Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Mole

The forest was dark to the extent not a single light entered. The snow falling between it looked gray rather than white. Exactly like ash falling.

“An atmosphere where magic beasts would be.”

Galahad smiled satisfied and put a cigarette in his mouth.

“Ah, I brought torches here. Please receive one each.”

Tom distributed torches one by one. The smell of burning oil wafted densely.

“I will stand at the front.”

Gilbert drew the sword and stepped forward.

“It’s fine, it is bothersome so step back.”

“Yes.”

“You, isn’t the giving up too fast?”

Gilbert shrugged his shoulders.

Galahad smiled faintly and spread both palms. He compressed and released mana, compressed and released. It was a preparatory action.

When he flicked his finger, a small mana arrow floated on the finger.

Gulp—.

“Wipe the saliva, Gwen.”

The startled Gwen wiped her mouth. It seemed the impulse toward magic was gradually intensifying. It was a desirable phenomenon.

Galahad walked while confirming the size of the mana arrow.

Mana always flowed from places of weak concentration to dense places.

That the mana arrow became even slightly smaller meant that the surrounding concentration became denser than before.

He gauged that size and set the direction and advanced.

“Kyaaaak!”

Gwen had fallen into a pit.

“I discovered it!”

The dirt-covered Gwen smiled brightly.

“This is a mole-type magic beast.”

Tom said while wiping the sweat full on his forehead.

“Mole-type magic beast?”

“Yes, they are guys who dig burrows and go around, and pits remain like that.”

“How do you know that?”

“Ah, to survive on the front line one has to basically memorize it. Moles are troublesome magic beasts to the extent that once they appear one gives up the surroundings.”

“Is there more you know about mole-type magic beasts?”

“That— because they dig burrows and go around it is not easy to find them. They are quite a nuisance because they hide in the ground and then pop out and bite and take humans.”

Galahad nodded and jumped into the pit.

“You came to rescue!”

He pushed aside the hand Gwen held out and poked all around. Everything was blocked.

‘There is no particular clue.’

He clicked his tongue softly and came up again.

“What about me!? Too much!”

Gwen held Tom’s hand and came up.

“Gilbert, don’t you know anything?”

Gilbert looked down at the pit with a serious expression. Still he was a knight seasoned on the front line. He wondered if he knew something—.

“This magic beast digs the ground.”

“Enough, it was a mistake to ask you.”

“Ah, moles are extremely sensitive to sound.”

Tom added awkwardly. Gilbert stealthily glared at Tom. Because of being greatly tense Tom seemed not to have seen it.

“Sound—.”

Galahad looked at Gwen. Gwen who was brushing off the dirt stuck on her body opened her eyes wide.

“······Fart?”

“No, try singing a song.”

“Ah! A song?! Cough cough!”

Gwen immediately started singing without holding back.

It was not that Gwen could not sing. The problem was that she put in too much effort. It was heavy metal sensibility.

“Bea!utiful garden! Cool prince! Lord Jiruman and! Beau!tiful!”

Gwen who immersed soon began singing. Damien squinted his eyes.

Galahad did not care and concentrated on the mana while walking along the path. How far had they walked like that.

Around the time the prince and princess in Gwen’s song married, and their daughter inherited the throne by seizing the neighboring king’s throat—.

“Coming.”

“Coming.”

A reaction came. Gilbert stepped forward.

“In the middle of inheriting the throne······ uwaaak!”

Tom held a shield and took care of Gwen.

The ground split and dirt bounced roughly. A dense brown carapace filled the vision.

“Kyarrruk!”

It was a huge crustacean with red eyes. Sand was fully sprayed behind those wings.

“Moles are weak to bright light!”

Tom who hid Gwen behind shouted loudly.

‘Light—.’

Then, Gilbert swung the sword diagonally. The blue aura contained in the sword cut the magic beast’s chest. Blood was sprayed roughly, but whether the carapace was thick the magic beast did not collapse.

The magic beast swung the cute front legs that did not match the huge build at Gilbert. Gilbert received it with the sword. Kuung! A heavy impact sound was heard and Gilbert was pushed back.

Galahad extended his left hand and detonated mana. The mana concentrated on light exploded intensely.

When the intense light exploded, those red pupils blinked large. Whether it was true that it was weak to light, the magic beast’s movement stopped with a thud—.

Then, Damien who held the sword in his mouth climbed the magic beast on all fours. It was a bug-like appearance.

Damien who arrived at the head raised the rusted sword high.

Kyarrruk—! With a sharp sound a snout pointed like a bunch of daggers trembled.

Damien stabbed the sword in. It was clearly a dull sword, but it lightly split the carapace. Looking closely it seemed he aimed at the fine part between the carapaces. Amazing concentration.

Then, Gilbert’s sword cut the front foot. The cut foot floated in the air and then fell in front of Galahad.

The hot blood sprayed from the lump soaked the foot. A small puddle was created below. Galahad fully dipped his hand in the puddle.

‘Magic beasts do not have that high mana concentration.’

It was high compared to an ordinary mage, but much weaker than the demon race.

If it was a magic beast of that degree of concentration, one could sufficiently deal with it even without the magic beast’s blood.

However, Galahad deliberately used the magic beast’s blood.

Because that side was more efficient, and fun.

For a moment fire rose from Galahad’s hand.

‘The magic beast’s blood is a bit rougher.’

It was mana less refined than the demon race. Because of that a small error occurred in the formula.

The sweat drop that flowed from the forehead formed on the bridge of the nose and fell.

Even though the hand almost burst, the corners of Galahad’s mouth were fully raised.

‘As expected it is fun.’

The tension straightened the mind tightly. The head spun.

A large half-moon shaped fire flew from Galahad’s hand.

The flames aimed at the wound Gilbert had engraved.

The magic beast tried to dodge, but Gilbert blocked below it.

The flames deeply filled the wound on the magic beast’s chest.

Kyarrruk! The magic beast soon became golden brown.

“Lived happily!”

In time with Gwen’s song the magic beast fell forward. Fire flickered behind Gwen. It was a flashy ending. It seemed the person herself did not know—.

Clap clap clap clap!

“Wo—! To deal with a mole so lightly! Truly amazing!”

Tom clapped enthusiastically. Gilbert unnecessarily shook the sword and took a posture. It seemed he was weak to praise. Gwen scratched the back of her head as if shy.

“Tom, is there a spare water bottle?”

“Yes! What size shall I give?”

“Are there by size?”

“Yes, just in case.”

Tom held out as many as four water bottles. Galahad chose the largest one.

“Why are you containing the magic beast’s blood?”

Gilbert asked while narrowing his eyes. A faint repulsion was felt. Anyway containing the magic beast’s blood seemed to bother him.

“There was a boy who was beaten by a blacksmith.”

“Yes?”

“The boy who was beaten by the blacksmith stole the sword taking advantage of the gap when the blacksmith was absent. And stabbed the blacksmith with that sword. Puk— very deeply.”

Gilbert’s eyes narrowed more. He didn’t understand. Then, Gwen raised her hand high.

“Gwen, speak.”

“Ah! The blacksmith is the demon race and the boy is the captain! The sword is magic!”

“It is the correct answer. Gwen got it right, but you didn’t understand.”

Gilbert opened his mouth with a reluctant expression.

“It is not that I didn’t understand—.”

“It’s okay! It was just that I was lucky!”

At Gwen’s consolation Gilbert sighed.

“Uh, will you come over here a bit? There is something strange here!”

Tom who was examining the magic beast corpse called. Tom pointed to the belly of the mole-type magic beast.

“Isn’t this similar to what the captain did on the carriage earlier?”

There was something that should not be on the magic beast’s belly.

It was a magic circle.

A magic circle engraved on a magic beast—.

That weight was not light.

Because that was one of the reasons mages came to be treated as the filth of the demon race.

***

“This is—.”

Gilbert’s eyes fully furrowed. Strength entered the hand that held the sword hilt.

“It is not that guy’s. Didn’t that guy officially die.”

“Isn’t that something one doesn’t know.”

Gilbert exhaled a rough breath. The breath was sprayed long.

Galahad could not answer for sure.

In the Intelligence Bureau that guy’s death was officially recorded but—.

‘Now even that one cannot be sure.’

It was a situation where there was a demon race in the Intelligence Bureau safehouse. One could not know where the confusion was.

‘Somehow the information about the North was particularly lacking—.’

Galahad clicked his tongue softly.

Perhaps there could even be a demon race in the Intelligence Bureau headquarters. And perhaps even in the imperial family—.

‘I didn’t feel it at all.’

If it was to the extent he himself did not notice—. Galahad’s mouth became dry.

Somehow there was a tendency to look down on the demon race too much.

“Who is that guy?”

At Tom’s question the thoughts broke.

“When the demon race in the past crossed the North and threatened the empire, there were those who betrayed and stood on the demon race’s side. They are the ones who became the beginning of mages.”

“Among humans?”

“Yes, they were humans. Among them there was a mage who handled magic beasts, and it is said that such magic circles are engraved on the magic beasts that guy handles.”

“Then!”

Tom jumped away from the magic beast. At the noisy reaction Galahad smiled bitterly.

“Is there no possibility the demon race used it?”

Gilbert asked in a pressed voice.

“The demon race does not use magic circles or spells. They cannot use them, and do not use them.”

“What is that···.”

“Just as the imperial people do not deliberately think and use the imperial language, the demon race does not deliberately use magic circles or magic. Because their breath and gestures are the origin of magic.”

Galahad coughed softly.

“But for humans to follow the power of the demon race formulas and spells are needed. Translation— yes, like translation. After that too much time has flowed so now magic and the demon race have become completely different things but—.”

At the stupid eyes Galahad clicked his tongue softly. It seemed he did not understand.

“So it means there is a human mage helping the demon race?”

“That’s right! Tom, the understanding is fast.”

When he pointed at Tom while flicking his finger Tom smiled awkwardly. Gwen regretted saying ‘I almost got it all right!’

“So is it that guy’s? This is a serious matter.”

“Do not urge. Because I will look into it from now.”

Galahad rolled up both sleeves and squatted in front of the magic beast corpse.

“This is—.”

The eyes of Galahad who was examining the magic circle fully furrowed. The magic circle was too crude.

“It is pathetic. He used the mana contained in the magic beast’s blood, but he does not know exactly what role that plays. It is just something he saw and copied. And that not copying a proper magic circle—.”

Tom brought the torch closer so it was better visible.

“Ah, thank you Tom. It is mixing the blood of a higher magic beast and human blood. Did he use soldiers on this kind of trash? I will express condolences.”

“Please speak in imperial language.”

“I have been speaking in imperial language until now. So it is not that guy’s. To be precise, it seems about the degree of copying a magic circle that copied that guy’s magic circle again.”

Gilbert squinted his eyes.

“Can’t it be simpler?”

“Hmm, it seems our first mission will become bigger than expected. It is the sound that the credit will become bigger so it would be right to be happy. Everyone clap,”

Gwen and Tom, Damien clapped. Gilbert did not clap.

‘If it is a magic circle of this degree, he would be watching from the surroundings.’

Galahad who finished the calculation softly loosened his neck.

“This kind of trash magic circle—. The guy who drew this is a magic cripple who cannot even follow and draw. I wonder how he became a mage—.”

The head of Galahad who had been muttering turned with a whoosh—.

A place filled with darkness, a very small sound was heard from beyond it.

“You, you were there.”

Galahad smiled brightly and waved his hand.

Even a trash mage would flare up if one cursed his magic.

“Who··· who are you calling a cripple! Go! Bite!”

After the clumsy shout the ground shook. Galahad waved his hand and scattered mana.

It was a method that utilized the fact that low concentration magic power did not work on the demon race or magic beasts. A vacant spot was created in the mana that scanned the space and returned again.

There would be a magic beast in that spot.

The number was—.

“It is three. Sir Gilbert, Damien can you do it?”

“Yes, brother.”

“······Where are you going?”

“You, the attachment is severe today. I am a body with a woman to marry.”

Gilbert fully furrowed his face. That expression had returned like before.

“I have to catch the blacksmith. Ah, in this case it would be about the assistant of the blacksmith’s assistant.”

Then, the ground split and magic beasts larger than before popped out.

“Yes, understood. I will open the way. We must catch the guy.”

Gilbert said while raising the sword.

“Do not worry. Because this is my specialty.”

****

“Karl! Karl! Karl!”

Bern ran desperately with trembling legs. The feet were heavy and the breath reached the top of the throat but he could not stop.

Bern could not endure and stepped forward at the appearance of cursing his magic as trash.

Where would there be a mage who endures while cursing his magic with bizarre logic.

It shook for a very short moment. Then the guy looked at Bern piercing the darkness from that distance.

At the raised corners of the mouth Bern realized he had been caught by the guy.

How far had he run—. Bern stealthily looked around. It was all a dark forest.

‘Yes, I sent as many as three moles, there is no way he is fine.’

Bern leaned his back on a tree and spat out the breath that had fully risen. Then he vomited the risen nausea. The heart seemed about to burst.

Stupid guy! Who are you calling trash! Without even knowing!

“Why stop? It seems not here. Ah, by any chance are you tired? I will wait. Rest comfortably.”

A monotonous voice was heard. At that the eyes of Bern who raised his head became large as if they would tear.

The man was at a place a little away. He held a cigarette in his mouth and waved his hand.

The moles were—.

“It is a gaze as if how did you shake off the magic beasts. It was engraved on the magic circle, do not attack mages. It seems prepared in case you attack you guys?”

“How··· how did you······.”

“It was all written on the magic circle.”

Not all magic circles were the same magic circle. It was not the kind that one could know by seeing. If one could know everything by seeing, who would use magic circles.

Even the magic circle used on the mole was a magic circle regarding magic beasts.

If it was a guy who did not know magic beasts one could not know—.

“You··· you···! You researched magic beasts!”

“To be precise I researched the demon race. I started recently.”

“Then we are on the same side! I also researched the demon race! We are friends! Friends!”

“Really? Are you also thinking of stabbing the blacksmith?”

“Blacksmith? What is that—.”

Then, Bern who met eyes with the man trembled his lips softly.

It was eyes like the demon race.

Somewhere lacking—.

It was not a guy words communicated with.

“Please empty, thirst, bone, child, scream—.”

Bern hurriedly chanted a spell. In a mage’s battle chanting the spell first was important.

Bern held the staff with both hands and held it out. Mana gathered quickly.

“Oh my—, a staff! You, are you serious? I am going crazy.”

The man burst into bizarre anger. Why a staff? For a moment Bern whose concentration was disrupted hurriedly concentrated.

“Mana is the power of the soul and the weight of knowledge. Yet to rely on a material staff! And you are still a mage?”

The man continued to get angry as if something was so angry.

Bern raised the corners of his mouth. He did not know what confidence it was, but to make one chant the spell first in a mage’s match—.

The match was no different from ended.

“Pain, sexual desire!”

“Oh— oh my! Why put sexual desire there! So the concentration breaks! If you shouted pain you have to put something like burn or headache following so the association is easy!”

“······Headache! Burn!”

“Now words communicate. No, the mana is flowing steadily. Concentrate!”

Bern pondered for a moment whether he was a good guy, but shook his head.

“Burning teeth—.”

“Are you serious? Preparing so long and only burning teeth? Ha—.”

At the man sighing Bern giggled. It was clearly a crazy guy. To say it is pathetic seeing the burning teeth belonging to the 3rd Circle—.

The completed burning teeth was shot at the man. That speed was faster than an arrow.

The fireball that reached in front of the man opened wide like a magic beast’s snout.

The man shook the cigarette and flicked the left finger. There was a subtle power in that gesture so the gaze was naturally drawn.

For a moment a large ice was shot from the man’s finger.

‘How so fast—.’

Bern who realized the identity of the magic was astonished.

Ice awl—. That was a 3rd Circle magic the same as burning teeth.

‘What—.’

Using 3rd Circle magic with flicking a finger—? It was a skill one had never even heard of.

When the burning teeth and ice awl collided head-on, the burning teeth collapsed as it was.

At the unbelievable situation Bern blinked his eyes.

“If I were you I would have used thick roots and ice arrows instead of burning teeth. The spell is also short and hard to respond to. But you used the biggest among the magic you know. It is a mistake mages unfamiliar with mage battles commonly make.”

The man clicked his tongue and said in a monotonous voice.

“I understand, one can make mistakes. Isn’t mistake a human virtue. The important thing is not making the same mistake again. Here, then I will try from the beginning again.”

The man leisurely flicked his finger. As if telling to try more.

“This··· this! You looked down on me?!”

Bern’s face fully furrowed. Being ignored was something one could not endure—.

“Even so how can you use thick roots. That should have been the first move.”

An ice skewer was stuck in Bern’s leg. Concentrate! The man shouted. Bern suppressed the scream and continued the spell.

“Heo, even so shooting a fire arrow? At this distance? You, are you serious?”

One more was stuck in the opposite leg. Concentrate! Bern screamed in fear.

At the man’s urging Bern shed tears and chanted the spell.

“At least make an effort to say the spell quickly! Faster! The soldiers who died to you become pitiful!”

How on earth faster than this—.

Bern’s knees slowly knelt.

An ice skewer was stuck in the thigh, but it was not fatal, and mana still remained.

Yet the knees bent was—, because the will to resist was broken.

The man was playing with Bern.

Why—.

“Even though you drank the demon race’s blood, it is a gaze of why is the difference so big.”

The man who squatted in front said. Bern nodded with difficulty.

“The answer is simple. I used all the mana every day from the age of three. Without missing a single day. Will that gap be filled just by drinking a bit of the demon race’s blood? If you expected that you have no conscience. Oh, you expected? You are truly a shameless human.”

Why do such a thing—.

The man said simply, but it was not such an easy thing. Using all the mana was similar to a knight training until exhaustion every day··· no, harder. Because magic consumes mental power.

“Why? I cannot understand you. Isn’t magic fun? Doesn’t it itch wanting to use it?”

Crazy guy.

At Bern’s curse the man smiled faintly.

“Thank you for the compliment. Here, there are a few things I want to ask. Where did you get that magic circle? Also is there a mage who came together? Or a demon race?”

Bern chewed his lips. Even if he died he could not say.

“Oh, did you just shake your head? You are mistaken about something. You have no choice.”

The man fully raised the corners of his mouth.

“Do you know what magic the Intelligence Bureau mages are best at? The correct answer is—.”

It is persuasion.

Between the smoke the man’s raised corners of the mouth were visible.