Chapter VI: Inglis, Age 15—Orders to Defend the Hieral Menace (6)
“Hey, new girls! Can you get this one next?”
“Okay!” Inglis and Rafinha, dressed in maid outfits, cheerfully replied as they left the palace’s kitchen pulling a wagon laden down with platters. Transporting food to the hall where the party would be held was a simple task. They were day laborers employed only for the busy event, so it was about all they were entrusted with. Even so, they were having a lot of fun.
“Wooow! It looks so good. It smells so good!” Rafinha said.
Inglis readily agreed. “The palace’s food is in a class of its own!”
The vivid colors, the sophisticated aromas, the complex flavors—they were all thanks to the skills of the finest chefs using the finest ingredients. The food at the knights’ academy wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t this.
“Ah, Rani, slow down. You’re eating away at the mountain of shrimp.”
“What about you, Chris? You’re eating a lot of that sliced meat. That’s no good.”
The long hallway facing the courtyard afforded the pair many opportunities for snacking away from watchful eyes. They were quite aware that they weren’t there to eat, but the party for welcoming the Highland ambassador would be cut short by the Steelblood Front’s attack anyway. Surely, the food would be better off not going to waste.
Vrrrm... Vrrrm...
A low throb echoed from far away. It was coming from above—far, far above. A Highland flying battleship revealed itself in the skies, as if piercing through the sunset-tinged clouds.
“Wow, that’s a big ship. As big as Theodore’s, maybe even bigger,” Rafinha remarked.
“I wonder who’s in charge of such a large ship.”
“Hopefully a nice person like Theodore or Cyrene,” Rafinha said, nervous. “After all, we’re supposed to protect them...”
Inglis and Rafinha were in the middle of an undercover mission to protect the king and the Highland ambassador from the Steelblood Front’s attack. Neither the royal court nor the Royal Guard had been informed of the attack, a decision of Principal Miriela’s that Inglis agreed with.
“But if it’s someone like Rahl or Muenthe...then there’s no real point in protecting them, hmm...” Rafinha said.
“Now that I think of it, we’ve never actually seen His Majesty, have we?”
“You’re right. What if he’s a mean person too? He doesn’t get along well with Prince Wayne, but the prince is so nice...”
“Ha ha ha. I suppose.” Inglis thought that was a bit of a naive observation. By Rafinha’s reasoning, what made people incompatible was only if one was good and one was bad. But really, whether the people involved were good or bad, their conflicts would stem from their positions and thinking. What mattered was their chemistry, not whether they were good or bad.
“Well, I’m fine either way. There’ll be plenty of other people to fight,” Inglis said.
The fact that Leone and Liselotte had spotted the man in the black mask, Sistia, and Leon suggested that the trio would make an appearance. An aether user, a hieral menace, and a former holy knight...
Today Inglis would meet them on the same battlefield and take them all on at once. It was wonderful. Once she captured them, she planned to immediately return to the knights’ academy, where she would rejoin the squad led by Principal Miriela and Silva to wipe out the magicite beasts summoned by Ripple. Inglis would have the opportunity to fight tons of magicite beasts there, maybe even strong ones she’d never seen before.
She chuckled to herself. “I can’t wait. It’s my first chance in a long time to really let loose.”
“You never change, Chris. Even I’m a little bit nervous about this one.”
“Rani, you should learn to appreciate the simple pleasures of a good fight. There are strong enemies. Fight them. Enjoy the challenge. That’s all you really need to think about.”
“Uhhh... I think there’s more to it than that... But oh well, I guess that’s just how you are.”
Preparations continued for the party as the day went on. Many people lined up in the hall: the party attendees, the musicians who would fill the hall with music, the knights to guard everyone, and even Inglis and Rafinha were there. They waited at the edge of the hall, ready to serve.
A middle-aged man in a luxurious gown made his leisurely entrance. He was tall and strong, with a scattering of white in his hair. The magnificent scepter held in his hand made his position clear. At his side was Reddas, captain of the Royal Guard.
“Ah, His Majesty makes his entrance!”
“King Carlias...!”
“Long live the king!”
Cheers echoed throughout the hall. From what Inglis and Rafinha could see, King Carlias seemed to have a dignified, well-liked presence. Inglis noticed something even more spectacular, though.
“Huh... His Majesty has a special-class Rune.”
The gleam from the king’s right hand was unmistakable.
“Yeah, so he must be strong. Protecting him should be a piece of cake!”
“That won’t necessarily be the case. As a king, he probably doesn’t have much free time to practice.” Based on Inglis’s experiences in her past life, that was definitely true if he took his role as king seriously. Some sacrifices were unavoidable when you were a king.
“Huh? This is unusual. You haven’t said you want to fight him.”
“I haven’t said I don’t want to fight him either.”
Rafinha stared at her. “That’s not a good idea, is it? If we get the chance to talk to him, please don’t say anything weird.”
King Carlias addressed the people around him. “It pleases me to receive an ambassador from Highland this evening. The ambassador has promised to send us a new hieral menace in response to the condition ours suffers. With this opportunity, the future of our nation will become yet more prosperous.” His words, delivered with scepter raised, were met with applause.
“What about Ahlemin and Charot?!” Rafinha exclaimed, worried. “He didn’t say anything at all about them—wait, is everything okay now, so they won’t be handed over after all?”
“I don’t think so. At times like these, it’s normal to speak of accomplishments only, not what turned out poorly.”
“Well, that’s not nice.”
Rafinha’s disapproval was precious. Inglis smiled.
“Then, I direct your attention to the ambassador from Highland. Everyone, please join me in a warm welcome.” King Carlias turned to the hall’s entrance.
As everyone else followed, someone with the stigmata of a Highlander on his brow entered. His eyes were different colors—one red, one blue. His hair was a pale white, except for two tufts in the front that matched the colors of his eyes. He wore elaborately decorated armor—but within it was someone of small stature.
“Is he...a child?” Inglis said.
This young Highlander boy appears to be around ten years old, she thought.
“Wow, he’s cute. His eyes and hair are beautiful,” Rafinha said.
“Agreed.” Inglis nodded. Rafinha was right; he was a beautiful boy.
“Let me introduce him,” the king began. “This is the Highland ambassador, Lord Ivel. He’s still young, but he is a great Highland general. This is the first time even I have met a Highlander of such great status.”
“Wow, impressive.”
“Then, this kid is even stronger than the usual ambassadors sent here?”
“So he’s a big shot already...”
Ivel snorted at the crowd’s buzz. “The ambassadors sent to the surface are mere diplomats. Don’t compare them to an archlord such as I, entrusted with His Holiness the Pontifex’s armies.”
Rafinha pouted. “I take that back. He’s not cute at all.”
“Agreed.” Inglis nodded again.
The other attendees were plenty pleased, though.
“How wonderful!”
“It’s an honor to meet him!”
“I’ll remember this for the rest of my life!”
Rafinha grimaced. “I don’t like this. A kid’s talking high and mighty, and everyone here’s fawning over him...”
“Agreed.” Inglis nodded yet again.
“C’mon, actually listen to me, Chris!”
“Huh? I was listening! Why are you angry?”
“You weren’t! You were just nodding and ignoring me!”
“Well, what else was I going to say...?”
There wasn’t anything else for her to say, was there? Inglis was sure it wasn’t in response to looking at them, but Archlord Ivel began to laugh.
“Bwa ha ha ha ha! How ridiculous! Such shameful wretches you are. It’s not as though you don’t know that replacing your defective hieral menace comes at the cost of two cities. Are you truly so willing to sell the lives and properties of your own kin? Why do you smile? Why do you wag your tails and curry favor with I, your plunderer? Your psychology fascinates me.” Ivel arched his shoulders, heartfelt amusement on his face.
“Well, that’s annoying, but it’s not off the mark.”
“Agreed,” Inglis repeated. This time, Rafinha didn’t get mad.
“I suppose you don’t care as long as the price doesn’t fall upon you? Ha ha ha... How cruel, when tomorrow it will be your turn, fools. There’s one word for you—ignorant,” the ambassador ranted.
As could be expected, a chill fell over the hall, and all were silent. Still, Ivel continued.
“But that’s quite well. The people of Highland are fools as well. They don’t know, or want to know, of the dispossessed like you at their feet. They simply can’t imagine life outside of their cozy little boxes. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. For me, it’s much easier to work with the ignorant. As long as I can accomplish my mission for His Holiness, that’s all that matters. I thank you for being such fools.” He gave a polite bow; the gesture dripped with irony.
“Ha ha ha ha! No need to thank us, Lord Ivel. We truly are such fools! After all, that includes even I, the king. Thank you so much for your continued guidance and discipline.” King Carlias smiled broadly while bowing to Ivel in an exaggerated manner. As he did, he prompted those surrounding him to do the same with his eyes.
“Th-Thank you so much!” Following the king’s example, the others also bowed deeply.
“I don’t want to watch this. It’s humiliating,” Rafinha said.
“Really? I find it kind of interesting.”
Rafinha was right, though; the scene was hard to watch. But the normal human reaction would be to get angry, not cower in humiliation. Be too angry to speak, or raise one’s voice to argue. King Carlias’s reaction was not normal. To go along with the situation as if everything was fine meant he either lacked a human heart or had great faith that things would work out. Either motivation was a fascinating prospect.
“Bwa ha... And you, the king, are quite the amusing fool...” Ivel’s lips curled into a smile.
Crshshsh!
The windows of the hall shattered as something huge flew in—a gigantic winged lizard. Its body shone with gemlike chunks of ore.
“A magicite beast?!”
As cries bound around the hall, magicite beasts in the form of a crow and a winged insect also appeared. From another entrance came dog and rat monsters. Screams rang out from all directions, not just from the hall.
“Here it is! The Steelblood Front’s attack! Let’s go, Chris!” Rafinha looked around. “Huh? Chris...?”
Although she had been right by Rafinha’s side, Inglis was gone now.
Then shouts from the knights got Rafinha’s attention. “Wait, that’s dangerous! What are you going to do bare-handed?!”
“What are you doing?! Get back!”
“No! Stop her!”
“Stop that maid!”
Inglis had already rushed into the midst of the intruding magicite beasts. The winged lizard loomed over her, opening its mouth wide. It was about to chomp down.
“Haaaah!” Inglis nimbly leaped up, avoiding its fangs. Her jump carried her precisely up to the level of the beast’s head. With a flowing somersault forward, she brought her heel down on the crown of its skull.
Bammmmmm!
The force of the blow was enough to cave its head in and bring it flat to the ground.
“What?!” the knights yelled in unison.
Such a lovely form had brought forth such loud blows, leaving the creature in a crumpled state; the power from her delicate frame was unimaginable to the knights. Their eyes went wide.
Inglis suddenly disappeared from their vision. From flat-footed, she leaped again, even higher, easily soaring above the winged insect magicite beast near the ceiling. She smashed it in another direction with a roundhouse kick and shot herself into melee range of the crow magicite beast. She moved with the strength of a powerful water rapid.
“Whoooa! She’s so fast!”
“And her movements are so beautiful!”
“Is that girl really just a maid?!”
With the voices of the knights behind her, she gripped the crow magicite beast’s beak in her hands.
“Mind lending a hand?” she called out.
She swung the magicite beast around while landing among the dogs and rats which had appeared at the entrance. “There!” Inglis flung the crow magicite beast toward the others, smashing them over the heads of the knights.
“H-How is she so strong?!”
“She doesn’t have an Artifact! She’s doing this bare-handed!”
“No, look! She doesn’t even have a Rune!”
The magicite beasts piled on top of the lizard and insect magicite beasts she’d previously beaten on. She then threw the crow she was gripping, completing the pile. “As a maid, it’s my responsibility to keep the hall clean and tidy.” Inglis smiled and bowed to the knights.
“Her strength, her speed, her technique... Amazing...”
“And that’s not all...”
“She’s beautiful!” the knights yelled together.
The knights were distracted, but Inglis was already calling out to Rafinha. “Rani! Finish them off for me!”
Inglis’s physical attacks were strong, but they couldn’t finish off magicite beasts. This was precisely why people on the surface depended on Highland’s Artifacts. Inglis had stunned the creatures, but they’d recover if left alone.
“Got it, Chris!” Rafinha pulled on the string of her Artifact bow.
Whoosh!
The thin arrows of light rained down on the heap of magicite beasts. Rafinha’s single attack finished them all off.
“Thanks, Rani.”
“You’re welcome.”
Inglis and Rafinha exchanged smiles, and Reddas, who was standing by the king’s side, seemed to notice. “You... You’re Inglis from the knights’ academy?! And Sir Rafael’s little sister—what are you doing here?”
“We had the day off, so we picked up a part-time job,” Inglis answered.
“We love going out to eat, so we wanted some money to put toward that!” Rafinha said.
Inglis and Rafinha were, of course, not telling the whole truth. They both gave charming smiles to smooth things over further.
Luckily, Reddas had no particular suspicions. “Hmm, I see... Anyway, thank you for your assistance. I don’t know how you two did it, but you have talent!” He laughed heartily.
“That’s a grand compliment. Thank you, but please be careful. I don’t think this is the end of them,” Inglis warned.
The Steelblood Front’s Prism Powder was likely responsible for all the magicite beasts. The Prism Flow wasn’t falling, so this had to have been orchestrated. One of the Steelblood members had probably scattered Prism Powder throughout the castle. The black-masked man had even known the details of the negotiations between King Carlias and Archlord Ivel. Inglis didn’t know who it was, but someone in this palace—someone in a very high position—was working with the Steelblood Front. These magicite beasts were just the first act. From where would the next blow strike?
“I know! Royal Guard! To arms! Surround His Majesty and the ambassador! Seal the doors! Prepare for attacks through the windows!” Reddas ordered.
“Yessir!” At Reddas’s orders, the knights immediately sprang to action.
“Hmph. How dismal...” As Ivel chuckled scornfully, a knight who had moved to his side drew a glittering light-blue Artifact dagger.
“For justice!” The knight threw himself at Ivel from his blind spot. The Steelblood Front collaborator was already present!
“No! Stop him!” King Carlias called out.
“Understood.” Inglis slipped between the knight and Ivel, catching the Artifact dagger with one hand.
“Ugh...! Let me go! The Highlanders who prey on the surface must be eliminated!”
“Sorry, but I have things I need to protect too.” There was her promise to Principal Miriela, for one. If Inglis protected King Carlias and the ambassador, her days of free meals at the cafeteria would be extended—that was something she couldn’t afford to lose.
“You there—this is none of your business. Did you really think a weakling like him had a chance?” Ivel spat.
“Ah, my apologies.”
“Well, I suppose this is fine. Keep him restrained.”
Ivel held his index and middle fingers together. From their tips, a strange dark light began to glow. He carefully raised his hand as if using his two fingers to draw through the assassin’s body.
“Agh...?! Aggggghhh!” The assassin’s body split in half, spraying blood as it fell to the floor.
Gasps arose from the surrounding knights, both in awe at the high-ranking Highlander who had cut a human in half bare-handed and in fear of how horrifically the assassin had died.
Because Inglis was standing so close, the assassin’s blood fell on her face and hair.
“Chris! Are you okay?” Rafinha rushed to her and wiped Inglis’s face with a handkerchief.
“Ah, yeah. Don’t worry.”
Ivel smirked. “Hmph. You’ve got a lot of guts to stand being sprayed with blood like that. Most of the men are terrified.”
“You honor me, sir.” Inglis bowed politely.
Never mind the blood—Ivel’s power was fascinating. She’d felt something like mana, so it was probably some sort of magic, but it was so complex that she hadn’t been able to grasp how it worked from witnessing it once. It seemed to be faster, stronger, and more refined than the flows that powered normal magic or Artifacts. However, not understanding it was a good sign; it showed that he was someone strong and formidable. Inglis didn’t realize it, but a grin drifted to her face.
“What reason do you have to smile? Are you someone who smiles when they’re angry?” Ivel asked.
“No. But as a maid, am I not supposed to greet a guest with a smile?” A decent excuse, if I do say so myself.
But even if Inglis wasn’t angry, Rafinha was. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?! That’s in bad taste!”
“Really? I’d say that inviting someone, only to try to kill them, is in bad taste,” Ivel said. He shifted his attention to King Carlias. “And you, King. Was that your reckless attempt at luring me into your territory to strike me down?”
“O-Of course not! This is not the will of my country!” King Carlias protested.
“I-Indeed! Recently, ruffians known as the Steelblood Front have run rampant over the surface! What just happened may have been one of their plots...” Reddas followed.
“It’s as he says! It’s shameful for a king to allow such a group to run wild, but...” King Carlias continued to plead.
“Hmph... I guess I can believe that. But that presents its own problem, doesn’t it? You’ve endangered the precious ambassador from Highland through your own incompetence. How do you plan on atoning for that crime?” Ivel asked.
“I, Carlias, shall accept any punishment. By all means, I beg your pardon.” He bowed deeply before Ivel, his head held low—nearly low enough to touch the floor.
“Y-Your Majesty!” Seeing their own king debase himself, the knights had indescribably conflicted expressions.
Rafinha was silent as well, but her eyes were full of sadness.
That wasn’t enough to remove the cruel smile from Ivel’s face. “Weak. That isn’t enough, you so-called king. Accepting apologies is only for when both sides are equal, and you—you are not Highland’s equal. You’re nothing more than the leader of a herd of livestock. And those of us above livestock decide what to do with you, right? So...” Ivel quickly brushed across King Carlias’s right shoulder, his fingertips swathed in a strange light—
“Gwahhhh!” The king’s arm fell to the ground with a thud, spurting blood.
“One arm. I’ll take that as an apology.” Ivel’s smile was as pleased as it was repugnant.
“Y-Your Majestyyy!”
“You bastaaard!”
“Even if you’re a Highland ambassador...!”
“There are still some things you can’t do!”
The knights surrounded Ivel in a frenzy. They had put up with his behavior before, but this had passed the limit of what they would endure.
“Oh? So you were trying to trick and assassinate me?” Ivel asked.
Reddas, in a rage, drew his sword and thrust it at Ivel. “Silence! I will not allow anyone to injure my king!”
“Stop! Silence, everyone! Anyone who does not stay their hand shall be put to death in my name!” King Carlias’s voice echoed to the knights through the hall.
“Wh— Yes, my liege!” Reddas and the knights flinched as if his words were a splash of cold water.
“L-Lord Ivel... I thank you for your magnanimous treatment.” Even missing an arm, King Carlias continued to bow his head to Ivel.
“Your Majesty...” Tears of pity or frustration welled up in the eyes of the knights.
“Ha ha ha... Very well. I forgive your failure. But you will be sure to protect me properly going forward, I presume.” Ivel nodded, self-satisfied.
Rafinha and Inglis whispered to each other, in voices too quiet for anyone else to hear.
“Hey, Chris...”
“Yeah?”
“Is this really okay? Is this right? This kind of—”
“To each their own. If you think it’s just, it’s just.”
Inglis, personally, could sense a certain kind of firm conviction from King Carlias, who was willing to cast away his status and pride as a king, even to the regretful tears of his knights. No matter how hard he was trampled on, he would maintain absolute obedience to Highland to keep his country and its people alive. She knew that much from watching him. He definitely wouldn’t be able to reconcile this belief with those of Prince Wayne, who seemed intent on building power on the surface and reducing their dependence on Highland. What result would that contradiction bring? One, surely, that each of them should struggle for.
Nonetheless, it didn’t involve Inglis. This new era had to be defined by its own people.
“More importantly, Rani, there’s something you need to hurry to.”
“Huh...? What?”
“This.” Inglis brushed a finger over King Carlias’s arm, lying on the floor. “Hurry, and you might still be able to stick this back on.”
Rafinha’s new Artifact had the power of healing. Rafinha nodded, her expression tense. “That’s right! I’ll do my best.”
Inglis nonchalantly picked up King Carlias’s arm. “Pardon me. Please hold still for a moment, Your Majesty.” Inglis pressed it to the wound, and the king grimaced.
“Ugh... What are you doing?!”
“We’re going to try to heal your wound. It may hurt, but please endure it.”
“What...?”
“C-Can you do it, Inglis?!” Reddas asked.
“Yes. Rani can—”
Rafinha had already activated the Gift, and her hand glowed with a healing light. “Yes! I can!”
Her hand brushed over the gap of the wound. Her expression was tense and nervous, probably because the wound was so horrific. Inglis had already experienced various situations like this one in her past life, so she was fine with pressing a severed limb to its wound, but this was new to Rafinha. Even when she had healed Silva, though his wounds had been deep, he hadn’t been dismembered.
However, her apprehension did not disturb her Gift. The two Gifts of her new Artifact each needed to be supplied with the proper wavelength of mana. In the case of Rafinha, when she used her Artifact without focusing, the Gift produced was the familiar rain of arrows of light. The new healing Gift was difficult to activate without significant concentration. But it shone, kindly yet strongly, unwaveringly. It seemed to reflect the strength inside Rafinha. Inglis was proud.
King Carlias’s wound began to heal slowly, from the outside first.
Reddas and the knights shouted in relief.
“Ah...!”
“His Majesty’s wound...!”
“It’s healing!”
“But...” King Carlias turned to look at Ivel.
Inglis knew what he wanted to say. And it would be cruel to make the wounded speak too long. So she spoke in King Carlias’s place. “Lord Ivel, do you mind if we continue to heal him?”
“Well... Hmm. I don’t really care.”
“Thank you.”
As Inglis bowed to Ivel, he stopped her. “Wait. I’d like something in exchange. Someone else’s arm—I want to see the king wag his tail and beg, and sacrifice someone for me. It’ll be so funny! Now, King, who will lose their arm for my amusement? Hurry up and tell me!”
“Ngh...! In that case, I need no healing! Not like this!” King Carlias protested.
“Such a shame. Your maids are working so hard for you. You can’t let that go to waste,” Ivel taunted.
“Please do not underestimate me! What’s an arm, compared to king and country?”
Reddas stepped forward—but Inglis quickly stopped him. “Wait. I’m the one speaking with Lord Ivel.” Leaving Reddas to support the king’s arm, she stepped forward. “Then take my arm. Let me see you cut it off.”
“Yours? You’re decently swift, but still, you’re just a Runeless. That would be worthless.”
“Oh, really.” Inglis smiled as she tilted her head. At the same time, she converted aether to mana and let it wash over herself. Surely a Highlander like Ivel would understand this—but his reaction was not what Inglis expected.
“Hmph. What are you grinning so proudly for? That’s ridiculous. You do seem to be able to manipulate some rather powerful mana without a Rune—but that’s quite amateurish, isn’t it?”
Even Eris and the others had been astonished by it, but Ivel was unmoved, his mocking smirk unperturbed. This was proof of his confidence. Inglis suddenly had to revise her assessment of him; he was powerful, indeed.
“Ah, I see! Still, if you want to cut off someone’s arm, take a swing at me!” Inglis’s gleaming smile seemed to perturb Ivel.
“What are you so pleased about?! Very well, I’ll cut off your arm. Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a woman! I hate women like you who have bodies that stick out in places!”
“Excellent, then!” Inglis could tell he wouldn’t hold back against her.
“Chris!” Rafinha called out, worried.
“Don’t worry, Rani. Keep healing His Majesty.” Inglis smiled at her reassuringly.
“Okay...!”
Ivel’s fingertips began to glow. “Bwa ha ha! I can’t wait to hear how you scream when your arm comes off!”
Inglis focused on the power swirling around Ivel’s fingers. “I knew it. That isn’t a simple flow of mana. Are those different wavelengths overlapping to create a new flow?” She could sense that the light was composed of a complex control of power. So this was why Ivel was so confident in declaring her mana amateurish.
“Don’t talk like you know anything! Now, scream for me as your arm comes off!” Ivel’s fingertips brushed over Inglis’s upper arm. It was the same fearsome attack that he had used on the assassin and King Carlias.
It made a small tear in her maid uniform.
“What?!” Ivel’s eyes widened in shock.
“Hey... That’s what he did before, wasn’t it?!”
“Yeah, it definitely was! But that maid girl—”
“She’s untouched!”
A buzz arose from the knights.
“Ahhh! Amazing! Incredible!”
However, Inglis’s eyes opened in shock. The power behind Ivel’s attack was higher than she’d expected. If he’d announced he was going to take her arm and had slowly used his technique, she could have easily defended against it.
In that moment, Inglis had consciously activated the aether in her body in response to Ivel’s movement and blocked it. She had held back her power while activating Aether Shell. By using less than half of what she usually did for the technique, she could increase her defense without the flashy glittering. It was a simple thing, but that level of control was thanks to her steady practice.
Previously, she had to use Aether Shell at its maximum strength. But right here, she’d had no intention of taking any damage to her clothes, never mind herself. She liked that maid uniform. She’d wanted to keep it in one piece. Yet, above her expectations, he had torn it. A high-ranking Highlander like this was not to be trifled with. It was almost praiseworthy.
However, Ivel seemed displeased. “What... What the hell?!” This time, the light covered not just his fingertips, but the entire edge of his hand. He swung his arm forcefully. It would probably be more powerful than the previous time. Then—
“Haaah!” With a short breath, Inglis fully activated Aether Shell. Her body was covered with glowing pale blue aether.
This time, his blow cut neither skin nor cloth.
“Grahhhhh!” Next, both his hands lit up.
So he can channel the complex wavelengths in two places at once. He’s talented, Inglis thought.
Ivel’s glowing hands struck Inglis over and over from all sides. Nonetheless, Inglis stood motionless and unharmed while wrapped in Aether Shell. The knights, only barely following their motions, were taken aback.
“What?! It’s not actually that powerful?”
“But we saw it cut a man in two. It even took His Majesty’s arm.”
“Maybe he can only keep up its strength for so long?”
A new wave of magicite beasts suddenly made their presence known in the hall. Around ten four-legged creatures appeared. That was a rather large group to handle together.
“So bothersome! Silence!” Ivel, irritated, swung a chop in their direction. Light flashed over the gap between them, and the magicite beasts were collectively cut in half in a single blow. The knights were transfixed by the sight.
“Wh—?!”
“No, it’s—!”
“Is it because that maid girl is just that amazing?!”
Having seen and taken Ivel’s attacks repeatedly, Inglis realized something. “Now I understand. You don’t just use mana, you use something like it but more powerful... Fascinating.”
From the perspective of someone who could use divine aether, mana was wasteful. In Ivel’s case, he was controlling something like mana, but it was much more efficient. She could consider it a sort of refined, higher-level mana. As a source of power, it lay between aether and mana. The basic idea of enhancing magic was to simply pump more mana into it. But in Ivel’s case, he could improve the mana, the source of magic, itself.
Inglis hadn’t seen a technique like this in her past life. If it continued to be advanced, it could even catch up with aether. I don’t know how much time has passed, but humanity has advanced.
It was wonderful. It was enthralling to witness.
“The technique is called Mana Refine! By forcing the mana wrapping around me to crash into itself before I then shave off its waste, I can increase the power’s purity and efficiency!”
“I see, so such a thing is possible... Amazing!”
Ivel, breathless, attacked furiously, but to no avail. “I don’t understand your power! I can tell you’re strong, but I don’t know why! Just what are you?!”
“I’m simply a maid.”
“What the hell... Don’t make fun of meee!”
Ivel put everything he had into one all-out attack. It struck Inglis’s chest, but her Aether Shell blocked it.
“Ughhh... Why won’t it work?”
“Pardon me. Even if you’re a child, it isn’t proper to keep your hand on a woman’s chest.”
Ivel had, unthinkingly, left his hand on Inglis’s breast. Inglis smiled and grabbed him by the wrist, twisting it away.
“Gwah...?!” Ivel’s face contorted in agony. Even from his perspective, Inglis’s power was overwhelming. He had no way to resist it.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Inglis released him. Even at this point, she wasn’t here to fight Ivel. She was here to receive the punishment of having her arm cut off. “Now, go ahead. Please remove my arm.”
“Wh—!”
To Ivel, this servant’s ladylike smile was terrifying. He couldn’t figure out what she was. She looked like a beautiful flower, but she was an extraordinary monster.
“Your name’s Inglis...? You don’t seem like a normal maid!”
There’s no way a monster who can withstand an archlord is a servant girl in some rock-pile on the surface! She must have some kind of background, some kind of purpose, Ivel thought, his mind racing. He assumed she was some new force prepared by the Triumvirate faction of Highland.
Technology improved constantly. It was possible that they’d created a weapon to surpass hieral menaces without him knowing. The Throne faction—unlike the Papal League, which valued doctrine and tradition—was exceptionally willing to innovate. In other words, they were nuisances whose intellectual curiosity outweighed considerations of safety and stability. The reason they were willing to drop the ban on granting arms like the Flygear to the surface so lightly came from a misplaced self-assurance that they’d be able to create yet higher performing weaponry and maintain the balance of power.
Ivel agreed, in a way—even if the world were turned upside down, humans from the surface would never be able to threaten Highland. But his master, the Pontifex, was more concerned. And to him, the Pontifex’s orders were absolute.
Plus, while the rubbish on the surface could not threaten them, their fellow Highlanders of the Throne faction could. In particular, Theodore, now the ambassador to this country, was a young engineer of much renown. He couldn’t reject the possibility that Inglis was a trap laid by Theodore and the Throne faction.
Is Theodore trying to twist our own plan around to test the power of a new weapon he’s been keeping a secret? Then I’m glad I came here myself. I need to know exactly what this Inglis can do. If I don’t, this could become a disaster for the Papal League. This woman is as beautiful as she is dangerous.
“Speak! What plan brought you here?!” Ivel demanded.
“Honestly, to earn a few coins and eat out more... Most of the time, I’m a student in the squire program at the knights’ academy.”
Inglis had repeated the same explanation Rafinha had given before, but she could see that didn’t satisfy Ivel.
“Hmph. So you’re not going to give me a straight answer...”
“I’m telling the truth,” she insisted.
“No matter. Say whatever you want—I’m more interested in your power! Show it to me!” Ivel beckoned Inglis to attack.
“You say that—but I’d just be asking to be punished.”
If she could do so without repercussions, she’d welcome an all-out fight, but it would obviously be ill received. King Carlias would never approve of her attacking a Highland ambassador. He’d said earlier than anyone who did so would be executed. Going against that would cause big problems.
“I don’t care about that! In fact, if you defeat me, I’ll let you off the hook! So come! Strike me!”
“If you say so, but...” Inglis looked toward King Carlias questioningly. If she could fight him, she’d like to, but—
“Stop! Laying a hand on a Highland ambassador can only end in ruin! We will keep this civil!” King Carlias gave the response she’d expected.
“Thus, sadly, I’ll have to decline.” Inglis bowed. Her expression was calm, but she really was disappointed. Life doesn’t always go how you plan. She felt like she was about to cry.
“Hah! A foolish dog of a king! Your obeisance means nothing! Listen, I didn’t come here to negotiate with you! That’s for mere diplomats! The hieral menace exchange is called off. You can consider your relationship with the Papal League soured! His Holiness the Pontifex is angered, and someday this country will be wiped from the earth!”
“What...?! Then why are you here?!” King Carlias’s eyes widened. He seemed quite shocked, which was understandable. The negotiations he’d worked so hard to put together had been a farce all along.
“There’s been talk of an anti-Highlander organization, the Steelblood Front, running amok—we knew they wouldn’t be able to resist sabotage if they heard of negotiations to sell land, so we laid a trap! Once they show up, I’ll wipe them out with my power! That’s why I, an archlord, am here! Your country has never meant anything to me! Ha ha ha ha!”
Ivel’s mocking laughter was enough to rouse the anger of the knights.
“What?!”
“You were just using us?!”
“Then for what reason did His Majesty submit himself to such humiliation?!”
Ivel provoked their anger further. “For nothing! It was worthless! At least, it was for you worms squirming on the ground!”
“You bastaaard!”
The knights’ screams of rage brought a smile to Inglis’s face. It was completely out of place, but as adorable as a blossoming flower.
“Wonderful,” she said. “In conclusion, you’re the villain who betrayed our king and even cut off his arm. Am I getting that right? Is that what you’re asserting here?”
If he wanted to be a villain, then she’d get what she wanted. She could fight. She could have fun! She didn’t know what Ivel’s reasons were for revealing his plans, but it didn’t matter at this point.
“Yes, that’s it! That’s exactly right!” Ivel shouted.
Inglis never dropped her grin. “Your Majesty, if you command me to strike this criminal down, I will do your will. What shall be done?”
Nearby, Rafinha, Reddas, and the other knights all nodded forcefully.
After a pause, the king answered, “We cannot kill him. Take him alive!”
“Yes. As you wish.” Inglis bowed deeply and accepted the order. She was practically jumping for joy on the inside.
Vrrrm... Vrrrm... Vrrrm...
The sound of a flying battleship overhead interrupted her internal reverie. It was a new noise, different from that of the ship which had anchored above the palace.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions echoed from the sky; it was a volley of cannon fire. The palace shook like an earthquake as the explosions echoed throughout. Through a broken window, Inglis saw that new battleship firing its cannons.
“That’s the Steelblood Front’s battleship!” she said. Finally, her real hope for the day had arrived: the masked man and his followers.
Looks like things are getting busy.
Ivel also glanced outside, fully aware of the situation. “Hmph. As expected, the rats enter the trap.”
A swarm of Flygears was already emerging from the attacking battleship. From what Inglis could see, its armaments were on par with the combined force of Ambassador Theodore’s ship and its complement from the Paladins. The Steelblood Front was something far beyond simple guerillas—it rivaled the strength of an entire country’s knights. And it had deployed quickly, meaning the crew had a lot of experience operating flying battleships.
The scene in the sky became hectic in no time. The flying battleship that had carried Ivel and the Royal Guard squadrons assigned to the area scrambled its Flygears to intercept their foes.
“Um... Is the bout canceled because of their appearance?” Inglis asked Ivel.
“Of course not! I don’t want rats scurrying about, but you are of far greater interest! Unfortunately, I have a great many things left to do, so let’s get to business—show me everything you’ve got!”
“Thank you very much! Then, as you request...”
Inglis again activated Aether Shell. Then she lowered herself slightly, ready to pounce, her gaze fixed squarely on Ivel.
Straight-on. Thrust directly forward and attack. That’s fine. No clever tricks or twists, just all I can give it. How will Ivel take it? I’m looking forward to finding out.
“Here I come!”
Crrssshhh!
As Inglis sprung forward, the flagstone beneath her feet shattered as if it had been hit by an explosion. Fragments of rock went flying.
Ivel had clearly seen her jump. He knew he had. But he’d lost sight of her and couldn’t find her.
“She disappeared?! No!”
He could feel the air shift against his skin as a shadow danced at the edge of his vision. His instinct—a warrior’s intuition—warned him of danger. Just as he threw himself back, Inglis’s kick passed before his face.
“Wow, you dodged? Amazing!” she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming.
She obviously saw him as a worthy challenge. Even Sistia, a hieral menace, hadn’t been able to react in time to Inglis’s all-out attack with Aether Shell, yet Ivel had. Furthermore, Inglis wasn’t the same fighter she’d been then. Since then, she’d grown through her training at the knights’ academy. Nonetheless, Ivel had successfully dodged her kick. That was the skill a high-ranking Highland warrior possessed.
“Guh—?! Impossible!” Ivel grunted. While it was true he had evaded her first attack, he’d only guessed where to move. He just happened to be right. He had an idea of how to counter, but he hadn’t been able to attempt it. At Inglis’s speed, he couldn’t respond in time.
It didn’t matter that her smile was beautiful or that her leg was captivating as it swept through the air. She was a serious threat. An unfathomable one.
“In that case—!” Ivel took a forceful leap backward, concentrating as he activated his magic. The same light which had covered his fingertips, then the side of his hand, formed a sphere that covered him. It was hard to control his stance as he flew backward.
He assumed that Inglis could probably easily follow his trajectory and counter him, but he didn’t care. That was why he had covered himself with this wall of light.
Ivel’s specialty in magic was Annihilation, which destroyed all things. It couldn’t be invoked with normal mana, but it was possible through his use of Mana Refine. Just a light brush with such power would cut through the human body easily. To be precise, the magic annihilated what it touched in such a thorough manner that it seemed to have been severed.
This wall of light can annihilate any sort of attack! Ivel thought. If you try to cut it with a sword, the blade will be annihilated. If you try to punch through it, your fist itself will be annihilated!
That was, at least, if the opponent was within Ivel’s expected range, but Inglis defied expectations. He had no idea what the pale blue light covering her body was, and he couldn’t sense any power from it.
But this is the kind of opponent I need to put all my effort into fighting!
At first, he’d planned to concentrate his power in his palms, blocking Inglis’s attack and annihilating her arm or leg. However, she had moved too fast for him to react in time to block. Extending his power from his hands to a wall would make any given point weaker, but sacrifices had to be made. Covering his whole body was the safest viable option. Now, come! Ivel willed within his heart.
But Inglis stood still. She silently stared at Ivel, missing a perfect opportunity to attack.
“What are you doing? Are you making fun of me?! I was just wide open!” he yelled.
“You’re likely using the power of Annihilation, which destroys anything it touches. If I were to punch you directly, my fist would be gone.”
Ivel shuddered in shock. How does she know that?! I didn’t tell her, of course. Did she figure out my magic just from looking at it for a few seconds?! Does she have the power to read my mind or something?!
Despite what Ivel was thinking, he challenged her. “So you’re afraid to attack? You’re more of a wimp than I expected!”
“Why, of course not.” Inglis shook her head. “From the looks of it, since you’ve covered your whole body, your power is spread out. If you focus it on one point, the effect should be stronger.”
He raised his voice, his heart trembling. “What does that matter?!”
Inglis was absolutely correct. She’d seen through him so easily.
“I don’t want to defeat an opponent who can only give me incomplete power. Brace yourself, focus all your power on one point—I’ll attack there.”
“Ha ha ha ha! What are you, an idiot? If I’m stupid enough to do that, you’ll just attack somewhere else!”
“If I intended to do that, I would have already done so.”
Ivel stood in chilled silence.
“Will you believe me?” Inglis continued. “Or, to turn your words around—are you more of a wimp than I’d expect from an archlord of Highland?”
“Hmph! Very well—you can face me at my full power!”
For Ivel, this was a chance to assess Inglis’s character. Was she willing to deceive people? The answer to that would be vital information.
“Rrraaahhh!” Planting his feet firmly, Ivel overlapped his hands in front of his chest and prepared for the attack. A wall the size of a hand mirror appeared in front of his palms. It was small, but it glowed intensely. It was a dense concentration of magic.
“That’s good! The sublimated mana is very strong when it’s focused!” Inglis said.
“Now come! I hope you’re not a coward!”
“Of course! Get ready!”
It took only a second for Inglis to explode off the ground again. She disappeared from Ivel’s vision.
Inglis once again rushed toward Ivel at full speed, twisting her body into a kick aimed directly at the wall of light. “Haaaah!” she cried.
Touching Ivel’s wall is terrifying, but if I strike it with an attack sheathed in aether and break through the structure of the magic itself, then maybe...
Crrraaaccckkk!
Ivel’s wall distorted, bent, and shattered. “What?!” His face twisted in shock. The force of Inglis’s kick struck his arm.
Bammmmmm!
The attack blew him away with the force of a bullet.
“Gwahhhhhh?!”
His body crashed into and broke through the stone wall, leaving a great hole as he soared far, far away.
I wonder where he’ll land, Inglis thought. He was already so far away that she couldn’t track him with her eyes.
“Oh no. I tried to capture him, but he seems to have disappeared somewhere.”
Maybe I went too far because he was egging me on?
King Carlias, Reddas, and the other knights were left in speechless awe.
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