The Book Eating Magician - chapter-221

The empire’s Seven Swords were the only sword masters who would emerge
at this stage.

The swords which represented the empire, Andras’ Seven Swords… Hyde
and Lloyd had died, so two seats were empty. However, considering the
size of the empire, they could easily fill those seats. Additionally,
there were five sword masters remaining, so it wouldn’t be difficult
for them to infiltrate the troops.

Theodore was taut with tension as he thought about it. ‘Let’s say the
person is one of the empire’s Seven Swords. Then… which one is he?’

It might seem like a trivial question, but it was the most serious
problem. According to magicians, the Seven Swords possessed a power
equivalent to their number. The 7th Sword Lloyd and the 6th Sword Hyde
were considered the weakest among them if there were no errors in the
order.

Theodore decided to start a process of elimination.

‘It isn’t the 4th place.’

Pan Helliones was so impressive that Theodore couldn’t forget it.
However, even compared to Pan Helliones, the 1st and 2nd Swords were much
greater. In that case, this sword master could be everyone except for
number 4, 6, and 7.

Theodore recalled Veronica’s words about them, –Ah, Kid. It doesn’t
matter if it is No. 1 or No.2. The two of them might be the strongest in
Andras, but they shouldn’t affect you.

Theodore had questioned her, ‘Why?’

–Both of them don’t move outside Belfort, the capital of Andras. Even
in the last war, they never crossed the borders unless the emperor
ordered them.

‘If it happened in the past, they could act now…’

–No way. Well, if it does happen, you will be in big trouble. You
won’t be able to survive an encounter with them.

Veronica’s advice was ruthless and decisive.

‘It was cold, but she makes a lot of sense.’

He would definitely die against an opponent who was on her or
Blundell’s level. Theodore had only just awakened his Sorcery, so he
wasn’t on a level to face them. They were monsters when it came to
fighting. As such, the peak swordsmen of Andras were too powerful for the
present Theodore to face.

Then this meant the only ones remaining were No. 3 and No. 5.

Either way, Theodore’s artificially raised senses could catch even a
grain of dust. He would attack if the sword master took one step further.
A strong power rattled around the body of the determined Theodore.

As his string of tension was pulled tightly, the unidentified sword
master made an unexpected action.

‘Huh?’

The sword master placed his hands at the swords hanging from his waist.

Ching!

Then he didn’t hesitate to release the swords. The two swords fell to
the ground, producing a heavy metal sound. His intent was unknown, but he
had disarmed himself.

Even if he was a sword master, picking up dropped swords involved
unnecessary movements. A magician with exceptional mobility like Theodore
would be able to attack the sword master a few times before the swords
would be picked up.

Theodore’s expression became one of dumbfoundedness. ‘Is this a
trick?’

His opponent’s strange actions didn’t end here. The knight in black
armor raised a hand to the faceguard wrapped around his face. Theodore
didn’t feel any hostility, so he watched while maintaining a certain
distance.

Snap.

Finally, the faceguard was peeled away.

“Ah!” Theodore let out a cry of amazement when he saw the face of the
sword master. The sword master had a patchy beard but his face was
familiar.

“Randolph?”

“It has been a while, Young Master.” Randolph shrugged with a
familiar smile. “There are many things I want to share, but I can’t
afford to. Still, there is some time to explain. How about it?”

“…Please be as detailed as possible.” Theodore didn’t doubt
Randolph and lessened his magic power. His extremely sensitive senses
were telling him that Randolph was innocent. They had traveled together
for a long time, so he could tell when Randolph was lying.

“Okay, where should I start…?” Randolph sat down at a nearby tree
and frowned while picking up his words. Then he sighed and started
talking, “I will start from when I separated from you in the
wilderness.”

Shortly after separating from Theodore in the Sipoto wilderness, Randolph
had crossed Andras’ border. The level of the empire’s guards wasn’t
low, but mere soldiers couldn’t detect a sword master’s stealth.

As such, he had successfully passed into Andras and arrived at the
capital, Belfort, where he had encountered an obstacle—the empire’s
4th Sword, Pan Helliones.

“I was supposed to secretly sneak my sister out… but he is extremely
sensitive. As his disciple, she was always near him, and it seemed
impossible to bring her out without a fight.”

Randolph had been forced to choose. Should he cause friction and try to
pull his sister out, or wait for a chance to appear in the long-term? He
had secretly hidden on the roof of the knights’ area and found a reason
to make his decision.

“I saw the empire’s 2nd Sword, Zest Speitem.” Randolph’s voice
trembled involuntarily. He had only seen Zest from a distance. However,
before Randolph had even been able to blink, Zest’s sword had already
arrived at his throat.

If Rebecca hadn’t been there to prove his identity, Randolph would’ve
died right there. There was a huge difference between their skills. They
were in a metropolitan area, but he would’ve died no matter what he did.

“So, I decided to wait. I became Andras’ knight and waited for an
opportunity to escape with Rebecca. That was the only option I could make
in that situation.”

“…You have gone through a lot of trouble.”

“Well, I didn’t know that chance would come so soon!”

Hearing the depressed voice suddenly become cheerful, Theodore was
confused. “Huh? Opportunity?”

“I met Young Master again! I wanted to, but I really didn’t know we
could meet,” Randolph said. Then before Theodore could reply, Randolph
continued speaking, “Listen to me, I’m not the only one sent here
from Andras. I am accompanied by Pan Helliones, who is trying to test my
loyalty, and Rebecca is accompanying him.”

“Are you serious? Is it because she is his disciple?”

“I guess so. I can’t do this alone. But the story is different if
both of us work together.”

The command from the Andras Empire was simple: intervene in the Soldun
civil war to prevent Meltor from taking advantage, and don’t allow them
to take any further action. Randolph’s persistently passive attitude
was also due to this order.

However, what if there was a variable which could force Pan Helliones to
move? A crusader and Randolph should be sufficient, but what if the
situation turned disadvantageous?

‘Pan will have to get off that heavy butt of his.’

The emperor’s orders were the highest priority, so Pan Helliones would
place intervening in Soldun’s civil war above watching Rebecca.
Meanwhile, Randolph could use that chance to free his sister from the
empire.

Theodore looked at the premise of the operation and nodded. “It is
possible. Do you have any means of communication?”

“No, that…”

“Take it.” Theodore threw over to Randolph an earring which was
attached with communication magic. “You can just hold it in your palm
without wearing it.”

“Oh, is that so? I will use it well.”

“Let’s talk longer next time.”

Randolph said goodbye before putting on his faceguard again. He picked up
his swords and looked exactly like a knight once more. Then Randolph ran
in the opposite direction. The black armor receded in an instant, and
Theodore sighed.

The serious situation had happened so fast that his breath was taken away.

“Ah, my body is very exhausted.”

However, this wasn’t the end. Theodore now had to enter Atron estate
and convey word to the prince. He sighed heavily and flew toward the
estate. It was a complex and tiring day.

* * *

“Ohh, Sir Ted! No, now it is Sir Theodore!”

“Are those trees from you? Thank you in the name of the king.”

Theodore arrived at Atron Manor and received great hospitality from Baek
Jongmyung and Prince Elsid. It wasn’t surprising since they had been
contacted by Marquis Piris in advance. It seemed like they had more
questions about the suddenly rising trees, rather than Theodore’s
appearance.

In particular, Prince Elsid’s attitude was very different from before.
Was it because Theodore’s identity was clear? Theodore was now
approached with a friendly attitude, different from when he had been an
uninvited guest.

“Sir Theodore, I would like to say one thing if it isn’t impolite.”

“Speak.”

“There are a lot of strategies that can be developed when looking at
the forest that you created. What is the limit of that power?”

“It is difficult to say in detail but…” Theodore said and then
worried for a second before replying with a half-truth, “Except for the
trees that fit the ecosystem of the land, everything else will soon
wither away. My elemental has also consumed too much power today, so I
can’t use the same method for a while.”

It wasn’t a lie. Mitra had a limit in controlling the power of life, no
matter her divinity. The forest, which was growing at present, was just a
temporary measure and probably wouldn’t last for more than a few days.
Additionally, Mitra had fallen asleep, and Theodore’s magic power was
quite exhausted. It was too risky to use it again when he had to engage
with the empire’s Seven Swords.

Elsid made a regretful expression when he heard the decisive answer.
“Umm, it is too bad.”

“I’m sorry that I can’t meet your expectations, Your Majesty. Then
what about your wound, Marquis Baek?”

Baek Jongmyung looked at his bandaged left arm with a grim expression and
sighed. “It… Isn’t it obvious without needing to speak?”

“I understand.” Theodore understood the meaning from Baek
Jongmyung’s heavy tone and entered the manor. It was difficult to speak
about it in front of the troops. A sword master was a force which could
control the morale of the entire army. If such a person were known to be
seriously injured, morale would fall instantly.

Unsurprisingly, the wound underneath Baek Jongmyung’s bandage was
terrible.

“…This is serious.”

The left arm had broken bones as well as torn ligaments and muscles,
while the nervous system was just on the verge of necrosis. It was a
wound which seemed to have been caused by the hammer of an ogre, rather
than a human swordsman. Proper treatment from a magician would take more
than a month, and there would still be aftereffects.

He wasn’t in a state where he couldn’t fight, but he wouldn’t be
able to last 10 minutes against Ruben with this body. Theodore’s
expression hardened at the sight. Meanwhile, Baek Jongmyung sighed.
“This is my fault, Your Highness. I knew my opponent was an expert in
the sword but…”

“Don’t blame yourself, Marquis. It was my decision that sent you
there, so I must bear the burden.”

“Your Highness…!”

The two people were being melodramatic, but Theodore didn’t like this
atmosphere and looked at the palm of his left hand. He saw that the two
people weren’t paying attention to him, so he took something out.

‘Appraisal.’

[+16 New Advanced Recovery Potion (Medicine)]

[-This is a new potion made by the hands of the alchemist, Paracelsus. It
is possible to rejoin cut areas or revive a nervous system which
experienced necrosis. It will restore all injuries, except for brain
damage and central nervous system defects. Currently, there is no way to
produce it.

* The rating of this potion is ‘Treasure’.

* When consumed, the body will greatly recover from any damage.

* When applied, the damage at that site will heal rapidly.

* In order to create this potion, the ‘Alchemy (Best)’ skill and
‘Paracelsus’ Research Laboratory’ is needed.]

This was a potion Paracelsus had made. It had been common in the Age of
Mythology, but it was impossible to determine its value in this age. The
potion was rated Treasure and could be compared to an elixir.

Nevertheless, Theodore handed the potion to Baek Jongmyung without any
hesitation and said, “Drink half and sprinkle the other half on your
wounds. It will be effective in a minute.”

“…This is clearly not an ordinary potion!” As a sword master, Baek
Jongmyung could tell the value of the liquid that Theodore handed him and
wondered if he could drink this. However, Theodore had more in his
inventory, so he just waved his hands like it was nothing.

Right now, a sword master was more important than a potion.

“You can pay me back later. Right now, Lord Baek’s power is needed.”

“Well, it will be awkward to keep refusing. I will receive Sir
Theodore’s grace.”

Baek Jongmyung bowed his head and healed his left arm, while Prince Elsid
and Theodore continued talking about the battlefield. Before leaving
Piris, Theodore had heard about how Orta would move in the future.
Theodore’s purpose was to pass this information to the Atron Estate and
protect Prince Elsid.

Theodore delivered Orta’s words, “The White Tower Master is planning
to start at the three captured estates and will move to deal massive
damage to Duke Cornwall’s forces. Atron simply needs to hold out until
then.”

“Will the duke’s forces before us really retreat?” Elsid was
skeptical. He knew his value. As the King in a chess game, the civil war
would be over if the prince was caught. So, the duke would try to catch
him here, even if his forces took a lot of damage. Otherwise, there was
no reason for him to have dragged a large army to Atron in the first
place.

Theodore would’ve made the same judgment, but this time was different.

“The troops will definitely retreat.”

“I’m curious. How are you so sure?”

“Wait a few more days. In any case, the duke’s troops won’t be able
to approach until the trees disappear.”

Theodore could understand Elsid’s doubts, but he could answer with
conviction because he realized something. After awakening his
‘Sorcery,’ Theodore realized that less than half of the competency of
White Tower Master Orta, the leader of the white tower, had been revealed.

* * *

Theodore’s prediction came true after seven days. Duke Cornwall’s
forces were able to approach the estate when the forest disappeared.
However, they retreated suddenly. Atron sighed with relief, but it was a
huge loss for Duke Cornwall. The loss of troops was small, but there was
an enormous cost associated with moving such a big army.

This battle shifted from checkmate to an ordinary check.

It took exactly six days. In that time, eleven estates, which were around
the three estates on the border area, fell. Orta and the magic troops dug
precisely at the estates’ vulnerabilities and killed the knights at
each estate.

Using his excellent mobility, Orta attacked the next goal before they
could receive news of the attack. Then he left troops at the rear to
build up defenses and kept advancing while repeating this.

It was Orta’s unique military style.

In the end, the duke was furious and forced to retreat to Marquis
Fergan’s estate. From the position of the nobles, there were two mice,
and one of them was stealing from their rice bowl.

Following this, both camps were quiet. The first full-scale battle of
Soldun’s civil war entered a short lull after a few surprises from the
royal faction.