Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 133 (Part 2)

The funeral went smoothly. The cremation took a day, and the next day Matthew scattered Margaret’s ashes into the river himself.

Bianca had burst into tears upon seeing Margaret’s body and wept loudly when the ashes were scattered. Neither Rodin nor Larry could console her.

Four days after the funeral, Matthew approached Rodin.

“Matthew.”

“I’m sorry, my lord.”

“You’ve decided, then?”

“Yes. I think this is where I belong.”

After four days of deliberation, Matthew decided to stay in Oak Village. It was a decision Rodin found disappointing.

“Alright. Thank you for helping me and my siblings all this time.”

“No, my lord. I received far more than I gave. I’m only grateful to you.”

Matthew planned to work in Oak Village caring for horses. He had learned how to manage horses in Richmond Marquisate, but this place was far more specialized.

Oak Village was the perfect place for breeding horses due to its climate and vegetation. Thousands of horses were raised here, and not a single one was of poor quality.

There was even a small ranch specializing in breeding warhorses, and its horses were recognized as the best on the central continent.

After sending Matthew off, Rodin gathered Larry and Bianca to inform them that Matthew would be staying in the village.

“Then what about us?”

“Hm?”

“Big Brother Rodin, when we lived in the Richmond Marquisate, I barely left the house. It’s no different here.”

“I feel the same, brother. There’s no real need to go where there are more people.”

It was Rodin who needed to stay in the city, not Larry or Bianca. Cities were better for buying supplies as needed compared to rural areas.

“You want to stay here?”

“What about you? If you’re going, we’ll follow.”

“Hm, let me think for a moment.”

Rodin pictured Oak Village and the city of Hedenes in his mind.

The two locations were only half a day apart by carriage—3 or 4 hours if they rushed.

‘Hedenes is too small a city.’

Hedenes had a peculiar situation because of the Paroma Mountain Range, which meant it attracted many mages. Most of them were researchers who lived in Hedenes to continue their studies.

The problem was that these mages were scholars, not artifact makers. As such, the availability of artifact materials was limited.

Only recently, Rodin had struggled to purchase 500 low-grade mana stones in Hedenes. He had to visit multiple magic supply shops to find enough. In a place like this, it was difficult to procure materials as needed.

‘I need to be able to use teleportation magic.’

Teleport was a 7th-circle spell that allowed spatial movement. If Rodin could master it, he wouldn’t have to waste time traveling back and forth between cities and could visit larger, more prosperous areas.

However, teleportation magic was a secret. Among the Four Great Towers, only two—Chronoa Tower and Nella Tower—possessed the spell’s formula.

Even Francis, the tower lord of Landes Tower, didn’t know the spell for teleportation.

No magic tower would share its secrets with outsiders. Chronoa Tower and Nella Tower guarded their teleportation magic formulae with extreme vigilance.

‘In the end, I’ll have to research it myself.’

Rodin didn’t think it was impossible. He had already mastered over 20,000 runic letters. Thanks to Prubal’s illusion classes, he had also learned how to combine runes.

‘I just can’t use it immediately.’

Teleportation was different from offensive magic. Supportive spells like this felt unfamiliar to someone who had never used them before and required significant trial and error.

‘Space… Spatial movement…’

It wouldn’t be easy, but it was worth trying. No, he had to learn teleportation magic no matter what.

If Rodin could master teleportation, he would escape the restrictions of space. This meant less time wasted on travel and, in some situations, a lifesaving trump card.

“I still need to return to Richmond Marquisate.”

Rodin had spent nearly two years in Richmond Marquisate. Although he wasn’t directly connected to the marquisate, he felt a sense of duty as a former resident.

Moreover, he couldn’t ignore the volcanic eruption incident. He had a responsibility to repay his debt before leaving.

Rodin believed the best way to repay this debt was by helping the Richmond Marquisate win its territorial war. Having relied on them for nearly two years and caused the volcano’s eruption, he wanted to leave them with a parting gift.

“There’s no need to decide alone.”

Rodin immediately called Larry and Bianca and informed them of his intention to return to the Richmond Marquisate.

“Then should we prepare to leave?”

“You two can stay here if you want. I only plan to participate in the territorial war and then leave.”

Hearing that they would leave the Richmond Marquisate, Larry and Bianca looked relieved.

They hadn’t liked the Richmond Marquisate much. It was crowded and bustling everywhere, an uncomfortable environment for two people who had grown up in a rural village.

“Then Big Brother Rodin, are we coming back here?”

“If you two stay here, I’ll have to. It might take some time, though.”

Rodin didn’t plan to return until he had perfected teleportation magic.

This place was far too rural, and there were too many inconveniences. While the Spatial Bracelet helped, it wasn’t a perfect solution.

The spatial magic of the bracelet only allowed for storage. For it to be useful, the necessary items had to already be stored within it.

However, Rodin didn’t know what materials he might need in the future. Filling the bracelet with everything in sight was unreasonable.

“Ah, I like that. But I still want to see the territorial war.”

“Don’t they have territorial wars here?”

“Hedenes is royal territory. Territorial wars almost never happen here.”

According to the kingdom’s law, royal territories could technically hold territorial wars. If someone were ambitious enough to challenge royal authority, a war could break out.

However, in the Tebia Kingdom, the royal family’s power was strong enough to prevent such conflicts. It was impossible for the nobles to challenge the royal family’s strength.

“I want to go too, brother.”

“So do I.”

“Are you sure? You don’t have to come if you don’t want to.”

Rodin wasn’t the type to force others to do things they disliked. Whether they stayed or left, he would respect Larry and Bianca’s decision.

“I want to see the territorial war, and it doesn’t feel like the time to part ways yet.”

“Me too. I still have so much to learn from Big Brother Rodin. Why would I leave?”

“Alright then. Start getting ready. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

“Yes!”

After a brief commotion, it was decided that only Matthew would stay behind. Bianca seemed a little reluctant to leave the scenery of Oak Village but didn’t insist on staying.

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