Reborn As Noble Chapter 1413: Self-Sustaining vs. Mana-Draining ( 1413 )

Meanwhile.

Vurghen Region.

Friedrich sat at the head of the worn meeting table. His younger sister sat nearby, her hands clasped tightly in her lap, her eyes fixed on the map spread before them. Around them, the few remaining loyal advisors and officers stood in silence, their faces etched with exhaustion and worry.

The first advisor stepped forward, his voice low and heavy.

"My lord, the situation is dire. The majority of your late father’s troops have defected to the enemy. More than half of Vurghen Region has already fallen. Our remaining loyal forces number barely five hundred soldiers, and they are stretched thin, holding only a few strategic locations and fortresses."

He paused, his jaw tightening.

"Given the size of the coalition army, which now numbers over two hundred thousand, I fear it is only a matter of time before our defenses crumble. They are equipped with flintlock muskets, cannons, and are supported by battle mages, new heavy cavalry in full-plate enhanced armor that can deflect bullets, wielding massive magic lances, and squads of magic archers who can rain enchanted arrows from a distance. Our men are brave, but they are outnumbered four hundred to one. Even with the fortifications and the few cannons we have left... sooner or later, our defenses will crumble."

Friedrich remained silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the map. He traced the marked positions of the enemy forces with his finger before pausing.

"The new heavy cavalry... The Human Nation’s new heavy armor... The ones they built with barrier magic to counter Armand’s more advanced magic weapons... the mana rifles."

The second advisor stepped forward, his expression grim. "Yes, my lord. They are designed to withstand any magic attack, any bullet, and even the new cannon fire and enchanted explosives, as long as the mana crystals powering them still hold charge. They even gave them backup mana crystals and equipped them with new heavy bulwark shields that can absorb the same level of impact. It gives them a significant advantage over any conventional force."

Friedrich closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling slowly.

"No wonder King Klimar spent so much gold buying up every available mana crystal and all the remaining Mithril ore after Armand closed its northern border. He even went to his allies to purchase any ore he could get his hands on, along with enchanted items and components... just so he could profit more from greedy nobles desperate to reinforce and upgrade their armies."

The officer stepped forward, bowing respectfully. "My lord, our cannons and flintlock muskets are from the first batch the late lord purchased. They are reliable, but outdated compared to what the enemy now fields."

He paused, his voice heavy with reluctance.

"The enemy’s flintlock muskets have been upgraded. They now feature a more reliable firing mechanism, reinforced barrels that can withstand sustained fire, and improved rifling for better accuracy and range. Their cannons are no longer simple solid-shot launchers. They now fire explosive shells reinforced with basic enchantments, allowing them to breach fortifications far more effectively than our own."

Friedrich let out a long, weary exhale. He pinched the bridge of his nose, then pressed his fingers against his forehead, his eyes closing in frustration.

"So our chance to defend is slim to none..."

He opened his eyes, lifting his gaze toward his advisors. "Any news from our messenger? The one we sent with the letter?"

The first advisor shook his head slowly. "Not yet, my lord. It will take at least a day or more by horse for him to reach Armand’s northern border. And with the current state of our territory reduced to less than half of what it once was, we had to send him through a longer, safer route to avoid enemy patrols."

Friedrich’s gaze dropped to the map, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think... Armand will help us? After everything my father did to them?"

The advisor hesitated before answering. "We cannot say for certain, my lord. But Tybalt Region and Mathrias Region are now under their protection. Tybalt were once hostile or indifferent to Armand, yet they were given a chance. If Armand is willing to extend mercy to former enemies, there may be hope for us as well."

"But..." Friedrich murmured, his voice trailing off before he continued. "Even if Armand agrees to help us, given the new upgrades the enemy has, especially the reinforced heavy armor that can withstand any magic attack... what are our chances?"

He let out a bitter sigh, his eyes fixed on the map.

"I don’t think Armand will send their army to fight for us. Even if they have a high chance of winning, they would still lose some of their own soldiers in a conflict that doesn’t directly threaten them. Why would they sacrifice their men for a region that was once their enemy? For a family that spent years opposing them?"

He leaned back, staring at the ceiling, his voice heavy with defeat.

"I cannot see anything we can offer them in return. No resources, no strategic advantage, no loyalty they can trust. We have nothing to give but a name and a broken territory."

The second advisor stepped forward, his voice firm yet calm. "My lord, do not lose hope. Armand is not just any nation. They possess weapons and technology far beyond what we have seen. They have those flying machines. The iron birds that move without wings, and the smaller, swarming metal constructs that can rain fire from the sky. We may not understand how they work, but we have all seen what they can do. They have never truly shown their full strength."

He paused, meeting Friedrich’s gaze.

"My lord, Armand’s ground forces are not weak. They won two major wars against the Human Kingdom when they were still just an autonomous region. They have the Pekko cavalry units, soldiers trained to fight alongside those massive birds, and a general known as ’The Mad Berserker,’ a man whose very name strikes fear into the hearts of their enemies."

Meanwhile.

At the same time in the Armand Meeting room.

"Javier?"

"Hmm? Yes, Father?" Javier looked up from the document he was reading.

Garius clasped his hands together, a knowing smirk on his lips as he glanced at Javier. "What do you think about the Human Nation’s new ’heavy armor’? From our investigation, our scouts, intelligence units, and spies have gathered full information. It can deflect bullets, withstand explosive cannon fire, and even resist low-level magic attacks. They have incorporated barrier magic similar to what our own soldiers’ gear uses."

Javier’s brow furrowed before he let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "The magic barrier they’re using is a basic, well-known principle among talented mages, so it’s no surprise the Human Nation’s research finally found a way to implement it on a large scale. The difference is, they’re using mana crystals to power it, allowing it to withstand any attack as long as it has charge."

He lifted his wine glass, took a slow sip, and set it down casually.

"The problem is, they forgot about one major flaw of that kind of magic barrier. Yes, it can withstand any attack, but every hit it takes consumes a massive amount of mana. Their armor will drain the crystal quickly under sustained fire. Once it’s depleted, the barrier collapses, and the armor becomes nothing more than heavy, cumbersome metal."

He paused, a confident smile forming on his lips.

"Ours is different. I built our gear with my own magic runes. Our barrier doesn’t just block; it designed to convert ambient mana from the surrounding environment to sustain the barrier, making it self-sustaining under most conditions. Their armor will fail once the crystal is drained. Ours will not."

( End Of Chapter )