Chapter 32

Upon hearing the news of Ian's joining, the Santiago Knights erupted in cheers.

"There's nothing to fear if brothers stand together!"

"Let us fully unfold the will of the heavens!"

From the perspective of the Santiago Knights, the more wizards, the better.

It was always best to have as many cards in hand as possible.

When the Elder smiled broadly, Ian felt slightly annoyed.

"Elder, you knew this would happen."

"Roughly. If you had connections with Mani, I thought you might join."

Unable to stay angry at such an innocent expression, Ian let it go.

In fact, it wasn't too bad.

The knights would fight.

Ian and Mani only needed to use magic a few times from the back.

Since Mani agreed to oversee Ian's magic, it was like getting magic advice for free.

A wizard does not need advice.

I'm getting closer to the mysteries; why would I follow someone else's advice?

If you get along, you become friends.

However, advice within the same school of magic could be helpful.

Another mystery from the same school can be quite similar.

It's similar to how cats generally like Churu treats.

There might be cats that dislike Churu (are there?), but since almost all cats like Churu, the advice "bring Churu to get close to a cat" was actually helpful.

"Let's rest up today, and set off as soon as day breaks tomorrow."

Mani kindly declared that she would provide all the food and drinks for the knights.

However, she couldn't provide sleeping arrangements, so they had to camp in front of the cabin.

"Since a friend's disciple has come, I can't just send him away. Ian, Eredith's disciple. Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Mani asked kindly.

Ian immediately replied.

"Garlic chicken soup... I mean, soup."

"???"

Mani recalled the sight of Ian voraciously eating garlic chicken soup and was shocked.

"You want to eat that?"

"Yes. It was delicious, wasn't it?"

Ian's eyes were pure and clear.

A clear-eyed madman.

Mani was shocked once again.

I thought he was pretending to like it!

That wasn't acting?!

The next day, the knights armed themselves and headed to the forest where the manticore was said to appear.

They didn't know how long it would take; they might find their prey today or tomorrow, but it could also take a week or two.

Therefore, the knights thoroughly prepared their food and camping gear.

"... Lucy will be waiting."

Contrary to Ian's worries, Lucy needed time too.

Time for the Count to sort things out and summon mercenaries.

There was no reason to be scolded for being a little late.

Well, if he was late, then just leave without him!

"It's eerie."

The Elder summarized the atmosphere of the forest in a word.

It was indeed a forest so eerie that it had no equal.

"Mani, don't you know any detection magic?"

Ian asked Mani just in case.

Being a more experienced wizard, Mani might have some unique skills.

However, Mani looked at Ian with an incredulous expression.

"How is a plant wizard supposed to find a manticore? It's not like it eats plants."

"Ah, is that so?"

"Detection would be something you're much better at than me. Aren't you a summoner?"

Ian shrugged his shoulders.

Thanks to a certain drake, summoning had indeed become Ian's best magic.

"Caw! Caw!"

Just then, Oberon flapped his wings and cried out.

"Damn it. You're shedding feathers. You crazy bird."

[Sorry! Master! But this place is seriously scary!]

"...?"

Ian stared blankly at Oberon.

But this guy.

His wings have healed, so why isn't he returning to the wild?

"Why am I your master?"

[Aww, why be like that! It's you and me, Master!]

What is this.

Ian looked at Oberon disapprovingly, but Oberon shamelessly ignored Ian's glare.

While perched on his shoulder, Oberon had almost perfectly learned human language, not because Oberon was a genius crow, but due to Ian's summoning magic.

As a Level 3 summoner, Ian could unconsciously project his will onto the animals around him.

Oberon now easily understood human language.

Once he understood the meaning, naturally comprehending the sounds came next.

Oberon cawed.

[Do you know how much food I've received from you, Master? I can't leave until I've repaid my food debt!]

"You're full of yourself."

In essence, Ian's free meals meant Oberon didn't want to leave.

It's like volunteering to be Ian's servant because he likes it here.

Suddenly, Ian felt gazes pouring onto him.

Turning his head, he saw the entire knightly order, including Mani, watching him with bated breath.

The Elder spoke on their behalf.

"How about it, Ian? Did you find out anything?"

"Ah."

It turned out, they were waiting to see what magic Ian would use.

Ian felt awkward.

He had just been chatting with a crow.

But he couldn't just say that outright, so he sugarcoated it a bit.

"This guy says he wants to earn his keep."

"Oh. The crow speaks?"

Even though they had seen the magic several times, the knights were still amazed by Ian's magic.

A human talking with a crow?

The only person not fascinated by Ian here was Mani.

Watching Ian command the crow, Mani nodded in approval.

'Indeed, a competent wizard.'

Being able to communicate with animals without using the Maronius language meant that Ian's understanding of the mysteries was quite advanced.

Mani thought it was fitting for a disciple chosen by Eredith.

"Oberon. Are your wings fully healed? Can you fly on your own?"

[Of course! Should I take a look around and come back?]

Oberon confidently flapped his wings.

Ian sent Oberon to scout the surroundings, thinking he would return soon, but surprisingly, Oberon only came back as the sun was setting.

"Why did it take you so long?"

[Well, you see! It took some time to make new friends!]

The knightly order, having finished their search for the day and started camping, quietly watched Ian talking to the crow.

[I've made some friends. Should I introduce them to you?]

"Are they here now? Bring them."

Upon Oberon's loud cry, more than ten birds fluttered down from the trees.

Sparrows, quails, orioles, thrushes, etc.

It was as if members of a bird club were having a meetup.

"Hm. They are indeed 'new' friends."

Fortunately, no bird understood Ian's sophisticated humor.

Ah, if only Daesung Faker were here. He would have laughed, for his taste in humor was as refined as his character.

[All these friends have seen the manticore at least once!]

As Oberon spoke, the birds each chirped in turn.

Ian got the gist of it, but none of the birds could communicate as freely as Oberon.

However, simple communication was enough.

Ian learned that the manticore was hiding deep inside the northern edge.

"Hm. Good job, Oberon."

[Hehe. I'm glad you're satisfied!]

Oberon bashfully cawed.

Let's not ask how a crow could possibly look bashful.

[Ah, but Master. My friends haven't had anything to eat today because they were hanging out with me...]

"Is that so?"

It was clear as day.

He was asking for payment for the information.

Without complaining, Ian rummaged through his food bag and brought out bird feed.

The information provided by the birds was worth more than the cost of the feed.

After enjoying their meal, the birds left.

The birds that left were mainly carnivorous species.

The smaller birds like sparrows and quails didn't want to leave Ian's side.

They didn't want to become tomorrow morning's breakfast for the birds of prey.

"Aren't these guys going home?"

[Should I get rid of them?]

True to the notorious temperament of crows, Oberon nonchalantly said such words.

Truly a member of the crow cartel.

"No, Oberon. Since you brought these friends, you're responsible for taking care of them. You understand what I mean?"

[Of course! Just leave it to me! Master!]

Ian shared the information collected through the birds with the knightly order.

Everyone in the knightly order, including the Elder, looked at Ian in amazement.

Even Mani looked at Ian as if he were a strange animal.

"What."

"Don't take it wrongly, but this old man was just surprised by your competence."

"Don't say things you don't mean, Elder. Competence, my foot."

For Ian, chatting with birds was just a minor trick.

But to others, it was not seen that way at all.

How could a person possibly converse with birds?

Yet, Ian did just that.

It was the power of magic.

'Really an amazing young man.'

The Elder looked at Ian and smiled contentedly.

In his youth, nearly all the wizards he met on the battlefield were detestable.

If they were enemies, their strange tricks were annoying, and if they were allies, their disregard for cooperation was frustrating.

Wizards were peculiar beings.

While a few only pretend to be eccentric, in truth, many who are genuinely eccentric become wizards.

Spending more time with the mysteries than with humans, they often forget human social norms.

But this young wizard, Ian Eredith Raven, was different from any wizard the Elder had known.

He was capable but modest, a wizard who knew humility and manners.

Wizards know they are special.

That's why they tend to show off.

The fact that they are genuinely talented, not just pretending, was what made them so annoying.

Wizards like Ian, who say 'my magic is nothing special~' were extremely rare.

Did he say his master was Eredith?

The Elder had never met Eredith but thought they must be a fine wizard with good character.

"Your achievements are truly astonishing. It took me over ten years of studying the mysteries of plants before I could hear the whispers of seedlings in my garden. Yet, you've managed to communicate with birds in less than a year of becoming a wizard."

"Thank you for saying so."

Mani smiled at Ian's humble response.

Among wizards, there was no need to flaunt eccentricity.

That was a principle that only worked on the nobility.

Among fellow wizards, courtesy and respect were much more important.

And Ian's modesty was exactly to Mani's liking.

Mani expressed her feelings with the highest praise she could offer.

"Eredith would be proud of this."

Ian smiled awkwardly.

It was just a chat with the birds. Why is everyone making such a fuss?

"Anyway... the manticore has hidden itself towards the northern edge. I don't know the exact location yet, but when daylight comes, my new bird friends here will fly out and find the manticore for us."

Ian's new bird friends (?) chirped in response.

"Having a wizard with us really is reassuring."

"If we had come here on our own, imagine the trouble we'd have had..."

The next day.

After paying the birds their daily wage in food, Ian deployed them to search for the manticore.

Oberon, self-appointed work supervisor, led the birds to trace the manticore's tracks.

The result came quickly.

[Master! Found it! It's the manticore!]

"Oberon has found the manticore. Let's get moving."

The knights, conserving their energy at the campsite, started moving, following Ian as their guide.

As they approached the manticore's hiding place, Ian felt a chilling murderous intent.

Such was the intensity that even without the birds' help, this murderous intent alone would have surely led them to the manticore.

"Ian."

The Elder spoke, his expression much more serious than usual.

"From now on, do not stray from my side. The same goes for you, Mani."

"Understood."

Wizards were weak in close combat.

This is common knowledge to anyone who has played a JRPG.

This peculiar 'common knowledge' that originated from Japan also applied to the wizards of this medieval fantasy world because they did not train in combat.

But that was only natural.

It would be stranger if someone who earned a Ph.D. in Korean Literature and became a university professor knew how to fight.

Of course, there was the tiny benefit of being able to physically discipline students who disputed their grades if one practiced martial arts.

Generally, it was more advantageous to spend that time studying to reach higher levels of mastery.

"But Elder,"

Ian said.

"If the manticore is a monster... perhaps I could persuade it somehow?"

The Elder looked unsure, while Mani thought it was impossible.

"Ian, I understand you're an excellent summoner, but a manticore is not something that can be persuaded with words."

"But Mani doesn't know much about summoning magic."

"... I may not know summoning magic, but I know what the mysteries are! You little sh*t! Are you treating me like some old fool?"

Mani might have specialized in a different field, but she was proficient in plant magic.

Magic essentially manifests through dialogue with the mysteries.

And in this world... there are plenty of beings who speak the same human language yet cannot communicate at all.

The manticore was such a being.

"If by some chance you manage to persuade the manticore, I'll immediately report it to Eredith."

"...?"

Ian didn't understand what Mani was talking about.

However, his question was answered after they met it.