CHAPTER 34: ACTING STRANGE P1
~34.1~
*****
“Is everyone ready?” asked a middle-aged man standing atop a rampart. He received a round of confirmations and turned to a blonde girl standing next to the edge, looking out at the army stationed before them. “Can you really pull this off?”
The girl looked at him and nodded.
Does he really think I’m going to just kill tens of thousands of people? Emperor Aristide, you have a foolishly loyal soldier in command. I feel as though I should both praise and scold him at the same time.
“It’s not a question of can I. It’s a question of how much death are you ready to accept. I can kill every single soldier on their side with one big spell. But is that really the answer here? Can the emperor accept victory like that?”
I just want to go back to the academy. But I also feel a responsibility to use my power appropriately. Why does this feel so familiar?
“What alternative is there? Their forces outnumber us hundreds to one.”
It was true. Standing before the gate they meant to defend, which was the only way to safely move anything across the mountain range for hundreds of miles, stood an army numbering in the tens of thousands.
She shook her head. “I can go down there and fight. I can destroy their weapons and knock them unconscious. However, that would also require a lot of manpower to deal with them after rendering them unfit for battle. I can also take down their command structure.” She looked back at the massive army. “The emperor sent me here to make sure this gate does not fall. It won’t fall. How do you want me to accomplish that?”
Please don’t pick the bad option.
The commander grimaced, but ultimately shook his head. “Use your large-scale magic. We don’t have the manpower to manage anywhere near that many people after battle.”
Of course.
The blonde sighed and held her left hand out toward the enemy. “I imagine this is going to spark an even bigger conflict, though. Are you absolutely certain? I’m going to aim at their command, rather than eliminate the entire army.”
“Do it, Lady Arbell. The empire is justified in defending its borders.”
“Very well.” Four orbs of aether formed around her and she poured an immense amount of power into them. Soon, they pulsated.
“What is that magic?” asked one of the nearby soldiers.
A mage added, “What in the world have you gone through to be able to force so much mana into not only one small space, but four?”
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. With her right hand, she began channeling aether for another spell.
“And you’re preparing mana for another spell while managing this?” The mage narrowed his eyes as he examined the pulsating balls of aether. “Wait no, that’s not mana, that’s aether. This is leagues above what I thought it was. Nobody can wield aether like that. Just what are you?”
I wonder about that myself.
“I am merely a student at the Aristide Academy.” Elise flicked her left wrist, and the orbs rocketed forward. “<
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“Lady Arbell?”
As if I’m going to do exactly what he wants. I used my large-scale magic like he said. He didn’t explicitly say I had to kill them, not that I would have followed that order.
She looked at the commander in disgust. “I will not kill them. I don’t believe in indiscriminate death as a means of victory. I will conquer them, instead.” She jumped into the sky and flew toward the enemy command group, landing directly in front of their commander. “Did you enjoy my fireworks?”
The enemy commander struggled to form words. A mage standing next to him stepped forward and spoke on his behalf. “That incredible magic was your doing?”
“Yes.”
She grimaced. “That monstrous fireball could have wiped out most of our forces in the blink of an eye, yet you not only unleashed such an offensive spell, but also a defensive spell powerful enough to protect your enemy from your own attack. Why?”
“I don’t like killing. I seek a peaceful solution to this problem.”
“Who are you?”
(No, don’t answer that!)
“I am Elise Arbell, daughter of Count Arbell.
(NO!)
“I see. Does your loyalty waver, young mage?”
My loyalty, huh?
(I know this is a memory. I can even hear my own thoughts. But if it’s also a dream, why can’t I just... do it differently?)
“Why would it?”
“If you were truly loyal to the Emperor Aristide, you would not have spared us.”
Elise shook her head. “I am loyal to humanity. I value life. I will not stand by while one nation attacks the other. I will not fight on either side, but I will fight. I will protect both sides from each other. And that is exactly what I’m doing. I am protecting Aristide from you, and you from Aristide.”
“That’s quite some idealistic thinking.”
She shook her head again. “No. It’s only idealistic if you do not have the ability to make it reality. In my case, it’s realistic thinking.”
I’ll just send them away for now.
She began to channel more mana and formed a rune in the palm of her hand. She released the rune upward, and it grew in size as it ascended into the sky until it covered the entire enemy army. With another hand, she formed a holographic image of the enemy nation.
“What is this?”
“Teleportation. Where shall I move your army? Choose a location within your borders on this image.”
“Choose? As if we don’t have a choice otherwise?”
She nodded. “You may not remain here. Your army must go home. I invite you to send an envoy through the southern passage that is controlled by the Arbell County. I shall ensure your envoy will reach the emperor. Where am I sending your army?”
The mage scoffed, but after witnessing Elise’s magic, she knew she could do nothing to stop the young caster. “In front of the capital in that open plane there.” She pointed to the spot she was referring to.
She’s not stupid. This mage knows when not to fight.
“Very well. Farewell.” She activated the rune. “<
“You are ordering me? Who do you-”
“Who do I think I am?” She glared at him. “I don’t think. I know. I am the most powerful mage in the world, and I choose to preserve life. And Emperor Aristide agrees. So long as I am alive, there will be no need for death to be the tool of victory.”
The commander scoffed, but then smirked. “If somebody as powerful as you is supporting the emperor, our empire could very well expand its borders and take in the surrounding-”
“Absolutely not.” Elise said adamantly. “My power shall eliminate death as a tool of victory, but my power will not become a tool of victory. I support Emperor Aristide because he values peace and I trust he will not try to do exactly what you just said, commander. You need to learn more about your ruler.” She sighed. “Anyway. The problem is solved. I’m going to check in at the capital and go back to school.”
“What in the world do you gain from going to school?”
She chuckled at the question.
“What could they possibly teach you?”
“Nothing,” she said. “I’m not going to school to learn. I have other reasons.”
“Which are?”
None of your business.
She shook her head and vanished.
*****
Revision: 2024-11-6