"Wh-what is this?! How is this possible?!"
Unable to process the sight unfolding before him, the man in black—Lauya—raised his voice in a shout. A town lay at the end of his gaze. Walls had been erected on all four sides, creating a fortification that looked sturdy enough to shrug off any sporadic monster attack. The material appeared to be earth, but it was far too solid for simple packed dirt. To build a wall of this scale properly, it should have taken a massive amount of labor and many days of work. Even with magic, it seemed impossible to finish it so quickly. If it were just the walls, perhaps.
But what are those buildings? They’re much taller than the walls. And there are several of them.
This time, he only groaned internally. He had just remembered, albeit a moment too late, that he was in enemy territory. He needed to avoid drawing attention to himself. Given that he had just screamed at the top of his lungs, however, it might already be too late for that.
The buildings Lauya was staring at were constructed in a style he had rarely seen. And they were tall. Even though the earth walls easily towered over Lauya’s own height, the buildings were clearly visible from outside the town. There was a possibility they had been built on a hill, but that was a threat in its own right. After all, this entire region was supposed to be nothing but flat land.
Of course, there were plenty of structures in the world taller than those buildings. Lauya had seen them with his own eyes. For instance, the castles he had seen in the capitals of other nations were far more majestic and gargantuan. Compared to those, the buildings before him were several steps inferior.
But that was in other countries. Castles and fortresses were things built by those in power who could command a concentrated labor force. In Albiroda, where factional infighting never ceased even within individual groups, constructing large-scale buildings was a near impossibility.
And yet, there they were. Why were such tall buildings standing there? There wasn't just one or two, either. He couldn't imagine any force possessing such power existing outside of the Eld Caldia Order. No—even the Order couldn't pull this off.
If the Order dedicated its full strength to the task, they might be able to build something similar. However, it would take months to complete. Factoring in the procurement of materials and the logistics of feeding the workers, it would likely take even longer.
But look at this place. As far as Lauya knew, there had been absolutely nothing here a little over ten days ago. There was a medium-sized village nearby, but that was it. It would have been more realistic to conclude he was trapped in an illusion. But...
If it were an illusion, I wouldn't be able to touch it. This is a real wall, no doubt about it.
His hand, which he had reached out with trepidation, confirmed the solid texture of the wall. The city before him—or at least this defensive perimeter—was unmistakably real.
Constructing a town of this scale in such a short time... it’s not something achievable through ordinary means. The only possibility is... a Dungeon.
The Eld Caldia Order, to which Lauya belonged, was creating Dungeons throughout Albiroda to expand its territory. If one were to tell a commoner that humans were creating Dungeons, the ignorant fools would surely tell them to come up with a more believable lie. However, that power was very real.
In fact, the Order had used that power to rapidly expand its influence. Their cooperation with the Bandelt Group was a trivial matter in comparison. The greatest factor behind their rise was the Power of Silverization. It was said that a high-ranking member of the Order had received it from God, though Lauya didn't know the truth of that claim. Regardless, the power could only be described as God’s Work.
It was said that when that certain high-ranking member accepted the Power of Silver, he regained limbs he had long since lost. Others regained their youth. Once the power settled within the body, any wound would heal instantly; it was truly a miraculous force. One facet of that miracle was the generation of Dungeons. A specific item was used for the process, and that item was also created using the Power of Silver.
Lauya and his colleague had their contributions to the Order recognized and were granted Silver just the other day. Their mission was to create a Dungeon in this very region. Using the special item, the Dungeon had indeed been born. Lauya was supposed to return and report while his colleague stayed behind to guard the site, but...
Did that guy create this town...? No, that's impossible. Even with the Power of Silver, I don't believe someone who received it at the same time as me could perform a miracle of this scale. Besides, he wasn't the type to act without the Order's instructions.
It was hard to imagine his colleague was responsible. Unlike Lauya, who used the Order to gain power, that man was a true devotee. He wouldn't have done something so grand without permission.
At any rate, I have to investigate. There are rumors that many remnants of the Molybdenum Group have moved here. If they’ve taken up residence in this town, things will get complicated.
He didn't have enough information to file a report yet. Should he start by looking for his colleague’s whereabouts? Just as Lauya was deciding on his next move...
"Hey, you. What are you doing in a place like this?"
An unfamiliar man called out to him. The man had a unique hairstyle—the mark of a Molybdenum Warrior. The Molybdenum Group had been virtually dismantled during their conflict with the Bandelt Group, but that only made them more dangerous. They were men who had refused to discard their pride as warriors even in the face of ruin; they were likely seasoned veterans.
The Order wasn't in direct conflict with the Molybdenum Group, but it was common knowledge that the cult supported the Bandelt Group. If his identity were discovered, a fight would be unavoidable. Lauya’s body stiffened with tension.
"Well, whatever. If you’re heading into town, it’s faster if you follow the wall to the right."
"A-Ah. I see."
Fortunately, the man didn't seem suspicious. The Molybdenum warrior gave him directions in a relaxed, casual tone.
Lauya let out a quiet breath, careful not to be noticed. For the moment, he decided to follow the warrior’s advice and began walking along the base of the wall.
"Wait, hold on a sec!"
"Wh-what is it?"
Lauya was stopped before he had even taken a few steps. He braced himself, certain his cover had been blown this time. However, the warrior’s expression didn't change. In that same loose tone, he said something completely bizarre.
"I know I told you to walk along the wall, but could you move a bit further away? We’re about to expand the town."
"...Huh?"
The request itself was simple enough, but what did he mean by "expanding the town"? Perhaps he was about to witness a glimpse of the secret behind this city’s construction.
With that thought, Lauya followed the warrior’s instructions and put some distance between himself and the wall. He didn't head for the entrance, however, choosing instead to watch the warrior’s movements.
What is he doing? He doesn't look like he's doing anything special...
The distance made it hard to see clearly, but to Lauya, the man didn't seem to be performing any ritual. He was just standing a short distance from the wall, tilting his head as if thinking.
After a moment, things moved. The warrior waved his hand toward the wall and shouted.
"Alright, this looks like a good spot. Hey! Move over here!"
Just as Lauya was wondering who on earth the man was talking to—the wall moved.
"Wha—?!"
Despite his intention to watch in secret, Lauya let out a cry of shock. But he could hardly be blamed. The wall, which had appeared to be one continuous structure, was actually divided into segments roughly the width of a man’s wingspan. One by one, those segments literally stood up.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Lauya would have questioned the sanity of anyone who told him this story. Who would believe that a wall grew legs and moved on its own?
But having witnessed it, he couldn't even dismiss it as a hallucination. While he stood there, paralyzed by a reality he couldn't accept, the walls marched to the position the warrior had designated. They sat down and became still once more. The multiple separate segments aligned themselves perfectly, leaving no gaps or misalignments. As if they had been placed there from the very beginning, a single, continuous wall had been formed.
"What is wrong with this town...?"
Lauya felt like crying when he realized he was expected to investigate this place.