kscans

Chapter 228 - Episode 20. The Craig Report

After receiving a report about a reaction that seemed to be purple magic, we headed for a village in the northwestern part of the Empire, located just west of the Flying Dragon Mountains. It was one of the Empire's countless villages, its livelihood mainly dependent on the small number of magic crystals from a nearby magic vein, as well as livestock like goats.

It seems the village was about eighty houses in size. I say seems because by the time we arrived, most of it had already been destroyed.

It was a gruesome scene. The houses were demolished, and its inhabitants, people and livestock alike, had been devoured indiscriminately. There were almost no survivors.

The devastation was wrought by just two monsters. No, two magic insects. Their appearance was completely different from the one we saw at the Flying Dragon Mountains. Their backs and sides were covered in a thick, armor like carapace. Their heads had a single large horn, with tusk like protrusions on either side. It looked like a three pronged spear. The only common feature seemed to be their six legs.

What stood out was the giant, crimson core shining on the brow between their two large eyes.

Our forces consisted of thirty horse-dragon knights and eighteen of us carrying the new model sorcery staves. There were also twelve imperial sorcerers with standard staves. We had two small battering rams. This was more than three times the force we had at the Flying Dragon Mountains.

Seeing the magic insects on the ground, Dagobard immediately gave the order to attack. We had anticipated they could fly, and the intelligence about their lightning attacks had reached us. I think he made the right call. The moment they were on the ground was our best chance to fight.

Still, we were facing an unknown enemy. We decided to focus our strength on the closer of the two insects first. Our initial concentrated volley of spiral flames rained down on its side. Of course, we were aiming for the small pattern we could glimpse on its abdomen, which was covered by that armor like shell. But the shots that veered toward its armored back were deflected, and so were the ones that struck its flank near its presumably thinner belly. Not a single scratch appeared on its ruby like glowing body.

The attack was about as effective as a flashbang. But we had also anticipated that the enemy would be stronger than its larval form. Using that flash of light as a diversion, we sent in the battering rams pulled by the horse-dragons. The attack was a success, and the magic insect staggered dramatically.

However, the battering ram that struck it was repelled by the carapace. All it left was a small dent where it hit.

I felt a genuine chill as the magic insect righted itself as if nothing had happened and looked at us. It had an insect's eyes, after all. I could not read its emotions.

And it seems the impact had drawn their attention. The two insects spread their wings. The thick armor on their backs opened up, revealing thin, transparent wings from underneath. A crimson light overflowed from these transparent wings, and in the next instant, they had taken flight. Without any running start.

Of course, we had no intention of letting them escape so easily. We fired our spiral flames at their exposed abdomens and wings. But the magic insects in the air simply turned their rears toward us and skillfully dodged our attacks one after another.

Goodness, it was like trying to swat a fly with your hand, though the scale was completely different. We could not land a single hit.

The bodies of the magic insects, now high in the sky, began to glow yellow. The light spread from their rears forward, the same pattern as the larvae. The lightning finally gathered at the three pronged point on their heads.

It looked like a spear cloaked in lightning. We had plenty of distance. But we had that intelligence. We hurriedly scattered and ran for lower ground. The lightning strike came down just after.

Its range was definitely longer than our spiral flames. What is more, the two insects timed their attacks, and a stream of lightning came rushing toward us, scorching the ground as it moved. A nearby tree burst into flames in an instant. I was honestly prepared for the end if another one came.

Fortunately for us, the enemy withdrew after that. According to the sorcerers, the magic in the crimson cores had diminished. When we later searched for the spot where the purple magic was erupting, we found the ground had been hollowed out into a crater, and we discovered numerous eggs on its sides.

For those insects, their objective had likely been achieved.

◇◇

"Thanks to that, we got away with this much."

Craig said, rubbing his arm, which was wrapped tightly in bandages.

The conference room at the Anti-Monster Knight Order headquarters was silent, except for the Commander, His Highness, who was telling his story. Craig had returned to the kingdom yesterday as a dragon knight, riding one of the horse-dragons sent as a symbol of the alliance, and his appearance had quickly become the talk of the Royal Capital. But beneath his cloak, the signs of a difficult battle remained.

"Right, this is a tracing of the claw marks left in that village."

Craig showed us the tracing he had made on paper. It was identical to the one we collected at the ruins. When I passed it to Alfina, she nodded, her face still pale.

"I am so glad you returned safely."

I managed to say. I knew it was pointless, but I felt a sense of guilt for having returned to the kingdom.

"We only had injuries on our side, but the Empire suffered three fatalities."

Craig, who had been recounting his incredible hardship so casually, lowered his voice for the first time. Maytyl looked down and placed a hand on her chest. Fulsy was also suppressing her curiosity about the magic insects. Alfina’s hand, holding the tracing of the claw marks, was trembling.

It truly hit me then that I had returned so quickly to this peaceful kingdom. I realized I had a responsibility not to let their sacrifices be in vain.

I do not know if it can ever be a true comfort to the people who died, or to their families and loved ones. But at the very least, I must do everything in my power to protect the grieving families they left behind.

"First, we have obtained truly valuable information."

To that end, I had to calmly organize and analyze the information.

The magic insects are without a doubt drawn to purple magic. And the devastation described in the prophecy is without a doubt caused by these magic insects.

In other words, we have confirmed that the calamitous monsters are the adult forms of those insect type magic insects.

It was what we expected, but having it confirmed is extremely significant. Knowing the premise of our strategy is not mistaken is the most valuable information of all.

That much is certain, but still.

"The calamitous magic insects are far more powerful than we predicted. Their defensive power is incomparable to the larval forms, they have the mobility to fly more skillfully than a flying dragon. And on top of that, they attack with powerful lightning strikes from long range, high in the sky."

Craig nodded at my words.

"Now then, Ricardo, I want to hear your ideas for a countermeasure."

Then, a question that felt like it pierced my chest was thrown at me.

"..."

I fell silent. The very person who had actually fought them was keeping his composure, yet I could not stop the cold sweat.

Just two of them, and they might not have even been at their peak strength given the season, possessed this much power. And they would attack us in a great swarm. My strategy of learning and adapting our tactics as we fight is now completely broken. We will be annihilated before we have a chance to learn anything.

"What did Dagobard say?"

Maytyl asked in my place as I remained silent.

"He said that our attacks simply do not get through. He said there is no point if the magic of our focused attacks is being overpowered by the magic covering the enemy's surface."

"If a battering ram has no effect, their magic pressure must be on a completely different level. They have crimson cores, after all."

Maytyl’s expression darkened. Further improvements to the spiral flame were possible, in fact they were already complete. But those were improvements to precision, firing rate, and magic efficiency, not power. Based on what we just heard, it would not do any damage in the first place.

They are probably extremely sensitive to vibrations in the air. Once they take flight, we will not even be able to hit them.

We are physically outmatched in close combat, they boast overwhelming defensive power, they are faster than us, flight included, and their attacks are more powerful and have a longer range.

A single one of them is not just equal to a dragon, it is superior. We have nothing in our favor.

"It seems we need a new kind of sorcery staff to fight them."

Fulsy said. Maytyl nodded. His assessment that an extension of existing weaponry would not work is probably correct. The development of a fundamentally new kind of sorcery. An incredibly difficult problem. After all, we had not fundamentally changed the sorcery formulas themselves until now.

"Do you have any ideas?"

Craig asked me again in a calm voice. I could feel everyone's eyes turn to me. No, only Alfina shot a reproachful glance at Craig.

No, Craig has the right to ask that of me.

"...My apologies. I cannot think of anything right now."

It is just that I may not have the ability to meet that demand.

"I am counting on you."

Craig said cheerfully and clapped my shoulder. It was a light gesture, one that should have made a soft patting sound. But the weight conveyed from his bandaged arm was immense.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince. You cannot put it all on Ricardo-kun..."

"Alfina did a fine job. We would have been in danger without the information about that lightning attack."

I flinched at those words. It was information we would not have obtained if Alfina had stayed quiet as I had wanted.

"That is not what I mean. Ricardo-kun is..."

Alfina confronted Craig.

Craig is naturally incorporating Alfina's prophetic abilities into our strategy. It is only logical. It is logical, but for me, it is still...

"No, I understand how you feel about Ricardo, Alfina, but honestly, we have no one else to turn to."

"Are you saying Ricardo-kun's contributions so far are still not enough?"

The princess and the prince glared at each other. This is bad. At this rate, Alfina will be on the front lines of this disaster.

"A, anyway. I will go back to the lab and think of a countermeasure."

I still did not have a single idea, but it was all I could say.