Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Vicious Guy

“Yes, not from the North?”

“Yes, I am from a city in the east of the center. I learned from some mage.”

“As expected there was no foundation in magic—. Continue.”

“Yes, after learning magic······.”

“Sorry, but let’s skip to the reason you came here. Your life is not to my taste.”

“Yes, so while living as the exclusive mage of a noble in a castle in the upper part of the center, one day masked men came looking.”

“Mask?”

“Yes, it was a mask that looked like a crow.”

Crow mask—. Galahad muttered softly. They were guys he knew. They were once my work.

“Is it the Black Magic Society?”

“Yes, you know. The guys asked if I didn’t want mana stones.”

“They changed the method. So you came to the North?”

“Yes.”

“Yes, you received the order to take mole-type magic beasts and dig the ground? Inside there is a mage named Karl and one guy of unknown identity? Twelve moles?”

“Yes, I said everything. So now please—.”

“Hmm, try saying from the beginning again.”

“I already said earlier! It’s already the fourth time! Fuck!”

“Oh, the persuasion is still insufficient. You, contrary to the appearance the stubbornness is quite strong.”

“Aaaak! I was wrong! I was wrong! I will say again—!”

“Yes, this time will you speak a little faster?”

****

‘Black Magic Society—.’

Galahad put a mana cigarette in his mouth and muttered softly.

There was no such thing as black magic separately. Magic was just magic. Yet the reason the name black magic was attached was because their method was different from ordinary mages.

Black mages praised the demon race as the origin of magic and ate humans according to their method. Along with that they were anarchist guys who denied the empire.

An organization the Intelligence Bureau particularly paid attention to, and at the same time a card frequently used.

For example if there was a noble who secretly embezzled taxes, they would stealthily handle it and turn it into the fault of the black mage guys to give fear.

Galahad who thought their existence did not help in blocking the Demon King planned to handle them all, but in the end could not catch the main body.

Wondering where they hid—.

‘They were in the North.’

Galahad shook the cigarette. Gray ash fell below it.

‘Then did the magic beast trainer enter the Black Magic Society? Or did they find the relic of the magic beast trainer from that side?’

It was a quite important problem.

To solve this one first had to catch those guys digging the burrow.

‘One mage stronger than this guy and one guy of unknown identity, and twelve moles. There might be more.’

It was the information the guy named Bern gave. Because he confirmed several times there was no case of lying.

However, the status of the guy named Bern did not look that high. There could be troops the guy did not know.

Karl who was Bern’s senior was not a problem.

Even if stronger than this guy in the end he was a mage so not Galahad’s opponent. The mage Galahad would feel threatened by was stuck in the twilight Magic Tower over there.

Twelve moles would somehow be resolved if one rolled the members—.

‘The guy of unknown identity is the problem.’

It was a quite big variable.

The safe thing was waiting for Adrianne but—.

He had already handled one. There was a possibility they would notice from that side and flee.

The magic circle engraved on the magic beast’s belly—. The related guys could not be missed even one.

From after arriving in the North··· no, from the day he left the Intelligence Bureau there seemed not a single day of peace.

‘Good.’

Galahad shook the cigarette and set up calculations and checked. And around the time he was setting up again footsteps were heard from behind.

Dull yet steady stride—. It was Gilbert.

Whether the magic circle engraved on the magic beast was a reverse scale, that footstep was twice as fast as usual.

“How did it go?”

Red blood was fully stuck on Gilbert’s sword. How urgently he came, Gilbert who wiped the sword so diligently did not even shake off the blood.

Behind that Damien and Tom, Gwen appeared in order. Everyone’s appearance was a mess. Especially Damien was entirely red.

“It took longer than expected.”

“···Anyway because the opponent is a magic beast. What the 1st Battalion mainly deals with is the demon race. Magic beasts are dealt with by ordinary soldiers or knights holding large weapons.”

It seemed roughly stronger on the human side. It was not something one could not understand. Actually the sword was short for dealing with monsters.

“A plausible excuse.”

The problem would not be only that one.

Damien and Gilbert had extremely different tendencies. Damien was a born beast, and Gilbert was an honest knight. Along with that Gwen and Tom left behind like barley sacks—.

‘I should match the coordination a bit on the way.’

Originally coordination was fastest matched in real combat.

“So how did it go.”

Gilbert asked again.

“They said they are digging the ground with moles. Behind that there is one mage and a guy of unknown identity. There might be more.”

“You mean a burrow?”

When Galahad nodded, Gilbert’s face became quite serious.

“Was there a case like this before?”

“Magic beasts usually destroy or cross the castle wall. Still sometimes burrows like this are discovered. It is the reason magic beasts or the demon race do not cease inside the castle wall.”

“There is one more possibility. It could be a mana stone mine.”

“······Mana stone mine?”

“Mana stones are popular in the capital.”

Gilbert squinted his eyes.

“Anyway, shouldn’t we catch the guy who engraved the magic circle on the demon race? We also have to block that insidious burrow.”

“We must catch him unconditionally.”

“It would be good to call support, but the possibility of fleeing in the meantime is high. Because we caught one mage and four moles. They will notice soon.”

“That is not allowed!”

‘The reaction is intense.’

The Gilbert he had seen so far was a man who hardly revealed emotions. Emotion rose on the face of such Gilbert.

Emotion was a crack. A weakness—. and at the same time a motive to move.

‘It seems the magic circle engraved on the magic beast has a bit bigger meaning to the Northern knights.’

Galahad’s eyes narrowed. Then he smiled.

From the beginning he had no thought of letting go. It was the credit of the first mission, and at the same time a string reaching the rat-like Black Magic Society, and a clue about the magic beast trainer.

He planned to enter even alone.

He was sufficiently confident.

“Here, we have to save the North from crisis, right? Everyone ready to become heroes?”

Gwen was an expression about to cry, and Tom was a face about to vomit at any moment. Gilbert was exactly an expression stabbed by a knife.

Beep—. Gilbert put a finger in his mouth and made a whistle sound. A bird’s cry was heard, then a large hawk came down. It was a cool hawk with a white head.

The hawk naturally flew and sat on Gilbert’s shoulder. Gwen who asked if she could touch and was refused became discouraged.

‘A messenger hawk—. Fitting the North.’

Gilbert opened the tube on the hawk’s leg and took out paper. Then he wrote something and put it in again. The hawk flew again and disappeared.

“I put in contact with Lady Adrianne.”

“Well done. Here, then let’s move right away.”

Galahad brushed off the snow piled on his shoulder and took the lead.

Then, Gilbert asked low.

“What happened to that guy earlier?”

Galahad waved the staff instead of answering.

Gilbert did not ask more.

****

When they arrived at the place the guy said, a huge cave greeted them.

The surrounding mana concentration was quite dense.

‘Did they dig stones? Magic beasts are magic beasts.’

At the huge hole Galahad stuck out his tongue. Then, something was felt at the entrance.

“Wait a moment, stop.”

Gilbert who had been taking the lead stopped with a thud—. Galahad narrowed his eyes and scattered mana here and there.

“An alarm magic is installed. A meticulous guy.”

“Please release it quickly.”

“You, speaking too easily. If alarm magic could be dismantled so easily would it be alarm magic? It would be welcome magic.”

“Can’t you dismantle it?”

“No, I already did.”

“Then why······.”

“If the eyes become high because of me for nothing, other mages might be unfair. It is preventing that.”

“Even in this situation a joke?”

“It is sincere.”

Galahad examined the magic circle engraved as if covering one side. A crude stone was embedded in the center.

“It is a mana stone.”

“Is this that mana stone? It just looks like a stone—.”

“If you look well, a subtle light comes out.”

Galahad carefully took out the mana stone. Mana stones judge value by the amount of contained light, and this was the lowest grade.

He removed the magic and stepped inside.

Galahad gauged the width of the cave. With this degree—.

“It would be a maximum of three moles. Just the right size.”

“What is right?”

Galahad raised the corners of his mouth instead of answering.

“Here, Gilbert and Damien stand in front. I will take the rear. Tom hold the shield.”

“···What about me?!”

Galahad quietly examined Gwen. To efficiently transmit magic, Gwen had to cling first.

One had to crave magic with the feeling of holding the devil’s hand feeling terrible helplessness to be more efficient. It was still insufficient.

However, it was not that there was completely no use.

He dug out the mana stone part from the staff he brought. The upper part was large so the size was appropriate. He looked at the magic circle engraved on the staff for a moment and appropriately scraped a few places.

And held it out to Gwen.

“Hold the end here.”

“······Yes?”

Gwen tilted her head for a moment and held the end of the staff.

“Ouch! What is this the feeling is strange!”

“It is originally all like that.”

When he fixed the magic circle that drew the mana of the mana stone, he could excellently use the barley sack Gwen.

‘A large walking and automatically filling mana stone. A bit noisy is the disadvantage.’

Galahad looked at Gwen with satisfied eyes.

Since there was a guy of unknown identity behind, he planned to save the demon race’s blood as much as possible.

“Adultery in the North is the death penalty.”

“Do not say useless things and concentrate.”

Gilbert clicked his tongue and stepped forward.

“Here, it is the first mission, and the first training.”

****

‘Why on earth am I here···.’

Tom swallowed saliva.

The opponent was a mole. A mole!

Even one coming out a squad overturned, and two coming out a squad disappeared. Because they pop out from the ground and bite and take people, they were also called ground ghosts.

He was entering on his own feet a place where there were as many as twelve such moles.

There were Damien and Gilbert, but earlier they also struggled when facing three moles.

Along with that Tom was an ordinary soldier unlike them.

“Here, it seems they noticed slowly! Everyone prepare!”

Then, the cave shook noisily.

Moles running helter-skelter from far away were visible. He did not know when they were in the ground, but seeing them running from outside that pressure was considerable.

“Damien, you are a born beast. Go in deep. Think only of yourself.”

“Yes— brother.”

The conversation between Damien and Galahad was truly peaceful.

“And Sir Gilbert, you do not need to worry about the back.”

Gilbert furrowed his eyebrows instead of answering. Blue energy rose fiercely on the hand holding that sword.

“Tom, when I call jump out and block with the shield. Think of just throwing your body.”

Holding a shield and going to throw the body—. Tom firmly swallowed the counter-question that had risen to the tip of the mouth.

Then, the cave filled with moles. That unique sharp teeth trembled.

“Here, everyone concentrate. Damien!”

Damien rushed out. The body movement was amazing no matter when one saw it.

It was a situation where Gilbert alone had to block three moles. The situation was worse than earlier.

How on earth this—.

“Flame dance.”

“······Keuk!”

Something huge flew from behind.

It was a large flame stream to the extent of filling the cave.

How does a person use that kind of magic—. Tom opened his mouth and admired.

Kyarrrrruk—! The moles that caught fire struggled. The dark cave brightened in an instant.

The terrible appearance of the moles was seen nakedly. The fluid flowing between the melting carapaces—. It was an appearance one would fear to see in a dream.

Damien slipped and dug under the fire and disappeared. Exactly like the appearance of throwing the body into the fire.

Blue light surged from Gilbert’s sword. He lightly carved the mole’s head. The mole that had been beside tried to press Gilbert.

Gilbert stepped back and calmly cut the sword horizontally. It was different from earlier when he only advanced.

Creak—. The aura lightly cut the foot. A scream burst from the mole’s mouth. Gilbert’s sword moved softly. The mole advanced as it was.

Gilbert’s sword was sharp, but the size was small compared to the mole.

“Now! Tom!”

Tom first rushed out.

As the bottom split the mole’s foot rose. Kuung! Tom rolled backward from the heavy impact on the shield.

Desperately gathering his mind and getting up, Gilbert was cutting down the mole.

It was dealing with three moles, but softer than earlier.

There was only one thing that changed—.

“Good! Sir Gilbert, you saw just now? Tom can also block once.”

It was only that Galahad joined.

Galahad’s magic was threatening, but that was not the reason for the current situation.

The main thing was Galahad’s distribution.

Making Damien dig even deeper, preventing tangling with Gilbert, and actively utilizing Tom to free Gilbert’s feet.

Only then did Tom realize that Gilbert had been bound because of them.

“Tom, are you okay?”

“Yes! I am fine!”

At Gilbert’s heavy voice, Tom spat the blood gathered in his mouth and held the shield.

Beyond Gilbert the terrible burned moles were visible.

The howl full of anger filled the cave. The legs trembled from the pressure, and sweat naturally formed on the back. Isn’t this hell.

Why am I here? I am an ordinary soldier—.

“I will scatter light once each. Absolutely do not turn back.”

That plain order made the situation trivial.

It was all rolling back after being hit once without even attacking, but where was there being able to do even that.

“It is light!”

With a calm voice bright light poured from behind.

Tom tightly gripped the shield strap.

****

‘What is this·········.’

Karl chewed his lips.

Clearly the plan was perfect. He turned the North’s eyes, and also received mole-type magic beasts.

He found out the area without patrol between the watchtowers, and set the place there.

But why—.

“The moles are being pushed. Hmm, is it failure. I did not expect this.”

At the monotonous voice heard from the side Karl promptly knelt.

“No! I can finish! Just one chance—.”

The opponent stepped on the clinging Karl’s hand firmly. It was painful, but Karl desperately endured. Because he knew if he let go of this hand he would die.

Because of wearing the crow mask, that face was not visible.

“Do you know who the person standing at the front there is? It is Knight Gilbert. A person who gave quite a lot of damage to our side. Thanks to that the bounty also attached a lot. Because he was stuck with Adrianne we could not handle him—. You, you are lucky. If it was not Gilbert, there would have been no reason for me to step forward.”

The crow mask said in a neutral voice. He did not know what sound it was, but Karl first nodded.

“How many mana stones are left?”

Karl hurriedly took out all the mana stones he had prepared and held them out.

Anyway if he failed they were mana stones he could not eat. There was no need to save them now.

“······Shall I wake that person?”

At Karl’s question the crow mask lowered his gaze.

“Calling that person? Do you want to die?”

“But··· but······.”

“A child with a lot of fear. Do not worry. With this many mana stones in my hand, what is Gilbert.”

The crow mask smiled insidiously.

“But besides Gilbert there is another person—.”

“Another person? Ah, there were the riffraff behind. About Gilbert’s soldiers. What is there to see······.”

The crow who was saying that suddenly stopped.

The crow stuck his head out. It was an appearance as if confirming something far away.

The crow who had been like that for a moment turned his head to the side. Creak—. A bizarre sound was heard.

“What are you doing?”

“······Yes?”

“Go wake him right now!”

At the crow’s shout Karl stood up abruptly.

Earlier he was ranting not to wake him yet why suddenly······.

“Did he chase all the way here? Vicious guy!”

The crow shouted in a voice full of trembling.

In that gaze there was a neat man.

“Hurry and wake! Wake! Just open the cave! What are you doing! This cripple bastard! Do you want to die?! That that— vicious bastard! He came all the way here after all!”

At the crow’s shout Karl ran helter-skelter.

Who on earth is that man—.