Chapter 24
0NbWGlP“Stop him!”oiDe
Qwjj6K“Evacuate the students!”i1FIM
7vGm“Everyone, come this way!”LPoAeGY
8QoG3m“Where did that monster come from?!”RRItOge
GfKLceThe trees of the forest were uprooted by the massive tail, while spells and slashes struck the monster’s tough scales.UFab
eoYGThe aftermath of the battle spread beyond the lake, engulfing the nearby forest and growing more intense by the moment.wi5Do
Vtm06Z5“What are you doing here? It’s dangerous, evacuate now!”kxI
OMgNc“Y-Yes, understood!”qYA2ekj
zKPhvqIAnd Aint, panting heavily, joined the evacuation line.ECX0Z
scAo5kd“I-I escaped alive… The sea dragon won’t win, right?”WnRVR
QU1Gb— What nonsense. Even though the sea dragon is a spiritual beast and powerful, the academy gathers the best talents of the empire.orSu
t9u5fD1The professors teaching there were people who would stand out even among the strongest anywhere.QVf42b
MRh— And more importantly, that thing isn’t even an adult.xDqQGBM
SZ0CgA6“That’s not an adult?”kvwGgd
c9z— Sea dragons grow up to 50 meters. They aren’t called spiritual beasts for nothing.FBRtMr
MyC“Damn it…”zHURuOk
NjEm— Well, putting that aside… Did you bring the adamantite?zgDA3oJ
IFvDf“Of course.”mqLECi
kTS9CsAint checked the bag hanging from his waist. It was a subspace pouch the academy had provided for this exercise.f5XVEpC
C8UInitially, it contained basic potions, emergency supplies, and some dried meat, but now it was filled only with adamantite.042P9Sw
2S1He had thrown out everything else and packed it completely with the mineral.oJHuMBg
uO12“To think I almost died for this…”FS1Y7
4bZJust as he finished extracting the adamantite and was about to leave, he realized the sea dragon was surfacing.RyadvDH
lHELr— The spiritual herb! Don’t forget the spiritual herb!907v
3XyGardner’s voice stopped him just as he was about to flee, and thanks to that, he managed to collect the herb in time.VoDwOsS
UG8RDUaThe problem was, the sea dragon saw him doing it.PQV
ob1S4E9Upon witnessing its most treasured possession being stolen, the beast went mad and began chasing him.pngu8Q
UedFrAint barely made it out of the lake alive, and if it weren’t for the professors and assistants stationed in the area, he probably would’ve ended up as the sea dragon’s dinner.GDzi
aG5rdh9Usually, when someone stole the spiritual herb, the dragon would rage, but there wasn’t much it could do. By then, the thief had already fled and the dragon, with its poorly developed sense of smell, couldn’t track them.hZqtkE
qGY0qIHHowever, due to the “butterfly effect” caused by Fernan, Aint had discovered the adamantite and the order of events had changed.CA2L
dPJzNNow the dragon had seen him with its own eyes taking its treasure.scAwS8S
auTSAnd a dragon wasn’t generous enough to let a thief with its treasure right in front of it escape.Tha1ov
99xaThat had caused the current situation, though Aint couldn’t know that.cNY52x
NX4qdq“Anyway… luckily, everything turned out fine. The professors will handle the sea dragon…”QyGCNl
10sNow the problem was how to sell the adamantite to Fernan without raising suspicion.p2ix
v3W“If he asks how I got it… what should I say?”cgyD1
b0DZj— Just tell him it’s not stolen goods and not to ask questions.n7fo5
yyej— If he’s one of those rich types, he’ll probably buy it even if it is.ATlw
eYG8mNcAfter all, he didn’t need to explain. Adamantite was such a valuable mineral that everyone wanted it, no matter where it came from.f29BW
y8HDXZRHe had the upper hand.MCmYYU7
WKnL“How much should I ask for…?”FpmvRUc
GyUn0mRight then—fnZU6
7KtzK— Look, there’s your rich guy.YFMhs
UYesxokFollowing Gardner’s words, Aint turned his head and saw Fernan.fGa
L9WH2uBut his appearance was strange. He was drenched in sweat and frantically scanning his surroundings, eyes wide.eAx
1clhC“Who’s he looking for?”vD1n2
9nV6oHe didn’t know who, but it was clear Fernan was in a rush.gkCGjNm
GNuThen, their eyes met. Fernan quickly approached, panting, and said—i8RDto
Wr2bUC“Aint Armian.”bhzFEv
r6XqmOT“…You mean me?”9HOoka
PtBF9DAt Fernan’s apparent sigh of relief, Aint was puzzled.DvpVjt
YqiWas he the person Fernan had been looking for? Why?C8mD0P
4IAc4oy— What’s with that rich guy? Did he swallow something weird?v5FS4
4Fp— Looks to me like he’s worried about you. Am I right?EHQT
Fv289eAint felt the same, and that’s why he didn’t understand.JR9d
QF4PI8X— Could he know you got the adamantite and the spiritual herb?xkkot
yL2hi— Impossible… there’s no way he could know.1G0
gpLkBoth Aint and Gardner were confused.
But so was Fernan.q1Q52
tLKZ‘Hmph.’ZxXLuvn
n2cHe had only come looking for Aint hoping he was alive, without thinking about what to say afterward.UolZkZX
JJ5UxN‘What am I supposed to say now?’6KZJi
qvdLuckily, thanks to the fierce battle between the professors and the dragon, no one was paying attention to their conversation.Ab5
9d7After gathering his thoughts, Fernan decided to act boldly.d8RTAWv
64e04R“Was there no one else?”KIRa
IUmDev“No one else?”FP9
SeXWn“I mean were there any other students nearby. As an assistant, I have to ensure their safety.”7rhJH
gJK0Gw“Ah… is that all?”nJs
gFmAz“What else would it be?”AkhGE
ktwmTBgAt Fernan’s irritated look, Aint shook his head.NgKr
05o“No, nothing.”uuSRf6
AabFC1“If you have nothing else to say, go join the other stu—”yuGN
Kro“Before that, I have something to tell you.”rQxOyKj
cN59Zr“Something to tell me?”DNUU78
bcGmO8q“Yes.”iDL
ugAtu2Aint nodded and spoke quickly.CGNt87l
cmaOpaw“By any chance, does your merchant guild also deal in minerals?”hmAJ
GaUdcKm“Everyone knows our guild deals in minerals. What are you getting at?”Eo1f
dNyZsLAint gave an awkward smile.SCTg0
dHYc01e“It’s just… this isn’t a good place to talk…”EcZa
34KExi“Follow me.”Hx2
9anWFernan and Aint moved to a secluded part of the forest where no one was around, thanks to the exam being suspended due to the sea dragon.x6Pw
eaZRk“Talk. You’re not thinking I’ll give you minerals for free like the elixir, are you?”fXD
NQzkoSIt was true he had obtained mithril thanks to him, and could give it if he wanted.lhL7a
w1ZHMBut, as always, he mustn’t show weakness.UsANcFC
hW9yx1That was the fastest path to being seen as a fool.KseYGY4
ezZmnO2“No. There are two reasons why someone seeks a private audience with a merchant, right?”bayWKA
kWMPitV“To buy or sell. But since your wallet’s a joke, it must be the latter.”zNfPcfp
m0fOTt“…You’re right, but that stung.”JScd
TtuoFernan frowned.sXPpoH
GE40GxZEven though it was a meaningless joke, to someone who had seen in the book of prophecies how this boy ruined him, nothing was trivial.PDttlzy
R7D“…Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”3fBN
Z6fNy“…Excuse me?”oK0c
fPy— What’s with this guy? Does he have a stomachache?No7P9gw
YIJLThe sudden apology baffled both Aint and Gardner.HOBMGTt
ofX“Ah, no! Just kidding, I was only joking.”6AaUO
9tp“Glad to hear it.”HQ3p2E
uz3y“S-So… yes, I have something I want to sell. And you’re the only trustworthy person I can think of right now.”Qzf
Cfe0QND“What is it?”DGogb
Vj9Aint reached into his subspace pouch.8afcYro
iXzZu4When he pulled out the mineral, Fernan’s eyes widened.Tefinn
Lw7s“…Is that what I think it is?”FdW6us
08u“You recognized it right away. That’s right. Adamantite.”08GAJ
PW4uh“…Adamantite.”dIIUi
Ze5But soon, he composed his expression.BI7atv
l5cNaGardner was impressed by how quickly he regained his composure.d7kSz
kUb— Cold-blooded. Not even flinching at the sight of adamantite?wRjTK
bBvtRj“You want to sell it to me?”wkvs3
jMMDqZ“Yes.”lRh
pUYsRL“Where did you get it?”4dy
ctWo1“That’s confidential. But it’s not stolen, I assure you it was obtained legally. Are you interested?”pCmbJxW
ZW4UFernan hesitated a bit.tImEi1c
mRNSb8TIn negotiations, hiding your true intentions was key. If they were discovered, you lost all leverage and that meant unnecessary expenses.EubN7N
mWN5SlqBut this was adamantite.SwMS
kyyFs1He had already laid out a great plan after obtaining the mithril, and this mineral was essential to it.QYElvPh
NscyMrEven if he had to lose a little, it was worth it.2FW6b
HsJfVCv‘Besides, it’s Aint.’j6zq9
a03He already intended to support him long-term. If he got adamantite and used that as an excuse to help him openly, even better.aTf
C41t4e2“Alright. I’ll buy it.”eejUtXT
PfI7“Then…”4mAt
GUzbPK“This time, I’ll be the one asking the question.”S9iV
qxQa13Without realizing it, his merchant instincts took over.5PR
hfdK“How much are you expecting to get?”NXS
LWQR0***P0906HD
zLF9FGqA week passed in the blink of an eye.WAMcga
sxceLAfter the sea dragon incident, nothing else of note occurred, and Fernan returned to his office and spread out some papers.tYZbS
ddkkQF“Adamantite…”FYy
P38fJm7When Aint first mentioned that word, Fernan lost his composure for an instant.XXr
TWhaL9rIt was inevitable when dealing with such a mineral.ohLFBPY
BvV5qThe value of adamantite was already enormous, but he never would’ve imagined that Aint, who had lost the mithril, would show up with adamantite instead.sRLeyG
R4c“It’s unlikely he had it from the start. If he did, he would’ve already used or sold it.”ezTl
byJeIt was clear he had obtained it recently.63Um
7sZThey had stolen the mithril, and yet he came back with adamantite.dZn
epOrWas that the luck of the hero destined to stop the demon, as the book of prophecies claimed?SbUROH
weBFernan let out an incredulous laugh, but the situation didn’t seem unfavorable at all.9jX
LjC“If I can get an adamantite-mithril alloy, I might be able to make my ideal a reality.”EnF0AW
8n6vk4mHis hand, as it picked up the pen, began to move more quickly.guHdy
eXcOThe stroke that shaped his ideas — something he had imagined for a long time — showed no hesitation.g1Hod
zKrw0“Was it my intervention that changed things this time, too?”43YLvzh
h56uwADespite being as cautious as possible, it seemed something had slipped through.DRyWNiR
uhm8dThat was probably why Aint obtained the adamantite and the sea dragon emerged from the lake.ZYGwY
j7jj3apEven though it gave him a scare, everything had turned out well.iVV4P
r4OdVQAIn fact, not only had he obtained the mithril, but also the adamantite.z5UHp
zbHYWasn’t that an even greater gain?5BOnF
UhGF1m“What was that place again? An underwater cave with mithril and adamantite?”CgSRRCB
ZEksscGThere might be more minerals hidden there.QaEg
f9wHe decided he would check it out himself later.QQe
At8Zs4YAt that moment, Fernan looked at the sea dragon, which let out a roar of pain.u0iXY
X0kRLwAs expected of the academy’s professors, they were strong enough to stand out anywhere.2Gnwg
35jkNEven a spiritual beast was helpless against their combined assault.zZ3RzjA
AXHDIkaIt was only still alive due to the resilience of its massive body, but it wouldn’t last much longer.uUHoTKJ
pG2v‘Wouldn’t be a bad idea to use the dragon’s mana core as the central core. In fact, it’s the best option.’TCr26Nw
Yo9YA spiritual beast capable of moving with that size and using ‘Breath’ as a skill must have had an exceptional manahole.erMhd8K
GcbOpvAIt wouldn’t reach the level of a dragon’s heart — the most coveted core by mages — but it would definitely outperform even the finest magic gem.U8F5lX
NSiAjl2‘In that case, I must buy it. Within the academy, prey captured by professors is used for personal benefit. It usually ends up as funding for their labs.’V7uX9T
qso8The professors were probably already looking for buyers using their connections.tlLLNc
pfO‘I’ll need a lot of money. I can’t handle this alone.’TKsE
tSyBvIt wasn’t just a matter of money. To work with mithril and adamantite, he’d need his family’s backing.hE2qjfA
66qN4wWith his current setup, he couldn’t smelt both minerals.hBTJwRS
WqsR‘I’ll need to visit the family soon.’msO2
cSy83He wasn’t worried about convincing the duke.Jjs
8JF7sOHe already had the mithril, and the adamantite would arrive shortly.tdz
Il5Yh2“I’ve returned, young master.”pqXx
79qybFernan came out of his thoughts.eR2p
r9MRjU3He stopped his pen and looked forward, where Hyde stood with a somewhat tired expression.5WL4qSX
xj08z“Hyde? When did you get here?”f4S
XICrki“An hour ago.”cWQ
IT2“An hour?”aXs
XjNbAxHe looked out the window. Night had already fallen outside.Zk0u
8g17“Why didn’t you tell me?”B7K
Md7WUj“You looked very focused, so I waited. But after glancing at what you were writing, I figured you wouldn’t sleep tonight, so I decided to speak.”JW37
7nTLI“You did well.”zdKsfe
uFgyIndeed, he had been so absorbed in his thoughts that his body felt stiff.EPrOdWs
evK‘I even forgot the passage of time…’LZm
t9GPHe was probably more excited than he realized about acquiring mithril and adamantite.Qxv9lTp
OMEPP“Did you finish what I asked?”fOhieIs
cExDvY“Yes, everything’s done. But… if you don’t mind, may I ask something? Is it what I think it is?”3WnJ
teAp5SJ“Yes.”iwBH
8z326“…The materials listed aren’t exactly realistic.”3fRzc
g5VHyde’s reaction was understandable, and Fernan let out a small laugh.j822
o0tg“Not realistic?”K2ZPyk
IVO“Using mithril and adamantite to construct a physical body? It’s impossible.”IgYEN
2pmPk1Given how rare and expensive those minerals were, he was absolutely right.nv7JixL
PfS“The Golden Pillar doesn’t have that kind of money. Not even the duke would approve such an expense. And I doubt we could obtain that much of both minerals.”fPwBp
tdg8FnT“You really think so?”gAl2
SgE“Yes.”Q7puw6
Butwr“What if I already obtained them?”yZzq
zgXxjvJ“…Excuse me?”vbtOCf
LutEJFernan opened his subspace bag. Dozens of boxes were perfectly stacked inside his spacious office.aAN46z
F0T“Open them.”dlNg
Y80N“…Are they what I think they are? This makes no sense… That many?”8LP
76E7KO“Open them and judge for yourself.”AmSwY
rTlJkHyde swallowed hard and carefully opened a box.vpHZ6c
cGJcRsCWhen he saw the softly glowing turquoise hue, his jaw dropped.AwP3T
FMpd“This too…?”OCMHpxu
5NfvhYEvery box, without exception, was filled with mithril.YVg0QIT
ntv“T-This is impossible! Where the hell did you get all this?”t18llST
pqjT“I extracted it myself.”TwumO
xLFUmkV“…What?”oiFQLjv
coiZlM“This is all mithril. And I’ll also be acquiring adamantite in similar quantities.”goCmI0T
CY8hC6He was technically buying it, but given the price, it was almost a gift.Ugw6
auWDlB“B-But I don’t understand… What do you mean by all this?”pDsHNMT
RRMprV“Even seeing it, you don’t believe it? Hyde, that’s not like you.”ZNbJnGa
f71HC“…No, that’s not…”yWR3
W7kRbHyde could only repeat himself.HsmcH
KiEPJEF“…Fine. I’ll accept that you mined the mithril with your own hands. But buying adamantite? Who would sell that much?”ljVgk
rf3Zz“It’s not exactly a direct purchase. It’s more like an investment…”7J1xKC
RnWqs3Explaining would take too long, so Fernan changed the topic.q9hH
a8Jc“That’s not what matters, Hyde. This is.”DOB0zZ
Ecqtju4He handed over the blueprint he had been drawing so passionately.nH6hG
bu73I7“As you know, one thing has always intrigued me.”3Ll7
mAawuGlKnights had their steeds.ku1ca0
3BhsE7Elves, their spirits. Companions they could always rely on, to fight side by side.Ja6BB
VX5“Then why doesn’t a merchant have something like that?”3mdE
jJUHyde was about to say that the strange thing would be if they did, but stopped.dKw
LUHHe still hadn’t recovered from the shock of the mithril and adamantite, and besides—31sFI
hvXIpzgFernan radiated an overwhelming enthusiasm.Cjg
egigzNG“…So, you really intend to build this? Using that enormous amount of mithril and adamantite?”TWtCm5
YsG“Of course. If I’m going to do it, it’ll be perfect and durable.”PBI4K
WMYCoAEspecially since a war against demons was approaching.FakqOl
l5f“This will require a monstrous amount of money and the sum of all magical engineering knowledge.”bMsGh
tBpvThat’s why it was something only a truly wealthy merchant could build.ASg1
09IisNAnd that’s why it was the ideal partner for a merchant.rFG2Hx
SBUbzi“It will be my dream companion.”fGu
eQ5wMA powerful bodyguard to protect him in the dark era ahead. The ultimate solution to every problem he faced.oGfM
sK2j“A colossal, autonomous, self-aware Ego Golem.”Y6tM
k0MjT“…It’s an overwhelming amount of money… no, does it really have to be that huge?”BIX
18y“Because it looks cooler that way.”w3k0X
nZfRkHyde nodded, unable to help himself.qWogAa
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