Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: The Indefinite Contractor Fights the Barbarians (2)
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“Wow. This actually works?”
Daniel gazed down at the battlefield in admiration.
“I didn’t think every single one would succeed. Honestly, I figured a few would fail.”
Sleep was an easy spell even a 2nd Circle mage could cast. But that changed when the range increased. It demanded precise mana control.
Anything beyond two meters was prone to failure, and even if it activated, the effect was weak.
The limit for most mages was around one meter.
Yet here Daniel was, nailing them one after another from over ten meters away.
It was thanks to the hellish special training with Titania, which had skyrocketed his mana control precision.
“All that hard work paid off.”
Savoring his satisfaction, Daniel unleashed spell after spell.
The Horse Demon Tribe’s warhorses kept toppling over one by one.
“Kraaak!”
“Wake the horses! Get the warriors up!”
“Not on my watch!”
“Target their legs!”
“Hiihihihihiing!!!”
“Damn it all!”
“Push them hard!”
Daniel’s Sleep spells turned the hellish battlefield into a nightmarish slaughterhouse.
The soldiers targeted the legs of the sleeping, fallen horses, swinging spears and swords. The horses’ pitiful screams echoed one after another.
A horse with injured legs was nothing more than a slab of meat waiting for a mercy kill.
The soldiers, who had clashed with the Highland Tribe dozens of times, knew this better than anyone.
“Those without horses are nothing but rabble! Charge!”
“Waaaaah!”
“Kraaak!”
“You filthy dirt-eaters! Come at me, come... Gurk!”
The knights’ impassioned shouts spurred the soldiers into a ferocious charge.
Mounted Horse Demon Tribe warriors were fearsome foes, but without their horses, they were just ordinary infantry—nothing to fear.
Their powerful cavalry tactics had devolved into clumsy individual skirmishes, which held no sway against the battle-hardened northern soldiers.
The battlefield had flipped.
Soldiers who had been scrambling to hold their ground moments ago now overwhelmed the Horse Demon Tribe.
Screams erupted from the barbarians everywhere.
“Drive out the Horse Demon Tribe!”
“Waaaaah! Reinforcements!!!”
“Kill the barbarians!”
“Kraaak!”
“Captain!”
“Damn it! Retreat! Retreat!”
Soon, reinforcements poured in, and the Horse Demon Tribe warriors’ faces turned ashen.
Realizing the battle was lost, they tried to fall back—but it was no use.
The knights and soldiers had already anticipated it and blocked their escape routes.
“Damn it! Rally up! We’ll break through at one point!”
“Bastards!”
“I’ll cut you down, you dirt-munchers!”
Killing intent gleamed in the eyes of the clustered Horse Demon Tribe warriors.
A do-or-die resolve!
The soldiers gulped nervously, and the knights clicked their tongues.
A cornered rat will bite a cat, after all.
Everyone figured finishing off these desperate foes would be no easy task.
Everyone except one.
“Lightning Chain.”
-Kwarung!
“Aaaak!”
“Kraaaak!”
“H-Huh?!”
A bolt of blue lightning crashed from the sky.
It struck dead center in the cluster, sending Horse Demon Tribe warriors foaming at the mouth as they convulsed on the ground.
All eyes turned skyward.
“No experience with great magic battles, huh? Scattering in the face of a mage isn’t enough—you cluster up and drag it out?”
Daniel chanted once more.
Another bolt slammed into the earth, unleashing more screams.
“Kraaaak!!!”
“What can you do? If you don’t know, you get hit.”
“G-Go, attack! Attack!”
“Waaaaah!!!”
At one knight’s command, Kazan’s soldiers surged toward the Horse Demon Tribe.
The barbarians, dazed from Daniel’s spells, could barely resist.
Despair and resignation filled their eyes as they watched spears and swords descend helplessly upon them.
“We’ve repelled the Horse Demon Tribe!”
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
The knights and soldiers who had annihilated the invading Horse Demon Tribe embraced each other, roaring in victory.
“Whew.”
‘That ended easier than I thought. Lucky break.’
Gazing down at the victorious allied battlefield, Daniel fell into a strange reverie.
‘Now I can confidently call myself an Archmage anywhere.’
Archmage was a lofty title reserved for 5th Circle mages.
Most claimed it themselves upon introduction, but Daniel never had.
He knew his skills didn’t measure up to a true 5th Circle Archmage.
His magic was average for a 4th Circle master at best, excluding his Imp. Bragging as an Archmage only to get exposed would be humiliating.
So he always introduced himself simply as a mage.
‘No need to worry about that anymore.’
Today’s performance said it all.
You can now proudly declare yourself an Archmage anywhere.
‘Thank you, Manager Titania.’
Daniel offered silent gratitude to his superior, who had forged him into a true 5th Circle expert Archmage.
“Our hero has arrived!”
“Uwaaaaaah!”
No sooner had Daniel descended from the sky than soldiers swarmed him.
“Lord Mage! We owe you our lives! I really thought we’d be trampled under Horse Demon Tribe hooves!”
“First time I’ve ever seen them taken down so easily!”
“Perfect timing on the support. I’d love to fight alongside you again.”
“So, which mercenary band are you with? Or an adventurer?”
“There’ll be a bounty from above. Mind sharing your name?”
“Haha. Calm down, everyone.”
The excited soldiers showered Daniel with attention. His contributions had been nothing short of spectacular.
Daniel responded coolly.
“Forgive the late introduction. I’m Daniel Norman, 5th Circle Archmage dispatched from the Magic Tower. Looking forward to working with you.”
“From the Magic Tower?”
“For real?”
Stunned looks poured in from all sides.
Even the Northern Archduke employed only four such precious figures. No one expected the hero before them to be one.
But the shock was fleeting—the soldiers grinned even wider.
These were seasoned veterans who defended Kazan like pros.
They could judge in a single fight whether someone was a hindrance or a reliable comrade.
Daniel was unmistakably the latter.
“Heh heh. What an honor to have such a distinguished guest.”
“This year’s defense will be easier than last, huh?”
“The Magic Tower’s reputation is well-earned. Lord Daniel, thank you again.”
“Haha! Fighting alongside Lord Daniel feels reassuring. You all agree, right?”
“Absolutely!”
“Highland Tribe scum! Come at us anytime—we’ll slaughter you like the Horse Demon Tribe bastards!”
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
“Daniel! Daniel! Daniel!!!”
The soldiers’ roars and cheers for Daniel echoed through Kazan.
‘Unbelievable.’
Rainer and his retainers, arriving late to the scene, couldn’t hide their astonishment.
The report they’d received from the walls had been shocking enough.
“The Horse Demon Tribe came charging in with over a hundred riders?”
The initial news was grim.
Horse Demon Tribe: Madmen obsessed with horses, turning even sieges into cavalry battles.
By threat level alone, they ranked in the Highland Tribe’s top ten.
Whenever they appeared, soldiers died in droves—hence the collective sighs.
But the follow-up report contradicted all expectations.
“What? Casualties that low?”
“You’re serious?”
Minimal losses despite over a hundred Horse Demon Tribe attackers. Unbelievable.
The answer to how? was even more astonishing.
Rainer’s gaze shifted to the mage mingling with the soldiers, basking in victory.
“I was surprised when he rushed to the front lines first... but his skill is even more impressive.”
Rainer marveled at Daniel’s tactical acumen.
Neutralizing the Horse Demon Tribe with support magic instead of attack spells, then turning the tide.
Something no ordinary mage could pull off.
“Are all Magic Tower mages like that?”
“No way. He’s special.”
“Figured as much.”
Rainer stroked his chin at Syril’s reply.
The records he’d half-doubted weren’t fabrications—they were real.
Having assessed Mage—no, Archmage Daniel’s prowess and value, Rainer’s eyes gleamed.
The calculations were done.
This man was a tactical asset who could shift the battlefield’s balance.
In other words, a merit factory to solidify his heir position!
No reason not to get chummy.
“Syril, send word to the castle.”
“What for?”
“The party must go on. Look at that—they’ve got the perfect stage to turn the interrupted welcome into a victory celebration.”
“...I’ll arrange it immediately.”
Impressed by Rainer’s quick thinking, Syril bowed.
With his retainers’ help adjusting his attire, Rainer approached Daniel.
The victory-drunk soldiers spotted him and snapped to attention.
“You were magnificent, Lord Daniel! Taking down the infamous Horse Demon Tribe so effortlessly. A true Magic Tower Archmage.”
“Just got lucky.”
“Haha. So modest.”
After shaking hands with Daniel, Rainer addressed the soldiers.
“Soldiers! Chant Lord Daniel’s name once more! Loud enough for all of Kazan’s citizens to hear the name of the hero who secured our victory tonight!!!”
“Waaaaaaaah!!!”
“Daniel! Daniel! Daniel!!!”
At Rainer’s rallying cry, the soldiers bellowed even louder.
Rainer couldn’t take his eyes off Daniel, who looked flustered yet pleased.
No one noticed, but his gaze... mirrored Titania’s appraising look toward Daniel with uncanny similarity.