Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Indefinite Contractor Heads Out on Assignment
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Daniel was a Magic Tower indefinite contract mage.
The Foreign Legion he belonged to was mainly dispatched to places that required a mage's power.
Mages were rare beings.
One had to be born with the talent for mana, the ability to control it, and an environment that could awaken that talent to become a proper mage.
A mage who grew up without such an environment?
Unless they were a dragon-level genius, they were nothing more than half-baked.
That was why adventurer or mercenary mages were weaker than formal mages.
So people sought out the Magic Tower whenever they needed a mage. Expensive, yes, but they definitely delivered value for money.
Especially in cases like this, where magical firepower support was essential.
"Time to work. Get out here, quick and cheap."
A magic circle unfolded, and a being from the demon realm appeared as per the contract.
"Kieeeek!!!"
An imp. Also called a lesser demon.
If there were other mages nearby, they would have scoffed. Summoning something flashy just to call a lesser demon?
A perfectly natural reaction.
Imps weren't demons that could be considered particularly strong.
A newbie adventurer who had learned basic martial arts and was equipped with a shield and armor could take one down without much trouble.
Imps were weak demons like that.
But what if it wasn't just one, but dozens or more?
That changed everything.
-Woooooong!
"Kieeeek!!!"
Dozens of magic circles deployed in the air, imps summoned one after another forming a horde.
Daniel was no longer just an individual.
He was a member of a legion wielding 108 imps, and the commander leading that legion.
At his gesture, over a hundred imps soared into the sky all at once.
"Target: goblin riders on the left ridge. Dark Bolt, full barrage."
"Kieeeek!!!"
The imps obeyed the command.
Black mana shot from the imps' mouths, slicing through the air.
Hundreds of Dark Bolts poured down from the sky like a shower of arrows.
-Boom boom boom boom boom!
"Kweeeek!"
Even low-grade magic became unstoppable firepower when pushed in such numbers.
Screams erupted from the goblin riders exposed to this onslaught.
Wolves rolled on the ground howling in agony, and goblins that fell and shattered their bones wailed before being finished off by Dark Bolts.
The sight of nearly a hundred wolf riders taking near-annihilating damage in one strike was truly spectacular.
Admiration burst from the mouths of the knights escorting Daniel.
Daniel, on the other hand, clicked his tongue.
'Growing goblin riders to that size. Impressive in a way, if you call summoning death your talent.'
He'd seen plenty of goblin raids while working as a Magic Tower indefinite contractor, but facing a massive outbreak of over a thousand was a first for him too.
The cause of this incident was simple and clear.
An idiot noble who ignored his duty to manage the territory and protect the citizens.
A monumental moron who blew through taxes on extravagance.
Not content with that, the idiot lord dismissed reports of goblin sightings from below because dealing with them cost money.
The result was disastrous.
Three villages reduced to ash.
Dozens of homes burned, hundreds of residents wiped out.
Feasting on that carnage, the goblin horde swelled to over a thousand, becoming one of the largest biological disasters in imperial history.
'And the fact that the neighboring lords spotted it first, not the idiot lord himself? Comedy gold.'
Fortunately, they weren't idiots.
They formed militias, set up defensive lines, pooled money, and called for reinforcements.
Magic Tower mages. The Foreign Legion.
Sure, it meant their wallets took a minor hit, but no big deal.
Daniel, the Magic Tower indefinite contract mage on dispatch, was definitely earning his keep.
No one had expected him to block the goblin wolf riders single-handedly.
"Goblin riders annihilated!"
"Now! Full charge!"
The enemy's cavalry wiped out by tactical-level firepower.
For the allies, morale soared; for the goblins, it plummeted. A game-changer.
At the commander's shout, knights mounted up and charged. Militias followed behind.
The ground shook, cheers echoing across the battlefield.
-Boom! Crunch!
"Gobuuuuh!!!"
Cavalry in shining armor and spears pierced the goblin front lines.
Infantry followed in their unstoppable advance.
Goblins impaled on spears bled out and collapsed.
The humans moved as one; goblins couldn't hold, only retreat in panic.
The tide turned sharply.
"We won."
"All thanks to you, Mage."
"If those goblin riders had flanked and broken our lines, it would've been disaster. Blocking them alone? Incredible."
"You're the MVP of this battle, no question."
"No need for that. Just got lucky."
Daniel brushed it off, but his escort knights saw it differently.
Goblin riders. Elite goblins with cavalry traits.
Obviously, countering them properly required cavalry.
Infantry only?
Unless they were veteran monster-hunting adventurers, hastily assembled militias from civilians would fail spectacularly.
They'd scramble to evade, lines would crumble, and goblins would soul-crush with a countercharge.
It would've been the opposite of what they were seeing now.
'Magic Tower mage indeed. The reputation holds true.'
'Heard he's a Magic Tower-certified black mage. A 5th Circle expert archmage, no less.'
'Worried Foreign Legion mages were irregulars with shaky skills. Unnecessary concern.'
'Damn. Our lord skimped, sending just one guy. How do we cover for that?'
The knights, each harboring their thoughts, praised Daniel's heroic feats to score points, but Daniel himself had no sense of having done anything special.
Simple reason.
'Making a fuss over just snapping off some spells.'
To him, it was like pulling the trigger on a machine gun.
Anyone with a machine gun could do it. Simple.
Getting praise for that?
Daniel just felt embarrassed.
"Hmm."
The mage, unaware that his machine gun was a unique [ability], turned from the battlefield to the knights.
"Let's move. I'll provide support."
"Pardon? You sure?"
"We're here to work, right? That's the contract."
His matter-of-fact tone drew more admiration from the knights.
'Remember that adventurer mage we hired last time?'
'Strutted around like hot stuff claiming to be a mage. Of course.'
'Then flopped after two fireballs.'
'This is a real mage? Worlds apart from the fakes.'
Entering the front lines with the knights, Daniel cast summoning again.
The imp horde reappeared.
"Kieack!"
Concentrated barrage from artillery disguised as low-grade demons.
Black lightning rained down on the goblins once more.
Screams, screams, more screams. Goblins fled wailing.
Cheers and roars. Knights praised the Magic Tower and Daniel, charging again.
Daniel's support fire was the finishing blow.
The fearless, blood-mad monster horde devolved into panicked rabble.
Knights dove into the flock like enraged lions seizing glory. Militias followed.
The battlefield began to clear.
Cavalry pursued scattered fleeing goblins; knights and soldiers mopped up remnants.
This was the end of the biological disaster that had terrorized the eastern empire just days ago.
'Might get some real meat tonight instead of rations.'
Amid soldiers slapping shoulders in joy, Daniel alone pondered something else.
He wasn't a sociopath or psychopath.
He just saw scenes like this often as an indefinite contract mage, so it barely moved him.
Even tear-jerking masterpieces get mundane after dozens of viewings.
'Hope the lords are generous. Grilled beats smoked, anyway.'
Praying the lords weren't cheapskates, he left the battlefield of black smoke and blood behind.
His name was Daniel.
A 10-year veteran Magic Tower indefinite contract mage.
Having diligently finished today's work, he headed back.
Harboring a modest wish utterly unlike the tactical weapon that shook the field—like any ordinary office worker.
*
A festival unfolded under the full moon.
One glass of wine toasted victory.
The next honored the dead from the disaster; the one after cursed the idiot lord responsible.
Normally, that'd earn a caning from knights and soldiers.
Everyone would nod and move on.
But not this time.
The idiot lord was no longer a noble.
"Heard that bastard's branded a traitor?"
"Getting tortured good right now."
"Execution next month."
"Serves him right, the dog."
Biological disasters could topple nations.
History was full of black mage cults or heretics engineering them for revolution.
Thus, all nations strictly enforced nobles' duty: 【Subjugate monsters to protect territory and people】.
In the empire, violation meant severe punishment; causing a disaster branded you a traitor with clan execution.
Pity the innocent family, but law is law.
Unaware commoners just lumped the lord and kin together, chewing them as bar snacks to vent.
Not every festival spot was just curses, of course.
"Mage, have a drink."
"Sorry, I don't drink. Soda water, please."
"Of course! Here, have plenty."
In a military tent at one village corner—the so-called high table banquet.
Usually, the highest rank or power grabbed the spotlight.
Not tonight.
Lords who vied for future dominance even in alliances united as one today, fawning over an outsider.
'Gotta score points with this mage!'
As mentioned before, they were normal compared to the idiot lord. No treating Daniel like mere temp staff.
'Incredible firepower. Shaking the field solo.'
'Thought Magic Tower mage rumors were hype. Guess not.'
'If he were the enemy? Terrifying. Glad he's ours.'
They'd all seen it with their own eyes.
A lone mage turning one spell into a legion of over a hundred, sweeping monsters.
That power dwarfed the self-proclaimed [mages] they'd known.
Correction: this was true mage power.
Crossing such a one took guts spilling out.
Of course, fawning wasn't just awe.
'I want him!'
Power was treasure. It tempted greed.
They weren't idiots to headhunt from the Magic Tower, though.
What they wanted was simple.
"Sir Daniel, a question."
"Go ahead."
"Nothing major. My son has magic talent. Reached 2nd Circle this year."
"Congrats. Thinking Imperial Academy? I can write a recommendation."
"Haha, kind offer, but no thanks. I'm noble, but not rich enough for that."
"My apologies, I overstepped."
"No worries. What I want to ask is... how did you rise to your position? Any advice?"
"Pardon?"
The lords' eyes gleamed with desire for power.