Wizard: I Have a Cultivation System

「One year and four months later.」

「Late August.」

The scorching sun was like fire, baking the gray-brown rock faces of the Twilight Mountain Range.

A massive caravan, composed of over forty wagons, was slowly advancing along the winding mountain road.

Heat waves distorted the air, while the creak of axles and the snorts of packhorses wove together into a summer’s marching tune.

The young guard, Laine, wiped the sweat from his forehead and squinted toward the distant, rolling mountains.

This was the Twilight Mountain Range, located in the north of the Kingdom. On the even more distant northern border lay the natural barrier known as the Frost Fang Mountain Range.

Between these two mountain ranges, the nine border territories of Vilt and the ten of Rosenia were jaggedly intertwined, forming a wide strategic buffer zone.

"Stay alert!"

The caravan leader, Hawke, rode back from the head of the column on his patrol. His gaze softened when he saw Laine.

After all, this was his old friend’s son. The experienced old merchant pointed at the wide flagstone road beneath them and said, "Kid, you know what road we’re on?"

Laine curiously sized up the solid road, wide enough for five carriages to travel side-by-side. "Chief, this road is no ordinary path."

"This is the Northern Trade Route," Hawke said, his tone filled with pride. "The golden channel connecting the Twilight Mountain Range and the Douglas Duke Domain. It was seized by Viscount Hans thirty-two years ago and gradually fell into disuse. Now, thanks to the war against Heresy, it has been revitalized under the joint management of the Church Court and Duke Douglas."

Due to the crusade against the Rosenian Heresy in the north, the Northern Trade Route had been exceptionally prosperous for the past year.

Along the way, vehicles transporting military supplies were a common sight, and caravans from all over the Kingdom traveled in a constant stream.

The caravan Laine was with was loaded with grain, weapons, and medicine from the South—all of them supplies desperately needed at the front.

"Halt! Someone ahead!" a warning shout suddenly came from the front.

Laine immediately gripped his longsword and hurried forward with Hawke to investigate.

A young couple stood in the shade of a tree by the roadside.

The man had dazzling short blond hair and a handsome face, and he looked to be in his early twenties. The woman wore a simple white veil, but her visible eyes were like the most brilliant black pearls, her every glance captivating.

Although they wore only simple linen traveling clothes, their elegant posture and composed demeanor clearly revealed their noble origins.

The blond youth took a step forward and bowed politely. "Esteemed caravan leader, our carriage broke down on the mountain road ahead, so we had no choice but to wait here for a passing caravan. My wife and I wish to go to the Monte Territory. I wonder if we might be able to catch a ride?"

Hawke carefully sized up the travelers with their extraordinary bearing. "The Monte Territory? That’s the front line of the war right now. What business do you two have there?"

"To join our relatives," the veiled woman answered softly. Her voice was clear and pleasant, and her veil fluttered gently as she spoke.

Laine noticed that they had nothing but small personal bundles, which was highly unusual for nobles.

What was even more puzzling was that they had chosen to travel to a border territory during a time of war.

Hawke, however, was more worldly and guessed that since the main army was gathered in the Monte Territory, these nobles were probably coming to join relatives to earn military honors and thereby restore their family’s standing.

He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "There is indeed some empty space on the wagons, but..."

"We can pay," the blond youth said, drawing an exquisite leather pouch and producing two gleaming Gold Coins.

Hawke’s eyes lit up instantly, but he still asked about their origins as a matter of course. "So generous... Which family do you two hail from?"

"We are merely the children of a fallen noble house," the woman sighed softly, reaching out to gently take her husband’s arm. "Our family has met with misfortune, so our only choice is to seek refuge with distant relatives in the Monte Territory."

’Just as I thought,’ Hawke mused.

’These down-on-their-luck nobles are always looking for a chance to turn their fortunes around on the battlefield.’

’Still, for this couple to dare travel alone, the blond youth must have at least the strength of a Knight’s Attendant. Otherwise, where would he get such courage?’

In the end, Hawke accepted the Gold Coins and arranged for them to ride on a wagon loaded with bolts of cloth.

The caravan continued on its way, and sure enough, they soon found a stopped carriage by the side of the mountain road not far ahead.

Taking a closer look, the horse that had been pulling it had collapsed on the ground, foaming at the mouth—clearly dead from heatstroke. The carriage itself, however, was undamaged.

Laine was assigned to watch over the couple, and he noticed how close they were.

The blond man would occasionally gently straighten his wife’s veil when it was tousled by the wind and use a silk handkerchief to lightly dab the sweat from her brow.

The woman, in turn, would always respond with a smile in her eyes, occasionally reaching out to brush the dust from his shoulders.

Their loving display made the young guard feel a pang of envy.

The sun began to set in the west, painting the Twilight Mountain Range in the golden-red hues of its afterglow.

The blond youth gazed at the faint outline of a town in the distance and said softly, "My dear, we’re almost there."

The woman lifted a corner of her veil, revealing a delicate chin. "I hope we can restore our family’s honor this time."

...

The blond and black-haired couple slipped away quietly after the caravan arrived at the newly built Anvil Town in the Monte Territory.

This border town, hastily expanded from a former small village, now resembled a giant, chaotic marketplace.

And these travelers with their extraordinary bearing were none other than Murphy and Aurora in disguise.

"Halt! Routine inspection!" Two patrolling soldiers stepped forward to block their path, their hands resting on their sword hilts as they warily sized up the unfamiliar faces.

Murphy unhurriedly drew a parchment document from his clothes and unfolded it with an elegant motion. "These are our travel papers."

The soldier took the document and inspected it carefully. When he saw the noble crest and the seal of the Church Court at the bottom, his attitude immediately became respectful. "Apologies for the disturbance, my lord. Please, go ahead."

The two quickly stepped aside to clear the way.

Standing on the unfamiliar street, Murphy gazed at the land before him that had once belonged to the Duval Clan, now flying the banners of the Monte Clan, and a rush of conflicting emotions filled his heart.

The town was bustling with people, with soldiers in various uniforms everywhere. Rowdy songs drifted from the taverns, and merchants hawked military supplies on the street corners, presenting a scene of prosperity.

Aurora naturally took Murphy’s arm, her gaze sweeping over the bustling street. "This place... I almost don’t recognize it."

She paused for a moment, then added softly, "My dear, look how lively it’s become. The shops are all open, and people have smiles on their faces. Isn’t this the kind of prosperity you hoped to see?"

Murphy didn’t answer right away, only silently observing this land that was both familiar and strange.

Just then, a commotion broke out nearby.

Several drunken soldiers were arguing with a grain merchant.

"Ten Silver Coins? Too expensive!" the lead soldier shoved the merchant aside and hoisted a sack of grain onto his shoulder. "Put it on the quartermaster’s tab!"

Young Laine happened to be passing by and immediately stepped forward to intervene. "Stop! How can you just rob people like this?"

"Get lost, kid!" The soldier shoved Laine to the ground. "Keep sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, and we’ll deal with you too!"

Just as the soldier raised his fist, Hawke arrived in the nick of time.

"My lords, please calm down!" The old merchant hurried forward to smooth things over, discreetly slipping the soldier a few Silver Coins. "The boy doesn’t know any better. Please, forgive him."

The soldier weighed the Silver Coins in his hand and snorted coldly. "Control your man!"

With that, he swaggered off.

Hawke helped Laine up and chided him in a low voice, "This isn’t the place to play the hero."

The other merchants in the nearby shops had long since retreated inside, their faces filled with a resentment they dared not voice.

Murphy shook his head at the sight and said softly, "This is nothing but a false prosperity, like the calm before a storm."

He led Aurora to a quiet street corner and said in a hushed voice, "Look at all this money pouring in. It’s true that the shops are making a fortune. The army needs grain, fodder, and weapons, and funds from the Royal Family and the Church Court are flowing in continuously."

"But look closer," Murphy said, gesturing with his eyes toward the earlier commotion. "How much did those soldiers pay for their ’procurement’? And look at the commoners forced into labor. There’s no joy in their eyes."

He continued his analysis, "On the surface, new roads and towns have been built, and caravans are constantly arriving. But in reality, this garrison is like a Leviathan that has crashed into a pond, and it’s draining all the resources here. They’ll soon devour all the stored grain, chop down all the nearby forests, and drink every well dry."

Aurora seemed to understand. "So the prosperity of these shops... won’t last long?"

"Not only that," Murphy’s voice grew lower. "You’ve seen the army’s discipline. Conscription, plunder, drunken brawls—these soldiers treat the locals as objects to be exploited at will. What’s even more terrifying is..."

He gazed toward the newly built military camp in the distance. "This place has become a supply hub for the front line. The moment the fighting gets tight, this town will be the first to suffer. The enemy will stop at nothing to cut this supply line."

Aurora gently squeezed his hand. "Then what should we do?"

"What do you want to do?" Murphy asked in return, his gaze deep as he looked at her.

Aurora leaned on his shoulder and said softly, "Whatever you want to do is what we’ll do. I’ll always listen to you."

Over the past year or so, under Murphy’s arrangement, Kane had already been safely escorted south across the Twilight Mountain Range by Knight’s Attendants, following the very route Sylvan had taken.

Thanks to his [Control Human] ability, Murphy’s followers displayed an almost absolute loyalty. Even the future of Kaiden, still an infant, was secure.

During their days of seclusion in the deep mountains, only Aurora had remained constantly by his side.

’This war needs to end.’

He turned his head to look at Aurora beside him.

’I still haven’t given her the wedding I promised.’

Just then, the voice from his recent late-night dreams echoed in his ear once more.

It carried a disturbing fanaticism, like the prayer of a most devoted believer: "Master, it’s time to come back. Maggie misses you..."