50 – Episode 50
# 50
A few days after the victory celebration.
The knights of the viscount, including Sir Decado, departed from the earl’s territory.
“Ian Raven, if you’re not busy, how about coming to our territory to lend us your wisdom?”
Sir Decado persistently tried to recruit Ian as the new knight of the viscount.
The value of a sorcerer knight is extremely high.
Ian may look like a rascal who can’t keep his mouth shut (which is true). But being able to speak a language others don’t know is quite remarkable.
Hasn’t he already been using his magical abilities quite effectively?
If he were to unleash those abilities with the support of the nobles, he could accomplish much greater things than he can now.
Even a novice magician has a place to make use of their skills.
So, every noble Ian had met so far had tried to pull Ian to their side.
“No thoughts, I see.”
“…Is that so.”
When Ian hinted at refusal, Decado didn’t annoyingly persist.
Taking a magician with you was more like a side quest, to be honest. The main quest was to return to the Earl’s territory and be appointed as the next Earl.
“Well then, this is where we part.”
“If fate allows, we’ll meet again.”
Decado chuckled at Ian’s words.
Fate. A word that a magician would find pleasing. It felt as if some mysterious power was at play.
“I hope we meet again in a good place.”
“Agreed.”
#
The news of the new lord entering the Talian territory was met with cheers from the people.
In fact, this was the seed Ian had sown. He had spread fake news that if Grame became the lord, the land would be ruined. It had been incredibly well received.
The people who had been anxious about the possibility of Grame winning let out a cheer at the news of Lucy Talian becoming the new Talian Viscount.
Wow! The Talian Viscount won! We get to farm for another year!
The people didn’t care who their lord was going to be, but when it came to their own interests, they reacted sharply, making one think that even medieval humans were still human.
“Blessings to the Viscount!”
“Hurrah for Viscount Talian!”
As Lucy rode by, the peasants stopped their work and cheered.
Ian had heard about the situation vaguely, but Lucy still smiled contentedly.
“Oh my. What am I going to do with all this popularity? It’s troublesome to be so well-liked~”
“…”
Would he still be able to think like that even when the nobles came rushing for his head during a rebellion?
Ian muttered a nonchalant remark.
The cheers for Lucy were overwhelming, but not a single word was said for Ian.
With his uncanny hair and eerie eyes, not to mention the crow perched on his shoulder…
Who would want to talk to such a sorcerer!
Especially one who spread ominous rumors of the land’s ruin wherever he went!
“Ian~ It seems you have no luck~ Not a single person is calling out your name, huh?”
“…Shut it, you crazy woman. You know I hate it when people call out my name while I’m spreading prophecies. Suddenly feel disgusted. Should I just curse everyone for real?”
“Woah, calm down! Ian! I was just kidding!”
Even if he became a viscount, Lucy would always be Lucy. Ian sincerely worried about her future.
How could she manage the estate like this?
Well, Ian didn’t have much to worry about.
“Ah! Ian! It’s time for me to leave soon!”
“Leave?”
To Ian’s question, Lucy replied with her characteristic bright smile.
“I told you I have a gift! I have to go get it!”
It was about a magic sword.
Ian only half-believed Lucy’s words.
No, she said she’s giving a gift, but what kind of gift requires a trip? Is she lying?
But it was true.
After finishing her travel preparations, Lucy had set out with Ian to find the hidden treasure at the edge of the Talian territory.
Before their departure, Lucy, who had executed all the rebellion leaders, stepped lightly onto the journey.
“Let’s go, Ian!”
“…”
For the first time in his life, Ian saw a real “beheading,” and he felt a little queasy.
To think that they actually chop people’s necks with a sword…
Considering the rebellion they had incited, it was a understandable punishment.
Still, cruelty is cruelty.
“Ian. You’re going on a journey, right? Then I’ll come with you too?”
Belenka also subtly squeezed into the travel procession.
With her blonde hair flowing freely without a helmet, she was drawing everyone’s attention.
“There doesn’t seem to be any danger…”
But still, if Belenka accompanies me, perhaps we can prevent any unexpected accidents. It’s better than being alone.
But suddenly, a thought crossed my mind.
“If we go together, will you charge for your protection?”
“Isn’t it obvious? It’s one silver coin per day.”
“…”
Now I see, the reason Belenka is accompanying me is to charge for her protection.
Is she trying to sell her protection at random times, not even in a tourist attraction where tourists are scammed?
“Ah. I won’t buy it, won’t buy.”
As Ian waved his hand, Belenka nodded and mounted the horse.
“Really? Well, I guess I can’t help it.”
“You won’t buy it?”
At that, Belenka looked at Ian with a chubby face.
“Even if you don’t hire me, I have free will. I’m just going to see the Talian’s tomb, do I need your permission for that?”
“…”
Listening to her, she was right.
Since Lucy allowed the companionship, there was no problem with Belenka’s company.
“If a situation arises where I need to draw my sword, we’ll settle the payment then.”
“You’re very thorough. You would succeed as a freelancer.”
“…? But I’m already a freelancer, right?”
The Talian graveyard was hidden deep in the mountains.
In reality, it was more like a history museum or a treasure trove storage than just a graveyard. Recently deceased family members were all buried in the cemetery close to the Talian Hall.
Who would want to carry all sorts of baggage, including the body, up this treacherous mountain just for a funeral?
It was a place where one wrong move could lead to an unexpected funeral for someone else.
Unless it was a family that valued history and tradition. But the Talian style didn’t quite match that level.
“… Is this really an assassination attempt?”
Ian was sweating profusely as he cautiously walked along the steep cliff.
Was this Lucia’s plot to assassinate Ian because she didn’t want to go to the graveyard?!
… That was just Ian’s thought. Lucia was too pure and clueless to think of such things.
He should just see it as the Talian graveyard being located in an absurdly treacherous place.
“This… seems like a bad deal to come here for free.”
Belanca grumbled from behind.
Ian was baffled. Who was the one who said they wanted to go sightseeing first?
“Lucia! Are we going the right way?”
As Ian shouted, Lucia replied with an unabashedly innocent voice.
“Yes!”
Ugh, seriously? Seems like it.
Ian shut his mouth and moved his legs vigorously. If he didn’t want to die, he had to keep going.
“Yikes! Master!”
At that moment, Oberon fluttered his wings and perched on Ian’s shoulder.
“What’s up? Why?”
[I took a look! There are humans up there!]
“…?”
Humans?
Ian looked up, but all he could see was a rocky mountain.
“Take a closer look and come back.”
[Okay!]
Oberon soared high into the sky.
“Why? What’s up, Ian?”
“Oberon says he saw something. There are humans up there.”
“Humans?”
Lucy chuckled and teased the aides.
“We only have us felines up there, right? Humans? Does anyone know anyone like that?”
“We… don’t know.”
It was natural for the people of Talian not to know.
After all the chaos of assassinations and wars, who would have the presence of mind to notice who’s up in the mountains?
“Could it be grave robbers?”
“Grave robbers?”
◈ Unlucky Tomb Raider ◈
The Unlucky Tomb Raider Ophert and Lucky Tomb Raider Lara Croft came to mind.
Even if Lara could somehow spin the washing machine…
Ophert, that bastard, had no room for excuses.
No hair, and yet trying to rob someone else’s grave?
Utterly despicable!
“He’s an absolute son of a b*tch!”
“Total bastards, aren’t they?”
As Ian and Belenka exchanged words, Lucy’s expression deteriorated in real time.
No descendant would rejoice at the news of their ancestors’ graves being plundered.
“We need to stop this immediately…!”
At that moment, Oberon, who had gone on reconnaissance, returned.
[Master! There were quite a lot of humans around!]
“How many were there?”
[Huh? Just a lot! As many as bugs stuck to honey water!]
“Oberon, can’t you count?”
“Count? What’s that?”
Ian thought his offspring was subtly incompetent.
He considered teaching Oberon how to count one of these days. They say crows have the intelligence of young children, so learning numbers should be a breeze.
“Belénka, I need you to go out for a bit.”
“Alright. But my fee…”
“I’ll cover it, so go.”
“Feels refreshing to be out.”
Ian sent Belénka to assess the scale of the tomb raiders.
Belénka managed to conduct a somewhat successful reconnaissance, at least better than the novice Ověron.
“The situation is dire.”
Belénka summarized the reconnaissance results in a single sentence.
“There are over ten visible figures outside. Judging by the dozen tents, it seems like there are around 30 to 40 people gathered.”
With that scale, they were not just a bunch of accidental thieves who stumbled in.
They had obtained information about the treasure in advance, indicating a group of professional looters.
“Attack! Let’s go and attack them!”
Lucy erupted.
While her sentiments were understood, everyone else threw in their dissent.
“It’s too risky. We don’t know what precautions they’ve taken. Even in terms of sheer numbers, a direct assault would be suicidal.”
“Really? Can’t we win? Belénka, can’t you win either?”
Belénka looked incredulous at Lucy’s absurd remark.
“Am I being seen as a superhuman monster? I am also a human. And if I have intelligence, I wouldn’t blatantly charge into such a fortress-like high ground.”
After several exchanges, the conclusion remained the same.
It was impossible to take down the tomb raiders at present.
“Hmm…”
However, there was someone quietly maintaining their silence.
“Ian…?”
The wizard Ian, chin in hand, was lost in quiet contemplation.
If Ian were to shout, “No can do. Let’s give the treasure to those Tomb Raider kids and head home for a meal!” Luci and the others would have neatly turned back home.
However, Ian did not utter the word ‘impossible.’
A wizard who had produced miraculous results several times before.
They waited silently for the wizard’s opinion.
After a brief silence, Ian spoke.
“There’s something worth trying…”
“!”
Both Belenka and Luci looked at Ian in disbelief.
Is there a solution here?
Even if Ian is a wizard, it couldn’t possibly involve a massive lethal laser beam coming from his hands, right?!
Is he planning to unleash a triple Abracadabra!
“What dreadful magic are you planning to use…”
“Dreadful? What do you think of magic?”
“The magic you used on me was dreadful enough.”
…”
Ah. That water slide. That was a bit too much.
But that wasn’t me, it was the mysterious work of Kang.
Ian said casually.
“This is the cemetery of Talian, right? There must be some fitting legend… I want to give a little scare.”
Decent read
Oh good story