Chapter 180: Fortress Commander

Bakurad Fortress stood as the frontline defense against the beasts and monsters that roamed from Drakaroth Heights and the Duskmire Grove that led to it.

According to ancient tales, a dragon once perished in those mountains, giving the range its name.

Its colossal corpse was said to have released a miasma of death so potent it engulfed the entire region.

The dragon’s lingering energy became a catalyst for widespread mutation, birthing monsters and corrupting the native beasts that lived in the mountains.

Both monsters and beasts were driven mad by the sheer purity and overwhelming power of the dragon’s remains.

Even the forest at the foot of the mountain range was not spared.

The crazed monsters and beasts wandered off the mountains and wreaked havoc on the surrounding areas.

"It was unknown whether the tales of old were true or not. But the fact that monsters from the Drakaroth Heights were enough for the Bakurad Fortress to be established back then."

"It did not take long for them to reach the human territory."

"The Human King back then decisively established the Bakurad Fortress in an attempt to prevent further damage to the kingdom."

"And now, the Bakurad Fortress stood tall for hundreds of years."

The deep voice of the gray-haired man faded into silence as he gazed at the four youths before him, a gentle smile on his face.

His irises were black like a deep river in the middle of the night.

The uniform he was wearing did not look like those fancy clothes worn by Constable Gerold and other nobles.

Instead, he was wearing dark, slim-fit long-sleeve shirts and trousers with leather bracers and boots.

This made it so that he could don his heavy armor at the shortest possible time if ever an emergency arose in the fortress.

Regis, Pandora, and Killian had wonder in their eyes as they listened to his story.

Meanwhile, Aurelia had a normal expression on her face, just like the others.

However, the way she nervously fidgeted with her fingers beneath the table did not escape Regis’s senses.

At this moment, they were at the office of Bakurad’s Fortress Commander.

The Fortress Commander cleared his throat, "I’m sorry, I got carried away in telling my story since this is the first time in a while that I’ve had visitors."

"It’s fine, Commander Larkson. We enjoyed your story as well." Regis was the one to speak, showing his white teeth as he smiled.

Larkson chuckled, the wrinkles on his face etched with the passage of time and hard-won experience.

"Come on, I told you to just call me Uncle Larkson. After all, this is the first time I’ve met my beloved niece’s friends."

It was in this instance that he seemed to have realized something, "Oh right! Why did you visit me at this time?"

Earlier, when the guards introduced them to him, Larkson had tried to ease the tension by beginning with the history of Bakurad Fortress.

However, he had been too engrossed and forgot to ask their main objective.

At this moment, Aurelia got up and pulled a letter from the pocket of her black dress, before handing it to Larkson.

"This is the letter father told me to give you, Uncle."

Nostalgia seemed to pass through Larkson’s eyes as he took the letter, "Aurum? I wonder how that little brother of mine’s doing all these years. Is he alright?"

"Yes. He’s quite busy managing the organization and could not make time to visit you because of his busy schedule. He told me that he’s sorry and would make time as soon as he’s free."

"Really? That’s a promise." Larkson smiled slightly as he opened the letter carefully and read the contents within, "It’s understandable since I heard he has an important position in the newly established satellite city of Ligera..."

Aurelia’s eyes squinted slightly, but her expression turned to normal soon after.

There was only one thought in her mind, ’Thank goodness, I didn’t stutter...’

The group silently waited for the fortress commander to finish reading.

After a few minutes, Larkson placed down the letter with a serious expression as he rubbed his eyebrows with his fingers.

"Huu... So the situation’s gotten so much worse, huh?"

He rose and brought the letter over to his desk, "I’ll draft a response, though it might take a while."

"Since the sun’s starting to set..." Larkson glanced out the window and continued,

"I’ll have the guards guide you to the fortress’s inn. You don’t have to worry about any expenses, so just eat your fill and tell them what type of room you want, okay?"

"Then we won’t take much of your time, Commander Larkson." Regis was the first to stand up as he spoke in a respectful tone.

Pandora, Killian, and Aurelia followed suit, offering their greetings before bidding farewell and taking their leave.

As if on cue, the guards opened the door from the outside just in time.

Before the door closed behind them, Regis sneaked a glance and saw Larkson’s stoic expression.

"This way, please."

One of the guards spoke as he left his post and guided the party through the fortress.

Seeing the door close, Larkson heaved a sigh of relief.

"What are you doing?"

Hearing a deep voice that suddenly echoed in the room, his eyes became sharp.

He looked towards the hooded figure who was sitting comfortably on the sofa where Regis and the others sat earlier.

"What do you mean?"

Larkson’s voice was rough, his hands clenching into fists.

"You made a deal with us, right? Why didn’t you gather more information about your niece’s frie—"

Whoosh— THUNK!!!

Before the hooded figure could finish, a pen flew past their face and lodged on the wall behind them.

"Making a deal doesn’t mean that I will be your minion. You don’t get to tell me how I’ll treat my niece and her friends."

Larkson’s voice was firm, though a hint of rage could be sensed from within.

The hooded figure stood up and fixed their robe, "Fair enough. Just make sure not to cross the line. You’ll give us that beloved niece of yours, and we’ll give you the way to turn your family back to normal."

"Do I look like a kid to you? Don’t you dare mess with my niece without my permission. I’ll be the one to give her to you, so if you do anything on your own, the deal is off."

"Alright. Jeez, you’re too worked up. I’ll get going now."

Just as the hooded figure started walking, Larkson spoke up, "You better keep your word..."

"Of course." The hooded figure chuckled lightly before walking towards the darkest area of the room.

And as if they weren’t there to begin with, they disappeared without any signs.

"Huhp..." Larkson took a deep breath as he leaned on his chair.

"How should I deal with this..."

Looking out the window, the warm rays of the sunset reflected the emotions that were hiding in his black eyes.

Longing, nostalgia, and exhaustion.

***

Although both fortresses, Bakurad had stark differences from Corelli.

Unlike Corelli Fortress, which seemed more like a city, Bakurad Fortress was filled with training grounds for soldiers and warriors to train.

Of course, there were still some tailor shops, but most of them were smithies where both armors and weapons were forged and repaired.

The atmosphere of the fortress seemed a little too serious from the party’s perspective.

However, it was also understandable since the citizens of the fortress knew that they could lose their lives at any time.

After all, they were at the front lines in the battle against the monsters and beasts of the Drakaroth Heights and Duskmire Grove.

They were currently walking through the streets, appreciating the unique beauty of a military fortress.

It did not take too long before they reached the Fortress Inn.

The guard opened the door for them and only entered after they went inside the building.

Regis looked around, looking like a country bumpkin due to the innocent expression he had on hs face.

The interior of the inn was normal; they had sets of tables, and the owner could be seen at the bar talking to his regulars with a smile.

Behind him was a collection of liquor and a door leading to the kitchen.

The guard patted Regis’s shoulder, "Please wait here for a while."

He then proceeded to talk to the owner, who then glanced at the party before nodding affirmatively.

The guard then went back to Regis and looked at him and his companions, "I’ve already spoken with the innkeeper. He’ll accommodate you to the best of his abilities, so please make yourself at home."

"Thank you."

"No worries, it’s what the Commander told me to do. I’ll be taking my leave."

After the guard left the inn, Regis smiled at his companions, "Let’s eat."

After being together for so long, Killian already knew that something was amiss.

"Let’s go! That journey drained me, and I swear, I could eat a whole feast right now!"

Pandora’s expression shifted into an expression that one would expect happy children to have as she held Aurelia’s hand.

It was an expression of childish excitement.

"What do you want to eat?"

Aurelia tightened her grip as she smiled, "I’m in the mood for some roasted chicken right now!"

The party then went ahead and ordered their respective meals.

To an outsider’s eyes, they would look like children who were just out to eat.

Of course, that was only because no one in the entire Bakurad Fortress knew any better.