Ch.97Chapter 97. Battle of Hisphil Castle (7)

“Reika, Ginor, and I, along with a few guards he assigned to us.

We were heading toward Hisfil Castle as quickly as possible in a carriage, wearing hoods to cover our faces.

As expected of soldiers assigned by Ginor, they were aware that Reika could use magic.

They seemed like private soldiers belonging to the Nighthart family, and since their numbers were small, Yurie didn’t seem to particularly mind them.

“Wow…”

Reika had been looking outside the carriage for quite some time.

As if trying to take in every detail of the scenery, the blue world was clearly reflected in her pink retinas.

“…”

I observed Reika’s profile.

She was certainly quite cute.

A gentle face with fair, white skin.

Unlike Irene, who had developed slight muscle tone from walking the warrior’s path on battlefields, Reika’s body appeared soft and delicate, as if she had been protected in a mansion away from sunlight.

There were many women in this world, but not many who emphasized their femininity from head to toe like Reika did.

“…Ah.”

Reika, who had been staring intently outside the carriage, finally seemed to notice my gaze. She began waving her arms in confusion, her eyes wide.

“T-t-this… th-that’s not… I-I mean! I mean…”

I was tempted to enjoy her obvious embarrassment a bit longer.

But continuously teasing her wasn’t really my style.

“You seem to be enjoying the view outside?”

“Huh? Oh… well, leaving the Balhart domain is my first time since Father was commissioned in the Aeshus army… so…”

I see.

That would explain her interest.

Then.

—Grumble.

“…Ah…”

Reika’s face turned bright red all the way to her ears.

Instead of making a fuss, I offered her a hard wheat bread from my pocket.

“Would you like some?”

“Ah, I… um.”

As she covered her mouth with her hand in embarrassment, I spoke in the most casual tone possible.

“Don’t hesitate. I’m not hungry.”

“…Th-then…!”

Reika reached out with her white hand to take the bread, then took as big a bite as she could.

Of course, “as big as she could” from her perspective was merely nibbling at the corner edge of the bread.

Watching her hold the bread with both hands while munching, I thought she oddly resembled a hamster.

It was peaceful.

Compared to what we were going to do, this scene was excessively peaceful.

“It would be nice if this were just a pleasure trip. The weather is good; we could have packed delicious lunch boxes for a picnic.”

“That’s… not it. From what I heard, Father said there was something I absolutely had to do…”

“Come to think of it, Ginor was surprisingly permissive.”

Though Ginor normally wouldn’t allow her to leave the mansion—

For some reason, he agreed to my request without any objection.

It was good for me not to have to argue unnecessarily, but if he was going to allow it so easily, why had he kept her so tightly confined before?

…Well, it didn’t really matter to me either way.

“I was surprised too… It must mean there’s something very, very important I need to do. *Nom*.”

She finished speaking and continued nibbling at the bread.

“By the way, do you know what we’re going to do?”

“I just heard that I should properly help Swen… I don’t really know.”

“Aren’t you worried?”

“Huh?”

“You came out without knowing how you’re supposed to help.”

With Reika’s personality, this seemed like a situation where she would typically stammer and panic.

Perhaps saying something predictable like, “H-how could someone like me possibly…”

She clearly had skill, but always seemed to lack confidence.

But.

She turned her head to glance at me—

And then gave an answer I hadn’t expected.

“Not really… Swen, you called for me because of my magic, didn’t you…?”

“Huh? Well, yes.”

“Then… it’s fine. I’m confident… *nom*.”

Oh?

Although her voice was still timid, there was no pretense in her words.

She genuinely didn’t seem worried about it at all.

Well, following me meant going to battle. Though she stammered, she didn’t appear frightened, which suggested she was quite extraordinary in her own way.

“Is that so? It’s good to have that confidence.”

“Hehe… if it’s about magic, I’m confident I can be of help…”

“…?”

I noticed something subtle hidden in her sentence.

“What do you mean by that?”

“…Huh?”

She looked at me with clear eyes, as if wondering if she had said something wrong.

“If you can help with magic, what about other things? Reika, you’re good at other things too, aren’t you? Like baking.”

“Ah… no. Baking is… just a hobby. The only way I can truly earn my keep is by using magic… and reading mana.”

After saying this, Reika—

Showed me a slightly sad smile I had never seen before.

That kind of smile. I had seen it before.

Back when Irene couldn’t let go of Lynn Brans, she used to wear that same fragile smile.

“Um… Swen. You know I’m an adopted daughter, right…?”

“Yes.”

“I… actually… before Father took me in, I was an orphan with no one.”

Though this was information I already knew… all I knew was the “orphan” setting written in Reika’s character description.

It wasn’t the path that the living Reika had walked.

So, in essence, I was hearing this for the first time.

“I see.”

“Father recognized my talent… and when he adopted me, he told me something. That my ability to read mana was meant to help me become someone who would save this world… that if I could properly use this power, I would surely accomplish great things.”

She kept her head down, maintaining a calm tone.

She who often trembled and slightly stuttered… was now speaking very clearly, without interruption.

“So… I must use magic. That’s what Father—what this world—wants from me.”

“…”

“I’m truly happy. Someone like me, without a family, was born with this ability… the ability to use magic, which means I can become a hero of this world? If I can contribute to creating a peaceful world… that’s enough for me.”

After saying this, Reika smiled brightly and said, “Ahaha, I sound like I’m showing off…” while scratching her cheek with her finger.

Watching her… I felt something welling up inside me.

“Reika.”

“Yes?”

“You’re lying, aren’t you?”

“…Eh?”

Reika’s eyes trembled slightly when she heard my words.

But… I had no intention of taking back what I’d said.

“Is that really enough for you? If you can become a hero, are you satisfied with just that?”

“Huh? Well… th-that would be my reason for existing—”

“No, Reika. People don’t have reasons for existing. We simply exist because we were born and continue to exist.”

“…!”

Reika looked at me in shock after hearing my words.

This might be a very radical idea in this era, but… I really wanted to tell her this now.

“I acknowledge that Reika as a magician is amazing. With your power, you could probably establish peace in this land, just as Ginor said. But that doesn’t mean you have to be a magician. If there’s something else you want to do, you can choose that instead. I don’t think anyone has the right to criticize you for not following the path of a magician. Reika who isn’t a magician is still Reika. That alone has enough value.”

“Ah…”

After saying this, I inwardly laughed at myself.

Though I spoke these words as if I knew better, wasn’t it ironic?

The very reason I approached Reika in the first place was because she would become a powerful magician in the future.

Yet here I was, telling her “you don’t need to follow the path of a magician.”

Why exactly did I feel that surge of emotion when I saw her expression?

Was it because I saw Irene in her?

While I was confused by the words I had unconsciously spoken—

Her timid voice reached my ears once again.

“Um… th-that. Um…”

Just like before, she lowered her head…

With a bright red face, she carefully spoke to me.

“Th-thank… you.”

“…”

I was clearly going to say something like “It’s nothing, don’t mention it”—

But somehow, those words wouldn’t come out.

Instead of speaking, I did the same thing Reika did.

I lowered my head and remained silent.

As an awkward silence filled the carriage—

With perfect timing, a soldier’s voice was heard.

“We have arrived, Swen.”

Phew.

Wiping away the cold sweat that had somehow formed, I looked at Reika and said:

“…Shall we get out?”

“Ah, y-yes…!”

*

“This is…”

This was in front of a watchtower outside the Hisfil Castle walls.

This watchtower was where archers would position themselves during a siege, but since there was no battle currently, it was completely empty.

There were many such watchtowers installed on the castle walls, and I had correctly guessed that this one would be empty because its location was relatively awkward for posting guards.

Well, if there had been people here, I had other plans anyway.

“Reika. Do you see that watchtower?”

“Ah, yes…!”

“I need you to destroy that watchtower.”

“What…?”

That’s right.

The decisive reason I brought Reika.

It was to create a situation where “something problematic has happened at Hisfil Castle.”

To create false propaganda, you need a plausible truth to support it.

After all, propaganda itself doesn’t exert its true power unless you mix a few drops of truth into a sea of lies.

[Hisfil Castle’s watchtower collapses] -> [The soldiers inside the castle are surprised and report this to the royal castle] -> [We send one of our soldiers as a spy to inform the enemy] -> [After cross-checking with the report from the soldier who came from the castle, they sense that something has happened and retreat for now.]

This was my version of the “Empty Fort Strategy.”

In fact, since a watchtower suddenly collapsing was actually happening, it wasn’t completely an empty fort strategy—

But no matter how mysterious the incident, it wasn’t something that would cause an army to retreat.

That’s why the spy’s role was important.

If we spread rumors dramatically, like “a rebellion is about to break out in the castle,” we might be able to pull it off.

‘Since my intelligence stat is 100, I hope that influences the success rate of this strategy.’

Most likely, it won’t work that way.

It never has before.

I explained this plan roughly to Reika.

Reika nodded, looked at the watchtower a few times… and then opened her lips.

“…Yes. I think I can do it. Destroying a watchtower of that size…”

“As expected of Lady Reika. You’re reliable.”

“R-really? Hehe… thank you.”

After that, I explained my strategy to the guards as well.

Once the watchtower was destroyed and commotion arose, they would infiltrate the enemy camp.

The armor they wore had Serpina’s army insignia engraved on it, so they would almost certainly be believed.

“Understood. We’ll keep that in mind.”

Good.

Now that the explanation was over, all that remained was to begin.

“Reika. I’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes…!”

Reika nodded, slowly closed her eyes, and then stretched out her hand to concentrate… without much difficulty, she created a fireball above her palm.

Now I just need to wait until she grows it to a usable size— I thought at that moment.

‘Huh?’

I realized something was making my vision dazzle and turned my head.

The rapier hanging at my waist… was suddenly glowing brightly.

‘What? Why is it doing this?’

Never having experienced this before, I drew the rapier from my waist.

The green ceremonial rapier was now shining more intensely than sunlight.

And the moment I drew it.

“Uh, uh…?!”

Reika, who had been concentrating on gathering the fireball, suddenly seemed surprised.

The fireball in her hand… flew toward where I was standing.

No, to be precise, it began gathering at the tip of the rapier I was holding.

“Huh? Swen?”

“Wh-what’s going on?!”

Whoosh!

I stumbled back, unable to properly comprehend the situation.

Actually, this “stumbling” was almost forced upon me.

The fireball caught on the tip of the rapier began burning at the end of the blade and started growing exponentially.

“Wh-wh-what?!”

An unexpected situation.

I was startled and shook the rapier as if trying to shake it off.

Yes. I truly had no idea what was about to happen at this point.

Swoosh!

As I shook the rapier, the now enormous fireball left its tip and headed at high speed toward the walls of Hisfil Castle.

Wait, it should be aimed at the watchtower, not the wall!

Even if Reika’s magic had strengthened, a fireball powerful enough to destroy a few wooden structures would at most scorch the castle wall.

If I had been in a more relaxed situation, I might have had such thoughts.

Of course.

Reality had no intention of giving me such leisure.

BOOM!!!!!!

“…!!!!!”

The massive fireball that flew from the tip of my rapier struck the wall of Hisfil Castle.

With a tremendous roar, fierce smoke blocked our view.

And… after some time had passed.

Carefully opening our eyes, an unbelievable sight unfolded before us.

“This… this is…!”

In the wall protecting Hisfil Castle…

There was now a clean, massive circular hole.