My Reason
“Well then, the next question..”
The glint in Roge-san eyes suddenly became sharp.
“Why did you let the enemy escape?”
“Eh.”
“If you have such power, you should be able to completely destroy the enemy. If you did, the empire’s strength would decrease.”
Are, the flow somehow changed?
Perhaps, am I being criticized……?
“Ummm…… I thought about taking him hostage──While thinking so he escaped, ahaha.”
I tried to deceive them while laughing.
“…… Fumu.”
Roge-san’s face became wary.
This is bad, his reaction is not good!
Though I have answered, I may not be able to pass because of that very answer.
“Then, you are saying of not for the state affairs, you wouldn’t let him escape. Are you saying that you would kill him? Are you able to kill for our country?”
Roge-san stares at me.
The gentle face doesn’t match the glint in his eyes.
This person must have killed before.
Manny battles──He must have experienced a lot of bloodsheds.
I may have taken this too lightly.
Because I have overwhelming power, there’s no need to needlessly kill.
But if I enter Knight’s Order elite forces, then I will have to fight with Empire’s Magicians──
What happens on the battlefield is war.
Killing each other.
Do I have such resolve?
To kill people?
Of course, this isn’t Japan.
The ethical viewpoint on killing is different.
“I──”
How should I answer?
The old knight stared at me as he was evaluating me.
“I want to be successful. I want wealth and honor. I want to be praised as someone special──I have applied to this unit only with these fickle reasons. This unit is the main force against the Magic Empire which would allow me to flourish.”
Roge-san’s expression is indifferent.
But I felt like carrying a heavy basket on my head, the pressure from his gaze is unbearable.
Above all──His eyes look like they can see right through me.
I understand intuitively.
This person can detect the truth and the lie.
“However, with such fickle feelings, you are not fit in this unit. We fight in order to protect the country. We use any methods available to protect which is important to us. For that reason, we kill──You are not fit if you don’t have the resolve.”
Roge-san glared at me while waiting for my answer.
I’m overwhelmed.
Resolve…… huh.
I may have come here in order to obtain admiration.
If that’s the case──Do I have the qualifications to be here?
“Your power is certainly wonderful. But, what about your heart? Those who are not resolved are not fit for Knight’s Order.”
“──Wrong.”
I shake my head slowly.
In my mind『wrong』was floating when hearing Roge-san’s words.
The feelings when I fought Gaizas revive in my chest.
Right, what I felt that time was──
“Then, let me ask you again Abel-dono. Why do you wish to enter the Knight’s Order? Would you be able to kill in the war with the Magic Empire?”
“…… I don’t know. Can I really kill a person──”
Hearing my words, obvious disappointment appeared on old man Roge’s face.
“However.”
I continue without minding.
“When the magician of the empire attacked the village, I wanted to protect the people important to me…… Because I had such feelings, I was able to overcome my fear.”
“…… Hou.”
Old knight lets out a small sound.
“Your eyes changed a little. No, this is probably your true self──”
Goun!
In the middle of his sentence, the wall exploded.
“Wh, what!?”
“The wall has──”
The interviewers make a racket.
A large hole was in the wall.
“Don’t be flustered.”
Among the panicking interviewers, only the old knight was calm.
I stood up and pulled out the sword from my waist.
“Prepare. It’s coming──”
Just as he said, a shadow of a person emerged from the other side of the debris.
A youth wearing a black robe.
“Hmph, looks like you have a gathering. Knights of the Kingdom.”
He haughtily declared.
This guy, the empire’s——!?
“I’m visiting on my Emperor’s orders. I’m Magic Empire’s magician, rank 7=4, Adeptus Exemptus Rado.”
As I expected, the Magician Rado declared bluntly.
“To gather people in order to oppose our Empire…… You are foolish, Aisha Kingdom.”
With a sneer on his face, Rado points his finger at us.
A pale light forms on his finger.
The magic power is gathering.
“Opposing our Empire is not allowed. The only thing that is allowed is allegiance. Therefore, you bastards──一You should all die.”
He suddenly fires a laser beam.
“Tsk!”
I form a chantless defensive shield while clicking my tongue.
A large explosion can be heard briefly after that.
Together with a dazzling spark, the pale light beam that Rado fired was repelled with my bluish barrier.
“Hou, to defend against my magic with ease.”
Rado glares at me.
“Don’t attack without any warning. That’s dangerous.”
I glare back at Rado.
The Empire’s magician sighs as he understood something.
“──I see, it’s you. I have received a report from Gaizas, that there is a magician with some skill in the kingdom.”
Gaizas, that’s the guy from the last time.
“Although you may have bested 6=5 Adeptus Major Gaizas, but you are nothing against me, 7=4 Adeptus Exemptus.”
“Even if you give me your ranks, I don’t understand any of that.”
“Y, you, are you mocking my rank!?”
Rado’s face reddened in an instant.
I’m not mocking anything, I can’t understand what I don’t know.
Oh, well.
However, since a while ago, I have been strangely calm.
Is it the confidence that I can defeat anyone with my magic?
No matter how much stronger he is than Gaizas, I didn’t pay any attention to Gaizas’ strength in the first place.
I can surely win.
No, I should be able to easily overpower him.
“I don’t know what kind of secrets you are hiding, but you are still a magician. I beat some sense into you──”
As soon as he says, he conjures magic again.
“It won’t work.”
I cast the chantless defensive barrier again.
──N?
However, the Rado’s attack passed over our heads and crashed right into the ceiling.
With an explosion, the ceiling collapses.
Instead of killing us with magic, he is planning to crush us to death?
“W, whoa……”
The interviewers scream.
Only Roge-san appears to be calm. What a courage.
“It’s okay, everything’s fine.”
I enlarge the effective range of my barrier while soothing them.
The defensive field takes the shape of a dome and stretches around all of us.
All the innumerable debris that fell down was blocked by the barrier.
When I look forward, Rado’s figure already disappeared.
It seems he left while we were preoccupied with the collapsing ceiling.
He had no intention to flee, so he probably just changed the location.
Or perhaps he hid somewhere waiting to ambush us.
“Abel-dono, please chase after him. If it’s your magic, you can oppose him.”
The old knight lowered his head to me.
“Let us witness your power properly.”
He looks at me with a sharp glint in his eyes.
N? If I put on a good show here, perhaps I will be able to pass?
Alright, let’s do this.