"Haaaaaah!"
"
With a sharp, metallic ring, Sterzia's Shield was completed. At the same time, I heard the High Priest's voice, tinged with a hint of panic.
...Huh?
The moment I raised my head after offering a brief prayer to the gods, Heisschietz fired magic power at me. At the same time, I thought I heard Hannalore's thin, high-pitched "Yah!" But the blindingly bright mass of magic flying toward me made it impossible to see what was happening.
Inside my shield, I gasped and squeezed my eyes shut. Even knowing I had a shield, having something fly at you was still terrifying.
In my pitch-black field of vision, there was a loud bang as the magic power struck Sterzia's Shield and bounced off. After flinching once, I slowly opened my eyes. The mass of magic was already gone, and all that remained was the familiar yellow, translucent Sterzia's Shield.
"She blocked Heisschietz's attack! What was that?! That's not Gettilt!"
"A hemispherical shield?"
"Look out, Lady Hannalore!"
As the knights murmured among themselves about Sterzia's Shield, a sharp cry rang out from the group. The High Priest's amulet had launched a counterattack at Hannalore, who apparently had been attacking the High Priest at the same time as Heisschietz. A thin beam of light shot straight toward Hannalore.
"Gettilt!"
Hannalore quickly deployed her shield and crouched behind it, barely blocking the counterattack. She froze in that position, not moving an inch. She must have been scared—her face looked like she was about to cry. The counterattack from the High Priest's amulet was only twice the original power at most, so since Hannalore's attack hadn't been that strong to begin with, the counterattack wasn't too devastating either. That was at least some consolation.
...Thank goodness. I'm so glad Lady Hannalore is safe!
Inside Sterzia's Shield and sitting atop my Lesser Bus, I breathed a sigh of relief. I relaxed my expression, but the High Priest looked utterly displeased. He wore the face he always did when things didn't go as he'd planned. He had probably intended to use the amulet against Heisschietz's attack, not Hannalore's.
...He'd probably predicted that Heisschietz would come at him with a powerful attack right from the start.
Heisschietz's attack had been aimed at me, and I'd blocked it with Sterzia's Shield, but the High Priest, knowing Heisschietz from years of experience, must have assumed the attack was coming for him. I believe his plan was to counter it with the amulet.
Maybe because Hannalore and I were too far apart, Heisschietz had attacked me while Hannalore attacked the High Priest. Or perhaps Heisschietz had been trying to test my defensive capabilities. Regardless of the reason, it seemed the High Priest had been outmaneuvered.
"Heisschietz, watch out!"
"She has a Magical Tool that counters attacks!"
The
"It's a counter against physical attacks! Think carefully about your approach!"
"No, Lord
...Spot on! Applause for Heisschietz for getting it right!
Just as Heisschietz had said, the High Priest had only brought two amulets: one that countered physical attacks, and another that countered magic power attacks.
In other words, the High Priest had used up one of his amulets almost right at the start—not against the powerful attack from Heisschietz, but against Hannalore's comparatively weak feint.
...I could practically see the High Priest clicking his tongue in frustration.
As the High Priest turned toward Hannalore with a fierce expression to launch his attack, Heisschietz immediately raised his sword and charged. His speed was faster and sharper than the High Priest's. I could tell the High Priest had blocked the attack only by the way his eyes went wide.
Blade met blade with a harsh, metallic clang. With a flick of the wrist, the sword was deflected, and the next attack came immediately. The High Priest received Heisschietz's assault with a grim expression.
Heisschietz's lips twisted into a grin.
"Don't think this is the same as ten years ago!"
The High Priest desperately parried and dodged as Heisschietz unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks.
My eyes went wide in astonishment. The High Priest, who could be called unmatched in all of Ehrenfest, was losing to Heisschietz in both speed and swordsmanship. It was painfully obvious that he was struggling just to keep up his defense.
"That's it! Keep going! Just like that!"
"Watch the distance! Don't give him room to switch weapons!"
"In terms of speed and technique alone, you're superior! Finish him!"
This was probably Heisschietz's greatest area of expertise. The jeers from the surrounding knights made that abundantly clear.
Having fought as a knight in Dunkelfelger for roughly ten years since graduating from the Noble Academy, Heisschietz was formidable. While the High Priest had occasionally lent his strength at the knights' request, he had essentially been confined to the
Panic crept into the High Priest's expression. This was the first time I'd ever seen him struggle like this.
"You're trying to reach for a Magical Tool, aren't you? I won't let you!"
Heisschietz's voice echoed across the field. He was unleashing a relentless flurry of close-range attacks, refusing to give the High Priest any breathing room to reach for a Magical Tool or reshape his Staf.
I could make out faint white lines flashing and hear the clash of blade against blade, so I knew the attacks were devastating, but even with my body enhanced, my eyes could no longer keep up.
"Your body has gone dull from all that time in the Temple. Haven't you been training?"
"Because I'm not a knight."
His tone was its usual calm, but there was something resentful in his voice. Seeing the High Priest look so unlike his usual self, I held my breath.
...What do I do?! The High Priest is going to lose?!
I'd been absolutely certain the High Priest would win easily. This unexpected development made my heart pound with a sickening rhythm. My pulse quickened with anxiety, and cold sweat trickled down my spine.
...Is there anything I can do? Anything that won't get in the High Priest's way?
Looking up at the struggling High Priest, I summoned my Staf. I began channeling magic power into it.
"Watch Rozemyne!"
"She's drawn her Staf!"
I prayed quietly. At this distance, no one else should have been able to hear my voice.
"May
A blue light shot from my Staf and streaked straight toward the High Priest. I just wanted him to have even a slight advantage in battle. I didn't want to see him lose.
"What was that? What did she do?"
"A blessing?"
Amid the murmuring of the knights, the High Priest, now graced with Angrief's blessing, seemed to recover somewhat. He appeared less desperate than before—at the very least, his panicked expression was gone, replaced by his usual blank face. But even with Angrief's divine protection, Heisschietz's advantage remained unshaken.
...What do I do? What do I do? Is there anything else I can...
As I desperately racked my brain, the High Priest's angry voice came crashing down on me.
"Don't do things on your own, Rozemyne! I will definitely win, so stay put and wait for my victory!"
"Yes!"
I hurriedly dismissed the Staf I'd been about to reshape into a water gun, then sat up ramrod straight atop my Lesser Bus. After that, I slowly let the tension drain from my body.
...It's fine. He'll definitely win. The High Priest never takes on a fight he can't win.
Even so, I clasped my fingers together as though praying and squeezed them tight. Above, the riding beasts darted about, and the sounds of clashing swords rang out again and again.
Perhaps the sustained exchanges were taking their toll, because the High Priest's movements seemed to be slowing. It was noticeable enough even for me to see—the Dunkelfelger knights must have spotted it even more clearly. Their cheers grew more fervent. The knights, caught up in the excitement, leaned forward from the spectator seats and shouted.
"There! So close!"
"One more push!"
"Finish him in one go!"
Encouraged by their cries, Heisschietz seemed to move even better. The High Priest was visibly winded from the relentless onslaught of attacks.
"Hah!"
The High Priest narrowly dodged Heisschietz's attack, but it left a wide opening.
"This is the end!"
"Tch!"
Heisschietz thrust his sword forward. The High Priest grabbed the hem of his blue cape and spread it wide before himself as a shield.
"What!?"
If he followed through with the cut, he'd end up slashing his own cape to shreds.
Heisschietz hesitated for just an instant.
But the High Priest was not one to let such an opportunity slip.
A Magical Tool pinged between them, causing a small explosion right between the two fighters. Both were sent flying in opposite directions from the blast.
"Damn it!"
Heisschietz regained his footing from the blast, his face pale. The High Priest had recovered as well, and in his hand he already held several gemstone-like Magical Tools. His Staf had reverted to its original shape.
"The tables have turned, Heisschietz."
The High Priest let out a soft laugh and smiled at Heisschietz with a composed grin. That commanding presence was exactly what earned him the title of "Demon Lord." From any angle, he looked nothing like a hero.
...Thank goodness. That's the usual High Priest!
Seeing him like this, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Using a war trophy as a shield!"
"As expected of the man called the Demon Lord for his relentless use of dirty tricks!"
"That's underhanded! But that's exactly what I wanted to see!"
The spectator seats were in an uproar as well, but the High Priest's underhanded methods were nothing new. He'd been panting just moments ago, but now he wore a cool, composed expression. Deceiving Heisschietz seemed to be his specialty.
"Tch! I'm not going to let you turn things around that easily!"
Heisschietz raised his sword, trying to reclaim the upper hand, but the High Priest hurled a Magical Tool at him, and another small explosion stopped him in his tracks.
"Don't think you can stop me with this!"
Heisschietz slashed the Magical Tool from the air with his sword, charged forward without caring about the minor explosions, and forced his riding beast onward with brute strength, closing the distance to the High Priest.
"Just hold on a little longer!"
"The number of Magical Tools you have is limited!"
This Ditter match had been decided suddenly as part of the interduchy competition. There had been no time to return to the dormitory, let alone go back to his own workshop to prepare. The High Priest, who prided himself on laying traps after careful advance preparation, had only a limited number of Magical Tools on hand.
"Water gun."
With the High Priest's quiet murmur, his Staf changed shape. All he had to do was pull the trigger, and multiple projectiles shot out in rapid succession.
"Wha—! Wh-wh-what is this?!"
Heisschietz stared at the unfamiliar weapon in shock, but still managed to dodge the projectiles. The High Priest fired the water gun with an expressionless face, intermittently launching Magical Tools between shots.
Had he even calculated Heisschietz's escape routes? After a few volleys, Heisschietz was struggling just to dodge. Unable to determine what this new weapon was or how to counter it, he was forced entirely on the defensive.
"What is that weapon?!"
"I've never seen anything like it!"
It was Hannalore who called out to the murmuring knights.
"That looks very much like the Mizudeppou that Lady Rozemyne created during a lecture. However, Lady Rozemyne said it was merely a toy that shot water, and I can confirm from personal experience that its power was nothing like that."
Glancing down at Hannalore's stunned expression, the High Priest let out a smug huff.
"I improved it so it could be used as a weapon. It's quite handy. Watch—like this."
Right after firing at Heisschietz, the High Priest turned and launched projectiles at Hannalore. A rain of split arrows came pouring down on her.
"Look out, Lady Hannalore!"
I couldn't help but cry out, rising to my feet on the Lesser Bus. When I saw Hannalore deploy her shield to block the arrows, I let out a breath of relief.
"Rozemyne, whose side are you on?"
"I-I-I-I'm sorry! My friend was about to be in danger, so I just..."
I apologized immediately, but the High Priest didn't forgive me. He ordered me not only to stop acting on my own, but also to keep my mouth shut. I zipped my lips and sat back down.
...But still, the High Priest looked like the villain from every angle. It was only natural to want to cheer for the underdog on the losing side.
As I watched with my mouth obediently shut, the High Priest used the water gun and Magical Tools to shoot Heisschietz off his riding beast, then immediately turned his attention to Hannalore.
...Nooooo! Lady Hannalore! Someone, please help her!
Clamping my hand over my mouth, I stared wide-eyed. A bluish-white light filled my vision. It arced through the air at tremendous speed, aimed at the High Priest. Even as he fell, Heisschietz had fired a mass of magic power at him.
...No! Wait!
"Yes!"
"Well done!"
Cheers erupted from the spectator seats for Heisschietz's attack, but I felt the blood drain from my face.
...The amulet!
The High Priest's second amulet activated in response to the magic power attack. Heisschietz's attack was blocked, and instead, a massive counterattack came hurtling back. While falling from his riding beast, Heisschietz had no way to escape.
"Heisschietz!"
"He still had one of those Magical Tools?!"
As the knights cried out in alarm, Heisschietz twisted his body in midair, apparently trying to evade the direct hit. But merely twisting wasn't enough—he took the full force of the blast and came hurtling toward me at incredible speed.
"Kyaa!"
I flinched as Heisschietz's massive body came flying toward me, but he bounced off Sterzia's Shield and was flung even further away by the resulting gust. Seeing him crash to the ground with a heavy thud, I instinctively leaped to my feet on the Lesser Bus.
"A-Are you alright?!"
He was still twitching, so he wasn't dead, but he looked badly injured. I wanted to heal the battered and broken Heisschietz. But even I, reckless as I was, knew you weren't supposed to heal an opponent mid-match.
While I fretted aboard my Lesser Bus and watched Heisschietz, I saw him pop a recovery potion into his mouth. It seemed he had no choice but to wait for recovery in his current state.
...Please get better soon.
As I watched him with those thoughts, I turned my gaze from Heisschietz to Hannalore and saw the High Priest and Hannalore facing each other. Hannalore was in tears, clutching her shield and looking up at the High Priest.
"Heisschietz won't be moving for a while. If you concede defeat, leave the circle on your own."
Looking up at the High Priest, who still held his Staf at the ready, Hannalore trembled and hid behind her shield, but she shook her head.
"I am a Lord Candidate of Dunkelfelger! I cannot leave the circle of my own accord!"
The High Priest blinked in mild surprise at Hannalore's words, while the knights in the spectator seats let out war cries so fervent they bordered on stifling.
"Ooooooh! Lady Hannalore!"
"Magnificent! That's what we expect from a Dunkelfelger Lord Candidate!"
The High Priest glanced at the rising crowd of supporters and let out a small sigh.
"Then I'll have to remove you by force. I need to settle this quickly—the second half is about to begin."
The High Priest produced a band of light from his Staf, wound it around Hannalore, and in one smooth motion flung her out of Dunkelfelger's circle—just as I had been "caught and released" long ago.
"Kyaaaaah!"
Hannalore was launched into the air with considerable force, her high-pitched scream trailing behind her as she traced a wide parabolic arc through the sky.
"Lady Hannalore!"
Heisschietz, partially recovered from his potion but still a complete wreck, shot to his feet the moment he heard her scream. He summoned every last ounce of his strength and sprinted to her rescue, extending his arms at the landing point and catching Hannalore.
...Amazing! Heisschietz is a knight among knights!
However, his legs finally gave out, and Heisschietz collapsed right there, but Hannalore appeared to be uninjured.
"That's enough! The winner—Ehrenfest!"
The moment Hannalore left the circle, Ehrenfest's victory was sealed. The Aub of Dunkelfelger's voice announced the result. I dismissed Sterzia's Shield and rode my Lesser Bus over to Heisschietz and Hannalore.
"Lord Ferdinand, I would like to cast Lungschmerz on both of them. Would that be alright?"
"...Healing? Are you sure? Well, I certainly wouldn't refuse."
Hannalore blinked and looked not at me, but at the High Priest for his reaction. The High Priest shrugged and said, "Do as you please."
"You're used to dispensing mercy to everyone around you. However, if you're going to be generous, I'd appreciate it if you didn't limit it to just your opponents—I'd like some too."
"...Huh?"
I hadn't noticed because of his expressionless face, but up close, I could see the High Priest was wounded in several places too. I couldn't believe he'd been able to maintain his usual blank expression while injured like that.
"Lord Ferdinand, could you please at least look like you're in a little pain? How was I supposed to notice?"
"And let my opponent know I'm at a disadvantage? What a fool."
...I'm telling you because even your own ally couldn't tell!
Puffing out my cheeks in a huff, I dismounted the Lesser Bus. I had the three of them sit down, summoned my Staf, filled it with magic power, and healed them one by one.
"Lungschmerz."
Green light spilled from my Staf and healed each of them. Hannalore let out a relieved sigh, stood up, and gave me a lovely smile as she said, "Thank you so much."
Even Heisschietz, who had been the most badly injured, seemed to have recovered enough to move without difficulty. He stood up, looked down at his body, moved his hands and feet lightly, and then gazed at me in surprise.
"You seem to have used quite a lot of magic power. Thank you, Lady Rozemyne."
"Hmm. It seems you'll have no issues."
The High Priest said this as he stood, returned the magic stone to the Aub, and told him to remount his riding beast.
"The match is decided. We'll discuss the details another time. We need to get back to the dormitory and eat lunch quickly, or we'll miss the second half. You'll want to see
"Yes."
Rushed along by the High Priest, I returned the magic stone that granted access to the training grounds to the Aub and mounted my Lesser Bus. The High Priest did the same, returning his magic stone and mounting his riding beast.
"Well then, see you later."
"Wait! I want to hear about that new weapon."
Heisschietz reached out, trying to stop the High Priest. The High Priest halted his riding beast in midair, turned back, and flashed a grin.
"I have no obligation to tell you anything. If you want to know, win at least once. You'll never beat me, Heisschietz, unless you learn to use means other than just training your body and compressing your magic power."
...That kind of provocation is exactly why he keeps getting challenged to rematches! Honestly!
Behind us, I could hear the Dunkelfelger knights roaring as they swore revenge matches.
The battle of Demon Lord Ferdinand versus Hero Heisschietz.
Hannalore is a Lord Candidate of Dunkelfelger.
She never surrenders.
Rozemyne not falling down was a great victory in itself.
Next up is the speed-based Ditter.