I AM A MAGE BUT WITH MILF SYSTEM

The moment Julian entered, a wave of murmurs spread across the room.

"Look, it's the son of the Duke," one whispered in awe.

Another joined in, "Yes, they say he's very strong... the rumors are true."

The whispers only grew louder as Julian walked further into the room. He could feel the weight of their gazes upon him. Some were awe and respect, while some that spoke of envy and jealousy too.

Julian, ever confident, couldn't help but smirk slightly as he took in the attention.

His eyes swept over the room, noting the familiar faces of his father's loyal soldiers.

Despite their gossips, no one dared to challenge him as he made his way toward the center of the room, where Duke Alden was standing, waiting for him.

Alden, however, didn't look pleased. His gaze was sharp, and his expression was hard to read.

Julian could tell that something serious was happening.

"What's going on?" he asked curiously.

Alden met his gaze, and after a brief silence, he finally spoke.

"We have trouble, Julian. Something is happening at the borders. I called you here because I need your help."

Julian stepped forward. "Yes, father, tell me what's going on," he said.

Alden sighed and rubbed his forehead. "We have spotted thousands of soldiers advancing toward us through the route of Apollo."

Julian's jaw widened in disbelief. "How can that happen? Didn't Apollo sign a treaty for peace?"

Alden nodded. "Yes, they did. But treaties are only as strong as the people behind them. For now, I don't know the reason for this breach, but we cannot take this lightly."

The strategist of Easvil's army, who was standing right of Alden, added:

"Your Grace, I suggest we immediately inform the nearby counts and marquises for reinforcement. If this force is as large as reported, we will need additional support."

Alden gave an approving nod. "You are right. We can't afford any delays."

He turned to one of the soldiers near the doorway, "Go immediately and deliver this message to the nearby count and marquis. Tell them to prepare their armies and meet us at Easvil's borders."

The soldier bowed immediately. "Yes, Your Grace!" he said before running out of the room urgently.

The room fell silent for a moment, the severity of the situation pressing heavily on everyone present.
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Julian crossed his arms. "Father," he said, breaking the silence.

"If Apollo has really decided to attack, we will need to prepare for the worst. Their betrayal could mean they have allied with someone stronger or have something up their sleeve."

Alden's gaze intensified at Julian's words, and he nodded.

"That's exactly what I fear. We will need to be ready for anything."

Julian's mind raced as he tried to process the sudden predicament.

The whole situation sounds like it was planned by a mastermind, he thought.

Even though we are close to Apollo's border, we have several counties and viscounties surrounding us, not to mention the Marquis state. How could an army of Apollo this large pass through them unnoticed?

His suspicion grew with every passing second. There are only two possibilities.

Either Apollo has allies among our neighbors, or someone intentionally allowed this army to march through without raising alarms.

He clenched his fists. Either way, this is not a mere act of breaching a treaty; this is a ruthless, calculated plan.

Julian turned to Alden and the gathered officials.

"Father, this isn't just an attack. Someone has ensured that this army could approach us unnoticed. Either Apollo has gained powerful allies among our neighbors, or we have been betrayed from within."

The room fell silent as the weight of his words sank in.

Alden exchanged uneasy glances with the strategist and commanders.

"You may be right," Alden said gravely. "But we can't act on assumptions just yet. We need more information."

Julian nodded. "Then let me investigate. I will take a small unit and scout the surrounding counties myself. If there's betrayal, I will find it. And if Apollo has allies, we need to know who they are before they strike."

Before Alden could say anything, the commander of the Easvil army stepped forward, his aura flaring slightly.

"No, Your Grace. With all due respect, I must object to sending you out. We don't know who or what their target is. If by any chance their target is you, heading out to investigate will play directly into their hands."

Julian turned his gaze to the commander. The man was huge and tall with sharp, piercing eyes that glowed faintly.

His muscular body was barely contained under his attire, and his mustache was curled upwards, giving him a powerful yet mischievous air.

He had served under Alden for nearly a decade, and his badges clearly showed his scary rank of an Arch Mage.

His status and strength had earned him considerable influence within the Easvil family.

Julian smirked and folded his arms. "Commander, I appreciate your concern, but do you think I would step into danger without the means to defend myself? Or do you think I would let myself be caught so easily?"

The commander didn't flinch. "It's not about whether you can defend yourself, Lord Julian. It's about strategy. If you fall into an ambush, the morale of the family and the army will suffer immeasurably. We can't risk such a gamble. We need to reinforce our defenses here and focus on understanding the enemy's moves, not splitting our forces unnecessarily."

Alden nodded, approving the commander's words. "The commander has a point, Julian. Your presence here is crucial. If the enemy does target you, it's better for you to be within our defenses."

Julian exhaled sharply, and his smirk faded. "Fine. I will stay for now. But we need to act quickly. If this is a trap, the longer we wait, the less time we'll have to turn it around."

The commander nodded in approval. "Thank you, Lord Julian. We will ensure our scouts are sent to gather the information we need."

Time dragged on, and the room continued growing thick with tension; however, there was no news, neither from the scouts nor from the counties nearby.

Each passing moment only deepened the unease, and they finally erupted in anger.

"Where are our scouts? Why is there still no word?"

His voice echoed throughout the room, and the surrounding soldiers bowed their heads, unable to meet his gaze.

Julian's heart raced wildly. His instincts were telling him that something was not right.

Unable to hold back anymore, he stood. "I will go," he said.

But Alden immediately stepped forward and raised his hands to stop him.

"No, Julian. You can't," he said desperately. "Everything about this call is a trap. It's too well-coordinated. It's as if everyone has conspired to leave us isolated for this assault."

Julian clenched his fists, his frustration boiling. "And what do you suggest we do, Father? Sit here and wait to be killed?"

Alden's expression softened with a determined look on his face.

"No, we prepare. We defend what we can until we understand their plan. You are too valuable to risk on a hurried decision."

The commander nodded in agreement. "The Duke is right. If this is a coordinated attack, they may be waiting for you to leave the castle."

Julian took a deep breath and sat back down. He knew they were right, and he could not afford to take a risk—not at this moment.

***

On the peak of a rocky mountain near the Easvil border, two men sat with their eyes fixed on the duchy below.

The first man let out a deep, sinister laugh. "These motherfuckers don't even know what's coming for them."

The second man smirked, his fingers caressing the hilt of the sword resting on his lap.

"You have got to hand it to that bastard Ethwer," he said in amusement.

"Cunning doesn't even begin to describe him. I still don't know how he managed to convince those greedy counts and viscounts to stay silent and ignore Easvil's calls for help, but damn, it worked like a charm."

The first man nodded in agreement, and his grin widened. "Yeah, those fuckers will do anything for gold and power. Ethwer probably promised them scraps once Easvil falls."

The second man chuckled, his gaze sharpening as he watched the distant castle.

"Scraps are all they will get, but they don't need to know that. By the time they realize they have been played, it will already be too late for Easvil—and for them."

They both laughed, their voices mixing ominously.

Lian stood and turned around, his gaze sweeping over the army of soldiers behind him. There were masses of 1,500 men gathered on the rugged mountain terrain.

Some were Ethwer's soldiers, while some were ruthless bandits, and some were even criminals who had been freed from the depths of the prison of Ethwer.

He took a deep breath. Then, in a loud voice, he shouted, "Attention, everyone!"