A werewolf with eyes glowing red-hot charged forward, swinging its sharp claws.
“Graaargh!”
Yet, it couldn’t even get close to Ian.
The spear of ancient secrets crackled with electricity, piercing through the werewolf in front and the ones following behind.
But it didn’t stop there.
Crackling electricity erupted, causing the werewolves to scream in agony.
Without Castro and Roche around, Ian was able to unleash his abilities to the fullest.
Mana consumption was already low, and with the additional mana potion intake, he hardly had to worry about running out.
“What is Castro planning?”
“Perhaps.”
Ian mused as he flicked his hand, then made an incision in the werewolf’s chest, searching for the magic stone.
Feeling its familiar texture, a smile appeared on his lips.
The magic stone wasn’t large, but it was usable as a material.
“And you, instead of being caught by big brother, set a trap to devour him.”
“As expected, you are smart.”
“Being smart is irrelevant here. Anyone could notice it just by asking if Roche received another order from Castro.”
Ian thought that not only Isera but also Roche must have the same suspicion.
It had to be that way, as the most crucial key to this plan didn’t lie with Castro or the dungeon monsters, but with Roche.
“What are you planning? You haven’t set up any devices along the way.”
“That’s what seems most natural!”
Ian replied.
When forming a party, a mage’s role encompasses more than just delivering powerful damage.
When enemy positions are unclear, mages can use trap magic or magical tools to alert them of incoming enemies. However, Ian hadn’t set up anything along the way.
“Our opponent is from the graduating class. Moreover, he’s the ace of the Department of Martial Arts. Installed traps would be as good as useless. Instead, it might make them less wary.”
“But doing nothing…”
Isera trailed off as Ian grinned slyly.
He wiped the bloodstained magic stone clean with a cloth and put it in his bag.
There was nothing to gain from the other two corpses.
Ian casually tossed his gloves aside, then turned around.
“It seems my strategy has been perfectly successful since you say so.”
“Successful?”
“Don’t you notice anything different about me?”
Ian twirled around, arms spread wide.
Isera scanned him, puzzled.
Other than a bit of dirt on his handsome face, nothing had changed.
The star-shaped necklace remained untouched.
Despite thinking it over, there was nothing.
“The cat isn’t here.”
“Ah?”
But Isera had something to say as well.
“Didn’t you leave it at the camp?”
“Leaving a familiar behind isn’t a good choice. It’s like having an excellent secondary weapon and leaving it in storage while charging onto the battlefield.”
“Could it be?”
“That’s right.”
Ian nodded.
Animal-form familiars can erase their presence and spy.
If it’s a cat, it can move very stealthily.
Isera recalled this fact.
“But your thoughts are only half right. Because that cat isn’t a familiar.”
“Not a familiar?”
“Yes. To be precise, it’s a spirit.”
Isera was taken aback.
It was the first she had seen her so surprised.
Seeing varied expressions on someone she cared about was enjoyable, but for now, she focused on the matter at hand.
“Sorry for not telling you sooner. There were circumstances. You’re the first I’m telling besides the professors who helped when I made the contract.”
Ian emphasized that she was the first.
Only then did Isera return to her usual expression.
“Truly, I never thought it would be a spirit.”
“There was a hint.”
“What kind?”
A bit embarrassed, Ian recalled when he cradled the cat in his arms in the library. He reenacted the motion.
“Remember how seriously you told me I was puffing out without anything there, like this. Ugh, doing it now is so embarrassing.”
“……”
Still, it was less embarrassing than the first time.
“Anyway, back then, the cat was in my arms. It wasn’t a familiar, so it wasn’t hiding its body; its form was simply invisible because it was a spirit.”
It seemed like the puzzle was finally coming together.
“But why does it take the form of a cat? What kind of spirit is it?”
“I’m not entirely sure yet. Even the cat doesn’t seem to know… For now, I’ve defined it as a no-attribute spirit, but there are many unanswered questions.”
“Do you have another hypothesis?”
“I suspect it might be a primordial spirit. In other words, a primal spirit.”
A primordial spirit refers to the spirit from the very beginning. It aligns with Isera’s area of interest, given her fascination with ancient manuscripts and ancient magic.
Just then, an idea flashed through Isera’s mind.
“In that case… has the cat been around for a long time?”
“No, I don’t think so. It says it’s been around for about a thousand years. It’s not precise, though.”
“The term ‘primordial’ generally implies a very old existence. Biologically speaking, it could be considered extinct. But spirits are not biological. They’re more akin to a mental construct. As long as the body doesn’t vanish, the psyche is passed down through generations. So borrowing the cat’s knowledge might unlock ancient secrets.”
A history spanning a thousand years is often recorded. However, the history preceding it is largely lost.
Thus, Isera hypothesized that utilizing the cat’s knowledge and experience might allow some access to ancient culture.
But that was unlikely.
“Hmm… I have considered your thoughts, nuna, but when I asked, I was told it recently emerged from the spirit realm into the human realm. I’m its first contractor.”
“So it’s not very knowledgeable, huh?”
“For now, there are two possibilities. Either it lacks information or it’s concealing it.”
Isera’s expression grew serious.
The lack of information was expected, but the possibility of concealment was surprising.
“By concealing… you’re considering the potential growth of the spirit?”
“Yes. I believe it has a true form. To see that form, I have to grow myself.”
Ian had already attained the level of a 4th Circle mage.
The 4th Circle is a radiant achievement.
He couldn’t imagine how much further he’d have to grow to uncover its true nature.
However, Ian’s hypothesis seemed persuasive.
While many powerful mages had strong spirits, there were hardly any cases of weak mages possessing strong spirits.
“Ultimately, there are still too many mysteries. We’ll need to approach it gradually. For now, getting closer to the cat seems to be the priority.”
“Before that, shouldn’t you find a proper name for it?”
“I’ve thought it over, but nothing good comes to mind. How about you name it?”
“Me?”
“It seems to follow you around more than you’d think.”
Isera chuckled softly and nodded.
It wasn’t a difficult request.
“Alright. I’ll think about it. But what about the plan?”
“The cat didn’t just not follow me. Until earlier, it was with us.”
“You’ve been trailing Castro, haven’t you?”
“Correct!”
Ian used the concept of ‘manifestation’.
An unmanifested spirit isn’t visible to those without spirit energy. Yet, its mind constantly interlinks with its master, enabling unceasing exchange of thoughts.
“Since Castro and Roche can’t detect spirits, they won’t know the cat’s observing everything….”
“Besides, if the cat mentally communicates their conversation to us, we can shut their plan down. We might end up overpowering them.”
“You’re a scary one.”
“I’m not a child though. After all, I’m a year older than you.”
Isera’s eyes widened as the mention of age came up for the first time, leading to a brief awkward atmosphere.
“If you wanted to be treated like an elder, you should have entered school sooner.”
“You’re right.”
“Once a senior, always a senior.”
“Yes…”
With nothing more to say, Ian attempted to communicate with Goyang.
‘What’s the situation over there?’
『They’re not moving an inch from that crossroads!』
They seemed to be idling away their time.
Since the knights and soldiers entered the dungeon, it wasn’t a concern to leave one of the passageways unattended for a while.
‘With a lack of manpower as an excuse. It’s natural for four people to tackle one pathway.’
Afterward, they’d likely stage an accident or have the monsters attack to eliminate them.
Once they exited the dungeon, no evidence would remain.
『Oh! They finally seem to be scheming something!』
‘Relay everything without omitting a word.’
After a moment’s pause, the cat’s mental relay began. Although it was the cat’s voice, the contents and tone belonged to Castro and Roche.
『Roche. You are a distinguished student of the academy and a citizen of Sonokin.』
『Yes.』
『Why not join me in serving the kingdom?』
A silence fell.
Roche seemed to hesitate, unable to respond.
Ian focused harder.
『Quit looking so dumbfounded! This is real. Someone far more influential than you can imagine has discreetly relayed orders to me. If you cooperate with this plan, you will be rewarded with a title. That tedious life as a commoner will end today!』
The reason Roche had been selected for the expedition team came to light.
A plan promising a title was something no one could resist, especially not a commoner.
It was impossible to become a noble by ordinary means.
『Heh heh heh. What do you say? Are you curious about the plan?』
『I have a question before that.』
『Ask away.』
『Is the influential figure you refer to His Majesty the King?』
An unexpected question.
Ian could almost visualize Castro’s flustered face, though the cat did not relay this.
『That’s not important! What matters is that it’s for the kingdom.』
『Then I cannot comply. I am His Majesty the King’s sword.』
『What did you say?』
The cat’s acting was impressive, effectively conveying Castro’s enraged voice.
‘I need to know who the influential figure is.’
Ian hoped Castro would reveal who this figure was. However, Castro remained cautious.
『Fine. I see your loyalty. But if you refuse, your academic life will end.』
The strategy shifted from persuasion to intimidation.
While Roche could forgo a chance to become a noble, he wouldn’t want to risk expulsion from the academy.
『Think carefully, new student. To be frank, you don’t have a choice here. You can only make such a decision because I’ve shown mercy. So make your choice! Will you follow my orders, or leave empty-handed?』
The die has been cast.
Now it was up to Roche to make a decision.