I'm in the Dark Mageʼs territory?

The borders that the Dark Mage was heading towards were the eastern mountain range that marked the boundary between the Council's domain and the neighboring kingdoms. The mountains were rugged and treacherous, and the area was sparsely populated, making it an ideal place for the Dark Mage to gather his forces without attracting attention.

I'd been traveling with the Knights of the Cross for several days now, and they were making good progress towards their destination.

The horses were fairly fast.

We stopped at a small village called Flute to rest and resupply, and Garret and Genny were discussing our progress.

We were in a tavern at the time.

"We've been making good time," Garret said. "But we still have a long way to go."

Genny nodded. "The Dark Mage is powerful, but we have to stop him before he can claim any more territory."

"Speaking of powerful," I interjected, "I think I can be of some help. My mana proficiency is high, and I have some strong spells. I can assist you in defeating the Dark Mage."

Garret raised an eyebrow. "You have confidence in your abilities, don't you?"

"I have experience," I replied. "And I have fought a few monsters. I believe that I can be an asset to your team."

Genny chimed in. "I agree with Lumiere. He has proven himself to be a capable ally so far, and his skills and abilities make him a valuable addition to our team. We need all the help we can get if we're going to win this."

Garret sighed. "All right, Lumiere. We'll see. But be aware, this mission is not without risks. We don't fully know what we're up against, and we can't afford any mistakes."

I smiled, my eyes gleaming with excitement. "Don't worry, I won't let you down."

"You better not, till we get a mage in our faction, you'll have to do." (Garret)

"Haha, my big brother's the only mage you'll ever need." (Genevieve)

Her praises always did hit the right places in my heart.

Then.

We discussed a recap of what the council members informed us of.

Recap of what the council members briefed them on:

The council members had briefed the Knights of the Cross on the escalating threat of the Dark Mage. They explained that he was once an apprentice of the Council, but over time, had grown disillusioned with their ways and turned to the dark arts.

The Dark Mage had been gathering an army of dark creatures, growing stronger and more powerful with each passing day. He sought to overthrow the Council and rule over the lands with an iron fist.

"(Pfft... fat chance, but a mage can dream I suppose.)" (Lumiere)

The council had received reports that the Dark Mage was advancing towards the borders, intent on claiming new territory for his dark forces. They had sent the Knights of the Cross to stop him before he could endanger their people and expand his power any further.

The Dark Mage, Insidius Black, was once an apprentice of the Council, eager to learn and hone his magical skills. However, over time, he became disillusioned with their approach and became increasingly obsessed with power and control.

He began to practice dark magic and soon gathered a small following of those who shared his beliefs. He believed that the only way to bring about true change in the world was through force, and he sought to overthrow the Council and rule over the lands himself.

Again, fat chance.

The Council had been monitoring his activities for some time, but he had managed to elude them and grow stronger. It was not until he began to mobilize his forces and advance towards their borders that they realized the true extent of his power and threat, and called upon the Knights of the Cross to protect their people.

Speaking of recap, I had changed my attire from the usual wannabe noblemanʼs attire to something much more suitable.

I wore a mage's uniform, dark-colored cape, a white dress shirt, gloves, dark pants, greaves with poleyn, and boots. Finally, on my right shoulder I wore a pauldron and on the left a spaulder.

That was my adventuring attire.

- - - - - - - - - -

My excitement heightened as I was officially allowed to join the Knights of the Cross in their mission. It was an opportunity to prove my worth and show that I wasn't just a mere scholar, but a skilled magic user.

I trained for years, honing my abilities and learning new spells.

As our group set off towards the mountains, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. I was a bit nervous, of course. Insidius sounded like he'd be a formidable enemy, and the stakes were high.

Still, I would use my magic to protect my allies and strike down their foes, if it came to that.

I didn't plan on standing out too much, people finding out about my true power would be troublesome.

Genny had seen a bit of it, but she didn't know all of them.

As we journeyed on, I found myself studying my new companion.

Garret was an experienced warrior, calm and collected.

I admired his strength and dedication to our cause. I knew I needed to prove myself to them, to earn their trust and respect.

Days passed as we traveled deeper into the mountain range. The terrain became more treacherous, and the air grew colder. But I remained focused, using my magic to create a shield of warmth via [Fire Magic] to protect us from the harsh weather conditions.

Also, I used his detection skills acquired as a result of the goblins to identify potential threats and avoid potential ambushes from the wild animals.

「Magic Detect」 was the name of said acquired skill.

Finally, we reached the Dark Mage's stronghold.

As we approached the borders, we could see the ominous dark clouds gathering in the distance. A chill ran down my spine, and I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

There was a portentous tower, surrounded by a throng of dark magic creatures.

"We can't let the Dark Mage advance any further," Genny declared, drawing her sword.

"Everyone, stay together and be on alert." (Garret)

The Knights fanned out, their weapons held at the ready as we advanced towards the dark clouds. They seemed to be emanating from the large, foreboding tower that loomed in the distance.

As we approached, the air grew thick with magic, making it difficult to breathe. But we pressed on, determined to protect our people.

I could hear the sounds of battle within, swords clashing and spells exploding. The group prepared for what was to come, steeling themselves for the fight ahead.

Suddenly, out of the shadows, emerged a horde of dark creatures, their eyes glowing red and their fangs bared.

"(W-What are those?!)" (Lumiere)

I had never seen such creatures before.

They lunged at three knights with ferocity, their jagged claws and teeth tearing at their armor.

"Watch out!" (Genevieve)

There was little time for Garret or Genny to get to them especially on horseback.

"I'll handle this!" (Lumiere)

I took a deep breath and focused my energy.

I drew on the power of the universe, channeling it through my body and into my fingertips.

I felt my mana surge, pulsing like a heartbeat within me. With a shout, I unleashed a devastating spell, 「Stone Cannon!」

The ground trembled beneath my feet as I called upon the elements to aid me.

The air was filled with the sound of explosions as numerous boulders compressed into small pebbles were shot from my vicinity, tearing holes into the creatures' ranks. The ground shook as the creatures stumbled and fell, defeated by the force of my magic.

I lost 300 mana points casting this [Earth Magic] spell, it was a standard rank B spell.

「Lumiere's Current MP: 24,700/25,000」

The attacked knights, as well as Garret and Genny, looked at me in awe and gratitude. "Thank the gods for your help, Sir Lumiere," one said, exhaustion etched on his face.

Genny, ever the optimist, smiled. "We couldn't have done it without you. You saved their lives."

"I have to admit admit, you're a talented mage, Sir Lumiere." (Garret)

A sense of pride swelled within me. I'd never felt more alive than in this moment, standing beside my comrades, fighting against the forces of darkness.

"Haha... no need to thank me, it's my pleasure." (Lumiere)

As the dust settled and we surveyed the area of the battle, I knew we couldn't let our guard down. There was still a long way to go to defeat the Dark Mage, and we had to remain vigilant and be ready for whatever came our way.

"Onward." (Garret)

--- Status ---

Name: Lumiere Venrite

Race: Human

Age: 18 Y/O

Titles: The fifteenth child, The eleventh son, Naturally dead, Bastard child, Integrator, All-Fatherʼs courtier, Business man, Meld Master, Prodigy.

Class: High Mage

Physical Strength: 28/28

MP: 24,700/25,000

Magic Arts:「Unlocked Elemental Series — [Fire Magic] (Rank B), [Wind Magic] (Rank B), [Earth Magic] (Rank B), [Water Magic] (Rank A)」, [Plant Magic] (Rank B), [Summoning Magic] (Rank S+), [Purification Magic] (Rank B).

Magic Skills: Integral Skill [Appraisal] (Rank C) | Additional Skills: [Lung Master] (Rank D), [Status Modification] (Rank SSS+), [Enhanced Stamina] (Rank D), [Poison Resistance] (Rank C), [Magic Detect] (Rank A), [Element Merger] (Rank B), [Mana Pressure] (Rank A) | Unique Skills: [Beginner's Luck].

Sacred Benefaction: All-Fatherʼs Crest of Guidance.