Reborn as the Head of the Stolen Mage Family

Chapter 72

The strategy meeting was led by three individuals.

Fred, Brenda, and Samuel Tivon, the captain of the Lacania City Guard.

Under Mayor Dixon's orders, Samuel had brought fifty knights to the campsite in the middle of the night.

Upon arrival, he briefly introduced himself to the two professors and immediately spread out a map.

"According to what you two professors have confirmed, the missing students all headed to the Valcon Ruins."

"That is correct. The traces of magic used by the other two students also led to the front of the ruins."

"Judging by the residual mana, it seems Eddie headed to the ruins, and a short time later, Marcel and Hendricks followed."

"Then it's more likely they were tailing him rather than accompanying him. Furthermore, the boy named Hendricks is an attendant of House Dickens, so circumstantially, he has a motive to follow Marcel."

Samuel Tivon's analysis of the situation was quick and accurate.

Putting aside his prejudice against Hendricks, he was befitting of a seasoned knight captain.

Samuel and the two professors then planned the search route and distributed personnel according to the students' expected movements.

However, there was one person who was an obstacle to the smooth progress of the meeting.

"Then, what is the maximum number of personnel that Lacania City Hall can mobilize immediately?"

"..."

"Aide Dancher?"

"..."

"Aide!"

"Ye... Yes?!"

"Please focus properly on the meeting. The students' lives are at stake."

It was Blake Dancher, who had been in a daze throughout the meeting.

At Fred's stern rebuke, Blake hastily wiped his sweat and apologized.

He tried to pull himself together and focus on the meeting somehow.

But nothing entered his mind, which was already filled with anxiety and fear.

"Ah... probably... if we mobilize everyone down to the lowest ranks, it will be about 40 people..."

"Then, including the people here and our men, it will be about 100 people. It would be best to divide them into four groups of 25."

"Yes, then Professor Arno, Captain Tivon, Aide Dancher, and I can each lead a search party."

"Yes... then I will first report to the mayor and then come back... wa, wait a minute! What did you just say?!"

"..."

Blake asked back in a flustered voice.

This time, not only the two professors but also Samuel's face turned cold.

"Aide Dancher has been out of it since a while ago. You, me, and the two professors will each lead a search party of 25 people."

"Ah... I'm... I'm sorry. But... shouldn't at least one of the senior staff remain at the campsite? We need to be concerned about the safety of the other students and also..."

Blake's lips trembled as he made excuses.

His appearance, trying so hard to avoid going to the dangerous search site, was quite pathetic.

Fred and Brenda quickly exchanged glances, confirming that they had the same thought.

In fact, it would be better if Blake didn't come along on the search.

Whether it was Eddie's plan or the actual search, he wasn't someone who would be of any help in any aspect.

Moreover, judging by his sigh of displeasure, Samuel seemed to have the same thought.

"S-so, I will remain at the campsite to receive reports on the situation and report to the mayor..."

"Yes, then please do so. We will proceed with the search with Captain Tivon. Now..."

"What are you talking about!"

A thunderous voice flew into the tent just then.

The one who entered the tent with a shout was the imposing mayor of Lacania, Rob Dixon.

"M... Mayor!"

Blake's face turned white in an instant.

Rob glanced at Blake with a look of disdain.

"There is no need for you to remain here just to receive reports on the situation. Isn't this a situation where we are short-handed even with as many people as possible on the search?"

"B-but it would be better if I..."

"Young students are out in that dangerous place right now! How can an adult think of sparing manpower!"

Rob's thunderous shout echoed through the tent once again.

Blake couldn't even make a squeak and lowered his head.

He seemed to be intimidated by the mayor's authority, but in reality, he was swallowing curses.

'Young students, my foot. He doesn't care about anything other than the well-being of the next head of the Kirhausen family.'

Fred, Brenda, and Samuel didn't show it, but their gazes and expressions were not kind.

No one here was unaware that Rob was intentionally shouting loud enough to be heard outside the tent.

As mayor, he could no longer avoid responsibility for the safety issue.

To maintain his precarious position as mayor, he had to leave the impression that he was trying to save the students at all costs... that must be the mayor's calculation.

In the end, a search party of 100 people, including Aide Dancher, was formed.

Joy, who had finished her preparations, also entered the tent and attended the meeting, and it was decided that she would join the second search party led by Brenda.

All that was left was to decide to what extent the current situation should be reported.

The academy had already been informed of the three students' departure.

Therefore, the only thing left was to decide whether or not to inform the students' respective families.

"We're not yet sure of the situation... is there really a need to inform the families so early and cause confusion?"

"Pardon?"

And here, Rob lost points for himself.

At his remark, the two professors stared at him with serious expressions.

Rob flinched for a moment but soon continued in a gentle tone.

"I mean... it won't be too late to inform them after the situation has been grasped more specifically."

"The situation is already clear. A magical beast has appeared outside, and three of our students are currently outside the campsite."

"Moreover, there is a high possibility that they are in the main activity area of the magical beasts, so we cannot even guarantee their lives. It is already too late."

"..."

A hint of anger could even be felt in the two professors' firm rebukes.

Rob couldn't find any words to retort and just moved his lips.

He looked at Samuel with eyes that begged for help.

However, the straightforward knight captain only returned a look that asked why he was looking at him.

'That damn...'

Rob's two fists, clenched under the table, tightened.

His pride was hurt.

No matter how much they were academy professors, he was, for all intents and purposes, the mayor of a city.

There was no reason for him to just endure being embarrassed like this.

'Seeing as they came as field trip supervising professors, they are probably connections without ties within the academy, how dare they...'

Just as Rob, who had been silent, was about to say something.

"I will go too!"

The tent flap fluttered as Alexein entered.

He had already changed into his activity clothes and even brought his wand.

He was even wearing a protective item engraved with the crest of House Dickens.

Everyone in the tent's gaze turned to Alexein.

As if he had already gone through countless deliberations, he had a determined expression despite his pale face.

Fred and Brenda looked at each other simultaneously.

Eddie had already predicted the possibility of Alexein joining the search party.

Therefore, it wasn't surprising, but now that there was already a variable in the plan, it was not a welcome element.

However, Joy's participation had already been permitted under the pretext of the student council.

There was no justification to stop Alexein, the president, from joining.

"...You must already know that it's dangerous, Alexein."

"I know."

"Even as the president, you must stay in the rear of the search party. Join Professor Arno's search party."

"Yes, Professor."

Alexein obediently followed Brenda's instructions.

Joy was quite surprised by his uncharacteristic behavior.

'He used to look down on the commoner-born professors so much... what's gotten into him?'

For a moment, his eyes met Alexein's.

However, Alexein didn't glare at Joy or feel displeased.

It meant that his attitude towards this search was quite serious.

"We can't delay any longer. Let's move out!"

Thus, the four search parties headed to the Valcon Ruins.

Just before departing, Fred cast protective magic on all the search party members.

Brenda opened her summoning stones and released the dozens of summoned beasts sleeping inside.

The summoned beasts, shimmering in various colors, headed to the ruins in unison at Brenda's command.

All possible preparations within their means were made.

Woowoong- Woowoong-

Brenda's mana circuit shimmered on her skin, and with it, the summoning stone shone and resonated.

Joy watched this from the back of the search party and felt a slight shiver.

She was finally out of school, doing the work of a mage.

Even though she had heard about it in advance through the plan, an unavoidable excitement arose.

***

At that moment.

Pat-!

"Ugh!"

"Uwaak-!"

A portal that appeared in mid-air spat out Marcel and Hendricks' bodies.

The two, who fell limply to the floor, groaned as they rolled on the ground.

And soon after-

"Ueup...! Keuleok!"

"Uweeeek!"

They began to retch, lying face down on the floor.

Inside the portal they had been sucked into without any preparation, the two had literally been tangled and tumbled.

Fortunately, they had arrived safely on the hard floor, but their heads were still spinning and their stomachs were churning.

It was only natural that they couldn't come to their senses.

Eddie, who came out of the portal after them, patted their backs.

"Close your eyes, take a deep breath in and out. You too, Hendricks."

Although he had come out of the same portal, Eddie's breathing was not disturbed at all.

Marcel and Hendricks envied his composed appearance even in their dazed state.

After confirming that the two were calming down, Eddie looked around.

Fortunately, he couldn't feel the aura of a magical beast yet.

It seemed the search party hadn't come by yet, as there were no traces of the summoned beasts Brenda was supposed to have left.

'I was worried the timing might be off, but I'm glad. I should be able to meet the search party soon.'

Eddie let out a sigh of relief, thinking he could rest easy.

Of course.

Marcel's gaze, as he stood up staggering, demanded an explanation of this situation.

Eddie didn't care.

His perfunctory explanation focused on speed and accuracy rather than politeness.

"It was most appropriate to move to this location."

"What?"

"By this time, the search party would have entered the ruins, and this place is the most convenient to use as a search base."

"..."

"You know that magical beasts are active in the Valcon Ruins at night."

The young master's insistence on not being carried slowed them down.

So he judged that it was dangerous to continue like this and opened a portal.

His voice as he continued the explanation was even indifferent.

Then, Marcel, who had been listening silently, said as if snapping at him.

"You're saying you had no choice but to throw me into a portal without a word to avoid a magical beast that hasn't appeared in over 50 years?"

"...Yes, that is correct."

"And you expect me to believe that explanation... right now?"

"..."

A suffocating silence descended.

Eddie didn't make any excuses or apologies and looked at Marcel.

Marcel's eyes showed a very clear anger.

He now thought that Eddie, annoyed by his frustration, had 'dared' to brandish a wand at him.

It was quite rude to cast magic that directly affects another defenseless mage in a non-sparring situation.

Moreover, if it was done by a tail to his young master, it was an act of insubordination that needed no further explanation.

It was an outrageous act of violence even considering Marcel's own suspicion that Eddie would no longer remain a tail.

From Marcel's perspective, it was a situation that was enough to make him angry.

Of course, this was reasonable anger if seen under the assumption that 'a magical beast would not appear.'

But unfortunately, that was not the case.

Eddie was lost in thought for a moment.

'There's no reason to argue here to clear up this misunderstanding. In a little while, he'll find out that a magical beast has appeared, either by seeing it himself or by hearing it from the search party.'

But his lips kept twitching in frustration.

It wasn't because Marcel's annoyance was unpleasant.

It was just that...

This guy, who was so serious about training that he broke the rules to come here, was so trapped in his own well.

Frustrated by that fact, Eddie eventually took a step towards Marcel.

Jeobeok-

Hendricks would notice when the magical beast got closer anyway.

So, during the brief lull, Eddie intended to shatter the world surrounding Marcel a little.

'There was also a request from someone who sincerely supports you.'