"Aaah!?"
The magic beast that had puffed up with a *whoosh* hadn't actually exploded. The cat-like beast, which had been about the size of an adult's knee, had grown to over ten times its original size in the blink of an eye.
It was even taller than me, and its head extended above mine while I sat on my riding beast in the air. With that enormous size, it blocked out the moon and cast a dark shadow over us.
"Goltze!?"
Brother
Darmuel and
"What's a Goltze?"
"It's an evolved form of Zantze, but I've never seen a Zantze become a Goltze before."
According to Yustokus's explanation, the cat-like beasts that infested the area in large numbers were Zantze, and through several stages of transformation after gaining Magic Power, they would eventually become Goltze.
Even if they ate Ruel fruits or devoured other beasts, a Zantze growing slightly larger would only maybe reach the Feltze stage at best.
"Because your Ladyship's Magic Power was absorbed, I'd imagine. Normally, such a transformation would be impossible."
The Goltze, now as large as a two-story building, lumbered into motion. With a great *whoosh*, it opened its massive maw and began devouring the smaller beasts around it.
The sudden appearance of such an overwhelmingly large and magically powerful Goltze threw the smaller beasts into chaos. They scrambled to flee, and those weakened from fighting turned on each other, plunging the area into total pandemonium in an instant.
"Ordinance."
Yustokus produced an Ordinance and sent an urgent communication to the Chief Priest.
"Lord
Brother Eckhart, listening to the report through gritted teeth, gripped his Stab and transformed it into an oversized longsword.
"Eckhart, can you handle this?"
Yustokus furrowed his brows at the sight of Brother Eckhart gripping the longsword with both hands.
Channeling Magic Power into the blade, Brother Eckhart fixed his gaze on the Goltze without looking away.
"I won't know until I try. The Goltze itself probably hasn't fully adapted to the Magic Power it absorbed, or to its new size and strength, since the transformation was so sudden. If we have any chance to attack, it's now, while it's still sluggish."
The Goltze used its enormous tongue to scoop up the smaller beasts and sweep them into its mouth, never taking its eyes off its prey on the ground. Brother Eckhart directed his riding beast to the space above the Goltze's head and raised his longsword high.
"RAAAAAAGH!"
The instant Brother Eckhart swung his blade down, a blinding slash of light shot straight at the Goltze.
The power was limited, but it looked almost identical to the attack Father had shown during the prayer ceremony ambush. Brother Eckhart and Father looked alike to begin with, which made the resemblance even stronger.
The dazzling slash of light hurtled toward the Goltze, and the creature turned its head just in time to take a direct hit.
It let out a cry of pain and rage—at least the attack had some effect—but it was painfully clear that Brother Eckhart alone couldn't defeat this thing.
Still, feeling at least some resistance, Brother Eckhart raised his longsword for another strike.
Whether startled by the brilliant light or fearing collateral damage, the smaller beasts fled one after another into the underbrush.
Amid all of this, Yustokus collected the Ruel fruits one after another with swift, fluid motions while barking orders.
"Brigitte! Darmuel! Take the Ladyship and retreat immediately! Stand by at the farmhouse!"
"Y-yes!"
I was led away by Brigitte, and we departed the scene on her riding beast.
We passed through the forest and returned to the uninhabited farmhouse. Since we'd been ordered to stand by, I halted and looked back.
From the unnatural swaying of the trees in the forest, I could tell the Goltze was still rampaging.
...What should I do?
If it had been just small Zantze, defeating them would have been easy. They were insignificant creatures that caused little harm. But a Goltze was something even a high-ranking noble like Brother Eckhart couldn't take down easily. And it was obvious that this had happened because of my Magic Power.
Up until now, I'd only ever used my Magic Power when I was either blind with rage or bestowing blessings, so I'd never had the opportunity to assess the true scale of my own power.
The Chief Priest had warned me that my Magic Power was immense and that I needed to learn how to control and protect myself, that I had to verify whether I was a danger to the territory. Each time, I'd nodded along with a vague sense of understanding, but apparently, I hadn't understood at all.
"I... I had no idea my Magic Power could create a beast like that. This is my fault."
"No, Lady
Brigitte's words were firm and unwavering. Darmuel pressed a hand against his stomach and furrowed his brows tightly.
"What should we do? ...We can't just leave the Goltze as it is."
"Lady Rozemyne, please leave it to the Knights' Order. That's exactly what the Knights' Order exists for."
Brigitte puffed out her chest and made the assurance with confidence. But even so, having seen how little Brother Eckhart's attacks had accomplished, I couldn't bring myself to feel optimistic.
"Look, Lady Rozemyne. Sir Eckhart has returned as well. Everything will be fine."
Two shadows burst from the forest on riding beasts, heading our way. They were Yustokus and Brother Eckhart.
Almost the moment we reunited, an Ordinance flew in from the Chief Priest. It landed on Yustokus's arm, delivering the Chief Priest's voice.
"I'm heading there immediately. Raise the 'Roht.' We need to deal with this before the Goltze goes on a rampage and attacks the surroundings. First, Eckhart attacks. If that fails to kill the Goltze, then Rozemyne will create a cage of wind—imagine turning the Wind Shield inside out—and trap the beast so it cannot escape. Among those present, you are the only one who can contain a beast that has absorbed your Magic Power."
The Ordinance repeated the Chief Priest's instructions three times before returning to a magic stone. Darmuel immediately drew his Stab and launched a red light into the sky—the "Roht."
"A cage of wind? ...Is that even possible?"
"I received advice to turn the Wind Shield inside out, so I'll try it. The person who caused this mess should be the one to clean it up, shouldn't they?"
There was a possibility something similar could happen during future harvests as well. If my Magic Power were absorbed into magic stones or if beasts attacked me, the same thing could occur. It would be best to learn how to handle it.
Above all, the fact that I'd received guidance made me feel much lighter. Rather than standing here helplessly while my own Magic Power had caused this situation, it was far better to have something I could actually do to help resolve it.
"'She says she'll try,' but where on that small body of Rozemyne's is she hiding enough Magic Power to do that? She's already given blessings to multiple people, poured that much Magic Power into the Ruel fruit, and on top of that created a Wind Shield through prayer. It's impossible! It's reckless!"
If it were just creating a Wind Shield, I could do that with ease, but apparently by normal standards, this was considered reckless.
It seemed the people around me didn't know the full extent of my Magic Power. They knew I had strong Magic Power from the
I'd never compared myself to others, so I didn't know my own power level either. I was trying to figure out what to tell Brother Eckhart when Yustokus gave a casual shrug.
"Eckhart, the person who best understands how powerful a beast becomes after consuming the Ladyship's Magic Power is the Ladyship's guardian, Lord Ferdinand. And that same Lord Ferdinand has stated that Rozemyne is the only one who can handle this. If you want to ensure the Goltze is contained, then the two of you should prioritize supporting the Ladyship above all else."
After Yustokus's words, Brother Eckhart turned a worried expression toward me, but he shook his head once and nodded.
"Understood. I'll assist with everything I've got. Since you'll be using Magic Power for the Wind Shield, Rozemyne, stow your riding beast and ride with Brigitte. Everyone stays mounted on their beasts to guard Rozemyne and keep the smaller ones at bay. Got it?"
"Y-yes!"
I returned Lesser Beast to its magic stone and rode along with Brigitte. Then we headed back into the depths of the forest where the Goltze was.
Perhaps it had better adapted to its Magic Power since earlier, or perhaps it had grown accustomed to its own size, but the Goltze's movements were faster now. It noticed us and turned its gaze our way.
Gleaming, enormous vertical pupils locked directly onto me. The massive eyes, slightly parted, recognized me as prey.
The predatory stare of a carnivore about to strike sent a chill down my spine.
"Rozemyne, pray!"
Brother Eckhart shouted while driving a slash of light into the face of the Goltze, which had identified me as a lump of Magic Power and was lunging to devour me.
"Goddess of Wind who governs protection,
Channeling Magic Power into my rings, I spoke the words of prayer as I always did.
The sensation of a deity being so close made my skin prickle with goosebumps, and I found myself gazing up at the purple moon. Whether it was the moon being different from usual, or whether something was truly there, I couldn't tell.
"Hear my prayer and grant me sacred power. Keep ill-intentioned things at bay. Wind Shield, in my hands!"
Imagining the Goltze trapped beneath an inverted umbrella, I constructed the Wind Shield. Just as I pictured it in my mind, an amber-translucent shield appeared—turned inside out, the pattern carved on its inner surface showing on the outside.
The Goltze, now enclosed in a massive dome, charged at the shield and was sent flying backward. Around me, sighs of relief escaped.
But I couldn't help furrowing my brows. The moment the shield absorbed the Goltze's attack, I felt a sudden drain on my Magic Power.
At first I thought I'd imagined it, but I hadn't. Every time the Goltze rampaged and struck the Wind Shield, it siphoned away my Magic Power.
"Rozemyne, you don't look well. Is your Magic Power alright?"
"...I'm fine for now. But this is different from before."
In terms of simply maintaining the Wind Shield, I'd only used about half my capacity. But at this rate, with my Magic Power being drained like this, I wasn't sure I could keep the shield up until the Chief Priest arrived.
"Brother Eckhart, I've used the Wind Shield several times before, but this is the first time my Magic Power has been drained each time I take a hit."
"That's probably because the Goltze is using Magic Power to counter your attacks. Your opponents until now must have had much lower Magic Power levels."
I swallowed hard at Brother Eckhart's words. He was exactly right. The first time I'd used it during the prayer ceremony, my opponents had been commoners. When I'd protected everyone at the
I never imagined maintaining the Wind Shield would require this much Magic Power. Glaring at the Goltze as it continued charging and trying to break through, I clenched my back teeth.
...Chief Priest, please hurry.
"Rozemyne, your color's terrible. Are you out of Magic Power?"
"...My Magic Power is still fine, but..."
Maintaining a Wind Shield that was constantly being attacked wasn't just taxing in terms of the Magic Power required—it was even more exhausting because my concentration kept threatening to snap. Unlike before, when I could create it and leave it be, if I didn't stay focused and keep the flow of Magic Power steady, the shield would be on the verge of shattering.
"Right now, I'm fighting an enemy even more formidable than the Goltze."
"More formidable than the Goltze!? What is it!?"
"Drowsiness."
Combined with fatigue and the passage of time, my greatest enemy had entered the fight.
Even though I'd taken a nap, we hadn't departed until after the seventh bell. By the time the Ruel flowers had scattered, the fruit had begun to form, and the fruit into which I'd poured my Magic Power had been stolen, it was the dead of night—and since then, the standoff had continued. This child's body was approaching its limits.
To make matters worse, I was currently riding with Brigitte, held in place by one arm so I wouldn't fall. Thanks to the soft breastplate she wore—which cushioned my head to keep me from hitting it—I had a remarkably comfortable pillow.
...I want to just fall asleep like this!
"Stay focused, Rozemyne! No one else can create and maintain a shield of this magnitude."
"I know! That's why—anyone will do. Please, tell me something entertaining, something interesting, something that will blow away my drowsiness!"
I pried my drooping eyes open with desperate effort and, while glaring at the Goltze, turned to the people around me who were fending off the smaller beasts that occasionally lunged in, requesting their assistance.
"That's a tough one right out of the gate. Yustokus, who gathers more information than I do, would be the better candidate. I'll leave it to him."
"No, no, don't leave it to me. What I'm good at is collecting information, not presenting it. More importantly, I don't know the Ladyship's preferences well enough to tell a story she'd find interesting. Darmuel, who has served the Ladyship for the longest time, would be the right choice."
The two of them turned their gazes to Darmuel, who went pale in an instant and shook his head frantically.
"What Lady Rozemyne would enjoy are stories about books and the Library! I couldn't possibly tell a story satisfying enough!"
At Darmuel's almost screamed response, Yustokus raised an eyebrow slightly.
"The Library? Then shall I talk about the
"Please, absolutely! The size of the collection, the types of books they hold—I want to hear everything!"
My drowsiness vanished in an instant. The Royal Academy, which I would attend once I turned ten—meaning it was essentially a school for nobles, and its Library was a school library. I desperately wanted to hear all the details.
Yustokus laughed at my suddenly gleaming eyes and eager words.
"I didn't expect anyone to actually want to hear that kind of information."
Yustokus began talking about the Royal Academy's Library. Information that would be mundane to anyone else was incredibly valuable and thrilling to me.
He covered everything from the year it was established to the size of the collection, the types of books, the person who had donated the most, the names and ages of the Librarians who worked there, and even stories about the sealed archive—it was an absolute feast of information.
"I'm keeping you waiting!"
Just as I was itching to go to the Royal Academy immediately, the Chief Priest arrived. A white lion flapped its wings and came to a halt.
"...So that's the Goltze. You did well to contain it, Rozemyne. That must have required considerable concentration and Magic Power. Well done."
The Chief Priest praised me as he looked at the Wind Shield and the Goltze raging within.
"Yustokus told me some very interesting stories, which helped me stay focused."
"Is that so? Judging by the expressions on everyone's faces around you, I think I'll skip the details. Let's finish off the Goltze quickly. Eckhart."
"Yes, sir!"
The Chief Priest quickly shifted his gaze from me to Brother Eckhart, drew his Stab, and transformed it into an oversized longsword. Channeling Magic Power into it—more than I had ever seen him use before—the Chief Priest urged his riding beast upward into the sky.
Brother Eckhart cast one grim look at the Chief Priest, then positioned himself with his back toward us as if shielding us, slowly raising his longsword while pouring Magic Power into it.
The Chief Priest's longsword, positioned above the Goltze's head, gleamed with a rainbow radiance that grew brighter and brighter by the second.
"I'm going all out! Brace yourselves!"
No sooner had he shouted than the Chief Priest raised his longsword overhead and plunged downward toward the Goltze with devastating force.
"Rozemyne, drop the shield!"
I frantically released the Wind Shield, and at that same instant, the Chief Priest and Brother Eckhart swung their swords.
A colossal slash of light rained down upon the Goltze from above, and along with a deafening roar came a tremendous shockwave. Trees toppled, the earth was gouged open, and dirt and stone were sent flying through the air.
The reason we suffered comparatively less damage than our surroundings was that Brother Eckhart's slash had shielded the area around us.
With a single blow from the Chief Priest, the Goltze melted away as if dissolving. What remained was a large magic stone. The Chief Priest picked it up, examined it carefully, then shook his head.
"No good. This won't be usable."
The magic stone obtained from defeating the Goltze was no longer a Ruel fruit. It contained not only my Magic Power but also a massive amount of Magic Power from various other beasts, making it useless as a potion ingredient.
"Eckhart, divide it up later."
With that, the Chief Priest tossed the magic stone toward Brother Eckhart. Brother Eckhart caught it and carefully tucked it into a leather pouch.
I gazed toward the Ruel trees still standing among the fallen forest trees—the casualties of the shockwave.
Yustokus had collected what he could, but everything else had been devoured by the beasts. Not a single Ruel fruit remained.
"...The harvest was a failure."
After all the cooperation, after coming all this way, and after having had them in our grasp at one point—everything had been stolen by the Zantze. The Zantze's transformation into a Goltze had forced us to summon the Chief Priest and scramble to clean up the mess, but there was nothing left in hand.
A large, warm hand was gently placed on my drooping head.
"It can't be helped. There was far too little information this year about the night of Schutzaria. Next year, with proper preparations, things will go better. ...Don't cry."
"I-I'm not crying. I'm just sleepy, and that was a yawn."
I hurriedly rubbed my eyes and looked up. The Chief Priest raised an eyebrow slightly and let out a soft *hmph*.
He was the one who always got the best of me.
As things stood, he was the only person who could rival my Magic Power, so there was nothing I could do about it.
Ruel harvesting would have to wait until next year.
Next time: Winter Preparations.