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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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Although I heard the news that the Fifth Prince was coming to the north, I thought he would stay safe in the Lord’s castle, protected by the imperial army.
That was the image of the Fifth Prince that I had heard of until now.
“Did the Fifth Prince send reinforcements?”
Cron wiped away the blood that was obscuring his vision and turned his head in the direction of the horn sound, and was shocked.
“Imperial army! In the name of His Majesty the Emperor, destroy the enemies of the Empire!”
The Fifth Prince, whom they thought would be staying in a safe rear, was directly commanding the battle.
Moreover, his position was not at the forefront, but close to the front line.
Cron felt his mind go blank from this bizarre situation, which he could not understand with the
rumors and common sense he had about the Fifth Prince.
“C, Captain…! There is a flag of the Fifth Prince next to the flag of the imperial army!”
“It seems that the Fifth Prince has joined the war!”
The officers and knights were excited.
At the same time as feeling embarrassed by the unexpected situation and happy that reinforcements had arrived, a strong sense of mission to protect the precious imperial family of the Philios Empire arose.
They, too, were people who had sworn allegiance to the Philios Empire and the Emperor.
Not to the extent of the fanatical level of the imperial army or the Central Army, but the sense of mission to protect the imperial family was alive in their hearts.
“All troops, forward! Protect the Fifth Prince and the imperial army!”
By now, Raymond was already charging deep into the enemy lines with the imperial army.
Even though the archers and mages had lost their lives due to two high-level spells, the mountain mercenaries’ formation was still solid.
Cron thought that it was suicide to charge like this, so he shouted at the top of his lungs and gathered the surviving soldiers.
“N, no way…”
The imperial army began close combat with the mountain mercenaries. The imperial army were trained regulars and their equipment was in good condition, but they lacked practical experience.
Cron thought that they would be pushed back against the mountain mercenaries who fought monsters every day, but rather, the imperial army was pushing the mountain mercenary corps.
And at the forefront of the imperial army was a one-armed knight wearing a jet-black uniform.
Although he looked unstable without his left arm, the heavily armed mountain mercenaries fell helplessly every time he swung his sword.
“Kuaaaack!”
“Uaaaack!”
The blue mana sword cut through the mountain mercenaries. The vanguard fell and the formation collapsed. The imperial army followed him and cut down the enemies.
They were fighting much better than Cron thought. In the first place, the existence of two high-level mages, the Red Tower Master and the Blue Tower Master, was significant.
The mercenary mages who were with the mountain mercenaries were only at the intermediate level at best.
Raymond had taken away all of the protagonist’s opportunities, so there were an unusual number of talented people, but originally, mages who had reached the upper level or higher were so valuable that it was difficult to manage them in small territories.
It meant that they were not common.
“The Fifth Prince is with us! Don’t be afraid! Don’t back down!”
The imperial army commander’s cry echoed throughout the battlefield. It was a loud voice even though he was not using the power of mana.
“Damn it! Why is the imperial army here!”
The mountain mercenary corps commander spat out a nervous curse. It was almost done.
That’s what he thought.
He received information from the Ghost Squad that the eldest son of Marquess Crayer would enter the Black Mountains with one combat unit, and an order to kidnap or kill him for the ‘Great Plan.’
The force led by Cron, the eldest son of the Crayer Marquess family, consisted of one combat unit, 500 men, which was a similar number, but the mountain mercenary corps was more elite.
He was confident of victory, and in case of emergency, he contacted other mercenary corps commanders and launched a pincer attack on Cron and his infantry. So far so good.
Cron and the infantry were unable to overcome the difference in strength and seemed to be slowly collapsing. Smiles spread on the faces of the two mercenary commanders.
Then, out of nowhere, the imperial army appeared.
“Damn it! Why the imperial army!”
But cursing was only for a moment, and soon the flag of the Fifth Prince caught his eye and his pupils were filled with greed.
‘Okay, now that it’s come to this, I’ll take the Fifth Prince’s head.’
Killing a member of the imperial family would make things big. But the mercenary corps commander, who was just a mere mercenary corps commander, could not see far ahead because greed was blinding him, and he became a runaway train running only forward.
“Hit the imperial army first!”
The mountain mercenaries turned and changed their formation at once. They launched a counterattack against the imperial army, but it was not easy.
There were two high-level mages and a high-level knight. It was not an equal battle, even though the imperial army lacked practical experience.
The war situation was progressing favorably for the Philios Empire.
“The enemy’s forces are scattered.”
Alex came and reported. He had thrown away his servant’s clothes and was wearing the elite guard uniform.
Raymond, the Fifth Prince, stopped chanting magic and examined the enemies.
The mercenaries who had blocked the retreat of the allies were fleeing, and the condition of the mountain mercenaries did not look good either.
‘Good, it’s going according to plan.’
A smile spread on Raymond’s lips. The two tower masters and Gestain were running wild. Desia was also a great help.
The five intermediate-level mages of the mountain mercenary corps lost their lives at the beginning, and since then, the allied mages had been pouring out overwhelming firepower without any interference.
“The enemies are fleeing.”
One of the imperial army knights, who was next to him under the guise of escorting him, said in a calm voice.
Raymond turned his head and scanned the battlefield.
As he said, he could see the backs of the enemies scattering and running away.
They had collapsed, very miserably. They were the mountain mercenaries boasted by the Free Isiria Kingdom, panicking and fleeing.
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“Is it true that the Fifth Prince led the imperial army and entered the Black Mountains?”
“Yes, the border guards have confirmed it.”
At the report of his subordinate, Marquess Crayer felt a severe headache and grabbed his head.
He received a report last night that the Fifth Prince had left the central city with the imperial army, and hurriedly sent a messenger, but somehow the imperial army’s marching speed was faster than the messenger’s.
“What the hell is going on…”
Although the imperial family was with them, the morale of the imperial army was abnormally high. He had no idea what the Fifth Prince, Raymond, had done, so only questions deepened.
“Shouldn’t we inform the imperial family?”
The knight who was guarding him cautiously advised. The Black Mountains, that place was a battlefield full of monsters and enemy soldiers.
It was a hell where blood flowed every day. Since the youngest son of the imperial family, who was so precious to the Philios Empire, had entered such a place, it was a matter of course to report it to the imperial family.
“Prepare a magic communication.”
“Yes, Lord.”
Marquess Crayer ordered to prepare a magic communication with a complicated feeling.
It was such a serious and urgent problem that he decided to use magic communication, which required top-level mages and expensive communication crystal balls.
‘Maybe the imperial family will be in an uproar.’
Since the last place the Fifth Prince stayed was this central city, Marquess Crayer was not without responsibility.
“Magic communication is ready.”
While he was thinking about the things he would have to deal with and the follow-up, the servant he had sent to the territory’s top mage returned.
Marquess Crayer finished his thoughts and calmly followed the servant. And in the magic communication room, he told the imperial family about the current situation in detail without any lies.
“This is… a matter that must be reported to His Majesty the Emperor.”
The mage of the imperial palace left those words and left to report to the Emperor.
Not long after, it was conveyed to the Emperor that the Fifth Prince had led the imperial army and entered the Black Mountains, and the imperial palace was in an uproar.
The Fifth Prince had done something that even the headstrong 1st Prince had not done.
Some nobles raised their voices, saying that the Northern Central Army should be advanced to the Black Mountains to rescue the Fifth Prince, but the Emperor had no choice but to shake his head.
“If we advance the Northern Central Army further, we will not be able to avoid war. It is difficult to take measures beyond telling the border guards to strengthen patrols and sending a small number of combat units to the Black Mountains.”
It was practically giving up the Fifth Prince. The Emperor spoke in a calm voice, but his heart was torn.
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The Black Mountains, that place is a silent battlefield. It was also affected by the non-military treaty in which the Philios Empire and the Tri-Nation Alliance promised not to station troops.
Although no troops were officially stationed, the Black Mountains were a battlefield.
The Philios Empire and the Tri-Nation Alliance secretly stationed troops in the Black Mountains.
Large-scale troop deployments were impossible due to the monster groups, which could be said to be the true owners of the Black Mountains, but strongholds where small combat units to brigade-sized troops were stationed began to appear one by one.
“It’s a really funny thing. The non-military treaty allows the stationing of troops for the purpose of suppressing monster groups. But no one knows who sets the standards…”
Cron, the eldest son of the Marquess Crayer and commander of the infantry belonging to the border guards, said in a voice mixed with calm anger.
His gaze did not leave the backs of the soldiers who were recovering the bodies. Just looking at that appearance, you could tell how much Cron cared for his subordinates.
“How far is it to the temporary base?”
“We have to go for two more days.”
This is a battlefield. Raymond, who knew well that there was no time to be soaked in sad feelings, changed the subject.
Cron also knew this well, so he shook his head to shake off his thoughts and responded to the conversation with Raymond.
Two days. Marching for two days in the Black Mountains is by no means a light matter.
Even if it wasn’t for the mercenaries of the Free Isiria Kingdom, the monsters were a problem.
They were exerting a strong dominance over this land to the point that they could be said to be the true owners of the Black Mountains.
“I and the imperial army will also be with you until the temporary base.”
“The Black Mountains are too dangerous for the Fifth Prince.”
“I came here according to the imperial order. Are you going to disobey the imperial order now?”
“A, no…”
In the Philios Empire, no one could refute the word ‘imperial order.’
As expected, when Raymond mentioned the imperial order, Cron had to shut his mouth.
He wanted to guide Raymond to the safer border as soon as possible, but since the imperial order had been issued, he had no choice but to be with him.
‘I heard that the Fifth Prince is a coward and a rogue…’
Thinking about the Fifth Prince’s appearance, who had commanded the battlefield a little while ago, he thought that the rumors in the capital that he had defeated the Shadow Emperor might not be exaggerated or false rumors.
But even so, Raymond’s joining was burdensome from Cron’s point of view.
It was not a normal battlefield, but the Black Mountains, where you never knew what would happen. But the escort troops were only the imperial army’s hundred-man squad, the Fifth
Prince’s elite guards, and one infantry unit that had suffered a lot of damage.
In fact, one infantry unit was the main force. Cron had to hold back a sigh at the thought of commanding them to protect the Fifth Prince.
“The Fifth Prince is with us!”
“He came all the way to this perilous place for us!”
It was fortunate that the morale of the knights and soldiers was soaring. Of course, the imperial army was at the center of the instigation.
“Lord Cron.”
“Yes, please speak, Fifth Prince.”
“I know what you’re feeling.”
Raymond said softly.
“The worst case you’re thinking of will never happen. I guarantee it.”
It was a voice full of confidence beyond strong confidence. In the Black Mountains, where even skilled knights were extremely nervous, the Fifth Prince was not only showing a relaxed appearance, but also had confidence.
Cron’s heart moved a little at this.
“I will do my best to assist you.”
Since the imperial order has been issued, I cannot refuse. If I cannot send the Fifth Prince back,
I have no choice but to be with him.
Cron regained his composure, which had weakened for a moment, and bowed his head and answered. A resolute voice echoed faintly.
“It seems that the repairs are almost finished, so let’s move the army.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The imperial army moved again. They took a minimal rest and moved busily for about a day.
Since it was difficult for the cavalry to move on the terrain, Raymond, the Fifth Prince, also got off his horse and moved with the soldiers.
The royal knights and elite guard members of the imperial army who saw this also voluntarily got off their horses.
The Red Tower Master also dismounted, and the Blue Tower Master also got off his horse with a short sigh. How long had they walked like that?
“Fifth Prince, we are now circling in the same place.”
The Red Tower Master, Berenus Kyle, reported.
When Raymond nodded with a stiff face, Berenus opened his mouth to give a supplementary explanation.
“It seems we have entered the ‘Path of the Forgotten’.”
The Red Tower Master continued to explain, but Raymond did not hear it.
Raymond, who knew the settings of this novel, closed his ears and organized his thoughts because he did not need to listen.
The Path of the Forgotten.
The land of knights who fought most bravely to defeat monsters in ancient times, but were forgotten without a name. And…
‘The Soul Sword is also sleeping there.’
It would have been quite difficult to find it on purpose, but I was lucky.
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