They Say an Age Gap Like This Doesn’t Even Need Matching - Chapter 116

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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They say an age difference of a few years doesn’t even warrant checking compatibility.
Chapter 116
The moment the Imperial Army knight who had been watching from behind stepped forward, the tide of battle shifted decisively.
The Croitz Defense Forces, which had been holding their ground reasonably well, began to crumble rapidly.
“Hold the line with your lives! If we fall back here, it’s all over!”
The one blocking enemies at the front gritted his teeth and shouted, but it seemed impossible to restore the balance that had already collapsed.
“How troublesome.”
To make matters worse, the knight’s aura shattered his sword.
“Ah…!”
“Farewell.”
The knight closed the distance in a single breath and swung his blade.
“Captain! Dodge!”
“No!”
Those who witnessed this cried out, but the knight’s sword was already rushing toward the Captain’s chest with merciless speed.
I urgently grabbed Elhart’s arm as he tried to rush forward.
It wasn’t yet time to reveal our presence before them.
Instead, I flicked my finger toward the Imperial knight.
At that moment, a needle-thin arrow of light struck the knight’s elbows, wrists, knees, and insteps.
“Kuh…?!”
The knight, losing his balance, tumbled across the ground with the same momentum of his charge.
“…”
“…”
After a moment of shock, the Captain gritted his teeth and drove his broken sword down into the knight’s neck.
The crimson aura scattered uselessly.
The Imperial knight’s eyes widened as his mouth fell open.
“What…?”
But instead of words, dark blood gushed from his mouth, and soon the knight ceased all movement.
The Captain pulled the broken sword from the knight’s neck and glanced around.
Perhaps the man closest to him had seen it.
The minute impacts inflicted upon the knight’s body.
“Sh-Shoren…?”
The Imperial soldiers stared in bewilderment at the knight lying motionless on the ground.
Blood flowing from the pierced neck drenched the knight’s body crimson and stained the earth red.
The Imperial Army, coming to their senses belatedly, began to retreat hesitantly.
In battle, morale is everything.
Witnessing a quasi-noble-ranked knight with overwhelming martial prowess lose his life so easily, the soldiers were seized with fear.
The poorly equipped Croitz Defense Forces now appeared as a formidable force.
The defense forces, noticing this shift, changed their expressions.
They knew that a direct engagement would be difficult, and they could not afford to miss this moment.
The Captain picked up the knight’s sword and let out a roar.
“The Goddess stands with us! Let Croitz Castle be their tomb!”
The Captain’s appearance was terrifying enough—his face drenched in blood, his eyes wide with ferocity as he charged forward.
“R-Run!”
The Imperial Army, shattered by the loss of their knight, hastily turned and began their retreat in disarray.
“They’re fleeing!”
“Don’t let them escape!”
The Croitz Defense Forces pursued them at a measured pace, their shouts echoing across the battlefield.
Already exhausted themselves, their sole objective seemed to be driving the Imperial Army from the castle.
Fortunately, the Imperial Army fled without looking back, vanishing beyond the castle walls.
Only then did the defense forces exhale in relief, collapsing in scattered clusters across the grounds.
“Aaaah! We survived another day!”
At one soldier’s cry, the others laughed weakly despite their exhaustion.
I observed them quietly, then gave Elhart a subtle signal with my eyes.
As Elhart nodded and prepared to move, Raern stared blankly at us and asked.
“What? What are you planning?”
Ah.
I’d forgotten about him.
“From now on, we’ll disguise ourselves as Roenbel knights and approach them.”
“Me too?”
“Well….”
What should I do about Raern?
I looked to Elhart for his opinion.
“Mages are rare, but not entirely absent, so it should work fine.”
“True enough. There might be occasions requiring magical circles, so it’s better this way.”
“Alright. I’ll disguise myself as a low-ranking mage.”
Having roughly agreed, we descended outside the castle once more.
‘Appearing suddenly from within the castle would look suspicious.’
As we passed through the iron gate lying on the ground and entered, the eyes of the defense forces treating their wounds snapped toward us in unison.
“Huh…?”
“Who are you? Identify yourselves.”
The Captain seized his sword and shot to his feet.
With Raern and I watching, Elhart stepped forward and spoke.
“Count Loenval ordered us to conduct reconnaissance, so we’ve come by.”
“…I heard he was executed for treason.”
The Captain asked carefully, studying our expressions.
“That was a conspiracy by traitors. His Majesty personally appointed him Commander of the Border Forces and sent him here.”
“Then, you’re saying he’s come to the military camp now?”
“Indeed. He’s only just arrived.”
The Croitz Defense Forces’ eyes widened as they exchanged glances with one another.
“He’s truly returned?”
“Is that even possible? But the Border Forces leadership right now….”
“It doesn’t seem like it will be easy.”
“It might actually become more dangerous.”
They exchanged words among themselves, their expressions darkening.
Though I heard everything, we pretended not to.
“The City Gate appears to be damaged. When did it become like this?”
Elhart asked the Captain.
“It’s been several days now.”
“We should repair it quickly then.”
“I wish we could… but there’s no way. We lack the necessary materials and manpower.”
Elhart nodded and approached the City Gate as he spoke.
“It’s arrived just in time.”
“…?”
While the Croitz Defense Forces watched with bewildered expressions, he lifted the massive iron gate.
“W-what…?!”
“What, what is this?!”
So startled were they that even those sitting down treating their wounds sprang to their feet.
“There’s a Mage here as well.”
I gestured respectfully toward Raern with both hands, and their reaction became even more intense.
“A Mage!!”
“The Mage has arrived!”
Raern’s lips curled upward so wide they nearly touched his ears.
“Ahem. Yes, I am the Mage. Quite competent too, so don’t worry. I’ll seal this gate perfectly.”
I jabbed Raern in the ribs just as he was about to wave his hand, forcing him to draw a massive magical circle on the ground instead.
“Do we really need to go this far just to attach a door?”
Raern looked at me with a puzzled expression and whispered.
“This is standard nowadays.”
“Goodness, really.”
While shaking his head, Raern diligently inscribed the incantations within the magical circle.
“Since we’re doing this, we might as well do it right. Never again shall it rust, break, or deteriorate.”
Well, it won’t show immediately anyway, so it doesn’t matter.
Meanwhile, Elhart positioned the massive iron gate where it belonged and looked toward me.
“Is this how it should be?”
“Yes, just hold it there for a moment.”
Shortly after, Raern completed the magical circle and poured mana into it.
His mana, amplified by the magical circle, enveloped the area and radiated brilliant light.
“Raern, tone down the light a bit.”
I grabbed his sleeve in alarm, but he merely looked at me as if questioning what the problem was.
“What’s wrong with the light?”
“No… if we make it this ostentatious….”
But the problem wasn’t the dazzling light itself.
After the light faded away.
A gleaming iron City Gate, looking brand new to anyone’s eyes, revealed itself.
“Uh….”
“Oh…?”
I watched the bewildered soldiers staring at the City Gate and laughed with a wry smile.
“The City Gate is spotless now. Well, we just brushed off the dirt, but it looks brand new.”
“Right. It really does look new. Truly the laundry master.”
Elhart chimed in and gave Raern a thumbs up.
Raern’s lips twitched in protest—”Laundry master? Me?”—but we just laughed and pretended not to hear.
‘These geniuses, I swear….’
They simply cannot do anything in moderation.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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