Chapter 30

"Charge! Trample the lizards!"

With Arrancia's words—

The battle at the Greasia marshes began.

The elite knights of the kingdom, clad in polished armor, stormed into the lizardmen's village.

The lizardmen responded immediately.

Steel weapons and steel-like bodies clashed head-on.

In an instant—

Arrancia's army scattered the lizardmen.

Messengers ran one after another to Arrancia's waiting camp.

"Report! Baldrus' unit has broken through the enemy lines! Their valor is unmatched, and they have not allowed the lizardmen even a moment's counterattack!"

"Griffin's unit has surrounded the lizardmen with precise formations and annihilated them completely!"

"Gubilbalvis' unit has also triumphed! They bravely broke through the enemy lines, and the disoriented enemies are fleeing in all directions!"

Each report was of victory.

The high-ranking officials waiting in the camp cheered.

"Excellent! This is the best development, Lord Arrancia!"

Arrancia nodded deeply and smiled at the officials.

"It's thanks to everyone's efforts. Let's keep up the momentum!"

But he didn't really mean it.

(Of course. I'm the one doing this!)

The enemy was the lizardmen enhanced by the "Crest Master." The vanguard was wiped out when they fought the lizardmen as if they were ordinary ones.

Of course, Arrancia would not repeat such a foolish mistake.

Arrancia organized a disposable detachment separate from the main force and sent them ahead to disrupt the lizardmen.

Then, by sending in the main force, which was the strongest, victory would come easily.

(Well... the members of the detachment probably won't survive...)

But Arrancia had no interest in that.

Arrancia's goal was victory, no, a great victory.

It wasn't just about annihilating the lizardmen and beheading the Crest Master.

It was also important not to deplete the honorable army given by the king.

For that, it was necessary to use and discard lives that were "of no interest to the king."

(Those with no value can die for the country. It's not so bad, right?)

One after another, reports of victory came in. Feeling good, Arrancia quickly forgot about the "dying ones."

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

We were walking slowly toward the main camp to join the lizardman hunt.

"We" refers to me, Rora, and—

"Probably, we'll arrive by this evening, right?"

Firbus, who was walking in front of us, said.

We couldn't send only the students to the battlefield, so Firbus, the teacher, came along as the organizer. Two soldiers from the kingdom were also accompanying us as guards.

"But... has it already started?"

Rora asked anxiously.

The area around the Greasia marshes was covered in trees. From the damp air, the sounds of metal clashing and angry shouts could be heard.

"It took time for the procedures... and Carlisle was late in bringing the news. We missed the first battle. Well, it's good we got to skip it, right?"

Firbus laughed.

The soldier next to him coughed.

"Hey, Firbus. I have a position too."

"Oops. Forget it, okay?"

Firbus patted the soldier's shoulder and said.

At that moment,

Suddenly, the sound of multiple people running nearby could be heard. The footsteps were filled with urgency and desperation.

"Hey! It's dangerous! You guys run too!"

A man's desperate voice could be heard.

We stopped in our tracks.

Wounded and bloodied soldiers were running toward us with desperate expressions. Five lizardmen were chasing them from behind.

"Hey! Students, stay close to us!"

The guard's voice was strained.

But Firbus was already in motion. He calculated the positions of the fleeing soldiers and the lizardmen, moving to the best spot where his magic wouldn't hit his allies.

"Sorry, I'll end this in one shot!"

Firbus shouted at the lizardmen.

"Fireball!"

A ball of fire the size of a human head appeared. It flew straight toward the group of lizardmen and exploded with a loud noise, sending a shockwave.

"Guuuuuaaaaaahhhh!?"

Burned by the destructive heat generated by magic, the lizardmen screamed as if they were spitting out death itself.

Firbus, as a teacher at the academy, was indeed impressive.

To be able to use a Fireball.

Fireball—

It is a popular spell that intermediate and advanced mages aim to master. Even among Hundred-level mages, many cannot use it unless they are skilled in attack magic.

By the way, there's no problem using a Fireball in a forest like this.

A Fireball can focus its effects on heat and shockwave. What Firbus did just now was that. Of course, it can also spread flames.

"It's over... huh... wait... what?"

The lizardmen, who had been blown away in various directions, staggered to their feet.

Their scales were burned and their weapons had flown away, but their fighting spirit was not diminished in the slightest.

They had well-trained muscles and sharp teeth and claws.

The five pairs of eyes looked at Firbus.

At the dangerous man who could potentially harm them—

"Hey, hey, hey!? You're serious? You didn't die even after taking my Fireball!? Are there such lizardmen!?"

Firbus shouted.

The lizardmen kicked the ground and charged at Firbus.

Due to the shockwave, they were no longer as densely packed as before. It would be difficult to take them all out with a single Fireball.

Does Firbus have a move?

I don't know.

I don't need to know.

There's only one thing I can do.

"Magic Arrow"

"Keh!?"

My Magic Arrow hit the five lizardmen, sending them flying. They rolled on the ground and didn't move.

It seemed to be over.

Firbus said in a surprised voice.

"Hey, hey... are you serious... you took down those lizardmen with Magic Arrow..."

"It's because of your Fireball, sir."

That was my honest opinion.

I said it without any hesitation or modesty. Firbus's Fireball was that impressive.

But Firbus had a subtle expression.

It seemed he wanted to give me all the credit.

Praise and encourage. That was probably Firbus's teaching method.

While we were talking—

"Thank you, for helping us!"

A man who seemed to be the leader of the fleeing soldiers approached us.