Chapter 77: Season of Reunion
"In that thicket. A pack of wolves," instructed by Sheela, Ashley's hand lit up with the magic circle's light.
"Heat Fog!"
Fifth-class water magic. Ashley extended her hand in the direction Sheela had indicated, and dense fog emerged in a corner of the forest.
It was quite a formidable magic, given the high-temperature gas it produced. Inhaling it or getting it in your eyes would be far from harmless. Even defending against it with shields or armor was challenging. Dealing with magic like Heat Fog for the first time was difficult.
For instance, even if you minimized damage by closing your eyes and holding your breath, your actions would still be greatly hindered temporarily. Dealing with it would require techniques like dispersing it with wind magic. None of these options were favorable against the wolves.
"Over there."
The wolves, whose ambush had been completely thwarted, were now driven out of the thicket by Ilmhirld's accurate arrow shots from above. They hadn't fully recovered from the damage, so they couldn't counterattack or avoid.
However... from Ilmhirld's perspective, who had enhanced her mobility with Levitation and numerous Air Blasts, ground opponents were like stationary targets to begin with. Being a Lamia, she couldn't gain propulsion by kicking a shield. So, it made sense to maintain high mobility from the start.
Sheela descended straight from the air and smoothly changed her trajectory to fly sideways. Leaving behind the sound of Air Blasts and the shimmer of fighting spirit, she cleaved through Angrymash's head as they passed each other.
Grace was... once again, in a battle with a formidable opponent. She was in combat with a rock-skinned bear-like monster called Rockbear.
Grace leaped sideways to avoid its roaring, clawed strike. She then punched the air with the hand holding her axe and... rebounding off it, she delivered a kick to its flank.
The massive Rockbear, several times larger than Grace, trembled and let out a pained cry.
It was rough aerial control, but Grace had the physical ability to make it work. Zalbush had said that she could only move in straight lines, but once she could change her trajectory with both arms and legs, her range of feints and maneuvers expanded significantly.
Perhaps displeased with being struck by Grace, who was physically inferior, the Rockbear wildly swung its arms and chased after her.
Grace kept a certain distance without engaging in a direct confrontation. Her usual approach would involve cutting down every attack head-on, but it seemed she was trying a different strategy this time to train with her new equipment.
She made a large leap and raised her axe. The Rockbear readied itself to strike down, but the axe blade seemed to snag on something in mid-air.
Grace, still hanging from the shield attached to the chain, traced an arc in the air, landing behind the Rockbear.
In that instant, she flipped herself over, and her other axe emitted a gleam of fighting spirit. She kicked through the air and closed in at arrow-like speed, slicing down the Rockbear from behind.
By generating a shield at the base of the axe blade, Grace could hook it onto seemingly empty space. This allowed her to time her actions differently, pull herself toward it, or perform unusual maneuvers reminiscent of Tarzan's rope work.
Grace likely didn't incorporate Levitation into her aerial combat to prevent the magical control of weight and inertia from diminishing the destructive power of her attacks. Without Levitation, she couldn't use Air Blasts as propulsion either... but that seemed to be acceptable to her. Grace's combat thinking remained as sharp as ever.
The magical stones integrated into her equipment were not self-sustaining. The user had to supply them with magical power. Using them too extravagantly would deplete the user's magical energy, but that was not a concern thanks to the use of Magic Potions, which were readily available.
"Advance."
As for me... I'm controlling Golems to train my control abilities and to separate and annihilate Killer Plants, Angrymash, and Whispermash through sheer numbers.
I made some modifications to the Golems themselves, giving them stone spears and organizing them into a dense formation for advancing. It was similar to the formation known as the phalanx, a tactic that had fallen out of use in Earth's history, but it worked quite well here since there were no enemy cavalry units to counter it. As long as I didn't lose control, their coordination remained flawless. Golems didn't falter from injuries or pain either. They were probably stronger than an equal number of regular infantry.
"How does it feel this time?"
"It's good. This one is well-made and quite user-friendly."
"The feel of magical energy consumption has improved too."
Upon returning to the temple and asking for feedback, I received mostly positive reviews.
The equipment was progressing in terms of adjustments, likely thanks to daily training. Both aerial combat and cooperation were impressive.
Ashley had learned to use the magic circle, and her growth as a mage was quite evident. Being able to use a magic circle meant she understood the meaning of incantations, could adapt them within herself, improved her control of magical power to the point of forming magic circles with it, and it served as a testament to her skill enhancement. The advantage of not taking too much time to cast intermediate or higher-level magic spells was significant.
"Ah, Theodore-kun, you're just in time."
While checking the equipment and such, I was approached by a voice.
When I turned around, Chester led an exploration team.
According to Alfred's report, Prince Albert had apparently found the sealed door. Nonetheless...
"Hello, Lord Chester. What's the matter?"
"We've just returned from the dungeon. We need to cleanse ourselves and then report to the royal castle and the temple..."
If Chester was reporting something, then...
"Finally, we've found the sealed door at the Great Rotting Lake. It was in the central part of the deepest lake."
"Well, congratulations."
With a distant look in his eyes rather than a happy expression, I offered my congratulations.
They hadn't ventured into the section beyond the branching point, but even deeper into the Great Rotting Lake, huh? It seemed like a door was placed in a location where not many people would go.
"It has been quite a long journey. I'd like to express my gratitude to you."
"To me?"
"Weren't you the one who provided advice through Prince Albert about the Great Decadence Lake? I had intended to express my thanks once I found the entrance. You're the one who understood how to use magical tools effectively within the labyrinth's unique properties, aren't you?"
"Well, I suppose so."
"Well, that's how I see it. Well then, farewell."
Chester scratched his head, smiled faintly, and along with the exploration team, bowed their heads and walked away.
Hmm, considering the connection between labyrinth conquest and Chester's circumstances, it probably leads back to me. It was indeed quite accurate as a strategy devised by Prince Albert, though.
—The season is autumn.
The balance of magical power consumption for aerial combat equipment and other aspects have been adjusted to suit each one.
I headed to the workshop after converting the spoils of the guild into cash, intending to relay the monitor's message to Alfred... Unfortunately, Alfred was absent.
He was fervently adjusting the party's equipment to avoid any gaps in the schedule. Viola mentioned they met each other in the early morning.
He said he'd come again... after returning to the royal castle and taking a nap, most likely. Well, I can come back later. He mentioned bringing Marian today, too.
As I approached my home, I saw a carriage parked there.
Huh? Wait... The crest on it looks strangely familiar.
...Autumn. Right, it's autumn.
Harvest season is over, and the territory is settling down. With tasks delegated to my vassals, I suppose there might be a reason for someone from Termwills to visit before winter makes travel difficult.
I glanced at Grace, and she seemed to understand, nodding slightly.
As I approached the carriage, a familiar face peeked out from inside.
I thought the steward or someone similar might have come. But it seems that's not the case.
...I wonder if the servants took my words to heart and decided not to bring them along? They don't seem to bring them along together, either.
I'm not even sure if they're accompanying me to Termwills in the first place. Seeing them coming here on their own... well, I suppose it's a sign of them caring to some extent.
I'll need to have various discussions with them, and it seems like the right time for it.
Stepping out of the carriage was... Henry Gardener, the Earl. My father.
"It's been a while, Theodore."
"Nice to see you, Father."