「By the way the soldiers that are mixed in with the enemy, are they manipulating the demon mask wearers?」
「We don't know. Until the masks break, regardless if you pierce them with a spear or cut off an arm, until the masks break then they won't stop moving. It's as if they're the walking dead」
Shigetaro-san shook his head as he responded. They're something like zombies after all.
And, Rin leaned out of the rampart and glared at the masked soldiers.
「Fuun... It's a no-attribute something....or an"artifact"maybe」
「Artifact?」
「It was inherited from an ancient civilization, they're strong magic tools. Isn't what you have an artifact?」
She indicated the smartphone in my hand and I instinctively smiled in response to shy away from the question.
Ancient civilization parts, artifact huh? Something that can be used to control corpses like puppets, those masks might act as receivers.
「Well, in any event those masks are a problem. 「Paralyze」doesn't work so I guess I should take them out all at once」
「...What did you say?」
Shigetaro-san looked at me mysteriously from somewhere while I search for 「Masked Takeda soldiers」with the map app. Pins fell like rain on the screen around the fort, and after touching one of them they were all locked onto.
「Wh- what is that...?」
Someone asks while looking in the direction of the enemy, there were an innumerable amount of small magic circles floating in the sky. 「Multiple」lock on complete.
I raised a hand to the sky, concentrated magic in my hand and unleased it all at once.
「Drill of Light. Sacred Shining Spear, Shining Javelin!」
KAA! And from all the magic circles poured down spears of light at their targets. It was as if it were a rain of Light.
The ground shook with rumblings of dododododododododododododododododo in a shower of dust and light. It was a beautiful brilliantly dazzling light display.
After the rain of light abated more than half of the Takeda army was eradicated, they were unable to move any longer.
And without missing a beat did a search for 「Takeda soldiers」and locked on to them.
「Ok, time to 「Paralyze」」
The remaining normal soldiers suddenly went numb and fell right where they were. Several of that had protective charms and upon witnessing the complete collapse of the formation they ran away at full speed.
「And, that'll do」
For a little while the Tokugawa's entire army was dumbstruck inside the fort. Once it was understood what had just happened everyone shouted in triumph together. It was a mixture of pleasure and relief that resounded throughout the fort.
「Just now...did you do that...?」
Shigetaro-san asks in a hoarse voice. It was unbelievable to witness what had just happened in front of the fort, even having seen it with their own eyes.
「Well, you might say that. I don't really want a fuss made of it, so please don't spread it around」
I answered his question, to which Elsie responded with her hand on her hip in an exasperated tone.
「It's like if you're surprised it's silly any more」
「...you're saying that after all this just now...」
Lindsey and the older sister agreed with each other, we've come this far so why bother negotiating huh...? Do you really have to say it like that?
I was experiencing a strange indescribable feeling as I watched the soldiers celebrating the fort's victory.
「First of all for the assistance, I wish to sincerely give you a reward」
The Fort's castle tower (although it was just a wooden floor about 15 tatami) was a man with a small mustache with a nice build in his 40's he was in the seat of honor bowing deeply. Tokugawa Uchitake. While being the master of this fort...he was also one of the 9 feudal lords. He had the same pronunciation as Uchitake but with different characters.
「No, we had just come here by chance. Please do not concern yourself with us」
The one that was dealing with Uchitake, who was seated in front of us, was Yumina. From the standpoint of Belfast's princess, we were merely her guards. That made it easier for them to understand, Yumina's social prowess saves me every time.
Yae alone was her guard. Because of the means by which the assistance came it was left like that. Because we agreed with that it was left like that.
「Even still, it's a surprise that Yae is Yumina Hime's guard...seriously」
Sitting next to Uchitake was Kokone Omohue, a man in his late 40's, Yae's father. He was serving as the Tokugawa house's fencing instructor it seems. Long ago he also served as instructor at the Sodderck Viscount's house in the Capital, so it would he would probably be knowledgeable about Belfast.
「And, who is that...the man who saved my fort...?」
Uchitake-san gazed at me who was behind Yumina. I wish you would stop looking at me with that full of curiosity look.
「This person is Mochidzuki Touya-san. He is my guard...how can I say it, he is my husband to be」
Kya, Yumina's cheeks blush as she twists her body Ooi! I haven't heard of this!? You didn't need to say that you know!?
Hoo? I could hear a voice of admiration from both the lord and instructor. Wait, no no, what is with that reaction?
「Well, I see. If it is the Princess of Belfast's fiancé, then there is no problem acknowledging the achievement. It is truly wonderful」
「Yes, I am proud of this person as well」
Praise from Uchitake makes Yumina's chest swell as if hearing about herself. Please stop...is something that I can't really say. It feels like I'm being tortured.
「By the way, I wish to ask if you know where the 「Ruins of Niruya」happened to be? We were looking for those so we came here to Ishen...」
「Nuruya...?」
Yumina asks Uchitake after thinking for a short while, after a while he hits his knee as if just remembering.
「Aa, there are the「Ruins of Niraikanai」but I do not really know much about them... How about you Omohue?」
「Certianly...there was a 「Ruins of Niruya」in Shimazu's territory. However they're at the bottom of the sea. I don't think it's possible to enter them...」
「The bottom of the sea!?」
What is that, there's a temple at the bottom of the sea you say? Or is there a path that appears when the tide goes out?
Well, either way I've never gone so I don't know. Anyway if we know the location we should hurry up and leave—or not.
「Takeda's army, do you think they'll withdraw?」
I ask Uchitake-san who folds his arms and groans.
「It certainly seems like they are going to reform and then attack again. They'll probably increase the number of demon masked soldiers and possible bring out the cannons...」
Even if they increase the number of soldiers they can be annihilated. But cannons are a problem, I don't think it could be destroyed.
「But regardless if it's the demon soldiers or the sudden invasion I don't understand it. The lord of Takeda, is one of the 4 leading generals also called one of the 4 kings of Takeda, but this time it doesn't seem like it is Shigen-dono that is the one that is fighting. It seems those rumors are true after all...」
「Rumor?」
Uchitake-san mutters out loud in response to my question. Omohue-san was the one who asked who it was.
「It was rumored that Shingen-dono had already passed away. And that the corpse along with the army is being manipulated with the dark strategist Yamamoto Kanjo」
「Yamamoto Kanjo...」
「That demon mask that you see on those solders, is not an impossible thing. It may be a magic that specializes in manipulating corpses or else an Artifact」
After listening to Omouhue-san's story, Rin expresses her own idea. Certianly with that many corpses it was a believable story. Take over Takeda and unify Ishen?
Seriously, if we don't do something about Takeda's army then we can't really leave peacefully.
「So if we catch this Yamamoto Kanjo then we can clean up this mess?」
「That is a possibility..... But that is merely a rumor that Shingen-dono had died. Kanjo himself is holed up in Takeda's base, in the Tsutsujigasaki Mansion and hasn't left it. You aren't seriously thinking of sneaking in and capturing him...」(what a foolish statement)
Muu. That is exactly what I had planned. Is it really too much after all? I think it is possible to sneak in using 「Gate」 and 「long sense」alone. But it would be convenient if there were a magic that would allow you to disappear so you wouldn't be found...aa.
「Rin. If I remember correctly the reason your wings cannot be seen is because of the optical magic. Could that be used on the entire body?」
「It can. The light can be made to bend around the object, obscuring it, but if you were to touch them then they would be exposed.」
I see. So it is possible to make you transparent. In that case wouldn't it be easy to sneak in?
At this point I was already thinking through plans to sneak into the opponent's base. Regardless if it is an enemy or an ally, the less the damage the better.
「Do you intend on sneaking in?」
Lindsey talks to me as if reading my thoughts. Was it exposed already?
「If this Yamamoto Kanjo really is the wirepuller then this would be the easiest」
「Well yeah but...」
I'm sure she is worried about me, but it'll probably be fine. If I have to I can use 「Gate」to run away.
「The problem is Tsutsujigasaki? How do you get there. Have you been there Yae?」
「No, I have not. Have you father?」
「I have not either...what about it?」
「If there has been someone that has gone to Tsutsujigaski then Touya-dono can use his magic to transport there instantly」
「My word...!」
Omohue-san and Uchitake-san, in surprise, once again look at me. I don't really want to stand out, but if I want to hurry up and finish our business in Ishen then it doesn't really matter if it's spread or not, I felt in a defiant attitude.
「I can be the one to guide you to Tsutsujigasaki」
From the echoes of the ceiling came a voice. The voice came from a person that was uncertain. I pulled out the New Model Army and pointed it at the ceiling of the tower.
「Who is it!」
Oo, he stole my line. It was not I but Omohue-san who said it.
A single person appears from the shadow of the railing.
Wow, a ninja. Just looking at the black clothing that stands out in the afternoon I understood it at once, but could it be that they were using some kind of recognition magic?
The ninja removed the face cover and revealed a beautiful, well-featured woman. It's one of those konoichi? (Female assassin)
「I am one of Takeda's 4 kings, under his majesty Kousaka Masanobu-sama, I am Tsubaki. I have brought a secret message to Tokugawa Uchitaka-sama」
「What, Kousaka-dono's!?」
While on a knee, she takes a letter out of her chest and places it before him, then retreats one step. She is one of the enemy from the battle just a little while ago. We can't afford to be careless. Omohue-san picks up the letter on the floor without taking his eyes off of the konoichi and hands it to Uchitake.
Meanwhile, I had the muzzle of my gun pointed at the konoichi the entire time. Well, just in case.
He opens the letter and Uchitake's expression, who read the letter, turns serious. Just what was written there?
「Dono. What does the letter say?」
「Apparently that rumor is true. The Takeda army is now a puppet army」