Chapter 150 – It’s Nice to Be Back. (2)
The Fenris Estate, near the lord’s castle, was bustling with construction. The laborers were busy carrying materials and building the foundation of the structures.
However, there was one section of the construction site that was oddly deserted.
“Hey, hey, isn’t life getting a bit easier lately?”
Alfoi, who was lounging around on the ground in a ragged robe, muttered this casually.
The other mages, who were sprawled nearby, all nodded in agreement. They were also dressed in similarly worn-out robes.
To anyone passing by, they would look less like the proud mages of a magic tower and more like laborers on a construction site.
Alfoi, chewing on a piece of grass as he lay there, looked like the epitome of a slacker.
“I wish the lord wouldn’t come back.”
Alfoi grumbled, and the other mages nodded once more in agreement.
“That would indeed be nice.”
With the lord absent, things felt relaxed and peaceful.
They had become quite skilled at the construction work, but that didn’t make it any less tedious.
The mages chuckled among themselves, hoping this small sense of happiness would last a while longer.
“He might have gotten into some trouble in the capital.”
“Yeah, knowing his temper, he’s probably clashed with some high-ranking noble.”
“He might have already lost his head, for all we know.”
“Wow, just hearing that makes me feel happy.”
The mages even discussed how they would escape if it turned out the lord had died.
They didn’t genuinely believe it, though; it was more of a hopeful fantasy.
In the barren estate where there wasn’t much to do for fun, they could only pass the time by having conversations like this.
“Since we’re bored, how about we play a game?”
“Sounds good.”
At Alfoi’s suggestion, the mages’ faces lit up, and they quickly sat up.
These innocent mages, who previously knew nothing about gambling, had started playing bets every day after losing a wager and getting involved with Claude.
One of the more level-headed mages cautiously brought up a concern.
“Well, the Chief Overseer’s deputy was complaining that the construction has been running a bit late... Shouldn’t we get back to work today?”
“What does he think he is, telling us what to do when he’s only just gotten here? I’ll handle it. What’s there to be scared of?”
Alfoi said confidently.
Although Lowell had been given the authority to oversee the estate’s overall management, he couldn’t treat Alfoi recklessly.
After all, Alfoi was the successor of the magic tower and the head of its branch in the Fenris Estate.
No one other than the lord could easily meddle with him.
“So, what game should we play today? Odd or even?”
“Sure, let’s keep it simple with odd or even.”
“Alright, I’ll go first.”
Once everyone agreed, Alfoi pulled out four coins. He put the coins in his hands, shook them, then clenched his fists and extended one hand.
“Call it. Odd or even?”
A mage hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“Even.”
“Even?”
“Yes, even.”
Alfoi smirked.
“Hey, when you start with four coins, most people choose odd. It makes sense. But you’re deliberately going with even?”
“Yes, yes. So, can we just check how many there are...?”
“Ah, hold on a second. I’m talking right now. So, you’re not going to change your choice?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll stick with even.”
“I’m giving you a chance to change your mind, you idiot!”
The mage looked troubled as Alfoi shouted at him.
‘Damn it... He’s starting up again. This guy goes off the rails like this every now and then.’
The money he had was saved bit by bit, helping out the local residents from time to time.
Since he was practically a slave with no pay, he didn’t have much money, and losing it this way would be a problem.
‘If I lose this, I won’t even have money to drink! I absolutely can’t lose!’
As Alfoi and the mage glared at each other, trying to find an opening, a mage who had been keeping watch just in case ran over in a hurry and shouted.
“The lord is back!”
The mages stared blankly for a moment, then quickly lowered their heads in dejection.
Even their small moment of happiness was over. The time to work themselves to the bone had come again.
With a grim expression, Alfoi got to his feet.
“Let’s get to work. Move it, quick!”
While the mages scrambled to stand up, he discreetly slipped the coins into his robe.
This time, columns of water began to shoot up from various places.
Ssshhhh! Boom! Bang!
Given the fire, dousing it with water was good. But the force wasn’t controlled, and the water columns were too massive.
The enormous water jets pierced through and shattered debris, scattering them around once more.
Ghislain shouted urgently.
“Stop it!”
The estate residents backed away to a safer distance, and the mercenaries who had come with Ghislain worked hard to fend off the debris.
“Aaaah! What do I do!”
It seemed the person casting the magic inside had realized the situation and screamed.
“Di-Dispel!”
Ssssssshhhh.
With another shout, the water columns gradually dispersed and disappeared.
The flames that had engulfed multiple buildings were now completely extinguished, leaving only the soaked remnants of the collapsed structures.
Ssss...
Pools of water rippled like waves. The occasional hissing sound came from lingering embers being snuffed out as they were swept away by the overflowing water.
“......”
Ghislain and his companions, drenched from head to toe, looked at each other.
They all looked like drowned rats, and no one could find the words to speak.
At that moment, a woman crawled out from the debris of the collapsed building.
“Oh, oh, I’m sorry. I committed a grave sin. I deserve to die.”
The woman, sobbing with snot and tears running down her face, was a mess.
Her hair was wet and hung down like seaweed, and her face was smudged with black soot.
The remnants of her tattered clothing were adorned with fragments of Runestones, which clinked together faintly.
Ghislain stared at the unrecognizable figure for a while before speaking in a perplexed tone.
“...Vanessa?”
“I’m s-s-so sorry, I’m so sorry. I made a mistake and caused trouble for everyone... Uhuhuhu.”
Even as Ghislain questioned her, the woman just kept her head down, crying her eyes out.
Ghislain, at a loss, asked again.
“Are you really Vanessa?”
“Yes, I’m Vanessa. Uuhuhu. I’m that wretched woman. Uuuh.”
“...Are you alright?”
“Uhuhuhu, I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m truly sorry. Uhuhuhu.”
Vanessa, genuinely remorseful, continued to sob as she lay there. She seemed unaware of who was even speaking to her.
Well, considering how timid she was, it made sense she’d be out of sorts after causing such a major incident.
“Calm down and tell me what happened. What’s all this about?”
“Uhuhuhu, I made a mistake because I couldn’t control my mana properly. I’m so sorry. Boohoo.”
“You couldn’t control it properly?”
Ghislain tilted his head slightly.
Although Vanessa had limited mana, she was unmatched when it came to magical theory.
Hadn’t she even successfully executed a massive trap spell that only an Archmage would dare attempt?
It was hard to believe that someone like her could make such a huge mistake.
“No, how did you even make a mistake like that? Stop crying and explain it to me slowly.”
After a few more sniffles, Vanessa steadied her voice and began to explain seriously.
“Since this was my first time attempting this magic, I wanted to make sure it was perfect, so I used a bit too many Runestones. I layered the spell, modulated the mana waves, then altered the structural dynamics to transform the spatial form and coordinates... mutter mutter... and that’s how I finally managed to succeed with a 6th-circle spell...”
“......”
As expected of a mage, she was explaining her reasons, but none of it made any sense to him.
Still, one word stood out and caught his attention.
“6th-circle?!”
Ghislain exclaimed in shock.
Reaching the 6th circle so quickly—it was an astonishing level of talent that sent chills down his spine.
“Hahaha! 6th-circle! She reached the 6th circle!”
The whole incident of the buildings blowing apart vanished from Ghislain’s mind. He couldn’t stop laughing, not caring at all about the people around him.
Vanessa, who had been sniffling with her head down, finally sensed something was off.
She had been too flustered to realize it, but... the voice she was responding to wasn’t that of Lowell, the acting Chief Overseer.
‘Wait, who am I talking to right now?’
Slowly, she lifted her head. She rubbed her eyes to clear her blurry vision and looked up again to see a familiar face.
“My Lord!”
Ghislain was standing there, soaked, grinning from ear to ear.
With a face as if he had conquered the world.