Steel and Mana

Chapter 48 – Winter Experiments (3)

It took two days for probably the same beast to reappear. It did so at night, sneaking forward under the darkness, and we only noticed its presence after he walked close to one of my traps, setting it off, resulting in a loud bang and a flare shooting up to the sky, illuminating the snowy landscape.

"I knew they were magical..." I whispered, standing on the walls while the soldiers were on high alert, getting ready to go out and retrieve the body that was torn to shreds.

"It died quick!" Father laughed, slapping my back while I stifled a yawn. "Those traps are very effective! Can you make more?"

"I can, and they are one of my few inventions that can work without any CC required. I will start making more so you can use them to layer the pass for extra defense. I call them landmines!"

"The moment the sun is up, we will do it. This is way better than riding out and meeting the monsters head-on."

"That's for sure!"

It didn't take long for more beasts to appear, all belonging to the same kind, coming late at night under cover of darkness. They didn't really fare any better, as they were blown up the same way, thanks to my new weapons. What was weird, though, was that we watched as, from the group of five, three quickly retreated, staying far away, watching their dead brethren before leaving.

For the following night, I remained outside, watching, and I wasn't surprised when they came again. The bastards were learning as they chased a smaller-looking beast towards us. From where I was standing, it looked like a gazelle, the size of a small car. Poor thing didn't get far as it stepped onto one of the mines, blown to smithereens just the same.

"This is weird."

"Hm?" I looked at my Father, surprised by his troubled look and voice.

"I never saw this kind. I met intelligent beasts, but I never saw a pack that worked together like this and one that manipulated others. I don't like this, son, not a bit!"

"This does not mean they have human-like intelligence, but it is fascinating."

"For you, for me, it is terrifying... I am glad we at least have a mage here equipped with your stone tablets."

"Hehe, thanks, I guess! I am not worried; this isn't the first cold winter, is it?"

"No, it isn't, but... never mind."

I never asked what he meant or why he was so fidgety, but soon, it was my turn to feel a headache coming, not because of the monsters or the cold but because that damned Priestess came to the fort.

"You are kidding me!" I grunted, quickly putting my robe on as I climbed out of bed naked, not worrying about Luna watching me with wide eyes.

"N-no, Master, I am not! She is at the front gates, and your Mother went ahead to greet her!"

"Damn it! Why the hell did she come here?!"

"What should I do?" Sasha asked, looking just as worried.

"For now, nothing! I hope that she is just as clumsy in picking up on things as in other fields! I will go and see what she wants!"

"I heard her saying she was here to give support and heal the injured; she wanted to stay until the end of the winter!" Luna murmured, making me rub my temples, trying to think something up so I could send her away.

"Fucking hell... I always say if things go too well, something will happen to reset my luck back to zero. Geez!"

Coming down to the main floor, Mikan was already there, led in by my Mother.

"Ah, Lord Leon! I am so terribly sorry for waking you up; you shouldn't have come down and welcomed me personaaaaaaah?!"

I was about to say something, but she slipped on her still snowy, wet boots, almost faceplanting onto the stone floor if not for my mom. Although she did catch her by the boobs, I couldn't help but see a jealous flash go through her eyes.

"Are you alright, Priestess?" She asked gently, letting go of her.

"Yes, yes! S-sorry! It seems that I am a bit clumsy today, ehehe!"

"Today?" I asked, blurting it out without thinking, which made her blush and lower her head. "You know it is dangerous here, yes?"

"As the Priestess of the Six Gods, I must face all the perils and help my brethren to overcome them! Injuries can be fatal, especially when those nasty beasts inflict it! What if they are venomous? Magic is the only way to ensure everybody's safety!"

"Can you even cast such a magic?" I asked, no longer wanting to hold back my tongue. If nothing else, I may try insulting her so she leaves.

"I... I did learn it! I know of it, yes!"

"You couldn't heal my thumb when I cut it."

"I was tired from traveling." She answered promptly, and she didn't look troubled or angry at all. If anything, she was hella confident in herself. "Worry not, Young Viscount, I, Mikan Morningstar, am a fully-fledged witch granted exclusive power by the Gods! I will ensure everyone's safety!"

"If you stay, please ensure that you don't go onto the battlements. This is a military fortress; if anyone is injured, we will transport them to you!"

"That can be too late! I must be there to help them at once!" She protested, beginning to pout, and I saw her getting angry... but instead of frightening, she looked like a chipmunk who had her favorite food stolen.

"Priestess Mikan... All my respect to you, but this is the Frontier Region! Here, my word is law, and this includes the church. I am ordering you not to visit the battlements for your safety and the Empire's security. We are defending millions upon millions of lives, and I won't put it in jeopardy, not even for a witch! Do you understand me?"

"You clearly don't know a witch's power! I could save lives-"

"I know what someone with magic can do!" I raised my voice once again, letting it echo loudly between the castle's walls, making her shudder. I could even hear Luna and Sasha as the two girls came to take a look, hiding behind the walls on the second floor, peeking over and watching us.

"He is kinda hot when shouting..." Luna whispered

"He can be assertive, um..."

"N-nobody talked to me like that before! How dare you!" Mikan snapped at me after she regained her clarity.

"Then it was time." I smiled, maybe a bit too arrogantly, but I couldn't let her go to the walls. The amount of mana coming off her body would surely trigger the tablets. "It just shows you've never been to a military post and tells me your novice, amateur outlook. You are too soft to these lands, Priestess Mikan! Here blood flows like a river, lives are lost daily, and we have no place for people to pretend play and screw up everything! Go back to the village and tend to the peasants' illnesses."

"I... I..." She mumbled, looking at me with transfixed eyes, and I was sure she was about to either burst into tears or swear at me. Instead, she held her hands between her giant breasts and spoke with a ringing, bell-like voice, her eyes sparkling like spring water, "I never knew you people were so hardened by the constant warfare you are subjugated to! Poor souls! I will do my best to be of service! You will not be disappointed, Viscount Leon!"

"What the fuck...?" I asked, barely audible, but before I could try to think of something, multiple horns blared from the walls, signaling an attack. "In the morning? Why?" This was highly unusual after the previous days... "Keep her in! Don't let her go out!" I barked, my orders aimed at my Mother while I rushed to dress up and head to the walls to see what was happening.

It wasn't pretty, that's for sure. In the distance, I saw around a dozen massive feline monsters standing, staring straight at us. I would have bet my neck that they were clearly seeing us, maybe even capable of picking out us individually.

"Can we hit them?" I asked, standing next to my Father in battle armor.

"Not with the ballistae. They are too far for that."

"Do they know our range?" I whispered, but of course, there was no answer to that question.

"I can try!" Sasha's voice came as she hurried to follow me as it was no time to be worried about the Priestess's presence.

"Confident?" I looked at him with one eye, watching her pick out a table, looking at me with a soft smile.

"I want to give it a shot."

"That's the spirit! Go!" I grinned, slapping her butt, watching her step forward, holding the tablet not at the target but way above them. Good... good! She is a natural when it comes to learning my time's knowledge.

When she activated it, the stone shattered with a loud clang, sending a bright, crimson firebolt arcing through the air. It couldn't have been more perfect because after it took a nosedive, it landed right in the middle of the group of beasts with a loud bang. They were too far away to see how many we hit, but I knew they were angry by the howls that the wind carried forth.

"Something is happening..." I murmured as I saw them spread out, and not long after, one of the beasts lept into the air, spreading out a giant, golden wing. It wasn't real; it was made by magic as it flapped, flying over the landmines. "Shoot! Shoot it down!"

It wasn't just my shout but my Father's exact words; I just echoed him. The ballistas were quickly aimed towards the sky, but the beast was so fast they could not hit it. That was when I heard a whistle as Sasha used up another tablet, and her spell hit the beast, blowing it into shreds. When the bloody pieces dropped to the ground, they were still glowing with pure magic, activating multiple mines, resulting in a chain explosion. Damn it!

I think the others also realized that the road was clearing up because soon we saw five of the same kind of monsters rushing forward, following the route where the explosions happened, no longer fearing it. Bastards...

"Ready the defenses!" Father roared, already at the forefront with sword drawn, standing next to a giant metal bowl filled with grease and tar, ready to drop it on them.

"Sasha!"

"I am not going in!" She argued immediately, surprising me, but I simply smiled, kissing her cheek.

"Duh! I need you with me! Bring as many tablets as we have; use them all up if necessary, but hit the bastards!"

"Yes!" She answered, her eyes glowing with happiness that I didn't send her away.

As the beasts came closer, I could finally fully see their form, which was best described as a liger. The only difference was that these behemoths were the size of an elephant. The arrows that the soldiers shot down at them bounced off their thick hide and fur, and only one of the lucky ballista shots nailed one of them to the ground.

Sasha was surprisingly collected next to me. I expected her to panic a little, but no, she took aim, activating her magic and hitting the beast in the front, blowing it apart and setting its remains aflame. Seemingly, her presence and the feeling of magic troubled the remaining ones, but they were now too committed to their attack.

The soldiers roared in celebration when she hit the second 'liger,' killing it in another fiery explosion. They continued firing their arrows and dosing the high walls with grease, making it hard for the monsters to try and scale with their sharp claws. I had the thought that luckily for us, they seemingly couldn't fly like their supposed leader did. I just refused to speak it out loud to avoid jinxing us.

"I'm here to help!"

"Shit!" I knew that voice... that damned Priestess! Turning around, I saw her trying to hurry up the stairs, right behind us, almost falling down twice. When she finally ascended to the top, she noticed Sasha next to me casting a spell, her eyes growing wide and shocked. Damn it!

Her presence triggered something in one of the monsters below. I don't know what it was, but it made a wild roar, spurting the same magic wings and hopping straight up to the walls with one swift move, straight where we were.

"Watch out!"

There was no time to think, so I pushed Sasha to the left, out of the reach of the beast's claws. Still, that left the stupid Priestess vulnerable, and she may be a problem... but damn it! At that moment, the seconds were like minutes as I saw the fear in her eyes and that she honestly wanted to help. She wanted to be useful... I just can't let someone like that die...

Without too much thinking, I raised my sword, trying to stand in the way of the claw, knowing full well it was most likely pointless... and it was. I saw it hit the blade, break it apart like glass, then make contact with my body. At least I noticed that the impact made the beast's focus draw onto me from Mikan and make its paw change its course, smashing my body against the wall and breaking me in the process, consumed by a fit of bestial anger.

Funnily enough, I didn't feel pain, but it reminded me of the time I first died... it was the same feeling as being hit by another 'truck.' I wonder... will I reincarnate once again? Haaaah... I already miss Sasha...