Chapter 183: Wilden gave a soft snort

He didn’t want to continue this topic, so he asked, “What happened on the bridge?”

“On the bridge?”

“The collapse of the bridge surface—how long has it been?”

Gotok thought for a moment, then replied, “It doesn’t seem like much time has passed. I only know that Margit, the Fell Omen hasn’t appeared for a while.”

“…”

Mia was momentarily speechless; it seemed she couldn’t count on these undying people of The Lands Between to have any concept of time.

“Open the gate,” Wilden continued.

“Yes, yes,” Gotok agreed quickly. He shouted toward the top of the guardroom, “Open the gate!”

Only then did Mia notice a large hole in the guardroom ceiling. It wasn’t an intentional hole from the initial construction, but a collapse caused by years of neglect. However, Gotok’s shout could travel through that hole directly into the gatehouse.

A head peeked out from above; the Soldier’s head was wrapped in a red scarf, covering their entire face except for their eyes.

After seeing clearly that the Soldier standing before Gotok was a soldier wearing a surcoat with the Great Tree and the Lion, the Soldier peeking from the second floor withdrew.

A moment later, accompanied by the sound of metal grinding, the gates of Stormveil Castle rumbled open.

The gate shook violently, like an old man struggling to stand up after a fall, and the grinding of the rusted gears was like that old man’s painful groans.

The main road of Stormveil Castle was a stone path wide enough for three carriages—the kind in Mia’s storage space—to pass through.

This was a city built on a mountain.

Beyond the gate, the road was a long uphill climb. The mountainous terrain presented a great challenge to the city, with steep streets and stairs visible everywhere.

Buildings were situated on leveled or excavated slopes, layered upon one another, appearing even more magnificent than a city on a plain.

Because on a plain, a city only moves along the flat ground, occupying only the lower half of your vision; but in a mountain city, the city can go upward until it squeezes the sky into a tiny line.

“That gatekeeper, Gotok—you didn’t have to be like that to him,” the invisible Mia whispered.

“You think I was too harsh?” Wilden surveyed his surroundings.

“Mm.”

The last time Wilden had been here was before he fell into that cave, at least several hundred years ago.

Aside from being more dilapidated, the city had not changed at all.

“You don’t understand people like that,” Wilden replied. “From the first sentence he spoke, I knew he was a sycophant, a traitor who bullies the weak while fearing the strong. Don’t be fooled by his praise and flattery. You must be extremely careful; such a Soldier will be the first to kick you when you’re down.”

After Wilden passed through the first wall and reached the barbican, a guard holding a spear stopped him.

It was a Godrick Soldier.

“Where do you come from?” the Banished Knight asked.

His voice was as raspy as Wilden’s had been when Mia first met him.

“Stormgate,” Wilden replied.

The soldier sized him up. “A newcomer?”

“…” This was likely because Wilden’s face looked different from most.

Since Wilden had teamed up with Mia, his mummy-like body had been recovering.

However, his natural features were not young; except for The Everliving of The Lands Between, probably no one would mistake him for a young man.

Wilden didn’t argue, but followed the Banished Knight’s lead: “I’ve come to report for duty.”

“We certainly need the manpower.” The soldier nodded.

On the walls and towers on both sides of the barbican, Banished Knights could be seen wearing armor covered in scars and draped in red cloth.

They had different uniforms from Godrick’s soldiers, but they were likewise guarding the city.

A Godrick Knight with a tall helmet stood by the wall, looking down at the people below.

“What’s been happening lately?” Under Mia’s prompting, Wilden inquired.

“The Fell Omen who guarded the wall has left,” the soldier explained. “Two Tarnished broke into the castle.”

“How long ago was this?”

“About a month ago.”

Wilden nodded.

“Go report to the square in front of the palace. We are conducting a search along with the Banished Knights.”

The Godrick Soldier had the Banished Knight upstairs open the barbican gate, and Wilden walked into the city.

As Mia followed closely behind Wilden, the sentry felt a gust of wind pass by, and his vision darkened for a moment, as if a dark cloud had brushed past his eyes.

The soldier blinked his golden eyes and looked left and right, dismissing it as a trick of the light.

Stormveil was a fascinating city.

Setting aside those towering Gothic spires and slender clustered columns, even the residential houses by the road were more beautiful than most similar buildings seen on Earth in her past life.

Except for the fact that they were in disrepair.

Mia could imagine the prosperity of this city before the war began.

People walking on the streets, carriages. Merchants calling out by the roadside, citizens strolling in the square.

She could almost look at those quiet streets and fantasize like that all day.

Of course, it would be better if fantasy weren’t necessary.

There was almost no one on the streets; even if there were, most of them seemed to have lost their vitality, either sitting or lying by the roadside in a daze.

The only things representing a bit of life were the soldiers patrolling the road.

The two of them followed the main road all the way up until they reached the square in front of King Godrick’s palace.

Many soldiers were gathered in the square.

Wilden suddenly stopped.

He said, “I think it’s best if I stay here.”

“What’s wrong?” Mia asked.

Wilden gazed at Godrick’s palace in the distance and hesitated for a moment.

“I once served Godrick. He is the second son of Lord Godwyn.”

“I’m not sure,” Wilden said with some hesitation, “I’m not sure if I can give my all in a fight against him.”

He still cherished old sentiments.

Wilden had once served Godwyn; even though Godrick had strayed from the path of a righteous ruler, Wilden still lacked the resolve to strike him down.

“No, I know you won’t,” Mia shook her head. “I didn’t plan for you to come with me anyway.”

From the beginning—or more accurately, from that night they rested in the shack on Stormhill—Mia had never intended for Wilden to challenge Godrick alongside her.

She knew Wilden couldn’t do it.

If Wilden could, he wouldn’t have asked her not to kill Godrick.

Hearing Mia’s response, Wilden clearly looked a bit more relieved.

“Thank you.”

“Mm, I’m going ahead.”

Mia waved her staff, and Teleportation Magic sent her, invisible, to the other end of the plaza.

Supplemented the previous chapter.

Woke up at 4:30; my head is a bit clearer.

Added about a thousand words to the previous chapter; refresh and take another look.

Getting ready to beat up Little G.