Chapter 3:
The Houvan Uprising
Houvan, in the Rhoden Kingdom.
Count Fulish du Houvan’s domain was located among the mountains that ran from north to south across the Rhoden Kingdom. It had been established along the route that connected the capital of Rhoden with the Grand Duchy of Limbult—the only human civilization that still maintained a trade relationship with the elves.
The many magical items produced by the elves were superior in both their performance and usefulness to anything the humans made, making them incredibly popular among human nobility. Houvan to the north and Tiocera to the south served as convenient lodgings for the many caravans that traveled along the trade route, bringing items to the kingdom’s northern border.
The count’s castle sat in the middle of the town of Houvan. Deep inside, its owner was speaking passionately in one of his palatial rooms. Magical crystal lamps illuminated the magnificent decorations and art that adorned it.
A middle-aged man paced back and forth across the room, alternating between agitation and abject fear as he surveyed his surroundings. He was clearly uneasy about something. His lustrous blond hair, as fine as silk, was neatly tied back at the base of his scalp. His silk shirt was adorned with intricate designs and accompanied by an equally exquisite pair of pants embroidered with gold thread. This man was none other than Count Fulish du Houvan, the ruler of this domain.
However, in spite of the opulence of the room he found himself in, the count looked incredibly dissatisfied with his surroundings, like a fish out of water. His elderly retainer raised his voice.
“Count Fulish, the merchants are filing complaint after complaint. Forcing them to undergo such stringent inspections forces them to waste time entering town. If we keep this up, shipments will slow to a crawl.”
A vein bulged on Fulish’s forehead. “Shut up! I must prevent the elves from getting into Houvan at all costs! Or…maybe you’re colluding with them to get rid of me?”
A look of fear washed over the count’s face.
Just the other day, he’d learned that the elves might be responsible for Marquis du Diento’s assassination. He wasn’t about to lower his guard.
Part of the problem was that he’d also purchased an elf through a slave trader. Assuming the stories about Diento’s untimely demise were true, then it seemed clear that his murder had been part of a larger plot. The elves had rescued their friends and taken revenge on the man responsible for keeping the slave trade a secret.
Fortunately, the town of Houvan was located on a strategic route that ran north to south across the Rhoden Kingdom. The towering walls and well-stocked fortress would repel any intruders, so long as thorough inspections on those entering continued.
This all assumed, of course, that there weren’t already sympathizers on the inside. The count’s glare intensified.
“Don’t be absurd! I’m simply saying that if the transport of goods to the capital is delayed any further, then it may look like we bear some sort of malice toward the royal family.”
A look of understanding finally crossed Fulish’s face, though it was quickly replaced by one of fear. “N-no! I absolutely will not lessen the security. If the inspections are taking too long, then we’ll add more guards to perform them!”
“But that will further burden the treasury!”
No sooner had the words left the man’s mouth than Fulish raised his voice in anger. “In that case, either raise taxes or levy new ones! That will take care of your little money problem!”
“W-wait! If we raise taxes any more, the people won’t like it.”
Fulish ran his fingers through his blond hair, then ripped the toupee from his head and threw it to the ground. “Why do I need to care what the people think? Since when did they become my equals?! If they don’t want to fall in line, then we’ll teach them some manners. That’s your job, is it not? Now get out of my sight!”
The bald man stood there, flushed with anger, his voice now ragged. He waved his hand in annoyance toward the old man, dismissing him.
The retainer bowed his head and made for the door. As he closed it behind him, he heard the sound of a chair being thrown across the room.
“Dammit! What are we going to do about that elf?!”
Fulish chewed at his thumbnail as he mumbled to himself, lost in thought.
The elf woman he spoke of was currently locked in the dungeon.
He thought about disposing of her, but if a group of rescuers did come looking for their comrade, he’d have nothing to bargain with.
On the other hand, it was against royal decree to engage in the buying and selling of elves. He couldn’t just give her away, or even let her go, without fear of retribution.
For now, he decided to treat the elven woman a little better. Maybe improve her impression of him by moving her from the dungeon to one of the well-furnished rooms upstairs.
Just to be on the safe side, though, he decided to keep the mana-eater collar on her, along with the chained weights on her ankles.
He spared no expense when it came to his own protection. Unfortunately, that meant he didn’t notice the fire and smoke rising from the castle around him until it was far too late.
***
Early the next morning, I used Transport Gate to teleport us back to the large rock—our save point—that I’d found the previous day.
We made easy progress through the forest and arrived at Houvan around noon. It actually wasn’t far from where I’d discovered the princess.
The town of Houvan was located at the mouth of a valley at the base of the Anetto Mountains. To its south, the Telnassos mountain range provided a beautiful backdrop. Due to expansive forests in the foothills of both mountain ranges, cultivated lands surrounding the town spread far off to the east and west.
Houvan looked different from any other town I’d seen thus far. Rather than having a typical circular wall surrounding it, the walls were squared off, giving it the appearance of a fortress.
Yesterday’s rain was long forgotten and the sun was high in the sky, almost blinding me as it reflected off the stone walls.
I put Ponta atop my head and walked with Ariane through the fields on the raised dirt path toward Houvan. The closer we got, the more apparent the sheer scale of the town became.
The fifteen-meter-high walls were surrounded by a water-filled moat. Towers stood on either side of the main gate, manned by guards who carefully watched the movements of anyone coming or going.
A stone bridge extended across the moat to the gate, where people and wagons waiting to enter the town had to undergo thorough inspections. A large line had already formed.
The town’s northern gate was only barely wide enough to fit two horse-drawn carts side-by-side. I figured that was because the gates along the east to west trade route were more widely used, and probably much larger.
However, it soon became apparent that the east and west gates were even more crowded. From time to time, we’d see a cart making its way up to the north gate from either side of the city.
At the gate itself, the guards upturned entire carts, throwing open the cloaks of any passengers to inspect their faces. No exceptions were made for mercenaries, who were all required to remove their helmets before entering.
It looked to me like they were searching for someone rather than something.
I turned to Ariane. There was no way we’d be able to sneak in like this.
The Rhoden Kingdom had entered into a treaty that forbade the hunting of elves. However, whether anyone enforced that treaty was another story entirely. If anyone learned that my companion was a dark elf—one of the more highly prized elves—our mission would be over before we could blink.
We’d found the name of a man who lived here, a certain Fulish du Houvan, written on the elf purchase contracts. Judging by his name, I assumed that he was a noble. If this law-violating, elf-trading noble somehow noticed that Ariane was in town, things would probably turn ugly.
As for me, I was nothing but a skeleton under my armor. There was no way I could take my helmet off during an inspection, even if the guards demanded it.
“Looks like we won’t be entering through the front door.”
“You’re probably right.”
Ariane’s golden eyes peered out at the town from within her dark gray cloak.
But this didn’t mean that our mission was over. We just needed to find a way to sneak into Houvan.
Ariane, Ponta, and I made our way along the town wall from the busy north entrance off toward the east, looking for a spot with no guards or other people. We eventually came to a gate many times larger than the north gate, though still relatively small. Due to its size, the foot and wagon traffic backed up past the bridge and down the road. We decided to avoid the heavy crowding at the east gate and continue south along the wall.
The south gate was relatively small, and was apparently only used for farmers going to and from the fields. There were almost no people, save for a few field workers.
The peasants of Houvan, much like those in other towns, looked exhausted. However, their tired expressions quickly turned fearful when they caught sight of us. They seemed to be more afraid of me than Ariane. I wondered if my helmet was the problem. Even though I’d been able to hide my impressive armor under my black cloak, the gleaming silver of my helmet still peeked out. There was just no way to cover it.
But as long as the peasants were willing to simply avert their eyes and not cause us any trouble, that was good enough for me.
“Miss Ariane, we will teleport into the town from here. Hold on to me.”
I scanned our surroundings to make sure no one was watching.
“All right.” Ariane grabbed ahold of my shoulder.
“Dimensional Step!”
Our surroundings changed in a flash as I summoned the transportation spell. An instant later, we found ourselves huddled atop the wall that ran around the town.
Obviously, we’d be spotted if stayed there, so I cast about for a place within the town limits we could teleport down to. All of the houses near the south gate seemed rather decrepit, nothing like the rich dwellings located elsewhere. I spied a particularly dilapidated house and summoned Dimensional Step again. We appeared in an alley behind the house.
“And we’re finally in Houvan.”
Ariane did a quick check of our surroundings before turning back to the task at hand.
“Now we just need to find the buyer, a man named Fulish du Houvan.”
“Judging by his name, I’m guessing he’s the ruler of this town. The castle is probably the best place to start our search.”
It wouldn’t do us much good to go around town asking for information about the illegal kidnapping of elves. The best and fastest way to get information would probably be to go to his residence directly.
Of course, first we needed to find out where this man lived. Heading toward the castle at the center of the town named after him seemed like a safe bet.
We moved out from behind the dilapidated building and looked around. The street was lined with similarly neglected wooden houses.
Several people nearby noticed us. Their faces tensed and they quickly moved away, disappearing between the buildings.
It again seemed to me like they were responding to seeing a helmeted knight in their midst, but I couldn’t say for sure. Maybe knights in Houvan were exceptionally brutal?
After walking a short ways, we came upon a busy street lined with shops, the air filled with the cries of merchants hawking wares. The town had suddenly come to life, with people and carts jostling about.
A tense atmosphere seemed to hang over everyone, from the occasional cluster of rabble-rousers to large groups of guards. Between the inspections at the gate and the mood of the town, I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened here.
Ariane and I spoke in whispers as we looked around.
“It feels pretty strange here…”
“With all the guards hanging around town, it’s going to be hard to get anywhere.”
As we reached the center of town, the castle walls came into view.
This certainly looked like the estate of whoever was in charge. The walls were as high as those surrounding the town, blocking off any view of the other side. A large moat ran around the wall, preventing anyone from getting too close.
The drawbridge was currently down, and a large number of guards crowded near the gate. The townspeople were all giving the area a wide berth. If we were to wander over, it seemed all too likely that we’d find ourselves being questioned at swordpoint.
We walked along the moat, trying to find a way in.
Unfortunately, guards were posted at regular intervals, and there were even more patrolling the wall itself. There were just too many people around to make teleporting in even remotely feasible.
The only other option would be to wait for nightfall and cross the wall under cover of darkness. However, if there wasn’t enough moonlight to see by, it would be hard to focus on a specific point to teleport to.
All I could do was hope it didn’t rain like it had the day before. Right now it was sunny out, with only a few clouds in the sky, so maybe my concerns would come to nothing.
The sound of an argument broke out from somewhere off in the distance. I turned in the direction of the voices and spotted several guards punching a young boy. A large group of people stood by, watching the events unfold from a distance, though no one seemed particularly alarmed.
“Watch where yer walkin’, kid!”
“We don’t need yer kind around here, ya little eyesore!”
“Admit it, you were here to steal some food, weren’t ya?! Out with it!”
The guards spit epithets at the boy, who was now curled up on the ground as they barraged him with kicks.
The boy—maybe thirteen or fourteen years old—had long, scraggly black hair and was dressed in dirty, tattered clothes. Blood poured from his mouth, probably from a well-placed kick, and he looked to be in a lot of pain, though he fixed his assailants with a defiant glare. This, however, only seemed to anger the guards further.
“Whaddya lookin’ at, ya little peasant brat?!”
The whole scene was hard to watch.
Right as one of the guards was about to lay into the boy with another round of kicks, I spoke up.
“Don’t you think that’s enough? He’s just a kid.”
“Who the hell are you?! Mind your own business, you…”
The guard trailed off as soon as he caught sight of me.
A black-cloaked knight clad in silvery armor, hand at the ready on the hilt of the Holy Thunder Sword of Caladbolg, must have struck quite the imposing figure. The guard’s face went white.
Ponta was snuggled deep in Ariane’s chest at the moment, unhappy at having been passed off. I didn’t have much of a choice. It was hard to look intimidating with a furball on my head.
“Don’t you think that’s enough?” I repeated myself, lowering my voice ever so slightly. The men all stood frozen for a moment before offering a salute, followed by deep bows.
“C-certainly! I’m sorry for the trouble. We’ll return to our post now.”
The men made a swift exit, leaving the boy where he lay.
I hadn’t expected such a reaction to my appearance. But I supposed this kind of high-class armor wasn’t something just any knight would wear. They must have thought I was someone important.
I seemed to have the same effect on the crowd that had gathered around the altercation. Within a matter of moments, everyone had cleared out, retreating into the nearby buildings.
“Are you all right, boy? I can heal your injuries, if you have any.”
Concern washed over the boy’s face as he caught sight of me. When I knelt down next to him, he glared at me.
“I don’t need nuthin’ from you.”
The boy held his hands to his bruised stomach as he maneuvered himself into a sitting position. He tried to stand, his face contorting in pain, but his legs just wouldn’t support him.
“Please, I am…a knight of Houvan. I have the ability to use healing magic, and I can make your pain go away in the blink of an eye. What do you think?”
I pulled the black cloak tighter around me to conceal my armor and lowered myself even more, to bring myself down to the boy’s eye level. I could see a slight change in his demeanor.
“Healing…magic? You’re a priest, dressed like that? Can you cure even worse injuries?”
“I am no priest, but…yes, I can.”
I figured if I could bring people back from the dead, most injuries should be no problem. And even though I’d decided reviving people was mostly off limits, I didn’t see the harm in healing a kid.
The boy’s eyes lit up. “If you heal my sister, I’ll give you some important information. Will you help?”
“Hmm. I wouldn’t really feel comfortable accepting any kind of payment.”
“I insist! I don’t want charity from no one.”
The stubborn look on the boy’s face suggested he was proud beyond his years.
“What kind of information do you have?”
“Shortcuts, secret routes…” The boy’s face relaxed slightly as he rattled off a list.
“Do you know a secret entrance into the castle?”
His eyes darted about to make sure no one was nearby before lowering his voice. “Why do you ask?” He looked me up and down, skeptically.
Considering how badly the guards had just roughed him up, I doubted he was some kind of informant. I figured it wouldn’t hurt to explain my situation.
“There’s something in the castle that I’m looking for.”
I still didn’t want to risk being too specific about my objective, so I kept my answer vague. The boy furrowed his brow and glared at me in silence while he made his decision.
“Fine. I’ll tell you how to sneak into the count’s castle. But first, I want you to meet my sister.”
“Understood. I will heal your sister, and in return you will provide me the information that I seek.”
His pain seemed to have subsided, and with gritted teeth, he managed to pull himself to his feet. He started walking, albeit uneasily, down the street. Ariane and I followed him.
We were walking back along the route that had brought us here, back toward the southern gate.
The farther we got from the Houvan estate, the less glamorous the wooden houses became, replaced again with run-down hovels.
Once we reached the wall, we found ourselves in the slums, filled with rows upon rows of tiny shacks. This place was nothing like what we’d seen in other parts of town. The place reeked—some unidentifiable sourness mixed with the stench of rotting meat—suggesting that these were far from sanitary conditions. Ariane scowled from beneath her hood.
“Over here.”
The boy, however, appeared unfazed by the smell. He turned down a narrow path and ducked into a shack.
The ramshackle building looked like a light breeze might blow it right over, and the roof was so low that Ariane and I had to duck to avoid hitting our heads. I had the feeling four people would be a tight fit.
Inside the hut, a little girl slept under a blanket that looked ready to fall apart at any moment. The boy shook her awake.
“Is that you, big brother…?”
Even though she referred to him as older, they didn’t look all that far apart in age.
The young girl’s hair was black, just like the boy’s, though it was much longer and messier. She was incredibly thin, resembling a withered twig about to snap.
“What happened? Did the guards hurt you again?”
She propped herself up and focused her large, black eyes on her brother, a look of concern spreading across her face.
“This? Just a scratch. Anyway, I brought someone here who can fix your legs.”
The boy wiped the blood from his mouth before glancing back to introduce his guests.
She followed his gaze and, apparently only just having taken notice of us, ducked behind her brother.
“You have nothing to fear, miss. I am not a guard nor knight of Houvan. I am Arc, a simple mercenary. This woman here is an…um, she is my travel companion. Excuse me for coming unannounced.”
Ariane bowed to the girl, her cloak still pulled low over her face. Ponta’s tail poked out from where the fox sat in Ariane’s bosom. The little girl’s expression softened slightly as soon as she saw it.
But the boy’s face turned serious. He knelt, bowing low to the floor.
“Mr. Arc, can you do something about Shia’s legs?”
I nodded and bid him stand up before gently pulling back the girl’s blanket to take a look. Strips of wood had been wrapped around her spindly shins with thin twine.
“There’s an old man here who told me that if we don’t keep her like this, her legs will never heal.”
I had no idea if I could cure this type of paralysis, but I hoped the mid-tier Bishop class’s healing magic would be able to do the job.
I took ahold of her legs and tried to move them gently. Shia grimaced, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
“Nnng!”
It seemed like her bones hadn’t mended at all.
The boy looked up at me, fists clenched as he fought back his own tears.
“It’s been a month with the splints and she hasn’t gotten any better…”
It took a lot of nourishment in the early stages of recovery to heal bones. I had my doubts that she was getting what she needed from this place.
“Leave it to me. Heal!”
I waved my left hand over Shia’s legs, summoning up my Bishop-tier magic skill. A warm glow enveloped her, her legs shimmering slightly before the light disappeared into her skin.
The two siblings watched in astonishment as this mystical scene unfolded before their very eyes. Ariane let out a sigh and slumped her shoulders.
I grabbed hold of Shia’s legs again and moved them around to show her that they were now healed. She touched her legs in disbelief.
“They don’t hurt anymore, big brother!”
“Really?”
Shia gleefully yanked the splints off her legs. She tried to stand up, but quickly had to sit back down. Her legs still wouldn’t hold her weight.
“The bones are merely mended. Please, don’t overburden yourself.”
After having stayed in bed for nearly a month, she’d probably lost a fair amount of muscle. To make matters worse, she was so frail from malnutrition that she looked like she’d snap in two. I worried it was only a matter of time before her bones broke again.
“Boy, go get your sister something hearty to eat.”
I pulled five gold coins from the leather pouch at my waist and handed them to him.
The boy’s eyes went wide. However, he quickly composed himself.
“My name is Shil, and I already told you, I don’t want no charity!”
“Boy…I mean, Shil. Your pride is very noble. However, I want you to think long and hard about what is most important to you before you give me your next response. Please don’t think of this as charity. Rather, think of it as an opportunity for you to bring even more to the table when you return the favor. This isn’t just for you, but for your sister as well.”
I did my best to help him justify my meddling in his affairs, and I thought I did a pretty good job, if I say so myself.
Shil went silent for a moment. When he finally responded, the look on his face was begrudging. “Fine. But at least give me copper instead of gold. I’ll stand out too much if I’m flashing around that kind of money.”
He was right. I should have realized. A slum kid walking around with gold would draw a lot of unwanted attention, and possibly even be accused of stealing. In fact, if those same guards from earlier found him again, I had a feeling there’d be a repeat of this afternoon’s events.
“You’re really on top of things, Shil.”
“Maybe you’re just too careless, mister,” the boy shot back, trying to cover his embarrassment at my compliment.
Ariane giggled behind me. I reached into my bag, pulled out a small leather pouch, and handed it to Shil.
The pouch was bulging with coins, and it jangled as I dropped it into Shil’s small hand. His eyes bulged at the weight of it.
“How many are in here?”
“About three hundred coins, I think. You said you wanted copper, right?”
Shil looked down at the pouch in astonishment, a gasp escaping his lips. He shook his head frantically, as if holding the broken remains of a beloved toy.
“Th-this is more than enough! It should last us a long while!”
Shil stood back up, walking to a corner of the shack. He pulled a plank up from the floor and brushed away the dirt, uncovering a wooden box. If I had to guess, I’d say this was where he hid his valuables. He carefully placed the leather pouch into the box.
After returning the plank to the floor, Shil offered his thanks. He bowed his head, his eyes downcast, but I could see that he was smiling.
“I’ll return the favor for this, mister. Thank you.”
No matter what world you’re living in, a child’s smile always warms your heart.
“You’ve got a good big brother here, Shia.”
I tousled Shil’s hair and shot his sister a smile. She beamed back at me and nodded her agreement with my compliment.
Shil jerked away and immediately began rearranging his hair.
“Hey, don’t treat me like a little kid!”
“You really do have a soft spot, don’t you, Arc?”
There was a hint of surprise in Ariane’s voice. Still, I could tell that she was smiling.
“So, about that payment you promised…”
Shil’s face clouded over. I worried for a moment that maybe his story about a secret entrance had been some sort of ruse, but he stood and ushered me toward the shack’s doorway.
“I’ll show you the way in. Come on.”
We followed Shil as he slipped between the shacks, the sun dipping below the town’s walls. We finally stopped at a stone bridge that crossed a shallow river.
The bridge was covered in moss, and barely wide enough for a single horse-drawn wagon to cross it. Judging by its age, I had serious questions about how durable it was. Still, it was probably fine for us to cross on foot.
“Here it is.”
Shil wasn’t motioning toward the bridge, however, but rather the supports that held it up. He climbed down the embankment and beckoned for us to follow. Once under the bridge, I could see that there was a massive tunnel built into the abutment, large enough for people to walk through. A trickle of dark water poured out into the river through iron bars blocking the entrance to the tunnel.
It looked like a large sewer grate.
With practiced hands, Shil twisted several of the bars and removed them. Unfortunately, though the space he created was large enough to allow him and Ariane to slip through, for someone my size—encased in armor, no less—it was another story entirely. I got stuck on the bars as I tried to pull myself through the narrow opening.
Shil cocked his head at the ridiculous image in front of him. “Can’t you take off that bulky armor?”
Wanting to get through this without revealing my teleportation magic, I grabbed another iron bar and gave it a yank.
“Nnng!”
The bar came away easily with a satisfying snap.
Shil looked at me in disbelief, but I pretended I didn’t notice and started walking with Ariane down the tunnel. A little ways in, Shil pulled a lamp out of a small hollow in the wall.
This tunnel had everything. I wondered what its purpose was.
“I’ve got this.”
Shil pulled out a striking stone, but Ariane put her finger to the lamp and chanted a quick spell.
“Fire, heed my call…”
A small flame licked out from the tip of her finger, as if she were a human lighter, and ignited the oil-soaked wick of the lamp.
Shil’s eyes lit up, his voice rising an octave.
“That’s amazing! You can do magic, too, lady?”
Ariane waved her hand as if it were nothing. She looked around the now-illuminated sewer.
“Does this go all the way to the castle?”
“Weeell, you’ll have to walk for a while. It doesn’t smell too bad here, but it gets much worse deeper in.”
His response wasn’t exactly encouraging. Any excitement I’d initially felt at the prospect of us being like cave explorers was quickly extinguished.
Shil led the way down the tunnel, lamp in hand, while we followed close behind. Walkways wide enough for a single person lined each side of the tunnel, so we didn’t need to actually step into the sewage as we made our way deeper. The sewer reminded me somewhat of a coal mine, with its brick walls and joists running across the ceiling at regular intervals.
Shil weaved left and right down different tunnels, the stench growing stronger with every step. After an eternity, he stopped.
I looked around, but nothing about the area seemed any different from what we’d seen so far. However, Shil tapped on a brick, knocking it loose. He thrust his hand inside the hole to operate some sort of lever.
I heard a long clang followed by a loud thud as a section of the wall swung away, revealing a dark space beyond. Some sort of hidden entrance.
Shil ducked inside, lamp in hand. We followed him down a narrow staircase, which led to a damp hallway at the bottom. We walked in single file until we came to another staircase, this one heading up.
Silence hung heavy upon us. No one had said a word since we’d entered the hidden entrance, and the sounds of our footsteps echoed noisily.
At the top of the stairs, we found ourselves in a small room with a table surrounded by several chairs. On the far side was yet another stairwell, leading up to a square panel in the ceiling.
“That stairwell will take you into the count’s castle.”
Shil scowled. I wasn’t sure why he was making that face, but I approached the stairs all the same, running my hand along the ceiling. There was some sort of cover on the other side of the square panel built into the ceiling. Opening it would give you access to come and go freely to and from the castle. This was apparently some sort of emergency exit for people living inside. The only question was…how did it open?
Shil appeared at my side, his face pale with worry, his head bowed low.
“I’m sorry, Mister Arc! This isn’t some kind of trick, I swear! You did so much for me by healing Shia’s injury… I promise I’ll find you a way into the castle!”
“Huh. Seems like someone placed something on top of this.”
While Shil rambled, I managed to turn the panel in the ceiling, lifting both the cover and the object atop it. I poked my head through the opening, letting out a gasp of surprise.
Judging by the layers of dust, this was some kind of storage space. Its walls were painted a deep red from the dim light of the setting sun shining through the window.
“Looks like we got into the castle.”
I looked down at a dumbfounded Shil, who was opening and closing his mouth in amazement, like a goldfish.
“What’s wrong, Shil?”
“How did you do that, Mister Arc? It usually takes at least three grown men to lift that panel!”
The boy looked at me with all the shock of a pigeon shot by a peashooter.
“This is nothing for me.”
I raised and lowered the panel a few times with one hand. His jaw dropped even farther.
“Maybe they moved things around and lightened the load a bit…”
We switched positions and Shil tried to push the ceiling panel up and out of the way, but his tiny arms couldn’t budge it. While the boy busied himself trying to brute-force the panel, I turned to Ariane.
“How do you feel about sneaking into the castle after dark?”
“W-wait a minute! You actually plan on sneaking into the castle?” Shil turned to me in a panic, finally realizing what we were there to do.
I looked to Ariane, figuring she’d be better suited to field this one. She stood up from the chair she’d been sitting in.
“We need to get into the castle in order to…retrieve something inside.”
She spoke with an undaunted firmness in her voice, clutching Ponta to her chest.
“J-just hold up! If you enter the castle now, it’s going to cause a huge uproar!”
Seeing that Ariane and I had no intention of returning the way we’d come, Shil slid his body between us and the stairs leading up to the storage room.
Ariane faced the young boy blocking our path, her voice terse. “Uproar or not, we have a mission.”
I could absolutely understand her annoyance. Shil had promised to show us the secret entrance in exchange for healing his sister’s broken bones, and now he was telling us to not use it?
“Shil, if you don’t tell us why you don’t want us to sneak in, we’ll have no choice but to continue with our original plan.”
I reached up to close the ceiling cover and sat on the stairs next to the boy.
His eyes darted around, a look of uncertainty washing over him. At last, he seemed to make up his mind. He started speaking in a slow, measured tone.
“Everyone in Houvan is suffering from the hefty taxes placed on us. My mom and dad worked themselves to death just trying to pay them. The townsfolk were planning a revolt, but just before we could launch it, the Marquis du Diento was assassinated, and security became much stricter.”
Ariane averted her eyes as she listened to Shil’s story, a frown twisting across her face. She was the one who’d carried out the assassination that ultimately led to the extreme security measures being implemented in the town.
The count was probably worried about another elf attack. A member of the nobility engaged in the elven slave trade had been murdered. It stood to reason that another noble doing the same should be concerned.
“Apparently, they’re raising taxes even higher to pay for the increased security. We learned about this entrance thanks to a sympathizer on the inside, but they haven’t been able to offer us any more assistance. We’re just not strong enough to rise up against the count now…”
The boy glanced up at me, as if there was something he wanted to ask but couldn’t get the words out.
Obviously, if someone snuck into the castle and caused trouble, this would lead to even stricter security and possibly having the entrance blocked off entirely. Any hope of a revolt would be shattered completely.
Shil had probably been waiting for us to find out that we couldn’t get past the ceiling cover so he could offer up another form of repayment. However, when he saw how easily I opened the panel, it had sent him into a panic.
If we hadn’t assassinated Marquis du Diento, the revolt would already have happened. The count would probably be dead, and the enslaved elf could very well have been set free.
I looked over at Ariane, who was crouched on the floor holding Ponta.
Sure, we were responsible for this on some level, but there had to be a way we could solve both of these problems, right? My mind raced.
“Hm. What if we sneak into the count’s estate while the revolt is already underway?”
If the plan was to take out the count using this secret entrance, then there shouldn’t be an issue with us looking for the elves at the same time. And if we blended in with the uprising while carrying out our mission, then we wouldn’t even have to worry about retribution.
“I’d be okay with that…but how soon can you organize the people to rise up?”
Ariane was back to business, arms crossed as she asked about the revolt.
If it was a month or more away, that would definitely be a problem for us.
Shil apologetically mumbled his response. “Only Rabaught would be able to answer that.”
That wasn’t surprising. It’s not like they’d leave a kid in charge of a revolt. We’d have to get the information from the organizers themselves and then try to sell them on our idea. The odds didn’t look too good.
I let out a sigh.
Shil offered to take us to this Rabaught person, the man in charge of the revolt, so we agreed. What choice did we have?
We returned the wall covering the secret entrance to its rightful place and made our way back down the sewer tunnel. By the time we reached the bridge, the sun had all but disappeared.
Shil led us back through the dimly lit streets to the slums. He brought us to a respectably built cabin…at least, respectable compared to those surrounding it. This building, unlike its neighbors, was a sturdy wooden construction sitting atop a stone foundation. Shil knocked on the door in a very particular pattern and was met with some hushed whispers.
The door opened a crack and a man eyed us suspiciously. When he saw Shil, he ushered the boy inside with his chin.
“I’ll explain the situation and be right back.”
Shil disappeared into the cabin.
A few moments later, Ariane and I were also allowed to enter. The man at the door glared at us as we stepped inside.
There were several more stern-looking men standing around the dimly lit room, each of them glowering in our direction. Farther inside, a large table squatted in the center of what appeared to be a dining room. A lone man sat behind it, watching us with narrowed eyes.
He looked to be around thirty, sporting a mustache and short brown hair. His well-muscled arms were covered in scars, making it clear that the man in front of us was no farmer. A bowl of wheat gruel sat in front of him. Apparently, we’d interrupted his dinner.
The man gave us a quick once-over, set his spoon down, and let out a sigh.
“Dammit, Shil! I thought I told you to let me know first before you bring guests over.”
“I’m really sorry, Rabaught, but this is urgent and I—”
The man—Rabaught—cut Shil’s apology off with a wave of his hand. He turned his intense gaze toward us, shooting me an odd grin.
“Arc, right? I hear you can lift heavy stones and mend broken bones. And now you’re asking to use the secret entrance to the castle when we launch our revolt. But the real question is, how do I trust a man whose face I’ve never seen?”
Here I was, fully clad in armor, helmet firmly on my head and standing next to Ariane, whose face was also hidden, the hood of her cloak hanging low over her eyes. I had to admit, we certainly looked suspicious. Nothing I could say would change that fact. Then again, it didn’t actually matter.
“We are not asking you to trust us. If you choose to ignore our request, we will simply enter the castle through the secret entrance on our own.”
“What did you say?!”
Several of the stern-looking men surrounded us, murder in their eyes. However, Rabaught put up a hand to keep them at bay.
“You say that you have some sort of mission to carry out in the castle. You aren’t elves, are you?”
I could feel Ariane tense slightly.
The men in the room exchanged glances, unsure of what was unfolding in front of them.
“What makes you say that?”
“According to rumor, elves were the ones responsible for Marquis du Diento’s murder. Ever since then, the count has decreed that no elves are to enter Houvan.”
The count was being even more cautious than I’d realized. Ariane stirred again next to me.
Rabaught crossed his arms and furrowed his brow, letting out a sigh. “It’ll do me no good to try and guess who you are or why you’re here. We don’t have much time. Besides, you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, right?”
“What do you mean, you don’t have much time?”
Rabaught closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. “The first and second princes are coming up from the capital to Houvan. If we launch our revolt then, the Royal Army will have no choice but to get involved, and we’ll all be put down in short order. We need to carry out our plans before they get here.”
“Won’t it still end the same way?”
Rabaught stroked his mustache. “No. If we’re able to kill the count first, then other roads will open up to us. The royals have their own problems to deal with. Even if they hold an inquiry into the revolt, it will only end in my execution.”
So, there was some other noble pulling the strings here. I had no idea what their plan was once they got rid of their rival—be it putting an ally in charge or taking over the town themselves—but they were clearly making a play for power.
I could only pray that whoever replaced the fallen count would treat the little folk, like Shil and Shia, better.
“In fact, we were supposed to receive backup from the capital. However, the group coming to meet us was decimated by monsters on their way here. If it weren’t for that secret entrance, the revolt would already be over.”
Rabaught’s shoulders slumped, heavy with the burden of the situation he found himself in.
“That’s quite a tragedy. When do you plan to set your plans into motion?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“That’s sudden…though it works nicely for us.”
“The preparations are already finished. All we need to do is give the order and our comrades in the castle will put the plan into motion. Shil will get you back to the entrance in time for the operation. You better not dawdle, boy.”
Shil snapped to attention. “Aye aye!”
It looked like Ariane, Ponta, and I would have a little bit of time to kill before the uprising.
Darkness had just started to settle over the main thoroughfare running through town, though there were still a fair number of people milling about in search of food and drink—or even pleasurable company—entering the various shops lit up along the street.
Houvan served as a midway point between the Rhoden Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Limbult, the only place where humans could engage in economic trade with the elves. This meant that elven lamps and other goods were widely used here. As such, the night was much brighter and more active than in other towns.
I walked through the busy streets for a time before stopping at one of the meat shops to buy a kebab on a bed of leaves in the shape of a boat. I also picked up a bag of boiled and salted chickpeas, which they called chana beans. I took the food back with me to Shil’s hut.
“Now, which one was Shil’s house…”
I’d gotten lost wandering through the twisting paths that ran through the slums.
“It’s this way, Arc.”
Ariane, with Ponta still clutched tightly to her, took the lead.
Given that elves were trained to keep their bearings in the forest, it was no surprise that she’d be able to do the same in a town. I was incredibly jealous of this ability. I couldn’t even make it through the Umeda train station without getting lost.
“Looks like we got ourselves mixed up in something big.” Ariane spoke under her breath without looking back at me.
“I know that you don’t think too highly of humans, Miss Ariane. But would it really be so bad to help out Shil and his comrades?”
“Children are children, regardless of their species. Besides, this whole situation was at least partially brought about by my own actions, so I feel somewhat responsible.”
Ariane looked back at me for a moment, her lips pouting slightly.
Children are children, regardless of their species… I wondered if all elves thought this way, or if it was simply her own personal philosophy. In any case, her compassion seemed to extend beyond children. After all, she’d accepted me despite the fact that I was human. Or rather, a human skeleton.
Speaking of which…
“Miss Ariane, do you have any misgivings about the count?”
As far as I could tell, there had been a lot of animosity between Fulish du Houvan and his subjects even before the assassination.
“Not in the least!” She scowled at me, crossing her arms.
“So, you have no stake in whether or not the count is killed in the uprising.”
“That’s right. We need to save the elf imprisoned in the castle. That’s my only concern.”
We arrived at Shil’s hut and stepped inside to find him and Shia sharing a meager meal of bread scraps and dried beans.
“Shil, what happened to the money I gave you?”
He frowned at my question. “It didn’t seem like a good idea to start throwing money around all of a sudden. Besides, we have enough for bread. This will be fine.”
Shia nodded excitedly.
Apparently, their food situation was much more dire than I’d thought. I handed the food I’d bought earlier to the two children and gestured to Ariane to eat as well.
Shil was initially unhappy to accept such charity, but he quickly realized that his sister would need to eat something more substantial if she was to have any chance at healing. The two began stuffing their faces.
Between the meat and beans, the meal was almost entirely protein, but I figured it was far better than bread, beans, and water.
“Aren’t you gonna eat, too, Mista Armor?”
The way the little girl tilted her head inquisitively made me smile. She probably hadn’t had much meat in her life. Sitting next to Ponta, busily munching on the food, she looked almost like a little animal.
I ruffled Shia’s hair, deciding to tell a white lie. “I ate earlier. Don’t worry about me. Please, enjoy your meal.”
“Gotcha!”
“Kyiii!”
Hey, Ponta, I wasn’t talking to you…
Ariane shot me a glance from the corner where she sat munching on some of the chana beans. I could tell she wanted to say something, though she was staying quiet for now. Noticing the cold wind whipping through the cracks in the walls, she used her spirit magic to make a small mound of dirt with a fire on top. At least we’d be warm during the night.
We woke early the next day, the sky still dark.
The town of Houvan was quiet—the only sounds those of Shil’s, Ariane’s, and my footsteps as we made our way to the bridge—but I could sense a certain tension hanging in the air.
At the sewer entrance, we met two men standing as lookouts. Shil nodded to them and slipped through the space between the iron bars. Ponta, Ariane, and I followed after him.
Ariane probably could have found her way back to the storage room on her own. But I knew I needed to stick close to our guide, lest I get lost in this underground maze. I could always escape using Transport Gate if I needed to, so I wasn’t actually that afraid, but still.
The hidden door was already open by the time we arrived, and there were a large number of burly, armor-clad men crowded around. The hallway was only wide enough for a single person to stand comfortably, so the men formed a line, waiting to storm the castle.
After passing through the dark, damp corridor and climbing the long staircase, we reached the small room with the panel. In the flickering lamplight, I could make out more men in leather armor crammed into the tight space, their weapons held tight, apprehension etched on their faces.
At the back of the room, we found Rabaught waiting for us at the base of the stairs leading up into the castle proper.
“You’re finally here, eh? So you know, some of the soldiers who used to serve under me will be joining the uprising. Anyone wearing a white band on their arm is one of ours.”
“You’re an ex-soldier?”
Rabaught gave a wry smile as he stroked his mustache. “A commander, no less. And now I’m leading a revolt against the count.”
Ariane’s golden eyes seemed to appear out of nowhere, her charcoal cloak allowing her to slip through the shadows with ease. “What’s the plan?”
“Once we’re in, we’ll split into two groups. The treasury is located in the courtyard between the castle’s inner and outer gates. A gate team will take possession of the drawbridge and allow our allies gathering outside to enter. We’ve taken steps to deal with the guards outside the castle, so don’t you worry about that. A group armed with these little boys here will take care of the inner gate.”
Rabaught pulled a fist-sized ball from his pocket. It looked like two unglazed clay bowls held together by a string. It was slightly larger than a tennis ball.
Ariane looked surprised. “Burst Spheres, huh?”
“The lady is well informed. Yes, we’ll be using these to blow the gate off its hinges. Those doors won’t stand a chance.”
“Aren’t Burst Spheres incredibly expensive? They’re basically rune stones and explosive powder.”
“They were a gift from our ally in the capital. But yes, they usually cost ten gold coins each.”
As far as I could gather, Burst Spheres were some type of magical hand grenade. Their co-conspirator in the capital must have been quite wealthy to send such an expensive gift. Maybe a high-ranking noble?
“Well, shall we get going?”
The tension in the room thickened as all the men turned their attention toward me. I climbed the stairwell and put my hand on the ceiling cover, swallowing hard. I pushed until I heard a heavy scraping sound and the entrance to the castle opened up.
The tension in the room turned to surprise at the sight of my strength. Rabaught let out a wry laugh and immediately began issuing orders to his men.
“No time for gawking, boys. You have jobs to do! You two, fix the door locks into place. The four of you over there, take care of anyone guarding the treasury. Shil, go get the rest of the men waiting in the tunnel.”
“Yes, sir!”
Shil, now freed of his duty as a guide, turned on his heel and ran off.
Rabaught’s men did as ordered and quietly made their way up the stairs into the castle.
The ceiling cover was connected by a chain to a pulley dangling from a joist in the room above. Two men worked the crank to raise the cover before shoving a large rod into the gears to fix it in place. For a moment, my hand remained where it was, making it look like I was holding nothing but air as armed men ran up the stairs past me.
We were in what appeared to be a hidden room within the stores. The wall in front of us opened out into the storeroom proper. Beyond I could see the entrance to the stores, where four men peered out into the castle through a crack in the door. One of them signaled Rabaught, who nodded in response. The men spilled silently out of the storeroom, splitting into two groups.
The group charged with taking the drawbridge moved along the base of the castle wall in a low crouch, while the archers began firing a volley at the guards patrolling atop the wall. The arrows pierced the guards’ throats and heads, felling them where they stood. A second volley reduced their numbers even further. Unfortunately, one of the victims fell from the wall, hitting the ground with a loud crash.
A guard in one of the outer towers heard the noise and, with a bored yawn, slowly turned to see what it was. As soon as he spotted the group of men moving along the castle wall, we heard the high-pitched clang of an alarm bell.
Within moments, the castle sprang to life, the air suddenly full of strangled shouts and ringing steel.
The sound of men yelling and drawing weapons grew ever louder by the moment. The men making their way toward the inner gate found themselves engaged in combat with the soldiers who’d been standing guard outside. Their screams echoed across the courtyard just as the sun crested the horizon.
I watched on as one of our men, about to be slain by a guard, was saved by a soldier wearing a white armband. The guard’s face displayed a mix of shock and betrayal as his comrade’s sword ran him through.
Ariane and I walked through the courtyard in silence, searching for the captured elf.
I didn’t exactly blend in as I walked calmly through the fray. The occasional guard would spot me and charge, but a quick smack to the head would send him tumbling to the ground unconscious.
“Explode and destroy my foes.” The men charged with opening the inner gate uttered a chant as they threw their black balls toward the doors.
The roar of the explosion tore through the castle as a shower of splinters rained down upon the courtyard. Soldiers standing nearby were blown back by the shock wave and debris.
Somehow, though, the top hinges were unscathed. When the smoke cleared, the door stood firm, if leaning slightly.
Rabaught glared at the gate. “Dammit! The Burst Spheres are strong enough to break through, but we’ve got to get the timing perfect! Puuush! The door’s already ajar, so we’ll just push it open!”
The nearby rebels began pushing on the damaged door.
A man who appeared to be in charge of the defending soldiers turned issued an order. “Defend the door with your lives! Supplemental troops, fire arrows from the walls!”
I could hear men on the other side of the door yelling as they pushed back against it.
Archers prepared to rain arrows down on the invading force, but the rebels had been expecting this. Their own archers took out the new threat with ease.
The inner gate was stuck in a deadlock between two opposing forces. Rather than let the rebels waste any more time with this pointless shoving match, I ran toward the mass of men, yelling the whole way.
“Mooooove!”
They parted, clearing a path.
I charged toward the door at full speed with my shoulder out like a football player. As soon as my shoulder connected with the door, the top hinge snapped and both the door and the men supporting it were thrown back, like fallen leaves at the mercy of a stiff wind. The entrance to the castle was now wide open.
The entire courtyard fell silent for a moment, save for the distant clash of battle. Then Rabaught started issuing commands again, running toward the entrance.
“The gate’s open, men! Press the attack!”
The men let out a roar as they followed their commander inside, cutting down stunned guards as they went.
Amid the chaos, I heard a loud clang followed by cheers somewhere behind us. It sounded like the first group had managed to lower the drawbridge.
The ground shook as rebels charged through the inner gate, their spirits soaring. The defenders scattered.
Absent the kind of boss or secret trick you’d expect to see when storming a castle in an RPG—neither of which seemed to be coming—it looked like the outcome of this battle was already decided.
A few enemy mages showed up to try and shoot off some sort of sorcery, but a gauntleted fist to each of their faces took them out of the battle.
“Miss Ariane, I think now would be a good time to finish our search of the castle.”
“Right.”
We made our way to the count’s residence.
The doors to the entrance had been torn away, and invaders were already pillaging the place. Ariane furrowed her brow.
“Wasn’t the point of this to rise up against a despotic ruler?”
I had to imagine that not everyone involved in the revolt was here for noble purposes. In my world, at least, this kind of looting was relatively common. Besides, we’d done the same back in Diento, so I didn’t really feel like we were in a place to criticize. I did see one rebel chasing after a few chambermaids with a sword, so I punched him out.
Ariane and I moved down the hall. We’d start with the dungeon, where they usually kept prisoners.
We found a stairway leading down into the grim darkness. The guards here had apparently already abandoned their posts. There were several iron-barred cells lined up in a row, but the only people I could see were some old men and others in various states of disarray. There were no elves here.
After tearing apart several other rooms throughout the castle, we finally found the woman we were looking for in a chamber on the third floor. However, she wasn’t alone.
In the center of an exquisitely decorated room stood an elven woman in a silk dress with a ball and chain tethered to her leg. In her hand, she held a bloodstained candlestick. Her green-tinged blond hair was tied back into a ponytail, revealing the characteristic pointed ears and a black metal collar around her neck. Her jade eyes were focused on two men in front of her. At her feet lay the body of a third man, blood pouring from his head.
“Hey, brother, ya think this is a real elf? I’ve never seen one before!”
“Shut up, ya idiot! Go get that candlestick out of her hand and get her under control! Otherwise, someone else’ll come along and take her.”
The two intruders advanced on the woman, apparently hoping to take her as a prize. With the chain impeding her movement, it was only a matter of time before they did.
I called out to the men. “Unfortunately, this one’s been claimed. I’d like to ask you to leave.”
“What the hell? You think you can just come in here and take our prize from us? You’re pathetic!”
The muscular man, whom the other had called “brother,” rounded on me, a heavy scowl on his face. But as soon as he saw me, his anger turned to fear. He’d probably seen me smash down the gate earlier.
I walked slowly toward the man. He drew his sword. Apparently, he didn’t want to settle this with words.
I lunged, closing the distance between us, and smacked him across the temple with the back of my hand. He tumbled back, barely conscious, and collapsed in the corner.
“You bastard! Aren’t you one of us?! What do you think you’re doing?”
The second man—his younger brother, perhaps—
didn’t show any of the fear of the first. He came straight at me, weapon raised, a wild glare in his eyes. I punched him in the face, sending him flying into the wall, his teeth scattering. He lay still.
“I helped you, but I never said I was one of you.”
Ariane pulled back her hood, revealing her identity as she approached the elven woman.
“We’re here to save you.”
The woman’s green eyes went wide at the sight of Ariane, the famous dark elf warrior.
“I didn’t think anyone was coming for me… What’s going on outside?”
“A revolt against the count. We’re going to get you out of here. Do you know where the key is?” Ariane knelt, running her hand over the keyhole in the clasp at the woman’s ankle.
“The count, the man who bought me, always has the key on him.”
“Miss Ariane.”
Searching for a key in a castle under attack would be a waste of time. Even if the count was still here, we couldn’t be sure that he had the key on him, despite what this woman had said.
Ariane seemed to know what I was thinking. She stepped back. “Just be strong for a minute.”
I grabbed the chain connecting the woman’s ankle to the iron ball and pulled. The metal screeched as one of the links twisted and stretched.
“Nnnng!”
I put more strength into it, tugging at the chain, scattering pieces of metal with a loud snap.
I couldn’t tell if it was a poorly made chain or simply cheap, but it couldn’t handle the pressure. Either way, I was satisfied with the results.
However, we couldn’t do anything about the clasp around her ankle right now. I didn’t want to risk breaking her bones if I used brute force.
“We can take care of the clasp back in Lalatoya.”
I discarded the remaining chain and stood.
The elf looked at me in shock, rubbing her leg. Tears poured from her eyes as she bowed her head to Ariane and me.
Ariane spoke. “Also, the mana-eater collar.”
I nodded. Just as I finished removing the curse from the collar, I heard a voice from down the hall.
“Count Fulish du Houvan is dead!!!”
So, their mission had succeeded.
Cheers erupted throughout the castle, spreading outward like a wave.
Ariane and I nodded in unspoken agreement. We’d gotten what we came for. I summoned up Transport Gate, and we teleported back to Lalatoya, leaving behind the victorious townsfolk of Houvan.
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