The next day since we returned from the valley to the academy, the heroes were seen off grandly and returned to the capital. It must have been quite the hard work because their appearances were severe when they came back. After that, I was summoned to the princ.i.p.al"s office with Sasha-sensei after school and we reported about the training of the heroes. Like, what kind of things we did or what kind of state was it in. Only such simple things were told.
"From your mentions, the possibility that the heroes run out of control isn"t so big anymore" Princ.i.p.al.
"I also agree. As far as it is, the disgusting feeling of killing someone remained" Tsuchio.
"It"s no problem then. It is bad from me, to force such a troublesome work on you" Princ.i.p.al.
"Believe me, it shouldn"t be entrusted to a student.... There aren"t any more of such things to do or?" Tsuchio.
“Aa...I can"t agree to that. There were some various circ.u.mstances in this place...I must really thank you Tsuchio-boya" Princ.i.p.al.
"Then, as for these kinds of things, I wanted you to say that it was never so...” Tsuchio.
"Now, the situation is already unstable. Especially, the north...” Princ.i.p.al.
"What happened to the demon"s offensive?" Tsuchio.
"It seems that they settled down for once, but it is a lull. Because they have intermittently attacked even ahead for a moment, I begin to worry"
The attack of the demon beasts has decreased...However it may be, a signature to raise simply, which is only wishful thinking.
"If it isn"t the quiet before a storm, it"s good...” Tsuchio.
"It seems the country will send reinforcements before they send the heroes. At the same time as sending the heroes, they seem to intend to push the enemy back at a stretch.... Hey, what is?"
"Is there a possibility that teachers and students will be called to the battlefield?" Tsuchio.
"It is hard to say for the moment. Aside from the teachers, if they aren"t in a quite desperate situation, they wouldn"t summon students” Princ.i.p.al.
"The students...who are called, are only fifth graders?" Tsuchio.
The princ.i.p.al who has a difficult face falls silent. Eh, fourth graders? No, up to third graders!?
"Only the fifth graders might be called. Grades under them won’t become war potential. However in Tsuchio-boya’s case, how about..." Princ.i.p.al.
"Because you have partic.i.p.ated in the exploration of Danze island as a cooperator of the guild, your social position surely comes out immediately if they intend to check it. When it is really hopeless, you may be summoned...” Sasha-sensei.
“...Are you serious? I don"t want to go to war...” Tsuchio.
I don"t want to die. Then, there is an attachment to this school and I have friends too.... As for war...what should I do?
"For that everyone is the same. However, if Tsuchio-boya is summoned, I think the crisis can be extinct" Princ.i.p.al.
“If you say such a thing, I can’t decline...” Tsuchio.
While praying for such a thing not to happen, in the worst case, don"t I sprain the preparations alone in preparation for advancing....? I must ma.s.s-produce the talismans. Haa, f.u.c.k you knights.
On a day in an early summer after school, a month had pa.s.sed since the heroes returned to the capital. The attack of the devil beasts had calmed down this past one month and the reinforcements arrived at the fortress too and seemed to strengthen the defense. The development of the talismans advanced and I were able to develop some new things. I thought about a bold move, for the time being, I think that the width might not be reflected on a strategy to some extent.
Meanwhile, in the dormitory where I wrote five beautiful pentagrams on the talismans while putting my magical power in the ink, Lucas jumped into my room. When I see his rough breathing, he seemed to have run hastily....
"What happened, Lucas? You seem to be panicking fairly...” Tsuchio.
“Haahaa.... Ts, Tsuchio it is serious!" Lucas.
It is the same line like that time when the heroes came and his state was so funny. He doesn"t look well and his ears are hanging down and shaking too.
"Calm down Lucas. What happened?" Tsuchio.
"A, a large crowd of monsters attacked the north fortress and its fall seems to be imminent.... A peddler in the town said that there are a lot of strong demons and it seems to be a matter of time until they arrive at the capital. A large-scale war started immediately. A messenger seemed to just come to the academy from the capital and the fifth graders will probably go to the battlefield too...” Lucas.
That...they are really being driven into a pinch. This became a serious situation.... The capital is in the center of the kingdom, while this academy is to the south from it. It will take some time to come here, but it won"t be an easy talk when the capital is conquered. Naturally, we should swap with them before arriving at the capital. If it"s so, they need to gather people immediately and must deal with a correspondence....
"Lucas, deep breathing deep breathing. It is all right, Lucas won"t go to the battlefield" Tsuchio.
"But I am scared.... If they aren"t stopped at the fortress, we may not be able to hold the capital" Lucas.
"If they aren"t allowed to go to the king capital, it is fine. I will look outside a little, take a rest in my room until you calm down" Tsuchio.
“Okay...” Lucas.
Now, how should I move? What would I do if they summon me...do I escape? Unpleasant, this kingdom is a large country that follows the empire in this continent. If a kingdom falls into the hands of the demons, all neighboring countries are in danger. It is a crisis of a continental scale. A town may pretend to be disregard, but this problem is indeed too large. For the moment, my only whereabouts are in this continent. If it is smashed, my monster girl harem is only a dream within a dream. I don"t think that victory or defeat is going to decide whether there is one of me or not...it is better than doing nothing. Well, it is a story when I’m summoned, but for now, do I wait for instructions from the princ.i.p.al?
Many students talked outside and are considerably rustled. I sewed between those and walked towards the monster stable. When I arrived, I went to my familiars’ room and conveyed the content of the uproar.
“Because it is such a reason, I possibly may partic.i.p.ate in the war. Do you understand" Tsuchio.
“Guruu...”
“...” Puru
“Bururu?”
"What kind of role? I don’t know until I hear it. However, because there seems to be a lot of strong demons, it is possible that I need to fight them" Tsuchio.
Well...do I have to tell this?
"Everybody hear it well. You"ll be in the same case when coming to take notice on the case, I want you to fight anxiously. Therefore, I may take some distance from everybody" Tsuchio.
“Gururu!?”
“...!” Purupuru!
“Burururu!”
Everyone vehemently opposed. Quite so, the current way I"m fighting is by a.s.sisting with my devil"s hand and creating a mighty blow. It was a feeling when you pressed someone at a stretch when he was weakened.
"Calm down, we aren"t parting for a long time. For the convenience of the strategy, it is better if we split up and fight separately. Since growing old, Ruu is excellent in close combat and Rin is good in magic and close combat, so both them can fight alone. Because Lime has a high secret nature, it is possible for her to kill someone unnoticed. Possibly you can be a support that may go around to a.s.sist the troops" Tsuchio
“...?” ...Puru?
"Even I"m able to fight by myself a little. Even if a powerful enemy comes, I"ll be able to endure it somehow until everybody comes back" Tsuchio.
Apart from close-range battle, I am confident of fighting at a long distance. Even if they approach me, I think that I can escape somehow.
"Such a thing is a fact which may be possible. If it is necessary to do so, we will move immediately without asking for the impossible. Okay?” Tsuchio.
“Guruu...”
“...Koku”
“Bururu..."
Everyone nods reluctantly. Well, I don"t intend to be separated from everybody very often. I believe that it does not mean that everybody doesn"t come back until I die. Well, do I partic.i.p.ate in the war or don"t? Which will it be?
The next day, the fifth graders and I were selected from the fighting cla.s.s and were called to a rather big cla.s.sroom. They didn"t convey what they want, but everyone is almost convinced about what they want from us. Princ.i.p.al and the teachers of the fighting cla.s.s entered the cla.s.sroom and stood on the platform.
“...Is everyone here yet? Then let"s begin the talk. Everybody should already know that the north fortress is almost broken through. When it"s broken through just like that, the demon race and the demon beasts will stampede and surge to the capital. We must certainly avoid it. Therefore the top a.s.sumes that it is the kingdom"s greatest crisis and declares a state of emergency. We, the royal academy fighting cla.s.s staff members and the fifth graders who took that lesson were summoned as guards for the magician corps. ...In short, it"s said that you have to partic.i.p.ate in the war for your country" Princ.i.p.al
After the princ.i.p.al talked to us, she paused her speech once.
“...Because you"re the bodyguards of the magician corps, you won"t fight at the front. However, there is no change in going to the battlefield. The fact that you have come here without leaving the academy, isn"t a mistake when you"re prepared for it?" Princ.i.p.al
Dozens of fifth-graders gathered up their baggage during yesterday and left the academy. Because they aren’t students of this school at that time anymore, it isn"t necessary to come here today. Coming here is also an expression of resolution to go to the battlefield.
"I want to defend my hometown village!" Student 1.
"If I run away here, it is impossible for me to become a knight" Student 2.
"I can"t marry my girlfriend if we are disturbed by devil beasts!" Student 3.
Several fifth graders cry like that. I have a feeling that there were some lines to be worried about a little, but it is because of their nature probably, they depend on it.
“...I think that it"s okay. Everyone will be divided under the command of a different teacher! If you arrive at your destination, obey the instructions of your teacher who is your commander! Okay!" Princ.i.p.al.
『Yes!』Everyone.
In that way, every student was divided under ten teachers. My commander was Sasha-sensei as expected.
"You didn"t run away" Sasha.
“If the kingdom is conquered by the demons, it will be hopeless. Of course, I don"t intend to die at all" Tsuchio.
“Ordinary, I intend to let n.o.body die" Sasha.
After that, we talked a little about the strategy, before we broke up on that day. The departure is tomorrow, so we have time to prepare everything today. Only the necessary minimum is taken with us. I who was going to leave the cla.s.sroom was stopped by the princ.i.p.al.
"Tsuchio-boya, wait a minute" Princ.i.p.al.
"Yes, what is, Princ.i.p.al?" Tsuchio.
After we waited for every fifth grader to leave, the princ.i.p.al begins to talk.
"It"s bad, that you"re involved in this. Normally, Tsuchio-boya shouldn"t be here" Princ.i.p.al.
"No, because it is my intention to come here. If I intend to escape, I could run away anytime. From that, was the princ.i.p.al also summoned?" Tsuchio.
"Yes, even to gather such an old woman, I think that my appearance isn"t minded really. The empire and the elf territory seems to be requesting reinforcements from the cave country" Princ.i.p.al.
"Again as for it...your appearance isn"t minded certainly. Well, you aren"t changing the country" Tsuchio.
“So.... To entrust that to the heroes, as expected, the result will not only rise but will also finish completely. They will prepare a reward that will please you" Princ.i.p.al.
"I look forward to it. I can"t die now" Tsuchio.
"Yes, I also have to hand this to Tsuchio-boya, so you can"t die here. I decide that I will die sleeping on a bed" Princ.i.p.al.
"Well, because princ.i.p.al is an old woman, you shouldn"t force yourself so much" Tsuchio.
“Tsuchio-boya, you can return already. If I force myself, the young vanity will go bad, and don"t go without telling your friends.” Princ.i.p.al.
"Understand" Tsuchio.
What do you tell Lucas and the others....? I don"t want them to feel sad for me, so let"s tell them in the middle of dinner lightly.
At the dinner room, after saying what was conveyed in the interval of our chat, Lucas and the others reacted unreasonably. Why do I have to go, why? It was hard to explain. After everyone was moved to tears and they said "Please don"t die" they embrace me. Well, I will be going to war, so their reaction of that of me not coming back is ordinary.
The morning of departure. It"s said that we depart just after the sunrise, so before the sun sets, I got up. A change of clothes, my weapon, the talismans and brush paper, and ink are packed. Well, there is nothing more to take with me.
We go to the north by carriage and join the military on the way. Adding to the knight"s order are the adventurers from the capital, the neighboring towns, and the hired soldiers seemed to have gathered approximately, forcibly too. Therefore, our number seems to be on a considerable scale. Oh, there will be more demon beasts.
Now, do I go? When I tried to go outside, Lucas who seemed to have a wake-up call for me.
“Ah, Tsuchio-kun.... Have a nice day" Lucas.
"Hmm, I"m leaving" Tsuchio.
I replied back and opened the door. I must come back without dying!
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Author note: Finally we rush into war! It isn"t an all-out war!