We Must Hurry
"We must hurry."
After hearing Ian's story, Belenca said it matter-of-factly. Her calm demeanor naturally put the monks at ease too. Something big seems to have happened, but if the knight says nothing, it must be fine! Ian's group quickened their pace without any real fuss.
Ian could definitely feel it. Belenca was a total pro.
"No matter how good they are at tracking, they won't catch us easily. We've got plenty of time."
"Mm. What if they do catch us?"
"Worst-case scenario? We just toss Takarion to them. No harm to the rest of us."
As Belenca picked up the pace in earnest, the rest of the group struggled to keep up. Takarion especially.
"Huff. Huff... I wanna go home..."
"We're heading there right now."
"..."
Takarion shot Ian a glare that screamed curses, but that was it. He was too exhausted to even speak.
Thanks to Belenca's steady command, the escape went smoothly. But soon after, news brought by Oberon threw Ian's group into a stir.
"They're not coming this way~?"
"What?"
Ian's group had crossed paths with the barbarian pursuers and gone separate ways. Good news so far. The problem was the village at the end of the barbarians' path.
"We'll run into them."
Belenca's flat statement visibly rattled the monks.
The lost barbarians would head straight for that small village. Like a sparrow passing a mill—they couldn't resist. The raiders would naturally pillage it.
"Isn't... isn't there some way?"
The monks raised their voices in worry.
Ordinary travelers might've laughed in this situation. Ha! Idiots! Can't even track right! Who cares if some random village gets hit? I'm safe!
But most of Ian's group were monks. Like the Saint Santiago Knights, they were fundamentally good people. Was ditching the barbarians chasing them and running the right thing to do?
The answer was no.
"...Let's run!"
"Takarion!"
Takarion advocated abandoning the village without a second thought. Ian was impressed. Whoa. He's not really a monk, is he?
"Dying here would just be a dog's death! Brothers! Get your heads straight! W-we're not the kind of people who die here!"
"..."
Some monks fell silent, sympathizing with Takarion. But most still spoke up.
"Even if Saint Marcus were here, would he use innocent villagers as a shield to escape?"
"..."
Takarion knew the answer to that better than anyone. Saint Marcus was a heavenly superhuman. A paragon rivaling Captain America from Marvel Comics.
If it were Saint Marcus, he'd charge in to save the people, no question. Takarion, author of the Gospel, knew this best.
But... ...that's not me.
Takarion's fists trembled. He wasn't Saint Marcus. Unlike the heavenly superhuman Marcus, Takarion was just an ordinary joe. No—ordinary was too kind. He was a total hack.
Great at wielding a pen and rampaging in stories, but when real people were in crisis, he stayed quieter than anyone.
What could a mere fanfic writer do here?
Takarion felt unjustly wronged.
"...We're not Saint Marcus. There's no way to stop the heretics!"
Disappointment flickered across some monks' faces. Those who'd equated Takarion with the saint.
"Ian."
The monks' eyes turned to Ian. Takarion wasn't a saint. He couldn't perform miracles.
But... what about Ian?
A mage's moniker: performer of miracles. The power to turn impossible into possible.
"Isn't there some way?"
"Hm..."
Ian pondered. He wasn't religious, nor the type to rush in saving others. The villagers facing barbarians out of nowhere? Unfortunate, but unavoidable.
"If you help the villagers, we'll reward you generously upon return to the monastery."
"Our monastery offers the same. Treasures long safeguarded. So please..."
Sister Mionia bowed her head too.
"We beg you, Ian."
If this were a game, a quest window might've popped up.
Help the villagers in peril!
Save the people from the barbarian threat.
Reward: Monastery treasures
"Hold on."
Ian pulled Belenca and Kira aside.
"What do you think?"
"Either way works for me."
Surprisingly, Belenca favored helping the village. Ian was a bit puzzled. Sure, public opinion, but Belenca? Was it necessary?
Her explanation convinced him.
"It's slaying barbarians and saving many Heavenly Faith followers. Gotta be good deeds."
"Good deeds?"
"Knights like us don't get many chances to rack 'em up. Gotta seize 'em when they come."
Belenca was a knight. Honor and all that—knights ultimately earned their keep killing. People died like daily bread.
But as Heavenly Faith believers, knights wanted heaven despite the killing. Contradictory, but there it was.
So knights threw themselves into good deeds whenever possible. Less for honor or greater good, more for personal heaven points.
In short, Belenca aimed to save the village and bank heavenly merits.
"And it's not reckless. Villagers aren't idiots—they'll fight too. We hit the barbarians from behind."
Meat shield, in other words.
"I'm for it too."
Kira said calmly. She'd never seen real combat. Just mage cosplay.
But she wasn't one to back out. Just look at Drbosi Castle—she'd thrown herself in recklessly to save Ian.
Two votes for. But Ian held the decision.
And he decided.
"We're fighting."
Having enemies on your tail sucked. Better to eliminate them when the chance arose. Plus, snag rewards from the monks.
"It's decided. Let's go block those barbarians."
"Ooh! Ian!"
The monks cheered Ian's choice fervently. Behold the faithful mage! Heaven must've sent him to save the innocent!
"Go forth!"
"We'll be waiting!"
The monks clustered, seeing Ian off. He led his comrades toward the village the barbarians approached.
Ian and Belenca stayed unfazed. They'd fought together in Talian domain battles and countless skirmishes. No avoiding fights now.
But Kira was a little tense. This was her first real battle as a mage.
"Caw!"
"I see the enemies~!"
Ian gauged the enemies' numbers via Oberon. Barbarian warriors, about 20 strong.
Barbarians sailed from the snowy northern wastes to the empire. One ship held around 10, so this was two ships' worth of raiders.
A lot.
Twenty bandits was a hefty number. Ian's sense of scale was medieval-tuned.
"Get out of our village, you monsters!"
The village was ringed by tall wooden palisades—clearly used to clashes. Stones flew from behind them.
Ian imagined medieval folk pelting monsters and bandits with rocks to survive, pausing for a silent moment of respect.
Up close, the barbarians came into view. Tall, ragged clothes. Other features? Identical to imperials.
Not surprising. Barbarians and imperials shared roots. Civilized ones were imperials; the rest, barbarians.
Some were already scaling the palisades. Perfect chance for Ian.
Hoo.
Ian gazed at the blinding sky. Scorching sun, sky piercingly blue. Perfect clear weather. Under the blazing sun, the wind mystery frolicked wildly.
No calling darkness here.
"Kira."
"Yeah."
"If you summon flame, can you handle it?"
Kira nodded. Ian handed her flame control, focusing on the wind mystery.
Tuning in, he heard the whirlwind's voice.
"Wind, come."
"Hey? Human! Great day for flying, huh?!"
Yeah. So good it's thrilling.
As Ian uttered the Maronius tongue, nature stirred at the mage's will. Belenca and Kira watched breathlessly. Never got old.
"I'm busy flying—"
"Where to?"
Ian aimed his staff at the barbarian cluster. Winds headed there.
He sent his will and shouted.
"Kira!"
"Flame, come!"
Kira ignited sparks and cried out. Her brief Maronius training sufficed to convey will. She couldn't chat with mysteries properly, but her talent earned their love. Language bridged rapport, but wordless bonds worked too.
No sooner had Kira shouted than flame mysteries rushed like eager pups.
"Let's burn it all~!!!"
Like hyper walkies dogs, flames obsessed over arson. Just let 'em burn and they'd be happy.
"Ian! Can't hold it long!"
Kira strained to control the flames. She communed now, but any lapse and it'd spread like wildfire.
No need to hold long, though. Ian lofted the blaze on winds.
⟨ Whirl, winds! ⟩
Flame and wind mysteries merged. The result was stunning.
The barbarians gaped at the sudden whirlwind barreling toward them.
"Wh-what is that?!"
Not just any whirlwind. A flaming one!
Like a mini version of the Flame Storm from spell-scroll master Larabel.
The barbarians felt soul-crushing awe at the fiery vortex. Whoa. The empire has burning whirlwinds! Damn! Our homeland blizzards were fairy dust!
They never dreamed it was magecraft. Natural(?) flame storm, they figured!
No ice god blessings here—explains the freak disasters!
Safe barbarians home would spin legends of the empire's fiery whirlwinds.
"Run! Run!"
Facing the approaching inferno, barbarians fled without looking back. Pity the wall-climbers.
"W-we're coming too, you bastards!"
The stragglers became fodder for enraged villagers.
Belenca leisurely pursued, claiming a couple heads before returning.
Ian stretched lazily, strolling to the village.
"No big deal."
"..."
Kira had plenty to say but held it in. Two mages casting together? Already insane. Barbarians resisting magic would've been weirder.
"Still feels kinda anticlimactic..."
Ian tilted his head at the fleeing barbarians, not even glancing back. These guys really here for Takarion? Feels just like random village-raiding bandits.