Chapter 26: Discovery
Renn's question hung in the air, low and tense.
"My lord… what have you discovered?"
The forest had gone quiet.
Not the natural quiet of dusk, but the kind that pressed against the ears, heavy and unnatural. Even the faint rustling of leaves seemed to have withdrawn, as if something deeper in the woods had claimed dominion over the sound itself.
Rhodes did not answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on a point ahead beyond the trees, beyond the shadows.
That feeling again.
Subtle.
Yet unmistakable.
[Mineral Vein Detection (Green)]
It had activated on its own.
Not faint this time.
Not distant.
But sharp, clear almost… pulling him forward.
"…There's something beneath the ground," Rhodes said quietly.
Renn frowned slightly but did not relax. "Ore?"
"…Maybe."
Rhodes took a slow step forward.
Then another.
The others immediately reacted.
Gunther's hand tightened around his axe. Durant drew half a step closer, positioning himself slightly ahead of Rhodes without making it obvious. Even Alyra, who had been silently observing from the trees, shifted her stance, her bow already half-raised.
"My lord," Durant said in a low voice, "we should proceed carefully."
Rhodes nodded.
"I know."
But he didn't stop.
The sensation was too strong.
It was different from before stronger than when he discovered the iron deposit earlier. This wasn't just iron.
It felt… denser.
More valuable.
More dangerous.
They moved slowly through the trees.
Each step deliberate.
Each breath measured.
Renn crouched briefly, brushing aside fallen leaves and soil as they advanced. The terrain here was slightly uneven, with exposed roots and patches of loose stone.
"Ground's harder here," he muttered.
Dolan nodded. "Less moisture too. Something's off."
Rhodes stopped again.
This time, he didn't need to search.
"…Here."
He pointed.
At first glance, it looked ordinary a patch of earth littered with small stones and dry leaves.
But the moment Dolan cleared the surface
A dull gray sheen appeared beneath.
Not metallic like iron.
Not rough like common stone.
Smooth.
Compact.
Almost… layered.
Renn drew Jielong and struck lightly.
Clack.
A crisp, heavy sound echoed.
Everyone's expression changed.
"This isn't iron," Durant said immediately.
"No," Rhodes replied.
His gaze sharpened.
And then
Fragments of knowledge surfaced in his mind, triggered by the detection ability.
Composition.
Hardness.
Uses.
Rhodes inhaled slowly.
"…It's a mixed vein."
"Mixed?" Gunther raised an eyebrow.
"Iron… and something else."
Rhodes knelt down, picking up a fragment and rubbing it between his fingers.
"It contains high-carbon content… possibly natural steel ore."
The others froze.
Even Durant's usually steady expression shifted slightly.
"Natural… steel?" he repeated.
That term alone carried weight.
Iron required smelting.
Steel required refining.
But natural steel ore
That was something else entirely.
It meant stronger weapons.
Better armor.
Faster production.
A foundation for power.
For a brief moment
No one spoke.
Then Gunther let out a low whistle.
"My lord… This place is worth more than that wyvern we killed."
Rhodes didn't deny it.
Because he knew
It was true.
But instead of excitement
His expression grew colder.
"Cover it."
Everyone blinked.
"…Now," Rhodes added.
Dolan and Renn immediately moved, pushing soil and debris back over the exposed surface, carefully restoring the area to its original state.
Alyra stepped forward silently, marking nearby trees with subtle cuts barely noticeable unless you knew where to look.
Durant glanced at Rhodes.
"We're not claiming it yet?"
Rhodes stood up.
"No."
His voice was calm but firm.
"We don't have the manpower to guard it."
"And once this kind of vein is exposed…"
He paused.
"…we won't be the only ones who know."
The memory of Durant's report resurfaced again.
Razorfen Downs.
A dead lord.
Beastmen.
And now
Rumors of spellcasters.
This wasteland was no longer quiet.
"Mark the location and memorize the route," Rhodes continued. "No maps. No written records."
Everyone nodded.
They understood.
Some things
Could not be written down.
Night had fully fallen by the time they returned to camp.
The fire crackled softly.
The scent of roasted rabbit lingered in the air.
But the earlier ease was gone.
Even Gunther was quieter than usual, occasionally glancing into the darkness beyond the firelight.
Renn sat beside Rhodes, lowering his voice.
"My lord… what you found today…"
"…will change everything."
Rhodes stared into the flames.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then
"Yes."
A simple answer.
But heavy.
Because he understood better than anyone
This wasn't just a discovery.
It was a turning point.
Resources meant strength.
Strength meant expansion.
And expansion
Meant conflict.
The fire flickered.
Shadows danced across Rhodes' face.
And in the distance
Deep within Black Pine Ridge
A faint, almost imperceptible sound echoed once more.
Not wind.
Not a beast.
Something else.
Rhodes' eyes shifted slightly toward the darkness.
His instincts stirred.
The same quiet warning from before.
This land
Was not empty.
"…Get some rest," he said calmly.
"But keep watch in pairs."
Durant nodded. "Understood."
As the others settled in, Rhodes remained awake a little longer, staring into the fire.
The image of the vein lingered in his mind.
Natural steel.
A hidden treasure.
A future
And a risk.
Slowly, he closed his eyes.
Tomorrow
They would go deeper.
(End of Chapter 26)