After Retirement, Living a Stud Life in Another World - 61

Chapter 61: Goddess of Water

We slowly pursued the Imperial Army and finally crossed the border.

Since the great victory on the plains, we encountered no significant resistance until now, but it was inevitable that we would have to stop. In front of us stood a sturdy castle where the retreating Imperial Army had taken refuge.

I had researched this castle beforehand in books, said to have been built two hundred years ago. Its walls, meticulously crafted from granite, boasted a height of fifteen meters and a thickness of one and a half meters, making it impregnable to ladders and siege towers. Moreover, with archers shooting down from its height and stones being hurled, past kingdoms had suffered extensive damage. Yet, the castle had never changed hands, and due to its presence, even the weaker Imperial State had maintained its border for two centuries.

Ignoring such a rock-solid fortress and advancing straight to the Imperial Capital wasn’t entirely out of the question, but there were still seven to eight thousand troops holed up in the castle. If they managed to attack us from behind, it would be extremely dangerous. Ultimately, there was no choice but to capture this place.

“So, Lutz. You suggested attacking here, so you must have a plan, right?”

Beatrice wasn’t intending to hold a strategy meeting; she just handed the responsibility over to me right away. Well, we might be able to manage something with this castle.

“Well, you see. The selling point of this castle is its sturdy walls, but conversely, that’s its only strength. So, if we can break through there, their morale will surely collapse. Without the walls, we still have our magic units intact, so we might be able to handle them, don’t you think?”

“Hey, Lutz. How do you propose to conquer such a formidable stone fortress? I’m not doubting you, but…”

“I think Gretel’s concerns are valid. But we have the continent’s greatest water mage with us; we’ll manage somehow. Right, Liese?”

“Of course. If Lutz says so, I can do it, no, I’ll show you.”

Seeing my sister’s expression, which had turned into that of a follower who had just received a revelation from her guru, I couldn’t help but sigh deeply. Well, I’m glad she’s enthusiastic, but…

—

Before our eyes, the tall, sturdy stone walls collapsed with a loud noise.

Additionally, the Imperial soldiers who had been cursing and futilely shooting arrows from atop the walls fell awkwardly. The enemies, who had prided themselves on the impenetrability of their fortress, probably stood there dumbfounded, mouths gaping open.

On the other hand, the soldiers of Belzenbruck raised their fists in jubilation.

“Amazing! They easily destroyed such a huge castle wall!”

“To think they can use such precise and powerful magic…”

“It truly befits the ‘Hero’s Beloved Daughter,’ doesn’t it?”

Yes, this time, there was no need to keep our cards hidden. We proudly displayed Liese’s transcendent water magic for all to see.

No matter how sturdy the castle walls were, they were constantly being pushed down by the weight from above. However, even though the lower part was crushed, it remained intact due to being cleanly cut into cubic shapes from hard volcanic rock.

So, what would happen if we made diagonal cuts in the bottom stones? Gravity would then work sideways, as if decomposing the vector, and the bottom stones would be pushed outwards. If that happened, there would be nothing supporting the stones piled up above. The walls would collapse under their own weight.

However, stones are hard and large. It would be impossible to make diagonal cuts with a stone saw. Even if you could make some cuts, the saw teeth would surely stop moving due to the weight of the stone.

So, my simple idea was to use my sister’s Water Cutter for that. My sister joined the engineering corps to polish her skills in destroying buildings and walls with water flow. I thought normal Water Cutters could only cut through flat surfaces, but my sister, with her somewhat obsessive passion, underwent rigorous training every day and eventually became able to split even boulders in two. It is said that magical power limits are innate, but magical control can be improved through training… and my sister has outstanding control talent. With each passing day, the water flow she controls becomes thinner and faster… which means the cutting force increases.

So, this time, we put on a stone-cutting show for the soldiers. With her pink hair gently waving in the wind, and her subordinates’ water mages diligently creating water spheres, which she then skillfully manipulated to squeeze and strike against the crucial stones of the wall, my sister’s work seemed modest at first glance.

But the results speak for themselves. The water mages already idolize Liese like a goddess, but this time, she generously displayed her miraculous skills to the entire army.

“It’s amazing! She’s cutting through those thick stones as if they were cheese…”

“To achieve something like that and still maintain such a calm demeanor… it’s admirable.”

“Isn’t it disrespectful to call a mage who can perform such miracles the ‘Hero’s Daughter’?”

“I agree! How about we start calling Lady Annelise the ‘Goddess of Water’ from now on?”

“Oh, that’s perfect!”

“Goddess of Water!” “Goddess!”

Everyone seems really excited. It’s great that Liese is being praised, but… you do realize the battle is still ongoing, right, soldiers?