Chapter 239: How to Become a Black Magician Is to... Until You're Thirty...
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 239: How to Become a Black Magician Is to... Until You're Thirty...
The Regressor observed Shiati closely and said,
“That's black magic.”
Her assessment was accurate.
She synchronized the cannon barrel with her own finger. Then, she broke her finger. And the cannon barrel broke with it.
It was similar to a voodoo doll's curse, yet different.
A voodoo doll synchronizes with a sacrificial effigy to harm an opponent's body. In Shiati's case, however, she did the reverse, offering her own body as a sacrifice to destroy an enemy's weapon or equipment.
It did have the fatal flaw of being usable only once per finger, for a total of ten times, but...
Oh, for crying out loud. I just realized. Shiati only has one arm, so she can only use it five times! To think that even black magic discriminates against the disabled. How unfair!
I knew some members of the resistance practiced black magic... but seeing it so suddenly makes me suspicious again. Though this is probably just me being paranoid.
The Regressor gave me a skeptical look.
“Hey, it looks like your friend has learned black magic. Did you teach her?”
“What's this nonsense? As if I'd teach her that. She learned it on her own.”
“Where?”
“I don't know where. But it's not that strange, is it?”
I muttered, continuing to drive nonchalantly.
“Most of the magic the Military State uses is of that kind.”
“...That's true.”
I was glad I didn't have to explain. Having experienced all sorts of things, the Regressor easily accepted my words.
The white horse carrying Shiati and the Princess returned in grand style, looking like a triumphant general.
Unlike the Princess, who couldn't smile out of concern for her friend's injury, Shiati was beaming. It seemed the joy of breaking the enemy's cannon barrel was several times greater than the pain of her broken finger. I wondered what was wrong with her internal scale.
Then again, she could probably only use black magic because that scale was broken in the first place.
Historia, however, who had been tied up quietly, did not look pleased. As soon as the white horse returned, she jumped out of the cargo bed and strode across the top of the automaton carriage.
These people walk on a carriage moving at full speed as if it were solid ground. Especially you, Historia. A person tied up with ropes isn't supposed to walk like that. You'll make the ropes sad.
In any case, Historia scowled, glaring at Shiati's gloved left hand and the hideously swollen little finger within.
“Shiati. Your finger.”
“Ah, you noticed!”
A wide smile spreading across her face, Shiati held out her gloved left hand and answered proudly.
“What do you think, Historia? I'm a little useful now, aren't I? I'm not the same person I was before. Even with this wretched body, if I use it like this, I can at least deal some damage to the enemy. I'm not powerless like I was back then.”
“That's black magic. Stop it. It will only hurt you.”
At Historia's sound advice, Shiati's smile vanished, and she tilted her head.
“Are you in any position to say that? One of the Military State's Six Generals?”
“...Whether I'm one of the Six Generals or not has nothing to do with it.”
“Nothing to do with it? The Military State is hardly in a position to condemn black magic, is it? The magic it teaches, Standard Magic, is a form of black magic itself.”
Seeing Historia press her lips together, Shiati narrowed her eyes.
“Don't tell me you didn't know, Historia?”
Standard Magic, the system of magic created by the Mage Marshal.
But there was a slight question surrounding it. Before the Military State came to be, the Mage Marshal was a mage so inept she couldn't even handle her own magic.
How could such a person have created Standard Magic?
The explanation flowed from Shiati's lips.
“When you use Standard Magic, your body pays the price. Use fire magic, and you get burned. Use water magic, and you freeze or become waterlogged. Even light magic has the problem of charring your skin black. To prevent this, you either have to use the magic so weakly that your body can handle the price... or you have no choice but to pass the cost onto a sacrifice of equal value.”
The Mage Marshal, who had studied all kinds of knowledge to overcome her limits, found the answer in black magic. To be precise, she combined the principles of black magic—paying a price for magic through a substitute—with her own.
The result of that process was Standard Magic.
Making the special commonplace. One of the Seven Major Inventions that laid the foundation of this nation.
“Using the body to pay the price for magic. The Standard Magic created by the Military State is... a ritualistic magic prepared for the untalented, one that uses one's own body as a sacrifice. It was processed to extremely reduce its power and cost, but it's still a form of black magic that grants miracles, otherwise impossible for ordinary people, in exchange for physical damage.”
Thanks to that, learning this black magic was easy, too. Heh, I guess the Military State did give me something after all.
Magic is the manifestation of one's own world. The act of overwriting the world has no concept of paying a price. It consumes a resource called mana when first cast, but once established, it maintains itself.
In contrast, Standard Magic, which demands a price every time... was, in a sense, similar to black magic.
And was that all? The Chimera Beans created in the southern floodplains—why else would they have 'chimera' in their name? The Military State was a nation built upon taboos.
Historia meekly defended Standard Magic.
“...It's different. Unlike Standard Magic, black magic only hurts both you and your opponent. It requires strong resentment and hatred, so it eats away at the user's soul.”
“Hah! Historia, are you worried about me? Someone as great as one of the Six Generals, worrying about a mere resistance grunt like me? So, what do you want me to do? Are you going to destroy the cannons for me instead?”
Shiati had meant it as sarcasm, but Historia promptly nodded. That left even Shiati speechless for a moment.
“One of the Six Generals... destroying the Military State's weapons? Are you kidding me?”
“...No one will know as long as I'm not in uniform. Not many people have seen my face up close.”
“Right, just looking at you, they'd think you're some pervert who likes being tied up and is pulling a stunt. What nonsense...”
Shiati was about to refuse flatly when the Princess, who had been listening to their conversation, hesitated for a moment before squeezing her eyes shut and speaking up.
“Um, Shiati! I'll go with her next time! You can rest in the back, Shiati!”
I don't care if it's black magic or what, but if she keeps breaking her fingers, she'll be scarred...! If there's a way to do this without getting hurt, let's do that!
In the end, Historia's words had convinced the Princess. Betrayed by the one person she trusted, Shiati was dumbfounded and pressed her.
“Princess? She's one of the Six Generals. A high-ranking official of the Military State. She's a monster who could subdue you with her big toe even while tied up like that and stroll leisurely toward the enemy lines. What are you trusting?”
“Trust must be repaid with trust! I trust in her character!”
“I told you. Unlike you, Princess, she has no interest in the weak. You might as well trust the Military State itself! No. I can't leave this to the enemy.”
Shiati refused adamantly, but the Princess was just as stubborn. The Princess leaned forward, pretending to listen to her white horse.
“What? Selphy, what did you say? You don't want to carry Shiati on your back anymore?”
The clever white horse, understanding its master's intent, responded with a whinny. Humming and nodding, the Princess shouted to Shiati.
“Selphy says she's done carrying you, too! Right, Selphy?”
Neigh!
The loyal horse perfectly grasped its beautiful master's intentions. Shiati was flabbergasted by this third-rate play put on by a girl and her horse.
“Wait. Princess...”
“Aah, I can't hear you! Anyway, next up is Gunmaster Historia! You'll go, right?”
Historia nodded firmly.
I wondered if the ability to avoid hostility also worked on stubbornness. Faced with the insistent Princess, even Shiati was helpless. It was decided that Historia would go next.
“Ambush on the other side of that hill!”
Just then, the Regressor, who had gone out to scout, discovered an ambush. She reported that a larger force than before, with even more cannons, was targeting our automaton carriage from high ground.
The scale was serious enough that the Regressor considered going herself, but she was our all-purpose final line of defense, capable of responding to any attack. It was better to operate a separate detachment than to deploy her.
It was definitely not because I was in danger. Nope.
After a brief squabble, Historia and the Princess decided to head out. The Princess glanced at Historia, who was sitting behind her with her legs together, and gave a hesitant smile.
Ah, well. She was genuinely worried about Shiati's body. She won't cause any harm...! Ugh, stop worrying for nothing, Yerien! This is how it's supposed to be—trust must be repaid with trust!
Having steeled her resolve, the Princess offered a small greeting to Historia.
“Ah, haha. We-well, I'm counting on you, Major General...?”
“...Just get me to the front.”
“Yes! Of course! But, um, won't it be dangerous for you while you're tied up? Selphy is a gentle and calm girl, but if she runs at full speed...”
“I can stand on my own two feet even while tied up, so don't worry.”
“But it's uphill, what if you lose your balance...”
“You worry a lot, leader of the resistance. Was such a worried person just watching every time Shiati broke her finger?”
Struck where it hurt, the Princess flinched as if she'd been whipped.
“S-sorry! I'll go faster!”
The Princess spurred the horse on. The white horse quickly reached top speed.
Selphy the white horse was faster than our automaton carriage. Not that our carriage was much of a comparison, but with a little exaggeration, she seemed faster than the setting sun. Before we even entered the cannons' line of fire, the white horse had reached the enemy unit.
“Gunmaster? How much further?”
“This is enough.”
As they drew near, Historia, still sitting with her legs together, simply slid off the horse's back and dropped to the ground. Her landing, while the horse was at a full gallop and with both her arms bound, looked extremely unstable, but...
Thud.
Planting both feet firmly on the ground, Historia continued running forward with the same momentum she'd had on the horse. She moved at a speed that made even Selphy, who had carried her, flinch.
“Wh-what the hell!”
“A tied-up woman is attacking us...!”
“Wasn't she a prisoner? Stop her!”
But she was one of the Six Generals, tied up or not. Stomping hard on the ground, Historia shot forward, her long legs stretching out. She leaped over a tall rock in a single bound and ran straight for a cannon.
Someone in an officer's uniform thrust a sword at her. It was a move meant more to block her approach than to attack. Historia flicked the hilt away with the tip of her foot and, simultaneously twisting her trajectory in mid-air, lightly tapped his chin with her heel.
That was all it took. The officer's eyes glazed over, and he promptly collapsed. Before his head even hit the ground, Historia was already far ahead.
“St-stop her!”
Reaching the cannon in an instant, she spun around and kicked it. A rather predictable thing happened. With a loud crash, the cannon's barrel snapped sideways and dangled uselessly.
I watched the scene calmly and remarked.
“Which is more common sense: breaking a cannon barrel with black magic, or breaking it with a kick?”
“The driver looking at the road is common sense! Stop watching and turn the wheel!”
The Regressor's answer was so sensible it was boring.
Meanwhile, Historia neutralized the defending soldiers with minimal force, selectively destroying only the cannons. She smashed them with just her feet, without even lifting a finger. The panicked soldiers tried to turn their cannons, but they couldn't keep up with her speed.
But perhaps her target was too obvious. Soldiers gathered to protect the last cannon. Among them, a skinny man in an officer's uniform blocked Historia's path.
“That's far enough!”
Historia faltered for a moment as he blocked her path with his body. The officer aimed a broad scimitar at her.
“Impressive skills...! From the looks of it, you seem to be about the same age as the Military State's own Gunmaster of the Six Generals!”
That was the most powerful attack Historia had received all day. As she stumbled, caught completely off guard, the officer saw his chance and shouted triumphantly.
“But it's no use! Compared to the once-in-a-generation genius, Major General Historia, your talent is shallow! The Military State is not to be underestimated! I, Major Girant of the Military State, will show you that you cannot win with both arms tied!”
Major Girant charged forward gallantly.
But it was no use. Historia personally taught his body that if your opponent is one of the Six Generals, they can win with both arms tied. She knocked his saber away with the top of her foot, then kicked the major in the stomach with that same foot, ending the fight. The result was so futile it was almost pitiful.
“My... path. I couldn't protect it... I'm sorry...!”
With those last words, the officer passed out. The demoralized soldiers tended to him, gritting their teeth.
“The Major's been taken down!”
“That pervert...! Is she showing off that she can win even while tied up?!”
“Is she looking down on us...?! What terrible taste...!”
“Dammit! If only we had one of the Six Generals on our side!”
Historia looked like she had a lot to say, but she couldn't. Swallowing her words, she ducked her head low in case someone recognized her, ran forward, and kicked the cannon out of sheer frustration.
The wrath of one of the Six Generals was immense. The cannon the officer had tried so desperately to protect was not only mercilessly crumpled, but its barrel was completely torn off.
At that incredible display of power, the soldiers lost their will to resist.
“...Hey, but doesn't she kinda look like the Major General? I think I saw her from a distance once.”
“What kind of baseless bullshit is that? The Major General isn't a pervert, she wouldn't attack us while tied up!”
“You're right.”
And Historia lost her will to attack. Leaving the frightened soldiers behind, she fled. Not from the enemy, but from shame and embarrassment.
A new legend would now be told in the Military State: the tale of the mysterious female master who attacked them in just a shirt, all while tied up. Things were getting interesting.