Seisan Mahoushi no Rakuraku Henkyou Kaitaku – Saikyou no Ajintachi to Howaito Kokka wo Kizukimasu!

Chapter 29 – ☆ Pyromancer, Drowns in Fire!!

Barnish had the crest of ‘Pyromancy,’ and was one of the best students at the magic college in the Bersos Kingdom. At just fifteen, he far surpassed the senior students, and was a genius who could control giant flames.

He was also the eldest son of a count, and was renowned for his beauty, making him popular in the academy regardless of gender.

And so Barnish had never wanted for anything in his life.

However, for someone so skilled in the art of pyromancy, this life was a terribly boring one.

And that was when he met his cousin, Vilian.

Vilian was the attendant of Royg, the captain of the Schwarz Knights Order.

And Vilian told Barnish of a way to amuse himself during a long vacation.

It was to slave hunt for Cobis the merchant.

He would be able to burn down as many forests and villages as he liked. He could even kill some demihumans and burn them during battles.

In what seemed like a blink of an eye, Barnish was fully immersed in the thrill of slave hunting.

And he was especially delighted on this day.

According to Cobis, the Ents were powerful in the forest, and so he had been allowed to burn the trees to his heart’s content.

“Ah, what a wonderful day this was. The sight of the Ents running around while their branches burned… Splendid.”

After burning down a whole area, Barnish returned to Cobis’s base, which was Etigoburg.

There was a large mansion behind the fortress walls, and he was then greeted by a corpulent man with a great beard…Cobis.

“Ah, Lord Barnish. What an eye-catching display that was. Perhaps a little too eye-catching…”

“But you told me that I could burn it? Besides, we still captured around three hundred of those Ents.”

“Well…I will tolerate it this time. Demihumans appear like cockroaches, after all. By the way, would you be willing to go south tomorrow? There is a certain Kijin village.”

“I’ve heard of it. It’s where Gaius from the Knights Order was killed.”

“Yes. Apparently, they now wield weapons, and even have a wooden watchtower.”

“Oh…? Now that is something I would enjoy burning… Hmm?”

Suddenly, the sounds of beasts howling could be heard from outside of Etigoburn.

Cobis looked frantic.

“Cou-could it be…the werewolves?!”

“Perhaps they have come to get their revenge. It seems to be coming from the south? I will deal with them for you. Ah… Since it is sure to end quickly, I might as well continue on to this village to the south.”

“Won’t you be tired?”

“Hardly. Besides, fires burn brighter during the night.”

Cobis looked at Barnish’s uniform…the Magic College’s robes, and laughed.

“Hoho. You academics really are a different breed… You do not think like I do. But, very well. You may take three hundred mercenaries with you.”

“I do not need that many. And it would mean that you only have fifty guarding this place.”

“Well, there are no demihumans who would dare attack this fortress. More importantly, be sure you only burn down the village after you have captured them first.”

“Are you sending more people because you’re worried about that? Well, there is no need for concern. I know what to do.”

Barnish laughed grotesquely. And then he left the mansion and departed Etigoburg with the soldiers.

The howling of the werewolves continued to echo from the south.

However, the closer Barnish got to them, the farther they went.

“How obnoxious of them… They cannot fight, and so they do nothing but howl.”

Barnish was getting aggravated, and even considered burning down the forest.

However, if he started burning the forest, then they would have to go around it. And that meant it would take longer to reach the Kijin village.

“Tsk… Let’s get this over with. Hey, hurry on!”

Barnish began to run with the soldiers as they headed to the south.

And then about two hours later, what looked like a fortress came into view.

The soldiers were astounded.

“A-a fortress? In a place like this?”

“It’s a wall… Did we go in the wrong direction?”

Barnish shouted at the guide, who was the same one who had accompanied the slain Gaius.

“What are you doing!? Are you so much of a fool that you cannot even guide us properly!?”

“No-no, Lord Barnish! There is no mistaking that this is the place! Look, there are the werewolves!”

“What!? Ah!?”

Barnish noticed the howling werewolves on the ramparts.

And in front of the wall, stood a lone man.

The man shouted.

“Are you the slave hunters!? I wish to talk!”

“Talk…?”

Barnish and his men left the forest and headed to the walls.

Eventually, the man’s face came into view.

He was rather young. A plain man with nothing to make him stand out. The same could be said of his clothes.

“Wh-who are you!? How many humans are here!?”

“I’m Joshua. And now I will ask you a question. Why have you come here?”

But Barnish did not answer. He just stared at Joshua with suspicion.

And after some time, realization crossed his face.

“Joshua… Ah, now I remember! I saw you at Chevalburg! The one that Vilian called a filthy and wretched production magician! You have the Magic Crafter crest!”

A devilish smile appeared on Barnish’s face.

“Do you remember me!? I’m Barnish! You sharpened my blade, didn’t you?”

“I don’t remember you at all. But that’s not important here. Leave these slave hunters and go back to school. Aren’t you still a student!? I can tell by your uniform!”

“See! So you do remember me! Indeed, Magic Crafter is the lowest of the low! You wouldn’t be admitted into the Magic College! You must have envied me with all of your heart, you scum!”

“I’d rather die than be like you.”

“Oh, really… Then why don’t you die right now!? I’ll turn you into ash! Garbage like you must be burned!”

And then Barnish raised both his hands at Joshua.

“You should thank me. A lowlife like you was at least able to die by the hands of a magic genius… God Flame.”

A small flame appeared in front of his hands, and he was about to unleash it at Joshua.

This was high-ranking fire magic. The same magic he used to burn the forest of the Ents. Of course, he wasn’t using as much power this time, as he was only attacking Joshua. But this was still more than enough to kill a single person.

In that instant, the world around him was enveloped in darkness.

“What?”

It was a black powder that Joshua releashed. That was the only thing that Barnish understood.

And then Barnish’s fire spread to the powder.

“!? Extinguish! Extinguish! …!? It’s hot!”

In the blink of an eye, Barnish erupted into a ball of fire.

What Joshua had unleashed was powdered coal.

He had thrown it into the air so that it rained down all around Barnish.

“Burns! It burns!! I don’t want to die here!! I’m a student of the Bersos Magic College! The son of Count Vaia! …Someone! Someone!!”

Without even being able to use water magic, Barnish flailed around on the ground.

Some of the soldiers tried to put the fire out.

But they could not get close.

Because the fire had spread to the ground surrounding Barnish.

At this point, it was not possible to save him.

And as the sea of fire spread rapidly, the soldiers were overcome by fear.

In fact, Joshua had spread the fat of beasts and coal on the ground in advance.

“Now! Fire!”

Mette’s shout echoed through the night.

From the tower, stones were launched at the soldiers around Barnish.

The rocks cracked easily, and black powder spilled out from them.

And then came the explosions.

The soldiers were swallowed by the flames.

“It burns!! Put it out!”

“Fire!! Fire! Ahhhh!!!”

Then the crossbows bolts were unleashed from the walls, and the soldiers began to fall like flies.

It was a state of great chaos now.

“Gah!?”

“It-it’s over!! Run!!”

One soldier shouted, and then the others began to escape towards the northern forest without fighting.

However, rocks began to fly from the forest as well.

Any who got close were then caught by vines and thrown to the ground.

The Ents had gone to the northern forest and waited there.

“E-Ents!?”

“Wh-what should we do!? What!?”

The soldiers had nowhere to run now. And it was then that a single shadow flew through them.

And any who saw it, had their heads cut off.

“Wh-what is…!? …!?”

And then one soldier caught sight of it.

A beautiful woman with long platinum hair… The soldier was captivated by Iria.

But he was filled with dread once he saw her face.

And with an expression of despair, his head went flying from his body.

“Charge!! Don’t lose to the princess!!”

Mette shouted from the back, and the armed Kijins and werewolves began to charge.

Mette cut down the enemy one after another with her sword, as if she was competing with Iria.

The enemy was too confused to fight properly, and they were slaughtered altogether.

After awhile, some of them began to shout that they surrendered, and the rest threw down their weapons

As for those who had escaped, there were about thirty who had headed towards the river in the east.