Volume 2 Chapter 32 Pursuit Battle! VS Apprentice Mage Elna
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Damn it!
He sprinted up the stairs in one breath, twisting sharply around the wide switchback staircase to reach the upper floors.
The second floor was too open—too spacious. Such large rooms only gave an edge to magicians. No matter what, he preferred a narrow battleground where he could control the fight.
But he had failed. Entering here out of curiosity was a huge mistake. Normally, he wouldn’t risk stepping into an unknown place like this. He should have been alert for magic alarms triggered by hidden circles. What was he thinking? Maybe he let his guard down somewhere, or maybe he believed he could handle whatever came his way.
Reaching the third floor, he saw there were no partitions or doors. The faint light from the windows barely reached inside, plunging the whole area into deep shadows.
If he looked closely, framed pictures lined the walls, and a large pillar stood in the middle, making the room feel like a donut-shaped exhibition hall.
There was nowhere to hide.
Should he raise a barrier and try to fight while moving inside the room?
He hurried to the back, pressed his back against the wall, and tried to calm his ragged breath. Lighting the candlesticks to distract the enemy—would that open up the room and give him an advantage?
”I knew you were here. Your scent is so obvious. I appreciate you coming into this dead end,” a cold voice called from the stairs on the third floor.
At the same moment, all the candlesticks in the room flared to life, red flames flickering like a welcome. Shadows danced wildly in the eerie glow.
Damn, what was this? Could magicians really do that?
Was he not supposed to use the darkness to his advantage?
With the flames casting light, his vision filled with vivid colors. The bright red walls were decorated with flowers in full bloom. The ceiling had black borders with purple and yellow floral patterns, and the glass windows glowed faintly blue. Whoever designed this place had refined taste.
If it weren’t for the situation, he might have appreciated it even as a normal person. Though, knowing himself, he’d probably get bored within a day.
Footsteps echoed loudly. She had entered the exhibition hall. Holding a barrier device beneath her clothes, she waited silently.
The plan was simple: when she moved forward, he would raise the barrier and slip past her to escape the building. That was the only way out.
He thought about waiting for her to leave, but that was too risky. He didn’t know how long the magic in his barrier device would last.
”Hehe, I can read your thoughts like an open book,” she teased from the shadows.
Huh?
”You’re probably planning to run away again, right? Too bad. Once I see your moves, dealing with you is easy,” she said with childish smugness, her voice full of wild confidence.
”You really pulled that off yesterday. Was that a magic barrier? I thought it was teleportation, but the leftover magic was too faint—no doubt about it. Did your allies help? Or did you do it yourself? Either way, it’s useless. With your magic power, you can’t maintain such barriers—you’re relying on tools. How long do you think that will last?”
She had figured it out.
If Suzette cast the barrier then, her absence now made sense. If he had done it, it was almost certainly with a tool, so dragging the fight out would just make things worse. Maybe a skill was involved, but with his mana limits, maintaining it long was impossible.
”If you wait here, you don’t stand a chance! Why don’t you just give up and face me already? Show some confidence and fight me head-on!”
She taunted from a high and arrogant stance, clearly thinking she was stronger.
It was annoying, but she was right. There was nothing he could say.
”What are you doing? I don’t know your age, but I’m only thirteen! Aren’t you embarrassed to be chased by a young girl still learning to be a lady?”
Instead of embarrassed, he felt humiliated. He wanted to throw her into the river right now.
But strength and age didn’t always match in this world. Power was mostly decided at birth. No matter how young she was, it was obvious she was stronger than him.
Not long ago, he’d been beaten badly by a knight girl half his age. He had no intention of underestimating her.
Still, she wasn’t as strong as Tiet.
She was definitely stronger than him, but not invincible.
He was sure he couldn’t beat Tiet no matter what.
Maybe, if he tried everything, he could win against her. But something deep inside told him it was impossible.
Elna might be different.
Elna was a powerful magician. If they fought normally, she would likely win. But depending on the situation, maybe he had a chance.
He had no plan. But she was young. Maybe she’d make a mistake in combat.
…Stay calm. Don’t panic.
No matter how strong the opponent, she was still just a girl. He could trick her and leave her behind like he always did.
He told himself this.
Even if he deceived her, she was only a girl. If she were ten years older, he wouldn’t bother. Back then, he might have tried to play the gentleman for one night.
”Hmph. So you plan to hide and wait it out. You’re such a dirty, sneaky thief. Tonight’s dinner is on you,” she said.
Dinner?
Was she saying he would be eaten? Like Tiet, did she have some strange appetite?
”Human meat is tough and not tasty. But if you cook the skin right, it’s delicious. I’ll peel you alive, cook you right in front of you, and eat you,” she said suddenly.
What kind of girl was this?
Her words were dangerous. Wait, was this a threat?
She sounded like she really knew about cannibalism. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
She was Beastkin. Their culture had dark secrets unknown to humans. Maybe they really did eat people.
As that thought crossed his mind, his sense of danger sharpened.
”Even after all that, you still won’t move? You must be really shy. Fine then, I’ll drag you into the sunlight myself.”
It was coming.
He barely had time to think that the sun had already set. He braced himself.
Whether from right or left, he stood with his back to the outer wall, ready. He grabbed a candlestick from the wall and held it tightly.
If she attacked, he would throw it with all his strength. Ready to run, he crouched low and prepared.
”──”
She said something, but he couldn’t hear it clearly. Was it a spell?
If it was to boost her abilities, it could be dangerous, so he activated the barrier device immediately.
At the same time, cracks appeared along the central pillar.
Suddenly, the whole room filled with flying debris.
”What──?!”
The pillar shattered into pieces, and the stones hurtled toward him at incredible speed.
”Ouch, ouch, it hurts?!”
The debris hit him all over, and he rolled desperately to dodge. It was too fast to avoid completely.
The pillar had exploded. What had just happened?
He looked ahead.
A hole was right through the center of the pillar, faintly smelling burnt—probably from a lightning arrow. The attack had enough force to pierce straight through.
He never expected the strike to come from the middle instead of the sides. If it was a trick, it was a perfect one.
Such a reckless attack. You little brat, going way too far.
His body ached from the sharp stone pieces. His face and hands, exposed to the attack, burned with pain, as did his abdomen and thighs where larger chunks hit him. The legs hurt the most. He was thankful his eyes were safe.
Damn, if he only defended, it was over.
He had to fight back.
He stood up quickly and brushed off the dust.
The pain wasn’t enough to stop him from moving. He could still run.
Steeling himself, he ran toward Elna. He had to act before his strength faded.
”Oh? Finally coming at me?”
A crackling sound of lightning exploded ahead.
Lightning again. She was definitely a mage who specialized in thunder magic.
The barrier was far too narrow.
But this wasn’t the time to complain.
His legs stuck out from its edge, making every step echo clearly. Elna would hear him approaching just by the sound alone.
But if he crouched low enough, his footsteps would vanish within the range of the barrier. To her, it might seem like he stopped moving entirely.
Even if the trick only worked for a moment, it could still be enough.
He circled around the central pillar, shifting ninety degrees to the side. Then, just before stepping into her line of sight, he dropped low.
It reminded him of the time with Ada. If he got caught crouching like this, the shame would be unbearable.
Still, there was no time to dwell on that. If he escaped, he’d win. That was all that mattered.
”…Hmm?” Elna muttered, just barely within hearing range.
Staying low, he moved swiftly. The room was wide, but not long enough to allow for a full sprint.
And then he saw her—Elna, floating in the air, holding a spear of lightning.
She wore the same robe as when she’d attacked in Federation territory.
She sensed it—the absence of sound. Her instincts were sharp, far sharper than most her age.
”Tch. Acting all smug, you little brat,” he muttered, knowing she couldn’t hear inside the barrier.
She didn’t notice him. He crept closer, mentally flipping her off as he passed behind her.
“I win,” he whispered, a sneer tugging at his lips. “Don’t ever show your arrogant face again—”
”Where are you?” Elna murmured.
In the next instant, she drove the lightning spear into the floor.
“──Gih!?”
Agony shot through him like molten iron piercing up from the ground.
“Gyaaaahhh!!”
It was searing. A sensation like every part of his insides were being ripped apart.
It burned.
Hot. Too hot. Everything was too hot!
”Oh, there you are! I knew you’d try to run away! Coward!” Elna shouted, triumphant.
The lightning faded, and his body crumpled to the ground.
”…A, ga…a, ah…”
His vision trembled. It felt like his bones were melting, his blood boiling. His lungs forgot how to breathe, and his heart sprinted unevenly inside his chest.
Thoughts shattered under the weight of overwhelming pain.
”Oh, is that all?” Elna said, sounding genuinely disappointed. “Really? That’s it? I went through all that effort… just for this?”
She looked at him with a weary frown, like she couldn’t believe someone so weak had taken up her time.
That was the kind of gaze the strong gave the fallen—cold and uninterested.
“──Pugi.”
A strange sound escaped his stomach. Then, the world spun. The floor became the ceiling.
She had kicked him. Hard.
”Hehe, what was that noise?” she laughed.
Another kick landed. He gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out.
From the ground, he looked up. Her face stared down at him, full of disgust and superiority.
”What’s wrong? Come on, make more noise. It’s boring if you’re quiet,” she said, and kicked again.
Her tail slapped across his face right after.
This wasn’t about confirming a kill. Her attacks had no purpose beyond cruelty.
She looked like a delicate young Beastkin mage on the outside, but inside—she was a vicious, merciless creature.
”…Seriously. After all the trouble you caused, the least you could do is entertain me a little. You’re so weak. So boring. Just a pathetic little thief.”
Her long tail swayed lazily as she kept kicking, again and again, rolling him toward the stairs.
Then, with one hard strike, she sent him tumbling down.
He rolled, vision spinning wildly.
Maybe his nerves were too damaged to feel anything, because the pain didn’t even register.
All he saw now was the second floor’s cold stone floor.
”Ah, whatever,” Elna muttered. “Would’ve been nice to take all the credit, but this… feels so unsatisfying. I was lucky I beat Lona, at least. Still… guess I have to bring proof back or it won’t count. What a pain.”
She mumbled, already thinking about cleanup.
He was still alive—but barely.
It felt like the end. Like death was creeping closer.
But maybe, just maybe… a chance to escape would come again. Like it had back then, during the Tiet incident.
”I wanna ask the soldiers, but… what if they take it from me?” Elna continued, sounding annoyed.
It was like she found treasure, but didn’t want to leave it alone long enough to collect tools.
Maybe soldiers wouldn’t steal her victory, but among Beastkin like her, who knew?
He didn’t know what kind of bounty was on his head.
But if he really was considered a prize, they might not even bother taking him alive—just a head or ears for proof.
He could only hope that didn’t happen.
If he was going to die… he’d rather be executed properly.
Being killed by someone like her—by this brat—would be too pathetic.
Suzette or even Adelina would be disappointed in him.
It was shameful to care about appearances at a time like this.
But still… if he had to die, let it be with some dignity. A proper death.
At the very least, something clean.
But then, she came up with something far worse.
“Ah, that’s right. I’ll just pee on it.”
…What?
”That smell will prove I killed it,” she added, her tone disturbingly casual.
He couldn’t believe it.
Even for monsters, this was beyond reason. No one would ever think of such a thing—no one sane, anyway.
Elna slowly descended the stairs, her fingers pulling at the knot of her robe. The fabric rustled behind him.
Normally, that sound would carry a different meaning.
Now, it was just revolting.
F-For god’s sake!
Did she really believe she could do whatever she wanted to a fallen opponent?
Maybe she did.
If this was common sense among Beastkin, they were truly a terrifying race.
Knights honored the fallen, even their enemies.
Even normal folk had more restraint than this.
Removing armor was for value, not humiliation.
But what she was doing—it was pure hatred. Hatred turned into something else entirely.
“…Oh?”
From the depths of his disgust and fury, a strange strength surged up.
He moved. Somehow, he moved.
Right arm, then left. Crawling forward, inch by inch, trying to escape.
”Oh, I see. You get it now,” Elna whispered, her voice dropping low.
The sound of discarded clothing came from behind.
He didn’t want to see it. Didn’t want to believe it. But he turned his head anyway.
──Damn it!
Could a human face really twist like that?
Her expression was full of wicked joy.
Come to think of it, when he first woke in that wooden cell, Tiet had worn a similar look.
Was this some kind of trend now—young girls finding joy in humiliation?
Compared to this, Ada might have been the kindest enemy he’d ever faced.
He tried to crawl, dragging his arms forward.
But weight pressed down on his calves. Then his waist. Then his back.
Then it settled squarely between his sides.
Right above him… was her.
Damn. Damn. Damn it. Goddamn it!
”Don’t run, okay? Hehe. Oh, but wait… it might not come out right away,” she said, her tone playful and cruel.
She perched on him like a predator.
Pain sparked in his joints. Still, he gritted his teeth, refusing to cry out.
He would never give her that.
He wanted to kill her. Curse her. Tear her apart.
──Ah.
Then, he felt it.
Among the burning pain across his body, something hard pressed against his chest—inside his inner pocket.
That’s right.
The poison.
The one he’d stolen from Suzette.
”Oh, it’s coming… It’s coming out now…” Elna murmured behind him, sounding far too pleased.
She lifted her skirt.
From his position, he couldn’t see much—just lace at her knees.
Her robe was set aside. Her guard was down.
Now. This was the only chance.
Kill her. Kill, kill, kill!
Swallowing his rage, he shifted his arm.
He pulled the small bottle from his pocket.
With his thumb, he flicked the cap free, then hurled the bottle over his shoulder.
“──Eek!?”
Notes:
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
• Elna – Female. A young apprentice mage. Her appearance is that of a child with white hair reaching her shoulders. She wears a black hooded mantle with strange patterns. Her relationship is as an apprentice to Hermine, the Great Mage. Her power involves advanced magic, including spatial teleportation. Her combat style is magical, and she is described as childish and easily provoked.
• Ada – Female. Ada the Wild Wind. An A-rank adventurer. Her appearance is striking, with black hair mixed with fiery red, multiple earrings, and an axe spear as tall as she is. She is incredibly strong and fast, with a Unique Skill called the ‘Blessing of the Wind’ that enhances her speed and agility. Ada is ruthless in combat but shows a surprising willingness to negotiate. She is highly respected in adventurer circles and feared by criminals. Her relationship with Klock is adversarial, as he stole from her and escaped using trickery.
• Lona – Female. A young apprentice mage. Her appearance is that of a child with black hair reaching her shoulders. She wears a black hooded mantle with strange patterns. Her relationship is as an apprentice to Hermine, the Great Mage. Her power involves advanced magic, including spatial teleportation. Her combat style is magical, and she is described as childish and easily provoked.
• Adelina – The slave girl.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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