CHAPTER 19.

I Entered a Class S Gate (1)

The fortress wall seen at dawn was a structure that could hardly be described as grand.

Its height, which could only be gauged by looking up at the sky, seemed to be at least 20 times the height of a person. Not only humans, who were at most around 2 nirno (meters) tall, but even giant monsters would be unable to leap over it.

Oster handed out small portable maps to the executives of Pumong. Areas where monsters resided, like Mount Kaitored, were marked with crosses.

“You must come out before sunset.”

Oster reiterated the point he had emphasized once more last night.

The high-level monsters discovered so far were generally nocturnal mammals. They could distinguish shapes better in the dark than humans and knew how to hunt by following scents.

Above all, they were more resistant to cold than humans. The night, when the temperature dropped, was the best time for them to hunt.

“Brother, don’t worry. The transport team will be out in 3 hours.”

Podrick said, patting Sergi, who was frowning while looking at Rosé.

Only then did Sergi realize that he had been looking worriedly at the Black Cloak and quickly erased his expression.

Unlike the executives, he had resistance to magic closer to that of an ordinary person, so he was scheduled to cover them from the fortress wall with the Red Knights today.

All Sergi could do was signal or shoot arrows if monsters appeared nearby. It made him feel helpless. It was an emotion he had never felt before.

“Be careful.”

Although he said it to Podrick, Sergi’s gaze was directed at the Black Cloak on the horse.

The distance he could accompany her was only up to the front of the gate. From there on, it was entirely up to her.

But as Podrick said, nothing much would happen. The transport team was to pick up the magic stones from the shelter and come out through the gate. It would take, at most, 3 hours.

“I will open the gate.”

Oster signaled to Raymond, who was waiting on the fortress wall.

The gate looked like an ordinary iron door that opened and closed, but it was made of black magic stone to repel monsters.

However, the barrier effect disappeared the moment the gate was opened, so monsters could swarm in. To prevent a situation like that, the Red Knights who had climbed the fortress were keeping watch in all directions.

Fortunately, there were no monsters in sight. Raymond pulled the rope to open the gate.

Screeech.

The iron bars in the archway lifted, opening the entrance. Venter led the way, and the other six followed on horseback through the gate.

Oster, seeing the Black Cloak safely pass through, signaled again. Raymond immediately lowered the rope.

Thud.

Rosé saw the gate close right behind her.

Through the narrow gaps in the bars, she could see Sergi staring at her. But it was only for a moment, as the outer gate of the arch soon closed.

The space outside and inside the fortress wall was truly a separated space, as the word ‘boundary’ suggested. To make her feel the disconnection, a system window appeared shortly.

〈SYSTEM〉 You have entered the gate ‘Kamit.’
Rank Assessment: Class S

A dungeon break where monsters spill out due to a crack in the gate, referred to in this world as an unclosed boundary.

An ‘unclosed boundary’ that couldn’t be graded with a magic stone was none other than a Class S.

It was the first time the system displayed a Class S. Even the strongest monsters had been Class A, and the boundaries had also been Class A. So just how strong was this place?

‘Could there be S-tier monsters?’

With sweaty hands gripping the reins, Rosé scanned the snow-covered surroundings.

An S-tier monster would yield 17 ability points. The expectation of gaining ability points outweighed the fear, a sad fate for someone possessed who needed those points to survive.

Hopefully, it would be something humanoid like a dark elf or a succubus… Rosé imagined a dazzlingly handsome monster casually lowering its pants to reveal its hip bones and hurriedly followed the executives ahead.

“Wow, it looks like a candy house.”

Podrick exclaimed, looking at the village scene draped over the snow. The brick houses huddled together were covered in snow, making them look white.

It was like seeing the sugar candy houses that noble children played with when he was young. The candy houses made by stacking biscuits were entirely white with powdered sugar sprinkled on them.

Remembering that, Podrick frowned. If the roofs were all white like that…

“How are we supposed to find a yellow roof here?”

Beth, apparently thinking the same, irritably ruffled her hair.

The shelter marked on the map was indicated to be in this ‘Ermel Village,’ which is closest to the fortress wall, but its exact location was not described. Even on the map, it was vaguely marked in a blank space.

“They didn’t tell us on purpose.”

Venter spat out the words.

Ermel Village could have been visible from the fortress. It was hard to think they hadn’t told them on purpose.

“Cunning bastards. They want us to search for survivors.”

Beth said, dismounting from her horse. Now they had no choice but to go around checking the roof colors of each house.

It was no different from searching for survivors. Just as the Red Knights initially wanted them to do.

“Why don’t we just take a look around? There aren’t many houses, so it should be quick.”

Lunan, who had been silent all day, said irritably, as if standing around like this was more bothersome. Even though it was called a village, there were only a few dozen houses.

“Sigh… We have no choice.”

Podrick, who had been glaring to find the yellow roof, eventually gave up and dismounted.

Dividing the area was not difficult. The original transport team, consisting of the Black Cloak, Podrick, and Lunan, took the residential area on the left side of the empty snowfield, while the search team, consisting of Venter, Beth, Mingus, and Peon, took the right side.

“Cheeky bastards. This is why I hate the Blue Knights.”

Lunan corrected Podrick, saying, “Red Knights, not Blue Knights,” but Podrick dismissed it, saying they were all the same.

Rosé patted Lunan’s shoulder, indicating to just leave him be. Despite his complaints, he was walking quite diligently.

They started checking the nearest houses. Since the ladders leading to the roofs were broken, they had no choice but to break down the doors and inspect the interiors.

If it was a shelter, it would have weapons and maps, unlike an ordinary house, so it would be easy to identify. But the search shortly ended in vain.

“There’s nothing. It’s just a regular house.”

Podrick said, throwing away an old floral apron that might have been in trend a hundred years ago.

It was a waste of time. There were no weapons or even similar tools like axes or knives. Just rotten cooking ingredients and firewood.

“Let’s move to the next house.”

Podrick headed straight outside, saying there was nothing more to see.

Rosé was about to follow him out when she heard a creaking sound.

‘What was that?’

Rosé swallowed nervously and turned around.

The sound came from the stairs to the kitchen. It was the place Podrick had passed by after checking the apron and dismissing it as nothing worth seeing.

Rosé entered the kitchen, ready to draw her sword if necessary. She saw stairs leading up to the attic next to a small stove.

Creak, someone upstairs noticed Rosé’s presence and moved. If it were a monster, it would have already attacked Podrick.

So, a person?

Clutching the hilt of her sword like a lifeline, Rosé cautiously climbed the stairs. Eventually, she encountered a survivor trembling against the wall.

“Black Cloak. What are you doing not coming out?”

Podrick returned to the kitchen.

“P-Podrick. I think I found someone.”

Rosé pointed to the elderly person she found in the attic. Podrick’s throat bobbed.

Despite the Red Knights’ testimony about hearing a rescue request, he doubted there would be survivors in the ‘unclosed boundary.’ But there really was a person. In this dilapidated brick house.

The hunchbacked elderly person, an old woman, looked to be over seventy. She was emaciated, with purple lips, as if she hadn’t eaten for a long time and had been hiding in the attic. The smell was indescribably foul, as if she hadn’t been able to take care of her bodily needs.

The old woman trembled like a child with her shrunken body. It took a long time just to help her down the stairs.

Podrick, unable to believe it, wiped his face with one hand and alternated his gaze between Rosé and the old woman.

“So, uh. A survivor…?”

Rosé nodded and showed Podrick the old woman’s hand.

The hand, covered in age spots, had a festering wound that hadn’t been treated in time. Bone was visible between the blackened, decaying skin.

It was a recent wound.