by Dojyomaru
Hearing the men’s reassuring response, Carla nodded and raised her right hand. Then...
“Charge!”
...she lowered her hand, giving the order to charge once more.
All of the wyvern cavalry fell vertically, head first, like puppets with their strings cut. Then, they recovered mere instants before impacting with the ground and flew at minimum altitude, as if crawling along the surface. It was a dangerous flight path, but as a testament to the rigorous training they underwent daily, not one of the knights dropped out while accomplishing this feat.
With Carla at their head, the wyvern cavalry continued flying at minimum altitude, heading straight towards the Albert. As they had anticipated, there was no cannon fire or rain of bolts. Carla visually confirmed the presence of anti-air bolt throwers mounted on the sides of the Albert.
“Found them! All knights, proceed as planned to attack the enemy armaments! We don’t know where Souma is, so don’t hit any section of the ship that you don’t have to!”
“““Yes, ma’am.”””
“Here we go... Fire!”
As Carla gave the order, balls of fire erupted from the wyverns’ mouths. The fireballs impacted the weapons aboard the Albert one after another. The two main batteries at the fore and aft of the Albert exploded, and the bolt throwers burned. The difference in what exploded and what didn’t was decided by whether it was a gunpowder weapon or not.
With all of the weapons destroyed in an instant, the wyvern knight unit climbed upwards away from the Albert, as if riding the rising smoke.
Confident of her victory, Carla had her wyvern fly in a graceful circle. “Good! Now, storm the Albert! Take Souma into custody!”
“Yeahhhhhh!”
But she said nothing in return.
Among the fired up wyvern cavalry, Carla was alone in wearing a dubious expression.
...It’s strange. The Albert has secondary guns, but the only ones to fire on us were the two main batteries and the anti-air repeating bolt throwers. If they’d wanted to put up a curtain of fire, the more guns firing, the better, I would think. Maybe that battleship... doesn’t have the numbers for it?
As Carla was growing suspicious, the wyvern cavalry had already headed for the bridge of the Albert. Despite her doubts, Carla followed after them.
When Carla reached the Albert’s bridge, there wasn’t a person in sight. The bridge was empty.
It made sense that now, at this particular moment, she couldn’t see anyone, but there was no sign of anyone having been here recently at all. As Carla stood there dumbfounded, a wyvern knight ran in to give her his report.
“Reporting in! We are presently searching the inside of the Albert, but we have yet to find a single soldier, let alone Souma!”
“That’s absurd! Then who were we fighting up until now?!” she demanded.
She felt like the wool had been pulled over her eyes somehow. The ship lay vacant. The gunners were nowhere to be found. It was practically one of those ghost ships she had heard of. Did King Souma have some bizarre secret powers at his disposal?
As a cold chill began to creep up the wyvern knights’ backs, a new report came in.
“I have a report! We have recovered parts of what appears to be armor from around the destroyed main batteries and bolt throwers!”
“Armor? Were there dead bodies?”
“About that... inside the gloves we found, there were hands from a mannequin.”
“A mannequin?”
Mannequins had been found instead of gunners.
Then there was the premonition she had felt herself, that maybe the ship lacked numbers. When she considered all of that, Carla came to a conclusion.
“All knights, return to the castle on the double!”
“But we haven’t found Souma yet!”
The wyvern cavalry reacted to the now-frantic Carla with puzzlement.
Carla explained to the wyvern cavalry, her face filled with regret, “No... Souma probably isn’t aboard this ship. I don’t know what magic he used, but he was controlling the mannequins we found to have them attack us. The unmanned Albert was bait, and we fell for it hook, line, and sinker.”
“It was bait...?! Then what was his real target?!”
Seeing it beginning to dawn on the wyvern cavalry, Carla nodded gravely. “Most likely, it was my father back in Red Dragon Castle.”
◇ ◇ ◇
—One hour earlier. As seen by Souma Kazuya.
Castor’s opposition was not something we had expected.
Georg had been making unsettling moves, and Castor had left his wife and child with Excel after she’d tried to persuade him. However, even if he took a rebellious attitude up until the last moment, I had thought Castor would side with us in the end.
However, that was a naive hope. We had underestimated Castor’s sense of chivalry.
I’d never thought Castor would side with the enemy, ready to martyr himself for his friendship with Georg. It was a small respite that out of concern for his subordinates, he had only taken himself and one hundred of his personal troops. Still, when Excel’s spies had brought that information to us, both Hakuya and I held our heads in our hands.
That was because it meant we were going to have to change part of our carefully formulated plan.
When it was confirmed that Castor would oppose us, the biggest problem was that I had no forces to send to Red Dragon City.
Of the 15,000 troops I could move, the 10,000 from the Royal Guard and Forbidden Army had to go to the Carmine Duchy, while the remaining 5,000 had been dispatched to the south of the kingdom where the armies of the Principality of Amidonia were. While I had managed to secure Excel’s cooperation, I had other orders for the Navy.
So the problem was, I had almost no troops left on hand.
Even though Castor only had one hundred of his personal troops, they were all wyvern knights, said to be equivalent to five hundred soldiers from the Army. If I sent anything less than a proper force, they wouldn’t be able to take Red Dragon City.
With this lack of manpower, Hakuya and I chose to befuddle our opponent with scheme after scheme, then try to take Red Dragon City in one quick strike.
First we remodeled the Forbidden Army’s battleship, the Albert, to be able to operate on land.
In order to put pressure on Red Dragon City, which was halfway up a small mountain, we absolutely needed to have long range weapons. That was why it had occurred to me to use the Albert’s cannons. The idea had come from the railway gun I had seen in a war manga.
By putting wheels on the ship and having it pulled by the rhinosauruses that Tomoe had managed to gather for us, we were able to make it so it could run across land.
...Though, after a crazy remodel like that, we’d probably never be able to make it back into a ship again. It meant that I’d thrown away the Forbidden Army’s only battleship, but hard decisions had to be made.
Using the Albert as a mobile artillery platform, the first thing I did was bombard Red Dragon City. That must have surprised the enemy. I mean, there was a ship running across the land and firing on them.
At the same time, I used the jewel for the Jewel Voice Broadcast to contact Castor. When I did that, it made him think I was on the Albert.
Plans that took advantage of human psychology like this were Hakuya’s specialty.
Castor was sure to lead his hundred personal troops out to attack the Albert. Wyvern cavalry were a type of troop that had both power and mobility. Even though cannons could destroy castle walls, it didn’t matter how powerful they were if they couldn’t hit them. Since all we had done was drag the Albert up on land, it would probably be destroyed by the wyvern cavalry in a matter of moments.
In order to prevent that, we loaded a wyvern killer, the anti-air repeating bolt thrower, onto the Albert. If there were anti-air repeating bolt throwers aboard, the wyvern cavalry couldn’t approach it easily. At the very least, it would buy time.
By the way, t
he Albert’s cannons and the anti-air repeating bolt throwers were being operated by dolls I controlled with my Living Poltergeists. In other words, the Albert was unmanned.
Then, once Castor and his wyvern cavalry went to attack the Albert, I thought we would take Red Dragon City while it was lightly defended.
Because Excel had sided with us, we knew that there was a series of escape tunnels under Red Dragon City, just like the ones in the capital. By using those tunnels, if we sent in an elite unit led by Aisha, no matter how firm the castle’s defenses were, they would be able to easily occupy it.
Once Red Dragon City was taken, the city’s anti-air repeating bolt throwers would be used to attack Castor and his troops as they returned. Besides which, once his own castle fell, Castor would finally have to admit defeat... or so I thought.
However, this was where something we hadn’t planned for happened.
Castor had remained in Red Dragon City.
When we came up to the castle walls to seize Red Dragon City’s anti-air repeating bolt throwers, we ran right into Castor. Standing behind him was a middle-aged man who looked like the family steward.
When our eyes met...
“...Castor Vargas.”
“...Souma Kazuya, huh.”
Like that, Castor and I each said the other’s name. This was our first time meeting face to face.
Meeting him in person, Castor was both large and looked younger than he had when I saw him on a screen. While he had red hair, dragon wings, and a tail, he also had fine features that made him look more like a young man than a general.
I didn’t have the luxury of time, but I chose to give my name as a show of respect. “I am the one serving as the provisional king of the Elfrieden Kingdom, Souma Kazuya.”
“I am General of the Air Force, Castor Vargas.” When I gave my name, Castor responded in kind. Then, Castor cocked his head to the side and asked, “If you guys’re here, does that mean the battleship putting up a big showy firefight over there is a diversion?”
“Yeah. The plan was to take Red Dragon City while it was lightly guarded, but, well...”
“Ha ha ha, too bad for you that I stayed behind,” Castor laughed jovially.
When I saw Castor acting like that, I grew suspicious. “Sure, you stayed behind, but it’s just the two of you, right? I don’t think you ought to be laughing right now.”
“Whoa there, I’m the only one who’ll fight you,” he said. “Leave Tolman here out of it.”
“I am Tolman, steward to the House of Vargas,” the middle-aged man behind Castor turned to me and bowed. “I also served as Duke Vargas’ second-in-command in the Air Force.”
“Tolman has nothing to do with all this,” Castor went on. “If I lose, you can have him lead the Air Force. He ought to make a fine General of the Air Force.”
As he said that, Castor slapped Tolman on the back vigorously.
He had considered what would happen after his defeat, and he was making recommendations for his successor, huh?
“...If you’re going to be that good a sport about it, why don’t we just call this off entirely?” I asked. “You must realize it by now, right? This battle is pointless.”
“It’s not pointless. You can become the man who bested me,” Castor said and then grinned. “Besting ‘General of the Air Force Castor Vargas’ will earn you a lot of prestige. Duchess Excel already follows you. Now, just try defeating Duke Carmine. If you do that, I’m sure all of the nobles who are acting like fair-weather allies will be stumbling over one another to come serve you.”
“You...”
“Though, that said, I have no intent of making it easy on you.”
When he finished saying that, Castor drew the sword at his hip.
“Sire, stay back!”
Aisha and the others in the infiltration team moved up, putting themselves between me and Castor. A number of my Little Musashibo (Large) dolls were mixed in with them, which made for a surreal scene.
Castor turned his blade towards me. “You’re a hero, aren’t you? Want to take me one-on-one?”
“Don’t be crazy. An ordinary guy who spends all his time doing nothing but administrative work isn’t going to be any match for you.”
If he wanted to challenge me to a duel, I was just going to have to shrug.
I had come here as part of the infiltration team, but I hadn’t defeated a single one of the guards. Well, though I wasn’t any use here, I was in the middle of fighting elsewhere right now.
By using my divided consciousness to the fullest, my armored dolls were manning the Albert’s main guns and the anti-air repeating bolt throwers we had secretly loaded aboard. I was using them to fight against the wyvern cavalry that we had lured in.
However... the wyvern cavalry were better trained than I had imagined.
It seemed I had caught them by surprise, but even the weapon called the wyvern killer, the anti-air repeating bolt thrower, might not be able to stall them for long.
While I was thinking about that, Aisha took a swing with her great sword. “Castor! How long do you intend to point your blade at His Majesty?!”
“Guh! For a little kid, she has incredible idiot strength!” Castor cried.
He said that, but given that he had stopped Aisha’s great sword with his own blade, I figured he had some “idiot strength” himself.
Aisha seemed indignant at being called a little kid. “I’d rather not say this in front of His Majesty, but I’ll have you know I’ve been alive for decades!”
“Hmph! Well, I’ve been fighting for this country for over a century!” he declared.
“Mrrrrgh...”
Come on, what were they competing over? Was this a pride thing because they were both from long-lived races? That was what I was wondering, when....
“If you underestimate a dragonewt, born of dragon blood, you’re going to get more than just hurt!” Castor shouted, spreading his wings wide to intimidate her.
The gust of wind that created was powerful enough on its own to blow a number of the nearby soldiers up against the wall. Aisha was managing to withstand it by putting her hands on the ground.
...So, that was the power of a dragonewt. It looked like he’d gotten more than just a cool look out of belonging to a race descended from dragons.
Then, in the next instant, Castor kicked off from the ground, remaining in the air as he dove forward. He didn’t pay the others any heed, thrusting his sword out straight forward as he tried to impale me on it.
“Sire!”
Aisha stood between us to protect me, using her great sword to block Castor’s charge. The clang of metal on metal echoed as their blades collided.
“Ha ha ha! You’re not half bad, dark elf girl!”
“My name is Aisha! I will not allow you to lay so much as one finger on His Majesty!” Aisha swung her great sword with all her might, knocking Castor away.
Castor made a graceful landing before hurling some verbal abuse her way. “Damn your idiot strength!”
“Yes. I’m not very smart. But if he needs a smart person, there’s the princess, or Sir Hakuya, or Madam Juna, or Duchess Walter. If my strength can still be of aid to His Majesty’s rule, if it will let me stay by his side, I don’t mind having ‘idiot strength’!”
Aisha adjusted her grip on her great sword. She was slowly closing the gap between herself and Castor.
Castor laughed jovially. “A fine display of loyalty. Is Souma a good master to you?”
“I don’t know!” she declared.
“Oh, come on...” I muttered.
She didn’t have to be that blunt. That hurt my feelings.
“I’m an idiot, so I don’t know what a good master is like,” Aisha went on. “However, I wish to be at His Majesty’s side! Because he heard my plea. Because his country’s food is delicious. Because he saved my village. I have many reasons, but the biggest must be because I like him! I want to be with His Majesty and the princess forever!”
&nbs
p; It was a straight response, not calculated at all, which was so very like Aisha.
...It was a bit embarrassing.
I knew it wasn’t that kind of scene, but how could I not be happy when a beautiful dark elf had so many good things to say about me? I could feel myself barely holding back a grin.
Castor laughed even more jovially. “Ha ha ha! I knew you were like my Carla! But...!” Castor’s expression grew serious and he took up a fighting stance with his sword. “If you lack the power to back up that loyalty, you won’t be able to protect your master or yourself.”
With those words, Castor was about to attack Aisha again, when...
“I won’t let you do that.”
“?!”
One of the Little Musashibo (Large) dolls that was behind Castor came at him swinging its naginata. Castor turned suddenly to block it, but the moment he went to counterattack, the Little Musashibo spun around. When it did, its back split open like a cocoon, and someone leapt out.
The person who leapt out of the Little Musashibo doll was none other than Liscia, rapier at the ready.
“Wha?! Princess Liscia?!” Castor cried.
Faced with Liscia’s surprise attack, Castor pulled his sword back despite himself. Liscia was a member of the family that he had sworn loyalty to. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t be someone he could point his sword at.
Had he been aware it was Liscia he was facing from the beginning, with Castor’s martial prowess he could no doubt have incapacitated her without bringing her to harm.
In order to prevent that, and anticipating this might happen, Liscia had hidden inside a Little Musashibo doll, waiting for an opportunity.
This hesitation would be Castor’s undoing.
“Freeze! Ice Sword Mountain!” she shouted.
“Urkh!”
Not missing her opening, Liscia unleashed an ice magic attack at close range. Castor narrowly avoided it, but the magic struck the stone wall and floor, creating spikes of ice. Because of his large wings, Castor got caught in the spikes and was unable to move.
“Dammit!”
“Aisha!” she called.
“I’m on it, princess!”
While Castor was rendered immobile, Aisha swung the flat side of her great sword into him at full force. Castor was knocked flying along with the ice. There was the sound of ice shattering against the wall and then, an instant later, the sound of Castor slamming against it, too.