Academy’s Genius Mage

“They are my loyal subordinates. We can’t be the only ones to die, right? Let’s all die together!”

“Wish you would put some thought into living. If killing us was that easy, you wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of setting up this trap.”

Dimon’s expression twisted in frustration.

Ian was determined to capture him alive at all costs.

“Even if I’m caught, do you think I’ll tell you everything truthfully?”

“Oh, I’ve heard the stories. Assassins hide a poison pill in their mouth, right? When it’s time to confess, they bite down and commit suicide.”

“Kukuk. You know well.”

Ian’s hand moved again, forming a seal in a beautiful trajectory.

“Then all we need to do is knock you out before you can commit suicide.”

“Wha, what?”

A panicked Dimon moved his tongue to locate the poison pill hidden in his mouth, ready to bite down if cornered.

However, Ian’s lightning bolt was faster.

Crackling sound!

“Gaaaaah!”

Struck by the lightning, Dimon’s body shivered and then went limp. The poison pill, unbitten, dribbled out of his mouth with foam.

Ian retrieved the poison pill and tied him up tightly.

Things went more smoothly than expected.

He wasn’t too concerned about the battle happening outside.

Despite appearances, the Bahamut Fourth Mercenary Squad had impressive skills.

Their seemingly amateurish appearance was all a ruse.

Before the operation began, Polo, the fourth unit leader, had assured them to leave the outside affairs to them.

“Alright. We’ve caught one.”

『Such a cold-hearted human. You should give me a chance to shine too!』

Goyang grumbled, puffing its cheeks.

Ian, having finished his work, dusted off his hands.

“It’s not like you didn’t do anything. You cast the debuff perfectly.”

『Hmph. That’s nothing to call a contribution. It’s basic. What’s needed is sneaking up and stabbing them in the back!』

“This isn’t the end. It’s just the beginning. Count on you next time.”

It was Goyang’s ability that rendered Dimon’s movements heavy.

Goyang could cast a spell that increased the opponent’s weight.

Increase Weight is a 2-circle magic with the same principle as Decrease Weight. It functions to increase weight.

Though used less frequently than Decrease Weight, it comes in handy in situations where increasing weight is necessary.

Typically used on objects, it can also be applied to humans, becoming a debuff magic.

High-circle mages especially employ Increase Weight strategically.

Assassins of Dimon’s caliber could withstand basic debuffs due to their training.

However, it required that the debuff be cast before them, giving them time to prepare and react.

In this situation, where Goyang was invisible while casting the debuff, they stood no chance of countering it, unless possessing inherently high magic resistance.

“It seems none have breached the mansion’s interior.”

『Your family is safe.』

If necessary, Ian had considered sending Goyang to Wilson and Dorothy to sort things outside.

However, the mercenaries effectively blocked access to the mansion.

Just then, a powerful mana surged.

『Human, that’s tremendously powerful mana!』

“Could there be a mage among them?”

Ian and Goyang were taken aback.

It’s not unheard of for mages to collaborate with assassin groups.

Dark mages often make their mark with such associations.

These dark Mages use curses and poison magic to assassinate their targets.

Though time-consuming, disguising the death to appear natural yields effective results.

『Doesn’t seem like a dark mage, though. There’s no negative mana aura.』

“That’s even worse.”

Non-dark mages who have become corrupted are often insane, killing indiscriminately.

Still, something felt off.

‘Even for the Hamel Trading Company, hiring a mage is far too risky.’

Boom!

A massive fireball crashed into the garden, causing the ground to vibrate.

There was no time to delay. Ian quickly looked out the window.

Yet another fireball was hurtling towards the garden.

No matter how he looked at it, it was not the magic of a novice.

“What is this?”

Ian felt disheartened.

The ones casting the magic were neither dark mages nor insane mages.

People wearing black robes, specifically the robes identifying them as students of the Academy’s Department of Magic, were gathering magical energy with their staffs.

And those students were people Ian knew very well.

“Why on earth are those guys here?”

It was Milo and Edel.

Milo was at the forefront, swinging his staff.

He was a barbarian warrior masquerading as a mage.

“Hoorah!”

“Ugh!”

There was no mercy in Milo’s staff.

Where the staff swung, blood and teeth flew in all directions.

Meanwhile, Edel was casting healing magic on the wounded mercenaries.

There weren’t many casualties, but since Edel started healing, Ian could feel at ease.

But then, a strange feeling arose.

“What was that fireball earlier?”

That magic was not a Firebolt.

Considering its size and impact, it had to be a 4th circle Fireball spell.

“Milo couldn’t have cast that magic. So, who did it?”

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a burst of flames rose from a dark area.

A massive tail of flame spun in a circle, then gathered tightly at the tip of a staff to form a fire sphere.

At the site was another student from the Academy’s Department of Magic.

As the fireball’s glaring light illuminated a face, Ian’s expression turned blank.

“Senior Isera?”

Isera’s staff moved, and the fireball flew, crashing among the assassins.

Boom!

With a thunderous noise, the assassins’ screams echoed.

* * *

The battle had ended.

On one side, the wounded gathered.

Edel used potions and bandages he had prepared to treat the injured.

“About ten people were injured, but there were no fatalities. Thanks to your friends, we minimized the damage!”

Polo said.

Ian smiled and slightly bowed his head.

“Thank you for your hard work. Thanks to you, my family is safe.”

“We only did what we had to do.”

“What about the city guards?”

“They’ll likely send investigators soon. Noisy, as expected.”

It was because of the Fireball Isera cast.

The garden was filled with scorched marks and pits.

Still, Ian chose to see the bright side. Without Isera’s intervention, the damage might have been far worse.

In any case, keeping the mercenary members from getting hurt was one of Ian’s goals.

“I’ll handle it myself. We were working together on something anyway.”

“Is that so? Then I’ll leave it to you. By the way, what about the captured ones?”

“Let’s lock them in the underground storage for now and deal with them tomorrow. Please make sure they are guarded closely so they can’t escape.”

“Don’t worry.”

“For today, rest assured. With friends here, nothing else will happen.”

Finally, Ian got a chance to talk with his friends from the Academy.

He asked the burning question first.

“What happened?”

“Don’t be too hard on us. It just felt off… so as soon as I returned to the Academy, we asked for a leave and came out again. It took some time to prepare, though.”

“Did the office approve a same-day request?”

“Haha, I might have used your name a bit.”

It felt like his name would be used more often in the future.

Not that it mattered. If it was Milo, Ian didn’t mind.

“Then, what about Edel?”

“I brought him along since he seemed scared to sleep alone. Plus, we have plenty of prototypes to test.”

The mercenaries were drinking the new potion that Ian had developed.

The potion bottles bore the emblem of the Royal Academy, which would make excellent marketing.

This time, Ian shifted his gaze to Isera.

She stood alone at a slight distance.

Milo explained on his behalf.

“Edel went to the seniors’ dormitory to invite her. He said he felt worried, leaving it to just the two of us.”

“Is she someone who would come just because of that?”

“I thought the same, but you know, she has a soft spot for Edel.”

Ian thought it was quite brave of him.

Considering that the only connection they had was through the Ancient Literature Reading Club, it was a daunting task for someone of commoner origin like Edel, even if he was a count of a subjugated nation, to make such a request.

Ian approached Isera, who looked somewhat lonely.

Although the misunderstanding had not been cleared up, he thought it was essential to greet her.

“Thank you for your help, senior.”

Ian greeted her politely. But Isera’s interest was elsewhere.

“… Cat?”

“Oh, this little one. Didn’t you hear?”

Isera crouched down and extended her hand.

The cat, which had been at Ian’s feet, tilted its head curiously before cautiously walking towards her.

Isera’s hand touched the cat.

“Cute.”

“It’s a mystical creature. I encountered it by chance in the library. You know, during that incident in the ancient magic section. I was holding it then. But it seems you couldn’t see it.”

Without answering, Isera merely continued to stroke the cat.

The cat, enjoying the attention, lay down calmly with content expression.

“Senior?”

“What’s its name?”

“Goyang.”

Finally, Isera looked up at Ian intently, wearing a slightly reprimanding expression.

“Why did you name it that?”

“Meow!”

The cat responded as if expecting this question.

Ian laughed awkwardly.

“It’s for the convenience, no other special reason.”

He couldn’t say it was named such due to its arrogance.

He still couldn’t reveal that it was a spirit.

“Make sure to give it a proper name. A name is a very sacred thing that defines one’s existence, so give it a heartfelt name.”

“Understood.”

『A very delightful human! As expected, beautiful people have beautiful hearts too!』

Hearing this, Ian couldn’t help but think hard about any negative names he could come up with.

“By the way, did you apply for leave as well, senior? Shouldn’t you head back?”

“I applied for an overnight stay. I don’t need to return tonight.”

“Then perhaps a carriage…”

At that moment, Milo interjected.

“Senior! How about spending the night at Ian’s place? We’re planning to stay too, so let’s have a party!”

“That sounds like a great idea. It’s not often that we all gather like this.”

Edel joined in.

Though their true motives differed, it was an opportunity to form an alliance.

“No, it’s dangerous here. Besides, it’s not an environment suitable for hosting you, senior.”

“So what? It has to be better than our dormitory! Senior! Come with us!”

“Let’s have fun together, senior!”

Ian was in a bind.

While it wasn’t worse than the dorms, it wasn’t particularly good either.

The guest room, in particular, might not be well-prepared.

Most importantly, he didn’t think Isera would accept such an invitation.

‘It would be fortunate if she isn’t offended.’

Even though she was a count’s daughter from a subjugated nation, she was a radiant presence anywhere.

But then, an unexpected answer came.

“Should I? One night should be fine.”

“… What?”

“If you don’t want me there, I’ll just go.”

Ian hadn’t expected her to agree.

Milo and Edel rejoiced at their success.

Sighing, Ian quietly called for Wilson and Dorothy.