Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Lucky Coin (3)
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Hold on!
Don't panic!
There's no way a worthless bastard like him could possess two holy artifacts with that kind of power!
"You pathetic worm, trying to outsmart me with tricks—"
A perfectly reasonable deduction pulled Gusra up from the swamp of despair.
"Ugh—"
Dares and Topin's thoughts weren't much different.
Hadn't they witnessed it with their own eyes just moments ago? The true value of that 'coin.'
The power to neutralize black magic powerful enough to threaten the sixth circle so effectively.
It was a holy artifact that only priests and holy knights entrusted with major duties from the church would carry.
The mere fact that he possessed such an artifact was shocking enough, but to have another one on top of that?
A bastard who couldn't even speak his family name?
It was hard to accept.
It was far more rational to believe it was a lie fabricated to escape the crisis.
…Separately.
The second coin Rishir pulled out definitely took effect.
Gusra, Dares, Topin.
All three were so fixated on the coin's existence that they halted all actions.
None of them had solid grounds for their convictions.
The power within the coin only reacted to black magic, so Dares and Topin felt nothing from it.
Gusra's black magic had been greatly neutralized as well, making it impossible for him to accurately gauge the coin's power.
What if the coin is real?
What if the coin is fake?
"Rishir, hold onto that for now! Keep watch over him!"
Facing their final clash, they suddenly entered a standoff.
The atmosphere, which had reached a boiling point, was once again diluted by Rishir's presence.
"You bastard I want to tear apart—"
A guttural sound like boiling entrails leaked from Gusra's mouth.
Not only had his long-prepared plan crumbled, but he'd suffered an irreversible permanent injury in the process of destroying the holy artifact.
The sixth circle realm.
His lifelong aspiration had vanished like a mirage just as it was within reach.
How much time would it take to reach that level again?
How much effort would be needed?
Did an old man like him even have the time and effort left?
The more he thought, the more his mind tangled and heated up.
Fierce ripples stirred in the old black mage's long-empty emotions.
In the end, the black mage made a proposal.
"Dares! Hand over that bastard. I'll retreat this time. Furthermore, I'll swear on my magic never to approach you again!"
The situation had improved dramatically compared to before, but it was still far from good.
The black mage, his pride wounded, seemed to have lost all reason.
If he resolved to fight to the death, he couldn't guarantee the safety of Dares and Topin, let alone Topin's assistant and Todina in the carriage.
Yet he could escape all this danger by handing over one unrelated bastard?
There was no reason to refuse.
There was no reason to risk his life for a stranger bastard.
"…"
But— the same went for Rishir.
Topin recalled what he'd done for them, complete strangers.
He couldn't bring himself to voice agreement.
In the end, Dares spoke first.
"Topin."
"Speak."
"A chance has opened up."
"Too early to say for sure."
"That's not what I mean."
A resolute gaze turned toward Topin.
"I'll buy time. You lead everyone out of here in the meantime."
"Dares!"
"This is the best option."
"There might be a better way!"
"Please. Just don't say to hand over Rishir."
"He's a stranger to you! No one would care about a bastard!"
"The same was true for Rishir."
"…!"
"Despite having no connection to us, he willingly gave Todina that treasure."
"That's because... he didn't know its value!"
"He could have fled amid the chaos, but he chose to stay and help."
"He didn't grasp the severity..."
"He might be ignorant, as you say. But that doesn't change the weight of the favor he did me."
"…"
The old noble couldn't meet the young mage's eyes to the end.
"Head straight to Durayeg Territory. Explain what happened here to my father. Make clear the help you gave me and Todina, and claim proper compensation. And ensure Rishir receives proper compensation as well. Will you grant my final request?"
It was short but profound deliberation.
Topin finally opened his mouth.
"I couldn't do that even if I died. Tell Rishir that."
"What do you—"
"As you can see, he's injured. If we press a bit more, he might feel the crisis and back off."
"How can you be sure?"
"That's why we're having Rishir evacuate the others."
"You—"
"You'll die alone for sure. With me, there's at least a sliver of possibility."
A brief exchange of glances, and they nodded in unison.
The mage and healer braced themselves once more, facing off against Gusra.
"Rishir! Take the carriage and head to Durayeg Territory right now! We'll hold him here!"
Dares shouted without taking his eyes off Gusra.
Gusra's expression twisted slowly, then erupted into mad laughter.
"Fine, you bastards! If that's what you want, I'll oblige!!!"
Squelch.
Gusra's left arm melted like mud, then reformed.
It was the black mage's creation called a ghoul.
It kicked off the ground powerfully and lunged left. Then, tracing a wide arc, it closed in on the carriage behind Dares and Topin.
"…!"
Was it trying to grab Todina as a hostage!
Dares and Topin swiftly shifted left, positioning to check both Gusra and the ghoul.
Gusra seemed about to join the ghoul— but suddenly spun in the opposite direction.
Whoosh!
A sudden gale. Gusra's body shot forward at a speed unbelievable for an old man.
The ghoul melted away, and his left arm regrew.
His true target was Rishir on the opposite side.
"Rishir! Run!!!"
Dares and Topin rushed to protect Rishir.
"Rishir!?"
Even Fienne, who had been indifferent since it concerned Dares and Topin, jumped in surprise.
But the black mage wielding wind spirits was already right in front of Rishir.
'That guy won't work against him!?'
Fienne hurriedly infused him with her power.
"Today, I'll settle for your worthless neck, bastard!!!"
Gusra wasn't fundamentally a complete black mage.
Originally a wind mage who turned to black magic upon hitting his limits—a traitor.
He chose wind magic as the decisive blow against the loathsome bastard.
Partly to strike an opening, partly as a backup.
"Let's see if that fancy holy artifact protects you from this too!!!"
Victory's smile already graced the black mage's lips.
Without the holy artifact, he was just a pitiful third-circle fledgling.
"…!!!"
The old black mage's seasoned judgment proved correct in the end.
Pure wind energy rose from the black mage's hand.
For the first time, Rishir felt threatened by the black mage.
The wind swirled rapidly, forming a blade.
'This won't work with Nor...malization—... wait.'
In the extreme situation, Rishir's magical thinking broke free of conventions.
Right.
That wind blade might not be erasable with unique color power.
But—
—Ting!
Rishir flicked the coin at Gusra.
Without time to invest like the first, its power was relatively weak—
"Ugh—"
—but enough to disrupt the energy inherent in the black mage's body.
And right now, that was sufficient.
For an instant, the wind blade lost form.
The wind energy escaped Gusra's control.
Rishir didn't miss the moment.
"…!?"
The black mage's eyes widened in shock.
The swirling wind from his hand was transferring to Rishir's.
Gusra's mana was currently being eroded by Rishir's power.
Repeated overexertion had caused mana backlash to stack.
On top of that, Rishir was blessed by Fienne.
All were clear factors, yet insufficient explanation.
No factor or words could explain it to Gusra now.
'I've... had my spell's control stolen!? By a mere third-circle fledgling!?'
There was still time and room to counter.
He could respond to Rishir's actions.
"How...?"
But Gusra demanded answers from Rishir instead.
An explanation for the illogical phenomenon.
It was no feat a third-circle vessel could perform.
A sensation from realms a third-circle couldn't touch.
So— he might not be third-circle after all.
No. He definitely wasn't.
A superior mage hiding his circle and identity to toy with him.
Yes. That explained everything.
The mage, his worldview shattered, desperately awaited Rishir's next words.
He muttered softly.
"Done."
As if surprised himself.
It didn't take Gusra long to grasp the meaning.
"Ah... Ah... Aaaah!!!!"
Only then did Gusra act to counter the mana theft.
But it was too late, too panicked.
Gusra reflexively drew on black magic power.
What followed was that power vanishing without a trace, then a wind-infused fist slamming into his jaw.
"Gah—"
The old man's body crumpled weakly.
"Rishir!!!"
Fienne rushed to Rishir.
"A-Are you okay!? Any injuries!? A black mage using wind magic—what was I thinking not staying by your side..."
Fienne pressed right up to Rishir, scanning him worriedly from below.
Being sincerely fretted over by a girl two heads shorter was a strange feeling.
Rishir chuckled and patted Fienne's head.
"…I'm the fool for worrying."
Fienne pulled away from Rishir, then plopped down a beat late, squirming in embarrassment.
Crunch.
Dares and Topin, rushing to help Rishir, stopped in stunned disbelief.
"Rishir. What in the world—"
The two mages reacted the same as the black mage.
Demanding explanation for the illogical situation.
To that, Rishir picked up the coin dropped near Gusra.
And confidently gave a thumbs-up.
"As expected of the lucky coin."
"…"
"…"
What could they say.
They were dumbfounded in every way.
"Dares!"
"Todina!?"
As they bound Gusra's body and wrapped up the situation, Todina burst from the carriage and approached Dares.
"A-Anywhere hurt!? What about Damin!?"
"Todina, you should be—"
"Todina, what are you doing— Didn't I tell you repeatedly to rest!"
Todina beamed excitedly at the panicking Dares and Topin.
"But— I couldn't just stay put!"
Todina spread her arms, hopping and spinning in place.
As if the sensation of vitality was so unfamiliar she couldn't contain it.
"Dares! I think I'm okay now—..."
"Todina!"
Todina suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed.
Dares hurried over and helped her up.
She gave an awkward hehe laugh.
Then Topin approached to check her condition.
"…"
"Topin, how is she!?"
"Her vitality is greatly depleted."
"That means...?"
"Just means she needs proper rest from here on, and she'll recover."
"…!"
Whoosh.
Dares hugged Todina with all his strength.
Todina flinched in brief surprise, then softly embraced him back.
After savoring the healthy lovers' embrace for a while, Dares spoke in a voice thick with emotion.
"Thank you... Topin..."
"Ahem, I don't feel I've done anything warranting separate thanks."
Topin glanced toward Rishir standing beside him.
"…"
Dares stood and faced Rishir.
"I don't deserve separate thanks ei— Kgh!"
Rishir's modest words were cut off.
Dares approached and suddenly pulled him into a fierce hug.
Far stronger than when he'd held Todina. Intense. Passionate.
A certain fact floated in Rishir's mind.
Mages who handle fire energy sometimes take on a fiery temperament influenced by it—
Then Dares grabbed Rishir's arms and pulled him back.
Staring straight into his face from close range.
His red eyes blazed with fervor.
"No need for formalities!"
"…Pardon?"
"Treat me casually. I want to treat you the same, Rishir! Can I consider you a friend!?"
"…Pardon? What do you— Kgh!"
Rishir, unable to keep up with the tempo, was silenced again.
Dares hugged him fiercely once more.
"Rishir! I'll never forget this favor!"
"It was nothing, no need to—"
"Nothing!? Don't say that!!!"
"Just give me a ride in the carriage and that's enough—"
"Anywhere! Name your destination. I'll take you to the ends of the earth!"
It took Rishir quite a while to escape Dares' embrace.