Chapter 11: [Side Story] The Fortress City, Crossroad

Chapter 11: [Side Story] The Fortress City, Crossroad

The carriage shuddered with every turn of the wheels.

"Yawn..."

A yawn slipped from my mouth as the carriage gently rocked to and fro.

It had been three days since we left the forward base, making our way northward in the carriage.

Our pace was slow, burdened with caring for the injured and I was one of them.

"So boring..."

I grumbled, sinking deeper into the plush seat of the carriage. The persistent ache in my back was worsened by hours of sitting.

"Lucas! Are we there yet?"

"Well be there soon, Your Highness! Just a little longer!"

My shout was directed at Lucas, who was at the helm of the carriage, and his response was a familiar echo, having heard it no less than five times before.

Why was this conversation on a repetitive loop like a kid in car?

"Oh, geez..."

With a sigh, I sprawled on the seat, and a jingling sound drew my attention to my neck.

A necklace.

With my bandaged hand, I clumsily untied the necklace and cradled it in my palm.

More of a choker than a necklace, it was made of black leather, adorned with a metallic centerpiece.

The reward for clearing the tutorial stage.

Upon clearing Stage 0, a reward box had materialized in my inventory. This was the prize inside.

Initially, I was puzzled about what an inventory was, but it turned out to be a pocket dimension that spontaneously appeared from nowhere.

I wasnt certain if I had the power to store and retrieve items at will like some kind of Dora*mon, but well, its a game world...

[???s Necklace]

- Its function has not been unlocked yet.

- It will be usable after the story progresses.

A frown creased my forehead as I studied the enigmatic necklace.

There wasnt supposed to be a reward for Stage 0 as it was deemed unbeatable.

But I had prevailed, and this mysterious necklace was the fruit of my efforts, having emerged from the reward box. Its purpose, however, remained elusive...

Well, its purpose will reveal itself in due time.

I refastened the necklace around my neck.

A burn marred my neck from the recent battle, but it was a minor injury that had healed quickly, leaving behind a scar. The necklace served as a handy cover.

Dont worry about this item, what about the others....

I summoned my status window.

[Ash(EX)]

- Level: 5

- Title: Mad 3rd Prince

- Profession: Novice (Job selection now available!)

- Strength 2, Agility 3, Intelligence 5, Stamina 2, Magic Power 3

"Hmm..."

I let out a sigh while scrutinizing my vaguely increased stats. Their growth seemed sporadic, not indicating a specialized character, yet too low for an all-rounder.

Stat development in this game was entirely automated.

They primarily grew based on the stats utilized in battle... but occasionally, a random stat would increase as well.

Im leaning towards a DPS Tank.

A character capable of dealing significant damage and taking hits was a DPS Tank.

In this game, the units with the highest survival rate belonged to the DPS Tank category.

I contemplated molding myself into a DPS Tank, but with my current stats...

Judging by the stats, they suggested a mage, but then again, they seemed too random to define a specific class...

At first, I hadnt even picked a class.

Thanks to the unpredictable job selection, I hadnt determined my characters growth direction yet. So, I opened the job window.

Every character in the game chose their profession at level 5 (all game characters begin at level 5 or above), with further class advancements offered every 15 levels.

You take the first class advancement at level 20, then at 35, and finally at level 50.

But I had started the game at level 1, and only just hit level 5, the point where I could choose my job.

[Available Jobs]

- Novice Knight

- Novice Wizard

- Novice Priest

- Novice Warrior

- Novice ...

The list seemed to stretch on forever, presenting every job conceivable in the game.

So, could I shape my character however I wished? Was this some kind of Wild Card?

If that was the case, I wouldve chosen a job based on its usefulness. But the problem lay at the lists end.

[Available Jobs]

- Novice Commander <Special benefit of Hells Ironman achievement>

A class category that I had never encountered during my gameplay was glaringly displayed.

A commander?

A bonus from the Hells Ironman achievement. So, what was it? A secret class or something?

Why would they be? Their freshly assigned lord and commander, namely me, had barely survived after sending troops straight into the fray.

However, the initial gloom on their faces soon morphed into surprise.

All because of the cargo hauled by the wagon tailing mine.

"Hey, is that..."

"Cant be, are those all magic stones?"

Their murmurs confirmed that all was going as per the plan.

Brazenly stacked on the wagon behind were hundreds of Black Spider Legions magic stones.

In this world of magical civilization, magic stones were as valuable as oil.

Magic stones, extractable from monster carcasses, were the citys most important strategic resource.

They were also the primary reason we could hold this front line, even with the heavy toll on human lives.

But recently, as monster activity dwindled, so too did the magic stone harvest. The citys revenue was waning.

Yet, I had vanquished the Black Spider Legion and amassed nearly 400 magic stones.

These were monsters between levels 55 and 60, hence, the magic stones were of exceptional purity.

A rough estimate would value them exceedingly high, enough to alleviate budget concerns for a bit.

If youve conquered a stage deemed unbeatable, this level of reward is to be expected.

At this juncture, the citizens trust in me was beyond abysmal.

The situation mirrored the game. At the games inception, the citizens neither trusted the player nor harbored any liking for them.

But by the third year, the citizens would regard the player with affection and unwavering loyalty.

In the end, there was only one way to their hearts.

Money.

Spent judiciously and resolutely.

As I was mulling over how to utilize the proceeds from these magic stones, the carriage had already reached the lords mansion.

"Weve arrived, Your Highness."

Lucas, alighting from the drivers seat, opened the carriage door for me. I stepped out unhurriedly.

The lords mansion at the crossroads.

This antique beauty of red bricks and marble was showing its age but retained a certain charm. It was quite expansive.

Its a far cry from the single room I used to inhabit.

While I was marveling at this...

"Oh dear, oh dear, my lord!"

A man burst through the mansion doors and hurried towards us.

"Im so relieved that youre safe, my lord!"

He was a young man, his ash-grey hair in disarray, peering through thick glasses.

The man who had been bounding towards me corrected his form of address as he came to a halt in front of me.

"No, no, I shouldnt call you lord. Please forgive me, Your Royal Highness!"

"Its fine, you can call me lord."

I chuckled, assuring this grey-haired young man. He then clasped my bandaged hand and broke down in tears.

"Lord, I feared terribly that you might have sustained injuries!"

This character, radiating an undercurrent of crafty servility, was named Aider.

In the game, he acted as an NPC responsible for city management, meaning practically all administrative duties in Crossroad were dealt with through him.

From constructing facilities to recruiting troops, to managing minutiae of the system....

The same likely held true here. City management tasks would be executed in partnership with him.

"Please come in! Weve prepared a warm bath for you, and dinner is ready! Tonight, just rest!"

With considerable fatigue weighing me down, my intent was indeed to recuperate for the day.

Following Aiders lead into the mansion, I looked back at Lucas and gave a nod.

"Let the soldiers rest. Lucas, you too, take it easy and catch some good sleep."

"But, Your Highness, your protection..."

"Weve had enough for today. Rest well, and well resume tomorrow."

Reluctantly, Lucas conceded.

"As you wish, Your Highness."

After a respectful bow to me, Lucas headed towards his quarters, which seemed to be on the ground floor.

Aider ushered me to my room on the second floor.

"Come, my lord! A hot bath will erase your journeys weariness and the lingering scent of battle~"

"Right, lead the way."

Accepting Aiders offer, I stepped into the bathroom adjoining my room.

A roomy tub filled with warm water exuded a soothing fragrance.

I had gone too long without a proper bath. I yearned to purify myself at the earliest. With bandaged hands, I awkwardly fiddled with my shirt buttons.

However...

"But honestly, RetroAddict, that was rather remarkable."

I stiffened at the voice originating from behind.

"Who would have expected you to conquer the tutorial in such a manner, it never crossed my mind."

"You...?"

Taken by surprise, I swiftly turned around.

Aider, who had shut not only the room but also the bathroom door, beamed at me.

"Why the secrecy? Yes, its me! I am the director of Protect the Empire, Aider~"