We immediately got up as soon as the sun came up and returned to the main camp where the forward base construction was in full swing.
As expected, there were rest breaks here and there due to my stamina issues, but thanks to the extraordinary guiding abilities of the elven rangers, we managed to somehow return before sunset.
“…Around evening, there was an enormous lightning strike, but Lord Alter said there was no need to send reinforcements. What exactly happened?”
I was busy gasping for air, having wrung out my robe soaked with sweat, so Senior Trian explained the situation on my behalf.
“There was a large stone under the biggest tree. When the mage touched it, the spirit of lightning appeared. The spirit was extremely angry, though. That’s when Bin here calmed it down… Indeed, it was quite impressive to see this clearly talented mage handle the spirit of lightning so skillfully without fear.”
What is this guy, isn’t he just a senior? Why is he so casually speaking informally while everyone, even Major Belua, is gathered here?
“…Though it did feel strange, I never imagined it was the spirit of lightning.”
Why does Major Belua keep going along with it so naturally?
This Trian character truly is something else…
“Exactly how did you realize something was going on? I couldn’t sense any mana at all.”
“Such a natural born talent… One might even say he’s favored by magic itself.”
The mages from the unit gathered around to hear the story, each adding their own comments.
“I’d like to meet him as well.”
Impressed by Senior Trian’s account, it wasn’t just the mages of the unit who wanted to meet the mysterious figure.
Even Alter Heinzel, the 8th Tier mage who’d authored hundreds of papers over the past eighty years to advance the lightning magic school, was unfamiliar with the term ‘spirit of lightning.’
“…The spirit requested something of us. To remove all magical mines within this forest. In return, it promises some form of reward, though I don’t know specifics. And apparently, it also has a special gift prepared for Bin.”
“Special gift?”
“To be able to win the spirit’s favor in such a short time…”
“Clearly, his affinity for magic is undeniable — enviable, even…”
The soldiers marveled after hearing Trian’s report.
If it weren’t for the fact that I was trying so desperately to catch my breath, I might have thanked them for the compliments. Right now, though, all I can feel is sweat, the heat, and my consciousness fading in and out.
At this rate, if we go see the spirit again, I might actually die.
“Hmm… If it can assist the general, I suppose it’s something we should undertake. He’s supposed to become a monster of a mage, reaching the level of a Sword Saint in three years after all. Our army has a duty to support the general’s growth.”
Black Hammer Belua, upon hearing this story, called together the mages under his command and the squad leader of the bowmen. Fortunately, they are ready to actively assist in the quest that has been bestowed upon me.
“From the bowmen, seven should suffice. Assign an elven ranger to each mage to search the forest, and the work should be completed within the week. Colonel Calix, I have a rough understanding of the uncharted terrain. Handing over the command temporarily to me seems like the most efficient option.”
“I agree.”
Damn, this elf squad leader is as nuts as they come, just handing over command so easily like that.
Even more baffling, this guy—a lieutenant—is speaking formally to a mere senior. The army seems to be running quite smoothly.
Did the concept of hierarchy not exist in medieval times?
Damn, if I weren’t so caught up trying to catch my breath, I’d say something right now in front of everyone…
“Huff… Huff… No.”
I forced myself to speak through my labored breathing. Lir looked at me seriously, worried I might truly pass out, and Trian shot me a puzzled glance.
“What do you mean ‘no’?”
“…Nevertheless, priority should be… Huff. Completing the construction of the forward base. Huff. If all the mages are dedicated to this operation and… there’s an unexpected Marauder raid… we could be left defenseless…”
I’m not sure if I properly got my point across through the pauses needed to catch my breath. My body kept demanding more oxygen, making it hard to keep speaking.
“So then… me and Lir should stay behind at the main camp…”
Uh… Uh…?
While speaking, my vision started flickering between pure white and complete black. My heartbeat was racing uncontrollably, and blood was rushing through my veins at an alarming speed.
No matter how much I breathed in, there wasn’t enough oxygen.
Apparently, this body isn’t strong enough to endure two days of grueling marching.
I started hyperventilating, lost my balance and ultimately collapsed.
As my consciousness faded, I faintly felt delicate elven fingers holding me up.
…I thought we had taken sufficient rest along the way, but my body turned out to be weaker than I imagined.
To think it broke down this badly after merely two days of marching.
The moonlight and the dim glow gently caressed my cheeks. As usual, I woke up inside the military carriage prepared for the mages.
Every part of my body cried out in agony. It felt as if every bone were demanding the formation of a labor union, unheard of in medieval times, and was threatening my brain with strikes. Various muscles and tendons joined the protest.
My body was in such dire condition that I could hardly turn my head. This state felt like a clear sign that I should’ve been rushed to a hospital.
“Wait, a hospital… in the Middle Ages…?”
I recalled fragments of videos I once watched on my smartphone while lying in my studio apartment bed, about the reality of medieval surgeons. The chilling images of a doctor sawing through a human skull with a bone saw and bystanders watching the procedure came to mind, chilling my spine even further.
…I’d rather visit a church if I must.
Most capable priests possess healing skills. Though it would feel inappropriate to ask them to use such precious skills on mere muscle pain, it is certainly preferable to having a doctor saw through my skull.
I slowly turned my stiff neck to look outside the carriage.
Either the dwarves had worked incredibly hard, or I was asleep for an unusually long time — the roadbed was mostly cleared and the ground for building the forward base was leveled.
“Are you awake?”
I heard Lir’s voice, but unfortunately, I’m still unable to turn my head to meet her eyes.
“How long was I asleep?”
“About ten hours?”
…What? Normally, if I pass out during a ‘Blooming’ episode, I wake up in about five hours. Are the aftereffects of marching really this severe?
I could only sigh as I saw the sturdy dwarves toiling from the early dawn light illuminating the carriage’s lantern.
‘Seriously, I need to obtain an artifact that enhances physical abilities or, at the very least, one that assists with movement. Nothing happened this time, but if the Marauders had invaded while I was unconscious…’
I would have either been decapitated without putting up a fight, or perhaps my body mingled with those of the dwarves would have been turned into slaves by the Marauders.
The thought chilled my spine to the point of freezing it completely. This medieval fantasy world was far too dangerous, yet my body remained fatally fragile.
“The mine-clearing team’s already moving out at dawn, so you should sleep some more,” Lir said, tapping on her crystal ball.
“I’ll wake you if there’s anything urgent.”
I appreciated Lir’s consideration and didn’t refuse. With my current condition, I wasn’t in any position to worry about anyone else.
As I closed my eyes, I immediately felt drowsy. The hard floor of the military carriage felt as comfortable as a five-million-won mattress.
The sounds around me quickly faded, and my entire body felt like it was sinking into the ground. The pounding of my heart gradually softened, and even the sense of ‘me’ began slipping away from my consciousness.
“Hey… Can I ask you something?”
Just as I was about to drift off completely, Lir’s voice cut through the loud chatter of the working dwarves.
“…What is it?”
I responded with a lethargic voice. It’s annoying to be interrupted just as I’m about to fall asleep, but I managed to suppress my irritation.
“Why did you specifically tell me to stay behind? Honestly, with just Mr. Bin here, defending the forward base should be more than enough…”
What a question. Isn’t it obvious?
“Because we need someone who can handle communication magic.”
Ugh, I’m so sleepy… He can’t even perform magic other than Blooming. How many times must I say it…
Before I could even finish my thought, my consciousness was finally swept away into sleep.
Lir murmured something afterward, but I didn’t hear it.
Over the bushes, dawn slowly rose. The darkness began to dissipate, and the crystal orb rested quietly, glowing with a soft blue light.
The elf named Lir simply gazed at the white-haired boy brought to light by the faint glow.
“…You can’t use communication magic?”
Using the crystal orb for communication was the most basic of magic.
Any eight-year-old who had just entered the Magic Tower could perform it, even someone who self-taught magic outside the Tower could, provided they had an intelligence and mana level equivalent to that of a ten-year-old. It was a simple and easy spell.
“…What?”
So what the boy claimed was beyond absurd.
With his talent to alter the weather with a mere flick of his finger and detect the presence of a lightning spirit, someone who wasn’t even perceptible to his senses, was undeniable proof of his superior magical ability.
How could a prodigy destined to surely reach the ninth tier fail to use something as simple as communication magic?
Lir could not make sense of why the boy would offer such a nonsensical excuse.
“…”
As Lir tried to figure out why the boy was telling such an obvious lie, a heat rose in her cheeks.
‘Isn’t this just… any excuse to keep me by his side?’
Lir pulled her cap down further over her face, determined not to let anyone see her expression.
Though unsure of what this feeling was, her face was reddening uncontrollably, indicating that her state was far from normal.
Her pointed ears, blazing red, were visible above the rim of her cap.
“Alright, it’s time to prepare breakfast!”
Feeling the eyes of any dwarven worker who might see her condition, she lowered her head deeply, burying her face completely within her robe.
She couldn’t possibly begin to guess what kind of emotions she was feeling.
