Roan hurried the preparation to return to the kingdom.
Before the news of Reitas and Ma.n.u.s’ veiled strife reached the Istel Kingdom, they had to cross the border.
‘Once the news of the strife spreads, my name will definitely come up.’
It wasn’t quite a desirable situation from Roan’s position.
If it was the Istel Kingdom that feared and despised him while calling him the Crimson Ghost, it was obvious that they would light up their eyes and guard the borders.
‘Furthermore, we conveniently have a method to safely cross the border.’
It was literally a perfect opportunity.
Roan, Harrison, Brian, and Clay had decided to mix in with the Pershion Kingdom’s negotiators, who were sent to the Istel Kingdom in order to mediate and negotiate the war remuneration problem and the overall cleanup issue.
The Istel Kingdom, which was the defeated nation, wasn’t in a position to check nor guard against the negotiators from the Pershion Kingdom, the victorious nation, as they wished.
Even if the Pershion Kingdom’s negotiators played haughty and showed arrogant att.i.tudes, their position was such that they could only clench their teeth and be patient.
This was because it may just influence the negotiation process.
Thanks to that, Roan, Harrison, Brian, and Clay could arrive at the Istel Kingdom’s capital, Ceres Castle, without any notable problem.
“Then. Please give a good word to Prince Ma.n.u.s.”
The head of the Pershion Kingdom’s negotiator group, Viscount Nills Fraiden, held Roan and repeatedly entreated.
This was because he knew that Ma.n.u.s and Roan had a very close relationship.
Nills wanted to catch Ma.n.u.s’ eyes through Roan.
“I’ve put a bit of effort so that your journey won’t be uncomfortable.”
Pointlessly glancing around, he handed a bulky bag of money.
Roan looked at that sight for a while, then soon shook his head.
“I’ll put in a good word, sir.”
Meaning that he didn’t need the bag of money.
He then turned around and went out of the building.
“Eh?!”
Nills awkwardly smiled and merely blinked his eyes without knowing what to do.
‘Should I chase? Or should I step back at this point?’
He simply couldn’t feel any inkling.
When he was hesitating with an anxious heart.
“You can give it me, sir.”
Clay extended his two hands with a friendly smile.
Nills hesitated for a moment, then pa.s.sed the bag of money.
“Clay. I’ll be trusting you.”
“Yes. Please don’t worry.”
Clay shamelessly replied, then took the bag of money.
There were so much things that they had to spend money on from now on, so there was no need to refuse an easy money like that.
In return, they just needed to not do anything that was unjust or despicable.
Receive because they give.
But there is no return.
That was Clay’s thought.
Harrison and Brian, who were watching, inwardly shook their heads in amazement.
But even so, they didn’t feel like criticize nor condemn him.
‘Certainly, the parts we’ve lacked has been filled ever since Clay was appointed.’
‘He shouldered the work that others were reluctant to do.’
The petty, detestable, underhanded and materialistic works were all taken care of by Clay.
Because he was there, almost all of the Amarant troops and Tale Legionnaires were able to maintain aloof characters.
‘He’s certainly a genius.’
‘In various ways, he is a necessary genius.’
Already, Harrison and Brian also approved of Clay.
“Then we will now be going……”
Clay, Harrison, and Brian said their farewell and exited the building.
Nills, who was left alone, unconsciously clenched his fists.
‘Alright! It went well!’
He trusted Clay without a single doubt.
It felt as if a bright and promising future was spreading before his eyes.
*****
While Roan, Harrison, Brian, and Clay left for the Pershion Kingdom, the Charity Trust had actively purchased the Istel Kingdom’s farmlands.
No, to be exact, they had secured a temporary ownership through a long-term lease.
Although a single company was renting out an unusually and amazingly large amount of land, the Istel Kingdom did not take any action.
Instead, they introduced farmlands nearby the leased land and tried to promote more leasing contracts.
The Istel Kingdom’s situation was just that difficult.
The crop yield that repeated to nosedive year after year, and the astronomical war remuneration payment from the two defeated wars.
The economy had already dropped through the floor.
“That is all.”
“Good work.”
Roan nodded his head as he received the report from Hodram, the Charity Trust’s true caravan head.
The purchasing of the farmlands was much more successful than he had thought.
‘Starting next year, the crop yield will rapidly increase.’
If a future similar to the last life unfolded, Roan would become incredibly rich.
‘Huu.’
Roan breathed in deeply.
He felt happy and contented.
Of course, Clay still didn’t understood the reason why they purchased the farmlands.
“Then……”
Roan looked at the people around him as he stood up from his seat.
A smile hung from his mouth.
“Should we go back home?”
Instantly, everyone’s expressions became bright.
They swiftly lowered their heads.
“Yes. My lord. We will hurry the preparation to return to the kingdom.”
The preparation to cross the border once more began.
Beyond the border, the hometown that they missed so much awaited.
*****
“We were rejected again, right?”
“It’s not rejected, but they requested us to wait a bit more because there were lot of places they had to focus on.”
An adolescent young man and a white-haired old man sat facing each other and conversed.
At the old man’s words, the young man creased his brows.
“That’s a rejection.”
“I told you it’s not!”
The old man shouted with a fl.u.s.tered expression.
The young man exhaled a long sigh.
“It’s been ten years since the kingdom’s support to us, Reno school Magic Tower, has stopped, and five years since the backing from the royalties, n.o.bles, and many influential houses has stopped. Even though we’ve sold the magic tower, sold the land, and even liquidated the treasures during that time to barely stay alive, we’re now definitely at our limit. Forget magic research, we’re at a state where we have to worry about how to eat right now.”
The lamentation of their lives dripped with desperation.
‘Also, the number of mages a.s.sociated with us dropped below twenty people.’
The young man couldn’t bear to say this story at least and suppressed it tightly within himself.
In his own way, he was being considerate of the old man in front of his eyes, the head of the Reno school and the ex-owner of the magic tower Lemming Ade, so that he won’t become too despondent.
But despite the young man’s such consideration, the old man, Lemming, was completely dispirited.
“Is there any way?”
It was a question honestly thrown absently without much expectation.
As if he was waiting, the young man spoke in a tender voice.
“Instead of useless magic research, why don’t we Reno school also study and train magics like attack, defense, and healing that are related to war?”
“That absolutely isn’t allowed!”
Lemming furiously shouted aloud.
The one stand of self-respect that was left, no the pride of the school that couldn’t be given up regardless of whatever happened exploded out.
“Unlike other schools, us Reno school have the goal in using magic to raise the quality and the standard of living. We aren’t some obsessed school that simply focuses on one subject like attack magic, defense magic, and healing magic.”
“Yes, yes. Understood.”
The young man nodded his head with a pout then pointed at a lamp in the lab.
“And the thing we made after two years of research is a lamp like this.”
He picked up a metal disk, about a size of two fingers thick, from on top of the table.
On the front of the disk, a very complex magic array was engraved hazily.
When the young man touched the magic array and inserted mana with the tip of his finger, the magic array flashed for a moment on the lamp’s surface and then disappeared.
At the same time.
Paat!
Inside the lamp, a very small ball of light appeared.
From the center of the lamp, a bright light spread out.
Looking at that sight, Lemming made a proud smile.
“Brilliant, Just brilliant. Now thanks to this magic lamp, the people of the world will no longer fear the dark.”
“The people of the world?”
With a dumbfound look, the young man shook his head.
He pressed the metal disk once more to turn off the lamp, then let out a sigh.
“Tower Master. What do we need to make that magic lamp?”
It was a question that nailed the pith.
Lemming hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a crawling voice.
“Magic stone.”
The young man nodded his head.
“That’s right. Although the size may be small, it needs magic stone. And one for the lamp, and one for this metal disk that Master calls the controller at that. In all, it needs two.”
“The lamp can be used without the controller.”
Lemming shouted as if to say it’s unfair.
The young man once again nodded his head.
“Yes. We can turn on and off the light with just the lamp. But even so, it needs one magic stone. Not anything else, but a magic stone. A magic stone. We have to use a magic stone, that’s much more expensive than gold, for a petty lamp like this.”
“Pe, petty……”
Lemming’s voice trembled.
Without minding it, the young man continued to spoke.
“Master. With the money to buy a single magic stone, you can buy years’ worth of lamp oil. It’s a business that doesn’t hold figure with regular commoners.”
Those words were correct.
Although they had invented the magic lamp at the end of two years of research, the supplying was actually was impossible.
Lemming sighed while deeply dropped his head, then raised up the last strand of pride.
“That’s why we’re researching a material that could replace magic stone.”
“You mean the magic liquid?”
“Yes. Magic liquid.”
Lemming immediately nodded his head.
The young man exhaled a sigh.
“How many years has it been since us Reno school began to research magic liquid?”
“Wouldn’t it be at least two hundred years?”
“And the research progress so far?”
“That’s……”
Lemming couldn’t finish his words.
The research had been walking in circle for decades.
‘Did I say too much?’
As he looked at Lemming, who was completely dejected, his heart ached a moment late.
Faking a cough, he made an awkward smile.
“Anyway, if we won’t research magic related to war like other schools, in the end, we can only look for a new patron.”
“But wherever I ask, they all reject, no they all ask me to wait a bit longer.”
Lemming’s expression was still dispirited.
The young man cheerfully smiled.
“That’s because we’re only searching for a patron near the capital.”
“That can’t be helped. Research needs a lot of money, and most of the people with that much wealth lives in the capital, Miller.”
At Lemming’s words, the young man shook his head.
“That’s not true. There are quite a lot of adequate people in the provinces. Especially if it’s that person who is receiving the most heated attention these days, he may sponsor us.”
“That person?”
Lemming frowned as he cautiously asked.
The smile on the young man’s mouth became thicker.
“I’m talking about sir Baron Roan Tale.”
“Ah……”
Lemming let out a quiet exclamation.
Even he, who only focused on magic research, had heard of rumors about Roan.
“Would sir Baron Tale sponsor us?”
“Who knows. We’ll have to face him first. If we get rejected again, we can search for someone else again.”
The young man shrugged and lightly answered.
Seeing that sight, Lemming made a bitter smile.
“I’m sorry. Because of a foolish master, you have so much hardship.”
“What hardship? If it wasn’t for master, I would still be begging on the streets.”
Lemming nodded at the young man’s words.
“No, it wouldn’t be like that. Although you aren’t any polite with words, your talent is great.”
“Ehee. Don’t say such embarra.s.sing words, master.”
The young man exaggeratedly shook his body.
But Lemming was quite serious.
“I’m serious. McCrum. If it’s your talent, you will definitely make our school prosper.”
The light in his eyes were hot.
The young man, McCrum, quietly stared at that light and then snickered and shook his hand.
“Sigh. I got it. I got it. Since there’s also the good will that I received from master, I’ll work hard and make us Reno school the best school.”
“Yes, I trust you.”
Lemming nodded his head.
Seemingly unable to take the heavy mood, McCrum needlessly fussed.
“Okay! Then, should we start with cleaning our things?”
“Yes. Let’s clean it all up and leave this capital that I had enough of.”
McCrum brightly smiled at Lemming’s words and nodded his head.
“Yes. Let’s leave. Towards the place where our hopes for our dream and future is, to Tale Barony……”
*****
Once again acting as the fake caravan head, Clay led the caravan and headed towards the Rinse Kingdom.
The travel was much more safer and comfortable than they had thought.
This was because, from the Istel Kingdom’s position, the Charity Trust was a generous and rich client as well as a customer the kingdom was thankful to.
Thanks to that, they were able to arrive at the border gate a bit faster than they had scheduled.
“Oho. You were even more amazing person than I had thought.”
The border gate captain Dose raised his thumb towards Clay.
He had already received report about Clay and the Charity Trust from the central administration.
“You’ve rented those lands that n.o.body even glanced at in wholesale?”
“Yes. We wanted to be of help to the Istel Kingdom in any way possible.”
“Hahaha! As expected, my eyes for people are exact. You’re really a good natured fellow unlike the young ones these days. Hahaha!”
Does loudly laughed out and tapped Clay’s shoulder.
Smiling along, Clay pa.s.sed a bag full of gold and silver.
“I picked it up on the way. Please do fine the owner this time as well.”
“Hahaha. Don’t worry. I’ll definitely make sure to find the owner.”
Dose laughed out even louder and nodded his head.
That that moment.
‘Un?’
Clay slightly creased his brows.
At the place his line of sight touched.
A soldier was approaching towards Roan, who was located in the middle of the caravan band.
‘What is it?’
Even Clay, who was always bold and full of confidence, had a slightly flabbergasted look.
That was also the same for Roan.
‘What could it be?’
Staring at the soldier with large eyes, he tilted his head.
“h.e.l.lo. I’m a border guard Pichio.”
The soldier with large eyes, he was Pichio.
He was the very soldier who pointed at Roan and said he was strange when the Charity Trust pa.s.sed through the border gate the first time.
“Yes. So is there any issue……?”
Roan asked in a careful voice while nodding his head.
He intentionally shrunk his shoulders and made a fearful expression.
Pichio blinked his big eyes.
“What may be your name?”
“It’s Henry.”
Roan said the fake name that he prepared beforehand.
“Your age?”
“I’m twenty two years old.”
“Are you from the Rinse Kingdom?”
“Yes. I’m from the western region.”
Short questions and answers went back and forth.
Even during that while, Pichio carefully looked over Roan as well as the people around him.
“How long has it been since you started doing company works?”
“It’s been three years including this year. For what reason do you ask, sir?”
Roan spoke in a fearful voice.
“That’s……”
When Pichio was just about to speak.
“What is it over there?”
Dose creased his brows and walked up.
It was because Clay had pa.s.sed another small bag of money and complained that the border check was excessively meticulous.
For a new source of cash, Dose pulled back his sleeves and stepped forwards.
“Ah, captain.”
Pichio immediately saluted.
Dose approached extremely close and spoke with a completely annoyed expression.
“What are you doing?”
“That’s……”
Pichio slightly glanced at Roan, and then whispered in a quiet voice.
“However I look, this porter is suspicious.”
Roan leaned his ears since it felt like it was about him, but he couldn’t hear well because the voice was too quiet.
Dose creased his forehead.
“What?”
“His pose and strides are different than a regular porter. And the setup of the people nearby and even the goods are all centered around this……”
When his words reached that point.
“This b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
Dose suddenly kicked at him.
Puuk!
“Kuk!”
Feeling a suffocating pain, Pichio fell down onto the ground.
“Ca, captain.”
The eyes that were already big became as large as lamps.
Not minding them, Dose continued to kick at Pichio, who fell down on the ground.
Puk! Puuk! Puk!
Heavy sounds loudly echoed.
“Did this b.a.s.t.a.r.d lose his mind! What’s what? The pose and the strides are different than regular porters? This insane b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Say something that makes sense!”
Angry shouts exploded out.
“Ugh! Kuugh!”
Painful groans sounded.
Pichio curled his body up into a circle.
Puk! Puuk! Puk!
Dose’s kicking continued for a long while.
“Eeeh, insane b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Twet!”
When his breath caught up, he stopped his kicking and spat a thick spit.
And waving his hand towards Roan as if to say sorry, he went up to Clay again.
He was going to check whether the feeling of his new source of money was hurt.
“Uhuk. Hhhuuk. Uhuk.”
Pichio cried out while fallen on the ground.
What he had done wasn’t something he should have been hit like this.
He had simply done what he had to do as a border gate guard.
“You okay?”
“Here, lean on my shoulder and slowly stand up.”
The soldiers nearby came up and helped Pichio stand.
Pichio rubbed off the sorrowful tears with the back of his hand.
During that time, his eyes met Roan, who was quietly standing still.
Roan slightly lowered his head.
He felt sorry somehow.
‘Needlessly because of me…… anyway……’
On the other hand.
‘He realized the strangeness just from seeing my strides and pose?’
If it was true, that was truly an incredible talent.
Roan quietly stared at Pichio, who was walking off while being supported by the other soldiers.
‘I want to learn a bit more about him, but……’
He felt a bit regrettable.
As the situation was so, he couldn’t carelessly talk to him.
But thankfully, he had Clay.
‘It seems he liked him. Well, if he really found a strange point just from seeing that much of the situation, it isn’t a talent to look over so easily……’
Clay searched Roan’s expression, then looked at Dose, who was brown-nosing.
“Captain. Who was that soldier just now?”
“Ah, he’s called Pichio, and he’s a b.a.s.t.a.r.d who usually has a bad case of suspicion. He often say something is strange, that is strange, it sounds like a lie and quarrel with people. Since I took care of him, there won’t be anything like this anymore. So there is no need to be concerned anymore.”
“Is that so? Then he is a bit of a problematic soldier. But the reason you continue to keep him under you is……?”
“Ah, that’s because he is from this region, and usually practices writing, so he can read and write, and……”
For a while, Dose spoke on and on about Pichio.
Enthusiastically agreeing from time to time, Clay learned even more information.
Dose took hold of himself only after chatting for a long time.
“Un? So why was I talking about that b.a.s.t.a.r.d? Anyhow, because there will never be something like this again, don’t worry.”
“Yes. I trust the captain.”
“Yeah. Just trust me. Just me.”
Clay and Dose shared a bit more friendly chat, then promised of a next meeting.
Soon, with the wagon Clay was on at the head, the caravan band began to move.
They had safely crossed the Istel Kingdom’s border gate.
Clop. Clop.
Roan went to Clay only after they had reached the end of the buffer zone.
“Did you find out anything about that soldier?”
“Yes. His name is Pichio, age is twenty six, he is a local of that region, and it has been three years since he began to work as the gate guard.”
Clay briefly answered, then stared straight into Roan’s eyes.
“My lord.”
His voice was rather serious.
After organizing the thoughts within his head, he spoke with an expression full of certainty.
“Pichio. We will have to bring that soldier with us.”