Embracing Magic - E.M Chapter 96 (Part 1)

As it turned out, Rodin ended up purchasing more than he intended in the commercial district.

He bought herbs for potion-making and returned home with his hands full. Thankfully, there was a carriage service available.

That night, Rodin destroyed the statue he had stolen from the so-called noble son of the Marquis of Richmond. Although its exterior remained unchanged, some of its internal magic circuits were damaged beyond repair.

‘With this, the spirit won’t be able to escape.’

Since the spirit was sealed, it couldn’t be directly destroyed. Moreover, offering himself as a conduit for the spirit to exit felt even more distasteful.

Instead, he broke the pathways that had been set up for the spirit to emerge. No matter how powerful the spirit might be, it couldn’t escape if the doors remained closed.

‘I might not be a good person, but…’

He didn’t harbor any particular grudge against whoever had imbued the spirit in the Bolas Kingdom. Rodin could understand that they had done it as a means of survival.

But the method left a bad taste in his mouth. It felt no different from theft, forcibly robbing an unlucky person of their life.

Especially since the Marquis of Richmond’s territory was where he and his siblings lived. He didn’t want the area around his home to be thrown into chaos because of a strange spirit.

‘This should do it.’

That night, Rodin discarded the horse-shaped statue in a corner of the spot where he had stolen it. He made sure to cover it lightly with dirt, making it difficult to spot.

‘Will they retrieve it properly?’

He wondered whether the local guards would take action or if the “young master” from yesterday would come to claim it himself.

It didn’t matter who took it, as the item was already damaged.

“The central continent intervening in the Western Continent’s war… doesn’t seem like a wise choice.”

He pushed the spirit matter out of his mind, focusing instead on the news he heard at the mercenary guild that day.

Five nations, including the Kingdom of Lennox, had decided to join the war in the Western Continent.

They wouldn’t be able to deploy their entire forces, likely sending only a portion of their troops. Instead, they would probably hire many mercenaries.

“Would that be enough to defeat the Ingram Empire?”

It was clearly impossible. The military strength of the Ingram Empire far surpassed that of the kingdoms of the central continent. Even with the addition of five nations, the chances of a shift in the outcome were slim.

“It’s not about winning. The goal is to buy time.”

The Ingram Empire had faced the issue of the Beast Forest since its inception. Although the large-scale subjugation attempt 30 years ago had temporarily subdued it, there was always a chance of the beasts stirring up trouble again.

The kingdoms of the central continent aimed to prolong the situation until they could maintain the 13-nation alliance.

“Actually, it’s more of a 10-nation alliance now, isn’t it?”

Three of the kingdoms had already fallen. The Kingdom of Riyaz, the Kingdom of Beros, and the Kingdom of Perry no longer existed in the world.

The central continent’s kingdoms wouldn’t go out of their way to revive nations that had already perished. And the Ingram Empire wasn’t naive enough to give up conquered lands willingly.

“Sigh, I should stop worrying about this. I’m part of the central continent now.”

Even though he tried to force himself to forget, he found himself drawn to it. It seemed that having grown up in the Western Continent, he still subconsciously identified with it.

Seventeen days later, Rodin completed his potion-making.

It took a bit longer than he had anticipated. His focus on the lesson from the watch prevented him from dedicating all his time to potion-making.

Nonetheless, the task was finished. Rodin brought exactly 403 potions to the mercenary guild.

“These are healing potions. Please verify them.”

“Oh! One moment, please.”

The counter clerk’s eyes widened at the sight of nearly 400 bottles. She hurriedly grabbed one and rushed off, looking rather flustered.

‘They should be satisfied with the results.’

The potions he made this time were made using the ancient potion recipe.

Since the guild would collect and distribute them all at once, even if they eventually realized the potions were exceptionally effective, it would be hard to trace them back to him.

So, he chose to make potions using cheaper ingredients from ancient recipes. The production process for these was also slightly more convenient.

“Wow! The effect is excellent. It’s almost on par with potions crafted by the Tower.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Did you make these yourself?”

“Yes, I crafted them myself.”

In such matters, Rodin opted for honesty.

If he claimed otherwise, they would only ask where he bought them, and then he would have to keep adding to the lie. It was simpler this way.

“Would you consider continuing to supply us in the future? We can count it as an exclusive mercenary contract.”

“I’ll have to decline.”

“What? Why? The prices have increased significantly. Selling them should be profitable, no?”

“Considering the cost of materials and the effort involved, it’s not particularly lucrative. It’s better to sell artifacts instead.”

Since arriving in the Marquis of Richmond’s territory, Rodin had already crafted and sold several artifacts. There was no need to keep quiet about it, as any investigation would reveal the details.

“Ah, that’s unfortunate.”

“So, the commission is completed, right?”

“Yes. We received 403 potions, and you’ve successfully completed four missions for the Blue Mercenary Order. On behalf of the guild, thank you. Here is the payment for the potions.”

The guild’s purchase price per potion was 27 gold. Compared to selling them for over 40 gold in the Western Continent, it was a bargain.

However, even this was a recently increased price in the central continent. Before the decision to join the Western Continent war, the price was under 25 gold.

“Thank you.”

“Please, do reconsider potion production!”

“I will think about it.”

After exchanging farewells, he left the mercenary guild. The outside air felt particularly chilly that day.

‘Is winter approaching?’

On the way back home in the carriage, Rodin reflected as he took in the surroundings.

The Marquis of Richmond’s territory was a well-developed fief. The buildings were clean, and the public safety was good. Despite being a bustling trade city with a large transient population, major incidents were rare.

‘It’s a good place. Suitable for Larry and Bianca to live in.’

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Hyung_Otaku2

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