Reincarnated as a Genius Mage

The horse-drawn wagon creaks as it moves, and the slight galloping of the horse occasionally shakes me and the people inside the wagon subtly.

After we concluded the meeting at the guild, we all left, and entered this large, horse-drawn, wooden wagon— leaving Ludia as we journey to the Axis Battlefield. The stronghold where all the Kingdoms and Empires in the entire continent unite to form a central defense against the Orcs.

The interior of the wagon is wide and spacious, like a mini room.

I'm sitting next to K. His eyes are focused on the area of the wagon facing directly opposite him. His expression is.. lost. Like he's counting something, something too long to be counted. He's in a daze.

I shift my focus from him, and I glance at the other people in here apart from us. Terran is sitting quietly at one corner. His eyes are closed, his arms are folded and he's still as mysterious as ever.

Jeriq's sitting opposite him. His face is pale in a way, and he's been muttering to himself for a while now. Maybe the war is getting to him. It's his first time after all, and I'm supposed to be acting like that too, but.. I just can't be bothered.

Laran and Lali are sitting on the roof of the wagon, and Gislow's the one riding the horse.

K lets out a large exhale as he relaxes his back on the wood.

"Kid, steel yourself." He speaks, his voice's hushed and tender, like he's telling me a sacred secret.

Jennette once told me something like that. I think that was a year ago.

I nod, "I know, K. I've prepared for t–"

"You don't know anything about it, Blank. You don't know how it is— war.. you do not understand this dreadful thing called war. I have experienced war and I know it very well. That's why I'm telling you to steel yourself." He says again.

"Steel myself for what exactly? Aren't we just going to be fighting against Orcs?" I ask, my voice's as low as his.

He scoffs, "just fighting against Orcs? Kid, don't you know? Don't you know that the Orcs are living things too just like you are? They eat, breathe, think and live like you do. What makes them so different from you? Their size? Their color?" He asks again.

"..."

He isn't wrong at all.

"So? Alright, if so, then.. Why are we at war in the first place? Aren't they the ones trying to invade our continent?" I ask, my head's tilted as I stare at his face.

"You see, kid. War is leaders plotting for various reasons; greed, power, enmity— and citizens dying. Innocent citizens; fathers, mothers, children being burnt to the ground because of their leaders. Men being forced to war because of their leaders. War is.. war is a shitty thing." He adds.

…I know.

"Steel yourself. Out there, on the battlefield, because during your stay there, you'll encounter many things. You might even have to kill people you do not want to kill. Steel yourself and your nerves. Wear that mask of cold brutality perfectly. But don't let the mask define you.. don't become me."

Hmm..

"Why do you speak as if you aren't gonna be there with me?" I ask.

A small smile plays on his lips as he pats my head with his left hand. "I'm just advising you, as your mentor."

I lift his hand and take it off my head, and speak, "you aren't my mentor. We're partners."

He almost chuckles, and nods, "yeah, we're partners. But, you see me as a mentor so I'm not wrong."

Huh.

"Who the hell says I see you as a mentor? Bullshit. We're partners, using each ot–"

He grabs my head tight, "language?"

Oh no.

"Ahem.. I'm sorry." I quickly apologize, and turn my neck away from him.

He's right. I should steel myself. Only God knows what I'll experience there.

The silence simmers for a while. The only sounds that echo in the wagon is Jeriq's nervous self muttering and K's frequent coughs.

Hmm, his cough is getting worse. It wasn't as bad as this back home.

Huh.

Home?

I mean, back when we were at his house.

"Kid, do you know about Elyrus? The ancient equator?" K asks suddenly, cutting the thick silence.

"Huh? Of course I do. Everybody does. The ancient equator and the great island-like forest that's as large as a continent. It divides the four continents and it's where the Orcs originate from?"

He nods, his face finally lights up with that familiar grin of his as he strokes his beard, "yes yes. You're right. But that isn't all there is to it."

My eyes widen, "it isn't?"

He shakes his head, "no, it isn't. Do you know about the Demi Humans?" He asks.

Demi what?

"No, I don't. What is that?" I ask.

"Haaaah, this kid.. you don't even know the reason for the war except for the fact that Orcs are invading our continent?" He asks as he turns to look directly into my eyes for the first time in a while.

"You know, now that you mention it.."

"So you don't." He lets out a soft chuckle.

I nod, "yes. What exactly are Demi Humans?"

"Yes. Demi Humans are intelligent races that are neither beasts nor humans. Some of them possess red beast cores, some of them don't. But they are capable of civilization.. to a certain degree." He says, his eyes glinting with interest as he speaks, "all races and species classified as 'Demi Humans' reside in Elyrus. There are four major Demi Human races, and those four formed an alliance. After centuries of war with humanity, a treaty between humanity and the Demi Human alliance was formed. But, the Orcs have broken that treaty and exited the Demi Human alliance, trying to invade our continent."

I nod.

To be honest, it's not hard to fathom or believe. I'm not on earth anymore. I'm in a world that's vastly different from the one I knew. The things I know about this world are limited too.

"The four major Demi Humans races are; The Elves.."

My eyes widen.

"You said what?"

"I said Elves."

"Haha, there are elves here? Like the types in Lord of the Rings?" I ask, my voice slightly loud and brimming with excitement.

He tilts his head, his smiling fading off for a second, "what is this 'Lord of the Rings' you speak of?" he asks sincerely.

I almost laugh, but I hold it in. Partly because he might hit me, and partly because it's funny being in a world where no one knows about the existence of Lord of the Rings.

"No. It's nothing, don't mind me." I speak.

For a moment, I glance down at my right hand resting on my thighs.

This 'Lord of the Rings' makes me remember the spiky ring where the Phoenix came from back then; the one it said connects the physical and spiritual whatever.

I shake my head, then tuck my hand in my pocket, touching the ring in it, I remove my hand and ask, "what are the other three major races?"

"..." He just stares at me, his mouth slightly open. He shakes his head. "Yes. The Dwarves, the Orcs, and the last one.. the last–"

"Yo!"

My neck snaps as my gaze flickers toward the source of the feminine voice that rings out from the entrance of the wagon.

It's Lali.

A resigned sigh leaves my lips.