Published: January 12, 2026
He was an unusual boy.
Not that I was comparing him to my own children, but no matter how many times we faced each other and exchanged words, it never felt like I was talking to a child.
However, he was not a bad person, nor did he harbor any ill will toward the kingdom. Moreover, despite being the same age as Pista, he was astonishingly talented.
If that’s the case, outright hostility would be sheer folly. It would be wise to give him what he desires most and earn his gratitude. Given the boy’s personality, simply doing that would mentally bind him to the kingdom.
If the power to rapidly build forts fell into enemy hands, it would undoubtedly be detrimental to our nation.
Well, judging by the straightforward spirit of a lord I just witnessed, he likely won’t invade other countries himself. Still, it’s certain that having him as an ally is better.
“Good grief… Marquis Fertio truly has an incredible son,” I muttered.
Upon hearing this, Aperta spoke up.
“However, I heard that the marquis actually drove Baron Van out of his household. The marquis is one of the nobles most trusted by His Majesty for his achievements in battle. Perhaps one reason was that Van was not a four element magic user.”
“…That stings. My attempts to reform the nobles’ mindset to build a strong country might have played a part as well.”
I need to re-examine the various magics. I tend to put four element magic at the top and rank others as mid or lower tier.
But this boy, who everyone considered to have a low magical aptitude, achieved so much.
Once I return to the capital city, I should restart research on magical aptitudes under my name.
“Well then, all that’s left is to repel the dragons,” I said.
Aperta frowned.
“Moving with a small group to avoid the absence of the king has backfired. With this team, we might be able to repel a mid-level dragon, but…”
Aperta’s tone was somewhat reluctant. I laughed softly and looked at Van’s back as he advanced ahead.
“We might see something interesting again.”
“I feel like we’ve already seen enough,” she replied.
“Hahaha, indeed.”
Laughing, I followed Van up onto the city walls.
“H-His Majesty! Please don’t come any closer to the front lines—!”
“Don’t worry. I can protect myself.”
I lightly brushed off the guards’ concern and stood atop the walls.
From up here, I saw those in unusual armor waiting by the ballista, ready for orders. They must be the knight order organized by Baron Van’s villagers.
Looking up, I spotted the shadow of a small dragon flying quite high.
“A lone flying Wyvern…?”
There was only one dragon shadow, flying in a wide arc overhead. It felt off—no, I was nearly certain.
“Prime Minister, your opinion?”
Aperta nodded deeply and held her staff in one hand. It was a custom piece adorned with a high-purity magic crystal atop. She pointed it at the sky.
“It’s rare for a Wyvern to fly alone and launch an attack. Therefore, there must be another threat nearby besides the Wyvern.”
“I agree. Yelinetta?”
“Given the location, yes. Moving a large army would give away their presence, so they are likely coordinating with a small force, or the knight order of a neighboring lord.”
Aperta shared her thoughts.
Wyverns are relatively small dragons that usually fly in groups of five or more, sometimes amassing up to a hundred for collective hunting. They are considered lesser dragons because they cannot use the breath attack that is the greatest threat of dragons, and they are not agile on land—but even a single one is a formidable danger.
There is a magical aptitude to capture and enslave Wyverns: brainwashing and puppet magic. Through brainwashing, they are turned into allies, and puppet magic is used to control them.
This is a tactic employed by a handful of northern countries, but it seems the Yelinetta Kingdom has adopted it as well.
In any case, it is highly likely a puppet mage is riding that Wyvern. If they are using a Wyvern in this way, it would make it very possible that they have crossed the border.