Book 5-9.3
The Silence Empire’s headquarters was swept up by disappointment.
They had lost a war they should not have lost, and had a territory they couldn’t lose taken away. Furthermore, it was to a stupid barbarian from the desert.
At the same time, they were not even able to cause significant damage to the enemy. Count Terros claimed they injured at least 20,000 of Pareia’s warriors, but there were no commanders who would be gullible enough to believe that.
People had a tendency to exaggerate the amount of damage they managed to inflict to the enemy, and it was more likely to happen when they lost. People tended to exaggerate the most when they faced an overwhelming defeat.
Slam~!
The commanding officer of this war, the Silence Empire’s crown prince Shaone, struck the table so hard that the table almost broke before he started to shout.
“Do you really expect me to believe that, Count Terros!”
Count Terros of the Fedore region did not even flinch at Shaone’s fury. What he had told them was the truth, and he was not the only one who did not know about this prior to the battle.
“Your highness, but it is the truth. The barbarians of Pareia have someone who is able to use a ninth class magic called Meteor. And I do not know if it is the same person, but there is also a magician who can cause our soldiers to fall into a trance and start to see illusions.”
“Like I said, how does that make any sense!”
“But it is the truth.”
Shaone closed his extremely angry eyes after seeing Count Terros’s calm answer. His entire body was full of anger, but Shaone was holding himself back. This was still just the beginning half of the war, and Count Terros was a well-versed noble who was talented enough to lead the southern region.
He could not mock a noble that he could not afford to lose right now, and even if he didn’t mind losing him, right now was not the time.
“Ugh~”
Shaone let out a moan while trying to hold back his anger.
This really complicated things.
Losing the Fedore region was a significant loss for the Silence Empire. Those barbarians of the desert would have gained a significant resource to pressure the Silence Empire. In addition, if they really had such a high leveled magician as Count Terros explained, it would be difficult to even take the castle back.
“Towell, in the entire continent, how many people can use a magic like the one Count Terros explained?”
The Silence Empire’s Magist (Royal Magician) Towell had already been thinking about that prior to Shaone’s question.
Meteor, also known as a planet summoning spell, was really too grand of a name for it. In reality, it just lifted up a piece of earth or a giant boulder and shot it toward the enemy.
However, it drained a significant amount of mana, and if you did it wrong, you could even face mana backflow, which was an extremely dangerous situation for a magician. That was why it was not something that just anybody could use.
Even if they attempted it knowing the potential dangers, there were less than ten magicians who could even pretend to show a similar level of strength.
“Of the people I know about, there are about five of them. Myself, the Rojini Kingdom’s Magist Winnie, the one who burns with anger, one of the emperor’s bodyguards, the cruel Serena, the Western continent’s Magic Kingdom of Kellory’s Magis Zeras, and the roaming magician Teia. There may be more people, but these five are the only ones that I am certain about.”
Shaone asked after hearing Towell’s answer.
“Does that mean either Serena or the Rojini Kingdom’s Magist was deployed to Pareia?”
“I do not think that would be the case. Serena is known to never leave the Rojini emperor’s side, and Winnie will not get involved unless I step in. WIth that being the case, it is most likely that Teia is with them, but the Teia I know would never let themselves get tied down to a nation.”
“Then just who do they have that is capable of such high level magic?”
The room became silent at Shaone’s question. The desert tribe that they had ignored as stupid barbarians had pressured them so hard. This was something none of them could have ever expected.
Only the few individuals who knew a bit about the desert expected their empire to be lightly pressed. But not like this.
Shaone asked Towell.
“Do we have a way to fight against them if they really do have such a magician?”
“If they really have a magician who can use meteor, all we can do is use one of the magic brigades to defend against the meteor or seal it from the beginning of the battle.”
“Mm.”
There were many moans from the audience after Towell’s answer.
The magic brigade was a special team that was created with 100 magicians. They were extremely precious on the battlefield. Even a strong nation like the Silence Empire only had seven of these magic brigades.’’
Marquis Spotch, what is the number of soldiers we can send to the south right now?”
Marquis Spotch was extremely surprised at Shaone’s question and quickly answered.
“We have about 30,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry that is available from our reserve unit, as well as two brigades of knights.”
“If you personally command them, do you think you can take back the Fedore region? No, at minimum, would you be able to defend the Henkel plains?”
Marquis Spotch was feeling iffy about Shaone’s question.
He was an esteemed knight of the empire, and one of the nine masters of the Silence Empire. Yet the crown prince was talking about taking back the Fedore region would be impossible for him. However, Spotch decided to be understanding. The fact that the Fedore region fell was a significant shock for the Empire.
“If you leave it to this lowly one, I will even take back to Fedore region.”
“No, there isn’t a need to really take it back. I just want the Marquis to help make me not have to think about Pareia.”
“I, Spotch Rin Cullery, one of the Empire’s masters, as well as the leader of the Sword of Justice knight brigade. Ask that your highness not cut down my confidence as even his royal highness the king approves of my abilities.”
Marquis Spotch was really upset. If there was no desire to take back the Fedore region, there really wasn’t a reason to send him there.
The Henkel Plains were between the Fedore region and the Mobile territory which could be considered the entrance to the center of the Silence Empire, and in the middle of the Henkel Plains was the Henkel Gate. The Henkel Gate was a naturally developed fortress.
Shaone lifted up his hand to calm him down before starting to speak.
“I am not trying to upset you, Marquis. However, I know the desert tribes. I know just how tenacious they are. I also know that they are stronger than we expect them to be. That is why I am looking at you, Marquis Spotch. The Henkel Plains is responsible for cultivating over half of the Empire’s food. That is why I am sending you Marquis Spotch, one of the Empire’s pride and joy.
“Your highness, the Henkel Gate is a natural fortress. Even if it is not myself, the Henkel Gate is a fortress that could fend off any enemy, even if they came with 100,000 soldiers. As long as they focus on defense, it is not penetrable. So if it is not to take back the Fefore region, does it really make sense to send me for a defensive battle? Am I really that useless of a knight?”
Marquis Spotch was a knight who had the right to speak so bluntly to the crown prince, and Shaone also felt the need to make Marquis Spotch feel better. As Spotch mentioned, he was a talented knight of the empire, and one of the empire’s masters. He even felt like his order could be seen as shameful to Marquis Spotch.
“Marquis Spotch. Do i really need to tell you each and everything? As long as you obey my basic instructions, you can use your discretion for everything else.”
“I will give my all to meet your highness’s expectations.”
Marquis Spotch finally anticipated Shaone’s will and kneeled in front of Shaone. Shaone could finally relax as he continued to speak.
“I leave it to you, Marquis Spotch. I will send a magic brigade with your team. Until we win this war against the Rojini, make it so that the word Pareia does not reach my ear.”
“You do not have to worry about that, your highness.”
“Good, good. Then prepare everything you need before you head out. I will leave it to you.”
Marquis Spotch nodded his head and stood up before heading out. Once Marquis Spotch left, Shaone called in a few other commanders to discuss their future strategies.
End of chapter.
Next up:
Henkel Gate
This was not a gate you could pass with just strength.
However, they needed to get past here no matter what happened.
There was enough value to this place to put their lives on the line to take it.