Chapter 32: The Spirit Behind
I received word from Marquis Hamawar that the matter with Count Dalasl had been settled, and I visited the marquis’s residence to collect my payment.
Hyalda greeted me, looking completely revitalized, with no signs of lingering effects from her previous condition. Healing Magic truly is a marvel.
The payment from the marquis consisted of three leather pouches containing a total of 300 gold coins.
“I always think this, but isn’t it too much, Marquis?” I asked.
“I’ve told you before, Kaito, it’s barely enough,” he replied. “This time, I’ve received a thousand gold coins as an apology fee for ten years. Hyalda will receive five hundred gold coins for the same duration. Considering the circumstances, it’s quite a bargain. Besides, you crushed Dalasl’s pride, so I want to express my gratitude separately.”
“Ah, no thanks. Receiving something I can’t use would just clutter my Spatial Storage.”
“But when I saw that nose of his, I nearly burst out laughing,” the marquis chuckled. “He always flaunted his status and high Mana Grade, yet with that nose…”
“However, I never expected you to master Transfer Magic, Kaito. Thanks to that, we were saved, but you always manage to surprise me.”
“That’s the mark of a true magic master, isn’t it?”
“To brush it off with just that one line is a bit too easy. I’ve kept it under wraps, but eventually, it will come to light.”
“When that time comes, I trust you’ll handle it well, my lord.”
Fi burst into laughter, and Hyalda joined in, while the marquis wore a wry smile.
“By the way, Fi, how did the illness of Nabal’s daughter turn out?”
“She’s recovered. Healing Magic is convenient, but if it becomes widely known, it could lead to complications.”
“Being from the marquis’s household, the number of unreasonable requests is likely fewer, so it’s still manageable. If it were during the time of the viscount, it would have been a disaster.”
“Ugh, it seems the marriage proposals will only increase, and it’s giving me a headache.”
“I can see why you’d want to hide your true abilities, Kaito.”
“I have something to inform you regarding magic.”
“Did you try something again?”
“It’s nothing major, but if you use a thinner flow of Mana when casting spells, the power remains unchanged while the number of uses increases by about 20 to 30%. You should try it during the next ability assessment, but be careful—if it’s too thin, the spell won’t manifest, so finding the right balance is tricky.”
“Twenty to thirty percent increase, you say?”
“Hyalda, how many Ice Lances can you cast now?”
“Um, around fifty shots, I think.”
“Practice flowing your Mana thinner while casting. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see a significant increase in the number of casts.”
“You’re still as unreasonable as ever. They say to pour Mana into spells, yet you’re suggesting the opposite.”
“I’ll have to work even harder on Mana manipulation. My Mana Capacity is steadily increasing, after all.”
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Now seventeen, I had grown tired of the summer sun and was relaxing inside the Camp House, cooled by the magical tool, Cold Wind.
Recently, I had become capable of easily firing 110 Stone Lances at a distance of 40 meters. Using a thinner flow of Mana meant I didn’t have to worry too much about running out of it. However, as I had told Hyalda, if the flow is too thin, the spell won’t manifest, making it difficult to gauge.
I could instantly erect a wall I named the Fortress of Defense with hardly any Mana expenditure. I estimated I could perform Transfer Magic for 18 jumps of 400 meters or 36 jumps of 200 meters.
I had been running out of Mana at least once a day, which I believed was due to the increase in my Mana Capacity and the change in how I used my Mana. I thought my Spatial Storage had reached its growth limit, so even with an increase in Mana Capacity, it wouldn’t change.
Upon returning to the hotel, the manager informed me that the marquis wanted to see me as soon as he returned, so I took the hotel carriage to the marquis’s residence.
The marquis’s business was that His Majesty the King was seeking a guard for the prince and requested recommendations for someone of a similar age. The marquis replied that he had no one in mind, but when told it was the boy he had brought to the Magic Tournament, he declined, stating that the boy was an Adventurer and he couldn’t decide on his own.
He mentioned that due to the incident with the Armored Buffalo, he was aware of my connection to the marquis’s household and that my ability to withstand that attack was too valuable to overlook, so he asked for an introduction. Although he said I could refuse, he requested that I at least listen to what they had to say.
After the Adventurers’ Guild issued a nomination request, I was to evaluate the content of the discussion and relay it to His Majesty the King.
Having received the royal family’s approval, we set off for the Royal Capital, but for some reason, Hyalda and Fi were also riding in the marquis’s carriage. They needed to go to the Royal Capital for a while to serve as guards for the royal family.
Starting in September, the Second Prince would be entering the Royal Academy, and during the period surrounding the entrance ceremony, His Majesty the King and the royal family would also be in attendance, necessitating their protection.
Upon arriving in the Royal Capital, I was dropped off at the Egdra Hotel, while the marquis headed straight to the Royal Castle to handle the procedures for the nomination request at the Royal Capital Adventurers’ Guild. Before parting, he asked me to confirm the nomination request at the Adventurers’ Guild by noon the next day.
After lunch the following day, I headed to the Adventurers’ Guild to check for the nomination request at the reception desk. As soon as I introduced myself, the receptionist reacted immediately.
“I will call the Guildmaster, so please wait a moment…”
She went off with a composed expression, but she stumbled over her words. I was quickly guided to the second floor’s reception room for my meeting with the Guildmaster.
“I hear there’s a nomination request from the royal family; you seem to be aware of it,” he said.
“I’ve heard from Marquis Hamawar, but as an Adventurer, I’ll decide whether to accept based on the request’s content,” I replied.
“You’re directly receiving a request from Marquis Hamawar, yet you say that?”
“My connection to the Hamawar family comes from helping their daughter. At that time, I hadn’t registered as an Adventurer yet, so I couldn’t take requests from the Guild.”
“I understand. Please come again tomorrow afternoon. Someone from the royal family will come to explain the request, so you can decide whether to accept it or not.”
I agreed and returned to the hotel. The next day, I headed back to the Adventurers’ Guild, but dealing with nobles was always a hassle.
In front of the guild, a splendid carriage and mounted knights were waiting. As I entered the guild, the receptionist immediately guided me to the second floor.
After knocking, I heard a prompt “Enter!”—that’s what it means to respond instantly.
In front of me stood a refined gentleman dressed in fine clothing, flanked by four knights standing at attention. The Guildmaster sat uncomfortably beside him, sipping tea.
“I’m Kaito. I’ve come to inquire about your business,” I said.
“Kaito, this is Prime Minister Nagalan. You have a request for a guard from the royal family. Please hear the details from the Prime Minister himself.”
With that, the Guildmaster left the room, indicating that the guild had no intention of prying into the request’s content.
“Prime Minister Nagalan, before I hear the details of the request, may I ask you something?”
One of the knights behind him had a vein bulging on his forehead—quite intimidating.
“Go ahead.”
“I make my living gathering medicinal herbs, as you can see, I’m just a kid. Why is there a request for a guard, especially for the royal family?”
“I’ve done a bit of research on you. Your achievements in defeating a pack of Black Wolves, the Armored Buffalo, and the Goblin Settlement are impressive. Your abilities are well recognized, and you stand on par with higher-ranked Adventurers.”
“That’s more a matter of circumstance; I fought because I had to survive. I’ve never done a guard duty before. The knights behind you are far more trained for such tasks. If you’ve done your research, you’d know that I’m often called a disgrace or a failure among magic users with a Mana Grade of 40.”
“They lack the means and ability to defend against magic attacks. His Majesty observed your abilities during the Magic Tournament. While the Hamawar siblings were performing, you were in the audience, monitoring the surroundings and took down one of the bandits. Does that clarify things?”
When I shrugged in response, the atmosphere around the knights shifted.
“Although it’s a wonderful nomination, I must decline.”
“Why? I haven’t even detailed the request yet.”
“Because of the knights behind you. I’m just a poor kid from the streets, living off gathering medicinal herbs since before I came of age. It seems I’ve annoyed them a few times in this short period, and their demeanor has changed. It would be impossible for me to act as part of a guard unit alongside them. Excuse me.”
I bowed my head and quickly made my exit. It was futile; among those who flaunt their status and position, no amount of life would be enough.
People like Marquis Hamawar, Hyaru, and Fi are a rare breed, which is why I can associate with them.
I have no intention of throwing myself into a world filled with monsters and spirits. If this country goes to ruin, I can always move to another and live a leisurely life. Traveling could also be quite an adventure in its own right.