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Episode 81
Into the dungeon (4)
“Hmm… … .”
A week ago from now.
Isabella nodded in satisfaction as she watched Riley’s disguise using Dolore’s Mask .
“Well, the disguise is absolutely perfect.”
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. As I said before, unless you’re a magician with a high level of mana affinity, they won’t notice your true abilities.”
Swish―.
Isabella gently squeezed Riley’s hand.
She tapped the ring Richie had given her and continued speaking in a soft voice.
“But Riley.”
“… … .”
“As I said before, this ring only hides your ‘true power’. It cannot hide the fact that you are a wizard.”
The ring had the effect of preventing the wearer’s magical power from leaking out.
okay.
It was definitely a good artifact.
However, it is difficult to see it as an omnipotent thing.
The ring might have been able to fool Riley’s mind, but it couldn’t hide the fact that she was a sorcerer.
“Furthermore, the place you are entering is a ‘mid-to-high’ level dungeon.”
“… … .”
“It means that even the pathfinders who have reached the lowest ranks will join the attack.”
Pathfinder is a class of wizards who specialize in mana affinity.
No matter how low their level was, it was not because their mana affinity was inferior, but because they lacked other abilities.
After thinking about it that far, Riley opened her mouth quietly.
“Whether I wear this ring or not, it will definitely be known that I am a wizard.”
“huh.”
Isabella nodded.
“But I think it would be better to wear a ring for now. As I said before, if a kid is radiating magic power above the middle level, everyone will suspect your identity.”
“ah…….”
“At least if you wear the ring, your status will look like that of an apprentice , so there won’t be any particular suspicion.”
Riley nodded silently after hearing that. After thinking about it for a moment, she spoke to Isabella again.
“Then what should I do if they find out I’m a wizard?”
“It’s simple.”
Isabella shrugged and continued answering.
“I unconditionally deny it.”
“……yes?”
“Just deny it unconditionally. You don’t have to overthink it. Just repeat ‘I’m not a wizard’ like a parrot.”
“… … Is that okay?”
“huh.”
Isabella nodded and said.
“Wizards originally had a uselessly good imagination.”
“… … .”
“If you just say that, the other person will understand.”
* * *
“You’re not a wizard… …?”
Philip asked back in a trembling voice.
To his question, Riley nodded and answered in a calm voice.
“Yes. It really isn’t.”
“That, that, that can’t be… … .”
Right then.
Philip’s eyes flashed and shined as if he had realized something.
“Oh, no way… … !”
“… … .”
“Yes, I’ve heard of it before. There was a wizard whose initial magical power was so small that he didn’t even realize that he had been ‘awakened’.”
“… … .”
“Well, I heard it was a very rare case, but I never imagined I would meet someone like that in person, ha, haha… … .”
Philip mutters to himself very quickly, without even taking a breath.
His words were exactly as Isabella had predicted.
-The wizard who hears your words will probably mistake you for an “unawakened one.” Someone whose initial magical power is so small that they may not even know that they have been blessed with mana.
‘So far, everything is going smoothly.’
[huh.]
It was then that the hairy captain spoke with a confused expression.
“What are you talking about, Philip? Explain it in simple terms so that even an ignorant mercenary like me can understand.”
Then Philip answered, pointing straight at Riley.
“That boy is a wizard. He just doesn’t realize it… … .”
bang–!
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“Is that true!”
The hairy captain slams the desk before Philip can finish speaking.
Philip was so surprised by this that he started to shake and hiccup.
“… … Hibiki!”
Regardless, the hairy captain kept yelling with a very excited look on his face.
“Really, Philippe! Our Raoul is a wizard?”
“… … .”
The spittle that came out of the captain’s mouth landed on Philip’s face.
Philip, with a trembling expression, answered while wiping his saliva with his sleeve.
“Uh, uh. Right. A wizard.”
“Hahahaha! A wizard! A wizard!”
Was he really that happy that the youngest recruit he had chosen for his mercenary group was a wizard?
The hairy captain burst into hearty laughter.
“Then Philippe! What do you think Raoul’s talents as a wizard are?”
“Well, well, I’m not really that great of a person to be able to judge someone’s potential… … .”
Philip continued to answer in a trembling voice, scratching the ball.
“But if I have to say, magicians who haven’t realized their “awakening” usually have very little initial magical power, so they rarely have any outstanding talents… … .”
“What about Raul’s talent!!!”
“… … Eww! This is a surprise!”
“Stop talking nonsense and just answer with ‘yes’ or ‘no’! Does Raoul have great talent as a magician or not?”
“I, I’m explaining it to you right now. Even though I don’t have any outstanding talent, if I work hard, someday… … .”
“Just tell me it’s great!!!”
“… … Hehe! Jump, jump! You’re amazing! You’re so talented that it wouldn’t be strange if you became a great wizard later on!”
When the hairy captain suddenly shouted, Philip answered terrified.
“Ahem.”
“… … .”
After hearing the answer he wanted, the hairy captain cleared his throat and sat down calmly again.
Sealook─.
The corners of his mouth twitched.
“Haha! Our Raoul will become a great magician in the future. That’s really good news to hear.”
“… … .”
[… … .]
Philip just glared at the hairy captain with a dumbfounded expression.
* * *
Let’s go back to a week ago.
“Hmm… … .”
Isabella gently pressed the “Dolore ‘s Mask” Riley was wearing on her face with her fingertips.
“… … .”
[… … ]
Kuk─.
It’s so soft to the touch that it’s hard to believe it’s a mask.
Isabella, who confirmed this, nodded with a satisfied smile.
“Even looking at it again, the disguise is perfect.”
“……is it so?”
“Yeah. He looks exactly like a typical country boy.”
Isabella continued speaking.
“Of course, since the original is so excellent, it’s not that there’s no tendency for men to be a bit pretty… … . Well, whatever.”
“… … .”
“It might have been different in the past, but these days, being good-looking rarely results in you being disadvantaged.”
It was a long time ago.
It felt a little awkward to hear such words coming from Isabella, who didn’t look even 30 years old.
But, what.
Although she looked young, Isabella was a wizard who was hundreds of years old.
‘Of course, in return, he would have sacrificed the lives of many young assistants.’
[… … plague.]
Suddenly, when I have a bad thought, a corner of my heart feels blocked.
I quickly shook off the distracting thoughts and looked at Isabella again.
“Well, by the way, Riley. What are you going to use as your nickname?”
“… … Is that a pseudonym?”
“Yeah. Surely you wouldn’t take the form of a boy and go by the name Riley.”
“Hmm.”
Riley thought about it for a moment, but soon came up with a new name.
“What about Raoul?”
“… … Raoul?”
Isabella tilted her head in question.
“Is there a special reason why you want to use the pseudonym Raul?”
“It’s just that the pronunciation is similar to Riley’s.”
Isabella smiled faintly after hearing the reason.
“You seem to have quite a strong attachment to the name Riley, don’t you? Even the way you chose a new name that sounds similar to Riley.”
“… … .”
“Yeah, well. It’s not just you. People can’t help but feel attached to their own names. I also really like the name ‘Isabella.’”
So Riley finished all preparations for the “Assignment Quest”.
He disguised himself using Dolores’ mask, concealed his magical powers using Richie’s ring, and even took the alias Raoul.
Isabella, who confirmed all of this once again, nodded and opened her mouth.
“Okay. Then, this concludes the preparations.”
“… … .”
“Make sure to complete the
“yes.”
Riley nodded briefly and walked towards the door.
Towering─.
Right then.
Riley paused in front of the door and slowly turned towards Isabella.
“By the way, Elder.”
“huh?”
“Is there any last advice you could give me?”
Isabella answered immediately with a smile.
“Don’t die, come back alive.”
“… … Stop giving me such vague advice.”
“Hmm, let me see.”
This time, Isabella, who had been pondering for a little longer, snapped her fingers and opened her mouth.
“Oh, okay.”
“… … .”
“It would be good to develop a good relationship with the Pathfinder who will help you conquer the dungeon.”
Riley asked back after hearing that.
“… … To build a good relationship with Pathfinder?”
“huh.”
Isabella nodded and answered.
“I know it’s weird for me, a magician, to say this, but there are a lot of people with very strange personalities among those who follow the path of magic.”
“… … .”
“There are some who have a strange sense of wariness toward others simply because they are wizards like themselves. There are even some who look down on wizards of lower level than themselves.”
okay.
There are such guys.
As I’ve said many times, most wizards are incredibly arrogant.
At the root of that arrogance was a hidden sense of being chosen by the devil.
Is that why?
Some wizards whose personalities were ruined would look down on wizards of lower level than themselves.
“Of course, if you can endure the insult, it doesn’t really matter, but if you’re already having a hard time because of the 〈Assignment Quest〉, then it’s only natural that you’d get annoyed if a fly buzzed right next to you, right?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why it’s important to maintain a good relationship with that Pathfinder.”
“Are there any tips for maintaining a good relationship?”
Isabella explained, raising one finger.
“The best way is to claim yourself as his disciple.”
“… … You want me to call myself your disciple?”
“huh.”
Isabella nodded.
“If Pathfinder is bothering you, ask him to be your teacher.”
“… … .”
“Originally, magicians are weak in the relationship between master and disciple. Especially those who have reached an ambiguous level have even greater illusions about this relationship.”
She finished her speech with a smile.
“Then at least he won’t bother you in a bad way?”
“… … .”
[… … .]
* * *
Fortunately, Philip wasn’t the type of wizard to blatantly ignore someone.
His personality was too soft and fragile to do such a foolish thing.
There is no reason for Riley to claim to be Philip’s disciple.
But it seems that Captain Furbo had slightly different thoughts than us.
“Philip.”
“Uh, huh?”
“How about you teach Raoul while you’re at it?”
After hearing the captain’s words, Philip pointed to himself with a bewildered expression and asked back.
“Me, me? Ha, but I’m not good enough to teach anyone yet… … .”
“What does that matter? After all, aren’t you a better magician than Raoul?”
“Well, that’s, that’s true, but… … .”
“Then, please teach Raoul a little bit, even if it’s just for the short time we have while we continue this campaign. Just being able to show off a few tricks will be enough. That alone will be a great help to our mercenary group.”
“Uh, uh uh… … .”
Philip’s ears turned red.
Why is it so exciting to be able to be someone’s teacher?
He continued speaking, trying to hide the corners of his lips that were twitching.
“Ugh, uhm… … . Well, I guess there’s nothing I can do about it.”
Phillip looked at Riley, wiping his nose.
“Rain, even though it will be a short relationship, you still have to work hard, Raoul? As you are my first disciple, I will do my best and teach you diligently. Got it?”
“… … Yes, Master.”
A strange sight passed by Philip’s eyes.
Apparently, the word ‘Master’ coming out of Riley’s mouth had tripped one of his switches.
Philip muttered in a very quiet voice.
“S, Master, heh, heh heh… … .”
“… … .”
[… … .]
Oh, of course.
There’s no way Riley will learn anything from Phillip.
Well, if you’re teaching the guy a lesson, that would be fine.
