Chapter 160

Naturally, there were no magical items meant to create reflective barriers that were usable in actual combat, at least not in modern times. If one existed, it would be a weapon on par with an ancient magical item. And yet, here one was, right in front of them. The reflected fireball surged toward Louis. Unless it was stopped, it would strike him directly and blast him apart. Louis would die instantly, and Monica and Bradford wouldn’t escape unscathed, either. Louis was chanting a barrier spell, but the fireball was too fast. He wouldn’t make it. He won’t—but I can! Without chanting, Monica erected a wall-shaped defensive barrier in front of Louis. She’d just used one to block four-layered strengthening magecraft in their previous battle against the earth spirit. But back then, she’d only had to block its aftereffects; it hadn’t been a direct hit. I won’t be able to fully block it! Monica had two maximum-strength barriers up and ready. But when Bradford’s four-layered strengthening magecraft struck it, one of them shattered. The spell was two levels weaker than his highest output, and yet, it still boasted impressive strength. They didn’t call him the greatest in the kingdom for nothing. Cracks appeared in the second barrier as well. Monica’s ability to use unchanted magecraft meant that she could continue casting successive shields, so long as she restrained the barrier’s scope. But Bradford’s four-layered strengthening spell had too large an area of effect for that. No. My barriers alone can’t block it! Fire spurted from the cracks in the barrier, licking at Louis, meaning to incinerate him. But suddenly, something slipped in between Louis and the flames. At first, Monica thought it was a den of snakes. But it wasn’t. Those were rose vines. The fireball burst, roaring and spraying sparks everywhere. But the rose vines formed several layers, becoming a thick wall and protecting their group from the raging flames. Bradford smirked. “Thanks for that, Thorns!” Raul Roseburg, the Witch of Thorns, came running up to Louis from behind. Bradford stepped out of the trees, deciding there was no point in staying hidden. As Monica used water magecraft to keep the surroundings from catching fire, she, too, ran up to Louis and Raul. “Lord Witch of Thorns! You’re…you’re safe!” she breathed. “Heya, Thorns,” said Bradford. “What happened to Abyss? Weren’t the two of you taking care of the civilians?” Monica gave a start. He was right. Raul and Ray had been taking Cyril and Glenn to safety. Were the two of them nearby? If so, she couldn’t carelessly use her voice. She put her hand over her veil, covering her mouth, then glanced all around. Raul scratched his crimson curls, responding in a frank, cheerful tone. “Oh, right. Well, we sort of got separated!” That wasn’t something you were supposed to say so energetically. Monica was dumbfounded. Louis grimaced, and Bradford put a hand to his forehead and said, “Oh, great.” The inferno continued to blaze on the other side of the thorn wall. Monica kept glancing at it. “Um, um! What about the two you rescued…?” she asked. Raul flashed her a grin and gave her a thumbs-up. His white teeth shone. “Ray’s with them, so they’ll be fine!” Everyone else instantly realized that they were most certainly not fine. While Ray was the kingdom’s foremost shaman, he was ill-suited to combat. To make matters worse, his curses didn’t work on spirits. Louis groaned, sounding exhausted. “…If the good shaman and my idiot apprentice get taken hostage, this will become a lot more troublesome.” “Then we’d better hurry this up, eh?” Louis and Bradford turned to glare at what lay beyond the thorn wall. The fourfold-strengthened fireball might have blown away some of the weaker spirits, but Emanuel and the magical armored soldiers were probably unharmed. Raul was protecting their group with his thorns at the moment, but there was no telling how long they’d hold out. “Mister Louis,” said Monica, her voice hard. “I think the Gem Mage’s barrier…is class-one.” Louis snorted, then put on a wry smile. “Pauloshmer’s Mirror of Execution, was it? …I like that name. You can tell it’s made to kill.” Pauloshmer was the name of a fairy-tale monster that hid inside mirrors. The Gem Mage said he was researching reflective barrier items when I saw him at New Year’s… He must have completed this one by using spirits as a power source. Now that he had the skill to create advanced, spirit-powered magical items, he was using it for all sorts of things, not just the magical armored soldiers. But both the soldiers and the mirror would need a significant amount of mana to activate. How many spirits had he sacrificed to make them a reality? The reason he didn’t put any more traps farther into the forest was because he had absolute confidence in the mirror… Emanuel’s voice rang out from beyond the wall of thorns, breaking into Monica’s thoughts. “Four-layered wave lightning, strike!” The four soldiers shot off another lightning attack, and the wall of thorns nearly buckled under the impact. His face grave, Louis asked Raul, “How long will this wall last, Lord Witch of Thorns?” “Huh? Oh, a long time. I’ve got plenty more mana. I can make as many more roses as I need to.” “…I couldn’t imagine a more reassuring reply.” It was a relief to have Raul here. But Emanuel had possession of the spirit-controlling Flute of the False King, magical armored soldiers that could fire lightning-based attacks, and Pauloshmer’s Mirror of Execution. If he could even reflect Bradford’s fourfold strengthening spell, their options were limited. “Sixfold, then.” Bradford grinned. “I’ll crank the power up to max and blow his reflective barrier to smithereens. More realistic than hacking at it with an ax, right?” “Indeed. It does appear to have a high degree of physical resistance… In that case, the rest of us will do our best to make sure your shot doesn’t lose any power on the way there.” Louis made sure his leather gloves were tight around his hands, then looked at Monica. “It falls to us to stall the Gem Mage, my fellow Sage.” “Um, yes, sir.” Bradford would need time to chant his sixfold strengthening spell. Until he finished, Monica, Louis, and Raul would have to keep the enemy busy. At the moment, that seemed like the most reasonable plan of action. …But… Unease nibbled at Monica’s heart. Bradford’s sixfold strengthening magecraft was likely what Emanuel was most concerned about. He would have prepared himself to withstand it. Monica looked grave. Louis twirled his ax, then spoke as if making small talk. “As long as the Gem Mage doesn’t look to the stars, we will win.” Monica’s eyes widened. She looked at Louis. Bradford and Raul appeared to realize what he meant, too. “Mister Louis… Do you mean—?” Louis put his finger to his lips and smiled sweetly. “Time to put our plan into action. We’ll show the Gem Mage the combined might of the Seven Sages!” Bradford and Raul shot back immediately. “But he’s one of the Sages, too.” “Ray and Mary aren’t even here.” Louis didn’t respond. He simply smiled.