Chapter 22 (2/2)

That evening they quickly reported the results to Leticia and her three grandmas.

“As expected, it’s Kurax.”

This is what they found out.

After being defeated by Erden, Kurax went far to the northern end and passed the seven trials of his tribe. He was recognized as the strongest warrior again.

As soon as Kurax got back, he took revenge on the farthest Halstead and tried to regain his rights.

“At this moment he would most likely…”

Her grandmother’s face was filled with anxiety.

First of all, they called in the captain of the security guard, who is now in charge of defending the castle, to announce the situation.

“We have seen the Stone Golem warrior Kurax in the common market. He’s trying to avenge us by defeating his fellow tribe members.”

“What?”

The captain of the guard was astounded.

“He still doesn’t know the Lord has left the expedition. So we should not jump to conclusions. We’d better keep an eye on his movements.”

“Okay.”

He retired with a nervous look.

Leticia listened to the information anxiously.

‘Please let the days pass quietly. Just 15 days.’

They had longed for it, but in the end, he came.

The Stone Golem people were known for their quick temper, aggressive enemies, and intelligence.

They decided to move first despite their fear of Lord Halstead.

After seven trials, the former warrior is like their tribal ruler.

Kurax organized the Stone Golems with his authority. The goal was to cut the Lord’s throat. He first left Barroza with his advance team to see for himself the situation of Halstead.

Two days later, the bloodthirsty elite “White Men” followed.

There was tension in Halstead. It was the first fight in seven years.

Leticia felt her shoulders getting heavy.

In the presence of God and the devil, she became the Lord’s wife. So now the owner of this castle is Leticia.

It wasn’t just a place.

Leticia has already saved the castle by annihilating the Giant Ant army at the age of 12.

Everyone in Halstead’s castle remembered that time. Their trust in Leticia was deep and firm.

Leticia felt it, too.

‘It’s up to me to get through this crisis!’

She is rich with knowledgeable; subordinates; and experienced old women. But in the end, she had to make her own judgment.

The butler Alexa asked her carefully.

“Madame, what shall we do?”

Leticia thought for a moment and answered.

“First of all, the most important thing is the safety of the people of our castle. Let the village know. We should refrain from going out at this moment, prepare weapons at home, and provide emergency food.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Following the order, Halstead Castle went into the emergency system in a friendly and secret manner.

For the past seven years of peace, the soldiers left in the castle have been training fiercely without any slackness. When the order was issued, they were immediately put on 24-hours alert. They waited only for instructions from above.

The Stone Golems have kept on approaching in the meantime.

Kurax’s advance team fell into mystery when they were investigating Halstead Castle.

Meanwhile, their master who came late surpassed the advance team.

They camped at a nearby ‘spider grave’ and waited for Kurax’s instructions.

The spider’s grave is not very far away. If Halstead’s pursuers ran at full speed, it would have been only half a day.

Are they really going to be in a war?

Leticia is afraid.

The fog of Tarua will make it difficult for them to find the castle.

But how many days will it last?

When everybody fights the Stone Golem with stone, usually humans would bleed and get seriously injured. Of course, there will be a box of it.

She couldn’t stand it because she thought the people who knew each other’s faces were all dying or getting hurt.

Erden would never let that happen.

“Ah, why now…”

It is driving her crazy. Leticia gulped down the cold water.

‘Get yourself together.’

She pressed on herself.

“I can’t win a good fight, even if I am wielding a sword like Erden. But there must be something I can do.”

She calmed herself and headed to the room. She took out a book that was kept in a secret drawer on her desk.

It was the Book of the Great Rain Mill, given by Erden.

Although there is only the front part, she had been glancing at it every single day hoping for some changes for the past seven years. She was at the point of memorizing every single word that remained undamaged.

She read it so much to her three grandmothers that she has now become the official daughter of Halstead.

Nevertheless, she read from the beginning until the end.

‘For those of us who have experienced a higher civilization, what can we do about those demons?’

She thought about it, again and again, hundreds of times.

She thought about those words from the moment she woke up in the morning to the moment she is about to close her eyes at night.

She thought about it while putting bread in her mouth. The next day and the next day, she felt anguish as the dark shade covered her eyes.

“Madame, what are you thinking?”

Even though the grandmothers were worried, they kept thinking about it. Her eyes kept turning to the calendar.

Nine days till the day Erden returns.

Suddenly, they heard a loud noise. Leticia looked out the window.

“Come on!”

“We’ll win!”

The pursuers were quick-witted, and they had already sensed the tension of the castle. Until a few days ago, she had been playing ball, but they had changed their sport and started a knife fight.

Leticia looked at Halstead’s brave children for a moment.

“Don’t make me laugh! I win!”

“Don’t make me laugh!”

“Do you want to bet, then?”

“Okay!”

The children quarreled excitedly.

It was at that moment.

“Ah…!”

Leticia jumped up.

An idea has struck her.