Chapter 16 - Preparation

I look at the wood and stone temporary home I create for the North Window people. At the same time, some soldiers are clearing the castle so it can be used. They cleared any monster roaming around the castle and removed all the rubble around the castle.

It takes two to three hours of continuous use of my magic. I can feel the strain in my core from using my magic non-stop. However, I must say that I'm satisfied with my work. However, the house's shape is like Minecraft players' house, usually build in their first gameplay, Cube.

However, the others did not complain about it as not only do they have a roof to sleep on, I also create a bed made of grass I grow using the power of Green Magic. I'm really glad about that. I don't want to have a fight because of someone ungrateful for my hard work.

Anyway, after doing all the work and see all the refuge begin to sleep, I sneak away from the North Window and begin my journey to the North Window.

After using some much magic in one sitting, I want to sleep on a fluffy bed, thank you very much. So here we are, running along the path to the Cave of Winds. Lucky for me, I always knew the exact location of my pocket dimension entrance even when I was far away from it.

The path to the Cave of Wind is not too far away from North Window, but because of the monster that keeps spawning because of the night time, I arrive in front of my Pocket Dimension entrance after three hours long walk even though it should be a two-hour walk.

However, in the end, I arrive in front of the entrance of my Pocket Dimension. As I touch the smooth surface of the cave wall, a portal appears in front of me. When I walk inside, I can see the mansion where I will sleep for the day.

When I walk inside the mansion, I look at the clocks and see it was already at 11 PM. While I usually sleep at 2 or 3 AM but today I've spent all my energy walking to the North Window and Cave of Wind two times in a day. I am physically exhausted, but my mental energy has also been spent constructing all the houses the other needs.

Anyway, after taking a shower, I immediately go to bed, and when my head touches the bed, darkness immediately consumes me.

~The Next Morning~

After waking up from my sleep, I immediately take a shower and have a big breakfast as I know that I will be busy helping Riou and his party. I plan to leave this universe after the first big battle against the Highland.

Not only will this give me an experience against a human opponent, but it was also a valuable experience for me as it will be the first war for me.

Anyway, after eating all the food I cooked, I walk toward the exit portal and set the time of me getting out of my pocket dimension as 4 AM. When I get out of the portal, I can see the sun has not yet risen, so I decided to go to the North Window.

I begin to walk along the path that becomes more and more familiar to me. However, after an hour or so of walking to the North Window, I see a Highland soldier galloping across the plain with a horse. Seeing them coming from the North Window, I'm guessing that they are the scouts sent by General Solon Jhee.

I quickly walked toward the soldier and cast a quick Legilimency spell on him. While I cannot cast a wandless Legilimency spell yet, I can cast the Legilimency spell with my wand. However, there is a side effect of using Legilimency spell without mastering it.

While you still get the result, the target of your spell will become a vegetable. Permanently.

After casting my spell, my mind begins to search for a clue of this soldier's order. I then get a flash of memory of Solon Jhee ordering this man to see the fleeing Muse and South Window Army's rumor to the North Window and make it their base.

Solon Jhee then warns the soldier that his life will indicate the situation of the war. If this man returns and brings the news about the North Window small army, then Solon Jhee will order all the Highland army to march out to North Window without bringing the South Window soldier as they will become a burden to him by slowing down his army as there is not much horse they can use to carry all the soldier from the South Window.

There is also an official letter inside the soldier's pocket that explains the Solon Jhee order. Something that I can use to warn Viktor and Flik.

I use my wand and levitate the man and continue my journey. After another hour of walking, I arrive in front of North Window city's gateless wall, where I see a dozen or so soldiers guarding it.

When I close enough to the gate, the soldier looks at me and says.

"Sir Isaac! We are searching for you the entire time! Where have you been?"

"I do my morning training not too far away from here."

"I see, and who is the one in your shoulder?"

"He is a scout from the Highland army. Look like he snooping around the North Window when you guys are not looking."

"I… We are sorry, sir Isaac."

"Don't think about it. I need to find Viktor and Flik or maybe Riou."

"Sadly, sir Riou already went to Radat with lady Nanami and lady Apple."

"I see. Then I will go to meet Viktor and Flik."

"Yes! You can find them inside the castle. They are in the meeting room on the second floor."

"I see. Thank you."

"It's not a problem, Sir Isaac!"

I walk toward the castle, and I can feel many eyes curiously looking at me. While they know who I am, they did not know the person I carry like a sack of potatoes. I walk up the stairs and see that the castle is still sturdy, and I know that it will stand for another hundred years.

Anyway, I arrive in front of massive double doors where another soldier is guarding the door.

"Ah! Sir Isaac! What can we do for you?"

"Is Viktor and Flik inside?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Then I want to meet them. There is something I want to discuss with them."

"Yes, sir."

The soldier opens up the meeting room, and as I walk inside, I can see Viktor, Flik, and Tsai talking with each other. From what I hear, they are talking about the weapon the soldier will use against the Highland.

"Oh! Isaac! What can I do for you? Riou and the others already go to Radat. Riou wants you to come with him to Radat."

"Well, I woke up earlier in the morning and decided to have morning training. Anyway, the reason why I came here is this."

I then place down the man I have been carrying on my shoulder. When Viktor and Flik see the man's armor, their expression changes into a serious mode.

"This is…"

"A Highland soldier, yes. I found him riding a horse from here, and his destination is South Window. You mean that, right?"

"He is the scout General Solon Jhee sent."

"That is right. Sadly he is already dead, but I found this in his pocket."

I pass the letter to Flik, who begins to read it. The more he read the letter, the more his expression changed from his serious face into a grim one. When Flik passes the letter to Viktor, I can also see Viktor's expression begin to change.

After reading it, Viktor gives the letter to Tsai and says.

"This is bad."

"Lucky for us, the soldier is dead. Which mean Isaac here give us some times before they surround us with the combination of Highland and South Window soldier."

I nod at Flik's explanation before saying.

"So, what should we do? Viktor Flik, do you guys know the location of Muse soldier that scatter around the land?"

"Yes, we do. However, we don't know how many soldiers it will be. Flik here predicted there would be a hundred or so soldiers in that location. Gilbert, our friend when we are a mercenary, says there should be a band of mercenaries in the south. Near the wall that separates South Window land and the Badland."

"Even there is a mercenary in there, can we afford to hire them? I don't think we have enough money to hire them."

"That is true… Not for a long battle, at least. Right now, I have ten thousand pouches in me, and I think Flik has some money as well. We can hire them for one battle only, and we can't hire them for more than five days if we go by what we usually ask our employee."

"That means we need to hire them a few days before the fight then."

"Yes."

"Then I think you or Flik should go and search this band of mercenary to confirm if they are still near the Badland walls. While one of you search for the mercenary, the other will search for the remnant of Muse soldier around the land."

"Sounds good to me. What do you think, Flik?"

Viktor and I look at Flik, who nods his head in agreement.

"Good, then Viktor Flik, you guys should pick three or five of our soldiers to accompany you in your journey. There should be fifteen horses in the stable right now, ready to use. You can also use that. The faster you guys come back, the bigger chance we are winning this fight."

"Yeah!"

"Roger that."

I then see Viktor and Flik run away from the meeting room to gather more soldiers for us. After seeing them leaving, I look at Tsai before saying.

"You say that we need iron, right?"

"Yes, I need more iron to create the weapon we need."

"I bring ten kilos of pure iron with me on my journey. Will it be enough?"

"Pure iron, you say?"

"Yes."

"Then it should be enough to make fifty or so spear."

"Perfect. I will go back to the Cave of Wind as I leave that iron in there. I will be back in a few hours."

"Then I will make a temporary smithing place for this job."

"Good. Let's do this"