The Extra Strategist’s Royal Road Chapter 293
An underground passage was easily discovered.
I wondered if this was possible because Ash and Lysithea were from here, but that wasn’t the case.
There were multiple underground passages, and one of them was located in the center of the village.
There were signs of people coming and going through the passage in the central area.
In other words, Svenner’s army had also discovered this passage.
“Ash, do you know anything about this passage?”
“I don’t know. I would have known if I had been to the elder’s house.”
“And that elder…?”
Lysithea answered my question instead.
“He passed away 30 years ago. After that, several elders worked together to manage things, but… Now it seems they are scattered.”
“There won’t be a risk of collapse, right?”
“I’m not sure…”
Eventually, I had to send scouts ahead.
I wanted to go in myself, but the other servants jumped and stopped me, and Gaspar and Elena agreed to go in instead.
They returned after about an hour.
“There doesn’t seem to be a risk of collapse. In fact, it seems to be designed to absolutely prevent collapsing.”
“Absolutely prevent collapsing?”
“Go in and see for yourself. You’ll be surprised.”
Certainly, if it were a passage that could easily collapse, Svenner’s army would not have left it alone.
We slowly entered the passage.
The passage continued downward.
A spiral staircase stretched out, and there were holes here and there, possibly leading to other passages.
The endpoint was an underground area about 100m below.
When we reached this point, I could feel it.
“This is…!”
Magical traces densely covering the walls.
They were all protective magic. Magic to prevent this place from collapsing and to prevent intrusion.
At this point, Dorofei speaks.
“It seems we can use magic here because it’s underground. Would you like me to cast a Teleportation spell?”
“That would be good. We don’t know what might be below…”
Dorofei cast a rescue spell on everyone. Then, seemingly exhausted of magic, he was supported by Gunther and returned above.
We continued to move down another 50m. Finally, we arrived at a large cavern.
This wide space showed signs of human presence.
Traces left by Svenner’s soldiers.
“Be careful, there might be traps installed.”
I cast a light magic to create illumination.
As the light brightened the surroundings, things became clear.
A large iron door stood on one side of the cavern.
The protective magic around it became even stronger. It seemed Svenner’s soldiers had tried to blast it or dig around it to get behind the door, but were unable to do so due to the protective magic.
Mining equipment was scattered messily around.
I was certain a dragon was behind that door.
“That being said…”
The problem was how to open that door.
When I asked Lysithea, she ambiguously shook her head.
“The elders used to say this. Our Florand tribe is waiting for someone qualified. That can carry this mission.”
“Someone qualified?”
Wondering if it might be me, I tried to touch the door, but it sparked and was repelled.
“At least it seems I’m not the one. This is troublesome…”
We would have to attempt destruction.
“Everyone step back!”
I decided to use a magic spear of arcane power.
“Hngh…!”
After gathering magic to its peak, I fired! Towards the door.
Crackle! The spear collided with the door’s protective magic and then exploded with a boom!
But the iron door remained intact. The protective magic was still there.
“Not even a scratch…”
We had no method left. For now, we would have to go back and ask Vandalin or Olkin about the qualified person.
But then.
“Eo…?”
Eonia, as if possessed, approached the iron door.
The magical circle of the iron door began to fluctuate.
‘Could the qualified person be referring to someone from the Kuravel Kingdom? No, that would be too vague.’
When she placed her palm on the iron door, a different reaction occurred from when I had tried.
Instead of the protective magic repelling her, the door’s locks began to click open.
While everyone was surprised, Elena spoke.
“Someone qualified… It seems to be referring to our Valkyrie. We’ve been told such a story. That we are meant to play the role of a key.”
“Indeed…”
Omeron had thought about this. Someone who had incorporated the Kuravel Kingdom would be worth discussing the future of this Central Continent with.
That’s why the Valkyrie, descended from Mirabel’s bloodline, became the key.
Because the Valkyrie of Kuravel only follows their lord.
Anyway, the iron door had opened, and all that was left was to enter.
I carefully opened the iron door and entered inside.
* * *
Behind the iron door was yet another passage. After moving about 100m along that passage, I saw a door without any protective magic this time.
Opening that door revealed a large cavern with a golden dragon.
The dragon had its eyes open.
For some reason, it was glaring at us with anger.
“Could it be that the Valkyrie of Kuravel has joined hands with the mother goddess? It’s been a while since I’ve felt such sorrow.”
It was a deep, reverberating voice.
Perhaps because of the hostility, I felt goosebumps. Faced with that enmity, my vassals each drew their weapons and entered a combat stance.
I hurried to resolve the misunderstanding.
“The Mother goddess…? No! We are not related to the mother goddess!”
“Nonsense! Weren’t you trying to destroy the geomancy and break the door! You just did this a moment ago!”
“T-that was just to test…”
“Shut up!”
Crackling! Sparking! Electricity began to gather in his mouth.
Like hundreds of lightning magic spells Erina had cast, bundled together.
He spat it out towards us, as if expelling it.
“Ars!”
“Damn, what is this!”
The vassals protected me and I used the Aura barrier to barely defend myself, but Omeron was already preparing additional attacks.
‘There must be a way to persuade this guy…’
Something suddenly came to mind.
“Olkin!”
I shouted like that.
Then Omeron, who was about to breathe out again, hesitated.
I quickly continued speaking.
“Olkin said this. That Omeron is quick-tempered and easy to agitate, so he should be treated like a child.”
“…What?”
“Vandalin also agreed. That, Omeron is the most upright among the brothers, but because of that, he often does stupid things.”
“…”
“Altron was completely disgusted.”
“You…”
The breath slowly disappeared.
“Did you meet my brothers? But even if you met Vandalin and Altron, how could you possibly know about Olkin…?”
He seemed unaware of Olkin’s circumstances.
I stepped forward and began to explain.
Omeron had become much more docile after hearing the entire explanation.
“Is that really what happened? When I heard that Olkin had fallen, I thought there might be some misunderstanding. That it was actually meant to trap the mother goddess. That guy…”
“Are you calmed down now?”
“Yes, you don’t seem to be mother goddess’s recent minions. You’ve properly brought Mirabel’s bloodline as well.”
“Is Mirabel that important?”
“Important. Because only those who inherited Mirabel’s bloodline can kill the mother goddess.”
“…!?”
That’s why the mother goddess cast a curse. To cut off Mirabel’s bloodline.
“Why exactly…”
“Olkin said Mirabel is one of those who inherited the power of our creator Bosin, who has disappeared. Ask Olkin for details. More importantly… What are you? I’m more curious about your existence.”
“I am an ordinary human.”
…Although there were various circumstances, I explained everything.
Omeron smiled faintly.
“You’ve met all of my brothers and gained their recognition. That’s something…”
“I haven’t spoken with Mepatra, though.”
“That guy can’t be helped. He’s gone mad.”
I explained the situation of this continent.
Omeron nodded at the mention of a great war to corner the mother goddess.
“In a way, I’ve trapped the mother goddess in my territory. But the mother goddess might have already escaped. The original purpose has been achieved.”
“What original purpose?”
“Destroying the geomancy of the Elrich Mountains. As a result, the division barrier can no longer be maintained. I was maintaining the barrier using the magical power flowing from that geomancy.”
The destruction of the division barrier was something I didn’t want either. However, the timing was bad.
If the division barrier disappeared now, support would come from the Alliance.
“Can’t you endure even for a moment? I’ll try to restore the geomancy somehow.”
“Once a geomancy is destroyed, it cannot be restored. Because its flow has changed elsewhere. Even if you restore it, the geomancy will not flow to where I am.”
“Hmm.”
“Still, rest assured. The division barrier will not disappear immediately. It will last at least a year.”
“One year…!”
That meant the war must be concluded by then.
* * *
After ending the conversation with Omeron, I strengthened the defense of the Elrich Mountains and returned to the military camp.
‘Have I now met all the dragons?’
Except for Mepatra, all dragons were moving for this world.
Omeron’s purpose of dividing the Central Continent was ultimately for harmony. He was waiting for someone with Kuravel Kingdom’s loyalty to come.
Although Juras destroyed that Kuravel Kingdom and things went awry, I ended up taking on that role.
Now, only one thing remains.
‘Win the war and kill the mother goddess, and it’s over.’
As Omeron said, the mother goddess might have already escaped, but I had a feeling it hadn’t.
Because outside, Vandalin and Altron, leading the elves, are searching like they’re catching mice.
With the help of the Lich Ninia, finding the mother goddess’s location would be quick.
So from the mother goddess’s perspective, it might be better to wait for the division barrier to disappear. Because the barrier’s disappearance would inevitably bring chaos to the world, and it could use that opportunity to escape.
This was a big challenge for me too.
Within a year, I must win the war, unify the continent, kill the mother goddess, and then cooperate with the Ellan Kingdom to organize the Alliance and pacify the entire continent.
‘One year… The time seems tighter than I thought.’
Amidst such worries, as I returned to the Crossing direction, bad news was waiting for me.
“I’m reporting!”
The intelligence officer of Liande, with a desperate expression, began to deliver the news.
“Our besieging army was surprised, attacked and routed! It is reported that Olaf, who was commanding the troops, has been captured by the enemy!”
Defeat followed by the capture of an important vassal.
I couldn’t help but fall into momentary panic.
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