Supreme Magus novel Chapter 1722

"What the heck did you put up as winner's reward?" Solus asked while keeping an eye on the small-scale war taking place in front of her, to make sure that no one got hurt.

"All the ice cream they can eat." Lith replied.

"But their mothers never allow them to eat more than one bowl for dessert." She replied. "Did you make a deal with Rena and Selia to motivate the kids?"

"No, but I didn't lie either since one bowl is all the ice cream they can eat." He said with a smug grin. "That will be another important life lesson for them. Always read the fine prints."

"You're a jerk." Solus laughed.

The battle remained at a stalemate until it came to close combat. At that point, Lilia and Leran shapeshifted into their hybrid forms and overpowered Aran and Leria before they could cast any more spells.

"That was unfair!" Leria grumbled on their way back home. "If only we had a hybrid form like you, uncle Lith, we would have won."

"No, it was a fair fight." Lith replied. "Lilia and Leran used everything they got, just like you did. Also, you knew that they could shapeshift and you had the advantage of having already played this game a lot in the Desert whereas it was the first time for them."

On their way back to their respective houses, the magical beasts suddenly stopped with fur raised. Protector's children sniffed the air, emitting a low growl that resonated with their steeds'.

'This is odd. I'm certain that the Queen's corps has surrounded us ever since we came out of the woods. If there was any threat, they would have intervened already.' Lith said via the mind link.

'There are a few people waiting for us ahead.' Solus shared with him the readings of her mana sense.

'An ambush?' Lith took War out of his pocket dimension and started weaving spells.

'No, unless you consider sitting in the open an ambush.' She replied. 'They are all human, with soldier-level life force and the weakest of them has a yellow core. Only one of them has enchanted equipment but it's nothing that you couldn't cut down with a single swing of your sword.'

Behind a small hill, there was a group of five people and as many horses. Four of them looked like knights, wearing armor and standing around the man that was their lord in a square formation.

The fifth man, instead, was dressed like a noble, wearing hunting leather pants and a jerkin over a fine silk shirt. He sat on a comfortable padded armchair, yet his expression was tense.

He couldn't have more than twenty, about 1.70 meters (5'7") tall, with dark brown hair and eyes.

"Baronet Frenon Hogum." Lith didn't even need Solus's help to recognize him. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to welcome you and your lovely companion back home, Archmage Verhen." Hogum stood up, offering Lith his hand which he shook. "I also wanted you to know that my petition to the Court was nothing personal.

"As the noble in charge of overseeing the development of Lutia, it was my duty to listen to the citizen's complaints and act in accordance with the law. I have nothing against your father and I have the utmost respect for your achievements.

"I came to visit you to clear any misunderstanding that a cold reading of the events might have aroused and to make sure there is no grudge between us."

Frenon Hogum had changed a lot from the last time they had met. After being bitterly humiliated by a child younger than he was in front of the nobility of the Lustria County and even Marchioness Distar, Frenon had turned his life upside down.