The World Dragon's Heir

Dominic smiled as he heard Millie giggle. She loved coffee, and she had planted many plants along the outer walls so that she would have a constant supply.

"Have you been informed of the situation here, with the Skiple trained mages leading monster attacks?" Alexis asked as she sat across from her brother.

Prince Russel frowned. "We heard rumours that there were still forces of monsters waiting here for someone to lead them. But you say that there are mages, and you know where they're from?"

She frowned. "That should have been highlighted in the messages. Yes, we identified the location where all the mages were trained. But we suspect that they are a rogue faction that has broken off from the Skiple Royal Academy's Mage Sect.

They were all carrying the markers of the Academy's mages, but they were not new, and we have confirmed through personal effects that one of the infiltrators was an Elder from the Academy."

Alexis took out the Elder's signature coin purse, as well as his emblem as an Elder.

"Well, that is pretty damning. Did they all have the same pouches? Those are given to both students and graduates, but the spells are faded from these, so I can't tell which they were." Russel commented.

"There should have been magic on them other than the storage effect?" Alexis asked.

Prince Russel nodded. "Indeed. There should be an individual spell that identifies the owner so that it's impossible to claim that someone else's belongings are yours.

You see, it's not impossible for a highly skilled mage to brute force their way through an attuned item's bond to access the interior of a storage item. It's just not easy and it usually destroys the item.

So, to prevent theft, Academies and Sects mark them with a spell that identifies the owner more easily than running an attunement test."

"Then it's possible that these were actually taken from mages that they killed and robbed? It seems unlikely, given that it was two separate incidents, but there is no directly linking them to the mages now that they're dead." Dominic realized.

"No, I can tell whether they were forcibly tampered with, and these weren't. So, either the Mage renounced their sect before being killed and broke the spell, or they were expelled from the Sect, and the spell was removed by the caster.

Though, it is also possible that it might be that only the Elder was ever a sect member, and he stole the rest to give to his subordinates.

We won't know for certain until an investigation can be done." Prince Russel insisted.

Alexis shrugged. "You know that if someone comes asking, they'll just say that the Elder and the others were expelled and have no affiliation. Whether it's true or not, that's the standard answer for a dead Elder who is causing political problems.

Even if they think that he's been captured alive, they will disavow him. They might even send one of their own to silence him on our behalf."

"And therein lies the problem. The King still thinks that the mages causing trouble with the monsters are aligned with the Archmage. That may or may not be true, as the man himself hasn't been found. However, until he is, that operating theory won't change." Prince Russel insisted.

Dominic shrugged. "It's likely true. We've got a full report of the incident if you want to read it, but the Elder was working for someone, and mentioned a Prince as a secondary boss. So, it could be both the Archmage and Prince Kaizon that are sending monsters our way.

Or worse, they might be sending them to Kinewen and Albroles now that the civil war has officially started, and Cygnia is unlikely to get involved."

The Prince ran his fingers through his short hair and frowned. "Well, if they're going that way, they're no longer our problem. There are military units with Noble officers in control of the cities, and they can take care of themselves.

For now, it's better that you worry about just what falls within the expanded realm of the Duchy.

For the next month, I will be here with my honour guard, and then I need to return home to my wife and children. Father had initially asked the soldiers to stay as well, but if the situation is stable, I will release them to return home.

They're all reservists, not full-time soldiers."

He stopped there, as both Dominic and Alexis would know what he meant. These men had lives waiting for them, and they weren't professional soldiers or adventurers. The sooner that they could get home, the happier they would be, and the better that the Prince's territory would fare.

After all, most of the reserves were sons of farmers, and they would be welcome additions back home when it was time to harvest.

Dominic nodded in understanding. "We won't keep you overly long, Your Highness. The Duchy is already getting on its feet, and I have begun equipping the town guard with magitech pistols for defence.

Compared to a standard unit, pistols and spears with a short sword for backup is far more effective, and it will help even out the battlefield, despite our lacking numbers."

The Prince looked confused for a second, and then smiled. "Right, you're the old Dwarf's apprentice. The one who made the rifles for the Natural Sons. If you can equip the townsfolk with magitech weapons, or even just common grade spears, they might as well be a militia of their own."

Alexis smirked at her older brother. "Forget such mundane expectations, brother. He's already begun passing out level five Uncommon grade spears to the farmers and magitech rifles to the huntsmen.

Give us a few more months of training, and we will have a sharpshooter unit in behind a proper spear wall the next time that something comes at the village.

It might not be as good as having your battle hardened soldiers here, but it's more than most villages could claim."