Chapter 60 - 60 Storage Magic
Steve was excited seeing the knight pull out a sword from nowhere.
"Is that Storage Magic?"
"O-oh."
Pressured by Steve's momentum, the knight was confused. He thought showing this Storage Magic would make them surprised, show an expression of despair, or feel regret, but Steve was overjoyed.
"Well then, let's try using it right away."
Steve stored the iron lump he had just created into subspace with Storage Magic.
"Heh, I felt mana being taken away when storing it, is that right?"
"Yeah. You consume mana depending on size when storing. You don't use mana when taking it out."
"So it's a one-way fee, huh."
"That's how it is, no wait, that's not it. Why can you even use Storage Magic?"
"Secret. So, can you use other magic too?"
"Don't talk nonsense. Search the whole continent, mages are limited to double. There's no one who can use three or more magic. No, wait, there's one right in front of me."
The knight barely kept his composure saying that.
In response, Steve looked at the opponent terribly uninterestedly.
"What, if that's the case, there's nothing left to learn. Let's finish this."
"It won't end. Our attacks won't hit each other. If that's the case, the one who makes a mistake first loses. Or mana runs out. Teleportation, Sensory Enhancement, Storage, Earth and Iron. If you use that much magic, your mana will probably run out soon."
"Maybe."
Steve said that, made an iron chain, and restrained the knight's legs.
"Damn it!"
The knight shouted as if spitting it out, looking at the chains wrapped around his feet. Not missing that moment, Steve used Teleportation magic.
He teleported behind the knight. From there, he swung the sword without hesitation, cutting off the knight's right arm that came out of the armor.
"Gah. Me, Knight of Sword, lost my arm!?"
As soon as the knight felt pain, he understood he had been cut by Steve.
"Damn it, remember this. Once my wound heals, I'll definitely come kill you."
Saying that, mana flowed into the armor he was wearing.
"Eh, what?"
While Steve was confused, the knight's figure disappeared.
The knight used the Teleportation magic granted to the armor, teleporting to a place unknown to Steve. The knight teleported to his own room. It was a large room made of wooden walls and floor.
However, being able to teleport there didn't mean safety. Due to the effect of the chain on his leg, he had left his leg in Adams Land. The knight noticed he had no legs at the place he teleported to.
Seeing blood flow massively from the tip of the missing leg, the knight realized he was going to die.
"Damn it, at least I have to tell the others that he can use the magic he saw."
Saying that weakly, a voice was called from behind.
"That would be troublesome."
It was Steve who said that. Startled and trying to escape instinctively, he received a finishing blow from Steve and died right there.
Steve, having finished off the opponent, ordered the bug attached to the knight's armor to check the place he teleported to. Steve attached the bug the knight was using, confirmed the destination, and it flew back.
And after the bug went out the window, checking the surroundings, he guessed the knight had teleported to his own room. Because there were beds and clothes, traces of living there.
"Let's take back these personal belongings with Storage Magic. It should be a clue to find out who this guy was."
Saying that, Steve stored the room's items one by one into subspace with Storage Magic. In the middle of that, Steve noticed.
"Even if you die, the stored things don't come out, huh."
If the caster dies, Storage Magic keeps the stored items permanently in subspace. This was something the knight didn't know either. Storage Magic itself was rare, and there were no books recording its effects after death.
And, through visual information from the bug, he understood this was a fairly large facility. Just when he understood it was probably a military garrison somewhere, footsteps approaching the room were heard.
"There was a mana reaction from Rowan. Using Teleportation magic means it must be an emergency."
When he heard that voice, Steve thought it was time to go, and returned to Adams Land.
Back in Adams Land, Bella was preventing enemy invasion at the city gate, while the Margrave Adams army was tasked with sweeping up enemy soldiers who had already invaded.
Steve noticed Bella's Short Spear had changed into a sword he'd never seen before, and asked her.
"What happened to the Short Spear?"
"Broken. Too many enemies, bent while swinging. So, I'm just using whatever I picked up. This is the fifth one."
Weapon lifespan is surprisingly short. Metal hitting metal causes severe fatigue, and on top of that, Bella's reinforced body power accelerates metal fatigue.
"I'll help."
"Is Steve okay?"
"Yeah. Done."
Saying that, Steve restrained enemy soldiers one by one with restraints made of Earth Magic. A repeat of Solenoid Town. From visual information of the animals he was using, Steve teleported to found enemy soldiers and restrained them.
The approximately 30,000 enemy soldiers attacking Adams Land were rendered powerless by Steve in no time.
An hour later, they joined the advance team of Count McIntosh's army, and it was decided to return to the Count's place once.
There, the captain offered that a few had severe injuries and wanted to let them rest here.
"We want to take them back, but treatment won't be in time. Let them rest here, at least we want to take their bodies back to their hometown."
"You don't have to kill them, just treat them. Guide them to the wounded soldiers."
"I didn't know Your Excellency had knowledge of medical arts, but the wounded won't survive even from our eyes."
"Enough, hurry. Those who can be saved will become unsavable."
Pressed by Steve, the captain guided Steve to the wounded soldiers.
There were people rolling on the ground, those without arms, those without legs, those with arrows stuck in their necks.
Steve confirmed everyone was breathing, then used Healing Magic.
Limb loss was regenerated, wounds with arrows stuck immediately closed.
The captain stared at Steve in astonishment.
"Are we witnessing a miracle of God?"
"If magic is a miracle of God, then yes."
Mages themselves are precious, and furthermore, usable attributes are limited, so Healing Magic is something common soldiers haven't seen. Roughly, users of Healing Magic are surrounded by churches or high-ranking nobles, and that magic is used for themselves or the rich.
It was inevitable for the captain to describe it as a miracle of God.
"Well then, everyone can go back with this."
"Yes. Even with body reinforcement, if injured and thought it was hopeless, this is it. The story that Your Excellency destroyed the Kingdom of Forest alone, now I can believe it."
"No, I didn't destroy it."
Steve smiled bitterly at the tail of the story.
And, everyone returned to Count McIntosh.
Less than two hours after departure, when Steve and others returned, Count McIntosh became anxious that something bad had happened.
"Son-in-law, you returned safely well. However, it was quite early, did a problem occur?"
"No, all enemy soldiers who invaded Adams Land were eliminated, and soldiers surrounding the town were also rendered powerless. Since danger was eliminated, I came to welcome Your Excellency."
Steve's report was something Count McIntosh didn't imagine.
Count McIntosh's spine grew cold at the future son-in-law who defeated the enemy who allowed the Margrave of Adams, the northern hero of the Kingdom of Cascade, to invade the capital in less than two hours.
However, Count McIntosh had also lived in noble society for a long time, so he didn't show such emotions at all.
"What do you mean by coming to welcome?"
"I thought I'd go to Margrave Adams' place now and talk about counter-offensive. I don't have acquaintance, so I thought it would be faster if Your Excellency was there."
"Even if it's a counter-offensive, don't we have preparations for supplies to attack? Shouldn't we not rush so much?"
"No, Your Excellency, counter-offensive can be done immediately. The doctrine in the western region is, with my magic, teleport to the enemy's center and attack their political functions. Supplies, etc., I can go home every day, eat dinner, and go to the enemy country's battlefield again."
Here Count McIntosh remembered the story of Steve conquering the Kingdom of Forest's capital. Repeating teleportation, attacking lord nobles on the way and making them surrender, advancing straight to the capital. Moreover, surrendering several territories in a day. And at night, leaving a few soldiers in the occupied territory, while the person and main body ate and slept at their own home.
A doctrine overturning conventional war common sense. He intends to reproduce that in the north as well.
That meant a boom in the western region would also come to the north.
Immediately the abacus in Count McIntosh's head moved, calculating future profits.
"I'll visit Your Excellency immediately."
"Since danger is eliminated, I think a small number of guards should be fine."
"I feel safe if Son-in-law is here, but I'd be troubled if my army's soldiers got sulky."
The Count laughed, and decided to visit with selected members from the knight corps.
When Steve and others teleported to Adams Land again, there was a half-mast flag raised.
"Half-mast?"
Steve wondered, but Count McIntosh immediately grasped the worst situation.
"It seems Your Excellency has passed away. Let's hurry."
Told by Count McIntosh, Steve and others hurriedly visited the Margrave's castle. The gatekeeper had a dark face, but when Count McIntosh revealed his identity, he was immediately invited inside.
The one who dealt with Steve and others was Ruben Sis Adams, the eldest son of Margrave Adams.
Count McIntosh seemed to have acquaintance.
"Lord Ruben, is that half-mast for Your Excellency?"
"Yes. Your Excellency was commanding at the city wall, but a terribly strong knight climbed the wall, and along with the escort knights, fell into enemy hands."
Steve immediately knew that opponent was that knight called Rowan. There shouldn't be many who can easily defeat the Margrave along with his escorts.
"Did you defeat that knight? It's said enemy within the capital was swept up."
Count McIntosh, not knowing such circumstances, asked Ruben about that knight.
"In the battle with Lord Dragon Wing Medal who rushed to reinforce, upon seeing unfavorable odds, I received a report he disappeared with magic somewhere. I want to avenge Father, no, Your Excellency, and thinking such a threat still lurks somewhere, I want to search soon."
"I killed that knight."
When Steve said that, Ruben looked at Steve strangely.
"Count McIntosh, who is this child?"
"Lord Ruben, this is Lord Dragon Wing. He is also my daughter's husband."
Count McIntosh, while introducing Steve, casually interjected that he was his daughter's husband.
"I heard he was a child, but really this child."
"Yes, he has been decorated by His Majesty."
Steve quickly teleported home, took the medal, and returned.
Shown Teleportation magic and Dragon Wing Medal right before his eyes, Ruben had no choice but to believe what Steve said.
"So, where did you avenge Your Excellency?"
"I chased to where he escaped with Teleportation magic, but couldn't specify the place. However, I brought some random things from the opponent's room, so I think there's evidence in there. Also, he said his name was Knight of Sword."
"Knight of Sword!!!"
Ruben and Count McIntosh who heard the words Knight of Sword were shocked. Steve asked because he didn't understand the meaning.
"Do you know it?"
"That is a position of the Yellow Empire's knight corps. There is a system called Suit Knights, and it is one of the positions within it."
Count McIntosh taught him.
"Suit is that card's?"
"Yes. The Empire names the knight corps governing four directions Sword, Wand, Pentacle, Chalice respectively, and Sword governs the Empire's east. High-ranking abilities have a sequence of Ace, King, Queen, Knight, and Knight of Sword becomes the fourth strongest in the Sword Knight Corps."
"Ah, so that's why he was stronger than our Royal Guard Captain."
"Even hearing that, there's no surprise."
Count McIntosh who knew the fight between Steve and the Royal Guard Captain lightly flowed Steve's words, but Ruben was not like that.
"Speaking of Royal Guard Captain, is that Lord Shields?"
"Yes. With the Royal Guard Captain's Godspeed Sword, it would have been impossible to hit that knight."
"Against such an opponent, Lord Dragon Wing won?"
"Well, I have magic. But, I'm not here to talk about that now."
Told by Steve, Count McIntosh remembered the original purpose.
"That's right. Well, the Empire being behind the Kingdom of Pasture was unexpected, but I thought I must retaliate against the opponent who stepped across the border with bare feet, so I came to consult with Your Excellency."
Told that, Ruben made a troubled face.
"Our army lost Your Excellency, and also lost many officers and soldiers. I have the feeling to counterattack, but realistically that will be difficult."
"Then, my army alone will attack the enemy capital, is it understood regarding that matter?"
"Understanding is fine, but isn't it difficult to attack the enemy capital with only Count McIntosh's army?"
"That's where Lord Dragon Wing comes in. You know the story of the Kingdom of Forest border violation before, right?"
"Yes. The story that the Kingdom of Forest which attacked Lord Sowell's place fell the capital with our attack, right?"
"I intend to reproduce that here. What was done once cannot not be done again. Well, even if failed, it won't cause any trouble to you."
"Then I wish you good fortune. If possible I want to participate and achieve merit myself, but currently I will be busy with land succession and rebuilding."
Thus, Steve and Count McIntosh who obtained permission from Margrave Adams family decided to attack the Kingdom of Pasture.