“…That bastard destroys other people’s magecraft, and then takes it for himself.”

Just as he told me this, the sound of an explosion rattled my eardrums. Two of the three motorboats had been engulfed in balls of orange fire.

That wasn’t even the strangest thing. Even after such a giant explosion, the pirates around us remained asleep.

“…What?!”

The dumbfounded young man exclaimed, springing up in alarm. He reached for the gun at his belt and observed the surroundings.

“—There!”

He pulled out his pistol and fired, bullets striking sparks as they came into contact with the rocks on the beach.

Then, a tall silhouette appeared silently from the shadows of the mangroves. How was this possible!?

“What magecraft did you use to do that!”

“…Sadly, nothing impressive.” Said the silhouette.

It was a long-haired man who might have been some kind of European. He was around thirty years old, his face remarkable if only for his intense expression of distaste. His outfit, which consisted of a linen blazer over a shirt, appeared casual, but his expensive-looking leather shoes kept a subtle balance so that it wasn't too casual.

“I only cast a simple ignition spell on the engines. I’ve done something similar before. But because my power alone is insufficient, the part of the spell that's meant to delay the fire didn’t function. I planned on having the explosions happen later. …Oh, and as for your friends, it’s just the effect of sleeping pills. I’ve enhanced them with magecraft, of course. It’s one of the only things I can do well.”

Perhaps because of the fire, the man seemed to wince in pain. It was as if he had encountered a truth that he did not want to face once again.

“…The Plunderer…!” The young man said, staring up at him as his lips trembled. The mage of the Clock Tower slowly lowered his gaze.

Adventures of Lord El-Melloi II: The God Devourer; Prologue