Chapter 380: Stirring Shadows

In the dark mountain range, within the mid-level zone of the Rebellion Fortress, just outside the internal defense station’s main gate.

The ancient fortress had been refurbished in this area. The once weathered and peeling walls were freshly repainted; the white walls and pale gray floors gave the hall a renewed brightness. Every ten meters or so, a glowing magic crystal lamp was embedded in the wall, casting light as bright as daylight throughout the space. Behind each lamp, a faintly blue-tinged “glowing strip” composed of small hexagonal outlines stretched along the walls, tracing elegant, simple geometric patterns near the ceiling before merging seamlessly with the ceiling itself.

The ceiling had been newly installed with a neat honeycomb pattern of hexagons that extended all the way to the far end of the hall, reaching into the deep, shadowy corridor beyond…

These honeycomb structures were the second-generation magic network devices, installed to replace the original energy core of the Rebellion Fortress after it failed.

The magic network hadn’t yet been fully sealed. According to the lord’s instructions, the dense hexagonal pattern was enough to trigger “trypophobia,” so it had to be covered by a ceiling panel. But to Solderin, the unsealed, softly glowing blue magic network gave the entire room a unique and captivating beauty. The orderly geometric lines combined with advanced magical technology made the scene resemble a treasure of elven civilization—like the legendary “miraculous ancient technological wonder,” the Star Temple.

Who would have thought that this ancient Gondor facility, built during the Age of Sparks, would be “resurrected” a thousand years later in such a way? Just outside this hall, several large indoor spaces housed noisy workshops and warehouses stocked with reserve supplies. After Kamail restored the access control and isolation systems in this area and the lord dispatched enough guards, the mid-level zone’s security was assured. Now, over a thousand people worked and lived here. Though still far from the fortress’s heyday, Kamail couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia.

Solderin, feeling a bit sentimental, withdrew his gaze from the surroundings and looked at the dozen or so elite soldiers he had selected. They wore special light armor of the Steel Rangers, with fully enclosed helmets precisely stamped by machines. Their detection goggles glowed faintly red. They stood silently, awaiting orders. Though mere mortals without any magical talent, an indescribable aura radiated from them.

—For now, this aura was just bluffing, but after a few bloody battles, it would become real.

A subordinate, serving as deputy squad leader, glanced at the mechanical clock on the wall nearby and said through his helmet, his voice slightly muffled, “Sir, it’s time to depart.”

“Wait five more minutes,” Solderin waved his hand. “The people the lord sent should be arriving soon.”

As he spoke, the high-ranking ranger’s expression grew curious. The shadow master lady, though usually unpredictable, was always punctual. She was practically the lord’s living alarm clock for mealtimes. How could she be late?

Just as he was wondering, a flurry of voices came from the other end of the hall’s entrance.

“Hey, I’m here! I’m here! Hope you didn’t wait too long—I ran into some unexpected trouble!”

Solderin immediately relaxed and turned his head. “No problem, it’s only a few minutes past… hmm?”

His golden eyebrows twitched in surprise as he spotted the figure bounding toward him—Amber—and the odd shape waddling behind her.

Curious, he asked Amber, who had just reached him, “And this… sea witch lady is?”

Amber rolled her eyes. “A last-minute addition to the team. The night before last, Old Zong… I mean, Gawain, just told me to come help you. Then this morning, when we were leaving, he suddenly shoved this sea caterpillar at me, saying I had to bring her along.”

The half-elf looked at the sea witch beside her with clear displeasure. “I was flying solo and making good time, but with her tagging along, we had to trudge along slowly. You have no idea how slow this thing waddles…”

Tyr immediately chimed in, “I have a plan to speed things up—but you just won’t cooperate, so what can I do?”

“Yeah, right! You curl yourself into a ball and let me kick you from behind—you get to relax, and I’m the one who’s exhausted! And we’re going through mountain paths! Don’t you worry I might accidentally kick you into a ravine?”

Solderin’s gaze shifted sharply toward Tyr. Curling up to be kicked along… this sea witch was exactly as rumored—so lazy she might as well be dead on the spot.

Tyr paid no mind to Solderin’s stare. Her long tail swayed as she looked curiously at the oddly dressed soldiers before her, then cheerfully waved. “I heard you found a new area south of the fortress, right? That’s why I volunteered—figured maybe I could tag along and find some snacks or something…”

Solderin blinked in confusion. “Snacks?”

“Ahaha, don’t mind her. Sea creatures tend to be a bit… waterlogged,” Amber laughed, quickly diverting Solderin’s attention. “It’s getting late. Let’s get moving.”

Tyr shot Amber a glare. “Don’t think I don’t understand! ‘Waterlogged’—you learned that from the lord, didn’t you? Are you insulting me?”

Amber took all the blame with a straight face, ignoring Tyr’s accusation. Solderin, however, leaned closer, voice low and concerned. “Are you sure this is okay? I heard this sea witch lady is notoriously lazy. What if she falls asleep halfway through? We’re not on a picnic—we’re exploring dangerous ancient ruins…”

Unexpectedly, Tyr’s hearing was better than Solderin imagined. Before Amber could answer, Tyr waved her hand—and tail—nonchalantly. “Don’t worry. I’m somewhat of a tide master. I won’t hold you little guys back. Besides… if I really get lazy, I’ll curl up into a ball and sleep. You just need to have someone push me from behind.”

Solderin: “…”

He was genuinely starting to doubt the prospects of this expedition.

Meanwhile, in the lord’s manor, Hetty carried a stack of documents into Gawain’s study. Gawain nodded slightly upon seeing her. “Amber and Tyr should have already set out with Solderin’s exploration team by now.”

“By my calculations… yes, about that time,” Hetty said after a moment’s thought, then frowned slightly, her tone tinged with doubt. “Ancestor, are you sure it’s wise to send those two to help?”

Gawain gave his occasionally overly serious granddaughter a half-smile. “You think it’s unwise?”

“You know Amber’s personality. If no one’s watching, she’s trouble wherever she goes,” Hetty sighed helplessly. “And as for that sea witch, Tyr… I honestly can’t analyze her personality. The last time I saw her fully alert was three days ago in the Whitewater River—she went swimming and got caught in a fisherman’s net in the East District, breaking their nets.”

“…She has quite the record, huh?” Gawain was momentarily stunned, then quickly shook his head. “Ahem, those are minor details. You focus on their unreliability, but don’t forget their unmatched abilities.”

Gawain’s expression turned serious as he looked into Hetty’s eyes. “Amber may be unreliable, but she’s an undisputed shadow master. In her specialized field, she’s as powerful as an elemental being in its own realm. The ‘shadow testing ground’ Solderin discovered is probably extremely dangerous for ordinary people, which is why Amber’s power is needed. Tyr is an expert in resisting divine forces. Others may not know, but you do—those sea witches grew up devouring gods, and their resistance to divine power is terrifying. The Rebellion Fortress studies divine power; the shadow testing ground might be connected to the Shadow Goddess. Tyr is a safeguard—if there really are divine relics there, only she can safely handle them.”

“…You’re right,” Hetty admitted after some thought. “Let’s just hope they don’t cause any trouble.”

“More importantly, any urgent reports?” Gawain asked, noticing the serious look on Hetty’s face when she entered.

“Worse than that, ancestor,” Hetty said gravely. “We just received a report from military intelligence. Our spies in the domains of Count Hosman and Viscount Carol have noticed unusual activity among the southern nobles. The local lords have been holding frequent gatherings, led by Count Hosman. Rumors are spreading among the knights…”

“What rumors?”

“…That Duke Gawain Cecil is greedy and mad, stripping all knights of their rights and fiefs to plunder wealth, and recklessly destroying Ansu’s traditional order. This destruction is spreading outward; the Kant domain is a victim. Many ‘glorious and honorable families are being tarnished on Cecil’s land’—that’s the exact phrase circulating among the knights and minor nobles, and the consistency suggests someone is deliberately spreading it.”

Gawain listened silently, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Interesting… Finally, someone’s accusing me of destroying Ansu’s traditions—I thought they’d at least hold out until Francis II returned.”

“Are you not angry?” Hetty asked, surprised. “You’re the founder of Ansu’s traditions. Those people seem to have forgotten their ancestor!”

“They haven’t forgotten, nor are they foolish. They’re just chasing bigger interests,” Gawain shook his head. “Anything else?”

“A group of Holy Light missionaries entered the southern lands from the northern Carol domain and have been in frequent contact with the southern Holy Light Church leaders. They’re spreading word among the knights that Cecil is accepting heretical gods—not using neutral terms, but outright calling us heretic devil worshippers.”

Gawain raised an eyebrow, asking the question that mattered most: “Are the local noble lords tacitly allowing these missionaries?”

“More than tacitly,” Hetty shook her head. “Without the nobles’ secret support, it would be difficult for the missionaries to gather the knights for such ‘propaganda.’ The knightly class isn’t like commoners who can be summoned by ringing church bells.”

Gawain nodded slightly. “Looks like the southern nobles have even roped in the Church of the Holy Light—when it comes to lining their pockets, they really will stoop to anything. But in a way, that’s actually good for us…”

Heddy looked at Gawain in surprise. “Good? How is that good?”

Gawain gave a faint smile. “Because we only have to fight once, instead of taking them on one by one.”

The PV for The Record of Abnormal Creatures is out!

(End of chapter)