Chapter 150: The Valley Beyond Blackwood
The morning mist had not yet lifted from Blackwood when Kael stepped outside the manor.
The settlement was already awake.
Hammers struck wood.
Wheels rolled across the unfinished roads.
Farmers carried tools toward the fields.
The smell of fresh bread drifted from one of the new stalls near the marketplace.
Kael stood on the steps for a moment, watching.
Only a short time ago, Blackwood had been quiet.
Now it sounded alive.
"You’re awake early."
Kael turned.
Darius approached wearing his armor, though he carried no helmet.
Behind him were several members of the Black Dragon.
Kael looked at the soldiers.
"How many?"
"Eight."
Darius pointed toward the western road.
"Enough for protection. Not enough to make the expedition look like a military campaign."
Kael nodded.
"Good."
Lily came down the steps carrying a bundle of supplies.
"You said you were going to inspect the western land."
Kael looked at her.
"I am."
"You also said you wouldn’t be gone long."
"I won’t."
She handed him the bundle.
"Food."
Kael smiled.
"You know me too well."
"I know you forget to eat."
Darius quietly laughed.
Kael looked at him.
"Don’t encourage her."
"I wouldn’t dare."
They left Blackwood shortly after sunrise.
The western road became narrower with every mile.
Eventually, even the road disappeared.
The Black Dragon soldiers dismounted and continued on foot.
Darius walked at the front.
Kael followed beside him.
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Kael noticed it almost immediately.
"Where are the birds?"
Darius stopped.
He looked around.
"Exactly."
One of the scouts crouched beside a tree.
"There are tracks."
Kael approached.
"What kind?"
The scout examined the ground.
"Boar."
He moved a few steps.
"Wolf."
Another step.
"Something heavier."
Darius frowned.
"How old?"
"Two days."
Kael looked toward the deeper forest.
"Keep moving."
The group continued.
After several hours, the trees finally began to thin.
Sunlight poured through the branches.
Then Kael saw it.
The valley.
He stopped.
For several moments, he said nothing.
It was enormous.
A river curved through the center of the valley.
The soil near its banks was dark and rich.
Wild grass covered the lower plains.
Farther away stood a series of low hills.
Beyond those hills were mountains.
Kael slowly smiled.
"This..."
Darius nodded.
"Yes."
"This is what you found?"
"Part of it."
Kael stepped forward.
The possibilities immediately began forming in his mind.
Fields.
Roads.
Homes.
A bridge.
Perhaps a village.
Maybe more.
He could already imagine Blackwood’s territory extending into the valley.
But then Darius pointed toward the northern ridge.
"Look."
Kael followed his finger.
Stone structures were barely visible among the trees.
Ruins.
Old ruins.
Kael’s expression became serious.
"Those weren’t on the map."
"No."
"How old?"
"We don’t know."
Kael looked toward the soldiers.
"Search carefully."
The Black Dragon spread out.
They reached the ruins near midday.
The stone walls had been partially swallowed by vines.
Several buildings had collapsed.
A broken tower stood at the center.
Kael placed his hand against one of the stones.
The system appeared.
Historical Structure Detected.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
Another notification appeared.
Mana residue detected.
Age estimation unavailable.
Kael frowned.
"System."
The blue light flickered.
Analysis incomplete.
"Why?"
Insufficient information.
Kael looked toward Darius.
"Have you seen ruins like this before?"
Darius shook his head.
"No."
One of the soldiers called from farther ahead.
"My lord!"
Kael turned.
The soldier stood near the base of the ruined tower.
"There is something here."
Kael and Darius approached.
A stone door had been hidden beneath layers of dirt and roots.
Darius examined it.
"Can you open it?"
Kael stepped forward.
"Perhaps."
He placed his hand against the door.
Nothing happened.
Then his Ice Power reacted.
A thin layer of frost spread across the ancient stone.
The runes glowed.
Kael immediately pulled his hand away.
The door remained closed.
Darius looked at him.
"That reacted to your power."
Kael nodded.
"Yes."
He studied the runes.
"Which means someone built this place knowing about elemental powers."
Darius became more serious.
"Then we shouldn’t open it."
Kael glanced at him.
"Agreed."
He turned toward the soldiers.
"Mark this location."
"Yes, my lord."
"Nobody enters these ruins without my command."
They spent the remainder of the day surveying the valley.
It was even better than they had expected.
There was enough fertile land to support thousands.
The river could provide water.
The hills contained stone and perhaps ore.
There were forests nearby for timber.
The land was nearly perfect for settlement.
Nearly.
Near sunset, one of the scouts returned.
"My lord."
"What did you find?"
The soldier pointed toward the southern edge of the valley.
"Tracks."
Darius immediately asked,
"How many?"
"Too many to count."
Kael looked toward him.
"Monsters?"
The scout nodded.
"Large ones."
Darius looked toward the darkening forest.
"Then we have our answer."
Kael understood.
The land was valuable.
But it wasn’t safe.
Not yet.
They returned to Blackwood two days later.
Kael immediately called a meeting.
Darius placed the map on the table.
"The valley is suitable for settlement."
Orrin leaned forward.
"How suitable?"
"Very."
The merchant smiled.
"Then why do you look concerned?"
Darius pointed toward the southern forest.
"Monsters."
The room became quiet.
"How many?"
"We don’t know."
Kael looked at the map.
"And the ruins?"
Darius glanced at him.
"That too."
Garrick frowned.
"Ancient ruins?"
"Yes."
Master Rowan studied the map.
"Then perhaps the land should wait."
Kael nodded.
"Exactly."
Orrin looked disappointed.
Kael noticed.
"But we aren’t abandoning it."
He placed a marker beside the valley.
"We’re watching it."
Darius nodded.
"I’ll establish a temporary observation post."
"How many?"
"Ten soldiers."
Kael thought for a moment.
"Five."
Darius looked at him.
"Five?"
"I don’t want to strip Blackwood’s defenses."
Darius considered it.
"Five scouts can maintain observation."
"Good."
Kael looked at everyone.
"No settlement yet."
He tapped the map.
"First, we learn what’s there."
That night, Kael returned to his chamber.
He opened the Adventurer’s Guild notebook.
For the first time, he added something beneath the guild’s original purpose.
Exploration Missions.
He stared at the words.
Then added:
Ruins.
Unknown territories.
Monster territories.
Resource discovery.
Kael slowly leaned back.
Perhaps the guild would not only protect villages.
Perhaps one day...
It would help him discover the world.
And perhaps the first adventurers to receive such missions would walk into places that even Imperial soldiers had never dared explore.
Kael closed the notebook.
Not yet.
The guild still had to wait.
But its purpose was growing.
Just like Blackwood.
Outside, the first hammer struck the foundation of another house.
Kael smiled.
One day...
That sound would be heard across the entire territory.