Chapter 75: Wedge

If Noin use her magic to support us, the dark spirit will immediately take her life. It means that she can’t use magic until she undoes her bond with the dark spirit.

Noin’s fog can cover the entire fort. If only she could work with me… No, that idea is not good from the start.

In addition, there’s an issue on whether I can really succeed in the treatment of that dark spirit. If it fails, though Astina-denka has some power to go against the dark spirit, the three knights (Raquel-san and the others) are at risk.

A dark spirit is not a boon to living creatures, it is a curse itself. In accordance with that contract, it was bonded to Noin while having some constraints. It would indiscriminately attack anything that hinders it –there is a record that one village has been destroyed just because that person made a mistake in dealing with the dark spirit. As a result, it became forbidden. It was said that there was a book sealed in the back of the school’s library that describes the dark spirits but it is not something that ordinary students can see.

However, Noin actually contains a dark spirit inside her. It only suggests that some of the books in the Academy could be read and exploit.

Even in the Academy… not all of them are on our side. It is unlikely that my stepsister knows about this and overlooks it –I want to think that she, the headmaster of the Academy, doesn’t even know the entire Academy’s staff and the court magicians, what more of their personal connections.

“…Grass, are you worried about Millenia?”

“Uh…S-Sorry. Right now… this case is…”

“Headmaster Millenia Weed has nothing to do with me. I’m merely the tip of it so I can’t say for sure… But, I haven’t heard of any conspiracy where she’s been involved in since she was in the military though. On the contrary, she has been asking for a proper report about the status of the student’s who became a court magician.”

Did my stepsister know that some of the court magicians were making some suspicious move? Or did she ask for it to show the success of the students that the Academy produced to encourage the juniors?

―Considering the character of Millenia Weed that I know of, I think it’s both.

“If the Headmaster is really an “ally of the Kingdom”, there’s nothing wrong with it… If possible, I don’t want her to be an enemy.”

In case the Academy is under a pressure and they were forced to turn against Astina-denka… I will eventually have to fight the magicians who learned in the same school as me, and of course those court magicians who are much more capable than Noin.

“If our attack on Zirconia is relayed to the capital, those from the opposition in the Royal family may move because we violated the decree. No… they will surely try to capture me. Their aim is for my loss and maybe, to imprison me.”

If Her Highness suffers a major defeat in the battle, she will be blamed for it while using that as a weakness. Those in the Capital, whom should have been our ally, will try their best to drive her out.

But even with such situation, I think it was still a good fight. So far, though she was walking on a thin ice, she has led the Knights up to this point so she cannot be punished for her actions to protect her subordinates and the people.

“Your Highness…I have something I want to talk to you right now. It’s about Your Highness’ mother the first Queen… her son, the first prince and your sister, the second princess.”

“Noin, if you say that, your life will be at risk. For now, give priority to yourself first.”

In reality, she really wants to know about it right away. However, Her Highness refused to do so without showing any regret.

We escaped from the path we used to invade and went outside the commander’s lodging. Baile, who’s still unconscious, was lifted by the plant’s vines and brought out of the window –using the same vines, we went out and join the three people (Raquel-san and the others) who were hiding in the material shed.

“Is this man…Your Highness, is he a prisoner?”

Upon seeing the commander’s badge on Baile’s shoulder, Raquel-san immediately perceived things out. Her Highness nodded then I summoned Arlaune and made Baile inhale her pollen.

“Uh…”

“You’ll have to accompany us from here on. I will not allow you to go against us.”

“……I understand……”

His eyes are out of focus but the hypnosis worked well. This will prevent Baile from interfering in our moves.

“You will lead us to the warship’s location. Is there a hidden doorway?”

“……This way……”

Baile initially wobbled but he gradually became steady and guided us to a pier next to the river by a route that was out of sight of the lookouts.

There are two access gates from the fort to the dock, but only one of them is guarded by the guards, and one seems to be watched from the turret. But with the use of hypnotic air balls, they could be easily incapacitated.

There are also lookouts in the pier ―but since we came this far, it wouldn’t be that hard to get rid of enemy troops that weren’t even that skilled. Hiding in the blind spots of those lookouts, we hold their breath and let them fall one by one.

The last one was guarding the area on the pier for boarding the warship, but Baile showed up to attract his attention then Presha-san, who went around behind him, hit him with the spear handle and knocked him down.

“I’m afraid it’s going too well…”

“Yes… but, the direction of the wind isn’t very good after all. If this goes on, we can’t get out of the canal as we will be washed away to the Zirconia’s side.”

“If we can use the water spirit’s magic, we can move the ship at will…. But in this headwind, we can only expect the direction of the wind to change.”

Dite-san says so while holding down her fluttering hair while Noin could only give out a bitter smile. I didn’t think she would have that kind of look, that was unexpected.

“We have to deal not only with the wind, but also with the flow of the river. The only way to get this warship to the canal in the current weather is with the “water’s cooperation”.”

“…Spirit’s magic is terrifying after all. But at the same time, it’s reliable.”

Dite-san looks at me as she says that. It’s like she’s saying, “I’m counting on you, but trusting Noin is risky.”

The reason I decided to pull Noin into our side was because I witnessed it –my responsibility would be heavy but my experience as a doctor tells me that Noin is not lying.

“…Wait! What is that sound…? This…. Is it a horn…?”

As Raquel said that, we too heard the sounds coming from the west –a group of enemy soldiers are approaching this fort while treading on the grass.

“Don’t tell me… No, it’s not you. You’re eyes are already determined.”

“…Alejandro should have sensed my betrayal. So if he sent troops after me… they would step inside this fort and try to find me.”

“We don’t have time to waver… Everyone, please board the warship. I’ll “purify” Noin’s dark spirit here.”

“Grass-nii, I can also attend the ritual. I can draw magic circles for the spirit too.”

“All right… Leslie, I’ll leave it to you. Noin, I’ll hypnotize you a little.”

If the dark spirit responds to her “will to resist her restraint”, it would be dangerous just to have it watch the progress of the ritual.

“Ugh… Summoner-sama, this person can resist my children.”

“…I’ll try to weaken the resistance. I’m sorry, I’m a magician you see… ugh…”

Combat magicians appear to be training to respond and defend against enemy’s magic that affects the mind. Noin weakened her defense with her own will.

When the hypnosis begin, Noin’s eyes appeared to be intoxicated and her body weakens. At her feet, Leslie drew up a magic circle using a paint that allows magic to pass through.

“Grass-nii, this is…?”

“What we are trying to purify is the “dark spirit”… we need to use the “spirit wedge method”. If we are to purify a normal spirit, we don’t need to use a “wedge”.”

The current Noin was forced to contract with the dark spirit. In order to revoke that contract, another spirit, a third Spirit, must intervene between the water spirit that Noin originally contracted and the dark spirit then play the role of a “wedge” as it is necessary to let the “third spirit” take over the contract temporarily.

What happens if we do this? ―Since Yuserish will temporarily take over the dark spirit’s contract, that would mean that she can have a power over Noin.

However, there would be no problem in that because Yuserish would not threaten Noin’s life. The question is, to transfer the contract, can my power seal the dark spirit that will soon be revealed?

“…All right. Leslie, together with Laune, please stay further away.”

“Grass-nii… Be careful. Don’t overdo it.”

There is no time to waver. Leslie understands that, so as I instructed her to hold Arlaune, they approached the rope ladder for boarding the warship.

With me left on the pier, I drink the extract of a “cluster pine” to control my tension. I had Raquel-san drink it before but I know its effect best because I was the one who made it –my idle thoughts before disappeared and my vision becomes clear.

“Noin, tell me the name of the water spirit you originally contracted.”

“…Water and sky… Apsaras…”

Even in the book about elemental spirits, it’s a high-ranking spirit belonging to water element –as expected, Noin’s ability is considerable. The names often mentioned are “Undine” and “Nereid”, although these spirits are elemental spirits, they do not have the power to cause natural disasters.

Apsaras has the appearance of a beautiful woman. Now that a dark spirit is also contained inside her, what kind of state is it in?

I must get rid of this disease as quickly as possible. I made up my mind and began to chant with the help of the sacred tree’s power.

“You, the spirit from the realm of the dead who dwells inside Noin Flores, transfer that contract to my spirit and return to where you should be!”

I chanted out and pressed my hands on the ground. At that moment, a sinister presence coiled around the spirit mark engraved on Noin’s chest appeared as if it was torn off from her body.

“…Grass-nii…!”

“Don’t come here Leslie!”

Black Snake ―an enemy of water spirits, it’s a water spirit from the realm of the dead. It absorbed Noin’s magical power and forcibly manifested itself, it wrapped around Apsaras’ whole body and tightened its grip.

Her contracted spirit was weakened, the fact that it’s on the verge of dying means that the magician’s life force was undermined. The black snake that bites on Apsaras neck sucked up the pure magical power of the water spirit and fattened its sluggish body.

Is this the disease…? Can it be sealed by my power? No, I’ll seal it…!

The moment I swore that, grass sprouted rapidly on the borderline of the magic circle, it became a vine, it then stretched on the ground and spread out, forming a huge cage that enclosed me and Noin.

This is the barrier-weaved by the sacred trees’ familiar. It was created by Yuserish to contain the dark spirit and prevent it from getting away.

Now I don’t need to fear on getting everyone involved. However, Noin’s life force is still being sucked up by the black snake ―all of that power must be returned to the owner!

“…I want you to disappear from here. It’s not your place…!”

The black snake separates its fangs from Apsaras’ neck. The next moment, the snake’s jaw opened wide and attacked at a speed that I can’t even follow with my eyes ―but,

“Summoner-sama, it doesn’t matter even if it’s a tainted water! If it’s the sacred tree…!”

“Uh…!”

Yes ―the result was already decided. The sacred tree’s familiar rooted at Noin’s feet immediately entwined her body with vines.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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