193 - Big Brother Maxim
Facing the great army of monsters that pushed forward relentlessly, I held my right hand high.
I brought it down in front of me and raised my voice.
Unlike the First and Second Walls, the fortress had a magnificent construction befitting its name. It likely wouldn't be destroyed easily.
The knights and soldiers who had entered the sturdy fortress seemed to feel a bit more at ease.
"First through Third, fire all at once!"
The units, divided into four, unleashed magic toward the great army of monsters. As fire, wind, and earth assaulted the monsters, the monsters deployed magic shields to defend themselves.
Translucent yellow light attempted to block the magic, but the spells broke through and rained down upon the monsters.
It was the opposite of how it had started.
"Is the oil ready?"
When I spoke, the one who answered was Clara, who was commanding the modified catapults—siege weapons—inside the fortress.
"Ready. We can go anytime."
"Scatter it lavishly."
Hearing my voice, barrels filled with oil flew one after another from the fortress. The barrels flew over those of us atop the fortress and rained down upon the monsters.
Once enough barrels had been launched, I—.
"Fourth, attack with fire attribute."
Immediately after, fire attribute magic was unleashed. Most of it was blocked, but as long as a small part caught fire, it didn't matter.
The scattered barrels were destroyed, and oil was spread around. It caught fire and flared up.
Watching this scene...
"Miranda, Eva."
When I called out to the two of them, the magic-users and knights stepped back, and the elves and soldiers with guns stepped forward.
From atop the fortress, blast arrows and bullets were fired one after another. Explosions and gunshots rang out, unleashed repeatedly upon the burning monster army.
Treading over the monsters that had ceased to move, the next wave of monsters advanced.
"...Prepare the cannons."
Hearing my voice, the cannons spat fire one after another.
Meanwhile, preparations for the catapults and magic progressed.
—Inside the fortress, Shannon was helping out.
She was doing odd jobs beside Novem, but there were many wounded people around.
There were knights and soldiers who had stepped back after experiencing "growth," but that didn't mean there were no injured. Some were suffering, and some had lost limbs.
"Damn it, why me..."
"My eyes... someone, give me some light..."
"Mother... Mother..."
If there was another battlefield in this war, it might be right here. Thinking this, Shannon followed behind Novem.
Novem rushed to the wounded who had been brought in and immediately began treatment with magic. There were other magic-users who used healing magic, but they were overwhelmed by the wounded being brought in one after another.
Among them—.
"You can't! You're injured!"
Another magic-user performing treatment was trying to stop a wounded man.
"Shut up! I'm going to avenge my comrades! I'll kill as many of those monsters as I can!"
A knight with bandages wrapped around his body was picking up his equipment and trying to go outside.
Watching this from the corner of her eye, Novem spoke to Shannon while treating the patient.
"Shannon-chan, the bandages."
"Eh? Ah, yes."
When Shannon handed the bandages to Novem, Novem disinfected the wound and wrapped it. This was because if everything were treated with magic, Novem would collapse.
After treating him quickly, the fallen soldier spoke.
"Th-thank you."
Novem smiled.
"You're welcome. You'll get better soon."
Saying so, she stood up and headed toward the next wounded person brought in.
Some gave their thanks. There were also knights who, upon hearing that Novem was Liel's comrade, showered her with abuse.
In such a place, Novem continued to perform treatments one after another.
To Shannon, it seemed that while Liel was gaining fame, Novem was absorbing the negative emotions that came with it.
The other comrades were each fulfilling their roles. Amidst this, Shannon thought.
(What on earth... what do I want to do?)
—.
—In a room inside the fortress, Adele was doing calculations on a desk.
Food, materials, and the placement of personnel—there were many things to do.
Damian was also in the room, and a maid was taking care of him. Incidentally, she was also taking care of Adele. Yes, strictly "incidentally."
Still, it was helpful, so she had no complaints, but Adele—.
"Arrows, bullets... they're disappearing like water. This is strange. This is just strange... the money—the gold coins are vanishing rapidly."
Moving personnel wasn't free. When calculating those costs, a staggering amount of money was moving.
It was different from the war Adele knew. It was so different that Adele's eyes were tearing up.
Seeing Adele like that, Damian spoke.
"Isn't it fine? It's someone else's money, right?"
At that, Adele slapped the desk and stood up from the recoil.
"How can you think like that! Even from now on, no matter how much money we have, it won't be enough! Have you forgotten that Damian-san's research funds are also that 'someone else's money'!"
Damian spoke while drinking tea from a cup.
"Now, now, let's just ask Liel to bring in some new young ladies. Actually, I realized recently that if Liel seduces the daughters of the rich in Beim, he can basically do whatever he wants with Beim itself."
Hearing Damian's words, Adele's cheek twitched.
"There's no way he can do that. Or rather, even if he could, if he did that, wouldn't Liel-san be just like Celes?"
Damian looked displeased.
"You think so? Liel is strangely conscientious, so I think he'd take responsibility. See, no one is becoming unhappy."
Watching Damian chuckle, Adele covered her face with her hands.
"...The people related to those young ladies are becoming unhappy, though. In fact, it seems the head of the Trace family is quite angry."
Sighing, Adele became concerned about the state of the battlefield.
Maxim, Adele's guard, was also heading to the battlefield. Therefore, she prayed that he wouldn't get injured—.
—Atop the fortress, Maxim was dealing with the monsters that had climbed up.
Wearing a forehead protector, Maxim held a spear and defeated monsters one after another atop the fortress.
Though he defeated them in succession, the fallen monsters piled up, and depending on the species, other monsters were able to climb up over them.
"Get back!!"
He swung his spear wildly, but he didn't hit any allies.
He pierced the monsters that climbed up and threw them straight out of the wall.
The knights who shared the same role as Maxim were surprised to see his fighting style.
"He's strong."
"Who is he? A famous knight?"
Hearing those voices, Maxim remembered when he had been a friend and rival in Vanseim.
(As expected, my name isn't much of anything in other countries. I suppose the world is wide...)
Thinking of the friend defeated by Celes, Maxim swung his spear. Then, a hippogriff dove down from the sky.
Maxim pointed his left hand toward the monster.
"[Sand Arm]."
He used magic. However, it wasn't ordinary magic, but magic that had been sublimated into a skill.
The arm made of hardened sand looked as if it were wearing armor. The giant arm grabbed the flying hippogriff and crushed it just like that.
The former knight who mastered both spear and magic—Maxim Danhel—was a man who had been called one of the finest knights in Vanseim.
"Sorry, but for the sake of my young lady, I cannot lose. From here on, not a single one shall pass!"
Under the situation where monsters attacked one after another, Liel and the others were somehow holding out—.
At the highest and most prominent spot of the fortress, I was taking command.
Communicating with comrades via lines established through Connection, I gave instructions while observing the overall situation.
How many personnel were needed where.
Which units to pull back, and at what timing to send in reinforcements.
I was giving those instructions, but in reality, I felt like I was just a relay. I organized the information coming in and then issued orders.
Perhaps because I was in a prominent spot, monsters attacked me one after another. However, I didn't lift a finger. Because—.
"You're in the way!"
Monica was knocking the monsters that reached me back outside the fortress with her hammer.
The monsters struck by the giant hammer were torn apart in mid-air, left in a terrible state.
And the Valkyries were also on standby around me. Taking guns from the binders on their backs, they attacked the approaching monsters.
Their accurate shooting was one thing, but they dealt with monsters easily even when they got close.
(The problem is the mana. These guys are consuming it rapidly.)
My mana was increasing, but for me, who had consumption points like skills, four automatons, and the jewel, suppressing mana consumption was important.
(If I move too many of them, I'll become unable to move.)
It was fine for the short term, but I concluded that it would be impossible to operate so many Valkyries in a long-term battle.
While I was pondering, Monica waved her hand at me.
"Did you see that, chicken coward! The bravery of this Monica! Capable of combat and versatile in housework! I'm on a different level from those inferior versions!"
Three Valkyries were pointing their muzzles expressionlessly at the happily waving Monica. It looked as if they would pull the triggers without hesitation.
"You guys, be serious! Monica, stop provoking them!"
Valkyrie No. 1 clicked her tongue loudly.
"Tch, you were saved by the Master, you piece of junk."
Then, Monica lifted her giant hammer.
"Accidents are a daily occurrence on the battlefield. I'll turn you into scrap right here and make you into precious future data!"
I spoke to Clara.
"...Clara, how are the preparations on your end?"
Since the line was connected via Connection, my situation was fully transparent to Clara.
"...The next preparations are complete. Gunpowder is fine, right?"
Then, Aria cut in. Aria was managing the cannons inside the fortress.
"We're good here too. But it looks like we won't be able to fire for a while after the next one. They're saying something about washing the barrels."
(Cleaning the inside of the barrels? Then, I'll use magic frequently for a while.)
I spoke to everyone.
"You heard. From now on, I'll use magic on a small scale and in succession."
Then, from Miranda.
"It's a bit tough over here. The main knights have stepped back. Can't you put Alette-san out?"
Being told that, I made a difficult face.
"...Shannon, go check on her."
Shannon, who was suddenly called upon, looked displeased.
"Gah, me?"
Then, Novem spoke to Shannon.
"Please go, Shannon-chan. Also, you can take a short break."
Told that, a reluctant Shannon went to check on Alette-san's condition.
—Shannon had come to a special area inside the fortress.
Cells were prepared, but there were no criminals there.
They were locking up the awkward people after their growth.
As Shannon stepped inside...
"If I don't go, everyone will... Please! Let me out of here!"
"The time has finally come to release the seal on my right arm. I don't want anyone else to die..."
"...I might be no good anymore. Taking my frustrations out on Albano... what a useless person I am!"
The last one was Crate, who was sitting in a fetal position in the cell, staring at the wall. It seemed that as a reaction to his usually high tension, he became depressed after growth.
She couldn't bear to watch.
For reasons different from the wounded, Shannon couldn't bear to look at them.
Then, heading toward the target cell, Alette was there, tied up and rolling around.
The knights of Rolfis. In other words, Alette's subordinates had done this. They said they couldn't let the captain's terrible state be seen—and thus, they wrapped her up like a mummy and threw her into the cell.
Alette, who had been rolled in, was in a state where her back was turned to Shannon.
"Hey, are you okay? Does it look like you can come out yet?"
When she asked, Alette rolled over to face Shannon.
"I'm fine. I even have the marriage registration form. I'm perfectly prepared for a battlefield love romance!"
An exasperated Shannon asked.
"Hey, do you carry something like that around on a daily basis?"
Alette had a very great smile.
"I do."
That's what she said. Shannon thought this might be hopeless.
"Didn't you say before that you didn't carry it around?"
"Hmph, that was just to hide my embarrassment. I always keep it close to my skin so I don't miss a chance. I have spares too."
Sighing, Shannon spoke to Liel.
"Looks like she's no good."
After announcing that, she tried to leave the room where the cells were lined up.
"W-wait! Come to think of it, there was that muscular, beautiful knight with the forehead protector! Could you tell me his name! I fell in love with that spear handling. I want him to handle me too!"
Shannon turned back to Alette.
"Big Brother Maxim? But Big Brother has someone he likes. He's very devoted. I'm telling you, I think it's tough given the age difference."
Then, Alette rolled over and faced the wall.
"Then, never mind."
She had become sulky. Then, Miranda sent her voice to Shannon via Connection.
"What are you doing, Shannon! You should have given her hope! You can use that for whatever you want later. Still, not yet... this is why people with a big gap after growth are like this."
Shannon thought—.
(Even for my older sister, she's cruel. Or rather, Big Brother Maxim is a good person, so if possible, I want him to end up with Adele-san.)