Chapter 340: Lantzheim

Chapter 340

Lantzheim

In this world known as the Old Continent, there were many nations with the character of tribal confederations.

Nomadic kingdoms galloping across vast steppes, Midgard where there had been as many as three kings during times of severe division, and Samur with its network of bases strung like a chain along desert and jungle trade routes were prime examples.

Monsters and the arcane fragmented territory, making it difficult for powerful centralized states to emerge.

The elf kingdom was an exception – though a loosely organized state, its royal authority was unusually strong. One reason was that the capital, Elenost, was the only city in the Great Forest.

Elf villages scattered across the mountain ranges of the outside world existed, but none could be called cities. Living alongside nature sounded pleasant in the telling, but it was a constraint that stunted civilization’s growth.

“You have insulted the king.”

The elf king spoke to his teacher. The few advisors filling the meeting room kept silent. Their king never forgave those who overstepped their bounds.

“I sent a gift to Britannia without attaching any message. The gift itself was the message. Changing it at your discretion is the same as distorting the king’s command.”

The one standing before the elf king was Lasrandir. His name meant “one who wanders between leaves.”

He was a ranger who patrolled the spiderweb-like network of the nation, monitoring security. With extensive worldly experience, he had contributed greatly to his people whenever crises arose.

Because of this, he had served as the current king’s tutor since childhood. He was also the retainer who had administered the last rites when the previous king was gravely wounded fighting a dragon that had invaded the forest.

“Speak, Lasrandir. Why did you do such a thing? Did you think that no matter what you did, your life would be spared?”

“I acted for the well-being of the king and this nation.”

Originally, the cradle the elf king had sent to Eugene contained not a parchment but a doll – a deformed figure with both a human head and an elf head.

Lasrandir had intercepted it in transit. Since the elf king had ordered the gift on impulse, the timing was extremely tight. He had been fortunate to notice and intervene before dispatch.

-Former king. I cannot face you.

The hand removing the deformed doll trembled with horror and lamentation. How had that innocent child developed such a poisonous temperament?

But this alone wasn’t enough. Sending just a cradle to a couple unable to conceive could appear as an insult. Their relationship was already fraught with tensions between a legitimate princess and traitors.

Yet he couldn’t imagine what to fill it with from what he had on hand. In a situation where the gift itself became the message, Lasrandir was no diplomat.

If he placed his most valuable possession – his sword – it could be interpreted as a war provocation.

-Lasrandir. Swapping a gift ordered by His Majesty is a grave offense!

-Does that doll look like a gift to you? I’ll take full responsibility. No harm will come to you, so just follow along.

Lasrandir had threatened the royal apothecary into writing down a pregnancy potion recipe. With this, the new king of Britannia wouldn’t be offended.

-What are you doing?! You haven’t finished writing!

-Oh, it’s a recipe I’m not familiar with. Trying to recall it suddenly is difficult…

-Lasrandir? What brings you here?

-!!!

As the warriors completing their departure preparations emerged, Lasrandir was forced to close the cradle with the incomplete recipe inside. Any further risked exposure.

After the gift departed and some time had passed, the suspicious elf king interrogated the apothecary, and everything came to light.

“What more do you have to say? Your excuses for stealing the king’s intentions seem rather brief, don’t they?”

“As Your Majesty’s servant, it was the best choice I could make.”

“Best doesn’t matter. What matters to me is the outcome. And the one who determines the outcome is always the king.”

The elf king growled and rose from his throne.

“When she left the Emerald Forest, I should have dealt with her then. Even if I couldn’t kill her, putting her on a southern slaver’s ship would have given me peace of mind.”

“Your Majesty! The forest mage is your…”

“My what? My princess? Is that what you want to say?”

“…”

The Emerald Forest was not only far away but also warded by powerful magic that prevented intrusion. The only time to target Valda was when she had emerged into the world seeking a way to extend her nanny’s lifespan.

Lasrandir had fiercely opposed the elf king sending a strike team to kidnap Valda. At the time, the newly crowned king lacked authority and had to back down.

“Don’t tell me I don’t know the rumors slandering me and my family.”

“No king anywhere is free of slander. You need only fill the gap with governance that surpasses it.”

“The one sitting on the throne now is a false king. Lasrandir, in truth, remains loyal not to Ostir but to the legitimate bloodline. If you think you can fill that with governance, you’re sorely mistaken!”

The elf king Ostir burst into a rage.

His name, meaning “lord of the fortress,” referred not only to Elenost but to the Great Forest itself. Ostir was violent but capable, and true to his name, he was faithful to the defense of his realm.

The proof was how he had managed to maintain the kingdom even amid the dragon’s devastation of the forest.

But the history of his family, which he had considered his everything and pride – the truth that it originated from lies and dishonor was endlessly corroding the king’s mind.

“Your Majesty. If you had harmed the forest mage, you would have heard far worse than what you hear now. And what would you gain by sending such a provocative gift?”

“First, I feel good. Second, if those two show up here, I can declare them enemies of the kingdom. Do you know who makes up their main fighting force?”

The army publicly known to belong to Eugene consisted of dwarves and dark elves. These two were the most antagonistic of all to elves.

If Valda conspired with an external ruler and brought an army composed of her enemies? And that ruler being a knight among knights would surely be furious at the insult to his honor.

The elf king was confident he could use this politically. The enmity between races had deep historical roots.

“He is a ruler who has never lost a single battle in all his wars. Rather than provoking him blindly…”

“You want us to keep our distance and pretend not to know? How long do you think that will last? Sooner or later, he will definitely come here.”

What the elf king had done wasn’t purely an act of reckless impulse.

“If he wants to come, let him. He may be triumphant in war, but this is the Great Forest of the Fae. The last bastian that no one has dared covet since the First Era.”

For elves, bloodline was sacred above all else. If a descendant of the First Era royal house was alive and had become the spouse of a powerful ruler, her visit was inevitable.

The elf king’s family and Valda could not coexist under the same sky. Her very existence fundamentally undermined the current dynasty’s legitimacy.

Yet he couldn’t simply hand it over with, “Oh, the real owner has arrived. We’ve been warming the seat for you.”

‘If she’s an uninvited guest who will come eventually anyway…’

It was better to summon her when they could prepare as thoroughly as possible.

Moreover, the threat of the dragon ravaging the forest had recently reached its peak. Outsiders didn’t know how to move cautiously through the forest. If luck favored them, they might even destroy each other through mutual provocation.

*

“Hermann. You and your men will play a major role in this visit.”

Before Eugene stood Hermann and the hundred captains of Lantzheim, standing at attention.

“Rest at ease.”

“Yes.”

Even after becoming king, Eugene had only slightly increased the city guard and hadn’t established a separate royal guard.

For any situation, he could rely on the Moving Castle family. That was why they continued their relationship as commander and soldiers. They all said it was more comfortable that way, and their pride swelled.

“I hear you’ll be dropping a castle on Lantzheim. It’s a mountainous nation, but there’s considerable plain land, most of it barren. Many uninhabited areas should make finding a landing spot easy.”

“I hear they trade with the elf kingdom as well?”

“They’re isolationist folk, but there are goods they absolutely cannot obtain from the forest. Salt above all. Even I, when I was a recruit, escorted salt caravans heading to the Great Forest. Safe and steady money without much danger.”

They had no salt flats, and rock salt mines couldn’t be found in the forest either. Lacking arable land, they depended on imports for barley and other grains as well.

The image of elves living aloof and haughty while cut off from the outside world was merely a fantasy of those living far away.

“Are there many who trade with the elves?”

“Of course. There are goods they can’t obtain without imports, so some merchants tried to exploit that weakness. But after getting burned by a competitor who moved in immediately, no one dares try anymore.”

The silkworms elves raised were over twice the size of human-raised ones, and their weaving skills were incomparable.

Rare medicinal herbs found only in the Great Forest.

Flawless animal hides.

Wooden furniture that looked as if it had grown that way from the start, without any craft.

High-value hygiene products and cosmetics made by further improving ancestral techniques.

Ointments and pills that aided healing and life-prolonging magic.

These were rare trade goods obtainable only in the elf kingdom, sold at tremendous prices to noble families and monasteries throughout the land.

“I’ve heard they hire many mercenaries outside the forest.”

“That’s right. They don’t like coming out of the forest, true, but that doesn’t mean they’re indifferent to the outside world.”

“Rather than hoarding themselves inside, extending influence outward actually reduces the number of intrusions.”

The hundred captains gathered here had all been directly or indirectly employed at least once.

“They keep watch outside the forest, and when trouble arises, they deploy mercenary units to preemptively suppress it. It was a steady source of income in my homeland.”

“If we raise the Lantzheim banner and lead the way, they won’t immediately start shooting arrows.”

That was why Eugene relied on Hermann’s unit. When dealing with isolationists, it was best to go through familiar faces.

“The Hammer Brothers and the Black Hand tribe will remain on standby. Taking them to the elf kingdom would be tantamount to declaring war.”

“We still can’t understand it. Sending such a half-baked parchment. In our experience, elves aren’t the type to play coy. If they’re enemies, they’re enemies. If allies, allies. They’re never ambiguous when expressing their intentions. Quite direct, in fact. That tendency sometimes gives them a bad reputation, though.”

“I know that well.”

Eugene had lived surrounded by the fae. No human probably understood them better.

That was why when Britannia’s hawks raised a fuss calling it an insult, when dwarves and dark elves made distorted judgments driven by racial grudges –

Eugene was able to accept the moderates’ opinions and think calmly.

“We all hope for an heir between Your Majesty and the Queen.”

Hermann spoke with a determined expression. Since their surrender, this was the moment the Lantzheim warrior unit was most valued. Perfectly supporting the mission to repay grace and prove their worth – they burned with that desire.

-It’s still too early.

-…

Unlike the dark elves and dwarves, the Lantzheim warrior unit had not entered into a permanent contract with Eugene.

-I don’t doubt your skills or your trustworthiness. But I have an obligation to maintain fairness.

Eugene also had to consider how the existing two groups would view the newcomers. Until they earned proper merit, he couldn’t extend favor beyond a certain level.

-Honey. Do we have to leave here next year?

-Daddy. Can’t we just keep living here?

Once one’s standard of living rose, bringing it back down was excruciatingly painful. Having tasted life on the world’s only cruise ship, the families pressured their patriarch as his contract period dwindled.

It took only three days for their initial fear and homesickness to transform. And providing a good life for one’s family was every patriarch’s top priority.

This Great Forest visit was a mission he had to accomplish – as a servant, and as a father and husband.

When winter ended and the first daffodils bloomed to herald spring’s arrival, the Moving Castle crossed the sky.

Over Britannia and its coastal waters, Gord, Roman, the inland sea, small kingdoms and free cities – and descended upon Lantzheim.

*

Eugene had prepared various arguments to persuade the dwarves and dark elves. He would tell them he loved and trusted them, but that for this mission, they would unfortunately have to stand by.

Some might say he could just explain the situation and order them to stay. Why bother being so considerate? But the closer the lord-vassal relationship, the more cautious one had to be.

“Achoo!”

“Brrr.”

However, seeing the dark elves shivering in the cold air, he wondered if the preparation had been unnecessary.

“Isn’t this south of the Great Forest? It’s spring, so why is there all this snow…”

Rex, hugging himself with both arms and chattering his teeth, had lived in warm regions and suffered even in thick clothing. The snow piles visible everywhere in spring were unbelievable.

“The latitude is lower, but it’s a highland area. Besides, the elf forest borders the inland sea. Warm currents carrying latent heat rise from there, so it should be warmer than here.”

“You’re speaking the same language as us, right?”

He had explained as simply as possible, but it seemed hard to grasp. Either way, weather harsher than Britannia’s winter persuaded the dark elves on its own.

Thunk.

“Ugh.”

“These legs of mine, what’s with all the restrictions…”

The dwarves grumbled in the snowfield where their legs sank upon stepping.

From deserts to jungles to snow-covered terrain – dwarves were a hardy race, but they suffered significant disadvantages from terrain. There was a reason they had progressively lost their former hegemony and seen their territories shrink.

Even without that, men drilled in military discipline wouldn’t have been hard to convince.

“Alzhar. I’ll rely on you for support.”

“I will serve with all my heart and strength!”

Led by Alzhar, the sorcerers were selected. They were welcomed wherever they went, but especially those who commanded earth and plant spirits got along well with elves.

They would be invaluable for finding paths within the vast forest and responding to sudden situations.

“I hear the elves cultivate mandrakes without side effects. If I could obtain just five roots, I could complete my research.”

“There are giant carnivorous plants deep in the Great Forest. I’d like to try using their seeds as a catalyst. Surely they would make excellent guardians.”

The sorcerers, each brimming with their own dreams, followed Alzhar. The one who looked most displeased was Marbas.

-Age is just a number, so I should join as well…

-Age is precisely the probability of catching a cold. Stay home and behave yourself, old man.

Marbas remained behind as Eugene’s proxy administrator of Haven. For the elderly of this era, a cold was never a trivial illness.

Eugene didn’t depart immediately but waited for a time. He needed to give his subordinates an adaptation period for the temperature change.

The Moving Castle’s mobility was wondrous, but becoming intoxicated with it and deploying troops carelessly was inadvisable. Non-combat losses were a dangerous trap that could topple a monarch of this age.

*

Some time later, a group of riders approached from the direction of the Moving Castle. Their black fur hats, resembling ushankas, were visible from a distance. The characteristic stubborn faces of northern people wore expressions of clear discomfort.

“You shouldn’t have been vague. We should have explicitly refused.”

“What if they use that as a pretext to invade and cause chaos?”

Eugene had used the witches’ familiars to announce a visit to Lantzheim. The distance was too great for an envoy to travel back and forth in a reasonable time.

Familiars controlled by magic could perform more sophisticated tasks than carrier pigeons. Since he was determined to go regardless of their response, sending an actual person wasn’t necessary.

“Then we simply stand and fight. What’s the problem? Our mountains protect us. If we hold the fortress, we can handle five times our number…”

“The enemy can simply vault over those mountains!”

“You can’t possibly believe that absurd rumor? A castle that flies – even lies should have some limits.”

“What? Lies?”

“I meant the Roman bastards, not you, senior.”

Rumors about Eugene himself were suspicious enough, but those about the Moving Castle were even harder to believe.

So when the lightning storm struck Lantzheim, the upper echelons couldn’t be certain that the king of Britannia had actually arrived.

“The merchants who came up from below all say the same thing. Could they all be bluffing?”

“Why not? They’re the type to manipulate prices with all manner of lies for profit. Just last time…”

When the delegation crested the hill, the plains came into view. Their leader grabbed the heads of his two bickering subordinates and shoved them forward.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”

The Moving Castle, rising like a mirage from the barren land, brought silence to the delegation.