Three

Two armored men at the cabin’s entrance. No guards around? Well, no point in worrying—villagers with no weapons aren’t exactly going to put up a fight. So, probably two on the women’s side too. Need to keep track of where the others are.

Five were in the square earlier, and Ange said she saw three in the woods. Add the leader and the one riding Armunale, that’s fourteen. With guards around, maybe twenty at most.

First thing’s first—gotta get word to the guys inside the cabin.

I dig a small tunnel from behind the cabin, burrowing through the dirt. Only possible with a cabin built on nothing—no foundation, just dirt.

Then I tap the wooden wall, soft and slow.

They’ll know someone’s out here. And for the finishing touch—slide something through the hole so they’ll recognize me.

I folded my hunting sack small and shoved it through the hole. Inside, a faint stirring.

“Eld… you there?”

“Dad, you okay? Sorry—this is my fault, dragging you into this mess.”

“Save the sermon. More important—those guys, they’re after you—”

“I heard what happened in the square. Ange went to your mother’s place.”

“Don’t do anything reckless. Head down to the village by the road with Ange and get help.”

“Too late for that.”

The thieves have the Armunale. Only the Armunale can stop them. But the royal units are either in the capital, major cities, or guarding the borders—no way they’d be out here in the sticks. If we wait for backup, who knows what’ll happen to you and the others… and before that, my Armunale might get taken right out from under me.

So we gotta fix this ourselves, no getting around it.

Sermons can wait—I’ll handle the noise later. Right now, do what I say. I’ll stir up trouble and draw the enemy in. Then Ange’ll take Mom and the others out and meet up with us at the village chief’s house. Ask her the rest, okay?

Hey, Eld! Wait up!

Off I go, then!

Dad yells before I can even think— but if I don’t look him in the eye, he ain’t scary at all. Sorry, but this one’s my way.

The guards banged on the hut’s door, shouting at the sound of Father’s voice.

I crept up behind the men and let loose a full-power air blast at point-blank range.

“Ngh!” “Ghah!”

Zudon— a heavy thud. The armor dented, and the men went flying, up into the air, then crashing down.

My magic’s gotten pretty strong, huh.

“What?”

What’s wrong!

Oops, no good. Gotta spread the chaos quick.

"You ain't getting near my machine, you lot!"

"That kid again!"

"Kid's here!"

The men scanning the area snap to attention, converging toward me.

I blast another air burst straight at the cluster.

"Enemy's using magic—watch out!"

"Take 'em alive!"

"Use the hostages!"

Three of them charge straight for the hut where the women are. Fewer than I expected. Should've threatened 'em more. Oh well. Less burden for Ange—can't be better than that.

"Fireball!"

"Water lance!"

Two of the men throw spells at me. Weak ones—probably meant to injure, not kill. Doesn't matter. They won't reach me.

"Point-precision cyclone!"

I reuse the spell I used as a foothold earlier—this time, as a shield.

The tornado, stronger than before, easily wiped out the fireballs and water spears.

“Tch. That brat’s gotten good with magic.”

“Gotta be the hunt’s payoff. Pains in the neck. Just go for the kill. Aim for limbs—won’t die from that, will they?”

Hey now, you really think that loose plan’s okay? People don’t just take a hit to the limbs and live through a powerful spell. One jolt like that, and they’re dead.

I’m still thinking when a pillar of flame shoots up from the direction of the women’s hut.

“Ange’s moved. Then so should we.”

Ange and the others’ll be rushing over here any second. So I’ve got to finish my job—properly.

“Sleep tight. Airwash, Sextuple Setup. Go!”

Right after, a thunderous *thud*, like something heavy had dropped, echoed as the men crumpled to the ground.

“Now, what’s left…”

Look up—there it was, the black Armunale, already close enough to touch.

“You’re fun, aren’t you?”

“A kid?”

“Think we’re about the same age. But seriously—do you really think you can pull this off? This is an Armunale we’re talking about.”

“Gotta do something. Can’t just sit here and get killed. So I’m holding you back.”

“Then make it worth my while!”

A massive sword comes swinging down. I use the Aerostrider to dodge.

The blade slams into the ground, kicking up a storm of dirt. I blow that dirt straight at the Armunale.

The pilot’s cockpit has twenty-four screens front and center. Cameras are mounted all over the body—on the torso, legs, arms—so to blind it, I’ve gotta cover the whole thing.

“Ah, the cameras—”

“Blinding’s basic. And now—”

Using Active Wings and Aero Slashers, I shot straight past Armunale’s feet and leapt up, clinging to its back.

“Ah, so you’re aiming for the cockpit, huh?”

“Hitting metal’s harder than hitting people, you know.”

“True, but you don’t seem to know much about Armunale’s armaments, do you?”

“What?”

Then, I felt myself float up—light as air—and before I could even blink, I was flung clear off Armunale.

“W-what the…?”

“Personal combat magic—Shock Gravines. It’s designed for situations like this—when someone’s clinging to you. Standard equipment on this model—but—”

“Sorry, I never got the proper training.”

I stabilize with the active wings and land. Surprisingly far off, but that might work out fine. Lead them deep into the woods—right to where my machine’s hiding.

“Captain, found a kid. What now?”

“Take him alive. I’ll handle the woman.”

“Got it. So, you’re the one getting caught.”

Good thing the captain’s set on capturing me. If he’d just killed me, no one’d know where the Armunale is. Might’ve made for a far more thrilling game of hide-and-seek, wouldn’t it?

Still, he’s got his own game going with the army. If he’s got the muscle, he’d want me caught fast and the location squeezed out. Forests aren’t small, you know. And right now, my machine’s tucked in the shadow of a valley—good luck finding it. Should be a real pain in the neck to track down.

"Like hell it’s gonna catch me easy."

I spin on my heel and dive into the woods. Armunale’s right on my tail, as expected.

It’s like a spell that keeps pace with me—staying glued just behind. Armunale’s stride is long, closing the gap I cover in a few steps with a single step of her own.

If I don’t push Active Wing to full, I’ll be caught in no time.

"Damn, that’s some magic. Can actually use it like that, huh?"

Clang—my sword slashes down, trees splitting in half.

What kind of nonsense is this? We’re not swapping stories!

"Wind Cutter, double setup—go!"

"Hah. Waste of time."

The Wind Cutter I throw out half-heartedly barely scratches Armunale’s armor. Yeah, I knew it—only someone like Armunale can match Armunale.

I activated the Aero Slasher at full blast and focused solely on running.

“Phew… not nearly as tough as I thought.”

Ange muttered under her breath, caught off guard by how easily she’d taken down the men approaching the cottage.

“Wait—no, no. That’s exactly when you’re most in danger.”

She reminded herself of Eld’s warning, straightened her focus, then confirmed the men’s reinforcements weren’t coming before ushering the women out of the cottage.

“Ange-chan, why’d you do something so reckless?”

“That’s right, why didn’t you stay hidden?”

Ange’s mother, Eld’s mother, and other women from the village all chimed in with worried voices, but Ange brushed them off and gave her orders.

“Talk later. Right now, we’re meeting up with the fathers. Eld-kun’s probably handling things over there.”

“Even Eld-kun’s doing something like this?”

“Eld-chan…”

Seemed like she might collapse under the weight of her worry—Eld’s mother was on the verge of tears.

“Mom, please. Stay with me.”

“Fine, but you’re getting a proper scolding later.”

“Yeah.”

Ange led the way, the women trailing behind with anxious faces.

Back at the square, Ange spotted the men—dozens of them, sprawled out.

“Eld-kun…”

She figured it out right away—the one who’d done this. Her eyes darted, searching for Eld.

He was just before the woods, facing off against Armunale. And then, a man’s voice, cutting through the air.

“I’ve got that woman pinned.”

Ange realized—“that woman” was her. She turned toward the sound. There, a captain-like man, flanked by several others.

“Mom, go to where the fathers are being held. Looks like the soldiers there are the only ones left.”

“Got it.”

“But… that’s not—”

“Leave Ange-chan behind?”

"Go on, already. If those old hags show up, they’ll just get in the way."

Under Ange’s glare, the women reluctantly scurried off toward the hut.

The officers just watched them go.

"Really? Letting them go like that?"

"Once we’ve got you and the kid pinned down, those others’ll be nothing. Honestly, we don’t even need them anymore."

"True, but they’re not gonna fall for it so easily."

"Hmph. A little magic here and there, but I’ll knock that arrogance right out of them. You—all of you, die."

The men around him drew their swords, one even raising an arm toward Ange and murmuring a spell.

Normally, the best way to counter magic is with magic—but Ange didn’t even flinch. Just crouched low, ready, no sign of chanting.

"Mist Area!"

"Air Cutter!"

"Ice Lance!"

A man conjured up mist, blinding the whole area. From beyond it, wind blades and ice spears shot straight at Ange.

Ange dodged them without magic—just rolled aside. Then she hurled a fireball back the way it came.

But the fireball hit nothing solid.

“Dispersed in the mist. But…”

If I can’t see it, I’ll just blow it all away.

“Blast Fire, Triple Setup. Go!”

As she chanted, the ground around her exploded in three places with a violent roar.

The shockwave rippled out, scattering the mist in an instant.

“Knew you’d do that!”

From the flying mist, three men burst out.

They’d been waiting for her to unleash her big spell, just to clear the fog.

The men charged, swinging their swords down at Ange with absolute certainty.

But the sword swinging down never touched Ange. She shifted the angle of her flare booster sideways, sliding across like she’d just slipped right out of reach.

“W-what—”

“FIREAAAAA! NUCKLE!”

Right after, Ange revved her flare booster again, her fist blazing with fire as she lunged straight into the man’s chest.

Her punch shot straight into his jaw—knocked him out cold.

Without pause, she hovered forward with the booster and drove her fist straight into the second man’s solar plexus.

“First two.”

“Him!”

The panicked soldier swung wildly with his blade. But of course, it missed—cutting empty air, leaving his chest wide open.

“FIREANCE!”

“Gah!”

“Third one.”

I cut down the three attackers in a heartbeat, readying magic. But no follow-up came. Then—papapa, applause.

“Hmph. So confidence’s your only strength, is it? You’re quite the fighter in close combat.”

“Eld trained me plenty. I’ve gotten used to fighting people.”

“Huh. Even I’d have trouble with that.”

“Still, you’re awfully calm.”

“Of course. I’ve Armunale. Once that brat’s caught, you won’t be able to resist at all.”

“Caught… huh.”

Ange didn’t believe for a second that Eld would be caught. Not after eight years—since she’d learned teleportation magic, she’d never once managed to catch Eld, even when he ran full tilt. Even with Armunale, Eld catching her? Impossible.

But I wasn’t planning to stand here glaring at him forever. I wanted to take him down quick—make him see his own champion fall, right before his eyes.

“I want to be by Eld’s side.”

Ange summoned her sword of flame and lunged at the captain.