Chapter 18 : This Is Magic

The magician stood still, not clutching his severed arm.

“Ahhhhhh, my arm! My arm!”

Without even a hint of pain on his face, blood quietly trickled onto the stage.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

“No need to make a fuss. I have a few questions for you.”

“If that’s the case, you could have just asked instead of chopping off my arm!”

“I only talk to people. All you need to do is answer me like a parrot.”

“You are incredibly rude.”

He silently stuffed his severed arm into his cloak.

When he pulled it back out, his arm was intact.

“What would you have done if I didn’t know how to reattach my arm?”

“Then I’d take your head next. Let’s see if you can reattach that too.”

“That’s a rather tricky spell.”

As I started to move, the magician stepped back, gesturing towards the hostages.

“If my performance keeps getting interrupted, I’ll have no choice but to rely on their help.”

“You’re taking hostages?”

“Not hostages—assistants. They’re here to enhance the excitement and atmosphere of my show, so please don’t misunderstand.”

Looking at the unconscious soldiers and a tightly bound Evelyn, I thought to myself,

“If this guy really is an Apostle, fighting him while he has hostages will be tough.”

“Wade.”

Evelyn spoke weakly.

“Don’t worry about us. Fight with everything you’ve got.”

“But all the hostages will die.”

“We can’t afford to lose anyone else. If you fall, there will truly be no hope left.”

“You talk a good game for someone who walked into a trap looking for their subordinates.”

I shrugged and looked at the magician.

“You heard her, didn’t you? Looks like your pitiful little show is over.”

“Don’t be so quick to judge. My performance will be the best experience you’ve ever had.”

“Is that so? Let me be the judge of that. But…”

I tilted my head, pretending to ponder.

“There are just too many reasons why your show is terrible. I don’t even know where to start.”

“Excuse me?”

“The stage is dull, the props are shoddy, and the costumes are third-rate. Your showmanship is awful.”

“That’s enough.”

“You seem to think magic is child’s play. Just dressing up in some fancy outfit and spouting mysterious words doesn’t make you a magician.”

“Stop it!”

The magician shouted, cutting me off as he gestured with his hand and pulled out a wand.

The magician, who had been on stage, suddenly appeared before me and swung his wand.

Boom!

A heavy impact resonated. Though I blocked with my sword, the force penetrated my armor, and I was pushed back.

“You seem more suited to being a knight than a magician.”

“I told you to shut up.”

“Oh, my bad. My mouth seems to have a mind of its own. Why don’t you use some magic to fix it?”

His wand clashed against my sword.

We exchanged dozens of blows.

At first glance, it seemed obvious I should win, yet strangely, it wasn’t his wand that broke—it was my sword.

The magician sneered.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Go ahead, keep talking with that big mouth of yours. I’m all ears.”

“Heh.”

“What’s so funny? Facing death, have you lost your mind?”

“No, it’s just… funny.”

I sneered back at him.

“A so-called magician keeps fighting like a knight. It’s hilarious.”

“You lack the basics of magic. Since when does a magician need me to teach them this stuff?”

Whoosh.

I pulled a large cloth out of thin air.

It moved as if it had a will of its own, flowing like water. Following my lead, it spread over the floor, then

lifted again.

When the cloth vanished, the soldiers and Evelyn, who had been hostages, were lying on the ground unharmed.

The magician was visibly flustered.

“My assistants… how did you—?!”

“A magician creates hope through deception. Distracting and mesmerizing the audience is the most fundamental skill.”

“What trick did you use?!”

“Asking for the secrets of magic? You lack not only skill but also basic manners.”

Allowing myself to struggle earlier had been the best way to capture his attention.

Once I had that, the rest was easy.

“This can’t be… I’ve been tricked?”

Unable to accept the dramatic twist, the magician pulled cards from his sleeve and threw them.

“Then how about this? Take these cards, sharper than any blade!”

“Amateurish. Your magic lacks any impact.”

I also pulled out cards to counter his.

My cards multiplied instantly, from ten to hundreds, to thousands.

The air filled with shimmering cards that reflected light like swimming fish, before they all surged toward the magician.

In moments, the magician was in tatters.

“Ugh!”

“How’s real magic? A bit spicy, isn’t it?”

“This won’t stop me!”

He poured all his mana and cards into forming a barrier.

The hardened cards spun like a miniature tornado, deflecting my attack entirely.

He’s preparing to run.

“Where are you going? My show isn’t over yet.”

“I may retreat today, but mark my words—I will have my revenge. And I will plunge everyone in this Rose Duchy into despair. Until then, wait for me.”

“Even your farewell is pathetic. Revenge or not, please, quit being a magician.”

“Urgh!”

When the winds subsided, the magician had completely vanished, leaving only his cards behind.

His escape skills were top-notch.

Evelyn, who had been watching, spoke.

“Did he flee?”

“Seems like it. Don’t worry, though—I’ve already prepared a way to follow him.”

“So that’s why you let him go so easily. You’re targeting whoever’s behind him, aren’t you?”

“Exactly.”

I intentionally let him go, just as she suggested.

This guy wasn’t an Apostle.

From the start, I could sense the power of an Apostle, but it was too weak, and I quickly realized the truth.

He may have been the one pulling the strings behind the bandits, but there’s at least one more behind him.

That’s probably the real Apostle.

I don’t know if the magician who tried to corrupt Evelyn is this guy or the one behind him, but it doesn’t matter.

I’ll just chase them down and take care of them all.

There’s still plenty of time, so I’ll check on Evelyn’s condition a bit more before heading out.

“You had a reason to look for the magician, didn’t you? If I’d known he was this dangerous, you should have warned me in advance.”

“I only heard rumors, so I wasn’t sure. If I had solid information, I would’ve told you beforehand.”

“Well, at least you managed to take him down. Can we consider the bandit problem resolved now?”

“Most likely. I dealt with some of them on the way here, and with their leader in that state, they won’t be reappearing anytime soon.”

I placed my hand on her head.

“What are you doing?”

“You need treatment, don’t you? If you return to the estate in this condition, people will be worried.”

“I’m fine. Look after the soldiers first.”

“Leaving them unconscious is better for now. They’re injured, but none of the wounds are life-threatening.”

Healing power flowed into Evelyn’s body.

Her wounds closed quickly, and her complexion returned to normal.

“To think you have such abilities. Aren’t you a knight? How can you handle power that only high-ranking priests should be capable of?”

“I’ve picked up a lot over the years.”

“You’re more and more of a mystery the more I learn about you. Who are you, really?”

“A friend and just an average underperforming academy student. That’s all.”

She remained lying down as she spoke.

“Thank you. You saved me and my people.”

“It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? Someone like you deserves to be recorded in our family’s history as a benefactor. When we return to the estate, I’ll hold a small banquet to honor your achievements.”

“No need. Let’s keep this quiet. It’s as if I was never here.”

I had already dispelled the barrier outside.

Soldiers who received the message would arrive soon, and by then, I’d vanish.

“But then your honor won’t be recognized.”

“I didn’t act for honor.”

“With such great power, living like an underachiever… I can’t understand it at all.”

“It’s kind of fun this way.”

“Fine. If that’s the case… I’ll remember. That you were honorable. Until my dying breath, I won’t forget it.”

How admirable.

I placed my hand on her head again.

“I thought the treatment was finished.”

“This is just a pat. As praise.”

“W-what? Hey! Do you think I’m a child? Remove your hand! Hurry up and remove it!”

She flailed, her face red, trying to knock my hand away.