SWY 50

Chapter 5: Back to Verden

The barricaded entrance to Verden was a complete mess. Both the inside and outside of the gate were crammed with abandoned carriages. The wall was so thoroughly soaked and dried with blood that its original color couldn’t even be seen. Rotten corpses, stripped down to white bone, were scattered everywhere.

When the chaos had broken out in the city, people must have lost their minds and rushed the exit all at once, not realizing the outside was just as much hell. It was easy to imagine the horrors of that day.

Sharhan, Lestel, and Derry were momentarily speechless at the horrific sight. Though they had seen similar scenes while passing through other cities, no matter how many times they saw it, they could never get used to it.

‘Fucking bastard Lord Luhas.’

Every time they were confronted with something this terrible, they couldn’t help but curse Lord Luhas. Just as he had intended, the walking corpses spread rapidly.

The vast empire was collapsing like a storm had swept through it. There were survivors here and there, but all of them were simply enduring each day in despair.

“We can’t ride Thunder and Lightning through that, can we?”

Sharhan pushed back the hood of his robe, which he’d been using to block the wind. The passage into Verden was so jammed with carriages that horses couldn’t get through. A person could barely squeeze in.

“Let’s check if we can move the carriages aside.”

Sharhan nodded and dismounted, then flinched. The ground beneath his shoes was sticky from all the blood spilled by countless people. Swarms of insects that fed on corpses crawled around, making his stomach turn.

Lestel came up beside him, clicking his tongue. When their eyes met briefly, Lestel’s expression was heavy. Sharhan felt the same. This place wasn’t like the other cities.

‘Because people I know are in there.’

As they neared Verden, the faces of his guildmates kept coming to mind, unsettling him.

‘I hope they’re all still alive.’

With that silent wish, Sharhan exhaled and stepped forward. First, he had to check inside the carriages to see if there were any walking corpses, and deal with them if there were.

“I’ll keep watch.”

Derry remained mounted on Thunder, scanning the surroundings with wide eyes. A corpse might leap out at the slightest noise, so they couldn’t afford to let their guard down.

Sharhan gave a small nod and approached the nearest carriage. The walls, smeared with bloody handprints, were rusted and filthy, but the carriage had clearly been a luxury one in its day.

Peeking through the torn door, he saw a man slumped against the wall, dead. His withered body, shriveled like a mummy, was covered in jewels. The man was dead, but the gems still sparkled, it was a grotesque contrast.

Sharhan leaned in, wondering if there might be anything useful. Just then, the man’s eyes slowly opened, and his neck turned.

Lifeless eyes fixated on Sharhan, and he began clicking his teeth. Half-rotted and driven by nothing but hunger, he let out a low growl. His arm reached forward, but he moved slowly, his body stiff from having stayed in the same position too long.

“Looks like he was bitten.”

He must have taken refuge inside the carriage and died there. Without hesitation, Sharhan drew his sword and beheaded the man. The head thudded to the corner of the carriage.

He briefly offered a silent prayer, then picked up the travel bag the man had likely grabbed in a rush. Inside were clothes, jewels, and gold coins. The most useless things in the world now.

“Let’s keep these.”

At the very bottom of the bag, Sharhan found a few handkerchiefs. They were soft and clean, good for tending wounds or using as makeshift bandages. He slipped them into his pocket and moved on to the next carriage. Lestel also checked each one in turn.

Judging by their clothes, most of the dead inside had been wealthy. Some were alone, others looked like couples, and some had died clutching children in their arms. Sharhan swallowed the bitter taste rising in his mouth and straightened up.

They slipped through the narrow spaces between the carriages and checked the abandoned ones further inside the city. A lot of time had passed. Whether from the stress or effort, sweat beaded on Sharhan’s forehead despite the cold.

“Do you think we can clear a path wide enough for Thunder and Lightning?”

He took out a water flask and approached Lestel, asking as he drank. Lestel, without hesitation, took the flask and drank from it too, then shook his head.

“No way. They’re all made of metal, and too heavy. It would take too long, and the noise would attract the moving corpses.”

“Are you insane? Why are you drinking my water? Drink your own!”

Lestel had his own flask strapped to his belt. Sharhan pointed at it, grumbling, and Lestel smirked.

“Between us, what’s mine is yours.”

“What exactly are we?”

“The kind that makes out every night?”

“Y-you’re getting filthier by the day, you lunatic.”

Sharhan scowled and edged away from him. But he couldn’t deny what Lestel had said. Since they’d left the old settlement, Lestel had pulled Sharhan into his arms every night and kissed him like it was the most natural thing in the world. Just like cuddling for warmth had become routine, the kissing had too.

Sharhan turned his back to Lestel and touched his own lips.

‘That shallow bastard. How many people did he kiss while we were apart to get that good at it? No wonder someone as naive as me doesn’t stand a chance.’

Caught in a ridiculous assumption, he fumed to himself and vowed he wouldn’t let their lips touch again starting tonight. A promise he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep.

“Lord Sharhan, Lord Lestel. What happened?”

Tired of waiting, Derry walked over and asked. Floating above his palm was a bright red sphere about the size of two adult fists combined.

A fireball.

Derry could now control water and fire with considerable ease. Thanks to his enlarged mana core, he could even sustain a fireball like that for extended periods. He would keep one floating like that and hurl it at any approaching walking corpse, the destructive power was impressive.

“Looks like moving the carriages isn’t going to work.”

“Then what about Thunder and Lightning?”

Derry looked devastated, already deeply attached to the two horses. Sharhan stepped outside the barrier and stroked Lightning’s back as the horse whinnied, whining with affectionate protest. Lestel came out too, gazing at Thunder with a troubled look.

“What do you want to do?”

Sharhan asked, but Lestel didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled out a map and started scanning it. Sharhan leaned over to look with him, but all he could do was sigh.

“It’s either Verden or we go around through the Solance Mountains.”

“No one can enter there.”

Humans couldn’t enter the Solance Mountains, which surrounded Verden. It was treacherous terrain, but the real issue was the magic placed there. According to history, before the greatest archmage of the ancient empire died, he released his beloved beasts into Solance and placed powerful enchantments over the land.

He had made it so hunters couldn’t harm them, and no human could enter at all. Even after centuries, the magic hadn’t weakened. The Solance range remained a place where only animals could pass.

There were countless stories of people who, enticed by the mountain’s beasts or rare herbs, had tried to enter and were struck dead as if by lightning.

“Let’s just go into the city by ourselves.”

Still hesitating, Sharhan looked at Lestel.

“What? You’re saying we should abandon Thunder and Lightning?”

“Moving the carriages just isn’t realistic. Even if we managed it somehow, we don’t know what kind of dangers are waiting inside the city. Thunder and Lightning would be highly tempting targets, for the walking corpses and any survivors.”

Lestel didn’t want to leave the horses behind either. But no matter how he looked at it, taking them into the city would be even more dangerous for them.

So far, the cities they’d passed through had small populations. That meant that, while there were risks, it had been possible to bring the horses through. But Verden was different. It was a large city, overflowing with merchants, nobles, mercenaries, and countless outsiders who had come seeking pleasure.

That meant there would be far more monsters inside, possibly far more survivors too. It wasn’t hard to imagine just how badly they’d want Thunder and Lightning.

“I get what you’re saying. But once we’re out of Verden, we’ll desperately need them again. And more than anything, I’m really attached to them. It’ll be hard to say goodbye.”

The distances between cities were enormous. On foot, it was impossible to guess when they’d reach Selman.

But Lestel had a point, and Sharhan couldn’t ignore it. If they took the horses inside and lost them before their eyes, it would be even more heartbreaking. As Sharhan weighed the decision, Lestel spoke again.

“There’s a whistle for horse training back at my estate. It’s not just an ordinary whistle, it’s a magical item. If we find it and blow it, no matter where we are, they’ll come straight to us. We can’t enter the Solance Mountains, but Thunder and Lightning can.”

“That sounds promising… but do you think they can survive on their own?”

“I think they have a better chance than if we take them into the city.”

“There might be wild beasts.”

“We can only hope they don’t go down that easily.”

The horses were fierce enough to crush a man’s ribs with a single kick. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be taken down so easily. Finally, after long hesitation, Sharhan made his decision.

“…That’s for the best.”

It hurt, but for now, Lestel’s idea was the most reasonable option. Sharhan and Lestel removed all the gear from the saddlebags. Derry, sniffling, stroked the horses gently.

“We’ll survive and meet again, I promise.”

Sharhan gave Lightning a pat on the rump. Lestel did the same. The two horses stood still for a long time, reluctant to leave, until they were smacked once more. Slowly, reluctantly, they began to walk away.

The three of them stood and watched silently until Thunder and Lightning disappeared from view, then turned and walked slowly into the city.