Chapter 250: Senior Magician
The giant dragon soared through the sky, and Ronin soon arrived above the swamp town.
"Let's land behind the castle, on the grassy area," he instructed.
Carlos, adjusting his flight, slowed to a gradual descent.
At the same time, the light around his massive body began to distort, cloaking both himself and Ronin in invisibility.
This was the effect of the fifth-level water magic spell—Light Refraction.
After learning about the events in Chishan Town, Ronin had asked Hallward to help him procure a spell book from the Silva Magic Chamber of Commerce in Wushan City, spending two hundred gold coins to acquire it.
Carlos, being the descendant of a legendary dragon, displayed exceptional talent in magic. In less than a day, he had already mastered the spell.
With magic and the cover of dusk on his side, the castle guards failed to notice Ronin's arrival.
However, just as he felt relieved, Elrond happened to pass by. He stopped abruptly, his gaze sweeping across the courtyard, a look of suspicion on his face.
"Who's there?"
He murmured, his voice low but firm, as he cast a Holy Shield on himself. His instincts told him that something was amiss in the seemingly empty surroundings.
Ronin's eye twitched—he hadn't expected to be discovered so quickly.
Yet, on second thought, it made sense. Light Refraction provided only moderate concealment, and Rulans had already warned him that individuals with keen senses could detect the distorted light.
Elrond not only possessed sharp observational skills but, as the chief magician, also had formidable mental strength. Sensing Carlos's approach was only natural.
Seeing that Elrond was preparing to cast a Light Binding Spell, Ronin quickly spoke up.
"Relax, Elrond, it's me!"
As he patted Carlos on the shoulder, the dragon lifted off, dispelling the distortion. Ronin's figure was now fully visible.
"My Lord?"
Elrond blinked in surprise, canceling his spell. "What are you doing?"
"It was Carlos's concealment magic, but it seems the effect wasn't quite strong enough—you saw through it right away," Ronin explained.
He made a mental note to clear out a section behind Swamp Fort for a dedicated landing site. That would make arrivals much more convenient in the future.
Elrond's eyes flickered with understanding as he noticed the massive footprints on the grass—evidence of the dragon's landing.
He hadn't expected the dragon to attempt stealth.
"How have things been progressing? Any advancements on the magic potions?" Ronin asked.
Elrond sighed. While there had been some breakthroughs with herbal medicine—such as the successful creation of disinfectants and hemostatic powders—the magic potions still eluded him.
"The Mana Recovery Potion and Battle Aura Recovery Potion remain unfinished due to the lack of two key ingredients," he admitted.
"But I've instructed Pearson to keep an eye out for them. I've also experimented with a few substitutes—though I've had some preliminary results, the potions' effects are far from ideal."
Ronin knew he couldn't offer much help in potion research, so he left that matter in Elrond's hands.
"In about a month, you'll be traveling with me," he stated.
The potion research was crucial, but so was the upcoming war.
"My Lord, are you planning to take me along for the campaign to retake Chishan Town?"
Ronin raised an eyebrow. "How did you know?"
He had been at Wushan Castle, and Carolina hadn't sent any letters to Wubei via carrier birds.
Elrond smirked and explained.
Though no official messages had arrived, caravans moved between Swamp Town and the outside world. In particular, Anthony from the Viper Exchange had recently sent another batch of slaves. Through these channels, they had learned of the looming war.
"Sir, Ridar and the others have been coming to the castle the past few days, insisting they be informed when you return. These knights can barely contain themselves—they're eager to join you on the battlefield."
For knights, glory was found on the battlefield.
As someone from a modern world, Ronin didn't fully relate to this sentiment. But to his knights, war was the start of their careers.
Unfortunately for them, Ronin planned to bring only a select few to the battlefield, not his entire force.
A Joyous Return
"My Lord!"
"Brother Ronin, you're back!"
Arriving at the main castle, Ronin was greeted by Jenny and her daughter, Irene.
"By the way, Sir," Elrond added with a grin, "I nearly forgot to tell you—we have a new senior magician in Wubei!"
Ronin's eyes lit up. He turned to Jenny and, upon closer inspection, could feel the noticeable increase in her magical power.
Jenny, a 34-year-old senior water magician, had always been talented.
"Congratulations, Jenny!"
Smiling, Ronin retrieved two third-level spell books that Rulans had given him.
"These contain the spells Frost Arrow and Frost Imprisonment. I hope you can master them soon."
Both spells were formidable. Frost Arrow was significantly stronger than Water Arrow, and Frost Imprisonment provided excellent crowd control.
If Jenny could master them, her capabilities would increase dramatically.
"Thank you, my Lord!"
She had been planning to visit Muma City for magic books but was delighted to find Ronin had already prepared some for her.
A Special Gift
"Brother Ronin, I have a gift for you too!"
Irene beamed as she ran off. Moments later, she returned, holding a piece of cloth.
Ronin accepted it, puzzled. "What is this?"
"Even though it's a little late, I still want to wish you a happy birthday!" Irene declared.
Jenny chuckled. "This is the first spell scroll Irene ever made—Water Gathering. She wanted to give it to you on your birthday, but you had already left."
Ronin unrolled the scroll. It was indeed a genuine spell scroll, though the parchment was different from the usual monster leather used for scrolls. That explained why he hadn't recognized it at first.
"You can craft spell scrolls now? That's amazing!"
He ruffled her hair with a smile. "Thank you, Irene. I love it."
Although Water Gathering was a minor spell, this proved that Irene had great potential. In time, as she advanced in magic, she could create powerful spell scrolls—a valuable resource.
The more people who could produce strategic materials like these, the better.
Preparations for War
News of Ronin's return spread quickly.
Soon, knights—led by Ridar, McKen, Rognar, and Joffrey—came to inquire about the battle plans.
However, Ronin hadn't finalized the roster. He simply instructed them to train their soldiers well and prepare for war.
He also tasked Ridar with gathering a small amount of supplies for their departure to Wushan Fort in half a month.
The knights felt it was a pity that only a small force would be going.
Yet, they still hoped to be among those selected.
As time passed, the nobles of Wushan Territory busied themselves with preparations.
Most nobles weren't eager to deploy their entire forces—after all, professional knights and cavalry were expensive to train, and losing them was a significant blow.
However, they also couldn't afford to appear weak. The forces they assembled needed to be respectable, showing clear commitment to the campaign.
Everything was proceeding as planned.
Until a letter from the southeast disrupted everything.
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