Chapter 441 - City In Name Only

Chapter 441 - City In Name Only

After hearing the full story, Aishia let out a smile, momentarily forgetting her fatigue.

She had been quite irritated due to the shortage of supplies.

The fact that a knight was personally going out to bring in a few merchants showed just how dire the situation was.

What an inefficient way to handle things.

Thousand Stones itself was a city like that. Even though she was a semi knight, there was no room for arrogance in a place like this.

Aishia had also needed some time to adjust to life here. The feeling she had when seeing Knight Oara hammering a nail into the wood with the blade of her shortsword was hard to describe.

It was like watching someone plowing a field with a holy sword.

Yet, Knight Oara smiled.

A bright smile.

A smiling Oara.

The sword-wielding Oara, smiling like sunlight.

All the nicknames for Knight Oara were quite similar.

She smiled often.

Asia had seen Oara's smile and had immediately written a letter asking the palace to send over some artisans.

"You're the best. Handsome, as expected."

Aishia shook off her thoughts and gave a thumbs up.

"Is that a compliment?"

"It's Oara's style of compliment."

It seemed like Aishia had gotten quite fond of joking around. Enkrid had also heard the other tasks that he needed to handle, apart from Jack the swordfighter.

One of the deserters had allied with a heretic and created a new religion—essentially becoming a cult leader.

Aishia added that this cult had been established for about two years now, and its size seemed to be growing due to the involvement of the heretics.

"I'd like to go and kill him right away, but if a wave happens while Knight Oara is away, we're done for."

For the same reason, Asia couldn't afford to leave her post either.

She mentioned that harpies or monsters often poked at the city, and if she left, there would immediately be dangerous ambushes.

That's why Enkrid's arrival was very much appreciated.

However, this wasn't a simple battle; it was a pursuit to track down and drive out the enemy, so Asia didn't have high hopes.

The cult leader was incredibly quick at running away, and if he hadn't been, Asia would have already killed him long ago with gritted teeth, even if it meant splitting her time.

Honestly, if Enkrid hadn't come, she had planned to take care of it herself at the right moment.

They weren't bishops of some cult or anything special; just pathetic guys pretending to be leaders or gods. Asia figured she could easily go and slit their throats herself.

Enkrid asked a few more questions.

The location and scale of the colony, the characteristics of the religious group, and so on.

Asia answered as best as she could.

"Did you see the tavern in the village? The owner there knows more than I do."

"He was really angry because of the alcohol ban."

"He's a good guy. You should just go, order some food, and talk to him. Oh, be careful of something. I heard one of those cult guys is a swordfighter who uses magic."

"What kind of magic?"

If the person was using spells, they needed to be careful.

The person might summon fire from their hands or entangle their body with webs.

Enkrid had sparred with Esther and experienced various things.

Although he hadn't gained new insights from battling mages, at least he had gotten used to fighting them.

That's why he asked.

"I heard that someone got a hole in their belly without even touching them."

Asia made a slicing motion in the air with her hand.

Some of the soldiers had been affected, and she added that the cult members would make holes in anyone who was caught.

Enkrid listened to all this, but he knew that these were not the kind of people that would be easily found.

There were three recently established colonies.

It wasn't by chance that it was on the border of the Magic Zone. If they didn't deal with it for a while, crazy monsters would gather, build nests, and cause chaos.

"Welcome to the border of the Magic Domain, Thousand Stones."

Asia said once again, and Enkrid nodded calmly.

The Magic Zone didn't change things much. It just meant there were a few more monsters than usual, but it wasn't different from Border Guard.

Asia had been very busy, and it seemed like rest was more important for her now. With the dark shadows under her eyes, it felt like a demon might be born from her fatigue.

She was confident in her physical strength as a knight, but recently, fatigue had piled up.

"I've been awake for two nights. Because of the harpies."

If they all attacked at once, she would have led the soldiers to fight them head-on, but instead, a few harpies would sneak in, observe from a distance, and only strike when they thought they could get away.

Even a semi knight like her found it difficult to catch harpies that were using magic and running away.

If they attacked in earnest, it wouldn't have been impossible to catch them, but still, they kept poking at her from a distance.

They wouldn't even come near the towers or the walls of Thousand Bricks unless something big was happening.

When the merchant group was brought in, the harpies attacked in excitement, and Asia had rushed to deal with them, which she considered lucky in a way.

It was a good opportunity to kill a few of those pests.

"Milio. Show them the way. To the inn and restaurant."

"Understood."

Asia headed off to rest and entrusted Milio, a soldier she had seen by the city gates, to guide them.

Enkrid quietly surveyed the city for any signs of trouble, like curses or fights. He was looking for Rem. There didn't seem to be any commotion.

It was still just a moderately noisy, moderately smelly city.

Most of the smell came from sweat.

The stench of sweat, coming from the clothes soaked in it, mixed with the damp air, creating an almost magical harmony.

It wasn't uncommon to see people training their muscles or swinging weapons here and there.

"Smash the monster's head!"

"Break it into two!"

"Let's die laughing!"

"Hurrah!"

Slogans could be heard.

Six people were seen lifting logs or doing similar physical training.

The most common sight was people repairing longbows or making arrows.

They were all sweating profusely. The weather was that hot.

Even standing still made sweat pour down.

The smell of dampness was not quite rotten, but it filled the air with an unpleasant sensation.

Dunbakel, who had frowned a few times because of the smell since the beginning, eventually covered her nose.

"The smell is awful, don't these people ever wash?"

"You have no conscience, do you?"

Enkrid reprimanded Dunbakel.

"Why? I bathed ten days ago."

Enkrid made up his mind that if there was a bathtub at their inn, he would dunk Dunbakel's head into it.

Ten days ago, that was when they were on their way here.

Dunbakel reached a stream, dipped her fingers in the water, and wiped her face with a few drops.

That was her idea of a wash.

"You'd better hope the tub is sturdy," Enkrid said creating a sense of foreboding.

Dunbakel took a step back, feeling uneasy.

Of course, it wouldn't change anything in the end.

Luagarné, being a Frog, was used to the humid air. No, she actually liked it.

The smell was bearable. Frogs, after all, could grow back their limbs when they were severed, so their senses were a bit dull.

They actually thrived in humid environments.

Occasionally, as a hobby, Frogs liked to half-submerge themselves in lake water for relaxation.

Though not actually frogs, they enjoyed things that frogs would.

They would flick bugs with their tongues and consider mud baths by the swamp as some of the best leisure activities.

Sometimes, when she remembered the little treats she had received in the palace, Luagarné thought back on them with nostalgia.

"Is there a mud-filled bath anywhere around here?"

Of course, no such thing existed here.

"Mud, you say?"

Millio reacted to Luagarne's words. The soldier with a deep, resonant voice still wanted to cross blades with Enkrid, but for now, he focused on his assigned duties.

He was a soldier who fulfilled his obligations.

"Beyond the western gate, if you skirt around the Gray Forest, there's a swamp, but you shouldn't go there. That swamp is always cloaked in poisonous mist."

A completely unnecessary warning.

Enkrid thought so, glancing away.

The city came into view. He had seen it earlier, but its unique appearance caught his attention once more.

Houses were sparsely distributed, and a dirt road ran through the city, connecting the two gates.

Most buildings were constructed on raised platforms of neatly stacked bricks, likely because the ground was prone to flooding when it rained.

To mitigate this, trenches had been dug everywhere to channel water.

The drainage system seemed designed to guide water downhill, with the most striking feature being a large, open trench in the center, resembling a roofless cave.

It was substantial enough to turn into a stream during heavy rain. Did a giant dig it?

"It's the handiwork of Knight Oara," Millio said, noticing where Enkrid's gaze lingered. The soldier was perceptive in many ways.

His speech was rough, but there was a kindness in his demeanor.

According to him, a knight had wielded a shovel to create this.

Should Enkrid be surprised? Not knowing what to make of it, he dismissed the thought.

Thanks to the central drainage system, no homes appeared at risk of flooding even during heavy rain.

Enkrid observed other features of the city: a general store, a grocer, a tavern, a few empty houses, a blacksmith, a shop displaying butchered meat, some stores seemingly out of business, solitary buildings, half-destroyed wooden scarecrows, and shops selling stacked firewood.

"Merchants from outside trade goods for Krona, but here, most purchases are made through contributions," Millio explained, selecting his words carefully. The city's unique economic system intrigued Enkrid.

"Contributions?"

Dunbakel asked, her voice nasal as she pinched her nose.

Millio nodded and elaborated.

"Yes, contributions. You accumulate them by slaying monsters or beasts. Alternatively, you can earn them by contributing to the city—repairing the gates, for example—or, for something more substantial, assisting Knight Oara in battle. Didn't you just kill a harpy earlier? A spellcasting harpy is a rare variant. That alone should cover your meals and lodging for ten days."

As Enkrid pondered this unusual system, he noticed that almost everyone he saw carried weapons.

Most bore bows, and each had stick-like symbols on their shoulders.

"Ah, those aren't unit insignias but rank indicators. It's loosely based on Naurilia's military ranking system. Once a month, a squire from the knights' order comes to train us."

One stick denoted a low rank, two a mid-rank, and three a high rank.

If the sticks were crossed, it signified a commander.

While the system resembled the one used by the royal palace, engraving the rank on the shoulder for easy identification seemed practical.

'This would be handy for the Border Guard as well.'

As Enkrid continued to observe the city, he felt a peculiar sense of ease.

The stench was foul, yet the atmosphere was comforting.

It felt like returning home, though this wasn't his actual homeland. It was the kind of place that soothed the soul.

The unpleasant, sticky weather remained, making him long for a bath.

The oppressive humidity made him want to drag Dunbakel, who refused to bathe, by her hair and dunk her head into a tub.

Enkrid spotted two soldiers in a small clearing, sparring with wooden sticks.

'A duel.'

No, it wasn't a fight. They were testing each other's skills.

Both men wore only pants, their torsos bare, as they swung their long wooden sticks.

It struck him at that moment—this wasn't a city.

'It's not a city but a barracks.'

Thousand Stones was a city in name only.

This place was essentially a massive military camp.

And the reason for this was clear—to fend off the endless attacks of monsters and beasts.

With no farmland and no commercial significance, who else but combatants would populate such a place?

Everyone here was a fighter.

'The entire city has been turned into a barracks.'

And who could have orchestrated such a transformation?

Knight Oara.

This was her handiwork.

"Here, you can stay and have your meals on the first floor. Everyone knows the Demon Slayer, so they'll recognize you."

The building was a spacious brick structure that appeared in better condition than where Sir Oara resided.

The door was covered in graffiti carved with sharp objects like knives.

Run away while you still can.

For Sir Oara, forever.

I'll crush the monster's head—for life.

Oa!

Let's die with a smile!

Such were the words inscribed.

Enkrid pushed open the door.

If this was a barracks, then its residents were essentially all warriors.

Inside, he saw the two sparring soldiers from earlier. Both were now dressed differently.

One wore a shabby linen outfit, carrying food, while the other—a woman—was fully equipped. She carried a short bow slung diagonally across her back and wore light leather armor.

She seemed ready for battle or an immediate mission.

"Welcome," said the male soldier, while the woman glanced at Enkrid.

"So, this is the Demon Slayer. Handsome, aren't you?"

Was this demeanor typical of the unit?

Or had Knight Oara's influence shaped such a culture?

The woman spoke without concealment, drawing the attention of nearly everyone in the dining hall toward Enkrid.

"…A man isn't just about his looks," muttered the male soldier carrying food.

Unable to hold back, Luagarne stepped in.

"Not just his looks. Everything about him is excellent."

It was nonsense.

Enkrid ignored the remark and took a seat. The woman approached him.

"I'm Rowena, a Decurion," she said.

A Decurion—a leader of ten.

"I saw you in the alley earlier."

Enkrid's curiosity piqued.

"Oh, that's my side job," she replied.

In this city, everyone seemed to serve as soldiers.

"Let me know if you need anything."

Her words carried a double meaning—whether she referred to daytime matters or something else was unclear.

"Probably not," Enkrid said. "Then again, you never know."

Dunbakel muttered a vulgar remark while making a crude hand gesture, but Enkrid turned to the innkeeper.

"Can we bathe here?"

"Huh? Yes, there's a tub."

The innkeeper replied, and Dunbakel tried to flee, only to be caught by Enkrid grabbing the nape of her neck.

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