Chapter 38

“Sylvia, did you say your sister was in the capital?”

“Yes, Your Highness the Fifth. Please, protect her from the Second Prince!”

Instead of Sylvia, Siadin answered instead. The sight of her shouting was so sympathetic.

“Isn’t the Fifth Prince’s main forces here in the Black Mountains?”

There was also an option to send a small number of people to use the Warp Gate of Marquis Crayer, but, even a wealthy aristocrat would incur burdensome costs. The Elves could not afford it.

That’s why Sylvia wanted to give up her sister’s life.

“Isn’t there a communication magic? The Marquis Crayer and me have the finest wizards.”

“I’m sorry, but aren’t all your men here? And the red tower and the blue tower are under surveillance. It’s going to be hard to move troops to save Arya.”

“You know a lot.”

“I’m sorry, I heard it all from his Highness the Second Prince.”

Raymond smirked at Sylvia’s response. Like what she have said, his people are all here and the Red and Blue towers are under surveillance by the other princes. But there’s one thing Sylvia doesn’t know.

“There’s one person I can move around in the capital, the Imperial Guards.”

It was Ivan Lowes, captain of the Imperial Guard.

He was almost sentenced to death for failing to respond quickly after the banquet hall was attacked, but as Raymond miraculously came to save the day, he managed to preserve his position and promised to do him a favor in return.

Raymond had forgotten it all this time, but thanks to Sylvia, he remembered it.

“You know where your sister is, don’t you?”

“Yes, I know exactly where she is.”

Sylvia answered Raymond’s question with a nod. She put a tracking spirit on her sister, Arya, in case a day like this comes.

It was such a small spirit that, not even the Second Prince’s men would not notice it.

“That’s enough. I’ll move the Imperial Guard, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

“Thank you, Your Highness the fifth.”

Sylvia bowed her head once again. He said he would save her sister. She thought she wouldn’t be able to see her anymore, but it seems that there was hope.

Even Siardin, who always thought of her honor and pride, bowed slowly with gratitude.

“Gesteine.”

“Yes.”

“Unlock them.”

“Do your really want to let them go?”

“They’ve been honest, so I’m going to show my trust.”

Raymond smirked as Gesteine looked at him, who seemed to be asking, “They could’ve run away.”

“Your concern will not happen.”

Raymond said with strong conviction.

Not only did he convey that he knows how to purify the world tree’s spring, but he also said he would save her sister, so if Sylvia doesn’t have any other thoughts, she will not run away from here or harm anyone.

“Do I also have to release the mana restraints?”

“Do it.”

“Okay, sir.”

Gesteine did not ask any more. He, along with Desia, unlocked Sylvia and Siadin’s restraints.

“You should not betray my trust.”

With the survival of clans and kinsmen at stake, Raymond didn’t they would have guts to betray him. He knew that and asked for a reassurance of trust.

“I think you know better than that. I cannot betray you under these circumstance.”

As expected, she is smart.

* * *

Sylvia and Siadin gained limited freedom as they were freed from the restraints.

Because letting the two elves roam the camp site was in many ways unreliable, Raymond assigned them some reliable Imperial Guard as escort and watch over them.

In order to minimize the confusion of all troops in the stronghold, he declared he would protect them under the name of the Fifth Prince, still he has some people watch over them.

Fortunately, Sylvia seemed to understand her situation here.

“Fifth Prince, can you trust those two elves?”

Shortly after Raymond declared protection to Sylvia and Siadin, the two tower Master came to his side immediately.

Red Tower Master didn’t say anything about the situation, but Lisefield Dior, the Blue Tower Master, was suspicious of them in many ways.

“They’ve been used, but they’re very involved in the assassination attempt against you. You shouldn’t trust them prematurely.”

“The old man seems to have a lot of distrust.”

“They are not ‘humans,’ Your Highness the Fifth.”

There was a lot of distrust in Lisefield’s eyes. Seeing it, Raymond spoke.

“Old man, aren’t you the tower Master of the Blue tower before you’re a Great wizard?”

“Of course, Your Highness the Fifth.”

“Then you know what world tree’s spring water means to the elves……?”

Lisefield could not immediately answer Raymond’s question. Hiss eyes were moving around and either looked at the Master of the red tower or Gesteine.

Finally, Berenus Kyle, the Master of the Red Tower, who was leaning against the wall as he watched the chaotic behavior of the Blue Tower, opened his mouth as he approached them.

“THe master of the blue tower is just concerned about the safety of your highness the Fifth.”

“Well, that’s right.”

At Berenus’ words, Lisefield nodded quickly.

“Yeah, it’s my fault I didn’t elaborate…….”

Gesteine and Desia were the only ones at the scene of the deal, except Sylvia and Siadin.

The two tower master did not know what had happened inside the barracks. Come to think of it, it was not strange that the Master tower owner was concerned about safety.

Raymond gave a rough explanation to the Master towers. His face turned pale when he heard that they wer holding them hostage by contaminating the world tree’s spring waters of the Platier Elven tribe.

“Your Majesty, I strongly recommend that you burn down the forests of those dammed elves.”

Berenus’ red eyes shone sharply. As if determined, his voice and gaze remained steady.

“If you approve, I’ll ‘clean’ the forest with all the troops with the red tower.”

Why were the tower owners overreacting?

After a short thought, Raymond was able to recall the reason.

“Red Tower.”

“Yes, Your Majesty the Fifth.”

“Is it because of the Tribal Union?”

“Yes, it would be detrimental to the Pilias Empire if rumors spread to them that your Highness had touched the world tree’s waters, which was the sanctuary of the Elves.”

He seems to have planned a murder destruction in fear that the honor of the Pilias would be damaged, not actually the safety of the second prince.

“You don’t have to do that.”

Raymond was firm with his plans.

“Fifth Prince, after the Great War, the tribes of the Western Continent were completely scattered and severed each other connection, but in the Eastern Continent’s Tribal Union remains strong. I’m afraid if they hear this happening in the deep woods, something unsavory will happen to the Pilias Empire.”

Unlike the Western continent, where humans command at the top, the Eastern continent was completely controlled by the Tribal Union.

The terrain of the two continent was different in the first place. Unlike the flat land of the western continent, most of the lands in the eastern continent is made up of deep forests, so humans there have been at a disadvantage since the beginning of the war.

“Red tower Master, you won’t be worried about anything.”

“Are you sure?”

Raymond grinned and nodded at Berenus’ question.

“In the near future, there will be no Tribal Union crossing the high mountain range.”

He was sure of it. In the three volumes of the novel ‘The fallen Empire’ the Tribal Union had never crossed the high mountain range.

The biggest reason was the patrols. Defeated in the Great War on the East Continent and driven into the high mountains, they contracted the Western Continent’s Protectorate of Steel to survive and in return they were given the mission of a patrolman to intercept tribal groups heading to the West Continent.

They never left the high mountain range, and unlike the Black Mountains, no one was able to enter the high mountain range, so the bordering countries only deployed troop.

The Ice tower of the Heifel Empire was also unknown. However, Raymond wouldn’t know their existence if he hadn’t read the novel.

“However, Your Highness the Fifth…….”

“Is there any record of tribal union forces crossing the high mountain range after the Great War?”

He thought it was faster to ask this question than to explain the existence of patrols.

“None.”

Berenus replied, nodding slowly. Even if he did not know the existence of the patrols, he had no choice but to shut up because the Tribal Union had never invaded the continent beyond the high mountain range.

“Then take my word for it. A Tribal Union cannot be our threat. Not yet.”

Although there were no traces of the Tribal Union till the novel’s third volume, there was still a “Possibility”. Therefore, if ever the author released a fourth volume when he came here there was a possibility of invasion from them.

However, he didn’t need to concern himself about it right now.

The Second Prince and his possible death at the end of the first volume was not yet resolved. It’s good to prepare for the future, but it wasn’t good to go too far.

“I’ll trust and obey your Highness, the fifth Prince.”

A short explanation of history as evidence was enough to make Berenus Kyle, the Master of the Red Tower, let go of their concern.

“All right.”

Raymond nodded with a satisfied look. It was unexpected that the red tower Master, not the Blue tower Master, overreacted, but the discussion was over anyway.

“This is settled, shall we move on to the next issue?”

Soon, where the gaze was directed, there was the Blue tower master, Lisefield Dior. He tried to turn a blind eye to him, but when Raymond didn’t take his eyes off on him, he ended up with an awkward smile.

“Do you need some communication magic?”

When asked by Lisefield, Raymond nodded and said.

“Secretly, can you get in touch with the Imperial Guard Captain?”

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***

The Imperial City was attacked twice. Since then, Ivan Lowes, the captain of the Imperial Guard, has spent days and nights tightening the city’s guard and increasing patrols.

Sometimes, he and his men checked the vigilance of the night.

Today, as usual, he was on his way back to his mansion after completing a vigilance check. He felt someone following him and took his hand to the sword handle hanging from his waist.

“You’d better come out in peace.”

Recently, security in the capital as well as in the Imperial Palace had been tightened. He was willing to put blood on the sword, turning swiftly in a direction he felt, and pulling it out.

A clear Aura erupted along the blade.

“I am Elias, the first elder wizard of the Red Tower. Do you have a minute?”

“What does the Red Tower need from me?”

Ivan’s attitude was cold even though he presented himself.

“There’s a lot of eyes around.”

“Is it enough to care about the other eye?”

At Ivan’s question, Elias nodded slowly and looked around. His keen sense did not convey any sign of others.

Even assassins would not be able to avoid the eyes of a Great wizard, so it would be good to borrow shadows under the darkness and deliver the words of the fifth prince here.

After rolling his eyes around and looking around one more time, Elias made a decision. He took a few steps toward Ivan and narrowed the distance.

“This is the message of His Majesty the Fifth.”

Ivan’s eyes glowed at Elias’s words. He owed the Fifth Prince.

“I don’t think that’s the right thing to discuss here.”

He had no choice but to hear him. Ivan Lowes, who served as the captain of the Imperial Guard, was a loyal servant to the Pilias Empire and the Emperor, as well as a supporter of the First Prince for the succession.

It was not good for others to see him talking to the Fifth Prince’s subordinate.

“Let’s go to my mansion for now.

There was a secret room in the mansion. All the people who work in his mansion are asleep, so there was no concern that a wizard of the red tower visited was exposed.

Elias was not even dressed as someone from the red tower, he look like just a simple acquaintance from the bystander eyes.

Ivan entered the secret room of the mansion with Elias.

“Now tell me.”

“The Fifth Prince request to immobilize your men in the capital.”

“Why?”

“He want to rescue someone.”

Ivan frowned at Elias’s answer. The explanation was too short.

It did not even met the required information to mobilize the Capital Guards, let alone the Imperial Guards. Shouldn’t he at least confirm that it doesn’t harm the First Prince?

“I need more explanation.”

Ivan asked for a supplementary explanation, and Elias gladly nodded and continued. Of course, he didn’t tell him that this was connected to the second prince.

In the first place, Raymond, the Fifth Prince, did not tell Elias about the Second Prince.

The connection between the Second Prince and the Kingdom of Edgar could not be proved yet without enough evidence.

“……that’s all. Now it’s up to Lord Ivan’s choice.”

The explanation was over and Elias left the mansion in a hurry. Ivan, who was left alone in the secret room, agonized for a long time, and soon took the sword he had left next to him and left the secret room.

“Right now, call the Imperial Guards and the Capital Guards!”