Became The Son Of The Final Boss [EN]: Chapter 101

101.

While having a late dinner with Marquis Mike and Gail, I learned more about Baron Hamilton.

‘This guy is truly amazing,’ I thought.

The more I heard, the more I felt I needed to keep Baron Hamilton by my side.

‘He seems like someone who can manage the Soris guild members more efficiently…’

Acquiring good talent was important, but efficiently deploying that talent was also necessary.

The combination of the Shadow Walk guild members and Hamilton’s scouts seemed like it could produce good results.

‘That’s something to think about after this war is over.’

I tried to calmly consider Hamilton’s future, but Marquis Mike seemed to have already made a decision.

“When you return to the Imperial Palace after the war, take Baron Hamilton with you.”

I put down my fork and asked, “Baron Hamilton?”

“He is a talent who would be a great asset if you keep him close. It’s a waste to leave him in the West. More than anything… if he stays in the West, he will only be a small to medium-sized lord who can’t inherit the barony. But if he is by Your Highness’s side, he is a talent who can realize greater ambitions.”

I nodded. “I was thinking about it, but… it would cause problems with the nobles if I arbitrarily take a noble who settled in the West with land granted by Father.”

Marquis Mike offered a solution. “Bring him up under the pretext of giving him a reward.”

“A reward?”

Marquis Mike smiled. “Yes. He probably won’t just do reconnaissance and return. He infiltrated the Castle of Lamentation and even assassinated Karion… He’ll likely bring back a head worthy of a reward this time as well.”

I clicked my tongue. “I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Hamilton’s level is…”

“Only a beginner Sword Expert.”

As Marquis Mike said, Hamilton’s swordsmanship level wasn’t very high.

His true abilities were reconnaissance, infiltration… and assassination.

‘To think there was an assassin more terrifying than the Viper’s Venom Guild right next to me is amazing.’

Marquis Mike also put down his fork, seemingly finished eating, and continued, “In the future, Your Highness will need to keep many people by your side. You need forces that support Your Highness from the provinces, like this old man, and you also need talents to assist you from close range.”

I nodded. Marquis Mike’s advice was valuable.

“The Imperial Palace is a narrow place. Look around many places and meet many people. The Empire is only a part of the continent. No matter how vast the territory, unless it is a unified empire, the continent is wider than the empire.”

I agreed with Marquis Mike’s words that I should look for talent even outside the empire someday, and I said, “I will have a broad perspective.”

Marquis Mike’s smile was as warm as my grandfather’s. “Inheriting His Majesty’s throne safely won’t be easy.”

“I expect that.”

“The power of the in-laws is stronger than ever, and there are nobles who support and are loyal to the Imperial family, but their power isn’t comparable to that of the in-laws.”

Marquis Mike’s words were correct.

The families of the four meritorious vassals were all prestigious families for generations, and they were also the leaders of the aristocratic faction.

“Still, there are many families who support the Imperial family, so it would be good for Your Highness to focus on uniting them.”

“Thank you. I will engrave the Marquis’s advice in my bones.”

The story about Hamilton and Marquis Mike’s advice ended there, and the topic shifted to the war.

Gail was the first to bring up the topic. “Now that the Orc King has come, the battle will likely become more intense starting tomorrow.”

Marquis Mike agreed. “That’s right. With the king present, the orcs’ morale will rise. However, our soldiers’ morale is also very high, so you don’t have to worry too much.”

Gail suggested, “If the Orc King participates in the battle tomorrow, I will personally target the Orc King.”

I tilted my head. “Would that be alright?”

“I need Your Highness’s help. Ambush the knights of the western lords nearby, and when the orcs cling to the walls, aim at the flanks all at once to draw their attention.”

He meant for me to support the knights. And in that gap, Gail would directly kill the Orc King, which I felt was quite good.

Marquis Mike expressed opposition. “Your Highness, please be a little more cautious. Gail, I know your will, but it would be better to formulate a strategy centered on defense for at least the next two days.”

Gail’s expression hardened slightly.

Marquis Mike continued softly, “Military Advisor Ken gave me a request before he left. He advised that it doesn’t matter if you behead the Orc King, but it would be better to formulate a strategy after fighting a defensive battle for at least two days.”

My eyes widened. “Are you talking about Ken?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I also agree with Military Advisor Ken’s words. Hamilton has left to infiltrate the enemy camp, and he is also targeting the Orc King. Hamilton will return in no more than three days. Please wait until then.”

I turned to look at Gail. “Gail, what do you think?”

“It’s okay to formulate a tactic centered on defense, but… I want to personally behead the Orc King if the opportunity arises. That’s the fastest way to end the war.”

Gail also took a step back, but he made it clear that he wouldn’t miss the opportunity if it came.

I thought that was fine, so I said, “Okay. If the opportunity comes, I will allow you to go out. Marquis, is this much okay?”

“If the Orc King directly attacks the walls, Gail will be able to handle it sufficiently. I don’t oppose that itself either.”

The opinions were coordinated.

We finished the long dinner with that.

* * *

Before dawn, the orcs came.

The soldiers hurriedly climbed the walls, and I also left the barracks and headed to the command watchtower.

The orcs, who were shouting and rushing in the darkness, were more threatening than when I saw them during the day.

The glittering eyes were bloodshot, and the murderous intent they emitted strangled my neck as if suffocating me.

I took a deep breath and called Ignis.

A curtain of fire spread out in a straight line.

Originally, the curtain of fire was used to trap targets, but I asked Ignis to spread the curtain of fire in a line.

Ignis flew along the walls, spewing flames.

A curtain of fire spread horizontally in front of the walls.

The orcs didn’t fear the flickering flames.

Thump-! Thump-! Thump-!

Lightning struck in the clear sky.

Unknowingly, my gaze turned to the sky.

Lightning struck, and soon it started to rain. Heavy rain weakened the flames that Ignis had created.

Ignis quickly flew to my side. “This is no ordinary rain.”

I immediately understood what Ignis meant.

Even if the fire spirit and water were incompatible, ordinary natural rain couldn’t threaten the fire spirit.

Moreover, Ignis was a high-level spirit.

It was no exaggeration to say that almost nothing in ordinary natural phenomena could harm a high-level spirit.

Unless it was a tremendous storm, Ignis’s flames would never go out.

‘Orc shamans [Orcish magic users].’

I bit my lip.

It was certain that lightning was striking in the clear sky and rain was falling due to the orc shamans’ magic.

The existence of the mages was inwardly regrettable. Ken couldn’t take them all at once, so they were imprisoned with their mana holes sealed [Magical energy pathways blocked], but they could be put into battle even now.

Once the mana hole seal was released, they could use magic as much as they wanted.

‘They are traitors. We have to overcome this without their help. They are just hostages, not comrades.’

The reason I didn’t execute them was to put pressure on the Riverhill family as well. The Attran knights were annihilated, but Ram was left alive, and the Riverhill family had ten mages, including Thompson, die, but many mages were still alive.

Duke Austin wouldn’t be able to easily abandon them. They were all high-ranking mages.

I recalled Marquis Mike’s advice from yesterday. ‘Endure somehow. Until Hamilton returns.’

In order to minimize the sacrifice of the soldiers, I decided to focus on blocking the orc shamans’ magic.

“Undairon!”

Two Undairons appeared in the air.

‘Is it possible to stop the rain or gather the falling raindrops?’

One of the Undairons answered, “It’s not a natural phenomenon, so it’s impossible to stop it, but I think it’s possible to gather the raindrops.”

Soon, the two Undairons read my will and began to gather the raindrops that were intensively hitting the curtain of fire in the air.

Even though I wasn’t using a skill, the mana consumption was extreme.

Perhaps it was because the raindrops were mixed with the power of magic.

I didn’t show any signs of difficulty and shouted, “Archers, prepare! Aim at the orcs who are foolishly rushing into the flames!”

The archers began to prepare, and the infantry also checked their spears in preparation for when the orcs climbed the walls.

Thump-! Thump-! Thump-!

Finally, the orcs began to rush towards the curtain of fire.

“Fire!”

With my command, arrows filled the sky.

Swish-! Swish-! Swish-!

I poured even more mana into Ignis. It was to further strengthen the power of the curtain of fire. Lightning began to strike from the sky.

Bang-! Kwaaaang-! Bang-!

The soldiers screamed as lightning directly hit the walls.

“Kuaaaak!”

“Kwak!”

“Hold on!”

I summoned not only Undairon but also Phoenix and Silphere, and I also summoned Silulpen.

Silulpen jumped into the curtain of fire and directly bit the orcs’ necks.

Even without using skills, the spirits were strong enough just by their existence. It was just that skills were efficient attacks, so they mainly used skills.

Spiritism was literally summoning spirits, supplying mana, and using efficient techniques.

If you could only summon spirits and had plenty of mana, entrusting the battle to the spirits themselves was sufficient in terms of power.

‘Of course, it was said that this was only possible if you had tremendous affinity in Mother’s Spiritism Book [A powerful artifact or text related to spirit magic].’

I was the spiritist who had that tremendous affinity.

Of course, the mana consumption was extreme.

“Potion!”

A soldier who was holding a shield to protect me quickly handed me a potion.

It was a potion that instantly filled mana.

The price of one bottle was unimaginable, but it wasn’t something I bought anyway.

They were all items that Thompson and the Riverhill mages had, so I used them without hesitation.

When the mana hole was full again, I demanded a flame wind from Ignis and Silulpen.

Gooooooo-!

Bang-! Bang-! Bang-!

The flame wind swept through the orcs.

There were as many orcs sticking to the walls as there were dying orcs.

The orc shamans’ magic began to become even stronger.

Now, lightning struck the walls countless times. The orc shamans’ lightning was directly damaging the walls more than the orcs’ crude siege weapons.

‘Damn it. Can I… endure today?’

Should I operate the knights in the rear?

Should I release the mages now and have them participate in the battle?

Numerous thoughts ran through my head.

While I had felt how outstanding the effectiveness of mages and spiritists was in battle, it was now the orcs’ turn to feel that advantage.

The existence of the orc shamans, who were casting spells from an unseen place, weighed heavily on my heart.