Chapter 59: The Artisans of the Wasteland (2)
Magic is versatile, but it comes with limitations. The caster’s skill, their mana reserves—many factors must be considered. Replacing a collapsed bridge with magic wasn’t a simple task.
“Begin!”
At Shave’s command, ten mages simultaneously cast their spells. Rough streams of mana flowed into the ground, causing massive boulders from the cliff base to rise.
Rumble—!
“Keep it going!”
The process repeated: pulling up rocks with magic and merging them into a single structure, slowly creating a platform that everyone could cross.
Dust from the wasteland blew across the cliff as the mages, shouting over the wind, looked more like construction workers than scholars. The difference was that their “tools” were magic rather than physical labor.
Using mana platforms suspended in the air wasn’t an option—they couldn’t support the combined weight of dozens of mages, horses, and heavy carriages. Thus, the mages set about building a new bridge.
The work was anything but smooth. Though magic enabled them to do things humans couldn’t, none of the mages had basic knowledge of construction. The crude structures collapsed repeatedly.
Time passed, and the terrain around the broken bridge transformed dramatically. Like a hand reaching out, massive boulders extended from below, creating a makeshift path.
Most of the mages collapsed in exhaustion. Despite their efforts, the bridge still didn’t reach the other side.
Approaching the expanded cliff edge, I measured the distance. I could see the far side clearly through the gusting winds.
A few platforms or some assistance might suffice for me to cross.
Shave approached, breathing heavily from the mana he’d expended.
“If we wait for our mana to recover, we’ll get across soon enough,” he said.
That meant waiting here for at least half a day. Half a day—a stretch of time that could feel long or short depending on the situation. Turning, I allowed the wind to tug at my cape as it fluttered over my small shoulders.
Logically, waiting was the right choice. Traversing the wasteland on foot was practically suicide.
However,
“Something feels wrong.”
A strange feeling tugged at me, as if something beyond the cliff was calling.
Without stopping, I said, “I’ll borrow a mage and a horse. I’m going to pursue the group ahead.”
“A mage and a horse? What exactly do you plan to do?”
Shave’s gaze shifted from my small frame to the massive cliff’s edge. Having seen my physical abilities firsthand, he quickly pieced together my intent.
“W-Wait! That’s too dangerous!”
I didn’t respond. He wasn’t wrong—the wasteland was a perilous place. But that didn’t mean I could simply stay here.
“This is just a simple escort mission… there’s nothing else to question.”
I didn’t like the situation, but the cooperation with the Magic Tower had already ended. This was now just a matter of travel.
The decision to split the group and send the mana generator ahead wasn’t something I could hold them accountable for.
Ignoring Shave and the murmuring mages, I pushed through the group and grabbed Envy by the scruff of her neck. Startled, she let herself be pulled along, and I set her on a horse before climbing up myself.
As a seasoned rider, I quickly synced with the horse’s movements, guiding it with ease.
“We’ll go on ahead,” I said.
Clop, clop—
The horse moved into a light gallop as I directed it. A few mages reacted, gripping their wands as their gazes darted toward Shave, waiting for his orders. But Shave remained still, saying nothing.
As we passed, our eyes met briefly. That was all. I urged the horse to move faster.
“Run!”
Neigh—!
It took no more than two seconds. Just as Envy screamed, the horse leaped toward the cliff’s edge.
“W-Wait a second!!!”
The horse’s leap was extraordinary. Just before it jumped, I had released a burst of mana beneath its hooves. Riding the wind, the horse soared through the air, galloping across the void like a griffon.
My black cloak billowed behind me as I shouted, “Envy!”
“W-Whaaa—aaahhh!!!”
Even as she screamed, Envy understood what needed to be done. The moment her wand glowed with mana and emitted light, I pulled the reins, guiding the horse’s direction.
Clop, clop—
As mana-formed platforms spread across the void, they began to crumble under the horse’s weight. The horse pressed forward, stepping on the platforms, but the progress lasted only moments.
The platforms broke faster than they formed, and the horse’s balance faltered, sending it plummeting down.
My hands moved instinctively. The flow of mana surged from my heart, through my chest and shoulders, and into my fingertips.
The distance to push was far, and the force would be significant. Placing my hand on the horse’s flank, I released the mana.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave erupted, sending both the horse and Envy soaring to the other side of the cliff. Just before hitting the ground, Envy slowed their fall with magic.
The immediate crisis was resolved. Now it was time to worry about myself.
Without hesitation, I drew the Mage Killer sword. The familiar weight in my hand was soon accompanied by the sensation of mana draining from my body.
The fierce wind blurred my vision. Pulling a leather strap from my belt, I wrapped it around the sword’s hilt, ensuring a secure grip.
Then, I spun. The mana flowing through my body enhanced the rotation, adding speed and force. When the momentum felt sufficient, I let go of the sword.
The centrifugal force sent the Mage Killer flying, its heavy weight dragging me along with it. Without resistance, I was pulled through the air, following the sword’s trajectory.
As I approached the ground, my body twisted and turned to absorb the impact. The sword embedded itself into the earth first, and I landed atop it with a graceful spin.
Flap—
It was a flawless landing—no loss of balance, no awkward movement. I couldn’t help but nod in satisfaction at my own performance.
If it felt this perfect to me, how would it appear to others? My gaze shifted past Envy to the mages left on the other side of the cliff.
“D-Do knights all do that…?” Envy asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
Fixing my windblown hair, I replied calmly, “Of course not.”
I began gathering the scattered supplies, loading them onto the horse.
Despite the direct impact from my mana burst, the horse was in surprisingly good condition.
Even earlier, when charging toward the cliff, I’d sensed something unusual about it—it wasn’t an ordinary horse.
“It feels… fearless.”
Snort—
Even now, the horse stood poised, as if ready to run again. Its gaze scanned the vast wasteland ahead, unaffected by the recent ordeal.
“Let’s go, Envy,” I said.
“Ah… Alright.”
I mounted the horse first, then extended a hand to Envy. She hesitated briefly, her face tinged red, before taking my hand and climbing up.
“Sorry for dragging you along without warning,” I said.
“N-No, it’s fine…”
Her response felt odd. Glancing back, I noticed her flushed ears and irregular breathing.
“Are you feeling unwell?” I asked.
“No! That’s not it!”
Good. Reassured, I tugged on the reins, and the horse began walking. We’d gained half a day’s lead. I turned to Envy and asked,
“You said you’ve been to Black Forge three times. Could you guide me there?”
Looking around, Envy eventually nodded, spotting a familiar landmark.
“See that big rocky mountain over there? If we circle left around it, we’ll find a long railway. That’s the transport route the dwarves use. Following it will lead us straight to Black Forge.”
Following her direction, I noticed faint wagon tracks on the ground. Though most were erased by the harsh winds, they were unmistakably from the Magic Tower’s delegation.
Gripping the reins tightly, I urged the horse forward.
Neigh—!
The horse broke into a gallop, and Envy swayed precariously. Reaching back, I guided her arms around my waist.
“Hold on tight. Falling off at this speed would be dangerous.”
No verbal response came.
The wind of the wasteland was brutally dry. Sand carried by the gusts pricked at my skin. Grimacing, I pulled out a thin cloth and wrapped it around my face.
“Why are you covering your face?” Envy asked.
“To protect my skin.”
“But… don’t you always say you don’t care about skincare?”
I closed my mouth, suddenly recalling my earlier words about not caring for skincare.
It seemed I’d contradicted myself, but there wasn’t time to dwell on it.
That’s when I noticed something—a figure sprawled in the middle of the wasteland. It was a stocky, short individual.
“The dwarves are said to be short…”
Yet, seeing one in person, they didn’t seem as small as I expected. Perhaps they were about the same height as my sister’s body. I tugged the reins, steering the horse toward the fallen dwarf.
As Envy and I dismounted to check on the dwarf’s condition, the body twitched. He wasn’t unconscious.
The moment I realized the dwarf was awake, my body reacted instinctively.
My leg struck the ground powerfully, propelling me forward as I prepared for an attack. Just as the dwarf leapt to his feet and began to shout, my fist connected with his face.
“W-Water…!”
Thwack!
Realizing too late that he wasn’t hostile, I lessened the force of my punch. But I hadn’t managed to dissipate all of my strength in time. The dwarf was sent flying backward, rolling across the dusty ground.
“I thought it was an ambush.”
It wasn’t.