The Child of Prophecy Who Could Make Prophecies

Of course, the Gatu would attack from here.

Li Ang had naturally reached that conclusion only after careful consideration.

Foucher had established an outpost here on Duke Alma's orders.

This was where the Tongtian River's lower reaches flowed most gently.

The Tongtian River ran across the entire Eastern Province. In most stretches, its currents were incredibly violent, and over countless millennia, they had gradually carved the riverbed into deep gorges.

As a result, the riverbed grew deeper year after year, and the current became swifter. Most of the time, it surged through the gorges in a raging torrent.

The river was also deep. Even during the summer dry season, its waters remained swift and its waves high.

In this age, such towering gorges and deep ravines were basically impossible for anything without wings to cross.

Thus, the Tongtian River had once been a natural border.

Now, its upper reaches marked the boundary between the Eastern and Northern Provinces, as well as the territorial border between Long River Town and Lion Lake City.

Its lower reaches, meanwhile, formed a natural barrier against the Gatu people's iron hooves.

In the middle reaches of the Tongtian River, behind Long River Town, the riverbed became flat and broad, forming a vast lake that stretched for dozens of li—like a natural reservoir.

That was why Long River Town had originally been built here.

The other stretches of the river were natural barriers, so a fortress had been built at this gentle section to guard against northern enemies crossing the border there.

Yet this flat, broad expanse of water existed only along this small stretch by Long River Town. Downstream, the river still ran through deep valleys beneath towering cliffs.

The natural reservoir terrain near Long River Town also meant that the downstream section had no dry season at all, roaring violently all year round.

The gentle stretch of river near Fletcher Village had thus become the only place in the Tongtian River's lower reaches where rafts or boats could pass.

That meant that, apart from crossing near Brave Shield Fortress or through the primeval forest farther east, the Gatu people could only cross here if they wanted to enter Long River Town's territory.

Otherwise, they would have to travel several hundred li west to raid Lion Lake City's lands.

So the camp beside Fletcher Village was actually a vital border position guarding the riverbank—a miniature Long River Town.

And the men Foucher had sent here had been doing a "good deed"—they had been building a wooden bridge across this relatively gentle stretch of river.

So, just as the people of the count's territory had seen, they really had been carrying out construction work.

But their intentions were exceedingly sinister—the north was all wilderness, and this bridge clearly was not meant for the villagers of Fletcher Village.

Of course, if they intended to continue north through the Gatu Grasslands to the Raven Kingdom in the Northern Territory, the bridge would indeed come in handy—but who in their right mind would travel through Gatu territory?

Delivering takeout door to door?

Other than the Gatu people, no one needed this bridge...

If the bridge were completed, it would become incredibly convenient for the Gatu people to burn, kill, and plunder their way into Long River Town's territory...

Honestly, this truly counted as treason. But building bridges and roads was legitimate anywhere, even considered a charitable and virtuous act.

Clearly, Duke Alma's Horton Family had made a deal with the Gatu people.

That deal would probably not only ensure that his Lion Lake City territory remained untouched by the Gatu people, but also make it easier for him to attack his political rivals. If nothing unexpected happened, he would gradually gain control of Long River Town with the Gatu people's cooperation.

The only problem was that villages and merchants throughout the entire Eastern Province would face the Gatu people's iron hooves and slaughter.

Especially the territory under Long River Town.

These grassland barbarians were immensely formidable in battle, and their methods of raiding were especially horrifying—they would take every woman and all valuables, including food and tools. And aside from women they regarded as property, every living thing taller than a cartwheel would be slaughtered.

But to a high-ranking noble like Alma, what the hell did he care whether the people in someone else's territory lived or died...

In every struggle for power, it was always the common folk who suffered in the end.

It had always been that way in every era.

"Sarah, don't you think Duke Alma now is very much like Alfred, the usurper who once stole the kingdom?"

Li Ang looked at the shallow river beside him and spoke softly.

The riverwater was clear enough to see the bottom, and there was not the slightest trace of frivolity on Li Ang's face.

But Sarah felt as though she had been struck by lightning.

Yes...

Both were lords of Lion Lake City. Both were powerful dukes. Both sought control over Long River Town. Even their methods were exactly the same—making deals with the Gatu people and leading them into the kingdom's heartland...

He was recreating the path by which Alfred, the first king of Lionheart, had stolen the kingdom!

"You think so too, don't you... I think Ralph would see it the same way."

Li Ang pointed north, toward the Gatu Grasslands.

"Then let me make a prophecy as well... What this duke will do next—he will sell Long River Town's land to make a deal with the Gatu people, bring Gatu cavalry into the Lionheart Kingdom, use the Gatu people's hands to destroy Lionheart, and then usurp the throne and become king!"

"Just as the Duke of Lionheart did a hundred and fifty years ago!"

A sliver of setting sunlight shone upon Li Ang from behind, casting its last golden gleam across his chainmail.

The finger Li Ang pointed north with vanished beyond the horizon along with that final ray of light, as though that casual gesture had cleaved heaven and earth apart.

"This... could it be..."

Sarah broke out in goosebumps as she stared blankly at Li Ang. She found this mysterious young lord increasingly impossible to fathom.

This lord, who usually wore the face of a cunning merchant, had actually inferred something so astonishing from such trivial details.

Or rather, made such a startling prophecy.

Sarah did believe that his deduction would most likely become reality, but that was not the frightening part...

What truly terrified her was why Li Ang had said it—prophecy.

Just like Madigan's Prophecy, this was a terrifying art passed down through certain ancient kingdoms.

—In one ancient kingdom, it was called the Art of Strategy.

Madigan's Prophecy was likely meant to awaken certain sentiments among the people; Li Ang's "prophecy," however, was an Art of Strategy aimed at Ralph.

Or rather, at the Horn Summon Ranger Corps.

If the prophecy came true, and Alma had indeed brought the Gatu people across the border in an attempt to overthrow the Lion Kingdom, then the Horn Summon Ranger Corps would most likely be destroyed as a result—they belonged to Count Oden, were the Gatu people's century-long nemeses, and were natives of Long River Town. Any one of those reasons meant they would ultimately become enemies of Grand Duke Alma.

The Horn Summon Ranger Corps of today was just like the Griffin Knights of old!

And if the prophecy was false, then to prevent anyone from actually acting upon it, they needed to prepare in advance and seal every loophole they could—such as this camp by the Tongtian River.

Therefore, as one of the Horn Summon Ranger Corps' core officers, Ralph needed to make preparations first, no matter what, lest he be controlled by others!

This was also a friendly warning to the Horn Rangers about a potential crisis and how to guard against it.

"I understand, my lord. I will tell Ralph about your deduction... He will buy this place, and you will get the Horn Summon Ranger Corps' friendship as you wish. I will do everything in my power."

Sarah's greatest strength was her exceptional ability to understand.

Since Li Ang had specifically instructed her to fool... ahem, to "guide" Ralph, the clever fox spirit naturally understood his intentions—she was the External Affairs Officer, and it was her duty to bring Li Ang the friendship of other factions.

Sarah placed a hand over her chest and bowed. She took on the task with great seriousness, her gaze toward Li Ang filled with deep reverence.

He could fleece them and earn the Horn Rangers' gratitude at the same time...

This lord...

He was the Child of Prophecy!

Only someone who could use "prophecy," this "art of guidance," could be the Child of Prophecy.

"Ahem... Well, Sarah, the main thing is to sell it for a good price. The friendship can come later..."

The reverence in Sarah's eyes instantly turned into an eye roll.

Fine. Even if he really was the Child of Prophecy, he was still that guy whose mind was filled with nothing but making money...

With two burly Meitengheim men as bodyguards and some of the spoils in tow, Sarah quickly set off for Long River Town.

Just after seeing Sarah off, Li Ang heard a system notification he had never heard before.

—Your "Coach" skill level has increased.

A skill increase?

And it was a team-wide skill in this half-baked system that he could not assign points to!

So these skills only improved after he carried out specific actions and achieved results, just like how he had raised his proficiency by constantly practicing on straw men and archery targets over those six months!

But why was it the Coach skill?!

Could it be because he had guided Sarah into thinking for herself, or because he had made her understand another meaning of "prophecy"? Did that count as teaching?

The intrigue arc is about to begin. Will you find it complicated or hard to follow?

If so, please leave a review and let me know. Thank you all for your support.