Arc 20: Calamity Comes
Well, I have imagined that it would turn up this way.
Since then, the official written protest from Yuuron was immediately sent. I then attentively digest the long-winded written text containing: 「That land belonged to us from the start, so hand it over immediately. Otherwise, you are bound to lose the credibility from the countries in the world. As for the fee for our troubles thus far, send over here several bodies of giant soldiers (the ones called Frame Gear). Those have been originally made by our ancestors as well, so it is natural that we have that right. Don't do thief-like actions, have some shame…..」etc. etc.
「They surely have some nerve to be able to say something like that at this point」
「They likely are just desperate to try justifying their actions」
At the tower established in the gap of the great wall, Kousaka-san answers with a mixture of a wry smile and an amazed voice.
The great wall created in between Yuuron and Hanok exists on the side of Hanok. We did not set traps and other defenses from that side. Currently, the shape goes like this:
Hanok 凸 Wall 凸 Brunhild 凸 Wall 凸 Yuuron
But I'm thinking about returning all of it to Hanok when the situation settles down. Naturally, the plan is to hand over the great wall at the time the territory is going to be returned. The great wall has been built willfully on my accord, and I don't mind it being almost free of charge with regards to the costs spent on its construction. But I will have to remove the traps.
Frankly speaking, it won't be a problem to have half of our household's knight order stationed nearby in advance after that.
「So, what answer will we send?」
「Force with force, friendship with friendship. Even though it unlikely for them to press us down with force, they might take up the challenge if dared to. It will, however, be against me in the end. If they would want it so, it should be fine for me to individually fight against the country of Yuuron」
「...I can't truly laugh at how possible it may be. His Majesty is becoming a tyrant」
Well, I do recognize that I am selfish though. I didn't have an intention to create a 「Country」 from the start. It's just fine with me receiving a home with a large garden and try to live in it, you know. Truth be told, things like taxes are mostly not collected as well. Even the money which is being paid to the knight order or the maids-san is almost entirely coming from my pocket money.
Half of the money, which I can get from Alba-san, are received in a form of steel materials for the Frame Gear, and the other half is via cash, and those can be sufficient. So if I try to describe our household's knight order, they are not, accurately speaking, a national army. They are a knight order owned by me as an individual.
Well, even if the fight with Yuuron won't really happen, it will be about me turning into an opponent individually.
「Even if I am a tyrant, I have self-awareness. So I have been telling about how it's going to be fine if Kousaka-san becomes the king of this country for some time since a while ago, haven't I?」
「I decline it. If I continue following His Majesty, conquering the world might be possible」
「Although I have no intention to do that?」
「Even if one has no intention, that's often the case after it has already been done」
I guess so. Well, it might be possible to conquer the world if I use the Frame Gear or power of Babylon. But honestly speaking, it is a bother to do. It will also become a total armed suppression.
I suppose it will also be helpful if Yuuron obediently withdraws though.
The sound of the door knock with a "gon-gon" sound resounds in the room. Tsubaki-san enters after opening the door.
「Your Majesty. We have captured a spy from Yuuron」
「A masked fellow? Good job being able to capture him. Rather than that, has he confessed?」
「We are also holding onto some powerful paralysis poisons even though they are not as potent as His Majesty's [Paralyze]. Furthermore, it's due to us receiving a special truth serum from Flora-dono」
What did that fellow hand over to them? I hope there won't be any strange side effects if it is her who created it and used the crafts of Babylon, but somehow, that's still scary nonetheless!
Apparently, they pinned him down before he self-exploded and used the truth serum after removing the mask. With that masked spy being a subordinate of Yuuron either way, I am quite certain that he had infiltrated and aimed at Frame Gears which are here, though I'm a bit afraid and don't feel like asking about the circumstances of the time he was made to confess.
「It seems like there are various tactics are advancing simultaneously in order to usurp Frame Gears. From the assassination of His Majesty to kidnapping and confinement of the honorable ladies, treachery maneuvering among knight order members and so on. Everything at the command of Heavenly King of Yuron」
「It seems like we have caught them by their tails」
Kousaka-san mutters quietly. We were slightly going easy on them because we didn't have any positive proof until now. But since it comes down to this, I won't have any intention to hold back. The same thing will be repeated all over unless something is done by force here.
「So, it is about time to get angrier, don't you agree?」
「Well, that might be so since they can go as far as assassination. If it was another ordinary country, it would unmistakably cause a war. However, I hope you don't have any intention of waging a war, right? 」
Kousaka-san looks at me while expressing a little smile. He apparently was able to read my thoughts. I suppose it was our greatest achievement that we were able to invite this person to our country.
「The citizens of the enemy country will get hurt too if a war is waged, right? I want to avoid that. The one waging the war will only be a few people」
「Then, what will happen hereafter?」
「I think I will do the same thing to the Heavenly King」
It doesn't mean that the things I damage will be restored. I plan to show them that, "We will be able to do an assassination as well since the other side is trying to assassinate me", though I don't feel like actually doing it.
「And what are the specifics?」
「Let's see. It maybe something like having the knife thrusted at the bedside of the Heavenly King when he rises up from sleep, mix some awfully bitter liquid similar to a poison into his meals, have all the people from the Royal Palace suddenly disappear except the Heavenly King himself, or something else….」
「How could you even hit upon that kind of harassment...?」
「Kousaka-sama, I have heard that this is the true nature of His Majesty」
Although I think that it's a cute thing, those threats will be nothing else but threats making him think that [Can I be killed anytime?]. But he probably won't know unless it happens that way either. I just won't go as far as [Kill or be killed] scenario, though I would like him to accept my gratitude.
「Well, we should leave that matter for a while. The first thing to do is to try expressing our regret and send back a letter holding a slight implication stating that "We know that you are the mastermind"」
「While it's being done, what are you going to do if I get assassinated?」
「I can't imagine that it will happen at all」
Hey! You aren't thinking that the human is immortal or something, right?... No, it might not necessarily be off the point since things like divinity and so on are overflowing out of me….. It looks like my body is slowly and steadily in the process of becoming an existence close to the gods if we're just talking about my body.
Well, there is no point worrying about that.
「Then, send the letter with those intentions immediately since we can now send it rather quick….. 」
「Your Majesty!」
Uowa ! I was surprised! The door abruptly opens and Paolo-san jumps inside the room. Do not surprise me like that!
「So noisy. What's the matter?」
「Ah, ex~, excuse me! Ano~, there a lot of odd smoke rising from the Yuuron side. Doesn't that mean the Yuuron army is attacking! ?」
What did you say? We hurriedly get out to the top of the rampart and when we try to look at the Yuuron side, there certainly is a lot of smoke rising up. It's scattered about here and there and both far away and close to us.
「Is that a signal fire from something or is it a bushfire?….. No, I don't think so」
There is no way that bushfire can occur all over the place to this extent. I don't know for sure since it is too far.
「That... What is that? I can see a lot of shinning objects…..」
Shinning objects? What are those?
I concentrate my eyes to the direction shown by Paolo-san. ….. It certainly looks like something that shines….. Rather than calling it "shining", that's more in the lines of "reflecting" the light…..
At the time I noticed it coming here, I was already shouting.
「Everyone, board Frame Gears! Battle arrangements! Prepare for an attack! 」
I leap at once towards the source of reflection by using [Fly], and confirm whether I was mistaken.
「Ku~... what's with this timing...!?」
A large crowd of clamoring Fureizu pushes straight ahead in the direction of the rampart.
They consist of small sized Fureizu bodies to medium sized ones with several large ones in between them. The number of Fureizu bigger than the Frame Gear also exceeds ten. Their composition varies from insect types like ants to the bipedal ones that look like ostriches, or to insects that stretch out like centipedes.
Their movement speed is not that fast. However, their numbers are too much. There is nearly a hundred of them.
「Target Lock-on ! Aim at the Fureizu! Invoke [Aport] !」
『Acknowledged. Invoking [Aport]』
A large Fureizu core appears in my hand. Ku~, that's no good. As I've thought. I won't be able to pull more than what can be placed on the palm of my hand. It will take time if I pull the cores one by one! Moreover, I won't be able to pull anything besides those small types with this method.
「Be entangled by soil, ground spell, Earth Bind」
The legs of the advancing Fureizu are obstructed by the trees stretching from the ground. When I was thinking that "This should earn us a bit more time", they then easily slipped out after 2 seconds. They have cut their own legs. And since those legs regenerate immediately, they start to advance as if nothing happened. What fellows they are.
From behind me, Rain-sain in the white knight "Shining Count", Nicola-san in the black knight "Night Baron" and the heavy knights "Chevalier" beside them have arrived. It seems like they left some units for rampart's protection.
I fly to the side of white knight "Shining Count" and instruct Rain-san.
「Engage the large ones and bring them down! I will engage the small ones! They have regenerative abilities, but will be defeated if the core inside their bodies is destroyed! Convey this to everyone as well through the communications channel!」
『Understood!』
While hearing the reply audible from the external speakers, I take out the greatsword made from the fragments of Fureizu from the [Storage]. Its length is 2 meters and its width is 30 centimeters at most. I prepare to wave the crystal-looking greatsword with both hands.
By all means, it would probably be too heavy to lift if the effect of [Gravity] was not applied.
「Let's go!」
I thrust into a group of Fureizu nearby. While aiming at the core of the first one, I was able to cut each of their cores in a flash of my sword with a *supann* sound and without heavy resistance. It's due to the dreadful sharpness of the sword caused by pouring magic power into it.
As this goes on, I cut and lay down the Fureizu one by one. I look around the vicinity while sometimes slipping through the extending arm edges and see a gigantic intermediate class clashing with a group of the heavy knights.
Lunging forward, bending at times like a whip, while at other times defending against the armed edge of Fureizu going through like a lance with shields, the heavy knights are inflicting strikes at Fureizu with swords in their hands.
Unfortunately, the Frame Gear deployed beforehand at ramparts were not armed with ultra-heavy ordnance and were having a tough time. Since the parts that are formerly broken regenerate, they have to deal a series of attacks consecutively.
Among them, only the black knight which Nicola-san rides is equipped with the war pike "Halberd". As such, the fight is progressing quite advantageous, and in the end, he finally manages to destroy the core of the intermediate class he has been fighting against. He then assists the heavy knights that are having much trouble next to him.
The number of intermediate class is around 10. On our side, there are five heavy knights, one black knight and one white knight each. Will they be able to manage it somehow?
The sword of heavy knight assisted by Nicola-san breaks the core of the Fureizu in front of him. I guess that's natural since there are two of them. The heavy knight that have defeated the Fureizu joins in as a support to another heavy knight as it is. At the same time, Nicola-san's black knight faces towards another colleague as well.
I see. The Fureizu cannot do any sort of coordination. As far as those guys are concerned, the battle is a combat of an individual. Even if the comrade next to them is in pinch, they won't do something like following up. So is there a gap to take advantage of?
In any case, I will entrust the intermediate class to them. I have to make an effort in cleaning up the ones of lower class since their amount is nearly nine times than that of the medium ones.
I cut down the attacking Fureizu one after another. Is it a fortune? One of them also stopped facing the direction of the rampart after they seemingly have recognized us as targets.
It can be said that this mechanical aspect is also the weak point of the Fureizu. It is possible to say that it is easy to guide them. But when talking about in reverse, the threats similar to ones carried out towards the Yuuron army from the other day won't pass. Those are just massacre terminators that don't falter, aren't frightened, are not stepping back and are just earnestly hunting humans.
I cannot relax too. Although most incoming attacks are done in the same way by the edged arms, among them there were crystal arrows fired at me as well similarly to the time of Manta Fureizu. While defending against those with [Shield], I engage one of those guys and bring him down.
「It is indeed troublesome when their amount is numerous to this extent…..」
The opponents are moving around in such a disorderly fashion as well, so it is difficult to smash them with sort of magic like an [Ice Rock] or hurl it inside the [Gate]. [Paralyze] or [Gravity] are not effective, and should I use something like [Slip], it will certainly swallow up the allies as well.
Ah, it should be fine if I make the swords of heavy knights heavier with [Gravity], right?! I suppose that is not a place for this.
In any case, I kept killing and killing and killing the enemies in front of me.
「That's the last one... with this!」
10 minutes later….. no, it might be even shorter than that, but there were no more small type Fureizu moving around.
Even the fellow belonging to the intermediate class was done in and killed by Rain-san at this very moment. It seems like she has been able to eliminate it. I might have missed crushing the core, so without relaxing my guard, I keep alert at this place. There was no reaction even after 10 more minutes passed, so it seems that everything had truly ended.
That damage to our side doesn't seem to be that much. There are two machines with broken swords and one machine with a broken shield. The rest have minor damages fully covering the frames. Rosetta will cry due to those...
「Your Majesty. What the heck are those apparitions?」
Rain-san shows up her face from the opened chest hatch of the White Knight. That reminds me, I have not yet given them an explanation. I then land on the shoulder of the white knight after floating up with [Fly].
「Those fellows are called [Fureizu]. They are aggressors coming from a different world and who once had destroyed a kingdom during the ancient times. The Frame Gears originally have been made for the sake of fighting them」
Though If I am to say it accurately, they are somehow different from aggressors. I wonder if it's better to call them human exterminators since they are trying to annihilate all humans.
However, it's the first time a crowd this large has appeared. It makes me shiver when I think about the scenario had I not receive this plot of land from Hanok.
「About the smoke from some time ago, wasn't it that those guys were attacking the villages of Yuuron? What do you think?」
「Perhaps it might be so.... Wait! this is bad. All members, withdraw. We have completely invaded their dominion. We don't know what will Yuuron say with this」
They are quite capable of saying something like "It's the army of Brunhild that attacked the village" at worst.
I hesitated whether I should collect the large number of defeated Fureizu, and decided to collect just half of them. It would be more and more suspicious if all of them were erased. They will have to accept that it were those guys who went there as the real criminals who attacked the village.
「Good grief, why do I have to care for this matter? 」
I expand the map while thinking that this country is tiresome. The locations of villages and towns are being synchronized neatly when I display the places where a smoke is rising. As I thought, it was those guys handiwork.
However regrettable it may be, there doesn't seems to be any survivors….. Fureizu recognizes the sound of a human heart. It's useless even if you hide.
As I wondered how many villages have suffered damage, I reduce the map from around the vicinity here and lower the scaling until the whole Yuuron become visible.
「Wait a minute….. what's that.....」
Thats.... aren't there too many of them? Why is the smoke rising even from as far as the southern part that is separated by quite a distance from here? For the smoke to be rising from as far as the capital of Shanghai... It can't be.
「Search. Display Fureizu」
『Acknowledged….. Displaying』
Sutototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototototo….
(TL: that happens for about ¾ of A4 page, so you get the idea of many we are talking about)
The red glowing pins fall down throughout Yuuron with a terrible force.
「You are kidding me…..」
I let out a small voice as I look at the map dumbfoundedly while not wanting to tell anything.