Summer.
The southern border of the territory had suddenly descended into chaos.
To the south of the Landmark domain lies a lawless frontier known as the Demon Realm¹. It is a vast no-man's-land, choked by dense, ancient forests where no lord holds sway. While one could theoretically expand the territory through cultivation, doing so without central government approval was strictly forbidden. Moreover, the sheer density of monsters made such an endeavor a fool's errand.
Out of this danger zone, Grandfather Camiza Landmark appeared. Decked out in full plate armor and straddling a warhorse, he thundered down the cobblestone path toward the mansion.
Though he usually kept to the detached house with Grandmother, he frequently disappeared into the southern wilds to hunt monsters and keep the border secure. Today, however, it seemed he had been forced to beat a hasty retreat.
"Faza! We're shorthanded," Camiza barked, his voice gravelly. "Post a quest to the Adventurer's Guild. Now!"
"What are we up against?" Faza asked.
"An orc horde. And a massive one at that - I'd wager there's at least eight hundred of them," Camiza replied. "Even for me, taking them all on alone would be a royal pain."
Orcs were bipedal, porcine monstrosities - bloated, tusked, and driven by a crude, violent nature. They were the sort of creatures that looked down on humanity as nothing more than an inferior species to be trampled.
"Understood," Faza said. "I'll notify Sugo to mobilize the territorial guards immediately. Sebastian! Get word to the Adventurer's Guild!"
"At once, sir!" Sebastian cried.
The mansion exploded into a hive of activity.
"Ryu, get to the southern border with your grandfather," Faza commanded. "Follow his lead and use your earth magic² to throw up some ramparts. Jiro, you're on the rear - stay on standby for the wounded. Sugo, there you are! We've got an orc horde inbound. Gather the men and head south. I'll be right behind you!"
They moved with precision. Sugo deployed the carriages, picking up guardsmen as they raced toward the southern boundary. Ryu Landmark hitched a ride behind Grandfather Camiza, while Shima Landmark - Ryu's loyal shadow - sprinted alongside them, barely keeping pace.
* * *
When Sebastian burst into the Landmark Adventurer's Guild, the atmosphere shifted instantly. An emergency quest³ was pinned to the board, and a current of electricity surged through the hall.
Usually, Camiza and Faza handled the "big game" themselves without bothering the guild, so a formal request from the Lord was a rare event. It meant one thing: the situation was dire.
The Landmark Branch might have been a rural outpost, but it was a popular stop for those on warrior pilgrimages. Among the crowd today was a seasoned B-rank party - true first-class adventurers.
"Wait... does this mean the Crimson Ogre⁴, Lord Camiza, and the Scarlet Knight, Lord Faza, are taking the field!?" one of them shouted.
"It's an emergency commission from the Landmark Knight Family," Sebastian confirmed. "This will be a joint operation."
"Hell yeah! My team's in!" the leader roared. "Let's move out. Locals, show us the way!"
Camiza and Faza were, evidently, legends in the trade.
"Hey, is this Crimson Ogre really that big of a deal?" a newcomer asked.
"Are you kidding?" a veteran replied. "He's a former A-ranker⁵ who carved a path through the battlefields of old. He's a legend who rose from commoner to knight on the strength of his blade alone! And his son, Lord Faza, is just as famous!"
"A-rank?!" the newcomer gasped. "If I survive a fight alongside a guy like that, I'll be telling the story for decades! Sign me up!"
The number of volunteers swelled rapidly. Despite being a small-town guild, twenty capable fighters stepped forward - a mix of B-rank elites, C-rank veterans, and D-rank regulars.
"Move out!" the B-rank leader commanded, taking point as the guild emptied toward the southern border.
* * *
Ryu reached the site first, having galloped ahead with his grandfather. Shima arrived moments later, gasping for air but still standing.
"Shima, catch your breath," Camiza ordered. "Ryu, from that tall tree over there to those rocks - build me a stone wall. Not too high. I need to conserve my mana for the main event."
"On it, Grandpa," Ryu nodded, immediately centering himself.
With a low subterranean groan, the earth heaved. Jagged stone ramparts began to erupt from the soil in a continuous line. Ryu reached into his magic storage⁶, pulled out a mana recovery potion⁷, and downed it in one go before continuing his work.
"Hmm? Ryu, where'd you get that potion?" Camiza asked.
"I made it myself, Grandpa," Ryu said.
"If you had those, why didn't you say so earlier? Here, give it here!"
Camiza snatched a potion, and with the bottle still in his hand, he unleashed his own earth magic. The ground didn't just groan - it roared. A massive stone fortification, far exceeding the original request, surged out of the earth in a single, violent burst. He immediately drained the bottle.
Ryu and the exhausted Shima could only stare. The sheer magnitude of the magic was on an entirely different level.
"You got any more of these, Ryu?" Camiza asked.
"Yeah, here," Ryu said, handing over several more bottles.
Camiza let out a booming laugh. "Tastes like horse piss, but it's the real deal! You've got a knack for alchemy, kid. Hahaha!"
Amidst the looming threat of eight hundred orcs, the grandfather's boisterous laughter cut through the tension, finally allowing Ryu and Shima to breathe.
Trivia:
- The southern border is technically unruled 'blank space'.
- Expanding territory without central permission is illegal.
- Camiza and Faza are famous former adventurers with fearsome titles.
- Ryu's mana potions are self-made and effective, despite the bad taste.
- Shima can run fast enough to keep up with a galloping horse
Character Insight:
Ryu continues to demonstrate his practical utility through production skills (alchemy) and support magic. Camiza shows the gap between a 'pro' and Ryu, establishing a power ceiling while showing his boisterous, supportive nature.
Behind the Scenes:
The author uses the Orcs to establish a clear racial hierarchy and threat level, setting up a 'defense' trope common in territory-building novels.
TL Notes:
1 ↩ Demon Realm (魔境 - Makyō): A term for monster-infested, uncultivated lands.
2 ↩ Earth Magic (土魔法 - Tsuchi Mahō): Magic governing the manipulation of soil and stone.
3 ↩ Emergency Quest (緊急クエスト - Kinkyū Kuesuto): A high-priority guild mission triggered by immediate threats.
4 ↩ Crimson Ogre (赤髪鬼 - Akagamiki): Camiza's legendary title, referencing his hair and fierce combat style.
5 ↩ A-Rank (Aランク): The second-highest tier of adventurer status, signifying elite power.
6 ↩ Magic Storage (魔法収納 - Mahō Shūnō): A spatial magic skill used for carrying items.
7 ↩ Mana Recovery Potion (魔力回復ポーション - Maryoku Kaifuku Pōshon): A consumable item that restores internal mana reserves.
Notes:
• Camiza - Ryu's grandfather.
• Faza - The Lord of the Landmark Domain. A slender but sturdily built man with red hair and brown eyes.
• Sebastian - The family's elderly, white-haired butler who has served since the grandfather's generation. Highly knowledgeable.
• Sugo - Captain of the territorial guards. Responsible for teaching martial arts. Large, grim-faced, and protective of Ryu.
• Jiro - Ryu's second older brother. He has the 'Priest-Warrior' skill, combining martial arts with healing magic.
• Ryu - Formerly Yokohama Ryusei, a yakuza. Reincarnated as the third son of the Landmark family. Has red hair and blue eyes. Possesses memories of his previous life and the ability to see names of objects.
• Shima - Ten-year-old boy with brown hair and brown eyes. Grandson of the butler Sebastian. Hired as a servant and training to be a future butler.