Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Magic Tower Genius Hides Physics
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"I'll be watching."
"..."
Sara shouted to the other squad members.
"If you're ready, it's patrol time. Follow me."
"Yeah!"
"Let's gooo!"
Sara must be this squad's leader.
I quietly followed behind her.
So... what exactly are we doing?
I wanted to ask, but held back.
When you're first stepping into a lab, you always gauge the atmosphere to see if it's okay to speak up before actually asking.
Squish. Squish.
We trudged through the sinking snow.
The north really is cold.
It was the kind of chill that froze the snot in your nose.
I stuck close to the cluster of Field Mages.
Ten Field Mages made up one squad, escorted by over a dozen regular soldiers.
"..."
"..."
About an hour passed like that.
Rumble rumble roooar!
The ground beneath our feet shook violently without warning.
The squad members didn't panic and immediately shifted into combat readiness.
"Worm! Everyone, Formation 3!"
At Sara's command, the squad moved swiftly.
I held back for now, deciding to observe their tactics.
Four mages prepping attack spells in the center, four using detection magic on the outer ring.
The remaining soldiers formed the outermost layer, shields up, encircling and protecting the mages.
It was an efficient, tight-packed formation.
Kabooom!
The snow-covered plain erupted like an explosion, revealing a massive Giant Iceworm.
It looked like a gigantic maggot, with exoskeletal segments lining its body.
"Fire!"
At the order, projectiles launched.
Whoosh!
Boom!
Rock Cannons and Fireballs sliced through the air.
Two of them struck true, scorching the worm's tough carapace.
For such close range... it was a bit underwhelming.
Rebound hit the two mages who missed.
"Gahk..."
"Hngh!"
The worm twisted its body in annoyance before burrowing back underground.
One of the detection mages shouted.
"Right side!"
The formation shifted right instantly.
And from where they'd just been, the Giant Worm burst up again.
"Fire!"
This time, Fireballs slammed home as if they'd been waiting.
So that's their method.
I got it now.
Pinpoint the enemy's underground position with detection magic, pre-chant spells, then concentrate firepower when needed.
All while moving as a unit to minimize casualties—the best tactic possible.
But it fell short.
Not the tactics themselves, but the magic's efficiency.
Hunting like that would take forever.
I pulled dozens of steel balls from my subspace pouch.
p = m * v
R = (v₀² * sin(2θ))/g
F = 1/2*ρ*ω*r*V*A*l
Then I squeezed my eyes shut tight.
The Giant Iceworm cleanup fell to the regular soldiers.
They swarmed the steaming corpse, harvesting alchemy materials.
"Hey! Hold that side tight! On three. One, two, three!"
"Three!"
"Argh, damn it! Timing's off."
"...Do we pull on 'three,' or after 'three'?"
"..."
Even in this hellish frontline, there was a taskmaster.
I watched the scene with half-lidded eyes.
Halfway done, but my stomach still churned.
Moments later, Sara and the Field Mages approached me hesitantly.
Their attitudes had clearly shifted.
My shoulders straightened involuntarily.
I knew lording it over them like this was uncool...
But Sara's words kept echoing.
-'I'll be watching.'
What if I said something like, 'So, did you watch closely?'
Hmm...
That'd just make me look like an idiot.
Better keep my mouth shut.
Sara spoke to me.
"Byproducts from beasts encountered on patrol are divided based on merit, as per regulations."
"Is that right?"
"Yes. This hunt was as good as solo, so it's all yours, Mr. Howard."
"No, no."
I waved it off and continued.
"I'm good. Why don't you all divide it among yourselves?"
"...Pardon?"
The Field Mages' eyes went wide.
The harvesting soldiers froze in place.
Murmurs spread.
"You hear that just now?"
"Shh! Quiet... He might take it back if we make noise."
Sara asked incredulously.
"All of it? This isn't the capital—hand it over in Karavan and it'd fetch over a thousand gold easy."
"I get a salary from the Magic Tower."
"Tower salary? How much could that even—"
It was public knowledge that Magic Tower pay was abysmal.
That's why talented commoner mages shunned entry.
Even if future glory was promised, they couldn't endure the process.
"Plus, I get compensation for assisting Lady Everglow."
"..."
"I've always been deeply grateful for how you all fulfill your national defense duties. Please, take it."
Sara muttered.
"I... had a huge misunderstanding until now."
Perfect.
Almost there.
I said to the Field Mages.
"In exchange, hand over everything you know about the Lantern Guides."
I pitched it desperately, like I just wanted this over with.
After patrol, we huddled together and ate dinner.
Crunch crunch.
I chewed on something Pemicon-like.
The taste was the absolute worst.
Sharing a meal like this... does that mean we're getting closer?
I hoped so.
I asked Sara.
"By the way, do you run into big monsters like Giant Worms often?"
Sara nodded.
"Yes. Every few weeks on this mission."
Squad Leader Sara's tone had returned to that initial kindness.
"How many people die when you do?"
"Sometimes none... but one mistake, and it's two or three."
Few weeks.
Two or three.
I mulled it over.
This feels off.
Field Mage work was dangerous, sure—but not this level.
Compared to the average casualty stats I'd read at the Tower, the difference was stark.
Mission difficulty was "statistically significantly" higher.
Noticing my doubt, Sara smirked.
"The Lantern Guides have their base beyond the beast frontlines where no human could survive. That's how we end up exposed."
"Must be rough."
"Yeah. Fucking sucks."
Crunch crunch.
Sara chewed her Pemicon.
"No special manual for search squads like this?"
"Manual?"
Her face twisted.
I asked her.
"...You don't even have a manual?"
"We do, but... the search manuals for outpost defense are total garbage these days."
"Hmm..."
Can't whip up a full manual, but improving magic efficiency seems doable...
Back at that thesis defense, the School Heads had "divided" their defense magic among themselves.
Combine that with the Memorize Pendant and tips from Valerius's special lecture...
I could probably craft something interesting.
...Of course, implanting all those master-level techniques into these borderline-master folks? That's on me.
Have to study those magic circles closely.
Later.
For now, the Lantern Guides took priority.
I asked Sara again.
"If this place is so dangerous, how do those cultists even survive here?"
"That's the issue. Not sure exactly, but those bastards..."
Sara's voice turned ice-cold.
"Seem to sustain themselves by sacrificing believers."
"Damn..."
"That's why we need to resolve this fast."
Sara pointed to the soldier sitting across from me.
"That guy's wife got lured away by the Lantern Guides."
"..."
Is it okay to say that so casually?
I glanced at the soldier.
But he showed no discomfort.
He just silently chewed his Pemicon.
Sara continued.
"Same for the others."
"..."
"The Lantern Guides took my twin sister too."
So that's why she threw herself into this dangerous work.
I looked around at the squad and said.
"...You're all volunteers."
Nods all around.
They nodded without a word.
The faces around the circle visibly darkened.
Lots of victims...
It made sense.
The northern frontier was ripe for cults.
The Empire forcibly garrisoned people here for military needs.
Soldiers alone couldn't sustain an army.
Couldn't solve everything with supplies, so they attached self-sustaining villages alongside.
No freedom to relocate, naturally.
In that situation, even I'd probably fall for a cult.
The human heart is weaker than you think.
Sara gave a bitter smile and asked me.
"...Does Mr. Howard have some special reason for volunteering?"
I glanced around—every eye in the squad was now on me.
"..."
"..."
The gazes felt heavy.
They think I must have a backstory too?
...Sadly, I couldn't share their pain.
Strictly speaking, those bastards hadn't harmed me at all yet.
So instead of empty sympathy, I'd offer a solution.
That suited me better right now.
I scanned the squad members' faces.
I could track the missing with their blood.
Luckily, my experience with Malakai gave me solid knowledge of blood magic.
I asked Sara.
"Sara, do you and your twin sister look exactly alike?"
"...Yes. But why?"
Monozygotic twins.
That made it much easier.
Their genetic info would be nearly identical.
I told her.
"If you give me a bit of blood, I think I can locate your sister."
"Pardon?"
The group stirred at my words.
"That works...?"
"Does that guy know blood magic too?"
Sara clenched her fist toward her comrades.
The signal to halt.
They all shut up.
Sara said.
"If this is a joke, it's a massive mistake."
"I'm dead serious. One drop of blood, and I'll find her."
"...Is that so?"
Sara drew a dagger and sliced her palm.
Slash.
Drip drip.
Blood beaded and fell to the ground.
"Do it. If you succeed... take it all. Whatever you want."
"..."
I carefully placed my hand over her pooled blood.
My biology knowledge was lacking, so I'd need a magic circle this time.
I recalled the pattern Malakai had used for blood magic.
Didn't know what each rune meant exactly, but I could pinpoint a location.
...This is probably how other mages cast normally.
Tweaking inputs in functions they don't fully understand.
Flash!
Red light flared between our overlapped hands.
Sara broke the silence.
"...Did it work?"
"Yes."
I pointed toward the northeastern snow mountains.
"Yes. That way."