Communication Magic

She casually tossed her handbag onto the bed.

After entering her room, Amy drew open the curtains and pulled off the wig from her head in one swift motion.

Her golden wavy hair instantly became a blue bob. Amy's features were already quite attractive, but now she looked noticeably more heroic.

She patted the Magic Lamp on the table, making it light up, then sat on the bed and took a silver pocket watch from her pocket, opening it.

The silver pocket watch had a hinged cover. Its face was gold, decorated with jade.

Inside the cover was a small mirror. The mirror was bronze-colored, and Amy's face was reflected in its surface.

She gently tapped the side of the pocket watch and activated it with magic. Soon, the phantom image of a young man appeared in the mirror.

"...You finally decided to contact me."

The black-haired young man in the pocket watch's mirror seemed relieved when he saw Amy.

Amy smiled faintly and said to the young man:

"Don't make it sound like I didn't want to contact you. I was in Uno's capital, Onoé, and had no way to contact you."

"We've already declared war on Uno. If you remain there at a time like this, and someone happens to discover you..."

The black-haired young man hurriedly tried to say something.

But Amy's expression became rather amused as she said bluntly:

"It's precisely because the war is about to begin that I've left. Otherwise, do you think I would contact you at a time like this?"

At that, Amy suddenly grew curious.

"By the way, now that we and Falor have declared war on Uno, whose terrible idea was that?"

"This... I don't know, subordinate. Perhaps after you return, you can ask His Majesty..."

"Then forget it. We'll talk about it after I get back."

Amy immediately lost interest when the subject came up and changed the topic.

"Let's not talk about that for now. Oh, right—the thing the Magic Academy wanted is already in my hands. Prepare to receive me on your end."

"You got it!?" The young man was startled. "Are you sure that thing really exists?"

"Of course I'm sure. I even brought the blueprints out with me. It's just a pity that the finished product is too large for me to carry."

Amy sounded somewhat regretful as she spoke.

The young man's expression turned grave. "The blueprints are enough. Once you bring them back and we confirm how dangerous the finished product is, we'll have even more reason to target Uno."

"I hope so. All right, that's enough for today. We don't want anyone to notice that something is wrong."

Amy exchanged a few more words with the young man before ending the call and closing the pocket watch.

This thing was a Magic Item from the Magic Nation. By establishing a Magic Network in the sky, it could facilitate long-distance magical communication.

The problem was that it emitted powerful magical fluctuations. If it were used in a place with a high-ranking Mage Master, it could easily be detected.

Although the transfer station where the train was currently stopped was not a Strategic Rank city, there were still high-ranking Mage Masters nearby. There might even be a Strategic Rank Mage Master.

To keep others from discovering the magical fluctuations here, Amy had decided to end the call early.

Amy did not think anything would go wrong, but it was still better to be cautious.

Standing by the window of the inn bedroom, Li Qi stared intently at the sky as it gradually darkened, his eyes having changed color.

After a while, Li Qi suddenly asked Generro, who was checking his personal firearm:

"What is the maximum range of Communication Magic?"

"Hm?"

Generro's hand paused as he wiped the gun. He tilted his head and thought for a moment.

"According to Rick, if a Communication Magic network is established in advance, the maximum range can reach fifty kilometers."

"What if there is no Communication Network?"

"Then the range is probably only about three kilometers."

Generro answered without hesitation.

Although Li Qi had mastered Communication Magic, he had not studied its techniques in depth.

After all, that was the job of Communications Soldiers. Moreover, without permission, officers below Lieutenant Rank were not allowed to connect to the magical communications network.

Except for Communications Soldiers.

Therefore, when he had been on the front line, Li Qi had never looked into the limits of Communication Magic. As far as he knew, from the Mien Frontline, it was easy to contact a city far away in the rear.

Li Qi had not planned to pay attention to this matter originally.

But now...

Through his superpower's perception, he sensed an extremely conspicuous surge of magic shoot out from a certain room in the distance, charging straight into the sky.

Of course, it was only conspicuous to Li Qi, who possessed this ability. As for everyone else—even Strategic Rank Mage Masters—sensing that magic flying into the sky would probably be extremely difficult.

It was precisely because he had seen this abnormal surge of magic that Li Qi had asked Generro about Communication Magic.

He had seen the magical flow produced when Communication Magic was used before. It was a beam of magic flying into the sky.

Exactly the same as this time.

However...

When Rick had used Communication Magic in the past, there had been a clearly visible magical communications network being set up in the sky.

At least, it had been obvious to Li Qi.

But now, apart from the magical light that had shot into the sky just now, Li Qi had seen no sign of any Communication Network.

Someone was using Communication Magic, but had not connected to a Communication Network?

Using Communication Magic over a short distance was not impossible, but judging from the amount of magic just now, this did not look like short-distance communication...

"Mi... Miss, why did you ask about that?"

After answering Li Qi's question, Generro became puzzled when Li Qi remained silent for so long and asked him.

Li Qi kept his gaze fixed on the room where the magic had originated. Only when a familiar blonde woman appeared in his view did he lower the curtain.

"It's nothing. I probably just imagined things."

Li Qi said it casually.

He did not tell Generro his suspicion, because there was no need.

He and Generro were fugitives at the moment. Even if they really had discovered something, it would not be appropriate to report it to the nearby Guard Team.

Even if they could report it, they could not prove their identities. No one would investigate based solely on the word of a noble family's second daughter—especially when she was the second daughter of a Low-Tier baron's family.

Besides, perhaps she really was communicating with her own family.

All things considered, even if Li Qi now had his doubts about the woman named Amy, there was nothing he could do.

It would be better to say nothing.

As long as he knew that the woman named Amy was not simple, that was enough.

The night passed uneventfully. The next morning, half an hour before the train's departure, Li Qi was already sitting in his seat.

The train heading to the province where Kefiser was located would stop only once along the way for maintenance. That meant that after boarding this time, once the train stopped again, Li Qi would already be close to his destination.

After that, he would only need to find a way to travel the remaining distance to reach Kefiser.

At that point, Li Qi's journey would be half complete.

The other half would require him to cross the Shipu Federation.

And he would have to do so under his current identity.

Realizing this, Li Qi could not help sighing.

Although winter was approaching, Uno was located in the south. Thus, even in October, with winter nearly at hand, the weather was unbearably hot.

There was no air conditioning inside the train. Although the windows on both sides could be opened, compared to the cool air from an air conditioner, the natural breeze mixed with the sun's warmth could hardly be called refreshing.

The military uniform Li Qi had worn before was fairly breathable, so it had not been particularly hot.

But the Lady's Attire he was wearing now consisted of layer upon layer of clothing, along with a corset around his waist that was unbearably uncomfortable.

No wonder every noblewoman here carried a fan.

Wearing such thick clothing in weather this hot without carrying something to cool herself down could genuinely be fatal.

"Little lady, why are you sighing? It'll make happiness slip away, you know."

Li Qi had only just begun grumbling inwardly about the heat.

The unwelcome guest, Amy, came over and was about to sit across from him.

Hearing what she called him and seeing how she acted as though they were very familiar, about to sit down without a care, Li Qi raised a hand and blocked her with his fan.

"Miss Amy, you're not welcome here today."

Li Qi spoke softly, his hand holding the fan showing no sign of lowering it.