Stranger's Handbook

Chapter 65: A Fixed Fort

“We have only one simple strategy to follow today. Lord Zest will shoot grand magical spells at random. Sonia and I will shoot what is left of the enemy, but even in this case, if there are enemies who approach the fortress, you will defeat them…….That’s all.”

It was very easy to understand.

A wonderful strategy, Frontier Count…….

“Say, there are still enemies around, right?”

“Yeah, there should be in the areas where Lord Zest is shooting those grand spells.”

Boooooooom

“………Like there.”

“……….Right.”

“ “We’re so free it’s boring.” “

Booooooooom

“Lord Zest’s efforts are not half-hearted.”

“He seems he still has enough magical power left. He’s shouting something, isn’t he?”

“……………..Lord Zest, he’s never half-hearted.”

The soldiers protecting the fortress didn’t get any chance to engage in battle.

They were extremely shocked, watching me, the heroic duke, how I continued to release grand spells and shoot them towards the enemy, all by myself.

How can he still go on?………Could his Excellency defeat the enemy all by himself?

That’s what they were thinking…..

However, the reality wasn’t nearly that sweet……

“Toss it! Lord Zest.”

“…………Okaaaaaaaaaay!”

If I didn’t yell in order to motivate myself, I felt like I was going to collapse……I desperately tried to control my magical powers that started to overflow and pushed them back inside my body.

If I were to be careless even for an instant, the magic spell wouldn’t activate…….

With great caution I employed my magical power again…….Good, go!!

Booooooooooom

It landed on the right spot, it seems. My entire magical power was coming out of my body………My knees are laughing at me, huh?

I beat them and regained my senses; I somehow managed to stand firm.

I consumed a lot of magical power, but the problem was my physical and emotional strength…….or to say, my ability to concentrate….. was steadily decreasing.

I already knew that.

This was…….way too tough……….

“Lord Zest, please shoot one over there as well.”

“……………Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Damn it! Don’t say it so casually like it’s the easiest thing in the world……..

I once again forced my almost out of control magical power back inside my body and tried to imagine the explosion.

I compressed and compressed and compressed my magical power in a reckless attempt to employ another grand spell.

My both hands started to shine, but it wasn’t ready yet.

I forced myself to make it stronger and smaller………..and I made it!

Over there, you say? GO!!

Boooooooooooooom

Good, it was a………..success……..Damn it…….my consciousness is all over the place…….

What the? There’s something in my mouth………..I can’t breathe.

I die if I don’t drink this!?

Somehow……..I drank it up.

What? The ground is close to my face……Ah, was I asleep…….?

I stood up slowly and shook my head.

I’m all right. Some way or another, my consciousness was very clear.

“Lord Zest, shoot the next one over there.”

“………………All riiiiiiiiiiiiiight!!!”

That day, all I did was to shoot grand spells towards the places the Frontier Count and my master indicated…It was an ‘easy’ task and I gave my all to complete it……..

Say whatever you like, but I was completely exhausted….

It was because for those exploding range spells I was using an unusual amount of magical power.

Compared to the strengthening and healing magical spells that I use all the time, this one was consuming 10 times the amount of magical power.

In fact, I ran out of magical power a few times.

And each time the Maids Unit was forcibly making me drink some recovery medicine….

That day was torture for me.

Still, it was good enough for defending our base.

Indeed, for self-defense only…

If I were to be outside on the battlefield and fire these magical spells in rapid succession, I’d be surrounded and disposed of pretty soon.

The consumption of magical power was way too unbeneficial…….

My stomach was making strange noises as the Maids Unit carried me to my room.

Thanks…

I was exhausted to such an extent that I couldn’t even say that single word.

I collapsed into my bed like I was about to lose consciousness.

The maids wiped my body with a cold hand towel.

Ah, it feels good. Thanks.

Even though I wanted to thanks them, opening my mouth was a way too troublesome task.

I decided that I will never ever use exploding magic again……………..

I truly believed it.

It looked easy for those around me, but for me it was too much.

This……………was nothing but certain death…………………

The maids left the room after they finished cleaning my body.

I’ll make sure to thank them later. It feels good now so I can relax and sleep.

“Enemy attack!! Enemy attack!! The enemy has commenced a night attack!”

I heard a sharp noise. It sounded like whipping?

“……………………..Bring it on! You don’t intend to let me rest, huh?”

I jumped up to my feet, enveloped by a very strange tension.

“Where the hell is the enemy!? I’ll mince them all!”

“Gahahahaha, Zest is full of energy! Let’s go!”

“Follow their Excellencies!!”

“He ceaselessly shot magical spells in that manner during the day, and now he fights so violently with a sword?”

“Lord Zest is not a half-hearted person.”

“This is what you call a night raid? How dare you!? After I’m done with you, you’ll never feel like initiating nocturnal assaults ever again!”

“………He’s a monster with the sword as well.”

“He’s at the level of our Knights Commander.”

“………..I’m glad he’s on our side.”

“I just decided that I will never oppose the sword and snake flag.”

“ “ “…….Indeed.” “ “

After the assaulting idiots finally scattered, I returned to my room, but…

A maid was waiting for me, smiling.

“Your Excellency, it’s time for the meeting.”

I thought so…………………..