Golden Mage - Chapter 72

Volume 3, Episode 12

Chapter 4: The Radiant Knights

In the powerful stronghold of the northern continent, the Tower of Juktap and the Grand Master Truel of the Velosek Empire had a clandestine meeting. Juktap, with a stern expression, spoke up.

“I didn’t know the reason for the failure to kill King Torean, but now the truth is revealed.”

Truel also nodded with a serious expression.

“I never expected that a Matapju would appear in the Torian Kingdom. Most likely, it was the Matapju’s interference that caused the failure.”

They had deployed three Sword Masters and fifty knights to eliminate King Torean. Even with the presence of the top-tier Sword Master, Duke Lyas, stopping them would have been nearly impossible.

However, the mission failed.

Originally, it wasn’t a difficult task. Even though Torean was slightly more powerful in the western region, he was no more than a backwater king in terms of magic prowess. Removing him should have been a simple matter for them.

But they failed, indicating the presence of something they didn’t know.

And the probability of that being related to the appearance of the new Matapju was high.

Although it was nothing major, failure was still failure. It would be a flaw in their path forward and could cause them to lose the trust of the Master they served.

No, even if they didn’t lose trust, others wouldn’t just sit still.

Truel emitted a dazzling light, and an aura of power exuded from his whole being as a Grand Master.

“We can’t lose the Master’s trust over such a trivial matter. I will personally go and take King Torean’s head.”

However, Juktap restrained his actions. He had a different idea.

“I don’t think it’s necessary to do that. The Holy Knights from the Sacred Kingdom have entered the Torian Kingdom. They’re searching for the Holy Maiden, so we can make use of that.”

Truel’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“The Holy Knights?”

Juktap smiled, his lips curling up.

“Yes, the elite Radiant Knights from the Sacred Kingdom have entered the Torian Kingdom. We can use them to assess the strength of the newly emerged Matapju. And…”

A glint of fire ignited in Juktap’s eyes. He was also upset about the failure, believing it had tarnished his reputation as much as Truel’s.

“We can assess their strength and then take action ourselves. Just the two of us.”

A smile formed at the corner of Truel’s mouth. This passionate Matapju shared his thoughts.

“Agreed, I feel the same way.”

The two of them exchanged glances and shared a smile once more.

Meanwhile, the Radiant Knights, under the watchful eyes of the 8th-class mage and the Grand Master, arrived at the capital of Torian, Verdis.

“Hehehe…”

King Redolph wore an awkward expression as he looked at the person in front of him.

A seemingly ordinary middle-aged man dressed in pure white attire, with a modest appearance at first glance. However, this man was Bollec, one of the twelve high priests of the Gaia Kingdom.

King Redolph felt a tingling sensation on his scalp and spoke up.

“So… you mean to say that the Holy Maiden designated by the prophecy is likely here in our kingdom, High Priest?”

The Gaia Kingdom was similar to the Torian Kingdom in terms of territory and military might. However, the difference lay in the quality of their armed forces—faithfully armed Holy Knights compared to ordinary soldiers.

Moreover, the Gaia Kingdom possessed one of the top ten Grand Masters on the continent, giving them far more influence than the Torian Kingdom. This made it impossible for King Redolph to easily dismiss the words of Bollec, who was equivalent to a marquess in the Torian Kingdom.

Seeing King Redolph’s expression, Bollec nodded with a serious expression.

“Yes, that’s correct. We have thoroughly searched the surrounding countries in case the Holy Maiden was in a different location. If she has been chosen as the Holy Maiden, by now, she would be emitting a strong divine power. Since we didn’t detect it, it’s highly probable that she is here in the Torian Kingdom.”

“Um…”

King Redolph massaged his temples, his mind lost in thought. He was troubled by how much support he should provide to cooperate with the Gaia Kingdom. If a powerful Holy Maiden were to enter their kingdom, the power of the Gaia Kingdom would undoubtedly increase significantly.

However, being near such increased power would inevitably mean weakening for other countries. This made King Redolph feel quite uneasy.

Bollec, a seasoned traveler to various kingdoms, was well aware of the king’s concerns. Though he didn’t know exactly what was worrying King Redolph, he knew the king was pondering how much support to offer. With a calm tone, Bollec spoke.

“We don’t need too much support. We just need a guide to assist our Holy Knights when they enter each region of your kingdom.”

“A guide?”

King Redolph looked at Bollec, as if to ask what he meant.

Observing the king’s expression, Bollec recalled several similar conversations he had in the past and began to explain.

“Since the Holy Maiden emits an immense divine power, unlike any other priest, anyone who enters the affected area would sense it. Therefore, they would feel significant constraints when casting spells, excluding you and your companions. If anyone were to invade this area, it would be difficult for them to fully unleash their power.”

“Is that so?”

King Redolph nodded in agreement. If the area was affecting anyone who wasn’t a magical powerhouse like himself and his companions, then he could see the potential benefit in using such a constraint.

He mulled over several thoughts in his mind.

“Could it be that the Matapju and the Holy Maiden are related? If that’s the case, they might also be puzzled by the emergence of the Matapju. How do I deal with this…?”

The Gaia priest didn’t seem to have considered this possibility yet. Deciding to contact El and relay the information, King Redolph suggested to Bollec.

“I will issue orders to each territory to cooperate as much as possible. For today, please rest.”

Bollec didn’t decline the king’s offer. Although he had an abundance of divine power, he wasn’t a knight, so his physical strength wasn’t as well-trained.

After a long journey, he was quite exhausted. He gratefully bowed his head to King Redolph.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

King Redolph smiled gently, as if it was nothing.

“We’re hosting the Holy Maiden, bringing peace to the continent. It’s only natural to help.”

Bollec responded with a warm smile.

“The Gaia Kingdom will not forget Your Majesty’s assistance.”

Finally, it was done!

El wiped the sweat from his forehead and joyfully murmured to himself. The plan he had simultaneously worked on while establishing the Matapju was finally complete—the task of setting up a barrier encompassing the entire Troll Valley.

It had taken a considerable amount of time to establish the barrier. The 7th-class mage El and 6th-class mage Cilfir worked diligently on it for a whole year. But considering the vast size of Troll Valley, where even a whole city could fit, one year to complete such a barrier was relatively fast.

“Now this place is safe.”

With eyes filled with satisfaction, El scanned the Troll Valley.

El’s barrier wasn’t just a simple one. It utilized the formulas of the Earth Element that no one else possessed, overlaid with powerful defensive spells. Moreover, by slightly twisting the flow of mana, it would impose significant constraints on any mage except for himself and Cilfir when they tried to cast spells. If anyone attempted to invade, they would struggle to unleash their full power.

“You’ve worked hard, Mom.”

El smiled warmly at Cilfir. If not for her, it would have taken at least twice as long to set up the barrier.