Clang!
Edrick drew his dagger in a flash.
Disguised as a mage to keep his identity hidden, the blade was his only weapon.
Tap. Tap.
The man at the top of the stairs—likely the black mage—descended slowly.
Unhurried. Calm. As if Edrick weren't even there, blade drawn and ready.
He stopped halfway down and pointed at the book in Edrick's hand.
"Hand it over."
"..."
So that was it. The black mage had come for the book.
Edrick smirked beneath his mask.
"If a black mage shows up in person for a single book, it must mean this thing is dangerous to your kind."
"Give it up, and I'll let you live."
"There's no one in this kingdom dumb enough to trust a black mage."
"Then die."
BOOM!
The space where Edrick had been standing exploded in a flash of heat and fire.
No chant. No gesture. Just pure, instantaneous magic.
But—he was gone.
The black mage narrowed his eyes.
He dodged it?
Incoming again! the wind spirit cried.
Edrick rolled across the floor as another explosion rocked the underground chamber.
BOOM! BOOM!
Flames burst around him, but none touched him.
With each flicker of mana, the wind spirit whispered its direction, giving him the edge he needed to dodge.
"Hmph. Not bad," the black mage muttered.
He raised his right hand.
A storm of mana flared out, engulfing the entire room.
He wasn't aiming anymore—he was trying to burn the entire place down.
But in that moment, the black mage caught Edrick's expression.
Eyes like still water. Focused. Calm.
A chill ran down his spine.
He immediately canceled the incantation and switched to a defensive spell.
A black disc the size of a man's face materialized in front of him.
Tap!
Before he could even blink, Edrick was there—dagger in hand, already swinging.
CRACK!
Steel struck magic.
The dagger crashed into the disc, splitting it in two.
But the shockwave sent Edrick tumbling backward.
"Interesting," the man said, standing from the stairs.
His abdomen shimmered—the faint glow of a passive barrier.
"Mana bullet, huh?"
Yes.
While he struck with the dagger in his right hand, Edrick had fired a mana bullet from his left.
A distraction. A feint.
But it hadn't broken through the barrier.
"It seems that trick won't work," the black mage said, extending his hand again.
FWOOOSH!
A wave of fire roared toward Edrick.
He called out instinctively.
Wind!
WHSSHH!
A blast of wind crashed forward like a wedge.
The oncoming flames split around him, rolling to either side.
The heat scorched the air, but Edrick's mana shield held.
He stood firm.
CRACKLE...
When the fire subsided, the basement was an inferno.
Shelves, tables, even the floor itself had caught fire.
The black mage smiled, raising his hand.
"How long do you think your mana will last in here?"
"..."
To survive in this blaze, Edrick had to constantly reinforce his body with mana.
And the black mage knew that.
BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions erupted again.
Each spell forced Edrick to burn more mana.
At this rate, he wouldn't last much longer.
I have to end this now.
If I use "that," I'll get one clean shot. I just need to break through and retreat...
Then he heard a voice—a boy's voice, close and firm.
Use my power.
SHOOM—
The fire and heat converged into his chest.
The mana circled around his heart like a burning satellite.
Unlike the cool breeze of the wind spirit, this was searing and heavy.
This is... I see.
Edrick's eyes changed.
He erased retreat from his mind.
Spark.
A glint of killing intent flashed in his gaze.
No. I'm ending this. Now.
He gripped his dagger tightly and charged.
The air split before him. The wind surged from behind.
He became a projectile—a storm aimed at the mage's throat.
But waiting for him—another black disc.
Same spell. Same trick.
The black mage smirked.
He would block the dagger with one hand and cast another explosion with the other.
Can you dodge at this range?
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
He noticed something.
The dagger has no aura.
Clink.
The dagger bounced off the disc.
A decoy.
The real attack—
FWOOM!
From Edrick's chest, a searing bolt of fire shot forward.
A mana bullet.
At this range, he didn't even need to aim.
It tore through the barrier with a sickening crack.
The black mage gasped, stumbling.
But Edrick wasn't done.
WHIRRR—
His left hand lit up with burning aura.
He pulled the dagger sheath from his belt.
Strike. Fire. Follow through.
THWACK!
The sheath crushed through the man's ribs and drove straight into his heart.
Edrick twisted.
CRUNCH.
The sheath rotated violently, snapping bone.
The black mage's heart pulsed once—and then collapsed into pulp.
"...Y-You... bastard..."
The man's eyes twitched once, then went still.
Edrick yanked the sheath free.
The corpse tumbled down the stairs.
Victory.
Thank you, friend. I couldn't have done it without you.
The fire spirit answered coldly.
Too weak. Get stronger.
Huh?
You should be able to win without me.
Harsh, but not unkind.
Then came laughter—soft and bright.
The wind spirit.
Their personalities are opposites, Edrick thought.
The wind was a giggling girl who laughed at falling leaves.
The fire was a blunt boy who spoke only when necessary.
But they shared something important:
Don't get hurt.
Yeah! Don't get hurt!
They both cared.
Edrick was more than a summoner.
He was their friend.
I'll get stronger. I promise. Strong enough to face this kind of threat alone.
You'd better.
And with that, the fire spirit vanished.
He could only manifest in places already consumed by flame.
We'll meet again.
Clack.
Edrick picked up the black mage's body.
Two reasons.
One: to prevent anyone from analyzing it and discovering his methods.
Two: to study it—and find their base.
There's no way I'll let black mages roam near the Loen estate.
With the book and corpse secured, he ascended the stairs.
WHOOSH!
The library above was ablaze.
Choking smoke. Roaring flames.
This way! the spirit cried.
He dashed into the next room.
It too was burning—but the window hadn't been touched yet.
CRASH!
He smashed it open.
Cool air poured in.
Carrying the body, he leapt through and landed in the garden below.
Huff...
He dusted off the smoke and turned.
The entire first floor was a sea of fire.
He stashed the body behind a bush.
Then turned back to the inferno.
Where are you going? asked the spirit.
To save someone.
Marcella.
Alex's mother.
He'd planned to leave her.
Disappearing during the chaos would only raise suspicions.
But if she remained, she'd die.
Find her for me.
On it!
The spirit circled him playfully, then zipped up to the second floor.
Moments later—
Found her!
Lead me.
He climbed quickly.
The second floor was less damaged, but the smoke was thick and blinding.
Last room on the left!
Thanks!
He raced through the smoke and kicked open the door.
Marcella lay unconscious on the floor.
He hoisted her onto his back.
The first floor was already impassable.
He needed to jump.
The front yard's crawling with people. So...
He ran to the far window and looked down.
Tall grass in the rear garden.
Perfect.
He kicked the window open—
THUMP!
And jumped.
Tap. Slide. Land.
He absorbed the shock easily.
Give her fresh air.
Got it!
As he laid her down, Marcella stirred.
Her bleary eyes locked onto him.
"Who... are you?"
"I'm the one protecting your son. Let's get you somewhere safe."
That should've been the end.
He just needed a way to transport the corpse and return to Loen.
But then—
Her eyes widened.
"No... no! That boy—he's not my son!"
"...What?"
"He's a black mage! He stole my son's body and infiltrated the Bearut family!"
"...!"
Edrick's breath caught.
Spirit. Check her slave mark.
It smells... bad, but not like Alex's.
...!
That meant the stench wasn't from a mark.
Marcella was telling the truth.