Some of the Barbarians—no, the people they should now call Dark Elves—were gathered in the Lord’s office.
A heavy silence hung over the awkward atmosphere, while Hamilton and Elizabeth still wore peculiar expressions.
Were they trying to look friendly, or were they trying to establish dominance…?
“Do you need more explanation?”
Alex’s summary had been brief, so it was easy enough to understand.
He had temporarily driven off the Kraken attacking the Dark Elves’ sandy island.
On top of that, from their chronic scurvy to the elders’ human sacrifices.
He had resolved several long-standing problems within the tribe and become a great benefactor to the Dark Elves.
Based on all of that, the Dark Elves had promised military cooperation.
“…You do not need to explain any further.”
I believe I will need some time to process it….
Hamilton looked strangely at his Lord, who somehow managed to produce astonishing results every single time.
He could not even guess how far Alex intended to continue surprising him. None of this was something he could ever have anticipated.
“Anyway, it all worked out, right? And it’s not like we’re spending any money on it.”
Elizabeth seemed to have accepted it rather simply.
Alex snorted at her reaction, shrugged, and answered somewhat playfully.
“Jack’s going to buy a large number of lime saplings, so we’ll be spending some money.”
“…Are lime trees expensive?”
While Elizabeth became lost in her own thoughts, Hamilton asked with his usual expressionless face.
He understood that Alex had accomplished something, but Alex had returned with such a tremendous gain in such a short time that concern came before anything else.
“Then how was the matter with those elders resolved?”
At Hamilton’s question, the Dark Elves’ expressions darkened.
Rather than looking worried, they seemed ashamed that the disgrace within their tribe had been exposed.
“Do they not still possess both the ability and knowledge to do something dangerous again?”
But at the question that followed, they all shook their heads.
Aroha explained on their behalf.
“That won’t be possible.”
All of the elders had been confined to their own homes.
From now on, the Dark Elves would be free to come and go from Carcosa, but the elders would not.
Of course, if they truly set their minds on leaving, they could probably do so.
But that would be impossible unless they were willing to sever every familial bond they had left.
Even their own children were ashamed of their parents and grandparents and had volunteered to watch over them themselves.
For the elders, simply living out the rest of their lives in disgrace was now the only way they could remain beside their families.
“It’s a shame we don’t have any other mages… but there’s nothing we can do about that.”
Alex added once Aroha finished explaining.
Dark Elf mages fundamentally inherited magic in a different way from those on the continent.
Their magic consisted entirely of their innate affinity with mana and the knowledge handed down from their ancestors, making it extremely simple.
“You’re going to need a proper teacher.”
Aroha quietly nodded, since that was more or less what she had wanted herself.
Her magic was little more than brute force driven by talent, and she knew that better than anyone.
Moreover, although the divine power Alex used was completely unfamiliar to her, its power had been more than enough for her to appreciate how extraordinary it was.
If it was a method Alex recommended, she could accept it.
“Anyway, that’s something for later…. First, let’s talk about that. The Siren.”
Even while discussing various matters, Alex had been occupied with another concern.
It was now time to explain the operation to eliminate the Siren, but there was a problem.
Use the Dark Elf warriors to distract the Siren, then exploit the opening and kill it.
That was the most straightforward conventional strategy.
But such a method inevitably meant placing the Dark Elves at the front like shields.
‘I’m going to look selfish no matter how you look at it.’
The ordinary soldiers would clearly only get in the way if they wandered into a fight like this, so excluding them would make it look even more obvious.
Then again, the entire reason Alex had begun this was to put the Dark Elves forward in their place.
Among Carcosa’s people, Elizabeth was about the only person worth bringing along.
‘There’s no choice but to fight the Siren head-on.’
But whether he looked selfish or not.
As long as he showed the Dark Elves a proper plan and convinced them, was there really a problem?
Alex finished thinking and immediately spread out the map lying across his desk.
“I’ll explain the plan. If any of you have questions, speak up immediately.”
***
Walking through the narrow alleys of the Old Quarter with his breath held, Alex looked over the assembled group.
Seven warriors, Aroha, and….
“….”
Elizabeth, protected—or perhaps isolated—behind several layers of shielding.
Her ears had been plugged with such thick layers of wax that Alex suspected removing it later would be quite a task.
The sight was as ridiculous as the expression of intense displeasure with which she was glaring at him.
“….”
He had explained more than enough that there was no other choice, but it still could not have been pleasant.
Alex subtly avoided Elizabeth’s gaze and turned his eyes toward the system window.
Domain Funds : 8019G
Economic Activity : Agriculture (Active), Commerce (Active), Mining (Locked)
Military Strength : Knight 1, Guards 28
Loyalty : 41%
Incursion Risk : Magical Beasts 72%, Dark Elves 0%, (Locked)
Although the designation had changed from Barbarians to Dark Elves, the system had not changed completely.
Did it still regard them as an outside faction?
Even so, the fact that their risk had fallen all the way to exactly zero was an enormous relief.
Having to account for only the Magical Beasts was a hundred times better than defending against two factions at once.
“…Incredible.”
“At this rate, this really might work….”
Meanwhile, the warriors could be heard marveling as they looked around.
Seven spear-wielding warriors and one mage.
Alex knew the Dark Elves’ capabilities very well because he had fought them himself.
“Yes. It will work, so just follow the plan.”
Despite the turmoil in his head, Alex answered calmly and looked beyond the alley ahead.
The Siren sat forlornly in the middle of the ruined plaza.
At first glance, the sight of a beautiful girl with enormous wings sitting alone amid the ruins looked almost pitiful.
But to those who knew what she truly was, it was nothing but chilling.
Aroha swallowed dryly as she looked at her.
“She really is exactly as you described. We’ll follow the plan, so don’t worry.”
Despite her obvious tension, her voice was firm.
Alex merely nodded.
He had accounted for the possibility that they might fail to perform properly.
Still, if possible, he hoped everyone would do their part and end this with minimal casualties.
‘Shh.’
At that moment, Alex gestured to the restless group.
In breathless silence, everyone followed Alex’s hand and focused on the Siren.
The Siren, who had been leisurely grooming her wings in the water of the shattered fountain, suddenly shuddered.
It was an extremely grotesque motion compared to her beautiful, delicate appearance.
Her torso bulged as she gathered mana, almost as though she were inflating her body.
Alex knew it was the preparatory motion before she sang a curse.
“Now.”
At Alex’s signal, Aroha struck the ground with her spear-shaped staff.
That brief moment of vulnerability while the Siren prepared to sing.
Aroha seized the initiative by calling down a massive bolt of lightning.
CRASH—!
Lightning slammed down onto the Siren.
Since it was Aroha’s magic alone, the attack was nowhere near as powerful as the one used against the Kraken.
But it was more than enough to disrupt the Siren.
Using the fountain water as a catalyst, the strengthened lightning flashed as it dealt a heavy blow to her.
A piercing scream immediately followed the thunderous crash.
“Aaaaaaaah!”
Alex frowned at the tremendous volume that felt as though it would rupture his eardrums.
Sanctuary trembled around him as the razor-sharp scream continued, feeling as though it were digging through his brain.
By comparison, the Dark Elves merely grimaced.
Without missing the opportunity, the spear-wielding warriors charged the Siren simultaneously.
“To your assigned positions!”
Alex shouted immediately.
At the same time, he pushed Elizabeth in the back since she could not hear him.
They had already discussed the entire plan beforehand, so that was enough.
She began running toward the location they had designated in advance.
“In order! Mage, get ready too!”
At Alex’s signal, the Dark Elves spread out and began running.
Although the plaza had fallen into ruin, distinctive buildings still remained, enough to hint at how prosperous the area had once been.
In front of the toy shop with the purple roof.
In front of the bakery with the brown roof.
Since each assigned location was clearly visible, there was no way for them to become confused.
“It’s starting.”
It almost sounded as though Alex’s voice had signaled the Siren as well.
The Siren spread her enormous wings wide.
Everything so far was proceeding exactly according to Alex’s plan.
‘…Just how much does this man know…?’
Aroha glanced at Alex.
The conversation she had shared with him only a few hours earlier now felt almost unreal.
As the warriors noisily rushed forward, the Siren began firing her sharp feathers.
‘The Siren can only use one type of attack at a time. She either fires her feathers or sings. It’s one or the other.’
Exactly as Alex had explained, the Siren no longer made that strange sound.
“Aroha.”
When Alex called her name, Aroha, who had already prepared her magic, summoned lightning once more.
It was flashy, but deliberately weak enough that she could still cast the same spell several more times.
‘The third-tallest building with the brown roof and round window….’
Following Alex’s instructions exactly, Aroha called down another lightning strike on the designated target.
Their objective was to draw the Siren’s attention so that Elizabeth could safely reach her assigned position.
At the same time, Elizabeth, who had been hiding between the buildings and watching the sky, began running again.
The chaos the Dark Elves were creating was in the exact opposite direction from Elizabeth’s route.
“You filthy Magical Beast!”
“Over here!”
The warriors provoked the Siren on their own while deflecting the incoming feathers with the shafts of their spears.
Of course, the feathers were made of steel, so even when deflected, their trajectories only shifted somewhat.
Completely avoiding them was not easy, and blood ran from grazing wounds here and there.
Still, none were serious enough to truly call injuries.
At the same time, Aroha’s magic caused window frames and furnishings to shatter under the lightning, producing sharp, violent noises.
“Screeeeeech—!”
Amid the commotion erupting from every direction, the confused Siren suddenly released a bizarre groan.
As she shrieked, her face gradually twisted into an appearance more befitting a hideous Magical Beast.
‘Elizabeth will handle the truly dangerous part. All of you just need to draw her attention from the front.’
Alex’s earlier words seemed to echo vividly in Aroha’s ears.
At first, she had only half believed him.
But the battle unfolding exactly according to the strategy Alex had laid out was astonishing.
“Fall back and provide support.”
Alex hid Aroha farther behind the others and began moving forward himself.
Aroha looked at Alex anew.
‘He made it sound as though Elizabeth would be handling all the dangerous work alone….’
Was Alex himself not standing in the most dangerous position right now?
Before she knew it, the situation had taken the form of the Siren being surrounded by the Dark Elf warriors, Alex, and Elizabeth.
Alex drew the longsword that had remained sheathed until now and poured divine power into the blade.
As the sword began glowing blue, the Siren seemed to sense the sacred power and sharply turned toward Alex.
“Now!”
Focusing on one side while surrounded in a circle was practically asking to be struck from behind.
Elizabeth, positioned behind the Siren, did not miss the opening.
She charged forward while swinging her enormous sword.
Even with her ears plugged, Elizabeth’s ability to read the battlefield remained precise.
The winged Siren immediately tried to take flight, but Elizabeth, who had approached while she was distracted, was faster.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
Elizabeth, who had clearly been itching to speak this entire time, shouted thunderously as she slashed through the Siren’s wing.
One of the Siren’s wings was severed just as she tried to leap into the air.
It struck the ground with a heavy noise like a massive steel pillar falling.
Alex felt slightly exhilarated by the battle proceeding according to a proper strategy for the first time in a while.
[Holy Sword Lv.9]
[The sword of a knight sworn to God gains a 200% increase in attack power against wicked beings.]
Sacred blue light once again began rippling across Alex’s sword.