novelraw Chapter 294
Chapter 294
Chapter 294“Your Highness. They say Clifford’s carriages are visible.”
“Oh? No time to rest. How long did they say it would take?”
The news reached Jin as he was resting in his quarters. He had been wondering what to do about the awkward timing of lunch, but if Clifford was arriving, he could arrange a seating with Eripony.
Uncomfortable, but what could he do? This too was Jin’s duty to bear. However, strangely, no answer came.
“What’s wrong?”
“Well, it seems it might take a while.”
“Why?”
If carriages were visible from the outskirts, it should take two hours at most. Had there been a problem with the palace where Clifford would stay? When the child urged for an explanation, the attendant bowed awkwardly.
“The carriages are moving extremely slowly.”
“What? For what reason?”“Lord Ian is heading to the outer walls with mages to check. He said if there’s a problem with the carriages, we should probably go out to meet them. But from what I hear, it doesn’t seem to be a physical problem.”
Not a physical problem? Jin tilted his head, completely confused. He looked to Xiao, but he wouldn’t know either. It would take a long time to go back and forth to the outskirts…
“Since he went with mages, they likely traveled by air, Your Highness.”
Xiaoshi added, noticing Jin’s concern. It couldn’t be helped. The streets were so packed with people that even a single horse would have trouble passing.
The child looked up at the sky through the window. Had he gone out unprotected to avoid drawing attention?
“Did only Lord Ian go?”
“Lord Romandro and Beric went too.”
“Those two…”
How would they fly?
Just as Jin wondered about this, he seemed to hear screaming from far away. Though it was erased by constantly exploding fireworks, people’s cheers, and street music.
***
Meanwhile, at the outer walls.
The soldiers stepped back and glanced at the group of mages.
Though they had seen mages acting as messengers between here and the palace all day, seeing them gathered like this was a first. Moreover, they were all peering through telescopes in uniform poses.
The soldiers whispered with eye signals:
‘Is the blonde one the Minister of the Ministry of Magic? And beside him?’
‘Don’t know. The collapsed one in back looks like the assistant.’
Ian peering through the fixed telescope with his head turned. And beside him, Beric holding a small telescope backwards while trying to copy Ian. Romandro was collapsed on the ground, continuously groaning.
“Can you see anything? Ian, I can’t see anything.”
“Ugh, urk…”
“Lord Romandro. Stop dying and get up.”
“Y-you fool. Flying through the sky like a cannon, ugh…”
“Is this broken?”
Though Beric showed his, saying something was wrong, the mages were too focused on watching Clifford to react. Ian removed his face from the telescope and asked the outpost guard captain:
“They stopped there?”
“They were wobbling like they might fall, then just settled right there.”
When Ian moved aside, Beric quickly stuck his face in to check. Far away, one massive carriage leading the procession was visible.
Probably a long line like Ruswena’s stretched behind the ridge. For some reason, they had stopped without crossing the hill.
“I can see! Oh! I see it! Someone came out. They’re checking the horseshoes and going back again?”
“We should go check directly.”
“Ian! What about me! Me!”
At Ian’s words, Romandro jumped up and clasped his hands together. Some might find flying exhilarating, but he was just an ordinary person. He couldn’t handle his heart pounding in all directions and blood rushing backward through his body.
“Lord Romandro, please wait here. We can’t lift all the delegation’s carriages anyway, and once they reach here they’ll walk the side road to the center, so you can return together then.”
“R-right?”
“The rest, follow me.”
“Yes, Lord Ian.”
“Iaaaan! Let’s go!”
Whirr. Whirr.
Whoosh!
When the mages released their magical power, Beric leaped off the outer wall first. Without a moment’s hesitation, very decisively and refreshingly.
Just as shocked soldiers tried to run forward, the mages also rushed and threw themselves off the wall.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Then they instantly soared into the air. Two mages held Beric upside down as they flew toward the Clifford carriages.
Though the world looked upside down, it seemed fun. Beric waved his hands wildly while shouting:
“Waaahh! This is awesome!”
“That, that crazy one. Won’t live out his natural life.”
Rustle.
Ian gestured to Romandro to wait, then lightly leaped.
As the mages vanished into dots, the soldiers gave Romandro sympathetic looks. Saying he was doing well to work among such people.
“Oh? Something’s coming.”
“Halt! We are from Clifford-“
“They look like mages. People!”
“But what’s that person flying upside down in the middle?”
“Clifford delegation! Stop!”
“Bring Lady May. These are Bariel’s mages!”
As they drew closer, the massive procession came into view. The delegation members looked up at the mages in wonder, and the mages looked down at them.
Nothing but reddish hair everywhere. As they held important positions in the kingdom, it seemed they had selected only legitimate purebred families for the delegation.
With Ian in the lead, the mages touched down on the ground.
“Who’s in charge?”
When Ian looked around asking, a woman with short hair rushed forward urgently. This was “May” whom people had been calling for. The one who served Prince Noah and oversaw the delegation.
“Ah, pleased to meet you. I am May, chief delegate of Clifford’s diplomatic mission and assistant to Prince Noah.”
“You must be tired from your journey. I am Ian Hielo, Minister of Magic of Bariel. We received word there might be problems with the carriages, so I came to check.”
“I-I see. Thank you.”
Ian and May exchanged light handshakes and greetings. She looked around awkwardly while shrugging her shoulders. As if she hadn’t expected to meet like this in the middle of the road.
“Our carriage wheels got stuck in soft ground, causing the delay.”
“Is that so?”
A smile played on Ian’s lips as he responded dryly.
It hadn’t rained for days. Moreover, this was the road countless people used all day to enter the central district. Though he knew the ground’s firmness, how had a soft spot appeared?
“Then shall we depart? His Highness waits. I’ll order the outer gates opened in advance.”
“Wait!”
As Ian turned to leave, May urgently grabbed him.
“I apologize, but might we be allowed to rest from our journey after entering the palace before meeting His Highness the Prince?”
“Do you have a valid reason?”
“The Prince has fallen ill from the long journey.”
“Oh my. I’ll have the palace physician summoned right away.”
“No. We have our own doctor. Just, we would be truly grateful for a little time before meeting His Highness the Prince.”
Clifford came to Bariel as guests. Since they cite exhaustion from a difficult journey, this is something Jin could certainly understand.
But something seemed suspicious.
Ian thought for a moment, then located the carriage where Prince Noah would likely be. A carriage decorated with exotic ornaments that anyone would recognize as representing Clifford. The curtains were drawn tight.
“I’ll report to His Highness.”
When Ian nodded, one mage flew back.
Seeing this, the delegation members couldn’t contain their excitement and stirred. Good heavens, this was indeed the Great Empire of Bariel. Humans who could fly through the sky at will!
“You’ll hear the response at the palace. Let’s depart for now. Everyone is waiting.”
After saying they would come, such delays would prevent them from fully enjoying the festive atmosphere during their entry. This would be regrettable for Clifford who had come so far, and unacceptable for Bariel which should be filled with cheers without a moment’s gap.
From sunrise to sunset until everyone was exhausted. The blessing cheers for Jin must not stop.
“We’ll guide you from the air first. Once inside the walls, guards will flank you on both sides, so please keep intervals as tight as possible when moving.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Beric.”
“Huh?”
Beric, who had been poking at the carriage’s strange decorations, turned his head at Ian’s call. His hair was disheveled from flying through the air. When Ian beckoned with his hand, he ran over sniffling.
Ian gave instructions so no one else could hear. Since you never know, thorough investigation was best.
“While escorting the carriages, check if any wheels are muddy. If you notice anything suspicious, examine it, and go back along their route to check for soft ground.”
“Okey okey. But how do I get back?”
“You like running, don’t you?”
“Damn, you’re really-!”
“I’m joking. I’ll tell Lord Romandro to send cavalry.”
Without a horse, wouldn’t he have to run alone to that distant wall, then walk back to the palace? Beric gaped in horror before breathing a sigh of relief at hearing it was a joke.
“Come. Let’s hurry.”
“Lady May! Shall we prepare to depart?”
“…Yes. Let’s go. As slowly as possible!”
“Widen the intervals between carriages. We’re departing!”
“Load the luggage again! Everyone back to your positions!”
At May’s orders, the delegation bustled about preparing to depart. There was clearly nothing particularly problematic that the mages needed to help with. Apologies for making them come unnecessarily could be heard from various Clifford members.
“Not at all. This much is natural for honored guests. Please speak up immediately if there are any problems.”
“Yes, yes! Thank you! The mages are so impressive!”
Perhaps it was because they were the farthest country from the central region. Unlike Ruswena, they had no political entanglements, and exchanges were the rarest among the three nations. As a result, their goodwill was fundamentally infused with curiosity.
Whoosh!
Creeak.
After watching the mages disappear, May climbed back into the carriage. Prince Noah was curled up on a cot, wrapped in blankets. May drew the curtains tight before checking on him.
“Prince. Are you alright?”
“Were those palace mages?”
“Yes. They came to see what was wrong when the carriages stopped.”
“Ah, this is really troublesome.”
Rustle. As the blanket slipped down, beast-like ears twitched upward through orange hair. It was impossible to tell where hair ended and fur began. Noah stroked his ears while muttering:
“We can’t show this appearance to another country.”
“I told them it was illness from travel fatigue. The Minister of the Ministry of Magic, who is the Prince’s right hand, seemed sympathetic. I think we can delay.”
Even his pupils were split down the middle like a fox’s eyes. May handed him back the blanket while trying to calm her pounding heart.
If nothing else, fortunately the tail hadn’t appeared yet. Even if their request wasn’t accepted, they could probably hide the ears somehow.
“When we return to Clifford, I’ll kill that sorcerer. Can’t even calculate manifestation dates properly, yet acts so stiff normally.”
“Clifford and Bariel are different countries. The cycle probably had issues when crossing the border.”
Bleeh. Prince Noah frowned irritably while flicking his beast-like elongated tongue. Then he buried his face in May’s shoulder and yawned languorously.
Just then, faint voices of a guard and stranger could be heard from outside.
“Stop. This is the Prince’s carriage.”
“Oh, is it? My mistake!”
Noah’s ears perked up but that was all. Whoever it was, they must have been stopped by the guards.
“Hmm.”
Beric, stepping back, couldn’t take his eyes off Prince Noah’s carriage.
Though people preparing to depart wanted him to move aside as he was in the way, Beric stood firmly planted, just staring at the carriage. Not stopping his deep sniffing either.
‘Strange. For a prince’s carriage, it stinks like hell? Is that animal smell?’
Somehow familiar, but he couldn’t remember where he’d smelled it.
Beric tilted his head as he examined the carriage wheels. Though covered in dust, there was no mud to be found anywhere.
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Don't Look Down🔒85MBSE Chapter 310 - Just Ten Steps Please🔒85MBSE Chapter 311 - There are No Eternal Secrets🔒85MBSE Chapter 312 - Who Knows?🔒85MBSE Chapter 313 - Three Passes🔒85MBSE Chapter 314 - A Bond Woven by Secrets🔒85MBSE Chapter 315 - The Dilemma🔒85MBSE Chapter 316 - Through Alenara🔒85MBSE Chapter 317 - I Want to Go🔒85MBSE Chapter 318 - A Small Engagement Ceremony🔒85MBSE Chapter 319 - The Child with a Mask🔒85MBSE Chapter 320 - Time to Return🔒85MBSE Chapter 321 - Break of Dawn🔒85MBSE Chapter 322 - Formation of the Investigation Team🔒85MBSE Chapter 323 - Harboring Thorns🔒85MBSE Chapter 324 - Before Crossing the Border🔒85MBSE Chapter 325 - Stop🔒85MBSE Chapter 326 - Before the Border🔒85MBSE Chapter 327 - Secret Contract🔒85MBSE Chapter 328 - Discovering Ian🔒85MBSE Chapter 329 - To Meet the King🔒85MBSE Chapter 330 - Entering Clifford🔒85MBSE Chapter 331 - Those Who Hold Idgal🔒85MBSE Chapter 332 - On the Brink of Explosion🔒85MBSE Chapter 333 - The Mages' Grand Council🔒85MBSE Chapter 334 - Magic Amplification Drug