“Well then–. Shall we get to the main topic?”
At Harrens’s serious opening, the atmosphere in the room immediately changed.
The expressions of Gilbert and Raze, which had been relaxed until then, became tense as the meeting about security for the winter tournament began.
“We’ve improved on the issues from the Battle Festa and made adjustments to the deployment. Dealing with forbidden magic will be the main focus, so we’ll be on high alert for the magical devices provided by Orphen.”
Raze stared intently at the map of the arena spread out on the table,
first checking if the points she had raised were addressed.
During the Battle Festa, agents of the Empire had infiltrated the arena and used a forbidden magic to stop time. It sounded like something out of a children’s fairy tale, but Raze had nearly been killed by it.
“Last time, they were just keeping us in check, so the damage was barely minimized, but if they use forbidden magic, it’s over.”
Harrens’s tone was much darker than before.
“If time is stopped, there’s no way we can do anything about it… You’re lucky to have survived that…”
Gilbert’s red eyes settled on Raze.
“How on earth did you manage to break through?”
Raze recalled what happened as Gilbert asked directly.
Magic was a transcendent technique manifested by activating a magic stone with one’s will power. The activation of a magic stone could be triggered simply by possessing the stone and wishing for what one wanted to do.
In other words, as long as one could think, magic could be used even if one’s body was immobilized.
At that time, Raze had strained her thought processes in an attempt to use her magic stone.
Even though time had been stopped, she had been conscious, so she should have been able to easily use her magic stone. The fact that she couldn’t meant that the activation of her magic stone had been obstructed.
“…Essentially, forbidden magic interferes with the individual magic stones we possess and prevents their activation.”
Raze stated her conclusion with certainty.
“[The Grim Reaper’s Toymaker] said his device only had the function to protect the security of magic stones within its range.”
The one called the “Headless Specter” by the Imperial side, she had taken out what seemed to be the leaders of the enemy using advanced movement magic during the previous war.
In an attempt to stop the invisible specter, they had resumed development of the time-stopping magic they had abandoned as reckless in the war two conflicts ago.
Even when that magic was used against her on the battlefield, Raze had broken through it by continuously instructing her magic stone to “move” in a feat of sheer willpower.
Faced with the overwhelming “death” for the first time, she desperately wished to move because she couldn’t.
If she didn’t move here–she would die. Her comrades, herself, the people of her homeland.
Move. Move, move, move, move, move, movemovemovemovemove–.
Her pitch-black magic stone responded to Raze’s violent pleas.
She hadn’t realized the principle at the time since she had managed to get through, but after collaborating with the inventor Sergio Harbermass, known as [The Grim Reaper’s Toymaker], she became aware of this fact.
For major spells that have a large impact, magic stones in large quantities are also needed. The forbidden arts used by the empire forcibly activate the magic stones possessed by others to use magic, stopping people’s thoughts and movements.
“…In other words, instead of actually stopping time, it’s just stopping the movement of the world…?”
Gilbert was astonished by this unexpected fact.
“That’s right. In fact, at that time, the senior opponent who had already lost consciousness and was being controlled activated a different spell, so his movements didn’t stop and he collapsed. Ah, controlling people is also a full-fledged forbidden art.”
No, that’s a bit different, Raze corrected herself.
“–Or rather, interfering with magic stones to control people is the forbidden art.”
Then. The room fell silent, and Raze came to her senses.
This room has a special barrier cast over it, preventing important information from leaking out, but she seemed to have talked to herself a bit too much.
“Sorry. I got a bit carried away.”
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Raze took a sip of the drink Harrens had prepared and calmly responded to Gilbert’s question after regaining her composure.
“In other words, the way to undo the forbidden arts is to regain possession of one’s own magic stone. The first time the forbidden arts were used against me, the coercive power was still weak, so I was somehow able to resist with sheer willpower, but I failed last time and got stabbed. If the technique is used on me again, I don’t think I can handle it, so as the principal said, the only option is to prevent it from being used in the first place.”
It’s necessary to share information if we are to counter the forbidden arts.
Raze concluded her long explanation by stating:
“If we prepare countermeasures, it’s not scary. We’ll finish them off before they can use it.”
“…As expected of the [Wolf Fang]. Your experience shows.”
Gilbert muttered, leaning back onto the sofa.
The young lady who had been puzzled by the aristocratic greeting earlier was nowhere to be seen. Raze’s matter-of-fact explanation conveyed the weight of her experiences, and the knowledge she possessed was something an ordinary person could never know.
She was only seventeen years old, still yet to come of age, and this realization filled him with awe.
While Gilbert had risen to become a knight at the youngest age, she was in a class of her own. What path would she walk from here?
“I’m relieved that you’re not an enemy, after all.”
“…Thank you.”
Raze gave a wry smile.
(–I may have been the one who prompted the development of the forbidden arts in the first place, but that’s not something I can joke about…)
Afterward, the three of them focused on discussing how to protect the device that could counter the forbidden arts and went over security measures for the arena.
Time flew by, and three hours had passed since they began talking.
“That’s all for today. We’ll take it from here. Orphan, your roommates are probably worried about you, so come and tell us again if you have any other concerns.”
“Understood.”
Raze straightened her back and nodded to Harrens.
“Come to think of it, since that incident happened in summer, Raze was able to withdraw from the tournament early, but is there any countermeasure this time?”
“Ah…The colonel will have to hold back her strength on the day, won’t she…”
Gilbert frowned, understanding the situation.
Raze had wanted to participate normally, but in the end, she had no choice but to hold back. From the moment a military officer enrolled in the academy, it felt like she was cheating.
“A few people have noticed that I’m capable of fighting to some extent, so it’s a difficult problem.”
“Like who?”
“Addis-Larg-Zarth and Ian-Masse-Drua, who I’ve sparred with. And Claude Rezaia and Luca-Fen-Strange are also suspicious.”
The names listed were, needless to say, the capture targets of the otome game. They were all formidable opponents, and it seemed like her true abilities would be exposed soon, sending chills down her spine. There were others too, like the students who had watched her matches against Addis and Ian, but listing them all would be endless.
“Ah, that is quite a formidable group…”
Even Harrens, who had asked, seemed to have his own thoughts about those names, furrowing his brows in concern.
“For now, if they suspect my strength, I plan to brush it off by saying I used to be an adventurer…but if I lose in the tournament…”
While Addis and Claude would likely keep quiet even if they noticed, she was worried about the strongly righteous Ian. If Ian were to confront her in front of a crowd for holding back, it would be a disaster.
Raze attended Centriol Imperial Magic Academy as an honors student with tuition exemption. She was in a position where she should avoid negative attention.
she didn’t want to be seen as a problem child by the excellent teachers who would be judging the tournament.
“…To be honest, not participating would be easier for me…”
It was a major tournament that could influence their future careers. For a military officer to participate in the first place was improper.
As Raze let out a rare hint of weakness, the two adults exchanged glances.
“Then don’t enter.”
Harrens stated matter-of-factly.
“–Eh. Is that okay…?”
Raze opened her eyes wide, having pushed the option of withdrawal to the back of her mind.
“If that’s what you want, it’s fine. We should be the ones apologizing for putting you in an awkward position. We can just give an excuse like you broke your leg. I’ll talk to the head nurse Feril about it.”
“Ah, thank you!”
Raze’s face lit up with relief.
The guilt of intentionally losing had been lifted off his shoulders.
“In fact, I was just worrying about how to make an excuse when Drua sama asked me for training.”
“To ask the colonel for training, he has quite high aspirations.”
Seeing Gilbert’s admiring remark, a question came to Raze’s mind.
“Speaking of which, Sir Hein, may I ask about the Knights’ Order?”
“Go ahead.”
“In the Knights’ Order, are there no knights who use weapons other than swords?”
“No, there are knights who can handle weapons other than swords. There are many knights specialized in magic rather than swordsmanship.”
His answer made Raze sense a dissonance.
(Other than swords, too…?)
There was an underlying assumption that being proficient with swords was a given.
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