I headed toward a fortress west of the Demon Kingdom’s royal capital to finalize the site for a teleportation gate that would link us to the Six Dragon God Kingdom.
Beezel served as our guide. Accompanying me were Lu and Tia, along with my personal escorts—Galf, Daga, and Reginleiv. In truth, Lu was the only one needed for the technical confirmation, so it would be more accurate to say I was tagging along with her.
Eventually, we reached our destination. This was the primary defensive stronghold of the Demon Kingdom Army. While it lacked a formal name, it was commonly known as Galgard Fortress.
I had imagined something rugged and utilitarian—something made of gray, unyielding concrete. It was a fortress, after all. However, the reality was quite different. It looked like a sprawling, well-maintained city with lovely streets.
"This is the rear supply base," Beezel explained. "The actual defensive functions are scattered throughout the mountain passes further ahead."
He told me that this base served as the logistical hub for transporting goods to those various outposts. Furthermore, those mountain fortresses represented the front lines, and being stationed there long-term placed immense stress on the soldiers. To mitigate this, they needed a safe, comfortable place in the rear to rotate through.
Looking around, I saw clusters of shops lining the edge of town. It was quite a bustling place.
"Of course, there isn't even a fraction of the usual population here right now," Beezel added.
"Is that so?"
"Yes. We are currently in the process of scaling back the garrison. The military is a bottomless pit for funds, after all."
"Even so, they’re still working the fields, aren't they?" I asked. A vast expanse of farmland stretched between the capital and this fortress. I had heard that during times of peace, the soldiers typically spent their time farming.
"Not all of them are suited for it," he replied.
I see. It was the "multi-racial national army" I had learned about during the lectures in Village Five.
"Since you’ve brought us here, does that mean the teleportation gate will be installed on these grounds?"
"Ah, no. Not here. If we don't place the gate on the far side of the mountain fortresses, we won't be able to respond properly to an emergency."
"Then why are we stopping here?"
As if in response to my question, a unit of riders on warhorses approached us. They were fully armed and numbered around a hundred men—perhaps more, as I couldn't see those in the rear.
The riders pulled up a short distance away and formed a disciplined line. They dismounted, indicating they had no hostile intent. A man in ornate, full-body armor stepped forward. He removed his full-face helmet and offered a sharp salute.
"We have been expecting you!"
It was a perfectly executed salute, but I felt he was directing it at the wrong person. Shouldn't that be for Beezel?
No, it seemed he definitely intended it for me. I was the father figure to Gol, Sil, and Bron, after all. While I wasn't their biological father, I had raised them as my own, and I had no hesitation in identifying myself as such.
"I apologize for the trouble caused by the duel at the academy a while back," I said.
The man introduced himself as Guiscard. He was the general in command of the local garrison and served as the fortress commander—the highest-ranking officer in the area.
Beezel had come specifically to see him for a particular reason.
"Permission to pass through the main gate is granted!" Guiscard declared.
That was it—the permit. It seemed like a lot of trouble, but the fortress was a military facility. Regardless of whether one used teleportation magic, anyone working in the vicinity required formal clearance.
"I tried to secure the permit in advance," Beezel whispered to me, "but General Guiscard insisted on greeting the Village Head personally. He even threatened to withhold the permit if I didn't introduce him."
"To me?"
When I looked over, General Guiscard gave a firm, enthusiastic nod.
"I wasn't able to attend the parade," he said. "I wanted to meet you at least once. Marquis Buritoa told me you were an exceptionally gifted Village Head."
Marquis Buritoa... Ah, he meant Gratz. I had a feeling Gratz was singing my praises primarily because of the housing arrangements I’d made for him and Ronana.
"I'm sure that's not the only reason," I demurred.
"No, no, I am certain there is more to it than that."
"It really is just that."
"Hehe. If you say so. By the way..."
General Guiscard signaled to the soldiers behind him with his eyes. Suddenly, the soldiers in the formation began a synchronized performance. At first, I thought it was group gymnastics, but then I realized they were forming letters. They were using their bodies to create a message.
"WE WANT IT! A TELEPORTATION GATE CONNECTING HERE TO THE CAPITAL!"
As I read the words, Beezel's face reddened with anger.
"General Guiscard! I explicitly told you to refrain from such petitions!"
"What are you talking about? This is no petition. We are merely demonstrating the fruits of our training."
Guiscard gave another signal, and the human formation shifted.
"PLEASE! OPEN A DELICIOUS SHOP HERE AS WELL!"
They had even incorporated the horses into the formation. It was a high-effort display that bordered on performance art. I was genuinely impressed by their discipline, but Beezel was fuming.
"General Guiscard! Now that I look closer, those aren't just regular soldiers—those are high-ranking officers!"
"What?" I blinked. I had assumed they were common grunts, but they were officers?
"Every single one of them is a captain or a first mate in charge of at least a hundred men! What on earth are you making them do?!"
Guiscard’s expression grew somber under Beezel’s scolding. "The rank-and-file soldiers lack the coordination necessary for a formation this complex..."
Beezel’s anger seemed to drain away, replaced by a look of profound pity. "...I see. Well... keep up the good work, then."
"Thank you."
I had just witnessed a glimpse of the struggles facing the Demon Kingdom Army. For the moment, I acknowledged the petition and promised to take the request back for consideration.
In the meantime, it seemed there had been a small incident behind me while I was distracted by the performance. Galf, Daga, and Reginleiv appeared to have fended off several dozen soldiers.
"Was everything all right?" I asked.
"They were just settling the order for who gets to greet the Village Head," Tia explained.
Neither Beezel nor Guiscard seemed bothered by it, so I assumed it wasn't a major issue. "So, how did the order turn out?"
"They all decided to wait for another opportunity," Tia said firmly.
Beside her, Lu provided a bit more context. "They challenged you to a fight to see if you were actually strong. Galf and the others told them that if they wanted a shot at the Village Head, they had to go through them first."
I see. Galf, Daga, Reginleiv—thank you for that. I would have been in a real bind if I’d been forced into a duel.
The three of them looked at me with expressions that clearly suggested I was being too modest. But it was true—compared to them, I was quite weak.
With the permit in hand, we moved to the planned installation site. We passed through the main gate of the mountain fortress and reached a flat area just beyond it. It was a sensible spot, as the gate could be easily monitored from the fortress.
"We'll be building a dedicated guard station and a perimeter wall around it," Beezel said, pointing out where the dormitories, dining halls, and storage warehouses would be constructed.
Management would be handled entirely by the Demon Kingdom, so I didn't have much to add. However, there was one separate thing I couldn't help but notice.
"Village Head, if there's anything on your mind, please don't hesitate to say so," Beezel encouraged.
"In that case..." I looked back at the fortress.
From this angle, the front was clearly visible. The entire facade of the fortress was carved into the likeness of a massive demon's face. It was fixed in a terrifying, wrathful expression, and the main gate served as the demon's gaping maw.
"Why that particular design?" I asked. "It looks incredibly ominous."
"...The architect in charge had the soul of an artist," Beezel replied flatly.
"I see."
"Yes."
"And what do the people who use the fortress think?"
"Since it's not visible from the inside, they've collectively decided to ignore it."
"Fair enough." I suppose it served its purpose if it intimidated the enemy.
"Though an enemy has never actually made it this far," Beezel added.
Apparently, the other fortresses further away had standard castle walls.
"We had to work within a limited budget," Beezel explained.
So they did have the sense to stick to the budget.
"I just wish they had the sense not to waste it like this," he muttered.
I couldn't help but agree.