Apparently the apprentices of Ehrenfest had some secret strategy to overcome the Shield of
Inside the shield, only the four of us remained: Judith, Egidor,
"I will protect you, without fail."
Watching their retreating backs as they departed through the Shield of Schutzaria—how reassuring they looked—I reached for one of the medicine tubes at my waist, the one containing the Potion of Painful Restoration.
...What should I do?
If possible, I ought to restore my Magic Power. Having magic meant I could do more, and at the very least it would put me at ease. However, I had already taken a Potion of Kindness. Its effects hadn't even worn off yet. Drinking the Potion of Painful Restoration on top of that would be dangerous—an overdose. The fact that Richarda and
...If I exceeded the dosage on my own,
Given that I was constantly expending Magic Power to maintain both my steed and the shield, I wasn't sure my current recovery speed would be enough to withstand all of Dunkelfelger's attacks. Considering my remaining Magic Power and recovery rate, I wanted the Potion of Painful Restoration, but if I wasn't careful, too much Magic Power could become a problem—just as it had during the Dedication Ritual.
...I'd save it as a last resort.
I didn't even know whether the secret strategy to breach the shield would actually work. I'd wait and see what Dunkelfelger did first. I gently removed my fingers from the tube and turned my gaze to the other side of the shield, where an intense battle was about to erupt.
"Charge! Scatter them!"
"Absolutely do not let them get close!"
From the camps of Ehrenfest and Dunkelfelger respectively, knights on their feystones launched outward, racing toward the center of the arena. The large mass of blue cloaks charging forward contrasted sharply with the bright ochre cloaks spreading around them like a net.
"Lady
Judith took the Magical Tool she had received from Brunhilde and, from just past the edge of the shield, hurled it toward Dunkelfelger's cluster. It was a high-level Magical Tool, deliberately aimed at Dunkelfelger while they were still at a distance, so as to avoid harming Ehrenfest.
"Dodge!"
The blue-cloaked mass that had been charging over land and through the air as one unit appeared to notice the incoming Magical Tool, scattering up, down, left, and right in unison. Almost no one seemed to suffer damage from the tool that struck the ground and detonated, and the Dunkelfelger knights quickly regrouped into a single cluster.
"Concentrated fire!"
On Wilfried's signal, the Ehrenfest apprentices—who had spread out and were advancing on their feystones—launched Magical Tools from every direction.
Explosions erupted throughout the arena, sending up clouds of dust. One Dunkelfelger apprentice after another tumbled from their feystones or was blasted by the shockwaves, yet the momentum of Dunkelfelger's advance did not slow. Led by Lärtaalke, they weaved through the Magical Tools, scattering and regrouping, and pressed onward toward Ehrenfest's position.
"Lärtaalke!"
And it was aimed at me. The blood drained from my face in an instant.
"Are you insane?!"
I heard Wilfried scream, and I wanted to agree with everything I had. Frantically gathering the Magic Power slowly returning to my body, I began reinforcing the Shield of Schutzaria with desperate urgency. I had never personally withstood an attack like that before.
...I'll die! If that thing hits me head-on, I'll absolutely die!
It was several orders of magnitude smaller than the light
"If you don't want to die, then yield!"
Lärtaalke raised his sword high and brought it crashing down. A deep, resonant pulse of light erupted forth. A torrent of multicolored light surged straight toward Ehrenfest's camp.
Everyone was shielding themselves with Geilt, but Ehrenfest's apprentices were caught up in the shockwave of the attack, unable to endure it, and blown away.
As the torrent of light swept aside everyone and came barreling straight toward us, Brunhilde—who, as an Attendant, had never before found herself on such a battlefield—gasped and collapsed on the spot, unconscious. Egidor went weak in the knees and sat down, clutching his head as though to shield himself.
The only one who remained inside the shield as my bodyguard, Judith, turned her back to the light, spread her cloak wide before my feystone, and planted herself to protect me with her own body.
"It's not much, but this is all I can do."
Judith's voice was drowned out as the Shield of Schutzaria crackled and groaned with a violent *crack-crack-crack*. The colossal beam of light that had smashed into the shield—even shielded by Judith's cloak, my vision went white. An earsplitting roar tore at my eardrums, and the Magic Power required to maintain the shield was drained out of me in a single, devastating rush.
All I could do was focus entirely on pouring Magic Power into the shield. Brunhilde, collapsed and unconscious. Egidor, hunched over and clutching his head. Judith, standing with her cloak spread wide. The only thing that could protect all three of them was the Shield of Schutzaria.
I had no idea how much time passed while enduring that light. Whether it was merely a few seconds or an impossibly long stretch of time.
The light faded, and color and shape returned to my blinding-white field of vision. My ears still felt as though they were covered by a membrane—only muffled sounds came through—but I could hear the distant sounds of battle.
When I came back to myself, Judith was still standing with her cloak spread wide. Her posture hadn't changed, but the angle at which she was looking upward had shifted.
"...Ah."
Perhaps because I had focused too intently on maintaining the shield, or perhaps because I had poured every last drop of Magic Power into it, my feystone—which I had been riding—had vanished, and I was sitting on the ground. A feystone that had rolled over and come to a stop bumped against my fingertips.
"...Is it over?"
Still holding her cloak open, Judith asked in a dazed voice. I stood, looked up, confirmed that the Shield of Schutzaria was still there, and nodded.
"The shield is still up. It must be over."
Judith and I let out a shared sigh of relief and exchanged a laugh—but in that very instant, a dark shadow fell between us.
"...What?"
Startled by something descending from above, I looked up once more. A feystone had spread its wings wide at close range, and then, with a soft *whoosh*, the feystone disappeared. In its place, Lestilaut—his left arm bearing a massive black shield—leaped down toward the Shield of Schutzaria.
"Eek!"
I should have been repelled. No opponent was supposed to be able to enter during a Ditter match. And yet, Lestilaut pressed his body against the black shield and pushed right through the Shield of Schutzaria.
"H-How?!"
I looked back and forth between Lestilaut and the Shield of Schutzaria. The shield was still there. It hadn't been destroyed. It had merely absorbed a bit of Magic Power, but the shield itself was unchanged.
Lestilaut, having dropped in from above, took the impact lightly and rose to his feet. At the clatter of his armor, Judith immediately stepped in front of me to shield me.
"Lady Rozemyne, get behind me."
Judith instantly transformed her Stab and swung it at Lestilaut—but before her blade could reach him, Judith was flung outside the shield.
"Ahh!?"
"Those inside this shield who harbor malice or hostility cannot enter. And even those who enter without malice will be expelled if they turn hostile within... Right?"
Lestilaut glanced back with a smirk, looking at Judith, who now found herself unable to re-enter the Shield of Schutzaria. Those currently inside the shield were me, Lestilaut, Brunhilde, and Egidor. Judith, who held hostility toward Lestilaut, could not get in.
"How did Lord Lestilaut manage to enter?"
I took a cautious step backward and asked. Lestilaut raised one eyebrow.
"Because I harbor no hostility toward you."
A lie. We were adversaries in the Ditter. Even without personal malice, someone who recognized me as an enemy and was fighting against me shouldn't have been able to enter. That gleaming black shield—that must have absorbed the shield's Magic Power and punched a hole through that specific section.
"...It's because of that black shield, isn't it?"
"Correct," Lestilaut said, and slowly stroked the black shield.
"A shield made from the highest-quality dark magic stone. There's no better shield for blocking magical attacks. It can also penetrate barriers made of Magic Power like this. Aub Dunkelfelger sent it so that I could overcome your shield in this Ditter—it's one of Dunkelfelger's treasures."
Lestilaut grinned proudly. "After all, I can't just hand
"Kyah!"
Judith's scream rang out. She had been surrounded by Dunkelfelger apprentices and bound with the luminous band of a Stab.
"Judith!"
"What if you dismissed the shield? That way, your allies wouldn't be repelled, and they could enter."
At Lestilaut's words, I bit my lip. A glance confirmed what I already knew—there were no allies nearby who could come to my rescue. Those close to the Shield of Schutzaria were all blue-cloaked. Given that each of them had their Stabs drawn, the moment I dropped the shield, I'd be dragged out by those glowing bands. As long as the shield was up, I wouldn't have to face attacks directly.
...But.
As long as I stayed inside the shield, I couldn't expect help from outside. I'd have to drive Lestilaut out—or defeat him—on my own.
...This is bad. I have no Magic Power.
I knew all too well how powerless I was without Magic Power. I had no combat skills to speak of, and while I was somewhat healthier than before, if I moved around carelessly, I could collapse on the spot.
I took another step back.
While retreating, I gauged the distance to the box full of Magical Tools. Me, Lestilaut, and the box formed roughly an isosceles triangle—but if the distances were about equal, Lestilaut would reach it faster than I would. Considering the risk of the box being destroyed, or me being knocked out of the shield, or something else going wrong, it was safer not to aim for the Magical Tools inside.
As I desperately searched for some advantage or means of attack, Lestilaut closed the distance, one step at a time.
"Lärtaalke has blown away more than half the knights, and those still standing are struggling against Dunkelfelger. With your shield no longer functioning, the outcome is decided."
Lestilaut's nearly grown hand extended toward me. His palm opened before my eyes.
"Take my hand, Rozemyne."
Inside the Shield of Schutzaria, Lestilaut could not attack me, nor could he forcibly drag me out. The match wouldn't be decided until I took his hand and left the field of my own accord.
I compared his outstretched hand with his expression—one utterly certain of victory—and glared up at him.
"No."
I would never surrender on my own. That would make it seem as though I had chosen Dunkelfelger. I was angry at Dunkelfelger for forcing this contest upon me, but I had no intention of choosing them of my own free will.
At my answer, Lestilaut blinked in mild surprise. Then he shifted his stance slightly and swept his cloak aside.
"Standing your ground isn't a bad look, but the longer you stubbornly hold out, the more Ehrenfest's apprentices will be hurt."
With the cloak moved, I could now clearly see the apprentices fighting outside the Shield of Schutzaria. Beyond the barrier, Ehrenfest's knights were fighting desperately. I could tell—they were trying to protect me, refusing to lose.
"Rozemyne!"
Wilfried's voice rang out as he clashed swords with a Dunkelfelger apprentice. No one had given up yet. My desire to surrender evaporated further. All that grew was my refusal to lose.
"...There was only one thing I didn't want to resort to."
I reached for the tube of medicine at my waist, pressed the magic stone at its top to pop the lid open, and was greeted by an indescribably foul stench. I instinctively held my breath with a grimace. It had been so long since I'd last drunk it that I hesitated instinctively.
"W-What are you about to drink?"
I saw a flicker of alarm cross Lestilaut's face—that previously unshakable composure cracking—and then I downed the Potion of Painful Restoration in one gulp.
"Gnngh!"
The searing, tongue-numbing bitterness and the unspeakable reek surging up from the back of my throat were too much to bear. Clapping a hand over my mouth, I crumpled to the ground, tears streaming down my face as my body twisted in agony.
...I might die before I even win!
"Rozemyne, you—!"
Lestilaut's face went pale. He rushed over and dropped to one knee before me.
"You're poisoning yourself?!"
...No! It's not poison! It's medicine! ...Technically.
I wanted to retort, but I was in no condition to do so. Tears in my eyes, I clamped my mouth shut and endured the horrible taste for a while longer. I could feel my Magic Power returning and let my body go limp. The agony had sapped my physical strength considerably, but that too was gradually recovering.
As I lay sprawled on the ground, waiting to recover, Lestilaut—looking shaken—reached out and lightly touched my cheek. A small *crack* sounded, and his hand was repelled. The charm Ferdinand had given me apparently activated. Lestilaut, carrying the black shield, had not been repelled by the Shield of Schutzaria—but the protective charm Ferdinand had made sure I carried was a different matter.
"...You hate it that much, Rozemyne?"
At Lestilaut's deflated murmur, I slowly opened my eyes.
"Of course I do."
"Hey, Lord Lestilaut. I haven't lost yet."
Wide-eyed, Lestilaut watched me rise to my feet. I brushed the grass and dirt from my hair and clothes. My Magic Power was recovering.
"Wilfried, I'll handle Lord Lestilaut. Take Hannelore!"
The instant the shield came down, Lestilaut would try to seize me, and Dunkelfelger's composed apprentices were waiting just outside the Shield of Schutzaria. The one closest to Hannelore was Wilfried, who had just knocked down one of Dunkelfelger's knights.
"I'm counting on you to secure Ehrenfest's victory, Wilfried. ...Lance!"
Clad in the blue lightning of Leydenhaft, I turned to face Lestilaut. I had no intention of using the Spear of Leydenhaft against Hannelore, but against Lestilaut, there was no need for restraint.
Lestilaut held up his black shield warily as I leveled the Spear of Leydenhaft at him. Some of the Dunkelfelger apprentices had mounted their feystones and ridden off to protect Hannelore, while others stared, mesmerized, at the Spear of Leydenhaft.
Since I had created it with my own Stab, the spear felt weightless in my grip. I held it with both hands. My target was Lestilaut's black shield. Without that, I could drive him outside the shield.
Completely ignorant of martial technique, all I could do was swing the spear wildly.
"Hyah!"
I thrust the spear forward, but Lestilaut dodged it easily. With my thrust evaded, I simply swung the spear sideways. Messy was fine—as long as I landed a hit, it had to count for something.
"Ha! Ha!"
"That is an absolutely pitiful display, but that spear is dangerous."
My skill was one thing, but the spear itself was undeniably dangerous—something Lestilaut couldn't afford to touch. After several more exchanges, Lestilaut caught my haphazardly swinging Spear of Leydenhaft on his black shield.
*Clang!* A sharp, hard sound rang out as spear met shield. In the next instant, a violent collision of Magic Power against Magic Power erupted, and light splintered across the surface of the black shield.
To my surprise, Lestilaut flinched and flicked his shield, deflecting my spear. In my hand, all that remained was the spear, its blue light extinguished.
"What?!"
Lestilaut stared at the now-lightless spear with an expression of disbelief. I, in turn, gaped at Lestilaut's shield in stunned silence.
...The shield was disintegrating into gold dust from its center.
Had it absorbed all of the Spear of Leydenhaft's Magic Power? The once-black shield had turned a pale yellow, and from the point of impact at its center, it was crumbling away, scattering into golden particles.
Lestilaut noticed the direction of my gaze and looked down at his shield.
"Rozemyne, what have you done?!"
He realized what was happening to the shield, glared at me, and shouted—but in the very next instant, he was repelled and expelled outside the shield.
"Rozemyne! That shield was one of Dunkelfelger's treasures!"
From beyond the Shield of Schutzaria, Lestilaut roared at me as he watched his shield gradually lose its form, but once a magic-saturated object had begun to disintegrate into gold dust, there was nothing to be done.
"If you say such things, then obviously if I released Gedullrich, Hannelore would simply be taken by Fruelrene. This was an accident born of Evilliebe's carelessness."
Watching Lestilaut rage against the Shield of Schutzaria and be repelled once more, I breathed a sigh of relief.
"That settles Ehrenfest's defeat. Now if only Wilfried can persuade Hannelore to join us..."
"Something is coming from above! Please, be careful!"
"Ehrenfest's Holy Maiden belongs to the victor! Dunkelfelger won't hand her over!"
The ones who had crashed into the arena were not a single territory. Apprentices in cloaks of every color, clad in armor and armed with weapons, poured in from all directions.
"Don't interfere!"
"Have you forgotten that even the combined might of the medium and small duchies couldn't defeat us?!"
Lestilaut's furious shout—his Ditter having been disrupted—seemed to galvanize Dunkelfelger's apprentices, who aimed their feystones upward. Weapons drawn and fury plain on their faces, they charged up toward the sky.
Left behind in the enemy's camp was only Hannelore, unable to move from her position as the treasure of the match.
"Hannelore!"
With magical attacks raining down from above from various territories, Wilfried called out to Hannelore, who was sitting behind her Geilt shield. Wilfried too held up his shield, bracing for attacks from overhead.
"With no guards left, this place is dangerous. Please come to Ehrenfest. At the very least, Lady Rozemyne's shield offers more safety than here."
"But I cannot simply abandon my post..."
Hannelore shook her head. An attack from above struck Wilfried's shield. "Kyah!" Hannelore let out a small cry, and a muffled groan escaped Wilfried's lips.
After withstanding the assault, Wilfried extended his hand to Hannelore.
"If this were a contest between only Dunkelfelger and Ehrenfest, I wouldn't make this suggestion. But right now there are dangerous intruders. With disruptions like this, continuing the Ditter is impossible. Hannelore, please think of your own safety first."
Seeing the blue cloaks trying to stop the multicolored cloaks from descending, it was clear they were furious about the interference—which meant the match had not yet been decided.
Glancing at the magical attacks continuing to rain down, it was evident that their goal was not to engage in a proper Ditter at full strength, but simply to prevent Dunkelfelger from claiming the Holy Maiden of Ehrenfest.
And looking into Wilfried's deep green eyes as he held out his hand, it was clear that he was more concerned for Hannelore's safety than for the outcome of the match.
Hannelore stood up.
Of her own volition, she dismissed her shield, left the field, and took Wilfried's hand.
Wilfried showed visible relief at Hannelore's cooperation, and she smiled in return.
"I will go to Ehrenfest."
Amid the magical attacks raining down from various territories, the outcome of the Ditter was quietly decided.