Chapter 27 Extreme-Level Magic
“The distance is……10 kiras, I think.
The bulwark surrounding the royal capital──I went to the south side of that and let out a disheartened sound when strengthened vision magic was unnecessary to see the figure of the big monster.
It had two huge wolf heads and seven snakes for tails. The length was……about 20 meras, I think? Probably about the same as the royal palace’s main building. If ordinary magicians were its opponents, they would not be able to defeat it. Rather than being ferociously dangerous like the chimera from a few days ago, it was strong.
Then……I, by myself……probably slowly and earnestly complained that enough was enough.
No, I wasn’t the only person here.
From the view from the top of the bulwark, a human figure froze and gave me a fleeting horizontal glance.
“Are, are you okay? Reize-sama……”
“Defeating it is easy. Your Highness.”
I replied to the uneasy person I saw, Her Royal Highness the princess──Rishena-sama.
I would say how this came to be was simple. Before coming here, Milena-san said to Rishena-sama who was embracing me, “Oujo-sama, you are probably anxious today too. It’s fine, because Reize-kun will escort you to the royal palace,” and told me to take her with me. Cruel. Really cruel. Even though there was no danger, a young woman seeing that fiendish magical beast……Huh? Arina-san? That young woman isn’t a monster……if she knew, she’d kill me. (TL: Oujo = princess, ojou = young lady)
“Si, simple you say……The opponent is a magical beast that is designated as a dangerous species, isn’t it? Even whether 10 first-class magicians could win is hard to say……”
“I’m well aware. However, don’t worry. Those are typical first-class magicians──in other words, a case where they can use advanced level magic. No magician has our Annihilation Force’s magic.
I unsheathed my rapier, wore magic and stabbed at my feet.
“Before, Your Highness told me about the magic you possessed──Mind's Eye.
“Uh, ye, yes.”
“I can’t call this a return favor, but I’ll also show you. My strongest magic──Unlocking.”
A magic equation was formed starting from the place the rapier was stabbed in──Light particles converged in front of me, and a golden bow appeared.
“A bow……Do, don’t tell me, you’re sniping from this distance?!”
“? Yes, but…”
“That, that’s impossible! How could a magician reach from this range──”
Her Highness looked as if she had seen something unbelievable, but I was serious about doing it. Or rather, always sniping from the royal palace was harder because the target was smaller, wasn’t it?
Moreover, in comparison, Ortus might be far away, but the target was large and moving slowly.
“It’s fine. I’ll defeat it without fail.”
“……You’re using that bow, right? But judging from appearances, it looks equivalent to a sharp sword.”
“As you can see. The name is Star King Bow.”
Gold bow──Holding Star King Bow in my hand, I pushed my other hand out and closed my eyes. At the same time, I charged the Star King Bow with magic power. Thereupon, from the magic circle at my feet, eight arrows appeared. At fixed intervals, they revolved around me.
“──Lightning.”
After speaking, one of the eight arrows-the one clad in blue lightning-settled in my hands, and the other arrows vanished into the magic circle.
I nocked the arrow clad in surging lightning onto the Star King Bow and determined where to take aim at. The target was obviously──that Ortus.
If Milena-san’s intelligence was correct, the magic equation I gathered earlier was highly likely to be the same kind as the magic stone the magical beast possessed. That, too, I saw. Ortus was similar to the chimera in that they were both magical beasts that did not live in the vicinity.
Leaving the danger alone was out of the question. This was the worst; it was probably attacking the royal capital.
In proportion to pulling the bowstring strongly, blue lightning torrented into the surroundings and a high-pitched noise could be heard in the air.
“───” (TL: Imagine a high-pitched sound)
Rishena-sama said something, but I really could not hear. I took my attention away from that, pointed the tip of the arrow towards the target, kept a pointed line of sight, and took a deep breath──.
“Pierce, lightning star──”
I fired the lightning arrow.
◇
*(Richena’s POV)
“Ah──”
When I saw Reize-sama’s blue lightning, my heart was pounding, and I felt like it made a giant leap. I was so unconsciously fascinated that I forgot to breathe.
It flashed by in my mind, that time──when a magical beast in the forest attacked and I fell into desperate situation with no escape.
When everyone was preparing to die, suddenly lightning came flying in. A beautiful magic easily and one-sidedly defeated the magical beast that had driven the group of skilled knight-sama into a corner.
This was a different magic compared to that time.
But that lightning’s beauty──My fascination was the same as then──……
“──Divine Arrow”
Reize-sama muttered calmly and solemnly, and the arrow was fired with fierce thunder and gales.
The overgrown trees at the spot it passed through were mowed down as it scattered a power that could be called a calamity.──
◇
*(Reize POV)
“Mission……accomplished, I hope.”
I somehow stood with both legs despite being attacked by a terrible despondence. The Star King Bow in my hand turned to particles and vanished, And the magic circle made from the rapier’s tip also disappeared.
My fired Lightning Star Divine Arrow moved towards Ortus’ central part and shot out with unmatched accuracy.
The piercing arrow furthermore created a lightning fissure with the impact on the ground behind it, shot lightning from the ground to the sky, and disappeared.
“Ah, shoot.”
Suddenly the strength in my legs faded and I couldn’t stand. I fell backwards where I was──into a soft feeling.
“Are you okay, Reize-sama?”
“Th, thank you very much. Haha, I, overused my magical powers a little bit.”
Just above was Rishena-sama looking into me. As it was, I switched my position to a lap pillow. I didn’t have the strength to astand up, so I’d just talk as the way things were now.
“The magic just now was──”
“That was my special magic. Officially, all attribute super long-range, extreme level magic──Eight Star Arrows. Using arrows with all attributes aside from no attribute to annihilate the enemy──My possessed magic. Using wind and lightning with arrows makes it a bit special. 」
It’s because my usable magic is extremely unbalanced that I have this magic.
Since my possessed magic is too specialized for long distance and super long distances, only beginner level magic could be used for short and medium distance was beginner level magic. On the contrary, thanks to having this magic, I was able to master using it at long distance and beyond.
“Such powerful magic……”
“It is strong, but it also has many weaknesses. Once I use it, I’ll be attacked by despondency and exhaustion and fall into a state of magical deficiency. Firing continuously……is not impossible if the magic power was restored, but it’s better to stop it. Essentially, it’s limited to a one shot powerful technique──Rishena-sama?”
Suddenly, Rishena-sama gently stroked my head and had an affectionate look.
“Honestly, you’re such an amazing person. Mastering that kind of magic, not swaying in the short-distance battle you’re not good at, beating that Arsenas……”
“………”
What was this feeling?
It was embarrassing to be stroked on the head while in a lap pillow, but it was very calming. Arina-san tightened──hugged me closely sometimes, but that was completely different. I was honestly glad I protected her who had hardships. (TL: “Her” references the princess)
“By the way, Reize-sama. I have something I’m a little worried about.”
“Hm? What’s that?”
When I opened my closed eyes, I saw a hand on the bottom of my neck.
“The magical equation on the bottom of your neck I saw earlier……I don’t see that anymore……”
“───Huh.”
Her hand created thin ice on her palm and reflected my neck using it as a mirror. There was beautiful white skin with nothing drawn on it. The degree of flesh was poor and the clavicle had risen to the surface.
Certainly Her Highness──I had a mysterious feeling that the name of Rishena came to mind……but the oath (geas) itself was canceled?
“What……oh”
“?”
There was one thing I could think of.
That’s it. Certainly at that time, I felt a burning sensation in my head and bottom of my neck……
“May I ask you one thing?”
“Yes. What is it?”
“When Arsenas was about to send my head flying, Rishena-sama muttered something right? What were you muttering?”
“?……muttering”
Saying that, Rishena-sama for some reason blushed and turned her face away from me. Then she put both hands on my eyes and covered my vision.
“Ri, Rishena-sama?”
“He, hearing that mutter is forbidden! I order you as a princess!”
“I, I understand……”
If I was ordered by the princess, I wouldn’t go against it, so I nodded obediently. But I’m really curious about what she said. I wondered if it met the conditions for cancelling the oath, but I couldn’t confirm it. Well, let’s just consider the cancellation a good thing.
In this way, I was able to call her name safely.
◇
I took deep breaths in the night breeze to cool my hot cheeks.
At that time, I really thought Reize-sama was going to disappear, so I muttered as if to squeeze out the voice of my heart. But it’s very embarrassing when I think about it now……
In front of him in my lap who had a look of relief……I couldn’t. It was like a confession.
Because──
“(Don’t kill my Reize-sama……)”
I couldn’t say that……
(TL: Hi everyone, Pascal here. I’ve been looking for another series to help me avoid burnout, and I’ve really liked what I’ve seen so far from this one. Basically from what I can see, there are four story arcs, and this is the second to last chapter for the first arc. I’ll be looking into this as a long-term project, so hopefully I can go to the end. Anyway, join my Discord if you want to be notified by updates. See you again hopefully in a few days for chapter 28.)