How's That? It's Really Easy, Right?
Suddenly, memories from this previous life surface. What was it called again? Ah, right. Baseball. More precisely, a batting practice range. Anyway.
‘In my previous life, I used to do that and play around with it. The memories are coming back bit by bit.’
Once again, a blue spark flies in front of my eyes. Ah, correction. It’s blue.
I remember that even though I was from the magic department, blue flames are hotter than red ones.
If I can’t stop that, I’ll become a Medal of Honor recipient who burns in front of people.
“...”
Concentrate. All the surrounding noise and gazes disappear.
What remains is me, the sword in my hand, and the blue flame bundle flying ahead.
Everything slows down. But it becomes clear. The flame that was just drawing trajectories gradually reveals its form.
Which direction it will fly. What its speed is. How much it will be affected by the wind, and what changes it will cause. All of it enters my eyes and enters my mind precisely.
There’s nothing difficult. Just move to the most certain and brightest spot among the many branches.
If the calculation is done, aim for the next optimal timing. Cut the magic spell inside that flame at the point where mana gathers.
Some might question if this is possible. But in fact, since it’s not even flying at the speed of sound like magic, it’s not impossible.
It’s slower than the elves’ arrows. Adding a bit of exaggeration, it’s similar to the speed at which elves move.
So, it’s possible.
‘Now.’
Stab the sword at the exact point. Just as a hot energy is about to be felt, the core of the spell is destroyed, and the light and heat lose all their power.
—Passsot!
Mana that looks like smoke and ash scatters in all directions. The smell is... what to call it. Not a burning smell, but rather a strange wind smell that comes from the forest?
If I had mastered this technique a little faster, it would have been really good. If so, I might have saved at least one more person.
Bullets were scary, arrows were terrifying, but the most horrifying thing was magic.
At best, one or two would die or get injured, but magic, if hit properly, would erase five or six in an instant. Really unlucky, when it hit the gunpowder warehouse, it was hell opening.
A moment ago, my colleagues who were laughing and chatting together suddenly became charcoal from magic.
Just as something was about to surge in my chest, I shook my head to erase it.
‘Good thought. Good thought. Hoo. Damn. I almost became charcoal.’
Don’t think about other things during combat. Those guys die first. Recalling the seniors’ words, I cut the magic that flew close again.
—Passsot!
Cheers come from afar. Probably they think I deliberately delayed it.
I didn’t intend to, but if it looked okay, it’s not a bad thing.
And thinking about it, the reason I recalled my previous life was because I was hit by the magic bombardment.
A slight concussion made me remember the previous life, and thanks to that, I was able to take advantage of it, so if I could have defeated the magic attack too early, that would have been a loss.
“Karl-senpai!”
I see the juniors in front waving their hands here and there. What? It’s already over?
Only about ten came flying and ended. In the battlefield, once it starts, hundreds would pour out.
It feels like something is deflating, but I don’t show it. This is not the battlefield, it’s the academy, and it’s not fighting, it’s enjoying the festival.
In fact, even expressing this complaint would be abnormal in the eyes of others.
“...”
I slightly turn my head and look at the place where the foreign guests are. The distance is a bit far, but they seem to have dumbfounded expressions at least.
This much is faithfully carrying out the Emperor’s command. If I do more, it’s likely to be brainless.
So, I put the sword in my pocket and turn my body, when someone running from the side is felt.
“Karl!”
“Senior!”
What? The ones I was watching weren’t just the guests.
‘...Wait a minute.’
Thinking about it, this is a big problem. I did this dangerous thing in front of Selena.
My father said that a man should at least show a gentle appearance in front of his wife... This seems to have turned out the opposite?
In my head, scenes like ‘What are you doing! It’s dangerous!’ or ‘I can’t live! Why are you suddenly fighting magic!’ are replaying over and over—
“What was that just now, Karl?! You cut the magic?!”
“Eh? Uh, yeah. Sorry. So this is—”
“Amazing. I’ve never seen it before. How did you do that magic?! Did you get hurt anywhere?”
“Right? This magic has the property of collapsing if only the spell part is cut accurately.”
“Ah! I heard that too, Karl-senpai. But it’s strange. I didn’t know you were taking Magic Academy lectures.”
“I don’t take that. Lepia junior.”
“Eh? But how do you know so well?”
Because I rolled like a dog in the battlefield where magic poured out like crazy?
“More importantly. Selena came out to enjoy the festival?”
“Yeah. Even though it’s impossible during the festival period, at least today I want to play however I can!”
“That’s a desirable attitude. I said earlier in the stables that playing is also a skill.”
Rest well when you can rest. That’s how you can fight properly when you have to.
It won’t be different at the academy. If you just stick your butt to the books every day and read, is there anything better than that sinking into your head?
“Shall we go see the booths?”
“Yeah! Let’s do that, Karl.”
“Then where should we go first. Do you know the booth situation?”
“Uh... Ah, right. I heard that Lepia junior is running a booth. Shall we go check?”
Thinking about it, Lepia said she has a booth on something related to Lasquer.
I was curious because the only Lasquer specialty I know is knights.
“Come on, guide us, Lepia junior! Come on, hurry!”
“Uek! Ah, I got it! But don’t get too excited!”
“If you say that, it makes me want to get excited even more, you know?”
“No way!”
*
Hoo hoo hoo.
Selena, Karl, and Lepia, who is bewildered with two men in between.
The Lasquer side person watching this scene was smiling inwardly with satisfaction.
Officially, Lepia has renounced her status as Lasquer’s princess. She has severed the rights and obligations given as royalty herself.
So, from now on, whatever Lepia says or does is not the will of the Lasquer royal family.
But, that doesn’t mean her origin disappears entirely.
Whether good or bad, she is ultimately from Lasquer. Even if she is far from Lasquer, it is impossible to completely cut that off.
And that part is currently leading the situation in a very good direction.
No matter what, if it’s the Empire’s war hero and she looks good, and she’s close to the son of Baba Yaga, it could have a slight positive influence on Lasquer.
‘In addition to that...’
In fact, the reason the Lasquer side person is reacting so happily is for another reason.
“...”
The Abillesti side mage’s expression is completely crumpled. Of course, because Karl just now, right in front of him, shattered the magic flying with just one sword.
Of course, it’s not the ultimate magic made by several top-level mages, but it’s not nothing.
Anyway, magic is magic, and this magic that turned into powder right in front of me, not crumbling. Especially in front of me, not anyone else, the person from the knight’s country Lasquer!
‘I probably got my pride hurt a lot. Hoo hoo hoo. Damn magic users. It’s satisfying. When we Lasquer bowed our heads to the Empire, you were the ones who were swinging swords and shouting that you finally became tame. I knew there were many who were shouting that the magic era had arrived.’
The Empire uses swords, magic, guns, and gunpowder evenly and is versatile.
In contrast, Lasquer still values swords and looks down on magic very much.
There, seeing Lasquer bow to the Empire, it was a very natural expectation that Abillesti would burst into cheers.
But, in such a situation, the Empire’s war hero showed splitting magic with a sword in front of Lasquer and Abillesti.
Whether it can actually be used in real combat is secondary, but the message conveyed inside is important.
“...”
The Abillesti side mage bit his lip slightly. Is this a warning from the Empire?
“We were excited because we Lasquered you. But don’t misunderstand. We don’t like you magic users being too arrogant either.”
“Right now, since you’re cooperating well with our Empire, we let it slide to this extent, but if you get excited about trampling on Lasquer and lose your mind and cross the line, you’ll know?”
On the surface, they came for the academy festival and the hero, but in the end, all of that had this intention?
As expected from the Empire. As expected from the Emperor. And the war hero who is a noble of that empire and a subject of the emperor.
At first, they came with a light heart, but Abillesti, who got a great lesson and an important warning and left.
‘Crazy human.’
And the elves from Heigens, well, their reactions are always similar.
“...”
The priests from the Holy See had been praying since earlier.