The Suspicious Mage
The suspicious mage let out a relaxed "Mmm~ mm~" as she cooked leisurely. Margaret, the 4-Circle mage, seemed quite at ease with joining other parties, as if this wasn't her first time. Was it her friendliness, or simply her good nature? She struck me as someone rare in this world. Or perhaps it was precisely because of her approachable personality that she had become a mage.
"Nom~ Mmm~ Try some." Margaret popped a perfectly cooked piece of meat into her mouth first. That told me she hadn't tampered with the food. If she had intended to harm us from the start, she would have used magic before even showing herself. I decided to trust my instincts and took a bite of the cooked meat.
"Nom.."
"Mmm." Syucali's impressed murmur followed. It was better than the jerky or fish we'd eaten before, though still far from perfect.
"That was delicious."
"Hehe, you must be returning from a quest?"
"Yes, we just finished dealing with a giant mutant snake that was blocking the road."
Syucali proudly pulled a massive snake scale from her pack to show her.
"Wow, it's enormous. It could probably be used as a magic material."
This world had no entertainment or smartphones. The only thing to do while camping was chew food and talk. Light conversation about our respective goals kept things from getting boring. Margaret had been heading to Cashew Village to meet Isabella when she ran into us. From what she said, something felt very off.
First, she casually used spatial magic to pull out food that suited her taste while claiming her companions had abandoned her. That alone proved she had been operating solo rather than with a party. Second, she was overly friendly. Maybe it came with being a mage, but trusting complete strangers in the wilderness made it feel like she believed she could handle anything we might try. And third...
"What exactly is your relationship?" She kept probing for information. Even though she already knew the rumors about Syucali, she kept asking about the two of us.
"Master and I are master and slave—mmph!"
"We're just a simple party."
I covered Syucali's mouth and answered for her.
"That's right, just a simple party." Once I removed my hand, Syucali echoed my words. The power of absolute obedience had kept her from revealing our true relationship. I couldn't afford to give away information carelessly. This mage was far too suspicious.
"How interesting. A black-haired man traveling with Syucali."
"Parties make it safer to complete adventurer requests."
"Ah~ Of course. Having a party makes everything much easier."
It felt awkward how persistently she asked about obvious things. As a B-rank adventurer, she should already know that adventurers form parties for quests. Come to think of it, that B-rank adventurer badge... she might have forged it with magic or stolen it to prove her identity. Adventurers frequently passed through the village area on their way to or from quests. It wouldn't hurt to probe her about adventurers a little.
"Do you have any preferred types of requests, Margaret?"
"My preferred requests?"
"Yes. We mainly take hunting requests. I'm curious what kind of requests a B-rank mage usually accepts."
"Hmm... Well..." She hummed thoughtfully. "Deciphering magic tomes... and crafting magic tools."
"As expected of a mage, you take magical requests."
"Ah! That's right~"
Anyone could tell those were strange requests. You wouldn't find anything like that on the bulletin board. Most requests were about village problems, monster subjugation, or even prostitution. Suddenly deciphering magic tomes? Crafting magic tools? Those sounded like requests a noble would make to the kingdom's Magic Tower.
'For some reason, she gives me the same feeling as that blue-haired woman I met back then.'
—Hoo... hoo...
"I'm starting to feel tired, so I'll be going to sleep."
"Shall we prepare for bed?"
Syucali and I naturally stood up from the campfire.
"We'll go wash up at the nearby stream."
"Then what should I do?"
"You don't have to do anything. You can go to sleep first if you want."
"Then I'll keep the fire going until you two return."
"Alright."
Syucali and I moved together.
"Master, that mage is suspicious."
Syucali had noticed it too. She was living up to her reputation as a rogue who had survived this long. She had picked up on every point that felt off to me.
"The fact that nothing seems suspicious is what's actually strange."
"What should we do?"
"Spending one night and sending her on her way probably won't cause any problems. But the fact that she's heading to meet Isabella is concerning."
"Why Isabella?"
Isabella met with royalty and nobles. While she would naturally gain some benefits from them, she would also be exposed to negative influences. "Isabella doesn't have a mage guard."
"Ah... You don't think..."
"She might be planning to harm Isabella."
Isabella was a merchant with enormous funds. There were plenty of nobles around who would move for that kind of money. That was why her female guard had been so aggressive, and why Isabella was always stressed.
"It doesn't seem like something we need to get involved in..."
Syucali was right. Fights between groups with money and power were natural. That kind of conflict wouldn't benefit me, and there was no way I could deal with a B-rank mage—let alone someone stronger.
—Clink...
Yet I remembered how she had pressed a handful of gold into my hand.
"It seems like more than ten gold."
"She gave it because she wanted to. Do what you want with the rest."
...
"...I owe Isabella something. I want to help her, even a little."
"Then I'll follow your lead, Master."
This world was as frightening because of people as it was because of monsters. Isabella had known it too—that a black-haired man like me was considered cursed. Yet she had chosen to take a risk and helped me. She had given a cursed man like me a chance. She had believed in me. So shouldn't I repay her at least once? A woman like Isabella, who had trusted someone with nothing.
"...It seems impossible for us to beat a mage."
"Probably. If she could find our campsite on her own, she must be incredibly strong."
"So there's only one way. I'll keep that mage occupied all night."
"What? Ah... I see what you mean... Then what about me?"
"While I'm doing that, go to Isabella's mansion and tell her about the mage. If she hasn't heard anything about this mage, she'll prepare countermeasures. If she reacts like she already knows, then we can just let the mage go."
"But Master, you could be in danger...!"
We couldn't stop the mage. The best we could do was keep her at the campsite for a while.
"It won't be dangerous. If her target is Isabella, she won't want to leave any traces on the way. Especially not with someone like me, a black-haired man who stands out anywhere. Killing me would leave evidence for the Adventurer's Guild. And you'd know I was dead too."
"No... Ugh..."
Syucali resisted the absolute obedience. It was because there was a possibility I could die.
"It's safer than you kidnapping her and using aphrodisiacs. Get ready."
"Sob... Yes."
It was nice that Syucali wanted to protect me, but a slave was ultimately just a convenient tool. In this world, I had to experience and overcome things myself. Even if Syucali hadn't been here, if I had met this mage, I would have thought of another way.
"The method is simple. Spread the aphrodisiac you have all around the campsite. Then the mage and I will both go crazy. While that's happening, you slip away and go to Isabella."
"Will that work?"
"Didn't you get hit with aphrodisiac yourself? You're the expert here."
"That felt so good I couldn't help myself..."
"Exactly. The mage is a woman too. She won't be able to stay still when there's a man right in front of her."
Women in this world had strong sexual desires. No matter how purpose-driven a female mage she was, it would be hard to ignore delicious food placed right in front of her.
"We'll start by showing her what we're doing together."
"Yes, Master..."
And so the plan began. We went to the stream, washed our bodies, and covered ourselves in aphrodisiac. Then we moved near the trees where the campfire was visible. I looked at Syucali and nodded.
"Eek?"
"No kissing."
I avoided kissing so Syucali wouldn't get addicted to the aphrodisiac. We simply caressed each other's bodies and began removing our clothes.
"Haa... haa..."
Syucali's moans grew louder.
"Shh... Margaret will hear us."
"Yes, yes... Ahh..."
We deliberately put on a show within range of her magic barrier. If she was a mage who acted alone, she would know we were inside the barrier. If we didn't return to the campsite together, she would come looking for us.
"Hmm? What are you two doing not coming back?"
As expected, I could see a shadow cast by the distant campfire growing larger. Margaret had stood up and was walking toward us.
"Put it in."
"Yes...! Master!"
I lifted one of Syucali's legs with my arm, spreading her open. Then I thrust into her in my aroused state.
—Squelch!
"Haang~!"
Syucali's moan echoed loudly. Hearing the sound, Margaret slowly approached us.