Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Refusal-9
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On the surface, she just looks like a child.
Her purple hair stands out, but few would sense any danger from that alone.
But anyone who knows even a little about her would be terrified the moment they lay eyes on her.
"What are you doing?"
"There seemed to be a disturbance, so I lent a hand for a moment."
The frog croaked incessantly in fear, hopping around pitifully.
"Someone you know?"
"Her family, at least. But she's not anyone particularly important."
My heart, which had barely calmed down, pounded even harder at the sight of her.
"Here, it's yours. Shame there aren't more spectators, though..."
"What if I accidentally step on it?"
"Accident? I naturally made it the perfect size to step on, didn't I?"
To a mage, everything is reducible to usable assets.
Whether it's a stone brimming with fire energy from molten lava, unicorn blood, or a dragon heart.
And people are no exception.
"It's not permanent magic. Step on it, and it'll return to its original size. In the exact state it was stepped on."
I glared at her for a moment.
"The Imperial Family will deem this an 'unexplainable accident,' and others will fear me and come to hate me. It won't cause you any trouble."
She's the one who always droned on about how troublesome, unnecessary, and inefficient frog transformation magic is.
For such a mage to deliberately turn someone into a frog to kill them, she'd only do it if convinced it was the 'efficient' method.
"Doesn't the texture appeal to you? Admittedly, squishing an amphibian does feel awful. I won't fuss over shoe prints on her back, so I can handle the dirty work if you like?"
"Stop it."
At my words, she immediately halted her twitching foot.
If she'd shown even a fraction of that respect during our journey, I wouldn't be this furious.
"You did this for me..."
"I told you. It's a gift."
"Why on earth?"
I didn't expect a straight answer from her. Unless she thought sharing that information benefited her, she'd dodge and deflect somehow.
"That's... hard to explain here. Could you spare a moment? No, frogs can't understand human speech anyway. There was an easier way than making you step on it."
With a single gesture, she put my guards to sleep. It was a secluded spot even within the palace, so no one else had noticed yet.
No, even factoring that in, this emptiness was suspicious. The mage must have meddled somehow.
Perception-obscuring spells are child's play for someone like her, who's lived for centuries.
"First off, I want to apologize."
"I'll ask again. Why?"
She bowed her head deeply, eyes darting around like a child at a loss before an angry adult.
"I was a fool. Now I know. Who the real hero is."
Should I believe her? Or is this just another layer of her deception?
It seemed sincere enough on the surface, but trusting her childlike facade would be the height of folly.
"It's too late for that to make a difference."
If she truly hadn't known, it was something beyond her imagination. The instant she suspected anything, whatever I knew would already have reached her ears.
"We can change things starting now! They stole your glory and achievements, didn't they? With my help, you can take it all back."
An empty check. Sure, she'd achieved inhuman feats as a mage, but pulling that off would mean warring with the entire empire.
"I can't believe you."
"What would convince you? I can't kill them all, but if you command it, I could slaughter most of the imperial family right here."
A menacing aura swirled around the mage's hand.
"Regrettably, I can't take out the princess you hate most or the emperor who deceived you."
"Weren't they your comrades?"
"What could be more important than the hero's rage, the hero's vengeance? I just want you to achieve what you desire."
A bitter smile escaped my lips. The hero and mage had seemed close, but to her, even that was just a 'disposable card.'
"What about Nerwen? What that wench did to you... it was downright irrational. Give me enough time, and I can reshape her however you want. As long as that elf doesn't return to the World Tree..."
"..."
"And the Saintess? Spouting her absurd ideals and rules no one but the goddess's bitches would uphold, then shoving all the burden onto you."
"You knew it all."
"I'm sorry... But back then, I wasn't in a position to fight the Saintess."
"Then what about you?"
Silence fell. She'd gossiped freely, as if she were on my side, but when her turn came, she shut her mouth.
"For now, undo that one."
Her body trembled slightly.
Dispelling magic takes more power and resources than casting it.
Just turning that knight into a frog must have nearly emptied her hidden material vaults somewhere across dimensions.
"Th-that one undoes itself in a month... Ah, fine! If it's what you want, I'll do anything. As long as my abilities allow."
The mage dropped the frog to the ground and chanted a spell. In its place stood a wounded female knight.
"S-sorry! Please spare me! I was wrong! I won't, I won't resist ever again!"
She wailed and clung to the mage's leg, begging. The mage roughly kicked her away.
"N-now what?"
"Let her go."
"Th-then the nobles will turn against you. Won't that bring trouble?"
"N-no! I won't, I won't attack Baron Leodrín ever again! I won't give any unfavorable testimony! Pl-please, spare, spare me!"
She'd maintained her pride through my beatings because she was certain I couldn't kill her.
Considering her family and status, one noble killing another wouldn't happen lightly. That's what she'd assumed.
But the moment the mage used frog magic on her, all common sense shattered. Now she was just someone who could die crushed if anyone so much as stumbled.
"Th-thank you! Thank you!"
Bloodstains trailed in her wake. The knight forced her limping leg to move, desperately fleeing the spot.
"Al-already set on antagonizing her? I won't beg forgiveness, but at least let her pay for her crimes herself..."
"Let them handle it themselves."
"I-I can give you everything! You've seen it yourself—a mage who forsakes efficiency can accomplish the impossible."
She desperately tried to persuade me. As she said, sorceresses unbound by material or power constraints could do almost anything.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing, nothing at all! I just want to live as your tool, for atonement's sake."
I thought I had some understanding of mages, but her behavior now baffled me completely.
Discarding efficiency for raw cruelty in her magic.
She seems to shield the Imperial Family, yet hesitates not at terrorism. Almost as if urging me to use her for revenge on them instead of clashing directly.
"Isn't it because I'm the hero?"
"Of course! The true hero, chosen by the goddess, was right here, and I was too blind to see it! I'm sorry. Please forgive me..."
This could be deception too. The princess already wielded hero's power aplenty, yet I'd never seen the mage fear her like this.
"If I weren't the hero, you'd have let this slide without issue."
She was at a loss for words.
"Then I have nothing more to say. Try not to call me hero anymore. Weren't you the one who called me porter?"
"That was only because I truly didn't know..."
No matter how I racked my brain, I couldn't fathom why this mage feared me.
There's something I don't know. But I have no real desire to find out what.
Whatever it is, it'll mean something to the people here. I'm done with this world.
"Then, one personal request—will you hear it out? Considering we journeyed together to defeat the Demon King... as camaraderie between a porter and hero's party member."
"O-of course! Anything, so long as it's within my power!"
"It's something very easy for you. No need to harm anyone or burn extra magic materials."
"I can do anything. Just say the word..."
I leaned down slightly to meet Pashier's eyes up close. Gazing at her fear-stricken face, I felt like a bully tormenting a child.
Still, I wasn't the one who'd done wrong.
"Don't ever show your face before me again."
That was all I wanted.