"We have returned."
"Chomp chomp… Whoa!?"
Without speaking to one another, Marcellus and I sat amidst the wheat fields, gnawing on dried fish and awaiting the arrival of the other two. Surprisingly, they returned sooner than I anticipated. While I had long since sensed their approaching spiritual power, Marcellus seemed taken aback, oblivious to their presence.
Rinne cast a deadpan gaze in my direction, while Marcellus hastily finished his mouthful of fish and shot me an accusing look, as if to say, "If you knew, you should have informed me." But even if I were willing to initiate a conversation, I couldn't speak yet. Hence, I continued devouring the fish, bones and all, without a care.
"Cough cough. It doesn't seem like you have been spotted… Can I have the projection orb back?"
"Of course. Here you go."
Ah, so that's what the tool is called—a projection orb. Marcellus accepted the orb returned by Mika and started watching the stored recordings amidst the wheat field. I observed the images with my compound eyes, but most of it was just the interiors of buildings, making it difficult to comprehend. Nevertheless, Marcellus studied the images with a solemn expression on his face.
What surprised me was the fact that the images preserved within the orb showed the body shape and look of the invading soldiers. I had never seen humanoid beings with blue skin like that before. It was understandable to be astonished. However, Marcellus seemed to already know about them and nonchalantly switched to the next image without any particular reaction.
"It appears to be a grain storage facility… but the quantity is simply astounding. Could it be that all the towers have this much food stored?"
"That possibility seems quite likely." Mika replied.
"If that assumption is correct, then the amount of food here alone could sustain a massive army and still leave an abundance. And on top of that, there are still crops that can be harvested."
Saying so, Marcellus grabbed a stalk of wheat near him and lightly shook it. In any case, what we had discovered through the facility's Infiltration was the invaders' diligent production of food. Though, I couldn't grasp just how crucial this information was.
Afterward, Marcellus fell into contemplation for a while. Then, as if realizing there was no other choice, he ceased his pondering, looked at us, and opened his mouth, saying, "We have no choice but to proceed."
"Rinne, if we remain nearly motionless, is it possible for all of us to disappear from sight?"
"If we stay still, it shouldn't be a problem. However, If all four of us are moving frantically… even if it's possible, the effect would only last for a few seconds."
"That should be enough. Listen, all three of you. We are going to investigate how far the supplies transported from that facility go. To do that, we'll turn invisible with the help of Rinne's illusion arts and jump onto that cart-like metal boxes."
Wait, hold on. Isn't that idea quite absurd? Those cart-like metal boxes are constantly coming and going; hence, the risk of being noticed is extremely high. Even if we disappear from sight, the impact of physical contact can still be sensed.
However, Marcellus seems to believe that there's a chance of success. He pointed his finger towards the nearest metal box. What he was focusing on is the door behind it, with metal rods on either side.
"If we hold onto those, we'll be less likely to be discovered. When we're found, we'll make a run for it with all our might. Let's do it."
To be honest, I'd rather be spared from this endeavor, but Marcellus exuded unwavering confidence in his plan. I surveyed their expressions with my compound eyes—Mika maintained his usual smile, while Rinne silently bolstered her spiritual power, preparing to unleash her spiritual arts. It appeared there was no escape… I found myself compelled to brace myself and follow along.
We moved through the wheat fields, with Mika in the lead. As we arrived by the Empire's highway, we lay low, waiting for the ideal opportunity. Even though the invading army had destroyed the empire's port city, it seemed they were still utilizing the highway.
Crouching in the wheat field, we agreed on the details of the plan while Rinne used her spiritual arts to make our bodies vanish from sight. Since we could still see each other, I wasn't quite sure if I truly became invisible. Let's just trust in Rinne's spiritual arts for now.
"It's about time… Follow my lead,"
First, Marcellus dashed out of the wheat field. He grabbed onto the metal rod protruding from behind the moving metal box in front of him to secure himself. Marcellus's strategy had proven successful.
"Let's go as well."
"….Okay."
Mika and Rinne followed suit. Rinne needed to concentrate on controlling her spiritual arts, making it difficult for her to run around like the rest of us. However, Mika was there to support her.
Mika lifted Rinne in a sideways embrace, leaping and landing on the roof of another, one of the metal boxes moving behind the one that Marcellus had jumped on. His movements were fluid, and the metal box did not sway at all. Perhaps I should use that graceful maneuver as a reference.
Finally it was my turn, I crouched low and leaped towards the third metal box, landing on its roof. However, since I judged it difficult to land as softly as Mika using only two legs, I utilized all four of my limbs. Someday, I aspire to achieve the same level of agility as Mika.
The metal boxes continued their rapid movement, maintaining a speed akin to a galloping horse. They showed no signs of slowing down, smoothly progressing along the paved road. On either side, tall wheat fields stretched out, their stalks swaying and rustling with a gentle sound whenever the wind brushed against them.
(Hmm?)
Just as I wondered if the wheat fields would continue endlessly, they abruptly gave way to a vast expanse of wilderness. Instead of fields, all I could see were harvested stalks of wheat remaining on the ground, indicating that this was a field that had already been harvested. Marcellus captured this scene with his projection orb as well.
By the time we had advanced through the post-harvested farmland, which had transformed into a wilderness-like terrain, dusk started settling, and finally, a change appeared in the monotonous scenery. In the distance, we caught sight of a bustling port city at the end of the road.
This place, which seemed to have once been the empire's port city, had been preserved and utilized without substantial destruction. The road we were currently on was positioned slightly higher than the port city, allowing us to have a bird's-eye view of its entirety.
The port city was enclosed by thick, triple-layered metallic walls, seemingly constructed by the invading forces. Overcoming a single outer wall would pose a challenge on its own, yet they had reinforced it with three layers. Naturally, countless cylindrical-shaped weapons were mounted on the triple-layered walls, surpassing the strength of any fortress. One could only imagine how many lives would be lost in the attempt of reclaiming this place.
On the seaside of the port, three black and large… presumably metallic, ships were moored. They were vastly different in size and shape from the small boats stranded near the fishermen's huts. It was unclear whether they were merely covered in a metal surface or entirely made of metal. From this distance, it was impossible to determine.
However, one thing was certain. Each ship was equipped with large cylindrical weapons that resembled those mounted on the fire breathing war chariots, many of which were even larger in size.
(Though their exact power is unknown, there is no way those weapons could have less firepower than the fire breathing war chariots'. If those things were to be fired upon us from the sea, we would undoubtedly be mercilessly obliterated.)
While I was silently contemplating the ships and the walls, Marcellus, at the edge of my field of vision, signaled for us to disembark with a hand gesture. Marcellus jumped first, followed by Mika who was holding Rinne, and finally myself.
Unlike before, the expanse of wheat fields was nowhere to be seen, leaving us with essentially no hiding places. Therefore, we took cover by the roadside, patiently waiting for the ceaseless flow of cart-like iron boxes to subside.
It wasn't until the sun had fully set that the iron boxes disappeared from the road. Once we confirmed the absence of enemy presence in the vicinity, Rinne finally cancelled her spiritual art before we made our way toward the coastline. She had been quite exhausted from the continuous use of her spiritual powers, so Mika carried her while leading the way.
Upon reaching the coastline, we couldn't find any convenient structures with roofs like yesterday. However, the beach in this area was rocky rather than sandy, so we concealed ourselves behind large rocks.
"Listen. That port we saw earlier… based on our geographical assessment, is undoubtedly Carnela Port."
Gathered around a small campfire, Marcellus briefly enlightened us about Carnela Port. First and foremost, he emphasized that Carnela Port, situated in the northeastern region, was a significant harbor for the Empire, ranking among the top five in terms of size. He also mentioned that the nearby waters boasted abundant fishing grounds, contributing to one of the largest catches in the Empire.
Moreover, due to the deep waters adjacent to the land, the port served as a trading hub capable of accommodating large merchant vessels. It was also a target that the Imperial forces sought to reclaim, taking advantage of their current momentum.
"We'll investigate that place tomorrow. If possible, we'll infiltrate and gather as much information as we can. Any questions?" Marcellus asked.
Marcellus, are you out of your mind? Infiltrating a heavily guarded port that appears to be far more safeguarded than the facility Mika and Rinne infiltrated? This is basically a suicide mission! As I contemplated my reluctance, Mika raised his hand.
"Mr. Marcellus, as long as you hold the command over us, if we are ordered to infiltrate, we will devote ourselves wholeheartedly. However, you are aware of the difficulty of infiltrating that port city, aren't you? To simply go and die in vain…"
"It'll be fine. I have an idea about the infiltration route. Take a look at this,"
Saying that, Marcellus confidently took out and unfolded a large piece of paper from his pocket. It depicted a complex maze-like structure, with the words "Carnela Port Underground Drainage Channel Map" written in the top left corner.
"While Carnela Port is now a bustling port city, it originally started as a small fishing village. It evolved into a city-state through the profits of trade and was eventually annexed by a major power at the time. Since then, the port city has been gradually expanded by each nation that annexed it, including the Empire, with significant investments," Marcellus explained.
"And how does this map relate to our mission?" Mika asked.
"Oh, it has a lot to do with it. The land around Carnela Port has poor drainage, so as the port expanded, underground drainage channels were developed alongside it. Each time the port was expanded, the ruling nations also expanded the underground waterways, resulting in a labyrinth-like network. We'll use that to sneak in…."
(Like rats.)
As he finished explaining, Marcellus grinned. So it wasn't a frontal breakthrough; I felt somewhat relieved that there was a plan in place. However, I couldn't help but doubt that the enemy wouldn't be vigilant in the underground waterways. Slipping through there wouldn't be an easy task.
In the end, it seemed that we would rely on Mika's scouting skills and Rinne's illusion spiritual arts. My role would be to engage in combat in the unlikely event of us getting discovered. I prepared myself mentally as I took on the role of night watch.