Reincarnated as a Genius Mage

"My Lord!" Alberto yells as he drops to one knee, greeting the red haired man.

The red haired man taps Alberto's shoulder lightly with a soft smile plastered on his face, "stand up, Alberto."

Alberto stands, his head low but his smile wide, "I have polished your armour and your gauntlets my lord."

"That's good, Alberto. Now, come take a seat beside these men. We were having a very nice conversation." George flicks his finger, pointing at the men sitting on the wooden chair.

They're all dressed in the pants of their uniforms, and white singlets. One with a three dotted tattoo on his right cheek hangs the shirt of his uniform on his shoulder.

"Ah! I would love to My Lord. But this gentleman by the name of Blank has been enlisted to our troop." Alberto points at me.

George's crimson eyes briefly scan me, and his gaze fixates on my red robe for a while. I nod, and wave at him. He nods back, and turns to look at Alberto.

"Someone actually joined our troop of fifty men? I thought they called us the 'troop of rejects'?"

Alberto scratches his cheek as he gives George an awkward smile, "well, the thing is.. Sir K sent him.."

"Ah, that makes sense then.." he pinches the bridge of his nose, "that man, always rambling about my father, never letting my ears rest.." he let out a soft sigh.

Whoa. That happens to me too.

"Haha." Alberto lets out an awkward laugh to ease the string like tension.

"So," George walks toward me, then he stops just in front of me, staring down at me, he rests his two palms on my shoulders, "does that mean you're a mercenary, Blank?" His crimson eyes never leave mine.

I nod.

"You don't talk much, do you?"

I shrug.

He nods twice, "what's with the mask though? Are you hiding your identity?"

I turn to look at his hands holding my shoulders lightly.

As he notices my gaze on his hands, he takes them off, "oh! I'm sorry."

I shake my head, "don't worry about it." I reply.

"Oh, so you can talk."

"Yes, I can. And to answer your question; yes I am hiding my identity. Is that going to be a problem?"

With his right hand, he strokes his beardless chin. "Hm, it's not a problem per say. But, we're a troop of soldiers. And in a troop of soldiers, camaraderie is the most efficient morale factor. How do you expect us to build camaraderie if we can't trust, and know each other?"

I nod, "you're not wrong. In fact, you're right. But here's the thing; I don't know any of you. This trust you speak of, it is not something formed in a day. It's like a building, let's say a house. Before the house stands as a complete building, the foundation is first laid, and then the house is built day by day with incredible effort, and at the end of it; a solid house stands. That's how trust is. So, shouldn't you let that 'trust' build slowly?" I speak slowly, allowing him to properly process my words.

He lets out a soft chuckle. "What a man you are, Blank. So, are you suggesting that we all aren't worthy of knowing your identity?"

I shrug, "I said what I said. Interprete it however you want to."

He taps my shoulder again, his lips curling up with a bright smile, "you're right you're right." He clears his throat, and takes his hand off, his smile still on his face. "Welcome to my troop, Blank."

A small smile forms on my lips underneath my mask.

He isn't a bad guy. Not bad for a kid in his twenties.

"Okay, you can go now, Alberto."

George waves at Alberto, and Alberto bows and takes his leave.

"Lanin, Rayan. I'll talk to you guys later, I want to take a walk with Mr. Blank here." He tells the soldiers sitting on the long chair with a wave of his hand.

Out of about ten of them sitting there, six nod, three wave back at him, but the last one which I believe is Lanin doesn't nod or wave, he just stares at me with his silent, non hostile glare.

"Come on, let's go." George tells me as he walks, and I walk beside him, passing by the large poles where clothes are hung, toward an open area with training dummies and soldiers training.

The scene reminds me of the guild training grounds.

"So, why aren't you in the mercenary camps, Blank?" George asks, his hands are in his pockets, and he takes slow, confident strides.

I don't even know. K didn't tell me, I just woke up and he took me to the sergeant who brought me here.

"It must be because I'm not up to B-rank yet." I reply.

He turns his neck, looking at me with his calm eyes, "you aren't B-rank yet?"

"Yes."

"Hm, that's weird. Only mercenaries B-rank and above come to the battlefield."

I shrug, "It must be because I'm K's apprentice."

"You're his apprentice huh."

"You don't seem surprised." I say.

"You're right. I'm not," his lips curls up as he swoops his forehead length red hair to the side.

"Oh? Why?" My voice lowers as I look at his face.

"It's because you speak just like him."

…

Me? Speak just like K? What the hell is this ki– guy saying? I don't speak like K! K's accent is weird, as if a Russian's speaking Chinese, and he calls everyone a kid like a grandpa.

I clear my throat as we continue walking toward the training soldiers.

"That robe of yours.." he says, looking at the robe quietly.

"Yes? What's wrong with it?"

"Hm, nothing. Don't worry about it, it just reminded me of something." He says.

"Okay."

"Are you a mage or a weapon user?" He asks.

Finally asking the good stuff huh.

"I'm a dual affinity mage." I reply.

"Huh? Dual affinity? That's rare. Really rare. Mages don't even become mercenaries. A lot of them. Lali, the water mage is a mercenary because.. who knows why that Alchemist chaos entity is a mercenary. But, I know Spade's only a mercenary because of his master Gislow."

Wow, even captains know about Lali.

I nod, "most mages don't even last at the mercenary guild. They give up after a year at most."

"Exactly." … "so why are you a mercenary?"

We finally reach the area where the soldiers are training. Some clashing swords, some brawling, and the rest hitting dummies.

"Captain! Welcome! What brings you here?"

"Yeah, Captain! Welcome !"

Thy greet him one by one, but he just smiles at them while waving.

"I have a reason. And, well, I'm also a weapon user." I speak.

"Oho! So that's the difference between you and normal mages." He says, walking ahead of me, to an area where greenery is scarce, sand fills the place, and soldiers aren't there.

He folds his sleeves as he turns to face me. "Alright. I was curious when I saw you; a masked, mysterious figure. I became more curious when I figured you were K's apprentice. And now that I know you're a flame mage; I'm dying for a spar. My troop is filled with only weapon users. So, come, Blank. Let's spar." He flicks his wrists, calling me in to the sandy area.

I smile underneath my mask. Then I take off my robe and drop it on the ground, exposing my all black shirt and pants.

I turn on my mana sight, and I see the five red rings revolving around him.

"Sure." I reply.

This is going to be tough.