Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Departure
Before the sortie, relevant parties gathered in the courtyard of Steve's mansion. One hundred members of the Royal Guard Knights led by Cecily and Daphne. And Louis.
Louis had come here to see them off on their expedition. He had arrived here via a teleportation mage employed by the King. The Royal Guard Knights had been brought by Steve. Daphne, clad in crimson metal armor, looked very dignified.
Nancy and Christina were also there to see them off, each holding a child. Daphne was conversing with the two, while Cecily watched from a slight distance.
Seeing Nancy looking so happy, Cecily became irritated. And before she knew it, she had provoked Daphne.
"Lord Archibalt, I heard the Royal Guard Knights would be accompanying us, but we do not know their actual capabilities. If the commander of the knight order is weak, I fear they will only be a hindrance."
At those words, Nancy glared at Cecily. Daphne's expression also turned grim.
"Cecily, Daphne is someone I personally instructed, so her capabilities are guaranteed. Besides, she has surpassed me by now."
"I am stronger than Nancy as well. Besides, you cannot tell strength just by words."
At those words, Daphne bristled.
"Then, shall we demonstrate our strength here? Shall we try a test cut on something?"
"Cutting a stationary object does not prove strength, you know."
Cecily taunted Daphne without backing down. Louis watched the unfolding events with bated breath, while Steve, having anticipated this to some degree, let out a sigh. Then, he used Storage Magic to pull out two wooden swords from subspace.
"If you don't die, I'll heal you. Do it until you're satisfied."
"Understood."
Daphne took the wooden sword from Steve. Seeing this, Cecily took one as well.
"Then, please."
At Steve's signal, the sparring match between the two began. Cecily, who had underestimated Daphne, was surprised by her technique.
It was identical to Nancy's movements she remembered. That only made her more irritated.
"It's just like Nancy."
"How about my disciple?"
Nancy smiled at Cecily as if mocking her.
"Frankly, I am surprised, but since Nancy is weaker than me, there is no way I would lose."
Cecily replied thus.
It was a fact that Cecily, the Ace of Chalice, was stronger than Nancy, the Queen of Sword. And all of Daphne's attacks were being blocked.
When Cecily thought she had grasped the opponent's strength and tried to counterattack, Daphne's movement changed.
She closed the distance with Cecily in an instant and leaped into her guard.
"Haa!!"
Cecily panicked and jumped backward.
"Running away from that? You still have a long way to go."
Daphne sighed.
Steve smiled wryly and spoke to Daphne.
"You can't master the movements of the Ace of Sword that easily. But I think you've come quite close."
"The Ace of Sword!?"
Cecily looked at Steve in surprise.
"That's right. While receiving instruction from Nancy, I also taught her the movements of the Ace of Sword. It's not perfect yet, though."
"Then I suppose I must reconsider my assessment."
Cecily changed her attitude of looking down on Daphne. Then, she used a body reinforcement magic.
"I cannot show a clumsy figure before His Highness. I will go all out as well."
"So, you acknowledge my strength, then?"
Daphne made a light remark, but contrary to her attitude, she did not take her eyes off Cecily and prepared to attack.
Relying on her reinforced physical abilities, Cecily kicked off the ground and attacked Daphne.
Daphne intercepted it with the Godspeed Sword.
The two wooden swords collided, and unable to withstand the impact, they shattered into pieces.
"That's enough."
Steve stopped the sparring match. Since they seemed ready to start punching each other with bare hands once the swords were gone, he stopped them quickly.
"Are you satisfied?"
"Yes."
Cecily acknowledged Daphne's strength. Then, she asked why she could use the Ace of Sword's technique.
"I understand that Big Sister is instructing her, but how can she use the Ace of Sword's technique? Is he still alive?"
"No, that's not it. I definitely killed him. I just stole his technique."
Upon hearing that from Steve, Cecily glared at Nancy.
"I am relieved that she did not betray the Empire like Big Sister."
"I didn't have the luxury of making him a companion because he was too strong. The reason I am here now is thanks to Nancy. Though I suppose she'll get angry if I say that."
"Master, please do not worry about your sister."
Told by Nancy, Cecily turned her face away from Steve with a pout.
"I never thought one could steal techniques in a state where there was no such luxury."
"Well, yes. That aside, time is short, so if the grudge is gone, I would like to depart."
Steve changed the subject, not wanting to touch upon the secret of the Standard Operation Manual.
"Understood."
Saying that, Cecily turned toward Louis.
"Then, Your Highness, the Ace of Chalice is now departing to suppress the traitors."
"I rely on you."
Louis spoke those words.
"Then let us go, Lord."
"Please take care."
Based on information obtained beforehand, Steve teleported Cecily to the border of the Kingdom of Forest where the Yellow Empire army was stationed. Cecily had already visited there once and guided Steve. First, it was a reconnaissance mission with just the two of them.
Once teleported, Steve spotted a hawk and used magic to commandeer it.
Since Cecily did not know Steve's reconnaissance magic, she did not understand the meaning of his action and asked.
"Lord, what is that?"
"For reconnaissance, birds of prey have excellent eyesight, so they are optimal. However, they cannot pick up sound, so I have them carry insects on their backs and drop them near the enemy."
Saying that, he also commanded nearby insects to ride on the hawk's back. Cecily listened, but her thoughts could not catch up to the action.
"You use magic to commandeer animals for reconnaissance? Moreover, multiple at once?"
"That's right. Does the Empire army not conduct such reconnaissance?"
"Multiple at once is impossible. There is not enough mana."
"I see."
While saying that, Steve used a sensory enhancement magic on the hawk and the insects. He doubled the sensitivity of their vision and hearing.
"What was that just now?"
"I enhanced the senses of the insects I am commanding."
"I am tired of being surprised every time."
Cecily did not know how strong the young man before her was, but based on the variety of magic he used, she thought he must be incredibly strong.
Right now, it is reassuring to have Steve on our side.
Once preparations were complete, Steve released the hawk.
While sharing the hawk's vision and searching for enemies, he conversed with Cecily.
"I feel I have done a terrible thing to you sisters."
"What do you mean?"
"I think if I had handled things a little better, Nancy and I wouldn't have fallen out. It is painful to watch sisters quarrel, and above all, I do not want to show my children a mother fighting with her sister."
Hearing that, Cecily fell silent and thought. But after a while, she opened her mouth.
"There is one thing I should thank you for."
"What is it?"
"That Big Sister looks happy. I am prepared to enter the army and be captured and violated by the enemy, but I do not wish to hear such news about my own kin."
Because she is a woman, soldiers whose lust has run wild can violate even men. In this world where there are no international treaties for prisoners of war, it is rare to be treated as a human being. Cecily, who had seen the Empire army doing such things in occupied territories, had worried about death and violation when she first lost contact with Nancy.
Despite such worries, seeing Nancy looking so happy only made her more angry.
"Did you not think of doing that?"
"I never even considered it. Ah, the enemy has been found as per the information. Let's end the conversation here."
The hawk's eyes captured the Empire army. The army was deployed across a wide plain. Approaching them, Steve dropped the insects from above. There, he picked up the enemy soldiers' conversations.
There, he heard the words "Ace of Sword". Steve wondered about this and asked Cecily.
"Something seems to be happening. It looks like the Ace of Sword is in command. Has a successor been decided?"
"It was not decided when I was there. You might be able to tell by looking at their face."
"Wait a moment, I will create a hallucination now."
Saying that, Steve showed Cecily a hallucination of the scene he was seeing. Cecily recognized the Ace of Sword she saw there.
"This is the King of Chalice. David Dunning, the King of the Chalice Knights Order I belonged to."
"Fuu, so he got promoted."
"He was probably given the vacant post."
"How is his ability?"
"His swordsmanship is below mine, but he uses fire attribute magic."
"He is not particularly threatening. Are there any other familiar faces?"
"No, none. Probably, the Sword Knights Order who were captured and became prisoners of war by Lord have become David's subordinates. If it is just this much, it should be possible to scatter them."
Cecily judged thus.
"Well, this is the perspective of the insects. I will switch to the hawk."
Saying that, Steve showed Cecily the view from the sky via the hawk. There were approximately ten thousand troops.
"I heard beforehand, but I was so distracted by the visible enemy. Seeing this army as an enemy with my own eyes is truly overwhelming."
"But only the King of Chalice is strong, right? Well, let's go."
"Eh, wait."
Cecily stopped Steve, who was trying to go to the enemy they had discovered through reconnaissance. She was not mentally prepared.
However, Steve misunderstood this.
"Oh, sorry, sorry. I forgot to set Body Reinforcement x10 and Vision x2."
"That is not it. Are you going to jump into that army?"
"That's right. First, I will neutralize everyone, then I will call the Royal Guard Knights."
To Steve, this was his usual tactic. Teleporting into the enemy with magic and restraining them. It was not something surprising.
However, Cecily was not like that. No matter how much of an Ace of Chalice she was, she could not fight against ten thousand soldiers. At best, she could only cause some disturbance by using teleportation.
Steve used support magic to reinforce Cecily. Only then did he notice Cecily trembling.
"Scared?"
"Yes."
"Honesty is good. Then, I will go alone."
Steve smiled at Cecily. Not angry, not exasperated, his attitude was like a superior watching a subordinate hesitate to take on a difficult task.
Seeing this, Cecily changed her mind.
"It's fine. I can go."
"Then let's go."
"Yes."
Saying that, Steve teleported Cecily right before David's eyes.
"Haa!???"
While the surprised David stood frozen, Steve restrained the Empire army with chains made of earth magic. He instantly restrained and neutralized all soldiers captured by the insects and hawk's eyes.
By the time David finally understood the situation, he could only ask questions.
"Isn't this Cecily? I was worried because you disappeared. Release this restraint. We are comrades. Why are you doing this?"
Cecily glared at David, who spoke familiarly.
"Wagging your tail for a traitor and taking the seat of Ace of Sword?"
"You know well that I became the Ace of Sword. However, calling me a traitor is wrong. The current Emperor understands us. The Suit Knights are now above the civil officials. A nation cannot stand without an army. The Emperor understands that. Henry, Crown Prince, who did not understand that, is not fit for the throne. Or have you fallen for His Highness Louis?"
"Vile thoughts!"
Cecily became angry as Louis's matter was mocked. David panicked and apologized.
"I'm sorry. Don't get angry. Actually, this was acting. With the Ace of Chalice gone like that, our Southern Military District had no choice but to obey. I intended to betray at the first opportunity, but if Cecily is safe, it's easy to talk. Release this restraint. Let's talk slowly."
At David's words, Cecily looked at Steve.
"Will you release only David's restraint? I would like to talk."
"Understood."
Steve erased the earth chains restraining David. David bowed his head in gratitude and walked toward Cecily.
And he made a motion to shake hands, so Cecily also extended her right hand.
In that instant, David drew his sword and slashed at Cecily.
"You're too soft!"
David said that, but the sword he swung was caught by Cecily's bare hand. She caught it with the right hand she had extended.
David tried to force his way to shake it off, but the sword did not move an inch, and only sweat appeared on his forehead.
"I was foolish to believe you were an old comrade. Everything is an enemy."
Saying that, Cecily let go of the sword she was holding and immediately drew her own sword, slashing David.
Steve had been watching without interfering, but upon seeing David die, he stood next to Cecily.
"I will heal you, show me your right hand."
"Yes."
Cecily extended her right hand to Steve. Even with body reinforcement, skin does not become hard. If you grip a sword with bare hands, it can be cut. On her palm, a straight wound and blood flowing along it were visible.
However, the wound healed quickly with Healing Magic.
Then, she asked Steve.
"Did you know this would happen, Lord?"
"I didn't know. But I thought that no matter what happened, Cecily would not lose."
"Indeed, with the reinforced vision, David's movements looked slow, and I did not lose in the strength contest while holding the sword. Of course, since it is a higher multiplier than my support magic, but with my mana capacity, I cannot do this much. It is natural that the Suit Knights all lost to you."
"My only merit is having a lot of mana."
"That is not true. Even with the same mana capacity, there is no one who can use such a variety of magic."
"Maybe so. I will use different magic again after this."
At those words, Cecily was surprised.
"Still another magic?"
"That's right. We need to increase our allies."
Saying that, Steve used a magic of command compulsion on the Sword Knights Order knights.
"Swear loyalty to Louis Iso Yellow."
Saying that, he gave orders one after another. Approximately one hundred knights were forced to obey that command. Cecily had already given up on being surprised and was watching the scene.
"As expected, this magic consumes mana. I will just ask the other common soldiers and conscripts to go home. Let's go call the Royal Guard Knights and have them disarm them."
Steve immediately teleported back to the mansion and returned with the waiting Royal Guard Knights. Then, he had them take weapons from the restrained soldiers.
During that time, he took out camping supplies stored in subspace.
"The knights will camp here tonight."
Daphne, who arrived at the scene and grasped the situation, asked Steve about the handling of the Sword Knights Order.
"Lord, what will you do with the Sword Knights Order knights who have become our allies?"
"Tomorrow, I will teleport them to the Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Forest. Today, returning alone will exhaust my mana."
"It is rare for Lord's mana to run out."
"Probably since I first made Ramen. Today is the limit, so tell me when Daphne's instructions are finished. Let's return once."
Thus, the first battle ended in a safe victory.
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