Shock. Distrust. Amazement.

Those were the emotions filling most of the gazes directed at Ludger.

But among them, a few held something different.

Interest. Curiosity. Ambition.

Those were the ones who, even after witnessing Ludger’s power, dismissed it as nothing more than “unusual.”

Most of them were people Arfa had mentioned on his list.

‘The problem is, even now, I still can’t tell which one is Leslie.’

Normally, after a display like that, someone would have reacted oddly.

That was why Ludger had specifically told Arfa to watch carefully—but judging by Arfa’s lack of response, no one had stood out.

At that moment, Arfa approached him quietly.

“Leader. Are you sure it’s okay to draw this much attention?”

“Of course not. I intended to keep a low profile.”

“But we haven’t spotted anyone suspicious. Won’t that be a problem?”

“They might be here but simply haven’t shown themselves. We’ll change the plan.”

“How?”

“If we can’t find them, we’ll make them come to us.”

Originally, Ludger’s goal here was to locate members of the Black Dawn Society.

Best case, Leslie himself. But if not, even one of his subordinates would do.

However, if he actively approached them, they would only grow suspicious.

So, he would flip the approach.

If he made himself loud and conspicuous enough, they would have to come to him.

“To do that, we’ll have to make an even bigger scene.”

In that sense, Sempas picking a fight had been an excellent start. It had put Ludger squarely in everyone’s mind.

And this was only the beginning.

Just then, a mage approached Ludger.

Recognizing the familiar face, Ludger suppressed a sigh.

“Lu–Ludger Cherish, sir! It’s been a while. I’m so glad to see you here!”

It was Loina Pavlini.

She looked almost relieved, like someone who had found a savior in hell.

‘...Not exactly the kind of attention I wanted.’

Loina Pavlini rushed toward him like a drowning woman spotting a lifeboat.

“H-hehe... What brings you here, Professor Ludger? Are you joining the expedition? If you don’t mind, could I... maybe join you?”

“Loina Pavlini, you...”

“Please, just call me Loina.”

“...You already have companions, don’t you?”

Ludger cast a sidelong glance at the mages who had come with her.

“Well, yes, but...”

She fidgeted awkwardly.

“Thing is, um... I’m not really close to them.”

“You’re all part of the same Mage Alliance, aren’t you?”

“Yes, but... just because we’re in the same organization doesn’t mean we’re friends. Honestly, it’s kind of uncomfortable. We weren’t even connected before this—they were just assigned to me by someone else...”

Her explanation rambled, but in essence, it meant: I don’t like them and I feel awkward with them.

“So, in other words, you’re uncomfortable with them and came to me because I’m at least someone you recognize.”

“Th-that’s not exactly what I said, but... yes, close enough.”

“Close enough” was basically admitting it outright.

“I understand why you approached me instead, but... isn’t it strange?”

“What do you mean?”

“We aren’t exactly close either, are we?”

“...!”

Loina looked at him as though the sky had fallen.

“You mean... we’re not close?!”

“...”

For a moment, Ludger wondered if perhaps they were close. Her expression was that sincere.

‘But no. There’s no way. We’ve only met three times.’

And even then, they’d barely exchanged a few words.

“What makes you think that?”

“B-because... you saved me and my students in the capital that day!”

That was it?

Well, he supposed it wasn’t strange from her perspective.

If Ludger hadn’t arrived when he did, Loina might have died—her mana had been nearly depleted.

Still, saving someone’s life didn’t automatically make you friends.

When he pointed that out, Loina blinked innocently.

“Wait, if someone saves your life, doesn’t that mean you’re close?”

“....”

Ludger had nearly forgotten something.

Every mage who had reached 6th-Circle, Lexuror level was a bit... abnormal.

That rank required more than talent—it required something in a person to be slightly warped.

And Loina, who had earned the title at such a young age, was probably more warped than most.

Her complete lack of social awareness was proof enough.

“If someone saves your life, they’re close.”

Beside him, Arfa repeated the words, as if absorbing them as gospel.

Not wanting Arfa to pick up bad habits, Ludger corrected her firmly.

“Yes, I helped you. But that doesn’t mean we’re close. Do you consider police or soldiers who save you in danger to automatically be your friends?”

“Why not?”

“...They’re not.”

“But... back when I was in the Academy, there was a mage who said I was his friend after I helped him with his research papers.”

“A friend?”

“Yes! So I kept helping him with his papers, and even after I became Lexuror, I helped whenever he asked. He stopped contacting me lately—says he’s too busy. That’s too bad...”

“...”

That wasn’t a friend. That was you being used like a doormat.

Ludger almost told her outright, but decided against it. Crushing such a naïve person would feel unnecessarily cruel.

‘Come to think of it, I have a student kind of like this... but at least that kid has a terrifying older sister watching over him.’

‘Now, how do I get rid of her...?’

Loina’s presence was drawing attention—and that was something Ludger had been trying to avoid.

...But then he reconsidered.

‘Wait. Drawing attention is exactly what I want right now.’

If even Leslie himself didn’t come, someone from the Black Dawn certainly would if Ludger caused enough of a stir.

Thinking that, Ludger looked at Loina.

She gazed back at him with an earnest, almost pleading look.

Her long bangs hid her eyes, but her desperate hope was obvious—she clearly didn’t want to stay with her group.

“...Fine. If you insist, I suppose we can move together.”

Loina’s face lit up instantly.

“Though your companions might not approve—”

“Don’t worry! I’ll talk to them!”

She dashed back to her group, practically skipping.

She returned moments later, beaming.

“They said it’s fine!”

“...Are you sure it really is?”

From afar, the mages of the Mage Alliance were eyeing Ludger with obvious displeasure.

Their expressions said it all—they clearly wanted to complain, but because of Loina, they couldn’t.

Loina might find them unpleasant, but to them, she was still a 6th-Circle mage, someone to be treated with utmost respect, regardless of personal feelings.

“Well, if they’re fine with it, I have no objections. I’ll be in your care, then.”

“Yes!”

Loina nodded enthusiastically, her face lighting up.

“We’re friends now, right?!”

“...”

* * *

Meanwhile, Sempas, the so-called Mad Dog, had moved on to picking fights with other mages.

Small disturbances rippled through the camp wherever he went.

But those who frequented the Casarr Basin treated it as little more than a yearly tradition.

There were far more important matters to focus on than Sempas’s antics.

Watching other mages fight could be entertaining, sure, but exploring the mysteries of this land took priority.

“Move out!”

At the signal, the expedition began its march.

There were easily over a thousand mages gathered at the forward base, and of them, three hundred were moving toward the fabled Mansion of Secrets.

With that many, they could handle almost any unexpected danger.

And with powerful combat mages scattered among them, the expedition’s presence was nothing short of formidable.

“Are we taking this path?” Arfa asked, glancing at the dense forest growing closer.

Ludger didn’t immediately answer; he didn’t know the terrain well enough.

Instead, Loina did.

“Yes, that’s right. The mansion we’re heading for is past this forest.”

“You seem to know your way around.”

“I may not look it, but this is my fifth year here,” she said, placing her hands proudly on her hips.

Five years wasn’t exactly a long time. In total days spent, it was barely over two weeks.

But compared to complete newcomers, she was certainly more knowledgeable.

And with her specialization in magic theory and analysis, it was only natural she would know more than most.

At least she was useful in that regard.

“I’ve heard that the creatures living in this forest have ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) adapted to the Casarr Basin’s environment, making them far from ordinary. Isn’t this path dangerous?” Ludger asked.

“Of course it’s dangerous.”

“Why?” Arfa tilted her head.

“Because of the overwhelming mana in the air,” Loina explained. “The plants and animals here have undergone mutations and evolutions. Even a creature as cute-looking as a rabbit could be deadly.”

“Deadly even for mages?”

“It depends. Small creatures are manageable, but in groups, they’re troublesome. Larger predators are far worse. Every year, Mystic Night reports nearly a hundred casualties. Most die from mana-related disasters, but attacks from beasts aren’t insignificant either.”

A hundred deaths despite the presence of mages.

The Casarr Basin’s beauty clearly hid extreme danger.

“On average, around ten die each year specifically from attacks by the basin’s creatures,” Loina continued. “The forward base is protected by barriers, but beyond that, no such safety exists.”

“Wouldn’t that make the forest even more dangerous?” Ludger asked.

A dense forest was the perfect place for predators. Ambushes would be difficult to spot, and the beasts here wouldn’t rely solely on claws and fangs.

“Actually, the forest is safer,” Loina countered. “There’s a long-established trail, and for some reason, the dense trees seem to suppress large-scale mana disasters. Beasts do attack, but they’re manageable.”

“Manageable, you say... That implies there are situations that aren’t manageable.”

“If that’s how it sounded, you understood correctly. Thankfully, that kind of disaster doesn’t happen in this forest. And with an expedition this large, I’d say it’s relatively safe.”

Ludger glanced around at the slow-moving line of mages.

“That explains why so many combat-oriented mages are included.”

Loina blinked in surprise, as if to ask how he knew.

To Ludger, it was obvious. War mages had a distinct air about them.

Not to mention, his monocle artifact let him gauge their mana flow, honed by real battlefield experience.

“It’s easy to tell them apart from scholars and researchers,” he added casually.

“That’s right. They’re not here to study the mansion’s mysteries. They’re here as security,” Loina confirmed.

“Do combat mages really need to be here?”

“They need knowledge, too. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Ludger nodded.

“The scholars and researchers get protection, and the combat mages gain access to valuable magical data. A symbiotic relationship, like crocodiles and plover birds.”

“Exactly.”

Suddenly—

Brrrriiip!

Grrrrowl! Awooo!

Animal cries echoed from deeper within the forest.

Arfa’s eyes sparkled with curiosity at the sounds, but Loina, mistaking her reaction for fear, tried to reassure her.

“It’s fine. In the past, attacks caught people off guard, but now we have proper countermeasures. Especially with over three hundred people, we’re much safer.”

Ludger’s eyes narrowed.

“This large a group isn’t common, is it?”

“Numbers have been increasing every year, but last year was only about two hundred. This year is unusual.”

“I see.”

Loina might not think much of it, but Ludger knew it wasn’t a coincidence.

So many mages gathering at once—this was deliberate.

“Well, isn’t it better with more people? At least we’ll get through the forest safely.”

“Why?” Arfa asked innocently.

Loina smiled warmly at her.

“Even mana-mutated beasts are still animals. Instinct drives them to avoid threats they can’t handle.”

At that moment, Ludger froze, his gaze fixed on the thick forest ahead.

“Ludger?” Loina asked. “Do you see something?”

Ludger’s face hardened.

“Loina.”

“Yes?”

“Just now, the cries of the animals stopped. Even the insects have gone silent.”

“...What?”

“That means we should prepare for what’s coming.”