[Murcia]
Everyone laughed at me the whole way as I led them toward the castle keep at the heart of the fortress city. My face burned with shame, but in the end, it might not have been such a bad thing—His Majesty and the heads of the great noble houses, including Venturi, started talking to me more openly because of it.
Apparently, they thought I was confident in managing and defending the fortress city.
Personally, I felt like nothing more than a pitiful older brother—bragging about things my little brother, more than ten years my junior, had actually built. But somehow, that misunderstanding worked in my favor.
Relieved to my core, I climbed the last step of the stairway and turned back. Venturi came up first, followed by His Majesty, and the moment they stepped inside, the sight before them stole their breath.
I understood their reaction immediately. Every floor in this castle was designed so that ballistae and repeating crossbows could be fired from any point, with sturdy shutters set in each window. That meant the interior was all dark rooms, corridors, and stairways—gloomy, oppressive, and endlessly defensive.
But once you reached the keep, everything changed. Wide doors stood open on every side, flooding the chamber with dazzling sunlight. Beyond the rear lay the Wolfsburg Mountains, but in every other direction stretched clear blue skies.
Drawn to that light, His Majesty and the others stepped out onto the terrace. Their voices rose in awe.
“Oh!”
“Incredible!”
I followed after them. I’d seen this view countless times, but it still moved me.
In the distance stretched the plain, the horizon cut by a long straight road. Below us lay the freshly renovated castle town, neat and orderly. To the left and right, the jagged edge of the Wolfsburg range peeked into view, while a refreshing breeze washed over us.
After climbing all those narrow, stifling stairs, this sudden openness hit the chest with a liberating rush. I knew that feeling well.
Of course, Van had built this chamber for strategic reasons, not just aesthetics. I decided it was time to explain its value.
“This top floor is what we call the keep,” I said. “The fortress city itself is designed like a staircase along the slope of the hill. The Yerinetta-side wall and gate sit at the lowest point, with a watchtower ahead of it. Then comes the first small castle, then the second, then the third… and at the very top stands this keep. Each fortress is able to fight its own defensive battle if necessary, but more importantly, every wall, tower, and chamber was designed so the defenders can always monitor the surroundings. And…”
I walked to the edge of the terrace, laid my hand on the railing, and pointed toward the road.
“From the ballistae mounted on the floor below, we can strike the middle of that highway—you see, right about there.”
Gasps and murmurs rose around me. When I turned, everyone was staring at the distant road in astonishment.
“Unbelievable…”
“That would be a nightmare for any attacker.”
Of course they were shocked. Even Van himself had been surprised at the range when he first tested it. The aim wasn’t exactly precise at that distance, but the threat was more than enough.
I imagined the strongest battlefield magicians would feel that pressure most acutely.
His Majesty chuckled, unable to hide his delight. “All this, and yet you’re still planning new tricks. I can’t help but wonder—what will you build next?”
Venturi narrowed his eyes, thoughtful. “Hmm… and the matter of Yerinetta’s new weapon. Will this truly counter it?”
“As Van explained to me,” I said, “with its current accuracy, it poses no problem. Its base hit rate is already poor, and the longer the range, the worse it becomes. Even if they could fire from that distance, striking anywhere in this fortress city would already be considered lucky.”
His Majesty and Venturi accepted that answer without hesitation.
“I see.”
“Then we needn’t worry. Still, once our enemy learns the strength of this city’s defenses, they’ll try every trick they can—anything but a frontal assault. The real test will be how well we anticipate the gaps.”
It seemed Van’s studies on the black sphere had earned him a remarkable degree of trust from both His Majesty and Venturi.
As their discussion drew in the other nobles, I noticed new arrivals ascending the stairs. Among them were two familiar faces I hadn’t seen in a year.
“…Brother?”
Yard and Sest blinked wide-eyed at me, their voices rising in disbelief.
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