"What brings you here?"

"Ah. It's because of a mission. Oh, let me introduce you. Hey. Everyone. This person is a grand mage. The one I mentioned before. Do you remember?"

"..."

"..."

When Gubon and Bijidek introduced Yi-Han to the adventurers behind them, both Yi-Han and Anglago froze.

"I'm not a grand mage..."

"Oh. You're not?"

"You're... not?"

While it was understandable that adventurers rarely met mages, even Anglago tilted his head, making Yi-Han consider hitting him.

"Who are you talking about? Gubon, if it's the mage you mentioned... Gasp!"

One of the adventurers widened his eyes as if he remembered. Gubon looked at his teammate with an expression that said, 'You finally remembered.'

"Th, that story about the mage who joined the party, kept watch with magic, lit fires with magic, summoned water with magic, cooked with magic, and conquered the cave with magic, is that what you're talking about!?"

"I thought Gubon was underestimating me and talking nonsense..."

"..."

As the adventurers murmured, Gubon's face turned bright red.

What a disgrace in front of the grand mage, no, the mage infinitely close to a grand mage, to whom he owed a great debt.

"Why would I talk nonsense!! Are you disrespecting me!?"

"Ah, no. Sorry. It sounded too absurd."

"I may not know much about mages, but I know enough to tell that what you said, Gubon, is strange."

"Ugh...! These stupid guys, in front of whom...! Re, recently, have you heard about the mage who subjugated the King of Ghouls!? That's this person!"

"The King of Ghouls!?"

The adventurers were even more shocked.

Adventurers who traveled around the empire had many opportunities to hear rumors.

When they recently returned to Granden City, they heard stories about the King of Ghouls a few times at the tavern, and that was?

"No, why would such a mage be with you, Gubon...?"

"I'm not disregarding your skills, Gubon, but you're not an adventurer capable of serving a grand mage, right?"

"..."

As Gubon trembled, Yi-Han thought he should intervene, if only to quell the commotion.

"Ah. So you're from Einroguard. That's why..."

The adventurers nodded their heads in understanding.

Of course, not all students who attended Einroguard could demonstrate magic like Yi-Han, but the adventurers didn't know that much.

They just accepted that he was a great mage because he attended a great magic academy.

"I'm still lacking in many ways as a student. And many things about the subjugation are exaggerated too."

"Aha. So what Gubon said also had a lot of exaggeration?"

"That part is true."

"..."

"...???"

The adventurers were confused but accepted it for now.

"By the way, what mission did you come here for?"

The reason Gubon and the adventurers came here was because of a mission they recently received.

-There have been reports of unusual phenomena occurring frequently in the Black Boulder Forest near Philonae Town. It seems there has been a change in the flow of mana, so please check the forest and investigate thoroughly.

It wasn't an extremely dangerous mission, but it wasn't something just anyone could do either.

The mana scattered in nature flows and gathers, causing various changes, and sometimes, anomalies occur that can surprise even experienced adventurers.

'The connection to the undead realm last time was also such a phenomenon.'

The experience to assess the situation and investigate, and the combat power to escape and report when something happens were essential for this job.

Gubon and the adventurers had that level of ability, so they were recognized as qualified to carry out the mission.

'Oh.'

Yi-Han looked at the mission the adventurers received with a slightly admiring gaze.

Just from the explanation, he could feel that it wasn't something just anyone could do, but a mission that only experienced adventurers with quite a bit of experience could handle.

'The reward must be good too. I should have received such a mission.'

The mission he received during the break was too much of a loss no matter how he thought about it.

If he had known the King of Ghouls would appear, he wouldn't have gone around collecting in that area.

Yi-Han also wanted to do a mission where he just investigates and receives gold coins.

"But we encountered a problem... We're currently debating whether we should back out or not."

While investigating the Black Boulder Forest, the adventurers realized that the terrain of the forest kept changing.

The gathered mana was creating illusions to confuse the intruders.

Right now, it was just the terrain changing, but if the illusions intensified, their lives could be in danger.

The adventurers were pondering what to do.

"Ah. Can't we ask for Mage's help? Meeting like this is also fate."

"Don't say stupid things. Would Mage be interested in such a trivial mission? It would be mere pocket change for him."

'That's not true.'

Yi-Han almost turned serious.

The adventurers seemed to have a huge misunderstanding about mages.

"But last time, the Mage worked together with Gubon..."

"That must have been because of the King of Ghouls. Gubon probably just played the role of a guide."

Gubon was dumbfounded by his teammates who blatantly spoke in front of him.

But he couldn't refute it.

Because that was the extent of his role!

"...It's not like I'm only interested in things like the King of Ghouls. I'm the type to be interested in any mission."

"Huh? Is that so?"

"But why...? It can't be because of the gold coins...?"

"It must be for the acquisition of knowledge."

"Aha."

Instead of pointing out the adventurers' misunderstanding, Yi-Han returned to the main point.

"If it's alright, I'd like to help. I have a connection with Mr. Gubon here."

Gubon had a touched expression.

"As for the reward..."

"Please make sure to accept it, Mage!"

"That's right. Of course, this level of reward may not mean much to you, Mage, but it's a principle as an adventurer. If you help with the work, you should receive the reward."

"...Ah. Yes. Well."

Yi-Han was about to say 'You must make sure to give me the reward' but felt embarrassed.

'Not bad.'

To think he would obtain gold coins so easily. Yi-Han thought for the first time that he did well to become a mage.

Other adventurers had to accumulate all sorts of experience and results, but mages could participate just with that title.

He did well to become a mage!

Moreover, if he traveled with adventurers, he could avoid the eyes of potential Einroguard pursuers.

"Hey. Wardanaz..."

Anglago, who was listening from the side, whispered in a dumbfounded voice.

"We're 1st years. Are you confident you can solve it?"

"Anglago. Do you think I would have brought it up without thinking that much?"

At Yi-Han's confident words, Anglago had an 'oops' moment.

Come to think of it, although Wardanaz was also a 1st year, he was a mage on a different level from Anglago.

'Right. This guy was from the Wardanaz family.'

Anglago nodded his head as if he understood.

"I asked a stupid question. Indeed, if you're confident, it's best to accept unconditionally in this situation. We'll attract much less attention if we go together. With your level of skill, it's enough..."

"Yeah. I'll ask Ms. Baldoorn to come with us."

"...????"

Weren't you going to solve it?

Baldoorn, the illusion mage of Philonae Town.

She was close to an ordinary mage without outstanding skills, the kind you could see if you traveled to various towns.

Those who studied on their own by obtaining magic books, or tried to learn by finding a guild or a mentor but had limits to their skills, often stopped like this and used magic as a means of livelihood.

Naturally, Baldoorn had long lost any ambition to see the end of truth and the other side of the world through magic.

"..."

"Doesn't Mage's expression look a bit strange? Is she displeased?"

"Were we too rude?"

"...N, no. That's not it."

Baldoorn quickly explained to the adventurers.

It seemed her frustrated emotions were all showing.

'Why does an Einroguard student keep coming here...'

Baldoorn, who went out without much thought at the sound of someone knocking on the door, was so startled that her heart sank.

The familiar Einroguard student had come again.

-Ms. Baldoorn. Could you perhaps help?-

-...Why... No... Alright-

Baldoorn couldn't bring herself to refuse Yi-Han's coercion, no, mission.

How could she refuse when doing business with magic in a town near Einroguard?

The students were acting kindly now, but who knew what kind of retaliation she might face later.

"Ms. Baldoorn is not the kind of person to act like that."

Yi-Han firmly told the adventurers.

"We apologize. We misunderstood."

"We've heard a lot that mages are all difficult to deal with..."

The adventurers apologized with a sincere attitude. That made Baldoorn even more burdened.

'If we can't solve the forest problem, will they get angry?'

Mages from places like Einroguard had an innate aura.

Even if such mages made mistakes, the people of the empire didn't protest much.

-Ah, if Mage failed, it must have been a really difficult task!-

However, mages like Baldoorn didn't have such an aura.

If she made a slight mistake in control, she would immediately receive this kind of reaction.

-Failed? A mage? Is that mage really a mage? Isn't she a fraud?-

They seemed to be experienced adventurers with some career. Thinking about what might happen if she failed, her stomach was already starting to ache.

"It's an illusion."

Yi-Han warned first. He felt an unusual flow of mana in the hazy fog.

"Oh no!"

"The range... has expanded to the entrance of the forest."

The adventurers frowned.

The range of the illusion's influence had expanded to the entrance of the forest.

It wasn't a good sign.

"Ms. Baldoorn. Can I try blowing it away with the method I learned last time?"

"Yes. ...Yes?"

"Then I'll blow it away."

Baldoorn, who was answering absentmindedly, was startled and tried to ask again.

'What did he learn? I don't remember teaching him?'

However, Yi-Han, who received the answer, didn't hesitate and immediately swung his mana like a hammer to blow away the fog.

A destruction method that breaks the structure itself with a strong impact instead of reading and interpreting the structure.

"..."

Baldoorn gaped at that crude solution.

'He's actually using that????'

It was a method that existed in theory, but it was only used for very weak or small-scale illusion magic. To blow away the entire fog enveloping the entrance of the forest, he couldn't even imagine how much mana would be consumed.

The adventurers who didn't grasp the situation blankly watched and asked.

"Is it solved?"

"Yes."

"That's amazing!"

"...I didn't do anything."

"And humble too!"

"..."

Baldoorn really wanted to go home now.

After that, Baldoorn and Yi-Han continued to break the illusions in the forest and find the right path with outstanding observation and amazing magic.

Baldoorn handled the observation, and Yi-Han handled the resolution.

When Yi-Han asked a question, Baldoorn reliably confirmed it.

The adventurers could only admire that perfect coordination.

"But why is that mage just staying still?"

"He's conserving mana."

"..."

Anglago was also very wary.

He wanted to help if he could, but...

'I have no idea even if I look!'

From the outside, it just looked like he was crudely wielding mana to blow away the fog.

Of course, it wouldn't be like that, and there must be some extraordinary principle behind it...

But he had no idea what it was.

As Yi-Han blew away another fog, Anglago let out a deep sigh as if frustrated.

"Phew."

And Baldoorn also let out a deep sigh.

"Pheeeew..."

"...???"

Anglago wondered why this great mage was acting like this.