Within the Miasma (III)

Field wore a warm, genial smile. "Then you're here to escort us, right? Just as the code of chivalry says, praise the Valkyrie."

Connor was overjoyed. Field doesn't know what I'm after. He immediately seized the opening. "Ah, yes, yes, exactly."

"Wonderful. Dismount and have some wheat beer. We're about to leave, and you'll have plenty of chances to demonstrate your chivalry along the way." Field raised a hand to signal Ashina to stand back, then casually invited the cavalrymen to drink.

The cavalrymen dragged their feet, guilty but still clinging to the hope that they might get lucky.

Confronting a Chosen One now would almost certainly get them all killed, and escape was impossible. When Ashina knocked Connor down, she had also snatched away the Mist-Driving Lamp. Entering the Death Miasma without it would be suicide.

"Looks like the baron hasn't figured out our plan."

"Of course. Field's always been stupid."

Seeing Field's sincere expression, they recalled his past kindness and weakness, and all began indulging in wishful thinking.

After Field persuaded them to dismount, they nervously gulped down some wheat beer before finally relaxing.

"My lord, I think we should return to report." Connor made an excuse to slip away.

Field almost lost his composure. These idiots really thought they could fool him.

"I've requisitioned your warhorses to haul supplies. You'll get them back once we reach Nightfall Territory." Field brushed off his request, then pointed to the front of the column. "You said earlier that you'd clear the way for us. Go on, then. Clear the way."

Connor suddenly sensed trouble and grew anxious. "I've changed my mind. I'm very sorry, but I must hurry back to report. I imagine the Count is already growing impatient."

"Heh. I see you don't understand at all." Field sneered and signaled Ashina.

Crunch!

Ashina's giant wolf clamped its jaws around a cavalryman's head. Crunch, crunch-the teeth-grating sound of chewing nearly drowned out everyone's breathing. Blood gushed from the headless soldier as he fell to the ground, his body convulsing wildly from the sudden attack.

Everyone, even Field's own subjects, instinctively held their breath in terror.

The sight was utterly brutal.

"I was wrong, Baron Field!" Connor promptly surrendered and threw himself to the ground. "Your second elder sister, Liz, ordered me to do it!"

"Must I repeat myself, Captain Connor?" Field replied with a smile. "Scout ahead, or die right now."

Cold! Connor felt chilled to the bone.

Kindness in his bones? What a load of crap! He had once heard other nobles chatting about how Field was as meek as a lamb.

Bah! Liars, every last one! Connor viciously cursed those liars.

Under threat from the guards' halberds, the eighteen cavalrymen, now without their warhorses, soon formed a small square and marched at the head of the column.

Meanwhile, Field's Mini-Map showed a large mass of Corpse Ghouls rapidly approaching from ahead.

Field exhaled deeply and gritted his teeth. "Move out!"

Nightfall Territory lay in the southwest of Northern Frontier Province.

With the Mini-Map's help, Field skirted the vast majority of the monsters, but it still took another three days to reach the Grand Manor. There seemed to be no end to Nightfall Territory's Corpse Ghouls, as Connor's trembling hands made clear. His blade was chipped and curled, his expression numb, like a puppet on strings.

The relentless fighting had broken him.

He was the only surviving cavalryman clearing the way. It had to be said that a captain did have some skills, but the Corpse Ghouls had also torn several wounds into him. Buds of flesh writhed within them. He had been partially corrupted and was not far from death.

"Give him a quick end."

As Field's words fell, Ashina released her bowstring and killed Connor with a single arrow. Then a slave stepped forward and expertly stripped his body of supplies.

"We've reached Starlit Grand Manor! That wasn't easy." Field let out a long breath when he saw the manor's entrance.

Everyone cheered in unison.

It was all thanks to Ashina and the Mini-Map.

Without the enemy positions marked on the Mini-Map, Field was certain they could never have found a route around them. The endless tides of Corpse Ghouls along the way would have overwhelmed them.

"Clearly, no living person has set foot here in a long time." Ashina stepped forward and tore away the dense brambles covering the manor gates. A piercing creak rang out, and the already rusted gates crashed to the ground. Ashina leaped aside like a cat, then narrowed her eyes in embarrassment. "Uh, looks like the gates need some repairs."

The tall, imposing European-style iron gates, elegant stonework and statues, and gardens filled with ornamental plants still offered a glimpse of their former grandeur, despite having been corrupted by the Gray Fog into something eerie and terrifying.

Two slave guards moved the fallen iron gates aside. Among the corrupted plants, Field spotted the remains of humans, Corpse Ghouls, and other unidentified monsters.

Starlit Grand Manor covered thirty hectares, roughly the size of forty soccer fields.

It included a swimming pool, gardens, farmhouses, woodland, a granary, a wine cellar, stables, villas, and the main building at its center.

The wealth was simply obscene. After all, Baron Sophia wielded real power and owned a prosperous city; she was nothing like someone with a merely honorary title. With generations of accumulated family wealth, her holdings in fixed assets were certainly impressive.

And this was only a baron's estate. Supposedly, Her Majesty the Empress of the Griffin Empire owned an enormous manor covering five hundred hectares. A heroine waking up in a bed the size of a soccer field, as in a Mary Sue novel, might actually be possible for the empress.

With so much space, there would be no shortage of monsters inside.

"It's been corrupted for ten years. Places like the granary and stables have no value left." Field took out a map of the manor and compared it with his Mini-Map, gesturing over it. "The same goes for ornamental areas like the gardens."

"Then should we clear the main building directly? Or take over one of the villas?"

Apart from the main building, the Grand Manor had three small villas intended for the lord's relatives or guests.

Ashina looked very excited. This was her first encounter with something as grand as a villa.

The slaves were even more enthusiastic. They whispered among themselves, their excitement plain on their faces.

For those at the bottom of society, having worked in a noble's villa-even sweeping the floors-was enough to boast about for a lifetime, a glorious achievement to recount to their sons on their deathbeds.

Field stared at the distant main building for a while. Ghostly shadows crowded its broken windows. Suddenly, he felt something watching him, as though a heavy weight had abruptly pressed down on his chest, making his breathing quicken.

"There may be something truly terrifying in the main building. We'd better leave it alone for now." Field hurriedly averted his gaze and rubbed between his brows, then glanced at the Mini-Map. Numerous skull symbols were marked on it, but most conspicuous was a huge red dot in the main building's basement. "The skulls represent corrupted monsters, so what does the red dot mean? Probably another monster."