Solar Mage

Chapter 25: The Dusty Knights

Since I have enough mana to form my third circle, I should start forming it right now. The problem is, is this carriage safe enough? I will be completely defenseless during meditation but I am also far too weak as a mage to be able to confidently defend myself.

I glance over at the boy. He is still shaking from fear.

This carriage should be pretty safe now. That twin probably won't try anything funny right?

Clear the mind, think blank thoughts.

I cross my legs into the lotus position and begin to concentrate on my meditation, as my consciousness slowly drifts away.

I sense some kind of mumbling over and over again, but my concentration does not break as I forcefully hold back any thoughts from forming.

"Sir!!!"

My concentration finally breaks and I awaken, only after the boy grabs my arm and screams into my ear.

My body instinctively moves away from the arm grabbing me, as I jump out of the carriage.

Who is it? Who touched me? I can feel my 3rd mana circle, but it has not fully formed yet. I still need more time. It must be because I was not in direct sunlight.

Then, I finally grasp the situation as I look around.

Wait, we're here at the Zidden Dungeon already? I didn't even feel the carriage stop! I knew forming a circle was dangerous as it renders you unconscious and requires a lot of time to complete, but to think that I would be unable to sense anything at all, until they shook me. Now I see why mages don't form their circle out in the open.

"S- sir, are you okay?"

The boy says as he trembles heavily while holding onto the carriage door frame.

He's worrying about me even though he's scared himself. He's a kind kid.

I smile joyfully at him, attempting to cheer him up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Thank you for worrying about me."

I reach into my money pouch.

Right, I only had eight silver coins. Oh wait, I had another one that I took from the bandit leader!

I begin to walk over to him, as he slowly backs away from the door frame, to the other side of the carriage as I approach.

"P- please don't kill me, I promise I won't tell anyone about what happened today!"

If someone heard him say that, they would think I was a villain.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. I'm just here to give you what you deserve."

His expression turns even more agitated after hearing my words.

Did I say something wrong?

As I draw closer to him, he falls to the ground and closes his eyes before curling up into a fetal position as he starts crying.

What did I do to make him so terrified? Do I really look that intimidating?

"I'm sorry- I'm sorry- Please spare me, I swear on my life! I won't tell anyone!"

I make no movement for a second, before shaking the money bag. He curiously peeks up at me, to see what made the sound, as a child would do.

So he can act like a child.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

After noticing me seeing him, he quickly puts his head down once again and continues to cry.

This boy is getting on my nerves.

"I said I'm not going to hurt you now stop crying!"

I force his head up and take a good look at it.

There are cuts and bruises all over his face. He must have been tormented by the bandits a lot. He isn't evil and is just a normal kid who happened to get unlucky.

"Do you have parents?"

He hesitantly answers, as he pauses his crying for a moment.

"I- I don't have any. They were killed three years ago by those bandits when I was eight."

"I see."

I would love to take care of him, but I don't have the time right now.

"Do you have a name?"

He becomes dispirited.

"My parents and the bandits called me failure. I don't remember the name they gave me when I was born."

What kind of parents are those? I could understand bandits calling someone failure because they are loathsome. But the parents calling their own child that? They shouldn't have been allowed to become parents in the first place!

"Then I shall give you a new name."

His face lights up, his fear disappearing for a moment.

"Really?"

Agh- his smile, it's too bright! I said that I would give him a name but I'm not great at naming things...

"Hmm... How about Bran?"

"Bran sounds a bit weird..."

I don't have a talent for naming things okay?

"But I like it!"

Thank god.

"Bran, would you like to come back with me to the capital city after I finish my work here?"

"Really? Of course! I've always wanted to leave this colorless place where danger lurks at every corner!"

He is really good at speaking despite only being eleven...

"Okay, it may take a few days because I'll be in the dungeon, but-"

I take out the small money pouch with the gold coins inside.

"This bag has five gold coins. You can do whatever you wish to do with it, and you can keep the carriage."

His eyes are filled with amazement.

"So much money!"

If I don't come back within three days, I'll probably be dead so don't wait for me."

He begins frowning.

"Don't say that, if you say that to everyone you know, they will just be worried, anticipating your death!"

This kid– he might be smarter than me...

"Alright, alright let's not waste any more time, I'll be back in three days so just wait for me. Make sure you bring the carriage too."

He nods, then jumps to the coachbox and begins to drive the carriage.

I quickly jump out and wave him goodbye as he waves back, before turning and walking to the gathering place outside of the dungeon.

There are merchant stands selling weapons, armor, maps, and food. And there are adventurers standing around the entrance of the dungeon with their party members.

As I walk to the dungeon entrance, I walk past adventurers shouting.

"Looking for a battle priest!"

"Anyone here a Heavy Shielder!?"

"Anyone looking for an Assassin!?"

I glance at the shouters showing hints of disappointment.

Hmph, isn't this just an E rank dungeon? What need is there to form a party for such a low ranked dungeon?

Then I suddenly recall a memory.

Right, Amy did tell me to find a party. There's no way she would be able to find out if I went alone but, I'll do it just for her since I am a reliable and trustworthy older brother now! Still, I haven't heard anyone say they were looking for a mage so it might be tough to find a party.

I look around and concentrate on my hearing, to find a party. Suddenly, a shout from behind me attracts my attention.

"Looking for a fire mage to join our party!"

What a coincidence, fate seems to be on my side today. I'm a mage of the solar attribute, but it's properties should be able to fool ordinary adventurers.

I turn around and walk up to him. He is a bald, muscular, middle aged man equipped with a sword to his side.

His head is so shiny...

"I heard you were looking for a fire mage?"

He shakes my hand with a strong grip.

"Yes, we're normally a party of five but our fire mage has been sick for the past few days so they left the party. My name's Han, I am a C rank Adventurer and my hair was completely burnt off by our former fire mage."

So that's why his hair is gone despite not looking that old.

"I'm sorry, that must have been so rough."

I hug him, as a mother would do to comfort her child.

"U- uh thank you?"

I hug him in silence as I feel his body begin to get hotter, then I see his face red with embarrassment as other adventurers begin to stare at him, specifically his head. Then, he pushes me away and has an angry expression on his face, before he sighs.

"Let's not waste any more time, we were planning on going in as fast as possible. Just show me proof that you can use fire magic and head in already."

He must be insecure about his bald head. Aside from that, it would be too weird if I just casted a spell without chanting wouldn't it?

I begin to chant in the mystic language and summon dawn.

This should look enough like a fireball right?

I glance at him and see him examining dawn.

"That's a pretty unique fireball, for it to be this round, you must have a lot of experience using this spell! That's enough testing, come meet the rest of the Dusty Knights with me."

Looks like he bought the fake fireball.

We begin walking towards the entrance of the dungeon, where the concentration of adventurers is higher.

"What are the Dusty Knights? I've never heard of that knight order before."

"Haha, there's no need for concern, it's not a knight order, it's just the name we gave our party."

Calling themselves knights is a bit-

"Calling ourselves knights is a bit of a stretch right?"

"How did you know what I was thinking?"

"I could see it written all across your face. Everyone tells us the same thing. But all of our dreams are to one day become knights in a knight order."

"Aren't you 40? Aren't you going to retire soon?"

"What!?! Do I look that old?! I'm only 25!!!"

I stare intensely at his face.

No matter how long I look at it, he still looks old! Maybe it's because the hair is gone but there's no way he's 25!

"I'm sorry, that must have been so rough."

I lean in for a hug again but he immediately pushes me away the moment he sees me coming.

"Let's not do that again, ever. I don't need your pity."

The pain of losing his hair must've been worse than I imagined seeing how angry he is.

"We're here, introduce yourselves to our new party member– what was your name again?"

"Oh, you can just call me nameless."

"Okay, guys introduce yourselves to our new party member, Nameless."

"Sara, you go first."

She groans.

"Ugh, my name is Sara and I'm the ranger of the party. I'm a C rank."

She is a woman with orange hair, light armor, and a shortbow. She looks at me with indifference before turning away.

Han looks at another muscular middle aged bald man with a giant shield on his back.

"My name is Tin. I've been in this party with Han for six years. I'm also a C rank."

He smiles at me cheerfully and reaches his arm out for me to shake his hand.

Han then looks at a young girl wearing some kind of priest garments.

"Hmph! My name is Rachel. I'm the priest of the party. I'm an E Rank."

What's with the personalities of this party? Do they even work together? Han and Tin are friendly but Rachel and Sara, not really.

Han claps his hands to get our attention.

"Alright, now that we all know each other, let's head into the dungeon. We're losing daylight."