“Is it?”

“Yes, there is no other path connecting to the empire except the valley of the big snake. Otherwise, they have to climb over mountains, but it is not easy to move troops across the mountain.”

Mcgedie had already become a loyal ‘guide’ of the province. Ian knew most of these facts, but there was a few pieces of information that he didn’t know, so he pretended he hadn’t been to the province.

“So the trolls we saw yesterday must have across the mountains.”

It was nearly impossible to guard every side of the mountains from monsters. Furthermore, who would expect them to assault a supplies troop? It was weird, indeed.

‘The hobgoblin I saw before was supposed to be only seen at the great grass field.’

Ian recalled the event at the Mogrian Province. Did that hobgoblin cross these mountains like the trolls?

‘Maybe not.’

Ian had thought about for a moment, but soon he shook his head. There was a possibility, but it was too low. It was quite far from here to the northern territory. Any monsters who tried to cross the territory must have been slain before reaching to Mogrian Province.

“Also the Pieric land lord is fighting at the valley. He always fights at the front line as the vanguard, which always scares us.”

Mcgedie kept up with his explanations.

The young land lord, ‘Kalian Pieric.’

The man who was called, ‘The best warrior of the eastern territory.’

Ian also had a talk with him in his former life.

‘It was rather a big problem that the best warrior was the land lord.’

He always risked his life at the front lines. Although he had no reclaimer, he always fought recklessly. He was a true warrior indeed, but not a good leader while considering about the province’s future.

“Anyway, without your help, I must be in huge trouble.”

Indeed, he must be in huge trouble.

Mcgedie had been conducted for only one year. However, in his former life, Ian was conducted to this area. It was around the end of this year in his former life. What did this mean? If Megedie had survived that ambush, Ian wouldn’t be conducted to this province.

‘He must be dead, by the trolls.’

In his former life, Mcgedie had been killed, and there had been a vacancy in the conducted mages, so Ian had been conducted to the Pieric Province.

“I thank you again. I almost gave up my life. I heard that trolls eat human flesh, it’s so scary....”

Mcgedie shook his body.

Ian saw him for a moment.

He had a soft and white face, and a small body.

Also, he wore a robe that was too big for him.

‘She costumed herself as male’

Ian already knew her secret from long ago. He had already checked the brief information of the mission. There was information about the conducted mage as well.

‘She must be having a hard time.’

A mage got huge authority. Also, they were quite powerful. Hostile soldiers? If she wanted, she could turn them into burnt barbeque in few seconds.

However,

‘She doesn’t have any social experience.’

Most mages were called to the academy at 12 years old, and they lived in the socially isolated academy for 5 years. Hence, most of those fresh mages had no social experience. And this 5 year conducting system was designed to cover up their lost 5 years of their social life.

‘She must be in a lot of deep pressure due to the circumstances of this hostile province.’

It was the province where war occurred most commonly among the empire.

She must be scared by its dangerous atmosphere.

She was scared even further due to her shy characteristics.

In addition, she had been conducted for only 1 year.

‘She must have changed her appearance and voice by spell.’

Maybe that’s why.

The reason she chose to costume as male.

It was her ‘best solution’ by her experience.

‘I don’t think it was good choice.’

To Ian, it was her mistake. Although some soldiers might under look her, she had solid ‘authority’, and ‘magic’. They couldn’t cross her line.

‘Rather than a man,’

Rather than a weak and coward man, it would be better choice for her to be a female. At least she would be treated well in the name of the ‘manners for a lady’.

“There, that’s the valley of the big snake.”

Mcgedie said while pointing to the front.

From a far distance, there was the biggest front line in the eastern territory.

Ian could reach the point quickly if he had no companions to protect.

“Wait a second, please.”

Ian stopped the march and then floated to the sky. Then, he gathered his mana and released it to every side.

‘Detect.’

A magic that detects any living signal nearby.

A transparent wave spread to the far distance.

It was a detect spell that was casted by Ian.

Its range was much bigger than other mages.

‘Nope.’

There was no movement from other monsters.

After finish detecting, Ian came down to the ground.

“I will see you guys there. There is no monsters nearby, so don’t worry.”

Soldiers were embarrassed when they heard Ian leaving them behind, and relieved when they heard that there were no monsters nearby.

It was only Mcgedie who looked sad still.

‘It was a good moment...’

Mcgedie felt sadness.

With Ian around, the soldiers showed respect to her as well.

She hadn’t received such respect since she had been conducted to the province.

Her dreamlike moment had ended shortly.

“See you there.”

Ian flied to the valley of the big snake.

His mission was to ‘finish the issue of the eastern province.’

By any means necessary, he was ordered to solve this problem.

Whether slaying every single monster or finding out source of the issue and destroying it.

The valley was the debut stage of Ian Page’s mission.