TL/Editor: raei
Status: 5/week mon-fri
Illustrations: none
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"That was a close call."
The rcenaries left the forest, grumbling with relief.
They were the rcenaries Ian had hired.
For them, the joy of survival outweighed the pain of defeat.
"...Wait, let's talk for a mont."
But there were others who felt differently.
Elia and Ian's companions.
Elia, Belenka, and Sir Salvador.
The mont they left the forest, they imdiately began a strategy eting.
"I should have stopped the dragon... I'm ashad."
"This isn't the ti for apologies. We need solutions."
Sir Salvador couldn't lift his head.
He had fought the black dragon several tis, but had lost every ti...
His background as a leader of knights who specialized in monster hunting seed wasted (or so he thought).
But unlike Sir Salvador's self-bla, the other two didn't consider him incompetent.
Well... they were facing a dragon, after all.
It was the sa dragon that Ian had barely managed to fight using dragon-slaying spears and summons.
They should be glad to have survived such an unfavorable battle.
"Ian... beca a prisoner voluntarily to protect us."
"..."
Elia spoke, suppressing her emotions.
The person who felt the most anguish at these words was none other than Belenka.
She had wanted to stay by Ian's side until the end.
Had it not been for Ian's orders, she certainly would have.
Belenka knew.
Ian was a wizard with peculiar talents.
He had exceptional rhetorical skills typical of wizards, and his ability to handle mysteries was beyond question.
But his most remarkable trait was his strange way of thinking.
He ca up with and implented ideas that seed bizarre, almost like they didn't belong to this world (which was true).
Because of this, she didn't think Ian had been captured without a plan.
He must have co up with so unusual idea and allowed himself to be taken prisoner...
'But what good does that do now?'
Belenka clenched her fist.
Even if this was part of Ian's plan, the fact remained that they had lost to black wizards.
Belenka wanted only one thing.
To rescue Ian safely.
"Gathering more troops would be... inefficient, right?"
"I believe so. An army of re numbers can't defeat black wizards."
Elia recognized that this was a special situation.
Their opponents were black wizards without proper domains.
If attacked, they could simply abandon their land and relocate.
To make matters worse, Duke Roxlan had switched to the black wizards' side...
If they didn't crush them now, they would beco an even bigger headache.
"I'll return to Hastria first."
"Hastria's knights would certainly be helpful."
The dragon controlled by the black wizards was a terrifying enemy.
Gathering forces would waste ti.
But even if they attacked, the black wizards without domains could simply pack up and move.
Yet sending inadequate forces would only result in defeat by the dragon.
Creating a force of elite heroes might work, but...
How easy would that be?
"Then I'll ask the capital's knights for assistance."
"Thank you, Sir."
Elia would seek help from Hastria's knights.
Sir Salvador would request aid from the capital's knights.
No one knew how long it would take to gather forces and launch an attack...
But doing sothing was better than sitting idle, hoping the problem would solve itself.
The survivors returned to the Emperor's Moving Palace.
"Princess!"
"I'm sorry. I couldn't bring back His Imperial Majesty..."
"No! We're just glad you've returned safely!"
The Emperor's servants welcod Elia enthusiastically.
They had good news to deliver.
"Princess! His Holiness the Pope has sent soone!"
"...The Pope?"
Elia hurried to et the person sent by the Pope.
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Hastria."
"I am Elia Hastria. And you are...?"
"Reshach."
A servant leaned in to whisper:
"Sir Reshach is a famous black wizard hunter from the south...!"
"Ah!"
Holy Knight Reshach.
A knight who could use holy magic, who had gained fa by hunting down nurous black wizards.
The Pope had indeed sent proper reinforcents.
"You...?"
"Fancy eting you here again, Sir Belenka."
Belenka was slightly surprised to recognize Reshach.
Wasn't he the sa holy knight she had fought alongside against Bertholdt?!
"Where's Ian?"
"...You ca too, Takarion."
Belenka quickly figured out what had happened.
Takarion, who had hastily left Roxlan Castle.
He had safely reached the Pope and returned with reinforcents...!
"Ian has beco a prisoner of the black wizards."
"What?!"
Takarion was genuinely shocked.
How could Ian have been captured by black wizards!
"How did that happen?"
"The enemy summoner brought a dragon."
"Heaven preserve us!"
Sir Reshach imdiately grasped the gravity of the situation.
This was completely different from ordinary black wizard hunting.
A summoner skilled enough to control a dragon...!
Capturing such a person alone would deal massive damage to the black wizards!
While the Pope aid to expand his influence by defeating black wizards,
Sir Reshach fought against black wizards to save innocent victims.
"It's good that you brought wizards."
"Wizards?"
When Sir Reshach gestured, a group of 'wizards' entered in a flurry.
"Hello! Princess!"
"How vulgar to just say 'hello'!"
"It's their choice how they greet her."
"Hmm."
The 'wizards' were eting Elia for the first ti.
But not Belenka.
"You've co too?"
"Oh my, Sir Belenka!"
A woman with a gentle voice approached.
She placed her hand over Belenka's and said:
"It's been a while! Is Ian with you?"
"Ian is... a prisoner of the black wizards..."
"What?!"
With the arrival of the wizards, things suddenly beca lively.
Wizards typically don't worry much about others' feelings...!
And they're even chatty!
"Just a mont, please!"
Elia stepped forward to clarify the situation.
The wizards belatedly introduced themselves.
"Noble one, I am Herta, a wandering wizard."
"I'm Krysus! Krysus Montana!"
"Wizard Anton... at your service."
"Earth wizard Carl."
They were people with strong personalities, typical of wizards.
Sir Reshach provided additional explanation.
"They're wizards I t while tracking black wizards."
"I see...!"
Sir Reshach and the wizards.
They had all crossed paths by chance while pursuing the common goal of tracking black wizards.
"They're all highly skilled wizards."
Elia looked at the unexpected reinforcents.
Holy Knight Sir Reshach and the Pope's soldiers.
Plus four skilled wizards...!
"I apologize for asking this upon our first eting, but could I request your assistance?"
"If it concerns black wizards, we'll help in any way we can."
After all, that's why they had co.
These weren't people who would shy away from fighting black wizards!
"Then...!"
Elia spread out a map.
Belenka and Sir Salvador.
Sir Reshach and Takarion.
Herta, Krysus, Anton, and Carl. Four wizards in total...!
With this many people, they could attempt another attack on the black wizards!
"Now, let's begin our strategy eting!"
Elia started organizing an expedition force once again.
***
anwhile, Ian was formulating his own escape plan.
He couldn't even dream that Elia and his companions would return.
There was no effective way to deal with the dragon...
And by the ti they gathered enough forces to confront it, the black wizards would have already finished choosing sides with Duke Roxlan.
The issue was ti.
Moving one step ahead of the enemy was paramount.
"Here's the ditation room."
"It's cramped."
"...This is the storage room."
"Why is it empty? Did thieves co?"
"......This is the research lab."
"It's shabbier than a magic university break room."
Ian was so preoccupied with devising an escape plan that he responded almost automatically.
Snap.
But... Ian's 'automatic responses' were only comnts that grated on Bertholdt's nerves!
This bastard! Is he bragging about being a university graduate?! Right now!
"Got a problem with it?!"
"I've got plenty of complaints."
Finally showing your true colors!
Bertholdt glared at Ian as if he wanted to drown him in a single breath.
"A healthy mind dwells in a healthy body."
"...?"
"With your living conditions in such a state, no wonder there's no progress in magic."
But Ian's 'complaints' were completely different from what Bertholdt had expected.
"Eating well and resting well are so important. Magic university wizards prioritize material comfort for a reason."
The black wizards watching burst into laughter.
The society's poverty was a joke even to its mbers.
"Hehe... privileged people like you don't understand the misery of living in hiding."
"Why should wizards live in hiding?"
"...What nonsense. Don't you know how much Heaven's Faith hates black wizards?"
Ian snorted and extended his hand.
With a simple gesture, a pile of bones squird and rose.
"!"
"Necromancy?! How can he do it so easily...!"
Using the [Skill Magic] thod made casting magic this easy.
Of course, this was a completely unknown approach to black wizards.
Ian flicked his hand again.
Like a flint, sparks flew and disappeared.
Clearly fire magic.
"That's what happens when you only use black magic."
"..."
"Magic isn't just black magic. The more diverse magic you learn, the better."
Just as the black wizards were about to speak, Ian turned his back.
Using a variety of magic is beneficial.
But black wizards didn't give up ordinary magic because they wanted to.
Except in unusual cases like Ian, magic is typically extrely difficult to learn.
Finding a teacher is like reaching for the stars.
Magic university?
If you had the wealth to enter a university, why would you dabble in black magic?
'Such a show-off...!'
The black wizards burned with jealousy as they watched Ian's magical skill.
But at the sa ti...
'...I could do that too, if soone taught .'
They envied Ian's magic, thinking that with proper instruction, they could attain such abilities.
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