A knight and a girl face each other against the sunset sky.
　The difference in their size is obvious, and it looks as if an adult carrying a weapon and a child with a toy in his hand are playing together.
　But it wasn't.
　Even though it is a mock battle, once they have a weapon in their hands, their gazes are sharp and serious.

　The only condition that Nacht offered was that they must start the match from a distance of 20 meters away from each other.

'What, don't worry. If one of us is about to die, I'll intervene.

　In other words, he said, fight as hard as you can without worrying about each other.
　A little girl. Looking at Nacht's squire or something like that, Yuri was convinced of his own superiority.

　In the first place, if a knight and a wizard fought one-on-one, the knight would definitely win first. This is because the quality of combat between the two parties is different.
　In other words, the knight is good at fighting one on one, while the wizard is better at fighting many against many. A wizard without a wallflower is like a warrior without armor.

　Yuri assesses Aisha.
　A shaky center of gravity. He's hepish and probably thinks he's at least holding his old staff in his right eye for protection or at least for protection, but it's hard to say he's even doing that properly.
　As can be seen from her appearance, it was clear that she was even less good at close combat than an ordinary wizard.

　The distance between them was only twenty meters.
　To Yuri, it was a distance that could be closed in two seconds.
　An ordinary wizard would be able to cut without allowing magic to be activated. But there was no way that the girl who was the follower of that monster (Nacht) could be normal.

　That's why Yuri braced himself.
　No matter how good a wizard is, there's only one magic that can be activated in a second or two. That's why Yuri's mind is made up.

(Defeat the first magic and then make him fall into a coma!

Now, when this coin drops, we'll signal the start of the war.
　Nacht flicks the coin with a pin.
　The gold coin falls slowly as it spins and falls - and it falls.

　A comma-second of perception slowly mirrored it, when the exhaled exhalation coincided with a small falling sound. Yuri ran out in a straight line.
　The ground gouged out of the greenery.

　Even with the armor that could be considered heavy armor, Yuri still accelerated like a gale. At the same time, Aisha was also moving her mouth while taking a large backstep. Characteristically, the sentence was hidden. Is she going to hide her mouth with her wand and not give a hint as to the type of magic?

(Now, what are you going to set up--)

　As long as the distance drawn by Aisha is only within the margin of error, the choice Yuri takes remains the same.
　At that time, when the distance between you and Aisha was only a few meters away. It had suddenly appeared in front of Yuri's eyes.

''--!

　The mysterious neigh of the wind.
　Yuri catches that invisible one almost by reflex.

''Gu--No way, spirit magic!
　Yuri's feet stopped, and his stance was severely disrupted, and he could hear a small, annoying laugh in his ears.
　A dwarf about the size of an index finger, it has a thin, transparent body that would fit in the palm of your hand. This is the first time Yuri has seen it too, but it's clear from the too-fast magic activation and its distinctive appearance.
　A tribe that chooses magic power, a spirit. Spirits that are supposed to live in the order of this world. Borrowing that power was what Aisha's power was.

　That was certainly outside the scope of our expectations. But even so, if this is the extent of it--

You're a little undercounted.

　You can't see it, but you can hear it.
　The number of blades approaching is three.
　They are not low in power, but they are not high either.
　Then you just need to catch them and play them back.

　The one blade that was approaching ahead of time, as soon as you half pull back to evade it, it accelerates again.
　As they pass each other, the two blades that are approaching are received with the martial arts (arts) vigor.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　A dull sound resounded and the crimson armor flicked back the wind blade.

　The distance is no more, now--.

It's over.

　Then he swings his sword down at Aisha.
　He strikes with his stomach instead of the blade. Even so, Yuri's sword, wielded at high speed, is not slow enough for an ordinary person to see through it. Normally, all wizards who are approached this close would hold their heads in their hands and stare down, or their eyes would be downcast.

　But the girl in front of me was different.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking at.
　The eyes seemed to have no hesitation, not even the slightest bit of fear in them.

　No, no. Indeed, those eyes were tainted with fear.
　But even so, the girl still seemed to have room to spare. A room to calmly assess the enemy and compare it to something else. It's not like this with the first person. It's impossible not to run away from the blade that's closing in front of her every second.

　So surely she had seen a view like this before.
　And not just once or twice, but an enormous number more, knowing the looming fear. It was the appearance of a human being with solid experience.

'I'm sorry!'

　That was the last time I heard Aisha's voice - for some reason Aisha, who should have had plenty of time to spare, crouched down defenselessly and covered her eyes and ears and squatted down. Even if she avoided this blow, she wouldn't be able to avoid the chase.
　However, that action, which seemed to give up on the game, was a stepping stone to attack.

''Wah-uh-uh!

　An immense amount of light coming at us. In addition, the spirit's scream echoed like a ripple.
　The light, which was so bright that it was as if the sun had appeared in front of my eyes, burned my eyes, and the spirit's voice, which pierced my ears, was carefully carried by the wind, making me numb as if my perception was broken.
　An illusion as if the world had been shut down by darkness.
　It was only after being deprived of sight and hearing, so important in battle, that Yuri realized.
　The fact that he himself had been lured in--





◇




　Aisha was barely standing here.

(Mu, it's impossible.

　But the Lord of Aisha does not make a discrepancy between the words once uttered.
　If so, Aisha, as Nacht's follower, cannot pull back.

　But I'm afraid.

(Nacht-sama~)

　As he looked at her with a clinging gaze, Nacht flicked the coin with a smile.
　Lately, Nacht's taste has been increasing, Aisha thought to herself.

　The coin fell gently, leaving a trail in the air.
　In those few seconds of time, Aisha thought back to what Nacht had taught her in her head.

(As I recall, eh, vs. the vanguard position, anyway, keep your distance away----, lie-- haha!

　It was no use for Aisha to jump down. Twice, or even more, the knight in front of her was fast. Seeing the knight who was much faster than Aisha, who was dressed lightly, Aisha quickly circled her magic power and called the spirit.

　The blade released by the newly minded wind spirit attacked the knight.
　However, the knight easily received the blade, which was supposed to be invisible, as he unleashed it from behind in a surprise manner.

(Lie, lie, no...?)

　In his haste, the man who looks like a giant is already in front of him.
　The sword that he raised would soon collide with Aisha if he took even one breath.
　Even now that he was in such a situation, Aisha was strangely calm.

　Scary.
　Scary, but - compared to the dragon's fangs, it's not so intimidating.
　Besides, his movements and attacks are definitely fast, but Aisha knows two people who are faster than him.

(Now, last resort--)

　I want to be strong.
　After deciding that, Aisha taught Nacht how to fight in the magic profession.
　Each time Nahat would say to her: 'Look, Aisha - the magic job is just right for a bit of cowardice.

''Listen, Aisha - a little bit of cowardice is just fine for the magic profession.
　And.
　Aisha simply adheres to that teaching.

(Spirit of Light, please help me.)

　An explosive flash of light (flash bang).
　That was Aisha's trump card.
　The flashes and explosions took away her sight and hearing.

　She only bent down for a very short time. He removes his hands from his ears and rolls around as if he were to spin around once to gain distance.

''Spirit of the Wind--Lend me your strength, defeat the enemy--''

　Now it was Aisha's turn to apply Chequemate.
　The spirit drawn by Aisha's magic smiled thinly.
　The blade, which was tinged with faint light, was mercilessly closing in on Yuri.

''Nah--!

　But now it was Aisha's turn to be surprised.
　Neither her eyes nor her ears should be functioning.　
　But Yuri, with her eyes closed, using only a hint of presence as a clue, avoided and received the blades that were approaching from all directions.

''I was fooled by the pretty look - quite a neat thing to do. What a thing for a beautiful flower...''
　Yuri says that with his eyes closed.
　Really--
　I wonder if he can really sense our presence. Oh no, it's not Nacht-sama. I want to say it's a lie and shake my head.
　Because in front of Aisha's eyes who thinks so, Yuri is indeed avoiding them.

''The spirits have a peculiar air about them--if this is the case, even my inexperienced perceptual expansion can capture it well enough--''
　Spirits are also higher dimensional life forms that do not depend on the physical body. Therefore, Aisha doesn't know that they are much easier to catch compared to the rarefied human presence. This was a major factor in the fact that the first attack was avoided.

'Why, it doesn't hit--then how about this!

　The anomaly happened to the earth.
　The rapidly depressed earth was depressed. Underneath such ground, a petulant spirit was waving his hand.

''Guh!''
　A wave of wind spirit blades descended in a wave attack towards Yuri, who lost his stance with a bang.

"It is a sturdy and indestructible fortress, a magic art, a vaulted wall--!
　Gradually, though, Aisha could see that Yuri's reactions were getting better and better.
　It had been roughly three minutes since he had been deprived of sight and hearing. The closed eyelids were about to open slightly.
　If they didn't end it here, Aisha, who had no strength, would be at a disadvantage.
　There is distance now, but if they get close again, Aisha will have no way to strike.

　So, Aisha stops the small moves.
　From here on out, it's a full-on force push. The only factor that allows Aisha to defeat the knight in front of her is the difference in the amount of magic power she was born with.
　The staff floats in the hollow and Aisha clasps her hands together and tells them to pray.

''Please, guys--lend me strength--''

　The four spheres that emerge.

　Each one has a spirit on it...

　Earth, water, fire, wind.

　They are dyed different colors.

　What I imagined (or imagined) as I strongly, strongly wished for was the magic that Nacht used in the past.
　According to him, it was just a list of elementary magic, but from Aisha's point of view, there is no doubt that it was immensely powerful.
　The first blade of wind that he unleashed was actually the same. It's an imitation of someone you admire.
　Everywhere and everywhere, like a spiritual peak with no visible peak, the current Aisha's best that she has desperately chased, or rather continued to chase, the back of the endlessly high Nacht, is the best she can do.

''This is my full strength!

　A cloud of sand and smoke rose.
　The collision of light and light grew in color, and the landscape was engulfed by such light.
　The sound receded, the light disappeared, and the silence that came.
　What canceled it out was the sound of a sword called Rin.
　A single long sword, pierced into the earth, was supporting Yuri's body.


　When Aisha was about to gush out her magic again.
That's enough!
　Nacht voiced his control.

'Huh?'
　Nacht smiled at Aisha, who let out a distracted voice, and said with a smile.

'You fought well - Aisha won, you can be proud of yourself.
　At the same time as those words, Yuri's body collapses with a snap.
　Aisha's magic power far surpasses that of an ordinary person, and it can be said that there is hardly anyone who can take it head on.
　That's why Yuri was already at his limit.
　It's a good thing that you can't get away with it.

　I'm sure that Aisha would be willing to give up her life to fight like he was when it comes to Nacht.
　He reaffirmed that thought and let out a breath with relief.
　The tension melted away, and he involuntarily sat there.
　Although it was a mock battle, it was Aisha's first serious battle - the first victory she had grabbed by herself.
　So, I couldn't help but look at Nahat in a fitful manner.

'But I did my best. I want a reward, Nacht-sama.
　Aisha's eyes, which naturally turned upward, were as lovely as a child's.





◇




You look like you've been beaten pretty badly, Yuri.
　A woman stood in a desolate meadow.
　The ground was gouged out, the grassland burnt.
　It was obvious that a fierce battle had taken place.

　The energetic knights were trembling on their knees.
　Even Yuri Reinveldt, a candidate for the next division commander among the knights of the Kingsguard, was in tatters and looked exhausted.

''-- Haha, they were quite frightening ladies.........''
　Yuri slowly raised her fallen body and sat up, grunting and moaning, and looked at the woman.

'I knew you were always right, Krista--'
　Yuri said with a chuckle.

'Well, I should say I'm glad it's only this bad--it looks like you're safe too.

'Safe... well, it looks like he's still alive, but I'm glad you're worried about him. --
　Even with such straightforward words from Yuri, Krista was unfazed.

'Yeah, I was worried about you, Kingdom--'

'That's not quite as funny as it sounds. But it makes it easier to convince the king.
　That was the biggest reason why Yuri had challenged him to a fight.
　If they actually crossed blades and grasped their abilities, that wise king would certainly listen to Yuri's words. Some of them may want to punish those who disobey the king's order, but Yuri realizes that he can even think about the future of his kingdom's destruction.
　If Yuri, a candidate for the next divisional commander and the king's trustworthy candidate, can tell him that, he will take a more conciliatory approach.

''Most importantly, though, Nacht-dono didn't even give me the benefit of the doubt--''

If you'd had to deal with me, we'd be in a pile of corpses right now.

"I'm sure - I'm exhausted - I'm in no hurry to die for the King's sake - I want to complain to the King, but I won't. .....

Ha, that's why I told you to stay out of this. - "Get up, get up, we're going to King's Landing.

Well, I'm kind of at the end of my rope, but I need a shoulder to lean on, Krista.

You made your bed. You have to walk.