Chapter 479: My World is Complete (4)
"Keuhk…."
Count Falgau came to his senses as a searing pain pierced through his chest.
But what was the point of regaining consciousness? The battle was already as good as over.
His troops were being slaughtered at an alarming rate. It was hard to believe that this had once been an army of fifty thousand.
To think that they had suffered such a crushing defeat at the hands of an enemy whose numbers were merely half of theirs.
The presence of the unknown spirit wielder had played a significant role. Their mages had been restrained for far too long.
Yet, even considering that, their forces had been evenly matched. The fact that they had crumbled so utterly was because they had been caught completely off guard by a devastating ambush.
"Count Fenris... the Northern Army...."
The ducal family and the Salvation Church had made an absurdly formidable enemy.
This would not do. This was not an opponent they could afford to fight in a scattered manner. They should have consolidated their forces much sooner.
"Though I may fall here, this is not the end...."
‘Count Fenris didn't know. They were merely....’
Puh-uk!
Before Count Falgau could finish his thought, Ghislain closed the distance in a flash and severed his head.
Thud!
"Hoo… That was close."
Ghislain exhaled deeply. If he had been even a little late in arriving with Maurice, the fortress would have been in danger.
Confirming through Dark that Gillian was still alive, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
The enemy wasn't foolish. They had been struggling desperately to adopt the most optimal strategy for the situation.
Ghislain turned to the knights around him.
"It's over. Secure the battlefield."
With Count Falgau’s head severed, the battle was effectively over. The enemy forces were too busy fleeing to even consider resisting.
"Surrender!"
"Drop your weapons and lie down!"
"Surrender, and you will be spared!"
As the forces of Fenris shouted from all directions, more and more of the enemy soldiers chose surrender over escape.
Ereneth had already dismissed the summoned spirits the moment their cavalry charge had succeeded.
With the assault subsiding, the Delfine forces surrendered at an even faster rate.
The battle had been so intense that less than ten thousand survived.
These men would be absorbed into the royal army, adding to its strength.
Leaving the battlefield to his subordinates, Ghislain immediately headed into the fortress.
"Gillian."
"My lord…."
Bloodied and battered, Gillian approached with Arel supporting him.
Though Ereneth had used a water spirit to heal him slightly and had poured potions into him, his body was still far from recovered.
His mana was depleted, and remnants of the dark energy continued to hinder his wounds from healing.
Still, he was alive. A few days of rest would be enough to recover.
Ghislain smiled at Gillian.
"You finally crossed the wall. I knew you would, given the chance."
"It’s all thanks to you, my lord… and Lady Ereneth."
His current abilities were all due to Ghislain. But the opportunity to awaken had come from Ereneth.
She had recognized Gillian’s potential and had graciously given him a chance to risk his life.
Ghislain turned to Ereneth with a questioning look.
"Really? Did you give him some good advice or something?"
"No. I simply thought he needed to risk his life one more time. So I had him fight against a transcendent."
"Damn, if he hadn't awakened, he would’ve died. Gillian is an invaluable asset, you know."
At Ghislain’s playful remark, Gillian chuckled. This sort of banter always helped ease the tension.
Ereneth nodded.
"Yes, he could have died. That's why I kept watch. I was ready to intervene if necessary."
Easier said than done. A single moment of hesitation could have led to his death.
Even if the opponent had been a half-baked transcendent, a transcendent was still a transcendent.
Despite having encouraged such a dangerous trial, Ereneth's expression remained calm. Perhaps it was because she had lived so long that few things could shake her anymore.
It was impressive that people like Claude and Alfoi could sway such a person with mere words.
Dark fluttered onto Ghislain’s shoulder and spoke.
"Gillian, you know I saved you, right? You’d be dead without me, right?"
"...Yeah."
Gillian let out a small laugh. Thanks to Dark’s brave intervention, he had managed to avoid a fatal strike.
Had his heart been pierced at that critical moment, things would have ended very differently.
"Uwaaaaaaah!"
A sudden cheer rang out, and Ghislain looked down at the battlefield from atop the fortress.
The entire Mobile Corps was celebrating their victory.
Though their insane speed of movement had exhausted them, the exhilaration of defeating the Delfine forces was even greater.
Meanwhile, when the news reached the Fenris forces stationed at the fortress, a wave of cheers erupted.
It was the news that Gillian had ascended to the realm of transcendence.
A transcendent was someone capable of shifting the tides of war. And such individuals were steadily increasing in the Northern Army.
At this point, no single faction would be able to stand against the Northern Army. Even the Ducal Families would have no choice but to gather their own transcendent warriors.
Ghislain smiled as he watched Gillian, who had collapsed, being carried away.
"Good. Gillian has already crossed the threshold."
There were still many formidable enemies left.
The Kingdom's Strongest Swordsman, Count Kaiyen Balzac, the 7th-Circle Mage Elois, and even Aiden, who was once one of the Seven Strongest on the Continent, along with the high-ranking priests of the Salvation Church.
To face them, more transcendents were needed on their side as well. That was why Gillian’s awakening was something to be welcomed.
From the first time they had met until now, Gillian had always been Ghislain’s greatest asset, someone he could trust to watch his back.
"Maybe I should take back the axe I gave Elena…"
Now that Gillian had become a transcendent, that axe would suit him well. He was a master of all weapons, but his favorite had always been the axe.
"Hah, but asking for it back after already giving it to her… That feels a little wrong. What if she says she’s grown attached to it and refuses?"
Rather than considering whether Elena would be happy, Ghislain worried she might feel hurt.
* * *
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
A long line of wagons was making its way toward the Ritania Kingdom.
It was a caravan belonging to a merchant guild, traveling between various cities for trade.
The continent was in chaos due to war and rifts, but that didn’t mean people spent all their time fighting.
Some still farmed. Others continued crafting goods.
And there were those who had no choice but to travel and sell them.
After all, people still needed to survive.
If there was one thing that had changed, it was the sheer number of bandits now roaming the land.
Because of that, the merchant guild master had hired mercenaries. And these weren’t just any mercenaries, they were from the Fenris Mercenary Corps, which had grown so large that it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say they had unified the entire mercenary world.
Hiring them wasn’t difficult, as there were Fenris Mercenary Corps branches in most major cities.
The caravan was currently protected by fifty mercenaries, and their leader was a seasoned veteran.
The mercenary captain spoke to the merchant guild master.
"Once we pass this area, the risk of an ambush will decrease."
"Hmm… So that means right now is the most dangerous point."
"Yes. Bandits frequently appear in this region."
At the captain’s words, the mercenaries all tensed up, scanning their surroundings.
The bandits of today were nothing like the weak rabble of the past. They moved in large groups, and many of them were former soldiers.
The longer the war dragged on, the harder it became for people to survive. That desperation turned into hatred, and the most desperate among them inevitably became bandits willing to kill and plunder to stay alive.
Cruel lords had only accelerated the process.
Malice and resentment had piled upon each other, until now, the land was infested with bandits.
Sensing the tense atmosphere, the merchant guild master tried to lighten the mood with a smile.
"Still, we have a ‘mage’ with us this time, don’t we? Doesn’t that mean we’ll be fine?"
"A… mage, huh."
At those words, everyone turned to look toward one of the wagons trailing behind.
Lying atop a pile of straw in the wagon was a young man, gazing up at the sky.
Humming a tune and lazily swinging his legs, he seemed to be in high spirits.
The mercenary captain clicked his tongue, casting a doubtful glance.
"I'm not even sure if he really is a mage…"
The young man was dressed in a black robe embroidered with golden patterns.
Black robes weren’t commonly worn these days, as they could easily be mistaken for the attire of the Salvation Church’s priests.
Honestly, if not for the luxurious gold embroidery, he would have been arrested long ago.
His appearance wasn’t particularly mage-like, either.
Leaving aside his youth, his cheerful smile and messy hair made him look more like a mischievous troublemaker.
He was on the smaller side, with a thin build more like a scholar than a warrior.
If there was one thing reassuring about him, it was that his gentle features made him seem harmless.
The mercenary captain shook his head.
"Even if he is a mage, he’s probably just a low-circle one."
He had confidently introduced himself as a mage, so verifying his abilities would have been troublesome. If he truly was a mage, provoking him could result in unnecessary conflict and losses.
So, in the end, they all just kept their distance, quietly observing him.
As they continued talking and moved a little further, just as the mercenary captain had predicted, a horde of bandits swarmed toward them.
"Bandits! Prepare for battle!"
At the mercenary captain’s shout, everyone tensed up and grabbed their weapons.
In the past, they might have been able to negotiate their way out of danger, using the excuse that the lords could send a subjugation force. But those days were gone.
The lords no longer had the luxury to care even if a merchant caravan was raided, so the bandits preferred to kill everyone and take everything.
“Bwahaha! Looks like we hit the jackpot today! Hand everything over, and I'll spare your lives!”
The bandit leader, a rough-looking man, bellowed loudly. With over a hundred men behind him, his confidence soared. Lately, their numbers have been growing rapidly.
The mercenaries tensed even more as they realized the enemy’s numbers were greater than expected.
Within the Ritania Kingdom, the Fenris Mercenary Corps was widely known for its reputation. This was partly due to Ghislain’s fame, but also because the corps had many skilled mercenaries.
However, things were different outside the kingdom. Since many were forcibly recruited into the Fenris Mercenary Corps, the number of unskilled mercenaries had increased.
There wasn’t a single knight-level fighter among them. They were just ordinary mercenaries carrying the Fenris Mercenary Corps name.
This was the result of Ghislain recklessly absorbing mercenaries without discrimination.
“Damn it, there are too many of them.”
The mercenary captain bit his lip repeatedly. The enemy outnumbered them nearly two to one. Even if they won, the losses would be significant.
On top of that, the other side could have former regular soldiers or even knights among them. One way or another, this battle would be a fight for their lives.
The mercenary captain turned toward the cart where the young man was and spoke.
"Bandits. We’ll need your help, Mage.”
The young man scratched his head, let out a deep sigh, and said,
"Ah, I don’t use magic on normal people."
“…What do you mean by that?”
“Hmm, I just don’t really like killing people.”
The mercenary captain twitched his eye several times before speaking. Any courtesy toward the mage seemed unnecessary now.
“…They’re not normal people, they’re bandits. Don’t you think you should do something to help? Otherwise, the casualties will be huge. You got a free ride with us just because you're a mage.”
At that, the young man awkwardly scratched the back of his head and chuckled.
"Ah, yeah, I appreciate that… Hmm, what kind of magic should I use? There are so many of them, I don’t know what would be best."
“…Just use anything that’ll help.”
"If I use just anything, it’ll be too strong."
‘Is this guy insane?’
Before the mercenary captain could say anything, the bandit leader roared.
"Looks like they don’t want to negotiate! Kill them all!"
“Waaaahhh!”
The bandits let out a deafening battle cry and charged. In truth, both sides already knew that negotiations were never an option.
It was simply a tactic to try and intimidate the other side.
The mercenary captain gripped his sword tightly and shouted.
"Hold the line! Stay close to your comrades and fight!"
The merchant leader and the workers huddled inside the defensive formation created by the mercenaries, trembling in fear. The young man ended up being protected along with them.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The mercenaries and the bandits clashed.
For now, the mercenaries were holding out thanks to their superior skills, but with their inferior numbers, they would eventually be overwhelmed.
The merchant leader grabbed the young man and pleaded with tears in his eyes.
"Please, Mage, help us! At this rate, the mercenaries will all die, and so will we!"
“Uh, huh? R-right? Yeah! I should help!”
The young man was flustered. Too many thoughts rushed through his head, making it all too complicated.
So, for now, he simply picked up a rock from the ground and threw it.
Smack!
"Kegh!"
A bandit fighting against the mercenaries collapsed as his forehead split open.
"Oh."
The young man thought this method wasn’t too bad.
Then, an astonishing sight unfolded.
Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack!
Rocks flew at the bandits at an incredible speed. With an amused expression, the young man eagerly picked up and hurled more stones.
Since the mercenaries were blocking the bandits, there was no risk of him being attacked, making it even better.
“W-What the hell?!”
As the bandits were knocked down one after another by the stones, their leader was completely taken aback. Those struck in the forehead were quickly finished off by the mercenaries.
With every hit, another enemy fell, making it impossible to fight back.
“J-Just you wait! I’ll be back with more men! Y-You stay right there!”
In the end, the bandit leader, now alone, quickly turned around and fled.
“He’s running away!”
“Catch him!”
“We can’t let that bastard escape!”
If he really had reinforcements, things would get troublesome. He might even gather other nearby bandits to join him.
However, since he had been positioned slightly away from the fight to begin with, it was difficult to chase him down now that he had committed to running.
The mercenary captain turned to the young man and shouted.
“Magic! Use magic to stop him! He’s getting away!”
“R-Right? We should catch him, huh?”
The young man nodded, picked up another stone, and swiftly threw it.
Fwoosh!
Boom!
"Kegh!"
The rock flew at an astonishing speed and struck the bandit leader in the back of the head. His skull shattered, and he collapsed instantly.
The pursuing mercenaries grabbed the barely breathing bandit leader and dragged him back. A captured bandit like this could be turned in for a bounty.
When the battle ended, everyone stared at the young man in a daze.
His rock-throwing skills had reached a godlike level. Sure, they had protected him, but still this was no ordinary feat.
The mercenary captain stammered as he asked,
“T-That… that was magic? You’re really a mage?”
The young man glanced at the people around him, ran a hand through his hair, and then replied with an incredibly brazen expression.
“Oh, you don’t know? This is a spell called ‘Magic Missile.’”
“……”
Magic Missile was a 1st-Circle spell that fired a projectile made of pure mana. It was definitely not a spell that involved throwing rocks instead.
Everyone present knew this as common sense, yet no one dared to argue.
His rock-throwing skills had been far too extraordinary.
After hesitating for a moment, the mercenary captain soon adopted a solemn expression and declared,
“I believe you. You’re definitely a mage.”
He clearly wasn’t, but arguing with this weirdo felt pointless.
“Of course, I am! I told you, I’m a real mage.”
The young man flashed a bright smile, as if relieved that the misunderstanding was finally cleared up.
He was truly confident in his magic. After all, magic made his daily life incredibly convenient. For him, using magic was as natural as breathing.
He simply disliked making a big spectacle of his magic in front of others.
This world was filled with prejudices and misconceptions about mages.
After quickly settling things, the mercenary captain called out loudly,
“Alright, let’s move out!”
Clatter, clatter.
The wagon started moving again, and the young man lay back on top of it, humming a cheerful tune.
"The Count of Fenris, huh… I’d like to meet him someday."
Lately, Ghislain’s fame had been spreading across the continent due to his battles against the Salvation Church.
It was proof of how well he was fighting against them.
"Sounds fun."
Something about it felt like it would suit him well. That was the feeling he got.
With growing anticipation, the young man smiled faintly.