"What if we deploy the troops... in a line before the gate?"
"No, no! Such a flimsy formation would be broken through in an instant!"
"He's right. It would be better to barricade ourselves inside. The gate has been treated with Permanent Hardening enchantment magic. No matter how many monsters there are, they'll never break through!"
"Naive. They'll just scramble up mountains of their own dead and climb over. We should still station troops outside the gate."
"Fool! We don't have the numbers to split our forces like that! Do you have any idea how many monsters we're facing!?"
"Exactly! With those numbers, they'll even come over the mountains flanking the gate. We'll never be able to hold them!"
Voices clashed in a chaotic storm of arguments.
Ooh, this really feels like a proper war council. Everyone's so fired up.
Pieces representing soldiers and monsters were being moved all across the map. The meeting had already stretched past three hours, and the generals were starting to show signs of exhaustion.
"Sigh, just how many hours do they plan on doing this? I'm starting to get sleepy..."
"My head is starting to throb, too. I don't know how you can keep following this, Master Lloyd..."
Grimo and Jiriel both looked wiped out, but I felt perfectly fine.
"What are you two talking about? We don't get many chances to listen to such interesting discussions."
Military magic was quite different from standard magic. It was mostly kept secret and rarely recorded in books, so I'd only been able to speculate about it until now. However, since the generals were throwing military magic concepts around left and right during this meeting, it was surprisingly easy to analyze the spell formulas being used.
Hmm, I see. I see. They maximize potency by imposing usage limits, or broaden the area of effect by dialing back the power. They've simplified the spell formulas to the absolute limit so that anyone can use them. If you compress and simplify a formula that much, even someone with zero talent could master it in no time.
Making magic accessible to everyone would increase the total number of mages, broadening the base of the craft. That would eventually raise the level of the mages at the very top, too. Plus, people who know nothing about traditional magic might come up with flexible, innovative ideas, leading to the birth of all sorts of new magic. If those improvements continue, the overall level of magic as a whole will rise, and eventually, I might have the chance to see an even greater variety of magic.
"Still, Lloyd is sitting there being remarkably quiet. Do you think he actually understands what's being discussed?"
"Lloyd is a very clever child, after all. Besides, the reason he likely wanted to attend is to learn about military magic. Those spells are highly effective despite their simplicity, which is why so many of them are kept secret. A mage of Lloyd's caliber would likely be able to use them immediately."
"Don't be ridiculous, Albert! I've heard military magic is much easier than the standard variety, but it still takes elite mage soldiers months to learn it! Stop spouting such nonsense about him using it instantly!"
"Heh. That is just who Lloyd is, older sister. He is an absolute anomaly."
Cruse and Albert were muttering to each other, but I was completely absorbed in the council.
"Even so, that older brother with the sharp eyes hasn't said a word."
"Indeed. He hasn't even blinked while staring at the board. It's quite terrifying..."
In front of Shneider sat a board for a strategy game called Hyogi. He seemed to be using the pieces to represent the enemy and his own forces, glaring at them with intense focus.
Actually, it felt like the discussion had been stuck in a deadlock for a while now. They must have exhausted all their tactical ideas. I was hoping some new military magic would come up, but... Hm?
I realized that everyone in the room was now looking at Shneider. It seemed they were all waiting for the Commander-in-Chief's final decision.
Hmm, now I was curious, too.
"Um, Big brother Shneider. How do you plan to stop the Stampede?"
I tried speaking to him in a quiet voice.
Shneider shot a piercing glare at me, paused for a moment in thought, and then moved a piece.
"Oh, that's a pretty lopsided formation. It's like you're luring them into the mountains. Would the enemy move like this, then?"
"..."
I moved a piece of my own.
Then Shneider moved one again.
We took turns manipulating the pieces until, before I knew it, the monster side I was controlling had been checkmated.
"Ah, I lost. You're really good, Big brother Shneider."
"A real battle never ends so cleanly."
"Ahaha, I'll keep practicing."
Hmm, as expected of Shneider. He really was strong, living up to his reputation as Saloom's greatest general. To be honest, I had played Hyogi quite a bit in my previous life—even entering tournaments for the prize money—but he had completely toyed with me. Then again, I'd had a long hiatus and hadn't played once since my reincarnation, so I suppose losing was inevitable.
"To speak to Master Shneider without flinching while he's that focused, and then to actually challenge him to a game of Hyogi... Is Master Lloyd not afraid? I still freeze up just from those eyes glaring at me..."
"And there are very few who can hold their own against Master Shneider in Hyogi like that. That way of moving the pieces, the way he laid his traps... it's hard to believe he's only ten. He certainly lives up to his reputation as Master Albert's right-hand man."
"I figured Master Shneider wouldn't allow a mere child to stay unless there was a reason, but I didn't expect this..."
The generals were muttering among themselves.
Uh-oh. Since I suddenly started playing with Shneider, they might be angry.
"Ugh... to play so happily with Lloyd... I'm so jealous, Big brother Shneider..."
I could also feel a gaze filled with intense emotion coming from Albert. He was definitely mad because I'd acted on my own. I really should reflect on this.