A year had passed since that evening at the party.
I was fifteen now, and my enrollment at the Magic Academy was fast approaching.
For the past year, I had been under Claude's enthusiastic—well, borderline obsessive—tutelage. I’d managed to analyze the magic formulas recorded in the Imperial Book of Weather Control and had even seen success in several experiments.
Still, that mysterious woman had yet to show her face.
I found myself in my father's study at sunset, answering a summons.
"The day you leave for the Academy is finally drawing near," he began.
Enrolling in the Academy was a major turning point for many young nobles. By extension, it was a turning point for their houses as well.
It was only natural for expectations to weigh heavy on me. I’d inherited the heterochromia of our bloodline and grown into a potent mage. Given that House Kronstadt had been lackluster for the past several generations, my father clearly viewed me as his chance to hit a come-from-behind grand slam.
"As the heir to House Kronstadt, I expect you to take the initiative. Look five years into the future and build the relationships you will need."
I didn't really care about any of that, considering I was busy putting every ounce of my effort into avoiding death flags and mastering Ancient Magic. Besides, since the central figures in the original game were almost exclusively members of the Hero Faction, I had no desire to get close to them. Restoring the family's prestige was going to be a tall order. Sorry, Father!
As we were talking, the sound of hurried footsteps burst into the room.
"My lord! A Wyvern has appeared in Leitera on the frontier!" Hans, the butler, reported with a pale face.
A Wyvern was a magical beast similar to a dragon, though it lacked forelegs, possessing instead a pair of massive wings. They could fly, spit Wind Breath, and even carried a venomous stinger at the tip of their long tails.
In the original game, they hadn't been much of a threat since the characters only encountered them after leveling up, but to ordinary people, they were incredibly dangerous monsters.
"We cannot ignore a sighting in Leitera. I authorize the mobilization of the Knights Order. Make the arrangements."
"At once, sir!"
Leitera was a vital agricultural hub for the Kronstadt Territory. It was our breadbasket—the region's literal lifeline.
My father turned his gaze toward me. "Albert, you will go as well."
"Me?"
"There is no need for you to fight on the front lines. Do not give orders, either. Simply see what a battlefield looks like. Don't worry, a single Wyvern is no match for our knights."
I suppose it was a father's desire to give his prized son a taste of his first campaign to build his courage. And so, it was decided that I would accompany them.
Since this was an event taking place before the start of the Academy—and involved the inner workings of the doomed, minor House Kronstadt—I didn't have any specific knowledge about how this was supposed to play out.
I just hoped nothing would go wrong.
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A unit of the Knights Order was organized, and I headed to the site on horseback.
My father remained at the Kronstadt mansion. It wasn't an act of cowardice, but a logical decision; there was no reason for the "CEO" to be on the front lines.
Riding beside me was the unit captain, a man named Galfried.
He was a battle-hardened knight in his mid-fifties and the instructor who had taught me swordsmanship. His tanned, dark skin was covered in countless scars, and his sharp gaze testified to decades of experience.
"Albert-sama, please stay back from the front lines. You are only here to observe. Is that understood?" Galfried said, making sure he had my attention.
"Of course. I won't interfere or give orders. I'll follow your lead and leave everything to you, Galfried."
"Thank you, sir," Galfried replied with a satisfied nod. I knew well enough that a young master who didn't know what he was doing would only cause trouble if he tried to play hero.
For this trip, I was strictly a guest.
Still, it wasn't a bad opportunity to analyze the combat strength of this era's knights. In truth, I wanted to fire off a quick Thunder Emperor's Flash to vaporize the Wyvern and then play it off with a "Wait, did I do something wrong?" but revealing that I could use Ancient Magic would be a massive headache.
After a few days of travel, we arrived at the agricultural lands on the frontier of the Kronstadt Territory. The vast wheat fields shimmered like gold in the evening sun.
"Oh! We have been waiting for you!"
The lord of Leitera came out to greet us. After hearing his detailed report, we headed out the following morning to exterminate the beast.
Everyone was in high spirits—over ten soldiers, and not a single one looked nervous.
"Galfried, are you not worried about the Wyvern?"
"If it’s just one, or even two, we won't lose! Honestly, it’s not even worth my time to step in. I’ll be staying right here to guard you, Young Master."
I see. They were confident. That was reassuring.
The Wyvern had reportedly nested in the mountains near Leitera. As we advanced across the plains toward the peaks—
"Captain! A shadow in the sky!"
A keen-eyed knight pointed upward. Just as he said, a black shape was cutting through the blue sky.
"The fellow has come out to meet us. How convenient!" Galfried laughed.
An armed group was approaching, so it wasn't surprising that a beast with experience fighting humans would show hostility. The shadow grew larger by the second, revealing itself as a massive, winged lizard. Clad in dark green scales, its body was at least ten meters long.
"Scatter as planned! Here comes the Wind Breath!"
The knights dispersed. True to his word, Galfried stayed by my side. "Hide behind me, Young Master!" he shouted, bracing his large shield.
The moment it closed the distance, the Wyvern unhinged its jaws and unleashed a gale.
The knights raised their heavy shields to block the Raging Wind. Even with Galfried protecting me, the sheer force of the gust nearly knocked me off my feet. A direct hit would have been lethal.
As if mocking us, the Wyvern swooped just above our heads. The vibration from its massive wings disrupted the knights' footing even further. As it gained altitude again, it opened its mouth for another blast.
Fighting an airborne opponent was a nightmare. Of course, the knights were prepared for it.
"Magic and bows! Fire at will!" Galfried roared.
The Knights Order didn't just rely on swords. There were specialists in archery and magic among them. Sheltered by the shields of their comrades, they stepped out and unleashed a volley.
Arrows and Magic Bullets peppered the Wyvern's hide. Unable to withstand the damage, the beast let out a shriek and plummeted to the ground.
"Now! Charge! Don't let it get back in the air!"
At Galfried’s command, the knights rushed the fallen beast. The Wyvern lashed out with its long tail, desperately trying to keep them at bay. It was a massive creature with immense vitality; it wasn't going to go down easily.
However, its size also made it an easy target.
The knights swarmed it from all sides, thrusting their blades into its flesh. Realizing it was losing, the Wyvern tried to take flight, but without a running start, it couldn't manage a vertical takeoff. Every time it managed to lift off slightly, a fresh volley of arrows and Magic Bullets knocked it back down.
The relentless assault slowly drained the beast's life. Finally, the massive body stopped moving.
"We did it!"
The knights broke into cheers.
Hmm, that was actually quite impressive. I’d been worried they might struggle, but their strategy was systematic. they had anticipated the Wyvern's moves and countered them perfectly. A total victory.
"So, Young Master? How was the view from the front row?"
"Impressive skill, Galfried. Well done."
"Hahaha! I just hope you weren't bored."
He was certainly relaxed. To be honest, I did want to get some real combat experience—Ancient Magic aside—but considering nothing could be allowed to happen to the Kronstadt heir, I couldn't blame him for being overprotective.
That relaxed atmosphere was shattered in an instant.
"W-Wait, what is that?!"
A knight's voice went up in a panicked scream. I looked up and saw several black shadows in the sky.
One, two, three...
Eight.
Eight shadows, identical to the one we had just killed.
"Captain! There are eight of them!"
The knight's voice was stripped of all composure. He sounded hysterical, bordering on despair.
You've got to be kidding me.
A heavy silence fell over the unit. Even I understood the gravity of the situation. In combat, numbers don't just add up; they multiply the threat. Facing eight enemies at once was infinitely harder than fighting one beast eight times. The sheer number of attacks would be overwhelming.
If they had struggled this much to bring down one, facing eight simultaneously meant only one thing.
Total annihilation.
"...Albert-sama, this is where we part ways," Galfried said, his voice deathly serious. "Leave the rest to us and flee. Think only of your own safety. Ride as hard as you can for the Kronstadt mansion. Do you understand?"