出陣の準備は速やかに進められた。まだ雪の解けない北方への遠征とあって、毛皮の装備がかなりの重量になる。冬の魔獣討伐を経験した者はほとんどなく、初めての冬の実戦となる。騎士団にも魔術師団にも戦に赴く独特の緊張感がただよっていた。
以前と大きく異なるのは魔道具の進化が目覚ましいということだ。
「この金具を掴んで魔力を注いでください。火の魔力で暖かさが14時間持続します」
「おおっ」
ラルフが魔術師に道具の使い方を説明している。私も一緒にやってみた。
「ああっエラ様…魔力を入れすぎです！」
「ええ？私ほんの少ししか…」
「もっともっと少なくて大丈夫なんですよ！」
私は貴重な道具を壊してしまう前に止めておくことにした。どうしても攻撃魔法のように出してしまうのだ。
北への出陣は、ただ鼠一匹を追うだけの話ではない。クラウスの調査やベルンハルト伯爵の話によれば、ウルリヒは、商品を王都へ無事に運ぶため、と称して手練れの傭兵を雇っており、それが相当数いる。独自の武装集団を持っているということだ。
ウルリヒの父、ベルンハルト伯爵は憔悴していた。
「殿下…本当に申し訳ございません…」
彼の謝罪の言葉を何度聞いたか分からない。
「もうよい。それより、このアジトへの道はこれだけか？」
「いえ…地図にはありませんが、こちらからも行くことができます…」
伯爵…いやもう正確には元伯爵か。嫡男への監督不行き届きということで爵位は剝奪処分となった。だが、陛下から息子の不始末の責任をとるように、ということで遠征軍に参加することになったのだ。
カリーナと弟のペーターは母と共に母の実家の男爵家に身を寄せたと聞いている。気丈に何とかやっていると手紙が来ていた。会うことが叶わないのはもどかしいが、私にはやることがある。まずはウルリヒを止めなければならない。
翌日、夜が明けきらぬうちに軍は出立した。呼吸をすれば冷たく肺を刺すような空気の中にも、ほのかに春の息吹が息づいている。澄み切った空気の中を馬の蹄の音と、馬車の車輪の音が響いていた。
隊列は３日間かけて、ベルンハルト伯爵領、ノルトグレシャーに入った。こちらは季節が1か月違うのではと思うほど寒い。山の方は凍えるくらいなのではないだろうか。ラルフの作ってくれた魔道具の温かさが身に染みる。
「まだ道は長い。今のうちに休んでおけ」
ルドルフにそう言われ、私はルドルフとクラウスが打ち合わせをしているのを片方の耳で聞きながらぼんやりと外の景色を眺めていた。
北の山は山脈になっており、白い雪が山頂から山の中腹くらいまでかかっているのが見える。湖に沿った道を進んでいて、道路に雪はほぼない。
「うわぁ…きれい…」
初めて見る景色に私は感嘆の声を上げた。湖越しに見る山の景色は絵画のように美しく、あそこが恐ろしい魔薬に侵されているなどととても信じがたいほど清らかで神々しい。
「そうだな。あの山の氷河の向こうで神龍が出た」
私の顔に自分の顔を寄せ、ルドルフが指差す。
ひときわ高い山には雲がかかり、雲を貫くように鋭い頂がわずかに覗いている。
前世でルドルフが会った神龍が住む山。
私たちが行かねばならない彼の地。
夜のうちに州都ツェーエンに入った隊は、夜の闇に紛れてそのままベルンハルト伯爵邸に入った。
長くウルリヒが拠点にしていた領館であるが、当然ながら彼の痕跡はなく、もぬけの殻になっていた。
「…おそらくウルリヒはこの３つの洞窟のうちのいずれかにいると思われます。」
食堂のテーブルに地図を広げてクラウスが説明する。彼がこれほど調査能力が高く、軍略にも長けているとは知らなかった。
山にはいくつもの洞窟がある。岩塩の掘削孔であったり、鉱石を掘るための坑道であったりするのだが、一軍隊に匹敵する集団を抱えているウルリヒが潜伏できる箇所は限られている。
「…では三手に分かれて一気に攻めよう。光の魔法を詰めた魔道具の数は十分か？」
「はい。一人一つ十分にいきわたっています」
「では、明日の朝決行だ」
「御意」
明け方に作戦は実行された。
軍を三つに分け、逃走経路を全て封じた上で同時に突入したのだ。多くはない軍を更に分けるのは悪手ではないかと思ったが、狭い所での戦いだから数の勝負ではないという判断だった。
「敵襲だぞ！」
「武器を持て！」
洞穴の入口に兵が突入した時、彼らは眠っていたらしい。
混乱し、怒号が飛び交う。戦う者逃げまどう者が入り混じる。
「奥へ進め！必ず奴を捕らえるんだ！」
ウルリヒがいた所を引き当てたのはアレクだった。
傭兵たちは手練がいた。だが所詮は寄せ集めの集団で、訓練をくぐり抜けた騎士団と魔術師団の精鋭に適うはずはない。
「うぁぁーっ！」
「ボンッ！」
「ふああっ！」
闇雲に殴りかかってきても、正確に反撃していく。
「うぎゃぎゃー！！」
「うごぅー！」
雄叫びのような、獣の叫び声が響く。
魔薬、そして洞窟に満ちた瘴気に全員が例外なくあてられていて、正気を保っている者が少なかった。
やたらと剣やら棍棒のようなものを振り回したり、ノーガードで殴りかかってきたのだ。狂気の集団に軍は多少苦戦を強いられた。
混乱の中で唯一冷静だったのは首謀者ウルリヒだった。彼は洞窟の最も奥まったところに設えられた小部屋の木の椅子に腰掛けていて、アレクらが突入したときも少しも取り乱したりはしなかったそうだ。
腕を組み、脚を組んで静かに目を閉じている。無精ひげが伸びて野性味が増した姿には威厳すら感じられた。
「ここにいたか…観念しろよ」
「意外に遅かったですね。こんなことならもっと遠くへ逃げればよかったかな」
ウルリヒは、ははっと笑った。
Preparations for the departure for the expedition proceeded swiftly. Since the expedition was going to the north, where the snow had not yet melted, the furry equipment would be quite heavy. Few had experienced defeating magical beasts in winter, and this would be their first real battle in winter. Both the knights and the magicians were filled with a unique sense of tension as they went into battle.
The major difference from the past was the remarkable evolution of magical tools.
The knights and sorcerers were very tense as they were about to go into battle. The warmth will last for 14 hours with the magic power of fire.
Oh!”
Ralph explained to the magician how to use the tool. I tried it with him.
“Oh, Ella-sama… you are putting too much magic power into it!
I only used a little. I only put a little bit.
I can do it with much less!
I decided to stop her before she destroyed a valuable tool. I couldn’t help but put them out like attack magic.
The outing to the north was not just about chasing a single rat. According to Klaus’ research and Count Bernhard’s story, Ulrich has hired skilled mercenaries under the guise of bringing his goods safely to the royal capital, and there are quite a few of them. It means that he has his own armed forces.
Ulrich’s father, Count Bernhard, was exhausted.
‘Your Highness I am truly sorry…’
I don’t know how many times I heard him apologize.
I don’t know how many times I heard him say, “That’s enough. Is this the only road to this hideout?
No…it is not on the map, but you can get there from here…”
Count…or more precisely, former count. The title was revoked due to the lack of supervision over his illegitimate son. However, he was asked by His Majesty to take responsibility for his son’s mismanagement, so he decided to join the expeditionary force.
I heard that Karina and her younger brother Peter had taken refuge with their mother in the barony of her mother’s family. I received a letter from them saying that they were managing to stay strong. It is frustrating not to be able to see them, but I have a job to do. First, I had to stop Ulrich.
The next day, the army left before dawn. The air was cold and stung my lungs when I breathed, but there was a hint of spring in the air. The sound of horses’ hoofs and wagon wheels echoed through the clear air.
The convoy entered Nordglescher, Count Bernhard’s domain, over the course of three days. It is so cold here that one would think that the season is a month different. It must be freezing in the mountains. The warmth of the magical gear that Ralph had made for me felt good.
There is still a long way to go. Rest while you still can.”
Rudolph told me so, and I gazed outside in a daze, listening with one ear to Rudolph and Klaus having a meeting.
The mountains to the north were a mountain range, and I could see white snow covering the peaks and the mountainside. We were on a road along a lake, and there was almost no snow on the road.
Wow…beautiful…”
I exclaimed in admiration at the view I was seeing for the first time. The view of the mountains over the lake was as beautiful as a painting, so pure and divine that it was hard to believe that the place had been invaded by a terrible evil spell.
Yes, it is. Beyond the glacier of that mountain, a divine dragon appeared.”
Rudolph points at me, his own face close to mine.
The tallest mountain was shrouded in clouds, with a sharp peak peeking slightly through the clouds.
This is the mountain where the divine dragon Rudolph met in his previous life lives.
This is the place where we must go.
The party entered the state capital, Zähen, during the night and went directly into Count Bernhard’s mansion under the cover of night.
Ulrich had long used it as his base, but of course there was no trace of him, and it was empty.
“…Ulrich is probably in one of these three caves.”
Klaus explains, spreading out a map on the dining room table. I had no idea that he was such a skilled investigator and military strategist.
There are several caves in the mountain. There are many caves in the mountain, some are salt pits, others are tunnels for digging for ore, but Ulrich, with a group the size of a legion, can only hide in a limited number of places.
So let’s divide into three groups and attack at once. Do you have enough magical tools filled with light magic?
Yes. We have enough for each of you.
Then we will attack in the morning.
Yes, sir.
At daybreak, the mission was set in motion.
The army was divided into three groups, and all escape routes were sealed off before the simultaneous raid. It seemed a bad idea to further divide the army, which was not large, but it was decided that the battle would be fought in a confined space, and that it would not be a numbers game.
Hostiles are attacking!
Grab your weapons!”
They were apparently asleep when the soldiers rushed into the cave entrance.
Confused and angry shouts were exchanged. Some were fighting, others were running for their lives.
Go to the back! We must get him!
It was Alec who found Ulrich’s spot.
The mercenaries were skilled. But they were just a hodgepodge of mercenaries, no match for the elite of the Knights and Sorcerers, who had gone through all the training.
Aaah!
Boom!
Aaah!
Even if they hit you in the dark, you will counterattack with precision.
”Ughhh!
Uh-oh!”
The beast’s screams, like a yell, echoed through the air.
The magic potion and the miasma that filled the cave had affected all of them without exception, and few of them remained sane.
They were swinging swords and clubs and striking at us unarmed and unguarded. The army had a somewhat difficult time dealing with this group of crazies.
The only one who remained calm amid the chaos was the ringleader, Ulrich. He was sitting in a wooden chair in a small room at the far end of the cave and was not the least bit distraught when Alec and his men rushed in.
He crossed his arms and legs and quietly closed his eyes. His stubble had grown long and wild, and his appearance was even dignified.
‘There you are… take a notion.
‘You were surprisingly late. I guess I should have run farther away if this is what I had to do.
Ulrich laughed.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
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