Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

Elena, who had appeared utterly defeated, suddenly stood up. Her left hand began casting spells incessantly, while her right hand gripped her sword tightly and charged toward her opponent.

"DIE!" The man bellowed angrily.

He flung his weapon, aiming to interrupt her spellcasting.

Under the moonlight, a curved blade flew toward Elena, its razor-sharp gleam vanishing in an instant. For a mage, focus was paramount during spellcasting, and this interruption could prove fatal.

As an advanced swordsman of the North God Style, the pressure Elena faced was immense. Her expression flickered, and she conjured a roaring flame with her left hand, launching it at the incoming blade. In that split second, she couldn't evade the weapon. Desperation drove her to make the only choice available.

The enormous blaze deflected the curved blade into the distance. However, a new crisis loomed—her furious opponent was now upon her.

The man charged forward, his hand gripping Elena's neck and lifting her off the ground. His expression twisted into one of pure malice. At this moment, he genuinely wanted to end her life.

This wretched girl had nearly turned the tables on him, yet the vast gap in their abilities ensured his survival. He had never imagined he would have to endure a direct hit from a mid-tier fireball spell. Being a practitioner of the North God Style rather than the Water God Style, facing such an attack head-on could've left him gravely injured, if not worse.

Remembering this, his right hand tightened its grip, his face growing even more menacing.

From a distance, Roy observed the scene silently. He couldn't just stand idly by and watch Elena die. Despite his initial belief that she could handle the situation herself, he now realized intervention was inevitable.

Roy hadn't dressed for combat; he wore only a plain jacket, looking more like someone out for a casual evening stroll after dinner.

When he quietly approached the man from behind, his presence went unnoticed.

The man's expression grew increasingly sinister. His left hand brushed against Elena's smooth cheek as he sneered wickedly. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, an intense sense of danger struck him from behind.

Alarmed, he turned sharply, but it was too late. A pitch-black longsword pierced through his chest.

"Night has fallen. Disappear quietly," Roy said flatly, his voice calm and detached. He withdrew the sword, letting hot blood splash onto the ground.

The man collapsed, his wide-open eyes filled with disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost. Even in death, he couldn't comprehend how Roy had managed to approach him unnoticed.

With a hint of exasperation, Roy kicked the corpse twice before glancing at Elena. "Didn't you say you could handle this?"

Elena sat slumped on the ground, coughing violently. Her face was flushed from oxygen deprivation. She waved her hand weakly, then stood to retrieve her father's sword from a short distance away.

She didn't bother asking why Roy was there. All she knew was that his timely intervention had saved her life.

Roy silently watched her movements. After a moment's thought, he snapped his fingers. Dark threads of magic spread rapidly from beneath his feet, enveloping every street in the vicinity.

Focusing for a moment, he sensed several figures fleeing within the area. With a thought, the latent magic turned tangible. Black spikes erupted from the ground, impaling the escaping thieves and reducing them to lifeless husks in an instant.

The faint scent of blood lingered in the air, only to be quickly dispersed by the wind.

At that moment, Elena calmly approached Roy and performed a deep bow, her forehead touching the ground.

Elena spoke straightforwardly, "If it weren't for you, I might have met my end today. Thank you for your help. From now on, my life is yours."

Elena's words weren't entirely fair to herself, as the incident had largely been caused by her own actions. The problem had arisen from her own choices, and if not for Roy's earlier guidance in magic and swordsmanship, her meager skills would have left her unable to even confront the advanced North God Style swordsman. She would have likely been captured and traded for gold instead.

Roy didn't act modest. Her bow was well-deserved.

Elena's appearance at that moment was indescribably pitiful. Calling her disheveled would be an understatement. Her entire body was filthy, her once intact coarse garments now tattered, and her face bore streaks of blood. She looked like a stray kitten that had been mercilessly bullied.

Roy didn't let her remain kneeling for long. After a brief pause, he helped her up, patting her shoulder as he said, "Well then, tomorrow you'll come with me."

Elena didn't respond, sinking into silence instead.

Roy thought for a moment, realizing what was troubling her. He reassured her, "Of course, I'll make arrangements to bring your father along. You'll have the chance to visit him every week. After all, I'm not a monster. I can show that much consideration."

Hearing this, Elena finally nodded.

She bowed deeply once again. Reflecting on the contrast between her demeanor now and her previous unruly behavior, Roy couldn't help but feel a touch of sentiment.

After tidying up the surrounding corpses, Roy used a fireball spell to incinerate the remains.

As for whether anyone would notice such a blatant act in the middle of the night, it was unlikely. As long as the fire didn't spread to someone's home, nobody would step forward to interfere. The commotion earlier? People simply pretended not to know.

Once Elena had returned home, Roy decided to head back to his own place to sleep.

...

The next day, Roy arranged for Elena's father to be brought to the estate. He personally explained the situation to Philip, who pondered briefly before addressing the somewhat aged man before him.

"Given your condition, it's not suitable for you to become a servant of our household. However, since this is Roy's request, I will permit you to live in this town. The house may be small and in a remote location, but it should be more than adequate for one person."

Philip could have offered more generous terms, but he chose not to. Roy had advised him earlier not to be overly benevolent, as it could lead to unintended consequences. This arrangement was sufficient.

Roy gave the man a reassuring smile, to which he responded with a grateful one.

Elena's father, of course, didn't know Roy's true identity. Roy had merely mentioned that he was a subordinate of a high-ranking individual, with a status only slightly above Elena's. That night's events had been recounted in full by his daughter.

When he first saw his daughter's battered condition, Elena's father had been horrified. Fortunately, her injuries weren't severe, and thanks to her robust constitution, she was back to full health within a few days.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

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