Became a Medieval Fantasy Wizard

TL/Editor: raei

Status: 5/week mon-fri

Illustrations: none

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What exactly happened?

Ian gathered what the hill giants said.

The story was... quite absurd.

"[In our village, there was a giant who kept a companion-human.]"

"..."

Elia, who struggled with Maronius language, asked Ian for translation.

"Ian. What's the giant saying?"

Ian was speechless.

Not because of poor Maronius language, but because he truly didn't know how to explain.

Companion-human? What's a companion-human?

If it's a companion, fine, but what the fuck is a companion-human?!

If a giant married a human and took them as a companion, well, he could sort of understand. The world is wide and there are many people with strange tastes.

But the 'companion-human' this giant spoke of was absolutely not a companion in the romantic sense.

In older terms, it meant 'pet human'.

Pet.

An animal kept close and raised with love.

The character 玩 in pet is the same as in toy (玩具).

Meaning something kept for entertainment - in this case, a human raised for fun.

'Though they don't seem to treat them completely like toys.'

The giant had been politically correct, using 'companion-human' instead of 'pet human'.

Not a human raised for entertainment, but one kept for psychological comfort and emotional exchange.

"One of the hill giants... raised a human?"

"???"

Ian, still maintaining modern sensitivities, could catch the subtle difference between pet human and companion human.

But Elia, just a medieval native, absolutely could not.

"Wh-what?!"

Elia was shocked at Ian's words.

"Are-are they crazy?! Giants raising humans like cattle?!"

"No, not raising. More like keeping them as friends or family?"

"Livestock is livestock, what do you mean friends!"

...Is that so?

In both lives, Ian had never raised animals.

He had Oberon the crow familiar, but that clever bird was a free spirit who only visited Ian when bored.

So Ian couldn't answer this question.

Could humans really think of animals as perfect family?

"No matter how much you treat them like family, when famine hits they end up in the soup pot - that's livestock!"

"...That's true."

In the material abundance of modern times, this would be unimaginable.

Running out of food? Having to skip meals because there's nothing to eat?

How is that possible? (Really doesn't know)

But humans overcoming famine happened less than 100 years ago.

Only in modern society with extremely advanced technology, where food rots from excess, do people sell one bowl of dog food for $20.

This medieval fantasy world had none of that.

No matter how beloved a family dog was, when people were one step from starving to death, it had to be butchered for meat.

So residents of this medieval fantasy world didn't get too attached to animals they raised.

It was a world where human survival itself was desperate.

"A life lived with your right to life and death in another's hands is no different from slavery."

Excited Elia spat out high-level vocabulary.

Though she didn't study magic well, she was still an elite noble who received higher education.

"That's also true."

Ian nodded, feeling the red blood stirring in his veins (human blood is naturally red)...!

Rather than die a slave, revolution...!

"[Eating family! What a horrible thing to say!]"

But the giants shuddered at Elia's thoughts.

"[Only barbarian-giants eat the humans they raise!]"

Ian immediately shot them a suspicious look.

"[So there are giants who eat humans?]"

"[...]"

Why are you avoiding my eyes, you bastards.

"[W-well there are giants who eat humans! But at least he's not like that!]"

"[He?]"

"[The one who took humans from here!]"

The giant explained.

In the past, there lived a giant named Sephina in the hill giant village.

She had a companion-human named Henry.

"..."

Ian was dumbfounded again.

What's with this companion human thing. Isn't it just a human being kept by a giant?

But since the giants insisted 'Anyway it's a companion human!', let's accept that for now.

Henry had collapsed in the forest when young, lost.

Giant Sephina found Henry when he was one step from starving to death.

She picked him up(...) and started raising him at her house.

That was 80 years ago.

"[80 years?!]"

Ian was shocked.

The shocking point was that this medieval person Henry had lived for 80 years!

He must have really lived well!

"[Sephina took really good care of him.]"

"[She was utterly devoted!]"

Under the giant's passionate care, Henry passed away peacefully at age 90 (estimated).

The problem came after.

"[After Henry died, Sephina fell into depression.]"

When her companion human of 80 years died, Sephina became sicker day by day.

Sephina's younger sibling greatly disliked this.

"[Sephius. That one thought if they gave Sephina a new human, she'd get better.]"

"[...So they kidnapped humans?]"

"[Yes... haa. It's a sad thing.]"

Ian organized his thoughts.

So... the reason two village children were kidnapped.

Was to gift a new pet-human to cheer up a depressed giant...?

"Shit."

Ian spat out a Western curse.

It was indeed connected to mystery, but the content was quite fucked up.

A giant picking up humans to keep at home!

"[Originally! Giants must never kidnap humans!]"

"[But that one's gone blind to everything. That's why they broke the taboo.]"

Ian thought.

He roughly understood how things were going.

But in the end, wasn't getting the kidnapped children back what mattered?

"[Honored giants.]"

Ian addressed the giants.

"[Time is too short to argue right and wrong. Honestly, we don't even have time to be angry.]"

"[We're sorry... because of our lacking kin...]"

"[Even now, the human children must be trembling in fear, dragged to a strange place. They need to be returned to their parents' arms right now.]"

At Ian's calm persuasion, a strange light passed through the giants' eyes.

They'd thought him extraordinary just for being able to communicate...

But this guy seemed better and better the more they looked!

'If we raised a human like that at home...!'

When the giants' eyes suddenly turned greedy, Ian felt chills down his spine.

Why... why are they looking at me like that?!

For a moment Ian felt the terror of being cat-picked(?)!

"[You're right. The dam has already burst. We need to clean this up as quickly as possible.]"

The giant extended a hand to Ian.

"[My name is Polymus. Young human, would you tell me your name?]"

"[Ian. Eredith's disciple, Ian.]"

"[Good. Ian. Join us. Let's return the humans Sephius kidnapped home!]"

Just as Ian finished talking with the giants.

Someone suddenly appeared from the forest.

"Oh, ohhhhh...!"

"..."

Ian looked at that person with dead eyes.

The wizard who'd gone wild chasing giant footprints alone.

Demonite.

"Look at this magnificent, beautiful form...! Hill giants! What enchanting, perfect creatures!!!"

"Um, Professor."

Demonite didn't even pretend to hear Ian.

He'd completely fallen for the monster called hill giants.

Ian shook his head.

When executing Black Wizard Pals, he'd seemed like such a chilling cold-blood.

Ian felt strange dissonance seeing him turn childlike before mysteries he loved.

What kind of person was he really.

But Ian's thoughts couldn't continue.

Because Demonite suddenly charged at the giant!

"Professor?!"

"Hill giaaaaaant!"

Screaming "hill giant," Demonite ran out and hugged the giant's thick leg.

Ian was left speechless...

'Crazy bastard.'

If you showed a recording of Demonite's behavior, ten out of ten would swear this guy must really be an outstanding wizard.

Meaning even to Ian he looked like a completely insane wizard.

"[Wh-what! What's with this human!]"

The hill giants shouted in surprise.

Can't blame them.

When some old guy suddenly hugs your leg, you might be surprised...

"[He's so cute!]"

"?????"

"[I've never seen a human cling like this before!]"

"[Such an affectionate one!]"

Just then, Ian witnessed Demonite rubbing against the giant's leg with affectionate gestures(...)

Ian immediately squeezed his eyes shut!

F/u/c/k!

Professor, what the fuck is wrong with you?!

It felt like blood would drip down if he opened his eyes now...

"[Hug me! O giants!]"

"[The human wants hugs! So cute!!!]"

"[I-I want to hug them!]"

Don't hug him! You crazy bastards!

When Ian whipped his head around, Elia gracefully approached and whispered.

"Ian. I think I'm going to be sick."

Me too, Princess.

Ian desperately hoped Demonite's aegyo(...) would end soon.

#

"Haha. That must have surprised you."

Ian returned to the castle and got two horses.

Elia rode in the giants' basket. Ian and Demonite rode horses toward the giant village.

Despite causing such a catastrophe(?), Demonite was calm.

"Hill giants are beings with affection for humans."

"...And?"

"A great summoner sometimes needs to lower themselves to connect with mysteries."

No, you lowered yourself way too much, fuck.

...is what he almost said.

Though Ian grumbled like that, he wasn't entirely unsympathetic to Demonite's words.

"It may look strange from a human perspective. But think about it. When an old dog shows affection to you, Ian. Would you find that strange?"

Ian shrugged.

It wouldn't be particularly strange. It might even be cute.

Young or old, all dogs are cute.

By the same logic, the hill giants found old Demonite cute too.

Young or old, all humans must look cute to giant eyes.

"Chances to visit giant villages are rare. Because humans are forbidden from entering giant villages."

Demonite said.

"I hope you'll gain much from this opportunity."

Opportunity...

Ian thought briefly.

Did Demonite consider magical exploration more important than rescuing children?

'...Rescue first.'

Whatever others thought, Ian's priorities were clear.

Rescuing the children was priority one.

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