Upon returning to the fortress, it seemed that the defense on this side had also ended successfully.
Otherwise, there was no way Count Camillo would be welcoming Jun and his companions with such a gentle smile.
“You’ve done a great deed.”
“I’m glad the outcome was to your satisfaction.”
The count truly did look pleased.
And that was odd.
After all, refugees were not typically a welcome sight.
Of course, if one had relatives among them, it would be a different story. But generally, they were simply seen as more mouths to feed.
Naturally, this should have increased the count’s worries and concerns.
And yet, the reason his expression was so bright was because of Jun’s magic.
Who would believe it?
Refugees, whom everyone thought would freeze to death, arrived with a bright sun shining above their heads.
The sight was almost like a scene from mythology, and when the real sun rose above them as dawn broke, someone even made the sign of the cross.
“Thanks to your magic, the morale inside the fortress is holding up well.”
“It’s all because of your wise leadership, Count.”
Jun’s efforts certainly played a big part.
But ultimately, the true spiritual pillar of this place was none other than Camillo.
Seeing him appear in public and calmly console the citizens held deep significance for Jun.
That wasn’t something you’d see easily in the game.
During the in-game storyline, when the Empire was engulfed in the flames of war due to the scheming of the Heavenly Church, everyone came to hate one another.
But seeing Camillo like this now gave Jun a sliver of hope that the future didn’t necessarily have to follow that path.
“Anyway… it looks like the real challenge begins now.”
“Indeed.”
Even during the night when Jun and his companions were away, the invasion had continued.
This time, they said a force of five thousand had attacked. It was far more than before.
“We dealt with half of them outside, and the rest were taken down in a siege battle. They charged in quite recklessly.”
“Were there any large monsters among them?”
“You mean the one from Sir Virtanen’s report? That one didn’t appear.”
“That’s a relief.”
If possible, that one was best left for Jun to handle himself.
There were still at least five days left until the arrival of the Lannes Magic Tower.
The fortress walls had to be held until then.
“However… I’m afraid I don’t only bring good news.”
Before anyone noticed, Count Camillo’s expression had grown grave as he looked toward the door.
Standing there was Kyler, as if she had just broken through a blizzard.
“Captain Kyler?”
“I’ve returned from reconnaissance.”
“What happened?”
“A snowstorm suddenly blew in during that short time. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? This place has unpredictable weather.”
“So, was the information accurate?”
At Count Camillo’s question, Kyler nodded heavily.
“We found another group of refugees.”
“How many?”
“Twelve thousand.”
At those words, Jun’s expression hardened and Count Camillo’s was no different.
“That’s more than the initial report…”
“It looks like refugees from the neighboring Rottenhgar territory joined them. There are more injured among them than in the previous group… and the food situation isn’t good either.”
“The problem is the geography, then.”
“What direction are they coming from?”
“Northeast.”
“You mentioned Rottenhgar territory earlier… Don’t tell me, is it between the Blade Canyons?”
At Jun’s question, Kyler looked at him in surprise.
“You’ve really memorized the geography around here?”
“Yes.”
“Impressive. Ah, we’re getting off topic. Yes, Captain Jun is correct. The refugees are currently coming through Blade Canyon.”
Blade Canyon.
Just like its name, it was a narrow and deep ravine, with sheer cliffs rising on both sides.
“Why would they go through there, of all places…?”
“They say every other direction has already been hit by disaster.”
“So they had no choice.”
Camillo let out a heavy sigh.
“What’s the size of the enemy forces this time?”
“Ten thousand and one hundred.”
“Ten thousand…”
Even Jun’s spell, [Life Absorption: Cloud Converges, Fog Gathers], would have a hard time handling that number.
To poison a camp of that size, you’d probably need a truckload of mana fluid.
“But it’s not all bad news. Given the terrain, it’ll be easier for us to block them.”
“Is it impossible to collapse part of the canyon?”
“That would be too risky. One wrong move and it could trigger an avalanche.”
“I see…”
In the end, there was only one viable option:
Block the enemy midway through the canyon.
No matter how many enemies there were, the narrow width of the canyon would limit how many could advance at once.
“The canyon is just wide enough for around a hundred adults to pass through at the same time.”
“Then what have you decided to do, Count?”
“…It seems worth attempting.”
“What about your other vassals?”
“Two are in favor, one is against.”
Unexpectedly, the dissenting voice came from none other than Nornen.
Why did she, the one who had first predicted the refugee crisis and insisted on saving them, now oppose the plan?
“A very practical reason.”
It was because the refugees weren’t only coming from the northeast.
“There are others….easier to reach and easier to bring back.”
“Then she…”
“She’s a quick calculator.”
What she was concerned about wasn’t the refugees’ lives. It was the Count’s reputation, who would one day oversee the North.
In other words, her suggestion was to abandon one of the two refugee groups and rescue the other, using the pretense of necessity as a shield.
“Hmm…”
It wasn’t exactly a pleasant thing to hear. Count Camilo’s grimace said as much.
But in a way, it was also the most realistic advice.
No one knew when the enemy’s full-scale assault would begin.
One rash decision could lead to irreversible consequences.
“The force you repelled yesterday can be handled with the current garrison alone. And… Captain Kyler has already set out to aid the other group of refugees.”
To say it couldn’t be helped might sound inhumane.
But the truth was, no other words came to mind.
The enemy was still estimated to have over 80,000 troops.
In such a situation, they couldn’t afford to risk losing a Level 7 fighter like Captain Kyler and her adventuring party.
“So in the end, you’re debating whether or not to send us.”
“…That’s right.”
From a practical standpoint, the White Whale Mercenaries were as valuable a force as the Altas Adventurers.
Especially in a large-scale battle like this, Jun who was a sixth-circle mage who defied conventional limits was an irreplaceable asset.
And yet, one number still held them back.
The 12,000 refugees.
Jun, eyes closed in contemplation, tapped his knee lightly with his finger.
In the heavy silence of the meeting room, the small sound rang out sharply.
At last, as if his calculations were done, Jun spoke.
“Twelve thousand refugees. We’ll rescue them.”
“…! Are you sure it’s possible?”
“On one condition.”
“What is it?”
“Eternal Iron. That’s what I ask for.”
“Hmm…!”
Eternal Iron.
A mineral said to be found only in trace amounts in the remote mines of the North.
It was so rare that priceless didn’t even begin to describe it, and so difficult to handle that even finding a craftsman capable of working with it was nearly impossible.
Unless one had access to a royal artisan, it couldn’t be done.
And yet, that was what Jun asked for.
And true to his status as the lord of the North, Camilo possessed Eternal Iron.
And not just any piece. It was a massive chunk of it.
It had been passed down like a family heirloom, yet never refined, as no craftsman capable of handling it had ever been found.
Now Jun was asking for it.
“…It’s not a difficult decision.”
“Brother?”
Kyler’s eyes widened in surprise.
It wasn’t rebuke. It was genuine astonishment.
Even the previous Count had never allowed that metal to leave their hands.
“It’s something we haven’t even been able to use. Besides, we already owe Captain Jun a great deal.”
“…That’s true.”
Even in the midst of this catastrophe, the only reason they had the luxury to discuss rewards at all was thanks to the White Whale Mercenaries.
To entrust them with such a dangerous mission, one with no guarantee of survival, was in many ways a selfish ask from Count Camilo. To others, it might even seem like he was treating the mercenaries as expendable.
And so, he was likely offering the Eternal Iron without hesitation as a way to repay that debt.
Still, it looks like we’ll get some support.
Of course, Count Camilo had no intention of discarding the White Whale Mercenaries.
He simply had no other options, and so he made his choice.
Thanks to that, Jun was able to secure a fair amount of support.
“Bows and arrows.”
“Rotengar has long been home to many rangers. They’re skilled at traversing mountains and hunting monsters with their bows.”
“At the very least, we’ll have their help.”
Alongside the bows, they were provided with quality supplies, food, and other necessities.
“Make sure you save them…and come back alive.”
Leaving those words from Count Camilo behind, Jun and his companions prepared to set out from the fortress once more.
“Phew. We’re really moving non-stop, huh?”
“Better to be busy than bored. That’s what they say.”
“Who the hell says stuff like that…?”
Jun couldn’t exactly say it was a line he’d heard on Earth, so he quietly avoided Eleanor’s gaze.
“Anyway, as you all heard….we’re heading out to rescue twelve thousand refugees.”
“Mmm…!”
It was clearly a dangerous mission, but no one voiced any objections.
Jun was quietly grateful for that fact.
Still, he couldn’t show that gratitude outwardly, so he simply continued.
“If you look at this map, this stretch here is particularly steep.”
“An uphill slope and a narrow path too.”
“Right. And the current location of the refugees is here.”
The spot Jun pointed to was far north of the steep passage they’d just discussed.
Which meant that even if they left immediately, the refugees wouldn’t be able to cross the narrow path in time.
“And the enemy is here.”
“Click. Then they’ll strike from behind before the refugees even reach that section.”
“Exactly. That’s why we need to strike first and stall their advance.”
Fortunately, that part wouldn’t be too difficult.
He still had enough mana fluid to use a few more spells.
Specifically, it meant he could use [Life Absorption: Cloud Converges, Fog Gathers] once more.
“But the enemy’s response has been unnaturally fast. They probably have some kind of long-distance communication ability, like the World Tree’s essence we possess.”
“Then… does that mean it’ll be harder to pin them down as efficiently as before?”
At Eleanor’s question, Jun gave a calm nod.
“Given the situation, we have to assume the worst. We should be prepared for the possibility that they escape faster than we expect.”
Still, Jun’s magic wasn’t something that could be easily countered.
At the very least, it would slow them down.
Judging that to be enough, the team resumed their march without hesitation.
Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t on their side.
They used up an entire day getting to their destination.
“There they are.”
In the distance, the shapes of the refugees began to come into view.
There were noticeably fewer than reported.
It looked like their numbers had dropped by at least two thousand.
Aiden looked up at the sky with frustration in his eyes.
“The weather…”
“Looks like many of them froze to death.”
Of all times, the mass evacuation had to happen during the coldest part of the season.
They couldn’t just stand by and watch.
“Eleanor. Go greet them and separate out anyone who can use weapons.”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to go set some traps.”
“All right. Got it.”
The decision was quick, and the action even quicker.
With Aiden accompanying him, Jun ran along the top of the canyon, while Maya stayed behind to assist Eleanor.
The group reunited late the next afternoon.
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