Little Mage [1]

Lin Yue stopped the horse beside a giant boulder, she jumped down and brought the little girl with her. Tending her wound and made her drink a vial of [Vulnerary]. The unconscious girl's complexion got slightly brighten.

She just hit her head too hard and fainted. It was not a lethal injury at all. Lin Yue put the girl on top of the horse saddle.

"Go back ..., hurry up." she patted the horse neck.

As if knowing the language of human, the horse neighed and then ran back to where the mansion was. Leaving Lin Yue in this eerie quite woodlands.

She returned her gaze to the uphill.

'Boya ...'

Before this, Marth lured the dillos away from her. To make some time for her and the little girl to escape. 

However, who is him? How could she, the more experienced adult to let some boy like him to do that dangerous task?

Although she believed that Marth has more than he looks, he still a boy less than one third of her age. It only made her uncomfortable to let that boy do something dangerous like this. No, in the first place, it was her fault to let him do this dangerous thing.

Most of all, his identity, he was the son of her former comrade and benefactor, Petra Grossvelg. And now he is her only disciple.

It was some event that happened around twenty years ago. When Lin Yue got dragged into the matter of her maternal grandfather inheritance. 

Lin Yue was born and raised with the tribe as a plainswoman. However, her mother was actually the daughter of a respected member of Osterreich Kingdom noble, the house of Langrunn. Her mother fell in love with a plainsman and then fled away with him, discarding all the privilege as a noble lady.

Yet, a problem arose when Lin Yue's grandfather was on his old age and his condition worsen. There weren't any direct successor left on the Langrunn household. His sons and grandsons were all killed be it because of the territorial war or monster horde attack. The only direct descendant was Lin Yue's mother that fled away to Redirt Plain few years ago.

Putting his last straw of hope on this daughter, Lord of Langrunn sent some people to search her. The knight of Langrunn never met with Lin Yue's mother as she already died because of illness few years prior.

But they have met with Lin Yue, and then these knights asked her to come back to the Osterreich. To fulfil her grandfather last wish to see her, she tagged along with the knight to the Osterreich Kingdom.

She marched to her grandfather's castle in the Langrunn territory. But along the way, there wasn't warm welcome just like she had thought on her mind. It was a blatant hostility from her grandfather's retainers. 

Bandits and brigand attack, assassination attempt, even chased by their knight orders. Her grandfather didn't have direct successor, thus the chance of him passing the helm of Langrunn to one of his retainer was high.

But this random young lass of the plain suddenly announced that she has direct bloodline with the Lord of Langrunn? Just how could these old foxes accept this while bowing their head?

Lin Yue was raised as a woman from the plain, the plain community and tribe was far more honest and less scheming than the nobility of the kingdom. She was just a young girl from the plain who hadn't seen human wickedness and their conspiracy.

Ensnared in this web of scheme rendered the straightforward plainswoman useless. If not because of her trusted friends, she probably wouldn't be able to survive. Along the way, she gathered some reliable comrades and allies to take back Langrunn territory back to its rightful owner. And the most helpful of them was Petra Grossvelg disguised as [Adventurer].

Petra was the mage of this party, but she also handled the party financial situation. With her wit and bargaining skill, she could amass large amount of money just from monster carcasses. With Petra around, the party could secure some fund to make this small party still running.

Long story short, Lin Yue and her small party eliminated all of the hostile noble retainers. And thus she could meet with her grandfather at last. Her grandfather appointed her as the heiress of Langrunn territory, but rejected it. Because in heart, she was a woman of the plain. 

She thought that she couldn't get used with the stiff and scheming nobility of the kingdom. After all of this long journey to the Langrunn capital, she felt somewhat nauseated because of all the trouble. 

Though, she agreed to produce a heir for her grandfather's. However, it must be with the man of her choice. Lin Yue was always a straightforward woman, thus she directly asked the person in question. She proposed one of her party member that catches her interest.

A plainsman of the Shui tribe, Shui Hei. Proficient with bow and a cold man with few words. Lin Yue got along quite well with him along their journey, perhaps because they share common origin. They married and then left a son to be raised as Langrunn successor.

The hectic days of finding the rightful successor of Langrunn come to an end. Lin Yue returned to the plain with Shui Hei.Albeit she wanted to bring her firstborn back to the plain, the whole premise to produce an heir for Langrunn would be useless if she took him back. Thus leaving her son in the kingdom with her grandfather.

Before she left though, Lin Yue asked Petra, which by then already revealed that she was of kingdom's [Noble], to take care of her son if somehow her grandfather died and the young boy didn't have anyone to rely on. Petra agreed easily, though she made it clear that this mean Lin Yue would indebted to her.

Since that time, it has been eighteen years. Lin Yue rarely went back to look after her son, but at least she would surely come back once a year. And her son also have lived his childhood in the plain.

Not that any of Lin Yue past any importance of what happened now, though. But she owe a huge debt to Petra Grossvelg, and this time was when she could pay back this debt.

Petra's son, Marth ..., in her eyes, he was a boy with large appetite. He was trying to learn both magic and sword, and it's not just one system of magic but two of them. Not mentioning about what he was planning with the slaves and their home industry.

A greedy boy, indeed. Though, she heard from the servants that this wasn't the case few months ago. Marth was a lazy, spoiled boy. Never trained any martial arts, or serious on his learning.This sudden change on him perhaps what made Petra called her and Kassandra Nagi. To make them tutoring him the sword and magic.

Yet, Lin Yue was perplexed with his sheer willpower. He didn't complain whenever the training got harder. Perhaps yes, he grumbled a bit but never complaining face on.

If he remained persistent like this, he might become a warrior stronger than her. There was no doubt about his talent in magic which is also very exceptional.

Just now, Lin Yue was a bit short-headed with the course of event. His disciple flew in the air while carrying fainted girl and was chased by a horde of dillos. Because of those dillos never give up on chasing, he handed her the girl and headed back.

Becoming a bait and buy time for her and the girl to escape. She regretted that she didn't stop him from doing that. If something happen with him, and he was injured ..., perhaps she wouldn't dare to show her face to Petra again.

Thus, it led to this. After sending of the little girl back to the mansion with the horse, she ran to where her disciple was.

◊ ◊ ◊

Marth drunk one bottle of [Magic Potion] and the lost Magic Power has recovered slightly.

The [Magic Potion] only help to enhance Magic Power regenerative potential of a mage; or speed up Vital Energy absorption of a warrior. It was never recovery consumable that add MP. It didn't work just like [Vulnerary] that recover HP for fixed amount instantly.

The enraged monsters surrounded him, some were ensnared by Lin Yue's trap. However, because those traps weren't lethal, it didn't injured them in the slightest. 

'I think I've made enough time for them to escape ...'

GRAAHHH!!! GARRHHHH!!! RARRRGHHH!! 

The dillos let out ferocious roar. Then, they were dashing forward with their body curled into rock wheel.

The dillo monsters didn't let him away this time. He aggravates them until all of the aggro turned into him. It was practically impossible for them to reconcile. Not that those monsters have the ability to speak intelligent word or anything.

Seeing the many monsters heading to him, Marth's heart began racing at fast pace. After all what happened, a monster was still ..., monster. They were indeed scary creatures.

His eyes were constantly looking around, trying to find any possible escape route. His mind began thinking about the most feasible spell.

'With this ...'

Forming the image of a boot coated in electrical charge. After feeling a bit conflicted inside his mind because he thought it'd electrified his body. In the end, the spell formed successfully. 

"Thunder Shoes"

There was an explosion of bluish thunder originated from his feet. Marth body was floating with spark of electricity flow around on his leg. From ankle bellow it was covered with thunder in bluish hue, forming corporeal boots made out of thunder.

This spell cost him around 4 MP, and he began feeling dizzy because his MP almost emptied.

'Okay then, let's run!'

Not waiting any longer, he jumped high to dodge the incoming wave of dillos. Not used with the enhanced speed after activating this spell, he almost hit a pine tree. Thankfully, he didn't.

Marth ran in to where his mansion located. But before that ...

"Wild Fire" with the leftover MP, he casually lit up fire on this dry woodland.

Though, the raging yellow flames was fearsome, most of all because it was in the Summer with lot of dried grass and twigs. But surprisingly, it didn't burn nor affect the tree at all.

Yes, that was illogical, but that's just how a magic is. This spell only affect wildlife, and the pine tree wasn't included. Thus it only burned the dillos.

Marth ran away from the dillos, and the dillos also ran away from the fire spell.

With his magically enhanced legs, he ran down the hill in extreme speed that almost reached the speed of sound.

Lin Yue's traps triggered along the way, but it couldn't capture him or even hurt him in the slightest. He just that fast that he avoided the traps rather easily.

After running for a few second, he catches the glimpse of a person he knew. It was his master of the swordsmanship, Lin Yue.

'What's she doing? If she return, won't that make my whole act as a bait become useless?'

He was trying his best to halt this unrelenting sprint momentum. In the end, he sent a flying kick to a pine tree trunk until it completely cut off into two segment. 

Though, because of this sudden stop, he fell down with face kissing the ground, gravel, and wood splinters. The [Thunder Shoes] spell also terminated because he lost concentration.

'damn it, it hurt, it hurt, it hurts a lot, damnnnn!!!'

Lin Yue stopped because of the blue streak of lightning that was actually her disciple. Marth fell down in incredibly miserable condition. She approached him hurriedly.

"Marth-boya! What just..., are you okay?" asking worriedly.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ..... IT'S HURT! DAMN IT!!! THAT'S GODDAMN HURT! ACKKKK ...." he shrieked while clutching his head.

The impact of fell down in extreme speed caused insufferable pain ran through his head. It was like having his head got slammed by a Thor's hammer that fell from the sky like a lightning.

It was a wonder how could he survived that. Perhaps his body got strengthened in one way or another. After rolling and shouted curse and imprecation for few minutes on the woodlands ground, the pain subsided to some extent.

He showed a pitiful face with tears and snot smearing his face, sobbing.

"H-here you go, Marth-boya, [Vulnerary] ...," she made him drink a bottle of medicine.

Although the pain still apparent, the medicine recovered his HP. He wiped the tears and snots from his face and asked Lin Yue.

"..., Master Lin, why did you come back? Didn't I told you to return to the mansion with the girl?"

He suddenly took a brake from his sprint because of her after all. She was there, running uphill with her curved sword drawn out. At least he wanted to know the reason for her coming up again.

"How can I let you do that dangerous thing, when I'm supposed to be your guardian, yara? Of course, it's to bring you back with me yano?! Nanya, what are you doing so suddenly, really? Getting chased by horde of Rock-a-dillos while carrying unconscious girl, and then tossed the girl to me while getting all over yourself and to be a bait? ARE YOU STILL ON YOUR RIGHT MIND, I DOUBT THAT, YARONA?" she shouted in indignant and apparently, very, very angry.

"AHHH!!! DON'T SHOUT! MY HEAD'S HURTING! DAMN IT, WHY ARE YOU SUDDENLY SHOUTING IN FRONT OF MY FACE!" he put down the whole child act and true shouted true to his character, shouted back at her with his hand covering both of his ears.

His head was hurting because he suddenly getting shouted at. He got a headache, and receiving such intense shouting, it only made it more worse.

"I ..., I'm sorry, boya." Lin Yue stuttered on her speech. 

She was mad at him because he did that dangerous thing, and she was worried about him. However, looking at the boy who withholding his pain, she felt somewhat guilty. For various reason.

She sheathed back her sword and then stretched her hand.

"Let's head back to the mansion, danee~... Yoshiyoshi, don't be in such a pain again, nee ...~" she petted his head and gently talk to him.

She squatted in front of him, and said. "Saa~, boya, let's head back to the mansion ..., before those dillos get back once again, yana~."

'What's is this ...? Is she asking me to ride on her back? Ahh, damn ..., I feel dizzy from all of this.'

His head was in such a mess after all of the head slamming. And thus, he crawl on Lin Yue's reliable back. He could smell her natural body fragrance, it was lavender.

'Did she bathed with that soap already? Aghhh ..., I want to rest for a bit.'

Thinking about such thoughts, he closed his eyes and buried his face on her nape.

"Let's return ..., boya." 

Lin Yue smiled wryly looking at the boy who immediately fainted right after getting piggybacked. The journey back to the mansion was ..., peaceful.