Chapter 150 The Age of Heroes
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Damn it! What on earth was that?!”
General Van Valedda of the Coalmine Kingdom¹ army, having returned to the base, shouted loudly and slammed his fist onto the desk. Faced with a countenance of rage unlike any they had seen before, his subordinates could do nothing but hold their breath and tremble.
However, there was one woman present who, thankfully, couldn’t read the room. Or rather, while one might hesitate to describe such insensitivity as “thankful,” it was undeniable that the thickness of her skin was necessary to move the military council forward.
”That was a super-powerful magic user, you know. Or maybe it’s more accurate to call her a ‘magic user’ from the ancient times,” the woman said.
Chief Court Mage Lady Kushe replied in a dopy voice. The lined-up subordinates braced themselves for the General to roar in anger again, but the voice that emerged from the mouth adorned with a meticulously trimmed mustache was unexpectedly calm and low.
”You seem to know something of this, Lady Kushe…” Van Valedda said.
”Hmm, if you ask if I know, I do; and if you ask if I don’t, I don’t, I guessー,” Kushe said.
”Whatever it is, speak. If you do, I’ll waive the punishment for your breach of military discipline,” the General said.
”Personally, I think I deserve a reward instead, don’t you thinkー? Thanks to me, everyone’s lives were saved, right?” Kushe asked.
Those present trembled at Kushe’s remark, though in a different sense than they had at the General’s roar. It was true that if she hadn’t taken the initiative to fire the magic weapon, perhaps less than half of those standing here would still be alive. And yet.
”Regulations are regulations. I can make arrangements or give you a reward for a different reason, but the fact of the military breach remains,” Van Valedda said.
”Fine, fine, I get itー. Even I wouldn’t want to belong to an army where everyone besides me just did whatever they wanted like I do,” Kushe said.
At Kushe’s words—which sounded reasonable yet troublesome from the woman who had, in a sense, performed the best in this battle—everyone except General Van reflected a complex expression. The fact that they were saved by this woman, and the fact that they couldn’t perform better than her, were both undeniable truths.
”Umu. So, what exactly was that thing?” the General asked.
”It’s a ‘magic user’ from the Age of Heroes. A real one. Among the court mages of our country… or rather, among those in the neighboring countries who’ve studied at least a bit, she’s an existence known as the ‘Witch of Fresh Verdure’². Probably,” Kushe said.
”The Age of Heroes… the Witch of… Fresh Verdure…” Van Valedda muttered.
At the mention of those unexpected words, the meeting room fell deathly silent. To the “Witch of Fresh Verdure,” it was a story from not too long ago, but to them, it was a tale from an era hundreds of years past that had already become nothing more than a fairy tale.
”That’s right. An era where, partly due to the work of the Church, the age of monsters came to an end, ‘Heroes’ emerged in various places, and many nations were founded. An age where there were no academies, no profession known as ‘mage,’ and only ‘magic users’ who lived by relying solely on their own mana and wisdom. Not the ‘magic users’ who are just barely hanging onto the edges of today’s refined magic systems, but genuine ‘magic users’,” Kushe said.
It was a story they never expected to hear now; a bedtime story told to them as children. Or perhaps, a tale they had told their own children. A story of people who were said to have existed long ago—whether true or false—from an age when humanity required military force the most.
”Why would such an ancient relic side with the Canaria Kingdom³…?” Van Valedda asked.
”Hmm, that’s where the various theories come inー. I won’t know the details unless I ask the person herself, but they say the founding king of that country had a close Elf friend. Some say they were lovers, others say just companions, but the fact is she helped the founding greatly and has continued to help the king’s descendants from time to time ever since,” Kushe said.
In reality, there were also stories that the “Witch of Fresh Verdure,” who was serious and straight-laced, was appalled by the wild founding king who dragged everyone around and helped the pitiful people surrounding him, but Kushe finished her tale while skipping over those parts.
Reactions varied, but basically, the impression General Van held was likely the consensus. In other words…
”This is far too troublesome…” Van Valedda sighed.
”Rightー? If our founding king had just made friends with an Elf, things would have been easier for usー,” Kushe said.
Without the leeway to retort to Kushe’s irreverent remark, General Van fell into thought. Fairy tales were fine, but the problem was that a fairy tale was now standing directly in their path.
Was that even allowed? Or, ‘don’t let Elves stick their noses into the conflicts of mere humans!’ There were many things he wanted to say. However, as long as it existed as a threat, the army had to eliminate it.
”So, what should we do? Is anything known about the magic that ‘Witch of Fresh Verdure’ uses, or perhaps her weaknesses…?” the General asked.
”Yeah, that’s also something I don’t know. However, there is a countermeasure. Since we made it back alive like this, we should just repeat what we did today,” Kushe said.
”Don’t be ridiculous… We didn’t break through their defense. Or are you suggesting we just get incinerated by that ‘Witch’ next time?” Van Valedda asked, frowning.
Van Valedda frowned at Kushe’s nonchalant statement. However, it was impossible for this talented woman to be without a plan.
”No. The strike from my new magic weapon, ‘Matomeru-kun’⁴, silenced that ‘Witch.’ There’s no doubt, the strike of ‘Matomeru-kun’ is stronger than the ‘Witch’s’ strike. That’s why the mages of Canaria Kingdom were forced to deploy defense magic. And even the ‘Witch’ couldn’t just ignore that and fire her magic. If she could have neutralized the attack of ‘Matomeru-kun,’ she would have done so even if it meant destroying the defense magic from the inside,” Kushe said.
Ohhh…! the subordinates exclaimed.
For the first time since returning, the soldiers of the Coalmine Kingdom looked bright. The magic weapon their country had created surpassed a Great Magic User from the Age of Heroes. What an inspiring story. And yet.
”I see… If that’s the case, the remaining obstacles are those volunteers and the ‘Witch’ who, while unable to use Great Magic, remains a formidable foe,” Van Valedda said with a hint of sarcasm to tighten up his subordinates.
Even if the ‘Witch’ and the other mages were suppressed, the Canaria Kingdom army was still tough. He couldn’t have them letting their guard down. The subordinates felt ashamed of their haste and waited for the next words.
”That’s right. And dealing with those guys isn’t my job; it’s the job of Martin-kun from the ‘Pink Clan’⁵,” Kushe said.
”It’s Count Popol!” Martin Popol said, stepping forward as he corrected the name Kushe used to address him.
He was one half of the secret plan General Van had prepared to break the “Pikeaxe Fort.⁶“
”Umu, Lord Popol. What did you think? Can we break through those volunteers and the ‘Witch’?” Van Valedda asked.
”Yes, regarding that, without a doubt. We have already seen them. We have thinned many of the enemy’s ranks in this battle as well. It depends on the enemy commander’s tactics, but if things go well, we can defeat them in the next sortie, or at the latest, if given three opportunities,” Martin said with confidence in his and his clan’s “power.”
By just seeing, and to a large extent by fighting, and certainly after a few battles, they could mimic the enemy’s ability⁷.
Of course, due to mana capacity issues, they couldn’t perfectly mimic that “Witch,” and there would be those they couldn’t fully copy due to differences in physique, physical ability, weapons, or tools. But even in such cases, as they had done against that dog-beastman adventurer this time, they could just gather those traits and switch between them while fighting.
The more they fought, the more their combat power would increase, and the more enemies they could defeat. As time passed, the gap in strength between them and the enemy would widen. There was no doubt about that. General Van heard Martin’s words with precise accuracy.
”‘Regarding that’ means you have other concerns, I take it…?” Van Valedda asked.
”Yes… The ‘mysterious magic force’ that has been a problem for some time. Regarding them, we were unable to identify them in this battle,” Martin said.
”Hmm… We were at an advantage until the ‘Witch’ appeared. We weakened the front line with the first strike, and although the volunteers who appeared later ran wild, you were about to suppress them. If they didn’t appear in this state, perhaps such a group doesn’t exist at all? Maybe the enemy scouts just happened to have many with mana, or perhaps that ‘Witch’ was using some kind of means… Either way, doesn’t it stand to reason that they aren’t an existence that would be a threat on the battlefield?” Van Valedda asked.
General Van’s explanation was logical. Martin thought so too, but he couldn’t shake a certain bad feeling.
”If that is the case, it would be fine, but…” Martin muttered.
”Understood. Regardless, we can sufficiently counter the volunteers. And regarding the ‘mysterious magic force,’ maintain vigilance, but do not be distracted by them. We will conduct another attack on ‘Pikeaxe’ in the near future. Is that clear to the rest of you?!” the General shouted.
Yes, sir! they replied.
Thus, the Coalmine army, having somehow avoided having their hands torn off by the “Witch of Fresh Verdure” despite their close call, reached out their hands once more toward “Beautiful Canaria.””
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Summary:
Following a retreat, General Van Valedda and his mages analyze their encounter with the legendary ‘Witch of Fresh Verdure.’ Kushe explains that the Witch is a relic from the Age of Heroes who supports the Canaria Kingdom due to an ancient bond. Despite her power, Kushe believes her new magic weapon can suppress the Witch. Meanwhile, Martin Popol of the Pink Clan confirms they are learning to mimic the enemy’s skills to ensure victory in future battles.
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Character Insight:
General Van Valedda shows a capacity for pragmatic leadership by suppressing his rage to listen to Kushe’s insights. Martin Popol demonstrates the terrifying growth potential of his clan, suggesting a ‘snowball’ effect where they become stronger with every engagement. Kushe, despite her flighty attitude, proves to be the intellectual backbone of the army, successfully bridging the gap between ancient myth and modern military strategy.
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Behind the Scene:
The ‘Witch of Fresh Verdure’ serves as a classic ‘high-fantasy’ anchor in a story that otherwise focuses on modernizing magic through ‘Matomeru-kun.’ Her backstory with the first king adds a layer of ‘legendary romance’ tropes common in light novels.
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T/L:
Notes:
• Van Valedda – The General and Marquis overseeing the operation. He is the father of the current Queen and grandfather to the First Prince. He has black hair mixed with white, a neatly trimmed beard, and carries an air of calm dignity. He is elderly and suffers from old wounds in his knees.
• Soi – An old professor from Ajire seminary, the first to raise a question. Looks like wizardly.
• 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.’
• 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.
• Martin – Lily’s non-blood-related younger brother. Considered the strongest candidate to succeed the Popol family due to his lineage and manifested ‘power. He has pink hair.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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