WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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◈ The Magic-Eating Wizard ◈

Chapter 13: The Luck of the First Hunt

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Once they were deep in the forest, Zaken and Bibiel each took half the group and began searching.

Haren and Rim followed Zaken, while Ruska and Nasrel followed Bibiel.

“Here. See how the ground is slightly dug up in front of this footprint? This is a sickle weasel’s track. They’re so widely farmed that they have no commercial value... Ah, watch out for that vine. It’ll catch your feet.”

Zaken had barely finished his warning when Haren quickly dodged a vine curling around his ankle.

Beside him, Rim gave a startled “Eek!” and jumped.

Berman’s primeval forest truly preserved all the mysteries of an ancient world.

Animals were not the only things with magical powers. There were vines that moved on their own to wrap around things, flowers that shot poisonous thorns, and even trees that swayed about and struck whatever was nearby.

If Haren and Rim had been ordinary boys rather than wizards, they would have suffered serious injuries several times already.

“You, stay closer.”

“Ah, yes!”

“Walking alone in the forest is suicide. Some poachers are so full of confidence that they insist on working alone, but I’ve never seen one of them last a year in one piece. Always stay where your companions can protect you.”

While sharply warning Rim, who had fallen a little behind, Zaken suddenly turned his head.

He pointed to a plain-looking blue-gray flower.

“We’re lucky. A moonflower. It absorbs sunlight during the day and glows at night. Apparently, it’s used as an auxiliary ingredient in elixirs. Gather it.”

Even gathering magical plants like this was different from gathering ordinary ones.

Following Zaken’s instructions, Haren used Illumination to create a light and distract the flower. Meanwhile, Rim carefully lifted it out with the surrounding soil, taking care not to damage its roots.

“Is that right?”

“Yes.”

Zaken answered Haren’s question in his usual blunt tone.

For someone who remained so cold throughout, the veteran poacher was remarkably thorough in teaching them.

Haren was pleased, but also privately confused.

‘He’s teaching us much more than I expected.’

Since Zaken would soon retire, he had no reason to guard his knowledge. Still, did he really need to teach them as kindly as if they were his own children?

He never simply told them what to do. He explained in detail why they needed to do it, right down to the principles behind it.

Haren remained cautious, but he also began to feel a little hopeful.

It was because he had seen Zaken set up the barrier just before they left.

‘A separate system of magic that uses incantations...’

Zaken knew about the very field Haren desperately wanted to understand.

Perhaps Haren could learn it from him.

Of course, it would be difficult to ask for magic lessons while already learning from him as an apprentice poacher.

First, Haren would have to spend time with him and learn what sort of person he was. Then he could prepare a separate payment for the lessons and make his proposal.

Zaken continued leading the two of them around the forest.

They spotted animals such as rabbits and deer several times along the way, but Zaken would not let them hunt any.

“Those animals are food for magical creatures. If we reduce their food supply, we lose out in the end too.”

“So that’s why you brought meat with you.”

“If an expedition runs long and we run short of food, we have no choice. Otherwise, leaving the forest’s animals alone is an unwritten rule.”

After setting their last trap, they gathered by the wagon again just as dusk was falling.

“Looks like you all had a rough time!”

“Yes...”

Haren answered Bibiel’s still-cheerful call in a weary voice.

He did not want to seem drained when he was only a newcomer, but after wandering through the forest, examining everything and setting traps, he was on the verge of exhaustion.

Rim and Ruska looked just as tired. Only Nasrel was still perfectly fine.

“I know you’re tired, but let’s get our shelter ready first! Then we can fill our stomachs!”

“Everyone, get moving.”

“Yes!”

Despite their exhaustion, the young wizards followed the two veterans’ instructions, driving poles into the ground and putting up tents.

Before long, they had a fairly decent campsite.

“Are you sure you don’t need help?”

“Yes. I’ve done plenty of cooking. Unless you dislike food from the Empire, it should be fine.”

“Neither Zaken nor I are picky, so that won’t be a problem. We’ll leave it to you, then.”

Haren turned down the two veterans’ worried offers to help and took charge of cooking.

Rim, who was a fairly good cook thanks to his experience as a hired hand, served as his assistant. The other two took on simple jobs such as cutting meat and peeling carrots and potatoes.

While Haren was lighting the campfire with Flame Spray, he heard Zaken and Bibiel talking behind him.

“How was your side?”

“I found signs of an illusion deer. But they were pretty old, so it might have left by now.”

“I didn’t see anything valuable either. We’ll have to go deeper tomorrow, then.”

Before long, their discussion of the search shifted to the apprentices.

“The kids kept up much better than I expected, though. Nasrel in particular was a natural. She’s got a good eye.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I asked her, and she said she spent a lot of her childhood living in forests and mountains with her mother. How were yours?”

“The green-haired one is quick on his feet, and the blond one is quick in the head. Not bad.”

“Call them Rim and Haren. I keep telling you it’s a bad habit to refer to people by their appearance... Anyway, I’m glad they all have some talent. It’s sad when someone tries so hard and still can’t manage it.”

“If they have no talent, they’re better off quitting early.”

Zaken’s tone was cold.

A little later, they sat around the campfire and shared the well-simmered stew.

Pork, tomatoes, carrots, onions, potatoes, and various seasonings came together in a wonderfully savory flavor.

“This is delicious! It feels like old Grung is back!”

“Not bad.”

The stew the young wizards had made together earned considerable praise.

The poor conditions meant it was not quite at the level of a professional chef’s cooking, but it was excellent for a meal outdoors.

Haren took a sip of the broth, then asked a question.

“You mean the person who retired?”

“That’s right. He handled scouting and cooking. By now, he’s probably living like an emperor somewhere in the western colonies. Ah, I’m jealous!”

“Does poaching really pay that well?”

Bibiel nodded at Rim’s curious question.

“Of course! Well, if you want to keep growing as a wizard, it’ll all go toward elixirs... But neither Zaken nor I feel like aiming any higher now.”

Haren recalled what he had learned about the two on the way here.

Zaken was a third-tier Marksman skilled in water and earth magic. Bibiel was a third-tier Vanguard and an earth wizard, but martial arts were her specialty.

Both were exceptionally skilled for wild wizards, so it was understandable that they were beginning to lose their drive to improve.

Absorbing essence and advancing in rank always carried the risk of contamination running out of control. Reaching a higher level did nothing to change that.

Haren also found the idea of growing stronger deeply appealing. Without Cardin’s pressure and his dual soul talent, however, he would never have pursued it as actively as he did now.

After a long, lively conversation over dinner, they did a little shooting practice before bed.

For the first time, Haren discovered just how hard it was to hit anything with a pistol.

* * *

The next morning, the poachers woke up looking rumpled and washed their faces at a nearby stream.

The forest stream was so cold at dawn that it felt as if their faces would freeze.

“All right, let’s give it our best again today!”

Their second day of searching began with Bibiel’s cheerful call, though the groups were slightly different from the day before.

This time, Haren followed Bibiel, while Ruska went with Rim and Zaken instead.

Before long, Haren understood why Bibiel had praised Nasrel.

Not only did she cross the rough terrain as naturally as a wild animal, but she also had an uncanny ability to spot signs that Haren completely missed.

“How can you even see that?”

“I just can.”

Nasrel answered as though she could not understand why he failed to see it. Haren could only sigh at the difference in their talents.

By the time their search stretched into the afternoon, Nasrel proved her talent once again.

“This is the same as what we saw yesterday.”

The tree she pointed to had a set of grooves carved into it in a strange pattern.

They looked rather like the patterns on comb-pattern pottery.

Bibiel’s eyes widened as she ran her hand over them.

“An illusion deer scraped this with its antlers. They’re about equal to third-tier wizards. Catching just one would make this whole expedition a success.”

“But we saw this yesterday too.”

“The marks yesterday were at least a few weeks old. Here, you can still clearly see the resin. It proves one was here at least a few hours ago. Let’s meet up with the others and follow it!”

Bibiel pulled out an oddly shaped whistle and blew hard, producing a sound like a bird’s call.

She blew it three times in succession and waited a little. Soon, Zaken appeared with Ruska and Rim.

“Found something?”

“Yes. The one I mentioned yesterday. Nasrel found it.”

“I see. Let’s go.”

Now reunited, the six poachers immediately began following the deer’s trail.

As expected of professionals, Zaken and Bibiel led the group along deer tracks so faint that they were difficult to make out.

They followed the trail for about two hours.

Then Zaken, who was moving ahead of them, narrowed his eyes and raised a hand to stop everyone.

After using some kind of detection magic, he shared what he had learned.

“They’re up ahead. About 250 meters away. Five of them. Three males with antlers.”

“That’s quite a few. Won’t it be dangerous? We have the kids with us.”

“If we attack quickly, most will get startled and run. Does anyone here know Concealment?”

“I do.”

“Good. Circle around to the three o’clock position with Bibiel and block their escape route. When the deer come toward you, reveal yourself and scare them off. If they keep charging, don’t push your luck. Get out of the way.”

Following Zaken’s instructions, Haren slipped along a narrow path with Bibiel.

She must have learned Concealment too, since even though he could see her walking ahead, he could barely sense her presence.

Then Bibiel turned and handed her rifle to Haren.

“Keep this, just in case.”

“Yes.”

A little later, Haren and Bibiel reached a position behind the illusion deer.

There, Haren saw their targets for the first time.

‘So those are illusion deer...’

Their general shape was much like that of ordinary deer, but their fur was a mysterious blue-green, and their branching antlers glowed faintly.

Those antlers were the medium for their magic. Looking at them would briefly cloud a person’s mind.

“Get ready. Here we go.”

Bibiel blew the whistle she had used earlier, and a gunshot rang out in the distance.

It was probably Zaken firing from afar.

One illusion deer staggered, blood flowing from its head. Bibiel grimaced.

“Damn. It didn’t die!”

Unlike wizards, magical creatures did not have mana fields. However, the addition of mana to their natural hides and skeletons made them remarkably tough.

A third-tier wizard’s mana field generally could not stop a rifle bullet, but a magical creature of the same level could sometimes survive one, depending on the distance and the angle of the shot.

At the gunshot, the deer raced in the opposite direction, straight toward Haren and Bibiel.

“Stop!”

Bibiel shouted and charged at them. Two deer scattered to either side in alarm, but one kept coming with its antlers lowered.

She immediately caught the antlers thrusting toward her in both hands and brought the deer to a halt.

What followed was a wrestling match between a person and a deer.

Using her great strength and skill, she tossed the larger animal around as though it were helpless.

Soon, she pinned its neck beneath her knee and shouted to Haren behind her.

“Shoot it in the head!”

Haren quickly lined the deer up in the rifle’s sights as he had learned the day before, then held his breath.

The moment he pulled the trigger, the deer’s antlers shone brightly.

“Urgh?!”

Confusion magic twisted Haren’s perception of the world.

The ground was above him, the sky was below, and trees were sprouting over his head...

No, was the gun holding me?

As his thoughts tangled into a confused mess, Haren realized that the second spiritual body in his inner world had not been affected by the spell.

The spiritual body inside roused the outer one, which had been distorted by Confusion, and his awareness quickly returned to normal.

Once he came to his senses, he saw that his bullet had passed straight through the deer’s head.

Considering his poor performance in the previous day’s shooting practice, it truly was beginner’s luck.

“Good, we got it! Next, get that one that was shot in the head! Ah, damn! You’ve been hit by Confusion!”

Haren turned at Bibiel’s shout and saw the deer Zaken had first shot trying to escape.

Its skull had not been pierced, but it staggered about as though suffering from a severe concussion.

Then mud suddenly formed beneath its feet and swallowed all four legs.

Swamp Creation, a complex-attribute spell combining water and earth.

Zaken was running toward them from a distance with his hand outstretched, so it must have been his work.

The deer cried out and cast Confusion again, but Zaken skillfully blocked it by covering his eyes with a hand.

“Aaagh!”

At that moment, Ruska screamed as the spell struck him while he was throwing a Fireball at the illusion deer.

With a Boom!, the boy set off the Fireball at his own feet and was knocked sprawling.

“Are you all right, Ruska?”

“No, yes, uh...”

Whether because of Confusion or the impact of his Fireball, Ruska could not form a proper answer.

Meanwhile, Zaken’s second shot pierced the neck of the deer trapped in the swamp.

* * *

After a successful hunt, it was time to collect the useful materials.

First, they tied ropes around the dead deer’s hind legs and hoisted them into trees to drain their blood. Then they lowered them and butchered them with large knives.

The most important parts were the antlers, the main ingredient for Confusion (混同), an intermediate darkness spell.

The brains improved control over mental magic, while the eyes granted the opposite ability: detecting illusions.

The hides were used to make cloaks for concealment, and powdered bone interfered with tracking magic.

Finally, the blood was an ingredient in virility tonics.

“There really is nothing to throw away...”

“Even the meat tastes pretty good, so we can have it for dinner later. It doesn’t have any special effects, though, so it won’t sell for much.”

Bibiel smiled as she answered Rim’s mutter.

Then she gave several hearty pats to the shoulder of Ruska, who stood beside her with his head lowered.

“Hey, why so gloomy? That can happen on your first try. Cheer up!”

“That hurts. Stop hitting me...”

“Everyone makes mistakes. Instead of getting discouraged, what matters is not making the same mistake next time.”

Ruska turned away as though he had not heard her, but her comfort seemed to soothe his wounded pride a little.

Once they had gathered all the useful materials from the two illusion deer, the group collected the traps they had set the day before on their way back.

It was gradually growing dark, so Haren and Zaken used Illumination to light their way.

Nasrel folded up a large metal trap and muttered.

“I feel like we’ve lost out somehow.”

They had exhausted themselves walking around all day yesterday to set the traps, only to collect them without catching a single thing. It was natural to feel as though their work had been wasted.

Zaken heard her from a short distance away and clicked his tongue.

“Don’t be foolish. If we leave now, we won’t be able to collect anything that gets caught in the traps in time. But if we wait until something gets caught, we won’t be able to sell our haul while it’s fresh. This is the most efficient choice.”

As he said, the expedition, which would normally have lasted four days to a week, had been shortened. They would return first thing tomorrow morning.

The fresher the illusion deer materials were when they sold them, the higher the price would be.

Materials from some magical creatures did not stay fresh even when frozen, and illusion deer were among them.

Besides, Zaken and Bibiel did not have a magical tool resembling a portable refrigerator anyway.

“Well, two illusion deer should earn us enough that we won’t have to work all month. Zaken, don’t you think it’s true that good deeds bring good fortune?”

Bibiel had been smiling constantly, clearly pleased with their successful hunt.

Later, back at camp, they were preparing dinner when Nasrel spoke to Bibiel.

“I want to ask you something.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“How did you do that earlier?”

“Do what?”

“Catch the deer.”

What interested Nasrel was the martial art Bibiel had used to subdue the deer.

She was impressed by a system of martial arts that was not only effective against animals, but efficient too.

Nasrel had also learned Serpent’s Baptism from Cardin. However, that martial art required precise control of her mana field, so it had never suited her.

Bibiel’s martial art, by contrast, was based entirely on physical techniques.

“Nasrel, that’s...”

Haren was about to stop her, since asking so casually about someone else’s techniques was rude, but Bibiel answered with a smile.

“This is Harkan Monastery’s martial art. That’s where I’m from, though it’s been a long time since I broke my vows.”

“Harkan Monastery?”

“Yes. It’s in Luka. Have you heard of it?”

“Just the name.”

Harkan Monastery was both a school of magic and a religious group in the former Kingdom of Luka. Its unusual faith centered on reaching higher levels through martial training.

In other words, it felt rather like a sect from a martial arts novel, particularly Shaolin Temple.

The monastery’s leader, Grand Master Delphina, was one of the few 8th-rank mages in the world.

That fact alone made Harkan Monastery one of the most powerful forces in this world.

“Why did you break your vows?”

“Well, there were various reasons, but for one thing, monastics aren’t allowed to marry. I went crazy over a man and ran away. But even when I ask him to marry me, he won’t say yes... One way or another, I’m the one left feeling sorry for myself.”

The questions grew personal, but Bibiel answered without taking offense.

After spending all day with Nasrel, she had realized that this attitude came from innocence rather than rudeness.

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Zaken, who was sitting silently across from them.

Surely she would not be working as a poacher with him if she were in love with some other man.

“I’m not a man who deserves to have a family.”

Zaken gave a small sigh, then closed his eyes as though he had nothing more to say.

Bibiel pouted.

“He’s always like that.”

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