Published: July 8, 2025
The French Army was at the South Gate, the Imperial Army at the West Gate, and the Royal Army at the East Gate.
Each army was positioned accordingly.
French Army.
“Lord Graham, all preparations are complete,” Cardinal Stefania announced.
Graham stood up.
All strategies had been devised, and those gathered here understood their roles.
The forty golems known as the ‘Holy Knights’ standing behind him were also ready for deployment.
Graham turned towards the South Gate.
He raised his right hand and swung it down vigorously.
At that signal, two inquisitors and two golems began to advance.
The moment they passed through the castle gate...
Boom.
A low sound echoed from inside the castle gate.
Something flew in and collided with the two inquisitors and the two golems.
A large hole opened up in the center of one golem.
The inquisitors, being smaller than the golems, managed to avoid fatal injuries.
Still, they were not unscathed.
“Is it really that difficult to take a step forward?” Graham said with a wry smile.
“Deploy the White Knights.”
From the rear of the entire unit, ten small white golems known as ‘White Knights’ stepped forward.
“Who would have thought we’d have to deploy the White Knights right away...”
“It’s Zoltan's strategy, I suppose.”
“Strategy?”
“He wants to see our strongest combat power.”
“Knowing this...”
“Yes, he's aware of it and still proceeds.”
Graham nodded at Stefania’s confirmation.
“I knew from the start that we couldn't afford to hold back.”
“Yes...”
“If we break them, the development department will surely be angry... But the battle data will be stored in the command magic stone. If we take that back, they will likely forgive us.”
Graham smiled wryly.
He understood that it would be best to end the battle without any casualties.
However, he also knew that it was unlikely to happen.
In fact, two of the Holy Knights had already sustained significant damage...
“We have golems, so we’re fine, but the other armies must be having a tough time.”
“What will they do?”
“Now then...”
Imperial Army.
“[Barrier]!”
Boom.
A large object collided with the barrier that Oscar had cast.
“Oscar's [Barrier] is impressive, as always.”
“Fiona can cast one like this too, right?”
“No, not as solid as this.”
Oscar tilted his head while Fiona shook her head with a wry smile.
Since the attack they suffered from Whitnash, Fiona had particularly focused on the [Barrier] spell.
At that time, she hadn’t fully protected her brother Conrad.
Yet even so, she couldn’t match Oscar's solidity.
“The [Barrier] has been honed since I was a child. It’s an essential spell for protecting myself and my loved ones.”
“I see.”
“It might be my specialty, even beyond [Piercing Fire].”
Oscar's signature attack spell, [Piercing Fire].
He believed that he was even more skilled at this than at that.
That’s how much he had trained.
Boom, boom, boom...
Objects kept crashing against the barrier that Oscar maintained, which surrounded the entire Imperial Army.
“Fifty meters straight ahead, there's an alchemy tool. Is that what’s firing those objects?”
“How do you know that?”
“It's the relationship between the speed of the colliding object and the sound... maybe?”
“Maybe?”
“I don’t know the details either. But I think I’m right.”
“Really, Oscar is a genius. He’s definitely not suited for teaching others.”
Fiona shook her head slightly.
“That's hard to believe. I was the one who taught Fiona magic.”
“While it was you who taught me, it worked well simply because of my understanding.”
Fiona stated firmly.
“B-but you trained the imperial mage brigade too, right?”
“It’s because Marie and the others broke it down clearly for the members.”
“I can’t accept that.”
Oscar shook his head lightly.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Army, protected by the [Barrier], moved forward...
“[Piercing Fire]!”
As Oscar had predicted, a box-like alchemy tool about the size of a person was there. When he pierced it with flames, the attacks ceased and the mist cleared.