Chapter 921
—Kyuuuuu!
At the distant roar of the dragon, Ako whipped her head around. That little rascal—he’d been daring them to come, eyes blazing with challenge. Well, he got caught now!
“You little—!”
Whoosh!
Kyu’s wings flapped fiercely, shaking the nearby tents precariously. Ian covered his face with his sleeve, and the soldiers scrambled back in surprise at the sudden dragon landing.
Annoyed, Ako jabbed a fist into the dragon’s side. The tough scales absorbed the blow, but if she didn’t vent her frustration somehow, she’d go mad.
“Why the hell would someone like you be raiding the warehouse? Didn’t I tell you not to get caught? You’ve lived a hundred years—time to learn some sense!”
—Kyuuuuu!
The dragon thumped the ground with its tail in protest, letting out a sharp hiss. It seemed like it wanted to say something, but Ako’s eyes were already wild with anger, and Hale was too busy puffing on his pipe to pay attention. Just then, Ian stepped forward to calm Ako.
Flap flap!
A messenger hawk suddenly swooped into the Bariel camp.
Hale looked up, puzzled. What business did a messenger hawk have here? If it had come from the central command, it would have arrived before they left—but no one had heard anything. And it was flying in from the north.
“Hey, Ako.”
“Huh?”
Ako, still biting at the dragon’s wing in frustration, finally glanced up at the sky.
“What’s going on all of a sudden?”
The hawk flew straight into Crony’s tent. It was clearly a dispatch from the northern side. The question was: what message did it carry?
“Why would the northern forces be contacting us?”
“Maybe they’re asking about us—”
“Huh?”
Ako tilted her head. It couldn’t be something trivial. More likely, it was about the very reason they were camped out here in the open, facing each other.
“Sending a messenger hawk in broad daylight with all this snow? That’s unusual.”
Otherwise, they wouldn’t send a hawk so openly. A human messenger would have been less suspicious.
Whoosh!
Moments later, Crony’s subordinates hurried out of the tent. Trumpets sounded from all around, and all the soldiers except the mages scrambled to their positions in a flurry.
“What’s going on?” Ako asked as Crony appeared.
He looked northward calmly and replied, “We offered surrender to the northern forces, but they rejected it coldly. We can no longer tolerate this—they will be struck preemptively.”
“Just like that?”
“Just like that? Is there any battlefield where you announce your attack beforehand? Oh, and you said you’d return in six days, right?”
“Yes.”
“Since we won’t have time for a proper talk with Uncle Ian after the battle, let’s arrange a meeting before then. Mages, stay here in camp—you have other duties.”
Just as they said, the mages weren’t here to fight but to get the guardian’s approval. So they were being told to stay out of the battle and just watch.
They had planned to do that anyway, but hearing Crony say it so plainly made all three mages narrow their eyes simultaneously.
“Well then.”
Crony nodded and strode off, listening to his subordinates’ reports as he quickly disappeared into the distance.
Ian tugged on Ako’s sleeve, a strange unease settling over him. Ako and Hale felt it too.
“This is weird.”
“Yeah. No doubt about it.”
“Better to keep an eye on things for now.”
Just then, Kyu bit onto Ian’s jacket and shot up into the sky in an instant.
“Whoa!”
Whoosh!
“Kyu! Ian!”
“What’s gotten into him?”
Neither Ako nor Hale, who hadn’t been in the magic department long, could quite interpret Kyu’s behavior. Was it just a dragon’s prank? A whim? Confused, they followed the dragon upward.
Flap!
Kyu tossed his head back, carrying Ian on his back, climbing higher and higher. Soon, both camps lay spread out below like tiny ants swarming around a toy flag.
“Kyu, what’s wrong?”
“You little—do you want to die?”
As Ako scrambled onto Kyu’s back, Hale stood quietly, peering down.
They saw Bariel soldiers forming ranks and preparing to march out, as if waiting only for the order. Ako glanced at Hale suspiciously.
“Is it really possible to start advancing that fast after the order?”
“…It’s possible. And that’s how it’s supposed to be.”
If this were a ‘normal’ wartime situation.
But the two camps were only facing off in name, and morale was at rock bottom. There hadn’t even been any scouting or reconnaissance in days. Crony was basically ordering a reckless charge with no preparation.
“What’s with that confidence? Why are they acting like this?”
“Hey, Ako, look over there.”
Ian pointed toward the northern side. As the trumpets sounded, the northern tribes slowly and steadily began retreating from their camp. Their movements were calm and coordinated, as if they’d anticipated Bariel’s advance. Everyone except Astana, that is.
“…!”
A lightning bolt struck Ian’s mind. From the movements of both sides seen from above, he guessed the message the hawk had brought.
“They found it.”
“What?”
“Crony has located Idgal.”
Ako and Hale looked at Ian, puzzled. What kind of nonsense was that? Ian explained carefully.
“Look. Only Astana is reacting differently. They look flustered by Bariel’s sudden advance, almost like they’re preparing to fight back.”
“Hm. That’s true.”
Unlike the other tribes retreating immediately, Astana seemed busy getting ready to attack.
“But why?”
“The clue to Idgal’s location lies with Astana. That’s why the northern alliance and Crony’s talks had been indefinitely postponed. But now Crony is ordering an attack, acting like Astana doesn’t matter.”
Hale, who had been quietly listening, deepened his gaze.
“That means Astana is no longer needed.”
“Whatever happened, they must have confirmed Idgal’s location through other tribes. The tribes are using this chance to take down Astana.”
Astana was the only kingdom in the northern alliance. If Bariel destroyed Astana, the other tribes would have a chance to seize power. Since they’d already shared Idgal’s location with Crony, if they played their cards right, they could build a kingdom even greater than Astana’s. They were probably dreaming that dream right now.
“So the tribes are pretending to retreat but actually guiding Bariel toward Idgal?”
“Yeah. That’s what I think. Professor Hale, what do you make of it?”
“That makes sense. The interests align.”
Hale nodded in agreement with Ian’s analysis. Ako rubbed his cheek in disbelief.
“How the hell did they find out where Idgal is?”
—Kyuuuuu!
Kyu roared as if to say, “I know too!” but Ako just grabbed his horn and shook him around. “Quiet, we’re busy here.”
“Ako, Professor, I think we should save Astana first.”
There’s a saying: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Crony wants to annihilate Astana, and Astana has been friendly to Ian. Saving them now might help Ian later.
And above all—
[Are you safe in body and mind? Do you smile often? Do you enjoy the morning sun and the quiet of the night? I wonder.]
The voice of King Hasha, who had genuinely worried for him, echoed in Ian’s heart. He felt an indescribable urge to help them.
Hale took a puff from his pipe and nodded.
“Well, Astana’s goal is also to take down Crony. Saving them makes sense.”
“We can’t get involved.”
Ako stared at Hale intently.
If mages from the magic department turned their backs on Bariel to help the enemy, they’d face punishment—or worse—when they returned to central command. They could be executed for treason.
Ako muttered, admiring Minister Arena’s foresight.
“That woman really knows her stuff. She assigned us mages who aren’t from the magic department. Smart move.”
Hale shrugged.
“I make my living in Bariel, so I can’t attack our own side. I’ll try to hold them off and buy time, but not for long.”
“How long?”
“With just a shield? About five hours.”
“Plenty of time!”
He wasn’t blocking attacks from other mages or monsters, just swords and spears from regular soldiers. Even alone, he could hold that long. His vast magical power helped, of course.
“Alright. Then we follow them.”
Following Crony and the northern alliance, who were putting on quite the show. Ako grabbed Kyu’s horn and shook him lightly, giving instructions.
“Kyu, fly higher and follow quietly so we don’t get spotted.”
—Kyuuuuu!
Whoosh!
“Ahhh!”
“Whoa!”
But Kkyu ignored Ako’s words and darted straight ahead with lightning speed. For some reason, a sharp hiss escaped with each breath. “I don’t even know where Idgal is!” Ako and Ian, startled by Kkyu’s sudden move, had to drop low and hold on tight.
Watching this, Hale admired the dragon as it quickly disappeared into the distance.
“That thing really doesn’t listen at all,” he muttered.
It was unfortunate, but there was nothing he could do. He’d leave the Idgal burial grounds to the others and focus on his own task.
Hale dove straight down and landed just in front of the Astana camp.
Thud.
“W-wizard!”
“Isn’t that the same wizard from before?”
“Be careful! It could be a trap set by those Bariel scum.”
Ignoring the panicked Astana soldiers behind him, Hale fixed his gaze ahead. Bariel’s troops were charging toward them, howling fiercely.
“Hey.”
Just then, Hale locked eyes with the Astana representative, who had come running over, out of breath.
“Don’t take a single step outside the camp.”
“W-what?”
“And prepare your muskets.”
Hale placed his hand on the ground and opened his golden eyes. Suddenly, a fierce wind whipped around him. The short grass rustled wildly, and the Astana soldiers squeezed their eyes shut, crouching low.
Ziiing! Ziiing!
A massive shield formed around Hale, arching over the entire Astana camp in a half-circle. Though invisible, every stone that struck it sent out a deep ‘thoom’ and rippled the shield like waves on a still pond.
“Move aside.”
With the shield complete, Hale pushed through the soldiers. Even if he wasn’t officially part of the Magic Department, there was no need to announce he’d just erected a protective barrier.
The Astana representative swallowed hard as he watched the Bariel soldiers charging from afar.
‘This wasn’t part of the plan… how did things get like this…?’
While the representative panicked, Hale quietly approached from behind.
“Didn’t you hear me? I’ll explain everything—”
“…Yes?”
“Muskets.”
“Ah! Ah, yes, yes!”
At Hale’s command, the representative followed him. The soldiers hesitated but then returned to their positions inside the shield, gripping their weapons tightly and waiting.
Meanwhile, Kkyu’s reckless flight left Ako and Ian feeling utterly drained.
Gradually, the speed slowed. Ako was still retching, seasick, while Ian finally managed to lift his head and look around.
“Ughhh… damn crazy lizard—”
“Ako, are you okay?”
“And you?”
“I’m fine…”
Ian’s words trailed off. In the distance, a golden hill came into view—the Idgal burial grounds.
“…!”
Ian’s eyes sparkled. Whether it was the joy of finally finding Idgal or simply the way the golden hill caught the light, it was impossible to tell.