Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard

TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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The black wizard Pals lowered his head.

Ian thought Pals had given up everything.

"H-hehehe..."

"?"

But at Pals' response, Ian tilted his head.

You're laughing in this situation?

"Truly amazing, Wizard Ian. I understand now why the Regent speaks of you so often."

"What?"

"Your magic... it's not human. You received power from a god, didn't you?"

Correct.

Ian's Arcana magic had its power rooted in Hrundal, the Ice God.

"How did a mere human communicate with a god?"

"Hmm... Well? Stylishly? Elegantly? Technically?"

"Hahaha! You madman!"

Ian looked suspiciously at Pals laughing happily.

Look, you're finished. Do you maybe have some magic left?

It was quite ridiculous seeing him act so nonchalant like some grand villain while at Ian's mercy.

"I admit it! Your magic is a level above mine! You could win the Regent's favor!"

"Are you telling me to become [Wizard Ian the Likable]?"

Like if Ian's good, thumbs up. Starting with me...?[1]

Ian shook his head.

Years after reincarnating and he still couldn't escape the ghosts of internet communities.

"Let me ask one thing."

"What?"

"Those. They're [Imperial Watch Dogs], right?"

A common breed of guard dogs in the Holy Empire.

Ian looked at the monster corpses strewn about.

He'd felt they looked familiar... they were hunting hounds created by modifying Imperial Watch Dogs.

"Sharp eye. Yes, Imperial Watch Dogs."

"..."

No wonder they showed no fear of humans.

Pals had captured masses of easily obtainable Imperial Watch Dogs and transformed them into monsters.

Now they were all dead, turned into cold corpses...

"Hey, did those puppies want to become horned monsters?"

"What are you trying to say?"

Pals laughed incredulously.

"The dogs' wishes don't matter. I have the power. The power to transform things and change the world. That's magic!"

"...Magic's foundation is communication. Did you respect those dogs' will?"

"Respect? Hahaha! How absurd! Ian, you have talent overflowing, but you still don't seem to understand what magic is."

This time Ian laughed. Because it was so ridiculous.

Getting told "you don't seem to understand magic" by some random black wizard who just showed up - it really grated!

"Ah ah. Since you understand magic so well, tell me. What do you think magic is?"

Pals answered without a moment's hesitation.

"Magic is domination."

"..."

"Evaluating the target's will, overwhelming it with the wizard's will, controlling them as you desire. That is magic."

Pals' view of magic was very different from Ian's.

Ian had learned magic as communication with mysteries. Source: his respected master Eredith.

But Pals and the black wizards practiced magic differently from orthodox wizards.

Their magic wasn't communication but domination.

The power to distort reality itself with overwhelming will, bringing about supernatural phenomena!

Black wizards didn't care whether their targets agreed or not.

They were prepared to torment their targets with obsessive malice until they submitted.

"Wizard Ian. Haven't you ever found it strange?"

"What?"

"The nobles of this world. Those commonly called 'rulers'."

"..."

"Weak and incompetent, yet lucky enough to be born descendants of great ancestors. How do those with nothing to boast of but bloodline get called 'king' and 'duke'?"

"That's..."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Pals smiled broadly as he spoke.

"An excellent wizard can face an army alone. Then a wizard's value equals that of a noble's army!"

"..."

"Wizards dominate all things in the world. Before the great power of domination, even kings and emperors should rightfully bow!"

Pals' words were somewhat exaggerated.

What? An excellent wizard facing an army alone? How would that work?

Having fought many battles himself, Ian knew that was impossible.

However...

Making a small army defeat a large army - that was entirely possible.

In other words, wizards had very high strategic and tactical value.

Pals' logic went:

If wizards were key figures on the battlefield, why couldn't they be rulers?

Historically, most kings were people who'd fought well and achieved merit. Same with nobles.

So there was no law saying wizards couldn't be kings.

But there were far fewer [Wizard Kings] than expected.

The reason was simple.

If you abused dealing with mysteries for personal gain, mysteries would soon turn their backs on you.

A wizard king would inevitably face moments requiring reckless magic use for their kingdom and people.

When mysteries judged they were being exploited, they'd lose interest in the wizard and become reluctant to lend power.

However.

If you followed the violent mysteries black wizards worshipped, things were different.

When dealing with mysteries that embodied violence itself, you could use as much violence as you wanted!

"Once, the great wizard Maronius tried to rule this world with magic."

"...?"

Even Ian had never heard this.

Maronius tried to rule the world with magic?

What brain-damaged- no, crossbow-shot bastard said that bullshit?

But Pals' expression was dead serious.

"But Maronius was killed by an Emperor jealous of his talent."

"..."

"We of the [Golden Rule Society] carry on the great wizard's will."

Pals spoke with a raised corner of his mouth.

"We shall return this Holy Empire, corrupted by barbarian blood, to the Golden Empire Maronius dreamed of. Thus we shall once again usher in magic's golden age-"

As Pals shouted passionately-

Thwack!

A massive thorn burst through Pals' throat.

Pals collapsed miserably like a puppet with cut strings.

"..."

Ian turned around.

There stood a familiar wizard with a massive plant monster.

"...Demonite."

It was Professor Demonite the summoning wizard.

His plant monster had killed Pals by shooting thorns.

"Are you alright, Ian?"

"I'm fine, but..."

Demonite spoke with a calm smile.

"I almost arrived too late. I came running as soon as I saw the flames rising."

He glanced at Pals' corpse.

"Ian. It's unwise to chat with unknown enemies. Some wizards cast magic while pretending to have normal conversations."

"I'll remember that, Professor."

Ian also shifted his gaze to Pals' corpse.

...He hadn't been trying to cast magic.

He'd been stalling for time, rambling on pointlessly.

'Why?'

His unintimidated attitude despite losing to Ian.

His suspiciously time-wasting behavior.

If Ian suspected Pals had been... waiting for someone, would that be too much of a stretch?

But the truth would remain unknown.

Since the black wizard Pals was already dead.

"I'm relieved everyone's safe. Come, let's head back."

Ian gathered Kira and Elia and returned with Demonite.

#

News of the black wizard's attack spread quickly.

"Did you hear? A black wizard attacked Imperial Princess Elia!"

"What? Wasn't it Kira who was attacked?"

"No way. What would anyone gain from killing Kira?"

"Then what about the Princess? Who benefits if the Princess dies?"

"Um... Duke Gazous?"

But though rumors spread, no one truly understood what had happened.

The attack had started suddenly and ended just as suddenly.

"Ian! Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Thank you for coming, Master."

Hearing about the attack on Ian, Eredith and Inglan came immediately.

Eredith was welcome, but Inglan not so much...

"It must have been an attack targeting you!"

"Why?"

"You know why! You've made enemies of the [Golden Rule Society]! They must have sent an assassin to eliminate you, their thorn in their side!"

It was quite reasonable speculation.

Ian had crushed several of the Golden Rule Society's black wizards, and recently even slew a dragon.

They might as well rename themselves the [Ian Victims' Association].

'True...'

Pals had expertly countered Ian's magic. He could have been an assassin sent by the black wizards.

But Ian kept thinking about Pals' final moments.

'Pals died... waiting for someone.'

'Probably an ally who could turn the situation around.'

Otherwise it was hard to explain why Pals suddenly became so talkative at the end.

At least he hadn't looked like someone sensing their death approaching.

'But Demonite killed Pals.'

'...So was he abandoned?'

Ian briefly considered using necromancy to satisfy his curiosity.

But thinking again, that seemed insane.

Summoning a black wizard's soul, what kind of trouble was he asking for?

Plus Pals had contracted with demons.

There was a very high chance he'd been dragged away by demons without even lingering in this world.

Worst case, he might draw a demon's aggro.

'Investigation will be tough for now.'

In the end, Ian had to settle for an unsatisfying conclusion.

Today's conclusion:

Something was going on at this Imperial University...?

'Hmm. What a mess.'

The black wizard's attack brought one major change to the university.

The professors voluntarily started patrolling.

"Professor Demonite!"

"You're truly amazing! If not for you, Imperial Princess Elia and Lady Kira! They'd all be dead!"

Ian quietly crossed his arms watching Professor Demonite surrounded by students.

Actually he just landed the final blow! I defeated the black wizard~!

...Though that wasn't why he was watching.

'The only one who benefited from this incident.'

Looking at the results.

Demonite was praised as a hero by students and professors for killing the black wizard.

Though he'd really just landed the final blow after Ian did all the work.

The fact that 'Demonite killed the black wizard!' wouldn't change.

"No, no. I'm more at fault for not detecting the monsters' movements earlier."

"By that logic! Ian should take some blame too!"

"That's right! A dark wizard should be on night patrol! Instead he's off flirting with students!"

...What?

Wait. A surprise attack of criticism here?!

Idiots who loved badmouthing others existed everywhere, and Imperial University was no exception.

There were groups who didn't look kindly on Ian entering with Inglan and Eredith's backing(?).

Ian stepped forward in disbelief.

But just then, a gentle hand grasped his shoulder.

"In these situations, it looks a bit messy if the person involved steps in~"

"Lady Elia."

It was Imperial Princess Elia.

She flashed Ian a sweet smile before striding forward confidently.

"Still running your mouth about things you don't understand? Young Baron?"

"P-Princess?!"

"I saw everything at the scene. Ian stopped the black wizard!"

Actually a lie.

When Ian summoned the impure mystery, Elia couldn't see anything through the veil of darkness.

But Ian won anyway so who cares?

"I'd appreciate if you'd refrain from badmouthing the savior of my life."

Elia spoke with a radiant smile.

"Before I feel compelled to tell Father about your conduct~"

"Ah, n-no... that..."

Ian greatly admired Elia's imperial princess power play.

All that talk about having no power was just pretense!

Though the Holy Empire's Emperor might be class president level, a class president was still a class president.

One word to a duke like 'Hey, your kids are getting out of hand lately?!'

The duke would gather his counts and go 'Hey, are you guys insane?!'

The counts would turn to their barons with 'Which of you bastards made trouble up there? Was it you?' and medieval top-down bullying would begin.

Though they wouldn't go as far as overturning territories, it would definitely cause various headaches.

"Hehe. I handled it, Ian."

"That was impressive."

"It was nothing~ Well then, I'll be..."

Ian grabbed Elia's arm as she tried to leave.

Elia's complexion was deathly pale.

As if she'd been sick for days.

"Let... go."

Without releasing his grip, Ian said:

"Lady Elia. Are you alright?"

"..."

Elia didn't answer.

---

[1. raei: seems to be a korean meme. couldn't find it.]