Magic Is Not About Circles but Real Combat (2)
When fighting a dark mage, many challenges arise.
The biggest issue is that it’s not a battle fought on open plains. Instead, you have to track them through the mountains and fight in treacherous terrain where they hide.
Even if you win, the losses are tremendous. In a barony with limited resources, like this one, alternative strategies had to be devised.
“I don’t doubt your abilities, Lord mage, but… their circle is too advanced… Could we perhaps find a way to seal their magic?”
Originally, Andrew planned to have Ghislain suppress the dark mage’s magic as much as possible. Being a fellow 5th-circle mage, he thought it feasible.
However, no matter how skilled Ghislain was, it would be ineffective if the dark mage was at the 6th circle. After all, magic circles were widely considered absolute.
To Andrew’s concern, Ghislain shook his head.
“There’s no need to worry. I have a friend in my territory named Alpoi, who once defeated a mage of a higher circle.”
“What? Is that even possible?”
“Of course, it’s entirely possible.”
Alpoi had once defeated a higher-circle mage in a confrontation with the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower.
Though it wasn’t exactly a fair fight, a win was still a win.
Recalling that event, Ghislain smiled warmly.
“He said something amusing back then.”
“What did he say?”
With a confident look, Ghislain raised a fist and declared:
“Magic is about real combat, not circles, you fool.”
Andrew seemed deeply moved. Then, hesitating slightly, he tilted his head and asked:
“Wait… You weren’t referring to me, were you?”
“…That’s what he said to his opponent during their fight.”
“Oh, my apologies! I misunderstood. Hahaha, I thought you were talking to me…”
“Haha…”
The two laughed awkwardly. Still, with Ghislain so confident, Andrew couldn’t argue further.
It would be an insult to a proud mage.
After a brief, uneasy silence, Ghislain cleared his throat and changed the subject.
“Let’s proceed with the subjugation. The Yulian Mercenary Corps will take the lead. If it gets too dangerous, you can retreat.”
“No, I cannot! I will fight alongside you and see this through! We place our trust in the Yulian Mercenary Corps!”
Andrew shouted boldly, his enthusiasm and straightforward nature shining through.
The more Ghislain saw of him, the more he reminded him of Maurice, the former commander-in-chief of Lutania’s royal army.
Ghislain had a strange thought.
‘Could it be? No, that’s impossible.’
Andrew was part of the Nordhill Barony, not the Macquarie Marquessate. While titles and names might change over a millennium, it was too far-fetched an idea.
With newfound confidence, Andrew addressed his people loudly:
“From now on, the symbol of our territory will be the duck! Once this subjugation is over, the emblem will be changed. Treat ducks with the utmost respect!”
“Yes, my lord!”
It was believed that ducks could identify dark mages. The people wholeheartedly believed it.
Thus, ducks began to be treated as sacred animals.
Quack, quack, quaaack.
Even the ducks seemed unusually energetic, waddling around and quacking everywhere.
“…”
Ghislain decided to remain silent.
Thus, the superstition about ducks began spreading across Nordhill Barony.
***
Before the subjugation began, Ghislain presented an additional condition to Andrew.
“If we succeed, all possessions of the dark mage will go to the Yulian Mercenary Corps.”
“Of course.”
Magic books and artifacts are incredibly valuable, especially a 6th-circle magic book.
But Andrew wasn’t in a position to negotiate. At this critical moment, with his territory’s survival on the line, any greed would be sheer foolishness—not that it suited his personality, anyway.
“We’ll also take whatever the disciple owns.”
“By all means. You captured him, after all. We won’t contest it.”
Ghislain retrieved a magic book from Ziko’s quarters. It was a dark magic tome containing a comprehensive collection of 4th-circle spells.
Satisfied with the terms and payment, Ghislain smiled.
“I like how straightforward you are. Let’s set out immediately.”
“Understood. I’ll order all troops to march.”
After capturing Ziko, Andrew treated Ghislain’s party with the utmost care.
Though the Yulian Mercenary Corps was central to the operation, Andrew’s lack of arrogance as a noble played a significant role as well.
Following Ziko’s death, several soldiers complained of headaches. They soon realized these individuals had been under Ziko’s mind control.
With the caster dead, the spell naturally broke. Still, it left them unsettled, and they were excluded from the operation.
The barony, having suffered two failed subjugation attempts, had a significantly reduced force compared to its size.
Yet, scraping together every available resource, Andrew managed to muster 600 soldiers.
They marched proudly, led by 15 knights. Despite their past failures, morale was surprisingly high.
“The mage said we’ll be fine.”
“He’s the vice-captain. They say the captain’s even stronger. Took out the best knight in Margell Barony in one strike.”
“And we’ve got a priestess, so the dark mage won’t stand a chance.”
This confidence stemmed entirely from Ghislain’s reputation. His actions had elevated the group’s standing without them lifting a finger.
Unfortunately, few mentioned Kyle, which annoyed him.
“Ugh, I’m stronger than Yulian.”
On his shoulder, Dark sneered.
“There’s someone like you back in our territory.”
“Who is it? Is he strong?”
“Strong, but somehow also weak. Hard to explain.”
“Strong is strong! What kind of nonsense is that?”
“Well, you’re a bit better than him.”
Kyle was, in fact, as strong as Yulian. His determination and practical skills were undeniable.
Comparing him to that aimless layabout from the Fenris territory was almost insulting.
But if comparisons were necessary, that person came closest, hence Dark’s remark.
While Kyle grumbled, Yulian and Deneb focused, both tense yet slightly hopeful.
‘A 6th-circle dark mage… We need to win without casualties…’
‘My holy power won’t be enough to deal direct damage.’
A 6th-circle mage could shift the tide of war single handedly.
Fighting such an opponent was no small task.
The three had intended to grow stronger gradually. Even Astion had been cautious, planning his progress meticulously.
Since meeting Ghislain, however, their enemies had escalated alarmingly in difficulty.
Yulian suddenly had a realization.
‘Wait! When he said he wouldn’t let me die later… did he mean he’d make me die sooner?’
It was a plausible theory. Life certainly felt much harder now.
As Yulian agonized over this, Deneb tried to ease the tension by chatting with Ghislain.
“Ghislain… Are you seriously going to learn dark magic?”
“Yeah. It wouldn’t hurt, right?”
He left out the part where Astion would study it instead. As a mage, Astion could benefit from learning diverse magic—and sharing it with Ghislain.
Deneb, however, looked more concerned. Dark magic carried a heavy stigma and could easily mark one as a criminal.
Despite Deneb’s worries, Ghislain shrugged it off.
“As long as I don’t use it for evil, it’s fine.”
In truth, dark magic wasn’t about demon pacts or evil deeds. It was simply a branch of magic utilizing negative mana.
Its poor reputation stemmed from those who misused it for atrocities.
“Isn’t it believed that dark magic originated from priests of goddess Serana, who governs death?”
“Well… That’s true.”
The priests of Serana once used their powers for entirely different purposes.
They enabled the living to have final conversations with the departed, uncovered truths from those who died unjustly, and passed judgment on those guilty of unforgivable crimes.
Over time, however, the essence of their practices was lost, leaving only fragments that were misused, leading to the negative perceptions associated with dark magic. In truth, most high-ranking officials were aware of this history.
In fact, they often encouraged the spread of these negative perceptions.
Dark magic was politically convenient—it could be used to frame and suppress rivals.
Deneb wasn’t entirely ignorant of these underlying truths. But with the world already harboring strong prejudices, she couldn’t help but worry.
Ghislain, however, remained indifferent.
“It’s just a tool to use when necessary. Knowledge is better the more you accumulate, isn’t it?”
He didn’t add that anyone who tried to attack him under the pretext of dark magic would simply be crushed. After all, as he often said, he was a nonviolent pacifist.
While chatting, they reached about halfway up the mountain when Ghislain spoke to Dark.
“Search for him. You know the general location, right?”
“Got it.”
Flap!
Five sparrows scattered in all directions. Using the information obtained from Ziko, they went to locate the dark mage.
A short while later, Dark No. 1 spoke to Ghislain through their mental link.
— Found him. He’s already noticed us and is waiting. Looks like he’s expecting us.
‘Is he alone?’
— Yeah. His clothes are filthy, torn up like rags. He probably smells terrible. Remember when our territory’s mages were scolded for being dirty during construction? Turns out they were clean in comparison. Belinda really took good care of them.
‘…I see.’
The idea of mages living elegantly in nature was a complete misconception. In reality, living in the wild made even basic hygiene difficult.
That’s why mages often sought positions in towers or noble households—for comfort.
Regardless, they had located the dark mage, so Ghislain relayed the news to Andrew, who asked nervously:
“What should we do? Should we charge in right away before he can react?”
“…No. Surround the area slowly, just as I instructed.”
Ghislain had already devised a strategy after learning about the dark mage’s abilities from Ziko. He made sure everyone understood the plan.
Before they knew it, Ghislain had become the commander. Everyone followed his orders.
With the Yulian Mercenary Corps leading the way, they advanced further until a loud explosion echoed in the distance, accompanied by a flash of light.
Everyone halted, staring anxiously in that direction.
An event like that couldn’t have occurred naturally in the mountains. It had to be the work of the dark mage.
Ghislain smirked at the sight of the light.
“Well, would you look at that? He’s openly telling us where he is?”
They already knew his location and were moving in carefully.
But the dark mage was unaware of that.
Instead, he sent out a signal, practically inviting them to find him.
Ghislain extended his hand and spoke.
“Don’t hesitate. Stick to the plan. There’s no need to be afraid.”
His tone had shifted—calm yet commanding. It was so natural that no one questioned it.
Even Andrew, the baron, followed Ghislain’s instructions without hesitation.
The soldiers resumed their slow advance. Leading them alongside Yulian, Ghislain chuckled softly.
‘He’s quite confident, isn’t he? Does he really think he’s going to win again this time?’
The dark mage clearly took great pride in his abilities.
And it was understandable. A 6th-circle mage was rare even at the kingdom level.
Hubert, the master of the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower, might have been eccentric, but he still led the North’s most powerful magic institution.
This dark mage was likely just as formidable, which explained his arrogance.
Ghislain rolled his neck to loosen up.
“Taking down arrogant types like him is my specialty.”
Today, that fool had picked the wrong opponent.
Superrbbb
Superrbbb
This horse is insane lol
Why are comments not chapter specific smh
Best novel EVER
Great novel! Already caught up completely. Just wish it would get more updates compared to the other novels on here.