The Immortal Genius Spear Knight (20)
Just an ordinary ring.
But here, it was something that no one could have discovered.
‘Since no one would be using magic in the training camp.’
It would be incredibly difficult to find.
However, one question remained: Why didn’t Apel take this?
‘Surely, in his past life, he would have started at Training Facility No. 3.’
If nothing had changed, Apel would have come to the artifact storage of Training Center No. 3.
‘Is there something I’m missing?’
Something that would make Apel choose something else over this.
Damian looked around the storage again.
He was wondering if there was a better artifact he had overlooked.
“…I don’t really sense any magic.”
Damian muttered.
At that moment.
“Damian, hurry up and choose. The others are waiting.”
“Yes, I’ve made my choice.”
Under Raymond’s urging, Damian left the artifact storage.
“Sorry it took so long.”
“It’s alright. Once we go in, everyone will feel the same way.”
To them, even the artifact storage of the Third Training Company would feel like a treasure trove.
Apel went in second.
And he came out sooner than expected.
It was as if he had already decided on what to choose.
Damian looked at what Apel was holding.
It was a seal, about half the size of his palm…
“…Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
Damian shook his head.
The seal Apel had brought out.
‘That’s… The crest of a certain kingdom, if I remember correctly.’
He didn’t know its name.
But it was definitely the crest of a kingdom that had been destroyed a long time ago.
Damian looked at Apel.
‘Perhaps…’
He felt a connection with why Apel was learning magic.
Afterwards, everyone came out of the storage with their chosen artifacts.
“Oh, you picked up a pretty decent spear. I hope you use it well.”
“This shield was made by Wilther, a renowned artisan from the old capital. It suits you well.”
Raymond commented on each of the artifacts that had been chosen. He then looked at Apel.
Raymond had an intrigued expression as he looked at the seal in Apel’s hand.
“Oh, do you know what this is and did you choose it on purpose?”
“I just felt a divine power from it, so I took it.”
“A divine power, you say. That makes sense. It’s a seal imbued with the power to prevent misfortune. I hope it brings you good experiences.”
“Thank you!”
And finally, Damian.
However, Raymond wore a puzzled expression as he looked at the ring Damian had chosen.
“This is… just a ring that slightly reduces body weight. Are you sure this is what you want?”
“Reduces body weight…?”
“You didn’t know? Try wearing it.”
At Raymond’s suggestion, Damian put on the ring.
At that moment, he felt a strangely light sensation in his body.
‘…Is my weight really decreasing?’
He hadn’t realized the ring had this function.
But it was quite…
‘Feels like a significant reduction in weight.’
It was like he had taken off his armor.
Damian jumped lightly on the spot.
Raymond asked.
“Is it okay?”
“Yes, it’s actually… pretty good.”
His strength remained unchanged.
However, his body felt significantly lighter.
‘This means I can move faster.’
“I’m glad you’re satisfied with it. Let’s go ahead and make it yours.”
Until now, it had been an artifact that no one chose due to its only ability to reduce weight.
If it has finally found its owner, that was enough.
But for Damian, it was like getting an additional bonus.
‘Transparency and weight reduction. This is definitely the ability of an A-rank artifact.’
This wasn’t something that would rot in a training camp.
Satisfied, Damian nodded.
“Alright, then everyone let’s head out. We need to apply for our preferred departments and finish things up.”
Raymond still felt a bit of regret about Damian’s choice.
If only he had gone to the Knights Order, he could have soared much higher.
But Damian followed his own convictions.
[Preferred Department: 3rd Division Neo-Calitz Unit.]
After signing the document, Raymond looked at Damian with a sense of resignation.
“You should do well, but… that place is truly dangerous. Please be very careful.”
“Yes, understood. Thank you for your concern.”
“Then, a notice will be issued a few days later, so you can move after receiving it.”
Creak.
Raymond stood up and extended his hand to Damian.
“You’ve worked hard this month.”
“You’ve worked hard too, Instructor.”
Damian shook Raymond’s hand.
Finally.
‘Heading there now.’
As he left the training camp, Damian felt a mix of relief and nostalgia.
But then.
“Damian!”
Turning around at the entrance of the training camp, Damian saw Apel approaching him.
As always, Apel was sparkling and radiant.
Apel came up to Damian and asked.
“Why aren’t you joining to the Knights Order?”
“It’s not where I belong.”
“……”
Apel fell silent.
At times, he spoke things that were hard to understand.
Though he was the same age, he was someone with an almost impossible level of skill.
Apel said.
“I’m joining the Knights’ Order with a letter of recommendation from Instructor Leonhardt.”
“Wise choice.”
“Ahahaha, you really are an unpredictable guy.”
“You call my choice wise even though you rejected it.”
Damian didn’t know how to respond.
But…
“The Neo-Calitz Unit. I’ve heard it’s a dangerous place. Please be careful.”
“Thank you.”
Damian shook hands with Apel.
Did this guy know?
That one day he would become the general of the Baroque Kingdom.
‘Perhaps… he might become even more of a monster.’
Just imagining how this guy might change in the future was already entertaining.
Damian watched as Apel walked away.
‘Then I too…’
At that moment,
“Damian!”
With a loud, echoing voice, Kyle came running with heavy footsteps.
Kyle seemed to have run hurriedly, catching his breath as he spoke to Damian.
“Are you leaving without even saying goodbye?”
“I can do that later when we meet again.”
“Heh heh heh, I see. Well, take care. See you again.”
“Yeah, wish you success.”
Damian waved farewell to Kyle and continued on his way.
Then,
“Is it my turn now?”
“…Huh?”
Diel from Hamel’s Trading Company approached Damian.
* * *
“Considering 3% of the net revenue.”
Damian had moved to a new location.
He looked at the documents Diel handed him.
The documents detailed the allocation of the investment funds Damian had provided, with clear classifications of the beneficiaries and the synergistic effects of the charity work.
Damian was impressed by the neatly organized content.
‘…Impressive.’
Damian glanced at Diel, who had a slightly nervous expression.
But when their eyes met, Diel smiled.
“If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.”
Diel’s readiness was clear.
With confidence, Damian replied,
“I have no questions about the charity work. If I had any, it would mean I didn’t read the contents of the documents thoroughly.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is a compliment. Furthermore…”
There was one more reason to be impressed.
If they had thought of him as just a thirteen-year-old investor, they wouldn’t have prepared such detailed documents.
This was proof of how seriously they regarded Damian.
Damian asked.
“So, regarding my terms – 3% of the net revenue?”
“Yes. As soon as the investment funds come in, Hamel’s Trading Company will disclose the financial statements whenever you want.”
Transparent operations.
Even though it was a request from an investor, Damian had never heard of a trading company that disclosed financial statements.
Damian nodded.
“Then let’s proceed that way. The funds… let’s say you receive them from the Imperial Bank with me tomorrow.”
“Thank you. I’ll prepare the detailed contract and show it to you tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
With the discussion concluded, Damian stood up.
All this was just a formality.
Damian was investing in Diel. And in the future Hamel Trading Company.
The next day.
As promised, Damian went to the Imperial Bank with Diel and handed over the investment funds.
However, instead of the agreed 300 gold, it was 500 gold.
“This, this is…?”
“It’s a reward for the sincerity you’ve shown me. Please use it well.”
“I will adjust the contract contents now. Could you wait a moment?”
“It’s fine. The contract isn’t really needed as long as our trust doesn’t break.”
That’s how contracts work.
They’re not really needed when there are no problems.
They’re only needed when issues arise.
“…You’re really unique.”
He decided to forget about his age.
Someone who shows behavior that is hard to understand, even if they were a hundred years old.
Diel simply smiled faintly and asked Damian.
“Since you’ve graduated from the training camp, you’ll be going to the headquarters. Where are you heading next?”
“Heading west.”
“West?”
“To the Neo-Calitz Unit, which is near the western Bronserian Forest.”
“Neo-Calitz Unit?!”
Diel’s reaction was one of shock.
It seemed she had heard of Neo-Calitz before.
Damian smiled faintly.
In contrast, Diel’s expression turned pale.
“W-why there? You didn’t volunteer, did you?”
“It’s voluntary. Being at the top of the training camp, why would I be sent there against my will?”
“Goodness.”
Diel looked at Damian with a face as if the sky was falling.
Damian said with a mischievous smile.
“Who knows? If I die, the investment funds would just become Hamel Trading Company’s.”
It was a joke.
But Diel’s expression turned serious.
“I don’t like that kind of joke.”
“…Sorry.”
Damian immediately apologized, sensing the serious atmosphere.
Such jokes had been common on the battlefield in the past.
Diel asked Damian.
“When will you depart?”
“Three days after the discharge, so… in two days.”
“Two days… understood.”
With that, Diel bowed politely and turned to leave.
She paused and then looked back at Damian.
“I will use the investment funds you provided wisely.”
With those words, Diel hurriedly turned and left.
Damian was left alone, thinking about Diel’s stern expression from earlier.
“She has a surprisingly scary side.”
Stretching widely, Damian looked towards the bustling area.
In two days, he would have to face monsters and struggles in that dreadful forest.
“I should eat as much as I can before I go.”
With that thought, Damian started to explore various eateries in the capital, checking out the list of popular places.
* * *
Two days later.
Having received the notice, Damian was now truly ready to leave.
“…Why are you here?”
Just as Damian was about to leave for the Neo-Calitz Unit in Erkal, an unexpected person appeared before him.
Damian’s question made the person burst out laughing.
“Heh heh heh, I told you we’d meet again, didn’t I?”
“…Could it be you?”
“Yes, I also applied to the Neo-Calitz Unit.”
The person was taller than Damian by a head, with rock-hard muscles and a charmingly hearty laugh.
It was Kyle.
And now, Kyle had also applied to the Neo-Calitz Unit.
“You’re crazy.”
“Heh heh heh, am I the only one?”
It was definitely a crazy thing to do.
Even with Kyle’s skills, the Neo-Calitz Unit would be tough.
But for some reason, this development didn’t feel so bad.
Smiling slightly.
Damian grinned.
“Don’t die too quickly. I’d rather not have to deal with your corpse.”
“Ha! Don’t worry about that. You’d better not whine about how tough it is.”
Kyle laughed heartily.
An unexpected companion had appeared.
It was an unforeseen development, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
Rather… ‘Reminds me of the old times.’
Memories of time spent with comrades suddenly came to mind.
“Shall we go then?”
“Let’s do that.”
As the two nodded and prepared to move, a voice came from behind.
“Wait a moment!”
“……?”
“What’s this?”
Kyle frowned at the woman’s voice from behind.
But the woman who appeared spoke to Damian.
“I’m glad you’re not late.”
“…What’s going on?”
Damian was surprised to see Diel again. Moreover…
“What’s this carriage for?”
“I didn’t manage to pack much in a hurry. Since Neo-Calitz is extremely far from here, please use this carriage for your trip. I’ve also included food and various items you might need on the way.”
Kyle opened the carriage door.
“Wow.”
As she had said, the carriage was filled with food and various unidentified items.
Damian was also surprised.
“When did you manage to gather all this…?”
“I worked hard for two days to gather it. Please take care. Didn’t you say you’d invest more later?”
“Eh?”
Diel smiled brightly and said to Damian.
Damian, stunned, was soon laughing loudly.
Had he ever seen such an obvious lie?
What a fun and dishonest woman.
Damian said to Diel, “See you again.”
“Yes.”
After a brief farewell, Damian and Kyle boarded the carriage.
Now, the real departure begins.
