Chapter 23
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 023
Chapter Title: The Mayor's Expectations
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Andy made his way toward the mayor's residence.
The official residence sat in a residential neighborhood slightly removed from the city center.
It was an area where the city's upper class mingled with the middle class.
Andy gazed at the residence and murmured to himself.
"What a pretty house."
The residence was an elegant two-story mansion.
A small garden occupied the front yard, surrounded by a brick fence on all sides. The front gate was made of sturdy iron bars.
The kind of mansion fit for a low-ranking noble without a territory. Small and cozy, but tastefully maintained.
As he approached the front gate, a maid who had been waiting asked,
"Are you the mage, sir?"
"Yes."
"Welcome, sir. We've been expecting you. Allow me to guide you to the mayor."
"This way..."
The maid opened the gate and led Andy inside. He crossed the snow-covered garden and entered the mansion.
She guided him to the dining room within the mansion.
The maid flung open the dining room doors. There, Andy caught sight of a middle-aged man.
"You've arrived."
Andy took in the man's appearance.
He had light blond hair and gentle, drooping eyes. His build was somewhat plump, and a faint smile played on his lips.
The middle-aged man's attire was neat and luxurious. The sheen of the fabric spoke to its high quality.
"I'm Dietrich, the mayor of this city. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Was it because he knew Andy was a mage? Even to the young boy, the mayor spoke without deferring.
Dietrich, mayor of this small city. He extended his hand with a courteous gesture, inviting a handshake.
Andy carefully clasped the man's pudgy hand and shook it.
'This is the city's mayor...'
The mayor. Quite literally, the highest authority in this city.
A commoner, yet wielding power and connections on par with a low-ranking noble without a territory. Not someone to underestimate.
Andy studied the mayor's eyes, trying to read the emotions directed at him.
Having spent his orphanage days constantly gauging people's moods, it was second nature to Andy. He easily discerned what the middle-aged man felt.
Reading those emotions, Andy couldn't help but be surprised.
'...Expectations.'
The mayor was looking at the boy with eyes full of anticipation.
It was strange.
Andy was still just a young mage who couldn't wield any great magic yet.
Why gaze at him with such hopeful eyes?
The boy returned the mayor's puzzled look.
Mayor Dietrich carefully observed Andy.
'This boy is a mage.'
The boy exuded a noble air.
Though the clothes he wore were plain enough for a commoner, they couldn't fully conceal the aura radiating from him.
Dietrich let out a quiet sigh of admiration.
'To already wield magic at such a young age... What tremendous talent.'
Typically, mages only began using magic after turning fifteen, upon reaching adulthood. Even those who trained from early childhood usually formed their first circle only around that time.
Yet this boy before him wielded magic before even becoming an adult.
The gate guards had reported it clearly: a mage had demonstrated lightning magic right before their eyes.
Lightning magic was among the most difficult elemental magics. And he wielded it effortlessly—at such a young age.
This was no ordinary talent.
If he could handle the trickiest element, electricity, with ease, surely the other elements came naturally too.
Dietrich harbored high hopes inwardly.
'If I ask this boy, he might just deal with that pesky problem.'
The boy was a mage. Young as he was, he wielded supernatural power.
Mages were unequivocally upper class.
No matter that Dietrich was the city's mayor and held a knight's title, making him a quasi-noble—he was still just a useful commoner at best.
Mages, on the other hand, held status equal to nobles. Higher even than a commoner like him. A mayor couldn't "order" one.
He could only cautiously "request."
Dietrich intended to ask the boy for a favor.
But first, proper hospitality was in order.
He spoke softly.
"Let's eat first. I've prepared a feast."
The maid brought in the food.
Andy tasted the food laid out before him.
And he couldn't help but marvel.
'To think food could be this delicious.'
Every dish the mayor had served was luxuriously lavish and refined.
High-quality beef, meticulously grilled and slathered with generous sauces and spices—a steak.
Each bite burst with rich juices that melted on his tongue. The accompanying vegetables were crisp and fresh, vibrant green.
How had they sourced such fresh vegetables in the dead of winter?
Andy savored the meal.
A symphony of complex, varied flavors stimulated his taste and smell. His sensitive child's palate picked up the nuances of the carefully prepared cuisine even more acutely.
In the midst of eating...
Mayor Dietrich suddenly asked,
"How is the taste?"
"It's delicious. I've never had anything this good."
"I'm glad it suits your palate."
Dietrich cut his meat with elegant motions and brought it to his mouth.
Though born a commoner, as a quasi-noble holding the mayor's office, he had been schooled in etiquette. His bearing carried a grace uncommon among commoners.
Dietrich spoke softly.
"Andy, do you know where this beef comes from?"
"Beef? Well... from ranches, I suppose?"
"Actually, it's from a ranch nearby. Our region's beef is renowned for its quality. Merchants from afar send caravans regularly to buy it up. Wealthy nobles and traders seek it out often."
"Ah..."
Andy nodded. The chef's skill was impressive, but the meat itself was exceptional. This area's beef must be a local specialty.
"But now there's a problem. We can't produce it anymore."
"Hm? Can't make beef anymore? Why's that?"
"A magical beast has taken over the ranch."
"..."
Andy fell silent for a moment.
A certain suspicion had flashed through his mind.
'No way it's Kurt who's taken over the ranch, right?'
Given his close bond with the spirit beast—formerly a magical beast—Kurt, the word "magical beast" made him tense up instinctively.
Fortunately, his worry was unfounded. It wasn't Kurt, but another magical beast.
"It's a spider-type magical beast. A giant spider has claimed the ranch as its territory."
Andy secretly breathed a sigh of relief that it was a spider-type, not a wolf-type.
At least it wasn't Kurt.
The mayor continued.
"Sadly, we can't operate the ranch anymore. People lost their livelihoods, the town its specialty product, and the city a major source of tax revenue. With the specialty gone, visiting caravans have dwindled too... It's a real bind."
"Haven't you tried reclaiming it? Sending soldiers or mercenaries..."
"We did hire mercenaries. But as you know, ordinary humans can't handle magical beasts. We ended up with over ten casualties, and the ranch remains under its control."
"Those mercenaries..."
"Dead. Poisoned."
At the news of deaths, Andy halted his knife mid-cut.
'People died... Definitely not a spirit beast then. A true magical beast.'
The difference between a magical beast and a spirit beast was simple: whether they killed humans or not.
Kurt's case made it clear.
Kurt had only stunned intruders to protect his territory, never taking lives.
He had charged imperial cavalry and killed, but that was to protect naked Andy—a special circumstance. Spirit beasts generally avoided killing unless necessary.
Kurt had even escorted evacuating villagers at Andy's request.
Intelligent beings who refrained from harming humans and could even help under the right conditions: spirit beasts.
Magical beasts, by contrast, killed without hesitation.
Intruders into their territory were slain, their corpses mangled to assert dominance—a beastly instinct.
This spider-type had used poison.
Had it been a spirit beast, it would have injected just enough to incapacitate, not kill.
Like Kurt modulating his shocks precisely.
Andy asked the mayor,
"If it killed people, it's definitely a magical beast. Why not abandon the ranch and build a new one elsewhere?"
"That's not feasible. The grass in that pasture is special—that's why the beef is so superior. We've tried elsewhere, but it doesn't match."
"Tough situation."
"Yes, very tough."
"...Hope it resolves soon."
With that, Andy resumed cutting his meat.
But Dietrich showed no sign of dropping the topic.
"It's so frustrating. Even reporting to the lord yields no knights or mages... Small cities like ours aren't a priority, so they rarely send any."
"..."
"Hiring more mercenaries won't work—they can't beat a magical beast. Ah, what a mess. Such a terrible mess."
"..."
The mayor prattled on, clearly for Andy's benefit, as the boy silently chewed.
Andy thought to himself,
'He's totally asking for my help, isn't he?'
Andy let out a quiet sigh.
No direct plea—just droning on about his woes. Infuriatingly indirect.
Was this noble speech?
Probably not. His gestures were refined, but his tone lacked aristocratic flair.
Just his natural way of talking, perhaps.
Noble manners, commoner speech. Hence, quasi-noble.
Lost in silly thoughts, Andy said to the mayor,
"If I deal with that magical beast... what's the reward?"
Thirty gold coins. Or an equivalent item.
That was the mayor's offer.
'...That's a huge reward.'
Thirty gold coins was an enormous sum.
Enough to hire thirty tenant farmers for a month. Buy a fine warhorse. Purchase a small house on the city outskirts.
Enough to commission a novice mage to hunt a magical beast.
The value of thirty gold.
Andy murmured softly.
"Magical beast hunt. Do it or not."
Andy didn't commit on the spot.
Unsure if he could handle it himself, he refrained from rash promises.
He'd merely inquired about the reward for doing so.
And the answer: thirty gold coins.
An amount too tempting to ignore.
Even more appealing—he hadn't insisted on cash only.
Items were an option too.
Such as magical artifacts.
'Through the mayor's connections, I could get a magical item.'
Magical items were hard to come by. Controlled by mage families and Federation agencies.
To obtain one privately required legwork or stellar connections.
Dietrich had the latter.
As the city's mayor and bridge between nobles and commoners—a quasi-noble—he naturally had vast networks.
Through them, he could procure one.
Andy pondered.
'If I get a fire-attribute magic book as reward, I could spend this winter nice and warm.'