Master of the brave.

The streets continued with the Rooms River on the right hand side, giant trees to tall shrubs on the left, and forests of depressed and lush sprawl, but eventually when the intervals between the trees were sparse, the space opened up and the hilly areas widened.

In the meadows where greenery can be seen at dawn, the white dots, visible everywhere far away, would be pastoralists chasing sheep and goats early in the morning.

Beyond the hills where the meadows extend, there are a series of peaks that we should reach to the sky. Thanks to the sunshine, the peaks of the mountains covered in white snow, which did not melt even in the summer, were so beautiful and clearly visible.

The Magil Mountains.

"It's like a wall."

Wynn whined unexpectedly impressed by the magnificent landscape, but was surprised to hear that it would still take two days to reach the foot of the Magil Mountains. Despite all that distance, the Magil Mountains were compelling as they approached us.

"I can see Ertz, too."

Rock walking next door points to Winn, who is seen in the mountains.

Earlier, from the shadow of the hill where the sheep were flocking, we had certainly begun to see the tip of some towering tall buildings.

Large river ships can also be seen moored as we approach Eltz.

The iron transported from the mining district at the foot of the Magil Mountains, when transported into this town by boat, is processed into tools of various applications - especially weapons - to be transported again by boat.

The abundance of room river water required for blacksmithing and the vast forests surrounding the town as a fuel source have developed the town of Ertz.

As we proceeded through the streets circling at the foot of the hill, we eventually also saw the exterior walls and gates of the town of Ertz.

Above the gate, the imperial flag flickered in the morning breeze, and in front of the gate, which was open until it was fully opened, the knights serving the Elsted family welcomed a line.

◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

The line proceeds to the town centre, taken by those of the Earl of Elsted family who welcomed him to the welcome.

The Wins were mixed up among their miscellaneous husbands, so they didn't know how the leading jewellery was, but apparently they were going to tend in a few squares in town, except for Alfred and the clerk-in-chief, and such faces as the Kingsguard Knights and the Knights of the Court high-ranking martial officers.

That's what the town clerk declared when he gathered representatives of soldiers, miscellaneous husbands.

"Oh my God, it's not a soft sleeping area, it's a wild place."

"You won't have a choice. It's a pretty big crowd, and the inn is set to take precedence by the knights. It's just that you don't have to worry about rice and water."

After a long journey, he said he had finally reached a large town, but as during the journey he heard camping in the tent and was dissatisfied, but in subsequent circulars, he cheered because he had been allowed to drink and drink in the town, except for those on watch duty, etc.

"Surprise."

When I heard that circular, Rock was leaning his neck.

"Even if it's a line with His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, miscellaneous husbands and soldiers are people outside of town, and if those people push over in large numbers, they're usually not welcome as a town."

Regardless, the knights are not necessarily the soldiers serving the empire, the miscellaneous husbands being the righteous ones. After all, they are other people with weapons. The inhabitants of the town, afraid of them, thought they were just lurking their breath, but surprisingly, the inhabitants of the town seemed to welcome their

When the town clerk told them where the tents were set up, wells, food and supplies were sourced, etc., and left the place, a large number of town people came to the square and began to attract customers quickly.

Looking like the town of Ertz, which deals with liquor stores, dining halls, and iron, shopkeepers of all kinds of martial artefacts and other things have pushed over as business opportunities ahead of us.

"Is that something like the town the captain is ruling?

"It's not like the rumors we heard in Imperial City."

When Cornelia came next to Winn, she said so.

The rumors Cornelia had heard in the Imperial Capital about Earl of Elsted territory were terrible things that I couldn't stand to hear.

The people say they are suffering from heavy taxes imposed as a result of the renovation of the Count's mansion.

I hear that amount far exceeds the amount of taxes prescribed by the laws of the Empire. I heard that houses that cannot pay taxes are imposed labour if they are men, and if they have young daughters, they are holding their daughters in the Count's house instead of taxes.

Apparently, many of the daughters served are considered concubines of Count Elsted.

Its Earl of Elsted is Lloyds Van Elsted, who became Cornelia's SS squire chief.

"Huh? Did you do something terrible like that?"

I heard you were concubinating your young daughter, when Leno hugs her own body, she puts a disgusting look on her face.

"Speaking of which, you said there were a lot of wives in Fukuchi."

"Oh, he said. Is it the ladies who held it as a debt?

"Because you have that face and body.... Captain, your daughter-in-law didn't come and you surrounded the girls with the debtors?"

"It seems possible."

Good thing he's not in person, Rock and Leno can say whatever they want.

"Brother!

Cornelia, with the two wedges, Leticia came to where she was listening to Rock and Leno.

"Letty, didn't you go to the captain's house?

"I'm out of here."

Leticia, who no longer needed to be replaced by Leno, should have been invited with Alfred to Lloyds' mansion, but apparently he came out saying no to His Highness Alfred.

It seems that Lloyds has forgiven the person who should also be the guest of honor for crushing the face of the lord, such as turning down the hospitality of the lord of the province visited and getting out.

"I'm going to attend a proper dinner party. I'd like to have a meeting with His Royal Highness Alfred and Mr. Lloyds about the raid, so I don't have to be there for lunch."

"Oh well. Then stay with us."

Kelvin took a captive raider to the knight's jar at the Earl of Elsted's house. I guess that's where the interrogation will continue. After getting information from the prisoners, Alfred and Lloyds seemed to take some action.

"Yeah. Oh, and a message from Mr. Lloyds"

Leticia said so, informing Cornelia of an invitation from Lloyds to come to the mansion in the evening or so.

"Okay. Shall we then take a look around the town of Ertz? Even if we're in this place, it's just gonna get in the way."

A large number of soldiers and miscellaneous husbands had already set up the tent on a steep pitch in the square. They want to finish their work here quickly and roll out to town.

To keep them out of their way like that, the Wins slipped through the square.

Win and Leticia are the ones who walk forward, focusing on Cornelia. Rock and Leno left and right. A wedge walks on the back.

"The townsfolks have conveyed their willingness to welcome you, but it looks like they have quite a security system after all"

I said it in such a way that Rock could only be heard together.

Throughout the town corner stood a knight, a soldier, serving the Earl of Elsted's house. Walking is frequently different from the patrolling town guards.

We don't know what causes fights between people in different lands.

Now I still don't hear a fight in the town because I'm working in the square, but I guess I'm thinking that if the work on the tent is done and they roll out to the town's downtown, there could be less squeaking.

"You don't seem to have any bad feelings about the people of this town, the knights or the guards."

Leticia said potpourri as she watched the thing.

"Bad emotions?

"Yeah. Look, there must have been some bad rumors going around about Uncle Elsted, right?

"Yeah, I was just talking about that with Rock and Leno."

"When you go to a town where heavy taxes are imposed on residents, mostly because bad feelings of residents such as fear and anger are directed at the knights and soldiers of lords"

"Oh, well."

Winn also nodded at Leticia's explanation.

If a lord is activating power, knights and soldiers will collect taxes from residents as the institutional side, and they will be charged as cruel, for example in forced labor.

If bad governance is being done, the gaze of the people in the town should be a mixture of fright and anger.

"Sure, you can't see that happening. If this is such a vigilance, the people of this town are as usual, even though the whole town is likely to be enveloped in a more frivolous atmosphere..."

Cornelia nodded as impressed.

"Speaking of bitter, I've been wondering about you just now. That tower was a lookout tower. I see a shadow up there."

Winn pointed over the nearby tower.

Some of these towers were built as features that Eltz's town could not see in other towns.

Are you boasting the technical skills and wealth of the town, all the buildings are like stone.

Before entering the town, the building that was first seen from the shadows of the hills was this group of towers.

Wouldn't the height be about ten floors if it was fixed to the height of the building? A shadow stood there overlooking the town.

◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇

"Oh, there's no such thing as a mansion. It's to discover the fire as soon as possible!

Around the hour of noon, Wins, who also went into the proper dining room with a break, asked his aunt in the dining room about the mansion, and she told him so.

It seems that the mansion, where several are built, is usually packed by officials, not soldiers. Because Ertz has many blacksmiths dealing with fire, many of these towers were built for the early discovery of fire.

Compared to the Imperial Capital, many buildings, even if tall, were made from the second to the third floors, in order not to obstruct the view from the mansion.

"It's the same empire, but if it changes, it changes the way you make a town."

Wynn said as he cut the giant fish meat served on a large plate in the middle of the table into his own take-up dishes.

With a total length of just over a metre, this huge fish seems to be one that can be taken in Lake Mingal, the source of the Rooms River. They were sent by boat from the inner belly of the Magil Mountains.

After removing the belly, seasoned with wine and butter, vanilla and spices, it seems that this dish of fish, wrapped in pie and cooked in a kiln, is one of the specialty dishes of Ertz.

The hollow and loose fish meat in your mouth seems to go very well with the wine.

"I thought the tower was awesome, but I was surprised I was even prettier than I thought."

"Sure. I had the impression that an old man with a better physique was screaming."

"Well, that's it. This town is mostly made of iron. The town Leno and Wynn imagined wouldn't be seen going to the mining district at the foot of the Magil Mountains, would they?

Rock taught me, cheeky stuffing of pork in my mouth.

"There would have been several stone buildings with water trucks along the waterways strewn throughout the town, wouldn't there? That's the workshop. This Eltz forged weapon was also very active in the fight against demons. Even at my parents' house, I deal with weapons made out of this Eltz. The merchant who bought the armament sold it to Krenad, to the Empire beyond, and out to the sea and abroad on a boat floating in the river."

"Heh."

Although Winn nodded and showed it, his imagination did not work because of the magnitude of the story and became an obscure reply.

From the foothills of the magnificent Magil Mountains as if approaching in front of you, from shredded ore, iron refined and processed with elts. And those things go down the River Rooms, and they are carried to the Imperial City, to an exotic stranger at the end.

It is also impossible that Winn, who was born with little to no exit from the Imperial capital and whose journey is now the most advanced and long-distance journey, could not immediately understand.

"A knight's sword on Winn's hips. Maybe it was made here in Ertz."

When Rock said that, as he added, pointing to the sword at Winn's waist, Winn's face became a little brighter, maybe it's a story he can't help but tell. People can't react when they hear things they don't understand, and vice versa, if it's something they can understand, it's natural to react well.

I let Rock snort firmly into his words.

"Nevertheless, the bad rumors about the Earl of Elsted family I was hearing in Imperial Capital still seemed to be lies"

Cornelia, who had fried shrimp with oil and covered it with salt, which was also a specialty, could be picked on the River Rooms, looked around the dining room.

The expression of those who were in the dining room was also a far cry from the exploited people who had heard rumors.

I guess many of the customers are merchants doing business in town and workshop craftsmen. In addition to bread and soup, they ask for a plate of meat or fish, as well as barley wine, and rush back to work as they finish their tummy.

Eating a relaxing meal was about a table surrounded by the Winns and a pair of merchants who seem to be doing business in the back.

Merchants and craftsmen alike feel passionate and proud of their work, although rush is what makes them drift, but their expressions are not dark.

I can't remember a very dark impression.

"But hey, Captain's house. I'm pretty sure the Earl of Elsted only owes a lot to my parents, the Marine Chamber of Commerce, huh?

"Really?

"Oh. When I first met the captain at the Imperial Palace, that's for sure because that's what I asked my father in person"

Rock's home, the Marine Chamber of Commerce, is one of the largest in the Empire. It also has many branches in foreign countries. Chairman Rock's father is a big financial man with that huge capital.

He is powerful enough to be told that he will not even be able to meet with his fellow aristocrats. If that person is going to say so, I'm sure the Earl of Elsted family does have a huge debt.

"There doesn't seem to be any circumstances such as late repayment, so I don't think there's actually quite a bit of tax imposed"

With that said, Rock threw bread into his mouth.

"That rumor is a rumor that runs amongst nobles and upper classes in the first place, isn't it? I never heard such horrible rumors about Ertz when I worked at the Migratory Bird Inn Pavilion."

"Speaking of which, we've never heard of it either, have we?"

When Leno asked Wedge, Wedge, who was silently carrying fish meat into his mouth with a fork, stopped his hand and shook his neck sideways.

"Well, from the people who live in Simlug, isn't it because Ertz is a distant, marginal city? At best, as much as I've heard as a pot kettle, a knife region, you wouldn't normally be interested in what kind of life people actually live in a town where the town has landscaped?

Winn thought that might be the case if you ask me.

If you are also a cook like Randell, such as a pot kettle, and a blade, you may also learn to pay attention to the quality, origin, workshop, etc. of that knife, but ordinary civilians don't care.

Regardless of whether you are a mercenary or an adventurer whose good or bad quality divides life and death into weapons, Wynn, who became a knight, has never focused on regions such as production because the weapons were basically made up of official supplies.

I also wanted to save some money and buy my own one-item sword, but even then I think I would buy the sword relying on my senses to see for myself, not focusing on regions, etc.

But unlike Winn, Lino apparently wasn't convinced by Rock's explanation alone. Leno opened his tease by swallowing the food in his mouth as he looked at Wedge for a moment.

"Uh-huh, but you know what? If there's talk of people living in Eltz being heavily taxed, or the girls being made concubines of the kind I want to be, I think they'll be in my ear, too."

"Right. Because Leno's home is also a pharmacist."

"Yes."

Nothing can be picked in the Magil Mountains but mineral resources such as iron ore. Divided into the depths of the Magil Mountains, where demons and dangerous phantom beast species roam, it was also a famous place for adventurers to challenge for grass, nuts, tree roots, etc. that serve as raw materials for precious medicines.

Furthermore, the adventurers' purpose is not only the raw materials of such medicines.

Some aspired to a Dwarf settlement near the middle belly of the Magil Mountains.

Through such trials as attacking demons, phantom beasts, and wild beasts, he stepped on a path in a rugged mountain, seeking a weapon made of dwarf.

A dwarf weapon is a swing, and worth enough to build a fortune.

The weapons they have made, that they possess better blacksmithing skills than humans, are of no less quality than the weapons made in the Kingdom of Sein, which boast the demonic swords found from the ruins of the Kingdom of Lentheim and the highest technological capabilities of modern times, which dominated the entire Alfana continent with developed magic technology.

It's still less difficult to get Dwarf weapons than to get the ruins of the kingdom of Lentheim, where a powerful demon sword sleeps, and the weapons made in the kingdom of Sein, which has become a lost technology.

The town of Ertz is a town with a relay point role for adventurers and mercenaries who visit the Magil Mountains with such a purpose.

What the adventurers thus divided into the Magil Mountains bring home is brought to the Empire via the town of Ertz.

It is strange that no bad rumors of Ertz come into Leno's home, where he operates as a pharmacist in the Imperial City, more than after those processes.

That's what Leno pointed out, even as he asked the wedge to put in a supplement to all the explanations.

"In alpine areas like Magill's - because herbs grow that are highly effective as antipyretics and painkillers if you fry them and drink them, even our store has asked adventurers to collect them. So if you need anything at Eltz, you think they'll come into my ear too."

"Speaking of which, I've seen requests for herb collection in the Magil Mountains on Adventurer Alliance bulletin boards a long time ago. Mr. Poulat tried to take it, and Mr. Riggs stopped you. Highly paid jobs run the risk of matching it."

"My father told me that the reason why Dwarf weapons are expensive is not only because of their good quality, but also because they are difficult to distribute. Well, anyway, from what I've seen, I can't feel those dark impressions in this town."

"Oh, but..."

I opened my mouth in such a way that Leno would say that he had finally remembered something.

"Ertz has had a fever epidemic some years ago - that's when the weather was unusual and overlapping and the years of inactivity followed, and you've had a lot of deaths -"

"Ah..."

Leticia raised her voice when Leno said so.

"What's wrong, Letty?

Leticia, who raised her voice louder than she thought and drew attention, opens her mouth a little shy.

"When I was still fighting demons, I remembered an Imperial Army member of the Alliance against the Demon Continent telling me that one of their commanders was going home to deal with a disaster in their territory."

"So who's back in that territory is the captain?

"Maybe so."

Leticia nodded and showed that she was not confident when Winn asked back.

"I think it's about Mr. Lloyds, but if he just drops off the front line, the Empire has still decided to lower some of its troops backwards, including several other senior martial officers to go with it. I remember that there was a great deal of distrust of the Imperial Army among the Allies against the Devil."

"Back then, in the battle against demons, many nobles should also have gone as commanders. It should not have been uncommon for a nobleman who became its commander to be temporarily decommissioned from the military in order to deal with events that took place in the territory during his mission. Lady Leticia, you remember that very well."

"Yeah, because shortly after that commander slipped out and returned to the territory, the front he supported was broken, leaving the army of the Empire devastated"

"Only one of you just fell out!?

"The battle against the demons, which began to devour the eastern and central parts of the continent with total control, was also marked by a shortage of commanders on each front line, as the front was spreading. There were still plenty of knights, soldiers, who could fight on the front line, but they were killing people who could command them because of the intensive targeting of the godless demons."

Leticia said so, describing the situation in various parts of the time.

In the western part of the continent, the Queen Queen Zelia was defeated, and there was an impending war in the northern part of the Lemursil Empire.

The upper echelons of the Empire began to recall the troops they were sending to the Allies against the Demonic Continent, under the circumstances of one nobleman.

A voice of distrust for the Empire rose from many of the smaller countries in the eastern and central parts of the continent, which were already in a state of engagement, as the Empire began to pull its troops because it was considered one of the mainland and showed its presence in the context of great military power even against the Allies of the Continent of Demons.

So the Empire decided to leave some without pulling up the entire army to avoid accusations from its allies, but a massive invasion by demons took place shortly after it began its retreat.

The Imperial Army, which did not work well with other countries because it was in retreat, suffered a disastrous defeat. One general of the Empire, who was commander in that battle, lost his life.

The general of the deceased Empire is the one who planned to remain in the Allied Forces against the Demon Continent to serve as commander even after the withdrawal of the Imperial Army. Because of the death of its commander, the chain of command was disrupted, and all over the Allied Front against the Demon Continent, including the Imperial Army, was devastated, causing the Front to be pushed backward by demons.

"That battle, even in the history of the battle between man and demon, which lasted nearly forty years, was as unbroken as it was at its worst. It was a battle in which all the armies, including myself, suffered such a disastrous defeat that they were temporarily forced to retreat. That's why I remember him so well."