**Chapter 129: The Result of Divine Strike**
“Alright… it worked out well.”
After confirming his own achievement, Rest let out a sigh of relief.
The original magic that concentrated sunlight and shot it forth… **Amaterasu**. He was well aware of its power, capable of slaying even the Lord of the Demon Territory, but now that he had successfully fulfilled his mission, he felt a weight lift from his chest.
The beam of light Rest unleashed scorched a portion of the rebel army, swallowing their encampment whole. Given that he was facing an army, he had intentionally dispersed the light to increase its range. While the power had diminished due to the wider spread, it still managed to incinerate about ten percent of the enemy forces—around seven thousand soldiers.
(If I had concentrated it fully, they would have been obliterated without a trace… But with this level of dispersion, this is the output I can expect.)
While he could easily dispatch foot soldiers, those with considerable magical power might be able to defend against it. Nonetheless, the fact that part of the enemy forces had been scorched and that the attack had reached their main camp sent the rebels into a panic, akin to a disturbed hornet’s nest. The chaos caused by the number of casualties far exceeded the actual losses. If they were to launch a full-scale assault now, the enemy would surely crumble.
The operation was a success. He had fulfilled his role as the vanguard.
“Your Highness, Crown Prince… is this satisfactory?”
“…………”
“…………”
Rest turned to the two commanders observing from a short distance, but Richard and Marquis Cattleya remained motionless. Their expressions were frozen in astonishment as they stared at the disarrayed enemy forces.
“Um… wasn’t the plan for me to attack and then move the army to charge in…?”
“…………”
“Your Highness? Marquis?”
Anxiety began to swell within Rest as the two remained silent, their faces unchanging. Could it be… that he had disappointed them? Perhaps they were let down by the output being less than expected.
“Uh… I-I apologize! Please give me another chance to attack!”
“Wait… no, no, no! Hold on!”
In a panic, Rest attempted to unleash another **Amaterasu**, but Marquis Cattleya finally moved to stop him.
“That’s enough! Your task is complete!”
“Huh? Is that alright?”
“Yes. In fact, if you were to shine any brighter, it would overshadow the others… No, never mind that. You’ve expended enough magical energy, so step back and rest.”
Marquis Cattleya cleared his throat and placed a hand on Richard’s shoulder, who was still frozen in place.
“Crown Prince… please give the order to charge.”
“Uh… oh! Right, right!”
Richard hurriedly raised his hand and commanded the soldiers.
“All troops, charge! Annihilate the disoriented rebel army!”
“「「「「「…………」」」」」”
Despite Richard’s shout, the allied forces remained hesitant to move. Rest couldn’t understand why, but Richard and Marquis Cattleya were as still as stone statues.
“Charge! Take down the enemy!”
Amidst the confusion, one unit broke from the kingdom’s forces and plunged into the enemy lines. Leading the charge on horseback was Wilhelm Lyubase, the newly appointed “Woman-Hating Sword Saint.” Following behind him were soldiers borrowed from his family, the Lyubase house, and mercenaries hired with the bounty granted by the king.
Wilhelm was the only one present who had witnessed Rest defeat the Subnock from a distance. Thus, he was able to act faster than anyone else in this moment.
“Keep going! Charge!”
“Don’t fall behind a mere youth! Advance, go forth!”
Following Wilhelm, knights and soldiers of the kingdom surged forward one after another. They stormed into the still-chaotic enemy territory, cutting down the bewildered rebels with ease.
“Oh… impressive. They seem quite eager.”
“I think it’s you who is truly impressive, to be honest.”
Diable stood beside Rest. Though he was Rest’s mentor in magic, he wore a face of disbelief rather than admiration after witnessing the earlier strike.
“…Rest. It seems that not only the House of Marquis Rosemary but many others will not let you go unnoticed.”
“What do you mean all of a sudden?”
It was an unexpected statement. What was Diable suddenly getting at?
“Your talent exceeds what we had anticipated. It seems the king intends to present you as a symbol of a new era… but perhaps it is not just a formality; you might genuinely be at the center of the next age.”
“That’s quite an exaggeration… Diable-sensei.”
Rest chuckled wryly. He believed he had performed adequately, but he hardly felt deserving of being called a hero of the age. There would surely be others, like Wilhelm, who would rise to prominence in the future.
“Now then… is it alright for the soldiers of the House of Marquis Rosemary to remain here and watch?”
Aside from the reinforcements guarding the main camp, most of the kingdom’s forces had moved to the front lines to take advantage of the chaos and strike down the enemy. Meanwhile, the troops of the House of Marquis Rosemary, nominally led by Rest, had yet to engage in the fray.
“Well… to be honest, I don’t think we’re expected to outshine the others.”
“Is that so?”
“Since Rest has already achieved significant results… while we appreciate the opportunity, I believe we should allow the other units to take the glory.”
“I see… If you say so, Diable-sensei, then I suppose we should do just that.”
Rest gazed down at the battlefield from the hill, observing the unfolding conflict from a literal high ground.
The kingdom’s forces numbered one hundred thousand. The rebel army stood at seventy thousand. The battle had begun with the kingdom at an advantage, but with Rest’s initial strike, the scales of victory had tipped significantly in favor of the kingdom.
About half an hour after the battle commenced, the rebel forces had already been reduced to half their original number.