*****
NOVELASIUS
- TL: the guild
- Discord: https://discord.gg/GBKEa55867
- Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/topasius
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The Northern Wall (2)
Bjørn Solberg, the Vengeful Spirit.
He is a named character who appears in the latter part of Arhan Heroic Legend.
After the battle with the Frost Giants, he becomes a vengeful spirit, tearing through the Northern Wall and systematically assassinating the named figures of the Northern Kingdom, leaving the kingdom in chaos.
A formidable warrior with a rating just below the top tier, he even consumed the Northern Kingdom’s Berserk Herb to continue his spree of revenge.
I had once clashed with him over the execution of prisoners.
“You must kill them all! All those treacherous barbarians must die! Korin Lork, are you, the kingdom’s hero, siding with these savages?!”
In both the original and my previous life, he was depicted only as a berserk warrior, a madman driven by revenge.
I had thought of him as just a wandering lunatic, but to think he was the captain of this garrison.
So that’s why he was so obsessed with hunting down the Valkyries…
Given that the Valkyries were one of the reasons for the swift collapse of the Northern Wall, I can somewhat understand his actions.
But the blame doesn’t lie solely with them.
Though I understand the sequence of events that led to the wall’s fall, I also believe this man bears significant responsibility. Perhaps his reckless vengeance was an attempt at redemption.
In any case…
“We will now commence the summary trial of Bjørn Solberg, Captain of the Bifrost Garrison.”
Such negligence cannot be overlooked.
The trial was held quietly within the garrison outpost.
I chose not to make it a public spectacle out of respect for the captain.
“Ugh…”
Now sobered up, Captain Bjørn glanced at me nervously, realizing the gravity of his situation.
“Captain Bjørn Solberg, do you acknowledge the charges of dereliction of duty?”
“Well, I…”
“As a result of your negligence, you will be stripped of your rank and demoted to serve as a common soldier until further notice from the capital’s command.”
“That’s preposterous!”
“Is it?”
Does this man still not get it?
“Who are you to do this?! If you’re here for some weather survey, then just do your job and leave! This is an overreach of your authority!”
“As a first-class magistrate, I am granted authority over military affairs in frontier regions, including the right to conduct military trials.”
“How can someone your age be a first-class magistrate…?”
I held up my badge, the golden emblem that marked my rank as a first-class magistrate.
“Take this matter more seriously, Captain Bjørn. The young man standing before you is not just a first-class magistrate but also a baron with his own fief, a Guardian Association certified top-tier knight, and the Association’s Director.”
“Th-that’s absurd…”
Has he been too out of touch with the news from the capital, drowning in alcohol here on the frontier?
“The garrison’s listed troop count is 3,000, yet I found barely over 500 soldiers present. The fortress’s defenses are minimal at best, and the walls are crumbling.”
It’s a wonder the wall hasn’t fallen already.
“Captain Bjørn, Bifrost is home to over 10,000 citizens of the kingdom, with tens of thousands more relying on this city for protection. Do you grasp the severity of your dereliction?”
Captain Bjørn’s dismissal is practically a done deal. The capital’s command will likely court-martial him and send him to prison.
But I wanted to give him a chance.
“Captain Bjørn, do you have anything to say in your defense?”
“I had no choice.”
He clenched his fists, shaking with frustration as he responded.
“We didn’t have the budget! Do you think maintaining these walls is free? In a place where you can’t even find a decent carpenter, how are we supposed to repair the walls, secure weapons, or recruit more men?”
“….”
I acknowledge his point. This fortress city cannot sustain itself economically and relies heavily on subsidies from the capital.
The problem is that most of these funds go towards securing food, leaving the garrison with a pitiful budget.
“I will take your claims into consideration, Captain. However, your conduct has been far from acceptable.”
“Ugh…”
Still, no amount of excuses can justify getting drunk on duty!
“My ruling remains. Captain Bjørn, you are relieved of your position and will serve as a common soldier under the same duties as the lower-ranking guards until the capital’s command issues further orders.”
“Ugh…”
He hung his head in shame, but he should be grateful I didn’t push for harsher punishment.
As I handed down the judgment, Erin was waiting outside, a soft smile on her face.
“You were more lenient than I expected.”
“He’s a capable man. I believe in giving people a second chance.”
“And you’ve established your authority over the chain of command. A smart move.”
“It’s crucial to overcome local resistance wherever you go.”
I had struggled with this in the past. Knowing the future means nothing if the locals see you as an interfering outsider.
“Lord Bjørn.”
I approached the crestfallen Captain Bjørn, addressing him with respect despite the situation.
By right, I could treat him as a subordinate, but I chose to acknowledge his dignity.
“Yes, Sir Korin?”
He seemed surprised but accepted my gesture, bowing his head slightly.
“We will use this city as our base to investigate beyond the wall. But first, we need to reinforce the city and the wall. We’ll need to mobilize the citizens for labor.”
“….”
His face grew solemn as he realized the impossibility of my request.
“We’ve exhausted last year’s budget. With this extended winter, the economy has frozen over… Unless we start cutting down trees from the surrounding forest, we don’t even have money for food…”
“You don’t need to worry about that. Marie.”
“Yes.”
Marie, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward. We had discussed this beforehand.
“We’ll fly in supplies using the Hræsvelgr and the wyverns. If you need additional materials, just ask.”
“Excuse me?”
“Oh! And don’t worry about the cost. Just lend us some temporary storage for the potatoes.”
“You heard her?”
“Uh…”
“The food situation is handled. Now, let’s focus on reinforcing the walls. Summon the able-bodied men of the city. We’ll offer food and gold in exchange for their labor.”
“I-I understand…”
I had used this method several times before.
It was all about throwing money at the problem until it moved. With Marie around, it’s easy to make things happen.
The state of the Northern Wall city was dire.
The infrastructure was on the brink of collapse, and the last repair work on the wall facing the Northern Kingdom was 14 years ago.
The bricks were crumbling, with gaps in the walls too large to ignore. No one had dared to attempt repairs.
“Marie, it’s up to you.”
“This is easy.”
Marie concentrated her magic, creating a massive burst of water that splashed against the wall.
It wasn’t an attack but a large-scale water spell designed to drench the wall.
The water quickly froze in the freezing air.
“As long as the weather stays cold, it won’t melt.”
“This should hold for now.”
The solid ice was stronger than any brick. With overlapping layers, the ice would serve as a sturdy barrier for as long as winter continued.
“Winter has made heating a big issue in the city. Could you have the former arcane scholars check the insulation?”
“Got it! Chunshik!”
“Y-yes! Master! Your humble servant hears your call!”
Thankfully, we had hundreds of mages on hand.
The challenge was mobilizing the city’s labor force.
“Korin, we can hire the townspeople for labor, but the cold is a real problem. With winter dragging on, they’ve run out of firewood.”
“How long would it take to get more winter gear from the capital?”
“Even if we load it onto the Hræsvelgr, it’ll take at least a week.”
“Too late. We’ll need a temporary solution.”
“Yes.”
The Valkyries and barbarians will come charging through this Northern Wall, followed by the hordes of beasts. But we still have some time.
“I’ll handle that.”
I headed to the highest point in the city. From there, I could see the conscripted residents chopping wood and repairing the wall.
Though they were motivated by the promise of food and gold, they were still only human, shivering in the biting cold as they worked. I feared some might freeze to death.
While snow might be picturesque in a warmer, more affluent region, it was a deadly curse in this place.
Anyone who’s served in the military knows the dread of endless snowfall, no matter how much you try to clear it away.
“Allow me to lend a hand.”
I gathered the divine energy of Claíomh Solais. The immense power gathered above the city.
- Huh? Is that… rain?
The sun’s energy gathered by the sword melted the swirling snow, turning it into rain that quickly fell to the ground.
The rain didn’t accumulate but froze once again as soon as the sun’s energy dissipated, leaving the city streets as icy deathtraps.
“This isn’t ideal, but…”
I focused more power into the sun, lifting it higher into the sky. Claíomh Solais shimmered with a blinding light, manifesting a miniature sun.
- It’s… the sun.
- Incredible…
The people of the city looked on in awe. The heat from the conjured sun was strong enough to be felt on the ground, evaporating the rain before it could freeze.
“Sir Korin… What is this?”
Lord Bjørn, who had come to receive my orders, looked up at the phenomenon in disbelief.
“I’ll keep it up for a while. Use the time to prepare for the cold.”
“Unbelievable…”
He seemed too stunned to respond, swallowing hard as he gazed at the artificial sun.
And the townsfolk were no different.
Since arriving at the Northern Wall city, the members of the investigation team had been busy repairing the city.
Though they had expected to venture beyond the wall immediately, they followed orders without question when tasked with rebuilding the city.
They had little choice.
For three days now, they had witnessed the miraculous sun hanging in the sky, a sight that commanded their reverence and obedience.
“Hurry! Move those logs! Process the felled trees and use them to reinforce the wall!”
With food and manpower flowing in, the once-underfunded garrison was now a flurry of activity.
For the first time in decades, the wall was being repaired. The guards knew this was a rare opportunity that couldn’t be wasted.
- Thud!
Suddenly, a large figure landed from above, carrying a massive pine tree on its shoulder.
“Huff…”
All eyes turned towards the source, though they quickly looked away, as if it were an everyday sight.
“Sister Hua Ran! Please stop startling everyone with those huge leaps!”
“…It’s faster.”
She was right.
The nearby forest had excellent wood for traps and repairs, but transporting the heavy logs was a challenge.
Yet this petite nun sliced through thick trees with her bare hands, shouldering them with ease and leaping dozens of meters at a time.
Though her method was certainly efficient, the way she landed with a thud startled everyone each time.
“By the way, Sister, the team setting traps along the wall has requested help. The frozen ground is too hard to dig. Could you assist them?”
Ordinarily, asking a top-tier knight like Hua Ran to do such menial labor would be unthinkable.
But she wasn’t one to care about such formalities, so she quietly nodded.
Everyone’s working hard. Should we switch?
“It’s fine.”
Hua’s alter ego, Ran, offered to take over, but Hua declined. With her unbreakable body, this level of labor was just a casual walk for her.
*Let’s make a lunchbox for Hyung-nim later. He’s working the hardest of all. *
“Should I make… Mala soup?”
He’ll love anything you make.
Despite her expressionless face, Hua couldn’t hide the blush that spread across her cheeks at her sister’s words.
Let’s add some rabbit meat.
“Only rabbits here.”
No, look at the sky. See that bird flying up there?
Hua looked up as instructed. With the sudden warmth, some birds seemed to have flown in, seeking refuge.
“I’ll catch one.”
Just as she had with the logs, Hua kicked off the ground with all her strength.
The earth cracked beneath her as she shot up into the air. The vast northern snowfields stretched out below, but Hua’s eyes were fixed on one large bird.
- Caw?!
The bird barely had time to react to the sudden appearance of the girl in nun’s attire before its neck was grasped in her hand.
It flapped its wings in a desperate attempt to escape, but it could only fall to the ground, captive in Hua’s grip.
“Got it.”
Just as she was about to snap the bird’s neck, both Hua and Ran widened their eyes in surprise.
The long, spindly legs, the pointed beak ready to peck at anything, the pure white feathers with distinct black tips at the wings.
It was the one bird Hua and Ran knew all too well by sight.
“…A stork?”
…A stork?
The elusive bringer of babies they had been searching for.
*****
NOVELASIUS
- TL: the guild
- Discord: https://discord.gg/GBKEa55867
- Ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/topasius
*****
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