Many soldiers were scattered across the desert where dry winds blew. There was currently chaos along the border between Polpystan and Myzahn.
Valen was on the battlefield in place of his older brother, who couldn’t leave the palace. He shielded his injured body and ordered his soldiers to retreat, his mind full of disbelief. The wound on his side was shallow, but the bleeding hadn’t stopped for some time. His arms and legs were also covered in grazes.
What’s going on? Our soldiers are getting their magic sealed one after the other. He couldn’t read the state of the battle because of all the unexpected events taking place one after another. Some Polpystani soldiers were magic troops who possessed magic specialized for combat. Magic troops were supposed to be pivotal to armed conflict, but they’d been rendered completely dysfunctional. For now, we need to retreat and release the seals on their magic.
“Shit... If only I had magic more specialized for combat,” Valen cursed, irritated by the intense, scorching sunlight. Unfortunately, his metalworking magic was completely useless in a situation like this. At best, he could provide his soldiers with good weapons and armor.
The shortsword I made with Lady Agnes is frighteningly sharp and useful, but that’s about it.
“I’m terribly ashamed, Your Highness,” one of the retreating magic troops told Valen. He was visibly exhausted and also covered in wounds.
“We need to quickly remove the magic seals. Call a sealbreaker. Do you know the details of the current situation?”
“Yes, sir. My mind suddenly blanked out during the fight, and when I came to, my magic had been sealed. The same happened to the other magic troops.”
“You blanked out?”
“We fell into an absent-minded state despite being in the middle of combat. This has to be the work of enemy magic. Some of our comrades were also killed while they were in that vulnerable state.”
“Who used magic on you?”
“It took everything I had just to escape, so I couldn’t grasp that much. However, I was fighting against Prince Rivage Myzahn’s army, so the magic user is probably among them.”
“I understand. As I expected...”
Valen thought about this troublesome magic. It sounded like the magic of Robin, Desnim’s former prince consort, that he’d heard about before. When that magic was used on someone, it left them in a trancelike state. However, Valen had never heard of Myzahn possessing that kind of magic. Robin’s magic had been rumored to be the second coming of the saint. Although it was a different magic, it was said to have some similarities. Could there really be multiple people like him? Of course not.
Come to think of it, there was a report some time ago about Robin escaping in Desnim. He was apparently recaptured right away, but I also heard that Myzahn was involved. Could something have happened back then? If that’s true...then this is Desnim’s fault!
Polpystan’s defensive lines collapsed, and Myzahn took advantage of it to press the attack.
All of Prince Rivage’s forces are here, so I think that Duke and Duchess Masroono, who are fighting elsewhere, should be fine, but... Argh, damn it all! Valen tore his hair out in frustration and looked upward. Up there in the cloudless sky, he spotted a tiny white dot. Hmm? What’s that? The dot seemed to be gradually approaching and got bigger at an alarming rate. That’s a mountbeast!
Valen quickly realized what he was looking at and ordered his soldiers to be on alert. The aforementioned mountbeast—an unfamiliar white pegasus—made a sudden descent. Its coat was smooth, shiny, and beautiful. Valen couldn’t see clearly because his subordinates were in front of him, but the rider appeared to be a commoner, a man resembling a merchant with his hair tied up high on his head.
“You have a delivery!”
“Who goes there?!” Valen’s subordinates shouted threateningly at the man.
However, as the man got closer and Valen recognized his face, he hurriedly held his soldiers back.
“Stop, don’t attack. He...he’s...my brother-in-law...the King of Desnim!” To Valen’s great surprise, the king himself had appeared. “Your Majesty! What are you doing all alone?! It’s too dangerous!” Valen raised his voice, casting aside all propriety. “If something happens to you, Latriche will be devastated.” It seemed that Valen’s younger sister Latriche hadn’t come this time.
I would have gotten mad at him if he brought her to such a dangerous place, though. In any case, I can’t believe King Bertrand came here himself. Valen wanted reinforcements, but he hadn’t asked the king himself to come.
“Now, now, elder brother. I’d like you to calm down. I’m not alone, after all,” Bertrand said and suddenly used his magic to create a door in front of Valen. Then, Bertrand called out to the door with a somewhat bitter tone. “Hey, we’ve reached our destination. Goodness, you people work your king to the bone.”