Book 9: Chapter 29

「Get blown awayyy!!」

「Attack Guard!」

Olred’s gigantic battleaxe and the Shields of Light knights’ Attack Guard clashed.

Making a violent sound, Olred’s battleaxe was repelled, however, in the next instant, Olred’s battleaxe struck it once again.

The sturdy Attack Guard continued to repel Olred’s axe, but by doing that, the Shields of Light knights’ advance also came to a stop.

They were able to surround Olred, but as long as there was the other young girl as an enemy, they needed to protect the Staves of Light knights behind them from the young girl. In other words, there was a need for them to become a 「wall」.

In cases like this, the fighting style of immediately cancelling the Attack Guard to attack and then re-deploying the Attack Guard was the usual measure to take, and if they were to take this tactic, then let alone an Ogre, even if the opponent were an Earth Element, they would be able to win without taking a single injury.

But, when faced with Olred’s intense and boisterous dance, they didn’t have the time to cancel the Attack Guard and move in for a counterattack.

Although it was for times like this that the Shields of Light knights’ heavy equipment armor was for, their experience was telling them that they couldn’t cancel the Attack Guard right now. At the same time, it also meant that their own progress would stop.

At a glance, it would look like they were in a stalemate situation, but in fact, they each had a secret plan to open up a breakthrough.

For Olred, if he were to use a Magic Sword, he would be able to easily break through the Attack Guard.

However, since he would kill the knights if he were to make a mistake in force, if he was going to keep to the plan of not killing as many as possible, it would be safer to not use the Magic Sword.

On the other hand, for the Shields of Light Chivalric Order, they were thinking that if they could buy some time, then the large magic that the Staves of Light Chivalric Order was chanting would bring down the enemy this time for sure.

Since the commander of the Shields of Light Chivalric Order went to the rear garden, and the vice-commander headed to the main gate, they weren’t here, but at the very least the commander of the Staves of Light Chivalric Order was here. Recently, there were rumors that his personality had become even more twisted, but he was a person who had skills that they could trust in.

「Endure it, if we endure here, it’ll be our win!」

「Ha, you sure you can do it, oi!」

Behind the Shields of Light knights that desperately strained their magical power to defend against Olred’s gigantic battleaxe that he swung with enough force to break the Attack Guard, the Staves of Light knights continued their chant.

「……Let a contract of freezing form here, and call upon a time of sleep in the world.」

「In the crystal city, any and all things stop their movements, and therefore any and all strife will meet their demise.」

「This is the desired end of war, this is the undesired peace.」

「Come forth, knights of freezing. Hold your swords and spears, and suppress this place.」

「Anything and everything, freeze.」

「Come forth……Rishal Realm (Crystal City)」

Ice and snow that had arrows of ice mixed in was fired towards Olred’s group and looked as if it avoided the Shields of Light knights.

The visibility obstructing intense 「white」 had filled up almost half of the reception hall without leaving any gaps……And with almost the same timing as that, a strong 「red」――explosive flames were born within the ice and snow.

「Wha……Uoooh!? Magic Guard, Fire!」

One of the Shields of Light knights that let their guard down had cancelled his Attack Guard due to his surprise, and deployed a Magic Guard Fire.

But, the explosive flame wasn’t directed towards the Shields of Light knights, and once again, 「white」 buried their view.

「……That just now」

「Was it, a useless resistance……?」

Rishal Realm was a magic that boasted a considerably high degree of difficulty even among the magic of the Freezing group.

The ice and snow that would fill up the area within a visible range would seal and freeze the opponent’s movements, and furthermore, the spears of ice would pierce their body.

If it was completed, it would break even a Magic Guard, and this large magic that would suppress the opponent without allowing them to resist was invoked by the several Staves of Light knights that were here.

If the opponent wasn’t defeated with this, then they exceeded the human limits.

「……」

Before long, the view of white vanished, and someone went *gokuri* and gulped.

The Shields of Light knights took a stance without lowering their shields, and even the Staves of Light knights pointed their staves forward.

And then, what appeared at the ends of their gazes……was a forest of countless ice pillars.

Not a sound was made from that which looked like crystal pillars.

「Did we, defeat them?」

「There’s no way they would be alive in this situation……but……」

However, even the knights knew that carelessness was fatal.

The Shields of Light knights readied their halberds and advanced to try breaking each and every ice pillar……And it was there that they were stopped by Chester.

「Hold it right there. There is no need for that.」

「Ha? B, but……」

「Whether they are alive or not, it is impossible to pass through these ice pillars that pierce through even the ceiling without leaving any sort of traces. Considering the fact that there are other intruders as well, there is no reason to go out of our way to break these right now.」

「R, right.」

The Shields of Light knights nodded despite being somewhat unable to consent to that, and a superior officer knight among them turned around to face Chester.

「However, Chester-sama. If we do not confirm their life or death, there is the chance of the worst case happening.」

「If that worst case were to happen, then instead, you all being here would just be a bother. Are you unable to understand unless I explain it that far?」

「Guh……」

「As for me, I don’t want to say something like this. If it bothers you that much, I will remain here, so everyone else should head up to the upper floors as reinforcements. They are still in the middle of battle, you know?」

After realizing that hustle and bustle could be heard, the Shields of Light knights saluted and ran up the hall’s stairs.

Chester gave the order to go outside to the remaining Staves of Light knights, and the Staves of Light knights went out to the garden in front of the main gate from the door without any opposition to it.

「……Now then.」

Chester, who remained alone in the hall that regained its silence, grinned and began a chant.

「Stoking the fire of origin here. Blaze, and burn away the impurity……Geomugias (field of cleansing fire)」

The small flames spread out like a grassy field that swayed in the wind, and melted the ice that filled the hall.

When it did, he discovered that there was a hole that looked like it had been melted away in a part of the wall.

Chester’s smile intensified even more.

「Ku……kufufu. You really are as good as I thought. To immediately perceive a magic’s weakness, that is a sign of having thorough knowledge of magic. Immediately forming a countermeasure, that is proof of having that much ability. Ahh……this is truly nice. It’s the best……!」

Displaying a smile of ecstasy, Chester gazed at the door that continued further into the castle.

「……They most likely won’t go to the floor upstairs……In that case, fumu.」

Muttering that, Chester quietly started walking.