Chapter 230 - Chapter 229: Dies Irae
The first day of the first week of the month of Water.
Mika decided to go home to Rish Village and rest.
However, if he entered the house with his clothes covered in mud and splattered blood, Amalia and Loretta might faint.
So, he first went to an inn in Kotontesse, rented a bath, washed his whole body thoroughly, and changed into clothes stored in his Magic Bag.
Then he decided to go home.
The reason he didn't stay at the inn was simply a matter of mood.
He wanted to sleep with peace of mind.
At that moment, the thought of staying at the inn never even crossed his mind.
"I'm home..."
"Mika!?"
Seeing Mika suddenly return, as he had done the previous week, Loretta let out a surprised cry.
"Oh my, oh my, you came after all."
Hearing Loretta's voice, Amalia peeked out from the bedroom.
"...Sorry. I'm sleeping. Wake me up at noon."
Saying only that, Mika entered the bedroom and burrowed into the bed.
Amalia and Loretta were confused by Mika's unusual atmosphere but did not ask what happened and simply left him alone.
He slept like the dead and woke up at noon when Loretta pulled his cheek.
Apparently, no matter how much they called or shook him, he wouldn't wake up, so they tried various forceful measures.
And so, he ate the meal Amalia had made with loud crunching sounds.
During that meal, Mika explained the situation at the front briefly, telling them to keep it a secret from everyone else.
"So, there are no more Imperial Army troops left?"
"They're currently hunting down stragglers. Those who escaped will likely turn into bandits, so security will worsen. Be careful with locking doors and windows."
It seems news recently reached Rish Village that the Kingdom Army had retreated.
The Village Head and Diego seem to be discussing how to handle it.
In that case, keeping it a secret might be difficult?
"You can tell the Village Head that I told you. At least, this time the Imperial invasion ended in failure. ...But, it's not certain that this is the end."
"Yeah..."
Loretta made a worried face.
Since she would surely worry, Mika didn't mention that he had participated in the fighting.
Well, they would probably wonder how he knew about the front lines, but let's not worry about that.
Once Mika and Loretta's conversation settled down, Amalia placed a dark cloth on the table.
The cloth was about five centimeters square.
Could it be...!?
"It's already done!?"
When Mika widened his eyes in surprise, Amalia smiled.
"It's still a bit rough, but I know how to do it."
"I helped too, you know."
Loretta said proudly, and Amalia nodded.
When Mika reached out to the pure "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" cloth, Amalia handed it to him.
"Hoeh~... amazing..."
Mika tried pulling the cloth lightly, and it seemed fine.
To think they could make it in just one week, something that Nozzemueller and others with the Material Distortion [Freak] skill had struggled with.
"Rough? Where is it rough? It looks normally woven to me."
"Well, maybe for ordinary people. But if someone who knows looks, they'll notice the roughness."
That's right, Amalia said with a bitter smile.
Does that mean it's a craftsman-level eye for detail?
"So, does that mean the quality can be improved from here?"
"Yes, of course. Originally, it was for testing purposes? If we had more thread, we could use a loom, and then the quality would be on a completely different level."
"Oh ho~..."
Or rather, how did you weave this without using a loom?
But now that there is a prospect of making it into fabric, he must collect the thread from Nozzemueller as soon as possible and have Amalia start working on it.
"It might take some time, but I'll bring the thread as soon as possible. I want to make robes with this, so I need a lot."
"Understood. Mother is available anytime."
"Mika, can I weave too?"
While talking with Amalia, Loretta interrupted.
Mika looked at Loretta with half-closed eyes.
"Eh~? Can you really weave?"
"How rude! I can weave!"
That thread costs fifteen thousand Rats per gram at the final price, you know?
Add processing fees and material costs for [Enchantment], and it's even more expensive, you know?
(Ah, this price is for the inferior goods market. The pure "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" didn't even have a price yet.)
Well, he wouldn't tell her that, or Amalia might not be able to weave anymore.
"I'll bring as much thread as I can, so if there's any surplus in quantity, that's fine."
That's right, Mika smiled brightly.
If there are two craftsmen for "Copper-type Rare Metal [Orichalcum]" weaving, production volume will double.
There's not much use for it yet, though.
Maybe he should make a decent amount while he has the chance.
"Mother says she doesn't need a reward, but what about you, Big Sister?"
"It's fine, whatever."
Loretta answered immediately, sounding uninterested.
Loretta also doesn't seem to care much about money.
Well, in Rish Village, there isn't much use for money.
Once life is stable, she probably won't need any more than that.
"Then, don't hesitate to ask if you need anything. ...Ah, if there's something you want in the Royal Capital or Sarbengeal, I'll buy it for you next time."
Valuable craftsmen should be treated with care.
It's different from the country, different from the country.
With such trivial talk, Mika's troubled heart calmed down.
For this moment only, he was able to forget that more troubling conversations awaited him.
■■■■■■
Mika replenished his mental energy to full capacity, then headed for Sarbengeal.
Since he was already exposed, Mika didn't get off the carriage outside the city but landed directly in the garden of the Leventein Marquis's residence.
There was a bit of commotion, but it seems the Marquis had already been informed, so he was quickly guided to the Domain Army headquarters located on the adjacent property.
It seems the Marquis and Haiden are out inspecting the damage situation and commanding the scene.
He wasn't sure if the knight guiding him knew about the Kingdom Army's information, but he asked if Urbano was safe.
Then, he was quickly told that he was safe.
It seems the Kingdom Army also knew that Urbano was a relative of the Marquis's family, so they specially took care to inform him.
He passed through the unnecessarily large garden of the Marquis's residence and entered the Domain Army grounds.
There, he entered a stone building that was quite impressive and was guided to a place like a conference room.
This building seems to be the Domain Army headquarters.
The knight who guided him said he would go call Baron Limpēre.
As Mika sat in the conference room seat, looking around curiously, Baron Limpēre arrived quickly.
The Baron looked extremely tired.
He looked about twenty years older than when he met him at the engagement ceremony with Cleiria.
His actual age seems to be over sixty, but previously he looked like he was in his early fifties, and now he looks like he is just under seventy.
He had terrible dark circles around his eyes, and his complexion was poor.
It seems those providing rear support haven't even had time to rest properly since the Imperial invasion.
Or rather, is this person going to collapse soon?
"It's been a while. Are you doing well?"
"...Thanks to you. It's a relief that the Baron looks well too."
It was such a transparent greeting that he almost laughed, but there was no particular meaning in such things.
Like saying "Good morning" or "Good evening."
"I heard from the Marquis. ...It's a pretty dire situation, but we must do something about it."
Saying that, Baron Limpēre took a deep breath.
Mika didn't understand what was wrong in the first place.
What was dire?
No, he could guess various things, but he had no idea which specific part was dire.
"The Marquis told me this morning. What is so dire about it?"
When Mika said that, Baron Limpēre's expression became even more troubled.
"............It's unbelievable, but well... You have the past incident, so... Truly, unbelievable..."
Baron Limpēre shrugged his shoulders and shook his head as if to say "what can you do."
It seems "the past incident" refers to the commotion during the "Academy Escape."
That thing where Mika was able to use [God's Miracle] on his own.
"What I am about to say is known by almost no one in the Royal Palace. The only ones who know are me, the lords of this region... or rather, the Leventein Marquis, who are involved in border defense if necessary. Like now."
There, Baron Limpēre rubbed his eyes lightly.
It seems he has accumulated a lot of fatigue in both body and mind.
"My grandfather and father taught me that I should know this. But originally, it is forbidden to pass this on to family. If leaked, beheading. Even for those who heard it."
Mika observed Baron Limpēre's demeanor with a cool heart.
There was no sign that the Baron was lying.
Beheading if spoken or heard? That seems like a way of this country.
Until recently, he would have felt annoyed thinking, "Are they threatening me again to make me listen?" but now he has no such feeling.
The fragility of this country's backbone has already been exposed.
He doesn't intend to stir up trouble himself, but if anyone stands in Mika's way, he will eliminate them.
Commoners seem to think they can be worked to death without resistance, but within the range where he can be tolerant, Mika will be tolerant.
But if that range is crossed...
While Mika was thinking such things, Baron Limpēre was staring at Mika.
"............Is something wrong?"
"No... I just thought your atmosphere has changed considerably since we last met."
Baron Limpēre smiled weakly with a bitter smile.
"It seems the Marquis forced the engagement with Miss Cleiria. ...I understand that you don't think well of the Marquis, but please consider the burden the Marquis has been carrying."
Saying that, Baron Limpēre placed his hand on the table and pointed at Mika.
"In fact, the Marquis's judgment was correct. You turned our certain defeat upside down. ...Mostly, even the Marquis wouldn't have thought it would be this much."
Baron Limpēre leaned back against the chair and exhaled deeply.
"We cannot afford to lose you over this matter. That is why I am telling you. You must know this and decide how to respond."
In other words, losing Mika would be a huge loss for the Marquis and the Baron.
So it seems they want to cooperate.
(Well, it's better than just being told to trust them.)
Mika looked at Baron Limpēre without answering.
The Baron didn't seem to expect an answer from Mika either, so he continued talking.
"I don't know about the Magic Academy's education plan [Curriculum], but you have studied the Fifty-Year War, right?"
"Yes..."
"And the 'Battle of Daburandoru Plains'?"
Mika nodded silently.
It comes up occasionally in Academy classes, but when did he first learn it?
He felt like he had already touched upon it even during the Junior Department.
"How did you learn it?"
"How...? I heard it was the final decisive battle of the Fifty-Year War. A very large-scale battle that took place on Daburandoru Plains in 1475."
"Specifically?"
"The Kingdom of Ektrem and the Gronoir Empire both deployed armies totaling two million soldiers."
Mika answered smoothly while recalling what he learned in class.
"And the result?"
"Both sides suffered nearly a million casualties each, resulting in a draw."
Hearing that, Baron Limpēre nodded.
Baron Limpēre sat up, leaned his elbows on the conference table, and leaned forward slightly.
"What did you think when you heard this story?"
"What...?"
Thinking it was ridiculous might be too insensitive.
But he remembered thinking, "Are they sane?" for a battle where both sides suffered nearly half their numbers in casualties.
Normally, one side would retreat before it got to that point.
With such heavy sacrifices, and in the end, it's a draw, so frankly, he thought, "What was the war for?"
However, he couldn't just say that directly.
"I thought it was impossible."
"Impossible? Well, that's true. There are intentional lies mixed into this story."
"Lies?"
At Baron Limpēre's words, Mika couldn't help but blink.
(...I don't know why, but they were taught lies.)
Combined with the earlier talk of "beheading if leaked," it seems the country is desperately trying to conceal something.
Well, it's impossible for both sides to suffer damage rates near fifty percent, after all.
If told it's a lie, it makes more sense.
"What is the lie?"
Mika became a little interested and asked himself.
"The number of casualties on both sides was close to 1.6 million each. Nearly eighty percent of those who participated in the 'Battle of Daburandoru Plains' died."
"........................Hah?"
Mika was stunned, his mouth hanging open.
Eighty percent?
1.6 million?
Combined, 3.2 million?
3.2 million out of 4 million died in battle!
"Are you crazy!? That's wrong! That's impossible!"
He thought even a fifty percent casualty rate was impossible, but actually it was eighty percent!?
How on earth did such a ridiculous result happen!?
Mika stood up involuntarily and shouted to deny it.
Baron Limpēre quietly watched him.
"I understand why you think that. I thought the same when I first heard it. But my grandfather was one of the remaining twenty percent. He is a survivor of the 'Battle of Daburandoru Plains'."
That's right, prompted by Baron Limpēre speaking calmly, Mika sat back down.
Baron Limpēre sighed and looked straight at Mika.
"This is the problem we are facing now."
Even when told that, Mika didn't understand what it meant.
Why does a war from over fifty years ago relate to this?
"It's impossible. Yes, as you say. But just yesterday, that impossible thing happened, didn't it?"
"An impossible thing... happened...?"
Told by Baron Limpēre, Mika remembered yesterday's events.
And then, he immediately arrived at one answer.
"Did you turn the tide of battle?"
When Mika said that, Baron Limpēre nodded.
"When I heard the report from reconnaissance, I wasn't just surprised. The Imperial Army's main force, estimated at 70,000, waiting behind the protective wall was annihilated in an instant."
Something fell from the sky, swallowing the Imperial Army soldiers in the blink of an eye.
"You were said to have mastered [God's Miracle] on your own, but I never thought you would master and manifest [God's Wrath] on your own as well."
"...God's... Wrath?"
Mika repeated Baron Limpēre's words as if muttering to himself.
[God's Wrath].
This was the true nature of what the country was concealing and trying to hide.
It seems to be something like multiple people using one [God's Miracle].
At the end of the Fifty-Year War.
The Kingdom of Ektrem and the Gronoir Empire seem to have poured their hearts into researching this [God's Wrath].
The end of the mage-knight operations that had dominated the battlefield until then was all for the sake of this [God's Wrath].
"I heard the Gronoir Empire was the first to deploy [God's Wrath] on the battlefield."
That's right, Baron Limpēre explained with a dark face.
As a countermeasure against the Kingdom of Ektrem, which was gaining the upper hand with mage-knight operations, the Gronoir Empire developed this [God's Wrath].
It seems they started with only a few people, but even then, the power was terrifying. No matter how many knights enhanced with [Physical Enhancement] they threw in, they were pushed back.
Therefore, despite heavy sacrifices, the Kingdom of Ektrem captured several mages from the Gronoir Empire and finally learned their method.
And then, they too started researching [God's Wrath].
The Kingdom of Ektrem, which was late in development, somehow managed to deploy it in actual combat.
After that, it was a race of development between the two countries.
The number of people required to manifest increased from ten, to fifty, to a hundred, and the power increased proportionally.
It is said that in the "Battle of Daburandoru Plains," they deployed something that manifested one [God's Wrath] with a thousand people.
"...A thousand people? A thousand people's worth of [God's Miracle]?"
Mika asked as if groaning.
"It seems it wasn't simply a thousand times the power. Once manifested, it would take the lives of 100,000 to 200,000 people. That was its power."
Both countries simultaneously deployed such a thing in actual combat.
That was the "Battle of Daburandoru Plains."
Mika knocked on the chair and involuntarily stood up.
He looked up, covered his face with both hands, and paced around the spot.
Finally, Mika understood the suspicion cast upon him.
The magic that annihilated the Imperial Army yesterday was not this [God's Wrath], was it?
If the activation requirement is defined as something done by multiple people, then Mika's magic is certainly different.
If it requires a spell different from [God's Miracle], this doesn't apply either.
But how to judge that is ultimately up to the other party.
No matter how much Mika denies it, if they judge it to be "the same thing," a verdict of beheading will be issued.
(............If you can do it, then try it...!)
Will the one who issues the verdict imagine that something that swallowed tens of thousands of soldiers will fall from above their own head before issuing the verdict?
If it is someone with such resolve, Mika will respectfully and unhesitatingly let it fall.
If they issue a verdict without such imagination, then bury such fools in stone.
With his mind made up, Mika silently returned to his seat.
Baron Limpēre stared at Mika.
"Shall I continue?"
"Yes."
And so, Baron Limpēre's explanation resumed.
In the "Battle of Daburandoru Plains," both sides suddenly manifested [God's Wrath].
A battle of two million against two million.
Attacking with [God's Wrath] first and then crushing the broken area with two million soldiers at once seems reasonable.
Since this was the first deployment of [God's Wrath] on a scale of a thousand people for both sides, they probably planned to settle it all at once.
However, [God's Wrath] manifested simultaneously.
Both sides used several thousand mages and manifested multiple [God's Wrath]s on a scale of a thousand people.
But it seems both sides forced [God's Wrath] to manifest quite recklessly.
They lost control.
"It seems it was a synergistic effect of each [God's Wrath]. I heard [God's Wrath] with more power than expected manifested."
The manifestation time of [God's Wrath] at that time was two to three minutes.
It is said it didn't exceed five minutes even at the longest.
Mostly, for those who experienced it, it felt like several minutes that seemed like eternity.
But in just these few minutes, 3.2 million lives were lost.
Soldiers were burned by scorching flames, swept high into the sky by violent winds, crushed by falling giant rocks, and frozen solid in the blink of an eye.
Truly, hell appeared in this world.
From this day on, along with the memory of this hell, [God's Wrath] came to be called this.
―― [Dies Irae].
Hearing Baron Limpēre's story, Mika let out a long sigh.
"[Dies Irae], is it?"
"Yes. It is used as a word referring to that day of terror, and also as a word referring to [God's Wrath]. This is the greatest taboo of the Kingdom."
Even Baron Limpēre, who was speaking, had a pained expression.
(When I learned about the "Battle of Daburandoru Plains," I did think something was being hidden... but...)
It's worse than I imagined.
Even after suffering such a fate, does the Empire still want to wage war?
Mika couldn't understand it at all.
Baron Limpēre also seemed nervous while talking, making gestures to relax his shoulders slightly.
"I heard the protective wall was built one kilometer closer to the actual border so that the battlefield from that time wouldn't be visible."
The battlefield of the "Battle of Daburandoru Plains" seems to be a location slightly closer to the Gronoir Empire than the border.
However, the Margrave Leventein at that time, who disliked the battlefield coming into view, built the protective wall quite far in front of the border.
It seems he often told the survivors of the Leventein Knights Order that he didn't want to see the battlefield where the scars of hell remained.
"This time, we were forced to retreat helplessly because Gronoir used [God's Wrath]."
The Kingdom Army deployed on the left wing was collapsed in an instant by [God's Wrath].
Taking advantage of that chaos, everything collapsed, and they had no choice but to retreat without being able to resist properly.
Baron Limpēre shook his head weakly and sighed.
"We knew this possibility would arise... but we couldn't do anything about it."
"The Kingdom can use [God's Wrath] too, right? Why didn't you prepare knowing that?"
When Mika asked that, Baron Limpēre grimaced in pain.
"I told you, didn't I? [God's Wrath] is a taboo."
"No matter how much you call it a taboo, if you get beaten one-sidedly by it..."
There is no room to hold back, is there?
In fact, they lost because of it.
But Baron Limpēre didn't explain any further.
(...Could it be, someone stopped them?)
Baron Limpēre said he "knew."
He knew, but still couldn't use it.
(If Baron Limpēre knew, then the Marquis Leventein must have known too.)
Then, there's no way the Marquis wouldn't make it usable.
Someone who can stop the Marquis even if he moves.
(The Leventein family is related to the Duke family too. If they can't move even that... then...)
His Majesty the King.
Within Mika's understanding, that's the only thing he can think of.
If Baron Limpēre can't even talk about it, it's not hard to imagine how high-ranking the person is.
On top of that, if it's someone even the Marquis can't move, it must be His Majesty the King.
"Regardless of whether it can be used or not, does [God's Wrath] itself still exist?"
Mika asked Baron Limpēre with a bad feeling.
The reason for Mika's bad feeling was [Dispel].
Documents that should have existed disappeared, and there were no users left.
Perhaps [God's Wrath] was also lost during the fifty years after the war.
"No, it still exists, and research should be continuing. At least, that's what I've heard."
At Baron Limpēre's answer, Mika breathed a sigh of relief.
No matter how much of a taboo it is, if necessary, the option to use it will arise.
But if it's lost, even that option disappears.
Baron Limpēre looked at Mika with a bitter smile.
"There is the "Academy Escape," right? Have you heard where those certified through that go?"
He asked such a thing.
"No..."
Mika shook his head with a puzzled look.
"A facility where mages and academy students who committed serious violations are taken?"
Mika shook his head again.
He had heard about being sent to a facility, but never heard specifically where.
Well, he didn't want to know anyway.
"That is where those people are sent: the [God's Wrath] research facility."
"............Eh?"
An unexpected answer came out, and Mika's eyes widened.
"I don't know how they are used. If they can't be used individually, they will use them in that form."
Baron Limpēre doesn't know specifically how to manifest [God's Wrath] either, but it seems there are key mages and those who only provide mana.
Those who only provide mana don't care about their conduct.
In short, they are just batteries or fuel.
(Messerite said something like "there's a use for mages other than mages" on the first day I entered the dormitory. Is this it?)
This country's inhumanity was something Mika knew, but...
This is beyond Mika's imagination.
(...Maybe this country should just be destroyed?)
He thought such things.
However, unfortunately, there is a worse country next door.
A crazy country that invades based on nonsense like oracles.
(Could it be that this whole world is crazy?)
Mika, feeling disgusted, thought such things.