There were still three months left until the season of Blackout began.
In the meantime, Jun recalled the tasks he had to take care of on the surface.
One of them was the whereabouts of Marshar, the disciple of Shylock.
“Marshar. What are you planning to do?”
“Hmm. Not sure. I didn’t expect to end up outside like this, either.”
Originally, Marshar had planned to live in seclusion once he left Blackout.
After all, the culprits who had destroyed the Magic Tower could strike again at any time.
But now that he had heard news that his master was still alive, staying in hiding forever wasn’t an option.
“For now, I guess I’ll have to go find the old man…”
“Unfortunately, we don’t know where he is either. He moves around very quietly.”
“Figures. I owe my survival entirely to the things he taught me.”
But as if to render those concerns meaningless, the very next morning—
An unexpected guest arrived.
It was Shylock.
“You scoundrel. Forcing your aging master to come find you?”
“Old man…? Wait, where have you even been all this time…!”
Marshar looked as if he were both indignant and bewildered, but Jun didn’t miss the way tears welled up in his eyes.
“A touching reunion between master and disciple, huh?”
Master…
That word brought a bitter smile to Jun’s face.
“Well, at least you’re in one piece. That’s worth some praise.”
“You’re looking pretty fine yourself, old man.”
“Still as rude as ever, I see!”
Jun quietly watched their reunion for a moment, then stepped away.
The two of them needed some time alone for now.
Instead, Jun went up to see Chloe and explained the situation. She set aside her work without hesitation and came down to the VIP room.
A little while later—
“So, is the lodging ready?”
In response to Jun’s question, Shylock shook his head.
“I’ve decided to spend the rest of my days teaching this brat some more. Took my eyes off him for a moment and his skills went completely to hell.”
As he said this, Shylock pointed to an artifact created by Marshar.
“Even a stray mutt rummaging through trash in some alley has a better memory than you. At least it remembers the roads in its own territory!”
“Hey, old man! Have your eyes finally gone cloudy with age? You’re calling this delicate magic code trash?”
“Tsk tsk! What’s the point of delicacy if it can’t withstand the rough mana of a magic stone?”
“Hah, this is why people call you an old fossil. You’re stuck in the past!”
“What did you say?!”
“Just look at this! You think I made this without a second thought?”
With that, Marshar pulled out something. It was a mana fluid.
“This is…?”
“Highly concentrated mana. That mage over there named it. Mana Fluid.”
“Where did you get this from?”
“Where else? Found it in the Blackout.”
“…It must be the alchemists.”
“Huh?”
Did he know about this too?
Marshar’s eyes widened in surprise.
“So that’s why you made this… Tsk. Destroy it immediately.”
“What?! My life’s greatest masterpiece?!”
“Some masterpiece. All it does is imbue light magic.”
“But it’s not about the magic! It’s the mana code! Can you even imagine how much this delicate mana code could advance our technology?!”
His indignation wasn’t entirely unjustified.
However, Shylock responded firmly.
“That’s exactly why it’s dangerous. This mana fluid has the potential to skyrocket the Empire’s technological capabilities overnight.”
“Exactly! That’s why it’s amazing! This is a historic discovery!”
“Tsk tsk… You foolish child.”
Then, Shylock’s gaze shifted to Chloe, who had been quietly observing their conversation.
“Golden Hand’s precious offspring. Have you heard anything about this?”
“Yes. I was told that each vial is on par with at least a high-grade magic stone.”
“As a merchant, I’m sure you understand the value of this item.”
“…Yes, I do.”
Magic stones mined from the earth or magic cores harvested from monsters tend to lose their stored energy quickly the higher their grade.
As a result, their use often comes with various limitations.
“This doesn’t match the efficiency of high-grade magic stones or cores, but anything below that? It can be used endlessly. You can even grade mana from it.”
He looked at Chloe as if asking whether she understood the implication.
Chloe glanced at Jun with a slight shiver creeping over her expression.
Shylock noticed the look she gave.
“Are you worried about what unchecked technological advancement could bring?”
“Ha… It seems the kid’s already told you.”
“Huh?”
Marshar was the only one in the room who didn’t understand what Shylock meant.
“You foolish disciple. This so-called mana fluid….I’ve encountered it once in the past.”
“What?!”
“But I destroyed it on the spot.”
“Why?!”
“Because it’s dangerous.”
Shylock explained:
“The moment this hits the world, the Empire will face a wave of technological revolution. And naturally, that means accidents and incidents will follow. Mana, when used right, can elevate humanity. But when used wrong, it becomes a disaster.”
“You’d turn your back on progress just because it’s dangerous?”
To him, that was an idea he simply could not accept.
Shylock looked at his disciple with a bitter smile.
“If that’s what you think… then how do you imagine I felt when I smashed it to pieces?”
“……”
Shylock was more ambitious about technology than anyone else. Even his disciple Marshar knew that all too well.
“But sometimes, you also need the eyes to see what it is you’re creating. Back then, that thing looked like a massive disaster waiting to happen.”
Jun had realized that in advance and held a meeting with Chloe regarding it beforehand.
“…Damn.”
At that point, even Marshar began to reconsider.
High-grade magic stones were strictly regulated, which made them relatively easy for the Empire to control.
But what about this mana fluid?
If the method of making it became known, anyone could easily wield mana on a high level.
When Jun first saw the mana fluid, this was his impression:
If I were to compare it to something from Earth, it’d be like handing everyone a stick of dynamite.
Mana was a precious energy source, but that made it all the more volatile and difficult to handle.
“Of course… that was then. Things might be different now.”
“What did you say?”
Ignoring Marshar’s question, Shylock turned his gaze to Jun and Chloe.
“Can you handle it?”
To that, Jun looked at the mana fluid Marshar had taken out.
It’s like the box Zeus gave Pandora.
Or perhaps Schrödinger’s cat.
But a catch this big couldn’t just be passed up.
If the mana fluid business succeeded, funding would no longer be a concern.
The problem is, compared to the potion business, this carries an incomparably higher risk.
The pie was far too big for one person to eat alone.
Even the Gillen Merchant Guild could be blown apart in an instant if they mishandled it.
But Jun had the connections to make this work.
Someone wielding a power no one would dare challenge.
“I believe I can only make a final decision after you accept this invitation.”
The Emperor.
***
Though the conversation had taken quite a serious turn, in the end, Shylock smiled with satisfaction.
“The current Emperor is not a man who lacks capability. He’s someone of great depth.”
There weren’t many who could speak of the Emperor with such familiarity.
But that was possible for Shylock, who had personally received the title “King of Enchantment” from the Emperor himself.
“I think I’ll need to speak with my grandfather about this matter as well.”
It was far too heavy a burden for the Gillen Merchant Guild to shoulder alone.
With that, Chloe said she would consult her grandfather for his opinion.
“Then how’s the potion business going?”
“Oh, I never told you about that part, did I?”
Realizing only now, after the whirlwind of busy events, Chloe handed a few documents over to Jun.
“We’re dividing the potion business into two parts. One will be for mass-market potions, and the other will be premium potions.”
“Premium, huh?”
It meant they were going with a high-end strategy.
Of course, there was nothing more certain than this when it came to gaining both money and fame. But Gillen’s reputation within Blackout wasn’t all that great just yet.
Would high-rank adventurers or mercenaries really want to buy from them?
“I’ve already solved the issue of brand value. You’ll understand once you look at the documents.”
“…The Ariklotus Church? You’re working with the Church?”
“That’s right. The premium potions will be released under the Church’s name.”
Like any organization, religious orders also launched business ventures from time to time.
But any business tied to a Church had to be approached with utmost caution.
To carry the Church’s name was, in effect, to carry the name of their god.
Which is why the Ariklotus Church’s decision came as a surprise to Jun.
Did that stingy pope have a change of heart?
This too was a situation entirely different from the game.
“Of course, that means we’ll have to be mindful of the potion’s value. One of them is the ‘Tear of Eternal Annihilation’ you have.”
A tear that annihilates eternity.
It was particularly deadly to undead monsters who were fairly common in Blackout and valuable enough to justify being associated with the Church’s name.
“We’ll have to change the name, obviously… but that’s how we’re starting.”
Jun nodded, taking that to mean the plan was already well underway.
That evening, after they had made steady progress discussing the business—
Someone came to see Jun.
“Sir Shylock?”
“Yes, it’s me. Tsk, tsk. You smell like a widower.”
“……”
Not exactly words he wanted to hear from someone who’d stayed single well into old age, but Jun opened the door anyway.
“Shall I prepare some tea?”
“No need. I’m not planning to stay long.”
“What brings you here?”
“Here. Take this.”
What Shylock tossed to him was a ring.
A plain iron ring, covered in scratches.
“This is…?”
“Consider it payment for bringing my disciple back in one piece.”
“……”
“You’ll have to figure out how to use it yourself!”
With that, Shylock slammed the door and disappeared.
Jun looked down at the ring, unable to hide his bewilderment.
There didn’t seem to be any special magic coming from it. What exactly was this thing supposed to do?
Quietly, Jun took the ring and went to find Marshar.
“Do you know anything about this ring?”
“Huh… wait, what? That old man gave you that?”
“He said it was in return for saving you.”
“Pfft~ That old man. Acting indifferent while caring that much for his only disciple.”
Grinning for no reason, Marshar pointed at the iron ring and said,
“Honestly, it suits you as a mage pretty well.”
“What kind of artifact is it?”
“The principle’s a bit complicated… but it borrows the power of a spirit.”
“…A spirit?”
“Yeah. Do you know much about spirits?”
“To some extent.”
At that moment, unknown knowledge stirred in Jun’s mind.
They were memories from his past life.
“Well, most of the spirits people know are the four classical elements… but that’s not always the case.”
“Then what is it?”
“This one’s a spirit of dreams.”
…What kind of spirit is that even supposed to be?
Does it help you sleep better or something?
“Ha! That look on your face…I can guess what you’re thinking. It’s not something that clicks right away.”
“You could say that.”
“This thing has the power to absorb a person’s thoughts, interpret them as dreams, and then manifest them in reality.”
“…What?”
What kind of absurd ability is that?
“Ah, I didn’t explain it properly. More accurately, it turns dreams into illusions.”
“I see. So it doesn’t have any physical power?”
“Normally, no.”
Normally?
Does that mean it sometimes does?
“It can convert mental power into physical force. In other words, a mage’s magic is different. According to the principles the user holds, this thing can also cast spells.”
“Wait a minute… are you saying…?”
“It means depending on how much of your dreams you feed into it, multicasting becomes possible.”
Leave a Reply to Unknown Cancel reply