Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Public Campsite
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Inside the tent, the laughter showed no signs of stopping. Was it because they finally had a comfortable place to rest after so long? Or maybe it was thanks to the liquor provided by Zigrat, the man in charge of the caravan.
Or perhaps all of the above.
Durel and I sat in a quiet spot, silently watching the merchants laugh and chat away. We'd spent enough time with them to keep a polite distance, but blending in ourselves was another matter.
So we had no choice but to watch from the sidelines like this.
Of course, if we forced our way in, they'd play along out of courtesy. But that would probably kill the lively mood.
I let out a small sigh and took a sip of the juice that had been set out for me.
"You look bored."
"That obvious?"
"Yeah. Your face gives it away."
I ran a hand over my dry features at Durel's words. Maybe it was this new body, but my emotions often showed on my face more than I'd like.
'Gotta be more careful...'
We'd been people-watching for a while when Zigrat suddenly reappeared. He'd been gone for ages, and now he approached us with a deeply troubled expression.
"Um... Mr. Mage..."
"What's up?"
"Well... there's been a bit of a problem..."
"Tell me."
"Some guys showed up demanding proof of ownership for this tent..."
"Proof?"
I furrowed my brow at the out-of-nowhere claim. Durel, beside me, calmly picked up the explanation in a low voice.
"It happens sometimes in public campsites. If someone doubts the strength of the group that claimed the best spot, they demand a show of power. Looks like they weren't convinced by our... mages' presence, Master."
"So if we can't prove it, we hand over the tent?"
"Probably."
I turned to Zigrat, who nodded vigorously with an apologetic look.
"Yes... these weirdos are questioning whether you mages are the real deal..."
"Do I need to do something about it?"
"It's simple. Just show them some magic, and that'll settle it."
Not a big deal at all. And perfect timing—I was bored out of my mind from not joining the fun. I set down my wooden cup and stood.
"Let's go."
"Ah! Yes! Thank you...!"
Following Zigrat outside, we came face-to-face with a group of men. One stepped forward and demanded of Zigrat,
"You bring the mage?"
"Of course."
"Then where is he?"
"Right here."
Zigrat stepped aside and gestured to me in response to the man's question. The man's gaze followed, settling on me with a steady stare.
'His eyes...'
A strange glint flickered in them. Durel didn't seem to notice, but I could tell. This guy had just used mana.
'A mage?'
"Unbelievable... The mana traces on that body are faint. Parading a total novice who just started learning magic to pretend you're strong...?"
I just blinked at the man's words. That concentration of mana in his eyes must have been some kind of auxiliary spell to visually detect mana traces.
'His senses must be dull...'
To me, mana didn't require something like that—I could sense and see it directly. Which made the man's spell feel annoyingly cumbersome.
'Could be applied in a slightly different way...'
I was lost in thought about his magic when Zigrat, who'd stepped back, flushed red and pointed accusingly, shouting,
"Wh-what's that supposed to mean! What do you know...! How dare you be rude to our mage... Do you have a death wish?!"
"What do I know? Plenty, obviously."
Whumm—
The moment the words left his mouth, mana gathered around him and sank into the ground. Mana detached from a mage's body usually took on the mysterious form of a spell. This time was no different.
The mana that seeped into the earth followed the laws he imposed, manifesting a new phenomenon in the world.
'Danger...'
The instant I sensed the spell, I lightly shoved Zigrat aside. I even summoned a gust of wind to help. A soft breeze from my fingertips pushed him away just as—
A blunt earthen pillar erupted from the ground.
Quarrrrk—!
"H-Hiiiik...!"
Zigrat hit the dirt, his face drained of color as he scrambled backward. Now it was just the man and me facing off.
He said to me,
"Looks like you've learned a decent detection spell."
"Like that eye trick of yours?"
"..."
"Can't see without it? Guess we're different."
He'd attacked my group out of nowhere. No way was I going to play nice. The man frowned at my questions, sensing something.
"Which school are you from?"
"Golden Wind."
"Never heard of it... Figures, some no-name wandering mage's..."
Before he could finish, a surge of emotion hit me. Mild anger mixed with irritation at the situation. This young body was brutally honest with its feelings, and that resonated straight into the mana.
Shk—
A light wind rose, grazing the man's cheek. Right after, a thin red line appeared, blood trickling from below it.
The man raised a hand to wipe his cheek, his voice trembling as he spoke.
"I formally challenge you... to a mage duel."
I glanced at Durel—what was a mage duel? She'd retreated a bit but hurried over, whispering,
"It just means 'let's fight.' Some mages have a habit of dressing up pointless things with formality..."
"I don't wanna fight..."
"...Didn't you strike first?"
"But they attacked first. Zigrat almost got hurt."
"He's not a mage."
I blankly blinked at Durel's words. I'd forgotten. What mages in this world were like. They didn't treat non-mages as equals.
'Durel's a mage too...'
And not a commoner-born one. From a prestigious mage family, so her values naturally differed from ordinary folk.
"So I have to fight?"
"Afraid so."
At Durel's answer, I turned back to the furious mage. He waited patiently for my response.
"This mage duel doesn't involve killing the opponent, right?"
"Mages usually don't kill each other. Feuds like that are hard to end once they start..."
'Raymond got killed, though...'
Maybe because he was a thieving mage. Anyway, sounded like losing wouldn't mean death. I nodded and stepped forward.
"Talisman of the Sunken Vein School."
To start this mage duel, it seemed you had to declare your school and name.
I stopped in a clear spot and spoke.
"Lumia of Golden Wind."
Talisman, staring at me, pulled a small coin from his pocket. He held it up and said,
"When this coin hits the ground, we start."
"Whatever."
The moment I replied, he nodded and flicked the coin into the air.
Ting—!
The coin spun lightly as it fell.
The instant it touched the earth, Talisman surged with mana and stomped hard.
Thud—!
Mana extended from his foot, enforcing specific laws. Several twisting stone pillars rose, encircling him like a fortress wall.
Now safely inside his sturdy walls, Talisman smirked smugly at me.
"The strongest walls in the world...! Your puny wind can't pierce them..."
Those pillars did look solid against wind. But I had no intention of using wind.
The mana circle in my heart spun faster, supplying me with power. At the same time, natural mana swirled around my body like a storm.
One step.
As my foot hit the ground, a spark of friction ignited a blazing inferno from my toes.
Roooar—!
"Wh-what's that...?"
"Master...? What is that flame...?"
I recreated the spell of that nameless thieving mage. I'd seen it with my eyes and felt it in my body, making it possible.
'The heat is just an illusion... All it conveys is scorching pain... Probably what I felt from those burns...'
It wouldn't be perfect. But it was enough for now. Any shortcomings could be fixed later. That's what magic was to me.
Roooar—!
The flames enveloping my body shot forward at blinding speed. The wide blaze slipped between the stone pillars, engulfing Talisman.
"A-Arghhh!"
Talisman thrashed as if to flee the fire. But the pillars that protected him also trapped him like iron bars.
Tears, snot, and drool streamed down his face before his body collapsed.
Despite the massive flames, his flesh didn't carry the stench of burning.
The roaring blaze flickered and died.