27 – Episode 27
# 27
Crows are intelligent creatures.
So clever, in fact, that their intelligence level is generally rated at the level of a six-year-old child.
The crows know how to handle tools, live in society, and have the ability to analyze and understand phenomena. For instance, when a crow discovers the corpse of a comrade, it calls other crows to surround it. This behavior, often referred to as a ‘crow funeral,’ involves analyzing the wounds on the crow’s body to discuss the cause of death.
In other words, crows have the ability to infer connections between injuries and incidents, and they also have the social capacity to share these conclusions with their peers.
Hence, crows, when forming a group, become such an extreme nuisance that they can form local cartels, using their intelligence and social skills to rummage through trash cans and attack other creatures. The large crow that Ian picked up was also a clever creature with a quick thinking brain.
Among the crows, the particularly clever one quickly noticed that Ian was the only one in the human crowd who did not see it as a foe. Furthermore, it realized that he could understand its will and communicate.
“Can I borrow some medicine and bandages?” Ian asked Bernard.
Without changing his expression, Bernard echoed the same thing to the innkeeper.
“Bring some medicine and bandages.”
“Ah, yes!” The innkeeper quickly brought out some ointment and clean bandages. Though these were items ordinarily sold for money, that was not a critical issue. Who in their right mind would do business with the son of a lord?
Ian applied medicine to the wound on the crow’s wing and wrapped it with a bandage. It was a wound caused by an arrow from a hunter.
‘For now…I guess I have to look after it until it’s healed.’ Ian planned to care for the crow until it could fly on its own. If he left the crow in this condition, it would not be much different from being eaten, no matter where it would end up.
“I’m going to go out with the young lord for a bit, please look after this one.” Ian said to the innkeeper, leaving the crow in their care while he stepped out.
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But as soon as Ian turned his back, the crow hopped along, following eagerly behind him.
“Caw!” [Let’s go together!]
“What. You stay here. You’re injured and can’t even fly.”
“Caw! Caw!”
[People here are scary! Please don’t abandon me!]
“Who said I’m going to abandon you? Don’t worry and stay here.”
“Caw!”
[Please!]
“…Annoying. Really.”
Feeling that the crow would continue to follow him, Ian picked up the crow and placed it on his shoulder.
Afterwards, the crow seemed much more comfortable.
“Hey, Ian.”
“Hmm?”
“Do you… understand what the crow is saying?”
Lucy said, her eyes shimmering with light.
Looking around, everyone else seemed to be watching Ian as if he was fascinating as well.
A wizard is indeed a wonder to ordinary people.
“Yeah. I understand.”
“That’s really cool!”
“…”
Lucy’s point of admiration was a bit strange. She hadn’t reacted this intensely even when talking to Drake. The fact that he could converse with animals must have stirred the girl’s emotions.
“The name? What will you name it?”
“This one?”
Ian looked at the crow sitting on his shoulder.
Having unexpectedly taken in a bird, he needed a name to call it by until he could let it go.
Ian spurted out the first name that came to his head.
“Chicken Head.”
“… It’s just too insulting.”
Although Lucy objected, Ian truly thought that crow was stupid.
How stupid could he be to not even understand Maronius?
If the crow could comprehend, it would have been a misunderstanding worth bawling and stamping the ground for.
“What about Obsidian?”
“Obsidian?”
“His eyes are black and pretty, just like obsidian.”
As Lucy spoke softly, the crow cried out joyfully.
“Caw!”
It wasn’t that the crow understood Lucy’s words, it was the fact that it felt admired, that was why it responded.
Classic cunning of a crow!
“That’s too hard to call. Let’s just name him Oberon.”
“Oberon? Sounds great! That name! It sounds like a wizard’s crow!”
Ian stroked the head of the crow.
“Your name is now Oberon.”
Then, the Crow King, Oberon cawed.
[Earn my favor by offering a tribute!]
“…?”
“Ian, can I hold him for a bit?”
“Sure.”
Oberon made a purring sound in Lucy’s arms. He was nestled in her chest, simply a black chicken.
“Hmm.”
No matter how much I think about it, doesn’t it resemble a chicken head?
#
For a couple of days, Ian played around at River Bill with Bernard. Bernard would have been angry asking why he treated it as ‘humoring’ him while they were playing together. Still, Ian was actually doing so. He could have left immediately, but he decided to stay for a while for the sake of his relationship with the nobleman.
While Bernard took Ian around River Bill, the aftermath of the recent incident continued to proceed at the castle. The villains of River Bill, who tried to kidnap Lucy, ended up being punished as slaves. Initially, it was planned to execute them, but the villains’ families pleaded so that they escaped death. Before they pay off their worth, they would be forced to work hard labor.
“Ian. I’ve thought about it seriously.” Despite the harsh experiences, Lucy remained cheerful and bright. A mentally strong girl in many ways. “What do you think about going with our knights?”
“Knights?”
That wasn’t a bad idea. If they were with more than ten heavily armed men, average thieves wouldn’t even dare to glance their way. They are loyal servants, so there’s also no chance of them assaulting Ian.
“It would be fine if our paths overlap. But do you know where they’re going?” In response to Ian’s question, Lucy gave a small smile.
The answer came from an unexpected source.
“We’re heading to the Earl of Katina.”
“Elder?”
The inn door opened and there standing was Elder.
Ian quickly understood the situation at hand. It was clear that Lucy and Elder had a mutual understanding.
“No matter how much of a sorcerer you are, it’s extremely dangerous for just a woman and you to walk a path full of threats.”
“I’m aware.”
Ian replied confidently.
Ian was a sorcerer, not a warrior. If a group of murderers attacked them, he had no way to defend himself.
Moreover, Lucy had a knack for attracting attention. It was due to her striking appearance.
While already being shadowed by the kidnappers of Count Jin, they had to contend with robbers who were attracted by Lucy’s beauty.
It’s not as if the thugs who attempted to attack at River Ville were of any concern. They never knew what kind of danger would erupt on the open road.
“So how about we trade favours?”
“A trade?”
Elder hinted, smiling.
“We’re headed to Kill Count Katina to hunt down a monster. Have you ever heard of a Manticore?”
“Yes, I know.”
The Manticore.
A dreaded monster whose wickedness was only second to its sorrow, its existence was enough for the landlord to grind his teeth and for ordinary people to tremble in fear.
The Manticore was infamous for its sadistic personality that relished in murder.
“So… are you asking me to help capture the Manticore?”
If Ian’s help was a condition for joining them, Ian intend to politely decline.
Regardless of how dangerous the road was, battling a Manticore was an entirely different matter. A sorcerer is a seeker of mysteries, not a hunter.
Acknowledging Ian’s point of view, Elder responded.
“No, I won’t stop you if you’re willing to help. But, I just wouldn’t want to involve you in a dangerous mission where you could lose your life,” Elder said, subtly sizing Ian up.
If Ian had been a mage with a strong competitive spirit, he might have been interested in participating in the Manticore hunt for the sake of his reputation. However, that is a mindset strongly centered on warriors. It’s normal for a warrior to seek glory in blood and slaughter, but mages have no concern for such idle stories.
“Oh. Then I’ll back out.”
“Heh. Just hear me out till the end. The favor we want to ask doesn’t have anything to do with the hunt.”
“Then?”
“We already have a mage who promised to help us. But the way we obtained that promise was… rather forceful.”
The explanation went as follows:
The Order of Santiago is a set of knights established by the clergy of the Celestial Church, connected via some sort of network with the priests of the Church.
Upon hearing that the Order was heading to the Count Katina’s territory for the Manticore hunt, the local clergy forcefully requested assistance from a nearby residing mage.
In short, the mage who ended up cooperating with the Manticore hunt did so out of intimidation by the priests, a forced participant despite his reluctance.
“He might be pretty upset by now, Ian. Aren’t you also a mage? We’d like for you to soothe the mage on our behalf.”
Ian understood.
So, his role was… to placate the irate mage on behalf of Santiago’s knights.
Ian tilted his head slightly.
“What difference will it make if I say anything?”
The mage was already forced by the priests to cooperate against his will.
But Elder firmly believed Ian could prove useful.
“Even if it’s a harsh word, it’s different when a mage says it compared with a knight. You never know, that mage might already know your name or your master’s.”
“You may not realize it, Teacher,”
Elder chuckled and nodded.
“And if ever the wizard uses magic on us, wouldn’t you be able to give us a heads-up?”
It was logical that a wizard would detect a fellow wizard’s plot.
Ian nodded.
‘Not a bad idea?’
It was more than just not bad. It was an excellent proposition.
Appeasing a grumpy wizard in return for the protection of the Holy Santiago Knights. Even if things went wrong and failed, Ian had nothing to lose. After all, Ian’s goal was to safely escort Lucy to the earldom.
“If you change your mind along the way, we could always go hunt Manticores together.”
Elder winked, his eyes squinting.
Receiving a wink from an old man left an unpleasant feeling in Ian’s stomach…
“I decline.”
“What about persuading the wizard?”
“I can do that.”
The moment Ian finished talking, Lucy abruptly stood up and high-fived Elder.
“Yikes! I look forward to your company in the foreseeable future, Elder!”
“Hoho, the pleasure is mine.”
And so, the travel plans of Ian with the Santiago Knights were established.
The following morning, Ian left River Ville.
Despite the early dawn, Bernard insisted on seeing Ian off and accompanied him to the end of the village.
“Drop by anytime, Ian!”
Had they become fond of each other during the time?
Ian found the immature, young master Bernard not too bad.
“Ok, see you soon, Bernard.”
“…!”
As Ian waved, Bernard smiled radiantly, waving back fervently.
“…Take care, friend!”
Sir Hanson slowly nodded as he watched Bernard’s behavior.
“Excellent, Lord Soyoung.”
The friendship of childhood is a precious treasure you can only find in your youth.
If it is a friendship with a wizard, people would pay a fortune to gain it.
What Bernard gained was such a valuable experience.
Sir Hanson felt some of his stress disappear due to Bernard’s foolish actions.
Thinking that thanks to a promising young wizard, the future of River Ville seemed a little brighter.