Badge in Azure

In the main tent, Lex was fuming as she interrogated a mage.

“Nash really said that?”

“Yes, Your Highness. If you want to cross the border from Strand, the army must lay down their weapons. He said that you can also choose to leap over the mountain, then you won’t have to bother him.”

“Nash’s father is a stubborn old man. To think that he is as obstinate and despicable. Okay, you can leave. Let everyone rest for a day first.”

After that the low grade mage left the tent, a middle-aged man emerged from the shadows.

“Viscountess… you are now a county queen, I should call you Your Highness.” That man who came out from the shadows was none other than the assassin called Bain.

“You cannot go assassinate the empire’s general. All of them are rebelling. Nash didn’t attack, he just didn’t let me pass through Fort Strand. If he has the ability to defend the west side, he must have a grand mage with him, or he might even have a sorcerer. You might not be able to get close to him.” Lex knew exactly what Bain was trying to do.

Lex was also helpless. She was planning to lead her swordsman’s camp past the border. If it was not for the invasion by the Goodrid City’s army, the nobles in Phoenix would not have obstructed her path. Now, Fort Strand was occupied by the Goodrid City’s army. The terrain there was tapered. If the troops could not pass through the city, then they could only climb over the mountains.

In such frigid climate, the soldiers could not withstand such a torture even if they did not have to transport the military supplies. After marching for half a month, some soldiers who originated from the south had even been injured by the frost. If there were not so many mages accompanying the army, the morale would have hit rock bottom.

“Your Highness…”

“Forget it Bain. Just call me Viscountess, I am more used to that,” Lex told the assassin who had followed her for dozens of years.

Bain swept his glance across the mages beside Lex. He stared intently at a middle-aged mage clad in a grey robe, making that mage shift about in uneasiness. Lex then said, “Bain, Basta is trustable.”

Basta was a grade-5 mage from the Sregl Island who had followed her back to Bitter Water Prefecture. This voyage had already taken six months, Basta himself was also getting anxious. Lex’s plan could not be accomplished in a day or two, so he could only bear with it for the moment.

“Viscountess, I don’t care about the empire’s laws. If Nash continues holding you here without letting you pass, your troops might be in peril. Him talking so much nonsense is akin to declaring war on you already. If you still cannot make a definite choice by tonight, then Nash will side with the law. By then, no one can say anything.”

“I am not worried about that. Fort Strand has a seven-story magic tower. Even though the mage is no longer around, Nash’s mages in the army can utilize it. Since the terrain here is narrow, there is also no use having more manpower than him.”

“At least you can make a stand first. If they still do not give the green light, I will poison them. Saleen had given me a prescription. If anyone below the grade of a swordmaster consumes it, they will quickly die off. The only treatment is to use the magic liquid.”

Bain’s method was plausible. Since both parties were hostile to each other, the other party would surely inspect the drinking water. On one hand, the serving of the magic medicine could not be too minute. On the other hand, if the serving was too big, it would be easily discovered.

In that case, the enemy’s offensive power should be reduced first. The principal commanders and mages would not be affected.

“Bain, I think the people in Holy Rock City are hoping for me to do that.” Lex calculated in her mind, “My tracks aren’t concealed from others. With a rough calculation, Nash will be able to lead his troops to seal off this place. If I cannot win against them, I can only use a farther route, since the other places might not let me pass. It is even more impossible to just wait here. The other party has about ten-thousand men, while I have ten-thousand elite soldiers excluding the support troops. It will be too prodigal using these swordsmen to attack the city. Uncle, you are forcing me to battle with you! In this battle, no matter the outcome, I have already lost half of it. Holy Rock City will no longer lend me any support in the future.” Prince Safilos did not have the right to seize Lex’s County Queen position, but he could control the nobles in the parliament and use them to isolate Lex.

“Your Highness,” someone called out from outside the tent.

“Yes?”

“I have captured a spy, he says he is from the north.”

“A spy? Bring him in.”

When Lex finished speaking, Bain had already vanished into the shadows. There were two other Black Metal Grand Swordmasters hiding in the tent. Lex was always very particular about her personal security.

When the captured person saw Lex, he hollered, “Viscountess, please let me go.”

Lex was jubilant. She recalled that he was a pirate who had been subdued by Saleen. At this moment, the pirate’s hands were bound by hemp rope and his weapon had been removed from his body.

A female mage called Narnia, stood beside Lex. She produced a wind blade in her hand, and then she cut the rope. The pirate had been trained by Saleen to be respectful. He bent his waist, bowing to Lex.

“Okay, get him a chair. Tell me, how did you get here?”

“Sir Saleen ordered us to receive you.”

“Us? How many people did Saleen deploy?”

“Five-hundred men, we are situated east of Fort Strand. Fort Strand had sealed off the main road, so we can’t pass through. Only a few people were sent to go around the mountain.”

“Only five-hundred men…” Lex got slightly despondent. If Saleen had dispatched more than one-thousand swordsmen, then a two-pronged attack could be executed. Lex could bluff so that Nash would open the road in that case. If Nash could let her pass, she really did not want to fight with him.

Noticing Lex’s expression, the pirate felt indignant, then he said, “Sir Saleen sent all his grand mages here.”

“Hnh…”

Someone in the tent could not stifle his laughter. That person turned out to be Hu An, a lifestyle mage serving Lex. Hu An was already very outstanding. After Saleen came to Bitter Water Prefecture, Lex turned her focus to grooming Saleen. Hu An had become less significant. Later on when Lex left, Hu An could not follow along. He had steeled his mind to stay in Bitter Water Prefecture, to help Lex manage the residence. Currently, Hu An was the leader of the lifestyle mages already, he had also advanced to grade-4.

Even though he pursued honor and fame, he never relented in his magic training. He was also a genius, his speed of advancement was really quick. After Lex went to Alchemy City, there were actually more mages in the Bitter Water Prefecture.

All these mages only had one notion in their minds. Holy Rock City had forced the Viscountess to leave. As a result, everyone protected Bitter Water Prefecture, so it did not wane. During this protracted period of time when Lex was not around, Bitter Water Prefecture actually became a place for mages to assemble in the central region of the empire.

Even though Hu An was only at grade-4, he had hundreds of mages and almost a thousand disciples under his command working for him.

When the pirate realized that Hu An was mocking Saleen, he could not conceal his outrage. Even though most people were fearful of a mage and Hu An was clad in a gray magic robe. That pirate had seen many mages daily, so he was not appalled by Hu An. The pirates stood upright, and told Lex, “The Viscountess might not think much of it, but I think it is impressive that Sir Saleen can still deploy five-hundred people after that battle.”

“Battle? What happened there?”

“A fleet from the eastern sea conducted a sneak attack, but it has been resolved by Sir Saleen.”

This time round, Hu An did not sneer. The eastern sea fleets had assaulted Lianyun City, and Lex knew about it. She led everyone across Phoenix’s borders, instead of allowing the mages to travel by sea because of that.

With a satisfied look on his face, the pirate said, “There were more than ten-thousand enemies and twelve warships. Sir Daniel and I have also slaughtered some people.”

“Mage Saleen has gotten so powerful already?” Narnia could not help but ask. Saleen’s domination of the three kings occurred only after Lex had left. Naturally, she would not know about it.

The pirate continued, “Sir Saleen has also deployed two magic chariots.”

“Magic chariots!” Lex stood up, she was really astounded.

“They were seized. Sir Saleen said that it is too expensive to produce these things.” After relieving his displeasure, the pirate felt much better. That mage in the tent was also no longer looking at him with contempt.

“Mm. Come, tell me what is the composition of these five-hundred people.” Lex began paying attention to Saleen’s reinforcements. If there were really two magic chariots, then they could hold out against the attacks from the magic tower for the time being.

“Two magic chariots, and there are twenty normal chariots carrying some equipment and supplies. There are also two-hundred of my brethren, and three-hundred barbarians. Each magic chariot is helmed by a grade-5 grand mage, with four grade-3 mages. Sir Daniel is here too.”

Even though Daniel was Saleen’s follower, he was also an outstanding mage in other people’s eyes. The pirates had been under Daniel’s command, so they had long regarded Daniel as their leader already. Whenever Daniel was mentioned, the pirates would speak in a more respectful tone.

“Viscountess, if that’s the case, we can give it a shot.” After listening to the pirate’s words, Hu An began instigating Lex.

Lex did not know how Saleen managed to recruit those barbarians. She thought to herself, “This must be all of Saleen’s assets already. If I allow them to attack from the east and too many casualties are sustained, then I will have let Saleen down.”

Noticing that Lex was hesitant, the pirate said, “Viscountess, all five-hundred of us plus the chariots are riding on skeletal warhorses. If we are losing, we can simply flee.”

The pirate divulged the trump card. The reason why he actually was not afraid of Fort Strand’s army was because the five-hundred man team could escape very quickly.

“Okay, then I will write a letter to Daniel. One of you shall follow him back and contact Saleen’s men. We will launch the offensive at night.” Lex was decisive. She just had to lay out the strategy, and the commanders below would be able to formulate a detailed battle plan. She did not need to worry excessively. That was the advantage of Lex’s background. She had all kinds of talent working under her, unlike Saleen who had to execute everything personally.

A grade-3 mage volunteered. Lex immediately penned a letter, asking Daniel to cooperate with her team to make a feint. Lex purposely highlighted to Daniel to monitor the number of casualties. If there was too much pressure, then he would have to retreat first.

Before long, the letter was completed. The pirate received Lex’s letter and left the tent with the grade-3 mage. The grade-3 mage wasted no time. He simply released a scroll, the Windspeed Skill, for the both of them. With that magic blessing, the two men were flitting as they sprinted towards the mountains.

Lex wrote another letter, and duplicated it using the magic images. Then, she handed it to Hu An and said, “Send this letter to Fort Strand. Whether or not they let us through, prepare to attack tonight.” This letter was Lex’s last warning. She knew that Nash would not let her pass, this gesture was simply a formality, a charade.