A Genius Boy Who Was Exiled From His Family Home for “Not Being Able To Use Magic” Becomes a Witch’s Apprentice and Masters All Magic in the Right Way. This Is How You Use Your Magic, You Know?

Chapter 198. Repelling And Positions

(…Well then)

Shifting my focus to the battle.

…Honestly, since the equipment is the same, it’s hard to tell at a glance who to take down. This is quite confusing, but what should I do──.

──That worry was instantly resolved. Because,

“There he is! The devil’s incarnation! No matter what, we must defeat him!”

Several church soldiers who had been attacking other church soldiers immediately changed their expressions and charged at Hermes as soon as they recognized him.

…This is definitely not the attitude of escort soldiers, so it should be fine to take them down for now.

“Don’t let him use magic! Surround him and strike him down in close combat──!”

It seems these church soldiers have also been briefed on how to handle Hermes.

Striking him down before he can use magic──a common weakness for magicians. Although Hermes is somewhat resistant, it’s undoubtedly effective.

…’If this were before the northern rebellion,’ that is.

Of course, after surviving that turmoil, he wouldn’t remain the same.

With that confidence, Hermes takes a breath──and declares.

“Spell Reenactment──[Lunad Saraka]”

Releasing the magic he had prepared while exiting the carriage.

The chosen spell is [Lunad Saraka]. A spell prepared after anticipating the close-range assault from the attackers.

Additionally──this spell was personally taught by Lucius, who shares the same Bloodline Magic, during the three days before departure. By the way, they also sparred during that time…but of course, without magic, Hermes was completely outmatched. Truly, the northern hero was a monster beyond hearsay.

But thanks to that. His understanding of this spell has deepened exponentially.

And more importantly…after getting used to Lucius’s movements, the clumsy charges of the church soldiers seem almost stationary.

“Gah!”

“Wha──ugh!?”

“No way, he’s supposed to be a magician──!”

Not even a single finger could touch him.

With godlike speed and elegant martial arts, he effortlessly takes down the armed church soldiers one after another.

Normally, it would be fine to use a high-powered spell to burn them all at once, but since it’s hard to distinguish friend from foe, this is the best approach for now. Besides…there’s no reason to struggle against opponents of this level.

“Ku…damn it, did they anticipate us…!? Then we’ll change plans, crush them with firepower! Before he can switch spells──!”

“──By the time you say that, it’s already too late.”

Shortly after, the commander of the attackers shouts, and the church soldiers change their tactics.

I see, as expected.

These church soldiers…are basing their tactics on Hermes as he was when he left the capital. They probably planned to corner him using the tactics that the organized army used to corner him back then.

The switch was quick, and perhaps the old Hermes might have been cornered.

…But.

Such tactics are nothing to the current him, not even worth considering.

As if to demonstrate this, Hermes releases another spell.

“──[Mistle Teinn]”

[Delay Spell].

Reading the church soldiers’ movements, he releases another Bloodline Magic spell he had prepared.

The effect was immediate.

The church soldiers, who had let their guard down thinking Hermes wouldn’t pursue, were hit directly without any proper defense. By now, Hermes had a clear grasp of friend and foe, so the magic bullets struck only the enemies with pinpoint accuracy.

“No way…”

“How──in just an instant…”

These were the words of the ‘friendly’ church soldiers. They were undoubtedly shocked at how easily their struggling opponents were defeated.

…But, there was not a trace of gratitude on their faces for being saved from a dire situation.

(…I see.)

Confirming once again the attitude they had towards us, which I had already mostly understood.

Hermes briefly looks away to check the surroundings, but──

(Well, it should be fine.)

There, he sees Katia and the others, who, like him, are effortlessly dispersing the attackers using their abilities.

Including Nina, they are all magicians capable of taking on a thousand enemies each. There’s no reason to struggle. The problem is…

(…Why did the church soldiers attack at this timing?)

Who is thinking what? What’s the difference between those who came to welcome us and those who attacked?

And most importantly──

──Which side is the ally?

(…Well.)

It’s pointless to think about that here.

Concluding that, Hermes rejoins Katia and the others after finishing off the hostile church soldiers.

Then, he heads towards the person in charge, who is glaring at them with clear resentment.

“You didn’t have to interfere…! We could have handled that much on our own!”

It seems they refuse to acknowledge the help no matter what.

The church values its authority, it seems. Their attitude of trying to hide the obvious scandal of ‘church soldiers attacking other church soldiers during an escort mission’ and dismissing Hermes’s assistance as ‘unnecessary interference’ despite it clearly being otherwise.

It’s not something that can be corrected…and honestly, even if it could, it wouldn’t mean much.

Therefore.

“──It doesn’t matter.”

After checking with the others, especially Jurgen and Lilliana, Hermes steps forward.

“Wha, what are you doing…!”

And no matter how much they try to deny it with words.

They have undoubtedly witnessed the undeniable, overwhelming strength of Hermes and the others, whom they had half-doubted and called demons.

That’s why the slender boy, who had never seemed like a threat before, now appears as an unimaginable monster.

“What your position is. What your intentions are, what orders you received to be here…none of that matters right now. I don’t expect you to tell us everything from start to finish.”

Without hiding the overwhelming pressure they now understand. Hermes continues calmly.

“We are on this carriage because we want to go to the church headquarters. We are not following your orders, it’s just that our goals happened to align.”

──Who holds the initiative?

Having demonstrated their undeniable strength.

“So, there’s only one thing I want to ask.”

Representing the powerful magicians behind him, Hermes asks.

“Do you──intend to take us to the church? As long as you have that intention, it doesn’t matter what you think of us or what you call us. We couldn’t care less.”

“Th, that is…”

“If so, we’ll let you ‘escort’ us quietly. But if not…”

Turning to the flustered person in charge, Hermes delivers the final blow.

“──We’ll head to the church headquarters on our own. In that case, what will happen to ‘you’…I don’t need to say, do I?”

“B, but behind us…!”

“No matter what’s there, we won’t hesitate if it interferes with our goal here. …You see.”

Although it’s not a pleasant thing to say──he adds one last thing.

“──You haven’t forgotten that we took down Archbishop Johann, have you?”

“Ugh…!”

──They will do it.

From the start, they are not the type to be intimidated by authority or anything else. They have already resolved to defeat anything that stands in their way for their goal.

“Y, you damn blasphemers…!”

“How many times do I have to say it doesn’t matter what you say──?”

Their desperate retorts don’t faze him in the slightest.

Even when they look to the surrounding soldiers for help, everyone is trembling after witnessing their power.

“…”

And soon after.

“…We intend to take you to the church headquarters. That much is certain…”

They manage to squeeze out the bare minimum of words.

◆

“…My apologies. Did I threaten them a bit too much?”

“No, it’s fine. Their attitude clearly underestimated us, showing a strong stance like that will be better in the long run.”

“Right. Besides…they haven’t said anything since then.”

After returning to the carriage.

Hermes apologizes for possibly overdoing it, but Jurgen and Katia dismiss it. The others don’t blame Hermes either.

It was probably effective. The soldiers now simply carry out their escort duties without engaging with us. …You can feel the fear in the air.

Anyway, it’s a stroke of luck.

Because now, we can finally──calmly, have a proper conversation.

“…Well. There were quite a few surprising events, but──one thing is clear.”

Taking that into account, Jurgen states the fact that everyone has likely realized.

“There is──’internal conflict’ within the church.”

“…Right.”

Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.

The church soldiers who attacked were undoubtedly genuine. That’s according to Sara and Jurgen, so there’s no mistake.

Therefore, at the very least, the church is divided into two or more factions. There’s infighting…and it’s certain that there’s a faction that wants to bring Hermes and the others to the church headquarters and a faction that doesn’t.

Which side is which, and what are their intentions? Why do they want to bring us in, and why do they not?

…There are many things to confirm, piling up.

“At any rate…choosing to head to the church was the right decision.”

That fact alone is shared by everyone.

As they discuss what to do next, how to proceed…the carriage moves forward steadily.

(The mysteries of the church, the true nature of that magical tool, the process of internal conflict, and──Creation Magic.)

──It will take about two days to reach the church headquarters.

Until then, Hermes will focus on what he needs to think about, ready to handle anything that might happen on the journey.