"That...... you're a wizard, you say?"
At the security officer's words, Hio shrugged his shoulders and answered.
"Yes. Well, as you can see."
Beside them, mercenaries were being bound and escorted away in a line.
"Yeees...... I see. I've verified your identification token, and since the Viscount will arrive shortly, please wait a moment."
The residents of this place considered crows to be extremely ominous birds.
How much more so for superstitious mercenaries.
A flock of hundreds of crows surrounded the alley.
Perched in the trees, atop the fences, not letting out a single cry, staring down at them intently—at that sight, the mercenaries who had tried to flee completely lost their will to resist.
They were subdued by the guards who had pursued them, leaving them in their current sorry state.
Well, by then, the flock of crows had already vanished without a trace, though.
'No wonder things were going so smoothly.'
He had taken on a sweet request, and they had said they would introduce him to a merchant caravan heading to the city of Baiel once it was finished.
As expected, there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world.
"Wizard! I've never seen magic before!"
As he stood still watching the mercenaries being escorted away, Irina approached.
Her eyes were filled with admiration.
At that, a smile formed at the corners of Hio's mouth.
"Of course. I'm the only wizard in this world, so it's natural you've never seen one before."
"You're amazing!"
"Hm. Of course, of course."
"Wizards are the best!"
"You're much better than pathetic adults."
How long had it been since he heard such praise for magic?
No, was it the first time?
While he was exchanging heated praise about magic with Irina like that, a man approached.
"Are you Hio Pavlenko?"
Hio, who had been holding Irina and playfully flying her around like an airplane, slowly set her down and turned around.
A middle-aged man with a splendidly groomed mustache and two knights guarding his side.
A nobleman.
"Yes. That is correct, but..."
"I am Viscount Xanthipe Haber, the master of this estate. Tsk, this is why I hated letting filthy mercenaries in... At any rate, I heard you caught these fellows?"
"I was lucky."
It would have been nice if the conversation had ended there, but Hio's attire was far too conspicuous for that.
"By the way, your clothes are quite peculiar?"
"It's because I am a wizard."
"...Wizard? Are you speaking of the wizards I know?"
"I'm not sure what kind of wizards you know, but I imagine it's probably the same."
"Oho..."
The Viscount's eyes quickly scanned Hio up and down.
A gaze that seemed to be appraising him.
"That magic of yours. Could you show me?"
"Well... it's not particularly difficult."
He raised his staff and rapidly rotated the circle.
Unlike magic that unfolded by meticulously creating patterns with mana as before, this was the power of patterns drawn out instantly through the power of an engraved circle.
"Fire."
Flames burst to life at the tip of the staff.
"Ooh! So that's magic!"
Hio nodded at the Viscount's words.
"My word, it's trifling, yet... quite amusing!"
"...Excuse me?"
The Viscount seemed to have made up his mind about something and stepped closer to Hio.
"Rather than this, won't you come with me to the lord's castle?"
"To the lord's castle?"
His intention, approaching with a smile plastered across his entire face, was blatantly ulterior even at a glance.
"Yes. Nothing serious—just stay for a few days and meet the Count with me."
"I suppose the Count enjoys fun and novel things?"
"Exactly! You catch on quickly. If you please the Count, he'll bestow a great reward upon you. So come with me."
In short, he was being asked to play the jester.
Entertain the Count's eyes and ears and lap up whatever crumbs fell.
It was a moment that made clear how laughable the perception of magic was.
"Very well."
Hio nodded readily.
Well, it wasn't for any great reason.
'I can fill up my Patience, can't I?'
Should he call it an instinct toward Patience?
He could feel it from the Viscount's attitude and tone.
That following that man would allow him to raise his Patience significantly.
"Good, good! You made a wise decision!"
"Since it's the lord's castle, the meals will be delicious, won't they?"
"Of course. You'll be a guest while you stay, so worry about nothing."
"I can wash up, and the bed will be comfortable too."
"Hehehe. You state the obvious, my friend."
"Then I'll go with my companion."
Hio said, hoisting up Irina, who had been standing blankly at his side.
The Viscount frowned openly and asked.
"You... had a companion?"
"Yes. This friend told me those thieves were escaping, so I was able to catch them. That means she has a right to be there."
Hio didn't know Irina's exact circumstances, but there were things one could tell without asking.
Her appearance showed she hadn't properly eaten or washed.
As a modern person with sense and refinement, how could he pass by such a child?
Using this excuse to take her along, he could feed her something tasty and let her experience a bath in warm water.
"Very well... I understand."
Viscount Haber nodded, not bothering to hide his displeasure.
To him, one smelly brat more or less didn't matter.
What mattered was bringing that ridiculous wizard before the pleasure-loving Count.
"Let's go. Follow me."
Hio and Irina followed behind Viscount Haber as he turned and led the way.
* * *
The upper floor of the Imenia Academy's main building.
Professor Silbert's room.
*Bzzzt—*
At the ringing vibration, Silbert rummaged through his bosom as if he had been waiting.
A palm-sized communication artifact.
Sharp characters rapidly scrolled up across its surface.
- User 3: Explain yourself. Silbert.
- User 4: ...What do you mean?
- User 3: What do you mean, "what"! You said the Jijon Cheonma would come find you soon! So we waited for ages, and what is this!
- User 4: I don't know either. It's just that I clearly met him in Korea, confirmed his power, and heard him say he would come soon. That's all.
- User 3: And you call that an excuse now......
User 3.
He understood why she was so indignant.
They had stationed people on every path leading to the Academy, searching for anyone suspected to be the Jijon Cheonma for several months now.
And yet, there had been no meaningful results whatsoever.
- User 1: The plan is already quite twisted. You know that, right?
- User 4: It couldn't be helped. This plan was started on the premise that the Jijon Cheonma was absent. If he were around, he would never have permitted such a plan?
- User 3: That's why we conquered the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Abyss. But where in the world is this Jijon Cheonma you mentioned?
'As if I'd be sitting here if I knew.'
Silbert scrunched up his face and stared down at the communication artifact in his hand for a long while.
He was genuinely contemplating leaving the chat.
They had been surprised when he said he met the Jijon Cheonma and hurriedly followed along; now they were just losing their temper.
- User 1: We can't keep clearing the Abyss on nothing but your word. They aren't ones to sit idle and let this stand.
- User 3: Even now, there's an uproar over why we're clearing the lower floors... interference will definitely come. I have no intention of clearing while enduring such interference. If it's going to be done, Silbert, you do it.
- User 4: ...Handle it yourselves.
Idiots who still treated this world like a game.
Thinking of such fools made him gnash his teeth, but there was nothing he could do about it right now.
Unless the Jijon Cheonma returned, at least.
- User 1: Anyway, the Abyss conquest is a problem, but it seems a bigger issue has arisen. The possessors who entered Heuka have finally caused an incident.
- User 3: If it's related to those who entered Heuka...... don't tell me?
- User 1: Yes. They seem to have succeeded in creating Demons using Abyss energy.
- User 4: Those crazy bastards have finally gone and done it.
Demon.
These were beings that had actually appeared in the mid-to-late game and were experimental subjects created by Heuka, which researched Abyss energy.
Monsters created by being injected with large amounts of Abyss energy.
Their minds broke, becoming monsters that delighted in slaughter, but in exchange, they possessed gruesome physical abilities.
- User 3: They made those horrible things already?
- User 1: It's probably not a complete product yet. Still, we've caught their tails, so we'll raid them soon.
- User 4: You're going personally?
- User 1: No, someone above me.
- User 3: If it's above you......
There weren't many figures above User 1, who was entrenched in the heart of the Empire.
Especially if it was a superior connected to him, there was only one.
- User 1: The Sword Saint is moving personally.
The Empire's Golden Lion. Or the Sword Saint.
He had many aliases, but what was certain was that he was among the strongest, counted on one hand.
- User 3: A human calamity is on the move. Well, it's famous that the Sword Saint despises Heuka.
- User 4: The location? Where is it?
- User 1: Southern Empire. The city of Sauel.
It was when the conversation had reached that point.
*Knock, knock—*
At the sound of someone knocking on the door, Silbert stowed the artifact in his bosom and sat before his desk.
"Come in."
Red hair cautiously opening the door and entering.
It was Claire.
"Hello, Professor. Did you call me?"
Claire greeted Silbert respectfully.
To her, Silbert held somewhat complicated meaning.
He was a professor at the Academy and the benefactor who had given her a new life, while simultaneously being the only person connected to the unidentified individual named Hio.
"Claire. I heard you refused the award for top grades last semester."
"Yes. It's not like receiving it makes me stronger."
Despite entering a semester late, Claire was receiving attention from countless professors for her overwhelming talent.
However, it was also true that she showed no interest in children her own age to a strange degree and displayed such intense obsession with becoming stronger that it was a bit worrying.
"Yes, well, the reason I called you today is... you know, that friend."
"If you mean that friend......"
There was only one person between them who could be called "that friend," so Claire's gaze changed.
To one filled with interest from a previously indifferent look.
"Ahem. Have you perhaps been in separate contact with him?"
He hadn't asked until now.
Because Claire needed to adapt to Academy life, and he had thought the Jijon Cheonma would come find her soon.
But the Jijon Cheonma, who was supposed to come soon, showed no signs of arriving whatsoever, which was frustrating.
Hadn't he gotten an earful from the other Rankers today as well?
"I haven't... been in contact or anything."
Claire's expression noticeably sulked.
No one was more disappointed about being unable to than Claire herself.
"Sigh... I see."
Silbert had harbored a faint hope, but let out a deep sigh at Claire's answer.
If this was how it was going to be, he shouldn't have said he'd come soon.
It had already been months of fretting over not knowing when he would come.
He had lost quite a bit of weight from all the worry.
Seeing Silbert puff out a sigh like that, Claire asked.
"Why him all of a sudden?"
"The truth is, that friend is a bit angry."
"...What? Angry?"
Claire couldn't help but be surprised by Silbert's answer.
She had seen Hio angry only once.
The image of him filled with rage, becoming an incarnation of lightning and punishing evildoers.
"When he's angry... it's scary..."
"Scary, indeed..."
Silbert recalled a similar scene as well.
—Are you certain that is the best you can do?
A voice all the scarier for how calm and collected it was.
The blue sun floating behind him.
The Flame Ruler who, with a single word, would have reduced not only him but the entire city to dust.
Of course, they knew he wasn't someone to do such a thing, but scary was scary.
"He is scary. When that guy gets angry."
"But he hardly gets angry... how did he...?"
"Hm. Should I say a misunderstanding occurred? At any rate, he said he's angry and will come find us soon."
"What? He's coming?"
"Yes. That is why I called you, wondering if perhaps you had a separate way to contact him. Ah, and I also wanted to ask if there was anything in particular he might like."
"If it's things he likes..."
Claire fell into thought for a moment, then soon answered smoothly without hesitation.
"When it comes to food, he likes anything with meat in it. He likes spicy things, but he can't handle them as well as I can, so he always keeps a cold drink by his side while eating. And also... he really likes cute things."
They had lived together every day for two years, and yet these were the only things she knew.
If she had known it would be like this, she should have at least casually asked what he had done in the past.
What kind of story he had...
Even as such thoughts came to her, she shook her head dozens of times, telling herself it was not her place.
The thought she always arrived at in the end was that she needed to become stronger after all.
So that one day, she could stand beside him.
So that she could ask such questions without hesitation.
"I see. Haa... If even you don't know, then when in the world is that fellow coming? He shouldn't have said he'd come soon in the first place... In any case, I understand. You may go now."
"Yes."
Claire bowed her head and turned to leave, but then, as if something had suddenly occurred to her, she looked back at Sylbert.
"Did... did that friend really say he would come soon?"
"Hm? Ah, yes. I heard that clearly."
"Um... then I'm sorry, but about me saying I wouldn't accept the award for academic excellence... would it be possible for me to accept it after all?"
"Hm? Well, there shouldn't be any problem with that."
"Please! Thank you!"
Only after saying that did Claire turn back around and leave again.
Her expression was much lighter than when she had entered.
'Hio is coming soon!'
Could there be better news than that?
If Hio came, she would have to naturally show him the certificate while pretending not to.
Then surely the way Hio looked at her would change at least a little.
Claire walked quickly with such light steps, but her pace gradually slowed.
'Hio is angry...'
It was because Sylbert's words had suddenly come to mind.
'If that's really true, then it won't be an ordinary matter.'
Where was Hio now, and what was he doing?
She was curious, but since there was no way to find out, she felt like she would become dejected again.
'No. Still, he'll be here soon! Cheer up and work even harder!'
Worrying about Hio was a luxury.
As far as she knew.
Even in this vast empire, there was no one stronger than him.
Perhaps only the empire's Golden Lion, whose martial might was said to reach the heavens, could match him.
'So let's get stronger quickly!'
Where Hio was, and what he was doing.
She could not quite imagine it, but she was certain he was doing something tremendous.
With that vague thought, Claire quickened her steps.
And at that time.
"Hahahahaha! You wretch! Are you saying that the great magic you spoke of amounts to no more than that? Hahahaha! How truly trifling and absurd! Why don't you shake your hips along with it while you're at it? Hahahaha!"
Hio was in the middle of earnestly displaying magic before the count.
[Hidden Trait: No Violence! (Patience: 881 / 1000)]