We arrived at Zesten right in the middle of my predicted time window; the nightly winds should be starting in the next few minutes. Meaning, it was just about time to offload the excess of mana currently straining my body and cast the spell. Having consumed a full box of concentrated mana potions over the past six hours, I was in a lot of pain and quite nauseous.

Still, I knew from experience that the symptoms were very fleeting, and would vanish as soon as the energy had been discharged. That made it somewhat more bearable. Now, all that was left was to wait for Lord Alriss’ signal, and it would be time to begin. There was no way in all nine hells that I would be able to make any decrees or proclamations in my current state, so he was delivering them for me. That was still within the realms of expectancy; he was my diplomatic second, as well as the military commander.

Not that I was really paying much attention to what he was saying; holding back the torrent of magic, cramming it into my crystal lest it explode. That task was taking up all of my concentration. Nothing was lost though; he would simply be recounting the casus beli; our lie about the actions of those two dead babysitters, and proclaiming that our cause was just in the eyes of the god.

Franklin stood and made his way to the roof of my carriage. Lord Alriss would now be announcing that the Champion of Summer had chosen to ally with the Champion of Autumn. Though that wasn’t going to mean very much, as Franklin had been rather adamant that nobody in the city had been informed, not even Taya and harem member number two. A rather smart move on his part, even if it was now causing me problems.

A hand alighted on my shoulder; Jacqueline, letting me know it was time to move. Considering the distance, it would be impossible to observe me from the city walls in any great detail. Especially so long as I remained on my carriage, which would warp various scrying techniques as one of the defensive features. This was good, since keeping a straight face and walking steady was about all I could do at the moment; putting on airs was well beyond me.

If I was the real Champion of Autumn, this would be a lot easier.

Among the various benefits of being the Champion of Winter, had been an affinity with Ice Magic. That was a major contributor to my previous Anti-Army spell casting; without it, the mana cost would have been well beyond me. Now, I was attempting to fake that same capability with wind. If not for my progress at re-translating the incantation language, it would be absolutely impossible. Instead, it was simply absurdly difficult.

There was one benefit though; through using my own mind, rather than the Eidetic Memory skill, I had actually noticed something which had previously escaped me. The incantation language was needlessly verbose. Without giving specific examples, nearly eighty percent of any given incantation was pointless. The flowing speech invoking fire to form a ball, and instructing it to fly from your hand sounded fancy, but only a few words were relevant to the function of the spell. And more importantly, cutting the chaff made the spell cheaper.

“O Wind, create a barrier to shield the area around me, let no wind enter. May the barrier measure two kilometers across, stand twenty feet, and last twelve hours. [Custom Wall]”

Nearly three-quarters of the mana stored in my mana crystal flowed out all at once, and my head instantly cleared. Enough that I noticed Franklin’s eyebrow twitch. Of course it had; my spell’s name had been in English. To anyone listening in from this world, it would be indistinguishable from the actual magic language. But to an otherworlder, it would be a subtle clue.

That was the second thing I learned once I stopped relying on skills; the spell’s activation phrase didn’t matter. Anything would work, as long as it served as a mental trigger to activate the spell. Of course, when I had finished, nothing seemed to happen. That was because this barrier was completely invisible. It was functional, but it wasn’t flashy enough to serve our purposes. I needed the Zestenians to know I had done something. More importantly, I needed Eris to know.

“O Earth, grow six pillars even spaced around me, with a delay of three minutes fifty seconds. O Light, draw lines connecting six pillars of earth each the same distance to the other one kilometer away from me, with a delay of three minutes fifty-five seconds. O fire, blaze a path marking a circle measuring two kilometers, with a delay of four minutes. [Flashy Lights Jutsu]” The remaining mana flowed out from me, and my head became foggy again; this time with fatigue.

I began to sway on my feet, but there wasn’t time to rest just yet. Following my incantation, I began to ramble in the incantation language, spouting complete bullshit until the four minutes specified had passed. Then I clapped my hands for effect.

All at once, six spikes of earth sprouted from the ground, along the perimeter of my barrier each was exactly one kilometer away from me, and completely unadorned. Then, beams of light shot out from their tips, drawing straight lines to connect the pillars so as to form a six-pointed star. Finally, a blazing inferno erupted along the ground, drawing a circle completely around me and my soldiers. The whole display lasted for a total of fifteen seconds, then the light vanished, and the pillars crumbled. The fire continued to blaze where it had caught grass, but in other places, it too extinguished.

There was complete silence from both sides. Somewhere, distantly, I had been aware of some jeering coming from the wall, but it had barely registered previously and was now gone, My own men seemed a bit uncomfortable from being in the center of that, while those among them who were casters in their own right were looking up at me with both awe and some level of new-found fear.

Despite my pervious actions, this is the first time I’ve made such a public display of my ability, so that reaction makes sense…

From their perspective, I had just cast an Anti-Army level spell by myself. A feat that normally took the combined efforts of several mages. No wonder they were scared.

As long as they don’t start calling me something idiotic like ‘the Witch Queen’ behind my back. Now, time to kick everyone out of my carriage, and go to sleep.

I was exceptionally tired. This whole thing was only possible because of the way I had spiked myself, but doing that was not without repercussion. Not unlike when I overused my Authority, I was now on the verge of falling asleep where I stood. Though, it was not going to be for quite as long. Probably, around twelve hours, maybe fourteen.

“Franklin, Lord Alriss, please take Taya and leave me be; I desperately need to lie down after that… Lord alriss, if and when Zesten sends a reply, keep them waiting until I wake up. Letting them sweat for a bit can only help us. Sasha,” I called down the ladder to my ever-present helper, “Please lend me your assistance; I do not think I can make it down myself.”

Lord Alriss

We arrived in the vicinity of the city with only tens of minutes to spare, and it would be a falsehood to say that I was without doubt. Her majesty had claimed she would be able to stop the wind, but such a claim… Being of my station, I was aware of the rumors and even some of the facts surrounding that incident in her home village; the claims that she could cast such high-level magics.

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But the spell attributed to her there was Ice, and had been cast in winter. Here, she had neither advantage. That said, it was not my position to question a direct order; I may have been granted command of this campaign, but her majesty’s words still shaped the overall scope of our objectives. As commander, it was my job to establish a strategy that would bring to fruition her designs.

If only ‘Lay siege to the city’ were said of any other.

There was the fact that, now, I was also not allowed to take any meaningful military action whatsoever. Her majesty’s order to ‘Die if you must’ was likely meant in kindness. No doubt she was stuck in the difficult position of having realized she had done too much but was unable to retract her words and actions without appearing weak. A weakness that would reflect badly upon the kingdom behind her.

Well, her majesty is incredibly powerful in her own right; no doubt, she will manage to at least somewhat deflect the winds. From their, the company casters have orders to fill in any holes in her efforts. We can last for one night, and spend the morrow entrenching. That in and of itself might be enough to scare Zesten into compliance. More importantly, it gives me time to come up with a plan to fight a war without killing the enemy.

I stood, and ascended to the roof of her Majesty’s carriage. The jeering of the defenders became at once audible; a distant murmur that blended together into a nondescript buzz. Easily ignorable. They would be singing a different tune in the morning when we were still here.

A company mage nodded to me, indicating that the projection spell was cast. I began to speak, my words being carried toward the city’s walls, “Zesten, we came to you in good faith. You responded with daggers in the dark; the two soldiers tasked with guarding her majesty as she visited your fair city, attempted to slit her throat. For this, there is but one course of action, one response we can muster.”

“That is, we offer forgiveness. Those soldiers were not themselves; they were possessed by the very same foul creatures our company seeks to thwart. They were agents of the demons! Her majesty has dealt with their kind before, rooting out the corruption from within our own fair country. Instead of demanding recompense for her life, she instead wishes to offer a hand of solidarity.”

“Please, let us into your city; we will find those possessed, we will excise the demonic taint from those meant to protect you as members of the three chosen races! If you do not accept her majesty’s grace then know this: The Champion of Summer stands with her. From your own people, Sir Franklin has chosen to join hands with us in this holiest endeavor.”

Franklin came up onto the roof of the carriage. He was nervous and bumbling in mannerisms, but there was something about him that inspired confidence in the soldiers. Likely, it was his high Charisma as uncovered by her majesty. Personally, I saw some level of promise in the lad, but he was not experienced. At the moment, he relied far too much on the ability granted by his talents and skills and was utterly lacking in the skills granted by time.

There was also the fact that his Charisma seemed to be affecting her majesty to some extent; even as a champion herself, she was far too trusting of someone she had only just met. Well, in any case having one of the other champions already was a great boon.

Her Majesty came out then, and though she was trying to hide it for those as close to her as I, it was clear as day. No doubt, it was the extreme amount of potions she had consumed during the journey here in an effort to “spike her mana,” as she put it. She began to incant the spell shortly thereafter. It was an extremely long incantation, nearly five minutes, as befitting a spell of such magnitude.

Then, her spell took effect. Six spikes erupted from the earth, jutting up violently into the sky like the claws of a dragon. From the tips of each spike, bright beams of light shone forth, linking each of them into a simple yet intricate pattern that shown as though with the Goddess of Light’s very own splendor. Then, as though it was not enough, the ground erupted into flames and carved a circular path around us as though to say “you are safe.”

I will never again allow myself to question her Majesty’s claims. If she says she can do something, then she can.

It was a sentiment that was seemingly shared by many of the men, as they gazed up at her with newly renewed admiration.

Stahlia

When I woke up, both Sasha and Jacqueline were waiting for me. I took a moment, then once my thoughts were collected, asked the question, “How long?”

Sasha responded, “Thirteen hours, right on time.”

Jacqueline answered my blank stare with an explanation, “Franklin predicted it would take thirteen hours; something about you telling him he was lucky.”

I see. Well, that’s a surprisingly useful application of those skills, but I’ll need to instill caution in him; who knows when the gods might think it would be interesting for luck to fail…

I stretched, then climbed out of bed. Unsurprisingly, I was still clothed in the same attire as the day before. Both my maid and my shadow began going through the motions of fixing that, as well as a sponge bath. Even as the Queen, there were not many luxuries on the battlefield.

As they worked, I began to ask about the events that had transpired while I slept.

Sasha interrupted me, “Lord Alriss should best answer questions such as these; we have not been informed of the minutia.”

It was only half a day this time, after all.

“Very well. Then, what of Franklin, Claire, and Felicity?” I changed lanes, and asked instead about the more immediate personal issues. Even if it had been a short time, there was still a chance for things to have changed regarding my adopted sister’s absence. Likewise, Franklin had just witnessed something rather extreme from me.

“Miss Felicity has not returned, and Miss Claire has been entirely absent. Sir Franklin has been helping the soldiers to establish more permanent fortifications. Now, if there are no other pressing concerns, please stand still.”

Once she pointed it out, I realized that I had been fidgeting and promptly moved to restrain myself. Soon, the preparations were complete, and I was ready to emerge from my carriage. For a brief moment, I regarded the next case of concentrated mana where it sat; there were a few hours yet before I would need to spike again, and the thought was not a pleasant one. Upon exiting, I was immediately beset both by the glaring sunlight and Lord Alriss.

He bowed his head, “Good morning, Your Majesty.”

I regarded him for a moment before opting not to react to the fact that it was closer to midday than to morning, “Likewise, Lord Alriss. How have things proceeded?”

“A third of the men worked through the night, and we have finished establishing a permanent camp; I recommend your majesty inspect it, and determine adjustments to your spell before tonight’s casting. The city’s defenders made no moves to interfere or impede us; I believe that your actions truly frightened them… And, I must apologize for some doubts that I had harbored. Please be assured, that I will no longer do so.”

No longer do so? As in, no longer doubt me?

That was a bad mentality, especially from someone I was trusting with command, “Lord Alriss, doubt can be healthy, and I am an exception to the rules of existence; I would prefer if you continue to hold doubts you may have. Other than that, has there been no reaction at all?”

He thought for a moment, then nodded, “Very well, if you believe that my thoughts can be of use, I will endeavor to abide. As for the latter, a man claiming to be ‘the true Lord Emmanuel’ arrived this morning, without guards. He professed a desire to speak with you regarding your declaration.”

“And where is he now?”

Alriss indicated a direction, “This way, we are holding him in one of the disused hospital wagons for the time being.”

Now, this ought to be interesting. I expected messengers, but not the young lord himself, and certainly not alone. Let’s see what he has to say. Then there’s the bit about him claiming…

“He claims?”

“Yes, he looks nothing like the Emmanuel we met previously. In fact, he looks quite like one of that Emmanuel’s guards.”

Claire’s recollection about Emmanuel having asked one of his guards what to do, and received instructions from him came back to me. It appeared as though this had been a case of hiding in plain sight.

He’s a bit smarter than I thought he was.

“Bring him to my carriage, as a state guest, I will receive him properly.”