This time, we will proceed from a fixed point of view regarding what happened in the Royal Castle courtyard. The perspective will change from the Duchy Female Soldier to Elnet, and then back to the Duchy Female Soldier.
“Master, it looks like it’s time to say goodbye.”
“Thank you for all your hard work for everyone.”
The female soldier belonging to the Duchy’s Army Magic Squad bid farewell to the fairy she had been friends with since childhood. While fairies may conjure up fantastical and glamorous images, the fairy this female soldier contracted with was far from glamorous in appearance, resembling a shiny black cockroach if compared to insects. Because of its appearance, it was disliked by her colleagues in the same magic squad. However, the Concealment Skill possessed by this fairy was of an exceptionally high caliber. It was this ability that led to the fairy being tasked with a crucial role in the current Royal Castle conquest operation.
“I really don’t want to say goodbye, but it couldn’t be helped for the sake of the Duchy. I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry.”
“It’s okay. Everyone else disliked me, but you always treated me as a friend. That alone made me happy.”
The female soldier scooped up the cockroach-like fairy with both hands, tears streaming down her face as she continued to apologize while watching its body gradually disappear. This fairy had used Concealment Magic on the infiltration unit during the Royal Castle conquest operation, allowing them to successfully infiltrate the castle without being discovered. Due to the magic’s duration, the plan was to move to the courtyard where everyone could gather, release the Concealment Magic, prepare their formations, and then proceed with the castle conquest. For the conquest operation, Rick, the vice-captain of the Magic Squad, was knowledgeable about the Royal Castle, and based on his information, a map of the castle’s interior was created. The infiltration unit memorized the map beforehand and moved to the planned assembly point in the courtyard without getting lost.
“Ugh, but this is something we accepted for the Duchy. Now that I’m out of commission, I can only pray from this spot that everyone accomplishes their mission safely.”
The female soldier, using her Concealment Skill, watched her friend, who had disappeared due to the expenditure of magic power, fade away. She then clasped her hands together and prayed to the god that protected the Duchy, praying that her comrades who had advanced from the courtyard to conquer the castle would complete their mission safely.
“Now that I’m powerless, I’m no longer needed. I guess I’ll just have to stay quietly in the courtyard so as not to be found by the Kingdom’s soldiers.”
The female soldier, despite being a regular soldier, had contributed to the army by borrowing the abilities of the fairy she had partnered with. The Magic Squad allowed enlistment simply by contracting with a capable fairy, with individual combat ability not being a requirement. For this reason, if she lost her fairy, she would become an unnecessary existence to the military. Since she would only be a hindrance if she accompanied them, she had not joined the assault unit and was ordered to wait in the courtyard.
“If I’m found by the Kingdom’s Army, I’ll lose my head. I should move to a corner of the courtyard where I can hide.”
The female soldier, while paying attention to her surroundings, moved to a corner of the courtyard and sat down with her back against the wall.
“It might be inappropriate, but I’m bored.”
A considerable amount of time had passed since the infiltration unit stormed the castle from the courtyard. The sounds of clashing swords and the fluctuations of magic power felt when some magic was cast could be perceived from within the castle. However, as there was no one else in the expansive courtyard besides the female soldier, her tension gradually waned, and she found herself unseasonably bored.
“What is this incredible magical presence? Huh? Wha- What is it?”
As the female soldier was idly gazing at the sky, she suddenly sensed a strong magical presence. At the same time, a group of soldiers clad in Kingdom armor suddenly appeared before her.
“Oh, the Kingdom’s Army!”
The female soldier’s knees buckled upon seeing the Kingdom’s soldiers who had suddenly appeared before her.
“Hoo, it really is the Royal Castle courtyard.”
“Is this the power of a god?”
“I might have stumbled into an unbelievable situation.”
The soldiers belonging to the Duke’s Army Detachment, who had been transported to the Royal Castle courtyard, were astonished. They had half-believed Captain Elnet when she said she would borrow the power of a god to teleport to the Royal Castle courtyard, but the scenery that unfolded before their eyes was undeniably the Royal Castle courtyard.
“Thank you, Hanako.”
“Mm, this is all I can do.”
“Ah, that’s more than enough. We’ll handle the rest.”
Elnet expressed her gratitude to Hanako for giving them the opportunity to save the Royal Castle from crisis.
“Alright, everyone listen up! As you can see, we’ve successfully arrived at the Royal Castle courtyard. From here on, it will be a battlefield. Everyone, brace yourselves. After breaching the castle, we will split into two units: the unit led by me and the unit led by my副官 (adjunct/second-in-command). We will prioritize the protection of those left behind inside the castle and proceed to rescue the King and the royalty through two routes. I will infiltrate from the north side, and my副官 will from the south. Everyone, follow me!”
Elnet gave instructions to the detachment soldiers and then they charged into the castle.
“I-I’m so surprised. To teleport that many people, I can’t even imagine how much magic power that required. I’m astonished that there was someone in the Kingdom capable of using such Teleportation Magic. And the number of soldiers who charged in was also about twice that of the infiltration unit. But it’s too late. Even if this newly arrived unit comes to our rescue, we, who have the detailed map, should be able to take the King’s head first. It was always a mission with a high possibility of not returning safely. We can only await our destiny. Fufu, I seem to be talking to myself a lot, perhaps due to loneliness.”
The Duke’s Army Detachment led by Elnet charged into the castle without noticing the lone Duchy Female Soldier left in the courtyard. Relieved at not being discovered, she spoke without realizing that no one was there to listen.
“Mm, you’re not talking to yourself. I’m listening.”
“Hya! Y-You startled me. What? It’s not a child. It seems a little different, but wearing servant clothes, perhaps you work at the Royal Castle?”
The female soldier, who thought she was alone, jumped in surprise when a voice answered her.
“Mm, nice jump.”
“It’s not a nice jump! You startled me by suddenly speaking to me!”
“Mm, I apologize for startling you.”
Hanako, who had successfully teleported Elnet and the entire Duke’s Army Detachment, remained in the courtyard instead of accompanying them. Naturally, she approached the female soldier who was hiding in a corner. There is a restriction on beings called Country Gods, preventing them from directly intervening in military conflicts between countries. The teleportation of the Duke’s Army Detachment was not for military purposes, but simply to move them to the Royal Castle courtyard; anything beyond that was not Hanako’s concern. This was interpreted as a gray area. If it had been Hanako before this, she wouldn’t have been so deeply involved, but this time, it was at the instruction of her master, Kent.
“You must have gotten left behind. But if you were found by our unit inside the castle, you might have been harmed. Perhaps it was the right decision to stay here. Although I’m an enemy soldier, I’m not carrying a weapon and I have no combat ability. Besides, I can’t bring myself to harm a small child.”
“Mm, you don’t need to worry about me.”
“That’s right. I don’t know what will happen from now on, so it’s not the time to be worrying about others.”
The female soldier said to Hanako with a sigh.
“Mm, there’s something I’d like to ask.”
“What is it suddenly? Were you perhaps going to ask if I have a boyfriend?”
“Mm, I already know you don’t.”
“Oh, you guessed so quickly; that’s a little shocking. Right, I guess I’m not popular.”
The female soldier said this jokingly, but Hanako’s sharp retort made her feel dejected.
“Mm, how did you cross the border forest?”
“Huh?”
Hanako’s expression didn’t change, but there was a weight to her words. The pressure, which was unexpected given her appearance, startled the female soldier.
“Mm, there are conditions to passing through that forest. If my guess is correct, that must be involved.”
“Wh-Even if you’re a child, I won’t forgive you for referring to the god we worship so casually.”
“Mm, so it was indeed their doing. For a Country God to use their abilities to let an army pass through a forest designated as a border by the Creator God (Producer) is an act that violates the rules set by the Creator God.”
“Wh-Why do you know that?”
What Hanako was saying now was information known only to the higher-ups of the organization that oversees the Duchy’s national religion. Thanks to the abilities of the fairy she had contracted with, the female soldier had received many privileges within the organization that worshipped the Country God who protected the Duchy. Therefore, she was in a position to know some of the arrangements between Country Gods that Hanako spoke of. Hearing a child, who called a Country God “that” and spoke of information known only to a select few in the Duchy regarding the Duchy, the female soldier felt she was not ordinary and became wary.
“Mm, if that’s pulling the strings, it makes sense that there are 10,000 soldiers heading for the Royal Castle after passing through the forest.”
“Wh-Why, you even know about that plan?”
“Mm, deceiving my eyes with Concealment Magic, they’ve had a twisted disposition since long ago.”
Hanako noticed the presence of the Duchy’s Army rampaging inside the castle when they infiltrated the castle using Concealment Magic and dispelled it in the courtyard. While normal Concealment Magic could deceive human eyes, it was difficult to fool Hanako or fairies with considerable power. However, this time, because a neighboring Country God was involved, Hanako was late in noticing. She expressed her frustration at her domain being encroached upon without permission.
“Mm, found them. I’ll teach them a little lesson.”
“Ah, they disappeared.”
Saying she would teach them a lesson, Hanako vanished from in front of the female soldier.
“I thought it was just a small child, but they noticed our plan and even used Teleportation Magic. Surely, that child must have brought the previous unit. It’s unthinkable to transport that many people at once. And they called the god we worship ‘that’ as if they knew them. That child must be this country’s Country God. They said they’d teach me a lesson, but if Country Gods fought, the damage could be unimaginable. Well, it’s no use for me, who’s barely hanging on by a thread, to worry. I’ll sleep then.”
The female soldier worried about the fierce battle that was likely to unfold. However, she resigned herself to the fact that she could do nothing and, feeling the accumulated fatigue, decided to lie down and sleep on the spot.
The story will resume with Elnet’s perspective from the next installment.
