While Mage Ian Endured Torment from the Monks
Around the time Mage Ian was suffering at the hands of the monks, the lord of a small distant territory far to the west was busy letting out endless sighs.
"Haa..."
Dark blue hair like the night sky. Clear, sparkling yellow eyes. And a tall, pointed hat rising straight up like a beast's horn.
"My lord. I have a report."
"Come in~"
The territory's lord was none other than a girl. Her name was Lucy Talian. Master of Talian domain. The rightful heir of Talian.
She had a lot on her mind these days.
"What is it? Bandits again?"
"No. Wolves this time."
Lucy's administrator drawled his report in a sluggish tone. It wasn't exactly fitting for addressing a lord, but there was no one around to call him out on it.
No matter how rightful an heir Lucy was to Talian, blood alone didn't guarantee authority. With her family embroiled in disputes and gone to the heavens, the domain lacked talented aides to support her.
"The bandits from before are still plaguing the territory, and now wolves? This chaos shows no sign of letting up."
"..."
"So, about the proposal I made earlier..."
Lucy scowled. The administrator's suggestion was to hire mercenaries run by his cousin as domain troops.
Talian domain currently had scarcely anyone worthy of being called a soldier. The reason was simple: no money.
During the last territorial skirmish, they'd relied on Catania Earl's aid and handed over most of the domain's finances to her forces. So they'd let go of the money-sink soldiers... only for public order to crumble without them.
Word spread that Talian had neither money nor soldiers, and local bandits started slinking in to loot Lucy's coffers (otherwise known as the populace).
"If I bring in my cousin, he'll chase off those wolves in no time. The bandits won't be a problem either!"
"Yeah. Maybe."
The administrator's logic was sound enough. The domain's unrest boiled down to a lack of military strength. Bolster the soldiers, wipe out the bandits, and the people's lives would stabilize.
...But in the process, Lucy would have to watch her back around the mercenaries and the administrator. Sounded familiar, didn't it? Just like when usurper Graim attacked Baron Talian's couple.
Lucy was a girl. An unmarried one at that. If outsiders seized the domain and swiftly married her, becoming nobility would be a breeze.
That's why she couldn't decide rashly. She didn't want to repeat the same mistake.
"Think it over carefully. The longer you dither, the more the people suffer."
The administrator reached out to Lucy with a meaningful smile. She immediately slapped his hand away—hard, with force.
"I'll make the decision."
"As you wish, my lord."
The administrator bowed and shut the door. He wore a sinister smirk.
Lucy Talian had a sharp, feisty edge. A prey worth hunting, you might say. Catching compliant game was no fun at all. The more she struggled, the more thrilling the chase.
'Looks like she's waiting for that mage to return...'
The mage Ian, who had saved Talian domain and set off on a journey to explore the mysteries. The administrator had glimpsed him from afar a few times. The brutish mercenaries hyped him as some grand archmage or Talian's savior, but strip away the mage halo, and he was just a green kid.
'By the time you crawl back, it'll all be over. Mage Ian!'
The administrator had no intention of handing Talian over easily. He'd volunteered as administrator precisely to become the next lord.
Usurper Graim's exploits(?) had inspired many. Hey, you could be nobility too! Sure, the rebellion flopped, but ambitious folks saw opportunity there. He'd failed so narrowly! If not for that mage meddling, success was within reach.
No law against a second or third try. So the administrator threw his hat in.
Step aside. I'll give it a go.
He wouldn't seize the domain by brute force like Graim. No, he'd build merit steadily, earn trust, then deploy troops to claim Lucy. It'd take time, but luckily she was young. A few years' investment? No problem.
'Heh heh. All according to plan.'
The bandits raiding Talian now... were actually his cousin's mercenary pals. That's right—just idle mercenaries flying a bandit flag for kicks!
The one who'd summoned the mercenary-bandits? The administrator. The one bringing in his cousin to "chase them off"? Also the administrator.
All rigged from the start.
'Already battered by bandits, and if the wolves kick up a fuss too... heh heh.'
How long could a delicate girl hold out? As the administrator chuckled darkly, a shout rang out.
"Administrator! Big trouble!"
"What's the fuss?"
A subordinate came panting up.
"An army... an army's coming!"
"???"
The administrator was dumbfounded. An army to Talian? Had some lunatic lord mustered forces to invade? For what reason?!
"The army... on the march, they ran into the bandits and..."
The subordinate glanced nervously.
"Smashed them flat..."
"What the actual fuck—"
Rage boiled up like blood rushing backward. They could've just passed by peacefully—why mess with the perfectly fine(?) bandits?
"I need to see what bastard this is!"
The administrator rushed to the stables. Lucy had already gone out to greet the mystery army upon hearing the news.
She was just as baffled.
"A passing army took out the bandits?"
"Yes, my lord! Truly honorable folk!"
The reporting subordinate gushed with emotion, but Lucy found it odd.
The knights she knew were all sword-swinging thugs. Unless they were devout capital knights like the St. Santiago Order, they wouldn't fight bandits for honor!
'Did they pick a fight?'
That was the limit of what Lucy could imagine.
She met the leader of the mystery army. A middle-aged man with a dashing mustache.
"Oh! Pleased to meet you! You're Baroness Talian, right?"
"And you are?"
"I'm Damon Baron!"
"?"
Lucy racked her brain. As nobility, she kept tabs on neighboring lords. Damon Baron? Never heard of him.
"Are you... a wandering knight, by chance?"
Lucy asked if he was a knight leading a warband, maybe freelancing as multinational mercenaries.
"Nah! I'm a lord. My domain's way over there in the Amarico Mountains."
"???"
Even more baffling. No one lived there, right? Just bandits hunkered in mountain forts...
'Ah.'
Lucy reached a logical conclusion. This guy's a bandit chieftain...
"Mage Ian sent me. Heading south, so I wondered if I could impose for a bit."
"Ian?!"
Lucy blurted out, lunging toward Damon Baron in shock. He burst into hearty laughter. Her face flushing at the mere mention of that cherished name—she was unmistakably a girl in love.
"Yep. That wise mage gave me invaluable advice. Knowledge worth more than gold."
"Ian's smart, yeah!"
Damon Baron and Talian Baroness bonded over praising Ian. And thought the same: Likes Ian? Can't be a bad guy!
"Oh! Ran into some bandits on the way. Snagged 'em as a little gift since I was bored."
"Haha, no need for that."
It was the tone of some uncle who'd bought a ham set from a department store.
Bandit (mercenary) prisoners shuffled forward, bound in ropes. Every one wore a stormy scowl.
'Fuck... should've just farmed back home...'
'Dumbass boss got me wrecked...'
Damon Baron stayed in Talian, receiving supplies. Not just freeloading—he smashed bandits too.
"Hahaha! Used to shooting deer in the hills, but nailing people feels great!"
His snipers gleefully picked off bandits with arrows, thrilled.
The bandit leader, ambushed out of nowhere, stormed to the administrator fuming.
"You bastard! You set me up on purpose...!"
"No, coincidence! How could I summon an army?"
The administrator soothed desperately.
"Hang in there a bit—they'll leave soon! Leave shaking the domain to the wolves and lay low."
"...One more chance."
The bandits vanished, replaced by ferocious wolves.
"Wolves, huh... No words makes 'em tricky to hunt."
Damon Baron was mildly stumped. Fine in the mountains—shoot what you see. But open plains? Even pursuit was tough. Neither he nor Talian Baroness had enough horses for a cavalry.
Then, a strange figure appeared in the domain.
"Oh! So this is Talian domain!"
"Kyaa! Monster!"
A furry werewolf knight. Lucy yelped at the sudden furry knight.
But the werewolf calmly produced a familiar holy symbol of the Heavenly Faith.
"Easy now, lady. I'm a faithful servant following heaven's will."
"Huh?"
"I formed a vassal contract with Mage Ian and came here."
"Ian???"
Another Ian buddy? Lucy was speechless. Friends with a bandit boss, and now a vassal pact with a werewolf?
"Took a look around—lots of wolves. I'll handle 'em."
"Uh... sure."
Werewolf Louis charged bare-handed at the wolf pack. Less than a day later, he returned as their king.
"All subjugated. No more wolf trouble for the domain folk."
"Wow."
Impressive specs. Lucy was awed.
Louis winked slyly.
"Document it well so I can report to Ian later."
"Y-yeah."
Whatever that meant.
With Damon Baron and Louis joining forces, Talian's public order was perfectly restored. The domain folk cheered wildly for Lucy.
"Hooray! Long live the lord!"
Lucy responded with a noble smile.
'Lucky break.'
"My, more people now. Lively—nice!"
"Ah, Fairy Queen!"
The Fairy Queen, visiting Talian after a while, nodded at the bustling domain. Lucy's governing well! (Or not)
"Here—fairy silk made for Ian's share. Manage it carefully, no losing it."
"Thank you!"
Lucy beamed, stroking the exquisite fairy silk. Wow, pricey! Ian said handle it freely, but she'd shop around carefully. Couldn't face him if she blew it.
Right then—
"My lord! Visitors outside!"
"Again?"
This guest... was a nun.
"Hello, sister. Ian sent me. Heard you have precious fabric... I know a bit about tailoring."
"..."
At this point, Lucy got curious. What the hell was Ian doing out there?!
Regardless of Lucy's questions, Talian domain bustled more than ever. Booming business.
# Ian left the castle with pocket money from Baron and Baroness Drbosi.
The sun blazed, the breeze was fresh. Perfect travel weather.
"So hot... shouldn't have come traveling..."
If only Takarion beside him would stop whining.
"Haa... A cool fruit juice right now would be heaven..."
"..."
"Heaven..."
What do you want me to do about it?
Takarion, hearing Ian was a capable mage, kept fishing for perks.
"Can't make ice or something?"
"What do you think magic is?"
Travel was grueling. Eating and sleeping on the road, never knowing when monsters or bandits might strike. Ian's group were all pro-level travelers, and the monks were inured to asceticism with endless patience.
Takarion? Not so much.
"Haa... Break time soon?"
"Just a bit farther! Brother Takarion! Stopping here slows us down!"
"My legs are gonna snap!"
Ian sighed. Obvious pen-pusher type—why crawl out of the monastery chasing glory?
"Brother Takarion~"
"Eh?"
Someone on the road called Takarion's name. A beautiful woman with flowing golden hair came running. Ian and the others were stunned.
She wore a nun's habit.
"A nun?"
"Nunnery nearby?"
"But that outfit..."
Correction: a modified nun's habit. Slit skirt like a cheongsam exposing legs, long straps crossing under ample bosom. Cascading hair and pure white headband!
"Oh!"
Ian was impressed. In this barbaric medieval fantasy world, such futuristic fashion! Super cute! Rivaled gacha game girl outfits.
But while Ian admired, the monks couldn't hide their fury.
"Wh-what is that indecent getup!"
"Never seen such a lewd nun!"