Chapter 54

As I approached on horseback, the battle was already underway.

A fierce battle was being waged.

At first, it seemed that the caravan, being outnumbered, was at a disadvantage, but surprisingly, they were putting up a good fight.

The caravan's guards included a mage and what appeared to be a magic swordsman.

"I thought for a moment that maybe they didn't need my help."

But while I was thinking this, one of the front-line warriors was struck by a thief's axe and fell.

—It seems they do need help after all.

I began to chant my usual spell, *Shock*. The advantage of this spell is that it's easy to control.

Spells like *Fireball* can easily take a life if mishandled, but I didn't want to cause unnecessary deaths.

Even though the thieves were my enemies, I didn't want to take their lives. I used the *Shock* spell to blow away a thief who was raising his axe again. The thief was sent flying over ten meters.

Next, I cast the *Barrier* spell on a guard who was about to be impaled by a spear.

The thief's spear bent. Both the thieves and the caravan members were surprised by this scene. The thieves asked, "Who are you?" and the caravan guards made similar inquiries.

"......"

I was silent for a moment, unsure of how to answer. However, I couldn't remain anonymous. The caravan members would be confused if they didn't know whether I was a friend or an enemy. After some thought, I carefully chose my words.

"I'm just a passing mage. I'm helping out of a sense of justice. Of course, I'm helping the merchants."

The caravan guards sighed in relief upon hearing this. The thieves, on the other hand, shouted in anger. The battle resumed as they resumed their attacks, and the sound of clashing swords filled the air again.

I continued to fight the thieves, being careful not to deal fatal blows. Midway through, I noticed someone approaching me.

A man who appeared to be the caravan's captain, having cut through the enemy, came to my side and, without taking his eyes off the thieves, asked me:

"I don't know who you are, but I'm grateful. I'll never forget this kindness."

"Let's hope your life doesn't end here."

I said this and cast an *Enchantment* spell on the captain.

"......What is this?"

"It's just an enchantment spell."

"Is this an enchantment spell?"

"Is this your first time seeing it?"

"No, I have mage companions. However, your enchantment spell doesn't seem like the same kind of enchantment spell. It feels as light as a feather."

And the captain continued:

"With this sword, I feel like I could cut through a rock."

Saying this, the captain targeted a heavily armored thief and attacked. As he had said, the thick armor was sliced like paper. I exclaimed in admiration at the sight. Indeed, the caravan's guards seemed to be quite skilled.

At first, I thought they might massacre the thieves with the power of the enchantment spell, but instead, they started to hold back.

They were careful not to deal fatal wounds and focused on neutralizing the thieves' combat ability.

This was something untrained people couldn't do. Seeing this, I thought:

There's no need for me to lend a hand anymore.

More than half of the thieves were already out of the fight. They would start to flee in a few minutes.

In a battle, it's rare for both sides to fight until they are all dead. The side that loses the will to fight will retreat. This is the basic principle of combat.

Sure enough, a man who appeared to be the leader of the thieves shouted:

"Fall back, everyone!"

He didn't use the word "flee," perhaps out of pride.

If they were going to flee, that was fine, but since I had gone out of my way to help, I didn't want to let the enemy leader escape. I began to chant the *Binding* spell. A yellow plant, infused with magic, entangled the man's legs.

"What, what is this?"

"It's a *Binding* spell."

I wanted to say this, but I decided to save it for another time. For now, I needed to focus on treating the injured. I started with the caravan guards.

Healing magic isn't my specialty, but I could at least provide first aid. I sealed the shoulder wound of a guard who had been struck by a thief's axe. The bone was shattered, but I wanted to at least stop the bleeding.

Next, I cast a spell on the thieves, of course, while they were tied up with ropes. The guards, whose companions had been injured, criticized me. I understood their feelings, but I didn't want the thieves to die.

These people didn't become thieves by choice. Most thieves were former farmers who had fallen on hard times. In a different era, they might have inherited their parents' land and worked as farmers or become craftsmen.

In any case, they wouldn't have become thieves. Thinking about this, I felt some sympathy. This is what Sefiro often calls "softness."

While I was treating the thieves, someone called out to me.

At first, I thought it was Sati. Her voice was similar, a light and delicate girl's voice.

But I quickly realized it wasn't Sati. Sati absolutely obeys my commands. If I told her to face east, she would do so for five or ten years. She would be lying in the grass, so she wouldn't call out to me.

I turned to the source of the voice.

There stood a beautiful girl in a white dress. It was an elegant dress, the kind a noble lady would wear, out of place in the bloody battlefield. Her skirt was dirty from the mud, as it wasn't made for outdoor use. This girl was clearly from a good family. Her attire and demeanor made that clear. Moreover, the nearby carriage didn't belong to the caravan. The caravan's carriages were more practical, while this one was clearly made for a noble.

I thought:

Perhaps I've helped someone unexpectedly.

Xenobia, the capital of this trading federation, has no nobility. However, there are people who fill that role: the great merchants. Xenobia is governed by a council of these great merchants. In modern terms, it could be called a republic.

In other words, this girl might be the daughter of one of these great merchants.

Judging from her appearance and manner of speaking, my guess was correct. Moreover, she said something that exceeded my expectations.

"I don't know who you are, but I am deeply grateful for your assistance."

She bowed respectfully and continued:

"My name is Yulia Octave. I am the daughter of Etruria Octave, who leads this Xenobia."

Seeing her delicate appearance, I thought:

Perhaps Sati is a goddess who brings me good fortune.

Without her words, I wouldn't have encountered such good fortune here.

I bowed respectfully to make the most of this good fortune.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Yulia. I am a mage from Ismus, named Like."

"From Ismus? Your magic is impressive. Are you a noble?"

Yulia asked. I nodded.

I claimed to be from Ismus because Rozaria and Xenobia are enemies, and I didn't use my real name, Ike, out of caution.

Recently, the Undead Legion's activities have been widely known across the continent. Using my real name would be too dangerous.

However, I realized that the name "Like" was ironic. It was a name I used when the 3rd Legion's commander, Bastio, insulted me. It was a spur-of-the-moment fake name, but now that I had used it, I would have to stick with it for a while.

At least until I met Octave, the leader of Xenobia, through her, I would use the name Like.

With this in mind, I followed her suggestion and headed for Xenobia.