“Was that just a aningless dream?”
Ghislain thought about the Saintess's final words directed at him.
You mustn’t co yet. What could she possibly an by that?
At first, he had dismissed it as nothing more than a dream. But the fact that the figure in his dream interacted with him… did that an it wasn’t a re product of his imagination?
Could the necklace truly be trying to convey sothing to him, or was it just a random, vivid dream?
― Master…
Dark’s voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts. Ghislain turned his attention to him.
“Did you see it?”
― I saw it… it was strange…
“What was strange?”
― It felt… unsettling. A bad feeling…
“Why does it feel bad?”
― I don’t know… the more I see, the worse it feels…
Dark, being deeply connected to Ghislain’s consciousness, might have been influenced by him—or there could have been another, unknown reason.
“Hmm…”
The content of the dream remained an enigma. If it wasn’t just a aningless dream, then perhaps the necklace was trying to send him a ssage.
Still, this ti, there had been more clarity in the vision than before. Perhaps with a few more dreams, the situation would beco clearer.
But whether it connected to the current crisis with the Salvation Order remained to be seen.
“Ugh, things are only getting more complicated.”
Though naturally inquisitive, Ghislain had no choice but to let it lie for now. There were more imdiate concerns to address. The Salvation Order’s defeat took precedence, and he couldn’t afford to lose focus on a dream.
“Well, at least we’ve dealt with one major issue.”
Helgenique had been a particularly troubleso foe, both in this life and his previous one. Eliminating him, no matter how difficult, was a significant victory.
With their rest concluded, Ghislain and the mobile corps began their march toward the Kingdom of Atrodé.
“They’ll be ready for us,” Ghislain remarked.
The Salvation Order and Atrodé had long since consolidated their forces, while the Allied Forces were only just starting to gather.
Ghislain didn’t doubt that the Allied Forces would erge victorious, but it was clear this would be a grueling battle.
“They’ve gained ti by using Helgenique, so they’re probably scheming sothing else now.”
The Salvation Order had two primary options:
“Either they attack another kingdom to split our forces… or they strike the vanguard of the Allied Forces early.”
The information that Ghislain and the mobile corps had been diverted to deal with Helgenique would undoubtedly have reached them.
That was why Ghislain had instructed the Allied Forces to surround Atrodé instead of directly engaging. They couldn’t handle both Atrodé and the Salvation Order head-on yet.
Though a decisive battle with Atrodé was inevitable, wars like this rarely ended in a single clash.
It didn’t take long for the Salvation Order’s choice to beco apparent.
“Atrodé has invaded the Kingdom of Grimwell! Reports also indicate that the Revolutionaries are fighting alongside them!”
“The Revolutionaries…” Ghislain mused. “It seems their forces have grown stronger.”
He fell into thought upon hearing the news.
Why Grimwell?
The Kingdom of Grimwell was not directly adjacent to Atrodé. While the neighboring kingdoms had already fallen, making passage easier, Grimwell was a powerful nation in its own right.
They’ve held off both Riftkind and rebels effectively… so why target them?
If the Salvation Order wished to claim territory, there were easier targets. Why go to such lengths now?
It must be the artifact.
Ghislain recalled Gatros’s obsession with the so-called “artifact.” He had ntioned seeking it elsewhere, and now it seed likely that it was located in Grimwell.
Ghislain questioned the ssenger who brought the report.
“Do we know how many forces remain in Atrodé?”
“We couldn’t confirm precise numbers, but it’s estimated that over half of their forces have marched to Grimwell.”
“Over half…” Ghislain muttered. That still left a formidable force.
The combined strength of the Salvation Order, Atrodé’s main forces, nearby rebels, and now the Revolutionaries was imnse. Even a powerful nation like Grimwell would struggle to withstand such a coalition.
At least they didn’t send all that against Ruthania.
If they had launched such an offensive from the beginning, Ruthania would have been obliterated. Then again, their plans had been thoroughly disrupted by him.
Gillian approached Ghislain with a question.
“What are your orders?”
Though he asked, it was clear he already knew the answer. There was no need to let their enemies dictate their movents.
Ghislain made his decision swiftly.
“We stick to the plan and take Atrodé first. Destroy their base of operations.”
No matter what resistance Grimwell mounted, it would be at a disadvantage compared to defending their own stronghold.
“Send a ssage to Grimwell. Tell them to avoid direct confrontation and retreat if necessary. If they refuse, at least get their king to evacuate to our side.”
Even as he spoke, Ghislain doubted they would listen.
The pride of kings and nobles is unmatched.
Grimwell, with its vast territory and strength, was understandably confident. They had already sent troops to aid Ruthania while successfully fending off Riftkind and rebels on their own.
And that confidence would only lead to recklessness.
In his previous life, Grimwell had acted the sa way, trying to seize leadership of the Allied Forces and ignoring crucial warnings.
Shaking his head at the mory, Ghislain sighed.
Too many powerful egos.
The auxiliary forces sent as support were at least sowhat cooperative, but the main armies of these kingdoms rarely listened until their lands were nearly destroyed.
In his past life, this had led to endless delays and inefficiencies.
Sotis, you just need to knock so sense into them.
Though he preferred peaceful cooperation, Ghislain knew he might have to reestablish discipline every ti a new army joined their ranks.
Resolving to maintain his composure, Ghislain pushed the thought aside.
As the mobile corps marched, they encountered a group waiting for them along the road.
“Ah, my lord has arrived!”
Galbaric and a group of dwarves stepped forward to greet Ghislain. Several mages were with them as well.
Behind them were massive wagons, drawn by dozens of horses, each wagon large enough to resemble a small house.
This group had been waiting along the route as per Ghislain’s orders.
Galbaric approached Ghislain and spoke in a low voice.
“And the mage?”
“He’s here,” Ghislain replied.
“Heh, 8th Circle, huh? Our lord truly is incredible. How does he keep reeling in people like that?”
“I didn’t reel him in. He just ca on his own. Heaven’s clearly on my side,” Ghislain said with a confident grin.
eting Jero so quickly was truly a stroke of luck. With their current tight schedule, it couldn’t have happened at a better ti.
Galbaric chuckled, his grin matching Ghislain’s.
“Then, should we deploy him right away?”
“Of course. We’re always short on ti, aren’t we?”
“Indeed. Having a high-circle mage join us at a ti like this is nothing short of a blessing.”
The two exchanged wicked smiles as they spoke in hushed tones. The mage in question, naturally, was Jero.
As the army paused for a short rest, Jero found himself in the rear lines, surrounded by other mages, engaging in what could only be described as elegant scholarly conversations.
“You see, spatial displacent can be inherently unstable unless you incorporate additional magical asures. For example, generating a protective barrier before connecting the two highly developed coordinates…”
Jero answered the mages’ questions with enthusiasm, sparing no effort to share his knowledge. He seed to genuinely enjoy imparting what he knew.
The mages, in turn, listened intently, their focus unwavering.
After all, it wasn’t every day an 8th Circle mage shared their wisdom. Not wanting to miss even a single detail, they asked questions at every opportunity.
The problem? The only person who could actually understand Jero’s explanations was Vanessa.
“Oh, so you manipulate the flow of mana to warp space-ti and create a shortcut between the two points…”
“Wait, you got all that in one go? You’re a genius!”
“No, no, it’s just that Jero explains things so clearly,” Vanessa replied modestly.
But in truth, Jero himself was constantly taken aback by Vanessa’s quick grasp of his teachings.
No matter what he explained, she rarely needed him to repeat himself.
These are things that took years of practice in the ntal realm to comprehend!
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Vanessa, without any such training, had reached the 7th Circle in just a few years. When Jero first heard of her achievents, he had struggled to believe it.
Wait… am I the one who’s slow? Is this normal? My master always said I was bright… was that just the kind of thing parents say to make their kids feel better?
Having rarely spoken with other mages for extended periods, Jero found himself montarily plunged into existential confusion.
He had always considered himself exceptional, but Vanessa’s effortless understanding made him question everything.
anwhile, the other mages just stared blankly, their expressions betraying their utter bewildernt. Alfoy, in particular, had even begun drooling slightly.
Jero, puzzled by this, decided to ask Alfoy directly.
“Alfoy, do you follow what I’m saying?”
“...”
Alfoy didn’t want to admit that he didn’t understand. It would be far too humiliating to confess such a thing to a newcor, especially when his pride was on the line.
So, he bit his tongue—literally.
“AHHHHH! I… I UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING! I JUST BIT MY TONGUE, THAT’S ALL! OWWWW! BLEEDING! AHHHH!”
“...”
Jero finally concluded that Vanessa was simply an outlier.
Regardless, having soone as brilliant as Vanessa during this critical ti would be invaluable. Jero continued sharing his knowledge without holding back, fully committed to supporting the group.
Vanessa, for her part, couldn’t help but admire Jero deeply.
Who would have thought a mage like this existed?
Jero was unlike any other mage Vanessa had encountered.
Most mages jealously guarded their knowledge, only sharing scraps after extracting years of service from their subordinates.
Jero, however, seed intent on making as many mages stronger as possible, freely sharing his knowledge without asking for anything in return.
The reason for his generosity was obvious to anyone who watched him.
It’s his desire to help people.
Vanessa was well aware of Jero’s past exploits. His kind heart and noble intentions were evident in the way he readily shared his wisdom.
Because of this, Vanessa couldn’t help but hold him in high regard—not just as a mage, but as a person.
While Vanessa and Jero engaged in their productive discussions, the other mages showed no signs of jealousy or annoyance.
Vanessa will explain everything to us later anyway.
Her explanations are always the clearest.
That’s why she’s the Head of the Mage Research Institute.
Of course, one mage—Alfoy—was stewing with resentnt.
That damned newcor… humiliating like this… just wait and see!
Aside from that one disgruntled individual, the conversations among the mages were smooth and harmonious.
Seeing the group so engaged, Jero felt a swell of emotion.
Even during war, they’re so eager to learn. What an extraordinary group. But… why do they all look so exhausted?
Though war was taxing, the mages seed unusually drained, even for their kind.
It was then that Ghislain and Galbaric approached the gathering.
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“Jero, this is Galbaric,” Ghislain introduced. “He’s in charge of ‘production’ here in Fenris. You’ll be seeing a lot of him, so get friendly.”
“Ah, understood! I’ll look forward to working with you!”
Jero greeted Galbaric warmly, his enthusiasm evident.
Galbaric, equally pleased, offered a hearty laugh.
“Likewise, Jero. It’s an honor. Though it’s a bit humbling to et an 8th Circle mage. With soone like you around, our ‘work’ will surely… I an, it’s just incredible.”
After verifying Jero’s level once again, Galbaric let out a sly chuckle. Jero, however, interpreted this as re excitent.
Just then, Ghislain placed a firm hand on Jero’s shoulder.
“We’ll have to part ways for a bit,” Ghislain said with a smile.
“Huh? Why? Aren’t we heading to the battlefield?”
“We are. But you’re going to lag behind us for a while. Take your ti catching up.”
Jero tilted his head, clearly confused.
Though he was a new addition, he was one of the strongest individuals in the Allied Forces. His skills as a mage were critical in battle, and his absence would surely be felt.
Why, then, was he being held back?
As Jero pondered, Ghislain’s smile turned even gentler.
“You’ve got work to do,” Ghislain explained. “There’s a task that only you can handle, and it involves working with the dwarves and mages here.”
Jero still didn’t seem to understand.
Vanessa looked away, avoiding his gaze.
anwhile, the other mages nodded solemnly, their expressions filled with quiet resignation.
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