Chapter 11 "The Swordsman Vald Joins the Tale"
The training ground at the front-line base of the Crimson Lotus Kingdom.
The morning light reflected off the blades of swords‚ and the air was taut with tension.
Vald Greia was silently swinging his sword.
His movements were efficient‚ sharp‚ and quiet.
Yug Sarion was watching him from a short distance away.
He held a poetry collection to his chest‚ enduring a stomachache.
「……It’s like the sword is speaking.」
Selina Noctia smiled beside him.
「His sword has words.
If it joins the tale‚ the fire will gain substance.」
Yug nodded.
「The tale only vibrates the air.
But when the sword joins‚ the vibration takes shape.
That means it reaches people.」
At that moment‚ Vald sheathed his sword and walked toward them.
His eyes were sharp‚ yet they held a quiet heat.
「……Add my sword to the tale.
Even without swinging it‚ the pressure will reach them.
I’ll add the shadow of the blade to the fire of the tale.」
Yug’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
「You’re going to join the tale?」
「There are enemies the tale alone cannot reach.
With a sword‚ the outline of the tale becomes stronger.
I will become the tale’s ‘substance.’」
Selina said while adjusting her fragrance ring.
「The fire of the tale now has scent‚ light‚ shadow‚ and delusion added to it.
But once the sword joins‚ the tactic will be complete.」
Yug opened his poetry collection.
「Then let’s readjust the formation.
The embers of the Six Stars—I’ll strengthen the sword phase.」
At that moment‚ Ilmina Ferna appeared‚ holding sheets of magical formula records.
She avoided eye contact with anyone and quietly sat down in the corner of the room.
When Yug noticed her‚ Ilmina’s shoulders jumped.
Her face turned red as she gave a small nod.
「……I’ll synchronize the light magic with the sword’s movements.
I’ll overlay the afterimages onto the tale and the sword’s trajectory.」
Vald narrowed his eyes slightly at Ilmina’s words.
「……Your light is sharp.
The sword’s trajectory will become the afterimage of the tale.
Then the enemy’s field of vision will retain the ‘blade of the tale.’」
Ilmina kept her face down and whispered softly.
「……Aren’t you scared?
Of the tale turning into a blade……」
Yug quietly answered her.
「I’m scared.
But against enemies the fire cannot reach‚ a blade is necessary.
Even so‚ so that it doesn’t take lives—the blade of the tale only needs to exert pressure.」
Vald drew his sword.
「I will reach them without swinging it.
That is my role.」
That day‚ a new formation was devised in the tactical room.
The shadow of the sword was added to the fire of the tale.
Light traced trajectories‚ scent stirred memories‚ shadow enveloped silence‚ and delusion shook hearts.
Yug opened his poetry collection.
The tale vibrated the air.
「Life is not something taken by a blade.
Life is something chosen by the tale.
For whom do you swing your sword?
What do you want to protect with your heart?」
Vald readied his sword.
Without swinging it‚ merely by holding the stance‚ the air trembled.
Ilmina’s light drew the sword’s trajectory as an afterimage.
In the enemy soldiers’ field of vision‚ the blade of the tale remained.
Words took form and were etched into memory.
Lumina quietly announced.
「Tactical reconfiguration complete.
Embers of the Six Stars‚ sword phase strengthened.
Substance has taken root in the fire of the tale.」
Yug looked around at his comrades.
Selina’s scent‚ Lumina’s silence‚ Ilmina’s light‚ Vald’s sword.
The fire of the tale dwelled within them.
Ilmina was in the corner of the room‚ gazing at the magical formula.
She sought no praise from anyone; she simply confirmed the beauty of the formula.
Yet a clear pride resided in her back.
Vald sheathed his sword and said.
「The fire of the tale is gentle.
But there are enemies that gentleness alone cannot reach.
That’s why I become the blade.
I will reach them without swinging it.」
Yug quietly nodded.
「Thank you‚ Vald.
Your sword has given the tale form.」
｜The swordsman Vald joins the tale.
｜The fire of the tale has gained the shadow of the blade and is ready to reach life.
｜The small mage was illuminating the battlefield by drawing the tale’s trajectory with light.
｜No one yet knows.
｜The day will come when this fire chooses destruction.
Chapter 12 "The Fire of the Tale Shakes the Kingdom"
Crimson Lotus Kingdom‚ Tactical Headquarters.
A heavy atmosphere filled the stone-walled conference room.
The upper echelons of the kingdom’s army had gathered to hear the report on the new tactic “Embers of the Six Stars” that had been deployed at the front line.
Yug Sarion sat in his seat‚ holding his poetry collection to his chest and enduring a stomachache.
Beside him were Selina Noctia and Lumina Valtia.
A little farther away‚ Ilmina Ferna sat with her body drawn in tightly.
「……Commencing the tactical report.」
Lumina stood up quietly and began to speak in a calm‚ even tone.
「The Embers of the Six Stars is a psychological‚ spatial‚ visual‚ and memory-interference tactic centered on the tale.
Its components are tale‚ scent‚ shadow‚ light‚ sword‚ and delusion.
It non-violently collapsed the enemy soldiers’ will to fight and achieved a tactical victory with zero casualties.」
The conference room buzzed.
「Zero casualties?」「Tactical victory?」「With a tale?」
Military Chief of Staff Veld Gran frowned and said.
「The tale is not a tactic. Poetry does not move soldiers.
Spirits are fickle.
There is no precedent for incorporating it into military structure.」
Yug quietly opened his poetry collection.
「The tale is a fire that reaches life.
If a sword tears the body‚ the tale shakes the heart.
Spirits resonate with that tremor.
The structure is not coincidence; it is design.」
Selina held out her fragrance ring.
「Memory interference through scent contributes to the stability of the spirit field.
The decline in enemy soldiers’ will to fight is the result of the coordination between scent and the tale.」
Vald spoke while resting his sword on his shoulder.
「I did not swing the sword.
Merely by holding the stance‚ I added the shadow of the blade to the fire of the tale.
The enemy soldiers had their hearts broken before they could draw their blades.」
At that moment‚ Ilmina held out the magical formula records with trembling hands.
She avoided everyone’s eyes‚ and her voice was hoarse.
「……Light magic‚ afterimage interference formula.
I fixed the outline of the tale visually.
The afterimage of the tale was……etched into the enemy soldiers’ memories.」
The chief of staff took the paper and narrowed his eyes.
「This is……a magical formula?
You visualized the tale’s trajectory with light?」
Ilmina gave a small nod.
Her face was red and her fingertips trembled.
Yet the magical formula was perfect.
「……The enemy soldiers mistook the tale for a ‘divine oracle.’
It has been deemed unrecordable‚ and Yug Sarion is already being called the ‘nightmare of ancient legends.’」
The conference room buzzed again.
「Mythologized?」「Unrecordable?」「Nightmare?」
One of the senior military officers stood up.
「Isn’t this more religion than military?
A tale that burns soldiers’ hearts is uncontrollable.
What about side effects? What about the burden on the caster?」
Yug answered while pressing his stomach.
「There are side effects.
If the tale reaches too far‚ it places a burden on the caster’s mind and body.
But as long as lives remain‚ I will light the fire.」
Selina gently touched Yug’s shoulder.
「His tale is a gentle fire.
It does not burn; it illuminates.
The spirits said so too.」
Ilmina whispered softly from the edge of her chair.
「……If my light could illuminate……I’m glad.」
At those words‚ Yug smiled.
「Without your light‚ the tale would not have remained in their memories.
Thank you‚ Ilmina.」
After a long silence‚ the chief of staff said quietly.
「……It seems the fire of the tale truly reached them.
However‚ for military adoption‚ we require structural stability and caster safety.
A formal review will be conducted by the Tactical Evaluation Committee.」
Yug quietly nodded.
「If the tale can reach the system itself‚ that too is the role of the fire.」
The meeting ended‚ and the comrades left the conference room.
Spirits drifted softly in the corridor.
The lingering echoes of the tale still remained in the air.
Ilmina walked quietly behind Yug so that no one would notice.
Her back was small‚ yet it held a definite light.
｜The fire of the tale shakes the kingdom.
｜The system and structure have touched the fire and begun to tremble.
｜The small mage was quietly drawing the outline of the tale more than anyone else.
｜No one yet knows.
｜The day will come when this fire chooses destruction.
Chapter 13 "The Empire‚ Rapid Reorganization"
Imperial Army Headquarters‚ Black Steel Fortress.
Cold light poured into the tactical development room.
Tactical maps lined the walls‚ and training magical formulas were carved into the floor.
General Leonis Valhardt stood at the center.
「……The fire of the tale is an illusion.
But since that illusion has burned the soldiers’ hearts‚ we have no choice but to crush it in reality.」
His voice was cold and sharp.
Gathered around him was the rapid-attack tactic development team.
Adjutant Schvil Kaines‚ staff officer Milfi Elna‚ and newly summoned mages.
「Embers of the Six Stars. Tale‚ scent‚ shadow‚ light‚ sword‚ delusion.
Its formation specializes in psychological interference and spatial manipulation.
Therefore‚ we will counter with ‘speed and interception.’」
Milfi said while spreading out the magical formula blueprints.
「New tactic proposal: Fangs of Rupture – Revised.
Components: emotional blockade‚ forced vision‚ command synchronization‚ magical power acceleration‚ anti-tale interference‚ memory sealing.
We will ‘close’ the soldiers’ hearts before the fire of the tale can reach them.」
Schvil frowned.
「The mental burden on the soldiers is too great.
Performing emotional blockade and memory sealing simultaneously risks personality collapse.」
Leonis stabbed his sword into the wall and said.
「I don’t care.
It’s better to close our hearts and win than to be burned by the tale.
If we’re going to yield to illusion‚ we don’t need personality.」
The room fell silent at his words.
No one could object.
That was the Empire’s way of fighting.
That night‚ Leonis walked alone through the training ground.
The soldiers continued emotional-blockade training.
They sealed their memories and forged hearts that would not react to the tale.
They followed orders alone and eliminated emotion.
「A heart that can be reached by the tale is unnecessary on the battlefield.
To defeat illusion‚ we can only thrust reality before them.」
He looked up at the sky.
The stars were invisible.
Unlike the sky of the Crimson Lotus Kingdom‚ the Empire’s sky was always overcast.
At that moment‚ a wind blew.
A faint scent drifted by.
Wisteria and yuzu.
It was the scent used by the spirit mages of the Crimson Lotus Kingdom.
Leonis frowned.
「……So even the scent reaches this far.
Do the echoes of the tale ride the wind?」
He drew his sword.
He slashed the air.
The scent vanished.
Yet a faint tremor remained deep in his heart.
「Ridiculous. It’s an illusion.
I win with speed.」
He sheathed his sword and left the training ground.
To raise soldiers the tale could not reach.
That was the Empire’s answer.
Meanwhile‚ in the tactical development room‚ the mages had completed a new formation formula.
Fangs of Rupture – Revised.
A tactic of speed and interception to counter the fire of the tale.
Milfi gazed at the formula diagram and murmured.
「……But the tale possesses echoes.
It burns the soldiers’ hearts after it reaches them.
Speed alone may not be able to prevent the echoes.」
Schvil said quietly.
「Then we crush the speaker before the echoes arrive.
Yug Sarion.
We silence him before his tale can reach.」
Milfi remained silent for a while.
Then she said quietly.
「……The tale is no longer merely fire; it is becoming myth.
To crush it‚ ordinary swords are not enough.
We must create a ‘structure that denies the tale.’」
Leonis gripped his sword again.
「Then we smash the structure.
We burn away the illusion.
The fire of the tale can simply be reduced to ash.」
｜The Empire‚ rapid reorganization.
｜To counter the fire of the tale‚ they close their hearts and wield speed as a weapon.
｜The small mage’s light continued to draw the outline of the tale.
｜No one yet knows.
｜The day will come when this fire chooses destruction.
Chapter 14 "The Fire of the Tale Tested by the Rapid Attack"
Crimson Lotus Kingdom front line‚ Third Defense Line.
As the morning mist thinned and the sky began to whiten‚ the alarm sounded.
The Empire’s rapid-attack unit was approaching at an abnormal speed.
Yug Sarion stood at the center of the tactical formation‚ holding his poetry collection to his chest and enduring a stomachache.
Around him were Selina Noctia‚ Lumina Valtia‚ Ilmina Ferna‚ and Vald Greia.
All members of the Embers of the Six Stars were assembled.
「……The Empire’s new tactic‚ ‘Fangs of Rupture – Revised.’
A rapid-attack type using emotional blockade and command synchronization.
They close their hearts and charge before the tale can reach them.」
Lumina deployed the magical formula in silence.
Selina placed her fragrance ring on the ground and adjusted the spirit field.
Vald readied his sword‚ and Ilmina adjusted the coordinates for her light magic.
Yug opened his poetry collection.
「Today is the day we test whether the fire of the tale can reach them.」
At that moment‚ the imperial soldiers came into view.
They were expressionless‚ swords ready‚ charging in a straight line.
There was no emotion in their eyes‚ their ears were closed‚ and their hearts were blocked.
「……The tale isn’t reaching them.」
Yug’s voice trembled slightly.
The spirits gathered on his shoulders.
Yet even though the fire of the tale vibrated the air‚ it did not reach their hearts.
「First formation‚ activate. Memory interference through scent.」
Selina activated the fragrance ring‚ and the scent of wisteria and yuzu spread across the battlefield.
But the imperial soldiers showed no reaction.
Their memories were sealed; the scent did not reach them.
「Second formation‚ spatial tremor through light and shadow.」
Ilmina deployed the magical formula‚ and light afterimages overlapped the sword’s trajectory.
Lumina expanded the field of silence‚ attempting to delay the enemy’s thoughts.
But the imperial soldiers did not stop.
They followed orders alone and charged‚ ignoring the margins of the tale.
「Third formation‚ psychological penetration through the tale.」
Yug began to speak.
「Life is not something protected by a sword.
Life is something chosen by the tale.
What do you want to protect with your heart?
What do you want to leave behind in your memory?」
But the tale did not reach them.
The imperial soldiers’ hearts were closed.
「Fourth formation‚ visual interference through delusion.」
The spirits projected illusions into the enemy soldiers’ field of vision.
Yet even when they saw the phantoms‚ they did not stop.
Delusion did not reach hearts that had been blocked.
「Fifth formation‚ pressure lockdown through sword pressure.」
Vald held his sword in stance without swinging it.
The air trembled‚ and the spirits added the shadow of the blade.
For an instant‚ the imperial soldiers’ feet stopped.
But they immediately began moving again.
「Sixth formation‚ echo fixation through silence.」
Lumina expanded the silence.
The lingering reverberation of the tale remained in the space.
Ilmina’s light etched the tale’s trajectory as an afterimage.
And then—one imperial soldier stopped his sword.
「……Why……are there tears……?」
The afterimage of the tale was burned into his eyes.
The heart he could not fully block had been touched by the tale.
Yug closed his poetry collection.
「……It reached.
Even if only one‚ the tale reached him.」
Selina said while stabilizing the spirit field.
「The scent stirred his memory.
The spirits carried the tale.」
Ilmina murmured while looking at the magical formula.
「……The light drew the outline of the tale.
If it remained in memory……I’m glad.」
Lumina quietly announced.
「Tactically‚ a defeat.
The tale reached‚ but the formation was broken.
The Empire’s rapid attack tested the fire of the tale.」
Yug stood up while pressing his stomach.
「But the fire has not gone out.
Even against those it cannot reach‚ the tale leaves echoes.
That is the essence of fire.」
Vald sheathed his sword and said.
「Next time‚ we will make it reach.
With sword and tale‚ we will open their hearts.」
｜The fire of the tale tested by the rapid attack.
｜Against soldiers with closed hearts‚ the fire did not reach and the formation trembled.
｜But the small mage’s light continued to draw the outline of the tale.
｜No one yet knows.
｜The day will come when this fire chooses destruction.
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