Volume 4 Chapter 6 Vs Hero Party Skirmish.txt
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”…Hey. How about we freeze the entire area on the ice ground?” Anna whispered, her voice trembling slightly with a mix of nerves and determination.
”That would make it hard to get back,” Hermine replied without looking at her, her tone sharp and firm. “Let’s just attack head-on first.”
Without glancing up at the shining stars, the two focused on the medium-sized wooden ship visible ahead. The night wrapped the world in a dark veil, and a single flickering light hovered above the endless sea.
Finally, they had caught up.
Before the long-awaited moment, the magic user crossed her arms calmly, watching the scene unfold. The Third Princess of the Empire, Hermine. Meanwhile, the self-proclaimed reincarnated lover, Hero Anna, nervously gripped Hermine’s hand. Among the sailing fleet, they quietly gathered their resolve on the flagship’s deck.
”But… doesn’t this seem kind of suspicious? It’s too obvious,” a girl on board casually said, breaking the tense silence.
The voice belonged to the leader of the hero party, the holy knight Tiet. Unlike the others, she radiated a reluctant vibe, questioning the obvious setup before them.
”I think so too,” Oriana chimed in softly, her gentle presence always watching over the trio with a calming smile. “Setting a fire at this time of night definitely feels like a trap.”
”A trap… I agree,” Hermine said, her gaze sharpening. “Over there… Saint Cynthia is involved. There’s a high chance she knew we were coming.”
With their target in sight, the heroes heightened their alertness. They had already learned that Klock was fleeing by sea, accompanied by Saint Cynthia and an unknown woman.
How did they know this?
The answer was simple. Concerned about the situation after A-rank adventurer Elna’s defeat, Hermine had quickly dispatched a magical detective to investigate.
This magical detective was a specialist assigned unique missions by the Empire—tracking threats from fraudulent merchants to serious criminals. Using magic and unique skills, they traced footprints and discovered that the trio had stolen a ship and set sail.
The group was three: Cynthia, Klock, and an unknown woman. Despite some unknowns, Hermine had acted swiftly once she caught their trail.
To chase just a few people, she mobilized twenty naval ships. This massive pursuit was a testament to Hermine’s determination—not letting anyone escape.
Thanks to the detective’s findings, she learned about the sea escape and immediately demanded an audience with her father, the emperor, to ask for military permission.
Naturally, the emperor hesitated.
”What use is it to mobilize the army for just three people?” he questioned.
But Hermine expected this reaction. She argued fiercely, emphasizing the involvement of the beast country’s princess and a saint on the ship. She insisted the Empire must show its seriousness to the beast country and pushed through to secure permission.
Even after permission was granted, Hermine didn’t stop. She personally directed the fleet’s formation and resolved every logistical issue herself.
Deploying a large fleet suddenly wasn’t easy. There were supply constraints and strategic challenges, especially during wartime. Yet, simply waiting would mean letting the criminals escape.
Valuing every moment, she decided to use high-level teleportation magic—a two-person effort between herself and Anna, who also possessed teleportation abilities.
While Tiet lazily dangled her legs atop the flagship’s mast, Hermine worked tirelessly, finishing her tasks swiftly before nightfall. The soldiers admired her dedication, bowing deeply despite her un-princess-like behavior.
With unmatched enthusiasm, Hermine completed her preparations. Driven by a desire to clear her disciple Elna’s disgrace, she had left the imperial capital with a single purpose.
The hero party and the imperial navy set sail with a large fleet, chasing their quarry in less than a day.
The opponents were serious criminals, justified in their cause. Nothing would stop Hermine now that she had set out to sea.
Using her magical power without restraint, she conjured winds, manipulated ocean currents, and pushed the fleet forward at breakneck speed.
The princess of a great magical power controlled twenty ships by herself, focusing solely on the chase except when resting. In less than a day, she caught up to Klock and the others.
”Hmmm…” Tiet tilted her head, letting out a carefree voice. Unlike the serious Hermine and Anna, she lacked the urgency and was mentally relaxed.
Calmly analyzing the situation, Tiet pondered a secret only she knew.
Cynthia—Adelina—had an exceptional gift of foresight.
Even before being captured, she had prepared a letter as a substitute voice in case she was caught. She could see a few days into the future.
This wasn’t unusual; past holy maidens shared this gift. What was astounding was the level of detail Adelina saw.
Holy maidens were famous for foresight—predicting wars, preventing conflicts, and resolving crises before they began. Yet no one truly understood how their visions appeared.
Because of this, many treated their gift like fortune-telling. Even Anna and Hermine felt the same.
But Tiet suspected otherwise.
Could Adelina control her visions? Could she see the future whenever she wished?
Tiet’s doubts grew.
”After you left me, you didn’t go to the abandoned church I told you about. You went straight to Imperial Bay, right? You knew you could meet Klock there… Since when did you know that?” Tiet muttered under her breath.
It was clear how much influence Adelina held.
On the day Klock was captured, she freed him at the perfect moment—one Tiet couldn’t prevent. Even after the chase began, Adelina showed no panic.
She must have known Tiet wouldn’t try to recapture her.
Isn’t that terrifying? Didn’t she have everything in the palm of her hand?
”In other words, you’re reliable. I can think of it that way, right?” Tiet said, cracking her neck.
To Tiet, Adelina wasn’t a terrifying enemy. She was the only one close enough to protect some fool while Tiet couldn’t intervene.
”Haa… well, if you can manage on your own, I’ll just watch over you. I’ve heard none of the past saints could use magic… well, let’s see what you’ve got, shall we?” she added with a smirk.
Possessing great magical power but unable to use magic—what good is foresight if you can’t avoid danger?
Tiet wasn’t sure if Adelina was the same, but how would she fend off the pursuers—Anna?
Tiet settled at the deck’s edge to watch the battle.
”Hey Tiet, what are you doing?!” Anna suddenly called out.
”Huh? I have nothing to do. I can’t run on the sea,” Tiet answered nonchalantly.
”Then just jump to that ship over there!”
”No, if I jump, the ship will break…” Tiet replied, shaking her head.
The ship ahead was dark and hard to see clearly, but if Tiet got closer, jumping might be possible.
However, since most of the ship was wood, a serious jump would probably break it.
”It’s fine. I’ll go. Tiet, Oriana—just wait here. Hermine, I want you to support me,” Anna said, brushing her pale hair back as her long colorless locks flowed behind her.
Like a true hero, she stepped forward without drawing her sword.
”Wait. In that case, let’s shake things up a bit,” Hermine said, moving across the deck.
Passing Anna, she leapt to the bow of the ship. Clad in a black hooded cloak, she looked less like a princess and more like an adventurer.
From a gap in her clothes, she pulled out a book.
”For now, I’ll take control of the mast. No need to navigate anymore,” Hermine declared.
Suddenly, her magical pressure surged.
A strong gust of wind swept the deck, ruffling their hair. The strange patterns on her book glowed softly.
Even with the book closed, the magic circle inside absorbed power.
”Two,” she said simply.
A single word, easy to activate, signaling a number.
A simple formation appeared floating in mid-air—
In an instant, a fireball the size of a human head materialized and shot straight toward the ship ahead.
Just a fireball. Basic magic from the second page of her thick book.
A fundamental spell unleashed with the power of a Great Mage, held under immense magical pressure. It was—
”It disappeared,” Hermine whispered, eyes fixed on the space ahead.
The spell had struck the ship before them. Flames had swirled violently, then vanished in an instant.
”Looks like something’s up. That was magic interference… Magic Jammer. Maybe it’s set on the ship itself,” She muttered, her gaze sharp.
The scattered magic spun unnaturally, a strange phenomenon both Hermine and Anna recognized instantly. This was something born from the empire’s dark magic experimentation grounds.
”I doubt they had time to set it on the ship. It’s probably a third party’s magic,” Anna said calmly, analyzing the scene.
”No, that movement… that’s imperial magic interference. Water cancels fire, earth cancels water. By forcing opposing elements to clash, it converts back into raw magical energy. This technique’s new. Outsiders mastering it? Unlikely,” Hermine added, raising her hand to her forehead with a puzzled sigh.
”So, it was the effect of a magic circle. They laid it on the ship and waited,” Hermine concluded, her tone firm.
Her words carried weight as the party leader—no one dared argue. The group fell silent, the tension thickening.
Magic interference—it was a high-level technique, rumored to come only from humans or demonkin wielding advanced magic. For those who relied on magic as power, it was a nightmare.
”Why does Klock have imperial tech? Was he working for the empire?” Anna wondered aloud.
”No, I think it’s Cynthia. Was it a mistake to imprison her at the experiment grounds when she was taken to the empire?” Hermine replied, frustration clear in her voice as she pressed her palm to her forehead.
Anna stayed expressionless, as usual. Behind them, Tiet leaned back with hands behind his head, zoning out. Oriana, watching silently from the back, suddenly perked up.
”Ah, I get it! The saint must have memorized the magic circle! Amazing!” she said brightly.
”Idiot! This isn’t the time to be impressed!” Hermine snapped, scolding her carefree tone.
Oriana was a clergy member like Cynthia, both from the Theocracy. Though less detached than Tiet, she always showed protective care for Cynthia, seeing her less as an enemy and more as someone to bring home. Only Anna and Hermine remained tense.
”Due Page, Ten Times,” Hermine chanted, magic pressure swelling around them.
A glowing magic circle appeared, not one, but ten—larger and spinning faster than before.
”Hermine…” Anna whispered.
”It should be fine,” Hermine replied firmly.
The massive attack could destroy the ship and kill Klock and Cynthia. Anna reached out, worried, but Hermine quickly closed the book.
Flames the size of a human body erupted all at once.
The medium-sized ship, its bonfire intentionally lit, was ravaged by the incoming fireballs.
”──!”
”Huh?!”
Anna gasped, frowning, and Hermine made a quiet noise of surprise.
As the fireballs struck, the deck was bathed in harsh light—then, the flames vanished.
A shadow appeared.
Behind the deck room, safe from the bonfire’s reach, stood her: Cynthia.
”Saint Cynthia,” Anna called softly.
She was neither Klock nor some mysterious ally. She probably had no combat skill, standing silently in front of Anna and the others, doing nothing to fight.
”Where’s Klock?” Anna tilted her head, puzzled.
It was a natural question. There was no reason for him to hide now.
In fact, Cynthia—who should be hiding—stood out instead. Everyone wondered what was going through her mind.
With the saint’s presence, silence fell over the ship.
Nearby soldiers on smaller vessels awaited orders, watching the scene unfold.
Hermine and Anna glared at Cynthia, while Oriana waved cheerfully from behind. Tiet sat quietly, observing Adelina from a distance.
”Hermine, I think we should stick to the original plan,” Anna said after a pause.
”Yeah,” Hermine agreed.
That was Plan A—this fleet’s main purpose.
Can you hear me? Hermine sent a silent message through magic.
This is the first ship, Sea General Alfred.
This is the second ship, Sea General Assistant Maverick.
Telepathy—at the princess’s sudden call, both responded instantly, as if expecting it.
The reply was clear, showing this wasn’t their first time.
”I permit use of magic stones. Surround the ship ahead. No attacks—for now. If they strike, I’ll issue further orders,” Hermine instructed.
”Understood!” came the replies.
Communication between ships was usually limited to simple signals for advance or retreat.
Having a telepath on the flagship was a serious advantage.
Especially when that telepath was Princess Hermine—the world’s top magic user.
”All fleets, listen up! Seal off the area around the target. The First Fleet will circle from the north; the Second Fleet from the south. Use water magic stones to capture the target,” Alfred’s voice echoed through the crews, relayed via Hermine’s magic.
”Why doesn’t he just say it himself?” Anna asked, watching everything carefully.
”Why? We just say what needs doing. The details are for the pros,” Hermine replied with a small smile.
She was both princess and magic user, brilliant but not a ship commander.
She didn’t know how to operate ships without magic or run fleet tactics.
That’s why Sea General and his assistant were aboard—professionals for that exact purpose.
With permission granted, the fleet’s magic stones began to hum.
The flagship held back, while smaller ships surged forward.
The small vessels led the charge, lining up toward the ship ahead.
Hermine stared straight ahead, hidden in bonfire shadows, watching the scene unfold.
”What now? At this rate, they’ll be surrounded,” she muttered.
Ships immune to magic—but what did that matter? Their combat strength was probably weaker than a single hero party.
Even if attacks didn’t hurt the ships, physical encirclement meant game over.
So, what next?
Anna watched Hermine’s confident gaze.
Oriana and Tiet held their breath, while the ships kept closing in.
The front ship caught up to their vessel.
”Is there nothing we can do?” the thought echoed among them.
No resistance seemed possible. Maybe Klock was hiding, pretending not to be there.
It felt like it.
”Ah!”
A small light appeared.
Two tiny golden sparks.
What were those? They squinted, trying to make out the mysterious glow.
And then—
”Hey?!” Tiet jumped up in alarm.
Oriana gasped, and Anna frowned, staring out at the sea.
Hermine’s voice cracked with tension.
”W-Wait, what?! Is something coming?!”
She scrambled to ready her books, but it was too late.
Below—under the sea—something massive and powerful surged forward with terrifying speed from the deep, unknown even to Anna and the others.
Notes:
• Anna – The legendary Hero, chosen to defeat the Demon Lord. Her past life is Sylvia Croce. She is described as a heavenly being with overwhelming skill and a merciless attitude.
• Hermine – A companion and friend of Anna. The mage. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
• Oriana – A Princess. A companion who assists in explaining the situation to the kingdom. She is supportive and helps Anna navigate her responsibilities. Her appearance is slender, with dark hair and sharp features.
• Elna – Female. A young apprentice mage. Her appearance is that of a child with white hair reaching her shoulders. She wears a black hooded mantle with strange patterns. Her relationship is as an apprentice to Hermine, the Great Mage. Her power involves advanced magic, including spatial teleportation. Her combat style is magical, and she is described as childish and easily provoked.
• Adelina – The slave girl.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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