Night Knight.

The plane finally landed at Da Jal, near the border with the Holy State of Davole. It was part of the Takhki Province military airfield network. This network housed long-range bombers, fighters, transport aircraft, and other types, capable of carrying out virtually all air operations—strategic bombing, air interception, ground strikes, and transport. Each airfield within the network occupied a different depth of position: for example, Da Jal was a medium-sized airfield near the border, able to accommodate large aircraft. Once the war pushed the front lines forward, this base would be far better positioned than the rear large-scale bases to perform support missions of all kinds. The military strength of the Holy State of Davole was, of course, nowhere near sufficient to warrant such a massive concentration of air power from the Dazilet Empire. However, its coastal proximity, coupled with being one of the prime routes for church armies marching south, made the strategic value of Takhki Province self-evident.

At the end of the runway, the aircraft carrying the Eleventh Company of the Night Knight taxied clear of the main strip under the tower's guidance after coming to a stop. The airfield at this moment seemed to be in a state of bustle. Once disembarked, the group could always see fighters one after another roaring down the runway into the skies, their engines thundering. It seemed that fighting against the "backward" armies was not going to be so easy after all.

"Gentlemen, I am Frupve, special envoy of the Chief of Staff of the Fourth Army Group. It is an honor to meet you."

No sooner had they disembarked than a man in the uniform of a colonel walked over, flanked by two guards. From the red trim on his collar insignia, it was clear he truly belonged to the staff.

"Greetings, Colonel Frupve."

Andrea stepped forward to meet him. As commander of the company, the duty of contact naturally fell to him.

"Hey, how is your meditation going?"

While Andrea conversed with Colonel Frupve, Inaya, out of boredom, drifted over to Hielaina's side. During the flight she had noticed Hielaina spending most of her time in meditation, looking rather diligent, and so decided to check in on her progress.

"Doesn't seem to be much progress."

Hielaina pursed her lips. She had followed Inaya's instructions and tried for a long time during meditation, but she simply could not sense that peculiar feeling of magic Inaya had described.

"Hmm… stretch out your hand."

"Why?"

Though puzzled, Hielaina did as asked.

"Both hands."

Under Hielaina's doubtful gaze, Inaya took hold of her hands and closed her eyes. Shatiel, standing nearby, watched intently, ready to kick Inaya away at a moment's notice.

"This method I haven't tried before. Just focus like you do during meditation."

"Wait… now?"

Hielaina glanced around hesitantly, then looked back at Inaya. But Inaya ignored her questioning, keeping her eyes shut. So Hielaina too settled herself, attempting meditation once again.

At first, nothing seemed different. Hielaina focused her senses on the shifts in her surroundings: the flow of wind, dust in the air, the smell of that dust, the voices of Andrea and Frupve conversing nearby, and the roar of aircraft engines on the runway. Beyond that, she felt nothing else. Yet faintly, there was a tingling sensation in her arms, like a weak electric current. Was this what Inaya had meant by her "method"?

Momentarily distracted, Hielaina turned her focus toward that current in her arms. But apart from the physical tingling, she still felt no trace of magic. Perhaps sensing this, Inaya strengthened the current slightly, yet still Hielaina detected no magic at all.

"Well? Do you feel anything?"

"No."

"..."

Inaya looked at her as though staring at a block of non-conductive iron. How could this be?!

"Don't pull your hand away—"

Just when Hielaina thought it was over, Inaya suddenly raised her right hand and aimed it toward a nearby open space.

"What are you doing?"

Bewildered, Hielaina also intercepted Shatiel's incoming kick. She noticed her right arm, held in Inaya's grasp, had begun to spark with flickers of white electricity. Then, with a blinding flash, a bolt of lightning burst from their hands, striking the stone pavement a short distance away.

"Surely you felt something this time?!"

Inaya looked at Hielaina with excitement, as if she herself had just mastered spellcasting. Hielaina, however, glanced awkwardly at the onlookers who had turned their attention toward them.

"What just happened?"

Colonel Frupve had clearly noticed the sudden flash and explosion. He eyed the scorched slab, still smoking faintly, and expected Andrea to give some explanation. The two guards at his side also scanned the surroundings warily.

"That… was an experimental weapon from the Academy. Something must have gone wrong. Looks like this needs to be reported to the Academy..."

Andrea wore an expression of utmost seriousness, making the claim sound entirely credible—and somehow, Frupve believed it.

"Next time you're going to make a commotion like that, warn me first…"

With a sharp hand chop, Hielaina struck Inaya on the head, though the latter wore an utterly defiant look.

"I was only trying to help you learn faster…"

"Not by casting dangerous spells in front of so many people! And drawing attention at that!"