The fence that surrounds the Zirconian fort is constructed of thick logs driven in at certain intervals to support the fort, with reinforcements between the logs like a bridge, then thin logs are driven in between to fill in the gaps, and finally the reinforcements are driven in again from the back. From a distance it looks solid, but as you get closer, you can see that not much money has been spent on the fence.

　The turrets are stacked solidly built of stones. But the windowed facility is not at all threatening, as a hypnotic air ball can get into it.

　Leslie interferes with the air so that our shadows are not visible in the light of the torches. The guards have been neutralized, but there could be scouts circling the perimeter of the fort, so we'll have to be on the lookout.

　Since there are no shields to hide behind, we choose a blind spot where the torchlight is harder to reach, and run through at once, lowering ourselves.

　The back door in the north fence is a back door, and if you look closer you can see that the logs lined up vertically have been cut off in the middle. If you look at the feet, there are signs that the logs have been tried to be buried back in place, but the logs are pointed where they stick in the ground and the soil is gouged out - no doubt, this cut-off section can be moved.

　After first touching the log fence to make sure there was no one inside, Raquel lowered herself, inhaled, and pushed in with all her might.

'Phew ......!'

　It's truly a rigid warrior - the vibrations are about to be transmitted to the entire fence, and I use magic to interfere with the logs to minimize the impact.

　Once the hidden door was pried open enough for me to bend down and pass through, I quickly stepped inside. The first thing in front of me was a food storage room, according to the drawing.

　Presha-san, who was the first to enter, quickly ran - he turned the corner of the food pantry and just as he turned, there was a soldier who had come patrolling.

''Huh ......!?''

　Presha-san's agility was just like a carnivorous beast. Before the enemy could brace himself, he lightly struck his pigeon tail with a spear stone thrust, and the enemy soldier let out a small groan and fell to the spot.

''I think I could have gone easy on you, ......-sensei, ask for the rest.

　It would be easy to advance while eliminating the enemy soldiers, but that would also expose them faster. So I decided to use Lune's pollen-induced hypnosis to get the enemy soldiers to 'cooperate' with me.

'When you get up in ten seconds, you will patrol the path of the guards as scheduled, and when you have finished that, you will give a timely report. There was nothing unusual,
"...... yes, ......, I'm sorry. ......

　The soldier, who inhaled the pollen of the demon flower as he fell, replied with empty eyes. And exactly ten seconds later, the soldier got up and walked away as if he hadn't seen us, pretending to be aware of his surroundings.

(Presha-san, even if there are enemies behind the corner, we can still send air balls flying to hypnotize them. (Let's move carefully to the commander's quarters.)

(Yeah, I get it. That was a little close, I didn't know you were just going to come around: ......)

(Thanks to Presha's instantaneous reaction, I was about to fire an arrow too.)

　Although there are watchtowers inside the fort as well, there is a pathway that allows us to proceed without being in sight of them. First, I decided to move to where I could see the quarters where most of the enemy soldiers were located, with His Highness's permission.

　Wiping out the enemy soldiers with the help of the mandrake, that's one tactic. But I decided to keep two options at the ready.

　There are windows in the quarters and they are left open. It may be for ventilation, but the enemy soldiers wouldn't dream that it would be of any help to us.

(Your Highness, I'm sending Rune's pollen into the quarters to bring the soldiers under the influence.)

　His Highness Astina nodded and folded her hands together as if in prayer - the supply of magic power was ready. All that's left is for Lune to do her best.

(......~)

(...... Dear Leslie, what's up?　(You've been using magic for a while now, and you're getting tired.

(It's okay ...... this much. The air ball is also a little harder to control when it's big ...... okay, brother Glass. (I'm fine, so keep going.)

　I say, even smiling, but Leslie is an integral part of this operation - if she runs out of power, the risk of being discovered by the enemy jumps.

(Summoner-sama, I'm ready.)

(Okay, ...... Leslie, please.)

　I can't even talk to him about resting when this is over. But there's something I can do - it's the job of a military doctor to examine and give first aid to my companions.

("O you who sink into sleep, get lost in your long dreams, get lost in the garden of bewitching flowers.")

　With a chant, the flower on Lune's head gives rise to a pollen - which Leslie encapsulates in the air and sends it with precision into the enemy soldiers' quarters.

　Then I throw a root, her (Ray's) alter ego, to summon a mandrake, by the wall of the quarters. As long as there is soil with nutrients, it will rapidly take root and sink into the ground - now I can use that alter ego as a medium to materialize Ray.

(...... Glass, do you intend to defeat the soldiers in the quarters with the power of a mandrake?

(That's conceivable, but as it stands, I'm going to let the soldiers in those quarters cause some confusion with their hypnotic effects.)

So it's a two-step process. You really never learn anything about fighting, do you, Glass?　(You seem to be thinking and working further ahead than I and others.

(That's because they're students from the Academy of Magic, which is also the first academic school in King's Landing. I wouldn't be surprised if they have a different train of thought than we do. ...... If we can get home safely, we could have a study session on tactics.)

(It's bad luck to say that, so be careful, Mr. Deite. Well, Mr. Deite is most reluctant to do so.)

　Mr. Deethe smiles gracefully, but it's only for a moment, and we move on.

　--to hypnotize the commander, or not. And whether or not the mage, whose presence is still not felt, is in the fort.

　As for Leslie, I examine her condition as I walk - the spirit guide mark is feverish from continuing to maintain the magic. As a mage, I'm always prepared to deal with this condition as a mage, so it's likely that I can treat it with the medicine I have, albeit temporarily.