Episode 212 When Logan thinks of Hamar, the image that usually comes to mind is of him wearing a loosely tailored linen top and bottom, a leather vest, and craftsman’s gloves to prevent injury.
But now…
“Whahahaha! How is it, Master Taren? It’s been almost 8 months. Hasn’t he changed nicely?”
Even if it were other dwarves and guard knights who came with a lot of clothes, the sight of Hamar smiling with a plump face was very unfamiliar.
He was neatly dressed in a red silk robe with yellow pumpkin buttons that only the nobles of the kingdom would wear.
A look that would never suit a craftsman’s attire, even if he were a wealthy merchant.
Logan’s eyes, who had been expressing complete satisfaction with Taren’s changed appearance just a moment ago, narrowed slightly.
I flinch.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that? I did a good job! What! Why?!”
“Yes, that’s true, but…”
“Why do you keep making me anxious? If you have any qualms, tell me quickly!”
“You did a good job… but you’re not doing it anymore? There’s not a single speck of dust on your clothes.”
“What a ridiculous cavil! Now there are 1,103 dwarves in our workshop! There are about three times as many human craftsmen! But why do I do the work myself?!”
That’s true, but…
‘Why do I keep feeling uncomfortable when I think Hamar is playing?’
Is this a compensation mentality that arose from constantly hearing the evil master?
Eat.
It was a laugh that came from the pitiful selfish thoughts that came to mind, but when Hamar saw it, he flinched once more and shouted.
“For your information, I even cut and buttoned this dress myself! It didn’t cost me any money!”
Oh my.
Even the clothes are made in-house.
Since I have been doing it for a while, I think I can buy it and wear it in moderation.
‘I should do better.’
Logan made a promise to himself and patted Hamar on the shoulder.
“Who cares? Well done.”
“…?”
“Let’s take a look inside the workshop. Just show me around.”
“…really?”
“Then it’s real. Let’s take a look at the fake one.”
“No, really, just skip it… huh hmm. This isn’t it. Well, that’s okay. Let’s go. I designed it myself and will clearly guide you from the entrance.”
“Yes. And the mine.”
“Ah! That’s right. I started mining a few days ago!”
“Okay. Then I guess we should go faster.”
The master and the slave, who turned around with a smile, slightly tilted their heads at the same time.
A vague and uneasy feeling, as if something passed without being done.
Although they did not realize it themselves, this was the first time that they had met again after a period of more than a few months without any problems.
Maybe that’s why Hamar, who had been walking in silence for a while, hesitated a few times and then quietly closed his mouth.
“I saved a lot on construction costs and bought some silk and pumpkin to make this clothes.”
“…huh?”
“There are a few more. But we really saved a lot of construction costs!”
“…cancellation of the workshop director’s salary increase.”
“Why why?!”
“You just confessed to embezzlement.”
“I saved it that much more…!! No, wait a minute? Did I have a salary before that?”
“So, cancel what you were going to give me.”
“Why?!!”
Logan, who chuckled, fought with Hamar for a while and then agreed to give him the same monthly salary as Dwayne, the top McLane official.
Of course, the performance bonus was calculated separately considering the achievements and efficiency.
‘I have to make sure to take care of my people.’
Then, seeing Hamar’s light steps, who turned around with a big smile on his face, Logan also smiled happily, but the smile lasted only a few hours.
A magicite ore vein where hundreds of dwarves travel here and there.
“Owner. I heard that what the owner is most worried about is that rumors spread about the ‘things’ being mined here.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“So, the work is being done here with just me and the dwarves.”
“Oh indeed. So the work was fast.”
“That’s right. Plus, we signed a special contract.”
“Special contract?”
“Magic contract. Only 300 people were selected and only 3 million gold was spent. So, it is clear that it will be kept secret.”
“…3 million? 300 magic contracts?”
The moment I saw Logan’s expression suddenly turn grim.
As if reflecting his heightened mood, the corner of Hamar’s mouth, which had been upright, twitched.
“That’s how cheap it was. I had a lot of money, so why?!”
Yes. At one time, 3 million gold was MacLine’s annual budget, but now it is not that much money.
But money wasn’t the issue.
“Ugh. If there were 300 pieces, you probably bought them at the royal magic tower, right? In the capital?”
“That’s right…”
Hearing Hamar’s answer, Logan felt like he was going to fall down holding his neck at any moment.
The effects of a magic contract can be fulfilled by any wizard of the 4th circle or higher, and even if you are a knight who is not a wizard, if you reach the highest level, you can escape from the influence with your own strength.
However, the only one in this country who could create such a magic contract was the Royal Magic Tower of the class wizard Wizard School.
There it is.
‘The royal magic tower is only loyal to the king for generations…’
Ugh.
Logan forced a sigh to calm his rising blood pressure.
“Hehe. Hamar, let’s pretend you are a wizard.”
“Hmm?”
“What would a family, or even a city that is suddenly developing something, think if they bought 300 such contracts at once?”
“…Well, a grateful guest?”
“Are you crazy! Do you think all wizards are fools?!”
Hamar, who had been making excuses for Logan’s shouting, suddenly realized his mistake and his face turned white.
“They would think that something that requires a lot of forced contracts is going on here. And that is in an area where a newly developed mine has been developed. If they find out, the royal family will also know.”
“…Ah ah. To be honest, I didn’t even think about it… I’m sorry, master. I’m really, really sorry.”
When the dwarf lowered his head and even had tears in his eyes, which did not match his face with a white beard, Logan’s anger, which he had been trying to get angry at, also collapsed.
And when I thought about it again, there wasn’t much that would change anyway.
‘Anyway, I was promised a 10-year tax exemption. Even if the royal inspector comes, it’s okay if they don’t let him come. ‘Why are you investigating a place where you don’t have to pay taxes?’
Moreover, there was one more reliable device(?).
‘Master. I believe it. I definitely need your help this time.’
Logan, remembering his teacher’s expression as they parted ways in the capital, was able to calm his mind with a small sigh.
However, his expression was deliberately made more stern in order to crack down on Hamar, who almost caused a crisis with his hasty actions.
“What can we do now about what has already happened? However, the entry of outsiders is strictly controlled. Especially the path where ‘that’ was mined here and leads to the Magic Tower.”
“Ah, I understand. Master.”
“I’m sorry for yelling at you. I liked your attempt at keeping it a secret. But next time, please report ahead of time.”
“Now that I think about it, I reported it? Surely the permission documents came?”
“…huh?”
“That’s right! I bought it because I heard there was a permit! At the territory before the suppression of the rebels! Where would the documents with the seal be? Now wait a minute. Mr. Lee, I wasn’t the only one at fault. I’ll show you the documents later when I go to the office! I was scared for no reason. .”
Suddenly, I felt a chill running down my spine.
An image of myself pushing a tired Eilen out of her seat and stamping with excitement flashed through my mind.
‘What did I say then?’
– …Hey, Prince Logan. Don’t you look at the content?
– I didn’t want to check this, so I hired a competent official. Dwayne would have done the final checking.
‘Aw, you idiot. ‘Ugh.’
I wanted to kick my past self for talking like an asshole.
This dwarf, who shed tears earlier when he found out that he was the one who stamped the permission documents…
“Ah haha. Yes, it was a good idea. It looks like something was missed during the reporting process. When everyone is busy, mistakes are bound to happen. “It happens. It’s okay.”
“The owner doesn’t seem to be doing well right now, right? I can’t do it. It looks like the report was wrong, so let’s find that guy and take responsibility with him…” “
Haha. There’s no need to do that. We have the means to protect ourselves anyway…”
It is difficult to look straight at Hamar, who is looking at him with eyes full of resentment, so he endlessly casts his gaze into the distance.
Flashing.
“…huh?”
The place I was looking at from afar.
A bright light suddenly emanated from the top of the magic tower.
* * * ‘Please, please, please, God.’
Clayton cast his gaze toward the sky, or even the ceiling, as he looked at the steel plate that was beginning to glow blue again today.
He prayed so much that he couldn’t tell whether he was a wizard or a priest.
I personally handed down heavenly punishment to those rotten rebels who created a perfect theory and sent McLane into the military just before starting the experiment.
However, the thought that I could now experiment with ease was a huge mistake.
Even though I received all of the first mined magic stones, I failed for the seventh time in three days.
The theory that I thought was perfect was revised in a completely different way within three days, and has now reached a point where it is no longer possible to modify it.
‘If we fail this time, we’ll just have to overturn all existing theories. All over again.’
A new theory must be extracted from that vague research journal.
Yes, now that I have reached the level of a mage, I may be able to make wiser decisions than when I first looked at the research log.
I could complete the theory in a year.
And again, a few more years of experimentation….
‘No. That’s why I don’t have the honor to see Prince Logan.’
Of course, the person concerned said it was okay.
– It’s good if you succeed, but it’s also okay if you fail. It won’t just go to the enemy anyway… Hahaha. Please forget this. It came out in vain.
– …no. I will definitely do it.
How many times have you put your pride on the line like that?
No matter how much I didn’t get scolded, I knew it better than anyone else.
If this experiment does not succeed, his spirit will suffer a great blow.
It wasn’t simply a matter of pride.
There was something I realized while looking into the research log created by an unknown person or group.
‘In the end, it is the mage’s soul that adds strength to the magic power (Mana force), the symbol of the mage. And the soul is not an insubstantial thing like the original material that the gods used as a basis for creating humans.’
To a mage, soul means the value built up through one’s life.
‘By keeping, developing, and acting on what you say, you create direction in the trajectory of your life.’
And that becomes the driving force that raises the level of a mage.
The research journal referred to this as the power word: 言靈.
And now, after years of research, I can see that it is true.
‘I was just trying to live as honestly as possible.’
That attitude of life led him to the level of a magician at an early age.
And I was able to guess why Juan Douglas, who in the past was the country’s only magician and the genius of the century, had not developed at some point.
So for now.
‘You have to do it no matter what.’
Regardless of whether this research was successful or not, for the mage the research journal itself was a treasure that would never be seen again in this century.
Even if only to help the benefactor who gave him and his school such opportunities and treasures.
And even for yourself.
It must succeed.
Did that earnest wish come true?
Ugh.
The steel plate surrounded by blue light began to change with strange vibrations.
And the mage, who was more sensitive to mana than anyone else, was able to predict the future outcome just from the subtle vibrations.
‘Success! Finally!!’
The most important hurdle for mass production of low-level artifacts has been overcome.
Therefore, Clayton was able to move up one level by using the heavy burden in his heart that he had to let go of at that moment as a stepping stone.
During the civil war, he ascended to the 6th circle, the level of a mage, and only two years after becoming a beginner, he advanced to the next level, the 6th circle expert.
‘Just saying and putting into practice what is difficult to keep…’
The most important teaching that he could leave to his disciples was engraved in his soul.
Clayton smiled as he felt the warm yellow light that started from his body spread around him.
at the same time.
‘Thank God.’
I felt like I could understand a little bit why the ancient magicians who reached high levels had deep religious beliefs.
