The pure white blankness that had filled my vision gradually began to clear.
Once Amelia-sh (Master) finished her preparations, we had to move immediately so as not to give the enemy too much time. The combatants from the Beast Kingdom had already arrived, and those on the Heed side had taken a bare minimum of rest, meaning everyone was ready to move at a moment's notice. Since all the supplies for the offensive had been gathered by Nagan and stored at a makeshift base established near the capital, all that was left for us to do was teleport there.
Seeing us off to the magic circle were Luciya and other high-ranking officials of the Heed Kingdom. Luciya had a few things to say to me, but it was all quite cute. This battle wouldn't last very long. I promised her I would return as soon as it was over and said my goodbyes. After that, it was just a matter of me doing my best to pour mana into the magic circle... Well, the one who actually put in the work was Amelia-san, though.
For me, it was just the usual, careful release of mana. For her, hell began.
As a mere "mana tank," all I had to do was simply release my magical energy, but from Amelia-san's perspective, the workload was staggering. She had to take the colossal amount of mana I sent out, convert it within her own body, and drop it down to a manageable level before channeling it into the magic circle so it wouldn't shatter. If she retained too much mana, in her case, it wouldn't compress; it could potentially explode from the inside out. Thus, she had to desperately discard the excess energy outward while working.
(Because of that, the air was literally crackling and snapping to the point where vision was warping.)
The bizarre magical energy distorted the atmosphere, and the air began to pop. A sort of oppressive aura—similar to the one I release when acting as the Chieftain—poured from her body, and simultaneously, the surrounding plants began to grow rapidly on their own. The mana converted by her Elven body overflowed and stimulated the surrounding environment into sudden activity.
To us, it felt like a dozen or so seconds. To her, it must have felt like eternity. Just as her face contorted in severe strain, the magic circle activated.
In an instant, our vision was dyed pure white, bringing us to where we are now.
Adjusting my eyes to the slowly clearing light, I took in our surroundings. As expected, we weren't just outside the capital of the Heed Kingdom anymore; we were in an unfamiliar forest. The national emblem of Nagan was displayed all around, alongside numerous tents and lined-up supplies.
(We've arrived. It really was just an instant, huh.)
From behind me, I could hear the voices of those who, like myself, were amazed by the effects of the teleportation. Even the Nagan soldiers were uttering similar exclamations; it must have been an unknown technology to them as well. Actually, the King of Nagan was making the biggest fuss of all. Having had his crown snatched away by Dele, he looked like nothing more than a "middle-aged man frolicking like a child" from an outside perspective. Even his tactician seemed to find it a bit much to watch, as he casually smacked the king on the head.
"Whoops!"
While thinking about this, I noticed Amelia-san—who had been pouring mana into the circle just moments ago—looked about to collapse. I immediately rushed to her side. Catching her shifting center of gravity, I wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up lightly in a bridal carry. ...She's light.
"I-I'm sorry, Reis... As expected, this is a bit too much..."
"Thank you, Master. We'll handle the offensive, so please take a good rest."
"Yes. ...I suppose I'll be the one doing it on the way back anyway, right? I'll rest and think of a better method. Knowing you, you'll probably return with even more mana. In fact, it's already increased."
Urgh! So you think so too, Master...?
By a rough estimate—not exactly a precise figure—the activation of that magic circle felt like it blew away about half the body of the Demon King inside me. In other words, it consumed about 0.5 Demon Kings' worth of mana. The magic circle itself probably required much less, but because Amelia-san had to vent a massive amount of mana outward for the conversion, it ended up needing that much.
Because of that, in a sort of "let's increase your dosage~!" manner, my maximum mana capacity had somehow grown again. It wasn't quite at the level of "a whole new Demon King has been added!", but it had definitely increased. ...And I've become bad at mana control again.
"You'll just have to start over from scratch. But thanks to having redone it so many times, you've grasped the sensation of throttling your mana to some extent, haven't you? The time it takes to relearn is getting shorter, so have some confidence. Besides, you're going to battle now, aren't you? Brace yourself."
"...Under-stood, Amelia-sensei."
Yeah, that's right. The children are watching, so I need to tighten my resolve.
Thanking my teacher, I set her down since she said she could walk on her own, and asked a nearby soldier to guide her to a place where she could rest. Normally, I would ask her to cover for Dele after this, but she was already utterly exhausted. While she had more than enough physical mana left, her mental state was in no condition to endure combat. In short, she was retired for this round.
"Everyone! Come here!"
"""Yay!"""
Calling out lightly, I gathered the children close.
Checking everyone's faces as usual to ensure no one had wandered off, I confirmed that the whole flock was accounted for. If these were normal humans, it wouldn't be strange for them to show signs of tension or complain of feeling unwell after arriving in an entirely different location... But there was no way that would happen to us. Because any memory of where they were just a moment ago gets erased instantly. The fact that every second is a first-time meeting actually works as an advantage here.
"Everyone is here, and no one looks sick. ...Alright, everyone! We're going to do some 'fighting' again from now on. Are you ready?"
"Fighting?"
"What's that?"
"Hunting? Isn't it?"
Before Dele could blurt out the answer, I covered her beak with my wing and squished her cheeks to distract her. If I left it to Dele, she would handle things well enough, and if I asked someone like Matilde-san to cover her, she would fulfill her role perfectly. That would have been fine back when we were on the highlands... but these children—these ostriches—have been receiving external stimuli lately and have grown quite clever.
Though many of them still have the same old forgetfulness speed, their capacity to think has risen exponentially compared to the days when they could only say "Food!". When I first started leading the flock, everyone communicated through vague "intuition" without using words... Compared to back then, everyone is a total genius now.
"That's right, it's not 'hunting'. When you 'hunt', you get 'food' if you try hard, right? But in 'fighting', there is nothing."
"Eeeh!"
"Disappointing."
"Stingy!"
Ah, the child who just said "stingy." You're getting punished later, okay? That's not a very nice word, so stop using it. Hmm? What's wrong, Dele? Why the pale face? Don't tell me you just remembered calling the King of Nagan "stingy-stingy" earlier? I see, you're a good girl for realizing it. ...You're getting punished later along with that other one, okay? If you don't want to, go give the king back his crown and apologize properly.
"But if you do your absolute best, Mama will praise you and prepare delicious food. So, can everyone give it their all?"
"Really!?"
"I'll do it!"
"Praise me!"
"Food!"
Really? I see, everyone is so good. Let me pat your heads.
...Now, Dele. Mother is going to act separately to execute a decapitation tactic, so I'm leaving the command of the flock to you. Amelia-san is resting today and can't come, but I've asked Matilde-san, who is Mama's friend, to follow up. If there's anything you don't understand, rely on her immediately. This is our first battle inside a city, and since it's full of undead, there shouldn't be anything around to catch your interest, making it hard to get separated—but the possibility isn't zero.
When that happens, rely on a dependable adult to solve it. Honestly, I wanted to follow behind you guys, you know? But I have something I need to do... So, what's your answer? Can you do it?
"Yeah! ...Who is Matilde?"
"Ah, you haven't memorized her face properly yet. Look, that lady over there. Mama asked her earlier, so she should call out to you when the operation starts. Make sure to let her ride on your back."
"Got it! I'll do my best!"
"And if the enemy seems too strong and you think you can't handle them, run away immediately and call for Mama. If everyone calls together, Mama will rush over right away. Since the fight is inside the town this time, make sure to tell the other children that. Tell them I'll come save anyone who gets lost, too."
"Hmm~? So if we're in trouble, we just call out 'Mama!'?"
"Yep. Exactly."
"Should I tell everyone else too?"
Nodding deeply, I left the request with Dele. Giving a energetic "Understood!", she spread her wings upward to draw everyone's attention and began speaking to them. I intended to say the same thing myself later anyway, but I wanted Dele to say it too.
Ostriches are creatures that forget. Even the things I tell them are forgotten, and even Dele will likely lose it if too much time passes. However, there is always a chance they might remember. It's perfectly fine to plant as many psychological triggers as possible to serve as hooks for that recollection.
(Alright, next.)
This operation to reclaim the Nagan Royal Capital was a battle of pure speed.
Various preparations were being organized immediately after arrival under the tactician's leadership. Well, it's him we're talking about. He must have arranged everything so that they could move the instant we arrived. Watching the Nagan soldiers briskly carry out their preparations, I recalled the details of the strategy meeting the tactician had laid out.
『Upon arrival, we plan to distribute equipment over there. Though quantities are limited, we have prepared holy-attributed weapons that have received "Consecration" from the Church, vials of holy water, and Molotov cocktails. We cannot give the throwable vials to everyone, but the weapons should be possible.』
The strategy meeting had been held in front of the high-ranking ministers of the Heed Kingdom. He had laid a detailed map of the Nagan Capital on the floor, placing things resembling chess pieces on top of it. I wasn't very knowledgeable about the entertainment of this world, but it was likely a type of board game piece. The black represented the defenders—the enemy. The white represented the offensive side—us.
『We have already confirmed that there are no Nagan citizens left in the royal capital. Therefore, we will begin by carving out a path with maximum speed.』
As he said this, he advanced a piece that presumably represented me.
『The opening move goes to you, Lord Reis. I leave the output to your discretion, but I would like you to pierce through the city walls protecting the capital and forge a direct path to the royal palace.』
『...That's fine and all, but a lot of things are probably going to get blasted to oblivion. Are you sure?』
Forging a path according to his orders was easy. For someone like me who could recover mana over time no matter how much was consumed, mana-dependent attacks could be spammed infinitely. Thus, the act itself wasn't an issue, but adjusting the power was difficult. Since the destructive power was far too high, it would likely pierce right through the royal palace and even blow through the walls on the opposite side. Was that really alright? That was the reason for my question.
『Yes, it does not matter. We still haven't grasped the opponent's true motive for attacking us. While a few theories come to mind—such as a misplaced grudge resulting in revenge against His Majesty or myself, or a vendetta against the nation of Nagan itself—if that is the case, it wouldn't be surprising if they have rigged the capital with something catastrophic.』
『...I see.』
『In the worst-case scenario, we plan to rebuild the entire city anyway, so you may destroy as much as you like. Though I will likely be chewed out by the ministry of finance later... it is within acceptable parameters.』
The tactician chuckled as he spoke, and I remember seeing the official in charge of Heed's military nodding deeply in agreement. He was promptly nudged by the finance minister next to him, though. It seems that regardless of the country, the military is always a money-eating monster. Then again, with enemies surrounding them, they have no choice but to pour money into military provisions.
『Roger that. Then I'll blast it nicely to forge a path. I'll make sure not to burn the ground too much so the follow-up troops can actually traverse it.』
『You have my gratitude. After that, Lord Reis, you may proceed straight down the "path." In all likelihood, the "Thief" will have set up camp in the royal palace.』
『...I see, so while I'm taking off the head, the others will crush the remaining small fry.』
『Yes, that will be the structure. Even though I call them small fry, many quasi-special designated threats have been spotted, so we will leave them to the ostriches. Otherwise, it will primarily be a delaying battle utilizing elemental advantages.』
While I took off the head, the rest would stall or annihilate the forces. Apparently, there were undead that possessed thought and others that moved purely on instinct, but basically, if you break the caster at the top, the undead's movements become simplistic and easy to destroy. The faster I could defeat the boss, the easier it would be for the people fighting in the back, and it would be easier for me since I wouldn't have to worry about getting caught up in the surroundings. It was an appropriate strategy.
(...Something like that, huh.)
After that, there had been an explanation about how those following behind me would fight. I had drilled it into my head just in case, but I probably wouldn't be involved in that part. Once I took the enemy's commander, the battle would shift into an annihilation race. There would be no role for me in cleaning up an opponent whose coordination had collapsed.
To summarize it simply, my job consisted of two points: "Forge a path with the first strike" and "Swiftly eliminate the enemy's commander-in-chief."
"Swift and simple, right?"
The faster I finished, the sooner I could return to the children. I would make the bastard who desecrated the Beast King's corpse learn his lesson and kick him down to hell. Doing so would leave me satisfied, and it would place Nagan in my debt. The children could gain more experience, and the fact that we, who are employed by the Heed Kingdom, were helping Nagan would also help raise the social standing of the country Luciya rules.
In short, it was nothing but good things.
"Lord Reis."
"...Ah, Tactician. Is it time?"
"Yes, please prepare yourself. We will have the horns blown at the start of the operation, so please take that as your cue."
"Understood."
Alright, let's do this.
〇 The Ostrich Victims Association (Preparation Phase)
"Lord Beast King! How are the decorations looking on your end?"
"Umu, it feels quite right. Making loops out of paper to form a chain, is it? It is my first time attempting such a thing, so I struggled at first... but it turned out rather well, don't you think?"
"Oh, that looks wonderful! We held a welcome party last time too, but it felt a bit too manly back then. A bright, elegant touch like this is absolutely perfect!"
"Indeed, she is the very first female member of this Victims Association. As her seniors, let us put even more effort into the preparations!"
"Lord Beast King, Bobre, do you have a moment?"
"Hmm? What is it, Lord Delotado?"
"Well, truth be told, I tried my hand at baking a cake. I figured sweet things are always a safe bet, so I gave it a go. The path of pastry making is surprisingly deep..."
"Oh, that looks great, General! We certainly have nothing but time here. Let me have a bite... Oh!"
"Umu, delicious! A 'strawberry shortcake', is it called? Truly splendid!"
"I am glad to hear it! Actually, I plan to challenge myself with other varieties as well. I am thinking of trying a bitter chocolate type next... By the way, Bobre, isn't it about time to go pick up the chicken?"
"Yikes, is it that time already?! Shoot, I'll be right back!"
"We're counting on you~."
(General Delotado, why chicken?)
(It is almost Christmas around these parts, so while it is a bit early, I thought it would be fitting.)
(I see, an excellent idea. In that case, we should probably prepare a tree for the decorations as well.)
"Ah, Bobre-dono. If you are heading out, there is something I would like to request."
"Eh, what is it, Lord Beast King? An errand?"
"Yes, judging by her appearance, she seems quite particular about her alcohol. I had actually ordered a fine wine previously. Could you pick that up as well while you are at it?"
"Wine, got it! That means the liquor store over there... Understood, I'll grab it on my way back! Well then, I'm off!"
""Have a safe trip~.""