Chapter 212

Chapter 212 Strongest Sage, River Crossing

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Two hours after the meeting .

We're currently at knight garrison along with Viscount Regido .

Our departure is to be an absolute secrecy to prevent this expedition be known outside the kingdom .

"I am very pleased to see you all are here answering to my call . . . May the fortunes of war be with you . Take care of the border . "

The king said so in front of us .

According to the principal, the king postponed his original scheduled plan and came here instead to send us off .

"By your command!"

Viscount Regido answered the king and off we went .

Our destination is Relaia Barondom .

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"We should arrive before sunset at this pace . It would be nice if every military campaigns could be this fast . "

Viscount Regido spoke as we hurried on the road toward Relaia Barondom .

It's been five hours since we departed and our pace hasn't slowed down at all .

"It's one thing with 10 people, but an army that can move at this pace for a sustained amount of time only exists in legend . "

"That may be so right now . However it may very well change once the students who are studying at Second Academy have entered the army . "

Viscount Regido is only brining 10 knights as our escorts .

Apparently, they're elites of the elites among the army unit the viscount commands .

And Viscount Regido himself is counted among these chosen elites .

Befitting of chosen elites, they're quick with their feet, we're blazing through a route that would have taken a normal army four days in just a day .

Horses cannot follow us at this pace, so everyone is running on foot .

The escorts are one thing, but to think even Viscount Regideo himself could maintain this pace . . .

They're still slower compared to the Second Academy students running at full speed, but if they have this much stamina even before Second Academy-style training permeated through them, I can see why they're called elites of the elites .

As such I thought our journey would go unhindered . . . but then the knight who was in charge of guiding us suddenly stopped running .

Looks like there's something wrong .

"It appears that the bridge here has collapsed . "

The knight pointed at the wreckage of a bridge .

The wreckage looks very old, there isn't any trace of it having been artificially destroyed .

It must be broken due to degradation over time .

We're taking a route less traveled in order to shorten time .

It did succeed shortening our travel time, but we also encounter setbacks like this .

"This path is rarely ever used after all . . . Is there another route around?"

"If we turn about 30 kilometers back, we will find another bridge . That bridge was constructed 48 years ago, but it should be intact since it's still being regularly used . Due to this alteration, our total travel distance will increase by about 80 kilometers . "

The knight replied to Viscount Regido without even consulting the map .

『That person is incredible . . . 』

『I wonder if he's memorized maps of the whole kingdom . . . 』

Alma and Ruli murmured in comm magic .

As one you'd expect from someone entrusted to guide these chosen elites, he seems to be a map specialist .

Judging from the fact that he knew how long ago that bridge was built off the top of his head, it seems maps aren't the only thing he has memorized .

"80 kilometers huh . . . That means we'll be behind the schedule by half a day . Should we swim pass the river?"

"That's a good idea . Mathias-san and you girls, can you swim?"

The distance to the opposite bank is about 30 meters .

Swimming is a simple matter . . . though there's no need for that either way .

"I will proceed forward while setting barriers up, please follow my lead . "

I walk on the place where the bridge was while putting up barriers on the sole of my feet .

I'm sure this level of magic is normally usable by Second Academy students, yet it looks like the knight elites can't use it .

" . . . I never knew barrier magic could be used this way . . . I'm quite sure our knights have started training in chantless magic too, can they use barrier magic?"

"We cannot . We have been training in chantless magic, but the training is specialized in magic for battle . "

"Indeed, magic usable in battle should be prioritized . . . But it might be a good idea to let some of the knights learn these kinds of magic . "

Viscount Regido consulted with the escort knight when he saw the barrier magic .

Apparently, the knights have started training in chantless magic themselves .

Prioritizing magic for battle is not a mistake .

As it's battle magic that will decide whether you live or die through a critical moment, so putting all other magic in the back burner is one option .

. . . Maybe I should write a textbook concerning chantless magic that are practical for the military, with knights as the intended audience .

We crossed the site where the bridge was while I was thinking such .

"Can you employ the magic you used just now multiple times in a day?"

The escort knight asked me after we got to the opposite bank .

I get what this knight is trying to do here . He probably wants to take shortcuts in our route .

"Of course . And it only consumes a tiny amount of mana to boot . "

"Well then, please afford me some time to think up a new route under the assumption we cross valleys and rivers using that magic . "

The knight got lost in thought where he was standing .

Five seconds later, he looked up .

"We can cut two hours off the travel time . What a wonderful magic . "

He managed to recalculate a long-distance route in just five seconds huh . . . .

This knight truly is amazingly good with topography .

Even if they've still got a long way to go on chantless magic, these guys really are chosen elites of the knights after all is said and done .