White Horse Kingdom, Storm Territory.
The White Horse city of Graystone's carrier pigeon had changed into a thick set of gray feathers to prepare for the upcoming autumn.
It beat its wings desperately, flying above the endless Golden Tassel Plain, leaving a tiny moving gray speck beneath the blue sky.
After passing over a birch grove, the pigeon found Arthur and the other two camping and resting on a grassy meadow beside a babbling stream.
Dawn was just breaking. Count Bran dozed on Arthur's shoulder, his little head nodding down, but the flapping of the unexpected guest's wings soon woke him.
He shook his head, instantly alert, and when he saw the pigeon attempting to land, his black eyes filled with scrutiny.
He prodded Arthur's helmet with a claw, producing a small warning sound.
Before Arthur could ask, Glenn beat him to it, extending his arm so the pigeon could land steadily on the leather vambrace covering his forearm.
With an apologetic smile, he explained to the wary Count Bran and the watching Arthur, "You needn't worry, sir. This is merely a messenger bringing news."
A few seconds later, when he lifted his head, surprise was already difficult for him to hide.
He looked at Arthur and at Galvin, who continued to sit with arms folded and eyes closed, "According to the message we just received, your dominion appears to be launching a large-scale offensive into the Dark Realm, and they have already occupied the Outpost Ruins camp."
"You two didn't happen to tell me a word about such a major military operation, did you?"
At Galvin's name, Galvin slowly opened his eyes, and a trace of surprise showed in the deep of his gaze as well.
To be frank, they'd been away from the swamp for a while and had no idea something so major had happened back in the kingdom.
Yet he gave no outward reaction, feigning silence as if tacitly accepting the news, while covertly contacting the slime at his chest to verify the report.
Not long after, Chen Yu's consciousness returned through the distant link. The slime slowly opened its small eyes, its gaze showing a hint of astonishment as well.
"News of internal troop movements reached the Storm Territory so quickly?"
They had set out, penetrated into the Dark Realm, and seized the Great Valley—by the most generous estimate, only two or three days had passed.
That this fellow could receive news so quickly while so far from the border showed that the intelligence network behind his lord was far larger and more efficient than they had imagined.
"Galvin, feel out his attitude on the matter."
Galvin nodded slightly upon receiving the instruction, then said slowly, "Do we need to notify you of our actions in advance?"
Upon hearing that, Glenn immediately raised both hands and offered a helpless smile, hurrying to explain, "Sir Galvin, you misunderstand me. I do not mean to question you."
"On the contrary, for our plan, unrest in the Dark Realm is actually beneficial."
He picked up a fallen twig and, on the soft earth, sketched a few lines to form a rough map as he explained:
"The Storm Territory borders the southeastern edge of the Dark Realm. In effect, the Dark Realm is the most important and most concealed route through which the demonic forces entrenched in the Golden Radiance Valley communicate with certain 'worms' within the kingdom."
"If the Dark Realm falls into chaos, that route will be effectively severed. They will be unable to obtain timely, accurate intelligence or coordinate actions, and our 'clean-up' operations will proceed much more smoothly."
"However... that is only the most optimistic view."
Count Bran, listening, lowered his voice and muttered into Arthur's ear, "See? See? This fellow talks exactly like that big lump Galvin. He simply has to tack on a few unpleasant words after the praise, deliberately teasing my noble palate."
The soulfire under Arthur's helmet drifted slightly, and in that hoarse voice he asked, "Then... what would be the worst-case scenario?"
Glenn used the twig to draw three successively shrinking semicircular arcs in the dirt.
"The Graystone Barrier, the vampires' final shield against outsiders, and it indeed played its role in history."
"It once firmly held back the kingdom's regular armies that tried to subdue the Dark Realm decades ago. Even the orc tribes that would raid south during the harsh Winter Years found the barrier impossible to overcome."
"Of course, the vampire clan today no longer maintains the glory of their ancestors. Without the Extraordinary, in theory they have already lost the ability to resist the kingdom."
"If not for the kingdom's internal worms relying on the Dark Realm's chaos and concealment to secretly contact the demons in the Golden Radiance Valley—constantly obstructing new expedition proposals—combined with the Dark Realm's own barrenness and lack of occupation value... that territory would long since have been absorbed into the kingdom's formal domain."
"In the best case, your army might besiege that barrier for months, perhaps holding out until the next spring."
"But in the worst case, you could be attacked by the vampire clan together with the Goblin Army they collude with, perhaps even face assault from the Border Garrison, and eventually be forced back into the swamp."
At this, Galvin raised a brow, "So you don't believe we're capable of breaking through the Graystone Barrier?"
Glenn smiled faintly, responding with objective reason, "Sir Galvin, you should ask yourself. You know better than I the composition and strength of a full White Horse Kingdom regular legion, and so you are better placed to objectively assess what forces are needed to breach such an ancient barrier tested by countless wars."
Galvin fell into brief silence.
He did indeed know—decades ago, to finally deal with the Dark Realm, the kingdom dispatched six regular legions in the last large-scale extermination.
At their height, each legion could number ten thousand elite soldiers, the smallest still two thousand, backed by plentiful siege engines and army wizards.
That expedition had an Extraordinary-ranked legion commander, dozens of elite officers and knights, and hundreds of official professionals among the officers and elite troops.
Even with such luxurious composition, they failed to truly break the barrier.
Granted, the vampires then had Extraordinary power, but the Graystone Barrier itself had played a crucial role.
Now the vampire clan might be waning, but the barrier still stands, and for the slime army lacking heavy siege equipment and experience, it is a nearly insurmountable chasm.
Glenn's assessment, based on history and reality, was not without merit.
Even Galvin could not help but feel some worry about the war over there.
But their primary objective now was to retrieve the Crown of Ignis, not return to fight.
Worries here were useless—better to hurry and find Belly's whereabouts.
Galvin rose and briskly packed up the kettle and his gear.
"Let's drop this topic. Time will tell. It's getting late;
we should depart."
Glenn also stood, looking up at the sky that had just cleared of morning mist, and with some helplessness brushed the dew from his clothes, "Sir Galvin, the sun just rose."
"However, rest assured. At our speed, by noon today we can reach Baron Landen's domain."
"Baron Landen is one of the lord's staunch supporters, and his domain is the nearest noble territory to Shield River City. He has arranged everything for us, and can help us avoid certain people's notice so we can sneak into the city."
"Shield River City..." Galvin repeated the name under his breath, a complex expression crossing his face.
A nostalgic feeling welled up...
This city, one of the largest in the border region, had been a primary garrison of the Border Garrison and the place where he and Arthur had spent several years in knight training.
"Do you know Baron Landen?" Glenn asked with emphasis.
Arthur swung himself into the saddle and searched his fragmented memories but found no information about this 'Baron Landen.'
Galvin frowned slightly and questioned, "The kingdom hasn't expanded significantly in a century. New noble holdings are rare. I left only a dozen years ago—when did a Baron Landen appear in the Storm Territory?"
Glenn rode ahead a little and glanced back to explain, "It's normal you haven't heard of him. Many changes have happened within the kingdom these years."
"Some long-established old nobles have passed on, and new blood has naturally filled the void."
"But rest assured, Baron Landen shares our ideals and is determined to purge the kingdom's corruption."
"He has passed the lord's strict tests and is a trustworthy ally."
Galvin remained silent, his face still stern.
He would not naïvely let his guard down simply because Glenn declared someone "trustworthy." Yet this was their only lead to find Belly, so they would have to pursue it.
With the strength Galvin and Arthur possessed, as long as they did not meet an Extraordinary, they could handle ambushes easily.
It was unlikely they would be so unlucky as to run into an Extraordinary right after entering the Storm Territory.
Still, to be safe, he quietly asked Chen Yu for his opinion.
Chen Yu thought it over. Although the sudden appearance of this Baron Landen was odd, Glenn's backing seemed, for now, merely seeking to use Arthur and the others' strength.
And indeed, it was a rare lead.
"We can make contact, but keep alert."
He had the feeling the situation around Shield River City might be more complex than Glenn described.
Perhaps more preparation was needed.
Moreover, it was unclear how the White Horse royal family viewed the sudden emergence of a Slime Kingdom on the border.
Rather than passively waiting for others to react or dispatch forces into the swamp, it would be better to act proactively and plan ahead.
As he pondered, a plan gradually took shape in his mind.
He could send some magical creatures skilled in disguise and infiltration into the White Horse Kingdom to secretly establish an initial intelligence network—both to monitor movements and, when necessary, to provide timely support to Arthur and Galvin.
Glenn seemed unconcerned by the other two's silence and wariness. He kept his leisurely posture astride his horse and continued along the rocky trail beside the stream at an unhurried pace.
Time passed slowly with the rhythm of hooves.
As the sun climbed and grew hot, the previously narrow stream had swelled into a river ten meters wide.
On both banks, large swaths of cattails swayed in the breeze with a rustling sound.
In the distance the creaking waterwheel could be seen turning with the current—one of the village mills.
Farther in the woods, a cleared patch had been cultivated with golden wheat and fruit trees laden with unripe fruit.
Beyond the fields, the outlines of buildings gradually emerged—white headstones standing in the village cemetery, crude wooden cabins for hunters and lumbermen...
These buildings sat scattered like stars around a small castle on a gentle slope with a pointed roof.
"We're here."
Glenn tightened his reins and pointed ahead, "This is the domain of the Baron Landen I mentioned."
"If you follow this road another half day or so, you'll reach Shield River City."
He dismounted nimbly, led his horse by the reins, and said, "We'll first pay our respects to Mr. Landen. He will provide the necessary help and find a way to hide us from certain people's notice so we can enter Shield River City quietly."
Arthur and Galvin dismounted as well and followed behind him in silence, their gazes constantly scanning the surroundings—the road, the fields, the woods, and the distant tranquil castle.
Count Bran trembled nervously on Arthur's shoulder, preening his black feathers and leaning toward Arthur's ear to whisper suspiciously in a low voice:
"My loyal retainer, I can't help feeling this place is a bit too quiet. It's almost noon, yet there isn't a soul working in the fields."
Arthur responded calmly and quietly, "Count, are you worried Glenn is deceiving us?"
"Squawk! I never said that!" Count Bran hastily covered Arthur's helmet with his wing, as if that would shut him up.
He glanced around anxiously and lowered his voice further, "Ahem... in any case, with my years of rich experience, my keen intuition tells me this place reeks of ill omen."
He beat his wings and made a decision, "You follow this fellow, and I will fly ahead to have a look."
Without waiting for a reply, Count Bran flapped his wings and darted into the roadside woods, instantly vanishing into the dense branches.
Glenn glanced toward the direction Count Bran had disappeared and showed little surprise, assuming this was simply a scout Galvin had sent out of caution.
Still... his eyes skimmed the unusually calm domain before him, and he frowned slightly.
He had the persistent feeling that things here were not as he had imagined.