Chapter 359
Once again, the gates of the royal palace swung open. It had only been a short while since Prince Noah had gone off to battle. The citizens who witnessed this instinctively sensed that something had happened to the company led by Prince Noah, and they clasped their hands in silent prayer.
“Please, may the prince—the future and pride of Clifford—return safely. And may his family, friends, and beloved who went with him come back unharmed as well.”
Then—
Bwoooom.
Doom, doom—
The urgent beat of war drums cut through the air, halting every prayer.
The people sprang into action, each rushing to fulfill their role. Some gathered all the food in their homes to ration meals, others nailed planks over doors and windows, and still others propped up farming tools against walls to prepare for an intruder’s assault. The wars their ancestors had endured were often the subject of tavern tales, and without realizing it, the people of Clifford had inherited those memories.
As each household fortified their defenses, the palace dispatched the 2nd Legion. Two thousand soldiers, led by their general and blessed by the king, thundered down the central street. A wave of purple-clad troops surged outward like a river of wine flowing toward the outskirts.
Tap, tap, tap!
“They’re coming! The general is here, right from the palace!”
“Form ranks! Each company and its subordinate platoons, prepare for battle and maintain your vigilance!”
Two thousand soldiers gathered near the palace, joined by three thousand more drafted from the outer regions. Together, five thousand men moved in disciplined order, swords and shields at the ready, following their commanders’ commands.
The general dismounted and climbed the city wall, receiving a salute from the captain of the guards.
“You’ve arrived.”
“What of the Burgos forces?”
“They’re coming into view.”
Overseeing the outer wall guarding the capital of Clifford, the captain watched as the general peered through his telescope. A dark mass kicked up dust as it advanced—a storm of death approaching. The captain discreetly wiped the sweat from his palm and asked,
“Would it not be better to hold a defensive siege inside the walls? The walls are high and sturdy, which would give us an advantage.”
“The border defenses fell because they tried that approach and lacked sufficient troops.”
“That was due to insufficient numbers. With this many soldiers, we can hold the walls without issue.”
“Even with many troops, the number that can be stationed on the walls is limited. You don’t intend to pack them in like chickens in a coop, do you? If we planned to fight along the walls, we wouldn’t have gathered this many men in the first place.”
From their vantage point atop the wall, only the enemy vanguard was visible. Unlike Ian, who had immediately identified the synthetic monsters in midair, the full scope of the battle was still unclear.
The general solemnly announced the battle plan.
“The enemy is using synthetic monsters called centipedes to break through the barricades. If these walls fall, the road to the capital will be wide open. We will deploy troops outside the walls to intercept them. Open the gates! Prepare the defenses.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Ahhh!”
Boom!
Just as the captain turned away, a man with fiery red hair suddenly fell from the sky. He tried to land gracefully but tumbled forward, sprawling flat at the general’s feet.
Ching!
“Is that an attack from Burgos?” Everyone instinctively drew their swords, but Beric rubbed his forehead and shouted into the air.
“Hey! You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“No? You said you could jump down.”
“A little further down, Lee!”
Following Beric’s gaze, the general and captains looked up into the sky.
They were mages. Then the man who had just fallen was also on Bariel’s side. Relieved, they sheathed their swords.
“What brings you here? The king didn’t order mages to join us.”
“Oh, the messenger will arrive soon. Ian went to the palace to see His Majesty. Look, look over there—can you see it? Maybe not from here?”
“Pardon?”
“There are synthetic monsters among the Burgos forces.”
Synthetic monsters? The general tilted his head in confusion.
Beric, patting a bulging lump on his arm, took the opportunity to explain.
“They made monsters by mixing this and that. No one here can handle them. You won’t even get close. Anyone here able to tear apart a bear?”
Beric grinned and raised his hand, but everyone else just stared blankly.
“Looks like it’s just me. Then what about lizards?”
The captain of the guards tentatively raised his hand, thinking maybe they could handle lizards, but Beric added,
“Their heads are this big, and their tongues are crazy long. You’d be cut in two before you even get close.”
“Then no, we can’t catch them.” The captain lowered his hand, and Beric smiled in satisfaction, as if that was exactly what he wanted.
“Ha ha. No choice then. Beric will have to help.”
“Please ignore his nonsense. The reddish-brown bear-like monster is called Bergman, and the lizard is known as Tiefa. Both have tough hides, so Ian went to find a way to deal with them.”
“There’s a real one inside their bodies! If we don’t burst that, we can’t bring them down!”
While informing the palace was a priority, they needed weapons capable of tearing through the synthetic monsters’ hides. Whatever Ian planned, he was going to meet Akorella, so acquiring such weapons shouldn’t be too difficult.
“You’re responsible for Clifford’s fate, General. Make the right decisions and respond accordingly. We’ll hold the monsters until Ian returns.”
“Understood. I get the gist. The enemy will likely center their attack around the monsters. Hmm, wait a moment.”
The general spread out a map and placed small tactical stones on it.
“Where exactly are the monsters?”
“There are two pairs here, and a line of them a bit further back. Their stench is strong, so they tend to cluster rather than spread out.”
The mage pointed out the synthetic monsters’ positions and explained the overall formation—the movements of the left and right wings, and which side they favored.
“Also, I’m not sure if Clifford can do this.”
“Tell me. We’ll find a way.”
“There must be a summoner controlling these monsters. Since there are about thirty, there could be anywhere from one to thirty summoners. If we catch them, we might stop the monsters’ control.”
But unlike mages, summoners don’t use magic energy, so tracking them was impossible. Finding one hidden among thousands of Burgos soldiers was nearly hopeless.
And who knows? They might even be inside the walls.
“Any clues? If they’re in the enemy ranks, we’ll have to identify them during battle. But if they’re hiding nearby or inside, we can form a special unit to investigate.”
“Unfortunately, no clues. Ian said summoners often have northern bloodlines, so it might help to check among the northern tribes.”
Clifford was a homogeneous people, with distinct features and traits unlike the northern tribes. If they searched inside the walls, finding a summoner wouldn’t be too difficult.
But if the summoner was among the enemy legion?
“We’ll have to kill them all.”
Beric stabbed his sword into the ground and stood up, eyes sparkling brightly—radiant beyond description.
“Beric, we agreed to only fight the monsters.”
Ian had wisely considered that if mages not officially dispatched to the Burgos-Clifford war intervened, it could complicate matters later—both externally and internally.
“I know. We’ll only kill monsters, but collateral damage is inevitable. It’s like picking beans out of rice.”
“What does that even mean?”
“Eat it all! If you don’t discriminate, it all gets cleaned up. Still don’t get it? You’re an idiot.”
Beric stretched and twisted his body, his antics so frivolous he looked no different from a street thug. And yet, he was a mage?
The general looked at the mages with concern, and they smiled awkwardly.
“Yes, he’s one of ours. But despite appearances, he’s quite skilled. Don’t worry about us, General. You focus on what you need to do. I heard you’re setting up defenses.”
“I’m Bariel’s top man!”
“The Burgos forces keep advancing. We don’t have much time.”
True enough, every group had its oddballs. The Bariel magic department was no different—if anything, more so. The general steadied his mind and gave orders.
“Open the gate in the wall.”
“Yes, General.”
“Set up the defenses and simultaneously seal the gates inside the walls. The centipedes have the nature of their kind, so prevent them from climbing the walls.”
They planned to dig a long trench along the wall and fill it with adhesive to protect the barricades.
“The 2nd Legion will build the defenses. The 3rd Legion will dig behind them. Leave at least a hundred meters of space. We don’t know the full power of the centipedes when they explode simultaneously. Mobilize the nearby residents as well.”
They were a people who made their living by tilling fields and digging up soil every day. Unlike the vineyard, the land outside the barrier was hard and unyielding, but since they weren’t farming it—just digging enough to let the adhesive pool—it wouldn’t take long. If they started early, they could finish within half a day.
At the general’s command, the captains bustled into action, and soon the gates swung wide open as thousands of soldiers poured out.
creak!
clatter, clatter!
“The enemy is approaching. When you see the signal, the 3rd Corps will halt work and split into left and right wings to escort the 2nd Corps. Soldiers inside the barrier, guide the civilians inside and seal the gates tight!”
Beric quietly chewed on some jerky left on the table, watching the scene unfold. They had no choice but to wait until the Burgos army got close enough to face the monsters. He rested one foot on the barrier and shouted out.
“Wooooah! What a beautiful day!”
“You’re crazy. Stop wasting energy and stay still.”
“Come on! I’ll kill every last one of them! Hahaha!”
The soldiers working below the barrier glanced up. Seeing such an eccentric figure somehow eased their tension.
Beric waved and smiled at the farmers watching him. Though they were busy swinging their pickaxes, their eyes never left him. Some even echoed his words, boosting morale.
“Yeah! Just try and come! We’ll teach you a lesson you won’t forget!”
“If we catch them, we’ll pour liquor up their noses while they’re still alive!”
“Haha! That’d be a waste.”
“They’re underestimating Clifford, those fools. Just try to come! We’ll smash their faces with pickaxes! Do you know how hard we work every day?”
The mages sat comfortably, focusing their energy. The magic amplifier Acorella had given them was a last resort. So before facing the enemy, it was crucial to gather and raise their power as much as possible.
whirrr… whirrr…
Beric watched the mages, then flopped down and lifted his sword for inspection. The black blade felt much lighter than usual. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he sensed a strong, indescribable energy radiating from it.
Sniffing, Beric grinned and muttered to himself.
“You got a whiff of it too, huh? Smells delicious.”
The Burgos army noticed the commotion as the barrier gates opened. Their general peered through his telescope, deep in thought.
It would be ideal to reach the front before the defenders could organize, but they had already marched nonstop from the Burgos palace, crossing the border and breaking through two villages. The horses were panting heavily, and the state of the heavily armored infantry was obvious.
“Hurrying is best, but it’s time to rest. We just need to move before they strike from the rear.”
“What should we do, sir?” Timothy asked.
The general gave an order.
“Go fetch the command sorcerers.”
“Yes, sir.”
Soon, seventeen men rode forward. They were all dressed like regular soldiers to avoid detection by the enemy.
“Who among you can control magic from the farthest distance?”
“That would be me, sir,” a young man answered, nodding.
“Are you from Astana?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Fall back to the rear and cover the back lines.”
The young man bowed in acknowledgment. A glimpse of a necklace caught the general’s eye—a sizable red gemstone hung from it.
Jewelry on the battlefield? The general shook his head, thinking these command sorcerers were truly unpredictable, then fixed his gaze ahead.
Clifford’s barrier still stood firm and unyielding.