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Translator: Ryuu

Editor: Nine

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◈ The Inept Mage’s Infinite Regression

Chapter 22

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“That’s enough.”

Ethan caught his breath and went over to Maya’s corpse, pulling out the dagger lodged in her forehead.

“There’s no need for regret,” Boen said.

“Does it look like I regret it?”

“I know you don’t take pleasure in having to kill a classmate. However, if we hadn’t done this, we’d be dead right now with that mimic feasting on us. Maya would have carried on living a life of deceit, and who knows how many future victims there might have been. In that sense, this was the better option.”

However, Ethan’s perspective differed from Boen’s. 

Right up until the fight began, Ethan knew that there was a way to avoid confronting Maya. He knew that he could have guided her so that she wouldn’t have made such a disastrous choice, just as he had tried to prevent Koshe’s accident. Had it gone that way, there would have been no need to kill Maya.

“This was purely my choice,” he said. Up until now, he had killed in the heat of the moment, relying more on his survival instincts than conscious thought. This time felt a bit different. “I did it… just to see the next part of the story.”

Because he still had unfinished business with Boen, Maya’s death became inevitable. The gnawing sense of unease he felt within him stemmed from this. It wasn’t mere sentimentality born from taking someone’s life. Rather, Ethan had come to a realization about his fate: he would be forced to make countless decisions like this, and as a result, he would lose something of himself each time.

“Ethan?” Boen called.

Sheathing the dagger, Ethan tucked it into his coat. “It’s nothing,” he answered. “I probably just got dizzy from all the movement.”

“I’m sorry, but we need to search Maya’s belongings for proof that she was a dark mage. She must have something on her. If not, we’ll have to hurry back and search her room.”

“Then what?”

“If we were ordinary students, we could just report that we discovered a dark mage in our midst and fought to survive.” Boen paused. “Actually, that’s not a bad idea. Standing up to evil magic would boost our reputations as mages. But neither of us cares about a fair assessment, do we?”

Ethan nodded. “As long as we get some recognition from the Empire, right?”

Rummaging through Maya’s possessions, they found a teal-colored coin. It appeared to be made of bronze, and both sides were so worn that it was impossible to make out any clear markings. Even for a Magic Academy student, it looked far too old and battered to be typical pocket change. Still, that wasn’t why Ethan picked it up.

[Quest completed!]

[Quest: Find Evidence that Maya Onik is a Dark Mage (C) has been completed!]

[Reward: 60 Experience Points]

[Reward: C-rank Lottery Coupon]

He didn’t know why this coin was considered evidence, but apparently it was. “This feature sure is convenient,” he muttered.

Ethan held out the teal coin, suggesting it must have been the proof. Boen, though puzzled, accepted that it could be evidence. Then, he handed it back to Ethan.

“Even if it turns out not to be, a detailed report should gain us enough credibility,” Boen said. “The Imperial Inquisition… or the Mage Court, rather, have experts who know all about dark magic. Please be sure this coin ends up in their hands.”

Ethan recalled the lie he had told about the Mage Court covering Boen’s contract fee. More precisely, it wasn’t that he had forgotten, but that he had tucked the memory away. Boen’s comment brought it back.

<Someone once told me, “You will be ruined.”>

<That doesn’t exactly make me laugh.>

<Poor timing, I’m sorry.>

<…Even your reference is off.>

<I’m sorry.>

Still, the matter had to be resolved eventually. Ethan had no direct ties to the Mage Court, whereas Boen planned to settle his debt, related to his Contract of Pasitaros with Bain, through his achievements. If they didn’t find a solution soon, it could spiral into an unforeseen problem.

“It’ll have to be a temporary fix, I guess,” Ethan muttered.

“What did you say?”

“Nothing. Never mind.”

∞

News spread through the magic academy that two students, Maya Onik and Koshe Ludyrock, had gone missing. If this had happened mid-semester, it might have caused a huge uproar, but since the school was now on vacation, few students remained on campus. Their names weren’t often mentioned. 

The headmaster hired a search party and a few professors volunteered to look for the missing students, but not even their corpses could be found. In the long history of the Yurmus Magic Academy, it wasn’t considered a major incident. Given the academy’s proximity to the Great Library, it wasn’t unusual for at least one or two disappearances or deaths to occur over the semester, and, given the nature of the institution, sometimes the magic academy faced even more severe problems.

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Translator: Ryuu

Editor: Nine

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Meanwhile, grim rumors swirled around the Onik family. Sixteen of their relatives and servants were murdered at the family estate, apparently by some crazed killer. Baron Onik himself was missing. A few tried to connect Koshe’s disappearance to that tragedy, but those who coveted the Onik estate moved so quickly that the story soon faded from public interest. As for Baron Ludyrock, he visited the school two more times.

During the vacation, Ethan was able to learn Hunting Swordsmanship from Rivielton. Although pleased that Ethan had stabilized his Ruure’s Breathing and could use it somewhat freely, Rivielton nonetheless pointed out how inefficient it remained for Ethan and the fact that it was a problem that only time and patient practice could solve. Still, Rivielton deemed Ethan ready for sword techniques beyond the basics.

Ruure Hunting Swordsmanship—commonly just called the “Hunting Sword”—was a style used to kill giant beasts and monsters in Ruure, the far-flung northwestern region of Damarth Yumaha. Ruure was such a harsh environment that people often joked that in order to survive winter, one would have to get used to eating human flesh. Usually, that joke was met with this reply: the beasts of Ruure knew that trick, too. 

The Hunting Sword could only be taught to those who had survived its trials and remained steadfast. It also demanded higher physical capabilities than typical sword forms.

Rivielton spent more time sitting and talking to Ethan than drilling posture. Mostly, he told tales of the giant beasts and monsters that roamed Ruure: boars so massive and fierce they sharpened their tusks on rocky cliffs rather than tree trunks, bears that woke from hibernation every spring like walking hills, and giant rats that supposedly dug tunnels all the way to Yumaha. Ethan wondered whether these stories served any purpose, but he still found them fascinating. Rivielton explained that Ruure hunters had a custom of gathering around the fire at night to share tales of strange experiences they once had.

“Right now, these stories may seem useless to you, but one day, when you look back, you might find that stories are the only things that matter,” Rivielton said.

Still, Ethan did receive some solid training. While some of the thrusts and slashes he learned were too large or unwieldy to use while fighting a human opponent, Rivielton pointed out that this didn’t render the core techniques useless. The arc of the blade, its power, and the footwork involved all had value that could have been applied to a battle with any foe.

They also spent more time sparring. After exchanging blows with Ethan several times using wooden swords, Rivielton set aside his practice blade and picked up a real one. Ethan, having never seen Rivielton do so, shot him a startled look.

“Don’t get your hopes up,” Rivielton said. “You should still show humility at your current skill level.”

“I don’t exactly feel the kind of excitement you’re implying...”

Rivielton started to settle into a stance, then paused to tell Ethan a story. 

“I suppose I should mention something. When I was stationed at the northern wall, I heard some knights talking about which they would rather take as a squire: a ‘beginner swordsman,’ or a ‘drifting rogue.’”

“‘Beginner swordsman’? ‘Drifting rogue?” Ethan echoed. “Why differentiate?”

“I asked the same. Essentially, they said a beginner swordsman was a noble from a decent house who had learned formal swordsmanship. A drifting rogue was a thug who had lived by the blade in the back alleys. Purely in terms of technique, the beginner swordsman was better.”

“So, it’s obvious. You’d choose the beginner swordsman as a squire.”

“That was the initial conclusion, but then some argued that if the two actually fought, the drifting rogue would win.”

“That’s the opposite of what you just said.”

Rivielton gave a small shake of his head. “In an actual duel, the beginner swordsman would come out on top. However, right before delivering the final stab, he’d hesitate—giving the drifting rogue the opening to strike back. Because the drifter was someone who had already killed a man.”

“Ah, I see.”

“So, I understood then. It was something I had all but forgotten now, but many first-timers balk right before they cut someone down. And on the battlefield, those who hesitate tend to be swept away and vanish. It’s not a matter of skill alone,” Rivielton said. “Then again, some pointed out that a drifting rogue lacks courtesy and harbors no respect for social hierarchy, so he wouldn’t be ideal as a squire.”

Both men chuckled. Then, Rivielton grew serious once more. 

“That’s the point I wanted to make,” he continued. “I’ve noticed your blade never wavers. Usually, eliminating that hesitation would either require repeated experience killing people… or natural-born talent.”

Ethan’s laughter turned bitter. “It must be talent, then.”

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