sad way to slay a dragon

"The Sad Way to Kill a Dragon" by Tokio Tsumori

tenth year

The defeated rebel army fled into the castle that served as a base.The Holy King's army chasing them gathered at the foot of the steep mountain where the castle is located.

Although it is said to be a rebel army, they are actually the remnants of the three countries that once dominated the surrounding areas.So most of them are soldiers and magicians who have received formal training.They enshrine the person who has the blood of the royal family destroyed by the Holy King's army as the leader, and try to defeat the Holy King's army and regain the country.So their fighting spirit is very high.

According to the order of the central government, the main purpose of this battle is to drive the rebel army into the base, and not to carry out any useless in-depth pursuit.Even so, the troops of the group professor who was at the rear of the opponent suffered considerable damage.

"...Well, we have sealed the actions of those guys according to the order of the central government. But what should we do next? Even if we want to attack, the opponent has an overwhelming geographical advantage. If it becomes a siege, This fight is going to be long."

Looking up at the fortified castle surrounded by layers of walls, the commander in his prime sighed.

Both his armor, and that of the lieutenant who nodded in agreement with his words, were battered and battered, showing the many battles they had seen.

They originally thought that these would no longer be used, so they were stuffed into a room used as a warehouse——

Thanks to the efforts of Saint King Nadiad, the swearer of Huan Beast King, the mainland has been unified.After the collapse of ancient civilizations, the long troubled times that have been repeating the rise and fall of many countries have finally come to an end.

However, although the dream was finally fulfilled and a world without wars was established, the Holy Queen was only happy for a short time, when the country governance she just started encountered an abnormal weather called a catastrophe.

In the end, following the precedent of the goblins, they used magic to divide the world into two spaces where phantom beasts and humans lived, and escaped the crisis of a catastrophe that would wipe out most creatures.But the greatest combat force that supported the Holy King to complete the unification, that is, the dragons were also divided into another world.

The old forces, who saw the weakening of the Holy King's army's combat effectiveness as a good opportunity, began to build organizations before the chaos of the catastrophe completely subsided.Then, ten years after the great magic that split the world in two was launched, the largest rebellion so far broke out.

Of course, it is impossible for the Holy King to sit back and watch the old forces make a comeback.However, the sense of futility created by the inability to last long in peacetime made soldiers feel war-weary and directly contributed to the low morale.Although the upper echelons have given encouragement many times, it is still difficult to solve the fundamental problem to this extent.

"Don't worry, we can clean them up right away."

A quiet but confident voice fell from above them.

The commander and the adjutant were so surprised that their hearts almost stopped beating, and they all looked up at the sky in unison.

Against the dark blue sky as the background, a pitch-black shadow emerged.In the blink of an eye, it grew bigger and bigger, forming a black horse with wings and a rider in black.

The smooth long black hair and the cloak wrapped around her body fluttered in the wind.Everyone who witnessed this scene had a short floating feeling.

The middle-aged commander with a big beard named this elegant visitor who was incompatible with the tense battlefield atmosphere.

"Duke Lei Hua..."

"I didn't expect you to come here in person..."

The pale adjutant's muttering was almost close to moaning.

The pegasus that landed near them flapped its huge wings and stepped on the ground.

The two cast eyes full of surprise, admiration and envy on the Eudemons they saw up close for the first time.

Because Pegasus is very similar to a normal horse except for its wings.Therefore, those who are accustomed to fighting on horseback will use horses as a benchmark to appreciate them anyway.

Although the smooth wings are huge and strong, no matter how you look at it, from a structural point of view, it should be very difficult to support one's own weight to fly, let alone for people to ride on.

Pegasus will get closer to humans if they approach them with respect.Therefore, most people with power are scrambling to get Tianma.Although they don't like battlefields and other places where humans fight, they can often be seen flying with heralds or envoys.

Taking ten years ago as the dividing line, the phantom beasts went to the underworld which was divided into the phantom beast world.

The phantom beasts currently located in the human world—that is, the sun realm, are limited to phantom beasts that have special feelings for a certain human being or a certain place.

In the near future, like elves and dwarves who are not of the same race as humans, these beautiful creatures will become existences that can only appear in legends.

Not only with other races, but even among the same race, human beings will continue to fight tirelessly.That's why the fairies who gave up the idea of ​​coexistence split the world with magic and left humans, right?

Dismounting his beloved horse with an elegant movement that makes people feel completely weightless, and with a generous smile that only princes and nobles can show, the man rewarded the two people who commanded the battle.

"Thank you for your hard work. I will report to Her Majesty the Queen that you have accomplished your mission brilliantly."

"Thank you... But, Duke Lei Hua, there are not only rebel soldiers in that castle, but also women and children as their family members."

"so what?"

The man with long black hair, after hearing the other party's words, asked a plain rhetorical question without any emotion.

Instead of the commander who was speechless, the adjutant spoke.

"Isn't it too much to execute women and children as part of the rebel army just because their husbands or fathers joined the rebel army and just because they moved around? How about at least one call for surrender only for women and children? ?”

"It's not necessary. The reason why all the rebels were driven into their base castle is to use lightning to kill those who shake the stability of the unified kingdom. Only in this way can others be given a warning. So there is no need for extra emotion."

"But...! If the lives of many people are taken, the balance of the Yin-Yang world will be lost again..."

The adjutant lost his voice halfway through.

There is no expression on his straight, statue-like face, from which his inner feelings cannot be glimpsed.However, in those blue eyes, reminiscent of a clear sky, there is a strong emotion that can make people freeze just by looking at it.

"...As a human being, you still have the nerve to say this?"

The low voice said quietly.

In the contempt contained in this voice lurks something almost murderous.

The commander who noticed this quickly interposed between the adjutant and the man.

"Mr. Lei Hua! It was my adjutant who was rude. I would like to express my deep apologies to you on his behalf. Please hold your hand high. My adjutant is a kind man who loves children. Although we also understand that we must be ruthless on the battlefield, But once you want to take the life of a child, you will be shaken involuntarily. This is also the weakness of human nature."

"I don't need you to tell me the weakness of human nature. It took such a huge sacrifice to establish the unified kingdom. But the peace that was so hard to obtain has long since become like this. I am different from His Majesty the King of Phantom Beasts. Even human beings Fighting to death is not painful to me, and it can even be said to be my wish. However, since the phantom beasts are also inseparable from the existence of human beings due to the principle of the yin and yang world, I can't be against this rebellion. Ignore it."

"As you said, Mr. Lei Hua. As a member of the human race, I am ashamed."

The black-haired man sighed as if saying that there was no way to respond to the response of the commander who could make people feel the honest character.Turned his attention to the castle built by the rebel army.

On the outermost wall, taking advantage of the difference in height, sometimes the enemy soldiers would shoot arrows or throw large stones at the soldiers on the front line.However, the soldiers of the Holy King's Army below, of course, couldn't just wait for those to fall on their heads.

The rebel army probably hoped to form a sticky siege battle, and then wait for the infantry of the Holy King's army who had run out of rations to leave?

Although the cliff behind the castle is very steep, according to the local hunters, it is not impossible to get out from there if you are mentally prepared and cautious in the jurisdiction.

Join the Holy King's army to get supplies, and if the siege becomes unfavorable to the rebel army, the main leader of the rebel army only needs to surrender after escaping the castle.Maybe that's what they thought.

Facing the Holy King's army, which looked up at the castle built on the steep mountain, and stopped attacking, the soldiers of the rebel army shouted mocking words from the city wall.

Although it is a battlefield, it always feels that there is a lack of tension.Looking at the scene with a cold gaze, the man seemed to sense something, and raised his beautifully shaped eyebrows.

"A man of magic."

"what?"

Just as the commander was asking rhetorically, a huge fireball suddenly appeared above the heads of the frontline soldiers.

The fireball that appeared in the void burst instantly, engulfing the soldiers with the wind and heat—as it should have been.

Both the wind and the heat were bounced off walls invisible to the naked eye and wiped out without any effect.

The soldiers lying on the ground burst into mournful screams because of the fire spirit magic attack of the magician of the rebel army, propped up their bodies and beat