A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

In the northern regions of the Kien Empire, there is a city named after the Emperor.

Nobo-Nikolayevsk.

It is the largest city in the north, built on the frozen eastern road, and serves as the capital, as well as a territory where the royalty reside.

‘……’

Amidst the floating consciousness, the scenery of the fortress came to mind.

The body was in the desert, but the mind was directed towards Nobo-Nikolayevsk.

A peculiar sensation continued, as if the soul was separating from the body.

A familiar voice resonated in my heart.

“Child. What are you curious about that you came here? To this cold wasteland, all alone, at that.”

—

Episode 17 – The Tree That Drinks Blood

—

“Speed” is a concept that penetrates modern magic.

Especially in battle-related spells like killing and subduing. Whoever can subdue their opponent first wins, so speed is naturally of utmost importance.

This is doubly true for military magic. Every technique used in the military is born solely with the purpose of leading wars to victory.

In modern magical warfare, the importance of speed is emphasized significantly more than other factors, and speed was the first consideration.

How did this culture take root?

Interpretations varied slightly among scholars.

The most esteemed scholars of the Magic Tower support the theory of ‘the pursuit of convenience.’ They propose that the development of academia and the desires of users led to the simplification of magic.

Advanced magical studies have led to the birth of various spells.

Ancient mages training magic independently used spells confined to a single field, whereas modern mages, who have received systematic education and training, can handle a wide variety of spells from different fields.

Ancient mages, who focused on just one aspect, went through complicated procedures to cast more powerful spells. However, for modern mages delving into multiple aspects, those ‘procedures’ became not just complex but also cumbersome.

This led to the emergence of the pursuit of convenience theory.

Unlike ancient mages, who willingly bore with complex procedures to enhance the power of their magic, modern mages preferred to skip cumbersome processes even if it meant slightly sacrificing power.

The advanced study of magic has given birth to diverse and more powerful spells. Thus, even intentionally reducing power, modern magic is significantly stronger than ancient magic.

This ties in with the desires of mages looking for convenience, resulting in simplification.

Quickly and accurately, unleashing many attacks in a short span. If you can’t subdue the opponent in one blow, you do it in two or three.

Military doctrine developers focus on ‘speed’ itself. The changing nature of modern warfare and the development of weapons have sparked a sense of crisis among mages, leading to the natural improvement of magic as they adapted to the ever-changing battlefield.

Fire support has long been considered the domain of artillery. It has played a crucial role in various wars to the extent that a war without artillery is unimaginable.

At one point, there was an optimistic outlook that magic could replace artillery.

By the time the Cult-Magic Tower War came to an end, a newly emerged spell known as ‘destructive magic’ was evaluated as a cheap weapon of mass destruction that showcased powerful might while reducing war costs.

While countless soldiers had ample time to calculate coordinates after moving artillery and loading shells, mages could cast long-range destructive magic and complete their troop movements.

It was not surprising that generals were left agape and artillery commanders’ eyes bulged.

As the study of magic advanced to give birth to powerful spells, so too did science bring about changes in weapon systems and the nature of warfare.

The gap between artillery and magic widened, and in firepower battles, artillery gained absolute superiority over mages. Technically, this too was evident.

Armies caught off guard by spells fired from distances not even reachable by telescopes were a thing of the past.

Advanced monitoring systems can detect not only sudden fluctuations in magic power but also the subtle flow of magic.

In modern warfare, the confrontation between artillery and mages looks like this:

1. When an opposing mage prepares for long-range bombardment, the monitoring systems of ally forces stationed on the battlefield activate.

2. Just as naval sonar detects shadows of enemy ships, army mages ascertain the type and power of the spells cast by the enemy. They also pinpoint the position of the enemy mage.

3. The Fire Direction Center (FDC) provides specifications. As the turret rotates to align azimuth, the autoloader pushes up the ammunition and shell.

4. With the commander’s orders, the self-propelled artillery platoon simultaneously fires high-explosive shells. The artillery unit that fired the high-explosive shells swiftly transitions to a new position.

5. Before long, projectiles rain down on the enemy mage, who was nearly completing their magic above their head.

—

Modern artillery can provide firepower support that is significantly faster, more precise, and stronger than mages, and this has shifted the mage’s stage from conventional warfare to localized skirmishes.

Battles where artillery cannot operate are where mages can soar. This is the reason mages could thrive in localized skirmishes for decades.

However, as new threats emerged, the situation changed completely.

—

It began with localized skirmishes frequently occurring around No Man’s Land and border areas, between Kien and Abas.

The chilly relations of both nations erupted into military confrontations over the natural resources in the No Man’s Land.

Both sides injected a small number of troops into the No Man’s Land to avoid full-scale conflict. Notably, mages were a core force.

When battles broke out beyond the range of artillery, mages swooped in from the air, and damage inflicted by enemy mages grew exponentially.

In this situation, both armies deliberated and deployed new soldiers to the battlefield.

—

Snipers.

Records from that time remain vividly as manuscripts and reports to this day.

Later military historians named it the “Battle of Snipers and Mages,” the records capturing the intensity and desperation of the confrontations.

When Abas mages aimed their spells toward the heights, the bullets from Kien snipers flew from the opposite ridge.

As Kien’s battalion mined the natural resources in No Man’s Land, an Abas sniper perched on a tree targeted the mage engrossed in work.

The sniper who had found the mage sent a signal, and the sniper eliminated the enemy mage, supporting the advance of the main force.

While the sniper kept the mage in check amidst the ruins, soldiers dashed down the street.

The sniper team that circumvented the defense line assassinated the commander and mage.

A sniper’s bullet flew from an abandoned armored vehicle, taking out the marching mage.

—

Snipers were ordered to eliminate mages first in the battlefield.

Exchanging a single bullet for a mage’s life was always a good trade.

It was imperative to eliminate mages that handled communication magic, even before killing enemy commanders at times.

Conversely, mages became desperate in finding snipers.

The slain mage was a friend and comrade who had shared life at the academy and university.

Massive amounts of fire and ice were unleashed in areas suspected to harbor snipers, and at times, magic erupted in convulsions, sweeping away the ridges.

—

This period heralded the emergence of various spells, and the overall casting speed of military magic increased.

To succeed in operations, they had to cast spells quicker than snipers.

Thus, distortion, deception, protection, and counter-tracking spells were developed, with speed becoming a cornerstone of modern military magic.

—

Opinions on the speed of magic varied among scholars.

No one knew the answer, but it was undeniably clear that various factors influenced the evolution of magic.

However, when asked this question by the greatest mage who once dominated the world,

The mage’s answer was somewhat deflating.

“Survival.”

“Survival?”

“Yes. Survival.”

—

Duke Alexandra Petrovna of the Northern Regions calmly spoke.

Seated in a rocking chair and flipping through a book, the Duke bore a resemblance to a professor engrossed in academics.

“The reason why swiftness has become the foundation of modern magic lies there.”

“Um….”

The reason the disciple could only manage an awkward smile was precisely that.

Her manner of speaking, so matter-of-fact, reminded her of professors she met in Cambridge. She felt the energy of dispute theory professors from the Duke.

“Hmm….”

Well, it could make sense. Upon deeper reflection, it wasn’t all that strange.

To a seasoned expert in academia, mere theories could hardly spark excitement. Moreover, the title of Archmage is conferred only to those who have thoroughly mastered magic.

Considering that even the renowned heads of the Magic Tower and Oracle elders never received the title, Alexandra Petrovna was to some extent an expert in magic herself. So it was understandable that she would provide such a lackluster response to her disciple’s question.

Though she did not hear the answer she hoped for, she could somewhat accept it.

However, since her question remained unresolved, Camila still tilted her head in confusion.

Just then, her eyes met those of her Master, who had turned her gaze to the bottle of alcohol on the side table. The Master read the question in her disciple’s eyes. The Duke, who was about to pour herself a drink, smiled gently as she closed the book.

“Ah, so your question hasn’t been resolved.”

“No! That’s not it….”

“It’s alright. Just speak your mind.”

The Duke’s kind smile prompted Camila to ponder. How should she explain?

Finally, as she organized her thoughts, she hesitantly spoke in a groan-like voice.

“Actually… I went to Mauritania.”

“Indeed. So?”

“I fought against a shaman there….”

“What?”

The eyes of Alexandra Petrovna widened like moons.

The reason for her surprise was exceedingly simple. If she were to hear that her cherished disciple had quarreled with some delinquents after venturing out, any Archmage would react similarly.

Regaining her composure, the Master quelled her surprise, remarking on the fortune that Camila returned unharmed.

What on earth had happened that led to such a spat with delinquents? With a sense of curiosity, the Duke inquired.

“The shaman from Mauritania. What sort of person were they?”

“They were someone working in civilian sectors, so they weren’t a soldier or police… It was a private altercation….”

“Civilian? Now wait!”

The Duke leapt to her feet.

For reference, she was an adventurer who roamed all around to treat her ailing nephew, Emperor Nikolai VI, and she had visited the Mauritania continent multiple times. There was no way she wouldn’t know what kind of beings a ‘civilian shaman’ could represent.

Warlords, rebels, terrorist groups, gangs, cartels, etc. It was evident where mages who couldn’t enlist in the Ivory Tower ended up. Thus, the Duke had no choice but to scold Camila sternly.

After having a good stern talk with her disciple.

“Ugh….”

As expected, Camila, who had tried to express it in a roundabout way, began to explain herself earnestly. She cut through pleasantries and went straight to the point.

Alexandra Petrovna listened intently.

She heard about how Camila had not forgotten her advice and unleashed attacks outside the realm of shamanism, the mysterious spells the shaman had cast, and the peculiar feeling of the world’s magic swirling around her.

Upon hearing that the final strike from her disciple had erupted in blue flames, the Master could hardly contain her admiration.

“Child’s growth has surpassed my expectations.”

The Duke affectionately patted the head of her virtuous disciple and looked at her warmly. The beaming Camila responded with an equally cheerful smile before concluding her story.

“By the way, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Go ahead. I hope you can clear all your curiosities today.”

“I noticed the shaman recited something when using their magic… a spell? But I don’t recite such things when I cast my magic. Nor do you, Master.”

“Ah, that was what you were curious about. The purpose of incantations.”

“Yes.”

Seeing that she had received an interesting question for once, the Duke’s smile deepened. She led Camila to the courtyard of the fortress where she practiced magic in her childhood.

“You were curious about the purpose of incantations. And the reason mages don’t recite them.”

“Yes.”

“Truth be told, child, there were incantations in magic. To be precise, incantations were essential in ancient magic.”

As Camila tilted her head in confusion at the ambiguous answer,

-Flámmĭdus.

Flames captivated her blue eyes. Camila gazed wide-eyed at the fire springing forth from the finger of Alexandra Petrovna.

With a huff, Alexandra blew at the flickering flame, causing it to vanish without a trace.

“Flammidus. An ancient spell that conjures flames. It is the root of modern elemental magic and spirit magic. It was the very first magic taught by the wandering mage I had as a mentor when I was young.”

In an era when the Inquisition prevailed, there was no academic study of magic itself.

Consequently, ancient magic was unrefined and undifferentiated, with a single spell often serving as the origin of several modern spells.

After extinguishing the spark from her fingertip, the Archmage shoved her hands into her pockets.

“As you can see, ancient magic had respective spells fitting for each. Incantations, commands, spells, blessings… Ancient mages referred to them collectively as ‘activation words.'”

“Oh….”

With a curious gleam in her eye as she observed the magic, Camila posed a question to the Duke.

“Does modern magic have incantations or activation words? You mentioned ancient magic does.”

“No. Activation words have vanished in modern times.”

Can you guess the reason for that?

The Duke asked, and Camila contemplated. Amid her deep ponderings, it dawned on her suddenly, as if a light bulb had turned on, causing her blue eyes to sparkle.

“…Ah!”

Shouting with astonishment, Camila clapped her hands together.

“Speed!”

“That’s correct.”

The Duke nodded with a satisfied smile.

“Magic from ancient times was more complex and difficult than today’s. Primitive shamanism required the shaman to directly sacrifice offerings, and ancient alchemy demanded substantial materials to achieve a quality outcome. In fact, this applied not only to shamanism and alchemy but to all forms of magic.”

She compared the complex and cumbersome matters to impurities.

Ancient magic was like scrap metal full of impurities, while modern magic was like purified steel stripped of those impurities.

“As time passed, magic evolved by shedding its impurities, gradually developing towards speed. That’s the development of modern magic. Now, let us ask once again. What is the origin of that swiftness?”

“Survival?”

“Correct. That’s it.”

The evolution of modern magic stemmed from warfare.

During the Cult-Magic Tower War, mages came to prioritize swiftness in the face of the Church.

The protective barrier cast faster than a knight’s sword.

Curses that were shot forth before the holy arts of the Inquisition Officer.

Complex alchemical poisons that far surpassed a healing priest’s blessings, among others.

All were a result of the struggle for survival.

The Archmage who thrived during the Cult-Magic Tower War explained.

“One must attack and kill their opponent first to survive. This is an eternal truth of the awesome struggle of time, anywhere, anytime. That is why activation words have disappeared. Death always arrived a step ahead of the completion of spells.”

Alexandra Petrovna gazed into the distance, her hands buried in her pockets.

As if tracing back to memories long past, the blue eyes, filled with echoes, flickered beyond mystical silver hair fluttering like a flag.

“The reason we pursued swiftness was for survival. We never considered peace or efficiency. My survival first, and the one who kills first survives. In fact, this rings true for all wars… Does this answer your question?”

In that moment, she posed a new question.

Are activation words truly useless? Have they simply been outpaced and forgotten in the flow of time and change?

The Archmage, who once reigned over an era, silently nodded her head. It was a heavy nod.

“Would there be any other use? Magic responds to the user’s call even without invoking activation words. Thus, it is inevitable that they fade and disappear.”

She requested something.

The Duke’s gaze shifted from the distant mountain promptly.

“Do you wish to learn ancient magic? Why? Isn’t your magic powerful enough?”

“What? You think it’s cool to recite activation words? Ha, what a troublesome disciple I’ve got here. Rather than trying to improve, you’re already seeking to fancy things up. What a dreadful disposition!”

“Don’t be so uptight. Is there a disciple in this world who clings to their Master’s trousers? Now, can you let go of my pants for a moment?”

“…No. Your stubbornness is more durable than a troll’s bladder. What sin did I commit in my previous life to have you as my disciple in my old age… I ought to die rather than endure this.”

—

When her disciple’s endless stubbornness ultimately pushed her to surrender, the Duke let out a burdensome sigh.

The silver-haired Alexandra Petrovna brushed off her trousers with an expression of deep concern, which left her looking a decade older.

As she merely gazed out at the distant mountains while slumping her shoulders, she helplessly murmured.

“…This too shall be an experience. Very well, I will teach you as you wish.”

—

The mystical silver hair fluttered against the north wind. That same hair, which once burned down the Holy Land and plunged the Holy See into terror, now flapped like a flag.

The heels scraped the snow. Even though she had long abandoned the habit of wearing military boots, the traces left on the snow bore the echoes of steel and blood.

She took up her stance.

Once a mage who reigned with numerous allies on the battlefield and glided through an era, she focused her mind.

Magic surged like a whirlwind. The entire world spun around a single individual, and a tempest began to brew in the fortress courtyard.

In the eye of the snowstorm.

Her drowsy eyes gleamed with an icy glare.

“Learn well.”

—

*

—

In a slum where black smoke soared, a massive vortex hovered in the gray sky.

A tempest approaches. A strong wind, as if to swallow everything whole, sweeps through the world.

With her vibrant purple hair swaying, Francesca raised her head. Her violet eyes, resembling violets, began to sense the magic swirling in the air.

The mana in the area was dyed a crimson hue. The red, swirling air turned into waves, tossing the sky to and fro.

With a single point as the focal point.

“……”

Even though her clothes flapped as if they were about to tear, she remained focused. She concentrated on feeling the mana.

With each breath, she inhaled the magic from her surroundings. With each breath of impurities released, it felt as though the planets orbited around the sun, with everything rotating around her center.

The entire world was responding.

To her will.

To the wind.

To her call.

When her closed eyes opened.

In a world where all impurities had been washed away, only a colossal tree and humans existed.

Beneath the sky swirling with a gray vortex.

Her lips began to move.

“Majestic and tranquil sea. With the terrors that swallow the shipwrecks and the warmth that embraces all beings. The crucible of life raising the waves.”

Gently opening her eyes, she extended a hand.

A line was drawn, and a whirlwind arose.

A fluttering flag, sleeves that softly wrapped around like a banner.

“In the dark and silent night sky. A round moon halo that turns the snowy forest white, and a whale softly drifting into the west. Stars shining beyond a deep veil.”

The more her language flowed, the more the magic rejoiced.

Buried in the waves of history and the sands of time, it lay forgotten and abandoned.

Something that had become a memory of someone and forgotten by all.

An elegant hymn lost in gentle rises and falls, where magic danced and celebrated.

“When the sails are raised, even the fierce wind and the incoming waves come without fear. Stars still shine in the night sky without moonlight.”

The majestic and peaceful sea becomes a cradle for the sailor, guiding the lonely glow through the dark and silent sky.

And finally.

“When the whale that journeyed to the western sea returns.”

The sailor, lying down, falls into contemplation, while the undying lonely glow departs for their journey.

“Life will awaken under radiance. Thus—”

No one grieves. Even if the glow fades from sight.

Knowing the whale that ventured west will inevitably return.

“We move forward with the eternal smile that never wanes.”

To the majestic and peaceful sea, to the dark and silent sky.

Among the slowly dying stars.

Our journey will endlessly continue.

—

…Activation.

—

“-Pallida Flamma.”

—

A flash sliced through the sky, and a tree blazed with a pallid flame.

In the dark and silent desert.

The slowly dying, pale flame consumed the tree.

It was a magnificent and peaceful sight.