Chapter 26
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Translator: MJK
Chapter: 026
Chapter Title: Spider Web
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The next morning.
Andy set off for the village plagued by the spider-type magic beast.
He'd packed a sturdy backpack with some food and water. The boy silently made his way out of the city.
Whoooosh!
A biting winter wind whipped through the air.
"Ugh, it's cold."
The knife-sharp gusts scraped against the boy's tender skin. The chill pierced right through his clothes, stinging fiercely.
As he pushed through the frigid wind, Andy thought to himself.
'I won't have to shiver like this much longer. Once I take down that spider-type magic beast and get the fire magic book... I'll be able to wield the element of fire. Then winter won't bother me anymore.'
Mastering fire magic would let him control warmth and banish the cold. No more trembling in the harsh winter grip.
Andy hurried onward, looking forward to that day.
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
His footprints marked the pristine snow. He pressed on through the biting cold.
How long had he walked?
Then the boy spotted it.
"Is that the ranch village?"
The village near the small city with its pastures. Folks in the city called it the ranch village.
And it was the one tormented by the spider-type magic beast.
Andy headed toward the village.
The ranch village wasn't far from the city.
Less than three hours on foot. It was so close that even with the boy's short strides, he'd arrived in just half a day.
The boy made his way to the village chief's house.
"...We've come to see the mage!"
The ranch village chief, Moucho, bowed deeply as he shouted. Andy looked troubled.
'I didn't expect him to be this deferential.'
Right after Andy first arrived in the village.
He'd grabbed a passing villager and asked where the chief's house was.
He explained he was a mage sent on the lord's commission to deal with the magic beast, and asked to be shown to the chief first.
The villagers didn't believe a word.
—What? You, a puny kid, a mage?
—Don't make me laugh, little one. The village is in bad shape already, and now some weird kid shows up...
His appearance was just that of a twelve-year-old boy. No one believed a child could be a mage and dismissed him.
In the end, Andy had to prove it with action.
Crackle!
He conjured a sphere of electricity to show he was indeed a mage.
The effect was dramatic.
—M-Magic! It's magic!
—Forgive our rudeness, mage...!
—We'll take you to the chief's house! This way!
The villagers who'd scolded him with annoyed faces now led him in fear.
And that's how they ended up here.
"Forgive us for not recognizing you, mage... Our villagers are so ignorant... Please forgive us just this once! Spare our lives, at least...!"
The middle-aged chief apologized on behalf of the rude villagers.
He bowed so low his head nearly touched the ground.
Andy let out a quiet sigh.
"...It's fine. Lift your head. I'm not offended at all. No punishment either, so relax."
"Your mercy, mage! I'll never forget it as long as I live!"
The chief raised his head with a sigh of relief.
It made sense for him to act so subservient.
A mage had come to the village—even if he looked like a child—and been insulted.
If the mage took offense, he could kill a few without repercussion. Mages were a privileged class.
Fortunately, Andy wasn't that cruel. The chief was relieved.
Suddenly, Andy muttered to himself.
'Maybe I should get a mage's robe. It'd make proving my identity easier.'
A mage's robe was both specialized magic gear and a handy ID.
Embroidered with the organization's emblem on the chest and back, it clearly marked the wearer as a mage.
With one, he wouldn't have to demonstrate magic to every person he met.
But getting a robe wasn't easy.
'...To get a robe, I'd have to join somewhere.'
The Federation's agencies, a magic tower, a noble house...
You had to affiliate with a faction to get one.
But Andy wasn't part of any group. No robe for him.
Sure, joining one would get him a robe easily, but...
'Not my style.'
The boy had no desire to join anywhere.
Affiliation might help short-term.
He'd get resources for growth, no need to run errands like this for magic tools.
But he'd lose his freedom.
He'd have to do their bidding, use their preferred magic.
Once strong enough, he'd pay back the support—with interest. No free favors in this world.
Besides.
'I can grow plenty without their help.'
The boy was confident he could advance alone.
He vaguely knew his talent was extraordinary.
No master, just one book, and he'd raised his realm solo. No faction support needed to keep growing.
So Andy had zero interest in joining one.
He just wished for a robe to skip the hassle of proving himself.
Lost in such thoughts.
'Later for that.'
He shook his head to clear it.
He was here to hunt the magic beast. Focus on what lay ahead.
Andy asked the chief.
"Anyway, before heading out to subjugate it, I want info. Tell me everything about the spider-type magic beast."
"Yes! It showed up in the pastures a month and a week ago. The thing..."
The chief prattled on about the spider-type magic beast.
Andy left the chief's house and headed toward the pastures.
Crossing the village to the ranch, he overheard scattered voices.
"When the hell are they subjugating the beast? They can't just leave it, right?"
"No idea. It's been over a month since it took the ranch. The mercenaries we hired were useless... What is the lord even doing?"
"At this rate, we might have to abandon the village..."
The villagers chattered from afar. An ordinary person wouldn't hear.
Too distant to eavesdrop.
But Andy, infused with mana, had hearing beyond normal humans. He caught most of it.
Andy nodded.
"The village mood is pretty grim, as expected."
The atmosphere was visibly tense.
This village existed for the ranch.
Most folks worked there for their livelihood—it was the hub.
Now a spider-type magic beast infested that vital ranch.
It killed the ranch hands, slaughtered the carefully raised cattle, and claimed the whole place as its territory.
The ranch was fully shut down now.
'No livelihood means big trouble.'
No other income sources. They were desperate.
Solutions existed, of course.
Call knights or mages to slay the beast.
Take it out, and everything returns to normal.
'But knights or mages won't come to a tiny village like this.'
Busy with city threats nearby. Most were at the front lines anyway, short-staffed.
So despair reigned.
Ranch lost, no help coming, beast next door.
Soon they'd flee elsewhere.
If Andy hadn't come.
"A mage from the city is here! A mage can take it down!"
"Everything will be back to normal soon."
Mage Andy here to hunt the beast. Hope sparked. If he succeeded, the village lived.
He walked to the ranch, thinking.
'Gotta deal with the beast. Then the villagers rebuild the ranch, and I get the fire magic book.'
Win-win for everyone. The boy steeled his resolve.
Andy strode purposefully out of the village toward the ranch.
Most folks picture a ranch as vast pastures where cattle and sheep graze leisurely. An idyllic, peaceful scene.
But not this one.
Andy furrowed his brow.
"What the..."
The ranch's broad pastures—once alive with grazing herds—were blanketed white.
Not snow from the sky.
Viscous, sticky threads stretched and layered thickly over the ground.
'Spider webs.'
The magic beast's handiwork.
Webs covered the entire pasture. The ranch looked utterly alien.
A landscape smothered in spider silk? Grotesque and repulsive.
Andy gazed at the vista, murmuring.
"Its unique domain... I suppose."
Magic beasts and spirit beasts—wild creatures with mana—each shaped their own territory. Called a unique domain.
Like the wolf forest ruled by spirit beast Kurt, mystical and dreamlike. Mana beasts transform their turf.
This spider-type's was webs.
Coating the vast pastures in sticky silk, tailoring the environment to its advantage.
Andy recalled the chief's intel.
—The beast covered the whole ranch in webs.
—The webs are so sticky, step on one and you're stuck. Shoes come off, clothes snag... Can't even walk properly.
—Plus, it senses intruders by web vibrations. Step on the webs, and it knows your position!
Webs blanketing the ground. Hindered movement and alerted the beast like a burglar alarm.
—It moves silently and swiftly on the webs, like a ghost. Then suddenly it's behind you, fangs sinking in.
—One venom dose and you're done... Wrapped in webs and dragged off as food! Even survivors die from the poison later...
—Be careful, mage. That spider is devilish. So hideous and bizarre...!
The chief had ranted about its horrors.
Definitely no pushover.
Webs restricted foes, pinpointed positions, silent speed, deadly venom.
Explains why normals couldn't fight it. Only knights or mages stood a chance.
But Andy was a mage. Wielding mana for supernatural spells and power.
He could slay it. The boy believed it without doubt.
Gulp.
Andy swallowed dryly.
'Here goes.'
The boy drew up his mana and stepped into the ranch.
Hummm...
His circle began to accelerate.