Chapter 168 Hannibal and the crossing

Chapter 168 Hannibal and the crossing

A somber day dawned upon Rusra. The residents had already began the task of cleansing the city of blood and granting a proper funeral to the deceased ones, laying them to rest beside their kin. This city had never experienced so many losses in a single day.

Within the grand hall of the castle, Henry, Olaro, Leier, and the captain were gathered around a circular table, observing an old map found inside the lord's chambers.

"Well, the map we found in my Royal Library didn't have many of these villages and didn't depict these alternate routes" - Henry said, his finger tracing the poorly drawn lines on the map - "It seems like their major cities are all built along the White Merchant Road. So, if we keep going down this route, we might not be able to reach the capital in a month. We have to find another way."

The capital Etrira lay nestled in the southwest of the kingdom, built atop one of the mountains that composed the endless range that stretched from the Frozen Forest to the far away south. The White Merchant Road was the only way up the capital, which was surrounded by the endless rugged peaks, making it extremely difficult to be sieged and attacked. n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Captain, is there any other route to Etrira?" - Henry asked, but the captain shook his head and replied - "I apologize, my lord—my king. Apart from nobles, I doubt anyone inside these walls has ever ventured there." - He couldn't help but feel tense while in the presence of his new king. He almost addressed him as a mere lord rather than his king. This mistake could actually cost his head.

Henry drummed his fingers on the map, pondering - "Are there any nobles remaining in the city?" - he asked again, though he already knew the answer, feeling the need to ask nonetheless. Question often helped him think.

"N-no" - The captain stammered, lowering his head and getting ready for a beating. The previous lord would beat him up whenever he said something displeasing to his ears, making him expect the same treatment. Yet, no punishment befell him, and Henry continued to study the map, searching for a solution. The captain felt relieved.

Henry retrieved a parchment from his clothing, explaining - "There was a book detailing Etrira's construction, which mentioned that miners used the mountains to extract some kind of special rocks requested by the king to be used in the construction" - He unfolded the parchment, revealing countless words on it, like any detailed manuscript - "It's an ancient pass utilized by miners, offering an easier route compared to scaling dozens of steep peaks. We just need to find the first valley and follow it south, then we will reach the capital"

"How do we find the valley?" Leier inquired, her eyes fixed on her king - "The parchment says anything about its location?"

Henry shook his head, gesturing with his hands as he explained - ""No, that's why I want to send two hundred scouts up the mountain as quickly as possible, and I need you to accompany them. And, I nee-"

"Excuse me, my king..." - A timid voice interrupted Henry's explanation, causing him to turn to the captain, who appeared to be struggling to find his words, afraid to be killed out of nowhere - "If you're referring to the Screaming Valley, I have an idea of its location."

"Screaming Valley?" - Henry didn't mind being interrupted, at least not when someone was just trying to give him useful information. He grabbed the man's shoulder rightly, almost breaking his bones, his fingers pressing into the captain's flesh.

Grimacing with discomfort and pain, the captain forced out his words - "It's not far. It's a place where we bring convicts to face punishment according to their crimes. Those with light penalty will be chained there for two days, without food and exposed to the freezing mountain winds. If it's a death penalty, we just push them down."

Henry's grip loosened as he processed the captain's words - "Screaming Valley" - he repeated, a thoughtful expression crossing his face - "That could be our route." Henry turned to Leier - "Prepare a group of scouts" - he instructed, his tone firm, not wishing to delay any second more - "The captain will guide you to the Screaming Valley's location. I need you to verify if it's indeed the valley and assess if our army can pass through it."

Henry felt excited at the thought of finding the valley that could lead them to the capital of Aritreia. If he managed to use the valley, he could surprise his adversaries without them even realizing the predator sneaking on them, ready to pounce and devour them with a single bite.