Chapter 251 - The Battle for Migul and the Fight with the Transferred
Komachi swiveled the turret of her 28-San Howitzer, aiming at the House Leafclout mansion.
As we waited for the next shot, we looked down on the city from the hilltop.
The north and east sides of the city were wrapped in a quiet darkness, but flames were now rising from Komachi's earlier bombardment.
We'd practically announced our presence with bonfires, so the enemy must have already realized that we'd used the cover of night to retake this hill. I wondered if they could see the flames and smoke rising from their own base.
With this, the enemy would have to divert some of the troops heading for the House Wanland mansion on the south side to deal with us. Otherwise, we would just reduce their mansions to ash with our unopposed bombardment.
The enemy had a transferred individual who could destroy buildings with a giant battleaxe. It had been used on Marina's mansion, but special skills proportional to their destructive power required enormous amounts of mana, and they also needed a cooldown period before they could be used again. For a goddess summoning, it was two days. I had thought the time would shorten with experience, but it hadn't changed. I'd have to wait until tomorrow morning to use it again. What about the red-hooded man's 'Axe of Destruction,' I wondered. I considered the possibility of it being used on the Wanland mansion.
Were there other transferred people besides him and Yuuki participating in the battle on the enemy's side?
"I wonder if they captured that sturdy port this way…"
No one answered Komachi's murmur. I was lost in my own thoughts and let it pass, but she scowled and glared at me.
"Hey, I'm talking to you, you could at least answer!"
"Were you talking to me?"
"Of course I was. You're the only one here who gets stories about the old world."
She sniffed and turned her gaze toward the House Leafclout mansion. Her partner, Takemura, was drifting through Migul's sky, hanging from his balloons, on his way to their target.
"You're talking about a 'sturdy port,' but you've never actually seen one, have you?"
"It's my imagination!"
Komachi protested, but this place was a hill only about fifty meters high. It was hardly what you'd call high ground.
I couldn't picture a port from a hundred years ago, with mines and anti-submarine nets spread across its mouth, coastal cannons lining the shore batteries, and a fleet anchored within. But since civilians also lived there, perhaps a night view like this was visible from the mountains behind the city.
"They say elves are better at magic than humans. Do you think they can block it like you guys did when we fought?"
"That time, we were able to react because we could see the shelling coming. Basically, you need a special skill to stop a special skill. Even if there's a transferred person in the mansion, they shouldn't be able to grasp the current situation yet."
Komachi gave a small nod at my words.
"I'm firing."
She raised her arm. Just as we covered our ears, she swung it down.
A deafening roar echoed. The ground shook slightly as we braced against the shockwave of the blast, and I watched the House Leafclout mansion.
Red flames shot up, followed by black smoke, and then a thunderous boom rumbled through the city.
Komachi had landed a direct hit on the first try and was now pumping her fist in the air. This made me wonder again why Takemura had flown up in his balloons, but since no one else seemed to care, I decided to forget about it.
Here and there in the city streets, dark shadows could be seen moving. This was the fourth shockwave. They must be feeling anxious and scared hiding in their homes.
Beside me, Ilisarie was observing the city.
"Do you think Zeno and Clovis were in that mansion?"
She shook her head at my question. Then, a faint smile played on her lips.
"Zeno might have been. But Clovis wouldn't be. In fact, he might be heading this way with Yuuki and the others."
She put a finger to her chin as if in thought.
"Don't you think your allies who are looking for you might have infiltrated that mansion?"
"Not a chance. I attacked the Airally mansion first precisely because I knew that wasn't a possibility. Because they know what this sound is. They even know how to defend against it. If they were inside, it wouldn't have caught fire like that."
Still, I couldn't deny the possibility that they might not have noticed the sound of the bombardment while searching the mansion, or that they were engaged in combat with the mansion's soldiers and couldn't defend.
"Your methods are getting people uninvolved in this battle killed."
I studied Ilisarie's expression. Was she trying to provoke me with some scheme? It was too dark to see clearly, but her cheeks seemed to have lost all color.
"Do you want me to stop? You're right. It's the home of an elven noble. Many of your kind will die. If I recall, their numbers are dwindling and they're on the brink of extinction, right? Thanks to you, their numbers just dropped again."
"My… responsibility?"
"Of course it is. If the elves of the Great Forest sent you here to create this kind of war, then what kind of people are they! Your role should have been to put out the fire. But you seem completely unfazed by this situation. Isn't that because you're the one who proactively caused it?"
At my words, Ilisarie's lips curved slightly upward.
"That's not quite right. Ultimately, the ones who started the rebellion were Zeno Leafclout and Ishtvan Airally. Ishtvan's goal is to strengthen human control over this city. And for him to become its king. He wants to crush the city's spirit of independence, strengthen ties with the Empire, and prepare for the Demon Kingdom's invasion. Zeno's official reason is resentment towards House Starunion, which has suppressed House Clovis for many years, and he expects a reward for cooperating with Ishtvan. Something like that."
"Zeno's real reason for cooperating with Ishtvan was the underlying conflict between House Starunion and House Clovis, wasn't it? Something about this land originally belonging to House Clovis. And if I remember correctly, you said your mission was to stop the influence of the transferred on this world, and to secure and seal the contents of the Ark that was brought here—the stone tablets, the staff, and the jar of holy oil."
The Ark is said to be on the lowest level of a dungeon in the Imperial capital. One of the stone tablets was taken by the transferred Isaac from Akizuki Uta's coffin, and the other, which was kept in this City Hall, is in my storage. The jar of holy oil is a space connecting this world to others. The remaining staff was a scepter held by the emperor of the Old Empire, and is now said to be in the capital of the Demon Kingdom.
"I am not privy to all of their plans. They are a race that can hear the words of the gods. They are following those words."
"So, you, carrying the will of the Great Forest elves, can't ignore that oracle. And since House Starunion are descendants of those exiled by the elves, you're siding with House Clovis, is that it?"
"That's right. For now, Mash, I am following you."
I frowned at her words.
"Following me, you say? I thought you were monitoring me."
"If you think so, why haven't you detained or exiled me?"
"Because when Ishtvan, Zeno, and Clovis are dead, you're going to be the enemy's point of contact to end this war."
"So you're treating me as a defector?"
"Well, you literally lost your life, so the term fits."
As I said that, Ilisarie took my hand and placed it on her chest. I felt a soft sensation and the sound of her heartbeat.
"Are you really immortal?"
"It's probably the effect of Zeno's magic."
"Does that mean you'll die if the effect wears off?"
"Probably not. The cause of death has been removed by healing. But I can't use magic. It seems the immortality magic Zeno placed on this body wasn't designed with resurrection in mind. It's constantly active, draining my mana. It's not a pleasant feeling."
What an inconvenient immortality, I thought. Was Ilisarie on the verge of mana exhaustion? It must be the same phenomenon that occurs when I summon Racshell. And that meant she had tried to cast a spell at some point.
"Why did you undergo such magic?"
"Curiosity."
"So, sleeping with me, and staying with me is also…?"
"Curiosity."
She looked at me, and I moved the hand she had placed on her chest.
""Hey!""
Riley and Komachi, who had been watching us, shouted in unison.
Just as we fired the second shot, Marianne arrived with her dog-eared knights.
"Ishtvan has split his army and is heading for City Hall."
I nodded at her words.
"What's their strength?"
"Probably a thousand men. From the main stone staircase."
"So not his entire force?"
If he sent his entire army here, the troops remaining at the mansion would be attacked from the rear and caught in a pincer movement. That's why he was leaving troops to surround the mansion. The Wanland forces that assaulted City Hall numbered five hundred. Survivors of the initial attack must have reported this number, so the enemy should be aware of it.
"Alright, let's move on to the next phase."
Marianne nodded at my words.
"Signal the ambush with a bonfire."
The dog-eared knights ran off at Marianne's command.
"Alright, let's pull back too."
Just as Komachi made her 28-San Howitzer disappear, an unfamiliar shadow emerged from the darkness.
It was a group of six adventurer-like individuals.
"Who are you?!"
Riley extended her claws and stepped in front of me protectively. Following her lead, Beers and Fang gripped their weapons.
The woman at the front of the group gave a provocative smile, as if mocking their stance, and drew her sword. She looked to be around thirty, dressed like a warrior with a metal breastplate.
There were nine of us. We had the numerical advantage, but the woman's relaxed demeanor likely meant she was a transferred and had a special skill. We kept our distance from the group of six, wary of a surprise attack that could wipe us out.
"Which one of you is the transferred?"
The woman's eyes swept over us one by one, as if sizing us up. The only light here was the faint glow from the distant bonfires. I didn't think a stranger could identify us.
First, I had to get Marianne, the overall commander, out of here. But she seemed eager to fight, drawing her sword and stepping forward to take the lead.
"Hey, this isn't your fight. Remember your role!"
I grabbed Marianne's arm. Her eyes widened at me, but she eventually nodded.
"Please, be safe."
She sheathed her sword and backed away, then ran towards City Hall.
"Hey, you think you can just let her go?!"
One of the enemies drew a bow. Doris and Elisha moved into the line of fire and put up a defensive barrier.
"Tch. Oh well. The ones we have to take down are the transferred. Which one of you is it?"
The woman licked her lips theatrically. I pointed at Takemura, who was flying towards us.
"Wait! Why did you tell them?!"
Komachi screamed at me.
"What's the big deal? He's got that immortality special skill anyway."
"It doesn't work while he's flying!"
"Is that so? And what are you doing, telling the enemy that?"
"Ugh, and here I am fighting for you…"
The moment the enemy's attention turned to Takemura, Riley and Fang moved simultaneously.
Riley's claws and Fang's axe flew towards the woman at the front.
"Fools…"
The woman parried their attacks while taking a step back. But, as if timed perfectly, Beers closed in on her and swung his sword down.
"Too slow!"
The blow that seemed a sure hit was deflected by a defensive barrier from the enemy mage.
"Guh!"
I couldn't tell whose cry it was. As Riley and the others tried to press their attack, the enemy archer fired an arrow. Riley batted it away and closed in again.
Their advance was halted by a magical barrier that enveloped the enemy. The semi-spherical wall looked like a transparent lens made of fluorite.
"You came here to attack, so why are you hiding in a shell like that?!"
Just as Riley shouted, it happened.
"Special Skill, Hedgehog Scale!"
It wasn't the woman's voice. Someone else had shouted.
Countless thorns shot out from the barrier that surrounded the enemy, assailing the three in the vanguard.
Riley and the others leaped back, but they couldn't evade them all.
"Guaah!"
As Fang collapsed to the ground, Beers and Riley dragged him back. But they too had deep wounds where thorns had pierced their shoulders and sides.
"You guys, are you alright?!"
While I was calling out to them, the barrier surrounding the enemy dissolved, and the woman, a faint smirk on her face, slowly walked forward.
"Looks like your vanguard of three is already out of commission."
I glanced at Ilisarie. She showed no signs of taking up a weapon and seemed to have no intention of joining the fight. It would take time for Takemura to get back. Komachi's weapon was a crossbow. Elisha and Doris were healers, not the type to swing maces like Maira or Aira. And Takemura was being targeted by the archer, unable to return.
If it was going to turn out like this, I should have had Marianne stay, I thought, as I faced the woman alone, my sword drawn. They must have been part of the group hunting transferred at the Crystal Palace with Clovis during the day. I hoped they hadn't used their special skills yet, but considering they had come this far, that was a faint hope.
"How do we get you to withdraw?"
"We'll withdraw once we've snuffed out all of your lives."
The woman shrugged playfully.
"You have no intention of stopping this fight?"
"In this situation, the only thing you should be doing is begging for your life."
The woman said this and took a deep breath.
"Special Skill, Dark Roar!"
The woman's faint shadow, cast by the distant bonfires, suddenly intensified to a jet black and swelled to several times its size, then rose up. It looked like a giant clad in hazy darkness.
"Be swallowed by the darkness and disappear!"
With the woman's scream, the giant collapsed towards us as if to cover us in darkness.
The arrow Komachi fired vanished as if buried in the giant's body, and the barrier created by Elisha and Doris's magic was silently swallowed by the darkness surrounding the giant.
I swung my sword at the approaching massive form. But its tip passed through the giant's body as if cutting through mist.
We were in a situation where we could no longer even dodge. As I stared blankly at its approach, I thought I heard the faint sound of hooves.
The moment the giant's body was about to crush me, my arm was grabbed and I was pulled up.
When I realized it, I was on the back of a white horse. The pony-tailed girl controlling the horse from its back turned to look at me.
"Where the hell have you been wanderin' off to?! I had a hard time findin' ya!"
Hyakka grinned. The white horse galloped as if to tear through the darkness enveloping the giant, then wheeled around to face the enemy and let out a neigh.
And, as if chasing the white horse, Chihiro and the members of the New World appeared.
"How dare you mess with my darling. I'll make sure you pay for it, and then some!"
Hyakka pointed the tip of her lance at the enemy woman.