Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard

TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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Ian spoke calmly to Kira.

"I heard you've become popular at the university."

In truth, he'd done more than just hear about it.

He'd seen it clearly with his own eyes - the group of female students following Kira around, the male students stealing glances at her with passionate eyes.

"Hehe. It just kind of happened."

"...Was this what you wanted? Or..."

Ian asked carefully.

If Kira had wanted to become popular, he was ready to support her.

Like Ian, Kira came from a commoner background, so she might have ambitions for success.

Ian's lack of interest in power made him the unusual one - in this era, any commoner would naturally aim for power equal to the nobles.

'Kira could succeed.'

Ian was certain.

If she wanted, she could become a court wizard with a duke-level noble as her patron.

Not only did she have skill, but she also had a charm that drew people to her.

'But going by Maria's words...'

If success was what Kira wanted, Ian would support her.

But was social success really what Kira desired?

"Wanted..."

Kira took a sip of beer and smiled shyly.

Her dimpled smile was freshly beautiful.

"I'm not sure."

"Not sure?"

"Yeah. I wanted to become a wizard, but... I never thought about what comes after."

Ian understood what Kira meant.

If 'becoming a wizard' itself was her goal, Kira was already practically at the finish line.

No, she'd essentially already achieved it.

"You know why I wanted to become a wizard, don't you, Ian?"

"...I do."

Ian remembered his first meeting with Kira.

She had been a fake wizard, using fireworks to pretend she could do magic.

And the reason she pretended to be a wizard was simple - to survive.

"Back then, I was just desperately trying to survive. That desperation had clear limits. If I hadn't met you, Ian... I might have already died a horrible death."

"..."

"But I did meet you, and learned how to handle the mystery of fire."

Kira stroked the candle flame with an enigmatic smile.

The flame danced between her fingers like a pet showing affection.

Ian didn't miss this display.

'Her skills have improved even more.'

Kira's affinity for fire was extraordinary.

With proper training, she might one day surpass Eredith's reputation as a fire wizard.

"Now no one looks down on me. Professor Inglan and Professor Eredith take care of me too... Yeah. I just thought if I worked hard enough, things would work out somehow."

Kira paused, taking a slow breath.

She was clearly struggling to say what came next.

Ian waited patiently for Kira to prepare herself.

"I... what I want is..."

"Take your time, Kira."

"I..."

Kira's fingers trembled slightly.

Ian covered the back of her hand with his own.

Kira's eyes widened in surprise, but then she smiled and said:

"I want to keep traveling with you...!"

What Kira wanted wasn't success or honor.

It was simply continuing to travel with Ian...

"Ian, I enjoyed every day traveling with you. The cold northern mountains were fun, the quiet monastery was interesting."

"It was completely different from when I wandered around as a fake wizard, running away. I never knew traveling could be so fun."

"I thought... maybe I didn't need to go to university, we could just keep traveling like this."

It was pure sincerity without a trace of deception.

To Kira, traveling had just been a means of escaping detection with her fake identity.

If she hadn't met Ian, she'd still be wandering the roads just to avoid being caught.

"But... we met black wizards."

"And a dragon."

"Yeah. And a dragon."

Though traveling with Ian brought joy every day.

The road didn't only hold pleasant things.

Black wizards.

Ian had clashed with black wizards several times now, crossing a point of no return.

It wouldn't be strange if black wizards from the [Golden Rule Society] came after Ian seeking revenge.

Ian had decided to pause his travels temporarily and increase his magical abilities at the university.

During their time at university, Kira had resolved to work hard at everything.

"With my current abilities... I don't think I can be your companion."

"I think you're taking this too seriously."

"No, I'm not joking around."

When Kira fixed her intense gaze on Ian, he couldn't find words to respond.

Kira's celebrity-like face was intimidating in a different way.

Like how extreme beauty could inspire awe rather than familiarity.

"When you fought the dragon... I couldn't do anything."

"Back then you helped Professor block the breath attack..."

"Professor Eredith did everything. Drake and the Knights of Santiago bound the dragon. You and Belenka were the ones who brought it down, Ian."

"..."

"And it wasn't just then. When you fought the black wizards, I wanted to help you."

She wanted to become a wizard capable of pulling her own weight.

That was why Kira had started studying magic seriously.

"So that's why you've been working so hard?"

Kira nodded, her ears turning red.

As expected.

Kira had no sinister intentions of putting down the Imperial Princess or picking fights.

He'd suspected as much.

Though she acted extroverted on the outside, Ian already knew her true nature was pure and delicate.

'It was just paranoia.'

Ian reached that conclusion.

Kira had never been hostile toward Imperial Princess Elia. She hadn't ignored her or tried to humiliate her in public.

Kira just happened to be... an impossibly high-caliber superstar!

"Working hard is good, but you don't need to charm everyone around you."

"Ch-charm?! This is just what I have to do!"

Kira smacked the table as she exclaimed.

"You know how many nobles are at university! You absolutely can't let nobles look down on you!"

"...Ah."

So that was why Kira had been putting in so much effort.

During her fake wizard days, Kira had thoroughly studied and practiced how to 'put on airs' in front of nobles.

Since getting caught meant immediate execution, she'd had no choice but to excel at it.

"When I arrived at school, the nobles were already dominating the commoners."

Though Kira spoke casually about it.

Ian felt all the puzzle pieces falling into place...!

The magic department at Imperial University was heavily dominated by nobles.

Then suddenly appears this mysterious transfer student (cool beauty, S-tier figure, prestigious background, fire wizard who could handle mysteries).

And this transfer student holds her own perfectly against the noble young lords and ladies?

From the commoners' perspective, she was literally a goddess.

Beautiful face, great background, skilled at magic, and she even stood up to nobles in power struggles.

It was only natural that fan clubs formed around Kira.

"Kira, have you ever provoked Elia?"

"Not at all. I know who I can and can't mess with."

"Hmm..."

Kira was a master of putting on airs.

She knew better than to get involved with opponents she obviously shouldn't antagonize.

Knowing exactly what would happen if she clashed with an Imperial Princess, Kira had naturally been careful in her interactions with Elia.

"Actually..."

"?"

"Elia's dislike of me is pretty recent."

Kira muttered.

About a week ago?

"We weren't on bad terms at first. We even exchanged greetings and stuff..."

"Was there some incident that made things turn sour with the Princess?"

Kira shook her head.

"Nothing comes to mind. Everything was just normal."

Ian organized his thoughts.

For now, Kira seemed blameless.

She'd come to university purely to study, and acted confident only to avoid being looked down on by nobles.

If Elia had some psycho queen complex and hated Kira for 'a mere commoner acting above her station', that would be understandable. The situation was certainly enough to inspire jealousy.

But from their conversation, Elia didn't seem like that kind of psycho.

'...But Elia ended up disliking Kira regardless.'

If Kira wasn't the problem.

Then the issue must lie with Elia.

'Whatever it is, we need to resolve it quickly.'

Once human emotions festered and burst, there was no going back.

Ian didn't want the university becoming a battleground.

Especially not a fight between the Holy Empire Emperor's daughter and his traveling companion!

He decided to take action before things got out of hand.

'We'll meet in the next class.'

Ian took a sip of his lukewarm beer.

#

Power naturally attracted followers.

Though her actual power was minimal, Elia Shakraine Hastria possessed a status unmatched by anyone else in the Empire.

That of the Emperor's daughter.

The Imperial Princess of the Holy Empire!

"What exactly is going on!"

Bang!

When Elia slammed the desk, her 'advisors' didn't dare make a sound.

Her self-proclaimed advisors were noble children studying abroad at Imperial University.

They were filled with schemes to build connections during their school days, hoping to ride Elia's coattails to success if she rose to power.

"Wizard Ian has a lover?! And it's that Kira?!"

"Ahem..."

"They're not lovers, just traveling companions, Your Highness."

The advisors tried calming Elia, but her mind wouldn't settle.

Fine, let's say Ian had a lover.

As an accomplished wizard of marriageable age, he might have someone.

But... why did it have to be that Kira!

'Absolutely not!'

Elia's eyes flashed.

Though she went around telling everyone 'I'm not interested in power~',

In truth, Elia was more interested in power than anyone else at Imperial University.

The bigger the dream the better, wasn't that what they said?

Elia's dream was to become Empress of the Holy Empire.

Though the chances were incredibly slim...

Well, she was born as the Emperor's daughter. Shouldn't she at least try working toward that dream?

'I must become the best!'

The reason Elia enrolled in Imperial University's magic department was to build connections with future great wizards.

For that, she needed to become the magic department's number one.

She needed to be the one choosing wizards, not having wizards choose her.

She didn't need to be good at magic.

But she absolutely couldn't lose in terms of presence.

In that sense, [Kira Laventa] was a dangerous rival threatening Elia.

'If I could just get Ian...! Then everything would be over!'

Wizard Ian was the best card Elia could play.

If she became his friend, or better yet lover, she could use his magic to cement her position even further.

She'd been trying to create opportunities to get close to Ian, but...!

'Kira Laventa!'

That red-haired she-cat dared to steal her man?

It wasn't just about losing Ian.

The problem was that Elia would have trouble controlling the commoner-wizard faction that Ian and Kira would create!

What was a woman's greatest advantage? The ability to seduce men and make them lovers.

In Elia's judgment, there were no male wizard students at the magic university who could match Ian.

If the strongest wizard Ian paired up with Kira, Elia would instantly become irrelevant at school...!

"Please calm down, Your Highness."

"...I assume you're speaking up because you have a solution, Lord Pals."

The man called Lord Pals' eyes gleamed.

"The core issue is that Ian's affections are directed toward Kira, isn't it?"

"Continue."

"What if I could drive a wedge between Kira and Ian?"

Elia thought quickly.

If possible, it would benefit her position, but...

Was there really a way?

"How would you do it?"

Elia asked in a serious voice.

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