I Was Mistaken as a Genius Mage in a Game

Beyond the horizon, the bright yellow wheat fields of the Enker Plateau spread out. The wheat, grown in the bright sunlight, filled the vast plains with their heads bowed as if waiting for someone to harvest them.

No matter how fast the carriage ran, the surrounding scenery did not change.

Wheat.

Wheat.

Wheat.

The wheat fields literally continued endlessly, and if it weren’t for the slightly different-looking mills that appeared here and there, we would have thought we were in an infinite loop without even realizing it.

There were no monsters to be seen in the vast wilderness.

Originally, it was an area where many people lived, so it was clear that the seeds of the surrounding monsters had been dried up, but the biggest reason was probably the fact that dragons had settled in this area.

“Let’s leave the horses here and go on foot.”

In front of the dragon, which was called the pinnacle of all living things, the horses could get scared and leave the line on their own.

If the horses were to scatter like that into the wheat fields, the way back would surely become dozens of times more complicated and difficult.

It was best to tie the horses as far away as possible and move.

... ... Yes, I knew that was the best.

“... ... How far do you think it would take to see the dragon on foot?”

“It would probably take about three hours at our usual pace!”

Three hours.

I had to drag this piece of trash along on a long, arduous march for a full three hours.

I held back the unreasonable request that was about to rise to the surface, ‘Can’t you at least drag the carriage close by?’

Even though I wasn’t wearing military gear or armor like the soldiers you see over there... ... .

All I had was a flowing robe, a wide-brimmed hat, and a slightly thick book of magic... ... !

And yet.

“... ... Let’s take a little, little break.”

During the march.

“Whew... ... Rest! Rest, let’s take a break!”

Over and over again.

“Wow... ... This is really not going to work? ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) I feel like I’m going to die.”

Over and over again, we had no choice but to sit on the bare ground and slow down the soldiers’ advance.

The march, which would have taken only three hours, ended up taking a full six hours due to the natural disaster known as ‘me.’

It was so long that we could barely take out the food that we would have eaten near the dragon’s nest or on the way back and put it in our mouths. Some of them even went as far as to pick up some wheat from the surrounding area, peel off the husks, and put them in their mouths.

And then at seven in the afternoon.

The sunset had set, and the wheat fields were burning red.

We could finally see the hard scales and sharp teeth beyond the horizon.

The dragon was sleeping in a weak nest made of wheat and planks from the houses of humans that could be found anywhere around here.

“Whew... ... Everyone worked hard up to this point. I’ll move alone from here.”

I slowly approached the dragon’s nest with trembling legs.

From here on out, I had to proceed alone, no matter what happened.

Unlike other items, the artifact had a binding effect.

This meant that the first character to obtain the artifact had to carry it with them for life.

It was impossible to transfer it to another character, and it was also impossible to discard it.

But what if another soldier who was searching through the loot after slaying the dragon accidentally touched the artifact hidden among the piles of treasure... ... ?

And what would happen if the artifact was bound to the soldier who lightly touched it?

It would be nothing short of a disaster.

I don't know about anything else, but I really, absolutely, must have this artifact from the young dragon of the Enker Plateau, no matter what.

If you ask if it's an artifact with incredibly groundbreaking performance, a balance-destroying artifact, it wasn't.

For ordinary magicians, it was an artifact with performance that was C-class, or at best B-class, good to have, but not so good if you don't.

... ... For ordinary magicians, that is.

However, for my 'one-hit wizard' build with no normal attacks, this artifact from the young dragon was the alpha and omega.

What's an A-class? It's SSS-class, EX-class.

I thoughtlessly left my fellow AI to rummage through the treasure pile, and because they ate this artifact without permission, I deleted my character and had to start the game over from the beginning twice.

... ... I don't know about in the game, but I don't want to delete my character in real life. I don't think I can do that.

So I absolutely must not repeat the same mistake.

“I’ll finish it soon and come back.”

I looked back at the worried captain with a mysterious expression on my face, as if I understood his feelings, and said that.

There was no point in telling him that the artifact was hidden among those gold and silver treasures.

Isn’t it true that the human mind can change in front of such a precious and rare treasure... ... ?

I don’t distrust you all, but if I don’t eat this, I’m in real trouble.

* * *

The moment he made eye contact with the dragon that was quietly glaring at the intruders while nesting in the quiet wheat field, the captain felt an immense fear he had never felt before.

His entire body’s peripheral nerves were screaming at him to run away, and his arms and legs were trembling, exactly the same feeling he had when he first encountered the Demon Tribe as a child.

“... ... .”

Dragon.

Yes, what stood before them was that gigantic monster that was considered the pinnacle of all living things.

Even if he hadn’t reached adulthood, his sharp claws, huge wings, and enormous teeth were enough to instill a tremendous sense of intimidation in all the soldiers standing here.

Can we fight?

We?

A fundamental question dominated his mind. Cold sweat soaked his leather clothes under his iron armor, and an inexplicable itch tormented his entire body.

“Everyone has suffered up to this point. From here on, I will move alone.”

That was when.

The voice of the white-haired boy echoed through the silent battlefield.

The boy maintained his characteristically cold and indifferent expression, as if he had no particular feelings even when facing the dragon.

The boy, who was only about sixteen or seventeen years old, did not show any fear even when facing the dragon, but confidently moved his thin legs toward the monster’s nest.

All the soldiers here, including the platoon leader, could not help but feel ashamed.

Even though he had been training tirelessly under the mission of protecting the continent, he was terrified and frozen in front of the monster that was actually suppressing the continent’s food supply.

That frail boy was walking toward the dragon, so what on earth were we doing?

“I... ... We’ll help you too!”

The platoon leader shouted in a trembling voice.

“I’ll finish it up and come back soon.”

The white-haired boy simply smiled faintly as if he was impressed by his courage and replied that way.

Just then, the sunset was warmly embracing the boy’s face.

After saying that, the boy continued walking.

The young dragon, who had been lying in the nest and watching the group, slowly but surely raised its head as it glared at the white-haired boy who was approaching him.

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

“This is the first time we’ve actually met.”

The dragon thrust its sharp teeth at the white-haired boy as if it would kill him if he went any further.

The boy quietly opened his book of spells, as if it was none of his business whether the dragon threatened him or not.

Grrrrr... ... .

A low, huge cry filled the desolate plain. Just hearing it from afar made the soldiers’ stomachs tingle.

The boy ignored the dragon’s threat and took another step.

Whew!

At the same time, a huge claw began to fly toward the boy’s head, cutting through the surrounding air. It was a halfhearted and indifferent gesture, as if trying to shoo away an annoying fly from its nest.

“Bloom.”

That was the moment.

In the granary area filled with the clear glow of sunset, a sudden lightning strike struck.

Amid the lightning that burned the red sky to a pure white, the dragon’s forelegs flying toward the boy disappeared.

“... ... If the lightning spreads wrong, all the precious wheat will burn.”

The boy muttered and closed the blue-glowing grimoire, then created a small sphere of electricity at his fingertips and thrust it at the dragon.

“Let’s finish this as quickly as possible.”

The dragon’s eyes slowly widened.

It seemed that the beast’s brain could not keep up with the sudden change in prey and predator.

“... ... This is a strange sensation.”

The boy activated his bloom and released all the magical power stored in his body as lightning. He muttered as he saw the pure white line spread out before his eyes.

The pure white line that started from his fingertips and continued to the dragon’s heart tempted the boy as if to follow him and shoot lightning.

The boy could feel it instinctively.

If he followed this line, he would be able to kill the dragon in one blow.

It was a feeling he had never felt before, but the boy decided to trust his instincts.

So the boy slowly raised his finger and shot an electric sphere along the pure white line.

The sphere flew at the speed of light itself, piercing through the dragon’s thick hide, muscles, and bones before the dragon could even react properly, and bursting its heart.

A perfect strike aimed at a vital point.

No one here would understand how a boy who had never seen a dragon in his life was able to accurately find the dragon’s vital point and strike it.

Even the boy himself had one thing in mind, and he had no confidence in explaining to others exactly what this phenomenon was.

“... ... It looks like it went critical.”

A critical hit in real life was different from the flashy effects and exciting sounds in a game.

An attack that took the opponent’s life with a single blow could be this calm and serene.

A moment later. The dragon, who had raised his upper body, fell to the ground with his heavy body on the ground with his pupils dilated. The earth shook and the wheat spread out in all directions turned their heads in the same direction.

In the wheat field, which was so quiet that it was almost eerie, the boy sat silently, as if he wanted to recall the sensation he had just felt.

He repeatedly grabbed the hand of God.

“What is it... ... you.”

That was the moment.

A voice full of confusion and fear was heard from above the boy’s head.

“... ... ?”

The boy raised his head with a face filled with wonder at the voice he had never heard before.

There was a red-skinned demon there.

... ... demon?

“... ... why are you coming out of there?”

The boy glared at the red-skinned demon spreading its wings above his head with a crumpled expression as if he was dumbfounded.

The demon also looked down at the boy with a somewhat bewildered expression.

It was an uncomfortable and sudden encounter.