★●
The city of Berelhelm was liberated. The haze cleared, and the miasma vanished.
People who were hiding in their homes due to the sorcerer’s attack came out and celebrated their defeat.
Smiles and energy were returning to the city that was deathly silent when Ameriko and Himeno arrived.
“That makes it all worth it, doesn’t it Himeno?”
“It is only a temporary peace. Our enemies are still out there…”
“Now now, it’s fine to be happy for now!”
“Yes yes!”
Ameriko, Himeno, and Chai enjoyed a banquet put together to welcome them, and rested in an inn.
At the same time, they met with members of the Alliance of Freedom from various different places, which bolstered their forces.
They started preparing for the final battle to take back the holy city, and met with the remaining defenders of Berelhelm. Hundreds of trained, elite soldiers.
This army was completely outmatched by the slave sorcerers at every turn, and different units were destroyed by the sorcerer’s overwhelming power one after the other. Many warriors and wizards were killed.
Still, the fact that the commander who resisted with a do-or-die attitude died in battle meant the second-in-command who took over had a more strategic approach. He bought time with guerrilla warfare, and did his best to get citizens to safety.
Under his command, they managed to effectively save a lot of people, and retain a fighting force. They also managed to preserve a lot of the city’s functions as the ‘Workshop City’.
Many workshops saw danger approaching and quickly closed their stores and took refuge in their underground storerooms. Because of this, dwarven workshops where they refined metal, blacksmiths, and magic workshops survived, and quickly began operating again.
It was the day after the city was liberated.
Berelhelm’s defense forces were under the provisional command of vice-commander Reblef, who along with his subordinates showed Ameriko and Himeno some prototypes they had been working on.
“What Miss Ameriko and Miss Himeno brought us is a veritable treasure trove of possibilities.”
After defeating the giant dark sorcerer, he dropped an item, a large quantity of the scales that composed his crystal barrier.
They made a weapon from them, a lustrous black short sword. Apparently the owners of the workshops spent all night working on it through trial and error.
“This is a hastily made prototype, but it is still a crystal barrier sword.”
A soldier held the sword, while another held an iron shield, which he used to strike at the sword.
“Ah!”
An oscillating sound echoed, and the iron shield was cut in two.
“Oh! Incredible!”
“What!?”
“So this is a weapon made from the crystal barrier?”
“This is great! They did this in one day?”
“The workshops are the heart of this city, so they can accomplish incredible things when they put their minds to it.”
Chai explained with pride to a very surprised Ameriko and Himeno.
“Everyone is eager for vengeance. Many workshop owners stayed up all night working on it.”
The hexagonal dark crystal barrier was analyzed by dwarves, and while it was an unstable and unknown material, it seemed to not be much different from metal. It could be worked on and change shape if heated or if pressure was applied to it.
When the crystals were ground against each other, the resulting particles became unstable, and a certain stimulus made them release magic energy. This characteristic could be put to use once it was better understood.
“So the effect of the barrier makes it so easy to cut through metal…”
“We don’t understand its principle very well. It creates some sort of force field on contact that tears apart the target… At least that is what I heard from a magic workshop, I have no idea.”
Said the soldier with an awkward smile as he sheathed the sword.
“We are already mass producing it. Even if there aren’t enough for everyone, it should be a big help if we equip our most elite soldiers with them.”
Said the vice-commander proudly. Ameriko and Himeno were also brimming with hope, as their allies continued to grow.
“Also, this is for you.”
Said a young magic workman as he handed something to Ameriko and Himeno while asking them to try it on.
“For us?”
“Armor?”
“They were made in a hurry, but I hope they help.”
They attached a gadget to their arms with a band.
“It just looks like the hexagonal crystal barrier.”
It was an hexagonal crystal attached to a metal fitting, but it also connected through a cable to a pouch meant to be worn around the waist.
“That is a magic energy supply unit loaded with crystal barrier ground into powder. It sends a special kind of magic energy via this magic cable, and activates the simple barrier unit on the left arm.”
“Simple… Barrier!?”
“Grab the grip on the arm unit, and grip it slowly. Ah, I should step back…”
“Like this?”
Ameriko grabbed the grip as she was told, and a blueish white light covered the crystal barrier. And just like a ripple in the water, a faint membrane of light started expanding.
“Wah…!? Amazing, a light umbrella?”
“Ameriko, this is a shield!”
Screamed an excited Himeno.
“Oh!? A beam shield.”
The light umbrella expanded in an hexagonal shape, and appeared to be transparent from the opposite side. The light expanded in a one meter diameter.
The light umbrella vanished instantly once Ameriko let go of the grip.
“Wow! It’s a shield! It feels like the same kind of barrier that they have! Does it work by using the regenerating ability…?”
Asked Chai, and the young magic workman smiled and nodded.
“Exactly. Stimulating the crystal stimulates its regeneration, causing it to expand. It’s not as powerful as their barriers but… It should block normal arrows and swords, and our tests showed it can also protect against the heat of flames.”
“So now we can use shields too!”
“Thank you very much…!”
“The shield’s area of effect is as you can see, and they can be used for ten seconds at a time. Also, keep in mind that they cannot be deployed immediately after they are used.”
“Okay! We’ll take good care of them.”
“It is fantastic if we can block even just the first of their strange attacks.”
Ameriko and Himeno were excited.
This magic society was more advanced than they expected, although the sorcerers bringing the world to its destruction were even more incredible.
“Also, the dwarven workshop is testing ‘reactionary magic explosives’ made from ground up crystal barriers. If equipped on a throwing weapon, it should allow us to create explosions from a distance.”
Said another soldier.
“With this much power, we can face the sorcerers on equal terms, and help Miss Ameriko and Miss Himeno as well! We refuse to sit quietly and let ourselves be crushed!”
Said vice-commander Reblef with a strong tone, and the soldiers responded with fervorous yells.
“By the way, Chai correct? You’re a smart kid. You seem to understand everything very quickly, so how about you work with us?”
The young magic workman began to try to scout Chai. Himeno was immediately alarmed as she thought it was due to Chai’s cute face.
“Hmm. I’m happy that you invited me, but there are other things I want to do.”
“Hou? That’s a shame. Do you have some sort of dream?”
“Yes! I want to travel with Ameriko and Himeno once this is over and see the world with them.”
He said with a smile as he jumped towards Ameriko and Himeno and grabbed their arms.
“Chai…! Very good!”
“O-ou… Perfect!”
They could not help but smile at Chai’s face full of hopes and dreams.
Both Ameriko and Himeno realized that they forgot all about having hope and ambitions for the future.
What would they do after this battle? They never thought about it. They just thought about defeating their enemies and surviving.
They forgot about their original world. If they could not return to the faraway world they were expelled from… They had no choice but to live in their new world. If it became peaceful…
“Do you have any dreams Himeno?”
“That is a very sudden question. Hm, I wonder…”
“I do.”
“Hou?”
Ameriko’s blue eyes sparkled, as her gaze seemed to draw in and entangle Himeno.
“I want to marry you when this is over.”
“Buha!?”
Himeno almost spit blood and fainted. She was completely baffled.
“Eh… It’s nice! Isn’t it Himeno!?”
“…Idiogh!? My heart almost stopped! W-w-where did that come from!?”
“Yes, it’s my dream. Our bond of friendship has turned into love.”
“N-no no no…”
Himeno was at her wits end, when it happened.
An alarm was triggered, and a soldier frantically ran towards them.
“R-report! The enemy is attacking! An army we think belongs to the sorcerers… Is heading this way!”
“An army? Are they here in great numbers?”
Asked the vice-commander with a stern expression.
“T-they have what looks like a giant flying fortress! An endless army of mud doll monsters is descending and joining together as an army…!”
Said the soldier, almost screeching.
“W-what!?”
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