Zveit van Solstair.
　He is a pupil of the old mage, and the eldest son and successor of the Dukes of Solstair.
　He is aware of this fact, and is always diligent in his studies.

　He is currently participating in the tactical discussions of the faction to which he belongs, the Weasler faction.
　But now, he felt that the debate in front of him was very far from reality.

So, if we place the knights here, and the mages deploy to the left and right to attack with magic, the enemy can be pinned down from both sides.
But will it work out that way?　As long as the enemy is also human, I don't think they'll fall for this obvious tactic.
It's useful in some situations, but will the Knights accept our request?　It's obviously bait.
They won't move considering the wear and tear. Before that, it's a question of getting to the place where we're going to set up this formation.

　This debate is supposed to be a place to discuss and improve each other's knowledge of strategy, but what they are doing is just talking over each other.
　What they're doing is just talking down to others. They're saying things that sound reasonable, but they've never been in a real battle, and it's all just empty theories.

"What do you think, Zveit?
"Dio, this is the place to discuss tactics, right?　I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out.

　I'm not sure what to make of that.
　The knights and the mages are currently on bad terms, and it is unlikely that they would agree to this kind of discussion.
　In addition, there are many people in this [Weasler Faction] who think that the Knights should just follow them.
　This comment could be taken as a betrayal of their pride.

Why do you need to call the knights?　They can't do anything without our support.
War is not an individual thing. There are many generals, and they carry out their operations through detailed communication. An individual's opinion can only serve as a reference, and the battle situation changes drastically with time and circumstances.
I understand that, but I don't think the knights will listen to us.
So what's the point of having these discussions here in the first place?　No matter how many strategies we come up with, I don't think they'll carry them out, and more importantly, the enemy is moving too slowly.
I don't think so.　I think it's well thought out.

　Even my friend Dio doesn't see the big hole in this strategy debate.
　Having just returned from the Far Flan Deep Green, one of the most dangerous places in the country, the debate seemed pointless to Zveit.

"Well, let me ask you something. Why are the forces of the enemy and the allies always evenly matched?　Why is it that we have the same equipment, the same amount of food, and the same number of men?　The last time we talked, we had a huge advantage.
It's because ...... war is based on gathering the same number of troops as the enemy, isn't it?
You see, ......, there is no such thing as a convenient situation in the first place!　It's a good idea to take a look at the actual information on the web.　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for and what you can do to help.
I know what you're saying.　I understand what you're saying, but I don't understand what you're trying to say.
This debate is not about the worst-case scenario. This debate is not about the worst case scenario, it's about winning, and the enemy's moves are tailored to that. What's the point of discussing it?

　This was the current Weasler school.
　They were just a bunch of students who had never experienced war, and because they hadn't been through hell, they couldn't imagine the worst case scenario.
　Because they can't imagine the worst, they inevitably end up with a strategy that takes winning for granted.

"Then how do you allocate the enemy's forces?　That's what I'm asking.
Well, ...... there's a famine in a neighboring country, and the price of food is going to skyrocket, and people are going to starve. I'd like to hear about it. How about adding the people to the army, ten times the size of this country's entire army?
　Of course, we couldn't figure out the enemy's movements, so we were taken by surprise.

　In the event that you've got a lot of time, you'll be able to take a look at the best way to get the most out of your time.
　I've never thought of a strategy that assumes a tenfold increase in troops before.
　Furthermore, the actions of the soldiers Zveit had proposed for the war were also sudden and unexpected.
　In other words, they would suddenly start invading on a legion scale and start robbing food and other supplies.
　In addition to being the worst, I can't think of a strategy right away.

It's impossible!　That's just a theory!
How can you be so sure it's impossible?　What makes you think it's impossible? For the enemy, it's faster to rob other countries than to starve their people, and more importantly, it expands their territory.
　Alliances are only on paper, and there is no way you can trust them. If the need arises, they will attack and destroy other countries.
Yeah, that's .......
So?　How are you guys going to get out of this situation? While you're arguing with my opinion, the invasion is going on, people are being killed and property is being taken. We need to make a quick decision.

　They were unable to form an opinion on the terms of the invasion set by Zveit.
　They could only imagine battles that they could win, so they were unable to construct such an urgent strategy.
　They could only imagine winning battles.

"By the way, I'll be defending Fort Lao with half of my forces. I will gather other knights and mercenaries to evacuate the people and bring the enemy into the fold. At the same time, we'll burn off any food that might be stolen and starve the enemy out. That will save some of the people.
That's a lot of territory to lose!
It's not going to save the country!
Fort Lao is hard to destroy. It's hard to destroy the Laotian forts. They want food at the same time, so they'll be stretched, and we can't supply them, so we'll have to destroy them individually. We can pull them out before they destroy the country.



　It is not a strategy to win, but a strategy to prevent the destruction of the country.
　Repeated plundering will slow down the invasion and allow time for the people to escape.
　You don't have to take on the whole army, because you have to disperse your forces to secure food.
　In order to do this quickly, we will have to keep abreast of the country's information at all times and maintain a force that can move at any time.
　In addition, it was assumed that mages would also be on the front lines in this operation, and would be responsible for burning off the food that was being robbed.

"Nonsense!　Why should we go to the front?
Why should we go to the front? Isn't that what mages are for?　What are you talking about?
Let the Knights bring oil and other supplies!
Do you think that's possible in an emergency?　Do you think that's possible in an emergency? It's only reasonable to burn 10% of the population at most.
Then let's give the Order some magic. ......
Hey, that's like saying the Mage Order doesn't have to exist.　If the Knights learn magic, there's no point in us being here. In the first place, a mage who can't go to the front line is not going to be trusted.

　Everyone was speechless.
　The war Zveit envisioned was the worst they could think of, and it demanded speed.
　If the king's order, the mages must also go to the front lines, so there was no room for the easy strategy of the past to be accepted.

War is the worst kind of politics, but do you think you can continue to attack from the rear in the worst kind of situation?　You're naive!　In some cases, we can expect to starve, and for that, we need technology that can maintain our strength and secure food.
　With that in mind, let me ask you. What's the point of having this debate?　We don't have the skills to fight properly. What do you think about that?　We could be isolated behind enemy lines.

　This is a perfectly legitimate opinion.

　Students who have never experienced a real battle cannot imagine a tragic war situation.
　War is a living thing, a killing contest with a clear winner and loser.
　If the people who are responsible for the defense of the country are like this, they must be worried about the future.

"Zweite!　You talk a good game, but you've never been in a war.
I've never been in a war, but I've been in a real one.　I survived for four days because my food was raided by demons. We survived for four days when our food supply was ravaged by demons in the Great Dark Green Zone of Fafran. ......
「「「「「! 」」」」」
"That's when it hit me. I realized that it's not just knowledge that you need, it's the skills to survive in extreme conditions. ......

　It had a certain awesomeness to it that those who had never experienced actual warfare could not understand.
　Knowing the worst-case scenario, Zveit has begun to study the situation.

I know you're trying to gain command of the Order, but you can't do it now. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing and how you're going to do it.
You think we're expendable pawns?
You're just a bunch of people who can only be used as a gun platform. You can't use it for anything else, you're a liability, a knight learning magic would be much more useful.　Besides, ......, how many of these people can defend themselves?
"Wow, we have powerful magic!　You think I can't protect myself with this?
What if the magic attack uses up all of our magic power?　What if we use up all of our magic while retreating? I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.　In fact, I almost died, but thanks to a mage friend of mine, I survived.
Look, magic is still the greatest!
He buried demons with his sword, by the way.　Even though he's a mage. I was saved by a slashing attack, and before I went to the Deep Green Zone, I was told, "A mage who can't even fight a good fight on the battlefield will just die. I was told.
「「「「・・・・・・・・・・・」」」」

　It's not as if it's actually possible, no matter how many theoretical fantasies you put forward.
　Strategy is important, but it is the human beings themselves who must implement it, and there is no way that a defense organization that is at loggerheads with itself can coordinate properly.
　On the battlefield, if there is no close communication, you are often isolated, and if you use inadequate troops, the damage will increase.
　Zveit gave examples of pseudo-operations that had been discussed and pointed out in detail what was lacking, defeating all the ideas of the students present.

　This pointing out crushed their confidence to the core, and their outright denial of the idea was crushed without mercy.
　The heated discussion continued for about three hours.

I think it's better to separate mages who fight on the battlefield from mages who study magic. I think it's better to separate mages who fight on the battlefield from those who study magic.
　I don't mean to deny the factions.　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I think it's a good idea.
I'm not going to deny the factions, but we need to take an objective look at our current situation.
I know it seems like a big deal to you guys. I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.　The four days I spent there were a hell of a time when you could slay a demon and it would still come after you.
　If you go hunting for survival, you'll encounter another demon, and if you defeat it, another one. The guards were rotated every hour, and when they appeared in groups, we had to wake them all up and intercept them, repeating the process over and over for four days.
　It was supposed to be a week of field training, but I realized that the first two days were just luck. When I came home, I felt alive for the first time, but once I had been through hell, the slightest noise would wake me up completely. It's only recently that I've been able to get a decent night's sleep.
「「「「・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・」」」」

　It was a horrible experience.
　The only combat experience I've ever had was actually an incredibly intense and hellish experience.


　This was not something that a student of the school would experience.
　The situation was even more dangerous than the Order's actual combat training of hunting demons, and even the slightest carelessness could be fatal.

It's a good thing you experienced close combat before your training.　It's a good thing I experienced close combat before training, because I was able to fight even when my magic ran out, and I was able to deal with the situation calmly without misjudging. You have to experience everything.

　I remember the hellish training my teacher, the Great Sage, gave me.
　If it hadn't been for the training in fighting golems that would regenerate after being defeated, I would not be here alive.
　I was able to put that experience to good use in the Great Dark Green Zone of Farflan, and although I struggled, I felt that I had become stronger than ever.
　I remember that before the last day, I was so elated that I was waiting for the enemy to come.

"Hmm!　It's true that a mage with actual battle experience would be valuable. But with the widespread annihilation magic that my faction is researching, there's no need to fear the mere mortals.
I'm sure you've heard of it.　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do it. I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that.
What do you know?　That magic formula is our faction's masterpiece, don't you dare mess with it!
No, if you think about it, it's impossible for human magic power alone to power that thing. And even if you could activate it, how would you carry such a huge magic circle?
You'll have to imprint it in your brain at .......
You can't. There is a limit to the number of spells a person can learn, and the number of spells you can learn decreases with the density of your magic formula. In order to increase the number of spells you can memorize, you need to raise your rating (level), but mages who have not experienced actual combat not only have a low rating, but also have low magical power. You need to have at least a thousand levels to use that spell. Who's going to use it?

　The research on wide-area annihilation magic was wrong from the very beginning.
　The magic formula was too large to be activated by human magic, and the magic power was insufficient, and even if it could be activated, it would require a mage with a level of 1000 or higher.
　I'm not saying that the research was useless, but the theory itself had failed from the start.

　The production process of old man mage magic is different from the original.
　In the original world, he connected a game cabinet to his own computer, and used a friend's server to process and produce the parts that lacked capacity. He was able to use magic because of the processing power of ORG's master system, the ultra-large computer [BABEL], and the time and effort required to actually create the game in this world would be several times greater than in his original world.

　When he was reincarnated in this world, the information of the base avatar became apparent, and he could only use the magic formula engraved in his brain, but actually creating it would require a considerable amount of effort and time.
　Before that, annihilation magic formulas in this world do not have the amount of information that can be processed in a human brain.

　The old man's annihilation magic is processed by an internal high-speed processing magic formula, so the magician only has to put in the necessary magic power to manifest the magic formula and shoot it at the enemy camp.
　In fact, it is impossible to create 01 magic formula in this world.

　In fact, only an old man mage can make it possible.
　A computer is built by incorporating a processing formula made with existing magic characters in the form of a magic circle. Later, he can create a high-speed CP with 01 formula, and by repeating this process, he can create a system with enormous processing power.
　However, whether or not he is willing to create it is a different story.

　It's a long story, but the bottom line is that there is no one who can use wide area annihilation magic at the moment.
　Except for the old man, that is.

　Zveit, having seen some very high level mages around him, could not help but notice their inexperience.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's more constructive to train yourself rather than sticking to annihilation magic that you don't even know if you can use.
This is not a rebellion against my faction!
I'm not. I'm just saying that as a mage who is responsible for this country. I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one.　Sumptroll.
You ......!
And you're wrong about one thing. It's not our faction. It's our faction. You don't own this place, you know that.

　Samtrall's stern face flushed and he struggled to contain his anger.
　He was the second son of the Marquess of Weasler, and he had ambitions to become the overlord of this faction.
　However, perhaps because of his belligerent nature, he lacked virtue.

　The eldest son of the Dukes of Solstair has become a barrier.
　Originally, he would have used his power to strengthen the faction, but now he has shown himself to be capable.
　He had been working behind the scenes to bring Zveit into the fold, but the summer break had wasted all that time, and instead he had emerged as a powerful rival.

　He became impatient that the faction would be taken over if this continued.

What use is a weak mage? Leave the research to the Saint Germain faction. It's better for us to improve our skills and facilitate the organization of the country. If we don't, we'll be crushed in a war.
"We're going to lose!　That's a bit of an underestimate.
It's true. What makes you think that while we're fighting factions in this country, other countries aren't gaining power?

　Samtror glared at him, and Zveit took it in stride.
　It was at this point that the difference in rank became apparent.

You can't trust the defense of your country to someone who is blinded by power and doesn't see the future. It's a good thing that you've got a good idea of what you're looking for. It's no different than a delusion.
You're trying to disrupt the order of the Weasler Faction!　You've turned to the Solstaires, haven't you?　Yes, I have!
"Well, it's close to ideal, but that faction is going to be led by my sister, you know?　I'm just going to play the role of one of the four noble families.
"Ugh. ......

　The Solisteers and the Weaslers have different families, and the Solisteers are direct descendants of magical nobles who broke away from the royal family to be in charge of the defense of the country. In terms of power of speech, Zveit tends to take precedence.
　As the family responsible for the defense of the country, Sumptroll cannot speak.
　If anything, Tsveit was making a good argument, and Sumptroll's words seemed to be nothing more than a quirk.

"Well, it's about time. I think I'll go back to my dorm.


"Wait, Zveit. Don't leave me.

　Even within the faction, what they were doing was more like a club activity.
　When the time was up, they had to stop even the most heated discussion and return to the dormitory.
　This is a very student-like situation.

　The students began to return to the dormitory as soon as Zveit left the room.
　The only ones left behind were the Weasler Bloodline faction, including Sumptroll.

"What's going on?　Why is he back to normal? ....... Blemite, your magic is losing its effect.
Perhaps you've suffered a severe psychological shock. My bloodline magic takes control of the mind little by little, but it seems that large fluctuations in the mind can break the effect.
"Are you saying that something happened when you returned to the dukedom?　Something happened when you returned to the dukedom that shook your spirit. ......

　Bloodline magic is a magic that is passed down from birth to the bloodline of a family, but its effects are not very strong.
　The Blemite's bloodline magic is a brainwashing spell that mixes magic power with conversation to gradually take over the mind of the person you are talking to.
　The disadvantages of this spell are that it is completely ineffective against strong mages, and that there is a high possibility that the shock to the mind will cause the brainwashing to break.
　If you don't cast the same spell over and over again, the brainwashing will be broken by the internal magic power. There are also several minor drawbacks, such as the fact that it takes a long time to modulate the mind, so it is difficult to tell if it is working.

　In order to take advantage of the power of the duke's family, they lured Zveit into their faction and spent several years brainwashing him, but all that hard work has come to nothing.
　The reason why the brainwashing was released was actually because the effects of the brainwashing magic and the estrus caused by the first love [Cupid's prank] caused a runaway overlap, and the presence of the Great Sage who crushed the hidden treasure magic with his bare hands thoroughly shook his brainwashed mind.
　Furthermore, he was reprimanded by his father and respected grandfather, and his brainwashing was completely released.

　He would never have thought that his plans would be ruined because of his first love.
　The Sumptrolls had not expected this and were unaware of the fact.

　The reason why Zveit had become the son of a stupid drummer was actually due to their efforts.
　They were also doing the same thing to the students of the academy who belonged to their faction, but because of Zveit's shocking argument, they were given a big shake.
　There was no telling when the brainwashing would be broken.

Is it possible to brainwash him again?
"No. I tried several times during the discussion, but all my magic was repelled. You're getting awfully strong.
d*mn it!　You're a nasty piece of work. You should have just been brainwashed. ......
You need to be quiet for a while. There's a chance he's found out about me.
That could break the brainwashing, and the people who controlled you could come after you.
If it gets out, we'll be in jail. We should be careful now.

　Samtrall clucked his tongue in abhorrence and left the room where the debate had taken place, looking unhappy.
　The situation has changed to a situation where the devious plan that had been working so well has cracked and we cannot do anything about it.
　I'm more afraid of being sentenced to death.

　He feared that he would be exposed because he had messed with the dukes.
　It seems that small villains are everywhere.


　　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


That Blemite guy did something right there. ......
"He did?　I didn't feel a thing, did I?
Every time he said something, there was magic coming at me. Maybe it was psychic magic. The only thing he could do there was ...... brainwash me?
No way!　No way! It's a crime to cast a spell on someone in the academy. If that's the case, then why are you using ...... it?
If it's true, what's the point of ?

　In the debate, only Sam Troll's idea was not rejected.
　If you recall your memory, only the plan he proposed was always accepted.
　Thinking back over and over again, this is clearly strange.

　Normally, there would be at least one person who would deny the idea no matter how good it was, but with him, there was no one at all.
　It was so easy to accept, as if it was the right thing to do.

It's possible that they're brainwashing everyone in the faction. Including me.
"Including me?　Unbelievable. ......
I guess the effect is not that great. It's a delayed type of spell that only works after it's been cast many times.
How can you be so sure?　You don't even know you're under a spell.
I just look back and see a lot of things I've done that weren't me. They were always there for me when I did.
That's reason enough to be suspicious. I don't find it all that strange.
They want the duke's authority. They were trying to use me. ...... I'm so sick of this!

　Suppressing their annoyance, they made their way back to their dormitories.
　Some of the best students are allowed to take some time off from schoolwork.
　Zveit was one of them, and special students like them were allowed to spend their time freely in the academy, allowing them time to pursue their magical research.


　He also went back to his dormitory to work on the homework his teacher had given him.

"Zveit, I'd like to make a quick stop, if that's all right.
No problem. Where are you going?
"Actually, there's a girl I'm interested in. I'd like to talk to her, but I'm afraid of her maid.
Oh, ...... is good, isn't it? Spring has come.

　Zveit was still reeling from his broken heart.

　In the event that you've got any questions regarding where and the best way to get in touch with us, we'll be happy to assist you.
　There, he could see the junior students shooting magic at the magic-resistant armor.

"Hey, this is a secondary school, remember?　Your crush is younger than you...
"Yeah, I was shocked when I saw her in the library. I was shocked when I saw her in the library. "Oh, ...... what a beautiful girl." ......
What girl is that?
What?　I thought she was usually in the observation section. ......
What, is he a dropout?

　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to do that.
　But then he saw his own sister, Celestina.
　She was accompanied by her personal maid, Miska, who was standing by her side as usual.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what's going on here. ...... Wait a minute, hey!　I'm not sure what to do.　No way. ......

　A bad premonition crossed Zveit's mind.

It's that girl. The one with the long blonde hair. ......
I'm not sure what to say.　...... That's my sister, remember?
"Zweite ......, we're best friends, right?
Oh, yeah?　Yeah, we are. ......

　I'm not sure what to say, but Dio squeezes Zveit's hand tightly with both hands.
　It was an unseemly sight that some girls might enjoy.

Introduce me to her!
Are you serious?　Are you ready to be killed?
For you?　You're more like a sister than I thought.
No, it's for my grandfather. ......
"Mage of Purgatory"?

　It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your money.
　It's not an exaggeration to say that he's a perverted freak.
　There is no doubt that Deo will turn into a cruel corpse.

But that's unusual. But it's unusual for her to be trained.
Oh, ......, well, she's got a lot going on.

　He guessed that Celestina had been indulging in observation because she could not use magic until now.
　And then it was her turn to speak.

I'm not sure I'm ready to see what she's capable of. ...... Maybe I can be of some help.
"・・・・・・・・・・

　In my brother's mind, he said, 'No, he's better than you, you know?　I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who's a fan of your work.
　And ...... before their eyes, Celestina performs a spell.

　In her palm, a small but radiant ball of light like the sun is created.
　It's a great way to make sure you're getting the most out of your money.

"She's got no talent? This is my chance to ......".

　But ......

　---I'm not sure what to do.

　The magic-resistant armor was blown to pieces.
　It was an unbelievable sight.

　Everyone's mouths were hanging open.
　Except for one.

"I've done it. ...... Celestina's done it too loudly. Make it less powerful!

　All of us here witnessed the moment when an incompetent became a brilliant woman.

"Is that a ...... 'fireball'?　But the power is ......
"Dio ......, that's not a 'fireball'. It's just fire.
What?

　He was astonished by the impossible answer.

"How is that a 'fire'?　It's so much more powerful!
I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea.　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.
　In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a few things you can do.

　In the event that you're not sure what to do, you'll be able to find out how to do it.
　In fact, if you don't use it, your skill level will increase and your magic control and manipulation will be much better.
Fireball is easy to activate and powerful, but it contains a magic formula that can damage your skills as a mage.


　Well, "fireball" is the right word.

　Celestina has recreated the Fireball with Fire.
　But Celestina has recreated the Fireball in Fire, with the added bonus of making it more powerful.

"How is that possible? ...... You're a genius. There's nothing I can teach you .......
I'm sure you'll be happy to hear that. Celestina ...... is a sin.

　In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find it on the web.
　He was so shocked that his shoulders were shaking.

"Fushun ......, she is truly an angel...
"Huh?
I'm not sure what to make of this. No, she's a goddess!
How can you say that?　I mean, did you fall in love with her all over again?
Of course I did!　I'm going to be a man worthy of her!

　Dio was on fire.
　Dio was on fire.

　The flame of his motivation was burning hot and strong.
　In the image of his best friend, Zveit was reminded of his grandfather.

　In his mind's eye, he could see his best friend being killed by his grandfather.
　The image of his best friend being roasted by a treasure spell.

　For some reason, he thought he heard his grandfather Creston's voice in his ear, saying, "You did a good job .......

　It's a great way to make sure you don't get caught in the middle of a situation.
The evil hand of the [Purgatory Mage] will soon be closing in on him. .......

　As a side note, Dayo's brainwashing effect was lifted at this time.
　The power of thought is a tremendous thing.