044

“Ulf. Do we send the wolf unit?”

A druid with deer antlers on his head approached Ulf.

“No, it’s fine.”

Ulf sat down on a natural chair made of vines, looking tired.

The druid who was looking around clicked his tongue.

“It’s a mess. It seems to have been a long time since the great forest was invaded like this.”

The surroundings were in a state of chaos, as if great magicians had fought.

There were no trees left in a 20m radius.

Huge trees were broken and had fallen in all directions.

But what supported a falling giant tree was also a giant tree.

The fallen trees were leaning against other trees at an angle, and they would probably slowly break and be absorbed into the ground if a storm or typhoon were to hit.

The ground was dug up in a mess, and dark-colored mud from deep within the earth was scattered all around.

What was surprising was that, in the midst of it all, not a single person was injured.

“They were considerate.”

“She was a person who rose to the rank of a nation’s Great General. And those who fought most fiercely under her.”

“Is that also something from the Wolf King’s prophetic dream?”

“That is so.”

Ulf and the Wolf King had hidden the fact that they had returned from the future.

There was a crucial difference between a prophetic dream and a regression.

It was their own failure.

Regression is the return of the failed, and a prophetic dream is to foretell the possibility of failure.

They were beings who had to unite the tribes of this great forest, conquer the Empire, and further, unify the world.

Failure was not an option for them.

“But no matter what, to be shown this much consideration is not good for our reputation. Those bastards, they have a much more superior swordsmanship than I saw in my dream.”

The aura of their sword-swinging was unusual.

Rozalin and Hati, who had returned to the past, were one thing, but even the mercenaries beside them had a different sword’s intent.

That was why they had escaped the great forest guarded by a 6th-circle magician with just a sword and basic magic.

‘Will was imbued in every part of the sword. They will soon realize mana.’

That was probably thanks to having secured Cassian, Pan’s master.

“I have been so busy carving out the festering parts of my body that I have forgotten the foreign troubles.”

Ulf slowly stood up from her seat and struck the ground with her staff.

With a thud, the flower on the staff emitted a mysterious silver-purple glow.

The trees that were leaning against the old trees slowly returned to their original positions.

The broken trees reattached to the stumps at their roots and regenerated.

The dug-up piles of dirt returned to their original places, down to the last grain, and new grass and moss grew in the torn-out spots.

No, it wasn't regeneration.

This was a skill that a 6th-circle magician had stolen by personally experiencing the miracle of time regression.

It is often said that 6th-circle magicians glimpse the order emitted by non-human beings, gods, celestial beings, or beings from the demon realm.

But Ulf glimpsed the order of humans.

And among them, the order of the most advanced human.

‘Spatial regression.’

She couldn’t do something as crazy as sending more than ten people back in time for more than ten years.

But she could erase the traces of a battle that had taken place just an hour ago.

And so, the ruined landscape of the great forest was completely restored.

In the meantime, the surrounding druids flocked to Ulf’s side.

It was a miracle they had seen dozens of times, but it was still amazing to see.

Above all, it was a miracle that restored even the giant trees, each of which was large enough to be called a world tree.

It was inevitable to feel a sense of awe every time they saw it.

“Tsk tsk. Why are you making such a fuss over that? Even if there was a magician, it was just a 3rd-circle. Weren’t most of them warriors?”

“There were many artifacts.”

“The golden bug is probably attached and supporting them. Well, he came over in the end too.”

“Aside from that Imperial noble named Rozalin, are you saying that the Goldline’s reach extends to the mercenary guild of the western desert?”

“To be precise, it's the youngest son of the Goldline. Avril Goldline. A guy like that would be willing to make this kind of investment.”

While Rozalin was dodging her spells here and there, a mercenary guild had suddenly rushed in.

It was a movement that even the druids of the great forest had not been able to grasp.

The most powerful mercenary guild in the western desert region and the Firestorm Mercenary Guild, which had fought at the forefront of humanity 10 years later.

And at their head.

His skills were somewhat lacking and crude, but his sparkling eyes could be clearly seen even in the darkness of the great forest.

‘It was Pan.’

Ulf waved her hand, and a paper bag that had fallen somewhere on the floor fluttered and flew to her.

It was the letter Rozalin had brought.

‘Well then, let’s see what kind of mischief those people have cooked up together.’

Her interest was piqued.

* * *

The winter vacation at Akarind Academy was always quiet.

The number of students remaining in the dormitory was less than 40, which was 10% of the total 400 students.

Most of the students had returned home for the opportunity that came only twice a year.

The remaining students were either orphans, children of traveling troupes or wanderers, or outcasts from their families.

And most of these students were passive and quiet.

That was why the village was quiet.

But for one day.

There was a time when not only Akarind Academy but the entire Akarind territory was lively and bustling.

It was the graduation ceremony of Akarind Academy.

From the morning, the entrance to the territory was busy.

Soldiers in armor that had been polished for days stood in front of the city walls, greeting people.

In front of the entrance, dozens of people were lined up from early in the morning.

From commoners who seemed to have finished a hard journey, to four-horse carriages with family emblems engraved on their outer walls.

The nobles lined up in front of the central gate, and the merchants and commoners lined up at the commoner’s entrance, a little away from the central gate.

“The carriage of Marquis Catrind of the Belmein Kingdom has been confirmed. How long do you plan to stay in the territory?”

“One day. We’ll leave as soon as the graduation ceremony is over.”

“Would you not like to arrange an audience with the lord?”

“Tsk.”

Paul, the head butler of the Marquisate of Catrind, frowned at the guard captain in front of him.

“A mere knight’s title noble, Viscount Akarind, should be coming to see the Marquis, what’s with this? Do you think our Marquis would have even visited this rural territory if it weren't for the graduation ceremony?”

He was being so arrogant because Marquis Catrind was an administrator who worked in the royal treasury.

The Akarind territory, which collectively referred to the area including Akarind Academy, was an administrative district created arbitrarily for the education of Akarind Academy.

Therefore, a knight’s title noble, not a hereditary noble, was dispatched to work here.

The current Viscount Akarind was a commoner who had joined the knights and been appointed here after achieving merit.

No noble would come to greet a person with no lineage or connections.

The guard captain, who was well aware of these circumstances, did not feel any particular displeasure.

He had already been rebuked dozens of times today.

He was just asking because it was a procedure, and he had already expected this kind of answer.

“Understood. I will grant you entry. Please have a good time.”

And so, after the carriage of the Marquisate of Catrind passed, the person standing behind it walked forward with steady steps.

The guard captain looked at the person and chose his words carefully.

Usually, he would not have treated a person who had come alone without a carriage or a horse kindly.

This was a place that only nobles could pass through, and nobles usually traveled in carriages with several attendants.

But what confused the guard captain was the peculiar pressure emanating from the middle-aged man.

He had red hair like a lion’s mane, and a well-groomed red beard under his chin.

His shoulders were broad, and the armor he wore underneath was clearly full of luxurious decorations.

A sword was slung on his back, a greatsword so large it would be difficult to hold with one hand.

The red cape he wore, though old and frayed with dust, was so luxurious that its value could be recognized, and his gauntlets and greaves were light but had an air of luxury.

But there was something that exuded more pressure than his appearance.

It was the fact that all his armor showed signs of long use.

There were scars everywhere, and those scars were a mix of swords and monster claws.

Indeed, the middle-aged man’s gaze was as menacing as a monster’s.

“Uh, which family’s guest are you?”

He instinctively bowed his head.

The middle-aged man stroked his chin.

“I am Viscount Chestra.”

“Chestra……?”

The guard captain tilted his head.

It was an unfamiliar family name.

And for it to be unfamiliar to him, it was highly likely that the Chestra family was not included in this year’s list of graduating students.

The captain quickly gestured to the soldier beside him, and the soldier rummaged through the documents he had.

There was no family name Chestra.

“Don't be too flustered. None of my brats are graduating from here this year.”

“In that case……?”

“My son attends here. I came to see the teacher.”

“May I ask for your son’s name?”

“Bridget. His name is Bridget Chestra. He’s in the, what was it, basic class? He should be.”

Viscount Chestra grinned, revealing his teeth.

“I didn't know it was graduation time. Is it not possible to visit the school during the graduation ceremony?”

“N-no, it is possible. In that case, should I arrange an interview with the instructor in charge right away?”

At those words, Viscount Chestra let out a ‘hmm’ and scratched his chin once more.

“No, since I've visited the territory, I should see the lord here once. Isn't that proper etiquette?”

“Understood. Then I will leave a request for an audience. Could you please tell me your full name and status?”

“Hmm. I am Viscount Hafroin Chestra of the Empire.”

“……The Empire?”

The guard captain, who was writing down his name, looked up in surprise.

Even among nobles, the status of the Empire and the kingdom were different.

In the Empire, viscounts were mostly nobles who had distinguished themselves in the Empire’s wars of conquest, heroes who had led thousands in war.

“My apologies!”

He had made a grave mistake by not recognizing the family name of a noble from the Empire.

The guard captain’s face turned pale.

As he performed a military salute with a stiff body, Viscount Chestra patted his arm as if to say not to worry.

“It's fine. It would be strange if you recognized me when I came like this. Well then, may I enter?”

“I will guide you to the lord's castle! Jake!”

At the guard captain’s call, a senior soldier came running with a pale face.

Why did it have to be him!

“This soldier will be in charge of guiding you. After your audience, we will guide you to the academy!”

“I see. I'll be in your care.”

“Yes, yes, sir!”

It was a wonder he didn’t bite his tongue.

And so, a person like a storm moved inside the gate.

The guard captain and the other soldiers watched his retreating figure with pale faces.

“Ahem.”

And there was a cough that awakened them.

“M-my apologies. Please forgive our rudeness. We were momentarily flustered.”

“Tsk. It’s fine. I saw the situation from behind as well.”

It was a fussy-looking butler with a short, gray mustache on both sides.

“Where are you from and who are you?”

“We are from the House of Marquis Vürhelm of the Empire. The one who has come is the young master, Rodhilt Vürhelm, the eldest son of the Marquis and the one who will rule the great Marquisate of Vürhelm.”

“……! M-may I ask the purpose of your visit? As far as I know, the young lady of the Marquisate of Vürhelm, Lady Rozalin……”

“A school visit.”

The butler’s eyes shone.

“We have come for a school visit, just like the person before us. May we ask for a guide?”

On the day of Akarind Academy’s graduation ceremony.

Dark clouds were slowly gathering from one side of the sky.

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