I left the room with Sophia after sharing a final kiss. Sophia, who normally possesses a gentle face, a fragile aura that makes you want to protect her, and at times a firm, older-sister-like demeanor.
Now, she was walking with her arms crossed after brushing aside her robe. It’s not like I’m being captured because I’m trying to escape, you know. Though I did want to escape from Sophia when she shone with a platinum light.
I’ve already conveyed the strategy to everyone I sent ahead to the North Gate. Initially, I wanted Rufina to kill them to the point of semi-destruction with her area-of-effect magic, but if I let Rufina rack up points here, it’s going to be a huge problem.
Sophia’s Platinum Laser will strike first. That way, she’ll earn some points and calm down. After that, Rufina’s area-of-effect magic will finish them off. Mages are so convenient, aren’t they? I have to take them down one by one with my Short Sword.
At the North Gate, the surviving Adventurers, and the newly captured Christine’s Army and White Lily Corps had set up positions along the broken castle walls.
“The enemy is…”
Before I could dodge, Sophia’s Heel Drop, which split the air with a “Buwon,” hit me directly on the head as she had her arm linked with mine. Seriously, you should put on a skirt before doing that.
“Looks like you had a lot of fun. The enemy isn’t here yet.”
“That hurt! It’ll shrink my height! ” Priscilla said that and returned to her post. She made me take a Heel Drop just to say that?
But, I’ll forgive her, seeing Sophia’s cute pouting face and the soft bulge against my arm. Hmm, has she grown a little…?
“Orietta, send Doron to scout. They’re coming from the North Gate.”
“Okay, okay~”
Already in her swimsuit… She’s eager, good. Considering that demon, they’ll surely come head-on. For him, it shouldn’t matter who wins anymore. His aim would be mutual destruction.
Estimating the enemy’s forces, there are fifty Orcs who first came to the East Gate. And about three Trolls. We know there were the same number in the rear, so in total, about a hundred Orcs and six Trolls. Shall we add Goblins to that?
It would be helpful in many ways if an enraged Sophia could take care of everything. Until then, I’ll try to keep her in a good mood and aim for a win-win ending for everyone.
Retreat? That’s also something I could consider, but there’s no retreat in a battle we can win. Besides, I don’t like letting that damned demon have his way. I’ll definitely make him regret laying a hand on Christine. He still has the triangular horse, you know.
Sophia and I entered a house that resembled ruins, now battered by direct hits from magic rocks, near the North Gate. I had Sophia sit on top of me, wrapped my arms around her waist, pulled her close, and whispered in her ear.
I praised her with all the vocabulary I could muster! Sometimes with kisses. It’s the only thing I can think of to keep her in a good mood. Don’t laugh at me, this is part of a Captain’s work too. It’s important to make your subordinates feel good about their work.
After a while, my compliments started to dwindle, and as I was about to push her down, the enemy finally arrived. Come a little faster. I’m almost out of material.
“Captain~, it’s an enemy attack~”
“Number and composition?”
“Probably a hundred Goblins~, about three hundred Orc-level monsters, maybe more~, about ten Trolls~, about ten creatures larger than Orcs but smaller than Trolls~, about thirty to forty creatures presumed to be Harpies~, and hopefully three flying creatures larger than Orcs~.”
The moment I heard this, I considered running. Did that demon gather forces far beyond our predictions? A hundred Orcs, did he collect them from the entire Sandrine Great Forest?
“If we kill them all, I’ll surpass Orietta,” Sophia said with a very cheerful voice and a wicked smile. I’ll leave it to you now. Finish them off quickly and decisively.
Sophia stood at the destroyed castle gate, facing the approximately four hundred enemy soldiers alone. We moved back a little to watch, to avoid the full force of the Platinum Laser.
The formation centered around the Orcs, with Goblins on both flanks and Trolls in the rear. The Harpies and others were not clearly visible in the dark, and they could only be seen advancing slowly, raising tremors, illuminated by the faint moonlight.
First strike. Sophia’s Platinum Laser.
This demonic light, the only one Sophia can unleash in this world, rends everything. The platinum light emanating from the fingertips of each finger is a reassuring light to allies.
“Sweep them away.”
Sophia nodded at my words and said in a light, bird-like voice.
“Everyone, please die.”
As she spread her hands wide and moved her fingers in a cross shape, the platinum light from her fingertips was supposed to cleave through everything.
*Kiiin!!*
The laser emitted from Sophia’s fingertips sliced through the Goblins on both flanks, and when it reached the Orcs in the center, it made a light metallic sound, changed direction skyward, and disappeared.
“Damn you! You bastards!”
This is what losing control looks like. Sophia’s body began to glow. This is bad. Sophia has a lot of magic power, but a Laser is an off-the-charts magic, requiring an off-the-charts amount of magic power.
We can’t let her fire a second shot, having already fired ten blasts of demonic light from both her hands. Sophia has the important job of healing the injured. I immediately stepped in front of Sophia.
“Sophia, calm down. It’s too dangerous to fire a second shot without knowing why the Platinum Laser was deflected.”
Sophia’s body glowed with increasing intensity. It felt like standing in front of a nuclear fusion reactor on the verge of exploding. But I have to stop her; she’s not facing an opponent who can be wasted with stray shots. I placed Sophia’s hands on my neck.
“There are things I need you to do, Sophia. There are very few people who can use healing magic left. You need to save everyone. Please save me.”
If she had said “No,” my head would have been blown off, but upon hearing that, the light radiating from Sophia’s body gradually dimmed. If she had continued, she would have fired, using her last bit of magic power to earn points. Being a Captain is truly tough.
“I… I…”
“Sophia. Do you know what that was? It’s not normal for a Laser to be deflected.”
“I… That was defensive magic. Since it could deflect a Laser, I think there are several high-level mages present.”
Was my thinking too naive? I completely forgot that Sophia’s Laser was a type of magic, not something scientific. Magic can be defended against with magic, right?
And, there are mages among the enemy? I wonder who’s doing this. High-level mages cooperating with demons, are they being controlled?
I put my arm around Sophia’s trembling shoulder and ducked through the castle wall. Let’s change the strategy. When they get closer, we’ll use Rufina’s area-of-effect magic… Can we do it?
“Rufina! Do you know who that was who deflected the magic?”
“That is likely a Lich. A high-ranking undead.”
Even monsters have such powerful mages? To deflect a Laser, it’s disadvantageous unless we bring them into close combat.
“Alana, Orietta, you two operate separately to find and kill the mages. Rufina, I’ll leave the magic to you.”
I asked Sophia to retreat to the vicinity of the South Gate to tend to the wounded, guide the remaining civilians, and secure a carriage for us to escape.
By the time I returned to everyone, Rufina and Rossa had already begun their incantations and were about to cast them. No, wait. The enemy is still far away. According to the plan, we were supposed to sink the Orcs in a poisonous swamp, weren’t we?
Rufina and Rossa’s poisonous swamp spread out to the left and right, forming an inverted figure-eight that seemed to guide the enemy straight towards the North Gate.
“Rufina, what is this? We were supposed to sink them in a poisonous swamp.”
“I ordered it.”
Priscilla appeared from behind. Stop startling me like that, you’ll make me grab my head in surprise.
“The enemy is coming straight here. They can’t go sideways. I’ve prepared the stage for them.”
Is this person an idiot? Looking at that number and engaging them head-on is reckless. We planned to reduce their numbers and then launch surprise attacks in small groups within the city, didn’t we?
“Besides, I don’t want Orietta and Sophia to gain any more points…”
That’s it! You’re willing to risk losing because of that? This person… this person…
I’ll kill them! I’ll kill them!
“Orietta and Alana, find and kill the mages. Christine and Rufina, you’re on anti-air combat. Be careful, there are Harpies and three large ones.”
And then there’s Priscilla…
“Priscilla, you’re with me on stage.”
The Koatotemites Defense Battle is proceeding completely unrelated to my strategy… Someday, I’ll put that person on the stage of a strip club!
