21st Century Archmage

‘Haah, what lucky bastards.’

As soon as I finished my lovely breakfast of rice and kimchi, Derval sought me out. He then flatly informed me that we could no longer house the Havis Kingdom’s wyverns—the territory’s Skyknights were completely exhausted from hunting for the monsters that the Havis wyverns devoured.

As such, I was heading to the Havis Kingdom right now.

‘We treated them way too fuckin’ good. Sigh.’

The Havis Kingdom wyverns were trailing along with their ankles tied to the beastmen’s Gold Wyverns like some kind of dog show. Having lived the last few weeks tied up to prevent escape, the Havis wyverns were all fattened up, flying twenty apiece to each Gold Wyvern at the front.

‘The prisoners have probably reached the kingdom by now as well.’

We had kept the prisoners tied up near the border, fearing that if they returned too soon during the chaos, they might join the rebel forces. Those prisoners were probably crossing the border by now. They were also a drain on Nerman’s provisions, so there was no need to keep them around.

‘The weather’s good at least.’

Near the border of Nerman and the Havis Kingdom, there wasn’t as much snow on the ground as there was in the territory. The wind was a little wild, perhaps because the winds from the sea and the continent were clashing here, but the ground peeking out from the snow was an unusual sight. It almost made me think that spring had arrived.

Guoooooooooooo!

Bebeto, who couldn’t go faster because he had to keep pace with all the tied-up wyverns, roared energetically after seeing something.

‘It’s the prisoners.’

A long line of people was walking beyond the border fort at my feet. They were prisoners, but instead of walking in fetters, they were allowed to walk freely in a row. The Nerman cavalrymen overseeing them waved vigorously after looking up into the sky at Bebeto’s cry.

‘I hope everything ends well.’

Before the end of winter, we had to complete the construction of forts and bridges. I really hoped that I could return the wyverns to the Havis Kingdom without any problems and quickly go home.

* * *

“Count Kyre, Lord of Nerman, is personally coming with the wyverns?”

“Yes, Your Highness. According to the urgent report that just came in, Count Kyre’s black hybrid wyvern along with five Gold Wyverns were leading around a hundred wyverns.”

“Ah…”

Rosiathe had been plagued by reports of the threatening movements of the rebel forces this morning, and hadn’t been able to sleep because of the chaos the Roen Principality had begun kicking up at the border a few days prior. After hearing that Kyre was coming, she let out a long exclamation.

“He’s coming. He’s really coming…”

Just how much had she longed for him whenever she was struggling? Many times. Rosiathe had desperately wished to rest her tired soul in his deep embrace.

Before she knew it, her blue, diamond-like eyes had grown wet with tears.

“Approximately how far is he?”

“Since the report was made from Fort Zentra, I believe he will arrive in an hour, at most,” responded the noble in charge of reporting information to Rosiathe.

“Oh my, then there’s not much time left. What to do…” A crack appeared in the dignity befitting a princess responsible for the Havis Kingdom. The excited voice of a young maiden finally getting to meet the one she loved rang throughout the palace.

“Inform the Palace Steward to come at once!”

Rosiathe called for the Palace Steward, the person in charge of protocol for the royal family. Then, coming back to her senses, she dismissed the knight who had witnessed the slip in her royal mien.

“Well done. You are dismissed.”

‘Thank you, Kyre. You truly are… my god-given knight.’

The wyverns Kyre was bringing were originally property of the Havis Kingdom. As long as Havis had those wyverns, they would be able to resolve their current hardships in a single swipe. Rosiathe had been unable to shamefully ask Nerman to expend time and energy to return them, but Kyre was taking care of it on his own initiative.

“What should I wear? I can’t stay like this, can I?”

Rosiathe, who was called ‘The Princess of Steel’ these days among the knights, looked down doubtfully at her dress, falling into deep thought. As the feelings of a woman who wanted to show her long-awaited guest the most beautiful version of herself filled her, a red flush spread beautifully over Rosiathe’s cheeks like an autumn apple.

* * *

Fort Zarelon, the first line of defense on the border with the Roen Principality, bristled with tension.

“Their movements are unusual.”

“Those bastards…”

A few days ago, the Roen Principality scum started crossing the border, engaging in regional provocations. Today, they were advancing with a large-scale force of troops altogether.

After watching Roen Principality’s army from the watchtower, a chief knight turned to Viscount Antkain, the castellan of Fort Zarelon, and shouted in alarm, “This isn’t just provocation, but war!”

“Cowardly bastards!”

Up until very recently, the Roen Principality bastards had not dared to cross the border. They had to tiptoe around the Laviter Empire as well as worry about the 20,000 troops defending Fort Zarelon. Moreover, up until recent times, there had been 50 wyverns assigned to the fort. For the Roen Principality, a state that lacked much military power, Fort Zarelon was too difficult a foe.

But today, they were decisively crossing the border. In the past, when the Havis Kingdom was getting invaded by the empire, the traitorous Duke Roen defected to the Laviter Kingdom, turning it into the Roen Principality. Roen was crossing the border with full awareness of the mayhem in the Havis Kingdom.

“!! M-My liege, look over there!”

An adjutant who had been watching the 30,000 men of the Roen Principality shamelessly carting over siege weapons used in siege warfare pointed to the sky, alerting his liege.

“Ah!!”

Right now, there were only 3,000 soldiers at best left in the fort, but Viscount Antkain wasn’t afraid in the least. He was only appointed to Fort Zarelon because his predecessor defected to the Laviter Empire after hearing that the Royal Family was subjugating traitors, but he had been guarding the border with a passionate heart. After seeing what his adjutant pointed out, a cry of shock burst from his lips.

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Kiuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

They were flying.

There were only a pitiful five wyverns left to defend the fort, but around 100 wyverns were darkening the sky, flying towards them. The carpet bombing stones and logs in their claws appeared particularly large.

Clang clang clang clang clang clang!

The fort’s emergency bell tolled with great urgency.

“It’s an air raid! Air raid! Find cover!”

The mana-charged screams of the knights cut sharply through the wintry air.

‘Will the kingdom fall like this…’

The Laviter Empire had not yet invaded, but if the fort on the front line collapsed due to the Roen Principality, the fate of the kingdom could not be guaranteed. The kingdom’s knights and soldiers were divided from trying to subjugate the rebel forces. If the Gaetz Principality and Delphiran Kingdom rushed in to seize a chunk for themselves, the Havis Kingdom, the nation with the oldest history on the northern continent, would disappear in an instant.

“I’m trusting you to guard my back.”

“M-My liege!”

However, Viscount Antkain could not go down without a fight. He hurled himself from the watchtower, getting onto his wyvern, which was waiting for him in the training ground.

Flap, flap, flap flap flap.

The viscount and his wyvern flew into the sky with powerful wingbeats. Behind him, four wyverns whipped their wings into the sky.

* * *

“Greetings to you, Princess Rosiathe.”

“Welcome, Count Kyre.”

When our parade of wyverns drew close to the Havis Kingdom’s Royal Palace, which was not far removed from the border, Royal Skyknights came out to greet us. Under their escort, we landed in the covert outside the palace. Shortly afterwards, I was able to once again meet the Flower of the North, Rosiathe.

‘Admiring beauty is absolutely not a sin.’

The pansy fragrance I still remembered billowed from Rosiathe as she held out her hand.

Going down to one knee, I pressed my lips on her hand, giving the customary greeting to a lady. As I did so, Rosiathe’s gorgeous appearance stunned me anew. Her long, wavy golden hair, blue diamond-like, clear eyes, and perfect lips and cute nose on her small face were a sight for sore eyes.

‘She’s lost a lot of weight.’

She had indeed grown much thinner compared to the last time I saw her. I could tell that she was going through a lot.

“You have a lovely royal castle.”

Getting up, I met her eyes and praised the royal castle.

‘It’s supposed to be the oldest kingdom…’

Most buildings would become worn down and shabby with age, but it was said that masterpieces would let off a noble aura with the passing of time. The Havis Royal Castle suited those words well. I hadn’t had the opportunity to go in yet, but from what I could see of the castle from the air, it was a striking monument. Although it wasn’t as flashy or as large as the Bajran Empire’s Imperial Castle, the building overflowed with the elegance and nobility depicted in movies.

“I am embarrassed to receive your praise,” said Rosiathe demurely, as if delighted by my praise.

I didn’t think that a princess—or rather, the ruler in charge of the kingdom—would weather the cold winter air to come greet me.

“It is cold outside. Please, return inside.”

“Do you mean…that you are going back already?”

Realizing the meaning behind my words, Rosiathe looked at me with alarm.

“There are many matters for me to tend to in the territory, so I must return at once. I will come for a formal visit next time.”

“That is…”

‘Geh!’

As soon as she registered my words, tears glistened at the corners of her eyes. I committed no great wrong or breach of etiquette, but Rosiathe was saddened to the point of tears.

“Sir, please come in and at least have a cup of tea. The Princess has been waiting outside for a long time.”

Unable to keep watching in silence, the Havis Kingdom’s chamberlain offered a suggestion.

‘Sigh. Why are you crying…’

We hadn’t even ever kissed. I had no obligation to take responsibility for her, so I had no idea why she was getting this sad.

‘Alright, she’s got a road of hardship ahead of her. I might as well lend her an ear before going back.’

It was said that the tears of a beautiful woman were the strongest weapons in the world. I reluctantly revised my intent to go back right away.

“Haha, will you not ask me twice? Otherwise, I’ll really go back now.”

“H-Huh? No, please come inside.”

Surprised once again, this time by my sudden change of heart, Rosiathe’s tears disappeared as she looked at me with a bright smile.

But just then, I glimpsed one clear tear running down her cheek.

‘Sigh…’

I let out a long sigh in my heart, thinking to myself that the gods were blind. What were they doing, not striking down a casanova like myself?

* * *

“Don’t allow even a single rat to live! Give no quarter, take no survivors!”

“Waaaaaaaaaaa!”

Cla-cla-clang!

“Aaaaghhh!”

Screams filled Fort Zarelon.

The castellan of the defending Fort Zarelon, Viscount Antkain, and his Skyknights, had all heroically perished. Viscount Antkain took down seven enemy wyverns before being skewered by spears and meeting his end with his wyvern in a headlong crash onto the frozen ground.

And then came the siege on the fort.

It was a massacre.

As if they had fully prepared for this moment, the Roen Principality’s Skyknights unleashed a fierce volley of bombing on the fort. The Havis soldiers were forced to seek cover even though enemies were advancing on the castle walls. The moment the bombing ended and the defending soldiers were able to recover their wits, enemy troops rushed in through the gate— which had been opened in the mayhem—and over the damaged castle walls.

They could not even surrender. Fort Zarelon, which had stood proudly and blocked countless troops from the Roen Principality, fell in one swoop, and an order to give no quarter was declared, as if to make an example of Zarelon’s demise to other forts and castles.

“Gaaaaaagh!”

“Gngh!”

The Havis soldiers had lost their commanding officers and had nowhere to run. Like rats caught in a trap, they fled hopelessly in all directions before falling to merciless spears and swords.

“It is a grand victory, Your Highness.”

“Kuhahaha. Naturally. For the soldiers of our Roen Principality, seizing such a lousy fort is child’s play.”

The Prince Remitar of Roen burst out in arrogant laughter at the adjutant’s report.

‘Our principality can finally become a kingdom!’

For Roen, this was a long-awaited war. Around one hundred years had passed since their forebearers defected from the Havis Kingdom and became dogs of the Laviter Empire. They were given the authority to rule the duchy, but it was a tenuous position. Roen could be annexed into the Laviter Empire with a single word from the emperor, so they had quietly accumulated power while obsequiously fawning over the emperor and the empire.

And today, they made the first step towards their long-cherished wish. A secret directive had come down from the Laviter Empire, ordering them to use border provocations to wage war with the Havis Kingdom.

“After a short break, rally the soldiers. We will move onwards post-haste.”

“As you command!”

Another unit would soon arrive from Roen, so Prince Remitar intended to leave the fort to them and continue advancing. His small, beady eyes glimmered with greed.

‘We must acquire more territory before the empire interferes. We have to use this opportunity to occupy at least half of Havis.’

After giving the tribute to the empire every year, the Roen Principality was left with barely enough to maintain itself. The Prince was well aware that there would be a greater opportunity to grow in strength if they possessed more territory.

‘Huhu, who in this shoddy kingdom could possibly stop our principality?’

“Hahahahahahahaha!”

Standing on the castle walls, Remitar let out a triumphant guffaw.

But he had no idea.

He had no idea who was visiting the Havis Royal Castle…