Chương 85: The Stone Refused to Move

The sun was beginning to disappear behind the mountains when the wagon finally reached the mission area. Long shadows stretched across the road while the evening air became noticeably colder. Sieghart closed Mira's book long enough to look outside. It was the first time in almost four years that he had traveled this far from Seraphina. Most of his previous guild assignments remained within a day of the city. The unfamiliar landscape should have felt exciting.

Forested hills surrounded the road, mountains dominated the western horizon, and the open sky stretched farther than anything visible from his basement. Sieghart studied everything for less than a minute before reopening the Telekinesis guide. Scenery was interesting. Magic was more useful. The wagon followed a narrow path around several boulders before stopping near the base of the largest mountain. An enormous opening had been carved directly into its southern face.

Thick wooden beams reinforced the entrance, although age and moisture had blackened most of them. Several had already collapsed, leaving broken supports scattered across the ground. Rusty rails extended from the tunnel and disappeared beneath grass and soil. The remains of two mining carts rested nearby, their wheels frozen after centuries without maintenance. According to the mission report, the cave had once been a productive iron mine.

Workers abandoned it hundreds of years earlier after reaching unstable tunnels and underground gas pockets. Time transformed the constructed passages into something closer to a natural cave system. Animals occupied the outer tunnels first, followed eventually by monsters. The current inhabitants were believed to be a species of large bat monster. Witnesses described wings wide enough to carry sheep and claws capable of tearing through wooden walls.

A town called Bellhaven stood approximately three kilometers north of the mine. Most attacks targeted travelers, isolated farms, and people walking beyond the walls after sunset. The bats rarely entered the town itself, but their territory had expanded steadily during the previous months. Several merchants refused to use the western road until the nest disappeared. Sieghart stepped down from the wagon and examined the mine entrance.

Cold air flowed from the darkness, carrying the smell of damp stone, old metal, and accumulated waste. Countless scratches covered the rock near the upper section. Some were too deep to have come from ordinary animals. The driver unloaded their supplies before turning the wagon around. He intended to stay in Bellhaven and return after receiving a signal from Mellia. Once the wagon disappeared along the road, the five young guild workers remained alone beneath the mountain.

Mellia read the mission report one final time before facing the others.

"We'll establish camp here and guard the entrance tonight. We will enter the mine tomorrow morning." Hernan looked toward the fading light.

"If the monsters hunt at night, they might leave before then."

"That is why we're guarding the entrance."

"We could follow them back after they attack."

"Or we could enter an unfamiliar tunnel in complete darkness while the nest is active." Hernan stopped arguing. Sieghart approved of Mellia's decision. Exploring an abandoned mine at night would have surrendered every environmental advantage to creatures capable of flying and sensing movement through darkness. Remaining outside allowed them to observe how many monsters left the nest. If the bats attempted to approach Bellhaven, the group could intercept them in open ground. Mellia began assigning tasks.

"Kart, establish the defensive perimeter. Lucia, scout the surrounding area and confirm that no secondary entrance is nearby." Kart nodded and removed the heavy rectangular case from his back. Lucia opened the padded pouch containing her small metal animals.

"Hernan, prepare the warning constructs and inspect the entrance for tracks. I'll handle the tents and review tomorrow's formation." Mellia turned toward Sieghart.

"You stay inside the perimeter. Don't leave or do anything without informing one of us." Sieghart opened Mira's book again.

"Sure." Mellia waited, perhaps expecting him to object or ask for a task. Sieghart continued reading, so she eventually turned away. The others started working immediately. Kart placed four metal blocks around the camp before kneeling beside the first one. He pressed both palms against its surface and channeled mana through the engraved formation. The block unfolded with a series of metallic clicks. Plates expanded outward, creating a construct shaped like a broad, four-legged animal without a head.

Kart summoned three more identical guardians. They moved toward the edges of the campsite and lowered themselves beside the marked boundary. Thin mana lines connected their bodies, forming a detection field around the camp. If anything crossed between them, the nearest construct would react immediately. Lucia arranged three metal figures across her palm. They resembled small birds with angular wings and crystals in place of eyes. Mana flowed through the figures before they expanded to the size of crows.

The scout constructs launched themselves into the evening sky and separated above the mountain. Lucia closed her eyes. Faint mana threads connected her senses to the crystal eyes, allowing her to observe the surrounding terrain from multiple directions. Hernan approached the mine while carrying the rings from his belt. Each ring expanded into a thin floating blade after receiving mana. He positioned the weapon constructs near the entrance, keeping their edges pointed away from the camp.

They would respond if anything large emerged from the tunnel. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Mellia opened several containers and released flat plates marked with defensive formations. The plates floated around her while she directed them toward strategic positions. Four locked together beside the tents, forming a curved barrier capable of blocking attacks from the mine. Others remained separate so she could summon them toward any threatened direction.

The group worked with impressive coordination. None needed detailed instructions because every member understood their role before arriving. Their specialties compensated for one another as well. Lucia provided information, Kart established the perimeter, Hernan prepared direct attacks, and Mellia controlled defense and command. Sieghart could find several weaknesses in their setup, but none resulted from carelessness. They were young, not incompetent. He occasionally noticed one of them looking toward him.

Hernan remained openly irritated, while Lucia's attention carried more curiosity. Kart appeared confused whenever he saw Sieghart reading instead of helping. Even Mellia glanced in his direction several times while setting up the camp. Her expression remained controlled, but Sieghart understood what they were thinking. They had trained for years to earn permission to accept field assignments. This mission allowed them to prove themselves as genuine Lunar Arc members.

Then Mira added a ten-year-old stranger who received orders to remain inside the camp while everyone else worked. From their perspective, Sieghart enjoyed preferential treatment without doing anything to deserve it. His hidden room beneath the guild, private access to Mira, and refusal to explain his history only strengthened the impression that he belonged to a wealthy family. Perhaps they assumed his parents paid Lunar Arc to protect and train him.

That explanation would also account for why Mira placed him inside an experienced young team. Phantom Image prevented them from seeing his real hair, eyes, or connection to House Emberhart. His clothes and equipment offered no obvious clues either. Sieghart preferred their incorrect assumptions. Resentment was safer than recognition. At least the four possessed enough discipline to continue working together despite their suspicions.

None rushed into the cave to prove their courage, and none abandoned an assigned task to question him. Being jealous did not make them foolish. Once the campsite was complete, Mellia inspected every construct personally. She adjusted two of Kart's guardians and ordered Hernan to move one floating blade farther from the tents. Lucia's scouts returned shortly before darkness covered the mountain.

None had found another entrance within two kilometers, although several narrow cracks released warm air from deeper underground. Mellia gathered the group beside a small fire.

"We'll rotate the watch in pairs. Kart and Lucia take the first shift. Hernan and I take the second." She looked toward Sieghart.

"You aren't assigned to the watch." Hernan frowned.

"Of course he isn't." Mellia ignored him.

"You're our healer. Rest tonight so you can maintain your concentration tomorrow." Sieghart nodded without looking away from the book. That explanation made tactical sense, but it probably sounded like another excuse to the others. Sieghart decided not to worsen the situation by offering to stand guard anyway. If something attacked, the detection constructs would awaken him. His Magic did not become weaker simply because his name was absent from the watch schedule.

They ate a simple dinner while Mellia reviewed the plan for entering the mine. Kart's larger constructs would lead, followed by Hernan and Mellia. Lucia would control scouting constructs through the side passages, while Sieghart remained near the center where he could reach everyone with First Aid. The formation kept the healer protected while placing defensive and disposable constructs between the group and any attack. Sieghart offered no criticism.

Changing a team's established tactics before seeing them fight would create more problems than improvements. After dinner, he returned to the Telekinesis book while the others spoke quietly around the fire. The sound of their conversation reminded Sieghart that they had known one another for years. They argued occasionally, but their disagreements lacked the hostility directed toward him. Lucia teased Kart about packing too much food.

Hernan complained about taking the second watch, while Mellia reminded him that he had chosen the same shift during their previous mission. They sounded like ordinary teenagers. Sieghart had never possessed relationships like that in either life. His first life ended after he withdrew from everyone following his failed college entrance attempt. His second childhood consisted mostly of adults.

His grandparents treated him with love, but they had never been friends in the same way people his apparent age would understand. Lunar Arc offered opportunities to change that. Sieghart had spent four years treating most members as sources of knowledge, employment, or potential danger. The approach kept him safe. It also made every interaction feel like another assignment. When the letters began blurring together, Sieghart closed the book and rubbed his eyes.

Reading inside the moving wagon for hours had already strained them, and firelight made the problem worse. He looked toward the four summoners. Perhaps he should make more effort to be friendly. The thought felt unnatural. Sieghart still considered them children despite being physically younger than everyone around the fire. Their suspicion and jealousy also made conversation unappealing. Hernan had spent most of the journey glaring at him, while Mellia clearly believed he might ignore her orders.

However, none of them had done anything truly malicious. They were young guild members protecting a position they had worked hard to earn. Sieghart did not need to become their friend. He could at least avoid making the mission more unpleasant than necessary. Even if they had nothing to teach him, he could help ensure they returned to Lunar Arc in one piece. That goal aligned with his role as their healer and required no emotional revelation. Sieghart found the practical framing considerably more comfortable.

Kart and Lucia moved toward opposite sides of the camp to begin the first watch. Mellia entered her tent, while Hernan remained near the fire sharpening one of his construct frames. Sieghart rested his eyes and turned his attention inward. Mira's book instructed him to begin Telekinesis training with an object light enough to move but heavy enough to provide clear feedback. A small stone rested less than one meter from his boot.

Sieghart sensed the mana within his body and reduced the output until only the thinnest possible thread gathered near his palm. The energy still produced a faint pressure against the surrounding air. He compressed it further, hiding the mana signature without allowing the thread to dissolve. Sieghart projected it toward the stone. The first attempt ended halfway. His mana lost stability and vanished before reaching the target. He tried again. The second thread reached the stone but failed to surround it.

Mana touched one side and slid across the surface without establishing control. Sieghart adjusted the shape, imagining the energy spreading around the object from several directions at once. The third attempt formed an incomplete coating. He sensed the top and two sides of the stone, but the connection remained too weak beneath it. Sieghart attempted to lift. The stone did not tremble. It did not shift, tilt, or respond in any visible way. Even the dust around it remained completely undisturbed.

Sieghart opened his eyes and stared at the offending object. A stone smaller than his fist remained unimpressed. Hernan noticed where he was looking.

"Is something wrong?"

"No." Sieghart closed his eyes and attempted to envelop the stone again. The closest object in the campsite still refused to move. Apparently, Telekinesis intended to begin their relationship by establishing authority.