The cavalry unit from the San Rojeul Monarchy had assaulted the Kingdom’s headquarters that wasn’t expecting them, and successfully trampled on them easily.

「There wasn’t any resistance at all. 」

   As the captain stopped his mount, a young man who came beside him spoke.

「Can’t blame them. They have half our men. And it was a sudden attack for them too, they probably never expected that they would be attacked. 」

   Of course, since they’re on the battlefield, that is just their carelessness. Even though his words had a little sympathy for the enemy, his voice also had the element of scorn.

「Shall we pursue? 」

「Of course. 」

   They had already gotten a man that is likely the General, and another young man likely a royal member. The Kingdom army’s command and order is no longer functioning, they probably couldn’t put up any organized resistance now. Normally, they would’ve already done more than enough, and retreating would be best.

   But it’s a little different for them this time. Winning is natural, it is a battle to force the Kingdom to no longer have the capacity to continue a war. If they can pursue and sweep up the remaining enemy forces, they can easily undermine their military power and ensure the smooth sailing of the Empire after the war.

「But there’s no need to send every one of us there though. 」

   Recalling the pathetic crumbling of the headquarters just a while ago, the captain gave out orders to the young man.

「I will let you a thousand men, go and put down some achievements. We will sweep the remaining enemy soldiers around here and head for the right wing for support. 」

「Yessir! 」

   That young man is someone the captain had in mind for a while, and the young man seems promising. Even though he’s still young, he’s already in the flying horse cavalry, he was even appointed the aide for the expedition this time.

   There’re still chances for them to gain achievements even when the enemies are in chaos. If he manages to get more important figures, then there’ll be great rewards waiting when he returns. It’s likely he can be promoted along with the captain after finishing the mission and returning to their country.

   The young man showed excitement at that prospect, and quickly led half of the cavalry unit to pursue the collapsing Kingdom army.

   After seeing him depart, the captain led a few troops too, killing the remaining enemy soldiers which are running away, then heading to the right wing to support the Imperial army which is probably unneeded.

   It was quite a while later after they advanced their movement on their own accord that they encountered with enemy cavalries.

「There’re thirty of them ahead. Don’t let them away if they’re enemy messengers. 」

   Receiving a report from the scouts that there’re cavalries up ahead, the captain gave out orders to capture them.

   It seems like the other side had noticed them as well, they had immediately turned around their horses and ran. And so, the pursue of the thirty calvaries were carried out by the flying horse riders.

   They couldn’t possibly get away. After all, the flying horses are faster than normal horses in general. If they aren’t riding on more than excellent horses, then they would eventually catch up.

   The captain together with the remaining of his unit chased after the thirty riders while raising his speed leisurely.

***

   Ardis caught signs of mana signatures heading towards himself.

   Two signatures leading, then behind them are about sixty. They were all mana signatures about a human’s size big and overlapping with another bigger signature, they’re probably all riding on horses.

「Someone’s getting chased. 」

   As they drew closer, their figure became clearer. The ones in the front seems to be wearing the Kingdom’s outfit. From his figure, it seems like he’s trying to get away from the thirty pursuers from behind.

   In other words, it’s natural to assume the thirty riders behind are Imperial forces.

「……What should we do? 」

   Kyrill asked Ardis fidgetily.

「We don’t really have a choice right? Even if we tried hiding, this place is too……」

   While saying so composedly, Ardis looked around. It’s no forest nor mountains, it’s a wasteland that had become a battlefield and has nowhere to hide. In the first place, it’s not possible for all thirty students to hide.

   The students other than Kyrill who heard that turned pale immediately. The numbers facing each other would be matching. Though, all they have are students that had barely experienced a war today, and the opponents are elites riding on horses. It’s as obvious as the sun how the outcome would be.

「Is it……alright? 」

   Kyrill is the one who understands Ardis’s ability the most in this spot. Although he trusts that Ardis wouldn’t sweat handling a group of cavalries, the reason why he still was anxious is because that he was worrying that himself and the students would be a baggage hindering that.

「About thirty riders are whatever but――」

   Kyrill laughed dryly while repeating Ardis’s words, 「So they’re whatever huh……」

「The problem is there’re more behind them. 」

「Eh? 」

   Kyrill panickily looked in front.

   All he could see is thirty Imperial soldiers chasing. But after looking closely, there’re dusts raising way behind the thirty riders. It’s the proof of someone there.

「Those are also horse riders. About one thousand, or so? 」

「T-Thousand!? 」

   Even Kyrill’s eyes became round. The unexpected number made everyone other than Kyrill not even able to utter.

   Even though thirty of them is already depressing enough, now that they have heard the numbers following them, even Kyrill can’t hope but to cling on some hopeful wish.

「C-Could they be friendlies……? 」

「If they’re friendlies, there’s no reason that one there is running away. 」

   That’s logical. If there’re that much friendlies around, there’s no reason for him to be running away from the direction of the friendlies. Since the only Kingdom soldier is riding away, the thousand men behind is probably not friendlies.

   While conversing so, their distance shortened.

「Well, I will take care of the front ones first. You all stay back. 」

   Having a worried expression, Kyrill and the other students retreated some distance away, and Ardis stood alone against the approaching group.

   Kyrill’s worry is natural. Certainly, Ardis’s attempt just now at rushing into the enemy army was successful. But those were normal infantries.

   Now he’s facing against elites of the empire, their strength should be much greater than the infantries. A thousand cavalries are powerful in a battlefield, on top of that, every single one of them are capable.

   But Ardis didn’t show any panic, only a calm gaze is directed at the approaching cavalries. Eventually when the Kingdom cavalry had come close enough for them to see his facial expression, Ardis started his welcoming chant.

「The striking bullet that is the vanguard of the noble winter spirit ――― Felte! 」(Ice Block)

   Responding to Ardis’s chant, multiple icicles formed around Ardis, and then shot towards the riders with the sharp tip headfirst.

   To not accidentally hit the friendly soldier, Ardis decided to use multiple 『Ice blocks』 rather than 『Storm of the North』. Seeing Ardis form thirty icicles in a moment, the other students had a gasp as if screaming.

「W-What was that ……!? 」

「Is that really 『Ice block』……? 」

「Multiples!? Is that even possible!? 」

   Without a single regards to the students who were surprised and impressed and commenting, Ardis shot the ice magic at the approaching imperial riders in a straight line. The riders seemed to have noticed Ardis’s attack, and dropped their speed and deployed magic barriers ahead of them.

(They can all use magic? Looks like it’s not going to be easy)

   In the first place, cavalries are formed of elites in the army. Knowing how to ride a horse, they had trained fighting atop a horse day and night. If they can even use magic barriers, then it just means their training must be excellent.

   But the 『Ice block』 hurled at them weren’t 『Ice block』. It is Ardis’s prided incomparably powerful spell that was only possible because of his ability to freely manipulate mana. Of course, a weak barrier can’t possibly defend against them.

   The icicles accelerated by mana aimed straight towards the soldiers riding on their horses, and crashed into the barriers they deployed. But it was only a short moment their momentum was dulled. They immediately broke the barrier next.

   But just before hitting the enemy soldiers straight in the head, the icicles showed unnatural movements. The icicles moving in a straight line before turned, it was like it evaded the enemy soldiers and turned away.

「Missed? No, they made it miss. 」

   Even though it’s a snipe from a far distance, Ardis’s accuracy wasn’t that dull to not hit bullseye.

   There’s no mistake they were influenced by some outside factor and had their trajectory changed. But the question is what affected it.

「Those horses……, they’re the rumored huh. 」

   The news that Ardis heard, 『A group of cavalries that came from the southern continent』. The mounts they ride on are unfamiliar beasts. He heard that they were like horses but not horses, and Ardis now had the chance to verify the truth of that statement.

   Their silhouette certainly looks like a horse’s. But looking closely, they are clearly a different creature than a horse. Covered in feathers on both lateral sides of its body, its feathers grew until its hooves.

   The feathers that pointed backwards as a proof of their speed, making them look graceful, a trait unfitting on a battlefield. Feeling a faint mana that spread out from the beasts, Ardis understood the reason his icicles missed.

「I see. It’s not just their appearances are weird huh. 」

   It seems like they have some kind of magical defense. Is it used by the riders consciously, or is it the beasts’ instincts? In any case, Ardis understood that the fact that magical attacks wouldn’t be able to show their effects successfully.

   If they can make spells deviate a little, he can respond with a more powerful and wide attack, but that would probably mean involving the friendly.

   If Ardis is an average magician, then it would be a grave situation. But Ardis isn’t a magician in the first place. Even if any of his spell doesn’t work, Ardis isn’t out of hands.

「Tch, troublesome. 」

   Just like how he clicked his tongue, those attacks only served as distractions.

   Ardis took out two short swords from his waist. Just like the name 『Sword magic user』 he was known as, fighting with flying swords is what he excels at.

   And above all, something most people probably wouldn’t understand, Ardis isn’t a 『Magician』 in the first place, but a 『Swordsman』 who eliminates his enemies with the swords in his hands.