On a sunny day, the pure mirror-like dome is cloudless, and only the distant roar of the eagle can be heard.

On the seventh day of departure from Forge, the convoy along the avenue made its way north away from the south near the Gem River to the north of the Prince of Sackland's domain, and the cold wind arrived as expected, and the snow fell, staining everything around it a pure white.

Winter is here.

The blue sky, the silvery earth, and a few fallen pine trees on the horizon at the end of the horizon stood like withered bones in a vast white snow—that's all you can see.

As we got closer to the north, the number of villages and towns dwindled dramatically, and the land with no end in sight was desolate, and with heavy snow and biting winds, the convoy with the Iron Crown had to stop on a gentle slope.

Without any orders, Brandon's guards, more than 300 legionnaires from the Ebonden Legion, built an improvised camping camp as fast as they could, and built several campfires out of branches picked up from the surrounding trees.

"This year's winter seems to have come earlier than usual, well... It seems to be colder, too. ”

While the guards were still setting up camp, Brandon had already found a nearby campfire and sat down comfortably, and by the way, he threw a bottle to the black-haired wizard opposite, and sighed:

"Five days at most, at least four days, we will be able to see the 'famous' Broken Mountain Fortress!"

Ignoring the lovelessness in the other party's tone, Loren, who took the flask, took a sip - there is nothing happier than having wine in a cold and snowy place:

"You've been here?"

"Of course I've been. Each generation of de Salion will be sent to the fortress of Broken Mountain at the age of eleven or twelve, to see the great achievements of our ancestors, and to see the remnants of the dragon kingdom...... The so-called royal education, well... That's it. ”

Brandon grabbed a handful of snow boredly, and played with it as a ball in his hand: "I was sent here with my beloved Imperial Brother and Aunt Fitlonay; naturally, the performance of the three of us will be compared by those adults;"

"My beloved brother was very fond of giving orders at that moment, although only my sister-in-law would listen to him......; Well... I think you've already guessed it. ”

Loren nodded silently.

This Boundary Mountain Fortress was not demolished by him back then, which is enough to prove how strong it is.

"Don't expect the 'loyal' guards of the Broken Mountain Fortress to be as enthusiastic about me as the 'disgraced prince' of the towns of Sackland before me, in fact they didn't disembowel me to prove their loyalty to House de Salion. ”

"So......" looked at the aggrieved one in front of him and blinked, as if he was repenting of his "mistakes" His Royal Highness the Prince, and the black-haired wizard with his temples throbbing gritted his back molars to calm himself down as much as possible:

"What did you do back then?"

"Uh..." Brandon struggled for a moment, holding his cheeks and staring at Loren solemnly, "Can you guarantee that you won't jump up and hit me after I finish speaking?"

“...... I promise. ”

"Uh-huh... Then I won't talk about it, anyway, you'll know when you get to the Broken Mountain Fortress - don't forget, you promised me just now!"

“......”

Loren really wants to hit people now.

"Oh, yes!"

Seeing the expression of his wizard advisor, His Royal Highness the Prince wisely used the "Diversion Technique": "How much do you know about the 'Black Duke' Roland Turin?"

“...... You're diverting the subject, Your Highness Brandon. Loren resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Of course not!" the red-haired boy gave his sweetest smile, which was even too harsh in the reflection of the snow, "I'm just talking about something that is likely to happen next, especially when it comes to the treatment we will suffer." ”

In the next second, the smile on the corner of Brandon's mouth gradually disappeared, and his expression gradually became serious:

"Maybe you also know that your famous ancestor once served in the Broken Mountain Fortress?"

After a moment of silence, the black-haired wizard frowned slightly.

He really doesn't know much about this ancestor - most people only know that Roland Turin was the famous "Black Duke" a hundred years ago, who once brought the Duchy of Byrne to power, and was a very pious man, who once served in the fortress of Broken Mountain and made great achievements, and finally lost his title, causing the House of Turin and the Duchy of Byrne to decline for a hundred years.

And then... Nope.

It's unbelievable - it's only been more than a hundred years since Roland Turin's death, a maximum of three generations, but the life of this "black duke" already sounds like a legend hundreds of years ago!

Other words... Someone is deliberately covering up something?

"Actually, it's nothing, but almost everyone in the Broken Mountain Fortress knows about this 'Black Duke' and what he used to do. Brandon squinted, his crimson pupils were incomparably deep:

"So try not to mention your last name so as not to cause unnecessary trouble, and I'll take care of the rest. ”

Loren, who was silent, replied in the affirmative. At least Brandon is right, in this tense situation, it is better not to cause any accidents, more is better than less.

At this moment, the black-feathered eagle on the tent not far away suddenly flapped and flew up, landing firmly on Loren's shoulder, and the black-haired wizard who had just had a flat expression stood up suddenly!

"Is there any movement?" Brandon, whose face did not change, took a sip of ale, but his right hand was already holding the hilt of the sword at his waist.

The black-haired wizard nodded, his dark pupils staring at the vast expanse of snow in the distance.

Asrael ...... You'd better not be kidding.

"Oh...... You know I've never been careless about this kind of thing. A certain teenager's aggrieved voice sounded in his head, with a bit of ridicule:

"But you're so sloppy that you haven't noticed it until now—dear Loren, you seem to have forgotten where you are, don't you?

It's the north, and the 'bad guys' have already started to invade!"

"Enemy Attack ——!!!!"

The captain of the guard, who was not far away, roared, and then blew the horn, and more than three hundred guards immediately gathered around the camp, and the heavy kite-shaped shields formed a tight shield wall, and the halberds were erected, waiting for the next order.

From the order to the assembly, it was only a matter of a few breaths. The originally empty camp was instantly covered with a black "wall", and the Iron Crown banner fluttering in the snow was hunting.

There was a dead silence, and no sound could be heard.

The black-haired wizard who pulled out his bright silver flew into the carriage, his dark pupils staring into the distance, and on the horizon where white and azure meet, there were only snowflakes flying in the air.

Where is the enemy?

Loren slowly opened his left hand, and the runes floating in his palm were instantly crushed, and there were two gray-blue simple patterns under his cheeks in an instant.

It's good to finally see you this time.

Under the enhanced eyesight, in the originally white world, hordes of shadows were gradually revealed—delicate white hair, light paws, and eyes as cold as ice, rapidly approaching, two hundred, no! at least three hundred!

These swift and silent white shadows did not pounce directly, but kept wandering around, as if they were engaged in a pleasant hunting activity.

And Loren and his party are the prey of "them".

By this point, everyone had seen it clearly—the fierce grinding of teeth, the rough roar, and the pair of blue pupils hidden in the snow.

"They don't seem to mind being found at all?"

"That's because they know we're aware of it, or the monsters would have pounced on us and tore us to sauce. ”

Brandon walked up behind him and said in a tone of utter disgust, "Iceborne werewolves, the vanguard of the monster army - even when there is no monster invasion, these monsters often cross the Broken Mountains, plunder and slaughter the lands north of Sackland, turning entire villages and even towns into their flesh mills!"

"In comparison, the ghouls of Lothair are harmless critters - of course, compared to the monsters of the northern part of Broken Mountain, this is only the tip of the iceberg. ”

Spreading his hands, Brandon de Salion, who grinned, had a playful smile on his face:

"My Wizard Advisor, Lord Loren Turin......

Welcome to the ——!!!! of the North"