CHAPTER 16: THE CHARMING MAGE

The morning sun was merciless.

Even the air shimmered above the dirt road as the caravan trudged onward through the endless plains.

The horizon was nothing but gold and glare.

Knights clanked in full plate armor as sweat streamed down their burning necks.

Refugees shuffled behind the carriages.

The men walked while women, children, and the elderly rested inside.

Wheels creaked, horses snorted... stuff you’d expect.

Then somewhere up ahead, someone groaned—

"By the gods, it’s boiling!"

A knight yanked at his collar and hopelessly fanned himself with his gauntlet.

"Quit whining..."

A rugged adventurer shot back as he walked with a grin and a bare chest.

"It ain’t even that hot."

"That’s because you’re half-naked!"

"And you’re just jealous I can be."

"Jealous!? As if you could survive one hit from a troll without armor, you fool!"

The argument began to snowball.

Knights started shouting about discipline and duty.

Adventurers yelled back about freedom and strength.

Someone brought up sword skill, someone else mentioned pay differences.

Before long, it was a full-blown debate.

"Knights are just fancy babysitters!"

"At least we bathe!"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY—!?"

The chaos escalated—until a shrill, pained voice broke apart everything.

"CAN YOU ALL SHUT UP!?" (ᗒᗣᗕ)՞

Everyone froze.

Aldura slowly rode her horse with one hand pressed against her forehead.

Her hair was a mess, and her eyes looked half-dead.

The elegant smile she usually wore was replaced by that look of pure hangover regret.

"My head feels like it’s being hammered by a group of wicked dwarves... gods above, why did I drink so much last night...?"

"Master, uhm..."

Eurvaine had been riding quietly beside her.

"Why didn’t you use a potion?"

She quietly adjusted her oversized glasses.

Aldura squinted at her.

"Because I— wait..."

She blinked with a loud groan.

"I already used them all..."

Eurvaine frowned.

"I told you not to drink on the way here. You needed those potions for emergencies."

Aldura puffed her cheeks like a child.

"I don’t need a lecture, dear. And let’s REALLY be honest this journey would’ve been much easier if Merlin didn’t ban teleportation magic."

At the front, Nero tilted his head.

"Wait... banned teleportation?"

He trotted forward, reins clicking.

"Why would she—?"

"Can you not talk so loud..." (⇀‸↼‶)

Merlin’s voice was small but deadly.

She rode with her head hung low and a wrinkly frown on her face so intense that even her beauty couldn’t hide the fact she looked like a grumpy old man.

Her voice cracked.

"I have a headache... please... shut up..."

Nero sighed.

"Right." (￢_￢)

He raised his voice to the front.

"Captain Ardan! Can we stop for a second?"

The rattled knight captain turned his head.

"We need to reach Larian Town before dusk."

"It’ll only be a second!"

Ardan groaned, but he gave a hand signal.

"HALT!"

The line of travelers slowed to a stop.

Wheels creaked to a standstill.

The knights muttered among themselves, confused.

Merlin blinked. (O.O)

"What are you doing?"

Before she could finish──CHOP!

"OW—!"

Her head jerked forward as Nero’s hand landed cleanly on her crown.

Gasps erupted all around.

"Did he just—!?"

"He hit the Great Mage!?"

"Sweet heavens, the boy has a death wish."

"Maybe he’s tired of living."

"No, no—he’s braver than us."

"More like suicidal!"

Merlin winced as she rubbed her head furiously.

This little shit, she thought... ｡ﾟ･ (﹏) ･ﾟ｡

"Do you mind!? I’m your teacher! How dare you hit me like that, when I clearly said I have a—"

She stopped mid-rant when Nero held out a round glass potion bottle.

A thick, pearly liquid shimmered inside.

"What’s that?"

"Yunno, the White Hangover Cure..."

Nero said with a small smile.

"Made it for you—since, you know, you kinda drank enough to knock out a wyvern last night."

Merlin blinked, very stunned.

"But you... you used everything back home."

"I did... but after I helped you to bed, I got a little worried and brewed another one."

"..."

Merlin and everyone around was silent.

Nero didn’t know how to feel.

『Did I do something wrong? I over did it with the head chop didn’t it? Does she know I like her—!?』

He was a few nervous twitches from losing his mind.

『COVER IT UP WITH SOMETHING CASUAL!』

He leaned back a bit.

"Just in case." ╮( ˘ ､ ˘ )╭

The knights and adventurers erupted again.

"Wait, he tucked her in!?"

"No wonder she keeps him around."

"That kid’s got better instincts than half the men here."

"Is he taking discipleship lessons or dating lessons?"

"I’d kill for a man to make me a hangover cure."

Merlin’s cheeks flushed pink.

Her fingers hovered awkwardly before she took the potion bottle from him.

"You’re... insufferably considerate sometimes."

[ⓘ Merlin’s Affection +5% – "Maybe he’s not a total idiot after all."]

[ⓘ Reward:

Access to the General Store]

Nero froze.

『Wait—was that a blush!?』

His eyes widened so fast he almost dropped the potion bottle he’d been holding.

Merlin flinched, a bit startled.

"Wh-, What are you—!" (⁄ ⁄⁄ ▽ ⁄⁄ ⁄)

He laughed awkwardly and scratched his neck.

"Hehe, nothing, nothing! Just... drink it!"

She gave him a long, suspicious look before finally downing the potion.

A soft glow passed over her.

Her headache eased almost instantly.

"Mmm~ahhh..."

Merlin sighed in quiet relief then touched her cheek and frowned slightly.

『Why did I blush earlier? It’s so unlike me...』

She placed a hand on her.

『That’s stupid... I shouldn’t try that again. I can’t begin to imagine how dumb I looked!』

She gave Nero the stink-eye.

『This little bastard thinks he’s smug, huh!』

Meanwhile, Nero’s inner voice was equally chaotic.

『She actually blushed... Merlin blushed. That’s like seeing a dragon poop.』

But that wasn’t all—

[Ding! Title Earned – "The Charming Mage"]

‣ You gain +10 first impressions with every new character you meet.

Surely useful for future heroines!

Nero nodded hypnotically.

He was still shocked that Merlin was like THAT.

Up ahead, Eurvaine narrowed her eyes at them.

『He really made the Great Mage blush? He might just be as amazing as Aldura said...』

She tightened her grip on the reins.

By the way, Aldura had recovered enough to smirk.

"Well, I’m hurt..."

She folded her arms and acted mildly offended.

"No potion for me? I see how it is."

She placed a hand on her chest and chuckled.

"I guess the master always comes first."

"Actually..."

Nero appeared beside her horse, holding out another potion bottle.

"I made one for you too."

Aldura blinked. "You—did?" ( ˘ω˘ )

"Of course."

Merlin frowned faintly but stayed quiet.

"Typical."

This was her pretending not to care.

Aldura’s face lit up as she took the potion.

"You’re a sweetheart. Mmm—ahh, much better!"

She glanced at Eurvaine.

"See, why can’t you do something like this?"

Eurvaine stiffened.

"Because—! Because I—ugh, never mind!"

Aldura chuckled.

"You could learn a lot from Nero, dear~"

Eurvaine’s jaw tightened.

She gave her horse a sharp tug and rode forward.

Irritation was written all over her smallish face.

Ardan sighed and raised his hand.

"Alright, move out!"

The caravan lurched back into motion.

As Nero turned to remount his horse.

"Nero~♥️"

Aldura called out softly.

He looked back.

She blew him a gentle kiss and smiled.

"Thank you."

He blinked, flustered. "R-, Right..."

Merlin’s head turned slightly.

『So that’s how he wants to do it.』

She gave a long, pointed hmph! before trotting forward without a word.

[ⓘ Merlin is unhappy with you!]

[ⓘ Her affection has suffered a 3% loss!]

[ⓘ Her possessiveness has shot up by 5%]

He mounted his horse again, now in line beside her.

"Feeling better now?"

No answer.

"Merlin?"

Nothing.

He leaned closer. "Hello?"

Still nothing—just that blank, unreadable face as her horse trotted forward.

『Ouch. Silent treatment. That’s new.』

He sighed and looked ahead where Eurvaine was riding near the front.

Her braid swayed lightly in the wind.

He could feel his eyes drawn to the way her plump thighs quivered with every slow roll of the horse’s gait as her soft milky flesh shifted under the tight skirt like it was begging to spill free.

Eurvaine was petite all over.

Small body, modest chest that didn’t strain her top.

But those hips were a wicked curve, wide and lush, the kind that made a man’s hands itch.

He hadn’t clocked it until this morning when he saw her bend to tighten a strap.

The fabric squeezed so hard it made her thighs pop out like meaty pudding.

No wonder the knights kept staring like they could burn the skirt right off her with a glance; hell, he was half-hard just from the rhythm of the ride.

[ⓘ New Achievement Unlocked: Have an erotic memory of two women.]

Nero let out a disappointed sigh.

"I’m disgusting..."

That didn’t mean he’d stop thinking about it.

The travel continued.

『Last night, Ardan taught me about the [Magic Caste]. It’s the hierarchy of magic users. Wizard, Sorcerers, Warlocks... each one higher than the last.』

『I’m a Sorcerer. We’re born with natural mana affinity so spell construction comes to me instinctively. For others, it’s a lifetime of study. It’s not fair, really. Sorcerers don’t earn their power—they’re born into it. Like royalty.』

He sighed.

『Eurvaine’s a Wizard... not the good kind either. Low natural talent, tons of study. But even after all that, she can’t hope to compete with pretty much anyone. She probably thinks I’m everything wrong with this world’s system. A living reminder that effort doesn’t always equal strength.』

The soft clop of hooves continued.

『No wonder she hates me. I’d probably hate me too.』

He tried to wave at her once.

"Hey, Eurvaine—"

She ignored him.

Later, he rode up beside her again.

"I was thinking about what you said last—"

She cut him off. "Don’t."

『Yup. That went well.』

The caravan continued under the blazing sun.

The landscape rippled with heat.

Then suddenly—

"MONSTERS AHEAD!"

A shout came from the vanguard.

"Large pack of «Black Grizzlies» incoming!"

"FORMATION, NOW!"

The calm travel turned to chaos.

Horses neighed, steel was drawn, and dust kicked up as the knights moved to the front lines.

Ardan’s commanded everyone into position.

Nero gripped his reins tightly.