Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 218: Battle Report
“Yes, the rice is definitely growing…”
“Yeah, no matter how you think about it, this is strange… but it’s growing splendidly.”
Still bewildered by the impossible situation, Isamu crouched down to take a closer look and gently pulled at one of the rice plants at the front.
“…The stem is sturdy, and the roots seem to be in good condition too. This looks promising.”
“Is that so?”
Annemarie inquired as she watched Isamu examine the plant.
“Yeah, look here at the base of the stem.”
“Oh, it’s splitting into two.”
“Rice grows by increasing the number of stems like this. Normally, it takes about a month after planting to reach this stage.”
Isamu recalled a certain TV program he enjoyed, where male idols took on farming challenges.
The current length of the rice plants was about 25 centimeters, with some nearing 30 centimeters. As Isamu mentioned, the process of “tillering,” where the stems multiply, typically begins about a month after transplanting.
Considering that seedlings used for transplanting take 20–30 days to grow, this meant the rice had effectively grown two months’ worth in a single night.
“Incredible… so this is what the goddess meant. I thought she was talking about doubling the growth rate or something like that, but to accelerate everything in a single day… that’s unbelievable.”
Realizing the true power of the goddess’s blessing, Isamu let out a deep sigh.
“At this rate, if they keep growing like this, we might be able to harvest in two days. But that’s probably not going to happen.”
“She did say there was still time.”
Annemarie reminded him.
“Yeah. If we could harvest in a few days, it would be more than just ‘still time.’ After this rapid growth, I think they’ll continue at a normal pace.”
Concluding that observation, Isamu decided to monitor the situation for now and returned to the mansion for the day.
The Next Day
As expected, the rice plants did not double in size overnight and had returned to a standard growth pace.
From this point on, they would continue cultivation through trial and error, just like with regular crops—monitoring growth, managing pests and weeds, and adjusting water and fertilizer.
Just as rice cultivation seemed to be progressing ahead of schedule, a war update from the Plazzo region arrived.
The news was delivered by the Zval Zabadak Margrave family, who had previously sent reinforcements to Isamu and his team by magic-powered vehicles during their mission deep in enemy territory.
Even with a magic-powered vehicle, it took about ten days to travel from Plazzo’s royal capital, Ratcherio. Compared to the modern world, where mobile phones connect instantly, the delay might feel significant. However, considering that horse-drawn carriages would take over twice as long, the speed of communication was remarkable for their era.
“Hmm, it seems that before the royal capital could be attacked, reinforcements led by Margrave Balsham from the southern front arrived just in time.”
Selfars read from the letter with a sigh of relief.
“Oh, that’s great news! But the distance from the south is considerable. Plus, the enemy had a plan to send a substantial force of first-generation golems to Kapolfi along the way. How did they make it in time?”
Overhearing this, Isamu couldn’t hide his surprise, knowing the enemy’s strategies.
Just days after Isamu’s battle against the magic golems near Meraja, a force of fifty first-generation golems and 200 cavalry was set to attack Kapolfi.
Though Kapolfi had fortified its defenses after a previous attack by magic golems from Avalushi, the sheer numbers and combat power of the first-generation golems made it unlikely they could hold out.
“It seems they acted immediately after receiving information from Liliene. Since deploying troops openly wasn’t an option, they disguised their forces as belonging to the Zambrotta Trading Company. Using magic-powered vehicles, they quietly transported knights, soldiers, and magic tools bit by bit.”
“To think they were moving at that scale during that time…”
Isamu was speechless, realizing that a high-ranking noble like the Margrave had acted decisively based on unverified information.
Thanks to their swift actions, about 300 elite troops and a wealth of magic tools were brought into Kapolfi before the enemy forces could arrive.
The next day, as expected, Zun’s magic golems launched their attack.
Confident in their superiority, Zun’s troops were caught off guard by the intense counterattacks using magic tools. Explosive rounds, lightning shells, and long-range spear artillery kept the attackers at bay, turning the battle into a stalemate.
Then, reinforcements arrived to break the deadlock.
“Lord Felka and his forces, who had continued south after parting ways with us, launched a surprise attack on Zun’s rear.”
Selfars explained.
“Samuel and his team… I saw him use magic up close for the first time, and he’s just as much of a monster as Lady Eleonora.”
Isamu admitted.
“Haha, if even you think he’s a monster, then to Zun, he must have been a nightmare. Using lightning and earth magic to ambush their forces, he avoided joining up with the Margrave and instead kept harassing them as a guerrilla unit.”
“Wow…”
Isamu grimaced at Selfars’s explanation.
Having to constantly watch out for such powerful magic attacks would have been a psychological nightmare for the enemy.
Adding to the chaos, another elite magic knight, Françoise, joined Samuel’s guerrilla tactics, making the situation even worse for Zun’s forces.
Finally, reinforcements arrived to deliver the finishing blow to Zun’s magic golems.
“The day after Lord Samuel and his forces began intermittent attacks, the main force of 1,500 troops led by Margrave Balsham finally joined the battle and swiftly brought the situation to a resolution.”
Selfars reported.
The vanguard unit defending Kapolfi had sent a magic vehicle carrying a messenger to the border just as the magic giant golems began their assault. This formalized their request for reinforcements, allowing them to act openly.
By sheer “coincidence,” Margrave Balsham’s army was conducting military exercises near the border and immediately advanced to the site.
“It seems the vanguard defending Kapolfi had nearly exhausted their magic tools by that point, so they were in quite a precarious situation.”
Even with full-scale production, there were limits to how many magical tools could be made. However, using them without hesitation early on to instill a sense of urgency in the enemy, causing them to hesitate to approach the town, proved a winning strategy. Furthermore, Samuel’s timely arrival played a critical role.
Samuel, anticipating a confrontation at Kapolfi, had pressed southward at full speed without turning back, a decision that proved decisive.
“The main force also included several dozen mercenary knights from Count Eriksen’s unit. They reportedly wreaked havoc with their enhanced magical weapons and lightning swords.”
Soldiers skillfully wielded newly produced throwable magic tools and lightning spears to keep the enemy in check, while knights equipped with enchanted swords exploited openings to deliver decisive blows. As Margrave Balsham’s army, superior in numbers, pressed forward, they were joined by reinforcements from Kapolfi and the magic knights led by Marquis Felker. This sealed the victory.
However, the 50 magic giant golems, each capable of outperforming dozens of human soldiers, inflicted significant damage before they were defeated. According to the report, the losses on the human side were far from negligible. Selfars deliberately withheld this detail to spare Isamu’s feelings, though he likely understood the battle had not been an easy one after facing the magic giant golems himself.
“Three days later, a coalition of southern nobles led by Lord Innocenti joined forces at Kapolfi and launched an offensive, striking the rear of Zun’s main army as it attempted to advance on the royal capital of Ratcherio. They narrowly managed to halt the invasion. However, the letter mentions that a major battle is imminent.”
“I see… It seems the situation was incredibly close.”
Isamu remarked.
“Indeed. This outcome owes much to the Margraves who prepared to mobilize even without waiting for the king’s official call to arms. Oh, and it seems Count Eriksen caused quite the stir during the fighting near the capital.”
Selfars chuckled as he read the postscript at the end of the letter.
Count Eleonora Eriksen had visited Isamu in Meraja at the same time as Margrave Zval Zabadak. Apologizing for leaving him to fight alone, she departed early with Gascoigne, the leader of her mercenary knights, heading directly to the capital, Ratcherio.
By the time Eleonora and her forces reached the capital, the first skirmish near the city had already ended in a victory for Zun’s advance force.
Rather than immediately advancing on the capital, Zun’s forces began constructing a bridgehead in the plains near the city. Witnessing this, Eleonora launched a series of probing attacks and began disrupting the construction efforts.
Using the same powerful magic displayed during the royal exhibition match—when Chigorl Balbastor had gone berserk—and showcasing her unparalleled close-combat skills, she effectively sabotaged the construction.
When Zval and the second-generation magic giant golems led by Liliene later joined her forces, guerrilla warfare intensified. This approach yielded significant results, and Zun’s forces were unable to complete the bridgehead construction before their main force could arrive.
“After Zun’s main force joined the fray, Count Eriksen and her troops withdrew to the royal capital. Reports say she wreaked havoc in the field battle near the capital as well. Unfortunately, the battle was lost due to being vastly outnumbered. However, the few days they managed to buy allowed Margrave Innocenti’s forces to arrive in time, making it a tremendous achievement.”
“That’s incredible. Each of the lords seemed to have acted as if they were perfectly coordinated, choosing the best possible actions and successfully holding the line until reinforcements could arrive.”
“What are you talking about? None of this would have been possible without you, Isamu! The magic vehicles, the various magic tools, and even uniting the margraves into a single faction—all of that was thanks to your efforts. You should hold your head high!”
Surprised by Selfars’ encouragement, Isamu suddenly snapped back to his senses.
“!! T-Thank you! You’re right, the things I did made a difference, didn’t they?!”
“Of course they did!”
“Alright! Now that I realize that, I can’t just sit around. Time to start working on the next magic tool!”
With a bright and determined expression, Isamu declared his resolve and, accompanied by Annemarie, headed back to the laboratory—to develop the next magic tool: a high-speed magic vehicle.