Chapter 9 Part 9
While Elia was examining it, Prosek was the first to offer the ancient book.
“Pardon me. I brought this for you because you left it behind.”
The ancient book he placed on the desk was the one Elia had intended to borrow that day.
“I could have just gone back to the library to get it myself…”
“His Highness requested I bring it since he thought you might not return.”
Prosek’s calm words caught her off guard. Elia rubbed the worn surface of the book. It seemed as old as the castle itself. No one knew if it contained what she was looking for.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll take my leave now.”
Prosek left the study as if his task was complete.
‘It must have been Varlan who told him to deliver it,’ Elia thought. She had nearly forgotten about the book. She stared at the ancient tome. Though it was about spirit summoning, it was uncertain if it contained anything about mental spirits.
Books on summoning nature spirits through affinity were rare but obtainable. However, information about mental spirits was extremely scarce.
‘Should I at least try reading it?’
Elia spent late hours turning the pages. Occasionally, the candle flickered in the breeze from the window, but her focus never wavered.
* * *
The next morning at dawn.
Elia joined the unit she was assigned to as a spirit mage. The surroundings were green, and although it was spring, the early morning air was chilly. She meticulously fastened her robe while on horseback.
‘It’s been a while since I wore a robe; it feels a bit unfamiliar.’
As she fiddled with her hood, she spotted a familiar face among the Silver Knights.
“Hey, Chelsid?”
Seeing him participating in the expedition suggested that his seclusion training was over. His sunken cheeks hinted at the hardships he had endured.
When Elia waved, glad to see him, Chelsid turned pale.
“Yikes!”
Chelsid, looking terrified, moved to the back and disappeared from her sight.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Did she have something on her face? Elia scratched her cheek and yawned.
‘Ugh, I’m sleepy.’
She had stayed up late last night, resulting in insufficient sleep. As she yawned again, Jacob chuckled.
“It seems you didn’t get enough sleep.”
“I had a book I wanted to read, so I stayed up late. But don’t worry, it won’t affect my spirit summoning.”
“Haha, I’m sure our spirit mage knows what she’s doing. I meant you should take care of yourself.”
He handed her a canteen. Elia accepted it and hooked it to her belt.
“Thanks for your concern.”
Despite being a long-established order, everyone was kind to her from the beginning. Elia took a sip of water. A brown horse moved beside her, ridden by Rien.
Rien also seemed to be participating in the last expedition, equipped with a wand and a dagger.
“Don’t overdo it. You’re not even getting paid.”
Despite his words, his fingers were adorned with rings of ruby and emerald.
‘He looks like a crow.’
He was always the same. Elia shook her head and stroked her horse’s mane.
“I can’t do that. This land is under my protection as long as it bears the Mahart name.”
“The young lord seems more concerned about your safety.”
Rien glanced at the spot where Chelsid had disappeared. Unaware, Elia shrugged.
“I want to protect Aksion too.”
Just as he had taken her in, she wanted to protect him. Rien frowned as if he had heard something unbelievable.
“Couples are terrifying. But I have my treasures. Right, Jeanne?”
He rubbed his cheek against his wand. The wand, carved from a solid magic stone, was decorated with various gems on the handle and body.
‘Is Jeanne the name of that wand?’
Believing she had heard wrong, Elia tried to ignore him. As Elia and Rien pretended not to know each other, Aksion and Duke Tartan led their respective knight orders. Next to Duke Tartan stood Sharon, blessing his knights with her vast divine power.
“Return safely in the name of the gods.”
A pure white light spread across the area. Elia, sensing the light, shuddered and hunched her shoulders. She seemed to make eye contact with Sharon.
“All units, advance.”
At Aksion’s signal, the Silver Knights moved. Elia also rode down the slope at the front.
Today’s goal was to search the largest forest in the north, the Croven Forest. Croven Forest, teeming with various monsters, was off-limits to civilians.
Located deep in the center, the entire unit had to pass through previously conquered forests. Fortunately, having already secured those areas, they posed no significant threat.
As they rode, Elia pondered the divine power she had felt earlier.
‘That divine power felt different.’
It spread more extensively than even the Gold Knights’ divine power, as if it aimed to protect the entire territory.
Coo. Coo.
Elia opened her pouch at the sudden noise. Inside, Fortune was happily rolling around.
‘Fortune should be averse to divine power, but he seems happy?’
Given Sharon’s significant influence, Fortune should have been affected. Yet, Fortune looked as if he was enjoying himself like he was drunk.
“We’re entering the first monster habitat.”
At Aksion’s words, everyone was on high alert. But the forest remained eerily silent as they ventured deeper. The thick branches blocked out most of the sunlight, making the forest dark and quiet.
After 30 minutes of riding, there was no sign of monsters despite Elia spreading her aura. The knights began to murmur.
“This is strange. Why aren’t there any monsters?”
“At this point, we should have encountered at least some lower-level monsters.”
Even the Gold Knights seemed uneasy. However, Tartan ignored the murmurs and commanded,
“Continue advancing.”
They moved deeper into the forest without encountering any monsters. An unsettling thought crossed Elia’s mind.
This was a monster habitat. So where had all the monsters gone?
‘My magic is leaking out.’
It felt as if an incomplete spell had been activated. Then, from a distance, the sound of galloping hooves reached them. The fast-approaching sound belonged to their ally.
“Urgent news! Monsters have attacked the territory!”
The knight who arrived in haste delivered the alarming news. The first to react was Aksion.
“Return to the territory.”
“Reorganize the formation!”
The Silver Knights retraced their path. As they hastened, a pillar of light became visible in the distance. Below it, monsters swarmed. However, an invisible barrier prevented them from entering the territory.
“What is that?”
“Those are real monsters!”
The knights drew their swords. Meanwhile, the monsters continued to press against the barrier, unable to penetrate it.
‘My spell is holding them back.’
But it was an incomplete spell. Monsters were filling the gaps in the barrier.
“Help us!”
A civilian who had ventured outside the territory screamed at the sight of the monsters. A fierce white light slashed through, severing the monster’s neck. Aksion’s sacred power enveloped his sword.
“Aim for the neck or heart. Kill them instantly.”
“Understood!”
The knights formed a line with the barrier behind them. Elia summoned Sasha to trap monsters in illusions, but there were too many.
‘This is abnormal.’
It seemed as if all the monsters in the forest were converging on the territory.
At this rate, the territory would be overrun. Then, a fierce wind blew from afar. Elia’s hood fell back.
“Spirit… Young Mistress?”
A knight stammered as he sought Elia’s help. Her golden hair, reminiscent of spring, blew wildly in the battlefield.
