Chapter 359 – Remembrance of Battle

The crystal from the Blazing Fortress glowed red while emitting intense heat. We decided to break off one piece and bring it outside the labyrinth.

So I went and retrieved one of the larger crystals growing in the Blazing Fortress. I secured an exceptionally large one that caught my eye, about the height of an adult.

The heat radiating from the crystal had already weakened considerably before breaking it off… but apparently, even in this state, it wouldn’t lose its heat within the Boundary City. Conversely, if separated from Termwills, this crystal would also lose its power. To prevent that, magical processing would be necessary. Probably something similar to the Transference Stones.

“This crystal seems like it could be useful for something beyond just securing an enclave.”

“Hmm… Indeed.”

As I pondered Grace’s words, Ignatius inquired.

“Do you have any good ideas?”

“Well… For example, what about installing it in a corner of the hot spring facility to use as heating?”

“Oh? A hot spring facility, you say?”

“If another location would be better, I can think of other options.”

“No, that location should be fine. The idea of the Blazing Fortress’s heat providing warmth to the people… seems rather good, doesn’t it?”

“With the cold season approaching, it might work well.”

Rosemary laughed while Marlene nodded repeatedly. Well… we can think of different uses for the summer season.

In any case, we can both utilize this crystal at the hot spring facility and establish it as Ignatius’s enclave. By enabling Ignatius to leave the labyrinth, Lazaro, who serves him, would automatically be able to go outside as well.

With Ignatius’s approval, Claudia proceeded with the contract ritual. As the ritual progressed, the crystal floating with Levitation became enveloped in a pale light. A similar light covered the bodies of Ignatius and Lazaro, who were kneeling on one knee before Claudia.

“The contract is complete.”

Claudia looked at me and nodded.

“Well then… shall we head to the ritual site first?”

The day to open the Sealed Door was still ahead. For now, I decided to postpone reaching it and hear what Ignatius had to say. I should also contact King Melvin and Old Sigmund.

King Melvin and Old Sigmund said they would come to the ritual site. Since King Melvin couldn’t move until he finished his business, we decided to install the crystal pillar at the hot spring facility before then.

“Is there no problem with us walking around? Lazaro is fine since he’s wearing armor, but…”

“No problem at all. Fairies often fly around the ritual site area normally.”

“I see. So that’s how it is.”

“Thanks to Claudia-sama continuing to give revelations to the shrine maidens, there’s also tolerance towards different races.”

“Indeed. Even during my reign as king, the Moon Temple was like that. Though I learned that only after becoming like this.”

Ignatius and Lazaro followed us through the hot spring town while looking around at the scenery outside. The townspeople also widened their eyes at the transported crystal and Ignatius’s appearance, but when they realized we were together, they showed understanding expressions. Well… let’s have the residents of Termwills get used to them gradually like this.

“I thought the town and people’s conditions would have changed considerably… but I never imagined there’d be a hot spring town.”

“It happened by chance when we became acquainted with a High Spirit governing volcanoes.”

“I see. So you’re the cause.”

Ignatius laughed cheerfully.

“But… it seems peaceful.”

“Hmm… indeed.”

In response to Lazaro’s murmured words, Ignatius answered in a deeply moved voice and narrowed his eyes. After the great battle with the Demons, Verdgar was enjoying peace and prosperity. Today’s Verdgar could be said to have been built upon the foundation laid by Ignatius and Lazaro. Of course, this was only possible because of Claudia’s labyrinth.

We arrived at our destination. The place seemed bustling with people visiting for hot spring therapy. Some were leaving the facility with improved blood circulation, perhaps after bathing, while others were coming out of the clinic… The hot spring facility appeared to be functioning properly.

“So this is the hot spring facility?”

Ignatius looked at the facility with interest.

“I was thinking of installing the crystal here. Now that you’ve seen it, what do you think?”

“Hmm. This is good. If it’s a facility for the people, I have no objections.”

“Then—though it’s temporary for now, let’s get it done quickly.”

I had already obtained permission from King Melvin via the Communication Device. Now I just needed to inform the staff at the clinic attached to the hot spring facility and install the crystal.

Since this was temporary, after preparing materials, we would properly modify it into a waiting room for winter use. I began constructing a stone gazebo in a corner of the hot spring facility’s courtyard. It was easy since I just needed to form the gazebo with Earth Magic.

Once I erected the crystal in the center and thinly covered its surroundings with stone to make it pillar-like, it would be complete. The central stone pillar—when you held your hand near it, you could feel it emitting slight warmth. Later, if we properly enclosed the surroundings with walls, it would function as heating. Creating a foot bath around the pillar might not be a bad idea either.

“This is… truly done in an instant.”

The pharmacist who brought tea widened his eyes in amazement.

“It’s just a simple stone structure.”

While explaining to the pharmacist that we would modify it into more proper equipment later, I arranged rest chairs around the stone pillar when a call came through on the Communication Device. It was from Old Sigmund, saying he had met up with King Melvin. Well then, after drinking the tea they prepared, we should return to the ritual site where we were supposed to meet.

“It’s an honor to meet you, King Ignatius. I am Melvin Verdgar. To be able to meet the famous King Ignatius and Sir Lazaro, the Mirror Knight—”

“I am merely the shadow of a past king. I’m not someone the current king needs to be so concerned about. And… the gentleman over there… I heard you’re a descendant of the magicians who created the seal?”

“I came from Silvatoria. My name is Siegmund Willcloud. If by the magicians who created the seal, you mean the seven magicians… then I suppose that would be correct.”

King Melvin and Old Sigmund, who had come to the ritual site, exchanged greetings with Ignatius and Lazaro.

“Seven… I remember that being the case. I married the daughter of one of them. Those people said they came from the north and would return to the north.”

“…Considering the era, that seems correct. Since Beriondora is a northern country.”

While Old Sigmund conversed with Ignatius, King Melvin turned to me and Mildred and spoke.

“Theodore. You’ve done well.”

“Yes!”

“Mildred. I’m glad to see you don’t have any serious injuries.”

“I deeply appreciate you permitting my selfishness this time.”

Mildred bowed her head quietly.

“Hmm. I’ll hear about you and Sir Lazaro later… First, let’s hear King Ignatius’s story.”

We moved to the gazebo in the ritual site and decided to talk while drinking tea prepared by the shrine maidens. Ignatius tilted his teacup and drank, then after taking a breath, closed his eyes and began speaking.

“Well now… where should I begin? When I ascended the throne, Demons were rampaging everywhere. A peaceful world like today was beyond hope. Though Verdgar, possessing a labyrinth, escaped disaster due to its national power, the information coming in was chaotic too.”

From the king’s position, there were things he knew and didn’t know. But even so, information from someone who knew that time was valuable.

As if intending to tell everything he knew, Ignatius gave a preface and continued.

“The calamity is said to have started from the south. One day, the leader of the Demons suddenly appeared, and southern countries were destroyed. From there, Demons scattered everywhere, wreaking havoc in various places.”

“As expected… from the south?”

“Are the Demons still in the south even now?”

“There’s a Demon worship cult.”

In that case, the Sacred Land probably means the place where Demons originated… I suppose?

But after the appearance of the King of Ignorance, only the Duoveris Cult was active, with no casualties caused by High-ranking Demons.

“In that era, there were no barriers… countries could only wait for the Demons to pass by, treating them as natural disasters. That said… the Demons were few in number and lacked unity.”

In that regard, it seemed High-ranking Demons were satisfied just rampaging as they pleased, just like now. Thanks to that, some humans managed to survive.

“But… even among them, the leader was exceptional, I suppose.”

“What do you mean…?”

“He established a country for Demons in the south. High-ranking Demons also answered the leader’s call and gathered. And—those who pledged loyalty to them were spared, while those who opposed were killed. I heard many more were taken to the south to satisfy their appetites.”

“…The problem is the food situation for lower-ranking Demons rather than high-ranking ones.”

“Hmm. Precisely because they’re weak, they have troublesome aspects.”

High-ranking Demons could gather fear even if they remained silent after rampaging once. But lower-ranking Demons couldn’t do that. Being lower-ranking, if they challenged humans, they might be defeated instead.

That’s why they gathered under the leader and moved in the direction of creating a country. Even lower-ranking Demons could keep humans as food sources.

“Eventually, their country even subjugated Monsters like Goblins, Orcs, and Ogres, expanding their territory in the south. Therefore, the leader was someone who ruled Demons and was also the master of Monsters. That’s why… he was also called the Demon Lord.”

“To even subjugate Monsters…”

“It’s conceivable that Monster children exposed to Miasma would start following Demons.”

Claudia said with a furrowed brow.

“The situation changed—after those magicians came. The seven Sages who came from the north. With their assistance, the human counteroffensive began.”

From the north… This would be before the founding of Beriondora.

“Those people devised techniques to create enormous barriers using the power of the Moon Goddess and Spirits. They told us about techniques to seal the Demon leader. Though I was curious about their origins since they possessed Great Magic and techniques to control labyrinths, I didn’t ask. Before Demons bared their fangs at Verdgar, I sought their assistance and decided to cooperate. I formed alliances with surrounding countries… and spread barrier techniques to those countries as well.”

“If we could shut them out of urban areas with barriers… that would be the same as a siege tactic.”

King Melvin stroked his beard and nodded.

“Hmm. We weakened the Demons’ power, took their foundations—and joined forces with Spirits, Elves, Dwarves, beastmen, and benevolent Monsters… gradually reducing the Demons’ territory by enclosing them with barriers.”

…A full-scale war between Demons and other races. In the end, the Coalition forces of humans and other races emerged victorious, I suppose.

And the Demons’ country was destroyed. With their leader sealed, the Demons scattered… Thanks to the barriers, major damage became less frequent.