Princess's Struggle for Survival-Chapter 533: Astrid with Gun (2 in 1)
The intense updraft caused by the explosion even affected the airship's cabin, causing Lyra, who had just disengaged from her hovering state, to stumble a few steps. The girl barely steadied herself, pressing the slender blade of Light against the doorway as she stepped backward. A magnificent burst of flames surged within the fortress.
The once-majestic magic-energy cannon, towering over the morning mist, had become burning rubble. A violent elemental reaction erupted from its core, destroying vast sections of the town from the inside out. The cannon's structure, composed of steel and stone, disintegrated midair, triggering a secondary explosion. Lightning and fire elements violently collided, scattering countless fiery fragments across the sky.
Accompanied by the explosion's lingering shockwaves, the airship trembled faintly once more. Many soldiers who had just evacuated the battlefield instinctively tensed at the sound, gripping their seats tightly. The fierce wind blowing through the doorway ruffled the pink strands near Lyra's neck, fluttering her pale-white sleeves and skirt.
It was Professor Charlotte's contingency plan, modifying the magic-energy cannon's internal focusing magic circle into a magic bomb designed to restrict the Church Knights' advance. This was the final measure after the fall of Liya Tower Fortress, meant to destroy the cannon itself and deliver overwhelming strikes against any Church Knights breaching the walls.
Beneath the dust and debris, the Church's cavalry was swallowed by flames. A shadow, vast enough to blot out the sky, blocked sunlight from reaching the ground, severely weakening the Church Knights' formation-based defenses.
This prolonged battle... should end here.
Just as Lyra was about to close the door and say a few words to Astrid, several fast-moving black dots suddenly appeared within her field of vision.
Clad in white armor, Church Knights burst from the sea of dust, rapidly approaching the airship amid the secondary explosion's aftermath.
Even so... they still intend to pursue?
Her sky-blue pupils broadened slightly, then hardened with resolution. Lyra glanced back at Astrid, who was also looking at her. The girl's crimson eyes reflected Lyra's face, her voice carrying genuine concern.
"If your mana is running low, take a short rest. Don't push yourself."
Astrid gently rubbed the deep-blue brooch at her chest, her gaze resting on the faint mist gathering at the tips of Lyra's lashes.
"Commander Lyra is an irreplaceable figure, both to the Empire and to me personally."
Before his death, Hibbort had already planned to deploy magic-energy airships in warfare. The ability to attack ground forces from the sky was essentially a dimensional strike against ordinary soldiers who couldn't fly.
The several aerial leviathans they were now riding were equipped with the Empire's most advanced magic-energy weapons, personally overseen by the Arcanist mage Charlotte to ensure every spell circle functioned properly.
Still, in theory there was one thing, this was their first actual combat deployment. Astrid couldn't be entirely certain whether the peak tier Magnus below would be intercepted by the magical firepower network. The optimal solution would still involve assistance from other Imperial defenders.
Hearing Astrid's words, Lyra paused briefly. She didn't have time to savor the warmth of being cared for by her beloved. Confirming that her mana reserves were still sufficient for the next battle, the pink-haired girl nodded slightly.
"No rest needed. I can keep fighting."
Even as she spoke, the dark figures below were drawn close. Lyra tightened her grip on the hilt, sending her mana outward to lock onto the enemy.
Seeing this, Astrid narrowed her eyes slightly. The ruby pendant before her chest flickered with light.
"Just slow them down a bit. The airship has supporting magic-energy weapons."
"Understood, Astrid."
"Stay safe."
Hardly having felt the warmth inside the magic-energy airship, Lyra leapt out once more. Her wings of light rapidly unfolded behind her, her cherry-pink hair fluttering in the wind.
Unlike ground-based combat, fighting in midair, where the earth was distant and power was channeled through the wings on her back, meant that physical strength alone no longer determined a knight's combat effectiveness. Instead, mana played a far greater role.
And this, precisely, favors Lyra's strengths.
She dove straight down from above, targeting the Church Knights approaching the airship. Her blade burned with holy fire, carrying immense force as she slashed towards her target.
The Church Knight, having received orders to destroy the airship, sensed the grave threat and immediately raised his sword to block Lyra's strike. The translucent light-blade clashed against the knight's weapon, their edges shimmering violently, one growing brighter and stronger, the other dimming rapidly.
Although it seemed like a few seconds of struggle, the blades had actually met for only an instant. In the blink of an eye, the Sword of Light severed the opposing knight's sword. A silver-white fragment of the blade, carrying a chill wind, shot outward, vanishing into the dark dust below.
Exploiting the brief opening created by the recoil from the broken sword, Lyra's blade mercilessly swept toward the knight's neck, so fast it resembled a streak of light.
On the battlefield, having witnessed countless soldiers' lives and deaths, Lyra's heart had long turned to iron. She would show no unnecessary mercy towards any enemy wielding a weapon.
Hesitation or doubt could cost her life, or the lives of her comrades fighting beside her.
Besides, any soldier willing to sacrifice their life to destroy the airship in an explosion, dragging everyone aboard down to the ground, must have already prepared themselves for death in battle.
The sharp blade slides across skin, leaving a crimson trail. At the most critical moment of life-threatening danger, the Church knight's mana instinctively pushed his body backward, barely pulling himself out of the lethal range of Lyra's light-sword.
Feeling no resistance, no bone, no severed artery, only a minor cut on the skin, Lyra exhaled softly. She didn't pursue the escaping knight. The blood at the blade's tip evaporated from the heat, producing a pungent, strange odor.
Her current mission was to protect the airship, not eliminate enemies. She couldn't act recklessly.
Warm sunlight fell upon her shoulder, a knight's instinct warned Lyra of an incoming attack.
It was a middle tier Magnus spell, combined with projected mana-sharpened blades.
Lyra flapped her light-wings, quickly dodging the most threatening mana blade with her legs together. Her fully expanded wings blocked a light-element spell from behind. The semi-transparent light feathers neutralize the searing, aggressive nature of the light element, transforming it into gentle rays that softly enveloped the outer edge of her wings.
So easily avoid... and with a light-element spell that previously had little effect on her?
Lyra blinked, skeptical of the enemy's aim, but immediately realized something was wrong. She shifted her gaze and spotted several knights approaching the airship's side, launching light-element spells at the magic-laden vessel above.
The gathered light-element particles formed a semi-conical spear, its white tip nearly igniting the air. Even space itself seemed to distort for a second, though this was merely a visual illusion caused by heated air. A Magnus tier spell was far from capable of affecting space or time.
Facing the massive magic-energy beast before them, the Holy Knights felt like ants. For less than half a second, they hesitated, but ultimately followed their commander's orders, guiding the destructive spell straight toward the hull below.
This strike should be enough to shatter the lower cabin.
Due to insufficient knowledge of the magic-energy airship, some Holy Knights mistakenly targeted the auxiliary propulsion chamber, responsible for directional adjustments, as the passenger cabin. But in truth, whether it was the propulsion or passenger section, a successful hit would severely disrupt the airship's control.
Unfortunately, they underestimated the Valeria Empire's level of investment in these magic-energy airships. They also hadn't expected that the defensive circles once carved into the fortress walls could be so perfectly transferred onto the airship's exterior.
Several scorching light spears struck the airship, causing the hull to sway slightly from the kinetic force, but that was all.
After the light dissolved, the dark-blue metallic hull still reflected a cold, sharp gleam. Faint mana fluctuations rippled along the bottom, dissipating the recent light-element assault.
Volcanic rock fused with noctilucent ore mined from the Eternal Night Forest, combined through a unique light-fire hybrid magic, then forged with exceptional craftsmanship, this creates the sturdy compartments for personnel and wind-element propulsion. Reinforced by multiple elemental-neutralizing defensive circles at the rear, the airship was designed to withstand magical attacks.
Thus, whether through mana-solidified kinetic strikes or elemental-destruction spells, the magic-energy airship could not be easily destroyed.
This configuration far surpasses the original first-generation magic-energy airship, the "Fearless." It was truly an aerial fortress of war.
Inside the control room, a mage operating a separate system assesses the impact of the attack based on feedback energy fluctuations, then relayed the information to the silver-haired, red-eyed Imperial Princess beside him.
"Your Highness, the recent attack reduced the hull's defensive circle energy by approximately one-thirtieth."
One-thirtieth, slightly higher than expected, but still within Astrid's acceptable range.
"Order the soldiers at their designated positions to ready their weapons. Begin immediate counterattacks."
The Church Knights' offensive was fiercer than anticipated. The original air-drop plan had to be canceled, shifting instead to passive defense.
Elise nodded slightly, broadcasting the order to the entire cabin using mana-infused voice projection.
Meanwhile, outside the airship, a Church Knight using wind-element magic to hover briefly prepared to launch another spell against the vessel. Within his vision, he caught a fleeting streak of light. Before he could react, searing heat pierced his chest.
A Sword of Light pierced straight through. Lyra pulled her sword, and blood sprayed like willow fluff dancing in the wind.
The knight's gaze fixed on the massive airship, a shadow eclipsing the sky like a dark cloud, his pupils unable to find the sun's light. His life force fading rapidly, his body plummeted from the sky to the earth.
The Sword of Light vaporized blood, raising a thin white mist. Watching the man, deprived of wind-element particles, plummet straight down, Lyra's heartbeat quickened slightly. She turned to face the other enemies.
Lyra's strike had instantly killed an early tier Master Knight, making all the knights acutely aware of her threat.
If they didn't eliminate Lyra Beckett, they wouldn't just fail to attack the airship, they'd likely be picked off one by one.
One, two, three... including deputy commander aide who had just briefly clashed with Lyra and, under the influence of the Light Formation, barely restored his mana, altogether, one middle tier Magnus and two peak tier Master Knights now focused their assault entirely on Lyra.
A sharp sword beam severed a strand of pink hair. Turning to dodge, her locks fluttered as Lyra saw the clean break under the morning light, her entire body shifting into full alert.
Her mana was running low. Facing two opponents of equal rank and a supporting mage, even wielding the Holy Light Sword, two hands couldn't overcome four.
Quickly casting two layers of positive buffs on herself, Lyra targeted the weakest link, the mage, and shot toward her like a cannonball.
The other Church Knights saw her intent. One quickly moved to intercept, while another, positioned above, used the ambient fire-element particles around light to ignite a flaming spear.
Their blades clashed, and Lyra immediately forced back the knight engaging her. At the same moment, the flaming spear struck her back. The scorching wave was blocked by the Holy Light Armor, leaving only faint fire-element particles to cause minor burning sensations.
Seeing her focused assault fail, Lyra glanced back. Two light-arrows instantly materialized from the sunlight on either side of her body, shooting straight toward the other spellcaster.
The next second, feeling wind brush past her ear, Lyra instinctively twisted her wrist mid-spell, her sword thrusting directly at the throat of the approaching enemy.
That was the knight armor's weak point, no one could withstand a direct hit there.
The attacker immediately dodged, his knight's blade clashing against Lyra's Light Sword, skillfully aiming to pierce her hand.
Just as Lyra intended to target the Holy Light Armor's weak spots, he aimed for the same. The knight's glove only had hard metal on the outer layer; the inner side uses soft white silk to maintain sword-hand flexibility and reduce skin abrasion.
If this strike lands, Lyra will have to split her focus between healing and suppressing pain during the battle.
If it were more severe, rendering her unable to grip the sword, the outcome would be decided. They could then refocus their objective on destroying the magic-energy airship.
The blade drew closer, nearly piercing the silk covering her pale skin. But in a flash, Lyra released her grip on the Light Sword. The translucent blade naturally separated. At the same time, her wings flapped, shifting her body just out of reach of the enemy's blade.
Everything seems to leave afterimages. Instinctively, the armored knight's short boot slightly kicked the holy sword. Lyra reached out, caught it, and in the same motion swung it in a 180-degree arc, aiming directly at the junction between helmet and armor, the most hazardous spot: the neck.
The deputy commander hadn't expected Lyra's combat reflexes to be this fast, faster even than their previous street encounter. He barely managed to raise his other arm to guard his neck. The light sword sliced through metal, the force sending his body flying. He felt as if his arm were being roasted over fire, every bone on the verge of shattering.
Looking down, his sturdy arm guard and light-element shield were already broken. Blood gushed from the wound.
If he hadn't raised his arm in time, the Holy Light Sword would have struck his unprotected, vulnerable neck. He'd likely be dead now, just like the knight moments ago, perishing in the skies above Liya Tower Fortress.
It was pure instinct that saved him.
Internally, the Deputy commander once again acknowledged Lyra's overwhelming strength and the grave threat she posed. He saw more Church Knights approaching.
The Captain and Archbishop had ordered the elimination of as many Valeria Imperial forces as possible. That meant not only the airship, but also high-level combatants like these, exposed and vulnerable, were priority targets.
Detecting the approaching enemies through her mana-sensing net, Lyra exhaled softly. Blinding light erupted from her body, instantly neutralizing all incoming spells.
Now, with her light-wings fully spread, Lyra stood protectively before the deep-blue hull. There was no trace of the gentle maid she once was, only the resilience and determination of a knight.
As long as her mana held, she will fight until her last breath.
Just as Lyra clutched her knight's sword, embracing this resolve, the magic-energy airship behind her suddenly retracted its outer metal panels, revealing a black magic cannon within.
Elemental particles from fire-element crystals were rapidly drawn and channeled to the cannon's tip. Fierce wind compresses them to the limit. Then, the magic runes inside the barrel activate. Mixed metal from earth-element crystals was ignited by wind and compressed fire, forming molten, falling rock.
The magic device once again demonstrated its power. A series of deafening cannon roars echoing through the air. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
Standing in the command room, Astrid used her mana to lock onto each Church Knight. A hybrid spell combining fire, wind, and earth-element crystals approximates the power of a low-tier mage.
Although far weaker than the magic-energy cannon within Liya Tower Fortress, this level of magical assault was more than enough to threaten the swarming enemies buzzing around the airship like flies.
"Evade immediately! Don't get hit!"
"It's magic-energy weaponry... get closer to the hull, there might be a blind spot..."
Drawing from experience fighting magic-energy rifles, some Church Knights tried approaching the airship. But from the start, Charlotte and Astrid had anticipated this. A flowing Lightning net, formed from lightning-element crystals, acts as a natural barrier. Wild currents crackled in the dry, cold wind, occasionally exploding as they ruptured the air.
Once metallic armor or swords neared, the lightning would automatically attract and strike indiscriminately. Even at peak tier Magnus level, breaking through quickly was impossible, let alone breaching the defenses formed by other magic-energy weapons.
This was far more troublesome than imagined.
The deputy commander, clutching his bone-exposed arm, cast a temporary pain-suppression arcane spell, issuing orders through a sweat-soaked brow.
"Stop attacking these crewed magic devices. While evading, focus your attacks on the defending soldiers."
Since the Valeria Empire had prepared countermeasures, unless they deployed a Arcanist mage, their mixed force of Magnus and Master Knights stood little chance of taking even a single magic-energy airship.
They might as well tactics shift, leaving behind some high-level defenders on the outside, like Lyra Beckett here.
In fact, due to Lyra's outstanding performance, many Church Knights had already gathered near her. Now receiving the Deputy commander's temporary command, they immediately redirected their assault toward her.
Within her mana-sensing field, several opponents of equal strength were rapidly closing in. A veteran of countless battles, Lyra knew the danger well. She didn't intend to fight head-on. Activating her light-wings at full speed and enhancing them with wind-element acceleration magic, she shot away like an arrow.
Still, there was a reaction delay between detecting the enemy and fleeing. And Lyra, already the battlefield's focal point, was watched by many eyes. Instantly, multiple arcane spells struck her. Although weakened by the Holy Light Armor, Lyra's mana still flickered for half a second, nearly causing her to lose control of her wings.
Composing herself, the light points on her wing edges flickered faintly. Briefly breaking free, Lyra continued upward, her silver shoulder armor tracing a path through the air.
Within her elemental vision, ice-element particles were being gathered artificially. The closer she got to the airship, the colder the wind on her cheeks became.
But to her, this was merely the tail end of a spell's residual effect. All Church Knights trying to approach Lyra felt their joints creaking, their once-holy-lit blades now covered in a thin layer of ice.
Faint cracking sounds repeating repeatedly. For weaker Church Knights, their longswords, imbued with a fragile quality, shattered along with the ice, breaking into several pieces and falling to the ground.
This spell... I've never seen it before. It must be Astrid's magic again...
Only she would know such strange yet incredibly powerful ancient spells, ones never translated into common tongue.
The airship's Lightning barrier gradually weakened as Lyra approached, now at a level the Holy Light Armor could withstand. The cabin door slowly opened, revealing a slender, delicate black-stockinged leg and an elegant high heel touching the ground.
At this critical moment, a peak tier Master Knight, who had lain in waiting, finally struck.
He dashed through the Lightning net at incredible speed, his blade glinting with cold light as it slashed toward Lyra's light-wings.
From this angle, not only would her wings be hit, but a full-force swing would also strike the back of her knee, unprotected by armor. The thin white thermal stocking stood no chance against this blow.
Lyra noticed this too, but the attacker behind her was far faster than the others. Worse, he hadn't appeared in her mana-sensing field until now, an abrupt presence, reminiscent of her combat instructor, Elise, a high-rank Master Knight specializing in agility and stealth assassination.
Rapidly infusing light-element particles into her wings, hoping they could withstand this premeditated strike, Lyra even braced herself for injury and a forced entry into the airship.
"Boom!"
A piercing blast rang in the pink-haired girl's ear. The agile knight, moments from striking Lyra, was hit by something and instantly sent flying backward.
Looking up, Astrid knelt on one knee inside the cabin, her night-sky-colored princess gown covering her long, smooth black-stockinged legs. One crimson eye watched Lyra; the other remained fixed on a long, dark metallic barrel, not shifting away.
Was... that Astrid's doing too?
The assassin flew several meters away, his solidified mana unable to immediately halt his momentum.
Only then did Lyra notice the device in Astrid's hand, resembling a firearm, yet modified differently. Its metal tube was extremely long, uniquely shaped, glinting faintly in the light.
With no time to ponder, Lyra used her wings to propel herself into the cabin. The momentum carried her straight into Astrid, knocking them both to the ground.
Fortunately, the door is closed behind them, no need to worry about further intrusions.
Looking at Lyra, who had landed in her arms, Astrid gently helped her up, displaying impeccable noble grace.
"Thank you for your hard work, Baroness Lyra."
Hearing Astrid's formal tone, Lyra realized others were watching. She quickly straightened herself, whispering softly.
"Sorry, Your Highness..."
"I overstepped just now... and dirtied your dress."
She hadn't entered through the passenger cabin used for retreating soldiers, but a higher-level chamber equipped with various magic-energy weapons for defense. On both sides sat low-rank mages adjusting their aim.
Astrid shook her head, her voice gentle.
"No need to apologize. Baroness Lyra's grace in battle was simply too remarkable. I was momentarily entranced, which is why I lost my balance."
With that, Astrid casually brushed dust from her dress, then stored the magic-energy weapon back into her gem pendant, turning to walk deeper into the cabin.
Lyra followed quickly, stopping at a position with an observation window.
Five minutes ago, she had been beneath the airship, fully submerged in combat, reacting only to threats. Now, slightly relaxed, she had even sheathed her Sword of Light, finally able to take in the scene below.
Thanks to the efficient operation of the airship's defenses, the Church Knights had failed to pose any effective threat. As time passed, the airship gradually ascended, and the knights soon gave up their attacks, descending to maintain the operation of the "Holy Radiant City Light."
"Your Highness, should we deactivate the hull defenses?"
"Hmm, deactivate them."
At Astrid's command, the magic crystals cease supplying energy. The opened metal panels closed once more, the dark cannon muzzles retracting into the deep-blue hull.
Looking at Lyra standing beside her, Astrid explained softly.
"In just this short while, the number of magic crystals consumed for defense and counterattacks has created a financial gap that will take months to refill."
And that didn't include the energy required just to keep the magic-energy airship aloft. Just this single launch will give Amalia in the capital quite a headache.
Now, every bit saved would count. They'd need it in the future.
"Besides the pilot, everyone else go check the casualty reports." Astrid gestured for the head maid to handle it, then calmly addressed the group.
"Liya Tower Fortress has successfully achieved its strategic objective. We're now heading to the second defensive line."
Although it fell slightly short of the ideal plan to hold until winter, giving the Kingdom of Velys about a month of desperate fighting time, giving Valeria Empire's current military strength, achieving this much was already remarkable.
"Between the first and second defensive lines, across that vast, endless tundra, we've left many 'gifts.' I believe the Church Knights will spend considerable effort dealing with them."
"In other words, once you disembark, you can enjoy a period of undisturbed rest. Through negotiations with Duke Charles, the Empress has decided to continue paying wages at wartime rates."
"You may all rest well."
After addressing all matters, Astrid moved to another observation deck with an external view. A young girl, not dressed like a soldier, sat in a seat. An ink bottle had spilled nearby, likely due to the ship's shaking, but she had reacted quickly, already uprighting the bottle. Only a small ink stain remains on the yellowed parchment.
"Just write what happened, the magic-energy airship leading the defending soldiers away from the front lines, and how Professor Charlotte's defensive magic devices countered the flying knights of the Kingdom."
The girl speaking with Astrid seemed a bit nervous, whether from conversing with the Empire's highest-ranking princess, or from the recent intense battle, it was unclear.
"Y-yes, Your Highness..."
Her trembling pen left ink marks, then quickly steadied. The girl lowered her head, faithfully recording what she had testified.
Astrid nodded, then added some details the girl didn't know.
Although Astrid was still the chief editor of the Empire Weekly, as Regent, her days were packed with endless duties. Naturally, such minor tasks had to be delegated.
Once the first draft was completed, she'd review and revise it, emphasizing the value of the magic-energy airship, then send it to Amalia in the Empire for publication in the next issue.
Lyra, whose mind had been under constant tension, gradually relaxed as she listened to Astrid's gentle, cool voice. In an instant, even the vivid image of blood splattered on her sword's tip in her mind faded slightly.
So Astrid had considered this as well.
After this battle, border soldiers equipped with magic-energy weapons had held off the far stronger Church Knight Order for nearly half a year, eventually executing an orderly retreat aboard the magic-energy airship, a feat bordering on miraculous.
Setting aside criticism of crystal consumption, publishing these positive outcomes in the Empire Weekly would indeed aid future promotion of magic-energy devices.
"Lyra..."
"...you're injured?"
As Lyra pondered, she heard Astrid's voice grow louder beside her.
