TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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"Maybe I should learn magic too."
Belenka, riding her horse beside Ian, spoke up.
After receiving Baron Kaltz's warm hospitality and spending half a day playing with the baron's son, Ian set off leisurely towards the Imperial University in Dranheim, having replenished his food and horses.
"All of a sudden?"
Ian had accepted the baron's kindness without much thought.
Baron Kaltz was originally friendly to travelers (not killing them on sight was already considered kind enough), and he was even more welcoming to Ian, a wizard.
Moreover, since they had just struck a satisfactory deal, it was natural to part on good terms.
"Watching you, it seems like you're living life so easily."
"Are you picking a fight?"
Ian chuckled.
Judging by Belenka's expression, she seed half-serious.
From Belenka's perspective, it might seem unfair.
She was an excellent knight in her own right, but...
Ian the wizard could travel without spending a penny, just strolling around with nothing but the clothes on his back!
Plus, when knights were desperately fighting, he just had to click his fingers for overwhelming convenience!
"If I'd learned magic, I think I could've done as well as you..."
"?"
What's with that baseless confidence?
If Kira were here, she'd have scoffed, but she had already left for the Imperial University.
"Ah. I see. Is this the 'Peak of Ignorance'?"
"Peak of... what?"
Ian nodded in understanding.
Usually, when others do sothing, it always looks easy.
And if soone makes sothing look super easy, it's not that the task is simple, it's that the person is damn good at it.
When watching League of Legends montages, you might think, 'Hey, I could do that too,' but in reality, you'd be in the gutter.
In fact, Belenka had reached quite a high level in the realm of swordsmanship.
Ian's magic might look easy to her.
"Belenka. You should start by learning how to read."
"... What's reading got to do with magic!"
Wow.
Ian was amazed at Belenka's magical ignorance.
She wanted to do magic without even knowing the relationship between language and magic!
"You speak just fine!"
"Words have power in them. It's a concept of kotodama."
"... Are you deliberately using difficult words?"
"No. Is this difficult? If we consider the self as the subject of magic, then the interaction between self and other is communication, and since the other is another self and part of the world, it can beco the object of magic..."
Belenka, watching Ian ramble on without taking a breath, completely abandoned any thoughts of learning magic, even if just for a mont.
She felt like her head was starting to throb just from listening.
How the hell did Ian study those squiggly letters...?
Ian enthusiastically explained the [basic concepts of magic], hoping it might help Belenka sohow, but she didn't understand a single word.
No, beyond not understanding, it was horrifically boring.
The local priest's Bible reading would be far more interesting!
"So! You might perceive fire as just fire! But the mystery doesn't necessarily have the sa 100% identical impression as you!"
"What are you talking about? Isn't fire just fire to the mystery too?"
"It's different! How could the concept of fire perceived by the mystery of water be the sa as the concept of fire perceived by the mystery of fire!"
"... I quit! Forget it!"
In truth, the concept of magic did have so overlap with linguistics.
But there was no way Belenka, who had spent her whole life as a knight, could understand these concepts.
Belenka, who had thought about studying a bit alongside Ian since he was going to university, neatly folded away that ridiculous idea.
As expected. Studying is for wizards!
Belenka was content just exercising with Sir Salvador.
"Hm?"
In the midst of their chat, Belenka spotted a group of travelers ahead.
Not just ordinary travelers, but a group with many priests.
It looked like so high-ranking mber of a religious order was on the move...
The other group also noticed Ian and Belenka and approached them.
"You there. Haven't seen your faces before. Travelers?"
It was an extrely slovenly knight.
It wasn't particularly surprising.
Originally, 'knight' was just a term for unemployed bums who were good with swords.
If he was from a well-known family, he'd likely be a noble who knew honor, but.
Soone who starts with informal speech to strangers like that probably didn't receive proper ho education.
"This is perfect timing. You there, wench! I'll pay you handsoly, so co and do so work!"
"Are you talking to ?"
Belenka asked back in a voice of disbelief.
The knight spoke shalessly.
"Yeah! The priest I serve, Father Berum, has been feeling lonely without proper entertainnt. Your beauty is quite radiant, so co and brighten up the priest's drinking party!"
Oh...
Is this what they call street casting? (It's not)
Since starting to travel with Ian, Belenka rarely wore her helt in everyday situations.
But not covering her face had the side effect of attracting aggro from crazy people like this.
Nine tis out of ten, they were probably looking down on Ian and Belenka for traveling just the two of them.
Usually, high-status travelers bring along plenty of servants and slaves.
But Ian found managing servants troubleso, so he traveled with a small group, leading to situations like this.
"I appreciate you calling beautiful. But we're in a hurry, so I'll have to decline. And when asking favors of others, try to be more polite. Even street thugs would ask more courteously than you."
"Huh. A wench who's lost her fear."
"..."
Belenka's expression soured.
Ian had sowhat expected this situation.
Why would a thug be a thug for no reason? If they had common sense in their heads, they couldn't beco proper thugs.
"I am Zenik, a knight serving Father Berum! I even praised you while bowing my head, yet you insult by comparing to street thugs!"
Knight Zenik shouted, pointing at Ian.
"Should I beat up your husband to make you co to your senses?!"
"..."
Wait, why .
Ian blinked in disbelief.
Belenka sighed and said,
"He's not my husband. And it seems you're the one doing the insulting here."
"You... Are you trying to insult again..."
Belenka quietly put on her helt.
She was preparing to respond with actions instead of words.
But Ian stepped in to stop Belenka.
If the opponent was a knight with a master, it was a good opportunity to use a wizard's authority.
Especially since Ian was quite a famous wizard in these parts!
"You there, who looks like a horse that choked on hay, listen up."
"...?"
Belenka couldn't help but snicker.
Zenik's face did look a bit horse-like...
"I've been listening to what you've been saying."
Ian spoke in a very wizard-like manner.
"Are you an orphan?"
"Wha... What?!"
"I asked if you have no parents, you horse-faced man."
In a certain Confucian country in the East, this question would have imdiately led to a knife fight, it was that sensitive.
Openly asking if soone has no parents!
But this was the Holy Empire. Instead of Confucianism, they had Heaven's Faith as the state religion.
Surprisingly... questions about the existence of parents weren't as big an insult as Confucians might think.
And in reality, there were many orphans.
"My parents are alive and well! And who the hell are you!"
"Huh. If your parents are alive, that's even more pitiful."
"...?"
"It's painfully obvious you haven't received any ho education. If I were your father, I'd be too ashad to lend you my na."
"!"
In the Holy Empire, it was natural for parents to pass down their nas to their children.
Just as Ian's father, Ian, had passed down the na Ian to Ian.
So... Ian was now insulting him, saying even his parents would disown him!
"You... you green little brat!"
Zenik, enraged, drew his sword.
Asking about parents might not be a big insult, but.
Saying his father wouldn't even allow him to use his na was a comnt that cut deep for a dieval person!
'I knew he'd react like this.'
Ian clicked his tongue.
He clearly looked like a thug, so of course he'd have no patience.
Since the other party drew his sword first, Ian decided to use magic without hesitation.
Ian quickly scanned his opponent.
'A mare?'
He not only looked like a horse, but...
Ian shouted on impulse.
"[Dappled mare!]"
Neigh?
"Wha... Why are you hesitating!"
Zenik was confused when his horse suddenly stopped.
He still didn't realize that Ian's mysterious words had invoked magic.
"[Go wild!]"
[?]
The mare didn't understand Ian's command.
Its sensitivity to mystery was low.
To control an unfamiliar animal like a limb, you'd need at least level 6-7 summoning magic.
With Ian's level of summoning magic, he needed a more specific explanation.
"[The human you're carrying on your back is a crazy horse-lover!]"
[???]
"[He even looks like a horse! That guy gets more excited by mare piss than by human won!]"
[!]
The mare, hearing Ian's mysterious words, felt its mane stand on end in terror...!
My master is... a horse-lover?!
Excited by mares?!
Ian's summoning magic was level 3.
Enough to be quite convincing to a horse!
"[Just now, that guy told ! He said he's going to stroke you all over in the stable tonight!]"
The mare believed Ian's words completely.
If a human of a different species was brave enough to report this, it must be true!
Neeeeeigh!
Feeling its chastity threatened(...), the mare started shaking violently.
"Wha, what's going on! Why are you suddenly acting like this!"
Confused by his horse's sudden wild behavior, Zenik lost his grip on the reins.
Zenik fell off spectacularly, and Belenka burst out laughing.
"Still don't get it? This is magic!"
"Ma, magic?!"
Zenik finally grasped the situation.
Ian had been muttering strange words all this ti...
So that was him chanting magic spells!
"You... vile wizard!"
Zenik, now furious, tried to charge at Ian barehanded.
But at that mont, the mare blocked Zenik's path.
[You perverted human! Die!]
Wham!
"Ugh!"
The mare delivered a rciless kick to Zenik.
A horse's kick is no joke, it's powerful enough to kill a person.
There's a reason zebras are the animals that kill the most lions in Africa.
"Ouch."
Ian and Belenka both winced at the sa ti.
That looks incredibly painful.
It might be a funny scene in a cody movie, but in reality, it breaks bones and can even kill.
Fortunately, Zenik didn't die, but he'd be bedridden for a while.
"What's going on here!"
Hearing the loud horse neighing, Father Berum's group rushed over.
They were speechless at the scene before them.
"Wow..."
"Is he still alive?"
They noticed Ian and Belenka and approached.
"Wh-Who are you?"
"I'm the wizard Ian. Are you Father Berum's servants?"
"Yes..."
"Take to Father Berum."
Soon, Father Berum ca running, out of breath.
Father Berum was a very generous-looking person.
A plump man reminiscent of when Ian first t Takarion.
'Is this guy an otaku too?'
Just as Ian thought he might get along well with Takarion.
Father Berum shouted in a shrill voice.
"Oh no, Zenik! What have you done to my nephew!"
"..."
Ah shit. They're related.
It wasn't that unusual.
Because of blood ties, even a thug-like person could beco a knight.
But Father Berum.
Traveling with Zenik suggests he might not be such a righteous person either...?
"Calm down! This man is a wizard!"
"A wizard?"
Father Berum approached Ian without batting an eye.
While wizards have high authority, priests of Heaven's Faith are no pushovers either.
Unlike nobles, priests rarely have to bow their heads to wizards.
"Speak up! What cri did my nephew commit for you to leave him in such a state!"
"..."
It was decision ti.
And Ian quickly made his judgnt.
Sohow, it seed like Father Berum wouldn't listen even if Ian honestly explained Zenik's actions.
"It's a bit awkward to discuss here."
"Why? Did you use so magic that can't be spoken of in public?"
"It's not that..."
"If you're not a black wizard! Why can't you speak!"
Ian smiled slightly and gestured.
Father Berum approached Ian.
Then Ian spoke in a whisper.
"It's about your nephew's... sexual preferences."
"...?"
"It seems he likes horses more than won, if you know what I an?"
"???"
If Zenik had heard this, he would have foad at the mouth, but unfortunately, he's currently unconscious from a horse kick...
As soon as he heard Ian's words, Father Berum imdiately sensed sothing was wrong.
"Co with ! Let's talk inside!"
---
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