To the Madrosa Kingdom (3)
Calix gathered the captured bandits in one place and called his close aides together.
"Looks like we'll need to prepare for some ruin exploration."
"May I ask why you think that, young master?"
"Livestock prices are dropping, and grain prices are rising. But if there's smuggling going on, we should at least know about it. If we didn't notice large-scale movement of bulky, heavy goods like grain within the territory... that would be the real problem."
"I can say for certain. A few carts might slip by unnoticed, but not enough volume to sway the entire desert market—never without us knowing."
"I know that too, since I've been reviewing reports from all over the territory. That's why I started thinking: if it's not imports, then what?"
Yurin answered.
"Production."
"Exactly."
"But how do you grow grain in the middle of this desert?"
"That was my question too... until I considered ancient ruins."
"I've never heard of ruins like that."
She was right.
No discovered ruins matched that description.
But he couldn't just demand blind faith.
There needed to be at least one plausible reason.
The pondering didn't last long.
It was thanks to a scene flashing through his mind.
"What impressed you most about Al-Kannak?"
"The neat, densely packed buildings?"
"Not that."
"Then... ah! The canals!"
"Right. What caught my eye was the artificial waterways lining the main roads."
"But what does that have to do with...?"
"Seeing them made me think: if we could artificially supply water to vast lands, couldn't we mass-produce grain even in the desert?"
"Is that... just your imagination, young master?"
"Heh, who knows? Take a guess."
"Forget it. Just tell us what you're going to do—quickly."
"First, we'll negotiate. Our goal isn't to dig up the ruins ourselves; it's to ally with them for trade."
"Will he side with us?"
"He's the ruler of Al-Kannak. No reason to refuse."
"Well..."
Laila, who had been silently glaring at the map, finally spoke.
"Do you even know where the ruins are? Hiding something near a major oasis wouldn't have stayed secret this long."
"I don't think it's near an oasis either. Probably groundwater, is my guess."
"Hmm..."
Calix wanted to jab at a spot on the map right then and declare, Here—let's go.
But he couldn't.
Blindly ordering his subordinates to follow without evidence would make him less a commander and more a prophet or spiritual leader.
Calix had no interest in becoming a cult leader.
Just then, Edirn offered a useful suggestion.
"We could use earth spirits to find places rich in groundwater. It'll take time, though."
Laila stepped up too.
"I'll help. I can use basic earth-attribute shamanism, so it should be useful."
"Oh, splendid. That'll help greatly."
Calix decided to assist subtly, without drawing attention.
For instance, in deciding the order.
"Good. Let's start investigating the spring pasturelands."
"Hm? The summer pastures are closer. Any reason?"
"Just a good feeling."
"...Fine, then."
Like that.
Thanks to it, results came quickly.
While Calix's group searched the spring pasturelands, Ismail learned of it from his subordinate.
Wearing the white turban typical of desert tribes and sporting a thick beard, he asked his most trusted son, Hafez.
"What do you think?"
"They seem to be onto this place. No sheep grazing, and it's not even spring. No reason to poke around there."
"I didn't expect it'd stay hidden forever, but those West Continent bastards... grr!"
The chair arm he gripped creaked.
"Chief, calm down."
"Hoo... the prince has me too riled up."
"The real problem starts now. We need calm countermeasures."
"How about this instead?"
Ismail mimed slitting his throat with his thumb.
But his wise son shook his head.
"Not easy. We interrogated the escaped bandits—they all said the same: highly trained elite soldiers."
"Numbers?"
"Around 500."
"Hmm, eliminating them quietly won't be simple."
"Yes. Our warriors are brave, but they're West Continent elites led by a noble. We'd take heavy losses too. Then we'd have to delay the plan years again. No time for that—Saladin's grip strengthens every day."
"Mm..."
Ismail closed his eyes, tapping his fingers in thought, then asked slyly.
"What if we pretend not to know and open the path?"
"Open the path?"
"Let them through to the guardian deity of the ruins, then we hide?"
"Hmm... The excavation traces are still there—they'd spot the trap easily."
"Son, greed blinds men so easily. Even if they know it's a trap, they'll jump in. They won't want us taking the ruins' rewards."
"True, we have the underground farm—we don't care about artifacts."
"Exactly. We must curb our greed."
"Understood, Father."
"Collapse all passages linking the underground farm and ruins. We ambush from the farm side. If they don't notice and leave the ruins, let them go. But if they get greedy here..."
"Then we have no choice."
Calix's group left non-combatants and about 100 escort soldiers in Al-Kannak, heading to the spring pasturelands.
The intense sun beat down harshly, but it wasn't too bad.
Thanks to the armor from the royal secret vault.
Type: Light Armor
Material: Blue-Horned Sunfish Leather
Passive Effect: Protects wearer from heat.
Active Effect: Forms air membrane for 2 hours, maintaining breathability in any situation. However, the membrane is highly vulnerable to mana-infused attacks, offering no protection against them.
Armor made from the leather of the extremely rare sunfish species.
It felt like wearing an ice vest—a subtle coolness flowed out, keeping the loose robes comfortably chill.
Krout eyed Calix, not a drop of sweat on him, with envy.
"You had this planned all along."
"What?"
"You picked that armor knowing we'd come to the desert?"
"Mm, something like that."
"If you'd told me ahead, I'd have prepared too."
"A Sword Owner whining about the heat? Quit exaggerating. Look at Laila or Yurin beside you."
"Ahem!"
Embarrassed, Krout averted his gaze.
Calix told him,
"Go fetch that Yazid bastard."
"Why suddenly?"
"He needs a beating."
Krout tilted his head but asked no more.
He simply relayed the order to Gordon at the front via communication orb.
Minutes later, Yazid appeared in the middle of the column.
"You called, young master?"
"Are you guiding us right?"
"Y-yes, of course!"
"Then why are we veering off? Not going straight?"
"Ah... that's where quicksand flows—we have to avoid it."
"Yeah? Well, I'm not a total amateur, so don't think you can fool me."
"N-no way! No need to worry. What gain would I get harming you, young master?"
"You'd better not. Go."
"Yes."
Calix could read Yazid's thoughts plain as day.
'That vicious bastard.'
But he couldn't trust him fully.
Yazid might lure them into traps to whittle down Calix's forces bit by bit.
Days later, Calix's group finally found the ruins' entrance.
No special markers.
Just two stone pillars side by side, engraved with ancient script.
Edirn, inspecting the entrance, warned Calix.
"Someone's already been through."
"I know."
"Not just that. If they wanted to hide tracks, they could've sealed the entrance and removed the pillars. Leaving them means..."
"'Come in if you dare.' But we can't turn back now."
"Greed?"
"I won't deny it. But it's not just for me."
"No helping it, then."
"I'd appreciate you and Krout taking point for a while. Better to minimize ambush or trap casualties."
"Very well."
"Thank you."
Descending the narrow passage, a damp, fishy smell soon hit them.
Utterly unlike the hot, dry outside air.
Not too dark—manageable without torches.
Krout and a few knights led, scanning intently, advancing slowly.
Edirn followed, casting detection spells periodically.
Only the rhythmic clack of iron-reinforced leather boots echoed.
All braced, tense, unsure what might emerge.
Then, a black shadow dropped from the ceiling.
Tsssruk!
"Big Spider!"
Someone shouted; Krout launched like lightning.
His glowing Sword of Light traced a long arc.
Chwak!
Two razor-spined forelegs severed, spraying emerald-green ichor everywhere.
Chiiik!
"Watch out! Its fluids melt even steel!"
"No worries."
Edirn swung his wooden staff; fierce winds surged.
Winds leaking from deeper in reversed direction.
"Thanks!"
With winds at his back, Krout swung freely after a curt thanks.
The spider wasn't alone.
A swarm blackened the passage.
Not as huge as Krout's foe, but waist-high horrors.
"Tighten formation! Lower shields! Wall up and thrust spears! Keep distance!"
"Yes!"
"Laila!"
"Yes!"
"Breach the ground before the soldiers' wall!"
"Got it!"
Laila pricked her pinky with a small dagger.
Blood welled, forming thin threads.
The slim red strands swirled around her, weaving complex patterns.
"Foot Ground!"
Kururung!
The ground before the soldiers' wall sank abruptly.
The height difference made the spiderlings far easier to fight.
"Strike down!"
"Hyaat!"
Kwajik! Kwajik!
Spiderling corpses piled before the circular wall.
Calix relentlessly swung Graham's sword from the prince.
Chiiik—
White smoke rose where blade met ichor.
But self-repair meant no worry.
Low levels? Unbreakable weapons are king—no repair fees.
How long passed? The mother Big Spider finally fell to Krout's blade.
Edirn, supporting from rear, now unleashed attack spells fully.
"Fire Wave!"
Hwaruruk—
Flames ringed out, incinerating the black swarm instantly.
With the last one down, all sighed in relief.