Kira's Mage Facade and the Monster Hunt
Ian spoke to Kira in a gentle, chiding whisper, as if admonishing a wayward child. "You help out too."
"M-Me too?"
At Ian's slight nod, Kira switched personas like flipping a switch, adopting an arrogant expression as she stepped forward. Arms crossed, she glared at the noblewomen with clear annoyance. With the gazes of two mages now upon them, the ladies couldn't keep up their antics. Ignoring mages here would mean learning firsthand what real chaos looked like.
Fortunately, the women were wise enough.
"We'll come back another time."
Serena spoke first, turning away. Catherine shot her a mocking glance before saying, "Seeing her scurry off like that only makes her look more suspicious."
A few priests nodded in agreement. They already seemed convinced Serena had made a pact with a demon.
Catherine approached Ian with light, graceful steps. She flashed him a charming smile, her beauty mark under her eye standing out seductively.
"We've shown you such an unseemly display, sir. As an apology, I'd like to share a meal with you..."
Her eyes were soft, her voice sweet as honey.
"This evening... do you have time?"
Several priests(?) gulped audibly. Even to Ian's eyes, Catherine was an incredibly alluring woman. Unlike the modern era where marriages after thirty were common, here weddings happened in the late teens to early twenties. A married woman with grown children was barely mid-thirties.
Well then, time for the opportunity-seeker to drop the mask and introduce herself properly.
If Ian had been a naive boy, he might've fallen hook, line, and sinker for Catherine's seduction and starred in some MILF tale. (For the record, MILF is an acronym.)
But looking at Catherine, Ian felt nothing. He wasn't some medieval youth curious about skirts. While ignorant medieval lads might have hearts pounding at a noblewoman's temptations, Ian was a savvy young man who'd indulged in modern adult sites—not to mention witnessing Kkotomi's legendary lines live without a World Cup filter.
Yes. He knew the original source of that infamous [chicken coop stench].
Of course, he didn't think anything quite that rude. Catherine's seduction simply didn't land. Her outfit was miles from his taste. That conical hat on her head—with two horns, no less. What was that? A minotaur cosplay? He'd hated Lucy's single-cone hat; double horns doubled the nope factor. Those twin protrusions sprouting from her head were a major deduct for Ian, armed with modern aesthetics.
Who the hell started that horned hat trend anyway?
And married women weren't his type. She had a kid Ian's age, and the baron was still kicking. Was she eyeing him as husband number three? Creepy.
Ian prepared a polite refusal. "I'm sorry, but next time..."
But someone shoved forward. The (fake) mage Kira.
"Aren't you ashamed, acting like a baroness? What kind of disgrace is this to someone young enough to be your son? Can't you entertain guests properly?"
"..."
"What? Got something to say? Spit it out."
Ian nearly yelped, What the hell are you doing, you crazy bitch?! But then he remembered his own identity.
Oh right. I'm a mage too.
To a commoner, it sounded like she'd eaten manners for breakfast, but to a mage, it was everyday banter. Real mage Ian sometimes forgot that fact, but fake mage Kira never did. It was life-or-death for her.
Kira's words were brutally direct, but they hit the nail on the head—enough for the surrounding priests to nod vigorously.
"Oh! That mage has a strong sense of justice!"
"Her tone suggests she's incredibly skilled!"
Ian's head spun at the priests' reactions. These people are nuts... He felt foolish for thinking polite rejection was the way.
Catherine, struck dead-center by Kira's barb, felt like a skull mark had exploded on her chest. But she couldn't yell back. These were guests Galadin had painstakingly brought, mages who might cure the baron. Driving them off herself? That'd be peak idiocy.
"...I'm sorry. I showed a side unfit for my station."
Catherine apologized, but her teeth ground together. She looked utterly aggrieved. As proof, she glared at Kira and added desperately, "I lived wildly in my youth, so sometimes unbecoming words slip out, unfit for a baron's wife."
She deployed the [pity shield]. Women prized moral high ground. I'm good, you're bad—so you deserve the hate! It worked in gray areas of ethics, though it broke easily. Most women just wanted that edge first.
Catherine had shouted, "I have the high ground!"
But unlike Star Wars, her position gained zero advantage. Her opponent was a (fake) mage.
"Lived wildly, huh? Yeah, it shows."
"...!"
Stunned by Kira's unhinged retort, Catherine scanned for backup. Everyone! Look! Bad guy's here!
But no one came to her aid.
"Oh! That fearless tongue!"
"A mage brought from afar, as expected!"
"???"
Instead of insults, they praised Kira! As the world turned upside down, Catherine stared in blank despair.
Ian almost pitied her. Can't make sense of these people? Join the club...
"We're busy investigating the baron's illness, so contact us next time!"
Kira shoved Catherine aside like it was nothing and grabbed Ian's hand, pulling him along.
"Let's go, Ian."
"Uh, yeah."
Being dragged by Kira, Ian thought, This... ain't bad.
Honestly, playing the grumpy mage got burdensome sometimes. He wasn't a total personality wreck—how long could he keep up the act? His grumpiness and Kira's were both performances. But Kira nailed it flawlessly, even to Ian's eyes.
Because... that was her profession.
This was straight-up auto-farm mode.
"Mage Kira, was it? Never heard the name, but she seems solid."
"A fine mage, not far behind Ian."
"...Better than Ian?"
"Nah. Didn't you hear the mercenaries? Ian, in Talian domain..."
Whispers buzzed. They hadn't even seen real magic yet, and rumors were already flying.
No wonder prideful mages strutted with veins bulging.
The moment eyes left her, Kira sighed like the earth had caved in. "Hoo...!"
Then, "Eek! I went way too hard!!!"
Her eyes welled up as if she'd burst into tears any second, clutching Ian's clothes.
"Th-The baroness won't hate me, right?!"
"Pretty sure she does."
"Kyaa! Again! You're ruining the mood again!"
Is that the method acting I'd heard about? She gets eaten by the character.
Ian chuckled. Serves you right. Dial back the immersion.
Poor Kira, whose future worried him deeply.
Though invited as guests, Ian had nothing to do. He couldn't diagnose the baron anyway. Not hired for pay, he could lounge without guilt.
"No idea..."
"Sorry."
"No, it's fine. Can't be helped..."
Galadin was deeply disappointed, but it was unavoidable.
Ian fended off potion requests and wasted time debating priests. Kira, also idle, lacked his knowledge for debates, so she holed up acting the grumpy mage.
She whined to Ian constantly.
"Sigh... I swore off the mage act. But then I don't know what to do."
"Magic college?"
Ian suggested it to leverage her talent. With fire mystery's favor, proper Maronius Language study could make her a fine pyromancer.
"No money... and it's all the way to Dranheim..."
Mages like Ian took travel for granted, but it was risky—especially for a young, pretty woman like Kira.
"If you've got time, I could go with you."
"...Huh?"
Kira startled, staring at him. She knew mages' fees were steep. She never took jobs to avoid exposure, but hiring real mage Ian would cost a fortune.
She waved her hands frantically. "I said I have no money!"
Ian tilted his head. "Money? I meant traveling together like now, as companions."
"..."
Thinking contracts at "travel together" screamed imperial mindset.
Stunned by his generosity—no strings attached—Kira blanked.
Then she blushed, imagining wild things. Objectively pretty... what if Ian liked her?
Nah, no way... But just in case.
"You can... be that nice to me?"
"??? What're you on about?"
Generous to her, oblivious to him. Ian pondered her words.
Then it clicked. Free companion? Sounds fishy!
Makes sense. He'd been suspicious when Eredis first offered, "Wanna learn magic?"
Caution on the road was smart. To reassure her, Ian shared his backstory.
"Truth is, I learned magic by chance."
"By chance?"
"Yeah. Met a great teacher by luck. But I don't think that luck's just for me."
"...What do you mean?"
Ian shrugged. "Exactly that. A chronomancer prophesied that if I became a mage, good things would come to my teacher. But I haven't done squat for her yet."
"..."
"We started traveling before I could. She told me to find my own magic."
"Hmm..."
Kira knew little of magic but had thoughts on prophecies. The "good thing" for Eredis... wasn't meeting disciple Ian itself?
Like how meeting a wandering heretic clown gave Kira her happiest memory.
New bonds often became irreplaceable joys.
But Ian saw it differently. His actions would shape Eredis's future happiness.
"So, sharing my luck might circle back to her... Eh. Too Buddhist?"
Ian trailed off. Introducing Kira to college—or his teacher—felt grander than planned.
But it was sincere. Sharing his lucky fortune with those fate connected him to might ripple good to Eredis. Simple as that.
Kira, expert in lies and acts, saw his truth instantly.
And unknowingly, a tear fell. Ian's willingness to share luck reminded her of her 'father'.
"Ian, why are you... such a good person?"
"??? Me, good?"
Weird. He'd only scammed and stirred medieval folk.
Good thing she didn't know. As she sniffled, Ian eyed her oddly.
Actress thing? Emotions run deep~
Word of Ian lounging spread, drawing the baronesses in turns. They seemed to anticipate the baron's death.
His passing would spark conflict—likely bloody.
They needed allies. Seeing Ian linger, they assumed he'd side with one.
Misunderstanding, of course. Ian was just monitoring the baron and scouting companions for Kira.
If he found travel buddies to magic college, no need to go himself.
But no reason to refuse free meals over a misunderstanding.
Ian dined with each baroness. First was time-defying Serena, looking mid-twenties despite multiples views. She welcomed him with bright, warm smiles.
Damn, that's not child marriage???
"Welcome, mages."
Ian spoke before sitting. "Lady Belenca stepped out at the knights' request."
Invited, Belenca should've joined. But she'd gone with the knights.
Serena smiled slyly. "I know. I asked her."
"You did?"
Serena nodded slowly. "Monsters have surged for half a year. The baron led sorties often, but bedridden, knights handle it alone."
Belenca was out purging domain monsters with them.
"Farmers must suffer."
Son of a farmer, Ian worried for them first.
"You understand. That's my request."
Serena said, "Will you hunt with me?"
"Hunt?"
"Yes. Monster hunting, that is."