Finally Found You, You Bastard! #1

People sometimes freeze when they witness the unbelievable. That was Loria's state right now.

Lawrence Montemer. Wielder of divine authority and her little brother, who had awakened his unique ability. Once dismissed as the shame of Montemer, now his worth was beyond anyone's wildest imagination.

She stared blankly at the scorched, flattened terrain.

Holy Bomb, Holy Night. A spell that shattered the prejudice that priests only mastered healing magic. Thanks to this spell, churches and priests earned recognition as true combatants—all because of its devastating power.

"Wow... It wiped everything clean off the map?"

"There don't seem to be any more undead around."

"Good work, Lawrence."

"No big deal. Hey, can I take those with us?"

Lawrence stretched casually and pointed to the corpses felled by the swordsmen.

Leila frowned in hesitation.

"We're in the middle of a mission—no can do. Unless you've got subspace magic or something."

"I do."

"...?"

I do. A really big one.

Lawrence grinned brightly at the corpses. Those weren't ordinary bodies.

...Prime material items, boasting all sorts of functions when broken down by part.

Lawrence's eyes especially locked onto the Night Crawler's remains.

I don't need money anyway. I'll snag this for myself.

Crackle—!

With a surge of will, his subspace unfurled. Everyone watched in awe.

No wonder—subspace magic normally required at least 6th Circle mastery.

Among them, Freya was the most stunned. She hadn't fully grasped Lawrence's authority yet.

Her voice trembled, as if she'd seen something she shouldn't have.

"Young master, what in the world...?"

"Captain Freya, keep this our little secret, and I'll share some research materials later. Like... artifacts, say."

"Is that... for real?"

"Everything you've seen here stays confidential. That's how I can make you all rich. Like selling these materials for profit?"

Freya's and the northerners' eyes lit up instantly. They desperately needed a boost to reach 6th Circle, and their tight budget was a constant strain.

"Of course!"

"Yep! We saw nothing! Huh? Why are there only monster bloodstains left!?"

"Eh, not even surprising anymore. Let's move. Actually, this works out perfect!"

True to their icy homeland, they were straightforward folk. And now a mysterious young lord was tempting them with power.

"As for me..."

"We'll talk after the mission. Looks like the Duchess said something ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to you."

"Honestly, I don't remember that part well."

She couldn't say more. Suddenly, Media's words resurfaced.

Yeah, it strangely didn't stick in her mind. What an odd situation. A skilled mage like her forgetting a mission or commission—especially one from the matriarch of a great house.

And our paths overlapping so neatly is suspicious too. Weird. Why didn't I think of that then?

Suspicion began to bud in Freya's mind.

Lawrence smirked inwardly watching her. One more on the verge of flipping.

"How'd he even get something like that? Wild."

"It's my unique ability, Lady Loria."

"Anyway, how much cash if we sell all this? Hey, room for more? We can stuff it all in, right?"

"Plenty of space. We could probably take everything from that monster village we're raiding too."

Ooooh!

Cheers erupted this time. The northern soldiers and knights' eyes sparkled especially bright.

"Time for a feast after ages!"

"The Grand Duke's always blasting stuff to bits—expenses are no joke! Perfect!"

"Honey mead! Meat! Party!"

"Woooooo!"

Ah, so that's the root of it. Lawrence chuckled, recalling the shattered gates.

Either way, the subspace spectacle had skyrocketed morale. A classic show of strength.

"You okay showing that off so casually?"

"These guys have my back—what's to worry about?"

Loria asked worriedly, but Lawrence brushed it off.

Inspired, the soldiers roared louder. Even the Phoenix Mage Corps members' eyes shifted.

My value is defined by how I act.

Lawrence noted his image evolving. The group pressed on after repelling the assault.

#2

After fending off two ambushes, the group reached a vantage overlooking the barbarians' monster village.

One entrance, but hills around it offered perfect spots for a strike. The terrain was ideal.

The vibe, though—that was the issue.

"Looks like the black mages have fully taken over."

"Yeah... Already big and fast, and now undead? Trouble."

"Fast, strong, tireless, fearless monsters, huh."

Leila nodded at the village, faint green haze rising.

The barbarians bred Ice Trolls—regenerators that needed decapitation or aura to stop healing.

Lawrence sized up the village and turned to Freya.

"Can't we just flame 'em from afar?"

"Possible, but the ones inside are the problem."

She pointed to a cave mouth off to the side. Probably where the real prizes hid.

"No back passages connected, but we'll ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have to enter to clear 'em."

"Serious issue."

"Seal the perimeter, then crush 'em at once."

"Leave the front to me. Smashing undead's Montemer family tradition."

Leila grinned maniacally, eyes gleaming.

Plan was simple: Block escape, storm in, kill everything. Northern grit plus Montemer magic made it feasible.

"Everyone good? Not tired?"

"All set."

"Real fight at last. Heh."

"You guys seem a bit off..."

Only Loria sighed softly, trying to stay level-headed. With casualties likely high, she worried alone.

A passing soldier grinned at her glum face.

"Don't fret, Lady. We train for this."

"Ah..."

She nodded, enlightened.

Meanwhile, Lawrence quietly pulled a massive hunk of meat from his subspace. Holy meat wrecked undead.

Weird or not, no choice. Couldn't waste artifacts on this.

"Hup."

His eyes weren't normal either.

#3

Rumble—!

Assaults always strike without warning. Crimson flames engulfed the snowfield.

The penned trolls didn't rampage— they just screeched with green-glowing eyes.

The black mages, fully controlling them, were the shocked ones.

"Ambush!"

"Faster than expected!"

"Intel must be wrong—what the hell?!"

They were preparing. Or mid-prep, rather.

Enemies hit first. Black mages scrambled to control trolls.

"Trolls first! Buy time till that is ready!"

"Those guys sound bad news just by looking."

"Yep."

Lawrence and Leila burst inward, catching the black mages' yells.

Key: Deny prep time.

Their eyes met.

"Let's go!"

"No aura for me. You'll have to cover."

"Leave it to me. I'm—"

Slash—!

Blue aura surged along Leila's blade, cleaving a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠charging troll in half. Clean, brutal strike. Lawrence whistled in surprise.

"Mid-tier aura user, huh!"

"Yeah, you filthy black mage bastards— you're all dead todayyy!"

Leila charged madly; Lawrence followed.

Black magic flew at him, but his agility dodged it.

He gripped the meat tight.

"Firing spells without guards? Ballsy."

"Wh-what the— so fast?!"

A chanting black mage panicked at the sudden arrow. 1st Circle holy magic sufficed for these.

Lawrence had preset artifacts for black mages.

The mage rolled desperately, chant broken.

Lawrence pursued the tumbling mage effortlessly.

Daring to roll and show off fancy footwork?

"Like meat?"

"What!? Gaaahhh?!"

Splat—!

Holy meat smashed the black mage's skull. Loving meat? Holy magic melted his head.

"Loves meat, huh."

Lawrence grinned at the vanished head. Who's next to taste it?

He scanned for prey, eyes gleaming.

"Young master Lawrence! Help—!"

Leila's voice echoed from the cave depths.

Lawrence glanced around—soldiers and knights had the black mages handled. No need for him.

Thud—!

Shaking and noise roared from inside. What was happening?

Roooaaar—!

Beast's bellow reverberated. If Leila was in trouble...

Lawrence rushed in.

What he saw—

"Huh?"

Roooaaar—!

"Hahaha! Regenerate more! Good boy—!"

Leila toying utterly with her foe.

A massive red-furred troll sprayed blood, regenerating endlessly.

"Oh?!"

Perfect material in sight. This extermination was a goldmine.

"Haha. Found you, you bastard!"

Lawrence's lips curled in savage delight.