21st Century Archmage

Chapter 132: Life is One Big Battle

“The Kyre Road?”

“Yes. Surprisingly, Nerman has built a road from the borders all the way to Denfors, which can be called the center of the territory.”

“But isn’t it just a gravel road?”

“It is not. It’s a perfect road that enables carriages to travel at several times their usual speed.”

“Unbelievable. For there to be a real road in a place that was supposed to be a paradise for monsters up till very recently… But you seem to be a new face. Who are you?”

“Your Excellency, Sir Lukence is the lord who effectively ruled Nerman before the man named Kyre appeared.”

The Laviter Empire Army’s planning meeting was underway in a large tent. Along with the Commander, Duke Yanovis, the leaders of the Third and Seventh Platoons, as well as 100 important nobles participating in the battle, were carrying out the meeting. As they were doing so, Lukence stepped out from behind the Third Platoon leader and provided them with detailed information about Nerman.

“Is that so? But how did you find out something that even the empire’s intelligence network wasn’t able to find out?”

“The man named Kyre is far more cunning than his age would suggest. Even for the Rubis Merchants, the company most active with Nerman, he has only opened the borders once to them. Also, using national security as an excuse, he has thoroughly restricted the entry and exit of mercenaries and regular merchants. However, I have loyal men planted in Nerman. They are the ones who relayed this information to me.”

“Haha, I see. It’s a relief that we have been able to find out something like that, though later than I would have liked. Do you have any other information to share?”

Lukence had suddenly revealed his identity as the former provisional lord of Nerman. His bony physique and the scar above his right eye gave him a tough-willed appearance.

“The surveillance has been extraordinarily strict, so I do not know the details, but their main forces are concentrated in my former castle, Gadain, and Denfors, and the rest of the forces have been spread out to the former Bajran Empire fortress, Ciaris, and Orakk Castle.”

“Haha, what laughable fools they are. Their strength would be lacking even if they concentrated their forces in one place, but they divided up troops as pitiful as an orc’s tail?”

“Your Excellency, I may be overstepping my station with these words, but please do not underestimate him.”

After losing his base due to Kyre, Viscount Lukence dedicated himself to working in the Third Platoon of the Laviter Empire, a group he’d been well acquainted with before. After many months, he finally grasped his chance to get revenge.

“Do you mean to say that there is a chance that such a man could possibly defeat our Imperial Army?” asked Duke Yanovis, giving Lukence a look of interest.

The nobles in the tent glared at Lukence unhappily. If things went south, it could get dicey for Lukence.

He swallowed nervously before opening his mouth. “In less than a year, he brought a single hybrid wyvern with him and seized Nerman, became a count of the Bajran Empire, built a wyvern force of 100 and a knight order of over 1,000. He also firmly captured the hearts of the residents living in Nerman. In addition, as all of the nobles here probably know, not long ago, he instantly devoured 250 wyverns and 50,000 men belonging to nobles who can be called the core strength of the Havis Kingdom. That is not all. According to my information, the main culprit responsible for wiping out the Roen Principality’s army when they attacked the Havis Kingdom was Kyre.”

“!!”

“Mm…”

When Lukence finished speaking, the imperial nobles exclaimed with shock. They thought the rumors going around the continent regarding the ‘Battle God’ Lord of Nerman were exaggerated, but through Lukence, they found out that even the rumors were downplaying Kyre’s achievements. Not a single person here could accomplish the same feats in a single year.

“The man is also at least a 6th Circle magic swordsman. On top of that, he is also a summoner who can summon a high spirit.”

“W-What did you say? A magic swordsman, and a High Summoner?!”

“That’s ridiculous! How can someone who uses magic summon a spirit?”

“Hmph! Are you telling us to believe such a blatant lie?”

All of the noble knights here were old hands in military matters. They jumped up in outrage, as if rejecting Lukence’s words.

“If you pay a little bit of attention, everyone here will be able to confirm it for themselves. And that’s not all. The power of the new weapons he has developed exceeds all imagination. The new Blessed Spears boast an effective range of 3 km, he has developed an anti-wyvern and infantry crossbow, and to top things off, most of his territory’s soldiers are even armed with dwarven-made weapons. Do you still think he is an easy target?”

Lukence’s voice rang out quietly in the meeting tent, but not a single person was able to retort this time. They hadn’t even dreamed that Nerman’s Kyre was such a formidable foe.

“Normal soldiers have dwarven-made weapons? Impressive. To think that weapons that Imperial Knights cannot wield out of scarcity are being used by soldiers. Hahahahaha, how astonishing! Astonishing!”

Commander Yanovis burst out in unrestrained guffaws, but his expression was far from being astonished.

Duke Yanovis raised the eyes that gave him the nickname ‘Mad Cow’ and got Lukence’s attention. “You called yourself Lukence, did you not?”

“Pardon? Yes, Your Excellency.”

“What are your thoughts on the Imperial Army?”

“T-That is…”

“I asked just in case you were perhaps thinking that our soldiers were cut from the same cloth as the Havis Kingdom or other kingdoms.”

“No, not at all. How could I dare to doubt the skills of the brave, elite warriors of Laviter?”

“Correct. How could those motley Nerman soldiers, used to hunting monsters or such, possibly compare to the loyal and brave elite soldiers of His Majesty? And you say Kyre is a 6th Circle magic swordsman and summoner? Kukuku, a single hand cannot block swords flying in from all directions. Even if he himself is strong, he is only one person, and our Imperial Army has dozens, no, hundreds, of strong men. Do you still think that he could possibly do anything about us?”

Duke Yanovis formulated it as a question, but his words were filled with obvious displeasure.

“N-No! I apologize, it was a slip of the tongue. No kingdom on this continent, much less that man, could block the footsteps of Your Excellency and Laviter’s soldiers!” His face paling, Lukence scrambled to brownnose.

“Haha, it seems your senses have returned to normal now.” Duke Yanovis laughed heartily. “Men, worry not. Do not forget that the Imperial Magic Tower produced a new model of Blessed Spears in absolute secrecy for this battle, and they have been distributed. Moreover, the loyal knights and soldiers of His Majesty are knights among knights and soldiers among soldiers who do not fear death, are they not? Trust and follow me. I will end a foe as insignificant as Nerman in half a month!”

“Yes, siiir!”

Duke Yanovis’ declaration was brimming with utter confidence. The noble knights inside the tent saluted him with fired up hearts. Their leader was the Mad Cow, Commander Yanovis, the hero who achieved the legendary feat of taking 100 Skyknights of the duchy to attack the royal castle of Perkan and capture the king. Having seen that legend themselves or grown up hearing about it, it was impossible for the noble knights to not

 believe him.

‘Foolish bastards… In the near future, you will hit the ground and regret.’

The man named Kyre had grown to the point where Lukence could not eliminate him with his strength alone. Lukence, who had defected to the Laviter Empire in order to kill him, sneered inside his heart.

Even now, he could not forget that man’s valiance and skill. Inwardly, he thought the Laviter Army would likely experience an unforgettable time of their own in this expedition.

The news that the Laviter Army had just crossed our borders had me feeling antsy, so I went up Denfors’ tallest watchtower. All the soldiers realized I wanted to be alone and fled, but Russell came up. Because I was just too busy last winter, we hadn’t been able to properly catch up, if you could call it that. She quietly walked up to my side.

“It’s a good place.”

“Hm?”

“I’m talking about Nerman. It’s really great.”

As she spoke, she gazed out at the plains stretching out freely into the distance.

“You like it?”

“Yeah, I really like it.”

“Then live here for the rest of your life. I’d welcome your stay here anytime.”

The memories I had of being at the knight academy dorms with Russell were unforgettable to me. I had really messed with her a lot back then, not knowing she was a crossdressing girl.

“Can I? Really?”

“Naturally. I, the lord, is giving permission, so who would dare to say no? Just trust me.”

“Hoho, thanks.”

Russell laughed, her somewhat short, shoulder-length blue hair moving as she did so. It was a laugh I’d never heard from her, a cute and feminine laugh. The tension seizing my heart seemed to melt away.

“I thought about you often.”

“Pft, I thought about you every day.”

Russell, who only showed her female side in front of me, stuck out her tongue a bit with an aggrieved expression.

“But you’re still going around as a man? It’s about time to take off that mask, isn’t it?”

“Countess Irene knows. But she told me to keep living like this. She said there are many exhausting things about living as a woman.”

‘Irene’s got a pretty unique personality herself.’

These days, Irene didn’t denounce me as a playboy whenever she saw me anymore. If I put even a little bit of strength in my gaze, she would blush. She had become the flight instructor for Igis and the little Prince, so it wasn’t easy to catch sight of her lately.

“Call it over.”

“Who?”

“Your underling.”

“I think you’re the only one who would call a spirit an ‘underling,’ Kyre.”

Instead of calling me titles like ‘count’ or ‘my lord,’ she spoke in a far more familiar manner. Only Russell would dare to be this casual with me. But I didn’t feel an ounce of displeasure or anger. Only Russell, my friend, had permission to do so. She was, first and foremost, my friend.

“Shuriel~!”

Flaaaash.

“Nice response time!”

The silver eagle came forth as soon as Russell called its name, flapping its wings of wind about 10 meters in the air in front of us as it awaited orders.

“But Kyre, you’re a summoner too, aren’t you! Hmph! You even tricked me… You’re too much!”

I did, after all, summon the high-grade wind spirit, Djinn, in order to save the Princess and Prince’s group. Russell made an expression of anger.

“But you also tricked me, didn’t you?”

“W-What?”

Grab.

“Oh my!”

My hand responded to her flustered ‘what’ by pulling Russell in. We were in the tallest watchtower in Denfors, a nice location hidden from prying eyes (unless you were flying).

‘Aw man, this damned airplate!’

However, Russell’s hard airplate interfered with my first happiness with Russell in a while.

“W-What are you doing, Kyre…” whispered Russell in a tiny squeak.

“Like I said, I wanted to see you.”

My words definitely sounded like they came from a playboy. Just a few words had Russell’s silver eyes sparkling.

‘All women who’ve been stamped by my lips are mine!’

I was someone who had a definite sense of ‘sovereign will’.

Drawn by the raging blood pumped out by my wildly beating heart, I drew closer to Russell’s moist lips.

“Mm…”

Russell closed her eyes and accepted my approach, as if tacitly saying she had been waiting for this moment. A sweet moan came from her lips and floated away in the wind.

‘What’re you staring at, you dumb bird! Lower your eyes!’ I glared at Shuriel, the spirit that was suddenly summoned from the Spirit Realm and was now watching a 15+ scene.

Kiooooooooo!

Under the piercing gaze of someone contracted to an arch-grade wind spirit, Shuriel squawked and returned to the Spirit Realm.

‘Acting all pure…’

Even in this critical moment, my displeasure towards birds came lashing out. Shuriel and that Cassanova Bebeto were on completely different levels, but to me, they both felt like lustful birdbrains.

* * *

Clank clank clank clank. Thud thud thud thud! Kioooooooooooooooooo!

After the Laviter Army passed through the Havis Kingdom and arrived on Nerman land, they proceeded swiftly on the road spread out beautifully before them, the Kyre Road.

‘It’s impressive.’

Hearing about the Kyre Road and seeing it for himself was a different feeling entirely. As he flew slowly above Nerman, Duke Yanovis could not help but secretly exclaim in surprise. The wide road, which could easily fit around three carriages, stretched out endlessly over the plains.

‘Just how in the world was he able to construct a road like that?’

The Laviter Empire also had a paved road around 10 km long centered around the capital. Considering the empire’s status, it had still taken a significant amount of effort to build. However, this road, which got its name from the Lord of Nerman, Kyre, was on a different level entirely. It wasn’t a path made with stones roughly cut and fitted together. Yanovis didn’t know what the material was, but the road was very flat and incredibly smooth. Their supply carriages were moving so freely on the road that it almost seemed as if they were sliding forward.

‘Capturing him alive would be best.’

The more Yanovis thought about it, the more he was impressed by the man’s talent. The difference in the value of an offensive mage that was mostly used in battle and a mage that could make magic items was like heaven and earth. Most knights and soldiers thought more highly of offensive mages, but magic towers and the empire valued mages who could produce items far more. An offensive mage could only be used in battle, but an item production mage was a valuable resource that could be used not only in battle, but in many other ways.

‘It’s a relief that His Highness has recovered his former composure.’

To avoid making the same mistakes as the army of Havis’ nobles, he had investigated Nerman’s strategies ahead of time. As such, they always had a minimum of 200 wyverns up in the air, protecting the main force. At the center of those wyverns was the Prince of Laviter, Alskane, who was confidently flying his Gold Wyvern.

‘Come, Lord of Nerman, Kyre.’

As soon as he heard the warning from Lukence, Yanovis’ heart started racing. That bloody nighttime ambush he initiated with his territory’s Skyknights 30 years ago in the Perkan Kingdom… If it hadn’t been for the idiotic king appearing in the royal covert in an attempt to escape, Yanovis and his men would have been completely annihilated.

But by some twist of fate, Duke Yanovis survived and became a war hero. He wanted to tell the continent again. He wanted to tell all of Kallian that Yanovis von Vermillion was not dead yet…

* * *

“Their defenses are watertight. Their formation is textbook perfect.”

“They are really hard-headed. We tried showing weaknesses to lure them, but they refuse to react to any of our provocations and are slowly proceeding in formation.”

“Because they are using the Kyre Road, they should reach Gadain Castle by tomorrow.”

Having returned from patrol flights, the knights gathered in the office showed their frustration at the level-headed strategy of the Laviter Army.

“My liege, at this rate, there will be an all-out war at Gadain Castle.”

I stared silently at a map of Nerman, feeling the gazes of Derval and my knights on me.

“Retreat.”

“W-What?”

“R-Retreat?”

“Move the soldiers and all important equipment in Gadain Castle by tonight to Denfors.”

“!!”

“My liege!”

The knights reeled in shock. They had seen Gadain Castle as the first line of defense, so it was no wonder that they were surprised.

“Do it. This was something I planned in advance.”

I dispatched troops to Gadain Castle in order to sound out their strategy. And now, I was sure of their strategy. They were using the defeat of Havis’ noble army as a foundation for their tactics.

“As you command!”

The knights acquiesced as soon as I said it was planned. They weren’t completely in the know about my plans.

‘I trust them, but there are still too many eyes in Nerman.’

I had a bad feeling somehow. We did our best to restrict all information about Nerman, but the Laviter Empire was completely informed about Nerman. Even now, I was getting reports that Laviter was keeping their guard up in the rear in order to defend against the troops in Fort Ciaris. On top of that, they knew all the locations of the newly constructed intermediate forts and were seizing them one after another.

I didn’t think their objective was Gadain Castle. If we concentrated all of our forces in Gadain Castle, they would probably bypass it and go straight for Denfors.

“Sir Shailt, have you instructed the soldiers and residents to not resist even when the enemies appear?”

“I have done as ordered, sir.”

“Sir Derval, any movements from the Kovilan Mountains?”

“None, sir.”

‘That’s a relief, at least.’

The thing I had feared most was a pincer attack from them. If they crossed the Kovilan Mountains with wyverns and kept Denfors in check, we would be completely cornered in a bloody war of resistance. But thankfully, Laviter did not divide their forces, taking absolute confidence in their assurance that they would never, ever lose.

“Assist in the retreat of Gadain Castle at once. You can use wyverns to move the ballistas to designated locations on the Denfors walls. All other soldiers are to use carriages to swiftly retreat!”

“As you command!”

The knights must have much they wanted to ask me, but they continued forward with faith in me.

Soon, they would see what kind of person their liege was.

* * *

“D-Does Your Majesty intend to wage war?!”

“Why not? Is there a reason I can’t? If the Krantz bastards that insulted me, the emperor of this empire, are left alone, won’t the other kingdoms and the people of the world mock me as a fool? Before that happens, I’ll give them a scorching lesson!”

“Y-Your Majesty, but the Krantz Kingdom is in an alliance with the other three kingdoms. If we wage war, it could balloon into an ordeal we might not be able to handle.”

“Kukuku, since when did our empire fear the actions of such trivial kingdoms? If those minor kingdoms dare to resist, all we must do is trample them down… It seems you have become afraid of many things these days, Uncle. They say one grows defensive when one has much to lose…”

Under Poltviran’s mad gaze, Duke Ormere trembled for a moment.

‘He’s changed. He’s not the Poltviran I once knew.’

Ormere had recently received a report about Poltviran finding fault with the Krantz envoy. Among the four kingdoms surrounding the Bajran Empire, the Krantz Kingdom had shown the greatest sincerity. However, Poltviran found fault where there was none. It was his crooked desire breaking free. In addition, he used ‘uncle’ to refer to Ormere with other nobles present, even though Poltviran didn’t normally use that address. And what’s more, Poltviran’s last sentence was full of veiled threats.

“What do you think, men? Do you think that I, the Emperor of the Great Bajran Empire, should endure this insult, or annihilate the Krantz Kingdom for the sake of the empire and Our own honor!!”

Poltviran’s first words were spoken smoothly, but as he continued speaking, the violent emotion behind the words was uncovered.

‘I-It can’t possibly be because of that one matter, can it?!’

As his head throbbed at Poltviran’s sheer unruliness, Duke Ormere suddenly remembered something that had happened 10 years ago. At that time, Crown Prince Poltviran was at the height of his adolescence. He was so interested in the other sex that rumors that the Crown Prince had already had his first time with a maid reached Duke Ormere’s ears.

Back then, the twin princesses of the Krantz Kingdom had come to the Imperial Palace with ambassadors. They were around thirteen years old, but they took after the Queen of Krantz, who was widely rumored to be a matchless beauty, so the twin princesses possessed quite the beauty. While they were staying in the palace, as custom dictated, they met Crown Prince Poltviran.

And then, an incident blew up. Lusting after the twin princesses, the adolescent Crown Prince tried to sneak into their room and rape them. However, the incident stopped at an attempt because the kingdom’s Secretary of State found out about it, and the Crown Prince was sternly rebuked by the Emperor and given half a year of house arrest in his palace.

‘How can this be… Those words were not said in vain.’

When Duke Ormere went to console the Crown Prince, Poltviran ground his teeth and said that once he became the emperor, the very first thing he would do would be to stomp the Krantz Royal Castle into oblivion.

“May Your Majesty do as he wishes!”

The nobles kept glancing at Duke Ormere, but because there were no further words from the Duke, all the nobles bowed their heads to the ground.

“Then prepare for war. It will be the first war since my enthronement, so as the emperor, I shall personally participate! Hahahahahahahaha!”

The piercing laughter of the tyrannical emperor, Poltviran, spread throughout the walls of the palace. In that manner, the fate of a kingdom was decided. All because of a crazed dog that was the ‘ill’ in ‘ill-fated’…

* * *

Swoooooooooosh.

Bebeto flew over a low blanket of clouds, a portent of spring rain. The ground below might be a gloomy world of darkness, but beyond the clouds was a blessed new world, lit by the bright halo of the moon glowing just above the clouds. Bebeto was an old hand at utilizing air currents, so he spread his wings wide and rode the wind.

‘This is why you’ve gotta fly!’

I was wearing the elven airplate Narmias gave me. My eyes peered from within the thin helmet snugly covering my face and took in the magical sight in the sky. If we weren’t in a state of war right now, I would have liked to fly on a night like this with Aramis, but I went out alone with Bebeto.

‘As time goes on, he’s gaining more and more rugged charm.’

Bebeto won over all the female wyverns in the covert, one after another. Even I had to admit that his golden stripes, which were getting darker as he grew, looked pretty dashing.

‘They must’ve taken Gadain Castle by now.’

Their advance looked slow, but they were occupying my territory at the steady pace of the infantry’s advance. I heard they were now assuming a wide formation and preparing to advance on Denfors.

‘It’s do or die now!’

A fierce battle of life and death would erupt in a few days.

Swooooooosh.

Bebeto followed the movements of the reins in my hands and swiftly descended.

As we cut through the clouds, I had the impression that the thick clouds were penetrating my mithril armor.

‘Huhu, you bastards!’

The Shaviltre Bridge appeared before my eyes. The fort protecting the bridge was flying the flag of Laviter.

‘I will absolutely make you pay for the crime of sullying a precious memory I share with Aramis!’

I activated my mana core, filling the Blessed Spear in my hand with mana.

“Go!”

Flash!

The Blessed Spear whistled right into the bridge, my enraged mana giving it the speed of a meteor.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Because of their strategy of careful advancement, the Shaviltre Bridge was forced to receive a spear of destruction. The mana in the defensive magic array exceeded its limits and exploded, causing a huge explosion on the bridge.

“Kukukuku…”

Now, the bastards had no road back. Tonight, I was going to destroy all the bridges.

Go big or go home! Life was just one big battle.