Chapter 77: Sea of Cloud’s celestial maiden

When I boarded the warship, Noin taught me how to set sail. After Presha-san and Raquel-san removed the chains that hold the ship together, Noin stands on the pontoon bridge.

It’s still far from morning but the moon is starting to tilt. The sound of the movement of Zirconia’s cavalry that we heard from the east is already approaching right outside the fort.

“If they find out that Baile became our prisoner, the enemy’s response will be quicker. If possible, I’d like to distract them even a little…”

“When the enemy enters the fort, you will use the “trap” that you have prepared. Since we can also involve the soldiers coming from outside of this fort, the function of this fort will completely stop. That’s what you meant to do right?”

Even though I proposed doing that, Her Royal Highness did not agree immediately. She bites her lips and she exudes some kind of remorse.

“Fighting is not your job. Despite that… and even though we know that you don’t want to use spirits to hurt other people, we rely solely on you.”

I will now specifically use my magic to attack the enemy soldiers. If the mandrake was pulled out, some soldiers will die as their life force will be sucked up.

“…I’m saying this based on our own selfish ideal thought but… Grass, I don’t want you to kill people like we do.”

“Yes… that’s right. Grass-sensei… you’re different from me. One day, you can live in a peaceful and lively place… you need to live and forget everything about this war.”

“Truthfully, it’s just a naive thought but… We know how kind you are so we can’t help but hope that you won’t change.”

Then I… ―I want to go back to the time before the war broke out and before everyone killed the enemy soldiers with their own hands.

But no matter how much we wish for it, it’s inevitable. Our relationship with the neighbouring kingdom’s had already deteriorated even before we were born and we couldn’t maintain the shape of this kingdom without fighting. I became a military doctor hoping to help others. There is really nothing different from these girls who became knights to protect the people.

“…Summoner-sama will not change. I will never let him change. Rei thinks so too.”

In response to Arlaune’s words, the root of the mandrake in my pocket glowed –Rei, who materialized, looked up at me and said,

“…Once I suck up the enemy’s life force, if you don’t want them to be sucked more and die, tell them to throw away their weapons and run away. I don’t know what will happen after that… But that’s not a matter Summoner-sama has to worry about. Besides, the enemy killed dozens of Summoner-sama’s companions. Honestly, I myself can’t help from dying after that.”

Rei’s principles ​​would represent the spirits’ perception on the human world. Originally, as a resident of the spirit world, they sometimes contract with humans to help them but they rarely interfere with them.

But still, Rei understood my feelings. It may kill people so she thinks that I won’t want that.

“It’s possible to kill all the enemy soldiers in this fort. But, Rei won’t do that… she knows that even if she does, nothing will change.”

“…Summoner-sama”

Rei who is only half as tall as me got a little teary-eyed. I bent over and stroked her head.

Instead of hair, she has this characteristically large leaves that grow like hair ornaments. The mandrake’s leaves itself may have the power to heal people. I can’t just expect Rei to serve as a tool for battle.

“It’s fine even if you can only make the soldiers here to become a “burden”. If General Alejandro sends troops to give Noin a new command, they will also get drag to it and will stop moving.”

“During that time, we will attack Alejandro’s main corps. As quickly as possible… right?”

The knights nod to Astina-denka’s words. Our strategy has been decided –we will escape while this fort is in turmoil.

“…Noin, can we use Baile to mislead Alejandro?”

“That’s… I’ve came here to make sure if Baile is really loyal to Alejandro. And Baile is essentially a man who is faithful to his desires. But he got angry at Alejandro for using me to buy his loyalty. If he sneaked out of the fort alone to remonstrate Alejandro, maybe we can make it possible.”

Noin doesn’t seem to notice it herself, but she’s trying to hold her body involuntarily.

What was she told to do for Baile? Why did she choose to resist the command even at the stake of her life?

When I think about it, inconsolable feeling wells up in me.

He made Noin fight her home kingdom, but not only that, he also tried to use her for something else. Alejandro… I don’t know what he looks like but…

“We can’t expect to defeat Alejandro using Baile, and even if we take Baile as a POW to negotiate, he will only be discarded for sure. If he turned himself in for not being able to control the turmoil in the fort, there certainly is a possibility that he can meet Alejandro face to face.”

Her Royal Highness looks at Raquel-san and listens to her opinions.

“If Baile can make contact with Alejandro while he’s under Arlaune’s hypnosis, we may be able to extract information from him. It may be possible to shake him up directly.”

 “I have the same opinion as Raquel-ane but… if Baile is refused an audience then it can’t be helped in that case.”

 “We won’t know anything even if we killed him so it’s better to try to find out something… I think it’s time to get away from here. Grass-sensei…”

I nod to Dite-san. I already resolve myself –I’m going to fight with everyone in the truest sense.

“Rei… No, it’s Mandrake. Don’t hesitate to attract the enemy until they enter the fort and approach the barracks. Command your other part to『Scream loud』.”

“Yes, Summoner-sama”

Rei, who doesn’t always show her expression, smiles slightly. It seemed to represent her pure joy in being asked to become my strength.

“―『My other-half who share my soul. Move further away from the Pangaea garden, think of a distant land and scream out loud. 』”

Rei’s body is covered with a magenta glow –a magical color that is poisonous to humans. Her other self is probably covered with the same light. Alejandro’s troops entered the fort. Realizing that, Leslie spread out a wall of air that blocks sound and wrap around the entire ship.

Noin too. While interfering with the flow of water and moving the warship, she orders Apsaras to use a large amount of water to create fog.

“―『Oh celestial maiden born from the sea of ​​clouds, Apsaras. Together with the fog of illusions, give a dance. 』”

As soon as the ship leaves the shore and slides into the river, it is surrounded by the fog rising from the surface of the water. The illusion of fog wraps around the wall of air that blocks the screams of the unleashing Mandrake without interfering with Leslie’s magic or cancelling each other out.

I borrowed the view of Rei’s other self to see what was happening inside the fort. Looks like it became a situation where it is no longer necessary to hide within an illusion. The few soldiers who escaped the direct hit of Mandrake’s cry are extremely confused in front of the fallen soldier.

―What is that horrifying cry I just heard…? All the ones who heard that collapsed…!

―What happened to Baile and Commander!? What the hell is this…? What the hell is going on!?

―Find that magician! She did it!

―No, she’s a water magician. I can’t find any traces of “water” here…!

Noin could even use the water they drink as a medium but the enemy soldiers do not seem to know that. Fortunately the Zirconia army had little knowledge about the spirit’s magic.

“…It seems that the enemy is unlikely to go after us. Well done Rei.”

“I thought Summoner-sama… didn’t want to use me because I have a poison that kills people. But I was mistaken… I’m glad I can be of help to Summoner-sama.”

Just because it’s a poisonous plant doesn’t mean that it’s not useful in medicine –to me, the natural power of a plant including its poison or its ability to protect itself is irresistible.

“…The flow of water is reversed only in the direction this ship is going. Like it’s carrying us… So this is the power of a water spirit…”

 “But it can’t match with Grass-dono. No, I’m sure Grass-dono would say that every spirit has its strengths and can’t be compared…”

Raquel-san sees thru my thoughts brilliantly. Plants, air, water –all of them can be different. And they can even work together as we do now.

Noin also seemed relieved that it all went well. But I can’t relax just yet and she’s still blaming herself –then,

“Noin, when this ship goes out into the canal, please dock a little west of Isle Rose Fortress.”

“Yes. Your Highness… Before that, there is something I need to tell you.”

She must be planning to tell Astina-denka that our enemy is Cassandra, the Second Queen.

And after that, when we have confirmed who should we fight, we will be forced to make a decision.

Further ahead the battle against Alejandro, it’s about the Second Queen Cassandra and the Court Magician Jorg –how should we face them from now on.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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