Chapter 4

### The Story of the Second Son of the Baron Family - Chapter 4 (4/123)

< The Story of the Second Son of the Baron Family – Chapter 4 – >

The diary was filled with records of a year and a half. Watching the will to survive gradually erode over time made me feel as if my own will was about to be crushed.

"I have to... burn this."

Perhaps because it was a diary written by a wizard in despair, it was tinged with a faint magical power. It wasn't strong enough to have a significant impact, but it was enough to make the reader feel uneasy. It would be wiser to dispose of it now rather than risk problems later. After almost finishing tidying the room, I burned the diary along with a few of his clothes.

*Plop*—

I lay down on the bed. With a place to rest my head and a comfortable body, all sorts of thoughts came to mind. From wondering if I could survive to questioning how long I could maintain my will. Ultimately, it was a matter of survival. The stunning sights from the first day had made my resolve waver even more. My will didn't seem particularly strong yet.

'This won't do.'

The time spent in the room was the only time I could let my guard down. As long as the room's defenses weren't breached, it wouldn't be attacked. If I couldn't even rest comfortably in the room, how could I endure the trials to come? So, I summoned my magic. It's best to prepare when you have the time.

At the entrance of the room, I inscribed "休" (rest), on the pillow "眠" (sleep), on the blanket "溫" (warmth), and on the bed "安" (peace). I began preparing for a restful recharge. As I did, the sun, which had been high in the sky, began to set.

#

"You must be the new wizards who have come to support us. Welcome. I am Wender, the head wizard of the Terra Barrier. Some of you may recognize me, and others may be meeting me for the first time."

"Salutations, Elder!"

"Elder, yes. I held that position. Anyway, I've gathered you here for one reason: to inform you of your duties."

The next day, as Viscount Zik had promised, he called the knights and wizards together for a short speech. It was a standard speech, thanking them for their journey and wishing them well. The real work would be handled by the field operatives.

"The wizards here are divided into three groups: Group A, Group B, and Group C. You have newly joined and have been assigned to new groups, so please remember this. You will act according to the stages."

The Terra Barrier has three alert levels.

1. Blue Alert.

This is triggered when a monster attack is expected or when sporadic attacks begin. One group will ascend the wall to prepare for the attack.

2. Yellow Alert.

This is triggered when a full-scale monster attack begins. Two groups will ascend the wall. The group with depleted magic will be replaced by the waiting group, and once their magic is restored, they will switch back.

3. Red Alert.

This is triggered when monsters approach the Terra Barrier. All wizards, regardless of their magic levels, will be deployed to repel the monsters until they are driven away.

"The group rotation changes weekly, so I hope the first group does well. The group leaders should do their best to ensure the new members survive for a long time. Understood?"

"Yes, we will."

"Alright, then I'll leave the rest to the group leaders. I'm getting old, and a day's rest isn't enough to recover."

Nearly sixty wizards were divided into three groups: Group A, Group B, and Group C. I followed the voice of a wizard who called out to the A group. There were two familiar faces, and it seemed we were divided into groups of three.

"Welcome. I am Eld Nellger, the leader of Group A. I don't know how long you'll be here, but I hope you have a good stay."

"I am Gaius."

"I am Roland."

"I am Renil."

"Alright, I've heard your names. If anyone wants to leave, you can. There's not much to do here anyway, and I'll take care of training the new members. Any objections?"

True to the nature of wizards who don't care about things that don't concern them, they quickly disappeared to their own quarters. Judging by the conversations they had as they left, they hadn't completely isolated themselves, but no one stayed except Eld.

'Is this a test of acceptance?'

In novels and movies, it's often said that when too many people you know die, it's too draining to form close bonds. So, you gradually stop forming attachments. Eld seemed to confirm my suspicions.

"Don't take it too personally. You'll understand why they act this way if you stay here long enough."

"Hahaha... We must survive, then."

"Good thinking. This place may be a deathtrap, but who wants to die? We're all here to survive. Now, I'll tell you what we need to do."

Finally, the main topic. However, what Eld said was a bit different from what I expected.

"There are many things we need to do here, but our main task is to hinder the enemies."

"Hinder... the enemies?"

"Is there anyone here who has reached the 5th Circle?"

The sudden mention of the 5th Circle made Gaius, Roland, and I all tilt our heads. Why was he suddenly talking about the 5th Circle? Eld nodded as if he had expected this reaction.

"Most of the wizards here are at the 3rd Circle, with a few at the 4th Circle. Renil, you said you created three Circles at the age of 18, right?"

"Y-Yes."

"If you can survive here for ten years, you'll be a valuable asset to the empire. So, tell me, how much damage do you think a 3rd Circle spell can inflict?"

"Probably just enough to kill one orc."

"Exactly. We have to invest precious magic and a significant amount of time to kill an orc that can be neutralized with a few arrows or, if lucky, a single spear thrust.

Of course, 5th Circle wizards are a different story... But this applies to most of the wizards here. So, here's the question: Is it efficient to deploy just twenty wizards to do what regular soldiers can do?"

Now I understand what Eld is getting at. In a full-scale battle, tens of thousands of soldiers will defend the wall. Adding twenty, or even forty wizards during a Yellow Alert, is like adding a cup of water to a lake.

The empire supports and trains wizards not only because high Circle wizards can have a significant impact in war, but also because even low Circle wizards can do things that regular soldiers can't.

"Inefficient, extremely inefficient."

"Exactly. But the power of wizards isn't just about launching fireballs or lightning bolts. In certain situations, a single wizard can do what hundreds or thousands of people can't, which is why we are called wizards."

Pride was evident on Eld's face as he spoke.

"Now, I'll teach you the magic you must know, the most useful and the one you should be so proficient in that you can cast it in your sleep."

< The Story of the Second Son of the Baron Family – Chapter 4 – > End