"Is this really happening? I should be an ordinary student in the academy…" Kaya grimaced; her dream of having a normal life at her young age had already shattered the moment they lost the territorial war.
"Young Master, do we still have to serve you as maids? Wouldn't it be better to just abolish our responsibility in this mansion and focus on becoming human weapons??" Beatrice genuinely wondered, especially since the subject of her servitude barely ate proper meals these past few weeks due to the Warbody Program.
"My lord, what's with this atmosphere? It's like death's waiting for everybody!" The old man, Wilfred, asked with a worried expression.
Every one of them had their own roles to fulfill, and as I listened to their barrage of concerns, though some of them had no worth, I spoke of the upcoming dangerous yet urgent matter.
"The Warbody Program's ultimate training will be conducted in the expedition."
Before they could utter a word or two, I continued,
"It will be a real-life battle and resources simulation against low-rank demonkinds or mindless monsters of the Dark Forest."
My voice echoed in their ears and swept through their body, feeling a chilling sensation with my words.
"Brother… I know you've already talked about the expedition beforehand, but what you haven't told us yet… is our destination. Where exactly should we go?"
It was a valid concern. All this time, I didn't tell them the specifics about the expedition, though based on my actions of bolstering the military strength of the territory, they gauged that it wouldn't be a simple one.
Well, nothing's that simple in this cruel world.
"We will be exploring and clearing the White Princess Labyrinth," I said with a determined tone, but what I received were curious glances.
Not that I didn't expect this.
"W-white what?
"White Princess?"
"Wait, my lord… Did you just say 'labyrinth…'?"
Old man Wilfred looked at me, his complexion in utter disbelief. After all, labyrinths, a place different from dungeons, were remnants of the buried and forgotten ancient eras.
It was even believed to this day that some of these hidden labyrinths date back to the times of the Founding Hero…
To the times of wars filled with names washed away by the fleeting murmurs of the past…
To the times of divinity where heavens were closer to humanity than it was to the sky…
Instead of answering their confusion, I asked Beatrice to pull out the precise map of Eshu County, its neighboring territories that were hundreds of kilometers apart from each other, its surrounding bodies of water and beasts-inhabited mountain ranges, and the far north drawn with dark ink depicting a negligible fraction of the Abyss Lands, where the luminous sunlight could not penetrate.
The Eshu County was surrounded by nothing worth cultivating—all empty plains of sand, fruitless forests sprouted on unhealthy soil, and contaminated rivers filled with poisonous aquatics. It's a hopeless case.
Standing from where I was seated, acting as a genuine captain of a battalion, I pointed at one location on the presented map and marked it an 'X,' designating it as the expedition's target location.
Kaya, Beatrice, Wilfred, the other six maids, and the five squad leaders I appointed all scrutinized the marked location, which was some considerable distance away from the [indicator line] signifying the entrance to the Dark Forest.
It's tremendously far, considering we would need to pass over the middle of between two neighboring territories that were closer to the seemingly endlessly stretching border of the demonkinds' turf.
Looking at it, it was shaped as an upside down [triangle] on the map, and Eshu County was situated at the bottom point. Even though hundreds of kilometers were the distance apart, it wouldn't hurt to be extra careful.
Endowed in silence, I opened my mouth to address them, "First of all, what I need is your complete trust – that means I would not be answering any questions on how I have come across this information."
There's no way I'd tell them that original Lugh had already perished, and my true name's Kang Jiho from the so-called Earth that was boring as fuck to live in; that's why I'm embracing my new identity… so bear with me, yeah?
If it meant to be, they would eventually know. But not this time.
"…"
Seeing their glances, I continued with a serious expression, "Now, shall we proceed with the plan?"
From then on, I began to thoroughly lay out everything that's needed to be done…
But I didn't forget to warn them.
"I would not dare say that there would not be casualties; this isn't a fairytale. However, I will do everything to prevent it."
*
Six weeks passed.
With only fourteen days remaining for the Warbody Program, the expedition, which Lugh dubbed as the 'Project Gray,' began to gradually take shape.
Security for the territory would be handled by enough newly trained soldiers in rotation.
Food supply—including an ample amount of lowest-grade potions—was already secured for everybody, not just for those directly participating in the expedition, all because of the Golden Crown during the delivery of the promised slaves.
Among the products ordered, low-tier equipment—weapons and armor alike—were also provided to every able-bodied personnel, enough to be properly perceived as a military force.
Looking around, the ordinary citizens were blatantly watching the conspicuous movements around the manor as rumors began to reach one ear to another.
"Would the lord finally going to leave us?"
"That's not it… My son's a soldier, and he says there's going to be a mission that'll benefit us…"
"Whatever it might be... I hope they succeed! My daughter's one hell of a soldier too!"
"But didn't you hear that they're being tortured to death?"
"Tsk, tortured? That's probably not true…"
As these people talked about what was true or speculative, their lord's figure appeared on the balcony of his manor, whose voice then reverberated in the hearts of a thousand listeners.
"We will be going somewhere. It will take a long time before we would be able to return… But take heart! We will return with something that will change our ways of life for the better!"
"…"
"Good luck with your journey, my lord!"
"I will await your return, my daughter!"
"My son! Bring me souvenirs!"
The cheers erupted.
Along with it was the beginning of the next step… one step closer to gaining what should be fulfilled!
*
In the Main Building of the Golden Crown Merchant Guild.
While Lugh, his retainers, and the hardened army discreetly marched toward their own, classified goal, a certain piece of emergency report was placed at the table… in front of Ravelle Au Regina.
Disregarding everything pertaining to its authenticity, her emerald gaze was only fixated on the details...
[The 'two' runeshards mine have been corrupted…]
[The perpetrator has been identified as a Tier-5 demonkind, Queen Ires Deadwood...]
[Every miner and mercenaries stationed to guard the mines were all killed…]
[The North Citadel, Thorn, has been under attack by the Queen Ires saplings…]
Ravelle crumbled the documents…
Bam!
And slammed the table, her expression seething.
"L-Lugh… Lugh… Did you know this would happen? Ha… Ha-ha… Hahaha!"