All That Strife (4)
Along the eastern border of the Garon Kingdom, running long along the coast, lay the Akros Kingdom.
"My hometown's not far."
From South Akros into the Kazra Kingdom, it was a short distance to Tormia.
The three-meter-tall metallic monstrosity Salsu halted before a sheer cliff.
Shirone and Rian dismounted from the Salsu and watched the countless plumes of smoke rising beyond the horizon.
"The situation on the central continent looks bad, too."
They had rescued far more survivors than expected while crossing the desert from Gustav to get here.
But from here on out, this was the world's largest battlefield — territory actually occupied by demons.
"Amy… she should be fighting somewhere over there as well."
"She probably is."
Rian said.
"Tess, too."
Shirone disassembled the Salsu, tucked the Beopsal into his arms, and, with Rian, descended the cliff.
To get to Tormia they would have to break through a siege of two hundred million demons.
No matter which route they chose, they'd have to fight — and that fight arrived sooner than they'd expected.
"Uoooooo!"
The patch of ground that had looked solid suddenly rose up, and a massive mud-formed creature hauled its upper body upright.
Its face was blocky and rectangular, and its two arms were still fused to the earth.
"Kueeeee!"
From the gaping maw poured countless demons like vomit.
"What the—suddenly…?"
Demons with skin cracked like a wasteland scratched their huge chins and glanced around.
Then they spotted Shirone and Rian and widened their eyes.
"Y- Yahweh…"
Rian pulled out a tactical map and hurried forward.
"Rear guard?"
It was a moment that showed Balkan's meticulousness, but even that hadn't set a trap specifically for the two of them.
"Go, Shirone."
Rian pushed off the ground, and Shirone teleported ahead to reach the enemy lines even faster.
"Am-ambush…!"
Before the word finished, a roar split the air and a shockwave shredded every demon within range.
"It's coming! It's coming!"
The 1st Battalion of the 2nd Corps' Mage Division had been busy clearing the area around the barracks since morning.
Cleaning on a battlefield usually meant keeping the bare minimum of hygiene, but today was different.
"Hey, Corporal! Quickly get them untied and pull the weeds. Fix the fences too! No mistakes allowed!"
"Yes, Sergeant! Leave it to us!" The soldiers moved with coordinated spirit, and Amy, watching from a distance, clicked her tongue.
"God, they're only fired up for this sort of thing."
Tess, sitting beside her, laughed.
"Still, morale-boosting shows like this give people a reason to fight. Honestly, this war's got nothing to gain."
War might be greed turned to madness, but right now they fought only to survive.
"By the way, you know that singer Maya? I heard she's from the Tormia Magic Academy."
Amy's eyes narrowed.
"I know."
A successful schoolmate coming to perform was welcome, but Amy had an awkward personal history with her.
"Hmm, your reaction's kind of lukewarm. Don't tell me there was a love triangle back at school?"
Amy stayed silent, and Tess, guessing wildly, blurted out in surprise.
"Really? Then with Shirone… If it's Amy's love triangle, who else could it be but Shirone?"
"Enough. It's all in the past. And it wasn't a love triangle! Maya had a crush on Shirone."
"Hmm."
Tess propped her chin and thought. Stated plainly it was simple, but the way Amy emphasized it suggested there was more to it.
'Must have been serious, then.'
Barrik, who'd just finished cleaning the barracks, ran up.
He was the corporal who'd been punished earlier for scribbling a lewd comment about Amy on a resolution sheet and had since been promoted to squad leader.
"Battalion commander! Loyal! 4th Squad cleaning complete!"
Amy accepted his salute.
"Good work. Rest for an hour, then help pull forces to set up the stage."
"Yes! Understood!"
Tess shrugged.
"Do this before the commander comes—maybe he'll be impressed and promote you."
Barrik scratched his head.
"Heh. You know sergeants. Getting a morale show all the way to the front line is something you could only dream of."
With demons staring them down at point-blank range, Maya's decision to come was bold.
"But don't worry! I would never betray you. In my heart there's only the battalion commander."
Amy snorted a laugh.
"All right. Go."
Barrik took it as a silly joke, but Amy's failure to deny it filled his chest with pride.
"Yes! Loyal!"
As Barrik ran off excitedly, Tess grinned teasingly.
"One for Amy."
They couldn't help laughing, but Amy's face then grew serious.
"Jokes aside, I'm worried about the demons. It's suspicious how quiet it's been the past few days."
Amy's 1st Battalion was currently containing a detached force of thirty thousand demons.
Large for a detachment, but headquarters had ordered them to pin the enemy down there.
Tess looked across the enemy lines.
"The early-warning system is solid. They're not committing to an all-out assault; even if they charge during the concert, we can be ready."
"That's true."
The problem was Maya.
'I hope nothing happens.'
By noon the temporary stage was complete, and three hours later Maya's performance troupe arrived.
"She's here! She's here!"
A celebrity would normally have bodyguards, but in the strictly disciplined army the only acceptable response was applause and cheering.
When Maya stepped where the whole battalion had gathered, the clapping briefly died down.
"Wow—"
Her delicate, society-bred presence snagged the men's attention.
"Hello."
Maya waved brightly and was met with sincere applause.
"She's pretty."
Tess's blunt impression.
Amy, however, showed no particular emotion as she greeted Palmerus.
"I am Palmerus, representative of the Elvor agency. It's an honor to be invited."
A valkyrie of the temple and a battalion commander of the mage corps — socially she carried weight.
"This is a battlefield. We'll take all precautions, but please follow military command."
"Of course. Lives are precious, but Maya is our agency's face. We trust you, battalion commander."
Only then did Amy turn to look at Maya.
Seeing a friend's face on a battlefield tightened her chest, but she could not show it.
"Nice to see you, Maya. First, accommodations for you to stay—"
"Amy!"
Before the words were out, Maya threw herself at Amy, hugging her and weeping.
"I missed you! It's been so hard, hasn't it? Do you know how long I've waited for this?"
'She hasn't changed at all.'
Memories from the magic academy flashed past as if time had reversed.
Amy smiled warmly and hugged Maya back.
"Yeah. I'm glad you made it safely."
Amy's unmilitary, genuine side made the watching soldiers widen their eyes.
'Is that really our battalion commander?'
"Maya! Maya!"
Under dozens of lights, Maya's performance fired up the crowd.
When she sang Light Rain and shrugged off her coat, even the mages seemed about to lose their composure.
"The song's good."
Far from the stage in a clearing, Amy and Tess stood side by side watching.
"Yeah. She sings really well."
At least Amy could hear Maya's sincerity in the lyrics of Light Rain.
Her eyes suddenly reddened.
"Amy, are you crying?"
"Huh? Ah—no—"
As she reached to wipe her tears and offer an excuse, an alarm sounded across the sky.
"Alert! Alert! All forces assume defensive posture!"
Amy's mind went cold; she spun, eyes burning.
"What is it!"
"It's a demon vanguard! They're breaking through Waterdrop Valley at maximum speed!"
"What? The traps?"
Countless traps had been laid along the route to prevent a straight run along the shortest distance.
"They're pushing with a human-wave tactic!"
"That's impossible. Thirty thousand can't force Waterdrop Valley by themselves."
"It might not be an attack," Tess said. "It's a typical pattern of those fleeing something. Another unit might be secretly chasing them."
It wasn't an impossible explanation.
"All right! All forces, entrench! Hold the line!"
As soldiers fell into place, Maya watched in a daze from the stage.
"Maya! It's an attack! Get to the bunker now!"
Palmerus, throwing a coat over the scant clothes, grabbed at her, but Maya didn't move.
Light Rain…
From the horizon a shower of light fell, lifting the night like a curtain being drawn back.
"Maya! The performance is over! Don't be sentimental—get to safety!"
Palmerus urged, but from the direction of the defenses came a thunderous blast.
"No way—"
Maya leapt from the stage and ran toward the battlefield, ignoring Palmerus's cries.
"Respond with Common Magic A-3!"
The cavalry sealed the entrance, and mages on the surrounding heights readied spells in both hands.
Lighting that dwarfed the concert's stage brightened the night like day.
"Kraaah!"
When Amy confirmed the number of demons pouring out of the valley, her brow tightened.
"What's going on?"
So many demons were closing in it was hard to believe they'd come through Waterdrop Valley.
"Amy! We'll strike first!"
As Tess prepared to send the cavalry out to secure the mages' ranges—
"Wait! Hold!"
Amy ordered.
'Tess was right. This isn't an attack.'
Compressed and enlarged on their faces, the demons showed unmistakable fear.
"Kraaaa! F-flee!"
As demons surged past the third line like a torrent, a chilling sound of steel cutting rang out.
"Huh?"
As if the landscape were being sliced, demons' torsos were severed, and through the gaps the silhouette of a swordsman flashed.
"What is that…?"
Tess's heart pounded.
"Battalion commander! What should we do?"
Soldiers panicked when the vanguard was annihilated, but Amy raised her hand.
"…Fire at will."
From the rear, a bombardment of light rained down.
As far as she knew, only one mage in the world could wield light with physical force.
"Despicable Yahweh! You… you…!"
Before the demons could finish their cry, a curtain of light exploded in the canyon and toppled the cliff face.
Kurrrrrung!
The ground shook for a moment, then fell silent. From the rising dust Rian emerged.
"Cough! Cough! Ugh, fine dust." He bent over and coughed; all the unit stared blankly at the swordsman.
A sudden gust blew the dust aside and Shirone stepped up to Rian.
"You went too fast."
"Who told you there was no time? If it hadn't been for my strategy, we wouldn't even have cleared half of it yet… huh?"
Sensing all the gazes on them, Rian stopped and looked around.
"Shirone, looks like you cut through everything."
They were clearly human troops.
"Oh? So it seems. Hello. Sorry, but where roughly are we? We're trying to get to Tormia."
"…You don't know where you are?"
Tess, shoulders trembling, shouted.
"You came here without even knowing that? You idiots!"
To be continued in the next volume.