Chapter 299 Just Someone I Know

Ian and his group carefully followed the suspicious figure who had entered the alleyway.

A dim, secluded spot a bit deep into the alley, where people’s eyes didn’t easily reach.

Rin, who was leading the chase at the front, looked back and signaled to Ian.

It was a sign that she had found something.

By the time Ian arrived, the suspicious figure had already vanished from the alley, and Rin was examining the vicinity.

’They went in through this door.’

’Is it a basement warehouse?’

It was an old, abandoned building without an owner.

Since both the location and its condition were poor, and the price surely wouldn’t be cheap either.

It was a place that didn’t look like it would have a new owner for quite a long time.

The scammer seemed to have broken the lock on the basement and was using it as a hideout.

’First... only Lia come in with me.’

’What about me?’

’Stay outside and catch them if they try to run.’

’Got it! Leave it to me!’

Keeping the non-combatants far back just in case, Ian opened the basement door together with Lia.

Along with the sound of rusty hinges, a set of dust-covered stairs was revealed.

Lia, making eye contact with Ian, nodded and stepped inside without hesitation.

’W-what! Who are you guys!’

Since it was a small place barely fit for one person to hide in, the scammer inside immediately noticed someone had entered.

Two suspicious figures wearing robes had entered the basement.

Since it was clear at a glance that they hadn’t come with good intentions, the scammer inside immediately drew a weapon.

’Are you guys from 9th Street? Making such a fuss just because I did a little business in the market for a few days.’

When neither Ian nor Lia replied, the scammer raised a dagger with a nauseating giggle.

’Hehe, only two of you, not even knowing my skills? You’ve made a mistake.’

Holding an ordinary-looking, cheap dagger and taking a stance as if to pounce, the scammer moved first.

’Die!’

The scammer swung his arm wide and threw the dagger he was holding.

From the preparatory movement to it flying toward the two.

It was so embarrassingly slow that both Lia and Ian simply turned their bodies slightly and easily dodged it.

’Wh-huh?!’

As if he hadn’t even considered the possibility of the attack missing, the scammer wore a look of shock upon seeing the two who had effortlessly evaded the throw.

’....’

Lia approached the scammer without a word and swung her fist.

Without even being able to attempt a dodge or a block, the scammer was sent flying by a single blow from Lia’s fist.

’Gack, wait! I surrender! I surrender!’

’Eh, what... he’s weak?’

Rin, who had been peeking inside from behind with a tense expression, murmured.

Having heard the sounds of conversation flowing from within, Rin had been ready to jump in and help at any moment, thinking it was a formidable opponent.

However, the opponent was more of a loser than she could have imagined.

Wondering if it might be an act, Rin stared intently at the scammer with suspicious eyes.

Lia spoke to Rin with an expression that wasn’t particularly surprised.

’How strong could a thug who goes around pulling scams like this be?’

It was only natural that the opponent’s skills were unremarkable.

In this city, there are countless ways for a swordsman to make money.

In such a city, the skills of the bottom-feeders living as back-alley thugs go without saying.

As the fallen scammer was grabbed and dragged out by Lia, the other members who had been standing back gathered around.

Mika, coming closer, frowned upon hearing the scammer’s voice and shouted.

’Ah! That’s the voice! The guy who sold me the fake magic tome!’

’What? Oh, that sucker mage....’

’What! You...!’

Mika swung her staff.

’Kyack!’

On the outside, she looked like a frail mage, but Mika had already grown to nearly Level 20.

Although her strength growth was minimal since she was a mage, it wasn’t a level of power that could be ignored.

The scammer, who had been screaming while being pummeled by Mika for quite a while, yelled out.

’Do you have proof?!’

’What?’

’You don’t even have proof that I scammed you!’

’Does that even make sense!’

Mika raised her staff with a furious expression.

...If one were to actually entertain those words, there really wasn’t any.

They hadn’t signed a contract, nor was it notarized by a witness.

There was no way proof could remain for a simple transaction at a street stall.

’Call the guards!’

Even without him saying so, the outside was already a bit noisy from the sound of the fight in the alley.

The guards were already approaching the alley.

’Do you know how close I am with the guards! Doing something like this without proof, you’d better be prepared!’

The scammer shouted confidently.

It was time for him to collect on the value of the drinks he’d bought for the guards to get on their good side.

Of course, since he couldn’t just throw money around, he only knew a few, but that was enough.

In these common, unremarkable disputes, the guards usually ended up taking the side of the person they knew, even if just slightly.

The opponent seemed to be a mercenary of some rank, but there was no proof anyway.

If both sides insisted without evidence, usually the side with more familiarity with the guards would win.

In the meantime, several guards entered the alley.

’Over here! These guys suddenly barged in and attacked an innocent man like me....’

’Captain Ian.’

Cutting off the scammer’s words, the squad leader who brought the guards spoke to Ian first.

’I received the message you sent this morning.’

’Squad Leader Mikhail. You came yourself.’

’Haha, didn’t I fail to give you a proper greeting when we met last time?’

It was Second Lieutenant Mikhail of the patrol unit, who had received help from Ian in the forest previously.

Perhaps because he had finally transferred to the city duty he so desired thanks to Leona’s recommendation letter, his face was noticeably brighter than before.

Mikhail grabbed Ian’s hand firmly.

’It’s all thanks to you speaking well of me, Captain.’

’....’

In truth, Ian didn’t recall much particularly ’good’ being said about Mikhail.

After a moment of thought, Ian spoke cautiously.

’No. Regardless, they seemed to remember your face just by hearing your name.’

’Is that so!’

He didn’t make up words that weren’t true.

The man himself was happy, so that was enough.

Ian nodded without saying anything.

’By the way....’

After finishing his quite long greeting, Mikhail’s gaze shifted to the side.

The scammer’s complexion had turned deathly pale upon seeing Ian, who seemed to have a genuine connection with the guards.

Since if neither side had proof, the crime would be decided based on one’s relationship with the guards.

’Is this the guy?’

’Yes. He’s a scammer.’

Mikhail’s gaze turned toward the inside of the basement.

’Illegal squatting as well. A serious crime indeed.’

The scammer ultimately couldn’t say a word and was dragged away by the guards.

Ian pointed to the basement and spoke subtly to Mikhail.

’Ah, one moment. One of our members was scammed. May we retrieve some items from inside?’

’Go ahead.’

’Mika. Come here.’

’Ah, yes!’

Taking Mika down the stairs, Ian quickly found the money pouch the scammer had hoarded in the basement.

Ian took out 7 gold coins that Mika had lost to the scammer and gave them back to her.

’Huh? Captain, I only lost 5....’

’You’re honest. Here, take the remaining silver too.’

Ian gave all the coins in the pouch to Mika.

It wasn’t like a contract or notarization remained.

In street stall transactions where there was no physical evidence, slight discrepancies were bound to occur.

’...Huh?’

Having returned the money, Ian’s gaze paused just as he was about to leave the basement.

Since it was the hideout of a scammer who dressed up worthless items to look expensive before selling them, everything inside was fake.

However, Ian’s gaze stopped on one particular item among them.

Ian quietly picked up an old book and tucked it into his robe.

’Did you find the item?’

’Yes. Luckily, it was still there.’

’That’s good. We’ll handle the rest.’

Since he had an acquaintance who was eager to help, the complex and annoying procedures were largely skipped.

After exchanging greetings with Mikhail, Ian was able to leave the scene just like that.

＊ ＊ ＊

On the way back to the base after perfectly resolving Mika’s issue.

Amidst the excited atmosphere of everyone chatting about today’s events as they walked, Ian handed a book to Mika beside him.

’Here, Mika. I’m giving you this.’

’Huh? What is... this?’

What Ian held out was one of the old books that had been piled up in the hideout.

Mika accepted it with a puzzled expression.

’There happened to be one real magic tome in there.’

’...Pardon?’

The scammer who had been selling old books by dressing them up to look like magic tomes.

Ian had discovered that one real magic tome was mixed in among the fake ones piled there.

The man himself probably didn’t even know. If he had, he wouldn’t have needed to pull scams; he would have sold it for a high price long ago.

’M-magic tome? This is?’

’Yeah. You said you wanted to learn new magic, right? It’s yours.’

Was there such a thing as fate after all?

She had been scammed and had half-given up....

Looking down at the magic tome that had eventually ended up in her hands, Mika murmured in a voice filled with emotion.

’Finally.... Can I also learn an area-of-effect attack spell now?’

’...Huh?’

As Ian looked at Mika with a puzzled expression, Mika also asked with a confused face.

’Is it... not an attack spell?’

’I never said it was.’

...Now that she thought about it, that was true.

An attack spell was merely Mika’s wish.

Since the magic tome was discovered by chance, the probability of it being the magic Mika wanted was almost zero.

’Well, I want to learn an AoE spell that sweeps away monsters....’

After a moment of thought, Mika cautiously spoke her requirements to Ian.

However, Ian shook his head as if that was absolutely impossible.

’There’s no way a scammer like that would have something like that, even by accident.’

’I see....’

For starters, to use a large-scale AoE spell like Mika wanted, simply learning one spell wasn’t enough.

One had to possess several auxiliary traits specialized for area attacks—like [Wide-Range Destruction], [Elemental Dispersion], or [Explosion]—to produce such power.

In short, it meant talent.

’I see....’

Mika’s head slumped low.

She was very grateful for the magic tome.

But another auxiliary spell.

It was a result satisfying only to Ian.

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[Mana Infusion]

- [Link] Attribute Magic

- Consumes MP to restore an ally’s MP

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