—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Still, the incident that happened this time could be passed off as a simple mishap.
Although my spell had swept up other people as collateral damage to allies, it was extremely fortunate that it ended with just simple burns.
What would have happened if the spell that had pierced through the trolls’ monstrous regenerative power and roasted them to a well-done state had directly hit a person?
‘Then I would have been really screwed.’
It had already passed, but it felt like my spine was chilling.
Even if I didn’t intend to, it would have been manslaughter.
I didn’t know if the imperial law had a charge for manslaughter, but it would only take a moment to go from a promising mage to a criminal.
“Don’t worry too much. If it weren’t for you, Young Master Rudrick, with three trolls against a single squad, there might not have been any fatalities, but there definitely would have been serious injuries.”
“That’s true, but… I still feel uneasy. But the knights aren’t so weak that they would struggle against just three trolls, right?”
“Most of the knights who participated in this regular training are either apprentices or newcomers who have just shed their apprentice status, so that’s why.”
Serin immediately and firmly denied it.
Indeed, just looking at Serin in front of me, she was skilled enough to freely wield a sword and defeat one or two trolls on her own, even if it took some time.
Of course, Serin’s level might not be the average of the Imperial Knights, but still, they were supposed to be the empire’s elite, so it didn’t make sense for them to struggle in a mere magical beast hunt training.
“I came here right away because my sister was in the 1st Squad, but there’s no guarantee that other squads won’t suddenly encounter multiple trolls or ogres, right?”
“…Normally, preliminary scouting is thoroughly done in advance, so such variables don’t occur, but this time seems to be an exception.”
“Then let’s go right away.”
I made a puzzled expression at Serin’s words but immediately shouted to charge forward unconditionally.
Somehow, I had successfully wrapped up the incident in the 1st Squad and parted ways with my sister.
We were flying comfortably through the secluded forest path using magic.
Since I had used fire magic before, it was only natural to try using magic of a different attribute next.
And fortunately, perhaps because the first incident had served as a preventive measure, I didn’t repeat the same mistake elsewhere.
It was thanks to focusing all my efforts on controlling the spell to minimize secondary effects rather than its power.
Anyway, as a result…
“Looking at all the accomplishments gathered like this, it’s quite a sight.”
The number of magical beasts I had directly dealt with using magic was so high that even Serin, who had been sticking close to me for protection, unconsciously muttered those words.
When we gathered their corpses to collect magic stones, there was an array of magical beast corpses that had been scorched by flames, burned by lightning, frozen solid, or had their nutrients drained.
Since I had learned my lesson in the beginning and only intervened in dangerous situations afterward, the scenario where I took care of everything in a knights’ training didn’t occur, but…
“…Still, this is a lot.”
Nevertheless, there were nearly twenty magical beast corpses.
From ogres that made one’s legs tremble just by looking at them to trolls whose boasted regenerative power had become useless.
Each and every one of them was a magical beast that could not be faced unless one was a superhuman like a knight wielding a sword or a mage capable of using magic.
And all of those were the magical beasts I had taken down.
…In fact, there were times when I felt a bit doubtful.
People around me kept praising me, saying my talent was tremendous and amazing, but I couldn’t actually feel it myself.
I had come to the capital and become my mentor’s disciple, but it was just a repetition of studying according to the methods my mentor taught me or studying on my own if there were any lacking parts.
Moreover, before that, I had spent nearly ten years cooped up in my territory, learning everything through self-study alone, so it was even more so.
But now it was different.
In fact, it wasn’t just different, but my shoulders and cheekbones had been ascending towards the sky for a while now.
“…Well, it wasn’t that difficult.”
I casually spoke to Serin, pretending to be nonchalant.
Think about it from a different perspective.
Even if they were just apprentices, how could one not feel good after taking down nearly twenty magical beasts that even the Imperial Knights were struggling against?
I saw it as structurally impossible.
It’s human nature for one’s shoulders to naturally rise and the corners of one’s mouth to curl up when one accomplishes something great and others look at them with admiration.
And that was me right now.
“Even among the mages of the Magic Tower, there aren’t many who can use magic with this level of power…”
“Oh, come on. They’re people who eat and breathe magic and research all day. There would be many if you went to the Magic Tower.”
I blurted out words that I didn’t even mean.
Fundamentally, it’s a Korean virtue to refuse even dinner invitations up to three times.
Mm, I believe it. I am indeed a great mage (true).
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The knights’ regular magical beast hunt training took place over four days.
I was in a tagalong position, so I could spend it leisurely, but the knights were rolling around so fiercely that even I felt sorry for them just by watching from the side.
And unfortunately, that included my older sister.
As a senior at the academy and someone about to join the knights, she was essentially no different from the knights rolling around beside her, except that she hadn’t been formally appointed yet.
“Wow, you got scratched here too. It looks like a tree branch scratched you. Didn’t it hurt?”
“…It still stings.”
For now, it was a basic level of emergency treatment with just ointment and bandages.
My older sister, who had been fighting magical beasts all day and running through mountain paths in heavy armor when not fighting, had no uninjured spot on her body.
And treating her was my role.
I had been diligently learning healing magic recently, and now it was coming in handy like this.
“Just bear with it a little longer. Today is the last day. Where else can you properly wash up after being worked to the bone in field training?”
“Huh?”
“They feed you well here. It’s not like you have to squeeze it out of a plastic bag.”
“Of course they have to feed us well so we can endure it…? But what’s a plastic bag?”
“There is such a thing. Your back is broken from standing guard and carrying things all day, but they feed you like dog food.”
Just thinking about that time made me unconsciously click my tongue.
On the other hand, compared to when I had served in the military in my previous life, the environment here was quite good.
Although they were actually fighting for their lives, the biggest advantage was that they had properly built shower facilities, albeit makeshift ones, so we could wash up.
And even the simple meals that everyone ate with a haggard face were quite edible.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but… Oh, it seems to be all healed now.”
“You’re right.”
Her arm that had been covered in scratches and puncture wounds was now spotless again.
When I let go of her arm that I had been holding to keep the mana flowing, my sister’s expression subtly changed.
It was as if she was strangely disappointed.
It might sound strange to say it like this, but at a glance, that was the atmosphere.
When I stared at her with a doubtful face, my sister tilted her head.
“Huh? What, is there something on my face?”
“No. You just washed up, sis. You’re all fluffy.”
“So what?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”
Was it my imagination…?
It kind of felt like that, but thinking that my own sister was disappointed when I let go of her arm after holding it would be strange in its own way.
Thinking that I must have imagined it, I roughly brushed it off and got up.
Since my sister had strongly opposed the idea of her coming to my tent, saying it would look strange to others, to the point of almost throwing a fit, I had no choice but to go to her tent to treat her wounds.
Now it was time to return to my tent and slowly go to sleep.
Since the training was ending today, I needed to pack my luggage in advance, thinking that we would be returning tomorrow.
“Then I’ll get going now.”
“Okay, be careful on your way back.”
“What is there to be careful about? It’s right next door anyway.”
I chuckled and left in a bit of a hurry.
It was because the artifact that I always carried in my arms had been vibrating for a while, letting me know that a call was coming in from the other side.
As soon as I returned to my tent, I took out a piece of paper that looked like a business card.
“…What’s the matter all of a sudden, Eileen?”
– Did I wake you up? You answered it a bit late.
“No, I was doing something else. Did something happen?”
– Tomorrow is the day you’re returning, as far as I know.
“That’s right. We finished the magical beast hunt earlier this evening, and they said we’ll sleep one more night and return tomorrow morning.”
– That works out well.
I didn’t know what worked out well, but for some reason, I had a bad feeling starting to creep in.
Judging from past experiences, not only with Eileen but with anyone else, whenever they said something worked out well or whatever, I had never seen things actually work out well.
Feeling anxious as my uneasiness began to loom, I waited for Eileen’s next words, and she leisurely opened her mouth.
– A festival commemorating Her Majesty’s birthday is scheduled to be soon. According to what I heard from Elena, it will be held on the grandest scale in recent years.
“A festival…? Then there will be a lot of things happening. Like a ball or a parade.”
– That’s likely to be the case. So, Rudrick, if it’s alright with you…
After a brief pause, Eileen’s voice came through the artifact.
– I’d like to have you as my partner for this ball. Would that be okay?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
