Chapter 355
The One and Only Line.

The line dividing Klipford and Burgos had shifted back and forth for centuries, moving this way and that.

At last, it settled in one place for decades. Klipford, unwilling to tolerate any further border changes, erected a crimson wall, making the boundary between the two nations starkly clear—astonishingly so.

On the right side of the wall, fresh green blades of grass sprouted, thick tree trunks stretched out like waves. On the left, dust swirled in the wind, the cracked earth resembling the wrinkles of an old man’s face.

“Look, something’s coming.”

“From Burgos? Haven’t you heard the rumors that they’re blocking entry for the time being?”

“Well, about that…”

The soldier on watch at the outpost trailed off. Through his telescope, it wasn’t just a dozen or so people—it looked like hundreds, maybe even more. Was it just a trick of the dust?

Sensing something was wrong, the Klipford soldier hurriedly rang the alarm bell, shouting a warning.

“Troops are coming from Burgos!”

“Send word to the palace immediately!”

“Hold the wall at all costs!”

The tension of impending war had already spread across the land, but no one expected such a large force to appear so suddenly.

The Burgos soldiers approached proudly, their flags fluttering boldly near the wall, while Klipford’s guards raised their weapons, ready to defend.

“What’s going on? They say they’re envoys from Burgos, but that number is excessive!”

As a Klipford soldier shouted, Timothy, mounted on horseback, stepped forward.

“We’ve come to retrieve the Burgos envoys currently at the palace. They say they can’t move due to illness, so naturally, Burgos must take responsibility. We’ve brought along some appropriate items from Burgos, including top physicians, to assist. Open the gates.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Why not?”

“Why not? Why would we just open the gates for you?”

Though they claimed to be envoys, their intentions were clearly suspicious. Did they think the gates would open so easily just because they asked?

The soldiers prioritized defending the border until reinforcements arrived from the palace, locking the gates even tighter.

“The Burgos envoys went to Klipford under His Highness Damon’s strict orders. If their safety is compromised, it means our king is in danger. If you don’t open the gates, we will consider the envoys’ lives at risk.”

The Klipford soldiers realized they stood at a pivotal moment in history.

The prelude to war. The nightmare their ancestors had forgotten in decades of peace was returning to reality.

“What on earth is that…?”

Far off, behind the endless ranks of Burgos troops, an unfamiliar creature appeared. Too distant to make out clearly, but judging by its size compared to the horse-drawn chariots nearby, it was enormous.

The Klipford soldiers recalled that Burgos’s northern border was plagued by civil war and chaos among the sorcerers.

Something was coming. The soldiers atop the wall exchanged determined glances, pulled out hip flasks, and took a swig.

“Let this not be our last drink.”

“May we walk beneath the vineyard’s sunset once more.”

Clang.

As they steeled themselves for death, Timothy stepped forward again, pressing the issue.

“Open the way. Show that there is no conflict between Burgos and Klipford. If not, we will break down this wall by force and personally retrieve the envoys from the palace.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Who would believe such talk when you’re brandishing swords?”

The Klipford soldiers tossed their empty bottles aside, wiped their mouths, and raised their spears in unison.

“Get lost!”

---

KRAAAASH!

Suddenly, a deafening roar echoed from somewhere, shaking the earth so violently that even the palace trembled.

Prince Noah, checking the edge of his sword, turned his head.

“What’s that sound?”

“I don’t know. I’ll check.”

“No need. I’ll go see for myself.”

“Your Highness! We’re ready!”

Clad in full armor, the palace soldiers lined up and charged forward. Three ministers gestured firmly and precisely. The Klipford flag fluttered beside them.

BOOM! BOOM!

From the highest tower of the palace, a massive drum sounded—a warning to the people and a command for the protesters to disperse.

The prince looked toward the star palace where his siblings hid. They were probably pressed against the windows, drawing an invisible figure—him. At times like this, the curse felt all too real. Even as he marched to war, he couldn’t see his family’s faces.

Mei, fully armored, tucked Noah’s helmet under her arm and spoke.

“Your Highness, it’s time.”

“Right.”

Before departure, he was to receive the king’s blessing.

The king had already stepped outside, waiting for the officers. Draped in golden embroidered cloth, he looked down at Klipford’s warriors. The pity in his gaze was no illusion. Knowing the king’s nature well, the Klipford officers knelt and bowed their heads silently.

“History is about to be rewritten once more. Warriors of Klipford, remember this: the lives of your loved ones rest on your sword’s edge, the land and sky of Klipford depend on your hands, and the fate of the kingdom hangs on your breath. Never forget this.”

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“The walls of Klipford shall not fall. Go, repel Burgos’s insolent invasion, and make them pay. Let us drink their blood like wine.”

Clang!

The soldiers saluted crisply. Watching silently were Ian’s group. Beric sipped his wine and muttered.

“Do you think we’ll be like that when war breaks out?”

“Pretty much. When else would we get the emperor’s praise? Especially for someone like you.”

“Hey, I was top of my class, you know. If the emperor were healthy, he’d have given me the award himself, not the prime minister.”

“I just didn’t get to go out then. If I had, none of this would’ve happened.”

Beric and Barsabe bumped foreheads, grumbling fiercely. Neither willing to back down.

Meanwhile, Hale and Akorella crossed their arms, watching the palace gates open. The drum’s warning seemed effective; fewer people gathered than before. Or rather, the crowd’s purpose had changed.

“There are still quite a few people here.”

“They’re not protesters now, but those blessing the troops’ departure.”

“Protesting one moment, blessing the next. If Burgos pushes this far, they’ll fight alongside us. Busy, busy.”

“That’s the people for you.”

Though an unprecedented tension gripped Klipford, Ian’s group felt differently. As outsiders, they stood back and observed.

Of course, they’d help prevent Klipford’s fall, but how the border battle would unfold remained to be seen.

“When do we go? Huh? Ian, come on, let’s warm up! When else will we get to fight for real? Please?”

Beric pleaded eagerly, urging Ian to hurry. But Ian signaled him to stay put. Judging by his expression, Beric cared little for the war’s politics—he just wanted to taste blood in real combat.

Hale and Akorella shared a cigarette, grabbing Beric’s collar.

“Stay put, palace guard pup. There’s a time for everything, okay?”

“What’s with you magic stone freaks?”

“Oh? The pup wants to try, huh?”

Akorella’s sharp glare made Beric flinch, as if ready to pull a syringe from his pocket and jab it into his arm. His subtle madness was unsettling. Beric quietly slipped behind Ian and asked,

“So, when exactly is that time?”

“Near what we consider Klipford’s limit line. If we cross one step too far, we’ll have no choice but to seek foreign aid. That’s when we act. That’s when our existence and value will be maximized.”

Just then, Prince Noah led the way out of the palace.

The sound of buffalo horns echoed here and there, and before the wide-open palace gates, many citizens gathered, hands clasped in prayer. The revelry and dancing from the night before had vanished, replaced by solemnity.

With a smooth motion, Noah, helmeted, glanced back one last time before leaving the palace. His eyes met Ian’s—a mix of worry over leaving the palace where foreign troops were stationed, and a strange faith that these outsiders would save Klipford.

Ian placed a hand over his chest and gave a slight bow. Hurry forth. Go, save your kingdom.

“Let’s go!”

WHOOOSH—

TAP TAP TAP!

“Noah! Win! The winning side is our side!”

“Prince Noah is so cool!”

With Noah’s booming shout, the palace soldiers poured out like a tide. Beric and Akorella cheered loudly, while Ian and Hale silently watched from behind.

One by one, the fully equipped mages stepped outside.

“Ian, we’re ready too.”

“Are you sure you’re feeling alright? Should we still be worried?”

“Exactly. You only took a little at first and then none after that. Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing.”

After all, they had come to rescue Ian, yet he had been lying around doing nothing while Ian was the one moving about.

“Don’t say that. If you hadn’t come, I’d probably still be lying down.”

“How much have you recovered?”

“Hm. More than half, I’d say.”

Ian looked down at his hands as he answered. Not fully healed, but enough to mediate the war between Clifford and Burgos. Soon, reinforcements from Bariel would arrive as well.

“Here, just in case, everyone take one of these.”

Acorella flicked her hand while holding a cigarette in her mouth, then handed out small, round solidified magic amplifiers to the mages.

“Use them only in emergencies. I’m sorry, but this is the first time we’ve solidified these here, so I can’t guarantee there won’t be side effects. But hey, dying from side effects is better than dying in a war, right? We made just enough to keep the minimum supply for our return, so make sure to keep them safe!”

“Right after getting up, you hand out something huge again.”

“Consider it an honor, man. Bam.”

The mages tucked the magic amplifiers inside their sleeves and straightened their clothes.

Ian hadn’t yet received a detailed report on Burgos’s current strength. Noah hadn’t either. One thing was certain: their aim was to target Bariel behind them, so they’d be coming in strong from the start.

The border’s collapse was only a matter of time. The real question was how far Noah could hold the line.

Thwack!

“Ian! Ian!”

At that moment, a mage descended from the sky. His cheeks were pale—whether from the cold wind or fear, it was hard to tell. He had been secretly observing the situation from above on Ian’s orders…

“Uh, I’m seeing something strange.”

“Strange? What do you mean?”

“Near the Clifford border. There’s some kind of odd object on the Burgos side. It’s organic, but too large to be an animal, and it doesn’t look like a war chariot either. I can’t see it clearly from here. What should I do? Should I check it out?”

The mage squatted on the windowsill, nodding. Using giant beasts in war wasn’t unusual, but judging by his alarmed tone, this was something different.

“Go. Identify it and assess the situation, then return immediately. No engagement without orders.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be quick!”

“He’s still so energetic, probably because he’s young.”

“When we rotate our magic four times, he only does it twice.”

“Hey! Be careful! Don’t get hit by flying arrows!”

His comrades shouted anxiously as the mage waved and disappeared beyond the palace walls. Watching this, Acorella suddenly muttered as if she’d just remembered something.

“Oh, that reminds me.”

“What is it, Acorella?”

“The magic anomaly devices we set up at the border. Since we’ve come this far, we should probably check them before heading back. I wonder if we’ll have the chance.”

Ian, resting his chin on his hand, gazed absently at the sky. His eyes slowly widened.

“Magic anomaly devices…”

“Yes, those.”

“What exactly do they detect?”

Is he really asking? Surely he knows. Acorella shrugged and replied.

“They detect any magic anomalies beyond a mage’s influence. If there’s a reaction, it means monsters…”

The mages all turned to look at Acorella at once. Even Beric was chewing grapes noisily.

Suddenly, she seemed to realize something and snapped her fingers.

“It means there’s a chance monsters might appear! This is huge!”