Chapter 164 The State of the Canary Army at That Time
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Around the time Kushe-san, the Head Court Mage on the side of the Coalmine Kingdom¹ across the border, was letting out a heavy sigh, many sighs were also being exhaled at “Pikeaxe Fort”² on the Canaria Kingdom³ side.
No, to call them sighs would be too weak; it might be more accurate to call them the faint gasps of those on the verge of death.
”Huff, huff… Just, h-how long… are we supposed to keep doing this…!” a mage gasped.
”Th-this is for the sake of the young lady… For that, I would give even these old bones… ja… But if it could be granted, I wanted to see her… just one last time…” Kario muttered.
”G-Grandpa Kario collapsed…! Medic⁴, Medic! MEEEDIIIC!!!”
It was a situation fitting the description of a mountain of corpses. Needless to say, it was the tragic scene caused by the death march to mass-produce PHZ⁵ (Ultra-Compact Magic Weapons).
The mages faced their desks with hollow eyes, and once their mana was depleted, they were rolled into the corners of the room onto places where only a thin cloth had been laid. Even now, many mages lay motionless in recovery positions, with raw herbs that had mana-restoring effects forced into their mouths…
While the herbs themselves could be gathered by regular soldiers or volunteer adventurers, there was no one to brew the magic potions. If there were such mana and time available, it would all be funneled into the production of PHZ.
However, the mages cast envious glances even at such crude treatment. If they used up their mana, they could lie down; they could sleep. That alone was the only thing supporting their hearts.
”Hehe… You know, once this war is over, I’m getting married…” a delirious mage whispered.
”That’s enough, just rest already…! You don’t even have a childhood friend waiting for you in the countryside!” his comrade snapped.
”Dammit, I can’t take this anymore! I’m going back to my room!”
”Ah, wait, you idiot, hey!!!”
If Kento were here, he would likely describe the scene by saying, “It’s a parade of death flags…” Yet those “death flags” were vividly collected by a threat that approached with a swaying motion.
”Who said you could rest!!! If you want to rest that badly, I shall personally put you to sleep for eternity!!!”
H-Hieee!!!
Monitoring the mages while skillfully producing PHZ herself even while standing was the adventurer elf Tania, also known as the “Witch of Fresh Verdure”⁶. As a “Founding Hero” of the Canaria Kingdom and possessing mana far more powerful than anyone else here, the mages could not defy her—the symbol of the terror of this death march.
Of course, they knew she wasn’t pushing them out of malice. They understood that this hellish work would save the country. But even knowing that, their vision blurred and their hands shook. Their bodies, forced to release mana to the limit day after day, were as heavy as lead.
By the way, only the inscribing of the magic circuits was being done here; the attachment and replacement of magic stones, as well as the assembly and fine-tuning of the main bodies and ignition devices, were being carried out in a separate room by people with nimble fingers gathered from among the regular soldiers and volunteers.
Because personnel were taken for that, other duties such as patrol missions, security tasks, and maintenance of standard equipment had to be handled by other personnel working at full capacity.
In other words, not only the mages but also the regular soldiers were extremely exhausted. The soldiers of the Canaria Army had already begun to refer to the Coalmine Army’s attacks as “breaks,” and it was even sometimes the subject of bets whether one would die on the battlefield first or from the death march first.
”Hehe, I never thought I’d end up being killed by a magic tool I made myself… Well, I suppose as the end for a mage, it’s not so bad… But ah, just once more, I wanted to see Kento…” Satsuki sighed.
”Pull yourself together, Satsuki! If you don’t stop her, who’s going to stop Tania-sama! People are going to start dying at this rate!” Marsetta cried, shaking her.
While the Court Mage Satsuki was busy building death flags, her senior mage Marsetta shook her. Tania showed no mercy even to her friends or acquaintances, barking at them, “You won’t die from this! Move your hands instead of your mouths!!!”
Marsetta was mistaken on two counts. First, Satsuki could not stop Tania. Once she had taken the task upon herself, she wouldn’t stop even if Kento restrained her. Not until the threat looming over the Canaria Kingdom had vanished.
And secondly, it was truly impossible for people to die here. Not just for humanitarian reasons, but because it would lower production efficiency. In fact, since they had to maintain the army’s operation, she was actually holding back.
And even while holding back, it was still this disastrous scene. In other words, just as the Coalmine Army was worrying about their future, the internal state of the Canaria Army was nearing its limit.
”Oh, why, why has it come to this…! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry! I only… I only wanted to protect this country…!”
Lamenting the tragic state within the fort, the Commander-in-Chief of the Canaria Army and father of Lady Tina Duke Badcage, Roost Duke Badcage, let out a sob.
”Duke Roost, please pull yourself together! Thanks to this, the fort has not fallen yet. Results are being produced; this was for the best, it had to be for the best!” General Oromanso comforted him. Even Oromanso wanted to cover his eyes at this sight, but as long as the front line was being held by the PHZ, he could not complain. All they could do was grit their teeth and issue orders.
While two grown men, the very leaders of the military, were together showing such pathetic figures, Tania, who was inscribing magic circuits at high speed, approached them. They reflexively let out a “Hieee…!” and she scolded them, her sunken eyes with deep dark circles gleaming sharply.
”What are you doing idling around! If you have time to lament, why don’t you put your heads together! I assume the plan for the next operation is ready!? Aside from me, a long-lived species (elf), these human mages are producing PHZ at the cost of their very lives! If you don’t use them effectively, I won’t let you off easily!!!”
””H-Yes, ma’am!!!””
Naturally, they too were rushing about almost without sleep to plan operations and allocate personnel and duties within the fort. They had just happened to come to consult on a mage-related operation.
After all, the mass production of PHZ was prioritized above all else, and they couldn’t do something like summoning the mages to a meeting room. It was merely a lapse, if it could be called that, that this tragic scene had entered their sight during their consultation, and they couldn’t help but lament.
”Honestly…”
Watching the Duke and the General run off, Tania let out a deep sigh. Her blood pressure rose from the yelling, making her feel a little dizzy.
However, she couldn’t show such weakness. If she collapsed, this death march would crumble, which would mean the collapse of the border defenses and the defeat of the Canaria Kingdom. But, how long could they keep this up…
”Big sister, are you okay…?”
”Laika!? Why are you here…”
To Tania, who was worrying about the future, the dog-beastkin adventurer Laika popped her head out and spoke, causing Tania to cry out in surprise. Lacking mana and being clumsy with her hands, she was supposed to be continuing patrol missions.
”Wait, are you sure you’re okay being in a place like this!? I mean, the trauma from the previous death march… Kento isn’t here, either.”
”Ah—yeah. I’m okay for now. I haven’t started seeing the fairies yet…”
Despite not working herself, Laika’s eyes were a bit hollow. Tania continued the conversation while hiding the tragic sight of the mages behind her back.
”Do you have business?”
”Yeah. Right now, when I don’t have patrol duty, I’m working as a messenger. I brought a letter addressed to you, Big Sister.”
”A letter for me? From whom…”
”Ehehe, who do you think it’s from?”
”It couldn’t be…!”
Receiving the letter from a smiling Laika, Tania hurriedly checked the sender. Written there was the name of the owner of the magic tool shop “Harvest”⁷, Kento. There was no mistake; it was his handwriting.
”…How did this manage to get delivered here? Did you ask the Queen for the impossible?”
”No, apparently there’s a church carriage that passes through a nearby path periodically. Of course, the soldiers check the passage, but a soldier on duty received it for us then.”
”I see, the church. Kento thought it through… Hm, by the way, is this letter only for me? That…”
”Don’t worry, letters for me and Satsuki arrived too. Anyway, just read it already.”
”Right, I will…”
While they talked, Tania continued the production of PHZ, and Laika broke the seal of the letter and handed it to her. Continuing production with one hand, Tania scanned the letter.
From simple greetings to worrying about Tania and the others, and what had happened in the Royal Capital over the past few months. And then the words, “Are you looking at the ring?”… Unconsciously looking at the ring finger of her left hand, her cheeks broke into a grin.
Watching that scene, the mages involuntarily felt a shiver run down their spines. After all, from their perspective, it only looked like a dangerous elf with gleaming eyes was pulling up the corners of her mouth.
”Big Sister, Big Sister, you haven’t read the postscript yet, right?”
”Eh? Oh, you’re right. Let’s see…”
—
Summary:
The mages and soldiers at Pikeaxe Fort are enduring a hellish ‘death march’ to mass-produce PHZ magic weapons under Tania’s strict supervision. Despite the exhaustion and despair, Tania receives a letter from Kento that brings her a moment of joy. The letter includes a postscript where Kento declares he will end the war by devastating the Coalmine Kingdom. The internal state of the Canaria Army is revealed to be at its absolute breaking point.
—
Character Insight:
Tania demonstrates her ‘Witch’ persona as a necessary evil to ensure the kingdom’s survival, pushing others and herself past human limits. However, the arrival of Kento’s letter reveals her vulnerable, affectionate side, contrasting her terrifying role as a taskmaster with her role as a woman in love. Her leadership is fueled by a mix of duty and a desperate desire to see Kento again, showing she is the only pillar holding the collapsing fort together.
—
Behind the Scene:
The term ‘death march’ (desumāchi) is a common Japanese loanword describing a project management disaster where employees are forced into excessive overtime, often seen in IT or manga production, which the author uses here to ground the high-fantasy setting in relatable modern misery.
—
T/L:
Notes:
• Kushe – The Chief Mage of the Coalmine Kingdom. She has dark green hair grown out haphazardly and wears a mage robe loosely over her shoulders. She has a blunt, informal, and somewhat insensitive personality, focused on her ‘thinking experiments.’
• Kario – An elderly mage serving in the Pikeaxe Fort, referred to as ‘Grandpa Kario.’
• Kento – The owner of the magic tool shop ‘Harvest,’ which discretely sells adult goods. He’s a former overworked, ordinary salaryman from modern Japan who was suddenly transported (isekai’d) to this fantasy world. He has dark hair and an unremarkable appearance, typically wearing a plain, slightly suspicious-looking shop owner’s clothes looks like Kazuma Satou from certain series. He has a minimal amount of magic power, enough to craft his specialty items.
• Witch of Fresh Verdure – A legendary elf from the Age of Heroes. She is a true ‘magic user’ from an era before formalized magic systems. She is an old friend of the Canaria Kingdom’s founding king.
• Tania – An Elf adventurer who, despite her race’s reputation for low sex drive, is secretly quite passionate. She initially seemed ‘wasted’ (emotionally dry) to her friend Raika, but was easily introduced to the pleasure-items sold at ‘Harvest.’ She is easily embarrassed and attempts to maintain a dignified facade, despite her recent, frequent purchases. She wears practical but light armor over a simple cloth tunic and short pants, highlighting her grace and agility. Her primary relationship is one of friendly senior-junior with Raika.
• Satsuki – A talented Court Mage who was forced to analyze the shop’s adult magic tools. Miranda’s granddaughter. Now she’s the new worker at Harvest, a development she finds both humiliating and surprisingly fulfilling due to the rapid progress in her research under Kento’s guidance. Has long black hair, palace mage robe, and staff.
• Marsetta – A senior court mage and specialist in magical weaponry. She has disheveled hair tied back, wears glasses, and has deep dark circles under her eyes from lack of sleep. She hasn’t eaten in two days and is under heavy pressure to find a countermeasure for the enemy’s weapons.
• Roost – Duke of Badcage and father of Tina Badcage. He has long silver hair mixed with some white, a cool-headed expression, and red eyes. Despite a relatively slender build, he possesses a strong fighting spirit.
• Oromanso – A General serving as the assistant to Duke Roost.
• Laika – The beastwoman dog.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply