"Phew... Now then, my red-haired lady. What should I call you?"
Switching my awareness in tandem with my breathing, I begin to rotate my mana. Slowly regulating my condition, I address the human standing before my eyes—the red-haired girl.
Whether it is because I have lived entirely too long, or because the sensory perceptions of an elf still linger within me, I cannot quite grasp how old this girl is. I imagine she is likely an adult, but this world is a place where humans who possess baby faces can already be parents of children, just like those ostriches. Having spent the last ten-odd years living alongside a grand variety of species, my internal metrics have become even more of a jumbled mess.
Believing that no offense would be caused as long as I treated her exactly like an adult, I carefully selected my words.
"...Then, you may call me Dorothea."
Shifting her gaze toward that "Strategist" for a fleeting instant, she utters her own name while seemingly pondering something. ...Mmh, it appears her core isn't particularly wicked. The severity of her "ideology" doesn't seem to be overly intense, either.
When one hears that an individual hails from Nagan, this self—who knows of the events from hundreds of years ago—cannot help but brace myself considerably. I hear things have become milder lately, but that nation used to thoroughly oppress other races. Treating them like slaves, as it were. Well, for them to end up harboring such an ideology isn't exactly a bizarre tale. They are merely returning what was originally done to them in the past. It is a common, repeating pattern in human history.
To begin with, the "race" known as humans is exceptionally weak compared to other species. While they possess a grand strength in their reproductive capacity, their physical muscle isn't as robust as a beastman's or a dwarf's, nor do they possess a high aptitude for magic like us elves. Their strength as a race is merely that they multiply with relative ease. While they possess a force that passes against anything other than a literal monster of numbers, it is certain that they cannot compete with other races unless they amass significant numbers. Back in the era where discrimination between races was severe, humans were fundamentally the weak.
Born in such an era was Nagan—a human nation established in a land that was fertile, but not to the extent that other races would aggressively prioritize targeting it. A country that slowly increased its numbers and grew strong purely to protect itself. Because the period of its inception was an era where discrimination was taken for granted, well, it is only natural that an ideology like "human supremacy" would be born...
(In the past, the absolute instant our eyes met, they would have lunged at me while screaming a monkey-like war cry, but there is none of that now. Things have truly become peaceful~.)
"Well then, Dorothea. Please proceed at whatever timing you prefer."
"...A-Are you quite certain?"
"Yes, I haven't lived a long life merely for show."
Look at that. Even though I granted her the first move, she properly asks for clarification like an exceptionally good girl.
When a vanguard class like her and a rearguard class like me face off, the win-loss record is determined entirely by "distance" and "preparation time." The grander these two elements are, the more advantageous it is for the rearguard class; the smaller they are, the more advantageous for the vanguard class. If distance exists, one can attack before being approached, and if time exists, one can deploy a grand variety of traps and buffs.
She likely minded that dynamic. The current Dorothea—Red Knight-chan, correct? The distance between this girl and myself is roughly fifteen meters. To a veteran vanguard class, this is already a lethal distance. To an ordinary magic class, this is the baseline distance where one throws up their hands and surrenders.
However, I grant her that advantage.
"...Thenッ!"
After a tiny bit of deliberation, she takes a massive step forward. In that split second, her figure vanishes from the spot where she stood just a moment prior.
And, arriving right before my eyes.
A sword with a grand blade is swung, aimed directly at my neck.
"『Auto-Magic Shield』"
She was likely intending to stop the blade just short of my skin. Considering her monstrous physical strength, a remarkably weak slash is completely deflected by my magic barrier.
To begin with, it is the way of the world for rearguard classes to be targeted first. An opponent who pokes and prods with attacks from behind is a major nuisance, and when that opponent happens to be a magic class, they come to kill you with high firepower from a safe zone. If anything, a vanguard who doesn't target them could be called a novel type of suicide volunteer. In short, we magicians must master methods to handle opponents once they close the distance.
I hear there are those who rely entirely on a dependable vanguard, dividing the labor to memorize nothing but high-firepower spells, but those who fail to assume the absolute worst-case scenario will likely be weeded out in short order.
"An excellent step forward. However, there is no need for a 'probing attack,' you see."
Even so, this girl... I had channeled a considerable amount of mana into my defense, wondering if she would come to kill me out of "human supremacy" even in a mock battle, but it wasn't like that at all. It appears her core is that of a good girl as well... Could it be that she is simply in a state of 'I have had very little interaction with other races, so I don't comprehend how I am supposed to associate with them'? Her surroundings are all shouting 'Anyone who isn't human is garbage!', but looking at reality, she might be starting to realize that things are entirely different.
(While warfare continues across the continent, it is a matter between nations, not races. The times have truly changed.)
"ッ!"
"Is this any time to be surprised?"
Weaving my thoughts while simultaneously swinging the staff in my hand straight down toward the crown of her head. It is instantly blocked by her sword, but her agitation has not completely cleared yet. Let's push the momentum.
Altering my grip on the staff from that of a "wand" to a "cudgel." Utilizing the centrifugal force to its absolute full extent, I rain down a continuous torrent of strikes.
"ッ! You are not a simple magic class, are youッ!"
"Elves live a long time, you see. Hobbies are deeply important. Though my main focus is indeed magic."
In terms of close-combat capability, no matter how much mana I circulate through my entire body to boost my physical baseline, she is definitively superior. If her rating is 5,000, mine is 3,000 at the absolute best estimate. However, the one currently riding the wave of momentum is myself. I wish to know how much she can handle, so let's accelerate the pace a tiny bit.
Channelling mana into a simple wooden staff to harden it, I intercept the opponent's sword. However, the advantage of a cudgel lies in the length of the weapon; if one can catch the sword with one end, the opposite end can be wielded with perfect freedom. Utilizing the principle of leverage alongside the raw momentum of the Red Knight's own attack, I drive the cudgel straight into her flank.
"Guhッ!"
Unleashing a muffled groan, her figure is blown backward. However, I felt absolutely no solid impact through my hands. By tensing her abdomen while simultaneously leaping in the exact direction of the strike, she smoothly deflected the raw power of the impact. Mmh, as expected, a pure vanguard class is truly strong.
Rolling slightly across the dirt, she immediately regains her footing. Her clothes are a tiny bit soiled, but the damage sustained is zero. While this girl is currently dressed in ordinary town-girl attire, if she had been wearing her armor, she likely would have tanked that previous attack with her body. And from that position, she would have countered by destroying the opponent's weapon or executing a crushing overhead swing—in short, an attack that would kill you if you took it cleanly.
"A reset, I suppose? In that case, allow me a tiny bit of preparation. 『Mixing Wood Golem』"
Tossing two plant seeds retrieved from my breast pocket onto the earth, I chant the spell. From here on out, it will reliably turn into a serious bout, abandoning the playful probing from before. To begin with, my magic barrier is designed for "anti-magic combat"; it isn't particularly robust against physical strikes. While spells for physical-specific barriers do exist, if I am going to expend mana on that, it is vastly superior to increase my vanguard presence and poke away from behind.
The seeds landing on the earth rapidly germinate, taking on human-like forms. Their skeletal structures consist of timber, but their exteriors are reinforced with stone like a suit of armor—two golems stand tall. If they were ordinary wood and stone, they would be pulverized in an instant, but these children have already been reinforced with my mana. Considering her raw capability, they will likely serve as nothing more than a method to buy time, but that is more than sufficient.
"...."
"Oh, you're going to wait for me? Then let's take full advantage of your kindness. 『Wood Lance Cannon』"
Retrieving seeds from my pocket once more, I toss four of them behind me this time. Instantly forced into growth via mana, they construct their shapes, resulting in four fixed artillery emplacements. These wooden cannons are infused with the magic of "Wood Lance"—literally launching spears of timber, acting as batteries that spit out projectiles in accordance with the amount of mana provided. Back when I had an abundance of free time in the past, I went ahead and attached lock-on and homing effects to them, making them excellent pieces of equipment where one can simply set them up and leave them be.
The baseline power is roughly enough to blow away ten ordinary soldiers with a single shot, and the rapid-fire speed is around twenty shots per second. Against a true Special Tactical Force, it wouldn't mean a single thing, and even against a Quasi-Special Tactical Force, it will likely only be a tiny bit painful... but since this is a mock battle, it should be just about right, yes?
"There, I suppose this should suffice. Dorothea? Since you graciously waited, I shall leave the resumption to you."
"...Anytime you are ready."
"Is that so? Then... begin."
The instant I mutter that word, the artillery fire bursts forth.
To the ostriches, every single detail might be perfectly visible, but from my perspective, the lances pour down toward the Red Knight like solid lines of light. Now, I wonder how she intends to cope with this.
The absolute instant that thought crosses my mind, she bursts into motion.
"噴式・乱発（Jet Form: Rapid Volley）ッ!"
The instant she swings her blade, the very air is forcefully pushed outward. Rather than a simple slash through the atmosphere, it is a single strike that propels multiple dense pockets of air forward. The raining wooden lances are blown away all at once, and simultaneously, the bullets of compressed air pierce right through the golems.
When an individual reaches the tier of a Quasi-Special Tactical Force, it is entirely natural for the lives of hundreds to be blown away by the simple swing of a single sword. The wind whipped up by such raw muscular strength cleanly pierced the joints of the golems. Failing to accomplish a single thing, the wooden puppets collapse face-first onto the spot.
"...Heh?"
◇◆◇◆◇
"Fu-gyuuuッ! Fu-gyuuuッ!"
"Yes, yes, let's calm down, okay, Dele? You're reverting to the wild, you see! They aren't having a serious life-or-death battle, alright?"
While exerting my full physical strength to pin down the body of Dele—who is currently throwing an absolute tantrum while emitting noises I cannot comprehend—I spectate the clash between the two.
In a single flash, Red Knight-chan pulverized the golems, and she is currently closing the distance while deflecting or weaving through the wooden lances being spit out like a literal machine gun. Mmh, she is normally, thoroughly amazing. Amelia-san is amazing with her magic as well, and her mana manipulation is terrifying, even if it falls slightly short of the Beast King's. And Red Knight-chan is coping with all of that through pure physical baseline and martial technique. It's spectacular, isn't it~? It looks exactly like an anime.
"Gyu-gyu-gyu-gyu!!!"
"Yes, yes, calm down~? ...Ah, right, Strategist-san. That Dorothea-chan, was it? The 'technique' she just utilized. What exactly is that?"
"Eh, ah, yes. That technique is..."
While staring at Dele—who continues to rampage wildly right atop my lap—with an expression as if he were looking at a literal demon, the Strategist begins his explanation.
Apparently, the technique Red Knight-chan just displayed is a variation of an art passed down within her family lineage called "Jet Form." It is a style reportedly devised at the very inception of her household; after a grand amount of effort to figure out some method to somehow oppose a true Special Tactical Force, they successfully birthed an art that freely manipulates air currents. Just like she executed a moment ago, one can launch multiple air bullets to pierce targets while swinging a sword, or stomp upon compressed air pockets to move through the sky as if running across solid ground, it seems.
"Well, it is exclusively a technique designed for mid-to-long-range combat, I am told. I heard from her father that if one masters the style and possesses sufficient strength, it becomes possible to execute strikes that literally rend the fabric of space. ...Though, for Lady Red Knight, it appears to be a technique that is still far from complete."
"Heh, incredible. How stylish. ...I'd quite like to try flying through the sky myself, so maybe I'll have her teach me later? Dele can join in too—"
"NO!!! GYU-PIIIIッ!!!"
"Ah, yeah. True."
This child. Within Dele's mind, Amelia-san has already been completely categorized under the exact same classification as her own flock, which is why she has been behaving like this for a while now. When one considers the grand concept of racial harmony, it is an exceptionally beautiful thing, and it stands as proof that Dele has grown up, but... c-could you become just a tiny bit more intelligent? I comprehend that you hate seeing your beloved Amelia-san being attacked, but this is a playful battle. Look, even Amelia-san is staring at the Red Knight with an intensely curious gaze, see? Let's endure it for just a tiny bit longer, okay?
"Uni?"
"Enemy?"
"Angry?"
"Alright?"
"Mama—?"
"Yes, yes! Everyone who gathered here, dismiss—! Go run along and play!"
Furthermore, enticed by Dele's loud voice, my children keep swarming over at regular intervals... If Dele starts shouting 'Get her—!', it will turn into a literal group lynching in a fraction of a second! I went to all the trouble of requesting Amelia-san's help, so that would completely defeat the purpose! Shoo, shoo, go back to playing!
You love running, don't you? There are children running over there, so go join them! And the ones who love digging holes, there's a child seeking assistance in that direction, so go play together! And for the time being, the ones who simply want Mama to pat them... form a single-file line!
"Understood!"
"Yay!"
"Mama! Food!"
"Mama is not food... Are you hungry? Then it's just a light snack, but here, eat this. It's a bit salty, okay? Make sure to drink water if you get thirsty."
"Yay!"
"Food?"
"Food!"
"Eat!"
"Give me!"
◇◆◇◆◇
In the midst of the clash, keeping Lais—who is currently being completely smothered by a mountain of ostriches—in my peripheral vision, I continue to retreat backward.
While simultaneously scattering the plant seeds I had stored inside my breast pocket.
(This is turning out to be a bit tedious.)
My path to victory lies in either completely incapacitating Red Knight-chan or stalling until her stamina is fully depleted. In contrast, her path to victory lies entirely in closing the distance. At the very beginning, I was capable of pushing her back with sheer momentum, but her physical baseline is definitively superior. The closer she draws the distance, the closer defeat approaches. If this were a simple combat situation—a mutual slaughter—I could simply unleash a higher tier of high-firepower magic or an instant-death class spell, but this is a mock battle. Attacks that claim a life or rip away limbs must be avoided.
When one considers that constraint, the hand of cards I can actually utilize is exceptionally scarce.
(It isn't that I lack non-lethal magic entirely, but the speed is insufficient.)
Even so, I am a teacher of magic; though it is a tale from forty years ago, I did successfully raise a true Special Tactical Force to completion. The spells that can be utilized in a mock battle between magicians are thoroughly memorized within my head. However, there are very few spells capable of coping with the girl standing before my eyes—this child who carries the title of the Red Knight.
(It cannot be helped. I suppose I shall deploy some traps.)
While scattering the plant seeds onto the earth, I continuously execute the magic I utilized a moment prior. Constructing a vast number of artillery emplacements and golems, acting as a method to buy time, create traps, and cause disruption—all executed simultaneously. However, well, there was no way she would allow me to prepare so easily.
"噴式・貫発（Jet Form: Penetrating Blast）ッ!"
The absolute instant she swings her sword, a bullet of compressed air grazes right past my head. An attack that reliably could not have been avoided if I hadn't reinforced my physical capabilities; the bullet I evaded strikes right into the torso of a golem I had freshly constructed behind me, opening a massive cavity through timber that is supposed to be harder than solid iron. And then.
"噴式・斬発（Jet Form: Slashing Blast）ッ!"
"『Maximum Reinforced Wood Shield』"
My feet had ground to a halt for the sake of execution—refusing to miss that brief opening, she takes a massive step forward. In a single stride, a gap of over ten meters completely vanishes, and her blade is swung downward. It is the slashing variation of the air bullets from before. Judging that evasion was impossible, I cancel the magic currently channeling into the artillery seeds scattered beneath my feet, instantly generating a shield of timber instead. The maximum reinforced shield and the slashing vacuum strike collide, causing both to completely vanish into nothingness, but she is already right there.
The descending sword is intercepted by my reinforced staff. ッ! As expected, I cannot win in a pure contest of raw muscular strength.
"I have caughtッ, you!"
"Oh, I wonder about that."
Instantly channeling mana from my feet right into the earth, I violently "elevate" the ground she is currently standing upon. Earth magic executed without an incantation—though the mana consumption is heavy, it is undeniably convenient. Thanks to infusing a considerable amount of mana, Red Knight-chan is propelled vigorously straight into the sky. The height is roughly several hundred meters, yet her expression displays absolutely no panic.
Instantly correcting her posture, she stomps upon the air and heads straight back toward the ground.
"...I see, it functions even with kicks. I must utilize this window to open some distance."
It won't take more than a few seconds for her to descend; I must construct a trap immediately.
Directing mana into my legs to apply physical reinforcement, I sprint across the earth. Simultaneously, using the exact same principle as when I launched her into the sky, I channel mana into the ground—the creation of a trap. Against a fellow magician, it is something that would be seen through instantly, but the opponent is a pure warrior. Even if she possesses mana, if she lacks the talent to manipulate it, it will not act as an obstacle to the trap.
All that remains is to herd her in.
Through this mock battle, I have managed to read her cognitive patterns to a certain degree—this is a matter where the sheer difference in experience shows. I shall "designate her landing zone from this side." Issuing commands to the surviving artillery emplacements, they unleash a synchronized volley toward her figure as she traverses the sky, and simultaneously issuing commands to the golems to launch their arm segments exactly like a "Wood Lance," completely cornering Red Knight-chan's movements.
"ッ! There are too many!"
Stomping upon the air as she maneuvers through the sky in a completely unrestricted fashion, yet my barrage reliably herds her into a corner.
And then.
"ッ! Finally...!"
"Oh, is it truly safe to land there?"
The magic circle activates.
Among the seeds I had scattered across the earth, there were several that carried no specific commands, infused purely with raw mana. The seeds I manipulate are tiny things that don't even span a single centimeter; because I had scattered a massive quantity of them, she likely failed to notice their presence. Now, I trigger them all at once.
Far swifter than her capacity to react, the vegetation erupts into growth, constructing a hemispherical dome that completely seals her inside. Naturally, it has extended roots deeply into the earth to ensure she cannot burrow out from underneath, and the hardness of the timber forming the walls has been driven up to the level of solid Mythril by imposing a strict time limit. It is a cage that even a lower-tier Special Tactical Force could easily shatter, but for Dorothea, it is a perfectly balanced challenge.
If this were a serious combat situation rather than a mock battle, I would generate water inside the structure while simultaneously adding more mana to the timber to execute a combination of "encroaching walls" and "drowning," but today is a rest day.
"Now then, do you possess a card to play?"
The sounds of air colliding with timber and the slashes of a sword resonate from within, but the cage itself suffers absolutely no issues. Even if a portion of it is destroyed, as long as my mana holds out, I can simply sprout additional wood to patch it. Unless one possesses an attack capable of obliterating everything like Lais's mana cannon, piercing through is impossible.
The sounds of her testing various methods can be heard from within a few times, but they gradually quiet down. Simultaneously, the voice of surrender echoes from inside the structure.
...For the time being, I suppose I managed to act as a proper wall for her to face?
◇◆◇◆◇
"You two were both thoroughly amazing. Amelia-san, congratulations. And thank you for your hard work."
"Thank you. Dele is..."
"GYU-BI-BI-BI-BI!!!!"
Amelia-san makes a face that says, 'Ah, right.' If we let Dele loose right now, she will reliably launch a stealth ambush against Red Knight-chan while she is feeling down from her loss, so she is currently placed under complete restraint until her memory of the event completely vanishes. Look, the combat game is already over, so calm down~. Look, Amelia-san won and she doesn't possess a single visible injury, see? So I told you to calm down.
"...ッ! Lord Strategist, I am deeply sorryッ!"
"No, no, thank you for your hard work. So, did you manage to perceive something?"
"...I was made to comprehend the weakness of my decisive power once more."
Decisive power? Ah, the raw force required to completely overwhelm an opponent, she means. I see, I see. If she possessed enough strength to shatter that wooden cage Amelia-san constructed, things would have turned out differently, is the vibe. I was watching while channeling mana into my eyes as well, and that cage was constructed via exceptionally meticulous mana manipulation. It is likely a technique that even an ordinary ostrich would struggle to break through; while I imagine we could manage it if we charged en masse, it was a technique that would pass perfectly fine against the lower tiers of the highlands.
As if to console the depressed Red Knight-san, Amelia-san opens her mouth.
"That is true. That 'Jet Form,' was it? I believe your options are either to elevate the raw power of that style further, or to elevate the baseline level of your physical body itself. ...And besides, presumably, perhaps, most certain... you are still quite young, correct? I have witnessed individuals who achieved true greatness only after becoming frail old grandpas, so I believe your journey is still ahead of you."
"...Thank you very much."
Mmh, mmh, this is wonderful, this sort of scene. Red Knight-san is older than me, but watching a young person work hard makes this mother feel motivated too...! Hey there, Strategist-san! Why don't we have a mock battle between Special Tactical Forces ourselves? ...Eh? You'll die? You'll be instantly killed? Ahaha! What a hilarious joke. Surely you can handle a little bit, right~? Look, I'm going to fire a light mana cannon, so try deflecting it~!
"（Wait, am I going to be murdered right here?）"
"Ahaha! Did you actually take me seriously? It's a joke—!"
"A-Ahaha. Of course it is."
Well, while I was spouting nonsense, Dele finally quieted down. Have you settled down now? Good, good. The event from just a moment ago was like a combat game, so neither of them sustained injuries, see? That's why Dele must never inflict injuries either, okay? Do you understand? You do~! What an exceptional girl, what an exceptional girl.
"Muu~!"
Though I smother her with praise for managing to endure, her mood is still not particularly grand. Slipping smoothly from my hands, she walks right up to Red Knight-san with a heavy scowl on her face. ...Is this going to be alright? To ensure I can stop her immediately the instant she attempts to do anything, I channel mana through my entire body to initiate physical reinforcement.
"Mup!"
"...Do you possess some business with me?"
Staring at the scowling Dele, she kneels down without changing her facial expression. She accommodates her posture just like one would do for a toddler, peering up into her face from below. Despite Red Knight-chan executing such a gentle action, Dele forcefully blurted out her unadulterated feelings.
"You! Dis-lyke!"
"Ah, I-I see. Forgive me."
"Also! Stinky!"
The absolute instant those words reach her ears, Red Knight-chan collapses face-first onto the dirt while literally spurting blood from her mouth... Oh...
Meanwhile, at the Living Room of the Victims' Association
"Ohhhッ!"
"（Hey, General Delotado... doesn't the Beast King seem exceptionally high-energy right now?）"
"（No, Bobre. It appears he simply loves exceptionally stylish techniques and the like, you see?）"
"Jet Form! What an intensely heart-stirring name! It literally causes the memories of my childhood to rush back! Those nostalgic days when I would swing a wooden stick around while screaming 'Blank Slash~!' You two comprehend exactly what I mean, correct?!"
""Ah, yes.""
"No, the reality is that I used to contemplate a grand variety of things in the past as well! Look, I am the Beast King, correct? Consequently, I intended to attach technique names themed around the concept of a 'King!' The mana cannon launched from my hand would be 'Claw King Cannon,' and the one from my mouth would be 'Fang King Cannon'—that sort of vibe! As a technique unleashed by a literal king of beastmen like the Beast King, isn't it exceptionally grand?! I cannot afford to sit idly byッ! I must begin practicing my techniques immediately! Furthermore, that Jet Form art! I want to try executing it!!!"
"Ah~, Lord Beast King? This is a memory from my previous life, but... Jet Form is a technique that requires an exceptional amount of training. If I recall correctly, even that Dorothea-chan had to undergo years of training to acquire the art..."
"『Jet Form: Rapid Volley!』 Ohh! I succeeded! Mmm-mmh! If I had possessed this art back then, I could have engaged in aerial combat as well...! What a tragic waste! However, practicing a brand-new technique truly causes one's heart to dance, doesn't it?!"
"...…He actually went ahead and executed it, General."
"He went ahead and executed it, didn't he."
"Ah, Lord Beast King? The low table is going to flip over, so please take it outside."
"Ohh, my apologies!"