novelraw Chapter 25 : The Prelude to War (2)
Chapter 25 : The Prelude to War (2)
“Damn it!”
Van’s face hardened as he looked at the CheyTac, which was cracked in several places.
He had worried about how long it would last, since its operating principle involved firing with intense pressure.
But he never imagined it wouldn't even withstand 30 shots.
“There’s no other answer but Orichalcum.”
Arthur asked.
“Where can we get that?”
“No one knows exactly where it is. But I know a place where it might be.”
“Where?”
“A Dragon’s Lair.”
“……!”
Arthur’s face stiffened.
Though he didn’t know much about this world, he knew what a ‘Dragon’s Lair’ was.
“Is there nowhere else to get it?”
“The empire’s treasury might have some. But to use anything from there, you need the emperor's permission.”
“You know we don’t have time for that.”
As Arthur’s gaze turned cold, Van sank into thought for a moment before speaking cautiously.
“Let’s get Sir Millerf’s help.”
“You mean use it with magic cast on it?”
“If we apply reinforcement magic, there shouldn’t be a problem using it for now.”
“I see.”
Arthur nodded as if in agreement.
“Even so, 15 shots will be the limit.”
“Fifteen shots…”
There was still no word from the Wright brothers who had left for the enemy’s camp.
He didn't know the size of Count Yarve’s forces, but it was impossible to inflict any significant damage on them with just 15 shots.
“This won't be easy.”
Arthur’s face darkened.
Van, on the other hand, was swelling with pride over the fact that the weapon he created had taken down an Ogre, known as one of the strongest monsters on land.
“I’ve created an incredible thing.”
Just as he was smiling in self-praise.
The smithy door burst open and a knight rushed in.
“Young Master, the reconnaissance team has returned!”
“They have?”
A look of relief appeared on Arthur’s face. But the knight’s expression was grim.
“Why the long face?”
“They were discovered by the enemy. Only five have returned.”
“What?”
Arthur’s face twisted as he bolted outside.
By the time he reached the training ground, the entire Knight Order was already there.
Skevin approached him with a hardened expression.
“Young Master!”
“What happened?”
Arthur stared at the reconnaissance team that had returned, battered and bruised.
Peri, the youngest of the Wright brothers, approached, sniffling.
“*Sob, sob*, Young Master…”
“What on earth happened? Where is everyone else?”
“They were… taken by the enemy.”
Peri recounted the events of the reconnaissance mission without leaving anything out.
By the time they reached the border of the Aslan territory, they had decided to split into three teams to confirm the enemy's location.
Just as they were about to move to their assigned areas.
Enemies from Count Yarve’s house suddenly appeared from the forest and launched a surprise attack.
While Poshe and his team members engaged the enemy, the other two teams fled into the Aslan territory.
Afterward, they located the enemy's main camp and moved toward it.
If Poshe had been captured, he would surely be taken there.
When Ramni and Peri arrived at the main camp, they saw Poshe and his team members, all bound, being dragged away somewhere.
So, Ramni and Peri planned a rescue and infiltrated at night.
However, they were immediately discovered by the enemy.
Far from a rescue, Ramni was also captured in the process of escaping.
“*Sob, sob*, I’m sorry.”
As soon as he finished his report, Peri collapsed on the spot, wailing and crying out in agony.
The other survivors also wept, recalling their comrades who had died at the hands of the enemy.
A heavy silence, filled with their cries, fell over the training ground.
‘Those bastards!’
Everyone wore grim expressions, their bodies trembling with rage.
Skevin asked Arthur.
“Shall we prepare?”
“The enemy will be reading our thoughts. We can’t move just as they want us to.”
“Then…”
“For now, remain on standby in combat readiness.”
“Yes, sir.”
Skevin quickly gathered the Knight Order.
Just as Arthur was about to turn to inform Madeline of this.
There were people blocking his path.
It was the Devil's Corps.
“What is it?”
Dark stepped forward and said.
“Please send us. We will rescue them.”
“No.”
“We can’t just stand by when Poshe and Ramni have been captured! If we don’t rescue them quickly, we might face the worst-case scenario.”
“Wait for now.”
Arthur said firmly and entered the castle.
* * *
At that moment.
In her office, Madeline was receiving a report about the reconnaissance team from Leusanna.
“They were discovered?”
“The Knight Order has assembled in the training grounds.”
“What should we do…”
As Madeline’s face darkened, Leusanna asked cautiously.
“How about consulting with the Young Master?”
“With Arthur?”
When Madeline looked at her with a puzzled expression, Leusanna lowered her gaze and replied.
“Everyone is following the Young Master, so…”
“That’s not it. Bring Millerf here.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Just as Leusanna bowed and turned to leave, the door burst open.
Arthur entered, followed by Millerf.
At their appearance, Madeline shot to her feet.
“You’ve come at a good time.”
Arthur and Millerf bowed respectfully to her and approached.
“I heard there’s a problem. What should we do now?”
“I believe it would be better to hear the Young Master's thoughts rather than mine.”
“Pardon?”
She couldn't understand why he, whom she considered the wisest in the House of Julius, was placing such importance on Arthur's opinion.
“Mother.”
“Y-yes, speak.”
Arthur spoke calmly to her, who was slightly flustered.
“The enemy will make their move soon. There is something you must prepare before they arrive.”
“What is it that I must do?”
“Please make it so that we can receive the help of the territory’s residents.”
“I have something to ask before that.”
Madeline met Arthur’s eyes.
“Can we win?”
“The House of Count Julius will not fall.”
“……!”
Madeline’s eyes flashed.
She suddenly felt something hot surge powerfully from the depths of her chest.
Her heart swelled with emotion.
No other words could have replaced his.
In this situation, who else could say such a thing to her?
A shiver ran through her entire body.
“I-is that really true?”
“Trust me.”
“Alright, I will trust you.”
Madeline nodded and said to Leusanna.
“Gather all the village chiefs.”
“Yes, my lady.”
Arthur bowed respectfully to Madeline and exited with Leusanna.
Just then, Millerf followed him out and asked.
“Where are you headed now?”
“I need to formulate a plan with Skevin.”
“Then I have something to discuss with my lady, so I will go to the Knight Order’s barracks in a little while.”
“Do that.”
Just as Arthur replied in acknowledgment and was about to leave.
“Oh, right. Can you also cast magic on objects?”
“It’s possible.”
“Then go to Van first. If you tell him I sent you, he’ll have a favor to ask.”
“I will.”
Millerf smiled faintly.
He watched until Arthur was out of sight, then entered the office.
Madeline tilted her head, seeing Millerf re-enter.
“Weren’t you going with Arthur?”
“I came back because I have something to tell you, my lady.”
“What is it?”
A look of question filled Madeline’s face.
Millerf stood before her with a solemn expression.
“It is about the Young Master.”
“What about Arthur? Is there something about him that I don’t know?”
When Millerf silently nodded, Madeline’s face darkened rapidly.
He had changed so much in just a few months.
Because of that, she couldn't ask anyone if something was wrong with him and had been worrying all by herself.
But now that he was saying this, her heart sank.
Madeline calmed her startled heart and said.
“Please tell me everything without hiding anything.”
“Understood.”
Millerf wore a grave expression.
He planned to inform her that Arthur had inherited the legacy of Teheran Julius.
With the territorial war looming, he couldn't predict what kind of person Arthur might become, so he felt it was necessary to tell her now.
As the blood-red disposition grew stronger, his personality would also change.
He thought that if Madeline knew in advance, the shock would be less severe when that time came.
Millerf began to speak cautiously.
“How much do you know about Sir Teheran Julius?”
“Why are you suddenly asking about him?”
“It is related to the Young Master.”
“……!”
In an instant, Madeline shot to her feet, her eyes trembling as if in shock.
Teheran Julius was a hero of the Count's family, a man so great he had served as the commander of the empire's unified knight order.
However, Teheran’s Mana Training Method had a fatal flaw. Once the mana was awakened, it would run endlessly rampant.
The secret history of the head of the house recorded that Teheran was always in agony because of his rampaging mana.
There was only one way for him to live.
To go to the battlefield and unleash the rampaging mana to his heart's content.
Because of this, he always wandered the battlefields, and thanks to his powerful mana, he was called a ‘War God’ by his allies and a ‘Berserker’ by his enemies.
This curse of Teheran's Mana Training Method was known only to the head of the House of Count Julius.
That was why she was so shocked when Millerf said Arthur was connected to Teheran.
An ominous premonition washed over her for some reason.
‘It can’t be.’
Millerf, on the other hand, was completely unaware of this fact and only knew what was publicly known.
He was simply trying to prepare her for the future, knowing that as one’s power grew, one’s temperament became more violent.
“I will explain about Teheran.”
“No, I know more about him than anyone. Tell me about Arthur.”
“Understood.”
Millerf met her eyes and said in a low voice.
“The Young Master has inherited his legacy.”
“Ah!”
Madeline collapsed into her chair.
Millerf, greatly surprised by her reaction, quickly approached her.
“Are you alright?”
“Did he obtain his Mana Training Method as well?”
“That is correct.”
“So that’s why that child… changed so much.”
Madeline suddenly began to cry.
Millerf couldn't understand her reaction at all.
Frankly, because of Arthur, the House of Count Julius would be able to rise again.
She couldn't be unaware of that, yet he couldn't understand why she was grieving.
“Sir Millerf.”
Madeline looked at Millerf, whose face was full of questions, and continued.
“He has a secret.”
* * *
“According to the reconnaissance, there are 300 Rose Knights and about 100 mercenaries. The Phoenix Knights can handle the Rose Knights, but the problem is the mercenaries.”
At Skevin’s words, Hellot spoke with a grim expression.
“If they have a wolf banner, they must be the Red Warriors.”
“Who leads them?”
“A man named Yakim. There were rumors that he recently awakened as a Sword Master.”
“I see.”
Moreover, the knights who had come as messengers were also formidable.
It seemed the mercenaries' combat strength was greater than that of the 300 Rose Knights.
They had expected the mercenaries to be tough, but not to this extent.
“This might be a difficult fight.”
Although the Knight Order’s strength had improved, their opponents were formidable.
Just as they were wondering if they could really fight and win against them.
Bwooooong-.
The sound of an emergency horn was heard.
“What is it!”
Skevin quickly ran outside.
When he arrived at the castle entrance, an enemy messenger was there.
The man threw what he was holding with all his might toward the entrance and shouted.
“You will all see hell soon!”
As he turned to leave, Skevin ran out of the castle.
What the man had thrown was a blood-soaked cloth bag.
The moment he opened the bag, his face contorted violently.
“Damn it all!”
Arthur, who had run over at the sound of the horn, approached him.
“What is it?”
“Th-that is…”
As Skevin hesitated, Arthur quickly snatched what was in his hand and emptied its contents.
Dozens of ears spilled out.
“……!”
For a moment, Arthur stared blankly at them, as if in a trance.
The knights who followed behind looked at the ears on the ground in horror.
“Gasp!”
“What is this madness!”
Seeing them, Peri staggered, completely devastated.
“N-no…”
Killing intent filled Arthur’s eyes.
“Dark.”
Dark quietly approached and bowed his head before him.
“Go to Van and bring me my weapon.”
Skevin shook his head.
“You mustn’t fall for their provoc—!”
Skevin was so overwhelmed by the aura flowing from him that he couldn't speak.
Arthur stared toward the distant Aslan border with chilling eyes.
“How dare they provoke me like this?”
He gritted his teeth, unleashing his killing intent.
“I’ll crush them.”