《Law of Space and Time》


 CH 1.1

    "This world of ours is like an hourglass. All of the people on the bottom always want to find an opportunity to rise to the top, only to slowly fall back down to the bottom again, and the cycle repeats itself over and over again."


    If you thought that this was a quote from a certain philosophy student in the city of Sarus, then you would be wrong. Instead, it was a sentiment from a hostess who was from the province of Burmen. As she was muttering this to herself, the light of the setting sun had already begun to spill lazily into the deluxe suite of the Rivers Mansion.


    The hostess''s name was Riley, and that was a quote from her as she was picking up an hourglass that had fallen onto the ground. The gold-plated platter and fruits on the table had also been knocked onto the ground, as had the silver wine flagon, which was lying at the foot of the bed on its side. Beneath the soft, scarlet goose-down blanket on the bed laid a man who was still in a drunken, half-asleep state, and half of the bedsheet was already draping down onto the floorboards.


    "Hmm..." The man moaned quietly as if to reply to Riley''s words, but in reality, he simply felt her voice to be a distraction in this warm and quiet room and was moaning in protest.


    "It''s already close to nighttime, Master Erwin," Riley said in a seductive voice that was tinged with a little displeasure.


    Lying on the bed, Erwin shook his head in a hazy state. He didn''t have any more gold coins to spend here. Just a single night of pleasure alone had cost him 100 Loonies, which was enough to purchase several cottages outside of Sarus.


    His mind was still addled by the premium wine that he had consumed, and the effects of the alcohol were refusing to fade. Erwin could only struggle to his feet before picking up the clothes strewn all over the ground and putting them on.


    "When will you be back again, Master Erwin." Riley was still completely nude as she hugged him from behind.


    Erwin patted Riley''s hands, which had snaked around to rest in front of his chest, indicating to her that she was obstructing him from doing up the buttons of his coat. He then adjusted his collar and sleeves in front of the dressing mirror, and only when his clothes appeared to be in good order did he give himself a satisfied nod.


    A displeased pout appeared on Riley''s face as she turned around so that her back was facing Erwin.


    Erwin made his way over to the clothes rack at the entrance of the suite, then pulled a bag of Loonies out of his sheepskin satchel, out of which he pulled two gold coins worth five Loonies each before tossing them onto the goose-down bed sheets.


    Riley was seated at her dressing table, and she rolled her eyes at the sight of what Erwin was doing before turning back to face her mirror. Erwin was completely unbothered by that, and a faint smile appeared on his face as he turned and departed.


    "I''ll come back when I get some more spending money next time." With that parting sentence, Erwin closed the door and left the suite.


    Riley couldn''t help but burst into amused laughter upon hearing this, only to heave a forlorn sigh as she realized that she was the only one left in the room.


    After emerging from the deluxe suite of the Rivers Mansion, there were hostesses in see-through clothing standing at intervals of every 10 steps, and all of them smiled and bowed at Erwin, who was a regular client here. As for Erwin himself, he was still sorely regretting the 100 Loonies he had just spent here.


    However, as the count''s only son, he had to keep up appearances. He strode over to the luxurious marble reception desk of the Rivers Mansion, then tossed a bag of Loonies that he had already prepared onto the desk before turning around to leave.


    "Thank you, Master Erwin." The manager at the front desk was naturally quite familiar with him as well, and he didn''t even bother to count the Loonies before handing the bag over to the steward, then bade Erwin farewell with a smile.


    After leaving the Rivers Mansion, it was already almost dusk, and the sun had almost completely set. Occasionally, groups of followers of the True Light Church could be seen hurrying along the streets in their white robes and judging from their plotting demeanor, it seemed that some minor noble family was going to be struck by misfortune soon.


    Erwin looked up at the sky. He detested going to class at night.


    The wide and lavish Phoenix Street segregated the entire city of Sarus into orderly eastern and western halves. The city was also split up into three sections that were separated by city walls, namely the palatial complex, the inner city, and the outer city. Places like the Rivers Mansion, which only the nobles could afford to attend, and all of the markets, were situated in the countless alleyways on the eastern side of the inner city.


    Advanced academies like Teedus Academy, which taught martial techniques and magic to descendants of noble families, were distributed throughout the western side of the inner city, and that was also where the manors of most of the city''s important officials and nobility were located.


    Erwin took a glance at the giant magical clock hanging on the inner city wall, then cursed to himself internally before hurriedly crossing the lively and bustling Phoenix Street.


    As Erwin rushed into Teedus Academy, he took a glance at the ornate Yin Mountain Stone arch of the gate, upon which was hanging a gold-plated royal plaque. Countless elite figures in martial arts and magic had graduated from the academy before going on to become pillars of the Effer Kingdom.


    Just like Erwin, most of the students attending the academy had to come from some type of affluent background. This wasn''t an academy that the descendants of the general public living outside the city could apply to enroll into. Once the descendants of these nobles and officials graduated from the academy, the most exceptional bunch among them could directly join the Royal Cavalry Brigade or the Court Magician Council. Even the mediocre graduates would most likely be able to secure roles in all of the important departments. After all, in an advanced academy like Teedus Academy with such lofty standards for its students, as long as one could graduate, they would be qualified to take on the roles that were virtually guaranteed to them upon graduation.


    Erwin took a glance at the Nightglow Stone lamps on either side of the academy''s main path, which had already lit up, and he immediately picked up the pace.


    There was barely anyone on the path at this time, so he didn''t have to worry about running into anyone. To the left of the Red Cross Holy Spring statue was Teedus Academy''s magic division. After rushing all the way here, he was already severely out of breath, and the alcohol that was still lingering in his brain certainly wasn''t helping his cause.


    He was panting heavily as he rushed into the classroom, and his friends at the back of the class immediately burst into laughter. These were naturally the "friends'''' with whom he had gone to the Rivers Mansion the night before. Thankfully, the lecturer still hadn''t arrived yet, so everyone was casually chatting among themselves.


    "You''re a bunch of assholes! You lot really deserve to be thrown into the mines of Fooz to work as miners! How could you have just left me there?" A furious look appeared on Erwin''s face at the sight of his unreliable friends.


    "So it''s our fault?" Kaiba spread his hands open with a sly smile in response. "Why don''t you go blame Miss Riley for wearing you out so much?"


    Larwood also joined in on the jeers. "We tried to wake you up, but you wouldn''t respond! As always, you''re just too weak and feeble! If you were even a little stronger, you''d be able to study martial arts with us."


    "Then I''d die even sooner!" Erwin harrumphed with a disgruntled expression.


    Amid the chatter and commotion, the lecturer of the offense and defense lesson entered the room with a stern expression, followed immediately by a tall and rotund figure, who attempted to sneak down to the back without being noticed. Unfortunately, he was simply too bulky to avoid attention.


    "Stop right there, Chase! I can see you!" The lecturer casually released an immobilization spell, and Chase was immediately rooted to the spot. All of the students in the classroom turned toward the direction that the lecturer''s magic staff was pointing in, and they couldn''t help but burst into raucous laughter at the sight of Chase''s rotund body immobilized in a compromising pose. Of course, Erwin and his friends were the ones laughing the loudest.


    Only after the laughter in the classroom had subsided did the lecturer undo the immobilization spell, then cast a disdainful glance toward Chase, clearly not very pleased with this tardy student.


    Chase sat down beside Erwin and the others with an enraged expression, then cursed in a low voice, "You assholes! Why didn''t any of you wake me up?"


    Kaiba and Larwood couldn''t help but chuckle once again upon hearing this, and Erwin was also quite amused. As a result, they attracted a stern glare from the lecturer, and a few of the girls in the front row also turned around to take a look.


    These offense and defense lessons were attended by both martial arts and magic students of the same level, and they involved sparring drills between pairs, each of which consisted of one martial arts student and one magic student.


    Generally speaking, Larwood would approach Gwen from the front row during these lessons for sparring practice. Initially, Gwen didn''t think very highly of Larwood, who was a rather average martial arts student. However, Larwood was extremely persistent and good with his words. Due to his persistent efforts, he was finally able to get Gwen to agree to spar with him once.


    During that drill, Gwen''s eyes were opened to just how cunning one could be in combat. Larwood relied on his exceptional reflexes to evade all of Gwen''s magical attacks, and in doing so, he was able to close down the distance between himself and Gwen. However, Gwen was among the most exceptional magic students of their level, and she was able to send an ultimate fireball spell hurtling directly toward Larwood''s face. Unfortunately for her, Larwood had read her like an open book, avoiding the fireball with an agile sidestep before stopping just short of Gwen''s throat with a vicious straight punch, displaying an unprecedented level of speed in the process.


    As it turned out, he had never used his top speed during his prior evasion of Gwen''s attacks, thereby luring her into a false sense of security, which ultimately proved to be fatal. Even though Larwood had only used the most basic martial techniques, he was able to win due to his reflexes and cunning, and even the lecturer had been quite impressed by his stunning display during that lesson.


    Gwen was naturally very unwilling to stomach the loss, and thereafter, she saw every offense and defense class as a chance to teach Larwood a lesson. However, Larwood was no slouch himself, and he was able to maintain quite a good record against Gwen throughout their sparring sessions. Not only was Gwen an exceptional magic student, her looks were well above average as well, and thus, Larwood became the envy of the class''s entire male cohort with his ability to secure Gwen as a permanent sparring partner.


    As for Chase, he also had a female partner by the name of Chanel. Erwin and his friends had always suspected that perhaps Chanel''s eyesight was somewhat lacking, but then again, Chase was no less a smooth talker than Larwood, so the situation kind of made sense.


    Erwin wasn''t a fan of interacting with strangers, so he formed a group with Kaiba, putting an end to Kaiba''s dream of matching up with a female magic student himself.


    Even though Kaiba didn''t possess reflexes on the same level as Larwood, he was extremely well-grounded in basic martial skills and excelled in defense. In addition to that, he crafted a huge magic shield specifically for these sparring sessions against Erwin, rendering him completely helpless.

 CH 1.2

    What was even more unfortunate for Erwin was that he excelled in instant-release spells. He unleashed a barrage of all types of different spells, including fireballs, lightning bolts, and hail storms, which exploded upon Kaiba''s magic shield to put on a spectacular show to behold, but the effects were very minimal. Meanwhile, Kaiba was able to stand behind the shield and gradually approach Erwin. However, Erwin was already accustomed to this type of situation, and he unleashed a space split technique to open up some distance between himself and Kaiba, thereby canceling out all of Kaiba''s previous efforts. This type of sparring had already been witnessed between the two of them many times in the past, and neither side had been able to defeat the other.


    The lecturer was initially rather disdainful toward Erwin''s unorthodox style, but most magicians didn''t excel in movement, so once they allowed martial artists to close down the distance between them, the battle would be all but decided.


    Thus, Kaiba and Erwin''s sparring matches were often used as examples to be discussed in class.


    ...


    As for how Erwin had developed this ability, it had been bestowed upon him by Professor Hawk of the magic division. Professor Hawk was a core mentor in the magic defense class, and the story of how the two of them had come to know each other was also quite an interesting one. At the time, Professor Hawk was teaching a lesson, instructing students on how to conjure up magic shields to ward off attacks from other magicians. After that, he examined all of his students'' magic shields. At the time, Erwin had only just emerged from the eastern part of the inner city, so his mind was in a haze, and he wasn''t able to focus on the lesson at all. Thus, he could only submit a basic agility technique to Professor Hawk during the examination phase. Generally speaking, this was a technique taught only to students of the martial techniques division, but due to how close he was with Kaiba and Larwood, he was able to learn many tricks from them.


    Professor Hawk had never seen a magician use martial techniques in battle against other magicians with such stunning effect. The two combatants should''ve conjured up their magic shields before attacking each other with spells to examine the resilience of the shields. However, Erwin hadn''t even given his opponent a chance to conjure up their magic shield before charging directly toward them, unleashing a barrage of instant-release spells as he did so. Thus, his opponent had no time to conjure up a magic shield, and could only unleash instant-release spells themselves in retaliation.


    Due to the agility technique, Erwin still wasn''t as fast and agile as the students from the martial techniques division, but he was far faster than his fellow students from the magic division. An abrupt sidestep allowed Erwin to evade most of his opponent''s instant-release spells, following which he unleashed another barrage of instant-release spells of his own. In the face of Erwin''s unorthodox style, his opponent was completely suppressed. Most of their instant-release spells were avoided by Erwin, and they didn''t dare to take the time to conjure up a magic shield as Erwin''s instant-release spells were constantly hurtling toward them from all directions.


    Professor Hawk called for the battle to conclude before Erwin was able to hurt his opponent, and at that point, his opponent was already on the brink of making a fatal error forced by the unrelenting pressure that Erwin had exerted upon them. All of the students in the class were completely flabbergasted to see this. What should''ve been a lesson on the use of magic shields in battles between magicians had been completely ruined by Erwin''s unorthodox display!


    Professor Hawk was quite displeased by this, but he also saw a lot of potential in Erwin. Thus, he gave Erwin a vicious glare before asking him to visit his office after the lesson. Erwin duly obliged, and he was sweating profusely under Professor Hawk''s stern gaze.


    He had thought that Professor Hawk would administer some torturous punishment upon him, but to his surprise, Professor Hawk pulled out a dusty copy of "Laws of Time and Space" before tossing it over to Erwin, instructing him to carefully study it, and that he was going to examine Erwin''s progress after every lesson.


    Erwin was completely dumbfounded by this request.


    Among all of the magic students of the same level, Erwin wasn''t all that exceptional, but he was extremely street smart and cunning. However, the book was exceedingly difficult to understand, and even after studying it for an extended period of time, Erwin was only able to learn a single technique, which was the space split technique.


    After the offense and defense class, everyone discussed where to go next.


    "I''m gonna go home and have a good sleep." Larwood was completely exhausted, clearly having just been severely tormented by Gwen.


    "You should be careful. Don''t forget that Gwen is the governor''s only child. If something happens between you two, the governor could raze your family''s manor to the ground!" Kaiba chuckled.


    "Why would he do that? It''s not like I''ve ever touched her or anything," Larwood replied with a sly expression.


    "Oho? So you''re thinking about touching her?" Chase and Chanel approached the group together, and the former chuckled, "I think you have a death wish!"


    "Governor Jenkins is a prized subordinate to His Majesty. For the past few years, he''s always served as the governor of the Fooz province, and he controls all of the mines in Fooz!" Kaiba said with a smile. "If all of Gwen''s suitors line up, they''ll probably stretch all the way out of the city from the palatial complex!"


    "It''s alright, the number of noble women that Larwood has wooed can stretch all the way from his house to the province of Fooz," Erwin chuckled, and everyone burst into laughter.


    "You know, now that I think about it, I''ve never heard of Larwood coming out second-best in a relationship," Chase said with a sly smile.


    "Piss off! I''m going home. You guys can say whatever you want," Larwood snapped.


    "Why are you leaving so soon? Get your family''s coach driver to come here. He may not know the way to Governor Jenkin''s manor. I''d be happy to give him some instructions."


    Erwin''s teasing brought on another round of laughter from everyone.


    Only right as he was about to leave the academy did Erwin recall that he still had to go and see Professor Hawk. Thus, he parted ways with everyone before setting off for Professor Hawk''s office, and everyone knew that he was most likely going to see Professor Hawk for his usual supplementary lessons.


    In less than a month, the triennial Pillow Sword Tournament was going to be held in Sarus. Teedus Academy, Pucil Academy, and Seaford Academy of Sarus, as well as Tisdale Academy of Burmen, and Einz Academy of Fooz were all going to be sending students to participate in the competition. The quota of students permitted to participate in the tournament for each advanced academy was determined by their results during the last edition of the tournament. In total, there were going to be 128 contestants who had to go through rounds upon rounds of showdowns before the winner of the final Pillow Sword Award was decided. The Royal Guard, the Royal Cavalry Brigade, the Court Magician Council, and the True Light Church were all going to be present to scout for contestants, and those who performed exceptionally well during the tournament wouldn¡¯t even have to graduate before being picked up by one of those organizations.


    Thus, every student with any ambition in their heart hoped to be able to participate in the Pillow Sword Tournament, and all of the academy''s lecturers had the right to recommend candidates to the principal. For a core professor like Professor Hawk, his recommendations would naturally be prioritized by Teedus Academy.


    Unfortunately for Erwin, he was only an intermediate magic student, and theoretically speaking, students of his level wouldn''t be recommended to attend the tournament. However, Professor Hawk had clearly taken a liking to him and was forcing Erwin to attend supplementary lessons every day of late. Whenever Erwin came to the academy, he would always have to go to Professor Hawk for supplementary lessons after his normal scheduled lessons.


    Under the illumination of the magic division''s Nightglow Stones lamps, Erwin passed by a series of classrooms on the first floor, then made his way directly to the mentors'' offices on the second floor. Professor Hawk''s office was the one at the very end of the floor, and Erwin hadn''t even knocked on the door yet before he was asked to enter the room. For a magician of Professor Hawk''s caliber, he was able to sense Erwin as soon as he arrived on this floor. All veteran magicians were extremely sensitive and alert to everything around them.


    Erwin opened the door and entered the room. There was a pair of round, gold-rimmed glasses sitting on Professor Hawk''s hooked nose, and with the natural curls in his hair, he looked much like a judge reading through some files. Alternatively, one could also liken him to a giant hawk that was staring intently at a book, ready to eat it at any moment. Professor Hawk''s eyesight was actually quite exceptional, and he was only beginning to suffer from presbyopia from old age. Erwin swept his gaze across the lit candles in the room, then took a deep breath before pulling that copy of "Laws of Time and Space" out of his sheepskin satchel.


    Professor Hawk set down the book in his hand before raising his head to look at Erwin.


    "Let''s review the basic laws of magic first for today." Professor Hawk removed his glasses before massaging his own glabella.


    "Yes, Professor Hawk." Erwin sat down at a small desk beside the bookshelf.


    "What is magic, and what is the essence of magic?" Professor Hawk asked.


    "The essence of magic is the occupation and modification of existing matter in the world," Erwin replied in a well-rehearsed manner.


    This was something that all students who had taken magic lessons knew, and he was unsure of why he was being asked such a basic question.


    "Can you explain what you mean by occupation and modification?" Professor Hawk asked.


    Erwin thought about this for a moment before replying, "To put it in simple terms, I''ll use instant-release spells as an example. Instant-release spells occupy the matter within a set surrounding space. The greater the capacity of occupation, the more destructive the spell will be, and the more difficult it''ll be to unleash. Hence, there is usually a limit on the destructive power of instant-release spells as there are only limited elements of all types in the surrounding area."


    Professor Hawk nodded in response, encouraging Erwin to continue.


    "However, when it comes to spells that are cast, their essence involves altering the matter within a set space to form magic, and that requires the use of chants or magic scrolls. Hence, casting-type spells require time to prepare, but they possess superior destructive power, and as a magician''s skills improve, they''ll be able to shorten the amount of time required for casting," Erwin continued.


    "Then what about martial techniques? What are the differences between martial techniques and magic?" Professor Hawk asked.


    "Er... The difference between martial techniques and magic is that the former requires one to close down the distance between one and their opponent, thereby allowing them to inflict damage from close quarters." Erwin wasn''t very well-versed in martial techniques, so his answer was a little lackluster.


    "That''s too superficial an answer. You need to think about martial techniques on a more in-depth level," Professor Hawk said with a displeased expression.


    The impression that Erwin had of martial technique students was that all of them had to close down the distance between themselves and their opponents before their skills could be put to effective use. What was the biggest difference between martial techniques and magic?


    "Let me give you a hint: do you still recall the agility technique that you used?"


    The memory of that battle was naturally still clear in Erwin''s mind. After all, it was the reason why he had to attend these supplementary lessons every day. Erwin thought carefully about this. The agility technique was very easy to use. It involved using the body to sense and capture the matter in the surrounding space that was beneficial for one''s movement, thereby allowing one to alter the speed of their movement within a certain space. With that in mind, it seemed that martial techniques and magic shared some similarities. At the very least, both required one to use their body to sense the matter in the space around them.

 CH 2.1

    In that case, what were the differences?


    "Now that I think about it, magic and martial techniques share a similarity when it comes to using the body to sense the elemental matter in the space around oneself," Erwin mused with a contemplative expression.


    "That is indeed true. So what are the differences?" Professor Hawk asked as an intense look surfaced in his eyes.


    Erwin then thought about how it felt to use the agility technique. Aside from using the body to sense matter that aided movement, the technique reduced the hindrances to movement within a certain space.


    "Aside from absorbing matter that is beneficial to movement, the agility technique also removes obstructive matter within a certain space," Erwin deduced.


    "Good. You aren''t the sharpest tool in the box, but you managed to get there in the end," Professor Hawk sighed.


    Erwin was feeling a little offended.


    "So tell me this: what are the most important things when it comes to a battle between a magician and a martial artist?" Professor Hawk asked.


    "Er... Is it that magicians should prevent martial artists from absorbing beneficial matter as much as possible while also increasing the amount of obstructive matter within space?" Erwin was feeling quite out of his depth here.


    "What can be classified as obstructive matter? Can you tell me that?" Professor Hawk was unrelenting in his line of questioning.


    "Er... I would say things like gravity and negative status effects such as sluggishness and paralysis?" Erwin''s voice spiked up slightly at the end in an unconfident manner, turning his answer into a question.


    "Is that something that you''re capable of as an intermediate magician who only goes around using instant-release spells all the time? Can you use advanced spells like gravitational field arrays? Your instant-release spells can''t even inflict basic negative status effects onto the target, can they?" Professor Hawk asked in a critical voice.


    After that string of insults from Professor Hawk, Erwin fell silent. No matter how thick-skinned he normally was, he was unable to say anything here.


    Professor Hawk didn''t insult Erwin any further. This was the student that he had chosen, after all, and he couldn''t go too far with his criticism. He simply couldn''t help but feel angry whenever he caught a whiff of the perfume of hostesses wafting from Erwin''s clothes and body.


    "If you encounter martial artists who are more powerful than you, you can forget about trying to alter the matter in space to defeat them. You''ll most likely be dead before you have a chance to use any of those spells!" Professor Hawk said in a scathing voice.


    Well, it''s not like I chose to go to the Pillow Sword Tournament! Not only do I have to take all of these supplementary lessons, I have to sit through your insults as well!


    Erwin was growing rather disgruntled, but he still put on a fawning smile as he pointed at his copy of "Laws of Time and Space". "That''s why I mastered the space split technique in the first chapter, right?"


    Through the use of instant-release spells, he could exhaust the matter in space, thereby creating matterless paths. The lack of matter in those paths meant that time would stand still, which allowed one to instantly move from one side of the path to another without expending any time. That was the fundamental concept of how the space split technique worked.


    "If you don''t improve in your ability to modify matter, you''re never going to be able to progress past the first chapter," Professor Hawk said with a disapproving expression.


    Erwin didn''t dare to rebuke him.


    "I honestly don''t understand you young people nowadays. If you have the time to be seeing hostesses, why aren''t you dedicating that time to studying magic? Life is but a fleeting affair, while the pursuit of knowledge is an endless journey, do you understand?" Professor Hawk sighed.


    Erwin nodded in response with an ashamed expression.


    "Professor Hawk, what do I do if my opponent uses martial techniques to exhaust all of the elemental matter in space?"


    Surely magicians weren''t the only ones who could use the matterless paths to their advantage.


    "Don''t ask me! When the time comes, you''ll just have to take whatever attack is being thrown at you head-on! I think that''s the only time that you''ll actually remember my teachings," Professor Hawk replied in a cold voice.


    Erwin couldn''t help but shudder as he envisioned such a scenario.


    "I''m constantly telling you to work harder and use your brain more. As a magician, you aren''t even sensitive to the changes in the matter around you! It''s all well and good discussing these things in theory, but it''s another matter entirely to have to learn these lessons the hard way!" A hint of mockery had returned to Professor Hawk''s voice again.


    "Having said that, you don''t have to worry too much for now," Professor Hawk continued. "Just as you said earlier, martial techniques most likely rely on removing the obstructive matter within space or on absorbing beneficial matter within space to enhance one''s speed and power. In terms of the quantity of elemental matter, far less is required to unleash martial techniques than it is for magicians to unleash spells. At the very least, that has been the case in all of the powerful martial artists that I''ve seen."


    There was only less than a month left until the Pillow Sword Tournament. At Erwin''s current level, even if he were to constantly train without sleep or rest, there was no way that his magic would be able to catch up to that of advanced magicians. In addition to that, he would also have to face advanced martial artists, and that was also going to be an extremely steep challenge.


    "Don''t get too stressed. Just do your best and try not to make too much of a fool of yourself. After all, most of the contestants in the tournament have been preparing for three years, while you''ve had far less time," Professor Hawk consoled.


    "If I''m going to be embarrassed at the tournament anyway, why did you call me here just to scold me?" Erwin protested in a disgruntled voice.


    "Well, at least this keeps you away from those hostesses you love so much!" Professor Hawk snapped.


    "Are there any shortcuts that I can use to prepare for the tournament?" Erwin asked, and his opportunistic nature was on full display.


    "Shortcut my arse! There are no shortcuts in magic! It takes consistent hard work over the course of years and decades!" Professor Hawk''s blood pressure was beginning to spike through the roof, and he had to fight back the urge to give Erwin a vicious beating.


    "Then what about in this book? Is there anything in here that can help me?" Erwin asked.


    "That''s for you to find out," Professor Hawk harrumphed. When it came to "Laws of Time and Space", his understanding of the book didn''t seem to be much more in-depth than that of Erwin, even though he was clearly far more experienced and accomplished a magician than Erwin was.


    The book was extremely difficult to understand, and even someone who often thought outside of the box like Erwin was yet to make any progress on the second chapter.


    What Professor Hawk had refrained from telling Erwin was that many magicians had spent several years on the first chapter of the book without being able to fully master it, so it was already quite remarkable that Erwin had been able to master the space split technique in just several months.


    "The speed of time in space isn''t constant..." Erwin took a glance at the copy of "Laws of Time and Space", then raised his head and asked, "What are your thoughts on that statement, Professor Hawk?"


    "Is this what you''ve concluded to be the essence of the second chapter?" Professor Hawk asked as he looked at Erwin through narrowed eyes, and even through those narrow slits, Erwin could see Professor''s Hawk''s bright and piercing gaze.


    Professor Hawk thought about this for a moment, and his brows began to furrow slightly. He looked closely at this lackadaisical student of his, and he couldn''t help but heave an internal sigh. Magic was indeed something that could only be improved upon with extended periods of consistent hard work, but when it came to the study of matter, space, and time, some people were simply naturally endowed. Even a grand magic mentor like himself, one of the best in the entire Effer Kingdom, had studied "Laws of Time and Space" for quite some time but had failed to make much progress.


    However, this lackadaisical student of his, who was constantly enamored by hostesses, had already grasped the essence of the second chapter in just a few months. Perhaps mastering the first chapter could''ve been attributed to only natural talent, but it required more than just natural talent to derive the essence of the second chapter. In addition to natural gifts, one required a clear understanding of basic magical concepts, and what was even more important was an understanding of the relationship between magic and time and space.


    "Most magicians only have an insatiable urge to improve their magic, but their understanding of more advanced concepts such as matter, time, and space, are often far too superficial."


    This sentiment was something that had always remained in Professor Hawk''s mind, and it was something that he had heard from a certain exceptionally talented student during his time studying at Teedus Academy. For some reason, he remembered that statement his entire life. However, what was quite embarrassing for him was that even though he had made extensive efforts to study the concepts of time and space, he was unable to make any breakthroughs. Thus, the fact that he had stumbled upon this hidden gem was no small consolation to him.


    "You always look so lazy and complacent, but you really do surprise me sometimes..." A faint smile appeared on Professor Hawk''s face as he spoke, but there was also a hint of bitterness in his smile.


    Erwin was a little perplexed as he looked at Professor Hawk. He had thought that Professor Hawk would provide him with some guidance based on his earlier statement, and this response was rather inexplicable to him.


    "Back when I first gave you that copy of ''Laws of Time and Space'', I already told you that I wouldn''t answer any of your questions related to the book. That''s because my understanding of the book... isn''t necessarily any clearer than yours," Professor Hawk said as a serious look appeared on his face.


    Thus, Erwin could only set his question aside for now.


    "However, the fact that you''ve managed to learn something from the second chapter shows that you''ve been paying a lot of attention in your regular magic lessons." This was the first time that Professor Hawk had paid him a compliment so far. "However, that''s still nowhere near enough. Theory and practice go hand in hand, do you understand? You tend to overthink things without doing enough practice."


    Indeed, this had always been a bad habit for Erwin, so he was a little embarrassed for it to be pointed out by Professor Hawk. Erwin never paid much heed to the advice and criticism directed toward him from his other clueless teachers, but he took the advice of a mentor as wise and astute as Professor Hawk very seriously.


    "The Pillow Sword Tournament is beginning in less than a month. Have you prepared anything?" Professor Hawk suddenly asked.


    "I''m just going there to make a fool out of myself anyway, so what is there to prepare?" Erwin asked with a shrug.


    In other words: "You''re the one who forced me into this, so you''ll be the one embarrassed at the end of the day."


    "Nonsense! Have you prepared any equipment?" Professor Hawk asked.


    "No. I don''t even know what to prepare," Erwin replied in a calm manner.


    "You... You don''t even know that you have to prepare things like a staff and rings? What is going on in that head of yours every day?" Professor Hawk roared, and his blood pressure began to climb once again.


    "I normally only use instant-release spells, so I never use things like staves," Erwin countered in a feeble voice.


    "I can''t believe you''re not ashamed to admit that! I must''ve been blind to have chosen a student like you!" Professor Hawk grumbled.


    Erwin wanted to stand up for himself and rebuke Professor Hawk but didn''t dare to do so in the end.

 CH 2.2

    "All of the spells I normally use can be cast with just my hands alone, so I really don''t need any equipment," Erwin explained.


    "So what you''re saying is that your confidence stems from ignorance." Professor Hawk was glowering at Erwin with an enraged expression.


    Thankfully, Erwin was already used to this, and he merely lowered his head and remained silent.


    Thus, the two of them reached an impasse, and neither of them said anything. Erwin was flipping through the pages of "Laws of Time and Space" in an absentminded manner, while Professor Hawk was flipping through the pages of the book in his hand, making sure the pages rustled loudly as he did so. At the same time, he would occasionally cast a disapproving glare in Erwin''s direction, but Erwin was very smart in keeping his head lowered the entire time, not giving Professor Hawk a chance to look into his eyes.


    The impasse continued for close to an hour, and Erwin was starting to grow a little sleepy. Looking at all of the symbols and large passages of text in the book, he was beginning to nod off, and his head was bobbing up and down, looking as if he could collapse onto the desk and fall sound asleep at any moment. Professor Hawk immediately flicked a finger through the air upon seeing this, and a lightning spell that carried a slight paralysis effect struck Erwin right on the waist. His control of power was exceptional, and the spell wasn''t powerful enough to hurt him, but it also jerked him wide awake.


    Erwin was caught completely off guard and immediately fell off his chair while howling with pain, rubbing his own waist as he glared at Professor Hawk with a resentful expression.


    In contrast, Professor Hawk was feeling very satisfied at the sight of Erwin''s suffering.


    "Come with me, I''ll tell you about the uses of equipment like staves, rings, and necklaces," Professor Hawk sighed as he beckoned Erwin over to him.


    Erwin was still rubbing his own waist with an indignant expression, but he didn''t dare to direct his anger at Professor Hawk.


    "Just as you said, all magicians can cast spells with their hands. Using one''s hands to sense the changes in the matter around them is the clearest and most direct way to do things, and most instant-release spells can be cast directly with one''s hands," Professor Hawk explained. "However, when it comes to magic that involves altering matter, staves will generally be used. Come here and give this a try."


    Professor Hawk was pointing at a staff on the table as he spoke. The staff was around three fingers thick and the length of one''s forearm.


    Erwin picked up the staff before carefully inspecting it. There was a red gem embedded into the tip of the staff, and judging from its color, it appeared to be a premium Red Brown Gem. Erwin picked up the staff before unleashing an intermediate fireball spell. Fire instantly erupted from the front of the staff, and a fireball quickly took shape. Erwin was quite startled by this, and he immediately canceled the spell.


    "As you can see, this is a premium Red Brown Gem, which has a high sensitivity to fire elements. You were able to conjure up that fireball spell much faster through the use of the staff, right?" Professor Hawk explained. "Each staff possesses different attributes and elemental sensitivity, but all staves are used for the same purpose: to speed up the conversion of matter in the surrounding space."


    Erwin nodded in response, then asked, "I saw that some of the students in the magic division use long-handle staves. Is that any different from this one?"


    "Long staves will increase the distance and range of a spell, making it suitable for large-scale battles, but they''re not suitable for melee combat. In contrast, short staves have superior elemental sensitivity, allowing one to cast spells through them faster than they''d be able to with long staves. Whether one is superior over another is decided by the circumstances of the battle you''re in," Professor Hawk explained.


    Erwin was suddenly made to realize just how much of a novice he was in this field.


    "Then if my magic becomes sufficiently powerful in the future, will I be able to not use staves?" Erwin suddenly asked.


    "I would advise against that unless you have absolute confidence that you can cast spells faster with your hand than you''d be able to using a staff," Professor Hawk replied. "In a battle of life and death, you want all the help that you can get."


    Erwin nodded in response and committed this information to his memory. Unbeknownst to him, these words from Professor Hawk were going to save his life countless times over the years.


    Erwin wanted to ask Professor Hawk which type of staff would be best for him to use, but he was afraid of being scolded again, so he didn''t dare to ask.


    "Come and try out these rings next." Professor Hawk raised two fingers before waving them through the air, and a copper accessory box rose up from the top of the bookshelf before flying over to them.


    Erwin used his sleeve to wipe away the dust on the box. Even though the box was a little dirty, it was clear that it had been extremely intricately crafted. Upon opening the box, Erwin was greeted by the sight of several silver rings and a few necklaces placed in no particular order. These accessories were also all covered in dust, and it seemed that they hadn''t been used in many years.


    Erwin couldn''t see much difference between the rings, so he chose one at random and blew off the dust on its surface, upon which he discovered that countless magical runes were engraved upon the silver ring. He put on the ring before attempting to cast some spells, but he couldn''t sense anything different, and he turned to Professor Hawk with an inquisitive expression.


    Professor Hawk raised his fingers once again to cast a spell, and a magic puppet that was glowing with blue light appeared in front of Erwin.


    "Try to use your instant-release spells now," Professor Hawk instructed.


    Erwin nodded in response, and with a wave of his hand, several small fireballs were sent flying toward the puppet. This was a spell that he was so familiar with that casting it was virtually second nature to him at this point. However, what happened next came as quite a surprise to him. As soon as the fireballs struck the puppet, the entire puppet quickly erupted into flames.


    Oh, so this ring can enhance the negative status conditions inflicted by spells! Erwin thought to himself as his eyes widened in surprise. This was quite a practical ability, and he suddenly wanted to keep the ring for himself.


    After that, he tried a few more rings, and as a complete novice to magic equipment, his horizons were broadened significantly. There were some rings that could enhance the tracing ability of spells, there were some that could enhance the destructive power of spells, and there were even some that could automatically conjure up magic shields during the casting of spells.


    "Try a necklace," Professor Hawk instructed.


    Erwin picked up a silver necklace before putting it on. The hollow runic carvings of the necklace were wrapped around the transparent gemstone, and it was impossible to tell exactly what the gemstone was.


    After Erwin put on the necklace, Professor Hawk flicked a finger through the air, unleashing yet another lightning spell directly toward him.


    The gemstone on the necklace suddenly began to glow, while the hollow runes rapidly revolved. A series of interconnected ring-shaped lines began to appear, and by the time the bolt of lightning reached Erwin, a magic mirage had already been conjured up to block the spell.


    Erwin looked down at the necklace in his hand with a stunned expression. However, the necklace had already returned to its original state, and the light had faded from its gemstone.


    "A mirage spell is enclosed in the runes on that necklace, and it''s activated by this gemstone, is that right?" Erwin asked in a bewildered manner. "What kind of material is this gemstone? How is it able to sense magic attacks?"


    "It''s a Duskshadow Gem," Professor Hawk explained. "It''s a type of magic gemstone with resonance properties. Whenever a harmful spell reaches within a certain range of the necklace, the magic power stored within the gemstone will be activated, thereby fueling the mirage spell runes."


    "Then will the necklace be triggered when I''m casting spells myself?" Erwin asked.


    "That''s why I told you to wear it. Duskshadow Gems absorb magic power in order to replenish themselves. Once it absorbs your magic power, it''ll essentially become an extension of your own body, so your spells naturally won''t trigger its resonance," Professor Hawk sighed. "You need to spend less time with hostesses and more time browsing books in the library! Your lack of knowledge is really going to come back to bite you someday."


    Erwin was rather disgruntled to hear this. It seemed to him that Professor Hawk was looking for every possible opportunity to scold him.


    "So that means that this necklace can be used repeatedly as long as I provide it with enough magic power?" Erwin asked.


    Professor Hawk naturally knew what Erwin was thinking, and he replied in a cold voice, "There''s a cooldown time required for the activation runes, and that cooldown time is around 15 minutes per use. Also, I already told you that your magic power will be expended with each activation of the necklace. In battle, this necklace will be extremely taxing on your magic power. Given your current level of magic power, you''ll only be able to activate it a few times before you''re wrung dry."


    Erwin nodded in response with a dejected expression. He had thought that this necklace would be activated whenever he was attacked by a spell, but the fact that the activation runes had a cooldown time and that the necklace would expend his magic power with each use made it suddenly a lot less appealing.


    "Professor Hawk, I think these accessories are all great. Why are you storing them away to gather dust like this?" Erwin pulled out the remaining few necklaces before carefully inspecting them.


    "These are all elementary accessories that are no longer useful to me." Professor Hawk couldn''t help but feel a little amused. No matter how lackadaisical this student of his was, his youth would always be able to bail him out. In contrast, he was already an old man, and he couldn''t help but lament the rapid passage of time as he looked at these accessories that he had used in the past.


    "In that case, I''d be more than happy to take these accessories off your hands, Professor Hawk. I don''t think I''ll be able to buy any better equipment even if I go to the eastern part of the inner city," Erwin said with a shameless grin. "In any case, you''re the one forcing me to go to the Pillow Sword Tournament, so you have to take responsibility for me, right? For your sake, I can''t make too much of a fool out of myself!"


    "Hmph, even with those accessories, you''re still probably not going to embarrass yourself any less," Professor Hawk taunted.


    Erwin could only shake his head with a resigned expression in response to Professor Hawk''s insults.


    "You can pick whatever rings and necklaces you want, but don''t take this staff. A staff is the most important piece of magic equipment, and you have to get one that''s suitable for you," Professor Hawk said.


    In terms of the rings, the choice was simple for Erwin. The ones that he liked the most were the ones with negative status condition enhancement effects and spell tracing effects. As for the necklaces, all of them seemed to be useful according to Professor Hawk''s descriptions, but he was too embarrassed to take all of them. Thus, after pondering the matter for a long time, he finally decided to pick the necklace capable of unleashing the mirage spell.


    "For your staff, I recommend you go to Haven Street in the eastern part of the inner city. Head east, and when you reach the end of the street, you''ll get to a shop called the Luzen Equipment Shop. There, you should be able to get yourself a suitable staff," Professor Hawk said as he put the remaining rings and necklaces back into that copper accessory box.


    Erwin nodded in response, making a decision there and then that he was going to take all of the accessories in the box for himself someday.

 CH 3.1

    By the time Erwin emerged from Professor Hawk''s office, it was already close to midnight. In contrast with how lively and bustling the eastern section of Sarus''s inner city was, the western section of the city was far more quiet. There were barely any pedestrians and carriages on the streets, and most of the people out and about were the guards patrolling the city. Most of the guards were familiar with Erwin due to the fact that he was the son of the count, so no one approached him for being out this late at night.


    Erwin yawned as he walked along York Street, then took a few turns before arriving at the count''s manor. The guards at the entrance of the manor were also quite accustomed to seeing him return so late.


    The count had never been very involved in the parenting of his own son, and Erwin''s mother had passed away when he was quite young. Thus, Erwin''s childhood was spent mingling with the likes of Larwood, Kaiba, and Chase, who were all sons of other affluent families. Thankfully, all of them were only interested in money and women, so they didn''t get themselves into too much trouble. After Erwin grew up, his father turned a blind eye to his tendencies to visit all of the mansions in th eastern part of the city, and there didn''t appear to be any problems with him aside from some slight physical frailness. After all, this was also how the count had spent his youth as well.


    Erwin returned to his own room. His brain had been loaded with information from Professor Hawk, so he was feeling very sleepy, and after doing some simple washing up, he went to bed and promptly fell asleep.


    He had no classes the next morning, so he slept until noon before getting up. As a result of oversleeping, his head was still feeling quite groggy. After he got up, he began to contemplate how he was going to speak to his father. It was only the middle of the month, and he had already used up all of his spending money in the Rivers Mansion. However, a staff was something that he had to buy, and he was struggling to think of a way to ask his father for more allowance.


    He knew that his father very rarely left the mansion, and he made his way toward the study while continuing to contemplate what the best approach was.


    At the moment, Count Friar was seated behind a large and lavish desk, flipping through the pages of an atlas of the Effer Kingdom. As Erwin made his way into the study, Count Friar looked up to take a glance at him, then lowered his head and directed his gaze back to the atlas.


    "Father, Professor Hawk told me a few days ago that he wanted me to participate in the upcoming edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament," Erwin said with a serious expression.


    "That''s a good thing. Make sure to prepare well and not embarrass the professor," Count Friar replied as he raised his head again to take a casual glance at Erwin, seemingly completely unsurprised to hear this.


    Erwin knew that his father was fully aware of his lackadaisical nature, so he couldn''t help but wonder why his father wasn''t surprised at all that he was being asked to participate in the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    "Um... Father, I have to... buy a good staff for myself." Erwin finally began to cut to the main topic.


    "And? Didn''t I just give you 300 Loonies at the start of the month?" Count Friar asked as his brows furrowed slightly.


    "That''s true, but I, uh..." Erwin stammered with his head lowered.


    "Did you spend it all again?" Count Friar''s voice immediately spiked up a few octaves.


    Erwin could only nod feebly in response.


    "You little shit!" Count Friar closed the atlas before slamming it onto the table. "Do you know how many cottages 300 Loonies can fetch outside the city? You should be studying hard at the academy! What are you doing spending so much money so quickly?"


    Every time Count Friar scolded Erwin over his spending habits, he would always refer to Loonies in terms of the number of cottages they could purchase outside of Sarus.


    "You can live like this because I''m still the head of the family, but what are you going to do when you take over from me? Our farms outside the city can''t generate money fast enough to fund your lifestyle!" Count Friar yelled.


    Erwin''s head was lowered with an embarrassed look on his face. He had already honed this performance to perfection.


    "It''s not my fault, Father. I don''t want to go, either, but Professor Hawk specifically recommended me, and I couldn''t just refuse," Erwin said in a low voice.


    "Is that what I''m talking to you about? Do you not understand why I''m so angry?" Count Friar yelled. "If you keep living like this, I''m going to need to go mine for gold in Fooz! Otherwise, our manor will go broke!"


    Erwin lowered his head even further.


    After yelling for a while longer, Count Friar took a drink of water to soothe his own throat. It seemed that Erwin was readily owning up to his mistakes, and the anger in his heart gradually subsided upon seeing this.


    "Professor Hawk has always had a good eye for spotting talent. Make sure you make him proud," Count Friar sighed as his demeanor softened a little. "Go and take 200 Loonies from the steward. That should be enough for you to buy a staff, right?"


    "Yes, Father," Erwin replied with a fawning smile.


    Count Friar didn''t want to look at him any longer. He gave Erwin a dismissive wave, then sat back down and continued to inspect the atlas.


    Erwin wore a shameful expression as he quickly backed out of the study.


    After receiving the money from the steward, Erwin put on his sheepskin satchel and rushed out of the manor to the academy with a spring in his step. In contrast with his normal get-up, he was wearing the full set of accessories that he had taken from Professor Hawk.


    There were no lessons with the students from the martial techniques division for the entire afternoon, nor any supplementary lessons with Professor Hawk. Thus, Erwin had no one to chat and joke around with, nor any teachers that he respected enough to give his attention. Thus, he was extremely bored and uninterested as he sat through the afternoon magic potion class.


    Finally, the lesson drew to a conclusion in the evening, and he picked up his satchel before heading to the entrance of the martial techniques division to meet up with his friends.


    After a day of lessons, Chase, Larwood, and Kaiba were all looking completely exhausted, lazily walking out of the academy with their hands folded behind their heads. However, sly grins immediately appeared on their faces as soon as they caught sight of Erwin.


    "What''s up?" Chase greeted him with a smile. "You wanna go to the Rivers Mansion tonight?"


    "You''re already good to go again? When did you develop such good stamina?" Larwood chuckled.


    "Not today, lads. Even if I wanted to go, I wouldn''t have enough money anyway," Erwin sighed.


    "That''s true for all of us as well," Larwood replied with a grin. "I was about to say that we would be happy to accompany you there, but you''d have to pay for us."


    "Two of you have dukes for fathers, and one of you is the son of a marquess! Do you not feel ashamed freeloading off me?" Erwin grumbled.


    "What can I do? I have a lot of brothers," Larwood sighed with a resigned expression.


    "So where are we going tonight?" Kaiba asked.


    "I need to go to Luzen Equipment Shop tonight. Who''s coming with me? For the sake of that Pillow Sword Tournament, Old Man Hawk lectured me on equipment all night yesterday," Erwin sighed.


    "Quit your whining! You and Larwood get to participate in the Pillow Sword Tournament, while Kaiba and I can only watch." A displeased look appeared on Chase''s face as he turned to Larwood through narrowed eyes. "Did you bribe Professor Terry or get your father to speak to him? Why else would he have recommended you to participate in the tournament?"


    "Your father is also a duke, why don''t you try getting your father to speak to Professor Terry?" Larwood snapped. "In Teedus Academy, no professors will take bribes or care about what background you come from."


    Chase thought about this for a moment and decided that Larwood was right. All of the professors at Teedus Academy received additional benefits from the national department of finance in addition to their normal salaries, so their incomes were very high. On top of that, most of the professors were martial artists and magicians of a very high caliber. In the eyes of the king, their status was no lesser than that of the royals and the nobles, so regardless of which advanced academy it was, all teachers who made it to the professor level at those academies commanded a lot of respect from their students.


    "Luzen Equipment Shop? Isn''t that the one on Haven Street in the eastern part of the inner city?" Kaiba asked.


    "It is. How did you know about it? I didn''t even know that there was an equipment shop at all on Haven Street," Erwin said with a surprised expression.


    "How would you know? We have to take you everywhere, even to mansions," Kaiba teased, and both Chase and Larwood had a good laugh at Erwin''s expense.


    "Speaking of Haven Street, I remember that there''s a tavern there by the name of the Redbud Pavilion. It''s quite a nice place, and it has top quality Zam whisky," Larwood said. "It''s not as good as the red wine from Joffen, but the coarse and refreshing mouth feel of that whisky... Oh, just thinking about it is giving me the chills! You remember that place, Chase? We went there together once."


    "Now that you mention it, I think I do recall that place. The whisky that they sell there really is exceptional," Chase replied as he turned to Kaiba with a smile. "How about this? You go with Erwin to that equipment shop, and once you''re done there, you two can go and find us at that tavern."


    "That sounds great to me," Larwood said with a smile.


    "Why does it have to me?" Kaiba protested. "Why do you two get to go to the tavern first?"


    "Hey, why are you getting so worked up? Are you that unhappy about having to accompany me to buy equipment?" Erwin asked as a displeased look appeared on his face.


    "You''re the only one who knows how to get to the equipment shop," Chase justified with a grin.


    "I never said that! I just said I know of the place!" Kaiba protested.


    "Will it kill you to come with me to get some equipment?" Erwin grumbled.


    "Exactly! We''ve been friends for so long, will it kill you to get some equipment with him?" Chase was suddenly on Erwin''s side.


    Kaiba didn''t know how to rebuke them, and Larwood was chuckling off to the side.


    "Hold on, didn''t you say that you had no money just now? How are you going to buy equipment without any money?" Kaiba turned to glare at Erwin with a suspicious expression.


    "I don''t wanna talk about it. I got scolded again this morning. You know, the same old lecture about how many cottages I could''ve bought outside the city," Erwin replied with a wry smile.


    Kaiba was also quite amused to hear this. Having been friends with Erwin for so many years, the group was already extremely familiar with the cottage comparison that his father would always bring up when scolding him.


    Thus, the four of them got into the luxurious horse-drawn carriage owned by Larwood''s family, which traveled toward Haven Street in the eastern part of the inner city.


    Upon arriving at the entrance of the Redbud Pavilion, Erwin took a close look to find that it really was quite a nice place, just as Larwood had said. The entire front of the tavern was constructed from maple wood, with redbud branches of different thicknesses crawling over its surface, giving it a rough yet still tasteful exterior. It was no wonder that this place was known as the Redbud Tavern. Sitting under its wide wooden eaves, patrons of the tavern could sample delectable wine while looking out at the street scenery in the night breeze. Inside the tavern, there were private rooms separated with screens, and it was clear that a lot of thought had gone into the tavern''s construction.

 CH 3.2

    Larwood and Chase entered the tavern first with smug expressions, while a dejected Kaiba could only lead Erwin toward the end of the street.


    As the two arrived at the entrance of the Luzen Equipment Shop, Erwin took a look at the archaic shopfront. The construction of the shop was done in a style that was no longer fashionable, but it was very clean and well-maintained. Judging from the appearance of the shop, it had to be several decades old, but it had clearly been recently painted, so the owner of the shop was still taking good care of it.


    The two of them entered the shop, and an elderly man who appeared to be the manager of the shop got down from the counter and made his way toward them. Judging from his appearance, he seemed to be a lot older than even Professor Hawk.


    Erwin took a quick glance around the shop. It was a little cramped, but everything was well organized. The shelves on either side of them mostly contained rings and other accessories with runes engraved onto them, and there were also some pieces of armor and scrolls of all types of different sizes. On the backside of the counter was an entire wall of all types of books, all of which appeared to be quite old. There seemed to be something behind the counter as well, but it was obscured by the bookshelves, leaving only a walkway that only a single person could pass through at a time.


    "May I ask what you''re looking for, young masters?" The elderly man could tell from the attire of Erwin''s duo that they hailed from affluent backgrounds.


    "Hello, sir. I need to find a suitable staff for myself to use during the Pillow Sword Tournament, and Professor Hawk recommended me to come here," Erwin replied with a smile.


    "Oh, so it was Professor Hawk who recommended that you come here. I haven''t seen him in many years already," the elderly man said with a smile as he took a glance at Erwin. "The Pillow Sword Tournament is quite a prestigious event. You must be a very capable magician for Professor Hawk to have recommended you to participate in the tournament at such a young age."


    An ashamed look appeared on Erwin''s face. "I''ll most likely be embarrassing Professor Hawk during the tournament."


    "I doubt it! Professor Hawk has an extremely sharp eye for talent. I''ve never seen him be wrong about anyone yet, so don''t be too hard on yourself," the elderly man consoled.


    "I certainly hope I''ll be able to live up to his expectations," Erwin said with a wry smile.


    "Now then, what would you like, Young Master? Are you going to the Pillow Sword Tournament as well?" the elderly man asked as he turned to Kaiba.


    Kaiba hurriedly waved his hands in response. "I''m just here with my friend. I can take a look on my own, please take him to choose a staff."


    "Alright, then please come with me, Young Master." The elderly man beckoned toward Erwin, then led him toward a room down the back of the shop.


    After passing through the walkway, there really was another area of the shop. The elderly man snapped his fingers, and the lamps on either side of the counter immediately lit up. There were several dozen types of staves of different sizes lined up on one side, while weapons for martial artists were lined up on the other side. There were familiar weapons such as swords and spears, but there were also some weapons that Erwin had never even been before.


    Upon seeing the dozens of staves of different sizes, Erwin was feeling quite overwhelmed. Did he have to try out all of the staves one by one to find the right one?


    The elderly man could see what Erwin was thinking from his expression, and he smiled as he said, "Don''t worry, I''ll take a look for you and narrow down the selection, so this won''t take very long at all."


    Erwin heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this.


    "By the way, those two rings on your hand and that necklace you''re wearing were given to you by Professor Hawk, right?" the elderly man suddenly asked with a smile.


    "Wow, you have some sharp eyes, sir," Erwin exclaimed as he lowered his head to look down at the two rings on his hand.


    The elderly man shook his head in response. "My eyes aren''t what they used to be. I was only able to identify the accessories when I took a closer look. Those accessories were purchased from me by Professor Hawk many years ago, and seeing them has brought back a lot of memories."


    "Professor Hawk bought these accessories from here?" Erwin asked.


    "Indeed, he did." The elderly man nodded in response. "He bought them from me several decades ago. At the time, he had only recently become a lecturer, and he was still far from becoming a professor. Those are some very nice accessories. It seems like Professor Hawk has a very high opinion of you."


    The elderly man began to pick out a staff for Erwin as he spoke.


    Erwin didn''t know how to respond to that, so he remained silent.


    "I''m guessing you mostly use instant-release spells, so a short staff would be best for you," the elderly man murmured, and Erwin didn''t know whether he was being spoken to or whether the elderly man was just thinking out loud to himself.


    After browsing through the short staves for a while, the elderly man pulled one out before handing it over to Erwin. "Here, try this one."


    Erwin held the staff in his hand before taking a look. A purple gem that he didn''t recognize was embedded into the top of the staff.


    Erwin raised the staff, and an intermediate fireball spell began to take shape at the top of the staff. To his surprise, the fireball was purple, and the speed of its formation was astonishing to Erwin.


    "Why is it that this flame doesn''t look like a fire-attribute one?" Erwin asked as he canceled the spell.


    "This staff is capable of manifesting all gathered and converted matter into the darkness attribute. On top of that, the rate at which it''s capable of gathering and converting matter is twice as fast as the average staff," the elderly man replied with a proud expression.


    Erwin nodded in response.


    "The darkness attribute is quite uncommon, but once I reveal it during the Pillow Sword Tournament, my opponents will come to expect it, would they not?"


    In other words, if his opponents were to embed darkness resistance gems into their equipment, he would be completely powerless against them.


    "That''s true, but this darkness-attribute Shaved Purple Gem cannot just be bought anywhere. Even the mines in Fooz only produce several kilograms of this stuff each year," the elderly man replied.


    "Hmm, I''d like to try another one." Erwin was still a little wary of the fact that this staff converted all of his spells into the darkness attribute. The fact that he was able to get his hands onto this type of gemstone meant that others would most likely be able to as well. After all, there was no lack of individuals wealthier than him in this city.


    "Alright, I''ll pick out another one for you then." The elderly man could see that Erwin had some reservations about this staff, so he began to browse through the collection again.


    After that, Erwin tried out quite a few staves, but all of them were staves that only enhanced one particular attribute, which was very similar to the staff that he had tried in Professor Hawk''s office. The only difference was that the staves in this shop were able to convert matter more quickly, and they also allowed for smoother casting of spells.


    "We''ve gone through quite a few staves, but none of them seem to be as good as this first one." Erwin picked up that darkness-attribute staff again and began to carefully inspect it.


    "Trust me on this one, Young Master. Your first gut feeling will often end up leading you in the right direction," the elderly man said with a smile.


    Erwin nodded in response, then turned to the elderly man before asking, "How much is this staff?"


    "150 Loonies," the elderly man replied with a polite smile.


    Erwin couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath as a stunned look appeared on his face.


    However, the expression on the elderly man''s face was completely justified, and it didn''t look as if he would be open to offering any discounts.


    Thus, Erwin put on a polite smile of his own as he said, "That''s quite a reasonable price."


    Meanwhile, he had already cursed Professor Hawk 100 times in his heart, and the only consolation to him was that a good staff would most likely allow him to perform better during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    Despite what he was thinking, Erwin was quite calm and composed as he settled the transaction with the elderly man. As he pulled out the 150 Loonies required for the staff, Kaiba''s eyes immediately widened with astonishment, and he asked Erwin whether he had bought an entire carriage full of equipment.


    Upon being told by Erwin that he had only purchased a single staff, the same polite smile appeared on Kaiba''s face as well.


    Throughout this entire process, the elderly man didn''t seem to have sensed anything amiss with Erwin and Kaiba''s expressions, and he asked, "Do you need to look at anything else, young masters?"


    "No, that''ll be all for today," Erwin replied as he bade the elderly man farewell, and the two of them departed from the shop.


    "Alright, it was a pleasure doing business with you, young masters. Please visit again if you need anything else." The elderly man accompanied the two of them to the door with a smile, then extended a slight parting bow to see them off.


    "Holy shit! 150 Loonies for a single staff?" He took Erwin''s staff from him before carefully inspecting it. "Do you know how many cottages you can buy outside the city with 150 Loonies?"


    Erwin didn''t say anything.


    "That shop looks like it has to be several decades old, how did it manage to stay open for so long with such ridiculous prices? I bet the only customers it gets are students like you who were recommended to go there by Professor Hawk," Kaiba chuckled with an amused expression.


    Erwin continued to remain silent as he looked at the 50 remaining Loonies in his bag. All of a sudden, the wind seemed particularly cold to him, and he couldn''t help but shudder.


    On the way from the equipment shop to the Redbud Pavilion, Erwin maintained a dejected silence, while Kaiba teased him relentlessly the entire way there.


    Right at this moment, a furious roar suddenly erupted from within the Redbud Pavilion. "You''re not getting away with this, you little rascals!"


    Immediately thereafter, Larwood and Chase were sent flying out from under the wooden eaves of the tavern. Kaiba and Erwin exchanged a glance, then immediately positioned themselves in front of Larwood and Chase to shield them. The four of them weren''t exactly renowned scoundrels in Sarus or anything like that, but they had certainly experienced their fair share of pub brawls in the past.


    A young man with brown hair and blue eyes emerged from the tavern. He was quite a bit older than Erwin and his friends, and he was holding a black longsword with an enraged look on his face. The sword was giving off a menacing black gleam under the streetlights, and it was giving off a completely undisguised threatening aura.


    "Oh, so you''ve got a couple of friends here to back you up, have you? Fine, I''ll just have to take care of all four of you at once!" A derisive sneer appeared on the young man''s face as he spoke, and he was naturally referring to Erwin and Kaiba here.


    Meanwhile, Larwood and Chase had already clambered to their feet and were ready for battle. Erwin took a quick glance behind him to see that the two of them had already gotten up, following which he moved a few steps to the side. The young man that they were facing was clearly a martial artist, so it was best to leave Larwood and the others to face him head-on while he assisted them from the rear with his spells.


    The young man lunged forward and stabbed his sword directly toward Larwood''s face. It seemed that out of the entire group, he resented Larwood the most. Larwood remained calm and collected as he crossed his arms in front of himself in defense.

 CH 4.1

    The black sword was like a pouncing black dragon, and it clashed directly with Larwood''s golden boxing gloves. Larwood was instantly forced back several steps in succession by the young man''s sword energy, but he was able to remain in control of his own body. Meanwhile, the young man was able to hold his ground as he ducked down in an agile manner to avoid Chase''s slashing rapier. He then blocked the handle of Kaiba''s ax with his forearm, and in the blink of an eye, he had managed to knock back Larwood while dealing with both Chase and Kaiba''s attacks.


    The young man was occupied by the trio, thereby leaving his back wide open, and Erwin immediately took advantage of this opportunity, unleashing a flurry of instant-release spells toward the young man''s back with his newly purchased staff.


    Some people had emerged from the pub to watch the fight, and they were all rather disdainful toward Erwin and his friends for ganging up on the young man and employing such unscrupulous tactics, but Erwin and his friends were renowned for their shamelessness, and they certainly didn''t care what other people thought.


    However, before Erwin''s spell had a chance to strike its target, a magic shield flew out of the tavern to protect the young man''s back.


    Erwin immediately cast his gaze toward the tavern to see who had thwarted his sneak attack from the back.


    As a result, he was greeted by the sight of a woman with flowing red locks, a seductive figure, and eyes that looked as if they belonged in a painting. Her flowing hair resembled waves of luscious red fire that spilled down like a waterfall while giving off a brilliant luster. Her eyes were of the exact same blue color as the young man, and there was a frosty look within them, much like the glaciers in the north that hadn''t melted in thousands of years, but at the same time, they were brimming with fury like the turbulent waves of a raging sea. Her luscious lips were curved up slightly at the corners in a derisive sneer, but even so, she was still downright breathtaking to behold.


    For one as enamored with the opposite sex as Erwin was, he was still carefully savoring the sight of the woman''s voluptuous figure. Her white sheep wool cape was loosely tied around her waist, complementing her tight-fitting red dress. There was a silken sash around her slender waist that accentuated her alluring figure to perfection, particularly highlighting her voluptuous chest. The deep v neck collar of her dress revealed a deep cleavage that looked as if it were crafted from the most premium of mutton fat jade, or like the twin Reynold Mountains after a bout of heavy snowfall.


    Erwin couldn''t help but admire the way that the woman''s dress was tailored. They loosely concealed her chest, waist, and backside, but that was all. Her gorgeous long legs were completely exposed, and Erwin found himself completely unable to look away.


    Right as Erwin was gawking at the woman with lust-filled eyes, she cast a sharp gaze toward him, immediately followed by a barrage of sells. However, these weren''t instant-release spells. Instead, they were all advanced spells. This woman was such an adept magician that she was able to cast advanced spells so quickly that they were made to appear like instant-release spells.


    Erwin had no time to react, and the mirage necklace was instantly triggered, unleashing the enclosed mirage spell to shield him from this first wave of attacks.


    The woman''s eyes were full of disdain, as if she were sneering at Erwin''s cowardice, and she pulled out a long staff from behind her. The tip of the staff was glowing with faint blue light, and the hint of blue radiance was giving off an incredibly frosty aura in the night. Only now did Erwin realize that the barrage of advanced spells that she had just released had been unleashed by her bare hands alone.


    A chill immediately ran down Erwin''s spine. This woman was way too powerful! Her powers were already on par with those of a magic mentor, and it seemed like she was going to be focusing solely on Erwin!


    Indeed, there was no need for her participation in the battle on the other side. Even though it was a three on one battle with Larwood, Kaiba, and Chase ganging up on the young man together, they were unable to gain even the slightest upper hand.


    Larwood had already thrown away all of his dignity, going for his opponent''s vitals with every attack, even stooping as low as to attack the young man''s eyes and groin region. These techniques had all been honed over the course of countless street fights and pub brawls, and they certainly weren''t taught by any academies. As a result, the opinion that all of the bystanders had of Larwood, which was quite low to begin with, plummeted even further.


    However, Erwin had no spare capacity to worry about Larwood and his friends because he was struggling immensely against his fearsome female opponent.


    As soon as the woman emerged from the tavern, she immediately unleashed a levitation spell, showing off both her superior power and battle experience as she seized the aerial advantage, then unleashed a firestorm upon Erwin, who was still standing on Haven Street. Thankfully, Haven Street was quite wide and spacious. Otherwise, the houses and shops on either side of the street would''ve already been set alight.


    Erwin certainly didn''t dare to treat this battle halfheartedly, and he was unleashing all types of instant-release spells up toward his opponent while struggling to withstand her firestorm. All of his spells were of a dark purple color, and due to his spell tracing ring, he was able to easily lock onto his opponent even though she was high up in the sky.


    At this point, Erwin had already been struck many times by his opponent''s firestorm, sustaining burns to a large section of his cheek and ears. His black robe had also been set alight in many spots, and it was clear that he had suffered burns over various parts of his body as well.


    Under normal circumstances, the woman would''ve been able to easily evade Erwin''s instant-release spells, but due to the tracing effect of his ring, she was forced to conjure up a magic shield to protect herself. She looked on as several dark purple spells exploded against her magic shield. Some of them erupted into scorching fire, and some of them gave off paralyzing lightning. The spells appeared to all be of the darkness attribute, but they were imbued with negative status conditions of different attributes.


    An intrigued look appeared in her eyes as she took a closer look at the struggling Erwin. She then took a glance at the staff in his hand, then murmured to herself, "He sure has quite a few pieces of interesting equipment."


    After the firestorm finally subsided, Erwin looked down at his own body to find that there were many charred sections on his suit of leather armor, and the entire left side of his face was in burning pain. He could also smell the scent of his own burnt hair, and he looked up into the sky with a resentful expression, taking the liberty to look under his female opponent''s dress as he did so.


    However, the woman naturally wasn''t going to give him a chance to catch his breath, and an icestorm was sent raining down from above.


    Larwood and the others had been locked in battle against the young man outside the firestorm, and they had made an effort to divert their battlefield away from Erwin. Just as Erwin had no spare capacity to worry about them, they didn''t have any attention to spare for Erwin, either. Around a dozen gashes had already been inflicted on Larwood and Chase''s bodies by their opponent''s sword. In contrast, Kaiba was faring slightly better, which made sense, considering defense was his forte. Initially, it was only Larwood resorting to dirty tricks, but as the battle wore on, all three of them cast aside their dignity and began to strike at the young man''s vitals with every single attack. However, the young man remained completely unfazed and didn''t allow a single attack to strike him.


    As the trio caught sight of the icestorm descending upon Erwin from above, they couldn''t help but shudder and pray for Erwin''s safety. Erwin felt as if he could sense the prayers of his friends.


    Erwin looked on as the glowing azure storm of ice and snow reached him in the blink of an eye, and he suddenly unleashed a space split technique, breaking through space to arrive before his opponent. He then cast a levitation spell upon himself before unleashing a torrential barrage of instant-release spells toward the woman.


    The woman could hardly believe her own eyes. She had never seen any magician with this type of instantaneous teleportation ability, and a bewildered look instantly appeared on his face.


    From there, Erwin was able to observe her blue eyes up close. Her delicate eyelashes were curled to just the right degree, and there was a hint of anger in her clear eyes, as well as a cold and derisive look on her face.


    It was clear that she possessed a wealth of battle experience, and after a brief stupor from shock, she unleashed several instant-release spells with her left hand in rapid succession to oppose Erwin''s darkness-attribute magic. As she did so, she rushed back in retreat while chanting an incantation and holding her staff in her right hand. Soon, a burst of dazzling light began to appear behind her.


    Erwin was very alarmed to see this. He hadn''t ever faced this type of magic before, but he knew that it was definitely extremely destructive. The bursts of dazzling radiance behind his opponent was a series of magic longswords, and they quickly converged to form the shape of a lotus flower. Upon closer inspection, Erwin could see that the lotus flower was formed by countless longswords.


    Erwin had taken advantage of the window of opportunity during which the woman was casting her icestorm spell to apply an agility technique onto himself. Thus, he was able to move as quickly as a practitioner of martial techniques. He didn''t give his opponent the time to finish chanting her incantation as he charged directly toward her to ensure that she couldn''t open up any distance between them. At the same time, he unleashed a series of intermediate incantation spells toward her chest. Due to the special properties of his darkness-attribute staff, all of these intermediate spells were unleashed very smoothly. In contrast, his opponent was only unleashing instant-release spells with one hand, so she was at a clear disadvantage.


    Erwin held onto his staff with both hands, and he could clearly sense that the magic power in his entire body was converging as quickly as possible. Balls of purple fire were conjured up on top of the staff, then hurtled directly toward his opponent''s chest.


    All of the darkness-attribute spells exploded on her chest with a dull thump, yet upon closer inspection, it seemed that she hadn''t been harmed at all.


    At this point, Erwin was still situated very close to her, and his eyes immediately widened in alarm. It turned out that the thump that he had just heard was the sound of something breaking. The item in question was presumably a defensive magic necklace that the woman was carrying, and she had used it to protect herself from what would''ve been a decisive blow from Erwin.


    "What? You''re the only one allowed to carry equipment?" A cold smile appeared on the woman''s face, and the sword array behind her had already completely taken shape.


    "Scatter!" the woman yelled, and the lotus flower sword array behind her immediately split up into countless swords that were sent flying in all directions.


    "Holy crap, she''s actually trying to kill me!" Erwin immediately unleashed a space split technique with a horrified look on his face to open up some distance between himself and his opponent, yet all of those magic longswords were imbued with powerful tracing properties. In the blink of an eye, several of them were already upon him.

 CH 4.2

    Erwin immediately conjured up a magic shield upon seeing this, yet something that was even more bewildering to him happened. Some of the magic swords were kept at bay by the magic shield, but some of them directly passed through the magic shield without encountering any impediment before plunging into Erwin''s body. Some of the swords weren''t magic-based. Instead, they behaved like actual, physical swords!


    Erwin looked down at the holes that had been punched into his body, which were bleeding profusely. He was unable to plug all of them with just his own two hands, and he was completely rooted to the spot, still yet to come to terms with the fact that he seemed to be about to die.


    I never thought that I would die in such an inexplicable way... I don''t even know who that woman is! Also, isn''t this entire thing Larwood and Chase''s fault? Why the hell am I the one being killed?


    "Hey! What do you think you''re doing? All of you, stop right this instant!" The firestorm and icestorm unleashed by the woman finally attracted the city''s guards to the scene, and the commander of the guards, Finnley, and his subordinates surrounded half of the entire street in the blink of an eye.


    "Do you all have a death wish? How dare you fight in the middle of Sarus like this? Do you know how many civilians you''re putting under threat with those large-scale spells? Looks like you lot really do need to be taught a lesson!" Finnley seemed to be reprimanding everyone, but he didn''t actually do anything to Larwood and the others. Instead, he instructed a few of his subordinates to keep an eye on the man and the woman who were fighting against Erwin and his friends. After all, he was already very familiar with Erwin and his group, and over the years, he had taken quite a few bribes from them.


    Larwood''s trio heaved a collective sigh of relief at the guards, then immediately rushed over to Erwin, who had already collapsed onto a puddle of his own blood. By the time they reached him, he was already unconscious, and his breathing had become very shallow. No one knew what the extent of his injuries were like, so they didn''t dare to move him.


    "You were the ones who instigated this, and this goes far beyond just a brawl; this is attempted murder!" Larwood said with a furious expression as he rose to his feet.


    Finnley hurriedly made his way over to Erwin, and just as Larwood had said, Erwin was bleeding profusely from several holes on his body, and he was already on the brink of death.


    Finnley''s brows immediately furrowed tightly upon seeing this. He had thought that this was only a matter of breaking up a fight, but if someone were to die here, then the case would be escalated to something far more serious. In particular, this was Count Friar''s only son. If he were to die in a part of the city that was being patrolled by him and his guards, then he wouldn''t be able to escape at least partial liability.


    With that in mind, cold sweat began to bead up on Finnley''s forehead as he yelled toward his subordinates, "What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and carry him to the count''s manor for treatment!"


    If Erwin were to succumb to his injuries in the count''s manor, then significantly less liability would fall upon Finnley.


    "I wouldn''t move him if I were you. He has my magic sword energy inside his body. The more he''s moved, the faster he''ll die," the woman said in a cold voice.


    "Who are you? Do you know how serious it is a crime to commit murder on a noble in public in Sarus?" Finnley asked as he glowered at the woman before him with a furious expression.


    "He''s just the son of a count, isn''t he? It''s no big deal," the woman countered in a disdainful voice.


    The young man beside him shook her head at her in silence, indicating for her to stop talking, and she duly obliged. It appeared that she was quite obedient when it came to him.


    Finnley''s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets after hearing what the woman had to say.


    His tone softened significantly as he asked, "May I ask which family you hail from, young lady?"


    "We hail from Prince Lazaar''s manor. My name is Jeff Lazaar, and this is my sister, Lana," the young man said to Finnley as he positioned himself in front of the red-haired woman, and he made sure to speak in a voice that was just audible to Larwood and the others.


    [Just to clarify, the title of prince here does not refer to the son of the king, so Prince Lazaar is not King Cameron¡¯s son. Instead, ¡°prince¡± is the loftiest title one can receive in the Chinese nobility system.]


    Prince Lazaar was the governor of the province of Burmen, and it was no exaggeration to say that his status ranked only below that of the king in the Effer Kingdom. In contrast, someone like Governor Jenkins had a very lofty official rank, but his noble title was only duke. As for someone like Larwood''s father, Duke Nandoon, he was only a legion commander in the military. Aside from the king himself, Prince Lazaar was at the very pinnacle of the entire Effer Kingdom regardless of whether it came to noble title or official rank. The province of Burmen that he presided over stretched all the way to the Terarody Mountain Range in the north, which stretched for thousands of kilometers. The mountain range was home to a large number of ancient creatures, such as cave-dwelling primal giants and pack-dwelling twin-foot flying dragons. If it weren''t for Prince Lazaar''s conscientious efforts, the entire province of Burmen would''ve ceased to belong to the Effer Kingdom long ago.


    Larwood and the others also realized just how serious the situation was upon hearing mention of Prince Lazaar.


    "So what? You can disregard the law and murder nobles in public just because your father is Prince Lazaar? No matter how you look at this incident, you two are at fault!" Chase accused in a loud voice, making sure that all of the bystanders present could hear him.


    "You instigated by speaking inappropriately to my sister first! How are we at fault for teaching you a lesson?" Jeff argued.


    "It''s a common occurrence for people to speak out of line after drinking too much in a tavern. If you only wanted to teach us a lesson, then you could''ve done so with far less dire consequences! Do you go around killing everyone that you don''t like the look of? If everyone is like you, the city of Sarus would be filled with corpses!" Larwood said in an unyielding voice.


    It was actually quite a common occurrence for brawls to break out in taverns and pubs over women. This was particularly common among nobles, who often escalated verbal conflicts into physical altercations. However, there was no way that anyone would go into a pub brawl with the intention of killing their opponent. Not only would that be a permanent stain on their reputation, the crime of killing someone could easily lead to one''s noble title being removed by the king.


    Jeff was naturally aware of this. If he wanted to defeat Larwood''s trio as quickly as possible, then he could''ve ended the fight long ago. However, he wanted to take his time and teach them a lesson, which was why he had inflicted those gashes upon their bodies, but none of those wounds were lethal. In contrast, Lana had been spoiled by her father from birth, so she was extremely wilful and petulant. Even so, Jeff couldn''t understand why his sister had decided to take things so far here.


    "If you have time to be arguing here, then I suggest you take him to seek medical attention," Finnley urged in an anxious voice. He had no interest in hearing these nobles bicker about who was at fault.


    Kaiba also gave Larwood and Chase a meaningful look, indicating that their priority was indeed to get Erwin some medical attention.


    "I''ll take care of him. With my magic potion, just a few drops will be required to heal the wounds inflicted by my magic swords. After that, all he''ll need is a few days of rest and he''ll be full recovered," Lana said in an indifferent voice, as if she wasn''t the one responsible for the person lying at her feet in a puddle of his own blood.


    She turned to Larwood and the others to find them looking at her with suspicious expressions, and a cold smile appeared on her face as she said, "Just trust me. If I wanted him dead, then he would already be long dead."


    Larwood and the others exchanged a glance before getting out her way. No matter how wild and wilful she was, surely she wouldn''t escalate this incident any further.


    They looked on as she pulled out an intricate magic potion vial from her waist, then made her way over to Erwin and dripped a few drops of blue potion onto his wounds. Immediately thereafter, the wounds that had been inflicted by her magic swords began to miraculously heal.


    After that, she squatted down and supported Erwin''s head before positioning the vial under Erwin''s nose so that he could inhale its scent. It was incredible to Larwood and the others that this gentle and caring woman could be the same person that had almost killed their friend in cold blood just a moment ago.


    All of a sudden, a gust of wind swept over Haven Street, causing Lana''s sheep wool cape to flap around her. As a result, slight glimpses of her gorgeous long legs and proud voluptuous chest were revealed, captivating all of the surrounding bystanders. Larwood and the others certainly weren''t going to pass up such a golden opportunity, and even Finnley couldn''t help but sneak a few glances.


    "Ahem!" Jeff cleared his throat with a steely expression, and only then did everyone return to their senses before hurriedly pretending to look elsewhere.


    Erwin stirred slightly upon inhaling the scent of the magic potion, then slowly awakened. As soon as he caught sight of the red-haired woman before him, his eyes immediately widened, and he hurriedly pushed her hands aside before scurrying back in retreat.


    "Hmph, what an ungrateful brat you are," Lana scoffed as she stowed her potion vial away.


    Everyone heaved a collective sigh of relief upon seeing Erwin awaken from his unconscious state.


    Larwood immediately called over his family''s horse-drawn carriage, while Chase and Kaiba helped Erwin to his feet before carrying him over to the carriage. On the way there, Erwin suddenly turned around and glared at Lana before allowing himself to be carried into the carriage.


    Lana''s face had taken on an ashen complexion, and she could clearly see the message in Erwin''s eyes. They told her: "This isn''t over yet!"


    She had seen many fearsome creatures in the Terarody Mountain Ranges, but she had never seen a pair of eyes so vicious and determined, and she couldn''t help but shudder in response.


    "I''ll have to ask you to come with me to the city''s department of defense and give me a recount of this incident so that I can put it on file," Finnley said to Jeff, then turned to Larwood.


    His intentions were very simple. It seemed that Erwin had mostly recovered, but if any after-effects from his injuries manifested themselves in the future, then he had to have some records of the incident on file so that he wouldn''t be held liable.


    "Alright." Larwood nodded in response.


    Jeff also nodded in agreement to this, then strode over to Lana and said, "I have to go to the city''s department of defense to provide some records. You can go back for now."


    A smile then appeared on his face as he consoled, "Don''t look so upset. Just like you said, he''s just the son of a count, isn''t he? It''s no big deal."


    Lana nodded in response with a dejected expression.


    "What''s going on with you? Are you worried that you''ll be scolded by Father when we get back? It''s fine, I''ll explain everything to him." A stern look then appeared on his face as he continued, "Having said that, what you did today really was unacceptable. No matter how much you want to teach someone a lesson, you can''t kill them in public!"

 CH 5.1

    "I don''t know what came over me, but just now, I really did want to kill him," Lana said as she hung her head in shame.


    Jeff''s brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this. "Why is that? I took a close look at him earlier, and he''s nothing more than an intermediate magician."


    Lana shook her head in response. She couldn''t understand why, either.


    "Alright, go home for now." Jeff patted Lana on the shoulders, then went back to Finnley.


    Lana looked on with furrowed brows as the horse-drawn carriage trundled away into the distance.


    Prince Lazaar''s manor.


    "What were you thinking? I''ve only been back in the capital for a few days and you''re already causing so much trouble for me!" Prince Lazaar slammed a hand down onto his desk with a furious expression.


    "It''s all my fault, Father. Lana didn''t do anything wrong. Those rascals were speaking inappropriately to her, and I wanted to teach them a lesson, so I instigated the fight," Jeff hurriedly said at the sight of Prince Lazaar''s livid expression, pinning all of the blame onto himself.


    "I already heard about everything that happened. If they were asking for a beating, then you should''ve given them just that! Why did you have to try and kill someone in public? Are you trying to tell the entire city of Sarus that our Lazaar Family is a bunch of bloodthirsty tyrants?" It was clear that Prince Lazaar''s words were aimed at Lana.


    "I''m the one at fault here, and I''m willing to accept my punishment," Lana said in a dejected manner.


    "Hmph!" Prince Lazaar was still very displeased. "I''ve spoiled you too much. Look at what you''re doing! You''re not even using your brain anymore!"


    "I understand. The king is already wary of your power, so this is a very sensitive time for our family. I shouldn''t have been so wilful and drawn negative attention to our family at a time like this," Lana said in an ashamed voice.


    "That''s only one side of it. During the past few years, we''ve always been stationed in Burmen, and we rarely get the opportunity to return to the capital. His Majesty ordered me to return to the capital city to deliver a report, and this was supposed to be a good opportunity for us to establish relations with the other nobles in the city. I haven''t even had a chance to do that yet, and you two have already ended up almost killing a count''s son! How am I supposed to approach any of the nobles in the city now?" Prince Lazaar grumbled.


    "Surely it''s not that serious. He''s just a count, isn''t he? Surely the nobles in the city wouldn''t refuse the chance to establish relations with our family over an incident like this," Jeff said with a wry smile.


    "You don''t know anything! Count Friar isn''t just some average count. He grew up with His Majesty and was a war hero during his youth, saving His Majesty''s life on many occasions during battle. He may not be doing much now, but whenever he goes to visit the barracks outside the city, there are still many soldiers who would bow to him as a gesture of respect," Prince Lazaar said.


    "Then why was he only given the title of count?" Jeff asked with a puzzled expression.


    "I don''t actually know the reasons behind that myself. In fact, as far as I know, no one knows exactly what happened. All we know is that Count Friar and His Majesty grew apart at some point," Prince Lazaar replied with furrowed brows as a reminiscent look appeared in his eyes. "Don''t try and change the subject! Lana, tell me why you felt like you had to kill that Erwin. From what I heard, Count Friar''s son only arrived at the scene after the fight broke out, so he wasn''t even present during the original incident that started everything."


    Jeff was actually quite curious about the answer to this question as well. It was clearly the other two who had hit on her, so it made no sense for her to lash out so viciously at Erwin. If it were solely because Erwin had looked at her with lust-filled eyes, then she would''ve had countless ways to torture him, and she certainly wasn''t so violent and bloodthirsty that she would take someone''s life over something like this.


    "I held back in the end, didn''t I? If I wanted to kill him, then he would already be dead," Lana protested.


    "He''s just an intermediate magician! There was no need to use the finishing technique that was taught to you by your teacher on someone like that. I recall that your teacher told me that your powers have already reached the magic mentor level," Prince Lazaar said as he looked directly at Lana, waiting for an explanation from her.


    "Honestly, I don''t know why I did that myself," Lana said as she thought back to the battle from the day before. "At the time, he suddenly appeared in front of me. I''ve never seen a magician capable of tearing through space like he did, and the sword array was the only spell that I could use to end the battle in a short time."


    Prince Lazaar''s brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this. He was well aware of just how powerful his own daughter was, and if her judgment had told her that she would''ve only been able to win that battle if she used her sword array, then she would''ve definitely been correct in her assessment.


    "What do you mean by tear through space? Are you saying that he moved so fast that your eyes couldn''t keep up? He''s just a magician, how fast can he possibly be?" Jeff asked with a befuddled expression.


    "It''s not a matter of speed of movement. If I had to explain it, then I would say that he moved from one coordinate to another within the same instant to time," Lana explained with furrowed brows. "Also, I saw him use this technique twice yesterday, so it looks like he has full control over this magic and is able to use it at will."


    "Even then, that''s not anything to be alarmed by. When martial techniques are honed to a certain level, one can move so fast that they look like they''re teleporting. It''s not like you haven''t seen your brother do that before." Prince Lazaar was referring to his eldest son, who was still stationed at Burmen, and he asked, "How does that warrant such a strong reaction from you?"


    "I can''t explain it well. In any case, as soon as he approached me and interrupted the casting of my next spell, my first reaction was to kill him," Lana recounted. In reality, even now, she still couldn''t understand why she had wanted to kill Erwin so badly. Could it be solely because he had looked up the bottom of her dress a few times?


    Prince Lazaar and Jeff exchanged a slightly bemused glance.


    "So be it. What''s happened has already happened, and there''s no point in thinking about these things. Lana, go get a few sets of premium winged tiger bones and take them to Count Friar''s manor," Prince Lazaar instructed with a serious expression. "Make sure that you go in person."


    Lana nodded in response. She knew that her father wanted her to visit Count Friar to deliver an apology.


    After Lana departed from the study, Prince Lazaar turned to Jeff, who was his second-eldest son. "What do you think?"


    "If I had to analyze what Lana just told us, perhaps she felt threatened by Erwin the instant that he passed through space, and that was why she wanted to kill him," Jeff replied as he thought back to what Lana had just said. However, a puzzled look then appeared on his face as he asked, "But what threat could an intermediate magician have possibly posed to her?"


    However, Prince Lazaar''s mind had already wandered back to some rumors that he had heard many years ago, so he wasn''t paying attention to Jeff''s musings.


    ...


    Lana had thought that she would only be taking a few winged tiger bones with her to issue an apology to Count Friar, but her father had made far more extensive preparations for her. Aside from an entire carriage full of premium medicinal ingredients, he had also instructed several of the army''s doctors to accompany her. The entire procession took up three whole carriages, and it was certainly quite an ostentatious sight to behold.


    Lana knew that her father wanted to attract some attention so that the king and all of the other nobles in the capital would be able to see what he was doing. After all, they were the party at fault here, and they wanted to be as sincere as possible in their efforts to make amends.


    Upon learning that Prince Lazaar''s daughter had visited his manor in person to issue an apology, Count Friar''s reaction was quite nonchalant. In his words: "This is a problem between young people, so let them sort it out on their own. Just take her to see him and accept all of the medicinal ingredients. As for the doctors, there''s no need to trouble them."


    Thus, the butler of Count Friar''s manor led Lana to the entrance of Erwin''s room before departing.


    Erwin had already been informed by a servant that the woman who had almost taken his life the day before was none other than the daughter of Prince Lazaar.


    Lana opened the door and made her way into the room before taking a glance at Erwin, who was lying on his bed. Erwin also looked back at her to find that she was wearing a long indigo dress, outside of which was draped a sheep wool cape.


    "There''s no need for any apology. I''m guessing Larwood and the others must''ve acted quite inappropriately toward you. I sustained these wounds because I''m not strong enough, it has nothing to do with you," Erwin said in a cold voice, seemingly unwilling to spend any more time with her than necessary.


    "Let me take a look at your injuries." Lana completely ignored Erwin as she made her way over to his bed, then reached out to pull back his blankets.


    "Don''t worry about it. My father already had a look last night, and he says I''m fine," Erwin said in a cold voice with his gaze diverted away from Lana.


    "Why are you pretending to be so cold and unapproachable now? Where was this attitude when you were sneaking glances under my dress?" Lana asked with a disdainful expression.


    "I didn''t know that my life would come under risk just for looking up your dress!" Erwin countered in a justified voice.


    "I didn''t know you were so weak!" Lana said as she splayed her hands open in a resigned manner.


    Erwin was feeling very offended.


    Lana paid no heed to what he was feeling and began to reach out toward Erwin''s clothes.


    "What are you doing?" A fierce look appeared on Erwin''s face as he slapped Lana''s hand aside.


    Lana was here to apologize, so she restrained her own temper as she rubbed the back of her own hand, which had turned red from Erwin''s slap. "I want to take a look at your wounds. If you won''t let me, then don''t blame me if you suffer any aftereffects from the fragments of my magic sword that may have lodged themselves into your internal organs."


    "My wounds are all healed up! What aftereffects could there possibly be?" Erwin asked with an unconvinced expression. He knew that she was just trying to scare him.


    "Well, if there are fragments of my magic swords remaining in your kidneys, then you won''t be able to use some organs in the future." Lana took a subtle glance between Erwin''s legs as she spoke, and a mysterious smile appeared on her face before quickly fading away.


    A bewildered look appeared on Erwin''s face as he stared at Lana. He naturally wasn''t going to fall for Lana''s tricks, but he was stunned by her wild and wilful demeanor. Her looks, figure, and status were all among the cream of the crop in the entire city of Sarus, yet she was completely different from the restrained and refined noblewomen that Erwin was used to seeing.


    As for Lana, she thought that Erwin had actually been frightened by her jibes, and she was quite amused.

 CH 5.2

    "In any case, you''re the one refusing to let me examine your wounds, so it''s not my fault if you suffer from any aftereffects. I''m going now," Lana said in a teasing voice before turning to leave.


    "I''ll be challenging  you in the future," Erwin said in a determined voice just before Lana left his room.


    A cold look appeared on Lana''s face as her footsteps drew to a halt, and she said in a frosty voice, "Feel free to come challenge me anytime if you''re not afraid of my Shadowgleam Sword Array."


    She then departed without a backward glance.


    "So that''s the name of that spell," Erwin murmured to himself as a smile appeared on his face.


    During the few days that Erwin took to rest and recuperate, Larwood and the others came to visit him. Larwood and Chase were feeling quite guilty about what had happened, and they promised him that they would pay for his next trip to the Rivers Mansion.


    Using the external application medicine made from the powdered winged tiger bones delivered by Lana, Erwin''s injuries healed very quickly, and he made a full recovery after just a few days of rest.


    Through that battle that had taken place outside the Redbud Pavilion, Erwin realized that he knew far too few spells that were capable of delivering decisive blows in battle. Thus, as soon as he returned to the academy, he immediately went to Professor Hawk to see if he could recommend some books to him.


    Professor Hawk had also heared about what had happened outside the Redbud Pavilion, and he took the opportunity to mock Erwin for his shortcomings.


    "I heard you were almost killed by Prince Lazaar''s daughter," Professor Hawk said with a derisive expression.


    "I didn''t know she was that powerful! She''s already on par with a magic mentor!" Erwin''s complexion still hadn''t quite returned to normal yet, so he was still looking a little pale.


    "How did you manage to force her to a point where she felt like it was necessary to kill you?" Professor Hawk asked as his eyes narrowed slightly.


    Thus, Erwin gave Professor Hawk a recount of the battle that had taken place on that day.


    A meaningul look appeared in Professor Hawk''s eyes after hearing Erwin''s recount.


    "After the battle, I felt like my repertoire of spells is sorely lacking, so I wanted to borrow a few a books from you today," Erwin said in a candid manner.


    Professor Hawk nodded in response. "You are correct. I already pointed out this weakness to you in the past, and it''s a good thing that you''ve also come to realize it yourself. I''ll go pick out a few books for you. Make sure to study them carefully, but as for whether you''ll be able to master them before the Pillow Sword Tournament, that''ll be up to you."


    Professor Hawk wandered back and forth between several tall bookshelves before finally picking out two books for Erwin, one of which was "The Origins of Arcane Spells", while the other one was "A Discussion on the Ultimate Damage of Magic".


    Erwin took a rough glance through the pages of the book to find that many of the magic incantations in the book were written in ancient text. Thankfully, Professor Hawk had already made annotations in many places.


    Erwin''s original intention was to take these two books and return directly to the manor. He had to prepare for the Pillow Sword Tournament, and he hadn''t yet fully recovered from his injuries, so he didn''t want to go to some of the lessons that he wasn''t interested in.


    "You''re not allowed to ditch the offense and defense class later," Professor Hawk said in a stern voice right before he left.


    Erwin was rather perplexed to hear this. It wasn''t like the offense and defense class was a particularly important class, so why was he required to go?


    ...


    As Erwin arrived in the classroom with his pale complexion, most of the people in the room immediately stopped what they were doing before turning to him with curious expressions, and even Gwen took an extra glance at him. There were some students who were curious about the battle he had endured, and there were also some gossipy girls who asked him about Lana. In any case, he made his way from the front of the classroom to the final row in the back, and not a single person inquired about his physical condition.


    Erwin was still feeling rather feeble, and he gave half-hearted replies to everyone''s questions. As he caught sight of the sly grins on the faces of Larwood and the others, he was immediately struck by the urge to hit something. If it weren''t for Larwood and Chase getting themselves into trouble, he wouldn''t have come so close to losing his own life.


    "What? You don''t feel guilty at all now that I can walk?" Erwin asked with a dark expression as he glowered at Larwood and Chase.


    "You didn''t actually think that those two were capable of feeling guilt, did you?" Kaiba asked with an amused grin. "If you had actually died that day, I bet Miss Riley would''ve mourned for you more than they would!"


    "Haha, I''m not gonna lie, that sounds about right," Chase chuckled. "In any case, if you have to blame anyone for this, then you should blame Larwood. If it wasn''t for his perverted tendencies, none of this would''ve happened."


    "Bullshit! Are you saying that I''m the only one who tried to hit on her that night? You''re telling me you didn''t say anything?" Larwood countered.


    Right as they were bickering with one another, the classroom suddenly fell silent.


    Erwin thought that the lecturer had arrived, so he opened his book and buried his face into it.


    "Pst pst." Larwood made a sound to grab Erwin''s attention, then gestured for him to look toward the front of the classroom. Erwin duly obliged, and he looked up just in time to see a red-haired woman making her way into the classroom.


    She was wearing a long green dress, draped over which was a pinkish gray sheep wool cape. She took a glance at the spot where Erwin was sitting, then strode directly toward him down the walkway at the center of the classroom. Erwin was very familiar with this get-up of hers, and he couldn''t help but wonder just how many sheep wool capes of different colors she owned. All of the male students in the classroom involuntarily gulped slightly at the sight of her. This was Prince Lazaar''s daughter that everyone had been hearing about. Her beauty was truly unmatched, and looking into her blue eyes made one feel as if they were looking into a seductive ocean that infinitely captivated one''s imagination.


    "Hey, that''s the daughter of Prince Lazaar! I heard that she has red hair and is extremely beautiful, so that has to be her!"


    "She doesn''t look like the type of person who would try to kill someone in public!"


    "Well, Erwin and his friends are known for getting into fights. Maybe they really crossed the line this time, so it''s only normal that he almost paid with his life."


    "I heard that she already went to Count Friar''s manor to deliver an apology. What is she doing here in our classroom?"


    "Who knows? In any case, we should be treated to a good show here."


    All of the students in the classroom were discussing spiritedly among themselves.


    Larwood and the others were also quite bewildered. They had thought that the incident was already in the past, and never did they think that she would come to their academy! Of course, it seemed that she was here for Erwin rather than them.


    Lana paid no heed to what everyone else was thinking as she made her way directly over to Erwin''s side, then gestured for him to scoot over and make room for her.


    "Why are you here?" Erwin refused to budge as he looked up at Lana with a gloomy expression.


    "I''m here to take this lesson with you. I''m worried that you''ll suffer from aftereffects from your injuries," Lana whispered into Erwin''s ear as she bent down with a smile, and everyone in the classroom began to wonder whether there was something going on between the two of them.


    Erwin continued to refuse to move, and Lana''s smile remained unchanged, but the tone of her voice cooled down significantly as she ordered, "Scoot over! Hurry up!"


    At the same time, her hand was already resting over Erwin''s wounds.


    Erwin scrutinized Lana with an intense gaze to find that there was a very pronounced look of provocation in her eyes. She could unleash an instant-release spell at any moment to tear his wounds open again. In fact, he could already see blue lightning flashing faintly from Lana''s delicate fingertips.


    Thus, Erwin could only swallow his pride and vacate his seat for Lana with an indignant look on his face. The astonishment on the faces of Larwood and the others became even more pronounced upon seeing this.


    "How did you know that I would come to attend this lesson this afternoon?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    "I asked Professor Hawk to make sure that you attended this lesson," Lana replied with a smile. "My teacher and Professor Hawk studied in the same cohort together, so it''s quite the coincidence."


    So that old bastard sold me! No wonder he insisted that I come to this lesson! I bet they didn''t just study together, her teacher is probably an old lover of his! No wonder the old bastard never got married! Erwin was cursing Professor Hawk internally.


    "Don''t blame Professor Hawk for this, I was the one who asked him to arrange this," Lana said.


    "What I want to know is how you managed to find Professor Hawk," Erwin said with a curious expression.


    "I saw your name on the list of contestants for the Pillow Sword Tournament, so I checked who recommended you, and that''s how I found Professor Hawk," Lana replied with a smug expression.


    "So what are you doing here? Why did you suddenly come to our academy?" Erwin asked with furrowed brows.


    "I''m interested in the way that you use magic, so I want to see what you''re learning at the academy," Lana replied as she turned toward Erwin with a smile, as if this were a very normal occurrence for her.


    Lana then caught sight of the two magic books placed on Erwin''s desk, and her eyes immediately lit up as she grabbed one of the books before opening it with an intrigued expression. In Erwin''s eyes, she was being completely inexplicable, and he didn''t know what to make of this situation. She was acting as if the two of them were old friends who had known each other for years!


    "I don''t know what your intentions are, but let me remind you that we''ve only met three times in total, and on the first occasion, you almost killed me!" Erwin said with a dark expression as he grabbed his book back from her.


    Lana was unfazed by his attitude, and she supported her own head with her hand as she cocked her head to the side to look at Erwin with an amused smile. "Why are you so petty? Shouldn''t a man like you be more open-minded and willing to let bygones be bygones? Or are you just embarrassed that you can''t beat a girl like me?"


    "That''s not it, I''m just wary of people who are more powerful than myself," Erwin replied in a serious voice.


    "Oh, I see..." Lana nodded in response, then continued with a smile on her face, "These two books of yours seem to be quite interesting. How about we study them together? I can teach you to improve your pathetic magic."


    Lana was looking at Erwin with a charming smile, while Erwin was looking back at her with fierce resentment in his heart. His gaze roamed over the seductive body under her dress, and he vowed to himself that he was going to repay her with interest for what she had done to him.


    Larwood and the others were eavesdropping on their conversation, and they almost laughed out loud upon hearing Lana refer to Erwin''s magic as pathetic. All three of them were doing everything in their power to hold back their mirth, and their faces had become as red as beetroot.

 CH 6.1

    "It''s alright, I''ll study the books on my own," Erwin replied in an indifferent manner.


    "If you don''t agree to my proposal, then I''m going to yell!" Lana whispered into Erwin''s ear. "After that, you''ll be known throughout the entire city of Sarus for making a move on the daughter of Prince Lazaar during class!"


    Erwin was astonished to hear this, and he was scarcely able to believe his own ears.


    "Ah~" Lana suddenly moaned with a hint of displeasure in her voice, and most of the students in the classroom immediately turned around to see what was happening. Taking advantage of this opportunity, she cast an indignant glare toward Erwin, then turned away and refused to look at him.


    Erwin''s mouth was gaped open in shock as he stared at Lana, who was refusing to look at him. In the eyes of everyone else, he was simply playing dumb to avoid condemnation, and Larwood and the others had also turned around to look at him with sly grins that were tinged with a hint of admiration. Naturally, they hadn''t heard what Lana had just whispered into his ear.


    "So? Do you want me to do that again? I''m not sure you''ll be able to get away with it so easily a second time. Look, even the lecturer will hear us this time," Lana said as she turned back to Erwin with a smile.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the front of the classroom to find that the lecturer had indeed just made his way into the room. In the face of this red-haired demoness, he was truly completely powerless. He wasn''t powerful enough to defeat her in battle, and he was even losing in a battle of shamelessness!


    Lana inhaled as she prepared to moan again, and Erwin hurriedly begged for mercy with a panicked expression.


    "You should''ve just complied from the very beginning." Lana patted Erwin''s hand in consolation, then took away one of his books and began to read it with an intrigued expression.


    Thus, Erwin was stuck with the remaining "A Discussion on the Ultimate Damage of Magic". With Erwin''s current base of knowledge, it was very difficult to understand the so-called concept of ultimate damage. In reality, the ultimate damage of magic was simply the damage inflicted upon someone after being struck by a spell.


    It was common knowledge that when facing magicians in battle, there were many ways to avoid sustaining magical damage. Magic shields and protective equipment were among the most common ways through which one could ward off magic attacks. Thus, this book mainly discussed how to alter one''s incantations when casting spells in order to increase the ultimate damage of said spells.


    Thankfully, the book was heavily annotated by Professor Hawk, thereby allowing Erwin to understand the large passages of ancient text. The book stated that when the ancient magic language was used for an incantation to cast a spell, even the more ordinary of fireball spells could cause considerable damage. This meant that when chanting incantations in the ancient language, the way in which matter was converted would also change. However, the sentence structures of this type of ancient language was very complex, and even when converting short and simple incantations into the ancient magic language, it was often the case that the resulting incantation would be a massive long passage.


    The lecturer was in the middle of teaching the lesson when he suddenly noticed two of his students at the back of the classroom with their heads buried in books. Thus, he made his way toward them down the walkway at the center of the classroom, and all of the students in the classroom also turned around to direct their attention toward Erwin and Lana.


    "''The Origins of Arcane Spells''?" The lecturer picked up the book in Lana''s hands before taking a look, and it seemed that he had no idea who this red-haired student in his class was.


    Lana turned to Erwin with an amused expression, clearly not expecting the lecturer to be so strict.


    "What about you? What are you reading? Let me take a look." The lecturer then turned toward Erwin, and with a wave of the lecturer''s hand, the book that Erwin was holding flew into his grasp.


    "''A Discussion on the Ultimate Damage of Magic''?" The lecturer took a glance at the book in his hand, then directed his gaze back to the two students before him.


    The lecturer didn''t know who the red-haired girl was, but he was very familiar with Erwin. In fact, he had a very negative impression of Erwin for his unorthodox style in battle.


    "If you have time to be reading such advanced books in my class, then I''m sure you already have a very good grasp of the content that I''m teaching. How about you two go to the front of the class and show us what you''ve learned from these books?" the lecturer suggested.


    "Sir, I was severely injured a few days ago, and my wounds still haven''t completely healed, so..." Erwin was quite reluctant to oblige with the lecturer''s instructions. It seemed that this lecturer was completely unaware of what had happened outside the Redbud Pavilion a few days ago.


    "That''s not a problem. I can tell that this female student is a magician as well. A battle of magicians won''t require much movement, so you don''t have to worry about your injuries. Go on then," the lecturer prompted with a cold smile.


    During offense and defense classes like this, each sparring pair always consisted of a magic student and a martial techniques student, so magic students were never pitted against one another.


    Doesn''t this make this a magic defense lesson? Erwin thought to himself, but it was clear that the lecturer was intentionally picking on him, so he didn''t say anything.


    Erwin heaved an internal sigh, then cast his gaze toward Lana. In contrast with him, she was raring to go.


    Lana naturally had no regard for the academy lecturer. She simply wanted to see that special type of magic that Erwin had used last time again, so the lecturer''s suggestion aligned perfectly with her agenda.


    "Sir, Erwin really was severely injured a few days ago, and he almost died from his wounds. He still isn''t fully recovered yet, so he''s in no condition to be doing any sparring training," Larwood hurriedly interjected as he stood up from his seat. "Would it be alright if I took Erwin''s place for this sparring match?"


    "Shush! This has nothing to do with you," the lecturer said as he gave Larwood a cold glare.


    Erwin gave Lana a wry smile, and the two of them began to make their way toward the long stage at the front of the classroom. All of the students in the classroom were genuinely grateful to the lecturer for facilitating what was undoubtedly going to be a splendid show.


    The two of them stood across from one another on either side of the long stage, and Erwin pulled out his darkness-attribute short staff from his waist, while Lana pulled an intricately crafted silver short staff from her cape. Her staff was far thinner than the average staff, and there weren''t any magic gemstones embedded upon it, but its surface was riddled with magic runes.


    During their last battle, Erwin had been thwarted by Lana''s equipment, and looking at the silver staff that she was holding now, he knew that he was most likely going to receive another one-sided beating.


    The lecturer nodded at the two students, indicating that he was ready for them to begin.


    True to his signature style, Erwin immediately unleashed a flurry of instant-release spells directly toward Lana. The spells were all released in the form of purple light, but it was clear at a glance that there were spells of different attributes intermingled throughout the cluster. Lana was already quite familiar with Erwin''s style of battle, and with a wave of her staff, she released several dozen beams of bright green light, which pierced directly through Erwin''s instant-release spells before hurtling directly toward him.


    Erwin immediately unleashed his space split technique to reach Lana in the blink of an eye, evading the dozens of beams of oncoming green light in the process. Lana seemed to have predicted this course of action from Erwin, and she had already completed the incantation of a spell in advance. Right as Erwin emerged out of thin air, an arrow of light instantly shot forth from the tip of her staff toward Erwin''s chest. Erwin''s eyes widened in alarm at the sight of the approaching arrow of light, and it came as quite a surprise to him that Lana was able to read him so proficiently.


    His mirage necklace was instantly triggered, but the arrow of light pierced directly through the magic mirage before continuing to fly toward him. Taking advantage of the instant that the mirage was triggered, Erwin conjured up a spherical light shield that managed to keep the arrow of light at bay. The arrow instantly exploded, forming bursts of magic turbulence outside the light shield.


    This spherical light shield that had been conjured up by Erwin was extremely peculiar in that it didn''t resemble a normal magic shield at all. The light of the magic shield wasn''t radiating at all, and it seemed to be adhered firmly to the surface of the magic shield.


    Lana''s brows furrowed slightly as she inspected the spherical shield. She then began to chant an incantation, using solely the complex ancient magic language.


    Has she already mastered some arcane spells?


    Erwin was completely bewildered to see this. He looked on as black threads began to appear in an interwoven fashion above her head, and upon closer inspection, he discovered that these were all wisps of magical matter that were giving off a faint sheen.


    The black threads converged in a completely random and chaotic fashion, forming a burst of black fire that struck Lana from the air above. An agonized look instantly appeared on her face, as if she were sustaining enormous magical damage. However, she then let loose a loud cry, and a beam of black light erupted out of the top of the staff. If one were to look closely, they would discover that this wasn''t a beam of black light at all. Instead, it was a magic black wyrm that was flying directly toward Erwin.


    Erwin looked on at the approaching black wyrm with a fierce expression, and in the next instant, the black wyrm exploded upon the spherical light shield around him. Countless black bursts of magic power then began to spread over the entire spherical light shield like a series of chaotic thorny vines.


    The speed of time in space isn''t constant.


    Following his last battle against Lana, Erwin had done plenty of reflection on himself. Due to his weak magic power, the speed at which he could cast spells was far slower than that of magicians of a higher caliber than himself, so how could he make up for this disparity?


    Seeing as the speed of time in space wasn''t constant, would it be possible for him to alter the rate of flow of time?


    Time was unable to flow in matterless space. This was the most important lesson to be learned from chapter one of "Laws of Time and Space". Thus, the process of matter being replenished within space was equivalent to the process of the speed of time returning to its original rate.


    If he could complete the incantations of his spells during the periods in which time stood still, wouldn''t he be able to erase the advantage that magic mentors had over him?


    Thus, during the few days in which he had lied in bed to recover from his injuries, he had constantly been thinking about how to construct a small, independent space in which time stood still. If he could create such a space, then it would take him no time at all to cast spells. After the spell was ready, he would then open up that space, and that would allow him to overcome his disadvantage.


    However, his thought process had been too na?ve. The replenishment of matter within space was not something that a mere intermediate magician like him could stop at will.


    The spherical light shield that he had just conjured up was an isolated space that he had created by exhausting all of the matter around him, but what he failed to anticipate was the sheer volume of matter flowing through space. In the instant that he created this space, countless types of matter began to surge into the light shield as if they had a life of their own.

 CH 6.2

    Erwin tried to use his magic power to forcibly prevent this matter from flowing into the light shield, but the entire light shield was like a turbulent sea, while Erwin''s magic power was like a small raft that was only just barely keeping itself afloat. What was even more terrifying was that the spherical light shield was like a vortex that was constantly sapping away his magic power. At this point, his face was already completely devoid of color, and his magic power was about to be completely exhausted very soon.


    Erwin looked out at the chaotic black arcane spell that was close to covering the entire surface of the spherical shield, and he could only pray that Lana was powerful enough to break this spherical shield soon. Otherwise, it wouldn''t take long before he was completely sucked dry.


    At this point, Lana was also beginning to notice the strange condition that Erwin was in. She could clearly sense that Erwin''s magic power was being rapidly expended, and she could also sense that his magic power was close to being completely exhausted.


    None of the students in the classroom had witnessed such a perilous clash before, and all of them had risen to their feet with anxious expressions. In fact, many of them had already turned around to look at the lecturer, wondering if he was going to step in soon. The lecturer himself was looking at the two people on the stage with tightly furrowed brows. He could sense that this battle had already gone well beyond the realm of intermediate magicians. Setting aside the fact that the red-haired student''s powers were very close to, or perhaps even superior to his own, what was that spherical light shield that Erwin had conjured up? It was something that went completely beyond the scope of magic, and he couldn''t comprehend what it was!


    The lecturer had naturally also identified that Erwin was in trouble, and he immediately whipped out his staff to unleash several advanced spells toward the spherical shield. However, as soon as those spells made contact with the light shield, they were immediately absorbed into it, unable to inflict any damage upon the shield. A bewildered look of astonishment appeared on his face as he stared at the spherical light shield.


    Meanwhile, Lana looked on as the thorny black vines slammed into the spherical light shield over and over again, but the effect was downright negligible. An urgent look appeared in her eyes, which began to glow with brilliant radiance, and her long red hair rose up all around her. The black flame that was burning above her head began to expand rapidly to form a powerful black vortex. Gusts of fierce wind were sweeping through the entire classroom, causing the magician robes of many of the students to flap incessantly.


    The powerful black flames that were surging into Lana''s body were causing her immense pain, and her pinkish gray cape was flapping wildly amid the magic turbulence. She was biting down onto her own lower lip with such force that she was drawing blood, which was trickling down from the corner of her lips. However, she paid no heed to that as she stared intently at the thorny black vines wrapped around the spherical light shield.


    With the increased influx of arcane power, the thorny black vines crawling all over the spherical light shield seemed to have been completely revitalized, sprouting countless back tentacles that frantically slammed into the spherical light shield over and over again. Finally, the light shield began to waver, and some of the light that was adhered to the surface of the spherical shield began to fade, forming dark patches on the light shield.


    The lecturer unleashed around a dozen penetrative spells of all types of different attributes upon seeing this, aiming the spells directly at the dark patches on the spherical light shield, and he was finally able to break through it.


    All of a sudden, all types of matter surged out of the openings that were created on the light shield, which then immediately disintegrated.


    Erwin was gulping down lungfuls of air, feeling as if he had just survived another near-death encounter. A hint of color finally returned to his cheeks, and he could sense that not even a single ounce of magic power was left in his body. If it weren''t for the fact that he didn''t want to humiliate himself in front of the entire class, he would''ve already fallen unconscious. Furthermore, he could feel that some of the wounds on his chest had been torn open again due to the turbulent churning of the magic power within his body from earlier.


    Lana was also exhausted after unleashing that arcane spell, and her legs almost gave out from under her in the instant that the black flame faded.


    The lecturer heaved a long sigh of relief upon seeing this. With his current status, there was no way that the academy would stand up for him at the expense of offending the noble families. As such, if something had happened to Erwin just now, he would''ve been in a world of trouble.


    "Alright, both of you have displayed exceptional abilities. You can return to your seats to rest now," the lecturer said as he forced a calm and composed look on his own face.


    Meanwhile, all of the students in the classroom were staring at Erwin''s duo as if they were looking at a pair of monsters.


    Larwood''s trio looked on with astonished expressions as Erwin returned to his seat, and they suddenly felt like he was extremely unfamiliar to them. They had grown up together and were as close and inseparable as brothers, but the magic that he was using was completely incomprehensible to them.


    "Thank you... If it wasn''t for you, I would''ve..." After returning to his seat, Erwin took a glance at Lana, and a hint of guilt welled up in his heart at the sight of the blood trickling down from the corner of her lips. He had been so cold and forbidding toward her earlier, yet in that dire situation, it was her who had saved him.


    "I didn''t want to save you, but if you died only a few days after our battle, the implications for me would be disastrous!" Lana heaved a faint sigh as she laid down onto her desk to rest. "That''s not something I''m keen to do again anytime soon! I''ve learned some arcane spells in the past before, but the arcane spells in that book of yours are far more vicious!"


    "Wait, you''re telling me that the spell you just used is one that you just learned? That was an arcane spell from the book?" Erwin asked with an incredulous expression.


    "It sure was! Didn''t you see how much the backlash from the arcane spell hurt me?" Lana replied as she rolled her eyes at Erwin.


    Seeing the perplexed look on Erwin''s face, she explained in a resigned voice, "You really do need to book up on your magic theory. Arcane spells are different from normal spells in that they involve absorbing large amounts of magic energy from the outside world before releasing it through the caster of the spell, and when unleashed, arcane spells will inflict backlash upon the caster."


    No wonder she looked like she was in so much pain when the black flames descended onto her. Erwin thought to himself.


    "You learned that arcane spell way too quickly! Did you really only learn it just now from that book?" Erwin asked as he cast his gaze toward that copy of "The Origins of Arcane Spells".


    Lana was too tired to reply, and she continued to lie on the table while resting on her check as she flipped through the pages of "The Origins of Arcane Spells", then pointed a finger at one of the pages as she said, "Here, this is the one."


    "The many attacking weapons of the Arcane Inferno Black Dragon..." Erwin looked at the title of the chapter, then briefly read a few passages. Sure enough, the arcane spell that she had used really was described in the chapter, and Erwin couldn''t help but develop a sense of admiration toward Lana.


    I can''t believe there are people this ridiculously talented! Erwin thought to himself.


    He then thought about how he was still yet to master the second chapter of the "Laws of Time and Space", and how he had almost killed himself just now, and he suddenly felt like a deflated balloon.


    "By the way, what was that spherical shield that you conjured up? It didn''t look like a normal magic shield," Lana asked as she raised an eyebrow.


    "It''s no big deal, it''s just a shield that contains a space in which time stands still," Erwin replied with a wry smile.


    "A space in which time stands still? How can you make time stand still?" Lana was suddenly reinvigorated upon hearing this.


    "I just think about how I want time to stop, and the power of my thoughts makes time stop," Erwin replied with a half-hearted lie. He was grateful to Lana for saving him, but there was no way that he was going to tell her about the secrets of "Laws of Time and Space".


    "Tch, I save your life and this is how you repay me? I should''ve just left you to be sucked dry," Lana grumbled in a disgruntled voice.


    "You tried to kill me once and you saved my life once, so doesn''t that make us even now?" Erwin chuckled.


    "I feel like you''re different from most magicians..." A perplexed look appeared in Lana''s eyes as she thought back to Erwin''s unorthodox style of battle. "You don''t seem to be as persistent in your pursuit of magic power. Instead, you seem to be more proficient when it comes to the concepts of matter, space, and time."


    "You make me sound far better than I am. In reality, I''m just lazy, so I''m always looking for shortcuts," Erwin replied in a self-deprecating manner. He was also feeling a little tired, so he laid down onto his desk like Lana.


    Unlike other girls of her age, Lana wasn''t shy in the slightest, and she was staring unabashedly at Erwin as if she were trying to see through him, allowing her luscious red hair to drape down lazily onto the desk around her. A ray of sunlight was shining through the window and spilling down onto her delicate cheek, highlighting the barely detectable red flush on her face, which was perhaps a result of the physical exertion from the backlash of the arcane spell.


    Even though the two of them were lying on their desks and openly chatting with one another, the lecturer didn''t dare to say anything.


    Finally, it was time for the end of the lesson, and Larwood and the others turned to Erwin with an inquisitive look, posing him a wordless question: "Do you wanna go have some fun?"


    Erwin shook his head in response with a wry smile. Even if he had the heart, he simply didn''t have the energy.


    Larwood took a subtle glance at Lana, who was still resting on her table, then nodded at Erwin with a knowing look on his face, giving Erwin his support and blessings. Chase and Kaiba immediately caught on as well, and they gave Erwin the same understanding nod.


    Erwin couldn''t retaliate, so he could only allow them to do as they pleased.


    Lana had naturally spotted what they were doing, but she had no interest in dealing with Larwood and the others anyway, so she simply turned a blind eye to their antics.


    Larwood and the others knew that their presence was unnecessary here, so they promptly departed.


    "I''ll be taking this book back with me. You can treat this as repayment for saving your life." Lana yawned as she stretched lazily, then picked up the book and turned to leave.


    "Hey, you... I..." Erwin stood up to stop her.


    "What? You''re not going to let me take this book?" Lana asked as she turned around and raised an eyebrow.


    "No, it''s fine. Just remember to return it to me when you''re finished with it," Erwin replied in a resigned manner.


    He looked on with furrowed brows as her gorgeous figure passed through the columns of sunlight shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows, but a faint smile was creeping onto his face.

 CH 7

    Nighttime at the Sarus royal palace.


    Cameron VIII massaged his own eyes as he looked at the files piled up on his desk with a wary expression. He then stroked the graying sideburns on either side of his face, and he couldn''t help but lament the effects of age.


    "Your Majesty, Prince Lazaar''s actions have been growing stranger and stranger in the past few years. I believe it would be wise to be wary of him," Governor Jenkins said with a grim expression, and his sentiment was supported by several other ministers.


    Cameron had already lost count of how many times Jenkins and these ministers had come to visit him in the royal palace.


    "In addition to that, Prince Lazaar has been getting closer and closer with Bishop Sirius these past few years," Governor Jenkins continued. "The True Light Church has already sent many advanced magicians to the province of Burmen."


    "I''m sure you''re aware of what the situation is like in those mountain ranges up in the north in Burmen. Lazaar approached Bishop Sirius in order to borrow magicians to slay the monstrous beings there. He''s already reported that to me, so I think your concerns are unnecessary," Carmen said with a smile.


    "But Your Majesty, we can''t just ignore this latest incident of Prince Lazaar''s daughter attempting murder on a noble in public in the capital!" Governor Jenkins countered as he looked directly at King Cameron. "He clearly already has no regard for the nobles of Sarus, who knows what he''s going to do next?"


    "Indeed, Your Majesty. The victim on this occasion is the son of a count. Next time, it could be the son of a marquess or a duke. After that, he could begin going after the royal family itself!" Prime Minister Fuller said with a grim expression.


    The other ministers began to discuss spiritedly among themselves upon hearing this.


    "I''ve sent some people to investigate the matter, and the incident isn''t something to be concerned about. It was just a scuffle between kids," King Cameron replied with a smile. "Having said that, Lazaar''s daughter really did take things too far. Thankfully, Friar is not the type of man to hold grudges."


    "But Your Majesty..." Jenkins opened his mouth in protest again, but Cameron waved his hand in a dismissive manner, indicating that he didn''t wish to speak about this matter any longer.


    "By the way, how are the preparations for the Pillow Sword Tournament coming along?" King Cameron changed the subject as he turned toward the prime minister.


    Fuller nodded as he replied, "The preparations are already complete, Your Majesty. All that''s left is for the tournament to begin."


    At the mention of the Pillow Sword Tournament, everyone became a lot more relaxed. This was a triennial event, and everyone was looking forward to seeing all of the exceptional young talents showing off their skills. Many of the officials serving in the royal court had high hopes for their children to perform well during the event.


    "Now that I think about it, Onean is about to be back soon." A proud smile appeared on King Cameron''s face at the mention of Onean. She was the most exceptional talent in the royal family.


    "Is Princess Onean about to return? In that case, it looks like the winner of the Pillow Sword Tournament is already decided," Governor Jenkins said with a smile.


    "Her Highness has been exceptionally gifted in magic from birth, and she''s already been studying under Master Piro for so many years. Surely she''s already far more powerful than the average magic mentor at this point." Prime Minister Fuller was also full of praise when it came to Princess Onean.


    "Weren''t you always going on about how talented Lazaar''s children are? I had no choice but to summon Onean back for the tournament. I''m looking forward to seeing these young kids put on a show," King Cameron chuckled.


    Governor Jenkins and the other ministers all nodded in agreement. They knew that Prince Lazaar''s children were all exceptionally talented, and King Cameron had most likely summoned Princess Onean back for the tournament in order to one-up Prince Lazaar. Onean''s natural aptitude for magic was unmatched, and she had been taught by a renowned master from a young age, so she was sure to put on a stunning performance during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    ...


    Rivers Mansion.


    Larwood, Kaiba, and Chase were chatting casually with one another in a deluxe booth, and the premium Joffen red wine on the table had barely been touched. What was even stranger was that they hadn''t called for any hostesses.


    "If you ask me, I''d say there are some complex circumstances behind Prince Lazaar''s return to the capital," Larwood said as he picked up his wineglass before inhaling the scent of its contents.


    Chase was lying spread-eagled on a luxurious suede sofa, and he turned to look at Larwood as he asked, "Did you hear that from your father?"


    Larwood didn''t give him a direct reply. "Even though Prince Lazaar has always been stationed at the Terarody Mountain Ranges these past few years to prevent the ancient creatures residing in those mountain ranges from invading the kingdom, his contributions are not to be neglected."


    Kaiba and Chase both nodded in agreement.


    Larwood''s tone suddenly shifted slightly as he continued, "However, I''ve heard that many ancient creatures have slipped through the cracks during the past few years, and Prince Lazaar is using different excuses to recruit large numbers of troops in the province of Burmen. In addition to that, he''s recruited many magicians from the True Light Church. I''m not sure His Majesty would be too pleased to see all of this."


    Chase sat up on the sofa as he looked directly at Larwood before asking, "Are you saying that Prince Lazaar is about to betray the kingdom?"


    "Shh! Keep it down!" Kaiba urged as he glared at Chase.


    "That''s hard to say," Larwood replied as he took a ship of wine. "In any case, my father told me to interact as little as possible with people from Prince Lazaar''s manor."


    Chase nodded in response, then said with a smile, "After what they did to Erwin, I''m sure all of the nobles in the city will stay far away from them."


    "That may not be the case. I heard that many nobles and officials in the capital are keen to take advantage of this opportunity to establish good relations with Prince Lazaar," Kaiba said.


    "Indeed. As friends, I thought it was important to give you guys a warning," Larwood said as he turned to Chase and Kaiba. "The situation is very murky at the moment, so it would be wise not to pick any sides for now."


    "Then what about Erwin?" Kaiba asked as he looked back at Larwood. "It looks to me like Prince Lazaar''s daughter has her eyes set on him."


    Larwood shook his head in response. "If you ask me, I think she''s only interested in Erwin''s magic."


    The trio was reminded of the strange spell that Erwin had unleashed earlier.


    "To be honest, I''m really intrigued as well," Larwood said with furrowed brows. "You guys both saw what happened, right? That spherical light shield was extremely strange-looking, and it looked like Erwin''s magic power was on the verge of being sucked dry."


    "Well, it only makes sense that someone as weird as Professor Hawk would teach Erwin weird magic like this," Chase chuckled.


    "I don''t think we need to worry about Erwin. There''s no way that His Majesty would suspect Count Friar of any foul play," Larwood said.


    "That''s true." Chase nodded in agreement.


    All of the nobles in the capital were very familiar with one another''s exploits. Count Friar was a loyal subordinate to King Cameron who had saved the king''s life on many occasions on the battlefield, so there was no way that King Cameron would suspect him of any wrongdoing.


    "Man, that chick really is super hot though... I''m kinda envious of Erwin," Chase chuckled.


    "What was her name again?" Kaiba asked as a sly grin appeared on his face as well.


    "It was Lana," Larwood immediately replied.


    "Her name is so beautiful as well," Chase said as he sighed up to the heavens. "How come we were the ones who hit on her, but Erwin''s the one getting lucky in the end?"


    "Getting lucky? He almost died that day!" Kaiba chuckled.


    "There''s no point in thinking about that now. Let''s call in a few hostesses. I heard from the front desk that they received a new batch, so you can just treat them as Lana," Larwood said with a sly expression.


    "You''re not wrong there," Chase replied with a sly grin of his own.


    ...


    That night at the prime minister''s manor.


    Fuller dismissed the servants in the room, then turned to stare at the red curtain before him in silence.


    "Show yourself," he said in a solemn voice.


    "I pay my respects to the esteemed prime minister." A figure wearing a black leather suit emerged from behind the curtain.


    Fuller had no interest in exchanging pleasantries, and he asked, "What do you need from me?"


    "The organization instructed me to give this to you." The young man in the leather suit pulled out an envelope before placing it respectfully onto Fuller''s table.


    Fuller took a look at the envelope to find that it was a white envelope with orderly round vines printed onto each of the corners. In the instant that his hand came into contact with the envelope, the black vines began to slither toward the center of the envelope from the four corners, and the vines came together to produce a glowing green dagger, which was hovering in mid-air and revolving above the opening of the envelope. Fuller used his index finger to tap the dagger a few times, and the projection of the dagger faded, following which the black vines on the envelope receded, and only then could the envelope be opened.


    This was a special confidential letter from the Lodais Organization, and only the designated receiver of the letter could open it. No one else would be able to trigger the spell for opening the envelope, and if the letter were to be forcibly opened, then the spell enclosed in the envelope would immediately destroy the letter inside.


    Fuller was supporting his own head with one hand while staring at the letter with tightly furrowed brows.


    "Isn''t your organization supposed to be able to get your hands on anything?" Fuller suddenly asked out of the blue.


    The young man was waiting off to the side in a respectful manner, and he was quite taken aback by this question. "Er... That''s true, but only if it''s within the capabilities of our organization."


    Fuller nodded in response before beginning to write a letter on his desk.


    "This is my reply to General Gilgen, please send it to the Skycourt Kingdom as quickly as possible," Fuller instructed with a serious expression as he pulled out a special envelope from the Lodais Organization before slipping the letter into it.


    "Also, these are the things that I want. I''ve enclosed all of my requirements with the list as well. Please take the list to Commander Nightsky." Fuller turned his gaze toward the young man as he said, "Make sure to get this done as quickly as possible. Money is not an issue."


    "Alright, I understand. I''ll make sure to deliver this letter to General Gilgen through the quickest possible avenue, and I''ll immediately inform Commander Nightsky of the items on the list. I''ll be sure to keep you updated if I receive any news." The young man carefully stowed the envelope and the list away.


    Fuller waved a hand in a dismissive manner, and the young man immediately extended a parting bow, then vanished into the night. He was clad in a suit of black leather armor, and he swooped over the buildings of the prime minister''s manor in an extremely stealthy manner, making a complete fool out of the guards in the manor.


    Perhaps the wind was too strong or Fuller still didn''t want to face this city. In any case, Fuller was standing behind the red curtain with his side facing the window, looking out at the nighttime scenery of Sarus with a weary look in his eyes.

 CH 8.1

    Princess Onean was truly the most precious person in King Cameron''s heart, and he made sure she received the grandest of welcomes upon her return to Sarus. All of the royal court''s most important officials and nobles had been instructed to greet her at the city gates, and the welcoming party was arranged in a rather interesting way.


    There was one group of people on one side of the flagstone street, led by Governor Jenkins with Prime Minister Fuller standing behind him.


    On the other side of the street was another group of people, led by Prince Lazaar with Archbishop Sirius standing behind him.


    Erwin took a close look and discovered that all of the nobles of the old guard, such as Larwood''s father, Duke Nandoon, were standing on Governor Jenkins''s side. Gwen was also standing not far behind her father. In contrast, all of the nobles that had been more recently initiated were standing on Prince Lazaar''s side. In order to support Prince Lazaar, Archbishop Sirius had invited the bishops of the True Light Church to join them as well. With that in mind, Erwin couldn''t help but admire his own father, who had refused to be present during such an important occasion, citing illness as an excuse.


    As for the young nobles with no official titles, such as Larwood and Chase, they were naturally standing on Governor Jenkins''s side.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward Prince Lazaar''s faction, and he spotted Lana and her brother standing not far away from Prince Lazaar. Due to the fact that he had to get up early to come here, he couldn''t help but yawn in a sleepy manner. He raised his head to look up at the sun, which still hadn''t fully risen into the sky yet, and he couldn''t remember the last time that he had gotten up this early. Recently, he had always been thinking about the laws of space and time until late into the night, and he would struggle to fall asleep whenever he thought back to his sparring match against Lana during that offense and defense class.


    Thankfully, the princess didn''t keep everyone waiting for very long. Right as Erwin was beginning to nod off for the fifth or sixth time, the princess''s carriage finally appeared on the horizon.


    There were six cavaliers of the royal guard riding on either side in front of the procession of carriages, each of which holding a long spear and clad in a suit of silver armor. Their steeds were purebred Zam highland horses, which had pure gray coats of fur with white manes.


    Behind them was a luxurious four-wheel carriage that was extremely intricately crafted and plated with gold. The carriage was being drawn by four tall white horses: it was the princess''s carriage. Behind the carriage were two rows of female magicians in gray robes riding atop white steeds, and they appeared to be the princess''s servants, who also doubled as her bodyguards.


    Erwin''s gaze swept over these well-trained female magicians, all of whom were undoubtedly quite powerful.


    "Wow, what an ostentatious entourage," Larwood commented in a low voice.


    "Well, she is His Majesty''s most prized daughter, after all," Chase replied in a quiet voice as well. "Take a look at this welcoming party. Aside from His Majesty, all of the most important figures in the city of Sarus have gathered here."


    "How long has Princess Onean been studying under Master Piro?" Erwin asked in a quiet voice.


    "I don''t recall exactly how long it''s been. Maybe six or seven years? Has it been that long?" Kaiba mused as his brows furrowed slightly in contemplation.


    "I don''t remember, either. In any case, I heard that she was exceptionally talented in magic at a very young age, and she caught the eye of Master Piro when she was only 12 or 13 years old, and that''s when he took her as his disciple," Larwood said.


    "Wow, Master Piro sure likes them young," Erwin jibed as a sly grin appeared on his face.


    Chase and Kaiba immediately buried their faces in their palms, doing everything in their power to suppress their mirth.


    "You really have no filter, do you?" Larwood rolled his eyes at Erwin. "Master Piro is almost 70 years old already!"


    On the other side of the street, Lana swept her gaze over the extravagant welcoming party, and she couldn''t help but roll her eyes in exasperation. "What a waste of time this is."


    Jeff immediately turned around to give her a stern glare in fear that she would say anything else out of line.


    The luxurious horse-drawn carriage slowly drew to a halt in front of everyone, and a servant from the royal palace immediately placed down a small stool. The officials and nobles on either side of the street bowed in welcome, while Princess Onean emerged from the carriage in an elegant manner, then swept an indifferent gaze over the nobles and officials bowing on either side. Her father had told her about the situation in the kingdom through letters.


    Erwin was not the type of person to be bowing obediently like everyone else. He took advantage of the fact that he was concealed within the crowd to sneak a few glances at the princess out of the corners of his eyes.


    He had thought Lana was the most attention-grabbing woman in the entire city of Sarus, but after taking a glance at Princess Onean, he couldn''t help but be captivated by her aura and beauty. She was like a proud and haughty goddess looking down on all those around her, and just looking at her evoked a sense of inferiority in the heart of the beholder. Under the light of the sun, every single strand of her silver hair was giving off a sparkling sheen, outshining the luster of the princess crown that was sitting on her head. Her long hair was arranged to one side, thereby clearly revealing the delicate lines of the other side of her face, and every single one of her proud facial features looked as if they were masterful works of art that had been meticulously arranged into the most perfect combination. All of her features were breathtakingly gorgeous, and if it weren''t for the fact that her bright and piercing golden eyes were far too prominent a feature, one would truly be at a complete loss as to where to look.


    Her pristine white dress highlighted her slender figure and voluptuous chest to perfection, and there were two crescent openings on her dress at her waist, revealing the fair and delicate skin there, adding a sense of seduction to her holy and unapproachable appearance. What came as quite a surprise to Erwin was that she also had a white sheep wool cape draped over her shoulders, which was trailing down onto the ground, and he couldn''t help but wonder if this was the signature attire for all the powerful female magicians nowadays.


    Purely in terms of appearance, it was hard to pick a definitively superior option between Onean and Lana. However, their personalities and dispositions were completely different. Princess Onean was like the all-encompassing sunlight shining down upon the land, striking the beholder with a sense of awe and veneration, while Lana was much more fickle. At times, she was like a frosty glacier that was extremely cold and forbidding, while at other times, she was like a sea of passionate fire that was both captivating and dangerous at the same time.


    "No need for formalities, everyone," Princess Onean said with an impeccable smile.


    "Welcome back, Your Highness. You must be quite weary after your long journey." Governor Jenkins was the first to approach her with a smile on his face, and the group of officials behind him quickly offered up some words of praise and flattery.


    In contrast, Prince Lazaar wasn''t as eager to approach the princess as they were, and he merely remained on the spot with a tranquil smile on his face.


    The princess acknowledged Governor Jenkins''s group with a smile and a nod, and she naturally wasn''t going to ignore Prince Lazaar.


    While Princess Onean was conversing with everyone else, Prince Lazaar took advantage of the opportunity to take a closer look at her, and he couldn''t help but admire her disposition and poise at such a young age.


    "Ahem." The sound of someone clearing their throat rang out from within the carriage, and an amused smile appeared on Princess Onean''s face as she returned to the carriage.


    "I''ll help you out of the carriage right away, Teacher."


    Shortly thereafter, a feeble elderly man emerged from the carriage. This man was the most renowned magician in the entire Effer Kingdom, Master Piro.


    Erwin took a glance at him from afar. Master Piro appeared to be around 70 to 80 years of age, but his eyes were still bright and sharp.


    Everyone was quite surprised to see this. It was already close to three decades since Master Piro had retired from his post as the head of the Court Magician Council, and since then, he had rarely ever been sighted outside of Fort Glans. Thus, everyone was wondering why he had returned to the capital with Princess Onean on this occasion.


    Back when Master Piro was serving as the head of the Court Magician Council, many of the people present hadn''t even been born yet.


    Piro paid no heed to everyone as he allowed one of his hands to be held by Princess Onean, while his other hand was resting on a beechwood staff that was even taller than he was. He pursed his lips as he looked around, quickly identifying many of the people present to be students that he had once taught many years ago. All of the past students of his in the crowd immediately lowered their heads in a respectful salute, so it was clear that this legendary magician still held a very important place in their hearts.


    Master Piro paused momentarily as he was walking past Prince Lazaar, then turned to glance at Prince Lazaar''s blue eyes with a thoughtful expression before calmly withdrawing his gaze.


    To his credit, Prince Lazaar remained quite calm and collected even in the face of the legendary magician.


    Master Piro paid no heed to anyone else as he directed his gaze toward the city gate of Sarus, which was constructed from Yin Mountain Stone. A contemplative look appeared in his eyes, and he heaved an internal sigh before turning to the princess beside him. "Let''s enter the city."


    Princess Onean nodded in response, and some servants immediately led a pair of Zam highland warhorses to them, one of which was white, while the other one was gray. Princess Onean gently stroked the mane of the white warhorse, and the horse''s mane gave off a faint sheen under the light of the sun. As soon as it felt her touch, the white horse immediately knelt down onto its front legs in an obedient manner, only standing straight again once Onean had secured herself in a straddling position onto its back. As for Master Piro, he didn''t even have to touch the gray horse. He merely tapped his staff against the ground, releasing a magic halo that spread over the ground to reach the gray warhorse, upon which it immediately lowered itself onto its knees as well.


    Thus, Princess Onean and Master Piro entered through the southern gate of Sarus one after another, leading the procession of carriages through the outer city to the inner city along Phoenix Street, heading directly toward the royal palace.


    Everyone bowed respectfully once again as the procession of carriages gradually disappeared into the distance.


    Members of the royal guard were stationed all the way along Phoenix Street under instructions from the king, and all of the bystanding citizens of the city were standing behind the guards, getting onto the tips of their toes with curious expressions to try and catch a glimpse of the princess.

 CH 8.2

    "Look! That''s Princess Onean! The one on the white horse!"


    "Wait, isn''t that Master Piro? Why is he back? Hasn''t he been staying in Fort Glans all this time?"


    "I didn''t expect to see him here, either. Then again, Prince Lazaar came back as well, so I''m not surprised that Master Piro is back."


    "Look at the princess''s beauty and poise! I don''t think you''ll find anyone able to match her in the entire kingdom."


    "Oh, I wouldn''t be so sure about that. I''ve heard that Prince Lazaar''s daughter is no less of a beauty than the princess."


    "That''s bullshit! No matter how you think about it, the princess is the kingdom''s number one beauty! Who''s with me on this one?"


    "I fully agree! However, I heard that the princess is back this time to participate in the Pillow Sword Tournament. I also heard that Prince Lazaar''s daughter is also quite a powerful magician herself. It''ll be a really interesting affair if the two of them go up against each other during the tournament."


    "I don''t think it''ll be much of a contest at all. The princess has been studying under Master Piro for many years. There''s no way she would be beaten by Prince Lazaar''s daughter."


    "You don''t know anything! I heard that Prince Lazaar''s daughter is being taught by Mistress Faye. She''s no lesser a magician than Master Piro."


    "I heard that Mistress Faye once managed to kill an Azure Scale Dragon on her own in the Terarody Mountain Ranges!"


    "Mistress Faye may be powerful, but she''s still a junior compared with Master Piro. If you think about it that way, the princess should still be superior..."


    Everyone was locked in a heated argument over who was more beautiful and who was more powerful between Princess Onean and Lana.


    --------------------------------------------------------------


    As the princess''s carriage disappeared into the distance, all of the officials and nobles of the welcoming party began to depart.


    "You know, that Master Piro really did look quite old," Erwin said as a sly grin appeared on his face.


    "I didn''t think that Master Piro would return to the capital with Princess Onean," Larwood mused with a contemplative expression.


    "By the way, how are your preparations for the Pillow Sword Tournament coming along?" Larwood asked as he turned to Erwin.


    "How are your preparations going?" Erwin''s brain was completely fried from thinking about the laws of space and time the past few days, and he didn''t want to think about anything, so he simply repeated Larwood''s question and directed it back at him.


    "What preparations can I possibly make? I''m just there for a participation award," Larwood replied with a wry smile.


    "Has the list for the matchups been released yet?" Kaiba asked as he turned to the two of them.


    "It should be released soon. Hopefully, the two of you get some easy matchups," Chase said with a smile. "Once the list is released, the odds for the matchups should also be released soon. I''m gonna place a few bets and make a killing out of the tournament!"


    "That sounds like a good idea," Kaiba chuckled.


    "What you''re saying is that you''ll be betting all your money against Erwin and me, right?" Larwood asked, and Chase immediately burst into laughter upon hearing this.


    "That''s not necessarily true. Maybe you''ll be able to progress through a round or two. It all depends on the odds," Chase explained.


    Larwood nodded in response with a smile, openly accepting Chase''s mockery, and Erwin was also quite amused by his greedy friends.


    Just as they were conversing with one another, a gorgeous figure made their way toward them in an elegant manner.


    "Erwin!" A seductive voice rang out, accompanied by an instant-release lightning paralysis spell that was aimed directly at Erwin''s waist.


    Erwin immediately swung around before conjuring up a magic shield to protect himself. In the instant that the lightning spell struck the magic shield, the former was stopped cold in its tracks, but lightning was spreading in all directions from the resulting magic turbulence, trying to snake its way around the magic shield to attack Erwin.


    Erwin''s brows furrowed slightly as he increased his magic power output, and only then was he able to keep the lightning spell completely at bay.


    He then looked up with a stunned expression at the person who had cast the instant-release spell.


    "Are you insane?" Erwin asked with an appalled expression, while Larwood and the others eagerly looked on to see what happened next.


    "I''m just making sure that you never drop your guard," Lana said with an innocent pout, following which a curious look appeared in her eyes as she asked, "How did that instant-release arcane spell feel?"


    Erwin was rather taken aback to hear this. He wasn''t aware that arcane spells could be instantly released. It seemed that Lana had already picked up some new tricks after reading "The Origins of Arcane Spells".


    "Did you finish the book? If so, then hurry up and return it to me!" Erwin grumbled.


    "I can''t finish it that quickly," Lana said with a smile, and Erwin could clearly sense that she had no intention of returning the book to him.


    Lana pouted as she said, "Come have some breakfast with me. I''ve been standing the entire morning, and I''m so hungry I can barely walk."


    Erwin naturally wasn''t going to refuse an invitation from such a stunning beauty, even though the beauty in question seemed more interested in his value as a guinea pig for her spells than his company.


    However, Erwin wasn''t the type of person to learn from past mistakes, and he had already forgotten about the few days he had spent in bed, recovering from his near-fatal injuries.


    Erwin turned to look at his friends, only to discover that they had no intention of getting involved, and they all smiled and shook their heads, indicating that they had no interest in joining them. Of course, Lana had no intention of inviting Larwood and the others, either.


    Thus, Erwin and Lana made their way toward the inner city to get some breakfast.


    "He''s not going to end up getting almost killed again just from having breakfast with her, is he?" Kaiba mused with a concerned expression as he watched the two of them slowly disappear into the distance.


    "I don''t think it''ll be that serious, but there''s definitely a chance that he''ll cop a serious beating," Larwood chuckled.


    The three of them exchanged a few glances, then burst into raucous laughter once again.


    "I was looking at you just now, and you were staring at the princess like a mega pervert," Lana said in a disdainful voice. "Is she really that good-looking?"


    "I think so, and her figure is quite nice as well," Erwin replied with a serious expression.


    "I also think she''s quite beautiful," Lana said with a smile as she released a bolt of paralyzing lightning at Erwin''s waist.


    Erwin immediately yelped with pain as the lightning struck him, and he hurriedly patted his own waist to snuff out the bolt of lightning.


    "What happened to you? You need to be more careful," Lana said as she turned to him with a concerned look in her eyes.


    Erwin glared at her and remained silent.


    Lana was completely unfazed as she asked with a smile, "Let me ask you again: is the princess really that good-looking?"


    "I don''t know. I was blinded by the sun and I couldn''t see anything," Erwin replied with a dark expression.


    Lana was very amused to hear his response.


    After entering the city, the two of them took a turn on Phoenix Street, making their way directly toward the eastern section of the outer city.


    "What do you want to eat?" Erwin suddenly recalled that she had invited him for breakfast.


    "Just follow me and you''ll see. It''s not like I''m going to sell you or anything," Lana replied with a roll of her eyes.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure of that," Erwin jeered. Having said that, Erwin was confident that he was more familiar with the city of Sarus than she was. After all, Prince Lazaar had been stationed in Burmen for many years already, so she had most likely grown up there and spent more time in Burmen than in Sarus.


    Even though Sarus was the lavish capital city of the kingdom, the outer city was still quite a chaotic area. Aside from the streets inhabited by the common people, there were many dens where thieves, thugs, and pimps were gathered. Thus, if one were to accidentally take the wrong turn, they could end up dead.


    Lana led Erwin through several chaotic streets and alleys, and Erwin was quite bewildered, wondering how she was so familiar with this area.


    Occasionally, they would encounter some people along the paths in the alleys, all of whom were quite wary of Erwin and Lana as it was clear from their attire that they were nobles. The children playing on the streets were also quite curious to see them, and there were some drunkards standing on the eaves of nearby buildings, wolf-whistling at Lana as she passed by. Lana paid no heed to them as she continued walking along while facing directly forward, but a short while later, a string of dull thumps rang out, and the drunkards fell down onto the street from the second floor, having been struck by different types of instant-release spells. Erwin turned around to take a glance at them, upon which he discovered that the drunkards were lying on the street with smoke rising up from their bodies, and cold sweat began to bead up on his forehead. Thankfully for the drunkards, Lana had already held back. Otherwise, they would''ve been in far worse condition.


    Erwin then took a moment to inspect his surroundings. They had passed through several winding alleys, and if it weren''t for Lana''s navigation, he would''ve truly been completely lost. Thinking back to what Lana had said earlier, he couldn''t help but feel as if she really were going to sell him.


    "You''re such a little coward! Why are you so scared?" Lana turned to Erwin with an amused expression. "Are you seriously scared that I''ll sell you?"


    "I ain''t scared, I''m just wondering how you''re so familiar with this place," Erwin protested.


    "Back when I was a child, I lived in this city for a while. Didn''t you know that?" Lana asked.


    Erwin shook his head in response. Even so, this still didn''t make sense as there was no way that Lana would''ve lived in the outer city even if she had stayed in Sarus as a child.


    "At the time, my father still wasn''t a prince or a governor yet. He was only a legion commander, and we had bought a mansion in the inner city, but it was quite an old mansion that had to be renovated," Lana explained. "The renovations took several months to complete, and before we even had a chance to move in, my father was deployed to Burmen, and our entire family went with him."


    The two of them finally returned to a main street, and Lana pointed at a courtyard on the side of the road as she said, "See that property there? That''s where I used to live as a child."


    Erwin took a look at the elegant courtyard, and he was quite surprised that such beautiful properties existed in the outer city.


    "There''s a breakfast shop on the corner of the street there, and my stomach growls whenever I think of it. Let''s pick up the pace! If we get there too late, then their breakfast will all be sold out," Lana urged as she pointed into the distance, snapping Erwin out of his train of thought.

 CH 9.1

    After passing through almost half of Sarus''s outer city with Lana herding Erwin along the entire way, the two of them finally reached the Old River Restaurant.


    This restaurant was clearly also a very old establishment, but unlike the Luzen Equipment Shop, it hadn''t been renovated in many years. The brown paint on the storefront was already riddled with countless cracks from being tested by the elements over an extended period of time, and its name of "Old River" was quite fitting for such an establishment.


    Lana pretended to not see the suspicion and disgust in Erwin''s eyes as she opened the door and entered the restaurant, and Erwin could only follow along behind her.


    Upon entering the restaurant, Erwin was greeted by a completely unexpected sight. To his surprise, business was booming in the restaurant, and there were barely any vacant seats.


    As soon as the two of them entered the restaurant, they immediately attracted a lot of attention from the patrons.


    Everyone was rather perplexed to see a pair of young nobles here. After all, this place was already quite deep in the outer city, and very rarely were nobles ever sighted here.


    In addition to that, Lana''s stunning appearance was extremely eye-catching, and many of the people dining at the restaurant were frequently looking up from their food to glance at her.


    Lana paid no heed to the attention that she was receiving as she grabbed Erwin by the sleeve and led him deeper into the restaurant, then immediately occupied a window-side table that had just been vacated.


    "What can I get the two of you?" A waitress quickly made her way over to their table with a welcoming smile. She was rather tall and imposing for a woman, and her cheekbones were quite tall. The freckles on her face were concealed by her red flush, which was typically seen in people living in high-altitude environments, leading Erwin to the conclusion that she was most likely from the Zam highlands.


    "We''ll get two orders of your signature Old River noodles, an order of your Zam beef with the Haggardy sauce, an order of your handmade pastry, and an order of your Feron soup dumplings." Lana immediately rattled off an order without even having to look at the menu on the table.


    Erwin was very curious about this restaurant, and he was carefully inspecting the restaurant''s decor, which wasn''t refined or intricate in the slightest. The oil and grease stains that had accumulated over long periods of time on the table had already seeped into the grains of the wood and taken on a black color. He could see that all of the restaurant patrons around them were thoroughly enjoying their meals, and the steamers on the tables were releasing steam all the way up to the ceiling.


    There were also some nosy customers who were still looking over at Erwin''s table. After all, it was a very rare sight to see nobles visiting this restaurant.


    "I guess this is why you shouldn''t judge a book by its cover," Erwin said with slightly furrowed brows.


    An amused smile appeared on Lana''s face as she said, "A good meal doesn''t have to be expensive, and an expensive meal isn''t necessarily good."


    Erwin gave a half-hearted nod in response.


    However, when the food was brought to their table, Erwin finally understood why Lana had made such a huge effort to come here. Even for someone as picky as he was, he was thoroughly enjoying the food here.


    "I''m guessing there was dolphin fat added to the broth. Otherwise, there''s no way it could be this fragrant," Erwin said as he carefully took a whiff of the soup.


    "Make sure to mix the noodles well. I''m digging in!" Lana paid no heed to his musings as she used her chopsticks to stir the noodles around repeatedly until every single noodle was completely covered in the sauce at the bottom of the bowl.


    In contrast, Erwin wasn''t in as much of a hurry to mix up his noodles. He snapped his fingers and beckoned the waitress from before over to their table, then asked her for a plate of sugar. The waitress was very surprised to hear this request, and after confirming that sugar really was what he had asked for, she went to the kitchen at the back of the restaurant.


    "Do you have a sweet tooth? Lana asked with a curious expression."


    Erwin smiled as he picked up the small dish of white sugar that had been brought to him by the waitress, then tipped all of it into the noodles before mixing it up.


    "Sugar is essential for noodles like these," Erwin replied with a smile, then picked up some noodles with his chopsticks before taking a large bite. "Hmm, the broth and the texture of the noodles are both very good."


    "Does sugar really make the noodles better?" Lana was looking at Erwin with a suspicious expression as she picked up some noodles from his bowl with her chopsticks without any hesitation. Erwin was rather taken aback by this while also lamenting the loss of his noodles.


    From an outsider''s perspective, it seemed that this pair of young nobles shared a very close relationship.


    Lana tasted the noodles, then said with a smile, "It does taste quite good. Looks like you know your stuff when it comes to food. How come I''ve never heard of adding sugar to noodles?"


    "I''ve always had a very sensitive tongue when it comes to food," Erwin replied with a smile, then picked up a piece of beef and dipped it into the sauce before placing it into his own mouth.


    "This Zam beef tastes just like any other Zam beef, so there''s nothing special about it, but what is this Haggardy sauce? It seems to be different from the average beef dipping sauce." Erwin was carefully savoring the dish, then took a whiff of the sauce before asking, "Is there some type of special spice in this sauce?"


    "You managed to pick that up? You really do have a good tongue!" Lana exclaimed.


    "The smell is quite interesting as well," Erwin remarked as he picked up another piece of beef before dipping it into the sauce again.


    "The spice is sweetgrass root. Haggardy is abundant in sweetgrass. You know that, right?" Lana asked.


    "Oh, so it''s sweetgrass. Isn''t that used for making magic potions? Can its roots be used to make spices?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    At the same time, it occurred to Erwin that Haggardy was a coastal city in the southern region of Burmen, so it made sense that Lana was very familiar with this ingredient.


    "I feel like aside from your pathetic knowledge in magic theory, your knowledge in magic ingredients is also severely lacking," Lana remarked, then nodded as if she had made a very astute observation.


    Erwin was feeling very offended.


    Come to think of it, I''ve seen people selling sweetgrass in Sarus before, but does anyone sell sweetgrass root in Sarus? I don''t think I''ve ever seen that before, Erwin thought to himself with furrowed brows. If no one sells sweetgrass root in Sarus, then the owner of this restaurant must be quite an interesting character. They would rather spend the money to buy spices from Burmen than renovate this restaurant. I can''t think of many restaurant owners who would take that tradeoff.


    "There''s a fight happening outside!" Right at this moment, a loud commotion rang out within the restaurant, and some of the patrons had already rushed out of the restaurant to see what was happening outside. Some of them hadn''t even paid for their meals yet, and the manager frantically rushed out after them.


    Erwin wiped away the steam on the window with his hand, thereby allowing him to see what was happening on the street outside.


    Law and order weren''t enforced anywhere near as strictly in Sarus''s outer city as it was in the inner city. There were guards patrolling several of the streets around Phoenix Street in the outer city, but in such a remote area of the outer city, no one would bat an eyelid even if someone were to be beaten to death here, and the city''s department of defense generally turned a blind eye to such incidents.


    There was a burly man with one shoulder exposed outside, locked in a confrontation against a young man in the middle of the street. A little girl was cowering behind the young man, and looking at her from afar, Erwin could see black light gleaming from her neck, her wrists, and her ankles.


    The burly man''s muscles were so exaggerated that they were almost cartoonish in appearance, and his arm didn''t even look like a normal arm anymore. Instead, it was like a massive chicken drumstick! Tightly packed black runes were glowing on his enormous arm, and it was clear that the arm had been completely modified by magic. Otherwise, given how cold it was, he would be freezing with his arm exposed out in the open.


    The young man lunged forward and sprang up into the air above his burly opponent, and his fists were glowing with golden light as he rained down a flurry of punches onto the burly man''s modified arm. As he did so, he was swearing profusely, and his face was twisted with fury.


    The burly man was completely unfazed, and all he did was raise his own arm in defense, not even bothering to take a single backward step.


    The young man clearly hadn''t expected his opponent''s arm to be so powerful, and a hesitant look appeared in his eyes as he struggled to see a way through his opponent''s defense. Right in this instant, the burly man drove his feet into the ground and raised his massive arm before unleashing a vicious backhand. None of the bystanders were expecting someone of his enormous stature to be able to move so quickly, and the young man was clearly caught off guard as well.


    Only when the burly man''s arm had almost reached him did the young man cross his own arms to protect himself, relying purely on his instincts, which had been honed over the course of countless battles. However, there was simply far too massive a disparity in power, and as soon as the young man was struck by his opponent''s attack, he was immediately sent flying through the air.


    In the next instant, the young man had already flown over an entire street with his limbs dangling in front of him, and his entire body was embedded into the wooden panel on the lower half of the Old River Restaurant''s storefront beneath the window. A dull thump rang out as he flew through the wall, then hurtled directly toward Erwin''s table.


    Thankfully, both Erwin and Lana had exceptional reflexes, and as soon as they identified the fact that the young man was flying toward them, Erwin immediately picked up his bowl of noodles and his plate of beef, while Lana quickly unleashed a levitation spell on the remaining dishes on the table. Thus, the table was instantly cleared, only to be sent flying by the flailing young man. The table then struck the sturdy counter, where it was reduced to scrap wood in the walkway.


    Erwin was holding his bowl of noodles in one hand and the plate of beef in the other as he turned to look at the hole in the wooden wall, within which was embedded the young man. "Phew, that was a close one. He''s not dead, is he?"


    Erwin turned to Lana with an inquisitive expression as he spoke.


    "Looks like we''re not going to be able to enjoy our meal in peace," Lana sighed as she withdrew her levitation spell, and the dishes that were hovering in mid-air came crashing down onto the ground. She then squatted down and cocked her head to the side as she carefully inspected the young man, upon which she discovered that he was still breathing.


    "He''s probably not going to die, but he has a few broken ribs and some internal injuries, and his face is also completely swollen," Lana remarked as she assessed the young man''s condition. At this point, the young man was already unconscious with his head drooping down to his chest.

 CH 9.2

    Erwin took a glance at the young man''s face to find that it really was severely swollen. Clear bruises had already appeared on his cheeks, while his cheekbones and forehead were also swollen. In addition to that, his lips had become as puffy as small sausages, and overall, his face had become rather amusing to behold.


    Didn''t he block that attack with his arms? How did his face still sustain so much damage? Erwin was quite astounded by the power of the burly man''s magically modified arm.


    "Brother Sherry! Brother Sherry..." The little girl standing behind the young man was completely rooted to the spot in fear and shock, and only now did she return to her senses as she rushed over to the young man as quickly as she could, then fell to her knees beside her as she frantically yelled his name.


    Only now, at close quarters, was Erwin able to identify what the little girl was wearing around her neck, wrists, and ankles. It was a series of crudely crafted copper rings, upon which were inscribed black runes that were glowing faintly.


    Looking at these rings, it was clear to Erwin that the little girl had been forced into a slave contract, thereby making her a slave.


    Once a slave contract was signed, the little girl would become the owner''s private property. Unless the owner was willing to undo the contract, there was nothing that anyone could do for the little girl.


    Given the severe injuries the young man had just sustained, the little girl didn''t dare to move him, so she could only kneel beside him and sob in a broken voice, "Brother Sherry... I told you to just leave me! You should''ve listened to me!"


    The burly man clearly also hadn''t expected to injure the young man so severely with just a single attack, and he hesitated momentarily before making his way toward the little girl.


    Perhaps the young man had heard the burly man''s footsteps, or he had heard the little girl''s sobbing voice, but he slowly woke up from his unconscious state.


    "I''m not letting you take her away... Don''t even think about it!" Sherry said in a strained voice as he supported his own upper body into an upright position with his hands, then expended a herculean effort trying to clamber back to his feet.


    "Don''t fight him anymore! Please, Brother Sherry, you''ve already done more than enough for me," the little girl implored in a sobbing voice.


    Sherry turned to the little girl with a gentle expression, then patted her hand as a gesture of consolation. After that, he used the wall behind him as support to slowly force himself up into a standing position, then made his way toward the burly man in front of him with a vicious look in his eyes.


    "No..." the little girl screamed frantically as she spread her arms open and positioned herself in front of Sherry, then turned to the burly man as she yelled, "I''ll go with you! Please don''t hurt him anymore... If you keep going, he''s going to die!"


    Sherry had a steely look in his eyes, and his face was completely ashen in complexion. He wanted to raise his arm to nudge the little girl aside, but as soon as he attempted to do so, a burst of excruciating pain shot through his chest, forcing him to lower his arm again.


    The little girl turned around and grabbed onto the young man''s hand, then looked up at him through teary eyes as she implored, "Please don''t fight anymore, Brother Sherry... Just leave me. You''ve already done enough, don''t throw your life away!"


    "I made a promise that I was going to protect you at all costs," Sherry panted in a strained voice, then put on a feeble smile to try and console the little girl before moving her aside. After that, he cast a cold gaze toward the burly man, looking as if he were ready to lay down his own life for the sake of the little girl.


    Some bystanders had already gathered on the street, and many of the patrons of the restaurant had also surrounded Erwin''s table. After hearing what the young man had to say and seeing the little girl''s teary display, all of the bystanders were feeling very sympathetic toward them.


    "He doesn''t look too good right now. Should I give him some beef so he can recover his energy?" Erwin whispered into Lana''s ear.


    Lana was looking on at the unfolding scene with an indifferent expression, and she almost burst into laughter upon hearing this. Thankfully, she was able to clamp a hand over her own mouth right before she laughed out loud, but she still turned to glare at Erwin with an exasperated expression.


    The burly man watched as the young man approached him, but he was in no hurry to resume the fight. He wore a calm expression as he glanced at the little girl standing off to the side, then turned back to face the young man standing before him.


    "She''s already my slave, don''t you understand?" the burly man asked in an expressionless manner, seemingly unable to understand why the young man insisted on getting involved.


    This was also why all of the bystanders were only watching instead of doing anything. Legally speaking, the little girl was already the burly man''s private property, so essentially, the young man was attacking him in an attempt to steal his property, thereby making his retaliation justified self-defense.


    "I don''t care what you say, I''m not going to just watch as you take her away!" Sherry adopted a fighting pose as he spoke, readying himself for the battle to resume at any moment.


    His intentions were noble, but he was clearly in the wrong here, and many of the bystanders were beginning to shake their heads in disapproval at his unreasonable actions.


    The burly man ignored him as he made his way directly over to the little girl, then grabbed her with his magically modified arm before swinging her onto his own shoulder. The little girl immediately gave an alarmed yelp, clearly not expecting this sudden turn of events.


    Tears and snot began to flow down the little girl''s face, and she was so scared and enraged that she was unable to speak. She could only allow herself to be draped over the burly man''s shoulder with her upper body hanging upside down, slapping the burly man''s muscular back with her delicate hands in protest. At the same time, she was doing everything in her power to struggle to her feet, and the burly man was worried that she would fall off and injure herself, so he closed his other hand around her legs to restrict her.


    Tsk tsk, what a soft waist she has, Erwin thought to himself.


    "Put her down right now, you monster!" The young man was infuriated at the sight of the little girl being bullied, and he let loose a loud roar, mustering up what little remained of his energy to charge toward the burly man again.


    The burly man was clearly at the end of his patience, and he threw a casual punch in the young man''s direction. Of course, he knew that there was a good chance that he would kill the young man in his current state if he were to use his full power, so he naturally made sure to hold back.


    Even so, the young man was still no match for his opponent''s punch and was sent flying once again. He flew directly through the hole that his body had just punched through the restaurant, but his momentum sent him flying even further, knocking over a few spectating bystanders in the restaurant before finally coming to a rest in a spread-eagled position. On this occasion, a large panel of the restaurant''s window was also shattered.


    The burly man didn''t even bother to take a look at his opponent as he turned and departed with the little girl on his shoulder. The little girl struggled to raise her head and cast her gaze toward the direction where the young man was lying unconscious, and she called out in a panicked voice, "Brother Sherry! Brother..."


    All of a sudden, her voice abruptly cut off, and she grabbed tightly at the ring around her neck as if she couldn''t breathe.


    Erwin knew that the burly man had just used the slave contract to tighten her neck ring. Having been a frequent patron at all types of mansions for such a long time, he was naturally familiar with some of the more kinky toys used in those places.


    The manager of the Old River Restaurant cast his gaze toward the departing burly man, then took a glance at his magically modified arm before shuddering at the fearsome sight, making the wise decision not to chase after the man and demand compensation for the damage he had caused to the restaurant.


    Lana turned her attention toward the unconscious young man, then raised a hand to unleash an advanced healing spell. The spell couldn''t heal his external injuries, such as the ones inflicted onto his face and his ribs, but they were able to at least ensure that his internal organs were in a stable condition.


    Shortly thereafter, Sherry slowly awakened from his unconscious state, much to the astonishment of Erwin, who was stunned that he was able to wake up so quickly from such severe injuries, even with the application of that advanced healing spell.


    "You didn''t heal him because you wanted to see him get sent flying again, did you?" Erwin whispered at Lana in a teasing voice as he nudged her with his elbow.


    A wry smile appeared on Lana''s face upon hearing his jibes.


    Seeing as Sherry was still alive and had woken up, the spectating bystanders quickly departed. All of them still had their daily tasks to attend to, and they couldn''t afford to waste any more time here.


    It was clear that Sherry was still extremely enraged and indignant, and he wanted to clamber back to his feet again, but his physical condition was simply too awful to allow that, and he could only slam his fist into the ground in frustration.


    Erwin heaved a faint sigh as a sympathetic look appeared on his face, and he made his way over to the young man before patting him on the shoulder. "Have you had breakfast yet? If not, then do you want to have some with us? Even if you have a death wish, it would be better to die on a full stomach, wouldn''t it?"


    Sherry turned to Erwin with a stunned expression upon hearing this, wondering if there was a screw loose in Erwin''s head.


    Lana was quite amused by what Erwin had just said, and his words were like a needle puncturing a balloon, instantly leaving Sherry defeated and deflated.


    He hung his head in a dejected silence as he leaned back against the wall, while Erwin raised a hand to beckon for the waitress from before, then made a new order of dishes.


    After that, he picked another table and told Lana to go and take a seat there first. Following the events that had just taken place, many of the tables in the restaurant had been vacated.


    "Can you still get up?" Erwin asked as he turned his gaze toward Sherry, who was still sitting on the ground in a defeated manner, and he didn''t display any intention of helping Sherry to his feet.


    "Who are you? Mind your own business!" Sherry snapped in a cold voice as he turned to look at Erwin with an unfriendly expression.


    "Oh, so it looks like you''re not hungry, after all. I''ll just leave you here then." With that, Erwin turned and made his way over to Lana''s table before taking a seat across from her.


    Sherry remained seated on the ground, lamenting the hardships of life. He then turned to look at Erwin and Lana, who were sitting not far away, chatting happily with one another, and he struggled to his feet, then limped over to Erwin''s table, using the tables along the way as support.


    Lana took a glance at Sherry, while Erwin didn''t even bother to look at him as he got up from his seat and moved to another chair, thereby vacating his original seat for Sherry, who collapsed heavily onto the chair, unable to stand any longer.


    Shortly thereafter, the waitress brought the newly ordered dishes to their table. Several of the dishes were served in steamers, which were still giving off warm steam, and Sherry allowed the steam to waft into his swollen face with mixed emotions in his heart. He then picked up his chopsticks, yet right as he was about to begin eating, Erwin raised a hand to stop him.


    "We''re not treating you to a meal for free. You only get to eat after you tell us about that little girl from just now," Erwin said as he glanced at Sherry out of the corners of his eyes with his cheek resting on his palm.


    "Is this what you nobles do for entertainment? You listen to the sad stories of less privileged people so you can feel better about yourselves?" Sherry asked as he turned toward Erwin with a mocking expression.


    Erwin was completely unfazed by Sherry''s insults, and he said, "We just want to hear her story."


    Sherry set down his chopsticks as a dark look appeared on his face.


    "That girl from just now, her name is Tina. She''s my next-door neighbor, and we grew up together," Sherry sighed. "A while ago, her father was detained by the True Light Church for committing the crime of blasphemy. I have no idea what blasphemy is supposed to entail. In order to get enough money to bail out her father, Tina sold their house, but she still didn''t have enough, so she... she sold herself as well. Unfortunately, just a few days after her father was bailed out, he passed away..."


    A wry smile appeared on Sherry''s face as he spoke, and there was a vacant look in his eyes. It seemed that his mind had already wandered elsewhere.


    Erwin and Lana both fell silent upon hearing Sherry''s story.

 CH 9.3

    Erwin was very familiar with stories involving the crime of blasphemy. This was the very same excuse that the True Light Church had used to detain countless lesser nobles and common people. Those who were able to pay up and bail out the detained victims quickly were the fortunate ones. As for the victims who were locked away in the True Light Church''s prison for some time, there was a very low likelihood that they would survive the ordeal.


    Tears began to well up in Sherry''s eyes as he continued, "It''s my fault as well. At the time, I was living at the academy, preparing for the Pillow Sword Tournament, and I didn''t know what was going on. I only heard about all of this when I came home to get some things a few days ago. She couldn''t bring herself to tell her father that she sold herself to bail him out. Her father knew that his days were numbered, so he asked me to look after Tina after he passed, but I..."


    Sherry''s voice trailed off here, and he closed his eyes with a pained expression.


    "Did you ask that guy from before if he would be willing to undo the slave contract?" Erwin asked.


    "Of course I did! I don''t come from a noble family, but we have some money at home. Their contract was due to take effect today, and I begged him to undo the slave contract so that he wouldn''t take Tina away, but no matter how much money I offered him, he refused to listen, and that''s why we got into that fight," Sherry replied with a furious expression.


    "So he wasn''t interested no matter how much money you offered him?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "He seemed to be completely uninterested in money," Sherry replied with tightly furrowed brows.


    "Then there''s not much that you can do," Erwin sighed as he patted Sherry on the shoulder in consolation. "Life is just a series of fortunate and misfortunate events thrown together, don''t take it too seriously. There''s always a bright side and silver lining to everything, so try to focus on that."


    Lana was quite amused to hear this. "Why are you trying to sound so wise and mature? You''re just a little brat yourself! Stop trying to give others life advice!"


    An awkward look appeared on Erwin''s face upon hearing this, and he immediately turned to Lana with an indignant expression for ruining his moment.


    An amused smile also appeared on Sherry''s face in response to Lana''s jibes. He had been furious just a moment ago, but for some reason, interacting with this pair of young nobles was making him feel a lot better. Much of his anger and frustration had faded away, and only now did he realize just how hungry he was as he picked up his chopsticks again.


    "You said that you were also going to participate in the Pillow Sword Tournament, right? Which academy are you from?" Erwin asked.


    "I''m from Seaford Academy," Sherry replied before sinking his teeth into a pastry.


    Seaford Academy was one of the few academies that had no requirements on their students'' backgrounds. It was an academy that solely considered talent over background, so most of the young people living in the outer city who possessed talent but came from normal families attended Seaford Academy.


    "Are you going to be able to compete with such severe injuries? You''re probably not even going to be able to pass the physical examination," Erwin said as he turned to look at Sherry. Judging from the blows he had just suffered, he had most likely broken more than a few ribs.


    "I only stabilized his internal injuries just now. As for his external injuries, it''s up to him how long they''ll take to recover," Lana said as she turned to Erwin.


    Erwin nodded in response.


    "It''s alright, this isn''t the first time I''ve been injured. We train very hard at the academy, so I''m injured quite often, but I always manage to recover very quickly." To his credit, Sherry was quite optimistic.


    "Alright, then enjoy your meal. We''ll be going now. See you during the Pillow Sword Tournament." Erwin smiled as he stood up from his chair, preparing to go to the front desk to pay for the meal.


    "Wait, I still don''t know your names yet," Sherry said as he rose to his feet. He was quite grateful to these two young nobles for tending to his internal injuries and treating him to a meal. Furthermore, it was clear from what Erwin had just said that they were also going to be participating in the Pillow Sword Tournament, so that gave them something in common as well.


    "This here is the daughter of Prince Lazaar," Erwin introduced with a smile. "As for me, I''m just a bodyguard of hers who''s here to accompany her for breakfast."


    Lana was quite amused to hear this, and she glared at Erwin before exiting the restaurant.


    Meanwhile, Sherry was astonished by what he had just heard. As expected, the female noble really was of extremely lofty status. However, he was actually more interested in the male noble, who seemed like a very interesting character. In any case, he was going to meet them again during the Pillow Sword Tournament, so he didn''t feel inclined to ask more questions about them.


    As Erwin was paying for the meal, he paid a little extra as compensation for the damage caused to the restaurant. Even though that wasn''t his fault, he still wanted to avoid any potential unnecessary trouble. Unfortunately, he didn''t have a lot of spending money left after purchasing his staff, so it pained him a little to make the extra payment.


    The two of them emerged from the Old River Restaurant to a bright and picturesque day. The dazzling sunshine seemed to be able to dispel all of the negative emotions in one''s heart.


    "Why did you insist on hearing his story?" Lana asked as she turned to Erwin with a curious expression.


    "I was just curious. Why else would I have been interested?" Erwin replied with a smile.


    Lana shook her head with a smile as she looked at Erwin with a pair of amused eyes. The more she interacted with Erwin, the more interesting she found him to be.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    In contrast with his usual white robe, Archbishop Sirius of the True Light Church was currently wearing an understated gray cotton robe and a pair of thick-rimmed round glasses while holding a few poem anthologies in his hands, looking much like a studious pedant. He took a few turns in Leah Alley of the inner city, and once he was sure that he wasn''t being followed, he ducked into a completely unremarkable-looking magic materials shop.


    The manager of the shop raised his head to take a glance at Archbishop Sirius, then immediately dropped what he was doing and led the archbishop to the back of the shop in person, instructing one of his employees to look after the front of the shop in his absence. There seemed to only be three old display shelves at the back of the room, but in reality, there was a secret concealed within. The manager of the shop twisted a staff that was lying off to the side, and one of the shelves immediately spun around to reveal the entrance to a secret chamber. The manager then stationed himself outside the entrance, waiting until the archbishop had entered the secret chamber before twisting the staff back to its original position, thereby restoring the shelf to its usual place.


    Archbishop Sirius entered through the opening, then raised a hand, and all of the lights on either side of the secret passageway instantly lit up. He quickly made his way along the passageway, and at the end of the passageway was an old wooden door. Archbishop Sirius extended his index finger, and a speck of white light flew out from his fingertip. As soon as the speck of light made contact with the wooden door, bursts of magic turbulence spread in all directions, then converged together to form a single burst that revolved once around the doorframe, after which the door was opened.


    It was a bright and sunny day outside, but the interior of the secret chamber was completely dark and gloomy, with only the magic lamps positioned in the four corners of the rooms providing some dim light.


    At the center of the secret chamber was a fairly aged round pear wood tea table, and around the tea table were four old sofas with coarse covers. One of the sofas had its back facing the door, and it was occupied by an elderly man. Even as the door of the secret chamber was opened, the elderly man displayed no reaction, nor was he in a hurry to stand up.


    "Come and take a seat," the man on the sofa said in a calm voice without even turning his head.


    Archbishop Sirius offered no reply as he took off his gray robe before hanging it onto a clothes rack in the corner of the room. The light of the radiant sun had been bearing down on him the entire way here, so he was sweating somewhat and was eager to take off his robe as soon as he entered the room.


    The archbishop exhaled before taking a seat on the sofa next to the elderly man, then turned to him before asking, "How are the preparations coming along, Prime Minister Fuller?"


    As it turned out, the elderly man in the secret chamber was none other than the prime minister of the Effer Kingdom.


    No one could''ve imagined that these two would be sitting together in a private setting like this. They were both extremely important figures in opposing factions, with one closely allied with Prince Lazaar, while the other had strong ties with Governor Jenkins. Thus, they should''ve been fierce political rivals, yet that didn''t appear to be the case at all here.


    "The preparations are just about complete," Fuller replied as he glanced at a small vial of gray liquid on the table.


    "What''s this?" Sirius picked up the vial, then began to carefully inspect it with furrowed brows under the dim light in the room.


    "Be careful not to spill any. That''s the juice from the liver of a Scarlet Dragon," Fuller cautioned as a proud look appeared on his face.


    "The liver juice of a Scarlet Dragon? Aren''t Scarlet Dragons only found in Fuschia Valley?" Sirius asked as he turned to Fuller with a puzzled expression. "I heard that Fuschia Valley was sealed by the Skycourt Kingdom starting from several years ago. How did you manage to get your hands on something like this?"


    "You''ve heard of the Lodais Organizations, right?" Fuller asked as he turned to look at Sirius. "They were the ones who procured it for me. It was quite expensive, but that doesn''t matter in the grand scheme of things."


    "They offer procurement services as well? I thought that they were an assassin organization that only took on hit jobs." Sirius had naturally also heard of this organization before.


    "They''re willing to take on any jobs that are profitable," Fuller replied with a smile. "Of course, the job has to be within their capabilities as well."


    "That''s not a lot of dragon liver juice. How much did you spend for it?" Sirius asked.


    "I spent 5,000 Loonies on this small vial alone," Fuller replied in a calm manner.


    Sirius couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath upon hearing this. "I don''t know how good this organization is at carrying out hit jobs, but they sure do charge exorbitant prices."


    "It doesn''t matter as long as they can get the job done. I no longer care about things like money," Fuller said with a wry smile.


    Sirius nodded in response, then turned to look at Fuller through narrowed eyes. "This Scarlet Dragon liver juice is certainly a very interesting substance. It has no taste, scent, or color, which makes it very difficult to detect."


    "Indeed. The liver juices of other dragons all have discernible scents, and this is the only that doesn''t. If you use it to make medicine or brew potions, there will be no way to detect the presence of the dragon liver juice in the resulting concoction," Fuller said with a sinister smile as he looked at the vial of liquid held between Sirius''s two fingers.


    "Let me remind you that Master Piro has returned to the capital. He''s not going to notice anything, is he?" Sirius set the small vial back down onto the table, then turned to Fuller with a cautious expression.


    "I didn''t think that he would return." Fuller was clearly also quite surprised by Master Piro''s return, but he then said, "Having said that, he won''t be able to do anything to us as long as they can''t gather any concrete evidence. Rest assured, there''s no way that they''ll be able to trace this back to us. As for the Lodais Organization, I''ve already thought of a way to deal with them as well."


    Sirius nodded in response with a contemplative look on his face.


    "I hope that our efforts can allow our lord to descend earlier. Mere mortals like ourselves have no choice but to resort to such underhanded tactics in order to pave the way for the gods of the heavens," Fuller sighed as a wry smile appeared on his face.


    "Rest assured, our lord has already displayed many divine miracles, all of which have been personally witnessed by myself in the Terarody Mountain Ranges," Sirius replied with a confident expression as he patted Fuller''s shoulder in reassurance. "The day that our lord descends will be the day that all of us are redeemed."


    "May the Lord have mercy on us," Fuller prayed as he lowered his head and joined his palms together.


    "May the Lord have mercy on us," Sirius repeated as he also joined his palms together in prayer.

 CH 10.1

    For those who weren''t competing in the event, the Pillow Sword Tournament was much like a festival before the new year, whereas for the participants of the Pillow Sword Tournament, this was an opportunity that only came around once every three years, and they had to grasp it with both hands.


    The venue for the Pillow Sword Tournament was constructed on a plain outside of Sarus. After emerging from the southern gate of Sarus, one would arrive on King''s Highway, and after traveling along the highway for a few kilometers, one would encounter a spectacular circular venue.


    The route from the highway to the venue had already been transformed into a wide boardwalk, and the two sides of the boardwalk were lined with outlet tents set up by various shops in the city. Restaurants and taverns were naturally the most frequently appearing shops along the boardwalk, and they were followed by some of the more renowned equipment shops and materials shops. There were even some candy shops that had set up outlets here. In addition to that, there were also some traveling merchants who couldn''t afford to set up such large tents, so they placed their wares, such as magic potions and different types of materials and ingredients from foreign regions, down onto rugs to be sold. As for the quality of their wares, that was very much unknown. Aside from the tents, there were also some food carts that were selling all types of fried, baked, or steamed snacks.


    There were still a few days left until the commencement of the tournament, but the area was already as lively and bustling as a market. Many young students who were avid shopping enthusiasts were strolling along the boardwalk, holding beverage cups that had been made to replicate the form of the ring-shaped venue and all types of snacks that were giving off alluring aromas as they traversed through the stalls. Some of the younger students were also holding small flags that they were waving from side to the side, and the flags all bore images of certain competitors participating in the upcoming tournament, so it was clear that these students were all here to cheer on the senior students of their respective academies.


    After passing through the lively market area, one would arrive at the foot of the circular venue. The entire venue had been constructed using wooden structures, while the important structural points were supported by copper rods. The venue was split up into three ring-shaped levels from top to bottom, and each level was separated from one another.


    The level that was closest to the main battle platform was naturally reserved for the wealthy and powerful officials and nobles. There was also a raised square platform that was situated in the north and facing the south, and that was reserved for the king, as well as other members of the royal family.


    The middle floor was designated for wealthy merchants and lesser nobles, as well as some middle-class individuals with ambitions of rising up the social hierarchy.


    As for the top level, the tickets for the seats there were the cheapest out of the three levels, so that was naturally catering to the common folk who couldn''t afford the more expensive seats. Of course, the spectators on the top level had to put in more work just to get to their seats. Firstly, they had to climb up the zigzag staircases situated on the outskirts of the venue to the top level, then go and find their seats. In order to facilitate easier access to the seats on the top level, there were over 10 of these zigzag staircases littered around the venue.


    The wealthier spectators on the middle and bottom levels entered the venue through the wide entrance to the south, while the members of the royal family entered through the royal entrance to the north, which granted them direct access to the raised viewing platform that was also situated in the north.


    The eastern and western entrances of the venue were reserved solely for the competitors, and several spacious tents had been set up at those entrances, some of which were meant to provide places for competitors to rest, while others were for the personnel of the tournament committee to conduct physical examinations on the competitors prior to the tournament''s commencement. The remaining few tents outside of that were storage spaces for the competitors to keep their personal equipment.


    A new rule had been introduced in this edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament, and it stated that all of the weapons and accessories to be used by the competitors had to be registered prior to the commencement of the tournament. The registered equipment was to be used until all matches were over, and no new equipment could be introduced mid-match. Furthermore, at the conclusion of each match, the equipment that was used had to be immediately returned to the tournament committee for renewed examination, and all competitors found to have broken the rules would have their participation rights in the tournament revoked.


    Due to the fact that the Pillow Sword Tournament was an event that was going to run for many consecutive days, many of the contestants would switch to equipment of different attributes based on their opponents'' past performances. For example, if their opponent were adept in using fire-attribute magic, then they could embed Red Brown Gems into all of their protective equipment to improve their resistance against fire. Generally speaking, the wealthy noble contestants would always place quite well in the tournament as they could purchase different equipment at will in accordance with the data that they gathered on their opponents, and that was why Erwin had been rather hesitant when purchasing his staff.


    This new rule that had been released was undoubtedly detrimental to the noble competitors, so there were many vocal complaints raised against the introduction of the rule. Of course, there were also many competitors of common descent, such as the competitors from academies like Seaford Academy, celebrating this rule change.


    Compared with past editions of the Pillow Sword Tournament, it could be said that this was a fairer tournament.


    Guards from the royal palace were stationed throughout the entire lobby area for the contestants, and only those who had registered themselves at the tournament committee were allowed to enter the lobby. As a token to indicate that their identities had been verified by the tournament committee, all of the registered contestants received silver iris sword badges.


    The iris sword badges had been custom made for all of the contestants, and they were round, silver badges, upon which were engraved blooming, four-petaled iris flowers. At the center of the iris flower''s petals hovered a thin sword that gave off a purple gleam, and the name of the owner of the badge would flash on the blade of the sword. After that, a number, namely 128, would flash over the blade. That was the total number of contestants. Following the conclusion of each round of competition, the contestants would be able to take their badges to the tournament committee to have their rankings updated. The number "29" was engraved intricately onto the back of each badge, reflecting the fact that this was the 29th edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    Thus, the badges had great commemorative value, and many of the contestants who had participated in past editions of the Pillow Sword Tournament would keep their badges as souvenirs, both as a reminder of their past glory, as well as to show to their children and grandchildren to motivate them.


    In order to participate in the Pillow Sword Tournament, a contestant had to fulfill a set of specific criteria. Firstly, they had to be a student recommended by an advanced academy, and secondly, they couldn''t be over 24 years of age.


    Among the officials and nobles in the spectator stands, all of the ones who had participated in the Pillow Sword Tournament in the past would be sure to wear their iris sword badges. Even King Cameron himself was wearing his iris sword badge, which was from the 19th edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament, where he secured a placing of 16th. Over the course of many years, this had already become a tradition.


    ...


    There were still a couple of days left until the commencement of the tournament, yet some of the contestants were already arriving at the registration areas situated at the eastern and western entrances of the venue.


    "Are you registered?" Larwood asked as he took a glance at Erwin, who had just emerged from a tournament committee tent.


    "I am. They''re really strict and careful about everything, so it was a real hassle," Erwin complained as he thought back to how every single piece of equipment he was carrying had been meticulously examined, then registered and stored away. It had truly been quite a time-consuming process.


    "Did you hear about the new rule that was released just this morning?" Larwood asked with an amused smile. "In order to counteract the new equipment registration rule, quite a few of the contestants brought a huge collection of equipment with them so that they would have a wide range to choose from during their matches. As a result, they released a new rule, stating that each contestant can only register 10 pieces of equipment, so they''re completely screwed now."


    "What a bunch of idiots," Erwin scoffed. "No wonder there have been such long queues of people lining up for registration these past couple of days."


    "Did you bring a lot of equipment with you?" Larwood asked.


    "No. I only brought the staff that I bought last time and the accessories that Professor Hawk gave to me," Erwin replied.


    Larwood nodded in response, then looked up at an old pear wood board that was hanging in the contestants'' tent. "Come and take a look over here. These are the matchups for today."


    Erwin also raised his head to take a look, upon which he discovered that a magically annotated bracket containing all 128 of the contestants had already appeared on the wooden board. In addition to the names of the contestants, there were also other pieces of information such as when each match was projected to start, and which entrance each contestant had to go through.


    Erwin quickly found his own name on the wooden board, and his opponent was someone by the name of Shaun Finnegan, whom he was completely unfamiliar with.


    "Have you heard of your opponent before?" Larwood asked with a smile.


    "No. What about your opponent? Do you know him?" Erwin asked as he began to search for Larwood''s name on the board.


    "No, but I have heard of your opponent," Larwood replied as a sly look appeared on his face.


    "Who is he? Is there something special about him?" Erwin asked as he turned to Larwood with an inquisitive expression.


    "I heard he''s one of the top students of Pucil Academy." Larwood wanted to laugh out loud, but he was worried that Erwin would hit him.


    "So I''m going to be eliminated in the first round, is that what you''re saying?" Erwin chuckled.


    "That''s impossible! No one can compare with you when it comes to instant-release spells!" Larwood jibed.


    "Piss off! Why do I have to face a tough opponent in the first round?" Erwin grumbled with a dejected expression.


    "You''re all done with registration, right? Chase and Kaiba are waiting for us outside," Larwood said. In reality, he was just eager to take Erwin to see what his betting odds for his match were, thereby giving him another opportunity to tease Erwin.


    "Hold on, I''m still not done looking yet," Erwin said as he began to search for Lana and Princess Onean''s names on the board. Coincidentally enough, Lana, Jeff, and Princess Onean had all been placed into different sections of the bracket.


    "There''s something a little fishy about these matchups, Larwood. Jeff, Lana, and Princess Onean are the top favorites to win the tournament, yet they''ve been arranged so that they won''t come up against each other until the semifinals. I feel like there''s a bit of foul play going on here," Erwin said with a suspicious expression.

 CH 10.2

    Larwood nodded in response. "Yeah, I just saw that as well. Having said that, you''re pretty lucky as well. You''re in the fourth section of the bracket, so you also won''t have to face them until the semifinal."


    Larwood was struggling to hold back his laughter as he patted Erwin on the shoulder in consolation.


    Erwin pretended not to see the ridicule on Larwood''s face as he replied, "That''s true. It looks like the four contestants for the semifinals are already decided."


    After that, Erwin and Larwood departed from the tent, and they quickly spotted Chase and Kaiba, who were already waiting outside the lobby area.


    "Why are you two grinning like that?" Erwin asked with a wary look on his face as he caught sight of the expressions of Chase and Kaiba.


    "Erwin, I did some investigating for you earlier, and I heard that your opponent is one of the best advanced magicians in Pucil Academy. This isn''t going to be a problem for you, is it?" Kaiba said with a calm expression, but he was unable to suppress his grin from creeping back onto his face.


    "What are you talking about? An opponent of that caliber is no match for Erwin!" Chase countered as he "glared" at Kaiba.


    "Ah, yes, of course, please forgive me," Kaiba replied with a feigned apologetic expression.


    "I just want to know what Erwin''s odds are at the moment," Larwood said with a curious expression.


    "We had a look at his odds inside the pub earlier, and it was 1:8," Kaiba replied with a restrained smile.


    "What about for my opponent? Erwin asked."


    "It was 1:0.6 for him," Chase replied.


    "Pfft!" Kaiba and Larwood were finally unable to hold back as they burst into laughter upon hearing this.


    "Someone must be manipulating these odds. Otherwise, there''s no way there could be such a huge disparity." Chase patted Erwin''s shoulder in consolation, but he was also unable to hold back his own laughter in the end.


    Thus, the group made their way toward the Yanler Pub.


    ...


    In the past, eating and drinking with his friends had been the most enjoyable activity for Erwin, but ever since he had begun studying "Laws of Time and Space", he had developed somewhat of an obsession.


    Inside the pub, Larwood and Kaiba were discussing which girls they had recently developed an interest in, while Kaiba was listening to their conversation with a smile on his face while drinking from a mug of beer. Life went on the same as always for his three friends, but ever since his two battles against Lana, Erwin''s life had taken on a completely different complexion. In the past, things like magic and martial arts held no significance in his life at all. He was simply learning magic just to follow a trend as all of the other people of his age were learning either magic or martial techniques.


    In reality, Erwin was an extremely conceited person. To him, it didn''t matter that the students studying hard at the academy were better than him as he had always held the opinion that he was smart enough to catch up to them through exploiting tricks and shortcuts. As such, what was the point for him to work as hard as everyone else? Thus, he found the students who studied conscientiously in class to be quite pitiful. They were putting in far more effort than he was, yet they couldn''t beat him in battle anyway. That had always been Erwin''s mindset, and it was why he was so reluctant to put in hard work.


    However, during his battle against Lana outside the Redbud Pavilion, there had been a massive disparity between their powers. If she had truly intended to kill him, then he would''ve been completely powerless to stop her. That battle had had a very significant psychological impact on him, alerting him to just how weak and vulnerable he was compared with those who were truly powerful, and it had made him realize just how foolish his previous mindset had been.


    As was to be expected, the near-death experience he had suffered was a massive wakeup call for him. Only after that experience had he come to realize that at the end of the day, the ultimate purpose of magic and martial techniques was to kill the opponent. It was true that he could use his tricks and wiles to cruise his way through his lessons at the academy, but the sense of powerlessness and despair that he had experienced while on the verge of death had filled him with remorse and indignation. Ever since then, he had struggled to fall asleep at night, constantly tormented by the unforgettable sense of fear and frustration that he had felt in that moment. In short, his near-death experience had truly changed him.


    Thus, the question of how he could improve his own magic as quickly as possible became a constant thought on his mind. That copy of "Laws of Time and Space" was the only foreseeable way for him to make rapid improvements, so he was clinging to it with all his might, constantly studying the enigmatic passages and incomprehensible concepts. However, his desperation to improve made him extremely impatient, and as soon as he made even a slight breakthrough, he would immediately try to implement what he had learned in battle. As a result, he unleashed a spell beyond his own capabilities during the last offense and defense class, and that had almost killed him.


    Ever since the last offense and defense class, Erwin had been constantly thinking about a way to alter the flow speed of time, but to no avail, and that was very frustrating to him.


    Erwin picked up his mug of dark beer in an absentminded manner before taking a sip. The beer was brewed using the black barley of Senon, and it was slightly sweet, so it was perfect for his tastes, but it did nothing to lighten his mood.


    "What''s going on with you? Why do you look so depressed? Is it because your first-round opponent is too strong?" Larwood set aside the conversation about women for now as he turned to look at Erwin.


    "No, it''s not that. For some reason, I''ve just been feeling really tired lately," Erwin sighed with a wry smile.


    "Looks like your physical constitution is getting worse by the day! Have you been to the Rivers Mansion again recently?" Kaiba asked with a teasing expression.


    "Why would he go to a place like that when he has Lana fawning over him?" Chase scoffed with a hint of envy in his voice.


    "It''s not like that! All we did was have breakfast together," Erwin protested in a resigned manner.


    "What else did you want to happen?" Larwood snapped. In his eyes, Erwin was coming across as extremely ungrateful, even though he was in a very enviable situation.


    Erwin wasn''t in the mood to respond to them, and he reached out for his mug of dark beer, but in his absentmindedness, his hand slipped, and the entire mug of beer came tumbling out of his grasp.


    Thankfully, Kaiba''s reflexes were extremely sharp, and he immediately gathered energy in his palm before sweeping it upward, generating a gust of wind that carried the dark beer back into the mug. After that, he caught the falling mug before setting it back down onto the table, completing this sequence of actions in one smooth motion without spilling any of the beer.


    Erwin looked on with a transfixed expression throughout the entire process. He was still reliving the instant where the beer was spilling toward the mug before it was returned to the mug, and the same sequence of events played out in his mind over and over again. The spilled liquid flowed back and forth in his mind''s eye, slowing down with each replay until Erwin could clearly see the gas bubbles on its surface.


    Larwood and the others began teasing him for dropping his mug as soon as Lana was mentioned, but he didn''t appear to have heard them at all, and he was still rooted to his chair with a transfixed expression.


    He was thinking back to the liquid''s linear descent before it was condensed by the energy from Kaiba''s palm, then compressed and gathered. Looking at the movement trajectory of the liquid made Erwin feel as if something were about to arise in his mind, and his brows furrowed tightly as he tried to coax out whatever thought that was trying to spring into his mind, but he found himself unable to do so.


    In the eyes of Larwood and the others, Erwin looked as if he had been possessed, and they were all staring at him with bewildered expressions. In his recent obsessive pursuit of magic training, it was as if he had become a completely different person!


    ...


    The first day of the Pillow Sword Tournament finally arrived.


    The entire city of Sarus had become mostly deserted, while a long line of spectators had gathered from Phoenix Street all the way to the competition venue outside the city. There were quite a few attractions for this edition of the tournament, including the mysterious Princess Onean and Prince Lazaar''s formidable son and daughter. Throughout the entire line, everyone was spiritedly discussing among themselves who they thought would emerge as the final victor.


    Many people had already gathered around the dozen or so entrances leading up to the top level of the ring-shaped venue. It was a good thing that so many entrances had been prepared. Otherwise, there would''ve been severe congestion, and it would''ve taken an eternity for people to get to their seats. A lot of people had also gathered at the southern entrance prepared for the nobles, and all of these early birds were eager to join in on the festivities, while the more renowned and important officials and nobles were only just beginning to emerge from their manors in horse-drawn carriages.


    After all, the opening ceremony was only going to begin at 9 AM, and that was going to be followed by an address from the tournament committee. After that, the rules would be explained, and that would be followed by an address from the king. Thus, it would be at least 10 AM before the first match commenced.


    Erwin and his friends had rented a spacious tent in the market to sleep in. They were all used to getting up quite late, so they wanted to get as much sleep as possible. On top of that, both Larwood and Erwin''s matches were scheduled in the afternoon according to the matchup board, so they were even more reluctant to get up early as a result.


    The previous night, Erwin had set up a tranquility array around the tent that they were staying in, so they were unable to hear the commotion from the market outside at all. Even so, Erwin had slept quite terribly the night before, and he woke up before the sun had even risen. After that, he laid in his bed with a bored expression, flipping through the pages of "Laws of Time and Space". His starving tummy was protesting incessantly, but none of the breakfast stalls were open yet at such an early hour. He poked his head out of the tent, and the frosty air outside immediately flowed through his nostrils straight to his brain, causing him to immediately duck back into the warmth of the tent.


    In contrast, Larwood was completely unfazed by the upcoming tournament and was sleeping very soundly. As for Chase and Kaiba, they had been out drinking until very late the night before, and they began snoring loudly virtually as soon as they laid down onto their beds. As a result, Erwin himself was only able to fall asleep at a very late hour.


    After a while, Erwin began to see the shadows of more and more people moving outside the tent, and he decided to poke his head out to take another look. Sure enough, the entire market had already become extremely lively and bustling. Erwin turned around to find that his three friends were sleeping like logs, and he heaved a faint sigh before deciding to go out on his own for some food. The aroma of the roast meat from the food cart not far away from the tent instantly attracted his attention as soon as he began searching for food.

 CH 11.1

    Erwin looked on as a suspended leg of lamb was spit-roasted over a grill, with flames of different colors blasting out of the seven slanted nozzles on the grill at set intervals, giving off the appearance that the leg of lamb was being cooked in a rainbow. The owner of the food stall was busy cooking naans for other customers, while his well-trained werecat slave was expertly applying cumin, pepper, and cinnamon leaves to the leg of lamb, in addition to the occasional coat of orange honey.


    Erwin was on the verge of drooling as he got out of the tent to stand at the back of the line in front of the food cart.


    Right at this moment, someone patted him on the shoulder. Erwin''s attention was entirely focused on that delectable leg of lamb, and he turned around with a disgruntled expression.


    "It''s me!" He was greeted by the sight of an excited young man. The young man was none other than Sherry, who had been beaten black and blue just a few days ago.


    "Oh, your name was Sherry, right? Are you all healed up from your injuries?" Erwin asked with a smile.


    "I''m completely fine now," Sherry replied as he patted his own chest in a confident manner. "By the way, you didn''t tell me your name last time."


    "''I''m Erwin, Erwin Friar." Erwin wasn''t very used to making self-introductions like this.


    "Friar? As in Count Friar? Are you Count Friar''s son?" Sherry asked as his eyes widened in surprise.


    Erwin nodded in response, unsure of what to make of Sherry''s bewildered expression. Count Friar had been living a very understated and secluded lifestyle since his retirement, so Erwin didn''t think that Sherry would know of him.


    "Please forgive me for my rudeness, Master Erwin," Sherry said as he suddenly cupped his fist in a serious salute.


    "What are you doing?" Erwin was rather perplexed by Sherry''s reaction.


    "My father was once the commander of the Valiant Regiment under Count Friar''s command, and he fought under Count Friar in several dozen battles," Sherry said in an excited voice.


    Erwin had only heard from Larwood and the others that his father was quite an influential figure in the military. Even so, it was quite a surprise to be meeting the son of one of his former subordinates.


    Erwin nodded in response, and he didn''t know what type of attitude he should adopt. He was simply too hungry to think about anything else other than the alluring aroma of the roasted leg of lamb, and he asked, "Have you had breakfast? Would you like to eat together?"


    Erwin found it quite amusing that during his first two meetings with Sherry, he had kicked off the conversation both times with "have you had breakfast?".


    Sherry was extremely excited to meet someone from the Friar Family and was just about to launch into some recounts of the battles that his father had fought under Count Friar, only for his words to get stuck in his throat in response to Erwin''s unexpected question, and he was rather amused as well.


    Finally, everyone lining up ahead of Erwin completed their orders, and it was Erwin''s turn, but Sherry stepped forward to stop him before he could pay. "I can''t let you pay for my meal every time, Master Erwin. Please allow me to treat you to a meal this time."


    He then paid the stall owner before Erwin had a chance to say anything.


    The stall owner''s refined knife skills were on full display as he expertly sliced off some meat from the outer layer of the roasted leg of lamb. Even the juices dripping down from the leg of lamb weren''t wasted. Instead, they were incorporated directly into the pieces of naan, and shortly thereafter, two lamb kebabs were wrapped up and handed over to Erwin and Sherry.


    Erwin vigorously inhaled the aroma of the long-awaited lamb kebab before taking a huge bite. As expected, he had made the right decision to come to this food stall. The roasted leg of lamb was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the spices and honey only made it even more delicious. Sherry was also full of praise for the delectable meal.


    After eating a few bites of his kebab, Erwin wasn''t feeling so woozy anymore, and he asked, "What time is your match today?"


    "Sometime after 10 AM. What about you, Master Erwin?" Sherry asked in between large bites of his own kebab.


    "My match is due to take place around 2 PM," Erwin replied as he thought back to the matchup board from the day before. "Also, stop calling me master, I''m not worthy of such a title."


    If any bystanders were to hear Sherry, they would come under the opinion that Erwin was a noble of far loftier status than he actually was.


    "But I insist, Master Erwin," Sherry said with a serious expression. "Before my father passed away, he told me that Count Friar has shown him much kindness during his lifetime, but he never got a chance to repay Count Friar for his kind deeds. He told me that if I ever got the opportunity in the future, I have to repay Count Friar for his kindness. On top of that, if you hadn''t reached out to me last time, I would''ve most likely gone after that man, and I don''t think I would be standing here today had I done that, so I must repay both you and your father for what you''ve done for my father and me."


    Erwin looked at Sherry''s determined expression with a resigned look on his face, then asked, "But what do you even need to repay me for? And how are you going to repay me? It''s not like I did anything to help you."


    "I may not be able to repay you right now, Master Erwin, but who knows what''ll happen in the future? I''m sure my services will be useful to you at some point, Master Erwin," Sherry replied with a smile, then finished off the last bite of his kebab.


    Erwin could only nod in response with a resigned expression upon hearing this. However, at the same time, he admired Sherry for taking such bonds so seriously.


    After finishing his breakfast, Erwin''s plan was to go back to lie down in the tent, but Sherry insisted on taking him to see the opening ceremony of the Pillow Sword Tournament. On top of that, Sherry''s match was set to begin soon, so he had to go to the contestants'' area for registration and physical examination anyway. Thus, Erwin was dragged by him to the contestants'' area in the east, and the guards at the entrance granted them free passage after examining their iris sword badges.


    There were already around 10 contestants waiting in the lobby tent for the competitors, and these were most likely the contestants due to participate in the earliest matches of the day. Erwin took a glance at the clock hanging in the tent to find that it was already almost 9 AM.


    Erwin and Sherry made their way directly into the passageway. From there, they could go one of two ways, the first of which was a slope that led upward. That path led to the contestants'' spectating platform in the ring-shaped venue. As for the other path, that one was provided for contestants to directly enter the venue. There were several employees from the tournament committee stationed at the entrance, and the contestants who had passed their physical examinations were able to collect their registered equipment from there before going into their matches. After their matches, the contestants would have to come back here to return their equipment.


    The two of them made their way up the slope, and with the light provided by the Nightglow Stone lamps situated in the corners between the wooden and copper rods, Erwin was carefully inspecting the mixed wood and copper construction style of the passageway, marveling at the fact that this style of construction could produce sturdy structures while significantly conserving materials.


    Inside the passageway, they could already hear the commotion from the tens of thousands of spectators gathered in the venue. Upon emerging from the passageway, they were greeted by the sight of the radiant sky and the sound of countless people discussing spiritedly among one another. Only now were they able to fully sense the atmosphere of the Pillow Sword Tournament. The venue was split up into three major rings, but within each ring were five to six levels, so looking down from above, one would be able to see close to 20 levels in total. From Erwin''s perspective, there were people everywhere, and he couldn''t help but be amazed by this spectacular sight.


    Erwin emerged from the passageway before making his way into the contestants'' viewing platform, upon which he caught a glimpse of a beautiful silver-haired figure looking out beyond the railing. A sudden breeze blew past to pick up her silver locks, which swayed and shimmered like a breathtaking silver waterfall. For a moment, Erwin was transfixed by the curvature of her proud, swan-like neck and the sight of her delicate shoulder.


    The woman seemed to have sensed Erwin''s gaze, and she turned around to face him. Her golden eyes were like the vast sea, and her gentle smile seemed capable of melting through even the coldest of snow and ice. During their previous encounter, Erwin had already been stunned by the princess''s beauty, and he didn''t fare much better on this occasion, either, standing like a stick in the mud, unable to move or speak in a completely uncharacteristic display.


    Sherry was given quite a fright by Erwin''s display of insolence, and he hurriedly tugged on Erwin''s sleeve, urging him to salute the princess. Several days ago, he saw Erwin joking around with the daughter of Prince Lazaar, and now, he was completely disregarding proper etiquette even in the presence of the princess! Cold sweat was beginning to bead up on Sherry''s forehead, but he couldn''t help but admire Erwin for his courage. All of the other contestants who were here to see the opening ceremony were consciously making an effort to keep their distance from the princess. After all, everyone harbored a sense of respect and veneration for the members of the royal family. However, Erwin seemed to have no such qualms and was directly approaching the princess without any inhibitions.


    Only after receiving that tug on the sleeve from Sherry did Erwin remember that he had to salute the princess, and his face was slightly flushed from nerves and embarrassment as he stuttered, "Er... Erwin Friar p, pays his respects to His Highness."


    Princess Onean was rather amused by his awkward display. She was used to being surrounded by refined and composed gentlemen, so it was very rare for her to see someone as shy and reserved as Erwin.


    Meanwhile, Sherry''s admiration for Erwin was only continuing to grow. The expression of unease and shyness on Erwin''s face was extremely convincing. If Sherry didn''t know any better, he would''ve been swayed to think that Erwin was just some shy and innocent young noble. Thinking back to Erwin who was wooing Lana with the composure of a seasoned veteran, Sherry was struggling to come to terms with the fact that this stammering bundle of nerves was the same person.


    As for Erwin himself, he was cursing the princess for being so breathtakingly beautiful. Even though he was already quite experienced when it came to dealing with the opposite sex, he was being made to look like a complete amateur who had fallen head over heels.


    "Erwin Friar? You''re the son of Count Friar, right?" Onean asked with a smile.


    Erwin''s eyes widened as he nodded in response, wondering how the princess knew about him.


    Onean''s eyes suddenly lit up upon receiving confirmation, and she seemed to have taken an interest in Erwin.


    "I heard that you were almost killed for hitting on Prince Lazaar''s daughter, is that right?" Onean asked with an amused expression.

 CH 11.2

    Erwin was extremely taken aback to hear this, and he almost choked on his own saliva. Never did he think that the princess would ask about something like this, and an awkward look appeared on his face as he hurriedly explained, "This is all a massive misunderstanding, Your Highness! My friends were the ones acting inappropriately toward Prince Lazaar''s daughter, and I got swept up in the fight before I even knew what was happening!"


    Onean merely smiled in response, seemingly completely unconvinced by Erwin''s explanation. At the same time, she was rather amused. Just a moment ago, Erwin had been a stuttering mess, yet all of a sudden, he was able to speak in a composed and fluent manner again.


    A wry smile appeared on Erwin''s face at the sight of Onean''s unconvinced expression. It seemed that his explanation had fallen upon deaf ears.


    "Are you here to watch the opening ceremony as well?" Onean asked with a smile.


    "It was actually dragged here by my friend, Your Highness. His match is quite early, and he made me come with him," Erwin replied with a resigned expression.


    Princess Onean nodded with a polite smile and didn''t ask any further questions before she turned and departed.


    Erwin looked on at her departing figure, and he couldn''t help but be entranced again. Her disposition carried both a sense of unmatched pride, but also an all-encompassing kindness and sympathy toward the entire world. In his eyes, the tens of thousands of spectators had disappeared, and she was the only person that remained in his field of view. His mind began to wander, and he couldn''t help but imagine what it would be like to stand by her side.


    Just as Erwin was still reminiscing about his conversation with the princess, Sherry tugged on his sleeve again, then gestured for him to look at the spectator''s platform on the other side of the venue.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward that direction, looking across the entire ring-shaped venue, and caught sight of a familiar figure. She was wearing a red dress today, coupled with her signature sheep wool cape. It was none other than Lana! Even from several hundred meters away, Erwin could sense her subtle gaze, and the sight of the enigmatic smile on her face sent chills running down his spine. If it weren''t for the fact that they were situated so far away from one another, he would''ve most likely already been struck by one of her spells again.


    Princess Onean was situated on the contestants'' spectating platform to the east, while Lana was standing directly across from her in the west. In the spectator stands on the top level, many of the spectators were already beginning to discuss spiritedly among themselves, comparing the two beauties to one another.


    "You see? That''s Prince Lazaar''s daughter! I told you she''s really beautiful as well. If you ask me, she''s no less beautiful than the princess."


    "I still think the princess is better looking. I think the title of the number one beauty of Sarus still goes to Princess Onean."


    "I heard that the two of them aren''t on very good terms with each other. Can you imagine what a battle between them would look like?"


    "That''s not much of a surprise. Both of them are among the most exceptional magicians of the younger generation, and they''re also the two most beautiful women in the kingdom, so it only makes sense that there''s a rivalry between the two of them. One of them has to establish supremacy over the other, right?"


    "We''ll know who''s the better magician if they come up against each other in the Pillow Sword Tournament, but how do we decide which one''s better looking? I feel like Prince Lazaar''s daughter has the bigger boobs..."


    A burst of raucous laughter immediately rang out in response to this statement.


    "How about you just shut up and mind your own business? So what if one is more beautiful than the other? What does it have to do with you? It''s not like any of you have a chance with either of them anyway! Just be quiet and keep your opinions to yourselves!"


    Some of the women in the stands had grown sick of listening to their conversation.


    The nobles and officials sitting in the middle and bottom levels naturally weren''t going to be so blatant in expressing their opinions on which one of the two women was more beautiful, but it was clear that they were also discussing the same topic in hushed tones with those sitting next to them, occasionally chuckling to themselves as they did so.


    Right at this moment, the first salvo rang out, and the entire venue erupted into a frenzy. The Pillow Sword Tournament had finally begun. Amid the sound of the opening salvo, King Cameron slowly entered the venue from the northern entrance, followed by Master Piro and some members of the royal family. The tens of thousands of people in the venue all rose to their feet to salute the king, and they were naturally very excited to see the ruler of their kingdom as they cheered loudly for their king.


    "Long live, His Majesty! Long live, the Effer Kingdom!" Waves of thunderous cheers rang out across the entire venue.


    After a total of nine salvos, King Cameron had already arrived in front of his golden throne, and he waved a hand at all of the spectators in the venue. Only then did the voices of the tens of thousands of spectators in the venue begin to subside. At his advanced age, Master Piro had naturally seen more than his fair share of prestigious occasions. However, the sight of the Pillow Sword Tournament venue, which was completely packed to the rafters, evoked many past memories within him, and his heart was filled with a myriad of emotions. He cast his gaze toward his prized disciple on the contestants'' spectating platform from, and he couldn''t be any prouder.


    Prime Minister Fuller led several dozen Pillow Sword Tournament committee employers into the venue from the eastern and western entrances. All of the tournament committee employees were dressed in black, and they spread themselves around the venue in a circle while facing the crowd. Meanwhile, Fuller positioned himself at the center of the circle, pulling out his staff in an expressionless manner before twirling it up toward the sky. An azure halo immediately spread over the top of the venue, then fell still upon expanding to the point that it encompassed the entire venue. At this point, the color of the halo had become so faint that it was barely visible, and the entire silencing array was complete. As a result, the entire venue, which had been extremely raucous just a moment ago, was suddenly completely silent.


    Fuller cleared his throat, then began to explain all of the rules of the Pillow Sword Tournament in a clear and concise manner, including how the final outcomes of matches were adjudged, and how it was determined whether competitors had broken the rules or not.


    Even so, there were a total of several dozen rules, and it took quite some time to go through all of them. The only sound that could be heard within the silencing array was Fuller''s monotonous voice, and it was very sleep-inducing. After that came the king''s address, and Prime Minister Fuller departed from the venue with all of the tournament committee employees.


    In contrast, King Cameron''s address was much more concise. He pulled an arming sword out of his sleeve before slashing it gracefully through the air as he roared in a rousing voice, "I hereby announce the official commencement of the 29th Pillow Sword Tournament!"


    The sword energy unleashed by the arming sword sped directly toward the royal family''s spectating platform, shattering the prime minister''s silencing array before continuing onward to trigger a mechanism at the very top of the circular venue. Spectacular fireworks were instantly fired all around the venue before exploding at the very center. After a dazzling display of marvelous lights, a massive iris sword symbol that was glowing with purple radiance was left in the sky. All of the spectators were momentarily entranced by the enormous glowing symbols, following which a flurry of applause, screaming, and cheering instantly rang out.


    The purple longsword on the sword badge was hovering in mid-air, and the tip of the sword, which was pointing upward, suddenly began to revolve in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, the entire sword swiveled around 180 degrees so that the tip of the sword was pointed directly at the center of the venue. Immediately thereafter, the sword came piercing down at a rapid speed, and all of the spectators let loose awestruck cries as the sword pierced through the entire symbol. Right as the tip of the sword was about to come into contact with the center of the competition platform, a resounding boom suddenly rang out, and the competition platform at the center of the venue slowly rose up. The atmosphere in the venue was instantly reignited, and waves of cheering and applause rang out again.


    The competition platform was a square stone platform with side lengths of roughly 50 meters. The entire platform was encompassed under an even larger semi-spherical purple magic forcefield, and the forcefield was formed by the sword that had just descended from above. According to the rules of the tournament that the prime minister had just read out, contestants would be adjudged to have lost their matches upon falling off the stone platform or flying out of the magic force field.


    Thus, the 29th Pillow Sword Tournament officially began.


    The competitors for the first match entered the venue through the eastern and western entrances, and Erwin quickly caught sight of a familiar figure. It was Jeff Lazaar.


    I was wondering why Lana''s brother wasn''t with her, turns out he''s participating in the first match, Erwin thought to himself.


    Sherry didn''t have time to watch the first match. He had to undergo a physical examination in preparation for his upcoming match.


    Princess Onean, who had been watching the proceedings this entire time, also turned around and made her way directly toward the passageway behind Erwin.


    So her match must be coming up soon as well... Erwin thought to himself.


    Perhaps it was just a figment of his imagination, but right as Princess Onean was passing him by, he felt as if her gaze lingered on him for a moment. However, when he turned to look at her, her gaze had already wandered elsewhere, but there was a barely detectable smile on her lips, and Erwin''s heart skipped a beat upon seeing this.


    Meanwhile, Jeff and a martial artist from Pucil Academy had already stepped onto the stone platform at the center of the venue. Jeff was still wielding that black longsword of his, and he was looking extremely relaxed. His hands were resting on the hilt of his sword, and he looked as if he didn''t have a care in the world.


    As for the contestant from Pucil Academy, he was a burly figure wielding an enormous ax. He was clad in a suit of heavy armor, and the entirety of his face was concealed within his helmet, so it was impossible to see what expression he had.


    What was quite surprising to Erwin was that there were many people cheering on Jeff Lazaar, and most of them were young and beautiful noble women, much to Erwin''s envy and chagrin.


    One of the administrative figures in black drew their staff before releasing a magic blast, which flew toward the center of the competition platform in a wobbly trajectory, then exploded to signify the commencement of the match.


    The ax-wielding figure reacted extremely quickly, lunging forward as he swung his ax with one hand above his own head in a circle. The massive ax sliced through the air with a loud whooshing sound, and initially, all of the spectators thought that he was only swinging his ax as part of a habitual pre-battle routine, but it immediately became clear that this wasn''t the case. Countless specks of azure light began to gather around his ax, and more and more specks of light were converging by the second, forming a bright expanse of light. Soon, the entire ax had been enveloped in azure light.

 CH 12.1

    Erwin took a close look to find that the student from Pucil Academy was using some type of martial technique that allowed him to quickly draw the usable matter in the surrounding area to his own weapon, thereby enhancing the power of the weapon. Meanwhile, Jeff Lazaar remained completely unfazed as he looked on with a calm expression, seemingly unbothered by what his opponent was doing. In fact, he was still as relaxed as ever, and he hadn''t even gotten into a fighting stance yet.


    In the face of Jeff''s open contempt, a cold smile appeared on his opponent''s face beneath his helmet, and he was determined to make Jeff pay for his arrogance. He could sense more and more energy gathering in his weapon, and it was approaching the limit of what he could control. Thus, with an explosive war cry, he charged forward and swung his giant ax directly toward Jeff''s head.


    It was clear that while powering up his own weapon, the ax-wielding martial artist had also prepared an advanced agility technique. Despite his burly frame, his suit of heavy armor, and his massive ax, he was still able to move extremely quickly, and that could only have been attributed to an advanced agility technique.


    Jeff looked on with a cold expression as the giant ax came swinging toward his face, and all of a sudden, he raised his sword with one hand before flicking it upward. The entire sword came flying out of his hand, then rose up into the air.


    The ax-wielding combatant thought that his opponent had made a grave error under pressure by letting go of his sword, and he swung his ax down with even greater force. A loud clang rang out as his giant ax struck the flying Black Blaze sword, and a string of questions immediately arose in his heart.


    What''s going on? Why am I encountering so much resistance? He isn''t even holding onto his sword! How could there be so much power behind it?


    All of the spectators present were also completely bewildered to see this. The ax-wielding combatant had just unleashed an all-out attack, yet his opponent had managed to block it with ease. Not only that, but the ax had been stopped cold in its tracks, despite crashing down with tremendous force just a moment ago. Even if the ax had struck a steel pillar, surely a gash would''ve been sliced into the pillar, but the black sword remained completely unmoved.


    While the ax-wielding combatant was still struggling against Black Blaze, Jeff sprang up into the air off one leg, then waltzed through the air in an elegant manner. He reached out with one hand to grab the hilt of Black Blaze, which was still suspended in mid-air, then spun around with grace and poise to position himself behind his opponent in the blink of an eye. A streak of black light then came flashing down from above in spectacular fashion, piercing directly toward the ax-wielding combatant''s back.


    Jeff was extremely handsome with a pair of breathtaking blue eyes, and that was already enough for many of the young noblewomen present to fall in love with him at first sight. In addition to that, he was showing everyone that he had looks and power in equal measure, and the elegant maneuver that he had just performed had countless women swooning for him in the spectator stands.


    "That was quite an impressive maneuver. Looks like Prince Lazaar''s son is quite a skilled fighter." Even Master Piro couldn''t help but give his praise at the sight of Jeff''s stunning display, and King Cameron nodded in agreement with his assessment.


    Due to the fact that the ax-wielding combatant had unleashed an all-out attack, the entirety of his power was focused on his ax. Now that Black Blaze had suddenly been pulled away by Jeff, the ax-wielding combatant was unable to stop his own forward momentum, and he stumbled forward as his ax came crashing down toward the ground. Meanwhile, Jeff''s Black Blaze was already hurtling toward his back with vicious power, and he was completely powerless to defend himself.


    One of the tournament committee administrators immediately raised a hand upon seeing this, conjuring up a shield behind the ax-wielding combatant. The administrator then raised a hand in Jeff''s direction, adjudicating him to be the winner of the match.


    Seeing as he had already emerged victorious, Jeff withdrew his sword in a calm manner.


    The ax-wielding combatant was extremely dejected. He had thought that he would at least be able to last a while against his opponent, but he had been beaten in just a single exchange. Unfortunately, there was nothing that he could do in the face of this vast disparity in power, so he could only depart in anger and frustration.


    The young noble women who were already swooning over Jeff were unable to contain themselves any longer after seeing this, and some of them had already cast aside their usual restrained facades to scream Jeff''s name at the top of their lungs.


    So this is what he''s capable of. Looks like he didn''t use anywhere near his full power during that battle outside the Redbud Pavilion. Otherwise, Larwood and the others would''ve been taken care of in a matter of seconds, Erwin thought to himself. He was naturally also stunned by the power displayed by Lana''s brother.


    The officials and nobles seated closest to the competition platform naturally had the clearest view of the match, and there was no lack of powerful magicians and martial artists among them. Many of them were in awe of Jeff''s exceptional display of power, and some of them had turned toward Prince Lazaar with awe and veneration in their eyes.


    As for Prince Lazaar himself, his expression remained calm and tranquil, as if he had already anticipated this outcome, and he merely nodded with a polite smile to acknowledge all of the pairs of awe-struck eyes directed toward him.


    Jeff''s stunning display was a very good way to kick off the Pillow Sword Tournament, and all of the spectators were very excited to see what the rest of the competitors were capable of.


    Erwin was also in awe of Jeff''s scintillating sword strike, but his mind was completely preoccupied with the memory of the dark beer spilling out of his mug on that day in the Yanler Pub. The same scene was playing out in his mind over and over again, and as a result, he was unable to pay any attention to the next few matches.


    During Sherry''s match, Erwin made an effort to pay some attention, and he looked on with his chin resting on his palm.


    Looks like he''s got some skills! I didn''t notice this last time, but he''s quite agile, Erwin thought to himself.


    Sherry''s opponent was a magician, who was growing extremely frustrated as Sherry dodged every spell. Shortly thereafter, the magician cracked under the pressure, allowing Sherry to get close and put an end to the match.


    ...


    All of a sudden, a burst of raucous cheering snapped Erwin out of his train of thought, and he looked up to discover that it was Princess Onean''s turn to take the stage.


    She had changed into a tight-fitting white dress with intricately crafted golden armor resting atop her shoulders and in front of her chest. The armor had lotus flower designs etched upon it, and it was giving off a faint sheen under the light of the sun. She was holding a silver long staff with a magic gemstone of indeterminate material lodged on top of it. The gemstone was exceptionally bright, so much so that it wasn''t outshone by the natural light of the sky at all, and as she made her way onto the competition platform, she resembled a goddess of ice and snow, as pure and pristine as she was cold and forbidding.


    "Princess Onean! Princess Onean!" The entire venue was cheering her on, and there was not even a single cheer ringing out for her opponent.


    Erwin couldn''t help but feel sorry for Onean''s opponent, who had to be under severe psychological pressure.


    Not only was her opponent being watched by tens of thousands of spectators, the entire audience was against him. In fact, all of the spectators were only stopping just short of telling him to forfeit the match!


    Erwin was looking at Onean''s opponent with an amused smile on his face, and he certainly didn''t envy their position.


    Just as Erwin expected, the complexion of Princess Onean''s opponent was deathly pale, and it was clear that he had never fought in front of such a massive audience, particularly when the audience was unanimously against him. His throat was dry, his knees were weak, and he was already sweating profusely. This was the princess, the daughter of the king! In a battle, anything could happen. What if he were to accidentally hurt the princess? Would he be able to go home alive?


    Prime Minister Fuller, who had been seated in the referee''s chair this entire time, could see the contestant''s concerns, and he made his way onto the stage before patting the contestant on the shoulder in encouragement. After that, he turned to the audience and reiterated the motto of the Pillow Sword Tournament, reminding everyone that the tournament was a place for talent to shine, where status was completely irrelevant and only ability mattered. Only then did the commotion subside a little.


    Having been encouraged by Fuller, the contestant was able to focus on the match and not be distracted by the voices around him.


    Another magic blast was fired, and the match began.


    Onean''s opponent pulled out a pair of black knives from his waist in a well-rehearsed fashion, then adopted a battle stance. Truth be told, it was inaccurate to refer to his weapons as knives. Instead, they were specially forged crescent-shaped daggers, and there was a faint crimson gleam visible on the surface of the black daggers.


    Those don''t look like normal weapons used by martial artists, Erwin thought to himself with furrowed brows.


    Unlike Erwin, Onean was far more experienced in battle, and she was able to roughly gauge her opponent''s strengths and weaknesses just from seeing their weapon and stance alone. She raised her staff, then twirled it with a flick of her wrist, and her silver hair danced around her as a halo spread over the ground beneath her feet. Erwin was looking on intently at Onean''s every move, and only now was he able to sense just how powerful her magic was. This was an advanced array of snow and ice, which was not only capable of slowing down all those who entered the array, the snow and ice flying through it were like sharp blades that could inflict frostbite or nasty gashes upon contact.


    This was a domain-type spell, and Onean had just cast it with ridiculous ease as Erwin looked on with a stunned expression. In his eyes, Onean had to be a monstrous prodigy on the same level as Lana. In fact, she could be even more formidable.


    Onean''s opponent looked on as she unleashed the array of snow and ice, and he didn''t hesitate as he sprang forward and charged directly into the array, moving so quickly that he could barely even be traced by the naked eye.


    He''s an assassin! This realization suddenly sprang into Erwin''s mind at the sight of the combatant''s startling display of speed. He was renouncing all matter that impeded him while quickly absorbing all matter that assisted him in acceleration, and this was the most common strategy employed by martial artists specializing in assassination techniques.


    Even though this combatant''s speed already far exceeded that of the normal person, he was still forcibly slowed down amid the domain of ice and snow, and Erwin could see that several gashes had already been sliced into his body by the blade-like ice and snow within the array.


    Onean was able to clearly discern her opponent''s location within her array, and she unleashed one ball of ice and snow after another. The power of the balls of ice and snow were enhanced by the array, making them extremely fearsome projectiles. Thankfully, her opponent was able to evade all of the oncoming projectiles with his exceptional reflexes, but cold sweat was pouring down his face as he looked at the "fireworks" of snow and ice exploding beside him.


    Her snowball-throwing technique is quite reminiscent of my own technique, Erwin thought to himself in a shameless manner.


    Onean''s opponent could feel himself getting slower and slower as he traversed through the array of snow and ice, and he knew that if things were to continue like this, he would eventually be struck by one of the projectiles sooner or later. With that in mind, he knew that he had to end the battle quickly, and with a few rapid lunges, he arrived directly behind Onean before pouncing like a hunting predator.


    Onean turned her head slightly to glance at her opponent out of the corners of her eyes, then gave a cold harrumph as she twisted around with golden light flashing in her eyes. A sharp screeching sound suddenly rang out across the entire venue, and everyone discovered that an ice phoenix with ice shards constantly erupting out of its body had emerged from the top of Onean''s staff.


    In the face of the oncoming ice phoenix, Onean''s opponent didn''t hesitate in the slightest as he continued to charge forward, proceeding with his all-out attack, displaying no intention to take evasive measures. He raised his black daggers and crossed them in front of his own body as he crashed directly toward the ice phoenix.


    The match was about to be decided, and all of the spectators, including Erwin, were looking on with bated breath, waiting for the final outcome.


    All of a sudden, two reddish-black lines of light sliced through the wings of the ice phoenix before continuing onward. Erwin had clearly seen that in the instant that Onean''s opponent had clashed with her ice phoenix, he had ducked down to slide under the ice phoenix''s belly, while raising his daggers high above his own head to slice through the ice phoenix''s wings.


    All of the spectators drew a collective sharp breath upon seeing this. No one had imagined that Onean''s opponent would be able to react so quickly.


    The assassin''s lethal daggers were almost upon her, but Onean was extremely calm and collected as she quickly chanted an incantation, upon which the ice phoenix, which had been sliced into three parts, began to rapidly revolve and take on a new form. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into three frosty tornadoes that changed directions at Princess Onean''s behest, hurtling directly toward her opponent''s spine, back, and feet.


    However, her opponent didn''t even take a single backward glance, and his eyes were fixed solely on the princess. As a student who specialized in assassination techniques, he had been taught countless times by his lecturers that only by cultivating intense and single-minded focus could he achieve the fastest possible speed.

 CH 12.2

    Fear and inhibitions will only slow me down, Onean''s opponent thought to himself as he prepared to engage Onean in close-quarters combat.


    His black daggers were giving off a menacing red gleam, and at this point, they were only two steps away from Princess Onean. Right at this moment, he suddenly stopped cold in his tracks. There was still a look of single-minded focus etched on his face, and he was trying to lunge forward with all his might, but he had been completely rooted to the spot.


    As it turned out, his feet had already been struck by one of the glacial tornadoes, and his feet and calves had already been frozen to the ground. Furthermore, the ice crystals that had formed were climbing up along his body. He frantically twisted his body from side to side, trying to free himself from the ice, but his feet were behind him, while his body was leaning forward, so his center of balance was completely thrown off, and he was left in a very wobbly and unstable position.


    The assassin''s lower body was immobilized and frozen to the ground, while his upper body was still flailing in a futile fashion, and it was quite an amusing sight to behold. Many of the spectators were already beginning to laugh out loud at his expense. A short while later, the ice crystals climbing up his body had already transformed him into a frozen statue.


    In reality, this had been a contest of speed from the very beginning. Onean''s opponent thought that his speed of movement would exceed the speed at which Onean could cast her spells, while Onean was banking on the opposite to be true, and in the end, she had come out on top.


    The administrator standing at the side of the competition platform adjudicated Princess Onean to be the winner, and a burst of thunderous cheering and applause instantly rang out from the spectators. Even though this was the expected outcome, they had still been extremely anxious during the course of the match.


    Onean made her way over to the ice statue with a faint smile, then gently tapped it with her staff, and the thick layer of ice crystals was instantly shattered. Her opponent''s teeth were chattering uncontrollably from the cold, and he was quickly carried off the platform by several administrators.


    "Hmph, she''s still just as arrogant as ever. She had a million ways to win that fight, yet she chose the riskiest approach just to show off!" Master Piro grumbled, clearly not very pleased with his disciple.


    King Cameron merely smiled in response. In contrast with Master Piro, he saw this as a display of confidence from his daughter. She had directly faced her opponent and defeated them fair and square, which was perfectly in line with the style of the royal family.


    Looks like she''s just as lethal as Lana is.


    Erwin shook his head with a wry smile as he looked at Princess Onean from afar. He then directed his gaze toward the opposite side of the venue to see Lana''s reaction to Onean''s match, but he was unable to find her, so he could only assume that she had also gone to prepare for her match.


    ...


    Erwin had planned to go back and take a nap. After all, he had barely slept the night before. However, he didn''t want to miss Lana''s match. After all, he had fought her on two previous occasions, and he was very curious to see how she was going to fare against her opponent.


    Seeing as it wasn''t time for Lana''s match yet, Erwin quickly sat down to close his eyes and rest. Whenever he heard the chatter around him grow louder, he would know that it was time for Lana''s match.


    After all, he was not the only one interested in seeing Lana''s performance, the same applied to all of the tens of thousands of spectators present.


    Sure enough, not long after he had fallen into a light sleep, he heard the sound of thunderous applause and spirited discussion ringing out around him. He reluctantly opened his eyes and cast his gaze toward the center of the venue, upon which he caught sight of a gorgeous figure in red. Erwin couldn''t help but wonder if Lana had some type of obsession when it came to her pursuit of beauty. Even in a match like this, she wasn''t willing to wear any armor, but she naturally wasn''t going to forget her signature sheep wool cape. On this day, she was wearing a green cape, and for any other person, it would be very difficult to pull off this green and red attire combination. However, Lana''s breathtaking beauty coupled with her fair skin allowed her to look stunning in anything that she wore.


    Even though she was wearing a cold and aloof expression, Erwin could tell that she was very much enjoying her moment under the spotlight. Given how cold and haughty she was, there was no way that she would accept the notion that any woman in this world could be superior to her, not even the royal princess, who was just as beautiful as she was and possessed outstanding aptitude in magic.


    Thinking back to Princess Onean''s match from earlier, it was clear to Erwin that Onean was also an extremely proud and confident character. In a way, Lana and her were extremely similar in many facets of their personality, and if these two were to go up against each other in the Pillow Sword Tournament, that would definitely culminate in an earth-shattering battle. With that in mind, Erwin couldn''t help but shudder as a chill ran down his spine.


    For her first match, Lana was up against Byron, who was from the same academy as Erwin, but unlike Erwin, he was an advanced magician. He had heard some things about Lana, and he was convinced that Lana was only powerful enough to bully the likes of Erwin. As one of the brightest young talents of Teedus Academy, he was quite a conceited character as well, so he was quite disdainful toward Lana, and his distaste toward her was further exacerbated by the lofty praise that all of the spectators were giving her. However, what enraged him the most was the fact that throughout this entire process, Lana hadn''t even taken a single glance at him.


    "Byron Shreesan is the only son of Duke Shreesan, and I''ve heard that he''s quite renowned among the advanced students of Teedus Academy."


    Erwin could hear a spectator beside him telling someone about Byron, and only after hearing this did he realize why Byron''s name had seemed so familiar when he had seen it on the matchup board. As it turned out, they were from the same academy! Judging from Byron''s demeanor, it was clear that he was also quite a proud and hot-headed character, so it seemed that this was going to be an interesting match.


    One of the administrators fired another magic blast, officially signifying the commencement of Lana''s first match.


    Lana reacted extremely quickly, seizing the initiative from the get-go as she waved her silver short staff through the air. Erwin took a close look at the staff and discovered that it was the same one that she had used against him during the last offense and defense class. She rapidly chanted an incantation, to which Byron''s brows furrowed tightly as he found himself completely unable to understand the magic language that she was speaking. Erwin knew that this was an arcane spell being unleashed using the ancient magic language. Rays of black light of different lengths began to rapidly emerge above her head, and on this occasion, she was able to gather magic energy far faster than on the previous occasion. In the blink of an eye, a black cloud that encompassed close to half of the entire competition platform had already appeared, and inky-black magic energy was surging incessantly within the cloud. This black cloud was several times larger than the one she had conjured up during the last offense and defense class.


    Erwin gulped nervously at the sight of the massive black cloud, and he was rather concerned about whether she would be able to handle the arcane spell backlash from such a vast amount of energy. The administrators standing beside the competition platform turned to Prime Minister Fuller with uneasy expressions, and Fuller''s brows were also furrowed tightly as he gave Prince Lazaar an inquisitive look from afar. However, Prince Lazaar seemed to be completely at ease, so Prime Minister Fuller gestured toward the administrators to continue as normal.


    Byron didn''t know what to make of the strange spell that Lana was preparing, and instead of taking advantage of her chanting interval to attack her with instant-release spells, he chose the safer option, which was to conjure up his own advanced magic shield first.


    All of a sudden, Lana let loose a loud cry, and the fearsome black cloud above her began to gather magic energy toward her in the form of a vortex. In the instant that the magic energy came into contact with her body, Lana''s head of red hair instantly began to dance wildly around her, while her green cape also began to flap incessantly from the magic turbulence gushing our her body. Erwin could see that she was gritting her teeth tightly with an agonized look in her eyes, so it was clear that she was suffering immensely from the backlash of the arcane spell.


    However, Lana continued to persevere with tightly gritted teeth, and Erwin couldn''t help but heave an internal sigh upon seeing this. In her pursuit of magic, Lana was so cruel to herself at times that even Erwin couldn''t help but feel sympathetic toward her. In the next instant, around a dozen bolts of black lightning that were giving off a golden sheen erupted forth. Upon closer inspection, one would realize that those bolts of black lightning were actually ferocious black wyrms that seemed to have just been released from a cage, pouncing toward Byron with boundless fury and killing intent before surrounding him from all directions.


    The dozen or so black wyrms were glowering intently at Byron through his magic shield, and it was as if a black cage had taken shape around him. The golden eyes of the black wyrms seemed to be able to glean his emotions, and they were watching his panicked and horrified expression with mockery and disdain.


    Cold sweat was pouring uncontrollably down Byron''s face. He had never seen a spell like this before, and all of the spectators present had also been stunned into silence. Who could''ve imagined that Prince Lazaar''s daughter would be able to suddenly summon a pack of black wyrms?


    "I thought her brother was quite impressive, but she''s putting on quite a show herself. It''s certainly not every day that I get to see someone so young able to control such an advanced arcane spell," Master Piro said with furrowed brows. "I''m afraid she''s not inferior to Her Highness in the slightest, Your Majesty."


    "All of Prince Lazaar''s children have grown into fine warriors and magicians," King Cameron remarked with an indifferent expression, but deep down, he was feeling quite dejected, and this dejection stemmed from his disappointment in his royal children and grandchildren. Aside from Princess Onean, all of his other descendants were completely mediocre and unremarkable.


    Lana looked on with a faint smile as the pack of black wyrms surrounded Byron, much like a proud owner watching her pets play with their toy.


    Byron was absolutely petrified, but he was unable to accept such humiliation due to his innate pride and sense of superiority. Thus, he immediately prepared to chant an incantation for an advanced spell to retaliate against the black wyrms, but right as he did so, the black wyrms let loose a collective roar that shook him to his very core, and he began to tremble so violently that he was almost unable to even hold onto his staff.


    "Are you still not going to forfeit?" Lana chuckled.


    At this moment, Byron felt as if his limbs had turned into floppy noodles, and his pride had been completely crushed. He was staring at Lana as if he were looking at a monster, and Lana''s provocative words were like a series of sharp spikes that stabbed viciously into his already severely bruised ego, making him even more humiliated and embarrassed.


    A short while later, Lana suddenly seemed to have lost interest in toying with her prey, and her smile abruptly faded as a frosty look appeared on her face. With a wave of her silver staff, she turned around in a carefree manner, not even bothering to look at what became of her opponent as she slowly made her way back toward the competitors'' entrance. At the same time, all of the black wyrms pounced upon Byron''s magic shield at her behest, letting loose vicious roars as they did so.


    All of the administrators present hurriedly conjured up their own magic shields to protect Byron, leaving only one of them to adjudicate Lana as the victor.


    Lana was already making her way down from the competition platform, and she cast her gaze toward the contestants'' spectating platform in the east as she expertly withdrew her staff back up her sleeve. In the instant that she turned around, the dozen or so black wyrms behind her instantly tore through several magic shields in the blink of an eye. If Lana hadn''t withdrawn her staff, Byron would''ve most likely already been torn to shreds by her arcane spell.


    Even from this far away, Erwin could see the half-smile playing on her lips. This was the expression that he feared the most from Lana. He knew that she was angry about something, but he had no idea exactly what she was angry about, and a chill ran down his spine as he watched the soulless Byron get carried off the competition platform.


    In the wake of that match, all of the citizens of Sarus were made aware of the power of Prince Lazaar''s son and daughter. Looking at the gorgeous figure in red and green that was slowly disappearing into the contestants'' passageway, many of the spectators gulped nervously before returning to their senses, and none of them were even commenting on Lana''s beauty or magic prowess anymore as they were still thinking about those fearsome magic black wyrms.


    Some of the officials and nobles on the bottom level were stunned by Lana''s formidable display and didn''t dare to look at Prince Lazaar any longer, while others had turned to Prince Lazaar with renewed fervency and admiration in their eyes.


    As for Prince Lazaar himself, his expression remained unchanged, and he continued to wear the same calm and amicable smile.


    Archbishop Sirius of the True Light Church was also watching from afar, and a peculiar smile suddenly appeared on his face, only to vanish just as abruptly as it had appeared.

 CH 13.1

    Lana, Jeff, and Onean''s matches were the reason why Erwin had stayed at the venue this entire time. Otherwise, given how sleepy he was, he would''ve definitely returned to the tent to rest.


    Thus, after the conclusion of Lana''s match, Erwin got up and left the venue. He checked the time to find that it was already noon, so even if he had a quick lunch, there wouldn''t be enough time to lie down and rest as his match was scheduled to begin at around 2 PM, and he had to get there a little early in order to complete his registration and physical examination.


    After emerging from the venue, he took a few turns and arrived at the Yanler Pub. It was clear that he was already very familiar with this route, and as he made his way into the pub, Larwood and the others were already waiting for him inside.


    "You sure got up early." The alcohol in Chase''s systems still hadn''t cleared up yet, as evidenced by the unhealthy flush on his face.


    Erwin nodded in response, and as soon as he sat down, he immediately yawned as he rubbed his own dry and sore eyes.


    "You weren''t too nervous to fall asleep, were you?" Larwood jibed.


    "There''s no need to be nervous. They''ve already bet all of their money on Shaun, so you just have to perform as normal. There''s no need for you to feel any psychological pressure," Kaiba chuckled.


    "You really are a bunch of assholes," Erwin said with a wry smile.


    "By the way, you went to watch the morning matches, right? How were they?" Larwood asked as he turned to Erwin.


    "There were a few good matches. Remember Jeff? The guy you fought outside the Redbud Pavilion last time? Turns out he was going very easy on the three of you that time," Erwin replied with a smile. "He featured in the first match today, and he defeated his opponent with just a single move. You should''ve seen all the pretty girls clapping and cheering for him!"


    Larwood and the others were fully aware that Jeff had been toying with them during their last fight.


    "What about his sister, Lana? Who did she go up against?" Chase asked as he raised an eyebrow.


    "You guys ever heard of Byron from our academy?" Erwin asked with an amused expression.


    "He seems to be relatively renowned in our academy. Isn''t he Duke Shreesan''s son? I heard that he''s extremely arrogant," Chase replied as a flash of recognition appeared in his eyes. "Don''t tell me he was Lana''s opponent! I don''t know much about Byron, but I heard he''s an advanced magician. How did their match go?"


    "Throughout the entire match, all he did was conjure a magic shield before being carried off like a spineless coward," Erwin replied as a mocking smile appeared on his face. He was consoling himself with the thought that he had at least lasted several exchanges in his first battle against Lana. Furthermore, she had defeated an advanced magician with just a single spell, so it only made sense that an intermediate magician like himself would be no match for her.


    "Wait, didn''t Chase just say that he''s an advanced magician? How come he only managed to conjure up a magic shield against Lana?" Kaiba asked with a stunned expression, and they were forced to further elevate their already lofty assessment of Lana and Jeff''s powers.


    "Man, those two from the Lazaar Family really are something else," Larwood sighed, following which a thought suddenly occurred to him. "What about Princess Onean? Did you get to watch her match as well?"


    "Princess Onean''s opponent was a martial artist who specializes in assassination. He managed to last a few exchanges against her, but Princess Onean''s magic was too powerful in the end..." Thus, Erwin gave everyone a brief recount of Princess Onean''s match.


    "I can feel my blood pressure rising just from hearing about those three! How is it fair that there are such ridiculously talented people in this world?" Chase grumbled.


    "It''s alright, we have an exceptionally talented martial artist and magician here as well. Their names are Larwood and Erwin, and they''re gonna show everyone who''s boss!" Kaiba chuckled, and even though he was clearly having a laugh at Erwin and Larwood''s expense, his words sounded somewhat encouraging for some reason.


    The group of friends joked around as they had some lunch together, and Chase and Kaiba drank themselves silly again.


    After lunch, Erwin and Kaiba went directly to the eastern contestants'' area to register themselves, while Chase and Kaiba stumbled toward the southern entrance in a drunken fashion to enter the venue from there.


    Erwin sat alone on the bench in the lobby area, wrapped up in his own thoughts with an absentminded look on his face. The administrators had already conducted physical examinations on the contestants who were about to participate in their matches, including Erwin, and the equipment that he had registered several days ago had also been brought out of the storage tent.


    Larwood had already gone out for his match, and Erwin didn''t know how the match was going. All he could hear were the voices of all of the spectators, and in reality, he couldn''t focus on what they were saying anyway. This was the first time that he had competed in front of tens of thousands of people, and he really was feeling quite nervous, so much so that even his lips were looking a little pale.


    Aside from his nerves, his ego was also running wild for some reason. To be accurate, his ego had been bothering him for the entire morning. The three matches that he had witnessed in the morning had had a profound impact on him, showing him that there was no lack of monstrous prodigies among his peers. In the past, Erwin had always thought that his street smarts and tricks would allow him to consistently stay ahead of the pack, but after being taught a brutal lesson by Lana during their first battle, he was already beginning to regret his lackadaisical attitude. After witnessing those three matches in the morning, his confidence had been well and truly decimated.


    Right at this moment, an administrator made his way toward him, then said in an expressionless voice, "It''s time for your match."


    Erwin took a deep breath, and he could feel his own heart fluttering in his own chest. Looking at the relaxed look on Larwood''s face as he made his way back into the passageway, Erwin knew that he had won his match. It was clear that Larwood was very pleased with himself, while Erwin felt as if he were walking to his own execution, so there was a massive contrast in their moods.


    "You better win," Larwood said to Erwin in a low voice in the instant that they passed each other by.


    Erwin emerged from the dim passageway and experienced the light of day again. Perhaps it was due to his excessive nerves, but at this moment, even the sun felt particularly blinding to him. Erwin swept his gaze around the massive ring-shaped arena. Only when looking up while standing at the very bottom was he able to fully comprehend just how spectacular and daunting the venue was.


    Looking at the tens of thousands of unfamiliar faces around him and hearing their noisy commentary, Erwin felt as if he were going through an out-of-body experience. He was so nervous that the only sound that he could hear was the pounding of his own heart in his eardrums, and one of the administrators standing beside the competition platform had already approached him, wondering why he still hadn''t stepped onto the platform yet.


    Erwin took a deep breath.


    What''s there to be nervous about? It''s not like this is the first time I''ve made a fool out of myself.


    With that in mind, he stepped onto the competition platform with a determined expression. In the process, he took a surreptitious glance at the contestants'' spectating platforms to the east and the west, and to his surprise, both Princess Onean and Lana were still present. They were situated on opposite platforms from one another, and both of them were watching his match.


    Erwin then took a close look at his opponent, Shaun. Just like Erwin himself, Shaun was also a magician, and his physical appearance was quite unremarkable. However, the fact that he was quite a renowned figure in Pucil Academy meant that he had to be an advanced magician as well. Having already battled Lana on two previous occasions, Erwin was no longer so afraid of opponents with superior magic power to himself.


    A magic blast was fired, and the match began.


    Erwin naturally started the match with his signature chaotic flurry of instant-release spells. In the blink of an eye, around a dozen spells that were radiating purple light had already been sent flying through the air, and Erwin was very glad that he had listened to Professor Hawk''s advice to get a staff.


    Shaun''s brows furrowed slightly upon seeing this, clearly not expecting his opponent to unleash a random flurry of instant-release spells from the get-go. All of the oncoming darkness-attribute spells seemed to be quite troublesome to deal with, so he raised a hand to conjure up a magic shield, while holding onto his staff with his other hand as he began to chant an incantation for an advanced spell.


    All of Erwin''s darkness-attribute spells exploded upon the magic shield, releasing bursts of magic turbulence that carried various types of negative status effects, such as scorch, frostbite, and paralysis. Shaun looked on at the magic turbulence with furrowed brows, and he was quite taken aback by the sheer variety of Erwin''s instant-release spells and their negative status conditions.


    Those negative status conditions were naturally all thanks to the magic rings that Professor Hawk had gifted to Erwin.


    After exhausting all of the elemental matter around him, Erwin unleashed his signature space split technique to arrive directly above Shaun.


    On the royal family''s spectating platform, Master Piro immediately choked on the water that he was drinking upon seeing this. Even as he was still spluttering and coughing, he sprang to his feet with a shocked expression, paying no heed to the water that had been spilled all over the table as he stared intently at the competition platform at the center of the venue.


    On the eastern contestant''s spectating platform, Princess Onean was also extremely intrigued to see this, and she rose to her feet as well.


    In contrast, Lana was already accustomed to seeing this, and a faint smile had appeared on her face.


    Meanwhile, the audience was still reeling from what they had just seen, wondering how Erwin had suddenly appeared above his opponent.


    Erwin was about to attack from his vantage point above his opponent, but to his surprise, Shaun didn''t seem to have been caught off guard in the slightest. He raised his staff, and three glowing magic spears of different colors, namely red, yellow, and blue, were sent flying up toward Erwin, and the three spears were also carrying three different types of negative status conditions.


    Erwin also remained calm and collected even as the three spears of light were hurtling directly toward him. The tips of the spears plunged straight into his body, and all of the spectators gasped in shock. Some of the more squeamish spectators in the stands had already closed their eyes, too scared to watch any longer. However, the spears had only struck a mirage. Once again, Erwin had been saved by the necklace given to him by Professor Hawk.


    Taking advantage of this brief instant of respite, Erwin unleashed an agility technique, thereby allowing him to evade the three magic spears with ease.


    "Hmph, that''s a nice little party trick." A derisive sneer appeared on Shaun''s face as he abruptly pulled his staff back toward himself, and the three magic spears, which were already several meters behind Erwin at this point, suddenly swiveled around before flying toward his back.


    Erwin took a glance at the three magic spears that were flying back toward him, and he knew that it wouldn''t be a wise decision to take them head-on. Thus, he sped directly toward Shaun, unleashing another wild barrage of instant-release spells while completely disregarding the magic spears that were hurtling toward him from behind.

 CH 13.2

    Shaun had thought that his opponent would conjure up a magic shield to protect himself, and he would be able to take advantage of that opportunity to prepare a few advanced spells, using which he could end this battle. However, much to his surprise, Erwin paid no heed to the three spears at all, choosing instead to charge directly toward him. In the face of Erwin''s barrage of instant-release spells, he could only conjure up his magic shield again to defend himself.


    After a wild flurry of instant-release spells, Erwin unleashed his space split technique again to appear behind Shaun. As a result, the three magic spears suddenly lost their target, unable to trace Erwin any further, and they disintegrated into magic turbulence while flying through the air.


    Shaun could see that Erwin had already appeared behind him, and he was supporting his magic shield with one hand to ward off Erwin''s instant-release spells while raising his staff with his other hand as a cold smile appeared on his face.


    "Take this!"


    All of a sudden, several balls of golden light were sent flying through the air. The balls of light were flying in a very strange trajectory and moving extremely slowly, almost as if they were intended to target Erwin at all.


    Erwin looked on as the balls of golden light slowly flew through the air, and he had no idea what that was all about. He was focusing solely on the chanting of his own incantation, and he was about to test his newly mastered advanced spell on Shaun.


    However, Erwin had only just begun chanting his incantation when a bolt of lightning came flying out of the ball of golden light that was closest to him. Erwin was greatly startled by this, and he hurriedly retreated a few steps. However, the balls of light seemed to be monitoring him, and they remained close around him at all times. As soon as he began to try and prepare any spells, several bolts of lightning would immediately be sent hurtling directly toward him. As a result, he didn''t even dare to unleash any instant-release spells.


    Shaun was very pleased to see that his Lightning Shock Array had completely suppressed Erwin, and a smug smile appeared on his face as he began to chant the incantation for an advanced spell, preparing to end this match in one fell swoop.


    "Looks like he''s in trouble. He does have some tricks up his sleeve, but that array is preventing him from doing anything. Isn''t he completely at his opponent''s mercy now?" Jeff said with an amused smile as he watched the unfolding battle.


    Lana remained silent as she looked on at Erwin with a calm expression. She knew that Erwin wouldn''t be the type of person to just stand around and wait for defeat, and she was quietly confident in his ability to get himself out of this pickle.


    Sure enough, Erwin suddenly conjured up a ball of light that encompassed his body from all directions.


    Didn''t he use this spell during the last offense and defense class? Does he have a death wish?


    A surprised look appeared on Lana''s face upon seeing this.


    In reality, this spherical light shield was different from the one that Erwin had conjured up last time. That spherical light shield was a confined space that Erwin had created by exhausting all of the elemental matter in the surrounding area, but on this occasion, Erwin was directly using the matter around him to create this light shield. Of course, aside from Erwin, there was no other matter in the space within the light shield. Thus, time was standing completely still within the light shield, and not even light could radiate from the wall of the shield. As a result, the entire spherical light shield was extremely bright and dazzling from the outside, making it impossible to see what was happening within it.


    The balls of golden light outside the spherical light shield released one bolt of lightning after another, but Erwin''s light shield remained as resolute as an immovable mountain. As for the bolts of lightning, they were completely absorbed by the light shield like a sponge without being able to inflict any damage. In the end, even the balls of golden light themselves began to slowly move toward the outer wall of the light shield before also being absorbed upon contact.


    Shaun''s brows were furrowed tightly as he watched his own Lightning Shock Array being slowly devoured by Erwin''s light shield, and he had no idea what to make of this situation.


    Not only was Shaun at a complete loss, the administrators standing around the competition platform were also bewildered by this light shield.


    "What kind of spell is this? If I''m not mistaken, it looks like time has fallen still inside that ball of light," Jeff said as he watched the unfolding match with furrowed brows.


    "I told you that he''s no ordinary magician. His magic power may be quite mediocre, but he has a whole host of tricks up his sleeve," Lana said with a smile, but in reality, she was rather concerned. Last time, Erwin was unable to control his spherical light shield, and he was almost sucked completely dry as a result. Thinking back to that incident, Lana couldn''t help but wonder if he could control the spell on this occasion.


    Jeff turned to look at her with a surprised expression. "Didn''t you try to kill him not long ago? Why does it feel like you''re suddenly on his side now?"


    Meanwhile, on the royal spectating platform.


    "What a surprise this is. After so many years, there are finally magicians studying the power of time and space again," Master Piro mused as he looked at the light shield on the competition platform. "I couldn''t be sure of it before this, but now, there''s no mistaking it. It''s quite remarkable that he''s already been able to make so much progress in the power of time and space at such a young age. Looks like he''s quite a brilliant talent as well."


    King Cameron was silent as he looked at the center of the competition platform with furrowed brows.


    On the bottom level.


    "He''s using that spell again? Does he have a death wish?" Chase exclaimed as he turned to Kaiba.


    "Surely you know what he''s like by now. Normally, he''s always joking around, and he looks like he takes nothing seriously, but deep down, he''s actually extremely proud and competitive," Kaiba sighed. "When he''s determined to win a battle, he''d gladly throw away his own life to achieve victory. In any case, with all those administrators standing around the competition platform, I don''t think we need to worry about him."


    Chase nodded in response.


    Meanwhile, Erwin was struggling immensely within the light shield. Magic power was surging rapidly out of every single pore of his skin, and he could sense that even his own blood flow was beginning to slow down. He looked on with an intense, unblinking gaze as the matter outside the spherical light shield slowly fused into the wall of the shield. Some of the matter looked like strings of liquid, some resembled fine grains of sand, some were pulsating in an extremely unstable manner, and some were slowly seeping through the light shield. However, he couldn''t afford to be distracted by this visual spectacle. Not only did he have to prevent the elemental matter from entering his light shield, he also had to chant the incantation for the spell that he was preparing.


    Shaun was intimidated by Erwin''s light shield, but he quickly returned to his senses, and he raised his staff to send a gust of fierce wind sweeping over the ground before surging toward the light shield at an alarming speed. As the gust of wind traveled through the air, it transformed into a tornado that resembled a fiery vortex, twisting and writhing as it sent rocks and dust flying in all directions. All of the spectators were amazed by this display of power, and it was clear to them that this magician from Pucil Academy was just as powerful as the rumors suggested.


    Erwin gulped nervously at the sight of the fiery tornado descending upon him. However, there was no saliva for him to swallow. His lips were already dry and cracked, and his mouth was so parched that he felt as if he had been walking through a desert for several days and nights without any water to drink. However, sweat was pouring down from his forehead, and he was maintaining his light shield with one hand while holding his staff with his other hand as he chanted the incantation for his advanced spell. Thus, he had no spare hands with which he could wipe away his own sweat, so he could only allow it to flow into his eyes and blur his vision. At the same time, he stuck out his tongue to catch the sweat that was flowing down around his mouth, just so he could get some liquid back into his parched mouth.


    Unlike the Lightning Shock Array, the Inferno Tornado was not a spell that could be absorbed by the light shield. The Inferno Tornado was imbued with far more magic energy, and as the tornado came into contact with the light shield, the latter was instantly completely devoured. Boundless fire-attribute energy was attacking the outer wall of the light shield violently, but the scene that unfolded next came as quite a shock to everyone.


    Erwin''s light shield was expanding inward, and the wall of the shield became thicker and thicker. The energy of the Inferno Tornado surged into the light shield, and countless pomegranate-colored thin threads were beginning to slowly roam over its surface in a completely random and haphazard manner. The entire Inferno Tornado pressed itself against the light shield bit by bit, and countless red lines continued to slowly flow over the surface of the light shield without any rhyme or reason, giving it the appearance of a magical artistic masterpiece.


    The light on the surface of the light shield began to slowly radiate outward, while the wall of the shield continued to expand inward, making the space inside more and more cramped. At this point, Erwin was already having to crouch down just to be able to fit inside the light shield.


    None of the spectators could tell what type of magic this was, and even the administrators standing around the competition platform had no idea what was happening. They were beginning to wonder whether it would be wise to call off the match, but Prime Minister Fuller was staring at Erwin with a transfixed expression, and he didn''t issue any orders to the administrators.


    Soon, the inner wall of the light shield compressed to the point that Erwin was almost crushed to a meatball.


    A derisive sneer appeared on Shaun''s face upon seeing this. Never had he seen an opponent perish to their own magic before. He looked on as Erwin''s body began to deform under the compression of the light shield, and he was also wondering why the match hadn''t been called off yet.


    Lana''s eyes were wide open as she stared intently at the spherical light shield with one hand gripped tightly around the staff that was concealed up her sleeve.


    On the other side, Princess Onean was also staring intently at Erwin with tightly furrowed brows and a hint of indecision in her golden eyes.


    All of the tens of thousands of spectators were watching with bated breath, and the entire venue had become eerily silent. No one had ever seen anything like the strange magic that Erwin was using.


    Meanwhile, Erwin was looking at all of the different types of energy flowing within the light shield. There was the fire-attribute energy from Shaun''s Inferno Tornado, and there was also his own darkness-attribute magic energy. Once again, his mind wandered back to that mug of dark beer that he had accidentally tipped over. In his eyes, the energy was flowing very slowly, but that was only relative. The speed of time in space wasn''t constant. To Erwin and everyone else, the energy appeared to be flowing at an extremely slow speed, but in reality, it was only time that had slowed down.


    Time inside the light shield was at a standstill, so no matter how many incantations Erwin chanted, there would be no time at all being expended.

 CH 13.3

    Thus, as long as he was inside the light shield, he would be the fastest caster of spells on the entire continent. No other magician, not Lana, not Princess Onean, not even Master Piro, could cast spells faster than him. At the very least, that was theoretically the case.


    However, without any matter around him to be drawn upon, there was no point in chanting incantations. Thus, the enormous amount of energy gathered within the light shield was what he had prepared to fuel his spells.


    From the outside, it appeared that the thickness of the light shield had changed, but in reality, the light shield consisted of countless layers. Erwin was controlling the matter energy in every single layer, thereby controlling the rate at which matter energy from the outside world entered the light shield. As a result, the speed of time was also altered. From the outer layers of the light shield to its inner layers, time became slower and slower, until it fell completely still in the innermost layer. This gave Erwin enough time to convert the enormous matter energy gathered within the light shield into his own spells.


    Thus, Erwin was allowing the inner wall of the light shield to constantly expand inward. In doing so, he was completing the conversion of the energy within the light shield.


    However, Erwin''s magic power was quite lackluster, and it was no exaggeration to say that converting such an enormous amount of matter energy could cost him his life. Some of the energy that had surged into the light shield was converted by Erwin, but there was also some that directly entered his body before seeping out of his pores. All types of negative status conditions were being inflicted upon his internal organs and nerves, and some of the energy had also transformed into hundreds of bursts of magic turbulence that were constantly surging around him, occasionally slicing gashes onto his body. Due to the excessively large volume and high quality of matter energy that Erwin was absorbing, the energy that was being expelled from his body and the magic turbulence around him refused to dissipate, so he was being tormented by them over and over again.


    From the outside, the light shield was in a state of complete chaos, and it was constantly fluctuating in brightness, making it impossible to see what was happening inside it.


    Am I about to die? Erwin thought to himself.


    There was a bitter taste rising up from the back of his throat, and he could feel that some of his internal organs were being filled with blood, some were churning violently, and some were being elongated. All types of energy were flowing through his veins, and they were pulsating occasionally. The sporadic pulsing of the energy was the only thing telling him that he was still alive. All of his nerves and sensations were in complete disarray, and all types of pain were spearing through all parts of his body, completely overwhelming his senses until all he could feel was a constant pain in every part of his body.


    Where is the pain coming from? Or does it actually just hurt everywhere?


    Erwin''s consciousness was beginning to fade, and his mind was becoming quite scattered. The images of the intense matches he had witnessed in the morning began to flash through his mind.


    I want to be that powerful as well! I want to... I want to...


    He gritted his teeth tightly amid the chaos as he held tightly onto his staff, doing everything he could to weather the storm, fighting through the excruciating pain with every fiber of his being.


    His magic power and physical energy had already been severely overexerted, but he could still sense the matter energy that was surging back and forth. Little by little, they were being converted into the magic energy that Erwin needed.


    At this point, Erwin had already remained completely still in his light shield for quite some time, and some of the administrators around the competition platform were beginning to approach the edge of the platform, but Fuller instructed them to remain uninvolved with a shake of his head.


    Lana was staring intently at the chaos within the light shield, which was fluctuating sporadically in brightness, and her palms were sweating profusely as she held tightly onto her staff.


    Princess Onean was also watching with a nervous expression, and she turned to Master Piro with an uneasy look in her eyes, but Master Piro merely shook his head with furrowed brows, indicating for her to wait a bit longer.


    Chase and Kaiba had already stood up in the spectator stands as they stared at the light shield. In fact, many of the students of Teedus Academy had already risen to their feet as they looked on with concerned expressions.


    Many of the spectators were already beginning to fear the worst for Erwin, and some hushed chatter was beginning to break through the tense silence.


    Shaun was waiting for the administrators to adjudicate him as the victor, but all of them were staring intently at the light shield without paying any attention to him, and he was beginning to grow very anxious and uneasy.


    All of a sudden, the entire world seemed to have fallen still. The light shield exploded from the inside to the outside, and all types of matter energy instantly erupted out of the chaos in all directions with violent force, sending waves of heat sweeping through the entire venue.


    "ARGH!" Erwin''s feral roar echoed throughout the entire ring-shaped venue. His hair was completely disheveled, giving him the appearance of an untamed wild beast, and dozens of gashes had already been sliced into his magician''s robe from magic turbulence. Through those gashes, his skin was clearly visible, and he looked as if he had gone insane.


    With that guttural roar came several terrifying advanced spells, the incantations of which had all been chanted by Erwin using the ancient magic language. As a result, their power was significantly enhanced, and they were released with earth-shattering might.


    A plume of dark purple lava erupted out of the ground from beneath Shaun''s feet, instantly blasting him up into the sky, while a massive hole appeared on the competition platform. Immediately thereafter, countless bolts of purple lightning came crashing down from the heavens, instantly electrocuting Shaun to the point of unconsciousness. Darkness-attribute magic excelled in destroying the target''s mind, and after being struck by two ancient advanced spells from Erwin in a row, Shaun was already completely immobilized and powerless in mid-air.


    However, Erwin''s eyes were completely bloodshot, and he was still roaring like a madman. It was clear that he had prepared more than just those two advanced spells. All of a sudden, a vast expanse of dense purple clouds gathered above his head. The purple clouds encompassed virtually the entire venue from above, and rain instantly began to fall from the churning clouds.


    All of the spectators initially thought that rain had been summoned to alleviate the waves of heat that had just been released, but all of a sudden, one of the spectators on the top level yelled, "This isn''t rain, those are swords!"


    Everyone took a closer look upon hearing this, and sure enough, all of the rain falling from the sky were actually countless longswords that were giving off purple magic energy. The storm of swords was falling with merciless fury, and in his deranged state, Erwin didn''t have the presence of mind to think about holding back to spare the unconscious Shaun''s life.


    Only now did Fuller issue an order for the administrators to get involved, and around a dozen of them instantly flew up into the sky. One of them caught the unconscious Shaun before carrying him back down onto the ground, while all of the other administrators conjured up magic shields in unison, and only then were they able to keep the storm of swords from falling upon Shaun.


    Finally, an administrator raised their hand to adjudicate Erwin as the victor, and only after seeing that did he allow himself to relax. At this point, his magic power had already been completely exhausted, and his body was filled with all types of internal injuries, including burns and lacerations. His skin was also riddled with bleeding gashes, and he suddenly covered his own mouth with his sleeve before throwing up a large mouthful of blood. He stared momentarily at the black blood that had splattered all over his sleeve, following which a wry smile appeared on his face, and his vision blacked out as he fell unconscious.


    Having fallen unconscious, Erwin was unable to maintain his levitation spell any longer, and he fell from the sky amid a chorus of alarmed cries from the spectator stands.


    Right at this moment, two figures flew through the air, one from the western contestant''s spectating platform and the other from the eastern contestant''s spectating platform, and they caught Erwin before the administrators were able to get to him.


    As it turned out, it was Princess Onean and Lana. Erwin''s entire body was smelling like a charred block of wood, and he was being carried by both women as they slowly descended from the sky. If Erwin were to regain his consciousness at this moment, he would most likely fall unconscious again from excessive elation.


    Lana had an angry look on her face as she glared at Erwin, but there was no hiding the concern in her eyes. Princess Onean was also looking at him with a worried expression, and Lana was very displeased to see this.


    Looks like I''ll have to teach him a lesson when he wakes up!


    To her surprise, Onean also looked up at her in the same instant, and the atmosphere suddenly became quite awkward as the two women stared at one another. However, neither of them let go of Erwin, and they didn''t seem to be embarrassed, either.


    All of the spectators heaved a collective sigh of relief now that Erwin had been saved, but immediately thereafter, many of the young male spectators realized who Erwin had been saved by, and they suddenly wished that he had been allowed to fall, after all!


    The two women gently set Erwin down onto the ground. The fact that both of them had swooped in to save Erwin made it clear to all of the administrators that Erwin was at least somewhat important to both of them. With that in mind, the administrators took extra care as they lifted Erwin onto the stretcher.


    Thus, all of a sudden, the limelight was directed back to the two women. The spectators were already hoping that some conflict would arise between them, and it would certainly be well worth the money they had paid for their tickets if they could see the two women fight over a man!


    Lana turned to Princess Onean with a slightly provocative smile, while Onean looked back at her with a polite smile of her own. The two women were extremely competitive, and they were carefully sizing up each other, trying to find flaws in the other that would give them an advantage over their counterpart. However, the two of them were truly evenly matched, at least in the looks department, and neither one was able to spot any glaring flaws.


    Thus, the two of them exchanged a smiling nod, but their smiles faded as soon as they turned away from each other, and they calmly left the competition platform. All of the spectators were quite disappointed to see this, but little did they know, they had already just witnessed a fierce clash of wills between the two women.


    Prior to this, the earlier matches that had involved Lana, Jeff, and Onean were the ones that were most talked-about among the spectators, but Erwin''s performance had truly opened everyone''s eyes. He had displayed multiple spells that no one had ever seen before, and in particular, that light shield had been a breathtaking spectacle to behold.


    Of course, no matter how spectacular the matches were, they paled in significance compared with what appeared to be a love triangle between Lana, Onean, and Erwin.


    Many people had already heard that Erwin and Lana shared some past ties, and it seemed that this was indeed the case. However, it came as quite a shock to everyone that the princess had also swooped in to save him. Could it be that both of them had feelings for Erwin? Prior to this, it seemed that they were only competing in magic and looks, but now, it seemed that they were competing for a man as well! This was naturally an extremely exciting subject for the more gossipy spectators in the venue.

 CH 14.1

    After Erwin was carried off the competition platform, he was taken directly to a tent in the eastern contestants'' area for emergency treatment. Princess Onean was immediately on the scene, bringing Master Piro along with her, and Lana also arrived shortly thereafter. At the time, there were still a few administrators left in the tent, and they all heaved a collective sigh of relief upon seeing the arrival of Master Piro. After all, Master Piro was far better equipped to treat magical injuries inflicted upon internal organs and nerves. In addition to that, the princess was also present, so the administrators naturally took that as their cue to leave the tent.


    However, things weren''t so simple. After conducting a meticulous examination, Master Piro discovered that the so-called magic injuries that Erwin had sustained were just magic turbulence carrying different negative status conditions surging randomly throughout his body. Furthermore, that was only the secondary concern. What had truly injured Erwin''s internal organs and nerves was the excessive amount of matter elements that had entered his body. It was as if someone had blown these matter elements into his body with all their might, and he had been pumped like a balloon to the brink of bursting. Even though Erwin was able to convert the matter energy into magic energy and unleash it in the form of his spells, a balloon that had been blown up once could never return to its original state.


    "It''s a good thing that he was able to convert that energy into magic energy when he did. If things had dragged on any longer, then he would''ve been converted into matter energy himself," Master Piro sighed. If Erwin could hear what Master Piro was saying at this moment, then he most likely would''ve never attempted what he did, even if it meant losing the match.


    "How is he right now, Teacher?" Onean asked with a concerned expression.


    Lana was naturally aware of Master Piro''s identity, so it didn''t seem fitting for her to barge in to inspect Erwin''s injuries. Furthermore, she wasn''t very familiar with Onean and Master Piro. In fact, there was a rivalry between the two women, so she was quite reluctant to approach them.


    "Hmph, it''s a good thing that I came back to the capital with you. Otherwise, he''ll struggle to recover even if he''s bedridden for a year!" Master Piro rolled his eyes with a disgruntled expression at Erwin, who was still unconscious, then turned to give Princess Onean a meaningful look.


    Onean quickly realized what he wanted, and she pulled out an intricate pendant, within which was a small vial of golden liquid. If one weren''t looking closely, one could easily mistake the vial of golden liquid to be a golden gemstone pendant.


    Master Piro accepted the pendant from the princess, but a pained look appeared on his face as he unscrewed the cap of the vial.


    "You don''t seem bothered at all by this! This is a magic potion brewed from the marrow of Springlay Foxes, and it took me a few years just to brew this tiny amount! I gave it to you so that you can use it in your time of need, but you pulled it out without even thinking about it!" Master Piro complained.


    Springlay foxes? Those are extremely rare magic creatures, Lana thought to herself.


    She had only seen Springlay foxes on several occasions in the Terarodry Mountain Ranges. These rare foxes with white bodies and black tails would only come out at the start of spring to search for mating partners, so they only showed themselves once per year. Furthermore, they were extremely sensitive, and if they were to detect any trace of disturbance nearby, these foxes would immediately flee back into the mountains, never to be found again. These magic foxes were capable of shapeshifting into all types of living beings, so even the most exceptional hunters wouldn''t be able to track them down.


    Lana knew that the bone marrow of Springlay Foxes was a premium ingredient for magic potions. However, she didn''t know exactly how to brew potions from the ingredient. It was undoubtedly the case that this type of magic potion was extremely rare, so if she wanted to know more about it, her teacher, Mistress Faye, was most likely the only one she could turn to for information.


    "Don''t be so stingy, Teacher. Our top priority right now is to save him," Princess Onean said in an urgent voice.


    Master Piro cast his gaze toward the precious golden liquid as he heaved a forlorn sigh, then gritted his teeth as he tipped the vial onto its side. In the instant that the liquid inside began to flow out of the vial, Master Piro spread open his other hand to unleash a spell while chanting a complex ancient incantation.


    Even for exceptional magic prodigies like Onean and Lana, Master Piro''s incantation was completely incomprehensible. Both of them looked on with wide eyes as the golden liquid split up into several thin threads during its descent, and these thin threads split up even further to form a net before spreading over Erwin''s chest like a cobweb. A series of golden cobweb-like structures began to spread all over Erwin''s body before seeping in through his skin. Shortly thereafter, Erwin moaned in a faint voice in his unconscious state, but his brows were still tightly furrowed, and he displayed no sign of waking up.


    Master Piro took a look at the two anxious women, then turned his gaze back to the unconscious Erwin, and he couldn''t help but shake his head with an amused expression.


    "You''re Lana from the Lazaar Family, right? You seem to be really into this brat," Master Piro jibed with an amused smile.


    "You can say whatever you want, Master Piro, but Her Highness and I both rushed onto the competition platform to save him. All of the spectators in the venue saw it, so there''s no point in denying it. Now, she''s even using this magic potion brewed from the bone marrow of Sprinlay Foxes on him. If you ask me, Her Highness seems to be far more into him than I am," Lana countered in an articulate manner.


    A slight blush appeared on Onean''s face upon hearing this.


    "Like master, like student. Faye always has to make sure that she gets the last laugh in arguments, and it looks like you''re exactly the same," Master Piro said with an amused smile, unbothered by her slightly confrontational attitude. Lana''s teacher, Mistress Faye, was almost 20 years Master Piro''s junior, so she was technically half a student to Master Piro. As such, Master Piro was naturally referring to her in the way that a senior would talk about their junior.


    "Don''t try to lord your seniority over me, Master Piro. I''m just speaking the truth! Erwin is my friend, so it''s only to be expected that I would save him in his time of need. However, it seems like Her Highness only met Erwin for the first time earlier today. May I ask why you felt the need to save him as well?" Lana asked as she turned to Onean with a smile.


    "Oh? You say that you''re his friend? Why is it that I heard that you almost killed him not too long ago? First, you try to kill him, now you try to save him? Is this a hobby of yours?" Princess Onean countered with a smug smile of her own. "As for why I saved him, it''s because I see a lot of potential in him. As the princess of this kingdom, it would be remiss of me to stand by and watch a young magician with so much potential be crippled under such unfortunate circumstances."


    Just as the two women were facing off against one another, Count Friar and Professor Hawk arrived. Neither of them had come to the venue to watch the matches, but they were immediately called over to the venue by the tournament committee as soon as Erwin''s match concluded.


    "Oh, I was wondering who Erwin''s teacher was. Turns out it''s you, Little Hawk!" Master Piro said with a smile as he glanced at Professor Hawk, who had just entered the tent, then cast a meaningful gaze toward Count Friar.


    Count Friar was unfazed by Master Piro''s scrutiny and made his way directly over to Erwin to examine his injuries.


    "Why are you here, Teacher?" Professor Hawk was quite surprised to see his teacher here.


    "You think I want to be here? This stupid little disciple of mine forced me to come here to save your useless student!" Master Piro replied with a wry smile.


    Princess Onean was quite embarrassed by her teacher''s jibes, and she turned away with a faint blush on her face, pretending not to have heard anything.


    Professor Hawk had naturally already spotted Lana in the tent, and he was very surprised to see so many prestigious figures gathered here. After hearing what Master Piro had to say, he was more than a little pleased.


    Does this mean Her Highness has taken a liking to Erwin? What a lucky little brat he is!


    "Teacher, how is my student doing?" Professor Hawk hurriedly asked with a worried expression, but he wasn''t overly concerned considering Master Piro was present.


    "Your student is an idiot! He almost killed himself just to win that match!" Master Piro replied as a scathing look appeared on his face. "If Onean hadn''t been generous enough to use the magic potion brewed from the bone marrow of Springlay foxes on him, he would''ve been bedridden for at least three years!"


    Count Friar was carefully examining Erwin''s injuries, and he could sense that Erwin''s severely ravaged organs were recovering at an incredible speed. In contrast, his external injuries were of far less concern. After hearing what Master Piro had to say, he was quite taken aback by how far the princess was willing to go to save Erwin''s life. After all, the bone marrow of Sprinlay Foxes was extremely rare even in the royal palace, and even with the ingredient, only a master in magic potions would''ve been able to brew such a potion.


    "I apologize on behalf of my son for causing all of you so much inconvenience. Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness, and thank you for saving my son, Master Piro." Count Friar extended a deep bow toward Princess Onean and Master Piro with a grateful expression. For someone like him, who normally displayed very little emotion, this was already a heartfelt gesture of gratitude.


    Professor Hawk also hung his head in shame and accepted partial responsibility for failing to teach Erwin well.


    "There''s no need to thank us, Count Friar. No matter how precious the magic potion was, it can''t compare with the value of a human life, so the fact that it was able to save Erwin means that it was put to good use," Princess Onean said with a smile. "Don''t mind my teacher. He may be a little harsh with his words at times, but I''m sure he also wanted to save such a young and talented magician, isn''t that right, Teacher?"


    "Hmph, if you''re worried about that little brat, then just say it like it is! Don''t drag me into this," Master Piro grumbled with a disgruntled expression. Throughout his lifetime, he had taken countless disciples under his wing, but never had he had a disciple like Onean, who was able to completely wrap him around her finger. If she wanted something, then he simply couldn''t bring himself to refuse!


    As everyone was talking with one another, Lana made her way into the inner room to examine Erwin''s injuries, and she couldn''t help but be stunned by just how severe those injuries were. Even though his internal organs and nerves were already mostly recovered at this point, she was still able to extrapolate just how terrifying the injuries would''ve been when he first sustained them.


    "What kind of magic is he practicing? He almost died last time as well..." Lana murmured to herself. This was something that she had always been curious about Erwin.


    Everyone in the outer room naturally heard her errant mumbling as well, and this was also a point of intrigue for Princess Onean. Just like Lana, she was also very curious about the magic that Erwin had displayed during his match.


    Professor Hawk''s calm expression remained unchanged, while Count Friar pretended not to have heard what had just been said at all. Master Piro took a glance at their expressions, and he developed a rough idea of the circumstances involved.


    Seeing as Erwin was already in a stable condition, Count Friar extended another apology to Princess Onean and Master Piro before excusing himself and returning to the manor. As for Professor Hawk, he hadn''t seen Master Piro for many years, and the two of them made their way outside the tent as they began chatting about the past.


    Thus, Princess Onean and Lana were the only two left in the tent.

 CH 14.2

    Lana had no intention of bickering with Onean any further, and she pulled out an intricate magic potion vial from her waist before carefully applying the potion in the vial onto Erwin''s external injuries. The blue magic potion flowed back and forth over blood scabs that riddled Erwin''s entire body, and soon, the gashes began to heal. When it came to curing external injuries inflicted by magic, Lana had a lot of experience. After all, she had just cured Erwin from the external injuries inflicted by her own magic swords not long ago.


    Onean looked on as Lana gently applied the magic potion onto Erwin''s body, then cast her gaze toward Erwin''s pale face, which was still a little childish in appearance, and she couldn''t help but throw a jibe. "He''s not bad-looking, and there''s still a little baby fat on his face. I guess you must be into innocent young boys like him."


    Lana immediately burst into laughter upon hearing this.


    "Don''t be fooled by his appearance, Your Highness, he''s far from innocent. In fact, I daresay that he''s the exact opposite of innocent," Lana said as she turned toward Onean. "If you really do have feelings for him, then you have to be careful, Your Highness."


    "Heh, I''m not the one treating his injuries like a caring girlfriend right now. What does this have to do with me?" Onean scoffed with an amused expression.


    "Well, if you want to look at things that way, then who was the one that provided the Springlay Fox bone marrow potion? I don''t think your argument has any legs to stand on, Your Highness," Lana countered in a confrontational voice.


    Right as the two of them were standing beside Erwin''s bed, stubbornly ignoring one another, Larwood strode into the tent, and his eyeballs almost popped out of his sockets as he caught sight of the two people gathered beside Erwin''s bed. In that moment, he realized that he still had a long way to go if he wanted to reach Erwin''s level when it came to wooing women.


    An awkward look appeared on Larwood''s face, and Lana glared at him with a cold expression, then slammed her magic potion vial onto the bedside table before promptly leaving the tent.


    Onean took a glance at the vial hanging in front of her own chest, then removed it with a vigorous tug before also setting it down onto the bedside table and departing from the tent.


    Meanwhile, Larwood stood still on the spot, feeling as if he were no different from the air around him. Only after the two women had departed did he realize that he didn''t even get a chance to salute the princess. He then cast his gaze toward the two objects left on the bedside table, and he didn''t know what to make of them.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    By the time Erwin finally woke up, it was already midnight, and the only other person in the tent was Larwood, who was taking a nap on the sofa.


    The burning sensation in Erwin''s organs had mostly subsided, but there was not a single ounce of strength in his body, and his throat was feeling as parched as a desert. Just supporting himself into an upright position to take a drink of water was so strenuous for him that his entire body became drenched in sweat. He picked up his cup and gulped down two mouthfuls of cold water, but his esophagus wasn''t ready for the sudden stimulus, and he was struck by an involuntary gag reflex that made him throw up all of the water violently. He then began to cough uncontrollably, and some of the water began flowing out of his nostrils, making it look as if he were coughing with snot pouring out of his nose.


    Larwood was startled out of his nap by Erwin''s violent coughing, and he rubbed his own eyes in a drowsy manner as he said, "You''re finally awake."


    Erwin coughed for a while longer before asking, "How long was I out for?"


    Larwood took a glance at the magic clock on the wall, then replied, "It''s been over 10 hours since you finished your match in the afternoon."


    "I thought I was going to die," Erwin said with a wry smile.


    "You couldn''t have died even if you wanted to! Both Princess Onean and Lana from the Lazaar Family swooped in to save you. At the time, you were falling out of the sky, and both of them immediately jumped out of the contestants'' spectating platforms together to catch you. I reckon there''s not a single person in Sarus who doesn''t know your name. If we line up all of the noble men who are envious of you, we''d have a queue that stretches all the way to the twin Reydnold Mountains!" Larwood jibed.


    "Princess Onean? Why did she save me?" Erwin asked with an incredulous expression. He had some ties with Lana, so it made some sense that she would get involved, but his only interaction with Princess Onean was a very brief encounter.


    "How would I know? Professor Hawk and Master Piro both came to inspect your injuries a while ago. They sat here for a bit, and I overheard them saying that if the princess hadn''t used some magic potion brewed from the bone marrow of Springlay Foxes, you''d already be dead! Apparently, it was the princess who convinced Master Piro to save you." A sly smile appeared on Larwood''s face as he continued, "Tell me the truth: is there something going on between you and Princess Onean?"


    "No, I swear! The only time that I met her was during the opening ceremony, and I barely spoke to her at the time!" Erwin replied with a confused shake of his own head as he thought back to his encounter with the princess. He then began to dig through his memory to try and remember what Springlay Foxes were, but with his lackluster magical knowledge, he naturally had no idea what those creatures were.


    "Is that right? Then why did it look to me like both Princess Onean and Lana had some feelings for you?" Larwood asked with a suspicious expression as he looked at Erwin through narrowed eyes.


    "Perhaps they''ve never seen someone commit suicide with their own magic," Erwin said with a self-deprecating expression. He then erupted into a fit of uncontrollable coughing again, perhaps due to the fact that his lungs hadn''t completely healed yet, and his eyes were bloodshot by the time he was done.


    "What''s going on with you now?" Larwood asked with a concerned expression. "According to what I just heard from Master Piro and Professor Hawk, your injuries should be mostly healed."


    Erwin took a moment to catch his own breath, then replied, "My goodness, I almost passed out there. It feels like my internal injuries should be mostly healed. By the way, do you know what Springlay Foxes are?"


    "You think I would know something like that?" Larwood asked with a resigned expression. "However, judging from what Professor Hawk and Master Piro were saying, these Springlay Foxes seem to be extremely rare."


    Erwin nodded in response. Larwood''s knowledge of these subjects was inferior even to his own, so there really was no point in asking Larwood about something like this.


    "Oh, by the way, Princess Onean and Lana both left something for you," Larwood said as he pointed at the bedside table.


    Erwin''s brows furrowed slightly as he cast his gaze toward the two intricate magic potion vials sitting on the bedside table. He recognized one of them as it was the vial that he had seen in Lana''s when he first woke up after almost being killed by Lana outside the Redbud Pavilion.


    He then picked up the pendant-like vial before taking a look, then turned to Larwood before asking, "Is this one from the princess?"


    Larwood nodded in response as a sly smile appeared on his face. "Not only is it from the princess, it''s something that was in direct contact with her body."


    Larwood pointed at his own chest as he spoke.


    Erwin''s eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this, and he hurriedly picked up the pendant before sniffing at it vigorously with a blissful look on his face. "Hmm, it smells amazing."


    It then occurred to him that it wasn''t fair to Lana if he focused solely on Princess Onean''s pendant, and he immediately picked up Lana''s magic potion vial before taking a sniff as well. After that, he inspected his own external injuries, which were mostly healed as well, presumably thanks to Lana''s magic potion.


    A smug grin appeared on his face, and he suddenly felt like this was very much worth the near-death experience he had suffered.


    "Can you stop being such a creep?" Larwood grumbled with a disgusted expression. "Thanks to you, all of us lost all of our Loonies on our bet!"


    Erwin was very amused to hear this, and only then did he recall that he had won the match. "You should''ve bet all your money on me. If you had done that, you''d be rich by now!"


    "We didn''t know that you would push yourself so hard just to win!" Larwood said as he glared at Erwin.


    Erwin knew that Larwood was reprimanding him for being so reckless with risking his own life, and he changed the subject as he asked, "What happened after I fainted? How were the rest of the matches?"


    "What do you mean the rest of the matches? You destroyed the entire competition platform, and the tournament committee is busy conducting emergency repairs, so all of the matches after yours were postponed!" Larwood grumbled. "The tournament committee was going to launch an investigation into you on suspicion of intentionally causing excessive harm to your opponent, but I heard that the investigation was canceled under Prime Minister Fuller''s orders."


    "I didn''t really do anything to him anyway, so there''s nothing to investigate," Erwin said. "It''s a good thing that the matches have been postponed. That''ll give me enough time to rest and recuperate."


    "What are you gonna do after that? Are you going to use that spell again in your next match? Do you actually want to die?" Larwood asked with furrowed brows.


    "Rest assured, I have no intention of dying anytime soon," Erwin said with a reassuring smile. "I''ve already mastered the spell, so it won''t happen again."


    Larwood was still clearly rather skeptical as he sighed, "I certainly hope so. If that does happen again, I don''t think anyone will be able to save you. By the way, I was watching the match, and when your opponent, Shaun, was getting carried off the platform, he looked as pale as a sheet! I thought you actually killed him!"


    "I probably looked even worse when I was carried off the platform, right?" Erwin asked with a wry smile.


    "When you were being carried away, the situation was extremely chaotic. I heard a loud commotion going on inside the venue, and after that, around a dozen administrators carried you away, surrounding you from all directions so no one could see what was happening. Not long after that, Princess Onean and Master Piro arrived, and initially, the administrators wouldn''t let me come inside to see you," Larwood said.


    "By the way, did my father come here?" Erwin asked.


    "As I was waiting outside, I saw your father and Professor Hawk come here as well. They probably went back after making sure that you were in a stable condition," Larwood replied. "At the time, the administrators still wouldn''t let me come in, so I didn''t hear what they talked about."


    Erwin nodded in response upon hearing this, and he was feeling quite guilty for always making his father worry and fear for him.


    "What about Kaiba and Chase?" Erwin asked.


    "They probably can''t come into the contestants'' area. I''ve been here the entire afternoon, and I haven''t had a chance to go out and find them yet," Larwood replied. "Can you move around now? If you can, then let''s get out of here and meet up with Kaiba and Chase. I''m getting bored to death in here!"


    "I have no strength in my body at all. I don''t think I''ll be able to go anywhere tonight," Erwin said with a wry smile. "It''s alright, I''ll be fine on my own anyway, you can go find Kaiba and Chase. I should be feeling a lot better after having a good sleep tonight. That bone marrow potion from the princess really is something else!"


    "Of course! Otherwise, Master Piro wouldn''t have been so sad to have used it," Larwood said as he rose to his feet. "Stay here and get some rest, I''ll go find Kaiba and Chase."


    Erwin nodded in response, and soon, he was the only one left in the tent. He picked up the two intricate vials on his bedside table and stared at him with an absentminded expression.

 CH 15.1

    The second day of competition in the Pillow Sword Tournament was unfolding at a breakneck pace, and the tournament committee rescheduled all of the matches that were due to take place after Erwin''s match, while the matches for the round of 64 were arranged for the next day. The first day of the tournament had been extremely spectacular, and it had concluded with that shocking display from Erwin, so the spectators were even more looking forward to seeing whether there would be any other surprises that popped up during the tournament.


    Erwin rested for an entire night and only got up when it was close to noon. Thanks to Princess Onean''s magic potion, his body was able to make a miraculous recovery, and even the tournament committee executives were unable to believe their own eyes. Only after conducting repeated physical examinations on him were they finally able to accept this astonishing reality.


    Erwin wasn''t very interested in watching the rest of the matches of the first round, so he left the contestants'' area and headed toward the market.


    "Master Erwin! Master Erwin!" Erwin heard someone calling out to him, and he turned to discover that it was Sherry.


    "Why are you still here?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "After my match from yesterday, I went back to the academy at around noon to meet up with some friends. Only after I came back did I hear about what happened to you, and I wanted to visit you, but the administrators wouldn''t let me in," Sherry sighed as he inspected Erwin up and down with a concerned expression. "Have you recovered from your injuries, Master Erwin?"


    "I have. It''s all thanks to Her Highness''s magic potion. Otherwise, I wouldn''t be able to take any further part in the tournament," Erwin replied with a wry smile.


    "Oh, I was wondering why Her Highness took Maser Piro with her, so it was to save you!" Sherry said as he raised his eyebrows.


    "Why are you looking at me like that? You saw what happened, I only met Her Highness for the first time yesterday!" Erwin had no idea how to explain his way out of this situation.


    "It''s alright, I understand. I heard that in your moment of peril yesterday, both Lana and Princess Onean swooped in together to save you. In addition to the spectacular show that you put on yesterday, I don''t think there''s anyone left in Sarus who doesn''t know your name, Master Erwin!" Sherry said with a hint of admiration in his eyes.


    Erwin was rather embarrassed by Sherry''s glowing praise, and he said, "It''s nowhere near as glamorous as you make it sound. I was very close to losing my life yesterday, and I was very lucky."


    "You can''t just attribute that to luck, Master Erwin. I heard that no one has ever seen the magic that you used, especially that light shield spell that was capable of devouring other spells. It''s a pity that I was held up by my friends yesterday. It sounds like I missed a really exciting match," Sherry sighed with a forlorn expression.


    "It was exciting, alright! It was probably the first time any contestant in the Pillow Sword Tournament has tried to commit suicide during a match!" Erwin said with a self-deprecating expression. A thought then occurred to him, and he asked, "By the way, do you know what Sprinlay Foxes are, Sherry?"


    "Why do you ask? Could it be that the magic potion used by Her Highness to save you yesterday incorporated some part of the Springlay Fox as an ingredient?" Sherry asked with a shocked expression.


    Erwin nodded in response. It was clear that he had no idea how precious the magic potion that had been used on him was, and Sherry immediately gave him a quick lesson on the matter.


    Only after hearing what Sherry had to say did Erwin realize just how precious that bone marrow potion was, and he murmured to himself, "What do I do? It looks like I owe Her Highness a massive favor now..."


    "What else can you do? Just repay her in the future," Sherry said with a meaningful expression. "I''m sure you''d be more than happy to ''repay'' her, if you know what I mean."


    Erwin pretended to be oblivious to what Sherry was implying as he heaved a faint sigh.


    Thus, the two of them continued chatting as Erwin led him all the way to the entrance of the Yanler Pub.


    As soon as they made their way into the pub, Chase immediately approached them. "Well, well, well, if it isn''t Erwin, the most sought-after man in all of Sarus!"


    He intentionally spoke very loudly so that everyone''s attention was drawn to them.


    The pub was filled with many customers, and all of them immediately directed their attention toward Erwin upon his arrival. Not only had he put on a stunning display to score a massive upset over his opponent, both the princess and Lana from the Lazaar Family seemed to be fawning over him as well. As a result, Erwin had become one of the most well-known contestants of the Pillow Sword Tournament. In addition to that, Erwin and his friends frequently visited the Yanler Pub, so many of the customers were on very familiar terms with them, and they were all quite proud of Erwin for his achievements.


    In response to Chase''s loud announcement, Erwin could only pour himself a dark beer with a resigned expression, then raised his beer to acknowledge everyone in the pub.


    "Erwin! Erwin! Erwin!" Everyone began to chant in a boisterous manner as they raised their own mugs and slammed the counter with their free hands.


    Erwin made his way into the pub, acknowledging the ecstatic crowd as he did so. These people were even more elated than he was to have won the match, and he couldn''t help but be rather amused by their enthusiasm. There were also some single ladies who gave Erwin seductive looks as he was passing through, and Erwin''s heart was fluttering in his chest at the sight of their alluring displays.


    "What an honor it is to be blessed by the presence of the mighty Erwin!" Kaiba exclaimed with a hint of mockery on his face as Erwin and the others approached him and Chase.


    "I''m impressed that you managed to get up after just one night of rest. It looks like Her Highness really did use some incredible medicine on you." Larwood intentionally placed extra emphasis on the words "Her Highness" as he spoke.


    Erwin could tell that his friends were about to stir up something again, and he hurriedly change the subject. "So how much did you all lose yesterday? That''s what you get for betting against me!"


    "Larwood and I lost a ton of money betting against you. As for Kaiba, that bastard betrayed us and bet several thousand Loonies on you in secret, so he''s filthy rich now!" Chase grumbled.


    "You see? Kaiba knows a diamond in the rough when he sees one! You guys should learn from him," Erwin chuckled with a gloating expression.


    Kaiba nodded in response with a smug smile, then turned to Sherry, who was standing beside Erwin. "Who''s this friend of yours?"


    "Oh, this is Sherry. I only got to know him a few days ago," Erwin introduced. In response, Larwood and the others raised their mugs in acknowledgment and greeting.


    It was clear that Sherry hadn''t interacted much with nobility in the past, and he was looking a little nervous and awkward. Chase could see that he was feeling quite out of place, so he snapped his fingers and asked the front counter to bring them a few more beers.


    After having a few beers, Sherry was much more relaxed around everyone, and he told everyone about what had happened between Erwin and Lana at the Old River Restaurant. He was already a little tipsy from the alcohol, so his story was greatly exaggerated. Unfortunately for Erwin, Larwood and the others loved hearing these types of completely baseless stories, and they all had a great time making fun of Erwin. Of course, they were so eager to accept Sherry''s story as the truth because they were somewhat envious of Erwin.


    Erwin paid no heed to their jibes as he shook his head with a resigned smile. Having already been friends with Larwood and the others for so long, he was naturally aware of what they were thinking.


    For the second day of the tournament, all of the matches were completed by about 3 PM, and the sun was just beginning to set. With the conclusion of those matches, the top 64 emerged. Larwood didn''t drink much, but Sherry had been coaxed into drinking until he was completely inebriated, and his face was looking as red as a boiled lobster. In contrast, Erwin had next to nothing to drink. He wasn''t reckless enough to burden his own body with excessive alcohol so soon after recovering from such severe injuries. The three of them emerged from the Yanler Pub to check out the matchups in the contestants'' area, and Sherry was virtually carried there by Erwin and Larwood.


    To their shock and dismay, Larwood''s opponent for the next round was none other than Sherry.


    Erwin looked at their two names on the matchup board, then glanced at the time that the match was scheduled for before patting both of them on the shoulder with a smile. "I''ll get up early to watch your match tomorrow."


    Larwood and Sherry exchanged a glance, and both of them remained silent.


    ...


    On the third day of the tournament, Erwin and the others all got up quite early. The match between Larwood and Sherry was one of the earliest matches of the day, and Erwin''s match was also in the morning.


    On this occasion, Erwin was set to the western contestant''s spectating platform, while Larwood and Sherry had already gone to register for their match. Thus, Erwin made his way through the passageway on his own to the western contestant''s spectating platform. From there, he looked into the venue to find that almost all of the seats were already filled.


    Some of the spectators seated near the contestant''s spectating platform immediately recognized Erwin, and they began to whistle at him before yelling his name. Initially, Erwin had thought that they were merely calling out a name that was similar to his, but as he turned around, he was surprised to find that there really were many spectators in the stands yelling his name while waving at him.


    Erwin was rather taken aback to see this, clearly not expecting this sudden rise in popularity, and he waved at the enthusiastic crowd in a slightly wooden manner with a rather stiff smile on his face. However, his gesture of waving at the crowd only attracted more attention from the spectators, and as a result, more and more of them began to chant his name, thereby stirring up quite a commotion.


    Right at this moment, a gorgeous red-haired figure approached him from behind, then said in a cold voice, "Stop waving at them, you attention whore! Everyone already recognizes you."


    Erwin wasn''t irked by Lana''s scathing words at all, and he turned to her with a smile as he said, "You''re here quite early today."


    Lana ignored his greeting as she examined him from top to bottom. "Looks like Her Highness''s magic potion really is a miracle worker. It''s only been a day and you already look like you''re fully healed."


    Erwin smiled as he pulled a magic potion vial out of his pocket before dangling it in front of Lana. "Her Highness''s magic potion did indeed work wonders, but your potion wasn''t bad, either."


    A begrudging smile appeared on Lana''s face in response. "Looks like you''re not a completely ungrateful brat, after all."


    Erwin returned her smile with a warm and radiant smile of his own.


    However, Lana''s expression suddenly darkened, and her eyes narrowed slightly as she asked, "Where''s Her Highness''s magic potion vial? I bet you''re carrying it with you as well, right?"


    Erwin''s throat immediately ran dry at the sight of her sudden change in expression, and he frantically looked around before casting his gaze toward the competition platform. "Look, Larwood and Sherry have entered the venue! It''s a good thing I got up early. Otherwise, I would''ve missed their match."


    Lana was rather amused by his terrible attempt to dodge the question, and she consoled in a gentle voice, "The princess was willing to use an extremely precious magic potion on you without any hesitation, so it''s quite normal that you''d want to carry the magic potion vial with you as a gesture of gratitude to her for saving your life. What are you so afraid of?"


    Erwin heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this and decided to come clean. "You''re right, I am carrying it with me."


    "So you really are carrying that promiscuous vixen''s pendant! Tell me the truth: do you have feelings for her?" The tone of Lana''s voice immediately took a dangerous turn, and even though she was still smiling, her teeth were already gnashing together in a hateful manner.


    Erwin couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath upon hearing this, and he didn''t know whether to commend Lana''s courage or be concerned for her recklessness. There certainly weren''t many people in the entire kingdom who would dare to call the princess a promiscuous vixen!


    "No, no, I only spoke with her that one time, and we barely said anything to each other!" Erwin hurriedly said while frantically casting a spell with one hand to conjure up a magic shield around his own waist. Otherwise, he was going to get zapped by another paralyzing lightning spell from Lana.


    "Oh..." Lana intentionally dragged out that syllable as she looked at Erwin with a smile on her face. "So you barely said anything to her, but she was willing to save you in front of so many people and even use the precious Springlay Fox bone marrow potion on you. You must be a very charismatic man! Could it be that she fell in love with you at first sight?"


    "It must be because Her Highness was impressed by my performance during my match, and she thought that it would be a pity for a young magician with limitless potential like myself to die so young, and that''s why she saved me," Erwin explained in a shameless manner, then nodded as if to approve of his own explanation.

 CH 15.2

    For some reason, the smile on Lana''s face was becoming more and more chilling to look at.


    "Sounds like you have it all figured out," Lana said with a smile and a nod as she unleashed around a dozen instant-release spells toward Erwin''s back, rear end, and the inside of his legs.


    Erwin reacted extremely quickly, twisting around to conjure up a magic shield behind himself, but there was still a burst of fire that he failed to keep out, and it struck his leg with unerring accuracy. He immediately let loose an agonized wail as he frantically patted his own leg, which was burning from the scorching fire.


    His cry of pain successfully attracted a lot of attention. Even before this, many people had already been discussing spiritedly among themselves at the sight of Erwin and Lana chatting with one another. Many of the men seized the moral high ground, expressing their disdain toward Erwin for being so close with Prince Lazaar''s daughter, even though it was clear that the princess had clearly already taken a liking to him. However, despite their righteous attitudes, they were actually extremely envious. Meanwhile, the women were denouncing Erwin for his apparent promiscuity, but at the same time, they couldn''t help but steal occasional glances at him.


    It was clear that Lana wasn''t going to let Erwin off the hook so easily, and he reached out in a blind panic to grab onto her slender hands as he implored, "Please, no more! That really hurt!"


    Lana gave a cold harrumph as a blush appeared on her face, and she quickly pulled her hands back, deciding to spare Erwin for now. She then averted her gaze with a slightly frustrated expression, wondering if Erwin had caught sight of the blush that had appeared on her face.


    Erwin heaved a long sigh of relief after being spared by Lana, and he directed his attention back to the competition platform, where the match between Larwood and Sherry had already begun.


    This was a clash between two martial artists, and for martial techniques practitioners of Larwood''s level, not only was this a battle of speed and power, it was also very important to choose a suitable weapon.


    Larwood had decided not to use his trusty boxing gloves for this match. Instead, he was wielding a longsword with one hand and a short sword in the other, giving him flexibility in both attack and defense. It was clear that he had specifically made this adjustment upon learning that Sherry was also a martial artist. As always, Larwood was quite sneaky and resourceful, and he had registered a lot of weapons, many of which even Erwin was oblivious to.


    As for Sherry, he was using a pair of push daggers, which were very suitable weapons for fast and agile users who preferred close-quarters combat.


    Sherry and Larwood both had exceptional speed and reflexes, so even after an extended series of clashes, neither one was able to find a chink in the other''s defense.


    Lana was clearly not very interested in this match. She appeared to be watching quite intently, but in reality, she was frequently yawning in boredom. Meanwhile, Erwin was looking at her from the side, staring at the gorgeous curvature of her eyelashes, which were fluttering ever so slightly each time she blinked, and he couldn''t help but be entranced by her beauty.


    "So you say that you''re here to watch the match, but you''ve been looking at me this entire time," Lana remarked in an indifferent voice without even turning to look at Erwin, and it seemed that she was struggling to keep her eyes open and not fall asleep.


    "I''m watching!" Erwin argued as he finally directed his gaze back to the competition platform. On the platform, Larwood wore a look of extreme concentration as he calmly warded off all of Sherry''s attacks. Sherry was attacking with his push daggers from all directions, unleashing a variety of different attacks, including swipes, jabs, slices, and stabs, but Larwood was able to nullify all of Sherry''s attacks with his twin swords, and as the battle became more and more drawn out, it was clear that Sherry was already beginning to run out of patience.


    "By the way, why did you come here so early? I recall that your match is scheduled for the afternoon?" Erwin asked as he turned back to Lana.


    "Focus on the match! The outcome is about to be decided," Lana said as she pointed forward with her chin, and her gaze was still fixed on the competition platform.


    Erwin also turned his gaze back to the competition platform, just in time to see Sherry spring up into the air before performing a somersault with his body curled up into a ball. His fists then came swooping down from above, and his push daggers were aimed directly at Larwood''s head. Larwood remained calm and collected as he raised his twin swords in defense, but Sherry had built up tremendous momentum in his attack. Larwood clearly failed to anticipate just how much power there was behind the attack, and after blocking Sherry''s push daggers, his arms were trembling slightly from the force of the impact.


    However, Larwood had extensive experience in fights and brawls, and he raised his twin swords vigorously before sweeping them horizontally through the air. At the same time, he stomped one foot onto the ground and launched himself backward at an incredible speed. As a result, Sherry''s push daggers plunged directly toward the ground, but he also reacted extremely quickly as he pressed a palm against the ground, then performed another somersault to right himself in mid-air. However, right as he was performing his somersault, Larwood abruptly stopped in his retreat, then sprang forward in an explosive lung with his longsword aimed directly at Sherry''s defenseless back. In order to achieve maximum acceleration, Larwood had used an advanced agility technique, and he was moving so quickly that Erwin was barely even able to track him with his eyes.


    Sherry knew that he was in trouble here, and he twisted around with all his might so that he could face Larwood''s attack head-on. However, Larwood was too fast in the end, and by the time Sherry had swiveled around to face him, the tip of his sword was already resting on Sherry''s throat.


    An administrator immediately raised a hand to adjudicate Larwood as the victor.


    "That friend of yours isn''t all that powerful, but he''s quite cunning and crafty," Lana remarked with a faint smile.


    "How so?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "He intentionally went back and forth with Sherry for an extended series of clashes, but he never actually used his full power. As the battle wore on, Sherry became more and more frustrated, and he didn''t want things to continue like that any longer, so he tried to unleash an all-out attack to end the battle on the spot. However, he failed to anticipate that this was exactly what Larwood was waiting for," Lana analyzed. "I bet even now, Sherry still hasn''t managed to figure out how Larwood managed to accelerate so drastically just now. The two of them are actually quite evenly matched in power, but Larwood is leagues ahead when it comes to wiles and tactical nous."


    "Hmm, now that you put it that way, Larwood really does seem to have tricks up his sleeve," Erwin replied. In reality, he was already aware of all of this. Having been friends with Larwood for so many years, he knew exactly what type of person Larwood was.


    "Your match is coming up soon, right?" Lana asked as she turned toward Erwin, then tagged on some nonchalant words of concern at the end. "Make sure you don''t kill yourself again."


    Erwin nodded in response with a wry smile.


    "Look over at the royal family''s spectating platform," Lana said as she gestured toward the north. "Her Highness has arrived."


    Erwin cast his gaze toward that direction to find that King Cameron had just arrived on the platform, followed by an entourage, which included Princess Onean and Master Piro. For some reason, Erwin couldn''t shake the feeling that Princess Onean had cast a subtle glance in his direction right as she was taking a seat.


    He took a glance at the clock in the venue, then hurriedly bade farewell to Lana before returning to the contestants'' area to prepare for his match.


    Thanks to his stunning performance during the previous day''s match, the administrator who completed his registration clearly paid more attention to him than they did to other contestants. The administrator who was responsible for his physical examination was very thorough in their work, and only after confirming without a doubt that he was fit for battle did they allow him to enter the lobby area.


    There were several contestants already gathered in the lobby area, and they were originally chatting with one another, but all of them stopped to look at Erwin as he entered the lobby. Given all of the attention he was receiving, Erwin couldn''t help but wonder if there was something on his face. At this point, the administrators had already brought out the equipment that he had registered, and looking at the pieces of equipment, Erwin could only assume that they had been stripped off his body while he was unconscious. It seemed that the tournament committee was being very strict in enforcing the new rules.


    "Erwin?" An administrator suddenly approached Erwin in the lobby, snapping Erwin out of his train of thought, and he nodded in response.


    "It''s time for your match." The administrator turned to depart, but then suddenly stopped in their tracks before continuing in a disgruntled voice, "Make sure you don''t destroy the competition platform again. You kept us up all night!"


    Erwin heaved a sympathetic sigh as he watched the administrator''s departing figure. Thinking back to the administrator''s bloodshot eyes, Erwin couldn''t help but feel a little guilty. However, the administrator''s wording of the situation was rather strange.


    It''s not like I''m a hostess from the Rivers Mansion, why am I being blamed for keeping you up at night?


    On this occasion, Erwin received a lot of cheering and applause as he walked out for his second match. Some were amazed by his resilience and vitality, able to recover from such severe injuries after just a single day of rest. Of course, there were also many spectators who were looking at him as one of the favorites to be crowned as the champion of the tournament. In addition to that, his unclear ties with the daughter of Prince Lazaar and Princess Onean provided a wealth of gossip material, so he really was the perfect contestant when it came to grabbing attention.


    Erwin looked around at the raucous venue, and thinking back to how he had almost died here two days ago, he was struck by a sense of surrealism.


    His opponent was Lanyon, a middle-aged magician who was quite ordinary in appearance, and a perplexed look appeared on Erwin''s face upon seeing this.


    Isn''t there supposed to be an age limit on the participants of the Pillow Sword Tournament? My opponent seems a little... mature...


    Lanyon seemed to have gleaned Erwin''s thoughts, and an awkward smile appeared on his face.


    The administrator''s magic blast was released, and the match commenced.


    Erwin kicked things off with his signature barrage of instant-release spells, and to no one''s surprise, Lanyon conjured up a magic shield to ward off the oncoming spells. Erwin then continued with his usual tactic of unleashing his space split technique to rise up into the air, where he could search for holes in his opponent''s defense.


    However, Lanyon had clearly done his homework coming into this match. He wasn''t distracted by Erwin''s instant-release spells at all, and he thumped his staff against the ground, instantly launching himself up into the sky so he was no more than two or three steps away from Erwin.


    Does he intend to use instant-release spells to challenge me to close-quarters combat? Erwin couldn''t help but be struck by a sense of familiarity with his opponent''s style of battle.


    Taking advantage of Erwin''s momentary lapse in concentration, Lanyon switched to a two-handed grip on his staff before letting loose a loud roar, upon which a bolt of indigo lightning erupted out of the tip of his staff, then hurtled directly toward Erwin. The bolt of lightning seemed to have sliced through the very air itself, leaving a trail of electricity and heat in its wake as it cast a menacing trajectory through the air.


    By the time the bolt of indigo lightning passed by Erwin, it had already been scattered into several dozen bursts of electricity. As it turned out, the bolt of lightning had struck the light shield that Erwin had just conjured up, and as a result, it had been completely split up.


    Lanyon''s eyes widened with astonishment as he stared at the light shield before him. It was incredible to him that Erwin had managed to nullify an attack from point-blank range so easily.


    All of the spectators in the venue immediately erupted into raucous cheers at the sight of the light shield''s return, but Lana, Princess Onean, Master Piro, and all of Erwin''s friends were looking on with tightly furrowed brows.


    This light shield was far smaller than the one that Erwin had conjured up during his first match, and it was only just large enough to encompass his body, but the spectators were still extremely excited to see the return to this miraculous spell.


    Inside the light shield, Erwin was dedicating himself fully to chanting an incantation in the ancient magic language. Even though the space within the light shield was far smaller than last time, the enormous amount of matter energy flowing into the light shield required the expenditure of a considerable amount of magic power to deal with. Thankfully, Erwin was already quite experienced at this point, and he was able to calmly and efficiently distribute the magic power within his own body.


    Lanyon naturally wasn''t just going to stand still and allow himself to be beaten. However, his magic power was inferior even to that of Erwin''s first-round opponent, Shaun, and he unleashed a few advanced spells in a row, none of which were able to do anything to Erwin''s light shield. In fact, the magic energy in his spells wasn''t even absorbed by the light shield. Instead, they were simply repelled, just like that bolt of indigo lightning from before.

 CH 15.3

    The administrators around the competition platform were already prepared to intervene in case Erwin unleashed some type of devastating spell again.


    All of a sudden, the weather began to take a drastic turn, and the sun was concealed behind a vast expanse of dark clouds.


    "Here it is! It''s that storm of swords from last time again!" some of the spectators exclaimed.


    Indeed, this was the same spell that had taken the combined efforts of over 10 administrators to withstand during Erwin''s first match, and waves of elated cheers rang out from the crowd upon seeing this.


    The dark clouds were filled with countless glowing purple longswords, and the light radiating from the longswords made them appear as if they were menacing eyes in the sky, looking down at Erwin''s opponent from above. The formidable storm of swords could fall at any moment, striking the beholder with a sense of awe and fear.


    Erwin raised his staff, and the countless swords in the sky began to converge and compress, forming a gargantuan purple sword in the blink of an eye. The tip of the sword was pointing directly at the top of Lanyon''s head, and the blade of the sword was riddled with countless glowing white runes. Lanyon attempted to use a levitation spell to evade Erwin''s attack, but the giant sword followed him wherever he went, as if it were going to permanently hang in the sky directly above Lanyon''s head.


    Erwin was rather amused by Lanyon''s panicked attempts to take evasive measures. He didn''t want to be accused of intentionally causing unnecessary harm to his opponent again, so he didn''t bring the giant sword down upon Lanyon. However, Lanyon was unwilling to surrender, and he was still putting up completely pointless resistance.


    Erwin looked on with an amused expression as Lanyon scurried all over the competition platform, then shook his head with a faint chuckle as he brought his palm down in one swift motion, upon which the massive sword immediately came flying down from above.


    Lanyon was so startled by this that his levitation spell was abruptly cut off, and he curled up into a ball in panic at the sight of the rapidly descending giant sword.


    An administrator on the side of the competition platform hurriedly raised a hand to adjudicate Erwin as the victor, and Erwin brought his own palm to a halt, upon which the enormous sword abruptly stopped cold in its tracks only a few meters above Lanyon''s head. At this point, Lanyon''s clothes were already drenched in a cold sweat. He was panting heavily as he stared at the gigantic sword hanging above his head, and his legs were so weak from fear that they refused to support his weight.


    A faint smile appeared on Erwin''s face as he basked in the sense of joy and superiority that came with being a powerful magician.


    "I didn''t think that he would master the spell so quickly. Looks like his understanding of the spell has improved even further," Master Piro murmured to himself as he looked at the elated Erwin through narrowed eyes.


    Following Erwin''s first match, Princess Onean had already approached Master Piro to ask him about the nature of Erwin''s magic. However, Master Piro has spent his entire life pursuing greater magic power and magic potion refinement, so his knowledge of space and time magic was also severely lacking. As a result, he was unable to answer any of Princess Onean''s questions.


    On the same day, Master Piro had asked Professor Hawk about why Erwin was so adept when it came to space and time magic, and Professor Hawk had seemed rather reluctant to provide an answer, dodging the question with a series of vague answers. Master Piro could only assume that this had something to do with the deceased wife of Count Friar. After witnessing the magic shield spell that Erwin had displayed on that day, Master Piro couldn''t shake the feeling that he had seen it somewhere before, and only after meeting Count Friar did he finally realize where this sense of familiarity was coming from. That, in addition to Professor Hawk''s reluctance to give a clear answer to his questions, gave him a rough idea of the circumstances involved.


    With that in mind, Master Piro turned to glance at King Cameron, who was looking on with an indifferent expression. He then cast his gaze toward his prized disciple, who had a thoughtful look on her face, and he shook his head as he heaved an internal sigh.


    "Don''t get distracted, Onean. Your match is coming up soon," Master Piro reprimanded in a stern voice.


    Only then did Onean return to her senses, and she nodded with a smile before getting up to prepare for her match.


    The third day of competition actually wasn''t even as spectacular as the first day of matches. Onean, Lana, and Jeff''s matches were all in the afternoon, and they were able to overcome their opponents with ease.


    In a tournament like this, it was naturally the case that not everyone could be happy. Sherry was very disappointed to have lost his match, and after watching Lana, Onean, and Jeff''s matches, Erwin caught sight of Sherry as he was walking through the western contestants'' area on the way to leaving the venue. Sherry was sitting by himself with a despondent and indignant expression, and Erwin gave him a pat on the shoulder as a gesture of consolation. Sherry could only lament his own ill-fortune for being pitted against the crafty Larwood.


    Sherry''s mood was lifted slightly by Erwin''s arrival. Even though he could take no further part in the tournament, at the very least, he had met a new group of friends.


    "Did you win your match, Master Erwin?" Sherry asked as he turned to look at Erwin.


    Erwin nodded in response, then cast his gaze toward the setting sun. It was already dusk, and the winter chill was beginning to set in. He turned back to Sherry with a smile and said, "Don''t be so down in the dumps. Let''s go have a drink, it''ll be my treat."


    In order to celebrate Erwin and Larwood''s advancement into the top 32 contestants of the tournament, Kaiba made a show of generosity to pay the bill for all of the customers in the Yanler Pub. He also sent a few horse-drawn carriages to bring over some of the finest hostesses from the nearby mansions to celebrate with everyone. The party was quite an eye-opening experience for Sherry, and it gave him a look into the extravagant world of the nobles, which Erwin and the others were all a part of.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Fuller and Archbishop Sirius of the True Light Church were discussing something while seated on the crude sofa in the secret chamber of the magic materials shop in Leah Alley. As usual, the room was extremely dimly lit, and it seemed to be the perfect place for all sinister plots to be hatched away from the light of day.


    Prime Minister Fuller''s face was completely veiled in darkness as he said, "I''ve already contacted General Gilgen of the Skycourt Kingdom, and he''s already sent several dozen elite legions to the border of Burmen. In total, that should amount to roughly 150,000 troops."


    "150,000 troops should be enough to alert His Majesty and Governor Jenkins''s faction, right?" Archbishop Sirius asked as he turned to Fuller.


    "As long as we can sow a seed of doubt in His Majesty''s heart toward Prince Lazaar, Governor Jenkins''s faction will definitely pounce on the opportunity to urge His Majesty to go to the front lines," Fuller replied in a confident voice. "Additionally, if His Majesty really does decide to strike down Prince Lazaar, then the troops from the Skycourt Kingdom won''t be the only reason that he steps onto the battlefield."


    "Hehe, as expected of someone who''s been in the royal court for so long, you have His Majesty and Jenkins''s faction wrapped around your finger," Sirius said with a sinister smile.


    In contrast, Fuller''s grim expression remained unchanged as he said in a slightly hesitant voice, "Everything will work as long as you can ensure that Lazaar will fall into our trap as we planned."


    "There''s no need to worry about that. I know exactly what Lazaar''s intentions are. All he needs is a catalyst to set things into motion." A derisive sneer appeared on Sirius''s face at the thought of Lazaar. "If he has no intention of rebelling, then why has he painstakingly gathered so many troops on the border over the years? On top of that, he''s thoroughly invested in his three children. If any of them were to perish by someone''s hands, he would definitely go after them, even if His Majesty is the culprit."


    Fuller nodded in response upon hearing this, then asked with furrowed brows, "But Onean is just as precious to His Majesty. If something happens to her, His Majesty isn''t going to execute Lazaar on the spot, is he?"


    "His Majesty isn''t an idiot. With the army of the Skycourt Kingdom invading the Effer Kingdom, how can they oppose the invasion without Lazaar''s elite troops? The Royal Cavalry Brigade and those nobles haven''t been in any wars for close to 20 years already. If they get sent to the frontlines, they''ll just be slaughtered!" Sirius analyzed. "Of course, Lazaar is no fool, either. He specifically left his eldest son to hold the fort at Burmen. If His Majesty dares to do anything to Lazaar, do you think his eldest son will just let things slide?"


    Fuller couldn''t help but be impressed by how clear an understanding Sirius had of the state of affairs, but he then asked, "Then once Lazaar returns to Burmen, he''s not actually going to start a war with General Gilgen, is he?"


    "I don''t think Lazaar would be so foolishly loyal. Wouldn''t you agree?" Sirius wasn''t looking at Fuller as he was speaking, and it looked as if he were raising the question toward himself. "If it''s necessary, I''ll drop him some subtle hints, and I''m sure he won''t be so foolish as to declare all-out war on the Skycourt Kingdom. Having said that, I don''t think that''ll be required when the time comes."


    "That''s true. Over the years, Prince Lazaar has proven himself to be a master general and tactician. When the time comes, he may even end up contacting General Gilgen himself without us having to pull any strings," Fuller said with a sinister smile.


    "Indeed. If Lazaar decides to do something, then you can count on him to be ruthless and decisive, so I''m sure he won''t disappoint us," Sirius said. "At the end of the day, what I''m most worried about is whether that magic potion brewed using your Scarlet Dragon liver juices will have the effect that you claim it will."


    "Rest assured, I''ve already tested it on one of my servants. I only used a single drop, and he''s already gone insane," Fuller replied with a smile. "Most importantly, it''s impossible to find out the cause of insanity and trace it back to the potion. Even I couldn''t find any signs pointing to the potion as the cause."


    "In terms of magic potion brewing expertise, your skills are on par with those of Master Piro. In addition to that, the potion has no color, taste, or odor, so they definitely won''t be able to find out about it. However, if its effect really is as strong as you proclaim, then wouldn''t Lazaar become suspicious and investigate the matter?" Sirius asked with furrowed brows.


    "This is the backup plan that I told you I already prepared last time. I instructed the Lodais Organization to manipulate the evidence so that if there''s an investigation, it''ll be found that the Scarlet Dragon liver juices came from Jenkins," Fuller replied in an assured voice.


    "That''s brilliant!" Sirius praised with a nod of approval. "No matter how you look at this, Jenkins is the likeliest suspect."


    The two of them exchanged a smile.


    "By the way, what do you think of Count Friar''s son, Erwin?" Fuller asked.


    Sirius thought about the question for a moment before replying, "He''s a time and space magician, and that''s rather interesting. Wasn''t Count Friar''s wife the last time and space magician? It makes sense that he takes after her, doesn''t it?"


    "He''s not going to cause any disruption to our plan, is he?" Fuller asked as he looked at Sirius with a cautious expression.


    "He''s still nowhere near powerful enough to disrupt our plan. Truth be told, I actually want there to be more time and space magicians in this world," Sirius replied.


    "Why''s that?" A perplexed look appeared on Fuller''s face.


    "These time and space magicians think that they''re mastering the power of time and space, but in reality, every time they use this type of magic, the order of space and time will be damaged. Over time, the damage will continue to pile up and accumulate until eventually, the balance of space and time will be broken," Sirius explained with a smile. "Once the balance between space and time is destroyed, our omnipotent lord will be able to descend from his space into our space!"


    "Then what are we doing secretly mining Fall Crystals in the Terarody Mountain Ranges? Can''t we just wait until he masters time and space magic?" Fuller chuckled in an amused voice.


    "Who knows how long it''ll take until he reaches a level of mastery in his magic that''ll allow him to break the order of space and time? The deepest part of the Fall Crystal mine is connected to the time and space where our lord dwells. Once all of the Fall Crystals are mined, the passageway will be cleared out. That is the main objective we should be pursuing," Sirius explained.


    Fuller was naturally aware of this as well.


    "I recall that Count Friar''s wife died under very suspicious circumstances. Do you still remember that?" Sirius asked.


    "I do. Apparently, she died from complications during childbirth, but it''s been quite a few years, so I don''t remember the exact details anymore," Fuller replied with a shake of his head.


    "Back then, Friar and His Majesty were virtually inseparable, but for some reason, the two of them began to grow apart after that," Sirius said with a reminiscent expression.


    "No one knows exactly what happened between them," Fuller said with a resigned shrug.


    "Who knows? Anyway, that''s a completely unrelated topic. There''s no point in talking about such things," Sirius said with a shake of his head, displaying no interest in discussing this topic any further.

 CH 16.1

    Due to the fact that there were only 32 contestants left, there were far fewer matches than in previous rounds. Thus, the matchups were released on the same day as the day of the competition, rather than the day before. All the contestants had to do was go to the eastern and western contestants'' areas at around 8 AM on the day of the competition, and they would be able to see when their matches were scheduled.


    Once the matchups for the fourth day were released, Larwood was plunged into complete despair as his opponent for the next round was none other than Jeff Lazaar. No matter how crafty or resourceful he was, there was simply nothing he could do against an opponent so much more powerful than himself.


    "So? What are your odds right now?" Erwin certainly wasn''t going to pass up this opportunity to make fun of Larwood. After all, he was simply repaying the favor.


    "I just had a look, and at the moment, the betting odds for Larwood winning his match is around 1:0.5," Chase said as he patted Larwood on the shoulder. "You''re not going to score a massive upset as well, are you?"


    "You bet I will! In fact, I advise all of you to bet all of your money on me! I don''t even need to break a sweat to beat him," Larwood said in a sarcastic voice.


    "It''s true! You won''t break a sweat at all if you get knocked out in one move!" Kaiba burst into boisterous laughter as he spoke.


    The group continued to make fun of Larwood while having breakfast together. As for Sherry, he had too much to drink the night before, and he still hadn''t woken up yet even after sleeping like a log the entire night. Even now, he was still snoring loudly in the tent that Erwin and his friends had rented.


    Larwood''s match was scheduled to be a little earlier than Erwin''s, but both of their matches were in the morning. Among the four of them, Chase was the one who hated getting up early the most, so he had complained extensively about having to wake up early two days in a row.


    Erwin and Larwood''s matches were coming up soon, so they didn''t have too much to eat. In contrast, Chase and Kaiba were far more liberal with their food intake. By the time Larwood and Erwin were finished with their meals, Kaiba and Chase were still eating, so Erwin and Larwood left early to register for their matches.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    To no one''s surprise, as Larwood and Jeff stepped onto the competition platform, there were many young women cheering and applauding for Jeff. By Erwin''s estimates, Larwood was most likely cursing Jeff over and over again in his heart.


    Erwin then cast his gaze toward the opposing contestant''s spectating platform. He had already noticed that Lana was on the other side as soon as he came in, and he could tell that she was very much looking forward to watching the match.


    Looks like she still hasn''t gotten over her grudge against Larwood, Erwin thought to himself as a wry smile appeared on his face.


    After that, he turned toward the royal family''s spectating platform, but Princess Onean wasn''t there, so it seemed that they were coming later than usual.


    Jeff was still wielding his Black Blaze longsword. He was holding it with one hand while his other hand was clasped behind his back, and he was looking extremely relaxed, seemingly completely disregarding Larwood as an opponent.


    As for Larwood, he was also wielding a sword, but his sword was held up in front of him in a cautious manner. He didn''t appear to be all that nervous. Instead, he looked to be quite confident, despite the vast gap in power between himself and his opponent, and Erwin couldn''t help but admire Larwood''s mindset.


    The magic blast was fired, and the match began.


    Jeff launched himself forward off one foot, and his free hand was still clasped behind his back, while the tip of his sword had already appeared right in front of Larwood''s face. All of the spectators let loose a collective gasp upon seeing this, and even the spectators who were watching the match intently weren''t able to keep up with Jeff with their eyes, let alone those who weren''t watching carefully.


    Larwood was given such a fright by this sudden development that cold sweat immediately began to pour down his face. He held up his sword to parry the oncoming attack, and in the instant that the two swords clashed, he was forcibly knocked back a few steps.


    How is he so strong? Larwood thought to himself with an alarmed expression.


    In Larwood''s eyes, Jeff had to be a martial artist who specialized in speed. Otherwise, there was no way that he could be so fast. However, in this first clash alone, Larwood could sense that he was far stronger than even the advanced martial artists from Teedus Academy who specialized in strength and power. A sharp jolt of pain and numbness shot through his sword-wielding hand, and his wrist and arm were both trembling slightly.


    Looks like Erwin was right. He wasn''t using anywhere near his full power in our last fight! Larwood thought to himself.


    However, Jeff certainly wasn''t going to give Larwood a chance to catch his breath. He drove one foot into the ground to stop himself cold in his tracks, then switched Black Blaze to his other hand before swiveling around to sweep his sword through the air with its blade slashing directly toward Larwood''s throat. Throughout the past few days of competition, all of the spectators always had goosebumps whenever they saw Jeff in action. His swordsmanship and way of movement completely shattered everyone''s understanding of martial techniques and even the laws of physics, showing everyone that it was possible to instantly arrest one''s momentum at will.


    For martial artists, the body often turned out to be a hindrance. However, Jeff was as fast as lightning when in motion while also being able to instantly stop on the spot at will, and it seemed that he wasn''t burdened by his own body at all. This was a level of bodily mastery that should''ve only been possible to achieve with several decades of training. However, Jeff was able to achieve this at such a young age, and that was what was most astounding to everyone.


    Larwood could tell that Jeff''s attack had been imbued with astonishing power, and he immediately placed one hand behind the blade of his sword while holding tightly onto the hilt, using the sword as a shield to oppose Black Blaze.


    The tip of Black Blaze struck the blade of Larwood''s longsword with a loud clang, and as a result of the clash, Larwood was sent sliding back uncontrollably for several meters. By the time he came to a rest, there was smoke rising up from the soles of his shoes.


    Larwood was panting heavily as he took a glance at the indentation on the blade of his sword, around which was a charred section, and once again, he was astonished by Jeff''s incredible strength. He was using a longsword that had been forged from diamond copper ore, which could snap or slice through normal swords with ease, so the fact that it had been dented so severely was nothing short of astounding to Larwood.


    On this occasion, Jeff had no intention of drawing out the battle to torment Larwood. Instead, he was trying to end the fight with every single attack. While Larwood was sliding back along the ground, Jeff had already launched himself up into the air, and it appeared that he was about to unleash the same attack that he had used to finish off his opponent in the first round. Sure enough, Erwin looked on with an anxious expression as Jeff whirled around in mid-air, and his Black Blaze longsword swept through the air in a beautiful arc, slashing down toward Larwood, who was still yet to gather himself after the previous attack.


    Last time, Erwin had already witnessed this attack, which had wooed countless young female spectators in the stands, and seeing it again, Erwin realized that Jeff had still been holding back during his match in the first round. The power and brutality of this attack were both far superior to the last time it was unleashed.


    Larwood looked on as Black Blaze came sweeping down from the heavens like a furious black wyrm that was breathing black flames. The attack was imbued with devastating power, and Larwood knew that he wouldn''t be able to defend himself against it.


    All of a sudden, a devious smile appeared on Larwood''s face as he raised his longsword against his opponent in retaliation.


    In Jeff''s eyes, Larwood''s struggles were completely futile, and a disdainful sneer appeared on his face. There was an overwhelming gap in power between the two, and there was nothing that Larwood could do about it.


    Sure enough, as the two of them clashed, Larwood was completely powerless to resist, and the longsword in his grasp was sent flying out of his hand by Jeff''s Black Blaze. In the same instant, Jeff unleashed four sword strikes in a row, and there was no time for Larwood to evade any of them. Thus, Black Blaze inflicted long gashes onto Larwood''s shoulder, arm, chest, and back, and blood immediately began to pour out of all four gashes.


    Right as all of the spectators thought that the match would conclude with Larwood''s suicidal counterattack, he suddenly pulled out a dagger, which had been concealed in a sheath beside his waist this entire time, then sent it flying with all his might.


    At this point, Jeff and Larwood were situated extremely close to one another, so Jeff had no time to evade or retreat. Even with his exceptional speed and bodily control, Jeff could only look on as Larwood''s dagger came flying directly toward his own glabella.


    All of the spectators drew a collective sharp breath upon seeing this, and many of them were already beginning to denounce Larwood for his underhanded tactics.


    Even Lana was looking on with tightly furrowed brows at the unexpected dagger that was flying directly toward her brother.


    "What a scumbag! How low is he willing to stoop to win? What if he ends up killing someone?" Some of the spectators had already risen from their seats with furious expressions.


    "I say he should be disqualified from the tournament right away!"


    "Disqualified from the tournament? I think he should be thrown into prison for attempted murder!"


    Erwin could hear all of the spectators'' enraged voices, and even he didn''t think that Larwood would go so far for this match.


    If that dagger hits him in the face, he''s definitely going to be disfigured. Looks like Larwood really hates that face of his! Erwin thought to himself.


    However, Jeff then executed a breathtaking maneuver. He stared intently at the dagger that was flying directly toward his glabella, and in that instant, time seemed to have fallen completely still. He could sense the unbridled killing intent coming from the dagger, and right as the tip of the dagger was about to strike him, he reached out with his left hand like lightning toward the dagger. At this point, the tip of the dagger was only mere centimeters away from his glabella, but it had been stopped cold in its tracks, caught between three of Jeff''s fingers with unerring accuracy. His movements had seemed graceful and relaxed, but in reality, if he made even the slightest misjudgment, then he would''ve been disfigured for sure. Thankfully, he had such an overwhelming advantage in power over Larwood that even this underhanded sneak attack wasn''t enough to land a blow on him. All of the spectators heaved a collective sigh of relief upon seeing this, and the denouncement against Larwood died down significantly.

 CH 16.2

    Jeff was still hovering in mid-air with his clothes gently flapping in the wind around him, holding Black Blaze in one hand and Larwood''s dagger in the other. His grace and elegance immediately had countless young female spectators swooning out of their seats.


    Meanwhile, Larwood was sitting on the ground with his hands pressed over his own wounds, and he spat in disgust at the sight of Jeff''s cocky display.


    An administrator hurriedly raised a hand to adjudicate Jeff as the victor.


    Jeff landed on the ground, then turned to Larwood with a cold expression, and a derisive sneer appeared on his face.


    Larwood raised his head and looked directly into Jeff''s eyes, and he didn''t look defeated at all. In fact, he appeared to be completely unfazed by the loss, and a smug smile appeared on his face, as if he were saying "you may be far more talented and powerful than I am, but you still came within a hair''s breadth of losing to me in the end!". Two administrators made their way onto the competition platform to help Larwood down from it, but Larwood slapped their hands away in a cold manner, then struggled to his feet with difficulty, using his sword as a crutch. He paid no heed to the bleeding of his wounds as he stood up shakily before turning to depart. Along the way, he completely ignored the tens of thousands of pairs of derisive eyes focused on him, and his cocky smile didn''t waver in the slightest.


    Erwin was looking from the spectating platform, and he knew that Larwood was more heavily impacted by this loss than he made it seem. Thinking back to the sneak attack he had unleashed on Jeff, a series of mixed emotions welled up in his heart. In a battle against Larwood, one would never be able to predict the outcome until the very end.


    As Erwin stepped onto the platform for his match, there were many thoughts in his mind. Truth be told, he really did cherish this opportunity, and he was certain that Larwood was the same, even though the two of them had entered the tournament with minimal expectations. After all, young people needed acknowledgment and affirmation, particularly young men like Larwood and Erwin, who were always seen as young nobles who lived off the reputation and wealth of their parents. No matter how shamelessly they normally behaved, this bias that was held against them still stung them greatly.


    For this match, Erwin''s opponent was a martial artist. Thinking back, this was the first martial artist that Erwin had faced in this tournament.


    As soon as the match began, Erwin''s opponent immediately unleashed an advanced agility technique, which allowed him to close down the distance between himself and Erwin, and he was doing everything in his power to stay in close proximity to Erwin. It was clear that he had studied Erwin''s past battles and was trying to deny Erwin the opportunity to use his light shield.


    When facing martial artists, Erwin''s preferred mode of battle was to distance himself from his opponent, then use instant-release spells with strong tracing properties to harass them. This was a tactic that he employed very often when sparring against Kaiba, Larwood, and Chase. This was the first time that Erwin was coming up against a martial artist ever since he had mastered the light shield spell.


    Of course, against an advanced martial artist, Erwin was still at a disadvantage when it came to close-quarters combat.


    His opponent for this match was wielding twin blades, and he was clearly very well-grounded in the basics. Every single attack of his, including upward and downward slashes, stabs, and horizontal swipes were strung up in a seamless sequence. As a result, Erwin was forced to focus entirely on evasion, and was unable to unleash any instant-release spells.


    The spectators were very intrigued to see this. They had expected Erwin to overcome his opponent with ease, but it appeared that he was having a lot more trouble than expected. After two rounds of competition, the spectators had already grown bored of the one-sided matches that the tournament favorites, such as Lana, Jeff, and Princess Onean featured in. Erwin was another tournament favorite in their eyes, yet he seemed to have been forced firmly onto the back foot, and all of the spectators suddenly became much more invested in the match. Of course, they were still rooting for Erwin to win, but they wanted him to have some trouble in the process so it wouldn''t just be another boring one-sided affair. Just like Erwin''s first-round match against Shaun, they wanted to see some suspense being built up.


    If Erwin were to be made aware of what the spectators were thinking, he would be utterly bemused. He wasn''t intentionally building suspense or putting himself in a difficult situation for theatrical effect, he really was struggling against his opponent! It was clear that his opponent had done plenty of homework prior to their match. This was the problem with being seen as one of the tournament favorites. All of the contestants in the tournament who had any level of renown were studied extensively by their opponents. This was a triennial tournament, so it was a very rare opportunity, and everyone wanted to put on the best possible showing.


    At this point, Erwin had already evaded dozens of attacks from his opponent, and he hadn''t managed to unleash a single spell. The only enhancement he had made to himself was the intermediate agility technique he had used to boost his own speed at the beginning of the match, but that was far inferior to his opponent''s advanced agility technique. Furthermore, that was a martial technique. Thus, he was a magician who was unable to use any spells, and that was naturally a very awkward situation.


    Having dodged so many attacks, Erwin was already breathing quite heavily. After all, he was a magician, so his physical conditioning couldn''t compare with that of an advanced martial artist, and his stamina was clearly running out. Many gashes had already been cut open on his magician''s robe, and around a dozen wounds had also been sliced onto his body. Thankfully, they were all shallow wounds that were overly impairing to him.


    His opponent could see that he had seized the initiative, and he naturally wasn''t going to allow Erwin any respite. At times, he held his twin blades with a conventional grip, at other times, he employed a reverse grip, and he also occasionally adopted a mixed grip. In doing so, he was able to fully exploit the advantages of his weapons to apply maximum pressure onto Erwin.


    What was even more alarming to Erwin was that his opponent''s movements were becoming faster and faster. He didn''t know what martial technique his opponent was using, but he could clearly sense the lack of some elemental matter in the space around him. It was clear that his opponent was able to absorb the surrounding elemental matter while in battle to enhance his own power and speed.


    Lana was watching from the spectating platform, and she was quite amused at the sight of Erwin''s struggles.


    Let''s see how you dig yourself out of this hole, you little rascal!


    Princess Onean had only arrived at the venue not long ago, and she was also watching the match from the contestant''s spectating platform. Despite the peril that Erwin was in, she wore a relaxed smile as she looked forward to seeing how Erwin was going to turn the tables.


    If things were to continue like this, it wouldn''t take long before Erwin would fall to an inevitable defeat. With that in mind, he knew that he couldn''t just evade any longer. Thus, he began to reflexively evade his opponent''s attacks in a small area.


    Meanwhile, his opponent was really beginning to hit his stride. He continued to absorb the elemental matter in the air, and as a result, his blades became more and more powerful, and it seemed that it would only be a matter of time before he claimed victory in the match. He held his blades in a reverse grip and slashed them horizontally through the air to force Erwin back into retreat, then spun around without any hesitation, adjusting his grip on his blades as he did so before slashing one of them directly down toward Erwin''s head, while slashing the other one upward from down below.


    This sequence of attacks from the martial artist could barely even be tracked by the naked eye, and right as his blade was about to reach Erwin''s forehead, Erwin''s eyes abruptly lit up as a faint smile appeared on his face.


    This is it!


    Through the use of a space split technique, he was able to instantly open up some distance between himself and his opponent, immediately following which around a dozen instant-release spells were sent flying directly toward his opponent. This was the first time that Erwin had unleashed his space split technique during this battle, and he was able to do so as his opponent had absorbed all of the elemental matter in the surrounding space.


    The martial artist looked on with an astonished expression as his blades struck nothing but empty air, and before he had a chance to return to his senses in the wake of his opponent''s sudden disappearance, he was struck by the barrage of instant-release spells.


    A violent explosion of purple magic energy erupted forth, and the spectators could just barely make out the martial artist tumbling along the ground amid a string of agonized howls. All of Erwin''s instant-release spells had been imbued with negative status conditions, including paralysis, scorch, frostbite, and disorientation. All of these negative status conditions were instantly inflicted upon his opponent, and even though he was facing an advanced martial artist, his opponent still possessed a human body, after all, and all of these negative status conditions at once were too much for him to handle.


    As a result, Erwin''s opponent was sent crashing to the ground, and his arms and legs were all spasming uncontrollably. In fact, if one were to look closely, one would see that his entire body was spasming unnaturally aside from his eyes. He tried to clamber to his feet, yet his arms and legs refused to listen to his instructions, and he could only slap the ground with his palm in anger and frustration. To put it more accurately, he tried to slap the ground with his palm, but in reality, his hand only flopped up and down a few times.


    It was clear that Erwin''s opponent had lost the ability to continue fighting, and an administrator immediately raised a hand to adjudicate Erwin as the victor.


    Erwin heaved a long sigh of relief upon seeing this. He had been dominated the entire match, but just as his opponent was lured into a false sense of security, he was able to successfully turn the tables on him. After that battle of life and death against Shaun, he felt like neither of the two opponents he had encountered since were powerful enough to defeat him.


    Meanwhile, the spectators were still rather dissatisfied. Even though Erwin had been at a disadvantage this entire match, he was able to turn the tables in an instant, so there was no outlet for all of the emotions that had been building up in the spectators'' hearts. They were hoping that Erwin would show off some type of special spell, but they were sorely disappointed.


    At the same time, an amused smile appeared on the faces of both Lana and Princess Onean, as if they had a tacit understanding with one another.

 CH 17.1

    Even though Erwin had progressed after an arduous match, Larwood had been eliminated in the round of 32. The group of friends gathered together, and Larwood didn''t want to sour the mood, so he still wanted to hold a celebration for Erwin, but Erwin turned down the offer. He didn''t want to hold a celebration when Larwood clearly wasn''t in the mood for rejoicing. Furthermore, everyone had drunk a lot the past few days, and Chase and Kaiba were also glad to be able to give their livers a break.


    Thus, that night, Larwood, Chase, and Kaiba returned to Sarus to have some fun together, while Erwin decided not to go with them as he wanted to prepare for his upcoming match the next day. There was no way that Sherry''s money pouch was going to be able to keep up with the extravagant spending of the young nobles, so he wisely returned to Seaford Academy after bidding farewell to Erwin.


    After everyone left, Erwin was the only one remaining in the huge tent, and he laid on his bed alone, flipping through the pages of "Laws of Time and Space" and "A Discussion on the Ultimate Damage of Magic", but he found himself unable to focus on the words on the pages.


    He applied the ointment that Larwood had left for him onto his own body while murmuring to himself, "In circumstances of extreme instability, rifts will exist between space and time... Rifts? And what does it mean when it refers to circumstances of extreme instability?"


    Erwin pondered these words for a long time, but to no avail, and at this point, he could no longer be bothered to try and deduce whether he had misinterpreted the meaning of the third chapter. His self-doubt had begun ever since Larwood and the others left for Sarus, and after flipping through the pages of the book countless times, he was still unable to find an answer. Initially, he wondered whether he had made an incorrect interpretation. After that, he began to wonder whether he should be doubting himself. The two contradicting thoughts always led to a dead-end, and in the end, Erwin decided to give up on the matter for now.


    He stowed the two books away in the sheepskin satchel that he was always carrying, then placed the satchel beneath his bed before deciding to go and take a stroll in the night market to alleviate his accumulated mental fatigue.


    During the past few nights, he had either been hanging out at the pub or lying on his bed to recover from his injuries, so he had never visited the night market. On either side of the boardwalks of different sizes in the market stood a series of wooden poles, each of which was several meters tall. A thin copper rod was inserted into each wooden pole near the top, and magic gas lamps of different colors were hanging by metal chains from the copper rods. The gas lamps swayed occasionally amid the fierce wintry wind, and the metal chains clinked and clanged faintly as a result. In the brightly lit setting, the chill in the air seemed to have been significantly alleviated. There were also colorful flags dangling down from the top of the wooden poles, giving the lively and bustling market a joyful atmosphere.


    A little girl who appeared to be of the age where she had only just started going to school joyfully accepted a lollipop from the owner of a candy shop, and after removing the wrapper from the lollipop, the colorful spiral of the lollipop suddenly began to revolve. The rainbow spiral spun faster and faster, and the little girl was entranced as she looked on with a dazed expression. All of a sudden, a fiery phoenix erupted out of the dazzling spiral, then gave a clear cry before flying up into the heavens. The little girl hurriedly raised her head to look up at the night sky, while the flames on the phoenix''s body began to take on a rainbow hue as well. After that, the fiery phoenix exploded with a loud thump, releasing a beautiful rainbow firework that dissipated in the sky shortly thereafter.


    The little girl immediately began to clap and giggle with joy upon seeing this, and the lollipop that she was holding had taken on a fiery hue. She watched the "fiery" revolving vortex that she was holding with a curious expression, then took a bite before chewing vigorously. It seemed that the lollipop was a little hot, and after she swallowed her first mouthful, she immediately gave a loud burp, upon which a huge plume of fire erupted out of her mouth. Many of the passersby were quite amused to see this, and the little girl was also quite amazed herself as she giggled joyfully before running away with her lollipop to look for her friends.


    Erwin looked on at the little girl''s departing figure, then cast his gaze toward the lively crowd in the night market. There were people lining up in front of all of the stalls selling snacks, and it really was a fantastic atmosphere to be in.


    "Stop following me!" Amid the rabble and commotion, Erwin heard a familiar voice ring out from not far away. An amused smile appeared on his face as he identified the owner of the voice, and he shook his head before crouching down to hide beside a stall that was selling fruit wine.


    Shortly thereafter, a red-haired beauty emerged, and it was none other than Lana. On this occasion, she was wearing a tight-fitting black dress that covered her entire body aside from her cleavage and her calves. In addition to that, she was wearing a gray rabbit fleece coat outside of her dress. She was dressed rather conservatively tonight, much to Erwin''s dismay, as there really wasn''t much to look at given the comprehensive coverage of her clothes.


    Walking along beside Lana was Jeff, and there seemed to be someone trailing along behind them.


    Erwin took a closer look before murmuring to himself, "Isn''t that Byron Shreesan? What is he doing with Lana and Jeff?"


    After the three of them passed by the fruit wine stall, Erwin sneakily followed along behind them.


    All of a sudden, Lana stopped in her tracks before turning around to glare at someone behind her. Erwin was given quite a fright by this, thinking that he had been discovered, and he hurriedly hid himself behind a burly passerby on the street. Only then did he realize that Lana had actually been glaring at Byron. From then onward, Erwin made sure to maintain a certain distance from Lana and Jeff, but was still close enough to eavesdrop on their conversation.


    Byron was clearly quite offended by Lana''s inhospitable display, but he didn''t dare to voice his dissatisfaction.


    "Jeff, you go speak to him," Lana said as she pouted at Jeff.


    "Lana, don''t be so rude!" Jeff turned to glare at Lana as he said, "Byron has been kind enough to invite us to visit the night market, and you''re being extremely rude to him!"


    "Fine! If you want his company, then you can hang out with him! I''m going back," Lana grumbled with a disgruntled expression.


    A wry smile appeared on Jeff''s face. This was their father''s arrangement, so he felt bound by duty to see it through, but whenever Lana threw a tantrum, he would be left completely powerless. Thus, he turned to Byron with an awkward expression.


    Byron was also feeling quite awkward, and after a moment of hesitation, he said, "It''s alright, Jeff. It seems like my presence is rather bothersome for Miss Lana, so I''ll be taking my leave now."


    Jeff knew that convincing Byron to stay wouldn''t be a good idea, but it also seemed rude to let Byron go, so he was at a loss for what to do. After the first day of the Pillow Sword Tournament, Duke Shreesan had paid Prince Lazaar a visit, and they enjoyed a very pleasant chat together. Not long after that came the invitation from Byron, and Jeff naturally knew that their father wanted to make a couple out of Byron and Lana, but Lana was completely opposed to the idea.


    Originally, the plan was for Lana and Byron to come out on their own, but Lana was extremely opposed to the prospect of visiting the night market with no one else but Byron. As a result, Jeff was forced to come along, and he practically had to drag Lana out the door to meet with Byron.


    After being insulted on multiple occasions by Lana, Byron had well and truly had enough, and he was determined to leave. Jeff was unable to convince him to stay, so he could only accompany Byron back to Sarus.


    Byron was an extremely proud and haughty character, but ever since he had been comprehensively crushed by Lana on the first day of the Pillow Sword Tournament, he had fallen head over heels for her, completely mesmerized by the combination of power and beauty. He was even willing to set his pride aside and implore his father to pay Prince Lazaar a visit to see if Lana were available. Duke Shreesan was resistant to the idea at first, but he was worn down by his son in the end and paid a visit to Prince Lazaar''s manor in person. To his surprise, Prince Lazaar wasn''t opposed to the idea at all, and he even encouraged Byron to take the initiative.


    Byron was ecstatic after hearing this news from his father, and he and Lana were supposed to visit the night market on their own, but Lana was vehemently opposed to the idea. If Jeff hadn''t agreed to come with them, she most likely wouldn''t have come out to meet Byron at all. Even though she had come to the night market, she was still extremely cold and hostile toward Byron. Byron had always had a superiority complex over others, and this was the first time he was being looked down on, so it was naturally quite a humiliating experience for him.


    Even as Byron turned to depart, he still couldn''t help but turn back to take one final longing look at Lana. His gaze roamed over her fiery red hair, her elegant figure, and her beautiful blue eyes, which were still so captivating even with such cold emotions displayed within them. Her pout was countless times more beautiful than even the warmest of smiles from other women, and Byron didn''t dare to stare for too long as he hurriedly lowered his head. He was so nervous that he was unable to speak, and the sense of inferiority in his heart was growing more and more pronounced.


    Erwin had watched the entire situation unfold, and he had a rough idea of what was happening. Theoretically speaking, he should''ve been quite pleased about this situation. After all, Lana had never treated him with such hostility and disdain. However, for some reason, he was feeling quite infuriated instead.


    Lana didn''t want to look at Byron any longer, yet just as she was about to turn around, an arm suddenly wound itself around her waist. She looked down at the arm that had abruptly appeared around her waist with a stunned expression, yet before she had a chance to react, the arm wound itself tighter around her, and she gave a surprised yelp as she found herself pressed up against the owner of the arm.


    Erwin wasn''t looking at Lana. Instead, he wore a steely expression as he glowered at Byron and Jeff. His arm remained tightly wound around Lana''s soft and slender waist, while his other hand had already gripped onto the staff that was concealed up his sleeve. He didn''t know what had come over him just now, but never had he made such a courageous move. The woman in his arms could easily reduce him to a piece of scorched charcoal with her spells, yet in this moment, he felt completely fearless.

 CH 17.2

    Lana was so caught off guard by this that she forgot to resist, and she merely allowed herself to be held tightly against Erwin''s body. All she did was raise her hands in front of her own face so that her cheek wouldn''t be pressed directly against Erwin''s chest. Of course, just because her face wasn''t touching Erwin didn''t mean that certain other regions of her body weren''t pressed against him, and a deep blush appeared on her face as she felt Erwin''s thumping heartbeat through her palms.


    Lana had never been one to be shy and embarrassed. Instead, she always tried to appear regal and composed. She looked up at Erwin with a curious expression, then whispered into his ear, "Aren''t you infatuated with that silver-haired vixen, you little rascal? What are you doing putting your hands all over me?"


    Erwin merely gave a cold harrumph and offered no reply. The feeling of Lana''s breath in his ear and her soft, voluptuous chest against his body suddenly made his throat completely parched, and he couldn''t help but gulp down some saliva. He was so excited that his heart was about to leap out of his chest for some fresh air!


    Meanwhile, Byron was staring at Erwin with a furious expression. The woman that he was completely infatuated with was being held by Erwin without any inhibitions, and he wanted nothing more than to tear Erwin to shreds with his bare hands! However, what made him even more furious and humiliated was Lana''s reaction.


    Throughout this entire sequence of events, Jeff had been watching Erwin in silence with a cold expression, but his hand was already resting on the hilt of Black Blaze.


    Lana turned to glance at Byron and Jeff, then turned back to look at Erwin, and an amused smile appeared on her face as she sensed the tense atmosphere in the air. She heaved a faint sigh, then placed her hands on either side of Erwin''s face, turning his head to look at her as she said, "Let''s get out of here, little rascal. I still haven''t had a chance to visit this market at night."


    At the same time, she made a subtle face at Erwin, telling him not to take things too far.


    Erwin knew that Lana was worried about him, fearing that he would end up in a sticky situation if things were to escalate into a physical altercation. Thus, he unwound his arm from around Lana''s waist, then gave Byron a vicious glare. Thinking back to when they had first met, Lana had been on the receiving end of that very same glare, and it had truly sent chills running down her spine. She didn''t want him to be beaten up for her sake, and with that in mind, she hurriedly dragged Erwin deeper into the night market.


    With Lana and Erwin fleeing the scene, Jeff heaved a sigh of relief, then patted Byron on the shoulder, upon which he discovered that Byron was trembling from fury.


    On the other side of the night market, Lana wore an amused smile as she asked, "What are you so angry about, little rascal?"


    "Me? I''m not angry about anything," Erwin replied in a calm voice.


    "Then why did you suddenly grab me just now?" Lana asked as she latched onto Erwin''s arm and waited for his answer with an intrigued expression.


    "Er... Well..." Erwin was temporarily at a loss for words.


    "How are you going to lie your way out of this one?" Lana asked with an amused smile.


    "Fine, I''ll own up to my actions! I grabbed you, so what? Do whatever you want to me! I''m already used to being abused by you anyway," Erwin sighed with a resigned expression.


    "You''re such a coward! All you do is take advantage of me, then refuse to accept responsibility," Lana accused with a displeased pout.


    Erwin knew that she was right, so he didn''t dare to rebuke her.


    "I''m hungry!" Lana snapped as she began to look around.


    Erwin was quite taken aback by her reaction. He didn''t think that she would let things slide so easily, and he was even prepared for physical punishment, but Lana had let him off the hook as if nothing had happened!


    Lana merely ignored the fact that Erwin was staring at her with a stunned expression.


    "There are so many food stalls around here. What do you want to eat?" Erwin asked as he also began to look around. "I haven''t had dinner yet, so I''m also a little hungry."


    Erwin''s original plan was for them to make their way through the market and sample different foods as they walked, but Lana insisted on dining in a small restaurant in a very popular section of the market, so they could only take a seat and dine there. The tent was already full, so they could only sit in the outdoor dining area. Erwin took a glance at the crudely constructed wooden tables and chairs, then heaved a faint sigh with a shake of his head, while Lana tried to console him by proclaiming that there was a very nice atmosphere to dining outside.


    Thankfully, the dishes were brought on quite quickly, and Erwin was already digging in with relish, but Lana seemed to be a little absentminded, picking at her food in a distracted manner with her chopsticks while occasionally looking aimlessly at the people around her.


    "You were the one who insisted on coming here, why aren''t you eating anything?" Erwin asked.


    Lana seemed to have not heard Erwin at all as she continued to look at the lively scenes around her with an absentminded expression. For some reason, the memory of the argument she had with her father a few days ago had resurfaced in her mind. That was the same day when Lana had rushed out of the contestants'' spectating platform to rescue Erwin after his match against Shaun. After returning home, she had a big fight with Prince Lazaar.


    "There''s no way I would agree to a relationship between you and that brat from the Friar Family, so don''t get any funny ideas." Even now, Lana couldn''t help but shudder at the recollection of the tone of her father''s voice. She had never seen such a cold look on his face before.


    "Why?" Lana asked as she glared at her father.


    "Just do as you''re told!" Prince Lazaar roared, giving Lana a massive fright at the time.


    "What? You''re opposed to Erwin and I being together just because you''re certain that Count Friar won''t join your faction?" Lana yelled in a hysterical voice.


    "You''re free to think whatever you want," Prince Lazaar replied in a cold voice.


    "Father, how could you be so unreasonable? Do I not even have the right to be together with the one I love?" Lana was forcing herself to hold back her tears.


    "I''ve spoiled you too much, to the point that you feel like it''s acceptable to be yelling at your own father like this!" Prince Lazaar was displaying no intention of backing down or compromising. "Look at yourself! Is this how a noblewoman of your status should be acting?"


    "Fine, then I renounce my noble status! How about that?" Lana countered in a resentful voice.


    "You think you can renounce your noble status just like that? You''ve enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle and had everything you ever wanted from birth, and that''s all thanks to your noble status! You think you can just cast that aside at your own convenience? Life doesn''t work like that!" Prince Lazaar roared in a furious voice.


    Lana''s resilient facade instantly crumbled in the face of her father''s scathing words, and she clasped a hand over her own mouth to suppress her sobs, but tears were already flowing down her face.


    Prince Lazaar''s tone finally softened at the sight of Lana''s tears, and he said, "There''s no need to cry over someone like him. Truth be told, aside from what you said just now, there''s actually an even more important reason why you two can''t be together."


    Lana wiped away her tears as she cast an inquisitive gaze toward her father.


    However, Prince Lazaar shook his head in response. "I can''t tell you the reason right now, but all you have to know is that there''s no way you can be with him. If you insist on being wilful and force me to get involved, then he''s going to end up in a very bad situation."


    Lana was quite despondent at the recollection of this memory, and she decided to set it aside for now.


    Erwin was looking at Lana, and he couldn''t tell what she was thinking. It was clear that she wasn''t in the mood to talk, so Erwin picked up his cup of plum wine and took a sip in silence.


    "Erwin," Lana suddenly called out in a gentle voice, but her gaze was still elsewhere. This was the first time that Erwin had ever heard her refer to him in such a gentle and melancholy voice.


    "What is it?" Erwin asked as he watched her with a slightly uneasy expression.


    "After the conclusion of the Pillow Sword Tournament, can you come back with me to Burmen?" Lana asked as she finally turned to look at Erwin with a smile on her face. "We can bring along several large crates of gold and silver, and we''ll cross directly through the Skycourt Kingdom, then pass over the Terarody Mountain Ranges to make a visit to the north. I heard that there are several massive kingdoms in the north, and we can travel through them for a few years. After that, we''ll set off to the east by sea to visit the Aitini Sea, which is said to have been formed by the tears of lovers separated by life and death. Every single drop of water in that sea is said to contain the most heartfelt love and longing. How romantic is that? We''ll go on an adventure across the turbulent sea, waking up to the sea and the sky every day. Doesn''t that sound like the perfect journey?"


    Erwin was rather taken aback to hear this, and he had no idea how he should respond.


    Lana heaved a faint sigh at the sight of Erwin''s hapless expression, and she smiled as she chuckled, "I was just joking around with you? Were you scared? I bet you were!"


    Erwin remained silent as he raised his cup of plume wine and brought it to his own lips to hide his loss of composure. He then stared down at the table in silence with a thoughtful expression. It was clear that Lana wasn''t joking about what she had just said. The question on his mind was why she had suddenly said this.


    Lana put on a bright smile at the sight of Erwin''s slightly troubled expression, and she said, "Don''t overthink things! You have to prepare for your match tomorrow. It''s getting late, so I''m going back now."


    Erwin nodded in response, still unsure of how to respond to what Lana had said earlier.


    Lana got up from her chair, then turned around to look at Erwin with a parting smile. Erwin wanted to stand up and say something to her, but decided against it in the end, and by the time he raised his head to look up again, Lana was already far away.


    Erwin looked on at Lana''s departing figure, and he thought back to her smile just now. There was a hint of sorrow intermingled with some deeper emotions in her smile, and it was an expression that he had never seen from her. Thus, he couldn''t help but wonder what was going on with her.


    As Lana made her way through the market, her vision began to blur through a film of tears, and a lump had appeared in her throat. The commotion in the surrounding area matched the tumultuous emotions in her heart, and a tragic smile appeared on her face.


    There''s no way we can be together, Erwin. There are many things that are outside of our control, and those things will inevitably tear us apart.


    That night, Erwin returned to his tent and tossed and turned the entire night in his bed, haunted by the memory of Lana''s smile, unable to get any sleep.

 CH 18.1

    The next day, Erwin got up very early yet again. Of course, that was because he virtually hadn''t slept at all the night before. Larwood and the others didn''t return at all in the night, so they had clearly enjoyed a night of festivities elsewhere.


    Erwin went to a random food stall for some breakfast, then went to the contestants'' area to look at the matchup board for the day. At this point, there were only 16 contestants left, so there were only eight matches for the day. In order to stretch out the day of competition, the tournament committee was implementing long intervals between the matches.


    Erwin looked at the matchup board to find that his match was the second-to-last match of the day, which was scheduled for 2 PM, and he heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing this as this would allow him time to go back and take a short nap. Furthermore, Erwin noticed some interesting scheduling choices made by the tournament committee. Lana''s match was the first one of the day, while Onean''s was the last one. As a result, the spectators would have to stay for the entire day. After all, they had to watch both matches, didn''t they?


    Erwin decided to go back for a nap after watching Lana''s match, but for some reason, after the previous night, that parting smile from Lana would frequently creep into his mind, and whenever he thought of it, he would feel as if something heavy were weighing down on his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.


    "I shouldn''t think too much about it," Erwin sighed as he shook his head.


    Right at this moment, an elegant voice rang out from behind him. "Erwin?"


    "Your Highness!" Erwin exclaimed with a surprised expression. "Thank you for your magic potion a few days ago. If you hadn''t been so generous, I would already be dead by now, and I still haven''t had a chance to thank you."


    "It''s alright, that magic potion was brewed for the purpose of saving someone''s life anyway. Having said that, you have to be careful. Your time and space magic could pose just as much of a threat to yourself as it does to your enemies if you don''t exercise caution," Onean said in a concerned voice.


    "I was too reckless that time and bit off more than I could chew, but I won''t let it happen again," Erwin explained with a smile.


    Onean nodded in response upon hearing this, then smiled as she asked, "Miss Lana''s match is about to begin soon. Are you not going to watch it."


    "Er... I will," Erwin replied in a hesitant voice. "I was just about to go in."


    Erwin looked at the faint smile on her face and her breathtaking golden eyes, and for an instant, he was completely entranced.


    An amused smile appeared on Onean''s face at the sight of his dazed expression, and she said, "Let''s go in together then. I also want to watch her match."


    No wonder Lana calls Her Highness a silver-haired vixen. With her looks, she is absolutely lethal to all men! Erwin thought to himself as he heaved an internal sigh.


    Erwin had actually been meaning to ask Princess Onean why she had swooped in to save him in front of so many people on that day. After all, up to that point, he had only met her once, and they couldn''t even be counted as acquaintances. However, he didn''t dare to raise the question in the end.


    Erwin entering the venue together with the princess naturally attracted a lot of attention, and many of the gossipy spectators were beginning to chat among themselves again.


    Erwin took a glance at Onean to find that she wasn''t displaying much of a reaction. It seemed that she couldn''t care less about what rumors were circulating about her. Even the princess didn''t care what was being said, so someone as shameless as Erwin naturally also didn''t care.


    He raised his head to look up at the sky, and at this point, the sun was already a little blinding.


    Come to think of it, the weather has been quite good throughout the tournament thus far, which is rather strange considering the season, he thought to himself.


    Not long after Princess Onean and Erwin entered the venue, Lana and her opponent also appeared on the competition platform.


    As she stepped onto the competition platform, Lana took a glance at the contestant''s spectating platform to find that Erwin and Onean were standing next to one another, but she displayed no reaction to this and quickly looked away.


    Erwin was overcome by a sense of disappointment as he looked at Lana from afar, and he was struck by that same sense of asphyxiation again.


    Onean could tell from his expression that he wasn''t in very high spirits, and she asked, "What''s going on with you? Why do you look so down in the dumps?"


    "I''m fine, thank you for asking, Your Highness," Erwin replied with a wry smile. "I didn''t sleep very well last night, so I''m a little tired."


    "Did you have a fight with her?" Onean asked as she glanced at Erwin.


    "A fight? With who?" Erwin turned to Onean with a puzzled expression.


    "Who else could I be referring to?" Onean chuckled. "Miss Lana was very worried about you when you sustained those injuries a few days ago. Why are you playing dumb now?"


    Erwin was rather embarrassed to hear this, and he replied, "I wouldn''t dare to play dumb in your presence, Your Highness."


    "Then hurry up and tell me! Did you have a fight with her?" Onean asked with a smile, and her golden eyes were filled with curiosity. It was clear that she had no intention of letting Erwin off the hook.


    "No. We had dinner yesterday, and everything was fine," Erwin replied in a resigned manner. As soon as he made this admission, he was immediately struck by a sense of regret, feeling as if he had fallen into the princess''s trap.


    "Oh, so you two were together yesterday as well." Onean was very intrigued by Erwin''s honest response.


    Erwin didn''t offer a reply, and he didn''t dare to answer any more of her questions.


    At this point, the match on the competition platform had already begun. However, there really wasn''t much to see. Even though there were only 16 contestants left, there were still far too few contestants who could pose an actual threat to Lana. The martial artist that Lana was up against was clearly completely out of his depth against an opponent as powerful as Lana, who was able to unleash advanced spells as quickly as instant-release spells, and not long after the match began, her opponent had already been afflicted by a series of negative status conditions.


    The martial artist was unable to get close to Lana, and the martial techniques he tried to use to enhance his own body were constantly being interrupted by Lana''s advanced spells, so he was already in severe trouble. Right at this moment, Lana raised her staff, and around a dozen pillars of fire descended from the heavens, instantly forming a cage around her opponent. A look of despair appeared on the martial artist''s face. He was preparing himself to retaliate one last time with an all-out attack, but his plans had been thwarted by Lana''s Heavenly Inferno Cage.


    Theoretically speaking, Lana could stop here and simply wait for the administrators to announce the outcome of the match, but the pillars of fire were rapidly converging toward the center, and it seemed that her intention was to completely incinerate her opponent!


    The administrators were given a massive fright by this, and they hurriedly jumped onto the competition platform to protect the martial artist. The converging pillars of fire surged toward the administrators, and only after sweeping over the magic shields that they had conjured up for a long while did the flames finally dissipate.


    Only then did an administrator remember to adjudicate Lana as the victor, and thus, the first match drew to a fast conclusion. If anyone else had done what Lana had just done in her match, the tournament committee would''ve most likely conducted an investigation on the suspicion that she was intentionally trying to cause unnecessary harm to her opponent, but no one dared to launch an investigation into the daughter of Prince Lazaar.


    After the match, Lana departed from the venue with an aloof expression and didn''t look up at Erwin again.


    Erwin was quite despondent to see this. After the previous night, it seemed that she had become a completely different person!


    He looked on with a troubled expression as Lana disappeared into the darkness within the contestants'' passageway.


    "Hey, tell me exactly what happened between the two of you," Princess Onean said with an intrigued expression. "Why does it seem like she''s really mad at you?"


    Erwin turned toward the princess, feeling as if she were very interested in his relationship with Lana for some reason.


    Even though he was blatantly staring at her, Onean didn''t denounce Erwin for his rudeness. Instead, she continued to look at him with an intrigued expression, waiting for his answer.


    Erwin didn''t say anything as he pulled an item out from his chest pocket, then dangled it in front of the princess.


    "Why are you carrying that with you?" Onean''s eyes widened as she stared at Erwin, and a faint blush appeared on her face. The item that Erwin had just pulled out of his pocket was the pendant that had contained the princess''s Springlay Fox bone marrow potion.


    "Why wouldn''t I carry this with me?" Erwin asked without even thinking about what he was saying, but his words had far deeper implications in the ears of Onean.


    "Then what about Miss Lana''s magic potion vial? Do you carry that with you as well?" Onean asked as she gave him a meaningful look.


    "I do," Erwin immediately blurted out in response.


    "Well, at least you''re not picky. Not only that, but you seem to think your actions are quite justified," Onean said as she glared at him.


    Only after seeing the change in Onean''s expression did Erwin realize that his brain wasn''t functioning to its normal capacity, and he could only blame that on the previous night of terrible sleep. Of course, it could''ve also been due to the fact that he was constantly distracted by the thought of Lana''s strange words and actions from the day before.


    Erwin hurriedly scrambled to explain, "Your Highness, you and Miss Lana did so much to save my life at the risk of tarnishing your own public reputations. How could I..."


    Onean was rather amused by his panicked expression, and she chuckled, "I was just teasing you. Look at how nervous you became!"


    Erwin raised his head to look at the Onean with a surprised expression, bewildered by how quickly her mood changed.


    "I heard that Miss Lana is extremely proud, so she''s certainly not going to settle for the average person. That makes sense, considering she''s the daughter of Prince Lazaar. Tell me, how did you manage to get her to fall for you?" Onean asked with an intrigued smile.


    Erwin was so stunned by this question that he was unable to speak. Never did he think that the princess would ask him about something like this in such a straightforward fashion! He looked closely at Onean, and he couldn''t help but wonder what kind of personality was concealed beneath her captivating, goddess-like appearance.


    Erwin''s silence made Onean even more intrigued, and her eyes lit up as she asked, "Could it be that she was the one who went after you?"


    Erwin was once again momentarily entranced by Onean''s beauty, and he couldn''t help but be amazed at her intuition. It was no wonder that Lana always referred to her as a silver-haired vixen.


    Erwin wanted to explain that there was nothing going on between him and Lana, but after holding Lana like that the night before in front of Byron and Jeff, that was no longer an option. He couldn''t just tell Onean that he and Lana were just normal friends as his conscience simply wouldn''t allow it.


    Thus, Erwin was at a complete loss as to how he should reply to Onean''s question, and the more flustered he became, the more amused Onean was.


    Erwin felt like a snake that had been grabbed by the tail, leaving him completely at the princess''s mercy. He had thought that he was a veteran when it came to dealing with the opposite sex, but it seemed that he had severely overestimated himself. He was worried that the princess would continue in her line of questioning, so he hurriedly bade her farewell and departed from the venue.


    Onean clasped a hand over her mouth as she chuckled in amusement while Erwin fled the scene.


    Erwin''s plan was to exit the venue and search for Lana, but he was unable to find her, so he could only assume that she was intentionally avoiding him. Thus, he could return to his tent for a nap.


    ...


    Shortly into his nap, Chase and Kaiba arrived in the tent at noon, immediately rousing Erwin from his nap. He had no plans of eating any lunch, but he was forced to get up by the two of them to have lunch with them.


    "Can''t you just let me sleep for a while longer?" Erwin''s eyelids were feeling impossibly heavy.


    "Hurry up and get out of bed! Larwood is going to have lunch with Gwen soon, and we''re going to follow him," Chase said with an excited expression.


    "That''s right! We''ll sit at the table next to theirs and eavesdrop on their conversation," Kaiba chimed in with a devious smile.


    "You used to be such a prim and proper gentleman, Kaiba. How have you also become so depraved?" Erwin asked with a disdainful expression.


    "When has Kaiba ever been a gentleman? He''s always been the one among us with the most dirty tricks and shady ideas!" Chase was staring at Erwin as if he were looking at a na?ve little kid.


    "Cut the chit-chat and get out of bed!" Kaiba urged as he tugged on Erwin''s arm.

 CH 18.2

    Erwin was still feeling very sluggish as he was dragged out of the tent by Kaiba and Chase. They arrived at the entrance of a certain restaurant, and there were several burly guards standing outside. Generally speaking, only the most popular restaurants in the area would hire guards in case someone started trouble after having too much to drink. However, it was very rare to see a restaurant hire so many guards, and all of them looked to be very capable fighters.


    As such, Erwin was rather bemused at the sight of the guards at the entrance, who were barring his trio from entry into the restaurant.


    "Show them your sword badge," Chase said as he turned to Erwin. "I''m talking about that iris sword badge that you wear into the tournament venue."


    Erwin was rather perplexed by this request, but he still did as he was told, pulling his iris sword badge out of his pocket. At this point, the number that was surrounded by petals of the iris flower on the badge had already been reduced to 16.


    The guards took a glance at Erwin''s sword badge, and looks of admiration immediately appeared on their faces as they granted entry to Erwin and his friends.


    "What kind of place is this? Erwin asked with a puzzled expression. "Why do they only allow people with iris sword badges to enter?"


    "Probably just to create a sense of mystery and exclusivity," Kaiba explained. "Apparently, only participants of the Pillow Sword Tournament and the friends that they bring along with them can enter this place."


    "I thought that was a bluff, I didn''t think that they would actually have guards checking for iris sword badges. It''s a good thing we brought you with us," Chase said with a smile.


    With that piece of context provided, Erwin became rather intrigued by this restaurant. As soon as they entered the restaurant, Erwin''s trio couldn''t help but draw a collective sharp breath. From the outside, the restaurant appeared to be nothing more than a normal tent, but its interior was an entirely different story. The entire ground had been hollowed out, and only after entering the tent did one realize that this was actually a luxury three-story restaurant with two underground levels.


    Erwin inspected his surroundings to find that the walls were constructed from sliced cylindrical logs, over which was intricately draped a layer of dark vines. There were also orange magic gemstone lamps hanging on the walls, as well as elegant oil paintings positioned at set intervals, giving the restaurant a refined and sophisticated atmosphere.


    The restaurant''s lighting was also very praiseworthy, with giant lamps hanging from the top of the tent directly down to the three underground floors, and floor lamps were also embedded into the wooden floorboards on each level. In addition to that, lights were also placed along the railings of the stairs, ensuring that all three levels were brightly lit, but not excessively radiant and disorienting. It was clear that much thought had gone into the restaurant''s construction.


    Even Chase and Kaiba were astonished by the extravagant design of the restaurant.


    "Man, I bet the prices they charge at this restaurant must be extremely high," Erwin remarked. "Looks like Larwood''s going all-out on this date."


    "Indeed," Kaiba replied with a nod. "We need to hurry up and find out where he''s sitting."


    Thus, the three of them began to scour through the three levels to search for Larwood. However, before they managed to spot Larwood, many of the customers in the restaurant had already recognized Erwin. In fact, Erwin had been spotted as soon as the trio had entered the restaurant, and there were already many pairs of eyes being directed toward them.


    Even Erwin himself was oblivious to the fact that aside from Princess Onean, Lana, and Jeff, he was the hot favorite to win the entire tournament!


    What was even more surprising to Erwin was that Lana and Jeff just so happened to also be having lunch at this restaurant. In addition to that, Princess Onean was also there, and all three of them were seated on the bottom floor of the restaurant.


    What are the chances that I meet all three of them at the same place? Erwin thought to himself with an awkward expression, and he suddenly had the urge to give Chase and Kaiba a vicious beating!


    Given that many of the restaurant''s customers were already looking at Erwin, Lana also quickly spotted him, as did Princess Onean. However, Lana only took a cold glance at him before averting her gaze as if Erwin were a complete stranger to her.


    In contrast, Princess Onean was much more hospitable, and she waved a hand in Erwin''s direction, inviting him to take a seat with her.


    If I go and sit with her, other people will think that I agreed to meet up with her here in advance. To make matters even worse, Lana is also here. I bet she''s going to get the wrong idea again, Erwin thought to himself with a resigned expression.


    "Hey, I think Her Highness is waving at you," Chase said in a quiet voice. He was speaking to Erwin, but his gaze was directed toward Kaiba, and both of them were very eager to see what happened next.


    "Hurry up and get over there, Erwin! You can''t leave Her Highness hanging!" Kaiba urged as he fought back a sly smile.


    "I should''ve just stayed in the tent and kept on sleeping! You two have completely screwed me over here!" Erwin said in a quiet voice, barely moving his lips in the process. Despite what he was saying, the smile on his face remained completely unchanged.


    "Well, it''s too late now. Hurry up and go speak to Her Highness. Oh, I can see Larwood!" Chase quickly dragged Kaiba away as he spoke.


    Erwin turned toward the direction that they were facing, and he spotted Larwood and Gwen on the second floor. To his surprise, the two of them were also looking at him. They were here to catch Larwood on his secret date with Gwen, yet he was the one who had been caught red-handed instead.


    With that in mind, Erwin couldn''t help but heave a resigned internal sigh. What was most exasperating to him was that there was nothing going on between him and Princess Onean, but the circumstances made it appear as if there were something between them.


    In order to not offend the princess, Erwin could only accept her invitation and make his way toward her table.


    Only after reaching the bottom floor did Erwin discover that there were two other people seated at Lana''s table in addition to her and Jeff. They just so happened to be sitting in a corner that was a blind spot for those on the top floor. One of the two people was Byron, and the person seated beside Byron was someone that Erwin didn''t recognize. His first impression of the man was that his face was as long as a baguette, and that his beady little eyes were like a pair of raisins that had been unintentionally dropped onto the baguette. His skin was also quite terrible, so he applied a lot of oil onto his own face to conceal his shortcomings, but that only made him look more like a baguette. Looking at him from afar, Erwin was given quite a fright as he thought he was looking at a baguette dipped in oil having a meal.


    As Erwin was passing by Lana''s table, Lana continued to ignore him. In contrast, Jeff was looking at Erwin with a hint of hostility in his eyes, while Byron was watching him with an expression of gloating smugness. The "baguette" also raised his head to take a glance at Erwin, and Erwin felt as if he were being inspected by a piece of bread. This was the straw that broke the camel''s back for him, and he was unable to hold back his mirth any longer as he burst into laughter at the sight of the man''s pair of raisin-like eyes, then began coughing to disguise his laughter.


    Lana''s head was still lowered, but she snuck a glance at Erwin out of the corners of her eyes upon hearing Erwin''s fake coughing. She then took a glance at the person seated beside Byron, and the corners of her lips turned upward slightly in amusement. It was clear that she had also caught on to what Erwin was laughing at.


    The "baguette" was a very sensitive person, and a resentful look appeared on his face as he glowered at Erwin. Of course, the faint smile that had appeared on Lana''s face didn''t escape his notice, either.


    Erwin knew that he was being rather rude, so he quickly passed by Lana''s table before taking a seat across from Onean.


    As a result, the circulating rumors regarding the love triangle between Lana, Erwin, and Onean began to lean more toward Erwin and Onean being a couple, while Lana was more like the victim of an unrequited love toward Erwin.


    "What were you laughing at just now?" Onean asked with a curious expression.


    "Look at that man over there. Doesn''t he look like a baguette?" Erwin gestured toward the direction of Byron''s table with his eyes.


    Onean took a glance in that direction, and she was also unable to suppress her amusement as she clasped a hand over her own mouth to silence her own laughter.


    "Take a look at his eyes as well. Don''t they look like the baker accidentally dropped a pair of raisins onto the baguette before baking it?" Erwin continued in a low voice, and he was also fighting to suppress his own laughter as he intentionally squinted to get his point across.


    Onean took another look at the man upon hearing Erwin''s description, and she was unable to maintain her composure any longer as she buried her face into the crook of her own elbow and laughed silently into the table. Her shoulders were shaking with the force of her laughter, but she didn''t dare to laugh out loud, and her ears were turning red from her effort to suppress her own voice.


    "Alright, let''s not make jokes about other people''s appearances. That''s very bad taste and should be looked down on," Erwin said in a serious voice as he put on a stern expression.


    Onean raised her head, and only then did she notice that there were tears swimming in her own eyes from laughing. She took a moment to arrange her slightly disheveled hair, then gave Erwin a displeased pout before she was finally able to regain her composure.


    There was still a hint of moisture in her gorgeous eyes, and the delicate flush on her face still hadn''t faded yet. Once again, Erwin found himself completely captivated by her beauty, unable to speak or look away.


    Initially, Onean didn''t realize what Erwin was doing, and she looked back at Erwin with a quizzical expression, wondering why he wasn''t saying anything. However, Erwin only continued to stare at her with a blank expression, and she finally cleared her throat to snap him out of his reverie.


    Erwin immediately returned to his senses with a shake of his head, and he knew that he had just been very rude to an important member of the royal family. This wasn''t the first time he had been mesmerized by Onean''s beauty, and he made a mental note to avoid looking too closely at her in the future.


    "Do you normally stare at Miss Lana like that as well?" Onean asked with a disgruntled expression. "No wonder she tried to kill you the first time you met."


    "N, no, I don''t," Erwin hurriedly said with an awkward expression, then called over the waiter to make an order so that he could alleviate the awkward atmosphere.


    At this point, Lana and the others had already finished their meals and were preparing to leave. Even as she stood up to depart, Lana still didn''t spare Erwin a single glance, and he was truly perplexed, wondering what he had done wrong to deserve this.


    As the "baguette" was getting up to leave, he gave Erwin a parting glare, and Erwin wasn''t impressed by the man''s pettiness. It seemed that not only was his appearance quite lackluster, his ability to take a joke was also very subpar.


    Onean was a regular customer at this restaurant, and she recommended a few dishes for Erwin. After tasting each of the dishes, Erwin was quite impressed by Onean''s taste in food.


    The two of them dined together until it was after 1 PM before they left to go to the tournament venue. During this time, Larwood and Gwen had already finished their meal, and as he was leaving, Larwood gave Erwin a subtle look of encouragement, to which Erwin responded with a look of his own, which said "you''re not doing too badly yourself, brother". Larwood and Gwen were immediately followed by Kaiba and Chase, who whistled in a suggestive manner as they passed by Erwin''s table, and Erwin was very thankful that the princess wasn''t one to be bothered by such trivial things.

 CH 19

    For this match, Erwin''s opponent was a martial artist once again, and he heard that his opponent was from Tisdale Academy of Burmen.


    Erwin''s opponent had prepared quite well for his match against Erwin, wearing a suit of heavy silver magic armor that concealed the entirety of his face. It was clear that this suit of armor was specifically being worn to deal with Erwin''s instant-release spells, and Erwin was quite exasperated by the lengths that his opponent was willing to go to in order to counter him.


    Once the match began, Erwin didn''t allow his opponent to approach him as he did during the last match. After firing off a few instant-release spells, he immediately unleashed a space split technique to open up some distance between himself and his opponent. However, his opponent had no intention of engaging him in close-quarters combat, either. Instead, he remained still on the spot as he enhanced himself with martial techniques.


    Erwin''s instant-release spells struck his suit of armor, but they dealt minimal damage. Erwin was quite bewildered to see this, and it seemed that the efficacy of this suit of armor was even greater than Erwin had anticipated. Thus, he unleashed a few advanced spells. As a result of the staff that he was using, all of the spells that he unleashed were of the darkness attribute, and darkness-attribute spells were all aimed at destroying the opponent''s mind. However, even the barrage of advanced spells was unable to interrupt his opponent from applying more enhancements onto himself. Instead, the spells merely exploded into magic turbulence upon his suit of heavy magic armor.


    As a result, the situation was already looking to be very much against Erwin''s favor. Ever since the beginning of the match, his opponent had constantly been applying advanced martial techniques that enhanced magic resistance onto himself.


    So he''s relying on his suit of heavy magic armor to buy himself time to unleash his martial techniques, then using those advanced magic resistance martial techniques to nullify the power of my spells, Erwin thought to himself with tightly furrowed brows, clearly not expecting his opponent to have prepared so extensively for this match.


    Most importantly, Erwin didn''t dare to stop to search for holes in his opponent''s defense. If he were to stop harassing his opponent with spells, his opponent would definitely take advantage of the opportunity to charge him and engage him in close-quarters combat. Thinking back to the sticky situation he had been in during his last match, Erwin had no intention of letting another powerful enemy martial artist get close to him again.


    At this point, many of the spectators could already see that the tide was quickly turning against Erwin''s favor, and they were beginning to wonder whether Erwin''s fairytale run in this tournament would end here.


    Erwin had no choice but to bring out his signature ability, which was to conjure up his light shield, and that was exactly what all of the spectators wanted to see.


    Thunderous cheering began to ring out across all of the spectator stands, and no one seemed to care that Erwin was risking his own life every time he used this spell.


    Erwin could manipulate the size of his light shield by controlling his own magic power output, and at this point, his mastery of this aspect of the light shield spell was already at a very high level. However, if he were to expand the light shield to a degree that was outside of his control, which he had done during the first day of competition, then he would put himself in life-threatening peril.


    Erwin''s opponent raised his head, and he became slightly agitated upon witnessing the formation of Erwin''s light shield. He immediately raised the long spear behind him, then dug his feet into the ground, launching himself forward before thrusting his spear toward Erwin''s light shield.


    However, up to this point, he had only used martial techniques to enhance his own magic resistance and none to enhance his own power, so his attack naturally posed no threat at all to the light shield. From Erwin''s perspective, this attack was far weaker than even the elemental matter surging into the light shield.


    Erwin''s opponent wasn''t fazed in the slightest as he unleashed another seven attacks in a row. This was clearly an extremely well-rehearsed sequence, with flawless transitions through the seven attacks, all of which were imbued with considerable power.


    As the seven attacks struck Erwin''s light shield, he could clearly sense that each successive attack was more powerful than the last one. By the time the final attack struck the light shield, Erwin had been shaken around so severely that he was feeling completely disoriented and dizzy. It was clear that if the light shield were to withstand too much power at once, then it would take a physical toll on Erwin''s body.


    His opponent''s spear techniques were the type that became more and more powerful with each passing attack, and with every attack that he unleashed, he was able to absorb more beneficial matter from the surrounding environment. Furthermore, there were large quantities of elemental matter surging toward the light shield to begin with, so that further enhanced the speed at which he was able to absorb elemental matter.


    After that sequence of seven attacks, his power had already increased to twice its normal level.


    Erwin was naturally aware that his opponent was using the massive amount of elemental matter around the light shield, but there was nothing that he could do about that. The light shield was already extremely taxing on his magic power and stamina, and to make matters worse, his opponent was exerting immense pressure upon the light shield with his persistent attacks. Thus, it didn''t take long before Erwin felt like he was on the verge of overexertion again.


    At this point, Erwin could already unleash one or two devastating ancient advanced spells by absorbing the energy gathered on the light shield, but his opponent had already significantly increased their own magic resistance with that suit of armor and the various advanced martial techniques he had deployed, so Erwin didn''t dare to take the risk. If his opponent were able to weather the storm, then Erwin wouldn''t have sufficient magic power left to conjure up the light shield a second time. At that point, he would have to surrender.


    Thus, Erwin continued to endure his opponent''s relentless assault. He was accurately gauging the limits of his own body''s physical tolerance, and he was making sure that he would be able to defeat his opponent with a single burst once he decided to retaliate. If he couldn''t control the flow of elemental matter into his own body, just like what had happened during his first-round match, then no one would be able to save him. However, if he couldn''t absorb sufficient magic energy, then there was a very good chance that he wouldn''t be able to defeat his opponent.


    The spear-wielding martial artist''s confidence was increasing by the second at the sight of Erwin''s agonized expression, and his attacks were also becoming more and more fearsome.


    Erwin''s brows were tightly furrowed as he looked on at his opponent''s ferocious attacks while chanting incantations in the ancient magic language with a grim expression. His magic power and stamina were quickly fading, but he remained calm and collected.


    "Your resistance is futile!'''' The martial artist scoffed in a derisive manner, then quickly backtracked three steps before placing one hand on the base of his spear''s shaft and pulling it back as far as it would go in preparation for an all-out attack. It was clear that he was planning to use this attack to end the match once and for all.


    The spear strike was imbued with unstoppable momentum and tremendous power, and the wielder of the spear gave off the appearance of a silver-armored god of war! In this instant, it was as if his spear had truly become an extension of his own body, and every single fiber of his being was dedicated to plunging the spear forward with unstoppable might.


    All of the spectators in the venue could sense that a devastating attack was about to come, and many of them had already risen to their feet in anticipation.


    Onean could hear the cries of alarm ringing out from the spectator stands, and she emerged from the contestants'' passageway to watch the match. According to the rules, the contestants for the next match weren''t allowed to enter the venue early, but all of the administrators turned a blind eye to this seeing as she was the princess.


    Her brows furrowed slightly as she looked at the agonized Erwin inside the light shield, and internally, she was denouncing Erwin for being a suicidal idiot, but her hand was already holding tightly onto her silver staff.


    In the spectator stands on the bottom level, Lana was standing beside Prince Lazaar, staring intently at the competition platform with sweat pouring profusely out of her palms.


    "There it is. Looks like he''s going to put his life on the line again," Larwood sighed with a resigned expression. Kaiba and Chase were standing beside him, and both of them were also looking on with grim expressions.


    A loud clang rang out across the entire venue as the tip of the spear struck the light shield, and the spear was almost jolted out of its wielder''s hands from the tremendous force of the impact. However, the outer wall of the light shield remained completely still and resolute. Despite the devastating power imbued within that spear strike, it hadn''t managed to leave even the slightest of marks on the surface of the light shield!


    However, a quick look at Erwin''s face was enough to tell everyone that withstanding that attack had been far from easy. Blood was pouring out of his nostrils and flowing down from the corners of his mouth. It was clear that his entire body had been jolted violently by the attack, and as a result, his stamina and magic power began to rapidly seep out of his body in an uncontrollable fashion.


    "Now!" Erwin roared, and an unprecedentedly vicious look had appeared on his face.


    The light shield was withdrawn, and an enormous amount of matter energy surged into his body, putting him through a baptism of fire. He could sense that every single nerve and pore in his body was teetering on the edge between life and death, and all types of energy were intertwining in a chaotic fashion. In addition to that, the power from his opponent''s spear strike was crashing back and forth through his internal organs like an enraged bull.


    "Pwah!" Erwin threw up a large mouthful of blood that completely covered the gemstone on the tip of his staff, but he didn''t seem to be able to feel any pain. His eyes were filled with an unsettlingly fervent gleam, and it was as if he had gone insane.


    His opponent was staring at him with a blank expression, having been frightened by the terrifying look on his face. However, what happened next struck him with an even greater sense of fear.


    All of a sudden, countless bursts of magic turbulence erupted out of the top of Erwin''s staff, creating a vast expanse of purple light that concealed the light of the afternoon sun, and all of the spectators found themselves momentarily transfixed by the sight of this spectacle.


    "Magic Explosion!" Erwin roared as he gripped his staff tightly with both hands. His hair was dancing wildly around him, and in this instant, all of the magic turbulence exploded in a completely haphazard fashion. This was the basic state of magic energy. Erwin had no idea how to control this type of primitive, violent magic energy, so he could only allow it to explode. As a result, anything or anyone that was close to him would be caught up in the devastating explosion.


    The spear-wielding martial artist looked on as the purple magic turbulence surged toward him along his spear like a nest of thin purple snakes, and he was quite alarmed by this sudden turn of events. Before he had a chance to react, he was completely inundated by the magic turbulence erupting toward him.


    Initially, he was still holding onto the hope that he had improved his magic resistance sufficiently through his advanced martial techniques to withstand this attack, but only after the magic turbulence began to erode his mind did he come to realize just how naive he had been. The magic turbulence seeped in through his skin before exploding within his body, and this was already a very familiar feeling for Erwin.


    However, his opponent had never been put through this type of torture before. The feeling of excruciating pain that was coming from every single part of his body instantly crushed his consciousness. However, the magic energy around him seemed to have a mind of its own, and they were continuing to invade his body without any respite.


    The martial artist howled with agony, and his eyeballs were about to bulge out of their sockets. Only after he had come crashing down from the sky did all of the spectators realize that smoke was billowing out of his suit of armor.


    An administrator hurriedly raised a hand to adjudicate Erwin as the victor, while all of the other administrators immediately rushed onto the competition platform to surround the martial artist. It was clear that his injuries were very severe, and a stretcher was brought on to carry him off the competition platform. Thus, the martial artist was promptly carried away.


    Erwin finally allowed himself to heave a sigh of relief while wiping at the blood that had poured out of his mouth and his nostrils with the back of his hand. At the same time, he was panting heavily, which triggered a fit of coughing, and as a result, he threw up another large mouthful of blood.


    The spectators were about to celebrate Erwin''s come-from-behind victory, but all of them were very alarmed to see him throwing up blood once again.


    An administrator asked him if he required assistance, in response to which Erwin shook his head, coughing as he made his way down from the competition platform. He was feeling extremely light-headed, and his legs were on the verge of giving out from under him.


    Lana looked on with a cold expression in the spectator stands, but there was no concealing the concern in her eyes.


    Erwin stumbled toward the contestants'' passageway in an unsteady manner, and a pleased smile appeared on his face at the sight of Onean''s concerned expression.


    In response, Onean glared at him with a displeased look on her face, clearly reprimanding him for his recklessness.


    Erwin was just about to say something when another large mouthful of blood came gushing up from his chest before erupting out of his mouth, following which his legs finally gave out from under him, and he began to collapse to the ground.


    Onean hurriedly rushed forward to catch him before looking down at him with a panicked expression, only to find that he was still smiling up at her like an idiot. His mouth was opening and closing like a spluttering fish, and bubbles of blood were being blown out of his nostrils.


    He laid in Onean''s warm and soft embrace while inhaling her fragrant scent, and he suddenly felt like it wouldn''t be so bad to die like this. If he had any strength left, he would definitely rub his own face against her soft and delicate cleavage. With that thought in his mind, he fell unconscious with a satisfied smile still lingering on his face.

 CH 20.1

    By the time Erwin woke up, it was already nighttime. He looked around to find that he was in the same tent as last time, and he heaved a forlorn internal sigh. It was truly rather embarrassing to faint in front of so many people twice in the span of just a few days.


    He tried to support himself into an upright position, but even the slightest movement sent so much pain spearing through his internal organs that cold sweat began to pour down his forehead.


    Right at this moment, a female voice rang out. "Don''t move. Your internal organs are damaged, and they still haven''t completely healed yet. If you move around now, you could risk opening up those injuries again, and I''m not going to look after you if you end up throwing up a few more buckets of blood."


    Erwin could tell that this was Onean''s voice, and a wry smile appeared on his face as he said, "Sorry to trouble you again, Your Highness."


    "Hmph, I don''t think you''re sorry at all. In fact, I think you really do have a death wish! Just this morning, I was telling you to be careful when you use that spell, and you end up almost killing yourself again just a few hours later!" Onean was reading a book while seated on the sofa, and she didn''t approach Erwin or even look at him.


    "You didn''t use the Springlay Fox bone marrow potion on me again, did you? I''m becoming more and more indebted to you," Erwin sighed as he looked up at the roof of the tent with a forlorn expression.


    "You think the Springlay Fox bone marrow potion is a soup that you can make in large batches?" Princess Onean scoffed with a roll of her eyes. "That small vial from last time alone took my teacher several years to brew! Even if you wanted me to use it on you, I don''t have any more left!"


    "Er, so what did you use on me this time?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "I asked my teacher to come and inspect your injuries, and he says that you''ve only sustained damage to your internal organs. All that''s needed is a magic potion specifically for treating internal injuries, and you''ll be fine after a night of rest," Onean said.


    "I see," Erwin replied with a nod. "In that case, why does it still hurt so much?"


    "I was the one who brewed the potion, so the effect may not be that good," Onean explained as she took a glance at Erwin. "Teacher told me to brew the magic potion according to the instructions on the book as a homework assignment."


    "What?!" Erwin was stunned to hear this.


    He wanted to spring out of his bed in protest, but he didn''t dare to move in fear of opening up his injuries, and Onean was rather amused to see this. "Teacher said that for no-good rascals like you, there''s no need to waste his magic potion, so he tossed me the magic potion book and left."


    "So you''re saying this is your first time brewing this magic potion?!" Erwin was so frightened by this realization that he almost fell off his bed.


    "Well, that''s not the case, but what''s true is that this is my first time brewing this magic potion for a human. Isn''t that exciting?" Onean made her way over to Erwin, who was staring up at her with a horrified expression on his bed.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?" Erwin asked in a fearful voice.


    "Back when I was studying under Teacher at For Glans, all of the magic potions that I brewed were used on other magical creatures, so I''ve never actually used magic potions on a human before," Onean replied with a pleased expression.


    Erwin looked up at Onean with a stunned expression. He had survived his match against his opponent, but he couldn''t help but wonder if he was going to die from potion poisoning anyway.


    "What kind of expression is that? Do you think I would poison you?" Onean asked as she raised an eyebrow.


    Erwin looked up at her with a defiant expression as he said, "I''m sure dying from being poisoned by a magic potion brewed by the princess will be an extremely pleasant death anyway."


    Onean pretended not to see the mockery in his eyes as she said, "Alright, seeing as you''re so afraid that I''m going to poison you, I won''t administer the next dose of potion to you."


    "No, please! Your Highness, I was wrong! Please save me out of the kindness of your heart!" Erwin pleaded in an earnest manner.


    Onean heaved a resigned sigh as she looked at Erwin. "I really should just poison you to death. Even if I save you this time, you''re just going to try and kill yourself again, so I may as well just grant you a swift death!"


    With that in mind, Onean couldn''t help but recall what her teacher had said to her as he gave her the magic potion book.


    "I feel like you''re developing a habit out of saving that little rascal! So be it, take this book and study it carefully. Once you learn how to brew the magic potions in the book, you won''t have to trouble me every time."


    A forlorn look appeared on Erwin''s face upon hearing this, and he looked up at the roof of the tent again as he heaved a long sigh. "I can''t help it, I just can''t accept losing."


    Onean pondered his words for a moment, then suddenly smiled as she said, "I think I finally know why Miss Lana has taken a liking to you."


    "Huh? Why?" Erwin had no clue what she was referring to.


    Onean merely shook her head with a smile and offered no reply.


    "Why did you suddenly mention her?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "It''s because even while you were unconscious, you kept on mumbling ''I can''t decide! I like both of them!''," Onean replied as she looked at Erwin with a displeased expression. "Can you tell me what you were talking about when you say you like both of them?"


    Erwin was so horrified to hear this that cold sweat began to bead up on his forehead. He didn''t dare to look at Onean, and he was seriously considering burying his head under his blankets like a turtle retreating into its shell.


    "For someone as morally corrupt as yourself, wouldn''t it be quite understandable if I poisoned you to death?" Onean looked at him with a devious gleam in her narrowed eyes. "After that, I''ll just say that you succumbed to your injuries and passed away in your sleep. Everyone at the venue saw that you sustained extremely severe injuries anyway, so no one''s going to bat an eyelid."


    Indeed, if the princess wanted to kill someone, there really was nothing that anyone could do!


    With that in mind, Erwin was cursing himself 100 times over internally. In his unconscious state, he had revealed everything to the princess! Considering what he had done, he really wouldn''t be surprised if the princess decided to poison him to death!


    "Hmph, you think you can save yourself just by not saying anything?" Onean scoffed with a cold smile.


    "Oh, I remember what I was talking about now!" Erwin''s eyes suddenly lit up. "Now that I think about it, of course I like both of them! There''s no way I could only like one and not the other!"


    "So what was it you were talking about?" Onean was very intrigued to see how he was going to dig his way out of this hole.


    "Think about it, Your Highness. At the time, I was lying in your arms. What do you think I saw? Of course I liked both of the things that I saw! How can I prefer one over the other?" Erwin explained with a resigned expression.


    Onean immediately understood what he was referring to, and a deep blush appeared on her face alongside an indignant expression. "You''re quite the skilled little liar, aren''t you?"


    Erwin couldn''t help but shudder at the sight of the sinister smile that had appeared on Onean''s face. "Y, Your Highness, what are you going to do?"


    Onean simply ignored him as she made her way into the outer room of the tent, then began getting to work on something. Judging from the movement of her shadow, Erwin could tell that she seemed to be brewing a magic potion.


    Is she really going to poison me to death? Erwin was beginning to grow a little fearful at this point.


    By the time Onean returned, she was holding a small test tube of some type of liquid, and there was a devious smile on her face as she said, "It''s time for your medicine."


    Erwin looked at Onean''s sinister expression, then directed his gaze toward the blue liquid in the test tube, which was bubbling vigorously, and he immediately tried to get off the bed so that he could run away. However, his body was still too feeble, and Onean instantly rushed over to him before forcing him back down onto the bed.


    "Your Highness, don''t... don''t do this! We can talk about this! Please..." Erwin was trying to beg for his life, but Onean had heard enough from him. She squeezed his cheeks between her fingers to force his mouth open, then poured the test tube of blue liquid into his mouth with her other hand.


    Erwin was unable to speak as his face was being squeezed between Onean''s fingers, so he could only look up at her with an alarmed and horrified expression.


    "Stop moving unless you want to choke to death! This is medicine for your injuries. If you spill any of it, there won''t be enough to last you through the night, and you''ll wake up in excruciating pain! Don''t blame me if that happens!" Onean warned as she glared at him with a cold expression.


    Erwin didn''t dare to struggle any further after that warning from Onean, and he waited obediently until he had drunk all of the medicine.


    "Alright, that''s all." Onean set the test tube in her hand aside, then turned back to look at Erwin with an expectant expression.


    Erwin was rather suspicious of her behavior and demeanor, yet just as he was about to ask exactly what the medicine was, he discovered that he was unable to move his own mouth. Not only that, but he was unable to control his own mouth at all, and it gaped open against his will, making him look like a spluttering idiot.


    Onean was greatly amused by his embarrassing display, and she couldn''t help but burst into laughter.


    Erwin knew that he had been deceived by her, and he glared at her with a vicious expression as his hands clawed through the air frantically as if he were trying to grab at Onean.


    Onean quickly took a step back so that she was out of reach, following which a pleased smile appeared on her face. "Aren''t you really proud of that loud mouth of yours? You can''t even talk now!"


    Erwin naturally didn''t want to resign himself to his fate, but the effect of the medicine was growing more and more pronounced, and as a result, he was overcome by a sense of feebleness.


    "Stop struggling! I didn''t actually poison you. I just brewed you some bitterweed potion, which has a calming and sedating effect," Onean explained with a smile.


    At this point, the only part of his body that Erwin was able to move was his eyes, so he could only glare at her with a resentful expression.


    Onean paid no heed to him and picked up the magic potion book from before, then sat down by his bedside to continue her reading.


    Erwin''s mouth had been gaped open this entire time, and his saliva was beginning to flow uncontrollably down from the corners of his mouth.


    A look of vindictive joy appeared on Onean''s face at the sight of Erwin''s helpless display. "This is what you get for constantly spouting nonsense out of that loud mouth of yours!"


    Erwin averted his gaze away from her as he gave a cold harrumph, and he thought to himself, You better not let me get my hands on you! Otherwise, I''m going to make you regret ever messing with me!

 CH 20.2

    Onean was very pleased by her own handiwork, but at the same time, she was beginning to feel a little sorry for Erwin. She pulled out a small handkerchief from her pocket, then began to dab at the drool that was flowing down from the corners of Erwin''s mouth. Erwin was thoroughly enjoying the feeling of Onean''s fingertips gently skimming over his face, and he couldn''t help but look down at her alluring figure. At the same time, he caught a whiff of her irresistible fragrance, and he felt as if he had already died and gone to heaven.


    "Can you behave? If you keep this up, you won''t be able to stop drooling!" Onean glared at Erwin with a displeased expression.


    Well, whose fault is that? Erwin thought to himself in an indignant manner.


    "The bitterweed potion is a little strong, but it can help alleviate your pain. You were the one complaining about how much your injuries hurt!" Onean consoled in a gentle voice. "Once the potion sets in, you''ll be able to sleep for a while."


    Erwin was unable to say anything at the moment, but on the inside, he was extremely grateful. He didn''t think that the princess would be willing to look after him so thoroughly. This was already the second time that he had been saved by her, and if it weren''t for her, he would''ve already been crippled or worse. His thoughts then turned to Lana, and he couldn''t help but wonder exactly what was going through her mind.


    A short while later, the bitterweed potion took effect, and he fell into a deep sleep. By the time he woke up again, he was feeling significantly better. The pain in his internal organs had already faded, but for some reason, he was absolutely ravenous. He took a glance at the time to find that it was already past 9 PM, but there should''ve been some food stalls that were still open.


    The princess seemed to be quite tired as well, and she was sleeping on the sofa, curled up into a ball, with the magic potion book under her head acting as a pillow. She appeared to be sleeping quite soundly, with a faint smile on her face and a few drops of moisture on her soft eyelashes, and Erwin was rather hesitant about whether he should wake her up.


    "Seeing as you can already get out of bed on your own, it looks like my magic potion worked quite well," Onean said as she stretched lazily, but her eyes remained closed.


    "You didn''t fall asleep? Erwin asked."


    Onean didn''t reply to his question. Instead, she opened her eyes to take a glance at Erwin, then instructed, "Go and pack up the utensils and magic ingredients outside."


    Erwin heaved a faint sigh, but did as he was told, leaving the tent to pack up all of the magic ingredients and potion brewing utensils outside.


    "But I''m hungry," Erwin complained with a disgruntled expression.


    "You can eat after you''re done packing up." Onean was flipping through the pages of her book again, clearly not paying much attention to Erwin''s protests.


    Thus, Erwin could only heave a forlorn sigh as he continued packing up.


    By the time Erwin emerged from the tent where injured contestants were treated, he was carrying a pair of rucksacks. The personnel from the tournament committee initially wanted to approach him to assess his injuries again, but they quickly decided against it when they saw that he was accompanied by the princess.


    "This stuff is so heavy! I almost died a day ago! How could you be so cruel?" Erwin complained as he trudged along.


    "Well, you''re not gonna make me carry this stuff, are you?" Onean asked.


    "We could just store this stuff in the tent that I rented. If I have to carry all this stuff, I''ll faint from hunger before we even get to the food stalls," Erwin said with a resigned expression.


    "Fine, it''s up to you."


    Thus, Erwin led Onean to the rented tent, and only after entering the tent did he discover that Larwood and the others were all present.


    "Man, you really are a devious little rascal! How come you always end up being treated by the princess whenever you get injured? If you ask me, you must be faking your injuries!" Chase could tell just from a single glance at Erwin that he was already largely recovered from his injuries, and Larwood and Kaiba were also looking on with sly grins.


    Immediately thereafter, Onean strode into the tent as well.


    "Your Highness!" Larwood instantly spotted her before extending a respectful salute, quickly followed by Kaiba.


    Chase panicked for a brief moment as he thought back to what he had just said, but he also scrambled to extend a respectful bow.


    Onean''s expression remained unchanged as she nodded at everyone in acknowledgment, while Erwin was forcibly suppressing his own laughter as he looked at Chase, to the point that his face had turned bright red.


    Onean turned around to glare at him with a displeased expression.


    Larwood and the others knew that they were clearly superfluous here, and they immediately made up an excuse to leave, thereby leaving the tent to Onean and Erwin.


    "Let''s go and have some food," Erwin said as he set down the two rucksacks onto the ground.


    "So this is where you normally live?" Onean asked as she inspected her surroundings with a curious expression.


    "Yes. It''s too much of a hassle to go in and out of the city, so this is a lot more convenient."


    Onean nodded in response. "You can go get some food by yourself, I want to take a nap. Which bed are you sleeping on?"


    Erwin''s eyes widened in shock upon hearing this.


    Is our relationship progressing this quickly? Was I being too conservative?


    "It looks like somebody wants to have another dose of my magic potion!" Onean threatened before yawning with a weary expression.


    "Ah, no, not at all! I sleep on this bed," Erwin hurriedly replied as he pointed out his bed. "Have a good rest, Your Highness."


    Onean didn''t even bother to offer a reply as she collapsed onto the bed, then yawned once again before quickly falling asleep.


    Erwin took a glance at the thin material of her dress, then heaved a faint sigh as he helped her take off her boots before tucking her in under the blankets. He had thought that she would wake up as he was taking off her shoes, but she was sleeping very soundly and didn''t seem to have noticed what he was doing at all. It seemed that brewing magic potions was quite an exhausting task.


    Before leaving the tent for food, he took another glance back at Onean on the bed, and it didn''t feel right to just leave her like this. Thus, he set up a few simple magic traps at the entrance of the tent before departing. He hadn''t learned any advanced magic traps yet, so he could only make up for the lack of quality with quantity.


    After that, he didn''t go very far and grabbed something to eat from a nearby food stall. He was quite relieved to find that none of the magic traps had been triggered upon his return, and he had to undo the traps one by one like an idiot.


    After entering the tent, he sat down on the side of the bed to stare at Onean''s exceptional beauty in silence. Being in her presence, he couldn''t help but feel a special sense of closeness to her.


    Even so, I''m going to eat you up sooner or later! Erwin thought to himself with a lustful expression, then sat onto the sofa to flip through the pages of "Laws of Time and Space".


    The night passed by in a peaceful fashion.


    By the time Erwin got up the next day, Onean was already nowhere to be seen. He stared blankly at his own blankets, which had already been neatly folded, and even the two rucksacks were gone as well.


    "So she leaves right after sleeping here. How cold," Erwin said with a wry smile. Having said that, he had slept exceptionally well the night before, so he was in a very good mood.


    He sat down on his bed and began to carefully think back through the memories of the past week of competition, and he felt like he had experienced more than what most people would experience in an entire lifetime. However, given his personality, he knew that there was a very low chance that he would participate in the tournament for a second time.


    Many years in the future, people would come to realize that the 29th edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament was by far the most spectacular edition in history, not just because of all of the outstanding contestants participating in the tournament, but more so due to the fact that the 29th Pillow Sword Tournament would go on to have a significant impact on the state of the entire continent. Furthermore, it was the only edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament that was left unconcluded.


    After getting up, Erwin had some food to eat, then made his way to the contestants'' area while humming a joyful tune to check out the matchups for the day. To his surprise, he bumped into someone familiar, namely the baguette man.


    The baguette clearly still harbored a lot of enmity toward Erwin, but at the same time, he also seemed to be extremely wary of Erwin, constantly sneaking cautious glances at Erwin out of the corners of his eyes.


    Erwin took a look at the name of his opponent for the day to find that it was Brad Shett, a very unfamiliar name. However, judging from the baguette''s expression, it seemed that he and this Brad Shett were one and the same.


    "So my match is the first one of the day," Erwin sighed as he looked up at the matchup board.


    Right at this moment, Onean''s voice rang out from behind him. "Looks like you slept quite well last night."


    "I''m sure you know better than anyone else how I slept last night, Your Highness," Erwin said as he turned around to face Onean with a suggestive expression.


    Onean faltered slightly upon hearing this, following which a faint blush appeared on her face as she complained, "You''re always trying to get the better of someone with your words!"


    "Oh, are you saying that I should speak less and do more with my actions? Looks like I really was too conservative last night," Erwin sighed as he feigned a remorseful expression.


    However, at the same time, he was thinking to himself, You think that I don''t know that you didn''t actually fall asleep last night? You''re significantly underestimating me if you think you can lure me in with those little tricks of yours!


    Onean made the wise decision to disengage herself from this war of words. In any case, she was already used to Erwin''s personality, so she was no longer bothered by it. She dragged Erwin away to the side, then cast a subtle glance at the baguette as she said in a quiet voice, "That''s your opponent for the next round."


    Just as Erwin expected, the baguette was indeed Brad Shett. "I don''t know why, but it feels like he''s very hostile toward me."


    "You''ll have to ask that question yourself," Onean said as she looked at Erwin with a cold smile.


    "How would I know the answer to that question?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    "Don''t play dumb with me! You know exactly what you did," Onean said with a cold glare.


    "But I don''t!" Erwin countered in a resigned manner.


    "Do you really need me to spell it out for you? Who was the one intentionally making fun of his appearance in front of Miss Lana that day?" Onean asked with a displeased pout.


    "Hey, I couldn''t help it, it was just an instinctive reaction," Erwin said in an exasperated voice.


    "Alright, whatever you say." Onean made no attempt to argue. "However, it only makes sense that he harbors resentment toward you considering you embarrassed him in front of the woman of his heart."


    "How do you know he has feelings for Lana?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "Throughout the course of that one meal alone, he was constantly stealing glances at Miss Lana," Onean explained in a calm voice.


    "You really are observant, Your Highness," Erwin sighed. Truth be told, even without being told, he could already tell that the baguette clearly had feelings for Lana.


    Onean ignored him as she continued, "Now that I think about it, the circumstances behind this are a little strange. Brad isn''t of noble upbringing, so how did he manage to come into contact with Byron and the Lazaar siblings? According to my knowledge, Byron, Lana, and Jeff are all extremely proud people, so there''s no way they would allow commoners to enter their circle."


    "If that really is the case, then it''s truly a little suspicious that they would be dining together at the same table," Erwin mused with a contemplative expression. "Perhaps he has some ties to the True Light Church?"

 CH 21.1

    The True Light Church was an extremely powerful entity, and even many of the noble families were sucking up the church in fear of being accused of the completely arbitrary crime of blasphemy. As a result, even a priest of the True Light Church would be treated with more respect than some minor nobles.


    "That''s probably it," Onean replied. In her eyes, the True Light Church was nothing more than a tumor that was going to spell trouble sooner or later.


    "Your Highness, did you investigate the baguette because he''s going to be my opponent for the next round?" Erwin asked as he turned to Onean with a smile. "I didn''t think that you were so concerned for me, Your Highness."


    Onean couldn''t help but burst into laughter upon hearing mention of the word "baguette", and she replied, "You really are self-centered, aren''t you? I didn''t investigate him, I just asked around to see if anyone knew anything about him."


    "Is that right?" Erwin asked with a skeptical expression.


    Onean ignored his playful skepticism as she put on a serious expression. "All jokes about his appearance aside, it''s clear that he''s quite a petty and malicious individual, so you really should be careful during your match against him."


    "So you really are concerned about me, after all," Erwin concluded with a self-assured nod.


    Onean rolled her eyes in a resigned manner. "I''m just worried that I''ll have to waste more magic ingredients on you if you end up half-dead again! It took my teacher and me a lot of hard work to gather those ingredients."


    "Ah, I see, I completely understand, Your Highness," Erwin replied with a smug expression.


    Onean was struck by the urge to strangle Erwin at the sight of his infuriating expression, but she refrained from doing so as that would be completely unbefitting of her status as the princess.


    ...


    As Erwin stepped onto the competition platform again, all of the spectators immediately erupted into cheers and applause for this young man who had brought them one breathtaking surprise after another. This was also why Erwin was only planning to participate in one edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament. He wanted to finish on a high and leave behind a perfect legacy. Perhaps next time, he wouldn''t have the courage to risk his life for these matches, and that would disappoint the spectators who had come to expect more out of him.


    He swept his gaze around the tournament venue, but Lana was still nowhere to be found.


    Lana''s avoiding me, while Onean''s match is the next one, so she''s still most likely in the contestants'' passageway. It''s a little lonely without my two loyal cheerleaders around, he thought to himself with a glum expression.


    As for Brad, he was completely unfazed by the thunderous cheers directed toward his opponent, and his eyes had been fixed firmly on Erwin this entire time.


    At the same time, he was completely empty-handed and didn''t seem to be carrying any weapons or staves, so Erwin had no idea whether he was a magician or a martial artist.


    As soon as the match began, Brad whipped his sleeves through the air, and a pair of short swords that were no more than a foot in length slid into his hands. He then charged directly toward Erwin, enhancing his own speed with advanced agility techniques as he did so.


    Erwin recalled that Onean''s opponent for the first round had also used this type of short, bladed weapon. As such, he was able to deduce that his opponent was most likely a martial artist who also specialized in assassination.


    In the face of an opponent like this, Erwin''s best choice would be to release a domain-type spell, something like the ice and snow domain that Onean had unleashed during her first-round match to slow down her opponent. However, Erwin had been focused almost entirely on studying ancient advanced spells, so he was still very much a novice when it came to domain-type spells. All of a sudden, it made sense to him why Professor Hawk was always denouncing him for being lazy.


    Thus, he could only unleash a dozen ice spears toward Brad in a row, then used his signature space split technique to open up some distance between himself and his opponent. However, those simple ice spears were easily dealt with by a few slashes from Brad''s short swords.


    Having opened up some distance between the two, Erwin''s plan was to observe his opponent from afar, but much to his surprise, his opponent''s short swords were already close to striking his face.


    "What the hell?!" Erwin exclaimed with an alarmed expression. Only then did he discover that a pair of silver chains that were each around three to five meters in length were attached to the tail-end of the two short swords. Prior to this, the chains had been concealed up Brad''s sleeve, so Erwin had failed to spot them.


    As it turned out, Brad had already hurled his short swords through the air while dealing with Erwin''s ice spears. However, what was most astonishing to Erwin was that Brad was able to predict the placement of his space split technique.


    Erwin raised his left hand to conjure up a mirror of ice, which was struck by Brad''s pair of short swords and instantly shattered, but as a result, the momentum of Brad''s weapons was also significantly blunted.


    With a sharp tug on the two chains attached to the pair of short swords, Brad was instantly able to regain control of his weapons before sending them whistling toward Erwin''s face again with unbridled killing intent.


    It looks like he''s holding a massive grudge toward me for making fun of his appearance, but why is he constantly going for my face? It''s not like I''m a pretty boy like Jeff or something, Erwin thought to himself with tightly furrowed brows.


    All of a sudden, the two flying swords struck the outer wall of Erwin''s light shield, and they were instantly stopped cold in their tracks.


    "Go, Erwin!" The cheering from the spectators became even more deafening at the sight of Erwin''s signature ability.


    Seeing as Erwin had conjured up his light shield, a hint of urgency crept into Brad''s eyes, and with another tug of the silver chains, the pair of flying swords instantly flew back into his grasp, following which he charged directly toward Erwin to engage him in close-quarters combat.


    What all of the spectators expected to see was Brad unleashing a string of attacks upon the light shield, much like Erwin''s spear-wielding opponent had done during the last round, but to everyone''s astonishment, Erwin voluntarily withdrew his own light shield.


    As a result, the series of attacks that Brad had prepared struck nothing but empty air in the sudden absence of the light shield.


    Taking advantage of Brad''s moment of disorientation, Erwin unleashed a flurry of instant-release spells directly toward his chest, then departed gracefully from the scene using another space split technique.


    Brad was momentarily rooted to the spot after being struck by that flurry of instant-release spells, and he could feel all types of negative status conditions spreading through his body.


    However, this wasn''t enough to stop him, and he swept his silver chains through the air again to send his flying swords hurtling directly toward Erwin.


    How is he able to predict the placement of my space split techniques so accurately? Erwin was stunned by his opponent''s foresight. On both of these occasions where he had used his space split technique, Brad''s flying swords had reached him as soon as he reappeared.


    Thus, Erwin could only conjure up his light shield again to ward off the attack.


    This time, Brad had learned his lesson, and he wasn''t in a hurry to approach Erwin. Instead, he swept the two silver chains through the air like a pair of whips to viciously lash out at the outer wall of the light shield over and over again.


    Erwin could feel that his attacks were far weaker than those of his spear-wielding opponent from the last round. It was clear that someone like Brad, who specialized in assassination techniques, was rather lacking when it came to strength and power.


    Thus, Brad was left in a very awkward situation. He knew that his attacks were nowhere near powerful enough to break through Erwin''s light shield. If he were to allow Erwin to chant the incantations for the ancient advanced spells in the safety of his light shield, he would undoubtedly end up in the same situation as many of Erwin''s opponents from his past matches.


    With that in mind, he gritted his teeth and made a decision, charging forward to approach Erwin''s light shield again. He didn''t know how this spell of Erwin''s worked, but what he did know was that it seemed to be extremely taxing for Erwin to use.


    As Brad began attacking the light shield with his twin swords again, a faint smile appeared on Erwin''s face as he adopted the same strategy as before, withdrawing his light shield before unleashing another barrage of instant-release spells.


    This time, Brad was prepared and managed to ward off some of the spells with his twin swords, but he was still struck by a few of the spells. In addition to the spells that he had been struck by last time, the negative status conditions in his body were beginning to pile up.


    All of a sudden, Erwin unleashed another space split technique. On this occasion, he arrived directly behind Brad to a chorus of gasps from the spectator stands.


    Immediately thereafter, he unleashed another barrage of instant-release spells toward Brad''s defenseless back, and all types of glowing purple spells quickly exploded upon his back one after another.


    This time, Brad was finally caught off guard, and he was sent flying through the air before sliding along the ground.


    Erwin certainly wasn''t going to give his opponent a chance to catch his breath. Before Brad had even gotten up from the ground, another string of instant-release spells had already been sent flying toward him. However, to Erwin''s surprise, Brad was extremely resilient. He thrust a palm down onto the ground to send himself tumbling to the side, thereby allowing him to evade this flurry of instant-release spells. However, all of Erwin''s spells had extremely potent tracing abilities, so they immediately changed direction to continue flying toward Brad.


    For martial artists like Brad who specialized in assassination, speed was paramount, so his reflexes were far faster than these spells. By the time they arrived, he had already gotten up on one knee and crossed his arms to defend himself. Thus, Erwin''s spells were successfully negated.


    Of course, Erwin wasn''t just going to stand by and watch. Instead, he conjured up his light shield again to defend himself in advance. His flexible usage of his light shield during this match infuriated Brad to no end, so much so that it looked as if fire were about to blast out of the two raisins that he had for eyes.


    It was clear that Brad had been backed into a corner and was unable to do anything against Erwin''s flexible strategy.


    Thus, the rest of the match devolved into a completely one-sided drubbing where Erwin did whatever he pleased. He was always able to appear in places that Brad failed to predict with his space split techniques, and Brad was being thoroughly humiliated.


    "Over here!"


    As soon as Erwin appeared, Brad was struck by a burst of instant-release spells to the forehead.


    "Over here!"


    A burst of purple light exploded upon Brad''s waist.


    "Over here!"


    Brad was sent flying by an explosion of magic power before he even had a chance to turn around and defend himself.


    At this point, Brad was no longer able to predict the placement of Erwin''s space split techniques, nor did he have any power to retaliate. As such, he was receiving a one-sided beating from Erwin''s instant-release spells, and it was clear that he was holding on through sheer willpower alone. There were a few occasions where he couldn''t even get up from the ground after being struck, and even the administrators standing around the competition platform couldn''t bear to watch any longer, but so long as the contestant wished to persevere, there was nothing they could do.


    The mockery on Erwin''s face was further infuriating Brad, and he gritted his teeth and refused to admit defeat as he thought back to how Erwin had embarrassed him in front of Lana on that day.

 CH 21.2

    I finally got an opportunity to meet her, yet you had to ruin it! I''m going to kill you, you insolent little bastard! Brad was cursing Erwin internally as he thought back to the mocking smile that had appeared on Lana''s face. Even a mocking smile from her was so captivating. What was even more infuriating to Brad was that Erwin seemed to have some romantic ties with Lana, but he still wasn''t satisfied and was going after the princess as well! Just the mere thought was making Brad''s blood boil, and he refused to surrender the match.


    Erwin had no idea what was going on inside Brad''s mind. He unleashed a few more instant-release spells, hoping to end the match as quickly as possible.


    It was clear that this round of attacks from Erwin would be enough to defeat his opponent. At this point, Brad couldn''t even get up anymore, and it seemed that he had already fallen unconscious.


    The administrators heaved a collective sigh of relief upon seeing this, and they adjudicated Erwin as the victor before preparing to step onto the competition platform to carry Brad away.


    Erwin exhaled as he basked in the applause around him, and a sense of intense joy welled up in his heart. I made it into the top four! Looks like Professor Hawk wasn''t wrong about me, after all!


    Right as he was celebrating his victory, a cold smile appeared on Brad''s face as he laid on the ground behind Erwin. He then silently raised his arm, and a short arrow was sent flying toward Erwin''s back.


    As it turned out, there had been a crossbow concealed up his sleeve this entire time. It was a weapon that he had registered, but he had never used it in any of his previous matches. As soon as he learned that his opponent for this round was going to be Erwin, he had hatched this sinister plan. For him, winning or losing was no longer important, what he wanted was to have Erwin killed!


    After this experience, Erwin learned two valuable lessons, the first of which was to never underestimate an opponent, even if they seemed to be completely down and out, as one could never predict how many tricks their opponent had hidden up their sleeve. As for the second of the two lessons, it was that turning one''s back on one''s opponent was an extremely foolish thing to do.


    ...


    Erwin was still lost in his own world, so he was caught completely off guard. Before he knew it, the short arrow was already sticking out of his back, and he turned around to stare at it with an incredulous expression, almost wondering if it was someone else''s back he was looking at.


    If it weren''t for the excruciating pain spearing through his body, he would struggle to believe that he had just been struck by a sneak attack.


    The spectators were also in disbelief that someone would dare to try and commit murder in front of tens of thousands of people, but that was exactly what had happened.


    Several of the administrators immediately charged toward Brad to press him to the ground, but he had already used up the last of his strength, and he really was unconscious this time. However, even in a state of unconsciousness, there was a satisfied smile on his extraordinarily long face.


    Even with the slightest of movements, Erwin''s back immediately began to throb with agonizing pain, and he inhaled sharply through his teeth as cold sweat began to bead up on his forehead.


    The stretcher that had been prepared for Brad was carried over to Erwin instead, and the administrators instructed him to lie down flat on his stomach to avoid further aggravating the injuries.


    As for Brad, he had already been tied up and carried off the competition platform by several administrators.


    As Erwin was carried off the platform, he heard Prime Minister Fuller announce the follow-up measures that were to be taken, as well as all of the outraged voices of the spectators. However, he couldn''t focus on what was being said as the pain radiating from his back was too excruciating to bear.


    Onean was in the spectators'' passageway, so she naturally saw Erwin as he was being carried away, and a grim look appeared on her face as she asked, "What happened?"


    "You were right about the baguette, he really is a nasty piece of work! He attacked me with a hidden weapon even after I won the match!" Erwin was sorely regretting not taking Onean''s words of warning more seriously.


    Onean carefully inspected Erwin''s injury, then concluded, "The wound is quite deep, but the tip of the arrow doesn''t appear to be poisoned."


    "Poison definitely isn''t a factor here, Your Highness. All of the registered weapons are thoroughly re-examined each day, so there''s no way they could be poisoned," an administrator said.


    Onean nodded in response. "Carry him to the same tent from yesterday, I''ll be there soon."


    The administrators did as they were told.


    As Erwin was carried back to that familiar tent, he couldn''t help but lament his own terrible luck. This was already the third time he had been carried to this tent during the course of the tournament!


    Doctors were supposed to be sent by the tournament committee to treat Erwin''s injuries, but the administrators were naturally aware of Princess Onean''s intentions, so they waved off the doctors that were supposed to attend to Erwin. As a result, he was left all by himself in the tent.


    Thankfully, Onean arrived in the tent not long thereafter, and she was holding a rucksack in her hand.


    "Don''t you have to compete in your match?" Erwin asked.


    "The tournament committee rescheduled my match to the afternoon as they''re currently dealing with the repercussions of the sneak attack," Onean said as she pulled out various items from her rucksack, including things like gauze and bandages. "Didn''t I tell you to look out for your opponent?"


    Erwin gulped nervously at the sight of the pieces of equipment being laid out before him, and he sighed, "I didn''t think that he resented me this much, Your Highness."


    "I''m going to pull the arrow out, and it''s going to hurt, so make sure you''re prepared," Onean said as she approached Erwin to remove his robes.


    In this sorry state, Erwin wasn''t in the mood to enjoy the princess''s alluring fragrance, and he could only grit his teeth with a painful wince as Onean stripped him down.


    He turned around to take a glance, upon which he discovered that Onean had just picked up a pair of silver pliers, and he hurriedly looked away again with a fearful expression as he implored in a feeble voice, "Please be gentle."


    Onean offered no response as she smiled in silence, remarking to herself that Erwin had very good skin.


    She was preparing a numbing lightning spell with one hand, while holding the pliers with her other hand.


    The pliers were locked around the base of the arrowhead, and she gave Erwin some verbal warning before executing the procedure.


    Erwin felt a numbing sensation spread through his back, followed by a burst of excruciating pain, and he knew that the arrowhead had been pulled out.


    Onean set down her pliers, then gently dabbed at his wound with a piece of handkerchief that had been dipped in magic potion.


    "That really hurts!" After being dabbed at with the potion-infused handkerchief, Erwin felt as if his wound had been set on fire. He then turned his head to look at Onean before asking, "Your Highness, that''s not the handkerchief that you used to wipe my drool from yesterday, is it?"


    "It is," Onean replied with an amused expression. "What? Are you disgusted by your own saliva?"


    "Well, no," Erwin replied with a sheepish expression.


    "Did you really think I would use the same handkerchief from yesterday?" Onean chuckled. "Are you an idiot? I already threw away the one that was used to wipe your drool. There''s no way I would carry something like that with me!"


    Erwin turned away with a glum expression, but at the same time, he was astonished by the efficacy of Onean''s magic potion. It had only been less than a minute since its application, and his pain had already been significantly alleviated.


    Onean sealed his wound with a piece of gauze, then instructed, "Sit up."


    Erwin obediently did as he was told and sat up with his legs crossed.


    Onean had one hand pressed over the piece of gauze, while her other hand was wrapping bandages tightly around Erwin''s chest and shoulder.


    Now that his injury no longer hurt anywhere near as much as before, Erwin''s mind was beginning to creep elsewhere. He could feel Onean''s soft and delicate skin tracing over his own skin and her warm breath on his back. At times, the two of them were pressed against one another so that he could directly feel Onean''s body heat, and his skin was beginning to crawl. His brain began to suffer from oxygen deprivation, and his eyelids felt extremely heavy, but he was thoroughly enjoying the process.


    Even though Erwin was already quite experienced when it came to physical relations with the opposite sex, he was still a healthy young man. With someone as breathtakingly beautiful as Onean so close to him, his mind would inevitably wander down more lustful avenues, and his blood was quickly filtering out of his brain to flow toward another vital organ. In addition to that, Erwin had never been known for his self-restraint.


    Thus, as Onean walked around so that she was facing him while wrapping his bandages, his hand shot forward like lightning to catch her wrist, and he rolled over to press her against the bed with his body over hers, looking down Onean''s shocked expression with heavy-lidded eyes that were filled with desire.


    However, as soon as Erwin completed this sequence of movements, he let loose an agonized howl before collapsing onto the bed. As it turned out, he had aggravated the injury on his back, so the pain had come roaring back with full force.


    Onean naturally wasn''t going to let him off the hook so easily. An enraged look appeared in her golden eyes, and she pounced onto Erwin like a ferocious lioness before sinking her teeth viciously into his shoulder.


    Erwin was already in excruciating pain, and he took a glance at his own shoulder to find that Onean was biting him with such force that her teeth were drawing blood! Soon, another agonized howl rang out within the tent.


    "That''s what you get!" Onean looked on at Erwin''s agonized display with a cold expression, but there was clearly a deep flush on her cheeks.


    After rolling around in agony for a while, Erwin curled up into a ball on the bed and fell still.


    "You reap what you sow! Are you happy now?" Onean asked in a cold voice.


    Erwin remained silent with his back facing Onean, perhaps because he was feeling guilty over what he had done, or perhaps he was regretful that his injury had thwarted him at the last moment.


    Onean pouted with a displeased expression to find that the blood from his injury had already seeped through the bandages. She briefly contemplated leaving Erwin to fend for himself, but in the end, she couldn''t bring herself to do that and dressed his wounds again, but as she did so, she made sure to be extra forceful when tying the bandages around Erwin''s body. Erwin no longer had the energy to resist. Thus, after an excruciating sequence of events, the injury was successfully bandaged. Right before she left, she gave Erwin''s injury a parting flick with her finger, and Erwin let loose another agonized howl as he began to roll around on the bed again. It seemed that he still had an ounce of energy left, after all.


    Erwin buried his chin against his own chest as he looked at the teeth marks on his shoulder with a glum expression.


    Meanwhile, Onean was looking at him with a furious gleam in her eyes, but her anger quickly faded, and she couldn''t help but burst into laughter at the sight of Erwin''s despondent display.


    "Alright, have a good rest. Try to move around as little as possible so you don''t open up your wound any further," Onean instructed before leaving the tent.


    Erwin laid on the bed and took another close look at the teeth marks on his shoulder. All of a sudden, a smile appeared on his face, and it seemed that the progress he had made was worth all of the pain that he had suffered.

 CH 22.1

    Not only had an assassination been attempted during a match in the tournament, the attack had been unleashed after the outcome had already been decided, so this was a very serious incident. Fuller immediately announced the abolition of Brad''s placing in the tournament, and he was detained by the tournament committee. Once the tournament concluded, he would be sent to the attorney general to be sentenced. After all, this incident involved the crime of attempted murder of a noble, so it would be up to the attorney general and the court of law to decide what punishment would be handed down to Brad.


    Thus, the incident was promptly settled, and all of the spectators were very much looking forward to the three matches in the afternoon. After all, Onean, Lana, and Jeff were all going to feature in those matches. What was particularly exciting was Lana''s match as her opponent was Gwen, the daughter of Governor Jenkins.


    Prince Lazaar and Governor Jenkins were the leaders of two opposing factions in the royal court, so there had to be some sparks flying between their two daughters.


    Speaking of Gwen, Erwin was quite surprised that she was powerful enough to make it so far in the tournament. In the past, he despised all of the students who were extremely conscientious in class. After she was defeated by Larwood in their first sparring match, Gwen began to work even harder in class and latched onto the lecturers'' every word as if they were preaching the holy gospel, and as a result, Erwin''s opinion of her had fallen even further. However, his assessment of her had then gradually changed over time as she was always taking the initiative to approach Larwood for sparring matches, and she took all of their sparring matches very seriously. As a result, Erwin discovered that she possessed very commendable determination and resilience.


    Even so, Erwin still didn''t think that she would be able to make it into the top eight. It seemed that she had held back against Larwood during their sparring matches in the offense and defense classes.


    Then again, who could''ve anticipated that I would make it into the top four before the Pillow Sword Tournament began? I bet all of the pedants in the academy are shocked, but it''s not like they can do anything, Erwin thought to himself with a self-deprecating expression.


    Of course, Erwin had convinced himself that he had only come to participate in the Pillow Sword Tournament for Professor Hawk''s sake. In reality, at this point, this had already become a personal pursuit of his, but he simply wasn''t willing to admit it.


    ...


    In a rare display of humility, Erwin snuck onto the spectator stands on the bottom level in order to not attract attention to himself, but by the time he arrived, Onean had already dealt with her opponent. A stunned look appeared on Erwin''s face as he stared at the beverage that he was holding.


    The match had concluded in the brief span of time that it had taken him to buy a mug of dark beer! It seemed that there really weren''t any contestants in this tournament powerful enough to challenge her aside from the Lazaar siblings.


    "Wow, I didn''t think you''d be back on your feet so quickly." Larwood was rather surprised to see Erwin up and about so soon.


    "Of course he''s going to recover faster with such a beautiful carer," Chase said with a sly grin. "How was last night, Erwin?"


    "Look at him! He took an arrow to the back, but he''s making it look like the arrow was fired by Cupid! These minor injuries are nothing to Erwin, isn''t that right?" Kaiba chuckled. "So how did things go last night?"


    "Yeah, what happened last night?" Larwood was also very interested to hear Erwin''s reply.


    With so many people around, they naturally weren''t going to mention the princess. Thus, they were only asking Erwin about "last night" in order to maintain some secrecy.


    "What happened last night? Absolutely nothing! How come you guys don''t care about my injury at all, but you''re so interested in discussing these useless topics?" Erwin was quite disgruntled as he looked at his group of lewd friends.


    "You know, there are rumors circulating that you''ve become addicted to sustaining injuries just so you can be treated by a certain someone," Larwood jeered. "If we could get the same treatment when we get injured, we''d gladly mutilate ourselves every day! Why should we be concerned for you when you''re the luckiest man alive?"


    "Don''t try to change the subject!" Chase immediately caught on to Erwin''s attempt to steer the conversation in another direction. "We want to know what happened last night! How did it feel? Hurry up and tell us!"


    "I''m telling you, nothing happened!" Erwin said with a resigned expression. "When have I ever lied to you guys?"


    Larwood and the others were still extremely skeptical, clearly unwilling to accept this as an answer. They were all looking at Erwin with menacing expressions, and it seemed that an interrogation was about to take place.


    However, right at this moment, it came time for the most heavily anticipated match of the day. Governor Jenkins had come to the venue to spectate the match in person, so it seemed that he was quite confident in his own daughter. In contrast, Prince Lazaar still hadn''t arrived yet, nor had King Cameron.


    Lana and Gwen entered the venue, one from the east, and the other from the west.


    Gwen had clearly made an effort to dress up for the occasion, wearing a tailor-made orange dress with beautiful silver runes embroidered around the collar. Looking at her voluptuous cleavage, her swan-like neck, and her snowy-white, delicate shoulders, Larwood wanted nothing more than to transform into the gray mink scarf that was wrapped around her neck.


    "Hey, what''s happening with all of you? It''s not like you haven''t seen her before," Erwin chuckled with an amused expression.


    "I can understand Larwood drooling over her, but what''s going on with you, Kaiba? You look like your eyes are about to pop out of their sockets!" Chase jeered.


    "I''m not looking at Gwen, I''m looking at Prince Lazaar''s daughter," Kaiba hurriedly explained.


    "He''s looking at your old lover," Chase said as he nudged Erwin with his elbow.


    Erwin pursed his lips and offered no response, but he knew that Kaiba''s gaze wasn''t focused on Lana.


    In contrast with Gwen, Lana was wearing a simple blue magician robe that was very conservative compared with what she normally wore. There was a sash around her waist that perfectly highlighted her exquisite figure, and she was wearing a violet sheep wool cape that was flapping incessantly in the frosty winter wind.


    Looking at her calm and composed expression, Erwin knew that Lana wasn''t taking Gwen seriously as an opponent at all. In her heart, there was only one person in this tournament who could truly compete with her.


    To be fair, Gwen was already one of the most beautiful noble women in the entire city of Sarus. Otherwise, there was no way that someone as picky as Larwood would be so intent on pursuing her. Unfortunately for Gwen, Lana was like a goddess who didn''t even appear to be from this world, so no matter how much effort Gwen spent to make herself look good, there was simply no comparison between the two.


    ...


    Thus, the match commenced as everyone looked on with anticipation in their eyes.


    Lana seized the initiative right away, unleashing an instant-release spell comprised of three different colors out of the tip of her long staff, which was giving off a faint blue glow. This was the same staff that she had used in her first battle against Erwin outside the Rosebud Pavilion, so it certainly didn''t bring up any good memories in Erwin''s mind. He could still vividly recall the scenes from that day, which was no surprise, considering he had almost perished to this very staff.


    After the three-colored spell was released, it gradually transformed into three balls of fire, one red, one yellow, and one blue, all of which were hurtling directly toward Gwen''s chest.


    In response, Gwen conjured up a magic shield in front of herself in a well-rehearsed fashion, then began to chant the incantation for an advanced spell. However, what she failed to anticipate was that as the three balls of fire struck her magic shield, a part of their magic power was able to penetrate through the defenses of her magic shield. This burst of magic power then transformed into an intricate three-colored dagger that pierced directly toward Gwen''s chest.


    This was the most unique aspect of Lana''s magic. It seemed to be magic, but it wasn''t purely magic. During Erwin''s first battle against her, he had been defeated by her signature Shadowgleam Sword Array. The sword array appeared to be filled with bursts of magical sword energy, but in reality, some of the bursts of sword energy had already been given substantial form by Lana''s magic. As a result, even the most resolute of magic shields wouldn''t be able to withstand such an attack. It was clear that the three-colored spell was also magic of the same nature, giving off the appearance of a normal spell, but in reality, there was a nasty surprise concealed within it.


    The fact that Gwen had made it all the way into the top eight naturally meant that she was no pushover. While she was very much taken aback by this turn of events, she was extremely decisive as she immediately ceased her chanting, then raised her hands before her to instantly conjure up a wall of ice. The three-colored dagger pierced into the wall of ice with a crisp clang, and the wall of ice was instantly shattered into large chunks, while the three-colored dagger also shattered into countless magic crystal fragments.


    It seemed that the two were evenly matched in this initial clash, but Lana had actually already seized the upper hand as she had already completed the incantation for her advanced spell while Gwen was busy warding off the three-colored dagger.


    "That''s the same spell of the Arcane Inferno Black Dragon," Erwin murmured to himself as he looked on with tightly furrowed brows.


    The emergence of the black wyrm brought with it a thunderous roar. On this occasion, Lana didn''t split up the magic energy of her arcane spell into around a dozen black wyrms as she had done during her match against Byron. Instead, she focused all of the arcane energy that she absorbed into a single black wyrm.


    The wyrm''s eyes were giving off a faint azure sheen that was extremely cold and menacing to behold. The wyrm threw back its head and roared up into the heavens, then released a plume of azure flames directly toward Gwen.


    In the face of the enormous wave of azure flames, Gwen remained calm and collected as she raised her staff and yelled, "Chaotic Forcefield!"


    Fierce gusts of wind were instantly swept up all around her, causing dust and rocks to fly through the air. Meanwhile, she stood, as calm as ever, in the eye of the storm. As soon as the azure fire entered the Chaotic Forcefield, it was instantly split up into bursts of azure magic turbulence, which began to rapidly revolve within the ferocious vortex of wind.


    Even so, the azure magic energy was still able to constantly lash out at Gwen from within the vortex. At the moment, she was having to expend a massive amount of magic energy just to maintain the enormous magic forcefield, so she didn''t have any power to spare to defend herself. As a result, many wounds had already been inflicted onto her body.


    "Looks like your old lover is still too powerful for Gwen to take on," Larwood sighed with a wistful expression.


    Erwin could only give a wry smile in response.

 CH 22.2

    With a wave of Lana''s staff, the black wyrm let loose a thunderous roar before plunging headfirst into the violent storm. The Chaotic Forcefield was clearly unable to break down such a powerful burst of magic energy. As the black wyrm entered the forcefield, only the outermost layer of black energy on its skin was stripped away, so looking at it from afar, it seemed that it had only grown slightly thinner.


    Gwen clearly wasn''t expecting her Chaotic Forcefield to be completely powerless against Lana''s attack.


    The black wyrm was glaring coldly at Gwen with its menacing azure eyes, and it seemed that the match was about to be decided.


    However, Gwen clearly wasn''t going to give up so easily. She abandoned control over her Chaotic Forcefield, then conjured up an advanced magic shield.


    Lana looked on with a cold expression as Gwen scrambled to defend herself. She could''ve already controlled the black wyrm to attack Gwen and end the battle, but she simply allowed Gwen to complete her magic shield.


    However, throughout this process, Lana had been constantly funneling arcane energy toward the black wyrm. As a result, the black wyrm began to give off a dense layer of azure mist, and soon, the entire air above the venue was entirely taken up by the black wyrm and the dense mist.


    Once Gwen had completed her advanced magic shield, a cold smile appeared on Lana''s face as she brought her staff down in one swift motion, and the black wyrm instantly rushed forward with unstoppable might. Due to the enormity of the black wyrm''s body, all of the spectators had erupted into a frenzy, and many of them had stood up to take a closer look.


    In the spectator stands, Governor Jenkins was staring intently at the massive black wyrm with a steely expression, unsure of whether his daughter would be able to withstand this attack.


    Meanwhile, Prime Minister Fuller was a lot more conscious and alert, immediately making eye contact with all of the administrators around the competition platform as a silent instruction for them to prepare to save Gwen if and when required.


    However, the magic energy imbued within the black wyrm was far more fearsome than the administrators anticipated, and it was able to instantly break through Gwen''s magic shield. At the same time, the administrators that had leaped onto the competition platform were sent flying, and in the blink of an eye, Gwen was swept up in a ferocious black storm.


    Everything in the wake of the rampaging black wyrm had been razed to the ground.


    The foundation of the competition platform split in half down the center, and all types of rocks and stones were clattering everywhere.


    The administrators had been sent flying into the spectator stands on the bottom level, where they crashed into many of the spectators who were unable to evade.


    As for Gwen, she was swept to the entrance of the contestants'' passageway, and she had fallen completely unconscious. Her beautiful orange dress had been reduced to tatters, and it was only just barely able to cover up her sensitive regions, but large sections of her fair skin on her chest and stomach, as well as both of her long legs, were exposed out in the open.


    Governor Jenkins naturally couldn''t just sit by idly any longer, and he immediately got up from his seat, then rushed over to his daughter before draping his own coat over her body.


    Despite the terrible condition that Gwen was in, Erwin could tell that Lana had held back in her attack.


    After that, Lana departed from the competition platform right before everyone''s astonished eyes. Thus, the most highly anticipated match of the day concluded in a rather underwhelming, one-sided victory.


    Larwood and his friends could only lament Gwen''s ill-fortune.


    The only match left for the day was Jeff''s match, and the four of them quickly arrived at an unspoken agreement to not watch the match.


    "Let''s go have a drink. We have to celebrate Erwin''s advancement to the semifinal!" Chase proposed with a smile. "We wanted to hold a celebration for you last time, but you turned us down, so you can''t refuse again! We have to drink to our hearts'' content today!"


    "That''s right! I can''t believe one of us is actually doing something with our life! We''re going to make sure that you get drunk tonight!" Larwood slapped Erwin''s back in a joyful manner, causing Erwin to wince with pain from his injury.


    "Indeed. Who could''ve anticipated this prior to the commencement of the Pillow Sword Tournament?" Chase said as he turned to Erwin with an impressed expression. "At this point, I won''t even be surprised if you win tomorrow."


    "At the time we were joking about how he was lucky to have been put into a branch of the draw where he would only encounter those three monsters during the semifinals. Who knew that he would actually make the semifinal!" Larwood chuckled with a shake of his head.


    Indeed, even Erwin himself would''ve never imagined that he would be able to make it into the top four of the tournament.


    "What are you thinking about, Kaiba? You''ve been awfully quiet," Chase said.


    "Oh, I was just thinking about who Erwin''s opponent for tomorrow is going to be," Kaiba replied as he withdrew his gaze from the tournament venue.


    "That''s actually something that we should consider. Erwin, would you rather go up against Her Highness or Miss Lana?" Chase asked with an expectant grin.


    "I bet you won''t be able to bring yourself to attack either of them," Larwood chuckled.


    Erwin also shook his head with a wry smile at the difficult question that Kaiba had raised to him.


    "In any case, if I go up against Jeff, I''ll definitely try to find a way to avenge you," Erwin jibed, pouring salt onto Larwood''s wound.


    Larwood wasn''t going to just accept Erwin''s jibe without retaliation, and he immediately pounced toward Erwin to poke at the wound on his back, but he was stopped by Kaiba.


    As Erwin and his friends were play-fighting with one another, they attracted some attention from the people nearby, and many of them had recognized Erwin. Some of the bystanders began to whistle and wave at him, and some of the more bold and daring noble women were giving him seductive looks. Erwin wore a smug expression as he waved back at everyone. His three friends were quite disgruntled by his cocky display, and they grabbed him with displeased expressions before dragging him out of the venue.


    ...


    That night, Erwin and his friends indulged in a night of drinking and festivities again. However, for some reason, Erwin was unable to fully enjoy himself. He looked at all of the celebrating people around him, and he couldn''t shake this feeling of detachment and emptiness. He didn''t know where his dejection was coming from, nor did he know what the reason behind his unease was, but he was constantly distracted and absent-minded the entire night. Even as he drank more alcohol, he only became more and more conscious, and he wasn''t even interested in fooling around with the seductive hostesses.


    Chase and the others merely reassured him that he was still yet to fully recover from his injuries.


    Erwin naturally wasn''t going to rain on everyone''s parade, so he did his best to make it look as if he were enjoying himself. Only after everyone had blacked out from drinking did he make his way over to the window, where he looked at the night scenery outside in an absentminded manner, holding a glass of low-quality whiskey from the Zam highlands in his hand. In the past, Erwin had always detested the strong taste of oak barrels in this whiskey. To him, it tasted as if someone had thrown a lit cigarette into his beverage. However, on this night, all he wanted was to get drunk as quickly as possible, so he was willing to bear the abhorrent taste of the whiskey.


    Thinking back over the past few days of competition, he was already very satisfied with what he had been able to achieve, so it didn''t matter to him who his opponent was going to be tomorrow. After all, he had witnessed all three of the other semifinalists in action, and he knew that their powers were all far beyond his.


    In fact, there was even a strange thought in his mind, which was that his participation in the Pillow Sword Tournament had already concluded, and he was only going to participate in an exhibition match the next day, just like his sparring match against Lana during the offense and defense class. With that in mind, he became a lot more relaxed, much like the feeling of release after completing the final exam for a semester. However, this was also most likely the source of his glum mood.


    "Everything''s fine as long as I don''t have to go up against Jeff tomorrow." A faint smile finally appeared on his face as he looked out at the bright and starry night sky.


    The semifinals of the 29th Pillow Sword Tournament were about to begin.


    Having watched the past few days of competition, many of the spectators were convinced that this was the most formidable semifinal lineup in the past 20 years. The four hot favorites of the tournament had all lived up to their expectations and made it into the top four. Thinking back, it was actually only Erwin who had a difficult path to this point in the tournament. In contrast, the other three semifinalists had swept through the competition with ease, hardly breaking a sweat in the process.


    Prior to this, all of the match schedules had been laid out on the matchup board by the tournament committee, but now that the tournament''s top four contestants had emerged, it was tradition for the four contestants to draw their opponents for the semifinals in front of all of the spectators. Thus, none of the four semifinalists knew who their opponents were going to be prior to the name-drawing ceremony.


    Just like on the first day of the Pillow Sword Tournament, all of the most renowned and important figures in Sarus were present for this day of competition.


    King Cameron wore a hopeful look on his face, and it was clear that even as the king, he was invested in the outcomes of his own daughter''s matches. In contrast, Master Piro appeared to be much more relaxed and carefree. In his eyes, none of the other semifinalists were a match for his prized disciple.


    Prince Lazaar was as calm and collected as ever, exuding his usual aura, which was neither haughty nor humble.


    Of course, Governor Jenkins was looking a little more dejected than everyone else. His daughter had failed to progress to the semifinals, so he was naturally feeling rather despondent.


    After that, Prime Minister Fuller announced the entry of the remaining contestants into the venue. The royal guard of honor was gathered on either side of the contestants'' passageways both to the east and to the west, and ceremonial music rang out as the four contestants entered the venue with tens of thousands of spectators looking on with keen interest.


    The Lazaar siblings came in from the east with their arms interlinked. Prince Lazaar had intentionally brought the two of them back with him to Sarus in order to prove a point, and they had well and truly stunned all of the capital city''s officials and nobles with both their looks and their powers. Furthermore, Prince Lazaar''s eldest son was still stationed in Burmen, and he had to be a formidable force to be reckoned with as well. With such an outrageously talented young trio, it seemed that the Lazaar Family''s future was very bright.


    Princess Onean entered from the west, with Erwin trailing along behind her. Onean had gone to study under Master Piro when she was barely even 10 years old, and following her return, it was only to be expected that she would be extremely powerful. Master Piro had taken many students under his wing throughout his lifetime, but Onean was the only disciple that he had to beg for, so he definitely wasn''t going to spare any effort in her tutelage. During this edition of the Pillow Sword Tournament, Onean had fully capitalized on her monstrous aptitude, and Master Piro was extremely pleased with her performance.

 CH 23.1

    As for Erwin, no one had expected him to progress anywhere near this far in the tournament prior to its commencement. There were many far more renowned contestants in his group, yet he had somehow staved off all of them to emerge as one of the semifinalists. Some of the nobles in the spectator stands were beginning to discuss how fortunate Count Friar was to have such an outstanding son. However, despite Erwin''s exceptional performance during the tournament, Count Friar had never come to watch any of his matches. Ever since Erwin was a young boy, he had always suspected that his father had social anxiety as he had never seen his father appear in any large gatherings.


    As the contestants entered the venue, all of the spectators erupted into a raucous frenzy. Everyone was extremely excited about the upcoming matches, and thunderous cheers were ringing out across the entire venue.


    Seeing as the four semifinalists were all assembled, Prime Minister Fuller gave the four administrators before him a silent nod, and the four administrators immediately raised their hands in unison, upon which four iris flowers that were glowing with golden radiance lit up in the sky.


    The much-anticipated name-drawing ceremony was about to begin.


    "Please kick things off for us, Your Highness," Fuller said as he extended a respectful bow.


    Onean nodded in response, then pointed a slim finger at one of the iris flowers. Light immediately began to surge over the entire flower, and it instantly turned from a golden color to a blue hue.


    "Next up will be Lana Lazaar," Fuller said as he made an inviting hand gesture.


    Lana raised her head to look up at one of the three remaining iris flowers, then flicked a finger through the air, and the golden iris flower quickly transitioned into a red color.


    A string of disappointed sighs rang out across the entire venue as Onean and Lana weren''t going to face each other. That was the most highly anticipated matchup. After all, the rivalry between Princess Onean and Lana had always been one of the biggest drawcards of the entire tournament.


    Even King Cameron was slightly disappointed to see that the two of them weren''t going to be facing one another, and he turned to Master Piro with a wry smile and a faint sigh.


    "Next up will be Jeff Lazaar," Prime Minister Fuller announced, completely unaffected by the mood of the spectators.


    Jeff turned to face one of the two remaining flowers before beckoning toward it, and the dazzling golden light radiating from the iris flower instantly turned blue.


    Onean''s opponent was Jeff, so Lana''s opponent was naturally going to be Erwin.


    An awkward look appeared on Erwin''s face as he raised his head to look up at the final golden iris flower, wondering if he even needed to reveal the color of the final flower, given that the outcome was already obvious.


    Onean was rather amused by Erwin''s awkward display, and Lana just so happened to take a glance at Erwin at the same time, upon which the corners of her lips turned upward ever so slightly, despite the cold expression that she wore.


    Fuller could see the dismay on Erwin''s face, and he consoled, "Erwin Friar, you can choose when your match will be held. It''s up to you whether it''s held in the morning or the afternoon."


    Erwin nodded in response as he heaved a faint sigh. This was hardly any consolation to him, but at least he had a choice in something.


    Thus, he unleashed an instant-release spell toward the final iris flower in a resigned manner, and to no one''s surprise, the golden light radiating from the flower turned red.


    I''ll have to get it over with at some point, so I may as well do it sooner rather than later. Otherwise, I''ll be in suspense until the afternoon,  he thought to himself.


    Thus, Erwin told Fuller that he would like his match to be held in the morning, which meant that his match against Lana was scheduled to commence very soon.


    After the conclusion of the name-drawing ceremony, Fuller announced loudly to the crowd that the first match of the day was going to be held between Erwin and Lana, and that Erwin was the one who had chosen the timing of the match.


    Prior to leaving the competition platform, Erwin cast his gaze toward Lana. On this day, she was wearing a pristine white dress that gave her the appearance of a pure and holy celestial maiden. Her red hair was arranged into an immaculate braid, and there was a cold and aloof look in her eyes, as if she were completely unfamiliar with Erwin.


    Onean cleared her throat to snap Erwin out of his reverie, then asked in a cold voice, "Is she really that beautiful to you?"


    In the face of Onean''s displeased expression, Erwin hurriedly shook his head with a fawning smile, then obediently left the venue behind the princess, hoping that he would be able to avoid punishment.


    ...


    "Can you beat her?" Onean asked out of politeness. At this point, she and Erwin were already seated in the contestants'' lobby on the western side of the venue.


    "It doesn''t really matter to me. I already decided that I''m not going to risk my life if my opponent isn''t Jeff," Erwin replied as he turned to Onean. "Having said that, please forgive me in advance for what I''m about to do?"


    "What do I have to forgive you for?" Onean asked with a curious expression.


    Erwin merely gave her a mysterious smile and offered no reply to her question.


    Even though Erwin had already assured her that he wasn''t going to risk his life in this match, Onean still couldn''t help but urge him to be careful, in response to which Erwin gave her a reassuring nod.


    Once both of the contestants were ready, the first semifinal match finally began.


    The two of them looked into each other''s eyes, and Lana''s blue eyes were still as tranquil as ever. She swept a slender palm through the air, and gusts of howling wind intermingled with ice and snow instantly swept forth. In what seemed like no more than the blink of an eye, the entire competition platform had already been transformed into a world of snow and ice.


    Erwin remained still on the spot, watching in silence as Lana completed her spell. He then raised his head to look at the ice and snow swirling around him, and he found that it coincidentally matched the scenery in his heart. He raised a hand, and a pillar of ice rose up from the ground, then exploded right beneath Lana''s feet.


    Amid the flurry of flying ice shards from the exploding pillar, Lana rose gracefully up into the air as if she were scaling up the steps of a staircase to heaven. Erwin was used to seeing her wilfully erratic mood swings and her tendency to express her emotions in the most direct way possible, so he couldn''t help but heave a forlorn sigh at this version of Lana, who was so cold and forbidding and seemed intent on bottling up all of her emotions.


    A cold smile appeared on her face as she raised her staff, and the gemstone on the top of her staff immediately began to glow with scintillating radiance, until the entire venue was basked in blue light. A storm of ice and snow then descended from the heavens, and the ice quickly transformed into sharp blades, each of which could deal a lethal strike. Thankfully, Erwin was the only person standing on the competition platform. Otherwise, there would''ve already been mass casualties.


    Erwin remained calm and collected as he casually unleashed a few instant-release spells to defend himself, then unleashed a space split technique to instantly arrive behind Lana. He looked at her slender waist and heaved a faint sigh as he unleashed a few more instant-release spells.


    Lana was already extremely familiar with Erwin''s battle style and tendencies, and she didn''t even turn around as she conjured up a magic shield behind herself, upon which all of the purple instant-release spells exploded violently.


    "Stop playing around! Take this seriously or you''re going to get hurt!" Lana said as she turned around to face Erwin with a cold expression.


    "Make me!" Erwin had also adopted a frosty expression, and his tone was just as cold and unyielding.


    Thinking back, this was the first time that the two of them had exchanged words since they parted ways that night.


    "Fine, you asked for it!" Lana began to chant an incantation, and her white dress and sheep wool cape flapped violently behind her as a giant sword abruptly took shape. It was clear that she was trying to force Erwin to go all-out against her.


    Alarmed gasps instantly rang out across the entire venue.


    The giant sword bloomed like a budding lotus flower, and countless longswords spread out within the radiant white light. The sword array concealed the entire sky, while the entire venue was caught in a storm of snow and ice, presenting an extremely romantic scene, albeit one that was also fraught with peril.


    Erwin heaved a faint sigh at the sight of Lana''s Shadowgleam Sword Array, and he made no attempt to disrupt her chanting. Instead, he descended back onto the center of the competition platform before dusting away the snow that had fallen onto his shoulders. All of the spectators looked on with astonishment in their eyes as he casually strolled around the competition platform, seemingly completely unfazed by Lana''s sword array.


    However, the more astonishing scenes were still yet to come. Erwin spread open his arms as he let loose a loud cry, upon which a series of pillars of ice instantly erupted out of the ground. A burst of rumbling rang out as dozens of pillars of ice emerged to form a circle. Each pillar of ice was a different height, with the tallest ones scraping the very heavens, while the shortest ones resembled icy tree stumps. After that, Erwin stood at the center of the circle of pillars, looking up at Lana in silence.


    "What kind of spell is this?" All of the spectators were even more perplexed now. Erwin had never displayed this type of magic in any of his previous matches.


    Lana''s gaze was also drawn to the circle of ice pillars, but she was unable to see anything special about them.


    Seeing as she was unable to discern what purpose the pillars of ice were supposed to serve, Lana decided to ignore them as she sent countless swords flying through the air directly toward Erwin.


    Erwin took a glance at the storm of swords falling toward him, and he thought back to the ancient sword array spell he had used to eliminate Shawn and Lanyon. It seemed fitting for him to be defeated by this Shadowgleam Sword Array, almost like an act of karma.


    With the fearsome storm of swords descending from the heavens, everyone thought that Erwin was going to conjure up his signature light shield again. However, Erwin remained completely still on the spot as if he were quietly appreciating the scenery.


    Of course, he wasn''t able to relax for long. His mirage necklace was able to fool the first wave of swords, but all of the magic longswords in the Shadowgleam Sword Array were imbued with extremely potent tracing properties, so countless flying swords instantly swiveled around to fly toward him again.


    A longsword flew past Erwin''s shoulder, a second one sliced a large gash onto his leg, a third one flew right past his ear, almost slicing it off in the process, and there were still countless more swords to come.


    It seemed that Erwin was either powerless or unwilling to resist, and the administrators around the competition platform wanted to step in. However, half of the platform had been sealed by Erwin''s pillars of ice, while the rest was completely inundated by the ferocious storm of ice and snow that Lana had conjured up. As soon as the administrators stepped into the storm, they were left completely disorientated, so they were powerless to do anything.

 CH 23.2

    As soon as the first sword struck Erwin, Lana could already tell that he wasn''t going to defend himself, even if his decision cost him his life. Unfortunately, once the Shadowgleam Sword Array was unleashed, there was no way even for her to withdraw it. As such, she could rush toward Erwin as quickly as she could. Even though her magic allowed her to fly far faster than a normal levitation spell would, what she needed right now was a spell like Erwin''s space split technique.


    As Lana was flying toward Erwin, she was releasing one spell after another to try and eradicate as many of the swords that were hurtling toward Erwin as possible. Her sword array was completely random and chaotic, and all of the swords had potent tracing properties, so she had no effective ways to stop it. Furthermore, some of the magic swords had already taken on a substantial form, so they couldn''t be erased using magic.


    Meanwhile, Onean was looking on with a concerned expression from the contestants'' spectating platform. She was initially going to save Erwin, but upon recalling what he had said to her prior to entering the tournament venue, she decided to refrain from doing so, but her hand was already gripped tightly around her staff.


    At this point, Erwin''s body was already riddled with dozens of sword gashes of different sizes, but he didn''t seem to be able to feel them at all as he stared blankly at his own blood, which was dripping down onto the snow around him.


    Many of the spectators thought that Lana had sealed Erwin using her domain-type spell, thereby preventing him from being able to use his light shield. However, they had all overestimated Lana''s magic. The truth of the matter was that Erwin simply didn''t want to use his light shield. As for why that was the case, it was because he was waiting.


    He looked on as Lana frantically sped toward him, and a warm smile appeared on his face, even though he was bleeding profusely all over his body.


    Lana''s heart was also throbbing with pain as she looked at all of the wounds that had been inflicted onto him. She had already made up her mind to cut off all ties with him, so why couldn''t she stop her own heart from aching for him? Where had this lump in her throat come from? And why was her vision being blurred by tears?


    She couldn''t answer any of those questions, nor did she want to think about them.


    Even though Erwin''s entire body was riddled with wounds, this was the moment that he had been waiting for all along, so he certainly wasn''t going to let it slip. He abruptly reached out to wind an arm around Lana''s waist, while raising his other hand to conjure up his light shield, and countless longswords instantly clattered into the outer wall of the light shield.


    A wave of cheers immediately rang out from the spectator stands.


    "I gotta hand it to him, he''s a brave man! He was this close to being stabbed into a pincushion!"


    "This is the first time I''ve ever seen anyone try anything like this during the Pillow Sword Tournament!"


    "No wonder both Her Highness and Prince Lazaar''s daughter have taken a liking to him. His courage and determination really are unmatched."


    "This isn''t just a matter of courage anymore, this is an act of sheer audacity!"


    Meanwhile, Erwin stood within his light shield with his arm wound tightly around Lana''s waist, as if he were trying to fuse their bodies together.


    "Let me go, you bastard! You just want to make me cry!" Lana couldn''t bear to use magic to force him away when he was already so severely injured. In addition to that, the masculine aura radiating from Erwin''s body was making her feel lightheaded and completely unable to resist. In any case, she wouldn''t be able to use any magic inside the light shield even if she wanted to.


    "No! I''m never letting you go!" Erwin dug his fingers tightly into the delicate skin of her waist as he asked with a mocking expression, "Why do you care if I live or die? Aren''t you avoiding me? Aren''t you trying to cut all ties with me?"


    Lana didn''t know what to say. Her pristine white dress had already been stained red in many places by Erwin''s blood, and she could only weep in silence.


    "What''s happened to that sharp tongue of yours? Why aren''t you saying anything?" Erwin asked in an angry voice, paying no heed to his profusely bleeding wounds and his rapidly dwindling reserves of magic power and stamina.


    Lana couldn''t tell him the reason why she had been avoiding him the past few days, so she could only bury her face against his chest and allow him to do as he pleased with her. After a while, she raised her head to look up at him. "Why couldn''t you just leave me alone and live out your life in peace? Why do you insist on putting yourself in harm''s way?"


    Tears were streaming down Lana''s face as she spoke, and Erwin had never seen her look so vulnerable before. As a result, he couldn''t help but feel a little panicked, internally denouncing himself for being too harsh with his words. Thus, he didn''t carefully process Lana''s words, and he came under the false impression that she was only referring to the sword array when she accused him of putting himself in harm''s way.


    "Look over there." Erwin used his staff to point at the tallest of the ice pillars. At this point, the color was already beginning to drain from his lips.


    Lana raised her head and cast her gaze toward that direction, but she couldn''t see anything special about it. Instead, it was Erwin who was momentarily entranced by the sight of her bright and teary eyes.


    Lana was quite amused by his dazed expression, and a bright smile broke through her tears as she burst into laughter.


    "Don''t blink now!" Erwin said as he withdrew his light shield, and the residual magic energy from the sword array and all of the elemental matter that was about to flow into the light shield instantly surged into his severely ravaged body.


    Lana could see cold sweat pouring down Erwin''s face, and it was clear that he was overexerting himself. She wanted to stop him from continuing what he was doing, but the stubborn look in his eyes told her that nothing was going to stop him.


    A burst of purple fire erupted from the top of Erwin''s staff, quickly igniting the top of the tallest ice pillar. All of a sudden, the top of the pillar of ice erupted into crimson flames. Erwin had exhausted the last ounce of magic power and stamina in his body to release all of the matter energy that he had accumulated.


    The fire at the top of the ice pillar began to spread downward, and the second ice pillar was quickly also ignited, followed by the third one, then the fourth...


    As the ice pillars were ignited, they began to sizzle audibly as clouds of water vapor drifted through the air.


    In the blink of an eye, all of the ice pillars of different heights had been ignited. The ice, fire, and mist formed an ethereal scene that resembled paradise on earth, and all of the spectators were stunned by what they were seeing.


    Never did they think that they would witness such a glorious scene during a match of the Pillow Sword Tournament, and all of them were looking on with awe and amazement in their eyes.


    Even King Cameron couldn''t help but turn toward Master Piro as he exclaimed, "How are the young people these days so creative with professing their love? Back in my day, it was only confessions and love letters!"


    Master Piro merely gave a cold harrumph in response. His prized disciple was clearly also emotionally invested in Erwin, and he was thinking about how sad she was going to be to see this.


    Prince Lazaar was still watching with his usual polite smile, but it was clear from the set of his jaw that he was gritting his teeth tightly.


    Even with tens of thousands of people watching amid the ethereal paradise of ice, fire, and mist, Erwin still had his arm wound around Lana''s slender waist without any qualms, and Lana made no effort to resist as she laid in his arms like an obedient wife.


    The two of them watched in silence as the pillars of ice melted one after another, following which the scorching flames formed a joyful circle around them. The fire was then quickly snuffed out by the heartless storm of ice and snow, leaving only a few plumes to smoke as a reminder of its existence.


    Even the most beautiful moments would inevitably pass by.


    It was only a fleeting moment of breathtaking beauty, but through it, Erwin had already expressed everything that he wanted to say to Lana.


    Lana naturally understood what he was thinking. This fleeting spectacle bore a strong resemblance to their passionate yet unpredictable relationship. She looked up at Erwin to find that even though his face was deathly pale, there was a fiercely possessive look in his eyes, and her heart instantly melted under his scorching gaze. A tragic yet blissful smile appeared on her face.


    So be it. Who cares what happens tomorrow? If I can''t keep him safe, then I''ll just have to die with him.


    With that in mind, she pressed her lips, which were slightly salty with her tears, against Erwin''s pale lips, while Erwin wound his injured arms tightly around her waist.


    All of the spectators felt as if they had just gone on an emotional rollercoaster. Erwin''s matches had never disappointed them, and the sight of the two combatants turned lovers caught in each other''s embrace on the competition platform instantly elevated the atmosphere to an unprecedented high.


    "I don''t think I can ever catch up to Erwin. If I had even a quarter of his skills, Gwen would''ve already agreed to marry me!" Larwood sighed with a shake of his head.


    Meanwhile, Chase and Kaiba were already stunned to the point of speechlessness, and only after a long while did Chase also heave a faint sigh. "Some things just can''t be taught."


    Everyone''s attention was focused on Erwin and Lana, so they failed to notice a certain silver-haired figure leaving the contestants'' spectating platform.


    Much to everyone''s disappointment, Erwin was unable to persevere to the very end. He was only able to enjoy Lana''s passionate kiss for a few seconds before he fell unconscious from overexertion. Thankfully, Lana was able to react in time and catch him before he fell.


    Unfortunately for Erwin, it appeared that he was going to be making a fourth trip to the tournament committee''s treatment tent.


    Prior to this, all of the administrators were at a complete loss for what to do. Erwin and Lana were supposed to be duking it out, but instead, the competition platform had become a stage for them to showcase their love, leaving the administrators with no clue how to judge the match. Thankfully, Erwin fainted just in time, so the decision was made for them.


    Thus, Erwin''s journey in the Pillow Sword Tournament finally drew to a conclusion, and he had truly left a profound mark on the history of the Pillow Sword Tournament. Thanks to him, not only were the spectators able to witness the powers of the most talented young individuals throughout the entire kingdom, they were also able to watch a rousing romantic tale unfold before their eyes.


    Many years later, spectators of the Pillow Sword Tournament would still always speak about the legendary 29th edition of the tournament, about the unprecedented magic displayed by the miracle-worker that was Erwin, about his love story with the princess and the daughter of the prince, and about that spectacular show of ice and fire. Never had there been a contestant as romantic and wilful as Erwin, and he met no match in everyone who came after him, either. His combination of fearlessness, determination, and youthful stubbornness could never be replicated, so he would forever remain in everyone''s memory as one-of-a-kind.

 CH 24.1

    While Erwin was still in a blissful state of unconsciousness, Onean and Jeff''s match in the afternoon was about to begin.


    It was quite overcast in the morning, which perfectly complemented the spectacle of snow and ice that Erwin and Lana had put on, but in the wake of their match, the atmosphere was a little gloomy and drab. Thankfully, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds at around noon, and as the day progressed into the afternoon, the sun became brighter and brighter.


    The spectators were still very much looking forward to the semifinal match in the afternoon. After all, the two contestants were still yet to encounter any meaningful opposition in this tournament. It was a little disappointing that they didn''t get to see a showdown between the princess and Lana, but there was still a chance that the clash could happen. So long as the princess defeated Jeff, they would still be treated to that highly anticipated matchup in the grand final.


    Just as the spectators were heatedly discussing which of the two contestants for the second semifinal match had the better chances of coming out on top, Princess Onean and Jeff Lazaar entered the venue.


    Princess Onean was a once-in-a-generation beauty, yet at this moment, her golden eyes were so cold and forbidding that they made the beholder unable to suppress the urge to avert their gaze. During the interval between the two semifinal matches, she had changed into a black dress with a suit of hollow golden armor on the outside. The frosty wind was causing her silver hair to flap incessantly, occasionally revealing a glimpse of her delicate shoulders, under the light of the afternoon sun.


    However, unlike the average man, who would be completely entranced by Onean''s beauty, Jeff was staring intently at her with nothing but killing intent in his eyes. His hand was gripped tightly around the hilt of Black Blaze, and every single muscle and sinew in his body was tensed up as he waited for the administrator to fire their magic blast.


    Finally, the magic blast was released, and the match began.


    Jeff''s eyes were wide open with an intense gaze as he launched himself forward off one foot, raising his sword high above his own head before sending it crashing down directly toward Onean''s face.


    Onean was quite startled by her opponent''s astonishing speed, and she tapped the bottom of her staff against the ground, upon which she was able to elevate herself into mid-air.


    As a result, Jeff''s attack failed to strike its target, but he was able to immediately come to an abrupt halt. Thus, his extraordinary ability to overcome momentum, which he had already displayed during his match against Larwood, was on full display once again. Immediately thereafter, he also launched himself up into the air without any pause or hesitation before slashing his sword upward.


    It was clear that Jeff was far more focused and ferocious on this day. In the past, he always liked to take his time to play with his prey, but in this match, he was applying immense pressure onto Onean from the get-go.


    At this point, Lana had already returned to the spectator stands, and she cast a slightly bewildered gaze toward her father, only to discover that Prince Lazaar was also watching the match with tightly furrowed brows. It was clear that both of them also felt like Jeff was being uncharacteristically aggressive.


    Onean looked down at Jeff''s sword, which was being swung up toward her from down below. Looking at the single-minded ferocity in Jeff''s eyes, she was also quite perplexed. To her, it felt like Jeff was treating this more like an assassination attempt rather than a tournament match.


    She didn''t hesitate at all as she swept her silver staff through the air, sending around a dozen instant-release ice spears hurtling directly toward Jeff.


    Jeff made no attempt to evade or decelerate as he retaliated with Black Blaze, shattering several ice spears in an instant before thrusting his sword toward Onean''s waist.


    From such close range, Onean could see that there were no emotions in Jeff''s eyes aside from killing intent, and her brows furrowed even tighter upon seeing this. She hurriedly raised her silver staff in a horizontal orientation to ward off the attack from Black Blaze.


    A loud thump rang out as a ball of scorching fire exploded between the two of them.


    Onean was sent flying toward the ground, and her feet slid along the competition platform for a distance before she was able to arrest her backward momentum using her staff.


    As for Jeff, he was blasted higher up into the sky, and only after performing a few backward somersaults was he able to steady himself, at which point he was already close to crashing into the semi-spherical forcefield above the competition platform, which would''ve spelled instant elimination.


    Even though Onean had managed to force back Jeff, she was panting heavily, and it was clear that she had been severely jolted by the impact of Jeff''s sword strike.


    Now that some distance had been opened up between the two of them, this was a golden opportunity for Onean, and she grabbed it with both hands. She began to chant an incantation, and bolts of golden lightning began to rise up from the ground around her like a dense forest.


    However, Jeff seemed to be unable to see the bolts of golden lightning at all as he descended rapidly from the heavens like a shooting star before lashing out with his sword again.


    There were no fancy sword techniques being put on display, he was simply attacking in the simplest and most straightforward way possible.


    As a magician of Onean''s caliber, she was naturally able to sense the large amounts of elemental matter in the surrounding area surging rapidly toward the blade of Jeff''s sword. In response, she immediately activated her lightning array, sending golden pillars of lightning growing wildly up toward the heavens before intertwining with one another to form an enormous golden net, which concealed the entire sky.


    Once again, Jeff seemed to be unable to see the formidable pillars of golden lightning snaking up toward him. It was as if he had no regard for his own safety, and he continued to descend from above with reckless abandon. He sliced through one of the pillars of lightning with Black Blaze, and he showed no intention of stopping there as he came crashing down like a wild force of nature. A string of surprised gasps rang out from the spectator stands. It seemed that Princess Onean''s spells were completely ineffective against Jeff!


    In reality, things were not the way that they appeared. Onean''s magic was extremely formidable, and by the time Jeff passed through the giant golden net of lightning, he had already sustained burns on many parts of his body. If a lesser fighter had been struck by these devastating pillars of lightning, which were also imbued with an extremely potent paralysis effect, the battle would''ve already drawn to a conclusion. However, Jeff''s physical constitution seemed to be at a completely superhuman level. To put it more accurately, it was as if he were fighting while using someone else''s body.


    Onean looked on at her opponent with an incredulous expression. She couldn''t see any pain or hesitation on his face, only single-minded determination and killing intent. With each attack he unleashed, he was aiming to kill, and he seemed to have no regard for his own safety. Despite her calm and steadfast nature, Onean couldn''t help but feel a sense of panic in the face of such a reckless and determined opponent.


    The blade of Black Blaze arrived in the blink of an eye, and only then did Onean conjure up a physical shield, but it was already too late.


    The suit of hollow golden armor outside her dress had already been pierced through by the sword, which had then gone on to impale her through the stomach.


    Onean stared at Jeff with utter disbelief in her eyes. His clothes were in tatters from the lightning that he had been struck by, and his body was riddled with severe burns, but the killing intent in his eyes was as fierce as ever, and he didn''t seem to feel any physical limitations from his injuries.


    Onean gritted her teeth to repress the excruciating pain in her stomach, then unleashed a series of spells that exploded upon Jeff''s face and chest.


    Much to everyone''s astonishment, Jeff didn''t bother to evade or retreat at all. Instead, he took Onean''s instant-release spells head-on with his body. Soon, his entire face had been burned to the point that it was completely unrecognizable, and there was not a single patch of unharmed skin on his chest. Many of the sections of his body that had already been burned by the pillars of lightning were being further injured by the barrage of instant-release spells, but once again, he seemed to be able to feel no pain as he continued to plunge Black Blaze deeper and deeper into Onean''s body.


    Onean let loose an agonized groan as she stared down at her own stomach with a dazed expression, watching as her own blood flowed down the blade of Jeff''s sword.


    However, Jeff had no intention of stopping there. With one more vicious thrust of Black Blaze, its blade came plunging out of the other side of her body, following which he twisted the blade viciously.


    Onean immediately threw up a mouthful of blood, and her legs almost gave out from under her from the unbearable pain she was experiencing.


    At this point, all of the spectators had already risen to their feet, but they had been stunned into silence. They were witnessing an assassination attempt on the princess carried out by the son of Prince Lazaar!


    The administrators standing around the competition platform were so shocked that they didn''t know what to do.


    Right at this moment, Jeff pulled Black Blaze out of Onean''s body in a swift and vicious motion.


    Onean immediately let loose a blood-curdling cry that rang out across the entire venue, and blood began to gush out of her wound like a fountain.


    However, there was not even a single shred of sympathy in Jeff''s eyes, and he raised Black Blaze up high in preparation to stab her again.


    Onean gritted her teeth tightly through the pain as she clasped one hand over her own bleeding wound. At the same time, she unleashed a few more instant-release spells to force Jeff back a few steps, while she also stumbled back a few steps herself in an unsteady manner before dropping her staff as a wave of feebleness and agony washed over her.


    Right at this instant, several administrators pounced onto Jeff at once. Prime Minister Fuller also jumped onto the competition platform, while Master Piro frantically flew down from the royal spectating platform.


    King Cameron, Prince Lazaar, and Lana were right behind Master Piro as they flew toward the center of the competition platform.


    However, Jeff had already hurled Black Blaze through the air, and it was flying toward Onean once again with no one in time to stop it.


    Onean looked on at the approaching Black Blaze as she raised a hand to try and unleash a spell to protect herself. However, the sword had built up too much momentum, and she was too severely wounded to be able to muster up any magic power, so she could only watch in a powerless manner as the sword plunged into her stomach again.

 CH 24.2

    Her legs finally gave out from under her, and she collapsed onto the ground. Her face was already completely devoid of color, and she began to throw up mouthfuls of blood uncontrollably. At the same time, she was glowering at Jeff with a furious expression, wondering why he was so intent on killing her. She then grabbed onto the hilt of Black Blaze before pulling it out of her own body and tossing it aside with an agonized groan. Cold sweat was pouring down her face, and blood began to gush out of her stomach once again. At this point, the entire bottom half of her black dress had already been soaked in her blood.


    She looked up at the sky and was overcome by a rush of dizziness. Her vision began to fade as a huge wave of exhaustion washed over her, but thankfully, Master Piro was able to catch her right before her head hit the competition platform.


    Even though Jeff had already been restrained by several administrators and there wasn''t a single part of his body that had been left unharmed, he was still frantically trying to claw his way toward Onean with all his might.


    Master Piro took a glance at the grievous wound on Onean''s stomach, then raised two fingers and fired a few spells directly at Jeff''s spine and the back of his neck.


    Jeff had already been severely wounded by Onean''s magic, and after being struck in the spine by Master Piro''s spells, he immediately collapsed to his knees and fell unconscious.


    As for the spells that were flying toward the back of his neck, they were blocked by Prince Lazaar. Master Piro turned to Prince Lazaar with an expression of intense resentment, and Prince Lazaar looked right back at him with a hostile expression of his own.


    Lana frantically shoved the administrators aside, then instantly burst into tears at the sight of the terrible condition that Jeff was in. His entire body was riddled with wounds and burns, and aside from his eyes, there was not a single part of his once-handsome face that was still recognizable.


    Meanwhile, King Cameron hurried over to Onean''s side, and his heart was filled with thunderous fury as he inspected the terrifying wounds on his daughter''s body.


    "What is the meaning of this, Lazaar?" he roared as he turned around to face Prince Lazaar. "Why was your son trying to assassinate my daughter?"


    "The blame should fall entirely on me, Your Majesty." Prince Lazaar immediately fell to his knees. "I am willing to accept any and all repercussions of this unfortunate incident."


    At this point, Governor Jenkins had also arrived on the scene, and he said in a grim voice, "Attempted murder on royalty is an extremely severe crime."


    Lazaar knew that it wasn''t wise to argue at a time like this, so he lowered his head and didn''t say anything.


    "Your Majesty, this is an extremely complex matter that must be treated with the utmost care. If you ask me, we should take Onean back for treatment first, then decide what to do about all of this once we return to the palace," Master Piro said in a low voice as he approached King Cameron.


    King Cameron nodded in response. What Master Piro was implying was that Prince Lazaar held control over an extremely formidable army, so this incident really did have to be treated with extreme care and caution. He turned to Prime Minister Fuller with a meaningful look, and Fuller immediately understood what he wanted, calling the royal servants that accompanied the king onto the competition platform. The servants knew that their services would be required, so they were already waiting by the side of the competition platform.


    Thus, Princess Onean was carefully carried out of the venue by a group of experienced royal servants, while Master Piro supervised the entire process. Prime Minister Fuller had already arranged a royal carriage, which was waiting outside the passageway.


    None of the spectators present dared to utter even a single sound. Even as Onean was being carried away, she was dripping blood onto the ground. Thankfully, she was wearing a black dress, which made it quite difficult for the spectators to clearly see her terrible wounds.


    King Cameron quickly departed from the venue, followed closely by Governor Jenkins and Prime Minister Fuller. Prince Lazaar offered Lana some words of gentle reassurance before also following along.


    Lana knew that her father wanted her to stay behind to look after her brother. Truth be told, she was also extremely perplexed. Judging from Jeff''s attacks, it was clear that he really had been doing everything in his power to kill Onean. As his sister, she was naturally extremely familiar with Jeff, so she was well aware of his attack patterns.


    But why would he do this? There''s no way Father would''ve instructed him to carry out such a blatant assassination attempt!


    Lana couldn''t understand why Jeff would suddenly decide to try and kill the princess in front of so many people.


    All of the spectators were discussing the incident quietly among themselves when an administrator announced that the day of competition would draw to a conclusion here, but he made no mention of how the incident was going to be dealt with.


    ...


    Erwin only woke up from his unconscious state at nighttime, so he completely missed the shocking incident that had taken place earlier in the day.


    "Thank god you''re finally awake," Larwood exclaimed with an exasperated expression.


    Erwin got up and took a look, upon which he discovered that he was still in the same treatment tent, and Chase and Kaiba were both present as well.


    "Something massive happened while you were unconscious," Chase said in a grim voice.


    "What is it?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "During the match between Her Highness and Jeff, Jeff stabbed her twice, and it''s still unclear whether she''s dead or alive," Chase said.


    "What?!" Erwin was so shocked to hear this that he almost fell out of the bed. "How could he do something so brazen?"


    "We don''t know. At the time, it looked as if Jeff had gone insane and wasn''t going to rest until Her Highness was dead," Kaiba said.


    "Where is Her Highness right now?" Erwin asked in a frantic voice.


    "She''s been carried back to the royal palace for treatment, and there haven''t been any further updates," Larwood replied.


    "What about Jeff?" Erwin asked.


    "He''s been locked up in the Fander Royal Prison," Larwood replied.


    Erwin nodded in response as he came to understand just how serious this incident was. Generally speaking, all of the prisoners held captive in the Fander Royal Prison were political criminals who had committed extremely severe transgressions, such as treason, and being put into that prison was essentially the equivalent of a death sentence.


    "So this is being treated as a political crime? Attempted murder on a member of the royal family?" Erwin asked.


    "There''s been no official verdict on what crime Jeff is going to be charged with. Prince Lazaar is currently still at the royal palace, and I heard that his manor has already been surrounded by the palatial guard," Chase replied as he turned to Erwin.


    "What about Lana?" Erwin asked.


    "We don''t know what''s happening with her. Maybe she''s looking after her brother at the royal prison, maybe she returned to Prince Lazaar''s manor. In any case, as she was departing from the tournament venue, she was escorted away by a bunch of administrators," Chase replied.


    Erwin fell silent upon hearing this.


    "This was an extremely suspicious incident," Larwood mused as his brows furrowed slightly.


    "How so?" Erwin knew that Larwood had always been the most observant member of their group.


    "Just like what Kaiba said earlier, it was as if Jeff had gone insane at the time, as if his objective was to kill Her Highness!" Larwood said as he thought back to the incident. "During the match, I saw him take many of Her Highness''s spells head-on without even bothering to dodge. Isn''t that really strange?"


    "It is. By the time he was carried away, he was completely disfigured. I couldn''t even recognize him anymore," Kaiba chimed in.


    "That''s why this is so suspicious! I''ve seen some fierce matches between people with prior bad blood during past editions of the Pillow Sword Tournament, but I''ve never seen someone carry out a suicide attack like this," Larwood said with tightly furrowed brows.


    "Really? You''ve never seen anyone carry out suicide attacks? Why don''t you take a look at Erwin over here? I can''t seem to recall any match where he wasn''t half-dead by the end!" Chase said with a cold smile.


    Erwin could only heave a resigned sigh in response.


    "That''s not the same thing. Erwin''s sole objective is to win, but Jeff didn''t want to win, he wanted to kill Her Highness! Isn''t that really suspicious?" Larwood countered.


    "Exactly! There''s barely been any interaction between them, so I can''t see how there could be such a huge vendetta between the two," Kaiba said with a puzzled expression.


    "Even if there is some type of hidden vendetta between the two, surely you''d have to be an idiot to carry out a revenge hit job during the Pillow Sword Tournament!" Larwood said.


    "You''re right. Could it be that Prince Lazaar is already so brazen and deranged that he instructed his own son to kill Her Highness during the match?" Chase asked as his eyes widened with shock.


    "That makes even less sense! There''s no reason for Prince Lazaar to do something like this," Larwood analyzed with a contemplative expression. "Even if he really does harbor some sinister intentions, how does it benefit him in any way to kill Her Highness?"


    "I wouldn''t be so sure of that. At the moment, the two most promising young magicians in the entire kingdom are Her Highness and Lana, so wouldn''t it make sense that he would want to kill Her Highness so that Lana could be the undisputed number one young magician in the land?" Chase asked.


    "If Prince Lazaar is that foolish, then he would''ve never been able to reach his current position. You think he would instruct his own son to attempt murder on royalty just so his daughter can be seen as the number one young magician in the kingdom? Even if we assume that''s true, Jeff is no less powerful than Her Highness, so it would be far too massive a loss for him to sacrifice Jeff for this cause." As always, Larwood''s analysis was very thorough and reasoned.


    "Then why do you think Jeff suddenly tried to kill Her Highness as if he had gone insane?" Chase asked.


    "How do you know he didn''t actually go insane? If you ask me, he really did look like a madman during the match," Larwood said with a serious expression.


    Erwin was becoming more and more frustrated as he listened to their argument. He wanted to know what condition Onean was in, but no one had any information for him. He wanted to know where Lana was, but no one knew the answer to that, either.


    "I''m assuming there aren''t going to be any matches tomorrow, right?" Erwin suddenly asked.


    "Of course there aren''t going to be any matches! Everyone from the tournament committee is investigating this incident," Kaiba scoffed. "Even if that wasn''t the case, who even cares about the outcome of the tournament after something like this?"


    "That''s true," Erwin sighed.


    "So what do we do now? Go back home?" Larwood asked.


    Everyone else remained silent, and no one had any better ideas.

 CH 25

    Sarus Royal Palace.


    In the wake of such a major incident, all of the officials were already waiting in the main palace. On one side stood Governor Jenkins and Prime Minister Fuller with a group of other high-ranking officials, while on the other side stood Prince Lazaar and Archbishop Sirius of the True Light Church, also accompanied by a few important officials, several of which had only recently been recruited into Lazaar''s faction.


    It had to be said that Prince Lazaar had a great deal of political charisma. He had only returned to the capital city not long ago, and many of the previously neutral officials had already been swayed over to his side.


    King Cameron still hadn''t arrived in the main palace yet, so all of the officials could only wait for now. King Cameron was understandably concerned about Princess Onean''s injuries, so he had been waiting in her bedchamber this entire time for an update on her condition. After several hours of emergency treatment, Onean was finally in a stable condition. By the time Master Piro emerged from her bedchamber, his hair was completely disheveled, and his face was deathly pale, so it was clear that he had expended a lot of effort. The royal doctors with him were also quite ashen in their complexion, and some of them were even walking a little unsteadily. These were the best doctors that Sarus had to offer, and they had worked together with Master Piro, exhausting their magic power and all of their best medicines over the course of several hours to save Princess Onean''s life.


    Prior to going to rest, Master Piro went on a furious rant about Erwin. If that vial of Springlay Fox bone marrow potion hadn''t been used on him, the treatment process for Onean''s injuries would''ve been much simpler.


    King Cameron was very relieved to hear that Onean was in a stable condition, and only then did he make his way to the main palace to deal with the aftermath of the incident.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------


    As soon as King Cameron arrived, everyone in the main palace immediately extended respectful bows. Both sides had already played out the war of words that was to come in their hearts countless times, and they had already thought meticulously about everything they were going to say so that they didn''t misspeak and let loose something that could be used against them.


    "Lazaar, what happened today? Your son tried to assassinate my daughter! Are you the one behind this?" King Cameron asked in a furious voice as soon as he sat down onto his throne, but his anger had clearly already died down quite a bit compared with when he was at the Pillow Sword Tournament venue in the afternoon.


    Lazaar immediately fell to his knees with a fearful expression. "I take full responsibility for this incident, Your Majesty. It was my oversight that led to this tragedy, but please believe me when I say that I bear no ill will toward Her Highness whatsoever! I truly have no idea why that bastard son of mine suddenly decided to do something so cold-blooded and egregious to Her Highness."


    "Even if you didn''t instruct your son to carry out the assassination, you''re not getting away with this without any repercussions!" King Cameron said in a solemn voice as he watched Lazaar with a cold expression. "What was the punishment for attempted murder on royalty again? Fuller, answer me!"


    "Your Majesty, attempted murder against a member of royalty is a crime equivalent to treason, and according to the law..." Fuller paused momentarily as he looked up at King Cameron, then lowered his head again as he concluded, "It is a prime punishable by execution of the perpetrator''s entire family."


    "Is that right?" King Cameron mused in a cold voice. "What do you think I should do about this, Lazaar?"


    Lazaar''s forehead was pressed tightly against the ground, and he didn''t dare to say anything.


    "Your Majesty, Prince Lazaar has worked conscientiously for many years to defend our kingdom''s borders, and he''s built up a massive reputation for himself in the province of Burmen. If we hand down the same punishment as that of the crime of treason to him, there''s a very good chance that Burmen will rise up in revolt," Governor Jenkins said.


    "In that case, how do you think this matter should be handled, Governor Jenkins?" King Cameron was naturally aware that Jenkins wasn''t going to pass up such a golden opportunity to strike at Lazaar''s faction.


    "In my opinion, this is a crime equivalent to treason, so it''s an extremely serious matter. As punishment, Prince Lazaar should be confined to his manor until a punishment is decided once the circumstances of the case are clarified. Prince Lazaar''s eldest son is still stationed at Burmen with a formidable army, and our top priority should be to summon him back to the capital city in case any unforeseen developments take place." It was clear that Jenkins wanted to wipe out the entirety of Lazaar''s family once and for all.


    "Your Majesty, I feel like this incident is a lot more complicated and suspicious than it appears on the surface. I feel that we should defer the matter of Prince Lazaar''s punishment to another time. After all, Prince Lazaar has made significant contributions to our kingdom throughout his lifetime, and it would only benefit certain sly cowards if he were to be punishment for a crime in which he has been framed." Archbishop Sirius stepped forward to throw his support behind Prince Lazaar, and he took a subtle glance at Jenkins at the mention of "sly cowards''''.


    "I''m afraid I don''t understand what you''re saying, Archbishop Sirius. The fact of the matter is that Jeff Lazaar made a brazen assassination attempt against Her Highness. The incident was witnessed by tens of thousands of people, so how is the situation complicated in any way? Also, who were you referring to when you mentioned sly cowards?" Governor Jenkins countered with an enraged expression.


    "That''s enough! Be quiet!" King Cameron was in no mood to be hearing any bickering between political rivals. "Archbishop Sirius, can you elaborate on what you just said?"


    "Your Majesty, I took some time to do some research on the incident, and I heard that during the match, Prince Lazaar''s son was acting in an extremely unhinged and bloodthirsty manner. Those are clearly not the actions of a person in a normal state of mind. Instead, if you ask me..." Archbishop Sirius''s voice trailed off here, as if he were unsure of how to proceed.


    "What is your opinion on the matter? Go right ahead, Archbishop Sirius," King Cameron prompted.


    "I think that Prince Lazaar''s son was either overcome by a sudden onset of insanity, or his state of mind was influenced by some type of substance," Sirius explained.


    The entire palace fell silent in the wake of such a statement. Everyone was focused on what the outcome of this incident was going to be, so no one had spared any effort to consider the causes of the incident. After all, it was an undeniable fact that Jeff had made an assassination attempt on the princess, and everyone had just taken that for granted. However, Archbishop Sirius''s analysis had alerted everyone to the fact that this was perhaps not such a simple and straightforward incident.


    "I can assure you that Prince Lazaar''s son wouldn''t have been under the influence of any substances during his match. All of the contestants undergo physical examinations prior to their matches, so there''s no way that someone under the influence would be able to slip by under our noses," Prime Minister Fuller interjected. He was responsible for overseeing the tournament committee, so this fell into his realm of duty.


    "Exactly! I think you''re being far too overprotective of Prince Lazaar''s son, Archbishop Sirius. With so many administrators on the scene, there''s no way that Jeff would''ve been cleared to participate in the match if he had been under the influence," Governor Jenkins said.


    "Then what if one of the administrators was the one carrying the substance in question? Or perhaps someone smeared the substance onto the equipment that Jeff was carrying with him into the match," Sirius countered.


    "You''re being unreasonable, Archbishop Sirius! Why do you feel the need to slander my work like this?" Prime Minister Fuller was also becoming quite heated.


    "I had no such intentions, I was only raising a potential possibility. The reputation of Prince Lazaar and our entire kingdom is on the line here, so I think it''s best to investigate this incident thoroughly and exhaustively before arriving at any conclusion or handing down any punishments. After all, there''s no lack of people who would love to see Prince Lazaar fall," Sirius replied in a calm voice.


    "That''s enough!" King Cameron interjected once again to mediate the argument. "You are correct in your assessment, Archbishop Sirius. Lazaar has made significant contributions to our kingdom, so it would be unwise to arrive at any rash conclusions."


    "But Your Majesty..." Jenkins was clearly dissatisfied with this outcome, and he still wanted to argue further.


    "I''ve heard enough about this matter for now. This incident has a direct bearing on the stability of our kingdom, so a thorough investigation is a must. Archbishop Sirius, Prime Minister Fuller, I''ll leave it to you two to investigate this matter. That way, Archbishop Sirius will be able to investigate whether someone really did use any sinister substances to try and frame Prince Lazaar''s son. If no such substance can be found, then that''ll be indirect proof that Fuller and his subordinates are innocent. This is an extremely important matter, so I want you two to supervise each other during the course of the investigation and do your best to uncover the truth," King Cameron said in an implacable voice.


    Archbishop Sirius and Prime Minister Fuller both accepted the order with respectful bows.


    "You can go back for now, Lazaar. I''ve already sent palatial guards to surround your manor, and you''re not permitted to go anywhere until the investigation is complete," King Cameron continued in a cold voice.


    Lazaar hurriedly kowtowed once again upon hearing this, and he replied in a grateful voice, "Thank you for giving me a chance, Your Majesty. If any evidence is found suggesting that my son really did intend to murder Her Highness, then I would be sure to pay for his crimes with my own life."


    After all of the officials departed, King Cameron still had some questions that he wanted to ask Master Piro.


    --------------------------------------------------------------------


    By the time King Cameron arrived at a peaceful courtyard in the royal palace, it was already deep into the night. He discovered that the light in the room still hadn''t been snuffed out yet, so it was clear that Master Piro had been waiting for him as well. As he pushed open the door and made his way into the room, he discovered Master Piro taking a nap on his recliner chair.


    "Welcome." Master Piro didn''t even open his eyes as he greeted the king. It was clear that he was still yet to recover from the taxing procedure it had taken to save the princess.


    King Cameron strode into the room, then sat down onto a padded wicker chair.


    "What did you do with Lazaar?" Master Piro asked.


    "I didn''t do anything with him for now. I instructed him to return to his manor for confinement," King Cameron replied. "I can''t help but feel like there are some suspicious circumstances involved in this incident."


    "This is why I told you I didn''t want to bring Onean back to Sarus. She''s a member of the royal family, so it''s inevitable that people will try to plot against her, and that would put her in harm''s way," Master Piro sighed.


    "It''s exactly because she''s a member of the royal family that she can''t just stay at Fort Glans to study magic her entire life," King Cameron countered in an unyielding voice.


    Master Piro waved a dismissive hand, clearly not wishing to discuss this topic any further. "I think you''re right to say that there are some fishy circumstances involved. Perhaps Lazaar is also a victim of a sinister plot."


    "Earlier, Archbishop Sirius speculated that Lazaar''s son may have come under the influence of some type of substance. What do you think of that theory?" King Cameron asked as he cast his gaze toward Master Piro.


    "You saw what happened at the time. Lazaar''s son was so determined to kill Onean that he was even willing to die in the process. Surely there''s no need to go so far unless there''s some type of blood vendetta between the two of them," Master Piro analyzed. "Also, I''m sure you''ve thought of this already as well, but there''s no way Lazaar would be foolish enough to instruct his own son to murder the princess."


    "Indeed. No matter how I think about it, there''s simply no motive for Lazaar to do that," King Cameron agreed with tightly furrowed brows. "However, Fuller says that they couldn''t find any signs that Jeff was under the influence of any substances during his physical examination prior to the match."


    "I wouldn''t be so quick to jump to conclusions. Firstly, Fuller belongs to Jenkins''s faction, so his word may or may not be trustworthy. In addition to that, there are some mind-altering substances that have a delayed onset, so it wouldn''t surprise me if they couldn''t find anything during the physical examination. There are also some substances that are completely devoid of color, odor, and flavor, so even I would be fooled," Master Piro said.


    "Do such substances really exist?" King Cameron asked with a curious expression.


    "I can think of about five types just off the top of my head," Master Piro replied. "With that in mind, I don''t think the investigation into the Pillow Sword Tournament''s tournament committee will yield any leads. What I can do is provide you with a list of certain magic ingredients, and you can send out some people to investigate whether these ingredients have been sourced by anyone in the city recently."


    King Cameron nodded in response, then asked, "What if we still can''t find any evidence? What do we do then? Do I really just execute Lazaar''s entire family?"


    "Lazaar has always been a very ambitious man, so killing him wouldn''t necessarily be a bad thing. What you''re concerned about is his eldest son stationed in Burmen, right?" Master Piro turned to look at King Cameron through narrowed eyes.


    "Back in the palace, Lazaar was kneeling the entire time and sounded quite earnest, but if you ask me, he was only putting on an act. I don''t think he regards Sarus as a prison capable of trapping him at all," King Cameron said in a cold voice. "If I''m going to strike at Lazaar''s family, I must make sure that all of them are eradicated in one fell swoop. Otherwise, if any of them are left alive, then the province of Burmen will no longer belong to our kingdom."


    "Indeed, this is a very sensitive situation. I''ve heard quite a bit about Lazaar''s eldest son, and he''s no less cunning and ambitious than his father, so don''t expect him to return to Sarus and hand himself in. There''s no way we can prevent Lazaar from sending news of his situation in Sarus to his eldest son in Burmen, and once that happens, Lazaar''s son will know that the only way he''ll be able to retain any leverage over you will be by remaining in Burmen," Master Piro said.


    King Cameron fell into deep thought upon hearing this.


    "Even though we don''t have any evidence at the moment, I feel like Lazaar is most likely innocent. If you ask me, what you should be thinking about now is the objectives of the people trying to frame Lazaar for this crime," Master Piro suggested.


    King Cameron was silent for a moment longer before an amused smile appeared on his face. "You say that you think Lazaar is innocent now, but you almost executed his second son on the spot with those spells of yours."


    "Onean is my most prized disciple," Master Piro sighed. "How could I hold back after seeing her in such a terrible condition? It''s a good thing that I still have some energy left. If I were a few years older than I am now, I don''t think I would''ve had sufficient physical resources to save her life."


    A serious look appeared on King Cameron''s face upon hearing this, and he rose to his feet before extending a grateful bow. "Thank you for your efforts, Master Piro."


    Master Piro took one final glance at King Cameron, then closed his eyes again as he began to nod off. "You can go now. I have grown quite weary..."


    King Cameron immediately departed from the room as he was told.

 CH 26

    Prince Lazaar''s manor.


    "How is your brother doing?" Half of Prince Lazaar''s body was concealed within the shadows, while his eyes were shimmering with an indecisive gleam under the light of the lamps.


    "They locked him up in the Fander Royal Prison. I wanted to go in with him to look after him, but they forced me out," Lana said with her head lowered, and her eyes were still a little red.


    "How are his injuries?" Prince Lazaar asked.


    "He''s sustained extremely severe magic injuries. If they''re not treated in time, there are most likely going to be permanent after-effects," Lana replied with a concerned expression as tears began to well up in her eyes again. "And his face..."


    "We can only hope that he''ll survive this ordeal," Prince Lazaar sighed. "He''s a tough young man. If he''s disfigured, then so be it, it''s not like he relies on his appearance for his livelihood anyway."


    "But with such severe injuries and no one to look after him in prison, his condition is only going to worsen over time," Lana said in a frantic voice.


    "Whoever it is that did this to your brother, I''m going to find them and repay the favor a hundredfold!" Prince Lazaar said in a hateful voice.


    "Who could''ve possibly poisoned him? With his powers, he would''ve definitely been able to detect the majority of mind-altering substances," Lana said with tightly furrowed brows.


    "That''s the one thing that I don''t get," Prince Lazaar said. "With your brother''s powers, who could''ve possibly been able to approach him with sinister intentions? If he wasn''t approached, then how did he come under the influence of whatever substance he was affected by?"


    Lana thought about this for a moment, then suddenly said, "Teacher Faye once told me that if you use some colorless and odorless ingredients to brew magic potions, the resulting magic potion will also be colorless and odorless. However, the process is extremely complex, and an extremely skilled potions master is required to brew such a potion."


    "An odorless and colorless magic potion?" Prince Lazaar''s eyes narrowed slightly in contemplation. "No matter how I think about it, the only way they could''ve gotten to him would''ve been through the equipment that he registered and submitted."


    "That has to be it!" Lana agreed in a confident voice. "I was with him right before the match, and he was perfectly normal, but he immediately turned into someone else as soon as he stepped onto the competition platform!"


    "Sirius will take care of investigating the tournament committee. However, it''s clear that the perpetrator is well prepared, and if the magic potion in question really is colorless and odorless as you say, then he most likely won''t be able to find anything," Prince Lazaar said.


    "Judging from symptoms displayed by your brother during the match today, it seems that the substance he was afflicted by was designed to stimulate the mind to an extreme extent, thereby causing one to lose their rationality while significantly heightening their killing instincts. If we think about it that way, there are only around a dozen types of magic ingredients that can be used to brew magic potions of this effect, and the list is narrowed down even further if we only consider the colorless and odorless options. The few available options are all extremely rare magic ingredients, so perhaps you can conduct an investigation based on those ingredients," Lana suggested.


    "No wonder Mistress Faye is always praising you for your hard work," Prince Lazaar said with a wry smile. "Your brothers and I are nowhere near as knowledgeable as you when it comes to magic potions. Write down a list of all of the magic ingredients that fit these criteria, and I''ll get someone to conduct an investigation right away."


    Lana nodded in response.


    "However, in contrast with rescuing your brother, I''m actually more concerned about something else," Prince Lazaar said as he massaged his own glabella, and he was clearly feeling quite weary as well.


    Lana looked back at him with a puzzled expression.


    "I''m worried that His Majesty may take this opportunity to wipe out our entire family," Prince Lazaar said in a low voice. "What if His Majesty doesn''t even care who the true perpetrator behind all of this is? What if his objective from the very beginning was to wipe out our family? What should we do then?"


    He was clearly posing this question to himself rather than Lana.


    "Master Piro is one of the best potions masters alive... Could it be that he and His Majesty conspired together to manufacture this incident?" This was a very imaginative theory from Lana.


    Prince Lazaar shook his head in response.


    "His Majesty is a father, just like me, and as a fellow father, I don''t believe that His Majesty would be willing to risk his own daughter''s life like this. Also, I''ve been serving His Majesty for many years, and I have a good grasp of his character. He''s not such a cold and sinister person. Similarly, I would never risk the lives of you or your two brothers."


    Prince Lazaar cast his gaze toward his daughter, who was impeccable whether it came to either appearance or talent, and his eyes were filled with pride and satisfaction.


    "So whatever happens here, I''m going to ensure that you and your brother are sent safely back to Burmen, even if I have to sacrifice myself here. Once you return to Burmen, you''ll be able to join forces with your brothers, and there''s no way that the complacent nobles and soldiers of Sarus will be a match for our war-hardened warriors." Prince Lazaar was already planning for the worst.


    "Father..." Tears began to well up in Lana''s eyes again, but she didn''t want to shed them here.


    "It''s alright, maybe the situation isn''t so dire. I''m just planning for the worst-case scenario," Prince Lazaar consoled.


    Lana nodded in response.


    "Lana, if we''re able to make it back to Burmen alive this time, I want you to forget Erwin." Compared to last time, Prince Lazaar''s tone was a lot gentler and more mellow.


    Lana shuddered slightly upon hearing this, but she nodded once again as she clasped a hand over her own mouth.


    ...


    After returning from the Pillow Sword Tournament, Erwin laid on his bed, tossing and turning for the entire night without being able to get to sleep. He wanted to know about Onean''s condition, and he also wanted to know what was going on in Prince Lazaar''s manor. The worry and anxiety kept him up all night, and at the crack of dawn, he made his way into Count Friar''s room, hoping to be able to get some information from his father.


    Unlike Erwin, Count Friar was an early riser, so by the time Erwin barged into his room, Count Friar was already standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of his room, appreciating the dawn scenery of Sarus outside.


    Count Friar didn''t even turn around to look at Erwin, and it seemed that he had already predicted that Erwin would pay him a visit.


    Erwin stood on the spot in silence, unsure of how to begin.


    "If you want to ask me something, then go ahead," Count Friar prompted in a calm voice.


    "Father, do you know how Her Highness is doing right now?" Erwin asked in a careful voice. "I heard that she sustained extremely severe injuries."


    "I don''t know." Count Friar''s reply was very concise and straightforward. "How would I know about this?"


    Erwin fell silent again.


    "However, I presume that she''s still alive," Count Friar said as he turned around to look at Erwin.


    "Why is that?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    "Think about it. It''s been very quiet throughout the night, and nothing out of the ordinary has happened yet this morning. That should be enough to tell you that Her Highness is still alive," Count Friar explained.


    It was certainly no secret to everyone that Princess Onean was King Cameron''s most prized child. If she had succumbed to her injuries, King Cameron would''ve definitely flown into a thunderous rage, and in that case, there was no way that the previous night would''ve passed by so peacefully. With that in mind, Erwin heaved an internal sigh of relief.


    "Have you taken a liking to Her Highness?" Count Friar asked as he watched Erwin with a calm expression.


    Erwin was momentarily stumped by this question, and he didn''t know how to respond to it. In the past, his father very rarely asked him about his private affairs, so this was very unusual for him.


    "His Majesty would never agree to a relationship between you two, so you should give up on her," Count Friar said in a very matter-of-fact voice.


    An awkward look appeared on Erwin''s face. His relationship with Onean hadn''t really progressed anywhere yet, so King Cameron wasn''t even a factor of consideration that had crossed his mind.


    "So what if he doesn''t agree? What''s he going to do about it?" Erwin finally replied in a very uncouth fashion.


    An amused smile appeared on Count Friar''s face as he turned to look at Erwin, and Erwin was growing rather uneasy at the sight of his father''s expression.


    "I guess you do take after me, after all," Count Friar sighed as he turned back to look at the scenery outside the window.


    Erwin could only assume that his father was recalling memories of his mother, and he didn''t offer any response. To Erwin, his mother had always been a very unfamiliar concept. There wasn''t even a single portrait of her in the entirety of Count Friar''s manor, and no one had ever told Erwin anything about his mother. Despite this, Count Friar had never displayed any intention of finding a stepmother for Erwin, and Erwin had a great deal of admiration toward him for that.


    "What about Prince Lazaar''s daughter? Aren''t you going to ask about her?" Count Friar seemed to be very interested in Erwin''s private affairs all of a sudden. "Don''t you want to know about the situation in Prince Lazaar''s manor?"


    "Er, I do," Erwin replied with an honest nod. "What''s the situation like in Prince Lazaar''s manor?"


    "Prince Lazaar isn''t the type of brazen criminal who would instruct his own child to assassinate Her Highness during the Pillow Sword Tournament," Count Friar said in a calm voice. "At the time, His Majesty was understandably blinded by rage, but I''m sure that realization will dawn on him eventually."


    Erwin was rather relieved upon hearing this.


    "However, just because he''ll arrive at that realization doesn''t mean that he won''t do anything about Prince Lazaar''s family," Count Friar said as he turned to Erwin, and a meaningful look had appeared in his eyes.


    "Father, you don''t mean..." Only now was Erwin beginning to realize that things in the royal court weren''t as harmonious as they seemed.


    "You have to remember that when it comes to politics, the truth is often not very important." This statement from Count Friar went on to have a very profound impact on Erwin in the future.


    A hint of mockery then appeared on Count Friar''s face as he continued, "Only historians have an interest in uncovering the truth of history. Politicians couldn''t care less about right and wrong, or truths and lies."


    Erwin found himself struggling to process what his father had just said. He had always felt like his father was hiding some type of secret, as if he had seen some things that others hadn''t. He always looked as if he were suffering from social anxiety, but his perpetual calmness and indifference didn''t seem characteristic of someone with social anxiety. Thus, Erwin often wondered whether his father knew more than he let on, and it seemed that his suspicions were being confirmed here.


    Count Friar could see what Erwin was thinking, and he asked, "Are you wondering why I know so much even though you don''t ever see me go anywhere?"


    Erwin nodded in response.


    Count Friar turned back to the window, and a reminiscent look appeared on his face. Only after a long while did he heave a faint sigh. "Someone once told me that Sarus is but a small pond for the small fish and shrimp to play in."


    Erwin didn''t know what to make of that statement.


    "However, the royal court has always belonged to those ageless turtles. I can''t become one of them, and I have no interest in playing with the small fish and shrimp," Count Friar said in a calm voice. "However, you must always remember to be wary of those turtles."


    Erwin didn''t quite understand what was being said to him, but he nodded anyway, and it seemed that nodding was the only thing that he could do. In this instant, he was suddenly struck by a sense of surrealism. It seemed that from his birth to this point, all of the words that his father had spoken to him combined were still less than everything he had said to him on this day.


    "This is no simple incident. If Prince Lazaar really is being framed, then the mastermind behind all of this definitely isn''t just some ordinary criminal. Don''t go anywhere for the next few days. School holidays have begun anyway, so just stay at home," Count Friar instructed. "What''s happening in Sarus right now is not something that a kid like you can influence."


    Erwin had no way to rebuke his father, and he was silent for a long while before suddenly asking out of the blue, "Was Mother the one who told you that Sarus is only a small pond?"


    Count Friar''s expression stiffened slightly upon hearing this. He continued to look out the window as the sun began to rise, and he was suddenly struck by a sense of solace, as if his son had grown up, but he offered no reply to Erwin''s question.

 CH 27.1

    News of the assassination attempt made on the princess by the son of Prince Lazaar and the subsequent sealing of Prince Lazaar''s manor had already spread through the entire city. In fact, the news had become so prevalently known that when the common folk ran into one another on the streets, their usual greeting had changed from "how are you?" to "did you hear about...". Some speculated that Prince Lazaar had planned this entire incident, assassinating the princess as a catalyst to his rebellion. Some speculated that the son of Prince Lazaar had been framed and mentally manipulated somehow. There were also some who speculated that the son of Prince Lazaar was in love with the princess, but the princess had taken a liking to the son of Count Friar. Thus, in a fit of rage from his unrequited love, the son of Prince Lazaar had decided to murder the princess. In any case, all types of rumors about the incident were circulating throughout the city, and one would hear several different accounts of the event after just a single stroll through a pub, but no one knew for sure what had actually happened.


    Over the past few days, there had been no news coming out of the royal palace, stating that King Cameron was going to punish Prince Lazaar, but at the same time, the palatial guards surrounding Prince Lazaar''s manor also hadn''t been withdrawn. Thus, everyone in the city, regardless of whether they were nobility or common folk, could speculate as to what had happened.


    Thankfully, the princess was able to recover from her severe injuries and return from the brink of death, much to the joy and celebration of all of the city''s common folk.


    During the past few days, King Cameron had been constantly contemplating whether it would be wise to strike out against the Lazaar Family, but he had refrained from doing so due to the urgent military report that had arrived on his desk from Burmen.


    As it turned out, the Skycourt Kingdom had attacked. General Gilgen of the Skycourt Kingdom was leading 100,000 troops from the regular army and a regiment of 50,000 to 60,000 mercenaries to attack Burmen from the north, and within the span of just a few days, over 20 citadels in Burmen had already been conquered.


    The stand-in governor of Burmen, Eden Lazaar, had already submitted several urgent reports in succession, stating that there were insufficient troops in Burmen and requesting reinforcements from Sarus.


    King Cameron had initially thought that this was a ploy from Eden Lazaar to try and save his own father, but given the amount of time it would''ve taken from these reports to be delivered to Sarus from Burmen, it was clear that these reports had already been sent out prior to the attempted assassination on Onean. There was no way that Eden could''ve predicted the incident in advance, so it was clear that he was telling the truth.


    Shortly thereafter, information began to arrive from various different avenues, informing King Cameron that the province of Burmen really was being attacked by the Skycourt Kingdom.


    The fact that the Skycourt Kingdom was launching an invasion so close to the princess''s assassination struck King Cameron with a vague sense of unease, and he couldn''t help but feel that this was no coincidence.


    Prior to this, he had been considering how he was going to punish the Lazaar Family, but given the dire situation in Burmen, he had no choice but to release Lazaar back to Burmen to lead his troops and resist the invasion. Only then would the situation be stabilized. He knew that in the entire royal court, Lazaar was the only person capable of succeeding in this role.


    Having said that, King Cameron was still quite reluctant to let Lazaar go. He had finally managed to get Lazaar back to the capital city, and on top of that, there was a very good reason for him to heavily punish the Lazaar Family. This was a golden opportunity, and he didn''t want to let it slip.


    What complicated the situation even further was that among the list of several magic ingredients Master Piro had asked him to conduct an investigation into, one of them, namely the liver juice of the Scarlet Dragon, which was an extremely rare magic ingredient, was found to have ended up in Governor Jenkins''s hands from the black market after exchanging hands a few times in between.


    Thus, given the current situation, he didn''t want to release Lazaar, but he had no choice but to release him. He wanted to kill Jenkins, but he couldn''t do that, either. In order to maintain parity between the two factions in the royal court, Jenkins had to live so long as Lazaar was still alive. Even though his precious Onean had almost lost her life as a result of Jenkins''s sinister plot, he could only swallow this bitter pill for now.


    After that, all of Sarus''s important officials were summoned to the main royal palace by King Cameron. Even Prince Lazaar had been released from confinement to attend this gathering, and everyone in Jenkins''s faction wore wary expressions in response to seeing Prince Lazaar.


    "This morning, we received an urgent military report stating that an army of 150,000 troops has invaded Burmen from the Skycourt Kingdom. Within the span of just a few days, over 20 citadels of Burmen have already fallen," King Cameron said with a grim expression. "What do you all think we should do about this?"


    The entire palace instantly erupted into a raucous frenzy upon hearing this. It was clear that none of the officials had received this news yet, and everyone was looking at one another with astounded expressions, unable to process such a massive bombshell. It had been close to 20 years since the Skycourt Kingdom and the Effer Kingdom last clashed, and it was very perplexing to everyone why the Skycourt Kingdom had suddenly invaded.


    "Your Majesty, my son is still quite inexperienced in leading troops, so I take full responsibility for the citadels that he has lost," Prince Lazaar said with a fearful expression.


    "He can''t be blamed for this. There are only 70,000 troops stationed in Burmen, so it''s no surprise that they''re struggling against an army over twice their size," King Cameron said.


    Meanwhile, Jenkins''s brows were tightly furrowed. Judging from King Cameron''s words and attitude, it appeared that he was no longer planning to punish Lazaar. However, after briefly contemplating the situation, he realized that killing Lazaar was no longer feasible given the threat on the border.


    "Lazaar, you''ve defended Burmen for many years. Do you have any plans to counter this invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom?" King Cameron asked.


    "Your Majesty, I haven''t received any reports from the front lines, so I can''t say for sure what I would do. However, the Skycourt Kingdom''s army has come a long way to invade our borders, so their soldiers must already be quite weary. As such, our army can retreat to an important pass and focus solely on defense. An army of 150,000 will undoubtedly require massive amounts of supplies, so we can retaliate once their supply chain becomes sufficiently strained," Prince Lazaar replied.


    "I''m afraid I must disagree, Prince Lazaar. The Skycourt Kingdom has caught us off guard, but we shouldn''t overestimate our enemies just because your son is incapable of dealing with them." An official from Jenkins''s faction stepped forward with a mocking expression. "The Skycourt Kingdom can''t be allowed to get away with invading us without any consequences. They have encroached upon our soil! We can''t just hide like turtles in our shells and weather the storm!"


    Many of the other officials from Jenkins''s faction immediately concurred with this statement, suggesting that fire should be fought with fire and that reinforcements should be sent to Burmen from Sarus.


    King Cameron was naturally aware of what Jenkins''s faction was thinking. If they were to follow Lazaar''s suggestion and fight a war of attrition, then all of the credit would go to Lazaar for defeating the enemy. However, if they could send troops to the front lines from Sarus, then after the battle was won, everyone would''ve contributed, so they would all be rewarded.


    Prince Lazaar took a cold glance at Jenkins''s faction, but didn''t say anything.


    "What do you think, Jenkins?" King Cameron asked as he cast his gaze toward Jenkins, who still hadn''t spoken yet.


    "Your Majesty, it''s been close to 20 years since our Effer Kingdom last clashed with the Skycourt Kingdom. Now that they''re launching an invasion without any warning or reason, if we choose to adopt a stance exclusively of passive defense, then it''ll send a message to everyone that our kingdom is weak and doesn''t dare to face the enemy. If that happens, the Skycourt Kingdom will only become more and more emboldened, which could lead to more frequent invasions of our borders," Jenkins said.


    All of the officials of Jenkins''s faction immediately offered their verbal support to this sentiment.


    King Cameron made a quieting gesture, and only then did all of the officials fall silent again.


    "If we do send reinforcements from Sarus, who do you all think would be the most suitable candidate to lead our troops?" King Cameron asked.


    On this occasion, Jenkins was the first one to step forward and offer his opinion. "Your Majesty, I think you should lead our troops to the front lines in person. If you do that, the morale of our army would undoubtedly receive a significant boost. I am also willing to accompany you to the front lines, Your Majesty."


    Following that suggestion from Jenkins, many of the officials from Jenkins''s faction also stepped forward to express an urge to follow King Cameron to the front lines.


    King Cameron''s expression remained unchanged, but internally, he was coldly denouncing Jenkins.


    What a cunning old fox you are, Jenkins. If you accompany me to the front lines and we win the battle, I''ll naturally have to reward you for your contributions. Even if we''re defeated, you don''t stand to lose anything. At the very least, this would be far less risky than for you to lead our troops to the front lines.


    However, he was planning to lead the troops in person anyway. Not only did he want to force back the troops of the Skycourt Kingdom, he wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to get rid of Lazaar as well. Lazaar had been stationed in Burmen for many years, and this was a golden opportunity to eradicate the entire Lazaar Family in one fell swoop.


    "Alright, your voices have been heard," King Cameron said, and all of the officials gathered in the main palace immediately knew that he had already made a decision.


    "Lazaar, return to Burmen right away to stabilize the army and set up a defensive line. Make sure that every single pass is well defended. I will lead reinforcements from Sarus to the front lines shortly. Do you have any objections?" King Cameron asked as he turned to Lazaar.


    "I''ll be sure to do everything in my power to ensure that no more citadels and land are lost, Your Majesty," Lazaar immediately replied as he kowtowed to the ground, but at the same time, he was quite bewildered that the assassination on the princess was simply being glossed over.

 CH 27.2

    "But Your Majesty, there has still been no outcome in case of the assassination of Her Highness," Jenkins reminded in a low voice, making one last bid to drag Lazaar down into the mud.


    "Oh, I didn''t get a chance to tell all of you about this yet. Yesterday, I was informed by Archbishop Sirius and Prime Minister Fuller that according to their investigation, people from the Skycourt Kingdom had bribed the tournament committee''s administrators to tamper with the equipment of Lazaar''s son. That was why he went into that deranged state and tried to assassinate Onean," King Cameron said. "It seems that the people of the Skycourt Kingdom are trying to sow dissension among our ranks before the commencement of the war, but their little tricks aren''t going to work here!"


    "Your wisdom is truly unmatched, Your Majesty! Those imbeciles from the Skycourt Kingdom have placed Her Highness in grave peril and also greatly tarnished my reputation! I will be sure to exact vengeance against them on both accounts on the battlefield!" Lazaar vowed, and it seemed that the relationship between him and King Cameron had suddenly been mended.


    Thus, all of the questions that had been lingering in everyone''s hearts for the past few days were dispelled by a simple statement from King Cameron.


    Seeing as King Cameron was already determined to put an end to this case, the officials naturally weren''t going to dig any deeper into the incident. As for exactly who it was in the Skycourt Kingdom that had taken the blame or if the Skycourt Kingdom were actually even involved at all, that was completely unknown to everyone.


    King Cameron then turned to Prime Minister Fuller as he said, "Fuller, make a public statement revealing the Skycourt Kingdom''s sinister machinations to the entire kingdom. Also, release a conscription order right away, and get all of the private mercenary regiments to report to the department of military affairs."


    "As you wish, Your Majesty." Fuller accepted the order with a respectful bow.


    On the eve of setting off for the front lines, King Cameron still had many things that he had to take care of, so he quickly dismissed everyone. Seeing as he was about to return to the front lines for the first time in decades, he had suddenly thought of an old friend.


    After being pardoned by the king, Prince Lazaar had regained a spring in his step, yet he had only just returned to his manor when he caught sight of Lana standing outside with a furious and grief-stricken expression.


    "What happened?" Prince Lazaar hurriedly asked.


    "Father, my brother was just carried back to our manor not long ago, but... but..." There were tears swimming in Lana''s eyes as she spoke.


    A sense of anxiety immediately welled up in Lazaar''s heart at the sight of his daughter''s despondent display, and he hurriedly asked, "Where is your brother right now? Take me to him right away!"


    Thus, Lana led him to Jeff''s room. Jeff was lying on the bed, still in an unconscious state, and Prince Lazaar felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning at the sight of his own son.


    Due to the fact that his injuries hadn''t been treated in time, the burns on Jeff''s face and body had already caused large sections of his skin to begin rotting away. Pus was flowing all over his dark purple skin and flesh, and his once-handsome face now looked like something straight out of a nightmare. There were only sporadic tufts of hair remaining on his head, and his scalp was either charred black or riddled with pockmarks, presenting a horrific sight to behold. The exposed skin on his body was in such terrible condition that Prince Lazaar could hardly bear to look at it.


    A normal bystander would''ve most likely been so horrified by this ghastly sight that they would''ve already averted their eyes, but Prince Lazaar was staring intently at his own son''s severely ravaged body, gritting his teeth tightly in silence.


    "Father..." Lana''s voice was beginning to quiver, but she didn''t want to cry at a time like this.


    "Can his burns still be treated?" Prince Lazaar sat down onto the side of the bed and began to carefully inspect the injuries all over Jeff''s body.


    "I already brewed some magic potion in advance to be used to treat his injuries," Lana said in a concerned voice. "But I just had a look at his wounds, and the rot has already spread too deep. In his current physical condition, if I were to apply the magic potion I had brewed in advance onto his body, the medicinal effect would be too potent and could kill him on the spot."


    "I don''t know anywhere near as much about magic potions as you do, so I''ll leave that to you," Prince Lazaar said with furrowed brows as he conjured up a cloud of frosty mist over his palm, then skimmed his palm over Jeff''s body to apply a fine layer of frost to his skin.


    Jeff gave a relieved moan in his unconscious state. This was a fast-acting treatment method that Prince Lazaar often used on the battlefield, and it could temporarily alleviate Jeff''s pain, but it could only provide temporary pain relief without treating any of the actual underlying injuries.


    "Father, these injuries are only secondary concerns," Lana said as a furious look appeared in her eyes. "As I was examining Brother''s injuries, I discovered that two silver needles had been driven into his spine."


    "Silver needles?" Prince Lazaar''s heart immediately jolted slightly upon hearing this, and he carefully flipped over Jeff''s waist to find that there were indeed two silver needles buried in his coccyx and his lumbar spine.


    Prince Lazaar immediately reached for the silver needles to pull them out, but Lana hurriedly stopped him. "You can''t pull them out now, Father! Many of Brother''s injuries have become infected, and the poison has entered his meridians and internal organs. If you pull out the silver needles in his spine now, he might not make it!"


    "If I don''t pull the needles out now, your brother will be a cripple in just a few days anyway," Prince Lazaar yelled. "Do you want to see your brother be reduced from one of the most promising young martial artists of his generation to a cripple?"


    Lana didn''t know what to say in response.


    "Father..." Jeff finally began to awaken from his unconscious state.


    Prince Lazaar knew that Lana was right, but he couldn''t bear to see his own exceptionally talented son be reduced to a cripple who could only live out the rest of his life confined to a wheelchair.


    Prince Lazaar wore a heartbroken expression as he looked at his own son''s severely disfigured face, and he heaved a long sigh. "It''s all my fault, my son. I shouldn''t have brought the two of you back to this accursed city."


    "It''s not your fault, Father. I should''ve been more careful." Jeff''s voice was extremely hoarse, and it was clear that his vocal chords had also sustained burn damage.


    "Brother..." Lana squatted down by Jeff''s side, and she finally couldn''t hold back her tears any longer as she erupted into sobs.


    "I heard what the two of you said just now. I can''t become a cripple, I still have my entire life ahead of me! Listen to me, Lana, pull those needles out of my spine," Jeff said in an urgent voice. His lips were dry and cracked, and he didn''t even have the strength to turn over by himself.


    Tears were streaming down Lana''s face as she frantically shook her head.


    Prince Lazaar couldn''t bear to pull the needles out as Jeff requested, and he tried to console Jeff in a gentle voice. "It''s alright, my son. What''s most important to me is that you''re alive. As long as you''re still alive, we can always find ways to help you recover, but if you''re dead, everything will be lost."


    "But Father, I don''t want to be a cripple who has to be looked after like useless baggage for the rest of my life!" Jeff wore a pained expression, but his voice was extremely decisive. It was clear that the thought of being a cripple for the rest of his life was far more painful than his physical injuries.


    Prince Lazaar and Lana didn''t know what to do from here.


    "Father, I can''t become a cripple! That would be a life worse than death for me!" Tears began to stream down Jeff''s face as he begged in a hoarse voice, "If you won''t pull out the needles, then at least kill me! Please! I would rather die than be a cripple for the rest of my life!"


    Prince Lazaar''s children were all extremely proud and ambitious, so for Jeff, becoming a cripple and losing all of his abilities as a martial artist really would be a fate far worse than death.


    "Calm down, Brother! Give me a bit more time, I''ll think of a way to help you recover without risking your life," Lana hurriedly said in a panicked voice.


    "Alright, if that''s what you want, then I''ll grant you your wish!" A vicious look suddenly appeared on Prince Lazaar''s face as he raised a palm before slamming it down onto Jeff''s forehead.


    "No! Father!" Lana wanted to stop her father, but it was already too late, and Jeff instantly fell dead on the spot.


    Lana was completely rooted to the spot, staring at her father with an incredulous expression, unable to believe what she had just witnessed.


    "It''s alright, I didn''t actually do it," Prince Lazaar said with tears swimming in his eyes. "How could I bring myself to kill my own son? I only knocked him unconscious for now."


    Lana was greatly relieved to hear this.


    "Quick, go and prepare the magic potions that your brother will need on the way back to Burmen. Once you''re done, we''ll return to Burmen right away," Prince Lazaar instructed. "The Skycourt Kingdom has invaded Burmen, and His Majesty needs me to defend the border, so he can''t kill me for now. We have to take advantage of this opportunity to leave right away."


    Only after hearing this did Lana understand why Jeff had suddenly been released.


    Lana did as she was told and turned to leave, but just as she was about to exit the room, she said in a low voice, "But Father, are we just going to accept this? They ruined my brother! Are we just going to let them get away with this?"


    "Don''t worry, I won''t forget this. No one hurts my child and gets away with it!" Prince Lazaar said in a menacing voice.


    At this point, Prince Lazaar''s investigation had also yielded the outcome that the liver juice of the Scarlet Dragon had ultimately ended up in the hands of Jenkins, and he could only assume that Jenkins was also responsible for the silver needles that had been driven into Jeff''s spine, whether directly or indirectly.


    Later that day, Prince Lazaar set off with Lana and the heavily injured Jeff back to Burmen. Jeff was still unconscious, so he was riding on the same horse as Prince Lazaar, and the three of them sped out of Sarus on two horses without a single backward glance.

 CH 28.1

    At this point, all of the nobles and common folk in the entire city of Sarus had learned of the Skycourt Kingdom''s sinister plot to assassinate the princess and invade the Effer Kingdom, and everyone had been swept up by the heat of war. Of course, everyone''s excitement mostly came from the pursuit of wealth and status, rather than an urge to avenge the princess for the political assassination attempt. After all, in the eyes of most people, wars were one of the quickest ways to make vast profits. As was always the case, risk and reward came hand in hand, and wars presented great peril, but also a gold mine of opportunities.


    A conscription order was one of the ways through which the Effer Kingdom recruited soldiers from the general public. Furthermore, the spending of mercenary legions was covered by their commanders, rather than the state. However, the legion commanders didn''t have to turn in their spoils of war. Instead, they could keep their spoils of war and distribute them as they pleased. Having said that, mercenary legions were still a part of the kingdom''s army, and they had to follow the orders of the department of military affairs.


    The mercenary legions that performed valiantly during the war had a chance to be integrated into the kingdom''s royal legion, and if that were to happen, the leaders of the mercenary legions would also be assigned official roles in the military.


    For young nobles like Larwood and Erwin, who were used to a lazy and undisciplined lifestyle, they were leaning more toward assembling their own mercenary legion. As for the reason behind that, the main motivating factor was freedom. They were simply used to living free and unrestrained lives. They harbored ambitions of making significant contributions and earning accolades on the battlefield, but at the same time, they were extremely resistant to the idea of being told what to do. If they were integrated into the kingdom''s regular army, that would truly be a tragedy for them. All of their fathers had military backgrounds, so it wouldn''t have been an issue at all to arrange duties for them in the royal military, but all of them refused without any hesitation. In their eyes, freedom had to be cherished above all else, and that was what led them to organize their own mercenary legion.


    In doing so, they wouldn''t have to follow orders from others, and all they would have to do was occasionally send someone to report to the department of military affairs. This was something that Erwin and the others held in very high regard. All of them shared an opportunistic mindset that made them want to try their hand at striking more formidable enemies through their wiles and resourcefulness, and they were genuinely of the opinion that following the regular army would drown out their talents.


    Once the conscription order was released, Erwin and his friends held a brief discussion before deciding to pool together all of the money that they had on their hands. They reserved a booth in the Yanler Pub, where they discussed the formation of a mercenary legion.


    "Alright, so we have 10,000 from Kaiba, 8,000 from me, 5,000 from Larwood, and 5,000 from Erwin, which amounts to a total of 28,000," Chase declared. "This is all the money that we have to support the expenses of a mercenary legion."


    Erwin had received this money from his father. To his surprise, his father didn''t denounce him on this occasion. Instead, he was very much in support of Erwin''s proposal. 5,000 Loonies was quite a huge sum, and Erwin was expecting a lecture on how many cottages that amount would be able to buy outside the city, so his father''s response had come as a massively pleasant surprise.


    "If we pay each person one Loony per day, that would amount to 3,000 Loonies for 100 people in a month. How many people do you think we should recruit?" Loonies asked.


    "So if we recruit 1,000 people, we don''t even have enough money to pay them for an entire month," Erwin sighed with a resigned expression. "If I had known this would happen, I would''ve stopped going to mansions and saved up more money."


    "Indeed, I''m kicking myself when I think back to all the money I squandered," Kaiba sighed. "If I had saved up everything, we would''ve been able to support a legion of 1,000 mercenaries for at least half a year!"


    "What''s the point in crying over spilled milk?" Chase asked with an indifferent shrug. "What we have to think about now is how many people we should recruit. Once the war begins, it''s definitely not going to end in just a month."


    "How about we recruit 1,000 mercenaries, and we''ll rely on our spoils of war to pay everyone after the first month," Kaiba suggested.


    "If only it were that easy! Do you think all of the Skycourt Kingdom''s soldiers go to battle with gold in their pockets? Or are you considering stealing from the common folk of Burmen? If we do that, we''ll be executed by the department of military affairs before the troops of the Skycourt Kingdom can even get to us!" Larwood chuckled.


    "But we can''t recruit too few people. If we do that, we''ll get looked down on by everyone else when we go to attend the meetings at the department of military affairs." Chase was very intent on keeping up appearances.


    "Then should we recruit 500 people for the first month, then see how it goes from there?" Kaiba suggested.


    "Aside from their salaries, we also have to think about food, equipment, and accommodation costs," Erwin cautioned. "It''s not going to be cheap to feed, clothe, and house 500 people."


    "Equipment?" Larwood was quite taken aback to hear this. "Surely we won''t have to prepare equipment for them! That would require a huge sum of money."


    "But what if some of them are too poor to afford equipment? They''ll just be cannon fodder on the battlefield," Chase said with furrowed brows.


    "In that case, we''ll have to examine all of our recruits one by one," Kaiba said as a glum look appeared on his face.


    "Of course we have to do that! What did you think we were going to do? Just recruit anyone without any discretion?" Larwood asked.


    "By the way, where did you guys get the price of one Loony per person per day from?" Erwin suddenly asked. "Even the kingdom''s regular army doesn''t offer such high salaries. I recall that normal soldiers in the regular army only receive 10 Loonies per month, so what you''re proposing is already three times that!"


    "That''s the salary I see being offered on the recruitment posters of all of the major mercenary legions," Chase replied. "Comparing mercenary legions with the kingdom''s regular army is like comparing apples with oranges. In the regular army, if a soldier were to die during battle, the empire would have to give their family compensation payment, whereas if someone dies in a mercenary legion, then that''s it. Thus, everyone is putting their lives on the line without the promise of financial compensation for their families if something were to happen to them, so higher salaries will naturally have to be offered."


    "Also, in the kingdom''s regular army, there are opportunities for career progression. Those who perform well during battles can receive promotions after just a few battles and be rewarded with official military ranks. How many mercenary legions do you think actually end up being integrated into the kingdom''s royal military? For mercenary legions of our scale, those who fight under us can only expect to get a share in some spoils of war at the very end of the war," Larwood added. "Besides, soldiers of the kingdom''s regular army receive standardized equipment from the department of military affairs, whereas mercenaries in our legion will have to prepare their own equipment, so that''s another disadvantage."


    Erwin nodded in response as he heaved a faint sigh.


    "So how do we examine them?" Kaiba asked with a wry smile. "Should we make it a requirement that martial artists must be able to defeat Larwood and magicians must be able to defeat Erwin?"


    "If we go by those standards, then the only magicians that''ll fit the bill would be Her Highness and Lana Lazaar," Larwood chuckled.


    Everyone aside from Erwin immediately burst into laughter upon hearing this. Erwin also forced a smile onto his own face, but internally, he was feeling quite despondent. He had naturally already heard that Lana had returned to Burmen. As for Princess Onean, she was still recovering from her injuries in the palace, and there was no news of her at all. As such, he couldn''t help but be struck by a sense of sorrow at the mention of those two.


    "So what do we do now? Should we put up the notice first, then begin our examination once we get enough numbers?" Chase asked.


    "So we want 500 people? Is that finalized?" Larwood asked.


    "I think that sounds about right. Let''s do it," Erwin replied with a nod.


    Kaiba had no objections, either.


    "Alright, I''ll get my servants to put up the recruitment notices today," Chase said.


    "Hold on, how are you going to put up the notices when we haven''t even decided on a name for our mercenary legion yet?" Erwin reminded.


    The four of them fell silent again as they began to think of what name would be appropriate for their mercenary legion.


    Thus, a series of names were suggested, such as "Howling Tiger", "Roaring Dragon", and "Heavenly Wolf", but those names had either been taken or were deemed to be too tacky and cliched. The four of them bickered back and forth with one another, and in order to prevent the group from falling apart before the mercenary legion was even established, they decided to name it the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    It was a name that was decently imaginative and wasn''t overly tacky like the other names that had been suggested.


    After finalizing the name for their mercenary legion, Erwin and his friends approached Sherry, who was still working hard at Seaford Academy even though it was the school holidays. Sherry was also very excited to hear that he would be able to go to the front lines with Erwin and his friends.


    Not long after the recruitment notices for the Four Winds mercenary legion had been put up, many people came to register that very same afternoon. The designated assembly point was the horse farm owned by Chase''s family outside the city, and it didn''t take long for several hundred people to gather at the entrance of the horse farm.


    Chase had been very crafty in writing up the recruitment notices as he had stated that Larwood was the legion commander, while Erwin was the deputy commander. Even though he and Kaiba were contributing the most money to the cause, he had assigned Larwood and Erwin, who had both put on good showings in the Pillow Sword Tournament, to be the leaders of the legion. His objective was to take advantage of their popularity, particularly Erwin''s popularity, which was through the roof at the moment, to recruit some powerful members into their mercenary legion.


    As for why Larwood had been assigned as legion commander, while Erwin had been assigned as his deputy, even though Erwin was the far more popular one of the two, that was because Chase felt Larwood to be far more cunning than Erwin, which made him more suited to leading the legion.


    Erwin and Sherry were notified by Chase, and as they arrived at the horse farm in the afternoon, they were both quite astonished to see the hundreds of people already gathered.


    Just as Chase had anticipated, many of these people had come for Erwin. Even Erwin himself hadn''t thought of this method to exploit his own popularity, and he had a great deal of admiration for Chase''s thinking and foresight. In contrast with his three friends, Erwin was sometimes made to resemble a blank slate.


    In reality, Erwin didn''t know the true reason why so many people had come for him. He had always been a dark horse that everyone had looked up to throughout the course of the Pillow Sword Tournament. All of the people gathered here were common folk, and in contrast with the likes of the princess and Prince Lazaar''s children, who practically lived in completely different worlds from them, Erwin was far more approachable and relatable. In their eyes, Erwin was like a hero representing the common masses.


    Among the large crowd, Erwin suddenly spotted a familiar face. It was one of his opponents during the Pillow Sword Tournament, Lanyon.


    "Hey, aren''t you that middle-aged man? I didn''t expect to see you here!" Erwin was directly referring to Lanyon as he spoke.


    Lanyon didn''t think that Erwin would still remember him, and he was a little embarrassed. He didn''t think that his mature appearance would leave such a lasting impression on Erwin.


    Everyone around Lanyon immediately burst into raucous laughter upon hearing Erwin refer to him as a middle-aged man. In their eyes, Erwin''s description of Lanyon was very accurate.

 CH 28.2

    Erwin could still clearly recall all of his matches from the Pillow Sword Tournament, so he had a vivid recollection of Lanyon''s powers. Of course, what was most memorable about Lanyon to him was his appearance. The Pillow Sword Tournament was a tournament exclusively for students attending advanced academies, so it had come as quite a surprise to see a middle-aged participant in the tournament.


    In reality, Lanyon was only 25 years of age, so he was far from a middle-aged man. His appearance was a little mature, but that was solely dictated by genetics, and there wasn''t anything he could do about it. With Erwin picking him out from the crowd, his status as a middle-aged man suddenly became acknowledged as the undeniable truth.


    "Master Erwin, we came here specifically for you," Lanyon said with a smile, clearly completely unoffended by Erwin''s joke. The group of people behind Lanyon immediately put on serious expressions and extended respectful bows toward Erwin.


    Thus, Erwin and Lanyon chatted for a while, and after learning Lanyon''s true age, Erwin couldn''t help but lament the cruelty of the passage of time. For some reason, it was picking on Lanyon and seemingly making him age faster than others!


    During their conversation, Erwin learned that Lanyon and his group came from Jooloo Academy in the province of Fooz, an academy that he had never heard of before, and he couldn''t help but wonder how such an unknown academy had been permitted to recommend students to the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    Lanyon explained that Jooloo Academy was an academy founded by Governor Jenkins for the children of mine workers who had passed away on duty. All food, accommodation, and tuition costs were covered by the department of finance of Fooz, and only then was Erwin made aware of the fact that hundreds of mine workers passed away each year in the mines of Fooz. With the main breadwinners of these families gone, they wouldn''t have sufficient income to support their children''s tuition. After hearing what Lanyon had to say, it was no wonder to Erwin that Governor Jenkins was able to hold down his position as the governor of Fooz for so many years. It was clear that he had done many things to serve the people of Fooz, thereby making him a popular figure among the masses there.


    Lanyon also told Erwin that even though the students from their academy all came from humble upbringings, they were prepared to work hard and were far more conscientious than the average student from noble backgrounds. Thus, regardless of whether it came to martial techniques or magic, their abilities definitely weren''t going to be inferior to those of the students from renowned academies for nobility in Sarus.


    Erwin had no doubt that Lanyon was telling the truth, but he still told Lanyon that all those who wanted to join their mercenary legion had to pass their examination.


    Lanyon wasn''t expecting any special treatment from Erwin anyway, and he told Erwin that he and his friends were more than willing to undergo the examination.


    Through their conversation, Erwin discovered that just like his appearance, Lanyon had a sense of maturity and levelheadedness that was beyond his years, presumably due to the fact that he had gone through more hardships than others throughout his life. Furthermore, the fact that so many people were willing to follow him clearly meant that there was something special about him.


    In addition to being the deputy commander of the Four Winds mercenary legion, Erwin was also the commander of the legion''s magicians, and he thought to himself, Sherry is a skilled martial artist, so when we go into battle in the future, he''ll definitely be leading our troops from the front. In that case, I''ll have to arrange some people that answer exclusively to me among the magicians in the back. Seeing as Lanyon already holds a great deal of respect for me, why don''t I make him my deputy?


    After that, Erwin caught sight of another familiar figure, namely the assassin whom Princess Onean had fought against during the first round.


    Erwin no longer remembered his name, but he still had a clear recollection of what he looked like. In particular, the pair of black crescent daggers that he had used during the match had left a strong impression on Erwin.


    At this moment, Larwood also made his way over to Erwin to look at the assassin with an intrigued expression.


    The assassin''s appearance was quite youthful, so it seemed that he was even younger than Erwin and his friends.


    It was clear that he had never been stared at so openly by a pair of men before, and he lowered his head, feeling a little shy and uneasy.


    "Your name is Georgina?" Larwood asked in a quiet voice as he looked at the registration form that he was holding.


    "Yes." The assassin''s voice was very clear and pleasant to the ears.


    Larwood gave Erwin a meaningful look, and Erwin made his way over to Larwood with a perplexed expression to look at the registration form. Larwood had confirmed Georgina''s name very quietly, so Erwin hadn''t heard him. Now that he had taken a look at the form and discovered the assassin''s name to be Georgina, he couldn''t help but burst into laughter.


    "Georgina?" Erwin was doubled over with mirth as he turned to look at the assassin. "How do you have a name like Georgina when you''re built like a tree?"


    Larwood tapped Georgina''s chest with the registration form in his hand as he chuckled, "Look at these pecs! How is your name Georgina?"


    Georgina''s face had become quite flushed from being teased by Erwin and Larwood.


    Georgina''s steed was a rare unicorn, and it seemed to have sensed its owner''s discomfort as it suddenly reared up onto its hind legs and threw its head back as it neighed to the heavens. Both Erwin and Larwood were given quite a fright, thinking that they were about to be attacked by the unicorn.


    Georgina hurriedly rushed over to his steed and began stroking its name in a comforting manner. "It''s alright, Momo, we''re just having a laugh together."


    The unicorn quickly calmed down, but there was still a menacing look in its eyes as it exhaled loudly in Erwin and Larwood''s direction, as if it were issuing them a warning.


    Erwin and Larwood''s smiles had completely faded at this point. They didn''t think that the unicorn would have such a short temper.


    "Wow, that''s quite a scary ride you have there," Larwood remarked.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you," Georgina hurriedly apologized.


    Larwood and Erwin certainly weren''t so petty that they would hold a grudge over something like this. They exchanged a silent glance, and both of them decided to recruit Georgina so that they could continue making fun of him in the future. Of course, that was only a minor factor of consideration. The main reason they wanted to recruit Georgina was naturally for the skills that he had displayed during his match against Princess Onean.


    "Which academy are you from?" Larwood asked.


    "Pucil Academy," Georgina replied.


    Pucil Academy and Teedus Academy were the two academies in Sarus that had the most stringent requirements when it came to their students'' upbringing.


    With that in mind, it was clear that Georgina came from quite a privileged background as well, so it was no wonder that Georgina had such a rare steed in the form of Momo the unicorn. However, what was rather perplexing to them was why he had come to join their mercenary legion rather than have his family arrange a role for him in the military.


    Georgina could also see the unspoken question in Erwin and Larwood''s eyes, and he offered an explanation.


    As it turned out, Georgina''s family was going through quite a rough time. His father was a viscount, but he squandered away all of his wealth in order to fuel a severe gambling addiction. After that, he contracted a lung disease and didn''t have money for treatment, so he passed away, leaving Georgina and his mother to fend for themselves.


    Disgraced nobles like them naturally no longer had any wealth or connections left, so it would be virtually impossible to convince someone to arrange a role for Georgina in the military.


    Erwin and Larwood were feeling quite sorry for Georgina after hearing his life story, and they decided that perhaps it wouldn''t be a good idea to make fun of him in the future. Having said that, Erwin and Larwood had heard stories about many noble families who fell into ruin due to a variety of different reasons. Perhaps in the eyes of many of the common folk, Georgina''s family was still doing quite well. After all, the grass always seemed to be greener on the other side.


    However, Georgina was able to tell his life story in a very calm and indifferent manner, so it seemed that he was completely unfazed by the hardships of life.


    Larwood patted Georgina on the shoulder as he said, "Best of luck with the examination. If you pass, we''ll go into battle together to strip the Skycourt Kingdom''s soldiers of their wealth."


    Georgina nodded in response.


    Only after hearing Larwood wish Georgina good luck did Erwin recall that Larwood hadn''t seen Georgina''s match against Princess Onean. In his opinion, Georgina was at least just as capable a martial artist as Larwood.


    ...


    After a careful tally, Chase discovered that over 800 people had come to register. Among them were roughly 600 martial artists, and their examinations were to be conducted by Larwood, Kaiba, Chase, and Sherry. As for the remaining magicians, of which there were over 200, they were going to be selected exclusively by Erwin.


    After some discussion between Erwin and the others, it was decided that they were going to recruit around 150 magicians. As such, Erwin was only going to have to eliminate 50 to 60 registrants, thereby making his job much easier than that of his friends.


    He split up all of the magicians into a few groups, then pitted them against each other in an impromptu round-robin tournament, eliminating the worst-performing participants in all of the groups until there were only 150 left. Thus, his work was done by the time nighttime arrived. Over on Larwood''s side, all of the martial artists had also been split up into groups, but there were too many of them, so it looked like it was going to take another half a day to complete the selection process.


    Erwin spent the entire afternoon observing the top few magicians from each group, and he had a rough idea of who the best magicians of the bunch were. Lanyon and his group did indeed perform quite well, with all of them ending up in the top few spots in their respective groups. The only downside to them was that their equipment was a little shabby.


    Erwin informed the remaining 150 magicians of the time for assembly the next day, then allowed everyone to leave, but he asked Lanyon to stay behind.


    "Come grab some dinner with me and my friends. You can get your friends to return to the city first," Erwin said as he looked at Lanyon.


    Lanyon nodded in response. He knew the purpose behind Erwin''s actions, and he did as he was told, telling his friends to return to the city without him.


    Meanwhile, the selection process on Larwood''s side was still progressing rather slowly, not just because of the large number of martial artist applicants, but also due to the fact that none of the examiners were particularly hard-working and efficient people. In the afternoon, Kaiba was the first one to request a break, citing exhaustion as the reason. Not long after that, Chase also said that he needed a rest. Thus, Larwood and Sherry were the only two who persevered until nighttime.


    After completing the selection process on his end, Erwin set off to look for Chase and Kaiba, upon which he discovered that the two of them were chatting with one another while lying on a haystack in the horses'' stable.


    "I should''ve known you two were slacking off! Let''s go back to the city to get some dinner," Erwin said in a disgruntled voice as he pulled the two of them to their feet.


    Chase stood up before taking a look, and he gave a despondent groan upon realizing that there were still around 100 to 200 applicants that had to be eliminated.


    After a brief discussion, everyone decided that they were unwilling to continue the selection process through the night, so as the legion commander, Larwood could only announce to all of the remaining applicants to return the next day to continue the selection process.


    That night, Chase used up the last bit of money he had to treat everyone to a good dinner. Aside from Erwin and his three friends, Sherry, Lanyon, and Georgina were also seated at the same table. After having a few drinks, everyone began to state their ambitions and their visions for the future, developing a deeper bond in the process.

 CH 29

    Sarus Royal Palace.


    King Cameron and Count Friar wore serious expressions as they watched the divination master before them, who was seated on the ground. The divination master looked to be even older than Master Piro, and he was chanting a strange incantation, while the crystal ball before him was giving off a peculiar purple glow.


    All of the curtains in the entire palace had been drawn, thereby giving the eerie purple glow an even more unsettling appearance, particularly when the light shone up the divination master''s face, casting a series of terrifying shadows. If a bystander were present to see his ghastly, shadowy face, they would most likely faint on the spot from horror. King Cameron looked on with a grim expression, while Count Friar seemed to be accustomed to this already. In fact, he looked downright bored. There were quite a few occasions where he was struck by a wave of sleepiness, and he would''ve already yawned out loud multiple times had he not been in the presence of the king.


    After the incantation was completed, the purple light in the crystal ball finally faded, and only then did the divination master slowly open his eyes.


    "Master Donson, has your divination yielded any results on my journey to lead my troops against the Skycourt Kingdom''s invasion?" King Cameron asked in an eager voice. If Master Piro were to see that this scam artist was being referred to by the king with the same "master" title as he was, he would most likely be so infuriated that he''d begin bleeding out of all of his orifices!


    "It was a good omen! I saw a good omen, Your Majesty!" Master Donson wanted to burst out laughing, but he choked on his own saliva, which caused him to fly into a fit of uncontrollable coughing that sent tears streaming down his face. King Cameron hurriedly made his way over to Master Donson before patting him on the back, and only then did his coughing fit slowly subside. Meanwhile, Count Friar remained completely still on the spot, looking as if he had seen and heard absolutely nothing.


    "Through my divination just now, I saw a fantastic omen, one of extraordinary rarity and brilliance!" Master Donson rose to his feet with difficulty with the help of King Cameron.


    King Cameron was ecstatic to hear this, and he hurriedly asked, "Does that mean the victory of our troops is assured for this war?"


    There was an overjoyed expression on Master Donson''s face as well, and he replied, "Not only that, but I received a premonition from the heavens, telling me that this entire continent, from the southernmost tip of the Terarody Mountain Ranges to its northernmost point, will fall under the rule of the Cameron Family! All those with the bloodline of the Cameron Family flowing through their vines will be the rulers of this continent!"


    The ambition that had already laid dormant in King Cameron''s heart for over 20 years was instantly reignited upon hearing what Master Donson had to say. In contrast, Count Friar remained completely unmoved. In his eyes, the divination master could say anything he wanted, so nothing that he said was to be taken seriously.


    King Cameron was about to ask for more details, but Count Friar tucked Master Donson under his arm, then picked up the crystal ball with his other hand, before escorting the divination master out of the palace.


    Master Donson still had more that he wanted to say, and he was looking back at King Cameron even as he was being dragged away, but Count Friar didn''t give him a chance to say anything further as he strode out of the palace before handing Master Donson over to a servant outside.


    "Take good care of Master Donson," Count Friar instructed in a cold voice.


    The two servants nodded in response before taking Master Donson away.


    "I get that you don''t believe in divination, but do you have to be so rude to Master Donson?" King Cameron asked as he glared at Count Friar.


    "I''ve been rude to him for several decades already, what difference does it even make at this point?" Count Friar asked with a resigned expression.


    A reminiscent look appeared in King Cameron''s eyes as he thought back to the past. Back in the day, whenever he was about to go into battle, he and Friar would seek out this divination master by the name of Donson to predict how the battle would go. Over the years, this became a habit. After becoming king, Cameron brought Donson, who made a living out of telling fortunes on the street, into the palace. Now that he was on the eve of setting off for another battle, he suddenly recalled this divination master.


    However, in contrast with seeing the divination master, he was far more elated to be seeing Count Friar again after so many years.


    "How many years has it been since we last saw each other?" King Cameron asked with a wry smile.


    "I believe the last time we met was during Her Highness''s birthday party," Count Friar replied.


    A displeased look appeared on King Cameron''s face. "Why are you always so reluctant to meet people? That birthday party was six or seven years ago!"


    Count Friar lowered his head and remained silent.


    King Cameron didn''t voice his displeasure any further at the sight of Count Friar''s repentant display. There were some things that had stood between them for many years, but they had never talked openly about them.


    "I''m going to the front lines again," King Cameron said as he looked at Count Friar with a smile. "You''re not going to get away this time! I need you to come with me."


    "Of course. It is my duty to stand by your side during times of war and unrest," Count Friar replied in a calm voice.


    "At least you''re still someone I can count on," King Cameron sighed. "It seems none of the people around me are trustworthy anymore."


    Count Friar didn''t know how to console King Cameron, nor did he want to offer any words of consolation, so he continued to remain silent.


    King Cameron was also aware that this old friend of his was a man of few words, so he quickly changed the subject. "What do you think of this invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom?"


    "It''s very suspicious that the Skycourt Kingdom has suddenly launched an invasion right before Her Highness suffered an assassination attempt from Prince Lazaar''s child," Count Friar said with a contemplative expression. "Your Majesty, are you of the opinion that there''s a traitor in the royal court working with the Skycourt Kingdom?"


    "To tell you the truth, that was the first thought that occurred to me as soon as I received news about the invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom. After that, I discussed the issue with Master Piro, and he also cautioned me to be careful of the officials in the royal court," King Cameron said as he massaged his own temples. "Who do you think is most likely to be the traitor, if one does exist, and what is their objective?"


    Before Count Friar had a chance to reply, King Cameron continued, "Do you think it''s Jenkins? But that doesn''t make sense. He was the one who poisoned Lazaar''s son, so what is he doing defecting to the Skycourt Kingdom now? Wouldn''t it be much more beneficial for him to have waited until I took care of Lazaar?"


    "Prince Lazaar''s son was poisoned by Governor Jenkins?" Count Friar was very surprised to hear this.


    "After conducting an investigation into a list of potential magic ingredients, we discovered that an ingredient known as the liver juice of the Scarlet Dragon was sourced from the black market, and after changing hands a few times, it ended up in the possession of Jenkins," King Cameron replied with tightly furrowed brows.


    Count Friar nodded in response. "No wonder they say that Lazaar''s son looked as if he had gone insane, it all makes sense if he was under the influence of a magic potion brewed using the liver juice of a Scarlet Dragon. Anyone who comes into contact with the substance will have the nerves in their body stimulated to be over 10 times as excited as usual. However, all of the evidence may be pointing toward Governor Jenkins right now, but perhaps everything is not as simple as it seems, Your Majesty."


    "What are you saying? How could it not be Jenkins? Throughout these past few years, he''s been constantly thinking about how he can drag Lazaar down into the mud," King Cameron said with a cold expression. "I don''t know who it is that''s working with the Skycourt Kingdom, but I''m certain that Jenkins was the one who poisoned Lazaar''s son. If anyone else had been found to be the culprit, I would perhaps be a little suspicious, but I have no suspicions at all about Jenkin being the perpetrator."


    Count Friar didn''t say anything further upon hearing this.


    "Normally, Jenkins has always targeted Lazaar, but he hasn''t done anything out of line, but this time, he''s wilfully placed my daughter''s life at risk! He''s gone too far, and he must be punished for his transgressions!" King Cameron said in a cold voice.


    "In that case, it really doesn''t make any sense why the Skycourt Kingdom would suddenly invade at a time like this. Could it be that Lazaar defected to the Skycourt Kingdom in order to save himself?" Count Friar asked.


    "I considered that as well, but the timeline doesn''t match up. Even if he sent out news to the Skycourt Kingdom on the very same day he was put into confinement, the message would take several days to arrive. However, the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops have already entered Burmen. Are you telling me that he knew in advance that his son was going to be targeted by Jenkins, but he still allowed it to happen? Surely Lazaar isn''t that deranged!" King Cameron analyzed. "Most importantly, he has no motive for killing my daughter, so it doesn''t make sense from a logical perspective."


    Count Friar was also at a complete loss upon hearing this. "What did Master Piro have to say about this?"


    "Master Piro was also unable to figure out an answer," King Cameron sighed.


    "In that case, it looks like we have to take extra care in this battle. Not only do we have to look out for the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops, we also have to watch our own backs so we don''t get backstabbed by our own," Count Friar said.


    Looking at Count Friar''s grim expression, an amused look suddenly appeared on King Cameron''s face. "Master Piro doesn''t know what the outcome of this battle is going to be, but Master Donson does!"


    A wry smile appeared on Count Friar''s face upon hearing this. Thinking back over the years, Master Donson''s predictions had mostly proven to be false, so he was only really being kept around to humor the king.

 CH 30.1

    After having a good meal the night before, Erwin woke up in the morning and immediately remembered that he still had a job to do. Thus, he quickly got out of bed and got dressed. Before he had even made it out of his own bedroom, the butler came knocking on his door, informing him that there was a guest who had been waiting in the hall for quite some time already.


    Erwin headed directly to the guest hall upon hearing this, and once he arrived, he discovered that Lanyon was already waiting for him.


    "Why are you here so early?" Erwin asked.


    "You were the one who asked me to come here first thing in the morning, Master Erwin. Have you forgotten?" Lanyon asked with a resigned smile.


    Erwin could only nod in response. He had said that as part of his drunken ramblings, but he wasn''t going to tell Lanyon that. In any case, there really was something that they had to do together anyway, so he didn''t speak any further on the matter.


    On the previous night, Larwood and the others had complained that Erwin''s load was too light, so they had reassigned him many new jobs, including purchasing supplies for the 500 people that were going to be recruited into the mercenary legion. In addition to that, he had to go print out the flags for the Four Winds mercenary legion, and these flags had to be submitted to the department of military affairs to be recorded.


    Thus, all types of tasks were assigned to Erwin in order to balance out the workload mismatch, which he obviously wasn''t very happy about. Fortunately, Lanyon quickly volunteered to assist Erwin with all of these tasks, and that made him feel a little better. Sherry also volunteered to help Erwin, but Larwood dragged him away to the horse farm to continue with the selection process.


    Given how busy the day was going to be, Erwin and Lanyon made the last-second decision to skip breakfast. However, they had only just made it out of Count Friar''s manor before they were stopped in their tracks by an extremely well-constructed oaken carriage.


    The carriage door was opened, and a female magician in a gray robe emerged from within.


    She made her way over to Erwin and took a glance at him, then asked, "Are you Erwin? Erwin Friar?"


    Erwin nodded in response.


    "Come with me, there''s someone who wants to see you." The female magician handed an intricately crafted wooden box over to Erwin as she spoke, then turned and re-entered the carriage without even checking to see if Erwin was coming with her.


    Erwin opened the wooden box to find a handkerchief sitting in it, and after taking a quick whiff, he immediately knew who it was that wanted to see him.


    Prior to departing, he handed a bag of Loonies over to Lanyon, then instructed him to do the job assigned to Erwin in his absence. Judging from his character and maturity, Erwin was confident that Lanyon would do a better job than he could.


    Lanyon nodded in response, then looked on as the horse-drawn carriage sped away with Erwin in it. As he did so, he couldn''t help but heave a faint sigh.


    "Master Erwin sure has a lot of lovers."


    --------------------------------------------------------------------


    After turning onto Phoenix Street, the carriage traveled directly toward the royal palace, which was no surprise to Erwin. After being shown a badge by the female magician in gray, the palatial guards conducted only a brief examination before allowing the carriage free passage into the royal palace.


    Generally speaking, only the king was allowed to travel by carriage within the royal palace, but it seemed that anyone carrying a badge from the princess could also enjoy this privilege, and that only further highlighted just how much the princess meant to King Cameron. For someone like Erwin, who only had the chance to enter the royal palace once every few years, it was quite a jarring honor to be able to speed through the palace inside a horse-drawn carriage.


    The carriage drew to a halt at the foot of an elegant pavilion, and Erwin quickly followed the gray-robed magician through the hall to the princess''s bedchamber on the second floor. Along the way, all of the servants in the pavilion were quite surprised to see Erwin.


    The gray-robed magician stationed herself outside the bedchamber, while Erwin entered the room alone.


    As he opened the door, his breathing was beginning to accelerate. He took a deep breath to try and calm himself down, but his hands were trembling uncontrollably, and he didn''t know whether it was due to nerves or excitement.


    After entering the room, he was finally greeted by the sight of the woman who had constantly been on his mind these past few days. She was seated in a reclining chair in front of an intricately carved window, and even though she was wearing a thick woolen robe, it did nothing to conceal her gorgeous figure. Her silver hair was lacking its usual luster, and her golden eyes were filled with exhaustion, while her lips were completely devoid of color.


    Erwin stared at her in silence, unsure of what to say. He knew that she had to have also witnessed the display of fire and ice he had put on for Lana, and it had to have hurt her greatly.


    "Your Highness," Erwin finally greeted in a hesitant voice.


    "Welcome," Onean said without even turning around to look at him. "Take a seat."


    Erwin did as he was told, sitting onto a one-seater sofa beside the window.


    Even though she had barely spoken at all, Onean immediately erupted into a coughing fit after finishing her sentence, and Erwin instantly began to get up from his seat upon seeing this, but she raised a hand, indicating for him to remain seated.


    "I have something I need to tell you," Onean said in an indifferent voice, and she was still looking out the window.


    "What is it, Your Highness?" Erwin asked.


    "Due to the invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom, my father is going to lead an army and set off for the front lines tomorrow," Onean said.


    Erwin nodded in response. It was undoubtedly the case that the king''s presence on the battlefield would significantly boost troop morale.


    "I begged father on several occasions to take me with him to the front lines, but he refused." Only now did Princess Onean finally turn to look at Erwin. "I also asked Teacher Piro a few times, but he also told me to stay in Sarus to recover from my injuries."


    "What can I do for your, Your Highness?" Looking at Onean''s terrible complexion, it was clear that the injuries that she had sustained had to have been extremely severe. Otherwise, she wouldn''t be looking so worse for wear.


    "I heard you and your friends assembled a mercenary squad recently, is that right?" Onean asked.


    Erwin immediately realized what she was thinking, and a stunned look appeared on his face. "Your Highness, you don''t mean..."


    Onean nodded in response. "Neither my father nor my teacher is willing to take me with them, so you''re the only one I can turn to."


    "But I can''t do that, Your Highness!" Erwin hurriedly stood up with a panicked expression. "You still haven''t recovered from your injuries yet. If something happens to you on the way, I..."


    "Have you forgotten how many times I''ve saved your life?" Onean asked as she turned to Erwin with a cold expression.


    Erwin immediately fell silent upon hearing this. Indeed, Princess Onean had saved him on several occasions during the Pillow Sword Tournament, and he still hadn''t repaid her for her kindness. He lowered his head and didn''t dare to say anything. After all, it didn''t take a genius to see that Princess Onean''s current physical condition definitely wasn''t fit for traveling to a battlefield. If something were to happen to her on the way, there was no way that King Cameron and Master Piro would spare him, and Larwood and the others would also most likely be punished as well.


    Onean could see what Erwin was thinking, and she said, "Don''t worry, I''m already in much better condition, so I won''t weigh you down."


    "With all due respect, Your Highness, you look like you have a layer of flour over your lips! How can you possibly tell me that your current condition is fit for stepping onto a battlefield?" Erwin asked in a frantic voice.


    "What are you trying to say? Do you think I asked you to come here so you can give me your opinion?" Onean''s attitude immediately took a shift, and a cold look appeared in her golden eyes.


    Erwin faltered slightly at the sight of her hostile display. He had never seen Onean look like this before, not even during that time when she had bitten his shoulder for his inappropriate act toward her. It seemed that Onean had truly been hurt by what he had done for Lana during their semifinal match.


    "I don''t care if you want to take me with you or not, you have no choice in the matter. I asked you to come here to inform you of my decision, not to ask you if you''ll take me with you." Onean turned back to face the window and didn''t look at him any longer. "You can treat this as repayment for everything you owe me up to this point."


    A perplexed look appeared on Erwin''s face. "Your Highness, I don''t understand why you insist on going to war with the Skycourt Kingdom! Why are you putting your own life at risk like this?"


    Onean opened her mouth to reply, only to erupt into a coughing fit again, and only after her coughing subsided was she able to respond. "It''s been announced to the general public that Jeff Lazaar only did what he did during our match because he was under the influence of a magic potion concocted by someone from the Skycourt Kingdom, but when I asked Father and Teacher about this, neither of them were able to give me a clear answer on who did it. If I had to guess, it''s most likely an official from our royal court, but I don''t think it''s Prince Lazaar."


    Erwin thought back to his conversation with his father upon hearing this.


    "Prince Lazaar has been allowed to return to Burmen, but he must be feeling quite insulted in the wake of this incident," Onean continued. "The primary reason why Father is leading our troops to Burmen is naturally to ward off the invasion of the Skycourt Kingdom, but what do you think the other reason is?"


    "Are you saying that His Majesty intends to..." Only now did Erwin realize that the king was planning to take advantage of his trip to the front lines to strike against Prince Lazaar alongside the Skycourt Kingdom. Furthermore, he was quite surprised that Princess Onean would tell him something like this.


    Onean offered no reply to his question as she heaved a faint sigh. "Now that you know what you do, tell me: how can I stay behind like this? Father is surrounded by enemies from all sides. There''s the Skycourt Kingdom''s army, Prince Lazaar, and traitors in the royal court! Any misstep could place him in grave peril!"


    "But Your Highness, you still haven''t recovered from your injuries yet, so you won''t be able to do anything away," Erwin countered.


    Onean didn''t say anything further as she turned to glare at Erwin with a cold expression. Just like she had said, this was a non-negotiable order, not a request.


    Erwin could feel chills running down his own spine at the sight of her cold gaze. He felt as if he had been stripped naked on a cold day with hail pelting his entire body, and he couldn''t help but shudder.


    "Fine, I''ll do as you say, Your Highness," Erwin finally said in a resigned voice. "It''s all my fault for using the Springlay Fox bone marrow potion. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be in such a terrible condition now, so I owe you at least this much."

 CH 30.2

    Onean had no interest in hearing him lament his own ill-fortune. Instead, she turned to him and asked, "If my father clashes with Prince Lazaar, what are you going to do? You''re a noble of the Effer Kingdom, but your heart lies with Miss Lana, doesn''t it?"


    "What can a minor figure like me possibly do?" Erwin asked with a resigned sigh, but deep down, he was thinking to himself that if such a day were to come, then he would most likely go and find her. If they could get away, then he would run away together with her. If they couldn''t, then he would just have to die with her.


    "I bet you''re already thinking about going to find her, right?" Onean was once again able to read his thoughts like an open book.


    "Looks like I can''t keep any secrets from you," Erwin said with another resigned sigh.


    This was perhaps what was so captivating, but also terrifying about smart women, particularly a smart woman who was also as breathtakingly beautiful as Onean. Erwin felt like he was going to die at the hands of such a woman sooner or later.


    "Have you thought about what you''re going to do if Prince Lazaar wins?" Onean asked as she turned to look at him with a meaningful expression.


    He thought about this for a moment before heaving a long sigh. "I don''t know."


    He stretched lazily against the sofa, and a wry smile appeared on his face as he continued, "If that happens, then I''ll have to run away with you instead."


    Onean couldn''t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this, and it was the first time that Erwin had seen a smile on her face since he walked into the room. "Should I thank you in advance? At least you''re a fair man."


    In reality, Erwin was terrified. Regardless of whether King Cameron or Prince Lazaar came out on top, the outcome was terrifying to him. Unfortunately for him, he was just a minor figure. In the face of an epic power struggle that could lead to the rise of a new ruler of the kingdom, he would only be a powerless bystander who was unable to change anything, and that thought made him feel very hurt and dejected.


    "Let''s not think too far into the future. My main concern is that if you join our mercenary legion, what if the soldiers of the Skycourt Kingdom discover your true identity on the front lines?" Erwin asked with furrowed brows. "With your silver hair and golden eyes, aren''t you a little too recognizable? When the time comes, you might end up being abducted by the Skycourt Kingdom before you can even get to His Majesty!"


    "Have you forgotten that I''ve already been studying under Master Piro for many years? With my expertise in brewing magic potions, changing the color of my hair is a simple matter," Onean chuckled.


    "But we''re all a bunch of men in the mercenary legion. Are you planning to dress up as a man as well?" Erwin asked with a troubled expression.


    "I''ll see. It depends on what I feel like," Onean said with a smile. "Also, keep this to yourself, there''s no need to tell those friends of yours about this. The more people that know about this, the more prone the secret is to being leaked. I''m sure you wouldn''t want that to happen, either."


    "But they''re not blind or stupid! They''ll figure out something''s not right sooner or later," Erwin exclaimed with wide eyes.


    "That doesn''t sound like my problem, you''ll need to find a way to address that issue." Onean was dumping everything onto him, and he was completely powerless to refuse.


    Erwin heaved a faint sigh, then asked, "Your Highness, who''s going to look after you during the trip? You''re still recovering from your injuries, so you need extra care. Should we bring along some of your servants with us?"


    "No, I''m not going to take a single one of my servants," Onean said with an amused smile. "You will be my sole carer for this trip. If something happens to me along the way, then you''ll have to think of a way to explain yourself to my father. If we take too many people with me, it''ll be likelier for us to be busted, so I''m going all on my own."


    Looking at Erwin''s troubled expression, Onean was feeling quite pleased, but shortly thereafter, she erupted into another violent fit of coughing. Erwin reached out to help her up from her recliner chair so that she could go to her bed to rest, but she slapped his hand away.


    "Don''t touch me! I''m not someone you can just lay your hands on as you please!" she said in a cold voice.


    Just a moment ago, she had been warm and approachable, yet she had become extremely cold and forbidding all of a sudden, and Erwin didn''t know what to do.


    Onean quickly tucked herself into her own blankets, leaving only her face exposed.


    Erwin could only shake his head with a resigned expression, then asked, "Where are we going to meet up tomorrow, Your Highness?"


    "Aren''t you the deputy commander? You call the shots," Onean replied.


    Erwin thought about this for a moment, then suggested, "Then how about we meet up outside my father''s manor at 8 AM tomorrow?"


    Onean nodded in response, then turned her gaze away from Erwin before giving him a dismissive wave as a silent instruction for him to leave.


    After leaving the royal palace, Erwin traveled to the markets in the outer city, where all mercenary legions of different sizes had been sourcing supplies for the past few days. The markets were absolutely packed with people, and Erwin''s knees immediately began to feel weak at the sight of such a crowded scene.


    Thankfully, Erwin didn''t have to squeeze through the crowd for very long before he spotted Lanyon, who was standing in front of a military rations shop that sold things like jerky, bread, and flour. He was in the process of bartering with someone, and he nodded to acknowledge Erwin, then continued to barter with the owner of the shop. Erwin left Lanyon to himself, then began to examine all of the types of dry rations that were available. He picked up a sample before having a taste, then heaved an internal sigh as he thought of the hard times that were to come.


    Only after Lanyon had issued a deposit and given the shop owner the delivery address for the purchased goods did Erwin have a chance to speak to him.


    "Did you instruct them to deliver the supplies to the horse farm owned by Chase''s family? Erwin asked."


    "That''s right, Master Erwin. Everything has already been taken care of, all we need to do is give them the remaining sum that we owe once they deliver the supplies this afternoon," Lanyon replied.


    "How many days'' worth of food did you buy?"


    "For 500 of us, the food that I bought today will be enough to feed us for 20 days. We''ll require roughly five carts to carry all of the food."


    "Then what are we going to do after those 20 days?" Erwin asked.


    Lanyon turned to Erwin with an amused smile as the two of them made their way out of the market. "I can see that you don''t make long journeys very often, Master Erwin. 20 days will definitely be enough for us to reach the next town or city, and we can purchase more supplies there."


    "Oh, I see," Erwin said as an enlightened look appeared on his face. "All of the mercenary legions in the city are currently purchasing dry rations, so the price must''ve been driven quite high. If we purchase dry rations along the way instead, it would be cheaper."


    "It won''t be cheaper by a lot, but it''ll definitely be cheaper than buying dry rations in Sarus," Lanyon replied with a smile. "These 20 days'' worth of supplies will be enough to last us until we reach the next town or city."


    Erwin nodded in response. "Looks like you have a lot more experience and foresight than me when it comes to things like this. By the way, have you bought the horse-drawn carts required to carry the dry rations?"


    "Yesterday in the stables, I saw several horse-drawn carts that could be used to carry supplies, so I didn''t buy any today. Can you speak to Master Chase to see if he''d be willing to donate his family''s horse-drawn carts to our mercenary legion?" Lanyon asked with a slightly embarrassed expression.


    Erwin turned to Lanyon with a stunned expression. "How could you do that? You''ve set me up!"


    "We have to be conservative with our money, Master Erwin. We only have so few Loonies available, and we have to buy a lot of things, so we have to save wherever we can," Lanyon said in a resigned voice. "Weren''t you and the others complaining about the tightness of the budget yesterday?"


    "Surely we''re not going to be able to save much from this," Erwin said with a wry smile.


    "Well, a horse-drawn cart will generally cost around five Loonies, and even the worst ones will cost three Loonies. If we save up those Loonies, we''ll be able to buy more things like dry rations, supplies, and tents," Lanyon explained.


    "Lanyon, if I ever become king someday, you''re definitely going to become my minister of finance. Just make sure you don''t embezzle all of my royal court''s funds into your own pocket," Erwin chuckled.


    Lanyon was rather embarrassed by Erwin''s jibes, and he replied with a wry smile, "I guess my future role as minister of finance is secured then."


    Throughout the rest of the day, the two of them were so busy that they barely even had any time to drink water. It took them a long time just to barter with the merchants at the market, and the more they spent, the more Erwin realized that Lanyon was right. With so many things that had to be bought, the bag of Loonies that they had was growing lighter by the minute, so they really did have to be as miserly as possible with their spending. The supplies for the 500 people alone cost close to 1,000 Loonies, and that was coming directly out of the 28,000 Loonies that Erwin and his friends had pooled together.


    That night, the two of them parted ways. Erwin had to go home to pack up his luggage, while Lanyon had to return to the horse farm to go through the delivered supplies. Prior to parting with Lanyon, Erwin instructed Lanyon to remind Larwood to take the Four Winds mercenary legion''s flag to the department of military affairs for registration.


    After returning to Count Friar''s manor, Erwin immediately collapsed onto the sofa, and he felt like he never wanted to move again. The butler immediately approached Erwin upon seeing his return, and it was clear that he had something to say.


    "Young Master, Master Friar will be staying in the barracks outside the city tonight, so he won''t be returning today," the butler said as he pulled an envelope out of his pocket. "He asked me to pass this onto you."


    Erwin accepted the envelope before taking a look, then asked, "Isn''t the army only setting off tomorrow? Why does he have to go and stay in the barracks today?"


    The butler was quite taken aback to hear this. "On the night before an army has to set off for battle, the generals of the army have to live in the barracks with their troops to establish a closer bond with them. Are you not familiar with this, Young Master? "

 CH 31

    "The generals of the army? Are you telling me my father is a general in the army?" Erwin asked with a stunned expression.


    "That''s right. Master Friar is the general of the army''s right branch for this battle. Were you not aware of this, Young Master?" The butler was also quite surprised by the fact that Erwin was oblivious to this.


    "I''ve been too busy these past few days, so I haven''t had a chance to speak with Father," Erwin replied with a resigned expression, then asked. "Who are the other generals of the army?"


    "His Majesty will be leading the army''s central branch in person, while the general of the left branch will be Governor Jenkins," the butler replied.


    Erwin nodded in response. "Alright, you can go now."


    After the butler departed, Erwin opened the envelope before reading through the letter inside.


    In his letter, Count Friar quickly glossed over the fact that he had been assigned the role of the general of the army''s right branch. In contrast, he gave Erwin a much more detailed account of the manor''s assets and the money they had available, as well as where the money and assets were being stored. He also offered Erwin some encouragement, for assembling his own mercenary legion, and at the end of the letter, he extended some words of caution toward Erwin, telling him to be careful on the battlefield.


    Erwin was rather exasperated after reading the letter, and he couldn''t understand why his father had left him something like this.


    Why did he list the manor''s assets and funds in such fine detail? It''s not like he''s not coming back.


    He was feeling a little melancholy as he returned to his own room, then took a glance at the setting sun through the window before beginning to pack up his luggage. The first things that he packed were the two books, "Laws of Time and Space" and "A Discussion on the Ultimate Damage of Magic", followed by his autumn and winter clothes, which he pulled out of his wardrobe.


    "I wonder if Professor Hawk is going to the front lines as well," Erwin mused to himself as he looked at the two books. Ever since the commencement of the Pillow Sword Tournament, he had either been injured or extremely busy. Thus, it had been quite a long time since he was last scolded by Professor Hawk, and for some reason, he missed the experience a little.


    Erwin''s original plan was to pack up his belongings, then go straight to bed, but after hearing what the butler had to say just now, he felt like there was a need to go to the horse farm outside the city in order to establish a closer bond with his troops as the mercenary legion''s deputy commander.


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    By the time he arrived at the horse farm, he discovered that the horse farm had already been transformed into the encampment for the Four Winds mercenary legion. All of the tents had already been set up, and many fires had already been lit. Legs of lamb were being roasted over the fires, and beer was naturally flowing freely as well.


    Everyone immediately raised their cups for a toast upon seeing their deputy legion commander arrive on horseback, and Larwood and the others also came out to greet Erwin.


    "So I''ve been running myself ragged all day, while you''re here drinking the night away?" Erwin was not very pleased.


    "We were waiting for you!" Chase replied with a smile. "Larwood was going to deliver an address, but I insisted on waiting for you so that the two commanders of our mercenary legion can speak together."


    "I have nothing to say. I''m happy to follow the arrangements of Commander Larwood," Erwin said as he picked up a bottle of freshly opened rum from the ground before taking a swig from it.


    "That''s not gonna work. Larwood is too nervous to speak unless you''re with him," Kaiba chuckled.


    "By the way, did you deliver the flag to the department of military affairs, Larwood?" Erwin asked.


    "I did! I did ages ago! Stop pestering me about it!" Larwood complained.


    Erwin made his way over to Larwood while carrying his bottle of rum, and the two touched their bottles together, following which Erwin asked in a quiet voice, "Seeing as you''ve been to the department of military affairs, I''m sure you''ve asked about how many mercenary legions have registered in total, right? Also, roughly how many people does each legion have?"


    "That''s something I was going to discuss with you in further detail tonight," Larwood replied in a quiet voice.


    Erwin nodded in response.


    After that, Erwin and his friends instructed all of the mercenary legion''s 500 troops to gather together. Once everyone was assembled, Larwood jumped onto a horse-drawn cart, then began to deliver a rousing speech that set everyone''s hearts alight. They were so spurred on by his inspiring speech that they wanted nothing more than to teleport to the front lines to fight the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops right away! In short, Larwood''s rather crude attempt to rally the troops proved to be a resounding success.


    With the inspirational speech out of the way, it was time to set some ground rules. With that in mind, Erwin made his way over to Lanyon, then instructed him to draft up a set of rules and regulations as soon as possible.


    That night, Erwin and his friends gathered together in Larwood''s tent, and all of them wore grim expressions.


    "I asked about the other mercenary legions at the department of military affairs today, and the largest of them have 3,000 people, but there are only one or two mercenary legions of that scale. There are close to 10 mercenary legions with 1,000 people, and the few dozen remaining mercenary legions each have several hundred people," Larwood said.


    "Woah, so in total, there are around 30,000 mercenaries being deployed by the kingdom for this battle, right?" Chase asked.


    "That sounds about right," Larwood replied.


    "With so many mercenaries, how will there be enough spoils of war to go around?" Chase asked with a stunned expression.


    "Even spoils of war aren''t guaranteed. I heard that once we reach the front lines, we have to follow the orders of the department of military affairs, so we can''t just do as we please," Larwood said with a resigned expression.


    "We can''t listen to them! We''re the ones paying everyone and covering all of the costs, why should we listen to the department of military affairs?" Erwin asked in a disgruntled voice.


    "If we act independently and get caught by the department of military affairs, our mercenary legion will be delisted, and we''ll be punished as traitors," Larwood said as he turned to Erwin.


    "So you''re planning to just follow the orders of the department of military affairs? Who knows what kind of menial task they''re going to assign to us? What if they order us to defend some completely unimportant citadel? The department of military affairs isn''t going to consider the difficulties that small mercenary legions like ours have to deal with," Erwin said.


    "I wouldn''t even mind having to defend some unimportant citadel, the worst-case scenario would be if we''re ordered to go into battle as cannon fodder," Kaiba said with a wry smile.


    "I have an idea," Larwood said as he spread open a parchment map that was sitting on the table. "We can follow the regular army to the twin Reydnold Mountains so that we get into the province of Burmen. After that, they''ll be sure to continue going north to travel directly to the front lines. However, we''ll go east instead and travel up toward the north along the coastline of the Joffan Sea."


    "So you''re suggesting that we don''t go to the front lines in Burmen immediately?" Erwin asked. "How would we benefit from doing that?"


    "Think about it: the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops are attacking from the Marrod Plain. The citadels on the Marrod Plain definitely won''t be able to withstand the assault from the Skycourt Kingdom''s army. However, if we go further south to Illingburn Fort." Larwood scratched a mark onto Illingborn Fort on the map with his fingernail as he spoke. "This is a place that the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops must travel through, but due to the terrain there, it''s far easier to defend the fort than it is to attack it. With Prince Lazaar holding down the fort, there''s no way that the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops will be able to break through."


    Erwin and the others carefully studied the map for a moment to find that this was indeed the case.


    "However, with so many mercenaries among the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks, there''s no way they''re just going to stand by and watch," Larwood continued. "These mercenary legions will definitely head east to the coastline, then travel south along the coastline to plunder for resources."


    "Indeed. We''re struggling to meet our expenses, and I''m sure that applies to all of the other mercenary legions as well. The regular army of the Skycourt Kingdom has sufficient resources for a long and drawn-out battle, but that''s not the case for all of the mercenaries," Chase said.


    Larwood nodded in response, then smiled as he said, "Hence, I predict that many of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenary legions will act on their own to try and support themselves. Hence, if we head north along the coastline, I think we''ll definitely be able to reap greater rewards than if we were to follow the regular army straight to Illingburn Fort."


    "Once we''re loaded up on resources from the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenary legions, we can go to the front lines and just say that we got lost while marching toward Illingburn Fort! I''m sure the department of military affairs wouldn''t be able to do anything to us then," Chase said.


    "That''s a brilliant idea, Larwood!" Kaiba said as he clapped his hands together with glee. "I didn''t know that we had a genius strategist among our ranks!"


    "There''s no way the commander of our mercenary legion wouldn''t be a genius strategist!" Chase said with a pleased expression.


    "The problem with that plan is that we only have 500 men on our side. Wouldn''t it be too dangerous if we pursue this route?" Erwin asked with his brows furrowed. "We won''t encounter the Skycourt Kingdom''s regular army along the way, but the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries that we''ll potentially have to face could outnumber us by as many as several dozens to one!"


    "There''s no helping that, I''m afraid. Risk and reward have always come hand in hand, and fortune always favors the brave. The route suggested by Larwood is the most suitable one for us," Chase countered.


    "You''re right. If we go with the regular army the entire way, we''ll most likely run out of funds and have to disband our mercenary legion eventually, so it looks like this is our only choice," Erwin said with a nod.


    "Alright, then it''s decided!" Kaiba said as he slammed a palm down onto the table. "Once we pass the twin Reydnold Mountains, we''ll separate ourselves from the regular army and travel along the coastline."


    "We''ll be an independent army of 500! How exciting is that?" Erwin said as an adventurous grin appeared on his face.


    "Why limit yourself to 500? After a few battles, perhaps we''ll be able to expand our mercenary legion to thousands of troops!" Larwood said with a smile. "As the mercenary legion''s deputy commander, you need to be more ambitious."


    "Exactly, it''s important to have a dream," Chase chimed in.


    "Speaking of dreams, I''m gonna go and have some sweet dreams." Erwin looked up at the night sky outside the tent as he spoke. The city gates were most likely already shut at this time of day, so he would have to sleep at the encampment tonight, then return to the manor in the morning.


    Unbeknownst to his friends, there was a very troublesome problem that he had to deal with.

 CH 32

    By the time Erwin rode his horse back to the city the following day, the sky had only just begun to brighten. He knew that the king was going to emerge from the royal palace soon to prepare the troops for march. At that time, the entirety of Phoenix Street would undoubtedly be packed with common folk bidding farewell to the king, so it would take far longer to travel through the city.


    It was only 6:30 AM as he arrived at Count Friar''s Manor, and the servants in the manor were very surprised to see him as they very rarely saw him return to the manor at such an early hour. Erwin was in quite a good mood. For him, there was a sense of novelty from returning to the manor in the early morning, and the thought of being able to enjoy the manor''s breakfast one last time before setting off was also quite a joyful one for him as well. Prior to having breakfast, he went to take a look in his father''s bedroom, and sure enough, just as the butler had said, Count Friar was living in the barracks outside the city.


    Before the clock in the manor had even struck 8 AM, Erwin was already waiting outside. He looked at the horse-drawn carriages and people traveling along the streets, and he couldn''t help but notice that there were far fewer carriages and passersby than normal. A short while later, a rather "interesting" horse-drawn carriage slowly drew to a halt outside the entrance of Count Friar''s manor. The carriage looked as if it could fall apart at any moment, so Erwin assumed that this most likely wasn''t the princess''s carriage.


    The guards at the entrance of the manor stepped forward to chase the carriage away, but they were stopped by Erwin. Thankfully, with his keen eye, he was able to notice that the coach driver gave off an aura that was a complete mismatch with the dilapidated carriage. With that in mind, Erwin quickly understood what was happening, which was why he stepped in to prevent the guards from chasing the carriage away.


    Erwin made his way over to the carriage before gently tapping on the window, and the person inside the carriage pulled back the curtain slightly to take a glance at him, following which the door was opened. Erwin couldn''t help but be amused as he heard the creaking of rusty hinges as the door was opened.


    However, as soon as he entered the carriage, he was stunned by its interior.


    The space inside the carriage wasn''t very large, but the decor was extremely lavish. On one side was an elegant walnut bed, while on the other side was a wardrobe and a bookshelf, between the two of which sat an intricately crafted desk. There was also a Nightglow Stone lamp hanging down from the top of the carriage.


    Atop the bed sat a woman with a head of long chestnut hair, which was arranged into a bun, leaving only a thin lock of hair trailing down on either side of her head. There was a seductive and lazy look of weariness on her alluring face, and her body below her swan-like neck was wrapped in a thick quilt, but her slender feet were left exposed and were crossed in a leisurely fashion.


    Erwin couldn''t help but gulp slightly as he stared at her delicate toes, which were wiggling from time to time in a playful manner.


    "So? You can''t recognize me now, can you?" Onean asked with a cheeky smile on her face.


    "Your Highness, may I suggest wearing a mask? That way, no one will be able to recognize you," Erwin said as he shook his head with a wry smile.


    Given her stunning appearance, it was going to take more than just a change in hair color for her to be unrecognizable.


    "Hmph, I''m not going to do that. I''ll be staying in this carriage all the time anyway, so no one will be able to discover who I am," Onean said, seemingly more so to convince herself than to convince Erwin.


    "Fine. I agreed to take you with me, so we''ll do whatever you say," Erwin said in a resigned voice while continuing to stare at Onean''s delicate feet.


    Onean glared at him with a displeased expression, then tucked her feet away under the quilt.


    "There you go," Erwin said with a smile. "You should make sure to keep as warm as possible as you''re recovering from your injuries."


    "Mind your own business!" Onean turned her gaze away from him and began to flip through the pages of the book in her hand.


    "Are you reading about magic potions again?" Erwin identified the book in her hand to be the same one as the magic potion book that she had been reading before. It was also this book that contained the magic potion recipe that had left him completely paralyzed before knocking him out cold.


    "What else am I supposed to do with my time? I don''t want to be uneducated like you." Onean gave a barbed response without even looking up from her book.


    "Why is it that all of you think that I''m uneducated?" Erwin asked with a perplexed expression.


    Onean was quite surprised to hear this, and her eyes widened as she turned toward Erwin. "Who else has said that about you?"


    "Uh, a lot of other people," Erwin said as he averted his gaze, pretending to inspect the decor within the carriage.


    "Oh, I see." Once again, Onean was able to read him like an open book, and a meaningful smile appeared on her face. "Looks like Miss Lana knows you quite well too."


    Erwin didn''t go along with this topic of conversation. Instead, an indignant look appeared on his face as he asked, "I made it into the top four of the Pillow Sword Tournament, didn''t I? Why do you all think of me as someone so inept?"


    Onean was rather amused by his frustrated display, and she chuckled, "Do you really need me to tell you the reason behind that? You have virtually no experience in practical combat, and if it wasn''t for that strange light shield, you wouldn''t have made it anywhere near as far as you did."


    "You make it sound like I''m not the one using the time and space magic," Erwin grumbled with a displeased expression.


    "Alright, I was wrong, you''re the strongest of them all!" Onean consoled with an amused smile.


    Erwin couldn''t be bothered to bicker with her any longer, and he sat down beside her onto the bed as he countered, "No matter how strong I am, I can''t compare with this carriage of yours. It''s not going to fall apart before we even make it to the encampment, is it?"


    Onean couldn''t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this. "Are you an idiot? The carriage''s exterior was magically modified by me, it''s not actually in as terrible a condition as it looks like from the outside."


    "As I was coming in, I made sure to take extra care when closing the door. Otherwise, I thought it was going to fall off, and you''d freeze to death then," Erwin chuckled. All of a sudden, he realized that he had stopped referring to Onean as Your Highness. Thankfully, she wasn''t the type to be bothered by such formalities.


    Erwin''s mind began to wander, and his thoughts began to turn in a lewd direction as he thought about how the princess was counting on him to look after her throughout this entire journey. As these thoughts crept into his mind, the distance between the two of them began to shrink. Of course, that was only because he was unconsciously inching closer toward her, while Onean remained still on the spot.


    "What are you doing sitting here like this? Hurry up and go drive the carriage!" Onean said as she kicked him through the quilt.


    "Didn''t you bring a servant with you? Just get them to drive the carriage," Erwin said.


    "I had to sneak out of the royal palace, and the servant has to sneak back while Father is leaving the palace," Onean explained.


    "In that case, you should tell them to return to the royal palace right away. His Majesty is about to leave the city to the barracks soon."


    Onean gently knocked on the window, then gave the servant an instruction, and the servant immediately nodded to accept the order. After that, she rushed away toward Phoenix Street, occasionally looking back at the carriage as she did so.


    Erwin also poked his head out the window to take a look. The royal guard was already clearing the way for the king on Phoenix Street, and many common folks had begun to gather on either side of the street.


    Erwin looked on as the servant disappeared into the crowd, then said, "That servant of yours is quite loyal."


    Onean knew what he wanted to ask, and she explained, "She used to serve my mother. After my mother passed away, she was transferred to my side, and she''s been serving me ever since."


    "So as a reward for her loyalty, you made her dress up as a man?" Erwin asked as he turned to look at Onean with an amused smile.


    A guilty look appeared on Onean''s face. "Well, I couldn''t test it on myself first, could I?"


    Erwin burst into laughter upon hearing this, while Onean glared at him with a displeased expression.


    Only after the king had disappeared into the distance did the crowd slowly disperse. After that, Erwin drove the carriage toward the encampment of the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    ...


    That same day, King Cameron of the Effer Kingdom led an army of 100,000 troops to Burmen in order to oppose the invasion of the Skycourt Kingdom. The right branch general, Count Friar, was leading the way with 20,000 elite cavaliers under his command, while the king led the middle branch behind the right branch, and the general of the left branch, Governor Jenkins, brought up the rear. In the absence of the king, Prime Minister Fuller was responsible for looking after the daily affairs in Sarus.


    The army formed a long and winding line that stretched as far as the eyes could see.


    All of the mercenary legions of different sizes were trailing along behind the army, waving flags of all types of different styles. The most common design to appear on the flags were skulls and beautiful women, followed by various types of weapons, such as axes, swords, and spears.


    However, no matter which design was emblazoned upon these flags, all of them bore the design of a golden lion''s head on the upper left corner. That was the national emblem of the Effer Kingdom.


    In a certain mercenary legion encampment outside the city, all of the mercenaries were extremely calm and collected, completely unflustered by the fact that they were being left behind by the main army.


    As Erwin arrived at the encampment on the rickety horse-drawn carriage, Larwood was in the process of assembling everyone before reading out the rules and regulations that had just been finalized.


    "The first rule, which is also the most important one, is that you must follow orders at all times. I don''t want there to be any leaders in this mercenary legion aside from myself and Erwin. I''ll be responsible for commanding the martial artists, while Erwin will be responsible for leading the magicians. On the battlefield, our orders are absolute. If we tell you to advance, you advance. If we tell you to retreat, you retreat. No one is to go against our orders and act independently. If any of you feel like your abilities exceed those of Erwin or me, feel free to step forward now. If you can defeat either of us in battle, I''ll issue you this month''s salary right away. Is there anyone who wishes to challenge us? If so, step forward now!" Larwood said in an implacable voice.


    His words were met with silence.


    Larwood swept his gaze across everyone''s faces, then continued, "Alright, seeing as no one''s saying anything, I assume you''re all agreeing to what I''ve just said. If I find out later that anyone is giving orders in our stead or likes to go off to do their own thing, I''ll execute you on the spot!"


    Everyone was feeling quite intimidated by Larwood''s menacing demeanor.


    "The second rule applies to spoils of war. At the end of each battle, there will be designated personnel taking the spoils of war that everyone has claimed from the enemy. Don''t let me catch any of you hiding spoils of war and trying to take them for yourselves. If I catch you once, your salary for that month will be confiscated. If I catch you a second time, then you''ll be kicked out of the legion."


    Everyone continued to remain silent, and Larwood suddenly roared, "Do I make myself clear?"


    Everyone was given a slight fright by this, and they all returned to their senses as they answered in unison, "Yes!"


    "None of us are stingy people. At the end of each battle, we''ll only keep the spoils of war required to maintain the daily operation of our legion, and the rest will be distributed to everyone," Chase said. "However, if anyone tries to keep spoils of war for themselves, then don''t blame us for taking action to address your transgressions!"


    At this point, Erwin had also made his way onto the stage, and he took a quick glance at the rules established by Lanyon, then said, "Let me add one more thing: this mercenary legion isn''t a place for cowards and deserters. If I see any of you fleeing or deserting the legion on the battlefield, I''ll make sure to hunt you down before our enemies can even get to you!"


    After that, Larwood read out the remaining few rules, which included things like no in-fighting and no stealing, as well as the consequences that would be incurred for breaking those rules.


    Only after the address was complete did everyone realize that Erwin and his friends were taking this extremely seriously. Normally, they were always fooling around and didn''t seem to be all that reliable, but when it came to serious business, they weren''t willing to make any compromises. Everyone had grown quite comfortable with Erwin and the others during the banquet that was held the night before, and this was the first time they were seeing such a stern side to their leaders.


    After that, the Four Winds mercenary legion officially set off.


    Larwood was leading the way on his steed, holding the legion''s flag high above his head. The flag consisted of a starry sky background, upon which was embroidered a sky-blue rhombus. Of course, there was a golden lion''s head emblazoned on the upper left corner of the flag as well. Kaiba and Chase were following along behind Larwood, leading two groups of cavaliers.


    As for Erwin, he was bringing up the rear with Lanyon and the others. Having just communicated with Larwood, it was decided that he would be responsible for looking after all of the supplies, of which there were around a dozen horse-drawn carts.


    Everyone thought that Erwin was simply being cautious and wanted to look after the supplies. Little did they know that one of the carriages was housing something completely different from supplies.


    Erwin sat on his horse as he looked back at Sarus with a wistful expression. This was the first time he had ever set off on such a long journey, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions.


    He was extremely excited at the prospect of making his mark on the battlefield, but he was also quite sad about leaving his home.

 CH 33.1

    During the past few days of travel, Erwin would always initially eat together with Lanyon and the others at mealtimes, then instruct Lanyon to prepare a separate meal, which he would then carry to a certain horse-drawn carriage in person.


    Lanyon was rather curious to see this. Who could possibly be in that carriage that warrants food being delivered to them by the deputy commander in person?


    He asked Erwin about this on several occasions, but Erwin only told him that it was a distant relative of his who was suffering from an illness, which was why they were constantly staying in the horse-drawn carriage.


    Lanyon was quite suspicious of this, but it wasn''t in his place to dig any deeper.


    Similarly, Larwood and the others were also quite perplexed. During these past few days, Erwin had always been having his meals at the back of the contingent instead of eating with them, and he wasn''t sleeping with them at night, either.


    Larwood and the others also asked Erwin about this a few times, but Erwin placated them each time, telling them that their supplies were very important and had to be looked after with care. They could see that they were going to be able to get anything out of Erwin, so they decided to interrogate Lanyon instead.


    "Lanyon, have you noticed anything strange about Erwin these past few days?" Larwood asked.


    "Not anything super out of the ordinary," Lanyon replied. "But I have noticed that Master Erwin spends a lot of time beside a certain carriage."


    "Which carriage is that? Why would he just stand by a carriage for no reason? Do you know why he''s doing that?" Chase immediately raised a rapid string of questions.


    "You didn''t know about this? I thought Master Erwin would''ve already told all of you," Lanyon said with a surprised expression.


    "What is it?" Kaiba asked with a curious expression.


    Lanyon was placed in a rather difficult situation. It was clear that Erwin hadn''t mentioned his distant relative to Larwood and the others, and he didn''t know if it would be right for him to reveal this information.


    "Er... Master Erwin says he has a distant relative who''s ill and can''t be exposed to cold conditions, so they''ve been staying in this entire time, and Master Erwin is looking after them," Lanyon revealed. As he did so, he was carefully watching the expressions of Larwood and the others, trying to gauge their reaction to this news.


    "What? A distant relative? Is there a distant relative of his that''s going into battle together with us?" Chase asked as he turned to Larwood with a perplexed expression.


    "Don''t look at me! I haven''t heard him say anything about this, either," Larwood said.


    "So there''s supposed to be some distant relative of his coming with us? How have we never heard about this before?" Kaiba was just as perplexed.


    Lanyon could see that he had screwed up here, and he could only pray that Erwin would be able to weather the storm.


    "Alright, thanks for telling us that. You can go now," Larwood said as he turned to Lanyon.


    However, right as Lanyon turned to leave, Chase suddenly grabbed him by the arm. "By the way, make sure you don''t tell Erwin about what we discussed here, you hear me? Otherwise, we''re gonna make you regret it!"


    Lanyon hurriedly nodded in response, promising Chase that he wouldn''t spill the beans.


    However, Lanyon never planned to stick to his promise to begin with, and he told Erwin what had happened right after parting with Larwood and the others.


    Erwin didn''t display much of a reaction to this, only thanking Lanyon for informing him of the situation.


    ...


    "It''s over! Larwood and the others are beginning to suspect me for acting strange these past few days. They''re definitely going to check what''s in this carriage sooner or later," Erwin said with a wry smile as he looked at Onean, who was reclining on her bed. "I don''t think we''ll be able to keep this a secret for much longer."


    "Why''re you getting so worked up? You''re such a coward," she chuckled with a mocking expression, only to erupt into a coughing fit again, after which all of the color faded from her lips.


    "Be quiet and save your energy," Erwin said as he looked at her with a concerned expression.


    As expected, the past few days of travel by carriage had been a very torturous experience for Onean. She still hadn''t recovered from her injuries yet, and the wounds that had just only recently been sewn shut were beginning to open up again, while the wounds inside her body were also being reaggravated.


    "I already told you that you''re going to have to think of a way to keep this a secret," Onean said in a calm manner. Erwin was feeling quite frustrated to hear this, but he couldn''t bear to get angry at the princess when she was already in such terrible physical condition.


    He was terrified that Onean''s body wouldn''t be able to last the journey. If she were to perish during the trip, then he wouldn''t be able to atone for his crimes even if he were executed 100 times over.


    "Is it time to change your bandages?" Erwin asked.


    A faint blush immediately appeared on Onean''s face upon hearing this.


    On the day that they had set off, Onean had been able to change her own bandages, but during the past few days of travel, she had become so feeble that she didn''t even have the energy to change her own badges anymore. Thus, Erwin was the one who had changed her bandages for her the last few times.


    Erwin picked up a medicine box from the desk, then ducked under the quilt before expertly slicing open the bandages from last time and removing the gauze from Onean''s wounds.


    As soon as the open wounds came into contact with the air, Onean gave a muffled groan of pain, and cold sweat began to pour down her face, but she still didn''t pass up this opportunity to tease Erwin as a faint smile appeared on her face. "You''ve become much more proficient since the first time you did this."


    "Stop talking!" Erwin scolded with his head buried under the quilt.


    To his surprise, Onean actually obeyed his request and stopped talking as she bit down onto her own lower lip.


    Erwin opened a small vial of magic potion, then tipped the contents of the entire vial onto a new piece of gauze. He stared at the two terrifying wounds on Onean''s body with his brows tightly furrowed as he warned, "Brace yourself, this is going to hurt."


    After that, he gently pressed the piece of gauze onto Onean''s wounds. Despite his gentle touch, Onean was immediately put in such excruciating pain that she had to grit her teeth tightly. Her neck was trembling, her fingers were intertwined together in a white-knuckled grip, and her legs had completely straightened out in agony. Erwin knew that Onean was in a lot of pain, but there was nothing that he could do for her. He gently turned her body over slightly, then applied a piece of gauze onto the wound on her back as well. After that, he wrapped some bandages around her slender waist in an efficient manner, and only after he was done did he allow himself a faint sigh of relief.


    "Your Highness, I think I should take you back to the palace," Erwin said as he picked up a silken handkerchief to dab at the cold sweat on Onean''s forehead and face.


    "You promised to take me to the front lines in Burmen! Are you going back on that promise?" Onean asked as she turned to him with a cold expression.


    "I''m worried that you won''t even last until we make it to Burmen!" Erwin sighed in a concerned voice. He knew just how terrible her condition was. The bandages and gauze that he had just removed from her body were still stained with large amounts of blood.


    "You don''t need to worry about me. All you need to do is take me there," Onean said in a stubborn voice.


    Erwin knew that there was no getting through to her, so he didn''t argue with her any further. "Is the magic potion even doing anything? Why do I feel like it''s not even able to stop your bleeding?"


    "It''s working, it''s just not very effective. On top of that, my body is very feeble at the moment, so I''m unable to absorb the magic potion very well," Onean said in a resigned manner.


    "Why is it that healing spells have no effect at all on your wounds?" Erwin initially thought about using advanced healing spells to treat her injuries, but Master Piro and Onean had naturally already thought of that. The problem was that healing spells proved to be completely ineffective on these injuries.


    "That''s most likely due to the effect of his weapon," Onean replied in a feeble voice. "That sword of his has been modified using runes so that any wounds that it inflicts will be extremely resistant to treatment. Magic treatment will be completely ineffective, and normal magic potions will also have a minimal effect. The only way to suppress the effect of those runes would be to use magic potions refined using certain special ingredients."


    Erwin nodded in response with a concerned expression. "Alright, stop talking and save your energy."


    All of a sudden, Onean turned to glare at him with a dangerous look in her golden eyes. If she were in peak physical condition at the moment, Erwin would''ve already been reduced to a piece of charcoal by her.


    The reason for this was that Erwin''s hands were beginning to grow restless again. Taking advantage of Onean''s feeble state, Erwin had reached his hands under the quilt to wind his arm around her slender waist. She wanted to raise a hand to resist, but Erwin grabbed onto her hand as well, thereby seizing both her hand and her waist.


    "Don''t move! You''re going to open up your wounds even further," Erwin said with a stern and justified expression.


    It was incredible to think that one could be so brazen and shameless.


    "Hmph, I bet you''re praying that I''ll never be able to get up again so you can do whatever you want to me!" Onean scoffed as she glared at him one last time, then turned away and allowed her hand to drop back down onto the quilt as if she had given up all resistance.


    Erwin was beginning to grow a little excited, and his throat and mouth were suddenly feeling parched. However, he was immediately left to rue his actions. A sly smile appeared on Onean''s face, and all of a sudden, Erwin felt an aggressive burst of magic energy flow through his hand and along his body before reaching his head.


    His vision immediately darkened, and he was struck by a splitting headache as he tumbled down from the bed.


    "You think you have what it takes to lay your hands on me? Think again!" Onean scoffed as she looked down at Erwin with a disdainful expression.


    Erwin was patting his own head in an attempt to regain his bearings, and even though he was too dizzy to get up from the ground, he was still feeling extremely satisfied, having thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of Onean''s smooth and delicate waist on his hands.


    "Quit playing dead and get up!" Onean said in a cold voice. "Go and take a look at where we are right now. Have we made it out of the province yet?"


    "Even if I get up, I still won''t have any idea where we are right now." Erwin rose to his feet in an unsteady manner, and he was about to dust himself off, only to discover that the carriage was incredibly clean. "I''ve never gone on such a far journey before, how am I supposed to know where we are right now?"


    "That makes sense, considering you''re far more into women than traveling. Why go out to explore the world when you can just stay in mansions with hostesses, right?" Onean said in a disdainful voice. "No wonder Miss Lana calls you promiscuous. Looks like she''s done her homework when it comes to you!"


    "Yes, yes, I''m a promiscuous piece of scum, please forgive me." Erwin accepted his own crimes with a resigned expression, then lifted the curtain in the carriage before taking a look outside.


    All of a sudden, he found himself rooted to the spot by the sight of the scenery outside the carriage.


    He could see a pair of vast mountains that extended all the way up into the clouds, with snow covering all of their ridges and peaks. In the face of such a stunning piece of natural scenery, one couldn''t help but realize just how tiny and insignificant they were. It seemed that there really was a lot to see out in the world, after all.


    Erwin was dragged back to reality by the sound of Onean''s fingers gently tapping the desk in front of her.


    "Help me up," Onean instructed. Even though her voice was very feeble, there was an implacable tone to it.


    Erwin turned to her with a bewildered expression, and she looked right back at him with an unyielding look in her eyes.


    Thus, Erwin could only heave a resigned sigh as he carefully helped Onean up into a seated position. "Why do this to yourself, Your Highness?"

 CH 33.2

    The wounds on Onean''s belly were aggravated slightly as she got up into a sitting position, and cold sweat began to pour down her face again, but she paid no heed to that as she looked out at the twin mountains outside the window of the carriage in silence.


    Only after a long while did she turn her gaze back to Erwin as she said, "Those are the twin Reydnold Mountains. Once we pass this place, we''ll have left the province. Beyond these two mountains are the renowned Terarody Mountain Ranges. If we head northeast from here, then we''ll be traveling toward Burmen, while Fooz is in the northwest."


    Erwin couldn''t help but develop a sense of admiration toward Onean upon hearing this, not because of her geographical knowledge, but because she had a rough idea of where they were even though she had been lying in the carriage this entire time.


    "I must admit, I''m quite impressed, Your Highness. How are you able to guess where we are even though you''ve been lying in the carriage all this time?" Erwin asked with an intrigued expression.


    "I can sense roughly how far the carriage is going each day, so I have an idea of where we are. Isn''t that simple?" Onean asked him with a perplexed expression, which then quickly turned into one of mockery as she jeered, "Oh right, I forgot that it must be quite difficult for someone like you, who rarely ever goes anywhere."


    "I thought you were mostly lying unconscious from your injuries in the carriage over the past few days," Erwin said. "I didn''t think that you were conscious the entire way here."


    "I already told you this: my injuries look very scary, but they''re not actually as severe as you think," Onean replied.


    "You''re pushing yourself too hard," Erwin sighed. He was well aware of just how severe her injuries were. The fact that she was able to maintain her consciousness for most of the journey thus far was a clear indication that she had too much on her mind to fall asleep.


    Onean offered no response to him as she carefully began to lay back down onto her bed. Erwin hurriedly rushed over to her and supported her back with his arm before gently lowering her down. This time, Onean didn''t have the energy to push him away.


    She was too exhausted to bicker with him any longer, and she laid a hand onto her own forehead, closing her eyes to rest with her brows slightly furrowed with pain.


    Erwin left her to rest in peace as he sat down in front of the desk and began to flip through the pages of the magic potion book.


    ...


    Truth be told, Erwin didn''t want to keep this a secret from Larwood and the others, but Onean had insisted that he kept his friends oblivious to her presence in their mercenary legion. At this point, his friends had already noticed that he had been acting quite strange these past few days, and he was worried that it would strain their relationship if he were to remain silent for any longer.


    Thus, after emerging from the carriage, Erwin took the initiative to go and find them.


    "Well, well, well, if it isn''t Deputy Commander Erwin. To what do we owe this honor?" Chase asked in an unfriendly voice upon seeing Erwin.


    Erwin could only heave a resigned sigh in response.


    "Go on then, tell us what''s going on with that distant relative of yours," Larwood said with a smile. "I knew Lanyon would immediately go and tell you what we discussed. Chase was actually dumb enough to think that Layon would actually keep the secret!"


    "Yeah, who is this distant relative of yours? Did your father ask you to take them with us?" Kaiba asked with a curious expression.


    "Erwin''s father is the general of the regular army''s right branch! He could easily arrange for the regular army to bring one of his relatives with them, so why would he entrust this relative to Erwin and our dodgy mercenary legion instead?" Larwood chuckled.


    "Hey, I wouldn''t call our mercenary legion dodgy. I think we have a decent group of people assembled," Erwin protested. "Also, going by your logic, wouldn''t that make you the commander of a dodgy mercenary legion? That doesn''t sound like a great title to have."


    "Don''t try and change the subject! Tell us who''s in the carriage, and why have you been hiding this from us this entire time?" Chase interrogated with furrowed brows.


    "Do you think I wanted to keep this a secret from all of you? I have no choice in the matter," Erwin sighed.


    "So who is it? I''m even curious now after hearing you say that," Kaiba said with an intrigued expression.


    "Could it be that you brought one of your lovers with you and are too embarrassed to tell us?" Chase asked with a displeased expression. "Didn''t we promise one another that we''re going to focus on the war and not bring any women with us?"


    "Do I look that horny to you?" Erwin grumbled. "Besides, I''m the deputy commander of this legion! Even though I don''t really do much, I still understand the importance of leading by example."


    "Alright, then tell us who''s in that carriage," Larwood prompted in a calm voice.


    "I can tell you who it is, but all of you have to keep this a secret, alright?" Erwin asked as he swept his gaze across his group of friends.


    Judging from Erwin''s demeanor, the three of them could tell that this was an important matter, so they all nodded in response after exchanging a quick glance with one another.


    "It''s Princess Onean," Erwin finally revealed in a quiet voice.


    "What? Prin..." Chase''s eyes immediately widened with astonishment as he stared at Erwin, but he then quickly lowered his own voice again as he continued, "Princess Onean? Why is she with us instead of traveling to the north with His Majesty and the regular army?"


    Kaiba was both astonished to hear this and also full of admiration toward Erwin.


    In contrast, an extremely grim look had appeared on Larwood''s face, and it was clear that he had realized the gravity of the situation.


    "How could you be so reckless?" Larwood hissed in a low voice as he glared at Erwin. "We''re only a mercenary legion of 500 people! How are we supposed to protect Her Highness on the battlefield? To make matters worse, the route that we''re taking is an extremely dangerous one! Who knows how many enemy mercenaries we''ll encounter along the way? We''ll be screwed if any of them discover that Her Highness is with us!"


    "Exactly! All of the enemy mercenaries will do everything in their power to capture her so they can turn her into the Skycourt Kingdom for money!" Chase chimed in in a grim voice.


    "How are we going to answer to His Majesty if anything happens to Her Highness?" Larwood asked as he stared intently at Erwin.


    "Going back to the same question from before, why is Her Highness traveling with our legion instead of sticking with His Majesty and the regular army?" Kaiba asked.


    "After she sustained those grave injuries during her match against Jeff, she''s still yet to recover, so neither His Majesty nor Master Piro were willing to take her to the front lines," Erwin explained.


    "How is Her Highness''s condition right now?" Larwood asked.


    "She''s not doing very well. Her injuries have worsened even further during the past few days of travel," Erwin replied in a resigned voice.


    "I can''t believe you decided to take her with us when even His Majesty and Master Piro didn''t dare to take her with them! Aren''t you worried that she could die on the way there?" At this point, Larwood''s expression had completely darkened. "If something happens to her on the way to Burmen, all of us will be executed as well!"


    "How could you be so foolish?" Chase also heaved a faint sigh, then mused, "Having said that, I''m also struggling to understand Her Highness''s decision. With such severe injuries, why is she running around with our mercenary legion instead of staying in Sarus to rest and recover?"


    "Come on, guys, there''s no point in blaming Erwin for this. What''s happened has already happened, so let''s just pretend that we don''t know anything. If none of us tells anyone about this, who''s going to know?" Kaiba asked.


    "You can''t just treat everyone here like they''re stupid or blind! If even a single one of them manages to identify the princess, then everyone will know! If word then spreads outside of our legion, then the consequences will be catastrophic!" Larwood said in a grim voice.


    "I had no choice! I owe her my life, so I had to agree to anything she asked of me. What was I supposed to do?" A guilty look appeared on Erwin''s face as he spoke. "Also, seeing as I already made a promise to her, I can''t deceive her. I told her that I''ll be taking her to the front lines, so I have to follow through on that promise."


    "Is it because of that Springlay Fox bone marrow potion?" Larwood asked.


    Erwin nodded in response with a wry smile. "If she hadn''t used that potion on me, she would''ve been able to use it on herself, which means that she would already have recovered by now."


    Everyone fell silent upon hearing this. No one knew what to say in this situation.


    "Seeing as you already made a promise to Her Highness, you have to fulfill it," Larwood finally said. "You''ll be responsible for her safety along this journey."


    "Of course," Erwin replied. "Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention this. Her Highness has already changed her own hair color using a magic potion, and she also changed her hairstyle as well. If we get her a set of male clothing, she should be able to pass as a man as long as no one looks too closely."


    "It would be ideal if no one can recognize her," Chase said with a slightly relieved expression.


    "What I''m most worried about right now is that Her Highness may not be able to last the entire trip," Larwood said with a concerned expression.


    "That''s why I came to you guys," Erwin said as he pulled a magic potions book out of his backpack, then opened the book to a certain page before showing it to everyone.


    "Falcon Beak Lizard?" Chase began to read aloud from the book. "Magic potions refined from the internal organs of this creature are excellent for treating internal injuries. These creatures mostly reside at the entrance of the Terarody Mountain Ranges. They are pack-dwelling creatures with a sharp sense of smell, and they excel in ambushing creatures weaker than themselves as prey... You know what? These things sound like they''re pretty cunning."


    "You''re not proposing that we go and capture one of these lizards, are you?" Larwood asked with an incredulous expression.


    "I''ve read through the entire book, and this is the only suitable option that we can encounter at the entrance of the mountain ranges." Erwin cast his gaze toward the Terarody Mountain Ranges, which laidbeyond the twin Reydnold Mountains, then continued, "All we need is to kill one or two of these things, and that''ll be enough for us to refine this magic potion."


    "But none of us has any experience in refining magic potions!" Kaiba said with tightly furrowed brows.


    However, a thought then quickly occurred to him. There was no way that Erwin would be carrying a magic potions book around, so it had to belong to the princess. With that in mind, a smile appeared on his face as he asked, "But Her Highness is a very skilled potions master, isn''t she?"


    Erwin nodded in response. "Her Highness will definitely be able to brew this magic potion, so our priority now is to find a way to kill a Falcon Beak Lizard or two."


    "Venturing into the mountain range to hunt for magic creatures is not a task to be taken lightly. Are you sure you want to do this?" Larwood asked as he stared intently at Erwin.


    "I have no choice. Her Highness''s injuries are quite severe, and if we don''t treat them soon..." His voice trailed off there as a grim look appeared on his face. "I know that it would be selfish of me to endanger the entire mercenary legion for this cause, but..."


    "Don''t overthink it. We''ve been friends for so many years, we can''t just stand by and watch as your future wife succumbs to her injuries!" Kaiba said as he patted Erwin on the shoulder. "Don''t worry, I''ll come with you."


    Kaiba''s lighthearted joke instantly dispelled the tense atmosphere.


    "You''re right. Who cares if she''s the princess or not? This is Erwin''s future wife we''re talking about here! If all it takes to save her is killing a couple of magic beasts, then I''d be more than happy to come along," Chase said as he patted his own chest.


    Erwin offered no objections to the assertion that Onean was his future wife. In fact, just considering the possibility was putting a wide smile on his face.


    Everyone had already made their intentions known, so Larwood really had no choice but to join them. With that in mind, he heaved a resigned sigh. "Fine, let''s go together then. We''ve done everything together, I can''t just sit out this one. I''ll get Sherry to instruct everyone to set up camp here, and we''ll work out a plan after that."


    Despite the gravity of the situation, everyone was feeling quite excited, and they began to work on a plan to hunt down Falcon Beak Lizards.

 CH 34.1

    Initially, it was planned that all four of them would go on the hunting trip, but if all four of them were to leave, there would most likely be some unrest in the legion in the absence of all four leaders. However, no one wanted to pass up this opportunity to hunt for magic beasts in the Terarody Mountain Ranges. Thus, Larwood, Kaiba, and Chase could only draw lots to decide who would stay behind. In the end, it was Chase who drew the short end of the stick, much to his dismay and chagrin.


    According to the magic potions book, Falcon Beak Lizards were most prone to be attracted by the scent of things like garlic and onions. Thus, Erwin and his friends brought along all of the sacks of garlic and onions with them. The soup for the next few days was most likely going to be a little bland as a result, but sacrifices had to be made.


    Larwood hand-picked 100 skilled and experienced martial artists, while Erwin picked out 20 powerful magicians, and the hunting party set off in the afternoon on horseback, skirting around the twin Reydnold Mountains to search for the entrance of the long and winding Terarody Mountain Ranges.


    Only after traveling for close to 10 kilometers did they find an entrance to the mountain range, which was an area of relatively flat terrain. The landscape beyond the entrance was riddled with gnarly trees that gave off an eerie and sinister appearance, and as a result of all of the foliage, the light here had dimmed significantly. In addition to that, the occasional cries of crows could be heard, thereby further contributing to the oppressive and spine-chilling atmosphere.


    Erwin instructed someone to unload the two cauldrons and place them near the mountain faces on either side of the entrance. After that, they began to heat up water and boil the onions and garlic. Meanwhile, Lanyon and a few of the magicians unleashed simple wind-attribute spells to blow the aroma of the boiled onions and garlic toward the mountain ranges. From a distance, the aroma was quite alluring, but up close, it was so strong and pungent that everyone had to cover their mouths, noses, and eyes.


    Erwin instructed the magicians to take shifts in blowing the scent of the onions and garlic toward the mountain ranges. This wasn''t a physically taxing task, but it was a stern test of one''s patience.


    As for all of the martial artists, they were instructed by Larwood to hide behind the rocks near the entrance to keep an eye on the situation in the mountain ranges.


    An hour quickly passed by, and at this point, Lanyon could barely keep his own eyes open, having been exposed to the fumes of the boiling onions and garlic for so long. Erwin was beginning to grow rather impatient, and he was pacing back and forth at the entrance to the mountain ranges.


    Right at this moment, a burst of slight tremors began to run through the ground, and something seemed to be approaching from deep within the forest.


    Erwin made a hand signal to Lanyon, instructing him to retreat with the magicians for now. As for Erwin himself, he was quite confident in his own abilities, so he made his way forward by about 10 meters, then peered into the forest, upon which he discovered a pack of magic beasts rushing through the forest.


    Those look like Falcon Beak Lizards, alright, but I didn''t think we''d attract so many of them! Erwin thought to himself as he gulped nervously.


    "Hurry up and get back! Do you have a death wish?" Larwood hissed in an urgent voice from behind him.


    Only then did Erwin realize the danger that he was in, and he immediately turned around to retreat. However, he stepped onto a fallen branch and slipped over, falling flat onto the ground. He hurriedly tried to get up again in a blind panic, but there was a thick layer of fallen leaves and branches beneath him, causing him to slip over a few more times in a sorry display.


    To compound his woes even further, he was causing quite a commotion with his panicked scrambling, and all of the Falcon Beak Lizards in the forest immediately spotted him. They certainly weren''t going to pass up such an inept-looking target, and they immediately rushed toward Erwin to hunt him down.


    Erwin could hear the Falcon Beak Lizards rushing toward him from behind, and he twisted around to take a look, upon which he discovered that the closest Falcon Beak Lizards to him were already less than 20 meters away! Only then did it occur to him that he was a magician, and he slammed a palm down onto the ground, unleashing a levitation spell before flying away from the lizards.


    The dozens of Falcon Beak Lizards had split up into several groups. Around half of them rushed over to the two cauldrons before greedily inhaling the rising fumes, while the rest of them quickly rushed off in pursuit of Erwin, who was about to get away.


    These things can''t do anything to me now that I''m hovering in the sky! Erwin thought to himself.


    However, he was instantly made to regret his own condescending thoughts. The group of Falcon Beak Lizards that were charging along at the forefront dug their paws into the ground, then sprang up into the sky until they were situated even higher than Erwin.


    Under the dim light of the dying sun, Erwin could only see a series of massive silhouettes pouncing toward him, and he hurriedly conjured up his light shield in a blind panic to save himself.


    The Falcon Beak Lizards opened their cavernous mouths before chomping down upon Erwin, only to bite down onto the outer wall of the light shield instead. It was like biting down onto a rock with full force, and the lizards screeched with pain before falling back down onto the ground with furious expressions.


    The fine hairs on the back of Erwin''s neck were standing up on end as he stared at the rows of sharp fangs that had almost sunk themselves into his body just now.


    Right at this moment, Larwood and Kaiba charged into the fray. Kaiba was charging at the forefront with several dozen martial artists behind him, all of whom were carrying long spears and huge shields. The group of martial artists engaged themselves in a direct clash with the Falcon Beak Lizards down below, while Larwood and the rest of the martial artists had pulled out bows and were firing relentlessly at the Falcon Beak Lizards near the pair of cauldrons.


    Meanwhile, Lanyon and the 20 magicians were standing at the top of the mountain face on either side of the entrance, raining down attacks upon the Falcon Beak Lizards from above.


    However, as soon as the two sides clashed, Erwin and the others discovered that the hides of these magic beasts were extremely tough. The spears and arrows were unable to pierce through them, and spells weren''t having any effect, either. All of their attacks seemed to be completely useless against these formidable creatures.


    In contrast, the retaliation from the Falcon Beak Lizards was extremely fierce. The martial artists who were adept in defense and were carrying huge shields were able to just barely withstand the attacks from the Falcon Beak Lizards'' fangs and paws, but they were knocked back by a single sweep from these magic beasts'' tails. Whenever one of the Falcon Beak Lizards unleashed a sweeping tail strike, a string of agonized howls would be sure to follow.


    If things were to continue like this, heavy losses would surely be suffered. Furthermore, Erwin''s objective was only to kill one or two of these creatures and take their internal organs, so there was no need to battle so many of them at once.


    Right at this moment, a thunderous roar erupted from the martial artists down below, following which someone unleashed a string of four spear strikes in rapid succession, causing one of the Falcon Beak Lizards to stumble back in retreat in a disoriented manner.


    The spear strikes were becoming more and more powerful with each passing attack, and the next one scraped off a thick layer of dirt from the Falcon Beak Lizard''s scales. This attack was immediately followed by another powerful sweep of the spear, and dark green blood was finally drawn from the lizard''s body.


    This sudden turnaround provided a significant boost in morale, and everyone''s battle intent was ignited. Fuelled by adrenaline and excitement, everyone cast aside their fears and inhibitions as they engaged the Falcon Beak Lizards in battle with renewed vigor.


    With yet another formidable spear strike, the skull of the Falcon Beak Lizard was punctured, and it fell onto the ground with a dull thump, seemingly dead from the attack.


    Morale was elevated even further as a result, and all of the martial artists entered a frenzied state as they unleashed their most powerful attacks upon the Falcon Beak Lizards.


    All of the Falcon Beak Lizards began to howl with grief at the sight of their fallen brethren, and it was clear that this was a type of creature that formed strong bonds with one another.


    All of a sudden, one of them sprang directly toward Kaiba''s back, clearly intending to avenge its fallen brethren. Erwin was able to spot this from his vantage point high up in the sky, and he immediately yelled, "Kaiba, look out!"


    At the same time, he raised his staff and let loose around a dozen instant-release spells in rapid succession. The purple balls of magic energy exploded upon the body of the rapidly charging Falcon Beak Lizard, but they weren''t able to inflict much damage upon it.


    After hearing Erwin''s warning, Kaiba suddenly began to rush toward the mountain face. Erwin was quite perplexed to see this, wondering why Kaiba was running toward what was essentially a dead-end.


    The Falcon Beak Lizard that was chasing Kaiba thought that its prey was fleeing for its life, so it immediately began to charge forward with renewed vigor. As it did so, it began to chomp down onto the air behind Kaiba as if it could bite Kaiba from afar.


    What made the situation even more perilous was that the Falcon Beak Lizard was almost able to chomp down onto the back of Kaiba''s neck on several occasions. Erwin immediately unleashed his space split technique, then unleashed a ferocious barrage of spells toward it, but he was only able to slow it down slightly.


    Upon reaching the mountain face, Kaiba continued to run up the mountain, but the mountains in the Terarody Mountain Ranges were extremely steep, so he only made it two or three steps up the mountain face before he was completely parallel with the ground.


    However, he wasn''t flustered by this in the slightest, and it seemed that he had everything under control.


    The Falcon Beak Lizard continued to pursue Kaiba up the mountain face, but in its haste to do so, it failed to control its own body properly, and it fell backward from the mountain face, crashing down onto the ground and ending up on its back.


    Right at this moment, Kaiba performed a somersault in mid-air, then plunged the spear down with the force of his own bodyweight in free fall behind it.


    At the same time, he let loose a thunderous roar, which attracted the attention of all of the magicians, martial artists, and Falcon Beak Lizards present. All of them were rooted to the spot as they turned to stare at Kaiba.


    Erwin was not unfamiliar with this spear strike. This was the very same spear strike unleashed by Erwin''s spear-wielding opponent from the Pillow Sword Tournament. It was a devastating attack, and Erwin couldn''t help but wonder how Kaiba had learned it.


    As opposed to Erwin''s spear-wielding opponent, who had taken three steps back to prepare his attack, Kaiba was using the momentum of his own body in free fall to propel the spear downward, so this attack was even more powerful than the one unleashed by the spear-wielding martial artist during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    The essence of this attack was to become one with one''s spear and attack with single-minded focus and unstoppable might.


    Kaiba had perfectly captured the essence of the attack, and everyone could only look on in awe and wonder. He was so intently focused on his own spear that he had even forgotten the perilous situation that he was in.


    The Falcon Lizard Beast didn''t even get a chance to flip itself over before the tip of the spear pierced through its heart, and it was nailed firmly against the ground as a result.


    All of the Falcon Beak Lizards immediately let loose anguished howls once again, and their collective sorrow could be heard echoing throughout the vast mountain ranges. It seemed that the deaths of two of their brethren in such a short time had struck panic into their hearts, and they were all looking at Kaiba with fearful eyes.


    Prior to this, the two sides had been roughly evenly matched, but morale for the Falcon Beak Lizards had completely plummeted, and some of them were already considering retreat. In stark contrast, morale was at an all-time high for the Four Winds mercenary legion in the wake of Kaiba''s heroic display.


    "They''re about to get away! Layon, instruct everyone to unleash spells to slow these things down!" Erwin yelled as he turned to the magicians standing at the top of the mountain faces on either side.


    Larwood immediately understood what Erwin''s intentions were. He was planning to decimate this entire pack of Falcon Beak Lizards, but that suited Larwood just fine as well, so he raised no objections.


    "Follow me, my brothers! Don''t let even a single one of them get away!" Larwood immediately ordered, and all of the bow-wielding martial artists drew the blades on their backs to engage the Falcon Beak Lizards in close-quarters combat.


    The Falcon Beak Lizards were already shaken by the death of their brethren, and even more panic spread through their ranks at the sight of the fierce assault from the Four Winds mercenary legion. Some of them were already beginning to retreat, while others were still caught up in battle.


    Erwin immediately unleashed a space split technique to arrive behind them, then chanted the incantation for an advanced spell. Howling wind that carried frosty snow and ice instantly began to sweep through the entrance to the forest, and Lanyon also quickly arrived on the scene with all of the other magicians.


    "Hey, make sure you don''t completely cut them off," Erwin yelled in a loud voice. "Always leave an opening that they can escape through."


    "Why, Master Erwin? Aren''t we going to hunt them all down at once? Morale is at an all-time high," Lanyon asked in a surprised voice.


    "These Falcon Beak Lizards aren''t easy to deal with. If we completely cut them off and give them no hope of escaping, then they''ll turn around and fight us to the death. At the moment, they''ve only been intimidated by Kaiba''s attacks, but if they''re backed into a corner and begin to retaliate, it''ll be very difficult for us to kill them all without suffering casualties of our own," Erwin explained as he continued to keep an eye on the unfolding battle.

 CH 34.2

    "Your wisdom is truly unmatched, Master Erwin!" Lanyon didn''t pass up this opportunity to slip in some flattery toward Erwin.


    Thus, an opening was intentionally left in the wall of snow and ice, and at this point, around a dozen of the Falcon Beak Lizards had already fled through it. They then turned back around to look at their brethren that were still caught up in battle and let loose a few urgent howls. The Falcon Beak Lizars that were still yet to escape heard those howls and turned to look at the opening in the wall. They also wanted to escape, but due to their decreased numbers, the Four Winds mercenary legion could now afford to spare five or six people per lizard, so all of the lizards were surrounded from all sides and unable to get away.


    As a result, the Falcon Beak Lizards were unable to retreat, nor were they able to focus wholeheartedly on the battle as they were being distracted by their brethren that had already escaped. They were still struggling by relying on their thick hides and tough bodies, but they were slowly being worn down by Larwood and Kaiba''s strategy.


    The spear-wielding martial artists surrounded the Falcon Beak Lizards with their shields raised to prevent them from getting away, while the more agile martial artists like Georgina took advantage of their moments of distraction to slice viciously at their ankles. Upon experiencing pain from the attacks, the Falcon Beak Lizards would instinctively sweep their tail through the surrounding area in retaliation, but the spear-wielding martial artists were already prepared for this sequence, and they would immediately disperse.


    As time passed, the 30 or so Falcon Beak Lizards that were still trapped had all sustained various injuries to their legs, and some of them were already unable to support their own weight as they collapsed to the ground and howled with anguish.


    Erwin took a glance at the unfolding battle, and he discovered that at this point, it was just a waiting game for Larwood and the others to slowly slay these lizards. As for the Falcon Beak Lizards that had escaped, they could no longer bear to see the suffering of their trapped brethren, and they howled in farewell before rushing into the forest.


    "They''re not going to fetch reinforcements, are they?" Lanyon asked as he cast a concerned gaze deep into the forest.


    "That''s definitely a possibility," Erwin replied with furrowed brows. "Lead the magicians into the battle so we can end things as quickly as possible!"


    Lanyon immediately did as he was told, and thus, Erwin was the only one left above the wall of ice and snow.


    The rest of the battle took some time to complete, but with the magicians inflicting all types of negative status conditions upon the already wounded and demoralized Falcon Beak Lizards, all of them were finally slain.


    At the conclusion of the battle, Larwood and Kaiba climbed onto the carcasses of two Falcon Beak Lizards before adopting some cool poses. Most of the people in the Four Winds mercenary legion hadn''t faced any magic beasts in battle before, and they certainly weren''t expecting to kill so many magic beasts here before they had even made it to the front lines in Burmen. Needless to say, everyone was feeling very excited.


    However, right as everyone was basking in the joy of their victory over these magic beasts, a burst of violent rumbling suddenly erupted behind Erwin, followed by the sound of an earth-shattering roar. Judging from the sound, it seemed as if a dragon were approaching them!


    A few more roars rang out one after another, and everyone was immediately rooted to the spot as they turned to look deep into the mountain ranges with blank expressions.


    Erwin and Larwood were the first to return to their senses, and they yelled almost in perfect unison, "Run!"


    "Larwood, don''t forget to take these magic beast carcasses with you!" Erwin yelled as Larwood began to organize a retreat.


    "Alright, I get it! Your greed is going to get you killed someday!" Larwood scoffed, then immediately instructed everyone to drag the Falcon Beak Lizard carcasses out of the valley as quickly as possible.


    However, these magic beasts were far heavier than everyone imagined, and it was quite a strain even for four or five burly men to carry a single carcass. Lanyon and the magicians tried to cast levitation spells onto the carcasses, but the effect was virtually negligible. Somehow, the scales of these Falcon Beak Lizards were able to repel their spells, thereby rendering them largely useless.


    Erwin peered deep into the forest with a tense expression, listening as the thunderous roars drew closer and closer. Countless birds were beginning to fly out of the forest in a bind panic, and it was as if a natural disaster were about to strike.


    Amid the deafening roars, several Falcon Beak Lizards rushed frantically out of the forest. They were closely followed by a furious dragon with scorching flames burning all over its body. The dragon had emerged from behind a mountain, and there was a charred Falcon Beak Lizard held between its fangs.


    Aren''t those the Falcon Beak Lizards that just escaped? Erwin thought to himself in a bewildered manner. How did they run into this fire dragon so soon after getting away from here?


    Erwin looked on as the Falcon Beak Lizards rushed toward the Four Winds mercenary legion with single-minded focus, and only then did he come to realize what those parting howls had entailed. They weren''t abandoning their brethren, they were going to attract the fire dragon to this place so that they could take the Four Winds mercenary legion down with them!


    "Shoot! Looks like I outsmarted myself," Erwin sighed with a wry smile. "I shouldn''t have left that opening for them to escape, after all."


    Thankfully, Larwood and the others were working quite quickly, and half of the carcasses had already been dragged out of the mountain range''s entrance.


    "Hurry up, Larwood!" Erwin yelled in an urgent voice as Larwood continued to bark instructions at the martial artists carrying the carcasses away. "I''ll try and distract this fire dragon for a bit."


    "Get back here! You''re going to get yourself killed!" Larwood yelled as Erwin began to fly away from the wall of ice.


    "He really is going to get himself killed someday," Kaiba sighed with tightly furrowed brows, then turned back to all of the martial artists as he yelled, "Hurry up! Let''s get moving!"


    The fire dragon spread open its wings, and a gust of fierce wind swept through the area as it descended behind the Falcon Beak Lizards. With an earth-shattering roar, a pillar of fire erupted out of its mouth, and all of the Falcon Beak Lizards caught in the path of the flames were instantly reduced to pieces of charcoal.


    The wall of ice was also instantly decimated by the scorching fire, and the pillar of flames left a charred black path in its wake. The smell of scorched branches and fallen leaves was permeating through the air alongside a strange scent of burning beast fat, presumably from the Falcon Beak Lizards that had been roasted alive.


    As soon as the wall of ice was destroyed, the fire dragon naturally noticed the mercenary legion, and its eyes instantly widened with excitement. It flapped its wings with renewed vigor and dug its paws into the ground, clearly preparing itself to pounce onto this newfound prey.


    The members of the mercenary legion were able to suppress their own fear in the face of the Falcon Beak Lizards, but that was impossible in the face of the fire dragon, which was as massive as a mountain, and the only thought in their mind was to get away as quickly as possible.


    However, without any orders from Larwood, none of the mercenaries dared to flee. Thus, even though their legs were trembling incessantly and they felt like they were about to soil themselves, they could still only continue to carry the remaining few Falcon Beak Lizard carcasses away.


    Meanwhile, Erwin unleashed a string of instant-release spells, and even though they weren''t able to harm the fire dragon at all, it was enraged and distracted by the provocation. Thus, it directed its attention toward Erwin instead, and Larwood and the others were able to heave a collective sigh of relief.


    "Hurry up! Don''t just stand around and watch!" Larwood urged as he began to help with the carrying of carcasses himself.


    The roars that the fire dragon had just let loose had resulted in widespread avalanches on all of the nearby mountains, and massive volumes of snow were tumbling down from the peaks like unstoppable forces of nature.


    Erwin led the fire dragon deeper into the mountain range, and thankfully for him, even though the fire dragon had wings, it was only able to fly for short distances at a time. Most of the time, it relied on its two hind paws to run along the ground. Even so, its explosive bursts of speed were enough to keep Erwin on his toes, and he was only just barely able to outrun the fire dragon with a combination of instant-release spells and space split techniques.


    It was clear that the fire dragon had been thoroughly infuriated by Erwin, and it stopped in its tracks before releasing pillars of scorching fire up toward him. Its flames could instantly reduce Erwin to a piece of charcoal upon contact, and their temperature was far higher than the flames unleashed by Lana back on Haven Street. All of the tumbling snow and ice that fell into the flames were instantly reduced to water vapor.


    Many parts of Erwin''s robes had already been set alight by the dragon''s fire, and the fire that was burning on his collar had already reached his hair, but he didn''t have any spare capacity to snuff out these flames. Thus, he could only use space split techniques to teleport himself to the mountain faces around him before rubbing himself against the accumulated snow and ice to put out the fires.


    I haven''t even come into direct contact with these flames, and my clothes have already been set alight. If I get struck by one of these pillars of fire, I''ll be killed on the spot! Erwin thought to himself as he panted heavily.


    At this point, the avalanches were becoming more and more intense. Countless chunks of snow and ice were crashing down throughout the vast mountain range, and the entire area was being made to look like a waterfall of snow.


    In the face of nature''s wrath, even the fire dragon was feeling quite intimidated. It took one final glance up at Erwin, then hurriedly fled deeper into the mountain range to avoid the all-consuming avalanches.


    Erwin didn''t dare to stay here any longer, either, and he cast a levitation spell onto himself so that he could rise above all of the falling snow. As he flew back the same way he had come, he discovered that the entire forest had already been inundated by snow, and the snow was only just barely stopped after reaching the entrance of the valley.


    Erwin finally allowed himself to heave a sigh of relief as he spotted the people outside the valley. As he landed on the ground, his knees were so weak that they almost gave out from under him.


    Everyone instantly erupted into cheers at the return of their deputy commander.


    "Holy shit, I don''t know if I should praise you or shove my boot up your rear end!" Larwood said as he approached Erwin with an exasperated expression. "Do you get an adrenaline rush out of risking your life like this? Weren''t you initially only planning to get one or two of these things? How did this end up becoming a one-on-one battle against a fire dragon?"


    "I reckon he thinks he''s already on Master Piro and Mistress Faye''s level, so he''s challenging dragons one-on-one for training," Kaiba chuckled, clearly very relieved to see Erwin return safe and sound.


    "We already killed all those Falcon Beak Lizards, it would''ve been a massive waste not to secure all of their carcasses," Erwin replied with an exhausted smile. "Also, you saw how resilient the scales of those things are. If we can slice those scales off their bodies and make them into armor, the overall power of our mercenary legion will receive a significant boost."


    What Erwin had said was very reasonable, but Larwood was still quite disgruntled by his reckless behavior, and he gave a cold harrumph in response.


    "If I didn''t draw the fire dragon away from us, it would''ve chased us the entire way back to camp, so I had no choice," Erwin sighed as he began to brush off the pieces of charred fabric clinging to what was left of his robes.


    Lanyon didn''t dare to interject, so he had remained silent this entire time, and he also began helping Erwin dust himself off.


    "This was my fault to begin with. If I hadn''t outsmarted myself and decided to release some of those Falcon Beak Lizards, the fire dragon would''ve never shown up in the first place," Erwin sighed. "At the time, I was worried that they would be backed into a corner if we didn''t let any of them escape. I didn''t think that these things would offer themselves up as bait to lure the fire dragon to us!"


    "Oh, is that what happened? I thought they were just really unlucky and stumbled upon the fire dragon during their escape," Kaiba said with a bewildered expression.


    "No, I was really close to them at the time, so I could tell that their goal from the very beginning was to lure the fire dragon to us so they could take us down with them," Erwin said with a shake of his head.


    "Are those things really that intelligent?" Kaiba asked with a suspicious look in his eyes.


    "You know, that really is a possibility," Larwood said with a contemplative expression. "Think about it: if these magic beasts were easy to deal with, would Prince Lazaar be sending all of those elite troops to guard the southern face of the Terarody Mountain Ranges each year? On top of that, the True Light Church also sends many magicians to join those troops each year as well. Judging from that alone, it''s clear that they''re quite troublesome to deal with."


    "Let''s talk about this another. For now, we should focus on transporting these carcasses back to camp," Erwin said as he grabbed a fistful of snow from the mountain behind him, then washed his own face with it. "I feel like I smell like a piece of roast meat."

 CH 35

    Erwin and Kaiba returned to the campsite on horseback first, while Larwood stayed behind to supervise everyone in transporting the Falcon Beak Lizard carcasses back to camp.


    Chase had heard the massive commotion ringing out within the Terarody Mountain Ranges earlier, and he was very elated and relieved to see his good friends return safe and sound. He immediately asked them what had happened, and Erwin knew that Kaiba definitely wasn''t going to pass up this golden opportunity to boast about his own exploits, so he carried several sets of Falcon Beak Lizard internal organs that were still dripping with blood before heading straight for Onean''s carriage.


    "What are those things?" Onean was seated on her bed, and she could tell that it was Erwin from his footsteps, but she was rather taken aback by the urgency with which he had entered her carriage, and her surprise was only further exacerbated as she caught sight of the things that Erwin was carrying in his hands.


    The internal organs were still dripping blood incessantly, and she immediately swept a hand through the air to cast a domain-type spell onto the interior of the carriage. As a result, the rank and pungent blood from the internal organs of the Falcon Beak Lizards disappeared into the domain instead of dripping onto the ground.


    "These are Falcon Beak Lizard internal organs," Erwin replied with a smile.


    An amused smile appeared on Onean''s face at the sight of Erwin''s excited expression. She could see that there was still smoke rising up from several parts of his body, and he smelled like a piece of roast meat that had just been removed from the roasting rack.


    "I was wondering why there was such a massive commotion going on outside," she chuckled.


    "I was worried that you wouldn''t make it to Burmen. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have risked my life to hunt these things!" Erwin said in a disgruntled manner. "I was almost roasted to death by a fire dragon!"


    "How did a fire dragon end up getting involved?" Onean asked with a perplexed expression as she cast some spells upon the Falcon Beak Lizard organs that Erwin was holding, upon which the organs began to shrink. Within the span of just a few seconds, they had shrunk down to around the size of Erwin''s hands, and the outer skin was so tight that it looked as if it had been air-dried.


    "The Falcon Beak Lizards were smarter than we expected, and they were so desperate that they lured the fire dragon over to kill us..." Erwin said as he pulled a few glass containers out of the cabinet, then placed the lizard organs inside them while giving Onean a recount of what had happened during their hunting trip.


    "That''s what you get for being so greedy," Onean said in a completely unsympathetic manner.


    "Hey, the least you could do is thank me after all I did," Erwin grumbled in an indignant voice.


    "Hmph, stop trying to make me feel sorry for you, I''m not going to fall for your tricks." Onean carefully stood up from the bed before picking up the glass containers and closely examining them.


    "Your complexion has improved a little," Erwin said with a sheepish smile. "Looks like you managed to get some sleep. I''m glad you''re able to even get up on your own now."


    Onean completely ignored him as she opened her magic potions book and began to read through the procedure for brewing the potion.


    "Alright, I''ll leave you to it then. I''m exhausted after all that, so I''m going to lay down." After that, Erwin sat down onto Onean''s bed without any hesitation before lying down in a comfortable position. Prior to doing so, he made sure to push Onean''s quilt to the side as he was worried that the ashes and dirt all over his body would dirty Onean''s quilt.


    This was completely inexplicable. Why was it that he was worried about getting the quilt dirty, but the same concern didn''t apply to the bed?


    Onean turned around to glance at Erwin''s shameless display, then shook her head with an amused smile.


    A short while later, the sound of loud snoring rang out from behind her, and she couldn''t help but shake her head in amusement once again.


    ----------------------------------------------


    By the time Erwin woke up, Onean was still hard at work in front of a pile of glass apparatus.


    "Have you still not finished refining the magic potion?" he asked with a surprised expression.


    "The amount of ingredients you brought back is enough to brew dozens of doses of the potion," Onean replied as she gestured toward an orderly row of potion vials arranged on the desk.


    "How is the effect of the magic potion? Have you used it on yourself yet?" Erwin asked as he picked up one of the vials before looking into it.


    "I already applied some onto my wounds, and it''s quite effective," Onean replied.


    "That''s really strange. Wasn''t Master Piro the one who brewed your magic potions? Why is it that they have such a minor effect on healing your wounds?" Erwin asked with a perplexed expression.


    "At the time, my body was too weak, and Teacher was worried that I wouldn''t be able to handle it if he made the medicine too strong, so he intentionally made the magic potion weaker. The plan was to slowly increase the efficacy of the magic potions over time during my recovery process," Onean explained. "Of course, my teacher had no idea that I was going to sneak away to fight in a war."


    "I see," Erwin replied with a nod.


    "Besides, do you really think the royal palace is well stocked with all types of magic ingredients?" Onean asked as she turned to look at him with an amused expression.


    "Isn''t that the case?" Erwin asked with a surprised expression.


    Onean shook her head in response. "There are only some common magic ingredients kept in the royal palace. No one regularly ventures into the mountains to hunt for magic beasts at the risk of losing their own lives. Hence, rare ingredients that come from magic beasts like this one can only be ordered from the black market. Otherwise, there would be no way to source it in Sarus."


    She then turned to roll her eyes at Erwin as she continued, "Did you think everyone is as reckless as you are? In the past, when Teacher and I went on hunting trips, we had to prepare extensively each time before setting off."


    Erwin had never considered this before, but what Onean said made a lot of sense. After all, if it weren''t for that stunning sequence of attacks from Kaiba, perhaps all 120 members of the hunting party would''ve perished.


    "In that case, I just did something very impressive, didn''t I?" Erwin said with a smug expression. "We managed to bring back over 20 Falcon Beak Lizard carcasses with us this time!"


    Onean nodded in response. "Indeed. Your ability to throw away your own life at the drop of a hat is truly unmatched!"


    She was clearly mocking Erwin for his performance during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    "By the way, have your friends asked you any questions? Are they not curious about who''s living in this carriage?" she suddenly asked as she turned to look at him. "Or did you already tell them?"


    "Er..." Erwin didn''t know how to respond to this question.


    "You already told them, didn''t you?" Onean asked.


    "I did," Erwin replied with an apprehensive expression. "I know you wanted me to keep this a secret from them, but if I hadn''t told them about our current circumstances, I wouldn''t have been able to convince them to come with me to hunt for these Falcon Beak Lizards."


    "I''m not blaming you or anything, I was just asking," Onean said in an indifferent voice.


    ------------------------------------------------------------


    As Larwood and the others returned to the campsite with all of the Falcon Beak Lizard carcasses, all of the other mercenaries were astonished by what they were seeing. After all, most of them had never even seen what magic beasts looked like before, so this was very much an eye-opening experience.


    However, it wasn''t like they had won a battle against soldiers of the Skycourt Kingdom, so they didn''t go as far as to throw a celebration over these slain Falcon Beak Lizards. Having said that, the atmosphere at the campsite that night was very joyful and boisterous. No alcoholic beverages were served, but everyone had a great time feasting on the flesh of the Falcon Beak Lizards while chatting loudly with one another. In particular, the mercenaries who had gone on the hunting trip were particularly loud, and all of them were telling extremely spectacular stories.


    Right as a certain mercenary was telling everyone his own story in a spirited manner with spittle flying everywhere, Kaiba gave him a kick from behind, causing him to fall down onto the ground. The mercenary immediately flared up with rage, only to turn around to discover that the culprit was the hero who had saved everyone from a dire situation in the mountain range. As a result, the furious look on his face immediately gave way to a fawning smile.


    Erwin, Chase, and Larwood were also gathered nearby, and they were all very amused to see this. The tales of Kaiba''s heroic exploits had already spread through the entire mercenary legion like wildfire. Of course, the story of Erwin luring the fire dragon away by himself was just as rousing a story, and the two of them had earned themselves a great deal of respect for their heroic displays.


    "By the way, where did Kaiba learn that set of spear techniques from?" Erwin asked as he turned to Chase and Larwood.


    "Oh, he didn''t tell you?" Chase was the one to reply. "After your match with that spear-wielding martial artist, Kaiba was extremely impressed with his spear techniques, and he was determined to go and learn from them."


    "In the end, he spent 1,000 Loonies to learn that set of spear techniques from that martial artist," Larwood chimed in.


    "1,000 Loonies?!" Erwin was astonished to hear this. "That''s a little steep, isn''t it?"


    "Think about it this way: if it wasn''t for that set of spear techniques, would we have been able to return without any casualties?" Larwood asked with a smile.


    "That''s true. This is our first time going into battle against magic beasts, and we didn''t lose even a single person. Now that I think about it, this was a resounding success!" Erwin said with a joyful smile.


    "Yeah, and also, it''s all thanks to the suicidal Erwin challenging the fire dragon to a one-on-one battle that we were all able to return safe and sound," Larwood jeered with a mocking expression. "Oh, and it was also all thanks to Erwin that we stayed even after the fire dragon appeared. Otherwise, we would''ve retreated long ago!"


    Chase was very amused to hear this, and it was clear that Larwood had already told him what had happened earlier.


    "There you go again! If you''re still so opposed to this, then how about you don''t use the armor made from the Falcon Beak Lizard scales?" Erwin challenged.


    "Fine! I don''t need that stuff anyway," Larwood scoffed with a disdainful expression.


    Chase was forced to step in and mediate. "Alright, that''s enough from you two. You''re acting like a pair of children!"


    All of a sudden, a pleasant voice rang out from behind the three of them. "Indeed, they really are like a pair of petulant children."


    The trio turned around in unison to find a man with a head of chestnut hair, which was arranged into an orderly, unisex bun. There was a fringe of hair arranged diagonally across his forehead, and judging from his suit of intricately crafted leather armor, it seemed that this man was a young noble who hailed from an affluent family. There was a slightly mischievous look in his shimmering, golden eyes, and his facial features were so beautiful and delicate that even other men couldn''t help but stare. If a woman were to see him, they would most likely instantly fall head over heels for the dashing young man.


    Even though Erwin knew exactly who this was, he still couldn''t help but be stunned by the person standing before him.


    Larwood and Chase weren''t idiots, and they also immediately realized who this was. As such, they were placed in a rather difficult situation, wondering whether it was appropriate to bow or not.


    Onean remained silent as he looked at the three of them with an amused expression.


    "Ah, what are you doing here, Cousin? Aren''t you resting in the carriage to recover from your injuries?" Erwin hurriedly said as he communicated wordlessly with Chase and Larwood using his eyes.


    "Oh, so this is your cousin, Erwin. You should''ve introduced him to us sooner," Chase complained with a sly smile, then turned to Onean as he continued, "I''m around the same age as Erwin, so can I call you Cousin as well?"


    "Ah, that''s right, I''m also around the same age as Erwin. Nice to meet you, Cousin," Larwood hurriedly chimed in.


    Onean''s amused smile was becoming more pronounced, but she continued to remain silent.


    Right at this moment, Kaiba just so happened to have completed his trip around the campsite, and he made his way over to Erwin''s trio with a pleased expression. He then noticed that the three of them were standing around an unknown man, and a curious look appeared on his face.


    "Oh, I''m glad you''re here, Kaiba. I have something to speak to you about," Chase said as he gave Larwood a subtle look.


    "Ah, yes, that''s right, we were just discussing what we were going to do with the hide of these Falcon Beak Lizards. The problem is that we don''t have anyone killed in forging," Larwood said as he dragged Kaiba away.


    The two of them were eager to leave Erwin alone with Onean, so they quickly tried to sneak away. They could interrogate Erwin about what happened after the event, but they definitely weren''t going to spoil the moment with their presence, particularly when in the company of someone of as lofty a status as Princess Onean.


    "Who''s this?" Kaiba didn''t want to be led away, and he insisted on approaching the unknown man to take a look at who he was. As a result, he ended up in the same awkward predicament as Erwin''s trio had been in, and he was left ruing his decision to try and satisfy his own curiosity.


    He turned to find Chase and Larwood both glaring at him with displeased expressions that said: "are you happy now?".


    Chase put on a smile as he introduced, "This is Erwin''s cousin."


    "Hey, can''t you guys tell that Erwin''s cousin has something important to discuss with him? Let''s get out of here so they can talk to each other in peace," Larwood complained.


    "Ah, I see. Hello, Cousin. My sincerest apologies for interrupting your conversation. Please continue," Kaiba hurriedly said as he turned to "Erwin''s cousin" with a fawning smile.


    After that, he grabbed Larwood by the arm before walking away, putting on a serious expression as he said, "You were saying that we don''t have anyone skilled in forging in our legion, right? If that''s the case, then I think..."


    Chase certainly wasn''t going to be left behind, and he immediately joined the discussion.


    "After the war, all four of you should sign up to become actors in stageplays!" Onean finally burst into laughter as she watched Larwood''s trio depart into the distance.


    "Looks like the magic potion was very effective, seeing as you''re already able to get up and walk around now," Erwin said as he carefully inspected Onean''s condition, upon which he discovered that the complexion of her face and lips had improved significantly.


    "I''m afraid I still can''t do much more than walking around at the moment," Onean said with a wry smile.


    She was then silent for a moment before continuing, "Thank you for what you did."


    "There''s no need to thank me. If you hadn''t used your Springlay Fox bone marrow potion on me, you would already be fully recovered by now. Besides, I didn''t really do much anyway," Erwin replied with a slightly bashful smile. "I''m sure you''ve already heard about what happened. If I hadn''t been so greedy at the time, we could''ve retreated with just one or two carcasses, and that would''ve still been enough for the magic potion."


    Onean shook her head in response. "I''m not referring to that, I''m thanking you for allowing me to come with you to the front lines in Burmen."


    "Well, you said it yourself: there are a lot of volatile factors in this war between our two nations," Erwin said as he raised his head to look up at the stars. "Besides, it would be a real pity if you were absent from such a significant occasion."

 CH 36.1

    Due to the fact that the Four Winds mercenary legion was delayed at the twin Reydnold Mountains for a day, King Cameron''s army had already continued northward by the time they arrived at Windmetal Fort, and most of the mercenary legions had also already departed.


    Speaking of Windmetal Fort, that was the southernmost fort of the province of Burmen, so it could also be said that this fort was the gateway to the king''s province. As such, it was an important location that connected the north to the south, and all of the supplies needed for this war had to be transported through this place. Furthermore, Windmetal Fort was rich in iron ore, so it was also known for its production of armor and weapons. Most of the military equipment used by Prince Lazaar''s elite soldiers was produced in this place.


    With Burmen prospering under Prince Lazaar''s leadership, Windmetal Fort had already been transformed into quite a sizable military fort, as opposed to the small fort that only provided military equipment.


    Even King Cameron couldn''t help but praise Prince Lazaar for the work he had done while passing through Windmetal Fort with the regular army. All of the important sections that had different designated purposes had all been split up, and the layout of the entire fort made it extremely compact and efficient.


    The barracks in the city had already been expanded on many occasions, and at the moment, it was able to house around 50,000 to 60,000 soldiers. Seeing as King Cameron''s army had already continued northward, the barracks were looking quite empty, with only several straggling mercenary legions left behind.


    Most of the Four Winds mercenary legion was commanded to stay in the barracks, and Sherry and Lanyon were assigned to supervise them on a temporary basis. After that, Erwin, Larwood, Chase, Kaiba, and Onean headed to the forging site in the city with the carts full of Falcon Beak Lizard hide, accompanied by around 10 strong and burly mercenaries.


    On this day, Onean was wearing a suit of light leather armor and a dark brown hat. Several locks of her short chestnut hair were trailing out from under the hat, and they were giving off a faint sheen under the light of the dying sun. No matter how one looked at them, there was simply no resemblance between Erwin and this "cousin" of his.


    Due to the unfolding war between the two kingdoms, large quantities of military equipment were required on the front lines, so business was absolutely booming for the blacksmith forges in the city, so much so that they were unable to keep up with the massive demand. Thus, no one wanted to take on a small job like theirs. Furthermore, simple jobs like this, which only involved cutting and sewing together beast hides, weren''t very profitable, either, and that made it even more difficult to find someone who would take on the job.


    Chase finally managed to track down a forge that didn''t immediately turn down the job, but they were only willing to take on the job at a far higher price than normal. Given the current labor shortages and the urgency with which the Four Winds mercenary legion needed these suits of armor, it made sense that the price had to be raised.


    After issuing the deposit and deciding on a time to pick up the goods with the owner of the forge, everyone could only exchange resigned looks with one another. They had to spend quite a bit extra to get the job done, but it was a necessary expenditure. In this situation, they couldn''t help but think about just how important wealth was. In contrast with money, things like status and rank were nowhere near as versatile.


    "Oh, where did you get so many Falcon Beak Lizard hides from? These things are fantastic for crafting armor." A rugged square-faced man casually picked up some pieces of lizard hides from the cart before playing with them while taking a glance at Erwin and his friends, who were just about to depart from the forge.


    The square-faced man had tall cheekbones, and his cheeks were riddled with scars of different lengths. It was clear from his appearance alone that he wasn''t a pleasant man.


    Erwin and the others didn''t want any trouble, so they simply ignored him and continued to depart. However, the square-faced man stomped a foot against the wall beside him, using his leg as a barricade to stop Erwin and his friends cold in their tracks. At the same time, several burly subordinates emerged from behind him, and all of them were clad in heavy armor and wielding sharp blades.


    Erwin and his friends were used to being menaces back in Sarus, so this was a very familiar situation to them, except the roles were usually reversed.


    "I haven''t finished speaking yet! Why are you in such a hurry to go?" The square-faced man spat a thick globule of phlegm onto the ground, then continued, "These Falcon Beak Lizard hides look really nice. Once you get them forged into armor, would you be able to lend me a few dozen suits?"


    Overall, the man was speaking in a relatively polite fashion, but it was clear that his intentions weren''t to borrow as much as they were to steal.


    "Who the hell do you think you are? Why should we lend you our suits of armor?" Chase asked in a hostile voice.


    "Hey, did you guys hear that? He just asked me who I am?" The square-faced man turned around to look at his subordinates as he guffawed with mirth.


    Sinister smiles also appeared on the faces of his subordinates, and they quickly sprang into action, surrounding Erwin''s group in the blink of an eye.


    As a result, the dozen or so mercenaries who were accompanying Erwin and the others were separated from their leaders. They could see that the men who had surrounded their leaders clearly had less than friendly intentions, and they immediately drew their weapons before surrounding the square-faced man and his group, preparing to strike at any moment should the conflict escalate into a physical altercation.


    However, the square-faced man and his subordinates didn''t even bother to turn around to look at the mercenaries, and it was clear that they weren''t fazed at all by the fact that they had been surrounded.


    A burly man with a pair of narrow slits for eyes stepped forward as he said, "I''m only going to tell you this once, so you better listen up carefully. This here is the commander of our Wolf Moon mercenary legion, Master Talan."


    "Never heard of him, but he sounds like a douchebag," Chase scoffed. "And what''s this about a Wolf Moon mercenary legion? Take a good look at yourselves! You look more like the Stray Dogs mercenary legion! Get the fuck out of my way before I pummel all of your faces into a pulp!"


    The mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion all burst into raucous laughter upon hearing this.


    "You''re one to talk, you fat pig! You''re going to regret talking trash to me!" the narrow-eyed man said in a furious voice.


    "Fat pig? I''m just trying to help you out! If I don''t make myself a bigger target, how are you going to be able to see me out of those squinty little eyes?" Chase countered in an amused voice.


    The mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion were laughing even louder upon hearing this, as were Erwin and his friends, and even Onean was barely able to contain her amusement.


    The narrow-eyed man became even more furious upon being insulted again, but even his own fellow companions were struggling to contain their laughter.


    At this point, Talan''s expression had completely darkened, and a cold look surfaced in his eyes as he snapped his fingers, upon which two groups of people rushed out from a nearby street. All of them were also clad in the same suits of heavy armor as Talan and his subordinates.


    There were several dozen of them in total, and they surrounded the members of the Four Winds mercenary legion. The layers of encirclements presented a rather comical sight to behold, but it was clear that the Four Winds mercenary legion was at a disadvantage here.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the square-faced man by the name of Talan, then dragged Onean behind him to shield her with his body. He had a feeling that a fight was going to be unavoidable here.


    Erwin and his friends were quite accustomed to the occasional brawl or scuffle between several people, but they had never been involved in a fight with such large numbers. At the same time, they couldn''t help but wonder who these people were and why they were being so aggressive.


    Not only were they in a public setting, they were situated in the important military fort that was Windmetal Fort, and the Effer Kingdom was currently at war against the Skycourt Kingdom. If the department of military affairs were to learn that this Wolf Moon mercenary legion was attacking allied mercenaries, they could easily be punished as traitors to the kingdom. Thus, Erwin and his friends were struggling to understand why these people were being so reckless and overbearing.


    "Hold on, I think I remember who they are now. I''ve heard of this Wolf Moon mercenary legion. Most of the legion consists of escaped convicts and bandits. I don''t know how they managed to do it, but they somehow got approved to become an official mercenary legion. Also, I recall that their legion is quite a large one, with over 1,500 mercenaries," Kaiba said in a quiet voice.


    "How could such a mercenary legion possibly exist?" Erwin exclaimed in a low voice.


    "The kingdom is at war, so it''s desperate for troops, even if they''re convicts and bandits. Now that you mention it, I also recall hearing about this mercenary legion. I think I saw their information when I was registering our mercenary legion at the department of military affairs," Larwood said.


    "How could these people be so brazen? They''re trying to steal our stuff out in the open in the middle of the day!" Chase exclaimed. "Do they think that the department of military affairs will just allow this? If we take this to the department of military affairs, won''t they be punished as traitors of the kingdom?"


    "They''re all convicts and bandits who are used to defying authority anyway, so they''re no stranger to being hunted. Do they look like they''re worried that we''ll take this matter to the department of military affairs?" Kaiba said as he rolled his eyes at Chase. "If worse comes to worst for them, they could just return to their lives on the run as escaped convicts."


    "Haven''t you guys noticed that they''ve been following us ever since we came out of the campsite?" Onean said with a wary expression.


    "I see. So they were onto us from the very beginning because they think they can beat us with their advantage in numbers," Erwin said in a cold voice.


    "How long are you going to keep mumbling for? Let me ask you this again: are you going to give us the suits of armor or not?" Talan asked with a cold smile. Prior to this, he had been keeping up an amicable facade by pretending to borrow the suits of armor, but he wasn''t even bothering to keep up those pretenses anymore.


    "What are you going to do if we refuse? Are you going to attack us here?" Larwood asked with a disdainful expression. "I don''t think you have the guts to do it!"


    However, Larwood was quickly proven wrong.


    With a wave of Talan''s hand, all of the mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion drew their blades in unison.


    "Prepare for battle!" Larwood immediately yelled upon seeing this.


    A battle quickly ensued between the two mercenary legions, and as soon as the two sides clashed, Erwin discovered that these people really weren''t just ordinary thugs and hoodlums. All of them were extremely agile and vicious with their attacks, and it was clear that they were all seasoned warriors. In addition to that, they had an absolute advantage in numbers and equipment, so the dozen or so mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion were quickly incapacitated.


    Meanwhile, Erwin and his friends also found themselves in a very perilous situation. Larwood, Kaiba, and Chase were fighting against the narrow-eyed man and Talan''s other subordinates. Due to the fact that they were at a disadvantage in numbers, they could only passively defend themselves. To compound their woes even further, their opponents were far more vicious and ruthless than the young nobles they were used to fighting. Every single one of their attacks was aimed at their opponents'' vital regions, and there was no flair or panache to their martial techniques, but they were all extremely practical and dangerous. As a result, Larwood''s trio had to be extra careful. In a fight, the worst opponents to come up with were ones like these, who fought with a similar style to Larwood''s trio, except they had been dabbling in this style for far longer than Larwood and the others had.


    Meanwhile, the commander of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, Talan, charged directly toward Erwin, while two of the subordinates behind him set their sights on Onean.

 CH 36.2

    In a relatively confined area like this alleyway, magicians would find themselves at a severe disadvantage against martial artists. If Erwin were on his own, he would''ve used a combination of instant-release spells and space split techniques to open up some distance between himself and Talan, but Onean still hadn''t fully recovered from her injuries yet, so it felt too dangerous to leave her to face two martial artists on her own.


    Thus, Erwin engaged Talan in battle while making sure to not stray too far away from Onean. As a result, he was willingly placing himself at a disadvantage, and it was already becoming quite a struggle. What made things even worse for Erwin was that as the leader of a mercenary legion of convicts and bandits, Talan was naturally one of the most powerful warriors of the entire legion, which already made him a very tough opponent for Erwin.


    What Erwin was unable to understand was why Talan had insisted on picking him out as his opponent.


    It was clear to everyone that Larwood was the commander of their mercenary legion, and Chase was the one who had hurled all of the insults at Talan and his subordinates just now, so Erwin couldn''t understand why he was the one being targeted.


    "I recognize you, Erwin Friar," Talan said as a sinister smile appeared on his face. "I saw you during the Pillow Sword Tournament."


    Erwin was very surprised to hear this. If he recognizes me, then I''m sure he''s aware of who everyone else in my group is as well, so why is it that he still dares to attack us like this? Just how brazen are these bandits? I bet if they knew that the princess was with us, they''d immediately seize her and try to extort the king!


    "Didn''t you put on a really good show during the Pillow Sword Tournament?" Talan said with a disdainful expression as he suddenly stopped cold in his tracks. "Let''s see if you can take my three killing strikes!"


    All of a sudden, a burst of cold killing intent descended upon the entire area.


    Prior to this, Talan and Erwin had only been throwing figurative jabs at one another, but it was clear that Talan was serious about taking Erwin''s life now.


    The first attack from Talan was like imbued with incredibly overbearing power, and it seemed to be capable of slicing entire rivers in half.


    A grim look appeared on Erwin''s face at the sight of the attack, and he unleashed around a dozen ice spears in rapid succession while quickly retreating until his back came into contact with Onean''s back, following which he conjured up his light shield to encompass both of them.


    "Are you alright?" Erwin asked in a concerned voice.


    Onean was panting slightly as she replied, "I should have no trouble dealing with these two."


    Thump! Talan''s devastating strike crashed through the oncoming ice spears before striking the outer wall of the light shield. The attack was so powerful that Erwin''s vision darkened momentarily, and stars began to dance in front of his eyes.


    "Are you pulling out your signature trump card already?" A cold smile appeared on Talan''s face, and he cast his gaze toward his two subordinates who were attacking Onean, wordlessly communicating with them not to get involved. The two subordinates exchanged a glance, then turned to join their companions in attacking Larwood''s trio.


    Meanwhile, Talan had already leaped up into the air and was about to unleash his second attack.


    In the face of his almighty blade, it seemed that even mountains would crumble into a heap of rubble.


    From Erwin''s perspective, this wasn''t a single attack. Instead, it was around a dozen bursts of blade intent layered on top of one another. Onean could only look on from inside the light shield as the attack came crashing down toward them. She desperately wanted to do something, but she was completely powerless.


    The dozen or so layers of blade intent were imbued with all types of chaotic energy that surged directly into the light shield, causing Erwin''s stamina and magic power to seep rapidly out of his body, and he was struck by that same sense of dizziness once again.


    Even as blood began to flow out of Erwin''s nose and the corners of his lips, he continued to stare intently at Talan from within the light shield with an unyielding gaze.


    A derisive sneer appeared on Talan''s face as he tightened his grip around his blade, preparing to unleash the third attack to put an end to the battle.


    Right at this moment, a furious voice rang out from the corner of the street. "Stop! What the hell do you think you''re doing?"


    A man in a suit of intricately crafted silver armor rose up into mid-air, then landed directly between Erwin and Talan. He then slammed the butt of his spear violently onto the ground with a resounding thud, then continued in a thunderous voice, "If you don''t stop right now, none of you are going to leave this place alive today!"


    The two sides were locked in a fierce battle, but everyone stopped cold in their tracks upon hearing this authoritative voice.


    Immediately thereafter, two lines of silver-armored guards rushed over in an orderly formation with cold looks on their faces as they sized up the two brawling parties. Erwin instantly identified their equipment as standard issues given to the official soldiers of the Effer Kingdom.


    "Ah, what brings you here, established city guardians?" Talan asked in an indifferent voice while giving his subordinates a subtle look, and all of them retreated a few steps, thereby opening up some distance between themselves and Larwood''s trio.


    Seeing as the situation had been defused, Erwin withdrew his light shield, and all of the chaotic energy from Talan''s attacks instantly surged into his body, making his blood churn and causing all of his meridians to throb with pain. He swayed unsteadily on his feet, then coughed before throwing up a large mouthful of blood.


    Onean immediately grabbed onto his arm to steady him with a concerned look in her eyes.


    Erwin wiped away the blood from the corners of his lips, and his gaze was still fixed firmly on Talan as he gave him a cold smile.


    "What brings me here? If I didn''t come here, there would be murder being committed on my territory!" the city guardian said as he glared at Talan. "Is this what your Wolf Moon mercenary legion is all about? I haven''t seen you fight any soldiers from the Skycourt Kingdom, but you sure are doing a good job fighting your own allies!"


    "We were just passing through this place, and I wanted to borrow some pieces of equipment from our friends here. However, we got into an argument, and that turned into a fight. I apologize for any trouble we may have caused," Talan said in a completely shameless manner.


    Back in Sarus, Erwin and his friends were known for their shamelessness among all of the young nobles in the city, but couldn''t even begin to compare to this scumbag!


    Larwood immediately spat onto the ground with a furious expression. "You weren''t trying to borrow anything from us, you were trying to steal! I''m telling you, this isn''t the end of this! I''m going to take this matter to the department of military affairs and have them take care of this!"


    "Aw, are you gonna go cry to the department of military affairs wike a wittle baby? I bet you can''t do anything without that duke you have as a father," Talan said with a mocking sneer as he swept a derisive gaze across the group of young nobles before him. "All you do is depend on your fathers to take care of everything for you. You can''t do anything on your own!"


    Erwin and the others were very surprised to hear this. They were already stunned that Talan was willing to attack them at the risk of being labeled as traitors by the department of military affairs, and their astonishment was compounded even further upon learning that Talan knew who their fathers were.


    "That''s enough!" the city guardian yelled. "Do you really think no one can do anything to you, Talan? Do you think the city guardians are afraid of your Wolf Moon mercenary legion? I think I should just kill all of you right here so you don''t go causing any more trouble!"


    The two lines of city guardians immediately fanned out upon hearing this, then directed their spears forward in unison as they glowered at the members of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion with threatening expressions.


    Erwin couldn''t help but be impressed by the decisiveness of the city guardians upon seeing this.


    "With all due respect, you''re making a big deal out of nothing," Talan said with a fawning smile. "We would never dare to commit any crimes on your territory!"


    He was saying this both to the city guardians, as well as for Erwin and his friends to hear. This was a barely concealed threat to Erwin and the others, telling them that there was going to be a continuation to this feud once they left Windmetal Fort.


    "You wouldn''t dare to commit any crimes on my territory? Then what were you doing just now? Do you want to go back to being a bunch of bandits and convicts?" The city guardian was completely unconvinced. "I''ll be reporting this to the department of military affairs for sure, so you better pray for yourselves in the meantime."


    "That''s understandable. I''ll be taking my leave then," Talan said with a smile, seemingly completely unfazed by the threat that had just been made against him. As he turned to depart, he waved a hand toward his subordinates, and they immediately followed along behind him.


    "Get out of my sight right now! Take your people and piss off! If I see you again in my territory, I''m not going to be so lenient next time," the city guardian said with a dismissive wave of his hand without even taking a glance at the group of bandits.


    Thus, Talan casually departed with the members of the Moon Wolf mercenary legion. As they were leaving, the narrow-eyed man took a gloating look at Chase.


    Erwin turned to Larwood and the others to find that they weren''t in much better condition than he was. All of them had been beaten black and blue, and their bodies were riddled with gashes of different sizes.


    "I''ve never seen anyone so shameless!" Chase said in a resentful voice. "Why don''t they fight me one-on-one instead of ganging up on us? How do they not feel embarrassed when they''re talking trash?"


    "Are you alright?" the city guardian asked as he took an indifferent glance at Erwin and the others.


    "We''ll be fine," Larwood replied as he looked back at the city guardian.


    The city guardian nodded in response, then turned and departed with the other city guardians in silence.


    "Wow, this city guardian is quite an interesting character as well. He''s going to leave just like that? I thought he would at least offer to treat our injuries or something," Chase said with a surprised expression as he watched the departing city guardians.


    "Keep dreaming! We''re in Burmen right now, no one cares about nobles like us who come from Sarus," Kaiba said as he dusted himself off. "The fact that we''re not with the main army tells them that we''re just a bunch of young nobles starting a mercenary legion on a whim, so there''s no need for them to suck up to us. If that bastard from earlier hadn''t revealed our backgrounds, the city guardians may not even have bothered to step in at all!"


    "If I''m not mistaken, that man is not just some ordinary city guardian. Instead, he''s one of Lazaar''s most trusted subordinates and the mayor of Windmetal Fort, Jayson Young," Onean suddenly said.


    That explained why he didn''t view Erwin and his friends in high regard at all. Someone like him had climbed all the way to his current rank by accumulating accolades on the battlefield, so he naturally wasn''t going to acknowledge a few young nobles who owed everything to their lineage.


    "I think I''ve heard of that name before. Jayson Young is supposed to be the spear god of Burmen, isn''t he?" Larwood said as a hint of recognition surfaced in his eyes.


    "That makes sense. As soon as he arrived, Talan immediately cleaned up his act. It''s clear that even he is quite wary of Jayson," Kaiba remarked.


    "In contrast with this so-called spear god, I think Talan is someone we should be much more worried about. I almost wasn''t able to withstand those two attacks from him," Erwin said with a wry smile.


    "Judging from what he said earlier, it seems like he''s planning to take this matter even further from here," Larwood said in a cold voice.


    "Surely they wouldn''t dare to..." Chase''s voice trailed off before he could finish his own sentence. Talan''s Wolf Moon mercenary legion was a legion of brazen bandits and convicts, so there really wasn''t anything that they wouldn''t dare to do.


    Onean was trying to keep her own identity secret, so she didn''t offer any remarks on Talan and his mercenary legion in this public setting.

 CH 37

    Erwin and the others loaded the dozen or so unconscious mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion onto a couple of carts, then wheeled them back to the campsite.


    As soon as they returned, they were approached by Sherry and Lanyon, both of whom wore grim expressions.


    "What happened?" Larwood asked as he cast his gaze toward the two of them.


    "A lot of people came by just now, and their leader said..." Sherry hesitated momentarily as he looked at Erwin and the others, then continued, "They told us to look out, and that they''re going to hunt us down once we leave Windmetal Fort."


    "It''s those bastards again! Are they never going to let this go?" Erwin was furious.


    "Did something happen, Master Erwin?" Lanyon asked in a concerned voice.


    "We went to forge some suits of Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor, but those bastards had their eyes on us ever since we arrived in Windmetal Fort, and they wanted to take our suits of armor," Erwin replied with an enraged expression. "Obviously, we weren''t going to allow them to do that, so we already had a fight with them earlier."


    Only now did Sherry and Lanyon understand why there were unconscious mercenaries that had been wheeled back to camp.


    "Take them away and get their injuries treated as soon as possible. I can see that several of them have sustained very severe injuries. Some of them even have broken ribs, which need to be treated right away," Larwood instructed with tightly furrowed brows.


    Sherry and Lanyon immediately organized some people to carefully unload the unconscious mercenaries from the carts.


    "You''re one to talk. Take a look at yourselves! Your faces are so swollen I can barely recognize you anymore," Erwin chuckled.


    "I have some magic potions for treating external injuries. Wait here, I''ll go get the potions now," Onean said, then began to make her way toward her own carriage.


    "What a generous ''cousin'' you have, Erwin," Kaiba said as he looked on at Onean''s departing figure with a slightly slack-jawed expression.


    "Indeed, what a great person he is," Chase also sighed as he cast his gaze toward Onean.


    "That''s not what you said when you were blaming me for taking him with us," Erwin scoffed with a disdainful expression.


    "You should be saying that Larwood! He was the one most opposed to taking your cousin with us! I don''t think he deserves to use your cousin''s magic potion," Kaiba countered.


    "How can you guys still be joking around at a time like this?" Larwood complained. "We''re being targeted by a bunch of bandits and convicts who will stoop to anything to get their way, and they outnumber us three to one!"


    "They''re definitely not just going to let things slide so easily," Erwin said as he put on a serious expression. "I think we need to make preparations to deal with them over the long haul."


    "I agree," Larwood replied with a nod. "How about this? Once we leave Windmetal Fort tomorrow, we''ll get Georgina to set off with the assassins in our mercenary legion as scouts. They all excel in speed, and if they discover any mercenaries from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, they''ll be able to report back to us. That way, we''ll at least be somewhat prepared."


    "I could tell that Talan was trying to kill me with his final attack," Erwin said in a cold voice, and his eyes were burning with fury. "If you ask me, if we want to deal with people like them, there are only two options: either we stay far away from them, or we..."


    "Or we round them all up and kill them in one go," Larwood said with a cold smile, finishing Erwin''s sentence for him.


    Chase and Kaiba exchanged a glance upon hearing this, then looked back at the cold and determined looks on Larwood and Erwin''s faces before nodding in agreement.


    ...


    The suits of Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor were finally delivered to the campsite near nighttime. Looking at the shiny suits of scale armor, Erwin and his friends were extremely pleased. After all, these suits of armor had not been easy to come by. Setting aside the perilous storm that they had weathered in the Terarody Mountain Ranges, they had made an enemy out of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion as well over these suits of armor.


    Of course, their contentment was also marred by a slight sense of bitterness as it had cost them over 1,000 Loonies just to have the Falcon Beak Lizard hides made into these suits of armor.


    Larwood began distributing these dozens of suits of armor among the mercenaries on the campsite, and the armor was handed out according to everyone''s performance during the selection process for the martial artists. Those who had excelled during those trials naturally received this privilege, while those who missed out could only lament their own ill-fortune.


    Meanwhile, Erwin made his way over to Onean''s carriage as he recalled that there was something he still hadn''t spoken to her about.


    As soon as Erwin entered the carriage, he saw Onean with her arms crossed and a furious look on her face. "I''ve truly seen it all now! I can''t believe there are mercenary legions like this that are filled with bandits and convicts! Have those idiots from the department of military affairs been bribed to the point that they can''t even think straight anymore?"


    "That''s why we''ve decided to find an opportunity in the future to kill all 1,500 mercenaries in that legion," Erwin said with a smile.


    "You''re not someone who can ever just swallow a bitter pill without retaliation, so it''d be a miracle if you didn''t decide to go after them," Onean said with a displeased pout.


    Erwin couldn''t help but chuckle upon hearing this.


    "Also, that Larwood appears to be quite a decisive and ruthless character as well. When you two are together, you''re even more terrifying than a mercenary legion of bandits and convicts!" Onean jeered.


    "Technically, does this count as a public service?" Erwin mused with a self-deprecating expression.


    "That sounds about right. They''re not planning to let you go, and you''re not planning to let them live, either, so you''re both on the same page! Isn''t that perfect?" Onean asked with a smile.


    "That''s true," Erwin replied with a nod.


    "Having said that, I feel like you and Larwood are really determined to kill them. It feels to me like there are other underlying reasons motivating you other than revenge, right?" Onean asked as she gave Erwin a meaningful look.


    "You really are sharper than a well-sharpened knife," Erwin said with a wry smile. "With the amount of money that we currently have on hand, we won''t be able to support the costs of this mercenary legion for much longer. A band of convicts and bandits will definitely be carrying tons of money, so they''re a perfect target."


    "You really are no different from those bandits and convicts that you''re targeting," Onean jibed with an amused expression. "If this matter gets taken to the department of military affairs, I don''t think you''ll be able to get away with it."


    "We''ll just have to make sure to kill them all so none of them can tell others what happened," Erwin said in an indifferent voice.


    Onean faltered slightly upon hearing this, then said, "Aren''t we severely outnumbered by the Wolf Moon mercenary legion? How are you going to make sure that you can kill all of them without anyone getting away?"


    "We''ll definitely be able to find an opportunity eventually," Erwin replied.


    Onean nodded in response.


    "By the way, there''s something that I have to speak to you about." Only now did he recall that he had come to Onean''s carriage with a purpose.


    "The route that we''re taking is different from that of the main army. Once we leave Windmetal Fort tomorrow, we''re going to go east until we reach the coastline of the Joffan Sea, then follow the coastline northward from there," Erwin said as he looked at Onean.


    "Why? Shouldn''t you be traveling directly to the capital city of Burmen, Newen?" Onean asked with a perplexed expression.


    "We''re only a small mercenary legion with 500 people. If we follow the main army northward, we''re not going to be able to reap any rewards. Eventually, our funds are going to run out, and we won''t be able to support the costs of the mercenary legion any longer," Erwin replied with a resigned expression. "At the moment, the regular army of the Skycourt Kingdom is being kept at bay by Prince Lazaar outside Illingburn Fort, and many of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenary legions have begun to travel south along the coastline due to the same financial reasons. Hence, we''re planning to travel north along the eastern coastline to try our luck there."


    "Alright, then I wish you good luck," Onean said in an indifferent voice.


    "Does this mean this is where we part ways?" Erwin asked as he took a glance at her.


    "You know my objective for this trip," Onean replied. "I don''t have the time to be taking long-winded routes for monetary profit."


    "I get that you''re concerned about your father and the state of the kingdom, but you''re in terrible physical condition right now!" Erwin countered in a concerned voice. "You had so much trouble dealing with those two mercenaries from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, I''m genuinely worried that you''ll be killed before you even make it to the front lines."


    "Oh? Are you looking down on me?" Onean asked with a derisive sneer. "I may not be in peak condition right now, but I can still incapacitate you with a wave of my hand! Do you want to try me?"


    "No, there''s no need for that. Of course I know that you can take care of me easily, but..." Erwin raised his hands, seemingly in resignation and apology, but all of a sudden, he unleashed an instant-release paralysis spell directly toward Onean.


    Onean was caught completely off guard by the sneak attack, and she was completely immobilized, leaving her only able to glower at Erwin with a furious look in her golden eyes.


    "Don''t look at me like that, Your Highness, you leave me with no choice," Erwin sighed. "Talan and his subordinates have already seen what you look like, so there''s no way I can feel comfortable with allowing you to travel to the front lines alone. Also, I promised to take you to the front lines with me. If you go off on your own now and something happens to you in the future, my conscience will never be able to get over it."


    Judging from the slight trembling of Onean''s body, it was clear that she was trying with all her might to overcome the paralysis effect of the spell. This was only an instant-release spell, so under normal circumstances, Onean should''ve been able to break through it right away with her exceptional magic power.


    It was clear that just as Erwin had said, she still hadn''t recovered to full health, so her magic power was yet to completely recover as well. This was something that Erwin had already identified during the fight against Talan and his subordinates earlier in the day.


    He gently laid Onean down onto her bed, then began to take off her clothes in a well-rehearsed manner.


    The fury in Onean''s eyes became even more pronounced, and she looked as if she wanted nothing more than to skin Erwin alive.


    "Stop trying to resist! I just want to take a look at your wounds," Erwin said as he gave her a stern glance.


    However, Onean certainly wasn''t just going to let him have his way. Her cheeks quickly became heavily flushed, and it was clear that she was still trying to use her magic power to overcome her restrictions.


    "Tsk, why are you so stubborn?" Erwin gave her another stern glare, then pulled out a coil of thin golden rope from his sleeve.


    Onean was even more furious to see this, to the point that she was struck with a sense of surrealism. It was clear from his preparations that this had been Erwin''s plan from the very beginning. She was the princess of the Effer Kingdom and the most cherished child of King Cameron. Throughout her life thus far, she had always been revered by the masses, and never had she been manhandled like this. It could be said that the first time she had ever been disgraced was when Erwin had rolled over and pressed his own body on top of hers. However, he was going even further this time by trying her up! This was such a ridiculous situation to her that she was struggling to fathom it to be reality.


    However, Erwin paid no heed to what she was thinking, and he rolled her body over quickly before tying her up in an efficient manner.


    Onean had never been humiliated like this before, and she was drawing upon all of the magic power in her entire body to try and struggle free. However, all of the magic power she was able to muster up was somehow absorbed by the rope, leaving her completely powerless.


    "That''s enough, stop struggling!" Erwin was overcome by a rather strange feeling as he said this, almost as if he were the dominant party in a BDSM relationship.


    As Erwin turned Onean''s body back around so that she was lying on her back, he was given a massive fright by the hollow and murderous look in her eyes. It was like the look of a lioness that was watching its prey, waiting for an opportunity to pounce.


    "I already told you that I''m just going to take a look at your wounds. Why do you think of me as someone so evil? Besides, it''s not like I haven''t seen what''s under your clothes before this," Erwin sighed with an exasperated expression, then carefully lifted up a small section of Onean''s clothes to reveal her stomach. In a rare display of restraint, he didn''t go any further than that.


    However, Onean certainly wasn''t going to be grateful for his restraint. If she could release spells from her furious golden eyes, then Erwin would''ve already been killed on the spot dozens of times.


    "Looks like the wounds haven''t opened up again," Erwin said as he heaved a faint sigh of relief while examining Onean''s stomach. After that, he gently lowered her clothes back down over her stomach.


    The fury in Onean''s eyes abated slightly upon realizing that Erwin really was only going to inspect her wounds and do nothing else. Of course, if she were physically capable of killing Erwin at this moment, then she would''ve done so without any hesitation.

 CH 38

    "Now that those bandits and convicts are onto us, keeping you with the mercenary legion isn''t necessarily a very safe option. However, given your physical condition and the dangerous times that we''re currently in, I can''t allow you to head north on your own without any protection," Erwin said to himself, paying no heed to the fact that Onean was unable to reply due to her paralysis. "How about this? I had a look at the map earlier, and several dozen kilometers east of here is the city of Haggardy. If we head northeast along the coastline from Haggardy, we''ll reach the city of Xeto in several dozen more kilometers, and once we get there, there will be a provincial road that leads directly to Newen. Once we reach that point, I presume you''ll have mostly recovered from your injuries, so when the time comes, you''re free to go anywhere you please, and I won''t stop you, is that alright?"


    Erwin turned to Onean as he spoke to gauge her reaction.


    However, Onean didn''t want to expend any more emotional energy, and she closed her eyes and refused to look at him, not wanting to look at the face of her brazen captor any longer.


    "I don''t know what you were getting so worked up for. Am I the type of person who would take advantage of you in that situation?" This was a rather shameless statement from Erwin. After all, he had taken advantage of Onean on multiple occasions in the past. He quickly realized this himself as well, and a sheepish smile appeared on his face as he chuckled, "Now that I think about it, I am that type of person, aren''t I?"


    Even though Onean was incapable of saying anything, she opened her eyes and glared at him with a vicious expression upon hearing what he had just said.


    Unbeknownst to Erwin, what Onean was truly enraged by was how conceited he had been in deciding to take matters into his own hands and making decisions on her behalf.


    All of a sudden, Erwin was struck by the urge to mess with Onean a little. "This is a special type of rope that''ll absorb any magic power that you try to use, so save your energy. I borrowed this thing from Kaiba, and he told me that he''s used it on many women in the past already."


    Onean merely looked back at Erwin with a cold expression.


    A faint smile appeared on Erwin''s face as he leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "However, I''m a gentleman who prefers to secure consent. Forcing yourself onto a woman isn''t anything to boast about, isn''t that right?"


    Onean continued to glare at him with a cold expression.


    It seemed that he had forgotten that the woman before him was the princess of the Effer Kingdom. Otherwise, he would''ve perhaps been more apprehensive about the potential consequences of his actions and words.


    Newen City, Burmen Province.


    Lana was standing on a tower in Prince Lazaar''s manor, and her long red hair was dancing wildly in the frosty wind. From her vantage point at the top of the tower, she could see the entire city of Newen. Even during times of war, the city was still as lively and bustling as ever. Prince Lazaar''s presence in the city inspired a great deal of confidence in the hearts of the common folk here, and in their eyes, it was only a matter of time before Prince Lazaar forced back the troops of the Skycourt Kingdom.


    This wasn''t only due to a sense of blind faith that all of the people of Burmen had toward Prince Lazaar. Many of them still remembered what the city of Newen had been like just seven or eight years ago. At the time, the city had been nothing more than a dilapidated town with a population of no more than 100,000. Its walls were in a state of severe disrepair, and magic beasts were often coming from the Terarody Mountain Ranges hundreds of kilometers away to terrorize the town''s citizens. Looking at the grand and majestic city that the once-dilapidated town had become and thinking back to how those terrifying magic beasts had been driven back to the mountains, everyone was full of praise for all of the exceptional work that Prince Lazaar had done over the years.


    Prince Lazaar''s manor had been built upon the foundation of the once decrepit Newen Fort. At the moment, it didn''t serve much of a practical purpose, but it had become an important landmark in the city.


    Several years ago, a trio of young children could often be seen playing on the top floor of the manor. Everyone would look up at the three young children playing on the tower in the manor, thanking the heavens for rewarding Prince Lazaar for his tireless efforts. In exchange for everything he had done for the province of Burmen, the heavens had blessed him with three children, all of whom were exceptional in their own right. Regardless of whether it was their appearance or their aptitude in martial arts and magic, all three of them were among the best in their generation.


    However, times had changed since then. Since Prince Lazaar''s return from Sarus, everyone had learned that his second son had been disfigured. He used to be so dreamily handsome that countless female servants of the manor couldn''t help but swoon at the mere sight of him. They were always looking for excuses to pass by his window, just so they could steal a few glances at the face of the man who regularly featured in their most romantic dreams.


    In his current state, Jeff was confined to a wheelchair, and most of his face had been ruined. The new flesh that was growing was spread unevenly over his face, presenting a ghastly sight that one couldn''t bear to look directly at. Thanks to Lana''s magic potions, he no longer needed to conceal his own face with bandages, but truth be told, it would perhaps be better if he continued to hide his own face.


    Lana took a glance at Jeff, who was seated beside her in his wheelchair. His head of glossy brown hair was completely gone at this point, and she couldn''t help but heave a forlorn sight at the sight of the mottled and disfigured skin on his scalp.


    "Stop being so sad all the time. I''m the one who was disfigured, not you," Jeff said in a calm voice as he cast his gaze toward the north, where he could just barely make out the Terarody Mountain Ranges, which stretched for as far as the eyes could see in all directions.


    Lana knew that her own glum mood was only making Jeff feel worse, and she was feeling quite guilty.


    "Compared with this face of mine, I''m far more disappointed to have lost everything I''ve worked so hard for my entire life," Jeff sighed. "Not only will I never be able to use a sword again, I can''t even feel my legs anymore."


    A surge of sorrow welled up in Lana''s heart upon hearing this, and she blinked vigorously to hold back the tears that were threatening to flow from her eyes.


    At the time, Jeff''s physical condition had been extremely terrible, so they had waited a few days before pulling out those silver needles from his spine. However, the parts of his spine that the silver needles had been driven into were extremely vital points, and they had been driven in very deep. Once the needles were removed, Jeff immediately felt his own bodily control deteriorating by the day, and his power also rapidly seeped out of his body. At this point, his lower body was completely immobile, and he had become a cripple in just a few days.


    For a cripple like him, there was no point in pursuing martial techniques any further. Even if he did, no matter how hard he worked, the power that he accumulated would inevitably seep out of the two wounds on his spine, so his efforts would be rendered completely futile.


    Recently, Lana had been reading through all types of magic potion books, working herself day and night to try and find a way to heal Jeff''s spine, but to no avail. In the end, even Jeff himself was telling her to give up on the futile endeavor.


    Right at this moment, a calm yet confident voice rang out from behind them. "Don''t worry, Jeff, your brother''s here for you."


    A tall and imposing man in a black fur coat made his way into the room, walking with the gait of an accomplished general. This man was none other than Prince Lazaar''s eldest son, Aiden.


    "Aiden, you''re finally back!" A wide smile appeared on Lana''s face as she dove headfirst into Aiden''s arms.


    This was the first time that she had smiled since her return from Sarus, but as soon as she was caught in Aiden''s embrace, her smile began to give way to broken sobs, and soon, she was bawling into his chest.


    Aiden stroked her back with a smile, then cast his gaze toward Jeff with no change in expression whatsoever, as if his brother hadn''t changed at all in his eyes.


    "Don''t cry, you''re making it look like you were sent to a torture chamber rather than on a trip to the capital city," Aiden teased. "Who''s got you so down in the dumps?"


    "There''s not a single good person in Sarus! All of them are shady bastards!" Lana replied in a hateful voice as she wiped at her own teary eyes.


    "Alright, then how about I get you to lead our troops to raze the capital city to the ground in the future? Will that be enough to please you?" Aiden consoled with a smile.


    This sounded like nothing more than a joke, but both Lana and Jeff were shocked to hear this.


    "Don''t go making jokes like that, Aiden," Lana complained with an amused pout as she squeezed Aiden''s arm, then said in a voice that was audible only to the three of them, "His Majesty has only recently set off from here, and there are still many of his informants hidden in the manor and in the city at the moment."


    Aiden smoothed down Lana''s slightly disheveled long hair, and his smile remained completely unchanged as if he hadn''t heard Lana''s cautionary words at all. "When have I ever lied to you?"


    "Has Father already made a decision?" Lana asked as she looked into Aiden''s eyes.


    Aiden nodded in response, then cast his gaze toward the mountains in the distance as he said in a low voice, "Father told me to make a trip to the barracks in Leeku."


    "He''s asking you to go to Leeku?" Jeff asked as he turned to Aiden with wide eyes.


    Aiden nodded in response, then squatted down before patting Jeff on the shoulder. Looking at Jeff''s horribly disfigured face, a murderous gleam flashed through his eyes as he said, "Don''t worry, Father and I aren''t just going to let this slide. All of those bastards in the capital will pay for what they did to you!"


    Jeff faltered slightly upon hearing this, then closed his eyes before heaving a long sigh.


    During these past few days, he had been keeping up a strong facade, but that was only in an attempt to lift Lana''s mood. He had been one of the most talented young martial artists of his generation not long ago, yet not only had he lost all of his powers, he had to face the brutal reality of having to live out the rest of his life as a wheelchair-bound cripple. In the face of such a ruthless tragedy, one could only imagine just how much courage it would take for Jeff to simply continue living.


    After hearing what Aiden had to say, Jeff tilted his head back to face the heavens as he closed his eyes, and tears began to flow down the irregular skin on his face. In that instant, it was as if his heart were already dead.


    Lana and Aiden couldn''t help but also be moved upon seeing this.


    The wind continued to blow, and the three of them stood on top of the tower as if they had returned to many years ago.


    "I see the winters in Newen are still as cold as ever. It''s been many years since the three of us have been able to stand together like this to look out at the scenery in the city," Aiden sighed with a reminiscent smile.


    "You barely come back now since you were given an official rank in the army," Lana complained with a displeased pout.


    "You''re right, it''s all my fault." Aiden turned to Lana with a smile before pinching her cheeks. It sounded like only a halfhearted joke, but in reality, he was feeling very guilty about what had happened to Jeff.


    Lana became even more displeased upon having her cheeks pinched, and she put on a menacing expression like a petulant kitten that was about to pounce.


    Jeff sat in his wheelchair and watched the two of them as a smile appeared on his face for the first time in a long time.


    After speaking with Jeff and Lana for a while, Aiden set off for the barracks in Leeku. This was a secret military base that even King Cameron didn''t know about, and it had been set up on an obscure mountain in the southern region of the Terarody Mountain Ranges. All of the soldiers stationed there were Prince Lazaard''s most trusted troops. These people were constantly by Prince Lazaar''s side. They knew what Prince Lazaar''s personality was like, and they were all extremely secretive about the location of the base.


    "The wind blowing out of those mountain ranges is extremely cold. I wonder if those nobles and royals from Sarus will be able to handle it," Lana suddenly said without any context as she looked out over the city with a cold smile on her face.


    Meanwhile, Aiden was speeding away into the distance from the manor, followed closely by two groups of white-robed magicians from the True Light Church.


    "I think what you''re actually wondering is if Erwin will be able to withstand the cold," Jeff said in a teasing voice.


    "Why would you mention him all of a sudden?" Lana whined with a displeased pout.


    "Well, he did steal a kiss from you, after all. I''m only expressing the concern that an elder brother should toward his sister," Jeff said with a serious expression.


    Upon hearing mention of that kiss during the Pillow Sword Tournament, Lana''s face instantly became flushed with embarrassment. "Hmph, I don''t want to talk to you anymore."


    She then turned to depart, but Jeff caught her by the wrist as he smiled and said, "On my desk, I have all of the reports from the army that came from Sarus."


    Lana hesitated momentarily upon hearing this, then replied with a carefree smile, "I''m not interested. When did you become the type to stick your nose into other people''s business like this?"


    "Alright, just pretend like I never said anything then," Jeff said as he released her.


    As Lana was descending from the top floor of the tower, she gradually disappeared into the shadows.


    Jeff looked on at her departing figure and heaved a faint sigh. "I know you too well, Lana. You''re not the type of person who can just get over something like this, but there''s nothing you can do even if you can''t get over him."

 CH 39

    Traveling east from Windmetal Fort to Haggardy, one would have to make the arduous trek through Feony Forest. Under normal circumstances, traveling through a route with such rough and uneven terrain would result in many complaints from the troops of an army, but this turned out to be a blessing to the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    They were able to take advantage of the narrow path and the steep terrain these past few days to ward off many sneak attacks from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion.


    After emerging from Windmetal Fort, the Wolf Moon mercenary legion had constantly kept a close eye on the route that the Four Winds mercenary legion was taking. Upon learning that the Four Winds mercenary legion planned to travel to the eastern coastline, the Wolf Moon mercenary legion immediately followed them into Feony Forest without any hesitation.


    The Four Winds mercenary legion was already prepared for this, and all of the assassins among their ranks had been dispersed throughout the dense forest to act as scouts. As a result, they were always able to detect where the mercenaries from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion were coming from. These assassins couldn''t help much in direct battle, but with their speed and stealth, they were able to quickly traverse through the forest and conceal themselves when required, gathering much intel on the enemy in the process.


    In particular, Georgina was currently the most effective source of intel for the Four Winds mercenary legion. He was always able to get really close to the Wolf Moon mercenary legion and find out where they were planning to strike from next. His unicorn, Momo, was able to gallop along the harsh and unforgiving terrain here as if it were no different from flat ground. The Wolf Moon mercenary legion had already detected Georgina''s presence on several occasions, and they desperately wanted to kill him, but given his speed and agility, he was always able to quickly make his way onto Momo''s back before fleeing into the distance.


    Talan had tried to pursue him with his subordinates a few times, but to no avail. There was simply no way that their horses could keep up with the speed of a unicorn.


    With the intel provided by the assassins, the Four Winds mercenary legion was always able to seize the initiative. Every time the Wolf Moon mercenary legion launched a sneak attack, the Four Winds mercenary legion would always be waiting on higher ground. The martial artists clad in suits of Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor would guard the entrances to the higher ground that they claimed, while the magicians and archers would attack the enemy to their hearts'' content.


    Even though the Wolf Moon mercenary legion held a significant numbers advantage over the Four Winds mercenary legion, they were unable to make use of this advantage at all due to the rough and narrow mountain paths. Thus, with each sneak attack that they launched, they would lose 100 to 200 mercenaries for minimal reward.


    Talan was becoming extremely infuriated and frustrated, but there was nothing he could do. If he continued to recklessly send more mercenaries after the Four Winds mercenary legion, he would eventually run out of subordinates. Furthermore, he hadn''t anticipated the young nobles from Sarus to be so cruel and ruthless. None of the severely wounded mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion had been left alive. All of them had been killed, then tossed into the forest to be fed on by crows and ravens.


    He had thought that these young nobles would just be a bunch of cowards who didn''t dare to kill anyone. In particular, they were supposed to be allies, so he always thought that the Four Winds mercenary legion would be apprehensive about killing the mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion. Much to his astonishment, the two commanders of the Four Winds mercenary legion were just as ruthless and unforgiving as he was.


    In reality, killing people for the first time had not been an easy experience for Erwin and his friends.


    As Kaiba plunged his spear through the torso of a mercenary from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, he looked on with a blank expression as warm blood gushed out of his enemy''s stomach, then flowed along the shaft of his spear onto his hands.


    He stared at the blood that had stained his hands, which was giving off a nauseating odor, and he was suddenly struck by a sense of surrealism. The enemy mercenary that he had impaled stared intently at him for a few seconds, then fell backward before collapsing onto the ground in a lifeless heap. Only then did it occur to Kaiba that he had just ended someone''s life with his own spear.


    Prior to this, Erwin and his friends had never killed anyone, and even though they knew that the people they were killing were heinous convicts who most likely deserved worse, that still did nothing to assuage the guilt and sense of absurdity in their hearts.


    "What the hell are you just standing there for?" Chase yelled as he sliced off half the head of a mercenary from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion with a single swipe of his blade. That mercenary had attempted to take advantage of Kaiba''s distracted state to avenge his fallen comrade, but his plan was thwarted by Chase.


    Blood was gushing violently out of what remained of the mercenary''s head, and it was like a red fountain in the middle of the battlefield.


    However, instead of the calming sight that fountains normally provided, this fountain was one that evoked the darkest and most violent of emotions within one''s heart.


    "Holy shit, I just killed someone!" Chase looked down at the blade he was holding with an incredulous expression. He stared at the blood that was dripping down from the blade, and all of a sudden, a twisted smile appeared on his face.


    Immediately thereafter, the mercenary who was missing half a head collapsed to the ground.


    Chase didn''t hesitate at all as he inspected the battlefield around him, then let loose a near-deranged roar before rushing back into the fray and wildly slashing and hacking in all directions.


    Kaiba also returned to his senses at the sight of Chase hacking his way through the enemy ranks, and he picked up his spear before re-entering the fray as well, finding renewed vigor with each attack that he unleashed. As he slowly recovered from the shock of killing someone for the first time, a sense of joy began to well up in his heart as well. It was the joy of killing, the most brutal and vicious way of expressing a primal desire.


    In contrast with the two of them, Larwood possessed a sense of calmness beyond his years. As opposed to Chase and Kaiba''s frantic and frenzied style of battle, he was much more cold and calculating, striking with a combination of surgical precision and unerring accuracy. He was always able to spot the enemy mercenaries who were struggling to ward off the spells that were raining down upon them from above before promptly ending their lives. There were no unnecessary movements or superfluous expenditure of energy. All of his attacks either pierced through the enemy''s throat, heart, or head as he harvested their lives in the most energy-efficient and elegant way possible.


    In fact, he even had the presence of mind to act as a leader on the battlefield, instructing the martial artists around him to reinforce the parts of the battlefield where they were needed.


    Even though Erwin was standing at a vantage point, things weren''t easy for him, either. He was leading the magicians and archers to search for secure and well-concealed places on the mountain faces on either side of the battlefield where they could attack the mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion from. However, the enemy mercenaries were no slouches, and they were constantly shooting arrows at Erwin and his group from down below. These flurries of arrows prevented Erwin and the magicians and archers from attacking as they pleased. If any of them were to get too close to the battlefield, they could easily be shot down in an instant.


    As a result, the effectiveness of the magicians and archers from the Four Winds mercenary legion was rather limited, and Erwin was growing rather frustrated. All of a sudden, he rushed out from behind the bush that was providing him with cover, then cast a levitation spell and an agility spell onto himself before unleashing a storm of wind and hail toward the enemy mercenaries.


    The archers of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion certainly weren''t going to spare him, and they immediately fired their arrows toward him in unison.


    "Look out, Master Erwin!" Lanyon yelled in a panicked voice, and he immediately turned to rally all of the magicians and the archers to rush out behind Erwin.


    "Don''t worry about me, and stay put!" Erwin commanded without even turning his head.


    The flurry of arrows arrived in the blink of an eye, while Erwin conjured up his light shield, then looked on with tightly furrowed brows as all of the arrows struck the outer wall of the light shield.


    "Lanyon, get everyone to hide behind me! Hurry!" Erwin roared.


    Lanyon immediately did as he was told, leading all of the magicians and archers to quickly duck behind Erwin, who was standing at the edge of the cliff face. As a result, they were able to get a lot closer to the battlefield, thereby allowing them to unleash a ferocious barrage of attacks upon the enemy mercenaries charging at the forefront.


    The mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion were already struggling against the enemy mercenaries, who were clad in suits of Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor, and they now had to contend with the arrows and spells raining down from the heavens. Talan could see that the casualties were piling up too quickly, so he had no choice but to order a retreat, even though it was the last thing that he wanted to do. He knew that if the battle were to drag on any longer, the outcome would be catastrophic for the Wolf Moon mercenary legion.


    ...


    After that, the two mercenary legions clashed a few more times, and each time was essentially a repeat of their first clash. Talan always let his emotions get the better of him, leading his mercenaries into battle against the Four Winds mercenary legion, even if they had a terrain disadvantage. Each clash would inevitably result in defeat for the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, and at this point, they had already lost hundreds of mercenaries.


    After suffering such heavy losses, Talan knew that he couldn''t continue to attack recklessly, and he began to think of other ways to deal with these unexpectedly ruthless brats.


    Finally, Talan arrived at a decision. "Pass down this order: we''re pulling up our tents and heading east. We need to get out of this accursed forest as soon as possible."


    He had to cut his losses and live to fight another day.


    "But Boss, we still haven''t killed those little scumbags from the Four Winds mercenary legion!" the narrow-eyed man protested.


    "Do I need you to tell me that? Do you think I''m an idiot? Can''t you see how many mercenaries we''ve already lost? Do you want all of us to die in this damn forest?" Talan slammed his palm viciously down onto the temporary desk in front of him, and the desk was instantly reduced to pieces of scrap wood.


    "Yes, you''re right, Boss," the narrow-eyed man hurriedly said in a feeble voice.


    "We''re definitely going to kill those little brats someday, but we can''t continue to try and target them in this forest. We''ll go east and wait for them in Haggardy. It''s a wide open space there, so they''re not going to be able to use any of their little tricks against us," Talan said as a sinister look appeared on his face.


    "But Boss, what if they don''t go to Haggardy?" the narrow-eyed man asked in a careful voice.


    "Are you an idiot?" Talan immediately flared up with rage. "Think about it with that pea-sized brain of yours! Why is it that they didn''t follow the main path after leaving Windmetal Fort, but chose to go east through the treacherous forest instead?"


    "Er..." The narrow-eyed man pondered this for a moment, but was unable to come up with an answer.


    Talan picked up a piece of scrap wood from the ground before hurling it directly at the narrow-eyed man''s head. "Is there even a brain in that thick skull of yours? It''s clearly because they''re running short on funds, so they''re traveling along the east to plunder resources from the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries!"


    The narrow-eyed man was almost knocked unconscious by the piece of wood, and he hurriedly scrambled out of the tent to relay Talan''s orders.


    You''re running short on funds, but I have more than enough money! I''ll be waiting for you in Haggardy. Either you come out to face us in Haggardy, or you stay in that forest like cowards forever! Talan thought to himself with a hateful expression.


    ...


    A white steed was galloping along the rugged mountain paths of Feony Forest. It was an extremely rare unicorn.


    Erwin and his friends spotted the dashing unicorn as it sped over the undergrowth, and they were very much envious of Georgina for his exceptional steed. However, the unicorn seemed to have formed a bad first impression toward Erwin and the others for teasing its owner, and it had always held a grudge against them. As soon as it caught sight of their group, it immediately began to neigh in a menacing manner, much to the dismay of Erwin and his friends.


    Georgina got down from Momo, but Erwin and the others didn''t approach him for fear of being attacked by the unicorn. Georgina patted his unicorn steed''s sturdy behind, and Momo immediately made its way toward the campsite on its own.


    "So? How did it go?" Chase asked in an urgent voice.


    "By the time I got to their campsite, all of the tents were already gone, so I set off to find them, and I only spotted them after traveling several dozen kilometers. They''re already close to leaving the Feony Mountains," Georgina replied as he wiped the sweat on his own forehead.


    "Wait, so you''re saying that they ran away?" Kaiba was quite stunned to hear this.


    "I don''t think that Talan is the type of person who would let something like this slide so easily," Erwin said with a smile. "At this point, we''ve killed at least 200 of his men already, right? There''s no way that he''ll just let us get away with this."


    "He probably realized that continuing to fight us in these mountains is a terrible idea," Larwood mused. "I think he''s most likely leaving the Feony Mountains to wait for us in Haggardy."


    "What do we do then?" Chase asked. "Should we follow them?"


    "There''s no hurry," Larwood replied with a shake of his head. "Once we leave these mountains, the terrain will become a lot more open, and that''ll significantly highlight our numbers disadvantage."


    "So you''re saying we should wait for a while longer?" Erwin asked.


    "We have enough supplies anyway, so why don''t we just set up camp at the exit of the Feony Mountains in the east? From there, we''ll be able to observe the Wolf Moon mercenary legion to see what they do next. Let''s see who''s going to outlast the other," Larwood said with a cold smile.

 CH 40.1

    Life was unpredictable and often fraught with misfortune. That couldn''t be more true for the Wolf Moon mercenary legion at this point in time.


    Talan led the Wolf Moon mercenary legion out of Feony Forest, and his plan was to travel to Haggardy, where he and his men could rest and wait for the Four Winds mercenary legion to come out. With their advantage in wealth and numbers, he was certain that it would only be a matter of time before they wiped out the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    However, what he failed to anticipate was that the mercenary legions of the Skycourt Kingdom had made their way so far south along the coastline that they were already close to Haggardy.


    Haggardy was known as a city, but in reality, it was nothing more than a glorified fort. The population in the city was very low, and most of the city''s residents made a living by planting sweetgrass. The sweetgrass that was grown here was normally sold first to Xeto in the northeast, then sold by the merchants in Xeto to Newen along the provincial road.


    Speaking of sweetgrass, this was something that had been discussed between Erwin and Lana back at the Old River Restaurant. Sweetgrass was a type of plant that grew by the sea, and its stem and leaves could be ground into powder to serve as a magic potion ingredient, while its roots could be used as a space.


    Aside from sweetgrass, there really wasn''t anything else to speak of about Haggardy.


    If it weren''t for the fact that Prince Lazaar had once sent people to repair this dilapidated city, it would''ve still been a run-down fort without any defenses to speak of.


    However, a certain mercenary legion from the Skycourt Kingdom was so desperate and demented that they weren''t even willing to pass up a place like Haggardy. Furthermore, at a rough visual estimate, they appeared to have over 2,000 people.


    The mayor of Haggardy was standing on a tower in the fort, and he was extremely excited to see the flags of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, which had golden lion heads embroidered onto the left corners. Never had he thought that such a large mercenary legion would be sent to their humble little city, and he immediately ordered his subordinates to open the city''s gates and welcome the mercenaries. In fact, he was so excited that tears were welling up in his eyes, and he was struck by the urge to rush over to every single mercenary in the legion and thank them one by one in person.


    However, what he failed to anticipate was that the mercenary legion of the Skycourt Kingdom was also not far away. As a result, the mayor had a conundrum to consider. Theoretically speaking, it would''ve been the correct course of action to allow the Wolf Moon mercenary legion to enter the city so that they could join forces with Haggardy''s soldiers to ward off the enemy together. However, the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenary legion had arrived first, so the mayor naturally didn''t dare to open the city gates. Thus, he could only shut both mercenary legions out of the city.


    Initially, the mercenary legion from the Skycourt Kingdom was planning to conquer Haggardy, but upon spotting the Effer Kingdom''s mercenary legion, which they presumed had been sent here as reinforcements for Haggardy, they immediately switched their target, deciding to plunder the Wolf Moon mercenary legion first.


    The situation was a very unfortunate one for Talan. Of course, he wasn''t actually here to reinforce Haggardy, but that hardly mattered anymore in this situation. The fact of the matter was that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries had set their sights on the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, so a battle was inevitable.


    A mercenary from the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks by the name of Luphen made his way forward on horseback, then declared, "Weaklingth of the Effer Kingdom, I thuggetht that you lay down your weaponth and thurrender without a futhth. If you do that, I can let you go in all my grathe and kindnethth. If you refuthe to thurrender, then we''ll make you regret ever oppothing our mighty Heavenly Thtar merthenary legion!"


    This was supposed to be quite a menacing declaration, but the man who had spoken had a severe lisp as well as a strange accent. Prior to his declaration, both of the opposing mercenary legions were facing one another with grim expressions, yet as soon as he began to speak, the serious looks on the faces of the Wolf Moon mercenaries instantly gave way to amusement, and they were struggling to hold back their mirth.


    "How about you thtriaghten out that damn tongue of yourth before you thpeak to me!" Talan said in a mocking voice as he impersonated the man''s lisp.


    All of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s men immediately burst into raucous laughter.


    In contrast, the mercenaries of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion were looking on with stony expressions, and it was clear that they were either already used hearing this very every day, so it was no longer funny to them, or this was just a normal accent in the Skycourt Kingdom, so they didn''t find anything funny about it.


    "You bathtard! How dare you make fun of me!" A furious look appeared on Luphen''s face as he raised his horsewhip. All of the cavaliers behind him instantly raised their spears upon seeing this, preparing themselves to charge at any moment.


    Talan was lamenting his own ill-fortune, but he knew that a battle with these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries was inevitable, and he was fully prepared for such an eventuality. The main problem on his mind was the Four Winds mercenary legion, which was still lurking in the Feony Mountains. He was worried that the Four Winds mercenary legion would take advantage of this clash to opportunistically strike when it would benefit them, but there was nothing that Talan could do about that in this situation.


    With that in mind, Talan drew his blade and pointed it directly toward the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries up ahead. The mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion immediately adopted menacing expressions that replaced the amusement on their faces.


    Frosty wind was blowing in from the winter sea, sending chills running down everyone''s spines. The waves of the sea continued to crash against the beach, completely ignoring the two opposing mercenary legions in the distance. There were also a few detached and disinterested seagulls circling around in the sky, and the sound of their squawking could be heard ringing out above Haggardy.


    "My brotherth, let''th kill thethe cowardly Effer Kingdom bathtardth!" Luphen swung his horse whip forward, and all of the cavaliers behind him immediately began to charge forward at once.


    "It''s time to fight, my brothers! Make sure none of these Skycourt Kingdom pigs get away!" Talan let loose a thunderous roar, and all of the cavaliers of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion behind him immediately charged forward with unstoppable might.


    The barren plain to the north of Haggardy was a very spacious area, one that was large enough for the mercenaries of both mercenary legions to adopt their preferred formations before charging toward one another.


    The ground rumbled violently beneath the pounding hooves of their gallant steeds, and the blades of their weapons were giving off a cold and unforgiving gleam.


    The Heavenly Star mercenary legion held the advantage when it came to cavalry numbers. The Heavenly Star mercenary legion had around 1,200 cavaliers, while the Wolf Moon mercenary legion only had around 800, but the cavaliers on the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s side were the more skilled warriors.


    After the first round of arrows fired by the archers of each mercenary legion, the cavaliers of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion suffered extremely few casualties, while over 200 of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers had already been struck by arrows and fallen onto the ground. Not only had they been struck down, they were also tripping over the cavaliers that were charging forward behind them.


    Soon, the cavaliers from both mercenary legions were no more than 50 meters away from each other, and the weapons in their hands were already desperately yearning for the blood of the enemy.


    Countless galloping warhorses collided with one another as the two sides finally clashed. A string of dull thumps rang out, followed by the sound of neighing horses. Immediately thereafter came the sound of countless clashing weapons, clanging and thudding incessantly.


    Generally speaking, in small-scale battles like this, cavaliers were usually able to penetrate through the formation of the enemy during the first charge alone. After that, they would reorganize their formation before unleashing a second assault.


    However, all of the mercenaries in the back row of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion were defensive martial artists who were holding huge shields and clad in suits of heavy armor. They stood like immovable mountains, and the cavaliers of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion were unable to break through the defensive line that they formed.


    In contrast, the back row of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion was faring far worse. The remaining 500 or so mercenaries they had in the back had to contend with around 1,000 cavaliers from the Heavenly Star mercenary legion, and their formation was instantly destroyed.


    Thankfully, Talan was also situated in the back, and after a series of attacks from his mighty blade, over 10 Heavenly Star cavaliers had already been felled from their steeds.


    Meanwhile, the Four Winds mercenary legion was advancing toward the exit of Feony Forest, and the massive commotion taking place outside the forest naturally aroused their suspicions.


    "What''s going on over there? Why is it so loud?" Larwood asked as he peered into the distance through narrowed eyes.


    "It sounds like a battle is taking place. Listen carefully, doesn''t that sound like a battle? Not only that, but it sounds like there are a lot of people involved in the battle," Chase said with his brows slightly furrowed.


    "Could it be that the Wolf Moon mercenary legion has gotten into a fight with someone else?" Kaiba asked with an amused expression.


    "Let''s get Georgina to ride on ahead to see what''s happening outside the forest," Erwin suggested as he turned to Larwood.


    Larwood nodded in response before calling over Georgina.


    ¡­


    Only after the clash between the Wolf Moon mercenary legion and the Heavenly Star mercenary legion began did Luphen realize that they had run into a formidable foe here.


    With a sweep of Talan''s blade, yet another Heavenly Star mercenary''s head was chopped off. He hadn''t even unleashed his three killing strikes yet as there was no one here worthy of the honor of facing his three most fearsome attacks.


    As he raised his blade to lash out at the neck of another Heavenly Star mercenary, a black vine whip suddenly swept forth from several meters away before wrapping itself around his blade.


    "You theem to be a pretty capable warrior. How about you pick on thomeone your own thithe?" A cold smile appeared on Luphen''s face, and with a flick of his wrist, the whip unraveled itself from around Talan''s blade before sweeping toward Talan''s face.


    "I thought I already told you to straighten out that damn tongue of yours before you speak to me!" A disdainful look appeared on Talan''s face as he raised his blade to shield himself from the attack.


    Thus, a clash ensued between the commanders of the two mercenary legions. Even though Talan was the more powerful one of the two, he still couldn''t harm Luphen unless he resorted to his trump card in the form of his three killing strikes.

 CH 40.2

    At the same time, the clash between the two mercenary legions had also reached white-hot intensity. The Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s cavaliers had been surrounded, but their exceptional fighting abilities were holding them in good stead. All of them were skilled martial artists in their own right, and they were all notorious bandits and convicts, so they were naturally very capable when it came to battle.


    Almost every single Wolf Moon mercenary was able to take on two or three Heavenly Star mercenaries on their own, so they were able to hold their own quite well despite the severe numbers disadvantage.


    Thankfully, the mercenaries of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion all possessed a wealth of battle experience, and they immediately changed their plans, splitting up into groups of five or six mercenaries with each group ganging up on one or two Wolf Moon mercenaries.


    The mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion were used to fighting on their own, so it made no difference whether they fought alone or in pairs. Thus, in the face of these groups of five to six enemy mercenaries, the Wolf Moon mercenary legion was beginning to suffer casualties.


    As for the Heavenly Star cavaliers that had been scattered by Talan''s mighty blade, even though there were still 800 to 900 of them left, they had been swept up into the narrow-eyed melee tactics, thereby preventing them from uniting into one cohesive unit again. The number of mercenaries led by the narrow-eyed man was less than half of the number of enemy mercenaries, but all of the Wolf Moon mercenaries were using either spears or bow and arrow to prevent the Heavenly Star cavaliers from moving freely, and as a result, the cavaliers were forced to engage in close-quarters combat with the opposing Wolf Moon mercenaries.


    In the face of all of the spear and arrow attacks coming from around them, the cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion had no effective ways to escape from the enemy, and they were slowly being picked off one after another.


    "It looks like this is quite a fierce battle," Chase remarked as he observed the battle taking place at the foot of the mountain while hiding behind a certain push.


    After hearing about the battle between the Wolf Moon mercenary legion and the mercenaries from the Skycourt Kingdom, Erwin and his friends had detached themselves from the rest of the mercenary legion to ride on ahead and assess the state of the battle. Meanwhile, the rest of the mercenary legion was being led onward by Sherry and Lanyon.


    "I can see that the foot soldiers in this mercenary legion from the Skycourt Kingdom are able to work together quite effectively, but their cavaliers are downright terrible at what they do," Kaiba remarked with an amused smile.


    "What I want to know is why neither side has any magicians," Erwin said with an intrigued expression.


    "That''s easy to explain for the Wolf Moon mercenary legion. Most of its members are bandits and convicts. Have you seen any magicians who''ve dared to pursue such unscrupulous career paths? They''d be rushing headfirst toward an early death," Larwood said with a smile.


    Magicians were quite lackluster when it came to individual fighting ability. Their mobility in battle was lacking, as were their stamina and physical conditioning. This was a common consensus among everyone. Thus, magicians who dabbled in unscrupulous lines of work generally didn''t live for very long. Of course, Erwin was an exception to this general stereotype due to his space split technique.


    "Then what about that mercenary legion from the Skycourt Kingdom? Why don''t they have any magicians, either?" Erwin asked with a perplexed expression.


    "Indeed, that is quite strange." Larwood also began to ponder this question with slightly furrowed brows.


    "Let''s think about that another time. Where are our men? Why have they still not arrived yet?" Chase asked as he cast his gaze toward the dense forest where they had come from.


    "Don''t get so agitated. Have some patience, they''ll definitely make it here in time," Larwood said with a reassuring smile.


    "We''ll wait until the battle is nearing its end, then swoop in to claim the spoils, so there''s still a long way to go. What are you doing getting so worked up now?" Erwin asked.


    "I''m worried that the mayor of Haggardy with charge out with the city''s soldiers and claim all of the spoils before us," Chase sighed.


    "I don''t think that''s going to happen. In this situation, it would be the perfect opportunity for the mayor of Haggardy to lead his soldiers out of the city to eradicate the mercenaries from the Skycourt Kingdom. The fact that he hasn''t done that means that he''s most likely a spineless coward who doesn''t want to take any risks with his own life. Do you think someone like him will be capable of taking our spoils?" Larwood gave a dismissive wave of his hand, then continued, "Our top priority here is to find an opportunity to completely wipe out both of these mercenary legions, particularly everyone from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion."


    While the battle continued to rage between the Wolf Moon mercenary legion and the Heavenly Star mercenary legion, Lanyon and Sherry finally arrived with the rest of the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    Erwin and his friends were closely watching the battle unfolding at the foot of the mountain, and upon seeing the cloud of dust rising up in the distance, they knew that their forces had arrived.


    At this moment, Luphen and Talan were locked in a fierce battle. Luphen was beginning to come into his own as the battle wore on, and initially, Talan couldn''t even be bothered to unleash his full power against Luphen, but the situation was becoming more and more perilous for him. On several occasions, Luphen''s whip almost came into contact with his heavily scarred face.


    "Take thith! Shooting Thtar Moonwheel!" With a flick of his wrist, Luphen sent his whip flying viciously through the air like a dancing silver snake. Looking down at the attack from above, the whip resembled a rising new moon, as sharp and lethal as it was cold and forbidding.


    Talan''s brows were tightly furrowed as he watched the approaching silver whip, and in retaliation, he slashed his blade through the air with unbridled killing intent.


    From his vantage point atop the mountain, Erwin could clearly see that this was the first of Talan''s three killing strikes.


    "Is that the three killing strikes?" Larwood asked as he took a glance at Larwood. "It looks pretty strong."


    "You don''t seem to be taking it very seriously. How about you challenge Talan to show you his three killing strikes later?" Erwin challenged. It was clear that he was of the opinion that "pretty" strong was a severe understatement when it came to describing Talan''s three killing strikes.


    Luphen''s flailing silver whip met the first of Talan''s three killing strikes.


    As soon as the two weapons clashed, Luphen''s silver whip wrapped itself around Talan''s blade, upon which Luphen immediately felt a tremendous burst of force jolt through his whip-wielding hand, causing his hand a great deal of pain.


    If he hadn''t immediately grabbed onto the handle of his whip with both hands, he would''ve most likely already been disarmed.


    That familiar derisive sneer reappeared on Talan''s face as he held his blade in one hand while taking a step forward, then slashed his blade horizontally through the air, upon which a section of the silver whip was instantly sliced off.


    It was clear that if Talan were to go all out, then Luphen would no longer be a match for him.


    After this, the battle between the two became a completely one-sided affair with Luphen fleeing for his life, while Talan gave chase in hot pursuit. For Luphen, it was quite unfortunate that he had run into a mercenary legion commander as fearsome as Talan. Even as he was being pursued by Talan, he was still cursing profusely, but due to his lisp and accent, no one could tell exactly what he was yelling.


    Meanwhile, the state of the rest of the battlefield ran directly contrary to the state of the battle between Talan and Luphen. The cavaliers of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion had been gradually worn down by the Heavenly Star mercenaries'' superior teamwork, and at this point, less than half of them still remained.


    As for the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers, even though they initially fell prey to the narrow-eyed man''s strategy, they enjoyed a significant numbers advantage, and Talan was no longer able to participate in the battle as he was busy dealing with Luphen. Thus, the losses suffered by the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers were nowhere near as severe, and there were still close to 1,000 of them left.


    Luphen wasn''t the clearest of speakers, but he was far clearer of thought than he was of speech. It seemed that he was recklessly charging into battle against Talan, but in reality, he was making an effort to keep Talan occupied in order to minimize Talan''s impact on the rest of the battlefield.


    At the same time, the battle was quickly transforming into a massive nightmare for the Wolf Moon mercenary legion.


    The Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers were beginning to gradually escape from the enemy mercenaries'' encirclement. At this point, they were already close to 20 meters away from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s footsoldiers, and they would be able to reorganize their formation once a bit more distance was opened up, thereby allowing them to unleash a second assault.


    Meanwhile, on top of a certain mountain near the battlefield, Larwood was inspecting the battle taking place down below as he said, "We should begin making preparations. The Wolf Moon mercenary legion isn''t going to last much longer. Sherry, instruct the close-range combat martial artists to adopt their formation. The cavaliers will lead from the front, while the footsoldiers will follow along behind them. Kaiba, Chase, the three of us will charge together. Erwin, you''ll be in charge of the magicians and archers. Find a suitable place where you''ll be sufficiently sheltered, but can still effectively attack the enemy down below. Once all that is done, I''ll give the order to strike when the time is right."


    The Four Winds mercenary legion quickly carried out Larwood''s instructions, and all that was left was an order from Larwood to join the battle.


    ¡­


    After chasing Luphen for a while, Talan began to realize that something wasn''t right. He sprang up into the sky in a few steps, then carefully inspected all parts of the battlefield, upon which a grim look appeared on his face.


    At this point, the realization had already dawned on him too late. The cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion had already left the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s pursuing footsoldiers far behind, and they arranged themselves into a strong formation before turning around to face their pursuers.


    Luphen cast his gaze toward the west, and a triumphant smile appeared on his face.


    Having been chased by Talan for so long, it was finally time for him to launch his retaliation. He raised his silver whip high above his head, and the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers began their second charge.

 CH 41

    The sound of rumbling horse hooves rang out once again, and in what seemed like no more than the blink of an eye, the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s foot soldiers were demolished by the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s formidable cavaliers. The narrow-eyed man didn''t even get to exact his revenge on Chase before a Heavenly Star cavalier''s spear pierced through his chest. As he collapsed to the ground, he cast an astonished gaze toward the coastline of the Joffan Sea in the distance, seeming stunned by the fact that his life would come to an end in this godforsaken place.


    Many of the Heavenly Star cavaliers who were charging at the front had the bodies of one or two Wolf Moon foot soldiers impaled on their spears, but there were simply too few foot soldiers from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion to go around, and there weren''t any foot soldiers left for many of the Heavenly Star cavaliers near the back of the pack to kill.


    Thus, the losses suffered by the Wolf Moon mercenary legion were already extremely heavy. The narrow-eyed man, who was the legion''s deputy commander, had fallen, their foot soldiers had been completely wiped out, and less than half of their cavaliers remained.


    Talan''s eyes had turned severely bloodshot from rage as he glowered at the smug look on Luphen''s face, and he wanted nothing more than to slice this lispy Skycourt Kingdom pig in half!


    "Take this!" Talan let loose a thunderous roar, and with it came the second of his three killing blows, sending layers upon layers of blade intent sweeping directly toward Luphen.


    Luphen looked on at the furious Talan with a gleeful smile as he raised his silver whip in retaliation.


    Right at this moment, a massive cloud of dust began to rise up from the northwestern direction, and the sound of thundering war drums also rang out.


    "Charge! I don''t care if they''re from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion or the Skycourt Kingdom, make sure not a single one of them leaves this battlefield alive!" Larwood was leading from the front as his steed galloped down from the mountain.


    The cavaliers of the Four Winds mercenary legion followed along closely behind him, and they were followed by the footsoldiers. Meanwhile, Erwin and the mercenary legion''s magicians and archers were offering support in the form of firepower output from afar.


    The first ones to be struck by the Four Winds mercenary legion were the cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion. They were still basking in the joy of decimating all of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s foot soldiers, and they completely failed to detect the Four Winds mercenary legion charging toward them from behind.


    Only after hearing the sound of the pounding horse hooves did the cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion turn around to retaliate. However, the cavaliers of the Four Winds mercenary legion were charging forward with the momentum generated from galloping down the mountain, while the cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion were still yet to adopt a proper formation. Thus, even though the Heavenly Star cavaliers outnumbered those of the Four Winds mercenary legion, they were instantly broken up.


    The Four Winds mercenary legion was like a sharp dagger that had sliced a gash right down the center of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers, splitting them up into two separate groups.


    After that, the footsoldiers of the Four Winds mercenary legion also rushed onto the battlefield to engage the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers in close-quarters combat once again. The cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion were already feeling rather weary from the battle that they had just endured. However, that didn''t apply to the men of the Four Winds mercenary legion at all. They were only just entering this battlefield, and they were brimming with energy and vigor.


    Luphen cast an incredulous gaze toward Talan, thinking that Talan had hid some of his men in the valley, waiting for this opportunity to unleash a decisive blow. If that were the case, then he would have no choice but to begrudgingly admit his admiration toward this opponent of his. It was extremely remarkable that he had been able to continue to bide his time even as all of his foot soldiers were decimated, only revealing these hidden mercenaries at the perfect opportunity.


    However, judging from the grim look on Talan''s face, it became clear to Luphen that these weren''t mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion. He then cast his gaze toward the northwest, and sure enough, the flag of the mercenary legion that had just arrived on this battlefield was different from that of Talan''s mercenary legion, so they had to be another mercenary legion of the Effer Kingdom.


    However, there wasn''t any time for Luphen to ponder the situation any further. A barrage of all types of spells was raining down upon the cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion from the magicians on the mountain to the northwest, and those spells were accompanied by arrows as well.


    The cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion had already been plunged into a state of chaos, and their woes were compounded even further by the oncoming spells and arrows. A string of fireballs exploded among them, and many of the cavaliers were sent flying off their horses. At the same time, there were spears of ice stabbing holes onto the suits of armor worn by the Heavenly Star cavaliers, following which arrows arrived to harvest their lives. There were also lightning spells that inflicted paralysis conditions onto the targets, and those spells sent many more Heavenly Star cavaliers flying off their horses, where they were stabbed to death by the spears of the waiting Four Winds foot soldiers.


    Luphen was gnashing his teeth together tightly as he glowered at the magicians and archers attacking his men from their vantage point atop the mountain, and the triumphant look on his face had been completely wiped away.


    Talan immediately withdrew from his battle against Luphen upon seeing this, charging into the fray to the east instead. There, the heavily armored foot soldiers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion were close to eradicating what little remained of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s cavaliers.


    Luphen paid no heed to what Talan was doing. Instead, he cast his gaze toward a mountain in the north, then pulled out a long horn that was strapped to his waist. He blew on the horn, and golden runes immediately began to surge over the surface of the instrument as a long and melodious note was produced.


    Erwin was situated not very far away from Luphen, so he could see what Luphen was doing, and he was very perplexed, wondering what the significance of that horn was.


    The horn was blown once again, and Erwin was still none the wiser about its purpose. Even Larwood and the others, who were busy tearing through the ranks of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion, couldn''t help but turn their attention toward Luphen with bemused expressions.


    Luphen blew on the horn three times in total, and each note was longer than the previous one.


    Erwin''s eyesight was quite good, and he could clearly see a triumphant smile appear on Luphen''s face in the instant after he blew on his horn for the third time.


    The rest of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion seemed to have also been instilled with a sense of renewed vigor upon hearing the sound of the horn. In particular, the Heavenly Star cavaliers in the northwest, who were being dominated by the Four Winds mercenary legion, suddenly seemed to have experienced a surge of confidence, and they were looking at the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion as if they were dead men.


    Larwood''s brows were tightly furrowed as he looked at the strange expressions on the faces of the Heavenly Star cavaliers, and his befuddlement was only exacerbated.


    Chase had also noticed this, and he asked in a low voice, "Why do these Skycourt Kingdom pigs look like they think they have this battle in the bag?"


    "I don''t know." Kaiba was also looking at the Heavenly Star cavaliers around him with a wary expression. "In any case, we should all be careful. They''re clearly up to something."


    However, much to their surprise, the cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion didn''t put up any firm resistance, and it was as if they were merely bluffing with their confident expressions.


    While the cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion were being devoured by the Four Winds mercenary legion in the west, Talan was going on a furious rampage in the east. His long blade was being swung through the air with reckless abandon, harvesting the lives of at least one enemy mercenary with each sweep. Even the Heavenly Star foot soldiers who excelled in defense had grown very fearful of Talan''s formidable blade, and thus, the surrounded cavaliers of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion were given some respite.


    Meanwhile, Luphen seemed to be completely disinterested in what was happening on the battlefield. In fact, his gaze was focused elsewhere entirely, looking into the distant sky above the sea beyond the coastline.


    Erwin''s brows furrowed tightly upon seeing this, and he also cast his gaze in the same direction.


    Initially, there was only a black shadow on the horizon, and it blocked out a few rays of the dim afternoon sunlight. The sky was already quite overcast to begin with, and it was as if the sun had been abducted by the dark clouds and was only being allowed to occasionally surface for fresh air.


    The black shadow drew closer and closer, and it was already casting a shadow onto the surface of the sea down below. Erwin was kicking himself for not buying a pair of binoculars from Windmetal Fort. Thus, he had no choice but to cast a levitation spell onto himself, then flew toward the sea to examine what the approaching black shadow was.


    After catching a clear glimpse of the approaching flying object, an astonished look appeared on Erwin''s face as he exclaimed, "It''s... It''s an airship!"


    Larwood and the others were also stunned to hear this, and they immediately turned toward the sea. The approaching flying object continued to draw closer to the battlefield, and it really was an airship!


    Meanwhile, Luphen looked on at the approaching airship with his hands clasped behind his back, and the confident look on his face had become even more pronounced.


    ...


    With the sea wind blowing behind it, it didn''t take long for the airship to arrive in the sky above Haggardy.


    The mayor of Haggardy, who was watching the unfolding battle inside the city, immediately looked up at the ironclad monster in the sky with an alarmed and horrified expression. Never did he think that the Skycourt Kingdom would deploy an airship just to attack such a small and insignificant city.


    However, his shock and horror didn''t last very long. All of a sudden, lights of all types of different colors began to flash from the Skycourt Kingdom airship, and in the blink of an eye, the sky above Haggardy was baptized by countless spells of different descriptions. The mayor was killed on the spot by the first wave of spells, having been crushed into a charred meat patty by a massive fireball.


    The guards stationed on the city walls of Haggardy, of which there were more than 1,000, didn''t fare much better, either. They tried to use their bows and arrows to attack the airship, but the airship was at far too high an altitude for their arrows to reach. Additionally, the black metal exterior of the airship was extremely resolute. Occasionally, an arrow or two would strike the surface of the airship, but the arrows weren''t even able to strip off any paint from its metal exterior. The guards who were determined to bring down the airship with their bows and arrows were eventually all killed by the barrage of spells raining down from the sky, and only those who fled the scene early managed to survive by hiding in an underground bunker.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward Larwood from afar, and both of them could see their own grim expression mirrored on each other''s faces.

 CH 42.1

    Erwin and Larwood finally knew why there weren''t any magicians among the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks now. As it turned out, all of their magicians were hiding in that airship.


    Beneath the gigantic shadow of the airship, the entire city of Haggardy had already been set ablaze. Looking at the city from afar, it resembled an enormous flaming pyre with dense smoke rising up to the heavens, and the anguished voices of the citizens in the city were ringing out incessantly.


    Thankfully, there was a slight silver lining for the city''s citizens, which was that the airship didn''t linger in the sky above the city for very long. Instead, it flew directly toward the sky to the north of the city.


    It was clear to Erwin that Luphen''s intention was to avenge his mercenary legion''s cavaliers, who had been dealt a heavy blow by the magicians of the Four Winds mercenary legion earlier.


    With that in mind, Erwin gave Larwood a hand signal, telling Larwood to focus on the battle at hand and leave the airship to him. After that, he unleashed a barrage of instant-release spells up toward the underside of the airship. However, the airship was too far away, so all of the spells disintegrated into magic turbulence before they could even reach their target.


    Luphen was looking on from not far away, and he was rather amused to see this. In his eyes, this magician from the enemy mercenary legion was biting off far more than he could chew. However, in the next instant, he was abruptly rooted to the spot.


    All of a sudden, Erwin rose up into the sky through the use of a space split technique, and in the blink of an eye, he was already standing above the airship. He carefully studied the airship to find that the entire vehicle was encased in metal armor. After that, he unleashed another barrage of spells toward the airship''s armor plating, and sure enough, the effect was downright negligible.


    The magicians of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion could hear something clanging on top of the airship, and they emerged to investigate what was happening outside. As a result, they were greeted by the sight of a magician who was hovering in mid-air while unleashing a string of spells, looking as if he were attempting to destroy the metal exterior of the airship. In that instant, all of the magicians were so stunned by what they were seeing that they forgot to attack Erwin. Instead, they merely stared up at him with slack-jawed expressions, wondering if he were an idiot or a transcendent immortal.


    What was astonishing to them was that they had no idea how this madman had reached an altitude even higher than that of the airship. After all, no one had seen anyone flying up from the battlefield down below.


    After a series of experimental attacks, Erwin shook his head with a disappointed expression. He discovered that the metal exterior of the airship was forged from some type of special material, and as soon as his spells came into contact with the material, they immediately exploded into magic turbulence.


    In the next instant, something even more astonishing took place. With another space split technique, Erwin appeared directly at the center of the airship''s deck, and he looked around with an intrigued expression at the Skycourt Kingdom magicians in the surrounding area.


    Perhaps the brains of these Skycourt Kingdom magicians had been slowed down by the chilling sea wind, but they were rooted to the spot once again. They were perplexed and stunned by the sudden appearances of Erwin on the airship''s deck, and only after that came emotions of alarm and wariness.


    Luphen was looking on from down below, and he was also beginning to grow rather concerned. Never had he thought that there would be such a powerful magician in this small mercenary legion of just several hundred men. The two inexplicable bursts of teleportation that Erwin had displayed were extremely unsettling for Luphen to behold. He desperately wanted to know what was happening on the airship, but he had to oversee the battlefield, so he couldn''t go anywhere.


    At this moment, the magicians on the deck of the airship finally returned to their senses, and they raised their staves to unleash a barrage of all types of spells toward Erwin at once.


    Erwin immediately conjured up his light shield, and all of the oncoming spells from all directions quickly exploded upon the surface of the light shield, putting on a spectacular light show on the deck of the airship. The magic energy of different attributes from these spells were then absorbed into the light shield bit by bit like sandcastles fading into the receding tide, instantly disappearing without a trace.


    Most of the Skycourt Kingdom magicians on the airship were only intermediate magicians, with only several advanced magicians among them, but even those few advanced magicians were rather lackluster when it came to their magic power. Thus, even though there were several dozen magicians attacking Erwin''s light shield at once, the combined energy was still within a threshold that Erwin could control. At the very least, this energy was far from the level unleashed by the first two attacks of Talan''s three killing strikes.


    Given how much Erwin was looking down on these intermediate magicians, it seemed that he had forgotten that he had only been an intermediate magician himself until not too long ago.


    "Magic Explosion!" Erwin yelled, and all of the energy outside the light shield, which had already been converted by him into countless bursts of purple magic turbulence, instantly exploded in all directions, proliferating outward with Erwin at the very center.


    The rosewood railing on the deck of the airship was instantly severely ravaged by the eruption of violent purple magic turbulence, and most of the dozens of Skycourt Kingdom magicians were instantly struck down. Agonized howls rang out incessantly across the deck, which was riddled with unconscious magicians. Several of the magicians standing near the edge of the airship were sent toppling over the railing, screaming in horror as they plummeted down from the sky.


    Only the few advanced magicians on the deck were still just barely able to remain on their feet. Thankfully, their instincts had kicked in just in the nick of time, causing them to grab tightly onto the railing beside them for dear life. Otherwise, they would''ve most likely also been sent toppling over the side of the airship. Even so, the magician robes that they were wearing were in tatters from the bursts of purple magic turbulence, and they were all in a very sorry state.


    At the very least, they were still able to remain conscious, but all of them were staring at Erwin with wide eyes as if they were staring at a monster. Before anyone had any idea of what was happening, Erwin had inexplicably appeared in the air above the airship. After that, he had appeared on the deck of the airship in the blink of an eye, then used some type of strange spell to ward off everyone''s attacks before wiping out most of the Skycourt Kingdom magicians on the airship with a single attack. In their eyes, Erwin didn''t even seem human. Instead, he was like some type of unfathomable monster who had descended from the heavens to bring divine punishment upon them.


    On the ground below, Luphen was staring at the magicians plummeting down from the sky with an astonished expression. There were several dozen magicians on that airship, and he couldn''t comprehend how all of them had been defeated by a single enemy magician.


    If he had been on the airship''s deck to witness what had happened, he would''ve most likely been even more astonished.


    Erwin naturally paid no heed to what the Skycourt Kingdom magicians were thinking. With another space split technique, he appeared in a flash behind a certain advanced magician, then unleashed a string of instant-release spells to send them plunging down from the airship. Before any of the other magicians had a chance to recover from their shock, he unleashed his space split technique a few more times to kick them off the airship''s deck as well.


    After that, a gust of fierce wind was swept up on the deck of the airship, and all of the unconscious Skycourt Kingdom magicians were flung off the airship as well.


    Luphen had only just saved an advanced magician who was plummeting down from the sky, and he was completely rooted to the spot upon seeing this. He could save one magician at a time, but what was he supposed to do now that the entire airship of magicians had been thrown off at once?


    "Larwood, stop wasting time with those Skycourt Kingdom cavaliers. We still have to take care of those scumbags from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion," Erwin yelled as he stood on the deck of the airship, and there was more than a hint of gloating smugness in his voice.


    "Alright, we get it, you show off," Larwood grumbled in response, then turned to the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion as he yelled, "Let''s speed things up a little here! These Skycourt Kingdom pigs don''t have any more tricks up their sleeve, so let''s wipe them out as quickly as possible!"


    The cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion had thought that the battle was already won upon seeing the arrival of the airship, but with all of the magicians in the airship falling down from the sky, morale instantly plummeted to an all-time low, and they were barely putting up any resistance.


    As expected of Master Erwin to take on an entire airship of magicians on his own and win!  Lanyon thought to himself as he looked up at the airship with admiration in his eyes.


    He then turned to the magicians and archers on the mountain as he yelled, "Our deputy commander has seized control of their airship, so we don''t have to worry about any attacks from above! Let''s take down these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries once and for all!"


    Thus, another round of spells and arrows came raining down from above, striking down even more Heavenly Star cavaliers.


    ---------------------------------------------------------


    On the other side of the battlefield, Talan and what little remained of his mercenaries were fighting valiantly against the footsoldiers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion, and he didn''t have any spare capacity to pay attention to the battle in the sky.


    With Talan re-entering the fray, the remaining mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion were instilled with renewed vigor, and they began to fight for their lives against the footsoldiers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion.


    Luphen had been out of the battle for quite a while at this point, and he was becoming quite agitated. There was clearly no point in trying to save the cavaliers on the northwestern side of the battlefield. Most of the cavaliers had already fallen, and the rest were inevitably going to be decimated by the mercenary legion from the Effer Kingdom soon.


    Meanwhile, his foot soldiers were locked in battle in the east against Talan and the remaining mercenaries of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion.


    As a result, he was in a difficult predicament where retreat was impossible, yet victory was also slipping further and further away.


    Judging from what that magician just said on the airship, it seems that these two Effer Kingdom mercenary legions have some bad blood between them as well, Luphen thought to himself with tightly furrowed brows. He then looked down at one of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion''s flags on the ground, and he became even more convinced that this was the case.


    Thus, he quickly charged to the northwestern side of the battlefield, then swept his silver whip directly toward Larwood''s face.


    Larwood''s reflexes were extremely sharp, and he deflected the attack with his sword with a quick flick of his wrist.


    "How about we thtrike a deal with one another?" Luphen suggested while continuing to attack Larwood.


    Larwood could tell that Luphen''s attacks were quite half-hearted, so he knew that Luphen had something to say. Thus, he pretended to retreat, leading Luphen slowly toward the outskirts of the battlefield where they could talk in relative peace. "What kind of deal could we possibly negotiate?"


    "I heard what that man jutht thaid on the airship. It thoundth like you guyth altho want to wipe out that other merthenary legion, am I right?" Luphen asked as he unleashed another half-hearted attack while casting a subtle glance toward Talan''s direction.


    Larwood was rather amused by Luphen''s lisp and accent, and a cold smile appeared on his face as he said, "So what if that''s the case? What does that have to do with you? You should learn to mind your own business."


    "Don''t be so cold, buddy, we can work thomething out," Luphen said with a fawning smile. "How about thith? Our Heavenly Thtar merthenary legion can help you out and take care of thethe people for you. You can contherve your troopth and jutht watch ath we do all the dirty work for you. How about that?"


    "I don''t think you''re being very sincere in your offer. You just want us to detach ourselves from this battle so you can sneak away, right?" Larwood wasn''t about to fall for Luphen''s tricks. "At the moment, you''re unable to retreat because you''re being targeted by both our mercenary legion and the Wolf Moon mercenary legion. Why should I allow you to get away when I can just pick all of you off after you''re worn down in your battle against the Wolf Moon mercenary legion?"

 CH 42.2

    Luphen could see that he wasn''t going to be able to fool Larwood, and the smile on his face faded as he put on a serious expression. "Alright, then how about thith? I''ll give you 10,000 Loonieth. In exthchange, all you have to do ith exthit thith battle and let uth go. What do you think of that?"


    "I don''t think that''s a very sincere offer, either. Why would I accept only 10,000 Loonies from you now when we can just take everything you have after we wipe out your entire mercenary legion?" Larwood said in a cold voice.


    "I''d advithe you not to push me any further than thith! You''re only a tiny merthenary legion of a few hundred people, there''th no guarantee that you''ll be able to take all of uth down," Luphen spat through gritted teeth.


    "Alright, if you don''t want to negotiate any further, then let''s not waste any more time here. We''ll let our blades decide the outcome rather than our words," Larwood said in a decisive voice as he flicked Luphen''s whip aside with a sweep of his sword before retreating a few steps.


    Luphen was furious, but he had no choice but to conform. He knew that he was at a disadvantage here, so there was nothing he could do in this situation aside from to try and appease Larwood. With that in mind, he asked in a resentful voice, "Fine! How many Loonieth do you want then?"


    "I want 30,000 Loonies," Larwood replied with a faint smile. "Also, we get to keep all of the spoils of war from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion."


    Luphen glowered intently at the young man standing before him, and he was so enraged that he was left completely speechless.


    "I won''t force you into anything, but I think you should have a good, hard think about this. If you delay any further, I don''t think your cavaliers are going to be able to last much longer," Larwood said as he took a glance at the remaining cavaliers of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion. "You can either hand over the 30,000 Loonies, or all of you can die here."


    "Fine, I''ll give you the 30,000 Loonieth," Luphen said with a hateful expression. He knew that he couldn''t afford to hesitate any longer. Just like Larwood said, if the battle were to drag on any longer, the entire Heavenly Star mercenary legion could be wiped out.


    "I can give you the 30,000 Loonieth, but you have to return the airship to uth," Luphen said as he pointed up at the metal-plated airship in the sky.


    "Keep dreaming! There''s only one person left on the airship, and he belongs to our Four Winds mercenary legion, so the airship naturally also belongs to our mercenary legion now," Larwood said as he rolled his eyes at Luphen.


    Luphen was so enraged to hear this that he almost threw up a mouthful of blood! Never did he think that Larwood would be so greedy.


    "Think about it: most of your magicians are already dead anyway, so you won''t have any use for the airship even if I agreed to return it to you," Larwood consoled with a mocking expression.


    Luphen knew that there was no point in negotiating with Larwood any further. "Fine! I should''ve known that the Effer Kingdom wath full of greedy pigth. I''ll give you the 30,000 Loonieth and the airship, get your men to exthit the battle now!"


    "I can tell that you''re a very shady individual. Let me make this clear: if you try anything funny after you finish off the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, we''ll make sure that none of you leave this battlefield alive," Larwood said with a menacing smile.


    "There''th no need to threaten me! I''ll make sure to follow through on my promithe," Luphen grumbled in a resentful voice.


    Thus, Larwood issued an order to the Four Winds mercenary legion, and all of its mercenaries immediately ceased their pursuit of the Skycourt Kingdom''s cavaliers.


    Up in the airship, Erwin could see that Larwood and Luphen were communicating with one another during the course of their half-hearted battle. After that, he saw the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion cease in their pursuit of the Skycourt Kingdom''s cavaliers, and he had a rough idea of what had happened.


    At this point, only less than 200 of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers still remained. Thankfully, their legion commander had been sufficiently decisive in negotiating a truce with Larwood. Otherwise, those remaining cavaliers weren''t going to last much longer.


    "Are we really just going to let them go? I don''t think that''s a good idea. Aren''t we betraying the kingdom by doing this?" Chase asked as he turned to Larwood with a concerned expression.


    "There''s nothing wrong with this. They''re willing to give us 30,000 Loonies, which will be enough to cover our costs for some time," Larwood replied in a nonchalant manner. "I don''t think we''re going to get much more than that even if we wipe out these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries. If we force them too far, they might team up with the Wolf Moon mercenary legion instead to launch a suicide attack against us. If that happens, we''ll definitely suffer severe losses as well. Weighing up all of our options, accepting this deal from the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries is our best choice."


    "But what if someone discovers what we''re doing and reports us to the department of military affairs? How are we going to explain ourselves?" Chase asked in a low voice.


    "There''s no way that there are going to be any survivors from the Wolf Moon mercenary legion, so we won''t have to worry about them," Larwood said in an indifferent voice. "As for Haggardy, take a look up there. Does it look like there are any witnesses who''ll be able to report us?"


    All of the guards standing atop Haggardy''s city walls had already burned to ashes. As for those who had fled into the underground bunker, they naturally had no idea what was happening outside the city.


    "I think what Chase is worried about is that someone within our mercenary legion could turn against us," Kaiba cautioned in a wary voice.


    "That''s not a problem. Given our backgrounds, we can easily take care of anyone who tries to turn on us," Larwood replied with a sinister smile on his face.


    Lanyon and Sherry felt chills run down their spines upon hearing this.


    The only thing that Larwood was concerned about was whether Princess Onean would do anything if she were to discover what they had done, but there was no time to worry about that under the current circumstances.


    If worse comes to worst, we''ll just have to get Erwin to take care of things. He seems to always have a way to deal with strong women like Lana and Her Highness, Larwood thought to himself.


    "Alright, let''s not think about money for now. Sherry, assemble all of our men. Be prepared at all times for any potentially unforeseen circumstances that could arise. Those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries aren''t very trustworthy," Larwood instructed.


    Sherry accepted his orders and departed.


    "If you''ve had enough fun up there, then hurry up and get back down here!" Larwood yelled up at the sky, and his words were clearly directed toward Erwin.


    "I would do that, but the problem is that I don''t know how to pilot this thing," Erwin sighed to himself with a resigned expression.


    He was looking at all of the levers on the control panel around him with a dumbfounded expression. In the heat of the moment, he had thrown the pilot overboard as well, and he was being left to rue that decision.


    Right at this moment, he heard the sound of dull thumps ringing out from the cabin of the airship, and a hint of suspicion welled up in his heart.


    Erwin followed the direction the sound was coming from as he made his way toward the cabin, but he didn''t discover anything even after searching through both levels of the airship. What was even more befuddling to him was that after taking a moment to gauge where the sound was coming from, he discovered that it didn''t come from the cabin beneath the deck. After that, he made his way to the captain''s room at the back of the airship, but there was no one there, either. However, he could tell that this was the room where the sound was coming from.


    There was not a single person in the room, yet Erwin could clearly hear someone knocking on the floorboards. Thus, he knelt down and pressed an ear against the floor, upon which he discovered that this really was where the noise was coming from.


    "It looks like there''s a secret room," Erwin said as he continued to make his way around the room with his ear pressed against the ground, listening carefully to see which floorboard the sound was coming from.


    "Aha, it''s this one." Upon finding the exact floorboard where the noise was coming from, Erwin knocked on the floorboard with his knuckles.


    In response, the thumping coming from down below became even louder and more frantic.


    What on earth is down there? A bewildered look appeared on Erwin''s face as he began to be led astray by his own imagination.


    The thumping sound continued to ring out incessantly from beneath the floorboard. It was as if someone were doing a construction job beneath the floorboards, and it was the same sound that one would expect to hear from a rawhide hammer banging against a wall.


    Erwin was worried that he would release some type of sinister creature, so instead of smashing open the floorboards right away, he pressed his ear against the floor again to listen carefully.


    After some more insistent thumping, the commotion suddenly died down, following which Erwin heard the sound of what appeared to be broken sobs.


    There''s a person under here! Upon making that realization, Erwin immediately got up before blasting the floor with an instant-release spell. To his surprise, the floorboard was very sturdy, and it took him quite a few spells before he was able to break through it. It was clear that this floorboard was specially made, and judging from its thickness, it appeared to have been designed specifically for the purpose of acting as a door panel for a secret room.


    Thankfully for Erwin, the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries hadn''t installed the same metal armor from the exterior of the airship onto the floor here. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to blast through the floor so easily.


    Erwin peered in through the hole that had been blasted into the floorboard, but it was completely dark, and he couldn''t see anything. The lighting in the captain''s room was also very dim. Due to the metal exterior that had been installed onto the airship, no natural light was allowed to pass through.


    Thus, he unleashed an elementary illumination spell, then used the light glowing from the top of his staff to look into the secret room again. This time, he caught sight of a horrified face whose mouth had been gagged using a strip of cloth. There was blood flowing down most of the face, and such a harrowing sight had given Erwin quite a fright, particularly considering the dimness of the environment.


    Erwin''s heart was racing as he stared into the secret room with a dumbfounded expression, temporarily at a loss for words. He finally understood why some people who were experiencing excessive fear were unable to scream.


    Upon catching sight of a potential savior, the person in the secret room desperately wanted to say something, but they were unable to do so due to the fact that they had been gagged.


    They were vigorously squirming from side to side while yelling into the cloth gag in a completely unintelligible manner. Upon closer inspection, Erwin discovered that the person had had their four limbs bound together behind their back by their wrists and ankles.


    "Hold on a minute, I''m going to widen this opening a little." Erwin hurriedly offered the person some words of reassurance, then began to chip away at the sturdy timber floorboards bit by bit.


    The person in the secret room was looking up at Erwin with an excited expression with tears swimming in their eyes, while Erwin didn''t even dare to look at them.


    Only after a long while did Erwin manage to shatter the entire floorboard, following which he huddled over and squeezed his way into the secret room while using the light on his staff as a torch. At the same time, he was internally cursing the designer of the secret room for making the room only half as tall as the average person.


    "Alright, let me get you out of here." Erwin stowed his staff away before grabbing the person by the shoulders and dragging them out of the secret room. In doing so, he discovered that the person was very light, having most likely lost a lot of weight from being starved in confinement.


    Even though the person was quite light, the limited height of the secret room still made it very hard work for Erwin to drag them out, and by the time they finally emerged into the captain''s room, Erwin was already sweating profusely.

 CH 43

    Erwin was panting heavily as he sized up the person that he had just dragged out of the secret room. Even though the person''s hair was extremely disheveled and their face was almost entirely smeared with blood, Erwin''s eyes were sharp enough to tell that it was a girl.


    The girl looked up at Erwin with a pleading expression while opening and closing her mouth over and over again to bite at the cloth gag in her mouth. It was clear that she had something to say, but she looked like she was so feeble that she didn''t even have the energy to speak anymore.


    Erwin hurriedly untied the cloth strip that was gagging her mouth.


    "Hurry... My father... is still in there," the girl said in a feeble voice, barely able to string together a coherent sentence.


    "There''s someone else in there?" Erwin was quite surprised to hear this.


    Thus, he pulled out his staff and ventured into the secret room again before taking a look. Initially, he failed to spot anyone else in there, but upon going a little deeper, he saw a middle-aged man lying in the deepest part of the room. Without looking closely, one could easily miss the presence of the middle-aged man like Erwin did the first time.


    These Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are so strange. Why did they choose to tie up that little girl instead of a fully grown man? Erwin was quite perplexed.


    At the same time, he was wondering why the middle-aged man was making no sound. Only after making his way over to the man did he understand why this was the case. As it turned out, the man had already fallen unconscious, and it seemed that he had been unconscious for quite some time.


    With the light glowing from the top of his staff, Erwin could see that the middle-aged man''s body was riddled with wounds. Some of his wounded flesh was already beginning to fester, and he couldn''t even tell whether the man was still alive or not, so it was no wonder that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries had chosen not to tie him up.


    In contrast with dragging a little girl out of the secret room, it required far more effort to drag an unconscious middle-aged man out of the confined space. Erwin had the workout of his life lugging the man out of the secret room, feeling like it was more physical exercise than he had done in his entire life prior to this point combined.


    Dragging the little girl out of the secret room had only resulted in his robes being drenched in sweat, but dragging out her father was such a grueling workout that he almost fell unconscious!


    A feeble smile appeared on the little girl''s face at the sight of her rescued father, and she turned to Erwin with a grateful expression.


    Her forehead had been bleeding profusely this entire time, and Erwin couldn''t help but wonder if the little girl had been knocking on the floorboard with her head just now.


    He heaved a sympathetic sigh as he rose unsteadily to his feet, then cast an advanced healing spell onto the little girl before untying her from her bindings. As for the middle-aged man, he was going to require more treatment than just a spell or two.


    "How did the two of you end up confined in there?" Erwin asked with a curious expression as he untied the little girl.


    After receiving the healing spell from Erwin, the little girl''s condition displayed clear improvement, and she finally had the strength to speak.


    "My father and I came from the north. We flew this airship over the mountain ranges so that we could purchase stock in the south, but we ran into that accursed Heavenly Star mercenary legion on the border of the Skycourt Kingdom. They immediately wanted to steal our airship, and all of the manual laborers that we hired were killed by them, leaving only me and my father left," the little girl explained in a sobbing voice. "My father did everything he could to protect me, so they beat him into this state. I don''t know if he''s going to be able to survive these injuries."


    So this airship doesn''t belong to those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries, they stole it from others as well, Erwin thought to himself. Looks like this mercenary legion and the Wolf Moon mercenary legion are birds of the same feather. In that case, this is a rather troublesome situation. After we chase the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries away, what''s going to happen to the airship? If we take it, wouldn''t we fall into the same categories as the Wolf Moon mercenary legion as well?


    "Before I dragged him out of the secret room, I checked his breathing, and he''s still breathing faintly through his nostrils. As long as his external injuries aren''t too severely infected, I should be able to save him. I''ll go get some magic potions. Hopefully, they''ll be effective for your father," Erwin consoled in a gentle voice.


    "Is that true? Please find a way to save my father!" The little girl was looking at Erwin through teary eyes while biting down onto her own lower lip. "You''re such a powerful magician, you''ll definitely be able to find a way to save my father, right?"


    "Powerful magician? How can you tell that I''m a powerful magician?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    "I saw what you did through a gap inside the secret room. You beat all of those no-good Skycourt Kingdom magicians with just a single attack! You''re the most powerful magician I''ve ever seen!" The little girl wasn''t sparing with her praise in the slightest. "If I hadn''t seen you take care of all of those Skycourt Kingdom magicians, I wouldn''t have tried to attract your attention by banging my head against that wooden door."


    "You saw me through a gap? What gap? I didn''t see anything down there," Erwin said with a befuddled expression.


    "I told you, this is my father''s airship, only my father and I know where the gap in that room is," the little girl said with a hint of smugness in her eyes. "I can see everything those Skycourt Kingdom magicians are doing from inside there."


    "Wouldn''t it have been a good idea for you to install a mechanism that can allow you to open the door from the inside? If you had done that, then you wouldn''t have had to bang your head against the door like that," Erwin said as he looked at the blood on her face.


    "That compartment was used for storing our precious belongings. How was I supposed to know that I would get locked up in there someday?" the little girl sighed with a resigned expression.


    "I guess that makes sense," Erwin replied with a shrug.


    "By the way, what''s your name, big brother?" the little girl asked as she looked at Erwin. "You saved me and my father, so we have to repay you for your kindness."


    "My name is Erwin Friar," Erwin replied. "If you want to repay me for my kindness, then you can just give this airship to me. However, I have to warn you in advance: there''s no guarantee that I''ll be able to save your father. Whether he makes it through this alive will depend on his luck."


    The little girl''s eyes widened with shock upon hearing this. Not only was Erwin not refusing repayment from her, he was going so far as to ask for their airship, and that came as a complete shock to the little girl.


    Erwin remained silent with a smile on his face as the little girl deliberated about what to do.


    After some contemplation, the little girl seemed to have made up her mind. "Alright, I can''t go back on my word. I said I was going to repay you, and that''s exactly what I''m going to do. From now on, this airship is yours, Brother Erwin. Regardless of whether you can save my father or not, this airship will act as repayment to you for rescuing us."


    "I enjoy working with straightforward people like you. Given how decisive you are, you''re going to be a great businesswoman in the future," Erwin said, and even though he appeared to be making a joke, he was truly quite impressed by this little girl. "Don''t worry, I was just kidding around with you. I have no need for this airship of yours. However, the Effer Kingdom and the Skycourt Kingdom are at war during this moment, so you have to lend me this airship during this special time period. To put it more accurately, you''re lending your airship to our mercenary legion. As for your father, I promise that I''ll do everything in my power to save him, but I really can''t guarantee whether I''ll be able to save him or not."


    The little girl really was a very decisive person, and seeing as she had already verbally granted the airship to Erwin, she was no longer regarding it as her property. Thus, no matter what Erwin said, she wasn''t going to take the airship back. In comparison with the loss of the airship, she was much more saddened to hear that Erwin wasn''t sure if he could save her father or not.


    "Come on now, little girl, we don''t have time for you to mope here," Erwin said with a resigned expression as he looked at her dejected display. He had no time to waste here as he had to oversee the battle that was still raging on down below.


    "My name is Christine, Brother Erwin," the little girl said with a pout as she put away her depressed expression, clearly rather displeased by Erwin''s lack of sympathy.


    "Alright, nice to meet you, Christine. I was serious when I said that we''re only borrowing this airship. You are still the true owner of the airship, so I suggest you come out and take a look. If we don''t continue to let it fly on its original course, it''s going to crash into a mountain soon," Erwin warned, and at this point, he had already emerged onto the deck outside and was looking at the Feony Mountains, which were not far away in the northwest.


    Ever since the original pilot was thrown off the airship by Erwin, the airship had been flying on autopilot the entire time.


    "What!?" Christine immediately rushed out of the pilot''s room in bare feet upon hearing this. The blood all over her face presented a startling sight to behold, but she paid no heed to that, and she immediately caught sight of the mountains up ahead, upon which she instantly drew a sharp breath, then hurriedly began to operate the airship with the levers on the control panel.


    However, the airship had been modified by the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries, with hundreds of metal plates equipped to its exterior, so it had become far heavier than before, thereby making it significantly less maneuverable.


    In this tense situation, Erwin cast his gaze toward the magicians of the Four Winds mercenary legion on the mountain to the northwest, and an idea suddenly sprang into his mind. He cast a voice amplification spell onto himself, then yelled, "Lanyon, gather all of the magicians and get them to unleash spells onto the underside of the airship! Hurry!"


    Lanyon was initially already going to lead all of the magicians and archers down the mountain to unite with Larwood, but he noticed that the airship that Erwin was on hadn''t changed directions at all this entire time. Thus, it occurred to him that perhaps something was wrong, so he decided to stay put in the end.


    Upon receiving that order from Erwin, Lanyon immediately led all of the magicians to a location that was directly ahead of the airship, then began to unleash spells toward the bottom of the airship as instructed.


    A string of loud clangs rang out from the underside of the airship as its metal exterior was struck by all types of spells.


    "Make the underside of the front of the airship your primary target, and focus all of your spells on one spot," Erwin yelled toward the magicians down below.


    "Understood!" Lanyon relayed Erwin''s instructions to everyone else so that they could work together effectively.


    The metal armor equipped onto the airship was able to ward off all of the oncoming spells, but it was unable to prevent itself from being lifted upward by the magic energy imbued within the spells. In addition to that, Christine was also helping their cause by piloting the airship from the inside, and the airship finally began to elevate a little as its underside just barely cleared the tip of the mountain down below.


    Both Erwin and Christine heaved a long sigh of relief upon failing to hear the sound of the underside of the airship scraping over the tip of a mountain. They were standing on the deck with no way of seeing what was happening down below, so they could only gauge the situation by sound.


    Lanyon and the magicians of the Four Winds mercenary legion down below were clapping and cheering joyfully, while Erwin was feeling a little embarrassed. The situation had only become so perilous because he hadn''t taken the time to learn how to pilot the airship. If he had done that, then this would''ve been entirely avoidable.


    "He''s always getting up to one shenanigan or another. If he''s not doing something dangerous or flashy, he wouldn''t be Erwin anymore," Larwood sighed in a resigned voice. He was leading all of the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legions toward the east, and he had naturally also witnessed the perilous sequence that had just unfolded.


    "That''s the Erwin that we know and love, for sure," Kaiba chuckled beside Larwood.


    "Jeez, that was way too close! He almost completely demolished that airship," Chase exclaimed with a relieved expression.

 CH 44

    While the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion had their attention drawn to the spectacle being put on by their deputy commander, the final clash between the Heavenly Star mercenary legion and the Wolf Moon mercenary legion had already begun.


    What little remained of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s cavaliers were also led back into battle by Luphen. At the moment, the Heavenly Star mercenary legion still had around 800 men left, while the Wolf Moon mercenary legion only had around 300.


    With such a massive numbers advantage, the Heavenly Star mercenary legion should''ve theoretically been able to end the battle very quickly, but both sides were utterly exhausted, so the battle was progressing at a very sluggish pace. This was the problem with fighting on the battlefield. Prior to an outcome being reached, neither side could take a rest. No matter how exhausted or hungry they were, they couldn''t just call a lunch break on a battle.


    Furthermore, with the unmatched Talan wreaking havoc on the battlefield, the Wolf Moon mercenary legion was only becoming more and more fearsome as the battle wore on, and the situation was quickly becoming very troublesome for Luphen. The main problem was that he was no match for Talan on a one-on-one basis.


    On the other side, Larwood and all of the Four Winds mercenary legion''s martial artists were watching the clash from not far away. As for all of the magicians and archers, they were called onto the airship by Erwin, and the airship was hovering in the sky directly above Larwood. Thus, the Four Winds mercenary legion was able to closely observe the battle both from the ground and the sky.


    "Brother Erwin, that man is the one who led his men to steal our airship from us," Christine said as she pointed down at Luphen.


    "I see. Does that mean he took all of your precious belongings as well?" Erwin asked.


    "He did. When they first came onto the airship, they were only able to find some cargo, so they asked me and Father whether we had any precious items on the airship. Initially, I said no, but that man from the Skycourt Kingdom deceived me. He told me that if I hand over all of the precious items on the ship, then he''d let us go. Father''s injuries were already extremely severe at the time, so I agreed, but that bastard took all of our precious belongings from that compartment before throwing the two of us in there," Christine said in a resentful voice.


    "That''s very shady of those Skycourt Kingdom pigs. I''m going to make him cough up everything he took from you," Erwin consoled with a smile, oblivious to the fact that Luphen had already been extorted by Larwood earlier.


    "That bastard also said that given all of the precious items on our airship, I must come from a wealthy family, so he captured me as a hostage so he could blackmail my family for money in the future. I don''t know where he thinks he''s going to get money from after almost killing my father!" Christine said in an enraged voice.


    Erwin nodded in response. "So what you''re saying is that they almost killed the person they were planning to extort without realizing that it was your father. Damn, these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are way more ruthless than we are. Not only did they take all of your precious belongings and the airship, he''s even planning to kidnap you for extortion purposes!"


    "That''s why you have to avenge me, Brother Erwin! These are terrible, terrible people. If you''re not going to do anything, then I''m going to drive this airship down and crush him to death!" The tone of Christine''s voice was extremely fierce, and it didn''t sound like she was joking at all.


    There was still dried blood caked all over her face, and coupled with the furious look in her eyes, she was putting on a terrifying display to behold. Erwin was worried that she would actually follow through on her plan to launch a suicide attack with the airship, so he hurriedly consoled, "I told you that I was going to make him cough up everything he took from you, didn''t I? You can count on me to make him pay for what he did."


    At the same time, a rather depressing thought occurred to him. It seemed that none of the women who had appeared recently in his life were normal people.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Luphen was being chased around by Talan in a very sorry state. Talan''s long blade had already sliced many gashes onto the suit of heavy armor he was wearing. Thankfully, the suit of armor was of a very high quality. Otherwise, many of his internal organs would''ve already been exposed to the fresh sea breeze blowing in from the coastline.


    "Don''t jutht thit there and watch, my friendth, hurry up and help me! If I die here, you won''t be able to get any Loonieth out of me!" Luphen was yelling at Larwood in a panicked voice while frantically fleeing from Talan.


    "To be honest, I don''t really want to help that lispy bastard from the Skycourt Kingdom, but just seeing Talan''s face fills me with a sense of rage. Whenever I think about what he did back in Windmetal Fort, I want to slice him up and leave his body out for the vultures to eat!" Chase was clearly still holding a severe grudge against Talan for everything that he did back in Windmetal Fort.


    Despite Larwood''s cold and calculating nature, a cruel smile had appeared on his face as well. "Objectively speaking, the best course of action would be for us to join the battle near its conclusion, but I also really want to kill that bastard whenever I see that ugly face of his."


    "Then what the hell are we waiting for? Let''s get out there and kill him!" Kaiba was the type of person who preferred action over words, and he slapped his own horse on the back as he raised his spear, galloping directly toward Talan on horseback.


    Larwood and Chase exchanged a glance and a smile, then immediately followed along behind Kaiba.


    Prior to departing, Larwood left Sherry with a parting instruction. "Continue waiting here with everyone else, and keep a constant eye on what the Wolf Moon mercenary legion and the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are doing. If an opportunity arises, you have permission to lead our men into battle and kill all of the remaining enemies."


    As had already been established, Luphen was a very sly and crafty individual, and he intentionally lured Talan out of the battlefield, thereby creating an opportunity for Larwood and the others to surround him.


    At this point, Talan had also spotted Larwood and his friends, and he spat viciously onto the ground with a hateful expression, thinking to himself that it was perfect that all of his enemies had gathered in one place so he could take them all out together.


    Up in the airship, Erwin could see that his friends had joined the battle, and he immediately cast a levitation spell onto himself, flying out of the airship so that he could carefully observe the battle unfolding down below in mid-air.


    Luphen could see that Larwood and his friends were extremely eager to face Talan in battle, so he saw this as a perfect opportunity to slack off while Larwood and the others did all the work. Thus, he halfheartedly swung his silver whip through the air, pretending to attack Talan with all his might, but in reality, he was barely making any contributions. As a result, the battle quickly turned into a three-on-one clash between Talan and Larwood and his friends.


    In the heat of battle, Larwood and the others failed to notice this, but hovering high up in the sky above, Erwin immediately identified what Luphen was doing. Thus, he cast around a dozen instant-release spells toward Luphen in rapid succession, all of which had been imbued with negative status conditions.


    Luphen''s reflexes were very sharp, and he dodged to the side before rolling along the ground a few times to evade all of the oncoming spells. He then got up with a furious expression and was just about to hurl a torrent of abuse at the person who had attacked him, but he didn''t dare to say anything upon identifying Erwin as the one who had cast the spells.


    "I''d advise you not to try any funny business. Otherwise, you''ll only be hurting yourself," Erwin said in a cold voice as he looked down at Luphen with a hostile expression.


    Luphen was quite wary of Erwin after seeing Erwin vanquish the entire airship of Heavenly Star magicians on his own, so he could only nod up at Erwin with a fawning smile on his face.


    Erwin gave him another cold glare, then pointed his staff at Talan, and this time, Luphen didn''t attempt to slack off again as he rejoined the battle.


    ...


    Even though Talan was a very formidable warrior, he was beginning to struggle in the face of four opponents at once. To compound his woes even further, all of his four opponents were extremely dirty fighters who weren''t ashamed of stooping to even the most unscrupulous of tactics. Of course, Kaiba was far less of a dirty fighter after learning that set of spear techniques. At the very least, he was already a lot more virtuous in battle than the other three. But then again, that really wasn¡¯t saying much.


    Luphen was quite a dirty fighter himself, but not as dirty as the likes of Larwood and Chase. The two of them were working together in a seamless partnership, constantly striking at Talan''s eyes and crown jewels, and Luphen realized that he was still too honorable a fighter upon seeing this.


    At the moment, Erwin could only stand by and watch from above. The five of them were fighting in very close proximity to one another, so if he were to unleash any spells at Talan, they could easily end up as friendly fire. Even for spells with tracing properties, they had to be able to access their target. At the moment, Larwood and the others had surrounded Talan from all directions, so there was nothing that Erwin could do.


    Talan took a glance down at the chainmail armor around his stomach and waist to find that several gashes had already been sliced into it. Wounds had also been inflicted onto his body through these gashes, and blood was already beginning to seep out before slowly dripping down onto the seaside sand beneath his feet.


    His fierce eyes were wide and brimming with killing intent as he swept his gaze across his four adversaries. All of a sudden, he let loose a loud roar, then unleashed two ferocious attacks with his saber in quick succession to force back both Larwood and Luphen by half a step.


    This gave him the space that he needed, and he raised his blade high up above his own head before unleashing an almighty blow.


    Larwood and the others had all witnessed this attack before. This was the first of Talan''s signature three killing strikes.


    Chase was situated behind Talan, and the attack struck him with tremendous force. Chase was already mentally prepared for this, and he raised his longsword to ward off the attack, but the power behind the strike was extremely devastating, and Chase wasn''t able to keep it at bay. As a result, he was sent stumbling back close to 20 steps, and by the time he finally drew to a halt, an extremely terrifying wound had been sliced onto his body, stretching all the way across his chest and his stomach. Furthermore, he was wearing a suit of Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor. If he had been wearing a suit of normal armor instead, that attack would''ve perhaps already split his body cleanly in half.


    Chase was the weakest of Talan''s four adversaries, and that was most likely the reason why he had been targeted by Talan. Talan''s objective was very clear: he wanted to eliminate one of his opponents with a single blow so that this would become a three-on-one battle instead of a four-on-one affair.


    Erwin immediately descended next to Chase before casting an advanced healing spell onto him. Even so, blood was still flowing out of the wound that had been inflicted onto Chase''s body, and it was clear that this wasn''t an injury that could be healed with magic.


    "Fuck... That was... more powerful than I expected..." Chase said in a slurred voice with blood gushing out of his mouth.


    "Lie down and don''t speak. Magic doesn''t seem to have any effect on this wound, so we''ll have to find an alternative method of treatment," Erwin said with furrowed brows.


    After sustaining such a severe blow, Chase didn''t have the energy to speak anymore anyway, so he lied down and did as he was told.


    Larwood and Kaiba were furious upon seeing the state that Chase was in, and they began to attack Talan with increased ferocity.


    Kaiba''s spear techniques possessed astounding power, but Talan wasn''t having any trouble dealing with his attacks. Even the most powerful attack that Kaiba had learned from Erwin''s spear-wielding opponent during the Pillow Sword Tournament only managed to force Talan back by half a step.


    Larwood took advantage of the opportunity to attack Talan from behind, while Luphen swept his silver whip directly toward his legs. Talan used his blade to block Larwood''s sword, then lowered his own center of gravity and adopted a horse stance to withstand the blow from Luphen''s whip.


    Thus, even with the three of them unleashing their most powerful attacks at once, the only damage they were able to inflict upon Talan was a slight gash onto his leg from Luphen''s whip.


    At this point, Larwood''s trio was already panting heavily from exertion, and a derisive sneer appeared on Talan''s face upon seeing this. "Are you out of breath already? Is this the extent of your power?"


    The tide was quickly turning in Talan''s favor, and in this dire situation, Erwin had no choice but to enter the fray as well.


    Beneath the dim light of the sun and under the dark clouds in the sky, a vast storm of purple swords quickly took shape.


    With a wave of Erwin''s staff, the countless purple swords rapidly descended, converging to form a gargantuan sword during their descent, hurtling directly toward Talan''s head.


    Talan''s brows furrowed slightly as he looked up at the descending sword. He swept his blade through the air, unleashing bursts of blade intent that resembled a series of undulating mountains and valleys, easily forcing back Larwood''s trio. After that, he stomped a foot down onto the ground, and his foot sank deep into the sand down below, following which he launched himself up into the air to face Erwin''s attack without any fear or hesitation.

 CH 45.1

    He swept his blade upward, and the dozens of bursts of blade intent combined as one, unleashing an attack even more fearsome than the second of Talan''s three killing strikes that he had unleashed back in Windmetal Fort.


    This was a clash between the power of a martial artist and a magician, and it was a direct exchange of blows between Talan and Erwin.


    The tips of the sword and the saber collided with a dull thump, and a heatwave erupted outward in all directions. Larwood and the others were all forced back a few steps by the heatwave, while the airship in the sky swayed unsteadily in the face of the eruption of energy. Thankfully, Christine''s reflexes were quite sharp, and she was able to quickly stabilize the swaying airship. Otherwise, she would''ve been flung off the airship by the turbulence.


    Ultimately, Erwin was the one who came off second best in the wake of the clash, and the dozens of bursts of blade intent unleashed by Talan''s long blade gradually devoured the giant purple sword. However, the final outcome was that neither side came out on top.


    The giant sword conjured up by Erwin''s ancient spell was indeed destroyed by Talan''s devastating strike, but Erwin himself remained completely unharmed. Talan pressed his advantage and charged directly toward Erwin while continuing to lash out with his blade, but his attack struck the light shield that Erwin had just conjured up.


    Strangely enough, even though this was an extremely powerful attack, Erwin didn''t feel any of the power imbued within Talan''s blade from inside the light shield. Not only was Erwin surprised by this turn of events, Talan was also staring at the blade in his own hand with a stunned expression, clearly also unable to understand why such a devastating attack had fizzled out into such a tame blow.


    Erwin looked at Talan''s astonished expression, and a statement that he had grappled with on many sleepless nights in futility suddenly sprang into his mind again: "Under extremely unstable conditions, rifts exist between space and time."


    Time and space were entities that were intertwined with one another. As time within the light shield fell still, the matter energy in the surrounding area would surge into the light shield as if it had a mind of its own. However, under these circumstances, the matter energy was dispersed by the eruption of two bursts of enormous power. As a result, this phenomenon of natural replenishment was thrown into disarray, thereby resulting in conditions of extreme instability. According to Erwin''s understanding of the concepts of space and time, once the intertwined nature of space and time was disrupted, rifts would emerge between the two entities.


    No wonder his attack looked so powerful but ended up feeling so weak. All of the energy contained within his blade disappeared into a space-time rift! Erwin thought to himself as an enlightened look appeared on his face.


    In that case, why hadn''t something like this ever happened before? Was it because the energy that Erwin''s past opponents had struck his light shield with wasn''t powerful enough to create this type of situation? That wasn''t the case. In the past, there had been multiple occasions where Erwin had absorbed the matter energy outside the external wall of the light shield to unleash his spells. Once this matter energy was absorbed, this state of extreme instability would cease to exist.


    This was because once the condition of intertwinement between space and time was satisfied, there would be no way to generate that so-called state of extreme instability. Theoretically speaking, matter energy had a tendency to move toward spaces in which time wasn''t flowing normally. However, the matter energy had no way of identifying whether it was filling the space in question or had been absorbed by a certain life form within the space.


    Thus, a combination of two factors had resulted in this situation, the first of which was that the disruptive energy outside the light shield was excessively powerful, while the second factor was that Erwin had hurriedly conjured up this light shield to protect himself, and in his urgency, he had forgotten to absorb the energy outside the light shield. This was why a space-time rift had emerged.


    Talan was clearly still caught in a stunned stupor, unable to comprehend why his attack had fizzled out in such a pathetic fashion.


    Meanwhile, Erwin had already figured out the reason behind this, but he was only buoyed by this discovery for a brief moment. After that flash of enlightenment and joy came a sense of disappointment and loneliness. When it came to his pursuit of time and space magic, he was completely alone, with no one that he could share his insights, problems, and triumphs with. It would be like if a new subject were introduced in an academy, and the only teacher and student for that subject was Erwin. Ever since he began studying "Laws of Time and Space", he would often find himself feeling envious of the students around him, envious that Larwood and the others could discuss all types of martial techniques during their free time, envious that all of the magicians around him could discuss ways to improve their magic power. Erwin was a magician himself, but he had no interest in purely improving his own magic power, so he didn''t really fit in with other magicians.


    Perhaps in the eyes of others, he was always going to be a trailblazer or an innovator, or, to put it less delicately, someone who never did what they should and was a bit of a nutjob. To Erwin, the problem was that practicing magic or training martial techniques didn''t allow one to grasp the fundamental power of the world, so there was no purpose to such pursuits in his eyes.


    In fact, most of Erwin''s confusion and rebellious nature came from his desperate desire to understand what "purpose" was. In other words, he was perplexed about why most of the people in the world didn''t care about what the true nature of "purpose" was.


    Maybe I caught Professor Hawk''s eye because I think about all this random stuff all the time, Erwin thought to himself. He would often also wonder to himself what exactly it was that had convinced Professor Hawk to take him under his wing.


    In reality, it was inevitable that Professor Hawk was going to give Erwin "Laws of Time and Space" sooner or later. That was his destiny, and it was not something that he could escape from. It wasn''t because Professor Hawk had seen some type of special innate talent in him. In other words, Erwin''s innate aptitude wasn''t something for Professor Hawk to assess. Of course, this was something that Erwin only found quite a long time into the future.


    ...


    While Talan was still rooted to the spot, yet to return to his senses, Erwin unleashed a space split technique to open up some distance between them, and in the blink of an eye, he had already appeared above the surface of the sea.


    Talan was still unable to comprehend how Erwin had managed to withstand the second of his three killing strikes without sustaining any damage whatsoever. Even Erwin''s light shield shouldn''t have been able to accomplish this. After all, Talan had already used the first two of his three killing strikes on Erwin''s light shield back in Windmetal Fort, and even though he hadn''t managed to break through Erwin''s light shield on that occasion, his attacks had caused Erwin to bleed from his nose and mouth, so it was clear that he hadn''t withstood them completely unscathed.


    However, there wasn''t any time for him to ponder this on a deeper level as Erwin''s second spell had already arrived.


    The sea had been quite tranquil just a moment ago, but a fierce dragon formed by seawater suddenly emerged before pouncing directly toward Talan.


    "Is that all of you''ve got?" Talan scoffed with a derisive sneer, not expecting Erwin to use such an elementary spell. He raised his long blade before slashing it toward the dragon''s head, yet as soon as his blade came into contact with the scales of the watery dragon, he caught a faint glimpse of purple light glowing within the seawater.


    Initially, Talan paid no heed to this. As he exerted more force into the attack, his blade was driven deeper and deeper into the watery dragon, inflicting a long gash that stretched all the way from the top of the dragon''s head to its belly. Violent purple magic energy immediately erupted out of the dragon''s body through the gash before striking Talan head-on, seeping through his armor while carrying all types of negative status conditions. Due to the fact that all of the spells had been cast through the use of Erwin''s Shaved Purple Gem staff, they were all imbued with darkness-attribute magic energy, which unleashed a direct assault on Talan''s mind.


    With Talan''s powers, he should''ve definitely been able to evade this eruption of magic energy before it reached, but much to his astonishment, his own body refused to obey his brain in that split second, thereby rendering him unable to move.


    The reason for this was the whip strike that Luphen had managed to land on Talan. It seemed that his whip had only managed to inflict a shallow gash onto Talan''s leg, but unbeknownst to Talan, Luphen had hatched a sinister plan, which involved smearing a special type of magic potion along the entire length of his silver whip. In Luphen''s eyes, it was clear that Talan had to be dealt with if they wanted to eradicate the entire Wolf Moon mercenary legion. It was also clear to him that Talan was too powerful for them to defeat through conventional means, so he would have to resort to some shady tactics. The magic potion that he had used was brewed from myriad peach blossoms, cotton rose roots, and skyfall south stars. If either one of Onean or Lana were present, they would''ve been able to give the uneducated Erwin a quick crash course on what these ingredients did. Myriad peach blossoms accelerated one''s blood flow, cotton rose roots were a mental stimulant, while the skyfall south star had a strong paralysis effect.


    Due to the psychoactive effects of the cotton rose root, Talan was completely unable to sense the paralysis effect of the skyfall south star spreading through his body, a process that was accelerated by the myriad peach blossoms. His mind was entirely fixated on killing Erwin, and since sustaining that gash on his leg, his blood had already circulated through his entire body countless times. Only then did he realize that his own bodily control was beginning to fade, thereby resulting in his inability to evade Erwin''s Magic Explosion.


    Even Erwin himself was quite surprised that Talan hadn''t managed to evade the attack, and he also realized that there had to be something wrong with Talan''s body. However, he certainly wasn''t going to pity his opponent, particularly a heinous opponent like Talan. He had no sympathy for a brazen convict like Talan, and mercy was the last thing on his mind.


    Larwood and the others could also see what was happening from the shore, and Luphen was naturally aware of why Talan had suddenly become so inept in his movement, but Larwood and Kaiba were very much taken aback to see how slow and sluggish Talan had become.


    "What are you all waiting for? Hurry up and get over here!" Erwin yelled toward the shore.


    Larwood''s trio immediately sprang into the air above the sea without any hesitation, and the battle once again turned into a four-on-one fight. Erwin and the others were trying to take advantage of his physical condition to take him down as quickly as possible.


    Talan was naturally struggling to weather such a ferocious storm. In his current physical condition, he was only just barely able to ward off attacks from one or two of his adversaries at once, but with all four of them attacking him in a concerted effort, it didn''t take long before he sustained several severe injuries. However, credit truly had to be given to his incredible physical constitution, and it was clear that he took his physical training very seriously.


    Even though he was accumulating more and more wounds on his body, Talan was becoming more and more alert. After all, the wounds were causing him great pain, and that pain allowed him to fight through the paralyzing effect of the skyfall south star.


    "You think this''ll be enough to kill me? I can keep this up for days," Talan roared as his long blade slashed a dazzling arc through the air. It was as if a ray of bright sunlight had shone through the dark clouds, piercing through the dim and overcast sky.


    The glimmer of light was so radiant that even the mercenaries locked in battle in the distance had their attention drawn to it. Sherry and the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion all turned their eyes toward the flash of radiance, as did Lanyon and everyone on the airship.


    "I didn''t think little cowards like you would be able to push me this far, but so be it. I''ll give you the honor of seeing my third killing strike!" A fierce look appeared in Talan''s eyes, and the ferocious killing intent in his body sprang forth like a leopard pouncing on its prey.


    Erwin and the others were extremely apprehensive to hear this. The first two of Talan''s three killing strikes were already extremely fearsome, and they were struggling to imagine just how formidable the third strike was going to be. For a brief instant, the thought of fleeing the battle occurred to all four of them, but they knew that this was something that they couldn''t run away from. If Talan were to overcome the four of them and win this battle, then everyone in the Four Winds mercenary legion and the Heavenly Star mercenary legion would be slain by him.


    Larwood''s sword was about to reach Talan''s throat, Kaiba''s spear was piercing directly toward the arteries on his leg, while Luphen''s silver whip was slashing viciously toward the wounds on his back, but Talan paid no heed to any of that as he dedicated himself fully to unleashing his own attack with single-minded focus.


    Finally, the attack was unleashed with earth-shattering force.


    Several dozen tornadoes of seawater instantly erupted from the surface of the sea, and it was as if the entire ocean had instantly been churned up into a frenzy. The scene created by Talan''s attack was far more spectacular than Erwin''s water dragon spell.


    All of a sudden, Erwin and the others were struck by the feeling that there were sharp blades brimming with killing intent all around them like an omnipresent force of nature.

 CH 45.2

    Erwin immediately conjured up his light shield as countless blade projections swept toward him, placing him under unprecedented pressure. The energy swirling around the light shield was extremely violent and overbearing, and Erwin was shocked that Talan was able to control this power.


    Larwood and the others were also instantly forced onto the back foot, struggling to deal with this formidable attack. Many wounds had already been inflicted onto the bodies of Larwood and Kaiba. In contrast, Luphen was faring a little better, having only sustained a cut on his cheek, but the cut was so deep that his gums were visible through it, so half of his face had essentially been disfigured.


    Luphen was in a lot of pain, but he was frantically warding off Talan''s attack, so he didn''t have any spare hands to clasp over the wound on his cheek. Talan was deriving a lot of pleasure from seeing this, and it was clear that out of the group of people he was being attacked by, Luphen was the one that he detested the most.


    Inside the light shield, Erwin''s stamina and magic power were being rapidly whittled down, and he was still clinging onto the hope that another space-time rift would emerge. The violent and chaotic energy unleashed by Talan was clashing with the matter energy that was attempting to surge into the light shield, and even though this was an extremely formidable attack, it still wasn''t enough to create that state of extreme instability.


    The space-time rift from earlier had been created due to the collision of two bursts of powerful energy from Erwin and Talan''s clashing attacks. In the current situation, Erwin was hoping that Talan''s third killing strike alone would be enough to create a space-time rift, which was a severe underestimation of the difficulty of creating such a phenomenon.


    Talan began to chortle with glee at the sight of his four opponents'' struggles, and he slashed his long blade viciously through the air a few more times in an attempt to put an end to this battle as quickly as possible. After all, the paralyzing magic potion had been working its way through his body this entire time, so he wasn''t going to be able to keep this up for much longer.


    Even though Erwin''s stamina and magic power was becoming more and more depleted, he was still able to observe Talan through his light shield. He noticed that after unleashing his third killing strike, Talan''s physical condition seemed to have deteriorated even more rapidly, so much so that his skin and flesh were aging at a rate so fast that it was discernible even to the naked eye.


    Erwin could see the muscles of Talan''s face atrophying beneath his broken helmet. His burly and imposing figure had also become much more wizened and shriveled after unleashing his third killing strike. Furthermore, his skin was clearly becoming looser and more wrinkly after unleashing that flurry of attacks just now. In fact, the skin around his neck had become so heavily wrinkled that it looked as if it belonged on the body of an elderly man in his 80s.


    I see what''s happening here. Normally, what he does is absorb all types of matter energy into his body, and his third killing strike involves releasing the energy stored in his body all at once. No wonder it''s such a devastating attack, and it''s also no wonder that he seemed so reluctant to use this third killing strike, Erwin thought to himself, finally able to understand why Talan was able to harness and control such fearsome power.


    Unlike normal martial artists, who exclusively absorbed the elemental matter in the space around them during battles to enhance themselves, Talan was constantly absorbing matter energy into his own body, accumulating and storing it over the course of years.


    However, another question arose in Erwin''s mind: how was Talan able to store so much matter energy in his own body? During Erwin''s first match in the Pillow Sword Tournament, the matter energy that had gushed into his body had almost caused him to explode like an overfilled balloon. If it weren''t for Onean''s generosity, he would''ve most likely already been dead. The only possible explanation for this was that Talan had to be constantly training his own body in order to make it a vessel fit for storing more and more matter energy. With that in mind, Erwin couldn''t help but admire his opponent''s resilience and determination.


    Indeed, Erwin''s guess was right on the money. When it came to his dedication to improving in martial techniques and refining his own body, Talan was far more conscientious and hard-working than the nobles in the military and even the martial techniques professors of all of the major advanced academies.


    This was why Talan had displayed so much genuine disdain toward Erwin and his friends back in Windmetal Fort, while in contrast, he had shown a great deal of respect toward Jayson Young, the renowned spear god of Burmen.


    "Everyone, we have to go on the attack! We''re not going to get anywhere if we keep passively defending ourselves like this. His body is about to give out, so all we need to do is land one good attack on him!" Erwin yelled as he abruptly withdrew his light shield.


    Larwood and Kaiba immediately began to carefully observe Talan upon hearing this, and they were stunned to see that Talan looked as if he had aged several decades within the span of just a few minutes, transforming him from a middle-aged man into what appeared to be an elderly man with one foot in the grave.


    "Alright, watch me kill this old bastard!" Kaiba swept his spear through the air and led the way as he charged toward Talan, completely disregarding all of the wounds that he sustained during the process.


    With Kaiba putting his life on the line, Larwood knew that he couldn''t be left behind, and he also charged forward with tightly gritted teeth.


    Meanwhile, Luphen rubbed at the wound on his own face with the back of his hand. The pain from the wound had already completely awakened his fury and killing intent, and on this occasion, he charged forward with his silver whip raised up high even without being threatened by Erwin.


    Never did Talan anticipate that his four adversaries would suddenly charge toward him without any regard for their own lives. He had thought that in his current condition, he would be able to grind down his opponents little by little and ultimately outlast them.


    Around a dozen gashes had already been sliced onto Erwin''s back from the blade intent surging through the air around him, and several wounds had also been inflicted onto his chest and his legs. However, he seemed to be completely oblivious to them as he continued to stare intently at the four people who were locked in battle before him, readying himself to unleash a killing blow at any moment. His current reserves of stamina and magic power were already insufficient for him to conjure up his light shield again, so he had to strike at the ideal opportunity.


    The condition of Larwood and the others was also much the same as Erwin''s, with everyone sustaining many injuries from Talan''s fierce blade intent.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the battlefield in the east, what little remained of the Wolf Moon mercenary legion was also standing on its last legs. What came as quite a surprise to everyone was that even though the Wolf Moon mercenary legion was without its leader, the final 300 mercenaries put up extremely admirable resistance, only falling after they had killed over 300 of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion''s men.


    Right when the Heavenly Star mercenary legion thought that they had won the battle, Sherry immediately arrived on the scene with the Four Winds mercenary legion behind him. Even though no battle ensued between the two mercenary legions, both sides were watching one another with wary expressions, and the airship had also arrived in the air above the battlefield, with all of the magicians and archers led by Lanyon ready to attack at any moment.


    Even though Larwood had told Sherry to kill these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries if a suitable opportunity arose, Sherry knew that Larwood had arrived at some type of private agreement with the leader of these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries, so he wasn''t in a hurry to attack them.


    After such a grueling battle, the 500 or so remaining Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were no match for the Four Winds mercenary legion. In addition to that, the Four Winds mercenary legion had another major advantage in the form of the airship, so Sherry was very calm and collected as he watched the battle taking place above the sea from afar.


    On the airship, Christine was also watching the battle unfolding in the distance with an intense, unblinking gaze, and she was actually feeling quite anxious for Erwin. The giant sword spell that Erwin had unleashed earlier had been a truly astonishing sight for her. The clash between Talan''s blade and Erwin''s sword had produced such air currents that the airship was almost completely tipped over, and that was something she had never anticipated. It was incredible to her that a magician could be so majestic and dashing in a one-on-one battle.


    Of course, Erwin wasn''t feeling very majestic at this moment.


    "Brother Erwin is going to be alright, isn''t he?" Christine asked as she turned to Lanyon with an uneasy expression.


    "He should be fine..." Lanyon replied in a slightly hesitant voice. From his vantage point on the airship, he had witnessed Talan''s third killing strike, and it was truly a devastating attack, so much so that Lanyon''s confidence in Erwin had been slightly compromised.


    "Brother Erwin''s so strong, he''ll definitely be already... he''ll definitely be alright..." Christine was mumbling the same thing to herself over and over again as she directed her gaze back to the battle unfolding in the distance.


    ...


    The sky above the Joffan Sea was very overcast, and the faint rays of sunlight piercing through the clouds were made to look extremely feeble.


    At this point, the battle against Talan had reached white-hot intensity.


    Kaiba blocked Talan''s blade with his spear, then slammed his left shoulder into Talan''s chest. Even though Kaiba was only crashing into Talan in a severely compromised physical condition, he was still struck by a rush of dizziness.


    "Die!" Larwood roared as he unleashed a thrust with his sword from down below, and the sword immediately pierced through Talan''s ankle, but at the same time, Larwood was also struck by a kick to the shoulder from Talan.


    As for Luphen, he wound his whip around Talan''s other leg before tugging on the whip with all his might, thereby immobilizing Talan''s leg on the spot.


    After receiving a kick to the shoulder, Larwood was unable to put any strength into his sword-wielding arm. Thus, he pulled a dagger out from his waist with his left hand before thrusting it directly toward Talan''s stomach. This was the very same dagger he had used for that sneak attack against Jeff during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    Talan''s body was already quite slow and sluggish from the effects of the paralyzing magic potion, and he had exhausted all of the energy that he had accumulated in his own body over the course of many years while unleashing his third killing strike. In addition to that, he was clashing directly with Kaiba, and one of his legs was rendered immobile by Luphen, while the ankle of his other leg had sustained a heavy blow. Thus, in the face of Larwood''s oncoming dagger, he could twist his own body to the side in an attempt to evade the attack.


    Larwood certainly wasn''t going to allow him to get away so easily, and the tip of his dagger sliced a gash onto Talan''s stomach. In a fit of thunderous fury, Talan raised the leg that he could still move before giving Larwood a vicious strike with his knee, causing Larwood to groan with pain, but a triumphant smile had appeared on his face.


    This was because Erwin had arrived on the scene, and a bolt of purple lightning erupted from the tip of his Shaved Purple Gem staff. The bolt of lightning plunged directly into the wound that had been inflicted onto Talan''s stomach. Erwin had injected all of his remaining magic power into that attack, and he hadn''t left himself any leeway. If this attack failed to kill Talan, then there would''ve been nothing else Erwin could''ve done.


    "Argh!" Talan''s roar of pain rang out across the entire heavens. His eyes were wide open, staring blankly at the magician standing before him. His heart was filled with fury, indignation, and disbelief, but his eyes were hollow and beginning to glaze over.


    For him, the biggest insult imaginable was to lose his life to these young nobles, whom he despised with every fiber of his being. As he began to fall back, a fountain of blood erupted out of his mouth, as if he were trying to vent his fury and hatred one last time.


    Thus, the vastly renowned bandit leader of the Effer Kingdom, Talan Ash, finally fell to his demise above the vast ocean.


    In Talan''s eyes, all nobles were privileged cowards that he looked down on, and they were the people that he targeted most in robberies and extortions. However, in the end, he had lost his life to this group of young nobles from Sarus.


    Erwin looked on at the dim setting sun in the distance, and he finally allowed himself to heave a long sigh of relief as he turned to Larwood and Kaiba with a triumphant smile.


    Both Kaiba and Larwood had already sustained dozens of wounds, and their faces were as pale as a sheet due to blood loss. However, all three of them quickly burst into triumphant laughter, paying no heed to the fact that their laughter was further opening up their wounds.


    Luphen also wanted to join in on the boisterous laughter, but he was physically unable to do so due to the wound on his face, so he could only muster up a half smile on the other side of his face as a gesture of celebration.


    Erwin was extremely amused to see Luphen''s awkward display, and he was laughing so hard that he was on the verge of tears.


    At this moment, there was a horse-drawn carriage parked on the shore to the northwest. The carriage was guarded by several mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion, who had sustained injuries during the battles that had taken place in Feony Forest in the past few days.


    Onean was standing by the shore in her male disguise with her hands clasped behind her back, and her brows were tightly furrowed as she cast her gaze toward the sea in the distance. In order to hide the ropes that were wound around her arms, she was covering them with a rabbit fleece scarf.


    Only upon hearing the boisterous laughter in the distance did she withdraw her gaze with a disgruntled expression before returning to the carriage.

 CH 46.1

    By the time Larwood and Kaiba returned to the shore, they were already extremely unsteady on their feet and could only walk while leaning on each other for support. Chase had been lying on the beach this entire time, so he wasn''t able to see the battle taking place over the sea very clearly. However, the smiles on Kaiba and Larwood''s faces were enough to tell him that Talan was definitely well and truly dead.


    Out of the four of them, Erwin''s injuries were the lightest, and he returned to the battlefield in the east first.


    "Sherry, send some people to carry Larwood and the others here from the shore," Erwin instructed.


    The tense look on Sherry''s face was replaced by a relieved expression at the sight of Erwin''s safe return, and he selected a few strong mercenaries to be sent to Larwood and the others.


    After that, Erwin snapped his fingers toward the airship up above, then called out, "Christine, didn''t you say you want to make these people pay for what they did to you? Now''s the time to come down here."


    Upon hearing what Erwin had to say, Lanyon immediately realized that they weren''t just going to let these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries off the hook. Thus, he grabbed hold of Christine and descended with her from the airship.


    At this point, Luphen had also returned to the shore with only half his face remaining, and he immediately rushed over to Erwin upon seeing the confrontation taking place on the battlefield.


    "Hold on now, let''th not get ahead of ourthelves here," he hurriedly said. "I already arrived at an agreement with your commander, tho why are you doing thith now?"


    After that, Luphen made his way over to Erwin''s side, then said in a quiet voice, "Your commander already agreed to let my merthenary legion go at the prithe of 30,000 Loonieht. Oh, and you can take all of the thpoilth from that merthenary legion that wath jutht wiped out ath well."


    Erwin was quite surprised to see that even though Luphen was missing half his face, it wasn''t affecting his speech in the slightest.


    "I see, so you''re offering us 30,000 Loonies." Erwin nodded in response, then beckoned toward the little girl beside Lanyon. "Come over here, Chrstine. He''s asking me to let them go in exchange for 30,000 Loonies. What do you think of that?"


    "He doesn''t have any Loonies to give you! All of his Loonies were taken from us!" Christine said in a furious voice as she pointed an accusatory finger at Luphen.


    Luphen''s heart immediately sank at the sight of Christine. He wasn''t aware that she had been rescued, and he knew that her presence was definitely going to make the situation a lot more complicated. With that in mind, a concerned look appeared on his face.


    Someone from the Heavenly Star mercenary legion had noticed the wound on Luphen''s face, and they brought a medicine box over to him. Luphen pulled out a large piece of gauze from the medicine box before pressing it onto his own cheek, wincing from the pain in the process. After the wound on his face was bandaged, he sat down onto the medicine box to see what Erwin and Christine were going to do next.


    "What a joke! Do you not know how thith world workth. little girl? Tho what if we took thothe Loonieth from you? We took the Loonieth, tho the money ith ourth now," Luphen said in a shameless manner, but there wasn''t really anything incorrect about what he was saying. "If you don''t have the power to keep your money, then you can only blame yourthelf when your money getth taken. Thith airship uthed to be yourth, but I took it, tho it became mine. Now that they''ve taken the airship, it belongth to them now. Thith ith the nature of the law of thurvival of the fittetht."


    Luphen couldn''t help but be impressed by his own watertight logic. He felt like an orator giving a lecture on the laws of the world.


    "You... You''re just a shameless thief!" Christine said in an indignant voice. Perhaps she had the natural knack for being a good businesswoman in the future, but she was still too lacking in life experience to be able to deal with people like Luphen.


    "You''re right, survival of the fittest has always been a prevailing law of nature," Erwin agreed with a nod, following which a cold look appeared on his face. "In that case, let''s not waste any time with words. Seeing as power is the decisive factor in everything, we should decide this with a battle."


    "Sounds good to me!" Sherry immediately replied as he drew his sword and pointed it directly at the already exhausted mercenaries of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion. All of the martial artists behind him quickly adopted a suitable formation, preparing to engage the Heavenly Star mercenary legion in battle.


    Lanyon immediately returned to the airship in the sky upon seeing this, preparing to instruct the magicians and archers on the airship to attack when required.


    Christine was very frightened by this sudden escalation, and she hurriedly ducked behind Erwin for protection.


    Given the current state of the Heavenly Star mercenary legion, this was the outcome that Luphen feared the most. It seemed that Erwin had no patience for words and was more than ready to start a fight. Luphen had thought that these Effer Kingdom mercenaries only wanted money, so he was waiting for Erwin to ask for a higher price, following which a process of negotiation would begin. Thus, the reason why he had put on such a high and mighty display was to try and intimidate Erwin into asking for a lower price than he otherwise would''ve.


    However, to Luphen''s complete surprise and bewilderment, Erwin didn''t seem to be interested in negotiations at all. In fact, he seemed eager to find a reason to escalate the conflict. This had always been Erwin''s style, and he knew that Luphen was completely at their mercy anyway, so there was very minimal risk involved here.


    "If we win, then we get everything. In that case, what''s the point in negotiating with you?" Erwin asked.


    Larwood had been carried onto the battlefield a short while ago, and after hearing what Christine had to say, it became clear to him what type of person Luphen was. Prior to this, he was wondering why Luphen was so casual with his money, offering 10,000 Loonies from the get-go and even willing to accept a price of 30,000 Loonies. As it turned out, this wasn''t even his money, so of course he wasn''t as reluctant to part with it.


    Larwood knew that when dealing with people like Luphen, intimidation tactics had to be used, so he allowed Erwin to do as he pleased.


    Luphen was sitting on the medicine box in a cocky posture, but upon hearing what Erwin had to say, he was so frightened that he immediately sprang to his feet again. He was a seasoned commander who had led this mercenary legion for many years, and he knew better than anyone that his men were no longer fit for battle. If they were forced into battle against the Four Winds mercenary legion in their current state, defeat was almost a certain outcome.


    Even if he managed to somehow escape with his life, his career as a mercenary legion commander would be as good as over. After all, reputation was something that was extremely important for all mercenary legion commanders. If he were to lose all of his men here and have his entire mercenary legion wiped out, no one would dare to follow him in the future.


    Just as Luphen was struggling to arrive at a decision, Larwood made his way over to Erwin. A glimmer of hope arose in Luphen''s heart at the sight of Larwood, and he put on a fawning smile as he approached Larwood, then said, "My friend, didn''t we already arrive at an agreement earlier? Pleathe thpeak to this magician friend of yourth. Why rethort to violenthe if bloodshed can be avoided?"


    "Hmph, back when we were negotiating our agreement, you didn''t tell me that you stole the airship and all your money from someone else," Larwood said with a cold expression. "You''re using someone else''s money to save your own life. How shameless can you be?"


    Luphen''s fawning smile immediately gave way to a hateful expression upon hearing this. "You Effer Kingdom pigth have no integrity!"


    "Call us pigs one more time and I''ll slice off the other side of your face as well!" Erwin said in a cold voice. Deep down, he truly despised Luphen, and he wanted to wipe out this entire mercenary legion. However, the fact that Larwood was getting involved meant that he clearly had a different stance on the matter. Through his actions, he was telling Erwin to avoid a battle unless it was absolutely unavoidable.


    Christine poked her head out from behind Erwin and took a furtive glance at the cold look on his face.


    "We''ve all sustained pretty severe injuries from our battle against Talan, so we can all sit out this battle. Let''s see if my men are the ones who''ll come out on top, or if your men still have the stamina to overcome my men." Larwood was making his thoughts very clear here. The commanders of both mercenary legions had suffered severe injuries, but the Four Winds mercenary legion was still fully fit and raring to go. Through this comparison, Larwood was warning Luphen to carefully contemplate his next move.


    "Fine, I can give back all of the money I took from the girl," Luphen finally conceded, and even though his expression was extremely reluctant, he knew that this had to be done.


    "How much did he steal from you in total?" Erwin asked as he turned to look at Christine.


    "He took five chests of silver coins, which amounts to a total of 55,000 Loonies, one chest of precious jewels and gemstones, which is worth 12,000 Loonies, and our entire stock of cargo on the airship, which is valued at over 30,000 Loonies," Christine immediately replied.


    Erwin couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath upon hearing this, clearly not expecting to hear such large numbers, and everyone else''s reaction was much the same.


    "So if we add that all up, you took close to 100,000 Loonies from her," Erwin said as he turned back to face Luphen.


    "Ptui! You can jutht go making up numberth as you pleathe! You might ath well tell him that I thtole 1,000,000 Loonieth from you!" Luphen said in a furious voice, almost opening up the wound on his cheek further in his urgency to protest.


    "I have an accounts book here with detailed records of every single transaction, as well as records of how much money we have on hand," Christine said in an implacable voice, pulling out an accounts book from her breast pocket as she spoke. The accounts book had a sheepskin cover and was around three inches in size, and Christine handed it over to Erwin.


    Erwin opened the accounts book and quickly skimmed over the entries recorded in it, then passed it to Larwood.


    Luphen immediately deflated like a balloon upon seeing this, and he said, "It doethn''t matter even if you have an accountth book. Even if I give you all of our remaining Loonieth, we don''t have that much money."


    "How many Loonies do you have left right now?" Erwin asked as he turned to look at Luphen.


    "Leth than 50,000," Luphen replied. "All of the thtock hath already been thold, and all of the preciouth jewelth and gemthtones have been pawned. At the moment, we only have around 45,000 Loonieth left."


    "You expect me to believe you?" Erwin''s eyes narrowed slightly as he raised his hand, and Sherry and the rest of the Four Winds mercenary legion immediately began to prepare for battle again.


    "But you have to believe me, I''m telling the truth..." Luphen said as he turned to Larwood with an imploring expression. In his eyes, Larwood seemed to be more open to negotiation than Erwin was.


    "What do you think?" Erwin asked in a quiet voice as he turned to Larwood. "To be honest, I want to wipe out all of these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries here?"


    "We can definitely do that, but we''re going to lose at least about 100 men in the process," Larwood replied in hushed tones. "Take a look at Haggardy. Does it look like a place where we can recruit mercenaries from? Think about it: if there are already Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries here, then Xeto in the northwest has to have either been conquered or surrounded. In that case, where are we going to recruit new mercenaries to replenish our troops? If we lose 100 men here, what are we going to do if we run into several Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries once we reach Xeto? We''re already quite a small mercenary legion, we can''t afford to suffer any losses."


    After hearing what Larwood had to say, Erwin realized that his idea was lacking in foresight. In contrast with Larwood, he was still too self-centered and wasn''t thinking for the benefit of the entire mercenary legion.


    "Alright, hand over all of your remaining Loonies and get your men to leave their armor and weapons behind. After that, we''ll let you go," Larwood said.


    "What? You want uth to hand over our armor and weaponth? That''th not poththible! I would rather die than do thomething tho shameful," Larwood replied in a determined voice.


    "You''d rather die? Fine, then you can die here," Larwood said in a cold voice. "Do you think I can''t tell that you''re lying about only having 45,000 Loonies left? Don''t confuse my kindness with weakness. There''s a limit to my patience, and I suggest you don''t test it any further. Either leave your armor and weapons behind and piss off, or prepare for battle. Do you understand?"


    Luphen was naturally only bluffing. He didn''t dare to even entertain the possibility of a battle, and Larwood was taking full advantage of this fact.


    Earlier, Larwood had already noticed that the Heavenly Star mercenary legion was very well equipped. It was clear that a lot of the money they had stolen from Christine and her father had been used to purchase equipment for the mercenaries. The Loonies couldn''t be taken as they had already been spent on equipment, but the equipment was certainly something that could be taken.

 CH 46.2

    A resentful look appeared on Luphen''s face as he glowered at Erwin and Larwood. Despite how slippery and cunning he was, he hadn''t been able to outsmart these two young nobles at all.


    In the end, Luphen handed over the promised 45,000 Loonies in an extremely reluctant manner, and all of his men were forced to leave their armor and weapons behind. After that, they scurried away toward the northeast in a sorry state, much to the amusement of everyone in the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    "I''m afraid that''s all we can do, Christine," Erwin sighed as he watched Luphen and his mercenaries depart into the distance. "I really want to kill these bandits from the Skycourt Kingdom as well, but in times of war, we have to think for the greater good of our troops, so I can''t just act according to my own selfish desires."


    "It''s alright, Brother Erwin," Christine hurriedly consoled. "It''s already enough for me to see those bandits be humiliated like this. You can keep all of the Loonies that we recovered from them."


    Erwin wanted to accept the Loonies, but he was a little embarrassed. "We can''t do that. That would be..."


    "You saved me and my father, so you deserve this money as repayment," Christine cut him off with a shake of her head. "I''m very grateful for everything you''ve already done for us, but my father is still unconscious. Will you be able to save him, Brother Erwin?"


    Only upon being reminded did Erwin recall the terrible condition that Christine''s father was in. "Oh right, I almost forgot about your father. Go and land the airship while I get some magic potions."


    ...


    During his battle against Talan, Erwin''s body had been fueled by adrenaline, but now that the adrenaline was wearing off, he was beginning to feel the pain from all of the wounds he had sustained. Kaiba and Chase had already been carried away for treatment, while Larwood was still putting on a brave front and instructing the Four Winds mercenary legion to clean up the battlefield. Erwin knew that Larwood''s injuries were even more severe than his own, yet he was still hard at work despite those injuries. It seemed that Chase had made a very good decision to assign him as the commander of the mercenary legion.


    "Oh, you''re still alive," Onean remarked as she cast an indifferent glance toward Erwin, who had just entered her carriage.


    "Of course not. I didn''t even need to break a sweat to kill that bandit," Erwin replied.


    "Is that so? It didn''t look as easy as you make it sound," Onean said with a hint of mockery in her eyes.


    "You''re right. To tell you the truth, I was seriously scared for my own life," Erwin conceded as he sat down onto Onean''s bed, then wound his arms around her and caught her in a tight embrace.


    Onean''s magic power was still restricted by the ropes binding her body, so she wasn''t able to do anything to Erwin. No matter how feeble and tired Erwin was, he still had more strength left than Onean, particularly when she was tied up like this.


    "You... Let me go!" Onean was initially caught off guard by this, but she quickly returned to her senses and opened her mouth to bite Erwin, but she couldn''t bear to sink her teeth into his dirty and ragged suit of leather armor. She then noticed that Erwin''s neck seemed to be relatively clean, and immediately bit down viciously onto the skin and flesh there.


    Erwin couldn''t help but wince and draw a sharp breath from the pain, but he refused to release Onean. His arms were still wound tightly around her waist, but his eyes were looking aimlessly forward with a completely hollow expression.


    Onean could hear Erwin''s heavy breathing ringing out beside her ears, but he wasn''t saying anything, and she was beginning to grow a little concerned. She struggled up into a seated position in Erwin''s arms, then turned to carefully inspect his physical condition.


    "What''s going on with you?" Onean asked with a concerned expression.


    Erwin was snapped out of his train of thought by Onean''s voice, and he replied, "Nothing. I was just suddenly a little afraid of myself just now. After killing Talan, I was overcome by this irrepressible urge to continue killing. If Larwood hadn''t stepped in, I would''ve killed all of the remaining mercenaries from the Skycourt Kingdom as well."


    "Speaking of that, I believe you owe me an explanation. Have you forgotten that I''m the princess of the Effer Kingdom? How dare you collude with the enemy right under my nose? Who do you think you are?" Onean accused in a cold voice as a stern look appeared on her face. Unfortunately, her attempt at interrogation fell flat on its face as she was still sitting on Erwin''s lap.


    Erwin heaved a faint sigh in response. "Your Highness, a mercenary legion is not the same as the regular army. We need to pay all of these mercenaries, and we don''t have virtually unlimited funds like the kingdom does. We may only have around 500 people in the legion, but we go through a lot of Loonies every single month. If we don''t plunder some money from the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries, we won''t even make it to the front lines."


    "That excuse isn''t going to work! You could''ve just killed them after you took all their money, but you didn''t do that, did you?"


    "I was just telling you this," Erwin replied in a resigned voice. "I wanted to kill them all, but Larwood wouldn''t let me."


    "That Larwood is a lot more cunning than you are," Onean said with a displeased expression. "He doesn''t want any harm to befall this mercenary legion of yours. He''s an extremely shady and selfish character."


    Onean was able to immediately glean Larwood''s intentions.


    "Why is it that both of you seem to dislike Larwood?" Erwin asked with an intrigued expression.


    "Both of us? Are you saying that Miss Lana also shares the same opinion?" Onean asked with a smile.


    "No, I didn''t mention her at all," Erwin said as he averted his gaze with a slightly guilty expression.


    "Then why aren''t you looking at me?" Onean asked, reading Erwin like an open book once again.


    "Let''s not talk about this for now. I urgently need some magic potions for treating external injuries. I met a little girl on the airship, and her father isn''t far away from death. I don''t know if he can still be saved, but I promised her that I would try my best." Erwin gently laid Onean down onto the bed, then began to search through the box of magic potions.


    "Is that little girl the owner of the airship?" Onean asked with a curious expression.


    "She is. How did you know that?" Erwin was very surprised that Onean had arrived at this conclusion. "Those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries took her airship and abducted her as well."


    "You''re not the type to do other people favors for no reward. You must''ve only agreed to save her father because she gave you the airship, right?" Onean analyzed with an amused expression. "Alternatively, could it be that she''s quite the beauty and you''ve fallen for her?"


    "I don''t know what she looks like. When I saved her, her entire face was covered in blood, so I couldn''t see anything." Erwin was examining the tags on the vials of magic potions and checking to see what their effects were by referencing the magic potions book. The process would be significantly sped up if Onean were in his place, but he didn''t dare to trouble Onean. If he were to untie her, there was no way that he would be able to overpower her again.


    "Are you suggesting that I''m only doing this to appease my own conscience?" Erwin asked with a smile. "Truth be told, I have no plans to take her airship. I''m only borrowing it from her for now, and I''ll return it to her after the war."


    "I can tell that the airship would''ve been quite expensive to build. I''m sure those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries must''ve plundered a lot of valuable spoils from the little girl. Have all those spoils ended up in your pockets now?" Onean asked with a hint of ridicule in her eyes.


    "It seems like it really is impossible to keep any secrets from you, Your Highness," Erwin sighed with a resigned smile.


    A short while later, Erwin had found all of the magic potions that he needed, and he also brought with him a vial of newly brewed Falcon Beak Lizard potion, which he planned to use on Chase.


    "Hey, when are you going to untie me? You''re not planning to keep me tied up forever, are you?" Onean asked right as Erwin was about to depart from the carriage.


    "Your Highness, with your magic power, there''s no way that you could be trapped by something like that," Erwin said as he turned to look at her. "Once you''re fully recovered from your injuries, you''ll be able to easily snap the rope yourself, so you won''t even need me to untie you."


    Onean knew that he was right, so she averted her gaze with a displeased pout, refusing to look at him any longer.


    "Try to avoid putting yourself in dangerous situations in the future," Onean said as she cast her gaze out the window. "I''m sure you''ve already noticed this yourself: whenever your life is at risk, you become extremely violent and ruthless. I already noticed that on the first day of the Pillow Sword Tournament. If the administrators hadn''t stepped in, Shaun would already be dead by now."


    Erwin paused in his footsteps momentarily upon hearing this, then gave an affirmative response before leaving the carriage.


    Upon hearing what Onean had to say, Erwin''s mind wandered back to his battle against Shaun. He then thought about the battle he had just endured against Talan, and he found that Onean was spot on with her assessment.


    Christine was ecstatic to see Erwin arriving with an assortment of vials of magic potions.


    Since Erwin last saw her, Christine had washed her own face, and she really was quite a beauty, but she was still too young for Erwin to be interested.


    Thanks to Onean''s collection of potions, Christine''s father quickly entered a stable condition. Even though he still hadn''t woken up, many of his infected wounds were already beginning to display signs of healing.


    "I knew you''d be able to save my father, Brother Erwin!" Christine was so excited to see her own father being brought back from the brink of death that she dove headfirst into Erwin''s arms before sobbing and laughing simultaneously into his chest.


    Erwin was at a slight loss for what to do as he looked at the little girl in his arms. As aforementioned, she was still too young for him to develop an interest in her, so it was as if he suddenly had a little sister.


    Thus, the battle outside Haggardy concluded in a resounding victory for the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    Aside from the 500 suits of armor left behind by the remaining Heavenly Star mercenaries, several hundred more suits of armor were gathered from the battlefield, and all of a sudden, all of the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion found themselves spoiled for choice. Of course, many weapons had also been gathered, thereby allowing everyone to upgrade or replace their existing weapons. After everyone had selected what they wanted, the leftover equipment was packed away and stored in the airship.


    After Erwin came into temporary possession of the airship, he immediately began making changes to it. The airship was split up into two levels, and the bottom level was entirely dedicated to the storage of resources, while the top level was converted into living quarters, and the divider between the two levels was also sealed by Erwin using magic.


    The metal plates installed outside the captain''s room were removed, thereby allowing sunlight to filter into the room again. All of the floorboards in the room were also removed, and the secret compartment was also opened up. As a result, the overall space in the room was significantly increased, and Erwin decided to renovate it into a duplex room.


    The design of the room was very clever. It appeared to be two large compartments, one on the left and one on the right, separated by a walkway down the center, but the interior of the room actually consisted of two levels, one on top of the other.


    Erwin naturally hadn''t put in all of this effort for no reason. With this ingenious design, he would not be able to sleep in the same room with Onean without any qualms. The upper level had better natural lighting, so that one was reserved for Onean, while the bottom level was reserved for himself.


    Christine and her father lived across from this room. Christine was still the owner of this airship, so a room naturally had to be reserved for her.


    As Erwin moved into the airship, he noticed Christine staring at Onean, who was still male as far as everyone else was concerned, and he was rather amused, wondering if Christine had fallen for Onean''s "masculine" charm.


    The Four Winds mercenary legion didn''t linger very long at the severely ravaged city of Haggardy before marching toward the city of Xeto, which was several dozen kilometers away in the northeast.


    As usual, Larwood led the way from the front, while Sherry and the rest of the martial artists followed along close behind him.


    As for Erwin, he was standing in front of the railing on the airship, looking into the distance with a contemplative expression, allowing his own hair to be tussled by the cold sea breeze blowing in from the coastline.

 CH 47.1

    Over half a month had already passed since General Gilgen had led the army of the Skycourt Kingdom into the province of Burmen. Even though they had conquered all of the citadels on the Marrod Plain on the northeastern side of the Effer Kingdom, they hadn''t been able to make any progress ever since they arrived at Illingburn Fort. Illingburn Fort was guarded by Prince Lazaar in person, so it was always bound to be a tough nut to crack. What frustrated General Gilgen even more was the terrain around Illingburn Fort. The fort was framed by mountains both in the north and in the south. The mountains to the north of the fort stretched all the way northward to connect with the Terarody Mountain Ranges, while the mountain range in the south extended all the way to the Joffan Sea. Illingburn Fort stood right in the space between these two mountain ranges, standing firmly in the path of the advancing Skycourt Kingdom army like an insurmountable hurdle. Because of this, Illingburn Fort also had another name: the city between mountains.


    It was impossible for the army to march over the steep mountains of the north or the south, so the only way for the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops to advance was to break through Illingburn Fort. In the face of the seemingly insurmountable Illingburn Fort, the vastly experienced General Gilgen was very calm and patient. For all of the mercenary legions that wished to go off on their own, he allowed them to advance southward along the coastline of the Joffan Sea, while he stationed himself with the rest of his troops in Marrod Plain, preparing for a long and drawn-out war.


    It seemed that General Gilgen had no concerns that the supply lines would eventually struggle to keep up with the needs of this massive army if the war were to drag on for too long. The army of the Skycourt Kingdom had marched thousands of kilometers to reach Illingburn Fort, so the supply line had already been stretched very thin. Even so, he had no qualms or concerns as he had a very clear understanding of the Effer Kingdom''s royal court.


    After receiving that letter from Prime Minister Fuller, he had immediately begun mobilizing his troops without any hesitation. If the letter had come from anyone else, perhaps Gilgen would''ve been inclined to regard it as a hoax, but he had already been exchanging letters with Fuller in secret for many years up to this point, so he didn''t have any suspicions about the authenticity of the letter. Most of the military secrets and intel pertaining to the Effer Kingdom that Gilgen had received over the years had come from Fuller. In Fuller''s letter, it was mentioned that someone would tamper with the Pillow Sword Tournament, causing an incident that would drive a wedge between King Cameron and Prince Lazaar, perhaps even turning them against each other.


    This sounded like quite a stretch, but in Gilgen''s eyes, this wasn''t very far-fetched at all.


    Gilgen was stationed on the southern border of the Skycourt Kingdom, which placed him directly across the border between the two kingdoms from Prince Lazaar. Thus, both of them had a general idea of each other''s power, and Gilgen had always wondered how Lazaar had avoided suspicions and envy from King Cameron.


    Gilgen himself often faced all types of slander and impeachment from his political rivals on the royal court of the Skycourt Kingdom. Thankfully, he was the king''s brother-in-law, so that familial bond placed an extra layer of trust between them. In contrast, Lazaar wasn''t related to King Cameron in any way, so how had he avoided suspicions from King Cameron for all these years? Through the letters sent to him by Fuller, Gilgen realized that the relationship between Lazaar and the king was far more strained than it appeared on the surface. King Cameron was always standing on Prince Lazaar''s side and protecting him from the impeachment of his political rivals, but that was only because he was trying to appease Lazaar and keep him happy.


    After being informed of Fuller''s plan, Gilgen and Fuller decided on a date on which the former would deploy his troops. The timing of the invasion was extremely important. They couldn''t set off too early as they had to wait until Fuller succeeded in his plan, thereby framing Prince Lazaar''s son for the attempted murder of the princess. However, they couldn''t set off too late, either, as no one knew whether King Cameron was going to take advantage of the situation to wipe out the entire Lazaar family. Furthermore, the time that was required for news of the invasion to be delivered to Sarus from Burmen also had to be considered.


    Thankfully, Fuller was entirely responsible for organizing the Pillow Sword Tournament, so he was able to control all of the proceedings and manipulate all of the matchups, thereby allowing him to accurately convey to Gilgen when he should deploy his troops. Of course, there were some slight hiccups in the plan. For example, Erwin had demolished the competition platform on the first day, resulting in the postponement of all of the subsequent matches of the Pillow Sword Tournament by a day, but that didn''t have much of an impact on the grand scheme of things.


    Just as Gilgen predicted, King Cameron was forced to release Lazaar in the face of the Skycourt Kingdom''s invasion of Burmen, and Lazaar returned to Burmen to resume his original duties. It seemed that nothing had changed. The misunderstanding was cleared up, and Lazaar was pardoned and determined to repay the king''s faith. However, there was no way this wouldn''t have a psychological impact on Lazaar. At the very least, that was Gilgen''s thought process.


    It had to be said that General Gilgen''s grasp on human nature was very accurate, and everything was indeed progressing exactly as he planned.


    ¡­


    At this moment, there was a massive cloud of dust swirling in front of Illingburn Fort. Countless flags bearing the design of a golden vulture on a red background stretched as far as the eyes could see, and at the head of the army of 5,000 elite Skycourt Kingdom cavaliers stood General Gilgen.


    The soldiers standing atop the city walls of the Illingburn Fort were already very accustomed to such a sight, and all of them quickly got into position in an orderly fashion. The sound of thundering war drums rang out, while arrows were nocked onto bowstrings, and the dozen or so giant crossbows on the city walls were also ready to fire, as were the dozens of catapults stationed within the city. However, everyone knew that the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops weren''t actually going to attack. After all, there weren''t any commanders who would dare to lay siege to a city with just cavaliers alone.


    Furthermore, all of these cavaliers of the Skycourt Kingdom were standing outside the effective range of the catapults, so it was clear that they were only there for provocation, trying to lure the soldiers in the city out for a battle on the plain.


    Prince Lazaar was standing atop the city wall with a cold expression, and he immediately ordered without any hesitation, "Prepare my steed and select 5,000 soldiers to march out of the city with me."


    His subordinate didn''t dare to delay and immediately rushed away to select the soldiers that would follow Prince Lazaar out of the city.


    The tempo of the beating war drums on the city wall was becoming faster and faster as Prince Lazaar charged out of the city gate on horseback with 5,000 elite cavaliers behind him, galloping directly toward the Skycourt Kingdom soldiers outside the city. All of the troops on top of the city wall were looking on with eager expressions and excitement in their eyes. To them, there was no way that Prince Lazaar would lose to some general from the Skycourt Kingdom.


    This wasn''t actually the first time that Gilgen and Lazaar had faced each other in battle. After returning to Burmen, the first thing that Lazaar did was organize troops to set up defenses in Illingburn Fort. At the time, Gilgen led his army to the foot of the Illingburn Fort, but upon seeing Lazaar''s flags placed along the entire length of the city walls, he decided not to recklessly attack the city and retreated instead. The flag of Lazaar''s elite legion consisted of a purple background behind a golden lion''s head. Whenever Prince Lazaar arrived at a city in Burmen in person, the soldiers of the city would raise an additional black flag next to the original flags, and the black flags would generally stand slightly taller than the golden lion''s head flags.


    Even though Gilgen hadn''t aggressively attacked the city, he led 20,000 troops to the foot of Illingburn Fort the very next day to challenge Lazaar. Lazaar wasn''t one to back down from such a challenge, and he personally led 10,000 soldiers out of the army to face the enemy troops. The two sides battled from morning to noon, and in the end, the Skycourt Kingdom''s army lost over 3,000 troops, while the Effer Kingdom''s forces lost over 2,000 men, so it was a minor victory for Prince Lazaar.


    Under these current circumstances, there was actually no need for Prince Lazaar to respond to these challenges. The best course of action was to wait in Illingburn Fort until the Skycourt Kingdom''s supply lines failed to meet the needs of the massive army, and the battle would be won without any risk being taken. However, the royal court of the Effer Kingdom wasn''t allowing him to do this. After the assassination attempt on Onean, the relationship between Lazaar and King Cameron had already become extremely strained. King Cameron was about to arrive with his forces soon, so Prince Lazaar had to show that he was willing to oppose the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces in order to appease King Cameron.


    Several days later, General Gilgen led 2,000 cavaliers to the foot of Illingburn Fort. Lazaar emerged from the city with 5,000 troops in hot pursuit, but the outcome of that battle was quite unexpected. Despite Prince Lazaar''s ferocious pursuit, Gilgen and the 2,000 cavaliers were able to get away. Furthermore, after tallying the losses suffered by both sides, it was discovered that the Skycourt Kingdom''s army had only lost around 400 troops, while Lazaar''s forces had lost over 800 cavaliers.


    After that came several more minor clashes, with both sides roughly evenly matched in the end.


    Judging from the several clashes that had taken place between Gilgen and Lazaar, it could be said that they were equally as adept in leading their troops, and one couldn''t help but wonder whether this clash of 5,000 cavaliers on each side would lead to a more decisive outcome.


    Clang! Lazaar''s longsword with Gilgen''s blade.


    "Lazaar, have you made up your mind yet?" Gilgen asked in a voice that was audible only to the two of them. "Cameron''s army is about to arrive soon, I don''t have much more time to waste here."


    Lazaar remained silent and offered no response.


    The two of them exchanged a few more blows, but neither one was able to land a strike on the other.


    "Tch, I''m beginning to lose a lot of respect for you. I didn''t think you''d be such an indecisive coward," Gilgen scoffed with a disdainful expression.


    "Killing him isn''t a difficult task, but what I want to know is what do you want?" Lazaar asked as he stared intently at Gilgen.


    "I could ask you the same. What do you want?" Gilgen asked with a cold smile.


    "I don''t want much, I just want my flag to be raised all over the entire Effer Kingdom," Lazaar replied.


    "You sure have a large appetite. In that case, I want to slay King Cameron with my own hands and take over Illingburn Fort," Gilgen demanded.


    "I can grant you victory over me, but allowing you to conquer Illingburn Fort would be going too far," Lazaar said in a cold voice.


    "You have to understand who it is that''s asking the other for a favor here," Gilgen said as his expression darkened slightly.


    "You''re not under the illusion that I''ll only be able to take down Cameron with your help, are you?" Lazaar chuckled.


    "Cameron is coming here with an army of 100,000 troops, I don''t believe you''ll be able to take him down without me," Gilgen replied in an unyielding voice, but he was feeling rather bewildered internally, wondering where Lazaar''s confidence was coming from. Lazaar only had 70,000 troops under his command. Even if he could defeat Cameron''s army of 100,000, would he still have the power to face the Skycourt Kingdom''s army after that?


    "You can give it a try if you like." Lazaar thrust his sword forward once again, sending a streak of white radiance piercing through the air. "However, let me tell you this: there are many people around Cameron who want to seize accolades from this war, so I could easily wait until after you battle them before I strike. If that happens, perhaps you''ll be hailed as a hero for killing Cameron, but I can assure you that you definitely won''t be able to return to the Skycourt Kingdom alive."


    Gilgen''s sword was giving off a faint crimson gleam as he parried Lazaar''s attack, then smiled as he said in an unhurried manner, "In that case, I can just retreat to the border and wait until after your battle with Cameron concludes. What are you going to do then?"


    "You''re telling me that you''re going to mobilize an army of over 100,000 troops, then return empty-handed? If you can answer to your king and your nation, then go ahead and retreat to the border right now," Lazaar chuckled with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

 CH 47.2

    "I wouldn''t get so cocky if I were you," Gilgen said in a cold voice. "If I retreat with my army and return empty-handed, I''ll only be ridiculed and face some embarrassment, but you''ll be facing far more severe consequences. Once Cameron arrives, he''ll be sure to force you into staging a rebellion, and you''ll have to either kill him or be killed yourself. Do you think the Effer Kingdom would be willing to follow a traitor like you? Mass rebellions will rise up from all across the kingdom, and everyone will be out for your blood. How are you going to deal with that?"


    Both of them knew what each other was afraid of, and neither side was able to gain an upper hand in the negotiations.


    "Alright, then what do you propose?" Lazaar asked as he looked at Gilgen with an intrigued expression. "Don''t tell me you came here today just to see whose cavaliers are superior in battle."


    "Seeing as the people around Cameron are encouraging him to face me in a final showdown, then I can grant him that opportunity. Judging from how much time has already elapsed, his army should be here in a day or two. When that time comes, I''ll personally issue an official challenge to him for a showdown in five days, which is the 15th of February, on the Marrod Plain. What you do then will be up to you," Gilgen said in a decisive manner. "I hope you won''t still be sitting on the fence by then."


    "What you do with Cameron and his army is up to you. There are some people who I can''t do anything to because they were hiding in Sarus, but now that they''re coming here to throw their lives away, I might as well do them a favor and send them on their way," Lazaar said as a frosty look appeared in his eyes.


    "So it looks like the rumors about your second son are all true," Gilgen said in an indifferent voice.


    Prince Lazaar gave a cold harrumph in response, and the two of them clashed weapons once again.


    "Would you look at that! Cameron''s already arrived," Gilgen said as he cast his gaze toward the top of Illingburn Fort in the distance. "Looks like I came at just the right time."


    Lazaar turned around to face the Illingburn Fort as well, and he discovered that a flag with a black background behind a golden lion''s head had already been raised on the city wall.


    Seeing as Cameron''s army had arrived, Gilgen didn''t dare to draw out this battle any longer, and he immediately retreated his troops back to the barracks on the Marrod Plain. During this battle, both sides lost close to 1,000 cavaliers, so neither side came out on top.


    ¡­


    "Take a look at this place, Friar. No wonder Illingburn Fort is also known as the city between mountains. This is truly the most secure pass in our entire kingdom." Cameron was standing atop the city wall, inspecting the mountains stretching along the north and south of the city. He then turned his gaze toward the tall and imposing city walls, and it became very clear to him why the Skycourt Kingdom''s army was completely unable to advance any further.


    "Indeed. Prince Lazaar has done some brilliant work in the province of Burmen," Count Friar replied.


    Jenkins was very disgruntled to hear this, but he wasn''t so stupid that he would directly rebuke Count Friar and King Cameron just to prove a point, so he could only also awkwardly chime in in agreement.


    While the trio was chatting with one another, Prince Lazaar had already returned to the city with his cavaliers.


    Lazaar didn''t dare to keep King Cameron waiting, and he rushed up to the top of the city wall. In his haste, he almost tripped over on the stone staircase. Thankfully, Count Friar was quick to react and caught him before he could fall.


    Prince Lazaar offered some words of gratitude to Count Friar, then extended a respectful bow as he sighed, "My apologies for showing you such an embarrassing sight, Your Majesty. It looks like my age is catching up to me. I''ve only been in battle for a short while just now, and my legs are already tiring."


    "You have nothing to apologize for, Lazaar," King Cameron said with a smile. "If I recall correctly, you and I are the same age. If you''re lamenting your own old age, then doesn''t that mean I''m also a useless old man?"


    "I had no intention of implying such things, Your Majesty," Prince Lazaar said in a panicked voice as he fell to his knees.


    "Don''t be so tense, Lazaar, I was just making a joke," Cameron chuckled. "Having said that, the fact that you''re still going into battle in person at your age shows commendable courage. You are truly a brilliant role model for our troops."


    "You''re far too kind, Your Majesty. The Skycourt Kingdom''s soldiers have been extremely cocky, and I was worried that morale would be compromised if I didn''t go into battle against them," Lazaar replied.


    "By the way, where is your eldest son, Aiden? Why do I not see him around? Where has he gone at a time like this? Should he not be sharing the burden on your shoulders in these tense times?" Cameron asked.


    "Spring is about to arrive, and there have been some unusual happenings in the mountain ranges, so I sent Aiden to quell the unrest among the magic creatures dwelling in the mountain ranges," Lazaar replied.


    Cameron nodded in response, then asked, "I heard that you''ve already faced off against the general of the Skycourt Kingdom a few times. What do you think of him, and what do you think of the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces?"


    "Truth be told, I''ve heard that Gilgen has constantly been training and recruiting troops during the past few years. After the few battles we''ve had thus far, I must admit that he''s quite a capable general. The Skycourt Kingdom''s cavaliers and foot soldiers work in tandem, and they''re also well supported by their archers and magicians. Overall, their army is running very smoothly, and I haven''t been able to gain the upper hand over them in the past few clashes," Lazaar replied.


    "Oh? You''re saying that your elite troops have been unable to gain any advantage over Gilgen''s troops?" Cameron was quite taken aback to hear this. "Your troops are among the best-equipped soldiers in the entire kingdom!"


    "My apologies for my incompetence, Your Majesty," Lazaar said as he hung his head in shame.


    "There''s no need for you to be too hard on yourself, Prince Lazaar. Now that His Majesty has arrived, these brazen Skycourt Kingdom soldiers will be sure to be wiped out." It was Jenkins who had spoken on this occasion, and what he said was quite interesting. He was the one eager to earn accolades on the battlefield, yet he was speaking on King Cameron''s behalf.


    "With His Majesty here in person, those Skycourt Kingdom scum naturally stand no chance," Lazaar replied in a calm voice.


    Cameron didn''t say anything else. Instead, he cast his gaze toward Count Friar, who had remained silent this entire time. Friar knew what Cameron was thinking. Both of them were very familiar with Lazaar''s prowess as a military commander, so the fact that Gilgen''s troops were evenly matched with Lazaar''s showed that Gilgen had to have also been an extremely capable commander.


    ¡­


    Inside a certain secret chamber within Illingburn Fort.


    "Did you agree to Gilgen''s offer?" Archbishop Sirius asked with his gaze fixed on Prince Lazaar.


    "What''s the point in asking if I agreed to his offer or not? From the moment that Cameron released me back to Burmen, he would''ve most likely already anticipated that we would turn on one another soon," Lazaar replied in a cold voice.


    "Have you made up your mind? This is not a step to be taken lightly," Archbishop Sirius said with tightly furrowed brows.


    "Have I made up my mind? I made up my mind from the instant I saw what they did to Jeff!" Lazaar said with a frosty expression.


    "But it wasn''t His Majesty''s intention for Jeff to be framed for attempted murder on the Her Highness," Archbishop Sirius countered.


    "But Cameron really was considering killing me, wasn''t he?" Lazaar turned around to look at Sirius with a ruthless look in his eyes. "If that thought has already sprung into his mind, then I have no choice but to rebel. Besides, do you really think he came to Burmen this time with the sole purpose of driving back the invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom?"


    "You''re right." Sirius nodded in response. "His Majesty most likely has some other motives outside of dealing with the Skycourt Kingdom''s invasion."


    "Are all of the preparations complete at the military base in Leeku?" Lazaar suddenly asked.


    "Everything is ready to go. On top of that, Aiden is a very capable young man, so I''m sure there won''t be any problems," Sirius replied with a nod.


    "Where''s Mistress Faye? How far away is she right now?"


    "She was in Newen a few days ago, and she told me that she was coming with Lana. She should be here within the next couple of days," Sirius replied.


    Lazaar nodded in response, then cast his gaze toward Sirius again. "What about the priests and magicians of your True Light Church? Have they already been assembled?"


    "Rest assured, Prince Lazaar. I chose to follow you a few years ago, and that was not a half-hearted decision. I will do everything in my power to support you. All of our True Light Church''s priests and magicians, amounting to a total of 6,000 people, have already been assembled, and all they''re waiting for is an order from you," Sirius said in a solemn voice.


    "Good. Get them to set up camp 20 kilometers to the west of the city. Don''t let Cameron notice anything. These 6,000 priests and magicians may have to go into battle for me soon," Lazaar instructed.


    "Alright, I''ll have that arranged right away." Sirius accepted the order and departed, but as he turned around, a derisive sneer appeared on his face.


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, King Cameron was standing in a luxurious room on the third floor of the main tower, looking out the window with tightly furrowed brows at the impregnable fortress that was Illingburn Fort. He couldn''t help but find himself marveling once again at just how unbreachable the fort was. At this moment, King Cameron and Count Friar were the only people in the room.


    "Lazaar truly is a very capable man. Along the way here, we''ve passed through Windmetal Fort and Newen, and we''ve now arrived at Illingburn Fort. In the span of no more than 10 years, Burmen has experienced such a drastic change that it''s become completely unrecognizable. I can''t help but want to praise him for what he''s done," Cameron said with an indecisive look on his face.


    Count Friar hesitated momentarily upon hearing this, after a brief silence, he asked in a quiet voice, "Are you thinking about how to kill him, Your Majesty?"


    "Looks like you still know me better than anyone," Cameron chuckled.


    "I''m sure you''ve already seen how formidable Lazaar''s elite troops are, Your Majesty. Even though we''ve brought over 100,000 soldiers with us, it would not be a wise decision to go after Lazaar. I think our top priority, for now, should be to ward off the invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom," Count Friar said.


    "You''re right. Lazaar will have to wait until after the invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom is weathered," Cameron sighed. "I didn''t think that the Skycourt Kingdom would have a general so competent that his troops are evenly matched with Lazaar''s."


    "Indeed, and that''s why we can''t afford to be complacent, Your Majesty. I''ve already sent out some scouts, and they''ve informed me that Gilgen has set up camp in the Marrod Plain. It looks like that''s where he wants to challenge us to a final showdown," Count Friar said.


    "The supply line for the Skycourt Kingdom''s army has already been stretched extremely thin, so they definitely won''t be able to afford a prolonged battle. Hence, they have no choice but to try and goad us into a showdown to decide everything in one battle," Cameron said with a smile. "Luckily for him, I''m going to grant his wish. If I cower in this city until the Skycourt Kingdom is forced to retreat, then I''ll be denounced as a coward by the entire world."


    Count Friar was of the opinion that the best course of action was to remain in the city until the enemy was forced to retreat or make a drastic move. However, he could sense that King Cameron seemed to have fallen into an indescribable frenzied state. He knew that in this irrational state, King Cameron wouldn''t be willing to heed his advice, so he didn''t say anything. He didn''t know what had brought on this irrational state of mind. Perhaps it was the unreliable prophecy from Master Donson, perhaps it was a result of being goaded by Jenkins and the others, or perhaps seeing the thriving state of Burmen had made him realize just how powerful Prince Lazaar had become.


    He couldn''t tell if Prince Lazaar lamenting his own old age had a double meaning behind it, or if he had just spoken those words without any special intentions.


    "By the way, have you arranged a place for Master Piro to stay?" Cameron suddenly asked.


    "He''s staying on the floor above ours. You can go see him at any time you''d like." Count Friar knew that King Cameron wanted to speak to Master Piro, so he promptly departed from the room.


    That night, Master Donson was looking up at the night sky above the royal palace of Sarus when he was suddenly so frightened by something that he collapsed to the ground. His crystal ball, which he cherished as much as his own life, rolled down onto the ground, but he didn''t even notice.


    He looked up with an aghast expression and an ashen complexion as he murmured to himself, "This is a terrible omen... The most terrible omen of all! Your Majesty... Your Majesty..."


    The servants in the royal palace knew that Master Donson had no credibility, so no one paid any heed to what he was doing.

 CH 48.1

    The next day, General Gilgen of the Skycourt Kingdom sent someone to issue a challenge. The challenge was worded in an extremely respectful and polite way without any hint of provocation. The letter began by praising King Cameron''s courage for leading his troops to the front lines in person, followed by an expression of genuine admiration from General Gilgen. At the end of the letter was the challenge, inviting Cameron to a showdown on the Marrod Plain on the 15th of February.


    Cameron didn''t pay much heed to the issued challenge, which was sitting on his desk. After all, this was something that he had already anticipated. However, there was an urgent report from Newen that had Cameron feeling very concerned. The report had arrived early in the morning, and upon receiving the report, Cameron immediately summoned all of the high-ranking officials of the military to discuss this matter. Due to the early hour, all of the military officials had to skip breakfast and were instructed to wait in the hall in the main tower.


    The highest-ranking military official present was naturally Prince Lazaar, followed by Count Friar and Governor Jenkins, who were the generals of two of the three branches of the regular army. After that came around a dozen legion commanders, such as Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan.


    A sand table had already been placed at the center of the main hall. All of the bases and major cities were clearly labeled, as well as the current positions of the Skycourt Kingdom and the Effer Kingdom''s troops. There were even magically generated images of soldiers advancing along the marching routes for both sides, so the sand table was essentially a perfect simulation of the entire battlefield.


    "Take a look, everyone," Cameron said as he pointed a finger at the sand table, and a battle immediately erupted around the city of Xeto on the east coast. The Effer Kingdom''s soldiers that were guarding the city were locked in a fierce battle against the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops on the city walls.


    "What? The Skycourt Kingdom''s troops have already reached Xeto on the eastern front?" Duke Nandoon was shocked to see this.


    Many of the other military officials present displayed much the same reaction as Duke Nandoon. It was clear that they hadn''t anticipated the mercenary legions of the Skycourt Kingdom to make such rapid progress.


    "Not only have they reached Xeto, they have the city completely surrounded! There are 50,000 to 60,000 Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries surrounding Xeto as we speak," Cameron announced with tightly furrowed brows.


    All of the military officials immediately erupted into hushed chatter upon hearing this.


    "Xeto is the largest city on the south coast, and there''s a provincial road extending out of the city that leads directly to Newen. If Xeto is conquered, those greedy mercenaries will undoubtedly travel along the provincial road to attack the wealthy city of Newen in the northwest. If Newen is conquered, then our path for retreat will be completely severed," Count Friar analyzed.


    "Newen is a major transfer station for our army''s supply line, so we absolutely cannot allow it to fall," Duke Shreesan said, and some of the military officials present immediately chimed in in agreement.


    "Prince Lazaar, I recall that you vowed that Burmen wouldn''t lose any more territory after your return, but the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops have swept down the east coast like wildfire. How do you explain yourself?" Governor Jenkins asked as he cast his gaze toward Prince Lazaar.


    Everyone in the hall fell silent upon hearing this.


    "Your Majesty, it''s not that I''m shirking my duties in guarding the eastern front, the problem is that there''s no way to defend the territory north of Xeto. If we send troops to protect the small citadels on the way to Xeto, that would be no different to sending them to be killed by the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops as cannon fodder. Hence, I made a decision to only send troops to guard the city of Xeto," Lazaar explained.


    "But now, Xeto has also been surrounded, and it looks like it won''t be long before it''s conquered," Jenkins said in a grim voice.


    "At the time, Gilgen had arrived at the foot of Illingburn Fort with over 100,000 troops. I only have 70,000 soldiers, and 5,000 of them were sent to defend Xeto, while several thousand more are warding off the magic creatures on the southern side of the mountain ranges. So I pose to you this question, Governor Jenkins: should I have sent more men to Xeto at the expense of losing Illingburn Fort before His Majesty even arrived? Is that what you want to see happen?" Lazaar countered in a cold voice.


    Jenkins immediately bristled at Lazaar''s confrontational attitude. "What are you saying, Prince Lazaar? Are you..."


    Right as he was about to retaliate, Cameron stepped in to cut him off.


    "That''s enough!" Cameron interjected in a furious voice. "Is this the time to be bickering with one another like immature children? We need to work out a plan!"


    Everyone in the entire hall fell silent upon hearing this.


    "How long will those 5,000 men in Xeto be able to last?" Cameron asked as he cast his gaze toward Lazaar.


    "Your Majesty, Xeto''s defenses are very solid, and its terrain makes it easy to defend and difficult to attack, so there''s no way a ragtag bunch of mercenaries could conquer it even with their significant numbers advantage," Lazaar replied in a calm voice.


    Despite what he was saying, most of the people present weren''t convinced by his words. Even Cameron was of the opinion that Lazaar was overly optimistic in his assessment of the situation.


    Jenkins gave a cold harrumph upon hearing this, but he didn''t go any further than that in fear of incurring the king''s wrath again.


    "Your Majesty, while Prince Lazaar''s assessment is not to be ignored, the fact of the matter is that the number of enemy troops attacking Xeto exceeds our troops by over tenfold, so I think it would be best to exercise caution. I believe the best course of action would be to send a group of troops to reinforce Xeto," Duke Shreesan suggested.


    Many people immediately chimed in in agreement with this suggestion from Duke Shreesan.


    Seeing as most of the people in the hall were in approval of the idea of sending reinforcements to Xeto, Lazaar didn''t say anything further.


    "I was wondering why that Gilgen was waiting until the 15th of February before staging our final showdown, but it''s all clear now. He''s waiting for his mercenaries to sneak around and cut off our supply line so they can sow panic among our ranks before the showdown. I can understand his thought process, but he''s being far too naive here," Cameron said with a cold smile.


    "Who would be willing to lead troops to reinforce Xeto?" King Cameron asked as he swept his gaze across all of the military officials present.


    No one stepped forward to answer King Cameron''s call. None of the military officials were idiots. If they were to travel to Xeto at a time like this, even if they could decimate all of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries there, they''d have to split their accolades evenly with the troops that had already been sent there by Prince Lazaar. In contrast, it would be far easier and more rewarding to stay in Illingburn Fort and face the Skycourt Kingdom''s regular army.


    "Is there no one willing to go?" a frosty tone had crept into Cameron''s voice.


    The entire hall remained completely silent.


    "How about we send our mercenary legions to reinforce Xeto?" a representative from the department of military affairs suggested in a tentative voice.


    Everyone fell into deep thought upon hearing this, and after some careful contemplation, many of the people in the hall felt this to be a good idea. The city of Xeto was being attacked by the enemy''s mercenary legions, so it made a lot of sense for them to send their own mercenary legions in retaliation.


    Thus, many of the people in the hall began to nod in agreement while turning to the representative of the department of military affairs with approving expressions.


    Only Prince Lazaar, Count Friar, Duke Shreesan, and Duke Nandoon were able to retain their critical thinking skills in this situation, and all of them remained silent.


    "Nonsense!" Cameron slammed a palm down onto the redwood column on the edge of the sand table. "Has skipping just a single meal turned all of your brains into mush? Those mercenary legions pursue self-interest above all else! Do you think they''ll just happily follow our orders and reinforce Xeto? If we''re counting on them, we might as well tell the soldiers of Xeto that they''re all on their own!"


    The entire hall fell silent again in the face of King Cameron''s wrath.


    "I am willing to lead troops to reinforce Xeto." Finally, Duke Nandoon stepped forward after taking a glance at everyone around him. Many of the military officials in the hall were stunned to hear this, and they immediately turned around to see who had spoken so they could offer the selfless speaker expressions of gratitude.


    "I am also willing to go." Duke Shreesan stepped forward as well.


    A contemplative look appeared on Cameron''s face at the sight of the two volunteers, and after some thought, he decided that they were suitable candidates. Neither of them were exceptional generals, but they were very experienced and calm individuals, so there shouldn''t be any problem if they were sent to reinforce Xeto.


    However, Cameron still cast an inquisitive gaze toward Count Friar, in response to which Count Friar gave a slight nod.


    "Alright, then I''ll send you two to reinforce Xeto. Nandoon will be the main commander, while Shreesan will be the deputy commander. Each of you will lead 5,000 troops and travel to Xeto right away. Xeto cannot be allowed to fall no matter what, do I make myself clear?" Cameron asked in a stern voice.


    "Yes, Your Majesty. We''ll be sure to fulfill our duty." Nandoon and Shreesan accepted the order before departing.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the Four Winds mercenary legion was still advancing northward along the coastline, traveling toward Xeto. They were only traveling throughout the day and resting at night, so the entire Four Winds mercenary legion was still full of vigor and raring to go. Upon arriving at a point around five kilometers away from Xeto, they could already see clouds of smoke and dust rising up in the distance, and the smells typically associated with battle permeating through the air were already quite pronounced. After traveling for about one to two kilometers further, they could already see Xeto up in the distance, nestled beside a mountain. They could see dense smoke rising up from the city walls, and if one were to listen carefully, they''d already be able to hear the sound of war drums and war cries.


    "Georgina, take 20 assassins with you and scout out the situation up ahead. Make sure to keep yourselves safe," Larwood instructed as he turned to Georgina.


    Thus, Georgina set off from the Four Winds mercenary legion with 20 men accompanying him. They rode along a small path and entered a sparse forest on a mountain. Meanwhile, the rest of the Four Winds mercenary legion had been instructed by Larwood to come to a halt, and he also made a hand signal up toward Erwin in the airship, indicating for them to stop as well.

 CH 48.2

    Ever since the battles against the Wolf Moon mercenary legion back in Feony Forest, Georgina had become the most reliable source of intel for the Four Winds mercenary legion. The 20 assassins accompanying Georgina had all been organized for him by Larwood. They didn''t need to participate in direct battles, all they had to do was follow Georgina''s orders and gather intel from all corners of the battlefield.


    From his vantage point on the airship, Erwin was naturally able to see even further than Larwood. He cast his gaze into the distance, inspecting the narrow, winding mountain path that led upward, and even though it was still too far for him to see clearly, he could just barely make out the countless black spots in the distance and identify them as people. The city of Xeto stood at the conclusion of the mountain path. It was incredible to think that such a massive city would be standing on such a steep mountain. This was a city that neighbored both the mountain and the sea.


    Looking down even further from there, the provincial path connected to the mountain path was too far away for Erwin to make out with his eyes. He was praying that those black shadows weren''t more people.


    After that, Erwin quickly instructed Christine to land the airship. Even from several kilometers away, the airship was most likely still quite eye-catching in the sky. Meanwhile, Georgina had also returned atop his unicorn steed, and there was a very grim look on his face.


    "It''s all people, isn''t it?" Erwin asked at the sight of Georgina''s grim expression.


    Georgina nodded in response with an incredulous look on his face. "The entire provincial road and the path leading up to the mountain is filled with people. There have to be at least 30,000 to 40,000 of them. All of them are Skycourt Kingdom soldiers, and they''ve already completely surrounded Xeto from all directions."


    "Will we be able to exit through the forest up ahead?" Larwood asked.


    "That won''t be a good idea. As soon as we emerge from the forest, we''ll run into the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces. With our numbers, doing that would be equivalent to committing suicide," Georgina replied in a grim voice.


    At this point, the rest of the assassins were also returning one after another, and all of them brought back essentially the same piece of news with them: the northeastern exit of the forest had already been blocked by the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces.


    Georgina tallied up the assassins to find that there were still three of them who were yet to return, and he could only fear the worst for them.


    "Are the Skycourt Kingdom soldiers mercenaries or troops from the regular army?" Larwood asked.


    "Judging from the diversity of the flags they were carrying, I presume they''re all mercenaries," Georgina replied.


    Larwood nodded in response, then fell into deep thought.


    This was quite a predicament for Erwin and Larwood, and after pondering the situation for a while, Larwood made a decision that came as quite a surprise to everyone, instructing everyone to board the airship.


    Under Larwood''s instructions, all of the mercenaries fit for battle boarded the airship, leaving only around 10 injured mercenaries behind so they could look after the horses, which couldn''t be taken onto the airship. Chase and Kaiba were resting and recuperating in a horse-drawn carriage, but they were also carried onto the airship. Both of them wore perplexed expressions as they were carried out of the carriage, completely oblivious to what was happening outside.


    Despite his reluctance, Georgina could only temporarily part with his unicorn steed.


    The airship was already carrying over 100 magicians, as well as all of the Four Winds mercenary legion''s supplies and all of the metal armor that had been fitted onto its exterior. With over 300 more people suddenly boarding the airship, the combined weight of everything clearly already went beyond the airship''s normal operating limit, so the speed of flight had become extremely slow, and the steering had also become very unresponsive.


    As a result, Christine was having a lot of trouble piloting the airship, and Erwin could only look on with a resigned expression.


    Thus, the severely overweight airship began to travel toward the city of Xeto in the distance.


    ...


    At the royal encampment in Illingburn Fort.


    Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan had already gathered 10,000 troops and were setting off for Xeto from Illingburn Fort.


    "Brother Nandoon, may I ask why you decided to volunteer to provide reinforcements to Xeto?" Duke Shreesan suddenly asked as he turned toward Duke Nandoon on horseback.


    "I have no choice. I have a useless son who insisted on forming his own mercenary legion, and I haven''t seen him at all the entire journey here. I thought that his mercenary legion was only marching slowly and lagging behind the rest of the army. However, I went to check on their progress at the department of military affairs yesterday, and I was told that no sightings of them had been made after they passed Windmetal Fort. Given his personality, I presume he''s most likely gone to try his luck on the east coast. I''m at the age where I should be living peacefully in retirement, yet that son of mine simply won''t let me rest," Duke Nandoon sighed with a weary expression.


    If he knew that Larwood was currently commanding an airship carrying several hundred people to fly into the air above tens of thousands of enemy soldiers, he would most likely have a heart attack and fall off his horse!


    "Your son is the one called Larwood, right?" Duke Shreesan asked with an amused smile. "He looks like quite a smart and crafty child."


    "I''m surprised that you know of him. I thank you for your compliments on his behalf, but I''m afraid your praise is completely misplaced," Nandoon chuckled. "All of my sons are lazy rascals who only think about how to get money out of me. They''re nowhere near as competent as that son of yours."


    "They''re all the same. My son is causing just as much trouble for me. He''s fallen head over heels for Prince Lazaar''s daughter, and he was too shy to confess to her on his own, so he made me approach Prince Lazaar to ask if his daughter was available," Duke Shreesan grumbled.


    "Oh? What did Prince Lazaar say?" Nandoon was quite intrigued to hear this.


    "Prince Lazaar was very encouraging of the relationship, but his daughter had no interest in my son. I don''t know how he was rejected that night, but when he came back, he threw the biggest tantrum of his life. Everyone in the entire manor was kept up well into the night because he wouldn''t settle down!" Duke Shreesan said with a wry smile. "He didn''t even want to come to the front lines in Burmen this time because he says he doesn''t want to see Prince Lazaar''s daughter again."


    "You say that, but if you ask me, it''s not that he didn''t want to come. I think you didn''t want to bring him here," Nandoon said as he turned to Shreesan with a meaningful smile.


    Shreesan faltered slightly upon hearing this, following which a puzzled look appeared on his face. "What do you mean by that, Brother Nandoon?"


    "Why are you coming with me to reinforce Xeto instead of staying in Illingburn Fort to earn accolades against the Skycourt Kingdom''s regular army? That alone is more than enough to tell me what your intentions are. Don''t forget that we''ve both been serving in the royal court for many years already," Nandoon said with an amused expression.


    "You know me too well, Brother Nandoon. Who wouldn''t want to accrue more accolades in battle? The problem is that the accolades may be too perilous to pursue on this occasion," Shreesan sighed, then turned to Nandoon as he continued, "Speaking of which, you''ve brought all of your relatives from the royal military with you here. I''m sure you''ve also sensed something and are preparing for the worst."


    "Ha, you sure are as observant as ever, Brother Shreesan. Indeed, I do have a feeling that things aren''t as simple as they appear on the surface. I heard that Prince Lazaar''s second eldest son has been completely ruined," Nandoon said as he turned toward Shreesan with a grim expression. "I heard that not only was he disfigured, he''s even been crippled, and his future as a martial artist is all but over. If I were in Prince Lazaar''s place, there''s no way I''d be able to just accept seeing my own son tortured to such an extent."


    "What? How did that happen? That child''s face was disfigured by Her Highness in self-defense, so no one can be blamed for that, but how has he become a cripple all of a sudden?" Shreesan asked in a low voice with a bewildered look on his face.


    "Perhaps His Majesty instructed someone to do it, or perhaps someone else did it out of a private grudge. In any case, Prince Lazaar didn''t raise a fuss about the issue himself, so no investigation was launched into the matter. Perhaps even His Majesty himself is still unaware of this," Nandoon explained.


    "Who do you think will come out on top, Brother Nandoon?" Shreesan asked as he looked at Nandoon with a careful expression.


    Nandoon was momentarily stumped by this question, and he thought about it for a moment before replying in a resigned voice, "That outcome is not something that can be predicted by someone of my limited ability."


    "Indeed, I would say the same about myself," Shreesan replied with a sheepish smile.


    "By the way, you know Renshaw, right?" Nandoon suddenly asked.


    "Duke Renshaw? Now that you mention it, I don''t think I''ve seen him ever since we arrived in Illingburn Fort. I don''t think he was around during the meeting this morning, either. Where is he?" Shreesan asked with a curious expression.


    "That old fox is far more cunning than we are. After reaching Newen, he said that he couldn''t go on any longer as his arthritis was flaring up from the cold weather. His Majesty is aware of Renshaw''s condition, so he permitted Renshaw to stay in Newen to rest and recover," Duke Nandoon said with an amused smile.


    "What a crafty old fart!" Duke Nandoon couldn''t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this.


    Meanwhile, on the city wall of Illingburn Fort, Prince Lazaar and Archbishop Sirius were watching as the 10,000 troops led by Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan departed from the city.


    "Your wisdom is truly unmatched, Prince Lazaar. You intentionally only left 5,000 troops to defend Xeto, so His Majesty had no choice but to send more troops as reinforcements," Sirius praised in a quiet voice.


    "I knew that they wouldn''t trust my assessment of the situation," Lazaar said in an indifferent voice. "Those two have made their stances very clear in the royal court, so it''s only right that they be allowed to survive."


    If Prince Lazaar could hear the conversation taking place between the two dukes, he would be inclined to praise them for their foresight.

 CH 49.1

    As the severely overweight airship drew close to the mountain path outside Xeto, everyone in the Four Winds mercenary legion was shocked to the point of speechlessness by the sight that they were greeted by. They were finally able to understand why Georgina had looked so astonished upon his return. In fact, looking at everyone''s expressions now, Georgina''s reaction had been quite understated in comparison.


    There were all types of flags extending from the provincial road at the foot of the mountain all the way to the city gate at the mountain''s peak. Judging from the diversity in the flags, there seemed to be around 20 to 30 mercenary legions crammed along this mountain path. The mountain path was only around five meters wide, and it was absolutely packed with Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries, all of whom were jostling for position. Thunderous war cries were ringing out from the top of the city wall, and there was already a massive pile of bodies gathered at the foot of the wall, while the rest of the mercenaries were still charging toward the top of the city wall one after another.


    Due to how narrow and steep the mountain path was, no siege weapons could be used to break down the city gate. Thus, the only way for the Skycourt Kindgom''s mercenaries to attack the city was through the use of ladders. Aside from the powerful martial artists who were able to leap onto the top of the city wall to attack the soldiers guarding the city, the rest of the martial artists, who were more lackluster in power or were clad in suits of heavy armor, could only scale the impregnable city wall using ladders. In this situation, the side that was guarding the city held an absolute advantage. The momentum of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries could easily be halted through the use of things like hot oil, tumbling rocks, and bows and arrows.


    Meanwhile, the magicians among the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were hovering in the air far away from the city, but they didn''t dare to get close to the city wall and unleash their spells there. This was because the city wall was lined with archers that had been trained by Prince Lazaar. All of them possessed astounding draw strength that granted them exceptional range, and any of the magicians who attempted to approach the city were quickly shot down. After a volley of arrows, the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians were too afraid to advance any further, so they could only linger in the back and attack the city from afar.


    Even though the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries hadn''t made much progress yet, their massive numbers were striking the 5,000 soldiers guarding the city of Xeto with a sense of concern and hopelessness.


    In situations like this, where there seemed to be no end to the enemy soldiers, this was a very normal reaction.


    In contrast, the two leaders of the Four Winds mercenary legion on the airship were still quite calm and collected.


    "The Skycourt Kingdom has a massive advantage in numbers, but it feels like that advantage isn''t doing much for them on this narrow and steep mountain path," Erwin remarked as he cast his gaze toward Larwood.


    "You''re right. There are only so many people who can attack the city at once, while the rest of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries can only stand behind them and watch," Larwood replied with a nod as he calmly observed the battle unfolding on top of the city wall.


    "You''re not going to lead our men to attack them, right? We only have several hundred men, while they have tens of thousands!" Chase said in a concerned voice. He still hadn''t recovered from his injuries yet, so his face was still quite pale. Looking at the sea of enemy mercenaries gathered on the mountain path, his complexion had become even more ashen, making him look as pale as a sheet.


    "Don''t get so anxious, I''m not going to lead everyone to their deaths for no reason," Larwood said with a smile as he gave Chase a reassuring pat on the shoulder.


    "This is insane..." Kaiba couldn''t help but exclaim at the sight of the countless enemy mercenaries down below.


    Kaiba and Chase were the two who had suffered the most severe injuries from the battle against Talan. With that in mind, Larwood had told them to rest and sit out this battle. However, as soon as the two of them were carried onto the airship, they complained that the wind noise was too loud for them to fall asleep. Now that they were standing on the deck and witnessing the tens of thousands of Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries gathered on the mountain path, there was most likely even less chance they''d be able to fall asleep.


    "Don''t be afraid. Just guide the airship directly into the air above the mountain path," Erwin said with a faint smile as he made his way over to the steering wheel at the center of the airship, where Christine was piloting the vehicle. Prior to this, Christine was extremely fearful at the sight of so many enemy mercenaries down below, and her complexion had paled significantly. However, she was instilled with a sense of confidence at the sight of Erwin''s calm smile, and she nodded in response.


    As the airship drew closer and closer to the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries, it was naturally noticed.


    Many of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenary legions gathered on the mountain path had seen this airship, and they knew that it belonged to the Heavenly Star mercenary legion. As such, they were feeling rather perplexed. Luphen had told them that there were too many people here for his liking, so he had led his men southward toward Haggardy. In that case, why had he suddenly returned?


    Upon closer inspection, the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries notice the golden lion''s head embroidered on the corners of the flags waving on the airship, and only then did they realize that Luphen had been defeated in Haggardy, thereby losing his airship to mercenaries of the Effer Kingdom.


    The soldiers of Burmen had already been guarding Xeto for a day and a night up to this point, and morale was instantly elevated by the sight of the golden lion''s heads on the airship''s flags. For the soldiers who were warding off the mercenaries of the Skycourt Kingdom, the number of troops that were sent to reinforce them didn''t actually matter. What mattered to them was whether they had already been abandoned by their higher-ups.


    Of course, Larwood and Erwin''s primary intention wasn''t to reinforce the city of Xeto. Instead, they were more interested in proving themselves.


    ...


    After discovering that the airship had fallen into the hands of the enemy, all of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries gathered on the mountain path immediately began to prepare for an enemy attack. Many of the archers among them had already nocked arrows onto their bows, ready to shoot at the airship at any moment.


    "All archers, get ready!" Larwood commanded in a loud voice. Initially, the Four Winds mercenary legion only had less than 30 archers, but after the battle at Haggardy, many bows were salvaged from the battlefield. Thus, regardless of whether the martial artists in the legion were capable archers or not, all of them had been equipped with bows anyway.


    "All magicians, adopt your positions and prepare to attack!" Erwin also issued an order of his own.


    As soon as the airship entered the shooting range of the Skycourt Kingdom''s archers, a string of loud clangs immediately rang out from the bottom of the airship. That was the sound of arrows striking the airship''s armor plating.


    "Fire!" Larwood commanded, and a volley of arrows was fired down in retaliation from the airship.


    "Now! Aim your spells at the densest groups of enemy mercenaries," Erwin yelled as bright purple light began to radiate from his staff, and a storm of purple flames began to rain down upon the narrow mountain path.


    There were tens of thousands of enemy mercenaries, all of whom were confined to the mountain path, resulting in the ideal target for magicians to aim at. All large-scale destructive spells were able to affect many enemy troops at once, so they could fire their spells with reckless abandon and have virtually no risk of missing. There were a total of over 150 magicians on the airship, and with all of them firing spells at once, many casualties were immediately inflicted upon the enemy mercenaries.


    Strings of agonized howls instantly rang out from down below, and upon close inspection, Erwin discovered that around 3,000 to 4,000 Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries had already been killed by the volley of arrows and spells. This was far more efficient than engaging the enemy in direct combat. Thinking back to the battle that had taken place at the foot of Haggardy, even the three mercenary legions combined hadn''t lost this many troops after such a prolonged battle.


    Some of the more alert Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries had already begun to flee down the mountain in the face of this unfavorable situation, and the entire mountain path was quickly plunged into chaos. The mercenaries charging up from the foot of the mountain still had no idea what was happening up ahead and were rushing forward with all their might, while those further up the mountain were fleeing back down the same way they had come. As a result, the two forces moving in opposite directions clashed with brutal force, resulting in horrific incidents in which countless people were trampled underfoot. Many of them didn''t even have a chance to cry out before their lungs were punctured by their own broken ribs, thereby quickly putting an end to their lives.


    Of course, there were some powerful martial artists among the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries as well, and they immediately realized that the only way to retaliate was to strike back at the people on the airship. Thus, they leaped up from down below to land directly on the airship''s deck. At the moment, the airship was still hovering 70 to 80 feet above the ground, so all of the martial artists capable of jumping so high were quite formidable indeed.


    The sudden arrival of these powerful enemy martial artists was something that Larwood had failed to anticipate, but there was no time to think and adjust the plan in this situation. All he could do was draw his sword and retaliate. As he did so, he yelled, "Sherry, we have to take care of these bastards on the airship first!"


    Sherry reacted extremely quickly upon hearing this, rallying all of the most powerful martial artists in the Four Winds mercenary legion to surround the enemy martial artists.


    Chase and Kaiba''s wounds had only recently healed, so they were still unfit for battle and could only look on from the sidelines.


    "Lanyon, keep up the output of spells and make sure no more enemies jump onto our airship!" Erwin yelled at Lanyon, who was instructing all of the magicians. Meanwhile, Erwin himself had made his way over to Christine''s side to protect her.


    He knew that the most important part of the airship was the area around the steering wheel. If something were to go wrong there, the entire airship would be felled, and that would result in catastrophic consequences.


    In total, around a dozen Skycourt Kingdom martial artists had jumped onto the airship, and there weren''t any monsters like Talan among them, but all of them possessed powers that were roughly on par with Sherry''s. Larwood was also carrying injuries of his own, so his effectiveness in battle was limited. As for Erwin, he couldn''t leave Christine''s side. As a result, the Four Winds mercenary legion was forced onto the back foot by this group of powerful martial artists.


    Just as Erwin anticipated, as soon as the enemy martial artists broke through the encirclement, they immediately began to rush toward Christine. Erwin didn''t hesitate in the slightest as he unleashed a barrage of instant-release spells in retaliation.


    He was facing three martial artists on his own, and he didn''t dare to stray too far away from Christine, so the battle was very much against his favor from the get-go. For a magician like him, challenging three martial artists at once was definitely not a good idea. Even though he was able to use his space split technique to distance himself from his adversaries, there simply wasn''t enough space on the airship, and the martial artists were able to quickly reach him again.


    Through his battle against the three martial artists, Erwin quickly noticed that they most likely weren''t normal mercenaries. Instead, all three appeared to be commanders of different mercenary legions. Upon closer inspection, Erwin discovered that all three of his adversaries were clad in suits of expensive leather armor, and all of their weapons were also forged from diamond copper ore, so they definitely weren''t cheap.

 CH 49.2

    In this situation, Erwin couldn''t help but lament his own ill-fortune. He was still yet to recover from his own injuries, and to compound his woes even further, he had overexerted his own magic power so severely during the battle against Talan that even a night of rest wasn''t enough for him to fully recover. He had thought that a night of sleep would''ve been enough for him to fully recharge, as had been the cause during the Pillow Sword Tournament, but he had underestimated the toll that a battle of life and death would take on his stamina and magic power.


    Right as Erwin was struggling to fend off his three adversaries, another agile martial artist suddenly emerged before stabbing his sword directly toward Christine''s chest. Christine was so frightened by this that she was rooted to the spot in fear, completely forgetting to dodge. Her mouth was gaped open, her eyes were wide with horror, and she was completely paralyzed like a mouse staring into the eyes of a cat.


    With a sweep of Erwin''s staff, two rings of purple lightning began to revolve around him. His three adversaries attacked him in unison, and two of them were struck by the ring of lightning, following which they were immediately afflicted by the stunning effect imbued within the lightning spell, striking them with a rush of dizziness.


    However, Erwin was also struck by the third martial artist''s attack, sustaining a laceration wound to his left arm. He gave a muffled groan, but there was no time to tend to his injury as he immediately unleashed a space split technique to arrive in front of Christine.


    A loud clang rang out as the martial artist''s sword struck the light shield that Erwin had just conjured up, and Erwin was panting heavily, but he was relieved that he had managed to save Christine just in the nick of time.


    "Brother Erwin, are you alright?" Christine asked with a concerned expression as her gaze settled on the wound on Erwin''s left arm.


    Erwin couldn''t be bothered to respond to her question. He glanced down at his own injury to find that his entire sleeve was quickly becoming soaked with blood, and he couldn''t help but think to himself, Is this girl an idiot? Can she not see that I''m bleeding? Do I look alright?


    The other three martial artists weren''t about to let him off the hook, and they immediately surrounded him.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the direction that Larwood was in. Even though the Four Winds mercenary legion had a numbers advantage, they weren''t able to do much against the enemy mercenaries, and the martial artists from the Skycourt Kingdom were warding off the enemy attacks with ease.


    "Are you two blind? Hurry up and send some people over to help me!" Erwin yelled at Larwood and Sherry as he withdrew his own light shield.


    Kaiba and Chase had been close friends with Erwin for over 10 years, so they couldn''t just stand by and watch any longer. Despite their injuries, they immediately rushed to Erwin''s aid, but it was clear that just running toward Erwin was already putting them under great physical strain, as evidenced by their worsening complexion. The four Skycourt Kingdom martial artists had also noticed this, and they quickly exchanged a glance with one another before resuming their attack on Erwin.


    Erwin could see that the situation on Erwin''s side had become quite perilous, and he immediately made a hand signal toward several of the Four Winds mercenary legion''s most powerful martial artists. The martial artists in question immediately understood Larwood''s intentions, and they quickly rushed to Erwin''s aid.


    However, the four Skycourt Kingdom martial artists were very cunning. They made no effort to target Kaiba and the others, focusing solely on trying to get through to Christine instead.


    Erwin didn''t dare grow complacent, and he continued to remain close by Christine''s side.


    "Brother Erwin, why aren''t we running away?" Christine asked in a frightened voice.


    Erwin offered no response aside from pointing at the steering wheel and the series of control levers around it. What he was trying to convey was very clear: if they were to run away, the enemy martial artists would be able to destroy the entire steering system of the airship. If that were allowed to happen, everyone on the airship would be doomed.


    Only now did Christine come to realize the severe drawbacks of the airship''s open-air design.


    Truth be told, it would actually be fine if Christine were to run away. Through observing her over the past couple of days, Erwin had already learned how to pilot the airship. However, he was unable to ensure a safe getaway for Christine given the immense pressure that the four enemy martial artists were exerting upon him.


    Just as Erwin had anticipated, as soon as the four Skycourt Kingdom martial artists noticed that he was protecting Christine, they immediately made it their objective to destroy the steering system. Erwin naturally wasn''t going to allow them to do as he pleased, and with a wave of his staff, a barrage of spells was immediately sent flying toward them.


    With Erwin at the helm, the situation was finally stabilized, albeit just barely.


    While the Four Winds mercenary legion was dealing with the powerful enemy martial artists on the airship''s deck, the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the mountain path down below were also beginning to think of ways to get onto the airship. Some of the mercenaries leaped onto the bottom of the airship, using the gaps between the metal plates on the airship as handholds that they used to gradually climb up onto the airship''s deck. The Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the bottom of the airship were essentially in a blind spot as far as Lanyon and the magicians were concerned, so there wasn''t much that could be done about them. Thus, more and more Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were appearing on the deck.


    The Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians were emboldened by the sight of more and more people climbing onto the airship, and some of them began to fly to the same altitude as the airship using levitation spells before unleashing spells upon the airship with reckless abandon. Some of the magicians who were still firing spells onto the enemy mercenaries down below failed to notice this, and they were sent overboard by the enemy magicians'' attacks.


    More and more of the Four Winds mercenary legion''s magicians were being forced to contend with the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians outside the airship, and an urgent look appeared on Lanyon''s face upon seeing this. "Master Erwin, we need to increase the altitude of the airship!"


    Erwin immediately reacted to this call, using the control levers beside him to increase the airship''s altitude.


    Due to the cessation of the barrage of spells from the airship, the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the mountain path down below were beginning to assemble.


    The airship was already operating at well over its maximum weight capacity, and with so many Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries getting onto the airship as well, it was becoming extremely difficult to raise the airship''s altitude, so much so that Erwin couldn''t even feel the airship rising at all.


    Driving an airship into the sky above tens of thousands of enemy soldiers appeared to be an act of courage and heroism, but it was also severely looking down on the mercenaries of the Skycourt Kingdom. At this point, Erwin was already beginning to regret making such a bold decision with Larwood.


    Right as Erwin was watching the untenable situation unfolding on the airship''s deck with tightly furrowed brows, something that made his heart sink even further happened.


    A dull thump suddenly rang out, and the entire airship swayed slightly, causing all of the people on the deck to stumble at once.


    What was that sound? Why is the airship completely unable to move now? A sense of bewilderment arose in Erwin''s heart as he unleashed a space split technique to take himself to the railing of the airship, upon which he was greeted by a sight that left him furious.


    As it turned out, some of the mercenaries of the Skycourt Kingdom had hatched a plan. Several of the enemy mercenaries who had leaped onto the bottom of the airship had driven a series of rivets into the small gaps between the airship''s metal place, then tied lengths of rope tightly to the heads of these rivets. Meanwhile, the mercenaries who remained on the mountain path were tugging on the other end of the ropes, forcibly pulling the airship downward.


    The airship was already struggling to elevate, and with so many people dragging it downward, black smoke was beginning to billow out of the blast furnace of the airship. It was clear that the airship''s engine was struggling to keep up with the excessive demands being placed upon it.


    At the same time, the rosewood frame of the airship was also creaking audibly from the dragging force exerted upon it by the dozens of rivets.


    Under normal circumstances, Erwin would''ve already flown out of the airship to toss these pesky Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries one by one, but in his current state, he simply couldn''t work up the power to do that. His body was far more exhausted than it normally was, and he was already completely out of breath after unleashing his space split technique a few times. After conjuring up his light shield just now, he could sense that his magic power reserves were close to running dry.


    Thus, he could only look on helplessly as the airship was forced on a shuddering descent. His hands were gripped tightly around the airship''s railing, but there was nothing that he could do.


    If the airship were to be dragged onto the ground, the Four Winds mercenary legion would be instantly swarmed by the tens of thousands of enemy mercenaries down below. With that in mind, Erwin''s heart was filled with a sense of dread.


    ...


    Right at the height of Erwin''s despair, a burst of bright radiance suddenly erupted out of the window of the captain''s room behind him. Immediately thereafter came an eruption of dazzling golden light, and even though the sky was extremely bright and sunny, the natural light was unable to outshine the light radiating from the room.


    All of the people battling on the deck blinked with dazed expressions as they turned to face the tail-end of the airship with bewildered eyes, wondering what was happening there.


    All of a sudden, the glass panes of the window exploded, and the window frame was also detached from the airship before flying into the air currents in the sky above Xeto.


    Everyone had suddenly forgotten that they were still in a battle, and they all had their attention fixed entirely on the spectacle unfolding before their eyes.


    A woman with silver hair and golden eyes emerged from the captain''s room, and there were still hints of chestnut coloring that were still yet to fade from the ends of her luscious silver locks. Her golden eyes were filled with cold killing intent, and her seductive body was sheathed in a loose-fitting magician''s robe. She was slightly out of breath, and her panting caused her chest to rise and fall incessantly, briefly mesmerizing all of the men who were fighting on the airship''s deck.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the red rope marks on the woman''s arms, and he observed a moment of silence for Kaiba''s magic-restricting rope, which had definitely been torn to shreds at this point.


    Christine was staring at the woman with her eyes and mouth both gaped wide open in shock. She had traveled to many places with her father, but never had she seen a woman so stunning and gorgeous. Even as a girl herself, she couldn''t help but be entranced by the woman''s regal majesty and holy beauty.


    Her gaze then wandered toward the hints of chestnut coloring that still remained on the woman''s hair, and she suddenly realized that the woman and the chestnut-haired man were one and the same.


    With that in mind, she turned her gaze toward Erwin, feeling a little dejected.


    If Erwin knew that Christine still had the mental capacity to be thinking about so much irrelevant nonsense in such a perilous situation, he''d be inclined to give her a firm knock on the head.


    The silver-haired woman flew through the air before landing beside Erwin. She turned her gaze toward her, and a mischievous smile began to play on her lips as she asked, "You know you''re not going to get away with this, right?"


    Seeing as Onean had managed to escape from her bindings, Erwin knew that she had made a full recovery, both in terms of her physical condition and her magic power, and he replied with a wry smile, "You can do whatever you want to me after we kill these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries."


    "Good," she replied as a cold look returned to her face, and she flew out into the open sky.

 CH 49.3

    With a wave of her silver long staff, bolts of lightning began to crash down from the heavens, and the dozen or so Skycourt Kingdom magicians hovering in mid-air didn''t even get a chance to react before they were reduced to pieces of charcoal by the fearsome lightning.


    With a casual point gesture from Onean, the bolts of lightning turned and hurtled directly toward the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries who had made it onto the airship''s deck. These powerful martial artists had been fending off the Four Winds mercenary legion with ease just a moment ago, but they were all zapped onto the ground in the blink of an eye, following which Larwood and Sherry immediately sent them tumbling overboard.


    Of course, for some reason, several of these bolts of lightning were directed toward Erwin. Thankfully, he still had just enough energy to quickly roll along the deck of the airship and just barely evade the attacks.


    "Looks like she''s trying to get me back already," he sighed as he looked up at the sky. "It was bright and sunny just a moment ago, but all of a sudden, there''s a lightning storm on the way. A woman''s mood really is as fickle as the weather. I really should stay far away from powerful women like her in the future."


    Despite what he was saying, his heart had no intention of staying away from Onean.


    Right at this moment, a vast storm of meteorites began to descend from the heavens, and the dark clouds in the sky were immediately broken up by bursts of scorching flames. Erwin was staring up at the storm of meteorites, feeling as if doomsday had arrived, and his heart skipped a beat at the terrifying sight.


    "All magicians, conjure up your magic shields!" Erwin reacted quite quickly as he issued an instruction to all of the magicians on the deck.


    All of the remaining magicians immediately heeded Erwin''s call, conjuring up a spherical magic shield above the airship, and only then were they able to weather the meteorite storm.


    However, the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the mountain path weren''t so lucky. This wasn''t just referring to the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the stretch of mountain path below the airship, it applied to all of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the entire mountain.


    The devastating meteorites rained down upon the entire mountain and even extended to the provincial road at the foot of the mountain. All of the Burmen soldiers on the city wall were extremely startled by this, and they hurriedly raised their shields in fear of being struck by shrapnel raised by the meteor shower.


    Thunderous rumbling rang out incessantly as heaven and earth trembled and quaked. It was as if the entire mountain beneath the city of Xeto were about to be destroyed.


    Even standing on the airship, Erwin could feel the violent tremors running through the whole mountain. The mountain path was instantly destroyed by the meteor shower, making it impossible to distinguish the mountain path and the mountain itself. There were meteorite craters everywhere, out of which thick smoke was billowing up into the air. It was impossible to even distinguish the ridge of the mountain from the valley, and many parts of the elevated terrain had been completely razed to the ground.


    Everyone on the entire airship was staring at Onean with transfixed expressions, unable to believe what they were witnessing, unable to believe that a single magician was capable of unleashing such devastating power.


    After this formidable assault, most of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the mountain path had either been killed or severely wounded, and they had lost at least 10,000 men. Only the extremely agile martial artists who were able to evade the falling meteorites were able to just barely survive the assault. Of course, there were also some lucky individuals who were shielded by the piles of bodies above them, thereby allowing them to survive as well, but they were so scared that they didn''t even dare to breathe too loudly in fear of being discovered.


    "Wow... She really is a one-woman army," Erwin couldn''t help but remark as he looked up at the gorgeous silver-haired figure hovering in the sky.


    Right at this moment, a quiet voice rang out from the deck of the airship. "Hold on... Is that Princess Onean?"


    Lanyon immediately cast a stern glare toward the person who had just spoken. He was also stunned by the fact that the person that Erwin had been hiding in that horse-drawn carriage the entire time was Princess Onean, but at the same time, he immediately realized that the princess''s cover absolutely could not be blown at a time like this. Otherwise, the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries at the foot of the mountain would instantly pounce on her like a swarm of locusts. However, as soon as those words were uttered, the observation immediately spread like wildfire along the deck of the airship, and there was no way to silence everyone.


    Larwood had clearly also realized this, but it was already too late. Given Onean''s incredibly striking and distinctive appearance, and the spectacular display of magic she had just put on, no one was going to believe Larwood even if he went around telling them she wasn''t the princess.


    In contrast, Erwin was quite calm and collected. This problem had occurred to him as well, but he then quickly realized that the fact that Onean was being so reckless by openly exposing herself meant that she wasn''t afraid of her own cover being blown. In any case, with just a single spell, she was able to demolish all of the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces, so she had nothing to fear.


    Thankfully, all of the Skycourt Kingdom''s remaining mercenaries had retreated back down the mountain, so there was no way for Onean''s identity to be leaked anyway.


    Meanwhile, Chase made his way over to Erwin and nudged him with his elbow, then looked up at Onean with an amused expression as he asked, "Are you gonna be able to tame her?"


    "Do I look like I have a death wish?" Erwin shook his head with a wry smile in response.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure of that. Have you forgotten what happened between him and Lana? Back when they first met outside the Redbud Pavilion, she tried to kill him, but in a matter of days, she was willing to kiss him in front of a crowd of tens of thousands of people. When it comes to wooing women, Erwin has already achieved legendary status," Kaiba chuckled as he turned to Chase.


    Right at this moment, a cold voice rang out from behind Kaiba. "Oh? Is that so? I guess I should be swooning over Erwin right now then."


    Cold sweat immediately began to pour down Kaiba''s face upon hearing this voice. Due to his injuries, his senses were dulled, so he was unable to sense Onean even as she arrived right behind him.


    "Your Highness." Erwin''s trio immediately saluted Onean in unison. Her identity as a princess had already been revealed anyway, so she naturally had to be treated with the same formalities that a princess deserved.


    Prior to this, all of the people on the airship still had some doubts about Onean''s identity, but upon seeing the respectful salute extended by Erwin''s trio, they immediately realized that she was indeed the princess, and they quickly extended respectful salutes of their own. Some of them were quite slow to react and were still gawking at Onean with stunned expressions, but they were quickly shoved into bowing positions by those around them.


    No wonder. Only the royal princess could possess such beauty and poise, Christine thought to herself.


    "No need for formalities, everyone. Thank you for your hard work, men of the Four Winds mercenary legion," Onean said with a gentle smile as she waved at everyone on the airship. "It''s all thanks to your valiance and courage that the mercenaries of the Skycourt Kingdom were forced back down the mountain. I will be writing a letter later today in person to be sent to the front lines in Burmen, reporting your valiant efforts to my father."


    All of the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion were ecstatic to hear this. With a glowing recommendation from the princess, their future livelihoods were essentially assured.


    Meanwhile, Erwin was full of admiration toward Onean''s innate charisma. Just her presence and words alone made the entire Four Winds mercenary legion feel as if they were being basked in a warm spring breeze. The Four Winds mercenary legion technically still belonged to Erwin''s group of friends, but in this instant, Erwin felt as if Onean had become the true leader of the legion.


    Seeing as Onean had directed her attention elsewhere, Chase and Kaiba immediately took the opportunity to flee the scene, leaving Erwin and the princess on their own.


    "What are you going to do?" A nervous look appeared on Erwin''s face as he took half a step backward, and his back was already pressed against the railing of the airship. "Are you really going to get me back?"


    Having just witnessed how fearsome Onean was in full flight, it immediately occurred to him that she had to have held back during the Pillow Sword Tournament in order to avoid harming innocent bystanders.


    "So you know to be scared now?" Onean asked with a cold expression. "Why didn''t I see you show any fear when you were taking advantage of me while I was injured?"


    "Well, that was then, and this is now," Erwin explained with a sheepish smile. "Besides, I didn''t really take advantage of you..."


    "Is that so?" Onean asked with a dangerous look in her eyes, and Erwin was suddenly struck by a sense of peril, a feeling that was oddly familiar.


    Why is it that all of these powerful women are so prone to lashing out? Erwin thought to himself with a resigned expression, then thrust his palm toward the spell that Onean had fired at him, upon which he immediately winced in pain.


    However, the dancing flame vanished on Erwin''s palm, leaving minimal damage behind.


    "Jeez, I didn''t think you''d actually attack me," Erwin grumbled as he looked at his own bright red palm, which had been singed by the fire, after all.


    As for Onean, she was staring at Erwin with a stunned expression, clearly unable to understand what had just happened. Why was it that the instant-release fireball spell she had just unleashed had disappeared into thin air?


    "Is this the same thing you used against that attack from Talan?" Onean recalled back to what she had witnessed on that day from the shore. At the time, Talan had unleashed the second of his three killing strikes, but he was unable to inflict any damage upon Erwin. Standing inside his light shield, Erwin hadn''t even thrown up any blood. In her mind, Erwin always had to throw up a couple of mouthfuls of blood in his light shield when fighting against a powerful enemy, and the absence of that ritual made her feel as if something were missing.


    Erwin nodded in response with a smug expression. "What do you think? Are you amazed? I controlled my light shield so that it was the same size as my hand, and your magic energy was sucked into a space-time rift."


    "A space-time rift? Is that something you recently developed?" Onean asked with a curious expression. "It doesn''t seem to be anything special. That was only an instant-release spell, but your hand was still burned slightly."


    "That''s because I..." Erwin wanted to tell her that it was because his magic power had been exhausted, but that would be too embarrassing to admit, considering he had barely fought at all today.


    "Oh, so you ran out of magic power because you''re too weak. I was wondering why you weren''t showing off today. Usually, you''re always teleporting everywhere in battle," Onean jeered with an amused smile, reading Erwin like an open book once again.


    "If it isn''t for this pitiful weakling attending to your wounds every day and risking his life to kill those Falcon Beak Lizards, you''d still be bedridden and constantly moaning in pain," Erwin countered. When it came to wars of words, particularly ones that were slightly flirtatious in nature, there was no one who could best Erwin. His style of flirting leaned more toward banter than talking dirty, and his quick wits and sharp tongue ensured that he always had something to say.


    A barely detectable hint of redness flashed across Onean''s face, and she grumbled in a voice that was audible only to herself, "You make it sound like you did a good deed, but you made me pay with my body!"


    Erwin failed to hear what she said, and he continued, "If it wasn''t for you, the situation really would''ve been quite dangerous. I thought that I would be fine after resting for a night, but as soon as the battle began, I realized just how feeble my body still was."


    "You should tell me about your time and space magic in detail sometime. I always feel like the magic you use is very dangerous," Onean said as she cast her gaze toward him.

 CH 50

    Erwin was rather hesitant about this, and he offered no reply. He knew that she was looking out for him, but he didn''t want to discuss "Laws of Time and Space" with anyone in detail. Even when speaking with Professor Hawk, he only revealed some of his insights and understanding of the book back when he first picked it up. This was perhaps an instinctive self-protective measure, or perhaps he already had a feeling that this was a lonely path that he had to walk alone. In fact, there was even a rather ridiculous thought in his mind, which was that keeping the book to himself was a necessary gesture of respect toward both the book and himself.


    As the conversation between the two of them petered out into silence, the airship arrived in the sky above Xeto.


    ...


    In the face of the airship that had saved the city, the soldiers and citizens of Xeto naturally welcomed it with open arms. There were city guardians waiting for the Four Winds mercenary legion in the barracks inside the city, while Xeto''s residents were eager to show off their hospitality, waiting eagerly in the streets with the special fruits produced in Xeto, namely ruler bananas and scale melons. Of course, there was also the ice orange rum, which was produced in Burmen.


    Finally, the airship made a safe landing in front of countless pairs of expectant eyes in Xeto. Everyone got off the airship with Onean leading the way, followed by Erwin and his three friends, then Lanyon and Sherry, who were leading the rest of the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    Erwin wanted to bring Christine with them, but she refused the offer, stating that her father''s injuries were still quite severe, and that she had to remain on the airship to look after him.


    The mayor of Xeto approached them with a wide smile, and he was quite surprised to see that their leader was a woman, especially one that was so breathtakingly beautiful and regal. Thankfully, Chase was kind enough to inform him that the woman leading the Four Winds mercenary legion was none other than Princess Onean.


    The mayor was completely rooted to the spot upon hearing this, and he was so shocked that he even forgot to salute the princess. He wasn''t even expecting any reinforcements to be sent to Xeto as he had been informed by Prince Lazaar that he and the 5,000 troops in Xeto had to prepare to defend the city with their lives.


    As soon as he caught sight of the airship bearing the golden lion''s head flag from the top of the city wall, he was overcome by an irrepressible sense of excitement, and he swore to himself that if they could successfully defend the city, he was going to welcome everyone on the airship with open arms and show them the best hospitality the city was capable of offering.


    Upon learning that it was the princess who was leading the reinforcements in person, he felt as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. Goosebumps were raised all the way from his scalp to the soles of his feet, and tears instantly welled up in his eyes to blur his vision. He felt like he would be happy even if he were to drop dead this very instant.


    If Erwin knew just how emotional the mayor had become, he''d most likely be inclined to explain to him the circumstances that had led up to this point. Firstly, he and Larwood had only come to rescue the city as they had overestimated their own powers and underestimated the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries. Secondly, the princess had essentially been tied up and abducted to this place, so she wasn''t even here according to her own free will.


    "Mayor of Xeto, Francis Hugh, pays his respects to Her Highness!" The mayor immediately fell to one knee in a respectful salute. All of the Burmen soldiers behind him were also rooted to the spot upon hearing this, following which they quickly returned to their senses and fell to their knees as well.


    Of course, the citizens of the city also erupted into a raucous frenzy.


    The princess has risked her life to rescue our city in person! We have been blessed by the utmost of honors! All of the citizens of the city were overcome with emotion as this thought arose in their minds.


    "Thank you, Your Highness! Ballads of your heroic deeds will be sung for generations to come!"


    All of the city''s citizens erupted into raucous cheers as they rushed forward in an enthusiastic frenzy to try and offer the food and wine they were carrying to the princess.


    Erwin made a discreet gesture toward Lanyon and Sherry, and the two of them immediately nodded in response before positioning themselves in front of the princess, acting as her bodyguards while accepting the offerings from the citizens of Xeto.


    However, the city''s citizens were extremely enthusiastic, and soon, there weren''t enough hands to accept all of the offerings, so Erwin and the others had no choice but to join in as well.


    Only upon attempting to lift his own arms did Erwin discover that he was unable to put any strength into the arm that had been wounded during the earlier battle. It was clear that this was quite a severe injury, but he was too embarrassed to show that he had been injured, and he didn''t want to come across as cold and forbidding to the citizens of Xeto, so he could only grit his teeth and bear the pain. Thankfully, the offerings consisted mostly of things like fruits and wine, so they weren''t too heavy.


    Erwin and his friends looked at all of the food and wine that had been thrust into their arms, and they all felt a sense of achievement and satisfaction.


    "What did I tell you? There''s no way we could lose a battle with me leading the way," Larwood began to boast with a smug expression.


    "What a load of nonsense! If Her Highness hadn''t swooped in to save the day, we would all be dead already," Chase rebuked in a disgruntled voice.


    "You know, we''ve all eaten bananas before, but I''ve never seen any bananas this big," Kaiba said as he began to size up a ruler banana that he was holding.


    Erwin felt like Onean should''ve been very grateful to him. Without him here to accept all of these offerings in her stead, she would be forced to hold these huge bananas, and that would be a very interesting sight. With that in mind, Erwin couldn''t help but wonder what it would look like for her to eat one of those bananas, and he almost burst out laughing at the comical mental image.


    Onean just so happened to turn back around to look at him, and she naturally immediately realized what he was thinking upon seeing the sly smirk on his face. She made her way over to Erwin''s side in an elegant manner, then pulled a scale melon out from the bundle of fruits that he was holding. Erwin didn''t restrain himself in the slightest, continuing to look at Onean with the same sly grin.


    "Have you ever had this before?" Onean asked with a smile.


    Erwin took a glance at the fruit that she was holding. The entire fruit was completely encased in a layer of tight, dark red, scaly peel, making it impossible to see what the flesh was like inside. "I don''t even know what this thing is..."


    Onean carried the bottom of the scale melon with one hand, then spread open her other hand and gently brushed her fingers over the fruit''s scaly peel. The outer layers of scales immediately fell away layer upon layer, revealing the delectable white flesh inside.


    "So you''ve never eaten this before," Onean confirmed once again with a smile.


    "No, but it looks..." Before Erwin had a chance to finish, Onean had plucked off a piece of the scale melon''s flesh before stuffing it into his mouth in a scene that was rather reminiscent of how she had force-fed him that magic potion during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    Erwin began to chew on the fruit that had been stuffed into his mouth, and even though the exterior of the fruit had quite an intimidating appearance, its flesh was very sweet and juicy.


    "Hey, this is not bad at all," Erwin said with a smile, then suddenly burped, and for some reason, smoke began to billow out of all of his orifices.


    Larwood and the others were quite amused as they looked on from the side. White smoke was flowing out of every single hole on Erwin''s head, giving him the appearance of a walking steam engine. Sherry and Lanyon didn''t want to express their amusement at the expense of their deputy commander, but they were having a very hard time holding back their laughter.


    "How do you feel?" Onean asked with a smug expression.


    Erwin rolled his eyes to avoid the hot steam that was pouring out of his eye sockets, and with steam billowing out of his mouth as well, he asked, "Why do I feel so itchy? And it''s not just itchiness in a particular place, I''m feeling itchy all over my entire body!"


    Erwin hurriedly handed the fruits in his arms over to Onean, then began to inspect his own skin, albeit with great difficulty due to the steam that was obstructing his vision. As a result, he was given quite a fright by what he saw. As it turned out, small, dark red scales had already begun to grow out of his skin.


    Larwood and the others were giggling uncontrollably at the sight of Erwin''s transformation. They knew that Onean wouldn''t actually feed him anything poisonous, so they weren''t worried that any harm would befall him. Thus, they began to gather around Erwin to inspect the scales that had grown out of his body.


    Onean looked on as Erwin gradually transformed into a monster whose entire body was covered in scales, feeling a sense of vindictive joy as she had finally managed to exact some vengeance on Erwin.


    Meanwhile, Erwin was looking at his own scaly skin with a furious expression. The scales had torn through his magician''s robe in many places, giving him a very comical and ragged appearance. However, the good news was that there was no longer any smoke coming out of his orifices, indicating that the fruit had most likely run its course in his systems. Immediately thereafter, he did something that had everyone in shock.


    He suddenly lunged forward so that he was behind the princess, then wound his arms around her slender waist from behind. After that, he carefully rubbed the coarse scales on his own neck against the back of Onean''s neck.


    All of the soldiers and citizens of Xeto were completely astonished by what they were witnessing. They were all wondering who Erwin was and why he was able to be so intimate with the princess. Could it be that he was the princess''s lover?


    Meanwhile, Larwood and others could only shake their heads with resigned sighs. One could never predict what Erwin was going to do next.


    "You may not believe this, but these scales are able to ward off spells. Isn''t that interesting?" Erwin asked with a sly grin on his face.


    To his surprise, Onean didn''t retaliate with her magic. She knew that Erwin had completely exhausted his reserves of magic power, thereby leaving him completely vulnerable to attacks. Most importantly, for some reason, she suddenly thought of how Erwin had taken care of her along the way here, and even though he had taken advantage of her plenty of times under the guise of administering treatment, she was still very grateful for what he had done.


    She didn''t want to struggle free by force in fear of hurting him, but at the same time, she was feeling very embarrassed to be held like this in front of so many people. Right at this moment, Erwin inched his lips closer to her ear from behind, then whispered in an intimate manner, "Seeing as you''re not resisting, I''ll take that as a sign to do as I please."


    Finally, Erwin''s brazen actions were met with retaliation as Onean stomped down onto the back of his foot. Even though his foot was covered in scales, it was still certainly far from a pleasant experience to be stomped on by the thin and pointy heel of Onean''s shoe.


    Thus, all of the citizens and soldiers of Xeto were left with an unforgettable sight. A man whose entire body was covered in scales was holding the princess in a tight embrace, while the princess was holding onto an armful of fruit.


    After that, the princess and her group were invited by the mayor into his manor to discuss a plan to protect the city. After all, there were still many Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries lurking outside the city, and they certainly weren''t going to give up after just a single defeat.

 CH 51

    The mayor was planning to hold a banquet for the entire city to celebrate their victory, but Onean was of the opinion that there was a chance that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries would attack during the night, so she advised against it.


    "We managed to kill over 15,000 of the enemy''s troops during this battle, so we''ve definitely put a significant dent in their forces, but what if they anticipate that we''re going to hold a celebration tonight? If they take advantage of our celebration to rally their troops and attack again in the night, how will we be able to defend the city?" Onean asked in a matter-of-fact voice as she looked at the mayor of Xeto. Considering the absurdity of the mayor''s suggestion, the tone of her voice was already quite polite and considerate.


    An embarrassed look appeared on the mayor''s face upon hearing this. He had suggested a celebratory banquet in order to appease the princess, and he could only blame himself for failing to consider the possible consequences.


    Larwood and Erwin also knew that it was important to keep up their guard during the night, but it was inappropriate for them to tell the city''s mayor what to do. After all, they were only the commanders of a ragtag mercenary legion, while the mayor of the city was the one leading the official troops of the kingdom. They were only here due to their association with the princess, and they knew that they were in no place to be telling the mayor how to defend his city.


    "What you''ve said is correct, Your Highness, but you''ve already destroyed the mountain path outside with your earlier spell, so even if the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops were to attack during the night, they''d have to rebuild the mountain path that you demolished first," Larwood interjected with an amused smile to alleviate the awkward atmosphere.


    The mayor immediately cast a grateful look in Larwood''s direction.


    "How about this? During the night, I''ll launch the airship and keep it flying above the city. From the airship, I''ll be able to see far into the distance, and I''ll immediately be alerted if the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries do try any funny business," Erwin suggested. At this point, the effect of the scale melon had already worn off, and he had returned to his normal appearance.


    "That sounds like an idea," Chase replied with a nod. "We can just send some of our men onto the airship, and they can take turns on lookout duty through the night."


    After that, everyone discussed the arrangements that were going to be taken to protect the city. In reality, it was only Onean confirming the arrangements to be taken with the mayor, while Erwin and the others listened off to the side.


    Francis then extended an invitation to Onean and her group to take a rest in his manor. Of course, the invitation was mainly extended to Onean, but it wouldn''t be appropriate to exclude Erwin and the others, particularly after everything they had done to save the city. However, Onean tactfully turned down the offer, telling Francis that it was more convenient for her to stay on the airship.


    With that rejection, Francis couldn''t help but wonder if there was something about his appearance that the princess didn''t like, thereby leading to a rather rough conversation between the two of them.


    ...


    "Why did you refuse his offer? Surely living in the mayor''s manor would be more comfortable than staying in the airship," Erwin asked with a curious expression. At this point, they had already parted with Francis and were walking side by side on a cobblestone street in Xeto. "Did he say something that made you displeased, so you''re intentionally giving him the cold shoulder?"


    It was around 2 PM in the afternoon at the moment, and the light of the sun was still very warm and vibrant. The dark clouds summoned by Onean during her lightning spell had faded, and the city was finally basked in the radiance of the sun again.


    The sun seemed to be trying to make up for the period of time in which it had been obscured, and it was giving off heat with commendable vigor. Spring hadn''t even arrived yet, but it was already feeling a little too warm for comfort. Thankfully, the heat was somewhat blunted by the cool breeze that would occasionally blow in from the Joffan Sea.


    "These people are all subordinates serving Prince Lazaar, and we are in times of war, so I don''t know what their thoughts and intentions are. If I chose to stay in the mayor''s manor, I would have to sleep with one eye open at night, so it would be far better for me to stay on the airship instead," Onean replied in a calm voice.


    "That''s true," Erwin replied with a faint sight, and he suddenly felt a little sympathetic toward Onean. Her status provided many privileges, but it was also quite the heavy burden.


    "What''s wrong with your arm? It looked like you could barely even carry those fruits earlier," Onean said as she began to inspect the sound on Erwin''s arm.


    "The arm was pierced through by a sword earlier, and I can''t put any strength into it now," Erwin replied as he also inspected his own injury.


    "An injury like that could be easily healed by some magic potions, but you''ve taken almost my entire supply of magic potions, so you''ll have to suffer with that injury on your own," Onean said with a faint smile as her silver hair was lifted up the sea breeze, giving off a faint fragrance that had a calming effect. The light of the warm sun shone down onto her face, illuminating the hint of profound sorrow in her eyes.


    "What''s going on with you? Why do you seem so glum?" Erwin asked as he stopped in his tracks. He felt like there was something on Onean''s mind.


    "Do I?" Onean also drew to a halt as she turned to look at him with a surprised expression.


    "I feel like you''re often lamenting the state of the world," Erwin said as he looked at her with a calm expression. "I don''t think it''s a good idea to indulge in those emotions too regularly as they could end up being the death of you."


    Onean couldn''t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this, and an intrigued look appeared on her face as she asked, "Where did you get that from? Or did you just make it up on the spot?"


    "Er, I think that was a quote from a master philosopher who is still yet to become a master philosopher," Erwin replied.


    "Alright, so you made that up," Onean said with an amused expression.


    "You could say that," Erwin replied in an indifferent voice, and the two of them continued to walk along the street.


    Occasionally, there would be citizens of Xeto passing by who would extend respectful bows toward Onean, in response to which she would nod in acknowledgment.


    "I don''t think you''re the type of person who would suddenly become sentimental after killing all those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries," Erwin continued.


    "You''re right, I haven''t," Onean replied after a brief silence.


    "Then what brought on that moment of sadness just now?" Erwin asked.


    "Am I not allowed to feel a little sad every once in a while? Do I have to explain every single one of my emotions to you?"


    "No, I just didn''t think that you would experience such a mundane emotion. It always feels to me like you''re above such things."


    At this point, the two of them had already arrived at the city wall that stood next to the sea.


    "I''m just feeling a little sorry for the citizens of this city," Onean said as she tucked a few stray strands of hair behind her ear with her index finger.


    "I''m not really suited to talking about such grand topics of conversation," Erwin sighed as he cast his gaze toward the surface of the turbulent sea in the distance. His clothes were in tatters, and he couldn''t help but shiver as the cold sea breeze blew over him.


    Just a moment ago, he had been dismayed by the heat of the sun, but he was beginning to miss it now. Unfortunately for him, the sun was already beginning to set.


    Onean took a glance at him, then loosened her own gown and removed it before handing it to him. Erwin hesitated momentarily, but accepted the gown in the end and draped it over his own shoulders.


    "That''s true. It''s quite rare to see someone with ambition as pure and fierce as yours," Onean said as she cast a lazy gaze toward the undulating horizon in the far distance. The light of the dying sun shone down onto her absentminded face, while Erwin sidled up close to her from behind.


    "You make it sound like I want something from you," Erwin said in a faint voice.


    "Is that not true?" Onean turned around to gaze up at him with a meaningful look in her eyes.


    "Even if I do want something from you, it would be romantic in nature and nothing else," Erwin replied in an indifferent voice. "You know, this reminds me of another quote."


    "What is it?"


    "Humans were born to suffer," Erwin sighed in a wistful voice. "If you haven''t suffered enough during your living days, then you''ll have to continue to suffer after you die and go to hell to repent for your sins."


    "You still believe in the existence of things like hell?" Onean asked with an amused expression.


    "I only think the first half of that quote is true, but I added on the second half as well for your sake."


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Humans were born to suffer. You were blessed with exceptional beauty and talents, so you''ll have to suffer more than the average person as well," Erwin jibed.


    Onean faltered slightly upon hearing this, following which a smile appeared on her face. "Are you complimenting me or cursing me?"


    Erwin was momentarily entranced by the sight of Onean''s captivating dimples, and he didn''t know how to reply. Onean didn''t know whether he was actually enchanted or just putting on an act. In any case, she turned back around with a smile to look out at the sea again.


    "Life is full of suffering, so don''t let sorrow taint the rare moments of peace and joy," Erwin said as he wound his arms around Onean''s waist in a very natural gesture.


    "You''re talking about all of this suffering, and yet you call me sentimental. Also, why are you suddenly getting all handsy on me? Has your mind wandered into the gutter again?" Onean asked with an amused smile as she pinched the skin on Erwin''s back, then gave it a vicious twist. "Could it be that you''re thinking of Miss Lana?"


    Erwin''s expression stiffened slightly upon hearing this, and he hurriedly replied, "N, no."


    "Oh? Weren''t you just spouting quotes like an eloquent philosopher just now? Why are you suddenly stuttering?" Onean asked as her eyes narrowed slightly.


    Erwin knew that it wouldn''t be wise to speak any further, so he fell silent and wound his arms tighter around Onean''s waist as the two of them listened to the crashing of the waves and the whistling of the wind.


    The two of them stood atop the ravaged city wall, each with different thoughts going through their mind, and their elongated shadows were fused as one under the light of the dying sun. They basked in each other''s warmth as they were caressed by their cool sea breeze. Even though they weren''t saying anything to one another, the looks and smiles that they shared were more than enough to convey the feelings in their hearts.

 CH 52.1

    Just as Onean predicted, the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were unwilling to accept defeat, and that very same night, they were up to no good again. They were felling trees to build a path to replicate the mountain path that had been destroyed, and by the time Erwin and the others rose up into the sky on the airship, they discovered that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries had already sneakily completed around a third of their makeshift path.


    "These people just don''t know when to give up, do they?" Erwin murmured to himself as he looked at all of the moving people and flickering torches at the foot of the mountain.


    "Hold on, what are those things that they''re holding in their hands?" Chase suddenly asked.


    Even though they were able to see a lot further from their vantage point on the airship, it was still impossible to see exactly what the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were doing due to how dark it was at night. All of a sudden, the torches were quickly snuffed out one after another, and in what seemed like no more than the blink of an eye, the entire scene had been plunged into darkness.


    "What just happened? Why did everything suddenly turn dark?" Larwood made his way over to the railing, then leaned forward as he peered into the distance through narrowed eyes.


    Right at this moment, Christine silently handed a monocular over to Erwin.


    "You had something like this the entire time? Why didn''t you give it to me earlier? My eyes were straining so hard this morning that I felt like I was getting a headache," Erwin complained with an amused smile.


    "I only found it just now after going through the entire airship. I thought those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries lost it, but I managed to find it in the corner of one of the rooms," Christine replied in a low voice.


    Erwin put the monocular to his own eye and looked out at the foot of the mountain in the distance, upon which a grim look appeared on his face. "I still can''t see anything. It''s like they''ve suddenly disappeared into thin air!"


    "Let me take a look." Onean took the monocular from Erwin, but she was unable to see anything through it, either, and she quickly fell into deep thought, trying to think of an explanation for this bizarre situation.


    "Don''t tell me all of these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are ghosts," Kaiba said with furrowed brows.


    "Hold on, could it be that they''re using nightwalker?" Onean asked as a hint of realization dawned on her.


    "What''s that?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression, a look that was mirrored on the faces of Larwood and the others as well. It was clear that Erwin and his three friends were all just as uneducated as one another.


    "Nightwalker is a magic potion that can be brewed from powdered deer antler wasps. Deer antler wasps make their hives in the darkest bushes in the Terarody Mountain Ranges, and when gathered in great numbers, they can absorb large amounts of light from the surrounding environment. If there are enough of them present in one place, they could even transform day into night," Onean explained.


    "So you''re saying they used this nightwalker to absorb all of the light around them?" Larwood asked.


    Onean nodded in response.


    "But that doesn''t make sense, either. If all of the light has been sucked away, then wouldn''t they be blind as well? How are they supposed to walk along this narrow log path blind? All of them will fall to their deaths before they can even reach the city!" Erwin said with a bewildered expression.


    Onean shook her head in response. "You don''t know how this magic potion works. Not only is it able to absorb all light in an area, any living being who comes into contact with it will attain the same night vision that deer antler wasps possess. When using nightwalker, one will be able to see clearly even on the darkest of nights."


    "So you''re saying those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are already sneaking toward the city as we speak?" Erwin asked as his eyes widened with alarm.


    Onean raised a finger to her own lips to make a silencing gesture, and Sherry and Lanyon immediately took this as an order as they began instructing everyone on the airship to be quiet.


    Soon, the only sounds that could be heard on the airship came from the blast furnace and the grinding gears of the vehicle.


    For people like Onean and Georgina, the former of which was a magician who was very sensitive to the movement of matter particles in the environment, while the latter of which was an assassin who was very perceptive when it came to sounds, they could already sense that there was some irregular activity taking place on the mountain.


    Soon, Erwin and the others were also beginning to notice that something wasn''t quite right.


    "Christine, drive the airship forward a little bit," Erwin instructed.


    Christine did as she was told, and thus, the airship flew on a little further from the point where the battle during the day had taken place.


    Immediately thereafter, Erwin unleashed an illumination blast spell directly toward the area under the airship. The white light glided through the darkness of the night for a stretch before fading. Erwin was observing the spell intently, and he remarked, "The spell faded naturally, so it wasn''t absorbed by the nightwalker potion. It looks like the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries haven''t made it to this point yet."


    "Don''t you guys find what these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are doing to be rather strange? Did they not suffer enough after being bombarded by that meteor shower spell from Her Highness during the day? They can clearly see that we''re prepared for a sneak attack in the night, so why are they still insisting on going through with the attack?" Chase asked with a perplexed expression. "Are they not afraid of being bombarded by Her Highness again?"


    "I was just wondering that myself. Surely they''ve already spotted our airship hovering above the city on lookout duty, so why are they still being so reckless?" Larwood mused with furrowed brows.


    "Let''s think about that another time. For now, we should focus on preventing these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries from completing the log path. Lanyon, gather all of our magicians and bombard the mountain with spells. We may not be able to see them, but they have to be down there somewhere," Erwin instructed.


    Lanyon accepted the order and quickly assembled all of the magicians on the airship. Upon receiving an instruction from Lanyon, all of the magicians began to fire spells onto the pitch-black mountain down below. The spells exploded to produce a display of spectacular lights, but all of the dazzling lights faded in the blink of an eye, and it was impossible to tell whether the spells had struck the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries or had merely fallen upon the mountain.


    Francis was looking on while standing atop the city wall of Xeto, and upon hearing the commotion ringing out in the distance, he knew that the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries at the foot of the mountain were indeed up to no good. At the same time, he was feeling very fortunate that the princess had convinced him against holding a celebratory banquet. Otherwise, the city would''ve been far more susceptible to a sneak attack from these cunning Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries.


    "Listen carefully... Do you hear that?" Onean asked as she turned toward Erwin.


    "I do. It sounds like there are drums being struck, but the sound is a bit too dull for it to be drumming," Erwin replied. "What is this sound? I feel like I''ve heard it somewhere before."


    "Isn''t this the sound of spells striking shields?" Kaiba exclaimed with an enlightened expression. He was thinking back to the sparring matches that had taken place between him and Erwin during the offense and defense classes. This was the exact same sound produced by Erwin''s instant-release spells striking his shield.


    An enlightened look also appeared on Erwin''s face upon hearing this, and he turned to Larwood with wide eyes as he exclaimed, "They''re already directly below us!"


    Larwood reacted very quickly, issuing a loud order to all of the Four Winds mercenaries on the airship''s decks. "All martial artists, fire your arrows!"


    A volley of arrows was let loose, and as opposed to the dull thuds produced by the spells striking the shields, what resulted instead was a string of loud clangs.


    By listening to where the sound was coming from, Larwood was able to roughly determine the location of the enemy mercenaries, and he pointed a finger at a certain flatter part of the mountain as he said, "That''s most likely where they are right now. I was wondering why they dared to venture up the mountain, they think that they can deal with Her Highness''s magic using their shields."


    "Just how naive are they? They think the nightwalker potion and a bunch of shields would be enough for them to bypass us?" Erwin was quite amused by the thought.


    "I was also thinking the same thing. Surely they don''t think that they''ll be able to ward off Her Highness''s spells with their shields alone," Chase chuckled with a hint of mockery in his eyes.


    Erwin and Onean exchanged a glance, following which both of them sprang up into the air.


    With a wave of Onean''s staff, bolts of lightning were drawn down from the heavens. The peculiar bolts of blue lightning in the night sky struck the top of her staff, while magic power instantly surged out of her hand, guiding the lightning and releasing it from the bottom of her staff as a series of rapidly expanding arcs of electricity.


    The countless tiny arcs of lightning hurtled directly toward the spot on the mountain where Larwood had just pointed toward, and the sudden emergence of so many quivering arcs of blue lightning under the pitch-black night sky presented quite a harrowing sight to behold.


    Due to how close Erwin was situated to Onean, he could sense that these thin arcs of lightning were imbued with extremely potent armor-piercing properties. It was no wonder that Onean had guided the lightning spell onto her own staff before releasing it. As it turned out, she was altering the properties of the spell through her own magic power.


    This was not a technique that any magician could pull off. Generally speaking, in order to impart a powerful negative status condition upon a spell, one would either have to use a large amount of magic power to infuse the negative status conditions into the spell during the process of elemental matter conversion, or rely on pieces of equipment such as staves and rings. Erwin was a practitioner of the latter option.


    To do what Onean had just done, which was to convert elemental matter into magic energy, then impart a negative status condition upon it in a short time with her magic power, one would require incredible reserves of magic power and a wealth of experience in handling spells. If the magic energy couldn''t be properly controlled, then there was a chance that it would surge directly into her body.


    However, the advantage of utilizing this method was that it would be far faster than normal to unleash spells imbued with powerful negative status conditions like this one.


    ...


    Sure enough, the thin arcs of blue lightning were able to strike the enemy forces, and as their blue radiance danced through the inky-black night, a string of agonized howls immediately rang out across the entire valley. As it turned out, these thin arcs of lightning had already pierced through the shields that the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries had prepared and directly struck their bodies. Due to the effect of the nightwalker potion, there was still no light coming from the mountain, so it was impossible to see how many casualties the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries had suffered. However, judging from the commotion ringing out from the mountain, it was clear that they were suffering severe losses.

 CH 52.2

    Erwin also joined in on the action without any hesitation as bright light began to radiate from his Shaved Purple Gem staff. Immediately thereafter, countless purple swords lit up the night sky like a mesmerizing purple storm of light. Having rested for half a day, he had already recovered most of his magic power. With a wave of his staff, all of the countless purple swords came flying down from the heavens, swooping toward the point on the mountain where the commotion was at its loudest. The armor-piercing property of his spell wasn''t as potent as that of Onean''s spell, but the advantage that he held over her was that his spell had been unleashed using an incantation in the ancient magic language, so it was far more destructive than normal.


    Chaos had already spread through the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks from the countless arcs of lightning, and their woes were compounded even further by the ferocious storm of purple swords. Amid the chaos, the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were beginning to trample one another, thereby leading to an even higher tally of casualties. In the face of such devastating spells, a sense of irrepressible fear had welled up in the hearts of all of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries, and it was clear that the battle from earlier in the day had already severely traumatized them.


    Just as Erwin was feeling quite pleased with himself, a delicate cry suddenly rang out beside him, and he turned around to discover that Onean''s staff had clashed with some type of weapon.


    He took a closer look through narrowed eyes, but he was only able to vaguely make out Onean''s figure in the darkness of the night. Judging from her stance, it was clear that she was locked in battle against someone. He wanted to go and help her, but a sense of severe peril suddenly welled up in his heart, and he reflexively unleashed his space split technique to retreat from his original spot, immediately following which a faint cry of surprise and confusion rang out from the spot where he had just been standing a split-second ago.


    Right as he was wondering what was happening, he detected a burst of killing intent coming from down below, and he immediately took evasive action, but he reacted a little too late, and a gash was sliced into his calf.


    He was quite furious to have been inexplicably wounded by an invisible enemy like this, and he immediately released around a dozen illumination blasts in quick succession. The bright, white radiance of the illumination blasts immediately lit up the entire night sky, but after just a brief moment, the light was dragged into the darkness strand by strand like cotton candy.


    However, that split second was enough for Erwin to identify the situation around them. As it turned out, he and Onean had been surrounded by around a dozen Skycourt Kingdom martial artists. To put it more accurately, these were all Skycourt Kingdom assassins. Thankfully, his reflexes and speed of movement had been sharpened through his sparring matches against Georgina, so he already had a considerable understanding of the common attacks employed by assassins. These assassins had most likely all used the nightwalker potion, making it impossible to spot them in the night. The only way to determine their approximate location was by using sound cues and sensing the disturbances in the surrounding space.


    These assassins tracked the light that was emitted from when we unleashed our spells to attack us in the air! Could it be that they''re specifically targeting Onean? Erwin thought to himself with tightly furrowed brows. Looks like they''ve done their homework. They knew that her spells require large amounts of elemental matter to unleash, and there''s no way that quota could be fulfilled from the airship. Hence, she has to rise up into the air to prepare her spells, and the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries are using that against her, preparing all of these assassins to attack her.


    At the same time, Erwin had also noticed something else through his keen observation. Just now, when the powerful spells unleashed by him and Onean had struck the mountain, they had continued to give off light until they naturally fizzled out. However, the light from the dozen or so illumination blasts that he had just released had been absorbed very quickly.


    Thus, he had formed an assumption about the properties of the nightwalker potion.


    With that in mind, he turned to Onean and yelled, "The nightwalker potion seems to only be able to absorb the light from normal spells. If a spell contains sufficiently powerful magic energy, then the potion won''t be able to absorb it!"


    Onean also quickly realized this after hearing what Erwin had to say, and she suddenly brought her own staff down in one swift motion. The runes on the surface of the staff began to glow brightly, and a halo of radiance proliferated outward in all directions. The light was so bright that Erwin could barely keep his own eyes open, and he was forced to cover his eyes with his hands. He couldn''t even fathom just how much magic energy had to be expended in order to create such a spectacular display of light on such a dark night.


    This looks like the spell that Master Piro used back when he first returned to Sarus, Erwin thought to himself as he recalled back to the scene during which Master Piro had tamed that Zam highland horse in front of the city gate of Sarus.


    A burst of powerful magic energy was spreading through the air with Onean at the very center, and the assassins around her were immediately knocked back by over 10 meters. In fact, the two least powerful ones among them had already been sent tumbling down the mountain, and their agonized howls were heard for a long while until they finally fell to the foot of the mountain with a sickening crunch.


    Her spell had quite a large scope of destruction, and even Erwin was caught up in it. He immediately conjured up a magic shield, and only then was he just barely able to stabilize himself, while the assassins around him were also sent flying.


    Just as Erwin had predicted, the nightwalker potion was completely unable to absorb the radiance coming from such a powerful spell.


    "Larwood, send some assassins to help us!" Erwin hurriedly yelled toward the airship.


    The reason why he was calling for assassins was because only assassins understood the techniques of other assassins. In the face of the phenomenal speed and lethal attacks employed by assassins, normal martial artists would have no chance of surviving.


    With the light provided by Onean''s spell, everyone on the airship finally realized that Onean and Erwin had been surrounded by assassins from the Skycourt Kingdom. They were wondering why the two of them had suddenly disappeared after unleashing just a single spell each, and they realized what was the case now.


    "So they were surrounded by assassins using the nightwalker potion. I was wondering why both of them suddenly disappeared." After making sense of the situation, Larwood immediately turned to Georgina and ordered, "Georgina, pick out our best assassins. We''re going to throw these sly Skycourt Kingdom vermin down the mountain!"


    Georgina immediately did as he was told, picking out a group of powerful assassins from the Four Winds mercenary legion before following Larwood into battle. In their absence, Sherry and Lanyon temporarily took over the reins as commanders.


    Even though Onean''s spell had revealed the Skycourt Kingdom''s assassins, they certainly weren''t just going to give up. After taking a moment to regain their bearings, they immediately charged toward Onean once again.


    Prior to this, some of the assassins had chosen to go after Erwin, but under the illumination of Onean''s spell, all of the Skycourt Kingdom''s assassins could see that Onean was the female magician who had unleashed that devastating meteor shower upon them earlier during the day. Thus, the assassins around Erwin immediately abandoned him to attack Onean as well.


    Despite this, Onean remained completely unfazed. After injecting another burst of magic power into her staff, she spread open her arms, and her silver hair began to dance around her as four ice phoenixes flew out of her body. Even though she had let go of her staff, it was still able to produce brilliant radiance using the burst of magic power that had been injected into it.


    Erwin recalled back to the first day of the Pillow Sword Tournament, where Onean had employed the same ice phoenix spell against Georgina in her match.


    The four ice phoenixes immediately swooped toward the oncoming assassins, letting loose shrill cries that sent chills running down the listener''s spine in the darkness of the night.


    The four ice phoenixes were very effective in obstructing the Skycourt Kingdom assassins. Some of the assassins suffered severe injuries from the frost tornadoes released from the ice phoenixes'' beaks, while others were struck by the frosty pellets released by the ice phoenixes'' flapping wings, thereby slowing them down significantly.


    Meanwhile, Larwood and the others had also made it onto the scene. This was an open battle between assassins, so it was a competition of which side''s assassins were more skilled in their craft. Overall, the assassins from the Four Winds mercenary legion were at a slight disadvantage when it came to power, but with the ice phoenixes assisting them, they quickly gained the upper hand.


    Erwin was still unable to use one of his arms, and he had also sustained a gash on his leg, so he didn''t dare to employ his normal proactive style in battle. Thus, he could only stay off to the side, releasing spells to unleash sneak attacks on the Skycourt Kingdom assassins from behind.


    All of a sudden, the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were placed in a very passive position. The ones on the mountain were unable to advance any further due to the bombardment of attacks from the Four Winds mercenary legion on the airship, while the assassins tasked with killing Onean were also struggling in battle.


    However, the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries seemed to have anticipated this, and they already had a backup plan prepared. Upon seeing the difficult situation that their assassins were in, they immediately deployed several dozen more martial artists, who leaped up into the air from the mountain. It seemed that they were determined to take Onean''s life at all costs.


    With the light radiating from Onean''s staff, Erwin could see that the leaders of these martial artists were the same people as the ones that he had faced in battle on the airship''s deck earlier in the day.


    Thus, the battle taking place in the sky began to tilt in the Skycourt Kingdom''s favor again as they were able to overwhelm Erwin and his group with their absolute numbers advantage.


    "Sherry, send some more people to help us," Larwood yelled toward the airship.


    On this occasion, it was Kaiba and Chase who led the reinforcements. Both of them were still yet to recover from their injuries, so it was quite a tall task for them to be fighting in two battles in a single day.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the city wall of Xeto, Francis could see that a battle had ensued between the two sides, and he hurriedly led his troops out of the city to provide reinforcements. He couldn''t see how the battle in the sky was progressing, but this was a matter that concerned the safety of the princess, so he didn''t dare to take any chances.

 CH 52.3

    Even though the mountain path had been destroyed, Francis knew the terrain of Xeto like the back of his own hand, and with the torch in his hand alone, he was able to find a suitable route for his troops to march along. Furthermore, the location that all of the spells from the airship were raining down toward provided Francis with a good approximation of where the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops were.


    He was a very experienced commander, and he knew that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries had to have employed some type of method to conceal their forces within the darkness. Thus, he didn''t advance his troops recklessly, choosing instead to slowly approach the enemy while instructing his archers to fire at them from afar.


    The Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were already panicking, and many of them were beginning to flee. Now that the soldiers of Xeto were no more than 100 meters away, even more panic was starting to set in.


    Unfortunately for them, the newly constructed log path was too narrow to facilitate a large-scale retreat, and in addition to that, everyone was clambering to retreat back the same way they had come, so the log path quickly became extremely congested, and many more of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were trampled to death by their own comrades as a result. This was the main disadvantage for mercenary legions fighting as one. They had no commander to whom everyone answered, and as soon as one person decided to retreat, everyone would quickly begin to retreat. This lack of discipline and direction was why Larwood and Erwin didn''t fear them, even though they had tens of thousands of troops among their ranks.


    Judging from the commotion ringing out on the mountain, Francis could already tell that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were retreating in a blind panic. Thus, he immediately led his troops to give chase, while the spells raining down from the airship in the sky acted as a beacon for them.


    Meanwhile, the outcome of the battle taking place in the sky above was still undecided. In contrast with the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the log path down below, the Skycourt Kingdom martial artists in the sky were displaying incredible teamwork. Their target was very clear: they were going to kill the astonishingly powerful female magician at all costs. They were so determined to do this that they completely disregarded Larwood and the others, and all of them were charging toward the radiance being emitted by Onean''s staff with single-minded determination like moths to a flame.


    Erwin knew that he couldn''t continue to just dart around and unleash sneak attacks from the side. He unleashed a space split technique to take him to the very center of the light source, then shielded Onean''s body with his own. These assassins were determined to kill Onean, even if it cost them their lives, and in the face of their fierce determination, Erwin raised his staff and immediately conjured up his light shield to encompass both himself and Onean.


    As a result, the illumination spell from Onean''s staff was finally cut off as no matter could escape from the light shield. The light radiating from the outer wall of the light shield wasn''t as bright as that of Onean''s illumination spell, but it was still enough to light up the battlefield in the sky.


    Erwin could feel Onean heave a faint sigh of relief from behind him, following which she began to pant slightly. It was clear that releasing several advanced spells in a row and having to fight these assassins had expended a lot of her stamina and magic power.


    However, in this situation, he had no spare capacity to worry about Onean. The surrounding Skycourt Kingdom martial artists were so intent on getting to Onean that they were attacking his light shield as if they had gone insane, frantically unleashing their most powerful attacks one after another without any thought for stamina conservation.


    There was no way that Erwin could withstand so many powerful attacks at once, and he immediately gave a muffled groan as countless bursts of chaotic, destructive energy began to surge into his light shield in a frenzy. The energy unleashed by the weapons of the Skycourt Kingdom martial artists was like a pack of deranged hunting dogs that were looking to sink their fangs into anything and everything, and Erwin was struck by a rush of dizziness with each passing attack. Soon, he was feeling so disoriented that he was forced to close his own eyes. Whenever he tried to open his eyes, he would feel unsteady on his feet and be overcome by a wave of intense nausea, as if he were suffering from severe seasickness. Most damning of all was the fact that he could feel blood flowing profusely out of the corners of his eyes, which were in so much pain that he was unable to even open them anymore.


    His body also began to spasm uncontrollably as if he were suffering from a seizure, and it was clear that so much energy had already surged into Erwin''s body from the light shield that he was no longer able to control his own bodily functions. Despite that, he had to continue to maintain his output of magic power and stamina to support the light shield. If he were to relax even a little, he and Onean would be placed in grave peril.


    With his final shred of lucidity, Erwin shrank the light shield inward a little in order to slow down the rate at which the chaotic energy was surging into his body. This was a method that he had employed during his match against Shaun in the Pillow Sword Tournament, but he had never used it since. This was because the closer the energy was to him, the less cushion there would be when the energy struck his body once he withdrew the light shield, and if the energy were too destructive and there was insufficient cushion, then he could be instantly killed on the spot. Furthermore, Shaun had only been a single advanced magician from Pucil Academy, while on this occasion, he was facing a whole host of powerful martial artists from the Skycourt Kingdom.


    "Are you an idiot? Why..." Onean could naturally also sense the violent energy surging erratically throughout the space within the light shield. She was looking at Erwin with a concerned expression as blood continued to flow down from the corners of his eyes, and she was about to denounce him for his idiocy, but she simply couldn''t bring herself to do so, and all she could do was dab at the cold sweat on his forehead with her sleeve.


    Meanwhile, the light shield was continuing to shrink, and at this point, he and Onean were already pressed tightly against each other within it.


    On the brink of unconsciousness, Erwin murmured in a dreamy voice, "You smell so good..."


    At the same time, he was wondering if those were going to be his last words.


    Larwood could see that Erwin was in an extremely perilous situation, and he knew that he couldn''t afford to delay any longer. Thus, he abandoned all defenses and allowed his opponent''s blade to sink into his shoulder, then unleashed an all-out retaliative strike to kill his opponent with a single blow. After that, he turned to Georgina and the others and frantically yelled, "Go and help Her Highness and Erwin!"


    As soon as all of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries present heard the words "Your Highness", they were immediately rooted to the spot, and even the assassins who were frantically attacking Erwin''s light shield had stopped what they were doing. It was as if they were unable to understand what they had just heard, or they were wondering whether they had misheard altogether.


    Your Highness? Does that mean that female magician is the princess of the Effer Kingdom? The same question sprang into the minds of all of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries. However, having witnessed her unfathomably powerful display of magic earlier during the day, everyone was quickly willing to accept the notion that she was indeed the Effer Kingdom''s princess. In that case, their strategy had to change. Mercenaries pursued profit above all else, and capturing the Effer Kingdom''s princess alive would undoubtedly fetch them more ransom from the Effer Kingdom than the reward from the Skycourt Kingdom for killing the princess.


    Thus, all of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries outside the light shield began to look at one another, at a complete loss for what to do. Even the mercenary legion commanders among them were feeling a little dazed. After all, no one had any idea of exactly how many Loonies the princess of a kingdom to fetch, and there also had to be much discussion with regard to how the ransom money was going to be distributed.


    In this situation, one had to be impressed by this ingenious ploy that Larwood had cooked up on the spot. He had intentionally blown Onean''s cover, and as a result, all of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were unable to figure out what to do.


    Meanwhile, inside the light shield, Erwin''s consciousness was just about to fade when his eyes abruptly sprang wide open, and blood immediately began to squirt out of his eyes, as well as flow down from his nostrils and the corners of his mouth. He stared blankly at Onean, looking into her gorgeous yet teary eyes, which seemed to be filled with a myriad of emotions, the most prominent of which were concern and sympathy.


    Erwin continued to look at her with a cold expression, and an apathetic look had suddenly appeared in his blood-filled eyes. This wasn''t a sense of apathy and indifference toward life and death. Instead, he had become apathetic to all things in this world, looking down on all human emotions with disdain. He could even sense a burst of intense shame and fury rising up within his own heart, as if receiving sympathy from someone else was the utmost insult to him. He became filled with contempt toward his own weak and vulnerable body, and he was also infuriated by the fact that he could be burdened by emotions like shame. The violent fury and cold apathy in his heart were like two opposing forces that refused to back down, brawling with one another while trampling all over his consciousness and his sense of reason with reckless abandon.


    At this point, Erwin''s body was no longer trembling. However, the sight of blood flowing down half his face was quite a harrowing one to behold, and his lips were spasming violently, occasionally arranging themselves into a cold and sinister smile, while his eyes were flashing interchangeably between emotions of thunderous fury and frosty apathy.


    Onean had never seen this side of Erwin before, and she was looking on with a concerned and horrified expression, feeling as if Erwin had turned into someone completely unfamiliar to her.


    Erwin turned his own head around with great difficulty to inspect the scenes unfolding outside of his light shield, with emotions of intrigue and bloodlust switching back and forth over and over again in his eyes. He then carefully sensed the stationary time within the light shield, watching as the inner wall of the light shield compressed further and further. All of a sudden, all types of ideas pertaining to space and time suddenly emerged in his mind. All of the scenes from the Pillow Sword Tournament in which he had used his space split technique and light shield during battle began to flash through his mind, as did the space-time rift that had emerged during his battle against Talan. In the process, he was becoming more and more familiar with the model of intertwinement between space and time, but it could also be said that the concept was becoming more and more unfamiliar to him.


    Favorite

 CH 53

    He took an indifferent glance at the Shaved Purple Gem staff that he was holding, and for some reason, a sense of disdain welled up in his heart. Thus, he casually tossed the staff toward Onean before slowly closing his eyes, then withdrew the light shield with a peaceful expression.


    The chaotic energy that had already been accumulating for a long time instantly surged toward Erwin, alongside the elemental matter that was still constantly striving to enter the light shield. Meanwhile, Onean, who had just caught Erwin''s staff, was suddenly struck by a burst of immense force, against which she was completely powerless to resist, sending her flying far away from the battlefield in the sky.


    Right as the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were looking on with alarmed expressions as Onean flew into the distance, the emotions in Erwin''s eyes became calmer and calmer, and the apathy and violence in his heart finally came together in a harmonious alliance.


    His eyes were still closed as he spread open his arms and fingers, and all of the energy around him began to rapidly converge toward his hands at a rate so rapid that it was discernible even to the naked eye. Two balls of irrepressible radiance began to appear over his palms, and they were quickly becoming brighter and brighter, until it was impossible to look directly at them. It was clear that conjuring up these two balls of light was rapidly overexerting his reserves of stamina, and veins were bulging beneath his skin all over his entire body. The pulsation of the arteries on his neck was clearly visible, and the sweat that was pouring down from his forehead began to mix with the dried blood caked all over his face. His eyes remained tightly shut, and he was gritting his teeth with all his might as his entire body began to tremble and spasm once again.


    He opened his mouth slightly, and after a brief silence came a thunderous roar that rang out across the entire sky, as if it were trying to silence all of the commotion in this world, or eradicate all living beings in existence. The sound pierced through the night sky, through the stars, through the mountain, and deep into the hearts of everyone present. Within the area in which the sound was audible, all living beings capable of opening their eyes, regardless of whether they were in the sky or on the ground, immediately opened their eyes as wide as they would go to stare at the man who was roaring up at the heavens.


    He raised his arms high above his own head, then raised his head to the heavens and puffed out his own chest. The two balls of light that had gathered above his palm instantly began to change shape and form.


    All of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries looked on with alarm and horror in their eyes. They had no idea what Erwin was going to do next, but the wealth of battle experience that they had accumulated over the course of many years told them that they had to attack all at once and put an end to his life as quickly as possible. Only then would the fear in their hearts be assuaged.


    Thus, around 20 martial artists charged toward Erwin in unison, and there was no lack of assassins among them. All of them were giving off fierce killing intent, and all of their weapons were aimed directly at the vital regions of Erwin''s body, such as his throat and his heart.


    Onean let loose an alarmed cry upon seeing this, and she immediately unleashed a string of spells toward Erwin''s assailants, but she had been sent flying too far away for the spells to reach them in time.


    Larwood, Kaiba, and Chase were also too far to help, and they could only look on helplessly as Erwin was attacked from all directions. They desperately wanted to protect their close friend, but they were simply in no position to do so.


    As for Erwin himself, he was completely unfazed, and he couldn''t even be bothered to open his own eyes as a pair of crescent-shaped "new moons" appeared above his palms. The light glowing from the pair of new moons wasn''t as bright and radiant as it was before. Instead, it was a condensed light that adhered to the surfaces of the new moons, flowing peacefully with breathtaking beauty, much like the radiance of the light shield.


    With a sweep of his sleeves, both of the new moons were sent flying through the air.


    One of them seemed to be able to pass through space and instantly cross over any distance, no matter how vast, while the other seemed to be capable of flying through time to reach any point in the continuum, no matter how distant.


    The two moons were like gliding shadows that sliced horizontally through the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries. Their momentum wasn''t affected at all by the bodies of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries standing in their way, and it was as if they were the sharpest and hottest of blades slicing through the most delicate butter.


    The new moons were slicing through space and time, and not only were the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries affected, two thin black rifts had been sliced into space itself. That was the point where time and space were separated from one another, and the two new moons vanished into the pair of dark rifts. As for everything between these two thin rifts, they were first transformed into an eternal snapshot in time, then drawn into chaotic and destructive spatial turbulence.


    The dozens of Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries who were in the process of attacking Erwin looked down at the wounds on their waists with incredulous expressions. The cross sections of the wounds were incredibly flat and smooth, and the delayed spurts of blood erupting from their bodies added a beautiful flourish to what appeared to be a masterful work of art. After that, the upper and lower halves of their bodies began to separate in a surreal and oddly poetic scene.


    At this moment, Erwin finally slowly opened his eyes. Just now, he seemed to have lost many of the emotions that should''ve belonged to him. Everything around him suddenly seemed to be very unfamiliar, and there was not even the slightest hint of emotion in his eyes as he watched the scene unfolding before him. There was no relief from surviving a near-death ordeal, nor any joy from killing his dozens of assailants with his new moons. There wasn''t even any disorientation, nor any sense of absurdity.


    What was most terrifying of all was that thinking back, he didn''t even know why he had done what he had done, or what emotions had governed his actions.


    After that, a peculiar scene began to unfold. The two dark rifts that had been sliced into space began to collapse toward the center, resembling a pair of tiny black mouths that were devouring heaven and earth. Many of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries'' bodies were sucked into the pair of collapsing rifts, and the Four Winds mercenaries who were rushing toward Erwin to help him immediately stopped cold in their tracks upon seeing this.


    The peculiar black rifts even absorbed the halo spell that Onean had just unleashed earlier, and the light that was sucked into the rifts began to display strange permutations, with its width and length constantly changing in a seemingly haphazard manner. Erwin observed the irregular changes taking place in the light, and he realized that this was a result of the extremely inconsistent rate of passage of time within the two spatial rifts.


    Thankfully, the two rifts didn''t linger for very long before they faded into nothingness, and it was as if nothing had ever happened.


    Everything had reverted to the way that it was before, making it seem as if what had just taken place was nothing more than a distant dream.


    At this point, there were only a few Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries remaining in the air. All of the ones who were close to Erwin had been killed, and even their bodies had disappeared. The remaining few Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were staring at Erwin as if they had seen a ghost, and they immediately tried to escape, only to be surrounded by Larwood and the others. However, in the end, there were still a couple that managed to get away.


    Meanwhile, the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces on the mountain had also been forced into retreat by the soldiers led by Francis. Francis and his troops pursued the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries all the way back to their encampment at the foot of the mountain, and only then were they able to catch their breath. In the wake of that battle, the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries had suffered at least 8,000 casualties, and many of the mercenary legion commanders had also disappeared under inexplicable circumstances.


    Only now was Erwin overcome by a crushing sense of exhaustion. His eyes were so dry and sore that he was barely able to keep them open, and the wounds on his arm and calf were also beginning to throb with pain, much to his relief. The discomfort certainly wasn''t desirable, but the fact that he was able to feel it meant that he was still alive.


    All of a sudden, the situation had turned very awkward. Onean and the others had no idea what to say to Erwin. It was as if he had turned into a completely different person just now, and they were all feeling a little spooked.


    Erwin didn''t know what to say to everyone else, either, and he used what little remained of his stamina and magic power to fly back to the airship.


    Christine''s face was riddled with tear streaks as she dove into Erwin''s arms, and Lanyon and Sherry also approached Erwin with elated looks on their faces, followed by all of the other Four Winds mercenaries. The people on the airship were unable to see exactly what had just happened, so they simply thought that Erwin had unleashed some type of devastating spell to decide the battle in one fell swoop.


    Erwin didn''t say anything as he patted Christine on the back in an expressionless manner. Christine was reluctant to let go of him, but she still obediently unwound her arms around him, following which Erwin made his way back to his own room without even a single backward glance.


    Lanyon and Sherry couldn''t help but exchange a perplexed glance upon seeing this. They had never seen their deputy commander like this before. His face was completely devoid of color, and he didn''t seem to be experiencing any joy from his triumph over the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces. Instead, there was nothing more than an exhausted and soulless look in his eyes.


    Upon returning to his own room, Erwin immediately began to flip through the pages of "Laws of Time and Space", paying no heed to his sore and swollen eyes. However, even after reading through the book until his eyes were too sore to continue, he didn''t find what he wanted to see.


    He laid down onto his own bed and began to recollect what had just happened. He also thought back to what Onean had said to him in her carriage, and he murmured to himself, "Whenever my life is at risk, I become extremely violent and ruthless... But this time, it wasn''t just a matter of becoming violent, I suddenly felt so cold and indifferent toward the entire world, like I wanted to destroy everything! Where did that thought come from? Could it be that pursuing time and space magic really will drive me insane? But Professor Hawk didn''t mention anything about that..."


    There were countless questions in Erwin''s mind, but no answers.


    Favorite

 CH 54.1

    Right as Erwin was struggling to collect his own thoughts, Onean also returned to the room.


    He heaved a faint sigh as he heard her enter the room.


    "If you have something to say, then say it. Don''t just lie there and mope," Onean said in a cold voice.


    Erwin didn''t know what to say, so he could only remain silent, and thus, neither of them were saying anything. Funnily enough, both of them were lying on their beds and leaning against the headboards of their beds in the same posture, except they were separated by the floorboards, and neither of them was looking at the other.


    He couldn''t hear any sound coming from Onean''s bed, so he thought that she had to have gone to sleep. However, he wasn''t feeling sleepy at all. His body was already extremely exhausted, but his mind was in a state of extreme excitement, and it was refusing to allow him to fall asleep.


    "Are you really just planning to not say anything?" Onean suddenly asked.


    "I thought you already fell asleep."


    "I can''t sleep."


    "Then what do you want me to say? Do you want me to discuss with you the magic that I can''t even understand myself?"


    "For an instant back there, I felt like I didn''t know who you were. It was like looking at a complete stranger."


    "I don''t know what came over me at the time, either, but I just couldn''t accept any pity or sympathy."


    Onean hesitated momentarily, then continued, "How about..."


    "I know what you want to say, but I can''t give up on my time and space magic right now," Erwin replied in an implacable voice.


    "You know, you really are a conceited piece of work! It''s like you don''t want to listen to any advice from the people around you!" Onean was starting to get a little angry. "If you''re not going to give up on that dangerous magic that you''re using, then don''t bother to save me next time. I''m not as vulnerable as you think I am, and I could''ve dealt with those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on my own just fine."


    "Alright, then it looks like I¡¯m the one at fault here," Erwin replied in a cold voice.


    It was clear that the conversation wasn''t leading to any positive outcomes, and both of them fell silent again.


    A short while later, Onean heaved a faint sigh as she got up from her bed, then descended down the wooden ladder to reach Erwin''s bedroom. The lighting on the bottom level wasn''t as good as that of the top level, but it was a dark night with no moon anyway, so it made no difference. The Nightglow Stone lamps in the room had also been put away by Erwin because their light was hurting his eyes.


    "What are you so angry about?" Onean asked as she sat down on the side of his bed.


    "I don''t know, perhaps it''s just the feeling of being unable to control myself," Erwin replied with his arm draped over his own eyes. "If I hadn''t managed to retain just a shred of mental clarity back there, I would''ve killed everyone."


    Before Onean had a chance to say anything, Erwin continued, "And that includes you. It also includes Larwood and everyone else. The most scary part about this is that even now, when I think back to what I almost did, I don''t feel any guilt at all. Do you understand why I''m so angry now?"


    After getting all of that off his own chest, Erwin''s anger had finally abated slightly.


    "That last spell that you used really was very scary," Onean said as she recalled back to the scenes that had just unfolded outside the airship. "If I had been struck by those things, I would be dead as well."


    "Of course it was scary. Whatever those things were, they managed to slice through even space and time. How could it not be scary?" Erwin said in a cold voice.


    "They sliced through space and time?" Onean was rather perplexed to hear this, and her brows furrowed slightly as she asked, "Was Professor Hawk the one who taught you time and space magic?"


    "No. Professor Hawk only introduced me to that branch of magic," Erwin replied in a calm voice.


    "Then how did you learn it?" Onean asked.


    Erwin pulled out the copy of "Laws of Time and Space" from under his pillow before waving it in front of Onean. Onean was worried that Erwin''s eyes wouldn''t be able to stand the light of Nightglow Stone lamps, so she conjured up a small flame on her fingertip, which gave off just enough light for her to see the cover of the book.


    If someone were to see them speaking with one another under such dim light in such a dark setting, they could easily be forgiven for thinking that the two of them were up to no good.


    "Can I open the book and take a look?" Onean asked as she cast her gaze toward Erwin, but Erwin''s eyes were still concealed under his own arm, so no eye contact could be established.


    He hesitated momentarily, then replied, "I''d advise you not to."


    "Alright." Onean didn''t force the issue. This was an expected response, and she continued, "If you die from using the spells in this book, I''ll visit your grave and lament how much of an idiot you were."


    Erwin couldn''t help but be amused upon hearing this, and he replied, "Alright, then I''ll pass the book onto you once I''m dead."


    "Let me take a look at your eyes," Onean said as she moved Erwin''s arm away from his eyes.


    Aside from his brain, Erwin was too tired to move any part of his body anyway, so he allowed her to do as she pleased. It was quite a pleasant experience to feel Onean''s delicate and fragrant fingers gently drifting over his face. Unfortunately, he was too exhausted to take full advantage of the situation.


    "You had such a violent rush of blood to your head that it seeped directly out of the corners of your eyes. Just how angry were you back then?" Onean inspected Erwin''s red and swollen eyes with tightly furrowed brows, then chuckled, "If I look at you like that again next time, will your eyes pop straight out of their sockets?"


    "You can try it if you''re not afraid of being killed," Erwin replied in an indifferent voice.


    "Oh? Is that supposed to be a threat? You think you''re a big shot now, do you?" Onean began to pinch Erwin''s cheeks in retaliation.


    "Hey, why are you getting all handsy all of a sudden?" Erwin complained as he swatted at her hands with a painful wince.


    "That''s what you get for saying you didn''t feel guilty for almost killing everyone," Onean said with a displeased pout.


    "To be honest, I''ve been constantly thinking about that ever since I got back. I feel like many of my emotions have suddenly gone missing, and they still haven''t all returned to me yet."


    Onean was silent for a moment before asking, "Is this the only time that this has happened?"


    "I... think so," Erwin replied in a rather ambiguous manner.


    "It looks like I should stay far away from you in the future," Onean said as she took a glance at her.


    "Why is that?" Erwin asked in a puzzled voice.


    "If I don''t stay away from you, I may end up dead before I get a chance to visit your grave," Onean chuckled.


    "That''s true." Erwin couldn''t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this.


    "Oh, by the way, here''s your staff," Onean said as she pulled his Shaved Purple Gem staff out of her sleeve. "Going back to what I was saying before, it was like you had turned into an entirely different person. You were looking at your staff with a disgusted expression, then you threw it at me like it was a piece of rubbish or something."


    "I remember that, but I don''t know why I felt that," Erwin replied with a perplexed expression as he accepted his staff from Onean. "At the time, I felt extremely embarrassed and humiliated that I had to rely on an object to cast my spells. What kind of stupid idea is that?"


    "Who knows? You''ll have to ask yourself that question."


    "I have been, but I''m not coming up with any answers."


    ...


    Meanwhile, outside the airship''s deck, Larwood, Kaiba, and Chase were sharing a quiet conversation while looking out at the night sky. There was no one else on the deck aside from them. Having already endured two grueling battles earlier today, everyone was extremely exhausted, and they had already returned to the cabin on the lower floor to sleep.


    "That magic that he''s using is downright terrifying. You guys saw what happened as well, right? Those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were sliced in half before being sucked into that black hole," Chase said in a low voice with a fearful look on his face.


    "I wonder what Professor Hawk has been teaching Erwin. Why is it that his magic is becoming more and more dangerous?" Kaiba mused with tightly furrowed brows.


    In contrast, Larwood wore a calm expression as he said, "It''s not that surprising. I heard my father once mention that Count Friar''s wife also studied time and space magic in the past."


    "So you''re saying that time and space magic can be passed down genetically?" Chase was rather amused by the idea. "Wasn''t it Professor Hawk who taught him this magic?"


    "I''ve always felt like there are some hidden circumstances behind this. Erwin told us himself that his magic concerns time and space. If you ask me, there''s nothing that Professor Hawk can teach him in this area. I feel like the magic that he''s dabbling in now is something that his mother left behind," Larwood analyzed. "Think about it: how many people throughout history have tried to study time and space magic? How many of them have succeeded and made a name for themselves? Then take a look at Erwin and how much progress he''s made in time and space magic in just the past few months. Do you really think genetics has nothing to do with this?"


    "No wonder there are fewer and fewer people studying time and space magic. For most people, studying this branch of magic is nothing more than a waste of time, so it''s a much more worthwhile use of their time to work on improving their magic power instead," Kaiba said with a nod.


    "That''s true. Some people are born into wealth and status, while others are born with exceptional talent. Envy isn''t going to get us anywhere," Chase sighed. "Then again, there are also people who are born into poverty and misfortune, so we should be thankful for what we have."


    "If you ask me, it''s best not to take those things too seriously. Take a look at Jeff Lazaar. He was also an exceptional talent with looks to match, but he was still disfigured by Her Highness in the end, wasn''t he?" Larwood said with a smile. It appeared that he was merely indulging in schadenfreude, but upon closer contemplation, one would discover that there was some profound meaning behind his words.


    Chase and Kaiba had also identified what Larwood was implying. There was no limit to how talented or privileged one could be, but life was the ultimate equalizer.


    ...


    "You''re a bunch of thieves! Give our airship back to us!" The sound of a scuffle was ringing out from the deck of the airship.


    Erwin was still sound asleep when he was woken up by the loud commotion outside. He had gone to sleep very late the night before, and he was very annoyed to have been woken up after so little sleep.


    "What''s going on?" Erwin groaned with a frustrated expression as he hurled his blankets aside.


    "Christine''s father woke up, and he''s currently arguing with Larwood over the airship''s ownership rights," Onean replied from the room above Erwin''s.


    "What are they arguing about? It''s not like we''re going to take their airship from them," Erwin said as he massaged his own eyes. Onean had applied some ointment to his eyes the night before, so they were no longer as sore and swollen, but they were still feeling very dry from sleep deprivation.

 CH 54.2

    He climbed onto the upstairs room to find Onean looking out the window with a thoughtful expression, clearly completely disinterested in the argument taking place on the deck.


    She turned to look at Erwin, upon which she immediately burst into laughter at the sight of his appearance. "Haha, your eyes are as swollen as a pair of blisters!"


    Erwin ignored her as he massaged his own face with his fingers, and several balls of water began to roam over his face, cleansing it through the use of magic. He then took a glance at a piece of leftover bread on the table, then picked it up before putting it into his own mouth.


    "Do you always go around eating leftovers like that?" Onean asked as she turned to him with a surprised expression.


    "Not everyone can live like you, Your Highness. We can''t all afford to be carrying fruit jam from Denly''s everywhere we go," Erwin jibed with the piece of bread in his mouth, then put on a coat before making his way outside.


    Denly''s was a very renowned bakery in Sarus. Whenever its freshly baked bread was pulled out of the oven, there would already be a long queue lined up outside the bakery. At times, the line was so long that it extended all the way to two streets away. Of course, the bakery was also quite famous for its fruit jams of different varieties. What came as a slight surprise to Erwin was that Onean was also a fan of the bakery.


    As he made his way onto the airship''s deck, he saw Christine and her father surrounded by the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion. Christine was a very clever and adorable little girl, so she had become a very welcome figure among the Four Winds mercenary legion during the past few days. All of the mercenaries were quite fond of her, and they had all become very friendly with her. As a result, that made this confrontation even more awkward.


    "If you want to talk, then calm down and talk. Why are you yelling all of a sudden? Wasn''t it agreed upon that we''ll only be borrowing this airship until the end of the war?" Larwood said as he looked at Christine''s father. "If it wasn''t for us, you and your daughter would still be confined in that secret room by the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries."


    Following the departure of Luphen and the Heavenly Star mercenary legion, Erwin had given Larwood a recount of how he had saved Christine and her father on the airship. Larwood had also agreed to return the airship to Christine and her father at the conclusion of the war. After all, Erwin and his friends were rather greedy and shameless, but they wouldn''t stoop as low as actual bandits and thugs.


    Given the current situation, it wouldn''t be inappropriate for Larwood to make some threats to Christine and her father. However, Erwin had promised to keep Christine and her father safe, so if Larwood were to threaten them, he would be directly rebuking Erwin. Thus, he chose to be more civil and diplomatic with his approach.


    After hearing what Larwood had to say, Christine''s father turned to her with an inquisitive glance, in response to which Christine gave a reluctant nod to confirm that Larwood was telling the truth.


    Her father''s anger immediately died down a little upon seeing this, but he was still not satisfied. "Even so, we can''t go to the front lines with you. This is a war between two kingdoms! We''ll be nothing more than cannon fodder!"


    "Alright, then we''ll leave you two at Xeto, then come back and return the airship to you after the war. Is that alright?" Larwood negotiated.


    "Of course not! Who knows if you''re going to come back after you leave? What if you don''t ever return? Are we just supposed to accept that our airship has been taken then?" Christine''s father countered in an unyielding voice.


    A cold look appeared on Larwood''s face upon hearing this. "Alright, then what do you want?"


    The mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion were also not very pleased to hear this, and Christine''s father was rather intimidated at the sight of the hostile looks that had appeared on their faces.


    Before Christine''s father had a chance to reply, Erwin made his way through the crowd and arrived directly before him. "I also want to hear what your intentions are. Go on then."


    Looking at Erwin''s swollen and bloodshot eyes, it was clear that he hadn''t slept well the night before. In fact, there was a chance that he had been woken up prematurely due to the commotion that Christine''s father was causing, and with that in mind, Christine was feeling rather guilty. She hurriedly tried to explain, "Brother Erwin, my father..."


    "Christine, you told me that you and your father were traveling merchants. When it comes to business, integrity is everything. Back when I saved you, we had an agreement that you would lend this airship to me for the duration of the war. Are you going to revoke that agreement now?" Erwin asked as he looked at Christine.


    Christine wanted to reply, but her father stopped her, then turned to Erwin with a hostile expression as he rebuked, "She''s just a little girl, she doesn''t know what it''s like to deal with people like you. If you want to take the airship, then just state your intentions! Why are you going around deceiving children?"


    "Father..." Christine turned to her father with a displeased pout, yet before she had a chance to say anything else, she was given a massive fright by what happened next.


    Erwin lunged forward and grabbed Christine''s father by the throat, then slammed him into the mainmast of the ship. The top-quality rosewood of the mainmast had been dented appreciably from the impact, and the back of Christine''s father had completely sunken into the indentation. Erwin was still very frustrated from the night before, and his foul mood was further exacerbated by his sleep deprivation. As such, Christine''s father had chosen the worst time to bother him, and he was paying the price for it.


    "I don''t have time to be bickering with you here. I''m giving you two options: either you wait in Xeto until we return from the front lines, or we throw you overboard right now. It''s your choice," Erwin said as he glowered at Christine''s father.


    Christine''s father was still yet to recover from his injuries, and upon receiving such a heavy blow, he immediately threw up a mouthful of blood as he stared at Erwin with an alarmed and fearful expression.


    Erwin was completely unmoved as he continued to glower at Christine''s father with a cold expression. "If I had known that you''d cause so much trouble, I wouldn''t have wasted all those magic potions to save you."


    Christine was so horrified that she was on the verge of tears, and she grabbed tightly onto Erwin''s arm as she implored, "Please don''t hurt my father, Brother Erwin. He was only causing a fuss for my sake. I''m begging you, please let him go. You can have the airship if you want! You can even keep it after the war..."


    Having been rescued by Erwin, she had arrived at the false impression that he was a kind and amicable gentleman. Never did she think that he would be so cold and unforgiving.


    Erwin took a glance at the teary-eyed Christine, and he finally loosened his grip a little so that Christine''s father was able to catch his breath.


    Christine''s father was feeling quite sorry for her, but at the same time, he was glaring at Erwin with a resentful expression.


    "You didn''t seem to understand the position that you''re in, so I gave you a little reminder," Erwin said with a disdainful look on his face. "We had no intention of taking your airship. Like we said, our intention was only ever to borrow it until the end of the war. If you''re convinced that we''re a bunch of bandits, then there''s nothing I can do."


    Christine''s father was turning purple from asphyxiation, and Erwin finally released him upon seeing this. Christine hurriedly rushed forward to support her father, who was gasping for air as he stared intently at Erwin, but he didn''t dare to say anything further, seemingly having been intimidated by Erwin''s display of hostility.


    Christine turned to Erwin with tears in her eyes, and she was also at a loss for what to say. Thus, she could only support her father and help him back to their room. As they were departing, Christine''s father turned back to Erwin before giving him one final resentful glare.


    The early morning fiasco certainly wasn''t helping Erwin''s already foul mood, and even though the weather was extremely picturesque with not a single cloud in sight in any direction, he was still not feeling any better for it.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the provincial road 50 kilometers to the northeast of Newen, Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan were marching with their 10,000 troops, and they were planning to go around Newen, then continue directly southward to reach their destination, which was Xeto.


    "There''s no need to go any further southwestward of here, right, Brother Nandoon?" Duke Shreesan asked as he took a glance at their surroundings.


    "Yes, there''s no need to make a detour to Newen. We can exit the provincial road from here, then go directly southward along the mountain. After that, we go onto the provincial road between Newen and Xeto, and that''ll get us to our destination a lot faster," Duke Nandoon replied with a nod as he also inspected his surroundings, then took a glance at the map that he was holding.


    "How about we stop and take a rest here? We''ve already been traveling for a day and a night," Shreesan suggested as he cast his gaze toward Nandoon.


    "Are you already too tired to go on?" Nandoon jibed. "Surely not. If I recall correctly, you''re a little younger than I am. Surely this amount of travel isn''t already too much for you."


    "Of course I can still go on. I can travel for another day and a night without any issues. I''m just worried that your body won''t be able to last, Brother Nandoon," Shreesan chuckled.


    "Haha, I may be a little old, but I''m not as frail as you think," Nandoon replied with an amused smile. "Let''s keep going."


    Thus, the army continued onward without pause, exiting the provincial road before continuing southward.


    Meanwhile, on the other side of the provincial road, a horse-drawn carriage was in the process of traveling toward Illingburn Fort in the northeast, accompanied by two rows of Prince Lazaar''s most trusted subordinates. The craftsmanship of the cedar wood carriage was exceptional, but its decor was quite plain with an archaic style, as opposed to going the lavish and extravagant route.


    "Are those royal soldiers on their way to reinforcing Xeto?" A red-haired woman in the carriage lifted the curtain before taking a glance outside.


    There was an older woman seated in the carriage beside the red-haired woman, and a derisive look appeared on her face as she said, "Looks like those royals and nobles from Sarus aren''t idiots. Some of them have already found a way to avoid having to stay on the front lines. Alternatively, perhaps Prince Lazaar was the one who arranged for them to leave."


    The red-haired woman was staring at the barren branches of the daynight pear trees on either side of the provincial path with an absentminded expression. The snow in Burmen had already begun to melt, so the accumulated snow on these trees was already nowhere to be seen. Once these daynight pear blossoms began to bloom, they would present a beautiful sight in the night, lighting up the darkness with pristine white radiance to illuminate the entire provincial road.


    "Lana, I''m speaking to you." The older woman in the carriage raised her voice by a few octaves as she spoke. This woman was none other than the vastly renowned Mistress Faye.


    "Ah, sorry, I spaced out a little," Lana said as she returned to her senses, then stuck out her tongue with a cheeky smile as she sidled up against Mistress Faye like a pet trying to appease its owner. "What were you saying just now, Teacher?"

 CH 54.3

    "What''s going on with you, Lana? Ever since you came back from Sarus, you seem to constantly have something on your mind," Mistress Faye said as she turned to Lana with an intrigued expression.


    "I think you''re just imagining things, Teacher," Lana said with a fawning smile.


    "I''ve been single for most of my life, but that doesn''t mean I don''t know anything about love," Mistress Faye said in a calm voice. "I didn''t go to watch the Pillow Sword Tournament, but I''ve heard about some of the things that happened during the tournament."


    Mistress Faye turned to Lana with a meaningful look in her eyes as she spoke, but Lana seemed to be intent on playing dumb and remained silent with a faint smile on her face.


    "Are you really not going to tell me about that son of Count Friars?" Mistress Faye asked with a smile, laying her cards onto the table so there was no way that Lana could keep playing dumb.


    "Why would you mention him, Teacher?" Lana groaned with a wry smile.


    "Aren''t you curious about his magic?" Mistress Faye asked as she took a glance at Lana.


    "I am a little furious," Lana replied in a truthful manner.


    "Were you so curious that you had to kiss him?" Mistress Faye asked with a teasing look in her eyes.


    Lana was extremely embarrassed to hear this, and a deep blush immediately appeared on her face as she swung Mistress Faye''s arm from side to side like a petulant little girl. "Teacher! How could you say that?"


    "Alright, let''s be serious here," Mistress Faye said as she patted the back of Lana''s hand. "I''m sure you''ve already noticed that Count Friar''s son isn''t using normal magic, right?"


    "I think I recall hearing about it from him before. It was something to do with stopping time," Lana replied as a reminiscent look appeared in her eyes.


    "That settles it then. He''s definitely practicing time and space magic," Mistress Faye said with a convinced nod. "Come to think of it, his mother, who was Count Friar''s wife, was an old acquaintance of mine. His mother was also very enraptured by the secrets of space and time back when I knew her."


    "You know his mother?" Lana was very intrigued to hear this. "I''ve never heard you mention that before."


    "Back in Teedus Academy, we were in the same year level. At the time, she convinced me to study time and space magic with her as well, but my progress was always very slow, so I gave up in the end. Perhaps I just didn''t have the talent for it," Mistress Faye said with a wry smile as she recalled back to those days in her past.


    "You didn''t have the talent for it? Surely that''s not the reason," Lana exclaimed with a shocked expression. Mistress Faye was close to 20 years younger than Master Piro, yet she was widely considered to be a magician of the same caliber. How could someone like her possibly be lacking in talent?


    "How do I explain this? When it comes to studying the concepts of time and space, it can be an extremely frustrating and inefficient endeavor, and the vast majority of the time, it''s far less practical than focusing on improving your magic power. Sometimes, when you reach a bottleneck, you could strive your entire life without being able to break through it," Mistress Faye explained. "On top of that, at the time, very few people were able to put the theoretical concepts into practice, and there was very little that was applicable to practical battle. Thus, I quickly became disillusioned with it and decided not to waste my time on something so vague and unreliable."


    "Then what happened with Erwin''s mother?"


    "She''s most likely the only one who was able to apply the secrets of space and time to magic. In all my years in this world, she is the only person I know of who can be truly referred to as a space-time magician." It was clear from the way that she was talking about her that Mistress Faye held a great deal of respect and admiration for her old friend.


    "What happened between you two after that?"


    "After that, we slowly grew apart for no particular reason, and then she got married. I heard that during childbirth, she suffered some complications. In the end, the child was delivered safely, but she..." Mistress Faye''s voice trailed off here as she heaved a forlorn sigh, and it was clear what the ending to that story was.


    Lana was also feeling a little melancholy upon hearing this, and a hint of sympathy toward Erwin welled up in her heart.


    Mistress Faye could see that her student had fallen into deep thought again. She smiled as she suddenly asked, "Did he ever talk to you about some of the finer details of time and space magic?"


    "That bastard is extremely secretive when it comes to his time and space magic. Whenever I ask any questions, he becomes really nervous and defensive," Lana complained with a displeased pout, but her heart had already drifted to the coast of the Joffan Sea. Back in Prince Lazaar''s manor in Burmen, she had told Jeff that she wasn''t interested in hearing about Erwin and his mercenary legion, but in the end, she was unable to resist her own curiosity, and she snuck over to Jeff''s desk while he was away to check the report on the Four Winds mercenary legion. Upon learning that the Four Winds mercenary legion had chosen to go south, she had been extremely relieved.


    Meanwhile, Mistress Faye was looking at Lana with a hint of benevolence and pity in her eyes. She could tell that her student''s heart had already wandered elsewhere.


    The horse-drawn carriage continued onward, and all of a sudden, Lana noticed that there were already pristine white flower buds growing in the branches of the daynight pear trees.


    At the mayor''s manor of Xeto.


    "Your Highness, we''ve just received word from our scouts that there has been no further activity from Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries. It seems that they''ve truly been intimidated after last night''s battle," Francis said with a smile.


    "Thank you for your efforts last time, Mayor," Onean said in an indifferent voice.


    "You''re far too kind, Your Highness. I should be apologizing for my own incompetence. If I had reacted sooner and led our troops out of the city earlier, you wouldn¡¯t have been placed in so much peril," Francis said in an embarrassed manner.


    "No one is to blame here. Who could''ve anticipated that the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries would be willing to make such a huge investment by using nightwalker potions on their entire army?" Larwood consoled.


    "It''s very strange that they haven''t launched an all-out attack now that they''re aware of Her Highness''s identity," Erwin said.


    "Could it be that they''re too afraid to attack after yesterday?" Chase speculated.


    "I took a rough glance from the airship this morning, and it looks like there are still over 20,000 Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries at the foot of the mountain," Larwood said. "I don''t think they''ll give up so easily."


    "Looks like we still have to be on our guard," Onean said in a solemn voice.


    Right at this moment, a soldier rushed in from outside. "Report! We''ve received urgent news that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries are on the move again!"


    "What''s happening? Tell me the specifics," Francis hurriedly urged.


    "The Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries at the foot of the mountain are currently locked in battle with another army. Judging from the flags, they seem to be His Majesty''s royal cavaliers," the soldier hurriedly replied.


    Francis cast his gaze toward Onean, and she immediately rose to her feet before quickly departing from the room, leaving everyone else behind.


    "Let''s go take a look as well." Francis immediately followed along behind her.


    Onean made her way out of the manor, then quickly rose up into the air. Before everyone else had even made it out of the room, she was already flying through the air, passing over the city walls of Xeto before flying directly toward the foot of the mountain.


    Francis was worried that harm would befall the princess, so he immediately made his way onto the rooftop of his manor, then sprang from the roof of one civilian house to the next in order to pursue Onean.


    "You go after Her Highness, we''ll launch the airship," Larwood said as he turned his gaze toward Erwin.


    Erwin nodded in response, then unleashed a levitation spell followed by a space split technique, and in the blink of an eye, he was already far away.


    ...


    Initially, the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries at the foot of the mountain were planning to rest and recuperate in the morning, then launch another attack on Xeto in the afternoon. After learning that the outrageously powerful female magician was none other than Princess Onean of the Effer Kingdom, morale among the dejected camp was instantly elevated to unprecedented heights, and all of the dejected mercenaries were filled with renewed vigor. All of the mercenary legion commanders began to discuss how to extort the Effer Kingdom for ransom after capturing the princess, as well as how they were going to split the ransom after securing it. It was a class case of counting one''s chickens before they hatched, and one couldn''t help but admire the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries'' greed and optimism.


    However, before the clock had even struck noon, the sound of thundering hooves rang out from the provincial road connecting Xeto and Newen. The Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries emerged from their tents to take a look, upon which they were horrified by what they saw, which was an army consisting of the Effer Kingdom''s royal cavaliers. This made them even more convinced that the female magician they were dealing with was definitely the princess.


    Upon closer inspection, they discovered that there were only 10,000 royal cavaliers from the Effer Kingdom. With that realization, they were filled with confidence again. Thus, they decided not to passively defend their encampment. Instead, they chose to openly engage the Effer Kingdom''s reinforcements in battle on the wide provincial road.


    Thus, the two sides were facing off against one another, and a battle was about to begin.


    "Brother Nandoon, it looks like these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are very disorganized," Duke Shreesan remarked as he cast his gaze toward the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces in the distance.


    "If they''re not just a disorganized, ragtag bunch, then they would''ve taken down the 5,000 soldiers guarding Xeto a long time ago with their massive numbers advantage," Duke Nandoon said with a derisive smile. "They''re all mercenaries, there''s no way they can face a well-trained and disciplined regular army."


    "That''s true." Shreesan nodded in response.


    A hint of killing intent flashed through Duke Nandoon''s eyes as he yelled, "Soldiers of the Effer Kingdom, it''s time to make these Skycourt Kingdom vermin pay for invading our home!"


    Even though they had already been marching for a day and a night, the royal cavaliers weren''t displaying any signs of weariness. Their war cries were as loud as ever, and the 10,000 spears that they were wielding were desperately yearning to soak in the blood of the enemy.


    "Charge!" Duke Nandoon roared, then led the way as he charged on ahead, followed closely by Duke Shreesan. Even though these two old dukes were both already over 50 years of age, they were charging at the forefront of the army with unrivaled courage and vigor.


    The morale of the royal cavaliers was elevated even further at the sight of this display of courage from their generals, while the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces were feeling very intimidated by the oncoming cavaliers, so much so that some were already considering retreat.


    However, they had no choice but to face their formidable enemies head-on as they rode into battle.


    As soon as the two armies clashed, the 5,000 or so Skycourt Kingdom cavaliers were instantly crushed, with their formation torn apart down the middle by the enemy cavaliers. The Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers behind the cavaliers were also subsequently overwhelmed. Even though they had already adopted a solid formation and were all wielding heavy shields, the opposing Zam warhorses had already built up far too much momentum to be stopped, and the entire formation of the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces were instantly destroyed.

 CH 55

    Meanwhile, Onean, Erwin, and Francis had already arrived at the top of the mountain and were watching the battle unfold at the foot of the mountain.


    "Your Highness, would you like me to lead my troops out of the city to assist our royal cavaliers? This is the perfect opportunity for us to attack the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces from both front and back," Francis immediately suggested after assessing the state of the battle.


    "That would be ideal," Onean replied with a nod.


    Francis accepted the order and immediately departed. This was a brilliant opportunity to earn accolades in battle, and it certainly wasn''t one that he was going to miss. Larwood was clearly thinking the exact same thing, and he was already driving the airship toward the mountain at full speed.


    "Watching a regular army at work really is a pleasure. Those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are no match for them," Erwin said as he looked down at the ranks of the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces, which had already been thrown into complete disarray.


    "This is also a good opportunity to see the elite troops trained by Prince Lazaar in battle. Yesterday, we only saw them passively defending the city. Today, we''ll get to see what they''re like in full flight while actively pursuing the enemy," Onean said.


    "It''s a pity that the mountain path has been destroyed. It''s probably not going to be so easy for our troops to charge out of the city now," Erwin said.


    While the two of them were conversing with one another, the airship of the Four Winds mercenary legion finally arrived.


    "I''m off to kill some Skycourt Kingdom vermin," Larwood called out at the two people on the mountain from the airship.


    Erwin turned to Onean with a smile, only to find that she was looking into the distance with a thoughtful expression. He reached out to latch onto her slender hand, and the two of them rose up into the air together.


    Meanwhile, the airship continued onward, flying directly toward the sky above the battlefield on the provincial road.


    "All martial artists, make sure to keep your eyes peeled. Aim carefully before you fire your arrows so you don''t harm any of our allied soldiers, do I make myself clear?" Larwood was already beginning to bark orders at the martial artists on the deck.


    "Magicians, there''s not much that needs to be said. All of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries at the foot of the mountain are there for the taking, so fire your spells to your hearts'' content. Just make sure you don''t hit any of the royal cavaliers." Erwin was also beginning to yell instructions at the magicians on the airship.


    "Larwood, I think I''ve spotted your father," Chase suddenly said as he looked at the fierce battle taking place down below.


    Kaiba cast his gaze toward the same direction that Chase was looking in, and he said, "I think I see him too."


    Erwin also cast his gaze toward the same direction, and he spotted Duke Nandoon just in time to see him put an end to a Skycourt Kingdom mercenary''s life with a single swift strike of his longsword, showing off exceptional technique and efficiency. He then turned to Larwood and jibed, "Your dad''s still got some moves, Larwood. I feel like he''s still a better warrior than you are, even at his age."


    "Yeah, no matter how I look at it, your father seems to be a far more capable fighter than you are," Chase chimed in, more than happy to pile on the insults.


    "What''s going on? Is it Pick On Larwood Day?" Larwood chuckled. "How about I go down there and show you guys what I''m made of?"


    "Why do I hear some fear in your voice?" Erwin asked with a provocative smile.


    "I assure you you''re just imagining things," Larwood chuckled, then turned toward the steering wheel as he yelled, "Lanyon, lower the airship a little. I''m going to take some men with me to join the battle."


    At the moment, it was Lanyon who was piloting the airship. After the altercation in the morning, Christine had shut herself in her room. However, Lanyon had learned pretty much everything he needed to from watching Christine these past few days, so he was able to pilot the airship on his own.


    Thus, the airship''s altitude was lowered by a few dozen feet, allowing the martial artists onboard to jump down without injuring themselves.


    "Follow me, everyone!" Larwood yelled as he picked up a Four Winds mercenary legion flag before hurling it with all his might, sending it plunging firmly into the soil down below. After that, he led the way by jumping down from the airship first, then immediately charged into the chaotic battle.


    Meanwhile, Sherry was maintaining order on the deck in Larwood''s absence. "Maintain your formation and jump down 50 at a time. Make sure the people before you have vacated the landing area before you jump. Don''t push, everyone will get their turn."


    "We should go as well. We can''t just have Larwood stealing all the glory while we stand up here and watch," Kaiba said to Chase and Erwin, immediately following which Chase and Kaiba jumped down from the airship with excited expressions.


    "All magicians and archers, keep up the good work! Make sure to cover our martial artists," Erwin instructed the remaining people on the airship as he continued to watch the battle that was unfolding down below.


    The formation of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries had completely fallen apart, and they were already struggling to deal with the Effer Kingdom''s royal cavaliers. Thus, the sight of the airship hanging over their heads like an ill omen plunged their hearts even deeper into the pits of despair.


    All types of spells were flying down from above before exploding in the areas where the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries were most densely gathered, and even though the spells weren''t as powerful as the ones unleashed by Onean, they were still wreaking much havoc among the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks.


    Even though the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries held a numbers advantage with over 20,000 men at their disposal, this advantage was completely nullified by the superior discipline and organization of the Effer Kingdom''s royal cavaliers. To compound their woes even further, they were constantly being bombarded by spells from above, and the battle was already quickly turning into a completely one-sided affair.


    Right at this moment, the hearts of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries sank even further. This was because they had just heard a string of loud war cries ringing out from the top of the mountain, clearly indicating that the soldiers in Xeto were also about to join the battle.


    Only in this dire situation did the commanders of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenary legions begin to regret giving in to their greed and arrogance. If they had immediately issued an order to retreat as soon as they spotted the 10,000 royal cavaliers from the Effer Kingdom, they would''ve been pursued for a while and suffered heavy losses, but they wouldn''t have been completely wiped out at the foot of Xeto, as was quickly becoming a reality here.


    Unfortunately, hindsight was always crystal clear.


    "You said you wanted to see Prince Lazaar''s troops in action, right? They''re coming down from the city now," Erwin said as he turned to Onean.


    Onean nodded in response as she looked down at the organized ranks of elite Burmen soldiers. From her vantage point high up in the airship, she was able to see very far into the distance, and she was eager to observe every single detail that she could.


    Onean''s spells had already destroyed the mountain path the day before, thereby making it extremely pitted and rugged, and very difficult to navigate. However, that didn''t seem to be a problem at all for these elite Burmen soldiers. They were all extremely lithe and agile, and they were advancing in such a calm and steadfast fashion that one could easily be misled into thinking that they were marching over flat ground. In fact, the speed of their march hadn''t been affected in the slightest.


    These soldiers are constantly fighting under Prince Lazaar in the Terarody Mountain Ranges, so navigating this terrain is nothing to them, Onean had already anticipated this.


    The Skycourt Kingdom''s forces were already falling apart, and their morale had been completely crushed. All of them were looking up at the soldiers charging down the mountain with ashen complexions and despairing eyes.


    In the face of advancing soldiers from Xeto, the formation at the rear end of the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces began to crumble, while the mercenaries in the northeast were already beginning to flee the battlefield without any regard for the survival of their comrades.


    "Take a look at the formation adopted by the Burmen soldiers. It''s one that you''ve never seen before, right?" Onean said.


    Erwin did as he was told, and he was quite taken aback by what he saw. The Burmen soldiers had split themselves up into groups of eight and were fighting as independent groups. Each group consisted of two shield-bearers, four spear-wielders, and two archers. The soldiers in the groups of eight were cooperating very effectively with one another, with the shield-bearers leading the way at the forefront, the spear-wielders guarding either side of the group, and the archers bringing up the rear. Upon making contact with enemy troops, the shield-bearers would immediately retreat to either side of the group, while the spear-wielders took their place at the front. Meanwhile, the archers would hide behind the shield-bearers and wait for opportunities to open fire on the enemy soldiers. Bows and arrows were generally weapons that were only applicable over long distances, yet they were being used in close-quarters combat here, and Erwin couldn''t help but admire Prince Lazaar''s imagination. Furthermore, judging from the peculiar black light that was glowing from the arrowheads, it was clear that they had been smeared with some type of poison. As soon as any of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were struck by these arrows, they would immediately enter a deranged state and begin to hack and slash haphazardly at their own comrades.


    "Even though the Burmen soldiers are engaging the enemy in close-quarters combat, I haven''t seen even a single one of them suffer any injuries. It must be said that this style of fighting in groups of eight invented by Prince Lazaar is very impressive," Erwin remarked with an intrigued expression.


    "That''s not the extent of it. Haven''t you noticed that all of the Burmen soldiers are extremely powerful martial artists, even Father''s royal cavaliers can''t compare with them when it comes to their proficiency as warriors," Onean said with slightly furrowed brows.


    Erwin couldn''t help but nod in agreement.


    Meanwhile, the father-and-son duo of Duke Nandoon and Larwood were tearing into the enemy forces with relish on the battlefield down below.


    "Father, did you come all the way here just to save me?" Larwood asked as he thrust his sword forward, then slashed it through the air in one swift motion, felling two Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries in the process.


    "I was ordered by His Majesty to lead reinforcements to Xeto. My presence here has nothing to do with you," Duke Nandoon said with a serious expression as he swept his longsword through the air, slicing through the leg of a Skycourt Kingdom mercenary in the process.


    "I knew you wouldn''t care enough about me to come and save me," Larwood complained with a wry smile.


    The two of them exchanged a glance, then continued in their slaughter of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries.


    With the royal cavaliers, the soldiers of Xeto, and the Four Winds mercenary legion working together, the battle to eradicate the Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries on the provincial road quickly began to approach a conclusion. The Skycourt Kingdom''s forces didn''t offer much resistance at all before they were completely and utterly defeated, and aside from the ones who managed to escape, of which there were over 1,000, the rest had all been decimated. Some of the Skycourt Kingdom mercenary legion commanders wanted to surrender, but Duke Nandoon refused to take prisoners and killed them all.


    In the wake of that battle, the main forces of the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenary legions had been eradicated, and the war on the southern front drew to a conclusion.

 CH 56.1

    Following the conclusion of the battle, Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan were astonished to see Onean flying down from the airship. Never did they think that the royal princess would''ve snuck to the front lines while in the company of such a small mercenary legion.


    "We pay our respects to Her Highness." The two dukes immediately extended respectful bows toward Onean in unison.


    "No need for formalities." Onean hurriedly rushed over to them before helping them back into an upright position again. "It''s all thanks to your hard work, traveling day and night without rest, that the city of Xeto has finally been rescued. Otherwise, I truly didn''t know how much longer these Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were going to be around for."


    "You''re far too kind with your praise, Your Highness. We came here on the orders of His Majesty, so we naturally didn''t dare to delay," Nandoon replied with a smile.


    It was clear that the two dukes and Onean were eager to speak with one another, so Erwin and his friends distanced themselves from the trio.


    "Your Highness, have you recovered from your injuries?" Shreesan asked as he looked at Onean with a concerned expression. They had heard about the injuries that Onean had sustained. At the time, even Master Piro wasn''t able to heal her, so the only way for her to recover was with time and rest. With that in mind, they were stunned to see her on the battlefield, seemingly having recovered to full health.


    "I have," Onean replied with a smile. "Sorry to make you worry."


    "There''s no need to apologize, Your Highness. Also, we''re not the only ones who were worried about your injuries, all of us old geezers in the royal court have been very concerned about your health. Everyone knows that you are the most precious thing to His Majesty," Duke Nandoon said with a benevolent expression.


    "Indeed, so please do look after yourself, Your Highness. Leave the dirty work like providing reinforcements to surrounded cities to old geezers like us. Your life is far too precious to be placed at any risk, Your Highness," Duke Shreesan said in a concerned voice.


    "You''re both correct. If Father hears that I snuck out of the royal palace onto the front lines, he''s most likely going to scold me," Onean said with a wry smile.


    Not long ago, the two dukes had been complaining about their own children to one another, but it seemed that Onean was quite a rebellious and troublesome child as well. In their eyes, it was as if all of these young people had been put into this world to cause trouble for their parents!


    "Are you traveling to the front lines, Your Highness?" Nandoon asked.


    "I am. I was just about to ask: how are things going on the front lines at the moment?"


    "Right before we set off, His Majesty received a challenge from General Gilgen of the Skycourt Kingdom, arranging a final showdown with his Majesty on the Marrod Plain on the 15th of February," Nandoon replied.


    There are still three days left until the 15th. Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan took a day and a night to get here from the front lines, so it looks like we should be able to return there in time, Onean thought to herself.


    "Your Highness, if your destination was the front lines in Burmen, then why didn''t you go directly north from Windmetal Fort along the provincial road of Newen? Wouldn''t that have saved you a lot of time?" Nandoon suddenly asked. He was quite perplexed about why Onean had decided to come to the south coast instead. Furthermore, why was she traveling with this mercenary legion? Could it be that the rumors were true, and Onean really had fallen for Count Friar''s son?


    Onean was unsure of how to answer this question. After all, she couldn''t just tell them that Erwin had tied her up and essentially abducted her to this place.


    "Not long after we first set off, my wounds were reopened from the rigors of travel, and I needed a magic potion brewed from the internal organs of a certain type of magic beast in the Terarody Mountain Ranges to treat my injuries. It''s all thanks to my friends in the Four Winds mercenary legion, who risked their lives to secure that key ingredient for me. Otherwise, I most likely wouldn''t even have made it out of the king''s province. After that, we planned to go north along the provincial road once I recovered from my injuries." A resigned smile appeared on Onean''s face as she continued, "Unfortunately, the commanders of the Four Winds mercenary had a mind of their own, and they blatantly ignored the orders of the department of military affairs to go their own way. I couldn''t stop them, and I was worried that if I were to leave, they would be wiped out by the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenary legions as they traveled along the coastline. Hence, I had no choice but to stay with them, and now, here we are in Xeto."


    "Looks like my son is in severe need of discipline. Refusing to follow the orders of the department of military affairs is already a grave transgression, and placing Her Highness''s safety at risk is an even more unforgivable crime! I''ll make sure to teach that little rascal a lesson that he won''t forget anytime soon," Nandoon said with a stern expression. "Thank you for protecting my useless son and his mercenary legion all the way here. Otherwise, they most likely wouldn''t even have survived to this point."


    If Larwood could hear their conversation, he would be protesting vehemently. He was a victim in all of this as well! How was he supposed to know that Erwin would be so brazen as to hide the princess in their mercenary legion without telling anyone?


    "Your Highness, we are very fortunate that everything has turned out well on this occasion, but you can''t be so reckless in the future. If something were to happen to you, I shudder to imagine how distraught His Majesty would be. It''s imperative that you keep yourself safe, particularly in times of war like this," Shreesan said in an earnest voice.


    "You''re right, Uncle Shreesan. I''ve been far too selfish and wilful," Onean replied with a guilty expression. "Having said that, just like you said, the outcome was positive in the end, and that is a great blessing for all of us. Also, the Four Winds mercenary legion has made significant contributions in the defense of Xeto, and they ventured into the mountain ranges at the risk of their own lives to save me, so I would say that their contributions have made up for their wrongdoings, wouldn''t you agree?"


    "As you wish, Your Highness." Duke Nandoon''s expression finally eased slightly upon hearing this.


    "Her Highness is right, Brother Nandoon. You shouldn''t be too strict with that son of yours. I had a look at him during the battle, and he did extremely well. I''d say he''s no less capable a warrior than you were in your youth," Shreesan said as he gave Nandoon a pat on the shoulder. "Also, the fact that these kids were willing to venture into the Terarody Mountain ranges to fight those fearsome magic beasts for the sake of Her Highness''s wellbeing is a splendid display of their courage. I don''t think the average person would''ve had the guts to do that."


    "That''s true. Normally, I didn''t think those lazy rascals would have the courage to venture into the mountain ranges," Nandoon said in an indifferent voice.


    While the battlefield was being cleaned up, the mayor of Xeto approached Onean and the two dukes before welcoming them into the city. Erwin and the others were naturally following along obediently behind the two dukes.


    The resounding victory that had just been secured was very much worthy of celebration, and everyone had only just made their way into the city when they discovered that the entirety of Xeto had already been transformed into a sea of celebration, with all types of musical instruments being played. It seemed that the mayor had been forced to hold back the celebrations by Onean, and now that the ultimate victory had finally been secured, the suppressed celebrations were immediately arranged in full swing. The citizens of the city had poured out onto the streets with joyful expressions to welcome their heroes, and they were waving and cheering vigorously at Onean. If it weren''t for the Burmen soldiers holding them back, they would''ve most likely approached her to offer up their fruits and wine again.


    Regardless of whether it was the soldiers of Xeto who had defended the city with unrivaled determination, or the royal cavaliers who had traveled day and night to get here, or the Four Winds mercenary legion who were like a godsent miracle, all of them were heroes and were worthy of the utmost praise and adulation from the city''s citizens.


    ...


    Francis led everyone to his manor, where a banquet had already been arranged in the main hall.


    Once everyone had taken a seat, Francis picked up his silver spoon and clinked it against his cup twice to capture everyone''s attention. As a result, the boisterous commotion ringing out in the hall gradually died down.


    "I think it would be appropriate for Her Highness to give an address first," Francis said with a smile as he cast his gaze toward Onean, who was sitting on the main seat.


    "Of course." Everyone else in the hall eagerly nodded in agreement with this proposal.


    Onean stood up with an elegant smile before nodding at everyone in acknowledgment, then put on a serious expression as she said, "It was all thanks to everyone''s combined efforts that we were able to secure this victory. The soldiers of Xeto, the royal cavaliers, and the Four Winds mercenary legion are all heroes who have contributed immensely to this victory and done the entire Effer Kingdom a great service. If the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries had managed to break through our defenses, think about the suffering that would''ve befallen all of the citizens of the city who had just welcomed us outside. On behalf of the Effer Kingdom, I would like to thank everyone for rescuing these people, even though it meant placing your own lives at risk. I propose a toast, a toast to the Effer Kingdom! We''re going to ensure that the Skycourt Kingdom suffers such a heavy defeat in this war that the thought of invading our kingdom will never cross their minds ever again!"


    "For the Effer Kingdom!"


    Everyone raised their cups and drank with zeal and vigor.


    Erwin was surreptitiously watching Onean from behind his cup. He was suddenly struck by the feeling that a regal aura and kingly charisma were things that were simply innately present in some people. Why was it that a woman like her was able to deliver such a rousing address, much like a fierce general? Was it just because she was the princess?


    Truth be told, Erwin was not very comfortable in especially boisterous and bustling environments like this one. The maximal limit of what he was used to was drinking with Larwood and the others, with hostesses accompanying them on the side. Thus, this rowdy banquet to celebrate victory in a war was something that he was very much unaccustomed to, and he felt quite out of place.

 CH 56.2

    Shortly thereafter, he carried his cup and made his way out of the hall so that he could be alone and appreciate the scenery outside. Right as he was leaving the hall, he just so happened to catch a glimpse of Larwood and his father, Duke Nandoon, out of the corner of his eye. The two of them were making their way into a room on the second floor.


    Judging from the look on Larwood''s face, it looks like he''s about to cop an earful from his father, Erwin thought to himself as an amused smile played on his lips.


    However, what the two of them were actually discussing in secret was something that Erwin completely failed to anticipate.


    "Why has Her Highness appeared here?" Duke Nandoon asked with tightly furrowed brows.


    "How was I supposed to know that Erwin would suddenly decide to bring her with us? By the time I found out, it was already too late to turn back," Larwood replied with a resigned expression.


    "Make sure to be on your guard and don''t let Erwin notice anything. He''s always been a very observant child," Nandoon cautioned. "Of course, make sure Her Highness doesn''t find out, either."


    "Alright, alright, I get it." Larwood had become noticeably agitated upon hearing his father mention Erwin.


    "Are you even listening to what I''m saying?" Nandoon asked in a stern voice.


    "I get it. I''ll make sure that they don''t notice anything," Larwood replied in a disgruntled voice.


    "Also, why did you decide to venture into the mountain ranges? What does Her Highness''s life have to do with you? What if something had happened to you back there?" Nandoon was starting to grow a little angry as he spoke. "Where are your wits and craftiness now? Why are you making such stupid decisions at such an important time?"


    "At the time, everyone decided to go together, so I couldn''t just refuse to go with them," Larwood argued.


    "Don''t give me that! You could''ve easily made up some excuse. Erwin may be completely head over heels for Her Highness, but have you fallen for her as well?" Nandoon asked with a stern look in his eyes. "Prior to your departure, I told you to lead your mercenary legion along the coastline of the Joffan Sea so that you''d be relatively safer, but here you are, running into the mountain ranges to fight magic beasts, then coming to Xeto of all places! Do you think you''re invincible or do you have a death wish?"


    "Well, I''m still alive, aren''t I?" Larwood countered with a resigned expression in the face of Duke Nandoon''s line of questioning.


    Nandoon''s demeanor softened slightly at the sight of his son''s dejected expression, and he said, "If you like fighting in battles that much, then I''ll get Prince Lazaar to arrange a job for you in the military."


    "Fine, it''s up to you."


    ...


    By the time the afternoon arrived, many of the generals were already completely drunk and were snoring in the main hall while lying in lopsided positions.


    Erwin could see that Onean''s face was slightly red, so it was clear that she had also had a few drinks. Thus, he helped her up from her seat and accompanied her out of the manor to get some fresh air, and so that the cool sea breeze could help her recover from the effects of the alcohol. All of the generals had sufficient self-awareness to refrain from proposing toasts to the princess. After all, there was a massive gap in status between them. Even if some of them were drunk and approached Onean with drinks, they would be ushered away by Francis and the two dukes. Thus, Erwin could only presume that Onean had had a few drinks voluntarily as there was something on her mind.


    Meanwhile, in a certain room on the second floor, Larwood and Chase were seated across from one another with grim expressions. The two of them had barely had anything to drink during the banquet. On the table in front of Chase sat an opened envelope that contained a letter from Duke Renshaw, which had been given to Chase on his father''s behalf by Larwood''s father.


    "What did the letter say?" Larwood asked as he cast his gaze toward Chase.


    "What else could it possibly say? My old man''s just telling me to be safe," Chase replied in a low voice.


    "Does that mean this is the end for our Four Winds mercenary legion?" Larwood asked with a wry smile.


    "There''s still Erwin and Kaiba left, isn''t there?" Even though Chase was trying to make himself sound lighthearted, there was a hint of sorrow in his smile.


    "That''s true," Larwood replied in an absentminded manner.


    The two of them exchanged a glance, and neither of them said anything else as an oppressive atmosphere settled upon the room.


    "You''ve made up your mind not to tell them?" Chase asked.


    "If we tell Erwin, he''ll rush to the front lines right away to inform his father," Larwood replied as he looked at Erwin. "If that happens, our entire plan would be ruined."


    "Then what about Kaiba? Are you not going to tell him, either?" Chase asked.


    "You know what Kaiba''s like. If you tell him, he''ll definitely tell Erwin," Larwood sighed. "Unlike us, he''s a person who values relationships and cherishes friendships."


    "That''s true," Chase sighed as a self-deprecating look appeared on his face.


    "In the letter your father sent you, did he not suggest that you should be careful with what you say?"


    "Of course he did."


    "Well, there you go."


    "But... as I''m sure you already know, they''re most likely not going to be able to come back alive if we don''t say anything," Chase said as he turned to Larwood.


    Larwood lowered his head and heaved a long sigh. "Who knows? Maybe they''ll be able to survive."


    "It''s not like you to be trying to fool yourself like this," Chase said with a hint of mockery in his eyes.


    In the main hall of the mayor''s manor, all of the mess left behind from the banquet the day before had already been cleaned up, thereby restoring the hall to its original state.


    The following day, the morning was quite overcast and rainy, so the lighting in the hall was rather dim and gloomy.


    Onean and the two dukes were seated in front of a parchment map, discussing the best route to take to reach the front lines, while Francis was seated next to them, listening in silence.


    "According to His Majesty''s orders, our troops should be stationed at Xeto, but we can''t allow you to travel to the front lines without being accompanied by any soldiers, Your Highness," Duke Nandoon said with tightly furrowed brows. "It would be far too dangerous to entrust you to those ragtag mercenary legions."


    "Indeed, Your Highness, you must take your own safety more seriously," Duke Shreesan said in a concerned voice, then turned to Nandoon as he continued,


    "How about this? We came here with 10,000 troops, so why don''t we split half of them to Her Highness to protect her on her journey to the front lines? The remaining 5,000 troops will be enough to protect the city."


    "I think that''s a good idea," Nandoon replied with a nod, then cast his gaze toward Francis. "Francis also has 5,000 soldiers under his command, so we''ll still have 10,000 troops in total guarding the city. As long as we''re not attacked by the Skycourt Kingdom''s regular army, there''s no way that any other enemy forces will be able to conquer Xeto in a short time."


    "The final showdown is going to take place in two days. I don''t think Gilgen is going to split up his troops and send some of them southward to attack Xeto. Hence, I think 10,000 soldiers will be more than enough to protect the city," Shreesan said.


    Francis nodded in agreement with this proposal.


    The two dukes were being very insistent and sincere, so Onean didn''t want to reject their offer. In addition to that, she was also of the opinion that it would be overkill to have 15,000 troops stationed in Xeto. With that in mind, she replied, "Alright. In that case, I''ll be traveling to the front lines in Illingburn Fort with 5,000 troops. I''ll leave everything here in Xeto to the three of you."


    "We''ll be sure to defend Xeto with our lives," the trio replied in unison.


    Onean nodded in response, then turned back to look at the map with a thoughtful expression.


    "Your Highness, I know that you''re very eager to be on your way, but there''s something that I must speak to you about," Nandoon said as he cast his gaze toward Onean.


    "Go right ahead, Uncle Nandoon," Onean prompted as she turned her gaze away from the map.


    "These royal cavaliers have already been traveling non-stop for a day and a night, and they had to endure a battle upon arriving yesterday, so all of our men and horses are already quite exhausted. Even though they''ve already had a night to rest, I''m worried that they won''t have fully recovered. If we force them to march again too soon, I''m concerned that the workload will be too much for them," Nandoon cautioned.


    "That is indeed a factor that needs to be considered. Ideally, we should be allowing them to rest for a day or two before setting off again, but time is of the essence right now," Onean said with tightly furrowed brows.


    "I have a way to cut the length of the journey by half a day, Your Highness," Shreesan said.


    "Oh? Please do tell, Uncle Shreesan," Onean prompted as an intrigued look appeared in her eyes.


    Shreesan pointed at the map as he said, "Please look here, Your Highness. If you retrace the path we took to get here, then you''d follow the provincial road northward from Xeto for a while, then diverge onto this small road here, which leads to the provincial road that connects Newen to Illingburn Fort. Taking this route will get you to Illingburn Fort in a day and a night, provided you don''t take any breaks in between. However, if you go toward the northeast along the coast instead, you''ll be able to directly reach the southern side of the Marrod Plain, and in doing so, you''ll be able to save about half a day."


    Onean stared at the map in deep thought for a while, then replied, "That looks like the only shortcut we can take. If we take this route, we should have more than enough time to reach Illingburn Fort before the two days are up, so we''ll be able to make the journey at a more leisurely pace."


    "I''m sure you''ll be able to make it in time, Your Highness," Duke Shreesan said with a benevolent smile. "With you by His Majesty''s side, I''m sure the invasion from the Skycourt Kingdom will be quelled in no time."


    "Indeed. With Her Highness and Master Piro both present on the front lines, I''m certain that the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops won''t have any chances," Duke Nandoon chimed in with an amicable smile of his own.


    Meanwhile, Francis remained silent as he nodded mechanically in agreement. He cast his gaze toward the earnest, smiling faces of the two dukes beside him, and a sense of genuine disgust suddenly welled up in his heart.

 CH 57

    Meanwhile, Erwin and his friends were gathered together beside the stone railing on the second floor.


    "Why is it raining so early in the morning?" Erwin was watching the rain falling outside, splattering audibly onto the leaves of the bamboo trees in the courtyard.


    "Maybe even the heavens think that it''s not right for our commander to abandon us, so it''s protesting in the form of rain," Kaiba chuckled.


    "Come on, it''s not like I want to leave you guys. You guys know what my father''s like. When he sets his mind on something, there''s nothing I can do to convince him otherwise," Larwood said with a resigned expression. "Last night, he barged into my room to scold me again. I just so happened to be changing at the time, so he saw the injuries on my body, and he immediately forbade me from continuing to march with our mercenary legion."


    Larwood heaved a forlorn sigh, then continued, "We argued with each other for hours after that, but he was adamant to keep me here."


    "I can understand that. Any father would be unwilling to allow his son to risk his life like this," Erwin said with a smile. He knew that Larwood had been carrying various injuries ever since their battle against Talan. During their battle against the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries two nights ago, he had sustained another wound to the shoulder in order to save Erwin and Onean. In Erwin''s mind, it made sense that Duke Nandoon would be vehemently against Larwood''s continued involvement with the Four Winds mercenary legion after seeing his injuries.


    "So everyone''s sad that Larwood''s leaving, but no one cares that I''m leaving, is that right?" Chase complained with a displeased expression.


    "I understand. The injuries you sustained during that battle against Talan were very severe, so it''s in your best interest to stay behind," Erwin consoled as he patted Chase on the shoulder.


    "Why are you consoling them when they''re the ones who are abandoning us?" Kaiba asked as he turned to Erwin with a raised eyebrow.


    "What can I do? I''m the legion commander now, so I have to look after everyone''s feelings," Erwin said with a wry smile.


    Erwin was well aware of what Chase''s physical condition was like. The wound that he had sustained from Talan''s second killing strike was extremely severe, and there was no way that he could fully recover from it without at least half a month of rest. Even so, he had followed Erwin and Larwood into battle when they decided to challenge the tens of thousands of Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries, a decision which, in hindsight, was far too overconfident. For the sake of his friends, Chase had constantly been pushing himself through his injuries, and it only made sense that he was deciding to take a break to allow his own body to fully recover. Besides, in his current condition, taking him to fight on the front lines would be no different from sending him to his death.


    In reality, Erwin wouldn''t have been surprised even if Kaiba had also told him that he also wanted to remain in Xeto. After all, all three of them were carrying numerous injuries that they had sustained on the journey here. However, Kaiba was completely unfazed by his own physical condition and was determined to continue onward.


    "Then I guess this is where we part ways," Chase sighed as he looked out at the falling rain with a dejected expression.


    "It''s alright. Once we get to the front lines, we''ll earn your share of accolades on the battlefield for you," Kaiba jibed as he patted Chase on the shoulder.


    Chase opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something in reply, but decided against it in the end and merely nodded in response after a moment of hesitation.


    "Look after yourselves," Larwood said in a quiet voice, and even though he was also looking out at the falling rain, it was clear that his words were directed toward Erwin.


    Erwin nodded in response. For some reason, a sense of sorrow was welling up in his heart, and a lump had formed in his throat, as if something had gotten stuck in there. The mayor''s manor was a predominantly gray building, and it cut a gloomy figure under the overcast sky. The falling rain further contributed to the melancholy atmosphere, and Erwin felt as if there were a heavy rock weighing down on his chest, making it slightly difficult for him to breathe.


    This was the first time that the four of them had parted ways in such a depressing atmosphere.


    ...


    "Are you there, Christine?" Erwin asked as he knocked on the door of her room on the airship.


    There was nothing but silence in the room for a while before the sound of Christine''s footsteps on the wooden floorboards finally rang out, and Erwin was rather taken aback by this. After all, Christine had always been an early riser these past few days, so he wasn''t used to seeing her get up so late.


    The door was opened slightly, and Christine peeked out at Erwin through the gap with her head cocked slightly to the side. "Brother Erwin."


    There were tears swimming in her eyes, and it was clear that she had been crying just now.


    "What happened, Christine? Did your father decide to throw a fit again?" Erwin asked.


    The sound of coughing immediately rang out from inside. It was clear that Christine''s father had heard what Erwin had just said, but he didn''t dare to say anything, so he could only passively protest through his coughing. He knew that it would be unwise to get on Erwin''s bad side, but he was still inclined to defend himself, and this was the only solution he could find.


    Christine shook her head in response, then emerged from the room before closing the door behind her.


    "I saw Uncle Lanyon and the others packing up their stuff just now. Do you no longer have any need for the airship, Brother Erwin?" Christine asked in a sad voice.


    She''s as sharp and observant as ever, Erwin sighed internally.


    He nodded in response. "We were originally planning to go to the front lines on your airship, but the final showdown between the two kingdoms is happening in two days, and flying on the airship is not as fast as riding on horseback, so we have no choice but to change our plans. I prefer taking the airship as it''s more comfortable, but this is a change forced by necessity."


    Christine hung her head in a dejected silence, and Erwin was feeling rather bad for her. "I''ll be returning your airship to you today, Christine. However, I''m going to have to keep all the money. Our mercenaries have to be paid for going into war with us."


    Even Erwin couldn''t help but be impressed by how easily such a shameless statement was sliding off his tongue. However, unbeknownst to him, Christine wasn''t didn''t care about the airship or the money.


    "Are we going to meet again, Brother Erwin?" Christine suddenly asked as she raised her head, and tears were beginning to swim in her eyes again.


    "Of course! This is not going to be some final farewell. You can just come to Sarus to find me after the war," Erwin replied with a smile. "You''re a traveling merchant, aren''t you? If you''re going to continue in this line of work, then you''ll have to pass through Sarus eventually. When that time comes, just come to Count Friar''s manor to find me."


    Christine''s mood was greatly lifted upon hearing this, and a smile appeared on her face despite the tears that were still lingering in her eyes, and the smile was accompanied by an adorable dimple. "Alright, then it''s a promise. I''m going to go look for you when I next visit Sarus. In the meantime, you have to promise me that you''re not going to be so reckless on the battlefield anymore."


    "Hmm? Do I look like a reckless person?" Erwin was rather taken aback to hear this.


    "Reckless is an understatement! You really like to show off, and you always like to throw yourself in harm''s way, especially when you''re protecting the women around you. Her Highness is the princess of the Effer Kingdom and an exceptional magician, so she''s definitely going to be a prominent target on the battlefield. You have to protect her, but you also have to look out for yourself," Christine said in an earnest voice as she looked into Erwin''s eyes with a serious expression.


    Erwin couldn''t help but be impressed by Christine''s observation skills upon hearing this. Despite her young age, her maturity and attention to detail were well beyond her years.


    Judging from the stubborn look in Christine''s eyes, it was clear that she wasn''t going to take no for an answer, so he could only nod in response. "Alright, you have my word."


    ...


    By the time the Four Winds mercenary legion had completed its preparations, Onean was already waiting outside the city with her 5,000 troops.


    "What took you so long?" Onean asked with her brows furrowed in a displeased expression.


    "We had to unload all of the money and equipment that we''re going to use of the airship. Then there''s also all of your potion-brewing things, which we had to organize and bring along with us as well," Erwin said in a resigned manner.


    "Time is of the essence, so we have to make haste," Onean said as she turned her horse around and prepared to set off.


    "Hey, aren''t we going north along the provincial road? Why does it look like we''re heading north along the coastline instead?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "This is a faster route," Onean explained in a concise manner, then struck the backside of her horse with her whip, and her steed immediately charged forward with a loud neigh.


    Meanwhile, Erwin gave Sherry and Lanyon a hand signal, indicating for them to lead the Four Winds mercenary legion and follow along.


    After that, he turned back to look at the two figures standing atop the city wall of Xeto, then smiled and gave them a wave before also setting off on his steed.


    Larwood and Chase were standing atop the city wall, looking on with absentminded expressions as Erwin and Kaiba sped into the distance on horseback. Only after the two of them had disappeared from view did Larwood and Chase return to their senses.


    "We''ve been friends for so many years, yet we''re sending them off to die..." Chase''s eyes were bright red, and he was biting viciously down onto his own fist, clearly doing everything in his power to suppress his own emotions.


    In contrast, Larwood appeared to be a lot more restrained, and he patted Chase on the shoulder before turning and departing.


    Not far away from the two of them stood another figure. It was the mayor of Xeto, Francis Hugh. He was still staring at the beautiful figure that had ridden off into the horizon with a wistful look on his face. There were some things that he couldn''t and didn''t dare to say. In fact, he most likely wasn''t going to ever get a chance to articulate the words that were hiding in his heart.

 CH 58

    Illingburn Fort.


    The light of the setting sun shone down upon the city, basking it in a bright red glow. The setting sun and the sparse figures standing atop the city wall painted a scene that was quite picturesque, albeit a little lonely and depressing. The shadows of the mountains were cast onto the city walls and buildings in the city, and half of the wide path at the center of the courtyard had also been cast under shadows. It was as if these buildings had become just like the mountains around them, quietly listening to the passage of time and watching as people came and went in a detached manner, completely disinterested in the state and affairs of the world.


    On the walkway leading to the royal barracks, two royal cavaliers were chatting with one another as they strolled along side by side.


    "Was that woman that we saw just now Mistress Faye?"


    "It was. Why do you ask?"


    "Hold on, isn''t she supposed to be quite old? Looks like she must have some type of spell that allows her to maintain a youthful appearance," one of the cavaliers said as a lustful smile appeared on his face.


    "That must be it. Yesterday, when I saw her standing together with Prince Lazaar''s daughter, they looked like a pair of sisters. Come to think of it, at her age, it wouldn''t be unfitting even if she were the mother of Prince Lazaar''s daughter."


    "Ha, how do you know she isn''t the mother of Prince Lazaar''s daughter?"


    "Shush! If Prince Lazaar''s soldiers overhear you spouting nonsense like that, you''re going to be skinned alive!"


    "You worry too much. With His Majesty here, there''s no way Prince Lazaar''s soldiers would dare to do anything to royal cavaliers like us."


    Standing atop a cylindrical watchtower not far away was a woman, who was listening to their slanderous conversation with a cold expression, and there was a derisive sneer playing on her lips. The gentle night breeze blew through her slightly graying hair, while the light of the dying sun shone down upon the smooth skin of her face. All the while, she continued to look into the distance, seemingly in deep thought.


    Right at this moment, Professor Hawk came rushing up to the top of the city wall, and he was rooted to the spot upon seeing this. His footsteps drew to an abrupt halt, and he stood a few meters away from the woman, staring blankly at her in silence.


    "It''s nice to see you again," the woman said without even turning around, and her gaze was still fixed on the mountains to the north.


    "Likewise," Professor Hawk replied in a quiet voice. On this day, he wasn''t wearing his usual round, gold-rim glasses, and he had also clearly taken some care in arranging his own head of graying hair. He stared at the woman''s side profile as he heaved a faint sigh. "It''s been a very long time since we last met, hasn''t it? You''re still looking exactly the same, while I''ve already become an unsightly old man."


    "In my memory, you don''t seem to have changed at all since our last meeting," the woman said as she turned to look at Professor Hawk with a smile. "Maybe the only difference is that you have a little less hair now."


    "There''s no need to throw jabs at me like that, Faye. I gave you a compliment, so you should respond in kind. We''ve known each other for decades, can''t we be more civilized?" Professor Hawk said with a resigned smile.


    "Indeed, I only realized now that you mention it. It''s already been several decades since we first met," Mistress Faye sighed as a reminiscent look appeared in her eyes.


    "I still recall the days we spent as students in Teedus Academy as if they happened just yesterday. We had so many good friends back then, but since then, many of us have grown apart, and there are quite a few who are no longer of this world," Professor Hawk also sighed as he thought back to his memories of the past.


    "I''m not the same as you. I barely had any friends to begin with, so it hardly matters to me whether the people we studied with are dead or not," Faye said in an indifferent voice.


    "That''s true. Considering how immensely talented and stubborn you are, there are very few people who you would deem worthy to befriend."


    "Are you mocking me?" Faye asked as she turned to look at Professor Hawk.


    "Not at all, I''m just feeling a little inferior. When instructing my students, I''m often telling them to be more conscientious and dedicated, but compared with you, I''m severely lacking in those two qualities."


    "Why do I feel like you''re implying something here?" Faye asked as she raised an eyebrow.


    "No, you''re just overthinking things. Perhaps I''m beginning to ramble senselessly in my old age. During these past few years, I often find myself wondering if pursuing magic power is so important, after all. For magicians, is it a goal that''s worth pursuing for one''s entire life? In the past, I always felt like I should follow the same path as you, becoming an excellent magician and setting a glowing example as a role model. However, for some reason, I''ve been having doubts about whether the goal I set for myself was correct. These thoughts have been growing particularly persistent recently, when I saw that child use time and pace magic. The more I see him, the more I can''t help but doubt myself," Professor Hawk said.


    Faye turned her gaze back to the horizon and was silent for a moment, then said, "Most magicians only have an insatiable urge to improve their magic, but their understanding of more advanced concepts such as matter, time, and space, are often far too superficial."


    "You still remember that quote?" Professor Hawk asked as he turned to Faye with a surprised expression.


    "Of course I do. She was one of the few people in this world who I admired. It''s just that I don''t condone her actions in getting married and birthing a child," Faye replied. "Speaking of her child, how is he? The magic that he''s practicing right now is the same stuff that his mother left behind, right?"


    Professor Hawk nodded in response. "How do I put this? Erwin is a little like her, but at the same time, he''s completely unlike her."


    "Don''t try to get all philosophical and profound on me. All I know is that my prized student has completely fallen head over heels for him!" Mistress Faye grumbled in a displeased voice.


    "It''s not like your student is the only one. Isn''t Master Piro''s student in the same boat?" Professor Hawk chuckled with a slightly sly grin on his face.


    "It''s a good thing that he''s no longer here. Otherwise, I would''ve taught him a good lesson on behalf of my student."


    "We''re too old to be getting involved in things like this. Just let the kids sort out their relationships on their own."


    "You''re his teacher, right? How about you accept this lesson on his behalf?" Faye asked as she turned to Professor Hawk with a teasing smile.


    "Nononono, there''s no way I''m agreeing to that. I''m no match for you," Professor Hawk hurriedly said with a wry smile.


    "Honestly, you shouldn''t have come here," Faye said as the smile on her face gradually faded. "Why couldn''t you have made up an excuse to stay in the academy?"


    Professor Hawk''s heart jolted slightly upon hearing this, and it seemed to him that Mistress Faye was implying something to him.


    However, he then quickly put on a smile as he said, "I may be no match for you, but don''t forget that I''m a grand magic mentor. If I made up some excuse not to come here, I would be too embarrassed to continue teaching at the academy."


    Faye merely smiled in response and offered no reply.


    All of a sudden, Professor Hawk cast his gaze toward the nearby royal barracks. "What''s going on over there? Why is there smoke rising up from that direction? Is there a fire?"


    "It looks like it," Faye replied after taking a seemingly disinterested glance in the same direction. "It''s quite a bad omen to see fire in the barracks on the eve of a battle."


    "I have to go take a look," Professor Hawk said as he turned to depart. As he did so, he thought to himself, If I die in this war, at least I got to see her one last time.


    ...


    On the coast of the Joffan Sea, roughly 100 kilometers northeast of Xeto.


    The army of over 5,000 troops was traveling at full speed, sending clouds of dust rising up into the air. No one seemed to be interested in appreciating the beautiful sunset and the waves of the sea under the light of the dying sun.


    "Why are you in such a hurry? Given how much time we have left, we''ll definitely be able to make it," Erwin asked in a quiet voice as he approached Onean with a puzzled expression. "Look at all the royal cavaliers. All of them are looking in very bad shape. If we keep pushing them like this, they''re going to collapse soon."


    Erwin had felt like Onean had been acting a little strange these past couple of days. She always seemed to be uneasy, and even after the overwhelming victory they had secured over the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces, she hadn''t displayed any joy.


    As opposed to answering Erwin''s question, Onean raised a question of her own. "Where are those friends of yours? There seem to be two missing."


    "You''re talking about Larwood and Chase? One of them was forced to stay behind by his father, while the other one is too injured to continue marching with us. Things can be difficult in times of war," Erwin sighed.


    "Larwood is Duke Nandoon''s son, right?" Onean suddenly asked.


    "That''s right. Didn''t you know that?" Given how well-read and intelligent Onean was, she had to be very familiar with the family trees of all of the important nobles and royals in Sarus. Hence, it was clear that she was asking a question that she already knew the answer to, and judging from her tightly furrowed brows, her mind was already elsewhere.


    "If I recall correctly, Chase is Duke Renshaw''s son, right?"


    "That''s correct as well." Erwin nodded in response. "What are you trying to say?"


    Erwin was quite sharp as well, and he immediately developed an inkling of what Onean was implying, upon which he fell into deep thought with tightly furrowed brows.


    "Don''t you find all of this very strange? First, Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan depart from the front lines to rescue Xeto. Then after that, both Duke Nandoon and Duke Renshaw''s sons decided not to come to the front lines with us."


    Erwin fell silent upon hearing this. He could think of 1,000 ways to rebuke her, but he was always accustomed to considering the worst possible scenario in everything as that was the mindset that allowed him to be harmed the least in real life. As soon as the seed of suspicion was sowed in his mind, he felt as if he had fallen into a dark abyss, and he was continuing to free fall in an uncontrollable manner, looking on helplessly as the light above drew further and further away from him. He was like a spluttering fish out of water, opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, but was unable to say anything.


    Onean turned her gaze toward Erwin, who was bouncing up and down on the back of his steed like a wooden puppet.


    "Do you understand why I''m in such a hurry now?" Onean asked in a grim voice.


    "But what you said isn''t concrete proof of anything. Perhaps the three Dukes are merely afraid of war and wish to avoid going to front lines. In addition to that, it only makes sense that they would want to keep their own children safe," Erwin countered, but even he knew that this explanation of his was very forced. He still recalled the analogy that his father had made, comparing the royals and nobles of Sarus to turtles that he had to be wary of, so their actions were certainly worthy of deep thought.


    "That''s the only explanation you could come up with after thinking for so long?" Onean asked with a hint of mockery in her voice.


    "Let''s focus on the journey at hand," Erwin replied with a grim expression.


    However, the entire army suddenly drew to a halt right at this moment.


    Erwin and Onean were leading the way from the front, and they were quite taken aback by the sight of the burned wooden bridge up ahead.


    "Hold on, I know what happened here. On the day that we decimated the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops, over 1,000 of them managed to escape. They must''ve burned this bridge because they were afraid of being pursued by us," Erwin said as an enlightened look appeared on his face.


    "I completely forgot about that. Looks like I''ve had too much on my mind recently," Onean replied in a resigned manner.


    Erwin immediately dismounted from his horse to examine the surrounding terrain. There was a wide mountain stream in the west, and it was flowing directly into the Joffan Sea in the east. The wooden bridge originally paved the way across the stream, connecting the two hills on either side of it, but the entire bridge had been burned and destroyed, and only the wooden pylons extending out of the water were still left unscathed.


    Erwin raised his hand to cast a spell, only to be stopped by Onean.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m going to conjure up a bridge of ice. What else are we going to do? Our troops have to get across here somehow."


    "Don''t waste your magic power here. This is quite a big project, so get the magicians from your mercenary legion to complete it."


    "Why?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "We''re not going to be able to rest well for the next couple of days, so if you waste any magic power here, it won''t be so easy for you to recover. Once we reach the front lines in Illingburn Fort, we''ll have to face a lot of peril, so you''ll need all the magic power you can get," Onean explained.


    Erwin nodded in response. "You''re right. I should''ve thought about this more carefully."


    Thus, he arrived at the back of the army on horseback, where the Four Winds mercenary legion was trailing along behind the royal cavaliers. He then instructed Lanyon to take a few dozen magicians with him to construct a bridge of ice up ahead.


    Meanwhile, the two dukes were chatting spiritedly with one another back in Xeto. If they knew that the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries had burned this bridge, they''d most likely be livid with rage. For them, it was imperative that Princess Onean be present during the upcoming final showdown on the front lines.

 CH 59

    In the king''s study on the third floor of Illingburn Fort''s main tower.


    "What happened yesterday? Why was there a fire all of a sudden?" King Cameron asked while reading through a report that he was holding in his hands. He had naturally also heard about the fire that had started in the barracks the night before. Thankfully, at the time, the fire was spotted as soon as it began, so it was snuffed out before it could spread, and no one was hurt during the incident. The only damage that was caused was that half a cart of supplies had been ruined. As a result, Cameron didn''t pay much heed to the incident, and Count Friar, who was responsible for overseeing the military affairs, wasn''t immediately summoned to see him. Only on the day following the incident, as Count Friar was coming to visit him, did he decide to ask about the incident. The last thing that he wanted to do was to create an atmosphere of tension in the army at a time like this.


    "A few of the cavaliers from the Royal Cavalier Brigade got into an argument, which escalated into a physical altercation," Count Friar replied.


    "What? Since when did our Royal Cavalier Brigade become such an ill-disciplined and lackadaisical unit? Tomorrow is the day of the final showdown, yet they still dare to cause trouble at a time like this? Have the offenders been punished?" King Cameron asked in a cold voice.


    "They''ve all been expelled from the Royal Cavalier Brigade," Count Friar replied. "However, a couple of military officials were injured while trying to break up the fight."


    "So you''re saying they injured their higher-ups as well?" King Cameron was starting to become a little angry. "In that case, they''re fortunate they''ve only been expelled from the Royal Cavalier Brigade. If I still had my temper from my younger days, I would''ve executed them on the spot!"


    "It''s understandable that our troops are getting frustrated. After all, we haven''t had a single battle since we arrived at the front lines," Count Friar explained.


    "An opportunity for battle will come tomorrow," King Cameron replied. "Also, why is it that our royal cavaliers are so ill-disciplined, yet I''ve never seen any problems arise among the soldiers of Burmen? Lazaar''s troops have been here even longer than ours, so why hasn''t the frustration gotten to them?"


    "Your Majesty, you have to remember that it''s been close to 20 years since our Royal Guard and Royal Cavalier Brigade have last gone into battle. During that time, the troops in the two military branches have already changed countless times, so they naturally can''t compare with the troops that we''re used to leading. Among our entire army, the only ones with any experience in real battles are a select few high-ranking military officials," Count Friar replied in a resigned manner.


    "That''s true. Standards can slip very easily, but it''s very difficult to raise the standards again," King Cameron sighed. "However, that doesn''t mean that we''re just going to accept mediocrity. I don''t have any plans to return from Burmen empty-handed this time."


    "I''m no longer the young man I once was, but I''m still fit enough to ride into battle by your side, Your Majesty," Count Friar said with a smile.


    "In the crucial moments, you''re the only one I can count on," King Cameron said as he set aside the scroll in his hands, then placed a small sand table onto his desk.


    "Come and take a look. This is the plan that I''ve just set out for the showdown tomorrow."


    King Cameron''s talk of planning and strategy didn''t keep Count Friar''s attention for very long. Instead, his attention was drawn to the sand table. As he inspected the sand table, he discovered that its frame was crafted from top-grade gold jade ore from Fooz, and it was occasionally giving off a subtle grey gleam. Among the royal and noble women of Sarus, gold jade ore was the most prized material for accessories. It was clear that this had to be a gift from Governor Jenkins.


    For him to be using such a precious material to craft for such a menial purpose, his penchant for opulence is truly unmatched, Count Friar thought to himself.


    Of course, Governor Jenkins would be inclined to disagree. In his eyes, the king deserved the absolute best of everything, so it was only right that his personal sand table be crafted from such a precious material.


    If Jenkins could see the plan unfolding on this sand table right now, I wonder if he''d be ecstatic, or if he would fall to his knees to beg His Majesty for mercy, Count Friar thought to himself in a derisive manner.


    "What do you think?" King Cameron asked as he cast his gaze toward Count Friar.


    "Seeing as you''ve already made up your mind, I would be happy to follow this plan, Your Majesty," Count Friar replied.


    ...


    After emerging from the king''s study, Count Friar returned straight to his own room on the second floor, where Professor Hawk was already waiting for him inside.


    "Would you like some water?" Count Friar asked as he cast his gaze toward Professor Hawk while pouring a glass of water for himself.


    Professor Hawk shook his head in response.


    "Did we make a mistake by giving him that book?" Professor Hawk suddenly asked as he looked out the window. "Wouldn''t it have been much better for him to lead a stable and peaceful life?"


    "These were his mother''s wishes, and I''m sure she made this request for a reason," Count Friar replied as he set down the glass in his hand.


    "That''s true," Professor Hawk sighed. "I''m just worried that if something were to happen to the two of us tomorrow, there would be no one around to look after the child."


    "He has to grow up eventually. No one can look after him his entire life."


    "That may be correct, but I feel like he requires extra guidance and protection given how dangerous the branch of magic he''s practicing is," Professor Hawk sighed.


    Count Friar offered no response to this. Instead, he changed the subject as he said, "It''s been a while since we''ve received any news about that mercenary legion of his. Ever since they passed Windmetal Fort, the department of military affairs hasn''t received any reports about their whereabouts. I can only presume that they''ve traveled to the south coast."


    "He hasn''t gone to Xeto, has he? I heard that Xeto has been surrounded by the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries," Professor Hawk said in an alarmed voice.


    "Reinforcements were already sent to Xeto a few days ago. The troops are led by Nandoon and Shreesan, both of whom are seasoned generals, so they should have no issues overcoming those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries," Count Friar said.


    "It''s a good thing that he''s not here," Professor Hawk said with a faint sigh of relief.


    "Why? Do you also feel like the battle tomorrow is going to be an extremely perilous one?" Count Friar asked as he cast his gaze toward Professor Hawk.


    "Do you feel the same way?" Professor Hawk was rather taken aback to hear this. Ever since his meeting with Faye the day before, he had been unable to get her parting words off his mind.


    "I''m not sure how I feel. Perhaps I''m a little afraid because I haven''t gone into battle for so many years," Count Friar replied with a shake of his head.


    "Surely not. Back then, you were an extremely fierce warrior on the battlefield," Professor Hawk chuckled.


    "Have you not heard of the concept of old age?" Count Friar asked as he turned to Professor Hawk with an amused smile.


    Professor Hawk could only nod in response with a wry smile of his own.


    "I''m actually quite curious. Has Erwin never suspected that the book was left behind by his mother?" Professor Hawk suddenly asked after a brief span of silence.


    "I think he''s most likely already at least somewhat made that realization. It''s just that he likes to bottle everything up and doesn''t like to open up to others. In fact, he''s barely ever asked about his own mother."


    "Why is that?" Professor Hawk couldn''t help but ask.


    "Why not? I never mentioned her to him, and he didn''t seem inclined to ask," Count Friar replied with a justified expression.


    Professor Hawk didn''t speak any further on the matter.


    Following Professor Hawk''s departure, Count Friar sat down alone onto his sofa, staring absentmindedly at a pendant in his hand.


    After a long while, he heaved a forlorn sigh. "You said you had no need for staves, so you removed the gemstone from your staff and made it into this pendant. I''ve worn this thing for many years already without having to use it. Hopefully, I won''t have to use it this time, either."


    Memories of his past began to resurface in his mind as he sat by himself. He thought back to the wilful woman who he had been enamored with in the past, and he suddenly discovered that his memories of the time he had spent with her and even her voice and appearance had begun to blur.


    Memories were very interesting things. Even if one were to think back on the same memories every single day, they would still gradually fade over time.


    ...


    At Mecer County on the coast of the Joffan Sea.


    This was the area that was plundered the most by the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces. The county was home to around a dozen citadels, all of which had been looted by the Skycourt Kingdom''s mercenaries. What was even more infuriating was that after the mercenaries were driven away, they burned all of the major bridges in the county, and also destroyed many of the important roads.


    At the moment, the royal cavaliers and the Four Winds mercenary legion were slowly repairing the damaged roads. On the way here, the mercenary legion''s magicians had already erected three temporary bridges, so they had to be given a rest. Thankfully, Onean allowed everyone to rest for the entirety of the previous night out of the kindness of her heart, rather than force everyone to travel through the night. As a result, everyone had recovered sufficient energy to carry out the road repairs.


    "We''re traveling way too slowly. At this rate, we might not even get to the Marrod Plain by tomorrow morning," Kaiba said with a concerned look on his face.


    "What''s going on with you today? You''re acting very strange," Erwin said as he turned to Kaiba with an amused expression. Among their group of four friends, Kaiba had always been the most calm and composed one, yet for some reason, he seemed to be very stressed today. On top of that, whenever there was work to be done, he always liked to slack off and try to avoid working as much as possible, but on this day, he was eagerly participating in the road repair works, much to Erwin''s perplexity and amusement.


    "We worked so hard to come all the way here. It would be nothing short of a tragedy if we get this far, only to miss the final showdown tomorrow," Kaiba explained, then rushed over to help the royal cavaliers with the road repairs again.


    "I bet you''re regretting not following the provincial road now, right? Even though we''re not fighting them directly, those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries are still finding a way to annoy us," Erwin chuckled as Onean approached him.


    "If we travel without rest tonight, will we be able to get to the Marrod Plain by tomorrow morning?" Onean asked as she spread open the sheepskin map that she was holding.


    "The problem is that we don''t know how many of the roads and bridges up ahead have been destroyed. If it''s all like this, then I doubt we''ll be able to make it by tomorrow morning," Erwin replied.


    "Those Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries better pray that they don''t run into me again," Onean said as a murderous look flashed through her eyes.


    Judging from her expression, Erwin felt it wise not to say anything for now.


    "By the way, there was something that I was meaning to ask you. Why is it that I feel like you''re not very concerned about the outcome of the war?" Onean asked as she looked carefully at Erwin. "Ever since we set off from Sarus, I haven''t seen you display any interest in the situation on the front lines."


    "How am I not concerned about the outcome of the war? You do know that my father is fighting on the front lines, right?" Erwin countered.


    Onean nodded in an unconvinced manner, clearly still not satisfied with Erwin''s answer.


    The situation on the front lines is outside of my control, so what would be the use in worrying? Erwin thought to himself as he heaved an internal sigh.

 CH 60.1

    15th of February on the Marrod Plain.


    The sun had only just risen, and it was vigorously radiating light and heat as if it were trying to dispel the winter chill that was lingering in the air. Unfortunately, it was like a rowdy child that was yelling and throwing a tantrum with all its might, but was unable to actually provide sufficient warmth to the 200,000 troops. Thankfully, on the cusp of the coming battle, no one was feeling the chills. Everyone''s eyes were filled with steely determination and frenetic killing intent, and in their minds, they were repeatedly envisioning how they were going to drive their blades into the chests of their enemies. A cold gust of wind swept through their ranks, as if it were trying to test their determination, but after just a brief examination, it seemed to have realized that further examination was no longer necessary, and thus, the wind quickly began to subside.


    Even so, the black flags bearing golden lion head emblems were still flapping incessantly, opposed by the red flags bearing golden vulture emblems on the other side.


    On the Effer Kingdom''s side, Governor Jenkins was leading the army from the front, with King Cameron commanding the middle portion of troops, while Count Friar was bringing up the rear in a rather curious divergence from his normal duties. Meanwhile, Prince Lazaar was standing atop the city wall of Illingburn Fort, watching the battlefield intently through a monocular. All of the elite soldiers under his command had already been assembled in the city, and they were ready to charge out at a moment''s notice.


    On the Skycourt Kingdom''s side, General Gilgen was looking on at the Effer Kingdom''s army with a cold expression. The Zhu Yan blade [1] in his hand was already giving off intense killing intent. Having been thwarted from advancing by Illingburn Fort for so long, the Skycourt Kingdom''s army was eager for battle and thirsty for the blood of the enemy. Neither army was going to be able to leave the Marrod Plain until a decisive outcome was reached in this final showdown.


    "Brave soldiers of the Effer Kingdom! These Skycourt Kingdom vermin have invaded our land and slaughtered our people! Are we just going to allow them to return to the Skycourt Kingdom without any consequences?" King Cameron roared in a rousing voice as he drew his sword amid a flash of golden light, as if a golden dragon had emerged from the scabbard strapped to his waist.


    "They must lay down their lives for their crimes!" Governor Jenkins also drew his sword as he rallied the troops behind him. Upon learning that he was going to be the one leading the army from the forefront for this final showdown, he had been excited beyond belief. He had thought that King Cameron would assign this role to Count Friar, but he was the one who had been entrusted with this vital role in the end, much to his surprise and elation. During battles, the general of the vanguard was the one closest to the action, so they had the greatest chance of earning accolades in battle.


    Of course, Jenkin''s loyal followers and subordinates were also ecstatic, thinking that they had made the right decision by following Governor Jenkins. Everyone knew that the vanguard was often the unit in an army that racked up the most glory, and they were overjoyed that such a brilliant opportunity had fallen onto their laps.


    All of the Effer Kingdom''s soldiers immediately let loose thunderous war cries to support King Cameron and Governor Jenkins.


    The royal cavaliers behind Governor Jenkins had already drawn their longswords, and they were raising their swords high up above their heads over and over again with each war rousing war cry.


    Meanwhile, King Cameron swung his sword down, and the flag-bearer beside him immediately waved his flag through the air, upon which the sound of long horns and rumbling war drums instantly began ringing out incessantly.


    A steely look immediately appeared on Jenkins''s face upon hearing this, and he roared, "My brothers, we shall bathe in the blood of these Skycourt Kingdom vermin! Follow me!"


    After that, he raised his sword and charged on ahead atop his trusty steed.


    He was followed closely by 20,000 royal cavaliers, and a massive cloud of dust rose up into the air, while the ground trembled violently under the countless sets of thundering horse hooves.


    Gilgen looked on with a cold expression at the approaching cavaliers of the Effer Kingdom as he pointed his Zhu Yan sword directly forward. "My brothers, your time has come! This is what you''ve been waiting for! Let us slaughter these Effer Kingdom pigs!"


    The sound of pounding war drums also rang out from the Skycourt Kingdom''s encampment in the north, and a burly and imposing man took a deep breath, then blew into a giant horn fashioned from a conch shell that stood at twice his height. The low and melodious sound of the horn immediately began to echo throughout the encampment, completely stirring up the killing intent in the hearts of the Skycourt Kingdom''s soldiers.


    "Charge!" General Gilgen charged forward with 30,000 elite Skycourt Kingdom cavaliers behind him, all of whom were wearing suits of heavy crimson armor. If one were to look down onto the battlefield from up above, the Skycourt Kingdom cavaliers would resemble a fiery phoenix spreading its crimson wings.


    In contrast, the Effer Kingdom''s royal cavaliers resembled a steel fan that was slowly being spread open.


    Aside from the elite troops under Prince Lazaar''s command, these were the most exceptional cavaliers that the two kingdoms had to offer.


    The deafening pounding of countless horse hooves sent violent tremors running through the ground, while the archers on both sides had already adopted their formations, waiting for the moment when the enemy cavaliers would enter the range of their arrows.


    The flag-bearer on the Effer Kingdom''s side adopted a different pose, and the commander of the archers immediately yelled, "Fire!"


    The Skycourt Kingdom''s archers refused to be outdone, letting loose a volley of arrows of their own in retaliation.


    Governor Jenkins looked on at the approaching storm of arrows with a derisive smile, and all of a sudden, a gorgeous figure in an ochre dress leaped up into the air behind him. The woman raised her staff, and a curved barrier immediately took shape above the cavaliers of the Effer Kingdom, keeping out all of the arrows that had been fired by the archers of the Skycourt Kingdom.


    Governor Jenkins turned to look at the female magician in the sky with a proud expression, then yelled, "Everyone, come with me! Charge!"


    Gilgen took a glance at the countless oncoming arrows from the Effer Kingdom''s archers, and with a kick of his saddle, his horse raced forward as he slashed his Zhu Yan sword through the air, instantly sending a burst of scarlet light sweeping over the entire battlefield. The cavaliers on both sides were forced to shield their eyes momentarily in the face of the radiance released by Gilgen''s formidable blade, and in the next instant, most of the arrows flying over from the south had already been shattered and were falling toward the ground.


    "Looks like this Gilgen really is no slouch," Master Piro remarked in a surprised voice as he stood beside King Cameron.


    King Cameron gripped tighter onto the hilt of his Wish sword as he watched the unfolding battle with a cold expression.


    The cavaliers from both sides clashed violently amid a string of dull thumps and fierce war cries. Both sides had swept up gusts of fierce wind as they charged toward one another, and the gusts of wind intertwined with one another as the cavaliers clashed, sending large plumes of dust rising up into the air.


    After his initial attacks, Gilgen immediately lashed out with his sword again without any rest. On this occasion, his attack was directed toward the woman in the ochre dress as he knew that she was the one who posed the greatest threat to his troops.


    Governor Jenkins could see that Gilgen was targeting Gwen, and he immediately sprang up into the air with his sword raised high above his head. "You''re not touching my daughter!"


    Gilgen seemed to be completely disinterested in Jenkins. In fact, he wasn''t even looking at Jenkins as he swung his Zhu Yan sword casually through the air, and with just a few lazy-looking attacks, he was able to force Jenkins back by several steps.


    While Jenkins was clashing with Gilgen, Gwen had already completed the incantation for her advanced spell, and a pillar of fire rose up into the sky before sweeping directly toward Gilgen.


    Gilgen cast an indifferent glance toward the oncoming spell, and he thought to himself in a derisive manner, I won''t even have to use half my power to deal with these two.


    "A Drop in the Ocean!" Gilgen cried out, declaring the name of his attack as he guided his own sword downward with a flick of his wrist, then swiveled around in mid-air to pierce his sword through the air, unleashing a whirlwind of scarlet light that instantly sliced the oncoming pillar of fire in half. At the same time, the sword intent unleashed by his attacks swept directly toward Jenkins and his daughter.


    Gwen could see that this was an extremely formidable attack, and she immediately positioned herself in front of Jenkins, then held her own staff horizontally before her as she began to chant an incantation. As she did so, fierce wind began to sweep up around her, sending all of the surrounding rocks and dust flying up into the air. This was the very same Chaotic Forcefield that she had used during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    "Father, get back a little," Gwen said in a low voice, and Jenkins immediately did as he was told, retreating back several dozen feet.


    As soon as the oncoming attack entered the forcefield, Gwen immediately felt a burst of immense power traversing through the storm. As a result, she was forced to increase her magic power output. Otherwise, there was no way that she would be able to dispel the oncoming sword intent.


    A surprised look appeared on Gilgen''s face as he saw his own sword intent being gradually whittled down by the forcefield, and he said in a derisive voice, "It looks like your daughter is a little more powerful than you are, Jenkins. However, that''s not going to save you!"


    A cold look appeared on Gilgen''s face as he unleashed his next attack. "Southern Migration of the Wild Goose!"


    Gilgen slashed his Zhu Yan sword left and right through the air, unleashing sword intent that resembled a giant wild goose spreading its wings to take flight.


    The vicious attack pierced directly into the storm of the Chaotic Forcefield, and Gwen immediately realized that she wouldn''t be able to ward off this attack. Thus, she hurriedly withdrew her spell and attempted to flee, but Gilgen''s attacks weren''t going to be so easy to evade, and the scarlet sword intent unleashed by his Zhu Yan blade came sweeping directly toward the back of her neck.


    All of a sudden, a loud clang rang out, and Gwen turned around to discover that Jenkins had taken the attack for her. The longsword that he was wielding was crafted from diamond copper ore, but even so, it had instantly been sliced in half. Gilgen''s sword intent then continued onward without pause, striking Jenkins''s chest with ferocious power to slice a clean gash onto his intricately crafted breastplate. Thankfully for him, his breastplate was also forged from diamond copper ore, so it was just barely able to save his life. If the sword intent had sliced any deeper into his body, his heart would''ve been split into two by now. Thus, it could be said that Jenkins had been saved by his own opulence.


    Immediately thereafter, Governor Jenkins threw up a mouthful of blood, and it was clear that he had been severely injured.


    "Father!" Gwen immediately rushed over to support Jenkins, and she was at a complete loss for what to do as she stared at the gruesome wound on her father''s chest.


    The cavaliers from both armies were locked in a fierce battle, and she cast her gaze toward the battlefield down below to find that none of her father''s close allies were in a position to help them.


    "Getting distracted in battle could cost you your life, little girl," Gilgen said with a cold smile, then thrust his Zhu Yan sword forward again.


    It was clear to everyone that Jenkins and his daughter were no match for Gilgen, but King Cameron remained completely unmoved, looking on with a cold expression in complete silence, as if he were completely unconcerned about the safety of his vanguard general.


    1. The Zhu Yan is a mythical creature in Chinese legends. ?

 CH 60.2

    "Run!" Jenkins had been watching Gilgen closely this entire time, and as soon as he saw Gilgen lash out again, he immediately pushed Gwen away before raising his own snapped sword in retaliation.


    "Father!" Gwen was sent flying uncontrollably through the air by her father''s shove, and by the time she stabilized herself in mid-air and turned around, the scarlet radiance released by the Zhu Yan sword had already encompassed her father''s entire body.


    Immediately thereafter, an agonized howl rang out from Jenkins''s lips.


    Gilgen''s attack had sliced off both of Jenkins''s forearms. Even so, he still showed no intention of letting Jenkins off the hook, and only after his sword had sliced another gash onto Jenkins''s chest did the attack draw to a conclusion.


    A pair of severed hands holding a broken sword fell onto the battlefield down below.


    The Effer Kingdom''s royal cavaliers were fighting with great spirit and zeal prior to this, but morale was significantly shaken at the sight of the gruesome injuries sustained by their general. No one could''ve anticipated that the general from the Skycourt Kingdom would be so horrifically powerful. It was a two-on-one battle, yet Jenkins had still been severely wounded in such a short time, an outcome that truly beggared belief.


    In this situation, there was no time for Gwen to dwell on her grief. With a gentle tap of her staff, she immediately sprang up into the air to catch the grievously wounded Jenkins.


    "I didn''t think that he would be so powerful. I was too eager to earn accolades in battle, and I''m now being made to pay for it," Governor Jenkins said in a hoarse voice as he laid in his own daughter''s arms. His face was already completely devoid of color, and blood was still gushing out of his two severed arms.


    "Father, what do we do now?" Gwen asked in an urgent voice.


    "Indeed, what are you going to do now, Jenkins?" Gilgen descended not far away from Jenkins and his daughter, and he cast his gaze toward Jenkins with an amused smile. "How about you surrender to me? Look at the pitiful state that you''re in. What would be the point in continuing to fight any longer?"


    "Ptui! In your dreams! I''m not a coward who would surrender to an enemy in exchange for survival!" Jenkins spat in Gilgen''s direction with a hateful expression, then tried to support himself into an upright position, only to realize, once again, that his hands were already gone, and that only further exacerbated his fury and resentment.


    Gwen positioned herself in front of Jenkins once again as she stared intently at Gilgen with unbridled fury in her eyes, even though her staff-wielding hand was trembling slightly, a fact that did not escape Gilgen''s observation. One couldn''t fault Gwen for this. After all, in the face of an opponent this fearsome, it was only understandable that she would be very fearful. In particular, she was only a young woman who had stepped onto the battlefield for the very first time, so her composure and poise were already quite remarkable.


    "I must say, your daughter is quite courageous," Gilgen praised with a faint smile. "She''s just a little lacking in power and experience."


    "Who could''ve imagined that the mighty general of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army would be so intent on hunting down a little girl? How about you pick on someone your own size?" Jenkins was incapable of even standing up anymore, so he was naturally unable to push his own daughter aside. As such, he could only hurl insults at Gilgen in the hope that his daughter would be spared.


    "If I really were intent on hunting her down, she would already be dead! Perhaps that would''ve been a blessing for her because she wouldn''t have to listen to you spouting nonsense then," Gilgen said in a cold voice. "In your current condition, even if you surrendered to me, you''ll only have a few more days to live anyway. How about I take your daughter back with me as a servant?"


    "How dare you!" Jenkins was so enraged to hear this that he threw up another large mouthful of blood, and his chest was heaving violently. If Gilgen were correct in his assessment that Jenkins only had a few days left to live, then being enraged like this would''ve cut down his remaining lifespan by half once again.


    Gwen was holding tightly onto her staff as she watched Gilgen with a wary expression. She had no spare attention to pay to the verbal insults that Gilgen was directing toward her and her father. She could hear her own father throwing up blood behind her, and she wanted to turn around to treat him, but she was afraid that Gilgen would take advantage of that opportunity to attack again, so she didn''t dare to do anything.


    Truth be told, given the vast disparity in power between the two, it really didn''t make much difference whether she kept an eye on Gilgen or not.


    "I don''t want to look at this heart-wrenching display of father-and-daughter love any longer. If you''re both so intent on resisting to the bitter end, then I''ll send you two on your way together. That way, at least you''ll both have some company in the afterlife," Gilgen said in a cold voice. He was a war-hardened general who had no qualms about killing women, and he thrust his sword directly toward Gwen.


    Gwen immediately conjured up a physical shield to protect herself, but in the face of Gilgen''s power, the effect of such a spell was so negligible that it was virtually nonexistent. However, Gwen had already anticipated this, and she quickly retreated a few steps as she began to chant an incantation with tightly furrowed brows.


    After breaking through the physical shield, Gilgen''s sword pierced directly toward Gwen''s throat, and Jenkins''s heart was about to leap out of his chest upon seeing this. He desperately wanted to take the attack for his daughter, but he couldn''t even get up in his current condition, so he could only look on with a helpless expression.


    All of a sudden, a determined look appeared on Gwen''s face, and she pointed her staff directly forward toward the oncoming Zhu Yan sword. A thin arc of violet lightning immediately shot out of the tip of her staff, striking the tip of Gilgen''s sword, then traveling along its blade all the way until it reached Gilgen''s arm.


    Gilgen''s brows furrowed slightly as he was struck by the spell, and he looked down at the band of thin violet electricity, which had wound itself around his wrist like a shackle. What was most alarming to him was that he could feel his own life force begin to slowly seep out of his body before being absorbed by this thin band of strange violet lightning.


    "What kind of magic is this?" Gilgen asked as he turned to Gwen with a furious expression. It was clear that this was quite a formidable spell, even for someone as powerful as him.


    "Are you scared?" Gwen asked with a mocking sneer. Perhaps she hadn''t even noticed this herself, but her lips had already been completely drained of color, and her complexion had also become terrifyingly pale.


    As it turned out, this was a spell that was fueled by her own life force, and it was capable of devouring the life force of its target. If the spell were allowed to draw upon the target''s life force without being interrupted, the thin arc of lightning would continue to grow more and more powerful until both Gwen and Gilgen were sucked completely dry and reduced to a pair of skeletons.


    "You''ve gone insane!" Gilgen spat in Gwen''s direction. He had no intention of losing his life to someone like her, and he immediately brought the index and middle fingers on his left hand together before stabbing them viciously toward his own right wrist, which had been bound by the arc of violet lightning. He could sense that the spell had already devoured a great deal of life energy from both of them.


    In the end, it was Gilgen''s superior power that allowed him to come out on top. His fingers dug viciously into his own right wrist, reaching so deep that they had almost pierced into his own radial artery. In doing so, he was able to forcibly sever the spell.


    Gwen also immediately ceased her output of magic power upon seeing this. Otherwise, she would''ve been completely sucked dry.


    Jenkins was very relieved to see that his daughter had survived that ordeal.


    "I''ll admit, that was a very impressive trump card to have up your sleeve," Gilgen praised with a smile and a nod. However, his smile then quickly faded, and he abruptly turned around before thrusting his sword toward the completely defenseless Governor Jenkins.


    Meanwhile, Gwen was barely able to maintain consciousness, and she couldn''t muster up even a single ounce of strength in her entire body, so there was no way that she could step in to save her father. Thus, she could only look on helplessly as her father was stabbed through the chest, then nailed firmly to the Marrod Plain by Gilgen''s Zhu Yan sword.


    Governor Jenkins raised his handless arm with great difficulty, and the severed bones in the cross-section of the wound were clearly visible. He cast a concerned gaze toward his daughter, and he seemed to have countless things to say to her, but was unable to utter a single word, and that was preventing him from resting in peace. However, no matter how reluctant he was to part with his daughter, he could only accept the embrace of death in the end.


    Gwen''s mouth was gaped wide open, and her mind had gone completely blank as she looked on with a slack-jawed expression. She couldn''t believe what she had just witnessed. She could only stare as her father looked at her one last time, and she found herself unable to utter even a single sound.


    Thus concluded the life of one of the most powerful officials of the Effer Kingdom.


    All of Jenkins''s allies spread throughout all corners of the battlefield had also witnessed this, and all of them were struck by a sense of absurdity that they were struggling to come to terms with. Just this morning, they had gathered together behind Jenkins, envisioning the wealth and status that would come from the accolades that they were going to earn during this war, yet all of a sudden, Jenkins was dead, and it wasn''t even noon yet.


    King Cameron''s expression remained completely unchanged as he observed the battlefield in the north in silence. Beside him stood Count Friar, who was also completely calm and composed as he watched the scenes of Jenkins''s death through his monocular.


    Even though Jenkins had been a political rival of his for many years, Prince Lazaar wasn''t displaying any joy or relief from witnessing Jenkins''s death. It was as if he were merely witnessing the death of someone completely insignificant, with the outcome having no bearing on his mental state whatsoever.


    "How cold and calculating of His Majesty. To think that Jenkins is already dead this early into the battle," Archbishop Sirius said with a smile as he stood next to Prince Lazaar.


    "It''s quite remarkable that an idiot like Jenkins was able to survive as a high-ranking official in the royal court for so long," Lazaar sighed. "By the way, have you already assembled all of your troops?"


    "I have. They are gathered right behind your troops," Sirius replied.


    Lazaar nodded in response.


    Gilgen pulled his sword out from Jenkins''s body in a cold and indifferent manner, then cast his gaze toward the completely dazed and disoriented Gwen, and he suddenly lost interest in killing her.


    "You can go now," Gilgen said in an expressionless manner.


    A flash of resentment immediately appeared in Gwen''s eyes upon hearing this, and she clambered to her feet before swinging her staff down toward Gilgen.


    Gilgen shook his head with a resigned expression, then caught the staff right before it struck his forehead. At the same time, he lashed out with his sword-wielding hand, plunging his blade directly through Gwen''s stomach.


    However, Gwen seemed to be incapable of feeling any pain as she continued onward, even as the blade of the sword plunged deeper and deeper into her body in the process. She raised her bloodstained hands, and with single-minded determination and hatred in her eyes, she was desperately trying to strangle Gilgen to death.


    Gilgen could see a hollow look intermingled with the hatred and resentment in Gwen''s eyes, and he knew that she had already worked up the resolve to die here. A hint of pity appeared in his eyes as he sighed, "What a pitiful child..."


    He then raised the staff that he had taken from Gwen before giving her a gentle knock on the forehead, and she immediately fell unconscious.

 CH 61

    On the battlefield, there were around 20,000 Effer Kingdom royal cavaliers up against over 30,000 Skycourt Kingdom cavaliers, so they were already at a numbers disadvantage, and morale was dented even further now that their general had been slain. Thankfully, this was a well-disciplined unit that was able to maintain its formation, so even with the odds stacked against them, they were still able to put up firm resistance.


    Gilgen took a glance at the unconscious Gwen, and after a brief hesitation, he decided to hoist her onto his own shoulder, taking the opportunity to pat her delicate backside in the process. Thus, a strange sight appeared on the battlefield, where the general of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army was sweeping through the battlefield with a woman on his shoulder and his sword in his other hand, traversing through the tens of thousands of troops without encountering any resistance.


    King Cameron watched as Gilgen wreaked havoc on the battlefield, and he knew that if things were to continue like this, the 20,000 cavaliers of the Effer Kingdom wouldn''t be able to last much longer. Thus, he immediately issued an order for the middle portion of the army to charge into battle.


    "Soldiers of the Effer Kingdom, follow me!" King Cameron roared as he raised his Wish sword high above his own head.


    The flag-bearer beside him switched to another flag, and 40,000 foot soldiers began to charge toward the battlefield up ahead, causing the ground beneath their feet to tremble violently.


    Gilgen could hear the rumbling ringing out from the south of the Marrod Plain, and he cast his gaze toward that direction, upon which he realized that King Cameron was leading his troops in person to reinforce the royal cavaliers.


    It was truly a stunning sight to see the 40,000-strong Royal Guard charging forward with unstoppable might, and even Gilgen couldn''t help but stand and stare for a brief moment.


    In the next instant, his brows furrowed slightly as he raised his Zhu Yan sword high above his head, and 50,000 foot soldiers came charging forward from the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks with sufficient force to part rivers and flatten mountains, presenting no less formidable a sight than the advancing Effer Kingdom foot soldiers, and there were still 20,000 troops leftover in the Skycourt Kingdom''s army.


    "All magicians of the Court Magician Council, attack those foot soldiers of the Skycourt Kingdom!" With that order from Master Piro, the 2,000 court magicians behind the Royal Guard leaped up into the heavens, then began to rain down a barrage of spells upon the oncoming Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers.


    These court magicians weren''t the ragtag bunch of magicians one would find in a mercenary legion. Instead, all of them were professors, lecturers, or exceptional students from renowned academies, and all of them were magicians of an extremely high caliber. For example, someone like Professor Hawk, who was a grand magic mentor, was serving as a commander in the Court Magician Council, with 200 to 300 court magicians under his command.


    With these court magicians entering the fray, a significant difference was immediately made. All of a sudden, the Skycourt Kingdom''s foot soldiers were unable to reach the battlefield up ahead as they had been stopped by all of the spells raining down upon them from above.


    Professor Hawk raised his staff, and his brows furrowed slightly, causing all of the wrinkles on his face to deepen even further. Magic power then began to surge out of the tip of his staff in a frenzy, and in the blink of an eye, the boundless Marrod Plain was suddenly thriving with vitality as vines erupted all over the ground. The charging Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers were immediately tripped up by the chaotic masses of vines beneath their feet, thereby slowing down their advance even further.


    Meanwhile, Master Piro was hovering high up in the sky, holding a beechwood staff that was quite primitive in design. He gently pointed the tip of his staff at the Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers down below, and the sun in the sky gradually faded, while the weather took a drastic turn. All of a sudden, howling wind began to sweep over the battlefield, and a huge snowstorm had arrived. The Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers were all very seasoned veterans on the battlefield, and even though they couldn''t move their legs due to the immobilizing vines, they could still move their upper bodies, and they immediately raised their shields to the heavens to ward off the ferocious storm of snow and hail.


    In order to complement Master Piro and Professor Hawk''s spells, all of the magicians of the Effer Kingdom''s Court Magician Council were constantly bombarding the Skycourt Kingdom''s foot soldiers with spells of ice and snow. Regardless of how adept these soldiers were when it came to magic resistance, there was no way they could withstand such a fierce assault and remain unscathed, and many of them had already sustained injuries from the unforgiving hail.


    Gilgen could see that the tens of thousands of foot soldiers behind him had been prevented from reaching the front lines by the enemy magicians, and he realized that he had underestimated the magicians of the Effer Kingdom. Thus, he immediately called out, "All magicians, it''s time for battle!"


    Over 3,000 magicians immediately emerged from the 20,000 troops remaining among the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks, and they rose up into the air before flying directly toward the Effer Kingdom''s magicians.


    "Hold your formation! The Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians are coming!" Master Piro commanded as he turned to the court magicians around him.


    Thus, the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom stopped what they were doing, ceasing their assault on the Skycourt Kingdom''s foot soldiers as they cast their eyes toward the oncoming Skycourt Kingdom magicians with wary looks on their faces.


    Having just witnessed Master Piro''s power, Gilgen knew that he couldn''t afford to mess around any longer. Thus, he heaved a resigned sigh as he tossed Gwen off his shoulder onto the battlefield, which was already laden with lifeless bodies, then sprang up into the sky, charging directly toward Master Piro.


    All of a sudden, King Cameron''s Wish sword arrived like a scintillating golden dragon, and he slashed it directly toward Gilgen. "Why are you in such a hurry to face Master Piro? You still haven''t gotten past me yet!"


    King Cameron''s attack was extremely ferocious, and Gilgen didn''t dare to take it lightly as he immediately withdrew his sword to defend himself. In the instant that Zhu Yan and Wish clashed, it was as if the two swords were able to sense one another''s presence, and Zhu Yan immediately began to release radiant scarlet light in an indignant manner, as if it were competing with the golden radiance being released by Wish.


    In the wake of the clash, both sides retreated slightly to open up some distance between them, and Gilgen cast a cold gaze toward the king of the Effer Kingdom. He had thought that King Cameron would''ve only been a shadow of the warrior he once was, given that he hadn''t stepped onto a battlefield in decades, but to his surprise, Cameron''s attack had been rather difficult to ward off, so much so that he was panting slightly in the aftermath of their clash.


    "Why are you out of breath already? You seem a little younger than me. Surely you shouldn''t be so unfit," King Cameron said with a derisive sneer. "Where''s all that bravado that you showed while killing Jenkins just now?"


    A cold smile appeared on Gilgen''s face, and after taking a brief moment to compose himself, he lashed out with his Zhu Yan sword like lightning, sending it racing directly toward Cameron''s throat.


    "That''s a pretty fast attack, but it''s not fast enough." King Cameron''s smile remained unchanged, and he was still quite calm and collected as he raised his sword in retaliation. With what appeared to be a completely nondescript parry and slash combo, he was able to force Gilgen back by a few steps.


    Gilgen was very surprised by this turn of events. Cameron''s swordsmanship was very bland and devoid of flair, completely unlike Gilgen''s aggressive and domineering style, but it was extremely practical and powerful nonetheless.


    With that in mind, Gilgen knew that this was an opponent that he couldn''t afford to take lightly. Thus, he swiveled around and slashed his Zhu Yan sword through the air in a crescent arc, unleashing the very same "A Drop in the Ocean" that he had used against Jenkins.


    "I''ve already seen this attack of yours," Cameron remarked in a calm voice, then easily evaded the attack with a sidestep.


    A cold look appeared on Gilgen''s face upon hearing this. "Is that so? Then how about this one? Drunken Youth!"


    All of a sudden, General Gilgen''s movements took on a sense of laziness and grace, as if he were dancing with his sword in a drunken state. A red glow began to spread from his sword in all directions, much like the setting sun giving off its final rays of light before surrendering to the night.


    The smile on Cameron''s face gradually faded upon seeing this, and he adopted a serious expression as he prepared to oppose the attack.


    ...


    Right as a battle began to ensue between Cameron and Gilgen, Master Piro was beginning to crush the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians with his powerful magic.


    "Magic power restriction!" Master Piro cried out, and his staff-wielding hand was trembling slightly, while his hair began to flap around in a disheveled manner. He was already over 70 years of age, yet in this instant, he seemed to have become noticeably older, so it was clear that even for him, this spell had been extremely taxing to unleash. Following the completion of his incantation, a forcefield that covered a massive area began to unfurl in the sky above the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians.


    As a result, the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians instantly discovered that they were no longer able to use their magic power to alter the elemental matter around them. Thus, all of their spells were instantly cut off, leaving them to stare at one another with bemused expressions, at a complete loss for what to do.


    "Attack them now! Don''t squander this opportunity!" Professor Hawk immediately yelled at all of the court magicians, then released a ball of green light from the tip of his staff, which flew directly into the forcefield before striking a Skycourt Kingdom magician. The ball of green light seemed to be dissatisfied with just taking down one target, as it erupted in all directions after exploding upon the Skycourt Kingdom magician''s chest, splitting up into a series of smaller blasts that flew toward the surrounding magicians of the Skycourt Kingdom. The green light was spreading like a cobweb as it danced joyfully through the enemy ranks, feeling one Skycourt Kingdom magician after another with glee.


    Due to the magic power restriction enforced upon them by Master Piro, the only means of self-protection that the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians had were their accessories. Once their protective accessories were triggered, they could only withstand the oncoming spells with their bodies. Without being able to use magic shields, they were like lambs to the slaughter in the face of the enemy magicians.


    Thus, a completely one-sided massacre ensued between the magicians in the sky. Firstly, a fiery crimson dragon tore through the center of the forcefield, harvesting the lives of one Skycourt Kingdom magician after another with reckless abandon. After that came a storm of lightning that pierced into the forcefield, zapping Skycourt Kingdom magicians out of the sky, followed by a flurry of ice spears that plunged through the chests of one Skycourt Kingdom magician after another.


    The Skycourt Kingdom magicians were completely powerless to resist within the forcefield, so they could only hurriedly retreat out of the forcefield, but even so, close to 1,000 Skycourt Kingdom magicians lost their lives inside the forcefield. before they could get away.


    Thus, in just a short while, close to a third of all of the enemy magicians had already been killed, and the terrifying power of the Effer Kingdom''s Court Magician Council was put on full display.


    The Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers who were too late to get out of the way were also affected, and the barrage of spells came raining down onto their heads from the heavens. These foot soldiers had thought that they''d be able to charge forward safely with their allied magicians covering them from above, but the power of the Effer Kingdom''s court magicians had caught them completely off guard, and none of them had anticipated that their allied magicians would be forced into retreat so quickly. Looking up at the enemy magicians, all of the Skycourt Kingdom''s foot soldiers were struck by a sense of dread.


    Sure enough, the Effer Kingdom''s court magicians had no intention of sparing them, and all types of spells quickly began to hurtle down from above. Many of the advancing Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers didn''t even get a chance to raise their shields in defense before they were blasted to the ground, and after a few rounds of spells, the formation of the Skycourt Kingdom foot soldiers had become slightly disrupted. Those who were charging at the forefront were already engaged in battle against the Effer Kingdom''s troops, while those who were lagging behind were forcibly dispersed into chaotic clusters by the falling spells, making it impossible for them to form a tight and cohesive unit.


    Taking into account the losses that had been suffered by both sides since the start of this battle, there were currently still around 50,000 Effer Kingdom soldiers on the battlefield, compared with close to 65,000 men on the Skycourt Kingdom''s side, so the Skycourt Kingdom still held the numbers advantage.


    On a vast battlefield like the Marrod Plain, almost every single unit in an army would have a chance to face enemy soldiers, particularly once both of the armies began to spread out and occupy more space. Due to the fact that both of the armies were extremely well-trained, the Skycourt Kingdom was unable to take down the Effer Kingdom''s forces in a short time, even with their numbers advantage. In addition to that, the Effer Kingdom held the absolute advantage when it came to the battle between the magicians in the sky, so at the moment, it was still very difficult to predict the outcome of this clash.


    Even though the battle was very much in the balance, the 30,000 soldiers behind Count Friar remained completely still, displaying no intention to reinforce their comrades. Most of the military officials standing beside Count Friar were old subordinates who had gone into battle with him many years ago, and they knew the reasons behind his decisions. Thus, all of them were watching the unfolding battle without anyone raising any doubts or objections about their inactivity.

 CH 62

    In contrast with Count Friar''s calm display, General Gilgen of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army wasn''t quite as composed.


    An outcome was still yet to be reached in his battle against King Cameron, and what was quite concerning for him was that he was struggling slightly to keep up. Meanwhile, Master Piro and the Court Magician Council were slaughtering the Skycourt Kingdom''s foot soldiers and magicians with reckless abandon. The entire formation of the rear section of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army had been plunged into complete disarray by all of the spells raining down upon them.


    The main problem was that the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians were unable to contend with Master Piro, so they didn''t dare to get too close to him. Even though they had already escaped from the magic power restriction forcefield, as soon as they entered Master Piro''s sensory range, the powerful spells erupting out of that beechwood staff of his would instantly take their lives. To compound their woes even further, Master Piro''s sensory range was very broad, spanning almost all the way to the very back of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army. Thus, the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians could only retreat to the back of the army and look on helplessly as the Effer Kingdom''s court magicians slaughtered their allied foot soldiers.


    Gilgen knew that even though his army temporarily held a numbers advantage, this advantage would quickly be erased if the barrage of spells from the Effer Kingdom''s side were allowed to continue any longer. In fact, the state of the battlefield was already almost in dire straits for his army.


    "Weren''t you just reminding Jenkins''s daughter that one has to pay attention on the battlefield? Why are you suddenly looking around and allowing yourself to get distracted now?" King Cameron asked with an amused smile as he seized an opportunity to lash out with his sword, piercing through Gilgen''s sleeve and inflicting a gash onto his ribs.


    Gilgen couldn''t help but wince in pain as he hurriedly stumbled back in retreat while swatting King Cameron''s sword aside. Immediately thereafter, he glanced down at the wound that he had just sustained, but thankfully, it was just a shallow gash that only ran skin-deep.


    Gilgen had thought that his swordsmanship was unmatched in this world, but his lofty opinion of himself had changed after clashing with King Cameron. "Drunken Youth" was a sword technique that he had been hiding for many years, and throughout all of his years as a general, no one had ever been able to force him to reveal it. However, even such a complex and ever-changing sword technique was unable to land so much as a single scratch on King Cameron, and Gilgen couldn''t help but feel slightly fearful toward this unfathomably powerful ruler of the Effer Kingdom. At the same time, his unwavering confidence in his army''s ability to secure victory in this battle had also been shaken.


    Just as he was scrambling to think of a way to dig himself out of this hole, his woes were compounded even further by what happened next.


    All of a sudden, a massive cloud of dust began to rise up from the southeastern side of the battlefield. It was clear that more troops had arrived, and the countless thundering horse hooves were like drumsticks that were pounding the giant drum that was the Marrod Plain.


    Gilgen immediately cast his gaze toward Cameron, yet to his surprise, the expression on Cameron''s face was also one of bewilderment. He had thought that these were Effer Kingdom troops that had been lying in ambush to the southeast of Illingburn Fort, but judging from Cameron''s reaction, it was clear that the arrival of these troops was quite unexpected to him as well.


    Thus, both of them stopped what they were doing and descended outside the battlefield to peer carefully into the oncoming dust cloud, trying to see who exactly the approaching forces were.


    Even the perpetually calm and steadfast Count Friar was left scratching his head, wondering how a unit of troops had suddenly appeared on the southeastern side of the plain.


    Standing atop the city wall of Illingburn Fort, Prince Lazaar was displaying much the same reaction as he hurriedly picked up his monocular before looking through it with a bewildered expression.


    For those like them, who stood at lofty positions, danger most often came in the form of the unknown and the unexpected.


    ...


    Amid the cloud of dust, a man and a woman were the first to emerge on horseback.


    The woman had a head of dancing silver hair, and she was rushing along the plain like a shooting star with breathtaking beauty and unmatched determination. Her gorgeous figure was concealed under a pristine white robe, and as she galloped along on horseback, she gave off the appearance of a dashing heroine rushing in to save the day.


    As for the man, he was wearing a purple magician''s robe, and his curly hair had been completely swept behind his ears by the fierce wind. Even looking from afar, one could still clearly see his handsome and flawless side profile. His jawline formed an intricate arc from the tip of his chin to the bottom of his ear, and one could easily be forgiven for being momentarily mesmerized by his dashing figure. However, for some reason, his complexion was looking a little pale.


    On the southeastern city wall of Illingburn Fort, two women were also watching the arrival of this unexpected unit with keen interest.


    "So he came in the end, after all." Lana set down the monocular in her hands as she slowly closed her eyes. In the instant that she caught sight of that handsome purple-robed figure, her heart had completely sunk, while her breathing had involuntarily accelerated. She had prayed countless times to the heavens for Erwin to keep away from this battlefield, but in the end, it seemed that her prayers had fallen upon deaf ears.


    In contrast, Mistress Faye was very relaxed, and she turned to Lana with an intrigued expression as she asked, "So that''s Erwin, is it?"


    Lana nodded in response with a calm expression.


    "What are you going to do about him later?" The smile on Mistress Faye''s face became more pronounced as she looked at the calm facade that Lana was striving to maintain. "Are you going to kill him or try to keep him alive?"


    She had thought that Lana would placate her with some halfhearted answer, but to her surprise, Lana had gotten so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn''t even appear to have heard the question.


    Mistress Faye intentionally put on a menacing expression as she said, "I think it would be best to kill him. Look at how he''s riding together with the princess. I''m sure their relationship is a very close and intimate one. How about I kill them both for you later so you won''t have to see them together ever again?"


    "Teacher..." Only then did Lana return to her senses, and she clearly knew that Mistress Faye was just joking around with her, but she still couldn''t help but react.


    "So what''ll it be? Are you going to kill him, or are you going to keep him alive? You still haven''t answered me," Mistress Faye said with a cold smile.


    "Just leave those two to me, Teacher. You can focus on dealing with Master Piro and the others," Lana said with a cunning smile.


    "If you want to keep him alive, then just tell me," Faye said as she gave Lana a displeased glance. "What kind of spell did that boy cast on you? You''ve fallen for him so completely that you can''t even help yourself!"


    Lana stuck out her tongue in a cheeky manner, but deep down, she was wrestling with a difficult dilemma.


    He''s lost a lot of weight. It looks like this journey hasn''t been an easy one for him, she couldn''t help but think to herself.


    ...


    Looking at the approaching silver-haired woman, a hint of pride appeared on Cameron''s face, but that pride was also intermingled with concern. When it came to the state of the battle, it was obviously fantastic for the morale of the Effer Kingdom''s army that their princess was coming to reinforce them with allied troops. However, Cameron was more concerned about his daughter''s injuries. After all, prior to setting off, he recalled that Onean had still been in very bad condition, and he couldn''t help but wonder how she had managed to make it all the way here.


    Furthermore, he also had other reasons for deciding to leave Onean behind at Sarus. If something were to go wrong in this battle, order could still be maintained in the royal court by the intelligent and capable princess. However, now that Onean had arrived on the front lines, the only royals left in Sarus were his other children, who were far less capable of taking his place. Thus, if any unforeseen mishaps were to occur during this war, the Cameron Family could very easily be dethroned as the royal family of the Effer Kingdom.


    However, he hadn''t clearly articulated all of this to Onean prior to his departure. After all, she was still recovering from very severe injuries at the time, and he didn''t want to burden her with unnecessary stress. Most importantly, never did he think that Onean would be such a go-getter that she would come to the front lines on her own, and in addition to that, she had even brought her own unit of troops with her.


    What was very perplexing to him was that he hadn''t heard any news of Onean being sighted on the way to the front lines, so she had to have traveled in an extremely secretive manner. As such, Cameron had been caught completely off guard, and he was both elated and concerned.


    In contrast, Master Piro was looking very pleased to see his prized disciple here, but in reality, he was merely hiding his concern so that it wouldn''t be displayed outwardly.


    Professor Hawk could see that Erwin was charging at the forefront, and his first reaction upon seeing this was to cast his gaze toward Count Friar from afar. To his surprise, not only was Count Friar looking very calm and composed, there was even a faint smile on his face. However, unbeknownst to Professor Hawk, Count Friar''s grip around the shaft of his spear had tightened involuntarily.


    Atop the city wall of Illingburn Fort not far behind Count Friar.


    "Her Highness sure chose a good time to be making her entrance on the battlefield," Prince Lazaar said as he looked on at the dust cloud raised by the 5,000 royal cavaliers.


    "Where did they come from?" Sirius asked with a bemused expression.


    "They most likely traveled along the coast of the Joffan Sea from the south," Lazaar replied. "Look at the royal cavaliers following her, they''re the very same ones who were sent to reinforce Xeto under the two dukes a few days ago."


    "It''s incredible that not only was she able to sneak out of the royal palace without any noticing, she even made it all the way to the front lines!" Sirius said with a surprised expression.


    "The princess is definitely no slouch, that''s for sure," Lazaar praised in a slightly begrudging manner. "She must''ve figured out that this war is not as simple as it seems on the surface. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have come all this way while carrying such severe injuries."


    "But the fact that she did come indicates that she''s still not intelligent enough. If she had stayed in Sarus instead, she would''ve been able to pose more trouble to our plan," Sirius said.


    "If you ask me, it''s all the same no matter what she does. What do you think?" Prince Lazaar asked as he turned to Sirius with a confident smile.


    "I suppose you''re right." Sirius nodded in response.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Erwin and Onean were about to reach the battlefield, and they were also conversing with one another.


    "We finally made it," Erwin sighed while galloping along on horseback by Onean''s side. Thinking back to all of the road and bridge repairs they had done the previous night, Erwin felt like he never wanted to see a bridge ever again. Those vile Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries were extremely fortunate that Erwin and Onean hadn''t caught up to them. Otherwise, they would''ve been left to regret ever being born into this world!


    "Your complexion is not looking very good," Onean said as she turned to take a glance at him.


    "I''m exhausted from the past two days of travel."


    "In that case, you should hide at the back of the army. Once we enter the battlefield, I may not be able to protect you," Onean said in an indifferent voice.


    "Just make sure you don''t need me to save you, Your Highness," Erwin jibed in response.


    Onean took a glance at him, then turned to face the battlefield again as she raised a hand up high. "Everyone, spread out into your formations!"


    The 5,000 royal cavaliers immediately did as they were told, adopting a charging formation before rushing toward the flank of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army.


    Meanwhile, Erwin began to slow down and drop to the back of the army. At the same time, he turned around and yelled, "Sherry, lead our martial artists to charge alongside the royal cavaliers! Lanyon, come with me, we need to find a place where our magicians can attack from!"


    After receiving Erwin''s orders, Sherry and Lanyon immediately passed on the instructions to the rest of the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    "I''m going on ahead!" Kaiba''s spear was raised in front of him, and he rushed past Erwin like the wind atop his trusty steed. Before Erwin had a chance to react, Kaiba had already left him far behind, leaving only a trail of boisterous laughter in his wake.

 CH 63

    Gilgen looked on at the Effer Kingdom royal cavaliers that were flanking his army from the side, and his expression darkened even further.


    The formation of the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops on the eastern side of the army was completely thrown into disarray by the 5,000 royal cavaliers, and even though the outermost foot soldiers had adopted such defensive measures, the royal cavaliers had simply built up too much momentum from galloping over the Marrod Plain. They were storming along like a force of nature, and there was no way that they could be stopped by things like shields and spears.


    All of a sudden, Onean rose up into the sky from the back of her horse, and with a sweep of her silver staff, several dozen bolts of lightning were sent flashing through the air, wreaking havoc directly among the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks. Judging from her appearance and her impressive magic power, it was already clear to Gilgen that this woman was none other than Princess Onean. It was all thanks to Prime Minister Fuller that he had been able to develop such an extensive base of knowledge on all of the important figures of the Effer Kingdom. As for the man who was riding alongside Princess Onean, his identity was still a mystery to Gilgen.


    With another powerful magician joining the Effer Kingdom''s ranks, the unease in Gilgen''s heart was only continuing to grow. Onean had arrived with 5,000 royal cavaliers, while the overall difference in the number of troops between the Effer Kingdom and the Skycourt Kingdom on the battlefield was only around 10,000. In addition to that, the 5,000 royal cavaliers had already flanked the Skycourt Kingdom''s army to inflict severe casualties, so in reality, the number of troops on each side was roughly the same.


    As a result, the Skycourt Kingdom''s army had suddenly lost its numbers advantage, and it was still having to deal with all of the spells raining down upon them from above. As a seasoned general who was extremely sensitive to the ebb and flow of battles, Gilgen could already sense that the tide was turning firmly against the Skycourt Kingdom''s favor. There were still close to 20,000 soldiers in reserve on the Skycourt Kingdom''s side, but that wasn''t going to make any difference to the state of this battle. Even if Gilgen were to call upon all of his remaining troops to join the battle, they would still eventually all be decimated by the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom.


    The presence of Master Piro on the battlefield meant that the magicians of the Skycourt Kingdom couldn''t take any part in the battle, thereby placing the Skycourt Kingdom''s army at a severe disadvantage. In contrast, the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom were able to do whatever they pleased, attacking the Skycourt Kingdom''s soldiers on all corners of the battlefield with reckless abandon. This was the impact that a single magician of Master Piro''s caliber could have on a battlefield.


    Gilgen knew that his most urgent priority right now was to deal with Master Piro, but he was unable to get to Master Piro as he was unable to overcome King Cameron.


    "Didn''t I tell you not to get distracted during battle? Have you still not learned your lesson?" King Cameron said with a cold smile as he sliced through Gilgen''s metal boot with a swipe of his sword, inflicting a long gash onto Gilgen''s calf in the process.


    Gilgen clenched his teeth tightly to prevent himself from crying out in pain. He could feel that he was no longer able to move his wounded calf, which meant that this had to be a very deep wound that reached all the way to his tendons. Unfortunately for him, Cameron wasn''t even affording him the opportunity to inspect his own injury. Cameron was targeting Gilgen''s vital regions with every attack from his Wish sword, and Gilgen didn''t dare to allow himself to be distracted any longer. Even though his mobility was limited due to the wound he had sustained to his calf, he was still able to ward off Cameron''s attacks for now.


    Meanwhile, Cameron seemed to be toying with his prey. All of his attacks appeared to be aimed at Gilgen''s vital regions, but at the last second, he would switch his direction of attack to strike at Gilgen''s wounds instead. Gilgen was standing on one leg, so he could only remain on the spot and concentrate on defending himself. Even though he was able to just barely hold his own for the moment, it was clear that he wasn''t going to last very long if things were to continue in this fashion.


    Standing atop the city wall of Illingburn Fort, Prince Lazaar and Archbishop Sirius were closely watching the battle between Cameron and Gilgen.


    "Looks like that general of the Skycourt Kingdom isn''t going to be able to last much longer," Sirius said as he turned to Lazaar.


    "It''s about time. It''s not like we ever expected him to win this war on his own," Lazaar replied in an indifferent voice.


    Right as his voice trailed off, an agonized howl rang out from Gilgen, and the reason for it was because a chunk of flesh had been sliced off the wound on his calf by Cameron.


    "Lazaar, are you going to keep your promise or not?" Gilgen roared as he looked up at the top of the city wall to the south while using his own sword as a crutch, paying no heed to Cameron''s Wish sword, which was piercing toward him from behind. His voice penetrated through the Effer Kingdom''s reserve forces, which were led by Count Friar, to directly reach the ears of Prince Lazaar.


    "I knew he wasn''t going to be able to stay quiet for much longer," Prince Lazaar said with a cold expression, and Sirius nodded with an amused smile upon hearing this.


    Cameron immediately stopped what he was doing upon hearing what Gilgen had to say, and he cast his gaze toward the southern city wall of Illingburn Fort.


    Count Friar had naturally also turned around to look up at Prince Lazaar on the top of the city wall.


    Gilgen''s thunderous voice was audible throughout the entire battlefield, and even the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom in the sky involuntarily had their attention drawn to him.


    Of course, Onean, Erwin, Kaiba, and the others had also clearly heard what he had just said.


    Thus, in the blink of an eye, everyone on the battlefield had turned their eyes toward Prince Lazaar on the city wall of Illingburn Fort in unison.


    ...


    Prince Lazaar paid no heed to the scrutiny that had suddenly been directed at him, and he picked up one of the black flags on the city wall bearing the golden lion''s head emblem, then set it on fire. The flames immediately surged up the shaft of the flagpole, and in the blink of an eye, the entire flag had been incinerated into ashes in Lazaar''s hand.


    He then cast a cold gaze toward King Cameron from afar before raising his hand, allowing the remaining ashes of the flag to drift away with the wind.


    After that, all of the soldiers on the city wall picked up all of the black flags with golden lion''s head emblems sitting in the flag holders on the city wall, then tossed them down onto the ground at the foot of the wall. The entire process was very synchronized, and it was as if it had been rehearsed beforehand. After the black flags were removed, they were replaced by Prince Lazaar''s signature brown flags.


    Prince Lazaar has betrayed the Effer Kingdom!


    The troops of the Effer Kingdom were very much shaken by this shocking revelation, and many of them were still turning around to steal glances at the southern city wall during battle.


    Even though many people had already anticipated that this was going to happen, they were still struck by a sense of irrepressible shock now that it was actually happening right before their very eyes.


    King Cameron and Count Friar had naturally anticipated this possibility as well, but they had always been hoping that this wouldn''t happen, or that it would only happen after the war against the Skycourt Kingdom had already been decided. After all, no one wanted to have to deal with an invasion from a foreign kingdom and a rebellion from within at the same time, particularly when the rebel forces consisted of Prince Lazaar''s elite troops. For King Cameron, the ideal situation would''ve been to have Prince Lazaar killed through political means, but that plan obviously fell through.


    Thus, he had to settle for the next best thing, which was to instruct Lazaar to keep all of his troops in Illingburn Fort this entire time. He knew that if these tens of thousands of elite troops were to be sent out and dispersed, it would only be more dangerous for him. He knew just how much influence Lazaar had among the troops of Burmen. Even if he were to split all of these troops apart, Lazaar would be able to quickly gather them back together again. If Lazaar were to suddenly reassemble his troops and make a surprise strike during the final showdown between the two kingdoms, the situation would only be even more perilous. At the very least, with all of Lazaar''s troops gathered in one place, they were fighting a known and quantifiable foe.


    Count Friar had once asked why Cameron wasn''t sending Prince Lazaar into battle against the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces. In that case, the regular army from Sarus could simply remain in Illingburn Fort and conserve its forces while Prince Lazaar and General Gilgen duked it out. However, Cameron decided against that idea in the end. Firstly, Jenkins and his faction wouldn''t be willing to watch Lazaar earn all the accolades, so they''d be sure to object to such a plan. Secondly, given how cunning Lazaar was, he knew that Lazaar would definitely try to get into contact with Gilgen in private after returning to Burmen. Thus, even if he were to send out Lazaar to oppose the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces, he would only engage the enemy in battle in a halfhearted manner, and nothing would arise from that. The longer this war stretched on, the greater the chance that unforeseen circumstances would arise, so in King Cameron''s mind, it was in his best interest to put an end to things as quickly as possible.


    ...


    Gilgen had been howling in agony just a moment ago, yet he had since turned around to look at Cameron with a mocking expression. After witnessing what Lazaar had just done, even the injury on his leg didn''t hurt as much anymore.


    "You''ve finally revealed your sinister true self, you traitorous scum!" Cameron cursed as he cast his gaze toward the south, but there was no panic or surprise on his face at all.


    "All troops, prepare for battle!" Count Friar was already prepared for this, so he was able to react extremely quickly as he swiveled around on horseback. The 30,000 reserve troops behind him were also completely calm and collected as they turned around in the blink of an eye, ready to oppose the forces that were their allies just a moment ago.


    Lazaar cast his gaze toward the 30,000 troops in the north, and the gleaming Bai Ze sword [The Zhu Yan is a mythical creature in Chinese legends.] in his hand had already been raised up high, while waves of thunderous roars were ringing out from within Illingburn Fort behind him.


    "Long live, Lord Lazaar! Long live, Lord Lazaar! Long live, Lord Lazaar!"


    It was clear that the 60,000 elite troops under his command were already raring to go. Their blood had been boiling as they heard the sounds of the battle unfolding outside, and it was finally time for them to go into battle as well. These Burmen soldiers were loyal only to Prince Lazaar, and they had no respect or loyalty toward the king who had come from Sarus. In fact, it wouldn''t be inaccurate to say that they couldn''t wait for Prince Lazaar to finally rebel. Only once Prince Lazaar seized power would they be able to receive promotions to higher ranks.


    Outside Illingburn Fort, gusts of cold wind were sweeping over the battlefield, which was already laden with bodies.


    The city gates of Illingburn Fort swung open again, and the cavaliers of Burmen charged out of the city with the ground trembling violently under the hooves of their horses, making their way directly toward the 30,000 troops under Count Friar.


    "What are you looking so smug for? I''ll kill you right now, then send Lazaar to join you!" A fierce look appeared on Cameron''s face as he turned back to face Gilgen, then raised his sword and thrust it directly toward Gilgen''s heart. Even in the face of such a stunning revelation, King Cameron was still able to remain quite calm and reasoned. He knew that if he could kill the general of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army here, he would be able to control the state of the entire battlefield. The best course of action for him to follow was to kill all of these Skycourt Kingdom soldiers before taking care of the rebel forces.


    Gilgen had let down his guard slightly now that Lazaar had joined the battle, so he was unable to react to Cameron''s attack in time. By the time he returned to his senses, Cameron''s sword was already no more than two feet away from his own chest, so it was already too late for him to raise his sword to defend himself, and he could only accept his own imminent fate with a dejected expression.


    However, a crisp clang suddenly rang out as a streak of white light hurtled through the air before knocking Cameron''s sword aside, right as it was about to pierce into Gilgen''s chest.


    A sword had flown through the air to knock Cameron''s sword off its original path.


    After that, a figure rose up into the air from the top of the city wall before rushing directly toward Cameron.


    "So you still decided to betray me in the end, Lazaar," Cameron said as he withdrew his sword before turning his gaze toward the approaching figure.


    "I had no choice, Your Majesty. If it wasn''t for this Skycourt Kingdom invasion, you wouldn''t have allowed me to return to Burmen alive," Lazaar said as he spread open his palm, upon which Bai Ze returned to his grasp.

 CH 64.1

    "I won''t deny that. There''s no point in wasting time bickering with each other. Let''s decide this once and for all!" Cameron raised his sword and charged into battle against Lazaar, while Gilgen looked on with a slightly dazed expression, still reeling from brushing shoulders with death just now.


    The Wish sword was like a dragon that had just been awoken, and it was radiating scintillating golden light.


    With a thunderous roar, King Cameron swept his sword through the air with sufficient force to split mountains and part seas, releasing such a brilliant burst of golden radiance that everyone on the battlefield was led into thinking that a new sun was about to rise from the Marrod Plain.


    He''s been holding back this entire time! Gilgen thought to himself upon seeing this, and a chill ran down his spine as this thought occurred to him.


    It could be said that this attack from King Cameron had stunned everyone on the battlefield, with the exception of one man, who remained completely unmoved. Prince Lazaar raised his Bai Ze sword, charging directly toward the incandescent radiance with unwavering resolve and boundless courage.


    He cut a proud figure amid the golden light, and the aura emanating from his Bai Ze sword wasn''t inferior to that of the Wish sword in the slightest, pouring forth like the endless waves of the sea.


    A resounding clang rang out as the two swords clashed, and deep within the boundless radiance, Bai Ze and Wish began to tear at one another, while countless bursts of sword energy erupted all around them, instantly taking the lives of over 1,000 troops from both kingdoms.


    Meanwhile, Mistress Faye was still standing atop the city wall, and she cast a glance toward the two people locked in battle in the sky, then turned to Lana as she said, "Let''s go. It''s time for us to join the battle as well."


    Lana nodded in response, and the two of them rose up from the top of the city wall together.


    Mistress Faye was the youngest grandmaster magician in the Effer Kingdom, and she drew her silver serpentine staff, following with around a dozen bursts of blue-gray energy surged out of her fingertips before revolving around the staff, slowly making their way to its tip. As soon as the energy came into contact with the silver snake on the tip of the staff, eerie red light immediately began to glow from the snake''s eyes, following which plumes of smoke and mist erupted out of the snake''s mouth between its fangs, sweeping directly toward Count Friar''s forces.


    The blue-gray mist began to permeate throughout the 30,000 reserve troops, and all of the soldiers who inhaled it instantly had their pupils turn the same blue-gray color, shortly following which they began to suffer from a series of negative symptoms. Firstly, they would lose their sense of balance, followed by uncontrollable vomiting. Count Friar cast his gaze around him to find that all of the affected soldiers were throwing up green bile, and after they had nothing left to throw up, the soldiers would collapse to the ground and fall unconscious, following which their bodies would slowly disintegrate into puddles of putrid green liquid.


    In contrast, all of the Burmen cavaliers who were charging toward Count Friar''s troops had already lowered the visors attached to their helmets, and it was clear that they were very familiar with the spell that Mistress Faye had just unleashed.


    "Don''t inhale the smoke! Prepare for battle!" Count Friar yelled.


    Before Count Friar had a chance to rearrange his own troops, the enemy cavaliers had already arrived, and a fierce battle quickly broke out on the southern side of the Marrod Plain. In the sky above, Master Piro was originally keeping an eye on the battle between Cameron and Lazaar, but upon noticing the situation unfolding on Count Friar''s side, he immediately rushed over to provide his assistance. With a wave of his beechwood staff, the mist began to disperse, and in the blink of an eye, most of the cloud of toxic mist had already disappeared.


    "Since when did you become so vile and heartless? All of these people that you''re killing are soldiers of the empire!" Master Piro denounced as he glowered at Faye, and judging from his expression, it seemed that it had been many years since he had last been this angry at anyone. Perhaps it was because he was completely caught off guard by the fact that a magician of the same caliber as him would unleash such a sinister spell, particularly against her brethren from the same kingdom.


    "I don''t care about any kingdoms, I am loyal only to Prince Lazaar. Once I kill all of you today, your so-called kingdom will cease to exist anyway," Faye replied in a cold voice.


    "You can say whatever you want, but you''ll have to back up your words with your actions," Piro said with a cold expression.


    "That suits me just fine," Faye said as a faint smile appeared on her face. "You don''t know how many years I''ve been waiting for this opportunity."


    Piro didn''t say anything further as he took the initiative and struck first, releasing a burst of white light from his beechwood staff, which hurtled directly toward Faye at an alarming speed.


    "You''re using your magic power restriction again? Don''t you get tired of using the same old tricks every time?" A disdainful look appeared on Faye''s face as she swept her silver staff through the air, instantly conjuring up an azure magic shield to ward off the oncoming spell, keeping the burst of white light at bay several dozen feet away from her.


    After crashing into the magic shield, the burst of white light split up into several smaller bursts that began to skirt around the magic shield to continue flying toward Faye, who remained completely unfazed as she released several bursts of red magic energy from the tip of her serpentine staff in retaliation. The divided bursts of white light appeared to be quite small and feeble, yet they were able to easily devour the oncoming streaks of red magic energy.


    As a result, the radiance emanating from the bursts of white light grew a little brighter, and they also gradually expanded from thin lines into spheres.


    This spell has the ability to devour magic energy! Looks like the old bastard does have some tricks up his sleeve, Faye thought to herself in a surprised manner as she observed the white balls of light around her.


    With the white spheres hovering around Faye, all of the elemental matter around her had been completely sealed away, so no matter how immense her magic power was, there was nothing that she could do.


    This magic power restriction spell unleashed by Master Piro had just debilitated over 3,000 Skycourt Kingdom magicians not long ago, and it was now acting upon a single person.


    Of course, as a grandmaster magician herself, there was no way that Faye would be defeated so easily. Her expression remained completely unchanged as she let go of her serpentine staff, allowing it to hover in mid-air. She then brought her hands together to form a rhomboid shape before closing her eyes as she began to chant an incantation.


    Meanwhile, Erwin was fighting on the battlefield on the Marrod Plain, and he couldn''t help but have his attention drawn to the battle between the two grandmaster magicians. Thus, he stopped what he was doing and rose up into the sky, listening carefully to the incantation that Faye was chanting, upon which he noticed that she was also using the ancient magic language. This led him to wonder whether Mistress Faye had also read "A Discussion on the Ultimate Damage of Magic", which had been given to him by Professor Hawk.


    But judging from her appearance, Mistress Faye seems to be a lot younger than Professor Hawk. Could they really be romantically involved with each other? Erwin thought to himself with a perplexed expression. He recalled that Lana had once mentioned that her teacher was once a student of the same cohort as Professor Hawk at Teedus Academy. At the time, Erwin had suspected that the relationship between the two wasn''t so simple, yet even though there seemed to be some evidence supporting this notion, he was only becoming more doubtful about this possibility. After all, there seemed to be a massive age gap between the two of them based on their physical appearances.


    Unbeknownst to him, the age of a woman couldn''t be gleaned just from looking at her face.


    Just as Erwin was becoming absorbed in his own thoughts, Mistress Faye had already completed her spell, and a pair of pyramids that were glowing with azure light were conjured up, one above her, and one below her.


    The white balls of light in the surrounding area seemed to be powerless against this spell, unable to seal away the elemental matter around the two pyramids, nor devour the magic energy within them.


    Erwin looked closely at the pair of pyramids that had just been conjured up, and it occurred to him that this spell of Mistress Faye''s had a similar function to his light shield. The space within the pyramids was still isolated from the outside world, but the difference was that elemental matter was still present in the space, and time was also still flowing inside it.


    Piro wasn''t surprised to see that Faye had used an ancient spell to dispel his magic power restriction. After all, he wasn''t expecting to be able to defeat Faye with this spell alone in the first place.


    The space within the pyramid began to expand at a rate that was discernible even to the naked eye, and it quickly encompassed the dozen or so balls of white light, but it was continuing to expand, showing no signs of stopping.


    Even from such a far distance away, Erwin could sense that the expanding rhomboid space was aggressively devouring a certain type of elemental matter in the surrounding area. However, Erwin had no idea what Mistress Faye intended to do with this elemental matter.


    "Starfall!" With a loud cry, Mistress Faye provided the answer to the question in Erwin''s mind. With a wave of her hand, a layer of purple began to appear over the clear, blue sky, and a short while later, day had transitioned into night, and countless stars had appeared in the sky. Everyone from both the Skycourt Kingdom and the Effer Kingdom could sense the sky growing darker overhead, and everyone reflexively looked up at the sky to see what was happening, upon which all of them were stunned by the scene unfolding before their eyes.


    First, a single star began to fall, followed by a second one, and soon, clusters of stars were beginning to fall in rapid succession. Streaks of white light hurtled through the purple night sky, presenting a spectacular sight to behold. It was a marvelous scene that presented beauty and peril in equal measure.


    All of the falling stars had already concealed the entire sky, and even Cameron and Lazaar paused momentarily in their clash to look up at the sky with awe and wonder.


    "Looking out for the falling stars!" Cameron roared at the soldiers of the Effer Kingdom on the battlefield.


    At the same time, Gilgen and Friar were also commanding their own troops to evade the falling stars. Erwin, Sherry, and Lanyon naturally followed suit, instructing the mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion to take evasive measures.


    "All court magicians, conjure up your magic shields!" Professor Hawk was instructing all of the Effer Kingdom''s court magicians to conjure up magic shields above the allied troops.


    There were still many court magicians present on the battlefield on the Marrod Plain, so Onean decided to go to the southern battlefield, where there was a greater need for magicians, then conjured up a magic shield above the reserve troops led by Count Friar. Erwin noticed that Onean was traveling toward the southern battlefield, so he didn''t feel the need to go and find his own father. After all, with Onean''s powers, surely she would have no issues protecting the general of the reserve troops. In contrast, he was more worried about the likes of Kaiba and Sherry, who were very eager to earn accolades and make their mark on this war.


    Right as Onean was unleashing her spell, she noticed a red-haired figure standing not far away, and the latter had just raised a magic shield above the soldiers of Burmen.


    The red-haired woman seemed to have sensed Onean''s gaze, and she turned to her as well. Thus, the two of them stood in mid-air above the battlefield, looking across at each other under the purple night sky.


    If the Pillow Sword Tournament hadn''t been cut short, the two of them would''ve clashed in the grand final. However, this stage seemed to be a more appropriate one for these two exceptionally talented female magicians to battle it. There was so much on the line that losing was not an option for either of them.


    One couldn''t help but wonder what Erwin would feel if he were present to see this.


    ...


    The falling stars were drawing closer and closer with long tails of white light trailing behind them, and looking up at them, one could easily be forgiven for thinking that the sky was falling.


    What a formidable magician she is, Master Piro thought to himself as he looked up at the heavens.

 CH 64.2

    The first wave of falling stars was already close to reaching the ground, and the magicians of both kingdoms were already raising magic shields with all their might, but unfortunately for them, Mistress Faye''s spell was simply too powerful. Ordinary magic shields were completely incapable of warding off her terrifying spell, and massive holes were instantly punched into the clusters of magic shields up above.


    "Raise your shields!" The same command was issued by the generals of both kingdoms to their troops upon seeing this, but the effect was downright negligible.


    Right at this moment, a figure was seen speeding along on horseback, traversing through the chaotic battlefield with reckless abandon. The soldiers of both kingdoms around him were already fleeing in all directions to evade Mistress Faye''s formidable spell, yet this figure seemed to have no fear of the stars falling from above as he continued to gallop along the battlefield.


    "Get out of there, Kaiba! What the hell are you doing?" Erwin yelled in a frantic voice at the horse-riding figure.


    However, his words of caution fell upon deaf ears. Kaiba seemed to be desperately searching for something on the battlefield, completely ignoring the stars that were about to fall upon him.


    After failing to find what he was looking for with a rough glance, he sprang down from his horse and began to rush along the battlefield on foot while clawing through the mounds of corpses around him. His heart was beating so violently that he felt as if it were about to burst through his chest at any moment, and he was in such a panic that he couldn''t even tell if his own hands were actually clawing through the bodies or simply trembling uncontrollably. Even so, he still showed no signs of giving up. He was sweating profusely, and he couldn''t even tell whether the moisture in his eyes was sweat or tears, but he knew that he absolutely had to find the person that he was searching for.


    Meanwhile, Erwin looked on from the side with a surprised expression as Kaiba tore through the mounds of bodies like a desperate wild animal. Never had he seen Kaiba lose his composure to this degree before.


    Thankfully, his efforts paid off in the end, and he finally found a woman in an ochre dress lying on a certain corner of the battlefield. He pounced onto her with elation, shielding the unconscious woman with his own body as he panted heavily while a wave of intense relief washed over him. He then looked up at the falling stars, which were seconds away from crushing him, yet there was no fear in his eyes whatsoever. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face, and it seemed that even though he was going to be crushed to death soon, he would die content with no regrets so long as he could hold onto the woman in his arms.


    Thunderous, rumbling booms rang out from all directions as the falling stars plummeted onto the Marrod Plain before exploding with devastating force, wiping out countless troops from both kingdoms. Immediately following the resounding booms came cries of agony and panic, and it was as if doomsday had suddenly arrived. In the blink of an eye, the entire Marrod Plain was riddled with countless giant craters, from within which thick smoke was rising up incessantly, and there were charred bodies everywhere. The bodies were so badly burned that it was impossible to tell which kingdom they were from.


    A few drops of cold sweat began to flow down Erwin''s forehead.


    One of the falling stars was headed straight for Kaiba and Gwen, but thankfully, Erwin was able to react just in time, arriving in front of the two of them using a space split technique before conjuring up his light shield to save the duo just in time.


    Just this single falling star alone made Erwin feel as if he were supporting the weight of a mountain above his head, and that was testament to just how fearsome Mistress Faye''s magic power was.


    "Have you gone insane?" Erwin yelled. The magic energy within the falling star was taking a long time to dissipate, so he had to continue supporting his light shield.


    "It''s all worth it for her," Kaiba said as he hugged the woman in his arms even tighter against his own chest.


    Finally, the light shield absorbed all of the magic energy imbued within the falling star, and only then was Erwin able to turn around to look at Kaiba.


    "During the Pillow Sword Tournament, I could tell that you were looking at Gwen during her match against Lana. It looks like I was right to suspect something at the time," he said in an amused voice.


    Kaiba offered no response, and the look on his face was so joyful and content that it looked as if he had just fulfilled his own greatest wish in life.


    Erwin was very amused at the sight of Kaiba''s enamored state. Who could''ve imagined that someone like Kaiba, who regularly frequented mansions and had courted countless hostesses, would fall so deeply in love with a woman?


    On the southern end of the Marrod Plain, the troops there were far less affected by the storm of falling stars. After all, Faye didn''t want to inflict too much damage upon Prince Lazaar''s soldiers. Thus, Lana and Onean were able to keep out most of the falling stars with their magic shields, and as a result, neither Count Friar nor Prince Lazaar''s forces suffered heavy casualties.


    After witnessing how effective her first spell had been, Mistress Faye was eager for more, and she immediately began to release magic power through her fingertips, upon which more stars began to detach themselves from the night sky before falling toward the battlefield on the Marrod Plain.


    However, a cold smile suddenly appeared on Piro''s face upon seeing this, and he thought to himself, This is the moment I''ve been waiting for!


    A dazzling halo began to spread through the air from the tip of his beechwood staff, and it was particularly bright under the night sky. In the blink of an eye, the halo expanded into a circular surface, resembling a massive jade plate that was glowing with white light as it hung between heaven and earth.


    Magic power was surging rapidly out of Master Piro''s body as a gust of fierce wind blew over his face, causing his head of white hair to dance in a wild and chaotic fashion. With the light being released by the spell that he had just unleashed, one could clearly see that his face had become extremely pale and wizened, but his eyes were as sharp and piercing as ever, and they were giving off radiant silver light.


    A hint of concern appeared on Onean''s face upon seeing this.


    All of the stars falling from the heavens crashed violently onto the surface of the round plate as if they had plunged into a dazzling white lake, but even with so many devastatingly powerful stars falling upon the plate, they weren''t able to stir up even a single ripple on the plate''s still, mirror-like surface. This was no lake, it was a calm sea of light! No matter how powerful the storm of falling stars was, there was no way that it would be able to churn up an entire sea.


    This time, it was Faye''s turn to be surprised. She gradually arrived at the realization that all of the magic energy imbued within the storm of falling stars had been absorbed by this sea of light, which meant that aside from the first wave of falling stars, all of the magic power that she had expended in the rest of her spell was currently being absorbed by Piro''s spell.


    Prior to this, she had been wondering why Piro hadn''t done anything when her spell was wreaking havoc upon the entire battlefield. As it turned out, he was waiting for her to fully commit her magic power to the spell. It was important to realize that the magic power expended to unleash the next few waves of falling stars was far more than what it took to unleash the first wave.


    It was no wonder that Piro had done nothing to stop Faye from the very beginning and simply allowed her to take so many lives with that first wave of falling stars. His plan had always been to lure her into increasing her magic power output in the subsequent waves of attacks, thereby allowing him to strike back with this spell. If he had used this spell from the very beginning, then Faye would''ve conserved her own magic power and simply withdrawn her spell.


    After realizing Piro''s plan, Faye immediately put an end to her own spell, then cast her gaze toward the sea of light with tightly furrowed brows. She knew that a terrifying amount of magic energy was concealed beneath its calm and radiant surface. Without further injections of magic power, the dense purple clouds in the sky began to gradually dissipate, and the sky slowly returned to its original state.


    "Let me give you a taste of your own magic," Master Piro said as he turned to stare intently at Faye with white light still radiating from his eyes. He gently brought down the beechwood staff in his hand, and the sea of light that he had summoned immediately flipped over 90 degrees, making it perpendicular to the ground, hanging in the sky like a bright moon.


    However, this moon was fixated solely on Mistress Faye, with all of the rays of light it was releasing locked directly onto her. At this moment, the sea of light was more like a copper mirror that was reflecting the light of the heavens. Of course, at this point, the natural light in the sky was already completely being outshone by the stunning radiance being released from deep within the sea of light.


    One falling star after another began to erupt out of the sea of light, and all of them hurtled directly toward Faye.


    The two connected pyramids were instantly shattered by one of the falling stars.


    "This is all you''ve got? You have to resort to using my own magic against me?" Faye scoffed with a cold smile as she grabbed onto her silver serpentine staff, which was hovering beside her hand. She then raised her staff before her while holding onto it with both hands, and the bright red eyes of the snake lit up once again, immediately following which a giant blue serpent emerged from the ground to protect her.


    The enormous serpent''s eyes were also glowing with a bright red gleam, and it flicked out its forked tongue before opening its cavernous mouth up wide, then swallowed all of the stars that were shooting out of the sea of light with ease. After that, it swiveled around, and the crimson light glowing from its eyes grew even significantly brighter as bolts of crimson lightning erupted out of its pupils, hurtling directly toward Count Friar and his troops.


    Onean was situated closest to the action, and she could already sense that these were no ordinary bolts of lightning. Thus, she immediately conjured up several pillars of golden lightning, which intertwined with one another and combined as one in the blink of an eye. Thus, a massive golden net immediately took shape in front of the Effer Kingdom''s reserve troops to shield them.


    However, the bolts of crimson lightning pierced directly through the net of golden lightning, seemingly without encountering any impediment, and all of the soldiers who were struck by the crimson lightning were instantly transformed into a series of crystalline crimson statues. Even the looks of alarm and horror on their faces had been perfectly preserved.


    These crystalline statues were then quickly reduced to chunks of shattered crystals upon being struck by the spears of Prince Lazaar''s soldiers.


    "Everyone, spread out! Make sure you spread yourselves out and look out for that crimson lightning!" Count Friar immediately commanded in a loud voice. He knew that if his troops were to continue to adopt such tightly packed formations, then they would be perfect targets for Faye''s spell.


    The commanders of Lazaar''s forces were quite experienced, and as soon as they spotted Friar''s soldiers spacing themselves out, they immediately sent a wave of foot soldiers to charge toward Friar''s troops. However, that attack was quickly nullified by the calm and collected Count Friar.


    In this tense situation, Count Friar''s impressive acumen as a commander was put on full display. Lazaar''s elite soldiers outnumbered his own by two to one, and his own troops had been afflicted by Faye''s toxic mist, falling stars, and crimson lightning, yet even so, Lazaar''s forces were still unable to tear through any of the defensive lines formed by the reserve soldiers under his command. These elite soldiers under Lazaar were adopting their renowned eight-man group formations that had reaped them brilliant success in the past, but they weren''t able to gain any advantage against Count Friar and his troops.


    Of course, part of the credit also had to go to Cameron for his assignment of troops prior to the commencement of the battle. On the surface, these 30,000 troops appeared to be reserve soldiers, but in reality, they were all elite soldiers of the Royal Guard, and they had been assigned here specifically to deal with Lazaar''s forces.

 CH 65

    Even though Cameron and Lazaar were locked in a fierce battle in the sky, they would still occasionally divert their attention to inspect the battlefield on the southern part of the Marrod Plain. This was because the clash between the two grandmaster magicians had the potential to decide the outcome of this entire war.


    As for the battlefield between the kingdoms at the center of the Marrod Plain, the formations of both armies had already been plunged into complete disarray in the wake of Mistress Faye''s Starfall spell, and the commanders of both armies were actively rallying their troops in preparation for the next wave of battle.


    On the main battlefield, there were still around 40,000 troops left in the Effer Kingdom''s army. In contrast, the Skycourt Kingdom''s army was faring a little worse, with only less than 30,000 soldiers left. The key difference between the two armies was Master Piro, who had allowed the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom to ravage the Skycourt Kingdom''s forces as they pleased, thereby quickly whittling down the Skycourt Kingdom''s numbers advantage and eventually reversing it. Even though Master Piro had since gone to the battlefield in the south, the court magicians were still led by a whole host of grand magic mentors, including Professor Hawk, so the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians were still struggling to make an impact.


    After barely escaping with his life from his battle against Cameron, Gilgen had gone back to commanding the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops, and the longer the battle wore on, the more he realized that he had underestimated both King Cameron himself, as well as the power of the Effer Kingdom''s forces. The teamwork between the Royal Guard and the Royal Cavalry Brigade on the ground, and the Court Magician Council in the sky, was nothing short of seamless, and it was proving to be a very tough combination to oppose. Unfortunately for Gilgen, after that wound he had sustained to the leg, he was unable to rise up into the sky in person to slay all of these pesky court magicians.


    While the two armies were reorganizing their formations, Gilgen summoned all of the remaining troops under his command onto the battlefield, looking as if he were about to make one final push to win the battle. He then cast his gaze upward, where Cameron and Lazaar had already exchanged over 100 blows, yet there was still no decisive outcome in their battle.


    "Lazaar, you withstood the first half of my attack, now it''s time to show you the second half," Cameron said as he took a half step backward, and his Wish sword circled through the air in a glorious arc before being unleashed with the force of the very heavens behind it. "Humbling Heaven and Earth!"


    The thunderous roar of a dragon rang out across the entire sky as the sword was plunged forward with unstoppable might.


    In the face of King Cameron''s unmatched power and regal might, even heaven and earth were humbled.


    Prince Lazaar could tell that this attack was too powerful for him to withstand head-on, and he immediately took evasive measures. Despite his immense powers, he was still affected by the sword energy radiating from the attack as it passed by him, causing the blood to boil and churn in his veins. However, to his surprise, Cameron''s attack didn''t seem to be directed at him. Instead, the burst of golden radiance was hurtling directly toward Mistress Faye.


    "Look out!" Lazaar immediately yelled in Faye''s direction.


    However, Faye was in the process of gathering all of the magic energy imbued within the falling stars toward the tip of the giant serpent''s tongue, and she didn''t want to stop what she was doing. All of a sudden, two bursts of bright red light erupted out of the enormous serpent''s eyes, flashing directly toward Count Friar, who was instructing the Effer Kingdom''s reserve forces.


    "Look out, Teacher!" Lana immediately raised her staff at the sight of the approaching burst of golden light, instantly conjuring up several dozen ice spikes in front of Mistress Faye.


    Meanwhile, Onean rushed over to Count Friar before positioning herself in front of him. She then brought her hands together, and the net of golden lightning converged to form a golden shield to ward off the light blasting out of the serpent''s eyes.


    However, despite Lana and Onean''s incredible aptitude for magic, they were still too young in the end. Even though they had reacted very quickly, there was still a significant disparity in power between them and those who stood at the pinnacle of the older generation.


    Cameron had unleashed one of his most powerful attacks, and it was not something that could be opposed by the average spell. Thus, the burst of brilliant golden radiance pierced directly through the dozens of ice spikes conjured up by Lana.


    Meanwhile, Onean was also in a very perilous situation. Upon striking the golden shield, the two bursts of red light were only obstructed for a split second before piercing through the shield with ease.


    There was still some distance between Onean and Piro and Cameron, so the latter two were unable to help her. Thus, the two of them could only look on with alarm and panic in their eyes. Could it be that one of the most brilliant magicians of the younger generation was about to be reduced to a crystalline statue as well?


    In this dire situation, a purple-robed figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The two bursts of red light released from the serpent''s eyes were giving off a sinister aura, yet right before they managed to reach Onean, they struck the outer wall of Erwin''s light shield first.


    Everyone was astonished to see that someone had managed to instantly traverse the entire battlefield on the Marrod Plain to arrive at the southern end. However, they quickly realized who it was after seeing that distinctive light shield. It was none other than Count Friar''s only son, Erwin, who had created quite a reputation for himself as a time and space magician back in Sarus.


    A sense of security immediately welled up in Onean''s heart at the sight of the purple-robed figure who had appeared in front of her, and a faint smile appeared on her face.


    Piro and Cameron were also extremely relieved to see the light shield prevent Faye''s spell from striking Onean.


    Lana was watching the man within the light shield with a cold expression, but there was an irrepressible hint of concern and longing in her eyes. Prior to this, they had been situated quite far away from one another, so she had been able to suppress her own emotions, but now that she was seeing him up close, she could feel an indescribable feeling well up in her heart, and this feeling refused to go away. All of a sudden, she became so absorbed in her own emotions that she forgot the perilous situation her teacher was in.


    No one in this world could easily nullify Mistress Faye''s spells, but space-time rifts were capable of such a feat.


    Just as Erwin had anticipated, the two bursts of red light were imbued with immense magic energy, and they were able to instantly scatter the matter energy that was trying to surge into the light shield from its outer wall.


    Only when the time and space inside and outside the light shield were cast into disarray would it be possible for space-time rifts to appear. During his battle against Talan on the Joffan Sea not long ago, a similar situation had occurred, and at the time, the conditions required for the space-time rift to appear had only been satisfied by a clash between all-out attacks from both sides. However, the same conditions were satisfied on this occasion with just a single attack from Mistress Faye, and that was sufficient testament to just how fearsome a magician she was.


    "You''re always tugging on people''s heartstrings, aren''t you?" Erwin said in a resigned voice as he withdrew his light shield.


    "I didn''t think I was so important to you," Onean said with a faint smile as she looked at the person in front of him.


    Count Friar looked on at the pair of young people standing in front of him, and he was feeling a little dejected. Am I already so old that I need to be saved by a pair of kids?


    In reality, he could''ve evaded that attack from Faye, but he was still feeling very pleased to see Erwin showing such a dependable side to himself.


    In contrast, Mistress Faye was in a far more perilous situation. She didn''t even get a chance to examine the spell that Erwin had just used before the burst of golden light unleashed by King Cameron''s sword was about to reach her.


    An all-out attack unleashed by King Cameron was naturally one that was imbued with tremendous power, and after breaking through the ice spikes, the burst of golden light wasn''t slowed down in the slightest as it pierced directly into the giant serpent''s throat. In the blink of an eye, the massive blue serpent had already faded out of existence.


    At this point, the formidable attack was already within 10 feet of Faye, and she immediately raised her serpentine staff in retaliation, upon which a ferocious hurricane erupted out of the snake''s mouth.


    The burst of golden radiance was obstructed momentarily, and it twisted around with a thunderous draconic roar as if it were expressing its frustration from its inability to bypass the wall of fierce wind before it


    Faye looked on as Cameron''s sword intent twisted around in the form of a golden dragon before pouncing toward the tip of her serpentine staff again, and even though she was using all of her remaining magic power to fuel the hurricane before her, which was tearing viciously at the golden dragon from all directions, she was still unable to prevent the head of the dragon from gently touching the tip of her staff.


    Immediately after contact was made, Mistress Faye threw up a large mouthful of blood before flying back through the air.


    Everyone was still reeling from the sight of Cameron''s formidable display of power, so no one noticed that a burst of white light had already arrived behind Master Piro in a silent and stealthy manner. As it turned out, it was Prince Lazaar''s Bai Ze sword.


    "Look out, Master Piro!" By the time Cameron spotted the perilous situation that Master Piro was in, Lazaar had already arrived directly behind him.


    After unleashing a series of extremely taxing advanced spells in succession, Master Piro''s body was already in a considerably weakened state, and his magic power reserves were also close to running dry, so his senses toward the environment around him had been significantly dulled. Furthermore, his attention had been focused entirely on Onean and the attack that Cameron had just unleashed, so it didn''t even begin to occur to him that he could fall victim to a sneak attack.


    Before he even had a chance to turn around, Bai Ze had already pierced into his back before plunging out of his stomach.


    He looked down at the tip of the sword protruding out of his stomach with a dazed expression, and a sense of feebleness welled up in his heart. Perhaps from the moment he heaved that forlorn sigh while standing in front of the gates of Sarus, he already knew that he wouldn''t have much longer to live. At the time, he had already anticipated this battle between King Cameron and Prince Lazaar. As a grandmaster magician, there was no way that he could stay out of such a clash, and he knew that there was a very good chance that he would lose his life during the battle. At his age, life and death had already ceased to mean much to him. It was an honor for him to dedicate this final chapter of his life to the Cameron Family, and he had no regrets. However, he was feeling a little disappointed that he wouldn''t be able to see his prized disciple inherit the crown from King Cameron.


    Lazaar pulled Bai Ze out of Piro''s body in an expressionless manner, then rushed back in retreat as he watched Cameron with a cautious expression.


    Cameron turned to Lazaar with an enraged gaze, and he was angry at Lazaar for his underhanded actions, but also furious at himself for letting down his guard.


    Cameron had sent Faye flying with his unmatched sword strike, while Lazaar had impaled Piro with his sneak attack. Thus, neither side had come out on top in the wake of this sequence.


    "Teacher!" Onean hurriedly flew over to Master Piro''s side to support him and prevent him from falling.


    Master Piro dabbed at the blood flowing down from the corners of his lips with his own sleeve, then shook his head with a wry smile as he gave Onean a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "It''s alright, I''m fine."


    Onean immediately cast an advanced healing spell onto Piro''s wound, but this was a wound inflicted by someone as powerful as Lazaar using a divine weapon of Bai Ze''s caliber, so the wound naturally couldn''t be healed by a simple advanced healing spell.


    In comparison, Faye wasn''t in much better condition, either. After being sent flying by Cameron''s attack, she had crashed directly into the city wall of Illingburn Fort before coming to rest.


    Lana immediately arrived by her side, but at that point, she had already fallen unconscious. Lana quickly performed a physical examination on Mistress Faye to find that her breastbone had been shattered, and her internal organs had all been damaged. On top of that, her face had also been severely scratched by the shattered bricks of the city wall.


    Just like with Onean, Lana''s efforts to treat Mistress Faye''s injuries also proved to be futile.


    Lazaar cast his gaze toward the south, and he naturally saw the terrible condition that Mistress Faye was in, but his true objective was actually to establish eye contact with Sirius, who was standing atop the city wall.

 CH 66.1

    The intention behind Prince Lazaar''s gesture was very clear: he was telling the archbishop of the True Light Church that it was time to get moving.


    Sirius naturally knew what he had to do, and thus, he quickly turned around before waving the golden rainbow staff in his hand toward the church army inside the city. The priests and magicians immediately reacted upon seeing this, and they rushed out of the city gates of Illingburn Fort. This was already the third time that a unit of troops had emerged from the city.


    The troops of the church army were dressed in white robes and clad in suits of white armor, making them extremely eye-catching. Even though there were only 6,000 of them, they were all the elite of the elite, and in addition to that, they had been trained by Sirius over the course of many years, so they were already quite a formidable unit. Prince Lazaar was a brilliant tactician, so he naturally had his own reasons for summoning the church army at this particular point in time.


    Cameron cast his gaze toward the church army from afar, then turned to Lazaar as a derisive sneer appeared on his face. "Are you finally bringing out your trump card? You and Sirius have been close for many years now. Has he finally been convinced to jump onto your sinking ship? So be it, this suits me just fine. I was going to deal with the True Light Church eventually anyway, so I should thank you for gathering all of their troops in one place. Now, I can eradicate this cult alongside the traitors of the kingdom!"


    Lazaar offered no response to him as he continued to issue orders to the soldiers of Burmen down below. "All troops, disperse to allow your comrades from the church to pass through!"


    After receiving the order, the soldiers of Burmen parted down the center in an orderly fashion, creating a path for the church army to pass through. For an army, it was considered to be quite shameful to admit that they couldn''t take down an enemy fort and allow allies to take their place in the attack. However, that didn''t seem to apply to these Burmen soldiers at all. All of them wore calm and composed expressions that didn''t betray any emotional fluctuations.


    This reaction from the Burmen soldiers felt quite abnormal to Erwin, and he had a vague sense that something wasn''t quite right. With that in mind, he turned to look at Onean, who just so happened to be turning her gaze toward him as well. Thus, their eyes met, and both of them could see their own befuddlement mirrored in one another''s eyes. They couldn''t help but wonder what Prince Lazaar''s objective was for unleashing the True Light Church''s forces at a time like this.


    Standing in the sky above the fort, Cameron also cast a meaningful gaze toward Count Friar, indicating for him to be careful. Truth be told, he had no idea how powerful the church army was going to be. All he knew was that the church''s magicians formed quite a formidable unit. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have been able to make such significant contributions in the battles against magic creatures in the Terarody Mountain Ranges.


    Even though Master Piro had sustained a severe wound, he knew that he couldn''t afford to rest and receive treatment at a time like this. At the back of the oncoming church army was a series of white-robed figures, and those were undoubtedly the magicians of the True Light Church. With that in mind, he immediately released a white magic blast toward the Court Magician Council of the Effer Kingdom, who was still situated on the northern battlefield, and even using such a simple elementary spell was enough to leave him gasping for breath. Professor Hawk and the other grand magic mentors immediately sprang into action upon seeing the magic blast, and after a brief discussion, half of the court magicians were sent to the southern battlefield.


    Piro heaved an internal sigh of relief upon seeing Professor Hawk approaching from the north with half of the court magicians. At the moment, he was only just barely holding on through sheer force of will so that he wouldn''t collapse in the presence of the two armies. He knew that if news of his injuries were to spread across the two battlefields, then the morale of the Effer Kingdom''s army would undoubtedly be severely dented, while the morale of the enemy troops would be significantly raised. In that case, the tides of victory would begin to turn in the enemy''s favor, and that was something he absolutely couldn''t allow to happen.


    He had already served the Cameron Family for his entire life, yet now, in his seventies and on the brink of death, he was still forced to put up a strong front, even having to force back the blood that was threatening to gush out of his mouth.


    Onean''s heart was throbbing with pain and sorrow as she watched her teacher swallowing the blood that was trying to force its way out of his mouth. She wanted to stroke his back to ease his pain, but there was still blood gushing out of the wound on his back, so she didn''t dare to do that.


    In the blink of an eye, the white-armored troops of the church army had already charged into the fray, while the magicians of the church behind them had also risen up into the air in groups.


    "All soldiers, adopt defensive formations and be on your guard!" Count Friar was a seasoned commander on the battlefield, and he certainly wasn''t going to be intimidated by an army of just 6,000.


    Furthermore, in contrast with the elite soldiers of Burmen, this church army didn''t appear to be formidable in the slightest. As the white-armored troops drew closer and closer, it gradually dawned upon Friar that the suits of white armor that they were wearing seemed to be rather special. This was because all of the cavaliers were looking very maladroit and cumbersome, and as a result, the entire unit was unable to gather much speed in its forward charge.


    As the two sides clashed, Count Friar only became more perplexed. All of the soldiers of the church army were powerful martial artists, but most of them were especially adept in defense. In addition to that, their suits of armor were extremely thick and heavy so it was almost impossible to inflict any damage upon them, but at the same time, they weren''t capable of dishing out much damage themselves. Thus, he was left wondering exactly what Lazaar''s plan was. Even the elite troops of Burmen hadn''t been able to break through the formation of the Effer Kingdom''s reserve troops under Count Friar, how was a unit of troops that possessed far inferior offensive capabilities supposed to do any better?


    There were 4,000 church cavaliers charging at the front, while the remaining 2,000 church magicians were facing the court magicians, led by Professor Hawk. Even though the court magicians were at a disadvantage when it came to numbers, they were superior when it came to average magic power, so even though there were only 1,000 court magicians, they were still able to hold their own against the 2,000 church magicians. Occasionally, a few spells would strike the reserve troops of the Effer Kingdom, but they were all spells that inflicted negative status conditions such as sluggishness or paralysis, so they weren''t enough to cause much harm.


    As a result, Count Friar was becoming even more confused. With his extensive experience as an army commander, it was becoming more and more apparent to him that the objective of this church army seemed to be to stall for time rather than to overcome the Effer Kingdom''s reserve troops. Thus, he couldn''t help but wonder exactly what Lazaar''s objective was.


    Not long after the two armies clashed, Erwin also noticed that the church cavaliers were sorely lacking in firepower, and the church magicians also weren''t as fearsome as the rumors suggested. However, he wasn''t in a hurry to rush into battle. Instead, he chose to stay close to Count Friar and Princess Onean, who were the most important people to him on the battlefield.


    Of course, in his heart, Lana was just as important as Onean, but she was in the opposing army from his own father, so he couldn''t stand by her side. Upon catching sight of Lana earlier, he felt as if his heart were about to melt, and he didn''t even dare to look into her eyes. After the Pillow Sword Tournament, the two of them had gone their separate ways, and this was only their first meeting since then. However, they were situated in opposing armies as enemies. Thinking back to the kiss they had shared during the Pillow Sword Tournament, he desperately wanted to join her, but under the current circumstances, he didn''t even dare to take a single glance at her. As his mind began to drift, he couldn''t help but think back to the question that Onean had asked him back in the royal palace. What was he supposed to do here? Of course, his hope was that King Cameron would emerge victorious from this battle, but if that were to happen, then there was no way that the Lazaar Family would be spared, and the thought of the fate that would befall Lana immediately had his stomach in knots.


    If I can find an appropriate opportunity, I''ll take her with me and escape from this battlefield. I''m still not powerful enough to change the outcome of this battle, but I should be able to protect her and escape from here, Erwin thought to himself. He then thought back to his conversation with Lana on that night. The two of them could set off by sea to a faraway land, leaving this continent far behind to lead a life of exploration and hedonism, and that was not an unattractive thought to him. In any case, he had never been very fixated on things like wealth and status.


    As always, Erwin was very self-centered and conceited. He was mapping out this entire plan in his own mind without considering whether Lana would be willing to go with him. In fact, he was already thinking about tying Onean up and taking her with him as well. However, Onean was the rightful heir to the throne, so it wouldn''t be so easy to bring her along, and that was quite a vexing thought to him. If the two women could see what Erwin was thinking, they would undoubtedly be inclined to administer some physical punishment upon him again.


    In Erwin''s mind, there was no point in forcing himself to answer the question of which woman he loved more out of Lana and Onean. All he knew was that he loved both of them, and that he was willing to protect both of them with his life. Deep down, he was a selfish person who only cared about the people who mattered to him. As for the likes of King Cameron or Prince Lazaar, he couldn''t care less whether they lived or died. In fact, he didn''t even care about the outcome of this war. As had always been one of his life philosophies, he saw no point in worrying about things that were outside of his control.


    Standing in the sky above the battlefield, Cameron was looking down at the cumbersome church cavaliers with a derisive sneer on his face. "Are these supposed to be the best soldiers that Sirius has to offer? Why does it look like they don''t have any firepower to speak of? It''s incredible to me that you felt like this was a trump card worth keeping up your sleeve!"


    From Cameron''s perspective, he didn''t mind stalling for time. The purpose of the reserve troops of the Effer Kingdom was to keep Lazaar''s elite troops occupied anyway. Cameron''s overall plan for this battle was to take care of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army first, then focus his attention on Lazaar and his men. Thus, in his eyes, Lazaar was doing him a favor by sending out this defensively adept church army as a blatant time-stalling tactic.


    Looking at the derisive sneer on Cameron''s face, a faint smile began to play on Lazaar''s lips.


    Cameron was rather bemused to see this, but most of all, he was struck by a sense of anger. What he was frustrated by was that he couldn''t tell if Lazaar was doing this as a bluff or if there were actually a purpose behind his actions, and what he was enraged by was the hint of mockery in Lazaar''s smile, as if he had already won the battle and was merely toying with his prey. He knew that Lazaar was never the type of person to display much emotion, so the fact that there was such a clear look of triumph on his face meant that he had to have prepared some type of unexpected trump card.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the battlefield between the two kingdom''s armies, General Gilgen was ecstatic to see that half of the Effer Kingdom''s court magicians had been diverted away to the southern battlefield. He immediately called upon the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians, who had been completely dominated this entire time, to attack the remaining court magicians on the battlefield.


    However, the overall quality of the Effer Kingdom''s remaining 1,000 court magicians was still very impressive, and even though the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians outnumbered them two to one, they were still able to gain a significant edge during the direct clash that ensued.


    However, none of this came as a surprise to Gilgen. He wasn''t expecting the Skycourt Kingdom''s mediocre magicians to turn the tide of the battle anyway. All he needed was for them to keep the opposing court magicians occupied so he wouldn''t have to worry about the Skycourt Kingdom''s army being bombarded by spells from above.

 CH 66.2

    After the two armies had reorganized their troops, Gilgen had summoned his remaining 20,000 or so troops onto the battlefield, so at the moment, the Skycourt Kingdom''s army still held a number of advantages to the tune of around 8,000 over the Effer Kingdom''s army. Furthermore, even though Gilgen was fighting on one leg, he was still far more formidable than the commanders among the Effer Kingdom''s ranks, and the morale of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army naturally received a significant boost with him leading the way.


    Here, it would be unfair not to mention the Four Winds mercenary legion.


    Just as Gilgen was tearing through the enemy ranks with unmatched power, he was approached by two figures, one of whom was carrying a woman on his back.


    "Take this!" Kaiba immediately unleashed an all-out spear strike toward General Gilgen''s waist from behind.


    Gilgen could sense the power of the spear hurtling toward him from behind, and he didn''t dare to ignore it. He immediately turned around, then lashed out in retaliation with his Zhu Yan sword. In doing so, he revealed an opening around his chest region, and a metal fist instantly arrived to exploit the opening.


    In response, Gilgen raised his other hand, catching the oncoming fist right before it reached his chest.


    Sherry had injected all of the power in his entire body into that punch, but it had been nullified with ease by Gilgen.


    However, that still wasn''t the end. All of a sudden, yet another figure emerged stealthily from the side, then unleashed an attack on Gilgen''s wounded calf while he was occupied by Kaiba and Sherry. The third figure was wielding a pair of crimson crescent daggers, and they were giving off bone-chilling killing intent, much like the eyes of a starving wolf.


    Gilgen was naturally able to sense the arrival of the third assailant, and he immediately forced back Kaiba''s spear with his sword, then swiveled around before sweeping his Zhu Yan sword toward this third assailant. As his sword flashed through the air, it began to glow with bright crimson light, and a gust of fierce wind swept through the surrounding area.


    In the face of Gilgen''s formidable crimson sword energy, Georgina immediately planted a foot forcefully onto the ground, changing directions at the last second to just barely evade the attack. He then took a glance back at the burst of sword energy that he had just dodged, and a chill instantly ran down his spine. At the same time, he was extremely thankful for his own exceptional bodily control. Otherwise, he would''ve been split into two just now. Of course, for an assassin like him, superb bodily control was very much a necessity.


    Regardless of what their intentions were, these three martial artists from the Four Winds mercenary legion had to be commended for their courage. Even though General Gilgen was clearly injured, he was still the most powerful warrior among the Skycourt Kingdom''s ranks. Having said that, he was also the general of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army, and killing him would be an enormous achievement. In the wake of such an alluring prospect, the three of them simply weren''t able to resist.


    In contrast with the ambitious trio, Lanyon was far more mature and reserved in his approach. He was leading the magicians of the Four Winds mercenary legion, and he was ensuring that they didn''t catch the attention of the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians as they roamed over the battlefield. He knew that the Skycourt Kingdom''s magicians were completely fixated on the more powerful court magicians, so they wouldn''t pay any heed to magicians from a mercenary legion like them. Thus, he was able to comfortably attack the Skycourt Kingdom''s troops while skirting around the edges of the battlefield with 100 or so magicians under his command.


    Gilgen wasn''t very interested in the young trio he had just been attacked by. However, his gaze was drawn toward the woman that was being carried on Kaiba''s back.


    "So you picked her up, did you? Is she your lover?" Gilgen asked as he cast his gaze toward Kaiba.


    "What does that have to do with you?" Kaiba asked in a cold voice as he lashed out with his spear again. The tip of his spear flashed through the air in a glorious arc as it swept toward Gilgen, and his movements appeared to be quite graceful and effortless, but that didn''t make the attack any less lethal.


    "No. I just wanted to tell you that she has quite a nice ass," Gilgen said in an indifferent voice as he easily dealt with Kaiba''s attack with his Zhu Yan sword, taking a subtle glance at the unconscious Gwen as he did so.


    Kaiba was infuriated upon hearing this, but unfortunately for him, he was no match for Gilgen. At this moment, he was suddenly beginning to miss Kaiba. With his lackluster skills as a martial artist, his presence during this battle wouldn''t make any difference to the outcome, but he possessed a sharp tongue like no other, so at least they wouldn''t lose in the war of words.


    The trio exchanged a glance, and after a brief moment of silent communication, they immediately formed a triangle, trapping General Gilgen at the very center. Even though their initial attacks had failed to achieve the desired outcome, that wasn''t enough to discourage them.


    Right as the three of them were about to launch another attack on General Gilgen, a thunderous draconic roar suddenly rang out from the horizon.


    All of the people on the battlefield who weren''t deaf clearly heard the earth-shattering string of draconic roars echoing throughout heaven and earth to the northwest of the Marrod Plain, completely drowning out all of the other sounds on the battlefield.


    As a result, many people stopped what they were doing, then turned toward the northwest to see what was happening.


    Of course, King Cameron, Princess Onean, Master Piro, Count Friar, and Erwin had also turned their attention toward the same direction.


    On the city wall of Illingburn Fort, the unconscious Mistress Faye gradually awakened upon hearing the thunderous draconic roars ringing out in the distance. The concern on Lana''s face eased slightly at the sight of Mistress Faye returning to her senses, and she gently stroked her teacher''s hand as she said with a smile, "Teacher, Aiden has arrived!"


    Looking out into the vast wilderness to the northwest, the sky had become extremely dark. It wasn''t just a simple case of the natural light being concealed behind a layer of clouds. Instead, what had actually encompassed the entire sky was a series of enormous wyverns. Their wings were like masses of clouds that threatened to devour heaven and earth, and with every single flap of those wings, gusts of ferocious wind would be swept up along the entire landscape. At the same time, their deafening roars were sending violent tremors through the ground beneath them.


    Everyone was looking up at the flight of approaching dragons with incredulous expressions. Throughout all of history, never had anyone heard of wyverns appearing on a battlefield. Furthermore, this was an innumerable flight of dragons that was encompassing the entire sky! Aside from the soldiers of Burmen and the church army, none of the soldiers on the battlefield had seen anything like this, and their throats immediately ran dry, while their hearts fluttered unsteadily. Even the most courageous of warriors had to admit that they were feeling a sense of fear rising up from deep inside their hearts.


    Erwin was just as astonished as everyone else, but he still had the presence of mind to conduct a rough count, upon which he discovered that there were at least 30 to 40 dragons approaching the battlefield, and these wyverns were over twice the size of that fire dragon he had encountered in the mountain ranges last time.


    King Cameron was staring at the flight of wyverns with shock and disbelief in his eyes. Never could he have imagined that the final trump card Lazaar had up his sleeve would be these formidable magic beasts from the Terarody Mountain Ranges.


    Over the course of his long and illustrious life, Master Piro had seen many things, but even he was staring up at these giant creatures with a slack-jawed expression, and he was so incredulous that he temporarily forgot the pain of his injury.


    Cameron was the first one to return to his senses, and he turned to stare at Lazaar as if he were looking at a ghost. He simply couldn''t understand how Lazaar had managed to tame these magic beasts of the Terarody Mountain Ranges. This was something that no one had managed to accomplish in the past several thousand years, yet Lazaar had somehow pulled it off. Was this really something that was humanly possible?


    Looking up at the flight of approaching dragons, Gilgen finally understood where Lazaar''s inexplicable confidence was coming from. As it turned out, his final trump card was a horde of almighty magic beasts. After making that realization, Gilgen couldn''t help but develop a sense of admiration toward Lazaar. After all, there was a very good chance that Lazaar was the first person in history to have ever incorporated magic beasts into battle.


    Throughout the past several thousand years, there had only been tales of humans battling magic beasts, but no tales of magic beasts fighting for humans. As the pioneer who had shown everyone that this was possible, Lazaar was worthy of respect and admiration.


    A ruthless smile appeared on Prince Lazaar''s face as he turned to King Cameron. "This is the day that you die, Cameron!"


    Even someone as restrained as Lazaar was no longer able to contain the emotions surging through his heart, and he had begun referring to the king directly by his surname.


    Cameron was furious at the sight of Lazaar''s triumphant expression, and he was just about to raise his sword against Lazaar once again when he heard a string of dragon roars ring out, followed by a flurry of cries of panic and agony.


    He turned to discover that the dragons up above were releasing scorching flames out of their cavernous mouths, and the soldiers of the Effer Kingdom on the northwestern side of the battlefield were the first to be struck by the waves of fire. In the face of the ferocious dragon flames, all of the soldiers began to flee for their lives, and those who weren''t able to get away in time were instantly reduced to ashes. The more powerful martial artists among them were able to rush through the sea of fire for a while, but it didn''t take long before they were also reduced to charred corpses.


    In what was literally only the blink of an eye, the battlefield between the two kingdoms at the center of the Marrod Plain had been plunged into complete disarray. Even the commanders and officials of the two armies were fleeing for their lives, and the ongoing war became the last thing on their minds. In the face of the dozens of wyverns wreaking havoc upon the battlefield, no one had any time to worry about military regulations or patriotic pride. The only thing on their mind was that if they couldn''t get away fast enough, they would all be incinerated into ashes!


    Thus, the armies of the Effer Kingdom and the Skycourt Kingdom, which combined for a total of over 80,000 troops, began to flee toward the southeast in a panicked frenzy. Meanwhile, the magicians in the sky above were flying around like headless flies. At a time like this, everything like discipline and formations had been tossed straight out the window, and it was truly a scene of rampant chaos.


    The trio of young men who had been attacking Gilgen just a moment ago had also fled the scene without any hesitation. Gilgen cast his gaze toward the oncoming flying dragons, and he wanted to ask Lazaar why he wasn''t instructing the dragons to spare the troops of the Skycourt Kingdom. However, there was no time to be doing that right now. With a swipe of his Zhu Yan sword, Gilgen unleashed a burst of sword energy, which he used to propel himself toward the southeast as he also began to flee the battlefield.


    From the perspective of all of the flying dragons, the people running for their lives on the ground below were like tens of thousands of ants. Another merciless wave of dragon flames swept over the battlefield, and strings of agonized howls rang out immediately thereafter. In contrast with this type of one-sided slaughter, the battle taking place between humans prior to this had been like nothing more than a playground fight between children. What had been a battlefield between the two kingdoms just a moment ago had suddenly been transformed into hell on earth.


    Meanwhile, the wyverns were thoroughly enjoying themselves. The more panicked and desperate the fleeing soldiers on the ground below became, the more pleasure the dragons derived from slaughtering them. Looking at all of the frantically fleeing soldiers down below, the dragons weren''t in a hurry to harvest their lives. Instead, they intentionally flew over the fleeing figures, only to then incinerate them with dragon flames just when they thought that they had cheated death.


    It was clear that these wyverns were toying with their prey, and upon seeing this, Erwin once again realized that these magic beasts possessed considerably high levels of intelligence. This was an observation that he had already made last time in the mountain ranges, but ever since he had been a child, everything that he had been taught about magic beasts suggested that they were renowned solely for being ruthless and unintelligent creatures. However, it was clear from the fact that Lazaar had managed to tame these wyverns that they were far from unintelligent.


    Of course, Cameron, Piro, and the others were also perplexed about the very same things that were befuddling to Erwin.


    However, there was no time for them to ponder these questions in this situation. The flight of dragons was already flying toward the southern battlefield, and it wouldn''t be long before they arrived.

 CH 67

    On the back of the dragon flying at the forefront of the flight stood an imposing man with a head of long hair that was dancing in the wind behind him, as was the black cloak that was resting on his shoulders. He took a step forward as he raised his halberd up toward the heavens, and it was clear that he was the one commanding the flight of dragons. This man was none other than Prince Lazaar''s eldest son, Aiden Lazaar.


    In what seemed like a matter of moments, the flying dragons had herded all of the soldiers on the Marrod Plain to the southeast, and during the process, the armies of both the Effer Kingdom and the Skycourt Kingdom had lost over half of their troops. Aiden cast his gaze toward the flags littered all over the charred earth, and there was no lack of Skycourt Kingdom flags among them. He knew that he absolutely couldn''t afford to kill the general of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army at a time like this, so he immediately ordered the flight of dragons to change directions, thereby ceasing their slaughter of the remaining soldiers from both kingdoms.


    Even so, the Four Winds mercenary legion had suffered severe losses. Lanyon had reacted extremely quickly, ordering everyone to retreat as soon as he spotted the flying dragons on the horizon. However, these flying dragons were far faster than horses, and after a few waves of dragon flames, the Four Winds mercenary legion only had fewer than 100 people left. Almost all of the magicians of the mercenary legion had been wiped out, and the only magicians that were left were Lanyon and the dozen or so friends he had brought with him from Fooz.


    ...


    Even as the wyverns continued to approach, the dozen or so True Light Church magicians seemed to hold no fear toward them, and they emerged from the ranks of the church army before rising up into the air.


    "Don''t let the dragons get close!" Count Friar yelled at Professor Hawk and the others in the sky above.


    Upon receiving this instruction from Count Friar, Professor Hawk immediately began to issue orders of his own. "All court magicians, disperse and fire your most powerful spells at those dragons!"


    As soon as his voice trailed off, a layer of fiery red clouds suddenly appeared in the sky, and the blanket of clouds was churning violently. The faces of all of the people looking up at the clouds from down below were basked in a bright red glow. The brown scales of the wyverns were also gleaming with fiery red light, and even they couldn''t help but be intimidated by the sudden change in the complexion of the sky.


    Immediately thereafter, the fiery red clouds began to release a dense storm of fire, as if the very heavens were venting its wrathful fury. The falling fireballs were so tightly packed together that there were no visible gaps between them, and plumes of thick smoke were rising up from behind every single one of the fireballs. The sound of the fireballs rumbling as they descended from the heavens completely drowned out the defiant roars of the flying dragons.


    Only Princess Onean would have the courage to attack dragons with fire. Her arms were spread open as her silver hair danced behind her, and there was an authoritative look in her golden eyes. As magic power surged rapidly out of her body, her white magician''s robe began to flap incessantly, and scintillating radiance was being released from the runes on the silver staff hovering before her. It seemed that she had reacted even faster than Count Friar as she had begun preparing this spell while the dragons were still roaming over the battlefield at the center of the Marrod Plain.


    The dozens of True Light Church magicians who were flying toward the dragons immediately stopped cold in their tracks, not daring to step into the sea of fire raining down from above.


    However, the flight of wyverns wasn''t so fortunate. Countless fireballs exploded upon their backs and wings, and even though their dragon scales were particularly resistant to fire, they were still jostled violently by the magic energy imbued within the fireballs, and a few of them were already beginning to howl with pain.


    Cameron was greatly encouraged by Onean''s formidable display, and he raised his Wish sword again before pouncing toward Lazaar. He knew that his top priority right now was to kill the leader of the rebellion. Once Lazaar was slain, he would be able to turn the tide of the battle even with the dozens of flying dragons assisting the enemy troops.


    Even though Lazaar was very pleased by how the battle was unfolding, he had been keeping an eye on Cameron this entire time, so he immediately spotted what Cameron was doing, thereby thwarting any attempt at a sneak attack.


    Thus, the two most powerful martial artists on the battlefield clashed once again. The regal aura of the Wish sword was clashing with the unmatched sharpness of the Bai Ze sword, and the two were intent on overcoming one another.


    Meanwhile, the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom quickly gathered behind Princess Onean, then launched all types of advanced spells toward the dense sea of fire in the distance. The wyverns had exceptional physical resistance, but even they couldn''t withstand attacks from over 1,000 powerful magicians at once. Thus, they could only circle around within the sea of fire, not daring to get any closer to the southern battlefield.


    Aiden naturally wasn''t just going to stand by and allow the flight of dragons to be ravaged by the barrage of oncoming spells. Thus, he sprang up from the back of the dragon that he was standing on, then set his sights on Onean in the distance before launching himself forward like a speeding arrow with his halberd pointed directly forward.


    However, before he could reach Onean, he was suddenly confronted by a purple-robed figure, who conjured up a light shield to oppose him.


    Even though he had built up tremendous momentum as he flew through the air, his halberd was still stopped completely cold in its tracks upon striking the outer wall of the light shield.


    A stunned look appeared on his face as he stared at the young man within the light shield, clearly astonished by the fact that his all-out attack had been stopped in such a jarring fashion. What kind of magic was this?


    What was even more perplexing to him was how this man had suddenly appeared before home. There had been nothing standing between him and Onean, yet in the blink of an eye, this purple-robed figure had appeared out of nowhere to oppose him.


    With Erwin keeping Aiden occupied, Onean was able to continue unleashing her storm of fire upon the flight of dragons.


    Meanwhile, Faye was still buried in the city wall of Illingburn Fort as she looked out at the court magicians outside the city.


    All of a sudden, she gritted her teeth and pressed a palm down onto the ground, forcing her own body out of the rubble around her.


    Lana hurriedly rushed over to Faye to support her. She hadn''t pulled her teacher out of the city wall prior to this as Faye''s injuries were quite severe, and she was worried that excessive movement would further exacerbate those injuries.


    "Teacher, you''re in no condition to be..." Lana''s words of concern were cut off by a dismissive wave of Faye''s hand, immediately following which she began to prepare a spell.


    Bright red light began to glow from the eyes of the snake on her serpentine staff again, and countless serpentine projections instantly appeared behind her. The nest of sinister snakes flicked out their forked tongues in unison as a vicious look appeared in their eyes. Lana was already accustomed to seeing this harrowing scene, so she was able to remain calm and collected. If the average person were standing in her place, they would''ve most likely already fallen unconscious from fear.


    This was Mistress Faye''s Shadowgleam Snake Array. Lana''s Shadowgleam Sword Array, which she had used to almost take Erwin''s life outside the Redbud Pavilion, had been adapted from this spell. With a gentle wave of her serpentine staff, the countless snake projections behind Faye shot forth in unison, hurtling directly toward the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom with ferocious might.


    "Look out!" Count Friar immediately yelled toward the court magicians in the sky. He had been keeping a close eye on every single corner of the battlefield this entire time, so he was able to instantly spot what Faye was doing.


    Hovering high up in the sky, Master Piro immediately reacted to the oncoming spell, raising his beechwood staff in retaliation. After being impaled by Lazaar''s sword, he had been resting through meditation this entire time. Even though he wasn''t able to heal the wound, he was able to slow down the rate at which his own life force was ebbing away, and that was already enough for him.


    A white phoenix that was radiating dazzling light flew out of the tip of his beechwood staff, and it spread its wings open in an attempt to ward off all of the oncoming snake projections.


    After hearing Count Friar''s words of warning, Professor Hawk and all of the court magicians also stopped what they were doing before turning around to conjure up magic shields.


    However, the scene that unfolded next proved to be quite a bewildering one for Master Piro and all of the court magicians. Half of the snake projections were kept at bay by the white phoenix, but the rest passed directly through the phoenix''s body as if it didn''t even exist, then continued to hurtle directly toward all of the court magicians.


    Among the Effer Kingdom''s magicians, only Erwin knew what was going on as he had faced Lana''s Shadowgleam Sword Array before. However, Erwin was locked in a battle of his own, struggling to maintain his light shield in the face of Aiden''s attacks.


    As was the case with Lana''s Shadowgleam Sword Array, half of the snake projections in Faye''s Shadowgleam Snake Array had taken on a substantial form, allowing them to pass through the magic shields without any impediment.


    Perhaps it was a sign of Master Piro''s old age getting to him, but he wasn''t able to make the correlation between this Shadowgleam Snake Array and the Shadowgleam Sword Array that Lana had used during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    The snake projections that managed to pass through the magic shields flew through the air before plunging through the chests of the court magicians, piercing through their hearts before emerging from their backs, then moving on to the next target. Panic was immediately sown through the ranks, and all of the court magicians began to flee in horror at the sight of the lethal snake projections. As a result, the pressure being exerted upon the flight of dragons was eased significantly.


    Looking at the snake projections that were wreaking havoc among the Court Magician Council''s ranks, a hint of killing intent flashed through Master Piro''s eyes for the last time in his life, and he poured all of the remaining magic power in his body into the radiant white phoenix.


    After absorbing half of the magic energy of the white phoenix, then imbued with all of Master Piro''s remaining magic energy, the white phoenix began to glow even brighter, and it spread its wings as it let loose a shrill screech, then flew directly toward Faye with unstoppable might.


    After unleashing the white phoenix, Master Piro paid no further attention to it. Instead, he cast his gaze toward his prized disciple in the distance, and a gratified smile appeared on his face at the sight of her formidable magic. His mind began to wander back to the 12-year-old little girl, whose understanding of magic was still at a very elementary level. He thought of the joyful times they had spent together as teacher and disciple back at Fort Glans, and he recalled the first time she had attempted to brew a magic potion, which had resulted in an explosion that had broken the cauldron she was using. Thinking back throughout his own life, the thing that he was most proud of wasn''t his title as grandmaster magician. Instead, it was this cherished disciple.


    "Looks like I won''t be able to stay with you any longer, Onean..." Master Piro slowly closed his eyes with a benevolent and peaceful expression, then fell out of the sky as his beechwood staff slipped out of his grasp.


    Thus concluded the life of one of the most brilliant magicians in the history of the land.


    The Effer Kingdom''s reserve troops erupted into a panicked frenzy upon seeing this. They were already terrified of the flying dragons in the sky, and Master Piro''s demise instantly resulted in a further plummet in morale.


    "Master!" Onean turned around with a panicked expression, staring at the scene unfolding before her eyes with a look of dazed disbelief in her eyes, and tears were already beginning to flow down her face. She watched as Piro''s frail and wizened body fell out of the sky, and she wanted to fly over and catch him, but with the flying dragons lurking nearby, she didn''t dare cut off her own spell, even though her heart was throbbing with agony.


    Meanwhile, the target of the white phoenix, Mistress Faye, was panting heavily with an ashen complexion, looking to be in an extremely sorry state. After being struck by Cameron''s attack earlier, she had sustained both internal and external injuries, and the Shadowgleam Snake Array she had just unleashed had expended a significant portion of her magic power, so there was no way she would be able to ward off the oncoming white phoenix.

 CH 68

    Lana could see that Faye was in no condition to defend herself, so she immediately positioned herself in front of her teacher. A wry smile appeared on Faye''s face upon seeing this. Never did she think that a day would come where her student would have to save her life. However, in her current state, she truly was powerless to do anything.


    All of a sudden, a vortex of wind appeared amid the layer of churning crimson clouds in the sky, and a bolt of black lightning descended from the center of the vortex before stroking the top of Lana''s head, causing her body to jerk involuntarily bolt upright, while her long red hair danced wildly around her. Her brows were tightly furrowed, and she was biting down onto her own lower lip with such force that she was drawing blood. Cold sweat was pouring down her forehead, and even though her wrist was trembling violently, her hand remained firmly locked around her silver staff, not daring to relax even for an instant. It was clear that the backlash from the energy of this arcane spell was inflicting immense torment upon Lana. This wasn''t the significantly watered-down version of the arcane spell that she had unleashed during the Pillow Sword Tournament. If it weren''t for her exceptional magic power and mental fortitude, she would''ve already been devoured by the arcane energy flowing through her body.


    Faye was looking on at her student with a pained expression, and a film of tears welled up in her eyes.


    A burst of black flames erupted from the tip of Lana''s staff, and in the blink of an eye, it had already transformed into a black phoenix with a pair of glowing blue eyes.


    The phoenix opened its beak to let loose a shrill cry and a burst of black flames, then spread its wings and took flight, flying toward the oncoming white phoenix.


    Thus, the two phoenixes clashed in mid-air, tearing at one another with vicious force. Even though the white phoenix had been imbued with two bursts of enormous magic energy, the arcane energy of the black phoenix was able to keep up, and the two phoenix were trading blows on equal footing, with neither one able to gain any advantage over the other.


    Among the Court Magician Council, the grand magic mentors like Professor Hawk were busy contending with the fearsome snake projections unleashed by Faye, and out of their peripheral vision, they caught sight of Lana withstanding Master Piro''s final spell, and all of them were both shocked and immensely impressed to see this. Lana was the daughter of the enemy, so they couldn''t openly praise her, but deep down, they couldn''t help but feel a sense of admiration. They then thought of the monstrous sea of fire unleashed by Princess Onean and the impressive magic that Count Friar''s son had displayed, and they wondered whether the turning of the tide from the older generation to the younger generation was already taking place.


    As soon as the clash between the black and white phoenixes commenced, Count Friar had already risen up into the air from the saddle of his horse to catch Master Piro''s lifeless body. He could see that even in death, there was a faint smile lingering on Master Piro''s wizened face, and he was glad to see that Master Piro had at least been happy in the moments before his death.


    Truth be told, he hadn''t interacted much with Piro in the past. Even though he and Piro had been Cameron''s most trusted subordinates on the battlefield over 20 years ago, there was no private relationship between the two of them to speak of, and they were nothing more than comrades. Thus, Piro wasn''t exactly a close friend of his, but seeing the fall of such an illustrious and celebrated magician still evoked a sense of sorrow within his heart.


    Cameron and Lazaar were locked in a fierce battle, but they had also noticed Piro''s demise. After Piro had fallen prey to that sneak attack from Lazaar, Cameron had already guessed that such an outcome was inevitable. However, now that such a reality had actually eventuated, he was still feeling a little shaken, and even his previous unwavering conviction that he was going to win this war was beginning to falter. After all, the impact of a figure as important as Piro wasn''t just limited to this battle alone. He had accompanied Cameron through the most difficult and most glorious times of his life, and to Cameron, he was both a subordinate and also a psychological pillar. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been content to entrust Piro with his own daughter.


    For Cameron, Piro was a senior who was like a mentor, but also like a friend. Whenever he had a difficult decision to make or a predicament to face, the first person he would turn to was always Piro, and that wasn''t even mentioning the loyalty and dedication that Piro had shown to the Effer Kingdom and the Cameron Family throughout his lifetime. Thus, it was very saddening for him to see such a special person in his life perish on the battlefield.


    Lazaar was the one situated closest to Cameron, so he had naturally noticed the minute changes in Cameron''s expression. Thus, he took advantage of a lapse in concentration to cast his gaze toward the northeastern side of the Marrod Plain, where General Gilgen was catching his breath.


    His gaze seemed to be raising an unspoken question: What are you waiting for? Don¡¯t you want to take Cameron¡¯s life?


    Gilgen immediately responded to Lazaar''s unspoken signal, instructing what little remained of the Skycourt Kingdom''s army to retreat to their encampment in the north, while he continued to watch the unfolding battle between Lazaar and Cameron intently.


    As a result, the remaining troops of the Effer Kingdom in the southeast, of which there were fewer than 20,000, were left in a predicament where they didn''t know whether to advance or retreat. With the wyverns lingering in the sky, they didn''t dare to approach the reserve troops in Illingburn Fort, and without an order from Cameron, they didn''t dare to pursue the retreating Skycourt Kingdom''s soldiers.


    Count Friar was observing the entire battlefield, so he had naturally also noticed this as well. He knew that it was imperative for the two branches of the army to come together in one place, but many of the reserve army''s troops had been struck by negative status conditions such as sluggishness and paralysis from the church magicians, and they were also struggling to get past the defensively adept church cavaliers. In addition to that, the wyverns in the sky were standing as a major obstacle, so there was no way for him to combine the two units of troops together.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Erwin and Aiden were also locked in an impasse. Aiden couldn''t figure out what type of spell Erwin''s light shield was, so he was taking the cautious route, prodding the light shield over and over again with his halberd.


    Inside the light shield, Erwin was struggling immensely. For him, things would be far easier if Aiden were to launch a devastating attack like the one that Mistress Faye had unleashed, thereby scattering all of the matter energy outside the light shield, resulting in the opening of a space-time rift. However, Aiden was taking the approach that he was most afraid of, striking the light shield over and over again with consistent and powerful attacks. Thus, Erwin was having to expend a huge amount of magic power and stamina to absorb the energy surging into the light shield from his halberd.


    Aiden was like that spear-wielding martial artist that Erwin had faced during the Pillow Sword Tournament, unleashing a relentless barrage of attacks upon Erwin''s light shield, trying to figure out exactly what it was. However, Aiden was far more powerful than that spear-wielding martial artist, and after withstanding just a few attacks, Erwin''s robes were already soaked in sweat, and his complexion was also looking very pale.


    All of a sudden, a fierce look appeared on his face, and he withdrew his halberd before twirling it over his palm, then spun around to build momentum before lashing out with tremendous force, and on this occasion, the blade of his halberd was finally able to pierce into the light shield.


    Erwin stared at the tip of the halberd that had almost reached his head with an alarmed look on his face. He didn''t recognize Aiden, but as soon as the clash between the two began, he saw that Aiden had the signature blue eyes of the Lazaar Family, and as a result, he was able to roughly guess his opponent''s identity.


    What is Prince Lazaar feeding his children? Why are both of Lana''s brothers such monsters? Erwin couldn''t help but think to himself.


    He knew that if things were to continue like this, his magic power would eventually be completely exhausted by Aiden.


    However, right as Aiden was about to unleash another attack, around a dozen bolts of lightning suddenly shot forth toward him from behind.


    As it turned out, Onean had spotted the perilous situation that Erwin was in, and she hurriedly fired off a string of instant-release spells toward Aiden to give Erwin some respite.


    Erwin took advantage of this opportunity to absorb all of the energy adhered to his light shield, and even though he could already feel his own body protesting in the face of such a huge influx of energy, he couldn''t do anything aside from grit his teeth and unleash a Magic Explosion toward Aiden.


    However, a bewildering scene then suddenly unfolded. Aiden had vanished into thin air in the blink of an eye! It was as if he had learned Erwin''s space split technique and teleported out of sight, and Erwin was so alarmed by this that all of the fine hairs on the back of his neck instantly stood up on end.


    As a result of Aiden''s sudden disappearance, Onean''s instant-release spells and Erwin''s Magic Explosion all lost their target, and they gradually fizzled out into bursts of magic turbulence in the air.


    ...


    Lana was watching the battle between the two phoenixes when she spotted what Onean was doing out of the corners of her eye, and a flash of rage immediately flared up in her heart.


    Who''s giving you permission to act all lovey-dovey on the battlefield? she scoffed internally, then rose up into the air and drifted toward Onean and Erwin.


    After reaching the outskirts of the sea of fire, Lana drew to a halt before casting a cold gaze toward Onean. The staff in her hand began to glow brightly once again, and a lotus flower of swords emerged behind her. It was clear that her Shadowgleam Sword Array was going to be directed at Onean. The Shadowgleam Snake Array that Faye had just unleashed had exclusively struck the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom, so Onean had been left unscathed, and she was continuing to maintain her sea of fire. The wyverns were unable to force their way through the ferocious flames, so they couldn''t reach the southern battlefield.


    Onean had witnessed Lana''s Shadowgleam Sword Array during the Pillow Sword Tournament. However, at the time, she had swooped onto the competition platform to save Erwin, and her mind was entirely occupied by Erwin''s terrible condition, so she didn''t get a chance to think carefully about the intricacies of the sword array. Thankfully, after seeing Mistress Faye''s snake array pierce through the court magicians'' magic shields, she already had a rough idea of how this spell worked.


    Even so, she still didn''t have a good way to counter the sword array, because no matter what spell she chose to use to oppose Lana, she would have to abandon the spell that she was currently maintaining, which was keeping the flying dragons at bay. After all, against an opponent of Lana''s caliber, she didn''t dare to multitask and divert her own magic power toward two different causes.


    However, she couldn''t afford to abandon the sea of fire as doing so would allow the flight of dragons to reach the southern battlefield, and the consequences of that would be catastrophic.


    Unfortunately for her, Lana wasn''t going to wait for her to come up with a solution to her dilemma. With a gentle wave of her silver staff, a burst of bright red light instantly erupted behind her, and she let loose a delicate cry, upon which the sword lotus behind her split up into countless swords before flying through the air, piercing toward Onean from all directions with lethal killing intent.


    "Look out, Your Highness! Leave the dragons to us for now!" Professor Hawk hurriedly yelled upon seeing the perilous situation that Onean was in. Immediately thereafter, he and several other grand magic mentors from the Court Magician Council sped toward the wyverns in the distance. At this point, Professor Hawk and the others had only just finished taking care of the snake projections unleashed by Mistress Faye, and they hadn''t even had a chance to catch their breath yet. In the wake of Mistress Faye''s devastating spell, the court magicians had suffered severe casualties, and there were only around 200 of them left.


    Onean was reluctant to relinquish her spell, but she knew that it was the only way to proceed. Thus, she ceased her magic power output, and the fiery red clouds in the sky finally gradually dissipated. The wyverns immediately let loose roars of elation, as if they had just been liberated.


    Turning her gaze toward the countless oncoming flying swords, Onean''s brows furrowed slightly as she brought down her staff, and a ring of light began to spread from the top of her staff. In the blink of an eye, the ring of light had formed a dazzling wall of radiance that protected her from all sides.


    The magic flying swords that struck the wall of light instantly pierced into it, following which the magic energy imbued within them were instantly absorbed by the ring-shaped wall. As for the flying swords that had taken on a substantial form, they were also kept at bay by the constantly revolving wall of light, and no matter which direction the flying swords tried to attack from, they were unable to pierce into the wall.


    Despite this, Lana remained completely unfazed as she looked on with a calm expression, displaying no frustration or urgency. The reason for this was because she had identified the special nature of the ring-shaped wall of light that Onean had summoned.


    Judging from her teacher''s style in battle, it seems that Piro likes to take his opponent''s magic energy and use it for himself. Seeing as she''s his disciple, her spells most likely possess the same properties as Piro''s spells. That was the educated guess that Lana was making, and because of this, she didn''t want to release any more spells, only for them to be absorbed by the wall of light.


    In her mind, Onean had to have already expended a significant amount of magic power from unleashing that sea of fire earlier. In order to withstand this Shadowgleam Sword Array, she would have to expend yet another sizable portion of her magic power to maintain this wall of light, and there was no way that she could keep this up for very long. Thus, Lana decided to take the calm and patient approach, only striking again once all of Onean''s magic power had been exhausted by her sword array.


    In the meantime, neither of the two clashing phoenixes in the sky had managed to emerge victorious over the other, and they were completely spent. Both of them plummeted from the sky onto the southern battlefield, crushing many Effer Kingdom soldiers beneath them. For Count Friar, this was only compounding his woes.


    However, what he failed to anticipate was that the wyverns had already reached the sky above the battlefield.

 CH 69.1

    Onean was reluctant to relinquish her spell, but she knew that it was the only way to proceed. Thus, she ceased her magic power output, and the fiery red clouds in the sky finally gradually dissipated. The wyverns immediately let loose roars of elation, as if they had just been liberated.


    Turning her gaze toward the countless oncoming flying swords, Onean''s brows furrowed slightly as she brought down her staff, and a ring of light began to spread from the top of her staff. In the blink of an eye, the ring of light had formed a dazzling wall of radiance that protected her from all sides.


    The magic flying swords that struck the wall of light instantly pierced into it, following which the magic energy imbued within them was instantly absorbed by the ring-shaped wall. As for the flying swords that had taken on a substantial form, they were also kept at bay by the constantly revolving wall of light, and no matter which direction the flying swords tried to attack from, they were unable to pierce into the wall.


    Despite this, Lana remained completely unfazed as she looked on with a calm expression, displaying no frustration or urgency. The reason for this was because she had identified the special nature of the ring-shaped wall of light that Onean had summoned.


    Judging from her teacher''s style in battle, it seems that Piro likes to take his opponent''s magic energy and use it for himself. Seeing as she''s his disciple, her spells most likely possess the same properties as Piro''s spells. That was the educated guess that Lana was making, and because of this, she didn''t want to release any more spells, only for them to be absorbed by the wall of light.


    In her mind, Onean had to have already expended a significant amount of magic power from unleashing that sea of fire earlier. In order to withstand this Shadowgleam Sword Array, she would have to expend yet another sizable portion of her magic power to maintain this wall of light, and there was no way that she could keep this up for very long. Thus, Lana decided to take the calm and patient approach, only striking again once all of Onean''s magic power had been exhausted by her sword array.


    In the meantime, neither of the two clashing phoenixes in the sky had managed to emerge victorious over the other, and they were completely spent. Both of them plummeted from the sky onto the southern battlefield, crushing many Effer Kingdom soldiers beneath them. For Count Friar, this was only compounding his woes.


    However, what he failed to anticipate was that the wyverns  had already reached the sky above the battlefield.


    After failing to strike Aiden with his Magic Explosion, Erwin was left completely bewildered, and he frantically looked around, but was still unable to see where Aiden had gone. However, what he spotted instead was the battle taking place between Onean and Lana.


    Looking at the tears that were still yet to dry on Onean''s face, he knew that the demise of Master Piro had to have had a brutal impact on her. However, this was the cruel nature of war. It was an unstoppable juggernaut that didn''t wait for anyone, and it didn''t even grant one the time to grieve for their loved ones. The same applied to the unconscious Gwen on Kaiba''s back, who still hadn''t had a chance to grieve for her deceased father.


    As Erwin prepared to step in to assist Onean, he involuntarily cast a glance toward Lana, and coincidentally, she just so happened to be looking at him as well. Thus, their eyes met in a very awkward interaction, and the two of them hurriedly averted their eyes again.


    While Erwin and Lana were exchanging furtive glances with one another across the battlefield, Aiden''s halberd was already sweeping toward him from behind. When it came to his spatial and situational awareness, Erwin was still quite lackluster. In other words, he was handicapped by his lack of experience on the battlefield. On a battlefield where lives could be lost in an instant, one would truly be tempting fate by allowing themselves to get distracted looking at girls.


    "I wouldn''t be looking at girls in a situation like this, but to each their own, I suppose. What do you think of my sister? Isn''t she a beauty?" Erwin was greatly startled to hear Aiden''s voice ringing out so close behind him, and his instincts told him that he wouldn''t be able to get away in time with his space split technique because the tip of Aiden''s halberd was already too close to him. In fact, he didn''t even have enough time to turn around, and he could only reach out with one hand behind himself to try and block the oncoming attack.


    Thus, the tip of Aiden''s halberd struck Erwin''s palm, and Lana immediately let loose a cry of alarm at the sight of such a harrowing scene. She was terrified that her brother would chop Erwin''s arm off, or worse yet, slice him cleanly in half. She knew just how powerful Aiden was better than anyone else. Given how close Aiden was to Erwin, she wouldn''t even be able to save Erwin in time with her instant-release spells.


    However, what was astonishing to her was that even though Erwin was sent flying by the attack and somersaulted through the air like a ragdoll a few times, throwing up several mouthfuls of blood in the process, his hand remained completely unscathed.


    This wasn''t because Aiden had held back in his attack. Ever since the invasion of the Skycourt Kingdom, he had been busy with military duties in Burmen, so he wasn''t aware of Lana''s recently developed romantic interest. Following Lana''s return to Burmen, he had been sent to the military base in Leeku to prepare the flying dragons, thereby isolating himself from the outside world, so he naturally remained completely oblivious to the relationship between his sister and Erwin. Only after hearing Lana''s cry of alarm did he realize that there was perhaps something going on between them.


    At his moment, both Aiden and Lana were staring at Erwin with stunned expressions. In particular, they were staring at his hand, wondering how he had managed to withstand that attack completely unscathed.


    As it turned out, Erwin had compressed his own light shield into a palm-sized disk that sat over his hand, a skill that he had already displayed to Onean once back in Xeto.


    Thus, Aiden''s attack had actually struck the miniature light shield rather than Erwin''s hand. Given how tiny the miniature light shield was, it was naturally far simpler to trigger a space-time rift with it than it was to do the same with a full-sized light shield. Of course, on the flip side, the space-time rift generated by the miniature light shield was only able to absorb a fraction of the matter energy that a space-time rift created by a full-sized light shield would be capable of. Thus, most of the power behind Aiden''s attack had surged into the space-time rift, but Erwin had still been struck by some of the residual power of the attack.


    Only after somersaulting uncontrollably through the air like a ragdoll for a few cycles did Erwin just barely manage to steady himself, and he was panting heavily while wiping away the blood flowing down from the corners of his lips. At the same time, he was watching Aiden with a wary expression. Even though the space-time rift had absorbed most of the power of Aiden''s attack, the injuries that Erwin had sustained were still not insignificant.


    Erwin looked at Aiden''s imposing figure with tightly furrowed brows, unable to understand how someone like him could be able to move so quickly that he couldn''t even be tracked with the naked eye, At this point, he had already discovered the secret behind the disappearing act that Aiden had just pulled off. The secret was that there was no secret, he was simply just that fast, so fast that his speed was comparable to that of a normal martial artist who had applied dozens of advanced agility techniques onto themselves. Of course, this was still fundamentally different from Erwin''s space split technique. He had thought that the speed that Jeff had displayed during the Pillow Sword Tournament was already the limit for a martial artist, never did he think that Jeff''s elder brother would be even more fearsome in this department. The most perplexing thing to Erwin was how someone could have such an imposing frame, but still possess such incredible speed. This was challenging the boundaries of what Erwin thought to be possible.


    Aiden wasn''t in a hurry to attack Erwin again. Instead, he snuck a glance toward Lana. As her elder brother, he had watched her grow up her entire life, and never had he seen her display such an expression. His impression of Lana was that she wasn''t someone to be caught up in emotions and romance like this. Even though Lana reacted very quickly and immediately turned away upon sensing her brother''s gaze, putting on an indifferent facade as she did so, but Aiden could already tell what was going on between her and Erwin based on her forced display of nonchalance.


    Just as the three of them were looking back and forth between one another, unsure of how to proceed, the flying dragons suddenly arrived above the battlefield.


    ...


    Even though the court magicians of the Effer Kingdom were all extremely capable, at this point in the battle, they had already expended most of their magic power. Even the grand magic mentors among them, such as Professor Hawk, were beginning to struggle to cast advanced spells that encompassed large areas.


    These wyverns took advantage of this to band together and make a unified charge, tearing through the court magicians'' ranks with brute force. Just as Erwin had observed, the magic beasts of the Terarody Mountain Ranges possessed considerably high levels of intelligence, to the extent that they were able to completely understand the actions of humans. It could even be said that none of the details on this battlefield could escape the notice of these fearsome dragons.


    The magicians of the True Light Church had been kept away from the flight of dragons this entire time, but an opportunity finally arose for them, and they grabbed it with both hands, immediately leaping onto the dragons'' backs. After landing on the dragons, the white-robed magicians immediately began to rain down spells upon the soldiers of the Effer Kingdom, with the spells primarily consisting of ones that affected large areas and carried added negative status conditions that impaired the target''s speed, such as extreme snowstorms and walls of ice. On a battlefield, magicians could be utilized to do more than just unleash spells of mass destruction. In addition to that, they could also alter the weather, the air temperature, and many other facets of the battlefield. Just a moment ago, the north had been a sea of fire, yet in what seemed like no more than the blink of an eye, the south had been transformed into a glacial realm. Such a terrifying yet romantic scene could only be observed at the cost of one''s life.


    Professor Hawk and the other grand magic mentors were still trying to do everything they could. At the very least, they wanted to kill the dozens of church magicians on the backs of the flying dragons. However, the church magicians were using the scales of the dragons as cover while gliding through the air in an agile manner using levitation and flight spells, allowing them to effectively stave off the oncoming attacks.


    These wyverns and the church magicians were working together seamlessly, and it was clear that they had trained together extensively in the past. Thus, the efforts of Professor Hawk and the others were completely futile.


    A short while later, the dragons spotted an opportunity to pounce, and they immediately swooped down with fire gushing out of their mouths.


    "All troops, disperse! Hurry!" Count Friar yelled in a loud voice. The reserve troops of the Effer Kingdom were already contending with the negative status conditions inflicted upon them by the True Light Church''s magicians, and the dozens of church magicians on the dragons'' backs were the cream of the crop. In the wake of the barrage of spells unleashed by them, the entire reserve army had already been plunged into a glacial environment that completely robbed them of the ability to move. Thus, they were essentially sitting ducks beneath the plumes of dragon flames. Essentially, they were frozen pieces of meat that were waiting to be roasted over an open flame.


    The fate that had befallen so many of the soldiers on the battlefield at the center of the Marrod Plain was being replicated in those on the southern battleground. As a string of earth-shattering dragon roars rang out, pillars of fire and plumes of smoke began to ravage the battlefield. Horses neighed in distress, while soldiers screamed in agony and horror, and even a brilliant commander like Count Friar was powerless to turn the tide of the battle. Only now did Friar finally understand why Lazaar had sent out these defensively adept church cavaliers to stall for time. As it turned out, there really had been a sinister plan brewing beneath the surface.


    On a battlefield as chaotic as this one, the dozens of flying dragons were naturally unable to distinguish between friend and foe. Thus, their dragon flames were scorching the entire battlefield in an indiscriminate attack. However, even after being engulfed by the scorching flames, the white-armored church soldiers were completely unaffected and could still continue fighting as normal.

 CH 69.2

    It was clear that Prince Lazaar had prepared extensively for this day. The suits of white armor being worn by these church soldiers had been crafted from special ore specifically so that they could remain immune to the effects of dragon fire. For the purpose of this battle, these church soldiers had already been training in the military base in Leeku for the past two to three years.


    "Looks like you''ve been plotting this rebellion for a long time, Lazaar." Cameron was speaking with a derisive sneer on his face, but his words were tinged with unbridled fury. At this point, it had become apparent to him that the tide of this battle was turning firmly against his favor, and looking down at the chaotic battlefield, his sense of reason was beginning to be eroded by his rage.


    Lazaar was very pleased to see Cameron''s furious expression.


    Under these circumstances, there was nothing that Count Friar could do. The path to retreat back to Illingburn Fort had already been completely sealed off by the church soldiers, and behind them were the elite troops of Burmen, who had been resting this entire time. As for the path to the east, that had been sealed off by the walls of ice conjured up by the church magicians, and that also prevented the remaining 20,000 or so Effer Kingdom soldiers in the east to provide reinforcements. Thus, the reserve army was like a beast trapped in a cage. If these dragons were allowed to continue to wreak havoc upon the battlefield for much longer, the entire reserve army could easily be decimated.


    Count Friar looked up at the giant dragons in the sky with a cold expression, then took a step forward before springing up from the ground. Having been exclusively commanding the troops since the start of the battle, Count Friar was finally entering the fray himself.


    His first attack was aimed at one of the flying dragons.


    He transformed into a streak of light that rose up into the sky, and in the blink of an eye, his silver spear had already sliced a gash onto the flying dragon''s stomach.


    A flurry of sparks flashed in the wake of the tip of his spear, and by the time the sparks were snuffed out, several dozen brown dragon scales had been scraped off the dragon''s belly.


    The wounded dragon immediately let loose a pained howl, and it wrapped its own wings around itself for protection. After that, it began to fall unsteadily out of the sky with green dragon blood flowing out of the gash on its stomach.


    Friar stared blankly at the quivering tip of his own spear, and he wasn''t elated at all by the fact that he had just felled a dragon with a single attack. That was an all-out attack he had just unleashed, yet it had only sliced open the skin on the dragon''s belly, inflicting such a shallow gash that even the flesh beyond its skin hadn''t been harmed.


    The flight of dragons instantly became more hostile and enraged at the sight of one of their brethren being injured, as if they had just witnessed something unacceptable, and they were so furious that even the color of their pupils was changing. A series of winding blood vessels quickly became visible on the surface of their giant yellow pupils, and around a dozen of the flying dragons immediately flew toward Count Friar, surrounding him from all directions.


    In contrast with the enormous flying dragons around him, Count Friar was made to look extremely tiny and vulnerable.


    ...


    However, before the dragons had a chance to vent their flaming wrath upon Count Friar, they were all distracted by something else.


    "Humbling Heaven and Earth!" Golden radiance lit up from Cameron''s Wish sword once again, and it began to give off a devastating burst of sword intent. The dazzling golden light quickly encompassed the entire sky, completely outshining the light of the sun, and everyone on the battlefield instantly had their attention drawn to him.


    In the face of this almighty blow, even Lazaar didn''t dare to oppose it head-on, and he immediately took evasive measures. Thankfully, he was able to position his own sword in front of himself as a shield just in the nick of time before the golden radiance arrived, but even so, around a dozen small gashes were still inflicted onto his body by the sword energy released by the attack.


    However, the dozen or so flying dragons were far less fortunate. With their enormous frames, there was no way that they could evade the oncoming attack, and thus, they could steel themselves and pray that their physical bodies would be powerful enough to weather the storm.


    After the burst of golden radiance flashed through the air, green blood began to rain down from the heavens amid deafening roars of excruciating pain from the flying dragons.


    Some of the dragons had their wings severed, causing them to plummet out of the sky. Some of the dragons had their bellies sliced open, with internal organs and different bodily fluids gushing out of the wounds. Some of the dragons had their heads cleanly sliced off, revealing their giant dragon brains, and every single crevice on those brains was clearly visible.


    This was the might of the king, and even the most fearsome of magic beasts were powerless in the face of the king''s regal power.


    "Fleeting Eternity!" Taking advantage of the moment that Cameron was taking to catch his breath after unleashing that devastating attack, Lazaar paid no heed to the wounds that he had just sustained as he thrust his sword directly toward Cameron''s chest.


    Radiant white light began to glow from the blade of the Bai Ze sword, and it was piercing through the air with sufficient force to split mountains and part seas, but even so, Cameron was still able to block the attack with authority.


    Even though his lips had become quite pale from exertion, there was still a mocking gleam in Cameron''s eyes as he looked at Lazaar, but his expression then instantly stiffened at the sight of the sinister and triumphant smile that had appeared on Lazaar''s face.


    The reason for Lazaar''s triumphant expression was that a burst of red sword energy had already reached Cameron from behind.


    Cameron was entirely invested in defending himself against Lazaar, and he was unable to protect his own back at the same time.


    Thus, Gilgen''s Zhu Yan blade pierced ruthlessly into his body from behind.


    "From this day forth, King Cameron will be no more!" General Gilgen yelled in a triumphant voice.


    Cameron stared blankly at the tip of the Zhu Yan sword that was protruding out of his chest, seemingly unable to believe his own eyes. He couldn''t even remember the last time that he had sustained any injury in battle, let alone such a lethal one.


    "Your Majesty!" Count Friar was furious to see this, and he immediately rushed toward Cameron with his spear in his hand. However, Lazaar quickly turned around to face him, standing in his path and preventing him from reaching Cameron.


    "Father!" Onean yelled in a panicked and grief-stricken voice, and she immediately withdrew her spell before flying toward Cameron, even while Lana''s Shadowgleam Sword Array was still hot on her heels.


    Erwin knew that the situation had become extremely serious, and he also wanted to rush onto the scene with a space split technique, only to be stopped in his tracks by Aiden.


    "Just because my sister has taken a liking to you doesn''t mean that you can do whatever you please on this battlefield," Aiden said in a cold voice as he raised his halberd and pointed it directly at Erwin.


    Erwin could see that Aiden was no longer intent on killing him, but at the same time, it was clear that he wasn''t going to allow Erwin to go anywhere. However, Erwin wasn''t the type of person who would submissively allow himself to be contained, and he immediately unleashed several dozen instant-release spells toward Aiden''s chest before vanishing on the spot with a space split technique.


    However, before he even had a chance to steady himself after emerging from his space split technique, Aiden''s halberd was already sweeping toward his back. On this occasion, there wasn''t enough time for him to conjure up a localized light shield, so he was struck by the blade of the halberd, which left a long gash on his back.


    "Looks like you have a death wish," Aiden remarked in a mocking voice. Despite what he was saying, he had still held back in this attack. After all, her sister was known for holding grudges, and he didn''t want to sour their relationship by killing Erwin.


    The wound on Erwin''s back was so painful that he couldn''t even maintain a comfortable standing posture. Even so, he was still glowering viciously at Aiden with an unyielding look in his eyes.


    Aiden was the fastest martial artist that Erwin had ever faced by far. Erwin''s space split technique was an instantaneous teleportation technique, yet with his sheer speed alone, Aiden was able to match Erwin''s space split technique, and that was an extraordinary feat.


    Lana took a glance at her calm and relaxed brother, then turned to look at Erwin, who was everything but calm and relaxed. She knew that if things were to continue like this, it wouldn''t be long before Erwin fell to Aiden''s halberd. With that in mind, she immediately said, "Aiden, go and take care of Onean. I''ll handle him."


    Aiden turned to Lana with an amused expression, and even though she was doing her best to conceal her concern for Erwin, Aiden knew her far too well to be fooled. "Oh? Are you finally stepping in to save your lover?"


    "Stop joking around, Aiden! We''re on a battlefield!" Lana snapped in an indignant voice with tightly furrowed brows, trying to put on a display of anger to hide her embarrassment, but the blush that had appeared on her face completely betrayed her emotions.


    Aiden was still very much amused, but he didn''t tease Lana any further as he abandoned Erwin and set off in pursuit of Onean instead.


    Lana stared at Erwin in silence, and even though she wasn''t saying anything, the profound emotions in her eyes were enough to express 1,000 words.


    However, in this moment, Erwin was feeling extremely insulted, and this feeling was only being exacerbated by the gentle expression of pity and compassion with which Lana was looking at him.


    He suddenly realized just how foolish and naive he had been, thinking that she would need him to save her from this battlefield when in reality, he was the one who had to be saved by her. With that in mind, his heart was filled with indignation and self-derision. In this instant, he suddenly thought back to what Lana had said to him that day: "Why couldn''t you just leave me alone and live out your life in peace? Why do you insist on putting yourself in harm''s way?"


    Only now was the meaning of her words becoming clear to him. Back then, she was already alluding to the issues that stood between them. In fact, she had been dropping him subtle hints even earlier than that. During that night when they last had dinner together, he had already sensed that there was something she was hiding from him. However, was it really just a matter of conflicting standpoints?


    No, the true problem laid in his own weakness.


    He had been far too conceited in thinking that he could actually impact this war, when in reality, he had been living in a naive fantasy this entire time. Such was the paradoxical nature of man. Oftentimes, Erwin would console himself by telling himself that there was no need to become mentally preoccupied with things outside of his control. However, he was unable to follow his own advice here. In the face of a truly powerful adversary, he was so pathetic and weak, to the extent that he was only able to survive because a woman had essentially begged his opponent to spare him. He had felt himself to be a potential hero, but looking at himself now, he realized that he was nothing more than a pitiful clown.


    Onean was in a state of great peril, yet he was powerless to do anything. Looking back at Lana, he felt like a complete and utter failure, so much so that was too ashamed to face this world. All of a sudden, countless emotions welled up in his heart, with the most prominent duo being fury and humiliation, and these violently dark emotions were awakening something inside him.


    In reality, Erwin was being too harsh on himself. Lana had only said to him what she had said at the time as Prince Lazaar had threatened to kill him if she were to involve herself with him any longer. Having said that, it was also inaccurate to say that Erwin had overanalyzed the meaning of her words.


    At its core, the issue was that Erwin was too naive and had oversimplified the concept of wars in his own mind. There was no side that was guaranteed to win, nor any side that was sure to lose. Ultimately, everything could be attributed to Erwin''s lack of experience.


    However, none of that was going to impact the emotions that were currently surging through his heart.


    All of a sudden, all of the indignation and powerlessness piling up in his heart was blown apart by a sense of violent fury and arrogant indifference. Nothing around him had changed, but in his eyes, everything had become so pitiful and pathetic, so much so that he was filled with disdain for everything that he saw.

 CH 70

    He spread his arms and hands wide open, and all of the magic power in his entire body rapidly surged toward his palms. In addition to that, Lana could sense that the elemental matter in the surrounding area was also converging toward his palms at an alarming speed.


    A look of concern intermingled with fear appeared on her face as she looked at his deathly pale face. In addition to his ashen complexion, sweat was pouring profusely down his forehead, and his entire body was spasming uncontrollably. What terrified her the most was the look in his eyes, which was constantly switching back and forth between unbridled fury and arrogance, and cold indifference and apathy. This made her feel as if this were a complete stranger standing before her, and she was at a complete loss for what to do. If it weren''t for that familiar face of his, she would begin to wonder whether this person was Erwin at all.


    In the blink of an eye, two new moons emerged above his palms, and all of the chaotic emotions in his heart instantly subsided. His face became completely expressionless as he looked at everything around him with emotionless eyes. In his current state, neither his father nor the two women who meant so much to him had any bearing on his heart. In his eyes, they were no different from the flying dragons in the sky, or the dirt down below. In the face of the boundless entities that were space and time, everything else was completely insignificant.


    There was nothing but blank apathy in his eyes as he swept his hands through the air, sending the two new moons flying through the air.


    There were many figures who were far more powerful and of far loftier status than Erwin on this battlefield, but in this instant, all of them were staring at the pair of new moons with flabbergasted expressions. They could all sense that this was definitely no ordinary spell. Magicians and martial artists of their caliber were all extremely sensitive toward life-threatening danger, and they could all vaguely sense that the pair of new moons were rapidly slicing through space and time, destroying everything in their wake.


    What kind of spell is this? Looks like I may have underestimated him, Aiden thought to himself in an alarmed manner as he dodged to the side to avoid the trajectory of the oncoming new moon. However, he immediately found himself being sucked in toward a black rift that had appeared behind the new moon. He turned around to look at the boundless abyss within the black rift with an alarmed and horrified expression, following which he discovered that he was unable to turn his own head back forward. He could feel his own body slowly inching uncontrollably toward the depths of the black rift, and he could feel the pure darkness inside beckoning to him. The warped light around the edges of the black rift was like writhing fangs that were welcoming its prey, giving the rift an even more harrowing appearance.


    In the blink of an eye, all of the flying swords that were pursuing Onean were drawn into the abyss. Onean turned around to glance at the black rift behind her, and a wary look appeared in her eyes. She had heard Erwin mention in passing that these new moons were capable of severing space and time. Furthermore, the memory of those same rifts devouring the dozens of Skycourt Kingdom mercenaries that night was still clear in her mind. Even though she was extremely concerned about her father''s injuries, in the face of such a dangerous spell, she still forced herself to calm down and immediately began to fly away from the rift. However, the suction force emanating from the dark rift was extremely potent, and even though she was already situated quite far away from it, she was still unable to get away. From her perspective, it felt as if there were some type of insurmountable force that was dragging her down and refusing to let her go.


    Gilgen was still basking in the ecstasy of slaying King Cameron when he felt one of the new moons flying toward him from behind, and he immediately pulled Zhu Yan out of Cameron''s body, then slashed his sword through the air, unleashing two bursts of sword intent toward the depths of the dark rift. However, after sinking into the darkness, the sword intent that he had unleashed instantly vanished without a trace. At the same time, he could feel his Zhu Yan sword inching uncontrollably toward the abyss. He immediately tighten his grip around the hilt of his sword, only to find that his arm also began to drift toward the rift. By the time he realized that retreat was the best option, it was already too late, and his entire body had become immobilized.


    After being dealt such a grievous blow, Cameron''s aura was in complete disarray, and his vision was beginning to blur. Through his glazed-over eyes, he turned around to look at Erwin, and the expression on Erwin''s face was one that was very familiar to him. A string of past memories then began to surface in his mind, and a thought suddenly occurred to him. In fact, this thought had already occurred to him during the first day of the Pillow Sword Tournament, where he had witnessed Erwin using his light shield, and that thought had been ruminating in his heart ever since then. A complex look appeared in his eyes as he continued to stare at Erwin, and he was terrified that the tragedy of the past was going to repeat itself. He then withdrew his gaze to look at the blood he had just coughed up, which was hovering in front of him in droplets as they drifted toward the bottomless rift, and he began to ask himself whether he regretted doing what he had done all those years ago.


    ...


    Meanwhile, the other new moon was flying directly toward Prince Lazaar.


    Lazaar immediately forced back Friar with his sword upon seeing this, then attempted to flee into the distance, but the black rift refused to let him go. Lazaar currently had his back facing the rift, and to his astonishment, his sword was trembling uncontrollably as its tip slowly began to turn toward the inky-black rift behind him. At the same time, his body was already fully taut and straightened, and it was also moving toward the abyss.


    As it turned out, in the instant that he felt the suction force from the dark rift, he immediately applied a series of martial techniques upon himself in order to increase his own speed. However, not only did that not help him escape, it was only accelerating his descent toward the abyss.


    Count Friar was naturally quite familiar with this type of magic, and he immediately undid all of the martial techniques that he had applied onto himself. He knew that the more elemental matter he had in his own body, the faster he would be drawn toward the abyss. Each time and space magician had their own techniques, but fundamentally, all of them were the same in nature. This was the first time that Count Friar had seen Erwin unleash his new moons, but having witnessed the spells from Erwin''s mother on so many past occasions, even though he still didn''t know how time and space magic worked, he understood some of its properties.


    He looked down at the rhomboid necklace that he was always wearing. The pendant had already drifted out of his breastplate, and it was dancing joyfully in mid-air, as if it could sense the presence of someone extremely close and intimate to it. He then cast his gaze toward Erwin from afar, and he felt like he could already see a younger version of Erwin''s mother in him, an observation that filled him with joy, but also concern.


    Meanwhile, there were still several reckless wyverns who wanted to avenge their fallen brethren by striking down Friar and Cameron. They flapped their wings vigorously and flew toward the two perpetrators, but as soon as they approached the bottomless black rifts, their bodies were rapidly devoured by the pair of abysses. Even though they flapped their wings desperately and howled with all their might in a panicked frenzy, trying to get away, they were completely powerless to resist. Soon, their anguished howls drew to an abrupt halt, and they disappeared into the darkness, just like that.


    The most terrifying thing about time and space magic was that it transcended beyond all martial techniques and spells, making it capable of overcoming even the most powerful martial artists and magicians in this world, let alone these magic beasts from the mountain ranges.


    However, just as Erwin had noticed during the battle that had taken place in Xeto that night, as soon as he unleashed this spell, all of his emotions would instantly disappear without a trace. Thus, even though he could see Onean and even his own father being gradually devoured by the abyss, he displayed no reaction whatsoever. Instead, he was still constantly injecting more magic power into the spell.


    Lana cast her gaze toward Erwin, and once again, she was struck by the feeling that she was looking at a stranger.


    How could he disregard the safety of his own father like this? Is he planning to kill Cameron and that silver-haired vixen as well? When did he become so heartless and demented? Lana thought to herself with a stunned expression, then picked up the Shaved Purple Gem staff that was hovering beside Erwin before gently knocking it on his head a few times. She had thought that Erwin would lash out in retaliation, perhaps even unleashing a barrage of instant-release spells at her, and she had even prepared an instant-release magic shield to defend herself with. However, Erwin displayed no reaction at all to her prodding, and it was as if he had become an unresponsive puppet.


    Unbeknownst to her, Erwin''s body had been entirely consumed by the urge to complete the single objective in his mind, which was to kill everyone in front of him. To put it more accurately, it was to kill all of the living beings before him. In this situation, Lana should''ve been very thankful that she was standing behind Erwin, thereby positioning her in a blind spot as far as his field of view was concerned. Otherwise, she would''ve also become one of the targets for him to hunt down.


    Lana''s brows were tightly furrowed as she looked at the expressionless Erwin, and she knew that if she didn''t interrupt his spell, her father and her brother were going to be killed. Thus, she immediately raised a palm before unleashing an instant-release spell toward the defenseless Erwin. She had the presence of mind to remember that Erwin was wearing a piece of equipment that was capable of conjuring up a mirage to protect him, so she didn''t put too much magic power into this first spell.


    Just as she anticipated, her instant-release spell triggered the innate mirage spell of the necklace that Erwin was wearing. However, right as she raised her staff and was about to attack Erwin a second time, a snake projection suddenly shot forth from the southern city wall of Illingburn Fort at an alarming speed.


    Lana was very startled to see this, and she cast an astonished gaze toward the oncoming snake projection. Never did she think that Mistress Faye would suddenly attack at a time like this. She had thought that Mistress Faye had already exhausted all of her magic power, but evidently, that was clearly not the case.


    The fierce snake projection was even faster than the ones unleashed by the Shadowgleam Snake Array, and Lana fired off a few spells at it in rapid succession, but was unable to intercept it.


    Lana was naturally well aware of the power of her teacher''s spells, and she knew that if Erwin were to be struck by this spell in his defenseless state, there was no way that he would survive. Thus, she immediately jumped in front of him without any hesitation, choosing to shield him with her own body.


    Right at this moment, another figure sprang forth out of nowhere, positioning themselves in front of both Lana and Erwin.

 CH 71

    Standing atop the city wall of Illingburn Fort, Archbishop Sirius of the True Light Church was watching Erwin''s handiwork with an appreciative and joyful expression. Looking at the chaotic abyss of space and time, he was struck by an almost irrepressible urge to applaud and cheer. Thus, he was naturally not very pleased to see Faye''s attempt to interrupt the spell, and his brows furrowed ever so slightly, but he then quickly put on an indifferent facade again.


    "Lana! What are you doing?" Faye yelled in an alarmed voice. Never did she think that her student would be so devoted to Erwin. To put it more accurately, she didn''t believe that there were any romantic relationships in this world that were worth dying for. Lana was very similar to her in every way, so she had thought that Lana''s attitude toward romance would be the same, but such was the unpredictability of human nature. Furthermore, Lana''s father and brother were both about to fall prey to Erwin''s time and space magic, so it was even more unbelievable to her that Lana would do something like this. Mistress Faye was a vastly experienced magician, but when it came to love, she was far less experienced, so she couldn''t put herself in Lana''s shoes. Little did she know that even a woman as proud and prodigiously talented as Lana still wasn''t immune to the sweet trap of love.


    However, Faye''s concern and fear for Lana quickly turned into grief for someone else.


    Faye stared at the wizened face of the figure who had positioned himself in front of Lana and Erwin, and she felt as if she had been struck by a bolt of lightning. Her eyes were wide with shock, and she couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    The eyes of the fierce snake projection that she had unleashed were giving off piercing red light, and in the blink of an eye, it passed through the magic shield conjured up by Professor Hawk without any impediment. Its excitement was palpable as it spotted someone standing in front of it, and it eagerly flicked out its forked tongue with a murderous gleam in its eyes. A bright green spell was fired from the tip of Professor Hawk''s staff, but it was powerless to stop the oncoming snake projection.


    In the blink of an eye, the snake projection tore directly through Professor Hawk''s chest, leaving a gaping hole in his body, causing him to throw up a huge mouthful of blood.


    Blood trickled down from the corners of his lips as he stared blankly at Faye from afar with a slack-jawed expression. Through his actions, he was telling Faye that this student of his was not to be harmed. At the same time, he was giving her a parting glance, as if he were bidding farewell to an old friend. In the final moments of his life, he thought back to his time as a student in Sarus many moons ago. Perhaps meeting those two exceptionally talented female students in his cohort were the luckiest thing to have ever happened to him.


    His hair was blown in all directions by the frosty wind as he stared at Faye from afar, and there were some things that he wanted to say to her, but he had kept them bottled up his entire life, leaving him with an overwhelming sense of regret.


    While falling lifelessly out of the sky, Professor Hawk looked up at the heavens, at the student of his, who had already become such an adept time and space magician.


    He''s so much like his mother, he thought to himself with a gratified expression.


    Truth be told, even he was quite surprised by his own actions. In this dire situation, he didn''t care about any of the other people on this battlefield. Not even King Cameron was within his realm of consideration.


    Perhaps she had already anticipated that this would happen in the future when she gave that book to Friar, Profesor Hawk thought to himself, then heaved a mellow sigh as he closed his eyes with a content expression.


    After passing through Professor Hawk''s body, the momentum of the snake projection was significantly lessened, but even so, the bright red light glowing in its eyes still didn''t fade. A blue spell was surging out of the tip of Lana''s silver staff, and it was just barely able to keep the snake projection at bay. Lana''s long hair was dancing wildly all around her, and her magic power was rapidly seeping out of her body. Only then was she able to exhaust all of the magic energy within the snake projection just before it reached her chest.


    At the same time, the two dark rifts in the air suddenly vanished, as did the pair of new moons that had shocked the entire battlefield. All of a sudden, the sky returned to its normal bright and sunny complexion, and it was as if nothing had ever happened.


    The reason for this was that Erwin had finally returned to his senses after witnessing the lethal blow that Professor Hawk had taken to protect him.


    He looked on with a dazed expression as Professor Hawk fell out of the sky. In the past, he and Professor Hawk had never been particularly close, so never did he think that the stern professor would sacrifice himself to save him at this crucial juncture.


    It was also at the same time that he realized Lana had also thrown herself in front of him to shield him with her body.


    He was very touched by their selfless gestures, but at the same time, he was overcome by an intense wave of feebleness, and if it weren''t for the fact that he was holding on through sheer force of will, he would''ve already fallen unconscious. He had just injected elemental matter that was far beyond his tolerance capacity into the two new moons, and as a result, his magic power and stamina had been completely overexerted. However, for him, this was far from the first time that he had been completely drained by space and time magic. The problem was that he was still situated on a chaotic battlefield, so he couldn''t allow himself to fall unconscious.


    "Catch my teacher before he falls onto the ground," Erwin gently whispered into Lana''s ear.


    The slight itch of Erwin''s feeble breath brushing past Lana''s ear made her heart quiver delicately, but at the same time, she was still quite concerned about him. He''s too weak to even cast a simple levitation spell, how is he going to survive on this battlefield?


    Lana pointed her finger gently in Professor Hawk''s direction, and his body began to slowly descend like a weightless feather.


    ...


    Having just brushed shoulders with death, all of the people on the battlefield in the sky were greatly alarmed by what they had just experienced, but they were still able to react very quickly.


    Gilgen immediately sprang back to open up some distance between himself and everyone else, then cast a wary gaze toward everyone around him. Even though Cameron had just been gravely wounded, he still had to keep an eye on Lazaar and Aiden. In the face of someone as cold and scheming as Lazaar, he didn''t dare to let his guard down even for a second. He was worried that Lazaar and his son would suddenly change their mind and kill him in Gilgen''s stead. In addition to that, he had expended a significant amount of power in his last attack, and after that, he had to contend with those dark rifts. In his current condition, even facing the likes of Onean or Friar would be quite a struggle.


    Meanwhile, Prince Lazaar cast a glance toward Aiden, indicating for him to organize the rest of the flying dragons to take care of Cameron''s remaining forces as soon as possible.


    Aiden nodded in response, then flew toward the flight of dragons. He knew that his father was going to take care of Cameron, so all he needed to do was to ensure that the rest of the Effer Kingdom''s troops on this battlefield were decimated.


    As for Onean, she immediately flew over to Cameron''s side, then began to inspect his injury with a grim expression, unable to bring herself to say anything. Her teacher had just died before her very eyes, and now, her father had sustained extremely severe injuries. In this situation, the fact that she was still able to hold herself together was already a testament to her mental fortitude.


    Count Friar and Cameron exchanged a glance with one another, and with just that brief glance alone, the two of them already understood one another''s intentions. They were both very experienced and pragmatic commanders, so they naturally weren''t going to cling stubbornly to any false hope that they could still win this battle. With that in mind, both of them immediately arrived at a decision.


    "Don''t go after them for vengeance for now," Cameron said as he grabbed firmly onto Onean''s wrist. From the resentful look in her eyes, he could already tell what she was thinking. "You''re still no match for them right now. We still have some troops in the east, and they should be able to last sometime. While Lazaar is wiping out those troops with his forces, find an opportunity to get away from here."


    "But Father..." Onean was astonished to hear this. The thought of leaving her father behind for her own survival had never even crossed her mind for an instant.


    "Don''t argue with me, Onean. There''s no way that Lazaar is going to allow me to leave this place alive today. If you stay with me, you''ll just be losing your life in futility with me." The wound that had been inflicted by Gilgen''s sword was really beginning to take a toll on Cameron''s body now, and his breathing was becoming more and more sharp and ragged. Even so, he continued to stare intently at Onean as he said in a trembling voice, "Listen to me: you have to live on. Return to Sarus, and our Cameron Family will still have a chance to make a resurgence."


    Onean knew that this was the best course of action for the greater good, and she nodded in response, but she didn''t dare to look into her father''s eyes for fear that her father would be able to see how vulnerable and fearful she was feeling.


    A benevolent look appeared on Cameron''s as he looked at his prized daughter. He began to envision her with the royal crown sitting on her head. He envisioned how joyful she would look in her wedding dress and how she would be surrounded by her own children and loving husband in the future. The thought that he wouldn''t be with her as she achieved all of those milestones in life brought a film of tears to his eyes.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Count Friar grabbed onto Erwin, who was struggling just to stay conscious, and Lana immediately flew away from the two to give them some privacy.


    "Do you still remember how you asked me whether that turtle analogy had been told to me by your mother?" Friar asked as he looked at Erwin with a smile on his face. "I can tell you now that it was indeed her who had told me that analogy."


    Erwin was rather perplexed about why his father was talking about something so seemingly trivial in such an urgent situation, but what his father said next came as a massive shock to him.


    "Your mother is in the north. You should go to see her. I''m sure that with your skills and smarts, you''ll definitely be able to find her. I already told you where all of the money in our manor is being stored, so I''d advise you to pay a visit back to Sarus, then set off right away," Friar said before taking a step back to carefully look Erwin up and down, then patted Erwin on the shoulder with a proud expression. "I''ve never said this to you before, but I''m genuinely very happy that I was able to be your father this lifetime. I won''t be around to protect you in the future, so you have to be careful out there and be sparing with your money."


    Erwin stared blankly at his own father, at a complete loss for what to say. A lump had suddenly formed in his throat, and it didn''t even register in his mind that he had just been told that his mother was still alive. While he was using his time and space magic earlier, all of his emotions had been completely drained, yet now, his mind was being assaulted by all manners of powerful emotions, and the sudden and intense emotional influx struck him with a splitting headache, making his brain very sluggish at the same time.


    While Erwin was still standing on the spot in a daze, Count Friar helped onto the back of a horse, which was also carrying Master Piro''s body.


    "Take your teacher with you as well. He hasn''t had an easy life, and he deserves a proper burial, so you have to take his body back with you," Count Friar said as he tossed Professor Hawk''s onto the back of the horse as well. Before Erwin had a chance to return to his senses, Count Friar gave the rear end of the horse a vicious slap, and the horse immediately neighed with pain as it set off on a gallop, rushing directly toward the wall of ice up ahead.


    "Father!" Only after he began bouncing up and down on horseback was Erwin finally jolted back to his senses, and he immediately turned around with a panicked expression, but at this point, the horse had already traveled over 100 feet. He stared at his father''s lonesome figure on the chaotic and unforgiving battlefield, and he was struggling to come to terms with this abrupt farewell.


    Count Friar looked on as the figure on horseback sped away further and further into the distance, and he felt as if a massive load had been shed from his shoulders. He then picked up a golden lion''s head flag that was lying beside his foot, then hurled it toward the wall of ice ahead of Erwin.


    No sooner had the flag plunged into the wall of ice did a burst of formidable golden sword intent arrive, and the wall of ice conjured up by the church magicians was instantly shattered into countless pieces.


    "Go!" Cameron immediately gave Onean a firm shove on the back, and she was sent flying toward the southeast.


    She instinctively reached out to grab onto her father, only to see him drifting further and further away from her fingertips, and she knew that this was farewell. She gritted her teeth as she forced herself to turn around and leave everything behind, no longer looking back in fear that looking at her father any longer would shake her resolve to leave.

 CH 72.1

    Prince Lazaar looked on with a cold expression as Cameron bade farewell to Onean, and the thought of the horrific state that Jeff was in flashed through his mind, striking him with the uncontrollable urge to strike down Onean as an act of vengeance for his own son. However, right as he was about to raise his sword, a burst of golden radiance surged toward him from behind.


    Even though King Cameron was close to being a spent force, he wasn''t going to allow anyone to try and harm his own daughter in his presence.


    Lazaar turned around to defend himself against the burst of golden sword intent, and by then, Onean and Erwin had already sped into the distance. He knew that his top priority right now was to take care of Cameron, so he raised his Bai Ze sword and waved it toward the southern encampment. Upon receiving this signal, all of the white-armored priests of the church immediately parted to open up a wide path down the center. The troops of Burmen behind them were already raring to go, and waves of thunderous cheers instantly erupted as they spotted an opportunity for them to rejoin the battle.


    "Long live, Lord Lazaar! Long live, Lord Lazaar! Long live, Lord Lazaar!" The soldiers of Burmen had already adopted their formations, and the foot soldiers were prepared to charge.


    At this point, the reserve army of the Effer Kingdom was already severely ravaged and riddled with lifeless bodies. After a few rounds of scorching dragon flames, the reserve army had been reduced from around 30,000 troops to less than 5,000. Even though Onean was already fleeing toward the southeast, King Cameron and Count Friar were still remaining on the battlefield. Looking at the determined gleam in the eyes of their two commanders, all of the remaining soldiers of the Effer Kingdom drew upon the final reserves of strength in their bodies and steeled themselves for one last battle.


    There were still over 20 flying dragons left on the battlefield, and they had been circling around in the sky above the reserve army prior to this, but since then, they had been led toward the southeastern battlefield by Aiden. Aiden''s objective wasn''t to hunt down Erwin and Onean. Instead, his main goal was to wipe out the remaining troops of the Effer Kingdom. Furthermore, after almost falling to his demise against Erwin''s new moons, he was feeling quite fearful. If he were to pursue Erwin and Onean, only for the former to unleash that spell again, he would perhaps be able to escape, but these flying dragons were all going to be killed.


    If the remaining flying dragons were to perish, then the state of this battle would become quite murky again. Aiden didn''t dare to take such a risk, so he decided not to go after Erwin and Onean.


    Meanwhile, Erwin rode through the shattered wall of ice on horseback alongside the bodies of Master Piro and Professor Hawk, and Onean was flying not far in the air above him, while Aiden''s flight of dragons were letting loose almighty roars behind them.


    The 20,000 or so troops who had retreated to the southeastern coastline had been waiting behind the wall of ice this entire time, and now that the wall of ice had been shattered, they could see that Onean was fleeing from the battlefield, while King Cameron was still trapped on the southern battlefield. This was already enough to tell them what the state of the battle was like, and just like the reserve troops of the Effer Kingdom, they also steeled themselves for one final battle.


    "Protect Her Highness! Save His Majesty!" The commander of the soldiers raised his longsword and led from the front, charging toward the southern battlefield without any hesitation. With him setting such a courageous example, all of the royal cavaliers and royal foot soldiers behind him immediately followed suit, charging toward the southern battlefield amid waves of thunderous war cries.


    Onean looked down with a dazed expression as the fearless soldiers down below charged headfirst into the scorching dragon flames, and she was feeling extremely ashamed. These soldiers were laying down their lives for the kingdom without so much as a second thought, while she was fleeing for her life, and the thought of that filled her with shame.


    "What are you doing, idiot? We need to get out of here!" Erwin roared in an urgent voice up at the dazed Onean.


    Onean turned to him with a furious look in her golden eyes, and he glared right back at her without backing down in the slightest.


    In the end, it was Onean who conformed. She knew that Erwin was right. Just as her father had said, her death on this battlefield would be completely futile.


    "We need to get the hell out of here! Once those flying dragons are finished with everyone else and start coming after us, we''ll be screwed!" Out of the chaos of the battlefield emerged Kaiba with the dozens of mercenaries that still remained of their mercenary legion, reuniting with their deputy legion commander.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the ragged bunch of mercenaries, and he heaved a long sigh of relief upon spotting Kaiba, Sherry, Lanyon, and Georgina among them. He knew that Kaiba wasn''t going to lead everyone to their deaths. Looking at the surviving martial artists of the mercenary legion, he discovered that most of them were wearing suits of Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor, so it seemed that these suits of armor really were very useful in battle.


    "You ride this horse, this one''s faster," Erwin said to Onean after she landed on the ground. He knew that his father''s steed was a Zam highland horse of the highest pedigree.


    Erwin then got down from the horse before clambering onto his own horse, carrying Professor Hawk''s body with him.


    "I''m impressed, Lanyon. I can''t believe you still had the wherewithal to look after my hose on such a chaotic battlefield," Erwin praised in a genuine voice while panting heavily. He really didn''t have much strength left in him in his current condition, and just the act of hoisting Professor Hawk''s body onto the back of his horse was enough to leave him sweating profusely. After that, he rummaged through the sheepskin bag attached to the saddle, and he was relieved to find that both of his books were still in there.


    A wry smile appeared on Lanyon''s face, and he wondered how Erwin could still be making jokes at a time like this.


    Georgina made his way over to Erwin to ask if he should relinquish his unicorn steed to Onean, a suggestion which Erwin thought about, but ultimately decided against in the end. That grumpy unicorn was extremely short-tempered with everyone aside from Georgina, and he was worried that it would buck Onean off its back.


    "Oh my goodness, can we stop wasting time already? Let''s get the hell out of here!" Kaiba''s urgency and frustration were about to boil over.


    Erwin turned to Onean to check on her, and he discovered that her complexion was as pale as a ghost, and her eyes were completely hollow, but all that mattered was that she had already climbed onto the back of the horse. Thus, he immediately yelled, "Let''s go!"


    Thus, the Four Winds mercenary legion sped along the southern coastline in a long line. The sound of a brutal battle was ringing out behind them, but they remained completely expressionless and unmoved. It was only just beginning to approach noon, but having spent half a day on that hellish battlefield, everyone felt as if the morning was an eternity ago.


    They had come here with unbridled excitement and lofty aspirations, but they were now fleeing with dejected hearts and shattered egos.


    ...


    Standing atop the back of one of the flying dragons, Aiden was looking down at the oncoming troops of the Effer Kingdom with a slightly surprised expression. Don''t they know that they''re charging to their deaths? Are they not afraid of these pure dragon flames?


    He had thought that these soldiers would flee toward the south alongside Onean, but to his surprise, it was as if all of them had a death wish, and they were charging directly toward the battlefield below the flying dragons. Aiden admired them for their courage and loyalty, but that didn''t mean that he was going to spare them. With a gentle pat on the dragon''s neck, another plume of dragon flames was sent raining down from above.


    As the dragon flames slaughtered the remaining troops of the Effer Kingdom, the soldiers of Burmen also began their charge.


    Cameron cast his gaze toward the horrific slaughter taking place on the southeastern battlefield, then turned to look at the formidable soldiers of the Burmen that were rushing onto the scene. His face was completely devoid of color, and even though his death was all but sealed, there was no fear in his eyes whatsoever. Instead, a derisive sneer appeared on his face.


    "Looks like the two of us are going to die here today, old pal," Cameron said as he raised his Wish sword and pointed it toward the south.


    "Indeed, Your Majesty." Count Friar also wore a nonchalant smile as he tightened his grip around the shaft of his own spear. "I''ve always told you that Master Donson is nothing more than a rambling scam artist, but you never believed me. Do you believe me now?"


    "Haha, you''re such a petty old bastard. We''re about to die, and you''re still badmouthing Master Donson," Cameron chuckled in response, but his laughter quickly turned into a wince as he had aggravated his injury while chuckling. "Besides, both of our children managed to escape, so how do you know that Master Donson''s prophecy won''t eventually come true?"


    Friar thought about this for a moment, then nodded in response. "I suppose you''re right."


    That afternoon, the battle on the Marrod Plain finally drew to a glorious conclusion.


    Even near death, Cameron was still as formidable as ever, raking through the enemy ranks with his Wish sword, but in the end, he was still slain by Lazaar''s Bai Ze blade. Friar also went down fighting next to Cameron, ultimately falling to Aiden''s Halberd. All the while, Mistress Faye looked into the distance from the top of the city wall, lamenting the passing of perhaps the only romantic interest of her life. Similarly, Lana was also looking far into the southeast. She was still situated on the battlefield, but her heart had already drifted away with someone else.


    After the battle, the lame and hobbling Gilgen picked up a bloody head, then retreated back to the territory of the Skycourt Kingdom with what little remained of his forces. In the end, he was able to bring back the head of King Cameron to the Skycourt Kingdom, just as he had set out to do from the very beginning.


    Archbishop Sirius had been watching with indifference from the top of the city wall this entire time, and even as he witnessed the decapitation of King Cameron, not a single hint of emotion appeared in his eyes.


    "All of you will pay the price for interfering with the descent of our almighty lord," he said in a cold voice.


    ...


    The light of the dying sun shone down upon the battlefield, basking the mountains of corpses in a forlorn glow. The crows and ravens circling around in the sky were eager to begin their feast, and if it weren''t for the fact that the soldiers of Burmen were still cleaning up the battlefield, the birds would''ve already swooped onto the delectable buffet down below. As always, the mountains around Illingburn Fort observed in silence and indifference. The dusk on this day seemed to be no different from that of the previous day.


    "Have all of those mercenaries been cleaned up as well?" Lazaar asked as he cast his gaze toward the severely ravaged Marrod Plain.


    "Yes, Father," Aiden replied with a nod.


    "Who could''ve anticipated that His Majesty would have a trump card up his sleeve? I certainly didn''t think that there would be so many mercenaries hiding in the barracks inside the city," Sirius mused.


    "He probably wanted to attack us from both sides, but in the end, our trump card proved to be superior to his," Lazaar said in an indifferent voice.


    As it turned out, Cameron had hidden all of the mercenaries that had accompanied the regular army in the barracks, and his plan was to unleash them as a surprise unit during the final battle against Lazaar. However, no one could''ve anticipated that Lazaar would be able to recruit dragons to their army. Even though the mercenaries were still unleashed by Cameron as a surprise attack in the end, they were only able to have a very minor impact on the battle.


    After the battle outside of the city drew to a conclusion, the mercenaries inside the city were no match for the elite forces of Burmen, and they didn''t last very long before they were completely wiped out.


    "Cameron is dead, but there''s still a problem, which is that we let Onean escape. If she manages to return to Sarus, everyone will hear about how you betrayed the kingdom and slew the king," Sirius said with a concerned expression.

 CH 73

    Erwin hadn''t left this transcription on Professor Hawk''s tombstone because he felt like Professor Hawk was both a teacher and a friend to him. Instead, it was because he had a feeling that Professor Hawk had some ties with his own parents.


    As a result of this, countless theories had begun to pop up in his mind pertaining to where that copy of "Laws of Time and Space" had come from, and why it had been given to him by Professor Hawk.


    After Onean bade farewell to Master Piro, the trio descended from the mountain.


    Kaiba immediately pulled Erwin to the side, and it was clear that he had something to ask Erwin.


    "What are you planning to do?" Kaiba asked as he took a glance at Onean.


    "What else can we do aside from return to Sarus? As long as Her Highness is with us, I''m sure there will be a lot of people from the royal court who''ll side with us. In addition to that, Sarus is a city with very tall and sturdy walls and gates. Even if Lazaar tries to conquer the city by force, he won''t be able to do so in a short time. As long as we can delay him for a certain period of time, we''ll have a chance to turn the tables. Lazaar is a traitor to the kingdom. If he can''t take down Sarus in a short time, then he''ll have to face the armies loyal to the royal family that''ll gather from all directions to avenge His Majesty," Erwin replied.


    "But doesn''t Lazaar have a bunch of flying dragons under his control? Surely those things will allow him to conquer Sarus with ease," Kaiba said in a concerned voice.


    "I don''t think Lazaar is going to be so demented as to use flying dragons to attack the city. After all, I''m sure he still cares about his own reputation. If he razes the capital city to the ground and turns all of the citizens of Sarus into roast meat, do you think he''ll receive any support even if he seizes the throne by force?" Erwin countered.


    "I certainly hope you''re right," Kaiba sighed. "I just feel like you''re too optimistic about this. If you ask me, I don''t think there are going to be many people siding with Her Highness."


    "Is there something that you have to tell me?" Erwin asked as he turned to look at Kaiba.


    "N, no," Kaiba replied, but for some reason, he stuttered slightly.


    "I don''t recall seeing your father on the battlefield earlier in the day," Erwin said as he closely scrutinized Kaiba.


    "I don''t recall seeing him, either," Kaiba replied while avoiding Erwin''s gaze.


    "You didn''t see Chase''s father on the battlefield, either, did you?" Erwin asked.


    "Are you kidding me? The two armies had a total of over 200,000 troops! How am I supposed to pick out everyone''s family members one by one when there are so many people?" Kaiba snapped. "What are you trying to say?"


    "Nothing. I just feel like you seem a little too relaxed and unfazed by all of this," Erwin replied in an indifferent voice.


    "What are you trying to say?" Kaiba repeated, and he was starting to get a little angry at this point.


    "Nothing," Erwin replied once again. "Regardless of what happens, I have to thank you for risking your life and going into battle with me."


    Kaiba was momentarily rooted to the spot after hearing what Erwin had to say, and he didn''t know how to respond.


    Meanwhile, Erwin cast a subtle gaze toward Gwen, who was still quietly weeping to herself.


    "What are you planning to do with her? Her father was Lazaar''s main political rival," Erwin said.


    "I don''t know. She''s been unconscious this entire time, so I haven''t had a chance to ask her yet."


    Erwin patted Kaiba on the shoulder as he heaved a faint sigh. "Looks like you have a tough road ahead as well."


    Kaiba cast a perplexed gaze toward Erwin upon hearing this.


    "Let''s go. We''ll travel to Xeto before taking a longer rest," Erwin said as he began to make his way toward his own horse.


    Kaiba looked on at Erwin''s departing figure, and he felt as if Erwin had aged significantly over the course of just a single night.


    Thankfully, all of the roads and bridges along the way had already been repaired by them a few days ago, so the return trip was very smooth. However, most of the people who had repaired these bridges and roads had already perished in battle. Perhaps this could be another iteration of bridges and roads being built upon bodies.


    ...


    By the time first light arose the next day, Erwin and his group had already arrived at Xeto.


    Looking at the city from afar, it appeared to be no different from when they had left it. The city gate was wide open, and it was only being guarded by two rows of soldiers. However, the mountain path leading from the foot of the mountain to the city had already been mostly repaired. In Erwin''s mind, it was most likely the case that news of the outcome of the battle on the front lines still hadn''t been delivered to Xeto yet. After all, they had been traveling virtually non-stop at a breakneck pace, so surely the report from Illingburn Fort wouldn''t have gotten here before them.


    Even so, he still decided to instruct everyone to stay at the foot of the mountain, while he and Kaiba entered the city together. After all, he had no way of knowing to whom the mayor of Xeto owed his allegiance, and he could only prepare for the worst. However, Onean was unwilling to let him and Kaiba go on their own, and she insisted on coming along. In the end, Erwin was unable to dissuade her, so he was forced to take her with them. He was beginning to worry that if the mayor of Xeto were to turn on them, they wouldn''t be able to escape. After all, neither of them had rested very well after the battle from the day before. In particular, Erwin could feel that his own magic power and stamina reserves had barely recovered at all.


    As for why he had decided to pay Xeto a visit, it was because he wanted to get an answer from those two close friends of his, even though he already knew the answer.


    Furthermore, there was another reason for this visit to Xeto, and that was Gwen.


    After waking up the night before, Gwen had insisted on riding a horse on her own. However, there were no spare horses for her to ride, so in the end, she could only ride the same horse with Kaiba.


    She was already injured, and even though Gilgen hadn''t stabbed her with the intent to kill, she had still been completely impaled by his sword. After that night of travel, her injuries had most likely worsened significantly. At the moment, she was in an unconscious state, draped over the horse''s back with her face completely devoid of color. If it weren''t for Kaiba supporting her by the waist from behind, she would''ve already fallen off the horse long ago.


    Looking at Kaiba''s concerned expression, Erwin knew that he had made the right decision. If they had continued traveling past Xeto without making a stop, then Gwen would''ve most likely perished after another day or two of travel. Even if they were going to leave her at Xeto to be treated, they had to hide her identity. Otherwise, there was a chance that she would be killed anyway.


    "I''ll go and see if Christine has left the city yet. If she''s still around, then I''ll ask her to take Gwen back to Sarus," Erwin said as he turned to Kaiba. If it weren''t for the fact that they were in a hurry to return to Sarus, he would''ve wanted to travel by airship as well. He desperately wanted to lie down onto a soft bed and fall asleep, but he knew that in his current state, he was already past the point of exhaustion. His brain was operating in a state of extreme excitement, so even though he was extremely tired, he wouldn''t be able to fall asleep.


    Right as the three of them reached the city gate, they were greeted by the sound of a familiar voice.


    "Your Highness!"


    As it turned out, it was the mayor, Francis Hugh. He leaped down from the top of the city wall, and such was his excitement that tears had even welled up in his eyes. Never did he think that the princess would be able to return to Xeto alive, and even now, he was still wondering if his own eyes were playing tricks on him. Looking at the approaching silver-haired figure, he had to fight to stop his own tears from flowing down his face. Even if Onean did survive, he had thought that she would go directly to Newen, so it had never occurred to him as a possibility that she would pay Xeto another visit.


    Onean remained completely unmoved, and it was clear that she was feeling quite defensive toward Francis, who was a subordinate to Lazaar.


    Upon seeing Onean''s expression, Francis knew that Prince Lazaar had followed through with his plan to betray the kingdom, after all.


    With that in mind, he cast a genuine gaze toward Onean as he said, "Rest assured, Your Highness, I bear no ill will toward you."


    Onean offered no reply.


    Instead, it was Erwin who spoke to Francis in her stead. "Mayor Hugh, may I ask where Duke Nandoon and Duke Shreesan are? Are they still in Xeto?"


    "The two dukes set off for Newen on the day after you left," Francis replied, and even though his voice was quite placid, one could tell that he held no respect for the two old dukes.


    "Did my two friends go with them as well?" Erwin asked.


    "That''s right," Francis replied with a nod.


    Even though Erwin had already suspected that this would be the case, he was still overcome by a sense of disappointment. "Looks like they were very eager to go and celebrate."


    Onean stood by him, continuing to look on with an indifferent expression.


    "Then what about that airship of ours? Is it still in the city?" Erwin asked.


    Francis thought about this for a moment before replying, "It''s still here. I recall it''s been undergoing some modification during the past couple of days."


    "Then please take us to the airship, Mayor Hugh," Erwin said. "Oh, also, I''ll have to trouble you to prepare some dry rations and hay for our horses. Once you have those things prepared, please take them to the foot of the mountain."


    "Why aren''t your people coming into the city with you? Do you not trust me?" Francis asked with a resigned expression, then turned to cast his gaze toward Onean.


    "Prince Lazaar has already publicly betrayed the kingdom, and there are still so many Burmen soldiers in this city. Truth be told, even right now, I''m still worried that you''ll kill us all in exchange for a reward," Erwin said with a wry smile. "Of course, Her Highness''s head will be worth far more money than mine."


    "Your Highness, regardless of what everyone else does, I will forever remember what you did to save our city of Xeto on that day," Francis said as he suddenly fell to one knee, and tears began to flow down his face as he spoke.


    Erwin and Kaiba were both very much taken aback to see this.


    "No need for formalities. I was only performing my duty by saving Xeto," Onean replied in an indifferent voice.


    Francis could tell from Onean''s cold expression that nothing he could say would change her mind, so he could only heave a forlorn sigh before leading the group toward the site where the airship was situated.


    Before they even arrived at the airship, they could already hear Christine''s clear and crisp voice. "Hurry up! We don''t have all day! Stop wasting time! Do you want to get paid today or not?"


    At this moment, Christine had one hand on her hip, while using her other hand to instruct a group of workers who were four or five times her age to remove the armor plating on the airship.


    "Hello, Christine," Erwin said as he waved toward the airship.


    Christine could barely believe her own ears upon hearing Erwin''s voice, and as she turned around to face her, there were already tears shimmering in her eyes. She was greeted by the sight of a man on horseback who was looking very much worse for wear. Even though they had only been apart for a few days, he seemed to have lost a lot of weight. There was a smile playing on his lips, but his face was extremely pale, and she had never seen him look so exhausted. Furthermore, she could sense that this wasn''t just a simple case of exhaustion. Instead, it was also intermingled with emotions of despair and intense sorrow. In her memory, Erwin had a perpetual sly grin and was always making jokes. She couldn''t imagine what could''ve happened within the span of just a few days to make him undergo such a drastic transformation.


    Even though she was still very young, she was very sharp and intelligent, and the outcome of the battle on the front lines was already clear to her upon seeing this.

 CH 74

    "Brother Erwin, you''re back!" Christine paid no heed to everyone else as she dove headfirst into Erwin''s arms. Erwin had only just gotten off his horse, and he was almost knocked over by Christine''s enthusiasm.


    Onean took an indifferent glance at Erwin upon seeing this.


    "I am, Christine," Erwin said with a wry smile as he patted Christine on the shoulder. "Looks like we''ll have to trouble you again."


    For some reason, the sight of the tearful Christine evoked a sense of sorrow deep in his heart. However, the fact that the airship was still in Xeto was the first piece of good news that he had received in the past few days.


    "What''s going on? Do you need to use the airship again?" Christine asked in a curious manner.


    "We do. One of our friends has been injured, and I''ll have to trouble you to take her back to Sarus," Erwin replied.


    "That''s all I need to know? That''s not an issue at all," Christine said with a smile. "You left so much money for me last time, I have to return that favor somehow."


    Upon his departure from Xeto a few days ago, Erwin hadn''t taken all of the Loonies with him. Instead, he had left 20,000 Loonies for Christine. His logic was that all he needed to take with him was enough money to support the Four Winds mercenary legion for the next two months. Little did he know that he wasn''t going to need anywhere near that much.


    "What? You think taking someone back to Sarus for me is enough to repay the favor?" Erwin chuckled. "You really are a shrewd businesswoman, aren''t you?"


    "Of course," Christine replied with a pleased smile, then asked, "What about you? Are you not going back to Sarus?"


    "We''re also going back to Sarus, but we''re in quite a hurry, so it would be too slow to travel by airship," Erwin replied with a resigned expression.


    Christine nodded in response, then cast a glance toward Onean. The fact that even the princess was in such a hurry to get back to Sarus was a clear indication to her that the war had ended very badly. In fact, she was already speculating that perhaps the king was no longer of this world.


    She then turned back to Erwin as she sighed, "Of course it''s slow with all of this armor plating installed onto it. On top of that, it''s very heavy and difficult to maneuver in its current form, which is why I''m getting all of the armor plating removed. I''m sure it''ll be a lot faster and more maneuverable once I''m done."


    Erwin raised his head to take a look, upon which he discovered that around half of the armor plating installed onto the airship had already been removed.


    "Make sure you don''t throw these pieces of armor plating away. I don''t know what type of material they''re forged from, but they have exceptional defensive properties. They may be a little heavy, but they could come in very useful in the future," Erwin said.


    "Don''t worry, Brother Erwin, all of the pieces of armor plating that have been removed have already been stored beneath the deck of the airship," Christine replied with a smile while thinking to herself that both she and Erwin seemed to be quite miserly and resourceful.


    "Christine, I have to give you a word of warning. This trip to Sarus most likely isn''t going to be a peaceful one," Erwin said as he swept his gaze through the surrounding area. "Why do I not see your father here? Do you want to consult his opinion about this before you make a decision?"


    By the time the airship arrived at Sarus, perhaps the soldiers of Burmen would''ve already made it to the capital city, and Erwin didn''t want Christine and her father to be unnecessarily swept up into this war.


    "It''s alright, I''ve always been the one making the decisions," Christine said. "I can tell from your expression that this is quite a difficult matter for you, so that''s even more reason to help you. If I don''t help you in your time of need, how would I be able to repay you for what you did for me and my father?"


    Erwin nodded in response, then suddenly ducked down and whispered urgently into Christine''s ear, "There''s no time to remove the rest of the armor plating. You have to return to Sarus as quickly as possible. The situation is extremely urgent, and speed is of the utmost importance, so make sure you don''t delay. I''ll be waiting for you at Sarus."


    Christine was a little bewildered to hear this, but she still nodded firmly in response. At the same time, the fact that Erwin had whispered this to her clearly indicated that he didn''t want someone here to hear what he was saying, and she couldn''t help but wonder who exactly he was keeping this from.


    "Carry Gwen down from the horse," Erwin said as he turned to Kaiba. "You can go back with her on the airship. Her injuries are quite severe, so she''ll need someone to look after her. This is where we''ll part ways for now."


    After bidding farewell to Kaiba and Christine, Erwin hurriedly left the city together with Onean.


    By then, Francis had already delivered the supplies that Erwin had requested to the foot of the mountain. All of the remaining members of the Four Winds mercenary legion were eating dry rations in an exhausted manner, and Erwin heaved an internal sigh upon seeing this, but he knew that it still wasn''t time to rest yet. If they wanted to be able to rest in relative comfort, then they would have to at least leave the state of Burmen first.


    "This is where we part ways then, Mayor Hugh," Erwin said as he turned his gaze toward Francis.


    "Take care," Francis replied in a solemn voice, and his gaze was lingering on Onean.


    As for Onean herself, she was looking out at the provincial road leading to Newen in the northwest, seemingly absorbed in her own thoughts.


    Looking at just how obviously enamored Francis was with Onean, Erwin couldn''t help but feel a little amused. At the same time, it was most likely only thanks to Francis''s attraction toward Onean that they were able to leave Xeto safely.


    ...


    Thus, following an order from Erwin, the unit of several dozen mercenaries continued on their long and depressing return journey.


    Francis stood atop the city wall, watching as Onean rode away into the distance, and he couldn''t help but lament the fact that he couldn''t provide her with any more assistance. All he could do was watch as she came and went, forever unable to express his feelings to her.


    "You know, Mayor Hugh isn''t a bad guy," Erwin suddenly said as he turned toward Onean.


    "What are you trying to say?" Onean asked in a cold voice without even taking a glance at Erwin.


    "There were quite a few people back in Xeto who saw us enter the city, many of whom are soldiers serving under Lazaar. I''m afraid he''s most likely going to be punished for letting you go so easily," Erwin said with a wry smile.


    "I don''t have the time or energy to be worrying about anyone else right now," Onean replied in an expressionless manner.


    Looking at her expression, Erwin knew that she wasn''t interested in talking, so he fell silent and focused on the road ahead.


    For some reason, even though it had been bright and sunny just a moment ago, rain suddenly began to fall. In the beginning, it was only a very light shower, but it didn''t take long before the rain became heavier and heavier. It was currently near the end of winter and the beginning of spring, and the cold rain falling upon everyone gave them an even more dejected and solemn appearance.


    Before noon had even struck, the group had already arrived at the southern side of Newen.


    Erwin cast a careful gaze toward the city wall, then immediately raised his arm, making a hand signal for everyone to stop. Thus, everyone in the Four Winds mercenary legion immediately pulled on the reins in their hands.


    A string of loud neighs rang out as the weary horses drew to a halt.


    Erwin wore a cold expression as he looked ahead at the row of Burmen soldiers in the distance. At a rough visual estimate, there were around 1,000 soldiers in total, and his expression changed ever so slightly at the sight of the red-haired woman the soldiers were being led by, but he then quickly adopted an expressionless facade again.


    "Sherry, get everyone to protect Her Highness and travel to Windmetal Fort. I''ll take care of them," Erwin said in a cold voice, then began to ride forward atop his steed on his own.


    "Have you gone insane?" Onean yelled as she immediately rose up from the back of her horse, then pulled out her staff, and with a gentle flick of her wrist, light began to surge along the entire length of the staff. Immediately thereafter, a protective shield was conjured up in front of the mercenary legion. She executed the entire sequence in a very smooth and effortless manner, and it was impossible to tell that she had already traveled in a state of exhaustion for an entire night.


    "Fire!" Lana immediately ordered as she cast a cold gaze toward Onean.


    The 1,000 Burmen cavaliers each raised an arm in unison, thereby raising the angle at which the crossbows on their arms were aligned, following which a volley of arrows was fired.


    "Run!" Onean yelled at everyone behind her as she continued to support the protective shield with her magic power.


    However, what she had failed to take into account was that this was still Erwin''s mercenary legion, so Lanyon and Sherry only answered to him.


    "Sherry, get the mercenaries wearing Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor to the front! Hurry! Lanyon, take all of the remaining magicians with you and cover us from the sky!"


    Erwin knew that a battle was unavoidable here.


    After receiving Erwin''s orders, Sherry and Lanyon immediately began to organize what little remained of their mercenary legion.


    While the first few volleys of arrows were being kept at bay by the protective shield conjured up by Onean, Sherry and the several dozen martial artists clad in suits of Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor adopted their positions at the forefront of the unit.


    Right at this moment, a burst of black light swept toward Erwin and his group at an alarming speed. Upon closer inspection, Erwin discovered that it was a black wyrm shrouded in a layer of azure flames.


    Erwin knew that this was Lana''s Arcane Inferno Black Dragon spell.


    During the battle on the Marrod Plain, Lana was the grand magic mentor who had expended the least magic power among all of the participating parties. Most of the time, she had been protecting Mistress Faye, and aside from unleashing that Arcane Black Phoenix to oppose Piro''s white phoenix spell, there were no other instances where she had to expend large amounts of magic power.


    Near the conclusion of the battle, she had many opportunities to strike down Erwin, but she couldn''t bring herself to do so in the end. This was also why Erwin had urged everyone else to escape while he faced Lana''s army alone. He was gambling that Lana would let him go once again.


    Even though this wasn''t an all-out attack from Lana, it was still powerful enough to break through Onena''s protective shield. After all, Onean was already a spent force. After unleashing that astonishing storm of fire in the sky above the Marrod Plain, her reserves of magic power had already run out. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have had so much trouble dealing with Lana''s sword array. The protective shield that she had conjured up was nothing more than a bluff that was only capable of warding off the oncoming arrows, but was no match for Lana''s powerful spells.


    The ferocious black wyrm pierced directly through the defensive line of mercenaries, and all of the mercenaries who were even slightly grazed by the azure flames burning on its body were instantly devoured by black arcane energy.


    Right as the black wyrm tore through the protective shield in front of Onean, a partial light shield suddenly appeared in front of her, shielding her from the attack.


    Lana was furious upon seeing her black wyrm being stopped in its tracks.


    How many times has he saved that silver-haired vixen''s life? she thought to herself in a resentful manner, and spurred on by her fury and jealousy, she increased her magic power output into the black wyrm.


    Right as the black wyrm was about to tear through Erwin''s partial light shield, a halberd came flying through the air right behind it.


    The halberd had been hurled by Aiden, and it was a powerful strike that even his father would''ve been proud of.


    It was clear that even Lana hadn''t anticipated this turn of events, and she looked on with alarm and horror as the halberd hurtled directly toward Erwin.


    On the previous occasion, Aiden wasn''t able to pierce through Erwin''s hand with his attack, but on this occasion, he succeeded where he had failed last time.


    "Argh!" A cry of excruciating pain escaped from between Erwin''s lips, and he was only able to stop the halberd before it pierced through his chest by grabbing tightly onto its shaft with his other hand.


    His plan was to absorb the energy of the Arcane Inferno Black Dragon using the space-time rifts around the partial light shield, but he also failed to anticipate that Lana''s spell would be followed by a flying halberd. Even though he was already using all of his magic power to ward off the attack, he was still unable to stop it. During the past couple of days, his magic power had been severely taxed, so there really wasn''t much that he could muster up in the first place.


    "Are you alright?" Onean skirted around from behind him to inspect his injury, upon which she caught sight of the gruesome wound on his hand.


    There was a look of murderous fury in her golden eyes, and it looked as if she wanted to go and fight Lana and Aiden to the death. Erwin put on a feeble smile as he consoled, "I''m fine, but I''ll probably have to change my staff-wielding hand in the future."


    After that, he gritted his teeth and used his left hand to pull out the halberd, upon which let loose another involuntary cry of pain. Blood was gushing out of the palm of his right hand, which was trembling uncontrollably, and the blood was mixing with the cold rain falling from the sky before flowing down his fingertips.


    Sherry cast a concerned glance toward Erwin''s injured hand, then hurriedly yelled, "Get away from here, Master Erwin! I''ll hold them off while you escape!"


    He then turned to the remaining mercenaries around him as he yelled, "Hold your formations! We need to cover Master Erwin!"


    "Sherry''s right, Master Erwin, you need to get out of here! We''ll hold off the enemy for now!" Lanyon also yelled down at Erwin from above.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the rain and mist in the northeast, and he discovered that there were even more troops approaching from that direction. He knew that if he were to remain here for much longer, the entire unit would be entirely wiped out.


    Thus, he pulled back the halberd in his left hand, then hurled it viciously toward Aiden. As soon as the halberd left his grasp, he grabbed onto Onean''s hand and pulled her onto the saddle of his horse, then galloped on horseback toward the southwest without so much as a single backward glance.


    Aiden caught the oncoming halberd, and he was just about to set off in pursuit, only to find that Lana had reacted even faster than him, having already bolted forward on the back of her steed.


    She drew a pair of semi-circles in the air with both of her slender hands, and two bright red whips of light swept through the air, leaving lethal arcs in their wake, instantly knocking over all of the mercenaries in her path.


    Lana didn''t spare even a single glance at the felled mercenaries as she sped right past them on her horse.


    Lanyon and the magicians in the sky wanted to intercept her, but they were unable to do anything against the bombardment of instant-release spells she unleashed up toward them.


    Aiden looked on as his sister sped into the rain and mist in the distance, and he couldn''t help but heave a faint sigh. It was clear that Lana was still far from getting over Erwin.

 CH 75

    "Should we give chase, Young Master Aiden?" At this point, Sirius had already arrived on the battlefield with the unit of 5,000 men.


    "Didn''t you see how Lana didn''t say anything to me before she set off? If I go after them, she''s not going to be happy," Aiden replied with an amused smile. "It looks like she''s determined to protect that time and space magician. By the way, I''ve been meaning to ask this: what is that young man''s background?"


    "That''s Count Friar''s son, Erwin Friar," Sirius replied.


    "I see," Aiden replied with a nod. "If he hears about how I killed his father by stabbing him through the chest with my halberd, wouldn''t he come after me for revenge?"


    "I don''t think that''s a cause for concern, particularly when that last attack of yours looks to have crippled one of his hands," Sirius chuckled with an amused expression.


    "A crippled hand isn''t much of a handicap for a magician like him," Aiden said.


    "Prior to setting off, Prince Lazaar stipulated that if we''re unable to capture the princess, we must travel to Sarus right away to stabilize the situation in the royal court," Sirius said as he turned his gaze toward Aiden.


    "That does seem like the correct course of action. Let''s continue on toward Windmetal Fort," Aiden said. "I''m thinking Lana only wants to protect Erwin. I''m sure she wouldn''t care if the princess lives or dies."


    Sirius nodded in response.


    Aiden cast his gaze toward the fallen mercenaries up ahead, and he discovered that the leaders of the mercenary legion had already fled into the distance. Truth be told, he never intended to kill Sherry, Lanyon, and the others. Perhaps he was surprised by just how loyal they were to Erwin, or perhaps he was impressed by the way they had arranged the dozens of remaining mercenaries they had left. In any case, he had quite a positive impression of them, and he decided to let them go.


    "Can you tell what material this is?" Aiden pulled off a green scale from the suit of armor being worn by one of the Four Winds mercenaries. This mercenary had been knocked unconscious by Lana''s whip of light, but in Aiden''s eyes, he should''ve been sliced cleanly in half, so he was quite surprised that this mercenary had survived.


    Sirius made his way over to Aiden to inspect the scale that he was holding. He was unable to tell what it was from visual inspection alone, so he took the scale from Aiden before giving it a closer look. "I think these are scales from a certain type of magic beast from the mountain ranges. Judging from the shape and color, I feel like it should be from some type of lizard."


    "Oh? I''m impressed that they had the courage to venture into the mountain ranges to hunt for magic beasts," Aiden praised, then cast his gaze toward the south with a faint smile. "In particular, that Erwin has given me quite a few surprises. It''s no wonder that Lana is so heavily invested in him."


    Sirius also cast his gaze toward the south through narrowed eyes, and he pursed his lips slightly as he thought of Erwin.


    ...


    Riding along on horseback, Onean could feel Erwin''s body heat behind her. The rain dripping down from his chin flowed down the back of her neck, causing her to shudder slightly from the cold sensation. Listening to his heavy breathing behind her, she felt a sense of security, even though they were fleeing for their lives in a place that was anything but safe and secure.


    For some reason, she was suddenly overcome by a sense of exhaustion. Not just physical exhaustion, but also severe mental fatigue and a sense of helplessness whenever she thought about the road that laid ahead. The horrific scenes from the battle on the Marrod Plain invaded her mind once again, and she had never felt so tired, so much so that she didn''t even have the energy to resent or think about vengeance anymore. In this moment, all she wanted was to lie back against Erwin''s chest and take a nap. She was even struck by a very negative and self-abandoning thought, the thought that she wouldn''t mind dying here in this moment with Erwin by her side.


    "If we had known this would happen, we should''ve gone the long way and traveled to Windmetal Fort through the Feony Mountains," Erwin complained in a trembling voice.


    "Are you an idiot? Why are you always jumping in front of me?" Onean said in a gentle voice. In her current vulnerable state, she was unable to maintain her cold and aloof facade any longer.


    She picked up Erwin''s injured right hand, then cast a layer of ice crystals onto it. She knew that a spell like this could only alleviate his pain for a short time. If she wanted to heal his injury, then she would have to gather some ingredients to brew some magic potions for him.


    Looking at her gentle and vulnerable display, Erwin was suddenly reminded of the care she had given him during the Pillow Sword Tournament. Even though the battle had concluded in less than half a day, it had put her through an eternity of torment, to the point that even her personality had been significantly altered.


    "You were looking really angry back there. Were you going to fight them to the death?" Erwin asked with an amused smile. Now that his hand wasn''t hurting as much, he was in the mood to make jokes again.


    "There you go again! Can''t you be a bit more serious? I honestly don''t understand what''s going on in that head of yours. Can''t you see that we''re being chased by enemies right as we speak? Do you think you have more lives than other people or something?" Onean grumbled with a displeased expression.


    "Well, what else can I do? I can''t even muster up a single ounce of magic power right now, and you look like you''re in the same boat as well. If we''re going to die anyway, why not go down while making jokes instead of moping to the end?" Erwin replied in a resigned voice.


    "Why do I get the feeling that the witch chasing us isn''t going to be able to work up the resolve to kill you?" Onean sneered.


    "Didn''t you see her when she used that Arcane Inferno Black Dragon spell? She wasn''t holding back at all," Erwin countered in an indifferent voice.


    "Could it be that she was jealous from seeing you protect me?" Onean speculated as she turned to look at Erwin with an amused expression.


    "Who knows?" Erwin didn''t dare to answer such a dangerous question, so he averted her gaze and focused on steering the horse.


    Onean knew that he was intentionally playing dumb, and all of a sudden, a hint of anger welled up in her heart as she said in a cold voice, "There''s something I''ve been meaning to ask you, and I think it''s time. You can''t have everything in life. You can only choose one between me and her. Which one are you going to choose?"


    Erwin immediately groaned internally upon hearing this. She was so gentle and delicate just a moment ago, why has her mood suddenly taken such a huge swing? The heart of a woman really is as unpredictable as the weather.


    "Do we have to discuss this question right now? You do know we''re being chased by people who want to kill us, right?" Erwin asked as he put on a serious expression. However, his diversion tactic completely failed to work on Onean. Instead, it only made her even more displeased.


    "If you want to choose her, then get off this horse and leave me alone. You won''t have to suffer with me any longer, and you won''t have to pretend to shield me from attacks anymore," Onean said in a cold voice as she grabbed the reins out of Erwin''s hands.


    "I want to hear your answer as well. Who''s it going to be, little rascal?" At this point, another horse had already pulled up beside Erwin and Onean''s steed, and it was clear that Lana had also heard the question that Onean had just raised.


    "It looks like this silver-haired vixen isn''t grateful at all for everything you''ve done for her, so why not just abandon her?" Lana said as she turned to Erwin with a derisive sneer.


    "So what if I''m ungrateful to him? Are you saying that he should be grateful to you?" Onean picked up Erwin''s injured hand before showing the gruesome wound on his palm to Lana. "Do I need to remind you that you are one of the people responsible for killing Erwin''s father? What do you have to say to that?"


    Lana''s face immediately fell upon hearing this. Indeed, she had personally witnessed Erwin''s father being struck down from his horse by Aiden''s halberd.


    Erwin caught a glimpse of Lana''s expression out of the corner of his eye, and even though he already knew that his father had to be dead, receiving confirmation of the tragic news once again stirred up the emotions that he had desperately been trying to suppress.


    As a result, he was momentarily dazed and unable to say anything.


    One of the biggest misfortunes in life was to waste one''s youth through an obsession with revenge and resentment.


    However, looking at Lana right now, he simply couldn''t bring himself to resent her. Of course, there was obviously no way that he could treat her as if nothing had ever happened, either.


    Right as Erwin was absorbed in his own thoughts, tensions between Onean and Lana finally boiled over.


    With a wave of Onean''s staff, bolts of lightning began to fall from the dark clouds up above.


    Lana was completely unfazed as she looked on with a cold expression while conjuring up a layer of scorching flames around her.


    The bolts of lightning struck the fierce flames, but were unable to pierce through them at all.


    Erwin looked on at the clash between lightning and fire, and he knew that it was already too late to stop this battle. With that in mind, he was feeling very powerless and at a complete loss for what to do.


    Under normal circumstances, he would''ve been eagerly watching with glee, making sure that he didn''t miss even the slightest detail. After all, watching a pair of beauties fighting in the rain was a splendid spectacle. Their wet, flowing locks of luscious hair, the clothes that were clinging to their bodies from the rain, and the occasional glimpses of cleavage were sights to die for, but at this moment, he really wasn''t in the mood for this.


    A derisive sneer appeared on Lana''s face as she looked at the bolts of lightning being kept out by the flames around her, and a fiery dragon suddenly erupted out of the flames.


    The lightning was completely powerless to stop the oncoming fiery dragon, and Onean immediately raised her staff upon seeing this, conjuring up a glowing circular wall around herself.


    The fiery dragon crashed headfirst into the circular wall without any hesitation, and in the blink of an eye, the white light radiating from the ring-shaped wall faded, following which the dragon burst through the wall, rushing directly toward Onean.


    "You''re trying to use that trick again?" Lana scoffed with derision. She could tell that Onean''s magic power reserves were severely depleted, and that the circular wall of light that she had conjured up was nothing more than a bluff. She knew that the wall of light wouldn''t be able to absorb much magic energy, so she injected a great deal of magic power into the fiery dragon with the aim of striking down Onean with a single blow, not giving her any chances to retaliate.


    The fiery dragon struck Onean squarely on the chest, but it didn''t inflict any harm upon her. Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the fiery dragon had struck nothing more than a projection of Onean.


    Immediately thereafter, a dull thump rang out, and a beautiful necklace Duskshadow Gem exploded in mid-air.


    Right before the fiery dragon reached Onean, Erwin hurled the necklaces that he had received from Professor Hawk toward her. The Duskshadow Gem absorbed Onean''s magic power, thereby triggering the runes of the mirage spell. As a result, the fiery dragon had struck the mirage instead of Onean. However, due to the immense magic energy imbued within Lana''s spell, the Duskshadow Gem on the necklace was completely pulverized.


    Erwin looked on with a slightly slack-jawed expression as the necklace that Professor Hawk had given him shattered into countless pieces, and he thought to himself, If Professor Hawk could see that the necklace he gave me just saved Her Highness, I''m sure he''d be very glad.


    As the shattered remnants of the Duskshadow Gem fell onto the ground, Erwin recalled something that Professor Hawk had once said to him: "In a battle of life and death, you want all the help that you can get."


    Looks like his teachings were correct, after all. I wish I could tell him that in person, Erwin lamented internally.


    Lana took a cold glance at the shattered bracelet that had fallen onto the ground, then turned toward Onean with a mocking gleam in her eyes. "What''s going on, Your Highness? Can''t you do anything without Erwin?"


    "What''s the problem? Isn''t he allowed to save me? Oh, I get it now. You must be jealous because you''ve never been saved by him," Onean countered with a faint smile. Even though she had just brushed shoulders with death, she was completely unfazed, and she certainly wasn''t conceding any advantage in this war of words. In fact, she didn''t appear to be concerned about her own severe magic power disadvantage at all.


    All of a sudden, the battle of magic had turned into a clash of insults.


    Right at this moment, Sherry and Lanyon finally arrived.


    Erwin peered into the rain and mist to find that there were only around a dozen members left of the Four Winds mercenary legion. Even under the gloomy sky, Georgina''s unicorn was still giving off a bright gleam, and it was certainly living up to its reputation as an exceptional steed.


    However, bad news wasn''t far behind. On the provincial road to the south, there was a large number of troops approaching.


    Thus, Erwin and his group were being intercepted from the front, while more enemy soldiers were pursuing them from behind.

 CH 76

    Aiden''s army still hadn''t arrived yet, but there was a large army arriving from the south. Erwin''s vision was quite sharp, and even through the heavy rain, he was able to glean the identity of the army''s leader from his vague outline. Isn''t that the mayor of Windmetal Fort, Jayson Young? Why is he here?"


    Jayson Young was someone that had left a deep impression on Erwin, particularly his complete disregard for young nobles. Erwin recalled that Larwood had mentioned to him that Jayson Young was known as the spear god of Burmen.


    However, after emerging from the hellish battlefield that was the Marrod Plain, Erwin no longer cared about such trivial titles. After all, he had seen almighty magicians and martial artists capable of toppling mountains and draining seas, so he simply no longer had any interest in minor figures like Jayson. His magic power was far from recovered, so Jayson was most likely capable of killing him with just a single strike of his spear, but even so, Erwin was still completely indifferent and fearless toward him. After all, not everyone was capable of simultaneously rendering martial artists of the same caliber as Prince Lazaar, Aiden, and General Gilgen completely powerless with a single attack, yet Erwin was able to boast that feat.


    "Jayson pays his respects to Young Mistress Lana." Jayson Young emerged from the army''s ranks on horseback, then extended a slight bow toward Lana. The fact that he was only bowing toward Lana and not Onean indicated that news of the outcome of the battle on the Marrod Plain had already arrived at Windmetal Fort. Alternatively, perhaps in his mind, there was no way that Onean was going to be able to get away from this place alive anyway, so there was no need to pay any respects to her.


    Lana took a glance at Jayson before giving him a slight nod.


    Onean looked on at the soldiers of Burmen who were standing under the heavy rain, and for some reason, a faint sneer appeared on her face.


    At this point, the rain had become far heavier than it had been back at Newen. As a result, Erwin was unable to clearly see how many enemy soldiers were present in total, but with a casual glance alone, he could tell that there were at least 4,000 to 5,000 of them.


    Sherry and the others couldn''t but gulp nervously at the sight of such a formidable enemy unit.


    With the dozen or so people we have left, it would be impossible to get Onean away from this place alive, Erwin thought to himself. However, the situation isn''t completely hopeless.


    Having already traveled for some time since fleeing from Newen, he was able to catch his breath somewhat, and he had finally recovered sufficient magic power to unleash a few instant-release spells. Thus, he immediately unleashed a haphazard barrage of spells toward Jayson. Of course, he wasn''t expecting these instant-release spells to be able to harm a martial artist of Jayson''s caliber. Instead, he was trying to create an opportunity for himself to unleash his space split technique.


    In the blink of an eye, Erwin appeared behind Lana, and his left hand formed a claw that was locked onto Lana''s throat.


    "Get back!" Erwin yelled as he glowered at Jayson with a threatening expression.


    Even though Jayson had a tendency to look down on young nobles, he couldn''t help but be rooted to the spot at the sight of the menacing look in Erwin''s eyes, and he didn''t dare to do anything rash. Never did he think that a spoiled young noble from Sarus would be capable of putting on an expression more vicious than even the fiercest of wolves could muster up. Most importantly, he had seen this type of expression before. It was the look of a man who had his back against a wall, who had nothing to lose and everything to gain. This expression was normally only seen on the faces of soldiers who were in dire situations on the battlefield.


    Unbeknownst to Jayson, that was the exact situation that Erwin was in. He had been forced to the very brink of a figurative cliff, and if he didn''t put everything on the line, everyone in his group would have to die here.


    Thus, Jayson was rooted to the spot, unable to decide how to proceed. He was afraid that he would be punished if any harm were to befall Lana. He was one of Prince Lazaar''s most trusted subordinates, but he knew just how important Lana was to Prince Lazaar. If something were to happen to her, there was no guarantee that Prince Lazaar wouldn''t turn on him in a fit of fury. However, at the same time, he didn''t dare to allow Onean to leave this place alive. It certainly didn''t take a genius to envision the troubles that would follow if Onean were allowed to return to Sarus.


    The soldiers of Windmetal Fort behind him were also at a loss for what to do, waiting for an order from their commander.


    "Are you finally going to kill me now?" Lana asked as she took an indifferent glance at the claw that had closed itself around her throat.


    Erwin didn''t say anything in response.


    Given Lana''s powers, there was no way that Erwin would be able to abduct, particularly not in his current state. However, she had guessed that this was the plan that he was going to resort to, and she had been waiting for him to spring into action. In fact, she had envisioned this exact scenario from the moment she set off in pursuit of him and Onean. She had thought that Erwin would only resort to something like this once Aiden arrived, so she was a little surprised that he had turned to this tactic so quickly.


    While Jayson was hesitating about how to proceed, Aiden and Sirius arrived with 6,000 troops, out of which 1,000 had been left to them by Lana. Jayson was finally able to heave an internal sigh of relief upon seeing this. The situation still hadn''t been defused yet, but at the very least, he was able to hand over responsibility to Aiden.


    A wary look appeared on Onean''s face at the sight of Aiden''s arrival, and she wanted to approach Erwin to protect him. However, he shook his head at her ever so slightly, then cast a subtle glance toward his own horse, indicating for her to get onto it.


    At this point, there were a total of over 10,000 soldiers gathered to hunt down Onean and her group, and all of them were looking up at Erwin, who was hanging in mid-air with heavy rain falling upon him.


    Erwin couldn''t even be bothered to speak anymore. He took a glance at Aiden, then looked at the soldiers of Windmetal Fort, who were blocking the path, and what he wanted was very clear.


    "You won''t be able to do anything even if you return to Sarus," Lana said in a quiet voice.


    "Then are we just supposed to give up and die here?" Erwin asked in a cold voice, and his left hand was still locked around Lana''s throat.


    "Let her go!" Aiden leaped up into the air, then pointed at Erwin with his halberd, and looking at the cold and implacable look on his face, it seemed that there was no room for negotiation at all.


    However, Erwin refused to back down, and he suddenly tightened his grip around Lana''s throat. As a result, her trachea was abruptly constricted, and she couldn''t help but wince in pain.


    "How dare you!" A furious look appeared on Aiden''s face as he glowered at Erwin. He had thought that Erwin wouldn''t be the type of person to lay his hands on a woman, but it appeared that he had been incorrect in that assessment.


    All of the soldiers of Burmen present were also looking up at Erwin with enraged expressions. In their hearts, Lana was the pride and joy of both Prince Lazaar and the entire province of Burmen, yet she was being heartlessly tortured by Erwin right in front of their very eyes.


    "Tell your troops to back down and let us through!" Erwin said in a cold voice, completely ignoring all of the pairs of furious eyes that were directed at him.


    Aiden continued to glare at Erwin without complying with his wishes, and Erwin tightened his grip even further upon seeing this. "Hurry up! Don''t make me repeat myself!"


    Lana''s face was beginning to turn bright red, and it was clear that she was having trouble breathing. Aiden''s brows furrowed tightly upon seeing this, and after a moment of contemplation, he swept his halberd through the air.


    Upon seeing this signal, Jayson immediately ordered his troops to part down the middle to open up the provincial road again.


    Onean cast a hesitant glance toward Erwin, and Sherry and the others were also waiting for his instructions.


    "You guys go on ahead," Erwin said in an implacable voice while pointing toward the south with his chin.


    Onean didn''t hesitate any longer as she led what remained of the Four Winds mercenary legion away toward the south, heading for Windmetal Fort while all of the soldiers of Burmen looked on with furious and indignant expressions.


    Only after Onean and the others had disappeared from his field of view did Erwin release Lana.


    "So? Did I put on a good performance?" Lana asked in a cold voice.


    Just as Erwin had anticipated would happen, Lana was very cooperative throughout this entire process. Erwin was already completely drained of magic power, so if she wanted to resist, she could''ve easily forced him away with a few instant-release spells.


    However, he knew that she was feeling guilty.


    "I regret not listening to what you said that night," Erwin said in a weary voice. "Then again, I don''t mind dying by your hands."


    The conversation that they had shared the last time they had dinner together had resulted in sleepless nights for both of them, and to this day, the conversation still remained vivid in their minds.


    Lana turned her face slightly to take a glance at him, and only then did he discover that Erwin''s fierce facade had given way to an expression of resignation and exhaustion. In fact, the look in his eyes belonged to a man who no longer cared if he lived or died.


    "I already told you that even if you return to Sarus, you won''t be able to do anything," Lana sighed. "That''s why I''m telling you not to throw your life away for something so futile. It''s just not worth it."


    "To be honest, I don''t really care who seizes control over the kingdom. I''m just... a little tired, that''s all," Erwin replied with a wry smile. "Of course, there''s also the undeniable fact that your father and brother killed my father. Having said that, that''s not your fault, and I haven''t made up my mind as to whether I want to dedicate my entire life to the pursuit of vengeance. I feel like if the deceased really can see us from the other side, then my father wouldn''t want to see me waste my time on revenge."


    He inched his lips slightly closer to Lana''s ear as he continued, "Before my father sent me away, he told me that my mother is actually still alive."


    Lana could see that tears were beginning to well up in Erwin''s eyes as he said this, but her tears were the first ones to fall. Thankfully, the heavy rain disguised the fact that she was crying.


    "I''ve only known you for a short time, but you''ve made me cry more than anyone else in my life," Lana said with a tearful smile as she gently grabbed onto Erwin''s left hand, which was still locked around her throat. "Let''s go. You may be tired, but I know that you don''t want to die yet."


    A dumbstruck look appeared on Aiden''s face as he stared at Lana. Only now was he realizing that Lana had only been putting on an act earlier. He was wary of Erwin''s time and space magic, but he was unaware of just how drained Erwin''s magic power reserves were. Little did he know that in Erwin''s current state, Lana could''ve easily shaken him off at any moment.


    Before Erwin had a chance to react, the two of them had already landed on the back of Lana''s horse. At this point, the looks of indignation and rage on the faces of all of the Burmen soldiers had already given way to astonishment, and they looked on with flabbergasted expressions as Lana''s horse sped into the distance.


    "Should we give chase, Young Master Aiden?" Jayson asked as he cast his gaze toward Aiden.


    Aiden gave a cold harrumph in response. He didn''t want to complain about his own sister in front of all of these soldiers, so he could only heave an internal sigh. It''s often said that women in love completely lose their wits and intelligence. Looks like that''s certainly true for this poor little sister of mine.


    Meanwhile, Lana''s horse was galloping toward the south amid the heavy rain.


    "I don''t think that silver-haired vixen cares at all if you live or die," Lana said as she cast her gaze forward with an amused smile. "You went through so much to save her, but she didn''t even pretend to wait for you."


    She grabbed ahold of Erwin''s right hand as she spoke, and looking at the gruesome wound beneath the layer of ice crystals, her heart throbbed with pain and remorse. However, she then thought of what Onean had said about her being jealous that Erwin had never saved her, and she was struck by the urge to chop his hand off.


    Erwin offered no response. A short while ago, he had been riding on horseback with Onean in his arms, yet all of a sudden, Lana had taken Onean''s place. This sudden change evoked within him a sense of absurdity that he was still struggling to come to terms with.


    Lana''s eyes narrowed slightly as she turned her face to look at him with a sly smile. "I see what''s happening now. That silver-haired vixen was so quick to leave because she already knew that I was going to protect you, isn''t that right?"


    "I honestly don''t know the answer to that. However, I can only assume that her top priority right now is to return to Sarus," Erwin replied in an indifferent voice.


    "She must be thinking that if she were to wait for us along the way, she would have to see us being intimate with one another, and that would make her feel bad, so she decided not to wait at all," Lana mused, still absorbed in her own speculation.


    At times like this, Erwin knew that it was wise not to say anything in case he said something wrong and incurred Lana''s wrath.


    "But even if she does get back to Sarus, what can she possibly do?" All of a sudden, Lana was feeling a little sympathetic toward Onean. "There are many things that she simply can''t control."


    This is already the third time that she''s said that Onean won''t be able to do anything even if she returns to Sarus, Erwin remarked to himself in a surprised manner.

 CH 77.1

    As Erwin was resting against Lana''s back, enjoying a deep sleep, the two of them passed Windmetal Fort and continued on toward the king''s province.


    Lana had never been intimate with another man like this before, and he could feel his warm breath as his chest rose and fell in an even rhythm. As her horse galloped along, Erwin bounced up and down on its back, and as a result, his slightly unkempt stubble was rubbing against the back of Lana''s neck, constantly itching her in the process. Before she knew it, a deep blush had appeared on her face.


    The entirety of Erwin''s bodyweight was pressing down against her back, but she didn''t mind that at all. Instead, her only concern was that Erwin could fall off the horse if the terrain became slightly more rough and rugged.


    As it turned out, her concerns were unnecessary. Erwin''s left hand was gripped tightly around his right wrist, and his arms were locked firmly around Lana''s waist, so it wouldn''t be so easy for him to fall off.


    Occasionally, she would turn her face slightly to look at Erwin''s side profile, and his handsome features told a story of exhaustion and despair. Even in his slumber, his brows were still tightly furrowed.


    At this moment, Lana felt as if her heart had melted into a pond that was only large enough to accommodate a single person, and that was the man on her back. Even though she wasn''t at fault, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of guilt toward him.


    "Wake up," Lana suddenly said as she shrugged her shoulders.


    Erwin opened his eyes in a feeble manner, and the whites of his eyes were still very bloodshot. It was clear that he had accumulated a severe degree of sleep deprivation during the past few days, and his eyes were so sore and dry that just opening them felt like an arduous feat.


    "What''s going on?" Erwin asked in a slightly grumpy voice, displeased by the fact that he had been woken up while sleeping so soundly. It was noon, so the sunlight was very bright, which irritated his eyes even further, so he could only narrow his eyes slightly as he continued to rest against Lana''s back.


    At this point, the rain had already passed, and the sky had become so bright and sunny that the heavy storm seemed to be nothing more than a memory of the distant past.


    "We''ve already passed the twin Reydnold Mountains," Lana said. "I won''t accompany you any further beyond this point."


    Lana began to pull on the reins in her hands as she spoke, and her steed gradually slowed down to a trot as a result.


    Erwin didn''t say anything in response. He knew that Lana wasn''t going to accompany him to Sarus.     Instead, she would be accompanying Aiden and the others to Sarus to conquer the ancient city.


    "Alright," Erwin finally said in a quiet voice.


    "There shouldn''t be anyone else to intercept you up ahead, but still, be careful on the rest of the journey." The wind was quite strong, and it was lifting up Lana''s long red hair, blowing its alluring fragrance directly toward Erwin, a fragrance that he was eagerly inhaling.


    "Alright," he replied with a nod, but just as he was about to dismount from the horse, Lana laid a hand onto his arm to stop him.


    "You can ride this horse. I''ll just wait here for my brother and the others."


    Erwin''s heart jolted slightly upon hearing this. He had thought that the troops from Burmen would''ve at least taken some time to rest before assembling an army to take down Sarus, but judging from what Lana was saying, that didn''t appear to be the plan.


    This is the capital city of the Effer Kingdom we''re talking about here. Is it really going to be that easy to conquer? Erwin was rather perplexed.


    Lana wanted to dismount from the horse, but Erwin was blocking her from behind, and she found dismounting from the front awkward and inelegant, so she could only sit still on the spot.


    Erwin wanted to help her, so he grabbed onto her waist with the intention of lifting her off the horse. However, he forgot about the injury on his hand, and as soon as he tried to exert any force through his right hand, the wound was aggravated, and cold sweat immediately began to pour down his forehead from the agonizing pain.


    However, he was very stubborn to have his way, and even though he couldn''t use his hand, he still tried to lift Lana off the horse using his wrist. Finally, his wrist slid up and came into contact with a forbidden zone.


    A deep blush immediately appeared on Lana''s face, and she gave him a vicious slap on the back of the hand. "Get off!"


    Erwin knew that he couldn''t keep this up any longer, so he could only sheepishly dismount from the horse, then helped Lana down from the horse as well.


    As soon as Lana found some stable footing on the ground, he immediately pressed his lips close to her ears, then whispered in a shameless manner, "They were really soft."


    "Do you want to die?" Lana''s eyes widened with rage as she pinched Erwin''s waist before giving it a vicious twist, causing Erwin to grimace with pain.


    "Alright, I''m going now." A serious look appeared on Erwin''s face as he mounted the horse again, and after taking one final glance at Lana, he began to travel toward Sarus in the south.


    Lana looked on at his departing figure and heaved a faint sigh.


    ...


    After traveling for half a day, Erwin finally caught up with Onean and the others.


    He pulled up his horse beside them, then whistled at them in a cheerful manner.


    "Master Erwin?" Sherry turned to him with an astonished expression. "How did you manage to get away from them so quickly?"


    Lanyon was also in a state of disbelief, and he was so excited that he was at a loss for words.


    Judging from how confident Erwin had been when he had asked them to go without him, they assumed that he wouldn''t be in any life-threatening danger. However, there was obviously no way that they could''ve been sure that Erwin would be safe. After all, there was no guarantee that Lana would be able to protect Erwin, and even if he could survive, there was a chance that he would become a prisoner. Thus, even though they were fleeing alongside Onean, they were still very much concerned for Erwin''s safety.


    However, Onean had already anticipated all of this. She knew that there was no way that Lana would be willing to let Erwin die. After all, only women knew women best. At the time, she had a look at Erwin''s expression, then took a glance at the look on Lana''s face, and she immediately knew that everything would be fine. As for Erwin, she knew that even though he always appeared to be relaxed and carefree on the surface, he was actually an extremely stubborn person. No matter how much he loved Lana, there was no way that he would remain by her side, given the fact that her family had killed his father.


    Looks like that red-haired witch really is completely enamored with him,  Onean thought to herself. However, what she failed to consider was that the same thing applied to her as well.


    "Why don''t you look happy to see me make it out of there alive?" Erwin asked as he rode along on his steed beside Onean.


    Indeed, Onean was looking a little displeased. "It was only to be expected. I would''ve been very surprised if she allowed you to die back there."


    "Jeez, what a cold response," Erwin murmured in a disgruntled voice.


    "What do you want from me? Do you want me to be concerned for you like a caring wife?" Onean asked in a cold voice as she raised an eyebrow. "My apologies, but I don''t have the time for that."


    "Alright, alright, let''s not discuss this any further." It was clear that pursuing this subject any further was only going to exacerbate Onean''s foul mood. On top of that, Erwin didn''t have the energy to bicker with her, so he hurriedly changed the subject, "I feel like the soldiers under Aiden are planning to chase us all the way to Sarus."


    "What? They''re not going to assemble a larger army? He only has several thousand soldiers with him!" Onean exclaimed.


    Erwin nodded in response. "I feel like his plan is to conquer Sarus with these several thousand troops alone."


    "That''s impossible," Onean said as her brows furrowed tightly. "The only way that would be possible is if he brings those flying dragons as well."


    "I don''t think Lazaar will be so demented as to attack the city with flying dragons," Erwin said as he took a glance at Onean. "He would only bring the flying dragons if he''s already made up his mind to destroy the city. Otherwise, he would have to at least worry about all of the citizens in the city. Surely it wouldn''t benefit him to slaughter all of Sarus''s citizens."


    Onean shook her head in response. "He''s not that deranged, nor is he that foolish. What would he stand to gain from destroying Sarus? The only thing that would earn him is the reputation of a cruel despot who slaughtered an entire city of innocent citizens. No one in the kingdom would be willing to support him then."


    "That''s what I''ve been wondering this entire time. How is Aiden planning to attack the city?" Erwin seemed to be raising the question to Onean, but he also seemed to be speaking to himself.


    "We don''t have time to worry about all of that right now. Let''s focus on returning to Sarus first," Onean said.


    Erwin nodded in response, then fell into deep thought as he rode along on horseback. He felt like the answer to his question was already somewhere in his mind, but it was just out of reach, and the more he strained to find it, the further it slipped away from his grasp.


    With Erwin and Onean leading the way, the unit of around a dozen mercenaries continued to race along the provincial road toward Sarus in the south at a breakneck pace, leaving Aiden and his troops far behind them.


    ...


    On the morning two days later, the group of exhausted travelers finally arrived at the foot of Sarus.


    Erwin looked up at the grand and majestic capital, and he was very relieved that he had managed to return to this place alive.


    If the Royal Orchestra were present, they would be welcoming their victorious king with triumphant music, but no such welcome had been prepared.


    Of course, Onean and Erwin weren''t in the mood to be appreciating orchestral music anyway, and as for the king that should''ve returned victoriously to the city, he had already perished on the battlefield in Burmen.


    The soldiers standing atop the city wall were barely able to believe their own eyes.


    Isn''t that Princess Onean? Isn''t she supposed to be recovering from her injuries in the royal palace? Could it be that she accompanied His Majesty to the front lines? If so, why has she returned from the provincial road to the north looking so frail and exhausted?


    A string of questions surfaced in everyone''s minds, and those questions gave rise to another question: what is the current state of the battle in Burmen? Judging from Onean''s expression and complexion, things weren''t looking very optimistic.


    "I''ll go inform Prime Minister Fuller of my return and discuss with him what I should do next," Onean said upon setting foot onto Phoenix Street.


    Erwin nodded in response. Prior to her departure, Erwin recovered his sheepskin satchel from her steed. He looked on as Onean departed into the distance on horseback, feeling unsure of what to do next. He had no official rank in the royal court, nor had he inherited his father''s noble title yet, so he would''ve been completely out of place accompanying Onean to the royal palace.


    He turned around to look at the group of remaining mercenaries behind him, and he became even more undecided on how to proceed.


    Theoretically speaking, the mercenary legion should be disbanded now that the war was over, but it was clear that another war was imminent. Unfortunately, he had no confidence in their ability to win this war, so how could he ask them to join him? It would be like asking them to die with him, and he couldn''t bring himself to do that.


    With that in mind, Erwin had no idea what to say, so he could only stare at the mercenaries behind him in an awkward silence.


    Thankfully, Sherry broke the silence for him. "Master Erwin, regardless of what everyone else here does, I will follow you until the day I die!"

 CH 77.2

    "Well spoken, Brother Sherry. I was about to say the exact same thing," Lanyon said, then turned to face Erwin with a genuine expression. "We will follow you to the ends of this world, Master Erwin. Wherever you go is where we shall go. My brothers and I are all willing to lay down our lives for you."


    All of Lanyon''s friends immediately nodded in agreement. "Lanyon''s right, Master Erwin. We are all willing to follow you."


    This was the predicament for Erwin. If he could lead these comrades to prosperity and riches, then he would gladly do so, but leading them to what was almost sure to be certain death was something that he was very reluctant to do.


    Lanyon could see what Erwin was hesitating about, and he said in a direct and straightforward manner, "There''s no need to be so conflicted, Master Erwin. My brothers and I have already made up our minds. The worst that could happen to us is death, isn''t it? If we die, then we''ll just treat it as if we died alongside our parents in the mines of Fooz. It''s no big deal."


    Right at this moment, Georgina made his way over to Erwin''s side, then said with a reluctant expression, "Master Erwin, my mother is still waiting for me at home, and I can''t abandon her, so..."


    Erwin knew that Georgina wasn''t just living for himself, so he patted Georgina on the shoulder as he smiled and said, "It''s alright, you can go."


    Thus, Georgina reluctantly bade farewell to his comrades, then extended a deep bow toward Erwin, and only after that did he depart atop his unicorn steed. Georgina was the only one in the group who still had living family, so no one blamed him for his decision. They had all endured life and death together, so they knew that Georgina''s decision was one that was made on the basis of responsibility rather than cowardice.


    Erwin looked on as Georgina faded into the distance, then turned back to everyone else as he said, "Seeing as everyone is willing to follow me, then let''s go to my father''s manor to await further news."


    Shortly thereafter, he arrived back at Count Friar''s manor with the group of mercenaries.


    As soon as he entered the courtyard, he was immediately greeted by the butler.b


    "Didn''t you go to the front lines, Young Master Erwin? Why are you back already? Is the war over?" the butler asked with a surprised expression. "Where is Master Friar?"


    The butler hadn''t heard any news about the regular army returning to Sarus, so he was rather perplexed about why Erwin was back.


    Erwin was rooted to the spot by the string of questions, unable to answer even a single one of them. After a short while, he finally replied, "My father... won''t be coming back."


    Everyone fell silent upon hearing this. The butler naturally understood what Erwin was implying, and he was also rooted to the spot with a dazed look on his face.


    "Go and wait for me in the guest hall," Erwin said to Sherry and the others, then led the dazed butler toward the storage room.


    All of the female servants in the guest hall couldn''t help but clasp their hands over their noses and mouths as the group of exhausted and disheveled mercenaries entered the room. They had been traveling for several days without bathing, so they were naturally giving off a nauseating stench. If Erwin hadn''t led these mercenaries into the manor in person, they would''ve already been kicked out by the servants of the manor.


    The butler opened the door of the storage room, and Erwin immediately caught sight of several large metal chests. The chests were all locked using complex copper locks, and he picked up one of the locks before taking a look, upon which he discovered that they all had special runes inscribed upon them. If these locks weren''t opened using their corresponding keys, then they would melt away and seal the chests permanently shut.


    "How much money is there left on our account?" Erwin asked.


    The butler was rather perplexed about why Erwin was asking this as soon as he returned to the manor, but he still replied, "We still have just over 5,000 Loonies left, Young Master Erwin. Most of that comes from the land rent that has just recently been collected."


    "What do the total monthly wages for all of the manor''s servants work out to be?"


    "Please give me a moment to think, Young Master Erwin. My monthly wage is 60 Loonies, we have 10 male servants who receive 150 Loonies per month, 15 female servants who receive 225 Loonies per month, and the three coach drivers, who receive 45 Loonies per month. In total, that works out to be 480 Loonies," the butler replied, providing a detailed breakdown of the process. At the same time, he was still wondering why Erwin was suddenly asking about all of this.


    Erwin nodded in response. "Gather all of the servants and split the money on our account among yourselves. That should work out to be just over 10 months'' worth of wages for all of you. After that, you can leave the manor and go wherever you please."


    "What''s going on, Young Master Erwin? Why are you suddenly asking us to leave? Even if Master Friar is no longer of this world, you''ll still need someone to look after the manor, won''t you?" the butler asked in an urgent voice. He had been working at Count Friar''s manor for several decades, so he had become quite attached to this place. Furthermore, he had always been a conscientious and capable worker who had kept the manor in good order, so he couldn''t understand why Erwin was laying him off from his role.


    Looking at the butler''s confused expression, Erwin could only heave a resigned internal sigh. He had grown up his entire life under the butler''s watchful eye, so he really didn''t want to have to make the butler leave the manor. However, the situation simply didn''t allow for any other alternative, and he was doing this for the benefit of all of the manor''s servants.


    "His Majesty is dead, and Prince Lazaar has betrayed the kingdom," Erwin said as he cast his gaze elsewhere with a grim expression. "The soldiers of Burmen under Prince Lazaar are about to attack Sarus very soon."


    The elderly butler was so shocked to hear this that he sat straight onto the ground as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. His eyes were as wide as saucers, and he was staring at Erwin with a horrified expression. Only now did he understand why Erwin had suddenly appeared in Sarus at a time like this. As it turned out, Count Friar wasn''t the only one who had perished during the war, even King Cameron himself had also passed away. With that in mind, the butler couldn''t help but tremble with fear.


    Erwin didn''t speak any further on the matter. Instead, he left the butler to process this bombshell on his own, and he exited the storage room before heading straight for his father''s study.


    His objective was to grab the key that was sitting inside the desk, but as soon as he entered the room, he couldn''t help but be overcome with a sense of nostalgia. His mind wandered back to that day when he had been scolded by his father for asking for money to buy a staff after he had squandered all his money in mansions, and he couldn''t help but chuckle as he recalled his father''s lecture about how many cottages 300 Loonies could fetch outside the city.


    Looks like I''ll never have a chance to hear him scold me again... Erwin thought to himself as he closed his eyes. He took a deep breath, and the familiar smell of the room evoked even more past memories in his mind.


    He heaved a faint sigh as he cast his gaze toward the atlas of the Effer Kingdom sitting on the corner of the table. For some reason, he was struck by the urge to open it and take a look. As a result, he discovered that there was a page with a folded corner, and upon opening the atlas to that page, he was greeted by the sight of a detailed map of all of the cities of Burmen.


    Could it be that even back then, he already knew that there was going to be a battle between Lazaar and His Majesty? Erwin thought to himself in a surprised manner.


    He recalled that at the time, Prince Lazaar had only just returned to the capital, so this was prior to the Pillow Sword Tournament incident. With that in mind, Erwin couldn''t help but admire his father''s grasp on the state of the royal court. In Erwin''s memory, his father had always spent the vast majority of his time in the manor. Even so, he was able to clearly glean the king''s thoughts with astounding accuracy, and that undoubtedly required exceptional political acumen.


    "Even so, he was still no match for those flying dragons," Erwin sighed to himself as he set the atlas back down onto the corner of the table, then grabbed the key that he was looking for out of the drawer of the desk.


    He wanted to return to his own bedroom and take a rest, but there was a chance that Onean would come to the manor to look for him, so he returned to the guest hall to wait for her.


    At this point, the butler had already begun proceedings to dismiss all of the servants, so there wasn''t even anyone in the guest hall to prepare tea for everyone. However, the mercenaries gathered in the room weren''t the type of people to be bothered by something like that.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the band of mercenaries, who were lying lazily on the sofas in the guest hall, and he couldn''t help but be amused by the thought that under normal circumstances, the presence of this group of disheveled mercenaries would make it appear as if the manor were being robbed.


    "Sherry, Lanyon, come with me for a moment," Erwin instructed.


    The two of them were led to the storage room by Erwin.


    Erwin opened the metal chests in the room right in front of them, revealing orderly stacks of Loonies inside. The Loonies were giving off a bright silver gleam, and the two of them could only stare with wide eyes. Never had they seen so many Loonies at once.


    "Master Erwin, how many Loonies are in these chests?" Sherry exclaimed.


    "At a rough estimate, there has to be at least 70,000 to 80,000," Erwin replied in a calm manner. In the past, he was constantly dreaming of getting his hands on this money, but now that it had actually been entrusted to him, he felt like it was too heavy a burden to bear, and he couldn''t muster up any excitement.


    "Master Erwin, why are you showing this to us?" Lanyon asked as he turned to Erwin.


    "This is all of the money I have left," Erwin replied with a wry smile. "You two are willing to follow me even at the risk of your own lives, so it would be remiss of me to hide things like this from you."


    Lanyon and Sherry exchanged a glance upon hearing this, and they knew that Erwin had something to say.


    "I''ve already asked Christine to come to Sarus on her airship, and she should arrive in the next couple of days," Erwin said. "If things don''t go our way and Sarus ends up being conquered by Lazaar''s army, then we''ll travel toward the north on the airship."


    "The north? Where are we going to in the north?" Sherry asked with a puzzled expression.


    "I don''t know the answer to that myself. Perhaps it''s north of the Terarody Mountain Ranges, perhaps it''s even further north than that." Erwin knew the direction that he had to go in, but that was the extent of his knowledge. He knew that his mother was waiting for him somewhere in the north, but he had no idea where.


    Sherry and Lanyon exchanged a bewildered glance, clearly not encouraged by Erwin''s vague reply. At the same time, they were wondering why Erwin had already thought of a backup plan. Could it be that he was already convinced that Sarus couldn''t be saved? Also, why had he decided to travel to the north?


    Erwin didn''t speak any further on the matter as he locked the metal chests back up again, then instructed, "Carry these chests to the guest hall. Once Christine arrives on her airship, carry the chests onto the airship. Understood?"


    The two of them still had many questions in their minds, but they still nodded in response.

 CH 78.1

    Prime Minister Fuller was hiding behind a bright red curtain as he snuck a glance out the window. As it turned out, Onean had already arrived outside his manor. His informants had already notified him from the moment Onean entered through the city gates of Sarus, so he wasn''t surprised by her visit, but what did come as quite a surprise to him was that she had managed to return from the front lines alive.


    Looking at her ashen complexion and hollow eyes, he knew that the outcome of the war was exactly as he had predicted.


    The butler of the manor knocked on the door before entering the room, and he was just about to report the arrival of Onean when Fuller raised a hand, gesturing for him to be quiet.


    At this moment, he was thinking about how he should treat the princess in order to not arouse suspicions from Prince Lazaar. In the wake of the war that had just transpired, it was clear that Prince Lazaar was going to be the future king of the Effer Kingdom, and he didn''t want Lazaar to suspect the role that he had played in the Pillow Sword Tournament incident.


    This is something that I have to think carefully about. If I lead the remaining soldiers in the city to oppose Lazaar''s army to the death, he''ll be convinced that I''ve always been a firm supporter of Jenkins. In that case, he won''t suspect me of any involvement in the Pillow Sword Tournament incident, but he may kill me for my perceived loyalty to Jenkins''s faction, Fuller thought to himself. However, if I put up too little resistance and hand over Sarus to Lazaar without any opposition, then he''ll be sure to suspect my identity. If I want to survive, I really do have to come up with a sound plan. I also have to hide my involvement with Sirius, so he won''t be able to help me, which means I have to rely solely on myself. If Sirius tries to say something in my favor, Lazaar will definitely suspect that it was Sirius and me who poisoned Jeff during the Pillow Sword Tournament.


    After a brief period of contemplation, he hurriedly rushed into the guest hall.


    "Your Highness, what brings you here?" Fuller asked as he extended a respectful bow.


    "Prime Minister Fuller, are you aware that Prince Lazaar has betrayed the kingdom?" Onean asked in a straightforward manner as she looked directly at Fuller.


    "Your Highness, haven''t you been recovering from your injuries in the royal palace? How did you receive news that Prince Lazaar betrayed the kingdom?" Fuller asked in a perplexed manner.


    "I just returned from the front lines in Burmen," Onean said in a cold voice.


    Fuller''s brows furrowed tightly with unease as he looked at Onean, then asked, "If Prince Lazaar has betrayed the kingdom, how is the war on the front lines going? Is His Majesty alright?"


    "Lazaar has colluded with the Skycourt Kingdom, and my father and General Jenkins have already both perished to the soldiers of Burmen and the Skycourt Kingdom. The 100,000 troops that my father took with him to the front lines have also been entirely decimated," Onean replied in an indifferent voice, not expressing any overt grief or sorrow.


    "What?!" An incredulous look appeared on Fuller''s face as he stared at Onean, and he collapsed back onto the sofa behind him.


    "Also, Aiden Lazaar is currently leading the soldiers of Burmen to Sarus right as we speak," Onean continued as she looked directly at Fuller.


    Fuller was at a complete loss for words, seemingly overwhelmed by this sudden bombshell.


    Onean paid no heed to Fuller''s reaction as she asked, "How many soldiers do we have left in the city?"


    "We have 10,000 city guards and 2,000 royal guards," Fuller replied after a brief moment of contemplation. "Are you planning to defend Sarus against the army of Burmen, Your Highness?"


    Instead of answering Fuller''s question, Onean began to rattle off a string of orders. "Release a royal decree on my behalf right away. Inform everyone within the borders of our kingdom that Prince Lazaar has betrayed the kingdom and that my father has fallen in battle. Summon all of our troops across the kingdom to reinforce Sarus as quickly as they can, then lock all of the city gates and encourage all of the city''s citizens to defend Sarus with our soldiers. Also, direct all of the royal guards to defend the city walls as well. Our top priority right now is to defend Sarus with our lives."


    Fuller was still rooted to the spot, failing to immediately react to these instructions.


    A perplexed look appeared on Onean''s face as she cast her gaze toward Fuller. "What are you hesitating for, Prime Minister Fuller?"


    "Your Highness, with all due respect, no news has come back from the front lines yet. Could it be that there''s been some type of miscommunication here?" Fuller asked as he took a glance at Onean, then immediately lowered his head again.


    "Are you doubting me?" Onean asked as an authoritative look appeared in her golden eyes. "If Father hadn''t sacrificed himself to save me, I would already be one of the corpses lying on the Marrod Plain right now. For the past few days, I''ve been traveling non-stop, weathering countless hardships before I finally returned to Sarus, yet you''re doubting the authenticity of the news I''ve brought back from the front lines? Have you defected to Lazaar''s side as well, Prime Minister Fuller?"


    Fuller immediately fell to his knees with a panicked expression. "Please forgive me, Your Highness. This is an extremely important matter that concerns the welfare of His Majesty and General Jenkins, as well as the stance of Prince Lazaar, so I have to be more meticulous and careful than usual. Once I release the royal decree on your behalf, there will be no going back."


    "There''s no time to waste, Prime Minister Fuller. With each passing moment, the soldiers of Burmen are drawing closer and closer to the city. If Sarus falls, then the fall of the entire kingdom won''t be far away. Do you want to go down in history as someone who indirectly brought about the downfall of the kingdom through your inaction?" Onean asked in a cold voice.


    "My sincerest apologies, Your Highness," Fuller hurriedly said as he kowtowed over and over again.


    Onean watched him with a dark expression, then said, "If you''ve made up your mind, then go and do what needs to be done."


    "Yes, Your Highness," Fuller replied as he hurriedly rose to his feet, and he was in such a hurry to leave the room that he almost knocked over the table beside him on his way out.


    ...


    As soon as the royal decree was released, all of the citizens of Sarus erupted into a frenzy. Many of them hadn''t even had a chance to eat breakfast yet, and they were so shocked by the contents of the royal decree that breakfast became the last thing on their minds.


    "What?! His Majesty is dead?!" someone yelled while standing in front of a royal bulletin board.


    "My god, is the royal family about to be dethroned? Prince Lazaar has already betrayed the kingdom!"


    "Hey, have you guys heard? The city gates have already been locked, and no one is allowed to enter or exit the city."


    "Does that mean Prince Lazaar is leading his troops to attack the city? Otherwise, why would they lock all of the city gates?"


    "Prince my arse! I knew from the moment I saw him that he was a piece of traitorous scum. I''m gonna go see if the city guards need more help."


    "I can''t believe he betrayed our kingdom and colluded with the enemy in the middle of a war! There''s no way he''s going to get away with doing something so heinous!"


    "Quiet down, you two! Who knows if the soldiers in the city will be able to defend Sarus? If Sarus gets conquered by Prince Lazaar, you two could end up getting reported for what you just said," someone cautioned in a low voice.


    "I ain''t scared of him! Lazaar? More like Lick-my-arse! I will forever be loyal to..." Before the man had a chance to finish, he was grabbed by the ear by his wife and dragged away.


    "Do you think Her Highness will be able to defend the city from Lazaar? All of the soldiers of the kingdom were taken by His Majesty to the front lines. Do we even have any troops left to defend the city?" someone else asked in a concerned voice.


    "I reckon it''ll be very difficult. Her Highness is a powerful magician, but Lazaar has way too many troops under his control. Even His Majesty is dead, I don''t think she''ll be able to defend Sarus on her own."


    "Don''t we still have the city guards? I heard that they have 10,000 men..."


    "Ptui! Screw those city guards! All they do is extort small businesses for protection fees! They won''t be able to beat anyone! Prince Lazaar''s army was able to wipe out even His Majesty''s Royal Guard and Royal Cavalry Brigade, there''s no way those good-for-nothing city guards will stand any chance," someone in the crowd yelled in a furious voice.


    "I can attest to that. My nephew works in the city guard, and I''ve heard him mention on more than one occasion that the so-called city guard is just a bunch of glorified bandits in disguise. All they think about is how to extort common folk like us as much as possible without losing their jobs. In a real battle, they don''t even qualify as cannon fodder," an elderly man grumbled in a disgruntled voice.


    "Looks like there are going to be some rough days ahead for all of us. If you ask me, we should all just bunker down in our homes and wait until the storm blows over."


    Many people in the crowd nodded in agreement with this sentiment.


    "Do you guys think Prince Lazaar betrayed His Majesty because of the Pillow Sword Tournament? I can see him developing a grudge there before deciding to take advantage of the war in Burmen to stage a rebellion."


    "When it comes to things like this, it''s very hard to say. If you ask me, I feel like Prince Lazaar has already been plotting this for a long time, and has been waiting for an opportunity to enact his plan."


    "Wasn''t there an investigation launched into the Pillow Sword Tournament incident? I recall that the result of the investigation was that someone from the Skycourt Kingdom was responsible for the incident. Could it be that the Skycourt Kingdom screwed over Prince Lazaar''s son?" someone speculated. "Or could it be that he''s willing to sacrifice his own son for the throne?"


    The man who had volunteered to help out the city guards earlier was still hanging around, and he said, "He''s a slimy bastard who colluded with the enemy and killed the king! I certainly wouldn''t put it past him to sacrifice his own son. In fact, I struggle to think of anything he won''t stoop to in his deranged quest for power."


    "In times of uncertainty like this, there are some things that are better left unsaid. Who knows what could happen? Maybe the royal family will be dethroned by Prince Lazaar in the next few days. If that happens, we''ll be completely at his mercy, so we should be extra careful with what we say right now."


    "That''s true..."


    Many people were eager to agree with this viewpoint.


    Of course, there were also quite a few people who continued to insist on verbally denouncing Prince Lazaar while expressing their support of the royal family. However, as for whether they were actually going to join the city guard, that was a different matter entirely.


    Perhaps in the near future, Prince Lazaar could seize control over the entire kingdom, but he could never control what people thought about him. A similar sentiment could be applied to King Cameron as well. As he was exiting the city from Phoenix Street, all of the common folk had sent him off with joy and reverence, but in the wake of his death, there was no outpouring of grief from the common folk, only concern for their own futures.


    ...


    In the afternoon, Onean led Erwin to the top of the city wall to inspect the city''s defenses.


    Sarus had been expanded on several occasions during the past century, and the outer city had already expanded outward by several dozen kilometers compared with 100 years ago. As a place with a population in excess of 1,000,000, it naturally had to be an enormous and majestic city.


    Hence, it really was a very difficult task for 12,000 men to defend such a massive city.

 CH 78.2

    ǧ·½Ã÷Ãð11-14 minutes 24.09.2022


    Erwin raised his head to look up at the sky. At this point, it was already turning a little dark, and the clouds up above were basked in a warm orange glow, giving off a very serene and peaceful atmosphere. Erwin was quite grateful to Onean as she had allowed him to take a break earlier during the day. As a result, he was able to take a nap for a few hours and was feeling far more rested.


    He looked up at the sky, and he couldn''t help but marvel at the wonders of nature. It was just a few gusts of gentle wind and some clouds that were glowing with the light of the dying sun, but it seemed to be able to heal all of the wounds on his heart.


    While Onean was speaking with the commanders of the city guards, Erwin caught sight of a familiar figure; it was Finnley. He had only been leading a small unit of city guards prior to this, but due to the urgency of the situation, he had been promoted and was now being blessed with the opportunity to receive instructions directly from the princess.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward Finnley, and Finnley met his gaze with a smug look.


    Erwin was rather amused that Finnley was still in the mood to joke around at a time like this, but at the same time, he couldn''t help but heave a forlorn internal sigh. Can these people really be trusted to defend the city? I feel like Aiden''s troops will be able to easily force their way into the city with these so-called city guards as their only opposition.


    Indeed, with the entire regular army of Sarus wiped out in Burmen, these remaining city guards truly weren''t inspiring much confidence in Erwin.


    After Onean had finished delegating duties to the commanders of the city guards, Erwin dragged her over to the side before asking in a quiet voice, "Are we really going to rely on these people to defend the city? Before this, I thought we would be able to ward off Aiden''s invasion, but now, I feel like we''ve been too optimistic."


    "What else can we do? Even the professors of all of the major academies were taken by Father to the front lines, so the only people left in the city that we can count on to put up any resistance are these city guardians," Onean said with a derisive sneer on her face. "All of the noble families in the city seem to have suddenly disappeared off the face of the world. Also, Prime Minister Fuller just went out to recruit people for militia units, but in a city with a population of over 1,000,000, he was only able to recruit about 700 to 800 people."


    "It''s alright, you won''t be so disappointed once you get used to it," Erwin consoled with a wry smile. When it came to an understanding of human nature, Erwin was far more knowledgeable and experienced than Onean, so he wasn''t surprised in the slightest to hear about the cowardice displayed by the nobles and the common folk.


    "I''ve already arranged for Christine to come to Sarus with her airship. If Sarus does end up being conquered, we''ll still have a backup plan and be able to escape," he continued.


    Onean turned to him with an amused expression upon hearing this. "You''re a really interesting person. I feel like no matter what you do, you always make sure to set up backup plans in advance. Are you really that afraid?"


    "Well, I think it''s a good idea to always have a backup plan," Erwin replied in a rather ambiguous manner.


    "Is that why you make sure not to cut off me or Lana completely? So you always have a backup plan in case it doesn''t work out with one of us?" Onean asked as she raised an eyebrow.


    A sense of exasperation welled up in Erwin''s heart upon hearing this, and he sighed, "Why are we going back to this topic? Can we not discuss this at a time like this?"


    Onean rolled her eyes at him in response.


    "Where is Aiden''s army right now? Have you sent out scouts to determine its location?" Erwin asked.


    Onean nodded in response. "They are currently about 20 kilometers away and are still traveling toward the city, so they should be here by the time night arrives."


    "They''re only 20 kilometers away?" Erwin exclaimed in a surprised voice. "Looks like they''re really not willing to give us any respite at all. How can they still lay siege to a city after traveling for so many consecutive days? Are the soldiers of Burmen incapable of getting tired?"


    Onean was rather taken aback by his reaction. "Weren''t you the one who told me that Aiden was going to directly attack the city? Why are you acting so surprised now?"


    "Think about it: after traveling for so many days in a row, we''re all exhausted, right? The fact that Aiden''s army has arrived so quickly means that they also had to have been traveling non-stop for the past few days. How can they not be exhausted?" Erwin asked. "Under normal circumstances, surely he would have to allow your troops to rest for a night before launching an attack against Sarus."


    "What are you trying to say?"


    "I''m saying that if we do nothing but wait for them, there''s still no guarantee that they will be able to conquer the city," Erwin replied with tightly furrowed brows. "What I''ve always been struggling to understand is why they''re so confident. Why does it seem like they''re already convinced that they''ll be able to conquer the city?"


    Thinking back to what Lana had said to him, he still couldn''t understand where her confidence was coming from. Thus, he sat down onto the ground with his legs crossed, then supported his head with his own fist as he fell into deep thought.


    Onean also sat down onto the ground with her legs crossed, completely disregarding the etiquette befitting of a princess, then laid her back against Erwin''s back in a comfortable manner. "I have to take a nap now. Wake me up if you think of something."


    Erwin couldn''t help but think back to that day when Onean had been sleeping on his bed. However, his mind only lingered on that memory before he returned to his contemplation. He couldn''t help but feel as if Lana had revealed some important details to him, whether that be an intentional or unintentional decision on her end.


    With the light of the dying sun filtering down through the clouds, Onean and Erwin sat back to back with each other under the long and slanted shadows cast by the nearby buildings.


    The wind began to sweep up the dust atop the city wall, and having enjoyed peace and prosperity for many years, the city of Sarus was about to go into battle for the first time in several decades. There were barely any people on the city''s once lively and bustling streets, and the few passersby that were on the streets were all urgently scurrying around with uneasy expressions. Most of the doors of the houses in the city were locked, and the entire scene gave off a very grave and somber atmosphere.


    In the end, Erwin still wasn''t able to think of anything, and he began to look up at the sky in an absentminded manner, praying that Christine would arrive soon. My life is in your hands, Christine. Please don''t let me down at a time like this, he thought to himself.


    Right at this moment, Sherry arrived on the scene, holding a piece of freshly baked bread from Denly''s, which he was delivering to Erwin. This piece of bread was among the final batch produced by Denly''s for at least the short-term future as the bakery was closing down for the next few days. He was about to call out to Erwin, but refrained from doing so upon seeing Onean taking a nap while resting against Erwin''s back.


    Truth be told, Onean was already awake, but she was still feeling too lazy to get up.


    A short while later, Onean stretched lazily, then stood up before dusting herself off. "So? Did you manage to think of any good strategies to ward off the enemy?"


    "No. I guess we''ll just have to wait and see," Erwin replied with a shake of his head, then also rose to his feet.


    Onean was just about to go and ask the city guards for the latest news on the approaching troops from Burmen when she caught a whiff of the freshly baked bread, and she turned around before plucking a chunk out of the piece of bread, then promptly departed, paying no heed to Sherry''s surprised expression in the process.


    "Sherry, if I recall correctly, your house is situated in the eastern section of the outer city, near the Old River Restaurant, right?" Erwin asked with furrowed brows as he cast his gaze toward the eastern part of the city.


    "That''s right, Master Erwin," Sherry replied with a puzzled expression, wondering why Erwin was suddenly asking about this. "That was where we first met. Don''t you remember?"


    "I do. I also recall that you had a neighbor by the name of Tina, right?" Erwin asked as he turned to look at Sherry.


    "That''s correct," Sherry replied with a nod. At the same time, he was once again wondering why Erwin was mentioning all of this. The thought of Tina still made his heart throb dully with pain, but it wasn''t the same excruciating pain that he had suffered through right after she was taken away.


    "At the time, I recall that you told me her family was accused of blasphemy by the True Light Church, and that was how she ended up having to sell herself, right?" Erwin continued in his line of questioning.


    "That''s right." Sherry was becoming more and more perplexed by this series of questions.


    "Let me ask you this: the True Light Church abducted a lot of people from your area, right?"


    "They did. During these past few years, it was a regular occurrence for people in my area to be abducted by the True Light Church, and even some of the minor nobles couldn''t escape that fate."


    The enslaved Tina, the dilapidated sign of the Old River Restaurant, the sweetgrass root that was produced in Haggardy, the extortion of the True Light Church... All of these scattered leads began to come together one by one in Erwin''s mind, culminating in a single conclusion.


    "I''ve got it! I finally understand what I''ve been missing now!" Erwin''s eyes were wide with realization and horror, and it was a rather harrowing sight to behold.


    Looking at Erwin''s strange expression, Sherry couldn''t help but wonder if he had suddenly gone insane.


    All of a sudden, Erwin turned around to chase after Onean, grabbing the paper bag out of Sherry''s hand in the process. While setting off in frantic pursuit of Onean, he reached into the bag and pulled out the bread inside before taking a bite.


    Meanwhile, Sherry was rooted to the spot, at a complete loss for what to do.


    "Hurry..." Even while running, Erwin turned around to yell out at Sherry in a muffled voice with half-chewed bread in his mouth.


    Sherry didn''t know what Erwin was going to do, but judging from Erwin''s expression, he knew it had to be something very important, so he hurriedly followed along.


    Thus, one was greeted by the sight of two figures rushing along the top of the city wall, one of whom was holding a bag of bread.


    By the time Erwin arrived beside Onean, he was already panting heavily, and she was in the process of speaking to a scout on horseback.


    Before the scout even had a chance to say anything, Erwin grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him vigorously while asking, "The army of Burmen disappeared, right? Is that what''s happened? Tell me! Hurry up and tell me if the Burmen soldiers disappeared!"


    The scout stared at Erwin with a dazed expression, wondering who this aggressive madman was.


    Onean was also looking at Erwin with a bewildered expression, unable to comprehend what he was doing.


    However, what was even more bewildering to her was the report that the scout delivered to her after he was released by Erwin. As it turned out, the Burmen army had indeed disappeared without a trace around five kilometers away from the city.


    Erwin naturally also heard the scout''s report, and he began to murmur to himself, "It''s too late... We''re already too late..."


    His seemingly deranged eyes were filled with a sense of unease. From a third-person perspective, his dazed expression and incoherent rambling made him look exactly like a madman suffering from a mental breakdown, an image that was further supported by the bag of bread that he was holding.


    All of a sudden, Erwin returned to his senses, then grabbed onto Onean''s hand as he said in an urgent voice, "Gather everyone and tell them to come with me! Hurry!"

 CH 79

    ǧ·½Ã÷Ãð11-14 minutes 24.09.2022


    Onean knew that there had to be a reason behind his words and actions, so she immediately did as she was told, issuing an instruction to the city guards around her. "All soldiers on the city wall, come with me! Hurry!"


    The city guards nearby were very bemused to see this. In their eyes, Erwin seemed to have gone insane, and he had passed on his insanity to Onean as well. The Burmen army had been last sighed no more than five kilometers away. How could they abandon the outer city wall at a time like this?


    Erwin didn''t stay behind to wait for everyone to assemble. Instead, he hurriedly rushed down from the city wall, and only then did he notice that he had been running around with a bag of bread this entire time. Thinking back to how deranged he had to have looked with this bag of bread in his hand, he tossed it aside with disgust, wasting a perfectly good piece of freshly baked bread in the process.


    After getting down from the city wall, Erwin climbed onto his steed before heading directly toward the eastern part of the city. At the moment, he was situated in the northern part of the outer city, and there was quite a bit of distance to be covered to reach his destination. Everyone had thought that the army of Burmen would attack from the provincial road in the north, so most of the soldiers in the city were gathered on the northern city wall.


    Onean and Sherry rushed along closely behind Erwin, followed by the brigade of city guards.


    "Where on earth are you taking us? Did you suddenly think of something?" Onean asked as she caught up to him before tugging on his sleeve.


    "On the day you returned to Sarus, Lana took me to a place," Erwin said. "At the time, we went there to have breakfast, and I suddenly remembered that place just now."


    "So? What are you trying to say?" Onean asked with furrowed brows.


    "Perhaps she really did only take me there for breakfast, but thinking back now, perhaps there was some hidden meaning behind her actions. Maybe it wasn''t even a conscious decision from her. Perhaps she was envious of you, so she wanted to show off the power of her family to me, to tell me that she won''t be outmatched by you in any department, whether that be looks or status," Erwin said as he cast his gaze toward Onean.


    "What the hell does that mean? What are you trying to say?" Onean was fuming at this point, and she was struggling to hold back the urge to give him a firm knock on the head with her staff. The situation was already extremely urgent, and Erwin''s cryptic rambling certainly wasn''t helping her keep her mood in check.


    "Do you know why the True Light Church ruined so many families over the years?" Erwin asked as he continued to look at Onean.


    "Why? Isn''t it for money?" Onean was even more perplexed now. She couldn''t understand why the topic of the conversation was suddenly being directed toward the True Light Church.


    "I thought the same in the past, but I made a realization just now: things are not as simple as they appear on the surface," Erwin said as a grim look appeared on his face, following which he said something that made Onean feel as if she had been struck by a bolt of lightning out of the blue. "Their goal was to dig out an underground network beneath Sarus."


    "What?" Onean''s eyes widened with shock as she stared at Erwin.


    "The true objective of the True Light Church has always been to seize these people''s houses. The underground tunnels in the eastern part of the city pass under the houses of these families, and they were worried that people would notice, so they could only extort these families on the basis of blasphemy to force them out of their homes before seizing those homes for themselves," Erwin said as he looked at Onean. "Lana once told me that Prince Lazaar owns a property in the eastern part of the outer city. If I''m not mistaken with my assumption, there should be an underground tunnel under the property that leads out the city."


    Thinking back to the manager of the Old River Restaurant, who had the money to buy expensive spices, but didn''t have money to renovate his storefront, a cold look appeared on Erwin''s face as he continued, "That''s most likely not the extent of it, either. There should be an extremely complex hidden underground network in the eastern section of the outer city. With that underground network in place, Aiden doesn''t have to attack the city from the front. Instead, he and his troops will pop up directly inside the city. That must be why they''re so confident that they''ll be able to conquer Sarus even without the use of their flying dragons. As far back as several years ago, they had already hatched this plan with the True Light Church."


    Onean could help but draw a sharp breath upon hearing this, and only after a long while did she utter the words: "How despicable!"


    ...


    With a large number of people traveling together, there was naturally no way that they could take a series of minor paths that Lana had taken while leading Erwin to the Old River Restaurant. Instead, they were traveling south along Phoenix Street before turning toward the east after reaching the inner city. With barely anyone out on the streets, they were able to travel at full speed on horseback, but there was still a lot of distance that had to be covered, and by the time everyone arrived at the eastern part of the city, night had already fallen.


    There was not a single person on the streets, nor any lights to be seen, and the atmosphere was extremely eerie. The wooden sign of the Old River Restaurant on the corner of the street was swaying back and forth in the wind, and the chains from which the sign was hanging were groaning quietly.


    Erwin wore a wary expression as he pointed toward the courtyard that Lana had pointed out for him last time, then peered carefully into the dark courtyard.


    "Everyone, dismount from your horses and be on your guard," Onean instructed.


    The city guards had no idea why Onean had insisted on bringing them to this place, and most of them were detached and disinterested expressions, clearly feeling like this was a waste of time. From just a quick glance alone, Sherry could tell that these city guards were going to be completely useless in battle. They didn''t even know the most basic of battle formations, and they were all standing around in a lackadaisical manner, displaying a clear lack of training and discipline.


    All of a sudden, a projectile came flying through the air, following which one of the city guards gave a muffled groan. He looked down in disbelief at the arrow protruding out of his neck, then fell dead onto the ground.


    As a result, his horse was also startled, and it reared up onto its hind hooves as it let loose an alarmed neigh.


    Immediately thereafter, countless arrows came flying out of the darkness up ahead.


    All of the horses were instantly startled, and a string of panicked neighs rang out, accompanied by agonized howls that were coming from the city guards who had been struck down by the oncoming arrows.


    They were like complete novice dancers, twirling around without any semblance of grace or elegance before toppling onto the ground one after another.


    "Raise your shields and retreat to either side of the street!" Erwin hurriedly ordered as panic began to spread rapidly through the ranks. "Protect Her Highness!"


    The soldiers immediately did as Erwin instructed, condensing their formation before retreating from the alley back onto the street. At the same time, all of them had raised their shields and surrounded Onean in the center to form a protective ring around her.


    "Look out!" Erwin cried out in an alarmed voice as he instantly arrived beside Onean with his space split technique, then conjured up his light shield to just barely keep out the oncoming halberd.


    In the wake of the flying halberd laid the lifeless bodies of seven or eight city guards. Erwin''s gaze followed the trail of bodies, and he discovered that the halberd had come flying out of the very same courtyard that Prince Lazaar had once lived in.


    Onean also cast a cold gaze toward the dark courtyard in the night.


    All of a sudden, a bright red flame was ignited, illuminating a pair of gorgeous blue eyes and an alluring figure. Lana was standing in the courtyard in a long black dress, and under the flickering light of the torch flame, the killing intent in her eyes somehow made her even more alluring, giving her the image of a dangerous femme fatale. There was a hint of a smile on her face as she watched Erwin from afar, and standing beside her was Aiden, who was also looking at Erwin with a curious expression.


    "That Erwin really is an interesting character," Aiden said with an intrigued smile. "How did he manage to guess that this is where we would emerge from?"


    "Go and kill that silver-haired vixen," Lana said as she took a glance at Aiden, trying to divert his attention away from Erwin.


    "Just tell me if you''re worried about that little lover of yours," Aiden jibed. "You know, now that I think about it, I don''t think he''s very interested in you at all. How many times has he saved that Onean now? Not only is he an unfaithful bastard, he''s opposed us on more than one occasion. How about I just stab him with my halberd and put an end to his life?"


    "No, you can''t!" Lana protested with a displeased pout.


    "Alright, alright, I''ll make sure to keep him alive," Aiden chuckled with an amused expression.


    While Aiden and Lana were joking around with each other, everyone on Onean and Erwin''s side was extremely tense and apprehensive.


    Erwin withdrew his light shield, and he noticed that the wound on his right palm had split open again and was bleeding profusely.


    "I think we''re in trouble here," Erwin said in a quiet voice to Onean.


    As soon as his voice trailed off, Onean sprang up into the sky before bringing down the staff in her hand, and a scintillating ring of radiance began to spread over the night sky from the bottom of her staff. It was as if the sun had suddenly risen in the night, and the entirety of Sarus was illuminated.


    Many of the common folk stuck their heads out their windows to see what was happening, and they couldn''t help but be mesmerized by the sight of Onean, who was hovering in the night sky like a holy maiden who had descended from the heavens, basked in radiant and pure white light. The awe and veneration on the faces of all of the common folk were also illuminated by the incandescent light.


    With Onean''s spell lighting up the night, the city guards were finally able to see where their enemies were, and they were so alarmed by the sight that they were greeted by that they almost dropped their swords.


    As it turned out, the soldiers of Burmen weren''t just lying in ambush in the alley. Instead, many of them had their upper bodies extending out of the windows of the houses on either side of the street, and they were all holding crossbows that were aimed directly at the city guards.


    Aiden reached out and made a grabbing motion with his hand, upon which his halberd returned to his grasp. He then cast his gaze up toward Onean, who was basked in dazzling white radiance, then rose up toward her with his halberd raised.


    At the same time, Lana waved her staff through the air, and a massive eruption of fire flew out of the courtyard, then exploded right at the center of the city guards. With that, the attack of the Burmen soldiers on Sarus officially commenced. Immediately following the explosion, countless arrows were let loose at once amid the sound of thunderous war cries.


    Erwin dodged to the side to evade the fireball, negotiating several arrows that were flying toward him from all directions in the process. He knew that if things were to continue like this, he would eventually be shot down by these storms of arrows, so he didn''t dare to stay on the street any longer. Thus, he abandoned all of the city guards before rising up into the air with a space split technique.


    Sherry also reacted very quickly, picking up a large shield to protect himself while slowly retreating back toward the inner city.

 CH 80

    Right as Aiden''s halberd was about to reach Onean, a giant golden net emerged in his path. He could sense that the magic energy imbued within the giant net possessed extremely high temperatures and explosive properties, and instead of fighting fire with fire, he adopted a more slow and methodical approach.


    Even though Aiden was a very large and imposing man, his burly frame didn''t slow him down in the slightest, and Onean was already aware of that. She didn''t dare to allow any complacency to set in even after conjuring up the golden net, and she quickly drew upon her own magic power to summon a trio of ice phoenixes.


    The three ice phoenixes circled around Onean incessantly, lashing out whenever Aiden tried to attack Onean with his halberd.


    Aiden unleashed several attacks in quick succession, but all of them struck the three ice phoenixes, while Onean was left completely unscathed.


    Erwin wanted to assist Onean, but he could see that Aiden hadn''t managed to gain any advantage over Onean after the first few exchanges, and that instilled him with a great deal of confidence and relief.


    However, before he had a chance to catch his breath, a storm of countless swords came flying toward him.


    Erwin turned around to take a look, and sure enough, it was none other than Lana''s Shadowgleam Sword Array. This was a spell that he was already very familiar with. After all, he had already withstood this very same sword array with his own body on two occasions. On both occasions, the spell had almost taken his life, but the second time that he had faced the spell, which was during the Pillow Sword Tournament, was well worth the near-death experience.


    He unleashed a string of instant-release spells toward Lana, then used his space split technique to arrive beside her.


    Having slept for a few hours earlier during the day, Erwin had recovered most of his magic power, so he wasn''t afraid of engaging Lana in a battle of magic.


    "Are you going to use the same old tricks again, little rascal?" Lana asked as a mocking smile appeared on her face, and she was looking very relaxed, clearly not fazed by Erwin in the slightest.


    "First, you''re going to use your light shield. What are you going to do after that?" Lana was already very familiar with Erwin''s battle tactics, and sure enough, just as she predicted, Erwin conjured up his light shield to ward off the flying swords that were hurtling toward him from all directions.


    Lana cast her gaze toward Erwin through the light shield, and she wasn''t in a hurry to attack as she casually leaned against the wall of the courtyard with her arms crossed, waiting for Erwin to absorb all of the magic energy raging within the ferocious sword array. Even though they were in the middle of a battle, it seemed that the two of them were in a world of their own, completely detached from everyone else.


    Finally, Erwin was able to dispel the sword array, and he rushed directly toward Lana, only to suddenly stop cold in his tracks. Looking at the calm and composed smile on Lana''s face, what little animosity that had arisen in his heart instantly faded.


    "What''s going on? You''re not going to strangle me again?" Lana asked with a provocative smile as she raised her chin slightly to expose her throat.


    Erwin was rather surprised by this gesture, and he thought to himself, Isn''t she being a little too complacent around me? At this distance, I can easily take her life in the blink of an eye. No matter how fast and powerful Aiden is, he''s too far away to save her.


    However, despite what he was thinking, there was no way that he would actually attack her. At this point, the relationship between the two of them had become extremely convoluted. She had saved his life on multiple occasions, but at the same time, her family was responsible for his father''s death. They were supposed to be enemies standing on opposing sides, but in reality, neither of them could bear to hurt the other.


    Even though Erwin wasn''t doing anything with his hands, his eyes were still moving, and he was staring directly at Lana''s chest. In raising her head, not only had Lana exposed her own throat, a large section of her alluring cleavage as well, and Erwin couldn''t help but be entranced by the incredible spectacle he was greeted by.


    Her carefully tailored black magician''s robe hugged her seductive curves and accentuated them to perfection. The only regrettable thing was that ever since the incident in front of the Redbud Pavilion, Lana had been dressing quite conservatively, so there wasn''t a lot of skin being exposed, much to Erwin''s disappointment and dismay. However, he then thought back to a few days ago, when he had "unintentionally" groped Lana while trying to lift her off the horse, and that was a very pleasant memory.


    "Do you like what you see?" A bright blue flame lit up over Lana''s palms, and a dangerous gleam appeared in her eyes.


    "I do," Erwin chuckled as he seized the initiative, pressing his entire body against her as he grabbed tightly onto her wrists. His hands were like a pair of metal shackles, and he pinned her hands firmly against the wall, refusing to let her go.


    Right before his hands closed around Lana''s wrists, he conjured up a pair of miniature light shields over his palms, generating a pair of space-time rifts that devoured the blue flames that Lana had just summoned.


    Lana lowered her head to take a glance at her own wrist, upon which she discovered that there was blood flowing down her hand.


    "You really are going all out for her, aren''t you? The wound on your hand has split open again. If you keep aggravating that injury over and over again, you''re going to lose all function in that hand soon," Lana said as a concerned look appeared on her face. At the same time, there was a hint of displeasure in her eyes, as if she were silently fuming at Erwin for not looking after himself. She didn''t seem to care that Erwin''s body was completely pressed up against hers, but then again, it had always been her style to maintain a calm facade at all times.


    "It''s alright, I''ll just hold onto my staff with my other hand." Erwin wasn''t concerned about his own hand at all. "The art teacher who taught me painting when I was a child is going to be very disappointed though. With this injury, I won''t be able to keep my hand steady when holding a brush in the future. He always said that I had a great deal of talent, but it looks like that talent won''t ever be fulfilled now. Now that I think about it, he was probably just saying that so my father would book more lessons with him."


    Lana couldn''t help but burst into laughter upon hearing this, but her laughter quickly subsided as a film of tears began to well up in her eyes. Despite her blurred vision from her tears, she continued to look deep into Erwin''s eyes.


    "Are you determined to die with her?" Lana asked before pointing her chin at Onean, who was still locked in battle against Aiden in the sky.


    "I have no plans to die anytime soon. Of course, I''m not going to let her die, either," Erwin replied as he looked at Lana. "What''s going on with you? Have you become addicted to crying lately?"


    Lana couldn''t help but chuckle with amusement upon hearing this. "I guess I have. I really shouldn''t cry for you though. It''s a waste of my tears."


    "How so?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "No matter how many tears I shed for you, you''re still going to leave with her anyway, aren''t you? If you''re not even going to stay with me, then all of the tears I shed for you are completely wasted," Lana replied with a wry smile.


    "It''s not that I don''t want to stay with you, your family simply gives me no choice but to run away," Erwin sighed as he released Lana''s wrists, then pulled out a small magic potion vial from his pocket. He carefully pressed the rim of the vial against Lana''s cheek, catching the tears that were flowing down her face.


    Lana allowed him to do as he pleased, turning her head to the side in silence while biting down onto her own lower lip.


    "You know, you can stay if you want. No one would dare to do anything to you," she said in a gentle voice.


    "So you''re saying you want me to stay with you and cling onto my life by appeasing the people who killed my father?" Erwin asked with a faint smile.


    "There''s no need to put it so bluntly," Lana sighed as she lowered her head in a dejected manner. After a brief moment of silence, she raised her head again to look at him, then asked, "Do you hate me?"


    "Of course not. I just feel really powerless. In the grand context of this war, I''m so weak and insignificant that I don''t even have the right to resent anyone," Erwin replied with a wry smile. "Well, that took a sad turn all of a sudden. Anyway, I truly have no intention of dying here, so you don''t have to worry about that."


    Lana was staring blankly at him, and her mind was still lingering on Erwin''s sentiment about how he was so powerless that he didn''t even have the right to resent anyone. The pain in his eyes as he uttered those words was something that she had never experienced and couldn''t empathize with.


    Right as Erwin was about to inspect the state of the battle taking place between Onean and Aiden, Lana suddenly wound her arms around the back of his neck before inching closer with her lips.


    Looking at the loving flames smoldering in Lana''s eyes, Erwin leaned forward as well to meet her halfway, and the two shared a deep and passionate kiss.


    He grabbed both of Lana''s wrists with his hand, removing them from the back of his neck before pressing them firmly against the wall behind her, then wound his other arm tightly around her waist.


    As a result, Lana was forced to arch her back and raise her head, and her arms were being held in an immobile position above her head. The vulnerable and submissive position that she had been placed in was quite frustrating to her, and she bit down onto the tip of Erwin''s tongue in protest.


    The jolt of pain surging through Erwin''s tongue instantly made his eyes spring open, upon which he was greeted by the sight of Lana''s mischievous smile.


    An amused smile also appeared on his face as he looked back at her, and the two of them stared at each other in silence. As far as they were concerned, the cries of pain and sounds of clashing weapons around them may as well have been coming from another world altogether.


    Right at this moment, a massive shadow passed over the street and the courtyard, and the source of the shadow was slowly moving across the sky. With the radiance being released by Onean''s spell, everyone was able to identify what the object in the sky was.


    "Is that the backup plan that you were depending on to save your life?" Lana asked as she raised her head to look up at the airship in the night sky, and there was a hint of sadness in her eyes.


    "It is, but I didn''t think that it would arrive so quickly. Looks like my life isn''t meant to come to an end here," Erwin replied as he also looked up at the night sky, and a joyful look appeared on his face.


    "So you''re running away like a coward after stealing a kiss from me? How typical of you," Lana said with an amused smile, but despite her expression, it was clear that she was trying to hide the disappointment and sadness in her heart.


    Erwin was able to see right through her, and he released her wrists, allowing her hands to drop back down to her sides, then wound his arms around her slender waist and looked at her in silence.


    "Why are you still here? Shouldn''t you be going now?" Lana''s head remained lowered as she tried to unwind Erwin''s arms from around her waist, but Erwin was holding on with considerable force and refusing to let go, so she could only give up in the end.


    "Sometimes, I find myself wondering if it would''ve been better had we never met in the first place, but I can''t seem to imagine a life without you anymore," Lana sighed as she finally raised her head to look up at Erwin. A rather forced smile appeared on her face as she said, "Get out of here."


    "If you miss me, come and find me in the north," Erwin whispered into her ear.


    "Ptui! Why would I miss an unfaithful coward like you? Get away from me," Lana chuckled as she gently pushed him away.


    Erwin released her waist with a gentle smile, leaving her to stand in the night alone, looking on at Erwin''s departing figure with a slightly despondent expression while wondering when they were going to meet again.


    She watched as Erwin faded into the distance while praying for his safety and welfare, and the tears that she had been holding back began to flow from her eyes again.


    Her head of long red hair was like an undying flame of longing in the night.

 CH 81.1

    "It''s time to leave," Erwin said as he appeared beside Onean using a space split technique.


    Onean had fully entered her element and was intent on striking down Aiden, so she wasn''t very pleased for Erwin to suddenly barge in like this.


    "Most of the city guards are already dead. We have to go," Erwin urged in a grim voice.


    Onean was naturally aware that the city guards were nothing more than cannon fodder, but her hope was that the city guards would be able to last long enough for her to strike down Aiden and intimidate the Burmen army into retreat. However, that was never a realistic hope to begin with, and the cruel reality was quickly dawning on her.


    "If you die here, that would be exactly what Lazaar wants to see, and all hope will be lost," Erwin said.


    Onean finally calmed down upon hearing this.


    "I''ll get Christine to drive the airship into the sky above the royal palace. You should go with her as well. Pack up all of your necessary belongings and get out of here."


    "And then? Where are we going after that?" Onean asked as she turned to look at him.


    Erwin was momentarily stumped by this question, even though it was quite a simple one.


    Indeed, where could she go after this? If Sarus were to fall, the fall of the Effer Kingdom would soon follow. In that case, she would become the princess of a defunct royal family.


    "Are you saying that you want to defend Sarus to your death then?"


    "That''s not my intention," Onean replied without any hesitation.


    "They''ve already been preparing for this for many years. There''s no way those useless city guards can oppose them. Hurry up and get onto the airship. The important thing right now is that you survive and keep the legacy of the Cameron Family alive," Erwin consoled in a sincere yet firm voice.


    Right at this moment, Prime Minister Fuller arrived on the scene with the rest of the city guards and royal guards.


    Thus, a new wave of war cries rang out from the street.


    "Protect Her Highness!" Fuller charged headfirst into the fray with a torch raised high above his own head, followed by the soldiers that he had brought with him.


    Onean looked at Fuller from afar with tightly furrowed brows, and a complex look appeared in her eyes.


    Meanwhile, Archbishop Sirius was hiding on the second floor of one of the buildings on the side of the street. Realistically speaking, there was only one possible outcome for this battle, so he had been watching with detachment and disinterest. However, a hint of approval appeared in his eyes at the sight of Fuller''s arrival, and it was clear that he was very impressed with Fuller''s ploy.


    In order to avoid suspicion, you have to put on a convincing act. Looks like you''ve figured out what kind of man Lazaar is, Sirius thought to himself.


    "You think you can just come and go as you please? Do you think I''d just watch and let you do whatever you want?" Aiden asked with a wry smile. His attention had been drawn momentarily to the forces that had been led onto the scene by Fuller, but upon realizing that it was only more cannon fodder, he turned his gaze back to Onean again.


    He swept his halberd through the air, leaving a bright trail in its wake that lit up the night sky, and the dazzling light was brimming with killing intent. After sweeping his halberd through the air one more time, several dozen bursts of light that resembled radiant blue stars were sent hurtling directly toward Onean.


    Right as Erwin was about to conjure up his light shield to ward off these lethal stars, Onean raised a hand to stop him.


    "I''ll take care of this." She opened her golden eyes up wide as she spoke, then gripped tightly onto her staff with both hands. Countless rays of light that resembled thin needles quickly appeared around her, then began to converge toward the tip of her staff.


    Aiden could feel the matter around him being rapidly converted into magic energy, and he was rather taken aback by this observation. He knew that Onean couldn''t have had much time to rest after returning to Sarus, so he wasn''t expecting her to have already recovered so much magic power.


    With such a massive amount of energy converging at once, bursts of magic turbulence were inevitably swept up around Onean. As a result, the skirt of her dress was billowing up and down incessantly, fully exposing her smooth and delicate legs for Erwin''s viewing pleasure.


    Thankfully, the light on the tip of the staff was so bright that it was impossible to look directly at it, and she was situated very high up in the sky, so the soldiers that were locked in battle on the street down below were unable to catch a clear glimpse of her. Thus, Erwin was the only one treated to this exclusive show as he was standing not far away from Onean, and he certainly wasn''t going to squander this opportunity.


    He was watching the oncoming stars while secretly observing how Onean was trying to get the skirt of her dress to behave by squeezing it between her legs, and he couldn''t help but be impressed by her multi-tasking abilities.


    Onean didn''t even have to look at Erwin to know where his gaze was focused on. However, she had to focus the entirety of her attention on casting her spell, so she was unable to do anything about his perverted tendencies.


    All of a sudden, a dazzling golden dragon emerged in the night before letting loose a thunderous roar.


    In that instant, the entire city of Sarus was roused from its slumber.


    At this point, it had already become clear to all of the city''s citizens that a battle was taking place in Sarus.


    All of the people who were watching from the windows were too stunned to speak, and those who were lying on their beds, pretending to sleep, also had their attention drawn to the resplendent golden light shining outside their windows. They were unable to suppress their curiosity, so they also got out of their beds before making their way over to their windows to see what was happening outside.


    The ferocious golden dragon that Onean had just summoned bore a strong resemblance to the golden dragon manifested by King Cameron''s mighty sword, which made sense, considering she had the blood of the Cameron Family flowing through her veins.


    The rapidly approaching blue stars were instantly devoured by the almighty golden dragon, and its eyes were glowing with unbridled fury as it glowered at Aiden.


    Aiden wasn''t expecting Onean to be hiding such a spell up her sleeve, but it wasn''t enough to faze him, either.


    Before the golden dragon had a chance to pounce, another figure leaped up from the airship before charging directly toward Aiden. The figure was wielding a spear, which was being aimed directly at Aiden with single-minded determination, and the wielder of the spear was none other than Kaiba.


    Aiden''s brows furrowed slightly as he retaliated with his halberd.


    A loud clang rang out as the spear and the halberd clashed, and Aiden was able to swat away Kaiba''s all-out attack with ease. At this point, Kaiba had already built up too much momentum, so he was unable to stop himself after his spear was swatted aside, and as a result, he was struck by a kick to the chest from Aiden, sending him flying back toward the airship.


    A flurry of fireballs immediately descended from the airship, forcing back Aiden so that he was unable to pursue Kaiba.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the airship, upon which he discovered that the storm of fireballs had been unleashed by Gwen.


    He knew that through his actions, Kaiba was telling him that it was time for him and Onean to leave.


    Before Erwin had a chance to say anything, Onean instructed, "You get out of here first. I''ll hold them off for now, and I''ll meet up with you at the royal palace."


    Erwin could see that she was quite confident, and he could sense the vast magic energy that had been imbued into the ferocious golden dragon. Thus, he nodded in response, then unleashed a space split technique without any hesitation to appear on the deck of the airship in the blink of an eye.


    "Brother Erwin!" Christine immediately pounced onto Erwin in excitement as soon as he landed on the airship''s deck.


    Erwin was rather taken aback by her enthusiasm. After all, they had just met several days ago, so he wasn''t expecting such excitement from her.


    "Christine, drive the airship to the royal palace. After I grab some things from there, we''ll be ready to leave the city," Erwin instructed as he patted her on the back.


    "Alright, you can count on me!" Christine knew that the situation was quite urgent, so she immediately did as she was told.


    After that, Erwin turned toward Sherry, who was standing on the street below, then yelled, "Sherry, go and tell Lanyon and the others to get to the royal palace right away. Also, don''t forget about those chests in the storage room."


    "Got it!" Sherry took one of the city guards'' horses, then began to race through the inner city.


    Erwin shifted his gaze back to the deck of the airship, just in time to see Kaiba clambering to his feet with some difficulty. He had only come to a rest after barreling through several wooden columns, and the hint of concern in Gwen''s eyes as she looked at Kaiba didn''t escape Erwin''s notice.


    "What are you still standing around here for? Get out of here!" Kaiba said in an urgent voice.


    "We''d leave if we could, but Aiden wouldn''t let us, and there''s not much I can do," Erwin said in a resigned manner.


    "It''s a good thing I''m wearing this Falcon Beak Lizard scale armor. Otherwise, that kick could''ve caused some serious damage," Kaiba said while dusting himself off, and blood began to trick down from the corners of his mouth.


    "Are you alright?" Erwin asked in an alarmed voice.


    "I''m fine. I probably just sustained some internal injuries," Kaiba replied as he wiped away the blood from his lips. "Man, these bastards from the Lazaar Family are all monsters!"


    "So what are you planning to do now?" Erwin asked as he shifted his gaze toward Gwen, who was standing behind Kaiba.


    "What do you mean?" Kaiba asked with a puzzled expression.


    "We definitely won''t be able to stay in Sarus anymore, so what do we do from here? If we''re going to run away on this airship, we have to have a target, right?"


    "What were you and Her Highness planning?" Kaiba asked.


    "Don''t turn the question back on me. Let me ask you this: are you sure you want to come with us?" Erwin asked as he looked into Kaiba''s eyes. "It could be very dangerous for you if you choose to come with us."


    Kaiba thought about this in silence for a moment, then turned to Gwen with a smile as he said, "I''ll go wherever she goes."


    Gwen pretended not to have heard him as she turned her face away and looked out at the night sky. Erwin took a closer glance at her to find that her complexion had improved significantly compared with several days ago, but there seemed to be a permanent crease of concern between her brows.


    "So now you have the courage to profess your love to her? What were you doing before this war?" Erwin jibed as he looked at Kaiba with an amused expression.


    "I want to return to Fooz," Gwen suddenly said in a quiet voice as she turned back to face Erwin and Kaiba.


    Erwin faltered slightly upon hearing this, then nodded in response.


    "Once we leave Sarus, I don''t know when or if we''ll be back again, so if you have any important belongings, make sure you go home and grab them now. Otherwise, you won''t get another opportunity," Erwin cautioned.


    "What is there to bring aside from money?" Kaiba asked.


    As for Gwen, she merely shook her head in silence, expressing through her actions that she had nothing she needed to get from home.


    As the governor of Fooz, Jenkins had overseen all of the mines in the province for many years, so he was undoubtedly an extremely wealthy man. With such a massive estate, there was naturally no way that all of his wealth would be kept in Sarus, so Erwin could only assume that most of his estate was still back in Fooz.


    ...


    This was the most chaotic night that Sarus had gone through in the past few decades.


    There was a clash between two armies, the emergence of an almighty golden dragon, and the arrival of an airship.


    As the airship arrived in the sky above the royal palace, which was situated at the center of Sarus, Erwin discovered that the palace had already descended into complete chaos. It was completely different from the royal palace that he had seen last time. The servants of the palace were rushing around in a blind panic while carrying the precious objects in the palace crafted from gold and silver, and some of the more brazen ones were already beginning to fight over the more valuable items. There wasn''t a single guard left in the royal palace as all of them were fighting the Burmen army, so there was no one to maintain order in the palace.

 CH 81.2

    Before the battle had erupted in the eastern part of the city, the palace servants still had sufficient discipline to remain at their posts. However, as soon as the battle broke out, they knew that the soldiers of Burmen had managed to infiltrate the city, and their first reaction was to grab everything they could from the royal palace before running for their lives.


    However, they were already quite late to make their escape. Onean''s brothers and sisters had already left the royal palace for sanctuary as soon as her royal decree was released on the city''s bulletin boards.


    Even as the massive airship landed on the spacious lawn in front of the main palace, no one approached it to investigate. However, its arrival did scare away a couple of palace servants, who were fighting over several silver wine flagons.


    Erwin disembarked from the airship before picking up the silver wine flagons that were scattered on the ground, then cast his gaze toward the pair of fleeing palace servants with a cold smile. After that, he turned around to look behind him, upon which he discovered that many of the side palaces had already fallen completely dark, and many of the Nightglow Stones on either side of the palatial paths had already been taken.


    "Is this the royal palace of the Effer Kingdom?" Christine asked as she also disembarked from the airship, then swept her gaze across the chaotic scenes unfolding around her. As someone with no attachment to the Effer Kingdom, she naturally wasn''t feeling any sorrow at the sight of all of this.


    "It is. Look at how bleak and desolate everything has become. A month ago, no one would''ve been able to imagine this," Erwin sighed with a forlorn expression.


    "It''s alright, Brother Erwin, don''t be sad. Life is always unpredictable," Christine consoled.


    "What do I have to be sad about? It''s not like I lived here or anything," Erwin chuckled in amusement.


    "Well, doesn''t Princess Onean live here? I thought you were feeling sad for her," Christine said.


    "I''m not such a sentimental person," Erwin said in an indifferent voice.


    "Really?" Christine asked as she turned to look at him with a curious expression.


    Erwin offered no response.


    A short while later, Sherry, Lanyon, and the remaining mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion arrived with the metal chests full of Loonies. There was quite some distance from the royal palace to the western part of the inner city, so they had to have expended a lot of energy to get the chests here so quickly.


    Shortly thereafter, Kaiba also arrived with a large chest on his back. It was clear that he had been in quite a hurry, so he didn''t get a chance to pack much money and valuable objects.


    While everyone was loading their luggage onto the airship, Erwin cast a concerned glance toward the eastern part of the city. Despite the confidence that Onean had displayed, Erwin was still feeling quite worried about leaving her to deal with someone as powerful as Aiden on her own. In addition to that, Aiden also had Lana''s assistance. Lana was naturally always willing to protect Erwin, but she had no sympathy for Onean.


    Even from half a city away, he could still clearly see the dazzling radiance being given off by the mighty golden dragon, and that was quite a relieving sight to him.


    "We''re preparing to set off, Brother Erwin," Christine said as she made her way toward him.


    Erwin nodded in response, but his gaze was still fixed on the east.


    All of a sudden, a deafening draconic roar rang out, and a burst of light erupted into the sky as a pillar of golden dragon flames surged through the air. Immediately thereafter, violent tremors began to run through the ground, and the tremors were quite severe, even in the royal palace, which was quite far away. It was most likely the case that the entire eastern section of the outer city had already been razed to the ground.


    "Launch the airship into the sky! She''s about to get here soon," Erwin said to Christine.


    As soon as his voice trailed off, a burst of golden light arrived in the blink of an eye, and the mighty golden dragon was already circling around in the sky above the royal palace. As for Onean, she was hovering directly above the head of the golden dragon with one hand holding her staff behind her, while her other hand was continuing to inject magic power into the spell.


    Her golden eyes were particularly bright in the night, and Erwin couldn''t help but wonder just how many spells he hadn''t seen before were hidden up her sleeve. He had thought that the sea of fire she had summoned in the sky above the battlefield on the Marrod Plain was already the limit of her powers, but it seemed that her true limits laid somewhere beyond that.


    Right as he was about to urge Onean to get onto the airship, a disheveled madman suddenly ran out of the dark main palace. Along the way, he was muttering unintelligible gibberish that almost sounded like another language entirely.


    Erwin watched the deranged figure with a wary expression, preparing to fire a spell at him if required. However, to his surprise, the figure sped directly past him, then rushed over to a spot that was directly beneath the golden dragon before waving desperately up at Onean while yelling, "Your Highness, please listen to what I have to say! Do not despair! The state of the Effer Kingdom may be in shambles right now, but with each ending comes a new beginning. Do not lose hope, for hope is the spark that will ignite the flames of rebirth. You must make sure to preserve the bloodline of the Cameron Family, for the Cameron Family shall one day rule over the entire continent..."


    Onean was rooted to the spot upon hearing this, unsure of how to react.


    Erwin was also quite befuddled, wondering where this madman had suddenly come from. At a time like this, survival alone was already a difficult goal to achieve, let alone ruling over the entire continent.


    "Is there anything you need to take with you? If not, then we''re going to set off right away," Erwin yelled directly at Onean, paying no further heed to the rambling madman. However, he then immediately realized that his question had been rather insensitive and tone-deaf. What could she take with her? This entire kingdom was supposed to be hers, let alone this royal palace, but at a time like this, what could she take away?


    Onean swept her gaze over the vast royal palace, and a dejected look appeared in her eyes.


    Immediately thereafter, Aiden arrived on the scene. Judging from his disheveled hair and the smoke rising up from his suit of silver armor, it was clear that he hadn''t had the easiest time dealing with the flames of the golden dragon.


    Right after that, Lana also arrived, but she was completely unscathed. However, she was in no mood to be taking part in the unfolding battle, and even in the face of Onean, she was looking rather distracted and absentminded.


    Onean''s current mood was extremely sour, and it certainly didn''t help her mood that she had to flee from the royal palace that was once her home in front of Aiden and Lana. Thus, she lashed out with her staff in order to vent her frustration and indignation.


    Meanwhile, Erwin hurriedly gave Christine a hand signal, indicating for her to depart with the airship first.


    Christine immediately did as she was told, running back to the steering wheel and controlling the airship so that it continued to rise in altitude while also traveling away from the royal palace. Due to the removed armor plating from the exterior of the airship, it had become a lot faster and more maneuverable, and it quickly reached an altitude in excess of 200 feet. Looking up at the airship from down below, it was only around the size of a thumbnail. Unfortunately, there wasn''t anyone left down below to look up at the airship.


    With a wave of Onean''s staff, the golden dragon crashed directly toward Aiden and Lana with devastating force, causing even more of a commotion than the plume of dragon flames from earlier had. As a result, the entire city of Sarus began to tremble violently, and for the citizens of the city who were hiding in their homes, unless they had witnessed the golden dragon flying toward the royal palace, they would''ve definitely arrived at the false conclusion that an earthquake was taking place.


    Right before Erwin was swept up by the shockwaves unleashed by the golden dragon, he unleashed his space split technique to vanish on the spot, but as soon as he reappeared beside Onean, he was sent flying by another powerful shockwave that was surging directly toward him.


    Thankfully, he was able to react in time, grabbing onto Onean''s wrist before quickly flying away, using the shockwave to assist in his acceleration.


    By the time he drew to a halt, he discovered that Onean had already fallen unconscious. It was clear that she had either overexerted her own magic power, or been knocked unconscious by the enormous eruption of magic energy from her own spell.


    He then turned around to look at the royal palace behind him, upon which he couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath.


    The entire palace had been destroyed!


    The entire plot of land where the royal palace had once stood had been reduced to a massive crater, and all of the palaces had collapsed. Smoke and dust were rising up everywhere, and there was nothing but rubble as far as the eyes could see.


    However, Erwin could see a glimmer of light beneath the rubble, so he knew that Lana had survived. With that in mind, he heaved an internal sigh of relief before setting off in pursuit of the airship up ahead.


    Meanwhile, Lana let loose a delicate cry, and the magic energy that had formed a shield around her exploded to scatter all of the surrounding rubble. In the instant that the golden dragon came crashing down from above, Lana had activated the runes under the protective pendant that she wore around her neck. As a result, a burst of silver magic energy was released, revolving rapidly around her and Aiden to protect them from Onean''s attack.


    Unfortunately, the pendant was a single-use item, and the radiance glowing from it had completely faded, reducing it to a nondescript silver accessory.


    Aiden looked up at the sky with tightly furrowed brows, and just as he was about to rise up from the ground and set off in pursuit, he was stopped by Lana.


    "What''s wrong?" Aiden asked as he turned toward Lana with a perplexed expression. "If we let Onean escape, the consequences could be catastrophic! She''s already fallen unconscious after unleashing that spell, so this is the perfect chance to go after her. I can''t afford to squander such a golden opportunity."


    However, Lana continued to grab tightly onto his arm, refusing to let him go.


    A displeased look appeared on Aiden''s face as he looked at Lana.


    "Do you think I''m not letting you go because I''m worried about Erwin?" Lana asked.


    "Is that not the case?" Aiden asked in a displeased voice.


    Lana shook her head in response. "Let me ask you this: do you have a way to deal with Erwin''s time and space magic? Have you forgotten about the spell that he used to push everyone to the brink of death on the Marrod Plain?"


    "I don''t know anything about time and space magic, but I can tell that the spell he used that time isn''t something that he can just use at will," Aiden said.


    "That may be true, but I''m confident that if you give chase now, he''ll definitely be able to use it," Lana said in an assured voice.


    "Why is that? How can you be so sure?" Aiden asked with a perplexed expression.


    "His mental state is very different from normal," Lana replied in a serious voice. Given how sharp and intelligent she was, she had already managed to guess that Erwin had to receive some type of mental stimulus before he was able to unleash that pair of peculiar "new moons".


    Aiden thought carefully about the situation before deciding to trust Lana''s judgment and refrain from giving chase. After all, he knew that there was no way that he could know Erwin as well as Lana did.


    Meanwhile, Erwin descended onto the airship''s deck with Onean in his arms.


    He looked down at the city of Sarus below the airship, and he couldn''t help but feel a little dejected at the fact that he didn''t know when he would be able to return again.


    Onean''s head was resting against his chest, and she slowly awakened from her unconscious state as she listened to his heartbeat. She then also looked down at the city of Sarus under the night sky, and both of them became absorbed in their own thoughts.


    She thought back to Fuller''s actions, and she could tell that his identity was most likely not so simple. With that in mind, a faint smile appeared on her face. Even though she would no longer be present in Sarus, it seemed that Lazaar would still have quite a full plate dealing with Fuller.

 CH 82

    Right as the two of them were looking down at the city that was once their home, a beam of red light suddenly shot out of the rubble of the royal palace, flying directly toward Erwin. The beam of light was flying too fast to be traced by the naked eye, and before everyone knew it, it was already about to strike Erwin. It was too late for anyone to intercept the beam of light, so everyone could only look on with bated breath, thinking that Erwin was being attacked. However, Erwin himself remained quite calm and collected, standing on the spot in a composed manner.


    To everyone''s surprise, the beam of light drew to a halt right in front of Erwin.


    Upon closer inspection, everyone discovered that there was a book encompassed within the light.


    Erwin wanted to reach out to grab it, but Onean got there before him. She reached out with her hand, and the book fell obediently onto her palm. In any case, Erwin was using both of his arms to carry Onean, so he really didn''t have any spare hands to grab the book himself.


    However, as soon as Onean''s hand came into contact with the book''s sheepskin cover, her brows furrowed slightly, and a pained look flashed through her eyes. She hurriedly drew upon her magic power to burst through the magic trap that had been laid onto the book''s cover, and as a result, all of the red light around the book finally dissipated.


    Even though all of this had happened in the blink of an eye, the magic trap on the book had proven to be quite difficult for Onean to deal with given her severely depleted magic power.


    Erwin quickly averted his gaze to the side, pretending as if he couldn''t see anything.


    "''The Origins of Arcane Spells''?" Onean took a glance at Erwin out of the corners of her eyes. "Why is that red-haired witch giving you something like this?"


    With Onean''s powers, she was naturally able to easily discern who had cast the magic trap onto the book.


    It was most likely the case that the magic trap would only fail to activate if Erwin received the book in person.


    "This book belonged to me to begin with," Erwin explained.


    "Oh, I see," Onean said with a nod as she turned to Erwin with a skeptical look in her eyes. "So what is the purpose behind this act of returning the book to you? Is she saying that she wants a clean break?"


    "Er, perhaps..." Erwin replied with a slightly awkward expression.


    Onean''s expression instantly darkened upon hearing this, and she pinched his chest before giving it a vicious twist. "Do you think I''m an idiot? Do you think I didn''t see you two making out in the courtyard?"


    Erwin had to grit his teeth to stop himself from crying out with pain, and Onean was displaying no intention of letting him off the hook. Despite this, Erwin still held tightly onto Onean as he could sense that she didn''t want to be released yet.


    He turned to her with a wry smile on his face and said, "I thought you were too busy dealing with Aiden to see that."


    Onean gave a cold harrumph, then thrust the book straight into Erwin''s chest.


    Right at this moment, someone on the airship''s deck yelled, "Everyone, look! What''s that?"


    Everyone immediately rushed over to the railing before looking down, upon which they caught sight of what appeared to be a bolt of white lightning speeding through the pitch-black night. Whatever it was, it seemed to be pursuing the airship.


    "It''s Georgina!" Sherry was the first one to identify who it was. "Georgina is chasing after us!"


    "He''s waving at us! What does he want?" Lanyon asked with a perplexed expression.


    "It looks like he wants to get onto the airship. Should we wait for him?" Kaiba asked as he cast an inquisitive glance toward Erwin.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward Christine, and she immediately reacted, lowering the altitude of the airship slightly. However, Erwin didn''t instruct her to slow down the airship to wait for Georgina as firstly, he was very confident in the speed of Georgina''s unicorn steed, and secondly, he was worried that Aiden would catch up to them if they were to slow down.


    Georgina was racing along with his luggage on his back, and upon seeing the airship''s altitude being lowered, he knew that his friends had spotted him. Thus, he urged Momo to run even faster, and the unicorn steed immediately heeded his call, putting on an explosive burst of acceleration.


    Finally, Momo was able to arrive under the airship at the northern city gate.


    With just a few elegant strides, Momo was able to leap over the staircase of the city wall up ahead.


    In the next instant, everyone let loose an involuntary cry of amazement as Momo continued to build on its momentum after leaping over the staircase before flying up from the city wall in a breathtaking leap of faith.


    Everyone looked on with stunned expressions as Momo sped through the air like a streak of white light in the night.


    After executing a beautiful landing, Momo was able to arrive safely at the center of the airship with Georgina on its back.


    Part of the credit also had to go to Christine, who had reacted very quickly, turning the airship slightly to the side in the instant that Momo leaped up into the air in order to assist its landing.


    Everyone immediately gathered around Georgina and Momo to celebrate their spectacular entrance, cheering them on with joy and vigor.


    Meanwhile, Erwin and Onean exchanged a slightly weary glance with one another, and faint smiles appeared on both of their faces.


    ...


    The airship continued on toward the province of Fooz at full speed through the night.


    Erwin was seated on the captain''s chair in front of the steering wheel, looking off into the distance with an absentminded expression. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to sleep, there was simply nowhere for him to sleep.


    Christine and her father occupied one of the rooms, while Onean and Gwen were staying in the other room. As a result, he had no choice but to stay with everyone else under the airship''s deck. Kaiba wasn''t bothered by this at all, but Erwin was developing a splitting headache from the sound of all of the thunderous snoring around him, so he could only come up to the deck for some fresh air.


    There was no longer a home that he could return to, nor any end in sight to the journey ahead. With that in mind, he couldn''t help but heave a forlorn sigh.


    Right at this moment, Onean also emerged from the room at the back of the airship.


    "Are you struggling to get to sleep as well?" Erwin asked.


    "The atmosphere in the room is way too glum with two depressed women staying together," Onean replied with a wry smile.


    "Is Gwen also unable to get to sleep?"


    Onean nodded in response. "I suppose anyone would be lost and dazed in her position."


    Erwin also nodded in response. The three of them had all lost their fathers during the battle on the Marrod Plain, so they were able to empathize with one another.


    "What are your plans for the future?" Onean asked as she turned to look at Erwin.


    "I''m planning to go to the north after dropping Gwen and Kaiba off at Fooz."


    "The north? Where are you going in the north?" Onean asked with a curious expression.


    "I''ve never been there before, so I don''t know exactly where I''m going. However, I''ll definitely have to at least get to the other side of the Terarody Mountain Ranges."


    "Why have you suddenly decided to go to the north?" Onean asked.


    "Right before my father sent me away from the battlefield, he told me that my mother is actually still alive," Erwin replied. "He told me that she was in the north, but he didn''t tell me exactly where in the north I could find her. I''ve never been to the north before, and it feels like it would be next to impossible to track down a certain person in a completely unfamiliar place, but what choice do I have?"


    "Perhaps he also doesn''t know where your mother is," Onean said.


    "That''s the conclusion that I arrived at as well," Erwin sighed, then asked, "What about you, Your Highness? What are your plans going forward from this point? How are you going to go about resurrecting your kingdom?"


    "Stop calling me Your Highness. There''s no glory in being the princess of a fallen kingdom," Onean said with a self-deprecating smile, then turned to look at Erwin as she continued, "I recall that you promised to bring me along with you on your journey."


    Onean was referring to the promise that she had coaxed out of Erwin in the royal palace, but at the time, Erwin had only promised to take her to the front lines in Burmen, and he certainly didn''t think that the promise would extend beyond that point.


    "Doesn''t this still count?" Erwin asked. "I''m bringing you along with me right as we speak, am I not? It''s not like I''ve abandoned you or anything."


    "How are you not abandoning me? You''re about to travel to the north on your own, aren''t you?" Onean complained with a displeased expression.


    Erwin looked at her silence for a moment, following which he asked with an amused smile, "Why do I feel like you seem a lot more relaxed now that Sarus has fallen? It almost seems like a load has been taken off your shoulders."


    "What am I supposed to do then? Mope around like you?" Onean jibed.


    "I suppose you''re right. Didn''t that madman from earlier say that the Cameron Family is going to rule over the entire continent in the future? Looks like you''ll definitely be making a resurgence before too long," Erwin said with an amused smile.


    "That man was Master Donson. Throughout the years, Father has always been a devout believer of his divination."


    "What did he say about the war?"


    "Prior to the commencement of the war, he told Father that he had seen a brilliant omen through his divination."


    "Is that why you wanted to kill him?"


    "I didn''t want to kill him, he just so happened to be in the royal palace," Onean replied in an indifferent voice. "All I wanted at the time was to destroy the royal palace."


    Erwin nodded in response. There was still a hint of lingering fear and awe in his heart as he thought back to that almighty golden dragon.


    "I was worried that Lazaar would be uncomfortable living in the royal palace, so I decided to demolish it for him so that he could build one from scratch for himself," Onean said in a cold voice.


    Erwin could tell that this subject was getting Onean into a foul mood, so he quickly changed the topic. "This is the first time I''ve heard about His Majesty being a devout believer of divination."


    "Perhaps one would inevitably begin to develop a reliance on things like fate and destiny once they reach a certain position," Onean explained in her father''s stead.


    "Now that I think about it, His Majesty hadn''t gone into battle for over 20 years prior to the battle in Burmen, why did he suddenly decide to go to the front lines in person? Is it solely because he wanted to oppose the army of the Skycourt Kingdom? In that case, wouldn''t it have been better to leave everything to Lazaar? Was he worried that Lazaar''s reputation would only continue to grow if he drove back the Skycourt Kingdom''s invasion on his own? Surely he didn''t have a rush of blood to the head just because of something a fortune-teller said."


    "I think the main reason he decided to go was because he wanted to deal with the Lazaar Family. As you''ve seen, Lazaar''s children are all quite formidable and comparable to me in power. I think Father made the decision because he wanted to sweep away these obstacles that would''ve inevitably stood in my way once I inherited the throne," Onean sighed in a forlorn manner. "Also, there''s actually a reason why Father hadn''t gone into battle for so many years."


    "Oh? What''s that?" Erwin was still quite interested to hear about King Cameron, even though he was already no longer of this world.


    "20 years ago, my father was out leading an army in battle. During that time, a rebellion took place in Fort Glans, where my mother had been staying. My father was unable to return in time to quell the rebellion, and my mother perished as a result. Ever since then, Father has constantly been blaming himself for my mother''s death, and he became very reluctant to go to battle." Even though Onean was talking about something quite tragic, she wasn''t displaying much emotion.


    "I see." Despite Onean''s calm demeanor, Erwin could still empathize somewhat with the pain that she had to be feeling. After all, he was also someone who had lost his mother at a very young age.


    "Come to think of it, that incident had something to do with your mother," Onean suddenly said as she turned to face Erwin.


    "How?" Erwin looked back at her with a surprised expression.


    "My teacher didn''t tell me the exact story. He only mentioned it in passing, but what he told me was that your mother had something to do with my father''s inability to make it back in time to quell the rebellion. To put it more accurately, it had something to do with her time and space magic," Onean said. "That''s the extent of the story that my teacher told me."


    "Is that so?" Erwin mused as a befuddled look appeared on his face.


    Onean nodded in response. "I don''t think there''s any reason Teacher would lie to me about something like this."


    Erwin fell into deep thought upon hearing this. After hearing this story, Erwin finally understood why Onean had always been so interested in his time and space magic. Unfortunately for him, he knew next to nothing about his own mother. His father had virtually never spoken to him about his mother before, so he naturally hadn''t heard this story involving King Cameron and his mother. With that in mind, he could only add this to the ever-growing list of questions that he was going to ask his mother once he tracked her down in the north.


    "If I manage to find my mother, I''ll definitely ask her about what happened back then," Erwin said. "By the way, you still haven''t told me what your plans for the future are. I feel like Gwen isn''t the type of person who''s just going to accept her father''s death and move on. Once she returns to Fooz, I''m sure she''s going to raise an army to go to war against Lazaar."


    "Are you suggesting that I should join her and take down Lazaar together?" Onean asked with an amused chuckle.


    "Who knows? That''s up to you," Erwin replied with a carefree expression. "In any case, my promise only involved getting you safely to the front lines in Burmen, and I definitely fulfilled that promise. In fact, I''ve even accompanied you back to Sarus, so I''ve already done more than what I promised. After that, I rescued you out of Sarus as well. At this point, surely I should be known as the embodiment of loyalty."


    "So what you''re saying is that you''ve already done enough for me, so you want to abandon me now, right?" Onean asked as she raised an eyebrow with an amused smile. "In that case, let me make this clear to you: I''m not going anywhere. You''re stuck with me, and you''re just going to have to deal with it."


    Erwin was rather taken aback to hear this. It had been a very long time since he had seen this cheeky side of Onean, and he was momentarily at a loss for what to do.


    Having been tormented for so long by the cruel events that had just unfolded, it was a testament to Onean''s character and willpower that she could still joke around at a time like this.


    Sarus may have already fallen, but life still had to go on for them.

 CH 83

    The next morning was a bright and sunny one.


    Georgina and Erwin were the ones who got up the earliest. Of course, Erwin barely slept at all the night before.


    Following his conversation with Onean, she had grown rather sleepy and was able to fall asleep after returning to her room, leaving him to appreciate the night scenery alone. The wind on the deck was too strong for him to fall asleep, so he could only conjure up a forcefield in the area around the steering wheel to keep out the wind, then snuggled up on the pilot''s seat for a rough night''s sleep. As a result of his terrible sleeping posture, his body was extremely stiff, so he could only stand with a hunched back. Furthermore, his eyes were severely bloodshot, and he was looking very much worse for wear.


    "Look''s like you had a rough night''s sleep, Master Erwin," Georgina jibed.


    "Don''t call me Master Erwin, it''s not like I hold any noble rank," Erwin said with a wry smile. "How about you follow Christine''s lead and just call me brother."


    "I can''t do that. Even if you''re not a noble, you''re still the commander of our mercenary legion, Master Erwin," Georgina said with an amused smile, displaying no intention to change the way he referred to Erwin.


    "Alright, do whatever you want then." Erwin shook his head with a resigned smile, then asked, "By the way, why did you come after us? Who''s going to look after your mother in your absence?"


    Georgina''s smile faded slightly upon hearing this, and he replied, "After I returned home yesterday, I told my mother everything that I had seen and done during my journey. I gave her a recount of all of our battles from Windmetal Fort to Illingburn Fort, and after hearing my story, my mother said that even if the Effer Kingdom is going to welcome a new ruler, our family will continue to remain irrelevant, so it would be better for me to come with you and try to make a name for myself elsewhere. She then scolded me for not having higher aspirations and all but kicked me out of the house."


    A resigned look appeared on Georgina''s face as he spoke.


    "Oh, also, my mother said that you''re a man who''s destined for great things, and that if I follow you, I''ll have a bright future ahead of me," Georgina added.


    "Did your mother really say that? You''re not just saying that to flatter me, are you?" Erwin asked as he looked at Georgina with an amused smile.


    "She did! She really did say that," Georgina hurriedly protested.


    "In that case, you must''ve significantly exaggerated my feats during your storytelling. Looks like you really managed to swindle her," Erwin jibed.


    "I didn''t do that, either, Master Erwin. All I told her was the truth," Georgina protested, and he was getting so worked up that his face was turning red.


    "Alright, I won''t tease you anymore," Erwin chuckled. "Are you sure you want to follow me? Kaiba and Gwen are going to the province of Fooz. Gwen is the daughter of Governor Jenkins, and once she returns to Fooz, I''m sure she''s going to raise an army to oppose the Lazaar Family. Are you not going to consider going with them? I''m sure they''d welcome a capable warrior like you with open arms."


    Georgina shook his head in response. "I won''t go with them. I''ll go wherever you go, Master Erwin."


    "Alright, if you insist on following me, then I won''t turn you down." Erwin could see that Georgina had already made up his mind, so he didn''t try to persuade him any further. "However, let me make this clear in advance: I''m going to the north to look for someone, so if you''re looking for glory and accolades, following me may not be the best path."


    "It''s alright, my mother told me that following you is definitely the right choice, no matter what you do," Georgina replied with a wide smile.


    A suspicious look appeared on Erwin''s face as he looked at Georgina, and he couldn''t help but wonder exactly what kind of stories he had told his mother.


    "What are you going to do about your mother then?" Erwin asked.


    "My mother told me that during the time I was away, she was able to fend for herself just fine, so she says I don''t have to worry about her." Despite what he was saying, there was still a hint of concern on Georgina''s face, but he quickly put on a slightly forced smile as he continued, "I left her all of the Loonies that I earned during our last journey, so she should have enough money to support herself for some time."


    "I didn''t know that you were going to come back. If I had known this was going to happen, I would''ve given you more money to take back to your family," Erwin said.


    "I can''t take any extra money, Master Erwin. Everyone gets the same amount, I can''t accept any special treatment," Georgina said with a serious expression.


    Erwin faltered slightly upon hearing this, then quickly returned to his senses again as he patted Georgina on the shoulder with a smile. "Looks like I''ll have to work hard as well to support everyone during this trip to the north. Rest assured, Christine is always traveling back and forth across the Terarody Mountain Ranges, so we can get her to deliver some money to your mother during her next return trip."


    Georgina nodded in response. With the airship making trips between the north and the south, he would be able to exchange letters with his mother, so they could still keep in touch even from across the continent.


    At the same time, he couldn''t help but feel a hint of sadness on Erwin''s behalf. Count Friar had perished on the battlefield, so even if Erwin wanted to send his father some letters, there would be no one to receive those letters.


    "By the way, you said you were going to the north to find someone, right, Master Erwin? Who are you looking for?" Georgina asked.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the distance before heaving a faint sigh, then rubbed his own sore and dry eyes as he replied, "I''ll tell you about it once we get to the north."


    ...


    Shortly thereafter, everyone on the ship began to get up and go about their day.


    However, Onean was still laying in her bed late into the morning. It wasn''t that she was too lazy to get up. Instead, she had something on her mind.


    Her brain had been too tired to function properly the night before, but now that she had woken up after a night of rest, it was time for her to have a good think about exactly who Fuller was.


    During her visit to Fuller at his manor the day before, Onean had been struck by the feeling that his words and actions were all quite rehearsed, as if he already knew what was going to happen in advance. He hadn''t done anything wrong to tip himself off, but Onean''s instincts told her that his reaction to the news that she had brought to him wasn''t genuine. It was like a choreographed sequence that he had practiced in advance, and it simply didn''t feel authentic.


    Furthermore, as the prime minister, how could he have not already figured out that she had snuck out of the royal palace?


    After meeting Fuller, Onean had a vague feeling that Fuller had already predicted that Lazaar would betray the Effer Kingdom.


    What was even more peculiar was the arrival of Fuller with the rest of the soldiers in the city during the battle at night. It seemed to be an act of loyalty to the city of Sarus, but in reality, he was doing nothing more than throwing his own life away.


    If someone else like Jenkins had been in his place, they would''ve already fled upon realizing that there was no way to save Sarus, so it doesn''t make sense that Fuller came just to save me, Onean thought to herself, following which a rather sinister notion arose in her mind. Perhaps he had something to do with the Pillow Sword Tournament incident.


    However, there was nothing that she could do at this point. Sarus had already fallen, so it hardly mattered what Prime Minister Fuller''s intentions were. With that in mind, a wry smile appeared on her face.


    At this point, she was the only one left in the room as Gwen had already washed up and left.


    Gwen was still recovering from her injuries, so she had slept in the bed that Onean had previously slept in. As a result, Onean had to sleep in Erwin''s bed the previous night.


    That was a great night''s sleep. Come to think of it, I also had a great sleep the last time I slept in his bed, Onean thought to herself as she stretched lazily while inspecting her surroundings.


    "Are you getting up soon?" Erwin asked as he entered the room on the upper level.


    "Is there something urgent happening? Has Aiden caught up to us?" Onean asked in a joking voice as she got out of bed to do some washing up.


    "No, but we''ve arrived at Joffen. Would you like to come out and take a look?" Erwin as he looked down at Onean while leaning against the railing of the wooden staircase.


    "What is there to look at? The grape vines? It''s almost spring, but I don''t think there''s particularly interesting to look at in Joffen at this time of year," Onean said in a disinterested voice while combing her own hair in front of the mirror.


    "There may be nothing interesting to see for you, but I''ve never seen such a sprawling expanse of grape vines before," Erwin said with a smile.


    "That''s no surprise. You''re just an uneducated young noble who''s spent his entire life in the capital," Onean jibed while continuing to comb her own hair, not even bothering to spare a glance at Erwin.


    "Well, the capital is gone now, so I''ve been forced to come out, haven''t I?" Erwin chuckled in response. Onean stopped what she was doing momentarily before taking a glance at him.


    "Come out and take a look. Stop spending so much time on your hair. Even if your hair looks like a bird''s nest, you''ll still be the most beautiful one on the airship by far," Erwin said.


    "You make it sound like you''ve seen me with my hair looking like a bird''s nest," Onean said with an amused smile. "If you ever do see me like that, I''ll have to silence you permanently so you don''t go telling anyone else."


    "Ah, it hurts! Help me change my medicine and bandages," Erwin groaned as he suddenly clasped a hand over his own stomach and put on an expression of mock pain. He was reminding Onean that he had seen far more of her than just her hair.


    Onean pursed her lips with displeasure upon seeing this, but she couldn''t hide the amusement in her eyes, and she decided that it was time to teach Erwin a long overdue lesson.


    As Onean was dragged out of her room by Erwin, she was immediately basked in the light of the bright sun, which instantly lifted her mood.


    She felt like it had been a long time since she had seen such splendid weather.


    A cool breeze blew past, lifting up strands of her silver hair, and she cast her gaze toward the vast grape vineyard down below. Even though the winter snow still hadn''t completely receded yet, even the sight of the bare vines still put her in a pleasant mood.


    The mercenaries of the Four Winds mercenary legion had already been stunned on multiple occasions by Onean''s beauty, but they still couldn''t help but take a few extra glances at her.


    Erwin was no exception to this, either. The light of the sun was filtering through her strands of silver hair, giving them a gleaming golden tinge, and he couldn''t help but be momentarily entranced by her stunning beauty.


    Even Gwen, who was chatting absentmindedly with Kaiba, couldn''t help but direct her attention toward Onean.


    "I''ve drunk a lot of red wine from Joffen, but I''ve never actually been here," Erwin remarked as he looked at the orderly rows of grape vines in the vineyard down below.


    "Didn''t you say that you would rather see beautiful women than the scenery of the world?" Onean jibed. "Don''t tell me you''ve developed a newfound appreciation for scenery."


    "The most beautiful woman in the land is already here beside me, so what else do I have to see? I thought that I had already seen all of the beautiful women of the world, but after seeing you, I realized that I may as well have seen nothing. You were always the missing piece in my life. With you by my side, there''s no need for me to look at anyone else. I can read you like a book over and over again. I can read you front to back, back to front, upside-down, and you''ll still be as beautiful as ever." Erwin''s propensity for shameless flirting was at an all-time high on this day. Perhaps his mood was buoyed by the splendid scenery laid out before him, but he was feeling particularly eloquent and corny.


    "Ptui! You''re becoming cornier and cornier by the day," Onean chuckled with an amused expression. "Having said that, I feel like you did say one thing that''s correct."


    She turned around to look at him as she spoke.


    "What''s that?" Erwin asked as he looked back at her with an intrigued expression.


    "For men, there''s always a missing piece, isn''t there?" she asked with a hint of derision in her voice.


    "Ha, you make it sound like you''re so experienced when it comes to the realm of romance and relationships when you''re actually a complete novice," Erwin said, mercilessly exposing her lack of relationship experience. "You sounded like an old lady reminiscing about her past just now."


    Onean wasn''t bothered to hear this, and her smile remained unchanged as she said, "I think you should give that book from Lana a good read. She must''ve given it to you for a reason, so you should reciprocate her feelings by reading it."


    "I knew you would mention her eventually," Erwin said with a smug smile, as if Onean had played right into his hands.


    Onean was finally incensed upon hearing this, and she gave him a cold glare with her golden eyes.


    "Sorry, I''ll behave. Let''s keep looking at the scenery," he said with a seemingly apologetic smile, but the more Onean looked at it, the more sly and obnoxious the smile seemed, and she was really tempted to throw him off the airship.


    However, before she could do that, Erwin wound his arms around her waist and pressed her tightly against the railing with his body.


    Onean didn''t put up any resistance, allowing him to do as he pleased, but in retaliation, she gently stroked her hand over Erwin''s injured palm.


    Erwin immediately drew a sharp breath from the pain, and he reflexively pulled back his hand, releasing Onean in the process.


    "Did that teach you a lesson?" Onean asked with a cold smile.


    Erwin nodded in response with a sheepish expression, then pretended to focus his attention on the grape vines down below, but in reality, he was sneakily breathing in the fragrance of Onean''s hair.


    Onean merely pretended not to feel his breath in her hair and looked out into the distance.


    Meanwhile, Christine was seated on the pilot''s chair in front of the steering wheel, giving her the highest vantage point on the airship, so she was able to see the intimate interaction between Erwin and Onean, and she pursed her lips in a displeased manner in response.

 CH 84

    "Have you heard of Cabernet Sauvignon?" Onean suddenly asked as she looked at the vast vineyard down below.


    "I think so. It''s a type of grape, right?" Erwin replied after a moment of contemplation. "I recall that it''s a very precious variety of grape, and the red wine brewed from this type of grape sells for at least hundreds of Loonies per bottle."


    Onean nodded in response as a smile appeared on her face. "Sounds like you''re a bit of a wine connoisseur."


    "Not at all. My friends and I have only ever had one bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon together. Most of the time, we drink wine brewed from the Cabernet Franc grape variety," Erwin said with an embarrassed smile, and indeed, he was telling the truth.


    When it came to access to expensive wines, there was no way that he could compare with Onean. Given how lavish Governor Jenkins was with his offerings to the royal palace, he most likely presented King Cameron with crates upon crates of luxury wines like Cabernet Sauvignon every year.


    Onean could roughly tell what Erwin was thinking, and an amused look appeared on her face as she said, "That''s not what I wanted to ask you."


    "Then what are you trying to say?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    "I''m thinking that Gwen is probably planning to approach me to discuss something."


    "Oh, I see," Erwin said as a meaningful look appeared on his face. "I was just thinking that Governor Jenkins must''ve sent quite a bit of wine into the royal palace back when he was alive."


    "What do you think?" Onean asked as she took a glance at him.


    "That''s something that you have to decide on your own," Erwin replied. "Gwen is most likely thinking that it would be a little unofficial if she were to just raise an army to oppose Lazaar. However, if she can raise an army with the goal of avenging the kingdom on behalf of the princess, then her cause would appear a lot more noble and legitimate."


    "You say it''s something I have to decide on my own, but it sounds like you don''t think I should get involved with her," Onean said as she turned to Erwin with a curious expression.


    "It''s not like you didn''t see the battle that took place on the Marrod Plain. Even if Gwen has all of the ore in Fooz to provide financial support for her army, how could she possibly raise an army that could be a match for Lazaar''s forces."


    "That''s true. Those flying dragons, Aiden, and that troublesome red-haired lover of yours, none of them will be easy to deal with," Onean said as she pursed her lips. "Oh, and there''s also Mistress Faye and Lazaar himself. All of them are extremely formidable warriors and magicians."


    "Don''t forget about all of the noble families that are about to come out of hiding," Erwin said with a derisive sneer on his face. "Back when His Majesty was alive, they only dared to engage in shady dealings in secret, but they''ll have no such qualms against Gwen. In fact, in order to appease Lazaar, I daresay they''ll be fighting for the opportunity to lead troops to hunt down Gwen in Fooz."


    "Well, well, well, this is a first. I''ve never heard you insult your fellow nobles before," Onean jibed. "So? How does it feel to be deceived by your close friends?"


    "I wouldn''t blame them. They were only doing what they thought was right," Erwin replied in an indifferent voice.


    Onean was rather impressed by this response. "That''s unexpectedly rational and generous of you."


    "So what exactly are you thinking?" Erwin asked as he turned to Onean.


    "Governor Jenkins has overseen proceedings in Fooz for many years, so I''m sure all of the officials of Fooz will be loyal to his daughter. On the surface, they''ll claim that they''re fighting for a noble cause, resurrecting the kingdom on my behalf, but they won''t have any loyalty toward me, and they''ll most likely look down on me for my identity as the princess of a defunct royal family. There''s no way I would be able to live like that," Onean said in a direct and straightforward manner. "Even if, by some miracle, they manage to defeat Lazaar''s army and reclaim the Effer Kingdom, they''ll most likely try to get rid of me so Gwen can claim the throne. No matter how I look at it, there''s no way this can be a good arrangement for me."


    After hearing what Onean had to say, Erwin was very impressed with her foresight and her ability to identify the crux of the problem.


    "So are you just going to hand over the kingdom to Lazaar without a fight?" he asked.


    "I don''t mind facing Lazaar''s army on my own," Onean said as she cast her gaze into the distance while her silver hair danced in the wind. "But I refuse to be lumped together with a bunch of cannon fodder to die for some so-called noble cause."


    Looking at Onean now, Erwin couldn''t help but be struck by the same feeling that he had experienced during their first-ever meeting.


    Due to the fact that she still had some doubts about the matter, Onean refrained from mentioning her assumptions about Fuller''s identity to Erwin. Little did she know that her decision not to divulge her theory to Erwin would lead to a tragedy that she would sorely regret for many years to come.


    ...


    After passing Joffen and traveling northwestward for an entire day, the airship finally arrived at the capital city of Fooz, Tewadedan.


    By then, it was already nighttime, but this lavish city that was renowned for its abundance of ore displayed no signs of resting. Every part of the city was still brightly lit, and it seemed that night or day didn''t make much of a difference to the city''s residents.


    Gwen instructed Christine to land the airship in the spacious courtyard of the governor''s manor, and the guards of the manor immediately converged, thinking that the manor was being infiltrated by intruders, but they quickly backed away again upon realizing that it was Gwen who had returned.


    As soon as the airship landed, Gwen immediately summoned all of the officials of Fooz to the guest hall of the governor''s manor for a meeting, and sure enough, she insisted that Onean accompany her. Of course, Kaiba was also trailing along behind her like a loyal puppy.


    Meanwhile, Christine asked Erwin to accompany her to the markets as she was planning to purchase some ore to be sold in the north. Erwin didn''t know much about trade between the north and the south, so he was naturally happy to come along and treat this as a learning experience.


    Erwin asked Lanyon to accompany them, then instructed Sherry to stay behind and look after the metal chests.


    The guards of the governor''s manor could see that they were guests that had been brought back by the governor''s daughter, so they naturally didn''t dare to stop Erwin''s trio. Thus, the three of them made their way smoothly out of the manor before heading to the markets.


    "Have you ever been to Tewadedan before, Christine?" Erwin asked as the three of them walked along the street.


    "Of course I have," Christine replied with a smile. "Every year, we have to make a few trips back and forth between the north and the south, and we have to visit all of the important cities in the south during those trips."


    "I see. No wonder you seem to know exactly where the markets are," Erwin said, then turned to Lanyon before asking, "You must be quite familiar with this place as well, right?"


    "Indeed I am, Master Erwin. My friends and I grew up our entire lives here, and Jooloo Academy is located in this very city," Lanyon replied.


    "Oh, so this city is home to the academy that you attend." Erwin nodded in response, then said with an amused expression, "With you two leading the way, I''m sure there''s no chance that we''ll get lost."


    The three of them soon arrived at the market, which was still so brightly lit that it was as if daytime had never passed.


    "Don''t these people need to rest? It''s already very late at night," Erwin exclaimed as he looked at the lively and bustling market.


    "I don''t know, but every time I come here, the markets are always at their most lively at night," Christine said with a shrug of her shoulders.


    The two of them then both turned to Lanyon for an explanation.


    Thankfully, Lanyon really did have an explanation that he could offer. "Allow me to explain. Here in Tewadedan, the work and rest schedule of the citizens is different from that of those in Sarus. Most of the citizens of the city are miners or smelters, and people working in those occupations usually only get off work at night. After that, they go out for food and drinks with their colleagues, usually consisting of a meal at a cheap restaurant washed down with some beer, so by the time they get home, it''ll definitely already be past midnight. However, they don''t have to worry about getting up early the next morning as most smelting foundries and mines only open at around noon. As a result, the shops and restaurants in the city adjusted their opening hours to match the work and rest schedules of these workers. Hence, none of the shops will be open in the morning, and they''ll only begin opening up at around noon."


    "That''s very interesting," Erwin said with an intrigued expression, then looked down at the street beneath their feet. The gaps between tiles that the street was laid by were filled with dirt and grime that had accumulated over the course of many years, mixed with the residue and debris of all types of ore materials.


    "I see." Christine was also enlightened.


    "What should we buy, Christine?" Erwin asked as he cast his gaze toward all of the shops that were lining the street. Some were selling rough ore, while others were selling ready-made metals, and he didn''t even know where to start.


    "When it comes to items crafted from normal iron and copper ore, those things can be found all over the world. Even if they can be found at a slightly cheaper price here, there won''t be much profit to be made by selling them in the north. In contrast, materials like Red Brown Gems, White Ice Gems, and Azure Lightning Gems that are used in equipment can be sourced in small amounts. However, the profit margins are still quite low because these gems can be mined in the north as well. Even rarer gems like Shaved Purple Gems won''t be able to fetch a very high price in the north."


    "Alright, so what exactly should we be buying?"


    "What are you in such a hurry for? Let me finish!" Christine said as she turned to Erwin with a displeased pout.


    "Alright, go ahead," Erwin said with a resigned nod.


    "What we should be looking for are materials that can only be found in Fooz, such as gold jade ore. Most of these materials can be used to make accessories, and they''ll fetch huge profits when sold in the north," Christine explained.


    "But I would think that those types of materials are also very rarely sold on the markets," Erwin said as his brows furrowed slightly.


    "Looks like you do know a thing or two about business, after all," Christine said with a smile. "Indeed, the governor holds the mining rights to all of the rare types of ore. As a result, even most businesses aren''t able to reliably source them, so there''s no way that they would be sold in the markets."


    "Oh, I get it now. Under these circumstances, there must be many shady merchants who own illegal private mines, right?" Erwin asked in a quiet voice. In Sarus, accessories made from gold jade ore were so expensive that even Erwin found the prices difficult to believe. However, there were still many noble women wearing such accessories, so there had to be a source of supply somewhere.


    "You have a sharp mind for business, Brother Erwin," Christine said with a look of approval in her eyes.


    "Every year, Governor Jenkins makes an effort to crack down on merchants who own unregistered private mines," Lanyon said. "However, even with the severe punishments enforced, there are still more and more private mines popping up every year because the profit margins are simply too alluring."


    "If you ask me, the main reason why this illegal practice continues to thrive is because that governor of yours never wanted to completely abolish it. I''ve heard that he''s made significant earnings from the money spent by those merchants to bail themselves out," Christine said with a derisive sneer. "What''s funny is that those clueless merchants don''t even realize that the governor has been onto them from the very beginning. Most of them have only just begun operations in their illegal mines for a few days before they''re caught, and not only does the governor get to extort them for an exorbitant amount of bail, he also receives a free mine for his efforts."


    "You should quiet down, Christine," Erwin cautioned with an amused smile. "If Gwen hears what you''re saying, she''ll lock us up and won''t let us leave!"


    Christine stuck out her tongue in a cheeky manner in response.


    "This is it. We''ve arrived," Christine declared as she drew to a halt in front of a nondescript-looking shop, and Erwin and Lanyon naturally also stopped behind her.


    There were several large shelves of ore displayed in front of the shop, and even a novice like Erwin could tell that these were inferior quality products.


    He knew that despite her young age, Christine was already an extremely shrewd businesswoman, so the fact that she had chosen to come to a shop like this meant that had to be more than met the eye.


    There was a thin employee in the shop who was sprawled on the counter with an absentminded expression, but his eyes quickly lit up as soon as he spotted Erwin''s trio. In particular, his gaze was focused on Christine.


    "Welcome back, Christine," the employee said in an enthusiastic and energetic voice, in complete contrast with his bored and lazy demeanor from a moment ago.


    Christine nodded in response, then said, "Open the door, I have some business to discuss with your manager."


    "You got it!" the employee replied in a cheerful voice, then twisted a piece of coarse copper ore that was lying beside his hand. The piece of copper ore was lying amid a pile of similar pieces of inferior ore, and no one could''ve anticipated that it would be the switch to opening a secret door in the shop.


    A row of display shelves spread open down the middle, and a secret path was revealed.


    A surprised look appeared on Lanyon''s face as he stared at the secret path, which was illuminated by Nightglow Stones, but Erwin didn''t appear to be all that surprised.


    "You can come with me, Brother Erwin," Christine said as she turned to Erwin and Lanyon with a smile.


    Lanyon turned to Erwin with an inquisitive expression, in response to which Erwin gave a reassuring nod, then made his way into the inner room with Christine.


    After that, the employee closed the door, and it was as if nothing had happened.

 CH 85

    Even though the secret path was brightly lit, it still felt a little eerie and sinister to Erwin.


    A shop with a secret section like this one had to be an illegitimate business that engaged in shady dealings. Back in Sarus, he had never recruited the services of any unscrupulous businesses like this one, but he had heard of their existence.


    The main problem was that the wound on his hand still hadn''t completely healed, so he wanted to avoid battle if possible at a time like this, and that was why he had asked Lanyon to come along. However, now that Lanyon had been kept out in the legitimate part of the shop, he would be forced to fight if something were to happen.


    Having said that, the fact that Christine was leading him into this area so casually indicated that there most likely wasn''t going to be any danger here. After all, there was no reason for her to plot against him.


    Christine could tell from Erwin''s expression that he was a little concerned, so she explained, "Don''t worry, Brother Erwin, I only asked you to come with me because Lanyon is a local, and I was worried that if the people we''re dealing with recognize him, then it could cause some unnecessary misunderstandings."


    "Who exactly are you going to meet?" Erwin asked with a curious expression. "Why is it that the presence of a local could cause a misunderstanding?"


    "Have you heard of the Lodais Organization, Brother Erwin?"


    Erwin thought carefully about this for a moment before replying, "I have not."


    "The Lodais Organization is a massive underground organization that does business throughout the entire kingdom. Let me put it this way: they have contact points in all of the major cities on this entire continent," Christine said.


    "That''s quite impressive. What kind of business do they deal in?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "If you can''t find something through legitimate means, you can come to them," Christine replied. "As long as it''s something they can secure and you can provide the price that they ask for, then they can source it for you."


    "I''m sure an organization as huge as this one doesn''t only dabble in underground trade, right?" Erwin asked as a hint of a smile appeared on his face.


    "You''re a smart man, Brother Erwin," Christine praised with a smile. "Indeed, they take on a lot of assassination jobs as well. There are always some nobles who don''t want to do the dirty work themselves, so they pay the Lodais Organization to carry out the hit jobs in their stead."


    Erwin thought about this momentarily, then asked, "Then does that mean this organization is connected with the nobility in all of the kingdoms on the continent?"


    "You can put it that way," Christine replied with a nod. "However, not all nobles get the opportunity to come into contact with this organization."


    "Will they only pick the people who are useful to them?"


    "What actually happens is that they will come to find you," Christine said in a hushed voice.


    "How does that work?" Erwin asked with an intrigued expression.


    "The Lodais Organization will appear when you need it most, and they get you what you want as long as you can offer them the right price," Christine replied. "That is the general gist of what they do and how they operate."


    "So at the end of the day, it''s still just a money-making organization, isn''t it?" Erwin asked in a dismissive manner.


    "That''s where you''re wrong, Brother Erwin. The price that has to be paid for their services doesn''t necessarily refer to money," Christine said as she turned to look at Erwin.


    "What else could it be referring to?"


    "Let me give you a hypothetical example. Sometimes, the mission isn''t a simple matter like killing someone. Instead, it could involve stealing intel from high-ranking officials," Christine said. "For more difficult and complex jobs like this, they''ll adopt special measures, such as looking for women from washed-up noble families to get the job done for them. After all, most high-ranking officials are quite cautious and alert, and they won''t allow unfamiliar faces to enter their circle. Once the job is done, they''ll compensate the woman accordingly."


    "So you''re saying that when they receive jobs that are difficult to complete, they''re open to recruiting someone from outside of their organization to do the job for them?" Erwin asked in a surprised manner.


    "That''s right. As long as they think you''d be fit for the job, they would have no qualms trying to recruit you. Generally speaking, they''ll only appear in your time of need to help you with something that only they can help you with, but in exchange, you have to provide them with assistance of equal value," Christine said. "Just like in the aforementioned example, they would appear before the woman from the washed-up noble family right when she needs money the most."


    "Wow, that sounds like a very mysterious organization," Erwin couldn''t help but exclaim in a quiet voice, following which a question occurred to him. "How did you manage to get into contact with them, Christine?"


    "Why are you giving me that look? Do you think I also sold my body in exchange for something from them?" Christine asked as she turned to Erwin with an angry expression.


    "No, nothing like that. I was just asking," Erwin replied with a resigned smile.


    "Hmph, you definitely thought about that," Christine grumbled with a displeased expression.


    "If you tell me, I won''t have to think about all these possibilities," Erwin complained. In reality, he knew that Christine definitely hadn''t made such a wretched deal with this organization. Otherwise, the employee outside wouldn''t have put on such a fawning expression as soon as he saw her.


    "I have exchanged something with them before," Christine admitted in a quiet voice as she drew to a halt.


    Judging from the tone of her voice, Erwin knew that it would be best not to pry any further. Everyone had their secrets that they didn''t want to reveal, and it wasn''t his style to be overly invasive with other people''s secrets just to satisfy his own curiosity.


    "Going back to that hypothetical example of yours, is the organization not worried that the woman they recruited would tell others about their organization? Wouldn''t that result in some undesirable consequences?" Erwin suddenly asked as the two of them continued deeper into the secret section of the shop.


    "That''s where the killers of the Lodais Organization come in. They''re not being paid to do nothing, after all."


    "I see," Erwin replied with a nod.


    After reaching the end of the passageway and rounding a corner, they arrived in front of a stone staircase.


    Erwin turned around to look at the structure of the secret passageway, and he realized that several shops had to have been conjoined to facilitate this.


    After reaching the top of the staircase, Christine knocked on the wooden door with Erwin behind her.


    A short while later, the small window on the wooden door opened up, and a pair of eyes looked out at Erwin''s duo for a moment before the window was closed again.


    After that, the sound of a deadbolt being pulled back rang out, following which the door was opened.


    There was a very short elderly man standing behind the door, and he invited Erwin and Christine into the room with a warm smile. His attire was very intricate and refined, and Erwin was rather curious about where the clothes had been tailored. As aforementioned, the elderly man wasn''t very tall. In fact, his height was comparable to that of someone suffering from dwarfism. Furthermore, he wasn''t particularly thin, either. There was clearly a lot of excess flesh around his stomach and his waist, and as a result, the buttons on his dress shirt were placed under a copious amount of strain.


    Erwin took a glance at the redwood stool beside the door, and he realized that the elderly man had only been able to see out the small window on the door by standing on the stool


    Erwin then inspected his surroundings to find three display shelves that were packed full of books with sheepskin covers. Near the back of the room was a large and spacious desk, and above the desk was a pair of small windows, but the night sky wasn''t visible through those windows, so this room clearly wasn''t situated on the top floor.


    "Come and take a seat, Christine. I see that you''ve brought a guest with you this time as well," the elderly man said with a smile as he took a glance at Erwin. "I presume you have some business to discuss with me today, is that right?"


    He invited Erwin and Christine to take a seat on the sofa at the center of the room in a warm display of hospitality, then picked up a shiny silver teapot from the tea table before pouring cups of black tea for both Erwin and Christine.


    Erwin wasn''t in the hurry to sample the tea. Instead, he lowered his head to take a glance at the sheep wool rug beneath the sofa. It was clear from the material and coloring of the rug that this was no ordinary product. In fact, it was no exaggeration to say that this rug would be up to standard even in the royal palace.


    It seemed that this mysterious Lodais Organization truly was extremely wealthy.


    "This is Erwin, Elder Lewen," Christine introduced with a smile.


    "Erwin?" The elderly man turned to Erwin before inspecting him with a close gaze, following which an enlightened look soon appeared on his face. "Could it be that you''re Erwin Friar?"


    "How do you know about me?" Erwin asked with a surprised expression. He certainly didn''t think that he would be a renowned figure in the city of Tewadedan.


    "There''s no need to be alarmed, Erwin. Our Lodais Organization keeps records of all of the bright young talents of the kingdoms on the continent. A short while ago, I just so happened to be reading through our records on you, which is why your name remained fresh in my memory," Elder Lewen explained with a smile.


    "I''m supposed to be a bright young talent?" Erwin was quite amused to hear this.


    "It seems that you possess talent and modesty in equal measure. We keep records of all of the contestants who display outstanding performances during the Pillow Sword Tournament. You managed to finish in the top four of the tournament, so the records we have on you are extra detailed."


    "I was only lucky," Erwin said with a modest smile, but internally, he was wondering why the Lodais Organization was going around collecting information on all of the bright young talents on the continent. Furthermore, they clearly had extremely close ties with the nobility and wealthy merchants of all of the kingdoms. With that in mind, their reach and influence were truly astounding.


    Meanwhile, Christine was very amazed to hear this. Only now did she learn that Erwin was someone who had made it into the top four of the Pillow Sword Tournament. She was naturally also aware of this triennial tournament that was held in the Effer Kingdom.


    "What kind of business would you like to discuss with me today?" Elder Lewen cut straight to the chase as soon as he sat down. Due to his seated posture, his stomach bulged even further, and the buttons on his dress shirt were only just barely holding on for dear life. With his short stature, he had to sit bolt upright because if he were to lean back at all, it would look as if he were lying down, and that would be far too rude to his guests.


    "We want to purchase a batch of your finest ore to be sold in the north," Christine said, wasting no time with small talk.


    "What kind of grade are you looking for? And how much do you want?" Having already dealt with Christine on several past occasions, Lewen knew that she meant serious business, so he had to confirm the quantity in order to make sure that he had enough stock.


    "I want stock of the same grade as gold jade ore or higher, and I''m looking for at least 1,000 ounces," Christine said, then cast an inquisitive glance toward Erwin.


    Erwin gave her an encouraging nod in response, indicating for her to negotiate the deal as she saw fit. After all, he was completely out of his depth here.


    Elder Lewen didn''t seem to be particularly excited to hear this, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "At the moment, gold jade ore is going for roughly 80 Loonies per ounce. If I recall correctly, we should have enough stock on hand to satisfy an order of 1,000 ounces."


    Christine wasn''t in a hurry to barter with him. Instead, she asked, "Is gold jade ore all you have at the moment? Do you have any new and interesting stock?"


    "It looks like you''ve heard some things," Elder Lewen said as a faint smile appeared on his face.


    However, Christine was rather perplexed to hear this, and she shook her head with a puzzled expression, waiting for him to continue.


    "Then it looks like I was mistaken," Lewen said. "Our organization''s sources have brought back urgent news from the Marrod Plain, informing us that the king of the Effer Kingdom has already met his demise, as has Governor Jenkins. From now on, Prince Lazaar will be the one ruling over the kingdom."


    Elder Lewen took a glance at Erwin as he spoke, only to find that Erwin''s expression displayed no change upon hearing this news, so it was clear that the two of them were already aware of this information. At the same time, he couldn''t help but be impressed by Erwin''s composure. After all, he had learned from the report that Count Friar had also perished during the battle.


    "What are you trying to say, Elder Lewen?" Christine asked in a perplexed voice. "As I''m sure you''re already aware, I don''t know much about the power struggles taking place in these southern kingdoms."


    "Allow me to explain," Lewen said before taking a sip of tea, then continued, "In the past, King Cameron has always prohibited the mining of Fall Crystals in the Terarody Mountain Ranges. However, the same doesn''t apply to Prince Lazaar. In fact, he has always been in approval of the True Light Church''s operations in mining Fall Crystals from those mountain ranges."


    "Fall Crystals? What''s that?" Christine asked in a curious voice.


    "Fall Crystals are far more valuable than gold jade ore. It''s no exaggeration to say that a single ounce of Fall Crystals is equivalent in value to a city," Lewen said with a serious expression.

 CH 86

    Christine took a glance at Erwin, and Erwin shook his head in response, telling her that he also had no idea what Fall Crystals were.


    Judging from the expressions on Erwin and Christine''s faces, it was clear to Lewen that both were quite befuddled, and he explained, "Indeed, not many know what Fall Crystals are anymore. I only learned about this material after reading through many of the books available only to members of our organization. This is a type of ore that can only be found near large mountain ranges, and it has the ability to steal time."


    "What does that mean?" Christine asked with a puzzled expression.


    Erwin was also quite intrigued to hear this, and he looked at Elder Lewen with an expectant expression, waiting for him to elaborate.


    "To put it in layman''s terms, stealing time means to stop the flow of time," Lewen said as his gaze roamed over Erwin and Christine, but his eyes seemed to have settled on Erwin for a moment longer than they did on Christine.


    Seeing as this organization had records of his performance during the Pillow Sword Tournament, Erwin knew that they had to be aware that he was a time and space magician.


    The way that Lewen is looking at me now suggests that the properties of these Fall Crystals must have some similarities with my time and space magic, Erwin thought to himself.


    With that in mind, Erwin suddenly put on an indifferent and detached facade, seemingly having suddenly lost all interest in what Lewen was saying.


    "Fall Crystals can stop the flow of time?" Christine was so incredulous to hear this that she almost burst into laughter. "That sounds like an old wives'' tale, Elder Lewen."


    "But this is very much real, Christine," Lewen said as he looked at her with a serious expression. "There were accessories crafted from Fall Crystals several dozen years ago, and they had the ability to preserve one''s youth."


    "Preserve one''s youth?" Christine asked as her brows furrowed slightly. It was clear that she was very intrigued by this prospect.


    Erwin couldn''t help but chuckle internally upon seeing this. It seemed that all women held an eternal interest in things that could stop the effects of aging and maintain their appearance. Even for a little girl of Christine''s age, this universal rule still clearly applied.


    "Is that really true, Elder Lewen? Is there really something in this world that can preserve one''s youth?" Christine asked with a skeptical expression.


    "Indeed," Elder Lewen replied with a nod. "The only downside is..."


    "What is it?" Christine asked.


    "The price for these accessories is a little steep. In reality, Fall Crystals are an extremely versatile material, but the first batch of Fall Crystals to be mined were crafted by master artisans into accessories capable of stealing time, so most people came under the false assumption that this is the only use for Fall Crystals," Lewen explained. "At the time, as soon as these Fall Crystals accessories were released to the world, they immediately became extremely sought after among the nobles, to the extent that entire wars were instigated over them, which made sense, considering the allure of being able to halt the effects of aging. In the end, all of these accessories fell into the hands of the most powerful figures in the world, such as the kings, the princes, the regents, and other figures of similarly lofty status. These people had the power to claim those accessories, and they also felt like they were the ones most worthy of owning the accessories."


    "After that, more wars inevitably followed. In order to attain immortality, all of the most powerful figures of the world were trying to take the Fall Crystal accessories from others to add to their collection," Lewen continued.


    "Why is that? Isn''t owning a single accessory enough to grant immortality?" Christine asked with a puzzled expression.


    Lewen didn''t offer a reply to her question. Instead, he cast his gaze toward Erwin with a faint smile.


    As a result, Christine also turned to look at him with an inquisitive expression.


    "I''m assuming it''s because these Fall Crystals are consumable resources," Erwin theorized after a brief moment of contemplation. He didn''t know exactly how these Fall Crystals worked, but he knew just how much magic power expenditure was required to stop the flow of time inside his light shield. If a single Fall Crystal could indefinitely halt the flow of time, then time and space magic would be nothing more than a complete and utter joke.


    Christine looked back at Elder Lewen upon hearing this, in response to which Lewen nodded in confirmation, and she couldn''t help but be amazed that Erwin seemed to know everything. She had never learned magic before, but she had traveled extensively across the continent and seen many things. During their journey along the coastline of the Joffan Sea, she had witnessed Erwin in battle on several occasions, and she had already guessed that his magic was different from normal magic.


    "Can''t they just keep mining Fall Crystals to keep up with demand?" It was Erwin raising the question on this occasion.


    "Fall Crystals are extremely difficult to mine, and only a small amount can be produced even over the course of several decades. On top of that, the large mountain ranges where they''re found are rife with magic beasts, so it would be unrealistic to mine Fall Crystals on a large scale," Lewen explained. "Even more importantly, even if a consistent source of Fall Crystals can be guaranteed, the number of accessories that can be crafted from them is extremely limited."


    "Why is that?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "The procedure required to process Fall Crystals is extremely complex. Even with master artisans at work, thousands of ounces of Fall Crystal ore will usually have to go to waste before a few accessories the size of a fingernail can be produced," Lewen explained.


    "How long can an accessory of that size be used for?" Christine asked.


    "That depends on the skills of the artisan. The better quality ones can be used for three to five years, while the inferior quality ones can only be used for around a year or two," Lewen replied.


    "These people are instigating wars just so they can live for an extra year or two?" Christine exclaimed.


    Even though she was a brilliant businesswoman for someone of her age, she was still too naive due to her limited life experience. For those who were in power, they would do anything just to live for an extra month or even an extra day, let alone an extra year or two.


    "Why does it seem like there are very few records on these wars?" Erwin asked. "This is the first time that I''ve ever heard about such a thing."


    "Thinking back, the last war over Fall Crystals took place around 60 to 70 years ago," Lewen replied after a moment of contemplation. "On top of that, how are the historians supposed to record that chapter of history? Are they supposed to go into detail about how wars were instigated by the most powerful rulers on the continent over a few accessories? In any case, all of the historical records I''ve seen of that chapter in history glossed over the events very vaguely. I''m sure there are many Fall Crystal wars that weren''t even recorded in the history books at all."


    "I see. In that case, it''s no wonder that barely anyone knows about these things nowadays," Erwin mused, following which a thought suddenly occurred to him, and he asked, "Do you know why King Cameron prohibited the mining of Fall Crystals?"


    "I''m afraid I do not. In any case, as soon as King Cameron ascended to the throne, he officially prohibited the mining of Fall Crystals," Lewen said as he took another glance at Erwin, trying to gauge his reaction to confirm whether he was aware that King Cameron had already fallen in battle.


    Erwin was naturally sharp enough to see what Lewen''s intentions were, but he refused to mention anything about the battle on the Marrod Plain.


    "Then if we go by what you said earlier, does that mean mining of Fall Crystals is about to come into full swing in Fooz as well?" Christine asked before picking up her cup and taking a sip of tea.


    "I''m sure Prince Lazaar''s army is about to march for Fooz soon. In fact, I''m confident that such a development will take place within the next month," Lewen said in an assured voice. "At the very most, Fooz may be able to resist for a month or two before it''ll also be forced to submit to Prince Lazaar."


    "Even then, the mining rights will only go to the True Light Church, wouldn''t it? How does your organization plan to involve itself and get a slice of this pie?" Erwin asked as he took a glance at Lewen.


    "I''m afraid that''s confidential information that I cannot divulge to you," Lewen replied with a polite smile. "I can''t tell you how we plan to source Fall Crystals, but if you''re interested in this material, I can assure you that our organization will definitely be able to supply it to you. As long as..."


    "As long as we can afford the asking price?" Erwin asked with an amused expression.


    "That''s right. Looks like Christine has already told you about how our organization operates," Lewen replied as an amused look appeared on his face as well.


    "What I want to know is, are there still artisans who can process Fall Crystals in this era?" Erwin asked as he looked at Lewen. "Or are you only trading Fall Crystal ore and no finished products?"


    "That''s a very good question," Lewen said with a smile. "Several dozen years ago, all of the skilled artisans in the art of processing Fall Crystals perished during the wars waged over the Fall Crystal accessories by the upper echelons of the continent. Many of the people in power back then realized that as long as they could capture these artisans, no matter how large a supply of Fall Crystal ore their opposition had, they wouldn''t be able to do anything with the ore. Thus, top artisans skilled in processing Fall Crystals were assassinated left and right, and at this point, there are very few such artisans that can be found even on the entire continent."


    "Judging from your tone, it sounds like your organization has already prepared a group of artisans capable of processing Fall Crystals," Erwin said.


    "This is why I like dealing with intelligent people. It saves me a lot of time and effort," Lewen said with a smile of approval. "Over the course of the past few decades, almost all of the Fall Crystal artisans were wiped out, but that doesn''t mean that their skills haven''t been passed down."


    An amused smile appeared on Erwin''s face upon hearing this. "I''m assuming your organization also played a part in the assassination of the Fall Crystal artisans several decades ago."


    Lewen immediately burst into laughter upon hearing this, clasping his hand over his own belly as he did so. Finally, two of the buttons of his shirt were unable to hold on any longer, and they popped off from his bulging belly before landing in his grasp. "I see you have a propensity for humor. Our Lodais Organization has only been around for less than 10 years. I''m afraid you''re severely overestimating our capabilities."


    "I see," Erwin replied in a meaningful voice, and he was very amused by the comical yet swift movements Lewen had displayed to catch the two buttons from his shirt. "I can see that your organization is very confident in its ability to secure this material. What is the asking price for it?"


    "We are offering 250,000 Loonies for a single finished product," Lewen replied with a smile. It seemed that he had completely failed to realize that he had just stated an astronomical number. Furthermore, looking at his calm and assured expression, it appeared that he felt this price to be very reasonable.


    Even though Erwin and Christine were doing their best to hide their emotions, both of them couldn''t help but display a hint of shock upon hearing this.


    "You can issue a deposit of 50% of the total price now, then come and collect the item in half a year," Lewen continued as he looked at the two of them.


    Erwin finally understood why this organization had been able to develop to such an enormous scale over the course of less than 10 years.

 CH 87.1

    Even though Christine had a very large budget to work with, she was a little intimidated by this price. Setting aside the issue of whether she would be able to gather so much money in a short time, even if she could, Fall Crystals were a material that she had never come into contact with, so she had to think carefully about this. If she were to put down a deposit of 125,000 Loonies, that would place quite a strain on the turnover of their business.


    "I''m already offering you a very good price. Even we don''t know exactly what kind of price something like this will climb to in the future. At the moment, the price of 250,000 is only taking into account the labor costs involved. You just so happened to ask me if I had any new and interesting stock that I could offer, and that''s why I mentioned these Fall Crystals. Otherwise, I wouldn''t even have raised the subject. These are still very early days, so the price is still quite reasonable. Who knows that this number could swell to in the future?" Lewen said with a genuine expression, trying to rule out any possibility of bartering.


    "Truth be told, after hearing your description of these Fall Crystals, we are actually very interested," Christine said with a smile. "However, 250,000 Loonies is not a small sum, so I have to go back and think about this carefully with Brother Erwin before we make a decision."


    Christine cast a glance toward Erwin as she spoke, and Erwin nodded in support of her decision.


    "That''s perfectly fine. It''s very reasonable that you want some time to think about this," Lewen replied with a gracious smile. "I would actually be a little concerned if you treated this in a willy-nilly fashion and made a decision on the spot. We are a serious organization, and that''s not how we do business. Having said that, I''d advise you to make a decision as quickly as possible. After all, there are countless nobles in the Effer Kingdom who are desperate to live for a few more years and have more than enough money to squander."


    "We''ll be sure to give you a response as soon as possible," Christine replied with a nod, then rose to her feet.


    Erwin also stood up from the sofa before putting on a polite smile that mirrored the one on Lewen''s face.


    "You can remain seated, Elder Lewen. We''ll see ourselves out," Christine hurriedly said as Lewen began to climb down from the sofa.


    "No, no, I must fulfill my duties as a host. It''s not every day that I get a visit from you, so I must not skip on the formalities." Lewen insisted on getting up from the sofa, then accompanied Erwin and Christine out of the room with a warm smile.


    "Elder Lewen, is there really no way you can drop the price for the finished Fall Crystal products a little lower?" Christine asked with a smile as she turned around to look at Lewen prior to her departure, and she was going about it so casually that it was as if she were merely bidding him farewell.


    Lewen raised his head to look up at her, then shook his head with his customary polite smile.


    Erwin and Christine could see that Lewen wasn''t going to budge, so they parted ways with him before going back the way they had come from.


    As Erwin and Christine finally emerged from the secret door, Lanyon immediately heaved a faint sigh of relief.


    The three of them emerged from the shop, then headed straight for the bustling market.


    "What do you think, Christine?" Erwin asked as he turned to Christine.


    "No matter how I look at it, there''s an element of uncertainty involved, so this is not something that I''m willing to dabble in," Christine replied in a serious voice.


    Erwin nodded in response. "In that case, why did you pretend like you were interested in the deal?"


    "If we don''t pretend like we''re interested, he might hold a grudge against us," Christine explained.


    Once again, Erwin couldn''t help but be impressed with her business acumen. When it came to this field, she was far more experienced than he was.


    "Speaking of that, your acting skills were brilliant, Brother Erwin. Lewen definitely thinks that we''re really interested in Fall Crystals now," Christine continued with a smile.


    "You did really well yourself, Christine. After he brought up the subject of Fall Crystals, you didn''t ask about any other types of ore, and even as we were about to leave, you tried to barter and get the price lowered. I''m sure he thinks we''re genuinely interested in purchasing Fall Crystals from him now," Erwin chuckled.


    "That''s business, it is what it is," Christine said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I couldn''t just turn him down absolutely back there."


    "That''s true," Erwin replied with a nod.


    "What do you think about all of this, Brother Erwin?" Christine asked with a meaningful look in her eyes.


    "What do I think?" Erwin knew what Christine was trying to ask, and he replied, "No matter how I think about it, I''m certain that Governor Jenkins wouldn''t have been content to abide by King Cameron''s prohibition order. There''s no way that he hasn''t tried to mine Fall Crystals during all the years he spent as the governor of Fooz."


    "I knew you''d arrive at that conclusion. You''re probably going to ''approach'' Gwen now, right?" Christine said with a smile, wiggling her eyebrows in a suggestive manner as she uttered the word "approach".


    "My goodness, do you hear what you''re saying? And look at the expression on your face! Get your mind out of the gutter!" Erwin chuckled in an exasperated manner. "Kaiba risked his life to save Gwen from that battlefield, there''s no way I could betray him by doing something like seducing Gwen. I''m just interested in those Fall Crystals."


    "I didn''t ask you to seduce her, I just wanted you to ask her if there are any Fall Crystals in the governor''s manor. You''re the one who needs to get your mind out of the gutter, Brother Erwin," Christine chuckled. "Besides, with Her Highness around, you wouldn''t even dare to try and seduce Gwen, would you?"


    "I didn''t know you were such a cheeky little brat!" Erwin said as he feigned a menacing expression while rolling up his sleeves.


    Meanwhile, Lanyon was very amused to see the two of them bickering with one another.


    "By the way, Lanyon, have you heard of something called Fall Crystals?" Erwin asked as he turned to Lanyon.


    "I heard you two mentioning it repeatedly just now, but I have no idea what it is," Lanyon replied.


    "Alright, then let me ask you this: has Governor Jenkins sent people to mine for any types of ore on the southern side of the mountain ranges? Have you heard of such an occurrence before?"


    "I''m afraid not, Master Erwin. Common folk like me aren''t privy to information like what type of ore Governor Jenkins is mining for and where he sends people to mine for him," Lanyon replied with a shrug of his shoulders.


    "That''s true," Erwin replied with a nod. "In that case, let''s go back. I presume the meeting at the governor''s manor is about to wrap up soon."


    "Let''s buy some food to take back with us. I''ve been having nothing but dry rations these past few days, and I feel like throwing up at the sight of them now," Christine complained with a displeased pout.


    Thinking back, Erwin realized that it was indeed true that Christine hadn''t had even a single good meal along their journey from Xeto to Sarus, then from Sarus to Tewadedan.


    "That''s my fault. You even came to visit me in Sarus, but I still get a chance to treat you to a meal," he sighed with a wry smile.


    During the journey from Xeto to Saurs, Christine had already asked Kaiba about the details of the battle that had taken place on the Marrod Plain, so she was aware of the situation that Erwin was in. As such, she was naturally quite concerned for his safety, and she traveled to Sarus as quickly as she could on her airship. Thankfully, she was able to arrive just in time to save Erwin. After fleeing from Sarus, Christine knew that Erwin no longer had a home to return to, and she couldn''t help but feel very sorry for him. The pity that she held toward him was exacerbated even further by the sight of his forlorn display, but she didn''t know what to say to console him.


    In fact, she was even feeling a little guilty as it was her complaints that had led to Erwin''s recollection of all these painful memories.


    "Why do you look so glum all of a sudden?" Erwin chuckled as he patted Christine on the shoulder. "Let''s go get some food."


    After that, he casually made their way toward a street that was lined with food stalls.


    Christine faltered slightly at the sight of his departing figure, then hurriedly followed along.


    Perhaps it was exactly this carefree demeanor of Erwin''s that had Christine so enamored with him.


    Lanyon had witnessed this sequence as a bystander, and he couldn''t help but admire Erwin''s ability to always be smiling, even in the most difficult of situations. Regardless of whether he was in great physical pain or suffering through severe psychological duress, he was always able to muster up a smile for those around him.


    There was no point in complaining about the unpredictable nature of life. Only by constantly seeing the funny side of life could one weather the hardships thrown at them by life.


    ...


    Shortly thereafter, Lanyon was enthusiastically introducing the local delicacies of Tewadedan to Erwin and Christine. Christine had been to Tewadedan on more than one occasion in the past, so she was already familiar with the cuisine here. As for Erwin, he was accustomed to fine dining, but he wasn''t opposed to trying out the roast beef and lamb before him. Even though the cooking methods employed were rather crude, the aroma of the roast meat was still very alluring.


    "Around 50 kilometers north of Tewadedan is the Zam Highlands, and all of the beef and lamb consumed here is transported straight from those highlands, so they''re a lot more delicious than the beef and lamb that comes from normal farms," Lanyon introduced.


    "This really is quite delicious paired with some fresh cumin and black pepper." Erwin had already ordered a mug of beer from the open-air bar, and now that the roast beef had been brought out, he was ready to dig in.


    Christine and Lanyon sat down on either side of him. One of the main attractions of these open-air seats was that they allowed the diners to watch the chef roasting the beef and lamb right in front of them.


    Erwin quickly made short work of a plate of roast beef, and neither Christine nor Lanyon were able to have any of the beef before it was finished. Thus, Erwin raised three fingers toward the chef, who was sweating profusely while working at the grill, indicating that he wanted three more plates of roast beef.


    Soon, an impressive pile of empty plates had been stacked up beside them, and it was clear that it had been a long time since the three of them had enjoyed a good meal. Even the manager working at the bar couldn''t help but spare them an extra glance. The three of them didn''t appear to be miners, so he couldn''t help but wonder exactly what they had done to build up such a massive appetite.


    After enjoying a delicious meal, Erwin thought of Onean, who had also had nothing but dry rations the past few days, and he ordered a few more plates of roast meat to take away with him.


    The chef felt like he had spent most of the night satisfying the seemingly endless orders from Erwin''s trio.


    By the time Erwin''s trio returned to the governor''s manor from their hearty meal, the emergency meeting organized by Gwen had also concluded.


    Erwin searched through the manor for Onean, but was unable to track her down. Thus, he could only return to the airship, and it was there that he found her, standing in front of the railing at the rear end of the airship, looking out at the night scenery with an absentminded expression.


    "You were never the type of person to be swayed by those around you, were you?" Erwin said as he made his way over to her side and took a glance at her, then set down the wooden container that contained the roast meat on the railing next to her. "I presume you attended the meeting because you wanted to hear what Gwen''s plan was and what all of the officials of Fooz had to say."

 CH 87.2

    Onean didn''t deny this.


    Erwin could tell from her expression that she wasn''t in a very good mood, and he asked, "So? How did it go? Was everything pretty much just as you expected?"


    "How else could it have gone? Their plan is very simple and straightforward, there were no surprises at all," Onean replied as she turned to him with a faint smile. "If I agreed to stay with them, I would have to listen to everything they say and become a political puppet for them."


    Erwin nodded in response, then pulled out the roast beef from inside the wooden container. "Have some, it''s pretty delicious."


    "Is this beef from the Zam Highlands?" Onean asked as she took a glance at him.


    Erwin nodded in response.


    "No wonder it smells so good." Onean picked up the fork inside the wooden container, then stabbed into a piece of roast beef before placing it into her mouth.


    "By the way, have you ever heard of Fall Crystals before?" Erwin suddenly asked.


    "Hmm?" Onean hadn''t even had a chance to swallow the beef in her mouth yet, and she raised an eyebrow as she turned to Erwin with a quizzical expression.


    "Looks like you haven''t heard of it, either."


    After swallowing the mouthful of beef, Onean asked, "Where did you hear about this thing? I highly doubt you heard about it from whatever restaurant you went to."


    "Oh? So you do know about it?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "I do," she replied in a nod, then turned to Erwin with a serious expression. "Father told me on multiple occasions to stay away from Fall Crystals at all costs."


    "Did he tell you why?"


    "All he said was that it was the root of trouble, and that I should stay away from shady things of this nature unless I want to attract trouble to myself," Onean replied.


    Erwin was rather amused to hear this, considering King Cameron himself believed in divination, which was most definitely a shady practice. It seemed that he would''ve done well to heed his own advice.


    "Is that all he said about it? Did he ever mention why he prohibited the mining of Fall Crystals?" Erwin asked.


    "All I know is that Archbishop Sirius once suggested for Father to mine for Fall Crystals, and he was met by a furious tirade from Father. After that, no one dared to approach the topic of Fall Crystals anymore," Onean replied as a reminiscent look appeared on her face. "You still haven''t told me where you heard about Fall Crystals from yet."


    Instead of directly answering her question, Erwin asked, "Have you heard of the Lodais Organization?"


    "I''ve heard my teacher mention it before. It''s an underground organization, right?" Onean had lost interest in the food before her due to Erwin''s line of questioning, so she set down the fork in her hand as she asked, "What happened? Did they approach you, or did you seek them out?"


    "Christine took me to see them," Erwin replied.


    Onean''s golden eyes flashed slightly upon hearing this. "It looks like that little girl is more complex a character than I imagined."


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Don''t you feel like her circumstances are rather strange?"


    "Now that you mention it, I do find her quite interesting. Looking at the amount of wealth she has at her disposal, it''s clear that she comes from an extremely affluent family," Erwin analyzed. "However, if that''s the case, then why is someone of her age from such a wealthy family living the life of a traveling merchant?"


    "Why did she take you to see the Lodais Organization?"


    "Initially, we wanted to purchase some precious ore from the Lodais Organization so we can sell them in the north."


    "Looks like those metal chests on the airship contain all of the money that you have left," Onean said with an amused smile.


    "That''s right. Thankfully, my father had the foresight to arrange all of his estates for me prior to setting off for the war," Erwin replied.


    "That little girl seems to be very attached to you, judging from how she calls you ''Brother Erwin''. I''m sure she would''ve been looking out for your best interests." Onean was imitating Christine''s voice as she uttered the words "Brother Erwin", and it was rather comical to behold.


    Erwin couldn''t help but chuckle at her imitation, and he replied, "Initially, our plan was to enquire about the price of gold jade ore and other types of precious ore, but the elder of the Lodais Organization that we met with began to tell us about Fall Crystals instead."


    "So you''re saying that the Lodais Organization was encouraging you to buy Fall Crystals? Where are they getting their supply from?"


    "The elder said that Lazaar has always been turning a blind eye to the True Light Church''s exploits in mining Fall Crystals," Erwin replied as he took a glance at Onean. "Also, Lazaar''s army is about to reach Fooz soon, so sooner or later, all of the Fall Crystals in Fooz will also fall into his hands."


    "Does that mean that the Lodais Organization has very close connections with the True Light Church as well?" Onean asked.


    "He didn''t confirm that explicitly, but I''m assuming that this must be the case."


    Onean''s brows furrowed slightly in contemplation upon hearing this. "Throughout these past years, no one knew exactly what Lazaar and the True Light Church had been up to in the Terarody Mountain Ranges. It looks like they were not just taming the wyverns, but also mining Fall Crystals in secret as well."


    "Do you Sirius wants to live for a few more years, or is it Lazaar who wants to extend his own life?" Erwin asked.


    "Arresting the flow of time is only one of the uses of Fall Crystals."


    "Oh? You know about that as well?" Erwin was rather taken aback to hear this.


    "Father didn''t mention much about Fall Crystals to me, but I was able to get some information out of my teacher."


    "Did Master Piro tell you what other uses there are for Fall Crystals?"


    "I think that question would be best answered by a time and space magician," Onean said as she turned to Erwin with a faint smile.


    "What do you mean by that?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    "Do you really not know?" Onean asked with a skeptical look in her eyes.


    "I don''t."


    "I heard from my teacher that when it comes to processing Fall Crystals, the artisans are too inept due to their lack of understanding of Fall Crystals, and they''re also too eager to please those in power. Hence, much of the material is wasted in their hands, and the finished products have brought about many wars. Only those who have truly mastered the secrets of time and space know how to best process Fall Crystal ore."


    "So you''re saying that in the hands of a time and space magician, Fall Crystals will become something different entirely?" Erwin asked with an intrigued expression.


    "I don''t know the specific details there," Onean replied. "So what happened after that? How did your negotiations go?"


    "I was just about to get to that," Erwin said as an exasperated look appeared on his face. "That Lodais Organization practically tried to rob us! They''re asking for 250,000 Loonies for a single finished accessory crafted from Fall Crystals, and not only do we have to issue a 50% deposit, we''ll only be able to receive the product in half a year."


    "That really is a very steep price," Onean agreed. "So they''re asking you to pay them 125,000 Loonies before you even get to see the end product? That sounds like terrible business practice."


    "Have you ever come into contact with the Lodais Organization?"


    "No, I''ve never had the opportunity before," Onean replied with a shake of her head. "I''d advise you to interact with these underground organizations as little as possible. Otherwise, you could end up dead before you even know it."


    "That''s true. They have a bunch of assassins who specialize in resolving problems for their clients."


    "I''m guessing their process is to manufacture a problem for you, then approach you with the offer of resolving that problem for you, but in exchange, you have to do something for them, right?" Onean was able to immediately identify the crux of the matter.


    "Ha, that''s the exact same conclusion that I arrived at," Erwin chuckled.


    "It''s not exactly the most groundbreaking trick in the book," Onean said. "What are you planning to do from here?"


    "What do you think?"


    "The fact that you''re asking me about Fall Crystals means that you must be very interested in them," Onean said. "Despite the prohibitions set in place by my father, I''m guessing that Jenkins must have a decently large supply of Fall Crystals in his manor. Are you planning to approach Gwen to work out a deal?"


    "My goodness, what have I done to deserve this? I feel like I''m surrounded by mind readers who read me like an open book," Erwin sighed.


    "Did Christine manage to guess what you were going to do as well?" Onean asked.


    "She did," Erwin replied. "It looks like we''ll have to do some thorough research into her background once we arrive in the north."


    The next morning, Erwin got up at the crack of dawn. Onean was still sound asleep, so he made sure to be very quiet as he left the room. Seeing as they had returned to the governor''s manor, Gwen naturally wasn''t going to sleep in the airship any longer, so Erwin was able to sleep in the same room as Onean again, enjoying a night of sleep where he didn''t have to hear the thunderous snoring of Kaiba and the others.


    As soon as he emerged from the room, he caught sight of Christine, who was waiting for him in front of the room across from his and Onean''s.


    The two of them had gotten up so early because they wanted to request an audience with Gwen.


    In the wake of Governor Jenkins''s passing, Gwen was now the stand-in governor of Fooz, so she wasn''t someone that they could just meet whenever they wanted.


    Erwin and Christine were led by a servant into a lavish waiting room, and by the time they arrived, it was quite lively and bustling, with many people already waiting to see Gwen. Erwin swept his gaze around the spacious room to find that there were around 10 other people waiting for an audience with Gwen, and all of them were either officials, nobles, or wealthy merchants. It was clear that Gwen had a lot on her plate.


    However, she was very accommodating toward Erwin, and Erwin and Christine were the first ones to be granted an audience with her after she finished her breakfast.


    Another servant led the two of them into Gwen''s study, and as soon as he entered the room, Erwin couldn''t help but marvel at Governor Jenkins''s opulence once again. The study was so extravagant and luxurious that even King Cameron would''ve been in awe of it.


    There was a sheep wool rug with intricate designs embroidered upon it with golden thread extending all the way from the entrance to the desk. One had to realize that this room was over three times the size of Erwin''s bedroom back in Count Friar''s manor. In contrast with this lavish rug, the rug that Erwin had seen in the secret chamber of the Lodais Organization the day before was made to look completely mundane.


    As soon as the two of them took a seat, Gwen immediately cut straight to the chase. "Why have you come to see me so early in the morning?"


    Erwin knew that she had to be extremely busy and didn''t have any time for small talk, so he also adopted a more direct and straightforward approach. "We are planning to travel to the north, but before we set off, we want to purchase some precious ore to be sold there..."


    "Hold on, you''re going to the north?" Gwen interjected as she looked at Erwin with a befuddled expression.


    "Didn''t you know about my plans?" Erwin was rather surprised by her reaction.


    Gwen shook her head in response, then confirmed, "By going to the north, do you mean you''re heading to the other side of the Terarody Mountain Ranges?"


    "That''s right," Erwin replied with a nod.


    "You''re not going to stay here and oppose Lazaar with me?" Gwen asked with a puzzled expression. "How are you going to avenge your father?"


    "Who knows?" Erwin didn''t seem to be interested in avenging his own father at all.


    "I honestly don''t understand what''s going on in those heads of yours. Don''t you want to exact revenge on Lazaar? Are you too scared to resist just because Lazaar has some flying dragons on his side?" Gwen asked with a displeased expression.

 CH 88

    Erwin could tell that she was insulting Onean, and he thought to himself, You were unconscious the entire time while those flying dragons were decimating our armies, so you''re naturally not afraid of them.


    However, he had a request to make to Gwen, so he naturally wasn''t going to verbally denounce her.


    "Alright, seeing as you''ve already made up your mind, I won''t try to convince you to stay," Gwen said after a brief moment of contemplation. "If you want to come back at any time, I''ll welcome you with open arms."


    Erwin nodded in response, then said, "We came to see you today because we want one thing in particular."


    "You just mentioned that you want to purchase some precious ore, right? Are you planning to buy them from me?" Gwen asked with a faint smile. "You came to me because you want a more favorable price, right?"


    "If it''s just any type of ore, then I wouldn''t have come to trouble you," Erwin said. "I''m not exactly the most reputable person, but I wouldn''t try to exploit you at a time like this."


    "I guess that''s true. Alright, so what kind of ore do you want from me?" Gwen asked.


    "I''m sure you''ve heard of Fall Crystals, right?" Erwin asked as he took a glance at her.


    Gwen''s brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this. "How do you know about Fall Crystals?"


    Gwen''s response immediately confirmed Erwin''s suspicions that Governor Jenkins had a secret stash of Fall Crystals in his manor, and Christine also took a subtle glance at him upon hearing this.


    He understood what Christine was trying to convey to him, so he didn''t mention the Lodais Organization. "Christine told me about them. She''s been traveling across the continent to do business for many years, so she''s naturally heard about many obscure things."


    Erwin knew that Gwen had to have come into contact with Christine while she was staying on the airship and recovering from her injuries.


    "You know about Fall Crystals?" Gwen asked as she turned to Christine with a skeptical expression.


    Christine nodded in response.


    "Can those things be found in the north as well?" Gwen asked.


    "Yes. To put it more accurately, Fall Crystals can be found in all mines near the Terarody Mountain Ranges," Erwin replied in Christine''s stead.


    "In that case, they shouldn''t be very valuable to you," Gwen said. "If they can be found in all mines near the Terarody Mountain Ranges, then doesn''t that mean they''re produced in the north as well?"


    "Fall Crystals may be produced in the north, but very few people know about them. I only know about them as I heard some of my older relatives mention them in passing. On top of that, the northern side of the Terarody Mountain Ranges consists of a dense and eerie forest that''s rife with magic beasts, so no one dares to mine for Fall Crystals there," Christine explained. "Brother Erwin asked me where there are some types of precious ore that we can purchase here to be sold in the north, and that was what led me to recall the stories I''ve heard about Fall Crystals. Brother Erwin is very interested in them as well. According to my relatives, there are always Fall Crystal mines near large mountain ranges, so I presume there would be Fall Crystals here in Fooz as well. That''s why we decided to come here today to try our luck and see if you''ve heard of them."


    Gwen was silent for a moment before directing her gaze back to Erwin and Christine. "To tell you the truth, I do have some Fall Crystals. There''s no need to hide this information anymore, so I''ll tell you what I know. From what I''ve heard, these pieces of Fall Crystal ore were discovered by my father in a cave on the Zam Highlands."


    Indeed, with the passing of King Cameron, there was no longer any need to hide the fact that she owned Fall Crystals. A new era was being ushered into the Effer Kingdom, and in the wake of such a massive change, no one was going to come after her for her secret Fall Crystal stash.


    "How much do you have?" Erwin asked.


    Gwen took a glance around the room, then replied, "About enough to fill this entire room."


    Erwin couldn''t help but draw a sharp breath upon hearing this, and he turned to Christine as he said, "We won''t be able to take that much with us."


    "It''s alright, Brother Erwin. If we can''t make it in one trip, then we can make multiple trips for the Fall Crystals," Christine said with a smile.


    What Erwin actually wanted to say was that he didn''t think that he had enough money to purchase such a large quantity of Fall Crystals, while Christine was telling him that there was always a solution in business, it was just a matter of negotiation.


    "How do you plan to buy these Fall Crystals from me?" Gwen asked with a curious expression.


    This was an issue that he had already considered the night before, and a wry smile appeared on his face as he said, "Truth be told, we don''t even know the exact price for these things."


    "Surely you have to have some sort of plan. Did you really come to me first thing in the morning without any idea of what you''re doing?" Gwen asked as her brows furrowed slightly.


    "Of course not," Erwin said as he looked at Gwen. "How about this? I''ll leave 50,000 Loonies with you here in exchange for a few boxes of Fall Crystal ore. If we can sell them for a good price in the north, I''ll give you half the profits. If we don''t manage to make any profit, then you can keep the 50,000 Loonies as my contribution to the army of Fooz."


    "So you''re saying you''re going to give me half the profits no matter how high a price you sell the Fall Crystal ore for?" Gwen was rather skeptical about these overtly favorable terms.


    "That''s right. We''ll weigh out the first batch of Fall Crystal ore that you give us in exchange for the 50,000 Loonies, and Christine will come to pay you a visit the next time she returns to Fooz. If we make any profit over the 50,000 Loonies, we''ll split you half," Erwin said. "Of course, that''s only on the condition that we do manage to make a profit."


    Christine nodded in agreement with this plan. It was quite a sound plan to her, and 50,000 Loonies was also a reasonable amount to invest in this endeavor.


    "But I have no idea how much these things are worth. What if even with half of the profit that you make, I''m still being short-sold in this deal?" Gwen asked with an amused smile.


    A faint smile also appeared on Erwin''s face as he said, "That depends on whether you trust me enough to go through with this deal. Alternatively, why don''t you send someone with us to the north."


    "No, thanks. I have better things to worry about than to send someone to the north to spy on you," Gwen chuckled.


    "Well, if you refuse to believe me, then it looks like we''ve hit an impasse," Erwin said with a resigned smile. "I thought you''d have more trust in me seeing as we were schoolmates, but it looks like I was too optimistic."


    "Alright, alright, we''ll do as you say," Gwen finally conceded. "The Fall Crystal ore has been here for quite a few years already, and we don''t know what to do with it anyway, so you can have it if you want it."


    Gwen was agreeing to this proposition so easily for two reasons, the first of which was that she really did have no use for the Fall Crystal ore. Thus, it certainly wasn''t a bad arrangement if Erwin could take them off her hands in exchange for money. After all, she was planning to raise an army, and she needed all the money that she could get. Secondly, she and Erwin had both escaped from the battle on the Marrod Plain together. Even though they weren''t exactly close, and they couldn''t even be considered to be friends back when they were attending Teedus Academy together, the two of them were suffering through similarly tragic circumstances, and that led her to believe that Erwin wouldn''t deceive her.


    At the end of the day, the main reason behind her decision was their relationship as past schoolmates. During the past several years of observation, Gwen had deemed Erwin to be a very trustworthy and reliable person. Even though he was always hanging out with the class clowns like Larwood and Chase, that still did nothing to cloud her judgment of his character.


    Of course, Erwin wasn''t planning to deceive her in the first place. 50,000 Loonies was all that he could realistically offer at the moment, and he really was planning to make a significant profit from the Fall Crystals before splitting Gwen half of the profits to support her efforts in raising an army. He knew that the army''s chances against Lazaar''s forces would be extremely slim, but the enemy of an enemy was a friend, and he still wanted to support the army of Fooz as much as possible.


    "Are you really not planning to stay?" Gwen circled back to the previous topic of conversation again. She wanted to try and convince Erwin to stay as she had a feeling that if Erwin were willing to stay, then Onean would also be willing to stay.


    "I''ve made up my mind," Erwin said in a firm voice. For some reason, he was feeling a little diffident in front of Gwen. He knew that on the surface, Gwen was fighting for a noble cause, attempting to dethrone Lazaar, who had seized the throne through unscrupulous means, but in reality, it was mostly for her own quest for vengeance. However, he still couldn''t help but feel a little meek in the face of someone so determined and driven.


    Perhaps it was because he was really lost and lacking direction at the moment. Perhaps he truly was feeling fearful, and that was why he felt this way.


    Thus, he felt a sense of admiration toward Gwen, and even toward Kaiba. In his eyes, the two of them were very courageous.


    "Alright, then I can only wish you a smooth journey ahead." Even though Gwen was smiling as she spoke, there was an inexplicable sense of sorrow in her voice.


    ...


    After their meeting with Gwen, Erwin and Christine took a stroll through the garden of the governor''s manor.


    "Brother Erwin, do you know why I didn''t take Lanyon with us to see Elder Lewen yesterday?" Christine suddenly asked.


    "Didn''t you say that you were worried that a misunderstanding would arise? Is there another reason?" Erwin was actually quite curious about this as well, but he didn''t want to raise the question to Christine in Lanyon''s presence. After they came back to the governor''s manor, he chatted with Onean until late into the night, so he didn''t get a chance to ask Christine about this.


    "That''s one reason. I didn''t want the people from the Lodais Organization to think that we were working with local officials to try and gather inside information on them. They''re very sensitive and cautious when it comes to things like this. Hence, we have to be careful when dealing with them," Christine said in a quiet voice.


    "But Lanyon is just a commoner from Tewadedan. Surely they have no reason to be wary of him."


    Christine turned to look at Erwin as she said, "While it''s true that Lanyon may be a commoner right now, how can you be sure that he was always a commoner before you met him?"


    "Oh, I see." An enlightened look appeared on Erwin''s face, and he finally understood why Christine had suddenly raised this issue at a time like this.


    So what she''s really worried about is that Lanyon could be an informant for the governor''s manor, and that''s why she didn''t want to bring him along to see Elder Lewen, Erwin thought to himself. It was no wonder that Christine had been entrusted with such heavy responsibilities at such a young age. Despite her youth, her foresight and critical thinking skills were sharper than that of most adults.


    However, Erwin didn''t harbor any suspicions toward Lanyon.


    Not long after the two of them returned to the airship, Gwen sent some servants to carry several heavy crates onto the airship, and these servants were accompanied by Kaiba as well.


    Erwin was wondering who he was going to give the 50,000 Loonies to, and now that Kaiba was here, he had someone to whom he could entrust the money.

 CH 89

    Kaiba asked him what the 50,000 Loonies were for, and Erwin gave a rather vague response, telling Kaiba that he had purchased a lot of precious ore from the governor''s manor.


    "I heard that you''re going to the north, is that right?" Kaiba asked as he took a glance at Erwin.


    It was clear that Gwen had told Kaiba about Erwin''s plans and had encouraged him to come and bid farewell to Erwin, and this was a surprisingly thoughtful gesture from her.


    "You''ve been constantly buzzing around Gwen like a fly these past few days, so I didn''t get a chance to mention this to you," Erwin jibed. "Also, you never asked me about my plans. I was about to tell you that night in Sarus, but you were distracted by Gwen, so I didn''t end up getting to tell you."


    However, Kaiba didn''t laugh at his jibes. Instead, he looked at Erwin with a serious expression as he asked, "Have you already made up your mind?"


    Erwin''s smile also faded, and he took a glance at the people on the deck of the airship before nodding in response.


    "I thought that you and Her Highness would definitely stay," Kaiba said.


    Erwin merely shook his head in silence.


    "This is all so abrupt! We didn''t even get a chance to have a meal together, and you''re leaving already," Kaiba complained with a disgruntled expression. "I can''t believe Sherry and the others didn''t tell me anything, either."


    "They probably all assumed that I had already spoken to you."


    Kaiba heaved a forlorn sigh, and a sorrowful silence descended upon the two of them.


    "Take care," Kaiba suddenly said. He knew Erwin very well, and he knew that once Erwin made a decision, there would be no persuading him otherwise, so he chose to offer Erwin his well-wishes instead.


    "You too," Erwin said as he looked at Kaiba with a serious expression.


    After all of the crates of Fall Crystal ore were loaded into the cargo space beneath the deck, the airship was ready to set off.


    Erwin called for everyone on the deck to gather around, and they quickly obliged, converging around Erwin and Kaiba.


    It was immediately apparent to everyone that Kaiba most likely wouldn''t be accompanying them on their journey to the north.


    Sherry, Lanyon, Georgina, and the rest of the Four Winds mercenaries came forward one after another to embrace Kaiba. They had all been through life and death together, so a hug was enough to convey everything that they wanted to say.


    Shortly thereafter, the airship began to slowly rise up into the bright and sunny sky.


    Kaiba raised his head, standing under the shadow of the airship as he waved in farewell to all of the people on the deck.


    I wonder when or if I''m ever going to see them again, he sighed internally to himself in a forlorn manner.


    Erwin looked down at Kaiba with a solemn expression, and he didn''t wave back like everyone else. Instead, he mouthed the words "take care" once again.


    Erwin cast his gaze toward the turning steering wheel at the center of his deck, and he couldn''t help but get a little sentimental. The gears of the steering wheel were like people who were being turned by the wheel of fate, not knowing when they would turn and when they would stop.


    Thus, the airship departed from Tewadedan, flying toward the north.


    It was already past noon by the time the Zam Highlands appeared in everyone''s field of view. Fresh, green grass spread as far as the eyes could see in all directions, and herds of cows and sheep were grazing lazily without a care in the world. Erwin was basking in the cool breeze blowing through the air above the highlands while looking down at the vast pastures under the bright and sunny sky, and he felt a sense of freedom and release that washed away the sorrow in his heart.


    As the airship was flying through the sky, the cows and sheep down below occasionally raised their heads to take a glance, as if it had been a very long time since they had seen any visitors.


    The shepherd boy was very elated to see the airship, and he was waving his cap vigorously up at everyone, despite not knowing whether the people on the airship could even see him.


    As the long shadow of the airship was cast over a group of horses that were drinking water, they immediately began to gallop over the pastures to follow the shadow.


    He turned around to see if anyone else was appreciating the scenery with him, but all of the Four Winds mercenaries were busy doing other things, while Christine was nodding off on the pilot''s chair, so no one was there to share the experience, and Erwin could only give a resigned shake of his head upon seeing this.


    Where''s Onean? Why has she still not gotten up yet? I haven''t seen her all morning,  Erwin thought to himself with a puzzled expression as he made his way toward the tail end of the airship.


    He gently pushed open the door of the room, and he heaved a sigh of relief upon seeing the bleary-eyed Onean. "I almost thought we accidentally left you back at Tewadedan."


    "You woke me up when you got up this morning," Onean said with a displeased expression as she got up into a seated position, but her eyes were narrowed and her face was buried under her free-flowing silver locks. It was clear that she wanted to keep out as much sunlight as possible from her eyes. She was wearing a thin silken sleeping gown that was very loose-fitting, and one of her delicate shoulders was exposed in an alluring fashion.


    "Surely that doesn''t warrant sleeping until this late in the morning," Erwin said with a smile.


    "How could I fall back asleep when there was so much rumbling this morning?" Onean complained without even raising her head.


    "Were they that loud when they were carrying the stuff onto the airship?" Erwin chuckled with an amused expression.


    Onean ignored him and buried her face into her pillow.


    "It''s time to get up. We''ve reached the Zam Highlands," Erwin said as he made his way over to the window before pulling the curtains aside.


    Onean immediately groaned in protest at the bright sunlight shining in through the window, and she hurriedly ducked her head under her blankets to shield her eyes from the light.


    "Are you not interested in seeing the vast grasslands of the Zam Highlands or are you running away from something?" Erwin asked as he sat down onto the side of Onean''s bed, and his eyes were roaming over the alluring figure under the sheets.


    "What do you mean by that?" Onean peeked out from under blankets, looking at Onean with a curious gleam in her golden eyes.


    "Don''t try to play dumb with me," Erwin said as he looked into her eyes.


    Onean''s eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at Erwin for a moment longer, then ducked her head under the blankets again.


    "Looks like you''re still unwilling to admit it," Erwin sighed in a wistful manner.


    Onean didn''t say anything in response, and Erwin also didn''t say anything further before leaving the room.


    ...


    After flying over the picturesque Zam Highlands for an hour or two, a gust of cold wind suddenly blew past, and Erwin couldn''t help but shiver in response.


    "We''re about to leave the Zam Highlands, Brother Erwin. Up ahead is the Terarody Mountain Ranges, so make sure everyone puts on some warm clothing," Christine yelled toward Erwin from the pilot''s chair. After issuing that reminder to Erwin, she raised the windscreen by a couple of notches, then tugged on a few levers on the control panel, and the airship began to fly ahead at full speed.


    All of a sudden, the sky had turned a little dark.


    Shortly thereafter, Erwin saw Christine''s father rushing out of their room, holding several warm pieces of clothing that he had clearly prepared for Christine, and he couldn''t help but feel a little amused. In order to avoid Erwin, Christine''s father had constantly been staying in his room, and his actions reminded Erwin of a petulant sulking child.


    "Listen up, everyone! We''re about to enter the Terarody Mountain Ranges soon, so it''s going to get very cold. Put on all of your winter clothing so you don''t freeze to death," Erwin instructed.


    All of the Four Winds mercenaries were fit young men who weren''t scared of the cold, and it was only the beginning of spring, so the air temperature was still quite mild and pleasant. As such, they were all wearing very thin clothing. Thus, they didn''t pay much heed to Erwin''s words of caution. However, as soon as they felt the gusts of freezing wind pass over their bodies, they immediately rushed toward the level beneath the airship where all of their winter clothing was being stored.


    Erwin also rushed back into his room, only to find that Onean was still pretending to sleep on her bed.


    "It''s time to get up," Erwin sighed at the sight of Onean''s sad attempt to deny reality. "Take another look. Once we leave the Zam Highlands, we''ll officially be out of the Effer Kingdom''s territory."


    Onean continued to pretend as if she couldn''t hear him.


    For some reason, a rush of anger welled up in Erwin''s heart, and he pounced onto the bed, then picked up Onean along with her blankets before lifting her off the bed. This was most likely where the term "princess carry" originated from.


    "What are you doing?" Onean yelled with anger and embarrassment while frantically pushing against Erwin''s chest, and it was as if she had forgotten that she was an exceptional magician. "Put me down! Put me down right now!"


    However, Erwin ignored her with a stony expression on his face, carrying her out of the room against her will.


    Onean continued to push against his chest in futility for a while longer, then allowed him to do as he pleased, crossing her arms as she turned her head to the side with a grumpy expression.


    Everyone on the deck was rather taken aback to see the two of them being so intimate with one another.


    Onean cast her gaze toward the snowy white peaks in the distance, and she pursed her lips as she murmured to herself, "What terrible weather this is. Then again, it seems to be perfect weather for farewells."


    "Tuck the blankets tighter around your chest. You''re going to catch a cold," Erwin said with a serious expression.


    Onean pretended not to have heard him as she continued to look at the sprawling mountain range laid out before her.


    In a rare instance of self-restraint, Erwin didn''t look down at the woman in his arms. Instead, he was also looking at the snowy mountains in the distance in silence.


    After a while, her anger and embarrassment abated slightly, but she still gave Erwin''s chest a vicious pinch to express her displeasure, in response to which Erwin feigned a wince of pain.


    All of a sudden, a smile appeared on her face as she looked at Erwin and asked, "What are you thinking about? Are you wishing that Lana was here as well?"


    Erwin almost dropped Onean upon hearing this, and the feigned wince on his face instantly stiffened.


    "Why do you have to suddenly mention her at a time like this?" he sighed in an exasperated manner.


    Onean merely pouted with a displeased expression as she turned her face to the side. "Ever since I first returned to Sarus, I heard that the son of Count Friar was known for being promiscuous. Why don''t you tell me how many women you''ve been with before me and Lana?"


    Erwin shook his head in response, unsure of how to answer this question.


    Meanwhile, Onean looked absentmindedly into the distance, and tears suddenly began to well up in her eyes as she heaved a heavy sigh. "I wonder when we''ll be able to come back."


    Erwin was saddened by her heartbroken display, and he gently laid her down onto the ground, allowing her to stand on her own.


    As soon as Onean found her footing, Erwin immediately wound his arms around her waist.


    Onean was at a slight loss for what to do as she looked up at him, and he inched his face closer to hers, but instead of pressing his lips to hers, he stopped just short, leaving the choice to her.


    She hesitated momentarily, then kissed him on the lips.


    With the backdrop of the snowy mountains behind them, the two of them flew out of the Effer Kingdom''s territory and embarked on their journey to the north.


    Favorite

 CH 90

    Immediately thereafter, an instant-release ice spear spell immediately passed through the array of black wyrms before nailing the long-faced lackey to the wooden column behind him.


    Blood immediately began to gush out of his stomach, but thankfully for him, Lana wasn''t trying to kill him and had held back in her attack.


    She didn''t even bother to take a glance at the target that she had just impaled as the juicy and fragrant roast venison steak had already been brought to her table.


    In the wake of everything that had just happened, Lana had become the center of attention for everyone in the pub. All of the people in the pub had their eyes focused on her, watching her every move. The rowdy and lively pub had become so quiet that even the lightest of prin drops would be audibly heard. Lana was thoroughly enjoying the silent environment as she sliced into her venison steak in an elegant and graceful manner before taking her first bite.


    In doing so, she gave off the illusion that she was just a harmless young woman, sitting in silence to enjoy her meal. It was as if she had nothing to do with everything that had just happened, and that she wasn''t the powerful magician who had just scorched Yuran and impaled his lackey through the stomach.


    At this point, Aike had already fetched himself a new chair, but he was still completely astonished. Everything felt like a dream to him, and he was reeling from the revelations that he had just been struck by. These revelations included the fact that Lana was an extremely powerful magician, and that Quinton was a very capable martial artist.


    In particular, he was feeling very ashamed in Lana''s presence. In his eyes, men were supposed to protect women, but not only did Lana not require his protection, she was the one stepping in to protect him. Just the mere thought of that was making him feel very humiliated.


    His confidence was already quite brittle, and it had been completely shattered here, but he only had himself to blame for that.


    Lana didn''t even need to look at Aike to have a rough idea of what he was thinking.


    However, she had no intention of consoling him. In her mind, the weak didn''t deserve sympathy. She had just had most of her memories stolen from her, but who was going to sympathize with her? Besides, a man had to fall down a few times before they learned how to get up in the face of adversity, particularly spoiled young nobles like Aike. If he didn''t learn these valuable life lessons soon, then he was destined to forever remain an ignorant and unconfident manchild.


    ...


    After enjoying her lunch, Lana finally made her way slowly over to the group of gamblers.


    With a wave of her hand, the black wyrms faded, following which she pointed a finger at Yuran, instantly casting a layer of ice crystals over the wounds on his body.


    Yuran was sweating profusely from pain, and he was finally receiving some relief.


    Of course, Lana wasn''t doing this out of the kindness of her heart. Instead, she had another motive.


    "Didn''t you say that you want to play with me?" Lana asked as she looked at the group of gamblers with a faint smile.


    All of Yuran''s lackeys were rather hesitant about how to proceed, and they were all waiting for their leader to make a decision.


    At this moment, Yuran was like a defanged tiger. He was no longer able to pose a threat to Lana, but he was still glowering at her with a hateful expression.


    "Come on then." Lana didn''t give the group of gamblers a chance to reply before pointing at the gambling table near the window. It was clear that she wasn''t going to give them a choice.


    "How do you w-want to p-play?" Yuran was clearly suffering from all of the negative status conditions that had been inflicted upon his body, as evidenced by the fact that he was unable to speak clearly.


    Lana cast her gaze toward the table, then asked, "This is a roulette wheel, right? How is the game played?"


    Aike was worried that the gamblers would take advantage of the fact that Lana didn''t know the rules to fool her into believing a false set of rules, so he hurriedly stepped in and offered her a detailed explanation of the rules of the game. "Ms. Lana, this is a triple roulette. Once the roulette wheel is spun, the outer, middle, and inner wheels will spin individually from one another. The roulette ball will first land on the outermost wheel, which contains a total of 36 numbers from 1 to 36. After the roulette ball lands on a number, it''ll fall onto the middle wheel, which contains a total of 24 numbers from 1 to 24. Once it comes to a stop once again, the ball will drop down to the innermost wheel, which contains a total of 12 numbers from 1 to 12. If the sum of the numbers from the three wheels equates to somewhere between 3 to 37, that''s considered a low roll. If it''s between 38-72, then that''s considered a high roll."


    "What are the odds?"


    "The odds are 1:1 regardless of whether you bet on a low roll or a high roll."


    Lana pursed her lips with disdain upon hearing this. "What''s the point in playing a game with such low odds? I don''t have all day to waste here. What are the odds offered for individual numbers?"


    There was an array of numbers laid out on the bottom half of the betting table, and Aike explained, "The first row of numbers from 1 to 36 refers to the number that the roulette ball lands on in the outermost wheel. If you guess correctly, the odds are 1:36. The second row of numbers from 2-60 refers to the sum of the two numbers from the first and second wheels, and if you guess correctly, the odds are 1:60. The third row of numbers from 3-72 refers to the sum of the numbers from all three wheels, and the odds are 1:72."


    "I bet you must''ve won a lot of money offering these odds," Lana said as she cast her gaze toward Yuran and his group with a meaningful smile.


    "Wh-what''s that supposed to mean?" Yuran asked in a slightly flustered voice, as if a secret of his had just been uncovered.


    "On the surface, it looks like the odds are quite favorable. There are a total of 59 numbers between 2 and 60, yet the odds are 1:60, and there are a total of 70 numbers between 3 and 72, yet the odds are 1:72. What kind-hearted people you are," Lana said with a faint smile. "But is that really the case?"


    "Wh-what are you talking about?" Yuran asked with tightly furrowed brows.


    "Do you really want me to expose you?" Lana asked with a cold smile. "For this second row, the 14 numbers, 2, and 48 to 60, the odds should be 1:864. For the numbers 3, 47 of the second row, the odds should be 1:432. For the numbers 3, 72 for the third row, the odds should be 1: 10,368. You get the idea, I''m not going to list out all of the appropriate odds one by one. In short, you''re offering criminally low odds and are scamming people out of their Loonies."


    After that, Lana gave all of the bystanders an explanation of the calculations involved to get the odds that she had just stated, and only then did everyone understand the intricacies of the game. All of the gamblers who had lost money to Yuran and the others in the past immediately began to protest and demand that their money be returned to them.


    "Why should I return your money? You were the ones who agreed to play the game! Did we force any of you into playing?" Yuran countered in an unyielding voice.


    Everyone was intimidated into silence again by Yuran''s menacing display.


    "You''ve been running your mouth this entire time, are you going to play or not?" Yuran asked in an impatient voice as he cast his gaze toward Lana. Now that he was back on the gambling table, his courage had suddenly returned to him. Of course, he was also eager to change the subject.


    "Oh? Looks who''s acting tough all of a sudden! You weren''t anywhere near this cocky when you were rolling around in pain," Lana sneered in a derisive manner.


    "I''ll admit that I''m no match for you in a fight, but there''s no guarantee that you''ll beat me on the gambling table!" Yuran said as he glared at Lana with a fierce expression.


    Lana nodded in response with a serious expression, seemingly very much in agreement with Yuran.


    It was clear that she was making fun of him, and that drew a lot of amusement from the crowd. It seemed that everyone was beginning to forget what Lana had just done to Yuran and his group earlier.


    As for Aike, he was completely entranced by Lana''s radiant beauty and confidence.


    "You better take care that you don''t lose everything," Lana said as she watched Yuran with a smile on her face. "As for the odds, we have to use the ones that I just laid out. I''ve already informed everyone of the calculations involved, and you heard me as well, so I''m assuming you have no objections, right?"


    With so many people watching, Yuran naturally couldn''t object to this. Thus, he gritted his teeth as he nodded in response.


    To lend support to Lana, Perry dipped a finger into the sauce left on Lana''s plate, then used its fingertip as a pen to write down the odds under their corresponding numbers. Thankfully, the rags wrapped around its hand were quite tight. Otherwise, if the bystanders were to notice that its hand was one that was completely devoid of flesh and blood, then they would most trip over one another trying to flee from the pub.


    Lana couldn''t help but be impressed by Perry as it quickly scribbled down all of the odds under the corresponding numbers.


    She had only just mentioned the method of calculation for the new odds, yet after only hearing Lana''s description once, it had clearly developed a good grasp on the calculation method, as evidenced by the fact that it was able to fill in all the blanks and calculate the odds for the numbers that Lana hadn''t specifically mentioned.


    This was quite an impressive feat, and in Lana''s eyes, the vast majority of people present wouldn''t have been capable of replicating it.


    Meanwhile, the burly skeleton was looking on with a cold expression as Perry was busy at work, and it was thinking to itself that it should snap Perry''s other leg as well.


    "Before we start, let''s make this clear: no cheating," Lana said with a smile as she wagged her index finger at Yuran and his group.


    As soon as her voice trailed off, a black dagger abruptly appeared in her hand, and a cold look surfaced in her eyes.


    With a dull thud, half of the dagger''s blade had already been plunged into the gambling table.


    "If I find anyone trying to use any shady tricks, I''ll chop off their hands and feet!" Lana said with a cold smile as she cast her gaze toward Yuran''s group.


    Yuran couldn''t help but gulp nervously, while all of his lackeys were so frightened that they had turned as pale as a sheet.


    It seemed that they had been using "shady tricks" quite frequently in the past.


    "How much money do you need, Ms. Lana," Aike asked in a careful voice as he approached Lana. He knew that Lana didn''t have any money that she could bet with.


    "Just one Loony will be enough," Lana said with a mysterious smile.


    Aike was stunned to hear this, and he couldn''t help but wonder if he had misheard.


    "Are you playing me for a fool?!" A surge of fury immediately welled up in Yuran''s heart as he watched Aike pull out a single Loony from his pocket. He was feeling severely insulted.


    "Even with just one Loony as my starting bet, I''m worried that you won''t have enough money to pay me in the end," Lana said with a mocking smile. "Cut the chit-chat! Let''s begin!"


    Under these circumstances, Yuran and the others had no choice but to allow Lana to dictate terms. Having said that, an initial bet of one Loony certainly wasn''t going to concern Yuran, and he began to spin the wheel, anticipating an easy victory.


    However, he was interrupted right as he was about to drop the roulette ball onto the wheel.


    "Hold on a second! It would only be fair for me to toss in the roulette ball, wouldn''t it?" Lana asked as she snatched the roulette ball out of Yuran''s hand.


    Yuran''s brows furrowed slightly upon hearing this, and he was feeling slightly uneasy as he didn''t know what Lana was planning to do.


    "Could it be that even the roulette ball has been tampered with?" Lana asked as she cast a lazy glance toward the roulette ball in her hand, then turned her gaze toward Yuran.


    This was an extremely pointed question from Lana, and the thoughts of all of the spectators were led adrift upon hearing this. After all, Lana had just stated that if anyone were to attempt any foul play during this game, then they were going to have their hands and feet chopped off.


    "Are you too afraid to let her drop the ball in because you were going to cheat?"


    "I was wondering why I was always losing to these people. Turns out the problem doesn''t just lie in the odds, this roulette ball has also been tampered with!"


    "Tsk tsk, so that''s why I''ve never seen Yuran lose before. What a sinister scheme he''s been running right under our noses!"


    Public opinion was turning decidedly against Yuran, and cold sweat was beginning to bead up on his forehead.


    "Fine, you can toss the ball," Yuran said. "But just as we agreed on earlier, anyone who attempts to cheat will be punished. If you use magic to give yourself an unfair advantage, then don''t blame me for holding you accountable."


    "That''s right! We''re all watching you! Don''t try to bully us just because you''re a strong magician!" Yuran''s lackeys immediately chimed in in support.


    Lana was quite amused that her own rules were being turned on her. "Of course. I certainly wouldn''t place myself above the rules."


    "Alright, we''ll be watching," Yuran said with a disgruntled expression, and it was clear that he was very displeased that Lana had first made her own odds and was now demanding to toss the roulette ball herself. Unfortunately, he was no match for Lana in a fight, so he could only conform to her antics. Otherwise, he would''ve already thrown her out of the pub.


    "Can we finally begin now?"


    "Sure. If you''re that eager to give me your Loonies, then why wouldn''t I take them?" Lana said with a smile.


    Yuran gave a cold harrumph before setting the three roulette wheels into motion.


    Only after the wheels had begun spinning did Lana realize that these were no ordinary wheels. The outermost wheel was spinning clockwise, the middle wheel was spinning anti-clockwise, and the innermost wheel was spinning clockwise again.

 CH 91

    With a gentle toss, the roulette ball began to rapidly spin along the edge of the outermost wheel.


    Yuran thought that she was only putting on a show to bluff him and thought nothing of it.


    Meanwhile, Aike was holding the one Loony coin, looking at Lana with a concerned expression.


    A faint smile appeared on Lana''s face as he grabbed the coin from him, then tossed it forward.


    The coin spun end over end as it flew through the air in a beautiful arc.


    Aike didn''t even get a chance to feel the sensation of Lana''s hand on his own before it was gone, and by the time he tried to latch onto the cool and delicate feeling of Lana''s slender fingers, they had already drifted far away.


    The Loony landed on the grid for the number "37", and it refused to settle, spinning on the spot without displaying any signs of stopping.


    The outermost wheel stopped spinning, and the ball landed on the number "24". The middle wheel then stopped spinning shortly thereafter with the ball on the number "11", and finally, the innermost wheel stopped spinning with the ball on the number "2".


    Right as the roulette ball landed on the number "2" on the innermost wheel, the spinning Loony finally drew to a rest.


    A collective exclamation of surprise instantly rang out from the crowd.


    After the adjustments made to the odds, the odds for a total of 37 points was only 1:36, but what everyone was so surprised by was the calmness and composure that Lana had displayed throughout this entire process, as if everything were in her control.


    As for Aike, he was still completely enamored with Lana and failed to react to what was happening around him.


    His feelings toward Lana had already gone beyond the realm of admiration. In fact, he was beginning to worship this woman.


    "You were just complaining that I was betting too little, what do you say now?" Lana asked as she cast an amused gaze toward Yuran.


    Yuran''s eyes were wide with shock and he was completely stunned by Lana''s technique. He could clearly sense that she hadn''t used any magic, but the power and spin that she imparted upon the roulette ball and the angle at which the ball had bounced up from the roulette wheel all indicated to him that she was an expert in this game.


    It was clear from her appearance that she had to be from either a wealthy or a noble family, so why was it that she was so skilled in a game played mostly by the common folk?


    Yuran was naturally unaware of the fact that Lana had spent large chunks of her life by her father''s side in the army. There weren''t battles to be fought all the time, so how did the soldiers entertain themselves when there was no fighting to be done? Even though Lazaar enforced strict regulations on his troops, some things couldn''t be banned. Furthermore, Aiden was an avid gambler as well, and as a result of these experiences, Lana had learned many tricks of the trade.


    The burly skeleton had read through all of Lana''s memories, so it was naturally aware of why she was such an expert in this game. In contrast, Perry was completely oblivious, and it was clapping vigorously to celebrate Lana''s win.


    "Give her the money," Yuran instructed without even turning around.


    Only then did Yuran''s subordinates recall that the long-faced lackey, who was responsible for looking after their finances, was lying unconscious on the ground, and that he was still carrying their bag of money.


    The long-faced lackey''s name was Lucian, and no one dared to touch him for fear that he would succumb to his injuries, following which they would be liable to be extorted by Yuran and his group.


    Right as his companions were untying the bag of money from his belt, he suddenly woke up from his unconscious state before grabbing onto the hands that were untying the bag. "What are you doing?!"


    "Brother Yuran just some money," his companion explained. "Let go of me!"


    However, Lucian grabbed onto the money bag before clutching it tightly to his own chest, then fell unconscious again in a rather comical sequence.


    After a herculean struggle, his companions were finally able to pull the money bag out from his death grip, and if it weren''t for the fact that they were friends with one another, they would''ve been inclined to give Lucian a firm kick out of frustration.


    Yuran stacked up a pile of 36 Loonies before pushing them forward.


    Lana took a glance at the stack of Loonies, then turned to Yuran with a smile as she said, "I''m worried that you won''t have enough money in that bag to pay me after my second bet."


    "Your skills are very impressive, young lady." At this point, Yuran''s confidence was also beginning to waver. He knew that there was no chance for him to win so long as the roulette ball was in Lana''s hands.


    "Why does it sound like you''re not very happy with the situation?"


    "I just think that it would be unfair for you to continue to toss the roulette ball. You already tossed it once, so it should be my turn, right? That would only be fair, wouldn''t it?"


    Lana nodded in response with a faint smile. "That does make sense. You can toss the roulette ball for this round."


    Everyone developed an even greater sense of admiration toward Lana upon hearing this, but at the same time, they were quite concerned that she was going to be screwed over by Yuran.


    Aike was just as concerned as everyone else, if not more so, and he hurriedly cautioned in a quiet voice, "Be careful, Ms. Lana. This man gambles for a living!"


    Lana nodded in response with a faint smile, and it was clear that she wasn''t fazed in the slightest.


    Yuran set the roulette wheels into motion, and he was just about to toss the roulette ball forward when he was interrupted by Lana again.


    "What is it this time?!" Yuran was truly reaching the end of his wits.


    Lana paid no heed to Yuran''s frustrated display, and her smile remained unchanged as she said, "I feel like this is a little too boring. Hold on a moment."


    She then pulled out the white lace sash around her waist in an elegant manner, using it as a blindfold to cover her eyes.


    Aike looked on as Lana removed the sash with languid elegance before tying it over her own eyes, and he couldn''t help but feel a burst of heat flow through his lower body, while his breathing also accelerated involuntarily. Her pronounced nose, her seductive red lips, and her swan-like neck presented an irresistible combination that completely set Aike''s heart aflutter.


    All of the other men present were also overcome by a sense of lust, just like Aike.


    It was clear that Lana''s attempt to make the situation more exciting was paying off handsomely as far as all of the bystanders were concerned.


    Meanwhile, Perry was staring at Lana with a stunned expression, clearly not anticipating that she would go so far just to show off. It was completely unable to understand where her confidence was stemming from.


    Could it be that this game is so simple that it can be played even without looking?  it thought to itself, then cast its gaze toward its master, only to find that the burly skeleton had an indifferent look on its face and didn''t appear to be concerned with the outcome of the game at all. This made sense to Perry. After all, why would his master be interested in a game played by these mundane beings?


    "What is the meaning of this?" Yuran knew that Lana was insulting him through her gesture, and he was furious, but there was nothing that he could do.


    Lana didn''t respond to Yuran''s question, merely making an inviting hand gesture, indicating for him to continue.


    Thus, Yuran tossed the roulette ball into the wheel with a furious expression.


    Only then did Lana''s relaxed expression fade as she began listening carefully.


    At the same time, Aike could clearly see that Lana''s ears were moving ever so slightly.


    Just as the roulette ball gradually began to decelerate and was about to land on the outermost wheel, Lana flicked her finger through the air, releasing the original Loony that Aike had given to her. The Loony was sent flying before crashing into the stack of 36 Loonies, propelling them over the table so that they glided into the grid for the number "69".


    The odds for that are 1:1,037! Surely she''s not going to actually get it, all of the bystanders thought to themselves.


    The roulette ball landed on the number "34" on the outermost wheel.


    Everyone''s eyes immediately widened upon seeing this. The fact that the roulette ball had landed on such a large number on the outermost wheel bode very well for Lana''s bet of 69.


    As the roulette ball clattered onto the middle wheel, it bounced up once again due to the rotational force of the wheel, which was spinning anti-clockwise.


    A short while later, the ball finally drew to a rest on the number "24".


    Another large number had been secured on the middle wheel, thereby keeping Lana''s hopes alive.


    If the ball were to land on the number "11" on the final wheel, then that would secure her the win.


    Surely not... There''s no way anyone can be this good at this game!


    The roulette bead began to drop toward the innermost wheel.


    All of the lackeys behind Yuran had already turned their heads to the side, not daring to look at the outcome. As for Yuran himself, he appeared to be quite calm and collected, but in reality, his heart was also thumping in his chest.


    8... 9... 10...


    All of the bystanders were looking on with bated breath as the roulette ball skipped over one grid after another.


    Finally, the roulette ball used up the last ounce of momentum that it had to move toward the grid next to the number "10".


    In the end, it landed on 11! Thus, the sum of the numbers of the three wheels was 69!


    Yuran closed his eyes with a defeated expression upon seeing this.


    A collective gasp instantly rang out across the entire pub, and all of the bystanders were astonished by what they had seen. They had just witnessed a miracle unfold right before their very eyes, and some of them were even pinching themselves to make sure that they weren''t dreaming.


    Perry was so shocked that it was trembling uncontrollably, and a renewed sense of admiration welled up in its heart toward Lana. She was the one that it admired the most aside from its own master. Of course, it was impressed by Lana''s gambling expertise, but even more so, it admired her for being able to live such a vibrant and exciting life. Perry had never had much of a passion for living. It had always been of the opinion that its only purpose in life was to obey its master''s orders. After all, its life had been bestowed upon it by its master. However, after meeting Lana, it was beginning to realize that life was something that was potentially extremely exciting and fun.


    At this moment, Yuran was completely silent, and he was overcome by the sense of dread that befell all gamblers at some point. It was the despair of losing everything that he had in an instant, and if it weren''t for the fact that he was still trying to keep up appearances, he would''ve already fallen off his chair and collapsed onto the ground.


    Listening to the stunned gasps ringing out within the pub, Lana merely gave a faint smile, then casually undid the sash from around her own eyes before tying it around her waist again. It was as if everything had been going exactly according to her plan.


    After the commotion had died down, Lana turned to Yuran with a smile and said, "Let me see... With the odds of 1:1,037, you owe me 37,332 Loonies. Looks like that bag of Loonies isn''t going to be enough."


    "Go and bring over all of the Loonies that we''ve won recently." Even though Yuran had lost the game, he was still able to maintain a respectable front as he looked right back at Lana.


    "Brother Yuran..." one of his lackeys protested, clearly very unwilling to follow this order.


    "Go!" Yuran commanded once again in an implacable voice.


    The group of lackeys didn''t dare to protest any further, and they scurried away to fetch the money.


    This came as quite a surprise to Lana, who had thought that Yuran would refuse to pay her.


    However, Lana certainly wasn''t going to extend any sympathy toward someone like him, and she jibed, "To think you''re going around scamming people with such elementary tricks. I must admit, your courage is quite commendable."


    "You beat me fair and square. I have no complaints," Yuran said in a serious voice.


    A short while later, Yuran''s lackeys returned with a chest of Loonies, panting heavily from the exertion of carrying the chest into the pub.


    "Do you have enough Loonies in there?" Lana asked as she raised an eyebrow in skepticism.


    "No," Yuran replied in a straightforward manner, making no effort to trick or placate Lana.


    "Oh? Does that mean you''re blatantly refusing to pay me the amount that you owe me?" Lana asked with a faint smile.


    Yuran''s expression remained completely unchanged as he hoisted the chest onto the table. "This chest and that bag combined contain a total of over 12,000 Loonies. That''s all I have right now. I''ll make up the rest with this hand of mine, is that alright?"


    Yuran slammed his right onto the table as he spoke, setting it beside the chest and the bag.

 CH 92

    "So instead of coughing up the money, you''re going to threaten to chop off your hand?" Lana scoffed as she shook her head with a disdainful sneer. Her impression of Yuran had only just improved slightly, but it was back to where it was before again.


    Yuran lowered his head and wasted no further time with words as he pulled out a short ax with his left hand.


    Everyone''s eyes immediately widened with alarm upon seeing the ax.


    Looking at the gleaming blade of the ax, the derision in Lana''s eyes only became more pronounced. "Are you hoping that I''ll stop you?"


    "There''s no need for that. I lost the game, and I''m willing to pay for it," Yuran said as a fierce look appeared on his face.


    Immediately thereafter, the short ax came hurtling down rapidly, and Yuran''s determination was something that no one had expected.


    Lana merely looked on with her arms crossed, displaying no intention to stop him.


    Meanwhile, Aike was staring at her with a dazed expression, completely stunned by how calm and collected she was. It was only just beginning to dawn on him that Lana could be an extremely cold and cruel woman. The fear in his heart had been suppressed by his pride this entire time, but at this moment, it refused to be suppressed any longer. Furthermore, he wasn''t just wary of her as a powerful magician. Instead, this was pure, unadulterated fear, fear that was making his skin crawl. Only now did Aike realize that even if Yuran had 100 hands that he chopped off one by one, Lana still wouldn''t even bat an eyelid.


    Right as the blade of the ax was about to come into contact with the skin on Yuran''s arm, a burst of black flames shot forth, sending the short ax flying away.


    "Don''t flatter yourself, how would your hand be of any use to me?" Lana said in a cold voice. It wasn''t that she was sympathetic toward Yuran. Instead, she had thought that Yuran was bluffing, but the fact that he was actually willing to go through with such an act of self-mutilation made her develop a hint of admiration toward him, and that was why she had decided to save his hand at the last moment.


    Yuran was left rooted to the spot with a dazed expression, unsure of what to do.


    "If you can''t pay up, then so be it. I don''t want to get this place all bloody and ruin everyone''s appetite," Lana said. "All I wanted was to teach you a lesson anyway, so let''s end things here for today. I''ll take the Loonies that you have, and you won''t have to cough up the rest. In the future, stop going around scamming people."


    Lana''s words echoed the sentiment shared by all of the bystanders. Now that Yuran''s scam had been exposed, everyone was eager to see the back of him.


    Thus, not only was Yuran unable to pay the sum of Loonies owed to Lana, she was refusing to take his hand as well. In addition to that, she was adding further insult to injury in the form of her verbal insults, and for someone as proud as Yuran, this was nothing short of torture. Every single one of Lana''s words was like a sharp knife that was repeated slicing into his self-esteem.


    Yuran didn''t want to scurry away with his tail between his legs in such an embarrassing fashion, but he was forcibly carried out of the pub by his lackeys.


    Of course, the unconscious Lucian wasn''t left behind, and he was also dragged out the door by one of his legs.


    ...


    Lana and her group didn''t stay in the pub for much longer than that, leaving behind a fleeting yet legendary story.


    It wasn''t exactly a story of a beauty teaching a lesson to a scoundrel. After all, all Yuran and his lackeys had done was offer unfavorable gambling odds, which certainly wasn''t an unforgivable crime.


    For Lana, this was a very fruitful trip to the pub that had netted her over 10,000 Loonies.


    Unfortunately for Perry, not only was it having to contend with a broken leg, it also had to carry a chest full of Loonies.


    "Ms. Lana, I thought we already agreed that I would pay for the meal," Aike said with a resigned expression.


    "You paid for me at the tailor shop, so we''re even now," Lana replied with a smile.


    Aike was truly heartbroken upon hearing this. He didn''t want things to be so clear-cut between them.


    If Lana were interested in pursuing a relationship with him, then she wouldn''t have gone out of her way to not owe him anything.


    In light of that, Aike was struck by the realization that his chances with Lana were very slim.


    "Ms. Lana, I didn''t get a chance to ask for the specific details earlier, but you mentioned that you''re from the south, right? May I ask why you''ve come here?" Aike asked as he cast his gaze toward Lana.


    "I''m here to look for someone." Truth be told, Lana was also feeling a little disgruntled. If it hadn''t been for Yuran and his group of lackeys, she would''ve been able to have a good chat with Aike.


    "Who are you looking for?" Aike asked with a curious expression.


    "My husband," Lana replied in a calm manner.


    Aike almost tripped over his own feet upon hearing this, and even Quinton behind him also stumbled slightly.


    The burly skeleton almost burst into laughter upon hearing Lana''s response, and it was working very hard to suppress its mirth.


    "Is that true?" Aike asked with a stunned expression, making no attempt to hide the disappointment in his eyes. Never did he even consider that Lana was already a married woman.


    Lana nodded in response with a faint smile, then said, "No matter which corner of the world he''s in, I will find him."


    The burly skeleton faltered slightly upon hearing this, and it couldn''t help but take a glance at Lana. In that instant, its conviction wavered a little, and it began to regret taking her memories.


    Her blue eyes seemed to be holding a mellow stream that would flow through the entire world, going as far as it had to in order to find the man of her heart.


    Seeing the look in her eyes, Aike finally understood that no matter what he did, there was no way that he was going to be able to win Lana''s heart.


    When it came to Lana, Aike felt a combination of emotions, including admiration, fear, and entrancement. For him, she was like a beautiful mystery. The more he approached her, the more he wanted to unravel that mystery, and the more danger he put himself in. At this moment, he realized that this mystery seemed to be right before his eyes, but in reality, it was extremely far away, so far away that it was completely out of his grasp.


    "If you''re so devoted to him, then why did he abandon you?" Aike asked with furrowed brows and a hint of indignation in his voice. He was feeling very sympathetic toward Lana for the arduous journey that it had to have taken for her to get here. After all, he had seen just how tattered her clothes had been when she first arrived at Kenon in the morning.


    A wry smile appeared on her face as Lana replied, "He didn''t abandon me, we were separated by inevitable circumstances."


    A film of tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.


    Even though she was missing her memories and couldn''t recall the exact details, for some reason, whenever she thought about her separation from Erwin, she would be struck by an inexplicable sense of guilt, as well as an excruciating sense of loss. These emotions were weighing down onto her chest like a large rock, making it difficult for her to breathe.


    Aike nodded in response. He was naturally able to detect Lana''s sorrow, but he had no idea how to console her. After all, he was also suffering from his own heartbreak at this moment.


    "Ms. Lana, would you be able to tell us the name of your husband?" Quinton asked in an earnest voice. "Perhaps we can help you in your search."


    "Ah, that''s a great idea!" Aike exclaimed as his eyes lit up. "Our Dario Family is quite a powerful and influential family in the Fano Dukedom, so securing news on a certain person shouldn''t be a difficult task. Please go ahead and tell us, Ms. Lana."


    "His name is Erwin Friar," the burly skeleton answered in Lana''s stead before she was forced to admit that she couldn''t recall his surname.


    For some reason, it didn''t want to see Lana struggle with the awkward predicament of not knowing her husband''s name, even though it knew that Erwin and Lana weren''t actually husband and wife.


    Lana turned to the burly skeleton with a surprised expression. She was already prepared to tell Aike that she only knew Erwin''s first name.


    Perry was also quite taken aback to see this. Never did it think that its master would agree for Lana to search for that man by the name of Erwin. Are we supposed to accompany her on her search or continue our search for the ice dragon?


    If Perry could have its way, it naturally wanted to stay in the human world, which was far more interesting than the Terarody Mountain Ranges.


    After learning the name of the person that Lana was searching for, both Aike and Quinton nodded in response, putting it upon themselves to help Lana in her search.


    At the same time, the two of them became rather curious about the relationship between Lana and her two "lackeys".


    Quinton had always had a vague feeling that these two masked fellows were rather strange people. In particular, the cold and eerie aura that occasionally emanated from their bodies never failed to make the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand up on end, and the voice of the taller figure sent chills running down his spine.


    Furthermore, thinking back, Lana''s two servants had been detached bystanders throughout the entire fight that had taken place in the Whistling Wind Pub. To Quinton, this was an indication that they were even more powerful than Lana, and that made him even warier of them.


    "Seeing as you''d like to recruit the help of our family, why don''t you pay a visit to the city of Intelar with me, Ms. Lana?" Aike suggested with an inviting smile. "Tellar is situated north of Kenon, and it''ll only take a day and a half on horseback to get there. It''ll be far more convenient to wait for further news there. As long as your husband is within the Fano Dukedom, we''ll be sure to track him down for you."


    "What are we waiting for then? Let''s set off right away," Lana replied with a smile, but there was still a hint of sorrow in her eyes.


    As soon as her voice trailed off, the bone claw necklace around her neck tightened sharply.


    It was clear that the burly skeleton was very displeased that Lana was going around making these decisions on her own.


    Lana couldn''t retaliate here, so she could only give it a subtle glare.


    ...


    Soon, the entire group had gotten onto horseback and were preparing to leave Kenon through the northern gate, but in the process, they encountered Yuran and his crew again.


    Aike and Quinton certainly weren''t happy to see them, and the two of them immediately drew their blades with wary expressions.


    It seemed that Yuran and his lackeys weren''t willing to see their hard-earned Loonies fall into Lana''s hands so easily.


    As for why they just so happened to be intercepting Lana''s group at the northern gate, it was clear that Yuran and his lackeys weren''t just a bunch of gamblers.


    "Did I not teach you a stern enough lesson earlier? Have you come back for more?" Lana asked in a cold voice as she cast a frosty gaze toward the group.


    "May I ask where you''re going?" Yuran brushed his lackeys aside, then made his way over to Lana with his blade in his hand.


    "Looks like I shouldn''t have taken pity on people like you," Lana said as a cold smile appeared on her face, and her eyes were already brimming with killing intent.


    Yuran hurriedly took a step back at the sight of the fierce look in Lana''s eyes, and he hurriedly explained, "It appears there''s been a misunderstanding..."


    Before Lana had a chance to say anything else, Yuran fell to one knee as he plunged his blade into the soil, then cupped his fist in a salute as he declared, "From this day forth, we are willing to follow you wherever you go and do your bidding."


    All of Yuran''s lackeys immediately followed suit and fell to one knee as well.


    "From now on, we are your followers, and you can do with us as you see fit," Yuran said with an earnest expression as he looked up at Lana.


    Lana faltered slightly upon seeing this, and she had no idea how to react.

 CH 93

    Yuran rose to his feet before making his over to the side of Lana''s horse, then asked, "May I have a word with you in private, madam?"


    Seeing the serious look on his face, Lana nodded in response.


    "Be careful, Ms. Lana." Aike was clearly extremely wary of Yuran and his group, and Quinton was also inclined to extend words of caution toward Lana. Both of them were aware of Lana''s powers, but Yuran had a terrible reputation, and no one knew whether he was going to try any dirty tricks.


    "It''s fine," Lana said with a smile.


    The burly skeleton seemed to be pondering something in silence, while Perry was shaking the chest of Loonies from side to side, seemingly very intrigued by the sound of the coins clattering up and down within the chest. It was clear that neither of them was concerned for Lana''s safety. In their eyes, if Lana couldn''t even handle this group of inferior warriors, then her demise would almost be deserved.


    Thus, Lana and Yuran separated themselves from everyone else for some privacy.


    "You''re not really planning to get your entire group to follow me, are you?" Lana asked with a resigned smile.


    "Surely you don''t think I was kidding, Madam," Yuran exclaimed as his eyes widened.


    "I don''t care if you were kidding or not," Lana said as a forbidding look appeared on her face. "And I don''t care who you follow around, as long as it''s not me."


    "Why is that?"


    "What do you mean why?" Lana asked as her brows furrowed slightly. "We''ve only met once, shouldn''t I be the one asking you why you''re determined to follow me?"


    "All of us are able to look after ourselves and are capable warriors. We won''t drag you down if that''s what you''re worried about."


    "Are you sure you''re all capable warriors?" Lana asked as she glanced at the patches of scorched skin on Yuran''s body.


    "We may be no match for you, but that doesn''t mean that we''re not capable warriors," Yuran protested with a slightly awkward expression.


    "Even so, there''s no reason for you to follow me," Lana said. "I already told you that I don''t want the rest of the Loonies that you owe me. Why can''t you just let me go?"


    "I can''t do that! I owe you the Loonies, and that''s final. It''s up to you to decide whether you want the Loonies or not, but this is a debt that I must repay regardless," Yuran said in a determined manner.


    "Alright, then find a way to gather the rest of the Loonies and pay off your debt. There''s no need to follow me."


    "All we know how to do is win money through gambling. Now that we''re no longer able to stay in this town, how are we supposed to gather that much money?"


    "Can''t you go to a different place and scam the people there?"


    "But didn''t you just tell us not to scam people anymore?"


    Lana was stumped.


    "So you''re determined to become a liability for me, is that right?"


    "That''s not my intention. I already told you that all of us are able to look after ourselves."


    "You know what? I think I should just kill all of you so I can get rid of you once and for all," Lana said in an expressionless manner.


    An alarmed look immediately appeared on Yuran''s face upon hearing this, and it was quite amusing to see such an expression on such a burly and intimidating man.


    "Alright, let me tell you the truth. We have an ulterior motive for following you," Yuran hurriedly said.


    "Well, what is it? Hurry up and tell me!"


    "Truth be told, we''re not a bunch of gamblers. Instead, we are freemen from Fort Roten."


    "What? What is a freeman supposed to be?" Lana asked with a puzzled expression.


    "We hold no religious beliefs, we don''t belong to any church, nor are we nobles, but we''re not willing to resign ourselves to the fate of oppressed commoners."


    Lana nodded in response. "Alright, but what does that have to do with me?"


    "We need powerful people like you on our side, Madam."


    "I don''t have the time to fight for your cause. I still have other important things that I need to do," Lana said in a straightforward manner.


    "Our plight concerns all of the impoverished and underprivileged people of the world. Are you not interested at all in helping them?"


    "Are you serious? You really are a conceited bastard, aren''t you?" Lana snapped as she glared at Yuran. "Why the hell should I care about your bullshit cause? How does it have anything to do with me? And you think what you''re doing is for the good of all of the underprivileged people in the world? I suggest you go to a doctor and get them to take a look at your head first. If you don''t have the Loonies to see a doctor, I can lend you some."


    An incredulous look appeared on Yuran''s face as he stared at Lana. Never did he think that such an elegant and refined woman could speak in such a rough and unrefined manner. He was so shocked by this that he couldn''t help but burst into laughter.


    "It looks like I was a little too hasty in my introduction," Yuran mused to himself.


    "It''s quite remarkable that someone as conceited as you was able to live to this day," Lana harrumphed in a cold voice.


    "That''s exactly what one of my brothers used to say to me," Yuran said with a smile.


    Lana rolled her eyes as she looked up at the sun in the sky. She was on the verge of storming away from this conceited "freeman".


    "My brother would always caution me not to be too conceited in what I did," Yuran said with an embarrassed smile.


    Lana''s demeanor also softened slightly upon seeing this, and she said, "You''re just wasting your time here by talking to me, I truly have no intention of becoming a freeman."


    "Are you really sure you don''t want to consider it, Madam?" Yuran asked as he stared at Lana, and even though he wasn''t willing to admit it, there was a hint of yearning in his eyes.


    "I have a feeling that we''re the same type of people," he suddenly said.


    Looking at the hopeful expression in Yuran''s eyes, Lana didn''t rebuke him this time.


    She could feel Yuran''s passion toward his dream, but what she was afraid of was the obsession that laid beneath this passion.


    "My apologies, but you''re mistaken," Lana said in an expressionless manner.


    "There''s no need for you to apologize, we should be the ones apologizing for causing so much trouble for you."


    "So I take it that all of the Loonies you earned from your gambling around these parts have gone to funding that so-called freeman organization of yours?"


    "That''s right," Yuran replied with a nod. "All of our winnings are being used as wages for our troops."


    "So you have your own army?" Lana exclaimed. She had thought that these so-called freemen were only a small organization, but upon second thought, she realized that these gambling setups had to be quite lucrative, and if all of that money was going to Fort Roten, then they would definitely be able to financially support a large number of people.


    "It''s not going to hurt your organization that I took all the Loonies that you won, will it?" Lana asked with a slightly conflicted expression.


    However, she then immediately added, "Let me make this clear: I''m not going to return the Loonies to you anyway."


    Yuran faltered slightly upon hearing this, then burst into raucous laughter. "I lost fair and square, how could I ask you to return the money to me? I''m not that shameless."


    "Good." Lana nodded in response. "Besides, this money was earned through unscrupulous means anyway. You proclaim that your freeman organization serves all of the people of the world, yet you''re scamming common folk out of their hard-earned Loonies. Doesn''t that go against the doctrine of your organization?"


    "Some sacrifices must be made in order to achieve grand objectives."


    "Ha! So no matter how noble you make it sound, you''re no better than everyone else." Even though Lana had lost her memories, she was able to see right through such an excuse, and as a result, she was immediately struck by a sense of disdain toward this so-called righteous organization.


    She had been heavily influenced by her father and her older brothers since birth, so ever since a young age, she had already realized that all so-called grand and noble visions merely stemmed from selfish desires.


    Unbeknownst to Lana, her beloved Erwin was also guilty of the exact same thing.


    "You don''t look very old, but you seem to have seen a lot of things. May I ask exactly who you are? It seems like you''re able to see right through us. In fact, it seems like you have a very clear understanding of how the entire world works."


    "Is that supposed to be an insult?" Lana chuckled, but in doing so, she was trying to disguise the dejection that had surfaced in her eyes.


    I have a clear understanding of how the entire world works? I don''t even know my own name, nor where my home is, and I certainly don''t know where that accursed Erwin is. How does it benefit me to have a clear understanding of everything else? she thought to herself.


    "No no, I wouldn''t dare to insult you," Yuran hurriedly said with a wave of his hands. Having experienced Lana''s power in person, he certainly didn''t dare to treat her with any disrespect.


    "I don''t want to discuss these matters with you any further. In conclusion, I don''t need you and your group to follow me, and of course, I''m not going to join your freeman organizations, nor do I have any interest in your goals and objectives," Lana summarized.


    "It doesn''t matter whether you join our organization or not, we''ll still follow you," Yuran said with a slight shrug.


    "Why is that?" Lana asked with furrowed brows that resembled a pair of sharp swords.


    Instead of directly answering her question, Yuran replied, "Aike Dario is not just some ordinary noble."


    "What are you trying to say?" Lana asked as her eyes narrowed slightly.


    "We haven''t interacted with him much, but we''ve heard many stories about his past."


    "What does that have to do with me?"


    "Aren''t you worried that he''s plotting against you?"


    A cold smile appeared on Lana''s face as she thought to herself, You''re not any better.


    "What could he possibly want from me?" Lana asked.


    "I''m assuming you don''t know what position the Dario Family holds in the Fano Dukedom."


    "Again, what does that have to do with me?"


    "The Dario Family has ruled over the Fano Dukedom for generations, but Aike is the only male direct lineal descendant of the Dario Family in his generation."


    "Can you get to the point?" Lana was beginning to run out of patience.


    "He''s been with a lot of women, but he still hasn''t married yet," Yuran said as he took a glance at Lana.


    "That''s it?"


    "Can''t you tell that he has a romantic interest in you?"


    "There are countless men in this world who are romantically interested in me. Am I supposed to go and address them one by one?"


    Yuran had no response for this.

 CH 94

    "Looks like my concerns were completely unwarranted. Given your powers and wits, there''s no way that you would be manipulated by someone like Aike," Yuran said with a faint smile.


    However, Lana remained silent with a contemplative look on her face. Despite what she had just said, it was clear that she did have certain qualms, after all. If the Dario Family really was as powerful as Yuran proclaimed, then she would definitely have to be on her guard.


    "No, I believe that your concerns are warranted," Lana said after a brief, contemplative silence. "I have no interest in joining your freeman organization, but if you and your lackeys want to follow me, then do as you please."


    Yuran''s eyes immediately lit up upon hearing this.


    "It can''t hurt to have a few more lackeys," Lana said as she pursed her lips.


    In addition to his elation, Yuran was also feeling a little perplexed. "Why have you suddenly decided to accept us?"


    "Why are you asking so many questions?" Lana countered with a cold expression. "If you want to change your mind, then piss off back to Fort Roten."


    "You''re mistaken, Madam, we have no intention of changing our minds," Yuran hurriedly explained.


    "Good," Lana said. "Seeing as you''re my subordinate now, I think you should stop referring to me as madam."


    "Yes, Commander Lana!" Yuran immediately said as he stood up straight, readily embracing his role as Lana''s subordinate.


    "If you''ve made up your mind, then come with me to Intelar," Lana instructed.


    "Certainly, Commander Lana," Yuran replied with a nod, following which a slightly awkward look appeared on his face. "Also, I have another request."


    "What is it this time?!" Lana asked with an exasperated expression, and she was on the verge of putting an end to Yuran''s life.


    "Please don''t tell Aike that my brothers and I are freemen of Fort Roten," Yuran said in a careful voice.


    "Do you think I''m an idiot? Of course I won''t go around telling people that!" Lana snapped.


    Yuran nodded sheepishly in response and didn''t dare to say anything further. He was unable to make heads or tails of Lana''s violent mood swings.


    On the surface, it seemed that Lana was in a foul mood as Yuran had worn down her patience, but in reality, she was actually frustrated by the fact that it seemed like everyone dared to plot against her. In addition to that, she was being forced to stoop to the same level as the likes of Aike and Yuran, and the thought of the potential mind games that she would have to play with them certainly wasn''t helping her mood.


    ...


    Aike and Quinton were both quite relieved to see Lana return safe and sound.


    They had thought that Lana would turn down the offer from Yuran and his group to follow her, and the fact that Lana was intending to take them with her truly came as a surprise to the two of them.


    "Ms. Lana, are you really planning to take these people with you?" Aike asked as he cast a perplexed gaze toward Lana.


    "If they want to follow me, then let them do as they please. I can''t stop them," Lana said with a resigned expression.


    "These are not good people, Ms. Lana. On the surface, they''re telling you that they''re willing to serve you and do your bidding, but there''s no telling what they''re actually thinking," Quinton cautioned with a concerned expression.


    "So what? Does it look like I''d be afraid of them?" Lana asked with an indifferent expression.


    Despite the short time they had spent together, Aike knew that this expression indicated that Lana was not in a good mood, so he knew that it was best to speak as little as possible at a time like this.


    Quinton was naturally aware of this as well, so he didn''t speak any further on the subject.


    Given how fearsome a magician Lana was, it seemed that they really didn''t need to be too concerned for her.


    However, Quinton was still keeping his own wits about him, and he realized that Yuran and Lana had to have come to some type of agreement, considering that Lana was initially unwilling to take Yuran with her, but had suddenly changed her mind after their conversation.


    "By the way, I didn''t get a chance to ask you what you''ve come to Kenon for. What could such a rural town possibly have that would attract the young master of the Dario Family?" Lana asked as she turned to Aike.


    "I just came out to get away from home more than anything," Aike sighed.


    Quinton''s lips twitched slightly in amusement upon hearing this, but he was able to suppress his own laughter.


    Meanwhile, Lana was watching Aike with an inquisitive expression, waiting for further elaboration.


    "My father is constantly introducing noblewomen from all manners of different families to me. I''ve already fled from Fasencia Tower to Intelar, but he''s still unwilling to let me off the hook," Aike said with a troubled expression.


    However, despite his expression, it was clear that there was an element of gloating to his words.


    Quinton was quite a shrewd individual, and he knew that showing off like this would only leave a negative impression on someone like Lana. Thus, he hurriedly cleared his throat quietly as a cautionary gesture toward Aike.


    Aike immediately realized his mistake, but it was already too late.


    However, Lana''s expression remained unchanged, and she merely nodded in response, pretending to have not understood what Aike was implying.


    Aike couldn''t help but be struck by a hint of disappointment once again upon seeing this, and his envy toward this man by the name of Erwin was only growing.


    "So you fled all the way to this town to hide from your father?" Lana asked.


    "That''s right," Aike replied with a smile. "I happened to meet Quinton on the way here as well."


    "He''s a decent martial artist for a traveling poet," Lana said as she took a subtle glance at Quinton.


    It was clear to Lana that there was no way that Quinton was only a traveling poet, and this had already been made obvious to her during the sequence of events that had unfolded in the Whistling Wind Pub. The fact that Aike had only recently met Quinton only further confirmed her suspicions.


    However, she had no intention of exposing Quinton, so she was only issuing a subtle hint to Aike. In her eyes, Quinton most likely didn''t harbor any ill will toward Aike. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have protected Aike from Yuran and his lackeys earlier.


    Despite the subtle hint that Lana had dropped, Quinton''s expression remained unchanged.


    Aike was naturally rather perplexed, but he couldn''t just question Quinton in front of everyone, so he could only save his questions for later.


    ...


    After the group arrived at Intelar, Lana was finally given a glimpse of what the north had to offer.


    The mottled and rugged houses with orange tile and yellow brick color schemes, the extremely wide roads, and the air that was so dry that it felt like sandpaper to the nostrils. Everything was so different from her impression of the world.


    "So this is the north." Lana spread her arms open with a bright smile as she took in the sights and scenes around her.


    Lana''s pure blue eyes were glowing with carefree elation, and Aike once again found himself entranced by her beauty. It seemed that no matter what Lana did, Aike would always find himself completely captivated and enamored by her.


    "Your presence has truly filled the entire city with uplifting beauty," Quinton said with a corny smile. Regardless of whether he was actually a traveling poet or not, he was definitely a master in the art of flattery.


    "Indeed," Aike chimed in with a nod, clearly very much in agreement with this sentiment.


    He then turned to Quinton before instructing, "Return to the manor right away and prepare the best room we have for Ms. Lana."


    Lana just so happened to overhear this, and she smiled as she said, "There''s no need for that, I''ll find a place to stay myself."


    She knew that Aike''s intentions were pure and good, but there was no guarantee that everyone else had her best interests in mind, and she didn''t want to live under someone else''s supervision.


    "Ms. Lana, please just let me treat you to some hospitality," Aike implored.


    "Did you not hear what our commander said? She doesn''t want to go to your manor!" Yuran said as he stepped forward with a menacing expression.


    Aike turned to Yuran with a displeased look in his eyes, yet as soon as their eyes met, he immediately averted his gaze in a sheepish manner. He seemed to have an innate fear toward Yuran, and he didn''t dare to speak any further. Even though this was technically his territory, he was still rather scared of this uncouth ruffian.


    "I won''t visit your manor, but if you''d like to show me some hospitality, then you can take us on a tour of this city," Lana said with a smile.


    "Alright," Aike replied with a disappointed expression.


    Aike really was very sincere in his invitation for Lana to stay at his family''s manor, but he was only thinking about himself and failed to consider the inconveniences that such an arrangement would pose to Lana.


    Quinton knew that Aike harbored no sinister or lewd intentions toward Lana, so he quietly informed Aike of what he had done wrong, and only then did he realize his own mistake.


    Lana was different from all of the other women who would sell their souls for an invitation to stay at his family''s manor, and it was precisely because Lana was so different from the women that Aike had interacted with in the past that everything he did seemed to be wrong.


    ...


    As the only heir to the Dario Family, Aike Dario was naturally an extremely sought-after bachelor in the Fano Dukedom. Countless young noblewomen in the dukedom were fighting to catch his eye and fantasizing about marrying the handsome young noble.


    In fact, after learning that Aike had moved from Fasencia Tower to Intelar, many noblewomen had made the move as well, just to be able to meet Aike more often, even if the meeting only consisted of a greeting and a brief chat.


    Thus, as Aike was taking Lana on a tour of the city, many of the bystanders were discussing spiritedly among themselves, wondering exactly who the woman riding alongside Aike was.


    Soon, all of the young noblewomen who were of the opinion that Lana was their rival in love gathered one after another on the street to see this perceived rival in love.


    They had gathered at the scene with the goal of comparing themselves with Lana, and many of them were immediately left feeling extremely inferior as soon as they laid their eyes on Lana''s incredible beauty. In the looks department, Lana was unmatched with the exception of Onean.


    Seeing as the noblewomen couldn''t compare with Lana when it came to looks, they could only find alternative avenues to denounce her.


    "Where did this hillbilly come from?"


    "I know, right? Look at those awful clothes!"


    They were beginning to attack Lana for her dress sense.


    "You can tell she''s a promiscuous slut just from looking at her!"


    "I can''t believe Young Master Aike would fall for someone like her."


    "Look at him! He''s grinning like an idiot!"


    In the face of a common enemy, the friendship between these noblewomen was being rapidly strengthened.


    As it turned out, the best way to get a bunch of women to unite was to find one more beautiful than them.

 CH 95

    "Looks like you''re pretty popular," Lana said as she looked at all of the jealous women around her with a faint smile.


    Aike was just about to respond in a smug manner, but he immediately caught himself. He had already made this mistake once, and he wasn''t about to make it again.


    However, Lana had a good idea of what was going on in his mind.


    Even though he was doing his best to maintain a neutral facade, she knew that he was most likely feeling extremely smug on the inside.


    "Take a look at them. It looks like they want to burn me to death with their eyes!" Lana chuckled as she turned to Aike.


    Lana wasn''t the type of person who was afraid of coming under hostile scrutiny. In fact, the more she was surrounded by hostility, the more she wanted to provoke those who were hostile toward her.


    Thus, she was intentionally putting on a flirty demeanor as she spoke to Aike.


    This came as quite a surprise to Aike, and he was caught completely off guard as he stared blankly at Lana, once again unable to keep up with her mood swings.


    However, Lana wasn''t frustrated by his slow reactions. At this point, she was already accustomed to how slow Aike was. It was a little dumb, but it was also rather amusing. She certainly hadn''t taken a liking to him, but at the very least, she wasn''t so averse to him anymore.


    ...


    Under the scrutiny of the crowd of jealous noblewomen, Lana enjoyed a relaxed tour of the city of Intelar. In reality, this ancient city wasn''t a very large one. Even though it had stood for centuries, it had always maintained its status as a medium-sized city.


    The only renowned landmarks here were the Ardwin Library, the Deventer Cathedral, and the Boland Monastery.


    While visiting the Deventer Cathedral, Lana took the opportunity to ask Aike about the religions of the north, and as a result, she learned about the mainstream trio of churches in the form of the Holy World Church, the Universal Church, and the New Light Church.


    The Deventer Cathedral belonged to the Holy World Church, and the Dario Family was also a follower of the Holy World Church.


    As for Aike himself, he was leaning slightly toward the New Light Church. After all, as a young noble, he was often coming into contact with things related to the arts.


    For some reason, during Aike''s introduction of the religions, Lana would involuntarily furrow her brows whenever she heard the term "church". There seemed to be something that was screaming out at her from the void left in the wake of her stolen memories, but no she was unable to grasp what it was, despite thinking so vigorously that she was developing a headache.


    With that in mind, she turned around to face the burly skeleton with a resentful expression, but the burly skeleton merely looked back at her with an innocent look on its face.


    "Why do I feel so much resentment toward these churches?" Lana asked as she glowered at the burly skeleton.


    "How would I know?" The burly skeleton raised its head to appreciate the artwork on the ceiling of the cathedral. If it had any eyes, it would''ve rolled them at Lana in exasperation.


    "Do you really not know?" Lana asked as her eyes narrowed slightly.


    The burly skeleton continued to look up at the ceiling, not even bothering to answer this time.


    After a short while, it looked down at her with a serious expression before asking, "Aren''t you going to search for Erwin? Why are you asking about these trivial matters?"


    Lana wanted to raise her voice in protest, but decided against it in the end. "Forget it. I can''t be bothered to bicker with you right now."


    ...


    That night, at the Dario Family''s manor.


    Aike was sitting in front of a stack of envelopes on his table with an absentminded look on his face. The envelopes had been sprayed with all types of perfumes, and they were all containing love letters from young noblewomen, but he was unable to work up any interest in opening them at the moment.


    Right at this moment, Quinton opened the door before making his way into the room.


    "You wanted to see me?"


    Aike nodded in response in silence.


    Quinton lowered his head, and he already knew what Aike was going to ask him.


    "Our meeting was arranged in advance, right?" Aike asked as he turned to Quinton.


    Quinton nodded in response without making any attempt to deny it.


    "Who sent you to me?" Judging from the tone of Aike''s voice, he seemed to be more jaded and resigned than angry at Quinton.


    Before Quinton had a chance to reply, Aike asked, "Was it my father?"


    Quinton paused momentarily before nodding in response once again.


    "Ha! I knew it was him!" Aike said with a furious expression.


    Quinton gulped nervously, and after taking a careful look at Aike, he said, "Duke Dario is only concerned for your safety."


    "Don''t try to justify his actions!" Aike roared.


    Quinton immediately fell silent.


    Aike was feeling rather guilty upon seeing Quinton lower his head in silence, and he was wondering if he was being too hard on Quinton.


    Thus, the two of them were both silent for a while.


    In the end, it was Aike who broke the silence.


    "If he wanted to plant a guard by my side, then why didn''t he just do it? Why did he have to make you pose as a traveling poet?" Aike was still clearly quite displeased, but his demeanor had softened significantly.


    Quinton could see that Aike''s temper had died down a little, and he immediately put on a fawning smile as he said, "Duke Dario knows that you''re into the arts, so he wanted me to be able to better relate to you."


    Aike didn''t discuss this subject any further. Instead, he asked, "What do you think of Ms. Lana?"


    "She''s a difficult target."


    Aike almost choked on his tea upon hearing this.


    Quinton hurriedly rushed over to pat him on the back, but in reality, he was chuckling in silence.


    "That''s not what I was asking," Aike snapped with an amused smile.


    After a moment of contemplation, Quinton said, "Judging from her powers, she''s definitely no ordinary woman."


    "How do you match up against her?" Aike asked as he cast his gaze toward Quinton.


    A sheepish look immediately appeared on Quinton''s face as he replied, "I''m definitely no match for her. Let me put it this way: even three of me may not be able to land a single scratch on her."


    "So she''s that powerful..." Aike mused to himself, and he thought back to the scenes that had unfolded in the Whistling Wind Pub once again. The powers that Lana had displayed had been truly astounding, but perhaps even that was only just the tip of the iceberg.


    "Hence, I''d advise you go give up on her," Quinton said as he cast a careful gaze toward Aike.


    "Why? Do you think I''m not worthy of her?" Aike asked as he looked back at Quinton.


    "Of course not!" Quinton hurriedly denied with a fawning smile. "You are the only heir of the Dario Family, everyone knows that the entire Fano Dukedom will be yours someday. How could there possibly be any woman that you''re not worthy of?"


    "Don''t try to placate me, I know what you were trying to say," Aike harrumphed in a cold voice, following which a dejected look appeared on his face. "To be honest, I know that Ms. Lana is far out of my league. This is the first time I''ve felt so inferior in the face of a woman."


    He''s completely head over heels for her! Aike sighed internally with a sympathetic expression.


    "Then are we still going to help her find her husband?" On the surface, it appeared that Quinton was giving Aike an idea, but in reality, he was reminding Aike that Lana already had a husband, which was even more reason to give up on her.


    Aike immediately raised his head to glare at Quinton upon hearing this. "Of course we''re going to help her find her husband! I made a promise to Ms. Lana, and I''m certainly not going to revoke on it! Do you think I stoop to those unscrupulous tricks in order to take her for myself? Perhaps someone else would do that in my shoes, but I refuse to even entertain the idea!"


    A look of approval and admiration appeared on Quinton''s face upon hearing this.


    This was why he was willing to serve the Dario Family. All of the memories of the Dario Family were extremely just and righteous figures, including Duke Dario and Aike.


    "Alright, then I''ll go pass on your orders to conduct an exhaustive search for that Erwin fellow," Quinton said with a smile. "Also, there''s something else I''ve been meaning to tell you. Be careful of those two servants accompanying Ms. Lana."


    "Oh? Why is that necessary?"


    "Those two people are different from Ms. Lana," Quinton explained. "They''re constantly giving off a cold and dark aura. Haven''t you been able to sense it?"


    "The only thing I''ve noticed about those two is that they''re dressed very strangely, and they seem to always have those masks and hoods on."


    It was clear that Aike was weak a martial artist to detect what Quinton had sensed, which was that those two were giving off an aura that was not much different from that of a dead person.


    However, Quinton didn''t tell Aike that for fear of scaring him.


    "In any case, if you''re not accompanied by any guards, I suggest you visit Ms. Lana as little as possible," Quinton said in a concerned voice.


    Aike wanted to brush off Quinton''s concerns, but after seeing Quinton''s serious expression, he ultimately nodded in agreement.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Lana and her group had already smoothly settled into the city of Intelar.


    As the leader of the group, Lanan was putting her magnanimity on full display by renting out an entire high-end hotel by the name of "Blessed". Her group filled up almost all of the rooms in the hotel anyway, so it didn''t matter that there were one or two rooms left over.


    Lana knew that Yuran and the others couldn''t afford the rental fees for their rooms, so she naturally paid for them. They were technically her followers, so she had a responsibility to look after them.


    Aike was unable to invite Lana to stay at his luxurious manor, but he still followed through on his promise to help her track down Erwin.


    However, there was no Erwin Friar to be found in the entirety of the Fano Dukedom.


    Given the fact that even the Dario Family was unable to track him down, it was clear that he had never come to the Fano Dukedom before, and that was very disheartening news for Lana.


    Thus, she had been constantly pestering the burly skeleton during the past couple of days.


    "Did he mention where he was going in the north before he left? Are you sure he didn''t mention anything?"


    "How could he have possibly not mentioned anything?"


    "Think harder!"


    "Are you placating me?"


    Strings of interrogation similar to this had taken place many times over the course of the past few days.


    In the beginning, the burly skeleton always responded stoically and was even a little annoyed, and he used the bone claw necklace to retaliate on several occasions. However, after a while, it began to derive amusement from Lana''s flustered display, and the more frustrated Lana became, the more amused it felt.


    However, in the face of Lana''s relentless line of questioning, it still decided to drop her a hint: "He mentioned that he was coming to the north to find his mother."


    This was the only lead that it had.


    Such was the ironic nature of life. Lana absolutely refused to go and search for the ice dragon with the burly skeleton, but the mystery surrounding Erwin''s whereabouts was linked to none other than that ice dragon.

 CH 96

    Zans.


    As a newly established government, the City of Freedom was operating unexpectedly smoothly, and the incorporation of the towns surrounding Zans was also an unexpectedly smooth process.


    The common folk had received land that they were able to farm on their own, thereby bidding farewell to the era of noble tyranny, so they were naturally more than happy to follow the new regime.


    It was as if a dark cloud that had been hanging over their heads this entire time had finally drifted away.


    Equality and human rights were the most direct aspirations of the people living at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder. At the very least, that was what appeared to be the case on the surface.


    Of course, there was another reason why the common folk had so much trust in the new government, and that was Erwin. As a handsome and approachable young artist, he was certainly a lot more pleasant to look at than those haughty nobles with their large, protruding bellies.


    With that in mind, it had been a very good decision to assign him as the commander of the Universal Church Freedom Army.


    In addition to that, some people had been spreading stories of the battle that had taken place on the Canston Plain, so it became common knowledge that Erwin was just as splendid a magician as he was an artist. One couldn''t help but wonder whether Lia had played a part in the dissemination of this information.


    It seemed that as long as they had this young artist on their side, the City of Freedom would be able to stand tall and proud in the Fulway Empire, which was filled with countless nobles.


    In reality, Theresa in Newfando and the Farody Family in Tellier were all eying Zans like a prized piece of meat. The praying mantis was hunting the cicada, while the oriole was lurking in the shadows. If Count Onen were the cicada, then the Farody Family would be the praying mantis, while Theresa would be the oriole, or so she thought. As it turned out, Erwin was the hunter who had reaped the most rewards from the battle.


    Of course, in his new position of power, Erwin was also burdened with many new concerns. Not only did he have to be wary of external enemies, he also had to keep his guard up against his own allies.


    Just like all of the rulers that had come before him, he was very much wary of the churches. Of course, Lia was also exercising caution in his collaboration with Erwin.


    However, Erwin had no plans to directly contend with the church at any stage.


    Recently, he had been developing a plan with Christine to open a business known as the Ubiquitous Firm.


    Even though all of the land around Zans had been distributed to the people, the land taxes that they were receiving were nowhere near enough to support the freedom army.


    Hence, the hundreds of thousands of Loonies that Christine had brought to Erwin were definitely about to come in useful.


    For Erwin, he was willing to supply the money required to fund the freedom army, but he couldn''t do it in his own name.


    If he were to supply all of the funds required to support the freedom army under his own personal identity, then there would be many issues that would arise in the future. Firstly, placing himself in a position of absolute power over the freedom army would undoubtedly evoke wariness within Lia and the others.


    The more powerful he became, the more Lia and the others would have to look out for him.


    Furthermore, the opinion of the masses was also very important. This was supposed to be a land of universal equality. If he were to suddenly reveal such a large stash of Loonies and fund the freedom army entirely by himself, then he would essentially be making himself a class enemy to all of the people. Additionally, the citizens Zans would undoubtedly begin to wonder where those loonies had come from, and whether he had taken the money from the nobles.


    The aforementioned scenarios were all ones that Erwin wanted to avoid. He didn''t want to turn on Lia and the others at this stage, nor did he want there to be any conflict within the City of Freedom at this point in time.


    A dissociative and cautious personality was being perfectly embodied through Erwin. On one hand, he was quite wary of this around him, and on the other hand, he wanted to avoid conflict with them as much as possible.


    However, in a political setting, there were no issues at all with such a mindset.


    Seeing as Erwin couldn''t personally supply this sum of Loonies, someone else would have to do it in his place. Thinking back to his conversation with Christine about paper money, he decided that it was time to found a firm.


    The firm would facilitate exchanges between paper money and Loonies, through the firm, Erwin could loan out the funds required to support the freedom army.


    If he were to do that, then the Ubiquitous Firm would be the creditor of the City of Freedom, thereby taking him out of the equation. At the same time, Erwin would be able to establish a firm grasp on the City of Freedom through the firm without attracting any attention.


    ...


    The founding of the Ubiquitous Firm truly came as quite a surprise to all of the citizens of Zans.


    The grand opening ceremony, the red carpets that lined the streets, and the lavish scenes were truly astounding to all of the onlookers. Most importantly, all of the most important figures of the City of Freedom were all present, including Archbishop Lia and the commander of the freedom army, Erwin. It was clear that this Ubiquitous Firm was an extremely important establishment. Behind Lia stood Turan, Menpo, Joe, and the other prominent members of the Universal Church, while Erwin was also accompanied by all of his most important subordinates, including Sherry, Lanyon, Georgina, Shiba, and Bracken.


    As for the owner of the firm, that was Christine.


    This was also why there were so many important figures supporting the opening of the Ubiquitous Firm.


    If Erwin were the owner of the firm, then he definitely wouldn''t have been able to get Lia and the others to present for the opening ceremony.


    Lia was still quite wary of Erwin, so he would be rather suspicious had Erwin been the owner of the firm.


    During the opening ceremony, Lia couldn''t help but feel like he had seen Christine somewhere before, but he was unable to recall where.


    As for Christine, she would always subtly avoid Lia''s inquisitive gaze.


    Erwin could see the interactions taking place between the two. He didn''t want to pray into Christine''s past, but he couldn''t help but wonder exactly who she was.


    Initially, Christine had been opposed to the idea of becoming the owner of the Ubiquitous Firm, but eventually, Erwin had managed to convince her to take on the role.


    ...


    Even with so many people gathering to watch the ongoing festivities, everyone still had no idea what exactly this firm was supposed to do.


    Soon, Christine announced an astonishing piece of news, which was that the paper money of the Ubiquitous Firm had already been released, and everyone immediately erupted into a frenzy upon hearing this.


    No one had ever heard of the concept of paper money before, and everyone was waiting with bated breath to see exactly what this groundbreaking form of new currency was.


    Looking at everyone''s reaction to the news, Christine smiled as she made a hand gesture. Two lines of young women wearing tight-fitting black dresses emerged from the doors of the firm, and each of them was carrying a red platter.


    These women made their way over to the people with the platters in their hands, and only then was the crowd able to see the paper money in its full glory.


    These pieces of paper money were bearing values of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 500, and 1,000.


    Different pieces of scenery were printed on each of the notes, and they primarily consisted of natural scenery or religious buildings around Zans.


    Christine wore a confident expression as she introduced, "In the future, large-sum transactions will no longer have to be facilitated by lugging around large chests of Loonies. Instead, these notes will act as a perfect replacement for large sums of Loonies."


    Everyone looked back at Christine with skeptical expressions.


    A faint smile appeared on Erwin''s face upon seeing this.


    In order to make paper money a prevalent form of currency, it would take more to convince the general public than just a verbal claim from Christine. A few days ago, Christine had already invited the owners of the dozens of shops in Zans for meetings one by one, and each of them had received a great deal of benefits from her. Furthermore, these shops would also benefit from the prevalent circulation of paper money. After all, the efficiency of all of their transactions would be improved significantly as a result. All businesspeople were opportunistic by nature, so it didn''t take much convincing from Christine to buy into the idea. With these shops providing her with indirect assistance, the initial release of the paper money would undoubtedly go far more smoothly than it otherwise would''ve.


    This was something that Erwin and Christine had planned together, but on the surface, Christine was the sole face of the firm.


    "You can all use your Loonies to exchange for notes for equal value in our Ubiquitous Firm," Christine said with a smile as she swept her gaze over the crowd. "I know what all of you are concerned about. You''re wondering whether you''ll actually be able to spend the notes, right?"


    Indeed, this was exactly what everyone was worried about.


    "Here, I can make a guarantee to all of you: as long as you''re using these notes in Zans, no shop will refuse to take them."


    "Is that true?"


    "You know what? I''m going to exchange a small sum of Loonies, then try and use the notes in the shops."


    Everyone was beginning to discuss spiritedly among themselves again.


    Despite her young age, Christine was putting on an impressively calm display, facing everyone''s skepticism with a friendly smile.


    "Then what about if we leave Zans? What do we do then?" someone asked.


    "That''s what I was about to get to next," Christine replied with a smile. "Our Ubiquitous Firm aims to spread its paper money to all corners of the Boll Dukedom as quickly as possible. After that will come all of the nearby dukedoms, and our ultimate goal is to have the entire Fulway Empire use our paper money."


    Everyone was struck by an immense sense of absurdity after hearing such a grand vision from a little girl of Christine''s age. It simply sounded completely far-fetched and unrealistic, but at the same time, all of the most important figures in the City of Freedom were present to lend her credibility.


    This also pointed out an issue, which was that the spread of paper money was related to the territory of the City of Freedom.


    If they wanted to truly put the paper money into widespread circulation, then the freedom army would undoubtedly have to expand its territory.


    At times, the objective for starting a war wasn''t just as simple as fighting over new territory.


    At this point, even if Theresa and Mackney didn''t come to find him, Erwin had to think of a way to approach them.


    ...


    After the release of the paper money, it was smoothly incorporated into the lives of all of Zans''s citizens even faster than Erwin had anticipated, and soon, this form of highly efficient new currency was rapidly sweeping through the cities and towns around Zans.


    Given how well the paper money had been received, the negotiations between the Ubiquitous Firm and the City of Freedom were also made a top priority.


    Of course, Erwin had arranged all of this in the shadows.


    Meanwhile, Lia was also struggling with concerns of his own. The enormous expenditure required to support the freedom army was something that neither the government nor the church could afford to provide over the long term. However, the Universal Church Freedom Army was the basis of all operations. After all, it was imperative for the protection of the City of Freedom and the expansion of its territory.


    Hence, as Christine came to visit with the offer of funding the freedom army, Lia and the others had responded in a rather indifferent and composed manner, but in reality, they were celebrating internally.


    As the main financial backer of the freedom army, Christine was naturally able to state her own condition, which was that the currency distribution rights in the City of Freedom had to be completely handed over to the Ubiquitous Firm.


    Given the current situation, it didn''t make any difference whether those rights were handed over to her or not. In terms of religious gospel, both Lia and Turan were experts, but when it came to the field of business, they were no more adept than an infant in comparison with Christine.


    Hence, even as Christine passed a contract that had been written up in advance into Lia''s hands, Lia still wasn''t feeling very vigilant or watchful.


    After carefully reading through the entire contract, he passed it over to Erwin.


    Erwin pretended to also read carefully through the contract, and he even raised a few questions about certain clauses toward Christine, but in reality, he was the one who had drafted this entire contract.


    A faint smile appeared on Erwin''s face as he read the clause "The Ubiquitous Firm shall be the only currency distributor of the City of Freedom."


    While answering Erwin''s completely inconsequential questions, Christine was doing her best to hide her own amusement toward Erwin''s pretentious display.


    Once Erwin approved of the contract, he exchanged a glance with Lia, and both of them gave one another a gentle nod.


    After both the archbishop and the leader of the freedom army had signed the contract, the collaboration was officially established.


    In this moment, Lia had no idea just how much trouble this signature of his was going to cause for the City of Freedom and even the entire world in the future.

 CH 97

    Unfortunately, not everyone was sufficiently sensitive to detect trouble brewing on the horizon, especially when it was sugar-coated like this to form such an appealing package. Furthermore, throughout the course of history, it was very difficult to pinpoint things that were definitively good or bad, and it was even more difficult to categorize something completely new as positive or negative. Seeing as people were enjoying the benefits and conveniences brought to them by these new changes, they naturally had to also accept the negative consequences brought about by these changes as well. Unfortunately for the general public, most of the time, they didn''t even have the right to choose.


    The citizens of Zans quickly became accustomed to carrying this light convenient paper money with them wherever they went, and it didn''t take long for the currency to be hailed as "blessed notes".


    With the widespread circulation of blessed notes, the city of Zans welcomed a new era of prosperous trading.


    In order to fan the flames even further, the Ubiquitous Firm took the opportunity to release its deposit and loan services as well. This was Christine''s idea. When it came to how to make money into more money, Erwin was truly extremely fortunate to have encountered Christine as his advisor.


    Hence, all of the citizens of Zans who wanted to take advantage of this new era of prosperity to start their own businesses immediately had a source of funds.


    Prior to this, there were some underground money houses that offered high-interest loans, but the Ubiquitous Firm had taken this unscrupulous and illegal business and made it a legitimate service. Thus far, the Ubiquitous Firm had followed through on all of its promises, and trust in the firm was quickly building among the citizens of Zans.


    Everyone that took out loans from the Ubiquitous Firm had to have correct residency information. Christine was being very meticulous in the enforcement of this rule, and each person could only take out a loan of several dozen Loonies at the very most.


    As for the interest rates for deposits and loans, those were all decided by Christine. Erwin was naturally quite happy to sit back and let her do her thing.


    News of all of the changes sweeping through Zans quickly traveled to the Farody Family in Tellier.


    "That Erwin really is a remarkable character. How did he suddenly just pop up out of the blue?" Mackney mused with tightly furrowed brows as he absentmindedly stroked the hourglass goblet in his hand. It was clear that he was in no mood to be sampling the delectable wine in his goblet at this moment.


    On the event of the Canston Plain, he had discussed with his sons the identity of the mastermind behind all of this, but never had they even considered that it would be the artist that had only recently made a name for himself in Zans.


    "He''s not the only one, that Lia of the Universal Church is also a nasty piece of work," Lucidy said in a furious voice. He was of the opinion that he shared a good personal relationship with Lia, but they had been screwed over by the Universal Church.


    "Weren''t you always really confident that you could recruit Lia to do our bidding? What happened to that?" John asked as a hint of derision appeared on his face.


    "How about you shut your mouth before I punch your teeth out?" Lucidy yelled as he turned to John with a hostile expression. "You were saying that the mastermind is either Duke Eru or that slutty cousin of his. How about that?"


    John turned to the side with a stony expression and didn''t say anything in response.


    "Shush! Now''s not the time to be fighting!" Mackney scolded in an authoritative voice. "If we can take over Zans just by yelling at each other, then I''d be happy to join you! Both of you are absolutely useless! If you two were even half as capable of that Erwin, the Boll Dukedom would already belong to our Farody Family! Even now, you still don''t recognize the importance of working together!"


    Both of his sons hung their heads in a sheepish manner upon hearing this.


    "Looking at the Universal Church Freedom Army and the City of Freedom, it seems like Lia is indeed quite an ambitious figure as well." Mackney''s tone had softened slightly, and it was clear that he had directed his thoughts back to the matter at hand.


    "I don''t think that''s necessarily the case," John said as he took a glance at his father.


    "Oh? And why is that?" Mackney asked with a curious expression.


    "According to the past information we''ve gathered, Lia is not the type of person that can start such a huge revolution, even though we''re all aware that he''s one of the five elders of the Universal Church."


    "What are you trying to say?" Mackney asked.


    "What I''m saying is that Lia has always had a tendency to be quite cautious and lacking in decisiveness. Hence, I think there must be someone else behind all of this, and I believe that the mastermind in question is Erwin. Also, think about the first batch of policies that they released after conquering Zans. Those policies are not ones that the average person could think of."


    "So what you''re saying is that the so-called human rights advocated by the Universal Church were Erwin''s idea?" Mackney asked after a moment of silent contemplation.


    "Not just that, but even this Ubiquitous Firm and the blessed notes that they''re using. I think Erwin is behind all of that. Setting aside everything else, just the concept of those blessed notes is an extremely innovative and wild idea."


    Mackney nodded in response upon hearing this, then narrowed his eyes slightly as he tapped his goblet with his fingertips.


    ...


    Right as the father and son trio were discussing how to deal with Erwin, the subject of their discussion had already arrived in Tellier in a nondescript fashion.


    Erwin''s courage really had to be praised. Even though this was an extremely sensitive time, not only had he paid a visit to Tellier, he was strolling walking through its streets as if he were strolling through his own backyard, and of course, he was accompanied by Onean.


    Of course, it was only empty flattery to refer to Erwin as courageous in this situation. The reality was that he had no choice but to pay this visit.


    Through his discussion with Christine, it was decided that it was nowhere near enough to have their paper money in use in only a single city. Hence, despite how well things were going in Zans, they hadn''t done anywhere near enough to truly usher in the new era.


    Hence, Erwin''s objective for this trip was to discuss business with the Farody Family.


    Erwin''s motto was that business and war were completely different matters. He was confident that as long as Mackney was a sufficiently shrewd businessman, he would share the same mantra. After all, there were no true enemies in the business world, and all things were open for negotiation.


    Furthermore, from the last battle, Erwin had also detected that Tellier wasn''t all that powerful a city, so even if Mackney were to turn on him, there was nothing that he would have to worry about. Given his and Onean''s powers, they would be able to easily ensure their own safety.


    A short while later, Erwin and Onean walked casually up the doors of the Farody Family''s luxurious mansion before knocking on it, and even in their wildest dreams, the father and son trio wouldn''t have anticipated such a visit.


    However, Erwin didn''t inform the butler of his own name. Instead, he merely told the butler that he was an art merchant that was approaching the Farody Family with a business proposal.


    Given the confidence that Erwin was exuding, the butler was led to believe that he was an extremely important figure, and he hurriedly rushed away into the mansion to report the visit. At the same time, he was wondering why a mere art merchant was so confident to the point of haughtiness. It was almost as if the Mackney Family wanted something from him, rather than the other way around.


    It was inappropriate for Erwin to appear in person for any matters related to the Ubiquitous Firm, but when it came to discussing business with Mackney, he had no choice but to come in person.


    As for Onean, he had been convinced to accompany him after much persuasion.


    On the surface, this visit appeared to be quite a brave venture, but if he really were a man of bravery and courage, then he wouldn''t have dragged Onean along with him for protection.


    ...


    "What? An art merchant?" Mackney was staring at his butler with a dumbfounded expression as if he were staring at an idiot.


    Given Mackney''s lofty status, there was no way that he would interact with these insignificant merchants in person. There were countless merchants of all descriptions that wished to request an audience with him, and if he were to meet them one by one, all of his time would be occupied.


    Upon seeing Mackney''s expression, the butler immediately realized that he had made the wrong decision.


    However, as the butler of the Farody Family, he naturally had quite a sharp eye for people, and that was why Mackney didn''t dismiss him right away.


    All of a sudden, a thought occurred to John, and his eyes widened as he turned to his father. "Father, could it be..."


    Lucidy had naturally also realized what John was hinting at, and his heart immediately began to pound in his chest as he wondered whether the so-called "art merchant" was accompanied by his breathtakingly beautiful wife.


    "What does this art merchant look like?" Mackney hurriedly asked.


    "There are two of them, one man and one woman. The man appears to be quite friendly, while the woman''s face is concealed under the brim of her hat, but I can tell that she seems to be quite a beauty," the butler replied in a truthful manner.


    "Invite them to the guest hall," Mackney instructed without any hesitation.


    Following the butler''s departure, John turned to Mackney with a perplexed expression as he asked, "Father, what reason could those two possibly have for paying us a visit?"


    "I''m not sure," Mackney replied as he shook his head with tightly furrowed brows. "But I''m sure they must have something important to discuss with us."


    ...


    By the time the father and son trio of the Mackney Family arrived at the guest hall, Erwin and Onean were still enjoying the iced fruit beverage that the butler had brought to them, and they seemed to be completely unconcerned that the beverages could''ve been laced with poison.


    "Well, well, well, if it isn''t Mr. Erwin. What''s brought you all the way here?" Mackney strode toward Erwin with a welcoming smile, while Lucidy and Farody stood behind him on either side.


    Erwin and Onean were just about to stand up, but Mackney waved a hand and gestured for them to sit down again.


    "There''s no need to stand up, we don''t have that many formalities around here like the nobles do," Mackney said before sitting down on the main seat.


    Erwin took a subtle glance at Mackney, and he was surprised to discover that there was no sign of sorrow or concern on his face. It seemed that the battle on the Canston Plain hadn''t dealt the Farody Family a very heavy blow at all. At the very least, the impact wasn''t as severe as Erwin had imagined.


    "You''ve truly made a name for yourself of late, Mr. Erwin," Mackney chuckled.


    "No no, you''re far too kind, Mr. Mackney. I haven''t done anything of significance," Erwin replied with a modest smile.


    "Oh? You''re saying what you''ve done so far is still insignificant?" Mackney asked as he put on a surprised expression, and he was also taking the opportunity to take a close look at the handsome young artist. During the battle on the Canston Plain, they had been situated very far apart from one another, so he was unable to see Erwin clearly, but he was able to get a good look at Erwin up close now.


    Mackney naturally wasn''t surprised by Erwin''s ambitions. However, what he did find remarkable was Erwin''s disposition and mannerisms, and he became even more curious about exactly who this young man was.


    In addition to that, Erwin also had a stunning beauty sitting beside him, and that only further fueled Mackney''s intrigue toward the two.

 CH 98

    "I was just wondering when we were going to meet again next, but I didn''t expect you to pay me a visit," Mackney said with a smile. "Pardon me for being frank, but are you not worried that the two of you won''t be able to leave this mansion of mine today?"


    A hint of killing intent flashed through Mackney''s eyes as he spoke.


    Erwin faltered slightly upon hearing this, then burst into involuntary laughter, clearly very much amused by Mackney''s threat.


    "At the end of the day, you''re still a businessman, isn''t that right?" Erwin asked as he raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh? And what does that have to do with anything?" Mackney asked as the killing intent in his eyes abated slightly.


    "As a businessman, wouldn''t you much prefer to settle matters through discussion rather than taking more violent routes?" Erwin asked as he glanced at Mackney with a faint smile.


    "But if I trap the two of you in my mansion, Zans would be mine for the taking, would it not? Why would I go to the extra trouble of negotiation?" Mackney countered.


    Erwin shook his head in response. "You need to look at the bigger picture. The business that I want to discuss with you today extends far beyond just a city."


    "Oh?" Mackney was rather intrigued to hear this. "How big is this deal you want to propose?"


    "Let me get straight to the point. I''m sure you''ve heard about the blessed notes, right?"


    "I have," Mackney replied with a nod. "It''s quite an innovative idea."


    Mackney was full of praise for this new concept.


    "Truth be told, if blessed notes only circulate in the city of Zans, then it''s never going to develop into anything significant," Erwin said in a truthful manner, and it was clear that he was sincere about this business discussion, as evidenced by the fact that he was revealing the main pitfall of the blessed notes from the get-go.


    Mackney thought about this for a moment, following which he nodded and gestured for Erwin to continue.


    "I want to expand the Ubiquitous Firm''s business to Tellier," Erwin said as he looked at Mackney.


    "How does that benefit me?" Mackney asked as a faint smile appeared on his face.


    "If you can get blessed notes to go into widespread circulation in Tellier, I can give you 30% equity in the Ubiquitous Firm," Erwin replied as he put up three fingers.


    A derisive look appeared on Mackney''s face upon hearing this. "Do you think that''s enough to appeal to me? Or are you hoping that I''ll be drawn to the dividends from this equity?"


    His expression was also mirrored on the faces of Lucidy and John, and all three of them were of the opinion that Erwin was far out of his depth.


    Erwin remained unfazed by their derision and hostility, and he maintained a calm smile as he said, "I''m well aware of just how much money the Farody Family''s business is raking in. Perhaps proceeds of hundreds of thousands of Loonies per year aren''t all that significant in your eyes, but as I just said, I''m not here to discuss small and insignificant deals."


    The father and son trio of the Farody Family was quite taken aback to hear Erwin tossing out a figure of hundreds of thousands of Loonies. It came as a complete surprise to them that the Ubiquitous Firm was so profitable.


    Even though the surprise on their faces only appeared for an instant before fading, Onean still caught a clear glimpse of it, and a hint of derision appeared in her eyes. As a former princess, she was naturally unwilling to participate in such a vulgar negotiation that was centered solely around money. If it weren''t for Erwin''s insistence that she accompanied him, there was no way that she would''ve paid a visit to the home of a businessman like Mackney. Even though she was only a former princess, she still had her pride as a royal.


    "Don''t look down on this form of new currency. They may just be pieces of paper, but they''re backed by an enormous power," Erwin said as he cast his gaze toward Mackney. "To be specific, they''re backed by the power of the people. Perhaps you think I''m only boasting right now, but if blessed notes come into widespread circulation in Tellier, you''ll quickly discover that the proceeds from the businesses under your Farody Family will increase at an exponential rate."


    An incredulous look appeared on Mackney''s face upon hearing this, and he couldn''t wrap his head around what Erwin was saying. "You''re telling me that the proceeds currently being earned by our Farody Family still have room for exponential increase? I don''t think you''re aware of the full scale of our family''s business operations. Otherwise, I doubt you''d be saying something so preposterous."


    Mackney leaned back in his chair with an amused smile as he spoke.


    Lucidy was clearly of the same opinion as his father, and both of them were completely unconvinced by Erwin.


    In contrast, John remained silent with a contemplative expression, not expressing his opinion on the subject. He had a feeling that Erwin was telling the truth.


    He wouldn''t feel surprised no matter how far-fetched an idea Erwin made into reality. John had always had a very keen eye for people, and he knew that Erwin was someone special.


    Even though this wasn''t their first meeting, this was the first time that he had seen and heard Erwin speak up close, and John was convinced that Erwin wasn''t just a powerful magician who was also a conspirator. Perhaps Erwin was also a businessman in the purest sense of the word, one whose business ambitions extended to the entire world.


    With that in mind, John suggested, "Father, I think it wouldn''t hurt to give it a try."


    Mackney turned to John with a stunned expression upon hearing this.


    Even Erwin hadn''t anticipated that Mackney''s youngest son would suddenly lend him his support at a time like this. In fact, Erwin didn''t even know what the man''s name was.


    What was even more perplexing to Erwin was why John had said something like this so openly when he could''ve communicated his intentions through a look or a quiet whisper instead. Erwin certainly wasn''t of the opinion that there would be such an open and scrupulous character in a family of business people.


    Just as Erwin predicted, John''s objective for making this statement wasn''t so simple.


    He could naturally see that Erwin was no ordinary man, and that the Boll Dukedom alone was nowhere near enough to satisfy his ambitions. Hence, he was intentionally lending Erwin his support in an open fashion with the intention of leaving Erwin with a positive impression of him. If he could make Erwin feel as if he was the one that had played a pivotal role in making this proposed deal a reality, then that would be even better.


    While Lucidy was still agreeing with everything his father said like an idiot, John was already plotting for the future.


    Ultimately, John and Lucidy were competing for the position of heir to the Farody Family. If he could secure the support of someone like Erwin, then his chances of being able to secure that position would be significantly boosted.


    Furthermore, John was also giving Erwin a subtle signal, which was that even if these negotiations fell through, Erwin was welcome to approach him in private for separate negotiations.


    It naturally didn''t take long for Erwin to understand John''s intentions.


    As for a past royal like Onean, she was naturally extremely familiar with the concept of sibling rivalries spurred on by heirlooms. She didn''t even have to take a glance at John to know exactly what was going on in that head of his.


    Mackney was naturally also aware that John was trying to leave a positive impression on Erwin, but what he failed to understand was what had convinced John to change his mind so quickly.


    Could it be that there really is some special quality to this Erwin that I''ve failed to detect? Mackney wondered to himself.


    Lucidy knew that John had just seized the initiative ahead of him, and he was furious, but he had to maintain his composure in front of these guests. In the end, he could only nod in agreement as he said, "Now that I think about it, it seems that we don''t stand to lose anything."


    He took a glance at his father as he spoke, then turned to Erwin with a friendly gaze.


    In this interaction, Lucidy and John were acting as perfect embodiments of fence-sitters, and even Mackney had been completely caught off guard by how quickly they had switched their tune.


    Mackney originally intended to grill Erwin a little further to try and secure an even more favorable arrangement for the Farody Family, but his two sons had jumped ship in the blink of an eye. As a result, it was made to seem as if he was the only obstacle to this deal being finalized, and he was suddenly feeling quite isolated and antagonized.


    Even Erwin was quite surprised and bemused by this turn of events. However, he was quickly able to observe that Lucidy and John clearly didn''t see eye to eye with one another.


    "Mr. Erwin, I''m afraid you still haven''t managed to convince me on a fundamental level, even though I will admit that you''ve proposed quite an alluring deal," Mackney said with a smile, paying no heed to the opinions of his two sons.


    "Why is that?" Erwin asked with a feigned expression of befuddlement.


    Mackney was rather amused to see Erwin playing dumb like this, and he explained, "You do realize we''re still enemies, right?"


    Erwin nodded with a serious expression upon hearing this, then replied, "But as I said before, I''ve always felt like you''re a businessman."


    "What are you trying to say?" Mackney asked as his eyes narrowed slightly.


    "The City of Freedom is definitely a very free government," Erwin said in an expressionless manner. "In my eyes, there are no issues with allowing the Farody Family to manage the city of the Tellier."


    "Are you trying to recruit me under your flag just like that?" Mackney asked with an amused expression.


    "Your sense of hierarchy is far too rigid, is it not, Mr. Mackney?" Erwin sighed as he spread his arms open, bearing a strong resemblance to the traveling poets on the streets.


    Onean was quite amused to see this, and she turned to Erwin with a displeased look while gently nudging him in the waist with her elbow, as if to denounce Erwin for putting on such a frivolous display.


    Both Lucidy and John were completely rooted to the spot by the sight of Onean''s playful display, but the looks in their eyes were completely different. Lucidy''s eyes were filled with passion and adoration, while John''s eyes were filled with lust and something more sinister and destructive. It was the type of expression that said: "If I can''t have her, then no one can!"


    "As long as you''re someone who wishes to abolish the nobility system, then you''re an ally to our City of Freedom," Erwin explained with a smile. "In our city, there''s no concept of anyone ruling over anyone else."


    Mackney faltered slightly upon hearing this, then immediately burst into laughter as he realized what Erwin was saying. "You really are a cunning young man! This is what you truly wanted to discuss with me during this visit, isn''t it?"


    A faint smile appeared on Erwin''s face, but he didn''t say anything.


    "What does Lia think of this?" Mackney asked as he glanced at Erwin. "I''m assuming you can''t call the shots over at the Universal Church."


    It had to be said that Mackney had a very sharp eye, and he knew that there was no way that Erwin and Lia would see completely eye to eye with one another.


    "If Archbishop Lia were to hear that Tellier joined the City of Freedom, he would be so happy that he''d fall off that tiny bed of his in celebration," Erwin said with an amused expression.


    Mackney couldn''t help but burst into laughter again upon hearing this.


    After that, Erwin and Mackney entered an in-depth discussion about all of the fine details involved in their collaboration, including the incorporation of blessed notes, the dividends from the shares in the Ubiquitous Firm, and the new organizations that had to be established once Tellier joined the City of Freedom.


    Mackney had naturally also heard about the distribution of land and the other major changes that had been sweeping through Zans, and he had no objections to splitting the land evenly among the common folk. After all, all of the land in the Boll Dukedom previously belonged to Duke Eru. If he were to distribute all of the land in Tellier to the people, the citizens of Tellier would be extremely grateful to him, so why wouldn''t he go through with this? In addition to that, there were also land taxes to be earned, and that was another source of income for him.


    Initially, the Farody Family was only planning to stay in Tellier, but after joining the City of Freedom, a government organization was formed, and the Farody Family was officially taking over the government duties of Tellier.


    Even though Duke Eru of the Boll Dukedom was notorious for being weak and inept, Mackney was still rather wary of him. However, now that he was planning to join the City of Freedom, that was naturally no different from a declaration of war upon Newfando.


    The fact that Theresa had appeared during the battle on the Canston Plain indicated that the powers in Newfando were already planning to take him down in the first place. Seeing as they had already made their intentions crystal clear, there was no need for Mackney to hide anything, either.


    In the wake of the battle on the Canston Plain, the attitude that he was supposed to display toward Newfando was an issue that he had been pondering. Now that Erwin had come to him and was offering such favorable terms, Mackney naturally became inclined to side with Erwin. Of course, he never had any intentions to defect to Duke Eru''s side in the first place. However, following his conversation with Erwin, Mackney decided that it would be best to abandon the idea of remaining independent in Tellier and potentially having to face both Newfando and Zans as enemies in the future. It certainly wasn''t a bad thing to be under the umbrella of the City of Freedom. After all, it was always better to have an extra ally than it was to have an extra enemy.


    "The world belongs to young people like you in the future," Mackney suddenly sighed in a slightly forlorn voice as he looked at Erwin.


    "Why do you suddenly say that?" Erwin asked with a surprised expression.


    "I''ve always looked down on those haughty nobles my entire life, but I''ve never been able to do anything about them. In their eyes, no matter how wealthy I become, I''m still just a vulgar merchant rolling around on a bed of dirty Loonies," Mackney said with a wry smile. "However, in the wake of the stunning revolution that you''ve ushered in, I''m sure the difference between nobles and common folk will cease to exist before too long. It looks like it must be left to young people like you to complete the monumental task of overthrowing the nobility."


    "It''s not that simple," Erwin said with a serious expression.


    "I wouldn''t dare to say anything beyond this, but if you and I join forces, we should be able to take down the Boll Dukedom with no issues," Mackney said in a confident manner.


    "Oh? Does that mean we have ourselves a deal?" Erwin asked as he feigned an ignorant expression.


    "Of course! If I didn''t want to work with you, why would I have wasted so much time discussing all those details with you?" Mackney scoffed with a roll of his eyes.


    Erwin faltered slightly upon hearing this as he cast his gaze toward Mackney, and their eyes met, following which both of them burst into laughter.

 CH 99

    Watching the interaction between Erwin and Mackney from the side, both Lucidy and John couldn''t help but think to themselves that their father was still far more adept in business negotiations than they were.


    Both John and Lucidy felt like they had benefitted immensely from hearing the conversation between Erwin and Mackney.


    In contrast, Onean was feeling very disinterested, to the point that she was even getting a little sleepy. She was too familiar with Erwin, to the extent that she knew exactly what he was going to say and which direction this conversation was going to take, so she was bored from the very beginning.


    After turning to his two sons, the benevolent smile on Mackney''s face immediately faded, and he put on a displeased expression as he scolded, "What are you two just standing there for? Hurry up and take our guests on a tour of Tellier! Do I have to tell you to do everything? Oh, and don''t forget to take my twin-head qilin for a walk while you''re at it."


    Erwin was rather amused to hear this. It was truly befitting of a tycoon like him to own an exotic pet like a twin-head qilin. He had heard about this creature from the owner of the tailor shop back in Belama, and this was a good opportunity to see exactly what it was.


    The twin-head qilin was a magic beast that was entirely enveloped in azure flames, and as several guards in tight-fitting robes pulled it out of its cage, even Erwin was startled to the point of taking half a step backward. The twin-head qilin was twice as tall as the average adult human, and it opened both of its mouths at once to let loose a thunderous roar. Its azure eyes were glistening two pairs of glowing sapphires, presenting a fearsome sight to behold, and the fury in those eyes indicated that it clearly wanted nothing more than to devour all of the people around it whole.


    The memories of the battles that he had endured against magic beasts in the Terarody Mountain Ranges began to surface in Erwin''s mind at the sight of the twin-head qilin.


    Its two massive heads were constantly thrashing from side to side, looking as if they could struggle free from the black metal restraints around its necks at any moment. The two necklace-like metal restraints were connected to chains with links as thick as an adult human male''s thigh, and three to four guards were holding onto each chain for dear life. Erwin was naturally aware that the black light radiating from the restraints and the chains was coming from magic runes. Otherwise, there was no way that such a formidable magic beast could''ve been restrained by manpower alone.


    All of a sudden, two guards let loose a pair of crossbow arrows that had been dipped in poison. The dark green arrowheads plunged into the azure flames before piercing into the twin-head qilin''s body, and the magic beast immediately became far more subdued and docile.


    Only then did the servants of the Farody Family dare to fit on the attachments that connected the carriage to the twin-head qilin.


    "That magic potion being used is extremely potent," Onean murmured as she inspected the pair of poisonous crossbows with furrowed brows.


    Erwin naturally heard what she was saying, but he didn''t say anything in response.


    "Hopefully that didn''t startle the two of you," John said as he approached Erwin and Onean with a smile before inviting them into the carriage.


    "Of course not," Lucidy interjected as he took a disdainful glance at John. "Are you not aware that our two esteemed guests are both extremely powerful magicians? How could they possibly be fearful of a mere magic beast? Please, come with me."


    Lucidy got into the carriage first, establishing his dominance as the elder brother, then extended a hand forward, habitually offering it to the woman behind him.


    However, Onean didn''t give him the opportunity for physical contact as she picked up the hem of her own dress with a faint smile before getting into the carriage without his assistance.


    Thus, Lucidy was left with his hand outstretched in a rather awkward position.


    Meanwhile, John was pursing his lips vigorously in order to suppress his own amusement.


    After that, Erwin made an inviting hand gesture, indicating for John to step into the carriage, but John was determined to abide by formalities and insisted that Erwin entered the carriage first.


    Thus, Erwin could only climb into the carriage with a resigned smile before taking a seat beside Onean.


    At the same time, he made a mental note of the physical gap that Lucidy and John were intentionally keeping between one another as they sat in the carriage.


    ...


    During the carriage ride, the four of them chatted casually with one another, with John introducing to Erwin the customs and traditions of Tellier, while Lucidy seemed far more interested in making small talk with Onean. Erwin was naturally aware of Lucidy''s intentions, but he pretended to be oblivious and remained indifferent to Lucidy''s advances.


    Under the instruction of the guards, who were also serving as coach drivers, the twin-head qilin drew the carriage to the entrance of a luxurious pub. The rare magic beast drew a great deal of attention from passersby on the streets, and of course, there were also many women who were frightened into fleeing by the sight of the fearsome-looking magic beast.


    "Battle Hall?" Onean took a glance at the name of the pub, and her anticipation toward the food being served there immediately abated significantly. In her eyes, it was very unlikely that a pub with such a vulgar name would have any dishes that would be appealing to her. Of course, the main factor determining how enjoyable the meal was going to be was the company that she was in. If it were only her and Erwin, then she naturally wouldn''t care what type of restaurant they dined at. Even if it were only a small and dilapidated establishment, she would still be able to enjoy a fine meal. However, with the presence of the Farody Brothers constantly souring her mood, it was not so easy to enjoy the upcoming meal.


    However, this turned out to be one of the rare occasions where Onean was incorrect. Despite the pub''s vulgar name, the food being served was exceptionally delicious. It was around the stroke of noon at the moment, and there was already not even a single empty seat in the establishment. Furthermore, the red wine being served in the pub were all specially supplied by the Farody Family, which meant that some of the wines being served were ones that couldn''t be bought through conventional means. Of course, given how business-minded Mackney was, there was no doubt that the Farody Family held shares in this establishment.


    "Ah, to what do we owe this honor, young masters?" The manager of the pub had a very keen eye, and he immediately spotted the two Farody Brothers before greeting them with a warm smile.


    "We''ve brought a couple of esteemed guests with us today," Lucidy replied with a smile, then introduced Erwin and Onean to the pub manager.


    "Oh, so you''re Mr. Erwin! I''ve heard many stories about you," the pub manager exclaimed.


    John hurriedly put his index finger to his lips in a quieting gesture, and the manager hurriedly fell silent while making an apologetic gesture. John then took a displeased glance at the manager, but of course, he was doing all of this for show for Erwin to see. In reality, the one that he was truly displeased toward was his own brother.


    John knew that at a time like this, it was best to try and avoid trouble as much as possible. This was not the time for news of Erwin''s arrival in Tellier to be made aware to others. After all, the two sides had only established a verbal agreement, and it was yet to be seen whether there were going to be any changes in the future.


    "You''ve heard about me?" Erwin asked as he raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    Lucidy smiled as he explained in the manager''s stead, "Your ''Believer'' mural has become very renowned, even in the city of Tellier."


    Erwin nodded with a slightly surprised expression upon hearing this. Unbeknownst to him, Lucidy had played a pivotal role in how popular Erwin''s name had become in Tellier in such a short time. Erwin merely thought that it was either Chahan or the Universal Church that had spread the news, following which word had gradually traveled to Tellier.


    "On top of that, you''re also the leader of the Universal Church Freedom Army," John added with a smile.


    An enlightened look appeared on Erwin''s face upon hearing this. Indeed, given his new identity, it wasn''t all that surprising that the people of Tellier had heard of him.


    "Take us to the booth on the third floor. There are some matters that we need to discuss," John instructed as he turned to the manager.


    The manager immediately did as he was told, leading the four of them to the staircase.


    Despite their attempt at secrecy, it was simply inevitable for some people to draw the attention of others.


    Erwin and Onean, particularly Onean, were perfect examples of this.


    Her gorgeous silver hair, cold golden eyes, and incredible beauty immediately drew the attention of countless men from the moment she set foot in the pub.


    The rowdy restaurant instantly became a lot quieter, and almost everyone had turned to the bottom of the staircase, where Onean was standing.


    Even a pair of traveling poets who were engaged in a heated argument with one another temporarily set their differences aside to stare at Onean as well.


    Behind the two traveling poets was a portly merchant, and he had also spotted the gorgeous couple trailing along behind the Farody Brothers, upon which he immediately cast an inquisitive look toward the pub manager, who was accompanying the group.


    The manager responded by giving the man a look that said: "I''ll explain things to you a bit later".


    The portly merchant was none other than the owner of the pub, Shane Jojo. As it turned out, the pub manager was only responsible for overseeing the daily operation of the pub, but the one who truly had business dealings with the Farody Family was Shane.


    All of a sudden, one of the two traveling poets suddenly rushed toward the group, waving vigorously as he did so, then positioned himself directly in front of Onean. "Hold on a second! Don''t you remember me, fair maiden?"


    Onean took a half-step backward at the sight of the approaching poet. She naturally wasn''t afraid of this man, but she didn''t know whether he was going to try and shamelessly grab her hand or do something along those lines.


    Erwin took a close glance at the unexpected intruder, following which a hint of recognition appeared in his eyes. "You''re that traveling poet from Belama, right?"


    "What a great memory you have!" The traveling poet extended a quick bow toward Erwin, then immediately refocused his gaze onto Onean.


    "You know him?" John asked as he turned to Erwin and Onean, clearly very taken aback by the traveling poet''s abrupt intrusion.


    As for Lucidy, he was looking on with a disdainful expression. He had always looked down on these traveling artists and poets, and the traveling poet certainly wasn''t helping his own case by intruding in such an abrupt manner. If he had dared to try and establish physical contact with Onean, Lucidy would''ve drawn his sword on the spot.


    "We had a chance meeting a while ago," Erwin explained with a smile.


    The other traveling poet, who was standing next to Shane, was looking on with a derisive expression as he sneered, "Stop trying to suck up to them, Yuho! You may be able to swindle a few girls from rural villages, but your tricks aren''t going to work here! It''s clear that these are extremely important people, how could they possibly know who you are? Are you so afraid to face me in this poetry battle that you''re already trying to back out?"


    "You think I''d be scared of the trash that you spout out of your mouth?" Yuho turned to the other traveling poet with a disdainful expression. "Come on then, Chinba, if you''re so confident, then let me see what you''ve got!"


    "Poetry battle?" Erwin was quite intrigued to hear this. He had never witnessed such an event before, and he decided to stop and watch in order to satisfy his own curiosity.


    Onean turned around to look at Erwin, and a resigned smile appeared on her face.


    She knew that Erwin was somewhat of an expert when it came to poetry, but a poetry battle between this pair of traveling poets was most likely going to disappoint him. After all, she had already witnessed Yuho''s poetry skills, or lack thereof, back in Belama.


    "Shane, tell everyone the subject of the poetry battle again," Yuho said as he turned to Shane with a fawning smile. "I was worried that the customers who came later wouldn''t have heard it."


    "You''re clearly just stalling for time to delay your inevitable defeat!" Chinba scoffed as he glared at Yuho with a disdainful expression.


    In contrast, Shane was a lot more amicable, and he smiled as he said, "Both of you have proclaimed that you''ve traveled the world and seen all of its scenery. Hence, the subject of this poetry battle will be scenery. There must be mountains, bodies of water, and wind described in your poems."


    "Mountains, bodies of water, and wind..." Yuho took a moment to consider the topic before giving a nod to indicate that he was ready.


    "Are you sure you don''t need me to deliver my poem first?" Chinba asked with a mocking sneer. "That way, you''ll have a bit more time to think."


    "How about you shut up and listen?" Yuho snapped, then commenced his poem.


    "Ah, flowing water of the stream, ahead of you lies the sea."


    Erwin and Onean both burst into laughter upon hearing the poem commencing with the word "ah". Both of them were thinking that this was the exact same tone that Yuho had used back in Belama. In fact, Erwin was even beginning to suspect that Yuho had only memorized a single poem, and was only swapping out some of the keywords to adapt to the situation as required.


    "Night and day, the sound of departing footsteps resonates within the lonely heart."


    So he does have other verses up his sleeve, after all, Erwin thought to himself with an amused expression upon hearing this.


    "Ah, my heart yearns for the wind that spreads my sails.


    I vow to go and see the ocean that is filled with the tears of lovers.


    The passing scenery of my life resemble the receding mountains on the two opposing shores.


    Much like my youth, receding and fading away like the tide."


    This method of expressing emotions through scenery was very commonly employed among traveling poets, so this was a rather predictable twist for the patrons of the pub who frequently listened to the work of traveling poets. To further compound his woes, Yuho''s voice wasn''t very suited to evoking imagery through his description of scenery, so the delivery of the poem was rather lackluster. Having said that, overall, this could be considered to be a middling poem that was neither good or bad.


    A derisive sneer appeared on Chinba''s face after hearing Yuho''s poem. "That''s all you''ve got?"


    "Go on then! Let''s see what you''ve got," Yuho challenged. His conviction was beginning to waver slightly as Chinba had seemed to be supremely confident this entire time, so he could only use bravado to conceal his unease.


    Chinba paid no heed to Yuho as he cleared his throat, then began:


    "The fierce wind passed over the mountain and the sea in pursuit of its own voice,


    While I roam over the entire world on foot just to search for you.


    My shadow is cast down onto my path, hoping to ignite a lamp as bright as your eyes.


    You are like the stars, like the sea,


    While I wish to be an immovable mountain that rests beside the sea,


    Watching the stars enter the sea and the wind pursue the moon."


    The subjects of "you" and "I" in the poem are constructed in a way that gives them a very ambiguous relationship. It could be interpreted as love between a man and a woman, or it could also be interpreted as one''s stubborn pursuit of a goal or dream.


    In particular, the final sentence had been delivered with just the right amount of volume and emotion, and many of the watching bystanders couldn''t help but applaud and cheer at the conclusion of the poem.


    Even Erwin couldn''t help but nod in approval, having been quite impressed by what he had just heard.


    "I''ve only heard that you''re an exceptional artist, could it be that you''re also well-versed in the art of poetry?" John asked as he turned to Erwin with a smile.


    Erwin shook his head with a smile, but he made his way directly over to Shane.


    Onean shook her head with a resigned smile upon seeing this.


    "I''m also a poet who''s passing through the area. Can I deliver a poem as well?" Erwin asked with a warm smile.


    Shane was rather surprised to have suddenly been approached by such a handsome young man, and the crowd of bystanders was becoming even more excited upon seeing this.


    This was a guest of the Farody Brothers, so he had to be an important figure. However, he was voluntarily lowering himself to the same level as these traveling poets to compete with them, and that was a very interesting turn of events.


    Yuho had only witnessed Erwin''s art, and he had no idea that Erwin was also a poet. However, in his eyes, the vast majority of nobles were complete amateurs when it came to art and poetry, so he didn''t think that Erwin would be able to come up with anything better than his poem. Hence, he wasn''t opposed to seeing Erwin getting involved in this poetry battle. As for how he had detected the fact that Erwin and Onean were nobles, that was simply a matter of experience. Having traveled the world for so many years and seen so many people of all types of different descriptions, he had developed a sharp eye for people, and he could immediately tell if someone was a noble, a wealthy merchant, or a commoner. Hence, even though he had tried to pursue Onean back in Belama, he already knew that his attempt to win her heart would be futile. However, he was not someone who was willing to accept his fate, so he still decided to act on his urges.


    As for Chinba, he was also not opposed to the prospect of a new contender entering the poetry battle. However, he had absolute confidence that no one would be able to deliver a better poem than his on this day.


    "If these two don''t mind, then I certainly have no objection, either," Shane said with a smile. "In any case, everyone here will be judging the poetry battle."


    Erwin nodded in response, then confirmed, "The subject is scener, right?"


    Shane nodded in confirmation.


    "Alright, then my poem will be called ''Exploring the Mountains and Seas''."


    It''s a lonesome endeavor exploring the mountains and seas, with only the sound of the waves for company.


    Chaos reigns in the world around me, but that very world is mine for the taking whenever I please.


    Countless heroes vie for the mountaintop, while I alone watch with amusement outside the mountain.


    Riches, renown, and power await, but I''d rather drink my days away.


    ...


    Everyone fell completely silent in the wake of Erwin''s delivery.


    Even Onean, who was aware that Erwin was well-versed in the art of poetry, was stunned after hearing Erwin''s poem.


    The delivery of the poem had been nothing short of incredible, and despite its brief length, it painted an extremely vivid story.


    This was the same young man with whom she had fled from their home on an airship, but having undergone a process of accelerated growth and maturation, his mental state and insights on the world were very difficult for the average person to fathom. Despite his ambitions, he was able to transcend beyond everything and display a level of remarkable level of perspective for someone of his age.


    Erwin''s assessment of the world was that chaos was about to reign supreme, but amid the chaos, he was confident in his ability to rise to supremacy on a whim.


    Countless heroes were vying to reach the mountaintop, while he had already ascended to the summit before departing, having already achieved all there was to achieve. As for the final verse of the poem, that was just a piece of self-deprecation from Erwin. At the very least, that was what Onean interpreted it to be.


    As it turned out, one''s life experiences were integral to the poems that they could produce.


    No one in this entire pub would''ve been able to deliver the same poem with the same effect as Erwin as no one had been through what he had experienced.


    Someone capable of altering the power of space and time was naturally capable of seeing through the secular world.


    No matter how proud or arrogant he was, no one in this world could understand him, just like no one could fully interpret his poem.


    However, it didn''t matter whether they understood him and the poem or not, everyone present was still stunned by what they had just heard.


    The stunned silence seemed to last for an eternity, and Shane was the first one to return to his senses before breaking the silence. "Who are you?"


    "I am Erwin Friar," Erwin replied with a smile.

 CH 100

    Erwin Friar? What a familiar name that is...


    The same thought was going through everyone''s mind, and it seemed that not everyone had a memory as sharp as that of the pub manager.


    "Oh, I know who it is! That''s the leader of that freedom army in Zans, isn''t it?" someone suddenly exclaimed, and the crowd instantly erupted into a frenzy.


    "Oh, I remember now! He was the one who created that mural in the Holy Jade Cathedral as well, right?"


    "Why has he suddenly come to Tellier instead of staying in Zans?"


    "Shh! Can''t you see that the two young masters of the Farody Family are also here?"


    "Oh, so you''re saying..."


    This was exactly what John had been worried about.


    In the wake of all of this, there was no way the imminent collaboration between the Farody Family and the Universal Church Freedom Army could be kept a secret.


    It wasn''t going to take long before Duke Eru and Theresa caught wind of this over in Newfando.


    It was inevitable that the powers in Newfando would learn about Tellier''s decision to join the City of Freedom sooner or later, but in order to avoid any unforeseen circumstances, Erwin wanted to spread the news as soon as possible. He was also worried that Mackney would change his mind, so he decided to light the fire and fan the flames himself.


    Could it be that he went to participate in that poetry battle on purpose? Onean speculated to herself. Only now was she beginning to realize Erwin''s intentions. I see. He wants to make the collaboration between himself and the Farody Family known to as many people as possible. He really is a master when it comes to sly tricks like this.


    With that in mind, Onean pursed her lips slightly with amusement. She knew that there was no way that Erwin could''ve arranged for these people to engage in a poetry battle here in advance, so it was clear that this was a spur-of-the-moment decision. However, his objective definitely wasn''t just to show off his talents in poetry.


    At the moment, Zans was still in the process of recruiting and training soldiers, so it was far from being at a point where it would be able to conquer the entire Boll Dukedom. In fact, it could even be said that Zans was currently at its most vulnerable stage.


    If Theresa could muster up another army at a time like this, then the City of Freedom would be in severe peril.


    Hence, Erwin wanted to spread the news of the alliance forged between Zans and Tellier as quickly as possible.


    Even more importantly, he was worried that Duke Eru would send someone to approach Mackney and offer even greater benefits to him. As a typical businessman, Mackney viewed practical benefits and profits above all else, so there was a very good chance that he would be swayed if someone were to offer him more favorable terms.


    Hence, after establishing an alliance with Tellier, the next step was to deter Theresa from approaching Mackney and trying to sway him to her side.


    Erwin wanted to tell Theresa that he had a very strong relationship with the Farody Family. As for why they shared such a strong relationship, that was because the negotiations between them had already begun a very long time ago, even earlier than she had anticipated.


    Even if they hadn''t met the pair of traveling poets, Erwin would''ve definitely still had different ways through which he could''ve broadcast the news to Newfando as quickly as possible. However, those other methods may have been more contrived, while this was a more natural and organic way of spreading the word.


    ...


    While Onean was analyzing Erwin''s actions, all of the people in the pub were gathering around Erwin as if he were a celebrity. This was the commander of the Universal Church Freedom Army in the flesh, and they naturally had to take this opportunity to share a few drinks with him.


    All of the citizens of Tellier had thought that Mackney''s conquest of Zans was all but assured, but never had they anticipated that Erwin would suddenly emerge onto the battlefield out of the blue before defeating all three clashing parties and taking over Zans himself. Even though the religious leader of the City of Freedom was Archbishop Lia, Erwin was the one who had fought the battle, so everyone naturally had much more admiration for him. Even though this was the Farody Family''s territory and they were in the presence of Lucidy and John, everyone had no qualms with expressing their admiration toward this brilliant young man.


    This warm reception was something that Erwin had failed to anticipate, but it was certainly a welcome sight for him.


    Lucidy was feeling rather envious and displeased to see Erwin snatching the limelight so easily. This was the Farody Family''s territory, yet he was being completely shown up by a guest.


    In contrast, John was looking on with an indifferent expression. He had naturally identified the intentions behind Erwin''s actions, but he wasn''t going to say anything about it. After all, it was very likely that there would be some alternative forms of collaboration between him and Erwin in the future. However, it came as quite a surprise to him that such an elegant and refined figure could also be so adept at using these sly tricks, and he couldn''t help but admire Erwin''s versatility and resourcefulness.


    "Allow me to raise another toast!" Shane was having the time of his life, and he was downing one drink after another with Erwin in accompaniment. "Your poetry is truly exquisite!"


    Chinba had that he would be the star of the show, but he was content in his own defeat, and he was also smiling joyfully while drinking to his heart''s content. In the face of Erwin''s unmatched poetic talent, he wasn''t dejected by his own defeat at all. In addition to that, Erwin''s innate grace and disposition evoked an even greater sense of admiration within Chinba.


    Even Yuho, who had suffered a crushing defeat, was among the rowdy crowd, insisting on having a few drinks with the leader of the Universal Church Freedom Army.


    It seemed that Erwin wasn''t going to be able to make it to the upstairs booth.


    After a while, the crowd still displayed no intention of letting Erwin go, and the situation was growing a little awkward for Lucidy and John.


    Mackney had told them to look after this esteemed guest, yet at this point, it seemed that Erwin had already forgotten their existence. There was no way that they could bring themselves to stoop down to everyone else''s level and join in on the festivities, but at the same time, leaving would also seem quite rude.


    Onean could see the dilemma that the two of them were grappling with, and she told them that they could leave if they pleased.


    As for why she had done that, that was because she had spotted Erwin subtly whispering something into Shane''s ear as they were exchanging a drink


    It was clear that they had something to discuss together, and it was most likely best to keep such a discussion secret from the Farody Family.


    The Farody Brothers were quite relieved to hear this, and they made some more small talk with Onean before departing one after another. Of course, prior to their departure, both of them handed over slips of paper to Onean, containing the addresses of their private residences in Tellier.


    It looks like these two brothers have many things to discuss with Erwin in secret outside of the collaboration with Mackney, Onean thought to herself with an amused smile.


    ...


    Back in Sarus, Erwin''s drinking capacity had always been the most lackluster among his group of friends, and with so many people proposing toasts to him one after another, he quickly found himself lying on a reclining chair in a drunken state, but even so, he still had a smile on his face as he could hear people loudly reciting his poem.


    Only then did Onean finally approach him, conjuring up a fan of water, which she used to fan Erwin and provide him with a cool breeze. Thankfully, Erwin wasn''t the type of drunkard who would go around making a fool out of himself. Instead, he was the type that fell sound asleep on the spot. Looking at Erwin''s state of drunken slumber, an amused expression appeared on Onean''s face, and she began to pinch and squeeze Erwin''s bright red cheeks to her heart''s content. This was her form of revenge for all of the shenanigans that he got them into.


    There were some rowdy bystanders who were fueled by the alcohol and decided to muster up their courage to approach Onean, but they all stopped in their tracks at the sight of the forbidding look in her golden eyes and the cold aura that she was giving off.


    Shane took the opportunity to remind everyone of Onean''s feats on the Canston Plain, and only then did everyone recall that Onean was a fearsome grand magic mentor.


    Shane, Chinba, and Yuho''s drinking capacities were truly remarkable. For Chinba and Yuho, they were traveling poets who didn''t have stable incomes, so meals weren''t always guaranteed for them. Hence, whenever they had access to food and alcohol, they would eat and drink to their heart''s content, and over time, they developed a strong capacity for alcohol. As for Shane, his drinking capacity could most likely be attributed to his figure. With his portly figure bearing such a strong resemblance to a wine barrel, it was no surprise that he had such a high tolerance for alcohol.


    Only after night had fallen did Erwin finally awaken, and his head was still feeling extremely heavy. It seemed that the wine from Tellier and the wine of Joffen were quite different, both in terms of the grape varieties used and the brewing methods employed. For Erwin, he was naturally more inclined toward the wine of the south.


    Erwin got up into a sitting position with great difficulty, then grabbed a few ice cubes from the table before rubbing them against his own face, trying to use the cold to stimulate himself into a clearer state of mind.


    At the same time, he couldn''t help but think to himself that it had been a very long time since he had become drunk like this. Those carefree days spent with Larwood, Chase, and Kaiba seemed like a past life now.


    "You''re not going to get very far if you keep drinking like this." Onean''s mocking voice rang out from behind him.


    A resigned smile appeared on Erwin''s face upon hearing this. "Where''s Shane? Didn''t he have something that he wanted to discuss with me?"


    At this point, the entire pub had already been almost entirely cleared of people by the manager.


    "I''m over here," Shane said as he sprang up from a wicker chair situated in the corner.


    He wasn''t resting there because he had also gotten drunk. Instead, he had grown weary from waiting for Erwin to wake up and had fallen asleep himself.


    As soon as he rose to his feet, Chinba and Yuho also stood up with him.


    Erwin turned to the trio with a surprised expression. Judging from how the other two had gotten up as soon as Shane had stood up from his chair, it was clear that the three of them had known one another all along, and that Shane was the leader of the group.


    "There''s no need to be alarmed, Mr, Erwin, the three of us have known each other for quite some time," Shane explained with a smile, then pointed at the two people behind him as he continued, "I''m sure you''ve already met Chinba and Yuho earlier."


    As soon as his voice trailed off, the manager of the pub also entered the room. At this point, all of the patrons and other employees of the pub had already been vacated, and the sign hanging on the door indicated that the pub was closed.


    "His name is Mouth, and he''s an old friend who''s been with me for many years," Shane introduced with a smile.


    "Mouth?" Erwin was strongly suspecting that he had misheard or was still under the influence of the alcohol he had consumed.


    Chinba was doing his best to suppress his own amusement at the sight of Erwin''s expression, while Yuho was unable to hold back and burst into laughter.


    "That''s right, he has no name other than Mouth," Shane confirmed with a serious expression.


    "Indeed, my name is Mouth," the pub manager said in a calm manner, paying no heed to the pair of chortling poets.


    Erwin nodded in response and didn''t dwell on this subject any longer. He then turned to Shane before asking, "So what do you have to discuss with me? I''m assuming you didn''t go out of your way to ask me to stay behind just to introduce Mouth to me."


    The two traveling poets burst into laughter once again at the mention of Mouth''s name.


    Erwin found the dynamic of the group to be rather interesting. It seemed that Shane was the leader of Chinba and Yuho, but Shane was still standing, while the two traveling artists had already sat down in a casual manner, and that was rather intriguing to Erwin.


    Shane was still feeling a little nervous in Erwin''s presence, particularly when the two of them were no longer under the influence. He took a deep breath to muster up some courage, then turned to Erwin with a serious expression as he said, "We wish to follow you."


    "Why is that?" Erwin asked.


    These people were on the Farody Family''s territory, so he was wondering why they were interested in following him.


    "Mr. Erwin, truth be told, this pub actually belongs to me," Shane said as he swept his gaze around the establishment.


    Erwin nodded in response, and he wasn''t all that surprised to hear this. Seeing as the manager of the pub, Mouth, was doing Shane''s bidding, it certainly didn''t come as a surprise that Shane was the owner of the pub.


    "What''s the problem? Are you not content with your collaboration with the Farody Family?" Erwin asked in a direct and straightforward manner. At the same time, his gaze settled onto the empty wine bottles on the tables, all of which were bottles of wine produced by the Farody Family. Through that, he was able to guess that this pub was a joint venture between Shane and the Farody Family, and that didn''t come as much of a surprise to him, either.


    There was a certain art to the way in which Erwin was speaking to Shane. He was being unexpectedly direct to gauge Shane''s reaction, but at the same time, he was raising a very reasonable question, so it had to be answered.


    Shane cleared his throat as a slightly awkward smile appeared on his face. "No, that''s not the case."


    At the same time, he couldn''t help but admire the unique yet effective way that Erwin did things.


    Not only was Shane taken aback by the question, Chinba, Yuho, and Mouth all displayed much the same reaction. The two chortling traveling poets immediately stopped fooling around and put on serious expressions.


    "Please forgive me for being so blunt. I was just curious, that''s all," Erwin said with a smile to alleviate the slightly tense atmosphere that had settled into the room.


    Shane also smiled in response before elaborating further, "There''s no conflict between myself and the Farody Family, but the problem with doing business with them is that it doesn''t matter how long you''re in it for, whether it be one year, two years, five years... I still receive what I got from the very beginning without any potential for growth."


    Erwin nodded in response. This was a very businessman-like answer from Shane.


    "But if you follow me, you may not get anything at all," Erwin said with a smile. "At least you''re getting something now, you could lose everything if you decide to leave this behind."


    Shane immediately burst into laughter upon hearing this. "I knew you were someone destined for great things!"


    "Hmm?" Erwin was rather perplexed by this sudden compliment.


    "The mark of a man who''s truly serious about accomplishing something is the tendency to always consider the worst possible situations," Shane explained with a smile. "In that regard, you''re completely different from the average businessperson."


    Erwin''s expression remained unchanged, but Shane''s words really did strike a chord with him. At times, he really did seem to go against the common mold of the average businessperson.


    "I''ve traveled all over the world doing business for many years, and I can''t say I''ve developed much during that time, but I do believe I have a sharp eye for people," Shane said in a confident manner.


    "Regardless of whether I''m a businessman or not, there''s still always a chance that you could lose everything by following me," Erwin said.


    "Then I''ll gladly accept that," Shane replied with a smile and a carefree shrug.


    His response was extremely quick, coming right after Erwin''s statement.


    For some reason, Onean seemed to have been rather amused to hear this, and she couldn''t help but burst into laughter.


    Meanwhile, Erwin was feeling a little disappointed. He would much rather have a beautiful woman following him than this portly businessman.


    "So it seems like you''re determined to invest in me," Erwin said, and his wording was very interesting. He was emphasizing the point that Shane was investing solely in him, not anyone else or the Universal Church.


    "At the very least, I''m certain that you''re the only one in the entire Fulway Empire capable of writing a poem like ''Exploring the Mountains and Seas''," Shane said with an earnest expression.


    Chinba, Yuho, and Mouth all nodded in agreement with Shane''s statement. Not only were they praising Erwin''s poem, they were also praising his character.


    ...


    Only in the conversation that followed between Erwin and Shane did Erwin learn that the sum of money that Shane was receiving annually from this pub was a six-figure sum of Loonies. Erwin was naturally aware that businessmen weren''t entirely trustworthy when they talked about their finances, but at the very least, this gave Erwin a rough idea.


    Was it possible that Shane was a mole that had been sent to his side by the Farody Family? It certainly wasn''t impossible that Shane had plotted together with the Farody Brothers to plant himself by Erwin''s side.


    Erwin had naturally considered this possibility, and he decided that he would be able to eliminate this possibility once Shane provided his Loonies to Erwin. There was no way that the Farody Family would be willing to invest hundreds of thousands of Loonies to support Erwin.


    Furthermore, Erwin could detect a strong sense of innate haughtiness from the father and son trio of the Farody Family. This wasn''t the same haughtiness seen in nobles, who thought themselves to be above the common folk, but instead, it was derived from their superior wealth. Shane was quite an affluent man himself, but by Erwin''s estimations, his wealth wouldn''t have been sufficient to earn the respect of the Farody Family. Just from this point alone, Erwin was roughly able to ascertain that Shane and the Farody Family most likely weren''t working together to conspire against him.


    Just like Shane, Erwin was also quite confident in his eye for people.


    Erwin and Onean had no plans to linger in Tellier, and they returned to Zans the next day.


    During the previous night, it had been decided that Shane and Mouth would continue to stay in Tellier, while Yuho and Chinba returned to Zans with Erwin.


    This arrangement was followed in order to not attract excessive attention from the Farody Family. Erwin was very determined not to spook the Farody Family at a time like this.


    Shane really wanted to accompany Erwin to Zans, but upon Erwin''s insistence, he could only conform to this arrangement.

 CH 101

    On the way back to Zans, Erwin was going through all of his important subordinates in his mind. There were Sherry, Lanyon, and Georgina, who had followed him from the south, Chahan, Shiba, and Bracken, who he had recruited after arriving in Zans, and this newest group, consisting of Shane, Yuho, Chinba, and Mouth.


    Among them, the most adept martial artists and magicians were still Sherry, Lanyon, and Georgina, the brothers who had been with him from day one. As for the likes of Shiba and Bracken, they were naturally capable warriors as well, seeing as they were mercenaries, but they required more experience on the battlefield.


    Shane was very useful as a source of financial support, but Erwin was still yet to make a decision on what to do with Chinba, Yuho, and Mouth.


    During the journey back to Zans, Erwin found Chinba to be quite an interesting person while conversing with Chinba and Yuho. He was very knowledgeable about Count Onen, Mackney, Duke Eru, and other important figures, and his knowledge of them included even things like their likes and dislikes, and their family trees. This was rather surprising to Erwin.


    Theoretically speaking, it shouldn''t have been strange for a traveling poet to be aware of all of this information pertaining to important figures. After all, the nature of their occupation involved interacting with and befriending all types of people from different demographics and socioeconomic classes. However, Chinba seemed to have compiled all of the information that he had heard, then applied his own observations to the information and arranged it all into a cohesive package that was very easy to digest.


    For example, Chinba''s assessment of Onen and Mackney was almost identical to that of Erwin. However, Erwin had actually met and interacted with these two in person, while Chinba hadn''t. Hence, it was quite remarkable that his understanding of those two people was no less in-depth, and Erwin was very impressed.


    This was not a quality shared by all traveling poets. For example, Yuho''s understanding of important figures and human nature in general was very superficial. Of course, his knowledge of the likes and dislikes of all of the pretty female servants in the Farody Family was very exhaustive.


    With that in mind, Erwin already had an idea of what he was going to do with Chinba.


    Strangely enough, even though Yuho was initially only interested in Onean, after hearing Erwin''s "Exploring the Mountains and Seas", he was completely enamored by Erwin''s innate charisma, and on the entire way back to Zans, he was constantly searching for opportunities to speak with Erwin, even it were only about the most mundane of subjects.


    Of course, at this point, he had already realized that Onean was far beyond his reach.


    Only a man like Erwin would be able to capture her heart, Yuho sighed to himself.


    ...


    The constant chatter from Yuho was making Erwin feel a little faint and sluggish, and right at this moment, an alarmed cry rang out. "Look out!"


    When it came to his awareness of his surroundings, Erwin was still a little lackluster compared with a magician of Onean''s caliber.


    However, even a grand magic mentor like Onean was only able to react by the time a green arrow was only around 10 feet away from Erwin''s chest.


    This meant that the assassin who had fired the arrow was no less powerful a martial artist than Onean was a magician!


    Erwin immediately reacted upon hearing Onean''s warning, raising a hand to conjure up a miniature light shield in the path of the oncoming arrow.


    There wasn''t enough time for him to conjure up a full-sized light shield.


    Despite the defensive measure that he had adopted, cold sweat was pouring down his forehead as he stared at the bright green arrow. Even though he had endured so many crises of life and death, he still couldn''t face this arrow with calmness and composure.


    The reason for this was because the arrow was far too fast, and Erwin had no idea how it had suddenly reached so close to him.


    As soon as Onean let loose that warning cry, she also unleashed three instant-release ice spear spells in rapid succession.


    However, the arrow remained completely unmoved, shattering the ice spears into countless ice crystals upon contact.


    At this point, even Onean was beginning to panic.


    The arrow was flying so quickly that she had no time to use any advanced spells, so she made the best decision in the situation, which was to use instant-release spells instead. However, the arrow was also too powerful to be stopped by just a few instant-release spells.


    Erwin had both palms raised and outstretched in front of him, hoping that the miniature light shield would be able to keep the arrow at bay. His heart had leaped into his throat, and intense fear was washing over his body in crippling waves. Just a moment ago, it had seemed that he was at the highest point of his life, but now, it seemed that his life was about to come to an abrupt conclusion.


    The arrow was only around two feet away from Erwin, and right at this moment, a figure positioned itself in front of him.


    It was none other than Yuho!


    The only reason that Yuho was able to get in the way of the arrow was because he was situated very close to Erwin.


    There was no way that he was faster than the arrow, but he had reacted solely on instinct, and that allowed him to move faster than he would''ve otherwise been able to.


    There wasn''t any hesitation or delay. As soon as Onean''s warning cry rang out, Yuho had already flung himself off the back of his horse to use his own body to shield Erwin.


    Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion, and a sense of absurdity welled up in Erwin''s heart as he stared at Yuho''s smiling face at close quarters.


    We''ve only known each other for a few days, why is he willing to do this for me? Erwin''s brows were tightly furrowed with a mixture of shock and befuddlement. Doesn''t he know that this could kill him?


    The green arrow pierced directly through Yuho''s midsection, and his expression instantly became twisted with agony, while his eyes threatened to bulge out of their sockets.


    The arrow possessed such tremendous momentum that after it passed through Yuho''s body, it continued to propel the body directly toward Erwin.


    Even though it seemed like Yuho''s efforts had been completely futile, the brief instant that he had slowed down the arrow was all the time that Erwin needed to muster up all of the magic power in his entire body to widen the space-time rift created by the miniature light shield to the size of a plate.


    Finally, the arrow reached the space-time rift outside the miniature light shield alongside chunks of flesh that had flown out of Yuho''s body.


    Erwin''s horse reared back and neighed in an alarmed manner as Yuho crashed into Erwin, sending both him and his horse tumbling to the ground.


    Thankfully, the space-time rift was ultimately able to dispel the arrow''s momentum, and the arrow was lost amid the space and time turbulence. Erwin immediately withdrew his magic power upon seeing this in order to avoid Yuho''s body also being sucked into the space-time rift.


    Onean and Chinba hurriedly dismounted from their horses to inspect the conditions of Erwin and Yuho.


    Erwin wore a stunned expression, and his face was completely devoid of color. Meanwhile, Yuho laid sprawled over his body with blood still gushing out of the wound on his midsection, and he was completely unconscious.


    Onean raised her hand to cast a levitation spell onto Yuho''s body in order to move him aside.


    After that, she examined Erwin''s body in a panicked manner while Erwin laid on the ground in a shell-shocked state. Following a thorough examination, Onean was very relieved to discover that Erwin wasn''t injured, and that all of the blood on his body belonged to Yuho.


    Erwin was lying on the ground with a blank expression, and his mind was entirely filled with the image of Yuho''s earnest smile.


    He couldn''t understand why Yuho had been smiling in such a perilous situation.


    "Don''t just lie there like an idiot!" Onean yelled as she inspected her surroundings with a cautious expression. "Go and see if he''s still alive!"


    Only then did Erwin return to his senses and hurriedly clambered to his feet.


    "What do we do, Mr. Erwin?" Chinba''s lips were trembling at the size of the massive wound on Yuho''s waist.


    Erwin carefully examined the gruesome wound, and a grim look quickly appeared on his face. If it were only a simple wound, then treatment of the injury would''ve been just as simple. However, it was clear that some type of poison had been smeared onto the arrowhead, and if the poison were to enter Yuho''s organs through the bloodstream, then he was all but beyond saving.


    Sure enough, the blackened wound was giving off a sharp and acrid odor. It seemed that a magic potion had been used rather than normal poison. Having been present on many occasions while Onean was brewing her magic potions, he was able to quickly discern the smell.


    "How is he looking?" Onean was holding her Everlife Chinaberry Staff with her back facing Erwin. Her gaze was still focused on the direction that the arrow had come from with a wary look on her face.


    "It''s not looking good. Some type of magic potion has been smeared onto the arrowhead," Erwin replied with a grim expression.


    "Who wants you dead so badly?" Onean asked with tightly furrowed brows.


    "I don''t know," Erwin replied as he inspected Yuho''s wound with a complex expression.


    "What do we do, Mr. Erwin?" This was the first time that Chinba had faced a situation like this, and he was at a complete loss for what to do.


    However, Erwin had too many things on his mind, and his thoughts were a little scattered, so he didn''t hear what Chinba had said. "What did you say?"


    Chinba took a careful glance at Erwin, then repeated, "What should we do?"


    "What should we do?" Erwin repeated as he looked at Chinba with furrowed brows as if he were looking at an idiot. "What do you think we should do? We find a way to treat Yuho, of course!"


    Chinba nodded sheepishly in response.


    "You have to remember that if you''re going to follow me, this will be a common occurrence. If you want to achieve something significant, the process is going to be one that''s both perilous and arduous. The path to greatness is often paved with human lives," Erwin said as he looked at Chinba with a serious expression. "I won''t demand that all of you do what Yuho just did for me, but you do have to be prepared to face life-and-death situations at any moment. Having said that, it''s alright to be scared. I''m also not immune to fear. Do you think I wasn''t scared when I saw that arrow flying at me? Look at my hand. Even now, I''m still shaking."


    Chinba cast his gaze toward Erwin''s trembling hand in silence.


    Only then did he realize that following Erwin wasn''t just a matter of verbally pledging his loyalty to Erwin. This was not some fun adventure. Instead, it was a perilous journey with very real consequences.


    "Are you carrying any magic potions with you?" Erwin asked as he made his way over to Onean''s side, then gently patted her on the arm, indicating that she could lower her staff. "An assassin won''t attack again if they fail the first time. Now that we''re aware of their existence and have set up defenses, they''ve most likely already fled the scene."


    At this point, Erwin had finally recovered his composure.


    Onean thought carefully about what Erwin had said and decided that he was right. Thus, she finally turned her gaze away from the direction that the arrow had come from, then made her way over to Yuho''s side. After a careful examination, her brows furrowed tightly with concern.


    She then pulled a small vial of magic potion out of a silken bag that was strapped to her waist. "This magic potion can only temporarily prevent the condition of the wound from worsening. As for the poison that''s entered his body, I''ll have to take care of that over time once we return to Zans. That is, if he can last until then."


    Thankfully for Yuho, the circumstances were relatively fortunate for him. If Christine hadn''t made it out of the desert to reunite with Erwin, Onean wouldn''t have been able to retrieve the magic potion that had been left on the airship. That small vial of magic potion was one of the vials that Onean had left on the airship, and it was truly a lifesaver. In particular, that batch of magic potions had been brewed from ingredients taken from magic beasts in the Terarody Mountain Ranges, so they had to be quite effective.


    Erwin quickly inspected the surrounding area, then turned to Chinba as he instructed, "We''re still around 50 kilometers away from Zans right now. Take my horse and ride to Zans, then search for the man by the name of Sherry in the barracks of the United Church Freedom Army. Tell him that I''ve been ambushed and get him to come to me as quickly as possible. He''ll recognize my horse. Go!"


    Chinba didn''t dare to delay, and he immediately jumped onto the back of Erwin''s horse before speeding off toward Zans.


    "Where was the arrow fired from?" Erwin asked as he turned to Onean.


    "It was from that hill. Looking at it from here, the hill has to be at least 250 meters away," Onean replied as she pointed at a hill that was situated in the north.


    "How could they have fired that arrow so stealthily yet with such power from so far away?" Erwin asked with tightly furrowed brows. "If you hadn''t cried out, I wouldn''t have detected it at all."


    "Haven''t you always felt like there are no powerful warriors in the north? Looks like you almost paid the price for your arrogance," Onean remarked in an indifferent voice.


    "How powerful a martial artist would it take to fire off such an attack?" Erwin murmured to himself as he gnashed his teeth together.


    "We''ll only exactly how powerful they are after facing them in a direct battle, but it''s clear that the assassin is an extremely skilled archer," Onean said as she turned to Erwin.


    "It most likely has something to do with their martial techniques," Erwin said with slightly narrowed eyes after a moment of contemplation. He was thinking back to that night when he had been scolded by Professor Hawk.


    Onean nodded in response. She was also of the opinion that this assassin had to possess unique martial techniques.


    "Who do you think is behind this?" Onean asked as she turned to Erwin.


    "I''ve just gone through all of the possible candidates in my head, but none of them seem to fit the bill," Erwin replied with a shake of his head. "Even if Mackney wanted me dead, he wouldn''t have commissioned the assassination at a time like this, when our collaboration has only just begun. Even if he''s going to go through with this, it would be sometime in the future. As for Duke Eru or Theresa, neither of them makes sense, either. If they had such a powerful martial artist on their side, why didn''t they use that assassin to snipe me off on the battlefield? It could be Lia, but I can''t think of any reason why he would want to kill me. If Onen had such a powerful subordinate, then he would''ve used them in the battle on the Canston Plain. Why would he have saved them until now?"


    Erwin had considered everyone that he could think of, but he couldn''t figure out who could''ve possibly sent the assassin after him.


    "So you''re considering the possibility that Lia could try to get rid of you?" Onean asked with an amused expression.


    "At the very least, I''m assuming he won''t try to do that in the next few years," Erwin said with a weary expression. "It''s still not the time for that yet. For now, I guess we can only assume that it was someone sent by those in Newfando."


    "News of your collaboration with Mackney has most likely only just reached Newfando. How could it possibly have been them who had sent the assassin after you?" Onean asked.


    "Perhaps they already wanted to send someone after me in the wake of the battle on the Canston Plain? Maybe the assassin simply couldn''t find an opportunity to strike in Zans or in Tellier," Erwin replied, but even he was unconvinced by his own reasoning.


    "Are you not aware of what type of person Duke Eru is? If he were sufficiently ruthless and had the resources to hire such a powerful assassin, Onen and Mackney would''ve already been long-dead before we got here. As for Theresa, the chances that she''s behind this are slim to none," Onean said.


    "Why is that?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    "You''re not thinking that my reasoning is that she couldn''t bear to kill you because she''s fallen in love with you, are you?" Onean asked with an amused expression as she pinched his cheeks with her fingers. "If you are, then you''re far too narcissistic for your own good."


    Erwin swatted her hands aside in a frustrated manner.


    "The reason is very simple: that assassin is far more powerful than Theresa, and I don''t think she would have the ability to hire an assassin of such a high caliber," Onean elaborated in a confident manner.


    "Then I really don''t know who it is that''s trying to kill me," Erwin sighed with a weary expression.


    "The truth will come out eventually," Onean said. "I''m sure that assassin won''t just give up after one thwarted attempt."


    "Looks like it''s not wise to stay here. We should set off for Zans as well."


    "I don''t think he''s going to survive the trip if he''s going to be jostled up and down on horseback," Onean said as she took a glance at the unconscious Yuho.


    "Strap him to my back, and I''ll try and get my horse to travel as slowly and smoothly as possible. What else can we do?"


    "You want to strap him to your back so he can block a few more arrows for you?"


    "Have I done something to offend you? Why are you being so hostile? I haven''t hooked up with any other girls recently, have I?"


    "If I get mad at you whenever you get involved with another woman, I would''ve already had an aneurysm!" Onean snapped. "By the way, do you really think I don''t know what you and Christine have been up to lately?"


    Erwin was rather sheepish upon hearing this, and a wry smile appeared on his face as he averted his gaze.


    Onean knew that Erwin had been asking Christine to investigate something behind her back, and she knew that it had to have something to do with Lana, but she didn''t want to expose him.


    However, Erwin was mistaken in his thinking that Onean was angry because she was jealous.


    Onean''s displeasure actually stemmed from the subtle yet abrupt changes that had taken place in Erwin. In particular, this feeling was further exacerbated on this trip to Tellier. It felt to her like Erwin had transformed from an innocent young man into an ambitious politician who was completely inexplicable to her, all in the span of what seemed like the blink of an eye. Even though Erwin readily shared most of his thoughts and ideas with her, she still couldn''t help but be in awe of his growth.


    However, his rapid growth was irreversible and also made him seem less approachable, and that was the source of Onean''s displeasure.


    She felt like Erwin was becoming more and more unfamiliar to her, and he was only drifting further away from her with each step that he took. However, at the same time, she knew that he had done nothing wrong. After all, both of them had heavy burdens on their backs that were forcing them to grow and mature at an accelerated pace.


    Sometime in the future, Erwin would come to regret not paying more attention to Onean''s thoughts and emotions, but that was a story for another time.


    On the way back to Zans, no further assassination attempts were encountered, so the unconscious Yuho didn''t have to worry about shielding Erwin from any further arrows.

 CH 102

    While Erwin was racking his brains, trying to think of who could be trying to kill him, the final civil war in the Atlas Empire of the south was about to commence.


    As the commander-in-chief of the army that had been sent to conquer the west, Aiden seemed to be a little distracted. The absentminded look on his face was in stark contrast to the expressions on the faces of those around him, and it was clear that he was still thinking about Lana''s inexplicable disappearance. He simply couldn''t fathom how a living, breathing human had just disappeared without a trace like this, particularly a grand magic mentor like Lana.


    Larwood, Chase, Byron, and all of the other standout figures of the younger generation beside him were raring to go, itching for the opportunity to make significant contributions on the battlefield. The Atlas Empire and the Skycourt Kingdom had signed a truce agreement, so there weren''t going to be many opportunities for them to earn accolades in battle in the future, at least for the next few years. However, there were countless vacant positions for these young men to fill in the wake of the empire''s founding, and all of these young nobles saw this battle to conquer Fooz as an opportunity to climb up the ranks. There was no pride to be had in forever living in the shadows of their fathers. Only by earning their own glory on the battlefield could they attain the approval of their families, and as nobles, all of them were very prideful characters.


    Furthermore, conquering Fooz was projected to be a simple task, so the accolades were essentially there for the taking for whoever wanted them most.


    Ever since the passing of Governor Jenkins, Gwen had taken over in his place. In the wake of the battle on the Marrod Plain, the Effer Kingdom had lost the entirety of its main forces, leaving only 50,000 weak and elderly soldiers to guard Fooz. Recently, Gwen had been frantically recruiting more soldiers, and as a result of her efforts, the army in Fooz had been expanded to 80,000 men. In contrast, Aiden only had 50,000 soldiers under his command, so Gwen had a major numbers advantage, but that certainly didn''t guarantee that she was going to come out on top in this battle.


    Furthermore, everyone knew that the Lazaar Family had access to a flight of tamed twin-foot flying dragons. With those magic beasts that their disposal, no matter how many soldiers Gwen pitted against them, her resistance was almost inevitably going to prove futile.


    In the face of the imminent battle, Aiden wasn''t concerned in the slightest. After passing over the Twin Reydnold Mountains, the 50,000 men under his command hadn''t encountered any meaningful resistance. Aiden didn''t know whether this was some type of ploy from Gwen to try and lure him into a sense of complacency, or if the troops under her command really were that incapable of putting up any resistance. In any case, he wasn''t interested in pondering this matter. All he wanted was for this battle to conclude as quickly as possible.


    After learning that Gwen''s army had been entirely stationed at Tewadedan, Aiden directed his army toward the west, where they set up camp around 15 kilometers away from Tewadedan. The intention was to directly face Gwen''s army and engage in a final showdown at the foot of Tewadedan.


    ...


    In a certain tent in the barracks of the Atlas Empire''s army.


    Larwood''s hands were folded and resting on top of his chest, while his feet were propped up on another chair. He wore a dark expression as he said, "You know that we''re going to be facing Kaiba, right?"


    Chase turned to him with a perplexed expression. "I knew even before setting off. Why are you asking this question again?"


    Larwood shook his head and offered no response.


    "Surely you don''t think Kaiba is the type of person who would give up his own life for a woman," Chase jibed.


    However, Larwood wasn''t amused. He turned to Chase with a serious expression and asked, "Is he not that type of person?"


    Chase''s smile faded slightly upon hearing this.


    In this instant, they suddenly felt like the friends that they had known for their entire lives were extremely unfamiliar to them.


    They had thought that Erwin was just a clueless and lackadaisical young noble, but in the face of a major crisis, he had displayed courage and decisiveness far beyond what they had expected from him.


    They had thought that Kaiba''s attitude toward women would be just as pragmatic and detached as theirs, but that didn''t seem to be the case.


    Even though they had grown up together from such a young age, it seemed that they didn''t know one another anywhere near as well as they thought they did.


    "What do you suggest then?" Chase asked with a wry smile. "Once the battle begins, there''s no telling what could happen. Do you have any good ideas?"


    Larwood shook his head once again. "If he wants to die, then no one can stop him. Do you understand what I mean?"


    Chase was struck by a sense of contempt toward Larwood''s pretentiousness, but he didn''t want to display such an emotion, so he could only put on a lamenting expression.


    In reality, he was thinking to himself, You''re just putting on a show. With Aiden leading this army, are you really going to save Kaiba in front of everyone? If you really cared about the lives of your friends, then you wouldn''t have watched Erwin rush to his death without saying anything. You knew that in all likelihood, he was going to die on that battlefield, but you chose to stay silent anyway, and now, you''re putting on the same act again.


    After internally denouncing Larwood, he gave himself a severe dressing down as well. He knew that he had no right to look down on Larwood. After all, he had also chosen to remain silent and watch as Erwin departed. However, he was ecstatic when he heard that his friends had survived that ordeal.


    He still recalled that at the time he received the news, he had been in Newen. As soon as he heard that Erwin and Kaiba had returned to Sarus, he was so excited that he had burst into tears right away. That day, he had locked himself in his own room, drinking alone while laughing and crying to himself like a madman. Even though he was unable to suppress his own emotions, he still had to take care to be quiet and not be overheard. That was the first time that he had so vividly experienced the sorrow of growing up and maturing. He knew that he wasn''t any less pretentious than Larwood, but as was the case with many people, he was continuing down the same path despite despising himself the entire time.


    He then thought of Kaiba, who had survived the battle on the Marrod Plain against all odds, only to have to face the invasion of the Atlas Empire''s forces, and he couldn''t help but be overcome by a sense of sorrow for his friend.


    The passage of time inevitably brought about some permanent, irreversible changes. Chase had gone back to the places in Sarus where he and his friends had previously frequented, but he was unable to recapture the feeling from back then. To him, those places only evoked within him a sense of loneliness and sadness, rather than any happy memories.


    ...


    Tewadedan.


    Kaiba was lying in bed, locking himself in his room rather than attending the military meeting.


    Having participated in the battle on the Marrod Plain, he was naturally aware of how fearsome Lazaar''s troops and the twin-foot flying dragons were. Hence, regardless of how meticulously they planned for the upcoming battle, there was simply no point.


    He had come to Tewadedan with Gwen for no reason other than a desire to stay by her side and protect her, even though he was aware that his devotion to her wasn''t guaranteed to yield any results.


    He began to sift through his own memories, wondering to himself when exactly it was that he had begun to develop feelings for Gwen. Perhaps it was the first offense and defense class. Perhaps he had already fallen for her from the moment he saw the determination and indignation in her eyes when she lost her first sparring match against Larwood. Ever since then, he had developed a habit of stealing the occasional glance at her during the few classes that they shared together.


    Hence, he was quite displeased whenever Erwin teased Larwood about his relationship with Gwen. He wanted to ask why it could only have been Larwood and Gwen, rather than him and Gwen.


    Unfortunately, he had disguised his own feelings too well, so well that his friends had no idea what he felt.


    The first time that he had experienced heartache in his life was when he watched Lana sweep Gwen off the competition platform like a piece of rubbish during the Pillow Sword Tournament. Seeing her tattered orange dress and the sorry state that she was in, his first instinct was to leap into the venue and wrap her in his embrace, but he had hesitated and ultimately decided not to do anything.


    All he remembered about that night was that he had gotten extremely drunk in an effort to forget his own cowardice and powerlessness. Whiskey and remorse had gushed down his throat all night in a painful concoction of remorse. Everyone had thought that he had drunk so much as he was celebrating Erwin''s advancement to the semifinals of the Pillow Sword Tournament, but in reality, he had only been trying to numb himself with the alcohol.


    From that day forth, he swore to himself that if another opportunity for him to protect her were to ever arise, then he would seize it with both hands.


    That was why he was so determined to set off into battle together with Erwin back in Xeto.


    This was something that he had refrained from telling Erwin, but at the time, he knew that Gwen was in danger.


    He had insisted on going to the front lines with Erwin as he already knew that the battle was definitely going to take a turn for the worse for the forces of the Effer Kingdom.


    This was because one of Duke Nandoon''s subordinates had delivered a message to Kaiba''s father, advising them to stay in Xeto.


    Given Kaib''s understanding of the state of the royal court, he immediately understood what that entailed, and that was why he was so eager to get to the front lines as quickly as possible.


    Thankfully, his efforts paid off, and he managed to arrive in time to save Gwen from the brink of death.


    However, he may have saved her life, but could he save her from her fate?


    ...


    Inside the large guest hall of the governor''s manor, the military meeting had already concluded, and all of the commanders of the army of Fooz had gone to carry out certain arrangements for the upcoming battle.


    Gwen was standing in front of the window with her arms crossed, looking out in silence at the city of Tewadedan under the light of the setting sun.


    She was also aware that she had no chance of winning the upcoming battle.


    Even so, there was no way that she would simply hand over everything that her father had worked so hard for to the enemy without putting up a fight.


    Furthermore, there were also some personal motives driving her to continue down this path.


    It had always been a source of indignation for her that Onean and Lana were always under the limelight, while she was nothing more than an afterthought. She hadn''t shed any less blood, sweat, and tears than them, and she had always striven to do her very best, but ultimately, she was still shunned and forgotten.


    When it came to conversations surrounding the figures at the forefront of the younger generation, Onean and Lana were always the ones being compared, while no one even mentioned her name, even though she was the most hard-working and exceptional student in Teedus Academy''s magic division.


    She was unable to stomach the fact that everyone looked down on her just because her looks and talents were inferior to those of Onean and Lana.


    However, the world was a pragmatic and cruel place. If you didn''t possess peerless talent or unmatched looks, you were destined to be forgotten.


    When it came to magical talent, Gwen was among the cream of the crop when it came to the young nobles of Sarus. In the looks department, Gwen was also quite exceptional. Unfortunately, the goal that she was pursuing was the insurmountable peak atop which stood Onean and Lana.


    This was what Gwen was most frustrated about. It seemed that no matter how much effort she gave, she simply couldn''t catch up to those two.


    This sense of inferiority and frustration had been ruminating in her heart for many years, and she desperately wanted to prove herself.


    However, the battle against Lana during the Pillow Sword Tournament was like a bucket of cold water that had been poured over her head.


    The outcome of the battle had dealt her an extremely heavy blow. She had done everything in her power, but she was seen as nothing more than a joke.


    She felt like a court jester, one that could only attract ridicule and amusement no matter what she did.


    For people like her, even sympathy from others was a luxury that was completely out of reach.


    No one cared about the sorry state that she had ended up in at the conclusion of that battle. The only one who had extended any concern toward her had been her own father.


    Her heart was like that orange dress. Initially, it had been filled with hope and exuberance, but ultimately, it was torn to shreds by the harsh and pragmatic wringer that was this world. What had truly defeated her wasn''t Lana''s magic. Instead, it was the weight of public opinion, which suggested that it was completely reasonable for her to lose to Lana.


    However, she wasn''t going to accept her fate. Even if the entire world thought that she was going to lose, she was still going to hold her head up high and see this battle through to the very end.


    She wasn''t determined to fight Lazaar''s troops because Lazaar had been her father''s sworn enemy. Instead, she simply didn''t want to bow her head down to fate.


    I''m sure my father would be proud of me, Gwen thought to herself as a faint smile appeared on her face, but at the same time, a film of tears had welled up in her eyes.

 CH 103

    It was a peaceful summer''s day. The air on the outskirts of Tewadedan was particularly refreshing, and it seemed that the nearby mines hadn''t affected the environment here in the slightest.


    If we didn''t need to go to battle, this would be a perfect time for a hike in nature, a soldier by the name of Ronnie thought to himself.


    It was no wonder that he was still able to think of something so relaxing so close to a battle. He was one of the newbie soldiers who had only recently been recruited, and he had no idea what he was going to be facing. In fact, there were many new soldiers like Ronnie who were rather looking forward to the upcoming battle.


    In contrast, all of the experienced soldiers of the camp wore grim expressions as if they were about to face a terrifying ordeal, and that was something that Ronnie couldn''t understand.


    Are the soldiers of Burmen really that strong? he thought to himself in a disdainful manner.


    However, the pale complexion that he had seen on Gwen''s face prior to setting off instilled a seed of doubt in his heart toward the outcome of the imminent battle.


    In the end, he decided not to entertain these erratic thoughts any longer and tightened his grip around the shaft of his spear. With his spear in hand, he felt ready to take on the entire world.


    ...


    Gwen didn''t want to see the city that her father had worked so hard to create be destroyed during the battle, nor did she want to see all of the innocent citizens of Tewadedan lose their lives because of her. Thus, she chose to engage Aiden in a final showdown outside of the city.


    The battle was to take place on Deer Antler Hill around 10 kilometers away from Tewadedan.


    Looking at the massive army of Fooz spreading out before him, Aiden was struck by a hint of admiration toward Gwen, but that was far overshadowed by her contempt toward her stupidity.


    Aiden knew what Gwen was thinking, and that was the reason for his contempt. One couldn''t afford to let their softer emotions get in the way of battle. In order to give themselves the best chances of winning, they had to maximize all of the advantages at their disposal, and that included their geographic location. In Aiden''s eyes, it was downright foolish for Gwen to abandon the sturdy defenses of the city just because she was afraid of civilian casualties and the city being damaged.


    In Aiden''s eyes, if Gwen were to stay in Tewadedan and order her army to defend with their lives, then there was a slight chance that they could weather this storm. After all, he had only brought 10,000 of his own elite troops with him. As for the remaining 40,000 troops, those had been gathered by the nobles of Sarus, and he didn''t have any confidence in them. Furthermore, he had no plans to use the twin-foot flying dragons during this battle. After all, after conquering Fooz, he had to sway the citizens of the province to his side. If he were excessively barbaric and violent on the battlefield, then that could evoke a great deal of hostility toward him in the hearts of the people of Fooz. If that were to happen, future rebellions from Fooz would almost be inevitable.


    Aiden was thinking to himself that if Onean were in Gwen''s place, there was no way that she would''ve made such a decision. The fact that she was willing to destroy the royal palace that had been her home since birth was a clear indication of just how ruthless she could be. With the thought of Onean entering his mind, he couldn''t help but think of his own sister again. Both of them were extraordinarily beautiful and talented women. In terms of strategic and tactical acumen, Aiden was confident that Lana wouldn''t lose to Onean, but in his opinion, she wasn''t quite as ruthless and decisive as Onean was.


    Where could she have gone? Aiden''s thoughts were still preoccupied with Lana, and he could barely even be bothered to take a glance at the opposing army of Fooz.


    He couldn''t shake the feeling that this incident had something to do with Erwin, and with that in mind, he was once again struck by a sense of remorse. He shouldn''t have allowed Lana and Jeff to return to Sarus with their father. If they hadn''t gone with him, then Jeff wouldn''t haven''t been crippled and disfigured, and Lana would''ve never met Erwin.


    However, there was no way to turn back time, and regardless of how protective he was of Lana, she would eventually have to marry someone someday. If he had a choice in the matter, he naturally wanted to see Lana marry someone that she loved. He didn''t want Lana to have to sacrifice her own happiness in a political marriage for the sake of their family. Hence, even though Aiden was very much in disapproval of Erwin, he wasn''t strictly opposed to the idea of Erwin being Lana''s future husband.


    All he wanted was for Lana to be happy, so he would accept her choice as long as it was someone she loved.


    Furthermore, it wasn''t like Erwin was completely worthless in Aiden''s eyes. Even he had to admit that Erwin''s time and space magic was quite fearsome.


    He must have something going for him if Lana''s fallen for him so completely, Aiden thought to himself.


    Of course, this was also the source of Aiden''s displeasure. While it was true that Erwin was a young magician with great potential, he was extremely promiscuous and was hooking up with Onean, even though he already had Lana, much to Aiden''s fury and chagrin.


    In any case, even though there wasn''t any evidence, Aiden was already blaming Lana''s disappearance on Erwin.


    Even though Erwin wasn''t here, his closest friends were present on this battlefield.


    For example, there was Kaiba standing next to Gwen in front of Fooz''s forces.


    On the night that Erwin and Onean had fled from Sarus, Aiden had seen Kaiba.


    That night, Kaiba had received a kick from Aiden that had almost killed him on the spot. If the blow hadn''t been cushioned by that suit of Falcon Beak Lizard armor, there was a good chance that he would''ve died that night.


    Seeing as he couldn''t vent his fury on Erwin, Aiden was planning to beat up this close friend of Erwin''s instead.


    ...


    The sound of rumbling war drums rang out, resembling explosive thunderclaps, and the battle of Deer Antler Hill finally commenced.


    Due to the hilly terrain of the region, the battlefield wasn''t very open and spacious, and it was only just barely large enough for the footsoldiers of both armies to spread out into their formations. The steep slopes on either side of the flat land weren''t suited for travel on horseback, so the cavaliers of the two armies were unable to immediately enter the fray. It seemed that the cavaliers were going to be reserved for the endgame of this battle.


    The footsoldiers on both sides were maintaining strict formations as they advanced at a steady pace, drawing closer and closer to one another.


    As soon as the footsoldiers of the Atlas Empire entered the range of her archers, Gwen immediately waved her staff through the air, and a volley of arrows instantly shot forth from the rear of the Fooz army.


    Countless arrows that were giving off a peculiar purple hue whistled through the air as they hurtled directly toward the enemy forces.


    As the commander of the footsoldiers, Larwood took a glance at the oncoming storm of arrows with furrowed brows, then immediately roared, "Raise your shields!"


    Upon entering the range of the enemy archers, it was always inevitable that they were going to come under fire, so Larwood wasn''t panicked in the slightest. However, the sight of the eerie purple arrowheads evoked a sense of unease within him.


    A string of loud clangs rang out from the ranks of the Atlas Empire''s footsoldiers, and it was as if a barrage of heavy punches were being dealt upon the shields that they were holding.


    The shield-bearing warriors were gradually being overcome by the tremendous force exerted upon the shields by the arrows, and they were forced to switch from a one-hand grip into a two-hand grip, then falling to one knee before eventually being flattened against the ground altogether.


    The footsoldiers of Fooz were extremely excited to see the momentum of the enemy footsoldiers being halted, and they immediately stormed toward the enemy with renewed vigor.


    Aiden''s eyes narrowed slightly as he inspected the oncoming storm of purple arrowheads, and he found them to be quite intriguing.


    The purple arrowheads were crafted from a certain type of special ore found in the mines of Fooz. This type of ore had a special property, which was that when propelled at high speeds, it would absorb the matter around it in order to increase its own mass.


    Hence, after flying through the air for a while, they were able to completely flatten the shield-bearing footsoldiers like a storm of sledgehammers.


    Looks like Jenkins left some stuff behind for his daughter, after all, Aiden thought to himself.


    Right at this moment, Gwen rose up into the sky from the back of her steed before beginning to chant an incantation with the objective of applying further pressure to the Atlas Empire''s ranks.


    Snow and ice gradually began to fall from the heavens, but the magicians of the Atlas Empire certainly weren''t just going to stand by idly and allow her to do as she pleased.


    The magicians were led by Byron Shreesan, and they immediately conjured up an advanced magic dome to keep the storm of snow and ice at bay.


    In terms of pure magic power, Byron and Gwen were at a similar level. Furthermore, both of them were among the top young magicians of Teedus Academy, so they knew each other''s skillsets very well.


    However, Byron had no intention of facing Gwen in a one-on-one battle. From the instant that Byron rose up to face Gwen, many advanced magicians appeared behind him for assistance. It was clear that Byron wasn''t the only advanced magician among the young nobles of Sarus.


    Countless spells of all types of dazzling colors began to clash in a frenzy, creating an incessant string of loud explosions.


    Spells of all manners of different attributes collided violently, creating an enormous piece of vivid artwork in the sky.


    It was clear that Gwen was struggling to deal with so many advanced magicians.


    Right as she was doing everything in her power to ward off all of the oncoming spells, a scorching fireball suddenly shot forth from a certain direction before hurtling rapidly toward her back.


    Right as the fireball was about to come into contact with Gwen''s magician robes, a silver spear abruptly plunged through it, extinguishing it on the spot.


    The wielder of the spear then rose up into the sky from behind Gwen, revealing himself to be none other than Kaiba.


    Judging from the speed and power of that spear strike, it was clear that Kaiba had made great strides in his martial techniques during his time in Tewadedan.


    Larwood and Chase were both already fighting on the battlefield, and their hearts were filled with mixed emotions at the sight of the familiar figure in the sky.


    Meanwhile, Kaiba had positioned himself behind Gwen like an immovable guardian.


    There was no verbal communication between the two, but Kaiba was extremely happy just to be by her side at a time like this. They weren''t lovers, but at this moment, he was her most solid pillar of support.


    It wasn''t that there were no other magicians in Fooz, so Gwen could only fight on her own. Instead, this was a plan that Gwen had devised prior to the battle. She was going to draw the firepower of all of the Atlas Empire''s magicians, thereby leaving all of the other magicians of Fooz free to attack the Atlas Empire''s army as they pleased.


    Of course, her plan had been far too simple and naive.


    There was no way that Aiden would''ve simply allowed her to get her way and let the magicians of Fooz do as they pleased.


    With a wave of his hand, the herald beside him immediately raised the corresponding flag.


    Thus, all of the troops situated at the rear of the Atlas Empire''s army immediately pulled out bows that were strapped to their backs.


    "Fire!" Aiden ordered.


    A volley of arrows was instantly fired from the rear of the Atlas Empire''s army, and the arrowheads were glowing with white light, making the storm of arrows resemble a dazzling meteor shower.


    The arrows were aimed at none other than the magicians of the Fooz army.


    A string of agonized howls instantly rang out in the sky above Fooz''s forces.


    Hundreds of Fooz''s magicians were felled by the storm of arrows before they even had a chance to break through the magic dome.


    These soldiers of Burmen were constantly battling the magic beasts of the Terarody Mountain Ranges, and the arrows that the archers fired were quite effective even against those magic beasts, let alone these magicians who weren''t even wearing any armor.


    Even Gwen was almost unable to get out of the way in time and came within a hair''s breadth of being shot down by the arrows. Thankfully, Kaiba''s reflexes were sharp enough to grab her and pull her out of harm''s way just in the nick of time.


    Looking at the arrow that had only just barely flown past the tip of her nose, Gwen''s inner garments were instantly drenched in cold sweat.


    In the blink of an eye, Aiden had completely turned the tables on the battlefield, and this was only a brief display of power from the elite troops of Burmen. One could only imagine just how much of an impact these elite troops would have if they were to join the battle on the front lines. These were Aiden''s most trusted and capable soldiers, and they had always been concealed in the barracks of Leeku. Even during the battle on the Marrod Plain, they hadn''t made an appearance, and this was the first time they were being revealed in a large-scale battle.


    The reason why Aiden was refraining from sending these elite troops into battle right away was because he wanted to give the new soldiers of Sarus some battle experience, and everything would end all too quickly if these elite troops were to enter the fray.


    Gwen cast a furious gaze toward Aiden, and she pounced directly toward him like a scorned lioness.


    Aiden remained completely unfazed, looking as calm and collected as ever. He was rather intrigued to see what Gwen was planning to do next.


    Meanwhile, a brutal battle was taking place on the battlefield between the two armies.


    The soldiers of Fooz had thought that the Atlas Empire''s troops would be cast into complete disarray, but to their surprise, the Atlas Empire''s army was slowly turning the tables, led by the likes of Larwood and Chase.


    Finally, new soldiers like Ronnie were beginning to realize that the battlefield wasn''t as fun a place as they had thought it to be, and that these young nobles weren''t complete pushovers as they had expected.


    Meanwhile, Byron and the other magicians were no longer preoccupied with Gwen, so they were able to launch fierce barrages of spells onto the soldiers of Fooz.


    This was an unfair battle to begin with, but then again, fairness was never mandated in battles.


    ...


    With support from the magicians in the sky, the Atlas Empire''s troops commenced a ferocious assault.


    Countless new soldiers of the Fooz army just like Ronnie were filled with despair at the sight of the storm of fireballs descending from the heavens.


    All of their unfulfilled ambitions were blown away, much like dandelion seeds that were unable to stand the test of even a faint breeze.


    One young and exuberant heart after another ceased beating in the blink of an eye.


    Countless new soldiers just like Ronnie were being slaughtered on this cruel and merciless battlefield. They were like powerless prey that could do nothing but wait for their ferocious hunters to massacre them.


    Larwood was leading from the front on horseback, plunging his way deep into the ranks of Fooz''s army.


    The troops of the Atlas Empire were greatly inspired to see their commander displaying such courage and dominance, and they all charged along behind Larwood with all their might.


    At this point, the front section of the Fooz army had already completely collapsed, and they had suffered close to 10,000 deaths.


    Aiden looked on as Larwood valiantly led the charge toward the enemy, and he was mildly impressed.


    All of a sudden, a silver spear plummeted down like a shooting star, plunging directly into the ground in front of Larwood, stopping him cold in his tracks.


    The wielder of the spear was an extremely familiar figure to Larwood, and neither of them would''ve ever imagined that they would face each other on the battlefield as enemies someday.


    Larwood cast his gaze toward Kaiba with a cold expression as he asked, "Is it really worth it?"


    A carefree smile appeared on Kaiba''s face as he replied, "I''ve lived like a coward for too long. I want to be true to myself and truly live for once."


    "You might not live much longer at this rate," Larwood said with tightly furrowed brows.


    "Then I''ll just have to die with her," Kaiba replied as he cast his gaze toward Gwen, who was situated elsewhere on the battlefield.


    Larwood shook his head with a frustrated expression. "You must''ve had your head kicked in by Caster''s donkey!"


    For some reason, Larwood couldn''t help but chuckle with amusement at his own statement, even though he still wore a frustrated scowl.


    Kaiba also began to chuckle with amusement upon hearing this.


    This was an inside joke between Erwin and his friends.


    Caster was the name of a person, namely a renowned procurer back in Sarus.


    He was not a scrupulous businessman, and he specialized in preying on nobles who had far more Loonies than brain cells, charging them exorbitant prices. Unfortunately, at the time, Erwin and his friends were still quite young, so they were unable to visit the red-light districts of Sarus. If they were to be caught visiting such places at such a young age, they would''ve been subjected to severe punishment from their families, so they had no choice but to support Caster''s business.


    As for the joke about Caster''s donkey, that was from Chase. As aforementioned, the four of them had been quite young at the time, and they were severely lacking in general knowledge, so they were oblivious to the fact that it was very dangerous to stand behind animals like horses and donkeys as they could kick at any moment.


    On one occasion, after they had just done the deed in one of Larwood''s secret houses, the four of them were leaning against the wall, looking up at the sky in an absentminded manner while feeling the effects of post-nut clarity. For some reason, Chase was suddenly struck by a burst of inspiration and developed an interest in the voluptuous bottom of Caster''s donkey. At the time, Caster was still in the room, gathering the women that he had procured, and Chase took the opportunity to play with the donkey''s bottom.


    While doing so, he was joking to the other three that its bottom was no less pleasant to the touch than the bottoms of the women that they had just enjoyed. Inevitably, the donkey eventually kicked with its rear hoof, sending Chase crashing to the ground.


    Chase immediately began to roll around, howling with agony while holding onto his own head. The other three were terrified and immediately gathered around him to examine his condition. Thankfully, Chase possessed a sufficiently thick skull to weather the ordeal, and after lying in bed for a few days, he made a full recovery.


    As the four of them grew older, they came to realize just how unscrupulous Caster had been, and just how much money they had spent on very mediocre hostesses. Hence, the inside joke of being kicked in the head by Caster''s donkey remained a staple, and it was brought up whenever one of them did something stupid.


    ...


    Standing on the battlefield, the two of them took a brief moment to reminisce about the past, then cast aside their sentimental feelings and prepared to face each other in battle.


    Meanwhile, Chase had also spotted the confrontation that was taking place between Kaiba and Larwood, and he could only look on in silence with a complex expression.


    Kaiba thrust his spear directly toward Larwood''s chest with tremendous force, yet Larwood seemed to have anticipated this attack, sidestepping to easily evade it before sweeping his sword toward Kaiba''s lower body.


    Kaiba also reacted extremely quickly, leaping up from the ground to jump over Larwood''s sweeping sword.


    It seemed like Kaiba had also dodged the attack with ease, but in reality, he was already drenched in cold sweat.


    He had only unleashed this spear technique in front of Larwood on one occasion, and that was back when they were battling those Falcon Beak Lizards in the Terarody Mountain Ranges. However, that one time was enough for Larwood to commit the technique to memory, thereby allowing him to evade the attack with such ease and composure.


    At the time, Larwood had already been mentally prepared for this day, so he had been actively keeping tabs on his own friends even from back then. It was truly impressive and a little disturbing just how adept a schemer Larwood was.

 CH 104

    Those who were calculated and cunning would always have an advantage over the na?ve and oblivious, and victory often went to the most meticulous planners.


    Larwood''s domination over Kaiba in their battle was a caricature of the entire battle taking place at large.


    Even though Kaiba had trained very conscientiously and had made large strides as a martial artist, and he possessed exceptional defensive prowess, it was very unfortunate for him that his opponent was Larwood.


    Larwood had been able to somewhat keep up with Jeff during the Pillow Sword Tournament, so he naturally knew how to slowly chip away at Kaiba''s defenses bit by bit.


    Meanwhile, on the battlefield, the army of Fooz was being dominated by the Atlas Empire''s forces, and the soldiers of Fooz had no better course of action other than to continue to send more troops onto the battlefield.


    However, with the support of the magicians in the sky, the soldiers of the Atlas Empire were completely unstoppable, and they were carving through Fooz''s ranks with ease.


    The disparity in the number of casualties being suffered by both armies was quickly piling up. At this point, the Fooz army only had around 40,000 troops left, while the Atlas Empire''s army had only lost fewer than 5,000 men. At this rate, this battle was going to reach a conclusion before noon.


    Kaiba was panting heavily as blood flowed down from the corners of his lips. His cheeks were throbbing intensely, a sign that his stamina was about to run out, but he didn''t relax his grip around his silver spear in the slightest.


    In contrast, Larwood''s breathing was even and smooth, and he was watching Kaiba like a cold and calculated hunter surveying his prey.


    "You''ve fought for long enough, let me take over here." Chase had been observing their battle this entire time, and he suddenly stepped in, positioning himself between Larwood and Kaiba. "As the commander of our troops, you can''t just dedicate your attention solely to a one-on-one battle."


    In reality, Chase was telling Larwood to spare their old friend.


    Larwood faltered slightly upon hearing this, and the killing intent in his eyes gradually faded.


    Kaiba cast his gaze toward Chase, and a wry smile appeared on his face.


    Chase swept his gaze over the dozen or so profusely bleeding wounds on Kaiba''s body, and a complex look appeared in his eyes. If the wound on his neck were even half an inch deeper, then he would''ve already been a dead man. Furthermore, there was a wound on his leg that was aimed straight at the major artery there. Similarly, if that wound were even slightly deeper, then Kaiba would''ve bled out in seconds. Chase was too mediocre a martial artist to definitively determine whether Larwood was actually trying to end Kaiba''s life. He could only make an educated guess according to what he was seeing, and the more he saw, the more his heart sank.


    With Chase stepping in, Larwood didn''t say anything. He took a glance at the two of them, then rose up into the air to fly to another part of the battlefield.


    "I didn''t think that he''d be so strong," Kaiba said with a wry smile as he wiped the blood from the corners of his lips, and even as he was speaking, he was still panting heavily.


    "He really would''ve killed you if I hadn''t stepped in," Chase said as he watched Larwood''s departing figure.


    "I know." Kaiba didn''t doubt Chase''s statement in the slightest.


    "Is it really worth it just for a woman?" Chase asked.


    "It''s not just for her," Kaiba replied with a faint smile.


    "Then what are you doing this for?" Chase asked.


    Kaiba cast his gaze toward Chase, and he seemed to want to say something, but refrained from doing so in the end.


    He didn''t think that Chase would understand anyway.


    However, right as Kaiba rose up from the ground, Chase heard his faint response: "I''m doing this so I can live as a brave man for once."


    He stood rooted to the spot as he watched Kaiba fly away into the distance, and he couldn''t help but wonder whether he had ever truly understood those around him that he had once deemed to be the closest of friends.


    He couldn''t help but think back to his conversation with Larwood prior to the commencement of this battle, and it seemed to him that Larwood had a far better understanding of their friends than he did.


    ...


    As soon as Kaiba returned to the Fooz army''s ranks, he discovered that he was already too late.


    Unwilling to watch the state of the battle continue to deteriorate, Gwen had already begun chanting the incantation of a devastating spell by the name of Compulsion of Death.


    As was common knowledge, practicing magic involved taking and converting matter from the surrounding environment. The amount of matter that could be taken and the rate at which it could be converted was dependent on the magician''s abilities. Of course, there were also magicians like Lana, who used arcane spells to help her increase the amount of matter that she could gather and accelerate the conversion process. However, arcane spells worked by taking the converted matter energy and injecting it into the caster''s body before being released. In other words, prior to the release of the spell, the caster''s body would have to act as a vessel for the matter energy converted by the arcane spell. Only a grand magic mentor with exceptional mental fortitude like Lana could take in so much arcane energy at once. If an average magician were in her shoes, there was a very good chance that they would''ve been killed on the spot in the instant that the arcane energy flooded into their body.


    As such, arcane spells were only explored by advanced magicians or grand magic mentors. In the world of magic, the subject of whether arcane spells could cause permanent damage to a magician''s body had always been a subject of contention. Hence, for safety purposes, most magic academies chose not to include arcane spells in their curriculum. However, seeing as Professor Hawk had bestowed that copy of "The Origins of Arcane Spells" upon Erwin, it seemed that he belonged to the camp that was of the opinion that arcane spells were harmless to the magicians casting them.


    However, arcane spells were far from the only spells that used the caster''s body as vessels.


    The spell that Gwen was preparing at this very moment was one that treated the caster itself as a body of matter energy, a vessel that was filled with energy. In the instant that the spell was unleashed, the caster would become a part of the spell.


    This was the most extreme of forbidden arts in all magic, and essentially, the caster was igniting themselves like a firework. Unfortunately, not everyone could turn themselves into a sentient body of elemental matter like Theresa.


    Gwen wanted to unleash a spell capable of turning the tide of the entire battle, but she didn''t possess the magic power to accomplish such a feat, so this was the only course of action that she could turn to.


    This was a display of Gwen''s determination. She had decided to use her own life force to decimate the enemy before her.


    Despite the gravity of the decision, she hadn''t hesitated in the slightest before making it.


    In her eyes, this was her duty, and it was her defiant final stand.


    A boundless expanse of greyness was beginning to converge toward Gwen.


    Her own body was also beginning to turn grey, and soon, it was becoming more and more difficult to make out her figure amid the murky greyness.


    A martial artist of Aiden''s caliber was naturally able to clearly sense the surging elemental matter all around him, and he immediately raised his head, casting an incredulous gaze toward the center of the vast expanse of grey energy.


    Never did he think that Gwen would be such a fiercely determined character, and to him, this was the biggest surprise that had emerged in this battle thus far.


    ...


    What had appeared in the sky was a grey sun that wasn''t giving off any light. There were dark azure rays of light rapidly converging toward a speck of bright azure light at the center, and that was the only source of light within the grey sun.


    Situated at the center of that speck of bright azure light was none other than Gwen, the woman who refused to bow her head to fate.


    Kaiba looked on with a stunned expression as the fierce wind swept through his hair, and the tip of his spear was trembling incessantly.


    He could sense just how much power was contained within the center of the grey sun, and he could even sense her single-minded determination.


    In that instant, a hint of dejection welled up in his heart.


    In the end, she''s still all alone. I may be physically present, but she''s still all on her own, Kaiba sighed to himself.


    All of a sudden, a streak of light hurtled through the air and rapidly arrived at the scene.


    It was none other than Aiden.


    As the commander-in-chief of the Atlas Empire''s forces, Aiden naturally couldn''t just stand by idly and watch as Gwen unleashed such a devastating spell.


    A loud clang rang out as Kaiba''s spear clashed with his halberd, and in that instant, he knew his mission.


    This was the last thing that he could do for her.


    "Piss off! You''re no match for me," Aiden said as he took a glance at Kaiba, then forced him back with a sweep of his halberd before flying directly toward the center of the grey sun.


    "Ha! You''re staring death in the face and you don''t even know it!" Kaiba wasn''t backing down in the slightest as he thrust his spear directly toward Aiden''s back.


    This was an attack unleashed with all of his remaining power, and he had eliminated any option of retreat for himself.


    Aiden''s brows furrowed slightly as he sensed the spear piercing toward him from behind, and he was forced to react.


    However, he didn''t choose to take the attack head-on. Instead, he sidestepped the attack with ease, allowing Kaiba to pass right by him.


    His crushing speed advantage over Kaiba was being put on full display here.


    Before Kaiba had a chance to arrest his own moment, he was struck by a vicious knee to the stomach from Aiden.


    As a result, he immediately threw up a large mouthful of blood and was sent flying back over 20 feet.


    A martial artist of Aiden''s caliber didn''t require all those fancy techniques. Instead, brute power more than sufficed against an opponent far weaker than himself.


    Aiden turned to Kaiba with tightly gritted teeth, and it was as if he were looking at a dead man.


    Meanwhile, Kaiba was clasping his own stomach with an agonized expression, and more blood was gushing out of his mouth, but for some reason, there was a smile lingering on his face.


    "What are you smiling about?" Aiden asked as his brows furrowed slightly.


    Kaiba wiped the blood from his lips with his wrist, offering no response to Aiden''s questions as he thrust his spear forward once again, this time aiming for Aiden''s chest.


    However, there was a severe power gap between the two to begin within, and Kaiba''s cause certainly wasn''t helped by the fact that he was severely injured. Before his spear even had a chance to reach close to Aiden, his own chest had already been impaled by Aiden''s halberd.


    Kaiba was gripping tightly onto the shaft of Aiden''s halberd while still striving to plunge his spear toward Aiden with his other hand.


    However, his efforts were completely futile.


    In his final moments, Kaiba turned his head and cast his gaze toward the center of the grey sun with a hint of longing and passion in his eyes.


    To his surprise, Gwen was looking right back at him from the center of the speck of bright azure light, and he could see that she was shedding tears for him.


    In the final moment of his life, he had finally managed to break down the walls around Gwen''s heart and claim a spot there.


    On the battlefield down below, Chase was looking up at Kaiba with a film of tears in his eyes. In that instant, he felt like he finally understood what Kaiba had said about living a brave life for once. The candle that burned twice as bright always burned only half as long, but perhaps it was better that way.


    Larwood was also looking up at his close friend, and in the instant that he lowered his head, a hint of frustration and remorse flashed through his eyes. He knew that he should''ve ended Kaiba''s life himself rather than leaving it to someone else.

 CH 105

    Thus, one of the four founders of the Four Winds mercenary legion met his demise.


    This was an inevitable outcome from the moment that Kaiba made the decision to stay in Tewadedan, and no one was surprised by this. Even Kaiba himself knew that his chances of surviving this battle were slim to none.


    Even though the other three were all extremely pragmatic people, Kaiba''s death was still an event that had rocked them to the core and filled them with powerful emotions. It was like putting a drop of water into the sea. It was very difficult to say whether this drop of water had any effect on the sea, but it was undeniable that the event had taken place.


    Of course, Erwin only heard about Kaiba''s death sometime later, but from the moment that he left Tewadedan, he had already anticipated that this would happen. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have bid farewell to Kaiba with such finality in his own heart while departing from Tewadedan.


    This was the world of adults, and one had to take responsibility for their own decisions.


    Kaiba had made this choice of his own accord, so he had to deal with the consequences.


    No longer were they sheltered young nobles who always had the backing of their families no matter what kind of mess they got themselves into.


    However, Kaiba was very glad that he had made this decision, and he had died a happy man.


    If he had managed to last just a little longer before departing from this world, then he would''ve been even more elated, because mere moments after his death, light began to erupt from the grey sun.


    The Compulsion of Death had bloomed like a silver lotus flower.


    On this violent and sinister battlefield, this cesspool of death and slaughter, the silver lotus flower came into full bloom, radiating scintillating light to every corner of the battlefield.


    The grey light scorched one''s skin and flesh and destroyed one''s. Even weapons, armor, mountains, rivers, and other landmarks were not immune to its effects. Every single person situated on every corner of Deer Antler Hill felt as if they had been plunged into a grey world of chaos.


    With that, the bright azure speck of light also dissipated into rays of light that spread in all directions.


    This was the final radiance cast upon the world by the woman known as Gwen Jenkins. She may have ceased to exist, but her impact on this world would far outlive her.


    All of the soldiers of the Atlas Empire that had carved their way deep into the ranks of the Fooz army suffered severe casualties. The weaker martial artists and magicians among them had already been reduced to puddles of grey water with glittering silver dust floating on the surface.


    Chase was able to react quite quickly, dragging a few Fooz footsoldiers in front of himself as a meat shield, and only then was he just barely able to escape with his life. However, he had unintentionally left the lower half of one of his legs exposed, and his ankle had been stripped down to its bones, while his tibia had also been exposed.


    Similarly, Larwood''s reflexes were also quite exceptional. In the instant that the grey light began to radiate over the battlefield, he raised a shield in front of himself, but a section of his right forearm was still affected by the light, and that section had become a gruesome mass of exposed flesh and pus.


    At the cost of Gwen''s life, over 30,000 soldiers of the Atlas Empire had been killed.


    This meant that aside from the 10,000 elite troops that Aiden had brought with him, the entirety of the new army assembled by the nobles of Sarus had been decimated by Gwen.


    Thankfully, those aforementioned elite troops were hanging back from the battlefield, and they were able to make a timely retreat. Otherwise, the entire army would''ve been annihilated.


    From this point onward, this place would no longer be known as Deer Antler Hill as all of the hills on either side of the battlefield had already been razed to the ground by the eruption of grey radiance.


    ...


    Looking up at the sky, which had returned to its original state, the soldiers of Fooz were beginning to come to terms with the fact that their commander had just fallen.


    At the cost of her own life, Gwen had wiped out the majority of the Atlas Empire''s forces.


    However, the demise of their commander didn''t bring about a drop in morale among the troops of Fooz. Instead, it had lit a flame in their hearts. Their eyes were filled with burning fury, and all of the remaining soldiers of Fooz, of which there were still more than 40,000, vowed to avenge Gwen.


    Aiden had flown back frantically in the instant that the grey light had erupted, but at this point, he had also returned to the battlefield.


    Surveying the horrendous state that his own forces had been reduced to, he couldn''t help but grit his teeth in fury and frustration.


    He had to admit that Gwen was a worthy adversary, and that he shouldn''t have underestimated her.


    Any disrespect extended toward one''s opponent could potentially lead to horrific consequences, as was the case here.


    However, the situation was still under control. Even though they were at a severe numbers disadvantage, his elite troops had endured countless battles and were far superior to this ragtag army of Fooz that had been assembled in a short time.


    In addition to that, the flattened battlefield had become ideal for cavaliers to roam over.


    In the wake of Gwen''s sacrifice, all of the soldiers of Fooz had worked up the resolve to lay down their own lives, but in the face of merciless assaults from the elite cavalry of Burmen, all they could do was plug the holes in their defensive line with their bodies.


    Having taken some time to compose himself, Aiden was instructing his troops in a calm and intelligent manner. Under his sound instruction, the 10,000 elite troops under his command were quickly able to tear a series of holes in the Fooz army''s defensive line. In addition to that, Aiden was participating in the battle in person, and his power was completely unmatched.


    In contrast, the soldiers of Fooz had lost their commander and were fighting on willpower alone. After warding off several waves of attacks from the enemy, they were finally beginning to falter.


    However, not a single one of the remaining soldiers of Fooz let Gwen down, and all of them refused to surrender. As a result, the battle wore on until it was almost nighttime before finally drawing to a conclusion.


    As the light of the setting sun shone down lazily upon the halberd in Aiden''s grasp, he was struck by a sense of weariness, and it seemed that even the setting sun had grown tired of watching their battle. Aiden had already lost count of how many times he had led his troops on a charge against the enemy forces, and even though there were barely any soldiers left in the Fooz army, they were still setting up anti-cavalry formations, and a hint of admiration welled up in his heart upon seeing this.


    He knew that this final charge would completely decimate what little remained of the enemy forces, and he had long given up on the idea of coaxing the enemy into surrender. He knew that there was no way that these people were going to surrender. Their eyes were filled with nothing but fury and resentment, and there was no getting through to people like them, who were already determined to die.


    Even life and death no longer mattered to them, what could Aiden possibly say to sway them?


    As the final soldier of Fooz was beheaded, a sense of powerlessness and dejection welled up in Aiden''s heart.


    For him and the newly founded Atlas Empire, this couldn''t have been counted as a victory at all.


    Of the 50,000 troops that he had brought with him, there were fewer than 6,000 left.


    They had decimated the army of Fooz, but what was to happen after that?


    Not a single one of the 80,000 troops that Gwen had led out of Tewadedan had survived.


    How are the citizens of Tewadedan going to view the imperial army in the wake of this battle? Aiden thought to himself. It looks like we won''t be able to escape the title of tyrant.


    He knew that Fooz was most likely going to be very difficult to manage in the future.


    Only then did he finally realize why Gwen had been so decisive in sacrificing herself. This had clearly been her plan all along. She knew that there was no way that they could win this battle, so she had decided to sacrifice herself from the very beginning in order to spur on her troops to do the same.


    Due to what he had heard from his father, Aiden had always looked down on the Jenkins Family. From a young age, he had been told that the Jenkins Family was filled with mediocrity, so he had never taken them seriously.


    However, Gwen had taught him a painful lesson on this occasion, and it was a lesson that he was never going to forget.


    ...


    Following the conclusion of the battle, the Atlas Empire''s forces began to clean up the battlefield.


    It was always during this process that some wounded soldiers would be discovered, buried under piles of bodies.


    Larwood made his way over to Chase, then indicated toward his injured leg as he asked, "Is that gonna be a problem?"


    At this point, both of them had already had their wounds treated by the military doctors.


    At this moment, Chase was leaning against a pile of bodies, and his complexion was completely ashen. Under normal circumstances, his complexion was quite dark, but he was looking as pale as a sheet.


    "It''s not going to kill me. At the very worst, I''ll just end up lame," Chase replied with a wry smile.


    "It''s not that bad, is it? Those military doctors appear to be quite capable," Larwood said as he carefully examined Chase''s leg.


    The exposed bone had already been covered in flesh again, so it wasn''t as gruesome to behold as it had previously been. Of course, Chase hadn''t recovered naturally to this extent. Instead, the flesh had been regrown through the effects of magic.


    The flesh that had re-emerged over Chase''s tibia and ankle was of an azure color with blue magic runes flowing around it, and a concerned look appeared on Chase''s face as he looked down at the injury.


    "What about your arm?" he asked.


    "It''s not as severe as what happened to you. The injury is only skin-deep, so I''ll be fine in a month or two," Larwood replied with a smile while raising his arm to show Chase the wound there, which was covered by a layer of blue magic ointment.


    Chase took a glance at the injury, and it was clear that it was far more severe than what Larwood was making it out to be.


    He took a glance at Larwood, but didn''t say anything.


    At this point, the smiles on both of their faces had already faded.


    It seemed that neither of them knew what to say next, so they were both choosing to remain silent.


    Talking about how they had just survived a near-death ordeal was too corny, and talking about their old friend who had just met his demise was like tearing open an old wound, something that was far too painful to face.


    In the end, it was Larwood who broke the silence. He cast his gaze toward the north before asking, "Do you think Erwin will find out?"


    "Find out what?" Chase asked.


    It was unclear whether Chase was actually oblivious to what Larwood was referring to or if he simply didn''t want to discuss the subject.


    Larwood shook his head as he continued to stare at the northern sky, which was still basked in the warm orange glow of the setting sun.


    "It''s hard to say whether he''s even alive at this point," Chase sighed. "Maybe we''re talking about someone who''s already long dead."


    Larwood was rather amused to hear this. "I don''t think so. That bastard''s not going to die so easily."

 CH 106

    Several dozen kilometers away from Zans.


    By the time Sherry arrived with reinforcements, Yuho was already barely breathing.


    It was clear that even though Chinba and Yuho were constantly bickering with one another, they shared a strong relationship, as evidenced by the concern that Chinba was displaying for Yuho in his dire state.


    "Take him to my residence as quickly as possible, but make sure the journey is a smooth one so he doesn''t get jostled to death on the way there," Erwin instructed with a serious expression.


    Sherry immediately did as he was told, carrying Yuho onto a horse-drawn carriage with the help of some other men.


    As for Erwin and Onean, they rushed back to Zans on horseback to prepare the required magic potions.


    By the time Sherry arrived in Zans with Yuho, Onean had already prepared the magic potions and stored them in vials.


    After that, Erwin dismissed everyone else, allowing only Sherry and Chinba to stay behind.


    At this point, Yuho''s condition was already extremely terrible. The poison in his body had already entered all of his organs through his bloodstream, and if Onean couldn''t contain this poison in a short time, then Yuho would be as good as dead.


    "Don''t hold back, use the most potent medicine we have," Erwin said. "I know he may not be able to handle a potent medicine in his current condition, but he''s going to die anyway, so we can''t afford to take things slowly."


    Erwin was telling Onean to essentially treat Yuho as someone who was already dead. Administering potent medicines into his body in his current condition could result in severe after-effects, but the top priority right now was to save his life.


    Onean nodded in response.


    She then opened a vial of brown magic potion, then poured all of it onto Yuho''s wound without any hesitation. As soon as the vial was opened, a foul odor immediately wafted throughout the entire room, striking one with a nauseous response.


    Erwin and Sherry were already accustomed to this, but Chinba was struggling immensely, and he had already almost thrown up on several occasions. However, he didn''t dare to be so rude in Erwin and Onean''s presence, so he could only forcibly suppress his own nausea, shuffling over to the window to breathe in some fresh air from the gap in the window.


    At this moment, the attention of everyone in the room was focused on the gruesome wound on Yuho''s waist. After the brown magic potion had been poured onto the wound, a string of sizzling could be coming from the mangled flesh around the wound. Even though Yuho was in an unconscious state, he was in so much agony that his brows began to furrow tightly.


    A short while later, purple smoke began to rise up from the wound, and upon seeing this, Onean immediately opened a vial of amber-colored magic potion. She then tipped the vial over upside-down before forcefully knocking on the bottom of the vial, trying to tip out the amber-colored liquid as quickly as she could, as if she were afraid that the purple smoke would escape. However, this amber-colored magic potion was extremely viscous, much like honey, and it was very slow to drip out of the vial. In addition to that, the vial had a very thin opening, and it was truly a grueling ordeal, watching such a viscous liquid flowing out of such a tight bottleneck.


    Magic couldn''t be used to assist this process. If the magic potion were to come into contact with any magic, its properties would completely change. Not only would it lose its original effect, it could even become an entirely different type of magic potion that could send Yuho directly to his grave.


    The purple smoke was about to dissipate, and Erwin could see that Onean was becoming more and more frantic. With that in mind, he immediately approached her to help her tip the amber-colored magic potion out of the vial at a faster rate.


    However, it was clear that they weren''t going to make it in time if they didn''t take any drastic measures. Her brows furrowed tightly as a decisive look appeared on her face, and she plunged the neck of the vial straight into Yuho''s wound, upon which the amber-colored liquid quickly filled the entire wound.


    "ARGH!" Somehow, Yuho was able to let loose a thunderous howl of agony even in his unconscious state. In fact, the entirety of his upper body had reared up, and he was like a zombie rising up from the dead.


    Chills ran down Sherry and Chinba''s spines upon seeing this, particularly when they caught sight of how Yuho''s completely ashen face was twisted in agony.


    All of a sudden, Yuho slumped back down onto the bed, and Erwin turned to Onean before asking in a quiet voice, "What happened? Is he... dead?"


    Onean was as calm as ever, and she cast a glance toward Yuho''s wide-open eyes before shaking her head.


    Erwin was rather perplexed about what her head-shake entailed, and he was wondering whether she was trying to express that Yuho was beyond saving, or if he was still alive.


    Onean didn''t have the time to answer Erwin''s questions. After removing the magic potion vial, she immediately picked up a pile of thick bandages that she had prepared in advance, then pressed it firmly against the wound on Yuho''s stomach. At the same time, she gently flipped Yuho over with her other hand before also applying some bandages to his back. Only after doing all of that did she turn to Erwin before declaring, "The poison in his body has been completely stabilized. As for whether he''ll survive, that''ll be up to him."


    "What do you mean by that?" Erwin asked with a puzzled expression.


    After sealing the second vial of magic potion, she shook it in front of Erwin. At this point, most of the vial''s contents had already been applied to Yuho''s wound, and there was barely any magic potion left in it. "This is the juice of riverbank sea asparagus, a magic potion that will keep him alive for three days, but after three days, it''ll flow through his wound all the way into his brain."


    "Then what was the first magic potion that you used?" Erwin asked with a curious expression.


    "Why are you asking so many questions?" Onean asked with an amused expression. "Are you planning to study magic potions again?"


    The reason why she had said "again" was because Erwin had studied magic potions at a previous point in time, namely on the way to Windmetal Fort from Sarus, where Onean had still been recovering from the injuries inflicted upon her by Jeff.


    "I was just curious," Erwin said in a resigned manner.


    "That magic potion is an antidote potion made from powdered golden clam shells," Onean explained.


    "So the smoke rising up from his wound was the poison from the arrowhead?" Erwin asked.


    "I know what you''re curious about," Onean said as she took a glance at Erwin. "The magic potion acted as an antidote to the poison still lingering in his wound, but it can''t cure the poison that''s already entered his organs."


    "Then why didn''t you wait until the poison dissipated before using the juice of riverbank sea asparagus?"


    "You''re not thinking that the juice of riverbank sea asparagus is some kind of life-saving medicine, are you?" Onean asked as she stared at Erwin, looking as if she were staring at an idiot.


    Chinba was very much taken aback by this conversation. On the way here, he had already discovered that it seemed like despite how brilliant a man Erwin was, he was always coming off second best against his own wife. On this occasion, he was just blatantly being insulted!


    Sherry had already seen this on many occasions in the past, and he was aware of Onean''s true identity, so he wasn''t all that surprised.


    "Oh, so you''re saying that the juice of the riverbank sea asparagus is also extremely poisonous, and you''re using poison to counteract poison, so if you had used it after all of the poison in his wound had been cleared out, it would''ve killed Yuho, right?" Erwin asked.


    "It looks like you''re not a complete idiot, after all," Onean said as she rolled her eyes at Erwin. "If there isn''t some poison remaining to counteract the juice of the riverbank sea asparagus, all of it would flow into his body at once. The poison in his body would be cured, but he''d most likely be killed by the very thing that we''re trying to use to save him."


    "If you had known that it was so sticky and viscous, couldn''t you have scooped some of it out of the vial in advance instead of panicking at the last minute?" Erwin jibed. "You almost missed the opportunity to apply the magic potion because it was too viscous."


    Instead of becoming enraged to hear this, Onean nodded in response as if she were agreeing with Erwin. "What a brilliant idea! What could possibly be wrong with it? Let me think... Oh, maybe it''s because if even a drop of the magic potion the size of a fingernail were to evaporate, this entire room of people would be dead! I still have a few drops left in the bottom of the vial. Would you like to give it a taste?"


    "Forgive me for my idiocy," Erwin sighed as he turned his gaze elsewhere.


    Only now did he realize what Onean was in such a hurry to cover Yuho''s wound with bandages. It wasn''t because she was afraid of the wound becoming infected. Instead, it was because evaporation of the magic potion that had been applied would kill everyone in the room.


    After administering the treatment, Onean returned to her room to read.


    As for Erwin, he approached Sherry to ask him some questions, and they made no effort to avoid Chinba, so it was clear that Erwin wanted Chinba to also hear what he had to say.


    "Has there been any unusual activity in the barracks during my absence?"


    "No. Everything has been normal."


    Erwin was silent for a moment before asking, "What about the Universal Church? Has Lia done anything worthy of note?"


    "The archbishop hasn''t done anything different from normal." Sherry didn''t know who Chinba was, so while he was in Chinba''s presence, he chose to refer to Lia as "the archbishop".


    Erwin nodded in response. "I see."


    However, he then asked again, "Has there really been no unusual activity in the city at all?"


    "No," Sherry replied in a confident manner.


    "Alright, you can go back to the barracks," Erwin instructed. "By the way, arrange around 10 of the best martial artists from our original mercenary legion to act as personal bodyguards for myself and Onean."


    "I was just about to say, we should really assign you a squad of personal guards," Sherry said with a smile.


    "Hurry up and get it arranged! I''m scared to death of dying," Erwin jibed.


    Following Sherry''s departure, Erwin turned to Chinba with a smile before suddenly asking, "If Yuho dies, Shane isn''t going to hold a grudge against me, is he?"


    Chinba was distracted with some other thoughts, and only after faltering momentarily did he reply, "Of course not. We are all following you of our own accord, and we''re fully aware of and prepared to face the risks."


    "Even if it means giving up your life?" Erwin asked with a serious expression.


    "Yes," Chinba replied without any hesitation.


    "If you stay by my side for any length of time, I''m sure you''ll quickly realize what it means to be willing to give up your life," Erwin mused.


    Chinba thought of what Erwin had said after Yuho had taken that arrow for him, and he asked, "Are you saying we should be prepared for death at any moment?"


    Erwin shook his head with a smile, refusing to elaborate.


    ...


    Meanwhile, a master and disciple duo was entering Zans alongside a group of merchants.


    The master was a man who appeared to be in his forties and was rather thin with an unremarkable physical appearance.


    Trailing along behind him was a little girl who had a giant wooden box on her back that was even taller than she was, presenting a rather comical and bizarre sight to behold.


    "Can you hurry up, Stinkbag?" The middle-aged man was clearly of the opinion that the little girl was walking too slowly, and he turned around to look at her with a disdainful expression.


    "Shut the fuck up, you old fart! How about you carry this damn thing yourself?" Given the size of the wooden box and the fact that the leather straps attached to the box were digging into her chest, she should''ve been completely out of breath, but that was not the case at all, and she was able to speak very coherently without any labored breathing.


    The middle-aged man reacted in a very brisk fashion, backhanding the little girl across the face as he said, "No food for you today."


    The slap was extremely fast, so much so that the surrounding bystanders didn''t even manage to see it before the little girl''s cheek began to swell up.


    Tears welled up in her eyes as she glowered at the middle-aged man, and she dropped her hands from the leather straps attached to the wooden box before placing them on her hips.


    "You''d better think carefully before you decide whether to fight me or not," the middle-aged man said with a completely unfazed expression, even as the little girl grabbed onto the hilts of the two blades strapped to her waist. "If you''re not careful, you could end up without food for the next 10 days."


    The little girl was clearly furious, but in the end, she still took a deep breath and refrained from lashing out.