Reinforcements are just one person? What a joke.
If she were a seasoned First-Class Mage, that would be one thing, but this woman is clearly a Second-Class.
A single Second-Class Mage can hardly be considered strong reinforcements.
Was I abandoned? No, this isn't the Empire. The Magic Association is relatively humane; they wouldn't do something like this, nor would they send an ordinary Second-Class Mage here to die.
After a brief moment of shock, Wirbel regained his composure and began to scrutinize the woman before him.
The first thing to catch his eye was, naturally, her waist-length green hair.
Tsk... Green.
Wirbel clicked his tongue in annoyance.
For certain personal reasons, he was prejudiced against women with green hair.
In his view, women with green hair were all lunatics, every last one of them unhinged.
Although the woman before him had acted like a well-behaved girl since she entered, Wirbel had a feeling she was trouble. Those eyes... without a doubt, they were the eyes of a killer.
A madwoman, just as I thought. But that's fine. This is a battlefield. As long as she's useful fighting power, I'm happy to accept a lunatic.
Right, one academic type dragging us down is enough. I can't handle two.
And on closer inspection, is that blood on her?
Wirbel stared at the bloodstains on Fíliya's boots, lost in thought.
An attack by bandits? No, there are clear traces of mana on this blood.
Which means, before reporting to me, this woman either killed another mage, or... she killed a member of the Demon Race.
"You've already encountered the Demon Race?"
Wirbel probed.
"Yes, I ran into some on the way here. By the way... don't you think this is a failure on your front's part? You all are supposed to be holding the line, so why are stragglers from the Demon Race slipping past to ambush me in the rear?"
Fíliya spread her hands and shrugged with a slightly innocent expression.
"On that point, it is indeed our mistake. The current situation is dire."
Hmm?
Fíliya's curiosity was piqued, and she was about to ask Wirbel just how dire it was.
But just then, the cabin's wooden door was suddenly pushed open, and another figure burst in frantically.
"I heard the reinforcements arrived?"
Hmm? That voice is familiar.
Fíliya turned around, and her eyes met the newcomer's.
...I can't remember.
The person's face was certainly familiar, but the name was on the tip of her tongue and refused to surface.
"Ehre, you're back. Any movement from the Demon Race?"
Wirbel ignored the girl's question, instead asking about what concerned him most.
"Same as always. For some reason, the Demon Race has suddenly gone dormant. They show no intention of attacking again."
Ehre first reported to Wirbel, then turned her attention to Fíliya.
"You're... Fíliya?"
Ehre covered her mouth, clearly surprised to see Fíliya here.
"Hmm..."
Fíliya could only stroke her chin, feigning deep thought.
She had just heard the girl's name, but the image in her mind remained blurry.
Who is this person with short, brown hair and the air of a top student?
"It's me, Ehre... We've met... at the magic academy. And at the Association, too, but you were talking with my grandfather then, so you probably... didn't notice me."
Grandfather?
Fíliya raised an eyebrow slightly. Now she had a clue.
After all, she only knew one old man.
"Ohh~~ You're Lernen's granddaughter."
Fíliya finally remembered who she was. No wonder this honor student looked familiar.
"Oh? If you're acquaintances, that makes things easier. Saves us the introductions... Ehre."
Wirbel suddenly gestured to Ehre, seemingly wanting to whisper something to her.
So Fíliya watched calmly as the two of them began to speak in hushed tones.
...
"Ehre, since you know this woman... how strong is she?"
Wirbel got straight to the point.
"I don't know... but she should be much, much stronger than me."
Ehre replied after a moment's thought.
"Are you kidding? Just going by mana, you have five times her amount. And weren't you the top student at the magic academy? Since you both graduated from there, how could she possibly be stronger than you?"
"Well... she barely ever showed up for exams at the academy... Besides, I overheard at home that my grandfather was furious with her, you know? You know my grandfather, right? An ordinary mage could never make him angry."
"Tsk, so in the end, we still can't be sure, huh."
Wirbel scratched his hair in frustration.
But he also felt more at ease. After all, just as Ehre said, her grandfather—Lernen—was the first First-Class Mage certified by the continent. Anyone who could infuriate a man of that caliber couldn't be ordinary.
"Um... could you please not ignore me? My feelings will be hurt."
Fíliya spoke up with a slightly aggrieved tone, even raising a hand and waving it as if to prove her existence.
"Ahem... Alright, your name is Fíliya, right? In any case, welcome to the team."
Wirbel extended his hand. Fíliya said nothing more and casually shook it.
"Then... I'll get straight to the point. While it's extremely rude to ask another mage to demonstrate their magic, we're about to become comrades who entrust our lives to each other. To ensure Ehre and I can place our lives in your hands... I must confirm your strength. I hope you can understand."
Wirbel's eyes narrowed as he spoke.
"How could you... You can see my mana at a glance, can't you? I'm just a very weak mage, I don't have any great power... Let me off the hook, handsome. I've been traveling all day... Can we eat first?"
Fíliya played the part of a fragile woman, her tone even becoming a little timid.
Heh... This madwoman.
You can't trust a single word a woman with green hair says.
Wirbel curled his lip in disdain, then immediately used his signature magic.
[Restraining Magic]
Any target within Wirbel's line of sight could be instantly suppressed with this spell.
Of course, the spell had a small weakness: he had to be able to see the target's entire body.
If forced into close-quarters combat, or if the target was too large for him to see in its entirety, the magic could be broken.
But at this moment, Fíliya clearly fell into neither of those categories.
Two intersecting rings of light enveloped Fíliya, and she collapsed onto her side, completely immobilized.
____
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