Chapter 621

"It's fine."

"No. If I cast <Latent Heat Enchantment> on the saddle, not only the rider but also the horse will like it."

Yi-Han brought out various life magic spells he had learned under Professor Garcia in his first year.

Jicklin's horse nuzzled its head, fluttering its eyelids at Yi-Han, who was casting warm magic on it.

"Jijel. Please take care of the rest."

"Magic shouldn't be wasted like that originally."

Jijel meekly rebelled at her sister's order.

It was Wardanaz who was strange for wasting magic just because he had a lot of it; originally, one didn't cast magic on every little thing like this.

Jicklin's eyes became stern, thinking her sister was making excuses.

"Jijel. You shouldn't say that's how it originally is just because you can't do it."

"That's not what I...!"

"I'll finish the rest!"

Jijel glared at Yi-Han, who was running to cast magic on the other luggage.

Yi-Han spoke as if he had no choice.

"I couldn't just stand by, could I?"

"Thank you. Thank you very much. Yes. Why don't you flatter my sister more?"

"Don't blame me. It's just my Einroguard habits showing."

"..."

Even Jijel had nothing to say to Yi-Han's words.

Indeed, casting magic indiscriminately like this before a trip was something Wardanaz did even at Einroguard.

The difference was that this was outside!

Even at Einroguard, Wardanaz was a madman, but seeing him outside, Wardanaz was really a madman anew.

Usually, a mage should conserve their abilities as much as possible and only cast magic when it's important, but he was casting magic on every little thing...

When put next to Wardanaz, any mage would look lazy and incompetent.

"Where are the others?"

"There are none. This is all."

"...?"

Yi-Han hesitated.

Of course, he knew that knights' hunts were more uncomfortable than nobles' hunts.

No roads in rough terrain, no gamekeepers or beaters, no servants or porters following with luggage!

But in fact, this was something that would make Shadow Patrol hunters like Nillia snort.

-Wardanaz. Don't be fooled by the knights' words. Half of what knights say is bluster, and the other half is whining. They go in only on good weather days with maps that have every fallen hair recorded in detail. Squires carry supplies including luxury items! Real hunting is done by hunters...-

Although it was a bit more uncomfortable than nobles' hunts, knights didn't go out completely uncomfortably either.

But to say this was all the people?

"What about the other knights? The squires?"

"I told you there are none... Didn't I tell you? There's nothing good about inviting them."

Jijel sighed.

She had accepted it because she knew the abilities Wardanaz had shown at Einroguard for a year, otherwise she would have really opposed it with her life.

Two horses each.

Only the luggage that could be loaded on them, nothing else.

This was Jicklin's hunt.

"Hmm. I see."

"...I thought you'd be more surprised??"

"There's a knight in our family who does similar things..."

"Are you really from the Wardanaz family??"

***

Jicklin was in a very good mood.

It was because the friend her sister, who had entered magic academy, brought along was polite and pleasant.

She had been worried because he was from a mage family, but who knew he would get along so well with knights and horses.

Perhaps he was someone more suited to be a knight.

"Wardanaz. Can you see that river to the side?"

"Yes, I can see it."

"Once, a serpent crawled up that river."

Jicklin looked at the river with memories in her stoic gaze.

"What happened?"

"It died."

"...Why did it die?"

Yi-Han blamed himself for asking carelessly and asked again.

"Its neck was cut."

"Who cut it and how?"

Jijel answered grumpily instead.

"My sister fought alone for 3 days and cut off its neck."

"Hahaha... Wait. That's not a joke."

Yi-Han, who was about to laugh artificially thinking it was a joke, hesitated.

Jijel was serious. Jijel's sister also asked as if puzzled.

"Is there any reason to joke right now?"

"..."

Yi-Han was shocked.

To think a knight alone fought and defeated a large monster like a serpent for 3 days.

They say a knight who has reached the pinnacle is like a walking fortress, but this was beyond imagination.

'Surely she can't be stronger than Arlong or Professor Ingurdel??'

"Why on earth did she fight alone?"

"Because my sister wanted to fight alone. I was watching from the riverside."

Jijel grimaced, recalling the terrible past.

The memory of watching worriedly in case something happened to her sister was still vivid.

"You should have called for support."

"I told you my sister doesn't like it when we call for support."

"Who cares. Just call and make excuses later."

"...?!"

Jijel was intrigued by Yi-Han's unexpectedly plausible words.

"Wait, so the purpose of this hunt is also...?"

"Yeah. It's to wander around looking for suitable game."

Jijel explained in a dry voice.

It was about roaming the cold and harsh northern lands to find game suitable for a knight to face one-on-one.

If they found suitable game, they would immediately tell her to fight while the rest waited behind.

The more excellent the knight's skills, the higher the level of the game, never to be taken lightly...

"Isn't that just Professor Bagrak's test?"

"Hey. Watch your words. No matter what, my sister isn't like an Einroguard professor."

It seemed Jijel couldn't make a cool judgment when it came to her own sister.

Yi-Han thought this and shook his head inwardly.

'To think there's someone like a professor even outside when I came to play during vacation.'

It was truly a sad thing.

"Hmm."

Jicklin checked the high ground and then looked around.

It seemed like there would be quite a few monsters inhabiting the area nearby.

"We'll stay here today. I think we need to check the surrounding monsters..."

"I'll do it."

"It's alright, Wardanaz. Please rest for a while. Aren't mages physically weak?"

"..."

Jijel grumbled inwardly, 'He's tougher than me.'

While Jicklin was away briefly for reconnaissance, Yi-Han immediately summoned skeleton warriors and started preparing the campsite.

Before Jijel could do anything, simple palisades, bedding spots, a central campfire with a simple cooking tripod, and alarm magic were instantly set up around them.

Jijel blinked.

Although they had camped together a few times at Einroguard, it wasn't to this extent back then.

'Did he... just do camping while I wasn't looking...?'

"What's wrong, Moradi?"

"It's nothing. Thanks for preparing well."

"...What's wrong, Moradi?!"

"..."

Seeing Wardanaz react more intensely to a word of thanks, Jijel really wanted to hit him just once.

'Be patient. My sister might return soon...'

It would only be to her disadvantage if Jicklin returned to find her grabbing Yi-Han's collar and fighting.

Yi-Han poured boiled coffee into tin cups and handed one to Jijel. Then he said with a serious expression.

"Moradi."

"?"

Jijel, wondering what he was going to say, suddenly recalled something from not long ago.

Didn't this bastard make that expression and say something like 'It's older sister, not older brother, right?'

"If you say something useless again..."

"No. It's a serious talk. Moradi. Get serious. When someone's trying to have a serious conversation."

"You...!"

"If we find and face suitable game, the hunt will end quickly, right?"

"!"

Surprisingly, this time it was really a serious conversation.

Jijel nodded at Yi-Han's sharp words.

"That's right. If we meet suitable game..."

If Jicklin thought 'this knight had a good fight in this hunt', the hunt would end.

"You and I are both Einroguard mages. Let's use magic to quickly find suitable game."

"It's a good method, but it won't be that easy."

Jijel replied like that, resting her chin on her hand.

Even if there were many monsters around here, finding an appropriate opponent wasn't easy.

Magic isn't omnipotent, you know.

"Unless you have some divination magic you learned from the principal. Do you?"

"I have magic that enhances physical abilities."

"Hey. You're that guy, right? The one who gave our tower guys muscle pain..."

"I don't know what you're talking about. More importantly, Moradi. What's suitable is up to individual judgment originally."

"...Are you trying to argue?"

"Not necessarily, I'm saying we could persuade her."

"My sister might look naive, but she's not easy to persuade. And her intuition is so good that such lies won't work well."

The intuition of a knight like Jicklin should be considered almost like divination magic.

She could get a sense of what game they could fight and how just by looking at the knight who followed her.

"Then we just need to find some strong game, right?"

"You seem confident?"

"If we prepare in advance, couldn't we fight advantageously?"

Yi-Han said, pointing to the skeleton warriors. Jijel made a sour expression.

"I'm not sure if my sister will allow such things in a knight's fight."

"Hmm. Then there's only one way left."

Yi-Han spoke as if he had no choice.

Jijel was curious about what method this cunning top student of Einroguard had left.

"Let's insist we had an intense fight while Miss Jicklin was away."

"...That might not be bad...?"

Jijel unexpectedly agreed.

Unlike the others, it felt quite plausible.

"Right? I'm going to release the summons I've contracted to search the surroundings. I have spirits too."

"Okay. Got it."

"I said I'm going to release the summons I've contracted to search the surroundings. I have spirits too."

"...? I said I got it?"

Yi-Han became slightly sulky at Jijel's reaction.

Not to know this greatness!

"Wait. One more thing."

"?"

"If you want to go back after finishing the hunt, we need to find suitable game for my sister too. It'll be harder than you think."

"Really? Why..."

Before he could finish speaking, Jicklin's voice was heard from below.

"Everyone, I've returned from reconnaissance. There weren't any suitable monsters... Wardanaz, did you make this campsite with magic?"

Jicklin spoke with faint surprise on her stoic face.

However, Yi-Han couldn't answer immediately.

In Jicklin's other hand was a minotaur's head with blood dripping from it.

"Ah. Are you interested in this? I caught it as I was passing by."

"...Oh, ohh..."

Yi-Han realized that finding an opponent suitable for this knight would be more difficult than he thought.

***

"This is bad."

Yi-Han said, handing Jijel a soup made with finely chopped minotaur meat and potatoes.

"At this rate, we might be out here until the banquet."

"That's why I told you. My sister's hunts are hell."

Jijel sipped the soup. It was delicious enough to be divided.

She never thought she'd have the luxury of eating such food during Jicklin's hell hunt.

"Miss Jicklin didn't say much, did she enjoy it?"

"My sister? That's her extremely liking it. She ate a whole bowl, didn't she? Usually she doesn't even eat one bowl."

"Don't people usually eat about five bowls if it's delicious?"

"What uncultured bastard eats like that?"

"Gainan... Ahem. Never mind."

"..."

Yi-Han, who was changing the subject, was startled when a low-level cold spirit sent a signal.

"It says it found an enemy?!"

"What, what kind of monster is it!"

Jijel asked, quickly grasping her sword hilt.

"Oh no. It says it's not a monster but a person. Seems like a criminal."

"Ah..."

Jijel, who was about to sit down in disappointment, came to her senses and stood up.

"Hey! If it's a criminal, we should catch them!"

"Oops. That's right."