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Return Home After Five Years #1

The call of the Blue Tower Master, Blundell Adruncus…!

Both men were puzzled by the unexpected call but were forced to accept the request. Even if their senior and junior relationship was flexible, this was a command from the person at the top of a tower. They couldn't refuse even if they didn't know Blundell's intentions.

The Blue Tower wasn't that far from the Magic Society, so the two people followed Melrose and soon entered the Blue Tower. Many faces swung toward Theo as he walked through the entrance.

"..Master, why do I feel eyes on me?"

Vince was also sensitive to the gazes of the people, so he nodded with an uncomfortable expression.

"It seems like you have become a celebrity after yesterday. As expected from the Blue Tower, rumours spread unnecessarily fast."

"Is there anything I should care about?"

"Just ignore it. If you give them any attention, they will just cling to you."

The Red Tower was crude, while the Blue Tower was shady. Those were the words the two towers used when mocking each other. However, there was a basis for them. The Red Tower emphasized strength rather than logic, while the Blue Tower used a lot of tricks rather than frontal competition. The identities of the two rival towers were quite consistent with this.

Just like it wasn't good to face a red tower magician who would immediately duel instead of debating, it was also best to not deal with a blue tower magician who could drag things out for hours.

Theo listened to the advice of Vince, who had the experience, and walked while ignoring his surroundings. The two people followed Melrose's lead and arrived at the top floor where the tower master lived.

They stopped in front of a door decorated with colourful patterns, and Melrose bowed down politely. As Vince stepped forward, the door opened with a horrible sound.

Kkiiik-

Then as soon as the Vince and Theodore entered, magic was used to close the door again. Just like magic, the room was suddenly filled with artifacts. The old man sitting on the stool, Blundell, got up and welcomed them.

"Ohh, welcome! Sorry for calling you so early in the morn…ing?"

Blundell opened his arms, then he suddenly stopped moving and fixed his gaze on Vince. His eyes which had been laughing suddenly shone like transparent glass beads. After 10 seconds, Blundell smiled so widely that his mouth wrinkled, "Kuahaha! Vince, you finally took a layer off!"

"…What do you mean?"

"Ah, this person! Why are you trying to cheat the eyes of this Blue Tower Master? Anyway, congratulations on going beyond the wall!"

"Hoo, thank you."

As expected from a 8th Circle magician; Blundell had noticed Vince's achievement with one glance. He gave a cheerful laugh. They exchanged greetings before sitting down at a large table. An unknown fragrance came from the hot tea. Perhaps the conversation wouldn't be short.

"Vince, can I ask you something first?"

"Speak."

"932 and 1106. Do you know what these numbers mean?"

Vince frowned at the sudden emergence of numbers. When asked, any wise person would be better off holding their tongues. He didn't answer, so Blundell naturally taught him the meaning of the numbers.

"Those numbers represent the number of people who have been looking for information on Vince Haidel and Theodore Miller, respectively, since yesterday."

"…?!"

The eyes of the two people widened when they heard this. They had achieved some fame from yesterday's awards ceremony, but they hadn't expected so many people to pay attention to them. Considering that those who were qualified to access information at the Magic Society were limited, it was a considerably large force.

As Vince and Theo stiffened, Blundell shook his head and released some of the tension.

"Well, you don't have to worry. I realized this and blocked it before the ceremony began. The only one with more authority than me is His Majesty, so you can relax."

"…Did you know it would be like this?"

"It always happens. Every year, people keep trying to recruit promising participants. The scale is just bigger this time," Blundell replied calmly while sipping his tea.

On the other hand, Vince couldn't help frowning. He despised these political things and had escaped the capital, but the same people were now reaching out to his disciple. As anger boiled within him, his six circles emitted magic power unconsciously. The air around them quickly became heavy.

The wrath of a 6th Circle magician was truly terrible. Fortunately, there was one more powerful magician in the room.

"Come now, don't get too heated up." Then Blundell beckoned.

Chill.

The air instantly cooled down. The distorted air became cool like the autumn wind, allowing Theo to know the power of the being before his eyes. It was an absolute magic where chanting and casting were meaningless!

The power of this magician, who had reached the 8th Circle 30 years ago, was closer to a natural disaster. If Blundell wanted, he could create ice with one flick of his finger. He could make Sylvia's Blizzard look like child's play, and it was even possible to cover sand with ice.

After cooling down the atmosphere, Blundell spoke, "Even if you are a 6th Circle magician, you can't throw away politics. It isn't a wise choice to be antagonistic to those in power."

"Then what would the wise Tower Master do?"

"Huh? If it were me, I'd just beat up all them up. I'm an 8th Circle magician, so I don't care about stepping on them."

As the two people gaped at the ridiculous words, Blundell laughed and pulled something out.

"That is a joke. I've prepared this for you."

"That…?"

It was an envelope stamped with the seal of the Magic Society. Unlike Theo who had a bewildered expression, Vince knew exactly what it was.

"Is it a dispatch? Theodore is still just the Basic ranking."

"If you can't get rid of the shit, avoid it. It is better than staying in your room until the end of the magic contest." Blundell smiled with satisfaction as he added, "Theodore, hasn't it been five years since you returned home? How would you like to take this opportunity to go back?"

"Huh? Return to my home?"

"Coincidentally, the destination of this dispatch mission is to the Miller Barony."

"Ah…!"

This made the story a bit different. Vince could remove Theodore from the nuisance eyes of the nobles without worrying about offending them, and Theo could meet his family after a long time. It wasn't a bad proposition if the difficulty level of the request was reasonable.

Vince watched as Theo identified the contents of the dispatch. It was a report of a cave and contained a person's biography. The final mission statement contained a few short instructions.

"…Investigate the whereabouts of the magician sent to survey a cave found in the Miller Barony? Isn't it a pretty simple request?"

Blundell agreed with Theo's words and continued the explanation, "It isn't a dungeon but an ordinary cave found three months ago. A moderately smart person was sent to survey the inside, but…"

"Contact has been cut off."

"Cough, that's right."

It happened quite frequently. By default, magicians were self-indulgent people, and their essence didn't change much after belonging to the magic towers. Once they found something worth investigating, they would become immersed in it for several months. If so, it was common to send someone else to find that investigator.

"You don't need to do any hard work. It is enough to rest at home and avoid some of the rumours. If you find the magician, it would be nice if you came back with them."

"…I understand."

It wasn't that difficult. The Miller Barony was his playground, and his father was a poor lord with nothing to hide. If they weren't really deeply hidden, then he would be able to find the magician instantly.

Theo received Vince's permission and accepted the envelope.

Then all of a sudden, Blundell started to speak in an melodramatic tone, "Ah~ This old man is suddenly worried because you are so young. If that person didn't deliberately cut off contact, it may be a bit dangerous~"

"What are you saying all of a sudden?" Vince asked.

"Hey! I have a suitable companion for you!" Blundell ignored Vince and beat his staff against the ground. It seemed like a signal for someone else to appear.

As suspicions appeared on the faces of the two people, someone emerged from behind a large bookcase. With blue eyes and dazzling silver hair, Sylvia was carrying a white staff which was different from the one she used in the competition.

"…Sylvia," Theo muttered quietly.

Sylvia muttered in response while bowing her head, "Ah, hello."

"Ah, hello…?"

It was an awkward exchange. Both were distant from society, and one person was unilaterally favourable toward the other. It wasn't a scene where they could possibly communicate smoothly. The two of them had only exchanged a few words during their match, so they were awkward until Blundell pushed Sylvia.

"You aren't the only ones who have received attention since yesterday. Sylvia is going through a similar thing."

"Don't tell me that the companion…"

"Yes, it is Sylvia!"

Theodore swiftly put down the envelope as he realized this. "I'm sorry, but I'll take the next opp-"

"No, wait a minute," Blundell interrupted before Theo could say the words of rejection and grabbed Theo's shoulders. As Theodore was being grabbed by an immense strength, a subdued voice rang in his ears. It was a situation where couldn't help feeling afraid.

"It might be a little burdensome, but Sylvia has absolutely no experience with friendship. Her magic skills are great, but she is mentally young. So, I would like her to build up some social experience on this trip."

"Oh, even so, isn't it too much for a woman to go on a trip with a man?"

"As I mentioned, that child is still unaware of the opposite sex. The interest shown to you is due to a feeling of similarity. A friendly person is necessary."

Still, Theo couldn't help feeling burdened. Theo wasn't able to answer easily, so Blundell took out something resembling a plaque and showed it to Theo. It had the symbol of the Magic Society and Blundell's signature on it.

"This…?"

"This is a nameplate given to the inspector from the Magic Society, and a grant is given according to the rank of the nameplate. If you take a mission that corresponds to the lowest Rank 9, you will receive a grant of three gold. But…"

Blundell raised a finger to the nameplate, changing the nine to a number five. "I can do this at my discretion."

"Then the grant…"

"Of course, it will increase. As I recall, I can pay up to 100 gold."

Theo's eyes widened as he heard 100 gold. 'If I receive 100 gold at this time…'

It was a huge amount of money that was several years worth of budget for the Miller Barony! Above all, there were many farmers who were starving to death because they couldn't produce a harvest.

If he added the 200 gold he'd received as the prize for the tournament, they wouldn't need to worry about the harvest for 10 years. He could buy nice clothes for his parents who always wore old clothing as well as ease the burden of the poor and hungry in his home.

Of course, he was forced to agree. "…I understand. I will go with Sylvia."

"Ohh! Yes, you thought well! The opportunity to be accompanied by a 5th Circle magician isn't that common! Huhahaha!"

While Blundell was laughing loudly, Theo faced Sylvia who was staring at him.

As their eyes met, she waved with a shy expression. Sylvia's beautifully smiling face felt much younger than her appearance.

What would he hear when he took her home?

'Phew, can't this be called a gold mine?'

Theo had become a 4th Circle magician and was returning home with 300 gold and a pretty girl. It was something which would appear in the early stages of a hero's story.

While any young man would be in a state of envy, Theo could only let out a deep sigh.

Return Home After Five Years #2

After the meeting, the events progressed really quickly. They received the full support of the Blue Tower Master, so the Magic Society completed all the necessary procedures to dispatch an investigator, and the 100 gold was immediately paid to Theo.

Although he was distracted, he was able to obtain transportation to the Miller Barony. It was thanks to the merchant company that he had accompanied recently.

"Thank you for your help in acquiring it so quickly."

"No, shouldn't I be thanking you? Thanks to Professor and your disciple, didn't my company reach the capital safely? I can certainly do this simple request for you!"

"You are truly worthy of becoming the boss of the company."

The carriage Gordon had prepared for Theo wasn't something which could have been made in one day and as a favour.

The body of the carriage was lightweight due to magic, and it could seat up to six people. Even though it was only a temporary rental, it was a carriage which would cost a few gold. Yet it was used to pay back a mere favour.

However, Gordon just smiled widely.

'The professor is wearing a robe with the symbol of a 6th Circle magician… This is the chance to form a link with a senior member of the Magic Society!'

Gordon was a seasoned merchant. So, when he learned of Vince's achievement, he pretended not to know. It was necessary to offer human 'affection' in order to form a relationship with a magician who was disconnected from the world.

He kept this position in mind and obtained the luxurious carriage.

'A thorough merchant. Well, it isn't bad.'

Of course, Vince knew of Gordon's ulterior motives but accepted the small favour anyway for his disciple. There was no need to give back what had been given to him. As soon as Vince finished his conversation with Gordon, he approached Theo who was waiting beside the carriage.

He wanted to exchange a few greetings before leaving.

"Have a good rest. After the contest is over, most of the annoying people will return to their homes to concentrate quietly on magic."

"Yes, Master."

"And keep that dimension pocket well. There is magic on it for the investigators to track, so the costs will be charged to you."

"…I will take care of it."

Theo grew nervous as he looked at the dimension pocket in his hands. He had to consume two to three books a day, which meant he needed a means to carry the large volume of books. So, Vince had rented a space pocket and given it to Theo.

However, the management was strict, so there were many bloody stories about the investigations. If Gluttony swallowed the dimension pocket…

'I might be dragged to a hearing and…?'

Theo had heard rumours about the Magic Society, so his complexion turned pale at the thought.

He even thought that he shouldn't hold the pocket with his left hand. So far, Gluttony had never popped out without being called or when it was hungry, but Theo never knew. There was nothing wrong with taking extra precautions.

As they talked about a different subject, the coachman arrived and sat down on the carriage.

"Then, I'll be going now, Master."

"Yes, please take care of yourself."

Theo finished saying goodbye to Vince and disappeared inside, then the colourful carriage started moving slowly. Due to the lightweight magic on the carriage, the movements were soft. Shortly afterwards, Sylvia and Theo were taken away by the carriage, and Vince turned around.

He wished for the safety of his disciple who had left home for five years.

***

Dakadak! Dakadak!

The limited express carriage provided by the Pullonet Company sped up after leaving Mana-vil's gates. The lightweight magic on the body of the carriage made it possible for the horses to run pleasantly. They ran at a dizzying speed as the scenery outside the window sped past them.

'Yes… If we continue traveling at this pace, we will arrive at the Miller Barony in five days.'

It would've taken a fortnight if this were a normal carriage. Gordon had confidently said that it would arrive in a week, and Theo could accept that confidence after experiencing the carriage. It seemed like there was no need to waste a long time traveling back and forth between the capital and his home.

The problem wasn't the carriage, but what was inside it.

'Uh, so awkward…!' Theo desperately glanced at Sylvia who was sitting next to him.

Despite the glaring natural light, Theo could see her brightly coloured eyes and silver hair clearly. He had no idea what she was thinking. Sylvia suddenly dropped her gaze after meeting Theo's eyes and pulled something out of the pocket of her robes.

"Theo, let's play cards."

"Huh? Cards?"

She pulled out a pack of cards.

The back didn't have any decorations, so he couldn't see what the cards were used for. Common sense suggested trump cards, but he couldn't imagine Sylvia playing poker. He willingly received the pack of cards from her and checked what was written on the front.

"Uh, these characters are…?"

Theo's eyes widened as he saw what was written on the front of the cards. 'Are these runes?'

Runes formed the most familiar language for a modern magician and an essential element to configuring magic formulas. Sentences written in runes were lined up on the front of the cards.

When he interpreted the runes on one card, he saw that they formed an accurate representation of a magic formula. It was the same for the other cards. There were parts of the formula on different cards and they had to complete the spells.

Theo's expression became troubled as he understood what she meant by 'play cards.'

"You want to play with these cards?"

"Yes. Since early childhood, I played this with my grandfather. Theo will have a lot of fun."

"No, wait a minute."

Theo turned the cards over a few times and understood how difficult it was. This degree of difficulty would make the academy professors groan. Nevertheless, Blundell seemed to have taught her magic through this game.

Sylvia's ability was excellent, but Theo's expression wasn't bright.

Who could she play these cards with?

With the exception of Theodore, there was no one else her age who could play with her. Even those who wanted to be close to Sylvia hadn't been able to be a match for her to play with, so she had gradually moved away from them.

Being friends was more difficult than other people thought, so it was rare to be friends with someone overwhelmingly superior. Sylvia's beauty, genius, and nature had kept her away from people.

'Maybe she can play with me… No, I can't change Sylvia's attitude this way.'

Blundell wanted to teach her social norms. If Theo played cards with her, he would be treated in a special way. Other people would remain distant, and she would clearly end up relying on the person called, 'Theodore Miller.'

Then her magic would become stagnant again. The thing she needed now was a non-magical environment.

"Instead of that, tell me a story."

"Story?"

"I don't care if it is anything trivial. It can be your favourite food or place. Something that was fun recently…"

'Oh!' Theodore suddenly had a good idea. So, he said, "Are you interested in elementals?"

"Elementals?" Sylvia's eyes brightened at the sudden word. She seemed to have some interest.

"Mitra."

[Huing?]

A lump of dirt flew in the window and changed into the shape of a little girl. Mitra had become slightly bigger since Theo reached the 4th Circle, but she was still just slightly bigger than his palm.

"…Cute." Sylvia's face brightened as she looked at the little elemental who jumped into the carriage.

[Hoing?!] Mitra made a cute sound as she was held by Sylvia. Sylvia stroked the head of the little elemental carefully like she was scared Mitra would break down. Did Mitra like Sylvia's touch touch? At first Mitra was in a bad mood, but then she eventually purred like a cat.

It was like a page from a children's book.

Theo felt more relieved now.

'The susceptibility still remains. It is impossible for a magician to not be interested in Mitra.'

While playing with Mitra, Sylvia smiled and laughed, looking more like a girl her age. This was an expression that Theo probably wouldn't have gotten see if they had just played cards. Sylvia was normally impassive like water, but a woman who smiled like that wouldn't be burdensome.

The journey of the two people continued in a much gentler atmosphere than he had expected.

***

The luxury carriage ran from Mana-vil like the wind. The horses were from an excellent lineage, so they were able to go through the hard mountain trails without much difficulty. As they left the mountain ranges, there were no longer any delays.

On the fourth day, the carriage entered the territory of Viscount Teheran, which was right next to the Miller Barony.

Five years ago, Theo had taken a month to reach Bergen Academy. However, this time it only took four days.

"What is Theo's hometown like?" Sylvia's awkward way of speaking now seemed quite natural.

Her words had changed a lot. Unlike when she first wanted to only talk about magic, she now talked about the colour of her favourite clothes and the scenery outside the window. It was also common for her to be interested in Theodore's personal history.

He thought it was a good sign and replied, "Well, it is just the countryside. The people farm, eat, and live while surrounded by mountains and lush forests. When wild animals come down, they hunt and have a feast. Life isn't always abundant, but they don't hesitate to give to their neighbours. It is a place where such fools live."

As he spoke, the scenery of his home entered his mind.

He pictured the people sowing seeds, playing in fields, working busily in the springtime, running around in the summer, harvesting crops with a smile, gathering with their neighbours, and burning firewood.

Thinking about it again, there had been more years of poverty than abundance. His father had opened up his warehouses and starved along with his people, so Theo had often gone hungry during his childhood.

The taste of a piece of bread formed from the wrinkled hands of an old man was much more memorable than the white bread he ate at Bergen. The weight of those memories echoed in Theo's voice.

Sylvia felt something warm and muttered, "A good place."

"…Yes, it is a good place," Theo agreed.

As Sylvia said, it was indeed a good place. Theo's hometown was just that. They never lived richly, but they were happy. The 14 years he'd lived there were more precious than the countless beauty he'd seen in Bergen and Mana-vil.

'Mother, Father…' Theo's eyes turned red at the thought of greeting his parents and neighbours after a long time.

The atmosphere inside the carriage had become warm, when…

"-Uh?!"

"Ah."

A groan emerged from both of their lips at almost the same time. Theo felt a chill on his neck, a warning from his sensory perception. Sylvia had excellent sensitivity, so she noticed the mana around the carriage being depleted.

The two of them opened the windows on both sides without hesitation. However, despite it being sunset, their range of visibility was extremely short.

'Too dark… The sun can't have set already. If this is the case…!'

Theodore's eyes shone gold. He invoked Hawkeye which allowed him to see even through darkness. If Theo concentrated, he could find a single coin situated a few hundred meters away. It was dark around the forest, but there wasn't any difficult obstacles.

The golden light penetrated through the shadows in the distance. Theo stiffened the moment he grasped the outline of the shadows.

A gasp escaped from his lips, "Undead in this place…?!"

As if in response to his words, the shapes wriggling in the darkness emerged. They were distorted, broken, and crushed bodies. The procession of the undead caused a feeling of aversion inside him.

They were moving catastrophes which ate living creatures to increase their numbers, by-products of necromancy magic used by warlocks. The two people faced the undead that circled around them.

Woong, woong, woong, woong…!

The owner of a grimoire and the Blue Tower's best genius… Theo's and Sylvia's magic power wrapped around each other and caused a mana storm. The undead was stopped by the momentum of the mana storm, but it was only for a moment.

A hard and firm voice emerged from Theo's mouth, "I will take the left, you the right."

"Yes," Sylvia affirmed.

After the simple exchange, the two magicians left the carriage and greeted the crowd of corpses.

Return Home After Five Years #3

As Theo stepped forward, the driver looked at him with a pale face. Why had such terrible monsters appeared around a village like the Miller Barony? This was the first time he had encountered this in his long career as a carriage driver.

"Oh, Magicians! What is happening all of a sudden?"

"Mister, go inside the carriage. We will take care of this and come back."

"Please do so! Take care!"

As soon as Theo spoke, the driver entered the carriage. The driver's movements were swift due to his previous experiences with bandits and monsters. Theo wouldn't need to worry about the carriage.

Instead, he stared at the crowd of dead bodies coming this way. 'Goblins, kobolds, and orcs… The bodies of large monsters aren't visible yet. Is a warlock lurking around?'

By default, necromancy was a magic which required control. Uncontrolled dead bodies would attack living creatures indiscriminately, causing turmoil in the area. Then in order to ruthlessly oppress the whole area, the knights, magic towers, and fixers from the country in question would be dispatched.

So, most warlocks were reluctant to reveal themselves. It was because they weren't confident with a frontal confrontation and because the forces going against them were so powerful. Theo listened to his sensory perception for a moment, but he couldn't find the warlock.

"…It can't be helped."

If it was like this, the only thing he could do was sweep up the crowd before him.

Hwaruruk!

The magic power from four circles resonated in the air. It started with a small spark, then it changed shape into an arrow. A huge quantity of 100 fire arrows were created. It was the same amount of ice arrows Sylvia had created in the final match.

The weakness of the undead were divine power, light, and fire. The sudden appearance of fire caused the approaching corpses to pause. A body which had been dried up of its moisture would become good firewood.

Theo felt sorry for them, but he wasn't going to leave a single undead around his home.

"Go." As soon as he gave the command, the fire arrows fell from the sky.

Pyu, pyu, pyu, pyuuong…

It was a frightening sight and a real crisis to the undead. The dead bodies couldn't defend or avoid the attack, so the fire arrows struck them. The rotten skins of the undead were pierced, and the flames entered their bodies, causing a secondary explosion.

Peng! Pepeng! Peng! Pepepeng!

Their necks broke and their heads fell off. There were also torn arms and legs scattered all over the place. The goblin zombies fell to the ground, while the orc zombies stopped moving. Some zombies crawled like maggots after losing their limbs, while others turned into lumps of flesh.

It was a hellish sight, but Theo didn't show any signs of agitation.

'Their physical capabilities are low, and they don't use weapons. If it is like this, we can deal with 1,000 more.'

There were three factors which determined the completeness of the undead: their ability to reproduce the necromancy ability; the utilization of the techniques their bodies contained; and the intelligence they'd possessed during their lives. If all three of them were present, they would be advanced undead. With two factors, they would be intermediate, while if only one was present, they would be of the inferior rank.

By that standard, these undead had the lowest ranking.

Unless the undead's body was an ogre, he could deal with 1,000 more of these low rank undead. Theodore created another 100 fire arrows. Just on his own, Theodore turned the bodies at the front lines into charred masses with the 100 fire arrows.

However, more undead were surging ahead of the fire arrows.

Kuoooh~! A terrible roar emerged from their rotting lungs.

As Theo looked at the epicenter of the monsters, an undead monster ran out of the bushes. Maggots squirmed on its skin and in its rotten flesh. It had lost its eyeballs, and dark magic power flowed around it.

This creature was a type of 4-meter-tall bipedal monster who lived in a swamp or forest. He had previously seen them during the procession with the merchant company to Mana-vil.

"Troll…!"

Kuoooh-!

Yes, the troll roared and rushed forward.

–Pukwaaaack!

The troll swung its club, and a few unfortunate orc zombies burst like persimmons. There was almost no evidence of the troll losing strength after dying. Although it might have lost its natural regenerative power, it was still troublesome as an undead. Rather, some of the troll's weaknesses had disappeared thanks to becoming undead.

'Damn, Magic Bullet isn't good against the undead…'

These monsters would move even if their heads were blown off. There were some unusual undead like dullahans, while zombies and ghouls would continue to function unless their core was destroyed. Using something like Magic Bullet was like penetrating them with a needle.

He needed to use something big like Blaze Shell to blow away the whole body of the undead. However, 4th Circle magic couldn't be abused in a situation where the warlock behind it hadn't even been revealed.

Theo needed a way to defeat them without using a lot of magic. He needed to draw them together. It was at this moment that…

Shaaaah-!

"G-Guook?"

A water snake suddenly protruded from the rear and struck the undead.

"Liquid Snake?" Theo muttered.

This was the water attribute spell which Sylvia had used in the final match. The snake made of water twisted around the legs of a the troll zombie and started to tighten. The troll zombie's massive body held on for a while, but its bones soon broke. Its flesh broke as well and fell to the ground, turning into a pile of dirt.

Thanks to the troll zombie being taken care of, Theo had a moment to spare and looked in the direction that Sylvia was in charge of. He was curious about what destructive water magic she had used to clean up the situation.

As he realized what had happened, Theo couldn't help admiring her.

'…Hah, so it is like that.'

At the back of the carriage where she was standing, there were traces of a large water snake.

The floor was like mud. As the saying went, overwhelming mass was in itself a weapon. If there wasn't divine power, then pure physical power would be the undead's nemesis. Sylvia's Liquid Snake had wiped out all the undead, including the orc and goblin zombies.

Theo couldn't help being in awe. "Liquid Snake is a 4th Circle magic, but it is pretty fuel efficient. It would certainly be useful when dealing with cases like this."

Sylvia, who was manipulating the Liquid Snake, nodded as if the words had flowed into her ears. "Yes, my grandfather said something similar to Theo."

"Indeed, control type magic…"

It was different from fire which consumed a large amount of magic power to sustain the attack. Of course, magic power was consumed when condensing moisture and making the shape of the snake.

However, it didn't require a lot of magic power to control and maintain the water snake. It was different from fire or wind magic which would disappear if the control was disturbed even a little bit.

Although Theo didn't use water magic, he gained enlightenment in other areas.

'Mitra, can you do it?'

[Hoi!]

Mitra gave a cute answer and jumped out of his arms.

As an earth elemental, it was possible for her to gaze freely at the surrounding area by penetrating into the ground. Additionally, Theodore's magic power was the 4th Circle and close to the 5th Circle. Lastly, the most efficient attribute for control and maintaining the snake wasn't the water element. So, was it possible to reproduce the liquid snake in earth?

Theo's brain came up with an impromptu idea.

"Name… Earth Worm!"

Soil rose up steadily around Mitra.

Kurururung!

Mud, sand, and pebbles mixed into a lump of earth. The form which lifted its head was like a worm. Like Sylvia's water snake, this creature was a piece of artwork, but the coarse features meant it wasn't beautiful. However, he didn't care about such 'minor' problems.

"Wow…" Sylvia's mouth dropped open as a shadow covered the undead. It was the shadow of the Earth Worm under the moonlight. From their perspective, the body of the worm was at least a few dozen meters long. Even the undead which didn't have any intelligence stopped at the unreal scene as well.

In the middle of this silence, Sylvia smiled and asked, "By the way, can you control this?"

Her statement wasn't without merit. It was likely that any magician who saw it would mock Theodore's Earth Worm. Generally, the difficulty of control type magic increased in proportion to its size. Theodore wasn't brilliant enough to control something of this size.

Yes, but that was if this Earth Worm was 'normal' magic.

'Mitra, can you hear me?' As Theo's voice called out inwardly…

Wuuong~ The giant Earth Worm shook its huge body. Sylvia's eyes widened as she saw the familiar gestures. "Ah, perhaps…!"

"That's right. I created it, and Mitra is controlling it. This way, I can control it no matter the size!"

It would be impossible for an ordinary elemental with no self-consciousness, but Mitra was an ancient elemental. She could control the earth and had no choice but to play the role of the Earth Worm. This magic was possible due to both of them splitting the role.

Then in the next moment, the Earth Worm rushed toward the undead.

Kukukung…!

Kukukung…!

The earth shook!

Every time the Earth Worm landed on the ground, the undead would shatter into pieces. Trees fell, and the undead which the worm collided with all collapsed, regardless of whether they were trolls or goblins.

The Earth Worm headed toward the forest where the undead were flocking from and crushed them. The sight of the dead bodies in the darkness wasn't much different than a swarm of ants being trampled on. It was truly worthy of being called destruction.

If anyone had seen this, then no one would argue about which destruction attribute was the strongest.

Just three minutes later, a wasteland of broken undead and trees had formed. Judging from the devastation, the warlock hadn't been present in the first place.

"Amazing…"

Who could imagine that this scene was caused by a 4th Circle magician? Sylvia's admiration for Theo wasn't unreasonable.

The magic that Theodore demonstrated far exceeded common sense and was a trick which wasn't possible without many variables. Theo felt a little dizzy because he himself found it hard to believe.

"Ack!" At the same time, the body of the gigantic Earth Worm collapsed like a sand castle.

"Theo?" Sylvia moved forward toward Theo hurriedly.

He had a bitter smile on his face as he realized he had almost died from his magic core being exhausted.

Theo had experienced something similar when he absorbed all that knowledge from Gluttony. No matter how much he cooperated with Mitra, he couldn't completely eliminate the burden of Earth Worm.

However, instead of frowning, he made a pledge. 'It succeeded… Next time, I'll do it a little more perfectly. There are still many points to improve, so I will think about it slowly.'

He had a headache, but he also felt intense joy from the success of the magic he had envisioned. Theodore Miller's persistence, a persistence which hadn't allowed him to give up on the magician's path for five years, wasn't as common as Sylvia's lack of social graces.

***

After a while, Theo and Sylvia had recovered, and they opened the door of the carriage.

The shaking driver welcomed the two people. "…Oh, Magicians! You took care of all those ugly enemies!"

"For now. However, there could be more of them. We should leave as soon as possible."

"Yes, I understand. I'll start straight away!"

The drive paled and quickly picked up his whip from the driver's seat. It was better to drive the carriage in the night than to see those terrible monsters again. The driver swung his whip and made the horses run faster.

Dakadak! Dakadak!

The surrounding landscape, which had become a wasteland, passed outside the speeding carriage.

"Huuuu…" Theo sighed as he glanced at the scenery.

The anxiety he had forgotten about for a while due to the excitement of the battle had returned. 'Calm down. Based on this number, the undead haven't been active for long. The warlock and undead have only appeared recently. No matter how remote the Miller Barony is, I would've heard about a catastrophe.'

He tried to calm himself logically, but who could get rid of their anxiety so easily? Then he realized that blood was coming out from the fist that he had unconsciously formed.

The joy he'd gained from the success of Earth Worm was receding, and Theo looked at the darkness with shaky eyes. His home lay beyond the darkness, but he didn't know its current state.

In the end, he couldn't suppress a curse from emerging, "Damn."

This journey was gradually sinking into a bog.

Return Home After Five Years #4

Shortly afterwards, Theo organized his thoughts as he watched the scenery outside the window change gradually.

Theodore's encounter with the undead had occurred closer to the Miller Barony than the Teheran territory. If they crossed a few more small hills, then the plains he had played on during his childhood would soon appear.

It was important for Theo and Sylvia to recover their depleted magic power until then. Of course, it would be best if another unexpected situation didn't occur.

Rattle! At that moment, the carriage rattled, and Theo's eyebrows raised slightly.

'It is the fourth one, and now there is just one left.'

Theo was recovering his magic power through meditation but didn't forget to count the number of hills they passed. He remembered that there were five hills between the border zone and the Miller Barony.

As they passed the last hill, Theodore opened his eyes. His magic power hadn't completely returned, but it wasn't always possible to be in a perfect condition. Sylvia sensed it and also woke up from her meditation. "Theo, have we arrived?"

"Almost. Sylvia. Come out of the carriage when I give a signal. I wish that nothing would happen, but I have a bad feeling."

"Huh, signal?"

"I will knock on the carriage roof three times like this."

Theo knocked on the ceiling of the carriage. There was a blunt boom boom boom sound. It would be noticeable even if the surroundings were noisy.

Sylvia nodded as he opened the door of the still-moving carriage.

Huuuuong!

The wind was strong; the wind pressure facing the horse carriage wasn't at a normal level. If Theo fell, he wouldn't be able to avoid serious injuries. He stepped cautiously on the hanging door decorations and climbed to the roof of the carriage.

"Uh!" Theo's body wasn't disciplined enough to be able to balance on the roof.

He hurriedly used Cling, a 1st Circle binding magic, to stick his shoes to the roof and only stood up once his legs were firmly fixed. From this vantage point, Theodore could see some of the scenery from beyond the last hill could, and within moments, his expression distorted greatly.

"Damn! Dammit!"

His eyes, shining with 'Hawkeye,' spotted black smoke from beyond the last hill. The black smoke rose up, followed by a nasty smell which was carried over by the wind. It was the stench bodies which were burning just minutes ago.

What was happening beyond this hill?

"Mister! Please move faster!" Theo yelled.

"Yes! U-Understood!" The driver was shocked by Theo's yell and used the whip again. The carriage seemed like it jumped down the fifth hill at once. If Theo hadn't used the Cling magic, he would've be thrown off the carriage by the acceleration.

However, Theo didn't care as he stared ahead. His gaze was already frozen in that direction. He was determined not to be shaken by any devastation. But Theo now faced an unexpected sight. As they finally crossed the last hill, Theo could see the fight taking place on the plains.

Waaaaaah-!

A group of people were fighting against the undead. They were still quite a distance away, but the heat of the battlefield tickled his flesh. It wasn't a one-sided defensive position. The battlefield was in a state of flux.

'Fighting? How?'

As someone who had been born and raised in the Miller Barony, Theodore Miller couldn't understand the situation. He knew that there were no troops in his hometown. Farmers would occasionally walk around town dressed as soldiers, but of course, there was no one who was actually properly trained.

It was impossible for them to create a formation, like what Theo was seeing right now, and defeat the monsters systematically. Additionally, most of the people fighting had rugged faces.

"…Mercenaries," Theo muttered as he determined the identity of the group of humans. "Moreover, the mercenaries have quite decent skills?"

It was as he said.

The mercenaries' skills, as a group and individually while dealing with the undead, were fairly good. They first broke the legs with medium ranged weapons and then finished them off with blunt weapons.

Theo wasn't familiar with melee tactics, but the movements of the mercenaries were faithful to linked movements.

He didn't know why these low-level mercenaries were protecting the Miller Barony, but this was a great opportunity. The undead were preoccupied with fighting the mercenaries and had no interest in going to the villages.

Theo shouted to the trembling coachman before him, "Mister Driver, go ahead first!"

"B-But Magician…"

"Don't worry, and just run! Quickly!"

As the driver stopped the carriage, Theo's shoes slammed against the roof of the carriage three times. Then Theo jumped down from the carriage, quickly followed by Sylvia. After the two of them descended, the carriage quickly left. If the driver didn't do that, his life would be in danger.

The two people watched the carriage approach the village before turning to the direction where the battle was taking place. The mercenaries were still crushing the undead, but there was a limit to their stamina. If this continued, the balance between the two groups would collapse within an hour.

The momentum of the mercenaries would fall, and they would be destroyed shortly afterwards. That was, if Theodore and Sylvia sat still.

"Then, shall we begin?"

"Yes."

The two magicians raised their magic power without any interruptions. As it had been mentioned several times, a magician was strongest when they had secured a safe distance away from the target.

No matter how much time and money they had, the preparation of a warrior was limited. However, a magician's resources were directly connected to them. Additionally, Theo had a means to use that preparation time more effectively than others.

'Memorize.

'Three Slots Open.

'Triple Fire Arrow.'

A fire filled up the dark skies! The suddenly emergence of light created shadows, causing the mercenaries to feel amazed.

"Wow, w-what is that? Fire arrows?"

"Fire Arrow?! Magicians!"

"Friends or enemies? Tell us!"

"If that is the enemy, we would be dead right now, you bastard!"

The mercenaries continued talking even in the midst of fighting. They split apart rotten heads with their axes, but their mouths didn't stop moving. There was no one who seemed frightened even when seeing the fire arrows.

One beat later, Sylvia's magic was completed.

"Icicle Arrow."

The magic formula for the 2nd Circle magic itself was simple. It took only one beat of time to gather the moisture. However, the magnitude of the magic was much larger compared to what she had done at the magic contest.

Sylvia's magic power had reached the 5th Circle, and her sensitivity was several times that of Theo's. In addition to the fire arrows, over 200 ice arrows appeared in the sky.

"..."

"..."

"..."

There were at least 500 magic arrows in the sky. Using simple calculations, the number of arrows were enough to mercilessly annihilate the mercenaries twice over. The mouths of the mercenaries dropped open when they saw the overwhelming amount. They thought they'd made a mistake as the arrowheads seemed to be pointing at them. The mercenaries hadn't expected to face such a large scale battle at this small village.

After a moment of silence, the arrows aimed at their targets and flew.

Dudududududu!

It was like a rain of hail. The solid and heavy ice arrows were like rocks punching holes into the undead bodies. The rotten flesh, muscles, and bones shattered, and the bodies which were turned to rags couldn't move anymore.

There was no need to talk about the bodies which were burned by fire. As their attack reduced the number of undead by half, the mercenaries realized they weren't enemies and cheered.

"Okay, they are allies!"

"A magician's spells are so reassuring!"

"Hey! I'll buy you a drink when it ends, so don't go anywhere!"

"Now! Don't rest! The kids who fall now won't be allowed to rest easily for the rest of their lives!"

The increasingly disadvantageous battlefield had been reversed in a single move by the two people, Theo and Sylvia. The mercenaries brushed off their paralysis and continued attacking the undead, allowing Theo and Sylvia to use their massive attack spells without worrying about the undead approaching them.

This was ideal for war magicians. It was a fixed position with a solid escort.

"Fireball!"

"Me too, Fireball."

Kwakwakwang! Kuwang! Kwaang!

Scorching hot magic continued to be used, allowing the fighting mercenaries some room to rest.

This was the virtuous cycle of the battlefield, where reducing the enemy's defense led to helping their allies. It was due to the existence of magicians who dominated the battlefield.

***

Thus, one hour passed by like this.

"Sunrise! The sun is rising!"

"These guys are going back! Don't get caught up and maintain the formations!"

The shouts of the mercenaries awoke Theo, who had been immersed in casting magic.

As the mercernaries said, the sky was gradually becoming brighter in the east. It was evidence of sunrise. The undead could move under the sun, but they were greatly weakened unless they were strong undead.

Indeed, the undead which had been charging senselessly began turning around.

As Theo watched the corpses return to the mountains, he muttered quietly, "…The worst moment is over for now."

After confirming that the undead would retreat the moment the sun came up, Theo shook his sweaty head and started calming his breathing down. His stamina expenditure wasn't great, but he had consumed a significant amount of mental power while casting the magic. Sylvia was also leaning against a nearby tree and breathing hard.

Their bodies were exhausted, making their usual senses dull. Was that why? The reactions of the two people were one fatal beat late.

Kkieeeek!

There was a creepy sound. The roar of a terrible predator rang in their eardrums. Above the heads of the mercenaries who thought the situation was over, a rotting flying monster appeared. It was an intermediate undead which had its flight skills preserved.

This was the Ghoul Wyvern!

Theodore cried out as he realized what it was, "Wyvern?!"

There were no wyvern habitats in this area, nor was it an undead which could be made from the monsters nearby. If so, this meant the warlock had unleashed undead which had been found elsewhere. However, that was strange. Why would they do that for a small village like this?

However, he had no more room to think. There was a terrible roar as the ghoul wyvern flew toward Theo and Sylvia.

'It's fast!'

This was more like a crash landing than flying.

The destructive power of the wyvern increased in proportion to its heavy body as it dived from above. It was clear that if the two magicians tried to avoid it, the wyvern would change directions with its wings.

The unimaginable power of the ghoul wyvern wouldn't just kill the two people but also destroy their bodies. They could block or strike back, but the remaining time in which they had to do it was only three seconds.

'Blaze Shell interception—no, too late!'

There was no time. Theo immediately unleashed the skill he had recently acquired.

It was the Triple Barrier skill from the 'Protection Bangle' artifact he'd received at the awards ceremony. The defense of the artifact, which could create three layers of shield, was said to even withstand 5th Circle magic.

However, it was unknown if it could withstand the ghoul wyvern's physical power.

The shields of the two people were activated late, so the shape was thin and soft compared to the wyvern's attack. The two magicians despaired as they intuitively sensed their imminent destruction.

Yet at that very moment, a man appeared between them.

"What? You are still children."

There were falchions in both his hands. The man had thick golden hair and wore shabby chain mail. He also had two clinking ornaments hanging from his waist.

The man looked unlike the other mercenaries as he raised his pair of swords toward the ghoul wyvern. It happened in an instant.

Chwaaaaak!

The wyvern was cut to pieces as its body collapsed.

"…Eh?" Theodore and Sylvia hadn't even been able to what had happened.

There was just a flash, then the ghoul wyvern shattered. The only thing they could see was the man's arms moving as he held the falchions. Both hands had moved six times for a total of 12 movements.

This was the technique of a first-class swordsman.

"Hey, I finally got this annoying guy," the man said with a cheerful grin as he kicked the ghoul wyvern's head. Then he looked back at the Theo and Sylvia. "It never came down from the sky, so I had no way of catching it. I don't know who you are or where you came from, but I really appreciate your help."

Sylvia still hadn't recovered, so Theo stepped forward first and spoke in a courteous tone, "…We just did what was needed."

The man before Theo absolutely wasn't a mercenary. Not even knights could cut a wyvern this way. If he fought this man, he would become a piece of meat before he could even chant a spell.

So, Theodore decided to reveal his position first. "I'm Theodore, an investigator sent by the Magic Society. This is my colleague, Sylvia."

"Ah, hello." Sylvia looked at the scene like she was scared and bowed slightly.

The man smiled for a moment like he thought she was cute, then the smile disappeared. There was no evidence of the previous expression on the man's serious face.

From now on, personal feelings wouldn't enter the conversation.

"Then I will tell you my name," the man said as he placed his falchions in their sheaths. "We are the 'Wandering Wolves' mercenaries hired by the lord of this village. I am Randolph, the one in charge. I'm sorry, but I'll have to check your identities first."

I Ask You #1

Theo's expression changed subtly at Randolph's words.

'After returning home in five years, I get an identity check.' Theo couldn't laugh or feel angry.

Randolph grunted and scratched his head as he interpreted Theo's expression in his own way. He understood that it could sound quite rude to verify a person's identity after they had helped him. "I don't want to be fussy. But looking at the situation, it is hard to let you pass easily without checking. It will just be a brief verification."

"Yes, it is understandable."

They were fighting a group of undead in a corner village like the Miller Barony. Theo didn't know why the mercenaries were in this place, but now wasn't the time to question it. Theo first needed to gain Randolph's trust and enter the village.

Theo pulled out the investigator's badge and the certificate that he had received from the awards ceremony.

"Oh, an investigator's badge. It has been a long time since I've seen it. And this is… the owner of this certificate is an honorary baron, Theodore Miller. There is a royal seal stamped, so I am pretty sure… Huh?" Randolph looked at the certificate carefully and touched his chin with a puzzled expression.

The names of nobles were different from the common people. Even if the first names overlapped a little, there wasn't a single family which used the same surname as that of another. For nobles, their surname was a proof of honour received from the king and evidence of the blood flowing through their veins. What idiot would want to share that with others?

However, this name was the same as the lord of the Miller Barony.

"…I heard that the lord here has a son."

"My father."

"Darn, you're the son of my employer."

Theodore laughed, and Randolph smiled as he realized why Theo had such a strange expression on his face before. The lord's son had returned but needed to prove his identity. It was funny when they thought about it.

Randolph's pleasant expression returned, and he stretched out his hand. "Welcome home, Young Master. There has been a small fuss, but so far, it hasn't been a big deal."

"It was a pretty big group."

"Well… let's go in and talk about it."

The undead didn't strike when the sun was shining, so Randolph turned around first. It seemed like the story he needed to tell was quite long. Theo and Sylvia followed behind him. In a sense, it was definitely a surprising return home.

***

By the time the two people and Randolph entered the village, the mercenaries were already scattered all over the village. It was because of the fatigue which came from staying up all night. The residents gave bowls of warm porridge to the mercenaries and wrapped bandages around the injured.

One of them recognized Theo sooner than anyone else. "Eh…? You, aren't you Theodore?"

"What? Why would Young Master be here when he is studying?"

"No, just look!"

"Well, he certainly looks a lot like the Young Master…"

It had been five years, and Theo was dressed fashionably, so the people hesitated to call his name. He looked like a nobleman at first glance, so they didn't believe their Young Master had returned.

As buzzing started among the residents, an old man stepped out. "Y-Young Master Theo…?"

Theo felt like crying when he heard the faint voice and looked over. "Grandfather Albert…!"

Since early childhood, how many pieces of bread had he received from those hands? The hands of the old man were much weaker than he remembered, but Theo grabbed them without hesitation. A gentle feeling was conveyed through the old man's wrinkled hands, causing Theo to hug him while crying. Theo could finally feel the weight of all those years.

For the old man who didn't have any relatives, Theo was truly like his grandson.

"Ah, our Young Master! How is it that you look so respectable…?"

"Grandfather!" Theo couldn't speak and just hugged him tighter.

"Young Master!"

"Young Master Theo has come back!"

After that, the residents started flocking from everywhere. Someone was still holding the thread they had been knitting, and another person had rushed out with a piece of bread in their mouth. As all the residents of the village ran out, Theodore was instantly surrounded by a large crowd.

"…?!" Sylvia was standing close to Theo. With her silver hair which shone like a fairy from a story, she drew attention wherever she went. She was unfamiliar with people's attention, so she stuck closer to Theodore, causing the residents to cheer at her reaction.

"Who is the young lady? Young Master, perhaps?"

"Ah, come on. Why else would he bring such a lovely girl?"

"Young Master! There is silk at our linen store! It will be enough for a veil!"

"Come on, don't make me laugh! It is lucky if rags don't emerge."

"What is wrong with you?"

The loud commotion caused the mercenaries to wake up or look up from where they were eating. The atmosphere had darkened as the fight against the undead continued, but now there was an air of warmth about the village. It was proof of how precious Theo was to them.

The disturbance soon passed on to the Miller Barony's manor house.

"Theo, where is our Theo?"

A middle-aged man, with thinning hair and dressed in a humble tunic, moved through the crowd. Fortunately, those who recognized him gave way. Everyone wanted to welcome Theodore, but this person had more right than anyone else.

The man who finally reached the center, Dennis Miller shouted, "Theo!"

"…Father." Theo could never forget that voice.

As Theo's father pulled him into a tight embrace, the familiar smell of soil and bread tickled Theo's nose. The smell of his hometown was emitted from his father's body. No words were needed. They hugged for a while until Dennis let go first.

He firmly grabbed his son's shoulders and said, "Welcome home."

"Yes, I've come home."

"Don't you have a lot to ask about? Returning home after so long… I'm sorry this had to happen."

"Don't say that." Theo shook his head. What did his father have to be sorry about? The residents and his father were the ones suffering from the undead.

Dennis was pleased with his son's appearance but noticed the dust on Theo's robes. He also noticed Sylvia's shy existence.

"Aren't you tired? Let's discuss the rest of the story at home."

The two tired people nodded at the same time.

***

It had been a while since Theo had returned home, but nothing had changed.

The fireplaces and the staircase were still worn out, and the floor creaked every time he stepped on it. The sound of water could be heard coming from the kitchen, and the stain on the ceiling was still there. In fact, Theo could see that the number of stains had increased as he looked at his family seated before him.

His father had a bit of a moustache, his mother was a little slimmer, and his three year old brother was holding onto his mother.

'Oh, it is the first time I've seen him personally.' His little brother's growth was a sight he had missed out on seeing.

However, the caring conversation between his family members was still the same. Theo prioritized solving the problem before his personal feelings. It was enough to spend time with his family after solving the immediate crisis.

"…Then, the undead started appearing around a month ago?"

"Yes, the woodcutter was the first one to find them."

According to his father, the undead had appeared around a month ago, and they had only started the attacks a week ago.

It was a time difference which Theo couldn't understand. What had the undead done during those 20 days? Perhaps the missing magician had fallen into black magic, but it would require more than two months to learn how to create a ghoul wyvern. Even a swordsman like Randolph would find it hard if there were more than one on the battlefield.

Moreover, Theo had one more question. "What about the mercenaries? Our estate doesn't have the money to hire those type of mercenaries…"

"Hoo, I owe too much to them."

'Owe?' Theo looked at his father quizzically.

"They are mercenaries who came to fight the bandits around here. There was no relationship with our territory. But on the same day that they stayed in our village, the monsters came."

"…So they've been protecting this place for a week?"

"Yes. When they leave, I can't feel regret… I can only say thank you."

It was hard to believe. Mercenaries were people who would do anything for money. A rare few were righteous and faithful, but many became mercenaries because they wanted to be able to kill people legally. Those people needed to be filtered out. Nevertheless, they were never the type of people to volunteer to do a job.

'Unless there is a hidden treasure in this village but… that isn't possible.'

It seemed like he would have to talk directly to Randolph.

After thinking that, Theodore didn't speak anymore and just quietly ate the soup his mother had prepared. The thin soup with few ingredients went down his throat. There were many delicious soups at Bergen Academy and also in Mana-vil Capital. However, he had wanted to eat this soup.

Sylvia didn't seem to be picky about food as she also chewed on hard bread. Theo pretended to be unaware of his mother's glad face and lifted his spoon again.

However, there was still a stack of problems to worry about. The temporary calm of the moment continued as only the sound of cutlery moving could be heard.

"Then I'll see you later."

"…Yes."

After finishing their meal, Sylvia and Theo separated toward their own rooms. They had traveled awkwardly together for five days from Mana-vil, but a man and woman absolutely couldn't stay in the same room. Sylvia followed Theo's mother nervously.

Then Theo entered his room with familiar footsteps.

Rattle.

His room, which he returned to after five years, looked no different from when Theo had left. Even the order of the books on the shelves was still the same. The bed he collapsed on was still mushy, and the torn wallpaper showed no signs of repair.

"Huuuu…" Theo took a few deep breaths and then said, "Hey, can you wake up now?"

He was speaking to Gluttony, who was sleeping quietly.

It was something Theo had started to get a sense of after the last question and answer. Not long ago, he had begun to be able to detect the condition of the being living in his left hand. He could sense when it was hungry or whether it was feeling good or bad. Thanks to that, he could feed it the books without worrying about Sylvia, but he thought it was possible to call Gluttony directly now.

Unsurprisingly, Gluttony responded to his call.

-…You understand. You are more sensitive than I thought.

A sullen voice emerged from the hole in his left hand. The voice had a distinct drowsiness to it, meaning that it had just still been asleep. Theo realized that his awareness was starting to increase slowly.

"Long words aren't needed. How many books do you need today?"

-Two or three.

"Okay. Then I will feed you two books."

He grabbed the two books he'd prepared in advance with his left hand.

Gulp. The tongue swallowed the two books.

['Magic Wall' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]

[Proficiency with the 4th Circle magic 'Stone Wall' has increased.]

['Explosion is an Art' has been consumed. Your understanding is very high.]

[4th Circle magic 'Explosion' has been acquired.]

He learned two 4th Circle magic at one time, but luckily, he had already learned one of them. Thanks to that, the headache affecting him was reduced.

Stone Wall was a higher ranked application of Earth Wall. It was a persistent magic which built a wall with solid rock. As for the Explosion magic, Theodore used his knowledge and could quickly organize the information in his mind.

This was one spell which would surely be able to deal with a lot of undead.

"…Okay, it is done."

After the waves of wisdom passed through him, Theo looked down at his left hand with sharp eyes. He could feed it three books, but he had chosen two so that he could ask a question. It was more important to dig around than to have extra magic.

Theo had to figure out how to stop this disaster.

"Then I will ask."

The grimoire might just know the right answer.

I Ask You #2

However, it took a while for Theo to hear the answer.

It seemed like Gluttony didn't know what had been happening while it slept.

Theo was forced to explain the situation briefly. He spoke about the missing investigator, the massive number of undead in the area, and the presence of the warlock who controlled them. There were so many questions, but he had to ask just one thing.

-…Yes, I understand.

Gluttony said as Theo paused.

–According to your explanation, this certainly isn't a normal case. I can guess the source.

"What is it?" Theo was taken aback.

A magician event like this fell into its range of questions and answers? This was unexpected. Gluttony, the grimoire who ate wisdom, pulled out an answer which the two geniuses would've never been able to guess.

–It is likely that a 'grimoire' has been found in the cave.

Theo's eyes widened at the word 'grimoire.'

Numerous magicians called them 'unidentified.' As Vince Haidel had explained, the grimoires possessed huge strength. They were creatures containing wisdom and power, of which the source and origin were unknown. The existence of the grimoires could make the whole world dizzy.

He couldn't agree with some of the evaluations, but as an owner of a grimoire, Theodore knew just how beyond common sense was the existence of a grimoire. It had made a dunce of the 2nd Circle into someone capable of beating Sylvia.

If the power of such a grimoire had intervened, it was possible to increase a person's black magic in a short period of time.

"There are other grimoires like you?"

-I am a grimoire belonging to the Seven Sins set. When it comes to grimoires… No, I don't know exactly. It would be more accurate to detect it, rather than make a hypothesis.

Gluttony seemed to mumble to itself before making a suggestion.

–User, if you agree, I will consume your power to detect any grimoire in the vicinity. I will look for the place where the warlock is hiding as an extra.

"That's a welcome offer but…" Theo looked down at his palm in a dubious manner. "Why are you being so nice? It isn't like you, so tell me what you want."

–Hohoho, it isn't bad for you either.

There was the sound of laughter, and the tongue acted like the thought was mouthwatering.

-I can also eat 'grimoires.' It is possible to absorb the knowledge and functions or even free a seal. If so, your achievements as a magician will grow several times faster than it does now.

"…As usual, you are hungry."

-It is my essence.

Theo was worried about the suggestion for a moment, but there was no choice. Even if grimoire didn't exist, it was still necessary to find the location of the warlock. In the end, he nodded, and Gluttony activated the function.

Du-geun.

There was a loud heart beat similar to a wave of vibration, which resonated beyond the range of a human ear. This was a technique which would be called science instead of magic in other societies. Instead of sound or radio waves, the function was reproduced with magic power.

The wave of magic power extended several kilometers before returning to its epicenter.

[Detection complete.]

The voice was heard after the search was over.

–I found it.

Gluttony, which had been silent for a while, had found its target.

–Fairly powerful. It is only the second stage, but it managed to partially block my detection. It also seems to be eating its owner.

"Eating?"

–Not all grimoires have a symbiotic relationship like me. Most of them live by becoming a parasite in a suitable host and manipulating the host's body and mind. The grimoire which attacked you belongs to the Green category.

In fact, grimoires themselves were powerful magic creatures. They were monsters which possessed humanoid intelligence as well as functions equal to national level artifacts.

Theo didn't know their creators, but a grimoire was something which normal magicians couldn't possess. Rather, it was common for grimoires like Gluttony to completely dominate its owner. The thought of this caused goosebumps to pop up on Theodore's forearms.

–I figured out their location. I think the cave they went to investigate is the base of the grimoire and its host.

Gluttony gave a long yawn after speaking.

–I answered your question so I will fall asleep.

"Ah, wait a minute."

–What is it?

The question had already been over, but Gluttony was generally flexible when it came to questions about his function. Theo knew this and asked, "You… Can you eat the undead? They are also made of magic."

-…Your idea is sound. If that were possible, I could eat stones that were made to float using magic spells. However, the undead only moves through magic. They aren't made of magic power or wisdom themselves. There are some exceptions, but…

"But?"

–I can't answer that until you ask it as a question.

Then Gluttony went to sleep without allowing him to ask anything more. Theo tapped the palm of his left hand several times, but there was no response. It seemed to fall into a deep sleep soon after eating.

However, there was no time to complain about that attitude.

Step… step…

There was the sound of someone's footsteps approaching.

***

The footsteps were uniform and quiet. Most people who had these type of footsteps were masters of martial arts. It was because the body maintained unconsciously its center of gravity, minimizing the noise generated by the body.

Theo analyzed the footsteps using Alfred's experience and quickly realized the identity of the person who was approaching.

'Randolph.'

Unsurprisingly, Randolph's voice was heard from beyond the door. "Young Master, are you still awake?"

"Yes."

"Can we talk for a bit?"

It sounded strange. but Theo had been half expecting it. This way he didn't need to sneak out to the village to talk. "Come in."

"Then, I'll do just that." Randolph entered the room after receiving Theo's permission. "I'm sorry, since you must be tired."

"Don't worry. I thought you would come."

"Hrmm?"

The expression in Randolph's eyes changed at Theo's words. Theo was a magician who knew how to fight, so Randolph decided to treat him as a equal. Without further ado, Randolph sat down on the bed across from Theo.

'Cut to the chase.' The two men sensed it at the same time.

It was Theodore who opened his mouth first, "Are you going to reach the limit soon?"

"…As expected, you're not ordinary. How do you know?"

"You had no choice but to fight a bloody battle for a week with only 100 people. The fact that you have endured for so long is amazing."

It wasn't exaggerated praise. If it wasn't for the combat power of the 'Wandering Wolves', the Miller Barony would've already become the land of the undead. Even if regular troops were stationed here, they wouldn't have been able to show such achievements.

Theo was really amazed by the ability of the mercenaries to overcome a large difference in numbers using pure skill. However, Randolph's expression simply darkened. "I'm thankful for your words."

"Can I ask one thing?" Theo said.

"What is it?"

In a sense, it was a question which might decrease Randolph's friendliness. However, it was better than having a questionable ally. Theo asked the question which had been lingering in his mind, "Why are you staying in this village? You should be able to break through the undead siege without any problems."

"Simply… I guess you won't believe it is goodwill. Damn."

Randolph scratched his head before whispering. "I can't tell you everything. Is that okay?"

"As long as you can convince me."

"…Okay." Randolph hesitated for a while before carefully taking something out. It had shiny gold and looked valuable.

The item was a pocket watch adorned with gold. There was a curious image of howling wolves engraved on the watch, but there was no second hand or minute hand on the watch. Only the hour hand was turning strangely.

Randolph began explaining about the object, which was either a watch or a compass.

"A long time ago, an ancestor of my clan chased after a certain warlock to a foreign country. He left carrying the two heirloom swords and never returned. This watch is an artifact created to detect those heirlooms."

"Then the direction that the artifact is pointing—"

"It is these damn mountains. It has been 100 years, so I wasn't expecting anything, but the place that the artifact reacts to is covered in undead!" Randolph let out heartfelt curses.

This was enough to cause Theo to admire Randolph's bad luck. The heirlooms which had been missing for 100 years had been found in the center of such a disaster, so Theo couldn't help feeling sympathy.

However, there was still something which made Theo uncomfortable. "I know that heirlooms are precious… but in the end, you remained because of two swords?"

"They aren't just swords. The techniques that he learned were left in those heirlooms. If I can control them properly, I may become a sword master in 20, maybe 10 years."

"…Indeed." Theo immediately nodded after hearing it.

He could understand this reason. Any magician would value a book which would allow them to cross the 'wall.' Randolph might be able to become a sword master, so it wasn't something he could give up due to some undead. It was like crossing the wall of the 7th Circle for a magician.

However, there was no answer as to the very real limitations. Even if the swords could make Randolph a sword master, it would be useless if he lost his life here.

That was why he muttered with a gloomy expression, "But it is up to here. I don't think I can recover the sword, and my men will just lose their lives. Anyway, the undead will be taken care of by the people sent by the king… So, Young Master, you should be ready to evacuate with the villagers."

Theo's eyebrows raised at the unexpected words.

This was unexpected. In fact, mercenaries cared about nothing but their own bodies. There was no reason for them to protect the residents, except for their voice of conscience which could be ignored.

Nevertheless, Randolph was suggesting running away…? Randolph and the 'Wandering Wolves' were all good people, however, Theodore couldn't accept that proposal.

"Thank you, but I will reject."

"…Why?" Randolph stared at him. It was impossible to find a better suggestion than this. If Theo suggested that he would stay behind to help the evacuation of the villagers, Randolph might beat him up. "I must acknowledge your skills, but in the process, half of the residents here will die."

"No, speak properly. Half will get out alive."

"The result is the same no matter how you express it."

They refuted each other without giving a single concession.

Pajik!

As the gazes of the two people met, the surrounding air distorted. To be exact, it was Randolph's anger reaching out toward Theo. If he hadn't absorbed Alfred's experience, then he might've been frozen by that terrible energy.

Theo barely maintained his calm expression and pulled something out. "So, I have a different offer."

"Offer? You?"

"To be precise, it is a commission. The Magic Society investigator, Theodore Miller, wants to hire the Wandering Wolves."

As Randolph's atmosphere was disturbed by an unintelligible sound, Theodore pulled out three thick pouches from the dimension pocket and set them on the table.

Kung! Kung! Kung!

Each pouch let out a loud thump, and the loud sounds resonated. No, it wasn't just that. Randolph's sensitive hearing heard something inside the pouch. It was a sound which was familiar to merchants and mercenaries.

Finally, Theo grabbed the pouch and poured the contents out next to Randolph on the bed .

Chwarururuk…!

Gold coin, gold coins, and gold coins! 100 gold coins poured out of the pouch. Spread over the tattered bedspread, there were enough coins to hire the mercenaries for a while, giving the bed a strange golden colour.

"Ehhh…?" Randolph stared at the money with a blank expression before looking at the remaining two pouches.

Surely those too? His face was saying. Theo nodded to the unspoken question and said,

"The 100 gold is the deposit, and you will receive 200 gold when the work ends. I will hire the 'Wandering Wolves' for two days with this 300 gold."

It was necessary in order to make this proposal acceptable. Negotiations and the price would come next.

Thus, Theo judged that it was best to get rid of Randolph's soul first.

I Ask You #3

Indeed, Randolph's expression changed at the sight of the gold coins.

300 gold wasn't an amount which could be taken lightly. However, that huge number became much smaller once divided between 100 mercenaries. Even though it was significantly higher than other payments the Wandering Wolves had received, it wasn't worth risking their lives for two days.

"Let me hear the story."

Theodore's gaze sank at Randolph's ambiguous answer. "It is surprising. Is the pay lacking?"

"Not at all. 300 gold is enough. No, I'm afraid the situation will be a mess. So, I will listen to the story first."

It didn't matter if it was a high or low amount. Randolph ignored such meanings. He was a mercenary, so he knew their essence.

Mercenaries were people who would slander and kill a person for money or chase after a drake only to be killed. They accepted any dangerous request as long as there was money. That was the principle behind being a mercenary.

However, Randolph placed his instincts before those principles. "No matter how good the money is, I won't fight a losing battle. I will listen to your plan and then decide if I will accept this commission. It was foolish of you to reveal your wallet. Frankly speaking, I want to refuse the gold, but you wouldn't have brought out 300 gold without a plan." As the Wolf spoke, his eyes were gleaming.

'This person, he is a little strange to be a mercenary.'

If Theo hadn't brought out the 300 gold, then he wouldn't have even been able to sit at this negotiating table.

Randolph was different from common mercenaries. They didn't know how to calculate the odds and losses, only gauging the commission based on the reward. Since Randolph was a descendant searching for lost heirlooms, maybe he was the descendant of a great warrior.

However, from now on, Theo would be the one in charge of the conversation. "As you can see, holding on is unreasonable. At most, two or three days is the limit."

"It is as you said. The undead are too annoying." Randolph was also sick and tired of all this.

The undead had unlimited numbers and stamina, so it was an extreme disadvantage. This was why necromancers were targeted with a national campaign. They were vulnerable to powerful individuals but superior when causing mass casualties.

In fact, a warlock using infectious undead had once created a whole undead kingdom. However, the warlock had eventually been killed by a sword master hiding in the center of the city.

"There is only one valid method—a counterattack."

In other words, the warlock's main body would have no combat ability. The grimoire ate away at the host, but the essence was still the same. So, the warlock would be defenseless if Theo and the others managed to jump over the barrier of undead.

Above all, this was a great opportunity to get rid of the warlock.

'The undead weren't walking around here a month ago, and the grimoire hasn't completely eaten the host yet. That is probably why the number and quality of the undead is slowly increasing. This has given me more time before it becomes a disaster for the kingdom.'

There were enough clues for him to form this reasoning: the woodcutter's first discovery of the undead; the appearance of the undead which had then become stronger throughout the week; and the emergence of the ghoul wyvern which had reached intermediate level.

It was obvious that the abilities of the warlock, who had become the grimoire's host, were still improving every day. If he kept growing like this, he would be able to summon advanced undead. Once that happened, it would be the end. This area would turn into a land of complete death, and there was the possibility that the spread of the undead would be faster than the evacuation rate of the village.

Theo planned to strike before that happened.

"You have a point. So, you intend to hit the base with a small number of elites?"

Theo nodded at Randolph's words. "Yes, I've already found the warlock's base. Randolph, if you protect the two of us, then it won't be that hard to take out one necromancer at night."

"Why bother to attack in the middle of the night? It would be ideal to hit the undead in the daytime when they are weaker."

"A night operation is better."

If they were fighting on the plains, then Randolph's point would be correct. However, the target was based in a nearby cave which was so dense that sunlight couldn't penetrate it. He would need to engage in a war with thousands of undead to get to the warlock.

So, it was better to strike when the undead were being sent to the village and the cave was at its most vulnerable. During that moment, the trio of Theodore, Sylvia, and Randolph would raid the base. This was a strategy which really matched the term 'counterattack.'

'…What a monstrous kid. And he's only 19? What the hell are the magic towers teaching kids these days?'

Randolph started having cold sweat after grasping the outline of the plan. He had a long history of studying tactics as the descendant of a warrior, yet it was a 19 year old boy who had envisioned such a bold move.

If it failed, Theo would lose his life, but he didn't hesitate to challenge it. It was like he was carrying someone's (Alfred) madness.

Apart from that chill, Randolph had to admit that Theodore's strategy was indeed worthy.

"…I will add a clause here. The Wandering Wolves will remain to defend the village while the two investigators and Randolph attacks the base. If the counterattack fails, the troops will evacuate with the villagers. I will also give you 300 gold. How about it?"

The troops would block the undead steadily as they moved toward the escape path.

Randolph laughed as he realized he had no reason to refuse. If he listened to this and retreated, then it would be humiliating in its own way. He would gain 300 gold as well as the heirlooms, so it was a reward which was worth the gamble.

Randolph finally got out of his seat and took out his mercenary badge. "Randolph, leader of the Wandering Wolves, will accept Theodore Miller's commission. This oath is made in front of Marcus, the God of War."

The mercenary badge made of steel shone with a red light for a while. It was similar to the 'Geass Scroll' which Theodore had used in the past, creating a compulsion that would prevent the mercenary from breaking the contract.

If the contract was broken, then the mercenary would be punished by the priest of the God of War, Marcus. Now in a true sense, Theodore and Randolph were in the same boat.

However, Theo's strategy was far from over. "Ah, that reminds me."

"Huh?"

"During a commission, all the loot normally goes to the people making the commission. Is that correct?"

Randolph blinked at the unexpected question. He just thought that the young magician wanted to know about the rules of the industry. When Randolph nodded without thinking, Theo smiled with satisfaction. He had accomplished his purpose of hiring mercenaries, so it was now time to reap back the money.

This was why people should listen until the end.

"Hrmm, since there seems to be family heirlooms inside the warlock's base… I don't know how much they will cost."

"W-What?!" Randolph's eyes bugged out like he had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer.

The heirlooms weren't near the base but inside it…? If so, according to the rule, the ownership of the heirlooms would pass over to Theo. In a sense, Randolph's eyes had been blurred by the 300 gold. The smoke screen covering Theo's words had now been removed.

Ultimately, Randolph was stunned by the counterattack. '…Surely, he hadn't been aiming for this from the beginning?'

As Randolph looked into Theo's eyes, he was lost for words. There was a wide smile on the face of the ecstatic magician.

'I did well to read the report carefully.' Theo thought.

Perhaps it had been discovered before the erosion of the grimoire had begun, but the magic tower had given him some reports written by the investigator. In one, it mentioned the presence of twin swords found in the cave.

Theo recognized the hierarchical relationship had flipped and pointed to the gold coin pouches next to him. "Randolph, you have 300 gold at the moment, but would you like to share any with me?"

Randolph had never heard it before, but this was probably the devil's whisper.

***

In the end, Randolph was forced to exchange ownership of the heirlooms for 200 gold. Thus, Theo hired the Wandering Wolves and an excellent swordsman, Randolph, for only 100 gold. A profit of at least 50 gold was made.

'I could have more, but… I shouldn't be too greedy. I can't ask the mercenaries to fight for nothing.'

He looked back on the conversation a few hours ago.

If he had taken back all of the 300 gold, then Theo and Randolph might have become enemies after this task was over. Unpaid labour was a sin for mercenaries who sold their lives. Whereas if Randolph didn't have the 100 gold, he would be forced to pay the mercenaries out of his own pocket or they might abandon him. A few gold coins was enough for Randolph since he was mainly after the heirlooms.

"Well, this is a win-win situation," Theodore muttered brazenly.

Randolph appeared behind him and asked brusquely, "This damn employer, how is it a win-win situation?" He was uncomfortable since a 19 year old child had tricked 200 gold from him. However, he would get the heirlooms he was searching for, so the damage wasn't too big.

Theo said with a smile, "We both get what we want, I suppose."

"Hah, you are really good." Randolph laughed and continued saying, "The defenses are all in place. We can still block them off even if what shows up is double of yesterday's number of undead…"

Then as he looked around, Randolph spoke in an admiring tone, "To be honest, it is really amazing. Even though you are magicians, it is great that you can create all of that in half a day."

The plains near the Miller Barony had been completely altered, making yesterday's scenery seem like a lie.

White walls sprang up all over the desolate plains. It was the 4th Circle magic 'Stone Wall' which Theo had used to create improvised defenses. The walls would survive even if a zombie crashed into it a few times.

Additionally, the mercenaries could use these defensive walls to be more efficient than they'd been yesterday. If a flying-type creature like the ghoul wyvern appeared, they would be able to cope more safely than before.

"Well, it is almost all thanks to Mitra," Theo muttered and patted the small girl resting on his chest.

There was a faint [Hoooung] sound which tickled his chest. In order to create these walls which could block the black magic that didn't belong in nature, Mitra had been forced to exert herself.

Then as Theo and Randolph looked around at the walls, Sylvia approached them slowly.

"Hrmm, Theo…"

"Did you wake up just now?"

"…Yes, it has been a while since I took a nap."

Sylvia had a drowsy face, but the magic power around her body was in a perfect state. The mana responded to her sensitivity, so the area around her was much cooler. Randolph looked at her briefly before turning his attention to the forest which the undead came from.

The reddish sky was gradually turning darker.

"It is sunset, Employer."

As Randolph spoke, the two magicians looked in the same direction.

The sun was sinking below the mountains, and the children of darkness came out of the shadows. There were already several eyeballs visible in the dense forest. The reddish blue light was absolutely not coming from living creatures.

The corpses were glowing due to the power which denied the laws of nature. Once again, the night of the undead began, and the period filled with the stench of blood and death would soon start again.

The mercenaries breathed nervously, and some of them even took a sip from the alcohol they had concealed. It was at this moment that…

"…Until today!" Randolph's passionate voice drew the attention of the mercenaries. "You have suffered in the meantime! Enjoy the night until the sun rises tomorrow! Tonight is the last time! We'll say farewell to these damn guys!"

After the leader's words finished, 100 shouts exploded.

"Ohhhhhhh⸺!" The shouts filled with anger and joy caused even the hiding undead to tremble. It was like the howling of wolves responding to their leader.

The night wind blew, shaking the leaves of the trees as the sun finally set below the western horizon. Simultaneously, the stench of death emerged from the darkness.

-Roaaaaar!

-Roaaaaar!

The corpses headed toward the mercenaries. Even if they couldn't be seen, the stench of death made it obvious that the undead were coming. Moonlight bounced off the mercenaries' polished blades as they focused their senses.

Undead and humans… This was the moment when the boundary between life and death crossed.