Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard

TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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"That's enough," Ian said, stopping the bandits who were thoroughly enjoying their piñata game.

"Th-thank you for your mercy, Lord Wizard," Aesis muttered weakly, his body battered and bruised.

He looked slightly, just slightly pitiful, but...

He had brought this on himself, so Ian let it slide.

If Aesis had stayed by Ian's side, he might have earned praise. Instead, he'd hidden trying to save his own skin.

When you need to choose sides, pick your path decisively! (Though you must be prepared to face the consequences if you bet wrong)

As Ian approached, Savage bowed deeply.

"I admire you greatly, Lord Wizard!"

"...? Thanks."

Though Ian had no idea what there was to admire.

Apparently Ian destroying the undead with magic had left quite an impression.

"I want to become as terrifying as you, Lord Wizard!"

"??? I'm terrifying?"

Ian grabbed a passing bandit to ask:

"Am I scary?"

"N-no, not at all! How could someone as handsome as you be scary, Lord Wizard!"

The bandit answered while trembling.

If he answered wrong here?

He'd end up just like that [King of Men] lying over there...

Fortunately he must have picked the right answer, as Kira standing behind Ian nodded with a smile.

As expected.

Ian said with relief:

"Me, scary? That's nonsense."

Ian really disliked the rumor that [Wizards are temperamental!]

That was just a useless prejudice!

Though he had conveniently used it while traveling sometimes.

But that didn't mean he enjoyed having the wizard's image tarnished.

"Does anyone here think I'm scary?"

If there were any, he'd clear up the misunderstanding and treat them well~

The bandits, thoroughly intimidated, answered:

"N-no, not at all!"

"Lord Wizard, scary? Which bastard would say that?!"

Ian scowled and shouted:

"Hey, it's okay to be scared of me, you bastard!"

"Y-yes, of course!"

"Some people might be scared! Hahaha!"

The bandits were at a loss, terrified(...) of Ian.

To them, Ian was truly an incredible wizard!

He could summon massive flames and single-handedly destroy huge undead monsters.

If they weren't afraid of someone like that, they weren't cut out to be bandits in these parts.

Savage watched with sparkling eyes as Ian berated the bandits.

Indeed... this wizard!

He was so wonderfully temperamental!

"..."

Belenka shook her head watching this scene.

#

"So that's the black wizard you've been dealing with."

While the servants cleaned up the battlefield, Ian held a brief meeting with his companions.

Bertholdt's visit had been quite threatening.

They hadn't even reached the south yet, but the black wizards were already watching Ian's movements.

"Bertholdt is quite infamous in the south... just a real bastard."

Sir Salvador glanced briefly at Maria's expression.

Arms crossed and eyes closed, Maria looked gloomy and murderous even to strangers.

Without her usual gentle (though terrifying to Ian) smile, her expression looked truly menacing.

"Ho ho. I knew you were beloved by black wizards, but seeing it firsthand is different."

"Sorry for dragging you into this fight."

Ian genuinely felt that way.

The fight with black wizards was Ian's burden.

Sir Salvador was just a traveling companion.

"When we reach the south, we should probably part ways."

When Ian said this, Sir Salvador gave a mischievous smile.

"You're making me sound like a coward, Ian."

"..."

"I've lived my whole life on battlefields. In my youth I fought as the Emperor's soldier, and in my old age I've fought evil monsters."

"Sir Salvador..."

"One more black wizard won't change anything at this point."

Sir Salvador said with a hearty laugh.

"Aren't black wizards just like any other evil monster? By slaying them, I can atone for the sins I committed in my youth."

Sir Salvador had been traveling with the Santiago Knights from the start.

He hunted monsters not for wealth or fame, but for his own cultivation and good deeds.

"I've hunted plenty of monsters with the Knights of Santiago."

Sir Salvador chuckled.

"This time I'll hunt black wizards with you."

Though indirect, Sir Salvador was essentially saying he would lend his strength to Ian's fight.

"...Thank you, Sir."

"Ho ho. Though I wonder how much help an old knight can be. But even an old dog can still guard the house."

Sir Salvador expressed his will to stay with Ian until the end.

Ian had Aesis brought outside to confess about his mission.

"My mission was to find the Silverwind heir, and if possible, eliminate them."

"Hmm... I wonder if they know about Maria's existence."

"They probably haven't figured it out themselves. If they had, they would have chosen Maria as the 'stand-in.'"

Unable to find Maria, they must have chosen someone else as a stand-in.

That was Ian's theory.

But one of the Imperial Dukes had noticed Maria's existence and hired informants.

How could a country girl's existence reach the ears of an Imperial Duke?

"If someone tipped off the Duke, it was probably black wizards."

Everyone nodded at Ian's opinion.

Besides Ian's group, only Bertholdt knew about Maria's existence.

Though they might have discovered her by coincidence...

The chances of a girl from a remote village becoming known to a Duke were extremely slim.

"Then this attack..."

"From start to finish, Bertholdt probably planned it all."

Bertholdt had targeted Ian from the beginning.

He informed the Imperial Duke about Maria and used her as an excuse to receive informants and troops.

As a result, he had nearly defeated Ian.

"It's probably... Fargar's side."

"I think so too."

Fargar and Roxlan.

Between the two, who would benefit more from Maria's death?

Probably Duke Fargar.

It would reduce the chances of his 'stand-in' being exposed while also allowing him to recover Maria's signet ring.

"Ian. About this journey."

Kira carefully offered her opinion.

"What if we return to Talian for now and watch how things develop?"

It wasn't a bad suggestion.

Though Ian had reasons to travel south, it wasn't a time-limited mission.

Since the treasure wasn't going to grow legs and run away, they could wait for the flames of war to die down.

But Belenka voiced her opposition.

"Waiting won't change much."

"Really...?"

"If the war ends quickly, returning now wouldn't be bad. But no one knows when the fighting will end."

It was an opinion befitting a war expert.

Ian asked further.

"How long do you think it'll take?"

"At best, it might end in a few years. But... if it drags on, there's no end in sight."

Sir Salvador shrugged and added:

"It could take 10 years, it could take 20."

"..."

Ian was freshly reminded that this was the medieval era.

Medieval wars, once they started dragging on, had no end.

If you holed up in a castle and refused to come out, you could easily last decades!

So stopping travel because of war was nearly impossible.

By the time the war ended, Ian might be a 50-60 year old grandfather (by medieval standards)...

And he wouldn't be the only one aging.

Lucy and Kira would be the same.

Since no one could predict how Talian would fare or how things would change by then, halting the journey here was too unstable a choice.

"...And."

Maria, who had kept quiet until now, offered her opinion.

"If the side backed by black wizards wins this war, their influence will grow beyond control."

"..."

It was a valid point.

Having helped an Imperial Duke achieve victory, they would gain tremendous benefits.

This was not at all welcome from Ian's perspective.

"And I want to stay by your side."

They could send Maria back to Talian alone.

But if that information reached the Duke's ears, Talian itself might come under attack.

Ironically, the safest place for Maria was right by Ian's side.

'...'

Though it gave him a headache, Ian made his decision about the journey's direction.

Originally he needed to find treasure to strengthen Anor-lsil, but...

With the situation increasingly going to hell,

He'd have to stabilize the south first...!

"The Golden Rule Society is clearly working with the Imperial Duke."

Ian told his companions.

"And the Duke is even targeting Maria, one of our companions."

"So what do you want to do, Ian?"

Ian pointed at the map.

"First, we'll seek out the Emperor."

"The Emperor?"

The Imperial Emperor.

Amusingly, he was someone whose goals aligned with Ian's.

After all, who would be most stressed by Dukes fighting each other!

The Emperor too would want the south stabilized.

"What if the Emperor won't meet with you?"

"Well, I'm friends with the Imperial Princess."

When Ian said this confidently, Sir Salvador recalled Princess Elia's face.

With that young lady's help...

Ian could certainly meet the Emperor!

"But are you really that close? Aren't you just acquaintances?"

"We're already on informal terms. We've even traveled together."

"Traveled!"

Traveling with a female friend(?)!

That said it all.

Even considering it was medieval times!

"My, you..."

Sir Salvador looked at Ian enviously(?).

"I didn't see you that way. Just how many women do you know!"

"..."

"J-just kidding."

When Kira, Belenka, and even Maria's eyes flashed dangerously...

Sir Salvador immediately added "Just kidding~"

Truly a move worthy of an Imperial Sword Master.

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