“This is… a ritualized version of the <<Sanctuary Barrier>>?”
The royal capital was enveloped in a pure white radiance.
Seeing this, Renée delved into the magical knowledge granted to her along with her cheat-like blessing to find an answer.
It was the high-level sacred magic, <<Sanctuary Barrier>>.
It purifies the surroundings and creates a barrier that repels unclean beings and forces. If an undead were to enter it, they would be instantly purified.
Since it was deployed over such a wide area, it was likely a ritual magic.
Ritual magic involves a large number of people cooperating to distribute the burden, preparing catalyst items to fuel the magic, and taking ample time, allowing for the use of advanced magic or the manifestation of miraculous power.
“…Alistair, what is this?”
“My apologies. This was a scenario I had dismissed due to its low probability of realization.”
Renée had asked how they should proceed with their plan in this situation, but Alistair’s response was filled with nothing but apologies.
“I won’t be angry, so tell me why you dismissed it. It might be useful for future reference.”
“Yes. First, I thought it unlikely that the Knights would decide to use such a large-scale defensive magic and request it from the temple. In the royal capital’s temple, ritual magic is primarily used for the important task of resurrecting the dead, and there are difficulties in the priests’ proficiency and the stockpile of catalysts. For these reasons, I had excluded the possibility.”
“I see… Well, let’s keep it in mind. Now, about how we can turn this around…”
Renée was curious about the reason why the temple used ritual magic contrary to expectations, but what was needed now was to deal with that barrier.
“Basically, we just need to break that barrier, right?”
“Is it possible?”
“We have to try, or we’re done for.”
As if overlapping with Renée’s words, a rumbling sound, like the air itself was vibrating, echoed.
The stone-throwing cannons on the city walls were firing. It was unclear whether it was gunpowder explosions or magic, but in any case, cannonballs were launched by some kind of propulsive force, aiming for the undead ranks… but they didn’t fall, instead landing far short of the ranks.
“A test run?”
“Likely. However, in wars between humans, there are cases where they agree in advance to fire cannons at each other at the start of the battle. Therefore, the sound of cannons is considered a signal of the start of war, and firing cannons unilaterally without sending an envoy is considered extremely rude.”
“I see, I see. Combined with the defensive ritual magic, it means they’re declaring that they’re ready for a fight, right?”
“That is a reasonable assumption.”
Looking closely, archers were on the ramparts, nocking their longbows. They were aiming diagonally upwards, at a trajectory for launching arrows in an arc.
The range of a longbow exceeds that of a cannon. In terms of long-range attacks, it surpasses most magic in both power and range. Ordinary arrows wouldn’t do much damage to the undead, but they would definitely soak the arrows in holy water before shooting. Similar to weapons blessed with <<Consecration>>, they would deal special damage to the undead.
“Hmph.”
Renée snorted irritably and raised her crimson magic staff.
“…[Performance Bias: Long Range Custom] <<Plague Ray>>”
A red-black light, the size of a soccer ball, converged at the tip of the staff. In the next instant, with the immense output of a geyser, it passed over the heads of the army and headed straight for the royal capital.
The first to notice the attack were, of course, the knights who were in battle formation on the ramparts.
“Whaaa!?”
Seeing the approaching flash of death, the artilleryman who was cleaning the muzzle of the stone-throwing cannon lost his footing. But the flash stopped right in front of them. It hit the barrier of holy energy and stopped, sparking like a sword clash.
Realizing he hadn’t died, the artilleryman stood up shakily. From right in front of him to the palanquin at the rear of the undead army, the red-black flash stretched out, like an invisible giant holding a rusty iron rod.
“They’re attacking from this distance!?”
“What terrifying magic power…”
The artilleryman and the surrounding archers were all experts in long-range combat. They had a good grasp of the range of long-range attacks in large-scale battles. This was a blow that defied that understanding.
“Certainly, it’s terrifying magic power. But… the priests have blocked it.”
“Yeah.”
Someone said it, and someone responded. While feeling the strength of the enemy, the thought that ‘the unity of the people had overcome it’ was a hope for victory for them.
“We will not allow this royal capital to be trampled by the unholy undead. The gods are also watching our battle. Let us pray together for victory. We will win… Now is the time to cut off the nightmare of the former king.”
The death-colored flash continued to be deflected at the boundary of the barrier, like water on a glass window. Seeing this, the knights offered a short prayer and began to move for the next blow.
“Maybe they have some kind of illusion about holy magic? The reason holy magic is effective against undead and curse magic is simply because they’re ‘opposite attributes’.”
Renée chuckled as her emotion-sensing ability activated, detecting ‘faith’… a feeling of awe and supplication towards a greater being, and at the same time, reading that ‘fear’ was diminishing from the ramparts. Moreover, it was laughable that they were embracing ‘hope’ from something like this. The knights on the ramparts seemed to believe they were under absolute protection.
“Opposite attribute magic cancels each other out… meaning it’s just a pure magic power contest. The reason holy magic deals significant damage to the undead is simply because it can cut off the magic power that moves them.”
Holy magic exorcises evil forces and beings. …Why don’t they consider that the opposite could also be true? Don’t they think that evil undead could be clad in evil power to protect themselves from holy magic? Don’t they think it’s impossible to defile a purified holy land with evil magic? Why do they believe that only their god is absolute?
“And… oh, right, holy magic gets a power boost from some god or another, right? Holy magic might be the smallest cheat that gods give to the human race.”
Perhaps that was the root of the misunderstanding. Because it’s magic that uses the power of a god to exert a greater force than the caster’s own, they probably believe that it has an advantage over evil beings.
It is said that this world was once created by the ‘Neutral One’, who existed alone in the void, splitting himself. Everything is balanced between plus and minus. If that’s the case, there must be an equal power on the opposite side… to the gods who give blessings to the human race.
“Unfortunately, I’ve also received a cheat blessing. From an evil god who is a counterpart to the great god and possesses equal power… a special cheat blessing!”
If Renée had used attack magic of another attribute, she could have slipped through the barrier of holy energy and directly attacked the city. But Renée didn’t. The purpose was to eliminate the obstacle and start the operation.
“…Alistair. Can you have one of the liches nearby use <<Crystal Eye>> or something to find out which of the knights on the ramparts…”
To give instructions to the undead she created, she just needed to think about it, but when a conversation feedback was needed, it was often easier to give instructions verbally from the start.
While holding up her staff and continuing to fire the attack magic, Renée gave the order, and Alistair instructed the lich to do as she said and listened for something.
“All the personnel stationed near where the attack is hitting belong to the First Knight Order.”
“I see. Then the target remains the same…”
Renée, with the expressionless face of a skeleton, still smiled as much as she could.
“Die.”
The red-black flash of death burned and melted the white, pure barrier.