Chapter 89: Surrender Recommendation

There is a roaring sound as the cannon lands on the wall surrounding Zirconia’s fort. Due to the pouring rain, the flames did not spread but black smoke rises into the cloudy sky and then I heard the confused voices of the enemy soldiers.

I bypassed the south side of the fort and headed east, to the place where I’m out of the enemy lookout’s line of sight. It looks like they cut up the trees in the forest when this fort was built, fortunately, some lumber still remained –maybe they left it in the middle of the road when they no longer needed to cut out some wood.

As we had decided beforehand, Presha-san, who was on board the warship, should soon be leading her horse and reach here together with Leslie and Noin.

Presha-san’s horse gallops in the rain and comes closer –they are hidden by Noin’s water spirit’s magic, but as I can hear the voices of the plants, I know that they are moving through the grassland and they are now close to me.

“….I’m glad you are safe Sensei. We’ve done what we can. Even now, Dite-san’s group is attacking from the water to prevent the ship from being taken. As long as Leslie’s magic can still hold it, we can use gunpowder weapons.”

“The magic of drying the air can be sustained even when I’m far from it.”

“As expected from you… As the first attendant of Grass-sama, you did a remarkable job.”

Noin made the biggest contribution to this operation but her expression is still dark. She hid the warship with water magic and made a surprise attack. So Alejandro would have noticed that Noin was on this side.

Knowing that he had lost Noin, who would have been the key part of his tactics, he would either try to bring her back or he would see Noin as an object of his hatred.

“Without Noin, this operation wouldn’t have been possible. Her Royal Highness’ main force was completely hidden in the rain… It’s thanks to Noin’s illusion that the entire enemy army was ambushed.”

Noin nods to Presha-san’s words. Her complexion looks paler than usual. One reason for that is because the magical power lost by maintaining a wide range of illusion is too great.

“Noin, the consumption of your magical power is too great. It is better for you to use the crystal filled with magical power.”

“No… I should be getting the signal from the main team soon. I have to hold it until then, that’s my role…”

“…Don’t overdo it, use it. We can’t have you fall down from exhaustion.”

Leslie tries to take the magic crystal from her pouch. Even if she had accumulated her own magical power in that crystal, she can offer it for others without any hesitation –I honestly admire her for that. With her blunt attitude, it’s easy to misunderstand her as someone indifferent. But deep within, Leslie has a gentle personality. That’s also why I’m worried about her. When Leslie told me that I would pull out a flop spirit before, I know that she is still troubled about it till now.

“…If I use the crystals now, your magical power will be used first. So, until my magical power is exhausted…”

“―Noin, that’s the signal from the main unit! They are letting us know that they already break through the gate of the enemy’s fort, you can now break the illusion!”

The crux of this operation is on how to avoid head-on collisions and lead the enemy army to surrender. If they realized that the fort was already under siege when we remove the illusion –the enemy will be distressed and their fighting spirit will be greatly lost.

And the key to shaking the enemy is the battering ram that breaks through the main gate. In order to move it as fast as possible, which would normally take a long time to move, I interfered with the part of the wooden wagon carrying the battering ram with spirit magic so it could move at the speed of a chariot pulled by a horse. Just now it had been shot at the main gate of the enemy’s fort and it smashed through in a few crashes –I can now hear the voices of enemy soldiers that resembled a scream.

“…Apsaras! Clear out the fog illusion, with your dance… finish it…”

“Oi!… that’s dangerous. You should use the magic crystal, if you can’t move here, I’ll have to carry you on my back you know? Uhm, I’m fine with that though.”

The moment Noin releases the illusion, she’s weakened and is supported by Presha-san. The power of Presha-san, a magic warrior, may be enough to carry Noin but when one’s magical power is exhausted, various problems occur so there is no choice but for her to recover first.

“…Then, I’ll take a little of it Leslie”

When Leslie nodded, Noin loosened the collar of her clothes and inserted a magic crystal in her bosom –certainly, it would be easily absorbed when placed at the part closer to the heart, but that caught me by surprise so I had no choice but to look down.

“…Thank you, this is enough. I’m sorry Grass-sama, I showed you something unsightly.”

“Uh-, N-No, that’s…”

“I feel like Noin is aiming for that so Grass-sensei doesn’t have to apologize.”

“Rather than aiming for it, I just don’t want to hide anything from Grass-sama.”

I don’t know how to react when she said that, but since Leslie is watching, I swear to graduate from reacting to such things like a boy. After Leslie discouraged me from doing that, she then looks at the magic crystals returned by Noin and her eyes widen. The accumulated magic power hasn’t decreased as much as she had thought.

“Use more, you may need to use magic again you see.”

“…If I survive, can you leave the accumulation of magical power on the crystal to me?”

Noin receives the magic crystal again and absorbs more magical power –there’s not much left, but it was really helpful thanks to Leslie’s reserves. Now that there are three magicians, we must take measures against the exhaustion of magical power as soon as possible.

“Don’t you have that magic crystal too, Noin? I think it’s a must for a court magician but… ah-, it’s just my own thought.”

“The crystal I had was confiscated. They are trying to incorporate magicians in their tactics but they couldn’t get it in Zirconia so they asked that from me as a proof of my loyalty…. The ‘White Crow’ is a man whose only obsession is to win you see.”

“…I think that’s how little they know about us magicians. They just think we are worth using. That’s why this time, it’s where we took advantage of them.”

Leslie calmly analyzes the situation. I think so too –I can say that she’s very reliable when it comes to her composure on the battlefield. Nevertheless, I still think I have to protect her –Leslie’s behaviour as “Lendl-san” was like an escort itself so I know she wants to protect me, but I can’t continue indulging in that feeling.

“As Leslie says, the opponent is at the mercy of our magical operation… This battle is already ours. The three of you should evacuate to the rear.”

“The enemy may still be trying to do something. Let me look at the situation as much as possible… If we can’t move when it’s time to break through with magic, there’s no point in coming here.”

Presha-san was at loss for words but she did not immediately refute it.

“…You mean it’s all about how the other party will react to the siege? That if they surrender, we don’t have to make a move huh.”

“If we’re talking about an all-out war, then, we’re going to have fierce fight….”

There is a good chance for that since Noin mentioned it. If that happens, Her Highness will have to invade the fort. The goal will be to capture or even defeat the enemy’s general.

…If that happens, many soldiers will die. They are already completely surrounded and their walls will be destroyed. Are they really still trying to fight in this state?

Presha-san rides her horse and leads the way –we then leave the woods and come to front of the fort. What I heard was Raquel-san’s loud shout that seems to shake the entire fort.

“Listen, Zirconian Empire Army! This fort is already under siege! If you don’t wish for a futile death, throw away your weapons and surrender! Otherwise, we will cut off your retreat and invade your fort from the destroyed main gate!”

Presha-san on top of her horse is watching Raquel-san’s brave figure. Her profile showed not that of a longing, but it’s filled with the awe she held for the same warrior.

“General Astina wants to talk to you! If you agree, raise the surrender flag or let our troops know! I Repeat―!”

―Before she finished her second sentence, the atmosphere around the soldiers already changed.

“…T-The flag…was raised…”

Presha-san murmured –as if she can’t believe what was happening before her.

A white flag was raised over Zirconia’s fort. The soldier on top of the turret erected a pole at the order their leader and raised it so that it could be seen here.

However, the enemy archers on the wall surrounding the fort have not yet abandoned their weapons. They are still ready to shoot at us at any time.

―The situation is still unpredictable. I thought of seeking the instructions of Astina-denka in the main corps in order to cut off the possibility of such chance. Through the contract with the sacred tree, I can communicate with Astina-denka even if I am farther away from her. She then gave me an answer when I spoke to her.

“The enemy is raising the white flag and trying to keep us off guard. Grass, you have the magic of bow-sealing, can you get ready in case of emergency? Please move as a squadron alongside Presha.”

“Your Highness, bow sealing is only effective if the enemy’s bow is made of wood. If the enemy uses a metal bow and arrow, I will not be able to interfere with it using my spirit magic.”

“I understand. Now then, as for you magicians, please stay out of the front lines and please use your magic appropriately as you deem fit. If the range is too large, it would be helpful if you could let me know in advance. I might find a way to confuse the enemy soldiers.”

“Yes, I understand. Your Highness, please be careful.”

“You too, you guys must not be reckless. We have come this far unscathed.”

Her Highness was able to predict that Alejandro was planning something but she didn’t seem to be able to determine the details of it. The oracle of the sacred tree meant that the future could not always be determined and predicted.

From the main gate of the fort, which was destroyed by the battering ram, the enemy soldiers came out with their hands raised ―when they indicated that they had no intention of fighting, Bridget-san’s cavalry and infantry unit first entered the fort.

Not long after that, the enemy’s general, Alejandro, replied that he would be willing to talk to them directly.

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

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