Chapter 66
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 066
Chapter Title: Undead and Black Mages (1)
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Clop, clop.
The sound of horse hooves echoed loudly from early morning.
The refugees who had been protesting in front of the palisade, demanding entry into the city, turned their heads toward the source of the noise.
A dun horse, white foam bubbling at its mouth, was charging straight toward them without slowing down.
Riding it was a man with bloodshot eyes.
It was the scout who had left Chester Castle two days earlier.
"Get out of the way!"
The scout shouted at the refugees.
At his words, they murmured in confusion, milling about uncertainly.
Then the knight guarding the palisade bellowed,
"Clear the path, everyone!"
His booming voice startled the refugees into hastily stepping aside.
A road leading inside the palisade opened up.
The mounted scout galloped through it.
His gaze fixed straight ahead.
"This feels ominous..."
The knight muttered as he watched the scout's figure rapidly recede.
"How are we supposed to stop over a thousand undead?!"
"We've got the palisade and the walls. That's more than enough to hold them off. Defending is always easier than attacking—it's common sense, isn't it? Running away before we've even fought? Tsk!"
"We're not facing a human army here! It's undead, undead! They keep moving even if their limbs are blown off!"
The hall where a banquet had been held just two days ago was now filled with nobles' heated shouts.
The cause was the news the scout had brought.
Over a thousand undead approaching.
That single sentence had summoned this emergency meeting.
The attendees were the nobles and mages staying in Chester Castle.
Naturally, I was one of them.
'A thousand? That's quite a lot.'
The enemy force numbered roughly a thousand.
An astonishing figure.
In this era, any battle with over a hundred combatants was considered large-scale.
No wonder the nobles were panicking.
But I had something more concerning than that.
The Eastern Branch Chief.
'Obviously the army led by the Eastern Branch Chief, right?'
No ordinary black mage would command that many troops.
It was reasonable to assume the one at the head of that army was Eremus's Eastern Branch Chief.
'Honestly, one Eastern Branch Chief worries me more than a thousand undead.'
The undead controlled by Eremus's black mages.
Most were low-grade and easy to deal with.
So if no one interfered, I could clean them up single-handedly.
Yes, if no one interfered.
The moment I actively entered the fray, the Branch Chief and his elite black mages would undoubtedly focus on me.
From now on, I'd have to keep them in mind at all times.
'Hmm... Tricky.'
They had the initiative.
I'd need to observe how the Branch Chief and his elites moved first, then adapt accordingly.
Of course, this was all just my speculation.
When we actually faced the enemy army, their leader might not even be the Branch Chief.
'But somehow, I doubt it.'
As I pondered, the conversation shifted from whether to fight or not to whether to expel or accept the refugees.
"Let's drive out the refugees first. Taking them all in will cause all sorts of problems—food, sanitation, public order! Everything will fall apart!"
"Why kick out the refugees? If they die, it'll just bolster the undead army's numbers. Better to let them in, arm them, and have them fight."
"Handing weapons to people who don't know how to fight doesn't make them soldiers! It's a waste, pure waste!"
Once again, no conclusion was reached.
Had their patience finally worn thin?
Count Chester, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
"Everyone, calm down. Bickering won't solve anything."
At the Count's attempt to mediate, the overheated atmosphere cooled slightly.
He scanned the now-quiet nobles, then turned to where Nina and I sat.
"Why not get some fresh air in the discussion by hearing from the mages?"
Count Chester's proposal.
One noble tossed in a jest.
"A noble asks, and a mage answers. A classic scene from the old tales. Following our ancestors' wisdom sounds good to me. I'm in favor."
The other nobles chuckled softly at that.
And soon agreed with the Count.
Naturally, all eyes in the hall turned to Nina and me.
My seat was the same as at the banquet two days ago.
The far end of the left table.
And Nina sat beside me.
"Nina of the Cold Wind. What are your thoughts?"
Count Chester addressed Nina.
Her body flinched.
'She was spacing out until just now.'
While the nobles argued, Nina had passed the time staring at the flames in the central brazier.
She had no opinion to offer.
Sure enough, her downcast eyes darted side to side.
But the trembling soon stopped.
"Hmph!"
Nina snorted and snapped her head up.
Her face brimmed with confidence.
"No need to worry, everyone. I can handle those undead with my magic, easy as pie."
The mage's bold declaration.
'Oohs' of admiration rose softly from the nobles.
A positive reaction.
Having navigated the crisis, Nina sighed in relief and straightened up.
Her previously dazed eyes now sparkled like they were studded with stars.
Anyone could see she was fully focused on the meeting.
'Impressive acting skills.'
On par with Master, even.
As I thought that, Count Chester turned to me.
"Heros. Now I'd like your opinion. You're the only one here who's fought black mages before, so I'm sure you have valuable insights. Speak freely."
The Count seemed to have high expectations of me.
And rightly so.
I'd already battled black mages and even captured an Eremus collaborator here in Chester.
To him, I must look like the expert.
Time to live up to that illusion.
'Stay calm, don't rush.'
I organized my thoughts.
Then spoke slowly.
"Truth be told, the undead aren't a big problem. They only seem threatening because there are so many."
As I began, I felt everyone's gazes lock onto my face.
My voice trembled a little, but that only made me act more confident.
"Most of those thousand will be low-grade undead. Any knight here could take down over a hundred alone. With enough stamina, wiping them all out is feasible."
The knights standing behind their lords.
I addressed them directly.
They, who had stood like statues until now, nodded in agreement.
I sensed movement behind me too—Bear and Connell doing the same.
"So the real issue isn't the undead, but the black mages controlling them. Especially the leader and the elites. The battle's outcome will depend on how they act and what spells they use."
As I finished, Count Chester immediately followed up.
"Then what should we do?"
"Right now, there's nothing specific I can say. The attackers hold the initiative. We'll need to see how they move and respond accordingly."
"Hmm... That's the most useful advice yet. I'll keep it in mind."
Count Chester pondered, his face etched with worry.
After hearing from the mages,
the strategy meeting dragged on for a few more hours.
And finally, a decision was reached.
"No matter how I look at it, fighting from the city walls right away would bring more losses than gains. We'll block the palisade entrance to form the first line of defense. If it falls, we'll retreat to the walls and hold there."
Count Chester opted for a textbook response.
He didn't want to just abandon the palisade, I suppose.
I agreed.
Using the narrow entrance, even a small force could hold off a horde of undead.
Of course, if a black mage blasted it with powerful magic, we'd have to retreat before we could do much.
As I thought that, the Count continued.
"We'll also shelter the refugees in the city. Letting them go risks them being captured by the black mage army—increasing their undead numbers or leaking intel about our insides."
Count Chester decided to accept the refugees.
Not out of humanitarianism, but to deny the enemy any advantage.
The already overcrowded city would burst at the seams, but no one saw it as a grave issue.
As long as it didn't affect their own comfort.
"I'll prepare the supplies needed for the siege now. I'll assign tasks to all of you, so please carry them out diligently."
Count Chester addressed the dozen or so nobles.
He quickly delegated roles.
Some were tasked with erecting obstacles at the palisade entrance, others with hunting for food supplies.
What about the mages?
Nina and I were ordered to rest.
Rest up and shine in the battle, basically.
But I had no intention of sitting idle.
'Time to read the grimoires during this lull.'
The Earth Dragon Grimoire's second request.
I still hadn't fulfilled it.
So before the undead army arrived, I'd grant it and learn a new spell.
'Expected arrival in three days. But it could be sooner.'
Undead don't tire.
They can march at night.
Of course, the black mages controlling them would limit that due to fatigue.
But their advance would still be faster than a normal army.
Better to prepare assuming they'd arrive ahead of the scout's estimate.
'Let's make mana soil right away.'
With that resolve,
before focusing on mana soil production, I placed the pot of planted peas in a sunny spot.
To get sprouts as soon as possible.
Two days later.
I succeeded in fulfilling the Earth Dragon Grimoire's request.
I earned the weird nickname of "mud-making mage" from focusing so much on mana soil, but no regrets.
《Soil. Delicious. Satisfied.》
The Earth Dragon Grimoire devoured the mountain of mana soil I'd piled up in front of my house in an instant, then said that.
After teaching me a new spell, it turned to dust and vanished.
Next up?
Reading the Green Thumb Grimoire.
I headed to the pot and confirmed a few sprouts emerging from the soil.
'Perfect!'
I immediately pulled out the Green Thumb Grimoire.
Its voice rang out.
《Excellent! Stay friends with the greens from now on. Their vigorous life force will surely aid you.》
The Green Thumb Grimoire's joy.
With it, I learned its second spell.
Now I'd read all the grimoires I could access for the moment.
Time to put them to use in battle.
The moment that thought crossed my mind,
"Lord Heros! The enemy army's in sight!"
A sturdy man waiting at the palisade came running, shouting.