Episode 26.14

"It's you guys who are acting suspicious."

Someone spoke out from behind the mages.

Royal Knights' Vice Commander, Neisan Aspell.

Lecan got the mages attention because he went out of his way to go around near them and initiated the talk, but Neisan closed in on them while minimizing his footsteps, so he heard the conversation.

Surprised by Neisan's voice, the mages turned around toward him. Since all five of them turned to the same direction all together, they really are not accustomed to battle as Lecan suspected.

And even though Neisan was tiptoeing, his footsteps weren't completely erased. They're way too inept if they couldn't even notice that, no matter if they're mages.

In other word, these men may have a lot of mana, with high-level equipment and can probably cast high-powered magic, yet they're not accustomed to fighting.

Meaning, there's so many ways to deal with them.

That said, now that Neisan's here, might as well let him chastise Roland.

Lecan decided to entrust the matter to Neisan, and only intervene if something went wrong.

However, there's another individual hiding in this place. Lecan intends to keep a close watch on that individual, waiting to see how they intend to turn up.

"Neisan-dono. Calling us suspicious is uncalled for."

"Roland-dono. You guys are uncalled for. What have you done to Kisshul."

Kisshul is probably the subordinate knight lying on the base of a tree.

"Oh we just put him to sleep. We shall wake him up once we're done with our errands. There's nothing to worry about."

"How could that be nothing. I'll have to hear your explanation."

"Neisan-dono, you do not hold the authority over us. We're not obliged to answer that."

"Oh yeah? Then I will have it my way."

Neisan put his hand on his sword's grip.

"My my. It's five on two, you know."

Other knights and subordinate knights would have rushed in right away had Neisan called for them, Roland must be confident in their ability to end it before they arrived.

That said, his wording makes it sound like he's picking a fight with their supposed ally, the Royal Knights.

"Pipe down will ya. People are trying to sleep here."

Everyone there was taken by surprise and looked at the owner of the voice.

There Shira stood.

Lecan was surprised as well. Once again, this unusual mage showed up out of nowhere without Lecan sensing anything.

You can't tell whether a human possesses mana or not, even if you're a mage. You need a specialized tool for that. Extraordinary mages might have ways to sense whether someone has mana or not, but they can't measure the exact amount of that mana.

You can only tell when the person is discharging their mana or when they're casting magic.

Shira is wrapped in mana in entirety right now. Since she could easily hide it if she wanted, this must be some sort of greeting or perhaps a warning.

"Finally, we can talk face to face, Shira-dono. But really, what enormous mana you possess. To think a mage of your caliber still exists on this continent. Casting <Origin Water> and <Recovery> 20 steps away, and showing illusions to dozens of people must be a trifling matter to you."

"<Exchange>."

Right after Shira recited the spell, the mage Roland vanished, a barrel emerged in his place.

<Exchange> is a spell that exchange an object or a living being with another object of similar size and mass. Shira must have <Exchange>d Roland with a barrel in her house.

The two mages and two subordinate mages began panicking now that their leader disappeared.

The knight who was guarding the backdoor came over.

"Vice Commander. What is the matter?"

"The Royal Mages were behaving suspiciously. Take these mages to the town lord's mansion and keep watch on them. Confiscate all of their belongings. Interrogate them separately and write down the evidence of their misbehavior tonight. I'll inform you the gists of interrogation later."

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"Sir."

The knight took a flute-like thing and blew it.

It sounded a bit shrill, probably a way to inform other knights and subordinate knights.

"Derston was it, come on out now."

Temple Knight Derston Barmoa came out from behind a tree. This man arrived almost at the same time as Lecan, but he hid himself and watched the situation.

"That was a unusual spectacle you showed me once again."

"Oh really. Good for you. Guess I'm charging you spectator fee then."

"Spectator fee is it?"

"You came over my house the other day, didn'tcha."

"Yes."

More knights and subordinate knights came and dragged away the mages.

"The mage brat that just vanished is in that house right now."

"Ah, so you replaced Roland-dono with that barrel. I have heard of this method of usage with <Exchange>, but that was the first time I saw it done firsthand."

"Wontcha go get him back here now."

"I understand. I shall go fetch him."

"And tell him this."

"Yes."

"The next time you dare talk to me, or get anywhere within ten steps near me, I will banish you to another continent."

"Another continent. Does such a thing truly exist."

"Wanna take a look for 'yerself? You'd hafta find your way back home yourself though."

"No. I have to decline your generous offer. Then I will be off."

"Wait up."

"Yes?"

"Bring this barrel back with you. Jericho will take care of the rest once you're there."

"Oh you mean that ape. Understood."

Temple Knight Derston easily shouldered the barrel and was about to leave when.

"Could you wait a moment."

Royal Knights Vice Commander Neisan called out to him.

"If you could please take as much time as possible bringing Roland-dono back here, we would be grateful."

"Hahaan. Guess you don't want him getting in the way of you guys writing that evidence."

"Your consideration is much appreciated."

"Derston. I take back what I said. You don't have to fetch him here. Just give him my message whenever he's back."

"That'd be a great help."

"Well then, I shall take my leave."

Neisan left.

Derston put down the barrel.

"Wonder what to do with this barrel."

"Oh Jericho's gonna take it back soon enough."

"Wonder what's going to happen to Roland-dono."

"Who knows? He'd find his way back if he's coming back. I don't mind if he doesn't tho'."

"Wonder if that guy's gonna get violent with Jericho."

"Oh my, Lecan. Are you worried about Jericho? Well, it'll be fine. Jericho's not an ape who's just gonna take it lying down. Ufufu. I can't imagine what Jericho would do to someone attempting to cast magic in my house. Kind of looking forward to it actually."

"Hou. I'd like to hear the result as well. By the way Shira."

"Yeah?"

"Did you know about the magic tool <Magic Barrier of Yacklubend> Roland was trying to set up?"

"I sure do."

"How effective is the mind magic type of that thing."

"Depends on the magic stones used and the mages using it. But well, even if that Roland guy cast <Sleep> like earlier, with Grace Items and magic stones from dungeon depth to power the magic barrier boosting him, it's prolly not gonna work on you or Eda."

"Eeh."

The surprised voice was Derston's.

Lecan couldn't get what Shira said.

(I don't have <Necklace of Intuador> on me right now.)

(Yet Shira said mind magic won't work on me.)

(Only this Silver Ring.)

(Can that really block Roland's magic?）

"Or rather, that barrier won't work somewhere I'm at anyway."

"Eeh."

Derston and his surprised voice once again.

"Hou. How come."

"When that Yacklubend consulted me on the making of that thing, I taught them a method with certain conditions imposed upon."

"I see."

"Eeh."

Which means even that magic barrier thing originates from Shira if you trace back to the root. That magic tool engineer Yacklubend is quite a troublesome individual, but when you think about it, Shira too is someone who can easily cause rifts amongst men.

Lecan went back to the detached building, leaving Derston who was staring at Shira in blank amazement.

Shira's presence also vanished.