The Story Of The Second Son Of The Baron Family [EN]: Chapter 4

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 4

[April 11, 126]

[Damn, it’s freezing. If April, which is supposed to be warming up, is this cold, how brutal will winter be? I’ve only been here a day, and I’m already filled with despair. Endure ten years in this place? Still, I will. I’m too good to die in a dump like this.]

[May 10, 126]

[It’s been a month since I arrived. Thankfully, I’m still alive. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that this place is truly awful. There have been more than ten skirmishes this month, and two major battles. When I close my eyes, I still hear the screams of the wounded and the cries for help.]

[August 27, 126]

[Kane is dead. Crushed. A cyclops threw a rock, and it crushed him. He cast a defensive spell, but the barrier shattered like paper against the giant rock. I was next to him but narrowly avoided it. Lucky me, I guess?]

[August 31, 126]

[Kane! I didn’t kill you! Stop haunting my dreams! I know it’s unfair that I was two meters further away, but it’s not my fault!]

[January 1, 127]

[A letter from home arrived. I cried. I miss my family.]

[April 11, 127]

[It’s been a year of desperate fighting. I’m still alive, but so many have died or been injured. Those who arrived with me are no exception. I’m actually pretty lucky. I’ve survived a year without any major injuries. Here, a fracture doesn’t even count as an injury.]

[June 18, 127]

[I’m scared. I’ve always been scared, but I’m even more terrified now. I’m scared of monster attacks, and in my dreams, dead comrades come for me. I want to live.]

The diary chronicled a year and a half of his life. Seeing his will to survive slowly erode chipped away at my own resolve.

“This… I should burn it.”

Perhaps because it was written by a mage in despair, the diary contained a faint magical residue. It wasn’t strong enough to be dangerous, just enough to make the reader feel awful, but it was best to deal with it now before it caused problems. After cleaning the room, I burned the diary and a few of his clothes.

Thump-

I lay on the bed. Now that I had a place to rest and my body was comfortable, random thoughts flooded my mind. Could I survive? How long could I hold onto my will? It all came down to survival. The horrific sight from my first day had shaken me more than I realized. My will wasn’t as strong as I thought.

‘This won’t do.’

The room was the only place I could relax. Unless the barrier failed, the room was safe. But if I couldn’t even rest comfortably here, how would I endure the hardships ahead? I needed to prepare. You have to prepare when you have the *yoyu* [余裕 – leeway, room to spare].

At the entrance, I inscribed 休 (Rest). On the pillow, 眠 (Sleep). On the blanket, 溫 (Warmth). On the bed, 安 (Peace). I began preparing for restful sleep to recharge my magic. Meanwhile, the sun, high in the sky, began to set.

#

“So, you’re the mages sent to reinforce us. Welcome. I’m Wonder, the chief mage of the Terra Barrier. Some of you may recognize me.”

“Greetings, Elder!”

“Elder, yes, I held that position. Anyway, I’ve gathered you to explain your duties.”

The next day, Duke Zeke summoned the knights and mages and gave a short speech. The usual platitudes about their hard journey and asking for their cooperation. The real information came from the practitioners.

“The mages are divided into Team A, Team B, and Team C. You’ll be integrated into new teams, so keep that in mind. Just follow instructions.”

The Terra Barrier had three alert levels.

Stage 1: Blue Alert.

Issued when a monster attack is expected or when sporadic attacks begin. One team goes to the wall to prepare.

Stage 2: Yellow Alert.

Issued when a full-scale monster attack begins. Two teams go to the wall. The team that depletes its magical power rotates with the waiting team to recover, then rotates back in.

Stage 3: Red Alert.

Issued when a monster breaches the Terra Barrier. All mages deploy, regardless of magical power levels, until the monster is driven away.

“The team rotation changes weekly, so the first team should be ready. Team leaders, ensure the new recruits survive. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. I’ll leave the rest to the team leaders. An old man like me can’t recover from fatigue in a day.”

Nearly sixty mages split into three groups: Team A, Team B, and Team C. I moved toward the mage calling for Team A. Two faces looked familiar; it seemed we were being divided into groups of three.

“Welcome. I’m Ild Nelger, leader of Team A. I don’t know how long we’ll be working together, but I look forward to it.”

“I’m Gaius.”

“I’m Laurent.”

“I’m Renil.”

“Good, I know your names. Anyone who wants to leave can go. There’s nothing to do here yet. I’ll handle the new recruits’ training. Any objections?”

Like mages who didn’t care about anything that wasn’t their direct concern, they quickly dispersed. They weren’t exactly enthusiastic about defending the wall. Soon, only Ild remained.

‘Am I supposed to earn their respect?’

Isn’t that how it always goes in novels and movies? Too many people die, and you waste your energy grieving. So, you stop caring so easily. Ild confirmed my suspicions.

“Don’t be too disappointed. You’ll understand why they’re like that if you stay here long enough.”

“Hahaha… I have to survive.”

“Good attitude. This place is dangerous, but nobody wants to die. We’re all just trying to live. Now, let me tell you what we’re going to do.”

Finally, the main point? But Ild’s next words surprised me.

“We have many tasks, but our primary mission is to hold back the enemies.”

“Hold back?”

“Is anyone here a 5th Circle mage?”

The sudden question about the 5th Circle made Gaius, Laurent, and me tilt our heads. Why bring that up now? As if expecting it, Ild nodded.

“Most mages here are at the 3rd Circle, some close to the 4th. Renil, you said you reached the 3rd Circle at 18?”

“Y-yes.”

“If you survive here for ten years, you have the potential to become the Empire’s hope. So, let me ask you: how much damage can you do with 3rd Circle magic?”

“…At best, I could take down one orc.”

“Exactly. We have to expend precious magical power and time to defeat an orc that could be neutralized with a few arrows or a lucky spear thrust.

Mages above the 5th Circle are a different story… but that’s not most of us. So, here’s the question: is it efficient to deploy twenty mages to do what ordinary soldiers can do?”

Now I understood Ild’s point. During a full-scale battle, tens of thousands of soldiers fought on the walls. Adding twenty or even forty mages during a yellow alert was like adding a drop to the ocean.

The Empire supported mages because high-circle mages greatly influenced war, but they didn’t neglect low-circle mages either. Mages could do things ordinary people couldn’t, right?

“Inefficient. Extremely inefficient.”

“Correct. But a mage’s power isn’t just about fireballs and lightning bolts. Sometimes, individuals can do what hundreds or thousands of humans can’t. That’s why we’re called mages.”

Ild’s face showed undeniable pride.

“So, from now on, I’m going to teach you the magic you must know, the magic that’s most useful here, the magic you should be able to cast in your sleep.”

Baron’s Family Second Son – Episode 4 – End