Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

In the end, the group consisted of me, Lord Cyrus, and of course Lisa, Wolf, and Tunic. Lord Ruifeng stayed behind at the villa to keep watch over the marquis.

Recalling Thomas’s testimony, we pressed on through the dense forest.

Although it was a deep forest, there was a fair amount of human traffic, and the narrow path was paved. The ancient city was supposed to appear if we followed this path straight ahead.

It was just hidden by the tall trees—the ancient city was very close.

After walking from the villa for a while, we eventually reached a river. It wasn’t very large. It was wide enough that if you threw a stone with all your might, it could reach the opposite bank, and it didn’t seem deep enough for boats to pass through. It was a natural river, not a canal.

“Could this be the source of the irrigation channel that flowed in front of the mansion?”

“Probably, yes. It’s a slight incline upwards, after all.”

Lord Cyrus answered, checking Lisa’s baby carrier before stepping onto the pier.

The bridge was still new and seemed sturdy, but it was simple. The handrails were lower than my waist, and it was narrow, which made it a little scary.

Gripping the flimsy handrail tightly, I carefully followed behind Lord Cyrus.

“...There’s quite a bit of water flow. It’s been sunny recently, though.”

“This area is a basin, and water seems to be seeping from the surrounding soil and gathering here.”

True to his reputation as a merchant who managed waterways and trade routes, Lord Cyrus casually explained the terrain around us.

“Right now the water level is low. See that large rock? Moss grows all the way to its top... That means when it rains, the water level rises up to there.”

He pointed to a very large rock that towered far above the current waterline, almost covering the floor of the pier.

...Terrifying. Even in the Chadelan Territory, water accidents happen every year. If you underestimate the water level as only waist-high, you might get caught by the strong current or trapped in the loose gravel, just like a bottomless swamp. Unlike seawater, there is no buoyancy, so if the water is deeper than your height, you’re helpless.

“Please, don’t accidentally fall off the bridge.”

For once, Lord Cyrus spoke in a stern voice.

“Even in summer, river water is cold. Even if you can breathe, your body temperature will drop quickly, and you’ll lose consciousness.”

“Also, infections are a concern,” Tunic added.

“The most dangerous thing in a water accident is drowning, of course, followed by death from hypothermia. But even if you survive, you might develop infections like tetanus and later run a high fever, often leading to death... That happens quite often!”

Tunic deliberately raised her voice at the end to scare me. I honestly jumped and then nodded, saying, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Yeah, water accidents are really scary. I’m naturally cautious and not the adventurous type. I walked slowly, placing my feet firmly on the middle of the pier.

Just as Thomas had said, the area around the building was densely forested with tall trees. A cool breeze, unlike early summer, swept through the treetops, rustling dry leaves. The sun barely reached this place, blocked by the trees, where a huge shadow loomed.

The ancient city—or rather, it was more like a stone mansion.

It was a tall building made of brick and plaster. Compared with the nation’s representative fortress, Granado Castle, it seemed smaller, but still quite large. When it was inhabited, it might have been a beautiful Ivory Castle. Decades after becoming a ruin, it was covered in vines, and some walls had collapsed.

...There’s something eerie about it.

“This will definitely need exterior repairs,” Lord Cyrus said as he brushed away the vines.

The ancient city was overall covered in vines and fallen leaves. It had been abandoned for a long time, but it seemed people had recently entered because only the area around the door was cleaned.

The door was a heavy, thick iron one. It was covered in rust and partly decayed. From the small gap where it was slightly open, darkness could be seen inside.