The Military Princess Won’t Fall in Love with a Magic Scientist

Chapter 246. Sudden Change

Scream ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Fortress, First Watchtower.

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍wind here always carried the smell of rust and old earth. The afternoon sunlight spilled through the thin clouds onto the city bricks, yet it could not drive away that bone-deep chill.

“Hey, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍look at those ‘nouveau riche’ bastards from the Northern Territory. They’re messing around with those iron lumps of theirs again.”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍young sentry leaned against the battlements, chewing on a piece of dry grass, but his eyes kept drifting toward the Northern Territory camp below the fortress.

There, ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a squad of Northern Territory soldiers was passing by with long, sleek Thunder Mark I rifles slung across their backs, while the exposed components of their Magitech Armor occasionally flashed with rune-light so dazzling it made others green with envy in the sun.

“I ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍heard from the logistics department that one shot from that thing can blow apart the skull of a third-tier magical beast.” The sentry muttered sourly, then glanced at the somewhat worn standard-issue longsword in his own hand and the dampened musket beside it.

“We have to ration even the magitech crystals for lighting here. We only dare turn them on for a little while during night patrols. But look at them—they even have to recharge and maintain those two fire-pokers regularly! What kind of war is this? They’re practically here on vacation!”

In the shadows, an old soldier with a face full of stubble was squatting on the ground, carefully sharpening a dagger with a whetstone. Hearing that, his hand paused. He spat on the ground and said in a low voice, “Jealous? If you’ve really got the guts, then once this Beast Tide is over, find a way to strip off this uniform and defect to the Northern Territory.”

“I’ve heard that Professor Logaris only looks at ability when he recruits, not background. Their soldiers—even the greenest rookie—are equipped with under-armor that can easily block second-tier spells. Working over there, as long as you’re not stupid, your odds of staying alive are a whole lot better than being cannon fodder here.”

“Lose my head for desertion?”

The old soldier looked as though he had just heard the biggest joke in the world. A mocking curve pulled at his lips. He pointed at the hard, icy bricks beneath his feet. “Standing here with a rotten stick in your hand, waiting for monsters to rush up the wall—your head’ll fall off even faster.”

He paused, his gaze turning darker, and lowered his voice even more. “Besides… haven’t you noticed how damned strange the fortress has been these past two days? That golden, pampered Second Prince of ours hasn’t shown his face for three full days now.”

“You heard too?”

The young sentry’s appetite for gossip instantly overpowered his fear. He leaned closer and whispered, “The whole camp is talking about it! They say His Highness is ‘in seclusion,’ trying to comprehend some high-tier battle technique. But I’ve got a fellow townsman working as a cook in the Royal Guard, and he said the meals delivered to His Highness’s bedchamber these last three days were all carried back out untouched. Not even a sip of water was missing!”

“And there’s more. Yesterday, that deputy commander from the Third Frontline Regiment tried to go in and request supplies, but the guards at the entrance blocked him outright. He was so furious his face turned green.”

“Now the fat pigs in the logistics department have lost their backbone, and nobody can even find the seal. At this rate, they won’t even be able to draw a single magitech crystal. If this keeps up, even the charging formations on the defensive line are going to shut down. If things really blow up, who’s going to care whether we defect or not?”

“Forget it. Ask less about the royal family’s twisted business. The more you know, the faster you die.” The old soldier scolded him, but his brows had already knitted into a deep frown.

As a seasoned veteran who had crawled through piles of corpses more than once, this profoundly abnormal “silence” smelled worse to him than a rotting body.

The commander was missing. Supplies were frozen. Morale was wavering.

“I keep feeling like the pressure in this fortress is getting heavier and heavier, like something big is about to—”

Before the old soldier could finish, the whetstone in his hand suddenly cracked in two with a sharp snap under his unconscious grip.

He heard a shrill screech.

It sounded like a whetstone scraping across a dagger’s edge, producing an unbearably discordant noise.

The old soldier stared at the little pebbles on the ground. They were trembling slightly.

Then he looked up at the sky. The noisy carrion birds that had perched above the Great Howling Rift year-round had vanished without a trace at some point.

The wind stopped, and the air began to fill with a thick, fetid dampness tinged with a faint sulfurous smell.

“H-Hey, old man, look down there…” The sentry’s voice suddenly turned unbearably dry, as if someone had seized him by the throat.

The old soldier shot to his feet and stared beyond the city wall at the bottomless Great Howling Rift.

The gray haze that had once hung in silence halfway down the abyss was now being stirred by some immense force, turning an eerie purplish-black. No longer drifting with the wind, it began to spread upward along the steep rock face at a speed that defied all physical common sense.

There was not a single sound in that mist, yet it gave the terrifying illusion of some enormous creature breathing violently at the bottom of the abyss. Every inch the fog surged upward, the surrounding mana fluctuations grew that much more chaotic.

“Quick! Sound the alarm! Highest alert—!!”

Before the old soldier’s shout had even fallen, a deep roar, so heavy it nearly stopped the heart, exploded like thunder from the depths of that thick purple mist.

...

At the same time, inside Allied Command Headquarters.

This place was supposed to be the brain of the southeastern defensive line, yet at this moment it had fallen into a severe “stroke.”

“I’ll say it one more time! Without His Highness’s personally signed seal, nobody is touching the High-Purity Aether Crystals in the strategic depot!”

The logistics officer at the Second Prince’s side—that bald man so fat he looked like a slab of lard with legs—was slamming the table so hard it shook. Covered in greasy sweat, he roared at the gathered officers, “Those are His Highness’s private assets! They’re reserves for the Royal Guard! Now that His Highness is in seclusion, are you people trying to loot the place while the house is burning?”

“Director! The magitech cannons of the Third and Fifth frontline battalions have already shut down by half because they don’t have enough charge!” The fortress’s local defense officer—“One-Eye” Balk—was so furious his eye looked ready to pop out of its socket. “The fluctuations in the Great Rift have already gone past the warning line, and you’re still clutching that seal?”

“Rules are rules!” the chief logistics officer snapped back without giving an inch. “Without rules, is this army still the Royal Army? His Highness isn’t here, so it’s my job to guard his assets for him!”

The command headquarters had descended into utter chaos.

Carlisle’s sudden “absence” had instantly paralyzed this coalition force, which had already been riddled with factional divisions to begin with. Even the most basic allocation of supplies could no longer be completed.

Just as both sides were shoving each other and the confrontation was on the verge of turning into a full-blown brawl, the doors were thrown open with brutal force.

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