17. Kill
＜Detection Magic＞
It was possible to check not only the opponent’s location but also their condition.
Although it was simple magic, when a high-ranking wizard used it, they could do more than just check the condition.
＜Age＞
＜Physique＞
＜Weaknesses＞
＜Whether or not they had mana＞
Even checking hidden items.
It was possible to grasp all kinds of conditions.
The wizard on the city wall also used it with that intention.
“18 years old… Twisted physique. Weak enough to die in one blow no matter where I hit.”
He was looking into Joo-in, using detection magic.
As he had heard, his background was that of a slave.
He didn’t look at other information such as the presence or absence of mana or possession of artifacts.
“No need to waste artifacts on a mere slave.”
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But it didn’t end there.
There was another fearsome aspect to detection magic.
The wizard spoke in a low voice.
“Marking complete.”
＜Marking＞
It was a tracking spell that could be cast on a detected target.
It could track the target in real time by identifying its unique wavelength.
This exposed the target not only to magic but also to witchcraft, curses, and all kinds of abilities.
Protective charms were essential to prevent this.
Even Aiden, a high-ranking noble, always carried them along with artifacts.
“Knights can’t be marked easily because of their strong resistance, but a mere slave should be easy.”
There was no kind noble who would give a slave a precious charm.
Moreover, in Aiden’s case, he couldn’t imagine that such magic would be cast in his carriage, and in his family’s territory at that.
It didn’t matter that he was inside a carriage with the curtains drawn.
His detection magic had found Joo-in precisely.
Of course, he didn’t look happy that the magic had succeeded.
‘They definitely said they killed the bastards?’
He was here because of the changed orders of Count Sanderson.
Count Sanderson had given the order to withdraw, but it was different for him.
[Beiner. Stay behind just in case. If there are any variables, be sure to find out what happened.]
‘Did he predict this in advance?’
Either way, it was really strange.
Let’s say it was Aiden.
‘How is that slave bastard alive?’
Not to mention, it was slaves who were in the carriage, not his knights.
‘It must be the variable the Count mentioned.’
He had to tell the Count this news.
The Count intended to completely annihilate the [King of Knights] and the Edmer family.
That was why he had cast detection magic on a mere slave.
His ＜Marking＞ was special.
Once the magic was cast, it wasn’t difficult to kill a slave.
‘Once ＜Marking＞ is cast, the slave’s life is in the palm of my hand.’
The wizard stood up from his seat.
“I might as well cast Suggestion on him.”
The ＜marking＞ he possessed held special abilities.
It could be used to insinuate suggestions and manipulate targets.
Evading the surveillance of Aydin or the knights wasn’t difficult.
‘If I can figure out what the variable is, the Count will be more pleased.’
But at that moment.
“Hmm?”
The mage tilted his head.
Sanderson’s other spy, standing next to him, looked at him strangely.
“What’s the matter?”
“Ah…… It’s nothing.”
The mage hastily replied as if it were truly nothing.
But his inner thoughts were different.
‘What the hell……. I can’t detect him anymore.’
He couldn’t sense any information about the target.
He couldn’t even feel his own magic or marking anymore.
‘This can’t be. Should I cast the spell again?’
But he couldn’t bring himself to say it out loud.
If he did, he would have to admit his failure to the other spy beside him.
And Count Sanderson did not forgive failures.
‘If he thinks I can’t even do something like this, he’ll get rid of me right away.’
In this situation, admitting his mistake was akin to saying, ‘I want to die.’
So the mage cast the spell once more.
Subtly enough that the spy next to him wouldn’t notice.
＜Detect Magic＞
But it didn’t work.
Before, he could at least sense a presence.
Now, it was as if a barrier had been erected, preventing the detection magic from penetrating.
‘This can’t be. There has never been a time when my detection magic has failed.’
He was a mage specializing in detection and marking.
Once, he had been a dark mage who moved in the shadows, taking on commissions.
His magic, which boasted a 100% success rate, had failed.
He, who could even detect assassins in hiding.
‘I must have made a mistake somewhere. There’s no way the detection magic I’m casting on a mere slave would fail.’
Perhaps he had changed positions or exited the carriage.
Just in case, he tried casting it again, increasing the scale and power.
Gulp!
The mage froze.
It was as if a giant eye was staring at him.
No, it was real.
-It’s you.
“……!?”
Waaah!
It felt as if his entire body was being ripped apart.
The wizard knew this feeling all too well.
‘This…… I’ve been reverse-detected?’
In that instant, he felt connected to his opponent.
It was exactly the same as when he had first been hit by a detection spell in the Magic Tower.
The only difference was that his information was being transferred to the other party unilaterally.
Furthermore, his unique coordinates were also being transferred.
Now, the opponent could find out where he was at any time.
“T-that…… That can’t be! This can’t be done with a normal reverse detection!”
The wizard stuck his body out of the castle wall in surprise.
He turned his gaze to the carriage that Aiden was riding in.
At some point, the curtains of the carriage window had been drawn back.
Creepy!
There was a pair of eyes there, looking at him.
“Did you bounce back my magic? N-no way!”
Bouncing back the magic of another is not an easy feat.
It was known that only the highest-ranking wizards, or rather, Archmages, could do it.
The ultimate pinnacle of magic, the apex of all secrets, which goes beyond nullifying the magic of the opponent and returning it as it is:
＜Magic Reversal＞
“To think that such a great secret would be used by a mere slave.”
Could it be that he was an Archmage pretending to be a slave?
It was natural to have such a thought.
This was the emergence of a formidable enemy that he had never expected.
He might have made an enemy of someone he should never have messed with.
‘There’s a monster there that the Count couldn’t even imagine. I have to let him know about this, at the very least.’
After thinking that, Bayner turned around in a hurry.
“Quickly, I have to tell the Lord!”
“What are you talking about?”
“That slave, he used my magic……”
However, Bayner’s mouth didn’t open any further.
* * *
‘So it’s that bastard.’
Joo-yeon found the man on the castle wall.
He was the one who had used detection magic on him.
‘But it’s useless.’
He immediately used ＜Reflection＞.
Thanks to that, the ＜Detection Magic＞ was cast on the opposing wizard.
‘A short stature in his 40s. His mana ring is hardened, so he can’t improve his skills any further.’
Mana was roughly rank 5.
Considering that the lowest rank of a wizard was rank 9, it could be seen as a fairly decent ability.
It was the rank that most wizards in this world belonged to.
‘It seems like someone was trying to detect me under someone’s orders, but….’
Instead, the magic was reflected with .
It was the that had been cast on him.
‘Normally, it wouldn’t be easy to cast even between wizards.’
However, it was cast far more easily than expected.
It seemed like could ignore the other party’s resistance.
Well, the Demon King was the same.
‘He broke through our defensive spells and reflected magic so easily.’
Thanks to that, all of the other party’s information was being transmitted in real time.
Since he had been marked, that guy was as good as finished.
‘No wonder they say that unless it’s a close comrade who is willing to risk their life, Marking shouldn’t be used.’
It was because it was a skill used to grab the other party by the throat.
It wasn’t easy to remove either.
No one below a high-ranking wizard, such as a Grand Mage, could remove it.
However, right at that moment.
Flinch.
The wizard beyond the castle wall moved urgently.
He was trying to say something to someone next to him.
Since he had reflected the magic, it seemed like he had mistaken his abilities and was trying to run away.
Or maybe he was reporting to the one who had ordered him about Joo-Heon.
‘I can’t let him do that.’
Woong!
A reaction occurred in Joo-Heon’s body.
To be exact, the that was connected to Wizard Bayner reacted.
This would have been absolutely impossible with a normal .
However, Bayner’s was special.
Joo-Heon could convey his will to the wizard.
-Stop.
Thud!
Then, surprisingly, Wizard Bayner stopped in his tracks.
He froze in the exact pose he had been in, about to speak to the person next to him.
As if he had listened to Joo-Heon’s order.
‘This is interesting?’
Joo-Heon’s eyes curved into crescents.
As always, it was a player’s joy to turn the tables on an enemy who had targeted him.
In particular, it was important to test the new ability of .
‘I’ve gotten an interesting plaything before I even meet the Duke.’
Choke!
Joo-yeon dragged his thumb down and slit his throat.
-Kill him.
He gave the order with a murderous intent.
The magician, Bayner, on the rampart couldn’t refuse Joo-yeon’s order.
“R, Run……”
“Master Magician, why are you acting like this all of a sudden?”
“What were you trying to say? That slave used magic? Ru…… what?”
Bayner’s body froze as if it was paralyzed.
However, his mana started to move like crazy at Joo-yeon’s order.
“Master Magician Bayner, what in the world is wrong with you?”
“Are you done with your work?”
The other spies who were watching the situation from behind approached.
They should finish the order quickly and leave.
They wondered why he was acting so strangely all of a sudden.
“If we stay here any longer, we might get caught by the guards.”
“The next shift will be here soon. If you’re done with your mission, you should leave quickly……”
However, it wasn’t only his mana that was moving on its own.
In an instant, Bayner’s hand reached out to the spy next to him.
“Master Bayner?”
Magician Bayner’s hand drew intricate seals.
Then, a blue magic circle appeared and a sharp icicle revealed itself.
＜Ice Pick＞
It was one of the mysteries that only magicians could use.
An ice-type attack magic that attacked the opponent.
It didn’t just end with creating an icicle made of ice.
The ice pick precisely pointed at the spy’s heart.
The spy shouted in panic.
“Why, why are you doing this!”
“No, it’s not me! My body is moving on its own!”
Puck!
The ice pick pierced the spy’s heart in an instant.
That wasn’t the end.
Clack clack clack!
His body froze as if it was a statue.
That was the fearsome power of ＜Ice Pick＞.
It wasn’t just an attack magic that pierced the opponent’s body, it was the worst kind that also froze them.
The other spies’ eyes shook at the sight.
“Are you…… betraying us!”
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“No! This isn’t what I……”
“Someone has to inform the Count about this!”
“Everyone, scatter!”
The spies quickly began to flee.
However, as if expecting this, Bayner’s body created a new magic.
＜Ice Wave＞
In an instant, a chilling cold spread out from Bayner.
A wave of cold that froze everyone except him slammed into the top of the wall.
Crack!
The cold instantly enveloped the spies.
The spies could feel their bodies freezing over.
“Cough! Why…”
“Why us…”
“Traitor…”
The spies turned into ice statues.
They all died without being able to finish their last words.
Bayner shouted with a face of genuine bewilderment.
“Why me? No! I didn’t do this!”
However, they couldn’t stay here any longer.
The guards below had begun to shout.
“Magic? Enemy! There’s a magician on the wall!”
“An assassin targeting the prince! Everyone, get to the wall!”
Screech-
The sound of the soldiers’ bugles signaled that the knights were approaching.
They had to get out of there quickly.
“This can’t be happening! Damn it!”
However, Joo-yeon’s gaze as she looked at Bayner was icy.