[WN] Shut-In : Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Wasteland

Translator : PolterGlast

The Demon Territory spans across a considerably large area of human lands. The battlefield I chose this time is a place called the Doog Wasteland, located in the northwestern part of the Empire.

「So this is... the battlefield where humans and demons are fighting...」

Once I've been there, traveling back and forth becomes instantaneous using Door Placement. Since I would be using my Home Gift to train Lirica and the others anyway, I left them behind for the time being and came to the battlefield alone. Promptly using the Ice Pillar I was just taught to look down upon the battlefield from a high vantage point, I saw a completely barren wasteland spreading out before me. A scorched smell still lingered in the air, and weapons that seemed to have been used were scattered about here and there. The ground had been trampled and ravaged by military boots, and the earth was churned and turned up due to soil being blown away by magic. And in various places, I could see the figures of people lying face down, unmoving.

「So this... is war...」

Just looking at the scars of battle makes me feel strangely melancholic. The country is destroyed, yet mountains and rivers remain... A well-known verse crossed my mind. According to what I asked Emilia, this area was once a fertile agricultural zone. The towns that used to exist here have already been destroyed, and a significant number of the people who lived there were reportedly abducted by demons. Just as expected from Lirica's story, the demon family governing this surrounding area, known as the Zwaarth family, were hardcore members of the Subjugation Faction. Although their movements supposedly aren't very active at the moment, battles slightly too large to be called mere skirmishes are still ongoing. Once Odd's purges within the Demon Territory are complete, their momentum will surely become even fiercer in the future.

(Should I just go ahead and eradicate all the demons that come to attack us myself...?)

Until now, I've been so preoccupied with our own matters that I hadn't thought too deeply about the affairs of this world. This is the first time I've felt the reality of war so close to me. Thinking about it carefully, even in my previous life, wars were happening somewhere in the world. But because they were happening far away from where we lived, I only recognized them as passing news. But now, I can no longer treat it as someone else's problem. Because I've come to know the faces of the people involved—the King, the Emperor, and the daughter of the Demon Lord—and what kind of people they are.

Fortunately, I currently have power. Having cleared a dungeon and surpassed LV 200, I should be standing on the side of the overwhelmingly strong, even in this world. However, without being arrogant or underestimating things, I will do what I can. It'll be fine. The scope of what I can do right now must surely be far, far wider. Much wider than I imagine... and much wider than Lirica and Emilia expect of me.

It seems that battles are currently on hold; even if I strain my ears, I can't hear the sounds of fights or clashes. First, to grasp the current situation, I decided to head towards where the people were. I thought a fort would be built like the time I went to check on Mitsukawa-kun, but surprisingly, I couldn't see any such proper structures. Instead, what entered my field of vision was a solid-looking encampment constructed using Earth Magic. Does having many Earth Magic users mean there's no need to build a permanent fort? I headed towards a soldier who appeared to be keeping an eye on the surroundings.

「Excuse me, I'd like to ask you a few things...」

「Hmm... what do you think?」

「He's definitely not a demon, at least. Well, why he's in a place like this is a mystery, but... we have some free time, so why don't we do a body search and then deal with him?」

Seeing me, someone dressed entirely like a commoner who had suddenly appeared on a battlefield, the two were clearly on guard. Of course, since I had already anticipated this, I smoothly pulled a letter from my breast pocket.

「Here, this is a letter from Her Majesty Emilia. Please examine it.」

「—!? Sir!」

The soldier hurriedly saluted. The letter, written in Emilia's own handwriting, stated that I was to be treated as a military observer from the Kingdom. Good thing I got her to write me a note. However, first a Special Ambassador and now a Military Observer... my mysterious titles are steadily increasing. Just what exactly am I trying to become?

「I have verified it! Well then, please come this way!」

「I'd like an explanation of the situation, but before that, could you take me to the sick and wounded? I have some knowledge of Recovery Magic, so I can provide at least first aid.」

「Oh, that would be a great help. We'll assign you a guide immediately.」

As I was guided inside by the soldier, it appeared to be mealtime, and I saw soldiers dipping their bread into soup. While there were many wearing armor bearing the Empire's crest, I could also spot people looking like Adventurers in non-uniform attire. But looking at the whole picture, their numbers were small. After going inside and looking around, I called out to a person who seemed to be on standby within the camp. The person standing there was a woman dressed in a military uniform.

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[WN] Shut-In : Chapter 141

Chapter 141

Gotcha!

Translator : PolterGlast

While we were chatting idly, it seemed preparations were complete, and Lirica snapped her eyes open. Around her, several weapons manipulated by Shadow Arts floated in mid-air. All of them were longswords, and among them were absurdly huge ones like horse-slaying swords, even larger than the greatsword Mitsukawa-kun carried on his back. All of them were glowing red-hot, emitting a scorching sound.

「Shadow Arts... Blast!」

Impact. The moment the numerous swords hit the scarecrow, they exploded, scattering heat and shattered blades into the surroundings. I see, it's like an improvised bomb. The power of each individual blast wasn't quite on par with Mitsukawa-kun's Tear Soleil, but when the smoke cleared, the massive chain of explosions had created a pitted crater resembling the surface of the moon. Did she enchant the weapons manipulated by Shadow Arts with Fire Magic...? That might also be a type of Magic Sword. In my case, I'd have my hands full just manipulating the swords, so I probably wouldn't be able to do something that delicate.

「The power is excellent too. I think you could easily take down a Wyvern with that.」

「Why is your evaluation standard for combat power a Wyvern...?」

「Because outside of the Holy Corpse of the Knight, a Wyvern is pretty much the only somewhat strong monster I've actually fought properly.」

Eh, haven't I fought demons twice too, you ask? The first time ended in one hit with Lightning, and the second time I just punched the guy and knocked him out. I still don't really understand their strength.

「What do you think? From your perspective, Mitsukawa-kun, do you think she can fight against demons?」

「Yeah, against a normal demon, landing two of those would be a fatal wound. Well, the effective range isn't that wide, so it looks like hitting them accurately would be tough, though.」

「Isn't that just a matter of getting used to it? She could use the minor skills she showed earlier to cover her openings, or purposely use it as a bluff.」

If it's a densely packed area where exploding it would hit something regardless, she could take them down without an issue, and against monsters that don't think that deeply, she could probably win just by keeping her distance and brain-dead spamming it. Besides, even in an actual one-on-one fight, I think it's pretty strong. Once an opponent sees that magic, they have to fight while staying on guard against Shadow Arts... Blast!. That takes up their mental resources, making it easier to create openings.

「Splendid, Lirica. With that much power, you should actually be able to fight to some extent in a dungeon too. If you keep raising your magic attack power, the damage should climb even further, so let's do our best to raise your LV!」

「Y-Yes! I'll do my best!」

Saying that and clenching her fists, Lirica still seemed to have plenty of energy to spare. Apparently, because that magic relies on detonating actual swords, its fuel efficiency is quite good.

「Then I shall go next... The one I use often is this.」

When Priola snapped her fingers with a snap, a massive pillar of ice appeared horizontally just in front of her body. Looking closely, the ice seemed to be mixed with the Dark attribute as well, making the ice she produced pitch black. In an instant, the massive ice pillar—already taller than I am—extended at incredible speed, piercing straight through the Treant scarecrow in the blink of an eye. It seems the high mass gives it high power. The piercing pillar kept going straight through the back and stopped dead right before it could destroy the Royal Castle's outer wall.

I see, her magic control is perfect too...

「An Ice Magic user, huh... This might be the first time I've seen one.」

The spell she used was likely the Ice Magic spell Ice Pillar. Ice Magic isn't very effective against the undead, so I haven't used it much at all. Considering anti-personnel combat, maybe I should get some advice from her.

「By the way, I can also do this.」

From roughly the midpoint of the extended Ice Pillar, a new pillar of ice was born and extended outward. Just as the shape of the pillar changed into a sharp icicle at the tip, it branched off even further halfway through, shooting out blades of ice. I thought it was just a magic that smashed a mass of ice into the opponent, so I hardly used it, but... magic is surprisingly profound. What should I do? I'm suddenly starting to feel anxious about playing the role of a master when I know so little myself.

「When it comes to high power... it is this. —Ice Dragon!」

Closing her eyes and concentrating her mind, Priola thrust both her arms forward, and a massive ice dragon—large enough to swallow a person whole—appeared. Ice Dragon, the strongest Ice Magic spell that can be learned after reaching LV 10. Unleashing a massive roar that evoked primal fear, the ice dragon swallowed the scarecrow whole. Scattering a loud crushing sound, it half-destroyed the outer wall of the training grounds and transformed the surrounding area into a frozen world. By the time the magic vanished, the yard had already turned into a world of ice.

「Amazing... Ice Magic can do things like this too...? Maybe I should ask you to teach me how to use it.」

「Well, to begin with, Ice Magic cannot be used unless one has mastered both Fire Magic and Water Magic to a high degree of proficiency... Are you able to use it as well, Masaru-sama!?」

「Yeah, more or less.」

However, right now, I still can't use Ice Dragon. Even though I've learned Ice Magic up to LV 10. Just like the flying magic that wind bastard used, it's probably a magic that hasn't been activated yet. My magic attack power is probably higher, so why can't I use it? Does it have to do with proficiency or something in addition to magic attack power? Wait, right, there's someone who can use it right in front of me, so I should just ask.

「I can actually use Ice Magic up to LV 10, but I can't use Ice Dragon yet. Do you know how to unlock it?」

「Umm... yes. The conditions for Ice Dragon should be learning how to use it from another caster, and having used Ice Magic tens of thousands of times.」

...I see. No wonder I can't use it. Wait, but if it's usage count, there shouldn't be a problem. Making ice at my house should count as Ice Magic, right?

After receiving a lecture from Priola and slightly correcting the flow of magic power in my body a few times...

「Ah, I can use it now! Alright, I'll try it right away.」

Well, it probably won't have that much power. Thinking that, I had completely forgotten when I used it. The fact that I currently possess such overwhelming magic attack power that I can defeat a demon with a single hit of Lightning.

「—Ice Dragon!」

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!

The ice dragon I created swallowed everything, completely destroyed the already crumbling training grounds, and on top of that, was still circling playfully in the sky.

「ROOOOOOOOOAR!!」

Seeing the Ice Dragon roaring as if to say 'I can still go for two or three more rounds,' Priola was completely dumbfounded.

「H-He's mastered Ice Dragon better than I have... Even though it took me a full year just to be able to use it...」

Then she collapsed on all fours and began shedding tears of frustration. To think that the gap with native mages, which I had feared many times, would be experienced at a timing like this... I'm just, really, sorry...

Thus, the combat ability assessment settled down for the time being. Parting ways with Mitsukawa-kun as he headed back to the Royal Castle, we set about making preparations to head to the front lines against the demons.

Alright, let's switch gears! —The strongest magic, Gotcha!

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[WN] Emperor's Seventh Son : 19 - 12 Part 1

19-12 part 1

A Race That Was Never Chosen Even Once 1/2

Translator : PolterGlast

The triangular sail is a great invention of our pioneers. To catch the wind from the side and turn it into forward propulsion isn't something one easily comes up with. To those unfamiliar with ships, it's a little bit of magic, and right now, we were in the middle of completely ruining that maritime romance. If you add the power of Movement Speed LV 2 to Carral's ability to accelerate the fleet, the schooner dashes through the blue sea at an explosive speed that ignores all principles. The emerald sea created by coral reefs vanished in the blink of an eye, the land was also swallowed beyond the horizon, and the schooner bounded across the vast ocean. Due to the tremendous speed, intense sea spray scattered across the deck, and a storm-like wind pushed against the sails and stern. According to the records in the Book of the Evil Dragon, the ship Carral rides will always change to have a favorable tailwind no matter the situation, but it seems I had underestimated it. Once we opened the lid, it was an absurd power that mitigated frontal air resistance and further boosted our acceleration with more acceleration.

「Wahahaha, isn't it as if the ship is bouncing on the surface of the sea! Hey, you sailor over there, why are you reefing the sails!?」

「It's obviously because we're worried the mast will break from being too fast! More importantly, Sigrun, don't stay in a place like that and come over here!」

With this much wind blowing against us, managing the sails wasn't so easy. Under Carral's instructions, the sailors adjusted the sails, struggling to manage the propulsion. As for Sigrun, she seemingly took a liking to the bow; even if she was drenched in seawater or the ship bounced on the waves threatening to throw her overboard, she refused to leave her fixed position.

『Kukuku... What an amusing miracle this is.』

Zirant was of the same breed. Whatever caught her fancy, she had climbed up to the lookout post at the top of the mast and was gazing out beyond the sea. Even though we had anticipated a two-day journey including today, we might actually arrive at the opposite shore of Merkwell before the day was over.

「Ah, Shinza, you can rest down below. Because, those two are just crazy...」

「No, I'm fine here too. Whether I'm below or above, the swaying won't change. Besides, it looks more fun next to you.」

「I-I'm happy you'd say that... But me on a ship might be too valiant, it might disillusion you, Shinza...」

「No, don't hold back on my account and go all out. I want to see you exactly as you are.」

「That's not the problem here!? And if you focus on me, it makes it even harder to work!」

『Good grief, you really are a guy who doesn't understand a maiden's heart...』

Looking up at the top of the mast, Zirant was looking down at us with a sidelong glance. A maiden's heart, huh. I might never be able to understand it in my entire life...

「Understood, I'll help with handling the sails. Treat me like an apprentice sailor and work me hard.」

「You know, Shinza, there's just nothing prince-like about you at all... Ahh, jeez, I get it. I'll work you to the bone, so be prepared!」

「I'm looking forward to it. I've always wanted to try being a sailor for the Hez Company anyway.」

「Then, will you take up... permanent employment?」

「That doesn't sound bad either. Once the Empire regains its order, take me to the farthest reaches of the south.」

「Yeah, okay. I'll take you wherever you want to go, Shinza...」

Given tasks by a strangely meek Carral, I swapped posts with a burly sailor. It was a job that required strength and was quite delicate in many ways, but I thought becoming a sail-handler wouldn't be bad.

And so, that evening, we arrived at the ruined city of Merkwell. The one who guided us was Zirant. She hadn't just climbed the lookout post seeking the view, the wind, and the thrill; it was to guide the ship here.

My first impression was a desert town—no, a desert ruin. The port was large but devoid of people, and when we went ashore like this, dust and sand were piled up everywhere, making it quite slippery. Both the port and the town beyond it were dead silent; it was as if the city alone stood there like a giant gravestone. Perhaps because it had been swallowed by the farthest wasteland, the air was dry, and the town's state of preservation was extremely good. No, it would probably be more accurate to call this place ruins now.

「So this is a ruined city! This feeling, it's sending shivers down my spine...!」

「The town is so clean, yet there's no sign of life...」

In complete contrast to the highly satisfied Sigrun, Carral stated a normal impression with the sensibilities of an ordinary person. The sailors felt the same. Being deeply superstitious, they were honest about the things they could feel with their skin.

「You guys can stay on the ship if you want.」

『Umu, it's better to limit our numbers. Just you and Sigrun should be no problem.』

「Yeah, let's just go with me and Sigrun.」

「I believed you'd say that, Shinzaaa♪」

「I-I'm going too! Because... just Shinza and Sigrun, you're both strong, but personality-wise it makes me anxious!」

She has a point. Since Carral came down from the schooner towards us, I took her hand so she wouldn't slip.

「Uwa?!」

「Forgot to mention, but it's slippery.」

「You should have told me sooner...!? U-Uuu...」

I caught her from behind, somehow supporting her back. Then, for some reason, the sailors started blowing teasing whistles at us one after another. It seemed to stimulate Carral's sense of shame, and I saw her turning bright red.

「Well, let's get going. Sigrun, take the front.」

「Leave it to me. Even if monsters of the farthest reaches appear, I will cut them down with this gyuuiiin sword!」

「Stop it, if you do that, it will only draw more enemies in.」

「That sounds great!」

「No, it doesn't sound great at all!」

Leaving the watch over the ship to the sailors, we headed towards the ruined urban area. It felt somewhat strange. Even though we had arrived at Merkwell, there must be some reason why the Book of the Evil Dragon hadn't reacted yet.

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