I Became a Civil Servant Who Can Use Magic

“Is there truly no other way but to flee..”

Count Lidyte sighed deeply. Seeing their lord’s reluctant appearance, his vassals urged him.

“Only if my lord survives can we hope for the future.”
“Her words are correct. If even our lord, who should be the center of unity, is captured by the enemy…”

There’s no time for this.
A decision must be made quickly.

The inner castle gate had already been breached.
The enemy was right at their doorstep.
If they stay like this, who knows when they’ll be captured by the enemy.

The Count knows this fact.

But….
Trying to flee from this city that his family has ruled for generations, his feet just wouldn’t move.

‘I, who was the ruler of the barrier, am now reduced to a fugitive.’

“..”

Only when the sound of clashing swords and spears drew near did the Count make his decision.

“Your words are right. I momentarily showed an unsightly appearance. I will survive like this and certainly, by whatever means necessary, reclaim my city.”

The Count, who made a firm resolution, immediately headed for the secret passage. His vassals followed him.
After passing through the passage and escaping outside the city, the Count’s party immediately headed for the gathering point on horses prepared nearby.

“These are the cream of the crop. They will escort my lord to a safe place.”

At the gathering point, several elite members of the knight order and soldiers skilled in horseback riding were gathered.

The Count nodded at them and quickly mounted a horse. Then he opened his mouth, looking at his vassals.

“I will surely. Return.”
“We will be waiting. Please don’t worry about us and escape safely.”

Split into three groups, they fled in different directions. It was a choice to shake off the enemy’s pursuit.

The Count headed south on horseback with his direct guard knights and about thirty elite troops.
Naturally, they were all dressed in ordinary soldier attire.

Clop clop clop clop.

Half a day had already passed since they started riding.
There was no pursuit from the enemy.

Just as the Count, feeling relieved, was about to take a brief rest in a forest clearing.

Whoosh!
Clang!

Suddenly, a shower of arrows flew towards the Count’s party.

“It’s an ambush!”

Veronica, the direct guard knight who alerted of the ambush, swung her sword like lightning to deflect the arrows. She was indeed a 3-star expert.

Immediately after, a battle broke out with the pursuers who revealed themselves.

Ugh.
Aaargh!

Despite the sudden ambush, the Count’s guard troops handled it skillfully.

As they were all 2 and 3-star elites with rich practical experience, the pursuers were swept away like wind-blown leaves.

The battle ended in an instant.

All pursuers annihilated.
Only one casualty on the Count’s side.

It was an overwhelming victory, but the Count’s expression was still dark.

Because he knew this was just the beginning of the pursuit.

“We can forget about resting. Let’s keep moving.”
“Yes!”

Afterwards, the Count’s party continued endlessly towards the south. And they were ambushed almost every day.

The pursuers were extremely persistent. There were several times when they were waiting in advance, somehow knowing the escape route. Sometimes they even approached disguised as ordinary adventurers.
As the days passed, the number of the Count’s party kept dwindling. No matter how elite they were, there was no way to avoid casualties.

The eyes of the Count’s party grew sharper. The continuous pursuit and endless life on the run made them sensitive.

On a late night with moonlight.
While camping outdoors, the Count opened his mouth towards his direct guard knight.

“Veronica. I’m sorry, because of me..”
“Don’t say such things.”
“With your skills, you could leave here and receive better treatment.. mmph.”
“Stop. Didn’t I tell you not to say such things?”

Veronica covered the Count’s mouth with her hand as he was sinking into depression. After confirming that there was no one around, Veronica scolded the Count in an informal tone.

Though they were lord and vassal, it was possible because they were also childhood friends who had been together since they were young.

Usually, the two conversed like friends. But only when no one else was around.

“I told the vassals I would return… But with the winner already decided, is there any force that would help us?”
“..”

Veronica couldn’t give any answer. Because as he said, the tide had already turned.

Moreover, this place surrounded by massive mountain ranges, the Land Beyond the Barrier, was a place where it was difficult to seek help from a third party.

“Still.. Someone outside the barrier might help us. So don’t lose hope until the end, Aaron.”

Veronica comforted him, even calling the Count by his name. She thought they should at least escape first.

The escape continued afterwards.
After fleeing for over a month, they were finally able to reach near the barrier.

Escape was right before their eyes!

“Count, the enemy has brought the knight order!”

It was the report of a soldier who returned from scouting while they were breaking camp.

There had been almost no pursuit for the past few days, so they thought the enemy had finally given up. Was it because they were bringing the knight order?

“After quickly packing up, prepare to go down along the road!”

Now there was no point in trekking through sparsely populated mountain and forest paths. Speed was important from now on.

Therefore, they decided to flee along the paved road connected to the city.

All they had to do was get out of the barrier before encountering the enemy.

“Unidentified personnel spotted ahead!”
“Judging by their attire, they seem to be adventurers.. Damn, they’re mages!”

While the Count’s party was heading towards the barrier along the road, they spotted two people wearing gray robes.

At first they thought they were adventurers, but then one of them suddenly pulled out a staff.

Judging from the circumstances, they seemed to be enemy troops waiting in advance.

‘I didn’t expect even mages to be waiting..’

It was an unexpected situation.
Seeing that only two were standing there, they probably weren’t just ordinary 2-star mages, but likely 3-star mages.

A desperate crisis!
In front, mages estimated to be 3-star, behind, the enemy’s knight order.

At that moment, Veronica drew her sword and increased her speed.

“I’ll try to draw the mage’s attention!”
“Veronica!”

The Count cried out worriedly, but Veronica had already run far ahead.

The Count gritted his teeth and shouted.

“Everyone charge!”

At his cry, the guard troops drew their swords with grim expressions. Then they increased their horses’ speed.

‘Since Veronica is also a 3-star swordswoman, you never know. If we can rush in before the enemy mage finishes casting, we might have a chance!’

A cavalry unit that she had only seen through screens in her past life.
Facing them in reality, the pressure was extraordinary.

Thud thud thud thud.

Even though they were only a few dozen in number, Loen was extremely tense at the sight of them charging on horseback, accompanied by the sound of pounding the earth.

She even felt the aura of seasoned warriors from them.. Well, she wasn’t really sure about that, but anyway, judging by their fierce looks, they didn’t seem to be ordinary soldiers.

Loen swallowed and said.

“Get ready.”
“Why on earth would they attack first without even knowing who we are?”
“Think about that later. Just prepare to counter for now.”
“Yes!”

Psyche, who had cast various enhancement spells on herself, then took position at the front, clenching her fists and taking a stance.
Psyche’s hesitation disappeared the moment the enemies drew their swords.

Then Psyche made an expectant expression. After all, Psyche was also the type who didn’t mind fighting.. She didn’t pass the adjutant interview for nothing.

Watching the dozens of cavalry charging, Loen thought.

When she was just about to cast magic, she wondered if it might be her misconception?

But it didn’t seem to be a misconception.
They were clearly targeting us.

The blonde female knight charging at the front.. Is she really a knight? Looking at her shabby attire, she doesn’t seem like a knight. Anyway, assuming she’s a female knight.

Seeing all the cavalry behind the female knight drawing their swords, there was no room for doubt.
Though I don’t know why on earth.

‘They seem to know well how to deal with mages?’

Moreover, because of the female knight charging at the front, it was awkward to use area-of-effect magic.
Because she was approaching diagonally, widening the angle.

After canceling the defensive magic she was preparing, Loen quickly started casting Magic Bullet.
In her other hand, she was still preparing area-of-effect magic.

The plan was to quickly fire check Magic Bullets to slow down their charge, then use a proper anti-personnel attack magic. The area-of-effect magic would come after that.

“Magic Bullet.”

As the activation word flowed from Loen’s mouth, 3 mana clusters shot towards the female knight.

Then the female knight took a counterattack stance, as if she had expected this.

‘I fired it as a check anyway, so it doesn’t matter if it’s blocked or not.’

Then Loen started casting anti-personnel attack magic.
Meanwhile, the female knight swung her sword at the Magic Bullets that had approached right in front of her.

Pop!
Kyaaa!
Neigh!

“..?”
“Eh?”

One Magic Bullet collided with the female knight’s sword and blew it away.
The second Magic Bullet that followed struck the female knight’s upper body and knocked her off her horse.
The last Magic Bullet hit the warhorse’s face and knocked it down.

The female knight fell.

Loen and Psyche were bewildered seeing her lose combat ability from mere Magic Bullets.

Could she have been bait?

“Ve…ka!!”

A cry of concern for their comrade erupted from among the cavalry.

“… Revenge for sure…”

Words about revenge reached Loen’s ears.
It doesn’t seem like she was bait, but more than that.

‘Who showed intent to attack first?’

Loen, who had suddenly become the aggressor, cast her next spell.

It was the area-of-effect magic she had been preparing from the beginning.

“Shock Wave.”

A fan-shaped gray wave spread through the air in front of Loen.

Woong.

The moment the wave touched them like a surging tide, the cavalry fell one after another like dominoes.

“Ugh.”
“Gah.”

The cavalry fainted, uttering their last gasps.

The surroundings became quiet.

Loen scratched her head, looking at the dozens of cavalry sprawled here and there.

“..As expected of Loen!”
“I guess they were ordinary soldiers after all?”
“Ah, is that so?”

How else could it end so easily?
While Loen and Psyche were puzzled.

More knights appeared over the horizon.

Thud thud thud.

This time, they weren’t mere cavalry but real knights wearing black armor. The knight at the front was even carrying a flag bearing a family crest.
Their identity was none other than the Bamor Knight Order, who had chased Count Lidyte over a long distance.

Of course, Loen doesn’t know this fact. To her, they all look like the same enemy.

As expected.

Loen nodded and started casting magic again.

“I guess those guys earlier were the scouts and these are the main force.”

Since the scouts showed intent to attack, Loen had no reason to hesitate either.

Shock Wave in her left hand.
Chain Beam in her right hand.

Chain Beam is an improved version of Magic Cannon, imbued with ‘residual’ and ‘bouncing’ properties so that when the Magic Cannon hits an enemy, it splits into multiple branches and bounces towards surrounding enemies.

Of course, its power is much less than the original Magic Cannon. However, it was an appropriate card for the current situation as it could certainly incapacitate multiple enemies.

“Psyche. As soon as I use the second magic, charge towards the enemies immediately.”
“Yes!”

Psyche took a charging stance with a vigorous response.
Is a real proper fight going to break out this time!

How many minutes had passed?

Since she started casting as soon as the enemies appeared, preparations were already complete.

When their expressions became distinguishable.
Loen raised her staff.

Watching the knights’ faces turn to bewilderment, Loen shouted the activation word.

Shock Wave.
As before, the wave surged forward in ripples.

Next is Chain…

“Spread out, gah.”
“Urgh.”

Before she could use the second magic, the knights fell off their horses one after another.

Only silence flowed where the wave had swept through.

‘Something’s strange..?’

Loen’s thoughts momentarily stopped, too bewildered.

Psyche, who was looking at the fallen unconscious enemies, opened her mouth.

“Can I just rest under a tree?”