Beni, the Magic Bullet Sniper
Beni had spent the time since hearing Yura's story mulling it over, but no clear answer emerged right away. Of course, it wasn't something that would come easily. Yura herself had said as much. Even on the way back to the academy, heading to the train station, the dilemma lingered. In hopes it might help, she brought up a similar topic with Riley, but all she got back was, "Can't you just do what you want?"
...Should I just go with my gut and pick something? It was a hurdle unique to Beni among the first-years who'd been assigned such vague tasks. The commoner students knew their strengths and weaknesses inside out after three years grinding in the barracks. The nobles had likely prepared in various ways ever since their academy admission was confirmed...
"Mm! That was fun!"
"I'm glad to hear it."
With the battery-mages clambering into the lead engine car of the magic train as a backdrop, Riley stretched her shoulders and shouted in satisfaction. Honestly, Beni agreed. The worries about the assignment remained, but the two-day trip had been genuinely enjoyable. She'd ridden trains plenty of times before while working part-time as an engine hand, traveling to various posts. But back then, it was just boarding at the origin and alighting at the destination. The next day, she'd reverse course. So the only cities where Beni had truly gotten off the train for some sightseeing were those two.
Now a new experience had been added, so naturally, the emotions felt fresh. If nothing unexpected happened, she'd probably keep traveling to all sorts of places from here on. What adventures awaited in those spots? Beni glanced up at the sky with such thoughts. It was surely the same sky as the places she knew, yet it carried a strangely different vibe. Was it because of the accumulated experiences and memories? Though if she nitpicked, those memories included some rather dubious incidents...
That woman, though—what was her deal? The thought suddenly crossed her mind. The intruder Beni had spotted by chance and pointed out. No way had she caused that ruckus just to sightsee the interior. Yura had apparently stopped by the barracks before leaving to check, since it bugged her too... and after "interrogation," the woman had finally spilled her guts.
A republican terrorist. Apparently part of the same group that had attempted the Frostwood Citadel attack a few years back—the very incident where Yura had been deployed for suppression. They must have had some ideological reason to target the same place twice...
Honestly, Beni doubted she'd understand even if she heard the details. No, she didn't particularly want to. How does someone get so sucked into that weird crap they lose their mind? All she felt was a mix of pity and contempt.
Aura and magic talent were hereditary. Some sorceries were passed down strictly through bloodlines. The Earth saying "Does nobility have special seeds?" didn't hold water here. "What makes you so superior that you stand above us?" On Earth, that question had toppled concrete regimes... but here? You'd just get an answer like "inherent missile-system traits embedded in your genes, inseparable."
Pursuing democracy in a world like this was utterly absurd. At least from Beni's perspective, it was hard to even imagine how someone could arrive at such radical ideas. ...Centralized absolute monarchy gets called 'leftist' here, so preaching popular sovereignty? That's not just red, that's blood-red communist. Even the isekai girl from a democratic nation standing beside her couldn't stomach their claims deep down... Expecting Beni to get it was asking too much.
Anyway, best not to get tangled with those types. That was Beni's conclusion. They hadn't caught all the accomplices the intruder confessed to yet, but... that was the military's job. Beni, about to board the train and leave, had no need—and no business—worrying about it.
──The incident happened right in the midst of those thoughts.
Someone stepped toward the train. Nothing odd about that. The magic train was due to depart Yugten Station soon, so plenty of people were arriving to board.
"Konstantia──!"
But that person screaming someone's name in a voice bordering on a shriek... that was blatantly strange. Eyes from everyone crossing the platform converged on the spot. Naturally, Beni and the group's gazes followed suit.
It was the season when spring's warmth was just starting to fill the air. A coat that seemed a tad thick for daytime fluttered. But before any sense of mismatch from the outfit could register, the woman's hand drew Beni's eyes.
Multiple hands grasping each other's wrists to form a circle. The red hue of the hand-ring symbolizing the republicans. At the sight of that fluttering flag, Beni's eyes widened in shock.
"If it weren't for you!"
But even that wasn't the most shocking part. Her gaze locked on the terrorists' flag, so she was a beat late noticing the object in the woman's other hand. A gray sphere cradled in one palm. Something Yura Konstantia might call "softball-sized." The pattern etched on its surface emitted a faint crimson glow... and soon, it left its owner's hand, flying straight at Yura.
In the slow-flowing time, Beni realized what it was. A lecture mention flashed in her mind, along with her notes scribbled during it.
A wall-tower magic bullet. A throwable magic mine, created to address the mine school's weakness of purely passive response.
It hurtled toward Yura Konstantia not in a parabola, but nearly straight.
"...Close your eyes!"
Yura's urgent voice burst out immediately after. Though "urgent" might not fit—it was more resolute. She raised the cane gripped in her hand. A magic staff over two cubits long, doubling as her walking aid due to her leg injury. But it didn't look like she was casting a spell. A thick blue aura, visible to the naked eye, coiled around her forearm like a serpent. The blue snake extended its body to the staff...
Thok.
It finally tapped the incoming magic bullet. Beni's brain registered Yura's command late, squeezing her eyes shut reflexively—just as the aura serpent's jaws gaped wide and swallowed the gray sphere.
And then—flash.
An intense blaze pierced even through closed eyelids.
"Aaaah──"
The platform was crowded; surely a few like Beni hadn't shut their eyes or turned away in time. They screamed from the sudden blinding light, but the cries cut off without finishing. The magic power exploding from the bullet clashed with Yura's aura, freezing the surrounding space in silence.
Beni opened her eyes the instant the flash faded. Where the gray sphere had sped in, a blue orb now floated, pinned in midair. Yura's staff tip touched it, merging them into something like a bizarre blue-flamed mace.
"■■■■─"
The terrorist's face twisted in horror at the sight. She belatedly spat some incantation, but Beni instinctively knew it was too late for that.
Yura Konstantia kicked off the ground hard with her right foot, leaping forward. As her staff swung free, the blue orb melted away into the air. But the aura imbued in the staff remained. Closing the distance in one silent bound, she landed on her right foot again and thrust the staff out one-handed like a rapier. Blue aura erupted around her like an explosion, enveloping her entire body.
Beni wasn't a martial artist; her aura aptitude was rock-bottom. She knew little about it. But from observing Yura up close and their talks, she grasped two things. One: wrapping the body in aura as an exoskeleton could force even damaged flesh to move. Two: with enough skill—like when she'd reflexively lashed at the pickpocket girl but reined it in—she could extend it to others.
So what if ample aura quantity and control combined those? Simple deduction yielded the answer—and it was already flapping before her eyes, before she'd even solved the puzzle.
"Don't resist. You'll just break something needlessly if you force it."
In the frozen silent zone, a low voice—laced with aura or mana?—resonated. Yura Konstantia calmly adjusted her cap with her free hand. Her cold eyes watched the woman's limbs twist and fold under the staff's connection.
Aura binding. Not exactly efficient, honestly. Super useful if it lands right, but it guzzles aura. I warned her it'd break if she resisted, but real tough martial artists can just tank it or burst through. The speed of that magic bullet throw suggested a pure mage with zero aura, so no big worry here.
Of course, no point dragging it out. Pure aura waste. I manipulated the aura coiling the woman—wary of any accomplices—while forcing her limbs to move. First, drop her to the ground. Earth cops usually twist arms to prone her, but here, with unknown spells possible, face-down is risky. For now, aura crammed into her mouth like tentacles blocks any chanting, but still. Face up, then.
Can't just pin arms sloppily either. Considering body or formation arts, better grip hands tight. Ride her down like that? Not enough. If she's a martial artist, insufficient. Even mounted after prone, some spring up on leg strength alone. Gotta secure legs too.
But crushing legs isn't safe. She could force them like I do with aura. So textbook restraint, simplified: Lay captive prone, step on pulled-up arms at shoulders. Yank legs toward you, pin with hand.
...Isn't that mating press prep? Hey now, no filthy words like that. This is "Tactical Captive Binding." Biggest difference from mating press? Gotta seal the mouth against chanting. Which means...
"Mmph?!"
"Stay still."
My hands and feet were busy pinning limbs, so her face got my ass planted on it. Not my pervy tastes—this is straight from the Imperial Army manual, a model restraint. Seriously. For my tastes, roles would be reversed anyway.
"Miss Beni. Tell a station worker to call the guards."
"Y-Yes!"
I turned to Beni with the order, then sighed softly. Seniors used to handle this stuff... Modern world's so heartless. Made me miss Lieutenant Stein, who'd ditched her today, oddly enough.