Chapter 383
“It’s moving.”

It was barely more than a whisper. Yet the stunned officers snapped to attention and hurried over to Ian’s side, while the soldiers gripped their weapons and rushed outside. The troops of Burgos, who had been holding their ground, were beginning to move.

Ian glanced at Akorella, who made a small circle with her fingers, signaling that everything was fine.

“Why… why are they moving all of a sudden?”

“Perhaps the better question is why they hadn’t moved until now. The side holding out is at a disadvantage, isn’t it? This must mean that whatever they were waiting for has finally arrived.”

The only thing they could be waiting for was reinforcements from Burgos. The battlefield was about to become hell all over again. An officer asked a soldier nearby.

“How’s the eastern border?”

“All the defending soldiers have been withdrawn, and the nearby villagers are evacuating. The Luswena forces arrived en route, but as you said, they only observed and didn’t advance. We’re still monitoring their movements.”

The explosion that had sounded as they descended the wall was from a simple device set up by a mage. It was meant to slow the enemy’s advance, but it lacked the power to cause real damage—more of a deterrent than a weapon.

If it could buy even a day, or just a few hours, that alone would be worth it.

“Make sure you track the enemy’s approach speed toward the capital precisely. That’s the most important thing. Drawing them in is to secure an advantageous position for us, so we need to control both their speed and distance.”

The officer hesitated, glancing at Ian. It wasn’t a big deal in this situation, but the way Ian had referred to Clipford and Bariel as “our” forces was striking.

Even if they acted in their own nations’ interests, for now, they were the only allies who could stand back-to-back. The officer nodded firmly.

“Don’t worry. The shadows of Clipford are excellent.”

“Good. I’ll scout the camp from the sky. They’ll probably move at sunrise, so be ready. By the way, where is Prince Noah?”

“Oh, he—”

“Went to see the envoy Mei.”

Akorella answered for the flustered officer. Mei had recovered some strength at the palace and was returning to the front lines.

The prince wanted to send her away, but she insisted on staying. Akorella shrugged, amused.

“Well then, I’m off.”

“You’re going yourself?”

“Yes. It’s better than hearing secondhand. What about the mana stone?”

“From my perspective, it’s shifted slightly to the left.”

“Hm. Left means near the forest where Prince Noah conducted guerrilla warfare. Got it.”

As Ian opened the window, Beric grabbed the hem of his coat, as if asking to be taken along because he was bored and stiff. Ian, perched on the windowsill, looked down and smiled.

“I don’t think you’re light enough.”

“What are you talking about? I’m light.”

“If you cause a fuss, I’ll let go.”

“Yeah, Ian’s words always carry weight.”

Akorella cut in.

“Not ‘weight,’ but sincerity, you little rascal.”

“I know, you weirdo!”

“Good grief! How do you expect to survive with that temper? Tsk.”

They had grown quite close over the past few days.

Resigned, Ian opened his mana and took Beric with him. His eyes shimmered beautifully like Venus, his hair flowing with magical energy. It looked as if the moon god himself was returning home.

The officers stood dumbfounded until Ian flew out of sight, then closed the window.

Tap tap.

“Ian, sir. The weapons have arrived from the palace.”

“Ian just left. Bring the weapons inside. Our mages will be using them anyway.”

“Oh, yes. Um, may I come in?”

“I just told you to come in.”

“I’m afraid you’ll scold me if the mana stone moves.”

“Ah, it’s fine. Really.”

Akorella peeked out at the soldier’s message.

A variety of weapons followed—long swords, daggers, even tiny blades. The delay in production was because of these.

Hale was an experienced warrior, especially against monsters. Knowing that the core of the synthetic monsters lay beneath thick hides, he had thought deeply about weapon diversity.

Akorella picked up a perfectly forged sword and examined it carefully.

“Looks good, right? I was worried since Clipford mainly uses farming tools, but these turned out sleek and well-made. The blacksmiths have been working tirelessly.”

Among the roughly thirty swords, only three were black—made with mana-sealing stones. The rest gleamed with a golden amber hue.

Drawn by their beauty under the light, Akorella pressed the blade to her nose and sniffed, eyes closed. The scent of Idgal was perfectly infused.

Soldiers tried to stop her, worried she might get hurt, but she ignored them and inspected every edge closely.

“…Hale, you might just keep your job.”

“Huh?”

The mages would be split—some defending the barrier with Ian, others supporting supplies and holding the last line with Hale.

Akorella lightly swung the sword, watching the dawn break.

Shing.

“Sounds good. Just a touch and it’d cut clean through. Right?”

Meanwhile, Ian quietly flew through the sky with Beric.

Torches flickered sporadically in Burgos’s camp. Normally, they’d keep fires minimal at night to avoid revealing their position, but the way the flames spread openly suggested movement was certain.

That meant an attack on the barrier could come soon—within hours.

“Ian, why are they splitting up like that?”

The left and right wings were clearly dividing, leaving the center open.

Ian flew higher to observe the overall movement, then raised an eyebrow.

“Ian, Ian!”

“What? You want me to let go?”

“No! I’m asking why they’re splitting up like that!”

Beric clutched Ian’s arm tighter, startled. Other mages might grumble, but with Ian, there was a faint hope.

Ian muttered, watching the sun rise behind him.

“They’re making space.”

“Space?”

“Let’s fly a bit closer to the border. They’re probably preparing a spot for Burgos’s reinforcements.”

They flew westward. Beric looked down in wonder at the black-armored figures swarming below, following Ian.

Passing the occupied Baki village and nearing the border, a vast dark mass appeared in the distance.

An army. A formal Burgos legion. Too large to be mere reinforcements.

“Wow, it looks like an ant swarm.”

“Beric, hold on tight. We’re going higher.”

“Higher? Isn’t this enough?”

Beric asked, thinking it better to return and prepare after seeing the enemy’s numbers. Ian said nothing and climbed even higher to the west.

In the middle of the army, a massive Burgos banner unfurled. Dozens of men carried the huge black cloth embroidered with the golden crest of the Burgos royal family.

“…The king is coming in person.”

Even a general like Bariel would only be allowed to carry the banner up to the soldier’s pole. Such a grand procession was reserved for the dignity of the nation itself. Damon must be riding in one of the many carriages.

“The short-haired one is coming himself?”

“Beric, can you smell it here? The scent of monsters?”

“Hm. Too far away.”

Beric closed his eyes and focused but detected nothing unusual or heart-pounding.

Ian saw no giant synthetic monsters either, which was puzzling. If the king was coming to the front lines himself, wouldn’t he bring forces far stronger than those synthetic beasts? After all, Bariel’s mages were stationed to defend the capital.

Ian felt the sky brighten and slowly turned his head east. The sun rose between the mountains, painting the clouds pink.

“If King Damon is coming, Eriphoni will come too. I need to send word to Bariel again.”

Bariel had already received news of Eriphoni’s deployment, but Ian in Clipford had not.

Had the reply dried up before the ink could even be absorbed? Was the crown prince neglecting his duties for personal reasons? Ian didn’t know.

“Ian, I want to do something.”

“What is it?”

“Can I cut off a king’s head? Burgos or Luswena, I don’t care. When else in life would I get to stab a king? Right?”

“Well, I don’t mind, but I doubt you can pull it off, Beric.”

“Huh? I’m the best in Bariel.”

“No matter what, a king is protected by the best of their nation. Go ahead, try if you can. But only under orders. Acting on your own is dangerous—not for you, but for innocent people.”

“Okay, okay. Honestly, I don’t like that short-haired guy. He’s unlucky or something.”

Whoosh!

While Berrick chattered nonstop, relentlessly criticizing Damon, Ian returned to the Clifford Barrier with a smile.

The sun had fully risen, and soon new legions took their places, splitting the space into left and right wings. In an instant, Burgos’s forces had multiplied several times over.

*    *    *

“So, you stopped right here?”

Eriphony glared at the officers with disbelief.

The border was completely empty—no one standing guard. Yet, they claimed they couldn’t take a single step forward because of some silent explosion? How absurd. Eriphony tied her long hair high and fastened her golden gauntlets.

“We thought it best to wait for the mages to arrive and assess the situation. Advancing recklessly could have led to unnecessary losses. Besides, Your Majesty’s orders were to dismantle the barrier…”

“Enough. Excuses only make you look weaker.”

Could it be true that no action was taken until the king’s legion arrived? Eriphony wanted nothing more than to cut the officer down on the spot. Instead, she summoned Elderet.

“Elderet, bring the mages.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Swish.

The mages trailing closely behind the carriage stepped forward—an assortment of men and women, young and old, all clad in robes of conquest. They bowed their heads before King Eriphony.

“Can you sense the flow of magic? There’s a young mage named Ian in Bariel. But his power is no ordinary thing. Check if this is some kind of trap.”

“Excuse me.”

Buzzing sounds filled the air.

An elderly woman stepped forward first, placing both hands on the ground. Light spread from her palms, igniting even the shapeless trees nearby.

“Hmm.”

“A trap?”

“Not exactly a trap, more like a deception. There might be an explosion when passing through, but it should be manageable. Still, Your Majesty, I can truly feel the strength of this young mage.”

“I told you. Small, but far from ordinary.”

Eriphony drew a massive golden bow and, without hesitation, released the string.

The arrow sliced through a fierce wind and struck a decoy structure, which shattered with a sparkling explosion.

Lifting the bow as easily as if it weighed nothing, she gave the order.

“…Advance. All the way to the capital of Clifford.”