Chapter 87: The Blindfold Protocol

Other than those assigned roles in this operation, everyone else had to focus on blocking the Shadow Vines.

This was a matter of life and death for their families and neighbors.

Naturally, their determination was unmatched.

“The sun is setting!”

Beyond the largest mountain in the North, Hammud Mountain, the sun was disappearing.

Along with it, the long shadow of the mountain stretched toward the Malta Territory.

“They’re coming!”

A soldier who had been monitoring the situation with a telescope shouted loudly.

The moment the dark shadows formed, people began to appear here and there, moving slowly.

With the puppet people, dark vines started to bloom from within the shadows.

“Drive back the shadows!”

“Waaah!”

The soldiers began slaughtering the creeping shadows as they snaked toward the inner walls.

Of course, even if they cut them down with swords, the things would regenerate and return quickly.

Still, the reason they bothered doing this was because the act itself was merely a means of buying time.

“They’re getting closer!”

The unfocused people steadily, but surely, drew nearer to the inner fortress.

“Let’s get ready.”

At Retina’s words, Shakan and four Elphyrian warriors nodded.

Thick, long cloths were held in their hands.

“Aaaargh!”

“Where do you think you’re going!”

On the front line, Martin and Drake fought alongside the soldiers.

Their performance was especially dazzling, so much so that they stood out even among the famed northern warriors.

As they battled, the crowd gradually reached the very gates of the inner fortress.

“Now.”

When Retina waved her hand, the five Elphyrians shot forward swiftly.

Retina followed closely behind them.

Whoosh, snap!

Tap tap, swish!

With nimble hands, the Elphyrians quickly tied cloths around the eyes of the unfocused people.

They paused for a moment, but soon resumed pressing calmly against the castle gate, as before.

Watching this, Rohan spoke up.

“Why are they trying to come in here, even though they’re unconscious?”

“It’s probably instinct. They know their families are inside these walls.”

The Duke of Malta replied.

In his sorrowful eyes, he watched his youngest daughter Ratsha, blindfolded and jostled among the people.

“Rohan! All of them are blindfolded!”

With Retina’s report, Rohan and the Duke exchanged glances.

“Open the gates!”

At the Duke’s booming command, the inner gates swung open.

The blindfolded people surged inside like a wave.

Inside the inner gate, a fence had been prepared, and the sightless people followed the fence in a line as they walked inward.

“This much is a success so far.”

The Duke moved forward with a tense face, and Rohan followed him.

The space connected by the fence was none other than the reception room in the inner fortress lobby.

Once everyone entered in order, the door was locked.

“All have entered, Your Excellency.”

The reception room, usually filled with furniture, had been cleared for this occasion.

Anything that might be bumped into was covered in thick cloth, and the floor was lined with plush carpets.

“At least in here, no one should get hurt.”

“Yes. As Your Highness said, with their eyes covered, they’re not trying to harm themselves either.”

He looked at his daughter standing in the corner, his eyes glistening with tears.

“Ratsha, just wait a little longer. Your father will find a way, I promise.”

He had lost his wife a month after Ratsha was born and raised three children alone.

His youngest, who had never really known a mother’s embrace, was always his greatest worry.

Now, seeing his once cheerful little girl in such a state, he found it hard to keep his sanity.

But he quickly steeled himself.

Instead of wasting time on grief and hardship, he focused on finding solutions—and seeing them through no matter what...

That was who he was.

The mindset that made him the King of the North, the Iron Bear, Kurk Malta.

“Your Excellency, all the soldiers are inside and the gates have been closed successfully!”

Now that everyone was in, even the soldiers who’d been stalling for time had entered.

“Stoke the fires higher! Don’t let the shadows approach!”

“Yes, sir!”

The Duke gave his orders, then rubbed his forehead, troubled.

“We’re running low on oil. At this rate, the fires keeping the shadows at bay will soon die down.”

“I see.”

Rohan narrowed his eyes.

This meant time was running out.

With fires lit everywhere to stop the shadows from invading, running out of oil was inevitable.

“At least the inner fortress is small, so it’s manageable, haha.”

“True. If this had happened at the Imperial Capital, the oil would’ve run out in no time, and we wouldn’t have lasted.”

Even now, the inner fortress was packed with people.

All the residents who’d lived in the outer city had taken refuge here, so it was inevitable.

They could resupply food during the day, but Rohan doubted they could hold out for long.

“From tomorrow, we’ll have to start searching for Kajin in earnest.”

“Yes. Everyone is already getting ready.”

Northern warriors are aggressive and brave.

Even if their enemy used unknown magical powers, they had no thought of retreat.

Rohan looked at the soldiers the Duke indicated.

Despite just having fought the shadow vines, they showed no signs of fatigue, busily tending their weapons.

At that moment, a man caught Rohan’s eye.

‘Is that...?’

The face was so familiar it startled him.

A young, boyish face.

Lean, but solidly built.

“What’s that man’s name?”

“Who… Ah, do you mean Leon?”

As expected.

It was the one he knew.

‘So he’s from the North.’

Leon.

He was carefully cleaning his weapon with a clear, earnest look.

“How curious. Sir Drake also asked his name yesterday.”

“Sir Drake did?”

“Yes, yesterday—he was the one who guided Sir Drake and Your Highness through the side gate.”

“Ho.”

It had been too dark and chaotic to get a good look yesterday.

If he had, he’d have recognized him immediately.

Because...

‘Leon, King of Mercenaries.’

He would later be known as the King of Mercenaries, a person of incredible fame.

“That soldier who discovered the shadow’s weakness—was it him, as you mentioned before?”

“How did you know?”

Surprise flashed in the Duke’s eyes, but for Rohan, it was only natural.

The ability to quickly identify an opponent’s weakness.

That was Leon’s gift.

Of course, he was skilled in martial arts, but not quite on the level of true prodigies.

However, his “eye” for seeing through weaknesses—

That alone made him the most expensive mercenary of them all.

“Looks like Your Highness also took a liking to that fellow. Sir Drake as well... It seems everyone has the same eye for talent.”

Hahaha!

The Duke chuckled.

“In the search for Kajin Fabian, which team will he join?”

“He’ll be with the search party.”

“Not the assassination squad?”

The Duke scratched his cheek.

“No matter how talented, he’s still just a low-ranking soldier. He only settled in the North recently and has been a Malta soldier for just three months... still a rookie.”

Clearly, the Duke didn’t know about Leon’s hidden strengths yet.

“I have a request, if I may?”

So, Rohan decided to use this opportunity to bring out the talent that had rolled in.

“Please assign him to our assassination squad. He was the first to discover the shadow’s weakness—he’ll be a great help.”

“Hmm, alright. Let’s do that.”

After a moment’s thought, the Duke nodded.

To him, it was just lending one soldier out of many.

But Rohan was certain.

By bringing Leon along, their chances of killing Kajin had doubled.

Memories from not long ago surfaced in Rohan’s mind.


—We have our failed pasts, and we also have the destiny to overturn them. Most importantly, we have one thing that no one else does.

—And what is that?

—The power of memory.


Yggdrasil had said.

This was the method to overturn a fated destiny.

‘Perhaps...’

Was this a sign to use the power of memory to recruit such talents?

Watching Leon quietly polishing his weapon, Rohan’s eyes gleamed.


---


The morning sun stained the peak of Hammud Mountain yellow.

As the sunlight slowly spread, the shadows that had lingered near the inner fortress all night began to vanish one by one.

Before the tightly shut gates, soldiers stood ready, all preparations complete.

“The sun will be up soon. Prepare to march out!”

At the Duke of Malta’s call, the soldiers began gathering according to their units.

They had packed three days’ worth of rations for the journey ahead.

The most worrisome were the puppet people, who would be cared for by the women, and as long as the fires burned bright at night, the shadows could not invade—so the remaining garrison was kept to a minimum.

“Greetings. I am Leon, ordered to join this mission.”

As the search party set out,

Leon introduced himself, joining Rohan’s team.

“You!”

Drake, recognizing him, smiled warmly and extended his hand.

“Good to see you. I didn’t expect to meet again so soon.”

“The honor is mine, Captain.”

Leon accepted his handshake politely, his eyes shining with their unique clarity.

“Welcome, Leon. I’m Rohan. Glad to have you with the team.”

“I greet a member of the august Schubert Imperial Family.”

Despite being a northern warrior, he knew the etiquette of the capital.

That was clear proof he wasn’t a northerner by birth.

‘I wonder what brought him to the North.’

Curious, but that could be discovered later.

“So this is the man? The one joining us this time?”

“That’s right. Leon, this is Retina, chief of the Elphyrians. She’s a master of swift attacks. And here’s Shakan, an excellent archer.”

“Pleased to meet you.”

Leon’s eyes sparkled.

It seemed it was his first time seeing Elphyrians up close like this.

“These are elite Elphyrian warriors sent from Silvaren to assist. They’re all highly skilled in swordsmanship and magical reconnaissance.”

“To meet Elphyrians is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

He was a polite young man.

“Martin is my attendant knight. He wields a special sword imbued with fire.”

The reason Rohan went out of his way to introduce each team member’s abilities,

Was because knowing them would help Leon contribute more.

Creeeeak.

Just then, the inner gate began to open.

“It looks like we’re moving out, Your Highness.”

At Martin’s words, Rohan nodded.

“We must find Kajin on this journey. And... we have to kill him.”

“Of course.”

Martin and Drake, standing beside him, nodded.

“All troops, march out!”

With the Duke’s command,

Step, step, step!

Hundreds of soldiers moved out, leaving the fortress behind.