Fallen Immortal Ridge?
Murphy gazed toward the distant mountain range, which was stained a dark crimson by the setting sun. He saw overlapping peaks, cliffs as sharp as if they'd been carved, and jagged, grotesque rocks. An ominous red mist swirled through the mountains, enveloping the entire range in a faint, blood-colored halo.
A chill immediately ran down his spine.
'Though place names are often exaggerated, what if this one is literal? What if an immortal really did fall here in the distant past...'
'Then again, if it were really that dangerous, the system wouldn't offer a reward like [Horse Trainer: Slightly Accomplished].'
'It's probably just a baseless rumor.'
'Besides, in the real world, this place is called the Twilight Mountain Range...'
'Okay, that sounds pretty ominous too.'
In fact, over the past year, Murphy had also looked into [Option One: Under the cover of a dark and stormy night, infiltrate Lingyun Pavilion's Pill Room alone. You must evade the Guardian Elder, bypass three layers of traps and secret locks, and retrieve the Body Tempering Spirit Pill. Consuming it will unblock your meridians, invigorate your Qi and blood, fortify your body to be as strong as iron, and grant you herculean strength].
He had discovered from rumors within the fortress that Baron Duval had a special room, located in the deepest part of the castle's dungeons. Its entrance was guarded day and night by six fully armed Guards, and it was said that not even his own son could enter without special permission.
Last year, a drunken servant had stumbled in by mistake and was immediately run through with swords. His body was then hung at the castle gate for three days as a public warning.
'There's no way Option Two could be more dangerous than Option One.'
'So, Fallen Immortal Ridge is probably just a scary name and nothing more.'
Afterwards, even though it was nearly dusk, the group didn't immediately make camp. Instead, they continued deeper into the mountain range for some distance.
Only when the last rays of the setting sun were fading did the Grooms begin to set up the tents.
Miss Douglas's tent didn't require any Grooms; her Maid set it up all by herself.
Murphy noticed that this petite Maid, dressed in a standard light purple silk dress, could single-handedly lift a wooden chest that required two Grooms to move.
'She probably has the strength of one of the followers.'
Not only that, but Murphy also observed that the mountain path they were on had clear wagon ruts, with abandoned cargo racks and hitching posts along the side.
This indicated that it was originally a trade route through the Twilight Mountain Range.
'In that case, tonight should be safe.'
'Considering that the bodies of Carter and the other Grooms were found on the fourth day of their return journey, and factoring in the round trip, tomorrow will be the most dangerous time. That means it's the crucial moment to get the reward for the option.'
'Simply put, tonight is safe.'
The Grooms didn't have to stand watch; the Knights and their followers handled all the night duty, as if they had no trust in the Grooms' abilities.
'It made sense. A Groom just raises and cares for horses; how could they compare to professionally trained Knights and followers?'
By the campfire, Murphy meticulously cared for Yor's mount. First, he checked its hooves for injuries, then draped a felt blanket over the warhorse to protect it from the cold, and finally, added its nighttime fodder.
Yor walked over and studied the busy Murphy by the firelight. "I've been watching your performance this past year. You've improved very quickly, and many of the followers have heard of you. It seems you've truly inherited George's skill."
Murphy bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your praise, Lord Yor. It is my honor to serve you."
"Keep up the good work," Yor said, patting his shoulder. "When we get back, I will recommend you to the Lord Baron for the position of Upper-class Groom."
The Upper-class Groom was the highest position under the Stable Master, aside from the Chief Groom. Once a groom reached this rank, they were generally qualified to care for a Knight's warhorse.
The pay was naturally better as well.
'But it would be naive to believe Yor's words.'
'Superiors are all experts at making empty promises.'
'If you don't get the promotion, would you have the gall to ask why?'
'And even if you did ask, they'd have all sorts of excuses to deflect.'
'It's just a tactic to motivate people.'
Of course, Murphy didn't let any of this show. He just said, "Thank you for the opportunity, Lord Yor. I will work even harder and will not disappoint you."
Yor nodded in satisfaction and was about to turn toward the tent of Moby, Baron Duval's second son.
"Lord Yor," Murphy said, taking a step forward. "May I ask where exactly we are headed tomorrow?"
Yor stopped and gestured vaguely toward the depths of the mountains. "Just to the old castle up ahead. Don't worry, it's very safe. With three Official Knights accompanying us, there won't be any danger."
With that, he strode away.
Murphy couldn't press him further and stood there, lost in thought.
Yor's mount seemed to sense its caretaker's anxiety and gently nuzzled his shoulder.
Murphy snapped out of his reverie, stroking the horse's neck and murmuring, "Don't worry. It'll be fine."
...
Inside Moby's tent, the Knights and followers under Baron Duval's command were gathered.
The Knight Glen, clad in full Plate Armor, stood in stark contrast to the followers, who wore only leather Chest Armor and Chain Armor.
Although Glen sat with Moby in the seats of honor, Moby would unconsciously glance at him before speaking, only continuing after confirming Glen had no objections.
Moby surveyed the group. "If we can help Miss Douglas obtain the Divine Relic this time, it will be a great achievement. Walter, Jimmy, you are the most talented among these followers. Perform well, and you will surely become Official Knights in the future."
He turned to the older followers. "Tommy Han, Yor, you are only one step away from becoming Knights. If you perform meritorious service, you might win Miss Douglas's favor, and she could help you condense a Life Seed to break through your bottleneck."
Moby's tone grew heavier. "More importantly, this mission is about reopening the northern trade route. Ever since the border war three years ago, the trade route has been cut off by those Barbarians, causing the barony's finances to become increasingly strained."
"Although the war ended two years ago, the route has yet to be restored due to bandits and damaged bridges along the way. As long as we help the Lord Duke's daughter this time, we will surely succeed in reopening the trade route. When that happens, the barony's financial difficulties will be solved."
The eyes of the young Walter and Jimmy sparkled with excitement, while Tommy Han and Yor gave composed nods.
Just then, Glen's deep voice emanated from his helmet. "That old castle isn't so simple. Last time, we encountered Activated Armor. They guarded the long corridor, wielding Giant Axes. If I hadn't used my warhorse's charge to create distance, I would have lost this leg."
He pointed to a deep dent on his leg armor. "Luckily, the corridor was wide and open, perfect for a cavalry charge. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to match the strength of the Activated Armor."
Glen continued, "However, we've already cleared out most of the Activated Armor. Only six remain, guarding the area around the altar where the Divine Relic rests. Once we eliminate them, our mission will be complete."
As the oil lamp flickered inside the tent, Glen and Moby led the followers in a detailed discussion of the next day's tactics.
Taking into account that Miss Douglas's two Plate Armor Knights would also be joining the fight, they decided that the three Knights would form a triangular formation for a frontal feint, while the followers would split into two teams to outflank the enemy from the left and right.
The Grooms would wait at a safe distance, ready to assist the wounded at a moment's notice.
Based on the previous two expeditions, they expected Miss Douglas's Knights to approve of their plan.
If they didn't approve, it wasn't a big deal; they could just discuss it again then.
Of course, this was the ideal scenario.
If the Activated Armor broke through their encirclement, the Grooms would surely suffer heavy casualties.
That was how the previous Grooms had died.
However, no one mentioned the possibility of an accident. Every face was filled with confidence, as if this were the simplest of tasks.
...
From the outside, Miss Douglas's tent looked unremarkable, but the interior was surprisingly spacious, resembling the exquisite room of a Great Noble.
A magnificent carpet covered the floor, silk curtains hung on all sides, and it was fully furnished with a vanity and a bed.
Her two Plate Armor Knights had removed their helmets, but what lay beneath were not human faces, but the metallic visages of constructs.
Miss Douglas was standing on a small stool, working on the inside of an open Chest Armor. Her slender fingers moved nimbly between intricate gears and conduits.
Grease gradually stained her fair face and fingers, and she even accidentally smudged the cuffs of her light purple lace dress, but she paid no mind to her exquisite attire being soiled.
The Maid, Chris, stood quietly to the side, handing over tools as needed.
After about half an hour of maintenance, Miss Douglas gently closed the Chest Armor and pressed a hidden spot on one of the armor's seams.
With a barely audible CLICK, a soft blue light glowed in the construct's eye sockets. The metallic texture quickly faded, and its face became indistinguishable from that of a real person.
Once their helmets were on, they were no different from any other fully armored Knight.
Miss Douglas hopped lightly off the stool and said, "Green."
The construct on the left bowed slightly, its voice steady and strong. "My lady, what are your orders?"
Miss Douglas asked, "How does your body feel?"
The construct named Green moved its arm. "Running smoothly, like a newly drawn sword."
Miss Douglas then asked the construct on the right, "Guy, what about you?"
Guy bowed respectfully. "I am in excellent condition. Thank you for your meticulous adjustments, my lady."
Miss Douglas nodded. "Good. Cleaning Technique."
Guy immediately raised his hand, Casting a spell. A soft white light enveloped Miss Douglas.
The grease stains on her cuffs vanished, the grime on her fingers and face disappeared without a trace, and even the dust on her lace skirt was gone completely. In an instant, she was restored to her clean and noble appearance.
Miss Douglas turned to Chris. "Do you require maintenance?"
Chris bowed respectfully. "Thank you for your concern, my lady. My operational status is optimal."
Miss Douglas nodded slightly. "Then you may activate the Soul-Stealing Box."
Chris took out a rhombus-shaped box of dark silver, its surface etched with mysterious runes.
If Glen had been there, he would have been shocked to discover that this Soul-Stealing Box was identical to the Divine Relic on the old castle's altar.
Miss Douglas frowned slightly. "Another one of these curse-drenched objects. The very air is tainted with an ominous aura the moment you take it out."
"I really don't understand what those Wizards were thinking. Why couldn't they just properly leave their wealth to their descendants instead of setting a curse that's guaranteed to strike whoever takes it?"
"It's completely unusable until it's been purified."
Chris took out the Soul-Stealing Box and gently activated it. The runes on its surface abruptly lit up with a violet glow. Countless tiny, black, face-like wisps of smoke escaped from the box, letting out silent, agonized screams in the air.
An invisible ripple spread out, traveling toward the old castle deep within the Twilight Mountain Range.
In the old castle, the six four-meter-tall suits of Activated Armor immediately awoke, letting out a deafening roar.
Their forms began to twist and contort. Each suit of armor split into three, becoming eighteen two-meter-tall suits. The Giant Axes in their hands also transformed, becoming giant longbows that radiated a chilling aura.
A faint smile appeared on Miss Douglas's exquisite, doll-like face, her childish voice tinged with delight. "However, I'm very grateful for Baron Duval's gift. In addition to proactively offering up one Knight to bear the curse, he also thoughtfully sent five extra followers as sacrifices to help me remove it."
"So I'll be merciful and let you all die peacefully on the first and safest night, sparing you from the even greater horrors to come."