Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 116 (Part 1)

They returned to the campsite. Everyone was on high alert, waiting for Rodin.

“Mage Rodin, how did it go?”

“For now, we can be at ease. They moved far to the northwest.”

“Oh! You mean ‘we’?”

“Yes. I don’t know what village might be over there, but they could be in danger.”

Rodin’s tone was calm, almost devoid of emotion.

Hearing Rodin’s words, Daniel, the caravan leader, shuddered. It sounded as if “as long as we are safe, that’s all that matters,” sending a chill down his spine.

‘Right. He’s a wizard.’

Daniel recalled the common traits of wizards.

Irritable, selfish, and indifferent to others’ suffering—that was how wizards were. Even his friend Betner often showed such tendencies.

‘He can’t just be a good person. I need to stay cautious.’

Daniel resolved to be more wary of Rodin as he watched him.

Rodin remained hooded, covering his face deeply. Even without instructions, Jito maintained that form.

In the dimly lit area, with only the bonfire flickering, Rodin’s hooded figure was so obscured that even his eyes couldn’t be seen, casting an unsettling impression.

“Mage Rodin, you should rest in my carriage tonight. I will offer it to you.”

“Thank you, but I’m fine. I prefer my own carriage.”

“Oh, I see. If that’s the case.”

Rodin stared at the fire absentmindedly, lost in thought. It wasn’t a specific topic; he simply delved into whatever thoughts came to mind.

The shock-absorption magic circle he saw today, the way mana stones were replaced, the troll he encountered before sunset, the giant minotaur causing chaos from afar, and the magic circle he had been working on all day filled his head.

His mind wandered through a medley of thoughts.

As Rodin fell into thought, Larry, observing the atmosphere, rose carefully.

“Brother.”

“What?”

“Can I train?”

Larry’s voice was cautious.

Since the monster’s wail, the mood had darkened. It was a tense atmosphere where speaking up was difficult, making it nerve-wracking to bring up training.

“Yes. Go ahead. Just let Matthew and Bianca know.”

“They’re…?”

“I’ll tell Karis and Jena myself.”

“Thank you, brother.”

There was no real need to inform Karis and Jena.

It was true that Karis and Jena were less perceptive, but only by master standards. Their senses were still much sharper than any average person or even skilled swordsmen.

Moreover, while their long-distance sensory skills were lacking, their ability to detect nearby magical and aura flows was extraordinarily sharp.

In the underground ruins of the Moord Wasteland, they could judge whether to attack or not based on Rodin’s magical pattern alone.

There was no way Karis and Jena wouldn’t know if Larry was in the carriage. They would sense it outside and avoid disturbing him during his training.

*

Night came. Apart from the mercenaries on watch and the two battle constructs that never slept, everyone else was asleep.

Inside the carriage, a little girl stirred.

‘I can’t sleep.’

It had been about two years since Rodin had saved her from the threat of raiders. Since then, this was the first time she’d been surrounded by so many people.

Maybe that’s why she couldn’t sleep at all. Even if she forced her eyes closed, her mind stayed sharp.

It wasn’t out of fear. With Rodin around, nothing frightened her.

It was just that her mind felt complicated tonight.

“Sigh.”

She wanted to wake Rodin or Larry and ask them to play, but she couldn’t.

Rodin had spent all day drawing magic circles in his carriage, and Larry trained relentlessly whenever he had time. She didn’t want to be the bothersome little sister who disrupted their rest.

Rustle!

She cautiously opened the carriage door. Jena, who was stationed at the entrance, grinned and waved.

” Can’t sleep?”

“Yes.”

“If you’re not sleepy, there’s no need to force it. Want to go for a night walk?”

“Can I?”

Bianca’s eyes widened at Jena’s suggestion.

She had forgotten. It wasn’t just Rodin or Larry who could keep her company. Although Karis was intimidating, Jena had played with her in the carriage earlier today.

“Why not? I’ll leave this place in Karis’s care.”

“Let’s go! For a walk. Quickly, quickly.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

Jena gestured at Karis, signaling their departure.

Karis glanced at them and nodded lightly.

“Let’s go.”

“Hee-hee, this is exciting.”

Bianca clung to Jena’s side as they strolled around the campsite. A few mercenaries glanced their way but didn’t say anything.

Despite the eerie atmosphere, she wasn’t scared at all. After witnessing Jena’s skills earlier, she had no reason to be.

“Jena, just how strong are you?”

“Hmm. Except for the Young Master and Karis, there’s no one here who could match me.”

Saying she had no match was an understatement. Even if all the mercenaries guarding the caravan attacked her at once, they wouldn’t be able to touch a strand of her hair.

“I know that. I saw you go swoosh and bam against that ugly monster.”

“Swoosh and bam?”

“Yeah! You went swoosh up to the monster and bam, knocked it out.”

“So that’s what swoosh and bam means. Ha ha. What a fun expression. What about Karis?”

“He’s more like swish and slice.”

“Because he swings his spear and slices them down, huh? Ha ha.”

They walked as they talked, eventually straying a bit from the campsite. The campfire’s glow could still be seen in the distance, so they hadn’t gone far.

“Oh? I smell water.”

“Really? There must be a water source nearby.”

Being a battle construct, Jena couldn’t smell. It wasn’t until Bianca pointed it out that she realized there was a watery scent.

“Let’s go see.”

“Shall we?”

After walking for about ten minutes, they heard the trickling of water. Pushing past some trees, they found a narrow stream, about five meters wide.

“Wow, a river.”

“It’d probably look beautiful during the day.”

“Yeah. Jena, don’t you have any hobbies?”

“Hobbies? Not really. If I had to pick, I’d say swordsmanship.”

Hyung_Otaku2

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