NOVPUBThe crowd stared at Ghislain with puzzled expressions.
Even now, they were securing their territory, erecting palisades, and constructing defensive walls. But suddenly, what was this talk about building a fortress?
No one built fortresses in the forest. At most, temporary defenses were set up to fend off the occasional monster, but that wasn’t the case here.
They hadn’t even reached their intended destination. This wasn’t a strategic point or a supply route, so constructing a fortress here seemed excessive.
Gillian asked for clarification.
“I believe we’re still a ways from our destination. Are you sure we’re building a fortress and not just a defensive wall?”
“Yes, it’s temporary, but it still needs to be fortress-level. Everyone will need to pitch in.”
“Constructing a fortress will take time.”
“Then we’ll do it quickly. With this many people, it’s more than doable.”
“...Understood.”
The group moved as Ghislain commanded. They had learned through experience that it was better to follow the lord’s orders in this forest without question.
Not that they had much choice, considering Ghislain wasn’t exactly the type to entertain objections.
As thousands of soldiers and laborers began to move, the fortress quickly started to take shape.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The relentless sound of trees being felled echoed through the air. The surrounding area swiftly turned into a clearing as they worked to expand their territory.
Fortunately, there was no shortage of timber. They had been cutting trees in vast quantities during their march, and the forest’s resources seemed endless.
The trees in the Forest of Beasts were far larger and sturdier than those found elsewhere. When layered, even a wooden wall could rival the durability of a stone barrier.
Ghislain inspected the outer perimeter of the forming fortress and called for the dwarves.
“Construct watchtowers so we can launch ranged attacks.”
Galbarik nodded. Wooden fortifications could serve as defensive walls, but they weren’t suitable for fighting atop.
The plan was to elevate platforms to serve as makeshift ramparts, though their effectiveness would naturally fall short of true stone walls.
Hence, they needed watchtowers to better respond to external threats.
“Of course, a proper fortress should have watchtowers. Standard practice is to place them at all four corners—”
“No, not like that. Build them densely, packed right along the walls. Considering the size of this place, we’ll need about... a hundred towers.”
“A hundred...?”
Galbarik’s face turned pale at the suggestion.
The lord, known for his vast knowledge, never acted without reason. Ghislain typically preferred direct combat over elaborate defenses. If he was putting this much effort into building a fortress, it could only mean one thing: their enemy was no ordinary foe.
The uneasy feeling in Galbarik’s chest only deepened.
But Ghislain wasn’t done.
“Also, build catapults. Dozens of them. Precision doesn’t matter. Range doesn’t have to be exceptional either. They just need to be capable of bombarding this area. Use them once, and we’ll discard them. Got it?”
“...Understood.”
Galbarik hesitated before cautiously asking, his expression tense.
“My lord... Is the enemy we’re facing this time truly dangerous? I’ve never seen you prepare so extensively.”
Others might have felt some tension at Ghislain’s preparations, but they weren’t overly concerned. Ghislain had always found a way to handle things.
However, Galbarik, who had worked with him the longest, could tell that these measures were out of the ordinary.
“There are no harmless foes in this forest.”
Ghislain offered no further explanation. There was no need to stir anxiety among the workers prematurely.
They had a goal to reach, and anything in their way would have to be dealt with.
If the workers knew now, they might panic or try to desert. It was better to reveal the truth after the fortress was complete.
“I’ll explain once preparations are finished. Until then, I want to avoid spreading unease.”
“...Understood.”
Galbarik nodded, his shoulders heavy under the weight of Ghislain’s words.
As he turned to leave, Ghislain called out again.
“Galbarik.”
“...?”
“Make it exceptionally sturdy. You know what I mean.”
Galbarik broke into a grin.
“I’m a dwarf, my lord. Craftsmanship on this continent has no rival. Even the elves can’t compete with me.”
Ghislain chuckled at Galbarik’s confident reply. It seemed the dwarves’ pride had been bruised by the recent contributions of the elves.
True to their boasts, the dwarves constructed a fortress so solid it was hard to believe it was made of wood.
The mages, too, played a significant role. Their skill in refining materials and engraving magic circles made them indispensable. Tasks that would have otherwise taken days were completed in hours with their assistance.
The construction of the catapults took longer than expected. The dwarves worked tirelessly, using the sinews of the monsters they had hunted.
“Gather all the sinews from the monsters we’ve killed.”
“The ogres we took down recently should work fine.”
“They don’t need to be precise. Quantity is what matters.”
Building catapults required engineering knowledge, so the task fell primarily to the dwarves. Laborers and soldiers could only assist with basic tasks.
After days of work, they completed dozens of makeshift catapults.
Galbarik examined them, scratching his chin.
“Hmm... Will these really suffice?”
Frankly, they were too crude for real warfare. Their range and accuracy were far inferior to proper catapults.
Catapults were designed for sieging walls. They needed greater range than arrows and high precision to destroy fortifications.
These, however, were cobbled together hastily, with performance barely half that of standard catapults.
Still, it was only thanks to the dwarves’ expertise that they had been built at all. Yet Galbarik remained unsatisfied.
“Shouldn’t we request proper siege equipment from Ferdium? They could send us better ones.”
“There’s no need. We don’t have enough for a full siege anyway. What matters now is sheer volume.”
“But these are lacking in performance.”
To demonstrate, Ghislain tested one of the catapults. While it lacked the range and precision of standard models, its destructive power was sufficient.
Even with reduced performance, the result would still be lethal to humans.
Ghislain smiled, clapping Galbarik on the shoulder.
“This is more than enough.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“Yes. What matters is overwhelming force. We’re going to bombard them relentlessly.”
With the lord’s approval, there was no room for further objections. The dwarves nodded reluctantly, though their expressions were still uncertain.
As everyone dedicated themselves to their tasks, the preparations were completed within days.
The workers marveled at the fortress they had built.
“Wow... This is incredible.”
“It looks like it could hold back even an army of ogres.”
“It feels like a waste to leave it in this forest.”
Though it lacked proper internal facilities, the fortress was sturdy enough to seem excessive for its purpose.
The towering walls were built exactly to Ghislain’s specifications, with multiple layers of thick timber rivaling stone walls.
Countless watchtowers and catapults lined the perimeter. It looked capable of withstanding an army of thousands.
Of course, it would be vulnerable to fire arrows, but Ghislain wouldn’t have built such a structure if their enemies relied on fire.
After inspecting the fortress, Ghislain issued a new command.
“Clear all the area in front of the fortress. Ensure we have an unobstructed view.”
As construction continued, nearly all the trees around the area had been cut down. However, just a short distance beyond the clearing, the forest was still densely packed with trees.
Such dense forestry significantly reduced the effectiveness of attacks against monsters, as the tightly-knit trees acted as a barrier, intercepting arrows and catapult projectiles.
Gillian, aware of the tactical disadvantage, calculated the necessary clearing distance and asked,
“How much space should we secure?”
“Enough so that even if we use fire, it won’t spread uncontrollably through the forest.”
“Understood.”
This meant they needed to clear an immense area. Soldiers and workers immediately began cutting down trees outside the fortress perimeter.
Thud! Crash! Thud!
Massive trees toppled to the ground and were carried into the fortress. With such indiscriminate clearing, it was inevitable that they would encounter monsters.
“Kraaaagh!”
They came across both monsters they had seen before and new ones. But the soldiers, confident in their overwhelming numbers, easily dispatched them.
Once the area around them was cleared, the soldiers ventured further into the forest—and encountered them again.
“Screeeech!”
The grotesque creatures, known as Grex, appeared. Only a handful of them this time, but as soon as they spotted the soldiers, they scuttled forward, their claw-like appendages raised high, and their spider-like legs moving erratically.
The soldiers grimaced at the sight.
“Ugh, they’re even more disgusting alive.”
“They’re not that strong, though.”
“Let’s just kill them quickly and get back to work.”
Twang!
The Grex didn’t even get close. The elves, waiting behind the soldiers, fired arrows that pierced the creatures’ bodies, dropping them instantly.
“Wow, these things are really weak.”
“They’re basically no different from humans, right?”
“Still, those claws are sharp enough to dig through solid ground, so stay cautious.”
Despite their confidence, the soldiers had learned not to underestimate any opponent. They kept their focus as they continued to cut down trees and advance.
“Screeeech!”
The unsettling cries of the Grex rang out again as they reappeared. The frequency of their appearances was increasing.
Once again, the soldiers dealt with the creatures swiftly. However, in the area where the Grex had appeared, they discovered something new.
“What’s this?”
“It looks like a hole?”
“Did they dig this?”
The soldiers gathered around several holes in the ground, curiosity evident in their expressions. It was the first time they had seen such pits in this forest.
“Step back!”
As the soldiers approached the holes, Lumina and the elves rushed forward, shouting a warning.
The elves immediately began firing arrows into the holes.
Thwip-thwip-thwip!
“Screeeech!”
Terrifying screams erupted from within the holes. The soldiers realized that Grex had been hiding underground.
As the Grex were struck by the arrows, they scuttled out of the holes, only to be killed instantly by more elven arrows.
“It’s done now. Fill in the holes and fall back,” Lumina instructed.
The soldiers, visibly shaken, quickly filled the holes and retreated.
After receiving a report on the incident, Ghislain issued new orders to Gillian.
“This is as far as we advance. Seal the fortress gates.”
“Seal the gates, my lord?”
“The gates are the weakest points of the walls. Reinforce them completely and leave only the rear gate for supplies.”
“Does this mean we won’t be advancing further?”
“From now on, everyone stays within the fortress. If anyone needs to leave, they’ll use ropes to descend and return.”
Isolating themselves inside the forest... Just how powerful was the enemy they were preparing to face for Ghislain to take such defensive measures?
Kaor, who had recently fought many monsters in the Shadow Mountains, asked,
“This feels like we’re preparing for a monster wave. Does the Forest of Beasts have something like that?”
“Something similar. We’ve built this fortress to handle a large-scale monster attack.”
“Hmm, and when does this start?”
“That’s up to us now. Everything is ready.”
“We decide? Are you saying we can cause a monster wave ourselves?” Kaor asked, his tone incredulous. How could they possibly trigger a monster wave?
Ghislain smirked knowingly and began to explain.
“We’ve learned something new about the Grex during our investigations. Among the scout teams that were wiped out, one mage miraculously returned alive and revealed the location of the Grex leader. The leader resides deep within their territory, in a highly protected and comfortable area. We call this leader the ‘Queen.’
"The Queen feeds on the prey brought to her by the Grex and lays eggs, which they bury deep underground.”
Kaor frowned.
“And how exactly do we trigger a wave?”
Ghislain’s smirk deepened as he looked around at the others.
“If they won’t listen, we’ll make them.”
“And how do we do that?”
“We kidnap the Queen Grex.”
Gasps rippled through the group.
Ghislain continued, his voice cold and determined.
“The Queen might not appear threatening at first glance. She spends her days peacefully feeding, surrounded by weak escorts. How she survives in such a dangerous environment is a mystery. But one thing is clear—if we remove her from her domain, chaos will follow. That chaos is exactly what we need.”
With a glint in his eye, Ghislain concluded,
“We’re going to capture her.”
