14
Chapter 14
The battlefield I arrived at was more evenly matched than I had expected.
The thieves lacked both equipment and experience.
But because the mercenaries had been ambushed, they were severely outnumbered.
There were twelve of them when they departed, but only about half were left now.
On the other hand, there seemed to be about fifteen thieves.
Some had surely died, but that didn't seem to be the whole story.
The number of corpses was fewer than I thought.
Some of them probably... pulled a 'Taren'.
And then, I suddenly realized something.
Looking at corpses didn't make me as nauseous as it used to.
Of course, spilled guts or crushed faces were still hard to stomach.
Honestly, my initial plan was to run away if things looked bad.
But with these odds, wasn't it worth a try?
If so, I had to launch a surprise attack.
[Water Bullet]
I drew water from the canteen I'd picked up on the way.
Swoosh!
And fired it straight ahead.
My target was a thief shooting arrows.
Thwack-!
A direct hit.
Unfortunately, it didn't hit his head or torso. It hit the hand holding the bow.
"Gah! What is this... water?"
"Damn it, a magician!!!"
A thief screamed, and the word spread in an instant.
"A magician? Damn it, why is there a magician here?"
"Shouldn't we run away?"
"No, it's low-tier magic! It's weak!"
...I've been exposed.
Water Bullet was definitely better than throwing rocks, but it wasn't exactly a threatening magic.
Still, it was too early to ignore me.
I relocated without losing momentum.
I conjured another Water Bullet.
And I carefully fired it once more.
Thwack!
"Urk...!"
"Tran! Damn it, the assault captain is down!"
This time, it hit the thief right in the head.
I picked a guy with decent equipment, and it seemed he was someone of high rank.
"It's real magic! He's on our side!"
"We have a magician on our side?"
The mercenaries shouted.
The revived morale shook the battlefield.
The thieves didn't just stand there.
They recklessly shot arrows at me.
[Water Shield]
Clang! Clang!
Splash—!
The incoming arrows hit the water wave and fell to the ground.
I scraped together my remaining mana and fired Water Bullets. As a result, three guys went down.
Considering I fired about fifteen shots... it was an average result.
"Damn it, why did a magician get involved in this..."
The thieves flinched upon seeing their fallen comrades.
Then, one by one, they slowly began to retreat.
"Where do you bastards think you're going! Get back here!"
"Hey, don't go. Their main base is in the forest."
In the end, the thieves disappeared into the forest. And just like that, the battle ended anticlimactically.
The smell of blood still lingered in the air, and corpses were scattered across the mess of a dirt floor.
"...It's over."
Someone muttered softly.
I took a sip of water and looked around.
There were only six mercenaries left.
Some had torn armor, and others were barely standing, leaning on their swords.
The merchant guild suffered heavy losses too. A carriage was destroyed, a horse was missing, and the burned carriage had turned to ashes.
Three guild employees couldn't get up, and some of the remaining ones were severely injured.
The guild master remained silent, and the coachman couldn't let go of the reins with his trembling hands.
Just then, a mercenary approached me.
He cleared his throat and asked cautiously.
"If you don't mind me asking... are you a Sir Magician?"
He was a man with short brown hair and a mild face without a single sharp edge.
Sir Magician? What's with this awkward title?
I nodded.
"Yes, I am."
He immediately bowed his head.
"Thank you so much. You saved us. I didn't know you came as backup."
"I'm not backup. I was also... traveling with the same merchant guild transport."
He raised his head and lightly placed a fist over his chest.
"Please excuse my rudeness. I am Barret, commander of the Barret Mercenary Group. I apologize for not greeting you earlier."
So this person was the mercenary commander.
I had seen him moving busily in the front, but there was no time to talk to him.
He continued speaking with a rough but sincere smile.
"Well, thanks to you, we were able to win."
He smiled awkwardly, taking off his helmet, and spoke with a slightly more polite attitude.
Not knowing how to respond, I just gave a slight nod.
Everyone took a moment to recover from the aftermath of the battlefield before starting to clean up.
Feeling awkward just sitting there alone, I carefully stood up to help.
Among the corpses of the thieves, the man I had taken down caught my eye.
I think he was called 'Tran'.
There was a short sword sheathed at his waist.
Swish-
It was a one-handed sword about the length of a forearm.
The sword looked incredibly old, but perhaps it had been well-maintained, as the blade was sharply honed.
Taking one piece of loot should be fine.
I slowly lifted the sword.
"It should be fine for you to take that."
Someone spoke from behind.
It was Barret.
"You are more than qualified for that much of a reward."
"...Thank you."
I strapped the sword to my waist.
It was still a heavy weapon for me, but maybe I would get used to it soon.
"Um, what should we do about the head?"
Barret asked cautiously.
"T-The head?"
"Yes. Since he is a wanted criminal... there is a bounty if you take it, but-"
I firmly shook my head.
"Please handle it yourself."
He replied that he understood and backed away.
...Carrying a person's head around.
This was a culture I just couldn't get used to.
"You really worked hard, Sir Magician."
It was an unfamiliar honorific, but I didn't bother correcting him.
The battlefield was quiet.
The dead were gathered in one place, and equipment without an owner was organized.
The mercenaries silently went about the cleanup.
The merchant guild master stiffened his face as he glanced sideways at the fallen thieves, and the coachman was trembling his lips while gripping the handle of the carriage.
People endured the battle in their own ways.
I also moved quietly beside them.
Since we had come this far together.
***
Fortunately, the road leading to the city after that was quiet.
A small merchant guild passed by from the opposite direction along the way, but we merely nodded at each other as we crossed paths.
Compared to the morning when we were tense at every little noise, it was a much more peaceful journey.
If there was one problem.
It was that the mercenary commander, Barret, kept talking to me.
"Sir Magician, is this your first time in this area by any chance?"
"...You could say that."
"Then, you should be careful of the watchtower at the city entrance. The verification process is quite strict for outsiders who aren't mercenaries."
"The watchtower?"
"Yes. I heard a smuggler slipped in not long ago, so the inspection fever has been high for a while. The merchant guild master submitted a notice in advance, so there shouldn't be any problems if you just follow along."
It was annoying, but if I listened quietly, there were a lot of reasonably useful stories.
It didn't seem like he was a Silver Rank mercenary commander for nothing.
"If you plan to stay, Sir Magician... the Calea Inn in the south of the city is relatively quiet. Mercenaries making a fuss are rare, and the innkeeper doesn't talk much, so you'll be comfortable."
He was careful with his words and never clearly crossed the line.
He just had a lot of interest.
For someone in an ambiguous situation like me—a prisoner and a person from another world—even that kind of interest was bound to be burdensome.
As we talked, the conversation shifted to Taren.
"Taren? Ah, was it that guy again."
Barret's eyebrows furrowed for a moment.
In that brief reaction, some complex emotions flashed by.
"Again...?"
I asked back without thinking.
Taren, don't tell me this bastard?
"Yes. Something similar happened once before. He suddenly disappeared, and we only met again a long time later."
He stayed silent for a moment before shrugging his shoulders.
"But why do you keep taking him with you?"
When I asked, Barret laughed in disbelief.
"Well... it's not easy to find a guy who knows how to shoot a bow."
"......"
"Useful archers are rare. Especially for a low-rank mercenary group like ours. The work is rough, the pay is poor, and there are many chances to die."
Hmm, it was quite a realistic reason.
He added, looking far away.
"That guy, he's good at his job. He's quick at handling trivial tasks, and he's quick-witted too. However..."
Trailing off, he shook his head and quietly closed his mouth.
I didn't bother asking what came next either.
Because we both already knew.
***
The city wasn't too far away.
At first, I thought we had arrived when I saw villages and fields, but they said this was the outer wall.
Before long, the silhouette of the city walls revealed itself beyond the end of the road.
"That is Mondak over there."
The commander pointed forward and said.
Mondak. The hub of the central trade route.
Carts gathering from all directions were filling the city entrance.
Porters went back and forth through the hazy dust, and as always, armed guards at the entrance were glaring with sharp eyes.
The entry inspection was surprisingly simple.
The mercenary group passed through without much issue as a registered external faction, and I too was able to pass safely under the pretext of being an escort mercenary for the transport request.
Inside the city was much noisier than the outside.
Barkers, porters, sundry merchants, and even pickpockets—all sorts of people were bustling about.
It was unfamiliar and chaotic, but for some reason, it made me feel alive.
"We plan to rest at an inn nearby for now. Sir Riv... what are your plans?"
The commander asked cautiously.
"Well, I should find a place to stay first."
I said honestly. I didn't want to wander the streets anymore.
"Then, shall I let you know which inn we'll be staying at? You're welcome to drop by later."
He maintained his politeness.
I nodded. There was no need to unnecessarily draw a line.
Come to think of it, the saying that it is better to be a servant in a noble's house exists for a reason.
If I had to freeload somewhere anyway, it was better to be where the treatment was good.
"Then, let's just go together."
"Oh! I will treat you."
The inn I entered following Barret was on a whole different level from the one I stayed at in Garnian Village.
Back then, bugs crawled out from under the blanket, and the wind blew right through the walls...
But here, it was warm.
The warmth of the indoor air could be felt the moment I opened the door.
There was even some straw laid out on the floor.
After organizing my luggage, I came down and took a seat, and the meal was served.
Oatmeal, rye bread, and even a whole piece of sausage.
Even though it was just one piece, my eyes shot wide open.
Upon taking a bite, a spiciness seemingly packed with spices pierced my nose.
Its exact identity was unknown, but it strangely appealed to my taste buds.
...Had I already adapted to the food here?
As I was enjoying my modest meal, placing the sausage between the rye bread, Barret quietly approached and stood in front of my table.
"You seem to be enjoying your meal."
"Ah... yes, it's delicious."
Come to think of it, he was here.
I was so focused on eating that I forgot.
I don't have breadcrumbs on my mouth, do I?
I roughly wiped my mouth with my hand and looked up.
Barret was smiling. Literally, a smiling face.
How should I put it, it was too burdensome.
I straightened my back slightly and gently picked up the bread again.
Right now, I looked like a great magician to them.
There was no reason for me to break that image myself.
"Is eating well the secret to getting stronger? You made all those thieves retreat by yourself."
"I was just lucky. Magic is inherently... if you surprise them, you've practically won half the battle."
"Haha, to be humble on top of that. You're even more amazing."
Rather than humility, it was just the truth.
He seemed to think I used some incredible magic...
Well, I would be surprised too if my head got cracked by a flying droplet of water.
Hmm, I guess it is somewhat amazing.
While I was filling up my self-esteem, Barret naturally joined my table.
Does this person have nothing to do? Why does he keep bothering me?
If it were a pretty woman, maybe, but the interest of a burly man wasn't very pleasant.
Was this why Drek told me to hide it?
"May I ask what you plan to do now?"
"Hmm."
So this was the reason.
It was written all over his face before he even spoke.
His next words would probably be asking if I wanted to work with them.
"If it's alright with you, would you like to work with us?"
...He actually said it.
We've only been together for about a day, but I can already read his patterns.
This person is terrible at hiding his expressions.
"So we're planning to take on a big request, and we inevitably need more people. Plus, it's even better if they're strong."
"So, you're asking me to participate in the request?"
"Yes...."
To summarize, he wanted us to score big together.
It was better than being asked to join the mercenary group.
If I had to do something anyway, it was convenient for someone to extend a hand like this.
However, I shouldn't accept too easily.
"I'll have to hear the conditions and rewards first."
"Of course! Because it could be a dangerous job."
He nodded with a small smile.
"The details are being coordinated. We have to discuss it with the merchant guild too. But the reward will be... quite large. Truly."
"Do I have some time to think about it?"
"Of course. We need to prepare as well."
I quietly picked up my bread again.
"Ah, I heard you were supposed to receive payment from that guy Taren before leaving."
Oh, right. Things got so complicated that I had forgotten about that.
But... Taren ran away, so will I be able to get it?
"I will personally take care of that for you. Excluding the accommodation cost and the bounty, of course."
"What? You don't have to go that far."
"No, the merchant guild paid a little less than originally agreed upon, but it's fine since our numbers have decreased. Besides, we also have the equipment looted from the thieves, so we are actually quite well-off at the moment."
"...Then I will gratefully accept it."
Declining once is enough; any more would actually be rude.
When I get the money this time, I should gear up first.
My body was much too frail to wander around relying solely on magic.
After finishing such a hearty meal, I returned to my room and lay down on the bed.
A lot of things happened today as well.
It was a fulfilling day, but also an overwhelming one.
The eyes of the unknown thief, who was still gasping for air, lingered in my mind.
Some might call me emotional,
but getting used to murder overnight was, at least for me, a difficult task.
...Sigh, maybe even these worries are a luxury.
I tried to distract myself by thinking about other things.
Are Drek and Baldic safe? I definitely need to buy some armor tomorrow.
And as for Taren... I really need to smack him once.
As I let these rambling thoughts flow, my consciousness faded before I knew it.
***
'What, did I level up already just from catching a few thieves?'
It was the dark space that I was now all too familiar with.
At this point, it almost felt cozy.
[You have reached a turning point. Loading the list of enhanceable skills.]
A voice echoing in my ears. Just like always.
"...A turning point?"
I paused for a moment.
Wasn't it originally [You have reached a milestone.]?
Even the latter part was different. Enhancement, what does that mean?
I couldn't tell what criteria caused the change.
But that wasn't what was important right now.
Flash-!
A sound effect that felt both familiar and unfamiliar rang out, and as the light scattered, four cards appeared.
...Four cards?
Not three? What's going on today?
With a strange premonition, I hurriedly looked closely at the cards.
_______________________
[Blue Magic: Condensation] Enhancement
[Blue Magic: Water Shield] Enhancement
[Blue Magic: Water Bullet] Enhancement
[Passive Ability: Pain Resistance]
_______________________
These cards were completely different from the ones I knew, from their names to their colors.
First of all, all four cards were glowing with a red light.
I first read the one card that stood out exceptionally among them.
[Passive Ability: Pain Resistance]
Like its intuitive name, the description was also simple.
[When taking damage, the perceived pain is reduced.]
It's ambiguous.
If I had been a warrior, maybe I would have chosen it.
Well, it'd be nice to have, but it wasn't a choice a Magician would prioritize.
'Anyway, enhancement? This time it's not choosing an ability, but enhancing a magic?'
My mind was complicated by the new system that followed.
However, my eyes naturally went to [Water Shield].
The magic I used the most and most often. In a way, my survival up until now was thanks to this Shield.
Before picking the card, I should read the description below it first.
[Enhances 'Blue Magic: Water Shield'.]
One of the following attributes will be applied randomly:
-Durability
-Casting Speed
-Casting Quantity
-Mana Efficiency
-Range
-Additional Effect
"...This is random too?"
The sigh that escaped my lips carried a weight that was hard to tell if it was resignation or anticipation.
As expected, nothing goes my way.
I glanced over the other magic cards too.
[Water Bullet] had slightly different attributes. It had 'Power' instead of 'Durability', and [Condensation] only had four attributes.
They were subtly different, but that subtlety was definitely a design with an intention.
'Because each magic has a different nature... the enhancement attributes vary too.'
For example.
Water Bullet was an offensive magic, so it focused on direct combat attributes like 'Power, Range, Casting Speed, Maneuverability'.
Condensation, perhaps because its nature was to solidify the foundation of all magic, mainly featured things like 'Duration' or 'Additional Effect' rather than power or range.
And Water Shield was clearly a magic with a defensive function, so 'Durability' was key.
'Then depending on the enhancement direction, my fighting style itself will change.'
Only then did it feel real.
That this wasn't just a simple stat increase, but a turning point to rebuild my very survival method.
If it were a game, a wrong choice could be fixed with a single reset.
But right now, I only had a single coin in my hand.
If 'Durability' was enhanced, the Shield would hold out longer.
If 'Casting Quantity' increased, the Shield unfolding into two, three, or more at once would protect me from multiple angles.
'Additional Effect' seemed to add something special, but no description popped up right now.
'...Could it possibly even add something like a reflection effect?'
To think all of this was random, it was quite annoying, yet...
Somehow, I also felt that strange sense of anticipation from playing a gacha game.
After agonizing over it, I chose [Water Shield].
Before the hesitation at my fingertips disappeared, I let out a small prayer.
Who should I pray to in this place? Was the name of the god Baldic believes in... Urusa?
"Anyone is fine. Please, just this once. Really, please give me a really good one."