Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 82 (Part 2)
He remembered the time before the ship’s departure when Bianca had almost been overwhelmed by people. With Undine around, she would be protected from most dangers.
Once his siblings had left, the room quieted down, and Rodin resumed his lessons.
Being able to understand the lessons through hearing had made it easier to comprehend the material. The pace of his progress had also quickened.
“Wait, what?”
After about 20 minutes had passed on the minute hand of his pocket watch, the lessons suddenly changed. They became a bit more difficult and complicated.
“Have I moved from the basics of the basics to just the basics?”
Though the content had become harder, it didn’t affect Rodin.
The slow progress before wasn’t because the lessons were difficult, but because he couldn’t understand the language. Now that he could understand it to some extent, a rise in difficulty didn’t concern him.
‘At this rate, I should be able to finish the first phase of training in three or four months.’
He adjusted his posture, preparing to focus on his lessons again. At that moment, he felt the mana in the circle around his heart starting to drain.
“Huh? Undine?”
Since he wasn’t using any magic, the only explanation was Undine. While spirits continued to consume mana after being summoned, the amount was typically insignificant. The fact that he could feel mana being drained meant Undine was actively using her powers.
“What’s going on?”
Stopping his lesson, Rodin left the room. The mana trail led him outside and around the back of the building.
There, he found Larry and Bianca huddled in a corner, with Undine standing protectively in front of them, glaring fiercely.
Facing Undine were the rough-looking men he had seen earlier, the ones who had been searching for passengers from the Capleton. They were now standing in front of a barrier of water that Undine had created, looking bewildered.
“What is this?”
“Boss, what should we do?”
“Do you think this flimsy water can stop me?”
One of the men infused aura into his sword. The large sword shimmered with the energy.
“Stop.”
Rodin leisurely stepped forward. Seeing him, Undine flashed a bright smile and flew toward him.
“Good job.”
She giggled playfully.
“Who are you?”
Undine dispelled the water barrier. With Rodin on the scene, she trusted that he would handle things.
Rodin glanced at the men before turning his attention to Larry and Bianca.
“You two okay?”
They nodded vigorously.
“Rodin, those people were yelling and trying to take us away.”
“Is that so?”
Rodin stepped into the spot where Undine had been standing, now placing himself between his siblings and the men.
Being interrupted in his studies had already put Rodin in a foul mood, and the fact that it was for a kidnapping attempt only made him angrier.
“Who are you people?”
“Do you even know who you’re talking to?”
“You? Do you even matter?”
Rodin lightly waved his hand, and a fireball flew toward the man.
“Wha-what!”
The startled man quickly threw himself to the side. The fireball exploded as it hit the ground, and the blast knocked him back even though he had dodged.
“Ugh!”
“A mage!”
“Damn it.”
There were five of them in total. One had been injured by the three-circle magic spell *Fireball*, while the other four hesitated, maintaining their distance.
“Do you even know who we are?”
“You’re just pests who are annoying me. *Fire Spear.*”
Rodin raised both hands, conjuring a second-circle magic spell. For a five-circle mage like him, casting a two-circle spell didn’t even require an incantation.
Five spears of fire materialized, one for each of the five men, stopping right in front of their throats.
“What, what is this?”
“Oh, right. You also have aura, don’t you? In that case, maybe this would be better.”
Rodin cast another spell, this time a more dangerous one—*Lightning Arrow*, a second-circle magic spell as well.
Now, the man who had stepped forward earlier found both a lightning arrow and a fire spear at his neck. A mere thought from Rodin, and the man would be dead.
“Wh-why are you doing this?”
“Why, you ask?”
“Because you tried to kidnap my siblings, didn’t you?”
“Sib-siblings? Damn it. No wonder I had a bad feeling about this.”
“What should I do with you? There are no witnesses, after all.”
Rodin cast another spell, this time summoning an *Ice Spear*, a second-circle magic spell made of ice.
“Please, spare us.”
“We won’t do anything bad ever again.”
“Spare you? It’d be easier just to kill you. Sigh.”
Rodin glanced back over his shoulder.
Bianca was shaking her head frantically, her face pale with fear. Larry, too, was staring at the men and Rodin in turn, looking frightened.
“Mage, we were wrong….”
“Quiet. Sigh, I’ll let you live today because my siblings are watching. But if I ever see you again when they’re not around, I’ll kill you for sure.”
Rodin dispelled the magic he had conjured.
Killing people in the city wasn’t something Rodin wanted to deal with. If he got entangled with the city guards, it could delay their departure.
He assumed the threat would be enough to get rid of them without further trouble.
However—
“Hah!”
As soon as Rodin dismissed his magic, the man in front, the one who had aura and seemed to be their leader, rushed at him.
Boom!
Before the man could even take a step, he was thrown back faster than he had moved. It was Rodin’s three-circle spell, *Fireball*, at work again.
Rodin wasn’t one to let his guard down when there was an enemy in front of him. Since enemies could turn on you at any time, it was only natural to prepare for the worst.
“Wha-what are you fools doing? Kill him! Do you want to get caught by the Empire and die?”
“B-but….”
“If we miss the ship, we’re dead anyway! You idiots!”
“You’re the kind that would retaliate if left alive, huh?”
The man was capable of materializing his aura outside his body, meaning he was a third ranked knight. He wasn’t particularly dangerous, but it was still unwise to relax completely.
Rodin immediately cast a four-circle spell. The man, though gravely injured by the *Fireball*, still tried to charge again, but Rodin’s spell was faster.
“Larry, Bianca! Close your eyes. *Wind Grinder.*”
The spell, powered to its fullest with hand gestures, decapitated the man. His head dropped to the ground, and his body took a few more steps before collapsing.