Under His Highness Astina, the knights are of one mind. But the cause we stand for will be a disobedience to His Majesty the King's orders.

　Regardless of what the Second Queen thinks, this Isle Rose Fortress will never fall. We must defend this place and prevent Zirconia from taking over the western territory, even temporarily. Otherwise, the peasants and townspeople who had just returned to their restored farmland would be overrun by the enemy forces.

　With so much blood already spilled by the soldiers of both armies, it was only an unreliable idealism that the enemy army would not do harm to the Laiseneian territories. We can only imagine how harsh the plundering of the city in wartime will be - but it is inevitable that the people who do not have the strength to fight in this fortress will be the first to suffer.

　Katie, the medic captain, and the people who work in the fortress. The maidservants in the service of His Highness Astina. The only way to protect them is to not only defend themselves, but also to strike.

We will take the initiative before the enemy moves. With our seizure of the warships, Noin's whereabouts unknown ...... and the detention of Bail as a prisoner, the enemy's main camp will be in turmoil.
With Glass's magic, the soldiers in that fort should be decimated. ...... It would be ideal if we could attack before the enemy could get into position.
'We can expect to have a day or two to wait for Alejandro to make his move. In the meantime, we will show our superiority. We will land on the Zirconian side and surround the enemy's main camp with 2,000 men.
''Considering the size of the two thousand ...... enemy troops last time, it's certainly reasonable? It's possible that reinforcements have been sent from the rear.
'I suppose the reason Zirconia wants the Western Territories is to get some farmland. I don't think they know that there have been poor harvests in recent years, but the people still provide enough food to support not only themselves, but also our three thousand soldiers. Zirconia is a mountainous country, so they must be struggling to generate enough food to sustain their army.

　After entering Zirconia, there were wide open plains, but the reason why the area was untouched is because Zirconia abhorred the idea of developing farmland along the river. That's how much the Isle Rose Fortress was seen as a threat to Zirconia.

　Strong soldiers needed to eat a lot of meat and beans to keep themselves strong, but cattlemen needed a lot of fodder and manpower to produce meat. There is a lot of fodder and manpower required to produce meat for cattle.

(A ceasefire would give Zirconia no small advantage. Still, they're trying to invade because the King of Zirconia trusts General Alejandro's ability to do so, or they're afraid that a ceasefire will result in a ceasefire that will give them terms of exchange. ......)

　It is better to have a strong male hand to perform concentration and herding, but at present, hard-working men are taken up as soldiers - there is a measure of living as peasants when there is no fighting, but the reason for complying with military service is partly because they are exempt from work. It's not easy to do both.

　Even in this fortress, until now, the soldiers have been engaged in military service only. Concentrating on training and other activities would certainly allow them to maintain their diligence, but this is only possible because the farmers of the Western Domain are diligent and are willing to collect food.

''This season, the benefits of the Divine Tree will be available to the entire Western Domain, so there will probably be a rare bumper crop during the harvest season. When that happens, more and more, Zirconia will be coveting this land to death.

　The Western Domain will prosper by gaining the blessings of the divine tree. Your Highness' surplus magic power will always be returned to the divine tree, and the divine tree will bring blessings to the land from that garden. And the crops produced would have a certain amount of resistance to bad weather, and would be far more abundant than those that didn't have the blessing of the Sacred Tree.

　If Zirconia knew that fact, they would want this land by the throat. However, I will not surrender that garden, where the divine Tree Euceris takes root, to anyone else.

''The influence of the divine tree tells me what the future holds for me as I try to protect this land from those who would threaten it. Even after so much withering away, Euceris was still working on me. ...... It would have long since reached its limit if Glass hadn't come to me. If only I had realized sooner the preciousness of being a spirit: ......
''Spirits, if true, are beings that keep their distance from humans. We learned at the Academy of Magic to understand those beings and to borrow their powers. In a way, it might be like pulling them out of their peaceful lives for the convenience of the mages.
No, you don't, do you?　Even we are really interested in the human world. If we weren't, we wouldn't be summoned.

　Leslie was holding me to observe, Lune says - next to her is Ray, who is being held by Noin. He was doing so, refraining from taking his place at the round table, the one where the knights sat, but it was a smiling sight, enough to make even a military council feel at ease.

'I'm much worse than the Summoner-sama thinks I am, so it's very satisfying to be pulled out ...... and suck the sperm of the creatures around me. Mandrakes are that kind of species. The sperm sucked by my alter ego will nourish me in the main body.
'Well, that's ...... something, similar to the kind of dreamer who sucks the sperm out of people by showing them their dreams.

　Rei only smiles faintly and doesn't answer clearly - is that what sentience means, after all? I can't help but wonder if it's good to think that such a young looking Ray was siphoning strength from the strong soldiers.

''I can tease the ivy like this and suck it up.
...... Wait, wait. You don't have to give us an example here.
''Whew~......, after all, master's magic power is the best. But since we have a contract, even if you suck it from your master, it's still your master's magic.

　The ivy of the plant, an incarnation of Alraune, arises from the ground and tangles around me. It's not tightening, but I feel restless.

　Your Highness, who had been watching it closely - this is not the time to be frolicking, and when she tried to straighten her collar, she said with interest.

'I see. ...... I and Glass also communicate through the divine tree, but my magical power does not always flow into him. If I increase the power that flows into him, does that mean that Alraune's power will also increase?
'Huh. ...... So that's certainly true. And then what would happen to me?
'Alraune is powerful enough as it is, but ...... when it's enhanced, it may have powers you can't imagine. The same could be said for Ray, though.
...... If I get any stronger than this, they will all just pull me out and die. All the hearing creatures around me will die out.

　It's a radical thing to say in a matter-of-fact way, but Ray is probably just saying it as fact. If Mandrake's power grows any stronger, he can't just reap the benefits of his consciousness.　

The power of Ray will be immensely powerful in battle. But to use it as a force multiplier, I believe that Lune's power is equally effective.
'I ...... no, I agree with you. We'll be relying on these girls, who are still very young, to help us in the fight .......
'I'm fine!　I want to help the Summoner in any way I can!
A spirit's appearance does not change with age. It's just that being in the form of a child consumes less magic power in maintaining embodiment.

　The abhorrence of going out into the battlefield with a child becomes less of a problem if the girls say so.

　I was also planning to volunteer to accompany the knights from the beginning, even if they stopped me. Considering that I'll be contributing with magic, I'll be in a forward position among the entire army - even if there's a risk of arrows flying at me, I'm prepared for that. I'll just have to protect myself.

'If I am allowed to accompany you, I will do my best to contribute as a mage. But I'm not the only one, I think Noon's magic is also a big key.

'Yes, we'll need to maintain the illusion of water spirit magic to hide the warships. And there is one more thing ...... that will put a huge strain on Noyn until the enemy forces are surrounded, though. I have a favor to ask of you.
"At your service, Your Highness. I am a mage to Lord Glass. I would be more than happy to join him in this Order.
I understand that it's because they saved your life, but aren't they changing a little too quickly ......?
...... I wouldn't be standing here without Lord Glass. I wouldn't exist. Therefore, I wish to continue to exist only by the will of Lord Glass.

　Noin says with a blush on her face - it makes me feel more embarrassed than I am watching. I know that saving lives is a big deal, but the change in her attitude, such as calling me 'Lord', is certainly too sudden.

' ...... I'm also Glass-sensei's follower, so I'll follow you into battle. Sensei's magic and my magic are ...... compatible with each other, so I will definitely be able to help you.

　Leslie thinks she might be left behind, and she advises me to do so. I considered asking her to stay away for a bit, but it would be an imposition on me to force her to do so.

　Water, air, and plants. They aren't as specialized in combat as spirits such as fire and wind, but when the three attributes are aligned, the effective combination increases dramatically.

　Combining air balls and hypnotic pollen is also a combined magic, but if you add the option of water spirits to that, what on earth can you do - you might even be able to derive a plan like sealing off Alejandro's army, or even a plan that could be derived.

'Compatibility ......? I see that kind of feel is also important between mages.

　Everyone in the room becomes awkward as Deete-san says it in a thoughtful way. Only His Highness was at ease, but Raquel-san coughed, ''Hmmm.

''Oh, by the way, ...... Leslie, if you were a woman, you're in a room with the doctor ......

　Presha-san says, as if to say that she just noticed it. After being told, I too think, surely, even though they are a body of a military doctor and his assistant, wouldn't it be considered disturbing the public morals of the fortress if men and women used the same apartment?

''That's not a problem. Noin will be sleeping in the same room as Glass and the others. With the three of us, there's no reason to believe that anything will go wrong.'
"No, no, ...... I would, you know, if I could just move myself to another room. It could be a warehouse or something like that, if you'll let me sleep there ......

　When I said that much, Raquel-san stood up for some reason. I thought I was going to be angry, and my body involuntarily shook with a jolt.

''What are you talking about. You instructed and treated me about the strain on my body and yet you think you can be allowed to be indifferent to your own body. Glass needs to be given a human bed to sleep in. I'd even give him the same bed as mine.

　Mr. Raquel is reeling at once - he's as angry as he is with me.

　I regretted my rash remark, and at the same time, I couldn't help but say my thanks outright.

''Thank you, Knight Captain Raquel. I'm grateful that you care so much about me ...... I understand, and I hope that I can focus more on my work as a military doctor so that everyone doesn't get the wrong idea.
'Ummm ...... kohon. I'm sorry, you're too humble to be ......
'I thought you were going to take Dr. Glass into the Knight-in-Chief's room when he suddenly insisted on a bed just like his own.
...... Is that really possible?　Oh, and my room has at least one more place to put the bed, or maybe ...... a little smaller, but it would be more comfortable ......

　Raquel-san sits back shakily and returns to her stately posture like a knight chief, but she is still blushing to her ears.

(If you don't deny it, then ...... no, no. If you deny it, it's like you're stubbornly refusing to share a room with me, so you're paying attention.)

　And even Mr. Presha has the attitude that he's willing to leave me there if I'm going to move the room. I don't think this is the same person who tried to kill me when I first came to this fortress - it's as if the tiger has turned into a cat.

　She is definitely a tiger with no equal on the battlefield. But even if she can get past the many shuras and bring her heart closer to steel, the fragile part is not completely lost.

　Leaving what she held onto intact might lead to her being hurt on the battlefield. It's not that I don't believe in Presha-san's bravery, but the fact that she's aware of it and neglects it, I can't help but feel a tug on my heart.

'...... Glass, I don't mean to move your room, but since you have a thought, I will give you permission to do so. As for the general's quarters, you are free to visit them and get permission to treat them. As for your body, I have seen enough to know that these are not the only wounds you can fix.
"Huh. ...... is, yes. Thank you for permission, Your Highness.

　It seems that the idea of having to ask His Highness' permission was conveyed to him through the contract with Shinki. It seems that even if your daily rambling thoughts are not conveyed, your requests to His Highness are easily conveyed by simply going through your mind - then you can't think of anything thoughtless.

''We'll discuss the strategy again tomorrow at noon. Some of the territories will be anxious if we attack Zirconia due to the influence of the ...... Vysek, who are operating in the territory. We need to let them know that we will be attacking Zirconia as part of our defense, and to some extent what the future holds.
''At your service, I will send a message to each of the knightly branches in the territory. In particular, we will need to reaffirm our cooperation with the Reinfeldt family.

　From my eyes, Schneider of the Reinfeldt family seemed to be a good man who put the people of his domain first. That's why, if he is swayed by Vysek, who calls himself an emissary of His Majesty the King, there is probably a possibility that he will prioritize protecting his people.

　As long as they didn't turn to the enemy, that was fine for now. We must not continue to allow Zirconia to invade by continuing to look for the good mood of the center, which is not willing to help at all. The Reinfeldt family should know that.