The Vastness of Magical Destiny

Conan rode amidst the regiment of knights with a calm demeanor, showing no signs of anything amiss. Wearing his exquisite armor, he presented a particularly handsome and valiant figure. However, the bitterness and gloom troubling his heart caused him to feel a ceaseless, indescribable irritability.

Whether it was the officers of the infantry or his fellow knights, and even the mages of the Mage Corps, all were curious about the oddity within his family. Of course, they did not regard Komer as a threat to them; their surprise lay in how that outcast managed to find a foothold in the desolate and fearsome Caucasus, mingling with the ugly half-beastmen and barbarians. To a knight of noble standing, half-beastmen and barbarians were as repugnant as trash and dung. Associating with them was considered self-degradation, an unthinkable act for nobility.

Facing his colleagues’ inquiries, Conan could only offer a wry smile. To tell the truth, he knew just as little about the elusive Komer, who, since departing from Cyprus, had never returned home. However, news about him somehow trickled back to the family now and then. His exploits in the Caucasus had caught the attention of many, but to Conan, such news was less about garnering interest and more a source of scornful small talk. Forming a self-defense squad of half-beastmen, living among them, associating with barbarians, and even striking up relations with the Jellyfish People of the Catania River Swamps—none of his brother’s actions could remotely be deemed fitting for a person of noble birth. Conan often felt embarrassment and shame when faced with his comrades’ jests.

Although everyone believed that the impending battle would end with an overwhelming victory, deeming the foolish half-beastmen troops incapable of contending with Homer’s regular army. With so many knights and mages bolstering the ranks, Homer’s army was expected to sweep through Leon and the Caucasus like a whirlwind. However, Carl Libkenesi, the Corps Commander of the Storm Infantry, did not quite share this sentiment, though he too believed that the ultimate victory would belong to Homer.

The last defeat of Homer’s army had made Carl particularly cautious. Even though it had been the intervention of magical power that turned the tides of the battlefield, intelligence indicated that the Kingdom of Nicosia had also gathered all their Court Mages in the northern part of the kingdom to counter the half-beastmen. However, this did not imply that the Lord of the Caucasus and Leon only had a bunch of half-beastmen to rely on. Could the Baron, who managed to establish a foothold so quickly on this cursed land, merely stand by and watch Homer’s army advance into Leon with folded arms? Carl Libkenesi did not think so; maintaining a clear head was the most basic requirement of a soldier.

Regrettably, it seemed the Knight Conan did not possess much information about his brother, and his knowledge of Komer’s circumstances in the Caucasus was limited. Carl always found it hard to believe the introductions given by these people. Although the main force of the army was under his command, there was a Viscount from the Knight’s regiment appointed as the overall Commander. Carl was not concerned about this fact, but he was worried that the other’s excessive pride could bring disaster to the troops.

The anxious expression of Carl Libkenesi did not sit well with Viscount Salman, responsible for this campaign, who deemed the professional soldier’s worries to be completely unnecessary. To Salman, a bunch of half-beastmen who were no better than country bumpkins, wielding nothing but clubs and pickaxes—without the support of mages, they would not even know how to wage a battle anymore.

"Carl, what worries you? We will swiftly conclude this battle. These damned half-beastmen should be nailed along the roads, from Bruce to the Caucasus, to remind them that their place is in the dark mine tunnels. Last time’s fluke made these insolent fools overstep. This time, we will teach them a lifelong lesson, showing our glorious Homer Knights and formidable magicians in action, making sure they and their descendants never forget their place."