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Turning Chapter 763
🕑 Added 2023-12-30 05:18:52 +0000 UTCChapter 763
"Earlier, you and Yergin Schiller seemed to be having an interesting conversation. Besides the news about the visitors and the Southerners, was there anything else?"
Kishiar casually asked, handing over a bundle of work to others and preparing to welcome new guests, while perusing some documents.
"The Cavalry might make people flinch with a little effort, but why does our swordmaster, now also the owner of the divine sword, pretend not to know about it? There were complaints about not understanding this," Yuder reported.
"Oh? And how did the assistant respond?"
"Just as you said, Commander. Eventually, everyone will know, so there's no need to worry. After all, whether others acknowledge it or not, what we have is real, not fake."
Kishiar's lips curved into a small smile. "Indeed," he mused.
After a moment of silence, he added, "Still, as the Commander, I feel a bit sorry that a member harbors such thoughts."
"There's no need for that. Isn't everything going according to your plan?"
Instead of agreeing verbally, Kishiar silently observed Yuder's face. Just as he seemed about to speak, a knock interrupted them, and the waiting guests entered.
The visitors were prominent figures: a seventh-rank official from Charloin, a representative of the Sapphire Mage Union, and a merchant of the Charloin Trading Union. They were the ones Yergin had mentioned, the protesters from the past incident in front of the branch office.
"Ah... Greetings, Duke Peletta... We didn't realize it was you last time and regret any disrespect. We heard you summoned us..."
The three guests were a stark contrast to their previously arrogant and haughty selves, now shrinking in their postures. Despite visible sweat, they were not in a state of tears or a runny nose, confirming Yergin hadn't lied.
Kishiar opened his mouth with a smile, seemingly unaware of their frightened state.
"No need for formalities. I had my reasons for not revealing my identity back then, and it pained me, but seeing you all healthy and well now brings me great joy."
"Ah... Yes. We feel the same..."
What joy is there in being bound by an oath? The official, hiding his grim expression, replied as their spokesperson. Kishiar grinned as he spoke.
"Let's keep the greetings brief. I believe you all have some idea why I've summoned you."
"Is it about the recent deeds of the Cavalry?"
"Yes. We've slain quite a few monsters, and we need help with the aftermath. This might not be such bad news for you."
Initially skeptical, their expressions slowly changed as Kishiar explained the situation regarding the monster corpses. They had braced for a disadvantageous proposition due to their previous intense encounter, but surprisingly, the deal offered by the Cavalry was reasonable and mutually beneficial.
'This incident in Charloin must be dealt with by someone. If we take charge, we can align ourselves with influential figures, including those from the Cavalry and His Majesty the Emperor. It's an opportune moment for a check, as our superiors are weary of always heeding Duke Herne and Baron Jacob,' The official thought.
The mage beside him was also deeply engrossed in evaluating the pros and cons of the situation, 'The might of the Cavalry we've just witnessed, and the power of Duke Peletta, the confirmed new owner of the divine sword. If these are indeed true, it would be advantageous to form ties now. With various powers, including the First Princess of the Herne family, already collaborating with the Cavalry, perhaps we could become the second Western Mage Union and gain fame...'
The merchant's expression was equally bright with optimism. 'This is a surefire business deal. Though we are not specialized in dealing with monster by-products, the sheer volume we're looking at could turn into a massive profit just by distribution. Even if the Cavalry and the Emperor's forces fall out of favor, we'd only be participating under the pretense of aiding Charloin in its time of crisis, so no loss there.'
This wasn't about immediately allying with the Cavalry, but rather about seizing an opportunity to gain profit while ostensibly helping their own organization. There was no reason to decline.
'This is good enough!'
Contrary to their initial worries, they were in high spirits as they agreed to the Cavalry's proposal and were about to leave when Kishiar interjected, "Wait, would the mage from the Sapphire Mage Union please stay behind a moment?"
The mage, startled and a mix of anxiety and curiosity, blinked rapidly as the others sneaked glances, equally curious. Once the others had left, Kishiar reopened the conversation, "Actually, there's another matter where we need the assistance of the mages."
"To us... you mean?" the mage asked.
"The specifics will be explained by my assistant. Actually, it's his request," Kishiar replied.
"The assistant...?"
"It's me."
Ah, no surprise there! The mage, who had been avoiding eye contact with Yuder, closed his eyes tightly upon hearing his voice.
Even though they were now somewhat on the same side for Charloin's sake, the prowess Yuder Aile had displayed was still a frequent nightmare for the mage. Rumors following their first encounter about the monstrous feats Yuder had accomplished only intensified this fear.
Like other Awakeners, Yuder was intimidating, but he was in a league of his own. The realization that this formidable being wanted to meet him sent a shiver down the mage's spine, wondering if he had done something wrong.
Yuder noticed the mage's anxious expression and trembling hands but remained indifferent, asking expressionlessly, "Could the members of the Sapphire Mage Union investigate the changes in the magic power flow in a specific area?"
"A specific area's magic power flow...? May I ask why this is needed?"
"It seems related to the monsters that appeared recently."
"The monsters and the magic power flow?"
The mage tilted his head, puzzled. Before he could ask further, Yuder pressed on firmly, "So, do you think it's possible?"
The mage hesitated, "We... our alliance doesn't focus on such tasks, but with the necessary magic tools, it might be feasible."
Monitoring a specific area's magic power was usually undertaken by mages focused on research or training. The Sapphire Mage Union, primarily a gathering of less skilled individuals creating profitable magic tools, was not usually involved in such tasks. However, it wasn't entirely out of their scope of capabilities.
Yuder, having heard that the task of monitoring magic power flow was considerably simpler than casting complex spells and wouldn't take much time given the right tools, nodded and turned his gaze towards Kishiar.
Sensing the intent in Yuder's look, Kishiar promptly responded, "Then that's settled. It would be good if you could start on the task right away."
"Understood. Should I focus on the area where the monsters appeared recently?" asked the mage.
"Yes, exactly. Around the Cavalry's southern branch building. We'll cover the cost of the necessary magic tools, so feel free to bill us. Doing a good job will benefit Charloin as well."
"I will do so," the mage agreed.
Although the details were sparse, if it was for the benefit of Charloin, it was not an impossible task. The mage left, promising to bring other mages from the union and begin the work immediately.
Once the mage's presence had completely faded, Kishiar, staring at the closed door, commented, "Needing magic tools to observe magic power flow. That's hardly becoming of a mage."
"It's not about being impressive, as long as they do their job properly," Yuder remarked.
The idea to have the mages investigate the area's magic power distribution had come to Yuder only the day before, while he was reading a letter from Enon. It was full of angry tirades, which reminded him of the hidden pages in the research journal of the first Duke Tain, which he was translating before coming here. He had not finished reading it before leaving and thought to bring it with him this time.
Perhaps thinking about that work after so long had triggered the memory. The contents of the journal, along with Lumas' research and related incidents, brought a sudden insight.
'Enon mentioned that the first Duke Tain discovered that areas with frequent monster appearances typically had distorted magic power flows. He wondered what would happen if one could deliberately distort the magic power in a specific space. Isn't that similar to the phenomenon in the Great Sarain Forest, where the magic power has been twisted and stagnated for a long time?'
The Great Sarain Forest, with its long-stagnant and distorted magic power, had fostered abnormal growth and frequent monster appearances, along with the observed strange cracks.
And now, the recent sightings of a new strange crack and the Southern merchants, suspected of summoning them with a magic conduit.
To prove the theory that the monsters were appearing due to artificial manipulation, Yuder suggested investigating the magic power flow. Kishiar agreed to this approach after hearing Yuder's explanation.
"Regardless of what the mages find, we should base our investigation on the assumption that the Southern merchants are behind this," Yuder proposed.
"That was my intention as well," Kishiar replied, standing up.
"But regarding the investigation into this Aton fellow, might I proceed with that alone first?" he added.
Comments
Shrak Prince
Alone? Kishiar is going to teach aton the meaning of fear
Do Camelia
Bae still holds grudge lmao
