Chapter 70: Covert Operation

Sorry guys for not uploading as per scheduled. I was not able to translate continuously this past days. Still, thanks for your support 🙂

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The fence surrounding the Zirconia army’s fort is made after hammering in the thick logs that will become pillars at a certain interval. In between that, there are reinforcement materials connecting them like a bridge and thin logs were placed in between to fill the gap then lastly, those reinforcement materials where hammered from the back once more. It looks solid from a distance, but when you approach it, you can see that the fence is not so heavily funded.

As for the turret, stones are piled up and firmly assembled to form them. However hypnotic air balls can enter facilities with windows so there is no problem at all.

Leslie interferes with the air and prevents our shadows from being seen when illuminated by the torches. Lookouts have been neutralized but we should still be careful as there may be scouts around the fort. Since there is no cover to hide ourselves from, we chose a blind spot where it’s hardly reached by the lights from the torches, lowered ourselves and run at once.

As we moved to the back door on the northern fence, we can see that the logs arranged vertically are cut off in the middle from up close. When I looked at my feet, there were traces that something was covered. Logs were sharpened as they were to be fixed into the ground, as the soil were scooped out ―there’s no doubt about it, this notch part can be moved.This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

First of all, I touched the log fence to make sure that no one was inside then Raquel-san bend down, took a deep breath and released her power at once.

“Fu…!”

It’s certainly an unparalleled herculean strength ―the vibration across the fence was minimized by magically interfering with the logs. When the hidden door was opened to the extent that we could crouch down, we quickly entered inside. The first thing in front of us was the food storage in line with to the drawing. Presha-san, who intruded first, runs straight away –there was a soldier who had just patrolled the corner of the food storage.

“Uh…!?”

Presha-san’s agility was like that of a carnivorous beast. Before the enemy can get ready, the butt end of her spear already hit the pit of his stomach. The enemy soldier can only make a small moan and collapsed on the spot.

“I thought I was able to hold back… Sensei, I’ll leave the rest to you.”

It’s easy to proceed while eliminating the enemy soldiers, but it will also speed up our exposure. Therefore we decided to use hypnosis through Laune’s pollen to ask for the enemy soldiers’ “cooperation”.

“Once you wake up after 10 seconds, make sure to go around your lookout route as scheduled, and when you finish that, make your regular report. There was nothing unusual here.”This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

“……Yes, I understand……”

The soldier who inhaled the pollen of the Youka replied with empty eyes while lying down. And exactly ten seconds later, the soldier got up, looked around the area attentively and walked out as if he hadn’t seen us being here.

(Presha-san, even if there is an enemy over the corner, we can let an air ball fly to put him under hypnosis. Let’s move carefully till we reach the commander’s lodging.)

(Yes, I know. It was a bit dangerous right now you see, to exactly patrol around this time…)

(We were saved because Presha reacted instantly, I was about to shoot an arrow too.)

There are scouts inside the fort, but there is a path that we can follow without entering their line of sight. First of all, with the permission gotten from Her Highness, I decided to move to a place where I could see the lodging with many enemy soldiers.

Using the power of the Mandrake to wipe out the enemy soldiers is another tactic but I decided to prepare two options. The dormitory has windows and they remained open. Perhaps it’s for ventilation but even in their dreams, the enemy soldiers could never think that it would help us.

(Your Highness, we’ll send Laune’s pollen into the lodgings and put the soldiers under hypnosis.)

Astina-denka nods and puts her hands together to pray –the supply of magical power is now ready. All I have to do is ask Laune to do the rest.

(……uh)

(…Leslie-dono, what happened? Are you tired after the continuous use of magic?)

(I’m okay if it’s just this much…. It’s just that if the air ball is too big, it’s a little difficult to control… It’s okay, Grass-nii. I’m fine, so please keep going.)

She spoke with a smile, Leslie’s presence is necessary for this operation –if she was to be exhausted, the risk of us being spotted by the enemies would jump up.

(Summoner-sama, I’m ready.)

(Okay… Leslie, I’ll leave it to you.)

I can’t say let’s take a break when this is over but, I have something I can do –it’s a military doctor’s job to look after the health of his colleagues and give first aid.

(『You, who fall asleep, become lost in a long dream, be enchanted in the flower garden! 』)

The flowers on Laune’s head produce pollens along with my chanting. Leslie enclosed it in the air and sends it flying to the enemy’s lodging with precise manipulation.

And to summon the mandrake, I moved to the wall of the dormitory and throw the root that can be called as Rei’s body. If there is a soil to nourish it, it can quickly take root and sink into the ground –this allows Rei to be summoned through that medium.

(…Grass, are you planning to use the power of the Mandrake to defeat the soldiers in the lodgings?)This is translated by Yume Neiji (yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com)

(I also thought of that but I’m currently trying to confuse the soldiers in that lodging through the hypnosis’ effect.)

(You mean, two-level strategy right? Grass, have you never really learned how to fight? It seems like you’re thinking ahead of me.)

(Well, he’s a student of a Magic Academy, which is also the top school in the royal capital. It’s no wonder that we have a different train of thought… If we return safely, it would be nice to have a study group on different strategies.)

(It’s inauspicious when you speak like that so please be careful, Dite-san. Well, Dite-san seems to be a tenacious one.)

Dite-san just smiles gracefully, we then move on to the next course of action at once.

―To use hypnosis on the commander or not? And, whether the magician, who’s presence still can’t be felt, is in this fort or not…

There’s also Leslie’s condition so I walk while checking her state ―by continuously maintaining the magic, one’s spirit mark heats up. As a magician, I am always prepared to deal with this condition, although it is only a temporary measure, it seems that I can take care of it with my medicine.

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