The next morning, thousands of troops stood in perfect formation under the rising sun, their eyes fixed on the fortress bathed in the colors of dawn.
「Everyone! Was yesterday’s dinner delicious!?」
My voice boomed across the ranks, amplified by the magical device.
「「「「「UOOOOOOOOOHHH!!」」」」」
「Then let’s work hard today too, so we can eat our fill again!!」
「「「「「UOOOOOOOOOHHH!!」」」」」
Morale surged. Cheers echoed wide across the field.
(I never imagined a single meal could boost everyone’s spirit this much…)
I remembered banquets before final battles in the past, but this level of fervor was new.
「Now then! All forces, advance!!」
The signal bell rang out.
The entire army surged forward.
Their footsteps became a rumbling earthquake rolling toward the fortress.
「「「「「UOOOOOOOOOHHH!!」」」」」
「——————!!」
The enemy shouted something, but it was drowned out by the overwhelming roar.
Ladders went up. Soldiers poured over the walls. Others slipped through the cracks and began securing the interior.
「This is…」
「Looks like we’re not needed at all…」
While Amilia and I stood dumbfounded, the soldiers swiftly surrounded the fortress.
「Aren’t there… way too many of them?」
「Yes… normally the whole army wouldn’t move at once like this.」
Before long, soldiers started getting bottlenecked at the rear.
「Ah, that’s no good… I’ll redirect them.」
「Got it. Here, take this. Give orders from the air.」
I handed her the magical device and scooped her up into my arms.
「Alright, here we go.」
「Ehh!」
I leaped into the sky and soared toward the top of the fortress.
「Heyyy!! You lot!! You’re crowding the fortress too much!!」
The soldiers waiting to enter looked up.
「The rest of you, secure the other side of the fortress! Wipe out any fleeing enemies!!」
At her command, the troops surged past the walls, spreading out.
Scattered and fleeing enemies were cut down one after another.
「Fuu… That should be enough…」
「Good work. Looks like we’re done here.」
In the blink of an eye, the fortress was recaptured.
The soldiers raised a thunderous victory cry that shook the sky.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
Two days later, despite a few enemy ambushes along the way, we’d anticipated them thanks to prior scouting and suffered almost no losses.
「There it is… finally coming into view.」
「Yes… that’s the old royal capital.」
「It really does look similar…」
Unlike the capital we’d been summoned to, this one was in ruins, crumbling in places, utterly devastated, yet traces of the familiar layout lingered like echoes.
「Alright… I’ll be going ahead then.」
「We leave it to you.」
「Please don’t push yourself too hard.」
「Got it. Leave it to me〜」
Waving to the king and Amilia, I rose into the sky.
「Here we go! Time to burn it all down!!」
I gathered mana, letting it swirl and condense around me.
「『O my magic power, become a vortex of infernal flames that consumes everything, burn it to ash! Heavenly Calamity Fire!』」
A rain of fireballs poured down.
Buildings ignited. Roads cracked and melted.
Hidden enemies and the massive creatures sprawled across the paths were swallowed in roaring flames.
「Let’s turn up the heat a little more… 『Winds!』」
Gusts swept across the entire city, fanning the flames into a massive, spiraling inferno.
Enemy screams rose, drowned by the thunderous collapse of structures.
「Whoops… might’ve overdone it a little…」
I turned back toward the army, leaving the blazing capital behind.
There stood Amilia with an exasperated look, surrounded by stunned soldiers.
「Yuuki… that was way too much.」
「Ehehe… It kinda just… caught fire really well♪」
「‘Caught fire really well’ is not an acceptable excuse! What are we going to do now!?」
「Hmm… Let’s leave it for today. If it’s still burning tomorrow, I’ll just wash it all away with water magic.」
「Wash it away…? That’s somehow even more terrifying…」
「Anyway, I’m a little tired. Let’s rest first and think about the details later.」
「Alright… come on then.」
Amilia took my arm and pulled me gently toward the rear of the army.
We reached the area where tents were being pitched.
「Okay… 『Item Box!』」
「Eh?」
When Amilia spoke the words, a large tent unfolded from empty space.
「Ehehe〜 I can do it now〜」
「Whoa… When did you learn that…?」
「I woke up one morning and it just… worked.」
「Wow…」
While I was still stunned, Amilia busily slipped inside.
「Come on, Yuuki! Get in here〜」
I followed.
Amilia had already removed her light armor and was sitting on the bed, patting her thighs invitingly.
「Here〜 Come here.」
「Eh?」
「Come on! I’m giving you a lap pillow!!」
Her cheeks flushed bright red as she called me over.
I lay down across her lap.
She wasn’t barefoot, so it wasn’t ‘too’ embarrassing… but her gentle scent still drifted over me.
「Just… close your eyes for a bit… it’s embarrassing…」
She gently covered my eyes with her hands.
「You worked really hard today, Yuuki.」
With my eyelids closed, drowsiness crept in fast.
「Thanks, Amilia…」
I murmured.
She said something soft in reply, but I was already drifting off to sleep.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
I fell asleep almost instantly, and just as quickly found myself whisked away into the realm of the gods.
「So… do you have anything to say for yourself?」
「I’m so sorryyyyy!!」
Right in front of me, Marian prostrated herself flat on the ground.
Somehow, the sight felt oddly nostalgic.
「Hmm… I have a lot I want to say, but first, I’m really glad we could finally meet like this.」
「Fweh?」
「I mean, sure, I got summoned here, but I never once got to see you in person. I was honestly starting to worry whether we could actually get back home. And you just kept leaving oracles without showing up…」
「Ah… yes… I’m truly sorry…」
「So… how exactly do Amilia and I get home?」
Marian slowly lifted her head, expression solemn.
「Well… about that…」
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