episode_0049

Leon realized that his attitude had changed a lot since he first encountered the witch.

At that time, I thought I had to think about running away right away, but now my heart was just pounding with nervousness.

Leon turned his gaze to the sturdy Kito for a moment.

“?”

Kito looked at Leon for a moment, puzzled. Leon asked Kito consciously.

[Can you handle it?]

[It is possible if you are confident that you will not be swept away by the aftermath.]

A means to survive without getting caught up in the fights of advanced wizards… … .

Before Leon could even think about it, the witch raised her hand.

A black fire burned brightly on her palm.

Leon briefly looked down at his left arm, which seemed to be throbbing.

It was the arm that had been burned.

She threw a blazing fireball on her palm towards Leon.

‘Crazy bitch!’

After saying that you found it, you attacked me as if you were going to kill me.

There was no way that kind words would come out of Leon’s mouth.

Leon was not so noble as to respect even his enemies.

Kito opened his mouth right away.

Kito’s breath and the witch’s magic met.

Leon quickly escaped the aftershocks of the two spells.

As the flames flew and the breath turned into smoke and spread, the leaves of the trees that were touched by the smoke withered in an instant.

When the magic collided two or three times, the aftermath became unmanageable.

“Wait a minute!”

Leon stopped them both.

Leon continued talking right away, as he wasn’t sure if what he said would stop the witch.

“What do you want from me?”

There must be a reason why he said he found it.

I thought there was room for negotiation if it was because of Gigantes.

“… I’m curious.”

“What?”

But the witch suddenly blurted out something.

Leon frowned and asked back.

“What are you curious about?”

“How did you disappear without me knowing?”

That was it.

Should I be thankful that she didn’t look down on Gigantes, or should I be afraid of her persistence in still being there…?

Leon continued asking questions calmly.

“If you’re curious, just ask. Why are you attacking me all of a sudden?”

“Okay.”

“… .”

The witch lowered her hand.

Leon seemed to lose strength if he gave up too easily.

‘Isn’t that too simple?’

Of course, it was a possible conversation because Leon had the power to stand up to her.

Leon asked without stopping his guard.

“Will you go if I tell you?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“I’m curious.”

“What else?”

“You.”

As the conversation continued as if they were having a normal conversation during the battle, Kito spoke coldly.

“What are you doing now?”

Leon calmed her down with words that only Kito could understand.

[I think we can solve this through talking.]

[Do you really have to do that? This is my territory.]

[Trust me.]

[……i get it.]

Kito hid his sharp teeth, but still glared at the witch fiercely.

“I’m curious?”

“Yeah, how come it keeps going beyond my expectations… … .”

The witch muttered in a small voice, as if talking to herself.

That sight felt a bit harsh.

“As expected?”

“This is the first time I’ve tried to kill someone and failed.”

“You’re curious about how to do that, right?”

She said with a blank expression, as if that was what she should do.

“Tell me.”

“I hate it.”

“Then die.”

“Can you find out if I kill you?”

“No.”

“Then you can’t kill them.”

“Yeah… .”

What the heck, this stupid woman?

‘This might be… … .’

Leon hesitated for a moment and then opened his mouth slightly.

“How about a deal?”

“Transaction?”

“You said you were curious about me. If you want to know, just give me one thing I want.”

“… .”

She wrinkled her nose slightly, as if she didn’t like it.

Normally, it would have been impossible for a trade between an intermediate-level magician and a high-level insight magician to come to fruition.

But she had something to ask Leon, and Leon had a means of resisting her brute force.

It meant that we had reached a point where we could have a conversation.

“You knew that killing wasn’t going to solve the problem, right?”

“I see.”

“So what should you say now?”

“What do you want… Hey… … ?”

“That’s right!”

Leon raised one finger.

“Just tell me one thing and I’ll tell you too.”

“What is it?”

“Do you know about the Warlock?”

Leon asked the witch to deal with the warlock, and planned to cross over to the Empire in the meantime.

Witches will have a hard time dealing with the warlocks who are mass-producing high-ranking wizards, and the warlocks will have a hard time because of the witches.

“Warlock… …I know.”

◦How about %◦?”

“I don’t know.”

Does that mean we just don’t know each other?

The words were extremely short, so Leon interpreted them in his own way.

“I’m in a really difficult relationship with them?”

“Do you want me to handle it?”

“Yeah. … Is that possible?”

The witch nodded.

“Yeah. So you’re saying I should just kill them all?”

“Uh… ….”

Is that okay?

No, is that possible?

“Do you know the school called Teneron?”

“I don’t know.”

“… .”

In fact, Leon did not know how to distinguish only the Teneron school.

The only way to know was to check the signs, but it was impossible to ask them to check each one.

Leon also had a bad feeling towards the warlocks, and he felt that if the witch dealt with all the warlocks, it would take more time.

“Will you let me know when you come back after killing them all?”

“Okay, I’ll tell you.”

“Everything you want to know?”

“… .”

What are you so curious about?

For some reason, I hesitate.

‘Am I taking it too lightly?’

Leon might be missing something because he said it was so simple.

As Leon hesitated to answer, the witch said:

“I can chase you for the rest of my life.”

“… .”

Leon asked in a creepy tone.

“But how do you know my location?”

“My magic was applied.”

“… … Then you can know my location for the rest of your life?”

“Yeah.”

[You can purify it with light magic.]

Kito informed us through consciousness.

Leon asked, feeling somewhat relieved.

“You knew my location all along?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why did you come now?”

“You keep disappearing.”

It seems that once it disappears into the jewel, it cannot be traced.

“Did you come to the Demon Forest to find me?”

“Yeah.”

“You were the one who kicked out the rulers from the center?”

The witch tilted her head.

“I thought you were going to the center.”

“Is that right in the center?”

“I went first and waited, but then annoying things pounced on me.”

“You’re right… … .”

Leon said with a sigh.

“If you really can’t trust me, then at least make a pact.”

“… I can’t make a promise.”

[Witches are forbidden to make oaths.]

Leon heard Kito’s words and thought, “That’s right,” but he didn’t show it.

“Don’t worry, I’ll tell you.”

“… Yeah.”

As the witch turned around, accepting the deal, Leon grabbed her.

“Wait a minute, before you go.”

Leon took the compass out of his subspace pocket.

“Just a drop of blood.”

“… Why?”

“I need to know your location too.”

“There’s no need for that. I’ll go find it.”

“… I need it.”

“Really?”

The witch obediently cut her index finger and let a drop of blood float into the air, handing it to Leon.

Leon placed the blood on the compass.

Drops of blood seeped in in an instant.

And then the needle moved and pointed right in front of the witch, shaking like crazy.

While Leon smiled with satisfaction, the witch spoke with her face still expressionless.

“I’ll be right back.”

“Goodbye.”

The two of them ended up saying goodbye before they knew it.

Kito looked back and forth between the witch and Leon, who were leaving in disbelief.

“This is a really incomprehensible conversation. By the way, are you going to tell me about the jewel if I ask you?”

“If you can defeat all the warlocks and come find me… …I’ll have to tell you.”

“Do you think you can’t do it?”

“I think it’ll take a long time. I have to build up my strength enough to not be manipulated by the witch until then.”

“Can no longer be swayed.”

“I know. But I can’t just let you fight.”

“Hmm… That’s a wonderful idea.”

Kito answered lazily, transforming back into a human form and lying down on top of Leon’s head.

***

When Leon was training at Kito’s Lair, he asked Kito about the runes.

“I don’t know.”

She said she had only heard the name but did not know the details.

A letter that was already forgotten before Kito was born and was only passed down to people.

I thought that if even Kito, who lived for a thousand years, didn’t know, it would be difficult for him to learn about the runes.

The only way left is to go to the place with the highest level of magic among the people.

‘Maybe I’ll have to go to the empire to find out?’

The Derkantia Empire that Arpina spoke of.

However, a pass was required to cross the border.

And identification was required to issue a pass.

Since Leon was not yet an adult, he had no identification to prove his identity.

After much thought, the method that came to mind was to receive a request from the Adventurer’s Guild.

There’s also a colored adventurer’s badge that can be used to verify your identity.

I figured out how to get there by taking on a mission to escort the upper echelons to the Empire.

Leon, who escaped the Demon Forest after a week, went straight to the Adventurer’s Guild.

It had been almost a year since I had been to the Liberty City Crest, but it didn’t really feel like a long time.

Because he had only been training for a year, Leon was insensitive to the passage of time.

Inside the guild building, several adventurers were taking their places.

Leon first checked the bulletin board where the mission announcement was posted.

[Dercantia Dispatch Top Escort Mission]

I found the mission I wanted, but I couldn’t choose it right away.

[Condition: Silver Adventurer]

Leon, a fellow adventurer, was unable to receive the mission.

Leon went straight to the desk and faced the receptionist.

“How do I become a Silver Adventurer?”

“Uh… Are you a wizard?”

The guide seemed to remember Leon.

Leon took out the same-colored adventurer’s card.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Wait a minute. Originally, you had to build up your achievements to be eligible to challenge the Silver Adventurer, but the criteria for wizards are vague… … .”

After the guide asked Leon to wait a moment, the person he brought was Maximus.

He opened his eyes wide as he looked at Leon.

“Theo?”

“Hello.”

“Where have you been for the past year… … .”

“Didn’t Dave tell you?”

“No, I did tell you. I heard that you gained a lot of experience and returned. … …But I was surprised that you suddenly became a silver adventurer.”

“I’m sorry I only look for you when I need to.”

“No, why would an adventurer be an adventurer? There is absolutely no need to apologize.”

While Leon and Maxius were talking about this and that, the murmurs within the guild began to grow louder.

“The day party is back.”

“Did Daphne sweep the 2nd district again this time?”

“You’re really on a roll.”

“I think you’ll get a silver adventurer soon?”

“I’m jealous… …I heard you received the wizard’s artifact.”

“They hit the jackpot.”

Leon’s ears perked up at hearing the name he hadn’t heard in a long time.

When Leon turned his head, he saw four figures opening the door and coming in.

Three of them were familiar faces.

Dave, Karin, and Rinne.

‘You’re alive.’

Their armor was much more upgraded than Leon remembered.

Deif, who was wearing his family armor, was wearing plate armor.

And she was wearing the green flute Leon had given her like a necklace.

‘It looks like you’re using the Guardian Golem Flute well.’

Dave, with his eyes looking quite experienced, approached the desk and made eye contact with Leon.

“Huh…? Huh? Wizard?!”

His voice was so loud that it echoed throughout the first floor.