Shepherd Wizard-Chapter 173.1

Translator: Pai_

While Turan was melting down the family's wizards with the play and the medal ceremony, quite a lot was also happening across the sea in the East, in Varaha.

“I believe the time has truly come for us to go.”

“I agree as well.”

Solif, who had recovered from serious injuries thanks to Turan’s treatment.

He quietly looked down at the nobles of the vassal houses shouting with bright eyes from below.

Just as his friend had said before, their faces still bore the shadow of the war’s fatigue, yet in their eyes was a form of energy that was far from positive.

Hatred.

It’s not only joy that drives the weary to action, and if one were to ask which is the more powerful force, it would certainly be this one.

“It's been nearly a month since the last battle, and all the injured have recovered. In contrast, the new head of the House Ruvan, who fought with the family head, has likely not yet healed. The opportunity is now!”

In the gazes fixed on him, Solif read both hatred and anticipation. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Their expectations were probably tied to the overwhelming combat prowess Solif had shown in the last war.

Though he had been severely wounded, he had still faced the head of the House Ruvan and returned alive.

“Well, I wasn’t planning on letting them be, either. But since we’ve prepared a strategy for the attack, I’d prefer if you didn’t act too hastily.”

“A strategy...?”

“That’s a secret. Just like before.”

At Solif’s words, the nobles of Varaha looked at each other but made no complaints.

They believed that, since the secret plan had not gone badly last time, it would work again.

Though he hadn’t yet built up as much presence in the House Parsha as Turan, Solif, too, was gradually shedding the negative image of being a runaway of the house, the usurper who killed his foster father, and the puppet of the House Parsha family head.

In the end, what people sought in a leader was not how moral he was, but how capable he was, whether he could protect his own and deal with his enemies.

“Are preparations for war going steadily?”

“Yes. We’re currently replenishing the magic artifacts lost in the last battle.”

In response to Solif’s question, the head of House Ativ, the enchanter house under House Varaha, bowed with a stiff expression.

His house had suffered greatly when the city they governed was reduced to ruins by House Ruvan’s advance, so he harbored deep resentment.

"Good. I hear their discussions are also coming to an end... we'll strike Ruvan tonight."

“Tonight?”

Though they had just been pushing to attack the House Ruvan, once the date was set unexpectedly fast, they looked somewhat taken aback.

A war between houses wasn’t child’s play, whoever heard of storming the neighbors out of spite?

Even if a wizard army was faster than ordinary people, it would still take weeks to advance all the way to Ruvan’s capital...

At the sight of their expressions, Solif let out a brief laugh.

Just moments ago, they were acting like they couldn’t wait to attack!

“It’s not some whim. It’s all part of the plan, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

In that case, they had nothing more to say.

They had no choice but to obey the words of the ruler of Varaha, a man who had proven his capabilities.

That evening, the wizards of Varaha gathered in the hall beneath the Temple of the Sun, according to the head’s instructions.

“Another war?”

“I’m so sick of this...”

“Shh, be quiet.”

Unlike those from a few families who had suffered damage due to Ruvan’s advance, most of the Varaha wizards, just as Turan had once foreseen, were feeling exhausted from the continued battles.

But that didn’t mean they could openly show it and rebel against their superiors.

They had no choice but to jump.

And surprisingly, waiting for those descending into the hall with such grim faces were around three hundred wizards.

“W-what...”

“Y-you people!?”

“Good to see you. Was your name Robi? I think we met last time.”

The wizards of House Parsha, whose faces had become quite familiar to those who had participated in the past few battles.

Who could have imagined that they were staying beneath the Temple of the Sun?

If the relationship between the House Parsha and House Varaha hadn't been special, and if the senior members of the House Varaha standing calmly right beside them hadn’t been there, someone would have surely shouted that it was an invasion force.

“But what brings you here...?”

“War, obviously.”

When a Varaha knight asked a relatively familiar Parsha knight, the response came with a faint sigh from the Varaha side.

It was something he already knew, but hearing it confirmed again only worsened his mood.

In contrast, the Parsha knight sitting opposite him was grinning from ear to ear as he tapped his foot, looking excited.

To someone watching, he looked like a war-crazed maniac desperate to fight.

“What’s got you so happy?”

“And why wouldn’t I be? We have to fight and win if we want to preserve our family, our house.”

To hear those cliché lines usually spoken by higher-ups during wartime coming from a fellow knight...

Just as the Varaha knight looked at him like he was insane, he noticed several pieces of metal attached to the other's chest.

“What’s that?”

“Oh, this?”

As if waiting to be asked, the Parsha knight began rattling off explanations with a bright expression.

This here is called a medal, it commemorates the past battles, and it’s a symbol that only true warriors can receive, and the head of the House personally calls your name and attaches it,

While the Varaha knight was growing dazed from this non-stop bragging, a sharp clap rang out from one side, catching everyone's attention.

It was loud enough to draw the gaze of all thousand or so people inside the hall.

Naturally, the one who made the sound was the head of the House Varaha, Solif.

“Good, you all found your way here just fine. From now on, we’re going to fight.”

Amid the roaring cheers, the wizards of Varaha momentarily glanced around with blank expressions.

Why did it feel like the Parsha guys who came to help were more excited than those fighting their own war?

“Originally, we planned to move in secret, but there are too many people this time, so we’ve decided to make it public. Besides, those who should know by now probably already do.”

The existence of the Jade Mirror had originally been kept secret because of the Great Sea Serpent faction, but since they’d already discovered it, there was no longer a reason to hide it.

Thanks to that, before long, even the wizards of Varaha were able to witness the existence of the Jade Mirror for the first time.

“Wow...”

“So this is what we’ve been using all along.”

The sight of the enormous mirror, over five meters tall, glowing brilliantly as it created a rift in space, was awe-inspiring even to wizards well accustomed to all sorts of mysteries.

Watching them, Solif grinned and spoke.

“Now, as you all know, we won’t be dragging things out like those other petty Houses, fighting for days on end above ground. Beyond this lies Ruvan’s capital, Slon.”

“Ooh...”

“Once we cross over, we advance immediately. Let’s go!”

As they stepped into the world beyond the mirror, the wizards of Varaha shuddered as they once again felt the familiar sensation that came whenever their sight was momentarily cut off.

The razor-sharp air unique to Frostwind Forest licked their cheeks, completely different from the now-warming land of the lake as early spring passed.

“We’ve arrived.”

“This is Slon?”

“It’s that way.”

At someone’s pointing, the wizards all turned their gaze westward and let out either gasps or sighs.

In the depths of a dark night, a quiet city with black stone walls bathed in the soft glow of the moon came into view.

“You’ve arrived.”

“We pay our respects to the family head!”

At the low voice that rang out then, the wizards of Parsha all bowed their heads in salute.