Lord of Caldera

But right now, it seemed that someone or something was systematically driving the monsters out.

"It's not a predator. The elves must be devastating the forest," Sylas thought. Only a collective intelligence could raze a vast area while on the move. So why would the elves do something like that? While he didn't know the exact reason, he was certain that they were close enough to human territory to be actively disrupting it. And right around the same time, the Herning Count's family began supplying an increasing number of artifacts.

"It's all starting to come together."

The picture was becoming clearer, though there was still one missing piece. Count Herning's family held the final clue.

Two days after encountering the gang of thugs, Sylas and his party arrived at the estate of Count Hernig. Gazing up at the count's castle, Sylas's mouth dropped open.

"The defenses are almost paranoid," he muttered.

Most estates held by noble families with the rank of count or higher were naturally well-defended, but Count Hernig's castle went even beyond that. Its walls were double-layered, and the moat was astoundingly deep. Arrows were stacked on the walls like firewood, and large vats of boiling oil stood ready at a moment's notice.

"Even with frequent monster attacks, this seems excessive," Sylas thought. If the defenses were solely for keeping out monsters, the moat alone would have been enough. But double walls and boiling oil? It almost looked as if the place were bracing for a siege. As they approached the walls, Leon stepped forward and shouted,

"The Winslow and Vindeln families have responded to the request for reinforcements! Open the gates!"

Soon, the huge drawbridge clattered down. Leading the way, Sylas's party entered first, followed by the Winslow family and Vindeln family members.

As Sylas crossed the drawbridge, he glanced up at the walls.

"Are they not even going to confirm our identity?"@@novelbin@@

"There's no need," Leon replied to Sylas's musings.

"The difference in power between Count Hernig's family and the other four families is too big. Even if we all joined forces to attack, we'd have less than a fifty percent chance of success."

"So, they don't see us as a threat," Sylas said.

"Embarrassingly enough, yes. Honestly, even with this many people, we'd be wiped out pretty quickly if we attacked."

Thus, once they confirmed the purpose of the visit, the guards opened the gates without hesitation. No one in their right mind would suddenly attack just because they were let in. Additionally, the frequent reinforcement requests between families made this informality practical. After all, if they were familiar with each other, there was no need to go through cumbersome formalities every time. For the visiting family, constant verifications were an annoyance; for the host, it was bothersome.

"So usually, we just check the family crest on the banner and open the gates. It's a way of reinforcing trust between us," Leon added.

"I see," Sylas nodded, glancing briefly at Leon, who had been subdued just a short while ago. Now, he approached Sylas with a calm demeanor, a stark contrast to the forced smiles he'd worn before.

"Does it seem odd that I approached you so suddenly?" Leon asked directly, noticing Sylas's expression.

"Honestly, yes," Sylas admitted. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire

"It's nothing special. Watching my sister fight, I realized something," Leon replied.

"And what would that be?" Sylas asked.

"That I'm not worthy of holding her," Leon said with a bitter smile. He had thought he knew the extent of Rey's strength. Power to fight trolls and win easily. Strength to beat any knight in a duel without much trouble. That was the extent of Rey's strength as he had perceived it.

But reality had far exceeded his expectations.

"If she'd wanted, my sister could have leveled this entire estate," Leon thought.

It was like a natural disaster in human form, something neither Leon nor the Winslow family could ever contain. In hindsight, his efforts to win Rey over felt foolish.

"Yet you, Sir Sylas, have managed to hold not only her but also Sir Toby. And you seem to have room for more," Leon noted.

"Haha," Sylas responded with a laugh, though it was a difficult reaction to interpret. However, Leon could tell that this laugh signified agreement with his statement.

"A terrifying person," he thought.

At barely sixteen, Sylas had gained Rey and Toby—more than enough strength to dismantle an entire household. Yet he wasn't satisfied, constantly striving to obtain more. What kind of person would he become when he was fully formed? Just the thought made Leon's hands sweat as he gripped the reins.

"The Winslow family will always support you, Sir Sylas. Please remember that," Leon declared.

It wasn't just a one-time offer; it was a pledge of unwavering support. Smiling, Sylas replied,

"Make sure you keep your word."

Inside the castle, two other banners fluttered beside the Hernig family's. It appeared the other two families had just arrived. As Sylas prepared to part ways with his group, Leon approached him again.

"Sir Sylas, come with me."

"Hm? Where to?" Sylas asked.

"To meet the count, of course. Aren't you an independent commander?" Leon reminded him.

Technically, yes. Although he'd come to aid the Winslow family, Sylas wasn't actually under their command. If anything, he was more like an external ally assisting the Winslows, albeit with only three people under his command.

"Do you think I'll be recognized as a commander if I go?" Sylas asked.

"Don't worry; I'll take care of that. Besides…" Leon leaned close and whispered to Sylas. "Seeing your sister and Sir Toby, the count will likely summon you personally anyway. Show our connection as much as possible before that happens."

"Aha," Sylas replied, understanding immediately. From the count's perspective, it would be preferable to meet directly with Sylas rather than go through the Winslow family. In that case, the count would inevitably try to separate them. So Leon wanted Sylas to emphasize their closeness beforehand.

"I'd be happy to do that for you."

"Thank you. Then, please follow me," Leon said.