The Water Magician

A nation is always exposed to external pressure.

It continues to be subjected to such pressure.

No matter how peaceful it may seem, it is because there are those who deal with that external pressure that it can continue to exist.

Perhaps it is like a balloon in water or a submarine navigating underwater.

If one neglects to deal with it, or if they fail, they will be mercilessly crushed by the water.

If there are weak points, they will be relentlessly attacked there.

Dealing with such pressure is the job of the administrative organization, but when it becomes too large, like a nation-level organization, individuals can no longer maintain that awareness.

Is it too harsh to blame them for this?

If the bureaucrats become like that, and the ministers leading them also become like that... the nation will perish.

And the sad truth is that all nations cannot escape this process.

There are two unfortunate knights who are on the verge of becoming sacrifices of the nation.

Zack Cooler and Scotty Kobuck.

It is not that the two have a habit of slacking off and were caught up in this situation because they didn't hurry home on this day.

No, they are unfortunate victims of the nation!

...Probably.

"It seems we are the only two who can fight. The lady, her daughter, the head chef, the butler, and the maids, around ten non-combatants..."

"That's right. We have about twenty spears from the viscount's collection available as weapons. It's best to use the spears to attack while maintaining our distance, so they don't cling to the gate. I have received permission to use them from the lady."

Zack and Scotty confirm the current situation with each other.

"So far, there aren't many abominations clinging to this mansion. They seem to be heading right along the road."

"There must be something that piques their interest. For now, let's take out those that cling to the gate with the spears. It's not a gate suited for combat... if they latch on, we won't last long."

Having confirmed that, the two began the defense of the mansion.

They both thought for a moment that they should have hurried home without slacking off.

However, if they had done that, the people in this mansion would have become victims... and they thought they might have had a bad night's sleep over that as well.

Autonomous Bureau.

Now, its courtyard had turned into a refuge for the surrounding residents.

The people who lived in the three houses on either side of the Autonomous Bureau quickly saw the defensive line established and sought refuge there.

Many of the outer houses were taking up self-defense, but as time passed, they began to allow intrusions onto their premises, resulting in casualties.

The street facing the entrance of the Autonomous Bureau is one of the main streets extending from the Central Temple of the Royal Capital. In modern Japan, it would easily have three lanes on each side, totaling six lanes in width.

Currently, non-human beings were spread out across that entire width.

Moreover, they were approaching from both sides.

However, the line of defense established by the elves stationed at the Autonomous Bureau was astonishingly strong.

If Ryo were to see that scene, he would likely exclaim, "As expected, when it comes to elves, it's bows!"

Should it be called a racial characteristic? The weapon that elves excel the most at is not the sword, spear, or axe, but the bow.

Of course, there are exceptional cases like Sera, an elf particularly skilled in sword handling, but that is a rare occurrence.

Furthermore, while Sera boasts extraordinary skill in sword technique, her bowmanship is top-notch as well.

This was abundantly displayed in this defensive battle.

Not just Sera, the bows of the elves participating in the defense rarely miss their targets.

It's merely a matter of whether they pierce a vital spot or the area next to it.

There was not a single wasted arrow in sight.

"Sera, it seems we've managed to accommodate nearly all those who could evacuate from the surrounding houses. Unfortunately, we'll have to give up on those who aren't here... we can only hope they are resisting individually."