Chapter 237 - Chapter 236: Paraleira's Wandering Habit?
Water Month, Week 2, Water Day.
The academy's training ground.
Tsatoral, the instructor in charge, had taken position on a particularly high hill, arms folded firmly, glaring at the training ground with a stern expression.
And Mika stood beside him, arms folded, gazing at the training ground with an equally sharp expression.
On Mika's left chest, medals of copper and silver were lined up, gleaming in the sunlight.
Currently, Mika's class was in the midst of training.
It seemed to be a slightly different format than usual, using hills and forests located nearby to divide into two teams for the exercise.
"............Excuse me."
Mika spoke to Tsatoral, who was watching the children running around the training ground.
"What is it."
Tsatoral answered while keeping his gaze fixed on the children.
"Why can't I participate?"
When Mika said that, Tsatoral finally turned his gaze toward Mika.
That gaze was directed at Mika's left chest.
He was likely looking at the two medals.
However, Tsatoral quickly returned his gaze to the training ground, still watching the exercise with a serious expression.
"......You probably have an idea, don't you?"
"Ah... well."
Mika had been forbidden from participating in today's training.
Or rather, he might not be allowed to participate in training from now on.
The reason was likely these medals.
And because Mika was simply too strong.
Originally, Mika's training results were extremely high, making him a headache for the instructors.
Then, his track record on the battlefield was added to that.
Until now, the academy had thought to make sure the students trained properly even if they were strong.
But it seems information reached the upper echelons of the academy and its operators that Mika was in an invincible state even in actual combat.
"This will ruin the training for the other students!"
It seemed such a judgment was made.
Well, if Navy SEALs or Special Service members mixed into a kids' game of tag, the kids would naturally be unable to do anything about it.
Therefore, it was judged to be harmful to the healthy growth of mages and knights.
Am I a prohibited book or something?
Mika let out a quiet sigh and lowered his head.
Then, the silver medal gleaming on his left chest came into his view.
Silver Star Sword and Spear Medal.
The criteria for receiving it were 'Those who performed acts of bravery beyond their duty in combat and achieved remarkable results.'
The nation officially recognized the combat at the border as an achievement and awarded Mika the medal.
And behind this medal, there was the Crown Prince.
Currently, Mika's punishment for [Divine Wrath] was on hold.
But it seems the Crown Prince worked to have "achievements should be recognized as achievements."
The reluctant Imperial Palace was pressured fiercely by the Ministry of Military Affairs, which agreed with the Crown Prince's opinion, and they managed to snatch back the medal.
This is what Maurice told me, so it must be correct.
By the way, recipients of the silver medal receive a pension of two gold coins per month.
However, eligibility for the pension can only be obtained for either the copper medal or the silver medal, not both.
Therefore, those who usually obtain multiple medals receive the pension based on the higher qualification.
In other words, the nation pays only for the silver medal each month.
Well, it doesn't really mean much to receive money anymore, but it makes me feel a bit strange.
For that reason, even though Mika is still a student, it was decided that mixing in someone who has already achieved remarkable results in actual combat would ruin the training for other students.
It seems they intend to prepare something special for Mika, but for now, it is just a measure to observe the training.
Basal, who also achieved extremely high results like Mika, is currently continuing as before.
Since Basal does not have actual combat experience unlike Mika, it seems the judgment was that he should train properly through exercises.
As Mika looked down at the training ground, red transformation light began to glow.
Oh, Rimliche is going wild. Go get 'em, go get 'em.
Rimliche was defeating the approaching enemy team using transformation light.
While other students fought while conserving their mana, Rimliche was using [Physical Enhancement] and [God's Miracle] freely, making her a bit of a cheat character.
She was certainly holding back [Physical Enhancement] to conserve mana to capture the base, but she was still using at least double the enhancement.
With her small stature and not being battle-hardened like Mika, even with double enhancement, she was still inferior in movement and physical strength to the Knight Academy students.
Nevertheless, Rimliche, who could face professional knights without flinching, moved enough to overwhelm even the average student.
Oh, what a pity. Crushed, huh.
It seemed she was surrounded by two students and defeated.
Rimliche could fight quite well in a one-on-one, but she had no way to deal with multiple opponents.
Or rather, fighting against many is something that truly ends quickly unless one has received proper training for it.
Maybe I should ask Ozendorwa to help next time.
Though I'll probably get angry at me for interfering.
As Mika watched the training, Tsatoral spoke to him.
"............How was the battlefield?"
Mika looked up at Tsatoral, but Tsatoral kept his gaze fixed on the training ground.
"Even if you ask how............I was desperate."
"............I see."
Supporting allies who were about to be crushed by overwhelming numbers, he went around encouraging them on the battlefield.
He jumped around desperately, fought desperately.
To save as many allies as possible.
To kill as many enemies as possible.
Even though he is an instructor, he doesn't truly know the real battlefield, does he?
The "Battle of Daburandoru Plains" occurred in 1475.
Now it is 1538.
Truly sixty-three years have passed without the Empire and the Kingdom officially clashing swords.
Although unofficial battles had occurred due to the construction of protective walls.
There are almost no people left who have experienced the battlefield.
No, there is a possibility that not a single person remains.
Perhaps there is something he feels about this unknown place called the battlefield.
"Thank you."
Tsatoral looked straight down at Mika and said with a serious expression.
"............You're welcome?"
Mika struggled with what to answer and tried saying what came to mind.
Tsatoral chuckled slightly and once again watched the training with serious eyes.
A few days ago, aside from the "Apostle" talk, it was conveyed to the students that Mika had gone to the battlefield.
At the same time, a declaration was made: "Those who act on their own will be punished severely."
To prevent anyone from blindly following in his footsteps.
It was a somewhat forced excuse, but it was officially stated that Mika's temporary ban on leaving the capital had been lifted.
The copper medal he received earlier helped with this.
Utilizing the fact that "Mika Noisheim had been involved in military affairs since before," they made it look as though he had gone to the battlefield by order.
I wonder who came up with this scenario? The Crown Prince or the Academy Director Maurice?
Well, for that reason, the Academy Director Maurice ordered Mika to wear the copper and silver medals for a while.
The intention was likely to announce that medals were awarded for military achievements, thereby stirring up the motivation of the students.
He was perfectly used as material for propaganda aimed at the students.
He was a typical "manufactured hero."
It is not hard to imagine that if there is a hero among the same students, many people will be ignited with enthusiasm.
Mika's current state of free attendance is also framed as "carrying out some order."
Well, he was actually summoned by the Crown Prince, and through that, the general outline of the current war with the Empire became clear.
In terms of simple military strength, the forces seemed almost identical.
Around ten thousand knights, and around one hundred thousand soldiers.
Two hundred mages in the Kingdom Army, fifty in the Domain Army, and three hundred in the Empire Army.
Roughly speaking, it was like this.
The Kingdom had slightly more knights and soldiers, while the Empire had slightly more mages.
The deployment of the Kingdom Army and the Domain Army was such that the Kingdom Army held the center and left wing, while the Domain Army of the Hailhord Region held the right wing.
The major difference between the Kingdom Army and the Empire Army was the existence of the Church's healers.
The Empire Army had placed about three hundred healers, protected by the Temple Knights, outside the right wing, near the battlefield.
It was certainly effective to quickly recover wounded soldiers.
The Kingdom Army had placed two hundred healers in the rear, but the Empire Army seemed to intend to do so in a location very close to the battlefield.
Normally, if that area got caught up in chaotic fighting, it would cease to function.
There is the merit of quickly recovering soldiers and sending them back, but if it is too close to the battlefield, the risk is great.
It seems that the Kingdom Army's left wing also considered crushing the healers first as a major advantage, and planned to crush them immediately upon the start of the war.
However, this plan failed.
These healers were a disguise.
No, it was revealed later, but strictly speaking, they couldn't be called a disguise.
The group of healers protected by the Temple Knights were undoubtedly healers sent by the Church.
But they were healers who could use [Divine Wrath].
In the Gronoir Empire, the Church secretly transmitted [Divine Wrath] and trained the healers.
The Church of the Empire did not end the healers as those who simply used [Heal] or [Exorcise] like the Kingdom.
They were secretly cultivated as a military force.
Thinking about it carefully, it is natural.
The Church of the Gronoir Empire is trying to destroy the Kingdom of Ektrem by the will of God.
There is nothing strange about clerics actively taking up weapons.
As soon as the battle began, this group of healers manifested [Divine Wrath].
They inflicted [Divine Wrath] upon the Kingdom Army's left wing approaching them, and the Kingdom Army's left wing was instantly annihilated.
The Empire Army crushed the Kingdom Army's left wing and then rushed straight for the center.
The Kingdom Army in the center was attacked from the front by the Empire Army's center and from the left flank by the Empire Army's right wing, and collapsed without any way to fight back.
Nevertheless, Marquis Leventein somehow held the collapsing center together and supported the retreat while shielding with the Domain Army on the right wing.
One of the three armies was annihilated in the first move... It wouldn't be strange if the entire army collapsed right then.
That they were able to retreat properly instead of routing was impressive.
After that, they tried to resist somehow using the protective walls, but [God's Miracle] struck repeatedly, causing parts of the walls to collapse.
It seems they were conducting a desperate delaying action to buy time to reorganize their formation.
And during that time, the human weapon (Mika) stepped forward and stirred up the battlefield.
This was the general flow of this battle.
A weapon that can cut down thirty percent of the enemy forces in one shot... Of course they would use it.
However, considering the possibility of the enemy using it, one cannot easily start a war.
Naturally, they would calculate their own casualties based on that estimate before proceeding.
War in this world seems to be a harsh thing that cannot be measured by the common sense of the previous world at all.
I understand why the King made [Divine Wrath] a taboo... but...
If the enemy uses it and we don't, we will just be beaten one-sidedly.
But even though it is such a cheat weapon, it seems [Divine Wrath] has weaknesses.
First, it can only be used once a day.
Once manifested, it becomes an all-out gamble, just like Mika before.
One might think to use a mana recovery potion, but it seems it is not that simple.
Apparently, even while manifesting [Divine Wrath], people are collapsing one after another due to mana depletion.
It was only through the research of this [Divine Wrath] that it was clearly understood that people were losing their lives due to mana depletion.
The Temple Knights who were protecting the healers on the battlefield likely also had the meaning of supporting their withdrawal.
And there is another thing.
[Divine Wrath] cannot be perfectly controlled.
There is inevitably a part left to chance, and if the manifestation position shifts, allies will get caught in the crossfire.
Also, in chaotic fighting, it cannot be used because it will inevitably harm allies, so there are operational problems as well.
In short, [Divine Wrath] is a gamble with a high success rate.
It usually works well, and the return is large.
But there is also a non-zero possibility that its fangs will turn toward us.
In other words, the "Day of Wrath" (Dies Irae) happened because it was bound to happen.
Really, there must be someone who thought of such a troublesome thing.
That was how Mika felt, utterly exasperated.
■■■■■■
Mika spoke to Tsatoral, ending his observation of the training and moving to free action.
He took off the robe with the medals attached and pulled out a robe without medals from his Magic Bag to wear.
Can I really wear this outside?
If I hang these medals around, I'll stand out, and I won't be able to do anything bad.
"Well then, shall we go search for the lost one?"
It was a search for Paraleira, who had developed a wandering habit.
He had the Information Broker Guild investigate her movements, but it was not very meaningful.
Information about a magic academy dorm mother was not particularly valuable to the Information Broker Guild.
So, they had almost no information.
He had them investigate if there was any meaning to her pattern of movement, but it seems she just wanders aimlessly around the capital every day.
However, it seems certain that she is looking for something, as reports say she often checks her surroundings.
Thanks to that, a report came up saying it was a bit troublesome to follow her.
......What is she looking for? Or perhaps, someone?
Before, when Mika went for a walk with Paraleira, she suddenly started chasing something.
At that time, she became unable to move immediately, but perhaps she saw something then.
It is known from the Cafeteria Lady's testimony that Paraleira's behavior changed from that day on.
However, about two and a half months have passed since then.
If she were searching, it wouldn't be strange if she had already found it by now.
Mika walked along the Southeast Main Street and entered a back alley.
Approaching the window of the Information Broker Guild crouched by the roadside,
"She's wandering along the Second Wall in District 3 today."
He whispered only that and lowered his head as if nothing had happened.
Mika placed one gold coin on the ground with a soft clink.
Although the Guild had an agreement, it was better to make the individual agents on the ground think of him as a VIP customer, as their motivation would differ in the future.
He wanted to show generosity with the tip and make them happy to accept Mika's work.
Mika turned back the way he came and headed toward the location of the information.
District 3 was the district he was currently in.
So, along the Second Wall meant he had apparently passed it already.
District 3, along the Second Wall... Blacksmith District. Then, shops for weapons and armor. A few taverns.
It was quite a messy area.
It was a place where the security was not very good.
What was she looking for in such a place?
Even though it is called the Blacksmith District, it is quite large.
Mika walked through the streets of the Blacksmith District once.
But he could not find Paraleira.
Mika stopped and turned back to the alley he had just come out of, letting out a sigh.
"She's probably gone somewhere else?"
Really, what a hassle.
"What should I do?"
Mika scratched his head irritably.
Should he station someone on another day?
Well, he didn't need to station anyone specifically; he could just wake up early himself.
......No, I don't want to...
He hated waking up early.
No, he was waking up early normally right now, wasn't he?
But honestly, waking up even earlier to go talk to Paraleira was troublesome.
If so, it would be better to wait for her to return at night.
"Either way, it's a hassle."
When he was plotting something bad, he would move around as much as he wanted and wake up at any time.
But why did he have to go to such lengths for Paraleira?...... He couldn't help but think.
It was fine if he searched during the day like this, but......
"Haa...... Tsk... I have no choice."
Muttering complaints, Mika continued his search for Paraleira.
■■■■■■
"Run-ta-ta."
"Ignis" with long black hair flowing walked through the high-class residential district of District 3.
"I wonder if Te-chan is here."
"Ignis" was in a good mood, as the preparations for the 'Te-chan "Son of God" (Filius Dei) Conversion Plan' were complete.
The house where Te-chan had entered by chance before.
He didn't know if they were family or friends, but he saw him talking affectionately with two girls.
Well, if he wasn't there, he would just wait for him.
"Oh, if I secure him first, the conversation might go faster?"
Nodding to himself, "Ignis" turned the door handle of the house.
However, it was locked.
"Here goes."
Crack!
He pulled the door with force, and part of the wall cracked with a sound.
And thus, the door opened.
"W-wait! What are you doing, you!"
Inside the house, a chubby woman was barking wildly with wide eyes.
"Oh?"
"Ignis" looked around inside.
This was the dining room.
There was a hallway to the left, with several doors lined up.
"Over there?"
Ignoring the woman, "Ignis" headed toward the hallway.
"G-get out! Get out!!!"
The woman threw everything she could find in the vicinity.
Some of the thrown objects hit "Ignis".
"Ignis" turned those darting eyes toward the woman.
"...Shut up."
Moving quickly, he covered that noisy mouth with his right hand and crushed it with a squish.
The woman's body collapsed heavily on the spot, twitching.
Finally, I got angry and killed her.
"Ignis" looked down the hallway with cold eyes, and there was a boy with a twisted face.
As soon as the boy's eyes met "Ignis", he immediately burst into loud crying.
"[Burst]."
Boom!
The boy's head and neck flew off, and he fell to the spot.
Damn it.
By habit, I accidentally killed him.
I intended to catch him and use him as bait to lure others.
Failure, failure.
"Well, there should have been two girls as well..."
"Ignis" licked his blood-covered right hand and stepped over the fallen boy to search the room in the back.