I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

Inside the lavishly decorated temporary command tent of the Southern Alliance.

“Lord Mamon. The imperial corps’ vanguard has shown itself. Judging by their movements, they seem ready to begin their advance as soon as they finish reorganizing their formation.”

At the aide’s words, the young man looking down at the map, Baron Mamon, raised the corner of his mouth.

“As expected.”

His smile contained obvious mockery and contempt for Loen.

“After consecutively conquering three major cities, she seems to think she’s quite the military genius. In battles between forces of similar strength, one should always be cautious.”

The commanders joined in Mamon’s mockery.

“What would a woman with no military experience know about strategy and tactics? She’s just running wild relying on the Inspection Corps’ authority and her magic skills.”

“He’s right. You can tell just by watching her advance with a unit consisting only of cavalry toward our forces positioned on hills. With knight and mage forces being similar, what does she think she can accomplish?”

“I suppose she’ll acutely realize her own inadequacies in this large-scale battle.”

Listening to their words, Mamon opened his mouth again.

“Anyway. This will be the last of her reckless actions.”

He declared.

“Because Loen Franz will absolutely not survive this battle.”

After saying this, Mamon turned his head to look at an expressionless platinum-haired elf woman.

“Don’t you agree, Ms. Celtia?”
“That’s right.”

At Mamon’s question, Celtia nodded slightly.

Celtia.
Commander of the Red Band Magic Battalion, a 5-star top-tier light attribute mage,
And one of the most skilled individuals renowned within the allied forces.

For her, the outcome of this battle was of no concern.

Celtia stood here solely to kill Loen Franz.

“I firmly believe… that you will kill her.”
“With the magic battalion alongside me, it’s more than enough. So don’t worry.”

Superhumans who have transcended limits are equivalent to tens of thousands of military strength.
These individuals were classified as veritable catastrophes.
They had profound influence even on the course of wars.

For this reason, countries have historically spared no means to eliminate promising talents from other nations who could pose a threat to them, those who might potentially grow into catastrophes.

When opportunity presented itself, they would go to any lengths to cut off the budding threat.

Loen Franz was such a case.

Especially after Duke Donnelly’s sudden death, the leadership of the Allied Nations had branded her as an extremely dangerous person of special concern.

Loen Franz had her name added to the Allied Nations’ list of top-priority targets.

Thus, with this golden opportunity at hand.

The Allied Nations, determined to eliminate Loen Franz by any means, secretly dispatched thousands of elf troops, including the elite elf magic battalion, to the imperial south.

Even with the Southern Alliance’s assistance, this was a decision that entailed enormous risk and burden.
Nevertheless, they boldly executed it.

“The meeting ends here. Well then, Ms. Celtia, shall we go outside together?”
“Yes.”

Mamon and Celtia stepped outside the tent.

From the top of a low hill, they looked down at the battlefield.

An army of thirty thousand, composed of various combinations, was positioned on the high ground of the hills.

“As you requested, we’ve positioned them in the center.”
“That’s good.”

The Red Band tribe was positioned on the central hill.
With wooden stakes driven in, they were lined up lengthwise along the slope of the hill, aiming their muskets and waiting. Twenty cannons were positioned at the top of the hill.

Looking around, Celtia said.

“Mamon. Tell all artillery units to target Loen Franz as their top priority.”
“Are you planning to use even them as bait?”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”

Ahem.
Clearing his throat, Mamon continued.

“On both sides of the expected corps’ advance route, we’ve positioned the allied nobles’ forces to prepare for a pincer attack, and at the front, we’ve thickly positioned mercenary units…”
“I’m not interested in them. They’re just meat shields anyway.”
“…That’s true.”

Celtia’s expressionless eyes glinted coldly.

“Even if all thirty thousand get completely annihilated, as long as I can eliminate her who would become a catastrophe in the future… that’s enough for me.”

Truly befitting of the Red Band.
Mamon scratched his cheek and nodded.

“More importantly, is it certain that she’s a 6th-rank triple casting mage?”
“Absolutely.”

Mamon had determined that Loen was 6th-rank after the failed assassination attempt.
Duke Donnelly’s death and the testimonies of survivors also supported this.

“What about artifacts?”
“They’re prepared. But you seem to have unusually many questions today?”

At Mamon’s words, Celtia turned to face him.

“Mamon, that woman is too dangerous. You can tell just by looking at her past actions. So I intend to thoroughly cut off this threat with this opportunity. That’s also why our Red Band tribe came all this way.”

“I see…”

‘To smuggle thousands of troops into enemy territory just to kill one person.’

Those elves.
They’re certainly an extreme race in some ways.

‘That’s why they’re easy to use, though.’

As Mamon was continuing his thoughts.

Urgent cries from the commanders were heard.

“Everyone prepare for battle!!”
“Load the cannons!”

The corps, which had been stopped at a distance, began to move.

“All troops, halt!”

Following Loen’s order, the vanguard simultaneously pulled on their horses’ reins and stopped their advance.
The rough breathing of horses and the sound of armor clashing settled in the dusty air.

The corps’ vanguard of seven thousand stretched out across the field.

Silver armor and sharp spearheads gleamed in the sunlight.
But beneath their helmets, there was a trace of anxiety in their eyes.

“What is the command thinking? We could go around, couldn’t we? We’d be much faster anyway since we’re cavalry.”
“That’s what I’m saying.”

The enemies had set up their positions on the high ground of the gently sloping hills.
Meanwhile, the vanguard led by Loen was positioned on the lowland field.

Even to the untrained eye, the topographical advantage and disadvantage were obvious.

On those hills, the Southern Alliance’s private soldiers, mercenaries, and the Red Band elf units that had joined them had established defensive lines.

Wooden stakes were dug into the slopes, and behind them, elf soldiers with muskets and cannons gaped with menacing maws.

Charging toward the enemy lines would be nothing short of suicidal.
Setting aside victory or defeat, no commander in the world would undertake such a reckless charge with such topographical disadvantages.

Loen, of course, knew this.

Yet the reason she marched here…

“Since the knight forces are said to be similar, the mages’ battle will be crucial.”

It was as Seraphine said.

Loen intended to decide the battle with magic.

That’s why she didn’t waste time and marched straight here.

She planned to use all the artifacts she had brought from Duke Donnelly’s repository and those distributed by her father.

“Corps Commander!”

At that moment, the intelligence staff officer urgently approached Loen.

“According to our observation, Celtia’s magic battalion is confirmed to be in the enemy camp. They seem to have been hiding their identity until now.”

Celtia’s magic battalion?
It was a name she was hearing for the first time.

“Celtia?”

As Loen made a puzzled expression as if to ask who that was, the operations staff officer beside her began explaining.

“Celtia’s magic battalion is the allied forces’ famous elite magic combat unit. Their commander, Celtia, is widely known for her unique magic that abnormally amplifies the power of allied mages.”

He paused to choose his words carefully.

“Because of this, I’ve heard that if her magic battalion isn’t suppressed early in large-scale battles, it causes tremendous damage to our forces. And… not only is Celtia exceptionally skilled in her own right, but she’s also known for being particularly merciless toward imperial forces.”

Just like you, Lady Loen.
The operations staff officer barely swallowed the thought that had unconsciously surfaced.

After hearing his explanation, Loen’s brow furrowed.

‘Amplifying allied magic power? Like a buff?’

That would be quite troublesome magic.

But as Loen thought about it further.

‘I’m also a mage who uses amplification properties in light attributes, right? Does that mean I could do it too?’

Inadvertently, Loen had gained a hint about a new type of magic.
I should experiment with it later.

Having finished her thoughts, Loen issued an order to the staff officer.

“Operations staff. Prepare to charge as previously instructed when the time comes.”
“Yes.”

He turned his horse’s head to relay orders to the subordinate units.

The plan was for the vanguard to charge when the enemies fell into confusion after the barrage of magic and artifacts.
Once the enemy formation collapsed, topographical advantages would no longer matter.

“Everyone gather!”

At Loen’s call, all the mages gathered.

Eleven mages dismounted and walked to the middle of the field.

Crunch, crunch.
The sound of trampling undergrowth tickled their ears.

Loen stopped walking about several dozen meters away from the cannons’ range.

With seven thousand cavalry behind them,
Only the mages faced the enemies head-on.

“It seems the other side has a similar idea.”

Soon after, on the central hill where the elf army was positioned, a group of twenty-six mages appeared.
Judging by their attire, they were a mix of Southern Alliance mages and the elf magic battalion.

An expressionless elf mage with long platinum hair led them, slowly walking down from the front.

They too seemed intent on deciding the battle with magic.

It was then.

The elf’s gaze and Loen’s gaze collided in mid-air.
The cold gazes of two mages who showed no mercy to their enemies stared at each other.

Loen was the first to move.

“Seraphine, Psyche. Take everything out now.”
“Wow, that elf mage. She even looks similar to Lady Loen, why don’t you exchange a few words with her, ack!”

After hitting Psyche on the head once, Loen took out artifacts from her chest.

What dialogue?

First, she activated defensive and auxiliary artifacts.

The Seal of Protection that blocks attacks below 4-star rank.
The Magic Bullet Trigger that periodically fires mana beams toward the enemy.

Wooong.
A blue seal emitted light, and two cold metal rods rose into the air and positioned themselves behind her.

Next, she took out the single-use magic artifacts she had packed from the Duke’s repository and infused them with mana.
Cold Flame Storm, Rain of Fire, Earth Splitting… the varieties were diverse.
Without hesitation, she activated them all.

Finally…

At that moment, Loen’s sight caught the platinum-haired elf taking something out from her chest.

Seeing her quickly shouting something to the other elf mages around her, it was clear they had the same idea.

They also intended to use artifacts.

But Loen was one step faster.

What she finally took out was,

The large-scale area magic artifact containing Carl Franz’s secret technique.

Extreme Thunder.

Right after Loen activated the Extreme Thunder artifact, the elf mages on the hill simultaneously activated their prepared artifacts.

“Magic battalion. Activate all reserve artifacts as well.”

With mana waves erupting from everywhere, both sides brought out even the reserves they had hidden.
Falling behind here would mean starting at a disadvantage.

The enemies’ magic, activated a beat late, and the numerous artifact spells launched by Loen’s group violently collided in mid-air.

Red flames and storms of flesh-searing cold mixed and swirled, and hundreds of lightning arrows chaotically cut through the air.

From the sky, a rain of flames poured down like meteor showers, and from the ground, pitch-black mana spikes shot up without warning as if to pierce everything.

Various magics clashed, indiscriminately devastating the surrounding area.

The earth rumbled and the atmosphere screamed.

“Get down!!”
“Aaaaargh!”

In the chaos where everyone was dying in various ways,
Soldiers were gripped by fear, covering their ears and closing their eyes.

“Barrier!”
“Light Curtain!”

Mages on both sides, caught in the aftermath of the magic collision, hastily cast defensive spells to protect themselves.
It was even difficult to maintain balance against the shockwave that far exceeded expectations.

Only Loen and Celtia, of all people, steadfastly continued casting for what was to come.

And.

Above the apex of all that chaos.

Boom—!

From beyond the thick dark clouds in the sky, like the wrath of a god, an incredibly thick blue lightning beam struck down toward the central hill.

At the enormous wave of mana, Celtia, who had raised her head, widened her eyes in that moment.

With a powerful flash, everyone’s eyes were blinded.