Battle War; Magic, Sword and Dragon

8. Plan

The hero who will save Laila and Fila from the villain, that's what they both hope for, but it's just a meaningless hope because reality will never change if you just hope.

With an eruption sound, the criminal pressed the trigger and fired an Anticristal bullet towards the two of them. They can't avoid it and think they're going to die, but-

"..Missed?"

No, rather the direction of the shot changed and missed a meter from where they were standing. But, why?

Both were surprised to see the burly man had held the gun carried by his men until the direction of his shot missed the target.

(That villain leader saved us?)

Yep. Alan saved them both from his men.

Alan's actions left Fila confused, but that was probably because her guess was correct. They're not going after anyone but knights.

"Laila, let's go!"

"Eh?"

"Silent. I don't think they're gonna kill us!"

Laila was not convinced by Fila's words, but that was the reality. The criminal didn't kill them both.

"...Alright."

The two of them finally left by walking. They walked because Laila could not run and if forced, it would make Laila's legs worse.

After all, the criminals did not target them, which is why Fila was not too worried even though they now turned their backs to the enemy.

(Damn it. I hope they don't shoot us!)

Even so, Fila broke out in cold sweat for not knowing what the criminals were thinking.

Why did they let them both go? Fila doesn't understand.

Laila might have felt the same way too, but most importantly they both escaped death.

The two found the staff room and entered and locked it from the inside. They were lucky because the room was not locked.

Meanwhile-

"Leader, why did you stop me? You know that one of the girls is a student of Kuryuu Academy?"

The criminals always keep an eye on the state of the mall before attacking. They also make sure anyone is likely to interfere with their plans.

Either or unluckily, the strongest Paladin princess was at the mall when the plan before it started.

"That's it, let it go. Besides, we should keep the anticristal bullets for the Knights. We don't have that much. Besides, I'm sure if that girl knows what we're up to, then they'll come for us. That's when you can kill him!"

"But not-"

"The son of a Paladin? Let it. Even though she was the daughter of a Paladin, she was currently just a small insect. We can kill him anytime."

"...i understand. But why don't we use him as a hostage? That'll make our plan even smoother."

"..."

Alan did not dispute the idea because the idea had also appeared in his mind.

But after rethinking their plans and goals of attacking the mall, he undoed that intention.

"It's true, but if something bad happens to the strongest Paladin princess, we'll have an unwanted guest. After all where perhaps the strongest Paladin princess was left to go to a remote town without any guarantee of security."

"You don't think that..."

"We don't know that. But if that little girl intervenes, we have no choice but to finish her off. Our priority right now is to distract the Knights. You have to remember that."

"All right!!"

Alan then went to his place followed by his men.

Alan and his men stopped in front of a rung to the roof. He sat and waited.

Now the task is only to prevent anyone who will go to the roof of Sirei Mall.

- In the staff room, Laila and Fila were sitting opposite with serious faces.

After they removed the anticristal they had placed in their bras into the toilet, Fila treated Laila's legs with a bandage from a P3K box.

Although there was healing magic, but Fila and Laila could not use it, which was why they could only use the existing medicine.

"Thank you for taking care of my leg."

"That's it. You don't have to thank me. It's natural to help each other, besides I'm the one who suggested using anticristal so you can't use your magic."

Fila may feel guilty for suggesting using Anticristal. Fila was actually aware that her idea was in vain because the enemy would still know that they were a magician from the Kuryuu Academy uniform that Laila wore. It made Fila feel that the idea was just to save herself.

"Ahh. Forget everything that happened. There's no point in regretting it now."

"..but.."

"huhh.. What matters most now is how do we deal with them? I was honestly confused how to fight them. It's quite embarrassing considering I'm the daughter of a paladin and an S rank witch."

What Laila said was nothing more than an expression of displeasure. Although it could use magic, it did not mean that Laila could fight them. From the previous battle it was clear that their opponents had been trained to fight witches. Fighting is a bad idea.

Both of them were aware that they were currently at a dead end and could only choose to hide.

"...if Kuro was here, I'm sure he could do something."

"Kuro? Why did you call him? She's just an F-ranked witch, I'm not sure she's useful in situations like this."

Yep. Kuro is only an F-ranked magician. The weakest rank for a witch. That's why Laila felt astonished and surprised when she heard the name Kuro from Fila's lips as if saying that Kuro would be a hero to them.

"Follow"

"That's it. Let's forget that fool. Fila, do you know the enemy that currently controls the Sirei mall?"

If they don't know who the enemy is, then even if they have a way to fight, they don't know if the enemy has a secret weapon or not.

And if you know the identity of the enemy, then Laila and Fila will know why they control the Sirei mall.

As the son of a former general, Fila must have known about the organization that controlled the Sirei mall. At least that was the reason why Laila asked Fila that question.

But-but

"I don't know at all, but don't they have a circle symbol with a red crow image, don't you have a clue, Laila?"

"Eh?"

Laila showed a surprised expression upon hearing what Fila said. That was because he did not realize that the enemy had such a symbol. But, after hearing that, Laila remembered the name of a group that had recently become quite famous..

"Somewhat red? Hmmm. They turned out to be from that organization!"

"Laila?"

Fila doesn't understand why Laila looks happy. He seemed to know who their enemy was this time.

"Ah. sorry. Fila, I know who our enemy is this time. They are Red Crow, a non-magical organization that calls for equality for non-magicians and witches. They should have about 300 members, and although their goals sound good, they all know that their goals are impossible to achieve. The difference in treatment between witches and non-witches is not an without reason. But it seems they've crossed the line."

"I don't hate their thinking. Witch or not, we are the same. Only human. Then why did the Red Crow take control of this mall? I can't at all relate their intentions and actions."

"........"

Laila also felt strange when the Red Crow controlled the Sirei mall.

First, they carry out surprise attacks, but even though they carry out attacks, they still allow visitors to hide in shelters. It could be said as if they were attacking not with a bad goal.

Second, why only Knights? If their target was a witch, then they should have attacked every witch they encountered. Moreover, distinguishing witches from ordinary humans is easy.

Third, even though they attacked the mall, they seemed to want nothing or aim for something in the mall. They go to the roof, to the easiest place to ambush.

Even though they used anticristals, the numbers were impossible to limit. There was a limit to the number of Knights they could kill or face. If the Knight was serious, they would destroy the enemy easily.

The attack on the Seire mall was undoubtedly a suicide attack. The Red Crow knew if they attacked Sirei mall, they would die. So what is their real purpose?

If they're not after things or want something in this mall then-

Their aim from the beginning was not in this place and they were not the only ones attacking.

"Damn!"

"Laila?"

"Damn! Fila, Red Crow attacked Sirei Mall just as a distraction. Their destination was actually somewhere else!"

Fila's eyes were wide open and panicked.

"... Any other place? Where's?"

Laila shook her head.

"Come on, but I'm sure it's a place heavily guarded by Knights. And that place must have something they want."

Although he does not know the exact location, but Laila realized that if it continues to be left, then the Red Crow will succeed in realizing the plan.

Of course the two of them still didn't know what kind of thing they wanted until acting this far.

"Tch.. Shit."

Fila knew what Laila was feeling, but she couldn't do much.

Although she was a witch, Fila never fought. That makes it impossible for him to help Laila defeat the Red Crow.

"Laila, you said they were running this mall as a distraction and to lure out the Knights, right?"

Laila nodded.

"Then why did they go to the roof?"

"Eh?"

Fila's words made Laila realize that there was one thing she was missing.

Why did they go to the roof?

If they want to distract, they should be quite defensive on the 1st floor to the 2nd or 3rd floor, but why should they go to the roof?

Laila remembered that the Red Crow members were mostly witches, and then were the 10 people who went to the roof a member of the Red Crow magicians?

As a result of the anticristal, Laila and Fila do not feel which of the 10 Red Crow members, but if they are a witch, they are, then that was the reason why 2 people and their leader did not go up with them.

Then what did those 10 witches do on the roof of the mall?

The roof of Sirei mall is just a large roof and nothing but heat comes from the sun.

"?!"

Laila was conscious and knew what the 10 witches were aiming for on the roof of the mall.

They were preparing a powerful magic.

"Fila, do you know that magic is powerful and needs a lot of people?"

"... umm.. Isn't it usually a destructive magic!"

But Laila shook her head.

"Yes. That's also true, but I doubt that because many of their friends are at Sirei mall, after all their magic is not suitable if used as a distraction."

"Then, ..eh? Don't tell me they...!"

Fila seems to also realize what magic will be active on the mall roof.

"Yes. Teleportation magic or maybe transfer magic. In other words they would move something to the city of Areshia through teleportation magic."

Teleportation magic can only be used if teleportation magic is activated elsewhere. Of course, the two magic circles that are the key to magic activation must be the same.

"If that were true, what would they move?"

"Eitherway. Maybe some kind of monster or a high-ranking mage."

But Laila immediately shook her head refuting the idea in her head.

"No. I can confirm that they removed the mosnter from the current situation. They also used the monster to escape as the Knight faced the monster. Shit!!"

If his conjecture was correct, then the Red Crow had already planned this attack very well. No. gabe. It's a perfect attack.

They attacked the mall as a diversion to have Knights all over the city come to Sirei mall. Then because they knew the Knight already knew that they were using anticristal, it could be ascertained that the Knight would no longer use magic, but physical attacks or non-magic weapons. Then this situation also made the Conferred Knight quite a lot.

In other words, the Conferred Knights might not be too many, which is why they prepared teleportation magic to move the monsters they had already captured and rampaged through the city of Areshia.

Although there was a shield above the city and a high wall, it was useless if any enemies arrived to be in the city through teleportation magic.

After that, it can be ascertained that the Knights who come will definitely be more because they have to fight monsters and save the population.

The real target they could definitely get and could escape utilizing the chaos caused by the monsters.

"Dam. I won't let their plans go the way they want!"

Laila got up and walked towards the door and opened the lock, but before she could open the door, Fila had already grabbed her shirt and pulled Laila out.

Laila was of course surprised and immediately turned her head towards Fila.

"Fila, are you trying to stop me?"

Fila shook her head.

"Then why did you stop me?"

"Laila, I don't want to stop you. I knew if I kept going then bad things would happen. And even though I'm a witch, I can't help you fight at all. I also know I can't possibly stop you, but before you leave, please tell me that you're going to win and live?!"

"..."

Laila fell silent.

He was silent because he could not say anything impossible.

He knew that the chance of winning was very small. He knew he might die if he fought them.

But-but

"Sorry, but I have to keep per-..."

Plaaac!!

Fila slapped Laila's cheek to blush. He knew it was painful for Laila, but if he didn't then he could have lost Laila.

Even though they had only been acquainted for a few hours, he knew that Laila was still too naive.

"Listen, I said I wouldn't keep you from leaving, but if you went to die, then I wouldn't let that happen."

".....Fila, you!"

"Laila, don't you have someone you care about? Don't you have anyone you want to protect? I know you have it, but if you die, won't you be able to protect the people you love? Aren't you going to be able to see a smile when you see you survive? Laila, please. If you leave, then you must come back alive! Besides, I do you have to do it?"

"..."

"Listen, even though stopping them is important, your life is important. As Paladin's daughter I know you must be strong, but there's a difference between fighting to win and fighting to kill yourself. If you fight to win, I won't stop you. But let's say you're gonna win!!"

Hearing that, Laila instantly removed her clutches from the doorknob and both her knees fell to the floor.

"..........."

She's speechless. In her mind Laila thought that what Fila said was all true.

He had someone valuable in his life that he had to protect. Her friends, her family and those who love her want her to protect.

"Fila, what am I supposed to do? If I leave, I might die, but I can buy some time to stop the teleportation magic. But if I don't go, then there's a chance that there will be more victims? Fila what should I do?"

I don't know why Fila smiled upon hearing that question.

"Simple, you simply make it possible to die a non-death and gain victory against the enemy."

"........eh?"

Laila did not understand what Fila said, but that was when the light appeared in Fila's hands.

Yep. Fila finally showed her magic.