Episode 79
EPISODE.40
The Liquid-!
A sharp flaming arrow soared through the night sky with a bang.
Immediately after, it turned at an angle close to vertical.
Turning completely against the laws of physics Even a master bowman couldn’t shoot an arrow with such a trajectory.
It has to be.
Curry-.
The identity of the person who had just turned around was not a flaming arrow, but Pepper.
‘Although the distance is so far that it looks like a fiery arrow.’
Unlike a moment ago, it seemed that he had fully adapted to his growth and change.
If it weren’t for that, there would be no way he would be shooting the night sky with such an excited expression.
Seeing the small wings sprout, I guessed that the growth wasn’t far off.
‘I never thought it would grow under the influence of lightning.’
But up to this point, even Russell hadn’t expected it.
‘Isn’t that a story with no possibility at all?’
Because lightning and fire weren’t completely separate attributes.
In fact, there were quite a few wizards who considered lightning attribute magic to be derived from the fire attribute.
Curry-.
Then, Pepper, who had been flying through the night sky, turned once again.
They crossed the sky in successive circles, and red traces like springs were engraved along the spot.
‘It’s not just the size that has grown, the ability to fly has also improved.’
The speed is much faster than before, and the change of direction is also free.
It was proof that it could change direction and brake perfectly while achieving that speed.
If it’s Pepper who has grown to that size…
Russell summoned Pepper just in case.
Curry –
After reading the contractor’s thoughts, Pepper flapped both wings and returned to Russell, immediately grabbing Russell’s shoulders with his giant hind legs.
Knock!
The moment Pepper clenched his shoulders tightly flapped his wings again!
Fire!
The clock reflected in Russell’s eyes changed.
Hubert’s mansion instantly shrinks to the size of a dot, and the view of the royal capital begins to come into view.
Of course, even if you use levitation or fly magic, you can come up to this height.
but.
‘In terms of speed and mobility itself, Pepper is at an overwhelming level.’
If handled well, it was one more means of gaining an advantage in aerial combat.
If there’s a problem, is it that because of Pepper’s size, which has grown to the size of a bull, the range of being hit has also increased?
Garruk-.
At that time, Pepper sent a thought wave.
“Don’t worry?”
Before he could even think about what that meant, Pepper’s appearance changed.
Gailrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
With a sharp cry, Pepper’s body transformed into a huge flame.
Tsutsutsutsutsut-.
The fire that arose covered Russell’s whole body and transformed into the shape of his clothes.
Gail.
I heard Pepper’s cry right next to me.
When I turned my head, I saw Pepper’s head poking out from the shoulder part of the clothes made of flame.
In addition, the wings of flame spread along the extension line of the clothes on the back and shoulders.
“no way-?”
Russell’s eyes glazed over at the change, as if he and Pepper had become one.
‘Could it be that he awakened his special ability?’
It is said that spirits born as mutants sometimes awaken special powers that distinguish them from other spirits during the growth process.
Russell nodded, recalling the contents of a book related to spirits he had read.
I don’t think Pepper was that kind of person.
‘Shouldn’t it be called a spirit garment since it is wrapped around the spirits like clothes?’
Awakening of unusual abilities as Pepper grows.
Pepper rubbed her head against my cheek as if to say ‘I did well?’
gurgle-.
“okay. Good job.”
Russell raised his hand and gently stroked Pepper’s chin.
The right to collect the count and 10,000 households.
A horn with the attribute of lightning and an elixir of magical power increase.
Clothes made of spirit flames and wings equipped with mobility.
Russell raised his head with the thought that it was a day where he had achieved much more than he expected.
‘It’s a full moon.’
Is it because it flew to a high altitude? The moon floating in the sky looks especially big today.
There was a wind that was much cooler than before.
Autumn was approaching.
* * *
Rumbling-.
Russell, who was buried in a book, raised his head at the sound of the alarm magic ringing.
“Has it already been this time?”
I muttered as I looked through the window at the sunset that was slowly beginning to set.
When I look down a little, I see white snow piled up on the window sill.
‘I wonder if that’s the case.’
Since the season of four months from the day of the Cabinet meeting was already enough time to go beyond autumn and enter a full winter.
Looking down from the office located high up in the tower, I saw several wagons busily going back and forth on the road.
Wagons with more than half of them fitted with black rubber wheels.
They were rubber wheels that started selling at the top of Michelin.
‘It was an ambiguous reaction even when it was first marketed.’
As time went by, the advantages of rubber wheels became more and more known to the world.
In addition, the rubber wheel trend was gradually blowing among the aristocrats of the royal capital as the story that you could customize a wheel of the desired shape and size if you had money.
Thanks to that, the money accumulated in Russell’s bank account also increased considerably.
Looking out like that, it’s been a while since I’ve been in the mood.
‘-This isn’t the time to be like this.’
A thought flashed through his mind and Russell turned quickly.
After putting on the robe I had hung on the corner of the office, I walked towards the lower floor of the tower.
Woo woo woo-.
“hmm?”
When I went down through the floating seats, I saw a group of people gathered in the lobby on the first floor.
Most of them look similar in age to themselves, and all of them wear nameplates with numbers on their chests.
‘Come to think of it, was it today?’
Seeing that, Russell recalled some of the contents of an official letter he had received not too long ago.
‘Did I say it was the day of the entrance interview?’
Except for the very special case of being summoned to the Royal Capital Magic Tower right after graduating from the academy, like himself.
‘It was a common process for most mages to take the entrance test of the Tower of Flames after gaining several years of experience in other towers.’
Today was the interview day for that test.
“…”
Russell crossed between them, feeling the gaze directed at him.
“Right, right?”
“The man with red eyes and black hair is rumored to be…”
“Russell Raymond.”
“They say he’s a handsome man with a foreign appearance that’s hard to see in the kingdom, how could it be-!”
A murmur was transmitted from the gaze that followed half a beat later.
The male wizards looked at them with jealousy and awe, while the female wizards added strange curiosity to them.
It was still a burdensome gaze.
The good news is that it’s not as embarrassing as the first.
‘It must have been a bone fracture.’
It’s not like I’ve been staring at you for a day or two.
It was pretty fresh though.
Perhaps it was because they had met face-to-face several times while traveling back and forth, but recently, it wasn’t often that the wizards of the royal capital sent such a glance.
After escaping the salt tower while letting their gaze flow, Russell headed towards Hubert’s mansion, of course.
By the time the sun hadn’t set yet and the darkness of the night had just begun to set.
‘Certainly it’s early work than usual.’
As usual, I would have spent the day studying or doing research in my office until the sun completely set, not the sunset.
‘But I can’t do that until today.’
Because today was an appointment day.
“Are you here?”
Upon entering, the employee greeted Russell as if he had been waiting.
“yes. By the way, has the death penalty arrived?”
The target of the promise was Hubert, Russell’s second brother-in-law.
He returned to the royal capital for the academy’s winter break.
The employee shook his head at Russell’s question.
“yes. Even if it wasn’t, the meal was ready, so I was going to pick it up…” ”
Then, I’ll just wash my face and go straight to the restaurant.”
The original appointment was also a dinner appointment.
“All right. Then I will prepare the meal.”
After the employee’s answer, Russell went back to his room and hurriedly washed his face.
I changed my clothes.
“Are you here?”
A well-prepared meal and table.
As if arriving first, Hubert was waiting at the restaurant.
“It’s a little late.”
“no. Don’t worry, I’ve only just arrived. Rather…”
Hubert murmured.
He licked his lips with a look of apologetic expression.
“I heard that you became the 5th circle, but I’m sorry I couldn’t congratulate you properly. As each name and color became the death penalty, I lost my face.”
A few months ago, I had received a congratulatory letter as well as a well-tailored tailcoat as a gift.
Nonetheless, what I’m saying is…
‘It’s probably because I couldn’t say congratulations face to face.’
Although he would be angry that he was caught up by the priest after he had been stagnant as the 5th circle master for a long time.
On the contrary, a face full of regret for not being able to celebrate properly. Being able to read the sincerity contained in it, Russell shook his head quietly.
“It’s late. The letter and gift you sent me last time are enough.”
“But…”
If you leave it like this, you’ll keep saying sorry over and over again.
So, it was Russell who turned the topic first.
“More than that.”
“…?”
“Seeing as you pulled up the schedule by three days than planned, it seems that you have received a mission from the tower.”
This was the reason why Russell considered today’s appointment so important.
‘The brother will lose his life on the trip he left the academy this winter.’
I don’t know if it was a simple academic trip or if the mission I received from the tower was the problem.
Russell wanted to stop it.
‘If possible, it would be best to prevent them from starting in the first place, but…’
There is no convincing reason to do so.
Then there is only one number left.
‘I’ll have no choice but to accompany myself.’
I don’t know how big the risk was, but if there were two 5th circle mages, the risk would be reduced by about half.
If you help the death penalty with all your might, 6th circle.
‘Because it will be possible to get out of the hands of a local tower master level.’
In fact, there would be no danger unless it was a superhuman master level outside of the standard.
“hmm-.”
After a brief silence, Hubert answered.
“For now, I don’t know what kind of mission it is, but I don’t know yet.”
A mission that requires the departure of a 5th circle master level wizard even if it is delayed.
I don’t know what it is, but the difficulty won’t be low.
“If possible, I would also like to follow the death penalty mission.”
“My mission? Does the priest have any reason to do so?”
At Hubert’s question, Russell shrugged his shoulders as if it didn’t matter.
“Not for such a grand reason.”
The answer to that was already prepared.
“I think it’s time to update my achievements as well.”
In general, wizards belonging to the Mage Tower often update their achievements through research results.
However, War Mages like Russell and Hubert were able to replace performance updates by performing a few missions.
That was the reason Russell had just spoken.
“Hey, who talks about sex and renewal to the priest?”
At Russell’s answer, Hubert laughed as if it was absurd.
Even with the recent achievements of Russell, there was no problem even if he played and ate for about 5 years.
But what about performance updates?
Russell added as if he had been waiting.
“And I’ve never been on a mission with the death penalty.”
“hmm.”
Hubert couldn’t help but be silent at Russell’s words.
Just like that.
They started out as professors and students at the academy, and became friends with siblings, but they never went on missions together.
It wouldn’t be bad to take this opportunity to see Priest Russell’s growth.
“-If the priest wants it.”
After uttering the words of permission, he quickly added.
“But, to the end, the decision will be made by Master, not by me. No matter how much I agree, if Master opposes, I cannot side with the priest.”
Russell nodded his head because that was the answer he had already expected.
mission came to mind.
[Mission]
Resurrect with the death penalty Hubert from unknown danger.
[Reward]
Advanced Manastone (Edible) x3 Intermediate Manastone (Edible) x5
There have been several cases where the reward has changed or been added as the mission progresses.
‘From the beginning, three high-level magic stones…’
I expected it to be difficult.
Even with a huge reward right in front of the contents of the mission window that predicted hardships, Russell couldn’t just smile.
dragon-swallowed wizard
