Chapter 8 (2/2)

“Has Mora-san seen the magicians around here, or seen magic being used?”

“There’s a Magician Guild in Lelis, after all. Also, due to my father’s job nature, I’ve met and travelled with magicians who are adventurers.”

So there really is a Magician Guild. And adventurers too.

“But it’s just that the magic used by magicians is all only for fighting, like shooting b.a.l.l.s of fire or arrows of ice, or blowing people away with wind.”

“Interesting……”

So offensive magic is well-developed, but magic for the sake of convenience, such as summoning, is not often used.

“Also, a lot of them really look down on commoners……”

“That sounds really tough.”

While conversing in this manner, something became visible beyond the mountain trail.

“Nn? Isn’t that a person?”

“...... Ah, you’re right.”

The twisty road makes it really hard to see, but several tens of meters along this road, there is what seems to be a single person sitting all alone. A new encounter! This time, let’s be careful to not get suspected or accused of anything strange from the start.

To appear less threatening, I slow the phantom horse’s pace as we draw closer, upon which I begin to make out that it is a man with a bow on his back who is wearing easy-to-move-in clothes that use green and brown as base colors.

“Greetings, good morning.”

After getting more than close enough for him to have noticed us, I call out to him.

“Ah, good morning. Out for a ride?”

The man raises one hand good-naturedly in reply. I think he’s roughly in his 30’s? He’s wearing a mantle with a leather hood, and what looks to be leather equipment. If I had to give him a label based on ingame professions, then it’d be either Ranger or Hunter.

“No, we were in a bit of a complicated situation. I’m currently trying to escort this lady here to Yuule Village……”

As I start to explain, Mora pokes her head out from hehind me and then shouts.

“Ah, it’s Sedam-san!”

“...... Mora?”

Mora flies down from the phantom horse’s saddle, then dashes over to the man that she had just called ‘Sedam.’

“Sedam-san! Did you come to save me?!”

“Well yea, it was a request from your father.”

Ohh, which means this man is an adventurer. After encounters with mountain bandits and an evil magician, now it’s a fantasy profession.

I also dismount from the phantom horse and walk towards him.

“Pleased to meet you. I am a wizard by the name of Gio Margils. Due to some stroke of luck, I was able to save Mora-san.”

“...... Wizard? Well, either way, it is clear that you did save Mora. Thank you.”

I was afraid that the adventurers who’d taken up the request to save Mora would say that I’d gotten in their way, but Sedam is smiling while sticking one hand out. I can take this posture as an invitation to a handshake, right?

While still thinking about it, I also stretch out one hand, which Sedam immediately grasps tightly.

“The mountain bandits have apparently gotten a new magician boss, and gotten full of themselves. I’m surprised you managed to save her.”

“It was only because of the overlap of various coincidences. Anyways, things went well. There’s not a single scratch on her.”

“I would very much like to hear the story in greater detail at a later time. But for now…..”

He releases the handshake, then brings his fingers to his mouth and makes a shrill, high-pitched sound.

Immediately, there is the sound of something heavy falling behind me.

“?!”

“Not an enemy…… it seems. Not that I care either way though, as long as Mora's safe.”

I turn around to find out that there is now suddenly a woman wearing leather armor standing behind me. She is a beauty with red hair done up in braids, but her facial expression is dark. A ‘kasha~n’ noise causes me to look downwards, just in time to see her short sword being returned to its scabbard. Was she hiding the entire time up in the tree? She is definitely a Thief or an a.s.sa.s.sin.

“Fijika-san! This person may seem very suspicious, but he’s really not a bad person!”

Mora is hugging the woman that she called ‘Fijika’ while trying to back me up. What with her conversation with Sedam, it seems like she is quite close with these people.

At that, two more adventurers emerge from a thicket beside the mountain trail.

“But like this, we won’t get any reward.”

“Well, this is fine too~”

It is a lady holding a long staff and a young man equipped with a s.h.i.+eld and a sword.

“Sorry about that. From our scouting, we already knew that you were coming. Just in case you were the rumored magician, we took some precautions.”

Sedam smiles wryly.

I see, that was smart thinking. Hmmm more like, I had let my guard down. I thought I had made preparations, but if I was ambushed in my current un-[Invincible] state, I might not have been able to fend it off. My sense of danger is still lacking.

“There are 2 more lying in wait up ahead. How about let’s meet up with them and exchange information over lunch?” (Sedam)

“Won’t the bandits come to grab her back?” (Party Member)

“It doesn’t feel like that kind of atmosphere, but…… are they chasing you?” (Sedam)

“No, they are not. At the very least, the bandits who were in the fort have all been scattered, and we’ve captured their boss, the magician.” (Gio)

“I think it should be fine! Let’s eat!” (Mora)

“See?” (Sedam)

And this is how I met Sedam and his party, with whom I will be a.s.sociating with for a very, very long time.

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