Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 5 Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – Outbreak of War

Part 1

{Currently it is something only in name but not in reality, but based on the most humane world order that existed in the former era, the <International Law>, we proclaim the independence of West Japan right here!}

The morning of the next day, the one who proclaimed such thing inside the TV was―the man who once temporarily called as the Board Chairman in this academy, Takasugi Takayoshi. The footage looked like a bad joke.

At her side an image of Kaya making a peace sign toward the camera was projected in the screen.

That Board Chairman Takasugi was right there…there was no doubt that Hayashi Shizuka was included in their force.

Loki, Naiarlatoteph, Hayashi Shizuka…it was the worst trio!

{We are forming a new government in the West Japan that we occupied, levying tax on the people in the occupation area to cover the occupation expenses, and in compensation for that we promise the same social welfare the people enjoyed until now. Also as long as there is no intervention or act of hostility for war, we promise there will be no harm done to the general citizen.}

He clearly said the word war from his mouth.

{We proclaim right here. A true country that deified not Solomon 72 Pillar, but the legitimate gods of Japan…this is the founding of <Yamato>! There is the divine protection of the gods of Japan in us!!}

The early morning before they went to school, everyone was gathering in the living room of the Witch’s Mansion. They were watching the news report while having breakfast. Everyone’s face looked like they hadn’t slept well.

“…When the trace of Board Chairman Takasugi was followed, we knew that he went to the direction of west Japan. Not only Board Chairman Takasugi, the influential politicians of Kenshitou were also together with him. Their target, is this.”

Headmaster Amasaki said with a loathsome face. The politicians' simultaneous migration. Most likely they were politicians under the patronage of China. Furthermore for some reason, it seemed that illegal Magika Stigmas whose bodies sheltered the Divas of Japanese Mythology were also added in their forces.

{Aside from Naiarlako, I am also gathering other strong allies rapidly after all.}

Kaya said this kind of thing. So the one that she called as strong allies was the Japanese Mythology.

“What in the world is going on with this?”

With a glare, Headmaster Amasaki’s gaze moved on Kazuha-senpai.

“Eerrr, I am, anything…” Kazuha-senpai looked down coweringly.

{Kazuha didn’t know anything you know? I didn’t tell her after all.}

At her side, the avatar of Futsunushi no Kami who was a Diva of Japanese Mythology floated.

{It’s just that a few days before this, my communication with the other Japanese Mythology became cut off.}

“Break in communication…your link with the Territory is cut off?”

Kaguya-senpai asked.

{Right, the story will be fast if you already understand the concept of Territory. Those guys are most likely, are in the process of becoming Wild God.}

“Wild God?” All present there returned a question after hearing that word they weren’t used to hear.

{The Diva of Japanese Mythology doesn’t really ask for people to be faithful to them. It’s because we are not a monotheism Mythology. However when they are not being cared for they grow restive. That is Wild God Transformation.}

…Kazuha-senpai built an altar at the abandoned clubroom where she properly conversed and played with Futsunushi no Kami. Mikohime―that was Kazuha-senpai’s other name but, that title was not just for show.

{To fulfill her own dream of entering the Sword Division and fulfilling her duty as a shrine maiden at the same time, Kazuha installed an altar at the abandoned clubroom as you know. What a good natured girl. Hayashizaki Kazuki, taking this girl as wife will surely be excellent.}

“What are you saying, Bakanushi no Kami!”

Kazuha-senpai’s face became bright red with indignation. Her positivity level had gone up to 70 with Kazuki following her around. Futsunushi no Kami was “GUWAHHAHHA!” laughing heartily.

“What are you guwahhahha-ing for! Why didn’t you tell us before that they were transforming into Wild God!!”

Headmaster Amasaki blew up his temper with force that almost burst the blood vessel of his head.

“But even if before this you heard about how they were going through Wild God Transformation, this kind of situation is just really unexpected right?”

In order to cover for Futsunushi no Kami, Leme materialized at Kazuki’s side.

“…So you also knew about that beforehand.”

When Kazuki asked her bitterly, Leme nodded “yeah” without showing any guilt. Kazuki spontaneously stretched that dark-skinned soft cheeks of hers *biroon* with both his hands. “Stooopp~!”

{Besides the gods of Japanese Mythology don’t interfere with each other mutually. Even with the other guys transforming into Wild God, I have no right to sooth them or become their intermediary.}

That was what Futsunushi no Kami said. If it was a Mythology with such disposition, then it couldn’t be helped.

“So the Divas of Japanese Mythology who are going wild for some reason, is going along with Kenshitou, that’s it huh.”

Their attempt to control the Knight Academy, the assassination attempt on Kazuki, their aim was not just limited to those things.

Surely because they failed on those matters that they joined hands with Kaya and moved onto this fearsome second phase. An armed revolt by touting the Japanese Mythology as their banner―it surely had the persuasion power to pull the people into their cause.

It shook the whole Japanese islands to the core. The residents of the occupied west Japan too, there was no doubt that they didn’t necessarily react negatively regarding the founding of nation Yamato. There was persuasiveness in the existence called Japanese Mythology.

{…Regarding Yamato that is founded in the west Japan, when the government suspended the electric supply they demonstrated a countermeasure. This decision garnered a large backlash from the resident of west Japan.}

Hearing the words from the news program reporter, all who are present fell quiet.

The electricity supply of Japan in this current era was provided by the large scale sunlight heat power reactorAlchimedes System constructed in the human-made islandmegafloat that was located in the southern tip of Japan’s territorial water. Its production capacity was extremely large, furthermore the recharging of the etherlite rechargeable battery that would never deteriorate no matter how many times it was recharged was performed in that place. The battery from the whole country were transported there and redistributed after the recharging to each household, realizing safe and moreover clean power in cheap price.

The government proclaimed that they wouldn’t circulate the rechargeable battery to west Japan. So that Japan would still be okay even if the megafloat met with enemy attack, the thermal energy reactor and nuclear energy reactor from the previous era were left in reserve throughout the whole country as spare recharging facility, but with that the west Japan would be able to use those facilities too.

But with this, the breakdown between east Japan and west Japan had become a definite thing.

“…Yamato had already began creating a military boundary line that separated the islands into parts from the west Japan that they occupied. The circulation of trade between east Japan and west Japan has also been suspended, the people coming and going between the two places were also becoming impossible.”

The freeway and railroad system that were the cornerstone of distribution were blockaded, the local streets were also being destroyed one by one. It was completely like the Berlin wall that divided East and West Germany or, the 38th parallel north between the South Korea and the North Korea.

“Toyama・Gifu・Aichi, those three prefectures had fallen. And then Niigata – Nagano – Shizuoka that are bordering those area had become Japan’s current western border. In order for these prefectures to avoid further entanglement with Yamato’s invasion, the ordinary citizens’ evacuation is being hastened. The current situation is generally like that.”

Headmaster Amasaki that had connection with the government informed the situation to Kazuki and party.

“What is the Knight Academy going to do from now on? …No, rather than saying the Knight Academy’s tendency, what is the Knight Order planning to do?”

The one who had the say in this situation was not Kazuki or even Headmaster Amasaki, but the Knight Order.

“Regarding that matter…the classes in this morning are cancelled. There is someone that wants to meet you guys. After that we are going to open an extraordinary general students meeting.”

“Someone who wants to meet us…?”

“It has been a long time huhh―, this mansion too✩”

“It’s really a relief that nothing changed here. …It looks like even without me here the cleaning is done thoroughly.”

The two people who appeared shortly at the entrance of the Witch’s Mansion murmured with deep feelings.

“Kanon-senpai, Akane-senpai…”

Kaguya-senpai who came to greet them had an expression dyed with surprise. Both their bodies were wrapped with the crisp white uniform of the Knight Order and they were donning a mantel that showed their status as officer cadet. For Kaguya-senpai to look up to them as senpai, in another words these people are….

“Yahoo―i, Kaguyan long time no see! The idol of the Witch Mansion Koudzuki Kanon has returned home here―✩”

The small statured woman of this group of two hugged Kaguya-senpai who greeted them at the entrance with lively vigor.

“You look healthy don’t you, Kaguya. Aren’t you becoming too lively when we were not here?”

At the side, the other woman who looked adult-like said so.

“Tha, that kind of thing is not true you know…. Stop it―, senpai.”

Kaguya-senpai showed a stiff smiling face. When the two separated themselves from Kaguya-senpai, they looked around the living room of the Witch’s Mansion in nostalgia and then their eyes stopped at Kazuki who was looking at the situation from a distance.

“And, this boy is the rumored Chief Student Council President right? A male that entered the Magic Division, and then in one month he is already reigning as the Chief Student Council President that is connecting the Magic Division and the Sword Division. When I heard about it I thought whether if it was a joke or not.”

“But however something like a Chief Student Council President is still too naïve! …This top of the highest grade third year Kanon is so to speak…a super student council president here―✩”

“A former student council president though.” The adult-like woman entered her tsukkomi there sharply.

“Nay, this Kanon-sama is a retired number super idol student council president for sure―✩”

“…It’s fine already, so stop blocking the entrance door, sit quickly! This trash!”

Liz Liza-sensei made her appearance from behind and then she kicked the butt of the small statured woman swiftly.

Looked like Liz Liza-sensei was the one who was leading these two here.

“Well then I’ll introduce myself once more. I was the vice student council president until last year, Yagumo Akane. Currently as a third year, I was training until yesterday at the Knight Order in Aichi regiment of Chubu jurisdiction division. …Our pitiful battle was completely relayed from the helicopter, now we are the most disgraced regiment in Japan as you can see.”

The part of the great senior talked while releasing a powerless deep sigh in the living room.

“Don’t beat yourself with that Yagumo, Chubu jurisdiction was not the only one who took flight.”

Liz Liza-sensei encouraged her from the side.

“It’s lucky that the helicopter fell in the middle there! Because after that, the battle became really disastrous one-sidedly…. But the media crews that were on board the heli were able to escape✩”

The one other great senpai talked with a lively smiling face.

The both of them were in the actual location of that battle…so they took flight and escaped here.

“And then I’m the one who was doing the student council president until last year, Koudzuki Kanon! I’m the same like Akane and was interning in Aichiregiment, the Ultra Super Deluxe former student council president! So you are the chief student council president Hayashizaki Kazuki?”

This senpai also looked very bright in her behavior though tiredness was coloring her expression.

“Yes, I’m Hayashizaki Kazuki who was appointed as the chief student council president. But I’m still a first year so…both of you are the senpai of my senpai aren’t you, Koudzuki-sempai and Yagumo-senpai.”

“You can call me Akane-senpai. It’s puzzling if you are the only one who called me Yagumo when all the other children call me Akane. I want us unified. In exchange I will also call you Kazuki.”

Yagumo-senpai revised as Akane-senpai talked with a cool tone. He couldn’t feel any shyness or the like from her about man and woman calling each other by their given name. It was a tone that only cared about the inefficiency of the information that entered her ear.

“It’s also okay to call me Kanon-senpai! I and also you are a comrade of the Witch’s Mansion after all! …But chief student council president…a special post that didn’t exist in our time…gununu…”

Even though at first Kanon-senpai directed a smiling face at Kazuki, immediately her eyes sharpened in a glare.

“…I am invincible from east to west to south to north and to the center – the super former student council president, don’t you forget it!!”

“Kanon, stop making up an incomprehensible title in antagonism. You are like a child like this.”

“I, I’m not a child! The one who said someone else is a child is the child herself!”

“Senpai, here is a tea.”

Hikaru-senpai shared cups of tea on top of the tray she brought in turn starting from Kanon-senpai.

“How nostalgic. Hikaru cannot do any other chores but, only in brewing black tea you are strictly disciplined like this.”

“Right now Kazuki and the others are also skilled in making black tea though. But it has been a long time so I want to brew some.”

“Fufufu, so that’s it. You said a cute thing didn’t you, prince. …Yes, it’s really delicious.”

For the first time Akane-senpai made a broad smile and showed a relaxed face.

Kazuki spontaneously stared at her face from the side while drinking his tea. Long slit eyes and slender bridge of the nose. The black tea suited the intellectual and cool atmosphere of her side face.

She had a similar atmosphere with Hikaru-senpai, but rather than calling her a prince she felt more like a [beautiful onee-sama].

“Pikarun don’t get it!? My taste is for a lot of jam and honey to be mixed you know!”

Kanon-senpai was demanding while banging her palm *bam bam* on top of the table.

“Yes of course. Here is a specially made Russian tea.”

“Yahoo yahoo! This is the symbol of Pikaru in the tea time of the Witch’s Mansion✩ When I was in the Knight Order I didn’t want to be made fool by the other senior knight so I drank black coffee. But I really don’t know what is the thinking of those guys that keep drinking such bitter and smelly liquid.”

“Everyone noticed that you forced yourself drinking that you know? It comes out in Kanon’s expression after all.”

“Eh!? You lie, every time I drank it everyone were praising me ‘Kanon is so adult―’ right!?”

“They were making fun of you with that you know.”

Akane-senpai said it bluntly and coldly while drinking her tea.

“Eh…lies…ugyaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

While screaming, Kanon-senpai ‘BATA―N!’ collapsed on the table face down.

“…To, to be thought like that by them. I don’t want to face those guys anymore…”

Kanon-senpai’s big and round eyes became teary-eyed with tears, with a glance she looked at Koyuki.

“…Koyukin is really small just like usual huh―. You are more childish than even me. Fufun.”

Now that she mentioned it Koyuki had been coming and going to the mansion since before she enrolled. She should be acquainted with these senpais.

“Kanon-senpai too didn’t really change that much did you? Just because you received a shock, please don’t vent your anger on me who is two years your junior.”

Koyuki counterattacked with cold scornful eyes. Kanon-senpai was “Mukii―! This impyertinent Koyukin kid―!!” and kicked around her feet under the table.

“…First year of the Witch’s Mansion, an apprentice of the Witch’s Mansion, I’m Amasaki Mio.”

With uncharacteristic meekness, Mio introduced herself while shrinking into herself.

“Sword Division second year, Hayashizaki Kanae. I am the president of the Sword Division.” “Sword Division first year, Hikita Kohaku, vice president.”

“Errr…for some reason I’m here in this place, Tsukahara Kazuha of the Sword Division second year, just a commoner.”

Kanae and Kazuha-senpai were second years, but it seemed they were not really acquainted with these two great senpai.

“Fufufu.” When all the members had finished their self-introduction, Akane-senpai suddenly leaked out a chuckle.

“According to the rumor that is floating around, I heard that the chief student council president is popular with everyone. I wonder if everyone in this place is madly in love already? But if you’re not careful, the contraception nowadays is not as perfect as in the past after all.”

“Wha!? Co, contraception or any…” Kazuki spontaneously hitched his breath.

In the present era Japanese people, most of the young population was awakened as magician. Thereupon their magic power would be unconsciously invoked when they were doing an action that was filled with strong emotions, and accidents where it became a total hindrance to contraception had occurred repeatedly. The fact was that the power of love completely destroyed the undesired wall of contraception.

From such reason the current era female put even more importance to their chastity compared to the previous era. Kazuki too had to have the awareness of self-control all the more because of this.

“…If I am to have a child with Kazuki, then it doesn’t really…”

Mio murmured vacantly with a boiling red face. In an instant, the Witch’s Mansion became as silent as a graveyard.

“…Fufun, no matter how much popular you said this guy is, surely Kaguyan and Pikarun still liked this charismatic retired number, Kanon-chan far more, right✩”

With a broad grin Kano-senpai directed a smile to Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai.

“”I like Kazuki better♡”” Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai matched their voices and gave instant answers.

“You heartless bunch―!!” With ‘BATA―N’ Kanon-senpai collapsed.

Ehem, Akane-senpai cleared her throat.

“Well then, let’s moderate the digression of the talk and move on soon to the main problem.”

“First I want to inform you all of the current situation. First with the fall of the Knight Order in Chubu jurisdiction, Toyama・Gifu・Aichi, the three prefectures are occupied and the east Japan and the west Japan are divided into two parts. The line that is drawn in the area that bordered these three prefectures is the military boundary line―in other words the substantial national border.”

Akane-senpai spread out a map on top of the table, and then she traced the line she mentioned with her long finger smoothly.

“It looks like Yamato is going to invade even further from now on toward Niigata – Nagano – Shizuoka. To prepare for that the east Japan’s battle strength have to be concentrated in the front line. However that action has become a difficult thing to do. Even now, illegal magicians are rampaging in many area of east Japan. Even though we managed to suppress them but our hand became completely full because of that.”

“Loki’s troops are concealing themselves in east Japan and in order to obstruct us from concentrating our battle strength they are sporadically taking guerilla action, is that the gist of it?” Kazuki inquired.

“Right, like that. They are working together systematically. Yamato declared that they won’t lay their hand on the general public, but we think these guerilla fighters are planning to feign ignorance as if it’s unrelated to them.”

“That’s why we can’t ignore them. Concentrating the whole battle strength of east Japan in the front line…is something we cannot do. The guerilla fighters understand that and they are running around doing hit-and-away.”

Taking the general public as hostages, the Knight Orders became unable to mobilize the entirety of their fighting strength.

“On the other hand if you ask our current status, then we are a remnant of a defeated army. In the fight last night, the jurisdiction division commander was also captured as prisoner of war. Kanon then led everyone to escape until here as the temporary leader.”

Akane-senpai explained the situation briskly, but doubt was surfacing in Kazuki and Kaguya-senpai’s face clearly.

The student council’s staff of the Knight Academy was treated as an officer cadet in the Knight Order.

Be that as it may, strictly speaking they were still nothing more than students, even with the jurisdiction division ‘s division commander captured normally it would be impossible for someone in that position to take the leader position.

“…It’s a story that sound like a joke, however putting aside the top brass, Kanon is excessively well liked by the average senior knights. Maybe because they were saved from the time of pinch by Kanon’s cheerfulness, everyone is saying to make Kanon as the leader. In the first place we are just a division of the army’s remnant where there is no order at all.”

“I’m beaten―, it’s really troublesome to be this popular―✩”

“…She was also elected as the student council president at that time with that rhythm.”

Kaguya-senpai murmured. Kanon-senpai pulled her surrounding with a mascot-like unifying power and then Akane-senpai solidified their position in the practical business side. He could picture it instantly and Kazuki nodded in understanding.

“We are added in the defense of Nigata – Nagano – Shizuoka and we have to counterattack and recapture Chubu jurisdiction when we see a chance. However the battle strength of the defense army in the front line is insufficient with only us as addition. It would still take time for the other area to suppress the guerrillas before they could send reinforcement…. With that we took along one part of our comrades and came along to this academy without sleep.”

“Without sleep…that’s why Kanon-senpai is more anno…high-tensioned than usual like this.”

Kaguya-senpai fixed what she almost said in a purposeful manner. “Kaguyan youu―” Kanon-senpai made a fuss.

“It’s just a joke, thank you for your hard work.”

“Hmph, I’m not happy at all even if you suddenly change your attitude like that okayy✩”

When Kaguya-senpai easily changed her attitude suddenly, Kanon-senpai grinned brightly in a happy way.

“Akane-senpai, thank you for your hard work.” Hikaru-senpai thanked Akane-senpai with sincere expression.

“Fufufu, thank you. …So because of that reason this is the main topic. We want to make a request as a Quest for the Knight Academy to help us. We want to receive the favor for the elite Magika Stigmas and swordsmen of the Knight Academy led by the Chief Student Council President Hayashizaki Kazuki to be added to our force.”

In short what Headmaster Amasaki said before about opening an extraordinary general student meeting was in the purpose of preparing for taking the application of the participants for this quest in large-scale.

The students of the Knight Academy had also been experiencing real battle in the form of Quest until now, but the request this time was obviously in a different dimension than the [assistance] until now.

They are asking for the students to participate in a [war] where even the real knights themselves had no experience for it.

Currently the Knight Order was in a pressing crisis to the degree that they had to issue this request.

“It might be difficult for students who are still halfway through the curriculum to take a disciplined tactical action. However it’s fortunate that a Chief Student Council President that united the Magic Division and the Sword Division was born in this kind of timing. If it’s you then you should be able to collect this academy into one unified group right?”

Akane-senpai directed a challenging smile at Kazuki’s way. Looked like Headmaster Amasaki had already acknowledged this request.

There was no need for any worry, right now Kaya and former Board Chairman Takasugi were enemies that need to be defeated. The ideal that they crowed around was just something fake. That ghastly fake was going to swallow the people and [encroach] this country…..

“Of course we will cooperate. I too think that we can’t stay like this.”

“That’s good, it looks like a gallant person has been selected as the Chief Student Council President.”

Akane-senpai whose expression was colored with exhaustion smiled cheerfully to Kazuki.

“However don’t make a misunderstanding, Chief Student Council President! Until the end the leader is this Charismatic Super Former Student Council President, the Koudzuki Kanon✩”

Kanon-senpai faced Kazuki and winked while making a side peace- sign.

Kazuki stood in front of the mike and looked down from the stage on the students of the whole school who lined up in a row inside the auditorium.

The sight was just like the sight of the few days ago. However right now, the meaning of this meeting had changed drastically from before.

“I think, everyone has already known of what happened in west Japan yesterday. It is thought that the invasion of Yamato is still continuing, but because of the guerilla war that the illegal magicians conducted repeatedly in many areas, the Knight Order is unable to concentrate their battle strength for the sake of counterattack. Accordingly the Knight Order issued a request directed for the high ranked students of our Knight Academy in the shape of Quest for participation in war.”

Even though he was in the middle of speaking, the students were making a stir.

“This is similar with a normal quest where it depends on the discretionary of the students, by no way this is a forced conscription to be a soldier. And then it become something that is followed with scale, difficulty, and danger in different degree compared to the usual quest. Nevertheless we are pressed by circumstance for applicants to form an independent corps in a scale that is only possible for this Knight Academy. Perhaps you are still in a panic from this sudden development and your heart is still not prepared, but the training that we piled up day after day until now are supposed for the purpose of standing against this kind of difficulty. Those people who are not merely panicking, but also finding a spark of heated desire inside them wishing to challenge this difficulty, please volunteer for this quest without fail.”

Heated applause was occurring provoked by those words. Then he passed the stage to Headmaster Amasaki.

Headmaster Amasaki explained the conditions and rewards for volunteering.

Conditions ― to prevent student who didn’t have sufficient strength and experience to become volunteer soldier, application was limited only for students within certain rank and quest accomplishment.

Let alone the first year students of the Magic Division who had experience participating in Quest, even the number of students who had finally succeeded in contracting with their Diva and could not even chant level 1 magic was not few.

Rewards ― the usual Quest was purely for the sake of rank up evaluation, but if the quest this time achieved a success then the Knight Order itself would record their conspicuous effort.

In another words this was not for the sake of rank up evaluation but for the sake of their future evaluation.

After Kazuki awakened their passion, Headmaster Amasaki’s explanation awakened the calm prudence in the auditorium.

“The list of the volunteers is complete.”

Saying so, Yumeno-san handed out the print-out. The data consolidation was performed by the newspaper committee members. Seeing their dedication even in something that was not included in their original work, Kazuki returned a word of thanks.

“Thank you, was it difficult?”

The cramped student council room had been transformed into operation headquarter. Everyone was gathering here.

“Not at all…approximately 150 people were signing up, so if everyone cooperated than it’s only to that extent.”

Kazuki looked at the data briefly. The proportion between the Magika Stigma and the swordsmen were around 1:2. In the first place the number of students in the Sword Division was a lot more, that ratio was more or less the ratio of students between the divisions.

150 people―it was a fair number to form an independent corps that could move freely.

The battle force of the Knight Order, that is the <Knight> was roughly numbered around 2400 people in total. With the number of student that graduated from the Knight Academy was in total 300 people in one year, because the active duty period of the Knight was from 18-25 years old where they would enter the peak of their magic power after 8 years, the number became like this every year.

Those 2400 people were assigned at eight jurisdiction zones that were Hokkaido – Tohoku – Kantoukoushin’etsu – Chubu – Kinki – Chugoku – Shikoku – Kyuushuu. There was difference in numbers according to the jurisdiction zone, but there were around 300 personnel in one jurisdiction zone. This was the <Division>.

Below that jurisdiction zone division, a <regiment> was placed in each prefecture. This regiment was mostly in the scale below 100 people. And below that regiment existed the smallest unit of <platoon> where it consisted of several people each.

…A military force of 2400 people strong on the whole, if it was compared with the military in the era where there was no magic it was a really small scale force. To start with the reason of this was first because humans who could use Summoning Magic was limited, and also because only a select few of elite swordsmen were chosen. The quality was far more important than a mere number.

And then the second reason that was raised was because there was no other branch of the army except the two categories of Magika Stigma and swordsman. The modern weapons that need colossal resources to be transported and consumed while fighting didn’t exist anymore. The supply needed at worst was only meal and water to suffice. Even those supplies, if the grass was changed to become edible or dirty water was changed into drinkable water using alchemy to procure supply locally, there was many ways to compensate.

Everything was fine as long as the combat force itself arrived, personnel needed for weapons repair and supply was not needed at all.

…Such thing, even Kazuki had learned around that much in class.

Manufacturing weapons for the people’s general mobilization and conscripting a great number of general public as soldier, and yet most of those personnel were driven into maintenance control of weapons rather actual fighting, brandishing those fossilized weapons and conducting <all-out war> like the time of World War. If the current era was compared to that old time, this compactness felt like they were returned to the ancient times of their ancestor. No, in fact, they really had returned to the time of their ancestor.

Deciding the outcome of battle not by weapon but by hero―like the war in the era of mythology.

“Is Yumeno-san volunteering too?” Inside the list, Kazuki found the girl’s name too.

“Yes…it’s a little scary but, I’m worried.”

“What you mean by worried is, by any chance…”

“My parent’s home is in Kyoto.”

From Kazuki’s side, Kohaku too leaked out an empathic voice to Yumeno-san.

“…This one too is from Kyushu. It’s too far and the situation there is the hardest to grasp. As expected it make one feels a little worried.”

Regardless of how dangerous this quest was, a lot of the students’ reason to gather and volunteer was also because of this. The Knight Academy gathered the students from the whole country―what would happen to the west Japan, many of the students’ heart were crushed with feeling of anxiety.

“Yosh, the volunteers had been gathered with this.”

Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai came along to the student council room.

Behind them several female wearing the Knight Order uniform were also following along in succession.

One person among them was, “Never thought I’ll be going back to the Knight Academy in this shape” and laughed ironically.

“From among the people that escaped together with us, the third years that are in the middle of training also want to come together. Because everyone said that they want to come back to the Knight Academy after so long. Though let’s omit the introduction.”

“Ee―, that’s really mean Akanee―! Even though I also want to become acquainted with Chief President-san!”

After one person raised their voice, the whole third years started to make a ruckus ‘kya kya’.

“Awe―some! There is really a male wearing the uniform of the Magic Division!” “He really look better than those swordsmen of the Knight Order!” “So unfair Otonashi Kaguya! It should be more effective if you are the one that is in the field so switch with me!”

Kazuki faltered from the impolite gazes of the girls. Seeing that they immediately “He is shyy―!” and such voices were raised. They were two years older than him so they felt like an older lady to him for the most part and it made him felt timid.

“Fufufu, a timid Kazuki is so cute. It make me want to hug him and break his neck…”

Mixed with the high pitched voice of the third year girls…he could hear a voice that said strange words in a deep voice.

“Eh?” Thinking it was strange he directed his gaze at the direction of the voice. There at the end of the line of the third years who were wearing white knight order uniforms, three woman wearing black Einherjar uniform were secretly coming along. The third years seemingly not noticing them were “Eh, no way, what is this person say…” and got startled.

“Who, who are you…” Kanon-senpai asked timidly with eyes as if she was seeing a degenerate.

“Fufufu, I am…Beatrix-chan!”

“…Hey, why is the captain recently, she got so crazy about adding ‘chan’ to her own name?”

“She learned that in Japan a cute girl had ‘chan’ added after their name…it seems she is planning to appeal as a cute girl like this.”

Behind Beatrix, Damian and Eleonora were exchanging conversation in secret.

“Cute girl? Isn’t the captain could be mistaken as a wild gorilla…”

“FUNN!” Beatrix visited a lariat on Damian, that small statured body was blown away until the end of the corridor. …Kazuki was not looking at that pleasant exchange.

“Beatrix, why are you here…”

“I heard that you are forming a unit to counterattack the revolting west Japan see. Because of that we who have no ties of obligation the most and can move freely are the one that get dispatched at the foremost. And also…Loki is in the west Japan right? He is most likely there.

“We are not hearing about any of this though?” Akane-senpai questioned Beatrix in detail with a sullen expression.

“We are going on ahead and coming here where the movement speed will be faster rather than waiting for those slow procedure in the Knight Order got finished. Fufufu, though there is also me wanting to see Kazuki’s shocked face that made me hurrying here.”

“Don’t take every single one of your action with the purpose of making me shocked. It really made me get surprised.”

In front of Kazuki’s eye, a magic vision that could only be seen by Kazuki floated.

Beatrix―72 Damian―27 Eleonora―22

…Positivity level. It was temporary, but it was a display of proof that they were becoming a comrade that was going to fight together with the King of Solomon. There was also a case like this where Kaya’s positivity level appeared temporarily in his vision.

…However 72. This was already a positivity level where he could use her magic until level 2.

“I think they can be trusted, Akane-senpai. Loki who is included in Yamato’s force is also a sworn enemy for them after all. I have no doubt that they will become an important war potential.”

“Is that so? Well, if you said so.”

“Fuu―nn…well, isn’t it fine if they are strong? So then what are we going to do after this? Akane?”

Kanon-senpai looked back at Yagumo-senpai and tilted her head.

“We will organize these 150 volunteers as <Knight Academy regiment>. First we are going to compose platoons with the high ranked students as the platoon captain.”

Pushing out her face from Yumeno-san’s side, Akane-senpai peered into Yumeno-san’s PC screen.

“Let’s make 15 platoon of ten people. Otonashi Kaguya, Hoshikaze Hikaru, Hayashizaki Kanae, and Hikita Kohaku, these four people will establish four or five platoon each as company commanders. Even further above than this four people, Hayashizaki Kazuki will stand as the regimental commander.”

“I see, and then even higher than him is me right✩”

An orderly organization chart rose to the fore in Kazuki’s head. With organization then the communication of order would also become smoother.

“The Einherjar too, they will follow Hayashizaki Kazuki as one platoon.”

“Kazuki’s subordinate? Just as I wish!” Beatrix gave a broad smile happily.

“Kaguya, Kanae-san, choose high ranked powerful students that have leadership quality from inside this list as platoon captain and form the platoons. As soon as the formation is over, we are going to head to Shizuoka garrison. Because we left behind the 200 strong soldiers that escaped together with us in Shizuoka.”

What she meant by garrison was the location where the soldiers were stationed. The word ‘base’ fitted Kazuki’s image more, but the word ‘base’ indicated a place that was equipped with particular modern facilities of the navy and the air force and the like. In regards to that, the force that the army was using didn’t need any special facility and had mobile position, that was why it was called garrison. In the era where the magicians became the main force of war, a fixed base was mostly unneeded and garrison basically became the main position of the army.

“200 people…is it?”

From the military force of 1200 people in the west Japan, only a sixth of that force was able to escape to east Japan.

Looking at Kazuki whose thought came out in his expression, Akane-senpai looked down as if feeling a responsibility in this.

“With Chubu jurisdiction captured at the foremost, the archipelago was divided into parts completely. Because of that the knights that were fighting even further west than Chubu jurisdiction were unable to escape to east Japan. If only we could hold out more, we would be able to make a path of retreat however…”

“However it’s not like the remaining 1000 people were all captured as prisoner of war. Even if they couldn’t escape to east Japan, they went into hiding at town and became resistances that still continue to fight even now. There should be many knights that are like that there! The one who is commencing guerilla war is not only that side!!”

Kanon-senpai talked with bright voice to raise hope. Hearing that Akane-senpai raised her face.

“Most likely there are still some sporadic fighting continuing even now in west Japan, the enemy too cannot concentrate their battle strength. If not for that then Shizuoka was supposed to have fallen already.”

The illegal magicians that were being guerilla fighters in east Japan, the resistance activities of the scattered knights in west Japan. The shape of the war had became where the two sides mutually obstructed the opponent from concentrating their battle strength with some nuisance.

“The remnants soldier and the Knight Academy regiment...so to speak <Kanon independent brigade> that is 350 strong in total, this is how much battle strength we can gather from east Japan…that total amount will become the battle strength for counter attack, we…”

After talking until that far with commanding voice, Akane-senpai’s head nodded off. The senpai who was peering at the PC screen from the side just like that collapsed down on top of Yumeno-san powerlessly.

“Akane! Are you okay!?” Kanon-senpai supported that body in panic.

“…Sorry, I’m okay. I only feel a little lightheaded…”

“Everyone is working nonstop without eating and drinking, but because you burdened yourself as if it’s only your fault…. Sorry, Knight Academy’s people, in any event we are going to depart after taking just a little rest in the academy. Really just for a little.”

Kazuki suddenly looked at the clock. Just in right timing, now it was already the lunch break.

“Then…Kanon-senpai! I’m going to make some meals that will make you energetic!”

Kanon-senpai stared in wonder. “That…is not the job of the Chief Student Council President right?”

Part 2

Without any sound or vibration, a frame with streamlined shape that emitted blue light left behind the scenery outside the window.

Using the new metal born from alchemy, <Mythril> abundantly, the <Magic Light Train> ran by receiving assistance of Psychokinesis. Because of how rare mythril was even now, this train was never operated except when it was operated for trial by the staff privately.

But the rare mythril was prioritized to be circulated for the Knight Order, so [magic light train for military use] covered the whole country from Hokkaido until Kyushu. War road for military use was spread out running parallel with civilian’s Shinkansen. It could transport the knights to the major cities throughout the whole country with capacity easily surpassing 1000 people.

There was also criticism on the military’s monopoly on mythril, but an efficient transportation method was essential for the Knight Order that was few in number to deal with all the incidents throughout the whole country of Japan.

The total of 150 Knight Academy students that was led by Kanon-senpai too settled themselves comfortably and headed to Shizuoka garrison. There was no noise, no need to decelerate the speed in curve, using the special characteristic of magic light train of always roughly putting out its full speed to its best, even the distance between Tokyo-Shizuoka wouldn’t take more than one hour.

“We will arrive at Shizuoka soon after this. Let’s soak at Atsumi’s hot spring―✩”

Kanon-senpai raised a cheer, they had arrived at Shizuoka before they even realized it.

The Knight Order’s garrison at Shizuoka was a building that was once called Shizuoka prefectural police headquarters that had been expanded and remodeled. Once they disembarked the military train, the building was located in an immediate distance from the station just by walking.

After passing through a bombastic entrance made from stone, they were greeted with splendid buildings that were equipped with transmission tower and the like lining up, but in contrast with that splendidness they couldn’t feel any human presence anywhere in the area.

“Right now this place has been completely deserted. The main force of Shizuoka regiment had moved to the west prefectural border…in other words the area close to the military demarcation line with Yamato. There they had already set a temporary front line garrison and transfered there. It’s for the sake of defense. It’s just that we have to follow a track to reach there, so we are going to change into bus here.”

Akane-senpai explained briskly while leading Kazuki and the others to the destination. Cars and buses for military use were lined up at a huge parking lot. If it was in the olden era then this place would be used to deploy tank or armored vehicle without doubt, but against magician, the shells of tank and armor of armored car were nothing more than a pointless expense cost.

Vehicle was not a method of battle but merely a means of transportation for knights.

Because of that reason these military use cars and buses that were lining up here had almost no difference with the passenger vehicle of civilian.

“Car is well used to assist us dealing with the incident within the prefecture, but it’s the first time for me to use the bus.”

Akane-senpai whispered. It means that a big incident that needed to collect and transport a lot of knights had never happened until now.

There was a driver that had been already in standby at the driver seat. The driver was not a specialist in magic battle but he seemed to belong under the rear support unit. He was a little older compared to the usual knight. Magic power declined at the peak of 20 years old. The knight who had reached a certain age and even more didn’t manage to get promoted until management class would be reassigned to the rear support unit like this.

Kazuki and the others was pushed inside the rustic military bus that was painted in olive drab color traditional since the time of Self Defense Force until they were packed tightly. They couldn’t possibly wish for a comfortable ride like the train that they had just ridden before this. This uncomfortable ride really made them felt the [sense of the actual scene] of the Knight Order’s work. The number of words the students spoke started to lessen naturally.

Divided separately into four buses, Kazuki and the others headed to the military boundary line.

“Oh my, Kazuki. How pleasant it is to be able ride near you. I can’t help but feel a destined throbbing in my chest.”

Inside the bus that was packed tight like a crowded train, Miyabi-senpai was there in a distance where their bodies were in a distance of touching each other.

“…Looks like the men of the Sword Division were provided with exclusive bus for man and got crammed there, but you could ride with this bus aren’t you? Fufuu, so this is the benefit of being a swordsman of the Magic Division.”

“There was a different bus for that? They were saying that it’s okay to just ride this bus and I was pushed inside from my back.”

“There are only girls that will welcome to get jam packed together with you here you know?”

“…That’s not true. I don’t welcome you here.”

A quiet voice came from beside Miyabi-senpai. It was Shinobu-senpai.

“So Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai also volunteered.”

“For the moment, we believe that we are quite powerful even among the upperclassman. It’s not like there is no such laudable feeling inside me that want to fight for the world and for the people. Fufufu.”

After chuckling refreshingly, she added one more thing. “Moreover, our hometown is also under occupation.”

So Miyabi-senpai was also from west Japan.

Miyabi-senpai had a past where she was persecuted by her surrounding because she became an elf. Miyabi-senpai and others who were in the generation of [the first elves] should have been oppressed even more severely than Koyuki.

Such senpai was talking about her feeling of her hometown…was surely the proof that she had overcame her past and let the bygone be bygone. Even though her words of [for the world and for the people] were mixed with joking tone, but he could also feel the nobility in it.

“It’s fine even if that kind of place got totally destroyed.”

But Shinobu-senpai murmured such words vacantly.

“Don’t say such thing like it’s okay for something to get completely destroyed Shinobu. With the passing of time, the feeling of ourselves and our surrounding will also change and we might be able to think that maybe we could just let it go, isn’t that so? If something got destroyed then that’s the end of it you know?”

In fact, the discrimination against elf was thinning as the years went by. It was because of the conjecture from telepathy scan that the elf’s mind structure had no difference at all with normal human, and also elves that became knight cadet capitalizing in their excellent trait in magic power or becoming famous as young alchemist had began to appear here and there.

The product of human experiment―such truth still hadn’t been made public to the society, but a part of the politicians that knew the truth influenced the mass media, and indirectly began to form the public opinion to protect the human right of these elf. From now on their situation would surely become better gradually.

Although she was not the person concerned herself, Shinobu-senpai also had a past that deserved her resentment. It seemed that resentment didn’t simply fade however….

“…There is nothing that changed. Whether the surrounding bunches, or my feeling…”

Shinobu-senpai rejected all change. Even the fact that Miyabi-senpai transformed into an elf had not been recognized by her. Inside Shinobu-senpai’s eyes, it seemed she was seeing Miyabi-senpai with black hair.

Reality denial―even in the case where the truth was really obvious, if accepting that truth caused a great uneasiness then that person would reject accepting that truth, it was that kind of mental state.

“You said that nothing changed, don’t you feel a locked up feeling that choked your breath from that unchanged situation?”

“!” Against Kazuki’s question, Shinobu-senpai’s expression tightened rigidly with hollowness somewhere in it, then she glared at Kazuki. From the side, Miyabi-senpai embraced Shinobu-senpai’s face in her arms.

“…Kazuki, thank you. This child even now should be feeling it still. Also for a person to think of us and talked this much, in this ten odd years you are the first…”

“…Nee-sama, please don’t say such irresponsible things! This kind of guy is nothing!!”

Shinobu-senpai separated herself from Miyabi-senpai’s hand and tried to take distance from Kazuki. However she crashed against other students inside the cramped bus making “Wait” troubled voice coming at her.

“…If it’s not because Nee-sama is participating then I’m not going to participate in this kind of Quest. To get stuffed inside stuffy air like this…”

“Please be patient.” Miyabi-senpai attempted to sooth Shinobu-senpai and embraced her head once more.

From there she moved her gaze outside the window.

“I’m looking forward to this. To fight as a knight, as a hero, like that.”

The early afternoon sunlight coming from outside was reflected at Miyabi-senpai’s moist red eyes in a glisten.

“…If I make conspicuous service in this Quest, then this me who is an elf, will be thanked by everyone…such thing might also happen don’t you think so?”

Kazuki too looked at outside the window. Shizuoka west side―according to the signboard content that they just passed they were approaching the area around the Hamamatsu city. However the grave-like silence that was really unnatural didn’t show any sign of people.

Akane-senpai who was standing beside the driver seat opened her mouth.

“The residents in the vicinity of the military boundary line has already been evacuated. This area has been emptied. Because we won’t know what kind of damage will happen if the other side invaded and it turned into defensive battle.”

These urban areas might transform into a battlefield, it made Kazuki ponder once more. How much damage would come out in the coming battle? Even the public houses and the like might get toppled like domino from offensive magic.

If Yamato really came invading, they would surely march to the garrison aiming for the Knight Order there. Exterminating the knights – making them retreat with their defensive ability lost, all for the sake of completing the occupation.

Where should the knights meet the enemies? Should they have unfolded the border war at the military boundary line, or should they hole in the garrison and brought the battle into a siege battle, or else to reduce the damage to the surrounding should they lure the enemy skillfully outside the urban areas?

In this magic war where everything was still an unknown area, tactics that could be called as established tactics didn’t exist.

Suddenly the bus stepped on the emergency brake, the jam packed students staggered and pitched forward as if to fall.

When he peeked at the front glass far at the front wondering if something happened, four or five man and woman carrying large baggage on their shoulders were walking this way from the opposite side of the road that was supposed to be empty from people.

Kanon-senpai disembarked from the bus and walked approaching those people and said a few words.

After senpai nodded with ‘uh-huh” listening to the people she returned. Then she explained the circumstances to the students.

“…Looks like people that got delayed in evacuating. Surely they have a lingering attachment to their city and home and didn’t leave until the last minute. Even if they rebuild their home again, the memories cannot be recovered after all…”

Thanks to alchemy, construction cost for house and building and road and the like could be suppressed far cheaper than the previous era. Actually, with Kazuki’s fight against Loki and the final match of battle election, the fountain plaza had been destroyed twice, however he had witnessed how it was immediately repaired just like before it was destroyed.

However people who couldn’t feel good even though the broken thing was returned back into a brand new article existed in great number in society.

After seeing off those men and women passing through beside the bus, they departed once more.

―After that, for a while some similar occurrences happened a few more times. When they had advanced just for a little, they would immediately encounter some people that were in the middle of evacuation. Just like the first encounter Kanon-senpai would get down from the bus and listen to their story one by one, but gradually the bus kept advancing forward without stopping even when they encountered more people without confirming each and everyone of the refugees.

“…There are quite a lot aren’t they, these people that are late in evacuating.”

While pressing close to Kazuki more than she needed to inside the bus that was jam packed like a sardine, Miyabi-senpai whispered on his ears. Certainly there was a lot. Even though the people who were evacuating didn’t necessarily need to use this road, they kept running into almost dozens of people in total here and there.

“…Kazuki-oniisan!” Suddenly he heard a panicked voice, Lotte pushed her way through the jam packed bus and ran to Kazuki’s way. “What is it?” Kazuki embraced the girl.

“…It was the people who were evacuating just before, but it was from inside the bus so I cannot really perceive it clearly and I don’t have much confidence on it desu but…”

Lotte prefaced her talk that she didn’t really have any confidence in what she was going to say, but as if she had conviction in the feeling that she harbored, anxiety and trepidation came to the surface in her expression.

“Those people from before…harbored hostility toward this bus desu.”

―Lotte was a prodigy in telepathy. Even without exchanging words, the girl could perceive the emotion of the people around her. …Hostility, she said? The refugees? Was it from how they had to evacuate so they harbored dissatisfaction toward the Knight Order? That was stupid.

…Then were they enemies? Were they secretly passing through the border and coming to this side for the sake of taking guerilla action inside east Japan? No, for dozens of sleeper agent to pass through the same route should be unconceivable.

Their aim was…to take the rear of the bus.

“Kanon-senpai! The refugees just now…!” Kazuki who became aware tried to call out in a loud voice but,

―Even earlier than him, Akane-senpai yelled some words in high emergency.

“Kanon! Magic power reaction from the front!! …Offense magic is coming!!”

Kazuki whose attention was taken by his talk with Lotte noticed it too late. Magic power spring forth from further ahead in the road, it swell out as if rupturing―magic was invoked!

Several fire ball and rock came flying from the road ahead. One moment, the front glass of the bus looked like a screen of a shooting game. However they couldn’t evade like in a game. The fireball impacted the front side of the bus, the bursting heat and shockwave fused the glass and armor. Right there many rocks were launched one after another, easily penetrating into the inside.

“The driver’s protection-!!” Kanon-senpai yelled.

Fire ball with explosion nature got into the inside of the bus, the bus was blown up and pulverized.

Inside the blast explosion of the smashed apart bus frame, countless blue light of the students were shining. Just from having their vehicles blown out and got thrown outside wouldn’t grant any damage to magicians who were protected by defensive magic power.

But, their head fell into chaos―the students who were thrown onto the street couldn’t grasp the situation at all, they looked around restlessly in confusion while being enveloped in blue light inside the flame and smoke. And then from behind, of all things that could happen the following buses send the students flying. Those buses were also poured with offensive magic from the front and went through the same fate with the first bus.

“Form the Heaven and Earth Formation!” Akane-senpai yelled with desperate voice.

However the movements of the panicked students were dull.

Furthermore angry roar and footstep of a charge that was as if an earthquake was happening came from the road further ahead.

What came was several dozens of <swordmen>. Young people with common clothing like shirt and parka were charging this way holding Japanese katana in hand―Yamato’s army!

“Sword Division unit! Follow me!!” Kanae immediately reacted, she charged the enemy while yelling. “It’s okay not to think of anything, anyway just come with me!!”

Hearing that voice, the students of the Sword Division finally recovered from their confusion. A simple principle―remembering that it was fine to just follow the Sword Division’s strongest student council president blindly, they chased after her back.

Swordsmen and swordsmen clashed against each other. The sound of blades clashing informed the start of the engagement.

Yamato’s swordsmen were merely ordinary people with slightly stronger magic power that got incited by the politicians. When compared with the students of the Sword Division, they could even be said as a disorderly mob.

However the enemy’s rear guard―Yamato’s Magika Stigmas launched offensive magic one after another, the Sword Division students were blown away without even any time to bring the fight into a match of sword.

The Magika Stigmas’ of Yamato chanted their Summoning Magic while being possessed by their Diva.

The chanting time of this <Possession SummoningDrive> was short.

The students of the Magic Division had to support the swordsmen of the Sword Division.

Akane-senpai yelled her command to the Magic Division students who were still in a state of chaos.

“The students of the Magic Division come forward, chant defensive magic and low level magic to restrain the enemy!”

They had to come forward for the sake of confirming the enemy figure by sight so they could invoke the Summoning Magic. If they didn’t settle the enemy into the <magic perception range> then the Summoning Magic couldn’t be chanted.

Summoning Magic that was borrowing the power of Diva need the [recognition] of the Diva of [for what their strength would be used] by transmitting those intent in the shape of spell. Only by earning those [recognition] the Summoning Magic could be invoked. For the sake of that, first the Magika Stigma needed to perceive the enemy’s existence clearly, and then they had to transmit the will to defeat that enemy to the Diva.

They had to catch the figure of the enemy. The students of the Magic Division advanced through the road that was still smoldering with smoke attempting to ascertain the enemy’s sign while being protected by the frontline swordsmen.

And then they were [sighting] the illegal magicians of Yamato. Their bodies were dressed uniformly with Japanese style Magic Dress and they were accompanied with what seemed to be the avatars of Japanese Mythology’s Divas at their side.

The students of the Magic Division were also starting their chanting all at once.

“Burnt to ashes of all you touch…o scorching heat of rejection without any place to depend on! Self Burning!”

“First we start from hardening our defense right? …Mirror oh mirror, lop off the gaze of unsightly person and their craving hand! Mirror Shield of Moon CircleMoon Ring – Mirror Field!!”

“Hmph. …Thy wing bestowed by Belphegor, o <ice pillar of flame>! Cover and hide us, become the contradiction wall of irrationality! Cross Conflict!!”

Kazuki, also Miyabi-senpai and Shinobu-senpai attached defensive magic on the swordsmen.

“Dancing wing scattered sparks. Lingering wind of spiral, become a life gouging bullet! Flap and shoot! Barrett!!”

“O nihility of ancient times, become a freezing deep sigh that reside in the vacuum of this chest. To the flowing absolute silence, freeze and be silent…Glacier Wind!!”

“O gryphon crossing over the ocean, cause the wind of north pole with that wings well up the overturning rough wave…Northern Wave!”

Mio and Koyuki, also a great number of students invoked their attack magic with great urgency.

Defense and offense of magic had started. The enemies offensive magic were blocked by this side’s defensive magic, this side’s offensive magic blown away the enemy’ swordsman sporadically. Caught by the raging wave of magic, the swordsmen were tossed about.

…This was inefficient. Kazuki noticed. Conflicting elemental magic like ice and flame were launched at the same time without any prior thought and interfered with each other, weakening its power.

It might be good to divide the platoons of Magica Stigma in accordance with each element of magic that they used.

“Third years are to prepare high level magic! We are going to catch the whole herd in one throw!!”

Akane-senpai took the command of the battle, the third years was being protected at the very back and began their chanting.

Looking at that situation, Kazuki was “This is bad” and remembered.

“Akane-senpai! The rear is dangerous, the refugees from before might not be actually refugees!!”

“…What do you say!?” Akane-senpai directed an uncomprehending expression at him.

When Kazuki yelled, it was the same time with the sounds of angry yells and charging footsteps from behind.

When he turned back―from the back too, swordsmen of Yamato in casual clothing holding Japanese katana were approaching with the momentum of surging waves. It was the people that they saw off from inside the bus passing through them. They pretended to be refugees and hid Japanese katana inside their baggage, and then after choosing the best timing they turned back―for the sake of taking the back of the Heaven and Earth Formation.

…The third years who were completely defenseless in the middle of chanting were aimed. Akane-senpai went pale.

“Sword Division students, go back to the rear too! From the back too enemies are…!!”

But the swordsmen were also in the middle of fighting the enemies right in front of their eyes while being exposed under offensive magic, they couldn’t possibly do such thing like turning their back. Besides to only pick one portion of the best swordsmen in a hurry to be allocated as rear guard in a good balance, executing such detailed order without any previous arrangement was impossible.

Whether they heard Akane-senpai’s instruction or not, not even one of the swordsmen was moving in reaction of that command.

The one who reacted in the place of that was Kazuki.

“Beatrix, come with me!”

Not as a swordsman but as a magic swordsman, he would swing his sword. At the same time, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •he called on a comrade he could rely on.

“Kazuki, add [chan] when you are calling my name! Fuhahahaha…I will do a good fight, welcoming a good death, and hope to participate in even more battle of heaven! Divine protection of blood color in my eye! Berserk!!”

“It’s a melee, just bring it on zee! …We act in accordance of Hodur’s wish, entrust the exaltation of battle in our body too! The blood and fat running in my sword the wartime fire of fury!! Stories Flame!”

“I have to do close quarter battle too? …O billowing stormy sea, envelop my hand and become the whip that lashed at small thing! Undulating Sea SnakeFlöte Schlange!!”

Each one of the Einherjars who had close-range combat specialization went along behind Kazuki.

“I reach my hand to the height of Babel and become suppressor! In accordance with my life o lightning, praise the foolhardiness of the human race! Blitzkrieg!!”

“O unrivaled master, perform once more from beyond the dream! Along with the flame of transmutation, liberate the locked memory inside the silver mirror right here!! Kenki Tensei!!”

Lotte too equipped her electromagnetic lightning and followed after Kazuki, Kazuha-senpai summoned the phantom of swordsmen, “Kanamaki Jisai, Yoshioka Kenbou, Miyamoto Munisai, go!” she directed him toward the enemy.

“Just a mob of swordsmen, I’m going to test just how much resolve you all has in challenging us…”

Kaguya-senpai too, she plunged alone into the crowd of the swordsmen.

“…No hesitation even when thy curse also wound me…shared pain is my great joy! Cry and scream in the mirror reflection! Suicide Black!”

Kaguya-senpai’s figure was covered with black haze. The swordsmen of Yamato swung down their katana all at once at Kaguya-senpai―the scream from the reflected agony reverberated.

“O the god of death’s whispering voice tired of waiting for the visitor, resound widely and deeply, dye the dream with agony! Resound o evil sound of sadism! Ultra Violence!!”

Kaguya-senpai made the evil voice of Ultra Violence resounding. The swordsmen of Yamato were writhing around and lost their will to fight. He didn’t know for what purpose these bunches were added to the force of Yamato, but they didn’t have any determination that could make them fight with Kaguya-senpai.

The close-range combat capability of Kazuki and the others pushed back the disorderly mob of the swordsmen. The worst damage of having the rear that was in the middle of chanting got interrupted was averted, the third years breathed a sigh of relief and they got carried by a calm atmosphere.

The students had completely recovered from the mayhem and began to make a comeback in the battle progress.

However…was it fine to go like this.

The leading actor who was the first to protect the third years Kazuki harbored an out of place feeling inside his heart.

Performing an ambush at Kanon independent brigade that was made of the students of the Knight Academy when they were going to link up at Shizuoka as added reinforcement. And then the surprise attack by posing as refugees and circling to their back. That pincer attack tactics.

This tactic, it was impossible to be realized without the enemy inferring beforehand that today Kanon-senpai would pass through this road in exactly this time. Moreover this enemy force passed through the military boundary line that was supposed to be currently guarded by the Knight Order and invaded easily like this.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •However way he thought about it, this was a surprise attack that should not exist.

“…Earth Lava FlowFire Stone Flood!”

Enemy’s large scale offensive magic―the asphalt of the road was developing cracks extensively, from there lava was bursting out. It rained down incessantly on the whole formation of the students.

On top of that magic destructive power, the trace of magic power wave in that magic made Kazuki gasped in realization.

…He had some experience with this magic power. The [Earth Snake] that was together with Kaya, this magic power owner was that man who was contracted with Midgardsomr. Loki’s gang was also added in this enemy force.

Defensive magic reduced the force of the lava flow and the students also endured with Resist. Even when the swordsmen fell down they immediately stood back up and slashed at the enemies, the Magika Stigma maintained their concentration and continued the chanting.

“Heart Disorder Heaven DanceShinran Tenbu!”

Ame no Uzume―the avatar of Japanese Mythology’s entertainment god that was clad in bright crimson garment floated in the middle of the battlefield, then she started to dance with a twirl. The Sword Division students in the frontline that witnessed it wobbled, their sanity disappeared from their eyes, and they began attacking each other.

“If that kind of attack come than it’s my turn that I kept waiting for! …I am to be the shrine maiden of sword. Rock cleaved, root torn, sin severed, that spirit sword of crushing evil right now in this hand! Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

Kazuha-senpai brandished the sword of crushing evil, returning the sanity of the swordsmen who lost their mind one after another.

“O goddess that arrive in the future accepting the abuse of people…change that darkness into deadly poison vomit it all around! Slander the foolishness of these people!! Poison Argument!!”

In reverse Mibu-senpai scattered bubbles of nerve poison and dulled the movement of the enemy swordsmen.

“Way to go, when you all calmed down properly, this side’s magic skill and support power is further above compared to the opponent!”

Kanon-senpai raised her voice and inspired everyone.

“We too are already finished with the chanting here! Brace yourself right now!!”

The third years that was protected and covered by Kazuki and the others were finally finishing with their chanting of high level magic successively. Finally the power of Magic Division’s highest school grade was made apparent―,

“Come on Akane! Match your breath, we are going to make a big haul for sure-!!”

“Right, Kanon!” Both of them lined up their shoulder and nodded to one another.

Kanon-senpai altered her clothes into a Magic Dress that emitted a clear bluish-white light.

At her side, an avatar of a beautiful angel burning in blue flame was floating.

Kanon-senpai's contracted Diva was―<Belial>. She was a god of Phoenicia similar with Baal, but she was an existence that was altered into the worst fallen angel by the Christianity.

“O angel covered with wounds waving the blue flag of rebellion…under the justification of [worthlessness] liberate the looked down silent anger! Blue Lotus that Descend from HeavenEmission Flare!!”

When Kanon-senpai commanded Belial, several streak of blue light poured down from heaven like lightning. That light spread out through the battlefield like an overflowing flood.

That was bluish-white flames. The flame changed color because of its high heat from red to blue and from blue to white―that heat quantity possessing [blue color] rivaled the energy possessed by the star in space.

The blue flame representing Belial’s fury spread out in the battlefield burning down the arrogant people. With force that even Kanon-senpai herself couldn’t hold back, friend and ally, everything in the battlefield was going to be swallowed….

―Akane-senpai too finished her chanting at the same time.

Akane-senpai was clad in Magic Dress that was similar with traditional garmentsheath dress of Egypt’s attire. At her side, face of owl and body of wolf, with snake as tail a figure of devil with atypical appearance was floating.

Akane-senpai’s contracted Diva was―<Amon>. <Amon> of Egypt Mythology was likewise had its figure declined into devil as a god of paganism.

“To all phenomenon of heaven, riding the wind bursting out from those wings…o wind of god, wash away the foundation of the world and rule it as I saw fit! Divinity Elements TideRizomata Mastery!!”

Terrific wind burst out in Akane-senpai’s surrounding. When Akane-senpai moved her hand like a conductor giving command, that wind was controlled in accordance with her desire, it was heading to Yamato’s force and swept over them.

Every energy that existed in this battlefield―flame and water and lightning brought forth by magic were swallowed by that wind and they were flowing away inside it.

The wind of the god of atmosphere Amon put all energy under its rule and became a tidal current of power.

Even the raging mad blue flame that Kanon-senpai released, just before it swallowed and dragged even allies inside it, was entwined with Akane-senpai’s wind of god. The wind of god rotated violently forming a sphere, pressing together the blue flame until it turned similar into a line of light inside the small sphere.

That light of fire was compressed even further until it was the size of a grain of light like a shining star in the night sky. ―Condensing heat above 20000°C, an ultra density flame. He already couldn’t understand how much energy it currently possessed.

―When Akane-senpai waved her hand once more, the grain of light became a line of lightleyline and danced in the middle of the enemy formation. The swordsmen and magicians of the enemy faction that were touched by that line immediately collapsed. The extraordinary heat took away all their magic power in just a moment. With delicate direction Akane-senpai was running the line of light from one enemy to the next driving them just before an instant death.

Kanon-senpai produced an energy so enormous that even she couldn’t control, while Akane-senpai amplified – controlled it precisely and distributed it to the enemies―it was a combination that really demonstrated both of their personality just as it was. With a silence as if a sparkler was losing its light, the blue dot of light burned away all its flame. On the battlefield, dozens of enemies were lying down in unconsciousness.

Quality was far more above quantity in magic…this was a sight that really impressed that truth once more in him. Just two Magika Stigma had consigned dozens of times more enemy into oblivion in one attack.

It was a destructive power enough that brought about a complete change in the battle situation. …As expected from third year. For the first time Kazuki really felt aware of that fact. And then the third years were not only these two.

The other ten people of the other third years that Kanon-senpai brought along too had finished the chanting of their high level magic all at once right at this time. The battle was over with this―everyone was able to be convinced of that.

The third years seniors directed their Targeting at the enemy formation and ended their chanting―at that time, an unlikely voice could be heard.

“Target change!”

It was a voice he had heard somewhere. The inside of Kazuki’s head became pure white, his memory flipped over to the past. Where he had heard this voice was…when he was going on a date with Hikaru-senpai, that time when he was attacked by the students of the Magic Division that were brainwashed. The voice of Hayashi Shizuka.

This voice was when Hayashi Shizuka • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •gave out the command to the human she had brainwashed

Why was this voice, right here in this time….

When he turned his eyes to the direction of the voice, inside the crowd of Yamato’s magician―Hayashi Shizuka was there.When her eyes met Kazuki, The face of the girl that looked like a noh mask warped in a broad grin. An expression of triumph, ridiculing at Kazuki.

The next instant, an abnormality occurred at the magic power wave of the third years that were going to activate their magic.

Assaulted by a premonition of unknown terror, Kazuki directed his sight at the faces of the third years.

The expression of the third years made a complete change into an expressionless and soulless wax statue. Emotion fell out from their eyes, their mouths that were in the middle of chanting spell became half-opened.

Completely the same just like the students that attacked Kazuki at the public park, a blank face.

Post-hypnotism―as if when a fixed requirement was triggered their minds were suddenly converted into brainwashed condition.

The third years who were forming a rank of troops horizontally facing the enemy force changed their formation even though no one was commanding it. The five people in the right wing faced Kazuki in a twirl, the five people in the left wing faced Kanon-senpai’s way in a twirl. And then the target of the magic that were in the verge of invocation―were overwritten to target Kazuki and Kanon-senpai.

A movement that was twisted forcibly by a third party’s will. Kazuki couldn’t Foresight such movement. With a delay that was really unlike Kazuki, he understood the situation. Third year’s offensive magic in the scale of level 7-8, five of them at once were taking aim at him. Both evasion and defense wouldn’t make it in time.

“Wh, why…!?” Kanon-senpai too was totally the same like him.

The girls were brainwashed without anyone noticing it. When…?

“O rage of the bottom of the earth…release the prohibition right here, reduce to ashes the arrogance on the earth with the ardour of ancient times…Lava Flow EruptionVolcanic Geyser.”

“Time is circling drawing a circle, the history is repeated inevitably, awaken the once forgotten era…leave behind everything inside the dream, to the era of glacier…Absolute Ice WorldIce Age.”

“O unyelling sage Dantalion’s infinite power of words…change the wisdom of eternity into blade, gouge out deeply the depth of heart, burn and crumble the reason with that interdiction…Last WordLast Word.”

“Lethargy is changed into degeneration before long, tear is finally changed into blood, reverberating scream will surely change into ascending soul in the end…o Laruvaseed of malicelurking in the back of the world, wolf down the living soul…Festival of NightmareCurse Stream.”

“O beast where heaven’s most important seven stars is residing in that body, descend down to this land while shaking down the earth, gulp down the stagnating people with those large jaw…Saturn’s Great CrocodileChronos Crocodile.”

Enormous lava was, sublime freezing air was, thought wave that would destroy the mind was, revengeful ghost that would eat his soul was, fierce beast of the underworld was approaching Kazuki all at once.

A clear premonition of death froze his brain. Resist…no, to use general magic for things like reducing the might of five different kind of magic at the same time was impossible with the skill that he had. They got him!

“…DANGER!” At that time, there was only one person who could react against Kazuki’s predicament.

A surprise attack that couldn’t be reacted with Foresight. What could react against such attack was only strengthening of reflexes nerves. [Berserk]―The magician that was able to do that, there was only one person in this place.

In front of Kazuki’s eyes―a large powerful back for a female was forcing her way through in front of him.

“BEATRIX!!” Kazuki spontaneously yelled to that back.

“I told you, add ‘chan’ on…GUU!!” All the magic hit the girl right from the front. From the body of the girl, defensive magic power was shining with light as if the whole magic power that she had was exploding.

You can really joke about adding ‘chan’ in this kind of situation!!?

Not sustaining her Access, Beatrix’s appearance transformed back to her black Einherjar uniform. She collapsed into Kazuki’s chest.

…The damage didn’t penetrate until her flesh. Kazuki confirmed that fact in panic.

“Beatrix, why are you for me…”

“Why, you ask…. That’s because love is an irrational thing, right…”

While saying words that sounded like joke, Beatrix slumped inside Kazuki’s arm and fainted after losing her strength. Magic intoxication―even though there was no damage on her flesh, her mind was burdened radically. Could she get awake if it kept like this, how long it would take until she open her eyes again, he didn’t know at all.

“Chih, I missed the chance to kill him.” From afar, the sound of Hayashi Shizuka clicking her tongue rang out. “Give him the finishing blow!”

The third years that had blank faces directed their aim at the two person who became defenseless in magic intoxication.

“Everyone…are you all sane!?” Akane-senpai rebuked her comrades’ action.

“Captain…shitt! What are we going to do!?”

“We are Ægir’s, grant me the terror of the unknown depth of the ocean! The stormy seas that toy with the small people, to me…Himinglæva!”

Eleonora produced a wall of ocean to defend Beatrix and Kanon-senpai. These two people right now would get a fatal wound even if they only got hit with just one attack.

“Draw sword, Futsu no Mitama!!”

Kazuha-senpai who sensed the situation dashed near from the back and slashed at the third years.

The sanity of the third years returned with one slash of evil crushing. “Eh…huh, I, what am I…?” Being surprised and stunned, in an unbelievable situation―they looked down at their leader who was laying down on the ground.

Disturbance ran through the whole ally members. The swordsmen who had been holding out for a long time to become the shield of the Magika Stigmas directed eyes of despair toward the scene where their leader got defeated by friendly fire inside ally’s encampment.

“Keep it up and crush them! Go!!” He could hear Hayashi Shizuka raising a piercing cry.

“Otouto-kun, get a hold of yourself! Akane-senpai too!”

Kaguya-senpai scolded Kazuki who was still dumbfounded. Akane-senpai who still holding up Kanon-senpai with her head hanging down also lifted her face. They went on resuming the battle.

“I’m sorry, Eleonora-san.”

Giving his gratitude to Eleonora who was protecting them, Kazuki laid Beatrix down.

“…Land Escape!”

In front of Kazuki’s eyes, the ground split all of a sudden. From that crack illegal magician―[Earth Snake]’s figure was leaping out. His hand was holding a sword made from rock in reverse grip. “…Di, die!” With inarticulate speaking tone, he aimed at Beatrix who was in a state of magic intoxication.

He passed through Eleonora’s wall of sea by digging underground like a mole.

“UOOOOOOOOOOOO!!” Kazuki roared in order to clear away his shock and drew his katana.

The rock sword the Earth Snake used in his surprise attack was repelled with his Iai draw.

The instant their blade touched, Kazuki redirected the opponent’s power using <Instant Positioning>, breaking down the posture of the Earth Snake.

“…O Divine Protection of military man, double the Megin whirling in my body! The will of god spurring me to infinite battle, in this body! …Megingjord!”

What Kazuki immediately chanted was Beatrix’s magic.

Doubling the physical strength of his whole body, his second returning slash swung downward with twice destructive power on Earth Snake.

“GUGAA!” Raising a scream the Earth Snake rolled on the ground. “Guge…Land…” Realizing his failure in the assassination, he tried to escape using magic for going underground. “Esca…”

“…O divine protection of mermaid, stop the step of the hateful enemy, please hasten the step of the chosen person…. O ice blade, run! Moves in the Field!”

Koyuki’s cool and clear voice reverberated, then the ground froze. The Earth Snake who was leaping to the ground face first banged his face severely on the surface that had been frozen with ice. Koyuki plundered his right of rule of the ground.

Koyuki launched a flying kick with feet clad in boots of ice blade toward the Earth Snake rolling on the ground. Keeping her pace she stepped on him with a complex footwork and minced him. Having an ice dance performed on top of his own body, the Earth Snake opened his eyes wide in fear and fainted. “…Kazuki, are you okay?”

“Thank you, I’m fine already. …I can fight. We have to defeat that girl. If we don’t defeat Hayashi Shizuka from the very beginning than anybody else…I have a hunch that it would become very grave later on.”

Inside Kazuki’s head, that premonition completely filled him. There was emotions inside him that was really close with hatred and repugnance. However surpassing such individualistic emotion, a terrifying premonition welled up inside him.

“Retreat! Retreaat―!”

However contrary to Kazuki’s thought, that kind of voice was starting to appear from inside the enemy forces.

The enemy army simultaneously began to move in withdrawal. While receiving covering fire from the illegal magicians the enemy swordsmen turned their back, like a retreating wave they were drawing back from this place.

In no time at all the figure of the enemies were not visible anymore.

Why are those guys retreating―he soon understood why they were doing so.

From the other side of the road he could hear the sounds of engine, knights who were riding on military vehicles were rushing here one after another. The Knight Orders at the military boundary line’s garrison notice the disturbance and finally came here. The enemy army noticed the reinforcement one beat faster and before they became the one who met with a pincer attack this time, they retreated in a hurry.

However the sensation of having finally repelled the enemy couldn’t be felt for even a fragment inside Kazuki and the others.

Part 3

When The Knight Order that was rushing here grasped the situation that befell at Kazuki and the others, they immediately make contact with the garrison and called a new military bus here. Taking ride in that bus, Kazuki and the others headed to the garrison once more.

They gathered and transported the students who fell into magic intoxication in the battle and also the enemy soldiers who conversely became magic intoxicated and arrested on the spot.

The temporary garrison that was built for the sake of security in the military boundary line was located in a very near distance from the spot where they were attacked. By the time all the students arrived, it was the time when the sunset had sunk into the horizon.

The temporary garrison was originally the hotel and public facilities that were located in the prefectural border and were confiscated to be used only for the knights to reside there. There was no special facility or the like at all here.

Though having said that, it was not like there was any surplus in the number of the room available, so the room allocation became arranged for two people in one room.

However without even confirming who was the partner he would be rooming with, Kazuki headed to Akane-senpai’s room.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki…I have something to talk.”

The moment he came out to the corridor, Eleonora and Damian were waitng for Kazuki.

“Beatrix is…?” Kazuki inquired hesitantly.

“Captain is still fainted and hasn’t opened her eyes.” Eleonora answered back with a cold voice.

“In this incident, because we were being made to follow the sloppy tactic of Japan Knight Order a serious damage had been inflicted to the Einherjar. That’s what I’m thinking.”

“…What did you say?”

“Don’t you think that this incident is enough reason to discontinue the stance of cooperation between Japan Knight Order and Einherjar for Loki’s subjugation? We are going to wash our hand from this incident.”

“Wa, just wait a second there!? I haven’ heard anythin’ about this at alll!?”

Damian cut in from the side.

“You said you have something you want to talk about with Hayashizaki Kazuki so I thought what the hell this is about…this didna make sense at all doncha’ agree!? This incident happen ‘cause Capt’n Beatrix just stick her nose where it didna belong on her own, we haven’ even defeat Loki yet! If it had become like this then we shoulda’ take revenge for cap’n with our own hand, that’s the spirit of an admirable Einherjar right!? I said taking revenge but cap’n still haven’ died yet though!”

“Damian…this war is a losing battle. Right now Japan Knight Order is exactly a ship made of mud. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •To allow that kind of surprise attack to happen, they have no chance in this war. We should disembark from this sinking ship for even a second faster.”

Allowing that kind of surprise attack to happen…, sinking ship…, Kazuki too had the exact same feeling like what Eleonora was saying. Unconsciously bitterness colored Kazuki’s expression. Eleonora looking at that expression of Kazuki “…So you understand the situation” having said that her expression became a little sympathetic.

“Wait wait wait! Whether or not there is any chance to win, that shoulda be thought later on after we beat up the enemy blue right―!” Damian spoke out an outrageous sentence. “There are enemies we’ve reason to defeat right in front of us yet we just run away, for Einherjar that is something absolutely unforgivablee―, if it’s cap’n Beatrix that’s what she woulda say ze!!”

“…Do you think you can fight with that kind of muscle brain thinking…!”

“Are you and Ægir cowards!? You won’t get to aim for Valhalla like that!”

“…Understood. If you said until that far then you and Hodur just do as you like.”

Eleonora turned on her heel and went to leave from the other side of the corridor.

“…Our bad. Even though Erii is like that but that ‘cause she really like cap’n. …Next, when you are gonna sortie out just give the call only to me.”

Damian too left behind such words before she went to leave from the other side of the corridor.

“How unlucky for you huh! You might be planning to be alone with Akane just the two of you by going to Akane’s room, but I’m already awake✩”

When he entered Akane-senpai’s room, Kanon-senpai's bright voice greeted Kazuki.

This room was shared between Akane-senpai and Kanon-senpai. Kanon-senpai who had fell into magic intoxication had already awaken, she directed a smiling face to Kazuki while still laying on her bed.

“…At that moment, I still had my Rizomata Mastery barely activated, so I could redirect the energy of the offense magic going toward Kanon slightly. However Beatrix Baumgard had gotten completely hit…”

The expression of Akane-senpai who was standing beside the bed was dark as if she was ashamed of the damage that came out.

“Well, I exposed an unsightly figure there…this is by no means a lost battle okay✩ We got some damage on our side, but we had also managed to capture several of the enemies on the other side see✩…That’s why cheer up, Akane.”

Kanon-senpai who pretended a mere bravado with cheerful act encouraged Akane-senpai.

“So then Hayashizaki Kazuki…what do you think about what had just happened?” With a serious face, Kanon-senpai looked back at Kazuki. “Because there is something you understand so you come here right?”

Kazuki conveyed the matter regarding Hayashi Shizuka and her ability as far as he know to the two of them.

―Her contracted Diva was Joka.

The greatest trait of that Diva was to strengthen and resurrect allies, granting such powerful Divine Protection freely.

However Yamato’s force was not resurrected at the battle this time. …Most likely because the number of people was too many, or possibly the effect couldn’t be demonstrated except for underling and servant that directly obeyed Hayashi Shizuka herself. It means that Hayashi Shizuka was nothing more than a guest and her nature of relationship with Yamato’s soldiers was too thin.

And then one more trait of hers was brainwashing power. She could falsify the heart of human that had fallen into magic intoxication.

Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai made a face of understanding.

“…In other words everyone aside from us…the other third years fell into magic intoxication in battle at that time when Nagoya surrendered and then they were brainwashed there. After that they linked up with us as the remnant of the defeated army…”

There was no doubt that the seed of calamity was planted in Kanon-senpai and the others at that time.

Post hypnotism―in order to make them changed into brainwashed state when they heard the voice of Hayashi Shizuka, suggestion was implanted into the third years.

“How pathetic!” Akane-senpai raised a loud voice with her head still hanging low and she hit the wall with her fist. “Just because they are comrades we know by sight…we didn’t suspect at all those girls who were just escaping from the enemy’s occupied territory! Even though we might have noticed it if only we cautiously use Telepathy!!”

"Akane, don’t say something unreasonable. We didn’t know about this brainwashing beforehand, so suspecting them or anything is just absurd talk. We only thought of wanting to increase our battle strength even for just a little with everyone. Also for the moment I am the leader that was decided by everyone. Don’t burden yourself with the responsibility alone.”

Even after listening to Kanon-senpai’s words, Akane-senpai was still “Kuu…!” let out a pained sound. Akane-senpai’s personality might be of those who tended to drive themselves into a corner.

However this was not a circumstance where he could give her some peace of mind.

“…What we should be anxious of is not only about the matter of the brainwashed third years.”

Kazuki said with a heavy feeling. Rather the matter just now was already a solved problem. Thanks to Kazuha-senpai, all the third years had been released from the brainwashed state.

“An even graver problem is how the enemy sensed all of our action and movement and then ambushing us at our own territory. Those guys passed through the military boundary line, inferred our location, and then assaulted us. …They have been doing whatever they pleased far too much.”

If this kind of situation kept continuing, saying it clearly this war wouldn’t even be a fight for the enemy.

“…!” Akane-senpai’s face lost even more color when she raised her face. Looks like she fret over her failure in not doubting her comrade too much that she didn’t think of that at all.

“The knights in this garrison, they are doing security in order to not let the people of Yamato can come and go as they pleases aren’t they?” Kazuki inquired for the moment. Kanon-senpai nodded with a bob. It was obvious.

“In other words there is a betrayer here.”

“That, you mean a human that is a brainwashed human by Joka to become spy!?”

“No, the brainwashed state by Joka is not a perfect technique that can deceive the surrounding people that are intimate to you. The brainwashed human looked unnatural with how their emotion became diluted, so it’s definitely impossible to do a spy’s activity or the like passing through a long period of time.”

Joka’s brainwashing was not flawless. It was only falsifying a really small part of the heart in a really short period.

“Without any influence of brainwashing, there were already betrayers of Kenshitou in the insides of the Knight Order and the government of this country right from the start. And then there is Chūkadou as Kenshitou’s backer.”

“Chūkadou, you said…?”

The trouble that happened in the Knight Academy’s battle election was not something known by Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai that was nothing more than the lowest member of the Knight Order. Kazuki explained the circumstances of the incident where assassins from China came attacking Kazuki and how the former Board Chairman Takasugi tried to take over the academy to the two senpai.

“As for how we are gathering in Shizuoka…the enemy might be able to predict that even without any information just from the point of how we are going to try to recover Nagoya that is an important traffic position. But for the enemy to completely know about when we are going to finally arrive and what road we are taking…it’s just like what you said, there is a betrayer that was inserted until a fairly high position in the top brass of the Knight Order isn’t it? If it had become like this then they will be perfectly waiting in ambush for this side’s offensive, from now on they will be preparing surprise attack each time we are going out for any kind of action…like this we cannot move thoughtlessly.”

Akane-senpai hung her head down with faint-hearted expression.

“The best aspect of superiority for the offensive side is how they could choose the location of fighting you know? Originally, the defensive side has to divide all their battle strength between the three points of Toyama・Gifu・Aichi because they don’t know where we are going to attack. However if they obtained the information of where we are going to attack ahead of time from the betrayer, they can concentrate their battle strength in one place and await us in the targeted place. In other words it’s the same like the number of the enemy force has tripled. For information to become leaked is something like that.”

It was something Kazuki hadn’t learned in class, but he nodded. It was something obvious if he thought of it carefully, but it was something that made him thought ‘I see’ when it was said to him…the basis of <tactic theory>.

“With this our plan to counterattack when seeing a change is discontinued. We absolutely cannot move to counterattack. If we don’t wait patiently until we have collected the battle strength of east Japan as much as possible…I have to inform the regiment commander…”

Regimental commander―if this talk was forwarded to the commander of Shizuoka regiment, next it would go through to the division commander of Kanto Koushin’etsu division, and then from there it would reach the top brass of the Knight Order for sure.

…With that transmission mechanism, this information would surely also reach the spy of Yamato.

In panic, Kazuki restrained Akane-senpai who was even now trying to make contact with her cell phone.

“Please wait, if senpai reported that then it will also inform the opponent of how • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •we had noticed the betrayer, it would alert them.”

“That is so but, there is no reason we can just leave this alone right? If we don’t take defensive action…”

“No, I think it’s a mistake for us to even enter defensive action.”

Akane-senpai asked “Eh?” back to Kazuki who was talking stubbornly. Kanon-senpai too had her eyes opened wide and was staring at him. Surely that was because they never thought that a junior of them would be objecting this straight forwardly against them.

“We should sortie out to attack them immediately tonight. In order to not let the betrayer leaking out the information to the enemy, the surprise attack must be conducted with only the members of the Knight Academy.”

A silence that was doubting Kazuki’s words flowed for a while.

“…And the basis for your idea to immediately sortie out in offense?” Akane-senpai inquired in a harsh tone of voice.

“Because if it keep like this than it would become more disadvantageous the longer the battle goes on. This whole day, I kept thinking on my own about in what way we should fight in this battle called magic war but…”

“How should we fight in a magic war is it?”

This magic war that the human race hadn’t experienced personally still hadn’t any tried and tested tactics.

That was why the people concerned must unravel it out themselves and started thinking from the zero base.

“In this magic war, the power of human is everything. Even if all the territory of the country is occupied from the battle’s damage, even if the economy inclined completely toward one side, it still doesn’t mean defeat. Shaving off the military force is everything.”

In the war of the previous era, the power of a country had direct relation with their military power. For the sake of advancing the battle in a more advantageous position they developed weapon research, mass production, managing maintenance, they had to invest in all of that. An all out war where the battle was supported by the nation’s everything. If the national power tilted to one way then the victory was decided.

But this war between Japan and Yamato was different. The military power was decided only by the quality and quantity of the swordsman and Magika Stigma. When it was like this the victory condition became [whether the opponent’s army was annihilated or not].

Even if there was only one last person standing, even if the foundation called a country was lost, if only they still had the will to fight then they could still continue to fight. Though in that stage it would become closer to guerilla or terrorism rather than a war.

“Certainly it’s just like what you said….this is not an all-out war, but an extermination war.” Akane-senpai nodded.

“However why has that become the reason to hurry in attacking?”

“…There are Divas called Loki and Naiarlatoteph in Yamato’s camp. When the power of Joka is added there, I have this feeling that a frightening result will occur from that combination. Though it would be great if this is just a needless anxiety.”

Loki・Naiarlatoteph・Hayashi Shizuka…it was the worst trio that made him wanted to cover his eyes. Their extreme personality scattered out a terrible atmosphere. He had already felt sick just from remembering each of their faces.

“Naiarlatoteph?” Kanon-senpai and Akane-senpai asked back.

Naiarlatoteph’s existence was also something that hadn’t become known by the society at large openly.

Kazuki who had arrived at a different thinking from the two senpai was because in the first place he had far more information than the two.

“For the sake of finding proof of my suspicion, there is something I want to confirm from the prisoners that were caught from the battle this time. I cannot meet with the prisoner just by myself so…can I ask for senpai’s mediation to arrange an interview with the prisoners?”

There was a wine cellar built underground in this hotel that was confiscated to be the garrison. That place which had no entrance except for one spot was the most suitable to be turned into a dungeon as long as security was performed there. The prisoners were attached with Limiter for illegal magicians and thrown inside that place.

There was binding on them but many of them were still fainting from magic intoxication.

Akane-senpai left behind Kanon-senpai who was still in convalescence in their shared room and led Kazuki to the dungeon.

Kazuki stopped at Lotte’s room in the middle of the way and asked her to accompany him.

“Thanks for your hard work.” Akane-senpai greeted the young man who had the shift of guarding the dungeon.

That knight who was greeted had his expression colored in shock and happiness when he saw Kazuki.

“Hayashizaki Kazuki! Isn’t this Hayashizaki Kazuki! …Long time no see! I heard the story already from Amasaki-sensei. Right now hasn’t something great happened to you in the academy, huh Chief Student Council President!”

After Kazuki got taken aback for an instant, he finally remembered late of the other party’s name and face.

“…Kondou-san! Thank you very much for that time. If I didn’t have the Sacred Treasure that was entrusted from Kondou-san, it would really become very dangerous there. Because of that I was found innocent in the end.”

“Aa, for you to be cleared from all misunderstanding was also thanks to the influence of Amasaki-sensei right?”

Kondou Hajime―he was the knight that got involved at that time when Kazuki was attacked by Beatrix in the Quest that he challenged together with Lotte. After that, for the sake of Kazuki who was challenging Beatrix, he lended [Raikiri] to Kazuki without concern for himself. However, why was he here…?

“Your face is wondering why I’m here. Even though you remember my name and face, it’s impossible to remember until my self-introduction too huh. Remember, my title is <Police Knight> attached to <Chubu Jurisdiction Division>, Kondou Hajime.”

“You said Chuubu Jurisdiction…does that mean that Kondou-san was in the battle of that time!?”

“Aa, I fought at Nagoya, I escaped with Akane-chan there and Kanon-chan. …But for you to come here, how reassuring. I know very well how strong you are after all!”

“So Kondo-san and Kazuki are an acquaintance?” Akane-senpai inquired with her eyes wide opened.

“That’s right, various things happened. Akane-chan, this guy is a really awesome junior you know. …Oops, you have some business with the prisoner right? If it’s Akane-chan and Kazuki then I don’t need to worry, just go through here.”

Kondou-san opened the dungeon for them, then Kazuki together with Lotte searched for the one person they came here for among the restrained prisoners―they approached the [Earth Snake].

“Lotte…can you do something like confirming his mental state with Telepathy? There is no equipment for Telepathy scan here after all, so to make up for it can you?”

“What is it that I need to confirm desu?”

“Confirm whether he is still Possessed by Diva or not inside his mind.”

“!?” Akane-senpai’s expression froze in place.

“…Diva that is attempting to take over the flesh of human won’t part with the flesh body that they occupied that easily you know? It should be like that. Because to erode the self of their host until this point should take a long time for the Diva.”

Akane-senpai said. Some Diva that held hostility to human whispered sweet words about how they would grant power and then possessed the human. After that they would encroach into the host’s mind slowly in their attempt to take over the host.

To do that they needed a long time. Even when Loki stole Kaya’s body, also when Naiarlatoteph stole the body of former Headmaster Otonashi, both of them needed long years to succeed.

Once those Divas parted with the flesh body, the eroded mind would go back to how it once was and their hard work until that point would come to completely nothing. That was why even in the case that their host got arrested, nevertheless they shouldn’t part with that body so easily―originally speaking.

Lotte went along with what Kazuki said and reached out a line of blue light to the Earth Snake. Through this link of magic power Lotte was searching around in the mind of the Earth Snake. Only after a moment Lotte expressed her conlusion.

“It’s empty. There is no Diva inside him.”

Just as he expected it really was like that. That was surely why this Earth Snake fought in a suicidal way like that.

“That’s absurd! Then there is no meaning at all in taking this guy prisoner!!”

“Midgardsormr that Possessed this guy had already Possessed a different human and he is going to return back to the front line soon. When I said that it will be disadvantageous for us when this war become a protracted battle, this is the reason why.”

Magika Stigmas of the Knight Order and the Knight Academy summoned the power of Solomon 72 Pillar by means of their contract with the Pillars. But for the illegal Magicians of Yamato, every one of them used power by means of Possessed Summoning.

The knights and the students of the Knight Academy were defeated until they fell into magic intoxication, became the prisoners of Yamato, if in the worst case they were killed, this was an obvious fact but there was no replacement for them.

Then in regards of that, the illegal magicians of Yamato could keep coming back endlessly as long as they had a new host.

“For Diva to possess the human’s body should take a fairly long time. At the very least it would take one year. Then, it would be fine if we just make sure to end the fight before that process get finished.”

“Perhaps it won’t even take one year. There are Loki and Naiarlatoteph and Joka in the enemy camp.”

They couldn’t continue the story even more than this in this kind of place. Kazuki proposed to get out from the wine cellar. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •Was there someone listening in their conversation, they needed to constantly pay attention.

They said goodbye to Kondou-san and after accompanying Lotte back to her room, they returned back to Akane-senpai and Kanon-senpai’s room. Kazuki explained the happening in wine cellar.

“Loki and Naiarlatoteph and Joka, • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •each of them has their own approach in driving human mad that they specialized in. The crazier the host’s mind become, the easier it would become for the Diva to encroach.”

Joka had the power of falsification. She overwrote a part of human’s mind, and with that she could stuff a small madness inside.

Naiarlatoteph entered through weak spot and small madness of the heart. From there he could drive a person into insanity all at once. He made use of former Headmaster Otonashi’s guilt in repeating human experiment and destroyed the headmaster’s mind, there was also the time when he entered through Koyuki’s emotion of self-denial and took over her body right on the spot.

And then for Loki’s method of taking over a human’s heart, he could boast that he himself had a thorough knowledge of it.

If those three’s ability were used in turn like a baton relay―Joka planting madness inside the mind, and then Naiarlatoteph using that madness as foothold to corner the person into insanity in one go, finally Loki would make his Diva comrade to possess the person…they could manufacture illegal magicians in efficient rate as if a factory producing canned food.

“If those guys combined their power, they could prepare human hosts in no time at all. This was why Midgardsormr could abandon the body of the Earth Snake that easily.”

Lotte’s Telepathy had given credibility to Kazuki’s suspicion.

“We have to destroy this [illegal magicians reproduction cycle] without any delay. If we don’t then there is no chance of victory for us in this annihilation battle. And then I also think that tonight is the best chance to bring down Hayashi Shizuka. For the sake of manipulating the third years she brainwashed, Hayashi Shizuka participated in the battle this time. But I don’t think that Hayashi Shizuka will participate anymore in the battle that came attacking us from now on.”

If it was Kazuki in Kaya’s place, then he would order such thing for sure. He wouldn’t want to expose the important key of his tactic like Hayashi Shizuka to brave danger as much as possible, that was how it should be. Then Hayashi Shizuka would seclude herself in Yamato’s base.

When this side persisted in nonaggressive defense, they would eternally lose the chance to defeat Hayashi Shizuka.

Akane-senpai looked at Kazuki with eyes that seemed to say [I can’t believe it].

“…How are you able to predict anything and everything like that?”

“Whether it’s Loki or Naiarlatoteph or Joka too, I had fought them before. That’s all.”

“…That kind of experience is really abnormal. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •You stand in the core of the incident too much. Despite how you are supposed to be just a student of the Knight Academy…”

That was…. Most likely that was because he is a <BasilleusKing>.

When Beatrix collapsed, for some reason Kazuki thought like that once more. I must be able to take action that is more befitting for a King.

“If right now we don’t let out our courage and move out for offensive, if we enter defensive action than it’s just what the enemy wanted. I am an amateur in regards of war tactic but…as a swordsman when facing the opponent, on top of constantly observing the opponent, [I must not do as the enemy expected] is something that I think is really important.”

Whether in a match or a game, pushing factor of uncertainty to your opponent was what is called as tactic.

“If we sortie out in offense using the Knight Order, it will be reported to the top brass of the Knight Order and we have to get their approval isn’t that right? For the lowest level of an organization to take action arbitrarily like attacking the enemy is absolutely unpermitted.”

“…Of course that is so. Moving the soldier as one pleases and make sortie cannot be done. …The cause of concern is that if somewhere in the chain of command, the attack plan will be leaked through the betrayer.”

“Yes. If we are attacking, we have to attack without allowing the attack plan to get leaked at all cost. That’s why tonight, we have to make a surprise attack using the students of the Knight Academy. If we attack only using members from the students of the Knight Academy, we don’t need to follow the intention of the Knight Order’s top brass. The highest big-wig in the Knight Academy is Headmaster Amasaki after all.”

There was no room for betrayer to come inside a simple chain of command of Kazuki and Headmaster Amasaki.

Tonight, if it had been decided that the Knight Order would not take any action until they had finished gathering battle strength of east Japan, that condition would be conveyed to Yamato through the betrayer. That negligence would enable the independent corps of the Knight Academy to make a surprise attack.

If this tactic succeeded, then a pressure that [the betrayer’s information was not omnipotent] could be inflicted to Yamato. Like that the information from the betrayer wouldn’t be able to be used effectively by Yamato.

It was vital to make the enemy feel confused.

He was an amateur in regards of war tactic, but if he perceived this battle as [a duel between him and Hayashi Shizuka], he naturally understood the tactics that he should take. Kazuki had confidence in his own thought and stared at Akane-senpai directly. Akane-senpai looked down weakly from the pressure of that gaze.

“Even so I cannot approve of a surprise attack tactic by the students alone. It’s too dangerous to march into enemy territory from under their very nose. The rule of three times offensive power…it’s said that three times the battle strength of the enemy’s defense is needed to attack their encampment. According to Sun Tzu, we need ten times the battle strength of the defender side when making a siege against a castle don’t you know?”

Certainly there might be a theory like that.

However―a war where magic was used was something the human race hadn’t experienced personally yet. There was no tactic or the like that had been established and proven already, they had to puzzle it out by themselves from the ground up.

Kazuki thought back of that instant where the bus was destroyed in his first real battle.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily the case that the offensive side is in disadvantage compared to the defensive side.”

When Kazuki talked with that confident tone, Akane-senpai was “Eh?” and opened her eyes wide.

…When Kazuki explained his idea, Akane-senpai wordlessly looked down.

“Let’s believe this guy, Akane. This is the junior that Kaguyan is cherishing so much. Surely this guy is not just an ordinary person.”

Kanon-senpai interjected from the side.

“…That might be so.” Akane-senpai made an ambiguous reply.

“Akane. Usually I’m just constantly relying on you but, it’s fine for you too to learn to rely more on other fellows. And then Hayashizaki Kazuki-! I recognized you but…don’t misunderstand! Until the very end you are…only get recognized as nothing more than the right hand of this retired number Legendardy Student Council President, Koudzuki・Fantastic・Kanon, okayy✩”

And then with a ‘kirarin✩’, she winked at Kazuki.

[It’s no good if you don’t get the recognition from these two too you know, o King.]

Leme made her speech inside his mind.

Akane-senpai was “Fuu” and released a breath as if deciding in her heart. And then she talked promptly.

“Oh well. I’ll go along with your thinking. …Let’s put the arrangement in order. We won’t sortie together with you in this surprise attack, but we will give you our utmost cooperation in regards of the preparations. What we first need is, informing the students about the situation…and then the method to break out from this hotel and maybe also wireless communication.”

Part 4

“…What’s with you, calling out someone like me.”

Before moving out to implement the tactic for real, Kazuki wanted to talk with Kazuha-senpai and called her out to the corridor.

“There is a little something I want to give to senpai…though it’s not really something significant.”

“Giving something?”

Kazuki suddenly presented a handmade bouquet created from the small flowers piling up in the hills and fields.

Suddenly presented with that gift, Kazuha-senpai was “Hahee!?” and let out a strange voice.

“This is because when we moved by bus and I looked outside the window, I saw beautiful flowers blooming on the hills.”

“Yo, you especially picked them up for me…?”

“Yes. The atmosphere had became bloodthirsty from the battle and the attack. I was wondering whether I could soften the atmosphere a little and when I realized I had dashed to gather this.”

Kazuki was out of breath and talked while sweats were showing on his forehead. Although there was Enchant Aura, but making a round trip to the mountain that he noticed from inside the bus and back in this busy time was not easy.

“Are you an idiot doing something like that in this kind of time!? Something like flower…for someone like me…”

Kazuha-senpai’s face reddened and looked the other way with a huff.

“I’m sorry, is this a bother for senpai?”

“It’s a bother-! Even if I receive flower in this kind of place, I don’t have anything like a flower vase, it’s just too pitiful for the flower if it was plucked and then withered away!!”

“Is, is that so…” So the flower is a failure, thinking that, Kazuki became despondent.

“…But to think of me when you looked at flower and wanting to give it to me, so even though you are tired after the fighting you went out of your way to collect this and came to present it to me….”

Kazuha-senpai hugged the flower bouquet tightly on her chest and then a large heart mark come flying.

“Kazuha-senpai, actually after this…”

Kazuki spoke frankly about his tactic of launching a surprise attack to the enemy by the students of the Knight Academy after this.

Kazuha-senpai gulped after hearing the importance of the fact that was just disclosed for her. Kazuki said to the taken-aback girl.

“That’s why if the tactic goes well, please go on a date with me for the reward.”

Kazuha-senpai became taken aback with all strength leaving her body.

“What’s with that, when I thought that you were going to talk about a serious matter you suddenly asked for reward!?”

“Because, if there is a reward waiting then I’ll be able to work even harder for that.”

“So you said that if you can go on a date with me then…you will be able to work hard?”

Kazuha-senpai asked Kazuki with an exhausted red face, as if she was utterly amazed by Kazuki’s approach, her defense had been pushed back to the limit already. Kazuki nodded repeatedly with great enthusiasm.

“Correct. I want to go for a date with senpai and do romantic things.”

Kazuha-senpai kept averting her face without facing Kazuki.

However a heart mark came flying once more, then she talked with a reluctant appearance.

“…Okay. But, only if you make a great achievement and this tactic is a success, only after that.”

Translator's Notes and References

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