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Chapter 478: My Identity?
"How does he know that I also possess the power of time?"
Matthew instinctively widened his eyes. He was sure that not even a Grand Arcanist could directly see through his attributes and talents.
"In all of Bay Territory, apart from Yaya, no one knows about my power over time."
"Which means... before Cronorman arrived, he already knew."
Eliminating all other possibilities, no matter how absurd the remaining one was, it had to be the truth.
This Grand Arcanist must have a very close relationship with the Ser Family!
He might even know the secrets of Matthew's body.
Matthew had long pondered over the mysteries surrounding himself—his possession of the Candle Dragon bloodline, yet his presence on the Northern Continent.
Hidden memories and a powerful, enigmatic mother undoubtedly pointed to deeper secrets.
With the Ser Family's foundation and abilities, unless there were hidden alliances, they couldn't have achieved this without collaboration with other Arcanists.
This meant that Cronorman was one of the few who knew about Matthew's lineage and origins.
And with his strength and status, he was likely a key insider.
Realizing this, Matthew became acutely aware of the many mysteries about himself that he had yet to uncover.
Meeting Cronorman's amused expression, Matthew blinked in surprise, then decisively nodded.
"If you're willing to teach, I'd be more than happy to learn."
Seeing Matthew's calm and quick recovery, Cronorman's gaze carried undisguised admiration. He smiled faintly and chose to end the topic for now.
Along the way, Matthew saw countless wounded.
Many were gravely injured, and numerous soldiers had been left disabled.
Compared to their earlier pride and spirit, they now seemed like defeated soldiers, filled with despair and uncertainty about the future.
The unprecedented attack had left them with an overwhelming sense of helplessness and grief. The loss of comrades and their injuries had scarred them deeply.
With Netheril's current compensation system, their futures were bleak.
The Third and Eighth Legions had suffered a massive blow.
But in Matthew's memory, they might have narrowly escaped annihilation.
Gruush's early intervention hadn't completely destroyed Scarlet Fortress—it had left a defensible central castle intact.
While the Third and Eighth Legions were heavily damaged, they hadn't been entirely wiped out.
Whether Netheril reinforced or abandoned the fortress, these two legions could still survive.
In the future, Netheril would likely still have two more forces to rely on.
However, Matthew wasn't optimistic about their prospects.
With multiple factions scheming against it, the repeatedly weakened Netheril Empire not only failed to focus its resources on internal development but doubled down on constructing floating cities.
This reckless decision drained the empire's resources and indirectly abandoned its terrestrial territories.
Such shortsighted behavior was one reason Matthew had no fondness for the empire.
A quick glance at Scarlet Fortress was enough for Matthew to conclude:
It could defend, but not attack.
Considering the tens of thousands of "mad" orc warriors outside, the Third and Eighth Legions couldn't be counted on for now.
When Matthew found Knight Harley, the usually composed veteran was helplessly venting alongside other injured nobles.
Despite his outward cheer in greeting Matthew, his pain was evident.
It was no surprise—his hard-trained troops had been wiped out before they even had the chance to prove themselves.
A man of honor, Knight Harley couldn't reconcile this with the faith his soldiers had placed in him.
Matthew set aside his own thoughts for now and discreetly whispered to Harley:
"This was part of the orcs' long-laid plans. Their goal was to completely destroy Scarlet Fortress..."
Harley's sharp instincts caught the hidden meaning in Matthew's words. Recalling the earlier intel, his eyes flickered with fear.
Was it really just luck?
Feeling powerless, Harley silently shook his head and sighed:
"The orcs' plan succeeded..."
"Even if Scarlet Fortress wasn't entirely destroyed, they now have free rein to invade Carl Plain and the Eastern Province."
The losses to the province's military strength and Bloodmoon City's elite forces made the future look grim.
"Don't worry. The orcs suffered heavy casualties and lost a significant amount of resources..."
"They won't have the strength to launch a southern offensive for months..."
Matthew offered a few consoling words but refrained from mentioning that the Cole Elf Kingdom wouldn't dare assist the orcs again after this "incident."
Without the elves' support, even with Gruush's "return," the orc tribes wouldn't pose a major threat in the short term.
But Matthew couldn't disclose this to Harley.
After outlining plans to support Scarlet Fortress, Matthew left under the complex gazes of the other nobles.
In these uncertain times, most lords and nobles were preoccupied with their own survival.
Few would provide assistance, let alone offer critical support like Matthew had.
Before leaving, Matthew inspected the castle defenses.
After assessing their needs, he sought out Carlos, who was busy coordinating the battle.
Carlos looked stunned when he saw the resource list Matthew provided. After a moment of hesitation, he bitterly said:
"Thank you for your help, but it might take a while for us to repay you in gold..."
Shaking his head lightly, Matthew replied with unwavering confidence:
"I'm not worried. We will win in the end!"
"These orc warriors have gone mad—they can't sustain this for long. Soon, we'll regain control here."
Seeing Carlos' bitter expression, Matthew firmly stated:
"Prioritize the medical supplies. The rest will arrive within an hour."
"I'll keep Scarlet Pass secure. I can alert you to the orc army's movements in advance."
Carlos, deeply moved, patted Matthew's shoulder and said a cryptic phrase:
"Take good care of her..."
Entering the teleportation array,
Matthew returned to Scarlet Pass.
Meeting Cronorman's playful gaze, Matthew hesitated for two seconds, just about to explain himself.
But the Grand Arcanist's expression said it all: 'Young man, I understand'.
However, his attention quickly shifted to the Abyssal Rift in the distance, and he murmured with a somber gaze:
"Time waits for no one."