Book Eater

Chapter 23: Night in the Nadun Mountain Ranges (1)

The massive convoy began to move shortly after the two of them were escorted to their carriage. The sight of thirty wagons and a hundred mercenaries moving together was really spectacular. Dust rose up from the earth like a cloud.

“Then I’ll be going. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call for me. I’ll be here immediately.”

“Thanks for your consideration.”

“Haha, no problem. Please relax!”

Gordon maintained his respectful attitude as he bowed and moved to the front of the convoy. He was a model example of a reputable merchant who refrained from extreme flattery. Even though Theo was wary and vigilant of other people, Gordon left a good impression on him.

Vince stroked his seat a few times and nodded.

... A good carriage. He’s certainly resourceful to prepare such a carriage in advance. Gordon may become a key figure in this company in a few years.

The carriage Gordon offered to the two men was usually only arranged for VIP guests. It hardly trembled as it traversed the steep mountain trail, and the blanketed floor gave off a soft warmth. Additionally, the curtains hanging over the elaborately carved windows created a welcome shade in its interior. It was just like a moving inn room.

I didn’t think I would be able to see the Nadun Mountain Ranges in this way...

As they left the academy, Theodore looked out the window with a feeling of excitement. The people of Meltor Kingdom knew the harshness of the Nadun Mountain Ranges. It was a land where numerous monsters fought for supremacy. In the deepest parts of the mountains, there were many dangerous things which would cause even famous adventurers to die. This massive convoy was merely passing through the outskirts.

However, Theo's interest soon faded.

If you discount the thickness of the vegetation, it’s just a normal mountain.

All types of strange creatures grew in the depths of the mountain, but they didn’t make their way to the outskirts where the massive convoy was moving. He lost interest in the convoy and watched the spectacular sight of the mercenaries climbing the mountain for a bit. After a while, Theo had run out of things to watch, so he turned his attention to something else.

“Mitra.”

The girl answered his call like she had been waiting.

[Huing!]

It seemed like she was in a good mood. Mitra loved the feeling of earth around her as she spun round and round. She ran around every corner of the carriage. Theo laughed as he watched her and extended a finger unconsciously.

[Huung.]

Mitra clung to his finger. The moist texture of the soil was unpleasant, but her behavior was so cute that he left it alone. As his right hand gently stroked her head, she swung back and forth on his finger. He doubted if this would be as helpful as Professor Vince thought, but at least he wouldn’t be bored.

Thus, Theodore took the time to play with Mitra while the carriage headed to Manavil.

***

In the end, the convoy didn’t encounter any obstacles and the sky gradually turned dim. The people, who had climbed the steep mountain trail all day, took out pots and dishes to make dinner, pushing away the cool evening breeze with a campfire. Thanks to Vince, Theo was also treated as a VIP and was able to eat stew and a few pieces of soft bread.

It was quite a treat for eating on the road. Indeed, merchants won’t go around chewing on things like dried sardines.

Eating was one of the most important things on a long distance trip. It was easy to make a nutritious meal, but a meal that didn’t taste good was bad for morale. A warm and delicious meal didn’t just alleviate physical fatigue but mental fatigue as well. The first group to realize this were actually merchant companies.

After finishing the filling and satisfactory meal, Theo looked at the head of the convoy and muttered, “Hoo, I feel bad that I’m just lazing around.”

Vince had gone to install alarm magic near the campsite after his meal. Theo could do the same, but the reliability of a 5th Circle alarm spell compared to a 3rd Circle alarm spell was like the difference between heaven and earth. The practical effect would differ significantly depending on the level. As a result, Theo was left alone with nothing to do.

Well, it isn’t necessary for me to do anything.

Rather than returning to the boring carriage, he called Mitra and set her down on the ground. Mitra cocked her head hesitantly for a moment before sitting down and using her hands to play with the dirt. The soil her hand moved through became soft or hard and changed shape according to her desires. Mitra had just completed the fifth of her small earth carriages when a cold chill suddenly ran down the back of Theo’s neck.

Huh?!

“Detect Enemies!”

A magician of the 3rd Circle could detect enemies up to fifty meters away. So, a wave of magic spread out for fifty meters around Theo. Theo ignored the confused mercenaries around him and focused on analyzing the results of the magic wave.

... It didn’t catch anything? That’s impossible!

Alfred’s perception was still predicting the approach of enemies. He couldn’t tell where they were coming from, but he knew better than to disregard the chill running down his neck. It was proof that a threat was approaching. Theo thought about where he’d gone wrong. Detect Enemies was a magic that scanned for enemies around him. Even if an enemy magician neutralized the magic, it couldn’t hide the fact that they were there.

No, wait a minute.

“It can’t be...!”

Theo's eyes fell on the ground where Mitra was playing.

“Mitra! Go into the ground!”

[Hoing!]

As soon as he gave the order, Mitra instantly dove into the ground. As she sank into the ground like it was water, she showed Theo the landscape under the ground. The connection of their souls was a strong bond, so it wasn’t hard to share audio and vision.

Theo’s and Mitra’s vision captured the enemy.

Hobgoblins?!

Twenty to thirty creatures with dark blue skin and ugly faces were making their way through a tunnel in the ground. The axes in their hands were a clear indication that they weren’t friendly. It was a force that could do considerable damage if they launched a surprise attack from the rear.

“Professor, I have to tell Professor Vince...!”

Theodore was turning when he saw a pillar of flames roar into the sky from the front of the convoy.

Kwaang!

Theo stumbled as an intense wave of magic power washed over him. Clearly, Vince had cast a 5th Circle spell. The head of the convoy was probably also being attacked by enemies. In this situation, it might cause unnecessary confusion for Theo to try and contact Vince now.

There was no time left. The hobgoblins in the tunnel were a scant five meters below the surface. Theo had less than fifteen seconds, and there was only one option.

I have to respond on my own!

Preparing his mind, Theodore took a deep breath and shouted like he had never done before, “O-h-h-h-h!!”

He hadn’t enhanced his voice with magic, but his desperate yell was enough to reach the mercenaries near him.

“W-W-What?!”

“Ooh, what a surprise!”

“What’s that kid suddenly doing?”

Theo slammed a palm into the ground near the hobgoblins’ exit point. They were now less than three meters from the surface. If he didn’t time it properly, he would fail. Nevertheless, Theo didn’t worry that he would fail. Instead, he concentrated on using elemental magic through Mitra.

... Now!

“[Turn into mud!]”

The advantage of elemental magic was that he didn’t need a magic formula; he just needed a clear image. Mitra accepted Theo’s power and turned the surrounding area into mud. It was a disaster for the hobgoblins who were trying to leap out of the tunnel.

Kurruk? Kwieeeek!

Kwuaaack!

Kyaak! Kuwaaaack!

They were quickly bogged down in the mud. Some of them managed to free their hands, while others only managed to push their heads out of the ground. Still, all the hobgoblins stuck in the mud were furious.

Theodore wasn’t done.

“[Harden like stone!]”

His magic power swept through the ground again, and the mud solidified. It was just a temporary phenomenon, but it was very effective. The hobgoblins screamed in fury as the ground hardened into a gray clay, immobilizing them.

Theo wiped the sweat off his face and shouted at the mercenaries standing around him, “What are you doing?! Kill them!”

“A-Ah!”

“What’s going on?!”

The mercenaries lived on the battlefield, so they soon realized the situation. It was a great opportunity for them. The immobile hobgoblins were killed easily as the mercenaries brought halberds and blades down on their heads.

In an instant, the thirty hobgoblins from the tunnel had been wiped out. However, the chill Theo felt hadn’t disappeared yet.

Pew pew puet.

If he hadn’t been fiercely concentrating, he wouldn’t have noticed the sound. Theo turned in the direction of the sound and saw something familiar whistling through the air.

Arrows!

The hobgoblins were monsters who used tools and tactics much like humans. If Theo hadn’t responded to the tunnel ambush, then many mercenaries would’ve died from the attack. That was why hobgoblins were troublesome and dangerous monsters. They stole loot from humans and used them to attack humans.

Alfred’s memories came to the fore.

- The speed is normal, and the arrow only has a wooden shaft and metal tip.

If that was the case, the arrows could be stopped without much difficulty. Theo trusted in his intuition and Alfred’s memories as he instantly cast a wide area wind barrier. There was no need to stop it with armor. He just needed to affect the trajectory to kill the power of the arrows. If they encountered a headwind, the power of the projectiles would fall by half.

“Aerial Defender!”

The passing evening breeze lent a hand as it blew against the arrows. The arrows affected by the headwind eventually fell short of the convoy, thudding uselessly into the ground. Theo was satisfied with the results, but his eyes narrowed as he gazed in the direction of the arrows.

... They’re coming.

The hobgoblins, hiding in the shadows, started to move as both ambushes had failed. Red eyes started to glow in the darkness beyond the campfire as eerie shrieks filled the air.

A battle started to unfold on the first night in the Nadun Mountain Ranges.

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