“Trouble strikes suddenly…”
“Ganges von Byreus Margrave. Your recent actions were truly righteous. Therefore, we bestow upon you the [Warfront Second Class Medal].”
“Your generosity is appreciated. I, Ganges, will remain committed to furthering my efforts for this country and the royal family.”
“With this, the award ceremony for Byreus Margrave is concluded. Dismissed.”
On a day sometime after the end of the war, due to the achievement of stopping the invasion of the Second Kingdom at the last moment, Margrave Byreus was summoned to the royal palace.
Having fulfilled his duties as a Margrave and preventing the invasion of another nation, the merit was significant. Originally, this would have warranted the [Warfront First Class Medal], but due to objections from other nobles, it was decided to award him the [Warfront Second Class Medal].
To Margrave Byreus, such medals held little interest, but it seemed that his fellow nobles weren’t particularly thrilled about a provincial noble like Margrave Byreus gaining prominence. This resulted in a degree of harassment.
However, considering my own desire not to draw too much attention to myself, I was somewhat grateful that he agreed to stand as a shield in these situations.
And speaking of why I could describe the details of the award ceremony so vividly, it was because I was summoned by the king.
As a holder of the Mithril First Class Medal, it was not surprising for them to treat me as an honored guest. However, I personally would have preferred not to be summoned. That’s the honest truth.
“Is this satisfactory?”
“Yes, it’s enough.”
AD
“Really, ordinarily a hero who saved the country would be thrilled to step forward and take credit. But you, the son of Randall’s, are quite the eccentric.”
“I have nothing to do with the Malbert family anymore. I am Rolando. Just an adventurer.”
“…”
In response, Margrave Byreus fell silent. It was likely he couldn’t believe this either. For him, the idea that I gave up the title of the head of the noble Malbert family to my younger brother and became an adventurer with an unstable income was…
However, my current income was likely greater than the tax revenue that the Malbert family would have received. Frankly, even without doing much, with the presence of the Artisan Golems and the shop staff of the trading company, my life had become quite stable.
Even if the Artisan Golems and the trading company didn’t exist, as I was now, I could hunt S and SS-rank monsters in the deep dungeon and make a comfortable income. I was almost in a “no challenge” state.
After parting ways with Margrave Byreus, I left the royal palace. I made eye contact with the king during the award ceremony, so there should be no issues with my departure. Tiara might complain later, but if her voice didn’t reach my ears, it was the same as if she said nothing. So, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Passing through the gates, leaving the residential area of the nobles behind, and about to reach the main street through a back alley, I suddenly sensed something unusual.
“What is this magical power? … It doesn’t seem to be human.”
The quality of the magical power I usually perceive was clearly different. It was a sensation of viscous irritation, mixed with negative emotions and an unpleasant magical power.
“… I guess I should go check it out.”
Given that I’d sensed such an alien magical power, I couldn’t simply ignore it. So, I decided to head towards the source of the magical power.
It seemed to be a place that was once used for processing sewage. The air was filled with a musty smell, and the bones of small, rat-like animals were scattered here and there.
“The source of the magical power should be over there.”
I continued onward, tracing the magical power while surrounding myself with a wind spell. As I progressed, the light diminished, and I found myself in darkness. I conjured a light sphere and ventured deeper.
As I approached the intended location, the ominous aura of the magical power intensified, yet I persisted and eventually reached an open space.
“This is a magic circle? But it wasn’t cast by a human. Could it be a demon?”
What was there before me was a massive magic circle with a diameter of twenty meters. It seemed to be the source of the magical power I had sensed earlier.
Its murky purple color had a heavy and dark appearance, almost as if it were imbued with intense negative emotions. This led me to conclude that the magic circle was created by demons. I decided to investigate its nature.
“Attribute-wise, it’s temporal. Given the strength of the magical power, it could be a type of Conversion Magic…”
Contained within the magic circle was the attribute of time and space manipulation, or temporal magic. Moreover, based on its scale, it appeared to be of a higher tier than regular temporal magic, possibly Conversion Magic.
I couldn’t determine how long it had been left here, but the fact that I hadn’t sensed it before indicated that it hadn’t been in this state for long, at least not until recently.
“Did it activate accidentally, or is it on a timer? Either way, I need to do something about this… It’s troublesome—”
Before I could finish muttering, a blinding purple light suddenly burst forth from the magic circle. Shielding my eyes with one hand due to the overwhelming brightness, I saw the surrounding space suddenly distort.
Realizing it was a spatial-temporal distortion caused by translocation, I couldn’t react in time. The purple light enveloped me, and when it subsided, I found myself in a different location.
As the light dimmed, I uncovered my hand that had shielded my eyes and first checked the safety of my surroundings. Although I was prepared for the possibility of being suddenly attacked, there was no one there—just the same magic circle as before.
“It seems like this magic circle has fulfilled its purpose.”
As I muttered this, I looked at the magic circle drawn on the floor. The magical power required to activate the circle had already been consumed, and the intense purple light that had radiated from it earlier had vanished.
I had no clue about the intended purpose of this magic circle. However, one thing was certain: I had been transported to an unknown location, and I was currently lost.
“Being a lost child at the age of twelve might be an age-appropriate event, but isn’t the way it happened a bit too dramatic? Getting lost through a Conversion Magic circle…”
I scolded myself for not being more focused and decided to focus on the situation at hand. I aimed to exit the building and head outside. The structure of the building I translocated from was simple, and I could reach the outside by climbing the staircase. However, when I emerged outside, I faced a problem.
AD
“What is this place? It’s too bright to keep my eyes open.”
I instinctively closed my eyes due to the overwhelming vividness of the surroundings. It seemed to be a deserted, deep forest-like area, but the plants growing there exhibited abnormal and vibrant colors.
Predominantly emitting fluorescent-like bright orange, yellow, red, and purple hues, the plants displayed colors that were entirely unnatural. Staring at them was tiring to the eyes.
Using Super Analysis, I checked for any signs of poison, but it seemed that the plants were only unique in color. They were functionally no different from regular weeds.
“But still! I possess Conversion Magic. So, let’s use teleportation! …Huh?”
I attempted to use Conversion Magic’s Teleportation to return to my original location. However, for some reason, I couldn’t perform the spell as usual. After various attempts, I found something unusual in the self-analysis information provided by Super Analysis.
[Condition]: Magic Power Fixed (Cannot be released except under specific conditions)
“Hm? What’s this?”
I was puzzled by the newly displayed condition, so I used Super Analysis to understand its meaning.
It appeared that this “Magic Power Fixed” condition was designed to prevent the use of specific magic by fixing the quality of one’s magic under certain circumstances.
Likely, when I had arrived through the teleportation magic circle, my magical power had been forcibly fixed, rendering me unable to use magic related to teleportation.
“Damn it. With this, I can’t return to the capital or Orargrand for a while.”
Suddenly being unable to use the magic I regularly relied on made me realize its value all the more. However, it seemed that other magic and skills were unaffected, so there was no negative impact on combat abilities. That was a relief.
Understanding my current situation, I decided to start walking in a random direction to exit the forest. People often say it’s best not to move in such situations, but that presupposes the possibility of help arriving. Given the current circumstances, the likelihood of assistance was minimal.
So, it was necessary for me to move and reach a safe place. Fortunately, there was only one entity in this world that posed a threat to me, and as long as it wasn’t higher than an SS-rank monster, I could handle it without problems.
AD
In reality, if I didn’t find a way to resolve this “Magic Power Fixed” state, I wouldn’t be able to use teleportation-related magic. Thus, my immediate goal was to discover the specific conditions needed to lift this state.
After walking through the visually disturbing forest for a while, I suddenly heard a high-pitched scream. It seemed that a young woman was being attacked by something, and her desperate cries for help reached my ears.
“Ugh, another cliché scenario. Come to think of it, there was a catchphrase the protagonist said in the fantasy novel I read in my past life during this kind of situation. I think it was ‘That’s why I hate isekai!’?”
Recalling a fitting line from my past life, I contemplated my options. Since abandoning the woman felt unsatisfactory, I decided to go with the choice of helping her.
“Alright, let’s go help.”
Muttering to myself, I swiftly kicked the ground and sprinted toward the direction from which the woman’s pleas for assistance were coming.
“Trouble strikes suddenly…”
“Ganges von Byreus Margrave. Your recent actions were truly righteous. Therefore, we bestow upon you the [Warfront Second Class Medal].”
“Your generosity is appreciated. I, Ganges, will remain committed to furthering my efforts for this country and the royal family.”
“With this, the award ceremony for Byreus Margrave is concluded. Dismissed.”
On a day sometime after the end of the war, due to the achievement of stopping the invasion of the Second Kingdom at the last moment, Margrave Byreus was summoned to the royal palace.
Having fulfilled his duties as a Margrave and preventing the invasion of another nation, the merit was significant. Originally, this would have warranted the [Warfront First Class Medal], but due to objections from other nobles, it was decided to award him the [Warfront Second Class Medal].
To Margrave Byreus, such medals held little interest, but it seemed that his fellow nobles weren’t particularly thrilled about a provincial noble like Margrave Byreus gaining prominence. This resulted in a degree of harassment.
However, considering my own desire not to draw too much attention to myself, I was somewhat grateful that he agreed to stand as a shield in these situations.
And speaking of why I could describe the details of the award ceremony so vividly, it was because I was summoned by the king.
As a holder of the Mithril First Class Medal, it was not surprising for them to treat me as an honored guest. However, I personally would have preferred not to be summoned. That’s the honest truth.
“Is this satisfactory?”
“Yes, it’s enough.”
AD
“Really, ordinarily a hero who saved the country would be thrilled to step forward and take credit. But you, the son of Randall’s, are quite the eccentric.”
“I have nothing to do with the Malbert family anymore. I am Rolando. Just an adventurer.”
“…”
In response, Margrave Byreus fell silent. It was likely he couldn’t believe this either. For him, the idea that I gave up the title of the head of the noble Malbert family to my younger brother and became an adventurer with an unstable income was…
However, my current income was likely greater than the tax revenue that the Malbert family would have received. Frankly, even without doing much, with the presence of the Artisan Golems and the shop staff of the trading company, my life had become quite stable.
Even if the Artisan Golems and the trading company didn’t exist, as I was now, I could hunt S and SS-rank monsters in the deep dungeon and make a comfortable income. I was almost in a “no challenge” state.
After parting ways with Margrave Byreus, I left the royal palace. I made eye contact with the king during the award ceremony, so there should be no issues with my departure. Tiara might complain later, but if her voice didn’t reach my ears, it was the same as if she said nothing. So, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Passing through the gates, leaving the residential area of the nobles behind, and about to reach the main street through a back alley, I suddenly sensed something unusual.
“What is this magical power? … It doesn’t seem to be human.”
The quality of the magical power I usually perceive was clearly different. It was a sensation of viscous irritation, mixed with negative emotions and an unpleasant magical power.
“… I guess I should go check it out.”
Given that I’d sensed such an alien magical power, I couldn’t simply ignore it. So, I decided to head towards the source of the magical power.
It seemed to be a place that was once used for processing sewage. The air was filled with a musty smell, and the bones of small, rat-like animals were scattered here and there.
“The source of the magical power should be over there.”
I continued onward, tracing the magical power while surrounding myself with a wind spell. As I progressed, the light diminished, and I found myself in darkness. I conjured a light sphere and ventured deeper.
As I approached the intended location, the ominous aura of the magical power intensified, yet I persisted and eventually reached an open space.
“This is a magic circle? But it wasn’t cast by a human. Could it be a demon?”
What was there before me was a massive magic circle with a diameter of twenty meters. It seemed to be the source of the magical power I had sensed earlier.
Its murky purple color had a heavy and dark appearance, almost as if it were imbued with intense negative emotions. This led me to conclude that the magic circle was created by demons. I decided to investigate its nature.
“Attribute-wise, it’s temporal. Given the strength of the magical power, it could be a type of Conversion Magic…”
Contained within the magic circle was the attribute of time and space manipulation, or temporal magic. Moreover, based on its scale, it appeared to be of a higher tier than regular temporal magic, possibly Conversion Magic.
I couldn’t determine how long it had been left here, but the fact that I hadn’t sensed it before indicated that it hadn’t been in this state for long, at least not until recently.
“Did it activate accidentally, or is it on a timer? Either way, I need to do something about this… It’s troublesome—”
Before I could finish muttering, a blinding purple light suddenly burst forth from the magic circle. Shielding my eyes with one hand due to the overwhelming brightness, I saw the surrounding space suddenly distort.
Realizing it was a spatial-temporal distortion caused by translocation, I couldn’t react in time. The purple light enveloped me, and when it subsided, I found myself in a different location.
As the light dimmed, I uncovered my hand that had shielded my eyes and first checked the safety of my surroundings. Although I was prepared for the possibility of being suddenly attacked, there was no one there—just the same magic circle as before.
“It seems like this magic circle has fulfilled its purpose.”
As I muttered this, I looked at the magic circle drawn on the floor. The magical power required to activate the circle had already been consumed, and the intense purple light that had radiated from it earlier had vanished.
I had no clue about the intended purpose of this magic circle. However, one thing was certain: I had been transported to an unknown location, and I was currently lost.
“Being a lost child at the age of twelve might be an age-appropriate event, but isn’t the way it happened a bit too dramatic? Getting lost through a Conversion Magic circle…”
I scolded myself for not being more focused and decided to focus on the situation at hand. I aimed to exit the building and head outside. The structure of the building I translocated from was simple, and I could reach the outside by climbing the staircase. However, when I emerged outside, I faced a problem.
AD
“What is this place? It’s too bright to keep my eyes open.”
I instinctively closed my eyes due to the overwhelming vividness of the surroundings. It seemed to be a deserted, deep forest-like area, but the plants growing there exhibited abnormal and vibrant colors.
Predominantly emitting fluorescent-like bright orange, yellow, red, and purple hues, the plants displayed colors that were entirely unnatural. Staring at them was tiring to the eyes.
Using Super Analysis, I checked for any signs of poison, but it seemed that the plants were only unique in color. They were functionally no different from regular weeds.
“But still! I possess Conversion Magic. So, let’s use teleportation! …Huh?”
I attempted to use Conversion Magic’s Teleportation to return to my original location. However, for some reason, I couldn’t perform the spell as usual. After various attempts, I found something unusual in the self-analysis information provided by Super Analysis.
[Condition]: Magic Power Fixed (Cannot be released except under specific conditions)
“Hm? What’s this?”
I was puzzled by the newly displayed condition, so I used Super Analysis to understand its meaning.
It appeared that this “Magic Power Fixed” condition was designed to prevent the use of specific magic by fixing the quality of one’s magic under certain circumstances.
Likely, when I had arrived through the teleportation magic circle, my magical power had been forcibly fixed, rendering me unable to use magic related to teleportation.
“Damn it. With this, I can’t return to the capital or Orargrand for a while.”
Suddenly being unable to use the magic I regularly relied on made me realize its value all the more. However, it seemed that other magic and skills were unaffected, so there was no negative impact on combat abilities. That was a relief.
Understanding my current situation, I decided to start walking in a random direction to exit the forest. People often say it’s best not to move in such situations, but that presupposes the possibility of help arriving. Given the current circumstances, the likelihood of assistance was minimal.
So, it was necessary for me to move and reach a safe place. Fortunately, there was only one entity in this world that posed a threat to me, and as long as it wasn’t higher than an SS-rank monster, I could handle it without problems.
AD
In reality, if I didn’t find a way to resolve this “Magic Power Fixed” state, I wouldn’t be able to use teleportation-related magic. Thus, my immediate goal was to discover the specific conditions needed to lift this state.
After walking through the visually disturbing forest for a while, I suddenly heard a high-pitched scream. It seemed that a young woman was being attacked by something, and her desperate cries for help reached my ears.
“Ugh, another cliché scenario. Come to think of it, there was a catchphrase the protagonist said in the fantasy novel I read in my past life during this kind of situation. I think it was ‘That’s why I hate isekai!’?”
Recalling a fitting line from my past life, I contemplated my options. Since abandoning the woman felt unsatisfactory, I decided to go with the choice of helping her.
“Alright, let’s go help.”
Muttering to myself, I swiftly kicked the ground and sprinted toward the direction from which the woman’s pleas for assistance were coming.
