Water Magician

Editor: Tseirp

Five days later.

Ryo and Abel were riding on Andalusia and Feiwan, swaying gently as they traveled.

"So we're setting off just five days after that. Pretty fast, huh?"

"The Emperor said he had informed them even before the wedding. Preparations must've been well underway already."

A march of ten thousand soldiers stretches long.

They weren't crossing open plains.

The road continued from the Imperial Capital and was quite wide, though it wasn't endlessly so.

At the moment, the two were approaching a bridge.

"Yep, it's massive as expected."

Spanning one of the two great rivers flowing north of the Imperial Capital—the South River—was a huge suspension bridge called the South River Grand Bridge.

The South River was over a kilometer wide.

Moreover, ships traveled upriver from the sea.

To avoid obstructing that navigation, this bridge was the only one built across the South River—and an enormous one at that.

The two had come to the capital by sailing down the South River and had seen this bridge from the water.

They'd been awed then—but now…

"The view from atop the bridge is amazing too."

"Yeah…it's beautiful."

Apparently, the left side was for traffic heading out, and the suppression army that Ryo was part of was crossing on that side.

This allowed them a full view westward—and it was indeed a stunning scene.

Plains stretching seemingly without end.

And cutting through them: the South River, also stretching endlessly.

The contrast was like a perfectly painted landscape.

"Looking at this view…everything else starts to feel so small."

"Yeah, I get what you mean."

Rocked by their horses' gait, the two silently took in the scenery.

Ryo and Abel were riding just behind the main force that included Prince Ryun.

They weren't riding within it, since the main force was visibly busy.

Scouts and messengers were constantly coming and going, gathering information during the march.

The two figured they'd just be in the way if they got too close…

"We won't get attacked mid-march or anything, right? I mean, it's monsters."

"Who knows? I heard it's led by an Illusionkin… Someone like Abel pulling cowardly ambushes might be par for the course."

"Why am I suddenly the expert on underhanded ambushes?"

"Just a theory. Don't worry about it."

"I am gonna worry!"

They probably wouldn't be able to joke like this if they were with the main force.

"But still, war really is a sad thing."

"Where did that come from all of a sudden, right before we head into battle?"

"I know it's necessary to protect the people, but… war never produces anything good."

"So what should we do instead?"

"Talk it out, of course."

Ryo replied confidently to Abel's question.

"Monsters don't speak our language, though."

"Then you say this: 'You're not worth negotiating with. Bring out someone in charge!'."

"…"

"And then when the Illusionkin shows up, we give a passionate speech. About the foolishness of war, the horrors of violence, and your absurdity, Abel."

"Hey…"

"That's the three-part punchline."

"If I chop your neck and torso in three pieces, I could call it 'Ryo's triple fillet'."

"Wh-what a horrifying thing to say!"

"You did say I'm absurd, right?"

"Ugh…down with violent, oppressive regimes!"

If it had been 'slicing in three', maybe the joke would've made more sense.

Just then, a messenger from the main force rode up.

"Duke Rondo, His Highness Prince Ryun is calling for you."

"Your Highness, I have come at your request."

"Ah, Duke Rondo, thank you for your trouble."

Ryo and Prince Ryun exchanged greetings on horseback as they rode.

The entire main force was slowly moving forward on horseback.

Ryo was never especially good at riding.

But now things were different.

On Andalusia's back, he could fully entrust himself… he trusted the horse that much.

So even a meeting on horseback was no problem.

He kind of felt like being part of an equestrian tribe.

The real issue was the gazes from others.

Especially those accompanying Prince Ryun. They weren't exactly friendly.

Most of them were the same age as Prince Ryun… nineteen.

And still full of youthful bravado.

The only exception was Lin Shun, the eldest.

He looked calm and composed, clearly standing apart from the rest.

At twenty-four, he was only five years older than the others, but…

From what Ryo had heard, Lin Shun was the chief attendant.

He was likely the top-ranking member of the Prince's entourage.

And probably also the person the Prince trusted most.

In contrast, Ryo didn't feel much hostility from the Black Banner Army commanders.

General Bijan Lu, the forty-year-old leading the Black Banner Army this time, was particularly kind.

Perhaps Emperor Tsuin had spoken to him directly.

Even if the Black Banner Army wasn't quite the Emperor's personal guard, it was still part of the central army.

A general in such a force had to maintain good relations with the Emperor and the royal household—not just command troops.

And anyone who'd heard about the wedding banquet could guess the Emperor was fond of Ryo—Duke Rondo. So it was no surprise the general wanted to stay on good terms.

"I asked you here, Duke Rondo, for a specific reason. We've received information from the Moason region."

"Oh?"

"It seems monsters have come down from the mountains and are forming ranks on the plains."

"What? Monsters forming ranks?"

Ryo gasped in surprise at Prince Ryun's report.

He had never heard of monsters forming formations.

He glanced at Abel, who shook his head slightly.

Even Abel, an experienced adventurer, had never seen such a case.

"That alone tells us something's not normal."

"Yes. An Illusionkin is likely leading them. And that being can control monsters at will."

Prince Ryun nodded in agreement.

"Your Highness, please proceed with caution…"

"Our intel is flawless!"

The reply didn't come from Prince Ryun, but from one of his attendants.

Wen Shu, if Ryo recalled correctly.

He was supposedly the third son of some noble family.

"The monsters are forming on a well-known, unobstructed plain in the region called Midoriso Field. Around ten thousand of them, it seems."

Wen Shu spoke in an almost confrontational tone.

Just short of starting a fight.

"That's enough, Wen Shu."

Even Prince Ryun must have noticed.

So he stepped in to stop him.

Then, he turned to Ryo and apologized.

"My apologies, Your Grace. Moason is Wen Shu's home region…"

"Could it be…the late duke the Emperor mentioned?"

"Yes. Duke Montier was Wen Shu's father."

Wen Shu seemed to be holding back tears as the Prince explained.

"My condolences."

Ryo said, bowing his head.

Wen Shu bowed silently in return.

After receiving the report and departing from the main force with Abel, a woman approached Ryo.

"Your Grace, may I have a moment?"

"Yes. You're with the territorial army's magic artillery corps, right?"

"I'm Lu Yao, captain of the Magic Artillery Corps."

Captain Lu Yao had long, jet-black glossy hair—truly like wet feathers—and piercing eyes.

She wasn't just cute; she was plainly, clearly beautiful.

She too was among Prince Ryun's entourage, and like Wen Shu, she was nineteen.

(So young, yet already a finished beauty.)

Ryo muttered internally

(And she looks incredibly strong-willed.)

That unnecessary thought also stayed safely internal.

"I was training in His Highness's territory all this time, so I apologize for the late greeting."

Ryo had only been introduced to Lu Yao about an hour earlier, during the departure ceremony.

Since the Prince's mansion wasn't a royal palace, it didn't have the space to house a full territorial army.

Even if it was three times bigger than Ryo's own estate.

Of course, there were training grounds managed by the imperial family or military, where troops could be stationed with proper procedures.

"Oh, by the way—I've never seen Eastern-style magic artillery in action."

"Yes, His Highness mentioned that. I'd hoped to show you a demonstration before we reach the battlefield."

"Really?"

Ryo looked thrilled.

Then he thought of a concern.

"But…wouldn't that consume a lot of magic power?"

"One shot is no problem."

Captain Lu Yao replied with confidence.

They wouldn't call it a 'magic artillery unit',

if they could only fire once or twice, after all…

"I look forward to…"

That's when Ryo's world flipped upside down.

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