I Was Mistaken as a Genius Mage in a Game

The world flipped, and a sharp pain shot up from the back of my head. My vision swam, nausea churned in my stomach, and the cold touch of metal pressed against my throat.

The noblewoman’s guards had drawn their swords, their blades now resting against my neck.

“Vera.”

The icy voice of the noblewoman rang in my ears. She had no intention of letting me leave this café alive.

“…So from this point on, it’s self-defense?”

I looked up at the man holding a sword to my throat and smirked bitterly. I hadn’t expected things to escalate this far…

Sizzle—

Well, not that it mattered. They were the ones who picked this fight.

At least now, this was officially a battle between us and them. The café owner and his family were no longer entangled in the consequences of our interference.

Bang!

A flash of bright light filled the café, and the man pressing a blade to my throat convulsed as electricity surged through him. Overwhelmed by the massive shock, he collapsed onto the wooden floor, unconscious.

“He’s a mage!”

The remaining two guards turned toward Lir, shouting in alarm. They rushed at her, but it was already too late.

Crackle!

Another surge of electricity illuminated the café. The two guards, much like their fallen comrade, were struck by Lir’s lightning magic and dropped to the floor, unconscious.

Their heavy bodies knocked over tables and sent napkins fluttering through the air.

“What the…”

The once-proud noblewoman, the esteemed daughter of the Guiner family, could only stare in wide-eyed disbelief.

I pressed a hand to my throat, slowly standing up from the floor.

…Had I almost died just now?

Just like that?

“This doesn’t feel real.”

“Useless trash.”

The noblewoman scowled, stomping her foot against the wooden floor in frustration. The chair she had been sitting in toppled over with a clatter.

Fuming, she flipped a nearby table, sending dishes crashing onto the floor.

…What was wrong with her?

The café owner’s son sat frozen nearby, clutching his guitar, trembling at the sight of her rage.

“Hey! You, mage brat!”

The noblewoman pointed aggressively at Lir.

…Mage brat?

It sounded strange. In an era where people died in battle every day, no one insulted mages.

Even the highest-ranking nobles treated them with respect, knowing their importance to the war effort. Only an idiot would openly mock a mage.

Was this noblewoman truly so clueless?

Did she really need someone to spell out who kept her world intact?

“You’ve messed with the wrong people! Even a duke wouldn’t dare touch my family! When my father hears about this, he’ll have your heads—and your families’ heads—cut off!”

She was losing it.

“Lir, can you just knock her out too?”

“I’ve never stunned a noble girl before… I don’t know how much voltage to use.”

Lir hesitated. No matter how repulsive someone was, harming a person required a certain level of resolve.

“I’ll have you hanged in the square! You have no idea what my father will do when he finds out—”

“Why are you talking so much?”

“I started this? Are you joking? A mere commoner dares speak to a noble in such a tone—”

“What makes you think I’m a commoner?”

“Look at your clothes! Do you think you can pretend to be nobility in that ragged outfit?”

This girl’s ignorance was astounding.

Ah, this was why I loved medieval settings so much.

In this era, clothing signified one’s status. Nobles adorned themselves in ornate fabrics and lace, while commoners wore simple linen and wool. It was a social contract everyone abided by.

…And I despised it.

“I dress comfortably. That doesn’t mean I’m insignificant.”

My assigned servants had stocked my wardrobe with extravagant clothing, but I refused to wear them.

Compared to modern tracksuits, medieval noble attire was unbearably cumbersome.

“Your perspective is narrow.”

I had been born a street rat, but now I was a high-ranking military officer under the royal family.

I reported directly to the emperor and the leaders of various races. My position far exceeded that of an average noble.

“I have every right to speak to you informally.”

In this world, rank dictated speech. And as someone far above this nameless noblewoman, I wasn’t obligated to show her respect.

She gaped at me in outrage.

“Ridiculous! I’ve never seen you at any noble gathering! You must be a fraud—”

In a fit of rage, she yanked a small dagger from her dress and pointed it at us.

Why was she even carrying that?

Then again, considering her personality, it wasn’t that surprising.

“Lir. Please shut her up.”

“…I’ll lower the voltage to about a quarter strength.”

Lir sighed, raising a finger as electricity crackled at its tip.

“…A quarter might be too weak. She’ll wake up too soon.”

“But if she dies, it’ll be troublesome…”

“You dare lay a hand on me?! My father’s torturers will have you begging for—”

Zap!

A clean bolt of electricity struck the noblewoman’s slender neck. She collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.

The café owner’s son flinched violently, curling into himself.

“She was really loud.”

“Are all nobles this talkative?”

“I don’t know, she’s the first noble I’ve met like this. Maybe even the emperor’s the same way?”

“…I’ve never met the emperor.”

“He’s, uh, gentlemanly.”

“…Gentlemanly?”

As I dusted off my clothes, Lir gave me a reproachful look, as if questioning whether that was an appropriate way to describe the ruler of an entire alliance.

Well, whatever.

It wasn’t an insult.

I groaned as I bent down to pick up the coin pouch that had fallen during the scuffle, placing it back onto the counter.

…My body already wasn’t in great shape, and taking a hit just made things worse.

“Sigh… Here’s the payment.”

“Um…”

The café owner’s wife still looked too stunned to process what had just happened.

“You should leave quickly. You must be adventurers from the outskirts… The Guiner Count’s family will never let this go. You need to leave the capital and hide in a remote city as soon as possible…”

The café owner and his wife were panicking, completely unaware of the conversation Lir and I had just shared.

Had they been listening, they wouldn’t have been afraid of the count’s daughter lying unconscious on the floor. They would have been terrified of me.

After all, I had casually spoken about the Emperor of the Allied Nations as if he were a mere acquaintance.

“Why would I run? What did I do wrong? They’re the ones who tried to kill me first.”

I tapped the pouch of gold coins sitting on the counter, silently urging them to hurry up with the bill.

“The Guiner Count’s elite soldiers are nothing like those guards! I’m telling you this because we’re grateful for your help. Please, leave before it’s too late—”

“Help? Me?”

I let out a sharp, amused laugh.

“All I did was come here to pay for my meal, and they were the ones who picked a fight. You must be mistaken. Why would I, of all people, stick my neck out for this café?”

It didn’t feel great to be so callous toward someone offering gratitude, but it was necessary. Drawing a clear line would prevent them from suffering unnecessary consequences.

“…That bastard really laid hands on me.”

A hoarse voice scraped against the wooden floor, crawling its way to my ears.

I turned to see the count’s daughter, still trembling from the aftereffects of the electric shock, pathetically dragging herself across the floor.

“…I told you a quarter was too weak.”

“But it’s my first time using magic on a young noblewoman… I didn’t want to risk actually killing her.”

“Increase the output a little and zap her again. She’s about to start screeching.”

“Y-you damn—!”

Electricity crackled at Lir’s fingertips, slightly brighter than before.

She must have taken my advice.

“…Maybe a little more?”

“Have you ever used magic on a child before?”

“No? Do I look like a monster to you?”

I grinned shamelessly.

“What? A monster…? Then what does that make me?”

“A heartless mage, obviously. Lir, I can’t believe you’d electrocute a poor young lady just because she was being a little noisy. What’s next? Knocking out kids who beg you to play with them?”

“Wait! That’s not—! They were trying to kill us first! This was self-defense! And you told me to do it—!”

“Oh, so you’re just an obedient little follower? That’s disappointing.”

“I—! That’s—!”

Lir’s reaction was more intense than I expected. She wasn’t used to being teased.

The electricity at her fingertips wavered slightly as she trembled in frustration.

Bang!

Before we could continue our banter, the café’s front door burst open.

Reinforcements?

I turned my head coldly toward the entrance, only to be greeted by an unexpected figure.

My personal attendant.

“…What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were here, Bin. I apologize for interrupting your day off, but you need to select a strategist for the next operation. I’ve brought the list.”

Ah. This was what the Grand Chief had mentioned earlier.

I had assumed they’d just assign someone to me, but it seemed I was being given a say in the matter.

A small privilege, but one that showed they were treating me as a proper general.

“Ah.”

The timing was terrible.

“What exactly is going on here?”

The café was in complete disarray. The count’s daughter twitched on the floor like a fish out of water, while three unconscious giants lay sprawled around her.

Their swords—too heavy for me to even lift—rested beside them, and broken furniture, shattered glass, and scattered dishes littered the ground.

…This was bad.

“Nothing happened. They just got drunk, started a fight, and collapsed.”

I lied as naturally as a cat knocking something off a table and acting like it wasn’t responsible.

“Drunk? This is a café.”

“…They brought their own alcohol. That’s against the rules, you know.”

“All three of them brought alcohol?”

“Crazy coincidence, huh?”

“…”

I didn’t want to make a bigger mess of my first day off.

I still had plans—checking out a music shop, watching a bard perform in the square.

I wasn’t about to let this nonsense ruin that.

“Look at his insignia! He’s with the Imperial Household! Listen to me! Those commoners dared to use magic on noble guards and even attacked me directly! That’s treason! Arrest them immediately!”

And yet.

This stupid noblewoman.

Still hadn’t learned her lesson.

Did she hit her head when she fell?

“…Excuse me?”

My attendant frowned, glancing around before settling his gaze on Lir.

I immediately raised a finger to my lips, signaling her to stay quiet.

Lir, ever the obedient turtle, pulled her hat down over her face.

A solid defensive maneuver, but ultimately useless.

After all, there were other witnesses.

“You’re the owner of this establishment?”

“Ah… yes.”

The chef, still in shock, nodded.

He wasn’t foolish enough to lie to someone bearing the Imperial insignia.

And he had no reason to.

“…They drew swords on Bin? Just because he spoke informally? On an Allied Nations general?”

“…What? An Allied Nations general?”

It was only then that the count’s daughter realized how badly she had miscalculated.

I had only intended to teach some rude people a lesson.

But now…

“Pointing a sword at a member of the Sword Saint’s party is an act of treason against the Empire and the continent itself. Lady Guiner, you understand this cannot be overlooked, yes?”

This was spiraling out of control.

“We’ll have to pay the Count a visit.”

This was getting way too big…

“For now, let’s return to the castle, Bin. Otherwise, I might be punished too.”