Chapter 112: A Counterattack Tossed Away

Since things went badly in Leclerc, this time I followed behind a group of adventurers as I headed toward the entry gate.
But here, too, there was a special lane just for adventurers.

I’d heard that a guild card could be used without issue in other countries, but apparently a B-rank Gold Card stands out—
I was smothered with clingy, nosy questions.

They told me to “prove” I was B-rank, so I reluctantly took out a High Orc… which caused a huge scene.

Well, it was the one from just after the forced mobilization was lifted, and it’s bigger than a normal High Orc.
They made me bring it out right next to the gate, then treated me like an idiot—even the guard captain came over and pestered me with more questions.

“Hmm, a youngster with a Gold Card must be making good money.”

“You’re young, so I suppose you don’t know much about the world—but you need to show consideration if you want to avoid trouble.”

“If you want, we can take you into the guard station and examine things thoroughly.”

When he flicked a silver coin in an obviously suggestive way, I finally understood what he wanted.

Other adventurers glanced over and walked past.
Under the guild card he’d held out, a copper coin conveniently “fell.”
When receiving a guild card, his hand closed fast—
and he said, “Oh, earning plenty, I see,” before letting people through.

I wanted to get through quietly, so I took out a few silver coins, clinked them together, and slipped them into his hand.

“I’m from the countryside—I didn’t show proper consideration.”

When I bowed and reached for my guild card, his hand darted out.
I let the silver coins drop; he grabbed them and grinned.
While he was enjoying that moment, I put the High Orc back into my magic bag.

“Mm. Don’t forget your consideration next time.”

He handed back my guild card, checking the silver in his palm with a pleased expression.

The Holtrand Kingdom… not really my kind of place, but in a way, it’s quite a “charming” country.

＊　＊　＊

“Did you see that? A Gold Card.”
“He looks way younger than us, but he’s B-rank?”
“And that was a High Orc, right? Looks like he works solo—must be strong.”
“He’s on a completely different level from us.”

Their voices carried clearly from behind—low-rank adventurers, by the sound of it, and they didn’t seem malicious. I turned around.

They looked about the same age as my older brother—five of them, not earning much by the look of their gear.

“Do you base yourselves in the royal capital?”

“O-oh, yeah. You… haven’t seen you around.”

“I’m from the countryside. Came to see the capital, but I stumbled right at the gate.
Didn’t know they shakedown adventurers for pocket money.”

“Idiot, don’t say that so loudly.”

“They stick their hands out at every chance. They’ll rip money out of even the poorest adventurer—watch yourself.”

“I plan to sightsee for two or three days—would you guide me around for today?
Of course, I’ll pay you for your time.”

“Guide you around? We only know the places poor folks go…”

“That’s fine. I just want good food in the market, and maybe some tea or sweets to take home.
How about one silver coin per person for the day?”

“Seriously?”
“You’d pay that much just for guiding?”

“You saw my hunt, didn’t you? I’ve got plenty more like that. I promise.”

I took out a leather pouch from my magic bag and grabbed a handful of silver coins.
All of them nodded vigorously.

“Let’s head to the guild then.”

“Huh? I want to eat at the market, so let’s go that way.”

“Aren’t you selling your monster materials?”

“I sell in bulk, so I won’t sell in the capital. I’ll treat you, so take me to a good place to eat.”

We ate at a highly rated market restaurant, then they showed me around to buy tea and sweets.
But the atmosphere of the city felt strangely gloomy.

According to Kevin and the others, the officials and nobles strutted around arrogantly,
and the guards enjoyed the benefits of that arrogance.

I spent a whole day with them, enjoying the sights and shopping—different from Leclerc, but not by much.
At the end, I gave each of them the promised silver coin and asked them to show me an area outside the capital with few monsters. Then we parted.

＊　＊　＊

I camped outside Frangré.
At dawn, I headed to the place Kevin’s group told me about and spent the day preparing for the coming attack.

I stuffed two Rank-1 magic pouches full of supplies.
After that, I took a small drink and went to sleep.

It was cloudy—looked like rain—but with my enchanted outfit and “Leaky Balloon!”, nothing could wet me.

After a relaxed breakfast, I checked the clock.
Eight-thirty—too early. So I had another tea.

Around noon, I finally flew toward the royal castle.
On the rooftops of every large building, soldiers stood watch and waved red-and-white flags when they saw me.

Seems they’d prepared a “welcome,” but would they actually give me an answer?

Hovering above the wide courtyard, I saw that no one was gathered—
just one well-dressed man stepped out into the garden and gestured toward a pavilion.

I landed a distance away, created a dome, and waited.
But when the man approached, I could tell—he had a similar face shape, but he was not the person from the portrait I’d been given.

He probably didn’t know I was using magic to see his aura.
He walked calmly into the pavilion and beckoned.

“I want to confirm your name.”

“I am Trevan McNeill, envoy of the Sazaland Kingdom to Holtrand. Holder of a count’s title.
You must be Leon.”

“The Count McNeill I know does not look like you. Do you have Holtrand’s reply?”

He pulled a letter from his chest pocket.
Who carries international diplomatic documents in their shirt like that?

“This is the reply from His Majesty of Holtrand to His Majesty of Sazaland. Why didn’t you come retrieve it sooner?”

“There’s a suspicious aura around you. Frankly, I don’t trust that I’d receive a proper response.”

“You’re a brat who thinks flying makes you clever. You don’t understand your place.”

The moment he finished speaking, he vanished— or rather, he dropped straight through the floor.

Windows around the courtyard burst open, unleashing a storm of arrows.
The archers had skill—the arrows clattered against my dome and piled up.

Heavy thunks rang out too—bolt-launchers firing thick, short projectiles.

Since the pavilion was near the center of the courtyard, arrows came from every direction nonstop.
But they underestimated me.

I created a thick “Whirlwind!” around the dome, fed in a bit of magic, and sent it forward.

The fat whirlwind leapt over the dome and smashed the pavilion to pieces in an instant.

Glass shattered. Screams erupted.
The whirlwind pushed into the building for a moment before I cut the magic.
The damage spread up to the third floor, and even after it vanished, screams echoed inside.

＊　＊　＊

“Arrows are ineffective!”
“There’s some kind of barrier!”

“Keep firing! Don’t let up!”

“Wait—since arrows don’t work, switch to magic!”

“Yes sir! Fire magic first—full power! Ready… fire!”

＊　＊　＊

Once they realized arrows didn’t work, the barrage stopped.
Men at the windows extended their hands—must be the magic corps.

Since I’d never taken a serious magic attack before, I formed a Ring outside the dome.

Fireballs of all sizes slammed into it—some boomed, some popped lightly. Loud either way.

When the fireballs stopped, Stone Lances and Ice Lances struck, clattering noisily—
but the Ring held firm.

Then came lightning—crackling and flashing against the dome, dazzling but harmless.

Testing complete.

I created a tornado mixed with dust, dispelled the Ring and dome, then used “Leaky Balloon!” to rise into the sky.

The sudden tornado startled them—their attacks paused.
When they resumed with even greater force, I cut the magic powering the tornado.

＊　＊　＊

“The tornado vanished! The enemy is gone!”
“Finally overwhelmed by our magic?”
“Fireball must have blasted him apart.”
“Idiot—he was fine even after dozens of fireballs. Ice Lance didn’t work either.”
“Lightning hit right before it disappeared—must have finished him.”

“Stop babbling—look up! Archers on the roof, fire!”

＊　＊　＊

I moved from above the courtyard to above the roof.
More arrows flew, so I climbed higher until they couldn’t reach.

I shifted the balloon’s opening to under my feet, took child-head-sized rocks from my magic pouch, and dropped them.

Watching the shrinking stone fall, it struck near the eaves and sent fragments flying.

I moved a bit and dropped another—
this one crashed through the central part of the roof, leaving a hole.

Tracing a spiral pattern in the sky, I dropped stone after stone.

＊　＊　＊

BOOM!
BOOM!

“What was that!?”

“Sound came from that direction—”

BOOOOM!

“There! A hole in the roof!”

BOOOOM!

“Something’s falling from above!”
“Impossible—this is the roof—wait… no way.”
“Look up! Something’s… falling!”

“What’s that sound?”
“From above… I think—”

BOOOOM! CLANG!

“It really is from above—check the sky!”
“That guy must be up there—find him!”
“What is happening!?”

“He disappeared after the magic barrage, but what if—just what if—he flew upward?”
“Upward? So what?”

“If he’s out of reach up in the sky, and he’s attacking downward at us—what then?
From the sound of it… he’s dropping something heavy!”