Attack Operation Ends

And so came the morning of day 7.

"Wall construction is complete."

A Crafting Artisan reported in.

"Huh, wasn't completion scheduled for tonight? Or rather, you're done already?"

"Nay, completion of the wall itself is scheduled for noon today. From there we begin the final touches, with full completion scheduled for tonight.

Roughly on schedule, but with the Magical Beasts having dwindled, things were sped up somewhat.

… From here is the final touch.

We strengthen the White Wave to completely purify this land.

Doing this suppresses the emergence of Magical Beasts, and lets this region be reshaped into human territory."

The finale at last, huh.

"One last point of caution.

A strong wave conversely incites the Magical Beasts to ferocity, strengthening them in turn.

So how much you can weaken the Magical Beasts before this final stage is the decisive point of the contest.

On that point, this time it should be fine. So, Naoto, give the signal."

So Ursula urged me, but…

"… No, I'll leave the final signal to Ursula. The one who arranged all of the preparations up to here was Ursula."

I urged it back.

"Nay, the one who brought success was thou.

With Vivia and Miria becoming companions and the late game spent leisurely, hast thou forgotten how harsh this battle was?

An attack operation in which two Demon Generals come attacking is normally impossible for a lower-S-Class Master to overcome alone.

… It was because it was thou that it was achieved. Had I been the leader, I might well have failed…

… That said, I am glad to be esteemed by thee.

Then I shall avail myself of thy words."

Ursula stood before the communications equipment and declared:

"All right, everyone — the final touch! Strengthen the output of the White Wave to maximum!"

Bunnn…

I felt as though a low sound rang out.

We couldn't quite tell, but the White Wave that weakened Magical Beasts must have intensified to its maximum.

Guoooooooo…

The final roars of the Magical Beasts… At last, the final day's battle had begun!

… Not that there was need to hype it up.

The Magical Beasts had already dwindled more than sufficiently.

They were strengthened to about the same level as when Miria had been here, but their numbers were too few.

At this rate, it was simple enough to pick them off one by one and be done.

Everyone who had fought through to here had grown in individual skill and coordination. It was almost anticlimactic.

The supposed final decisive battle was utterly tame.

"… That too is all thy accomplishment.

Had we let Miria slip away, she'd have surely conserved her strength all the way to this final final."

So Ursula murmured.

The Miria in question nodded, mm-mm, and continued:

"The day-4 final offensive happened because my orders had been cut off.

If I'd been giving orders, I'd have run intermittent attacks endlessly across six days to pile up fatigue, and then brought that out today, on this final day.

With my buffs and the White Wave's reactive buffs, I'd have laid a 100% combat-buffed grand offensive on all forts."

"… Yeah, that's impossible. We absolutely couldn't have won."

No need to even think about it. That was past the level of a mere pinch.

… All we could have done was flee. If we were slow to flee, we'd have been killed.

If that had happened, worst case Ursula would have been killed, and Demon God Miria would have been born…

"Uwah…"

That… was absolutely no good.

I mean, if a girl as wise and powerful as Miria became a Demon God and got political power too, the whole human territory would be in danger.

"Well, that is truly the worst case.

Thou likely wouldst have considered withdrawal the moment Miria slipped away.

Clinging to a battlefield one cannot win is foolish. The point thereafter is how to reduce the damage."

"… Yeah."

No, I might have stubbornly insisted on continuing to fight, thinking "but Ursula prepared everything…"

But at that point, Ursula would have admonished me.

I didn't intend to be foolish enough to brush off Ursula's advice.

In that case, the worst would have been averted.

I'd just have had to attend the S-Class Conference in a depressed mood after a failed attack operation.

But Miria not becoming a companion really would have been the worst. If Miria had left, Vivia likely would have too.

No, that's still uncertain for now…

"Well now, the Magical Beasts' numbers are dwindling too… Just a bit more."

"Yeah. Let's focus on the final battle now."

Not that there were enough left to require focus, though.

… After all, the moment we beat Miria and weathered the day-4 grand offensive, this attack operation had already been over.

Eventually…

The light output from the orb weakened.

After that, just quiet, glittering sparkle.

Pikon.

『The Ernest District Attack Operation has succeeded.』

Ooh, a system message appeared.

Seeing this, it really felt like it was over.

"… Complete. With this, this Magical Beast territory, the Ernest District, has become our human territory!"

Ursula declared.

Oooooooh!

The knights raised a victory cry all at once. We won, we won…!

… Well, the second half was just flirting with Miria and Vivia, but…

But, it's victory!

And so I had obtained victory in an attack operation — which could be called a great medal for an S-Class Master.

"Thank you, Ursula.

Of course this is thanks to everyone who worked hard, but… it's thanks to you, who arranged all the preparations."

"… Nay, 'tis not so. As I said before, all is thy accomplishment.

Rather, that I failed to notice a Demon General had slipped in is my failing.

… Well, when a demon-kin hides themselves, they are not easily noticed. Not without borrowing, say, the power of the Prophecy Princess…"

Ursula smiled wryly.

"There have been few attack operations this harsh.

That thou succeeded at it… is thy own strength. Be proud, Naoto."

So Ursula said, and embraced me.

And so we shared this joy plentifully with our companions. About that, more later.

For now, let me speak of those who can't yet be called companions.

"Vivia, Miria."

When I called the two of them, they came trotting over.

"Goshujin-sama, congratulations on the victory!"

Vivia congratulated me with a beaming smile.

"C-congratulations, Goshujin-sama. Well, since you're my Goshujin-sama, this much is only natural, right. In the second half Vivia and I worked plenty, so the reward had better be hefty!"

Even while snapping snark, Miria looked happy too.

The two of them already had the look of being thoroughly settled in as my companions.

If I just made them companions on this momentum, they didn't look like they'd get angry. But…

"Vivia, Miria. You remember the promise, right? That once this attack operation ended, I'd release you once.

… I'll keep that promise."

"Eh…"

I said that and, without waiting for the two's reply, operated the system.

And… deep in the system screen, in a very hard-to-select place where probably almost no one ever performed this operation… the option 『Release Garumon』.

I selected it.

Pi.

Kashan…

An image of chains coming off.

And so, Vivia and Miria reverted to Free Garumon.

"Eh…"

"Hau…"

Rather, the two of them wore wounded, lonely expressions…

M-my chest hurts.

B-but it was a promise…

"… Vivia, Miria.

Now that you're free, let me ask again.

Become my companions, and from here on, please keep fighting alongside me.

I… will make you happy with all my might. Believe in me, and please follow me."

I said that, and stretched out my hands to the two of them.

Now then, how would it go?

"Setting us free, what a foolish guy!" Shouting that, then fleeing or attacking… that was the normal reaction.

I thought we'd grown quite close over these past few days.

But how true that was, I didn't know. What if it was an act?

Or what if, having been made into my Garumon, their hearts had really only been manipulated?

What if deep down they had hated it?

… Right here, right now… the result would be shown.

And so, the released two…

Lunged at me all at once!

… Chu, chu…!

… They clung to me, my lips taken.

When a Free Garumon kisses a Master, naturally…

Kashan…

The two were once more chained to me.

"I can't think of life without Goshujin-sama anymore…! Forever, as Goshujin-sama's Garumon…

please keep me by your side for ages and ages.

I love Goshujin-sama…!"

So Vivia said.

"Thank you, I'm so happy, Vivia."

I kissed her once more from my side.

"I-it's not like, I-I, I particularly love, G-Goshujin-sama or anything, n-not at all!

It's just, by Goshujin-sama's side I can study and grow stronger… and serving Goshujin-sama is fun…

When Goshujin-sama praises me, my heart goes all warm with happiness… and when Goshujin-sama is pleased, I'm happy too…

H-stuff feels good too…

A-anyway, I weighed the merits and demerits and there were tons of merits, so as a rational judgment I chose to become Goshujin-sama's Garumon! D-don't get the wrong idea!"

Well, Miria's words just felt like being unable to be honest…

I had no problem trusting them.

"Miria. I'm really happy you decided not on vague feelings, but by rational judgment."

I patted Miria's head.

"… Mn."

Miria closed her eyes and… waited for a kiss.

If I said "If you don't love me, you don't need a kiss, right?" right now, she looked like she'd cry, so, chu.

"… Ehehe."

Miria looked very happy. Cute.

"… Vivia. Miria. From here on, looking forward to it."

I embraced the two of them.

"Goshujin-sama…"

"Goshujin-sama…"

The two of them honestly entrusted their bodies to me, and embraced me back.

… And so, Vivia and Miria officially became my companions.

We decided to all gather at Fort 5 once before returning, and we too teleported to Fort 5.

"Naoto-sama, well done."

Reida-san greeted me.

She'd likely been the one to relay the attack operation's success externally too.

"… Reida-san, I'm sorry for leaving the role of overall commander to you in the late game.

As expected of the Nord Knight Order Commander. Splendid command."

In the late game, my being able to play around with Vivia and Miria at Fort 9 was thanks to Reida-san taking over overall command.

Of course, only after confirming the enemy's attack was dying down and there was no problem.

Just confirming whether problems were arising anywhere across the whole was itself a fair burden, so I thought Reida-san's work was significant.

"Not at all… if I didn't do at least this much work, there'd be no meaning to my having come here…

I was glad to be of even a little use at the end.

… With apologies, at first… since Naoto-sama is still an inexperienced Master, I had presumptuously been thinking, 'I'll have to prop up the areas where he's not used to things.'

I'm truly sorry.

But Naoto-sama's instructions were always accurate and optimal; there was no room anywhere for me to butt in.

On the contrary, I was by far the one being taught.

A battle this harsh — had I commanded it, victory would have been quite impossible.

Truly splendid. I am in awe."

Reida-san bowed deeply.

The wording wasn't rude at all, only natural, but read another way:

'At first I underestimated you, but unexpectedly you did well' — it could be taken that way too.

To one with the ear for it, it was a rude remark.

Of course, I didn't think it was rude.

To Reida-san, with over 10 years as a Knight Order Commander, I was a complete greenhorn. Being underestimated was only natural.

In fact she hadn't actually underestimated me.

But even a greenhorn — I was, for now, this world's highest-power authority, an S-Class Master.

She, as a C-Class NPC, had to respectfully treat me as her superior.

Of course, what she thought deep in her heart was her freedom… In short, she just had to stay silent.

Even if you thought, 'What can this greenhorn do? He's bound to come crying,' you stayed silent.

And if that greenhorn unexpectedly did well, you could later sneakily say, 'I believed in you from the start!'

I would never have noticed, all the way through.

… But that she went out of her way to say it — I thought it was her sincerity.

Her wanting to support me came from her kindness; I couldn't think it rude.

But, put unkindly, it was underestimation. That was undeniable.

That she felt sorry for even that slight underestimation — she sincerely acknowledged me that much.

She was just that earnest a person.

That feeling of hers came through, and my heart warmed deeply.

… Truly a wonderful person.

"On the contrary, I was truly helped by Reida-san and the Knight Order.

Truly, thank you."

I, too, honestly gave my thanks.

"Not at all… if I could be of use to Naoto-sama, there is no greater joy!"

Reida-san returned a smile. Uh-huh, she really was beautiful…

… Having met such a beautiful Reida-san, having fought a week on the same battlefield…

And yet, not growing much more intimate than this was just too much of a waste…

If the battle had been more relaxed, we should have made more time together.

Mostly because Miria gave us so much trouble. Well, bad to say that, though.

That said, thanks to that I'd been able to bring Vivia and Miria on as companions, which was really happy…

You can't have your cake and eat it too, huh.

… Telling Reida-san after the battle, "Could we meet again?" or such… eh, wasn't that a high hurdle?

That was completely a pickup line, wasn't it.

Even if I'd grown a bit accustomed to being popular over here, originally I was an unpopular introvert.

A pickup line on a peerless beauty like this was a bit… it felt weird.

How had I approached the other girls?

… Right, if it became a match, my resolve would also be set, and I could mercilessly take them.

After that, asking them to become a companion had a solid combat-strength purpose, so it was easy to say.

But a Knight Order Commander wasn't someone you simply made a companion… in which case you just had to pick them up normally.

Uwaah… talking to a girl, what on earth was I even supposed to say?

While I was vaguely floundering like that…

"If it suits Naoto-sama's convenience, might I receive instruction on the otherworld tactics Naoto-sama has learned?

For whatever I can offer in return, I'll do anything…"

Reida-san offered!

"Why, with pleasure!"

S-so. She'd taken an interest in my otherworld tactics.

… Though I wondered if she'd understand if I started talking about tower defense games.

I'd have to interpret it in my own way to convey it…

Honestly I wasn't confident I could explain it well, but I wanted to give a talk useful for Reida-san.

So I thought.

"Please continue to favor us, the Nord Knight Order.

For Naoto-sama's sake, we'll come running at any time."

For now, Reida-san wasn't becoming a full companion, but…

The Knight Order and the S-Class Master would surely keep dealing closely with each other.

I thought it would be nice if we could grow closer privately from here on too.

Finally, I took the stage to greet everyone.

The knights who'd fallen wounded — "wounded" being a figure of speech, those actually injured were few.

Not that there were none. When the timing of HP hitting 0 wasn't well-coupled with a rescue by a comrade,

some sustained scrapes, cuts, and in bad cases serious wounds like fractures.

… But recovery magic didn't just refill an invisible HP bar — it also had the effect of strengthening natural healing.

So those withdrawn to the rear for treatment had already fully recovered.

Deaths: 0.

… Whether to count Melvis's Undead as living or dead was troubling, but if death meant parting, then they too hadn't had a single death.

The 100 Undead Warrior-kun were also healthily clacking their bones.

So, the initial members were all gathered without a single one missing.

The formation wasn't as solid as at the start, with knights and Undead fairly mixed in.

They weren't slacking — after this they were just heading home, and they'd grown close over a week of harsh battle.

I found the sight heartwarming.

"Um, everyone who fought with me up to here.

S-Class Master Naoto Akai here.

This time, we managed to secure a victory in this attack operation.

This is solely thanks to all of you supporting an immature me, I think.

A-Class Masters, B-Class Masters, knights. And my beloved companions.

Everyone… thank you!"

I said that and bowed.

Whoaaaaa…!

A storm of applause, voices praising me…

That I, commanding this many people, had fought through it all…

And pulled it off.

It seemed somehow unbelievable.

The experience of leading people seemed to enlarge a person by one stage.

I was… definitely growing as a human too. So I felt I could think.

I'd keep becoming an S-Class Master worthy of the title…

And become a person worthy of being called Leonhardt-san's successor.

For that, victory in the next Eclair battle was an absolute requirement.

… There wasn't much grace period.

The next battle was the S-Class Conference.

With this attack-operation success that Ursula had prepared in hand, I would challenge the lair of the seasoned S-Class Masters.

… But before that, a reward.

Until the decisive battle, let me savor a short rest.