TL/Editor: raei

    Status: 5/week mon-fri

    Illustrations: none

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    The journey home was smooth.

    With two giants as escorts, no monsters dared approach them, just like on their way there.

    Though things had been serious when they left.

    Now that everything was finished, the mood in Ian''s party was quite relaxed.

    "This''ll build up your reputation again~"

    Elia smiled contentedly at Ian.

    Ian found it ridiculous.

    "Why are you happy about my reputation growing?"

    Elia replied shamelessly.

    "Well, the more famous Ian becomes, the more I''ll shine!"

    "..."

    Actually, Ian was already quite famous.

    Among Heaven''s Faith monks, he was known as Golden Finger Takarion''s friend and the patron saint of coffee(...).

    In Talian domain, which Ian could call home, he was treated as a hero - the Dragon Slayer.

    But as with medieval fame, reputation faded after traveling a few domains.

    Even at the university now, hardly anyone called Ian the Dragon Slayer.

    Of course, largely because ''he didn''t go around bragging about his achievements'', but even accounting for that, Ian''s fame was lower than expected.

    He was probably better known as an excellent dark wizard and Eredith''s disciple.

    "When Ian gets famous, he''ll be more valuable to hire later!"

    "..."

    Though he wasn''t sure why she assumed he''d be hired.

    Elia was already gleefully imagining using Ian as a court wizard.

    "Focus on studying first. Didn''t you want to learn summoning to control small animals?"

    "Ah. That?"

    Elia glanced at Demonite before speaking.

    "I was going to. But summoning... seems different from what I imagined."

    That was natural.

    With anything, there''s an enormous difference between how things appear and studying them as a major.

    Not the kind of magic you casually start just because you want to tame cute animals!

    "I don''t get what taming small animals has to do with talking to giants."

    When Elia grumbled, Ian shook his head.

    She should just stick to campus politics instead of studying.

    As Ian''s unofficial patron, the better Elia''s position, the better for Ian.

    "Ian. We have trouble."

    Suddenly, Demonite popped out and spoke.

    It wasn''t even surprising anymore.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Sephina answered instead.

    "[Wizard Ian! Big trouble!]"

    "[Why all the fuss...?]"

    "[Giants! Volcano giants have appeared!]"

    Ian moved in the direction Sephina pointed.

    Sephius was keeping watch.

    "[Sephius?]"

    "[Ugh...!]"

    Correction. Sephius was frozen in terror.

    Ian looked toward the horizon.

    ''There''s a fuck ton of them.''

    Ten... twenty...

    Almost forty giants were moving in a crowd.

    "[Why are there so many? Is there a war?]"

    "[I don''t know! The chief''s son probably came out on patrol...]"

    Meaning they weren''t moving with any particular purpose.

    Like humans, giants sometimes acted just to show they could make others move at their will.

    Watching other giants move according to their wishes confirmed their power.

    ''Like employees dragged along on the boss''s hiking trip.''

    If hill giants knew modern concepts, they would have applauded that comparison.

    As proof, only the giant in front looked excited while all the others looked miserable.

    "[What do we do! If they catch us, they''ll take you away!]"

    That was what worried Sephina.

    The two giants, being giants themselves, wouldn''t face harsh treatment.

    The problem was the humans.

    If the hill giants saw them with humans, they might insist on getting some too.

    No, they definitely would!@@@@

    The leader guiding the volcano giants was the chief''s young son.

    The type who''d consider it very important to collect ''tribute'' from hill giants encountered on the road!

    With forty giants watching, the chance of being let go was practically zero.

    "[Sephina. Can we escape?]"

    "[...No. They''ve already spotted us.]"

    Giants were so huge that hiding was nearly impossible.

    Though far away, they''d already seen each other.

    If they ran now, the volcano giants would happily chase them.

    Unless they''d killed someone and fled, as Demonite suggested.

    "[Halt! Who are you!]"

    A thunderous voice rang out.

    The volcano giants appeared, their burning hair flying.

    ''They eat humans, don''t they?''

    Unlike the gentle hill giants, volcano giants were fierce giants who didn''t shy away from cannibalism.

    If caught by them, they''d become dinner.

    "[H-h-hello...?]"

    Sephina awkwardly greeted them.

    The volcano giants stared at her.

    ''D-did they figure it out?!''

    Should she grab the humans and run now?

    "[Never seen your faces before. Where are you from?]"

    But fortunately they hadn''t been discovered.

    Since their hair was burning the same way, they''d been mistaken for fellow giants.

    Understandable.

    What kind of madman would think to disguise themselves by imitating burning hair?

    Ian tapped Sephius.

    It was his turn to speak, so move his mouth.

    But before that, one volcano giant suddenly reached out.

    Toward Elia.

    "[Why do you have so many humans...]"

    Ian immediately shouted.

    "[Stop!]"

    "[!]"

    "[???]"

    With no time to synchronize lip movements with Sephius, Ian just yelled.

    The problem was...

    Sephius hadn''t opened his mouth yet-

    And another volcano giant had witnessed it.

    ''Oh... shit!''

    Sephius panicked badly.

    Asking Ian to sync with his lip movements was fine but...

    He couldn''t even open his mouth!

    This was a complete disaster, right?!

    "[Wh-what...?]"

    The volcano giant muttered blankly.

    He was startled.

    He''d heard a voice but no one had spoken.

    ''Am I hearing things?''

    While Sephius and the volcano giant were confused...

    Ian quickly poked Sephius''s thigh again.

    Wizard behavior was about momentum.

    Whatever happened, you had to push forward!

    "[What are you looking around for!]"

    When Ian poked his thigh, Sephius at least pretended to act.

    He glared at the volcano giant with a stern expression.

    Though skipping the lip sync made it incredibly awkward...

    He still moved trusting Ian.

    ''No, speak...!''

    But Ian was about to go crazy with frustration.

    Once could be a mistake. But why wasn''t he moving his mouth the second time either?!

    He must have lost his judgment ability from panic.

    But the act couldn''t stop.

    Ian continued the voice acting.

    "[A-are you... speaking right now?]"

    The volcano giant asked in a trembling voice.

    Something was really weird.

    His mouth was closed but sound came out!

    Then the strange volcano giant shouted in a terrifying voice.

    "[Yes! Can''t you see!]"

    "[?!]"

    I can''t see anything at all!

    "[Ha! You! Never seen someone speak without opening their mouth?]"

    "[???]"

    This is absolutely the first time???

    Faced with this unprecedented sight, the two volcano giants froze.

    My god...

    There was a giant who could speak without opening his mouth!(not)

    He was no ordinary giant.

    "[Let me warn you. Touch my humans carelessly and I''ll blow your head off.]"

    "[...]"

    The volcano giants judged this mysterious giant was no common fellow.

    They needed their leader''s judgment.

    "[J-just wait a moment!]"

    The two giants hurried back to their leader.