I'll Make Sure You All Experience It Together.
I'll Make Sure You All Experience It Together.
The female knight who had introduced herself as 'Vanessa' devoured the food like a starving ghost.
I'd given it to her because she looked so pathetic, but it was practically leftover disposal, so I felt no sense of waste.
Still, I decided to ask her a few things.
"Where are the rest of your group members."
"Gak—, koff."
Something must have caught in her throat. Vanessa pounded her chest with a fist. That graceless display made my brow furrow on its own, but I waited without comment until she drank some water.
"Hoooh. They all got eliminated."
"Done in by demon beasts, then."
Vanessa nodded, her expression complicated.
"Yeah. We ran into a Witch's Spirit and...."
"A Witch's Spirit?"
The voice that cut in so urgently was Becky's. She stared at Vanessa, her eyes filled with worry.
"A Witch's Spirit, did you say?"
"Yeah. A Witch's Spirit."
"Wh-where?"
"I was so shaken up I can't pinpoint the exact spot, but... it wasn't that far from here."
Becky's expression grew shadowed. She looked at me as if asking whether we weren't in danger too.
Not that I couldn't understand the sentiment. A Witch's Spirit is a fairly notorious creature, after all.
But it has poor compatibility with Hera, the night spirit. In other words, there is no scenario where it would voluntarily come seeking us out.
I directed a word at Becky.
"Focus on the magic circle instead."
"...Yes."
With a sullen expression, Becky turned back toward the magic circle. I had the three representatives working on solving the formula problem at the moment.
"Hey, but. More than the Witch's Spirit."
After Becky had gone back, Vanessa spoke up.
"The other knight groups are looking for you lot."
"Is that so."
"Cheonchuk put points up like a bounty. As in, if they just find out which Witch you're on, they'll hand over the points."
"I see."
"...."
Vanessa tilted her head.
"Was that not very shocking? What I just said."
"I've never hidden in the first place."
I was only flatly stating a fact.
"I was just wondering how much longer I'd have to wait."
Because I, too, had been waiting for them.
◈
The sun slowly sank, and night arrived.
After I'd sent Vanessa off, I gave the three of them orders to focus entirely on deciphering the magic circle's formulas.
As expected, Vanessa would be coming back soon enough anyway.
"Tch."
So, just like yesterday, I sat in front of the campfire and clicked my tongue at the pathetic sight before me.
Scratch scratch.
Louis couldn't so much as blink as he scrawled something onto a sheet of paper. His forehead was beaded with sweat.
He'd asked for paper, saying he needed to write things down, and I had readily handed over the materials I'd already finished reviewing. By now, the pile had swollen up like firewood.
"I just can't figure out where the discrepancy keeps happening."
He irritably crumpled the paper with a crinkling sound, then picked up a fresh sheet. He looked far more agitated than usual.
"There's nothing wrong with the calculations, so what on earth is it?"
I turned my head to look at Becky.
"—"
She was muttering something to herself with fierce concentration.
'She's reached the point of attempting to approach it through chanting, has she.'
The moment I tuned my ears to her mumbling.
"I can do it. I can do it. I can do... can I? I can...?"
Expectation met reality. Becky's ability isn't yet enough to approach a formula through chanting.
Gnaw gnaw.
Trixie was quietly biting her nails. The several blue flames floating around her looked somewhat gloomy.
"How... can there be zero progress in an entire day."
At that one word from me, all three sets of eyes simultaneously turned toward me. They all moved their lips as if meaning to protest something, but seemed to lack even the energy for that, and soon let out deep sighs.
"Especially since these are things you absolutely must know."
「Signal Formula」
「Emergency Evasion Formula」
「Meditation Formula」
The formulas I'd structured as activation requirements for the magic circle were three in total. I'd composed them purely of practical ones so the representatives wouldn't suffer any unforeseen accidents inside the danger zone.
In other words, stepping into the danger zone without even mastering this much is extremely dangerous.
"This is too hard."
Becky shook her head side to side.
"This is at least advanced second-year coursework. I've got experience summarizing papers in my own way, you know. It definitely is!"
"It's nothing but the fundamentals."
"...."
Becky coughed dryly, then protested.
"At your level, Plan. Isn't it just fundamentals at your level?"
"Not at all."
That's when Trixie let out a long sigh and spoke.
"Of course, we could probably solve it if we gave it our total focus. But right now, we're in a situation where we're mentally cornered."
The tip of her index finger pointed at the moon in the sky.
"The other groups are continuously racking up points even as we speak, but we've done nothing at all by the second night. It's disheartening, and that makes it hard to focus entirely on the formulas."
"These formulas are the first step toward victory. I believe I told you."
"Even so... fine. I'll just be honest. Honestly, I don't think we'd be able to solve them even with total concentration."
In the end, I snapped my fingers. A mana board of blue light materialized in the air. Waiting until they managed on their own is one method, but there is no more time.
"Focus. The explanation will conclude in exactly ten minutes."
I had already decided what to explain.
"First, before looking at the formulas, you must understand what capabilities are being demanded of you."
In order to keep the promise of spending exactly ten minutes on the explanation, I compressed and provided the clues regarding the three formulas.
Cooperation, survival, calmness... these three were the core.
However, when I had explained for exactly nine minutes and twelve seconds.
"...."
I had no choice but to halt the explanation upon abruptly sensing presences. Leaving the representatives, who were blinking their eyes, I concentrated for a moment on the aura I felt around me.
I extinguished the floating mana board.
"You lot, from now on, focus on the magic circle."
"Huh?"
"Don't make me repeat myself."
The moment I put on a serious expression, the three asked me nothing further. They exchanged glances a few times amongst themselves, then clung to the magic circle.
One, two, three, four....
Even just counting the ones I could sense immediately, there were over ten. I was certain those presences belonged to knights.
Using telekinesis, I hurled a burning piece of firewood. It landed at the source of the presences, illuminating the surroundings.
And an utterly familiar face came into view.
"So you were here. Plan."
A female knight who looked as though a rose had blossomed into human form. Combing her sharply cut red bob with her fingers, Janet, the cadet squad leader of Cheonchuk, revealed herself.
Behind Janet stood Vanessa, fidgeting, not knowing what to do. She mumbled in a crawling voice.
"S-Sorry...."
From the state of her, Vanessa seemed to have gone through something quite rough. Not that I had any intention of blaming her in the first place.
This was what I had expected, and intended.
I simply returned Janet's greeting flatly.
"You have no talent as the seeker whatsoever. Janet."
"There's been more than one or two things to catch in this game of hide-and-seek, you see. Ah, would you mind waiting just a moment?"
Grraaaah—!
In that instant, about ten feral hounds woven from shadow shot out from the forest. The term 'hounds' might actually be a misnomer. They were at least the size of boulders.
Sseuk.
Janet's thin sword traced a precise arc.
And the next instant.
Before the demon beasts that had leaped into the air could even set foot on the ground again, all their vital points were pierced and they were torn to shreds.
The sounds of joints being wrenched apart and bodies pulverized. Entrails scattering in all directions from a single thin dance-line of the thin sword.
The shadow hounds that had been pouring in from all sides were now piled on the ground as nothing more than chunks of meat. A skilled application of her inherent ability.
"Hm hm hm."
Humming a tune, Janet produced a handkerchief from her bosom and wiped her blade clean.
"As you can see, Berkel is full of nuisances."
"You came all the way out here to complain."
"As if I would. On the contrary, from now on you might be the one complaining. Plan."
Janet sheathed her sword at her hip. Instead, she took out a coin and flicked it into the air at a steady rhythm.
"The fact that you revealed the phantom map to everyone. And the fact that you haven't gone out hunting for two days... There must be some kind of plan in that head of yours."
Ting. The coin bounced once again.
"Tell me your plan, Plan."
I nodded quietly.
"So it wasn't a complaint. It was begging for information."
"Oh?"
Janet cocked her head slightly and raised the corners of her mouth. It was the very picture of a courteous and gentle lady knight.
"Wouldn't it be best to choose your words carefully? I'm mulling things over at the moment, you see. What I should do about the Magic Department."
"...So you were frightened."
At those words, Janet shut her mouth. Instead, she just stared at me intently. As if telling me to continue.
I was only too happy to oblige.
"Even while you held the highest score, you were frightened. You likely had no conviction that you'd secure first place."
Letting out a long 'hmm,' a nasal sound, Janet stopped flicking the coin. She was composed, but the interest in her eyes had deepened further.
"Catch a demon beast. Catch another. And another. No matter how many you caught, thoughts of me wouldn't leave your head. Because a feeling of unease, never knowing when you might be overturned, lingered at the edges of your mind."
"Fufufu...."
Janet nodded repeatedly. After letting out a subtle laugh, she spoke in a tone as if granting a reward.
"A very splendid idea. It might even have some merit. But Plan, there's one thing you've overlooked...."
Janet flicked the coin up very high, making a 'ting' sound.
And the next instant.
Hwoong—!
A fierce wind rushed toward me. At some point, the earth before me had been cleft in a straight line. Beyond that fissure, I could see Janet's satisfied smile.
In the blink of an eye, Janet had swung her sword and sundered the ground.
I intentionally took no action whatsoever. I knew that sword strike would stop right in front of my eyes.
"...I acknowledge that you, Plan, are formidable. But at the same time, I have not once entertained the thought that I could be defeated."
Janet recovered her smile. By now, she was back to flicking the coin in her hand.
"I also commend you for not batting an eye. Hmm~ Though your comrades seem not to share that sentiment."
I merely turned my head to look behind me.
All three of them were staring at me as if deeply concerned. I didn't care for that.
"I believe I told you to focus on the magic circle."
"Uh... we solved it. Plan. Solved them, but...."
Becky hesitated, looking around the vicinity. Not just Cheonchuk, but a great number of knights were surrounding us.
Janet shrugged her shoulders once.
"Would this count as an alliance, if one had to call it something? The notion that leaving a bundle of variables around does no good. On that point, at least, everyone was unanimous."
I simply asked Becky one more time.
"You are absolutely certain you said you solved them."
"Uh-huh. I even double-checked the calculations."
Janet grinned as she continued speaking.
"I'd be a little hurt if you didn't focus your attention over here, you know? You'd better tell me the plan soon. I'd rather not have to swing a sword any more today.... How about it?"
"So I shall."
"If you don't say it, then this time for sure.... Hm?"
Janet couldn't finish her sentence and tilted her head. With a haughty and elegant gait, she walked up close to me.
She slowly asked me again.
"You'll tell me?"
"Yes."
"You're defying my expectations again. Plan, I thought for sure I'd be swinging my sword at you about three times today."
The surrounding area grew quiet.
Everyone is waiting for something to spill from my mouth. In the eyes of the knights looking at me, curiosity and tension roiled together in equal measure.
From the center of that silence, I spoke as if letting out a sigh.
"However, there's no particular need to explain with words."
As always, I have my own way of doing things.
I drew up mana with all my might.
"See for yourself with your own two eyes, starting now."
Straight lines of high-firepower glowing pure white. Four or five of them were drawn in succession within the circle. It wasn't long before the entire ground surface began to glow.
At that moment, the halo of light wrapped around the bodies of everyone present in the vicinity. I could see the faces of knights who had yet to grasp the situation.
"—!"
By the time some kind of judgment was dawning on their faces. The magic had already activated.
The miracle of space, transporting multiple targets with a single activation. The romance of the summoning school that mages pursue.
"This...!"
"No way?"
"What...!"
A teleportation magic circle.
There is no change to the plan.
As scheduled, I set foot in the danger zone.
"I'll make sure you all get to experience it too."
...Along with everyone here.