger.
“Interesting. Do more.”
“…The massage?”
Dorothea grinned and nodded.
“I’ve known her for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve seen Eva so… undone.”
She was clearly enjoying teasing her subordinate.
It suggested a close relationship between Eva and Dorothea, but I wasn't about to pry. I didn't want to attract unnecessary attention, given my disguised identity.
“Stop teasing her. It’s sexual harassment.”
Eva, having recovered somewhat after her brief rest, sat up and chided Dorothea.
“Would you like to try walking?”
I asked Eva, and she hesitantly took a few steps on the snow, then turned to me, her eyes wide with surprise.
“My legs feel as light as feathers!”
Seeing her joy, I felt a sense of accomplishment.
Dorothea, who had been quietly observing, shrugged and mounted Toto.
“Now that we’ve rested, let’s continue.”
“Yes!”
At her urging, Eva and I prepared to depart.
We had almost forgotten that we were only halfway to our destination.
***
We reached the summit of the Vulcan Mountains three hours later.
There were no more ridges or peaks to climb.
We were at the very top.
The final stretch had been so steep that even I had dismounted from Eva and climbed on foot.
The view from the summit, unobstructed thanks to the clear weather, was breathtaking.
As I stood there, mesmerized by the scenery, Dorothea approached and pointed towards a distant location.
“That’s the castle where the human army is stationed.”
I followed her gaze.
A black fortress stood within a large valley.
The Hamburg family’s fortress, said to be impregnable.
Dorothea then turned and pointed in the direction we had come from.
While it was quite far away, I could make out the Demon Lord’s army encampment we had left that morning.
“And this is the border between the human kingdom of Oz and the demon territory of Doom Land.”
Dorothea looked at me.
“During the months I’ve been stationed here as commander-in-chief, I’ve tried everything to push this border further, but I’ve failed.”
She asked,
“Patrasche, if you were in my position, how would you attack the humans from here?”
I looked at the distant black fortress.
Impregnable.
That was the word that came to mind, especially from a demon’s perspective.
During the Human-Demon War five years ago, the kingdom’s army had held this fortress to the very end, which had led to the temporary ceasefire.
It was a strategic stronghold, one of the kingdom’s last lines of defense.
If this fell, the path to the capital city of Oz would be wide open.
Having once been on the side defending that fortress against the demons, a thought occurred to me.
“How about triggering an avalanche?”
“…What?”
Dorothea’s eyes widened.