<558 – Same Moment (2)>
The Jezel Party, now a lunch box shuttle team, stepped out feeling a strong sense of disillusionment.
“That little rat, didn’t he just go out to play?”
“Oknodie is eating a lunch box someone else made…”
“Hing-ing, Oknodie and Jiang are just having fun together!”
Even Son Ohchun, Isabel, and Titosso’s absent-minded reactions, Jezel couldn’t stop this time.
She felt the same emptiness herself!
“More than that, I’m more concerned about the term Mana Scent, Mr. Hiscliff. Typically, when casting spells on a specific target, how long do traces remain?”
“I wield a sword.”
“Yes.”
“A great sword.”
“That’s right.”
“If you’re strong like me, there’s hardly any need to use magic in life.”
“Ah, yes…”
“Still, my comrade Alexander is a smart one and has talked about investigations. If I remember correctly, the duration of magical traces varies by rank and type, but anything under the 5th rank disappears within a week.”
– You all, there was a faint Mana Scent from Oknodie, do you know that kid?
The vampire certainly said that. Considering it had been over a month since they last saw Oknodie, new facts came to light.
“Our little lady has perhaps ascended to the 6th rank without us knowing. Leaving behind a Mana Scent lasting more than a month…”
“High purity mana can last twice as long, but to last more than a month, she must have used high-tier magic. Plus, you have a lot of defensive magical tools.”
“Yes. Due to my profession, I tend to strap on and use magical tools generously.”
“If the protection and use of so many magical tools couldn’t erase the Mana Scent, we can assume magic was cast directly. Has she been attacked or something?”
“No, we’ve maintained a good relationship with the little lady. I even came all this way to rescue her right after the Academy exam.”
“I see. That confirms things.”
Hiscliff stated affirmatively.
“The Fourth Princess has placed tracking magic on you. Specifically, a tracking spell that can confirm positions.”
“Eh? No way, why would the little lady mark us? With her running around like a lost puppy, it would be us who would get marked!”
“You know the effects of marking spells, right?”
“Of course! The marked target can know the direction and distance from the caster by how far apart they are…”
Jezel’s expression stiffened.
Hiscliff, who had no bias since he didn’t have a special relationship with Oknodie, realized something while Jezel remained clueless.
The reason they kept losing track of Oknodie.
Now the answer was clear.
“No way… is the little lady avoiding us?”
“Given the circumstances, that’s what we have to assume.”
“Impossible. Our relationship with the little lady has always been good at the Academy.”
“Don’t try to retrieve your relationship from me. Revolutionary. Did you seek the power of the Crown Prince to save the Empire’s justice?”
“… Surely not.”
“Speculations do no good. There were rumors that the former emperor would share the Empire’s start and end, yet they left so meaninglessly. There might be unseen circumstances beneath the surface.”
“You learned precious lessons from Eungchilgeom, haven’t you? Thank you for the wise words.”
Jezel tried hard to suppress her anxiety.
Right, if Oknodie left traces with her mana, that could actually be a good thing.
They could use that mana as a medium to reverse track to Oknodie!
[Mana Tracking Butterfly]
A rare insect that would have drawn no interest had it not been for Oknodie’s peculiar insect collecting habits.
The butterfly, sleeping in Jezel’s magical backpack, woke up fluttering its wings as the potion was sprayed.
[Infusion – Oknodie's Mana Scent]
[Tracking Initiated]
She adjusted the mana technique on the spot to create a tracking spell.
This was a remarkable skill she couldn’t have even dreamed of before entering the Academy.
Having thought she could buy techniques and labor with money, she had felt no need to hone her skills, yet within just a year, she had reached the point where she could etch a spell for tracking faint Mana Scents into the butterfly.
Although her combat power wasn’t extraordinary, the utility was immediately useful, making it a valuable skill.
But this wouldn’t even have been possible without Oknodie.
Without Oknodie, the mana tracking butterfly, the tracking technique, and the observation and collection of Mana Scent would have been impossible.
“The butterfly stopped at the transfer station. Hey, Sir, it seems Oknodie has moved from here.”
“The transfer mages at the station are obligated to keep clients’ information confidential per regulations. Even archaeologists or the Esornia Expedition Team must spend a lot of money to use the teleportation circle when they shrug off annoying requests.”
Son Ohchun and Isabel said information was blocked, but Jezel opened her eyes to a new method to break the barriers obstructing her life, grounded on the Empire’s revolution day.
“The transfer station is still in the city. There are citizens everywhere. As long as there are citizens who trust and follow you, revolutionaries can break any common sense.”
“… Jezel, why are your eyes suddenly squinting? Every time you squint like that, you’ve ended up causing some amazing mischief like Oknodie!”
“Haha. No need to worry. What I plan to do is just a light [Enlightenment].”
“Enlightenment?”
“The people’s enlightenment that the transfer mages are hiding information about criminals who scatter mosquito masters making people go crazy every night, and the newly crowned Empress Masugaki, who ascended through the abdication of the former emperor, will abolish the absolute inviolability and secrecy clauses of the transfer station.”
“…”
“The people will be outraged by the unjust reality that those in power protect criminals, and the transfer mages will fear potential punishments for following along. However, this enlightenment will serve as a means to smooth things over, and no one will be harmed.”
“That might be true… but Jezel, aren’t you too obsessed with being a revolutionary? It’s a bit scary. You might end up turning into the first revolutionary out of nowhere.”
“That won’t happen.”
If the little lady is safe.
As long as there’s still time to rescue that unfortunate child from the foundation’s grasp.
Jezel immediately summoned the Dark Trading Company in the city where the transfer station was located to lead the citizens into the streets.
“We’re done for! We’re having a bankrupt sale!”
“Did you hear? A stunning beauty has appeared in the market!”
“A glowing dinosaur is flying from the sky!”
“Suddenly a madman is scattering money in the street; was it in the Central Square?”
As enticing rumors poured out, citizens began to step out into the streets, enchanted!
“Hey, this way! Please line up here.”
“What’s happening here? Is it a bankrupt sale?”
“Correct!”
“I came to see the glowing dinosaur.”
“You can buy a ticket for the glowing dinosaur next to you and wait.”
While the citizens were led by the Dark Trading Company employees amidst a suspiciously optimized circular line for speeches, the podium was completed.
Jezel held the microphone, and it didn’t take long for the curious citizens to become revolutionary comrades.
“Is it true that the transfer mages concealed Mosquito Masters who spread mosquitos at night, driving people insane without any reason other than fun?”
“Hiding a beast that disrupts ecosystems and destroys forest resources just for fun; the transfer mages must undoubtedly be accomplices!”
“Ugh~ filthy bastards~”
Citizens began their protest towards the transfer station!
Son Ohchun looked at Jezel with a puzzled expression.
“Is this how you’re rallying for that little rat’s sake…?”
Although her rallying skill was impressive, the content was terrifying.
Hearing the stirring cries of citizens flocking like a swarm of bees, Titosso’s eyes began to roll.
“That’s not entirely wrong, but confirming it would load serious malicious charges onto Oknodie that would be too much to handle!?”
“It’s a small punishment for the little lady who has made us suffer like this.”
It felt a little bad for Oknodie, but it was more than enough to scare the transfer mages.
“Everyone. You’ve probably heard about the happenings in the palace. The story of the angry populace dethroning the emperor and crowning a new one.”
“A-Are you threatening us? The transfer station is a public institution protected by the empire’s laws. Are you not afraid of legal consequences?”
“The Imperial Army, which should be protecting you, is regrettably unable to help, fighting against the monster legion in the Underground World. Do you really want to experience the fear of closer citizens through your bodies?”
“…”
Titosso, standing by the teleportation circle, couldn’t hide his discomfort.
“I feel like I’m becoming a bad kid. Ugh. Papa is going to scold me if he finds out about this.”
“Don’t worry. Kanelle City is busy with post-war recovery. They won’t pay attention to the movements of Titosso. If necessary, we can mobilize the Dark Trading Company to block information, delaying the reconstruction with the Revolutionary Army, so you can rest easy.”
“Hing-ing, please don’t bother our city!”
There was a pitiable incident where the poor Titosso was nearly in tears, but ultimately Jezel’s party successfully used the transfer station and succeeded in tracking Oknodie.
“Here is… the transfer station at the Cheonryeong Mountain Range, located on the border between the Holy Central Empire and the Eastern Empire.”
The foothills of the Cheonryeong Mountain Range connect the East and West.
Where Oknodie had caused chaos in the Empire and traveled through the Underground World.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Son Ohchun scratched his head as he looked at the mountains.
“This is where my uncle lives?”
If the Underground World was an undiscovered gold region, the Cheonryeong Mountain Range was well-known for gold on both the western and eastern sides.
“Do you mean you have relatives residing in the Cheonryeong Mountain Range, a site filled with named monsters like insane youkai and ancient powerful long-lived types?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s a bit surprising. Son Ohchun has family too.”
“…That’s the point you’re surprised about?”
While Son Ohchun found it absurd, the others found his reaction silly in return.
Wasn’t he the one who single-handedly created preconceptions and biases about Monkey Humanoids!
“Do you think Monkey Humanoids just drop down from the sky one by one? We usually live together like humans. It’s just that when we get close to something, some jump out of the group to monopolize vast lands, making us look like territorial animals in the eyes of humans.”
“Well, that’s good. If you could help detain the little lady, who might run away again, that would be great.”
“Hey, buddy. You know I usually don’t meddle in your business, right?”
“Of course.”
“But I have to intervene this time. Don’t touch my uncle.”
“Does he have a really bad temperament?”
“That man used to be an instructor at the Gift Academy.”
“……Oh dear.”
Suddenly, a feeling of tremendous dread began to wash over her.
To be in the area where a former academy instructor resides.
Could it be that they’ve walked into a magical territory worse than the Underground World?
Jezel’s party began to feel like they were being thrown to a high-level hunting ground in a carriage led by an unsuspecting newbie!
But they had come too far already.
There was no choice but to see it through to the end, whether it would turn to rice or soup.
“Let’s think about Uncle later and try to get as close to the little lady as we can for now.”
With no choice but to go forward, the Jezel Party began to climb the mountain and in exactly 10 minutes, they stumbled upon a group of giant golems playing and rolling down the slope.
“Let’s ask the mages at the transfer station to take us to the midpoint of the mountain.”
This was no mountain to walk up.
But when they returned to the transfer station, the inside was empty.
[We are closed until the Revolutionary Army quiets down.]
[Do not look for us.]
[- Notification from the Cheonryeong Mountain West Branch Transfer Mage -]
“…”
Jezel was now receiving the fallout of her own rallying.
