23 – Episode 23.
# 23
Recognizing the situation was not so simple, the big men did not move easily. It was a favorable situation for Ian.
“You there, youngster. Did you cause any trouble with that wizard friend of yours?”
“Wha…what?”
Willie was momentarily taken aback, then vehemently shook his head.
“Not at all! Suddenly, that wizard attacked me…!”
“He assaulted you without any provocation? Without any apparent reason?”
“Yes! Exactly!”
Ian chuckled wryly at this absurd tale.
Is he seriously saying that now? Not even a three-year-old would believe it…
“That could have happened.”
“?!”
‘Did he believe me?’
This time it was Ian who was taken aback.
This crazy old man was seriously considering Willie’s rambling nonsense!
Is his intelligence also medieval because he is a medieval person?
“If he’s a wizard then he could have done it, certainly.”
No sooner had the old man finished speaking, when the big men nodded in accord, as if they had rehearsed.
Ian was flabbergasted yet again.
What the hell do these guys think of magicians?
“What do you mean, ‘That could have happened?’ Look here, old man. Not everything that comes out of your mouth makes sense! The logic has to be sound!”
Ian snapped out of fury, immediately regretting it. He was concerned that the mad old man might retaliate with a sword swing.
However, Ian’s worries were unfounded.
Listening to Ian’s rant, the old man…smiled widely.
“Judging by your outburst, it seems that you might be a competent magician.”
Ah, right. Wizards are always taken this way. It was nothing special.
Then, it was the turn for one of the big men to step forward.
“Magician! Why did you attack that man!”
“Because that bastard charged at me?”
“Did you have to use such wicked magic?”
Wicked?
“… Where exactly is my magic wicked?”
Ian almost collapsed after hearing the hulking figure’s logic.
“To cast darkness all over signifies that you are avoiding the eyes of the sky, the sun! If you are truly righteous, you should fight under the holy sky. Why then have you cowardly hidden yourself in darkness? If you did not have a malicious intent, that is!”
“…”
He had lost his words.
Was his counterpart an idiot enough to need a detailed description of the tactical advantage of darkness? No, that wasn’t it. That was deviating from the point.
The main point was, ‘Darkness is cowardly because it rejects the sun’.
This was not a tactical issue, but a religious one.
It was indeed, Heavenism.
Ian realized that the towering figures in front of him were followers of Heavenism.
‘Goddamn Middle Ages.’
Indeed. It wouldn’t be a medieval fantasy without armed fanatics.
Speaking grumpily, Ian eloquently defended himself.
“Is not the existence of day and night simultaneously the natural order of the world? If the intent of the sky lies within the light, then what is the purpose of the night?”
“… It is.”
“Just as the presence of the sun creates light, the absence of sun creates darkness. That’s the natural law of the sky. I have not created new laws, I have merely borrowed the principles of the sky for my magic. Is there something wrong with that?”
“Dongchi had nothing to say, retreating with a disconcerted look.
Ian was beyond baffled. So shallow, weren’t they?
How could such little guys immersed in petty studies be religious…
Dongchi Number 2 stepped up.
“The night is a trial created by our deity to test our faith. It is the time to confirm whether our faith falters when his eyes are closed!”
Oh, this one was rather compelling. A trial, huh? Religious people do like trials. Yes.
“Therefore, we must refrain from being active when the sun sets, we must not commit evil and immodest acts. All the more, your magic that mimics the night with darkness is quite wicked indeed!”
With that said, the Dongchis applauded.
“As expected from the Bords brothers.”
“Learned as much as they are devoted.”
Ian sighed deeply and said,
“The one who allowed me to perform magic is the sky; I just gave that nasty fellow a trial according to the will of the Almighty. That guy is merely a bad person assaulting others with a club.”
“…”
Dongchi No. 2 timidly retreated with a disconcerted expression.
“Our Bord brothers…!”
“That wizard. He’s not ordinary…!”
Ian wished dearly for this stupid moment to end quickly.
However, the religious people, devoid of anything but tenacity, did not know the word ‘surrender.’ Dongchi Number 3 stepped forward.
His eyes were exceptionally clear and sparkling; the eyes of a true fanatic.
“You may have been allowed to use darkness by divine will, but it never allowed you to impose petty punishments! How can you call your act of attacking the enemy wickedly in the darkness a trial from the deity!”
The applause thundered again!
“Indeed the Dehitri brothers!”
“Hmm. Truly a wise response. What would you say then, wizard?”
‘…These bastards.’
Ian realized that these big guys were enjoying this meaningless debate.
I need to quickly go and find Lucy…!
‘But should I really?’
Ian tilted his head, but ultimately concluded that he should.
He still hadn’t received a single penny from Lucy, and hadn’t decided what reward he’d get after finishing the job… Still, the escort promise was a promise, and he felt uncomfortable pretending not to know this.
“If my actions were truly despicable, he would have directly retracted my darkness. But he allowed my darkness and my punishment, so this is similar to the trials he gave me.”
“…”
Number 3 faltered for a moment.
He grumbled alone, and soon his clear eyes sparkled as he spoke.
“Indeed…you are right in what you say.”
Then the other big guys also nodded their heads.
“We misunderstand you.”
“Indeed. If he did not permit, how could darkness descend under the sun!”
“This is also the will of the Heavens! hahahaha!”
“Praise be to the mighty one!”
‘…’
‘Insane medieval people.’
“hehehe. Your eloquence is extraordinary. Have you studied theology?”
“Theology? No… it’s just their level… No, that’s not the point right now.”
Ian’s gaze sharpened.
“Um…my younger sister was kidnapped. This jerk attacked me at the same time.”
“Your younger sister?”
The old man’s eyes also brightened.
It was Ian who suggested the younger sister setting. It was a conjecture based on the similarly colored heads of the two people.
Lucy had argued, ‘If we are setting a backstory, let’s say we’re engaged.’
To which, Ian replied, ‘Oh Lucy, stop talking nonsense and eat your meal.’
“Dihitri, sir!”
“Yes! Master!”
“Stay and keep an eye on that man.”
The knight with clear eyes saluted respectfully.
His appearance was so reliable it could make one cry.
“Mister wizard, I apologize for wasting your precious time. We thought you were a damned wizard who was up to no good.”
Ian considered responding in a manner befitting a wizard, but changed his mind when he saw the longsword hanging at the old man’s side.
That mysterious thing tends to apply manners to wizards as well.
“…now that the misunderstanding is cleared, it’s all well.”
“As an apology, we’ll help you until the matter is settled. You’re searching for your lost sibling, aren’t you?”
Before Ian could even answer, the group burst through the fence and ran towards the street…
Terrified spectators voluntarily pointed them in the direction of the suspects’ escape.
“They went to the wharf! The wharf!”
No, it’s not Naruto. That’s a ninja.
The wharf refers to a small dock built along the river in River Ville for boats to dock and undock, a common facility.
“Righteous citizens!”
The old man bellowed.
“Has anyone seen the traveler’s sibling! A sincere young man is weeping in sorrow over losing his kin! He needs your help!”
“Oh my…”
“You lost your sibling?”
“We should look for them too!”
The crowd, initially gathered to witness the fight, now started to assist in the search.
Starting with Ian, and moving on to the old man’s group, the thugs, and the villagers, everyone was put to hard work because of Lucy.
In some regards, Lucy was a genius.
A genius at causing trouble.
“Over there! Over there!”
As a result of so many people partaking in the search all at once, they were able to locate Lucy’s abductors.
From Noble mtl dot com
Right there, a boat getting ready to hit the water, as the evening drew near!
It was certain that Lucy and her abductors were aboard that boat.
“Goodness, what are we to do…”
Several villagers scratched their feet anxiously.
They had found the abductors, but the boat had already drifted far beyond their reach. Launching a boat after sunset was a risky move. It was not something to rush into.
However, this was not the case for the old man and the thugs.
“Who are you gentlemen?”
“We are the Swords of Santiago!”
“And who is Santiago?”
“He is a saint who protects travelers and the people!”
Ian was startled by the assertive voices coming from beside him.
What the hell is happening all of a sudden?
“Right. You are the Knights of Saint Santiago. It is your duty to protect travelers and to help the people who are in trouble.”
“Oh, oh!”
“Knights. Would you dare to traverse a treacherously dark path with me, merely to save a damsel whose name you don’t even know?”
“We’d be glad to accompany you!”
‘The Knights of Saint Santiago?’
He had thought they were no ordinary travelers. He could hardly believe they were knights. Since Ian had fallen into this medieval fantasy world, this was his first encounter with any knight order.
To be honest, he was surprised. The knights truly stood for the weak, fought for them, and acted in the pursuit of honor, didn’t they?
They were… somewhat… fascinating?
Ian approached the elderly man and spoke to him.
“Sir, you don’t have to risky your life by getting on the boat.”
“Heh heh. You don’t have to be formal. Just speak your mind.”
“…?”
Ian cocked his head. Wasn’t this his true personality?
“Earlier, the locals were talking about it. They said there’s a grappling hook.”
“A grappling hook?”
This time it’s the elderly man’s turn to cock his head.
Of course, there would naturally be a grappling hook on the boat since it’s a ferry. But what does that have to do with anything?
“I will pull the boat, so you can hook it in the meantime.”
“You’re going to pull the boat…”
The elderly man mulled over Ian’s words, then soon asked again with an incredulous expression.
“Do you by any chance… know how to manipulate water techniques?”
Ian was a bit surprised at the elderly man’s words.
“How do you know about the water techniques?”
“I know… considering my age.”
The old man was forty-six that year. For a long time, he had been a battle-hardened veteran warrior. On the battlefield, he had witnessed the magic of wizards countless times. The sorcerers were the battlefield itself. Conjuring the wind, igniting fire, twisting the earth, and altering the weather, they boasted omnipotence on the battlefield that rivaled the gods.
“But aren’t you a Shadowcaster?”
The old man naturally assumed that Ian was a Shadowcaster because he had seen him invoking darkness.
“I am a Shadowcaster, but I also control Hydrokinesis.”
“Is that possible?”
“Huh?”
The old man thought Ian was bluffing. As far as he knew, wizards were supposed to be skilled in one kind of magic only.
The wizards he had seen on the battlefield each had their own major. Pyromancers only used fire magic. Hydrokinetics only used water magic. There were sometimes wizards who used more than one kind of magic, and they were a rare and precious breed.
Ian understood what the old man was saying and laughed.
“Oh, if you have a major, yes. But I don’t have a major yet.”
“What do you mean by ‘you don’t have a major’?”
Especially for today, Ian indulgently explained about wizards.
“It means I haven’t specialized in any specific magical language. I’m only at the beginner level in various schools.”
“…?”
The old man found it even more difficult to understand Ian’s words.
If he was only at a beginner level… shouldn’t he be unable to use magic yet?
Could someone who had only just started be able to use such advanced shadow magic where there was no darkness?
Instead of explaining, Ian decided to show him through action and fluidly recited incantations.
“[River!]”
Ian focused his energy on the distant driftwood raft.
“[Come to me!]”
Echoed the sharp, wizarding language.
The villagers, the Knights of Santiago, and even the elders trembled as they felt an inexplicable force radiating from Ian.
“Good heavens!”
“Look, look at that!”
As soon as the spell ended, in the direction of Ian, the river began to surge backwards, defying its flow!
The villagers were astounded. The elders were equally shocked.
Only the Knights of Santiago remained unmoved.
The villagers were stunned to see ‘the river’ ‘surging backward’ for the first time in their lives.
What is that? How did he do that???
The elders were profoundly shocked for their own reasons.
‘That is… beyond the level of a field magician.’
Battlefield magicians who are typically hired by nobility, known as ‘war wizards,’ couldn’t easily wield the level of magic that Ian had demonstrated.
And he’s just a beginner?
“Ah, ah, aahhh!”
Crunch!
A strong wave engulfed the pier. Unlucky spectators were swept away by the wave and fell into the river.
The raft with the kidnappers was pushed towards the edge of the pier in the blink of an eye.
“Hook!”
The knights, who perceived Ian’s magic as merely a complex technique, commenced their operation impassively.
The belatedly alerted people brought the hooks.
In no time, the ship was drawn in by the hooks and moored at the wharf.
The kidnappers were arrested one by one, and Lucy was safely rescued.
“Whaaa~ Ian~”
Lucy ran towards Ian, her face a mess of tears and snot.
Everyone in the village, as well as the knights, all looked at Ian.
The old man spoke, chuckling.
“What are you doing? Your sister is waiting.”
“…”
He indeed was reluctant, but regardless, Ian gently embraced the filthy Lucy. The smell of dampness wafted from Lucy’s body.
‘Once we get home… a bath needs to be the first thing.’
#
Ian decided to finish the bath he was doing.
As soon as Ian mentioned the bath, the Knights of Santiago Castle sprang up and exclaimed.
“Bathing! That’s our specialty!”
“…?”
It seemed like nonsense again, but after listening to the old man’s explanation, it made sense.
“The Knights of Santiago Castle revere the laws of the Golden Empire era and enjoy bathing. If you’re bad at bathing, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to leave it to them.”
It was absurd to Ian.
“Where in the world would people be bad at bathing…”
“Gloomy…”
Ian looked at Lucci, who was asleep with her head on the table next to her.
Hmm. There are people who don’t take baths, so there must be clumsy ones too.
“The mage brothers are taking a bath! How can we not help!”
“Get the oil! Bring the oil!”
‘Stop it, you fools…’
Before Ian could deter them, the Santiago Knights volunteered to assist Ian’s bath.
“Don’t push them away too much, they are doing this because they want to get closer to you.”
The knight’s order had been very enthusiastic during their short discussions with Ian, even if they had been cool towards Ian’s magic.
There was no doubt that they were looking forward to a theological debate with Ian.
Ian was incredibly annoyed, but he couldn’t tell them to go away. In fact, he could, but then that old man would likely throw a fit.
He was, then, an old man who oddly got on Ian’s nerves.
So, Ian was about to start bathing with almost a dozen men assisting him… when suddenly.
“What the hell are you guys doing!”
A man who looked younger than Ian ran out and shouted.
Looking at his well-dressed clothes, it seems like he was from a noble family…
‘Ah, is bathing prohibited?’
Worried that he would be fined, Ian responded,
“I… I’m just taking a bath?”
“???”