Using the precious teleportation scroll, I arrived just in front of the kingdom’s border.
Crossing the border using a teleportation scroll would violate continental law, and the penalties are severe. Although the kingdom is likely in utter chaos, as the princess mentioned, I didn’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Teleporting too close to the destination might also draw unwanted attention.
I crossed the border on foot and headed towards the potential locations where the princess is being held. There were about four potential sites, all bases of the kingdom’s army, which had staged the coup. The coup’s core is the kingdom’s second army, controlled by the kingdom’s marshal. So, the mastermind this time is the kingdom’s marshal, huh?
The kingdom’s army should really sort out its own issues.
But this information is mostly state secrets. It’s impressive they gathered so much about another country’s military bases and details, even if the princess is friendly with them; they’re still a potential enemy.
According to the information from the princess, the kingdom’s army consists of three units. The second army, the largest, primarily handles monster subjugation and border defense. It is slightly smaller in number than the combined first and third armies.
If the first and third armies clash with the second army… it would be a hellish scenario. Would the second army stop if the princess were freed from their grasp? Why did they stage a coup in the first place? Unless the princess herself instigated it, it’s hard to see any legitimacy in the coup’s cause.
However, stopping this war is not my role. Using the power of the Thunder Sword, I quickly arrived at one of the candidate sites.
This is one of the fortresses guarding the border. Would they really confine the princess in such a place?
…Strange. There isn’t a single soldier. Even I know that someone should be here, given the fortress’s significance.
It seems they left in a hurry. The place was somewhat disordered. I searched inside, but there were no signs of anyone. If only I had a detection spell, or a nose like Nia’s.
Even with considerable information, this mission is quite challenging. There are tools to substitute for detection magic, but they aren’t very reliable. Their accuracy is lower compared to scouts.
…This is strange. The situation itself is strange. In what appeared to be the dining hall, there were traces of people abruptly leaving in the middle of a meal. For several people, in fact. This will lead to food spoiling and diseases. The cleanup would be quite a task.
There should be no urgent need to leave the fortress in such a state, even if they planned to return later. The armory is also odd.
If they were uprising, they would first take weapons and ammunition. They would need at least a sword or spear.
However, the armory was fully stocked with weapons, arrows, and bows.
It’s as if… the people inside the fortress vanished suddenly. Thinking this, the atmosphere inside the fortress seemed thick and eerie.
Unsettling. That’s the best word for it.
Clicking my tongue, I left the fortress.
There’s nothing here. No one is here.
Of the four candidate sites where the princess might be, I searched three, and they were all the same as the first fortress.
No one was there. Clear signs of people vanishing abruptly, leaving weapons behind.
There were no patrol soldiers on the way either.
It’s as if the entire second army vanished.
There’s no doubt this is not a normal situation, but I have no idea what’s happening.
The fourth site was almost the same.
However, when I searched the back room, I found one person collapsed.
Judging by her appearance, she was a female mage.
Her robe bore the insignia of the second army, so she was definitely a military mage.
She was extremely weakened but still breathing. I gave her a potion, and her pale face regained some color.
After slapping her cheeks to wake her up, the female mage regained consciousness.
“Ugh…”
She held her head, seemingly in pain.
“Who are you? Did you help me?”
“I’m an adventurer. The fortress seemed strange, so I came to check… What happened?”
I wasn’t lying. From the outside, the situation is extremely abnormal.
“I don’t know… Suddenly, our life force was being drained. I tried to fend it off, but couldn’t. The other soldiers couldn’t resist at all… Ugh…”
The female mage seemed to remember the sight and vomited.
She curled up and trembled. She must have seen something terrifying.
Most likely, the entire base had its life force drained. The lack of corpses suggests the bodies were also consumed after being drained.
The fact that this mage survived was just luck. She was close to death. If she managed to resist even a bit, it means this was caused by some form of magic.
The reason I was safe entering the fortress must be because it was already over.
I gave her another potion.
“Thank you. I feel much better. I need to report this to the capital immediately. If such magic were used on the king or the princess, it would be catastrophic.”
I was nearly shocked by her words but maintained my composure. Wait, isn’t she a second army mage? This is vastly different from what I was told. Does she not know anything?
“That’s right. Rest a bit, then head to the capital.”
She lacked the stamina to make it immediately. She attempted to leave for the capital but soon fell into a deep sleep.
It’s unlikely bandits would enter the fortress, but she is a valuable witness. I can’t let her die. After laying her on a bed, I sat in a chair.
I held my head in my hands.
Something outrageous is happening.
There’s no doubt the second army eliminated the guards, kidnapped the princess, and staged a coup. That’s why the princess sent me to the kingdom. However, it was likely carried out by those in the capital, while the rest of the second army, waiting elsewhere, had their life force drained and their bodies vanished.
The information about the candidate sites was probably false.
If the second army only had those in the capital, it wouldn’t be able to fight the combined first and third armies.
Contradictions and mysteries.
The drained life force must be vast. What do they intend to use it for? And where is the princess?
Humans are such a hassle. Monsters are much easier.
I decided to wait for the female mage to wake up.
