Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 185 (Part 2)

The forces Marquis Richmond had mobilized for the territorial battle were 200 knights and 300 soldiers. The force now watching from afar was nearly the same. In other words, it was a force near the limit of what a high-ranking noble could muster.

“Big Brother Rodin, is it easy to lure magical beasts?”

“Not at all. You’d probably have to sacrifice real lives as bait.”

“Can’t you just hit them once and run away?”

“Magical beasts may be dumber than humans, but they’re not idiots. You have to keep provoking them and even throw them food now and then.”

They had lured over 800 magical beasts. The types were diverse, and sometimes the beasts even fought among themselves.

Magical beasts weren’t fools. Simply throwing them food like cows or pigs wouldn’t make them pursue so relentlessly.

Over twenty people must have been sacrificed from directly attacking the beasts. Even more likely escaped with ease, continuously provoking the creatures along the way.

“So that’s how it is. I thought this sort of thing happened often.”

“It’s not that simple. Their forces are larger than we imagined. It’s too much to call them merely rebels.”

Forces equivalent to those typically under the control of high-ranking nobles had been mobilized here. Despite the long civil war being over, it didn’t make sense that they had preserved such strength.

“What do you think, Big Brother Rodin?”

“The kingdom is involved. Someone’s planning to wipe out the entire bloodline of the Luvain royal family and swallow the kingdom whole.”

That was why Rodin had advised Queen Regina not to accept help from the Kingdom of Selden.

Even the poisoning of the handmaid implied that the poison had been spread indiscriminately. It wasn’t meant to put a particular prince on the throne—someone had attempted to kill everyone in the royal family.

“Wow! Seriously? Who could it be?”

“No idea. But I should get going.”

The magical beasts had mostly been dealt with. Right on cue, enemies began slowly closing in, surrounding them.

“Should I go too?”

“Go ahead.”

Rodin opened the carriage door and stepped out.

Scott, who had just dealt the finishing blow to the last magical beast, was pulling the mercenaries back.

“Enemies incoming! Stay alert!”

The mercenaries kicked aside the corpses of the magical beasts. It was to prevent anyone from tripping over them mid-battle.

“Scott, move the wounded to the rear.”

“Wounded to the back—head to Mage Rodin!”

Though the battle against the magical beasts had been long, none of the mercenaries had died. Rodin and Karis had significantly reduced the beasts’ power to make sure of that.

“Oh? Hardly any damage.”

“Not bad at all.”

While maintaining their encirclement, two figures stepped forward—one a knight, the other a 6th-circle mage.

Their attitude overflowed with confidence. They looked utterly convinced of victory.

They did have reasons for that assumption.

The mercenaries protecting Queen Regina were on the verge of collapse from exhaustion. With many injured, half of them were more burden than help.

And Karis, who had demonstrated power equal to Scott’s, was nowhere to be seen. After being injured and retreating to the carriage, she still hadn’t reappeared. A sign that her injuries were severe.

Most decisively, the Grand Mage—holder of the Platinum Badge—had nearly exhausted his magical energy. Though he’d rested in the carriage for a bit, he likely hadn’t fully recovered.

“Was it you? You’re the bastards who pulled this off?”

“Yeah. You’re that Gold Badge mercenary, right? Name’s… Scott, was it?”

“That’s right. That one. Seems like he’s got a pretty solid reputation among mercenaries. Though, thanks to that reputation, he’ll die before the day’s over.”

Their mocking laughter made flames flare in Scott’s eyes. His clenched fists trembled with rage.

“Look at him clenching his fists. They’re shaking.”

“He’s pissed. Wouldn’t you be? Getting killed over some stupid request. But even so, when it comes down to it, he’ll struggle like a worm. Be careful.”

“You think struggling’s going to change anything?”

“It just might.”

The final voice came from the carriage. Rodin stepped out as he opened the door.

“Oh ho, the Grand Mage. I’ve always wondered just how far apart a Grand Mage and I really are.”

“Well, looks like you’ve got your chance now.”

“Not really exciting, though. A Grand Mage without any magical energy left…”

Even after seeing Rodin, the enemy remained relaxed. It was clear they were certain he had no magical energy left.

Despite the sneers, Rodin didn’t react emotionally. He calmly began preparing his spell while scanning the enemy’s formation.

‘The mages are clustered on the left.’

The enemies had brought six mages. The boastful one out front was a 6th-circle mage, and the other five were 4th-circle.

―Master. Ready on our end.
―Master. Should we move out?
―Not yet. Karis, Jena—when I give the signal, take out the left side first.
―Understood.

It was a message relayed to Karis and Jena through the brooch using the language of the Magic Empire era. Because it was unfamiliar, the enemies couldn’t understand what Rodin was saying.

‘First, the mages have to go.’

One hundred knights alone couldn’t compare to a hundred with knights and mages. If the smaller number of mages were eliminated, the enemy’s offense would inevitably become straightforward.

‘I have to stay alive too.’

Just as Rodin planned to target their mages first, he knew they would aim for him right away.

Rodin had already scouted potential escape points.

Gaps between mercenaries, the top of the carriage, behind wagons, areas where the wounded were resting—he mentally mapped them all.

Then, he pre-cast a 7th-circle spell.

“Alright. Let’s get started.”

“Let’s finish quick and take a break.”

As the two enemies exchanged words, the encircling knights drew their weapons. The mercenaries tensed in response.

‘Defensive magic, huh.’

The 6th-circle mage’s confidence stemmed from an invisible shield he had erected at the front. He believed it could block at least one spell—even from a 7th-circle mage like Rodin.

But Rodin changed the spell’s cast location.

Spells typically activate from the caster’s fingertip coordinates—(0,0,0). But Rodin set the spell to activate behind the overconfident mage.

It would have been a difficult task for an average mage. But for Rodin, it wasn’t hard. Coordinate calculation of this level was as natural as breathing.

“Divine Rush!”

Rodin’s spell activated. A pure white light burst forth from the opposite direction, piercing through the 6th-circle mage’s torso.

“Gugh!”

The white light that pierced the 6th-circle mage’s abdomen curved diagonally, sweeping up a 6th-grade swordsman as well.

BOOOOM!

A knight frantically lowered his shield to block the blast. But he couldn’t fully withstand it, and was sent flying backward.

“Grk… What the hell was that? Harry!”

“Gah! H-Heugh!”

“When you reach the 7th circle, you get a new ability. Know what that is? This—Lock Down.”

Rodin cast a spell that perfectly immobilized the target. Even though his abdomen had been pierced, the mage named Harry, who had tried to cast a spell regardless, was instantly frozen in place.

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