It's been a week since he was reincarnated into this world.
　He has finally succeeded in escaping from his long life of survival and has finally found his way to the man-made streets.
　The Great Dark Green Zone of Fafhran is a place of harshness.
　Goblins, orcs, trolls, man-eaters, wyverns, chimeras, and more battles were happening all the time, so there was no time to relax.
　When he tried to sleep in a cave, he found himself in a nest of killer ants, when he took a break by the river, he was attacked by lizardmen, and when he tried to sleep on a rock, he was attacked by a crazy ape.

　The past week had been very rough on his mind.

"Finally...finally I can go to a city with people......f...ff...ff.........

　He looks like he's exhausted.
　However, his physical strength is still in good shape and he has only used a small amount of his magic power.
　He is just relieved to have escaped from the bleak world and is depressed remembering the harshness of his past life.

Now, which way to go to find the city ......?　There are two directions, and the odds are one in two. ...... I'm lost.

　He picks up a branch that has fallen in his hand and holds it upright, trying to decide where to go by the direction it falls.
　After the twenty-third time, it fell to the left, so he decided to go to the right.
　He seems to have a very twisted personality.

　The road is a crude one, made by cutting down trees and simply leveling the ground.
　There were no cobblestones, just bare ground, with weeds growing in places.
　His footsteps were very light, even though he thought that this place must be like a river when it rains.
　After all, there might be people in the direction he was going.
　If so, he would be able to interact with them in some way, maybe even make some friends.
　He had survived a week in the wild kingdom, and now he missed people.

Would it be possible for him to come out as a bandit?

　Anybody who could talk to people was good.
　However, if he met bandits, it would be a fierce battle and a one-sided slaughter.
　After all, he had been risking his life for survival for a week.
　He doesn't realize that he is now prepared to kill without hesitation if his life is in danger.

　The only thing he is aware of now is ......

I'm sure you'll agree that it's a great idea to take a bath. .... 　I'm sure you can smell it, can't you?

　I'm not sure if you've heard of it or not, but I have.
　He was so sloppy that he couldn't even keep up his appearance, and when he said that, I could only feel a sense of discomfort.
　Still, the fact that he noticed it was a big step forward.

I'd like to clean myself up first. ...... I hope there's a river.

　I hope there is a river." Even so, I continue on my way.
　Whether by luck or divine intervention, there was indeed a river.
　And an artificially built bridge caught my attention.

　It's a small river, only about seven meters from the other side, but it's nice to have water.
　In order to choose a secluded place, he moves to a place where he cannot be seen from the bridge.

　Satoshi took off his gear and jumped into the river at once.
　I'm not sure if you're a fan of this, but I do. It's a great way to get to know the people around you.
　While I washed my clothes and spread them out on the rocks to dry, I prepared a meal.

　The only problem was that we were still eating only meat. .......

　While his clothes dry, he spends his time looking out at the river with a petrified expression on his face.
　It's been a long time since he's had such a peaceful day, so he spends his time relaxing and refreshing himself.
　Occasionally, a wry smile appears on his face, which is eerie.

"Is it time to dry off, ......?

　When the sun was just above the heavens, he quickly put on his undressed clothes and put on his equipment with an air of familiarity.
　Over the past week, he had become accustomed to wearing this kind of equipment, and it came naturally to him.
　This is a piece of equipment that a modern person would not be able to wear, but it is a good example of how humans are capable of doing anything when the need arises.

　From time to time, we saw a carriage that looked like it belonged to a merchant crossing the bridge, but the fact that we knew there was an inhabited village was enough for us.
　He walked upstream to cross the bridge, climbed up the bank, and began to walk in the direction the carriage had gone.
　As he walked up the bank, he began to walk in the direction of the carriage, which was passing by in a white carriage, but he paid no attention to it, for he was not interested in powerful people.

　He was taking it easy and going straight down the road.


　


　A carriage was driving along the Furan road.
　It was an opulent carriage in a subdued white color with a little gilding.
　Two knights were waiting at the carriage stand, and two well-dressed men were sitting in the carriage.

　One of them is an old man who is already old but has a well-built physique.
　He was the grand duke who ruled the territory around here, and was a member of the royal bloodline of the [Magical Kingdom of Solistea].
　However, he is now a recluse, and is just an old man who can't help loving his granddaughter.
　His name is [the former Duke of Creston Van Solstair].

　Since he handed over the reigns of his family to his son, the conflict between his two granddaughters has become increasingly serious, and only his granddaughter, Celestina, has become a source of comfort to him.
　Celestina, his granddaughter, was sitting in her seat with a somewhat depressed expression on her face, looking at a book.

　She was treated very coldly by the dukes, and very contemptuously in a country where wizards had authority.
　This was because she had no talent for magic at all.
　No, every living creature in this world has the magical power to use magic, but she had a very low ability to do so.
　Because of this, she was treated like an embarrassment by her family, but even before that, she was not officially a child of the Duchesses, so the persecution was severe.
　To put it bluntly, Celestina was born when the current duke had his way with the servants of the house.
　The fact that she can't use magic combined with the fact that she can't use magic has caused her to be mistreated to this day.

　Creston, who loves his only granddaughter, lives with her in his villa and tries to develop her talents as best he can, but it hasn't worked out so far.
　He has tried tutoring her with some of the country's most renowned mages, but they have all failed, and she has been branded as talentless.
　He wanted to see his granddaughter happy, but as a result, he has helped to push her into a corner.


　The look on Creston's face was gentle, but with a hint of pity.

　Celestina, on the other hand, knew her grandfather's kindness, and so she continued to work hard.
　She is grateful and respectful of her grandfather's love for her, even though she is his concubine's child.
　However, no matter how much love is conveyed to her and how she tries to respond to it, it is meaningless if her efforts do not bear fruit.
　As a result, she has a very sad smile on her face.
　It was also hard for Claston.

　As the carriage approached the bridge from the street, Celestina shouted, "Oh ......".

What's wrong?　Tina. Did you see something?
"Yes, Grandfather. There was a mage ...... with a double sword.
Two swords?　You're a mage, right?　A mage? There was such a man?
Yes, a grey-robed, very .........
Gray robes, very ..." "Shabby appearance?　Hmm, gray robes are for low-level mages. Or perhaps you've traveled from another country.

　It was customary in this country for mages to indicate their rank by the color of their robes.
　Gray is the lower class, black is the middle class, crimson is the upper class, and white is the elite who report directly to the government.
　If you were to walk around wearing a gray robe, you would only be a low-ranking mage or a mage who traveled from another country.
　As a magical kingdom, the research on magic is at the forefront, but the internal situation is that each faction has its own way of pulling each other down.
　There is no end to the power struggle.

But if you carry a sword .... I'm sure it's to compensate for the shortcomings of a mage, but it's a very difficult choice.
Is that so?
I'm sure you'll be able to find something that will help you. If you have both, you're bound to end up with a half-baked magic swordsman.

　Magic and sword both have their advantages and disadvantages.
　Magic excels at long range and assistance, and is extremely weak in close combat.
　Swordsmen are strong in close combat, but weak in long range attacks, and are quickly defeated when attacked from a distance by magic.
　It is a matter of strategy how to deal with this, not which one is better than the other.
　Moreover, to master both of them, one must go through a severe training that cannot be done in a lifetime.
　The reason is that in order to obtain the strongest power in both cases, you need to have the effort and talent to match it.

You may be carrying a sword just for protection. Mages are vulnerable to being outmaneuvered.
You've got a lot of work to do. ...... I'm not even close, I'm still not moving forward. ......

　In the event you're not sure what you're looking for, there are a few things you can do.
　She was able to memorize the magic formula, but she was having trouble activating it.
　She has been investigating the reason for this, but unfortunately, she has yet to find the answer.

　The carriage was driving down the street, but Creston suddenly noticed that the carriage was slowing down, and called out to the knight in the carriage.

"What's going on?
"My lord. It seems that the merchants are stuck and we can't move forward.
"Stuck?　There's been an accident?
There's a fallen tree blocking the way, and the merchant and his mercenaries are trying to move it.
Hmm ...... a fallen tree .... You should be aware of your surroundings. I have a bad feeling about this.
I know...

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing.
　I'm not sure what to make of this.

"Bandits!
Protect us, guards!　Agh!
d*mn it, they're waiting for us!
Use the wagons as shields, and intercept anyone with a bow!

　As the merchants panicked, the battle between the mercenaries and the bandits began.

　The merchant was hit by an arrow and fell screaming.
　He was lucky to be alive, but he was screaming at the mercenaries.

"Oh, Grandfather!
Stay here. I'm coming with you!

　Creston dismounted from the carriage, sword in hand, and drew a silver sword from its scabbard.
　The sword was enchanted, a protective magic sword that would create a barrier around its owner.
　The two knights also put up their shields and managed to outrun the arrows flying at them.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm not sure what to do.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　In a battle, numbers determine the outcome, and the winner is the one who overwhelms the enemy with numbers, even if they are weak.

　The bandits would probably block the road, kill all the merchants and mercenaries, and then take all the goods and money.
　But with his granddaughter's life at stake, Creston had no choice.
　He would have liked to attack with magic, but with the area surrounded, chanting would take time and he would be a good target.
　In addition, in order to attack, the barriers would have to be lifted, and if that were to happen, the whole place could be wiped out.
　We were on the back foot, and our options were limited.

We've cleared the area around the wagon, but it's surrounded!　How long will that magic sword last, old man?
"Well, it's just magic in a sword. ...... It could wear off at any time.
They're not going to let us go, are they?


I'm pretty sure he's going to kill us all now that he's seen ...... our faces.
You're out of options,.......

　It's not a good idea to fight for a long time because the magic power of the sword is limited.
　I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.
　This was a very well planned crime.

"Hahahahaha!　You'll all die, won't you?　We'll take your money, your women and children. We'll sell the kids as slaves for money and the girls for fun before we sell them.
They're getting carried away, aren't they?
I'm not going to be killed so easily!
They won't kill me that easily!　But, man, what can you do in this situation?　You're going to die anyway, so just die quietly.

　The man who seemed to be the bandit's master was getting carried away.
　It is well known that the power of the magic sword has a time limit, and if you know how to deal with it, you can minimize the damage.
　As long as he is familiar with the crime, it is highly likely that he has done the same thing before.

It's not good. ...... I'm running out of magic.
What do we do now?
That may be the only way. It'd be easier if we could use magic. ......
Hey, my magic sword is weakening.　Don't worry, go to hell, we'll take care of the rest. We'll take care of the rest. Hahahahaha!

　The bandits and their masters were in a good mood.
　They had no doubt in their minds that this mission would fail.
　But as with anything, there is always an unexpected intervention.
　And then, suddenly and without warning, it strikes.

"Are you interrupting me?　Icy Flower.

　Suddenly, the forest surrounding the merchants turned white, and the bandits froze and shattered.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

I'm not sure what to make of this.　It's so boring.
Who are you?　Come on out!

　In the event that you're not sure what you're looking for, you'll be able to find out more about it here.
　He was dressed in a gray robe and had disheveled hair that had grown to cover his eyes.
　He was a mage of medium height and stubble.

　He was peeking through the trees to gather information, but when he saw that the bandits were blocking the way, he hid to see what was going on.
　When he found out that they were bandits, he honestly didn't want to get involved, but he couldn't turn a blind eye, so he had no choice but to intervene.

"How dare you kill my friends?
"Friends?　Isn't that the wrong word for a disposable tool?　That's what they are to you. ......
Shut up, even if they're disposable, don't kill them without permission!　They're my tools.
That's a terrible thing to say. Well, it doesn't really matter to me. .... I'm not sure what to do.

　I'm not sure if I'd be able to do this, but I'm sure I could.
　I'm not sure what to make of it.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea.

　The bandits were confused by the sight of their comrades dying in the blink of an eye.
　The bandits were confused as they saw their comrades dying in an instant.

I'm sorry. I'm good at annihilating things, so people like you are good sitting ducks.
You're a monster. ...... What the hell, I've never heard of this magic before. ......
I killed a man for the first time. ...... I can't feel anything. Is it possible that I'm finally breaking down?
Shut up!　Shut up, you cowardly bastard, and play fair!
What are you talking about?　Well, fine!

　I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.
　For a moment, the headmistress didn't know what was going on, but when she saw her arm, she realized the reality.

As you wish, I went straight for it, fair and square, but that's okay, right?
"Aaahhhhhh!　My arm, my arm, my arm!
I'm afraid that's not enough. 　I can't help it. Let's go deal with the others.

　No one could follow Satoshi's movements.
　He suddenly appeared in front of them like lightning and cut off the head's arm in an instant.
　The bandits were in despair at the appearance of a man with such an unbelievable skill.
　The bandits were quickly overwhelmed by Satoshi.

　Having lived his life in competition with demons and starving for food, he had already abandoned the feeling of doing anything to his enemies.
　The order of the weak and the strong makes humans violent.

It's ...... fast. What the hell was that speed ......?
"And he used magic. You seem to be quite skilled at it. ......


"Swords and magic ......, there's no room for error!

　The mercenaries were astonished by the powerful reinforcements, but they were even more horrified.
　If they encountered them on the battlefield, it would be they who would be annihilated, and they would likely be killed before they had time to flee.
　Fortunately, he was a mage, so they would never have to face each other directly.
　Even if they shoot magic at you from behind, at least you won't know this horror.

No kidding, I'm out!
No, run! They'll kill us all!
I'm not going to be a bandit anymore, I'm going to be a farmer in the country!
I'm not going to be a bandit anymore.

　You're just an amateur fighter, and when a stronger opponent appears, you start to fall apart.

You're a monster. ....... How rude of them.

　Satoshi muttered resentfully and sullenly.
　They are monsters enough.

"Don't let them get away, kill them all!
Don't think you're going to make it out of here alive!
I'll make it up to you, you bastards!

　The battle against the disintegrating bandits was quickly settled.
　They had no fighting skills to begin with, so taking on the mercenaries was a fool's errand.
　They were able to fill in the gaps with their numbers, but that ended in failure due to an unexpected intruder.
　The fleeing bandits were cruelly annihilated by the enraged mercenaries.

"All is not as it seems .......
I'd like to thank you for your help. I'd like to thank you.

　I was confused for a moment when I was suddenly approached.
　He looked like the usual old man, and was most likely a nobleman.
　Therefore, I tried to keep my composure so as not to let him know I was upset, and casually exchanged words with him as if I didn't mind.

You don't have to worry about it. It's nothing to worry about, we just happen to be going to the same place.
"But it saved my granddaughter from danger. I'm sure you'll have no problem thanking me.
I'd be honored to. ...... Oh, is there a town or village up ahead?　I'm ashamed to say I'm lost.
There's a town in my territory. ...... You've lost your way?
I'm ashamed to say that I'm lost. I'm lost in my life.
I don't know, but you're in trouble. ......

　It's a good thing that you're not the only one who can't seem to find your way out of this mess.
　However, if you look closely, you can see that the material used for the robe is that of a demon that you have never seen before, confirming that he is a mage of high rank.
　If a mage from another country is traveling, there is a good chance that he is doing so to find information about an enemy country or has been ostracized for some reason.
　Klassen was keeping a close eye on Satoshi's actions, though he was wary of him.

"What is your name?
Is it me?　I'm Zeroth Merlin.

　On this day, Satoshi officially became Xellos Merlin.

Hmm, I've never heard that name before. Why did you come to this country?　Why did you come to this country? With your skills, other countries would have been more interested in you.
I'm too old for this. I'm looking for a comfortable town to spend the rest of my life in peace. I don't want the trouble of serving my country.
"So you're an inquisitive person at heart. ......
I missed my chance to marry because I was too inquisitive.
You're too young to be so pessimistic, aren't you?
Fifty years for a man, ten more to go. ....... I want to start a family and live the rest of my life in peace, tilling the fields.

　It was a very greedless and detailed statement.
　In addition, it does not seem to be lying, and Creston liked this mage Xellos a lot.
　He had grown tired of the many mages who wielded power and did not seek to improve themselves.
　They begged for money while claiming to be in search of magic, and they used it as bribes in their desperation to gain access to the nobility for their own greed.
　The way they clung to power was really shallow, and they were so corrupt that they could hardly be called mages.
　In the midst of all of this, Xellos, who says he doesn't need power, is really quite charming, so much so that he wants to make a personal connection with him.

(Hmmm ...... is an excellent mage. You might be able to ask him to tutor Tina. (If he's a seeker, there's a good chance he's studied a lot of things personally, and more importantly, as a mage from another country, he'll have different ideas than those in this country.

　The only thing on his mind is his grandson.

And maybe he can solve Teena's problem. Oh ...... Tina, please bring back that smile again. I'll do it for you, I'll do it for ...... you...)

"Are you all right, old man?　I'm sensing some danger signs. ......
What?　No, I'm fine!　No problem.

　Satoshi, or Xelloss, thought, "Isn't this old man a little dangerous? And so on.
　The love of an old man for his grandchild sometimes seems to go in strange directions.

I'm going to have to give you something to reward you for that.
What?　I don't need it. I only intervened for my own sake.
"This is a matter of duty and honor for us nobles. This is a matter of duty and honor for us nobles.
"It's really troublesome being a nobleman, isn't it, ......?


"Indeed, even in retirement, these responsibilities will continue to haunt you. ....... You must accept my thanks.

　It was a coincidence that I had saved a nobleman, but it seemed like a hassle to reward him for it.
　However, he did not want to ruin his friend's face, so after a moment's thought, he decided to say what he wanted.

I want a quiet place. If it's far enough away from the city and there's a field, I'm all for it.
"Hmm, ......, let's see what we can find.
Please do. I don't have the energy to keep traveling .......

　I remember Crazy Ape.
　He was asleep on a rocky beach when a perverted monster quietly crept up on him and tried to take off his pants for fun.
　It was terrifying to see the dangerous thing between his legs standing on end, chasing after him with a look of ecstasy on its face.
　A hundred ...... or even a thousand steps in that direction is fine.
　But I would prefer not to be attacked by a perverted monkey.

　Xelloss's face instantly paled.

"Are you all right, my lord?　You don't look so good. ......
"I'm fine. ...... I just remembered something bad. .... Hmm...

　I could feel the sorrow on his back.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　Some of them were tending to the wounded and clearing away fallen trees.

　The bandits acted spontaneously and without thinking, but it was difficult for those involved to clean up the mess.
　Soon the road became passable, and the merchants began to move in their wagons at once.

Why don't you ride with us?　It will take us a while to get to the city.
"What?　How long?
Three days, give or take.
Oh, no. ......

　I don't want to eat meat for three days in a row.
　I knew the answer to this question.

Please. I don't want to see any more meat for a while. ......
"I don't know, but you should get on it. It's always good to have someone who knows what they're doing.

　Xellos decided to ride in the Duke's carriage.
　The fact that it would take three days to get there meant that they would naturally have to have food other than meat.
　They would probably have extra food in case they needed it, so there was a good chance that there would be enough for Xellos.
　He had decided to accompany him on a precautionary basis.

　When Xelloss was about to get into the carriage, he saw a girl sitting in the seat.

"Who is she, Grandfather?
"This is the man who saved our lives, Lord Xellos.
"Greetings, my name is Xellos Merlin, and I am a mage. I will be accompanying you for a short time.
I'm sorry. I'm Celestina, ...... and I'm glad to be here. ......

　She's in her early teens, I'd say.
　The blonde hair and the innocence of a young girl are really lovely.
　The girl is wearing a robe that looks like some kind of uniform and is looking at a book in her lap.

"Are you a mage?
I'm just starting out, but I'm having some problems.
"A problem?　What kind of problem?
Well, the ...... magic doesn't work.
"It's not working?　That's strange.

　If this world is the same as the one in the game, then it is strange that magic doesn't work.
　It's not that I don't like it, but I do.

You do have magic power, don't you?
"Yes. ...... But for some reason, I can't get even the basic magic to work. I'm trying everything I can, but I still can't figure out why.
"So, is there a problem with the ...... magic formula itself?

　They both look at Xelloss at the same time.

"What do you mean by that?　I've heard that the formula used now has been adjusted to be as easy as possible to use.
It's hard to say without seeing it, but perhaps the magic settings needed to activate it are inadequate, or perhaps the magic formula itself is defective?
"Can you tell that by looking at it?
"Well, ....... I've been creating my own magic for a while now. ......
I wonder if there's anything strange about the formulas in this book!

　Celestina approached Xellos with great vigor.
　Celestina flinched for a moment, but the serious expression on her face compelled her to take a look at the book.
　All of the magic in the book was basic, but from what Xelloss could see, it was quite strange.
　There were unnecessary things mixed in, and there was more waste than necessary.
　There was no way it would work properly, and even if it did, it would be almost entirely by force.
　In a sense, the artist does not understand art. It seemed to me to be nothing more than crude graffiti.

"This ...... is pretty flawed, you know?
"What? I knew it!

　Almost at the same time, both of them raised different voices.



It's a jumble of unneeded magic words, and even if it works, it's an extremely power-driven technique that depends on personal qualities. It's not beautiful.
What does that mean?
I'm not sure what to do. In the event that you've got a lot of money to spend, you're going to want to make sure that you're able to get the most out of it.

　I'm sure you'll be able to understand why.

I'm not sure what to say.　I'm not sure what to make of it.
"Ummm ......, what's with the magic research!　How dare you spread such a flawed magic? ......
So can you do something to make this magic easier to use?
Yes, you can. I can. It's just a matter of eliminating waste, so it won't take much effort.
Please make that improvement!
Oh!

　This is how Satoshi Osako, aka Xellos, ended up doing the debugging work to optimize the magic formula in the grimoire.
　Since there is not enough time to rewrite the entire book, we will only modify the simple magic body.
　Later, all the mages who produced this textbook were expelled from their jobs and banished from the country.

　This is the first legend of the man who would later be known as the Great Sage.