Chapter 155 - Chapter 154: The Long-Awaited Saba-Game
The first day of the second week of the Month of Water.
The academy had ended, and I was training with Basal in a corner of the grounds.
It seemed the Fifth Knights Order had become a little busy lately, as they still hadn't been able to go out for extra training even once since the long holiday.
What had they become busy with?
It was for the security plans and training leading up to a series of events related to the "Twenty-Year Anniversary of His Majesty the King's Reign" to be held this summer.
Although guarding the Royal Castle and District 1 was not under the jurisdiction of the Fifth Knights Order, it seemed everyone involved in the security of the capital city was currently on edge.
Many people would be crowding into the capital, and the nobles would all be gathered together.
For the high-ranking nobles, even their families would be gathering in full force.
And so, I was training with Basal at the academy...
"Whoa!?"
Mika dodged Basal's sword at the very last moment, taking a large backward step to create distance.
But Basal quickly closed the distance.
Then, a single breath.
Until now, he had just charged straight in, but for once, Basal paused for a beat before entering Mika's range.
However----.
"Hya!?"
This time, he couldn't dodge the sword completely, and Basal stopped his strike just short.
(Why!? I shouldn't have been within Basal's range!)
This had been repeating since earlier.
Mika had started learning knife techniques based on Ozendorwa's advice, but it was nowhere near enough to get inside Basal's range.
Conversely, Basal, who should have been outside the range, had somehow found himself inside Mika's range without him noticing.
It made no sense.
At that moment, the sound of clapping hands echoed.
It was Rimliche's signal.
"Ugh! I couldn't land a single hit!"
Mika said with a look of regret, but Basal was calmly regulating his breathing.
Something felt truly different from usual.
Ending with no good points, Mika felt like incomplete combustion.
"Good work, Mika-kun."
When he went to Rimliche, she offered words of comfort.
Rimliche gave a wry smile at the dejected Mika.
"Your movements weren't like your usual ones...?"
"I had everything I tried to do crushed."
Because of that, I got anxious, and my movements became sloppy.
I had completely fallen into a vicious cycle.
Mika slumped his head in defeat.
Just then, Basal walked over.
"It was good practice, wasn't it?"
Basal had a very refreshed look on his face.
Damn it.
"What was that!? I was outside your range, so why did your sword suddenly reach me!?"
"You don't know?"
Basal said as if it were nothing.
............Could it be.
"Could it be... from Ozendorwa-san...?"
"That is correct."
Basal nodded.
It seemed Basal had been going to the Fifth Knights Order's headquarters during the long holiday.
Ozendorwa, squeezing in time between his busy schedule, watched Basal's movements and gave one or two pieces of advice, and it seemed he taught him the basic techniques of the swordsmanship he used.
While Mika was away visiting his hometown, Basal had leveled up by several stages.
"Just like that, you can do something like that!?"
"Even if you say that, I trained hard too, you know?"
It seemed that because he had been building a foundation as a swordsman for many years originally, he could grasp the basic techniques with just Ozendorwa's advice.
Still, it took a month.
If it were Mika, even with the same advice, he wouldn't be able to master it.
"Recently, permission was finally granted. I received an order to use it on Mika-dono and 'startle him'."
It seemed Basal had gone to the Fifth Knights Order even outside of extra training.
I could picture Ozendorwa grinning mischievously...
It's frustrating.
(...Can I do anything just because I learned knife techniques?)
The difference between someone with a solid foundation and someone who just swings a sword relying on their physical abilities.
I was made to realize that gap.
If you continue on like this, the destination you will reach is Shesbarno, you know?
Mika remembered the words spoken by Ozendorwa.
Basal's face became a little serious.
"No matter how I try, I cannot rival Mika-dono in magical talent, but the sword is my path."
"Magic, huh... Mika-kun has already achieved this year's goal. You mastered everything on the first day again."
"I heard about that. Truly, I cannot understand it."
Basal made a bewildered face.
I was surprised myself that I could master [Tornado] normally, which was a concern.
[Tornado] became a [God's Miracle] that suddenly sucked in air and generated an updraft for only a moment, just as Mika predicted.
Since the flow of air was so great that even I might get sucked in, sealing it was confirmed.
"Rather, I wonder why someone with such magical talent trains with a short sword like this?"
The reason I am doing this is that increasing the basic physical abilities leads to enhancing the effects of [Physical Enhancement].
Lately, I have started wanting to be able to fight seriously in my base state, but even as I am now, using [Physical Enhancement] should allow me to overwhelm knights.
However, when the answer to this thinking is called 'Shesbarno', I seriously wonder if that is really okay.
More than anything, even if I use [Physical Enhancement], I cannot rival Ozendorwa with my current state.
If I use magic, such as flight, I probably wouldn't lose even then.
Mika had begun to seriously worry about his own combat style.
■■■■■■
The first day of the first week of the Month of Water.
Knight Academy Training Ground.
I had come to the riding field next door for riding training several times since the other day, but today I had business at the training ground.
Yes.
Finally, the saba-game was allowed.
"Mika-kun, you look happy."
Rimliche called out to Mika, who couldn't sit still and had involuntarily started doing radio calisthenics.
"How long I have waited for this day!"
Mika answered Rimliche with a big smile.
"That's just you..."
But Cecilia, who was slightly nervous, was looking at Mika with a resentful gaze.
The reason Cecilia was so nervous was that this exercise was not conducted only by mages.
It was a joint exercise with students selected from knight academies across the country, attending the Knight Academy in the capital city.
In recent classes, the precautions and rules for this exercise had been explained.
• Mages must equip the "Bracelet of Conversion Light".• All participants must equip the "Bracelet of Conversion Light Detection".• Divide into two teams, each protecting their base crystal.• The base crystal must not be moved.• The base crystal can only be destroyed by "Conversion Light" using the "Bracelet of Conversion Light".• The number of "Conversion Light" uses to destroy the crystal will not be revealed.
Roughly speaking, it was like this.
Since mages are required to destroy the enemy base's crystal with "Conversion Light", naturally, the qualification to participate is that one must be able to use either [Explosive Flame] or [Blizzard].
There are no children in a group who happened to have bad compatibility with both and couldn't get them.
It seems that every year, children in a group always have at least one of them.
About four to six mages per team.
About twenty to thirty knights.
However, it seems there are also large-scale exercises using the entire training ground, in which case there can be ten to twenty or more mages and one hundred to one hundred fifty or more knights per team.
The training ground is several kilometers on each side, and within it, there are flatlands, hills, forests, and even small rivers, and the bases are set in various places each time.
For a basic formation of six mages and thirty knights:
Two mages and six to eight knights form one squad.
Creating three such squads for attack, with the remaining knights defending the base, is common.
There is also a strategy to not separate the mages and break through all at once to aim for crystal destruction, but if done poorly, there is a possibility of being wiped out in a single [God's Miracle].
It seems the teams discuss and decide what strategy to use depending on the situation.
Since the match is decided by destroying the enemy base's crystal, there is little meaning in keeping mages for defense.
One can also defeat enemy mages and knights with "Conversion Light" via [God's Miracle], but each person has a limited number of [God's Miracle] uses.
Even if one reaches the enemy base, saying "I can't use [God's Miracle] anymore" is meaningless, so the basic rule is to assign all mages to attack.
Since we don't know how many times [God's Miracle] is needed to destroy the crystal, it is important to transport as many mages as possible to the enemy base.
During the exercise, [Physical Enhancement] and [Heal] can be used without being hindered by the "Bracelet of Conversion Light".
However, those judged as "hit" after receiving an attack cannot revive even if they use [Heal].
Also, buffs like [Battle Fervor] are not allowed.
There are three conditions for judging "hit" after receiving an attack.
• The "Bracelet of Conversion Light Detection" reacted.• Knights are equipped with bracelets that react to sword attacks, and even if those react, it doesn't count.• When mages face knights, dropping their weapon is treated as surrender.
The last surrender is allowed, but if you drop your weapon without even clashing once, you will receive the title of "Coward".
What was the point of training with short swords and such until now?
Near the entrance of the training ground, upper-class mages and knights were lined up.
As expected, they seemed used to it, not acting excited like Mika or trembling like other children.
"Oh, this is fun."
"I'm sorry to interrupt your enjoyment, but you are over here."
Saying that, Physical Education Teacher Kefkof grabbed Mika's robe from behind and lifted him up.
"Huh? Teacher Kefkof!? What are you doing!"
While everyone stared blankly, Physical Education Teacher Kefkof carried the floating Mika away.
And so, he was taken in front of over a hundred upper-class students lined up.
The lined-up upper-class students began to murmur restlessly.
"Well then, please take care of him."
"Yes, certainly."
Mika was handed over to a person who seemed to be an instructor for the upper-class students.
She was a female instructor, but her type was close to Kaerya.
And, as usual, Mika remained a floating cat.
"Mika, you will likely have no proper exercise in the Middle Division. You must be thoroughly beaten up in the Upper Division."
Saying that, Physical Education Teacher Kefkof turned his back to Mika and returned.
(Wait! I don't understand the meaning! Don't leave me!)
Mika reached out his hand, but Physical Education Teacher Kefkof left without looking back even once.
(..........Did I do something wrong...?)
I couldn't understand what was happening at all.
To Mika, who was standing there in a daze, the female instructor gave a wry smile.
"Mika-kun, nice to meet you. I am Tsatoral. I am the instructor in charge of the Knight Academy exercise. I have been instructed to take care of you in the Upper Division. Nice to meet you."
"...Another mysterious instruction?"
It seemed to be an instruction that flew in from somewhere.
"Mysterious instruction? I was asked by the Academy Director of the Magic Academy."
Maurice (old man)!?
He always looks like he is sleeping, but isn't he really half-asleep?
(......There might be someone who gave instructions to Maurice (old man), but isn't he meddling too much!?)
Tsatoral lowered Mika to the ground.
Turning around to face the students who were lined up but were slightly restless, she spoke.
"This is Mika-kun from the Middle Division, participating in the Upper Division exercise from now on. You all, take care of him."
Tsatoral conveyed this with a strict tone, completely different from before.
However, at that moment, yellow cheers erupted.
"Kaaaaaaaaah!"
"Mika-samaaa!!!"
"No way!? We can exercise together!?"
The voices came mainly from the area where older sister mages gathered.
And, just as they were about to be drowned out by the yellow cheers, some confused voices came from the knights as well.
"Middle Division? It must be a mistake for Elementary Division."
"Are we supposed to take care of such a brat!?"
"Hey hey... have mercy."
The restless students showed no sign of calming down.
A dangerous aura began to drift from Tsatoral standing next to him.
Mika instinctively covered his ears.
"Will you be quiet, you fools!!!!!!"
Even with his ears covered, the shocking volume of sound vibrated through him.
It was a voice as loud as Ozendorwa's.
Even the Middle Division students lined up in the distance looked over in surprise.
"If you say one more unnecessary word next time, I will throw you into the guardhouse!!!!"
It was a terrible Spartan education.
The relaxed atmosphere was blown away in an instant, and everyone snapped to attention.
By the way, is there a guardhouse!?
I have never heard of a guardhouse in the Magic Academy, but does the Knight Academy have one?
"Noslantos!"
"Yes!"
When Tsatoral called the name, a knight ran to the front of the line.
"Your team was missing one mage, wasn't it!?"
"Yes! One mage is missing!"
The way they spoke was very military-style.
"Good! Then, you will take care of him!"
"Yes! Understood! I will take care of him in my own team!"
I was internally depressed by the way they repeated everything.
Soon, I will have to answer like this too, won't I?
While thinking such things, we moved to our respective bases.
The designated base was on a hill with a good view.
There were no buildings on the hill, only a stand with a crystal placed on it.
The crystal was a large object about the size of a basketball.
It was covered with a net-like cover and fixed to a stand about as tall as Mika's height.
The stand was wide at the bottom and narrow at the top, designed not to wobble much.
It seems these were set up in advance by the staff.
It seems there are many people in the training ground supporting these exercises.
On the hill, twenty knights of Noslantos's team and three mages had gathered.
Mika stood next to the knight called Noslantos and listened to the strategy.
I was told on the way here that Noslantos seems to be a knight of average ability in the Upper Division.
However, it seems he was blessed with mana and was able to use [Physical Enhancement] last year.
In the Knights Order, it is not said that [Physical Enhancement] is mandatory to become a Company Commander, but it seems one cannot become one without it basically.
In other words, Noslantos is a knight particularly expected to have a bright future even among the Knight Academy in the capital city where candidate officers were gathered.
............Except for his own wishes.
"I will explain various things to Mika-kun at the base, so let's keep the strategy as usual."
When Noslantos said that, the knights made ambiguous expressions.
"We went to the trouble of replenishing the mage, but are we going to leave him at the base?"
One of the knights said to Noslantos.
"If you take him along suddenly, he can't do anything, right? Mika-kun can just observe today, right?"
Well, Noslantos's words were reasonable too.
"Still, there is no need to leave him at the base. I think he will be useful to some extent if you take him along?"
One of the mages proposed that.
"Mika (that guy) is a somewhat famous person in the Magic Academy. I think it's okay to send him out to attack."
How well-known am I, I wonder?
Mika silently directed his gaze from the mage to Noslantos.
But Noslantos didn't seem to care at all.
"Still, rather than sending him out to attack suddenly, there are things I should teach him first, right? How to use him can wait until next time."
At Noslantos's reply, the mage shrugged his shoulders.
And so, the two attack units and the base defense unit prepared themselves briskly.
Without receiving any instructions from Noslantos.
(......What can I say, he has absolutely no motivation.)
I felt not a shred of spirit.
"Well then, Mika-kun. Can you come here for a moment?"
Saying that, Noslantos beckoned with his hand.
He was holding a map of the training ground.
When I went to Noslantos's side, he showed me the map.
"This is where we are now. And this is the enemy base."
Saying that, he slid his finger over the map.
It seems the enemy base is on a hill past the forest in the middle, going down the hill where we are.
In terms of distance, it's probably less than a kilometer in a straight line?
Noslantos pointed to the forest about three hundred meters ahead.
The enemy base must be beyond that forest.
"Do you see someone standing there?"
Next, Noslantos pointed to a person moving in the middle between the forest and the hill.
Even from here, you can tell they are wearing reddish clothes.
"There are many people like that, but those are people supporting this exercise, so you can ignore them. However, sometimes they might give instructions, so follow those."
It seems they will tell you when the situation ends, like "The match is decided" or "The situation has ended."
Mika looked closely with a "Hoh~..." sound.
If Noslantos wasn't next to me, I could confirm it with [Telescope].
At that moment, a loud sound like "Dooooon!" was heard from somewhere.
"This is the signal for the start."
Noslantos told me.
Noslantos turned around and waved his hand lightly as a signal.
At the same time, the two attack teams ran down the hill.
"This time it will be easy. No need to send out scouts either."
Noslantos said such things.
(Is that okay?)
I didn't think so, but since we are stationed on a hill with a good view, it should be fine to move out after the enemy attack team appears.
The range of [Explosive Flame] and [Blizzard] is fifty meters.
In other words, there is no problem as long as the enemy mage does not approach within fifty meters of the crystal.
Strictly speaking, there is also the radius of [Explosive Flame] and [Blizzard] added to that.
And so, while chatting with Noslantos, I spent about thirty minutes "loafing around..."
The warm, pleasant spring sunshine made me sleepy.
At that time, I saw someone coming out of the forest.
It seemed to be about seven or eight people.
Noslantos quickly signaled the defense knights and sent them off.
Remaining on the hill were Mika, Noslantos, and two others.
"Is that the enemy attack team?"
"Yes. When intercepting, the basic rule is to focus on the mages. In other words, you will be targeted when Mika-kun participates too. Be careful."
"...How should I be careful about that?"
When Mika said that, Noslantos gave a wry smile.
And so, another idle time arrived.
Did the interception team succeed in intercepting? They returned here.
The enemy attack team stood still on the spot.
It seems the rule is that those who were hit stand where they are.
But a few people returned to the forest.
Those returning were probably the enemy knights who couldn't protect the mages.
Since they weren't defeated, they return to their own base's defense or join another attack team.
As Mika watched the interception team returning, someone else came out of the forest again.
This time, it was one person.
Running towards us while waving his hand about.
Not knowing what he was doing, I looked at Noslantos, but Noslantos seemed to not know either.
Then, the interception team returning turned back, leaving one person behind, and hurriedly headed for the forest.
One person ran back towards us.
"What happened?"
"I don't know?"
Mika asked, but Noslantos tilted his head as well.
And then, more than ten people came out of the forest.
Our interception team people were heading towards them, so they were probably the enemy.
Noslantos had a suspicious look on his face, but it seems he still couldn't grasp the situation.
In the meantime, one of the interception team running towards us reached the hill.
Breathing heavily through his shoulders, he looked to be suffering quite a bit.
"Mages! Wiped out...!"
He managed to shout that out.
"......?"
Mika tilted his head, wondering what it was.
If the mages were wiped out, isn't it a draw?
Only the mages' "Conversion Light" can destroy the base crystal.
But Noslantos, who was next to him, shouted "Ah!".
Looking at Noslantos, Noslantos was looking at Mika too.
His expression was frozen in surprise, or rather, panic.
"............The mages were wiped out...... Except for you, Mika-kun."
Except for me...?
The moment I understood the meaning, goosebumps rose all over me.
If the enemy mages were wiped out, we would not lose.
However, from the enemy's perspective, as long as Mika, a mage, remains, it is on the verge of defeat or a draw.
Therefore, all ten or more remaining knights attacked us.
To eliminate Mika, the key person.
"No way..."
Mika watched from the top of the hill as our interception team was defeated.
And then, he stared blankly as ten knights approached us.