After confirming the safety inside the fort, one of the cavalrymen that Bridgette had taken with her came out of the main gate and reported to His Highness Astina.

''Glass. We will now speak with General Alejandro. Even though we have won the battle, the enemy soldiers remain mostly unharmed. Rather than forcing a proposal that is beneficial to us, I would like to see how they do it first.
"Very well. Your Highness ...... may we also use our magic and watch the negotiations to make sure you don't notice any signs of us?

　As I advance, there is a slight hesitant pause from His Highness - it's rare that she hesitates about anything. I can feel the tension here as well.

''Will you be able to neutralize the enemy soldiers as much as possible ......? What we are talking about is the tabernacle located in the center. If the enemy soldiers seem to be positioned in a position where we can see it, it's no good to be on guard.''
"Ha, ...... Yes, sir. I'll do it, I promise.
"I'm sorry about the glass ....... I'm sorry for putting you, an army doctor, in danger. I ask you to rely on Presha often and not to take it too far.'

　His Highness entered the fort with sixteen knights of the immediate kinsmen guard and eight cavalrymen each who followed them - one hundred and twenty-eight of them. Raquel-san was entrusted with maintaining the siege and watched from the saddle of the giant horse, not missing even an inch of the enemy's movement.

　Once Presha-san entrusted his horse to a subordinate under the command of the main unit, he walked back to us. When she stretched out with her spear, her eyes grew sharper.

...... Sensei, don't worry about it. I'm not the same person I used to be ...... because I've changed thanks to you.
'I'm not worried. I just thought it was very encouraging.
...... Yeah, that's right. Doctor, are you feeling calm all of a sudden?　Just a few minutes ago, I would have been easily frightened and impatient.
'Oh, ...... yea, no, I apologize if I seemed pompous, I was just saying what I honestly thought.'
I have to say that that 'honest thought' is a problem for me and Leslie. ...... We're going to have a hard time with each other.
...... I'm used to it.

　I'm curious about what you two have to say, but if I touch you carelessly, I'll become a bush snake. Right now, we have to focus on the mission we have to fulfill.

''Presha-san, I was able to speak with Your Highness through the contract with the divine tree. We will move into the fort to prevent His Highness and the others from being in danger before it happens. There is an undeniable possibility that the enemy may move in for the time we are talking to the enemy general.
'If we drag everyone out of the fort, that's the way ...... is going to be resisted, I guess. We're not going to die easily, but we don't want our men to fight each other.
'I'm sure His Highness thinks so too. Leslie, could I ask for a distraction spell?
Yeah, I get it. Air Spirit Aeria, the spirit of air, ...... turn the air that surrounds us into a distraction that cuts off all signs ......

　In infiltration missions, Leslie's power is unparalleled. We became 'an unrecognizable presence there' and passed through the main gate of the broken fort without anyone noticing us.

　First we move to a place where there are no people in the vicinity - in front of the central tabernacle where His Highness and the others were headed, the enemy soldiers and the soldiers on our side are glaring at each other.

　An enemy soldier who has laid down his weapons is forced to stand in front of the armed cavalrymen. I understand their feelings, but they would have asked the same thing of us if they had entered our fortress.

'Chloe's troops are camped on the hill to the north. Assuming you don't mind the top of the north wall, ...... there are two lookout posts overlooking the middle west and east of the camp.
'All right, let's keep the lookout neutralized: ...... Noin?'
"...... If Alejandro is going to do anything, he's going to have to use ...... his men to get rid of this fort... ...

　Noin's eyes seemed to be looking somewhere else, not at the scene in front of her.

　Did Alejandro put so much hate on her? Or was it the fear of being close to the one who had once followed him?

'Noin, do you have some idea of how General Alejandro is going to come out?
'I'm sorry ....... I had to get over ...... that man and now I have to get over .......
...... okay. If we get this far, we won't let the enemy general have his way.

　Leslie takes Noyne's hand in hers. Then he wipes the sweat from his neck - Noyn squeezes Leslie's hand back, and the shivering in his body eases a bit.

'...... Alejandro will surely do something about it. We've got to cut his pieces down a bit.
'Well, I'll go to the lookout tower on the east side first. We can stun the soldiers on the watchtower with a spear, but what do you want to do?
'I'm here for this kind of thing. Leslie, get your air balls ready.

　Right now, His Highness, accompanied by his men, has entered the tabernacle where Alejandro is supposed to be - I summon Alraune in the shadows and approach the eastern watchtower.

　The air ball created by Leslie is filled with Arraune's hypnotic pollen - if I try to extend the effect to this entire fort, the duration will be shortened and the magic power will be quickly depleted. However, it's not difficult to hypnotize one person.

''Summoner-sama, I was able to hypnotize the person above me.
Good job, Lune. Leslie, can you take care of Lune for me?
Dr. Glass, I'm going to carry you up the mountain in one go. It's faster and will save your energy.
Yes, yes, please. ......

　The next moment when Presha-san puts her on her back, she runs up the ladder vertically instead of climbing up it - something that is possible because Leslie's magic has cut off any sound or sign of her presence, but once again, she is shown and admired for the sheer power of her physical abilities.

　There's a lone soldier in the sentry stand, sitting on the floor. When I let him look up, Alraune's pollen-induced hypnosis was in full effect.

'If you do it right, the same method could have worked for Alejandro: ......
'No, this hypnosis can make you answer questions, but it can't make you actively do what you say. The enemy soldiers will indeed not obey Alejandro, who is no longer able to act as a general.
Oh ...... I'm sorry, I'm simply overthinking things. ......
I've thought the same thing, but most of all, I don't think Your Majesty would want magical interference.　

　Even as an insurance policy in case dialogue is about to break down, hypnotic magic is a risk. Even if the enemy has just a cloth covering his mouth and nose, it takes time for it to take effect - as far as Zirconia's knights and soldiers are concerned, many of them have their mouths covered. The guards don't cover their mouths, but that's only temporary, and the cloth is wrapped around their necks. They would usually cover their mouths with this.

'I'll let you answer some of your questions. Is this fort really going to accept the recommendation to surrender?　Tell me your intentions in raising the white flag. What does General Alejandro have in mind?
"...... General Alejandro doesn't reveal ...... his plans to us, the only soldiers in the army... ...Just find it: ......
'Find me ......?　What's that?
...... There are mages in the enemy army, and they want you to kill or capture them as soon as you see ...... mages.

　A chill runs through my whole body - sensing our presence, Alejandro has clearly directed his killing intent at us.

　If he only noticed that Noyin was on our side, would he say 'mage'? It's possible that he noticed not only Noyn, but also me and Leslie's presence.

'Sir, I'm going to take a look around from the lookout. Ask any questions you think you can get out of me some more.

　This soldier said "schemes" - which means that he personally thinks Alejandro is on to something.

　There is no time to lose now. What is a valid question at this point - what is a valid question to ask?

Do you have a second-in-command that General Alejandro trusts?
...... Reichardt, the chief of a thousand men, ...... originally led this military camp, but General Alejandro, who was to be his superior ...... As commander-in-chief of the invasion force of the Raseneian army.

　I'm going to hypnotize that Ricciardo person - no, it's going to take too long.

" -- Glass.

　At that moment, I heard His Highness Astina's voice. She was supposed to be in the middle of confronting General Alejandro already, but she dared to call out to me.

''The person we are looking at ...... who calls himself Alejandro, while saying that he will surrender, he has also thoughtlessly asked for concessions from us. We feel uncomfortable that he is speaking not of his own volition, but as if he is being ordered by someone else to do so.

　His Highness Astina's words lead to one inference - if it is correct, there is not even a moment to lose.

'Does General Alejandro have any features of appearance?'
...... white hair often stands out ...... tall and slender-looking, with a well-developed ...... body... ...On his cheek, there is an old scar. The years do not reach ...... thirty, and he is the youngest ...... of all the great generals.

"Your highness, is there a scar on the cheek of the man in front of you?
'Wounds ...... Yes, he was injured some time ago, or there are signs that he was treated.'

　This soldier says it's an old wound, and Your Highness says it's a new wound - what is meant by that incongruity?

'-- Your Highness, the person in front of you may not be General Alejandro, but a shadow!
" ...... Everyone get out of the tabernacle!　And the soldiers outside, quick!'

　His Highness raises his voice - the next moment, something that shouldn't have happened happened.

''H...... what......?!''

　The roar is deafening. The shock shakes the air - and the smell of gunpowder flowing through my nose.

'They're ...... no way, your highness ......!
It wasn't Alejandro who came face to face with His Highness, it was a fake ...... If only I had been able to find out sooner. ......!

　Noin's mutterings pass through my mind. We couldn't think that there really was someone who would use such a scheme - even if it meant abandoning his subordinates and trying to prevent the 'fall' of this fort - we couldn't think that there really was someone who would use such a scheme.

　I look at the central tabernacle from the watchtower. In the nick of time, His Highness had escaped, and His Highness' men outside had subdued the enemy soldiers around him. However, the situation is still unpredictable.

''Your Highness, please get away from the fort!　The enemy is trying to take advantage of the confusion to take out your highness!'
'...... Don't worry about it, Glass. I thought Alejandro had the same pride in being a knight. But that was not the case.''

　An arrow flies towards the central tabernacle - but.

''--Ha!

　His Highness flicks them all off with a flash of his sword. It's as if he can predict the direction of all the arrows flying at him.

'Cavalry, spread out and take control of the fort!　The main force will continue the siege to prevent the enemy general from escaping. Tell Raquel to move in. Chloe's troops will block their escape from the north and shoot arrows at the ramparts!

　The cavalry directly under His Highness begins to move - and Raquel-san's troops, who have rushed in through the main gate, push forward, reaping what they see as they frustrate the remaining soldiers' will to fight.

''Presha-san, let us move too ...... Presha-san?''

　Presha-san remained staring in one direction and did not move. When she looked in the same direction as her, there was a knight in a cloak and astride a bluish ash-haired horse.

'...... white hair ...... that's ...... the real one, Alejandro ......!
Mr. Presha! ......!
I'll take out that guy ...... teacher, and the fight will be over. That's why I'm ......!

　Plesha-san, spear in hand, descends from the watchtower - and she marches onward, knocking down the enemy soldiers who stand in her way. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for, but you can't stop Plesha-san with that.

''Brother Glass......''
"Master Glass, let me avenge Alejandro!　If only that man hadn't been there: ......

　As soon as I get off the watchtower, Noin says - I use the 'Green Heal' (Green Heal) to calm her mind.

''Right now, you have to get through this place in one piece. We can't leave Presha-san alone ...... but even though most of the soldiers inside the fort are disarmed, it's not a good idea to fight them head on.
"...... I will protect you, Mr. Glass. But ...... I can't be like this: ......
Don't be nervous, Mr. Noin. I'll be here to protect you both.
'I understand your hatred for Alejandro. But we're not fighting alone. You have to remember that.

　Noin returns the nod - and draws his dagger for self-defense. I know that Leslie also knows more about self-defense than I do, but we still have to avoid engaging.

'Have you guys lost your knightly pride!　There is nothing to be gained by abandoning your allies, so why can't you see that ......!

　I can hear Raquel's voice. He hid the gunpowder in the Tabernacle and detonated it - the fake General Alejandro who was involved, and the enemy soldiers who were accompanying him, would probably have lost their lives in an instant.

　His Highness would not have been safe if he had failed to escape. But the white raven's plan was thwarted - it was not going as he wanted.

'--My name is Presha Hortensia!　If you're proud of your knighthood, you're going to have to play your cards right, General Alejandro!

　Presha-san, who had reached Alejandro, leapt and swung down a long spear - and when he received it with his long sword held in both hands, as expected, Alejandro played back Presha-san's blow.

''Kukko......!''
"Pride is no more valuable than a victory sipped out of muddy water. Boldly, little knight, I will deal with you once and for all.

　If he's thinking about running away without a plan coming to fruition, Alejandro shouldn't have to admit that he's the person himself - but he's taken Mr. Presha's game.

　He's not just a man with a plan. Alejandro has absolute confidence in his abilities as a knight as well.

''Though he says it from above. You're going to be beaten by that 'little knight'.

　Presha-san holds his spear. Alejandro held his long sword and looked down from his horse - his eyes were not at all guarded.