Chapter 30

The formation of the Royal Knights spread across the plain.

Inside the halted carriage, Antimishka was eagerly awaiting the moment of devastation.

...Then.

"Huh?"

She felt something was noisy outside.

Had the scout who went to reconnoiter returned with a report?

Or had the reinforcements finally arrived?

Just as Antimishka thought this—

"Kyaa!"

The sudden impact on the carriage made her body jolt and she screamed.

It was a shock.

A shock as if something huge had collided with the side of the carriage.

"What, what is this!?"

Moreover, the impact did not stop.

The carriage shook violently, and the interior furnishings were scattered in all directions.

Antimishka, being thrown against the walls and floor of the carriage, managed to cry out.

"Hey! What's happening!? Someone answer me!"

"It's an attack!"

She heard the voice of a guard waiting outside.

"Our formation is under attack!"

"An attack, you say!?"

Nonsense, did the villagers attack?

But what could a few dozen villagers do?

Did Iksa gather soldiers?

No, there's no way they could prepare a force capable of overwhelming our main army in such a short time—

"Who is it!? How many, what weapons!? Explain!?"

"It's boars!"

The voice from outside made Antimishka momentarily stunned.

A cushion that had flown up landed on her head with a thud.

"What, what do you mean!?"

"Our formation is being attacked by a large herd of boars coming down from the mountain!"

"Seriously, what do you mean!?"

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

It was like a fluffy tsunami.

A large herd of boars charging down from the mountains into the plain.

There were definitely over a hundred.

I didn't know... there were so many wild animals in those mountains.

'They woke up even the ones that were sleeping, Kora!'

'I even called out to the stray dogs, foxes, and raccoons, Kora!'

'Everyone is going all out, Kora!'

I am now riding on Entia's back, running through the herd of boars.

Our destination is Antimishka's army formation.

Already, the knights are in disarray, being attacked by the leading herd of boars.

In the darkness of night, the knights are being toyed with by the quick and small wild animals.

Knights in armor are being thrown into the air by the boars' charges.

The boars' charges... they are incredibly powerful...

"Mako-sama!"

Hearing my name, I looked to the side.

"Orchidea-san!"

Orchidea-san was riding on the back of a boar, running alongside us.

"I will fight too! This is the time to avenge the pain of losing my homeland!"

"Orchidea-san..."

Right, the Alraune were a race that had their country taken by Antimishka.

Seeing the determined look in her eyes, I nodded.

"Mako-sama! Give me that medicine!"

"Medicine? ...The 'liquid fertilizer'?"

"Yes! The medicine you said could make roots grow, please give it to me!"

I created an ampule using the power of 'liquid fertilizer'.

I handed her the concentrated form of the potassium-specialized 'liquid fertilizer', which had the letter 'K' written on its surface.

Orchidea-san drank it in one go.

"Ugh..."

"Are you okay!? That must be really bitter, right!"

"It's, it's fine!"

As soon as she finished drinking, Orchidea-san jumped off the boar's back and landed on the ground.

She was now in the middle of the enemy formation.

"I will channel the power given to me by Mako-sama into the earth through myself!"

Orchidea-san's body began to glow.

A faint light seeped into the ground through her hand placed on it.

"Go forth! Strong and resilient 'roots'!"

In an instant, the ground in front of her swelled up, and a huge root, as thick as a tree trunk, emerged.

"What, what is this!"

"It's a root! A plant's root!"

"Whoa!"

She must have rapidly grown the roots of the plants growing in this grassland.

Like the tentacles of a giant octopus, the roots writhed and swallowed the knights on the ground.

They entangled and bound the knights, completely immobilizing them.

Several knights were restrained and rendered powerless.

"Amazing... as expected of the Alraune princess..."

Seeing the scene behind us, I realized how reliable my companions are.

"Boss, I can see her!"

Entia shouted.

Ahead—there was the luxurious carriage I had seen during the day.

That must be where Antimishka is.

"The defenses are tight..."

"Yeah, she's the commander after all."

A voice from behind.

Now, on Entia's back, I was with Garai.

In front of us, several knights were guarding the carriage, fending off the approaching herd of boars with spears and torches.

"Should we charge!?"

"Yeah, please!"

As I said this, I activated 'Alchemy'.

Two long 'pipes' were summoned in my hands.

"Take this!"

I swung them like a lance from horseback.

The 'pipes', light as a feather and imbued with magical power, pushed back the knights waiting in front of us with their pressure.

"Go, Entia!"

"Okay!"

Entia leaped.

She jumped all the way to the front of the carriage, approaching it—

—At that moment, something flew up from the ground, blocking Entia's path.

"Huh!?"

It leaped into the air and punched at Entia.

Entia blocked it with her front legs, twisted the vector, and corrected her trajectory in mid-air—landing a short distance away.

"Are you okay!? Entia!"

"Ugh... this guy..."

A single knight in black armor stood in front of us, blocking our way.

His armor design was slightly different from the others—yes, I recognized it.

He was the captain, probably close to Antimishka.

"Captain Badras!"

"Great! Captain Badras!"

The other knights cheered at his fine play.

He seemed to be the commander in both name and reality.

"Hmph... Garai Quiron. I didn't expect to face you so soon."

"..."

I and Garai got off Entia's back.

Garai stood in front of me, facing Captain Badras.

"Mako... I'll handle this guy."

Garai whispered, raising his fists.

"You go to that carriage."

"Hmph, do you think it will be that easy?"

Captain Badras said with a wry smile.

We were now in the heart of the enemy formation, surrounded by a strong defense.

Dozens of knights surrounded us—numerically, they had the advantage.

That is, in terms of numbers.

"Ugh!"

A war cry rose from behind.

One of the knights, whose armor had been slashed, fell to the ground.

"...By the order of Prince Iksa, I have come to assist."

Suaro appeared, hand on the hilt of the sword at her waist.

Thanks to the boars' overwhelming surprise attack and Orchidea's disruption, she had managed to reach this point.

Wait, and the sword she was holding... it was one of the Japanese swords I had made and sold to Iksa!

"Suaro-san! You're using that sword!"

"...By the order of Prince Iksa, I had no choice."

Suaro turned away, but when a knight charged at her, she instantly drew her sword and cut him down.

As always, with a speed invisible to the eye.

Moreover, since the Japanese sword was a magical item, Suaro also possessed magical power.

"Do not forget me, descendant of the divine wolf!"

Entia also pounced on the knights who were shaken by Suaro.

The knights here were struggling to deal with the boars, Suaro, and Entia.

And then—

"Haa!"

Garai blocked the steel-clad fist of Captain Badras, who had attacked me from behind, with his own arm.

"Go! Mako!"

"Okay! Thank you, Garai!"

Slipping past the two of them, I headed for the carriage.

The carriage, battered by repeated boar impacts, was covered in scratches.

I opened the door and jumped inside.