21st Century Archmage

In the Royal Castle of the Havis Kingdom, a nation that had undergone a stormy period of many changes in the last year, Princess Rosiathe, the woman wearing the mantle of the king, trembled after receiving a golden letter with a blaring Black Wyvern seal.

The letter had just flown in from the Bajran Imperial Family, clearly bearing the Emperors Seal. Inside was a courteous invitation requesting her participation in the newly crowned Emperors first banquet in the upcoming month of the Overseer of Fate, Romero. Along with the invitation was a statement that it was quite a shame that the Princess had not participated in the Emperors coronation.

‘What am I supposed to do about this?

She had spent a truly hectic year and was finally about to take a break, but her plans were completely overturned by a rabid dog calling her. Havis information division had determined the reason for the Krantz Kingdoms subjugation. The terrifying Emperor had purposefully made a mountain out of a molehill and destroyed a kingdom that had long since been Bajrans ally in the span of a single morning, all in order to avenge a moment of disgrace from a decade ago. That same emperor was sending the Havis Kingdom a warning. Rosiathe had been unable to participate in Emperor Poltvirans coronation because of the chaos in her kingdom. If she did not participate this time, there was no knowing what would happen to the fate of the kingdom.

However, she was still reluctant to participate. Rosiathe was well aware of the meaning behind the looks of sticky desire that the depraved Emperor had sent her in the past.

“Haah…”

She breathed out a sigh. The month of Romero was not far away. If she didnt make a decision and depart within a few days, she would be late.

“Kyre… What am I supposed to do?”

Now that she was in danger, her thoughts naturally turned to a certain person. She suddenly had the urge to see Kyre, the man who always lived confidently and fearlessly, the man she could not see despite wanting to and cold-heartedly only visited her occasionally in her dreams.

The Emperors invitation letter fell from Rosiathes hand, landing on the floor. She would have liked to refuse, but the kingdom weighed heavily on her. The Havis Kingdom was like a newly born baby. She couldnt simply abandon it. She could not allow the kingdom that had endured and survived hundreds of years of humiliation to end with her generation.

“Im sorry. I must draw upon your wisdom this time as well.”

Rosiathe made her decision—she decided to make a visit to Kyre. The kingdom was important, but her feelings as a woman were just as important.

Count Kyre de Nerman.

To Rosiathe, he was an irreplaceable, precious gift from the gods.

* * *

“Theres no knowing what faults hell pick this time.”

“It has become a pain for our kingdom as well. With the collapse of the Krantz Kingdom, we now have to share a border with Bajran…”

“Youve had an easy time of it so far, have you not? You didnt have to worry too much about the empire and only had to send some ambassadors and gifts.”

“Tsk, thats true. It feels like the days when I can drink with you at ease like this are numbered.”

At the entrance of the Kobionne Mountains that cut through the Kerpe and Tove Kingdoms, stood an old fort. It was built when the two kingdoms waged territorial battles in the past, but was now abandoned. In one of its watchtowers, two men were knocking down hard liquor in rough wooden mugs. The two had met on the battlefield and become friends.

One of them, a man named Duke Galphois, had a greying head of golden hair, a handsome beard, and bore the nicknameTrickster of the Tove Kingdom. He wasnt very tall and had a memorable face with blue eyes as calm as a lake. In front of him, a man with flaming red hair and a crimson beard was gulping from his large wooden mug. He was Duke Hardaim, a man with the monikerRed Dragon of the Battlefield, Protector of Kerpe. The man was over two meters tall and used a spear, an unusual choice of weapon for a knight.

These two men had been friends for thirty years. No one knew that the decisive reason why the two warring kingdoms eventually reconciled was because these two men had admired each other once they met. A hero recognized another hero—when they met on the battlefield, the two men quickly recognized the skills of their opponent and withdrew their weapons, and they had maintained a friendship for 30 years to the present day, with a tacit agreement that the two kingdoms would be peaceful until the day they died.

The two men had a tradition of setting a day to meet at this ruined fort and drink all night long. From things regarding their kingdoms, to nobles and even bawdy words about women, the two of them discussed everything they couldnt talk about with other people over alcohol in the name of friendship.

However, the mood was heavy today. Because of the newly crowned emperor, who was secretly called “Bajrans Rabid Dog,” the two kingdoms were plunged into a state of tension. The Kerpe Kingdom was next to the Bajran Empire, and the Tove Kingdom ended up sharing a border with the empire because of the Krantz Kingdoms demise. Both kingdoms were in an invisible state of emergency, and as dukes holding important positions of authority within the kingdom, they were all too aware that they would no longer have the leisure of drinking together for the time being. No matter how important their friendship was, they never lost their loyal attitudes as knights. They never lazed around when it came to the safety of their kingdoms.

“The Tove Kingdom will also have to prepare itself well this time. For a young man, he sure has a lot of greed, and if we permit his greed, the kingdom will be shaken down to its roots.”

When Duke Hardaim talked about the crazy emperors greed, shaking his head, Duke Galphois also made a bitter expression. “The rumors have been flying around regarding that already. That crazy son of a bitch ordered the ambassador to include Princess Odrianne in the tribute. That depraved fucking dog…”

Duke Galphois was normally called a man of wisdom in the Tove Kingdom, but he uttered vulgar obscenities a mercenary might say as he gulped down his liquor.