A Transcendent's Sudden Whim

As soon as the rewards and contract involving the black mage and the hero were settled, we wasted no time joining the merchant caravan leaving Marjanta.

“We usually load up on more goods before setting out, but I figured you might get dragged into something troublesome, Cardnios.”

Having become both my sponsor and employer, Mandolo was quite the chatterbox. The rattling carriage offered a terrible ride, crawling at a snail’s pace with nothing to do, so conversation was the only entertainment available.

“Whoa, that thing’s impressive.”

“Right? They grow in the great desert, so they’re tough, don’t mind the weather, and are far better than horses.”

I briefly wondered whether it was even appropriate to call the wagon pulled by a massive iguana a “carriage,” but I didn’t dwell on it. It wasn’t exactly a big deal. Rather than fussing over such trivialities, it was more interesting to observe the local wildlife. Flying squirrels and two-headed coyotes that clicked their beaks were refreshingly novel.

“You’re the strange one in my eyes.”

“Which part?”

“That. Right there.” Mandolo pointed at the writhing mass of black magi I was manipulating with one hand. “You said you haven’t been in this dimension long, yet you handle it better than I expected?”

“Ah, you mean this?” Since I now knew that even demi-humans were accepted in society, there was no reason to hide it. I had been practicing Low-grade Magic Technique whenever I had a spare moment during the journey, and it seemed to have caught his eye.

“Well, I can’t exactly carry around that giant axe all the time, so I need to put in the work.” I shaped a small hand axe above my palm, swung it through the air a few times, then absorbed it back into my skin.

“Haha, if I could, I’d love to gift you a spatial bag, but even we don’t have those lying around.”

At Mandolo’s words I clicked my tongue. That damn Malphas. The system gave me some things but conveniently left out an inventory. Tsk. I mentally clicked my tongue again and, for the first time in a while, pulled up my status window.

Staring at the still mostly empty status window, I let out a deep sigh. Right now I was like a bodybuilder who’d just gotten crushed by a jiu-jitsu fighter—nothing but inflated muscles with no technique to actually use them. Ironically, I didn’t even need the axe at the moment. Taishan Giant Strength Axe was a simple “swing hard” skill, so anything I grabbed and swung produced roughly the same power. Against weaklings it would slice through them like autumn leaves, but against anyone near my level, I’d be the one getting cut down while flailing an axe around.

I should have looked into some proper hand-to-hand or destructive martial arts before we left instead of only grabbing a mental technique. I clicked my tongue again in regret.

Is anyone going to throw a mission my way?

-Ding!

The frivolous alert ringing in my head made the magi I was manipulating freeze solid. Were my thoughts being read? Did I have no human rights? Of course not… A slave is a tool. Tools don’t have rights. Whatever. I’m shameless. Let them read if they want. I’ll just check the mission.

After confirming the mission, I cracked my neck and loosened my shoulders. “Mandolo, where are we headed next?”

“Oh? Have you taken an interest in the trade route?”

“Yes. Iria might inherit it someday, so it can’t hurt to learn.”

“Hahaha! If my son-in-law is curious, I suppose I must explain in detail.”

From inside the carriage came the sound of Iria groaning as if her throat were being strangled. I wondered what expression she was making. It might make training her easier later if I used this. I set the thought of Iria’s training aside for now and focused on Mandolo’s explanation.

Our destination, the mid-sized city of Caulose, belonged to the Botis Margraviate alongside the small city of Marjanta we had just left. It sat on the border with the Mallon Empire, where the academy was located. Because it served as a trade route between the Mallon Empire and the Direz Kingdom, it was economically prosperous—

“And its slums make Marjanta’s look like a joke.”

While Marjanta had no Experts aside from the knight commander, all three leaders of the organizations ruling Caulose’s underworld had reached Expert rank.

“Therefore, don’t run wild in Caulose like you did in Marjanta.”

“Understood. I’ll keep it in mind.”

I lightly brushed off Mandolo’s sincere warning and sank into my own thoughts. A large slum and powerful underworld organizations. So one of those groups was probably in bed with the black mage?

“What’s the power structure of the underworld organizations like?”

“Hmm? There’s no need for you to know that yet.”

Seeing Mandolo wrinkle his nose, I could guess what he was thinking. He figured I would gather just enough information and then charge in anyway. As if to confirm my guess, he shook his head and continued.

“I don’t like them, but I also don’t want the balance broken. If you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠attack one side and cause serious damage, the other two will try to eliminate you.”

“Hmm… I wasn’t thinking anything that reckless.”

“I’ve already heard through my subordinates about what you did at that abandoned base. You caused quite the stir. Even if you didn’t intend to, it’s my duty to warn you. Do you understand?”

Of course. In other words, “Don’t put the cat in the microwave.” No one would normally do it, but since someone might, a warning is necessary. It seemed wise to stop digging for more information here.

“I was just curious how strong someone at the same Expert level would be. A shame.”

“Haha, I’m not incapable of understanding youthful vigor.”

“Then, is it possible we might run into the hero or the saintess?”

When I dropped my interest in the underworld and asked about the hero and saintess, Mandolo smiled with satisfaction and nodded.

“The Holy Kingdom lies between the Direz Kingdom and the Mallon Empire, so they don’t usually come this way.”

At his answer, my brows furrowed slightly. Wait, did that crazy immortal bastard scam me?

“However—” Just as suspicion and irritation began to rise, Mandolo continued. “I’ve heard the current Saintess has a lively and curious personality.”

“Ah, you don’t mean…”

I let out a dumbfounded chuckle, and Mandolo laughed along as if he understood.

“Exactly. Instead ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of continuing straight to the Empire, she apparently changed course and entered the Direz Kingdom.”

“What are they doing?”

“They say she and the Hero are very close. In Vurang they walked the streets holding hands, and in Botis there ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠are even rumors that the Saintess carried the Hero around in a princess carry.”

“Why do you even know details like that?”

“Hahaha! Information is power for merchants.”

“But what ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠does that have to do with being a merchant…”

“Come now, don’t be naïve! Knowing the tastes of important guests from the Holy Kingdom is never a bad thing.”

“Kyle! Kyle! Let’s go!”

“Ugh, Maria… could you put me down?”

Kyros Penax, held in Maria’s arms like a princess, scratched his temple in embarrassment and asked, but Maria shook her head with a determined expression.

“No. You’ll start talking about dying alone again.”

“I won’t. At the very least, let’s just hold hands while we walk.”

“Hmm…”

Maria pretended to think for a moment before flashing a mischievous little-devil smile and breaking into a run.

“No way! Blushing Kyle is too cute!”

“Uwaaaaah! You crazy woman!”

“Ueeehhh…”

“Didn’t I tell you to stop?”

Kyros Penax sighed deeply and stretched Maria’s soft cheeks out wide. Even so, the smile never left her lips, as if she were enjoying every second of it.

“Hehe, but you’ve got your energy back now, right?”

“…”

Kyros released her cheeks and gazed up at the sky for a moment. The reason they had detoured instead of heading straight to the Empire was because of him. He wasn’t unaware that she was trying to lift his spirits as the fated day drew nearer and his anxiety grew.

It’s not good to keep burdening her with needless worries.

So Kyros relaxed his shoulders and forced a smile.

“Yeah, thank…?”

“Hm?”

At the sudden presence, both of them turned their heads at the same time.

“Kyle.” The liveliness had vanished from Maria’s voice, replaced by solemnity. “This is black magic, right?”

“Yeah. Doesn’t seem to be demi-human in origin.”

“Scale?”

“It’s covering the entire western district.”

“Will we be late?”

“If we run right now, we should make it. But…”

Kyros couldn’t finish the sentence. Maria, protected by the Divine Grace of Protection, could withstand even Expert-level attacks. Kyros, empowered by the Light of Anti-Magic, displayed strength one stage higher against black mages and demons. The two of them could somehow handle even multiple Expert black mages.

The problem was that the black mages knew this too. Maria and Kyros held special positions, but they were still only User-rank. Against hired Experts or multiple Users, the situation would be dangerous.

This event hadn’t existed in the original game. Of course it hadn’t— the Kyros in the original story would never have gone on a trip like this.

Krrrk. Kyros grit his teeth in frustration. They should have traveled with the holy knights as usual. He had let his guard down too much. Maria seemed to feel the same; guilt was written across her face.

“Kyle. I’ll hold them off alone.”

“No.”

“You know I’m tough. While I buy time, go ask the lord for—”

“Don’t talk nonsense. We go together. Excuse me!”

He called out to a passing pedestrian and tossed him the Hero’s emblem along with two red coins.

“Take these and run to the nearest guard post. Tell them a black mage has appeared.”

“Eh? Ehh?”

“Tell them the Hero is formally requesting assistance! Hurry!”

The startled pedestrian dashed off. Kyros turned back and pinched Maria’s cheeks again like a wet puppy.

“Maria. If we die, we die together. If we live, we live together.”

“Ueeehhh.”

“We don’t even have proper weapons. This is bad.”

“Mm… sorry…”

“No, this is my fault. Let’s stall for as much time as we can until the soldiers arrive.”