Shepherd Wizard (Novel) - Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Discord
“A barrier caster… not very helpful in combat?”
“Well, with that much magical power, he should manage even without bloodline ability.”
As expected, the suspicious gazes toward Turan faded once his bloodline ability was revealed.
While there was a barrier caster vassal family among Zahar’s, by that logic there were over a dozen bloodlines to be suspicious of, so no one bothered thinking that far.
As the gazes relaxed somewhat, Turan felt the barrier caster bloodline’s power completely dissipate from his body.
‘Good, perfect timing. The practice paid off.’
When he first realized the Imitator Holy Relic’s true power, he absorbed ten nobles’ worth of magical power in the underground labyrinth, including their bloodline abilities.
The composition was three hunter-pursuers, one illusion, one berserker, one healer, and finally four barrier casters.
There were so many barrier casters because that was the bloodline ability of the family that ruled Banipel, the city with the gods’ tomb.
They had even sent their family head rushing in to rescue Ferga at the time.
During his time as Kalamaf’s guardian, Turan had already experimented with several things using Zahar’s magic which held little value since he already possessed it, and the excess barrier caster magic.
One surprising discovery during this was that the holy relic didn’t necessarily need to consume a full person’s worth of magic power.
While manifesting full power like with the history bloodline required drinking a full portion, simple tricks like earlier only needed a few drops.
Even excluding what was lost in various experiments, about three and a half portions remained, so mimicking barrier caster abilities wouldn’t be difficult if used sparingly.
After a moment of silence, Meisa stepped forward and asked:
“Is anyone still not satisfied?”
“It’s sufficient.”
“I have no objections either, my lady.”
“Hmm.”
“Good. Consider this matter settled. Everyone to the meeting room.”
After confirming all nobles agreed, she led Turan and the other nobles to the meeting room in the center of Arabion’s camp.
It was fairly well equipped with tables and chairs, though their mismatched styles suggested they were taken from other ruined cities and villages.
“Now we’ll begin the strategy meeting. Project the battlefield.”
At Meisa’s command, one noble extended his hand over the table, and light flowed forth to project an image of a ravine.
This was the power of the illusion bloodline that could manipulate light delicately.
The same ability contained in the Imitator Holy Relic.
‘Wonder if I could do that with enough practice.’
While internally pondering this, he examined what kind of place the dwarves’ hideout would be as Meisa pointed to the projection.
“As you can see, their hiding place is in this ravine terrain. Last time we suffered heavy losses from sending too many troops into the narrow space. So this time only nobles and about a hundred skilled knights will enter.”
“Wouldn’t we need around 150?”
“That would include those still injured. They’d just be burdens against other races.”
“Still…”
“We killed nearly half their necromancers last time. That’s enough.”
After some discussion among the nobles, it was decided 120 knights would enter.
After discussing how to arrange formations, Meisa again ordered the illusion bloodline noble:
“The most important thing to watch for is the dwarves’ weapons. Some probably couldn’t see well in the chaos of battle, so show them.”
The second projection that appeared moments later was something Turan had never seen before.
A long metal device with several round tubes attached to the side and a long cylinder extending from the front.
At first glance it looked somewhat like a spear, but seemed too cumbersome to use that way.
“This is the dwarves’ magic device. When they use it, smoke erupts everywhere and metal pieces are fired. There are large ones they drag around and small ones they carry – even the small ones can be fatal if they hit knights’ vital spots, while the large ones can damage even nobles.”
The other nobles just nodded, apparently already familiar with this information.
After all, Turan was the only one here who hadn’t participated in the previous battle, so the explanation was likely for his benefit.
After introducing a few more of the dwarves’ bizarre magic devices like ones that spew sticky fire, the meeting ended.
“We enter as soon as the door opens three hours from now. If we wait longer, the casualties from the last battle will become undead and join the enemy.”
“Yes!”
“Dismissed then. Turan, come with me for a moment.”
Perhaps because she called him separately at the end, the nobles glanced at Turan and Meisa while dispersing.
* * *
The upper floor of the hastily constructed barracks had a room Meisa used as personal quarters and office.
She closed the door and surrounded the office with wind to prevent sound from leaking, then shed her cold expressionless mask and exclaimed:
“How did you use barrier caster bloodline ability just now? Don’t tell me you succeeded in recreating it through practice!?”
Back when they practiced magic together at the Berk mansion, she had taught Turan various magics trying to help find his bloodline ability.
Since barrier caster magic was among them, Meisa knew he couldn’t have that bloodline.
Having anticipated this question, Turan answered without hesitation:
“Of course not. It was a magic device.”
“But for that kind of thing, there wasn’t any trace at all…”
While magic devices that directly affected the body like the Guardian device might be unnoticeable, those that worked externally showed clear traces of bloodline magic.
For example, recreating pyromania ability would show fire emerging from the device rather than around the body.
If he had used a device to create barriers, the nobles would have surely noticed.
But the Imitator Holy Relic showed no such unnatural signs.
That’s because it truly granted temporary bloodline abilities.
Despite traveling quite extensively, Turan had never heard stories about powers that could steal or mimic bloodline abilities.
That’s how rare this item was.
“It’s a special item. Though it has quite a few restrictions so I can’t use it freely.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you’d use something like that? We could have coordinated beforehand.”
“I wasn’t sure whether to use it or not. I wasn’t planning to reveal it if they accepted me readily, but seeing their attitude, it seemed they wouldn’t accept me without showing a bloodline ability.”
The pressure of having untrustworthy allies behind would have tremendously negative effects in battle.
Since the attacking side wouldn’t need barrier abilities much anyway, he judged it better to use it to reassure them.
Thanks to that, they wouldn’t worry about Turan suddenly going invisible to strike their backs.
While explaining, Turan noticed a faint look of relief cross Meisa’s face.
He could guess the reason.
During their time at the Berk mansion, while appearing indifferent to most things, she had been full of pride and competitiveness about magic, considering herself the best.
She had even attempted corruption magic to the point of fainting.
So when she thought a rival she considered her equal had reached the level of recreating bloodline abilities through skill, she was shocked, then relieved to learn she wasn’t falling behind.
Since people kept coming to see her, likely due to her many duties as subjugation force commander, Turan left to avoid troubling her further and went to find Keorn.
He sat alone among magic lamps so bright they were almost painful to look at.
“Sir.”
“Ah, Turan. From what I heard, the talk went well.”
“Yes.”
Unlike Meisa, he didn’t ask how Turan mimicked barrier caster power.
It wouldn’t be strange for anyone to overhear conversations here.
So instead of any sensitive talk, Turan simply repeated what he’d heard earlier.
“They plan to attack in three hours, taking all nobles and 120 of the strongest knights.”
“Good thinking. Based on last time’s experience, more numbers would just be useless. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to join you.”
“Were you ordered to standby?”
Though aged, Keorn had no injuries and excellent magic power, making him a sure pick for an elite force.
The old knight nodded glumly at Turan’s question.
“Would’ve been nice to fight together, but it’s shameful for an old man to send young people to battle while staying behind.”
“I guess Hero Keorn dying against mere dark elves wouldn’t look good.”
“Right. Until now they let me fight in relatively safe places, but this battle won’t allow for that.”
Perhaps not in the mood for jokes, Keorn just sighed deeply rather than showing embarrassment at mention of the play featuring his name.
“Then while you stay here, could you watch Bije until I return?”
“Planning to leave her?”
“Yes. The terrain isn’t good, and I’m worried about those dwarven magic devices hurting her.”
The ravine where enemies hid had strong turbulence above and winding terrain that made flight difficult even for Arabion nobles.
In such conditions, getting hit by metal-shooting magic devices would surely be dangerous.
He could trust Keorn with Bije.
“I’ll guard her with my life. Return safely.”
When Turan pulled out the stick Bije was perched on and handed it to Keorn, she clacked her beak as if protesting but didn’t throw a tantrum.
Having heard the meeting beside them, she seemed to understand she could become a burden.
“Smart one.”
[Come back soon!]
When he patted her head appreciatively, Bije carved the words into the wooden wall.
* * *
“Move out.”
At Meisa’s brief command, twenty-six nobles and 120 knights moved.
Their target was the dwarven lair where dark elves hid.
The vanguard consisted of the most powerful nobles including Meisa, Kadram, and Turan.
Relatively weaker nobles took the center while knights surrounded the sides and rear in an elongated formation.
It was the most efficient formation for breaking through narrow spaces.
After waiting a few minutes in that formation before a huge boulder, there was a cracking sound as the boulder split to reveal an incredibly deep ravine.
Turan let out a small gasp at the sight.
“Can’t believe I’m actually seeing this…”
Even the world travel journal’s author must have only heard legends of its existence rather than seeing this cave directly.
Moreover, the boulder’s movement gave no sense of magical power working even to the Imitator Holy Relic.
If the dark elves hadn’t left traces while fleeing here, it probably would have remained undiscovered indefinitely.
Shortly after, Arabion’s army entered the ravine with extreme tension.
The smell of blood and rotting corpses that hadn’t been detectable moments ago suddenly hit them.
Perhaps that splitting boulder had some mysterious effect concealing it.
Only faint traces of battle remained throughout the ravine – dried bloodstains and burn marks, but no corpses.
Arabion army corpses were likely taken to make undead, while dwarf and dark elf corpses were either eaten or buried by their own kind.
While observing this, the holy relic’s senses detected presences on both sides of the ravine.
The other side seemed to be noticing their entry and deploying troops.
Turan focused his senses on the approaching dwarf forms hundreds of meters away.
‘Quite… unique.’
Unlike the other race he’d seen with the holy relic, merman prince Armani, the dwarves’ magical structure was closer to the monsters seen in the underground labyrinth.
The only difference was their head flames being bizarrely tangled.
Could dwarves also be creatures made by gods?
While pondering this, Turan’s senses detected another type of being.
Similar to human form but with ears torn lengthwise up and down, and strange light flickering in the brain area.
‘Those must be dark elves.’
Though he’d met them before, this was his first time seeing them with the Imitator Holy Relic’s senses.
Only about twenty had light in their brains, likely the characteristic of necromancers.
Meisa must have noticed too, as she narrowed her eyes and raised her hand to stop the army.
“They’re coming. Prepare for battle!”
Turan smelled intense tension and fear from those around him.
Having suffered heavy losses from an ambush before, those memories must be flooding back.
With metallic clicks, holes appeared on both sides of the ravine as dwarves crawled out.