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Chapter 117

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Translator: “Ashita”                             Editor: “Weasalopes”

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A little while before the invasion of Black Locust by the Empire.
In a single room at a stronghold located North-East of the Empire.
There, the feudal lord of this land, a beautiful Viscountess received a report that the Margrave has made a move.

「I cannot leave things as is. We should move too」

Saying this in a husky voice, she crushed the single piece of paper with the report and stood up as she slammed the table.
She was already in her pilot suit.
Unlike the Kingdom’s olive drab, hers is dark blue with white trim.
However having a tight skirt at the bottom is the same as the Empire. And perhaps out of preference, hers was somewhat short.
The various parts of her body in their prime shook lasciviously, and her exposed thighs shone.

「Understood」

The eyes of her subordinates followed that for a moment before they returned to their senses.

(I must not lose)

The beautiful Viscountess, her face made-up face smirking, headed for her own Knight with the sound of her boots resounding along the way.
Her subordinates breathed in the scent of her perfume as they followed behind.

『Deploy!』

The hanger outside of the stronghold.
The beautiful Viscountess raised her voice through the external speakers.
The beautiful Viscountess’s B-rank Knight took the vanguard position and was followed by three C-rank Knights.
And beside that is a B-rank Knight, piloted by her chief vassal who was old and slim, that is also followed by three C-rank Knights.
A total of eight Knights started to head towards Black Locust.
Advancing along the unpaved roads between the fields on the outskirts, they crossed a river without a bridge.
Passing through a plains with no roads, they trespassed Black Locust forest with thorns.

(They would have already noticed since we have come this far)

The beautiful Viscountess thought.
The enemy’s forces are three C-rank Knights from the Northern League of Nations and a B-rank Knight sent as reinforcement from the Kingdom.
We have double their number. Our victory is certain if we make it a battle at close range.
The only element of unease is a long-range attack using magic.
What could be called the defensive projectile weapons are quite cumbersome.

(A B-rank should probably be the one to hold it)

There are almost no C-rank Knights that carry out long-range magic attacks.
The mithril silver hull that covers the pilot seat. That material is infamously known for being inefficient in absorbing magic; That is the very reason.
Manufactured from the very beginning without magic in mind.
One manufactured that conducts magic from its hull to the hand it wields its weapon with; that chance is low.

(Well, it won’t be much of a threat though)

She smirked.
The enemy has one B-rank Knight. Probably able to shoot once, twice, or thrice at max.
If we are able to endure those attacks and close the distance, it will then become a close-range battle. As they say, numbers win wars.

『Listen here! We will defend against the magic attacks using shields. The rest of you should just charge ahead no matter what!』

Obeying her orders, they lined up in a neat row behind her B-rank Knight.
The points where a frontal attack could come from are few minimum and most of them are covered with shields.

『Run!』

Their pace quickened from that of a walk to one between a brisk walk and a jog.
This is said to be a well-known strategy when taking into consideration the mana expended to the speed.

(Just a while longer; This will be a test of skill)

Her heart was racing as she thought about the upcoming battle, one she had not fought in a long time.
Just then, the shield of the B-rank Knight on her right glowed and resounded from an impact.

(Magic attack?)

She checked her surroundings while she immediately took evasive action.

(Where is it?)

She could not get a grasp of the enemy’s position.
However, closely observing the direction where the attack came from gave her a possible location.

(No way, from there?)

Straight ahead on top of the hill far away on the horizon. She could barely see a single Knight lying prone.
There are no signs of any other Knights.
There can be no doubt when considering the direction of the attack. However, it is just too far.

(Can an attack reach here all the way from there? And for it to hit on the first attempt?)

That person is an unbelievably skilled snipper.
A shiver ran down her spine.
The B-rank Knight on her side also had a weapon used for magic attacks. But they made no move to retaliate.
That is because there is no way it would reach nor hit its target.

(The range is too far. It is doubtful)

However, it is a fact that they did get hit from a magic attack from somewhere.
Ordering her subordinates, the Knights changed from brisk walking to sprinting.

(Hmph. Magic attacks are nothing once you close the distance)

At the next moment, an arrow of light pierced through the knee of the old and slim Knight beside her.
As it got hit while in the middle of a sprint, it immediately tumbled.

(It really was from there!)

There was no mistaking that the attack just now was fired from the top of that hill.

『Get up quickly!』

She yelled at her comrade.
She clicked her tongue as she thought about how horrible the old and slim Knight’s luck was to get hit at an unshielded location.
But at the next moment.

(No way!)

The Knight on top of the hill glinted once again and the magic attack aimed at the old and slim Knight’s knee hit.
What’s more, it hit the same location, the left knee.
She immediately made her Knight dodge. Not straight ahead but left and right at high speeds, a meandering maneuver.
Her subordinates also followed her, beginning their own meandering maneuver.
But it was not the same. There is a huge difference in speed between a B-rank and a C-rank.
For that reason, they spread out and ensured that they could not be targeted as a group.

(What range! And that accuracy)

An unbelievably strong opponent.

「I don’t dislike things that are so long. Rather, it’s my favorite meal.」

As she said that, she licked her scarlet lips to cheer herself up.

(That is quite troublesome. I will have to pick it off no matter what)

Mixing in hovering movements with her meandering, she raised her speed as she aimed to get closer. Of course, with her shield in front of her.
A magic attack with little ammo and long intervals between each attack. Use the interval to close the distance. That was what she thought.

「Ugh!」

Sensing something gazing at her, she immediately made her Knight kick the ground.
After moving about one Knight’s worth sideways, a magic missile came crashing down at the place she had been.

(Having this saved me)

She rubbed her abdomen.
This is her unique ability. The power to sense the gaze of men.
It even applies to their gazes when she is walking around town. If it is a gaze of someone aiming at her, she would pick it up no matter how far apart they were.

「Ugh!」

Not granting her time to even finish her rubbing, her sensor responded once again. Stopping her advance, she jumped backward, thrusting her shield in front.
A magic missile pierced through the ground in front of her blowing some soil up into the air.

「……You are looking at me quite passionately. My sensor (womb) will hurt if you gaze this strongly」

She put one of her hands on her sensor as she said this.
And with cranking sounds, she changed her direction and aimed to advance.

「Tch!」

A subconscious click of the tongue.
The reason – the magic missiles that were being fired one after another.
She did not even consider that a single Knight would be able to fire so many shots consecutively.
Although she was able to avoid getting hit by using her sensor, she could not close the distance at all.

「I am shocked. He is peerless」

Her cheeks flushed as she said this with a scowl.
There is a reason for this. Her sensor has been spasming non-stop.

(Such offensive power. C-rank Knights will be helpless if they were shot at)

The existence of this Knight alone has become the primary cause for a retreat.
But the beautiful Viscountess did not want to give up. A stubborn will was pushing her forward.
She immediately calculated the forces she and her opponent had.

(If we get rid of the peerless general holing up in the hill, the other side only has three C-rank Knights)

She turned back and looked at her forces.
There lay a single B-rank Knight that had its leg shot and had lost most of its mobility. And six C-rank Knights that were heading over at top speed.

(Isn’t this possible?)

She grinned.
If she drew the attention of the peerless hill general, victory is certain with the C-rank Knights that were double in number.
Magic attacks are also limited. This is already a situation where it would not be strange for a red bullet to appear at any time.
The beautiful Viscountess nodded.

「Don’t take your eyes off me!」

As she shouted, the B-rank Knight she was piloting charged ahead.
Moving as if she was trying to break through, she commenced attracting the magic attacks in earnest.
Repeatedly maneuvering her hover every second, she moved about among the shadows of the trees in the forest, closing in on her target.
A magic arrow hit the tree trunk of a large tree, breaking the tree. Another shot came immediately. This time, it pierced the ground and created a small crater.
The beautiful Viscountess concentrated on the attack as she relied on her sensor to dodge it.

(Not yet?)

She thought that it was about time for his mana to run out but the attacks continued.
As a side-effect of using her sensor, her undergarment is already soaked in sweat. It has already flowed out to her thighs.

「Being peerless is fine but if women will dislike you if you are too persistent you know?」

With beads of sweat on her forehead, the beautiful Viscountess took a rough, heated breath.
A while after that, the long-range battle between the two still continues.
Her intuition is totally wrong. Let alone red bullets appearing, the magic attacks were getting stronger.

(Isn’t this too absurd!)

The beautiful Viscountess used her own scale to measure the current situation.
One or two shots of long-range magic attacks is a given. Three shots is impressive, five is stunning.
Even though that is common sense, this amount is clearly unnatural.

(Even a kid in puberty isn’t like this)

The beautiful Viscountess thought about the soldiers at the stronghold.
They were a bunch that blabbered behind her back – saying that looking at the undergarment of a granny would rot their eyes.
But when a situation arises where they could see it, they would forget their words and gaze at it with their mouths watering.

(They have been making it their material when they return to their lodging)

A teasing smile appeared on her face.
It is exactly because she knew that she crossed her legs in front of the soldiers during assemblies in the morning. And her sensor would then enjoy the heat from those gazes that were like those from a stray dog.

(That would be impossible if I were to get into their circle)

This is even more than if she were to search through the trash bins at the lodging.
This is definitely not the work of a single person.

「Darn it, even though I am at my limit here」

The Knight that is a golem.
The mana required to move it much less than activating a long-range magic attack.
She is using wind magic to move with her hover from time to time but she never would have thought that she would run out of magic first.

(Also, I’m already at my limit)

She felt it with her left hand.
Her sensor would constrict every time she is aimed at and her geyser would spout out vigorously.
Her waist is already numb and she is not even able to keep her legs still.

(What?)

Just then, she realized the movements behind her.
Her subordinates were falling back.

(Retreating? So all of you lost)

Their numbers should have been double.
With her head full of thoughts like that is unbelievable, I do not want to believe it and I have to retreat too, her movements dulled slightly.

(Oh no)

As if it was natural to not miss this opportunity, a magic missile approached.
She flew back on reflex.

(Darn)

She felt that she had gotten sloppy.

(There is no choice but to fall back)

She bit her lip in regret and readjusted her Knight’s posture so that she could fly further backward.
However, she realized the approaching magic missile before her eyes just as she was about to land.

(So you read my landing point!)

Her sensor does not work against predicted sniping.
She wanted to immediately use her hover again but it was too late. Dodging is impossible.
At the next moment, the magic missile slammed into the center of her Knight’s abdomen.

「Uwahhhhh!」

The impact caused the pilot seat to shake vigorously.
But this is not a huge deal for a B-rank Knight.
It is still quite possible to continue the battle.

「Kuh, gah」

But the beautiful Viscountess hit her nails against the sheet with a furious expression.
She would lose consciousness if she were to lose focus for even a second. That seems to be the kind of situation she was in.

(Darn, this noise. It seems like my sensor is boiling)

She had used her sensor at full capacity in order to combat against the sniping.
The magic missile that got a direct hit.
That caused a shockwave to occur between the surrounding mana and the shockwave became an intense noise of mana that assaulted her.
She wanted to draw back her left hand immediately but she did not make it in time.
Her sensor that was working at maximum sensitivity picked all of that up, causing a burning shock to run through her body.

「Uwah!」

The body of the beautiful Viscountess who had finally reached her limit bent backward and it shivered wildly.
A huge fountain of water then flowed out into the cockpit and she lost consciousness with her eyes wide open.

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