Chapter 163:

Chapter 163: Chapter 163:

Chapter 163:

The restriction spell surrounding the area wasn’t something that could be easily bypassed, and even experienced mages would struggle to find their way through it without knowing where to look.

Yet, this young man had somehow managed to enter the garden and begin harvesting his herbs without showing any sign of noticing the spell.

Could it be that his senses were unusually sharp, or was there something else at play?

The old man briefly considered several possibilities before deciding that he would need to investigate further.

He had no intention of letting such an unusual individual leave without at least satisfying some of his curiosity.

’And what is with that strange outfit?’

The old man shifted his gaze towards Osborne’s armour, examining the metal plates covering his body and the helmet that concealed his face.

It was certainly an unusual choice of clothing for a mage, especially one who was supposedly only at the first circle.

Most mages preferred wearing robes that allowed them to move freely while casting their spells, and although there were exceptions, it was the first time he’d seen a mage in armour.

*******

’How in the world is that even possible...’

The old man couldn’t help but feel increasingly confused as he stared at the young man standing before him.

He had already confirmed that the young man was telling the truth about being a first-circle mage, and although it was difficult to believe, the truth-seeking orb had no reason to deceive him.

However, there was still one thing he couldn’t understand.

How had someone with such a low level of magic managed to find his garden without noticing the restriction spell he had placed around it?

"You say you knew nothing about the restriction I put in place, then how did you find the herbs to begin with?"

The old man questioned him, his eyes narrowing slightly as he waited for an answer.

’It doesn’t make sense, the restrictive spell I used was one of illusions, meant to make others lose their sense of direction the closer they got to my garden, unless this child is trying to tell me he reached the garden by pure chance.’

He had spent a considerable amount of time preparing the spell, and although it wasn’t particularly difficult for someone of his level, its effects were more than enough to keep unwanted visitors away from his garden.

The closer someone got to the field, the more difficult it became for them to maintain their sense of direction, and before long, they would find themselves walking around in circles without even realizing what was happening.

It was a rather simple but effective method of protecting his herbs, especially since he didn’t have to waste his time constantly checking whether someone had entered the area.

Some might wonder why the mage didn’t attribute it to luck, but that was eeven more unlikely, after all, this should be the second time he’s found it.

To him, no one was that lucky...

Twice.

The old man looked at Osborne, awaiting his answer.

" I’m not sure you might believe me even if I told you..."

" ...Try me." The old man said with a no nonsense look.

" Well since you must know, the truth is, I simply followed the scent of the herbs."

"Boy! Do you take me for a fool—"

The old man was about to shout, only for his eyes to bulge in disbelief when the orb glowed white again.

’Impossible!!! By scent?’

He stared at the orb for several seconds, almost as though he were expecting it to change its colour, but the white glow remained steady, confirming that the young man hadn’t lied.

’What kind of sense of smell does this child possess?’

The old man slowly raised his head and looked at Osborne, examining him from head to toe as though he were trying to find some kind of explanation for his unusual abilities.

Even if he had been told that a beast had found his garden by following the scent of the herbs, he wouldn’t have found it particularly strange, since many magical beasts possessed senses far beyond those of ordinary humans and normal beasts.

However, hearing the same thing from a young man who looked perfectly human was an entirely different matter.

"Young one... tell me true—are you a beast in men’s clothing?"

He glared at Osborne, his expression showing just how difficult it was for him to accept the answer.

Osborne felt a bit nervous, although he was relieved that the old man hadn’t said demon.

Fortunately, the old man seemed to have reached his own conclusion, and as long as he didn’t start asking questions about his unusual abilities, Osborne had no intention of volunteering any additional information.

’What a troublesome old man...’

He couldn’t help but sigh inwardly, wondering whether he would ever be able to leave this place without having to answer another series of questions.

He had already explained himself several times, and although the truth-seeking orb had confirmed that he wasn’t lying, the old man still seemed to have difficulty accepting his answers.

’Hopefully, he’ll finally let me go after this.’

*******

"Tsk... And here I thought I found myself a rotten thief, you’re nothing more than a freak kid, a real one for that matter."

The old man clicked his tongue as he looked at Osborne, his earlier anger gradually fading away as he came to terms with the fact that the young man wasn’t deliberately trying to deceive him.

Of course, that didn’t mean he was particularly happy about what had happened.

After all, he had spent a considerable amount of time growing the Moonlight Grass, only for someone to show up and harvest a large portion of it without even realizing that he was trespassing.

"Even still, I apologise for causing such troubles for you, Sir."

Osborne bowed his head slightly, making sure to maintain a polite attitude towards the old man.

He had no intention of making an enemy out of someone who was clearly far beyond his current abilities, and if a simple apology was enough to put an end to their little misunderstanding, he was more than willing to offer one.