The Book Eating Magician - Chapter 221

Chapter 221

Chapter 221 – All-out War (5)

The empire’s Seven Swords were the only sword masters who would emerge at this stage .

The swords which represented the empire, Andras’ Seven Swords… Hyde and Lloyd had died, so two seats were empty . However, considering the size of the empire, they could easily fill those seats .  Additionally, there were five sword masters remaining, so it wouldn’t be difficult for them to infiltrate the troops .

Theodore was taut with tension as he thought about it . ‘Let’s say the person is one of the empire’s Seven Swords . Then… which one is he?’

It might seem like a trivial question, but it was the most serious problem . According to magicians, the Seven Swords possessed a power equivalent to their number .  The 7th Sword Lloyd and the 6th Sword Hyde were considered the weakest among them if there were no errors in the order .

Theodore decided to start a process of elimination .

‘It isn’t the 4th place . ’

Pan Helliones was so impressive that Theodore couldn’t forget it . However, even compared to Pan Helliones, the 1st and 2nd Swords were much greater .  In that case, this sword master could be everyone except for number 4, 6, and 7 .

Theodore recalled Veronica’s words about them, –Ah, Kid .  It doesn’t matter if it is No . 1 or No . 2 .  The two of them might be the strongest in Andras, but they shouldn’t affect you .

Theodore had questioned her, ‘Why?’

–Both of them don’t move outside Belfort, the capital of Andras .  Even in the last war, they never crossed the borders unless the emperor ordered them .

‘If it happened in the past, they could act now…’

–No way .  Well, if it does happen, you will be in big trouble .  You won’t be able to survive an encounter with them .

Veronica’s advice was ruthless and decisive .

‘It was cold, but she makes a lot of sense . ’

He would definitely die against an opponent who was on her or Blundell’s level . Theodore had only just awakened his Sorcery, so he wasn’t on a level to face them .  They were monsters when it came to fighting .  As such, the peak swordsmen of Andras were too powerful for the present Theodore to face .

Then this meant the only ones remaining were No . 3 and No . 5 .

Either way, Theodore’s artificially raised senses could catch even a grain of dust . He would attack if the sword master took one step further . A strong power rattled around the body of the determined Theodore .

As his string of tension was pulled tightly, the unidentified sword master made an unexpected action .

‘Huh?’

The sword master placed his hands at the swords hanging from his waist .

Ching!

Then he didn’t hesitate to release the swords . The two swords fell to the ground, producing a heavy metal sound .  His intent was unknown, but he had disarmed himself .

Even if he was a sword master, picking up dropped swords involved unnecessary movements . A magician with exceptional mobility like Theodore would be able to attack the sword master a few times before the swords would be picked up .

Theodore’s expression became one of dumbfoundedness . ‘Is this a trick?’

His opponent’s strange actions didn’t end here . The knight in black armor raised a hand to the faceguard wrapped around his face .  Theodore didn’t feel any hostility, so he watched while maintaining a certain distance .

Snap .

Finally, the faceguard was peeled away .

“Ah!” Theodore let out a cry of amazement when he saw the face of the sword master .  The sword master had a patchy beard but his face was familiar .

“Randolph?”

“It has been a while, Young Master . ” Randolph shrugged with a familiar smile . “There are many things I want to share, but I can’t afford to . Still, there is some time to explain . How about it?”

“…Please be as detailed as possible . ” Theodore didn’t doubt Randolph and lessened his magic power .  His extremely sensitive senses were telling him that Randolph was innocent . They had traveled together for a long time, so he could tell when Randolph was lying .

“Okay, where should I start…?” Randolph sat down at a nearby tree and frowned while picking up his words . Then he sighed and started talking, “I will start from when I separated from you in the wilderness . ”

Shortly after separating from Theodore in the Sipoto wilderness, Randolph had crossed Andras’ border . The level of the empire’s guards wasn’t low, but mere soldiers couldn’t detect a sword master’s stealth .

As such, he had successfully passed into Andras and arrived at the capital, Belfort, where he had encountered an obstacle—the empire’s 4th Sword, Pan Helliones .

“I was supposed to secretly sneak my sister out… but he is extremely sensitive . As his disciple, she was always near him, and it seemed impossible to bring her out without a fight . ”

Randolph had been forced to choose . Should he cause friction and try to pull his sister out, or wait for a chance to appear in the long-term? He had secretly hidden on the roof of the knights’ area and found a reason to make his decision .

“I saw the empire’s 2nd Sword, Zest Speitem . ” Randolph’s voice trembled involuntarily .  He had only seen Zest from a distance . However, before Randolph had even been able to blink, Zest’s sword had already arrived at his throat .

If Rebecca hadn’t been there to prove his identity, Randolph would’ve died right there . There was a huge difference between their skills . They were in a metropolitan area, but he would’ve died no matter what he did .

“So, I decided to wait . I became Andras’ knight and waited for an opportunity to escape with Rebecca . That was the only option I could make in that situation . ”

“…You have gone through a lot of trouble . ”

“Well, I didn’t know that chance would come so soon!”

Hearing the depressed voice suddenly become cheerful, Theodore was confused . “Huh? Opportunity?”

“I met Young Master again! I wanted to, but I really didn’t know we could meet,” Randolph said . Then before Theodore could reply, Randolph continued speaking, “Listen to me, I’m not the only one sent here from Andras . I am accompanied by Pan Helliones, who is trying to test my loyalty, and Rebecca is accompanying him . ”

“Are you serious? Is it because she is his disciple?”

“I guess so . I can’t do this alone . But the story is different if both of us work together . ”

The command from the Andras Empire was simple: intervene in the Soldun civil war to prevent Meltor from taking advantage, and don’t allow them to take any further action .  Randolph’s persistently passive attitude was also due to this order .

However, what if there was a variable which could force Pan Helliones to move? A crusader and Randolph should be sufficient, but what if the situation turned disadvantageous?

‘Pan will have to get off that heavy butt of his . ’

The emperor’s orders were the highest priority, so Pan Helliones would place intervening in Soldun’s civil war above watching Rebecca . Meanwhile, Randolph could use that chance to free his sister from the empire .

Theodore looked at the premise of the operation and nodded . “It is possible . Do you have any means of communication?”

“No, that…”

“Take it . ” Theodore threw over to Randolph an earring which was attached with communication magic . “You can just hold it in your palm without wearing it . ”

“Oh, is that so? I will use it well . ”

“Let’s talk longer next time . ”

Randolph said goodbye before putting on his faceguard again . He picked up his swords and looked exactly like a knight once more .  Then Randolph ran in the opposite direction .  The black armor receded in an instant, and Theodore sighed .

The serious situation had happened so fast that his breath was taken away .

“Ah, my body is very exhausted . ”

However, this wasn’t the end . Theodore now had to enter Atron estate and convey word to the prince .  He sighed heavily and flew toward the estate .  It was a complex and tiring day .

*     *     *

“Ohh, Sir Ted! No, now it is Sir Theodore!”

“Are those trees from you? Thank you in the name of the king . ”

Theodore arrived at Atron Manor and received great hospitality from Baek Jongmyung and Prince Elsid . It wasn’t surprising since they had been contacted by Marquis Piris in advance .  It seemed like they had more questions about the suddenly rising trees, rather than Theodore’s appearance .

In particular, Prince Elsid’s attitude was very different from before .  Was it because Theodore’s identity was clear? Theodore was now approached with a friendly attitude, different from when he had been an uninvited guest .

“Sir Theodore, I would like to say one thing if it isn’t impolite . ”

“Speak . ”

“There are a lot of strategies that can be developed when looking at the forest that you created . What is the limit of that power?”

“It is difficult to say in detail but…” Theodore said and then worried for a second before replying with a half-truth, “Except for the trees that fit the ecosystem of the land, everything else will soon wither away . My elemental has also consumed too much power today, so I can’t use the same method for a while . ”

It wasn’t a lie . Mitra had a limit in controlling the power of life, no matter her divinity . The forest, which was growing at present, was just a temporary measure and probably wouldn’t last for more than a few days .  Additionally, Mitra had fallen asleep, and Theodore’s magic power was quite exhausted . It was too risky to use it again when he had to engage with the empire’s Seven Swords .

Elsid made a regretful expression when he heard the decisive answer . “Umm, it is too bad . ”

“I’m sorry that I can’t meet your expectations, Your Majesty . Then what about your wound, Marquis Baek?”

Baek Jongmyung looked at his bandaged left arm with a grim expression and sighed . “It… Isn’t it obvious without needing to speak?”

“I understand . ” Theodore understood the meaning from Baek Jongmyung’s heavy tone and entered the manor . It was difficult to speak about it in front of the troops .  A sword master was a force which could control the morale of the entire army . If such a person were known to be seriously injured, morale would fall instantly .

Unsurprisingly, the wound underneath Baek Jongmyung’s bandage was terrible .

“…This is serious . ”

The left arm had broken bones as well as torn ligaments and muscles, while the nervous system was just on the verge of necrosis . It was a wound which seemed to have been caused by the hammer of an ogre, rather than a human swordsman . Proper treatment from a magician would take more than a month, and there would still be aftereffects .

He wasn’t in a state where he couldn’t fight, but he wouldn’t be able to last 10 minutes against Ruben with this body .  Theodore’s expression hardened at the sight .  Meanwhile, Baek Jongmyung sighed . “This is my fault, Your Highness . I knew my opponent was an expert in the sword but…”

“Don’t blame yourself, Marquis . It was my decision that sent you there, so I must bear the burden . ”

“Your Highness…!”

The two people were being melodramatic, but Theodore didn’t like this atmosphere and looked at the palm of his left hand .  He saw that the two people weren’t paying attention to him, so he took something out .

‘Appraisal . ’

[+16 New Advanced Recovery Potion (Medicine)]

[-This is a new potion made by the hands of the alchemist, Paracelsus . It is possible to rejoin cut areas or revive a nervous system which experienced necrosis . It will restore all injuries, except for brain damage and central nervous system defects . Currently, there is no way to produce it .

* The rating of this potion is ‘Treasure’ .

* When consumed, the body will greatly recover from any damage .

* When applied, the damage at that site will heal rapidly .

* In order to create this potion, the ‘Alchemy (Best)’ skill and ‘Paracelsus’ Research Laboratory’ is needed . ]

This was a potion Paracelsus had made . It had been common in the Age of Mythology, but it was impossible to determine its value in this age . The potion was rated Treasure and could be compared to an elixir .

Nevertheless, Theodore handed the potion to Baek Jongmyung without any hesitation and said, “Drink half and sprinkle the other half on your wounds . It will be effective in a minute . ”

“…This is clearly not an ordinary potion!” As a sword master, Baek Jongmyung could tell the value of the liquid that Theodore handed him and wondered if he could drink this .  However, Theodore had more in his inventory, so he just waved his hands like it was nothing .

Right now, a sword master was more important than a potion .

“You can pay me back later . Right now, Lord Baek’s power is needed . ”

“Well, it will be awkward to keep refusing . I will receive Sir Theodore’s grace . ”

Baek Jongmyung bowed his head and healed his left arm, while Prince Elsid and Theodore continued talking about the battlefield .  Before leaving Piris, Theodore had heard about how Orta would move in the future . Theodore’s purpose was to pass this information to the Atron Estate and protect Prince Elsid .

Theodore delivered Orta’s words, “The White Tower Master is planning to start at the three captured estates and will move to deal massive damage to Duke Cornwall’s forces . Atron simply needs to hold out until then . ”

“Will the duke’s forces before us really retreat?” Elsid was skeptical .  He knew his value . As the King in a chess game, the civil war would be over if the prince was caught .  So, the duke would try to catch him here, even if his forces took a lot of damage . Otherwise, there was no reason for him to have dragged a large army to Atron in the first place .

Theodore would’ve made the same judgment, but this time was different .

“The troops will definitely retreat . ”

“I’m curious . How are you so sure?”

“Wait a few more days . In any case, the duke’s troops won’t be able to approach until the trees disappear . ” 

Theodore could understand Elsid’s doubts, but he could answer with conviction because he realized something .  After awakening his ‘Sorcery,’ Theodore realized that less than half of the competency of White Tower Master Orta, the leader of the white tower, had been revealed .

*     *     *

Theodore’s prediction came true after seven days . Duke Cornwall’s forces were able to approach the estate when the forest disappeared . However, they retreated suddenly .  Atron sighed with relief, but it was a huge loss for Duke Cornwall . The loss of troops was small, but there was an enormous cost associated with moving such a big army .

This battle shifted from checkmate to an ordinary check .

It took exactly six days . In that time, eleven estates, which were around the three estates on the border area, fell .  Orta and the magic troops dug precisely at the estates’ vulnerabilities and killed the knights at each estate .

Using his excellent mobility, Orta attacked the next goal before they could receive news of the attack . Then he left troops at the rear to build up defenses and kept advancing while repeating this .

It was Orta’s unique military style .

In the end, the duke was furious and forced to retreat to Marquis Fergan’s estate .  From the position of the nobles, there were two mice, and one of them was stealing from their rice bowl .

Following this, both camps were quiet .  The first full-scale battle of Soldun’s civil war entered a short lull after a few surprises from the royal faction .