Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard-Chapter 355

TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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As Ian raced toward the Emperor, he sensed something was terribly wrong.

'What's happening...?'

The battle was clearly taking place near Roxlan Castle.

Yet somehow, the area around the Emperor's Moving Palace seemed more chaotic...

"Hey."

Ian grabbed a passing soldier and asked:

"What's happened and where?"

The soldier recognized Ian as a wizard from his distinctive attire.

He responded with a voice stiff with discipline:

"Sir! A dragon has attacked His Imperial Majesty!"

"?"

Dragon?

A dragon?

Ian stared at the soldier in disbelief, but the man's expression was deadly serious.

'A dragon...!'

Dragons rarely attacked humans.

Most dragons in this medieval fantasy world disliked humans, so seeing one in human territory was uncommon.

Human cities weren't suitable habitats for dragons.

For a human equivalent, it would be like deliberately crawling into a dark sewer to slaughter rats.

Only a being with nothing better to do, or one thoroughly evil, would undertake such an act willingly.

'Black wizards' doing?'

Ian immediately thought of the black wizards from the Golden Rule Society.

Regent Antios.

The leader of the Golden Rule Society was a summoner capable of calling forth dragons.

But Ian had already killed Predius, the dragon Antios had summoned.

So... could that man possibly control two dragons at once?

'Fucking hell...'

He'd anticipated a black wizard attack.

But Ian never imagined they would bring a dragon.

'I did assign Sir Salvador...'

But could Sir Salvador actually stop a dragon?

Ian rode without rest.

As he approached the Emperor's quarters, he found only devastated ruins.

Terribly burned corpses and tents.

Ian felt like he was reliving the nightmare of Talian.

This was 100% a dragon's handiwork...!

"Ian!"

A familiar voice called out.

It was Kira and Belenka.

Despite the situation, Ian felt an almost strange sense of relief.

Just seeing them safe brought him joy.

"You're both alright."

"Yes...!"

Kira ran straight into Ian's arms.

Ian embraced her tightly, then asked what had happened.

"It was Predius."

"...?"

"Ian. Predius has returned..."

Only then did Ian understand how the black wizards had brought a dragon.

They weren't controlling two dragons.

They had brought back the black dragon Predius...!

'But how?'

Honestly, Ian couldn't comprehend it.

Hadn't he killed Predius by piercing its brain?

Could it be a zombie dragon?

"Was it really Predius?"

"Yes. Belenka confirmed it too. There was a scar in one of its eyes."

"..."

It was definitely Predius.

Belenka herself had stabbed the black dragon's eye, so she couldn't mistake it.

Ian felt anxiety creeping up inside him.

Bertholdt, the celestial wizard who brought the human king.

Karenne, the transmuter who transformed into a noble to interfere with the Emperor.

And now—

Antios, appearing with the black dragon Predius.

"What about the Emperor?"

Kira slowly shook her head.

"They took him."

"..."

"I'm sorry, Ian. We just... weren't strong enough..."

So that's how it was.

Ian quietly stroked Kira's hair.

He wasn't angry.

If anything, he would have been more upset if Kira had been injured trying to protect the Emperor.

While the Emperor was important... he wasn't more precious than Kira.

First, Ian cursed the Emperor's guard knights.

Useless scarecrows. No, at least scarecrows could defeat sparrows!

They couldn't even defeat one dragon? What kind of imperial guards were they!

The guards would have felt unfairly criticized if they'd heard.

If they had the power to defeat dragons, would they be mere knights? They'd be off claiming their own lands...

In truth, even Ian hadn't anticipated the dragon's appearance.

The Golden Rule Society had invested nearly everything in this attack.

"It's alright."

"...Really?"

Kira looked up at Ian with an expression asking if he was serious.

But Ian meant it.

The Emperor being kidnapped?

It was unfortunate, but...

The milk was already spilled.

The question now was how to handle the aftermath.

"War! War!"

A standard-bearer galloped past, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Duke Fargar is attacking Roxlan!"

"Shit!"

"They're really going to war! Those damn nobles!"

Kira clung tightly to Ian's arm.

She had never participated in a large-scale war.

"Ian..."

What do we do now? She swallowed the rest of her question.

The Emperor was gone, and the embers of war blazed hot.

Ian had been thrown into the midst of chaos.

Kira expected Ian to deliberate for a long time.

But Ian's contemplation was brief.

"Belenka."

"Is that an order, Ian?"

"...Yes. Tell Sabui to prepare the troops."

Ian looked up at the sky and said:

"We're joining the war."

Rescue the kidnapped Emperor vs. Stop Duke Fargar.

Ian chose the latter first.

The reason was simple.

Even if Ian rescued the Emperor, if Roxlan crumbled in the war, Ian would be in a difficult position.

Ian had sided with Count Francis, Duke Roxlan's son, not the Duke himself.

Roxlan's defeat meant Count Francis's defeat.

Taking over as Duke's proxy while his father was bedridden... only to lose a war?

Count Francis's support would be utterly destroyed.

Then Ian would have to watch the crazy old stalker play out a regret-obsession-ruin scenario with Maria.

Ah. That would be problematic.

Additionally, stopping Duke Fargar would foil the black wizards' scheme.

What the black wizards wanted was for Roxlan to fall and the southern Empire to descend into chaos.

But if Roxlan won?

Peace would be maintained, with or without the Emperor!

...To be brutally honest, in the worst case, the Empire could survive even if something happened to the Emperor.

The Emperor was essentially the Empire's class president.

You could always elect a new one...

Of course, Ian would take action before it came to that.

Regardless of the Emperor's usefulness, he was Elia's father.

"Ian!"

A familiar voice called out.

Takarion approached Ian with a terrified expression.

"What's happening? Why is there suddenly a war...!"

"Takarion."

Ian spoke calmly.

"Pack your things and leave immediately."

"But..."

If this were a JRPG-like world, a monk might have some role to play in war.

Perhaps... providing healing from the rear.

But this wasn't a world where clergy classes went around healing.

Takarion was simply someone who understood Heaven's Faith theology exceptionally well.

He couldn't fight, nor did he have specialized medical knowledge.

Monks didn't belong on battlefields.

But away from the battlefield, he could certainly be useful.

"Takarion. I believe the person who kidnapped the Emperor is a black wizard."

"!"

"Can you inform His Holiness the Pope about this?"

Takarion nodded frantically.

Ian definitely knew something about this incident!

"I'll definitely inform the Pope! Ian!"

"Good. I'm counting on you."

Ian felt a bit sorry for Takarion.

He was just... trying to help Ian when he suddenly got caught up in a war.

Takarion packed as quickly as possible and left, but—

Even that was difficult as he was jostled by crowds.

He wasn't the only one fleeing.

Countless people terrified of war were becoming refugees, heading toward other territories.

'Damn medieval times...'

Some might call this era romantic, where a single sword could make someone king.

But it was also a barbaric age when human lives crumbled like sand castles.

Ian, too, couldn't escape the medieval warfare.

"Ian! We're ready!"

"Find a suitable position and stay there. I'll go meet Duke Roxlan's proxy."

Ian led his army toward Roxlan Castle.

Duke Roxlan's proxy.

Count Francis knew little about warfare but much about scheming.

'...They're fighting.'

Count Francis had never studied military science.

He wasn't close to swords from childhood, nor did he have any interest in mercenary tactics.

So even as he watched the armies tangled in battle—

His only impression was: Oh, they're fighting~

And he wasn't foolish enough to attempt what he knew nothing about.

"I'll leave the command to Sir Pyrak."

"Yes, Your Grace."

After appointing Sir Pyrak as commander, he thoroughly searched Roxlan Castle.

More precisely, he searched Duke Roxlan's chambers.

When something strange happened in Roxlan.

Count Francis believed that pinning the blame on Duke Roxlan would be correct about half the time... that was his thinking.

He hoped his suspicion would prove wrong.

...But ominous things rarely miss their mark.

"Your Grace. We found these documents in the Duke's room..."

Count Francis examined the documents handed to him by the investigator.

He nearly tore the precious documents to shreds.

'This crazy old man...!'

The documents were none other than—

Records of dealings with a suspicious black wizard organization called the [Golden Rule Society].

The content was simple.

If war broke out, they would use black magic to stop Duke Fargar...!

He knew what kind of person his father was... but this was beyond belief.

A mad plan to counter enemies with black magic!

Had he lost touch with reality after concocting schemes in his room for too long?

If they borrowed power from black wizards, rumors would inevitably spread.

It was questionable whether ducal authority could suppress such talk.

But Duke Roxlan seemed to have a strange self-assurance that his plan would succeed.

He must have successfully executed countless such schemes in his younger days!

'This is the work of black wizards.'

Count Francis was certain. As someone who had devised plenty of schemes himself, he could be confident.

The black wizards had deliberately started a war to lend their black magic power.

Duke Roxlan would win the war.

...Along with the stigma of having received help from black wizards.

Even assuming victory in war, what would happen afterwards?

'He'll need more power to maintain his title.'

It was a vicious cycle.

To suppress the backlash from using black magic, Duke Roxlan would need even more power.

And the black wizards would gladly lend their strength.

Eventually, he would become an undeniable ally of black wizards.

Duke Roxlan wouldn't avoid such a situation.

He would rather enjoy it.

If necessary, even if it meant turning the Empire upside down!

'He's insane. Truly insane...'

Count Francis's hands trembled.

His father's darkness was deeper than he had imagined.

Just then:

"This war is the handiwork of black wizards, isn't it?"

"!"

The Count turned around, startled.

A black-haired wizard was looking at him with calm eyes.

As if—

He had known everything all along.

"Duke Roxlan joined hands with black wizards."

"...Indeed."

Count Francis nodded as if entranced.

"A wizard's wisdom is truly remarkable."

Then he let out a hollow laugh.

"No... it's your wisdom that's exceptional. Wizard Ian."

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