Episode 1198
Episode 1198
'This is...'
Even though Enster had been extra cautious lately, this was something he couldn't just ignore.
If this was truly a letter from the magic criminal Antagondals, it would be too precious an opportunity to pass up.
Though Enster prided himself on having achieved considerable accomplishments as a mage, compared to Antagondals, he was like a firefly before the full moon.
The sheer difference in the length of their magical careers was too vast from the start.
'Why would he send me a letter? Does he have a proposal for me? A raid? Plunder? Ancient ruin exploration?'
Any proposal felt tempting.
Even magic criminals didn't work entirely alone. Whether raiding temples or mansions or exploring ancient ruins, it was more advantageous to move as a group rather than alone.
Of course, a magic criminal like Antagondals might just use Enster as a decoy, but...
...there's no such thing as a gamble without stakes. Such risks were to be expected.
The important thing was something else.
'Surely Antagondals isn't connected to the cult, is he?'
Magic criminals and evil god worshippers often joined forces relatively easily when necessary.
If Antagondals had sent this letter after allying with remnants of the Sanguiros Cult, then this would be walking straight into a trap.
'No. That can't be. Antagondals is a major magic criminal. He'd have no reason to join hands with remnants of a fallen cult. If anything, he'd be more likely to plunder them instead.'
In the end, Enster made his decision.
If this was truly a letter from Antagondals, it would be worth meeting him!
"Wouldn't it be better to just use an evil god worshipper?"
"Professor Bagrak the Great doesn't want to write it, does he? Hmph."
Despite the annoying interference from his student and friend, Professor Voladi silently focused on his work.
It was actually Hamster who flared up and shouted.
-Wait and see! He'll fall for it soon enough.
"Lord Hamster. It's not that I doubt your abilities, but..."
'Now he doesn't even call me by my name.'
The Death Knight thought to himself.
He remembered that they used to at least call magic criminals by their names, but at some point, they started calling him just 'Hamster.'
What was even more astonishing was that the subject in question didn't seem to mind, as if he'd grown accustomed to it.
To an outsider, they might think he was a magical hamster who'd been able to talk since birth.
"...As you've heard, the target is extremely wary right now. Do you really think he'd come running just at the mention of your name?"
-Was this my plan to begin with?
Hamster squeaked in protest.
This plan had been Professor Voladi's idea from the start.
Professor Voladi, standing nearby, spoke up.
"He has a greedy nature. The chances are high."
"I see."
-......
Hamster was momentarily speechless from disbelief.
This was the same guy who kept saying, 'Come on, the target isn't an idiot,' and 'Do you really think he'd fall for just a name?!'
-It's exactly as I said! I should bury you in a ditch and be done with—
As Hamster squeaked curses, he suddenly flinched at the murderous intent from above and threw himself aside.
Thunk!
Professor Voladi had abruptly stabbed a dagger where he'd been.
'This bastard really tried to stab me!!'
The knight beside him advised:
-Professor. If that one dies, he can escape, so you shouldn't kill him carelessly.
"I know."
-......
Hamster felt a sudden chill.
It was hard to tell whether 'I know' meant he intended to stab just enough not to kill him or if the dagger was enchanted to prevent his escape even if his body died.
Maybe it was both.
For the first time, Hamster realized that Wardanaz was actually quite soft compared to most mages.
Sure, he'd tormented him with grapes and water droplets, but real mages usually came at you with blades.
"Professor. He may sound harsh, but he's actually quite a kind hamster, so please don't be too hard on him."
"Understood."
-......
The hamster felt even more humiliated.
Just stab me with the blade already!
-...Magic criminals are always so preoccupied with magic. No matter how careful they are, there's bound to be a limit to their caution.
"Aha. Just like when Lord Hamster infiltrated Einrogard... Ah. My apologies."
The hamster's brow twitched violently.
-The important thing is to remain composed and make suggestions without getting flustered. It's not that hard—just watch. I'll show you how to toy with him without using a single spell.
"Will you be staying in the basement again in the meantime?"
Lee Han asked, showing consideration for the hamster.
Professor Voladi had a kind disposition, but he might secretly attack a mage like the hamster who spouted malicious words.
Wouldn't it be better to leave him in the basement than to wake up and find the hamster turned into some grotesque skewer?
-...No! Let me wait here instead!
"???"
Lee Han was puzzled by the hamster's vehement refusal inside the pouch.
Was there something wrong with the basement space inside the dimensional bag?
It was just filled with miscellaneous junk. Well, there was also the portrait of the Young Prince, but the Young Prince wasn't the type to torment anyone.
"Did you say something evil again?"
No matter how he thought about it, the hamster was likely at fault.
If he had gone and spouted nonsense like offering someone as a sacrifice, it was only natural the Young Prince would be angry.
-Do I look like an idiot to you? Would I reveal my true thoughts in front of a fragment of a Great Archmage?
The hamster trembled with rage.
He wasn't some fool who would babble recklessly in front of a fragment of Gonadaltes.
While waiting in that basement, the hamster had truly kept his mouth shut. The Young Prince had done the same.
The basement had been filled with nothing but silence.
Yet, the hamster could sense it.
Even though the Young Prince had remained silent and polite, inwardly, he was contemplating how to deal with the hamster as if he were a fish on a chopping board.
It was closer to the honed instinct of a villain.
-Just let me stay in your sleeve, please don't put me in the basement.
"Ah, if you two got along, there's no one as pleasant as him... Fine, I understand."
The hamster couldn't bring himself to curse aloud and instead seethed inwardly.
Frankly, he was afraid that if he cursed now, he might end up back in the basement.
Enster carefully prepared his reply.
He drew a very faint magical symbol on the signboard of his workshop.
This symbol, commonly used among magic criminals, would convey to the other party that he had accepted the letter positively.
Soon, another letter arrived.
Dimensional Ruins Expedition.
Minimum 15 Golems required.
Compensation: 5%.
If interested, leave the workshop door open at midnight.
The letter was blunt, containing only demands without any courtesy, but that oddly made it more trustworthy.
Had it been polite or gentle in tone, he would've been suspicious instead.
Dimensional ruins meant the ruins weren't located on the continent but in some corner of another dimension.
They were more challenging than ordinary ruins, with stricter conditions. It was only natural someone like Antagondals would seek allies.
Requesting at least 15 golems was a way to weed out incompetent individuals who might cause trouble...
The 5% compensation was obviously a test. There was no way Enster would accept that as-is.
'He wants to negotiate in person, then.'
The instruction to leave the workshop door open itself implied the other party would come to him.
When magic criminals met, it was customary for the stronger to visit the weaker's territory.
Why would the weaker party dare enter the stronger's domain?
'Good, if I can meet Antagondals...'
Enster left the workshop door open at midnight, his heart pounding with anticipation.
Creak—
The darkness shifted as someone stepped inside. Enster pretended not to notice and asked innocently.
"Who are you?"
"Let's not waste time with pointless talk. I am Antagondals. Are you prepared?"
"I'm not sure what you're talking about, but please come inside first."
Enster closed the workshop door and double-checked that there were no eavesdroppers or spies around.
After recasting the soundproofing spell, he finally spoke.
"It's an honor to meet you, Antagondals."
Seeing such a powerful and wicked magic criminal in person was a novel experience.
But Enster didn't grovel or act cautious. Among magic criminals, showing weakness was tantamount to revealing a vulnerability.
Antagondals didn't respond immediately. After exchanging glances with the hamster on his shoulder, he spoke in an inscrutable voice from behind his true silver mask.
"Likewise."
"That hamster... what kind of summon is it?"
"None of your concern."
Enster didn't take offense at Antagondals' curt reply.
Magic criminals weren't the type to kindly share such information anyway.
Had Enster been questioned about his own golem, he would have responded similarly.
"Since you've accepted the proposal, let's get to the point."
"Wait, wait. While I've accepted it, I haven't fully agreed yet."
"What nonsense is this?"
"I need to confirm you're really Antagondals first."
The moment those words left his mouth, Enster felt an overwhelming surge of magical power from the other party.
Though it carried no offensive capability, any mage would recognize it as a show of force.
Enster was astonished.
'Incredible! How can someone possess that much magical power?!'
A mage wasn't some brute whose strength increased with raw power, but even so, the sheer volume of magic just displayed was truly shocking.
The infamous magic criminal's reputation was clearly well-earned.
"You're being quite insolent. You want me to prove my identity?"
"I-I hope you'll understand. As you know, I'm Enster - my cultivation is lower and weaker than yours. It's only natural I'd be cautious."
Enster posed several prepared questions.
They were questions that would be difficult for imposters like remaining cult members or others to answer readily.
But the other party responded immediately. Enster relaxed slightly.
"Satisfied?"
"Just one last thing."
Enster prepared to flee underground in case his next request provoked anger, then spoke.
Whoosh!
"This brazier's flame goes out if it hears lies. Could you testify, with no other evil intent, that you've come solely for this commission?"
"!"
Lee Han, who had also been relaxing, startled.
He thought they'd completely fooled him, but now this!
Magic truly couldn't be taken lightly. It had all sorts of unexpected methods.
'Should I get angry and dismiss it? Or attack preemptively now?'
In that brief moment as Lee Han considered dozens of options, Hamster sent a brusque telepathic message.
-Just do it.
'Huh?'
-Just say it. Curse a bit first though. He'll be overjoyed.
"??"
Though slightly confused, Lee Han testified as Hamster instructed.
Astonishingly, the brazier's flame didn't flicker. Enster's face immediately brightened.
"Thank you, thank you! Of course I believed you. Would a mage of Antagondals' stature resort to such undignified tricks? Follow me. I'll show you the golem."
"...Ah!"
Only then did Lee Han realize. And regret.
'Such a foolish mistake... That brazier was fake. Just testing my reaction.'
Making an ordinary object emit complex magical energy wasn't difficult. Even Lee Han could do it.
Then if you claimed the object had powerful effects, people would naturally be fooled in the moment.
-What nonsense? That brazier's real. It's valuable, so make sure to take it with us later.
The reason it didn't work was simply due to the anti-magic effect caused by Lee Han's massive magical power.
It operated by reading soul wavelengths, but Lee Han's enormous magic made proper functioning impossible.
'...Aha.'
Lee Han felt slightly embarrassed.
You could have told me before I started speculating...