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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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Sand Crayer, the Marquess Crayer, was a northern lord known for his warlike and brave nature, often leading his knights into battle personally.
Whenever monsters from the Black Mountains or large reconnaissance units from the Free Isiria Kingdom moved south, he would always draw his sword and ride out with his knights.
However, during a patrol in the Black Mountains, he went missing, and later, his dismembered body was delivered to the lord’s castle.
Thus, the Marquess Crayer who appears in the second volume of the novel is not Sand Crayer but his son, Cron Crayer.
Sand Crayer is a character that exists only in the setting.
‘I know who kidnaps and kills the Marquess Crayer, and I know how to prevent it.’
Though he knows how to prevent the kidnapping, he has no intention of doing so.
Creating a debt with the Marquess Crayer will surely prove useful later.
To create that debt, the Marquess must first be kidnapped. What remains is the aftermath.
“I’d like to rest for the day.”
Night had fallen. It was too late to head to the border region.
“I’ll call someone to guide you to your bedroom.”
Though he had begun to warm up to Raymond, he didn’t show enough favor to guide him personally.
Soon, a servant summoned by the Marquess Crayer entered the drawing room, bowed respectfully, and guided Raymond to his bedroom.
The bedroom he was shown was spacious. Though Gestain and the elite guards’ quarters were a bit away, they weren’t too far, and most importantly, the Red and Blue Tower Masters’ temporary quarters were right next door, ensuring safety.
Gestain, responsible for Raymond’s safety, seemed displeased with the location of the elite guards’ quarters but was cautious not to show it openly, as it would imply distrust of the Red and Blue Tower Masters.
Instead, he selected a few elite guards to take turns guarding the hallway.
The night passed without incident, and morning came. After breakfast, Raymond sought out the Marquess Crayer.
“Thanks to you, Marquess, I’ve rested well for a day. We will now head to the border.”
“Please remain in the safety of the lord’s castle. Just having Your Highness the Fifth Prince in the north will boost the morale of the border army. There’s no need to go to the dangerous border.”
If a royal were to die in a border conflict, the backlash would be severe. The Marquess Crayer didn’t want to bear that burden.
With the Northern Central Army advancing toward the border, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Free Isiria Kingdom escalated provocations. In such a case, the safety of the Fifth Prince couldn’t be guaranteed.
“Marquess Crayer, I came to encourage the border army under the Emperor’s command.”
“I received the Emperor’s command as well, but it didn’t include taking Your Highness the Fifth Prince to the border conflict.”
Though he mentioned the Emperor’s command, the Marquess Crayer shook his head firmly.
Raymond bit his lip slightly.
It seemed that the Marquess Crayer had received a different command than the first prince and the Mountain Duke.
“His Majesty the Emperor entrusted me with the role of advisor to Your Highness the Fifth Prince. And I believe this is as far as we should go.”
Though the Emperor was old and weak, he was still wise.
He didn’t want to send Raymond to the border, which was akin to a battlefield, or the Black Mountains.
However, due to the nobles, he couldn’t mention this in the command. Thus, he left the decision to the Marquess Crayer.
The Emperor had calculated that the Marquess Crayer, burdened by responsibility, wouldn’t send the Fifth Prince, Raymond, into the border conflict.
‘The Emperor’s command clearly states to send the royal to the border region.’
Technically, the lord’s castle is also part of the border region. The Marquess Crayer was playing with words.
But the clear fact was that if the Fifth Prince used the command as a pretext to head to the Black Mountains, the Marquess Crayer couldn’t stop him.
“I understand.”
Raymond didn’t want to argue. He nodded in front of the Marquess Crayer but had no intention of changing his mind.
To make the Soul Sword his own, he had to go to the Black Mountains.
“Sir Gestain.”
“Yes, Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”
“Go to the commander of the imperial army and tell him I’m looking for him.”
“Understood.”
Late at night, the summoned commander of the imperial army came to see Raymond.
“Your Highness, you called for me?”
“Commander of the imperial army, I apologize for calling you at such a late hour.”
“It’s no problem, Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”
As the commander of the imperial army bowed respectfully, a faint smile spread across Raymond’s lips.
“May I ask why you called for me?”
“I need your help.”
“The imperial army serves the royal family until the very end. Your Highness the Fifth Prince currently has the authority to command me and the accompanying imperial army forces! Please, give your orders!”
The commander of the imperial army was still unaware of the details. Raymond calmly conveyed the conversation he had with the Marquess Crayer.
“The imperial army can depart at any moment.”
He had already decided to follow Raymond.
“Your Highness, just say the word.”
“Commander, give the order to arm the troops”
“Yes, Your Highness!”
“We are heading to the Black Mountains!”
The Fifth Prince raised the flag.
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The armed imperial army raised their flag. Immersed in the Fifth Prince’s atmosphere, they led with the flag and headed for the northern gate of the central city.
“Captain! There’s a big problem!”
“Lieutenant? What’s going on at this hour?”
“The imperial army has left the barracks and is passing through the second district!”
“What?”
Since the imperial army was moving on Raymond’s initiative, the captain of the central city guard hadn’t been informed.
With a serious expression, he jumped up from his chair, donned his leather armor, and grabbed his sword.
“Summon the defense troops! It’s an emergency!”
Though the opponent was the imperial army, the captain of the guard couldn’t help but consider the worst-case scenario.
The lieutenant ran out of the office, and soon after, 300 soldiers were assembled. The captain led them to block the path of the imperial army.
“Commander of the imperial army, what is the meaning of this unauthorized military movement in the central city?”
The captain of the guard tried to maintain as much courtesy as possible.
Though there was an unauthorized military movement, the opponent was the imperial army. He couldn’t treat them carelessly.
“Who dares to block the path of the imperial army!”
The commander of the imperial army raised his voice. Though he didn’t infuse it with mana, his voice was so loud that the horse the captain was riding on was startled for a moment.
“Unauthorized military movement within the central city is prohibited. Even if it’s the imperial army…”
“How dare you! This is before His Highness the Fifth Prince!”
“His Highness the Fifth Prince?”
The captain of the guard, surprised, asked again, and Raymond slowly rode forward.
The captain of the elite guards, Gestain, and the senior mage, Desia, stood by his side. As he removed the deeply pulled hood, his calm face was revealed.
“I received the Emperor’s command to encourage the border army. Do you dare defy His Majesty the Emperor’s order?”
Mentioning the Emperor’s command, the captain of the guard’s face hardened. In the Philios Empire, the weight of the Emperor’s command was never light.
“If you don’t intend to oppose the Emperor’s command, open the gate immediately.”
Raymond spoke coldly. Mentioning the Emperor’s command was a significant pressure from the perspective of a mere captain of the guard.
As expected, after a brief hesitation, he ordered the soldiers of the guard to step aside and opened the gate.
“Thank you. I won’t forget your cooperation.”
“Your Highness, may I ask where you are headed?”
“Of course, to carry out the Emperor’s command.”
He meant he was going to the border. Understanding the implication, the captain of the guard bit his lip, his face stiff.
If the Fifth Prince were to die at the border, the captain of the guard would also be held accountable.
But with the Emperor’s command mentioned, he couldn’t refuse to step aside.
It was a complete dilemma.
“Don’t worry too much. I have no intention of dying.”
With those words, Raymond urged his horse northward. A hundred imperial army and fifty temporarily reinforced elite guards followed him.
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The Disarmament Treaty.
It was a treaty between the Haifel Empire, the Tri-Nation Alliance, and the Philios Empire that prohibited stationing troops in the monster-infested Black Mountains and Monster Forest.
The Haifel Empire proposed the treaty, but they were also the first to break it.
The Haifel Empire stationed troops in the Monster Forest, which bordered the Philios Empire, and their rangers began patrolling.
Hearing this news, the Free Isiria Kingdom stationed skilled mountain mercenaries and ghost units in the Black Mountains to exert influence.
With the situation as it was, the Philios Empire couldn’t just stand by.
They, too, stationed troops in the Monster Forest and Black Mountains. An invisible land grab began.
As a result, in the two regions dominated by monsters, there wasn’t a day without bloodshed, even without direct battles between nations.
And today, as usual, screams echoed and blood flowed in the Black Mountains.
“Aaargh!”
“S-save me!”
A rain of arrows from the sky shredded the flag of the Philios Empire to tatters.
“Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live the Philios Empire!”
The standard-bearer, with several arrows embedded in his body, shouted a desperate cheer. As if to forget the pain, he burned his dying life to the end, never letting go of the flag.
Though not as significant as the vanguard banner of the heavy cavalry, the flag of the Philios Empire held great meaning for the soldiers.
Knowing this, the standard-bearer clung to the flag even as he died.
“Infantry, forward! We hold this ground!”
Soldiers in red uniforms charged forward, but the terrain was too rough to reach the enemy quickly.
The enemy forces, having seized the high ground, continued to rain arrows, and the soldiers of the Philios Empire fell helplessly.
“Those damn mountain mercenaries!”
Cron Crayer, the son of the Marquess Crayer, cursed.
Following his family’s tradition of learning at the forefront, he had recently taken command of the 5th Infantry of the border army.
The border army rotated combat units into the Black Mountains for patrols. Though Cron was the marquess’s eldest son, there were no exceptions at the border, and the marquess wanted it that way.
As a result, the 5th Infantry under his command received a grand welcome as they entered the Black Mountains.
On their way to the temporary base, they were attacked by a large force of mountain mercenaries from the Free Isiria Kingdom.
Though the 5th Infantry led by Cron were elite border troops, they were insufficient against the mountain mercenaries who primarily operated in the monster-filled Black Mountains.
“Fire the signal flare! Request reinforcements!”
Thick arrows rained down like a deluge, and sporadic magical attacks shook the formation of the 5th Infantry.
Many infantrymen were already unable to continue fighting. Cron had no choice but to request reinforcements.
A red flare pierced the pitch-black night sky. But no reinforcements came.
“Captain! At this rate, we’ll be annihilated!”
“We must retreat!”
The officers clamored. Though Cron was proud, he couldn’t watch his men sacrifice themselves.
“Retreat!”
Someone else took the flag from the standard-bearer and signaled the retreat.
The soldiers echoed Cron’s command, slowly widening the distance from the enemy. Hope flickered that they might survive.
“Our retreat is cut off!”
It was a false hope. Mercenaries from the Free Isiria Kingdom were behind them as well.
They advanced slowly, led by heavily armored mercenaries with large shields and swords.
Arrows rained down from the front, and heavily armored foes advanced from behind, cutting down soldiers, leaving them caught in a dilemma.
“Damn it!”
Cron spat out a curse as he stepped forward. Enough time had passed to think that reinforcements wouldn’t come and their retreat was blocked.
Just as they were about to give up everything and fight to be buried in the Black Mountains, a massive fireball fell from the sky.
Boom!
“Aaargh!”
“Ugh!”
Screams erupted from the ranks of the mountain mercenaries. A chilling wind, sharp with icy blades, followed and enveloped them.
This mysterious attack was undoubtedly magic.
“A-a mage!”
Their bodies burned with flames and were torn by ice. Dozens of mountain mercenaries fell helplessly.
As the storm passed and the time for counterattack seemed to come, the mercenary mage among the mountain mercenaries thought so.
But the calamity wasn’t over. The scattered fire fragments gathered to form a dragon, and the cold wind and ice shards coalesced into a wind golem.
The reinforcement of extinguishing magic and advanced application. The mercenary mage’s face turned pale. He had to rethink.
“Wh-why is a high-ranking mage here…?”
A battlefield terror capable of annihilating a hundred-man unit with a single spell had appeared. Worse yet, it wasn’t just one. With two types of magic cast simultaneously, there were at least two mages.
If it were the work of a single mage, it would be even more terrifying.
That level would no longer be called a high-ranking mage but an arch mage.
Bwooo—
The sound of a horn.
“Captain! R-reinforcements have arrived!”
A subordinate officer approached and reported. He was so moved that he stuttered slightly.
Beyond the ridge of the mountains where the horn sounded, flags began to appear.
Golden flags. Cron knew what they symbolized.
“The imperial army?”
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Raymond to the rescue!