Chapter 52: Summoning in Front of the Formation (3)

By giving up the chance for a night attack, Donald was actually trying to conceal his strength and avoid drawing too much attention, which is why he held back from making a move.
Earlier, while everyone was discussing the battle plan, he had sensed a hidden spiritual force observing him—force that was at least at the level of a Silver-tier warrior. Had it not been for the reminder from the Book of Truth, his current level of spiritual power would have made it impossible for him to detect such surveillance.
“It seems the rumor that the Ansel family has high-level mages is somewhat true. The one probing me is likely a high-ranking spellcaster. But since they haven’t revealed themselves, I can’t determine their exact profession.”
This discovery made Donald slightly more cautious. Even those at the peak of the Golden-tier profession couldn’t see through a powerful artifact like the Book of Truth, but revealing too many tactics might attract those who wanted to trouble him.
Thus, Donald decided to use only summoned creatures and his own mage abilities, avoiding exposure of other skills such as those of a Demon Hunter.
Based on various pieces of intelligence and observations by the Holy Sword Legion’s leadership, this orc invasion was different from previous ones. Although only orcs from three small tribes had arrived, among them were warriors from the Bullhead Tribe, one of the three strongest tribes. Though only a small group of Bullhead warriors were present, it suggested that the tribe itself must be involved, even if not leading the invasion directly.
As night fell, with a major battle looming the next day, the fortress and the rear camps fell into silence, aside from the soldiers on duty. Even the nobles who enjoyed nightlife went to bed early, wary of causing trouble at such a critical moment. Only the loud snoring of the orcs could be faintly heard from afar.
In the command hall of the fortress, three people remained awake. Two of them were the supreme commander, Ferdinand Ansel, and his cousin, Prince Duri. Yet, it wasn’t these two important figures who sat at the head of the table, but rather a mysterious person wrapped in a black cloak.
“Mother, you’ve finally arrived!” “Greetings, aunt!”
The mysterious person removed her cloak to reveal herself as a female mage dressed in mage robes. She appeared to be in her thirties, with an extraordinary appearance and demeanor, more befitting a noble lady than a mage. But those who knew her true identity understood that beneath her delicate and beautiful exterior lay immense power capable of destroying an entire town with ease.

The person who arrived was Edwina Celt Ansel, the current lady of the Ansel family and the eldest princess of the Celt Kingdom. Only such status could make these two young powerful figures willing to sit lower—after all, one was her mother and the other her own aunt.

Silver Mage Edwina smiled and said, “There’s no need for formalities among family members. I was afraid using too much magic power while traveling by carriage, which is why I’m here now! How are the battles going? I heard the orcs have already reached outside the fortress…”

The two younger ones then recounted in detail the situation of the orcs and the events that had taken place over the past few days. After listening, Edwina fell silent in thought. The prince spoke anxiously, “Orcs value strength above all. With the pride of the Bullhead Tribe, even if we win this battle, it’s likely to draw the attention of the orc elite. I’m worried that the Bullhead Tribe won’t bear the shame of this defeat and will gather more orcs to invade again, making the situation even more critical!”

The three strongest tribes among the orcs were the Golden Lion Tribe, the Tiger Tribe, and the Bullhead Tribe. The Golden Lion Tribe and the Tiger Tribe had the strongest warriors among the orcs, and the orc kings had always come from these two tribes. The Bullhead Tribe, on the other hand, had the most shaman priests—nearly 70% of orc spellcasters came from this tribe.

Although all orcs had yellow-green skin, green faces, and sharp fangs, they were divided into nearly a hundred tribes due to different totems they worshipped. Without looking at totem flags and other characteristics, it was difficult for outsiders to tell apart the origins of different orc tribes. Although they later unified under the worship of the orc chief god, the totem symbols of each tribe were not abandoned but were demoted in status, a practice that has continued to this day.

Though time has led to the extinction of most tribes, with only about fifty tribes still retaining their totem symbols, the orcs’ strong reproductive capacity kept their population growing steadily. Orc women gave birth twice a year, resulting in millions of orc offspring in the Northwest Wasteland alone. This was even after they were driven to this barren and desolate region by humans, where limited food supplies greatly restricted their population growth. Otherwise, given the reproductive rates of humans and other intelligent races, the world would likely be quickly overrun by the terrifying numbers of orcs, leaving no space for other races to survive.

“Regarding this, Duri, you needn’t worry. Although our Celt people aren’t well-known among the nations on the continent, we are descendants of the Banai with a heritage spanning thousands of years. Our hidden strength isn’t something a mere orc tribe can insult. You must know quite a bit about the situation here. If things really escalate to that point, the Ansel family, whose honor is tied to that of the kingdom, will surely go all out. It wouldn’t be a problem to persuade those ancient families with good relations on the continent to send help either. And although those old guys in the Mage Association are stingy and rigid, they won’t stand by idly in such a situation!”
Edwina was identified as having magical talent in her youth, with great potential, which allowed her to become a disciple of a master in the Mage Association. She could be considered a mage born from the Mage Association. But she was originally a royal princess and later married into the Ansel family. Such status made her a link between three factions. Though she disagreed with some of the Mage Association’s practices, she understood their situation very well.
“Auntie is right. I’m just worried that the war here could cause turmoil throughout the kingdom. You know, my father’s health is worsening. Even the archbishop of the Agricultural Church can’t cure him; he can only keep him alive temporarily. The conflict between Andrew and me will also become more apparent. By then, I’m afraid the crisis will become even worse!”
“That’s exactly why I support you. Although you also aim to ascend to the throne, you think more about the overall interests of the kingdom. Andrew, on the other hand, is selfish and narrow-minded. I’ve always disliked him. It’s said he even had contacts with Sendel. He surely knows what the Land of Dawn is—dealing with those religious fanatics is like trying to skin a dragon. It might even ruin the thousand-year honor of the Celt family, something our ancestors would never allow. If he really does that, he’ll be a sinner of Celt.”
“That’s why I want to take action first to stop Andrew. If this war can be resolved peacefully, I’ll gain more support. At least most of the military will side with me. By then, even if Andrew tries to make a last stand, he won’t stand a chance. After all, he’s my brother. I don’t want to see him end up like that!”
Edwina nodded in satisfaction.

“Don’t worry! That day will never come. With me here in charge of the fortress, it certainly won’t fall. And although orcs are strong, we also have our own powerful fighters to deal with them. Didn’t that young mage from the North County surprise us greatly today? Truly worthy of being a disciple chosen by Mesar. If he can continue to grow successfully, his achievements in the future will likely be on par with ours!”
The arrival of Edwina, this Silver Mage, undoubtedly gave those two young leaders a boost of confidence. However, since her identity as the chief mage of the Ansel family remained a secret known only to a few, Edwina would continue to stay hidden. Aside from those few informed individuals, no one knew that a Silver Mage was already in charge of the fortress.