Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard-Chapter 348

TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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'How did it come to this?'

Duke Roxlan couldn't keep his body still.

He paced back and forth, organizing and reorganizing his thoughts.

'...When we finished negotiations, the situation wasn't this bad.'

Up until the moment he imprisoned Wizard Ian, the situation had been very favorable for the Duke.

No, he'd thought it was already won.

Ian was trapped in a room.

And Duke Roxlan had prepared countermeasures to deal with a wizard in advance.

He calculated that no matter how skilled the wizard might be, he'd have no defense against the artifacts waiting in the treasure vault.

The wizards lodging with him had even confirmed this, making him all the more confident...

'That cunning bastard!'

The Duke couldn't contain his anger and stomped his foot.

He'd even opened the castle's treasure vault and prepared magical countermeasures in advance...

Yet cleverly, Wizard Ian hadn't fought with magic!

He did use magic. Just not for combat.

Ian combined several spells to make soldiers spring forth into the Duke's castle.

The Duke was utterly dumbfounded...

But he quickly collected himself and decided his next move.

When Ian's soldiers charged in, the Duke instinctively knew the situation was extremely unfavorable.

The Duke had given all his knights leave to hold the banquet.

The banquet was an event for "morale boosting," so naturally, knights had the right to rest.

If he'd said, 'The banquet is just an excuse, stay here in case of emergency~', he would've been criticized for sinisterly plotting.

But now, the [Banquet Operation] had come back to trap the Duke.

No.

It was strangling him.

"Sir Pyrak?"

"...Still not in sight."

The Duke's aide answered, struggling to steady his trembling voice.

This was the high tower of the castle.

A place with a clear view of the surroundings.

Having surveyed the situation personally, he knew how tangled things had become.

'The river has overflowed and blocked the path...!'

Tremendous rain poured from the sky, and on a day like this, there was almost no way to cross the outer castle.

When the rain stopped and the water receded.

At the earliest, in a day or two.

At the latest, foot travel would be difficult for up to a week.

Even at the fastest, reinforcements wouldn't arrive until tomorrow evening.

They could get across quicker by boat, but that would drastically reduce the number of soldiers who could cross at once.

"The current is still too strong to launch a boat..."

"Damn it all to hell!"

Duke Roxlan exploded with rage.

The situation, the timing, was all too coincidental.

He'd deliberately emptied the castle of soldiers for his scheme, but Ian had shown up with soldiers instead!

Not only had he brought his own troops, but he'd also cut off the path with rain and currents.

A natural paranoid, Duke Roxlan even suspected that Ian might have seen through his plan.

Of course, that wasn't the case.

Ian's carefully prepared operation had simply perfectly countered Duke Roxlan's plan.

"...Just hold out."

The Duke gritted his teeth and shouted.

"If we hold out for just one day! No, just half a day! My knights will cut off that impudent wizard's head and place it at my feet!"

Duke Roxlan made his judgment.

Time was on his side.

After all, no one knew what had happened between Ian and the Duke.

The Duke's vassals would think Ian had suddenly attacked the Duke.

If so, the Duke would have the right to summon his vassals.

In half a day at the earliest.

By tomorrow at the latest, the Duke's knights would arrive!

"Wizard Stera!"

"Y-yes?!"

"I'm counting on you. When this is over, I'll give you a cart loaded with bags of gold coins."

"Th-thank you, my lord."

Wizard Stera awkwardly stood up and expressed her gratitude.

She wasn't one of the Duke's close associates.

She was just a lodger who'd been on her way to the bathroom when she ended up fleeing with the Duke.

'I came here for free food and drink. What terrible luck!'

She had no clear understanding of the current situation.

In fact, most of the Duke's retainers didn't understand either...

They only knew that a man called Wizard Ian had brought soldiers, and they'd die if caught.

Not knowing who Ian was, Stera prepared her magic anyway.

Better than dying while daydreaming.

With the wizard's help, Duke Roxlan prepared to hold out.

The Duke thought time was on his side.

And Ian thought the exact same thing.

'It'll be disadvantageous if we drag this out too long.'

The reason Ian could take the drastic measure of bringing soldiers was because of the Emperor's protection.

The Emperor was the type who'd snicker with glee at the Duke's misfortune.

It's not like Ian attacked the Duke without reason.

If he won, he could toss the aftermath to the Emperor.

But to worry about the aftermath, he needed to win now.

"What about the nobles?"

"We've gathered them in the banquet hall."

After capturing the castle, Ian quickly disarmed the guards.

He also prevented the nobles from leaving the banquet hall.

Sir Salvador personally directed this part.

"No accidents happened, right?"

"Of course not. Sir Salvador gave the orders directly. And Sabui isn't that stupid."

Thanks to the experienced knight's instructions, no nobles were injured or killed.

This was excellent news for Ian.

If some innocent noble had been harmed, Ian would certainly have faced the consequences.

"Let's go see."

Ian moved to the banquet hall with Belenka.

Sir Salvador was already dealing with some nobles.

The atmosphere, however, was tense.

'It would be strange if it was good.'

When Ian appeared, the nobles' gazes all flew toward him.

Some gazes were hostile, but Ian brushed them off without concern.

Being the center of attention was familiar to him.

Moreover, these nobles were people he'd chatted with during the day's banquet.

"Wizard Ian."

An elderly noble spoke up.

He was the implicitly elected representative of the nobles.

"What exactly is happening here?"

Ian bowed his head and replied:

"I apologize for the delayed explanation."

"Hmm..."

"This incident occurred due to an unfortunate friction between Duke Roxlan and myself."

Several nobles frowned.

Someone shouted:

"I don't know what kind of friction, but was it right to bring soldiers to an imperial duke's castle?"

Ian answered without batting an eye:

"These soldiers are not people I summoned."

"?"

"They're the handiwork of my friend and fiancée, Wizard Kira."

This wasn't a lie.

They were soldiers summoned by Kira's magic.

Of course, they came because Ian had requested help.

"Wizard Kira? Why would they...?"

"Because they learned I was in danger."

"...Danger?"

Ian calmly surveyed his audience.

The nobles held their breath as they watched Ian.

Ian's speaking skills, honed through countless wizard-behaviors, had long surpassed ordinary levels.

An exceptional speaker captures people's attention before even speaking.

As people's concentration increased, Ian spoke in a clear voice:

"Before news of the body being discovered, I was having a private meeting with Duke Roxlan."

"For what reason?"

"To discuss my fiancée."

"? You mean that wizard Kira?"

Ian pulled Maria closer and said:

"No. A different fiancée."

"...?"

The nobles understood Ian's words and chuckled.

This wizard certainly lives an enjoyable life!

"My fiancée here has the family name [Silverwind]."

"?!"

"Yes, the Silverwind that was Duke Roxlan's vassal."

Several nobles wore expressions that seemed to say "I knew it!"

In truth, a few sharp-eyed individuals had been eyeing Maria suspiciously since the day's banquet.

But they hadn't dared to ask directly.

It was already strange that the vanished Silverwind had reappeared, let alone that they'd come to Duke Roxlan's castle!

"Lies!"

Ian expected such an outburst.

He replied calmly:

"It's not a lie."

"Cut the nonsense! You murderer!"

That person probably sincerely believed Ian had magically killed someone.

Ian shrugged.

People naturally believe only what they want to believe.

For such people, evidence needed to be thrust before their eyes.

"I swear to heaven. Wizard Ian is speaking the truth right now."

"Who are you...?"

Two people approached Ian's side.

Takarion and the priest.

With a monk and priest asserting the truth, the nobles couldn't hastily voice opposition.

Of course, they merely couldn't voice it "hastily."

Nobles with naturally rash personalities continued to say whatever they wanted.

"Swindlers! You must have been paid! Corrupt clergy!"

"Very well. Then let me show you different evidence."

"...?"

Ian moved to where the body had been found.

"Ian."

"Would you like to try?"

Ian stepped aside for Maria.

Maria took a light breath, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

Maria's magical abilities had developed incomparably since before.

She had helped Ian at the university and made progress on her own as well.

And Maria originally had talent for necromancy.

"What is she doing...?"

The nobles didn't know what Maria was doing—

"Wow! Necromancy!"

"?"

"It's REALLY difficult!"

A well-traveled wizard immediately noticed Maria's magic.

[Necromancy] was among the rarer schools of magic.

Suddenly.

Maria rolled her eyes back and cried out in a desperate voice:

"Baltanka—! I'll kill youuuu—!"

"!!!"

The nobles jumped in surprise.

To call out a strange name so desperately out of nowhere?

It was behavior impossible to believe as an act.

Moreover, this person called Baltanka was a real person.

He had been caught watching(...) Maria's magic and was dragged before Ian.

"Are you Baltanka?"

"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"If you wish to confess your sins, speak to the heavens, you foolish man."

"..."

When Takarion stared him down, Baltanka trembled.

He had witnessed necromancy for the first time in his life—

And in extreme terror, he knelt at the feet of the clergyman, confessing all his sins.

"I-I killed someone for money!"

The nobles gasped in shock.

This man was the true criminal in the murder case.

"But the Duke! Duke Roxlan ordered me to do it! He said he'd cancel my debts!"

"Hmm. Is that so?"

The corners of Ian's lips turned up ever so slightly.

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