Bab 159: Chapter 159
After sending off Sir Leshach, Ian prepared to depart once again.
As news of Ian's departure spread, the village began to buzz with subtle excitement.
"The people seem happy," Ian observed.
For reasons he couldn't fathom, Ian felt a strange sense of disappointment...
"Are they that glad to see us go?"
Ian had, after all, driven out an evil black wizard.
Yet it seemed the villagers had completely forgotten his heroics, waving goodbye with what appeared to be enthusiasm.
"Farewell, dear wizards! Safe travels!"
...Why did it sound more like "Good riddance!" to his ears?
It was as if his ears had a built-in filter for polite words.
Belenka found Ian's reaction perplexing.
"Why would farmers have any reason to like us?"
"Why not? I drove out a black wizard for them."
"...In their eyes, you and the black wizard probably look about the same."
Ian's expression betrayed his shock at Belenka's brutally realistic explanation.
"Really? Surely I can't be on the same level as a necromancer..."
"Be grateful they don't think of you as something even worse."
Ian occasionally acted as if he lacked awareness of his status as a wizard.
As a former modern person, the title of "wizard" didn't strike him as particularly frightening.
What was a wizard to someone from the modern world?
Wow! A wizard! A powerful character class!
But to medieval villagers, the word "wizard" evoked similar feelings to "demon" or "dark lord".
They wielded strange, arcane arts and could turn violent at the slightest provocation. There was no reason to like wizards.
Just because a lion chased away a tiger doesn't mean you'd want to befriend the lion, does it?
Get too close and you might end up as human cat food.
Medieval folk feared wizards.
That's why the village buzzed with energy at Ian's departure.
"Maria. Are you really coming with us?"
Maria looked up at Ian, her eyes sparkling.
"Yes, of course."
At present, Maria had become an outcast in the village.
There was no way she could return to her position as a maid for the Robert family.
Her only options were to live alone on the outskirts of town or marry some random man and settle down.
But living quietly among people who viewed her as ominous was nearly impossible.
Though Maria had never traveled before in her life.
Following Ian on his journey seemed far preferable to staying in the village.
"I'm a bit nervous," Maria admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly as she spoke to Ian.
Unlike Ian's other companions, this was Maria's first journey.
Ian, his bag filled to the brim with supplies thanks to his wizard-powers (though in reality, the minor lord had shared the provisions), once again set off down the straight path ahead.
Before leaving the village, Ian stopped briefly at Maria's hut.
He wanted to learn more about Maria's adoptive grandmother.
"Nothing left," Belenka clicked her tongue, surveying the nearly ruined hut.
It had been a year since the grandmother passed away. Any useful items would have long since been taken by the villagers.
"No. There's still something left," Maria said.
She moved with practiced steps, digging up a spot in an empty lot.
Surprisingly, a wooden chest emerged.
"Oh, a treasure chest!" Ian exclaimed, genuinely impressed.
So people in the old days really did bury their valuables!
This thought came from Ian himself, despite also being from medieval times.
"This is what she left for my dowry," Maria explained.
The box contained truly precious items.
Some fabric, a hat, a necklace, and a signet ring.
"Ian! Look at this!" Kira exclaimed.
"My goodness. A fairy silk hat!"
In truth, it was closer to a headdress than a hat. It was just a thin piece of cloth with decorations attached.
But it was clearly the kind of item noble ladies would wear at court.
"Fairy silk?"
Maria tilted her head, not understanding Kira's excitement.
As a simple country girl, she didn't even know what fairy silk was.
"Silk made by fairy hands! Cool in summer, warm in winter! And so soft and beautiful!"
Kira didn't realize it herself, but Ian caught a glimpse of the greed that flashed in her eyes.
It must be quite a desirable item indeed.
Of course, Ian remained indifferent.
To Ian, the hat looked like nothing more than a piece of cloth with decorations attached.
It's not like it had a bonus stat like +50 Intelligence. As a purely cosmetic item, he saw no reason to covet it.
"Hmm. It is pretty," he conceded.
"Right? Oh, can I try it on?"
"Yes, as long as you don't damage it..."
"Oh, then me too."
But Kira, Belenka, and Maria chatted for a full 30 minutes over this one hat.
Ian watched the three women, slightly exasperated.
Is gossip a female-specific trait?
He felt like the lone man dragged along on a weekend shopping trip...
'Good thing Lucy isn't here.'
If Lucy had been present too, it would have devolved into gossip hell.
"Jubal. Aren't you bored...?"
Ian started to look for Jubal but stopped short.
True to his reputation as a wise fool, Jubal was already playing in the dirt under a cool shade.
'Smart lad.'
Typical manly behavior: acting without regard for others' opinions.
His go-my-own-way attitude was no joke.
Sensing they might spend all day admiring the hat if left unchecked, Ian intervened.
"That's enough looking. Give it back. It belongs to Maria, after all."
"I suppose, but..."
Kira returned the hat, her eyes brimming with undisguised regret.
Unable to bear it any longer, Ian spoke up.
"When we visit the Talian domain later, I'll gift you something similar."
"...A gift? A fairy silk hat?"
"Yeah, that."
Kira beamed, making no effort to hide her delight.
"...Thank you, Ian."
Maria whispered a question to Belenka.
"Um, Sir Knight. Is fairy silk really that precious?"
"Of course. Only someone like Ian could obtain it so casually. Most people would be lucky to touch it once in their lifetime."
Belenka subtly showed off her hair ribbon.
It was a fairy silk hair ribbon Ian had given her as a gift.
"I can see why from looking at you. It's truly beautiful."
It was an obvious compliment, but Belenka grinned, pleased nonetheless.
"Don't call me Sir Knight. Just call me Belenka."
"But... how could I possibly address a knight so casually..."
Maria hesitated slightly. She still remembered how Belenka had glared at her warily before.
Belenka chuckled and said, "You chatter away just fine with Ian. Am I that uncomfortable to you?"
"I apologize if I've offended you."
"No, I only spoke that way then because you were making Ian uncomfortable. Now that Ian has decided to accept you, I have no reason to object."
Maria nodded slightly.
Meanwhile, Ian examined the other heirlooms with Kira.
"This is the key item."
Ian studied the signet ring from various angles.
It was definitely not something you'd expect to find in the home of an elderly woman living alone.
It had to be one of two things:
Either Maria's adoptive grandmother was truly of noble birth...
Or she had been a notorious highwayman who robbed nobles in her younger days.
"Maria's grandmother... she wasn't a robber, was she?"
"...Probably not?"
Kira replied with a grimace.
Unless Maria's grandmother had been a legendary bandit who robbed nobles, this had to be considered her personal possession.
"Kira, can you tell which family this belongs to?"
"Sorry, I have no idea."
Though Kira couldn't identify it, Ian wasn't particularly disappointed.
It was unavoidable.
Both Kira and Ian were wizards who had mainly operated in the northwest of the Empire.
The Empire was vast. Nobles might know those nearby, but distance made recognition unlikely.
'I'll need to investigate further.'
Ian thought as he organized the heirlooms. Asking other nobles might provide some clues.
The weather was pleasant, and the journey smooth.
Though people were likely dying somewhere in the world even now, the trip was comfortable enough to make one forget such grim realities.
What? Bandits? Monsters? Those things are all over the roads?
Come on, don't lie!
Someone traveling for the first time might mistakenly believe that all journeys were this thrilling and fun.
Thanks to the minor lord's gift of a pack horse (though it actually belonged to a villager), Ian's donkey now had some extra space.
Originally, Ian rode the donkey while Belenka and Kira rode small horses, but now Maria had been added to the group.
Maria, of course, didn't know how to ride a horse...
In the end, she ended up sharing the donkey with Ian.
As a result, Maria's mood soared throughout the journey.
The weather was nice, the journey peaceful.
And with just a turn of her head, she could see Ian's face right there.
"Hehe..."
Maria kept giggling for no apparent reason, but Ian paid it no mind.
The girl had nearly died, after all. She deserved to be this happy.
More concerning was the specter that clung to Maria.
As the power of death grew stronger, Maria would lose herself to the specter.
Having decided to bring Maria along, this was an issue Ian had to resolve.
Ian pondered deeply.
The best solution would be to summon a necromancer to subdue the specter.
A necromancer could easily control the specter attached to Maria.
'But that's just a temporary fix.'
However, the effects of such treatment were unlikely to last long.
Like Kira, Maria was someone who attracted the attention of the mysteries.
The mystery of death kept showing interest in Maria, naturally drawing specters to her.
Even if they removed the starving specter, another would likely attach itself to her next.
And if she had the misfortune of attracting the specter of a murderous ghost?
That would be a real headache.
'It's similar to spirit possession.'
In reality, shamans are said to suffer from spirit sickness before receiving their divine calling.
Accepting the calling cures the illness, while refusing prolongs the suffering...
The mystery of death clinging to Maria would likely continue to torment her in the same way.
Therefore, the second option was...
To teach her necromancy directly.
'It would be best to teach her just enough to avoid being controlled by specters.'
The choice of method could wait until they reached the Imperial University.
But like with Kira, it would be good to teach her the basics of the Maronius language when time allowed.
If things became truly desperate, Maria herself might need to address the mystery of death.
'Decision made.'
"Ian, sir."
Maria naturally addressed Ian with honorifics.
Ian cut her off mid-sentence.
"I'm not worthy of such formal address, and we're not that far apart in age."
"What? But you're a wizard..."
"Don't get hung up on the wizard thing. You'll be one soon enough."
"...Pardon?"
Maria's eyes widened in surprise.
Ignoring her reaction, Ian continued, "I'll teach you the Maronius language whenever we have time. So drop the formal speech."
Ian's offer to teach magic didn't really register with Maria.
She knew nothing of magic or the Maronius language.
But...
She clearly understood Ian's request to stop using extremely formal language.
"Then..."
Maria shyly tucked her hair behind her ear.
Her long black hair and translucent skin sparkled in the sunlight.
"Is it alright if I call you Brother Ian?"
For a moment, Ian was reminded of the sister he'd left behind at home.
When they were young, she called him "oppa". If they met again now, she might call him "orabeoni" too.
"Sure, that's fine. Much better than 'Ian, sir.'"
"Okay... Brother Ian."
Maria smiled, her eyes crinkling.
At that very moment:
[Your bond with Maria has strengthened!]
[A new destiny has been forged!]
'...Hm?'
The status window acting up again after a while.
Now that Ian knew this was his own unique ability (or mental illness) rather than a divine gift, it had lost some of its mystique.
But it remained something to be explored.
Whatever it was, it clearly worked properly.
Ian felt an unfamiliar sensation at his waist.
As if entranced, he drew a card from his Arcana deck.
The card Ian drew was number 13, the [Death] card.
It depicted a pale girl with black hair gazing across a river.
That elegant art style...!
The [Death] card was undoubtedly sent by Hrundal.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone