Chapter 46: The Plan

First, requesting knights takes time.

Aurora raised one finger.

“Even if my father approves the order, the paperwork alone will take two or three days. By then, everything will be cold.”

She raised a second finger.

“Second, when the knights do arrive, they’ll want to surround, clear out, and secure the area before they let us in to investigate. The Harpists’ Alliance intel has been sitting there god knows how long. The goblins have probably torn it to shreds.”

She lowered her hand and leaned back.

“So it’s better if we go ourselves. We’ll have plenty of time to search however we want.”

Keen listened and nodded slowly.

“Of course I know all that,” Keen said doubtfully.

“The problem is the four of us can’t handle three hundred or four hundred goblins. Your plan isn’t feasible.”

“There’s a way.”

Aurora’s gaze swept across the people in the tent.

Two mages, two bards. Four spellcasters in total.

“We can make six third-circle attack spell scrolls in one night. Isn’t that enough to blow those goblins sky-high?”

Keen’s expression froze.

‘Six attack spells? That many?’

‘But…’

“You’re planning to cast fireball in an autumn forest?”

The corner of her mouth twitched.

“You’re not afraid you’ll torch the whole woods?”

“Then we’ll use lightning bolt instead.”

Vapgis closed her book and cut in.

“That’s also a third-circle attack spell. I know it, and I can make those.”

Lightning bolt deals lightning damage and can be paired with create water.

It won’t start fires, so it’s better suited for the forest than fireball.

Keen massaged her temples.

She still didn’t think it was doable.

“I know how powerful third-circle spells are. The range is barely a dozen meters.”

“If the goblins are spread out, six third-circle spells might kill a few dozen at best. What’s the point?”

Aurora didn’t argue. She nodded along.

“So the problem becomes: how to make them cluster up.”

Keen tilted her head.

“To cluster goblins together, you either lure them or scare them.”

Aurora looked down at the terrain map on the table, tapping her finger on a spot.

“I saw this spot you marked. There’s a cliff several dozen meters long by the river.”

“If we can lure the goblins there, then hit them with attack magic…”

She raised her eyes to Keen.

“Shut the door and beat the dog. What do you think?”

Keen leaned in to study the markings on the map, thinking it over.

“The plan is doable.” She looked up. “The question is, how do we lure them?”

“Send one person to provoke them,” Aurora said.

“Stack all the buff spells on that person, have her charge in and piss off the goblins, then run straight to the base of the cliff.”

“Once they chase her over, she tears a Misty Step scroll and gets away.”

“We ambush, wait for the goblins to pile up, then blast.”

The tent was quiet for a beat.

“Alright.” Keen nodded.

“The only problem is making sure the bait doesn’t die at the goblins’ hands.”

“With enough buffs, she won’t die.”

Aurora said it with full confidence.

“Like what we layered on Balian before the duel today. Shields, protection, inspiration, haste… stack them all.”

“The goblins’ crappy attacks won’t even get through.”

“Fine, you’ve convinced me.”

Keen gave her approval to the plan.

Balian was about to chime in, but the moment he moved, his ribs twinged. He sucked in a breath and sank back into his seat.

“Um…” he started.

“I’m this banged up today, and I probably won’t be recovered by tomorrow. I can’t be bait. Can we hold off for a day?”

Aurora turned to him, puzzled.

“Did I say you’d be the bait tomorrow?”

Balian froze.

‘She’s not using me?’

‘I’m the best fighter here, aren’t I?’

“I’m not blind. You stay in bed and rest tomorrow.”

Aurora said, “I’ve already told the priest. They’ll come by tomorrow morning to heal you and cast two restoration spells on you. You’ll be up and around the day after.”

Aurora didn’t even look at Balian. She turned to the fox girl who had stayed quiet.

“Juliet, you’re the bait tomorrow.”

Juliet had been playing with her tail tip. She jolted when her name was called.

“Huh?”

Her fox ears twitched.

“Me? Bait?”

She was just a weak, harmless bard.

“Why me?”

“You’re a bard. Your performance can draw a crowd, and monsters won’t necessarily attack you. So of course it’s you.”

“Isn’t Keen a bard too?”

“Keen can fight better than you.”

Aurora spread her hands, her expression saying “man, what can I say.”

“She needs to stay as backup in case something goes wrong and someone has to save the day.”

Juliet wailed and flopped into a chair.

“I protest. I’ll get beaten to death.”

“Overruled.”

Aurora didn’t even lift an eyelid.

“We’ll put all the buffs on you. The goblins won’t even touch you.”

“This is much safer than when we pulled you out of that dungeon. You didn’t die at that knight’s hands back then, so you’ll be fine.”

Juliet still pouted.

Aurora sighed.

“I’ll buy you a new lute. No, I’ll have someone come and custom make one for you. How about that?”

The fox girl’s eyes darted.

‘A new lute for a run. Worth it.’

“Deal,” Juliet said.

Aurora stood and brushed off her skirt.

“Then it’s settled. We leave after breakfast tomorrow, back by evening. Meeting over. Everyone go eat.”

She headed for the tent opening and paused as she passed Vapgis.

“Get up early tomorrow. Six lightning bolts and six Misty Steps.”

Vapgis let out a sigh.

“Early again? I already got up early today, and now you won’t even let me rest tomorrow?”

“The day after tomorrow, when Balian’s better, he’ll hunt a deer for you to eat. He’s good at cooking venison. For now, make do with the wild boar Keen brought back.”

Vapgis’s face dropped.

“Wild boar?” She frowned. “That stuff is tough and gamey. It’s awful.”

“You’ve never been this picky. You used to eat bread that was a year old!”

Aurora shot her a look.

“I guess I’m paying you too much. Your tongue’s gotten spoiled.”

Vapgis rolled her eyes.

“Take a bite yourself and see. I’ve had it before. The taste is out of this world.”

The two bickered as they pushed through the tent flap.

Keen and Juliet followed, the fox girl still talking about her new lute.

Balian was left alone in the tent.

He sat where he was, listening to the chatter and laughter fade outside.

He felt a hollow in his chest.

He had fought for his lord today, stood up to Lancelot in the tournament, and earned a great merit. King Louis had even publicly said he would make Balian a knight.

But Aurora hadn’t looked at him directly the whole time.

When they discussed the plan, she asked Keen’s opinion, gave Juliet her task, and traded quips with Vapgis.

And what about him? She just said, “You lie down,” then turned to assign everyone else’s jobs.

As if he was an outsider.

Balian looked down at his chest. His shirt buttons were undone, showing the herb-wrapped bandage underneath.

He remembered a case Saint Celestine had taught him when he was studying with the Goddess Reincarnate.

A poor youth fell in love with a girl from his village. They were childhood friends who grew up together.

Later, a rich noble took a fancy to the girl, and she married him, never so much as glancing back at the youth.

Back then, Balian didn’t understand and asked the Goddess Reincarnate why.

The Goddess Reincarnate’s answer was: “Because in her eyes, that noble was more useful to her.”

‘More useful.’

Balian understood.

Aurora ignored him because he couldn’t take the field tomorrow. Vapgis, Keen, and Juliet would all contribute tomorrow, so Aurora needed them more right now.

That’s why she focused on them.

Balian clenched his fist, his knuckles white.

He was about to become a knight. A knight personally named by King Louis.

As long as he kept growing stronger, kept earning merits…

One day, he would become a high noble with real power.

As long as he was strong enough, Aurora would need him, would have to curry his favor.

‘Get stronger.’

📚 Also on NHV Novels

We Transmigrated Together, So Why Are YOU The Only Guy Left?

dominant MLFantasy RomanceFriendsToLovers

Read Now →
Not interested