第５８５堀：魔術演武 (Part2)
"Ah, youth. Not that I’ve ever experienced it myself, though."
Well, I suppose I don't mind celebrating a friend’s happiness.
"“Heh heh heh...”"
The two of us shared a knowing chuckle. Everything was going exactly according to plan! Thanks to this, Kagura’s favorability with Amanda and Eoid had skyrocketed. Kanna’s reputation as the older sister would surely rise as well. With this, the sister’s official blessing was all but guaranteed. Isn't that just wonderful?
"...Hey, Deryu."
"...Leave it be. Still, that fellow Zeman—even while greeting Kagura, he’s looking down on her. He’s polite enough on the surface, but his entire body is practically screaming that he doesn't acknowledge her."
"Yeah. It’s pretty obvious, isn't it?"
Just as Deryu and Ria said, the way Zeman took turns greeting everyone left a bad taste in my mouth. He probably laced his greetings with subtle insults. Kagura had been smiling earlier, but when she faced Zeman, it was as if she had put on a mask. Well, anyone would react that way if someone were that blatant about their disdain.
Ah, was this some kind of psychological warfare? Trying to make her fail out of tension? But for someone like Kagura, who has experienced the battlefield, this level of pressure was...
"...Summoning: Scattered Lightning!"
After a brief chant, Kagura unleashed her magic.
*Rumble... CRASH! CRASH! BOOOOM!*
Yeah. It was literally scattered lightning. A rain of thunderbolts. She was rapid-firing magic on the same scale as the final spell Zeman had unleashed earlier. With power like this, it was easy to see why Prince George of Findall had suffered such heavy losses when his decoy unit was caught in the assault on Baide. If this hit the main force, it would be a fatal blow. It was clear now why Kagura had been the final line of defense during the Baide defensive battle.
"I mean, that was the first time I’ve seen Kagura chant, but that looked like a Shinto prayer, didn't it?"
"Probably. I mean, her family runs a shrine, so it’s only natural. Besides, she didn't say 'Thunder' or anything; she used 'Summoning.' That expression of 'summoning' lightning is unique to Japan, too."
"Does that mean Japanese shrine maidens can do things like this?"
"That’s probably not it. If that were the case, the head priests would be even more powerful."
"Ah, right. The head priests are higher up, aren't they?"
Well, it’s not necessarily true that a shrine maiden’s standing is lower, but still. As we talked, the audience, having witnessed that magic, erupted into cheers even louder than the ones they gave Zeman.
"...I see. It’s no wonder George and Georgin struggled. Seeing an opponent of this caliber, and knowing Yuki-sama is even further above them... I understand now why they made the best choice possible."
Princess Stasia was calmly assessing Kagura’s strength. This woman really is more of a general than a princess.
"Whoa... So this is the magic of the New Continent. Yeah. The If Continent is completely lagging behind."
That came from Agil, the representative of the If Continent. Due to the scarcity of magical power, they had no choice, but as a general and a diplomat, this gap must be enough to break a sweat. Though, in actual combat, who knows? Agil’s magic sword uses lightning. If she could just secure a supply of magical power, she could probably do what Kagura did. In fact, with the support of her magic sword, she could likely fire them faster and more efficiently, putting Kagura at a disadvantage. Plus, with her military command skills, Agil would be superior overall. Well, comparing a novice like Kagura to Agil is a mistake in itself.
"Alright, Kagura!! You did great!! Don't let them look down on you just because you're a woman!!"
Kanna stood up to praise Kagura, shouting words at Zeman that were perhaps a bit immature. He couldn't possibly hear her over the cheers, but I saw Zeman stare blankly at the magic Kagura had unleashed before storming off the training grounds, looking thoroughly frustrated.
"...Setting us aside, isn't there a weird flag being raised for Kagura?"
"Yeah. I should tell Amanda and Eoid to keep an eye on things."
I stood up as I said that, heading from the spectator seats toward the training grounds. Since I said I’d handle the cleanup, I had to finish the job properly.
"And finally, the Great Mage who has come to us from Weed! The Prince Consort, Yuki-sama, will now demonstrate a grand spell to restore this training ground to its original state!"
When the Academy Principal announced this, the students and faculty fell into a dead silence. They looked as if they were wondering if such a thing were truly possible. Well, I wouldn't say it was carpet-bombed, but it’s not every day you see someone fix a training ground that’s been turned into a cratered mess.
"U-um..."
When I reached the grounds, Kagura looked at me with a sheepish expression, trying to say something.
"Well, I can handle this much. In a way, you saved me."
"Eh?"
"In terms of raw destructive power, that is."
"A-ah, haha..."
Kagura’s face twitched as she laughed. That’s right—if I had to match her power, I’d have to blow the whole area away. So, in a sense, being able to switch to restorative magic was a relief. I’d feel bad for whoever had to clean up the mess otherwise.
Now then, I’ll deploy a magic circle to make it look professional... A performance is essential, after all. If I just fixed it instantly, no one would understand what happened. To make sure they knew it was my doing...
"““OOOOOOOH!?””"
The loudest gasp of the day echoed across the training grounds.
After that, my wives and Agil demonstrated their own magic without causing any damage to the grounds, and the introduction of Weed proceeded without a hitch.
"Well, the hook was a success, I suppose?"
Both Zeman and Kagura were just the opening acts. And so, we began to solidify our standing at the Academy. Now, I wonder what kind of trouble is waiting for us next!?