CH 78

「What do we do, Inglis!? Are you gonna hit it with the same light ball thingy again!?」 「Hmm, that would be hard——」

Inglis shook her head at Lahti’s question. It became clear after she fired Ether Strike; While she could evaporate a single Flygear Carrier, the technique was too lacking in power to completely engulf the huge ship.

Even if she hypothetically launched Ether Strike at it, it would only pass through the hull, leaving huge chunks of wreckage free falling. The situation would only worsen then. Not to mention that she had fired Ether Strike two times today, Inglis was highly doubtful if she could squeeze out a third.

And in case that she fired a third round of Ether Strike, it would unquestionably be less powerful than the last one she launched.

「W-, what do we do then!?」 「Let’s get closer to the ground. We’ll think about it after we estimate where it will crash into.」

If the ship were to crash into an empty lot or open space, it would pose no problem. If it were to crash into a shopping or a residential area, then they would need to either stop it or divert it from its trajectory.

「So, if it’s a safe place to crash, we’ll let it be?」 「Yeah, Rani. It’s also possible that it’ll fall outside the city and into the lake.」 「But what do we do if it is right in the middle of the capital?」 「Either we stop it or we change the falling trajectory. At any rate, we need to get down, there’s no good footing up here.」 「I see. I understand now.」 「And if we’re fast enough to call for an evacuation, it might be still affordable!」

Even Pullum, who was usually quiet, had a stern expression.

「’Kay then, maximum speed to the ground!」

The Flygear Lahti piloted dove towards the ground at breakneck speed. With his natural grasp of 3D space, he anticipated the point of the crash, and its ultimate destination was—

「…… It’ll fall around here!」 「This is a terrible place to crash.」 「Yeah, the worst one!」 「We have to do something about it!」

What stood in front of them was the very heart of the Royal Capital—the Royal Castle itself. Predicting from its trajectory, the flying ship apparently would fall right in the middle of the city. And its smoky figure was, in fact, getting bigger by the second passed.

「Oi, run quick! Something huge is falling from above!」

Lahti called to the castle’s gatekeepers, his voice loud. The soldiers panicked and ran about, all without direction. In no time at all, chaos took place within the castle walls.

「You two, please continue to warn the others, we’ll get down here. Let’s go, Rani, Leone.」

Inglis stated, jumping off to the Royal Castle’s gate.

「Yeah, Glis!」 「Sure, let’s go!」

Rafinha and Leone followed suit.

「Me too——!」 「You’re not going anywhere!」

Pullum showed the intention to enter the fray as well, but Lahti stopped her.

「Why did you stop me, I can still support——」 「You can do that without getting off! Just don’t go anywhere!」 「But, everyone gets down, fully knowing the danger……」 「It’s all right. Lahti stops you because he’s worried about you, Pullum. Just stay on the Flygear.」 「Wah! Is that true, Lahti!?」 「Shut the damn up! It’s no time for that!!」

Just in time after Inglis group’s descent, several other Flygears gathered. Putting aside Lahti and Pullum, Inglis called out to the Flygear troops.

「Everyone too, please help with the evacuation!」 「Aah, roger that!」

The gathered vessels scattered in the air. The only thing left was to deal with the falling ship, somehow.

「Those two are so dreamy—Aa~ah, I want a boyfriend too……」 「Not even one in a million chances. It’s still too early for you, Rani. You can’t.」 「You sure it’s time for chit-chat!? What are gonna do about that!?」 「Well, it’s Glis’ suggestion, so it’ll be sorted out somehow——Right, Glis?」 「Yeah. We have you after all, Leone.」 「Me?」 「Yup. Even if I were to stop that, if we wait for it to come close enough for me to reach, it’ll be too late all the same. That is why, we’ll strike it while it’s still a bit higher in the air and drop it around there——」

The spot Inglis’ finger pointed to was a wharf at the edge of the castle grounds. There was a waterway drawn towards it from the lake so they could sail into the lake directly from the castle. Rather than letting the ship crash on the Royal Castle and the people in it, letting it drop on the water canals would cause less damage.

「Strike? I see, if I extend my blade, then……!!」 「Yeah, that’s what I mean. Can you enlarge it to its limit? The bigger it is, the easier to swing it at the ship.」 「And to swing it, we combine our strengths, right?」 「Doing it alone is just impossible, but——」 「If it’s the three of us, then it could work. After all, Glis is such a superhuman!」 「The two of you are quite the superhumans as well when putting on your Artifacts, you know that.」 「——At any rate, we’re doing it!」

As Leone tightened her grip onto the Artifact, the great sword’s width and length increased by leaps and bounds.

「——This is the biggest it can get! Though I wish it can get bigger……!」

The blade was as wide as several adults with their hands outstretched, and high enough to reach the roof of the castle, but—— To thwart a ship that enormous, Inglis wouldn’t lie that she’d hoped to have a bigger tool in hand.

「Leave it to me!」

The Artifact carried by Pullum who rode Lahti’s Flygear was not a weapon. It was a glittery Lyre, sparkling in the color of silver. When Pullum plucked its strings, both Leone’s and Rafinha’s Artifacts were enveloped in a thin film of light, along with a beautiful melody that accompanied it.

Apparently, the tone released by Pullum’s Artifact had the effect of strengthening the performance of the surrounding Artifacts. An Artifact to support allies, so to be said. Although Inglis had learned of it through Rafinha, who was in the same division as Pullum, it was the first time Inglis saw it in action in person.

「Thank you——! I can make it bigger with this!!」

The length and the width of Leone’s great sword expanded to nearly double the size. Her own strength to wield the sword seemed to have been enhanced as well. Same with Rafinha, her physical prowess should’ve increased too. It didn’t affect Inglis at all since she didn’t own any Artifacts, but having Rafinha and Leone getting stronger was more than welcome.

「It’s here already——Rani, Leone, are you ready?」

The ship was already close-by.

「Yeah, let’s do this!」 「Here we go!」

The three of them clutched tight onto the hilt of Leone’s gigantified sword.