'I don't like it. I don't like fighting.

　Aifa's long hair shook as she said this, feeling like a civilian entangled with a dangerous person.

'There's another way to do it: by force.'

No, sir. I don't think so.

　When I frowned back as much as I could, Violette turned a dumbfounded face to Aifa.

''........What's wrong, Aifa? I feel like I'm being forceful at any time. Even if you were to take forceful measures, this situation is unfavorable, as it were, to this stone.......

　Violette's expression clouded over for the first time since she came here, but Aifa held up one hand and stopped speaking.

'This is selfishness on my part. I won't bother General Violette. Besides, I don't want to kill each other either. If one of us admits defeat, that's the end of it.

　As I said it, Aifa's gaze didn't leave me as if she had sewn up.

　I'll never pull this one off.

　I looked into his eyes, and somehow I knew that.

　I let out a long, thin sigh and nodded.

'....Okay. Let's do it.

　Everyone's eyes widened as they agreed.

''Taiki-sama, you're going to compete with magic!

Oh, oh...! Will we finally see some of its power...!

　Aifa and Violette are staring at me with a hard expression while Eira, Yuri, Dizen and others are astonished.

　Looking directly at those two, I held up my index finger.

''However, I will have you fight our spearhead first. If you win successfully, then let's say I'll get serious then too.

　When I told her that, Aifa nodded quietly.

I hope so.''

　I shook my head lightly from side to side at Aifa, who was showing her motivation.

'No, it's called A1, and he's my best friend.






　We all go outside and move to the heated pool to the north. With a large pool, there are fewer obstacles, and even if a flame is used, there are no burning objects around.

　The heated pool spreads out in the shape of a horizontal staircase, and each step has a wide passageway on the border of the steps. Aifa and A1 were standing side by side in the middle of that passage.

　We were looking at it from the top step. Wary of the other robots standing around her, Violette looked at us with a knitted eyebrow.

''........If you're thinking of us together with the imperial sorcerers there, I have to say that's a naive idea. A golem would certainly be comparable to a thousand soldiers in a war. However, it's a different story if you're dealing with a top-notch magician. A golem that shows unrivalled strength on the plains and in sieges is incompatible with a sorcerer who moves fast and has powerful offensive weapons.

　At Violette's explanation, Eira shows a grim face.

''That's something that Taiki-sama, the Great Mage, is aware of, a hundred times over. You will regret it if you think of Taiki-sama's golems as the same as the golems around there, right?

　Violette glared hatefully at Eira, who said that and turned away, and set her eyes on him. Yuri and Ditsen were frightened by such an exchange between the two of them as they talked in secret.

''There's something tense in the air, isn't there?

'And let's keep it quiet. We're irrelevant we're more concerned with the battle between the Imperial Court Wizard and Master Taiki's golem.

　I gave one cough and opened my mouth as the onlookers chattered on and on.

'Well then, I think it's time to get started, is it safe to stand there? I suppose it would be to your advantage to be further away.

　A1 and Aifa were facing each other at a distance of about three meters. Therefore, I suggested that to Aifa, who was capable of attacking at long range, but Aifa denied it without changing a single expression.

''No problem.''

　Apparently, it's fine as it is. If I say more than this poorly, I'm afraid I'll hurt my self-esteem, so I guess it can't be helped.

　At the very least, I just hope that Aifa doesn't get killed in the blink of an eye.

　Thinking about that, I raised one hand and lowered it.

''Then........begin!

　The moment he gave the signal, Aifa moved quickly. The sight of her kicking the ground and soaring high into the sky made me exclaim in admiration.

''Oh ... you're flying too fast.''

　Aifa, who had soared to a height that even a pole vault wouldn't be able to jump this high, was quite surprised inwardly, although she tried not to show it on her face.

　However, it seems that Ditsen and Yuri were not that surprised.

''Oh, when did you use flying magic...''

'The activation of the magic was so natural. It's exactly how he uses his magic, like he's breathing.

　Hearing that kind of feedback from the two of them makes sense. It wasn't just a jump, after all. You're a magician, right?

It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them. Isn't that a given?

　Violette, with a triumphant face, said so.

　In response, I uttered a simple question.

''I don't understand how it's advantageous because it's empty, but.......''

　When I asked the question, Violette pointed forward with a dumbfounded look on her face.

''Can't you see it? And so you call yourself a grand title such as Grand Mage........Golems can't fly. Isn't that common sense?

'....Well, do you remember how you came to this country, Violette?

　Violette froze for a full second or two as she asked that back.

　Then she turned her head vigorously to Aifa.

'Aifa! That golem flies through the air!

　Aifa, who had finished some kind of chanting while floating in the sky, replied in a small way to such a new advice.

I know.

　The moment Aifa muttered that, a small ball of fire appeared in both hands.
　The dark purple flames wavered as they scattered fire sparks.

　Aifa looks back to check on A1, who looks up at her, and swings her arms down. The two flames flew in flight, leaving a short purple band, and took different trajectories towards A1.

　The ball of flames flying with the speed of an arrow burst before hitting A1, spreading into even finer pieces of flame.

　In the blink of an eye, dozens of flaming fragments were closing in on A1, but A1 didn't move.

　The next moment when the upper half of A1's body seemed to be slightly hazy, each of the flame fragments turned into even finer flame fragments and scattered.

　The fire sparks that fell to the surface of the water produced a series of small, muffled explosions, and A1 slowly began to float up into the sky.

　In the haze caused by the large amount of water vapor, the huge shadow of A1 is reflected in the haze.

''Phew.''

　With a sharp exhale, Aifa moved quickly through the air. Then, as it flew in an arc, Aifa finished some kind of chant and deployed her next magic.

　With a small moggling motion of his mouth, the water vapor covering A1's surroundings coagulated in the blink of an eye, and the water in the pool instantly transformed into a giant icicle.

　More than a dozen icicles, viciously shaped like the fangs of a carnivorous beast, emerge, ready to pierce A1.

　However, the icicles all scattered into countless pieces, and Aifa raised one eyebrow when she saw them.

　After a beat, he shakes off the still thickening haze and A1 jumps out. As A1 closes in on Aifa in the sky with a speed that belies her previous movements, Aifa clicks her tongue and unleashes flames and ice magic while zig-zagging from side to side.

　It's a good thing that you're able to use your arms to destroy all the magic.

　A continuous shock echoes through the atmosphere and into the body, and the flames and ice pop and disappear with a flourish. It's as if there was a fireworks show in the sky.

Oh, it's beautiful!

　I laughed and expressed my thoughts and looked back at Eira.

　Then, not only Eira, but Violette and Ditsen were also looking at me. Only Yuri is laughing and saying something like "It's true, isn't it?", but the other three are looking at me as if they are looking at something unbelievable.

　After all, A1's fighting style must have destroyed the common sense of the golem.

　Well, it's a gift from an angel, so it's to be expected.

　On the contrary, I think Aifa is abnormal for being able to fight that mythical grade weapon even for a short time.

　And while I was thinking about that, Aifa was caught up with A1 and was flung down into the heated pool like a fly swatter.

'That's it! A1 Stop!

　When I called out to her, A1 stood upright in the sky, looking down at Aifa floating in the pool, but she didn't move.

　Cold sweat naturally broke out on my forehead as I watched her float on the surface of the water without moving a muscle.