Chapter 94
Abel.
Meeting him wasn’t difficult.
Although he had become much busier after being named the next family head, that didn’t mean he would refuse to see me.
Inside his office.
Abel, whose cheeks had become noticeably thinner, gave me a slight smile.
“What brings you here today?”
“First, please accept this.”
What I handed over was the sword manual for Defense Sword Technique Form 1. Among the seven sword techniques that existed in the family, it was, as the name implied, the most defensive.
“…Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. If I ever establish the Magic Tower, won’t you be helping me, Big Brother? I’m just trying to earn some points in advance.”
At my words, Abel chuckled softly.
“Alright. I’ll continue to support you as much as I can. By the way, I have something to give you as well.”
“Something to give me…?”
“Wait a moment.”
What Abel brought out was an antique wooden box.
“What is this?”
“Didn’t you ask me before? To find an original magic tome between the 1st and 3rd circles.”
“…Don’t tell me, is this an original?”
“That’s right. I began inquiring immediately, and luckily, a copy came up for sale. So I bought it.”
Words weren’t necessary.
I took the box right away.
When I opened it, there was an old book inside. As if to emphasize that it was indeed an original, traces of time were heavily embedded throughout the magic tome.
Let’s see if it’s truly genuine.
The moment I activated Heart Eye—
[Heart Eye is activated.]
[This is a special book.]
[Heart Eye is analyzing the book.]
[This book is an original.]
[Air Wave. A method for effectively using the wave of wind.]
[Author: Henderson Raidrion]
[Original]
[One of the books personally authored by Archmage Henderson Raidrion.]
A smile naturally formed as I read the text that appeared before my eyes.
‘Henderson Raidrion, huh.’
Fire Arrow.
The original tome I found back then was also authored by Henderson.
If this was another original personally created by him, I could trust it completely. After all, I had already confirmed the effectiveness of his original work before.
‘This is incredible.’
Air Wave.
As the name implied, it was a spell that created a wave of wind across a relatively wide area. It was originally used to push enemies back, and due to its wide range, its power wasn’t particularly strong.
But what if it was combined with the secrets described in this original and the hybrid casting method?
‘It’ll be perfect for creating distance.’
A wide range meant it would be hard to dodge. It would be a very useful defensive magic.
I closed the box and bowed to Abel.
“Thank you, Big Brother.”
“This is nothing. I’ll continue to support you as much as I can. If there’s anything else you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”
How fortunate.
There were a few things I wanted to ask him anyway.
“Can I tell you now?”
“Of course.”
“I need spirit stones.”
“Spirit stones?”
“Yes. Do you know about spirit training circles?”
“If it’s that, I’ve heard of it. Is this for Erciel?”
“That’s right.”
“Giving them to you isn’t a problem. I have some spare spirit stones. But… will it be alright? I heard the training circles have the worst efficiency.”
“To improve the efficiency, I made some modifications using my own method. I can’t say for sure if it’ll work, but if it succeeds, I think the results will be good.”
At my words, Abel chuckled wryly.
“At this point, I’m starting to wonder if there’s anything you can’t do.”
“I didn’t realize I had such talent for magic either.”
“Come to think of it, didn’t you try learning magic before?”
“Before…?”
“When you were six. After your aura training failed, many renowned teachers were invited to help overcome Hermemu. I remember one of them was even an imperial court magician.”
Ah, so he meant that time.
It was one of the scenes from the memories Kyle had passed on. Many renowned figures had come to teach this brat, only to shake their heads and leave.
“Yes. I did learn.”
“You didn’t feel anything back then?”
With a slight awkward smile, I gave the answer I had thought of in advance.
“I was still very young at the time, so I didn’t properly listen to the teachings of the instructors. I also didn’t fully understand how serious the Hermemu condition was… Didn’t I undergo forced aura training under Father for a hundred days back then?”
“You did.”
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but at the time, I felt disgusted by the very idea of training. I had no real desire to try.”
At those words, Abel nodded understandingly.
Even with the best teachers and the brightest talent, without effort, there was no solution.
“I’m truly glad you’ve come to your senses.”
“I think so too. Oh right, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”
“Go ahead.”
“I’d like to teach our family’s sword techniques and internal arts to the Sword Demon Unit. Would that be possible?”
“You mean to all the gladiators?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm…”
At my words, Abel began to ponder.
It was something that needed consideration.
As I waited quietly, he asked a question.
“Do you think they’re worth it?”
“They’re the ones who didn’t run away during the rebellion. At the very least, they’re not the type to pledge loyalty with just words.”
I said to Abel as he nodded in agreement.
“My idea of loyalty is simple. I believe it’s about giving back just as much as you’ve received. They kept their promise to risk their lives for me. So now, it’s my turn to give them their due.”
“That’s a rather unique definition.”
“Humans are inherently selfish. We’re beings that live for ourselves. One-sided relationships are bound to collapse eventually.”
At those words, Abel let out a soft chuckle.
“Where did you learn something like that?”
“I’m just expressing what I believe.”
“Very well. I suppose there’s no harm in teaching them up to the First Form. However, revealing the later sword techniques and internal arts would be problematic. Judge that later after observing them more. If you still feel the same, then I’ll give you permission.”
Just the First Form was enough.
Even that would take a considerable amount of time to master.
It would take at least half a year.
Getting permission for the Second Form after half a year wouldn’t be too late.
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me. To maintain a good relationship, this much is expected. We’ll be seeing a lot of each other, won’t we?”
Though it was said in jest, the sincerity behind his words was clear.
Abel surely didn’t want to lose me now.
And I felt the same.
The next head of the Seltarion Family.
Establishing a solid connection with him was absolutely essential.
It was a beautiful symbiotic relationship.
“Ah, by the way. About grain—prices have been acting strange lately. It looks like they’re about to spike.”
“Do we have enough food stored within the territory?”
“Yes. Even if we hadn’t purchased that wheat earlier, we’d have been fine. It’s customary to store about three years’ worth of food.”
“Not bad. Seems like the magical noble families are about to profit.”
“Most likely.”
Naturally, magical noble families had numerous mages. If they mobilized all their mages, they could easily make it rain across their entire territories.
Even with the drought reducing moisture, they could still use water-attribute magic.
The power would simply be weaker.
“With Archmages and high-ranking mages at their disposal, they should be able to overcome a drought without too much trouble. Times like this make me envy the magical families.”
“But what’s the use in envying what you don’t have? I’m sure they envy us too. In one-on-one duels, knights definitely have the upper hand over mages.”
Assuming equal levels, in a one-on-one, knights usually held a six-to-four advantage over mages.
However, mages excelled in war.
Each had their strengths and weaknesses.
Abel nodded at that and looked at me.
“Are you still in contact with Lady Iris?”
“Yes. We recently exchanged messages through a communication orb.”
It was a public orb, but there was no concern about information leaks. Since we were both mages, no communication mage was needed.
Not long after the rebellion,
She had reached out to me.
She had seemed quite worried, and I clearly remembered having to reassure her for a while.
Looking at me, Abel smiled wryly.
“It’s probably because we bought that massive amount of wheat. She’s understandably concerned. Since you’re involved, she wouldn’t see it as someone else’s business.”
Well, I had ripped her off quite a bit back then.
But it was fine.
“I’m sure the Count realized a drought was coming as well. Besides, that area’s a well-known agricultural hub, isn’t it? They should have enough to support themselves.”
“That’s true, but…”
“Even if she’s not a stranger, it’s not like we stole anything. Besides, our family and the Count’s weren’t particularly close to begin with.”
The Neiron County was a neighboring, moderately influential house.
To the Seltarion Marquisate, they were just that.
No need to feel guilty for bargaining hard.
It wasn’t like we forced them into the deal.
And most importantly, I wouldn’t be the one to get blamed.
The reliable shield in front of me would filter the criticism nicely. Thanks to him, the Count and I could maintain a close relationship.
“If you’re truly worried, just give them a heads-up.”
“…Ugh. That’s just giving medicine after causing the illness.”
“You’re not planning to give the wheat back anyway. We’ve got way too many expenses ahead.”
At my words, Abel silently nodded.
As expected.
He wasn’t foolish enough to return the goods just because he felt sorry.
If he were, the future of the Seltarion Family would be grim indeed.
“So, when do you plan to become independent?”
“I’m thinking of establishing the Magic Tower in Prinus. But for now, there are still unwanted guests settled there… I plan to begin after clearing them out.”
“So you’ve decided on that location.”
“Yes. Considering everything, it seems to be the optimal choice. Unfortunately, Trastan already has several magic towers. If I tried to drive them out, the Eastern Magic Tower Association wouldn’t sit still.”
“Hmm… That’s true. Got it. Sounds like you’re planning to clear out Prinus soon.”
“Yes?”
“Indeed. Probably after selecting the new knight trainees. We need to lift the mood, and we’ll also need a lot of gold soon. Prinus seems…”
“It certainly is an attractive place. Oh, by the way, about its administration—”
At my words, Abel grinned.
“I’ll do as you asked. But since our family’s power has declined, we won’t be able to negotiate good terms with the imperial court. Most likely, it’ll be a provisional lordship with a few strings attached. Are you okay with that?”
That didn’t matter.
No matter what conditions they laid out—
As long as I could meet them.
With my knowledge and experience, it was more than possible.
“I’m confident.”
“Alright. If you say so, I’ll do my best to support you.”
As expected,
Abel was someone I could communicate with perfectly.
Soon after, he took out a map.
The map detailed the eastern region of the empire.
“This will soon become your domain, so let’s discuss how to take control of the area.”
Abel seemed to want to hear my thoughts.
And I welcomed it.
It meant he acknowledged me enough to consult me on domain strategy.
Everything I had done so far must’ve built that trust in him.
Seeing him like this, I nodded without hesitation.
“Understood.”
Prinus.
Now it was time to talk in earnest about how to devour this delectable territory.
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