Ch.274Operation-Setting NPC. (5)

“Billion High Priest!! The fire won’t go out!!”

“The, the entire encampment will burn down!!!”

“It’s as if the fire is alive, this is…!!”

“Sh-shouldn’t we move the sacrifices to a safe place first?!”

Priests who can use magic are conjuring water with spells, while those who can’t are enhancing their bodies with holy power to quickly fetch water, but the fire engulfing the encampment shows no sign of dying down. And then…

“No. Continue the firefighting efforts. This fire won’t burn down the entire encampment anyway.”

“P-pardon?”

The enemy causing these flames. Through my mana sight, I can see that the target within those flames is only focused on making the fire bigger and more spectacular, with no intention of coming out.

‘What exactly is their purpose? The food and weapons have already burned. The ignition stones needed for war, and even the cutting-edge weapons smuggled from Aiti have all been reduced to ashes. Yet they show no sign of retreating or attacking us. Are the sacrifices really their target?’

This enemy possesses higher mana than even the Church’s apprentice saints. If they’ve gone this far, I don’t understand why they aren’t attacking the priests around me, let alone myself, or why they aren’t stating their purpose. From behind the priests who are preventing the fire from spreading further, I continue to observe the target through my skill [Mana Sight]. And as this standoff with the unmoving enemy drags on…

– ⎯⎯!!

“…What?”

For an instant, as the flames exploded larger as if an ignition stone had detonated, I saw the enemy receiving mana from an external source. It wasn’t a large amount, but I had seen that color of mana today, just a few hours ago. Yes, when I first saw it, I was so surprised that I deliberately overreacted to hide my shock.

-Whoosh!

“…Haha, so I’ve been had?”

Activating my mana sight in the direction of the encampment, unrelated to the massive fire before me. Sure enough, I can see two enormous sources of mana moving busily. To think that a young lady with mana higher than a saint despite her age, and the second daughter of an imperial noble, would follow us with such intentions. I truly didn’t expect this.

“You there.”

“Ah, yes! High Priest!!”

“Take three priests who can’t use magic but can enhance their bodies, and follow me.”

“Yes! Understood. You three!! Over here…”

Well, fine. I had intended to treat them with some respect until we reached the Church, but since they’ve made the first move, we’ll respond in kind. It’s childishly cute that they thought they could escape our grasp with a few carriages, but since they’ve caused us damage with their fire play, I’ll need to break a limb or two to properly educate them on who the adults are.

“Disciplining children is something I often did in the Church as well. Now then, Ira. What kind of crying sound will you make?”

Leaving the fire scene behind with the prepared priests, I headed toward where the carriages were parked.

And at that moment, Billion Helm, the High Priest, didn’t realize.

“Peep.”

That the massive flames, the very fire he was observing with his mana sight, was watching him back.

*

“Wh-what in the world…”

I had intended to watch over Ira to prevent her from cramming the commoners into the carriage in some absurd manner, but instead I was witnessing something even more unbelievable.

“Slowly! Enter slowly! Make sure the person before you has disappeared before entering!!”

After Ira and I freed all the people trapped in the small hut and guided them to the carriage, I thought this wasn’t right and was about to speak to Ira. But Ira, with a bright smile, pushed a middle-aged woman who was at the front into the carriage first, and the moment her body completely entered the carriage…

[Wh-what? Sh-she disappeared?! I-Ira?! What is this…!!]

She simply vanished. I was so shocked that I looked back and forth between Ira and the inside of the carriage several times, and then Ira…

[Hehe! It’s teleportation that my master taught me. I can’t activate it directly, but if I set up magic circles in advance, I can transport people about 20 meters. I drew them all along the road on our way here, so they’ll fly all the way to Grace’s house!]

She said something that was hard to believe in my right mind. Teleportation? Isn’t that the high-level magic that the Chancellor uses? Even if she can’t use it directly, she can use it through magic circles? And where are these magic circles? I can’t see them! I haven’t learned detection magic yet so I can’t sense installation magic, but is Ira saying she can even conceal magic circles?! Wh-who on earth is your master?!!

Today has truly been a series of unbelievable events. Ira coming to our house pales in comparison to what she’s showing today—it was really just the tip of the iceberg, no, more like an ant’s antenna level of surprise. But despite my astonishment, Ira just smiled brightly and dismissed it all with a simple explanation that she had learned it, and now we’re actually evacuating the commoners using her teleportation.

‘…If everyone moves to the front of our mansion like this, there will be an abundance of witnesses. Even in our territory where the knights have been conscripted, Father could call security forces from other territories or hire adventurers to arrest the priests as criminals.’

With nearly 70% of the captive commoners already transported, I try to appear as calm as possible while thinking. No, actually, this is just me avoiding reality.

I may be the top student in the elementary division, but Ira’s talent is clearly far more impressive than mine. Perhaps her master really is a great magician in seclusion, as I’m beginning to think. Oh, what should I do? I’m a little envious. Maybe even jealous.

“…Grace, Grace?”

“Huh? What is it?”

“Ehehe~”

With people now entering the carriage on their own behind us, Ira looked at me with a wide smile, making me tilt my head in confusion. Um, why are you suddenly smiling? It’s nice to see because it’s cute, but…

“Thank you for getting angry for me earlier when people were mad at me!”

“…Ah.”

As Ira quietly but energetically expressed her gratitude while holding my hand, I recalled the earlier situation.

[“Shut your mouths and get out right now!!!”]

When people were cursing without knowing why we, why Ira had come here, I unconsciously blurted out some harsh words. In fact, if they hadn’t listened after that, I was even thinking about punishing them with magic. Ira couldn’t respond to the malice directed at her and was unable to speak.

“Brother handles these situations so well and rescues people smoothly. I’m not very good at it. Honestly, I was scared.”

As Ira’s hand trembled in mine while she lowered her eyebrows slightly, the thoughts I had been having earlier disappeared.

-Squeeze.

“Silly. Don’t thank me for something like this, we’re friends. Of course I’ll help you.”

“…Hehe. But I really survived thanks to Grace!”

…What am I being jealous of? Am I an idiot?

When I see Ira smiling at me sincerely, my lips naturally curl upward too. For some time now, no, actually since the first practical exam, I’ve been thinking that Ira might be more amazing than me. And the various things she’s shown today have confirmed that thought. But…

“Hehe. Of course. You haven’t forgotten that I’m the top student in the elementary division, have you?”

“Hehe! Grace is really amazing!!”

It doesn’t matter. If Ira has greater magical talent than me, I just need to work harder and hone my spirit magic and studies so I can keep up with her. And someday…

‘I’ll have to make Ira’s brother live in our territory.’

When we become adults, we might have to part ways after leaving the academy. But I don’t want to let Ira go. At first, it was because I thought she was cute and a talented student who studied hard, but now it’s completely different.

‘I just want Ira to always be by my side.’

The jealous thoughts disappear, and only rational thinking returns. To be with Ira someday, I need to end this incident cleanly to protect the territory and keep our land safe in the coming war. With that goal in my heart, I held Ira’s hand more tightly…

“…Someone’s coming.”

“Huh?”

-Thud, thud, thud.

“My, my. To think that two young ladies would be playing with fire in the dead of night. Don’t you think your prank was a bit excessive?”

Just before the last commoner could board the carriage, a snake-like voice emanated from the shadowy space caused by the large fire, constricting our throats.

“…Billion Helm Priest.”

“Yes, yes. That’s right. It’s me. I clearly told you to stay in the hut, but my goodness. Where have you moved all the conscripted people? Is that the last person getting into the carriage?”

As he approached us leisurely, I nodded to the last commoner who stood frozen in front of the carriage. Though his eyes trembled with fear, he quickly disappeared into the carriage.

“Hmm? What’s this? The person who just entered the carriage disappear—”

“Fireball!!”

-BOOM!!!

“……”

Before the priest could finish speaking, Ira blew up the carriage without even looking at it. This is…

“Sorry Grace, it takes longer to deactivate the magic circles. If we just run away and leave it, they’ll follow those people.”

Ira’s slightly tense voice told us that our escape route was gone and that we needed to fight. Ah, I see. Since she couldn’t erase the magic circles installed in the carriage itself, she just blew it up? This means…

“…Haha. So you installed invisible magic circles on the carriage? My, my. Such remarkable talent at such a young age. However, being so immersed in your own talent and overconfident might be considered a bit arrogant.”

“Arrogant? Me?”

Ira frowned and tilted her head as if she didn’t understand what he meant, and the High Priest Billion Helm snickered at her reaction before continuing.

“Kekek. If destroying your own escape route to fight us here isn’t arrogance, then what is?”

Indeed, it’s an understandable interpretation of the situation. But originally, we had planned to rescue the people, escape, and then wait for Instructor Ray or Mr. Gor to join us…

“Hehe!”

“Hmm?”

“Uh, Ira?”

Ira, who had pouted at the high priest’s mockery, continued with eyes that weren’t smiling.

“I’m not being arrogant! My brother says that a good beating is the best medicine for bad people!! So I just think you all need some medicine too!!!”

…Is Ira’s brother a bit violent? I think she mentioned before that she learned how to punch from him too. Maybe I should reconsider having him live in our territory?

As we all looked questioningly at Ira, whose cute face didn’t match her harsh statement, she shouted loudly, either knowing or not knowing our confusion.

“Peep! Burn them all!!”

As Ira’s bell-like voice echoed, the sky that had been somewhat shadowed by the fire suddenly brightened completely. Wh-what?! What is this now?!

“Huh?!”

“What…?!!”

“Wh-what is that?!!”

The flames from the fire site began to rise and gather in the sky, forming a small sun-like sphere that started falling directly onto their heads, and…

-WHOOOOSH⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯!!!!

The massive fireball completely engulfed the priests.

…It seems that Ira is better than me at spirit magic too.