The next morning.
While Simon was debating whether to accept Professor Hongfeng’s invitation, he received a flurry of new letters from the student council members.
They arrived just a day after Hongfeng’s. The professor, currently out in the grasslands, had likely sent the invitations to all four of them simultaneously. But since Leshill was such a rugged, remote territory, Simon’s mail had been delayed.
He immediately tore open the envelopes. The contents were straightforward.
’Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!’
’Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go! Let’s go!’
’We absolutely have to go! Let’s go! If you say you’re not going, I’ll seriously kill you! I’m so excited!’
’Let’s go! Let’s go, let’s go!’
Meirin’s letter practically vibrated with excitement.
’I really want to go too! It’s Professor Hongfeng’s hometown, after all! If we go to the grasslands, there will be crocodiles and wild bison, right? I’m a little scared of the bugs, of course, but I think it’ll be fine if we all go together!’
Kamibarez’s letter brimmed with high expectations.
And Dick, whose letter sat at the very bottom, took things a step further.
’Alright, alright. Check off the items you want to buy. I’ll sell them to you for half the cost price.’
’Emergency tent, lantern, shoes, multi-purpose knife, jungle clothes...’
He wrote as if their departure was already set in stone.
’Looks like everyone is fully on board.’
Simon let out a chuckle and flopped back onto his bed.
’The grasslands, huh.’
To the people of the Dark Alliance, "the grasslands" meant the Mecria Grasslands, located in the southernmost reaches of the Kingdom of Shahed.
Simon wanted to go, but getting his parents’ permission was the first priority.
He immediately formulated a plan. Later that day, he headed out for his usual volunteer work. During the restoration efforts, he pulled Richard and Anna aside separately.
"You mean the Mecria Grasslands?" Richard asked. "That’s wonderful. It’s a place worth visiting at least once in your life."
Richard rambled on about his own youthful adventures and anecdotes from the grasslands. Simon nodded along enthusiastically, easily securing his father’s permission shortly after.
The problem was Anna. She gave him a worried look.
"Wouldn’t the grassland region be dangerous?"
"It’ll be fine!"
Simon emphasized that he was going at the invitation of Professor Hongfeng from Kizen, reassuring her that it would be perfectly safe since Meirin, Dick, and Kamibarez were tagging along.
Anna seemed relieved to hear that a Kizen professor was hosting them.
She said she would think about it, and by lunchtime, he had successfully won her over.
’Things are going a little too smoothly.’
In his experience, whenever things felt this easy, danger was usually lurking just around the corner. However, there was absolutely no way this grassland tour could go wrong.
Not when they had Hongfeng with them. That was how much Simon trusted her and her overwhelming strength.
’CAW! CAW! CAW!’
As Simon lay on the grass, lost in thought after finishing his work for the day, a familiar cry rang out from the sky.
An undead crow circled above.
"Ah."
A Legion-type undead bird. That meant mail from the North.
Simon raised his arm, and the crow quickly swooped down to land, dropping two letters into his lap. One was from Grand Duke Jin of the North, and the other was from Pier.
"Time to get to work."
Simon temporarily set aside his identity as a student, adopting the serious mindset of a Legion Commander as he examined the contents.
’The negotiations went through.’
These negotiations, of course, concerned the magic stone mine in Frost Field.
To transport the excavated magic stones to the mainland, they had to pass through the territory of Northern Kalos. Furthermore, developing the mine couldn’t be done with undead alone; human technology was required, making cooperation with the North essential.
Thanks to Pier and the Grand Duke’s negotiations, they had settled on a 6:4 profit-sharing ratio.
In exchange for receiving 40%, the North had agreed to cover all the capital, technology, and general expenses required for the mine’s development, as well as the logistical costs of transporting the stones to the mainland.
’This isn’t bad at all.’
Simon would be making money just by holding ownership of the mine. If necessary, he could occasionally supplement the workforce with undead labor using the forces of the God of the North.
He decided to approve the arrangement.
Not only would his personal income increase, but it also solidified the broader alliance between the 7th and 2nd Legions. Above all, this venture was crucial for the reconstruction of the war-torn North.
’Good, good.’
Taking over Frost Field had definitely been worth it. It would take some time, but soon enough, he would have a passive revenue stream where money rolled in even if he sat completely still.
With the contract details concluded, the Grand Duke had added a small note at the bottom detailing her personal affairs.
She wrote about how the Northerners were recovering after the war and what she had been up to.
After being freed from her family duties and wandering aimlessly, it seemed she was finally regaining her drive.
’I am personally preparing something. As a Kizen student, it is something you can look forward to as well.’
’What is she preparing?’
To make him this curious and then leave him hanging... Simon laughed, shaking his head.
Finally, the Grand Duke concluded the letter by asking him to send her regards to Richard, her senior Legion Commander and childhood savior.
Simon carefully set the letter aside, his chest swelling with pride.
"Next up..."
It was Pier’s letter. Simon rustled the parchment as he unfolded it.
Befitting an ancient undead, the handwriting was elegant and exuded an old-fashioned charm.
’As you likely know if you’ve read the Grand Duke’s letter, matters with the North have been resolved smoothly. That Zairos fellow also seems to have no major issues, aside from the personality of the God of the North popping out occasionally.’
Simon chuckled, recalling the image of Zairos punching himself in the face.
’My schedule in the North is finished. I will soon cross the continent and return to Roc Island. The distance is vast, so I won’t be able to make it in time for the start of your semester, but I will try to move quickly.’
"Wait."
It was far too long of a journey on foot from Frost Field, the northernmost tip of the continent, all the way to Roc Island.
Even Pier had admitted he wouldn’t make it in time for the semester.
However, Simon thought.
"Couldn’t I just meet up with Pier at the grasslands on the way?"
Having Pier around would make Simon feel much safer during his trip.
He immediately penned a reply and sent the undead crow flying off.
And so, time passed.
’I’m in big trouble.’
Simon faced a massive hurdle during his vacation.
It was a type of hardship he had never experienced before, which made it all the more agonizing.
Namely, he realized:
’It hasn’t even been a week yet?’
Time simply refused to pass.
Up until now, the days had flown by as he mindlessly focused on his territory duties and training. But the moment he made plans to visit the grasslands with his friends, everything changed. Suddenly, he became hyper-aware of every single day. It felt like time had ground to a halt.
Returning to his room after finishing his daily routine, Simon marked off the calendar and let his arms drop limply.
’How am I supposed to endure another week of this?!’
He slumped over his desk. His only joy in life these days was the letters from his friends. Meirin, Dick, and Kamibarez all seemed to share the same sentiment, complaining about how time was dragging because they were looking forward to the trip so much.
Meirin wrote that she was already shopping for clothes to wear in the grasslands, asking him to help pick out the best colors.
Kamibarez was agonizing over how to slip away from her overprotective Vampire Lord father to reach the meeting spot alone.
And Dick was completely consumed by thoughts of making a fortune once they arrived.
’Cooling potions! Don’t you think these will sell like hotcakes?’
’Cushioned horse saddles!’
’I made a potion that repels mosquitoes, though I think it might repel people too. It should still be fine, right?’
Simon advised his best friend to scrap that last item, then slipped the letter into an envelope. Soon after, he slumped against the wall, going limp like a slime.
’I wish I could just close my eyes, open them, and have a week already passed.’
A sudden tapping at the window broke his train of thought. Simon turned his head to see an undead crow pecking at the glass and cawing.
’It’s Pier’s reply!’
He hurriedly threw open the window and unfolded the letter the bird had brought.
’Perfect. I was actually planning to visit the grasslands at some point anyway.’
’Why would Pier go to the grasslands?’
The question was answered in the very next sentence.
’I was told that the last traces of Mur, an Ancient Undead who belonged to our Legion, were found in the grasslands fifteen years ago.’
Simon flinched, his expression stiffening.
’Mur is the most dangerous among the Ancient Undead of the 7th Legion. Because of that, I was planning to search for him last. It seems highly likely that he left the grasslands a long time ago, but it would be good to check for clues.’
Simon scratched the side of his head.
"It’d be a relief if the trail was ten years old, but there’s no way he’s actually still there, right?"
A slight twinge of anxiety gnawed at him.
However, Professor Hongfeng wasn’t the type to put her students in danger. If she thought the area was unsafe, she never would have invited them in the first place.
And putting all that aside, if this was truly a matter related to the Legion, Simon couldn’t just sit idly by.
’Either way, it means I definitely have to go.’
A week later.
The highly anticipated day finally arrived.
"I’m heading out!"
With his parents’ blessing secured, nothing could stop Simon. He descended from Leshill, caught a carriage in Hove, and set off toward the Kingdom of Dresden.
It was going to be a long journey.
As always, Simon spent the carriage ride reading up on the history and geography of the grasslands. Even for a fun vacation, gathering information about his destination was essential.
’Geography and History of the Continent’
’The Mecria Grasslands.’
’This is a region inhabited by countless nomadic tribes. While there are areas with dense forests, the vast pastures make it an ideal environment for raising livestock such as horses and goats.’
’Professor Hongfeng and Professor Byulya were also from ethnic minorities here, weren’t they?’
Simon stretched his legs out and refocused on his reading.
In the past, the nomadic tribes were the first on the continent to successfully crossbreed monsters and horses. Riding those special breeds, they swept across the continent, toppling numerous kingdoms.
Their power was once so immense that they established a "Nomadic Empire." During their prime, they expanded their territory all the way to the borders of the Holy Federation on the opposite side of the continent.
Eventually, the most powerful faction among those tribes settled down and founded the current Kingdom of Shahed.
Naturally, their power waned as the eras of knights and mages came and went. In the current era of necromancers and priests, they were unable to assert themselves, dwindling into ethnic minorities. Only those well-versed in history knew that the grassland tribes of Shahed had once commanded the entire continent.
’Interesting.’
Simon spent the rest of the carriage ride studying up on the region.
Of course, he wasn’t heading straight to the grasslands. There was a famous resort city in the Kingdom of Dresden called Verino, Renowned for its incredibly beautiful beaches.
That was where he planned to meet up with the rest of the student council.
The plan was to spend two days swimming and enjoying the ocean, then take a boat Dick had chartered across the sea to enter the river flowing through the Mecria Grasslands.
According to Dick, this route would save a massive amount of time compared to traveling by land. Plus, it killed two birds with one stone, allowing them to soak up the luxurious conveniences of civilization in Verino before roughing it in the unmodernized grasslands.
The other members had wholeheartedly agreed.
’I wonder if everyone’s doing well.’
Sometime later, as Simon dozed off with his history book in his lap, the coachman’s shout jolted him awake.
"Sir! We’ve almost arrived!"
Simon sat up, wiped a bit of drool from his mouth, and opened the window.
His eyes widened. Beyond the sparsely brushed plains, a beautiful city constructed entirely of pristine white architecture gleamed in the distance.
"Welcome to the city of pleasure and amusement, Verino!"
A coastal road wound alongside a breathtaking stretch of ocean.
Countless people bustled through the streets of Verino. Couples wandered around in swimsuits, bards played lively music on the corners, and families laughed together in the sun.
And amidst the crowd, a girl...
"What’s wrong, Sasha?"
"Oh."
A girl, holding down her wind-tousled short brown hair, suddenly glanced over her shoulder.
She stood there blankly for a moment, staring at something behind her, before eventually turning back around.
"It’s nothing. The wind just feels nice."
"What are you talking about out of nowhere? Let’s hurry! We’re going to be late for the mission briefing."
Sasha nodded, readjusting the strap of the bag slung over her shoulder.

Comments

Loading...