Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 348
348. Salt Desert (1)
The hot sun. The southern sea. The white sandy beach. The rolling waves.
These are wonderful words that seem like they came out of a dream, but in reality, these words need a bit more explanation.
The cursed sun that is hot enough to evaporate the sea. The southern sea that borders the Outer World, where grotesque monsters that are difficult to even imagine lurk just a little further south. The white sand, or rather, the grains of salt, that absorb all traces of moisture. The monstrous waves that seem like they will devour you as soon as you leave the shore.
These sentences are probably enough to describe the Salt Desert. In the game, it is an extreme land with a difficulty of five stars, where you take damage just by standing still.
“It’s like it’s snowing… But it’s not.”
Liana, who came from the north and is used to snowy landscapes, said while shivering.
Isaac also thought of the Uyuni Salt Flats when he heard ‘Salt Desert’, and he imagined a landscape covered in white grains of salt, but the scenery before his eyes was a bit different.
The Salt Desert, which had not received a single drop of rain in nearly a thousand years and had only been scorched by the sun, had a somewhat murky and dirty color. It wasn’t that there was no white at all, but the white that remained was spotty, making it look even dirtier. The famous landscape of the Uyuni Desert is also only a temporary sight that can be seen during the rainy season.
“Perhaps it’s because of the yellow sand that blew in from the southern desert.”
Liana kicked the salt ground. It was hard, but it seemed to give way a little.
“It’s quite hard, so it seems like it would be good for running. If only we could do something about this deadly climate as soon as we leave the beach.”
As Liana said, most of Isaac’s Dawn Brigade were gathered on the beach. The coast, which was not dried up even by the Lighthouse Keeper’s curse, was relatively less hot, and above all, it was bearable because of the cold air coming from the ghost ship itself.
In the meantime, a few soldiers tried to secretly pocket some of the salt. Seeing expensive salt scattered around like garbage made them greedy. He had ordered the knights to stop them, but he couldn’t stop them all.
“We’ll be sweating a lot when we cross the desert, so won’t we need some salt?”
There might not be a concept of electrolytes, but even the people of this world had the common sense that ‘you should eat salt when you sweat a lot’.
However, Isaac shook his head.
“It’s heavy, it will corrode our equipment, and it will also take away the little moisture we have. Oh, right. It would be better to tell the soldiers that ‘If you steal the salt cursed by the Lighthouse Keeper, you will dry up like a mummy’. Please spread the word like that.”
Liana ordered the knights to do so. Only then did the soldiers panic and quickly throw away the salt.
In this world, superstition is better than rational persuasion.
***
Flutter. A huge dragon landed on a hill above the beach, causing a whirlwind of dust.
It was Nel and Hesavel.
Both of them looked exhausted, but Hesavel looked especially tired. She had wrapped all sorts of cloth around her body, leaving only her eyes exposed, but even her eyes showed how tired she was. The cursed sun of Mirumia was especially deadly to Hesavel, who was vulnerable to sunlight.
“How was it?”
“……As you said, there’s not even a puddle of water, let alone an oasis nearby.”
Hesavel reported in a tired voice.
“But I think we can reach Mirumia in a day or two. If we ride horses, maybe half a day? If word doesn’t spread by then.”
The Salt Desert itself is not that wide. What Hesavel said was considering the speed of the unit’s movement, but if he crossed alone, he could do it in less than a day.
Isaac nodded.
“We have to get there in one day no matter what. If it takes two days, it will take even longer because of heatstroke patients. Even if word spreads, it’s better to spread it after we arrive in Mirumia.”
Hesavel tilted her head at Isaac’s words.
“I checked the location of Mirumia from a distance. The cursed sun is right above it, so wouldn’t it be better to avoid it and go along the coast?”
“Mirumia is the most habitable place in the Salt Desert.”
Everyone nearby looked at Isaac with puzzled eyes at his firm statement. They thought of Mirumia as just a city they were passing by. Now that no one lived there, they couldn’t see any strategic value in those ruins.
“Mirumia is a city left as an ‘example’ by the Lighthouse Keeper. The people living there had to watch with their own eyes as their hometown slowly decayed and dried up. If he was just trying to kill everyone, wouldn’t it have been enough to drop that sun on Mirumia?”
In reality, Isaac had seen Mirumia dying a thousand years ago by Amundalas. It was a ruined city, but people still lived there. Of course, it was only ‘relatively’ livable. It was still a terrible environment where it was difficult to stay for long.
“Even though it’s in ruins, the weather and temperature don’t change much since no one lives there, so the buildings are mostly intact. There are probably wells too. It’s the only place in the Salt Desert where an army can rest for a while… Why are you looking at me like that?”
“……Have you ever been to Mirumia?”
Hesavel, Rianna, Edelred, Tuhallin, and even Rotenhammer stared at Isaac in surprise as he continued to speak.
Isaac thought for a moment and mixed truth and falsehood appropriately.
“When the Drowned King dragged me to Urbansus, an angel from the Salt Council showed me the landscape of Mirumia. She was asking me for help.”
“Oooooh……”
Of course, it was the landscape from a thousand years ago. People let out quiet gasps of admiration at the plausible yet unverifiable lie. Isaac continued speaking before they could ask any more questions.
“Anyway, the key is to reach Mirumia as quickly as possible once we leave the coast. We can’t wait until night because this damned land doesn’t even have a sunset. Hesavel, were there any monsters on the way?”
“Yes? Well, there were some wild animals, but they didn’t seem very dangerous.”
“They’re monsters that came from the Outer Realm. Don’t underestimate them just because they look weak.”
“The Outer Realm?”
The people gathered there exchanged worried glances. All of them were heroes who had made their mark in their respective religions, so they wouldn’t be shaken by a few monsters. However, even they were concerned about the monsters from the Outer Realm.
Isaac explained, thinking that worrying too much would be a problem.
“Even though they’re from the Outer Realm, they’re weakened because they’ve entered the boundary. In addition, this crazy sun and the saltiness are deadly not only to humans but also to monsters. Just make sure your soldiers don’t get hurt.”
“Hmm, then I will go as the vanguard.”
Edelred stepped forward first. Isaac was glad because he had been planning to ask him anyway.
“Will you do that?”
“Of course. This Salt Desert looks like it would be good for riding horses. I’ve never seen a monster from the Outer Realm in person, but I’ve seen their skulls in the basement of the Holy Ground.”
“I’ve fought them before. They probably won’t be exactly the same, but……”
Rianna spoke up. Unlike the Gertonia Empire, which was at the center of the Canon of Light, those on the outskirts had experienced fragments of the Outer Realm’s existence. However, Isaac did not want to entrust them with such a mission.
“As we go, clearing out the monsters from the Outer Realm, the horses will wear out first. First, get to Mirumia as quickly as possible and prepare the camp for the following troops. So that we can care for the sick and wounded when the Dawn Army arrives. Find a well and any usable buildings.”
It was closer to a survey team than a vanguard. Edelred seemed taken aback because it was different from the role he had expected, but their role was the most important. The sun, which had defeated even the 7th Dawn Army, was a greater enemy than a few monsters.
“Tuhallin, I would like you to clear a path by cleaning up the monsters with the Forge Priests. I’m sure you can handle this much, even with the heat from the molten iron.”
Tuhallin grinned. The Salt Desert was nothing more than a vast, flat plain, so the only obstacles were the monsters from the Outer Realm. They would be able to go faster if the monsters were gone.
“This is nothing.”
“Good. I’ll leave it to you.”
“Commander, then what should we do?”
Rotenhammer asked. Isaac had already thought about what to do with these Knights of the Canon of Light, who had to face the miracles left behind by the Lighthouse Keeper.
“I have thought of the most important role.”
“Oh, what is it?”
“I ask for your prayers so that we may safely cross the desert.”
***
“Angela.”
Half a day after Edelred left with the vanguard, the Isacrean Dawn Army also began to move.
Before moving, Isaac spoke to the youngest girl in the Dawn Army, escorted by the Isaacrea Knights. Angela, as always, showed a silent and unemotional dignified appearance, but it was clear that the heat of this desert would not be easy on her either.
“I still don’t know if it was right to bring you here. But once I bring you, I have to go forward, right?”
Angela didn’t answer, but she seemed to nod her head slightly. She still didn’t know what specific knowledge she had, but with that knowledge, it would be much easier to restore the Holy Land of Lua.
However, Isaac wanted to focus more on breaking the curse that bound Angela’s spirit and making her whole, rather than that purpose. So I also restored the Holy Land of Lua.
“It will be hard, but just bear with me a little longer. Okay?”
This time, she nodded her head for sure.
The next place Isaac headed to was the people left on the coast.
Since the Salt Council’s ship could not be towed, Isaac entrusted Horace’s skull to Yenkos. Yenkos was at a loss as to what to do with the skull of his old hero, but he seemed to be quite proud of the fact that he could pilot his legendary orca fleet.
“This is a difficult place to stay in many ways, so it’s okay to go back to Audreyf Harbor and wait.”
“Well, I’d like to say that we’ll wait here… but this place is so salty that even fish don’t get caught. We’ll keep a liaison ship in place and visit periodically.”
Isaac nodded. Since they crossed the sea, they are the only retreat and supply line. It is enough just to say that we will deploy a liaison ship.
If necessary, you can call them with the Salt Council’s sacred object given by Amundalas.
However, Isaac knew why they were so loyal. Unlike other captains, some of the Salt Council decided to land and join the Isaacrea Dawn Army.
It was Aidan and some of his sailors.
He said with an awkward smile.
“I’m a captain now, but I’m also an archaeologist. I can’t miss the opportunity to visit Mirmyria.”
Isaac knew exactly what they were expecting. So I felt a little sorry.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to break the Salt Desert and bring in the sea right now. It looks like what you expect will be a little late. Of course, I’ll look for a way.”
It’s a lie. Isaac knew it well. Because I’ve seen the ending with the Salt Council. However, there were no necessary supplies at the moment, and there was a high possibility that it would hinder the restoration of the Holy Land.
I’m sorry for the Salt Council, but the future they want will come only after the restoration of the Holy Land.
Aidan nodded.
“It’s okay. I didn’t think it would be solved as soon as I arrived in Mirmyria.”
Yenkos also smiled and said.
“Rather, I was worried that the Holy Grail Knight would say, ‘It’s rather simple.’ I’ve never seen anything that was really easy when the Holy Grail Knight said that.”
“…Me?”
“It was the same when the Drowned King, or the Kingdom of Elil, or when fighting against Dela Heman in Audreyf, and most recently in the Nightmare Strait… Even though you confidently said, ‘You can do it easily,’ didn’t you have a hard time?”
Isaac looked at them blankly for a moment.
That’s right. There were times when I overcame several near-death experiences and coincidences and luck. Only then did Isaac realize that his criteria for ‘simple’ were different from others.
The moment an angel blocks the purpose, anything becomes impossible.
This is the common sense of this world. However, Isaac knew how to succeed ‘even if an angel intervenes’. It’s the same even if you get into a near-death situation several times in the process.
There are countless cases where you can’t succeed even if you die, but if you managed to achieve your goal alive even though an angel blocked it, isn’t that ‘simple’ enough?
‘Well, maybe it’s because the weight of life is different.’
Isaac lives in this world with a game sense.
Of course, life is precious, but it cannot be different from those who were born and raised in this world. Anyway, for Isaac, even if HP is 10,000, the game is cleared.
“Don’t worry, it won’t happen this time.”
Isaac answered confidently.
Then, somehow, Aidan and Yenkos’ expressions darkened.