43 – Episode 43
# 43
Running alongside Decado, Ian immediately shouted to Decado as the enemies drew near.
“Decado! I’ll buy us some time!”
“What?”
Ian could tell from Decado’s eyes that he understood the situation.
The enemies were charging at them with full force, while Decado’s subordinates ran aimlessly with expressions as if they were going to their deaths.
It was clear even without looking that they were doomed.
They were bound to be torn apart like a shop in a flood.
“That’s clearly a dog’s death.
It’s unlikely that the Count would send his subordinates, whom he cherished, to actually die (Ian thought so for the Count’s sake).
It’s probably a command that was given in a moment of madness, or perhaps it was sent to buy some time.
And Ian’s judgment was correct.
Even if the Count and Lucy managed to escape, the decoy’s sacrifice was a success.
Upon careful consideration, Decado also understood that Ian’s words were correct.
The knights, who only knew how to fight, could only use their bodies to block the enemy in a foolish manner.
But wizards are different.
If they are on the enemy’s side, they might foam at the mouth and have seizures, saying, ‘That person is using evil sorcery!’
But if they are on our side, they can behave in a way that earns them praise, saying, ‘hehehe. Our wizard’s spells are truly mysterious!’
“However, how can you stop them alone?”
“Stopping them is impossible. But we can buy some time.”
“…From what I know, the more powerful the magic, the longer it takes to activate.”
Decado’s words were common sense.
The more powerful the magic, the more it requires a process of ‘taming’ the mystique.
Whether it’s bribery or lip service, a series of actions that please the mystique must be performed.
You could call it a show of fantastic tricks.
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The mystique, pleased by watching that show, lends a particularly great power.
That’s what the magical ritual and large-scale magic were about.
“But I have received orders from Your Majesty…”
“Sir Decado.”
Ian spoke calmly.
“Failing to understand the will of the lord and recklessly charging into the enemy, only to be captured, is, dare I say, a disgrace to a knight.”
“…!”
Sir Decado’s expression showed shock.
“A disgrace? What does that even mean…!”
“Do you truly believe that what the lord desires is to defeat the Black Knight?”
Ian exclaimed with a compelling voice.
A magician’s voice carried power. He was accustomed to conveying his ‘will’ to the mystical forces.
Unknowingly, Ian was casting a kind of spell on Sir Decado, pouring his sincerity into his words.
“Is it not unthinkable to risk losing Sir Decado just to capture a mere Black Knight?”
“That… a mere Black Knight? I am not as great a knight as you think…”
“That is your own thinking, Sir Decado! Do you still not realize how much the Earl values you! It means regarding you as equal to, if not greater than, that Black Knight!”
“!!!”
Sir Decado seemed to be entranced by Ian’s compelling voice, as if under a spell.
It made sense when he thought about it. Didn’t the lord order him to defeat the Black Knight? Then… wouldn’t that mean… I am equal to, or even greater than the Black Knight?
It had been a long time since he had been swept away by the responsibilities that came with being in charge of the guards.
Touched by the lord’s feelings towards the knights, Sir Decado shed warm tears.
“Ugh…! Then, does that mean the lord… regards me as…!”
“Yes, I won’t collapse here, Kyungeun. Go back and stick with that guy, Sirgeon or whatever his name is. I can’t stand it when that bastard is alone, it makes me anxious. I’ll take care of things here.”
“Alright! Ian! Your sacrifice won’t be forgotten!”
“No, I’m not going to treat anyone as the one who will die. Do I look like I’m going to die here?”
Decado turned his head. He was planning to go back to the Duke’s side.
“Your Highness! I’ll go! Unfaithful knight Decado will go!”
‘…I hope he doesn’t scold me for coming back.’
Ian lowered his head.
It was because the current commotion was not a lie.
A significant number of enemies had already disappeared into the forest. It wasn’t enough to just stop the Black Knight.
Instead, Decado’s return at the right timing might even provide salvation.
Ian stopped talking and looked at the enemies.
Enemy troops charging forcefully.
And in the center, the Black Knight charging with great confidence.
…”
Ian was uncertain whether this would work or not, but he decided to move according to the plan for now.
Taking a deep breath, Ian…
Took out a scroll from his chest.
It was a magic scroll given to him by the Duke.
#
“Knight, please look over there.”
The Black Knight paused, gazing in the direction the soldier pointed.
The entrance to the forest.
In the vast field, with patches of short grass, a man on horseback stood in their way.
“What’s this?”
Neither the Black Knight nor the soldiers could discern the man’s identity, so they looked at him perplexed.
Black hair. Black eyes. A man dressed in a travel robe.
The peculiar thing was… he was holding a staff while on horseback?
“Um…”
Ian’s appearance on the battlefield was truly peculiar.
He seemed like a complete madman.
No armor, no shield, just a staff in hand? And that staff was a sword? Why would he wield that?
Under normal circumstances, one would pass by and think, “What’s with that lunatic?”
But the soldiers felt an uneasy sensation in their guts, as if something sinister had brushed against their stomachs.
Just like how there is a saying in martial arts to beware of women, children, and the elderly…
In this medieval fantasy world, there is a saying to beware of madmen.
More accurately, it is a warning to be cautious of those who appear to be madmen.
Because, you never know if they are truly insane or if they have made contact with something beyond human comprehension and appear mad.
Yes, a wizard.
If you were to encounter someone on the battlefield who looks like a lunatic…
The chances of them being a wizard were very, very high.
“Is he a wizard… perhaps?”
“…”
The Black Knight affirmed with silence.
The soldiers swallowed nervously.
At a glance, it seemed evident that the magician’s skill was far from ordinary.
Wow… this guy is insane. Is he really standing there thinking he can handle all the enemies alone?
Just how exceptional must his skills be…!
Indeed.
In this world where rumors of a crazy magician being top-tier spread like common sense, Ian, standing alone, bravely blocking the enemies, was just a damn powerful wizard.
“Sir Knight… shall we charge?”
A soldier asked.
Honestly, nobody really wanted to mess with this.
Who in their right mind would want to crawl into that place with a ticking time bomb right in front of them, facing it with just their bare hands!
At times like this, the only person we could rely on was our Sir Knight.
The Black Knight was on par with a bus driver, the equivalent of a deputy knight.
“Prepare the Crossbow of Salvation.”
The Black Knight decisively chose the all-purpose cheat code, the Crossbow of Salvation.
Looks like the enemy is quite tough, huh?
Yup. Crossbow of Salvation~ If we shoot bolts from a distance, they won’t be able to do anything, right?
Upon hearing the Crossbow of Salvation, the soldiers rejoiced like children.
“I’ll get ready right away!”
But this was a clear mistake.
Instead, Ian should have charged in, surprising them.
While hesitating to prepare the Crossbow, Ian began reading the scroll without hesitation.
After the preface that gently set the mood of mystery, a warning appeared in the main text, saying, ‘Should I speak rudely from now on?’
“[Thus! Hear the highest wind of the sky!]”
As Ian recited the spell, the enemies were bewildered.
They couldn’t understand a word of it.
“Crossbow! Is the Crossbow ready?”
“I’m going now!”
“[As the covenant of 1000 years lives on! O great wind! O storm that tears the sky! According to the name of the mage Antrika! Reveal thy form!]”
Ian also saw the enemies fidgeting with something.
Without hesitation
Not only that.
The wind began to howl wildly, shaking everything on the ground.
The Crossbow Alley was no exception.
Ping!
“Those little bastards!”
Ian, realizing someone was shooting arrows, immediately got annoyed.
Fortunately, he didn’t get hit thanks to the wind; otherwise, he would have experienced an exciting full-course medieval medical treatment immediately.
“[Storm that tears the sky apart!]”
Ian called out the mysterious name summoned by the scroll.
Now, if he could only borrow power from that mystery…!
Kwarrr!
[Hollering the name of Antrikaz! Who’s the damn bug that dares to utter it!]
Quaaang!
“Uwaaah!”
A deafening noise, as if his ears were ringing.
And…
A lightning bolt striking down towards the earth!
‘… Oops.’
Ian forgot what he was about to say.
That mystery… It seems like communication isn’t possible?
He’s so freaking mad!
Both the Black Knight and the soldiers have forgotten what they were going to say.
When the wizard recited the spell…
A lightning bolt fell from the dry sky!
[Don’t ever mention that name in front of me again! I can kill you!]
“[I-I’m sorry, Storm Lord. That’s not what I meant…]”
Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
I don’t know exactly how things work…
But I know I might as well get struck by lightning if I keep standing here.
Ian immediately tried to apologize to the [Mystic – Storm that Rips the Sky] – Dogeza combo.
He only managed to apologize because there were so many onlookers…
Ian’s spine chilled.
That guy is totally insane…
It was undoubtedly a level of mystic power that Ian could never handle, the highest level of mystic power.
Ian vowed to never provoke that mystic, no matter what.
If you act like you’re close without understanding the situation, you’ll get struck by lightning right away~
The wrath of the mystic was a common sign for wizards.
“[Um, sorry. I just read it as it’s written here…]”
[If you’ve read it, then get the hell out of here!]
“[Yes! Until now, I was the wizard Ian!]”
As Ian finished speaking, the thunder ceased.
“Darn it, is the scroll malfunctioning?”
Ian was about to curse the Earl who had given him the magic scroll without knowing anything.
Ancient mystery. If it was the mystery of a powerful storm, Ian should have been cautious and approached carefully.
[Achievement Unlocked!]
[You have witnessed the ancient mystery and survived!]
“You’ve survived quite well! You’re lucky!”
[Bonus Skill Points: +500!]
Despite the bonus skill points pouring in, Ian couldn’t focus on them.
There was still something important left to do.
Ian looked around.
Eyes… up…?
“…Huh?”
Without realizing it, he had been too busy apologizing to the crazy mystery.
Countless soldiers were prostrating in the sky instead of Ian.
Ian realized.
Ah! Prostrating for me!
You guys are really good friends!
…Of course, that was not the case. They were just scared and hit their heads because the lightning was striking like mad.
The only person standing on the plain was the Black Knight.
‘What’s up with him again?’
Did he faint while standing?
If not, he was an incredibly composed warrior.
‘Whatever happened… it’s an opportunity!’
Quickly, Ian concluded his assessment of the situation.
He thought the scroll was a wind-scroll, but instead of wind, it conjured lightning.
As soon as the mystic name on the scroll reached his ears, Ian erupted like someone who had accidentally pressed the panic button.
Hastily trying to calm him down and end the conversation…
Ian didn’t kill anyone with lightning, but people were thoroughly freaked out.
Ian, being somewhat familiar with this side of things, understood the reason.
Lightning equals the wrath of the heavens…!
A keyword in the Celestial Religion!
“Foolish ones! Listen!”
He wasn’t sure how things were unfolding, but Ian didn’t miss the chance.
Ian immediately started his wizard act.
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Namely… babbling.
“Today, witnessing your battle! The great soul in the heavens is terribly enraged!”
“Hiiiiii!”
“T-That’s possible!”
The soldiers who were originally engaged in dogeza now trembled, looking up at Ian as if he were a chosen apostle of the heavens.
Suddenly, amidst the chase, the genre shifted to the Fashion of Christ.
The enemies bowed their heads to the ground, repenting for sins they hadn’t committed.
“Oh! Almighty heavens! Great heavens above!”
“Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry…”
“…It seems to be working.”
Indeed, religion was the only state-sanctioned drug…
Ian continued shouting, entertaining futile thoughts.
Though his profession was a wizard, it seemed like his real skill lay in oratory.
Why would a wizard spend the whole day giving speeches?
“Those who follow the immoral Grime shall face divine punishment! That’s what the heavens whispered to me!”
“Oh!”
“…But, betraying the commander is still…”
Grime’s army stirred.
If one could nonchalantly witness lightning striking in a clear sky, that would be abnormal.
The Dark Knight was abnormal.
“That should be enough.”
With the purpose of tying up the enemy’s ankles achieved a bit too loudly, Ian turned without hesitation.
Even if they pursued Ian, true divine punishment wouldn’t befall them. After all, it was all a show orchestrated by Ian from the start.
Before his lies were exposed, Ian needed to move quickly.
“Fear the wrath of the heavens! Do not dare make a sound in this forest!”
“Yes, sir!”
“I will keep it in mind!”
Ian hurriedly spoke and returned to the side of the viscount.
Ian’s incitement… no, the soldiers who heard the holy will of the heavens, they might fear the forest.
Those who entered the forest first would still be flapping their wings. Before they caused trouble, they had to join Lucy.
…
After Ian disappeared into the forest,
The steadfast black knight spoke up.
“It’s a trick.”
“… Yes?”
Ian poured out insults, claiming that the black knight had fainted or wet himself.
But the black knight had neither fainted nor wet himself.
He had only caught the feeling of Ian tearing the scroll.
And the descending lightning.
And for just a brief moment, Ian’s awkward voice.
‘It didn’t feel like intentional magic.’
The black knight’s insight was accurate.
It was a logical thinking style worthy of a medieval escapee.
“The fight isn’t over yet. I’m pursuing the sorcerer.”
When everyone was frightened and ready to give up the fight, the black knight did not give up.
“However…! A punishment from the sky…!”
“If I am committing wrongful deeds, I shall be struck by lightning and die.”
The Black Knight spoke thus and stepped into the forest.
The lightning did not… strike.
“???”
Graim’s army was still in disarray.
However, a very small number of soldiers continued to pursue Ian.
The Black Knight was among them.