Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: To the Battlefield (5)
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The old mage leaned his tightly bound body obliquely against a tree.
It looked like their conversation was going to drag on for a while.
"He wanted me to kill you with my magic. But in the end, he went back empty-handed."
This wasn't a lie either.
To begin with, this old mage's magic was far too complicated a process.
It started with manipulating the moisture in the air to refract light.
That refracted scenery would then cause optical illusions.
And from there, it had to induce neural disruption patterns.
It would require real-time, highly complex calculations.
"Unfortunately, at a distance, the best he could manage is making someone hiccup all day long. And even that's so finicky there's a good chance it'd fail midway!"
"Oh dear. Hiccups all day? That's horrifying just to think about."
"Tsk tsk. And from the looks of it, even that probably wouldn't have worked on you."
Even if he sent something like a magic bomb.
Lian would have quickly sensed the danger and disposed of it.
"Mages aren't gods, after all. If we had the power to easily kill someone from afar without moving, that guy would have seized the throne long ago."
"But it doesn't seem like he just slunk away without gaining anything."
"Heh heh. Sharp as ever."
He was a madman blinded by revenge.
There was no way he'd quietly turn tail once he realized it was a wasted trip.
But since things had been peaceful lately with no signs of activity, it was a natural deduction.
"Now, his revenge target is holed up in enemy territory, out of easy reach. What would you do in his shoes?"
"Lure him to where I am. If that doesn't work, find a way to go there myself."
"Right. The former would have worked if he'd just waited a day, but alas. Though, isn't that his fate?"
"Is it? If anything, he got lucky."
If Paula's lord had still been staying at the forest fortress.
Lian would have made sure to eliminate him to remove any future threats.
And he had the confidence to do it.
"But the latter is problematic too. A lord without an army is just a commoner who knows a bit of swordplay. Even if he crosses the border safely, what revenge could he pull off alone?"
He'd be fortunate not to die on the road.
Besides, his revenge target wasn't some powerless farmer.
He lived in a grand mansion surrounded by tall walls, guarded by dozens of private soldiers.
And as shown just moments ago, his personal martial prowess was exceptional.
"So it circles back to magic. But you said mages aren't gods."
"Exactly. Killing someone remotely without seeing their face? Impossible."
"Ah, I see."
If even a mage couldn't kill remotely...
"So if the mage who wanted to kill me came all the way here, that solved it."
"Yes. So I introduced him to a mage useful as an assassin."
But the old mage shook his head with a troubled expression after saying that.
"That might have been a slight miscalculation... I thought the rumors of the Wizard Hunter were exaggerated, but they were understated. Heh heh."
There was now a reason to hurry back to Madella and wrap things up.
If that mage attacked the mansion while Lian was away, would he just leave?
Considering what Paula's lord had done to Lian's hometown, absolutely not.
"So what kind of mage was..."
"Lord Lian. Could you focus on the mission now instead of personal matters?"
As Lian was pressing the interrogation.
Martin approached and spoke in a sharp tone.
He'd gotten too carried away.
But this mage was going to be taken prisoner anyway.
He could hear the rest later, so for now, he stepped aside.
"Mage. Answer me. How many more soldiers are in the fortress?"
"Hm. Well. My memory's fuzzy with age."
"Then I'll have to jog it for you."
Martin pointed the blade dripping with a dead soldier's blood at the old mage's crotch.
"Gasp...! Hey, Wizard Hunter! Call him off!"
"Hm? Why should I?"
"There's no reason not to!"
"Well, I've wrapped up my business. We're cooperating with the army anyway, so his job is mine too. Reasons aplenty?"
"You vicious bastard...!"
The old mage glared at him, grinding his teeth.
"You scum! No matter how precious my life, I can't betray my homeland! You think I'll stand by while your hooves trample my home and defile my family?!"
He'd thought a little intimidation would make him spill everything, but surprisingly resolute.
He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the pain.
"Gramps. Are those people soldiers by any chance?"
"Nah, not really..."
"Then it's fine. Right, Martin?"
"Yes. We don't savagely loot or destroy occupied lands."
The old mage rolled his eyes, pondering briefly.
"Then that's fine. Sure!"
In the end, he spilled everything obediently.
The forest fortress's troop deployments.
Building structures, peephole locations, and more.
The old mage divulged every detail.
And the result.
The forest fortress, garrisoned by nearly thirty men, fell to just four.
"Mage! How could you betray us?!"
"No, I was captured! What choice did I have?!"
"You'll pay for this! I'll make sure the lord hears...!"
Thwack—
Martin smashed the hilt of his sword into the back of the fortress commander's head, who was bound as a prisoner.
The commander's body crumpled.
"You killed him?"
"No, just knocked out."
"Good. I thought he was going to scream us to death."
The prisoners taken were just the mage and the fortress commander.
The rest of the soldiers were all dead.
But he didn't pity them.
That would insult the warriors who fought to the death.
If anything, he respected them.
But there was one in the group unaccustomed to this, causing a slight issue.
"Urk..."
"Hey, civil servant. You okay?"
"Y-yeah, somewhat..."
"If it's too much, head out of the fortress first."
"I'm fine. Don't underestimate me. I can handle a slaughterhouse like this... Urp...!"
In the end, Firka couldn't take it and bolted from the blood-soaked space.
Watching her retreating figure, Lian gave a wry smile.
Yeah. That's the normal reaction for ordinary people.
Even when he killed Paula's lord's son, or how he was numb to death sometimes.
He occasionally surprised even himself.
"Lian. Found all the important documents here."
"Good work, Pablo."
"Scout reports near the forest, key military intel—all intact. Lucky. This alone is a huge merit."
"Confirmed enemy numbers too?"
"Yes. Not a single one escaped, so the enemy won't dream this place has fallen."
In old novels, something always went wrong at times like this.
Everything was going too smoothly, breeding unease.
"Then shall we withdraw too?"
"What about that knocked-out guy?"
"Martin. You're responsible for him. You knocked him out."
"...Understood."
Martin slung the unconscious fortress commander over his shoulder.
Stronger than he looked.
"Gramps. You properly dispelled the magic, right?"
"Of course! Gotta be careful or I'd get caught in it too!"
Lian led the old mage out of the fortress.
Firka, who had been resting against a tree outside, brushed the dampness from her butt and stood.
"All done?"
"Yeah."
"Then let's hurry back to camp. I don't want to stay here long."
Firka still looked pale.
She'd been in battles before, but this was her first time right in the thick of it.
But there was something she'd forgotten.
Today's fight was just a prelude.
General Tullio couldn't hide his amazement as he welcomed Lian's group back to camp unscathed.
"Captured the enemy mage and commander. And secured vital military intelligence..."
Honestly, beyond expectations.
No one could have executed the mission more perfectly.
And with just four men!
"Impressive results. Why not join the army proper?"
"Hmm. Tempting enough to give up the Madella governorship?"
"Hah! Foolish talk. Ignore it. Just a bad habit."
Pablo nodded quietly at the general's words.
He must have heard "stay till discharge" endlessly.
"So the curse is no longer a worry?"
"Check if you doubt it. You're using convict scouts anyway."
"Was planning to."
Watching General Tullio, Lian felt somewhat relieved.
He was just numb to death.
At least not a sociopath treating lives like consumables.
"Send convict scouts to confirm the curse is gone."
"Yes, General."
An officer hurried off to carry out the order.
Calling cannon fodder "scouts."
Well-packaged, indeed.
"What to do with the captured mage?"
"Induct or not, send to the capital first. Need something from him?"
"Yes. A few questions."
"Go ahead. Your prisoner, your right."
The fortress commander's fate...
He decided not to care.
Probably tortured for intel on the next target, Dalisi territory.
Moments later.
The officer returned with a report.
"General! The curse is truly gone!"
"Oh? No issues?"
"Yes. One convict tried deserting upon realizing it midway, but handled without problem."
"Good."
General Tullio stood, buckling on his sword.
"Our provisional Madella governor has set the example, now my turn to deliver."
"As discussed, leave the rest to you, General."
"I swear not to squander this chance you made, Lord Lian."
The general's suddenly changed attitude.
A sign of recognition, perhaps.
Lian chuckled softly.
"A bit early for the 'lord' title, isn't it?"
"Soon enough. Best get used to it."
That utter confidence, no thought of defeat.
Honestly, reassuring.
General Tullio swept aside the tent flap and strode out.
Before the general's tent, thousands of soldiers stood in perfect ranks.
The general bellowed at them.
"Men! The mapmakers' most hated moment is here! Time to redraw the border!"
Cheers erupted across the 14th Legion.
Now, it was time for the true battlefield.