Reborn as the Foolish Prince

As the Brutefang attacked the leading carriage, the vehicles following were caught in the shockwave, ramming into each other. Ultimately, they had no choice but to fight, though they wished they could have reached Blackmere without a confrontation.

The moment the Brutefang landed on the carriage, shattering it to pieces, its troops advanced towards the human army. The Royal Guards took the lead, with the standard knights providing careful support. The long-ranged Arcanists supported the close-ranged Arcanists, managing to balance the battle despite their numerical disadvantage.

Gravhorns were larger than humans and physically stronger, but that was their only advantage. Humans were versatile and adaptable, and that was their trump card in this battle.

"Advance forward!"

"Don't fear! We have Captain Darius with us!"

Though Darius's presence was enough to instill hope, deep inside, fear still gripped them. The future was unknown, the world unpredictable; they could die at any moment. Every warrior who had faced countless setbacks knew this truth.

They feared for themselves, for their families, for those waiting for them to return home.

Amidst the fierce battle, mist suddenly appeared out of nowhere, startling one of the Royal Guard army members. He was leading everyone, being the most experienced and closest to becoming a Lieutenant Captain.

From people's perspective, he might have appeared strong and unyielding, but in truth, he too feared the outcome of this battle. They never expected another Brutefang to guard the route, leading to their ambush.

He wasn't easily distracted in battle, but at this very moment, he simply couldn't ignore the interference. Mist flowed near him, and as it did, a beast emerged from it. Not just any beast, but a formidable one, easily comparable to a Warchief; some of its kind were even a step ahead.

He looked at the towering beast, fear and doubt engulfing him. However, he didn't show it; only determination was visible in his eyes. He looked around him, seeing his soldiers on the verge of breaking down. Despite that, they fought with a fierce will to survive.

"Knight Rurik, our defense is breaking down!" a man in a dark coat, with armor visible beneath it for protection, exclaimed. He was one of their Spell Discipline Arcanists, currently forming a barrier with other Spell Discipline Arcanists, firing their attacks from a safe distance.

Rurik was about to respond, but before he could, a fearsome growl erupted from the Frostspine Behemoth, stunning them for a moment, including the Gravhorns advancing towards them. Their attention was now focused on the Frostspine Behemoth, and additionally, Captain Darius and Prince Lucien stood beside the towering beast, confusing the soldiers.

Not long after, the Brutefang leaped towards them to launch another attack but was sent flying back by Captain Darius's strike instead. As the Brutefang flew back, the soldiers erupted into cheers, not only because of Captain Darius's appearance but also because of the monster that had released the fearsome growl. After its growl, the Gravhorns seemed distracted by it, allowing many soldiers to kill some of them, while other Gravhorns went after the larger foe.

Rurik paused and analyzed the situation for a while, realizing that the Frostspine Behemoth was a summon. He was unsure whose summon it was, as no one in their army was capable of summoning such a beast. However, he clearly saw how Lucien was ordering it around and how it responded to his commands.

Rurik's eyes widened. "Prince Lucien summoned the Frostspine Behemoth?!" he exclaimed loudly, distracting the soldiers around him. After all, if people knew anything about Lucien, it was his lack of talent in mana control, or simply, his inability to be an Arcanist. To be able to summon something or someone, one needed to be at least an Adept, and even that would only allow them to summon mediocre beasts.

There were other ways to have a summon, though: to tame a beast and make a contract with it. Which was even more unbelievable for them. You could only make a contract with a high-ranked beast, those capable of thinking for themselves or not being mindless beasts. But at the same time, they were highly territorial and even more dangerous than a normal beast.

The soldiers focused on Lucien. Just as Rurik had said, Lucien was communicating with the beast in front of him. It seemed overwhelmed by him too, making it appear as if the strong, towering beast was chained by Lucien, no matter what. The soldiers looked at him with awe; another wave of hope had resurfaced in their eyes.

They couldn't deny that they had doubted him, even until now. Only resentment and doubt had filled their feelings towards him. Resentment that they were to be ordered by a fool like him, to die for a fool like him, and doubt about his capabilities to ensure victory.

They had heard how much he had changed after overcoming his isolation; many had seen it and confirmed for themselves that he truly had transformed. He had become more composed, calm, and confident, but they had yet to see what he was truly capable of. Those who had only heard the tales but hadn't confirmed them remained doubtful, while many had hoped for a better change.

Deep down, they only wanted a capable prince, a prince who would one day become a capable and mighty king. If a fool were to lead them, what would be the kingdom's future?

And today, they had seen it. Lucien had become a ray of light in this very moment.

The soldiers who were on the verge of collapse, who had accepted death, now found themselves hoping for Lucien. The Gravhorns had stopped advancing towards the soldiers and were now moving towards the Frostspine Behemoth, while those who continued fighting the human soldiers were killed the moment they were stunned by the Frostspine Behemoth's fearsome growl.

The soldiers watched from afar as the Gravhorns began to rush towards the towering beast like hungry predators. They were tired and exhausted; some couldn't even stand anymore and could only sit or lie down on the ground, waiting for everything to end. All their hopes were placed on both Lucien and Captain Darius.

Meanwhile, Sage was truly panicking. He hadn't fully mastered the form yet. Though he had copied the beast's traits—its strength, agility, speed, durability, and even its endurance—he wasn't confident in fighting. After all, what good was a weapon if the one wielding it knew nothing about it?

However, Sage was no mere human; he was Sage—an all-knowing book, wise and intelligent. He might not be a great fighter by nature, but he could easily become one if he tried. He knew the foundational fighting style of the Frostspine Behemoth: their very nature was ruthless, as if everything around them was meant to be ripped apart. They also used their entire body in combat.

Sage processed every bit of knowledge he had about the Frostspine Behemoth. Then, at that very moment, as if he were a different entity, he lowered his upper body, like a beast preparing to go wild. He embraced the ground, waiting for the Gravhorns to reach a specific distance before launching an attack. Of course, he had to fight both in his own way and in the manner of a Frostspine Behemoth. Doing so would give them a better chance of winning.

Lucien watched, his smile wide as he saw Sage take form. His opinion of Sage had also increased significantly.

'Never judge a book by its cover.'