『Magic Convergence Bullet Continous Firing Mode』

 
 Coco and Mel protected us from the explosion of the goblin mage’s fireball.
 
 A fireball that, if compared with the wyvern’s, is several steps inferior.
 Even so, if you took a direct hit from it, you’d probably not be able to avoid being seriously injured.
 
 The wind blew away the smoke.
 
 The moment the space in front of me cleared, the white light of the magic convergence bullet shone from Otou-sama’s readied magic rifle.
 
 “… over there.”
 
 Murmuring so as the acceleration magic circle was constructed, a light arrow aimed at the ground was fired.
 
 Doof!!
 
 An explosion occurred on the ground, and a number of goblins were blown away.
 
 Otou-sama then gave out commands.
 
 “Do it as we discussed. Begin the attack!”
 
 ““Got it!!””
 
 By the time we replied, Otou-sama had already readied his rifle and began a sudden drop.
 
 And then, he fired a second shot as he descended.
 
 An explosive light bullet.
 
 With their friends blown away, the goblin group fell into a state of panic.
 
 While I prepared my rifle, I gave instructions to Anna beside me.
 
 “Tell me immediately if you find the goblin mage.”
 
 “Got it!”
 
 Even a powerful goblin’s arrow won’t reach this height.
 But from the attack just now, we know that it’ll reach if it is a magic attack.
 
 If the attack contains magic power, it can more or less be protected against using Coco and Mel’s 『Auto Defense』.
 However, in the case where we’re attacked continuously from all directions, there’s a possibility that the deployment of magic defence won’t be able to keep up.
 
 The goblin mage, with its high threat level, should be eliminated as a priority.
 
 Tang!
 Tang!
 
 Anna begins firing.
 
 While listening to the gunfire, I put the selector in the 『3』 position.
 
 I aim the muzzle at the goblin’s dwellings.
 
 And then, I pulled the trigger.
 
 
 
 Shhoooo——— Dun! Dun! Dun! Dun! Dun!!
 
 The acceleration magic circle floating at the tip of the muzzle continuously accelerates and shoots out marble-sized magic convergence bullets generated one after the other.
 
 And then…
 
 Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!
 
 The magic convergence bullets explode on the ground.
 
 The five shots fired successively struck the goblin’s dwelling, blowing up that home in many of the goblins’ faces.
 
 “———”
 
 Releasing the trigger, I then confirm the battle results.
 
 Four mounds, 15 metres in diameter and about half the size of a basketball court, were either completely or else partially destroyed, and no less than 14 goblins were blown away.
 
 But if you look at the nest as a whole, not even a fifth of the mounds have been destroyed, and the goblins are still continuing to gush forth from the ones that remain.
 
 “——— it’s not bad, but…”^[1]
 
 I felt just slightly underwhelmed by the battle results of the new feature’s first attack.
 
 Well, it can’t be helped.
 Results are results.
 
 Those who cannot accept the truth before them, cannot advance further.
 
 
 
 After the wyvern battle at the royal castle, I remodelled and added a new function to the Model 1 Prototype.
 
 『Magic Convergence Bullet Continuous Firing Mode』.^[2]
 
 Although the initial speed and power of the light bullet, rapid-fired at 1.5 shots per second, is inferior to the 『Multi-Acceleration Mode』, by keeping the trigger pulled, you can rapid-fire 5 shots of magic convergence bullets.
 
 As for why it’s only up to 5 shots———
 
 “『Magic Power Stabilisation 《Queskio Magia》』”
 
 At my words, Coco and Mel held me from both sides and stretched a film of magic power around me, stabilising my disordered magic power.
 
 The slight nausea that I had begun feeling subsided nicely.
 
 ——— in short, it’s magic power sickness.
 
 At the test firing stage, 15 shots were the limit.
 Therefore, in order to create some leeway, I changed the design to stop at 5 shots.
 
 From how I felt shooting it now, it would be better to do the magic stabilisation every second round if I want to keep my concentration.
 
 At that moment, Anna shouted.
 
 “It’s the mage!”
 
 I immediately aimed the muzzle in the direction she pointed, and once again pulled the trigger.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 “I’ll have to think about the way I fight.”
 
 On the way back, Otou-sama, flying diagonally ahead of me, muttered as such.
 
 “We let quite a few of them slip past, huh.”
 
 My father nodded at my words.
 
 “When subjugating from the ground, we take our time fighting with heavy equipment. There’d be damage to us that way, but the enemy wouldn’t run away all at once like they did earlier.”
 
 Right.
 Soon after, the goblins fell into a state of panic at the overwhelming attack from the sky, and they suddenly scattered and ran away.
 
 If they escape into the forest, then there’s nothing that we, in the sky, could do.
 
 Basically, although we completely crushed the mounds, we let many of the goblins on the ground slip by.
 
 “We’ve got quite the task ahead of us, huh.”
 
 Huhh, I sighed, and Otou-sama came closer beside me.
 
 “For now, let’s just say it’s good that we found those tasks today. This was our first power reconnaissance using the new weapons. If we’ve clarified the tasks needed, and can return home unharmed, then that’s more than enough for me.”
 
 Saying so, my father patted me on the shoulder.^[3]
 
 The warmth in his hand somehow made me feel better.
 
 “Then, I’ll do my best!”
 
 Seeing me pumping my fists tightly, my father and my attendant smiled.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Three days later.
 
 With the Ainsworth territory’s inspection over, we once again headed west, entering the old Western Gracimento Royal Territory… now the Owleyes New Territory, which Otou-sama became the lord of.
 
 “This truly is a fortress city, huh.”
 
 Passing through the city gates of the territory capital Falgracim with its tall city walls, we felt slightly overwhelmed by the city’s majestic appearance.
 
 “I’d heard the rumours but, there really are a lot of soldiers, huh… It feels a bit suffocating.”
 
 Gazing at the state of the city from the window, Anna voiced her impressions.
 
 “Yeah, I feel the same. Well, this town was a defensive position against the Principality^[4] in the former kingdom’s era, so I guess it’s to be expected.”
 
 Had Sofia been on board with us, we’d probably be able to hear some very interesting facts.
 
 But unfortunately, she wasn’t here right now.
 She remained in the Ainsworth territory, taking over the work from Viscount Miodyne.
 
 I shudder to think of what would’ve happened had I needed to do that myself.
 
 Seriously, I’m glad Sofia joined us.
 
 But even if we take away the part which Sofia is helping with, there’s still a mountain of things that I have no choice but to do now.
 
 At the time of the peerage promotion ceremony^[5], I had the image that I’d be 『leisurely making magic tools in the countryside』, but that was too sweet of a dream.
 
 “And the dragon rider countermeasures, they’re a race against time…”
 
 While gazing at the huge fortress built of piled-up bricks, I muttered so with a sigh mixed in.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Ten days after arriving in the Owleyes New Territory.
 
 Having inspected the Eastern and Western Gracimento Regions, we once again returned to the Owleyes Main Territory.
 
 “Welcome back, Ojou-sama. I have received a message from Workshop Chief Godwin saying 『When Ojou-sama returns, I would like her to drop by the workshop without fail』.”
 
 When I returned to the Owleyes mansion, the butler Brandon told me this before anything else.
 
 “Without fail? ——— Did Shishou-sama^[6] really say it like that???”
 
 Hearing words that were 『unusual』 for my teacher, I unconsciously asked a question in return.
 
 Thereupon, Brandon said these words with a smile upon his face.
 
 “Yes, indeed. As I am told it is such a 『historically grand invention』, even in my long time working here I have not heard him say something with such excitement.”
 
 Hearing that, I———
 
 “I’m going out for a bit!!”
 
 Bang.
 
 “Ah-, wait please, Ojou-sama!!”
 
 ——— I dashed into the sky with my flying boots.