Poor Noble Nord’s Adventure

51. Rearguard

(What destructive power… so this is the might of a magical tool.)

The power of the flaming magic sword Nord had instinctively drawn was truly astounding.

The moment he chanted the incantation in his mind, flames ignited along the red, gem-like blade, rapidly expanding. In an instant, it transformed into a massive fireball, as large as Nord’s own torso.

Aiming precisely as instructed by the creator of this tool—Elisio—the fireball shot forth like an arrow and struck the lead spider squarely.

Upon impact, it erupted with a deafening roar, a towering pillar of fire engulfing not only the direct target but also the surrounding spiders in its blazing inferno.

When the flames subsided, all that remained was the charred corpse of the spider.

(This is classified as intermediate-level magic? No wonder mages are so revered. It makes sense that adventurers would vie for their company.)

During his adventuring days, Nord had never partnered with a mage. The scarcity of mages among adventurers partly explained this, but more so, promising novice mages were often recruited by influential adventurer groups.

Only now did he fully grasp why.

The flaming magic sword Nord had received from Elisio was imbued with the power of Fireball. This spell, considered intermediate-level magic, could be used by any competent mage.

In other words, a properly trained mage could easily achieve the rank of Bronze-tier adventurer, which was Nord’s current level. The potential for even greater mastery in higher-tier spells was immense.

Regardless, Nord now held this potent magic, albeit in a limited form, in his hands.

If everything went well, perhaps he could drive back this entire swarm of spiders. Witnessing the fireball’s destructive power, such a thought briefly crossed Nord’s mind.

(Wait… right, there’s a usage limit.)

But reality wasn’t so convenient.

The flaming sword in Nord’s hand began to crack along its gem-like red blade.

With a sharp snap, about a third of the blade shattered and scattered.

“It’s a prototype, so it can only be used a few times,” Elisio had warned him.

Watching the glittering shards vanish like melting ice, Nord recalled Elisio’s words. Judging by the noticeably shorter blade, he likely had one or two uses of Fireball left.

“It’s a trump card for emergencies. Can’t have too many of those, I suppose.”

The enemy numbers were overwhelming. He needed to use it judiciously.

“Shreeeeaaahhh!”

“Now, now, no need to rush.”

Nord dispatched the charging knight spider with his trusty jadeite sword instead of the magic blade.

This maneuver succeeded in diverting the spiders’ attention from chasing Newt, but it also made Nord their sole target.

(Newt will reach the village and start the evacuation… but there’s never enough time.)

At Newt’s flying speed, he should arrive at the village by midnight.

However, with autumn deepening, dawn would remain dark. Even in Alba Village, where early-rising farmers were common, evacuating in the dim pre-dawn would undoubtedly take time.

(This is shaping up to be a long night…)

Nord tightened his grip on his sword’s hilt once more.

§

The Alba Forest whispered in the wind.

The trees, shedding leaves as winter approached, swayed gently from side to side.

Above the forest, a perfectly round moon hung in the sky, high above even the peaks of the northern mountains, casting its pale light on the land below.

Under that moonlight, a shadow moved swiftly.

The shadow was Newt.

Gliding through the air above the forest, he beat his large wings, slicing through the wind.

His green scales reflected the moonlight as he flew with all the speed he could muster.

His destination was, of course, Alba Village.

Following the orders of his master—and parent—Nord, Newt was tasked with delivering an important letter.

Truthfully, Newt did not want to leave Nord’s side.

He hated the thought of leaving his beloved family behind in the midst of those hairy, repugnant creatures.

But Newt also understood that even if he stayed, he wouldn’t be of much help.

In the summer—when he had been smaller—Newt had been utterly defeated by one of those hairy monsters.

Now, he was confident he could win. He knew that he, and Nord too, had grown stronger. So, he believed Nord wouldn’t struggle against those creatures anymore.

But—

Among that swarm, Newt had sensed a far stronger presence.

—Could Nord handle that powerful one while fending off the horde?

Newt glanced nervously back in the direction he had come, considering whether to turn around.

He shook his head vigorously to dispel the thought.

He had a mission entrusted to him by Nord.

Only after completing it could he return.

Newt flapped his wings with renewed determination.

The wind caught by his wing membranes slammed downward, shaking the trees below even more violently.

Ignoring the commotion he caused, Newt pressed forward, racing toward the human who bore a scent similar to Nord’s.