Chapter 144
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 144
During the brief silence that followed, Turan watched the guests laughing and enjoying themselves in the banquet hall below.
While the previous skirmish with Badal and the battle in the forest were certainly violent, what Lida was describing now was on an entirely different scale. It was the herald of a massacre—a conflict where hundreds, perhaps thousands, of mages would tear each other apart.
Suddenly, the Berk couple, who had lost their lives not long ago, came to mind. They hadn't been the only victims. There were others, like the knight Bin, who had been the first to greet Turan in Jabilin City. To those of high status, such people were no different from mere insects, yet they were all human beings capable of thought and love, and they had died by the dozens.
In the coming war between Lavitas and Baraha, far more would likely lose their lives.
"It seems you are fully prepared," Turan remarked.
"If you're asking if we're ready, there are still many things lacking," Lida replied. "But as you know, no matter how much one prepares, there is no such thing as perfect readiness."
Furthermore, the more time they spent preparing, the more time the enemy had to brace themselves.
"What do you think the odds of victory are?"
"About four out of ten. However, if the Parsha family provides sufficient support, I see it rising to over six out of ten."
"Support, you say."
"I believe Sir Solif, your vassal, has some unfinished business with Baraha."
Their gazes shifted toward the lower section of the banquet hall, where Solif was thoroughly enjoying his wine. He was currently chatting excitedly with Berit, who had been practically chased away moments ago.
To an outsider, he looked like any other ordinary young noble. It was not easy to realize that he was actually a powerful Guardian and a Great Mage of the Sun bloodline, capable of withstanding the concentrated attacks of hundreds of mages for hours.
"He seems to be getting rather close to Lady Zahar. Is it alright to leave them be?"
"Yes, well. It doesn't seem so bad for now."
Recently, since Turan had shown little interest in her, Berit had begun hovering around Solif. It was likely a strategy to incite jealousy by showing interest in another man or to sow discord within the Parsha family from the inside.
Amusingly, however, it was Berit who seemed to be developing deeper feelings every time they met. Honestly, it was hard to understand what exactly she found so attractive about Solif, but... well, men and women see things differently. Such things happen.
"I suppose I should call the person in question and ask him myself," Turan said.
"Indeed. You are friends before you are lord and subject. I understand." Lida gave a gentle smile at Turan's words.
*
After the banquet ended, Turan, the last to leave, called for Solif as soon as he reached the lounge. Perhaps because he had enjoyed the festivities to the fullest, Solif still reeked of alcohol.
"What's up all of a sudden?"
"Lavitas is going to war with Baraha. Do you feel like lending a hand?"
Solif looked dumbfounded. It was only natural. Who would ask someone to participate in a war between Great Families as a mercenary so casually? If someone had overheard Turan, they might have thought he was just asking Solif to run an errand.
"...Wait, am I going alone?"
"It would be difficult for both Meisa and me to leave our base. It's entirely up to you, so if you're not up for it, we can just focus on providing supplies."
Of course, another option was to attach other nobles and knights to Solif and form an actual army. Even though the Parsha family was still a fledgling house lacking internal depth, they could mobilize about a hundred mages if they conscripted from their vassal families.
However, increasing the size of the army had nothing but disadvantages, aside from the boost in raw combat power. The larger the number, the more supplies were needed, and the marching speed would inevitably slow down to accommodate weaker mages. Moving a large force from Kalamaf to Lavitas, and then to Baraha, would take a dreadfully long time.
There was also the possibility that the Zahar family might pull some strings to interfere if they moved through the North Sea.
"If you go alone, I'll lend you Bije. It'll only take a few days to get there."
The Lavitas forces would naturally sail for nearly a month, land in the grasslands, and then head northeast. If Solif timed it right and left Kalamaf on Bije, he could join them in just three or four days. In other words, he could support a long-distance expedition while minimizing the time spent away from their home base.
"But I don't know if we can win with just me as reinforcement."
"I can't say there won't be variables, but in terms of raw power, it's enough."
During the battle that triggered this war, the Baraha Family Head had been severely wounded in exchange for placing a fatal curse on Osel. This meant that even though Osel had received support from other high-ranking nobles and was armed with various holy relics passed down through his family, the difference in their abilities wasn't that great.
Considering that the curse placed on Osel was likely a 'Skill,' the Baraha Family Head must have exerted his full strength as well. That meant he wasn't a monster like Badal, the Arabion Family Head, whom the three of them couldn't easily face even together.
While Osel and Solif teamed up to deal with the Baraha Family Head, if the Lavitas nobles could push back the Baraha nobles—
"There's still some time left. If you decide to participate, I'll ask Meisa to spend a month focusing entirely on creating a magic tool for you. Something that will help with combat or survival."
Originally, the most efficient time for an Enchanter to create a powerful magic tool was one month. If Meisa, who possessed mana on par with a Deputy Family Head, focused her power entirely for that duration, the resulting item would be more powerful than a mediocre holy relic.
The only reason they hadn't easily made such items until now was that Meisa's strength would drop significantly for a certain period after the creation. In a situation where they didn't know when Arabion might attack, having their most powerful mage weakened was a critical risk.
Still, if they were sending Solif out alone, it was right to bear that burden. What if he went out to fight and was defeated, killed, or captured to become the Baraha Family Head's new vessel? Not only would one of the three heads of the Parsha family be broken, but it would likely lead to an explosive increase in the power of their enemy, Baraha.
"Meisa will take the risk and make one powerful item, and while she's recovering, the two of us will guard her. You'll be dispatched around the time she recovers. Probably in about two months."
"I get the gist of it. But... is me going actually advantageous for us?"
"Of course. Provided the outcome is good, that is."
If Solif was dispatched and Lavitas crushed Baraha, there was much for Parsha to gain. Not only would they place a powerful ally under another great debt, but they would also be crushing a potential enemy.
After explaining that, Turan cleared his throat lightly and added, "Not only that, but we can also consider you formally succeeding Baraha."
"Hah."
Though he was currently an exile, Solif's original status was the heir to Baraha. If he eliminated the Family Head and absorbed his mana to gain the strength of a Family Head, he would be more than qualified for the position.
Of course, there was little chance that Solif, having borrowed the strength of the foreign Lavitas, would receive the active support of the family members... but what they needed anyway was to reduce their enemies by even one and increase their allies, or at least neutral forces. Even if weakened, if the Great Families of Baraha, Lavitas, and Parsha joined forces, it would mean the emergence of a giant power that had never existed in this land before.
"Well, fine."
"Don't you need to think about it more?"
"A man has to take a gamble at least once in his life," Solif said with a boastful expression.
*
Since they had decided to participate, they needed to increase their chances of victory as much as possible. Therefore, Turan not only asked Meisa to create a powerful magic tool for Solif but also instructed the Berk enchanters to produce magic tools that the Lavitas family could use.
Lida was greatly pleased by this and immediately accepted Turan's request. It was a promise that when they crushed Baraha, Solif would definitely be one of the four to receive the Family Head's mana, and they would support him with all their might so he could become the next head of Baraha.
After the week-long banquet ended and the Lavitas nobles returned, silence returned to Kalamaf. Or rather, it appeared silent, but inside, something hot was simmering.
"Wooooooo!"
"Don't shout, you're wasting energy!"
On a hill near Kalamaf—at the memorable spot where Turan had once been beaten by Meisa—he was now sparring with Solif using Judgment Light.
They didn't know which four symbols the Baraha Family Head would combine and use, but since they knew he would likely use the power of the Sun bloodline as his main force, they were conducting combat training accordingly.
Naturally, the clash of these powerful mages caused a massive aftermath around the hill. Every time the Judgment Light collided in the form of whips and splashed in all directions, the earth melted and lava flowed, while distant boulders split apart. Sometimes, the lower part of a cliff would be hollowed out, causing the upper part to collapse under its own weight and trigger a landslide. If there had been any houses nearby, thousands would have surely died.
After a long and fierce battle, an exhausted Solif sprawled out and let out a heavy sigh.
"Ugh, it's been a while since I've pushed myself like this. I'm dizzy."
"But training like this definitely makes your skills jump, doesn't it? My senses were getting dull lately because of the lack of real combat."
"Well, I'm not a monster like you."
People like Turan and Meisa didn't lose much of their skill even if they stopped magic training for a few months, but ordinary mages would quickly see their magic skills decline if they didn't consistently hone them every day. To be precise, their sense for handling magic would dull.
Solif also trained every day, but there was no better way to sharpen one's senses than competing against an opponent of equal caliber. Of course, fighting with one's life on the line, like in the Arena located in the Frostwind Forest to the northeast, would be more effective, but since he only had one life, there was no helping it.
As he lay there catching his breath, Solif suddenly spoke up. "By the way, is that really okay?"
"What?"
"Leaking war information to Berit."
After deciding to participate in the war between Lavitas and Baraha, Turan had given Solif a somewhat difficult-to-understand instruction. It was to subtly let Berit know that they would be participating in this war. Since Berit was meeting frequently with Solif instead of Turan, who practically refused to communicate with her, it wasn't a difficult task.
What was incomprehensible was the reason for doing such a thing.
"No matter how I think about it, shouldn't we keep this from Zahar? What if they send reinforcements?"
It was common knowledge that Zahar and Baraha were quite closely connected. Turan and Solif even knew that they had once sent one of their heir candidates as support troops—since it was Turan who had killed them all back then.
At Solif's question, Turan scratched his chin. "Well, they'd find out even if I didn't tell Berit."
"Really?"
"Zahar has already planted a spy among the servants or maids in our main house. They cut their tail so well that I don't know who it is. Since they're going to find out anyway, we're making them believe we're less wary of Berit. Giving her a sense of utility, so to speak."
In the first place, the fact that Solif was the only one participating as reinforcement had not been revealed to anyone. If there was no movement from Parsha until just before the Lavitas army arrived at Baraha, Zahar would be thrown into confusion. They would wonder, 'They clearly said they would provide support, so why isn't the army moving?'
Turan planned to use that opening to dispatch Solif, quickly crush Baraha, and take the initiative. In other words, knowing a little was worse than knowing nothing at all.
"I don't know if it'll work out as you say."
"I'm not certain either, but for now, we're doing our best. We can't just sit around forever."
For this plan, Turan was also doing everything he could. He selected reliable sailors from the port city east of Kalamaf, sent them to the Frostwind Forest, and checked the atmosphere there by exchanging letters through Bije. He also sent a letter to Mago, the Lavitas noble he had met in the southeastern grasslands, to ask about the situation there.
Regrettably, he couldn't send anyone to the Land of the Five Lakes where Baraha was located, but he trusted that Lavitas would handle the scouting there.
As the two were sharing a conversation about the political situation while catching their breath, a vibration rang from inside Turan's robe. It was a call through the hand mirror.
"What is it, Asiz?"
Originally, the owner of the other hand mirror was Meisa, but since she was currently in seclusion to make Solif's magic tool, she had left it with Asiz. Asiz, whose face looked haggard as if he had worked late last night, shouted urgently.
[Turan! You need to come back quickly!]
"Is it another attack?"
He thought it would take a bit more time for the significantly weakened Arabion to finish their reorganization. As Turan's face hardened, Asiz shook his head.
[No... it's the sea. Ofen City has requested support. A giant sea serpent is occupying the coast.]
*
At the news that a Great Sea Serpent had appeared, Turan hurriedly returned to the mansion with Solif. Naturally, they couldn't leave for the site immediately. They had been hitting each other with all their might until just a moment ago, to the point where their mana was almost depleted.
After resting for a few hours to replenish their strength, Turan headed to Ofen City with Solif on Bije. Normally, if he were traveling as the Family Head of a Great House, he should have been accompanied by dozens of guards, but if the opponent was a Great Sea Serpent and not a human, weak nobles or knights were meaningless as combat power. Besides, taking them along would have taken far too much time.
The lord of Ofen, a port city located at the northeastern tip of the Gray Zone, beamed with joy and bowed his head at Turan's visit. However, he seemed somewhat bewildered by the fact that only two people, Turan and Solif, had come.
"Oh, Family Head. To think you would come to help so quickly..."
"It's an urgent situation, so skip the useless formalities. What's the damage?"
"Some facilities were destroyed, but there are no casualties."
"That's a relief."
The Great Sea Serpent that appeared this time was undoubtedly of Armani's kin. Since they knew Turan was sensitive to human casualties, they must have been considerate of that. Turan ignored the lord's suggestion to rest at the mansion for a while and headed straight for the harbor where the Great Sea Serpent was said to have appeared.
"Whoa..."
"It's massive."
"It would be terrifying if that thing attacked."
People gathered around the harbor, whispering as they looked at the Great Sea Serpent standing tall by the shore. They were truly fearless, in a way. Amusingly, the giant sea serpent, which looked to be about sixty meters long, was also observing the residents and the buildings around the harbor with a curious attitude.
"Everyone, move aside! The Great Ruler of the Gray Zone, the Family Head of Parsha, has arrived!"
At the booming shouts of the Ofen City knights, the residents were startled, cleared a path, and quickly prostrated themselves. Over the past few months, the fact that they had come under the command of the Great Family Parsha hadn't quite sunk in, but they at least knew that the Family Head of a Great House was a powerhouse no different from a god.
"Have the people move back. They'll get hurt if a fight breaks out."
"I shall do so."
After instructing the lord of Ofen, Turan passed through the people who were worshipping him like a god and headed toward the Great Sea Serpent. Solif followed closely by his side and whispered softly.
"That guy... I don't know why, but he's quite injured. Who did he fight?"
"I'm not sure, but it's probably not a wound inflicted by a human."
As Turan answered softly and approached the harbor, the Great Sea Serpent finally seemed to notice the commotion among the small people and turned its gaze toward Turan.
"Turan!"
At the shout from the Great Sea Serpent's mouth, the citizens around the harbor screamed and fled. Because the voice was excessively loud and resonant, it sounded like a roar before facing an enemy. However, Turan could tell that what was contained in that voice was not hostility.
"Is it you again, Armani?"
"You recognized me!"
"What? That mermaid brat from back then?" Unlike Armani, who shouted happily, Solif looked at the Great Sea Serpent with an absurd expression. It was only natural, since the last time he had seen Armani, he was at most a pup shark. The fellow had grown even larger than when Turan had last seen him.
"What are you doing here? No, first, return to your merman form. Don't scare the people."
At Turan's words, the giant body of the Great Sea Serpent immediately shrank and took the form of a merman boy. Since the other commoners had already fled in terror the moment the Great Sea Serpent called Turan's name, only the mages of Ofen saw this.
"I wanted to do that anyway! But there were so many people that I was afraid I'd be attacked if I took this form."
"Well, if that was the case, it couldn't be helped."
The fact that he took the merman form once Turan appeared must be because he was certain Turan wouldn't attack him. Feeling a bit awkward at that firm trust, Turan saw that there were wounds all over Armani's body in his merman form as well. When he placed his hand on his shoulder, the wounds began to heal.
"Oh, it's warm..."
"Healing a merman isn't particularly difficult."
Of course, perhaps because of the powerful strength he possessed as one of the Great Sea Serpent kin, it took more effort than healing an ordinary noble, but it was manageable. After a moment, Armani, who had returned to a healthy state, shouted joyfully.
"You've gained healing abilities too! That's amazing! How did you do it?"
"It just happened. So, why did you suddenly cause a ruckus here? You've made quite a mess."
He said no one died, but looking to the side, about two piers were half-crushed, and it looked like it would take some time to fix them. When Turan pointed to the damaged parts, Armani said with a dejected expression.
"Ah, that wasn't on purpose, I just couldn't control my speed well... More importantly, it's a disaster!"
"What kind of disaster?"
"My family members all recovered recently, and they've decided to go to war with the humans! When I tried to persuade them not to, they said they wouldn't change their minds and tried to kill me, so I ran away!"