News about Menvil’s defeat shook the morale of his mercenaries.
Kirche, Tabitha and the musketeers who escaped injuries did not lose momentum and rushed into battle again.
Inside, between the screams of schoolgirls who stretched out on the floor, a single mage who had barricaded himself in the dining room was knocked down.
Agnes stabbed the last mage with her sword.
“Kuu!”
However, the sword did not come out.
The last mage released a spell aiming at Agnes’s back…
Many magic arrows flew.
Kirche, Tabitha and other musketeers were not able to react in time.
A black shadow jumped into the way.
He blocked the arrows from reaching Agnes with his own body. He uttered a spell and a snake of flame flew out the wand’s tip burning up the wand that the other mage used.
Agnes stared in blank surprise at Colbert.
Colbert's eyes opened wide.
The voice that escaped his mouth was full of concern for Agnes.
“…are you all right?”
Mechanically, Agnes nodded.
The next moment Colbert toppled to the ground, coughing blood.
Students ran up in panic and began uttering the recovery spells for Colbert.
However… the injury was severe.
Inner…
Agnes who recovered herself pointed the sword at Colbert.
Shocked, students stared at Agnes.
“Wait! What are you doing?!” shouted Kirche.
Colbert with a weak face looked up at Agnes.
“You… You are the leader of the Magical Research Experimental Group platoon? You broke the royal list of military material in storage?”
Colbert nodded.
“I will tell you. I am D'Angleterre‘s survivor.”
“… I see.”
“Why was my hometown destroyed? Answer.”
“Stop! He’s injured! Badly injured! Don’t talk!”
Montmorency, who was desperately trying to chant a Water healing spell, cried.
“Answer!”
Colbert answered looking down.
“…the order.”
“Order?”
“…it was reported that an epidemic occurred there. To prevent it from spreading we were told to burn it. We burned it reluctantly.”
“Idiot… That is a lie.”
“…Ha ha, afterwards, I learned about that too. In short it was the ‘New Religion Hunt.’ I am tormented by the guilt every day. It was… like Menvil said. Women, children - I burned them all. It was not permitted. But the memory still haunts me. I left the army. I swore… not to use Fire for destruction again.”
“…but those feelings didn’t stop your hand?”
Colbert shook his head.
After that… he slowly shut his eyes. Though Montmorency desperately kept uttering an incantation… her willpower was drained with time - she fainted and toppled to the ground. For the spell of “Recovery” to heal such a serious injury, it needed special medicine… but now and here there was none.
Therefore, though willpower tried to replace the specific medicine… it had its limits.
Other Water users ran out of willpower one after another and fainted. With many fainted mages surrounding Colbert, Agnes raised her sword.
However, Colbert was protected - Kirche covered him with herself. Her ever-present silly smile was now gone from her lips. Making a serious face, Kirche said.
“Please stop it!”
“Get away! I was living for this day! Twenty years! Twenty years I have waited for this day!”
“Please. Please.”
“Get away!”
Agnes and Kirche glared at each other.
The moment when tension in the air was about to break loose…
Kirche grabbed Colbert's wrist.
“Get away I said!”
Kirche answered in a stone-like voice.
“Please, lower your sword.”
“Stop joking!”
Kirche shook her head and muttered.
“He’s dead.”
With those words, Agnes's wrist lost its strength.
Shocked, Agnes fell to her knees. Her body began shaking little by little.
“…Hold your grudge if you want. However, at least pray. Teacher Colbert may certainly be your enemy… but he is your saviour right now. He shielded you with his body and saved you.”
Kirche said in a constrained voice.
Agnes stood up again without power, and said two words, three words, words that could not reach one’s ear. Then she lifted her sword and lowered it. The students averted their eyes, only Kirche alone did not shut her eyes and watched.
The sword stuck deeply into the ground next to Colbert.
Turning on her heels, Agnes began to slowly walk away.
After Agnes disappeared… Kirche tried to carry Colbert's body, a red ruby ring shone on her finger.
A crimson ruby, like burning fire.
While watching the ruby… tears escaped Kirche’s eyes.
It was the ring that he gave me.
He said, “I’m giving this to my student,” and gave the ring to her, who was acting like a spoiled brat. Remembering that, Kirche started to weep.
On the deck of Redoubtable Malicorne and Styx sat down with blank surprise all over their faces..
The number of warships had decreased to two-thirds while making a sortie aimed at Albion’s fleet.
Tristain's fleet won the battle. Somehow they were able to repel Albion’s fleet. Albion’s fleet lost more than a half of their ships and scrambled to get away.
It was a big victory.
But… Malicorne thought.
Is this a victory?
He was alive just to see such devastation. It was like a painting of hell. The deck was burning like kindling, heavy losses everywhere. The number of naval guns in the portside was reduced by half, as for the starboard - the battery was completely lost on every deck.
After receiving as many as five direct hits, the starboard of Redoubtable was annihilated.
200 hundred people from the 600 crew were either killed or injured.
However, Redoubtable was still slicing through the sky.
Malicorne was alive too.
To survive among flying spells, bullets and cannonballs – guess he must be lucky. Whenever a new enemy ship passed, Malicorne created a dark cloud while yelling. Otherwise, he would have fainted from fear. He had no idea whether it was effective or not.
“Styx,”
Malicorne said in a dying voice.
“What?”
Styx responded in an exhausted voice.
“Life is a weird thing, don’t you think?”
“I fully agree with you.”
On the deck, Bowood and the commander of a warship walked. They were talking about the battle progress.
The officer cadet that was guiding them both, spotted two people sitting on the deck and bellowed.
“Hey! You! No time to sit around! Stand up! Stand up now!”
Hastily Malicorne and Styx stood up.
“Start preparing. Wait with commanding officers and officer cadets inside.”
Malicorne and Styx looked at each other. They just survived one deadly battle. How can they vigorously start preparing for another one?
“Move it! Don’t make officers wait!”
Then… Bowood admonished the officer with a smile.
“Ah, senior, they just experienced their first battle campaign. You must let them take a rest for today.”
“Ah! But, however…”
“I guess, that this is your first time smelling the smoke of powder as well? Once I had, too.”
Hearing the Albion officer speaking like that, the senior officer nodded.
“Very well, you may take a rest for tonight.”
Relieved, Malicorne and Styx saluted. Malicorne watched them leaving and muttered.
“Ironically, we were saved by a person from Albion.”