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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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“Sir Ivan has assembled twenty from the Palace Guard and fifty from the Capital Guard. If what the High Elf bloodline said is true and there are only five Patrollers, subduing them won’t be difficult.”
The Red Tower Master, Berenus Kyle, spoke. His voice was loud enough for everyone gathered in the barracks to hear.
Among them were Raymond’s subordinates, the two Tower Masters, as well as Sylvia and Siadin.
“Thank you, Your Highness the Fifth Prince.”
Sylvia bowed her head in gratitude. She was quick-witted. She knew how to read the atmosphere and say the right words.
“The rescue isn’t complete yet, and the World Tree has yet to be purified. It’s too early for thanks.”
Though he spoke indifferently, Raymond felt his composure waver for a brief moment at the sight of the High Elf bloodline, her clear green eyes shimmering as she expressed her gratitude.
‘That too is just another illusion she crafted to use me.’
Unlike his sensitive heart, his mind knew the truth. That’s why Raymond had no choice but to keep his reason even colder.
“Still, I wanted to express my thanks.”
Unlike when she served under the Second Prince, Sylvia now exuded the unique charm of a High Elf bloodline. Raymond let out a short sigh and shook his head.
“Your Highness, the Fifth Prince, must you really go all the way to the Blue Forest?”
It was the Blue Tower Master, Lysfield Dior.
“The decision has already been made.”
Raymond’s tone was firm.
“I heard that Lady Desia and Sir Gestain will be accompanying you as guards.”
Sylvia and Siadin were also set to go, but from Lysfield’s perspective, the two Elves didn’t even qualify as escorts.
When Raymond nodded calmly, Lysfield’s eyes narrowed.
“Wouldn’t it be better to send me or the Red Tower Master instead? You could remain here and command the Imperial Army.”
It was a perfectly reasonable suggestion, but Raymond shook his head.
“No. If you or the Red Tower Master go to the Blue Forest, the likelihood of conflict with the Elves will be high.”
Elves had a deep-seated ‘hatred’ for the Red Tower, which specialized in fire magic. Moreover, they had been threatened by the Second Prince’s subordinates. If Raymond introduced the Red Tower Master as a representative of the Philios Empire, that hatred would only deepen.
Sending the Blue Tower Master, skilled in water and ice magic, was another option, but as the leader of the Philios Empire’s Mage Tower, he too would be hated. Perhaps not as much as the Red Tower Master, but still enough.
“And yet, knowing this, you still plan to go to the Blue Forest with only two escorts?”
“It’s precisely because I know that I must go.”
Raymond’s eyes shone coldly.
“Don’t worry too much.”
Even though he was essentially declaring that he was walking into danger, Raymond retained his characteristic composure. The Blue Tower Master found it both admirable and frustrating.
“Your Highness, the Fifth Prince…”
“They are not yet ready to handle the blood of a Philios Empire royal.”
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After the assassination attempt, Raymond ordered the Imperial Army Commander, Cassias, to pull the troops back. The forces under the Fifth Prince’s command, comprising a hundred Imperial Army soldiers and several combat mages from the Mage Tower, retreated to the rear of the border.
There was a possibility of a second attack, so Raymond planned to regroup at a relatively safe rear border fortress.
“A message from Sir Ivan Rowse, captain of the Palace Guard. The Patrollers have been eliminated, and an Elf has been secured safely and is under protection.”
Upon hearing the report from the Red Tower Master, Berenus Kyle, Raymond moved without hesitation. Everything was ready.
“We move now.”
At Raymond’s cold command, Desia, Gestain, and the two Elves appeared, each carrying a small enchanted backpack.
While the Imperial Army prepared to set up camp, five figures emerged from the darkness, slipping away from the old border fortress. After riding for about three hours on the horses Cassias had prepared, they had put quite some distance between themselves and the fortress. Leading the group, Sylvia turned her head slightly and spoke.
“I will now use the Blessing of the Wind.”
The blessing of spirits was a skill that only a select few Elves could use. The Blessing of the Wind, in particular, was useful for travel as it lightened the body and reduced wind resistance.
“O wind…”
Sylvia whispered softly into the air, and soon, the energy of the wind began to gather.
Raymond had read about it in records, but this was his first time seeing it in person. His eyes gleamed with curiosity as he watched the wind’s energy converge.
Once the blessing had fully settled upon them, the horses’ speed increased dramatically. Without stopping, they pressed on toward the Blue Forest.
How long had they ridden? After three days, they finally reached the forest’s outskirts.
“Haa, haa…”
The heavy breathing came from Sylvia. Her face was now beyond pale, she looked almost ghostly.
For three days straight, she had maintained the Blessing of the Wind without rest, which had drained her mana severely.
Raymond, riding just behind her, had suggested stopping for rest multiple times upon seeing her precarious state.
“My people are in danger. We must hurry.”
Sylvia kept repeating the same phrase like a soulless doll.
Raymond understood her urgency. The Second Prince wasn’t an idiot.
He had surely received reports that Sylvia’s younger sister, Aria, had been rescued. It was highly likely that he had sent his subordinates to the Blue Forest for retaliation.
‘We can only pray that the Platinum Grass Tribe elders are quick-witted.’
The World Tree’s barrier protected the Elven village. The Second Prince’s forces had been gradually weakening it to allow easier passage, but with the tide now turning, Raymond could only hope they had strengthened it again.
“Wait.”
Sylvia raised a hand, signaling them to stop, and immediately pulled her horse to a halt.
“What is it?”
“Someone is a kilometer ahead.”
“I don’t sense any mana yet…”
“They’ve cleverly concealed their presence. Detecting them through mana alone will be difficult.”
Sylvia cut off Desia’s words. Desia scowled in irritation but quickly corrected her expression upon realizing they were in front of the Fifth Prince.
“There are many strong ones. If we get closer, they’ll notice us. If we’re going to take a detour, now’s the time.”
Judging by her extreme wariness, they weren’t Elves. Raymond briefly considered asking whether they should engage but shook his head.
He didn’t know how many were ahead, but since Sylvia hadn’t suggested an ambush, their numbers were likely considerable.
“Gestain.”
“It’s impossible.”
Raymond shifted his gaze to Gestain just in case, but the knight let out a short sigh and shook his head.
Even for a high-ranking knight, accurately sensing presences a kilometer away was no easy feat. Sylvia was simply abnormally skilled in this field.
“The one who walks ahead…”
She walked ahead of everyone, assessing dangers before anyone else and issuing warnings. That was Sylvia’s role in ‘Empire of the Dead’.
“Sylvia, I trust your decision. Find a detour and lead the way.”
Raymond spoke. According to the author’s setting, Sylvia had not yet obtained the ‘Diary of the Spirit King’ at this point.
Even so, her guiding abilities were among the best within the Philios Empire’s territory. If he couldn’t trust her here, then who else could he trust?
“I’ll lead you on a safe path.”
Knowing that the fate of the World Tree protecting her tribe rested on Raymond, Sylvia squeezed out every bit of mana she could and summoned spirits of the wind. She spread them out to find a secure route.
“This way.”
The detour was a success. The enemy remained unaware, and Sylvia guided Raymond’s group deep into the blue forest.
“From here on, this is the territory of the Platinum Grass Tribe.”
Sylvia’s tone was close to a warning. The elves were likely on high alert. There was no telling what might happen.
“It looks like my kin are here.”
A trace of relief flickered across Sylvia’s face, but it vanished as her expression turned pale.
“No… No!”
Whoosh!
There was no time to stop them. The sharp sound of the wind being torn apart filled the air as dozens of arrows rained down on Raymond’s group.
“How dare you raise your weapons here? You stand before the Fifth Prince of the Philios Empire!”
The arrows failed to penetrate the mana shield Desia had deployed, but Gestain reacted as if Raymond had suffered a fatal injury. He erupted in fury.
Mana surged along the sword he drew.
“You wretches! If you do not wish to bear the wrath of the Philios Empire, show yourselves at once!”
The towering trees of the forest trembled as though cowed by his thundering voice.
High up in the branches, the elves’ uneasy eyes met Raymond’s. He smirked and shook his head.
It seemed they had not realized whom they had just attacked.
The Philios Empire, though it had yet to reclaim its ancient glory, still controlled vast territories. If necessary, they could easily erase an elven tribe from the western continent, where the Allied Races’ influence did not reach.
“Fools! Come down at once!”
Sylvia’s sharp rebuke gave the hesitant elves justification. They had obeyed the command of a High Elf bloodline, not surrendered out of fear. That was what they told themselves as they leapt from the treetops like scattered leaves.
A dozen elves landed lightly on the ground.
Though they revealed themselves willingly, the tense atmosphere remained. Their eyes darted warily around, and while they had not drawn their swords, their hands did not leave their bowstrings or hilts.
Raymond’s subordinates were no different. Desia maintained her mana shield, and Gestain emanated a menacing killing intent.
Having spent his life defending the northern borders of the Philios Empire, the high-ranking knight’s oppressive presence was unbearable for the elves. A few of them struggled to breathe steadily.
“Captain of the elite guards. Withdraw your killing intent.”
“Yes, my lord.”
As Gestain complied, the elves’ expressions eased slightly. However, Raymond’s own face remained unreadable. He openly showed his displeasure as he spoke.
“Sylvia. Explain why I had to come here in person.”
“Yes… Your Highness.”
The explanation took five minutes. It was brief, but enough for the elves to understand Sylvia and Raymond’s circumstances and their agreement.
“We failed to recognize our benefactor.”
“We apologize!”
The elves bowed their heads. Though they had received an apology, Desia and Gestain remained cold. Their gazes carried no warmth.
“Now, let’s hear why you attacked me.”
Raymond’s voice was calm, yet it carried a sharp edge. The elves sensed the restrained but chilling pressure behind his words and swallowed hard.
One of them stepped forward after steadying her breath. A badge on her chest signified her rank as a squad leader. She lowered her head slightly, eyes cast downward as she spoke.
“As you may have already heard from Lady Sylvia, the Second Prince’s subordinates have been monitoring our village. But recently, their behavior became suspicious. Then, they attempted to take our elder hostage.”
It had happened right after Ivan Rowse, the captain of the Palace Guard, had rescued Aria.
“We eliminated all of the Second Prince’s forces, but our tribe suffered significant losses. In that moment, we mistook the Fifth Prince’s group for another hostile force. We deeply apologize for pointing our weapons at you.”
As the elven squad leader bowed once more, Desia’s expression softened slightly. However, Gestain, whose loyalty to Raymond ran deep, remained stone-faced. Though he no longer exuded killing intent, his presence was still oppressive.
“Gestain. Excess is not good.”
“Apologies, my lord.”
Loyalty was admirable, but it should not become a hindrance.
At Raymond’s rebuke, Gestain nodded and concealed his hostility, not erased, merely hidden.
“I won’t hold a grudge. However, never raise your weapons against me again.”
Raymond subtly released his aura. The accumulated force of a thousand knights burst forth.
“This is the last time I will show mercy. There won’t be a second chance. Remember that.”
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: selkie
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