When he got his education as a noble his history tutor had explained the “Month of the Demons”’ in detail. Every winter, after the first snow fell and the sun had gone behind the mountains, an intense darkness without light would descend. At that moment the gates of hell would open.
The evil spirits from hell would corrupt living creatures, and turn them into the slaves of the devil. Some of the animals would change into powerful demon beasts with only one goal, to attack humans. Most witches were born in this season, and their power would be far stronger than usual because of it.
“Have you seen them? The Gates of Hell,“ Roland asked.
“Your Highness, how can ordinary people go see them?” Barov shook his head again and again, “don’t say nonsense, the mountains they come from cannot be conquered, even being close to the mountains you will be affected by the foul miasma, first getting a mild headache, and then in severe cases even losing your mind. Unless……”
“Unless what?”
“Unless the person doing it is a witch. Only a witch can go and see the Gates of Hell because they have fallen from grace and became the devil’s minions. Naturally they don’t need to fear the touch of evil. Mentioning witches, Barov glanced in the direction of the garden.
“The demonic monsters, have you ever seen one?” Roland knocked on the table to recapture the assistant minister’s attention.
“Well, I haven’t see them. Like your highness, this is my first time coming to the kingdom’s borders. In the center of the country, in the castle, only a few people would have encountered the real demons.”
If he needed to evacuate once a year how would he be able to develop this place? He initially thought that the border town was a barren land, but that it still had the potential for development, but now it seemed to be a pipedream.
“When we resist the demonic beasts in Longsong Stronghold, when they aren’t invincible and when they can be killed, then why can’t we defeat them in this border town as well?”
“Longsong Stronghold has a high wall. Also, the Duke Ryan’s elite troops are stationed there. It is nothing like this border town, this small place definitely cannot be compared to it,” Barov explained, “from the start, the establishment of the border town was to provide an early warning to the stronghold. Therefore the town was set between the slope of the North Mountain and the Redwater River.”
So, his town was only cannon fodder to block the enemy. The only path they could cross, Roland laughed grimly as he heard this.
Chapter 8 Months of the Demons (Part 1)
If Roland wanted to develop his territory well, he had to build strong roots in this place. Even though this land was a wasteland it could be easily reclaimed, when the territory was too small it could be expanded outwards, but all talk was useless if the people weren’t willing to stay.
If they could be forced to abandon a plot of land at any time, then who would be willing to purchase it? Who would want to improve its production?
After the assistant minister left, Roland called in Knight Commander Carter and ordered, “Assemble your men, go and find some of the local guards, hunters and farmers, they must have lived here for more than five years, and experienced the Months of the Demons. If there is someone who can fight it would be even better.”
After the knight saluted and left, Roland rubbed his forehead, continuing to look at the data compiled by the Assistant Minister.
The main exports of the border town were from mining and hunting, and the bulk of the imports were food items. Everything would be transported through Longsong stronghold or directly through the Redwater River in Willow town.
The mining exports contained all kinds of minerals, like iron, copper, sulfur, rock crystal, ruby, sapphire… This was completely against the concept of associated minerals. He thought of what Anna had said to him, that the North Mine had been rumored to be an unknown underground lair, until now there was no proven bottom to the mine and it was also unknown how many forks the mine had.
The minerals exported by the town weren’t paid for with the kingdom’s gold royals, instead they were paid for with the foodstuffs that arrived. It stands to reason that, since the gems could be regarded as a high priced luxury, that in these last five years the border town could save a surplus of grain, but in the end there was no surplus.
In other words, the annual output of the mining of the border town was only enough for two thousand people’s yearly rations. Before the prince arrived here, the border town was governed by the duke who also took charge of Longsong stronghold, and he had set up this arrangement. In his point of view, he could save food and had a warning for the monsters.
The fur trade was part of the local people’s own proceeds, they ventured into the westward forest, hunted some birds and other animals, maybe sold them to the Longsong Stronghold, or to the residents of the small town of Willowleaf. Because of this no transaction would be made in the border town and so no tax could be collected.
Roland thought, since he came, it couldn’t go on in this way; the minerals could no longer be paid for with food. The Redwater river ran through the whole kingdom, and the traffic was not blocked. There was a transportation artery, even if we would no longer buy food from the Longsong Stronghold, there were still other places to provide them.
This was all built on the premise that he could stay here in the Border Town, blocking those damn monsters.
Carter worked quickly, by the next day he had found two local guards and a hunter and reported, “These two men are from the town patrol, every year they are responsible for lighting the beacon. The hunter said he and the demons had crossed paths, he returned with a demon beast head, which he cut off with his own hands.”
The three people bowed simultaneously.
Roland nodded, permitting them to stand up; one of them stepped forward to speak.
“Honor… respected prince… Your highness”, the first guard who was called up, was too nervous to even speak clearly, “Brian and I are… are the people, uh… When it begins to snows, we… We will go to the north slope of the mining area… to the Beacon Tower? There it’s first possible… it is the first point to see the demon movements, if they cross over in great numbers… we will conceal ourselves in the forest… ignite the flames, from childhood… The road we will withdraw at and the boat is prepared previously… then we leave.”
“Since you both were together, let your partner answer it”, Roland covered his face to hide his disapproval,” the demon beasts, can they be killed? ”
The other guard was also very nervous, but at least he did not stammer, “Your Highness, it should be so. They were just ordinary animals in the forest, but through the influence of the evil miasma they become manic and ferocious, but they can still be killed. Every Months of the Demons in the past, Longsong Stronghold would sent cavalry, cleansing the land from the stronghold to Border Town of the remnants of the demon monsters. ”
“The Months of the Demon last how long?” Roland asked.
“Generally two to three months…… it depends on the sun, “said Brian.
“Depends on the sun?” Roland asked doubtfully.
“Yes,” the guard explained, “Your Highness came to this town not long ago, so you do not know. In this Border town, once the snow begins to fall it will not stop, until the sun shines again, then the snow will be gone.”
“So the snow indicates the end of the Months of the Demon?” Roland recalled that at least in Graycastle it was not like this, basically the next day it would end to snow, also the sun would seem to be different.