Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Goblin Hunt ~Part 1~
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The Crimson Magic Tower mage stormed into the village chief's room with a face flushed red from anger and humiliation, only to emerge five minutes later in crisp, spotless clothes. Not a trace of liquid remained anywhere.
I was so amazed that I almost asked if he'd dried himself off with a fireball, but I held back. It felt like a fireball might fly at me before a fist did.
Instead, I asked Pingbalres.
"Did he dry off with a fireball?"
"Have you not studied the other... Magic Towers?"
"I figured if I'm just going to hole up researching in the Violet Magic Tower anyway, I'd never run into them..."
It was an excuse.
Truth be told, I hadn't bothered looking them up for fear it'd make my stomach hurt. I'd learned spells like fans and air conditioners to make my life more comfortable, but diving into others felt like it would hit me with a brutal sense of deprivation.
The Magic Tower Master had warned me about it too. She said it was best not to touch other schools of magic if possible and to stick to Illusion Magic all the way.
It wasn't some evil scheme by the Magic Tower Master to keep great wizard material from getting NTR'd by other towers. There was a solid reason for it.
They called it... the experience bonus from continuous use.
A Crimson Tower elder could learn Azure Tower magic anytime, but doing so would whittle away at the experience bonus he'd built up over eighty years in fire magic. That's why wizards drill deep into one school.
It's also why all-attribute grand wizards only exist in fairy tales. Dabbling in everything turns you into a jack-of-all-trades failure.
Pingbalres explained it simply.
"Each tower covers a broader range than you'd think. Crimson Tower fire magic, for instance, includes heat enchantment, plant growth promotion that's not as good as the Golden Tower's, healing that's weaker than priests', insect extermination that's inferior to the Azure Tower's, even ironing and drying—all lumped into the same category."
"So the other tower guys even have utility spells...!!"
"Why are you so envious...? Illusion Magic is already overpowered beyond necessity. Don't even look."
I ignored Pingbalres, who clearly didn't get the woes of Illusion Magic, and fumed.
While I'd been staring enviously at Scarface Senior's utility efforts, thinking the other tower folks couldn't do this stuff... turns out they could. While we were brute-forcing 'mosquito bites don't itch,' they'd been living the 'mosquitoes don't bite in the first place' life!
The Crimson mage being able to erase every trace and emerge fluffy probably came from a cleaning spell plus some convenience magic to evaporate liquids.
"The Violet Magic Tower originally covered an even wider range, as I recall. Projecting illusions onto others, and one more thing. Summoning illusionary beings like succubi or demons... I misspoke."
Pingbalres cut himself off abruptly.
I committed it to memory but pretended not to hear, letting it slide. I'd spent just shy of ten years in the Violet Tower without ever hearing a peep about illusion summoning techniques.
If Pingbalres knew, the Magic Tower Master certainly did. If she hadn't mentioned it on purpose, there was a reason. I trusted her and let it go.
"...Violet Tower mage and a guy in a suit... Who the hell are you people?"
Anger winning out over embarrassment in an intense tug-of-war, the Crimson mage glared at us with a face screaming 'I'm pissed' for anyone to see.
Under the hood pulled low, strangely ringed bangs draped over one eye. Quite the unique hairstyle.
As I pondered what fun comeback to give to 'who are you,' Pingbalres stepped forward and pointed at me.
"This is Leon Evans. Legitimate heir of the Evans barony, here to assess the plight of suffering commoners and take appropriate measures."
"?"
I threw an arm around Pingbalres' shoulders and turned away to whisper.
"What the hell kind of sudden backstory is this?"
"Were you planning to spill your amnesia to a total stranger mage?"
"Not that, but... we could just say we're passing wizards."
"That's no plausible excuse for a Violet Tower illusionist traveling with a suited guy. Who wanders around dressed like this?"
"Then it's your fault for the suit."
"That's why I covered for it."
"Change into normal clothes right now."
"Then your crazy mage ass couldn't hold back his lust and pounce on me."
"What kind of confidence is this...? Fine, I'll play along."
I turned back.
The Crimson mage stared at us like we were total weirdos. I cleared my throat a few times to deepen my voice and launched into my RP as the overlooked youngest son of a barony—three older brothers above me meant no inheritance dreams, so I'd tearfully joined the Violet Tower on a whim.
"That's right, I'm Leon Evans. Had no intention of revealing my status, but here we are. Nobility pokes through even the thickest wallet like a needle."
"...Your servant already said it from my mouth."
"That's not the point. I'll give you a chance to reveal your own status, mage. Do you carry the noble blood of the imperial family?"
"...I'm a commoner."
"Figured as much. That dry hair, the slightly uneducated mannerisms. But no worries. I'm a noble especially lenient with commoners—"
Pingbalres chimed in from the side.
"Lord Leon. By law, Magic Tower mages hold baronial rank."
"Ah, must've been tough with all the research. Blood or not, those who earn rank through learning deserve respect. No wonder you couldn't stand the injustice and stepped up—befitting a self-made noble."
"...Cut the act and talk normally. I don't want some shitty noble lording it over me."
"Shall I?"
"......"
A disaster struck a peaceful rural backwater village. A goblin nest had popped up nearby. These green runts were pushovers for battle-hardened pros, but a dire threat to potato farmers.
Sure, a hoe swing from farm-toughened arms could kill a goblin.
But humans had that fatal flaw of dying to blades too. And goblins were nocturnal.
They struck at night while folks snored after a day in the fields. Sneaky assassins, those goblins. So the village scraped together funds and sent their most educated youth to the nearest city for help.
This youth had a sister—a fire magic prodigy who'd entered the Crimson Magic Tower and aced the academy entrance. A super-genius little beauty!
Convinced genius ran in his DNA, the youth scoured the city for mercenaries to take a goblin nest extermination quest. And got royally scammed.
The shady mercs swapped 'goblin nest extermination' to 'village protection' in the contract, then just shooed away nighttime goblin raids half-heartedly. They dragged it out, bleeding the chief dry.
The Crimson mage, back home pre-academy to see familiar faces, had just discovered this mess and started grilling them.
"This is why you can't trust mercenaries. Dirty, vulgar, spewing obscenities, rude as hell!"
Staring at the fuming Crimson mage, I thought of Tearstain. Handsome, neat, forgave me even after I accidentally ogre-clubbed his head.
They'd said they were rank 2 adventurers. Finish the fable quest and they'd snag rank 1.
"Just to check, what rank are those mercs?"
"They claim rank 3, but rank 4 would be lucky."
"Sure?"
"Positive. No auras, no body enhancement, didn't even notice me prepping spells. At best, 1-star..."
The Crimson mage ticked off on her fingers.
Indeed.
A proper noun I didn't know. Stars—made me think of game characters. Intriguing. I'd ask Pingbalres later.
When I'd cast illusion magic earlier, it sank into the mercs like a finger into whipped cream—smooth enough to startle me, the caster.
I could've slapped on permanent ones if I'd wanted. Like meat always tasting like lotus root, or men looking like women forever.
The Crimson mage had decent resistance, though. Thin mental barriers, two layers, but bypassing them took effort—like spinning a pen.
She seemed stronger, but I asked anyway.
"What's your level?"
"Why ask?"
"Five mercs—that's numbers. If you're properly skilled, fine, but if it's reckless heroism, you need a heads-up."
"Mind your own business. Don't you know what academy admission means?"
"Nope."
"Lord Leon hasn't left the mansion in ten years, busy with maid trysts. Bear with his common sense deficit."
Pingbalres landed a vicious slander crit at perfect timing. Not just the content—the setting was ruined. How'd a shut-in join the Violet Tower?
I dragged him down with me.
"That maid's the pink-hair right here. Whines every night—exhausting. That's why she tagged along when I wanted to wander solo. Lately, she's into voyeurism, dragging in other girls..."
"I don't wanna know jack about your sex lives?!"
Bickering with Pingbalres, I sorted my thoughts. Holing up in the Violet Tower, I had no gauge of my combat power. I'd illusioned the fable-master First Princess, but with arrays, reagents, cash—it was hard to measure.
Trading slanders amicably, I hand-signaled to ask academy student levels. Pingbalres signed back: rank 3 merc equivalent, this Crimson mage too.
From the story, I could take rank 3 mercs.
Why benchmark my strength now? Simple: academy professor gig incoming. Depending on my level, it'd be 'survive academy' or 'illusion-shatter the academy.'
Can't be weaker than students as a prof. I'd have to grovel, 'Please let me illusion you once.'
But luckily, student level seemed crushable.
Of course, academy tropes meant a suspiciously OP student council prez. Dodge those, and I'd manage.
I nodded, wrapping up.
"I acknowledge it—your courage was justified."
"Wasn't seeking your approval...!!"
"Next up's the cleanup. What're your plans? I can help chase mercs or goblin nests."
"Cooperate without knowing who you are? Nah, I'll burn the goblins myself and teach those mercs a lesson!"
The Crimson mage, unable to contain her emotions, swung her staff wildly and stormed out of the chief's house with determined strides. I eyed Pingbalres.
"What now?"
"Gonna follow."
"Weren't you after your memories?"
"No memories, but she could be my childhood friend. Plus, I like that archetype. Justice type."
"Lustful fiend."
"I saw you scanning her thighs. Look in the mirror first..."
"Don't follow—"
"We're just! Headed the same way by coincidence."
"Pure coincidence on speed too."
"......"
The Crimson mage looked seriously annoyed at our uninvited tagging along. But we weren't bored—we were here for lifesaving.
Not worried about her losing to goblins.
But those sleazy mercs, legally mooching food, interrupted? Would they back off meekly if she said, 'I burned all the goblins—now scram!'?
No way. Plus, the mercs we'd repelled with robe magic hadn't returned while we chatted. They hadn't arm-in-arm exited the village, so I figured...
"Ambush?"
"Ambush for sure."
"?"
Seemed there was more prey besides goblins.