Giant Dragon Lord: Starting from Daily Intelligence-Chapter 180 - 174: Raid on Eagle’s Sorrow Castle

He put away the Secret Scripture and changed the subject.

"Lillian, I have an idea. You see, both my Black Stone Territory and your Amber Territory lack a stable source of talent, especially Mages."

"One or two geniuses can certainly change the tide of battle, but what truly supports a territory’s future is a continuous stream of foundational talent."

Raylo looked into his sister’s eyes.

"I plan to establish a Magic Academy in the Black Stone Territory. It will serve both our territories, recruiting talented children and training them from a young age."

Raylo said, enunciating each word.

"We’ll provide the funding, the location, and the legacy. The Silver Mist Secret Scripture can serve as one of the academy’s core textbooks, continuously training our own Mages for both our territories."

The proposal made Lillian’s eyes sparkle with unprecedented brilliance.

Her love for Magic surpassed all else. Nothing excited her more than the thought of personally establishing a Magic Academy and watching countless talented young people walk the path of Magic.

"Yes! This idea is brilliant!"

She agreed almost immediately, her face beaming with excitement.

"Funding and location won’t be a problem. As for the faculty... I can invite my mentor, Great Mage Alina!"

"The Great Mage Alina?"

Raylo was a little surprised.

"Yes!"

Lillian nodded emphatically.

"My mentor has always been dissatisfied with the Mage Association’s rigid teaching methods, and she’s always wanted to run her own academy—one that’s freer and more focused on practical application. This is the perfect opportunity to grant her wish! Plus, she has several highly skilled senior apprentices. If we can poach them all, our academy’s founding faculty will be top-tier in the Kingdom from day one!"

Watching his sister enthusiastically start planning positions like dean, vice-dean, and head professor, even assigning Raylo the role of the "honorary board member who only provides the money," Raylo couldn’t help but laugh.

And just like that, a plan was settled between the siblings in just a few words.

「After resting for two days in Silver Mist Castle.」

On the morning of the third day, Raylo was preparing to assemble his troops and set out for Eagle Sorrow Territory.

At that moment, a sharp, high-pitched eagle’s cry echoed from the sky, instantly drowning out all the noise on the training grounds.

Everyone looked up in unison.

A black dot among the clouds rapidly grew larger. It was a magnificent Iron Feathered Eagle, nearly twice the size of a common warhawk, with every feather shimmering with a metallic luster.

A Knight from the Thunder Dragon Knight Order sat steadily on the eagle’s back, his expression stern.

The Iron Feathered Eagle folded its wings and, like a black arrow, dove down with a whistling wind, landing precisely in an open space in the center of the training grounds and kicking up a powerful gust of air.

The Knight dismounted the eagle with a crisp, efficient movement. He strode up to Raylo, dropped to one knee, and spoke in a voice as clear as a bell.

"Lord Baron!"

"I am a messenger for Vice Commander Luke."

He took a wax-sealed parchment scroll from his tunic and held it high above his head.

"Military orders from Vice Commander Luke!"

Raylo stepped forward, took the orders, and broke the wax seal.

The contents were simple, yet they made Raylo’s pupils contract.

"By order: The First, Second, and Third Armies of the Northern Alliance Army are to immediately cease all current missions and assemble at Panshi Castle within five days."

「Three days later.」

A fortress, like a giant beast crouching amidst the mountains, appeared on the horizon.

That was Panshi Castle, now the central hub of the entire Northern Alliance Army.

Raylo’s troops had just arrived at their designated encampment, not even having had time to make camp, when Vice Commander Luke’s Personal Guard arrived with a summons.

"Baron Raylo, the Vice Commander requests your presence in the command tent."

Raylo temporarily handed command over to Ed and followed the Personal Guard through the heavily guarded camp.

Inside the command tent, the light was dim. A massive sand table occupied the center, where several high-ranking officers were gathered, discussing matters in low voices.

At the head of the tent, Vice Commander Luke was looking down, examining a military report.

"You’re much earlier than expected."

"The journey was smooth."

Luke put down the report and looked up.

"Good. Sit."

Luke pointed to a model of a city on the sand table.

"Here. Morning Star City. One hundred kilometers from our position."

He was concise.

"The Crown Prince of the Fiery Sun Kingdom, Karchi Fiery Sun, has arrived. With him is the Vice Commander of the Fiery Sun Knight Order, Aston, the ’Blood Lion’."

Raylo’s gaze turned grave.

Either one of those two was a major figure capable of shifting the tides of a battle.

"Karachi is in Morning Star City, gathering the private armies of the lords in the rear. Our intelligence indicates that the forces at his command are rapidly expanding."

Luke’s finger swept across the sand table.

"But that’s not the most troublesome part."

He raised his eyes and looked directly at Raylo.

"The most troublesome part is their aerial forces. Karachi has brought three hundred Pegasus Knights directly under royal command. Furthermore..."

Luke paused.

"The Count of the Falcon from Eagle’s Sorrow Castle arrived in Morning Star City yesterday with his one hundred most elite Hawk Knights."

"Four hundred aerial cavalry."

Luke said, word by word.

"Raylo, although your Griffin Knights and Pegasus Knights are formidable, you are at an absolute numerical disadvantage. Once the fighting begins, they will stop at nothing to take you out first."

The atmosphere in the tent grew heavy.

Raylo was silent.

He stared at the model for Eagle’s Sorrow Castle on the sand table, then at Morning Star City.

After a moment, he suddenly spoke, his tone betraying no hint of nervousness at being the primary target.

"So, you’re saying that to pledge his loyalty to the Crown Prince, the Count of the Falcon from Eagle’s Sorrow Castle has brought his entire core force with him?"

Luke raised an eyebrow, not understanding why he would ask that.

"Yes. He’s cleaned out his entire base. Only a small garrison of old and weak soldiers remains in Eagle’s Sorrow Castle."

A slow smile crept across Raylo’s lips.

"Sir Luke, doesn’t that mean his nest is empty?"

’Raylo had no intention of abandoning his original target, Eagle’s Sorrow Castle. Eight Flying Dragon Eggs were more than enough reason for him to take the risk.’

Luke’s gaze sharpened instantly. He immediately understood what Raylo was thinking.

"What are you planning? We’re on the eve of a decisive battle. Splitting our forces now would be an extremely dangerous military gamble."

"That’s precisely why the enemy would never expect it—because we’re on the eve of a decisive battle."

Raylo stood up, walked to the sand table, and reached out, closing his hand around the small model representing Eagle’s Sorrow Castle.

"I don’t need many men. The main force from my Black Stone Territory will be enough. We’ll bypass the main battlefield and launch a raid on Eagle’s Sorrow Castle."

"That’s insane!"

An adjutant standing nearby couldn’t help but object.