The battle between our allied forces and the Knights of Rosalia took place five days later.
　It was a natural outcome as both sides were unwilling to back down, but the battle was more difficult than they had imagined.
　The Orcs' chief of staff, Giron, said, "The enemy's will to fight is unimaginable.

''The enemy's will to fight is higher than I imagined. I thought they were dropping because of the continuous losing battles.

On the other hand, I think they're up because of the losing streak.

　I offer a counterargument.

'What do you mean?'

'If we lose here, there will be no more to go. You may assume that the Demon King's army will take over King's Landing, or Tristan will be restored to the throne and executed.

I don't know if that sweet-tempered kid would do that.

'I don't think they will. But Eichs may have suggested it, and at least they'll think about how they'll be treated once Tristan is reinstated.

''Well, you'll be cut off from your career, and worst of all, you'll be confiscated from the territory.

Otherwise, it's hard to draw a line in the sand.

Or it could be that the family of the enemy general has been taken hostage by Vizier Eichs. It's a common story in times of war. Either way, the enemy forces must have their own set of circumstances that make them unavoidable.

So you're saying that the enemy forces are trapped.

　That's right, I said, and gave orders to my men, who were fighting a desperate enemy army.
　I give the order to the messenger.

'Stall the fight as long as you can.
　And--

　The brigade commanders must have been puzzled when they heard that order.

"It's an uncharacteristic notice for a brigade commander.

　In fact, Lilith and the others used the magic of 《Notes》 to ask.

''Ike-sama, are you sure about 'that' strategy?'''

　I had said so much that you should refrain from telekinesis on the battlefield because it would be overheard by the enemy sorcerer, but Lilith speaks to me without a care in the world.

　However, since he doesn't mention the outline of the operation, he must have some sense.
　I respond without scolding her.

'I don't mind.

　After saying this, he continues.

"Well, you can divulge this operation order to the enemy if you want. Anyway, don't go on the offensive. Anyway, don't go on the offensive.

　After I said that, I shut off the telepathic communication.
　When I finished listening to the telekinesis, Jiron asked me.

"Do you have some intentions for not deciding the game in a heartbeat?

Of course I have.

　I reply and explain to Giron.
　Or rather, he says, dumbfounded.

'Are you really the chief of staff? How long has it been since we first came to these plains?

It's only been a day or so, isn't it?

No, it's not. It's after the signing ceremony. It's been nearly two weeks, right?

　Hearing those words, Giron said, "Ah! I raised the words.

''So that means it's time for Cephiro-sama's Seventh Legion to come to reinforce us, right?

That's right.

　I responded immediately, but I also added sarcasm.

'As long as the Commander isn't preoccupied with some silly experiment.

There's no such thing as a stone.

　And Giron defended Cephiro, but be that as it may, it was about time for Cephiro's reinforcements to arrive.

　In anticipation of that, I want to buy some time, but will that witch live up to my expectations?

　Of course, I trusted Cephiro like my own sister, and I trusted his abilities, but trouble is something that happens when you're looking for the worst possible time, as a matter of fact.

　However, that worry seemed to be unfounded.

　A few days after the clash with the Knights of Rosalia, when the battle lines began to stalemate, a mukudori arrives at my camp.

　It's Cephiro's errand boy.
　The little bird stays on my shoulder and whispers to me, "I'll be back on the battlefield in a few hours.

I'll be arriving on the battlefield in a few hours. Wait for me.

　The voice was unmistakably Cephiro's.
　When I heard those words, I was convinced of the victory of this battle.




　A few hours later, the 7th Legion comes to the battlefield as announced.
　And without being told, we sent our troops charging into the enemy's flank.
　Of course, the enemy army must have anticipated this to some extent.
　This battlefield is a plain as far as the eye can see, a terrain that is not very suitable for a surprise attack.
　The person in command of the enemy forces is not incompetent.
　That could be discerned in the battles until now.

　But it seems that he is not a tactician enough to be flanked by the elite 7th Corps and hold on.
　Besides, in terms of numbers, this one is about 7,000 (2,000 for the 8th Legion, 2,000 for the White Rose and Holy Shield Knights, and 3,000 for the 7th Legion).

　They were no longer more than evenly matched in numbers.
　Moreover, in terms of strength, our forces are now superior to the enemy's.
　Not to mention our 8th Legion, Cephiro's men are all strong.

　Bayo of the Werewolf Brigade used his agility and fierceness to cut into the enemy army and bite into the throat whistles of the enemy knights.

　Kushana of Manticore, my senior, also skillfully manipulated the beasts under his command to overwhelm the enemy army.

''I guess there's no more for me to do.

　It was so successful that it made me think so.
　However, it was still a gutsy thing to look up at because the enemy forces were persistently engaged.
　As I explained to Giron, there was no more to go, or so he thought.
　Despite being an enemy force, their efforts were commendable, but that's why I was lost.


(Should I strike a devastating blow to the enemy forces here?)


　Even at this rate, the enemy forces would start retreating sooner or later, but if they returned unharmed, they would sharpen their fangs again and look for an opportunity for a revenge battle.

　That was acceptable to me personally, but not to the Demon King's army.
　I stare at Giron, the orc's chief strategist, from my horse.
　He is watching the battle situation while clasping his hand.
　I spoke to Jiron.

Speaking of which, Jiron," I said, "I heard you had a new baby. I've heard that you have a new baby on the way.

　Giron scowled at the out-of-place words.

　It was a natural reaction, but Giron was honest enough to say

Yes, he's my 16th child.

　Giron says proudly, but I ask.

'What do you want those kids to be like growing up?　When you grow up, do you want me to be your chief strategist like you?

　Giron shook his head and assured him that there was nothing to be done.

'I wouldn't want my children to stand on the battlefield. I'm sure every parent would agree.

Yeah.

　With those words, I made up my mind and decided to give the order.
　After all, war is a bloody road.
　The fact that you don't want to shed any more blood is just a beautiful thing.


　If you really don't want to shed any more blood, there is no other way but to end this war and create a peaceful world.


　With this newfound conviction, I decided to crush the enemy army completely.

Giron. I'm not going to be able to get the word out to Lilith, Shigan, Günther and Alistair and the others to move to an all-out offensive.

　Giron bowed his head, "Yes, sir," and began to arrange for a message.


　As soon as they began their offensive as I ordered, the enemy forces that had been resisting so stubbornly began to collapse.
　No, in fact, it's probably more of a miracle that they were able to hold out until now.
The enemy army finally begins to crush.
　Jiron turns to me and asks, "Do you want to pursue?

"Should we pursue?

　I shake my head, "No".
　After saying that, I start chanting my magic.
　It was a short spell, but as I finish chanting, a pillar of fire rises far behind the enemy forces.
　Jiron shouts in surprise at the sight.

''Su, it's an amazing magic. Is it forbidden magic? I've never seen magic that raises a pillar of fire like that in an instant.

Magic is magic, but it's just an "ignition" magic.

　I replied that to Jiron, but he didn't seem to believe me.

''《Ignition》 is the easiest magic that even a child can use if they are a magician, right?　So how did you get a pillar of fire like that?

The answer is simple. "The answer is simple: I spread gunpowder on the plains beforehand. That area was covered with a pile of flammable dead grass.

Does that mean you knew in advance this place was going to be a battlefield?

　Giron stared at me like I was a prophet.

'Because I could have predicted that if the mission to destroy each of them failed, the enemy would gather around here.

Well, I feel like a god...

It's a hunch. It's just a simple job of throwing gunpowder around.

　It was in fact so.
　If the individual defeats had failed and the enemy's forces were to assemble, we knew it would be on this plain.
　There were two reasons for this.


　First, this plain is a key transportation point, and whoever seizes it will have the advantage.
　Secondly, there are only a few places where an army of nearly 10,000 men can gather.


　In fact, the enemy army was gathered in this place, and my intuition was not wrong.
　There was no harm in setting a trap.
　In fact, we were able to set a trap for the enemy army without any loss.

　After being attacked by the Eighth Legion in front and Cephiro's Seventh Legion on the right flank, the enemy forces, cut off from the rear by the fire meter, naturally began to flee in the left direction, but my trap was also set there.

　I chanted my magic again.


'Revive, puppet soldiers (skeletons)!


　As he finishes chanting so, a hand of bone protrudes from the soil of the plains.
　Jiron doesn't even scream in surprise anymore.

He's staring at me with a look that says, "I thought your husband would be setting up something more.

　I couldn't argue with him because he was indeed right, but the skeleton soldiers I had buried in the ground began to attack, blocking the enemy army's retreating path.

　This was the move I used when I drove away the White Rose Knights of Alistair, but this strategy was useful no matter how many times I used it.

　He could easily place his ambush troops without any woods or bushes.
　If you know for sure that the enemy will pass through there, it was a good strategy to use.
　The enemy's army is trapped in a quandary because of my strange plan.


　Us in the front.
　Seventh Legion, from the right.
　Skeletons, from left to right.
　A burning pillar of fire in the background.


　In other words, the enemy forces were completely surrounded.
　The enemy's original plan of annihilation by siege was reversed and we succeeded.
　It was an ironic story.
　The side that was going to launch a siege and annihilation operation was destroyed by the siege and annihilation operation.

　Completely surrounded by us on all sides, the enemy forces put up a sustained fight to the end, but after a few moments, their resistance was scattered and finally gone.

　The surviving soldiers chose to break through the siege or surrender.
　In short, the Demon King's army won this battle.