After a good long nap, we arrived at our destination.

“Wait a moment. We need to get permission to enter.”

Hadel spoke with the gatekeeper. In the meantime, with nothing particular to do, I stood by the horse and looked around.

“This place was named Neris, right?”

At a glance, it seemed more vibrant than Hadel’s territory. There were many people passing through the gate.

“I feel like I’ve passed by here before. That city wall looks familiar. I even made that sunken gap over there.”

Initially uncertain, memories of the terrain gradually came to mind.

“Here, we fought a major battle against Dark Elves.”

Now, under the sunlight, the city looked bright, but back then, it was a dark place where the sun barely shone. Strangely, places where dark races dwelled were often covered by clouds.

Thinking of Dark Elves made my face involuntarily frown.

“Dark Elves were really the worst. Their magic-infused arrows were a persistent problem.”

Whatever magic those arrows contained, wounds inflicted by them quickly rotted away. In a world where the leading cause of death was sepsis, Dark Elf arrows were lethal even outside of wartime.

But those horrific memories now remained only in my mind. Looking at the castle with no traces of war, I smiled bitterly.

“One hundred years since that war. To think that such a peaceful city stands upon it.”

It was truly a stark contrast.

“It doesn’t feel as proud as I thought. It feels a bit empty.”

Certainly, it should be something to be proud of, but the gruesome memories of the past and the serene scenery did not blend well in my mind. I scratched my cheek.

People here probably wouldn’t remember me and my comrades who fought so hard to reclaim this land for humans.

“Everyone fought so hard.”

Although it wasn’t a fight hoping to be recognized by someone, seeing the clean disappearance of traces left a bitter taste. After briefly biting my lip, I shook my head.

“But it’s better than Dark Elves still ruling the land, having taken everything away.”

Anything is forgotten with time. Still, if given a choice, isn’t it better to forget a won game than a lost one? I persuaded myself to accept it that way.

At the right moment, Hadel called me.

“Marian, let’s go in.”

“Yeah!”

The more I think about the past, the more my spirits sink. I vowed not to recall the past from now on.

After passing through the large gate, a broad road leading straight to the lord’s castle unfolded before us. Alongside that main road, there were bustling shops and people buying and selling goods.

“Wow.”

I looked around with curious eyes.

“I heard this is also a region with heavy snow, but it feels different. The clothes seem lighter too.”
Hadel’s territory was where everyone wrapped up warmly, but it was different here. I thought it was unusually bright, but it was because the castle walls were significantly lower than Hadel’s territory, giving a clearer view.

“If the walls are this low, does that mean there’s less external threat?”

Well, the mountain range where I drove out the races a hundred years ago is much further north than here. In the snowy and food-scarce north, there is no room for wasteful territorial battles, so ultimately, there would be almost no external enemies.

“Still, it’s so prosperous. Even though it’s the same north, it feels discriminatory.”

I lightly pursed my lips. Hadel grabbed me.

“We need to go this way to the lord’s castle.”

“Huh?”

I seemed to have missed something while distracted. I looked at Hadel’s hand holding me and then glanced around at the people passing by us. Then I asked Hadel.

“Do we need to enter the lord’s castle right away?”

“There’s no set schedule. Why?”

“I just want to look around this territory.”

Visiting another territory seemed uncommon, but since we were here, I wanted to examine every corner.

Without any objection to my sudden request, Hadel promptly nodded.

“Send someone ahead first.”

Hadel handed the reins to his subordinate and ordered them to go to the lord’s castle first. At first, the subordinates hesitated, considering the danger, but after seeing the peaceful atmosphere of the city, they eventually left for the lord’s castle.

“Alright. Now I can explore freely.”

Since horses are high-value property, just having them around puts people on guard. Now that the horse and subordinates were sent off, I could blend into the street like a true commoner.

Leading the way energetically through the streets, I asked Hadel. Firstly, it was a question to confirm if my memory was correct.

“How long has Neris been part of the kingdom? About a hundred years?”

“It should be.”

As expected. It’s where I fought against Dark Elves. I nodded. With the memories of the past covered, the same scenery conveyed a different feeling.

“People can firmly establish roots in a hundred years.”

I couldn’t sense the scent of Dark Elves anywhere in the city. In my mumbling, Hadel gave me a curious look. I grinned with a chic smile and looked around.

“It’s somewhat different but similar to the Grand Duchy. Interesting.”