Chapter 79: Whispers of War and Strange Powers

Chapter 79: Whispers of War and Strange Powers Dominic glared into Quintus’s eyes. In those ice-blue eyes, Quintus could see his own reflection—his red-brown hair and all. —I’ll need stomach medicine later. That thought passed through Quintus’s mind, though he didn’t let it show on his face. Keeping a calm and composed expression was part of his duty—he had to maintain his dignity as the Supreme Commander. "I understand," he said firmly. "I’ll speak honestly. But this stays between us. I ask that you keep this confidential, no matter what." Dominic let out a sigh. Quintus felt a wave of relief inside. "I give you my word," he said. "So, in that other world," Vundo quickly asked, clearly eager, "does everyone have strange powers like that?" "No," Quintus replied. "Normally, they don’t. It seems only a few people like Shiao Yi have such powers. Their brains are specially developed, and those abilities are called ’extraordinary powers.’ People with them are called ’Ability Users,’ or something similar." There was a flicker of pain in Dominic’s eyes, though he still chose not to explain in more detail. "What about that ’tele-something’? Is that a kind of magic?" Vundo pressed on. "You already know that Shiao Yi doesn’t have any magic power, right?" Quintus reminded him. "In his world, magic and magical energy don’t exist. His ability is called ’teleportation.’ It allows him to move instantly from one place to another. I experienced it myself, and it was completely different from movement through magic circles. It felt like my perception was rewritten. He also has another ability called ’telekinesis’—it lets him move things without touching them. Even in his world, Shiao Yi’s powers seem to be considered exceptional." "I’m fascinated," Vundo said, his eyes twinkling. "Just once, I’d like to experience that myself. Couldn’t he come visit the Association?" "No. Absolutely not. There’s no way I’d let Shiao Yi go to a dangerous place like that." Dangerous? Saying it so bluntly—just what does Dominic think of the Central Magic Association? And Vundo, why didn’t you deny it either? "Then how about this?" Vundo offered with a smile. "What if I go there instead?" "That will depend on Shiao Yi’s consent," Quintus said without blinking. "I see. I’m looking forward to it," Vundo replied while rubbing his hands together with glee. He already acted like it was a done deal. That was just like him—firm and persuasive when he set his mind to something. ... After Dominic had left the room, Quintus picked up a letter from his desk. It had come from someone who are secretly operating in Rebanastre, the capital of Dalmasca. The contents of this report, along with the recent movements of the Dalmasca Army, were his greatest concern at the moment. "They’re really not above using sneaky tactics," Quintus muttered. Vundo finally opened his mouth. "After that magic circle failure wiped out two full divisions, I honestly thought the central government would hold someone responsible." "The enemy is clever," Quintus replied sharply. "They used the incident to their advantage. Twisted it to fit their own narrative. They don’t just fall down and stay down—they know how to use every stumble to move forward." Quintus spat the words out with clear bitterness. The military leaders of Dalmasca had turned the complete loss of two of their divisions into a propaganda tool. They claimed that during a major magical experiment, the Kingdom of Rosaria launched a surprise attack, killing everyone, including the reinforcements sent to respond. The people were told that Rosaria had committed an act of aggression. Now, grief and anger among the bereaved families were being used to stir up national hatred toward Rosaria. That hatred was being converted into energy for war. Reports said that Dalmasca was preparing, on a massive scale, to assemble troops and march southward toward the border with the nation of Nabradia. Dalmasca had always struggled economically. Surrounded by mountains and barren land, its industry never took off. Livestock and poor-quality farming barely kept them afloat. From the beginning, Dalmasca had always cast hungry eyes across the Narethil River toward its neighbor, Nabradia. Nabradia, lying south of the Narethil River, was a rich agricultural nation. Its land was flat, and after the rainy season, the river would flood regularly, leaving nutrient-rich soil washed down from the mountain forests. This flooding, while disastrous in terms of lives and property, created an incredibly fertile farming region. The people of Nabradia, constantly faced with yearly disasters, had become deeply religious. The country had evolved into a theocracy centered around the great temple of Nelveska. The reason Nabradia had not yet fallen to Dalmasca’s aggression was simple—Rosaria had always protected it. Whenever threats loomed, the Kingdom of Rosaria would send its military forces to block outside invasion. The High Priest who protected Nabradia’s great temple was always chosen from the royal family. That royal line was closely tied to the Rosaria royal family through marriage and blood. They had made sure their bloodline never faded by intermarrying generation after generation. Nabradia gave Rosaria first rights to its agricultural exports, and Rosaria, in turn, protected Nabradia with its powerful military. This was an old and strong bond. It was because of a recent call for help from Nabradia that Lord Gabrant had deployed his troops to Arcadia, the border area. He had just returned to the capital using a teleportation circle for this emergency meeting, but he had left his soldiers stationed along the Arcadia border. If Quintus could find a way to stop this conflict—if they could block the Dalmasca Army’s advance without actual fighting—it would be the best outcome. He glanced at Vundo, trying to read his thoughts. "That boy, Shiao Yi... he might be useful," Quintus murmured. ... Today again, Shiao Yi was spending his afternoon studying. The cold wind that hinted at the coming of winter was blowing outside, so he had shut himself away in the second-floor study since the early afternoon. In the morning, he had trained in martial arts with Lambard, then quickly washed up, and afterward focused on his studies. He was very diligent.