She Who Became Immortal

Regalo’s most formidable magic was "Explosive Pressure" — a spell capable of generating explosions in a chosen space. Although it could be slightly directional, its primary utility lay in its ability to create powerful bursts of pressure. Sometimes, Regalo would use this magic to propel himself away as an emergency evasive maneuver.

The idea of sealing this magic into a magical stone was naturally proposed by Euphemia Grimwood.

“The fact that the explosion doesn’t involve heat means you’re not utilizing pressure differences caused by rapid combustion. Therefore, your magic isn’t truly an ‘explosion’ but rather ‘explosive pressure,’ right?” she said.

'Although I wasn’t well-versed in magic, Euphemia’s analysis hit the mark.'

Regalo lacked proficiency in elemental magic. It was simpler for him to generate and release compressed air through the manipulation of his magical power rather than applying fire-based magic to create explosions. While he wasn’t incapable of using fire or water magic, his abilities were insufficient to stand out in the mage corps.

For instance, when reports emerged of monsters targeting crops in rural areas, Regalo would sometimes join the knight corps in responding to the threat.

In such situations, the necessary magic had to be instantly deployable, powerful, and non-damaging to the surroundings. Many mages used spells like "Fire Bullet" or "Wind Blade," but for Regalo, the "Explosive Pressure" magic was the most effective in terms of immediacy.

“If we compress and release it, why not activate the ‘release’ phase on command later?” Euphemia proposed.

The Mole Tribe processed the magical ore, preparing a high-purity magical stone.

Euphemia had provided a starting point for their thoughts.

Successfully embedding the "Explosive Pressure" magic into the magical stone turned out to be far simpler than anticipated, but one problem remained.

In the end, Regalo was still required to trigger the explosion himself.

“Well, for now, it can’t be helped. We don’t have time for leisurely improvements. We should mass-produce these and use them as traps and weapons. Unlike landmines, there’s no risk of duds,” Euphemia remarked.

The latter part of the statement was lost on Regalo, but the sight of Euphemia’s sardonic smile sent a shiver down his spine.

She surely saw something he could not comprehend.

Moreover, she likely kept it to herself.

She didn’t seek to be understood. She had no desire for others to understand her heart, her feelings — her "self."

The Grimoire family owed much to her assistance, and Regalo was no exception. Even the often-sardonic fox spirit Serena ultimately cared for her. It went without saying for the Grimoire young women like Katarina or Serena’s adopted daughter Kirina.

But who could truly understand Euphemia Grimwood?

That brilliantly shining, beautiful girl always seemed to be enjoying herself. She always smiled joyfully — standing alone.

This thought troubled Regalo’s heart a little.

 

---

However, sentiment on the battlefield yields little result.

With the Nine-Tailed Fox Kairine maintaining her "Invisibility" spell, Regalo and Maya advanced through the magical realm, sticking close to her.

Their destination was the enemy’s stronghold.

Of course, they couldn’t traverse the path created by the enemy. Instead, they moved through the overgrown foliage, guided by Kairine’s prior reconnaissance. Regalo, unable to memorize the route anyway, silently followed Kairine’s lead.

Among the three, Regalo was the least physically capable, so even the dubious Nine-Tailed Fox adjusted her pace accordingly.

“You know, it’d be faster to just carry you back,” Maya casually remarked, though Regalo had neither the energy nor the argument to refute her.

“There’s no need to be so disheartened. About the ‘Magic Grenade,’ correct? By packing a thin iron container with iron shavings and activating ‘Explosive Pressure,’ it disperses the shavings — since the shavings aren’t magical attacks, physical defenses are necessary. For instance, defensive magic that disperses magical effects would be ineffective. Euphemia is truly remarkable,” Kairine said with a delighted grin.

Regalo agreed.

“The ‘Explosive Pressure’ magic embedded in the stone barely leaks magical energy. Unless one detects the triggering magic, no army would notice the planted ‘grenade.’ An exceptional individual might, but even if they sensed the triggering magic, only highly skilled individuals would react with magical defense,” Kairine continued.

Yet that wouldn’t stop the incoming iron shavings.

At close range, the damage wouldn’t be fatal, but preventing injury would be extremely challenging.

“Regardless, for now, we need Sir Regalo’s ‘detonation.’ It’s not an exaggeration to say he’s the most crucial person at the moment,” Kairine said with a smirk.

Regalo had grown accustomed to such slyness from the fox.

“If it weren’t for your ‘Invisibility,’ infiltrating the enemy’s stronghold would be impossible. Without Maya, we’d be unprepared for unforeseen situations, and there’s no one else to carry me out. We’re all crucial figures,” Regalo responded.

“Well, the truly crucial figure is already in hiding… Anyway, we’re approaching the stronghold. Let’s prepare the ‘grenades,’” Maya said.

Offering her hand, Maya indicated for Regalo to hand over several grenades wrapped in leather. Regalo carefully selected and passed them to her.

Maya casually tossed the grenades into the undergrowth near the stronghold’s exit.

“Alright, next. Hand them over,” she ordered in a tone reminiscent of a kitchen chef asking for ingredients, her delicate hands, despite their skills with a spear, no longer eliciting disgust from Regalo.

“Make sure to throw them on the opposite side of where we threw the last ones. Don’t drop them in the middle of the stronghold. Aim for as close to the entrance as possible,” Regalo instructed.

“Got it. No need to be so loud,” Maya replied, accepting the larger grenade with a surprisingly gentle smile.

“Well then — let’s leave it to chance when we emerge,” Maya said cheerfully.

Regalo was unsure whether to be exasperated or irritated by the gleeful Nine-Tailed Fox, but he chose neither.

The outer shell of the "grenade" was crafted from extremely thin iron plates formed into a spherical shape, essentially two hemispheres joined together. This impressive technology, which involved cleverly creating grooves to twist and secure the two hemispheres together, impressed Regalo immensely.

He wondered how they would have fared without Dubil Ganon, the dwarf blacksmith who happened to be present. It seemed that the current situation would not have unfolded as it did without any one of them.

But that was beside the point.

Maya hurled the somewhat oversized grenade with all her might. The throw was so perfectly executed that it could be mistaken for a long-range attack.

However, there was no time to marvel at her skill.

Regalo mentally counted the seconds.

One, two, three... five, and then detonate.

A loud explosion followed.

The grenade was designed to make a big noise. Based on the sound, it seemed to have been thrown a considerable distance.

Even from his hiding place in the forest, Regalo could clearly sense the commotion inside the stronghold. It appeared that a large number of enemies remained, and a commanding figure was shouting orders.

"Hehe… Now, it’s a matter of life and death," Kairine said with a grin, as if heading to watch a much-anticipated play. Maintaining her "Invisibility" spell, she proceeded, and both Regalo and Maya had no choice but to follow at a reasonable distance.

The stronghold resembled a small town in scale. This matched Kairine’s report, but it was strange and familiar to see so many makeshift buildings within the demon realm. It felt like Grimoire.

Enemy soldiers rushed toward the source of the explosion. Several types of shouting could be heard, likely from different commanding officers. This suggested either the higher-ups were on the battlefield or the command structure was still developing.

Navigating through the shadows of buildings and gaps between them was manageable, but crossing larger streets felt perilous. When a small squad of five soldiers ran right past them, Regalo held his breath, almost feeling like he could be detected by the faintest sound.

Yet, they reached their destination undetected.

It was a wooden house, almost perfectly square, indistinguishable from the others at first glance.

The windows were of the kind that could be shuttered with wooden planks. They were currently open, revealing a glimpse of the interior. A quick glance showed a woman and a man inside.

Then, with a loud bang, the door to the house burst open from the inside. Regalo instinctively flinched but remained undetected.

"Mizetta, don’t go outside. Victor, protect yourself!" a boy’s voice shouted from within.

It was undoubtedly the "Saint of Healing"’s bodyguard, an exceptionally skilled young swordsman. His immense magical power was palpable. Simply put, his magical aura alone could counter Regalo’s "Explosive Pressure" spell. He was a formidable opponent.

A gentle tap on the shoulder interrupted Regalo’s thoughts.

Maya, despite her visible tension, forced a smile and extended her hand to Regalo, not asking for reassurance but offering it.

Regalo managed a faint smile and handed over the grenade to Maya, careful not to mistake it for the wrong one. The separation of the Saint of Healing and the swordsman was advantageous. The "Fragmentation Grenade" dispersed iron shavings in all directions. He couldn’t afford to harm the Saint of Healing — though injuries were acceptable, death was not.

Taking a deep breath to prepare mentally, the three nodded simultaneously. Maya then threw the grenade.

The timing was crucial.

The grenade flew in a parabolic arc, and just as it reached the young swordsman’s immediate vicinity — detonate!

The explosion was inevitable.

The iron shavings weren’t magical attacks, so the young swordsman’s magical shield wouldn’t be entirely effective against them.

However, as the grenade reached him, the swordsman inexplicably drew his large sword and used it as a shield.

In the next instant, he was already closing in on Regalo and the others. There was barely any time to react — his movement was almost reflexive.

The young swordsman’s strike with the great sword was deflected by Maya’s spear.

Regalo realized this only after the clash of blades resonated. In close-quarters combat, there was little he could do. Instead of attempting to defend, he focused on distance and retreated, using "Explosive Pressure" magic inside the window.

The familiar sound of an explosion echoed.

The two inside were thrown violently against the walls by the shockwave. Regalo had aimed the blast to propel the man further, but in reality, it was a rough estimate. There was no time for precise magic.

"Demons, beastmen, and humans...!?"

The young swordsman, momentarily stunned, took a step back and looked towards the house. Since Regalo saw this, it was clear Maya and Kairine did as well.

Maya charged at the young swordsman while Kairine used wind magic to tear through the house, creating a hole large enough for a person to pass through. Kairine’s single black tail, like a mage’s staff, crackled with magical energy. It was a curious sight, like a magical medium for rapid-fire complex spells.

Spear and great sword clashed, sparking.

Yet, this time, they didn’t counter each other.

"—What’s all this!?"

The young swordsman, who had deflected Maya’s thrust with surprising ease, spun around and swung his great sword from below. The magical shockwave felt like a geyser of lava erupting from the ground.

Maya was thrown upwards with no way to dodge.

At that moment, Kairine was also sent flying. As Maya began to be hurled away, Kairine had already started to counterattack — avoiding being cleaved and managed some form of defense, but the force was too great, and she was blown away.

Then, it was time for the next step.

—Kairine!

A sharp, high-pitched sound echoed, and a black figure appeared before Regalo.

It was a black magic sword.

And it represented Grimoire.

Moments later, with a heavy thud, the severed blade of the great sword was driven into the ground.

"You were the hero of the demon wars, were you? The enemy of my father, then," said Junos, pointing the magic sword menacingly at the young swordsman, smiling defiantly.

He moved forward with that smile, just as he had declared.