Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Although Duke Cabre faced his inner cowardice under Marianne's prompting, he still hesitated for a long time about the series of measures she proposed.
Marianne understood his difficulties and continued to suggest, "It's indeed too sudden to immediately acknowledge all the rights of spellcasters. So, you could start with the military, allowing spellcasters to become a force to defend Eaton. After establishing some achievements, let your citizens see their efforts and contributions, and based on that, grant them rights. The resistance from the populace will be much less."
"You're right, Teacher Marianne. If the mages can protect Eaton from the war's iron heel, the people of Eaton are definitely not ungrateful."
Duke Cabre was already convinced by the red-haired lady; she truly deserved to be the powerful witch who taught his wife.
Marianne smiled slightly, "This brings us back to our initial topic: using magic to resolve the current crisis of the Holy Army approaching Eaton."
Helen asked anxiously, "But, Teacher, how can we recruit enough spellcasters in such a short time? After the Church's vigorous search over the years, many have died or fled, and those who are fortunate enough to hide in Eaton will do their utmost to conceal their identities. Even when approached for recruitment, they would suspect it's a trap. Moreover, not all spellcasters can cast offensive spells, and those skilled in combat are few and far between; most of them perform worse on the battlefield than ordinary soldiers."
Marianne confidently replied, "Since I came to find you, I have already made some preparations. I can gather about two hundred combat-ready spellcasters, as well as fifty who are skilled in enchantment, and... some other auxiliary spellcasters. I can also contact a nearby mercenary group; they will be able to assemble in Hydra within a week."
"Oh! So soon?"
Duke Cabre felt as if he had grasped a lifeline and thanked her profusely, "Teacher Marianne, before you arrived, I thought I could only rely on Syronimus to face an uncertain fate!"
"Syronimus?" Marianne asked. "Are you referring to the holy sword passed down through generations in the Duchy of Eaton?"
"Yes." A hint of pride appeared on Cabre's face. "That is the blessed sword, the holy blade by which my ancestors expanded the territory of Eaton."
The holy sword of Eaton, Syronimus, is one of the legends in Horns Bay. It is said that this magical sword was blessed by the Lord of Light, capable of cutting through iron and stone, and that the one who wields it feels an overwhelming sense of power and vigorous fighting spirit.
Of course, the duke also knew that no matter how skilled a person was, their impact in battle was limited, so even with this sword, he felt quite pessimistic.
"Hahaha!"
Marianne burst out laughing.
Duke Cabre and Helen looked at her in confusion.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my rudeness."
Marianne stopped laughing and regained her composure.
"Although I don't want to discourage you, the so-called holy sword Syronimus... is just a finely crafted ordinary sword now."
"It's impossible!"
Duke Cabre looked at Marianne angrily. "Several generations of my ancestors have used it to defeat enemies that were originally stronger than themselves, and they have left records that tell of this sword's miraculous nature."
Marianne replied, "Those records are true; in their time, the sword was indeed as miraculous as recorded—at least in the eyes of the world. However, in your generation, it may not be so."
Cabre felt confused by her words, "What do you mean?"
"That sword... was not blessed by any deity. The reason it exhibited such powerful strength was due to magic. The magic on that sword has a limited duration, and by now, its effectiveness should have diminished significantly."
Magic? More magic.
"How could this be?"
Cabre was shocked. Did his family revere a magical item as a divine artifact all this time?
"If you don't believe me, you can compare Syronimus with another high-quality sword—I believe your treasury should be filled with swords—let them clash edge to edge and see if Syronimus shows any nicks. If it is as powerful as the legends describe, it should not have any nicks."
The expression on the duke's face was indecisive as he approached the table where the holy sword was placed, slowly stroking the hilt of Syronimus. Since leaving the treasury, he had kept Syronimus by his side.
Suddenly, he turned to Marianne and asked, "If the truth is as you say, how do you know?"
Marianne smiled, "I also heard about this sword's truth from my mentor; this knowledge has been passed down through our lineage."
Helen tilted her head in confusion; she had never heard her mentor mention this before. Of course, it was possible that Marianne hadn't had the chance to speak before parting ways with her.
But how could Teacher Marianne be so certain that what her mentor said was true? After all, it had been such a long time.
"Alright!" Duke Cabre seemed to have made up his mind.
"Bring me my Althea."
Althea was one of Duke Cabre's favored swords and was also a sharp weapon.
In just a few minutes, Althea appeared in the duke's right hand.
With a clang, Duke Cabre drew the holy sword Syronimus with his left hand.
He silently examined the holy sword for a few seconds, then exerted force with both hands, causing the two swords to clash together.
Duke Cabre's brow furrowed tightly, and Helen let out a gasp.
Only the red-haired lady appeared to understand what was happening.
To their surprise, the holy sword Syronimus was nicked by the other sword, and although the other sword also showed a nick, it was clearly smaller than that on Syronimus.
"So this is the truth," the duke murmured to himself.
The holy sword, which had lost its magical enhancement, turned out to be inferior to an ordinary good sword.
"Yes, Your Majesty, this is the truth."
Marianne said, "If you allow it, I can temporarily restore it to the legendary Syronimus—the sword that cuts through iron like mud; of course, it will only last for about a minute."
"Please do, Teacher Marianne!"
The duke placed the sword on the table, eager to see the magical effect with his own eyes.
Marianne nodded, "As you wish; please stand back."
The duke complied with her request, while Helen stared intently at her mentor, learning.
Then, Marianne began her movements.
The purpose of her visit to the Duchy of Eaton had mostly been achieved.
Next, she aimed to completely bring this ruler of the duchy to his knees before the might of magic.
TL: C'mon Author, drag MC into the conflict...
(End of the Chapter)
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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.