Fortunately, Mako was able to form a Summon Contract with a Battle Horse whose wavelength matched hers at Feel’s ranch. Its name was Kaede, a fittingly Japanese name.
Five days after Mako joined Wing Crest, Rex, a Sky Knight and an A-rank Order, was appointed as General Order, meaning commander-in-chief, and dispatched to Torencia. Rosemary and Muse would accompany him, citing their recent marriage as the reason. The specific Order to be dispatched was yet to be determined but Torencia was already aware of the Sky Knight’s deployment and, according to reports, a welcoming atmosphere had spread among the subjects, starting with Emperor Hildegard.
I thought it was a bold move to send a Sky Knight, but it probably means Emperor Reinhardt is serious about this. As a fellow Sky Knight, I’m with the Outside Order, so if I move, it will be as a Hunter. The participants for the Order are currently being selected, and careful arrangements are being made to ensure the combat power balance of each branch is not disrupted. Lucas and Lyra from Feel, who are good friends with us, also expressed their wish to participate.
Simultaneously, Hunters are also scheduled to be dispatched, a task that has been entrusted to us at Wing Crest. Holy Grave, Gracious Lynx, Falcon’s Beak, and Black Army, who had already formed an Alliance for joint exploration of the deep layers of the Instant Labyrinth, readily accepted our proposal and are currently staying at Feel. We also extended invitations to Wise Rainbow and Snow Blossom, who were part of the same Alliance, as well as Sacred Bird, whom we met in the Instant Labyrinth. However, Wise Rainbow and Sacred Bird opted to go to Float, stating they couldn’t spare too many resources for Torencia, while Snow Blossom chose to go to Feel. We also reached out to Lily Wish, a Union based in Float and nurtured by Sayuri. They accepted with a wry smile upon learning of Sayuri’s need for escort, revealing that Sayuri was like a mother, teacher, and friend to Lily Wish. They showed me, whom they just met, a friendly demeanor.
And now, I am in Polar, a border town with Retisencia in Count Bernstein’s Territory, riding Jade. Since it has become a battlefield, Mako, who has been promoted to S-rank Healer, offered to accompany me and is riding behind me. Polar is a few kilometers from the border with Retisencia, and there have been several attacks by former Retisencian Hunters, but they have been repelled by the Order’s Guild and Hunters who were on high alert. I came all the way to Polar specifically to speak with Trial Hearts, who are playing a central role in the Hunter’s Raid. I had also wanted to speak with Riot Flag, but since several Normal Class members were reportedly injured, I decided to forgo it this time.
“Tch! This Devil is High Class!”
“Troublesome! Soul!”
“I know!”
However, upon arrival, Trial Hearts was in the midst of battle with a Devil.
“So that’s what a Devil looks like.”
“Yes. They were originally ordinary humans, but when they absorb something called a Demon Crystal, their species changes.”
I didn’t expect to encounter a Devil here, but since Mako got to see what a Devil is like, I’ll consider it a win.
“For now, it looks like it’s the only one around, so I’ll defeat it quickly.”
With that declaration, I immediately launched the Ice Edge Javelin towards the Devil. Due to the Ice Edge Javelin coming from above, the Devil couldn’t evade it properly. Its arms and legs were severed, and it fell to the ground. Since it had activated Mist Solution, the bleeding wouldn’t stop.
“I’ll put you out of your misery!”
I have no desire to prolong its suffering, so I launched the Ice Edge Javelin again, this time aiming for its vital organs. The Devil, unable to move, was struck directly and died on the spot without resistance.
“Yamato!?”
“It’s been a while, Bout-san.”
“Ah. I see. So it was you. Hmm? And who is that with you?”
“It’s a long story, but we have our reasons for coming, so I’ll explain everything later.”
Not only is Mako a guest and an Ancient Human, but I also have to tell them about the dispatch to Torencia.
“Understood.”
“More importantly, are there any injured?”
“Yes. By any chance, are you a Healer?”
“Yes. I can’t be stationed here permanently, of course, but I asked Yamato-kun if I could accompany him, thinking I could help even a little.”
“That’s a relief. The Healers in Polar have been treating people day and night, but ever since Devils started appearing, they haven’t been able to keep up. The Healer’s Guild is already full, and even with noble mansions and inns offering beds, we’re still struggling to cope.”
Devils are appearing? Apparently, Devils that transformed from Normal Class have appeared several times, but Trial Hearts, Riot Flag, and High Order have been fighting on the front lines and defeating them. However, about ten Devils appeared last time, and in that battle, several members of Riot Flag were severely injured, with one suffering a severed right arm and being in critical condition. Fortunately, his arm was reattached thanks to the Healer’s Master in Polar, but due to the frequent attacks every few days, the Healer’s Guild was suffering from mana depletion, and the healing of injuries had fallen behind. They have requested reinforcements from the headquarters of the Order’s Guild and Healer’s Guild, but since they only contacted them a few days ago, personnel arrangements have not yet been finalized.
“In that case, can you guide us?”
“Understood. If you’re a Healer, the deputy governor will also be pleased.”
Polar is a small town, but due to its location on the border with Retisencia, Baron Aquilio’s family serves as the deputy governor. The current head of the Aquilio family is a woman who is also a Healer, but she is also working day and night on treatments, causing her duties as deputy governor to be neglected. Strictly speaking, we should pay our respects to Baron Aquilio, but it seems there is no time for that now. So, Mako and I were guided by Bout-san to the Healer’s Guild. As Bout-san described, it resembled a field hospital, but many Healers were also suffering from mana depletion, and most of the injured were not being treated.
“This is terrible. I’ll start treating them right away.”
“Please do. I’ll go to the Hunter’s Guild and explain things to Bout-san and the others.”
“Understood.”
It pains me to leave it all to Mako, but there’s nothing I can do even if I stay at the Healer’s Guild. With Knight Magic: Aiding, I can stop bleeding and provide pain relief, but it seems those basic treatments are already being done, so there’s really nothing I can do. Ignoring me, Mako continued to use healing magic one after another, healing the injured. It would be great if she could use Area Healing, but since she’s only an S-rank Healer, she can’t. Nevertheless, she is constantly switching between High Healing, Blood Healing, and sometimes Noble Healing to treat the patients. Her treatments are precise, and she’s truly amazing, just like a medical student.
“Well then, Bout-san, let’s head to the Hunter’s Guild. Bout-san?”
“Ah, yes. Sorry. I was surprised.”
“Why?”
“Because even though there are several High Class individuals here, they show no signs of mana depletion. Of course, they haven’t been fully healed, but with the self-healing ability of High Class individuals, they should fully recover after a day’s rest. Just who is that woman?”
Ah, I see. Mako has treated nearly twenty people so far. Among them were about six High Class individuals, but Mako showed no signs of mana depletion. Furthermore, she fully healed the Normal Class individuals and only restored the High Class individuals to a point where they could fully recover within a day with their self-healing. It’s truly incredible. And she’s an Ancient Healer, so she won’t run out of mana anytime soon.
“I’ll explain at the Hunter’s Guild.”
“That’s fine, but is it okay to leave just one person behind?”
“It’s fine. She’s not someone who would be outdone by just anyone.”
I can’t imagine anyone around here being able to do anything to an Ancient Human, can I? Of course, it would be bad if she ran out of mana, but Mako is good at self-management, so she’ll likely finish her treatment before that happens. Guided by Bout-san, I headed for the Hunter’s Guild. The Hunter’s Guild was deserted, but it seemed no Hunters had fled Polar. I heard that B-rank and lower raids had been withdrawn, but all other Hunters had remained vigilant against Retisencia, which embarrassed me slightly.
“So, why did you come to Polar?”
“It’s a bit of a long story, but I have a special request from the Royal Family.”
“From the Royal Family? Wait a minute. We are barred from accepting special requests as a penalty from the Hunter’s Guild.”
“That’s why I’ve also obtained permission from the Head Hunter’s Master. It’s a rather dangerous matter, but it’s also highly urgent.”
Then, I explained what happened in Torencia, including Mako’s situation.
“A guest just like you, and an Ancient Human at that?”
“No wonder she wouldn’t run out of mana. And you only came to Helios Orb less than a week ago? Seriously, your world is beyond belief.”
Soul-san seems astonished, but even in my world, such people are rare. Of course, there weren’t few around me, but it’s due to my upbringing, so there’s nothing to be done about it.
“A steel ship called a Steam Battleship developed by Solemne? That’s incredibly troublesome.”
“Moreover, with the involvement of Valentia, or rather, the Anti-Beast King Organization, being revealed, it certainly makes sense for it to be an urgent matter.”
Mira-san and Real-san frowned at the relationship between Solemne and Leonas. Steam Battleships require fire, and it seems they obtained wood from Leonas to process into charcoal to power them. However, if Valentia falls into Solemne’s hands, they will be able to obtain lumber themselves. After all, Valentia is known as the Forest Country, with one-third of its territory covered by the Great Howla Forest, making lumber readily available.
“So, you want us to go to Torencia then?”
“Yes. Several raids have already readily agreed. It will be in the form of an Alliance.”
Yung-san asked for confirmation, yet with conviction. I listed the names of the raids that had agreed to participate.
“My, those are all well-known groups.”
“Indeed. But it’s true that it’s difficult to get any more.”
“I had actually intended to ask Riot Flag as well, but based on what I’ve heard, they were severely injured by the Devils the other day, so I’ve decided against it this time.”
“That’s for the best. I assume Mako is treating them, but I still think it’s wrong to push them too hard.”
As Mira-san said, if Mako has enough mana, she can definitely heal them. However, Riot Flag wasn’t at the Healer’s Guild, so I can’t be certain. I should have brought Yuri and Carol along.
“I understand the situation. We are willing to participate, but if the other groups refuse our participation, then I’m afraid this offer will be null and void.”
That’s what Bout-san is concerned about, isn’t it? Lux, a member of Trial Hearts, betrayed not only the raids but also Amister, and used the Demon Crystals obtained from Retisencia to point a sword at Emperor Reinhardt. I executed Lux, but his head was displayed in front of the Hunter’s Guild as a member of Trial Hearts until recently, so the honor of Trial Hearts has been tarnished. They have also paid a hefty fine, and continue to be at the forefront of repelling invasions from Retisencia in this town of Polar. However, this is all due to joint responsibility and is a penalty imposed by Amister and the Hunter’s Guild. While the treatment is arguably too lenient, Trial Hearts has not complained, continued to fight despite being looked down upon by the Hunters of Polar, and has now earned the trust of the townspeople.
“Please rest assured. The raids that will participate do not believe Trial Hearts is responsible for that incident. It’s not entirely that, but regarding Lux’s matter, we were somewhat resigned to it, feeling like he might do something like that someday.”
Especially Holy Grave and Lily Wish, with whom I had many opportunities to meet directly at Float, sympathized with Bout-san and the others.
“Is that so? Understood. Then, we will gladly participate. Agreed?”
At Bout-san’s decision, Trial Hearts nodded without hesitation. However, Bout-san declined to move to Feel immediately. This isn’t arrogance, but Trial Hearts is the core fighting force of Polar. If Trial Hearts were to leave, there’s a possibility that Polar would be ravaged by Devils. Therefore, they requested to remain in Polar until the snow piles up. That is indeed true, and I expected Trial Hearts to say so, so I readily accepted their proposal, and Trial Hearts will join us once it’s confirmed that the snow is too deep to walk. In about one or two weeks, it will start snowing, and if conditions are favorable, snow will accumulate early next month, so that will serve as a benchmark.
Holy Grave: 12 members (7 High Class)
Gracious Lynx: 18 members (5 High Class)
Falcon’s Beak: 10 members (4 High Class)
Black Army: 20 members (5 High Class)
Lily Wish: 16 members (6 High Class)
Trial Hearts: 16 members (5 High Class)
Wing Crest: 13 members (10 High Class) (3 Ancient Class)
The above are the raids participating in the Alliance and their numbers. Including our Wing Crest, the total is 105 members, with 42 High Class and 3 Ancient Class, forming a large-scale Alliance. The recently completed prototype beast carriage has ten guest rooms, and these rooms can be converted into private compartments of 2.5 square meters using movable partitions, so we can accommodate this number of people without issue. I do feel that 2.5 square meters is a bit cramped, but we’ll only be using it for sleeping, and it’s not impossible to make it larger, so I think it will work out. Therefore, we plan to travel to Torencia in a single prototype beast carriage. I suspect the Torencia side will be surprised.
Having successfully completed the request with Trial Hearts, we returned to the Healer’s Guild. Mako had already finished treating everyone and was in the process of treating patients brought from inns and noble mansions. Despite there being over a hundred people, is her mana really okay?
