Chapter 161

While Ian broke down Kira and Maria's mental fortitude, Belenka and Jubal savored sweet honey.

"Oh, Jubal. It's bee honey," Belenka remarked.

This wasn't a metaphor; they were actually sucking on real honey.

"Those bees don't have stingers. Go fetch a little."

"Yes, sir. I'll be right back."

Jubal charged bravely towards the beehive and returned with enough honey for five people.

As Belenka said, the bees were stingless, making it easy to collect the honey.

"Ian. Eat this and keep going."

"Oh, what's this? Honey?"

Belenka grinned as she popped a piece of honeycomb into the mouths of her other companions.

Kira and Maria's expressions were a sight to behold.

She'd heard Ian was giving some special training, but...

Rather than training, their faces looked like they'd been through hell.

Of course, as a knight, Belenka couldn't care less.

She was happy being a knight.

"We're almost there," Belenka said while sucking on the honeycomb.

Observing her surroundings keenly, Belenka could tell the environment had already changed quite a bit.

It was evidence that they'd nearly arrived at Baron Vincents' domain.

"Belenka," Jubal said, pointing somewhere. "That squirrel... I think it's been watching us for a while."

"Let's see."

Belenka observed in the direction Jubal indicated.

Indeed, a squirrel was staring intently at Ian's group.

In the past, she would've passed by such a squirrel without a second thought.

But traveling with Ian, Belenka had witnessed far too many mysteries.

"Hey! Ian!" Belenka immediately called out.

"What is it?"

"Look over there."

Ian scrutinized where Belenka was pointing.

Then he tilted his head, puzzled.

"A familiar?"

From this unfamiliar squirrel, he sensed the scent of a familiar.

'... A black[1] wizard?!'

Ian's tension skyrocketed.

They'd been too lax due to the lack of attacks so far...

The southern Empire was clearly a land where black wizards ran rampant.

Even Ian had already clashed twice with the [Golden Rule Society]!

'Were we being watched?!'

Ian admitted he'd been too careless.

"Belenka! Guard the perimeter!"

"Got it. Jubal! Raise the shield!"

"Yes!"

At Belenka's command, Jubal immediately raised a large wooden shield.

It was a crude thing Belenka had made on the road, just wooden planks with handles attached.

One proper axe blow would turn it into firewood in an instant.

But it could effectively defend against crossbows, spears, and swords.

Even more so when wielded by a giant standing 2 meters tall!

'Skill cards... Do I have Spear of Flame?'

Ian checked for skill cards immediately useful in combat.

Spear of Flame, which he'd used against the black wizard Walter, had finished its cooldown.

If there was only one enemy, he could roast them with Spear of Flame.

'The wizard must be nearby!'

Ian instinctively knew this to be true.

The presence of a familiar meant the wizard was hiding not far away.

Ian took a deep breath and shouted, "Oberon! Go catch that squirrel!"

"Caw!"

Oberon flapped his wings and shot out like a black arrow.

As mentioned before, Oberon was quite large.

So large, in fact, that he was comparable in size to a 13-14 pound native chicken.

Weighing over 1kg, Ian would get annoyed every time Oberon perched on his shoulder.

Moreover, crows were infamous for their nasty temperament.

Beating up one cute little squirrel was child's play for him.

"Squeak!"

As Oberon swooped down, the squirrel startled and tried to flee.

But its opponent was Oberon, the merciless hunter!

A massive shadow engulfed the squirrel!

"Caw!"

"Squeeeak! Squeeeak!"

Oberon subdued the squirrel in the blink of an eye.

The squirrel clawed desperately at the ground with its tiny fingers, but there was no escaping Oberon's cruel beak.

"... That's kind of pitiful," Kira muttered.

But Ian snorted.

Just because it looks cute doesn't mean it's harmless. Squirrels are part of nature too. They eat something in the forest and are eaten by something else.

Especially since this one was a black wizard's familiar.

He didn't feel an ounce of pity!

"Caw!"

[Where's your master, squirrel-ski!]

"Squeak! Squeak!"

[Wh-what are you talking about! Who is it? Squirrel-ski?!]

Ian heard the two animals chattering away.

As a level 3 summoner, Ian had reached the stage where he could somewhat understand animal intentions.

"Oberon. Is that how you're going to make it talk?"

[Oh! Was I too soft?]

Ian nodded.

"Right. You should've said you'd break all its precious acorn-cracking front teeth if it didn't spill quickly."

[...!]

Oberon's wings trembled at Ian's fierce threat.

The mere thought was horrifying.

Breaking a squirrel's acorn-cracking front teeth...!

How cruel!

'As expected, my master is wonderfully twisted!'

Thinking he'd chosen his master well, Oberon nodded.

"Caw!"

[Spill it before I break your teeth!]

"Squeeeak!"

The squirrel trembled under Oberon's talons.

If they intimidated this squirrel well, they could find out where its master was hiding!

Just then.

Something burst out of the bushes.

"Wait! Stop!"

'... Here they come!'

Ian immediately activated his [Spear of Flame] skill.

"[O Spear of Flame!]"

Whoosh!

A massive flame tore through the air!

'Strike first, win first!'

After fighting wizards a few times, he knew for certain.

You must never give a wizard time.

If you give them time to prepare magic, who knows what kind of nonsense they'll pull.

Ian tried to drive down the Spear of Flame before the opponent could cast a spell.

"Kyaaaa!"

"???"

The moment Ian raised the Spear of Flame.

He witnessed an unexpected scene.

The enemy wizard suddenly collapsed to the ground.

Hadn't they just jumped out to fight?!

'Is this a trick?'

Ian seriously debated whether to ignore this or not.

Then he made his decision.

For now... let's stop the spear and hear what they have to say.

"Who are you?"

"Spare me! Please spare me!!!"

"...?"

'Is that... a black wizard?'

As soon as Ian stopped his attack, the opponent started begging desperately.

Bowing their head and trembling...

They really looked pitiful.

"Answer me! Who are you! Why were you spying on us?"

"I'm so sorry! Really! I really had no ill intentions! Please believe me!"

"..."

Ian glanced around briefly.

His companions had already lost their will to fight.

Honestly... Ian had lost his steam too.

If this was an act by a black wizard trying to lull Ian into a false sense of security, they were clearly an actor rivaling Kira.

"Please...! Just spare my life...!"

"Haah."

Snap!

Ian snapped his fingers, dispelling the Spear of Flame.

It seemed the opponent wasn't a black wizard after all.

As the blazing Spear of Flame vanished.

"Hu, huaaaaaang....!"

The wizard burst into tears they'd been holding back.

"Ah...!"

Kira's face turned beet red as she hastily covered Ian's eyes.

"Ian! Look away!"

"Huh? Why?"

Kira, genuinely flustered, stuttered as she whispered, "That woman... she, she peed herself..."

"???"

Ian was instantly dumbfounded.

'Indeed...'

There was a reason the elders warned against playing with fire.

It was truly a terrifying power.

Today's lesson.

Don't play with fire(?).

'She's definitely not a black wizard.'

Ian was certain this ditzy woman couldn't possibly be a black wizard.

If she were, he'd dive into a river, for real.

Of course, the one who actually ran to the river was the suspicious female wizard.

After witnessing Ian's tremendous magic and soiling herself (not a metaphor), she needed to find a river for cleanup.

Some time later.

The wizard returned, clutching dripping wet clothes (Maria had lent her spare clothes).

"Are you alright?"

"...!"

As soon as the wizard left, Belenka and Kira flooded Ian with words.

How upset must she be~

Never embarrass a girl like that~

Try to smooth things over as naturally as possible~ and so on.

He hadn't noticed earlier due to the chaos, but the wizard was a woman around Ian and Kira's age.

Meaning she looked to be in her late teens to early twenties.

The most notable feature was her silver hair.

The wizard's face turned bright red the moment her eyes met Ian's.

If she went for a health checkup like that, she'd get a full course in the emergency room.

In other words, she looked far from normal.

"You...! Ugh!"

She seemed to have a ton to say.

But when you have too much to say, you often end up speechless.

The wizard glared at Ian with a crimson face, then suddenly thrust her laundry forward.

'Ugh, dirty!... is what I almost thought!'

Manners towards girls.

Recalling his companions' advice, Ian put on a polite smile.

Right. Let's try to understand this girl's sorrow!

A way to resolve this without embarrassment...

'Thrusting out her clothes like that... she must want compensation, right?'

That was the only explanation.

In fact, Ian felt genuinely sorry for her.

He naturally assumed she was a black wizard since she was openly spying with a familiar.

Anyway. It's all because of those bastard black wizards, Walter and Bertholdt.

"Here's some money..."

The wizard saw the coins Ian offered and screamed.

"That's not it!"

'...? Is it not enough?'

Then what is it? Ian wondered.

Just then, the wizard, who had been concentrating, suddenly blurted out words of magic.

"[Freeze!]"

"Oh."

The dripping wet clothes instantly froze solid.

Then as she shook the clothes, ice shards scattered everywhere.

'Impressive.'

Ian was genuinely amazed.

The magic the wizard demonstrated was none other than ice magic.

Ice magic, which steals heat from objects, becomes more likely to succeed the colder the surroundings.

It has nearly 0% chance of success in summer and approaches 100% in winter.

Right now the weather was neither cool nor warm.

Yet she succeeded with ice magic, proving her considerable skill.

"You saw that clearly, right?! This is who I am!"

Clap clap clap~

Ian applauded enthusiastically.

Half to cover her embarrassment, half out of genuine surprise.

Having regained her composure, the wizard shouted with energy incomparable to before.

"You! You're Ian Eredith Raven, right?!"

"...? Do you know me?"

The wizard placed her hand on her chest and declared, "I am Krysus Montana! Your senior by two years!"

'Senior?'

Ian tilted his head, puzzled.