"Professor, I've been waiting for you."
Evan greeted Cromwell with a smile.
"You are... no, that dragon is..."
It was the Hatchling they had seen during the joint assessment.
"Get on for now. We don't have time to delay."
"Grrr."
As Evan gestured, the Red Dragon made a sound of displeasure.
Thump!
Evan slapped the dragon's head with his palm.
"Hey, this professor is stronger than you."
"…Anyway!!! I am not something to be ridden!!!"
"Got it. Just this once, please."
"Grrrr…"
The Red Dragon grumbled, but offered its back to Cromwell.
"Huh…"
"Let's go now."
As Cromwell mounted, the dragon spread its wings.
"Hold on tight. I won't notice if you fall off."
"Alright."
Rudy had mentioned taming the dragon, but Cromwell hadn't expected it to become this docile.
Of course, it might be due to magical constraints, but looking at Evan and the dragon, they seemed to get along reasonably well.
"This dragon... no, why are you here?"
"I said I would join the war. So, I came to assist you."
"No…"
Cromwell furrowed his brows, feeling frustrated.
There were more than a couple of oddities.
"Rudy Astria asked me to assist in the war."
"…What?"
Cromwell's eyebrows knitted together at the sudden mention of Rudy Astria.
"He asked me to help the Persia region. And to bring along Yongyong."
"…Yongyong?"
"That's this guy's name."
Evan chuckled and patted the dragon's body.
"Don't call me by such a name!!!!!!!"
The dragon roared, but Evan paid it no mind.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})"Besides, how did you know I would be coming here?"
"Yeniel was nearby and contacted me."
"…She was undercover?"
"According to Yeniel, Principal McDowell didn’t say anything…"
Cromwell, preoccupied with many concerns, hadn't noticed Yeniel's presence.
However, McDowell had sensed it and, pretending not to notice, allowed Yeniel to listen in on the war situation.
McDowell believed in the potential of the students.
Variables that could change the unfavorable situation created by Aryandor's time magic.
It might be shameful as an adult, but he entrusted this to the students.
And McDowell was doing what he must as an adult.
Thus, Cromwell and Evan headed towards the Persia region.
Astina headed towards the Persia region.
As the deputy commander, she had planned to stay in the Verdès region, but staying there was meaningless.
Most of the rebels were in front of the academy, and it would take a long time for that force to move to the Verdès region.
Even if there was a surprise attack, Astina could quickly regroup her troops, so there was no major issue.
Thus, Astina transferred command to the head of the Verdès family and went to the Persia region.
Astina headed for the Verdès region for a reason.
It was to confront her fate head-on.
Herself facing death in the Persia region.
Originally, she had tried to avoid that future.
She had tried to flee from that future.
To avoid that outcome, she just needed to be absent from that place.
But could she overcome fate like that?
Could she witness a good outcome?
It was questionable.
Was it enough just to survive?
Was it enough just to barely cling to life and remain in this world?
The answer was clear.
Merely surviving held no meaning.
Should she survive alone, only for her family's domain to fall into ruins?
In Astina's heart, her domain was etched deeply.
Those who moved vigorously from dawn, transporting goods throughout the empire.
She couldn't ignore them.
"Astina, it's because of these people that the empire thrives," her father had said.
Those who were diligently fulfilling their roles.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Creating a space for them had been her father's goal.
Thus, her father built the empire's largest commercial city.
And now, it was Astina’s turn to carry on that goal.
To protect them all.
Astina had struggled to see good results.
She fought against her destiny and resisted oppression.
Thus, she rose to a position that no one could ignore.
But if she ran away now.
If she fled to survive.
It would be like denying her own life.
In truth, knowing the future changed nothing.
There was nothing to worry about.
Hadn't she lived the same way until now?
Facing the tempest of fate head-on, overcoming it with her own strength.
That was Astina's life.
As Astina neared the Persia region.
Thud.
Boom.
Ominous sounds came from the mountain range.
The sound of giant footsteps and trees being crushed.
Then, the culprits of these sounds revealed themselves.
Golems entangled with giant skeletons and corpses.
Underneath them were zombies and skeletons.
An army created by necromancy.
The vast army, too large to see its end, headed towards the Persia region.
A situation where any ordinary person would flee.
Yet, Astina smiled.
As she had anticipated, the rebels were targeting the Persia region.
'Just do as I always have.'
As always.
Overcome and move forward.
"Gravity."
Astina used magic and soared into the sky.
Philip, the head of the Persia family and Astina's father, donned his armor and ascended the castle walls.
"What is this……."
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Philip had never experienced war.
He had been managing the domain, but Philip had left the combat aspect to the surrounding families.
Being proficient in administrative tasks and less knowledgeable in combat, it was a wise decision for Philip.
However, it was time for Philip to step forward.
As the lord, staying cooped up in his manor during war would surely demoralize the soldiers.
That's why Philip was on the ramparts.
"Lord, please stay calm. The soldiers are watching."
Thankfully, Keln, the Head Elementalist, was by his side.
"Lord, you must protect yourself at all costs. Your presence alone will continue to boost the soldiers' morale."
"…Understood."
"I will leave my daughter near you, so you won’t be in danger."
Keln introduced his daughter, Serina, to Philip.
"I am Serina Rinsburg."
"Please, take care."
Yet, Philip couldn't remain calm.
The overwhelming force of the undead legion descending from the mountains was intimidating.
Seeing monsters whose heads reached the ends of the walls and grotesque skeletons swarming, he felt nauseous.
His face turned pale with worry about the war.
"But… can we win?"
Their numbers were too many.
He had expected some attack, but not an army of this magnitude.
"We'll have to see. In war, 100 soldiers can beat 1000 at times."
"But, then…"
"However, Professor Cromwell is on his way, and the Royal army has promised to come to our aid. We just need to hold out until then."
Normally, victory in war meant overpowering the enemy with strong force, but now, they just needed to hold out.
Fitting for the empire's granary, the fortress had ample food supplies, making it ideal for a siege.
'But, we must not be complacent.'
In fact, the legion created by necromancy could be dealt with easily.
It was the creatures lurking behind that were frightening.
What kind of beings with what abilities might emerge from within the legion.
That was the biggest variable.
However, Keln did not share these thoughts with Philip.
There was no need to induce fear in someone already trembling.
After all, Keln himself had to lead the battle.
It was time for the Head Elementalist, experienced in many battles, to show his dignity.
"Sylpherion."
As Keln spoke, a giant bird appeared above his head.
Large enough to cover the fortress.
Comparable in size to a dragon.
From Sylpherion’s body, a blue wind spread out.
"Ah…"
"Is that… a high-level elemental?"
The soldiers gaped at the sight.
A high-level elemental they might never see in their lifetime.
The sight of such a elemental wrapping the fortress in blue wind was awe-inspiring.
"So…"
Keln looked at the approaching undead legion, ready to signal the start of the war.
"…Hmm?"
But he was suddenly struck dumb by the appearance of someone unexpected.
"Why… are you here?"
The person who appeared before him was Astina, the deputy commander of the Royal army.
Astina, having used magic to lift herself, appeared in front of the castle.
"Ah, Astina!"
Philip exclaimed her name upon seeing her.
Astina turned her head slightly upon hearing Philip’s words.
"Father, I'm here."
Then she smiled.
"I will protect our domain."
Astina manipulated her mana.
Koogung…
The ground itself seemed to rumble.
Astina's mana was moving the very earth.
"Kruck…?"
"Grrr."
The undead legion too felt the strangeness and began to hesitate in their movements.
Astina shouted towards the undead legion.
"There is no place here for filthy beings who refuse death."
With those words, the vibrations grew stronger.
"This land belongs to those who are living in the present, the busiest people of the empire."
The stones on the ground began to stir.
"So, I will send you creatures back to where you originally belonged."
Astina extended her hand.
"Gravity."
