Chapter 10 “City Under Water”
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Part 1
Within the lake was an unbelievable sight.
“Why is there a city underwater?”
Arroganz, which has been modified to underwater battle specifications, arrives at the water’s edge and lands on the bottom.
The moment I landed, the sand rose up and my vision of the surroundings became cloudy.
[I’ve noticed that.]
“Ah, I see”
Lights attached to the Arroganz illuminate the surroundings, but the city is clearly visible.
Fish emerged from inside the building.
Luxion shines his red lens and analyzes the results and tells me the results.
[It must have sunk where the city once stood. Whether it was natural or man-made, an investigation will uncover that.]
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have time for that.”
What appears on the Arroganz monitor is a large body of wriggling tentacles.
The reason why the water is muddy and visibility is poor only there is probably due to the sand that has risen up from the bottom.
The tentacles were moving, destroying the city that spread out in the water.
“The drone has been launched. We will now begin analysis of the enemy’s magic equipment.”
Underwater drones are launched from backpacks and spread out around the area.
Each of them begins to analyze and send the data of the magic equipment they have obtained to Arroganz.
“I’ve read about it in books, but is that the magic equipment the Empire gave? Why did they put it in the lake?”
[I think it got out of hand and dropped it in the lake. It seems that a lot of damage was done when obtaining the pieces of the magic stone.]
The moment the tentacles wriggled, they blew up something that was lying on the bottom.
It was wreckage that looked like a submarine.
It looks like it has been sunk a long time ago.
“How stupid are you to handle unruly things?”
[Control over uncontrollable forces —— In a way, you could say that’s progress.]
Moving through the water, having the underwater gun on Arroganz’s right arm ready to fire. The backpack and the propulsion of the legs accelerated him, but the sensation was too different from that of the sky.
“Not moving fast enough.”
[It’s underwater, so please bear with it.]
The movement feels slower and heavier than usual.
When I approached the magic creature in this state and looked at it, I found that it was apparently only controlling the plant and not moving its main body.
“I wonder if this will end by defeating the main body quickly?”
Relieved at the unexpectedly easy ending, I was immensely impressed by the appearance of the magic creature on the monitor.
I could imagine what would have happened without Luxion having to analyze it.
[How foolish it is to be enchanted by the power of magic. Shall we just destroy this country?]
By the time I was tempted to say “Do it” to Luxion’s suggestion —— There was a terrible scene unfolding.
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Part 2
Hangar in Licorne.
Surrounded by drones, the Holy King was handcuffed behind his back and looking dissatisfied.
“My arms are tight. Uncuff them.”
Even though he had been captured, Ange’s eyes were sharp at his brazenness, which he didn’t seem to feel.
“It seems you don’t understand your situation. You should be aware that you yourself are being held captive.”
Ange says this in a lower voice than usual, but the Holy King does not respond.
“Don’t be a bossy, little girl. I am the Holy King of Raschel! Unlike you, I am of a venerable and noble lineage with history and traditions. I have no intention of flattering you!”
At this point, it is all the more refreshing.
Replacing Ange, Milene stepped forward before the Holy King.
“If you have noble blood, accept defeat with grace. Then, I will ask you to stop the magic creature you have sunk in the lake. You have already been defeated. Do not resist.”
The Holy King turns away from Milene’s cold stare.
“——Is it something that can be stopped?”
“What did you say?”
The Holy King opens his mouth wide and begins to laugh as Milene raises her eyebrows and clenches her fists in anger. It is a laugh that provokes those around him.
“I put the remaining Holy Knights and their candidates in that thing. As if that wasn’t enough, I added a few more who were available. Having taken in so many, it must be pretty full now. Even if Raschel is defeated, it won’t stop.”
The magic creature was sucking the life out of many people, causing it to go berserk.
Ange, who was stunned, regains her composure.
“You are——”
Ange tries to curse the Holy King, but Livia grabs her arm and stops her.
“Ange, please endure it.”
“! This kind of behavior is not acceptable”
Ange and Livia looking pained——Milene, too, seems to be pondering something with her eyes closed.
Watching the scene from a distance was Karl with his cane.
He puts his hat back on deeply.
(Well, he’s a nasty, sickening man. I would not want to get involved with him if we did not have a relationship between our countries. But what you do with this man will determine your future.)
Karl watched to see how Leon and the others would treat the Holy King.
If they let their emotions and kill him, they will eventually put the world in danger with their emotions.
He wanted to show that despite having too much power, there must be a reasonable amount of self-control.
However, one of the girls walked up to the Holy King and swung her fist down in his face.
Karl also let out a voice involuntarily at the sight.
“Wha!”
It was Noel who hit the Holy King.
While her shoulder bobbing up and down and breathing in and out, she yells at the Holy King, who is moaning on the floor after being hit.
“I —— I hate people like you who look down on everything and everyone. Who do you think you are, treating human life so poorly?”
“T-This little girl! I am the Holy King!”
The Holy King trying to intimidate Noel by giving him a title was hilarious to watch.
Noel clenches her right hand.
“So what? I’m Noel —— just Noel! Nothing more, nothing less. You just have a title, don’t act like it’s a big deal!”
As Noel slams her fist into the Holy King’s face again, Karl makes guts pose in mind.
(It’s a good fist)
While Ange and the others hold down the out-of-control Noel, Karl looks up at the ceiling and hides his face with his hat.
(Well, Fiend Knight——What are you going to do?)
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Part 3
At the bottom of the lake was something that looked like a huge flower.
In the center of the flower, which was earth-colored and had noticeable cracks on its surface, was placed magic equipment.
The size of the magic equipment is six meters or so, so the total length of the flower alone must be over 30 meters.
From the ground around the flower, tentacles extended toward the surface of the water.
Although the magic equipment retains its original form, there are many scratches on its surface.
There are also marks where the people of Raschel have cut away to obtain the pieces of the magic equipment.
Near the magic creature was a new submarine.
They are all simple structures, destroyed and lying around the flowers.
On the surface of the magic creature, the faces of countless suffering people floated, and they seemed to be moving.
As I try to resist the urge to vomit at the awful sight, Luxion informs me of the results of his analysis.
[Roots are growing out of that magic armor and into the ground.]
“Are plants part of the magic equipment?”
[They must have sacrificed a lot of people and brought them out of control.]
I take my hand off the stick once, and then adjust my joints.
Do these Raschel people have no human hearts? I’m inclined to ask.
“I’ll finish it right away.”
[That would be good. However, there is a lack of data on underwater battles. It’s not the same as in the air, so please be careful.]
“Don’t tell that to me, I’m a beginner.”
When the foot pedal is stepped on, Arroganz is propelled through the water.
Holding an underwater gun in his right hand, I pulled the trigger on the magic creature.
The arrows fired are made of metal.
However, it is specially made by Luxion.
The arrow fired was aimed at the magic creature, but was blocked by tentacles.
Three were fired, and all three were caught by the tentacles.
As the arrow pierces deeply, the tentacles come toward Arroganz.
It seems that they have decided that I am the enemy because I attacked them.
“It’s a bit late. Arroganz should have attacked when it entered the water.”
When I say that, Luxion corrects me.
[Still, it doesn’t make much difference to the result.]
Avoiding the tentacles causes a change in the movement of the tentacles.
The arrow that pierced it was a special item made by Luxion —— it had been processed magically, and the area where it pierced was beginning to discolor.
The tentacles, which had been green in color, began to move in a plodding manner.
The movement was transmitted to the other tentacles, and the magic creature was also struggling slightly.
“What did you do?”
[It was a plant, so I tried to poison it.]
“Poison?!”
[It’s a pesticide. I’ve prepared several different kinds, and apparently they’ve been very effective.]
Once the enemy was identified as a plant, I am afraid he was already prepared for it.
I had Arrooganz hold up the underwater gun and I shot randomly.
“Then there’s no need to aim right at it.”
[I don’t expect accuracy from Master. Do as you please]
“Can’t you have a conversation without being sarcastic at every single turn? You should learn more from Brave.”
[I don’t feel the need.]
While I was arguing with Luxion in the cockpit, the magazine was empty.
A new magazine is prepared and loaded to Arroganz.
As I moved the control stick and walked away from the spot, the rampaging tentacles swung down.
It destroyed the city at the bottom of the water, sending debris and sand flying up.
Gradually, the water became muddy and visibility became poor.
“Give me a break, fighting while I can’t see anything.”
[We just need to get it done before then —— I guess it’s not so simple after all.]
When all the tentacles turn purple, they wither and turn brown.
As soon as it stopped moving, the huge flower on which the magic equipment was placed began to crumble.
As the magic equipment moves its arms, it begins to swell and become huge.
A rampaging magic equipment is characterized by its inability to retain its human form, and its monstrous appearance.
Immediately, while moving Arroganz, I shoot arrows with the underwater gun.
It pierced the surface of the magic equipment, but did not even discolor it due to the poison that shot into it.
Luxion informs me of the results of the analysis.
[——It seems that they have developed a tolerance in a short period of time.]
“What about using a new poison?”
[Even if it exerts a temporary effect, it will be meaningless because it will quickly develop resistance.]
“Then——”
Arroganz stows the spear gun and frees his hands.
“——As usual, using brute force.”
[It suits you better, Master.]
“Remember that later.”
He makes it sound as if I’m a violent person.
A magic creature with only one arm that has grown to a giant size comes toward Arroganz.
Fins appear on its body and it seems to be able to move freely in the water.
However, because of its body imbalance, its movements are very rough.
Feeling like being shown a bad swimmer in the water, it just barely avoids the enemy who attacked it and just hangs on.
[It became obsessed with magic equipment]
“Blow them to pieces!”
The red lens of Luxion glowed slightly as Arroganz pressed the palm of his hand against the surface of the magic equipment.
[Impact]
When the surface of the magic equipment began to glow red, the next moment Arroganz was blown away.
“Wha?!”
[At the same time as the impact occurred, a wave was generated and we were blown away.]
“Don’t be so carefree!”
[The power is also reduced underwater. The expected damage has not been inflicted.]
I resisted the urge to click my tongue and looked at the magic equipment and saw that it was still alive and well despite the loss of body parts.
The lost parts are quickly repaired, but in the process, parts of the body become huge and even more disfigured.
I mean, I didn’t expect that my trump card is not working.
“Damn, I hope we don’t have to fight in the water. Why don’t we just pull it up into the sky and beat it? How about fishing with an Einhorn?”
I suggested that Einhorn pull up the magic equipment, but Luxion’s reaction was not favorable.
[—— Master has underestimated the basic performance of Arroganz]
“Is this a good time to talk about it?”
[Do not underestimate Arroganz. Master who has poor piloting skills should rely more on the specs of the aircraft.]
“There must be a proper way to say it!”
I’m running away from the magic equipment while continuing the conversation, but the enemy was specializing in underwater.
The speed game in the water seems to favor the magic equipment.
As a bonus, in the process of gradually swelling their bodies, they become even more specialized in underwater.
The human form was abandoned, and before long the legs became fish tails.
The magic equipment moves freely in the water as it takes on the appearance of an ominous and disfiguring mermaid.
I immediately checked the weapons of Arroganz and found that torpedoes were available, as they are designed for underwater combat.
Without hesitation, I fire the torpedo, and the four torpedoes that are fired track the magic equipment.
But when the magic equipment waved its arms, which were large for its body, needle-like objects flew off and shot down the torpedoes.
Before impact, the torpedo explodes, causing a violent tremor in the water.
“Not even torpedoes?”
As I ponder how I should fight, Luxion continues his earlier statement.
[It is not that neither I nor Creare was doing anything about it. With the advent of Brave, we had been working on the improvements to Arroganz.]
When I no longer have time for conversation and do not answer, Luxion tells me.
[Master, please use the anchor]
In this case, it would be an anchor meaning anchor.
I immediately let Arroganz use the anchor, and it was fired from my backpack.
The anchor is connected to the backpack by a wire, but when it is pierced directly into the magic equipment, Arroganz begins to drift away.
“After all, it’s still overpowered?”
[Try to stand your ground.]
As I was told, Arroganz put its foot on the bottom, but when it sat down and stepped on it, the movement stopped. Having discovered a hard part of the ground, Arroganz sticks out spikes from the soles of its feet and sticks it in.
“Endured it?”
[Increase the output of Arroganz]
The low hum of the machine can be heard in the cockpit.
The feeling of the stick and foot pedals has changed. Both responded faster than usual with only a slight movement.
A light foot pedal step is all that is required for the meter to rise rapidly.
“This is difficult to steer”
[Do your best.]
Without having time to respond to Luxion’s reluctant reply, I concentrate on piloting Arroganz.
The magic equipment does not seem to understand what has happened and is flailing around in surprise.
Arroganz grabs the wire with its hand and pulls the magic equipment.
The magic equipment was on the rampage, but the power of Arroganz was not allowing it to move as much as it would have liked.
“I ain’t letting you get away.”
[Let’s weaken it a little.]
Several torpedoes are fired from Arroganz’s backpack.
Unlike earlier, the magic equipment, which could not move as it wished, was hit by several torpedoes.
As the explosions occur repeatedly, a black liquid spreads in the water.
Feeling that its resistance had weakened, I raised Arroganz.
“Go up, Arroganz!”
When the foot pedal is pushed to the limit, Arroganz surges toward the water’s surface.
As it is, we jumped out of the water, but it is said that it can fly even if it is designed for underwater battles.
The reason it feels more inconvenient than in the water is probably because the performance of the backpack is not suitable for the sky.
Still, Arroganz pulls the magic equipment out of the lake.
The magic equipment went wild like a caught fish, but it spun Arroganz around in its place.
“We’re going to beat it on the ground.”
[It’s a wise decision.]
Since there is no need to bother to fight on the battlefield where the enemy has the advantage, I swing the magic equipment around. With Arroganz at the center, the magic equipment began circling.
In a manner similar to a hammer throw, Arroganz, with centrifugal force, released the anchor, and the magic equipment crashed directly into the White Castle, the symbol of the White City.
The exterior walls are blown away, exposing the interior.
It seems to have been called a White Castle, but it is just painted white with paint.
Looking at the rubble, there is no such thing as a white stone.
It looked like some kind of luxurious castle, but it made me feel like I had been deceived.
The castle crumbles even more as the magic equipment bounces around like a fish.
When Arroganz purged its backpack, I slowly approached the magic equipment as it was.
Scales are formed on the surface of the magic equipment, and they grow sharply and try to pierce Arroganz, but all of them are shattered before Arroganz’s armor.
Luxion, looking at the magic equipment, seems to be questioning Raschel’s judgment.
[It would have been more troublesome if they had prepared a pilot. They may have planned to escape while letting it run amok, but if they had abandoned their people and fled, the capital would still have been destroyed without us.]
“The Holy King is a fiend.”
Arroganz hits the resisting magic equipment, then opens its right hand.
As it is, hitting the bottom of the palm, while holding down the rampaging magic equipment——.
[Impact]
—— The shockwave generated by Arroganz’s right hand was transmitted to the inside of the magic equipment. The inside of the magic equipment swelled up as it began to struggle in pain.
As the bobbing and swelling of various parts of the body gradually approached a round shape, Arroganz emerged to gain distance.
After a few seconds, the surface of the magic equipment breaks like a water balloon popping and sprays black liquid around it.
The white castle was dyed black, but if they don’t charge for repairs, it doesn’t matter.
“Ha~Ah, it’s over.”
As always, I am left with a bad aftertaste.
There were few battles in which I could rejoice in victory, and I was always left with an ill feeling somewhere inside.
Luxion consoles me, perhaps sensing my feelings from my facial expression.
[It was Raschel who caused more victims, not Master. It is misplaced to feel responsible.]
“——Well, none of this would have happened if I hadn’t attacked.”
If Raschel had not been driven into a corner, it can be said that none of these heinous acts would have been done.
But Luxion shakes his red lens to the side and says in a tone of amazement.
[If Master had not caused this battle, it was the people of the kingdom of Horfalt who suffered. And if you think of the horrific scenes that would have been seen in various parts of the country, don’t you think that the damage would have been minimized? Master, you lack imagination.]
I feel Luxion’s kindness in trying to change my depressed mood by making me angry.
He’s always kind after the war.
“I always feel empty even though I’ve won.”
I look up and mutter, and before I know it, I’m surrounded by five idiots —— and Finn is approaching.
Julius, who plays the masked knight, praises me for my achievements.
“Well done, Leon-dono. You have lived up to your reputation as a hero.”
“O-Oh.”
——I was concerned about the masked knight.
This is one of Julius’s dumbest actions, but the other four people don’t seem to have noticed Julius wearing a mask.
Do they know Julius misbehaves and enjoys the fun with him?
If they are not aware of it this far, I hesitate to correct them for their strange misunderstandings.
What if I had seriously said, “The masked knight is Julius, right?” while everyone around me was going along with Julius’ eccentricities?
The people around me are likely to cool down and respond, “No, we know and we’re going along with it. I mean, you know, you should read the air”.
I don’t think I have to worry about the five idiots, but do they really not notice, or are they just playing a bad joke? I’m at a loss to decide.
While I was doing so, I was somewhat annoyed that I could not point out the fact that I was being forced to go along with Julius’ eccentricities.
I also hate how the four of them reacted, which I can’t decide either way.
As a result, I leave them alone, but I would like anyone to stop these idiots.
Brave placed a hand on Arroganz’s shoulder and the communication line opened.
Apparently, Finn does not want people around us to hear what he has to say.
“You did it quite flashily.”
“I couldn’t beat it in the water. Now I’m going to ask Luxion to prepare a weapon that can blow up the magic equipment even in the water.”
[Best not to fight in the water, though. More importantly, Licorne has secured the Holy King.]
Creare, Ange, and others captured the Holy King.
So now most of the conditions have been met.
I sigh out of relief, and Finn advises me.
“Don’t let your guard down yet. That old man may be useless when it comes to Mia, but when it comes to politics, he doesn’t cut corners.”
It seems that no matter how close me and Finn are, he’s not someone who would take that into consideration.
“I understand. The rest will be negotiated away——by Milene-san.”
I knew I would be pulling the leg with my negotiations, so I was going to leave it to Milene-san. Finn was angry and stunned at such a pathetic attitude of mine.
“——You leave the important stuff to others”
“It’s an important negotiation, so Milene-san will take care of it. She’s a great negotiator. She is capable, but above all, she is beautiful. If she were not the Queen, I would have made a serious move on her.”
The fight is over, so I make a light joke, and Finn, for some reason, sounds convinced.
“Ah, I see. You liked older women, huh? I always thought you were cold to your fiancées, but I guess that’s the reason.”
“Oi, correct it. I don’t remember being cold to Ange and the others.”
Luxion, who is around my right shoulder, turned his red lens away from me.
[The problem is that you don’t realize it.]
“Which side are you on?”
When I yelled at Luxion, Finn seemed to be convinced of something.
“Indeed, you seemed to have more fun dealing with the Queen.”
“Stop the accusations! Or rather, have you decided what you’re going to say to Mia?”
“It’s not relevant now!”
“Relevant! It’s a talk about a man and a woman.”
“Don’t put it all together in a big way.”
While Finn and I were arguing about this and that, Einhorn and Licorne approached us.
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