The First Magic World War

Charles took a deep breath and said, "I can surely defeat all enemies that face me!"

By now, Charles had nine Sacred Level knights under his command, and they weren't just any Sacred Level knights like those barely over the nineteenth rank; seven of them were of a higher tier, each well-seasoned and formidable in battle.

Indeed, as long as he didn't encounter Viscount Constantine, Charles Mecklen was invincible.

However, since Viscount Constantine had already pledged allegiance to Byron, it was unlikely that they would meet.

Antonio didn't stay long at the Ducal Mansion, and after he left, a continuous stream of carriages arrived, delivering Anne's various belongings. Charles had always thought of Anne as simple, until he witnessed this procession of carriages and the items they unloaded.

This caravan actually consisted of only thirty carriages divided into three groups; each group of ten carriages would arrive at the Ducal Mansion, unload their cargo, and as soon as one group finished, the next would arrive…

And then the first group of carriages appeared again!

Charles finally understood what luxury meant, what nobility meant.

Miss Anne Brittany was only modest in front of him.

Well, now she was Her Royal Highness Princess Anne Brittany.

Charles hadn't expected that Dobin and Homonsa would act so swiftly. Shortly after he had left, they announced their marriage for the next day and invited all their colleagues.

Charles was quite perplexed when he received the wedding invitation early the next day; he had never seen such a rushed wedding!

The wedding took place on the same day the invitations were issued.

He attended the wedding with Anne as agreed, and the gifts they prepared made the newlyweds very happy.

With Charles and Anne attending, his nine Sacred Level knights naturally participated.

Even Antonio, upon hearing the news, came with several Sacred Level knights.

Because of Charles, Krel Brittany and Ebner Sumei not only came in person but also brought gifts.

Charles also made sure to invite Vinnie Yarseno the Cat Detective and his former fiancée, Silvie Martin. Philedrica wasn't in Strasbourg as she was busy relocating the Leopard Man Tribe, which meant even Charles usually couldn't see her.

With the presence of Crown Prince Antonio, Grand Duchess Modova, Princess Anne, and the newly titled Earl Mecklen, the entire noble circle of Strasbourg was stirred.

Fortunately, Dobin knew his house wasn't big enough to host so many guests, and borrowed Number 1 Sparrowhawk Street for the ceremony, but eventually, even Number 2 across the street was filled with people coming to celebrate.

Charles initially wanted to be Dobin's best man, but with Antonio's presence, who in the Fars had a better reputation to officiate the wedding than the Crown Prince?

That would be His Majesty Brittany.

That would be the kind of grand occasion reserved for Charles and Anne's wedding.

Dobin having the Crown Prince was more than enough.

Dobin had only intended to have an ordinary wedding, but this wedding, having not only the Crown Prince and the Imperial Princess but also personally officiated by the Crown Prince, was nothing short of perfect. Dobin couldn't stop smiling throughout the ceremony, and the gifts received filled the storerooms of the Patrolling Army's office.

Charles and Anne, along with Antonio, didn't stay long; they soon departed.

But their departure only made the wedding even more lively. Homonsa, holding Dobin's hand, was profoundly moved.

She was originally just an ordinary adventurer with no prospects or future, unsure of how to settle down and make a living even if she managed to save some money. Adventuring was unstable and quite dangerous. But then, suddenly, due to a chance encounter, she was lured into adventure by a man who seemed quite unreliable at first, going off to explore Machu Picchu and even losing a few companions. Homonsa seriously doubted Charles back then.

Even after Charles had integrated everyone into the Patrolling Army, providing them with respectable Imperial Civil Servant status, she remained wary of this mysterious man.

What happened later was beyond Homonsa's imagination. She watched as Charles rapidly ascended, becoming a High-Level Transcendent, a new power in the Empire, increasingly clever and powerful, even having Sacred Level subordinates.

But all this had little to do with the female adventurer anymore.

She had decided to stay in Strasbourg to work after getting married, no longer venturing out.

Homonsa was very satisfied with Dobin as a husband. Dobin, now also a Second Level Transcendent, held a respectable position and was the chief of a large district's Patrolling Army, enough for her to focus on her family in this stable life.

She herself was also a Transcendent!

For people of ordinary birth like Dobin and Homonsa, theirs was already a blissful family life, even feeling a bit like a fairy tale success.

After attending the weddings of his subordinates, Charles spent the next few days reorganizing his Westwind Knights. The old soldiers unwilling to return to the battlefield were transferred to the Patrolling Army and the Civil Affairs office, while the rest were prepared to be taken back to the Southern Seraph Territory…

Hmm, there will no longer be Southern Seraph Territory, this land will be renamed the Earl Mecklen Territory!

—— Official designation from the Fars Empire.

Charles's future will take root in his own earldom.

He would strive to ensure that every person in the Earl Mecklen Territory lived prosperously and that most commoners lived in stability, doing his best to guarantee fairness and peace in the territory.

Just as Antonio had leaked earlier, on the fifth day of His Majesty Brittany's ascension to the throne, he issued a declaration that shocked the continent.

He announced an alliance with Inglima, Byron, and the Lionheart Dynasty to crusade against the treacherous Black Phoenix Dynasty!

Moreover, he enumerated dozens of major crimes of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, establishing the legal righteousness of this alliance's crusade.

Charles also received the official documents and once again bid farewell to Anne, took his subordinates, and left Strasbourg. After a period of marching, he returned to the Earl Mecklen Territory.

The original residents of Southern Seraph, due to the chaos of war and with Charles incessantly inciting, had mostly relocated to areas like Behemoth, Cappadocia, etc. These people, despite losing land and some wealth, gained peace and were removed from the war.

Now, the Mecklen Duchy was full of beastmen; Charles had brought hundreds of thousands of them from the Red Dragon District and arranged places for them to live.

Charles believed that as time passed, the original people of Southern Seraph would choose to return, and when they did, he would properly resettle them, ensuring that residents of differing origins completely integrated.

As long as justice was served and no individual had privileges, there would be no residents who couldn't integrate.

Of course, Charles now had no spare time to manage his earldom, as he needed to follow the Emperor of Fars with the Royal Knights Order to invade the Black Phoenix Dynasty.

Upon returning to his territory, Charles immediately initiated a surprise attack.

Chloe, who had been in a prolonged stand-off with him, fighting countless tacit wars, became a prisoner within less than half a day. When he was captured by Charles and questioned on the spot, Chloe indignantly asked, "Charles, is there any point in doing this? You think you've won by launching a sneak attack with a few Sacred-level fighters? Who in the world would accept this?"

Charles couldn't help but laugh and said, "You must also know about the Four-Nation Alliance by now?"

Chloe's expression darkened as he responded, "I'm aware."

"The Emperor of Brittany really is an impressive figure."

"He's just ascended the throne and has already secured the Four-Nation Alliance. The Black Phoenix hasn't really done anything wrong, so why does it deserve this fate?"

Chloe was greatly saddened, and though he didn't wish it, he felt that the Black Phoenix Dynasty might disappear from the history of the Old Continent.

Charles consoled him, saying, "Weakness is the original sin! If we in Fars were weaker, perhaps it would have been the Four Great Empires coming together to crusade against Fars."

"Then, perhaps, we might switch places, and you could be the one lecturing me arrogantly."

"I hope you surrender, to avoid senseless sacrifices, as every one of your subordinates is a living being. Don't let them die for this kind of war."

Chloe muttered quietly, "Your twisted reasoning isn't even worth refuting!"

"Every Black Phoenix person is born to die for the Empire."

Charles had more to say but only sighed, saying, "I will not make things difficult for you."

He imprisoned Chloe while convincing most of his subordinates to defect, and those who refused to submit were all packed off to Cappadocia City.

Defeating Chloe in battle did not slow Charles down.

He stayed in his earldom for just a few days before leading the Westwind Knights to invade the territory of the Black Phoenix Dynasty.

With nine Sacred-level fighters under his command, Charles's troops moved as swiftly as raiders and as fiercely as fire. In just over a month, they had captured twenty-eight cities of the Black Phoenix.

Most of these cities had no Sacred-level protectors, and those that did could not withstand Charles's unethical tactics, as he ordered his nine Sacred-level fighters to combat together, initiating a group attack mode.

It is known that even in the Ferlanden battlefield, where the two great empires had deployed dozens of Sacred-level fighters, it was extremely rare for more than ten Sacred-level fighters to appear in a single battle.

The nine Sacred-level fighters together were truly invincible.

Under their group assault, sequentially, four Sacred-level fighters became prisoners.

By this time, the allied forces of the Four Great Empires had not even reached the front lines!

Charles was so fiercely motivated because His Majesty the Emperor of Brittany had promised that the Black Phoenix territories divided this time would be incorporated into his earldom. Now, each battle he fought was for claiming more land—how could he not be excited?

The royal family and nobles of the Black Phoenix Dynasty, at this time, had turned their world upside down with quarreling—whether to continue the war or seek peace, their debate was endless, and some even came to blows over it.