Chapter 223 - 222: Sacrifice
"Don’t worry. The Wenmier Clan is more afraid of this bridge collapsing than we are."
Zelir said, "They would have ensured the artisans followed the strictest standards when it was first built."
"What if it collapses? It’s been abandoned for so long," Maki said, still uneasy.
"Just look at how wide it is. This bridge was originally designed to support heavy horse-drawn carriages."
Gray was the first to walk onto the stone bridge, even hopping on it a couple of times.
"Besides, think about it. The Wenmier Clan lived here for centuries without any problems. If it collapses the moment you step on it, that can only mean one thing."
"And what’s that?"
"You need to lose weight." Gray grinned back at him.
The squad proceeded across the stone bridge that spanned the abyss.
The closer they got to Rose Castle, the more clearly they could see the magnificent structure.
Valles was walking in the middle of the formation when he suddenly glimpsed something white flash past a castle window.
"Watch out! Something’s wrong with the third-floor window!" Valles yelled without a second thought.
The words had barely left his mouth when a dense flurry of objects cut through the air.
Stones and bone arrows rained down, blanketing the entire surface of the bridge.
Marcus immediately raised his Shield.
Zelir reacted just as quickly.
He waved Night Peace, and two thick earthen walls erupted from the ground in a crisscross pattern, perfectly shielding them from the first wave of ranged attacks.
Bone arrows and stones struck the rock walls with a flurry of THUDS and CRACKS.
"More Skeleton Soldiers?"
Gray frowned from behind the rock wall. "Why are these guys so damn annoying?"
Because they were still some distance from the Ancient Castle, Marcus and the other melee fighters were of little use.
However, the squad’s counterattack was swift.
During a lull in the barrage, Valles darted out from behind the rock wall, loosing a continuous stream of arrows infused with a small amount of Fighting Qi.
Zelir began to lay down suppressive fire with his Fractal Fire.
The Arrows and Fireballs blanketed nearly every third-floor window, their bright trajectories standing out clearly in the night sky.
"BOOM! BOOM! BOOM...!"
The Skeleton Soldiers preparing to hurl more Bone Spears from the windows were instantly blown to bits the moment they appeared.
The exchange of fire lasted for a good while before gradually subsiding.
Zelir estimated they had eliminated at least a dozen Skeleton Soldiers just now.
After confirming there were no more threats from above, the squad resumed their advance and crossed the stone bridge safely.
"Thank goodness they were just some mindless Skeleton Soldiers."
Maki said with a sigh.
"If this were wartime, you could mount a few Bed Crossbows up there and station some elite Rangers. An invading force, no matter how large, would never be able to get in."
"Typical Warrior mindset," Zelir said flatly.
"What?" Maki asked, not understanding.
"You wouldn’t even need an Upper Level Mage. I reckon a Middle Level Mage could destroy half the castle with a single full-power attack from a great distance."
Maki froze, playing the scene out in his mind.
’He’s probably right...’
"You wouldn’t be saying that if you’d ever seen an Upper Level Mage fight," Gray said, patting Maki’s shoulder.
"You have?" Maki retorted, a hint of defiance in his voice.
"Of course. When it comes to things like that, I still know more than you do," Gray said with a smile.
They had now arrived safely before Rose Castle.
The massive gate, forged from black iron and giant timbers, was exceptionally wide, enough for a small company of cavalry to pass through side-by-side.
Intricate rose patterns were carved into the gate, but now they were covered in rust, and the enormous lock was shrouded in cobwebs.
After years of disrepair, the internal mechanism was likely long since broken.
Forcing it open from the front would likely be next to impossible, and it would create a huge commotion.
Soon, they found the path Sangmik the butler had mentioned.
To the left of Rose Castle’s main gate, a stone staircase built against the outer wall spiraled upward.
Following this staircase would lead directly to the highest spire.
From there, they could get inside the Ancient Castle.
"Let’s go."
Marcus took the lead, stepping onto the stone stairs.
The rest of the squad followed close behind, their figures soon disappearing around a corner.
...
「Late at night.」
「Wenmier Mansion.」
「The Parlor.」
Moonlight filtered through the curtains, pooling on the floor like quicksilver.
Patriarch Vance stood alone before the fireplace, his hands clasped behind his back.
He gazed silently at the flickering tips of the flames, his face expressionless.
The Flame burned fiercely inside, making the room’s many shadows dance and flicker across his face.
Suddenly, a crisp knock on the door broke the silence.
"KNOCK KNOCK."
The visitor did not wait for Patriarch Vance’s permission, opening the door and entering presumptuously.
Patriarch Vance glanced sideways at the visitor.
It was none other than the coachman who had brought the Marcus Squad to Rose Castle.
At this moment, however, his expression was no longer as timid and humble as it had been.
In its place was a look of complex anxiety.
"Vance, the people have been delivered," the coachman said sullenly.
"You saw them go inside with your own eyes?" Vance asked.
"Yes."
the coachman replied, "I saw them enter the forecourt with my own eyes."
"Well done, Spencer," Vance said with a slight nod.
With nothing more to say, the two fell into silence.
After a long moment, Spencer spoke again.
"Vance... this is the seventh time we’ve offered a sacrifice. Do you truly believe ’they’ will help us restore the Wenmier Clan?"
"Of course. And they’ve already provided a great deal of help."
Vance turned around.
"Haven’t you seen it for yourself? With their financial backing, the clan is getting better little by little."
"But... but their appetite keeps growing..." Spencer said with some hesitation.
"Of course their appetite is growing! That’s because we’re asking for more and more!"
Vance’s tone grew heavier.
"Have you forgotten? A few days ago, if it weren’t for their help, we might not have even been able to keep this mansion..."
"And now, they’re even offering to fund our restoration of Rose Castle... Rose Castle! The ultimate glory of the Wenmier Clan!"
"But... but they’ve already started targeting Middle Level Professionals. This squad even has a Mage..."
Spencer was still full of doubt. "What if we attract the suspicion of the Mage’s Guild?"
"We didn’t post the quest through the Mage’s Guild. The Guild won’t investigate."
Vance sneered. "He’s just a Junior Mage. If he dies, he dies. Nobody will care."
Seeing the expression on Spencer’s face, Vance took two steps forward, gripped him by the shoulders, and spoke in a firm, resonant tone.
"Enough! Don’t be troubled by this any longer, Spencer!"
"It’s just a few lives. Compared to the restoration of the Wenmier Clan, it’s nothing at all."