The Immortal Genius Spear-Knight (30)
A new wind began to blow in Erkal.
This was because a report about “magi” discovered through a search of the Bronzeerian Forest had been sent to the royal palace.
1st-grade disaster.
The kingdom had officially declared the Bronzerian Forest to be contaminated by magi.
And so, a punitive force was being assembled.
The Neo-Calitz unit had a somewhat different atmosphere than usual.
Perhaps you could say it was a bit more chaotic?
“…The atmosphere feels off.”
“Doesn’t it seem quite uproarious?”
One unit member commented.
“In contrast, we seem… More at ease.”
Someone replied.
“It’s only been a few days since we sealed off the Bronzeerian Forest, and already there’s a punitive force… It seems like something significant came out of this search.”
“It’s a forest contaminated by magi. To think we were operating in such a dangerous place before.”
“Sir, doesn’t this mean we should get a higher hazard pay or something?”
“Hazard pay, my foot. Be grateful that we weren’t thrown into prison.”
“Hahaha.”
Laughter erupted.
The idea of hazard pay for the Neo-Calitz unit, which had been sentenced to service instead of imprisonment, was absurd.
But at that moment:
“The new recruits are a bit different though.”
“What do you mean?”
A senior member asked at the mention of Dianeal.
Dianeal glanced at the empty seat where Damian usually sat.
“Damian and Kyle joined our unit voluntarily. If they asked for hazard pay, it might… Be possible.”
“Voluntary enlistment?”
“Into our unit?”
Many unit members were unaware that Damian and Kyle had joined voluntarily.
It wasn’t something you’d typically think of. Besides, Damian and Kyle weren’t the types to boast about such things.
“…They must be out of their minds.”
“Why would they voluntarily enlist here? What’s there to see?”
Upon learning this new fact, the unit members looked at Damian’s seat and Kyle, who was next to it.
They gave Kyle a thumbs up.
“Cool guy.”
“Wow! A true warrior. Tough choice.”
Reacting to this, Kyle simply blinked, looking at them in confusion.
“Why are you reacting like this?”
Kyle wondered. He had just followed Damian to the Neo-Calitz unit.
He couldn’t understand what was happening.
* * *
Taron asked Damian.
“Was there any significant incident?”
“There wasn’t anything special. We went deep into the forest for the search and encountered an orc squad contaminated by magi.”
Damian briefly explained what had happened in the forest, including the fact that a priest confirmed the presence of magi and approved their retreat.
Taron stared at Damian silently.
“…?”
He seemed to have something to say.
Damian waited silently.
“The captain of the Erkal defense force sent this for you.”
Taron handed Damian a small box that had been on his desk.
Damian took it.
“What’s this?”
“I don’t know. But he said to deliver his thanks along with it. If that strict person is giving a gift, it seems you’ve been of significant help.”
“I just did what I had to do.”
Damian responded calmly.
It was nothing special or extraordinary.
Taron nodded at Damian’s response.
“Go back now.”
“Yes.”
As Damian turned to leave, Taron seemed to remember something and said:
“Oh, and.”
“…?”
“The defense captain also mentioned that they are greatly appreciative of the Erkal herbalists. It looks like they’re going to cut the herb prices in half…”
Taron asked Damian.
“Does this have anything to do with you?”
Damian, without realizing it, had a slight smile on his face.
A small chuckle escaped him.
But…
“I don’t know anything about it.”
“Is that so?”
Taron’s response was accompanied by a faint smile.
“Go on.”
“Yes.”
As Damian walked away, Taron recalled his conversation with Basel.
—From one to ten, he’s not an ordinary person.
—What do you mean by that?
—I don’t know. It’s just… He’s definitely not an ordinary person. And did you know he can use magic?
‘…Magic.’
He had thought there might be something special about him. But magic?
Taron looked at the bundle of herbs Damian had brought back.
Even if he sold them at Erkal’s market price, he would make quite a sum.
Yet, Damian had brought them back without any fuss.
—Please use these for the injured soldiers.
The image of Damian’s face, saying this as if doing a good deed, wouldn’t leave his mind.
As Basel said.
‘He’s definitely not an ordinary person.’
Taron agreed with Basel’s assessment.
* * *
Damian, who had just left Taron’s office, immediately opened the box Basel had given him.
He had been holding back his curiosity in front of Taron.
‘What could it be?’
The box was the perfect size for a ring.
‘Could it be a ring-type artifact…?’
He wondered if Basel was giving him such a precious item because of the help he had provided.
Damian opened the box with some anticipation.
“…Huh?”
Damian’s eyes slightly widened.
The contents of the box were not an artifact.
“…A potion?”
A faint, somewhat sour smell tickled his nose.
But it was immediately obvious.
‘It’s a mana-enhancing potion.’
More needed than an artifact at the moment.
“Wow… I didn’t expect something like this.”
The price was high, but more importantly, it wasn’t something that was easily obtainable.
And this color.
The faint blue tint around the potion suggested it was of high quality.
How the defense captain of a remote city had such high quality potions was unknown, but.
‘Thank you very much. Heheheh.’
Damian chuckled softly as he headed back to the barracks.
But at that moment:
“Got something good?”
“Yikes!”
“…Why are you so startled?”
“When did you come?”
Damian looked at Kyle and asked:
Kyle, looking at the box in Damian’s hand, asked,
“What are you staring at so intently?”
“Ah… It’s a potion from the captain. He said it’s good for internal injuries and insisted I take it.”
“Injured?”
“No, the battle was quite fierce this time. I think he gave it to me just because of that.”
“Wow! You even participated in the battle?”
Kyle clenched his fist with envy.
“Ugh… I should have gone.”
Kyle, who had a romanticized view of combat, looked genuinely regretful.
“Don’t worry, you’ll see plenty of fighting soon enough.”
Damian patted Kyle on the shoulder and they both entered the barracks.
As Damian entered the barracks:
“Damian!”
“This admirable fellow!”
Senior members approached Damian and said.
“Heard you gathered a ton of herbs during the search operation?”
“Yeah, the word’s spread everywhere. Such a remarkable guy! Where did this brilliant fellow come from?”
Damian’s image among the unit members had greatly improved due to his voluntary enlistment and the herbs he brought back from the search operation.
“It must have been no easy task.”
“Ah… Those defense bastards must have given our youngest a hard time while he was gathering herbs. I can just picture it.”
“Damian, if any of those bastards gave you trouble, let me know. I’ll break their legs for you.”
The atmosphere was lively.
Damian smiled as he listened to the senior members.
“The herbs in Erkal are very expensive. I thought of the unit members, so I just gathered a bit.”
“Thanks. The administrative office is very grateful to you.”
The administrative office, which handled supplies, had been troubled by the procurement of herbs for the injured.
Although it wasn’t a huge amount, Damian’s efforts had certainly improved their situation.
Damian told the members:
“I heard the captain of the defense force will be auditing the herbalists in Erkal soon, so the prices of herbs will go down. You should be able to buy them at half the original price.”
“Really?”
“Half price?”
“Yes, I heard it from the captain.”
Even at half price, it was still expensive.
But compared to before, the situation was much better.
The unit members nodded at Damian’s words.
“Those stupid defense guys are actually doing something good for once.”
“Anyway, good job.”
The seniors patted Damian on the shoulder lightly.
In this warm atmosphere, the vice-captain Aaron appeared and addressed the members.
“The punitive force will likely be fully assembled and operational within this month. Until then, you have free time except for morning training, so make good use of it.”
“Whooaaa!”
“Quite a stroke of luck, hehe.”
The unit members burst into laughter.
“Make sure your equipment is always well-maintained. You never know when we might be called out!”
“Understood!”
“Yes!”
Everyone responded loudly.
And during their free time.
Damian went outside the barracks to buy herbs needed to make mana-enhancing potions.
It seemed like that audit was closer than he’d thought, as the herbalists were moving jumpily.
“How much for this?”
“For Greenleaf seeds? One pound is 12 silvers… No, 6 silvers… No, just 5 silvers!”
“Pardon?”
“You’re from the Neo-Calitz unit, right?”
When the herbalist asked Damian and he nodded,
“Then make sure to tell the higher-ups. Our shop never overcharges!”
“…Ah, yes.”
Indeed, audits were already taking place.
It seemed the defense force was acting quickly.
But,
“Sir, Greenleaf seeds are normally 5 silvers per pound.”
They had been selling them for 12 silvers until now.
It seemed there was still a long way to go, but a change was happening.
After buying the necessary herbs, Damian returned to the barracks.
He then spread the herbs out in a sunny spot to dry.
Once they were fully dried, he could grind them into powder and make pills.
“If I just make these… It should go a bit faster.”
A satisfied smile appeared on his face.
Of course, drawing magic circles to increase mana concentration using mana stones would have been the best.
“But that’s too conspicuous… Drawing magic circles isn’t something you can do casually.”
Despite his regret, for now,
“I’ll start with this first.”
Damian took out the mana-enhancing potion he received from Basel.
It was truly a lucky item.
Damian felt grateful to Basel and put it in his mouth.
Swoosh.
The potion, entering his mouth, dissolved like liquid and flowed down his throat into his body.
“Whoa…?”
What had previously been something he only heard of was now actually being experienced.
Damian immediately sat down to begin the Delft Mana Training Method.
Swoosh.
The potion gave off a fiery sensation as it moved through his body.
Damian himself felt chills throughout.
But soon, his lower abdomen started to heat up, and Damian focused.
“…This is more than I expected.”
The potion contained a large amount of concentrated mana.
If he was careless, it could result in loss of mana absorption or, in the worst case, injury.
“Focus.”
Opportunities like this don’t come often.
The most important thing is not to miss any opportunity when it arises.
Damian closed his eyes and grasped tightly onto the mana flowing from the potion.
“Not a single bit… Will be wasted.”
Mana swirled and rotated within Damian’s body in waves.
