Jared left Rosina’s safe house with a heavy heart, his time there limited.
Staying too long could risk revealing her presence.
He entrusted her to a trusted maid, greeted his grandparents, and then set off on his return journey.
Yet, his steps felt heavy.
His thoughts were occupied by Olivier and Yeny. He had confided in them about his past, the past he once shared. However, he hadn’t revealed every single detail.
And of course, he had kept Rosina a secret.
He knew Rosina would be disheartened when he told her that Luzer’s whereabouts remained unknown. Though she tried to hide her emotions, Jared could see through her pretense.
Perhaps she was trying to spare him worry, he mused. Her kindness, her concern for her son as well as for him, made him yearn to do more for her.
If he was to enlist Duke Alway’s help, he first had to explain the situation to Olivier and the others. The thought of admitting he had kept secrets from them, even if it was to protect Rosina from the viscount family, filled him with dread.
“—!”
As the mansion came into view and he contemplated how to speak to his fiancées, he felt a sudden surge of magic behind him.
The moment Jared turned, his vision was flooded with red and an approaching force.
Reacting instantly, he raised his magic and conjured an earthen wall for defense. However, his delayed response resulted in heat and pain shooting through his arms and face.
“Fire Attribute Magic… a Magician, I presume.”
“You’re correct, Jared Murphy! That was a good reaction. I’m not done yet!”
He glared at the attacker who had shattered the earthen wall.
From the voice and appearance, he could tell the assailant was a man.
Another attack was unleashed, countless fireballs erupting from the assailant, but their power was unremarkable, posing no threat to his barriers or the earthen wall.
As he swung his arm, releasing his amplified magic without conversion, all the fireballs were neutralized.
“That’s quite a rough greeting. Who are you?”
“Jared Murphy, I don’t hate you, but I intend to kill you.”
“A fitting name. I’ll have it carved on your tombstone.”
The assailant kicked off the ground and charged, but Jared tracked his every move with his eyes. The assailant was a man in his mid-twenties with red hair, wearing a revealing red combat uniform. This indicated he was proficient in physical combat as well as magic.
His exposed arms were well-trained, with visible muscles. His speed from the ground to his current position revealed his agility.
However, he was too slow.
Jared easily blocked a punch and, in return, threw one of his own. They exchanged blows in close-quarters combat, each probing the other’s strength.
His speed was slower than Pfeil’s, and his individual attacks lacked the sharpness and weight that characterized Rosa Roen’s. The previous magic, while powerful, was significantly weaker than Barnabas Kaif’s.
Jared’s fist connected with the man, followed by a kick to the abdomen. Without losing momentum, he continued his barrage, breaking through the man’s defenses and landing successive blows.
Jared wasn’t naturally skilled in CQC. He preferred straightforward, powerful magic amplified by his mana, or multifaceted magic that drew upon the power of spirits. While he had other means at his disposal, his most frequently used method was close-quarters combat with short blades, such as knives.
He could use punches and kicks to a certain extent. The first attack Luzer Fischer had taught him in the containment facility was a punch. Luzer favored attacks that required no time to cast magic and didn’t rely on whether he had a sword, so he had imparted this knowledge to Jared.
Thus, Jared, while not excelling at it, was confident in his ability. In actual combat, he often employed physical techniques. Despite not being his forte, attacks originating from his own body were the most reliable.
“…Impressive. Just as expected from a Court Mage.”
The man, bleeding from his nose and lips, seemed to realize he couldn’t win in CQC and ceased his assault, retreating.
Jared, who had raised his magic to be ready to cast at any moment, faced the man who spat blood-tinged saliva.
“So, let me ask again, who are you?”
“I’m Flames. Former Waalthe.”
“What?”
Jared froze. Moreover, the man who called himself Flames had stated he was a former Waalthe.
“What do you mean former? And why would Waalthe be targeting me?”
“I told you, I’m a former Waalthe. I’m no longer affiliated with that organization. Even if they called me a successor, as long as Pfeil and Rosa are around, I can’t truly be at the top. There’s no point in me being in such an organization.”
“I don’t care about your personal affairs. Are you trying to drag me into Waalthe’s internal conflicts?”
Flames burst into mocking laughter at Jared’s question.
“You’re truly amusing. You know you’ve been targeted, and you immediately think you’re being dragged into the organization’s problems?”
Jared remained wary as Flames continued to laugh, showing no signs of attacking or preparing to cast magic.
He couldn’t fathom the assailant’s motive for attacking and then just laughing.
“Of course not, you idiot! You’re our target. I’ll kill you, and then, incidentally, I’ll take everything you hold dear-GOH!?”
Without any hesitation, Jared closed the distance on Flames, who was speaking his mind so carelessly. He grabbed his face, slammed him to the ground, and brought his heel down on his chest with all his might.
A short scream echoed, but Jared ignored it and intensified the pressure.
“You seem to have been a successor of Waalthe, but you’re an idiot, aren’t you?”
“You… Get your foot off!”
Ignoring Flames’ pained groans, Jared gathered his magic.
“Whether you intended to kill me or harm what I cherish, did you really think I’d stay silent when spoken to like that?”
A stone spear erupted from the ground, piercing both of Flames’ legs.
Blood gushed out, and a scream reverberated.
“Don’t cry out over such a thing. You’re quite different from Pfeil for a fellow successor, aren’t you?”
“Damn it, don’t joke with me! Don’t compare me to that emotionless doll!”
“That’s not what I mean. I simply mean you’re significantly weaker than Pfeil.”
“YOUUUUU! You dare say I’m inferior to that brat! That’s the one thing I hate the most!”
Enraged, Flames unleashed his magic.
He shattered the stone spears pinning his legs and stood up, flames engulfing his body as he glared at Jared.
“Whether I’m truly weaker than Pfeil, you’ll find out firsthand!”
The rising flames surged towards Jared. His clothes burned, and a searing pain shot through his hands and cheeks.
If he hadn’t held his breath, his throat would have been scorched.
His attempts to burn not only externally but also internally were superior to those of an average Fire Attribute Mage.
However…
“As I said, you’re weaker than Pfeil.”
While being burned by the flames, a chunk of rock conjured by Jared struck Flames directly, shattering his ribs and causing him to vomit blood.
He swept away the flames with his mana, leaving Flames on the ground, unable to move despite not being fatally wounded, only able to glare.
“There are things I need you to tell me. If you cooperate, I won’t be rough.”
With that, Jared kicked Flames squarely in the face with all his might, knocking him unconscious.
