Chapter 48
39bOnFfLucian and the thousand elites of House Valdeck withdrew from the vanguard just as the First Prince had ordered.QOvmg
XKWpfThe sight of a thousand elite soldiers preparing to fall back to the rear caused the morale of the allied army to plummet instantly.T8j
nWMzVThey hadn’t even begun a proper war yet, and seeing allies clash among themselves couldn’t be a good sign.plFX
tVGxH“And even more so if, as a result, they lose such a reliable ally.”3rIZkeH
yEI42Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Lucian gave a bitter smile.xDOMpf9
93tagIt was no coincidence that, on the battlefield, punishment for a defeated or incompetent general was postponed until later.7ItJM
Do2wUyNo matter how justified the sanction, seeing one’s own allies fall always had a serious effect on morale.6SN
MkXBut this wasn’t a defeat or a mistake—they were openly pulling back an ally who had done nothing wrong.MbVm
k5qoAnd not only that.PJTZ
sYyGZH“This is already lost.”bCwf5dF
DEP71LFrom the beginning, it had been a difficult war to win, but if they pushed forward, they could still somehow reach Bodium and take the fortress.K5Xpf
fQJPHowever, seeing the current mood, even that now seemed impossible.33yG6
sCqForeseeing a potential disaster, Lucian went to look for the leader of the School of Fire, Blasker.Jpdm
r780“Are you here, Lord Blasker?”tuEd
ODP6“Ah, Duke Lucian. What brings you here?”8svdlWz
lqtGLRCBlasker, who had been reading a thick book, stood up immediately upon seeing him enter.9qUv09
MtZtTEDespite Lucian being young enough to be his grandson, he treated him with great courtesy, likely due to his position as the representative of the grand duchy.BYcT41J
5XkKL“He’s good in social matters. Not just a scholar who can cast spells.”uwzLoA3
rVVtOzLucian bowed his head respectfully.paal
VaLRs99“The truth is, I’ve come to ask you a favor.”4pZVNu
FRv“A favor? I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong person. I am nothing more than the staff of the imperial palace.”prSUZ6
obfBlasker frowned and shook his head.ScFfZ
n0VsODYIt was clear he didn’t want to be involved in political affairs.3tObntr
6F79jAfraid he had misunderstood, Lucian quickly clarified.J3Ejvv
WrfC“It’s not that. There’s something I’d like you to do for the sake of the commander-in-chief, the First Prince, and the Empire.”OU4Q55B
5d8rcgK“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”DcSi
gCs“The thing is…”p4G44pY
t0DYBPqLucian looked around, stepped closer to Blasker, and whispered something in his ear.x0Ob7
k1Vf2PYShortly after, Blasker’s eyes widened.16jAPAI
6It“Duke Lucian, that’s direct disobedience!”Co6C
8tVnMvx“Yes. The First Prince will surely see it that way. That’s precisely why I came to you.”I4Ewa12
BWfn“No matter how noble your intent, this isn’t right. If something goes wrong, I’ll be held accountable too.”l4h
PfGl“But it’s also a measure to prevent the worst-case scenario. I’ll take full responsibility. Please.”fDTbp9
XrgK“Hmm…”9S0U
ZfCHf63Blasker groaned, thought for a long while, and finally nodded. Even for him, having insurance before a battle wasn’t a bad idea.QSknkB
Jzm“There’s no other choice. If the time comes, I’ll do as you say.”ztVHW
Fz2c0ec“Thank you very much for accepting such an unreasonable request.”0Cl
XOTf8“That said, if nothing happens by the time we reach Bodium Castle, we’ll consider this matter nonexistent. If we arrive there without issue, your proposal loses all meaning.”QJrA
XlJ“Of course.”APd
PKk1Lucian bowed deeply.rW7q
ue8zMooThough he said so, he knew that insurance would not go unused.urh8fss
iYlcIn his past life, the First Prince had faced multiple situations where something like this would have been desperately needed.CsD
zIG9If his behavior hadn’t changed, the result wouldn’t either.azaP
zyK“Well, that’s not bad news for me.”HahWKo4
30SGv00The more foolish the First Prince’s decisions were, the more Lucian—who had already taken precautions—would stand out.WeKV
7BXR2p8For him, as long as the First Prince remained alive, everything else was irrelevant.lXKJ
nxKKU9***mvTwpJf
f14dHC“Stay around the Horsen River and prepare for any eventuality.”wbBtRO
95Y1ckWith that brief order, the First Prince, Claude, sent Lucian to the rear.wCBhyA
bs0bmXHe may have thought he was giving a valid justification, but there wasn’t a single soldier who didn’t know the real reason was a personal dispute.e1qQWTK
ULjCDFor the nobles who knew the whole situation, the matter was downright absurd.7y5c9o
lnSlfhA“‘Any eventuality’ my foot. What kind of emergency could happen at the edge of the border?”JsdUiug
QHwQL4“He could’ve at least had them move up a bit and take charge of rear surveillance…”b3VCF
G14zThough they burned with indignation inside, none dared to say it out loud.AMy
U9VHvClaude had yet to suffer a single defeat, and his authority still stood firm.1CxQs8
js4pZOnly after removing Lucian and Second Prince Cedric did Claude finally show a relieved smile.pke
NCTjgiG“Good. Let’s move on to the next village. That well may be ruined too, but they say there’s a stream nearby, so getting water shouldn’t be hard.”uvDr1
AZiu“That’s right.”72i5G
8suThe marquis answered affirmatively but clicked his tongue silently.eQEk
74tWhere did he get the confidence that those who had poisoned the wells would leave a stream untouched?FNhRIHU
SPJEven so, they had to check the water sources as soon as possible, so they pressed forward without protest.QR7
EPsIIt wasn’t long before the allied army reached the next village, but upon seeing its state, everyone sighed.ErCa8m
0VOEPuQ“They’ve thoroughly destroyed it. Even the well’s been wrecked.”3Sj
KNxOnX“There’s not even a single usable plank left.”xKa
iVCnOEver since the infiltrator assassins had been discovered, Krephelt had changed tactics and began completely razing the villages.BpmiZ
sOn9Since deception was no longer an option, they seemed to have chosen to show their true face and harass them without hiding it.cyn7
EdLjxS“It’s not like we didn’t expect this. Let’s head to the stream.”Q50FEMS
ob7zClaude scoffed as if it were nothing and gave orders to the nobles.r9T
3OyHis attitude that everything would be fine as long as the stream was intact unsettled them, but they still followed him.7po7x
NfJ0‘They definitely destroyed that too. It wasn’t even that big.’CgLf5Y
LamP‘If even the stream is ruined, we’re really in trouble.’6bwlkwW
4x1Everyone had already abandoned hope of finding any usable water source.2r1
C5yNow their only concern was how Claude would react if his expectations were once again betrayed.GQvHR
mo4IAnd so, after spending another full day, the coalition finally arrived at the stream.DWhA
Myl6j“They’ve partially blocked the flow, so the current has weakened, but it’s not contaminated. Seems safe to drink.”iViC5q8
48w2kL“…!?”IKs
5ESeM9GAt that completely unexpected news, the nobles exchanged glances.MA1
xoZmg5GThe same people who had destroyed everything with such precision left the stream only slightly damaged?EW7
jLWBBefore they could even ask, Claude spoke with a triumphant look.xCbT
g2bHv“They must’ve run out of time because of our rapid advance. Looks like detecting and eliminating the infiltrators threw off their plans.”dF1
dckck“Is that so?”6jjGvO
TtRK“What else could it be? Go clear out the blocked stream. We’ve been rationing water—everyone must be thirsty. Let them drink as much as they want.”jVyKG
R1jAKbThe nobles nodded, their expressions uncomfortable. Something didn’t sit right, but the reasoning wasn’t entirely wrong.lEe2
ULqMJt‘…Even though the one who discovered the assassins is back in the rear. I don’t get why he’s bragging like it was his doing.’hXC
LQp6Swallowing their unspoken thoughts, the soldiers began clearing the blocked waterway.tbrGQ
Wig7yfuWith each stone and bit of debris removed, the weakened stream gradually returned to its original flow.RKKJ0
iu4When the work was nearly complete, Blasker spoke with a deep frown.OSpk
UkEyDO“Your Highness, something feels off.”rRh9uX0
3zFBw“Off? What do you mean?”GfVAGv
OeK8af6“This stream isn’t small enough to have been spared due to lack of time. I think they intentionally damaged it just enough to hold the coalition here.”v6H
ZID888l“Pointless worries. Even if they hold us in a place as open as this, what could they do? An ambush? Set it on fire?”2aO
X9SaClaude scoffed as he gestured at the surroundings.9xP10DC
D9osiEThere was a small forest some distance away, but it was far enough that any ambush could be detected early.B96iP
9OwAnd even if they tried to set it ablaze, the area was too open; retreating would be easy. Plus, being next to a stream, the fire wouldn’t spread easily.Cci
wy9cSlxBlasker nodded, but he couldn’t shake the growing sense of unease.rESJ
pYmk‘This terrain isn’t suited for military tactics… but if they hired a dark mage, they could launch a surprise attack from afar—wait, magic? Water?’oIjI5C
Aq0iJPSuddenly, several thoughts clicked into place in his mind. There was one element especially effective against large groups when fighting near water.EFEjTe0
yqphs4QAs he pondered, a dark shadow spread across the sky.aDq
Oy0eEpRumble.4tnNX
CR5sK“Wasn’t it clear just a moment ago? Where’d that thunder come from?”XSYj
R7VNgO7“Is it going to pour?”HhR
FbuAAt the murmurs of the soldiers and the sudden thunder, Blasker paled.CHuj
wF3Looking up, he saw unnatural black clouds gathering directly above the coalition.EJstKsj
QpG78Y9“Damn it…!”9V4sQh
E4iXf87He instinctively began forming hand seals.S0W9t
YLSCrack!BvRPQo
9vuPYA blue lightning bolt struck with a blinding flash, hitting the exact spot where the coalition was gathered.S53
ZgnJ***3qs9A
W6zJsI6“Fuuu…”srJAp
KAeiOColin exhaled wearily after casting a large-scale spell for the first time in a while.bVqm3w
YpQThe sensation of draining all his mana was still unpleasant, but the satisfaction was greater.IDqkS
M2YdRThe idiots who used to look down on mages now stared wide-eyed.9Qd1b
1rHj5MX“I’ve done my part. The rest is up to you.”gIoq
7AT“E-er…”bWeJbfk
h94xAThe commander of Krephelt nodded awkwardly.KU1
QDD44lWHe seemed surprised after having so thoroughly underestimated Colin.4q7iw
N82iI“Nice work. With this level of power, the position of court mage in Krephelt—”emn1t
f1NHc“I’ve said it many times. Money is enough. Cut the nonsense and go attack.”FaD
p7QV8vThe commander frowned but knew it wasn’t the time to argue.n3Ny
g1IntIo“Attack! Show those Imperial bastards the power of Krephelt!”Acc
GS4w“Waaah!”XYjiM
7C16Krephelt’s soldiers stormed out of the forest, morale sky-high.jM5PoV
wghXKoWThough their numbers and quality were inferior to the Imperial coalition, it was enough to crush an army stunned by a sudden lightning strike.etBOvs
kVo2“Let’s talk later! Wait for me!”zpIhc8B
hyUyv2The commander shouted before charging into battle, but Colin scoffed.al9G
ECHO6is‘Am I crazy? Work with you people who broke the Great Agreement?’JCg
xTSZEven without the sudden change in tactics, Krephelt had no future.StaK3w
PFyEven if they won independence by defeating a weakened Empire, the real problem would come afterward.INKuVQ
B35z‘Without the Great Agreement, the world will fall into chaos. And all the blame will land on those who started it.’zCPUJ
AufWbThey dreamed of an ideal future without thinking of the aftermath. It was almost laughable.v8m
eea‘Oh well, not my problem. I just need to take my payment and get out of here.’DTDy
pSPdColin looked at the stream he’d wrecked with his spell.Jkaa8
6a4hkJwThe damage was severe, but the area where the commanders stood was unharmed. It looked like Blasker had managed to deflect the lightning with a barrier.Lpg
UE9“The old man from the School of Fire isn’t bad. His reputation wasn’t just hot air.”xMv876M
AzTGStill, after taking that lightning bolt head-on, he wouldn’t be able to cast large-scale spells for a while. And in close combat, fire wouldn’t be very useful.acYyq
uyt3X61‘No matter how hard he tries, this war will end with Krephelt’s victory. I’ll just watch calmly—huh?’qez
6dMPop! Pop-bang!jYZz
wI0XD4ZMulticolored fireworks lit up the sky. Colin frowned.RrXXT
gk3nF29“Combat magic? No… that’s a signal?”LlIhsmH
ziN“Don’t tell me…!”pLV
fAAOg***Ovh
MjPd2TmPop-bang!1V8
NRwN“Third young master, that’s the signal.”623QIIi
ys0sf“Just as expected.”kIHs9
o6zGJLucian smiled at the sight of the fireworks. Just as he had predicted, the signal came from the exact spot.JUKSA4L
XxHmB4For Blasker to fire that signal meant the First Prince was in danger.UA71
nNXAnd it also meant it was time for Lucian’s name to shine.UcfON
7oQZ“Duke Lucian, our agreement…”M8dGim
R33qn“Of course I haven’t forgotten. You’ll lead the rescue of the First Prince. That said, the banner will be House Valdeck’s.”Z3uqcE
4w02ZC“Thank you.”gxq
JlQqyJCedric gave a slight nod, satisfied.LbyG
TWfHYLucian would lead the army. Cedric would rescue the First Prince at the front.MDN
l5IThat was the deal: share the glory on the battlefield and the emperor’s trust.z7rzp2
IhGYP“No need to thank me. I’ll make sure to collect the full price for sharing a merit that was mine alone.”eZL
DxrjWup“Such terrifying words. But you’re not wrong.”CTWK6
3WflCedric nodded with a bitter smile.rTcfgwY
SYM7If Lucian wanted, he could’ve taken all the credit. Sharing it simply meant he was creating a debt.burDm
54G“I’ll guarantee it with my name. I’ll repay the price in full. I have a feeling this won’t be our last deal.”qh9P
kSXmd“What a coincidence. I was thinking the same.”zESa
xmT4nLucian smiled and turned away.EacWks
eJ3The thousand elites of House Valdeck stood waiting for his command.axCYOGQ
2haNhy“March.”aRRVNO
Z71Zz9At that single order, the thousand troops began to move.EBpR3
DWnUVuThis was the moment history began to diverge from his past life.KApg27V
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