Upon hearing the melodic voice of a young woman, the two guards and the soldier on horseback turned their attention towards the carriage.
'The voice... It's so beautiful. There must be a woman of extraordinary grace within this carriage.'
The guards exchanged intrigued glances, for they had never heard such a captivating voice, except perhaps from Madam Layla and her daughters.
'This carriage is absolutely splendid, far surpassing the Turner family's. Who could be inside such an opulent conveyance?'
They shot each other surprised looks, deducing that there must be important figures within, considering the grandeur of the carriage.
'Did we inadvertently offend someone of great significance?'
Cold sweat formed on the backs of the two guards as they realized the gravity of the situation they might have found themselves in.
One guard turned to his comrade, his voice trembling. "D-Did we make a grave error?"
"I-I'm not sure..." the other guard stammered in anxious agreement.
Before long, the carriage's door swung open, revealing a woman adorned in a richly embroidered robe. She stepped out, surveying her surroundings, her gaze falling upon the village entrance.
"It appears we've finally arrived at our destination, Lord Ivan. And what a... sizable village!"
The stunning woman was none other than Lady Diana. She stood in awe, taking in the monumental village entrance and the towering wooden walls that enclosed it.
From the immense fortifications and the grand entrance, she surmised that this village dwarfed any she had ever encountered. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this village outstripped some of the cities within the kingdom itself.
Lady Diana marveled at the sprawling expanse before her. 'I'd heard rumors, but this... It's beyond what I imagined. This can hardly be called a village!'
Lord Ivan joined her, stepping out of the carriage and casting a surprised gaze at the village. "Indeed, this is Pinebrook village. Though it seems to have changed significantly from what I remember. It was much smaller in years past."
The transformation of the village astounded him. 'How can a place change so dramatically in such a short span?'
Lord Joseph, appearing rather disgruntled, emerged from the carriage. He too was taken aback by the village's size. "Lord Ivan, is this truly Pinebrook? It appears far grander than your descriptions, almost verging on city-like."
"Oh, my, you're quite right! It's almost too large to be deemed a village. I wonder when the village head will declare it a city," Lady Eliza chimed in, her voice as melodic as ever.
"Well, it has been a considerable amount of time since my last visit. One can hardly expect a place to remain static," Lord Ivan remarked with a shrug.
Lady Diana nodded in agreement. "Indeed, change is the nature of things. We can't fault a place for growing."
"Right. Lord Ivan, could you inquire why we're stopped at the village entrance and why they're denying us entry?" Lady Eliza asked, her smile bright and gracious.
"Of course, allow me a moment. I'll speak with the guards," Lord Ivan assured her before approaching the two guards stationed at the entrance.
"The lord is quite furious with the two of you. He's personally coming over to reprimand you both," the soldier on horseback jeered, sporting a self-satisfied grin.
The two guards were filled with fear upon the approach of the imposing middle-aged man in his opulent attire.
"Is this the end for us?" one guard murmured, his voice trembling, sweat glistening on his forehead.
"It certainly seems that way..." the other guard agreed, nodding in agreement.
Lord Ivan reached the quivering guards, addressing the soldier, "What is the meaning of this? Why are we being detained at the entrance?"
"It's not us, my lord. They are the ones preventing us from entering the village," the soldier hastily explained, casting a smug look at the guards.
'You two are in serious trouble now...' the soldier gloated inwardly, smiling at the terrified guards.
"Is that so?" Lord Ivan regarded the guards with a mix of dissatisfaction and severity. "Explain why you're obstructing our entry immediately, or face severe consequences. Do you realize who we are?"
The guards quaked in fear, sensing the formidable aura emanating from the middle-aged man. It was evident that the person before them possessed immense strength, capable of dispatching them with ease.
Summoning what little courage he had, one of the guards stammered, "W-We've been instructed by Madam Layla not to permit any carriages into the village."
"Is that the case? I don't see any significant issues, aside from a few minor holes here and there," Lord Ivan observed, scanning the immediate area and noting several small pits in the ground.
"We've been directed to prevent any heavy vehicles from entering the village. The main road is under repair due to a recent monster attack, resulting in large crevices in the ground, some deep enough to consume a grown man," one of the guards elucidated.
"I see..." Lord Ivan responded, comprehending the situation.
"Exactly! That's why we're barring carriages from entering the village, my lord. If you wish to proceed, you'll need to do so on foot."
"I see... Is there no other option?" Lord Ivan inquired, seeking alternatives.
"Forgive us, but there is no other way," the guard responded, shaking his head. "However, you're welcome to park the carriage within the village to ensure its safety."
Suddenly, Lord Joseph's voice reverberated behind them, filled with shock and disbelief, as if he had just witnessed a ghost for the first time in his life.
"WHAT IN THE GODS' NAME HAPPENED TO THE MOUNTAIN?! HOW DID A THIRD OF IT VANISH?!"
Lord Joseph was utterly flabbergasted. How could a portion of the mountain simply disappear? It seemed impossible, and even if it had, where had all the soil and rocks gone?
In response to Lord Joseph's incredulous outburst, Lord Ivan, Lady Eliza, and Lady Diana turned their heads towards the direction he was looking, their expressions mirroring his disbelief.
The sight before them left them frozen, replaced by a profound sense of incredulity. What had transpired here for nearly half the mountain to vanish?
"What on earth happened here? How could almost half the mountain just disappear?" Lord Ivan questioned, his own astonishment evident. He found it hard to accept what he was witnessing—it defied belief.
Lady Eliza and Lady Diana were equally dumbfounded, struggling to grasp the reality of the situation. It seemed mysterious and inexplicable.
"What sort of power could obliterate nearly half a mountain without a trace? It's beyond belief!" Lady Eliza murmured, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Indeed! This is utterly astounding! Who could have done this?" Lady Diana nodded, still trying to process what lay before her.
"Look there, at that enormous pit! Who could have created such a massive crater? What kind of magic could cause this level of devastation?" Lord Ivan's voice rang out, surprising Lord Joseph, Lady Eliza, and Lady Diana as they turned to see where he was pointing.
"Oh, my heavens, this thing is colossal! How could this even happen?" Lady Eliza marveled at the immense size of the crater—it was nearly eight meters deep.
Lord Ivan turned to the two guards and inquired, "Could you tell me what transpired here? How did a portion of the mountain vanish, and how did this enormous crater come to be?"
The guards exchanged glances, hesitating before one of them finally spoke up. "It all happened when the Lord of the Mountain attacked our village with a horde of thousands of monsters. Our village's hero wielded a sword the size of his own body, and with a swing, nearly half the monsters disappeared along with a section of the mountain."
Lady Eliza, intrigued, inquired about the massive crater. She couldn't help but wonder what had led to its creation.
The guard, momentarily captivated by Lady Eliza's allure, found it hard to tear his gaze away. "Ahem! Well, that too was the doing of our village's hero. I'm not sure what kind of spell he employed, but when he raised his sword skyward with both hands, a towering pillar of light pierced the heavens. With a single swing of his sword, he slew the Lord of the Mountain, resulting in the formation of the crater."
"Is that so? Nevertheless, it's still hard to fathom someone wielding a sword of such size, let alone creating a crater and destroying a significant portion of the mountain with it. It seems implausible," Lady Eliza murmured, appearing somewhat dazed.
"But it's the truth. We witnessed it with our own eyes. It's up to you whether or not you choose to believe it," the guard replied, resuming his duties alongside his colleague.
Lord Joseph approached Lady Eliza, his tone grave. "Lady Eliza, have you noticed there are no mana fluctuations here, despite the use of such powerful spells? Given the magnitude of the spell's power, there should be strong mana fluctuations. It's rather peculiar, don't you think?"
"You're right! It is peculiar. After such a colossal spell, mana fluctuations typically persist in the area for over a decade, but that doesn't seem to be the case here," Lady Eliza concurred, recognizing the anomaly.
"I can't agree more. This is a profound mystery for us. How could such a thing be possible? It appears we must investigate this matter further, as it poses a serious threat to our kingdom's well-being," Lord Ivan remarked in a low yet serious tone.
Lady Diana nodded in agreement. "Indeed, this level of power is a significant concern for our kingdom."
"I'm particularly intrigued by the spell itself. What manner of incantation leaves no residual mana? If we unravel the secret behind this spell, it could revolutionize the entire field of magical theory and spellcasting, leading to more efficient spells with reduced mana consumption," Lady Eliza enthused, envisioning the possibilities.
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