Monster Subjugation (2)

Magic Legion Commander Arcel. Just as expected, he was still standing guard at Grandis's side. I'd half-hoped he might have wandered off somewhere else, but of course nothing that convenient was going to happen.

I turned to my party members.

"We stick to the plan. Caesius, Mersius — go with Erinn."

"Right. Understood."

"Yes, Benefactor."

Watching the two dragons shed their human forms and return to their true shapes, I looked at Erinn.

"Erinn. Climb on."

"Your back's gonna be all rough and scratchy~♡"

"Is that really the issue right now…?"

I was so taken aback that the words just slipped out, and Erinn giggled.

"I'm kidding~♡ You looked so unnecessarily tense, I figured I'd mess with you a little."

"…Me?"

"You were shaking just now, you know~?"

Was I? I must have been wound up without even realizing it.

"Loosen up a bit~!"

With that, Erinn hopped onto Caesius's back. Caesius immediately beat her wings and soared into the sky.

"Sending the Hero away and facing me yourselves…."

The Magic Legion Commander's mana surged. It was enough to send a chill racing through my entire body — and that wasn't even him going all out.

"Albrecht!"

"Got it."

I answered in kind. Compared to Arcel's mana, mine was a drop in the ocean — but that didn't matter.

Crackle-crackle-CRACK!!!

The mana I drew forth coiled around the Magic Legion Commander's power and locked it down.

"…Oh?"

Even a Magic Legion Commander's mana wasn't anything special in that regard. The sheer volume was staggering, sure — but the fact that my power could bind it remained the same.

"Fascinating as ever. Just what is that mana of yours?"

Even with a portion of it bound, Arcel's mana continued to move. Was he seriously about to cast a spell like that?

That worry turned out to be unnecessary — Arcel was simply shifting his mana around. But even that alone produced an enormous effect. Merely moving his mana was enough to whip up a mana storm.

RUMBLE-CRASH-CRASH!!!

"Albrecht, get behind me!"

Letisia, who had been standing with me, summoned the Spirit King.

Just before the mana storm slammed into us, a cascade of pink hair fluttered before my eyes.

"You've been calling me so often lately. How delightful, Contractor."

"Stop being so casual and block it, Elysia!"

"Yes, yes. As you wish."

BOOOOOOM!!!

Spirit King Elysia's formidable spiritual power met the Legion Commander's mana head-on and held it back. I was genuinely impressed. Of course this wasn't Arcel at full strength — but she'd still stopped it cold without any special technique.

If she's this strong just from materializing… how powerful is she at her true full strength?

It was overwhelming enough to make me wonder.

"…A Spirit King? What on earth was the Oblivion Legion doing, failing to report something like this?"

Arcel clicked his tongue and shifted his mana again. Elysia smirked.

"Brat. You think that'll work?"

She said it with complete confidence — then glanced sideways at me. Why was she looking at—

…She wants me to do it?

Then why the hell did she sound so sure of herself calling him a brat?!

It was absurd, but I still had a job to do. The Magic Legion Commander wasn't just moving mana around anymore. That precise, deliberate motion… that was definitely a spell taking shape.

I raised my mana and focused on prying apart the Legion Commander's power as it began binding into Force.

And to my amazement, the mana that had been forming into a spell simply crumbled — scattering like dust. It worked perfectly even on the Magic Legion Commander.

Arcel showed no sign of panic, but he clearly wasn't pleased that his magic had been dismantled.

"Hmm…."

"Excellent work, Albrecht."

Seeing Arcel's mana scatter, Elysia moved at once. As a spirit, she used spiritual power rather than mana — so my ability didn't interfere with her when she fought.

A storm infused with the power of all four elemental attributes roared to life.

"…Truly an interesting power."

And then something astonishing happened.

In a single instant I couldn't even perceive, Arcel's mana compressed and formed dozens of layers of Force. It happened in the blink of an eye.

BOOOOOOOOOOM────────!!

The spell completed in an instant and collided with the Spirit King's power. True to his status as a holder of astronomical mana, it was a magic of such overwhelming force that it casually held back even the materialized Elysia's full strength.

"…Tsk. How disagreeable."

Elysia said flatly.

"Letisia, is there no way for you to grow stronger still?"

"I-I've increased my mana quite a lot this time, you know…?"

"That may be so, but it is still insufficient to fully materialize me."

"Of course it is! I'd need at least five times more mana than I have now!"

"I fail to understand why you assume it is impossible. You give up far too easily."

"Say something that actually makes sense, Elysia!"

…Spirit mages and Spirit Kings had a funny relationship. Apparently they even did comedy routines.

"Albrecht. That was your name, was it not?"

"?"

Amid all this, Arcel spoke my name.

"I shall be taking you with me."

"…What?"

And once more, he raised his mana. I saw it and frantically wrung out every last drop I had left. Given how fast ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠he could bind Force, there was no time to spare.

But then something even more unsettling happened. The mana I had drawn forth simply stopped — as if something had sealed it shut.

"My mana lacks a power like yours, but I can manage a reasonable imitation."

"Albrecht!? Elysia, hurry and—!"

In that same moment, Arcel closed the distance to me in a flash. Not only I, but even Elysia lost track of his movement ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for a split second.

"Moving via mana… what a bag of tricks…!"

Elysia raised her spiritual power a beat too late — but Arcel's hand was already reaching for me.

BOOM!!!

Something came flying and knocked Arcel back. He caught it with one hand, but the tremendous force behind it still drove him several steps backward.

"…An arrow?"

A single arrow. In this fraction of a second, there was only one person who could fire a shot powerful enough to shove the Magic Legion Commander.

"Pwahaha, you're okay, right~?"

Even now, Ser-Aria had a bottle of liquor clamped between her teeth. I'd told her to handle Grandis — why was she paying attention over here…?

Still, I was grateful. She'd just saved my life. I caught my breath and called out to her.

"Focus on your side!"

Ser-Aria gave a slight nod and turned her attention back to assaulting Grandis. From the looks of it, things over there weren't in any real trouble. The only problem was that Grandis was absurdly tough.

"…Albrecht. Come behind me."

"What?"

Letisia turned her head slightly and flashed a bashful little smile.

"I have no intention of letting some strange man steal you away."

"…!?"

I was so flabbergasted I could barely form words.

"Th-this is not the time for jokes, Letisia!"

"I'm not joking. I'm completely serious."

Letisia drew her mana hard. Then she spoke to Elysia.

"Elysia — use as much mana as you want…."

Letisia's ears twitched upright.

"Smash that thief to pieces."

Meanwhile, having ridden Caesius up above Grandis's head, Erinn let out a light, incredulous laugh.

"Quite the warm welcome~♡"

All seven of the giant divine constructs were simultaneously condensing mana into their cores, preparing to fire mana cannons.

"Looks like they were waiting for us~?"

"Should we evade?"

Erinn shook her head at Caesius's question.

"Nope~♡"

She raised the Holy Sword high.

"We take them head-on."

WHOOOOOOOSH!!!!

All seven golems — the so-called Masterpieces — fired their mana cannons at once. Erinn concentrated her mana into the Holy Sword. The power was so immense that a warning message appeared right in front of Albrecht, who was still far below at Grandis's base.

Not only Albrecht — even Arcel sensed it and tilted his head slightly upward.

"…The Hero."

"Eyes on me, if you please?"

BOOM!!

Drawing freely on Letisia's mana and now able to wield even greater power, Elysia slammed into him from the front. Arcel raised his mana to hold her force at bay.

While they clashed, Erinn's power reached completion above the clouds.

"C-Caesius! Lady Hero!? You need to dodge now—!"

The mana cannons were so close that even Mersius was shouting. But Caesius didn't move — and Erinn answered that trust by swinging her blade.

"Nice hold~♡"

The mana dwelling in the Holy Sword surged outward in a vast ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠arc, splitting the clouds—

SHREEEEEEEEEEEK──────────────────!!

—and cleaved the sky itself.

Along the sword-scar carved into the heavens, the golems' mana cannons were bisected in a single stroke. Thanks to that, Mersius — and Caesius, who had held her ground without flinching — came through completely unharmed.

Erinn casually flipped her grip on the Holy Sword and spoke.

"Can you see where the core is~?"

"…I cannot. The Magic Legion Commander's mana appears to be concealing it."

"Hmm."

Erinn spun the sword once in her hand.

"That spot where they just gathered their mana — maybe that's the core?"

"Possible."

"Then."

Erinn hopped lightly off Caesius's back and landed on Grandis's spine. She gave her sword a casual swing, loosening the arm muscles that had gone stiff after that massive technique.

"Back me up well. Since I'm not your contractor, I can't give you direct orders—"

"Understood."

"Yes! I'll do my very best!"

Erinn took one deep breath and raised her mana. Toward the giant constructs advancing on her with glowing red eyes.

"Shall we, then~."

Erinn thought to herself. Once this was over….

Then I'll finally get some praise~♥

She was going to ask Albrecht to pet her head.