Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 79 (Part 1)
The Imperial Army camp that Rodin had completely stirred up was now left in disarray.
Marquis Alsain, the commander of the Lanse expedition, called for a high-level meeting. His expression was grim.
Ten captains of thousands and Dave, the head of the army’s mages, attended the meeting. None of the captains had a good expression on their faces either, having witnessed the loss of dozens of knights and hundreds of soldiers in a flash.
However, Dave’s demeanor was unexpectedly calm, seemingly indifferent to the losses his side had suffered.
“The mage who appeared earlier—he seemed to be a 7th-circle mage to me. What do you think?”
“That’s impossible.”
Dave’s voice remained calm, detached as usual, but those present, including Marquis Alsain and the captains, didn’t pay it much mind. Dave was known for rarely showing emotion. Even when pleased, he’d respond with a simple “I see,” and when angered, he’d merely say, “That’s unfortunate.”
“You don’t think he’s a 7th-circle mage? From what I know, *Fire Storm* is a 5th-circle spell. The spell he used after that looked like *Wind Storm*, didn’t it? Am I wrong?”
“I don’t know how he cast two 5th-circle spells in succession, but he’s certainly not an archmage.”
“Is that so?”
Marquis Alsain’s expression subtly changed. While the severity of his earlier expression had faded, it was replaced with a trace of confusion.
“I’ve seen an archmage’s magic before. It was overwhelming. If a 5th Tier knight gets caught up in it, it’s safe to say they’ll be dead in an instant.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes. Archmages are often called ‘transcendent beings,’ meaning they surpass human limitations. Their magic is nothing short of a calamity. But what did we witness earlier? The losses among 3th Tier knights were significant, but most 4th Tier knights survived.”
Despite the enormous damage caused by the appearance of a single mage, the visible devastation seemed oddly minimal, considering the spectacle of his magic.
The first two spells wiped out hundreds of soldiers, but those on the outskirts only suffered minor burns. The knights caught in the *Lightning Field* also saw massive casualties among the 3th Tier ranks, but nearly all 4th Tier knights survived.
“So, Mage Dave, what are your thoughts?”
“I recently received word from Loheim. They encountered a 6th-circle mage while attacking a city—a mercenary, apparently. They took some casualties after engaging him.”
Rodin had clashed with the Imperial forces while escaping from a village with Bron and his party. The knights were escorting the mages from the Imperial magic corps. At the time, no knights had died, only injuries, which had already greatly angered Count Conte, the commander of the magic corps. Nevertheless, no further conflict arose.
Rodin had not intended to kill the Imperial soldiers when using his magic. He merely sought to clear a path, intentionally reducing the power of his spells to avoid further hostility with the empire.
“A 6th-circle mage?”
“Yes. He moved eastward, so it’s not surprising he’s now in Lanse.”
“Hmm, I see your point, Mage Dave. However, it would still be troublesome if he reappeared. Regardless of his rank, didn’t he cast 5th-circle spells back to back?”
Whether or not he was an archmage didn’t matter at the moment. The problem was that they had no way of countering him. If he showed up again, the Imperial forces would be forced to retreat once more.
“Assign me a few knights, and I’ll take care of him.”
“Hm? How do you plan to do that?”
“He’s shaken the Imperial forces, so it’s only fair we return the favor. I’ll slip into Lanse under the cover of night. While the main force distracts them at the northern gate, I’ll disrupt them from within. The effect will be significant.”
Dave was convinced that the mage who had appeared today wasn’t that old. Although he hadn’t seen his face due to the hood, he did catch a glimpse of the mage’s smooth, unwrinkled neck.
‘At most, he’s in his early thirties.’
That was the age Dave estimated for the enemy mage.
If the mage was that young, he likely lacked combat experience. At 70 years old, Dave figured it would be laughable to compare their levels of experience.
The young mage might have great natural talent and access to some secret knowledge Dave didn’t, as indicated by the spells he had used today. But experience could make up for that. Alone, it would be difficult, but with a few knights, Dave was confident he could win.
“I’ll assign you a knight squadron.”
“That should suffice.”
A knight squadron comprised 100 knights, including a 5th Tier captain. With himself, a 6th-circle mage, leading them, Dave was sure they could take on even a 6th-circle mage with strange abilities.
“Then I’ll leave him to you, Mage Dave. We’ll create a diversion at night.”
“Very well. I’ll see you later.”
In truth, the Ingram Empire was nearly out of funds for the war effort. They had barely managed to catch their breath after plundering Bontis, but it was only a temporary reprieve.
Without securing more funds, it would be impossible to continue the war. That’s why they had to take control of both Melcos in the Kingdom of Riyaz and Lanse, no matter what.
Bontis was a major trading city in the Kingdom of Riyaz, but its trade was limited to just one kingdom. On the other hand, the port city of Lanse had been engaged in trade with the central continent for a long time, making it vastly wealthier than Bontis.
If they could occupy Lanse before the wealthy merchants and nobles fled, they could potentially gain far more revenue than they had ever imagined.
—
Rodin had a strange feeling that if he stayed at the inn, he wouldn’t be able to catch the ship departing the next day. It wasn’t based on anything concrete, but he couldn’t shake the unease.
So, after having dinner, he packed his things.
He erased the mana-gathering magic circle he had drawn on the first day and used Undine to clean everything he had touched, including the bedding. It was almost second nature for Rodin to erase all traces of himself.
When Rodin mentioned that they would be leaving the inn, Larry and Bianca looked sullen. He didn’t try to console them.
Neither Larry nor Bianca had parents. Although Rodin could act as their guardian, he couldn’t fully replace the role of a parent. In the end, they would have to learn to manage feelings of longing, discomfort, and sorrow on their own. He couldn’t manage their emotions while looking after them.