The Magician Who Rose From Failure: Volume 3 E-Book

Gamei Hitsuji

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2021

Beschreibung

Arcus’s aethometer is making waves in Lainur as it enables a revolutionary leap forward in the kingdom’s grasp of magic. But, out of nowhere, the supply of Sorcerer’s Silver essential to the device’s manufacture dries up. Unable to meet demand without it, he and his companions travel to the silver-rich western territory of Rustinell. What friends and foes lie ahead? What greater machinations are at work behind this unprecedented upset? And as the consequences of his actions ripple out far beyond his reach, can Arcus still hold his own?

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Prologue: Trickery of Shadows

Part 1: Traveling West

Part 2: The Capital Offensive

Part 3: Eido’s Shadow

Epilogue: The Lion and the Pig

Side Story: Lecia’s Trial

Afterword

Color Illustrations

Glossary

Grimoire

About J-Novel Club

Copyright

Landmarks

Table of Contents

Color Images

Prologue: Trickery of Shadows

A man walked the road, following the flow of people traveling the eastbound path to the capital, but his destination was different. He was concentrated solely on his own goal.

He left the road as soon as he was through the Mildoor Plains of Nadar territory. There was a shortcut here, one that not even the locals knew about. This man had used it before, fleeing from the kingdom’s men long ago. It passed through a forest so thick nobody would ever be able to find their way out. There was just one path through it, which was barely noticeable. The man had made that path for himself and his companions, just in case they ever needed to use it. It ran beside the main road, but it was unknown to anyone but them.

Dusk was nearly upon that forest as he crossed the treeline, when the man’s hopes were suddenly dashed.

“Hey. Stop right there.”

A voice called to him out of nowhere, putting an end to his assured escape. He stopped and waited until a creature appeared before him from the darkness. At least, he had thought it was a creature, but it soon became apparent that it was a man with a beast’s stature.

Well-groomed was the last word you would use to describe him. The clothes he wore were shabby. Only some of them were made of cloth; the rest were made from a patchwork of pelts. It wasn’t a look you’d see on anyone who interacted regularly with civilization. The traveler took him for a thief who made his home among the mountains and fields around here. He must have stumbled across the man’s path coincidentally.

“What do you want from me?”

“Oh, not much. Just stay still, and it’ll all be over in a tick.” At the man’s words, his companions stepped out of the shadows of the trees. Their eyes glimmered at the promise of spoils. “Give us everything you’ve got, and we’ll let you get outta here alive.”

“I’m afraid that would leave me in quite the predicament. I require these for my own errand.”

“We don’t care about your problems. If you don’t wanna die, hand it over.”

“Oh dear. And here I was thinking this path was safe.”

“Nah, you just ran outta luck, that’s all.”

“Luck? Yes, perhaps that’s what it is,” the man said in breathless exasperation before opening his mouth to recite an incantation.

“The magpie sings a simple tune. That song flows from the heavens and into the ears of all who stand in the way. A never-ending round. The rain-soaked eaves. Despair from the heavens. The falling rain tastes of iron.”

The moment the words left his lips, Artglyphs scattered out around him.

“Wh—this guy’s a magician?!”

“Loose a quarrel! Quick, before his spell starts!” The bandits started to panic, but they barely had time to act.

The magician scoffed. His incantation was already complete. “It is all down to luck, just as you said. If luck is on your side today, you may even survive.” He activated his spell just as the archer finished setting his aim, his mark fixed firmly on his target’s heart. It was a sure shot at this distance, but his certainty crumbled as an unfamiliar arrow shot out from behind the magician. Arrowheads came raining down from the sky. With nowhere to run, the bandits fell to the ground, turned to pincushions in the hail of fire. By some stroke of divine intervention, though the majority were wounded, none had died.

“Hmph. It seems you were incredibly lucky indeed.”

“Y-You...You’re not alone?”

“You weren’t alone. It was foolish to assume I should be.”

Another man stepped silently out from the shadows. Then another, and another, gathering in formation as they stood before the bandits. Their gazes were sharp, and they eyed the bandits like ravenous beasts.

The man was traveling alone, so where did all these allies come from? These companions of his were clearly trained to fight on this terrain. That much was obvious from first glance.

The head thief knew then that this wasn’t a man they should have gotten involved with. His companions were a pack of hungry wolves who roamed the darkest shadows of this place, darker than the places the thief and his gang knew.

The magician gave a pensive frown. “This is perfect. You can assist us. We’re all outcasts; we should be able to catch this kingdom off guard easily. Doesn’t that sound good?” The magician’s lips twisted into a crazed smile. It was the smile of a man carrying a deep grudge in his chest, left in the dark to age. Here, finally, his chance presented itself. His plan was folly, a challenge posed to an enemy that would swat him like a fly, all so he could inflict a single wound.

The fallen bandits had no right to refuse. Refusal meant death.

The man left the bandits to his companions and continued on his way.

Revenge; it was all for revenge on those who had made him and his allies taste humiliation.

Part 1: Traveling West

Arcus and Sue walked together through one of the capital’s bazaars. The huge Louro River—a trade artery that cut through the city—bordered the market on one side, keeping it fed with goods of all stripes, from fresh food to daily necessities and nobles’ unwanted clothes to Seal Tools; as such, it was the largest of its kind in the capital. It was reminiscent of a European market, with simple, colorful stalls packed in close rows and boxes filled with fruit and vegetables. Vendors with their wares spread out on rugs and fast food stalls lay dotted around. The air was bright with life from the enthusiastic salespeople loudly advertising their goods to catch the interest of the passing consumers.

Much like the café and plaza where they studied magic, Arcus and Sue often came to this market together. They were here mainly for the food stalls, but at the same time they were always on the lookout for rare finds. There wasn’t anything fancy to be had downtown, but the price was right, and it tasted good to boot.

The crème de la crème was the capital’s famous duck sandwich. It consisted of fried duck meat coated in a classic gravy and sandwiched between huge steamed flour buns. It resembled Chinese food from the man’s world, but the western filling gave it an interesting twist. They were served as soon as the buns were steamed, and the insides were piping hot. As if the smell wasn’t appetizing enough, the brown sauce oozed temptingly out over the dry, white bun.

Sue stuffed her mouth as full as she could. “Mmph!” It was a muffled cry of satisfaction. Her euphoria was obvious from the huge smile on her face.

“You love those, huh?”

“Yup! Can’t go downtown without having a duck sandwich! Aah, this is heavenly!” Sue pulled another sandwich out of the bag and continued gorging. A girl of her standing probably didn’t have much opportunity to eat fast food like this. Each bite made her face light up with happiness. It wasn’t an exaggeration; the sandwiches were really that delicious.

While she fell into a drunken stupor from the aftertaste, Arcus glimpsed a trail of gravy dripping from the corner of her mouth. “Sue, you’ve got sauce on your face.”

“Huh? Where?”

“Right there.” Arcus tapped the corresponding spot on his own face. He knew Sue—she would go for the side he pointed at as though they were facing the same direction, and miss the spot completely. She always did, and it annoyed him, so he decided to grab a handkerchief and wipe it off himself.

Sue let out a surprised squeak.

“Stay still.”

“S-Sure...” Sue hunched her shoulders slightly, which was rare for her. She was probably embarrassed to confuse her left with her right. When Arcus was done, she thanked him quietly.

“No problem,” Arcus said, pocketing his handkerchief. He looked around at some of the other stalls. There was one selling eastern-style kebabs, and one selling western-style fruit juice. Just like the duck sandwich, there were several fast foods sold in the capital that seemed to mix eastern and western cuisines—possibly because the Crosellode family, Lainur’s founders, hailed from the east. When this region was still in the throes of war, they gathered several clans together to forge the kingdom. Eastern influences as a whole had also increased lately due to cultural exchange.

So, while the kingdom had a western foundation, there were spots here and there where cultures commingled. Food was probably the best example. Personally, Arcus lamented this world’s dearth of hamburgers.

One of the familiar stall owners called out to them enthusiastically. “Hey, Sue! On a date with your boyfriend again? You’re always so lovey-dovey together!”

“H-Hey! Arcus isn’t my boyfriend! Where did you get that idea from?!”

“If he’s not, how come you’re all over each other?”

“We’re not!”

“No? But he just wiped that sauce off your—”

Sue cut him off with a scream, waving her hands frantically in front of her. The stall owner just grinned at her reaction, making her even madder. Even the people around them were starting to grin in amusement at the situation. Arcus and Sue had become frequent targets of this sort of teasing. Sue used to unabashedly stick to Arcus like glue, but she had grown pricklier of late. She was outgrowing the tactless mindset typical of children. Once she had become more aware that they were friends and what that meant, she had started avoiding unnecessary physical contact. Arcus, meanwhile, missed her unbridled displays of affection.

“Why not take a look at what we have, Miss Sue? Some of these might interest you!”

“You said that last time, and all the stuff you showed me was weird!”

“Sue! We’ve got some good apples in! Take one.”

“Oh! Thanks!”

Sue was popular. No matter where she went, she was able to get on quickly with almost anyone. It must have been because of her cheerful and innocent nature. She also had a good sense of personal space. Most people were uncomfortable when others got too close, physically and mentally, but in Sue’s case, she seemed to know just how much space to give people, which might explain why she was so well-liked. It was strange, then, that Arcus seemed to be her only real friend, but he didn’t dwell too deeply on it.

To borrow a word from the man’s world, he would describe her as blessed with chutzpah. The word described her through and through—an ineffable charm she gave off that drew people in. That included Arcus, even as he analyzed her right then and there. She was one of those people who could found their own religion or land a leadership role wherever they applied. If she decided to step up and make a speech in the middle of the bazaar, everyone would surely stop and listen.

Is it just me, or is everyone around me ridiculously amazing in some way?

Arcus couldn’t help feeling distinctly average when he compared himself to his associates. The only thing that set him apart from them were the experiences and knowledge he had from the man’s world. Unlike the heroes from that world’s works of fiction, Arcus didn’t have any kind of special powers, and he only had as much aether as the next guy.

Sue, meanwhile, was exceptional. She had aether coming out of her ears, and some mysterious quality that seemed to make her magic far more powerful than anybody else’s. She was physically strong too; Arcus would have to be crazy to try comparing himself to her. The other day, he boasted of how much stronger he was thanks to his uncle’s daily training, to which Sue responded by challenging him to an arm wrestle.

He lost spectacularly.

Sue was inexplicably strong, and it wasn’t the kind of strength you could beat just by training a little harder. It was baffling where in those slender arms of hers she hid such power. In this world, there were those who possessed incredible strength as well as magicians. Life was unfair. The second you took pride in something, someone who could do it better would come along and crush that pride. The only option left was to despair.

Sue was now thirteen years old and attending the Royal Institute of Magic. It was a wonder she still managed to meet up with Arcus as much as she did. He had asked her whether she ought to be studying, but she said the only lectures she went to were Professor String’s. Apparently, the lectures that weren’t run by state magicians weren’t useful, and studying together with Arcus was much more valuable. It was likely because she had a magic tutor at home. Her tutor taught her all about magical history, grammar, and more, giving the institute’s lectures very little value to Sue.

That wasn’t to say the lectures themselves were bad. It was just that her studies with Arcus were more useful in the sense that she learned things there that she couldn’t anywhere else.

“So you’re done?” Arcus asked.

“Don’t blame me! The lecturers keep bringing in those weird dramatized texts! It’s totally unnecessary!”

“What, you mean creative stories ‘inspired’ by the original texts?”

“Yeah, them! They call them ‘interpretations’ just so they can force them in! It lowers your spells’ effectiveness, but you can use a ‘wider range,’ and they’re ‘easier to use’ too, so they end up teaching that stuff in lectures! And then they have the gall to call it education!”

“I’ve never seen you get mad like this.”

“Hey, I can get mad!” Sue grumbled and pouted.

She was right, though; there were several guides to the Ancient Chronicles which mixed in their authors’ opinions. To pick the right word for a spell, you needed to extract its meaning and the deeper intentions hidden within. That was why some authors read too deeply into the words, and ended up including overanalyzed conclusions in their writings. Lecturers would then likely teach those ideas as new discoveries rather than over-processed interpretations. They were absurd to anybody who studied the Ancient Chronicles directly from their source. Worse, Sue was now speaking of “stories.”

Despite the incident with the sauce, Sue was once again stuffing her face with a duck sandwich. As angry as she was, she still couldn’t help smiling once the delicious flavor hit her.

Sue was wearing her usual white cloak, paired with an outfit that was easy to move around in underneath. Her neat black hair rippled beautifully down her back, and her deep blue eyes shone with intermingled splashes of jade. Those eyes were wide now and sparkling with happiness, but Arcus knew they could narrow and turn piercing in an instant.

“What’s up?”

“Oh, uh, nothing.” Arcus quickly looked away, but it seemed Sue thought he was staring at her face for a different reason.

“Want some, Arcus? You can have a small bite if you want.”

“That’s not very generous of you.”

“Fine, then you can’t have any!”

“Okay, I’ll have a small bite.”

“Here!”

Arcus bit into the sandwich Sue offered him, and immediately the rich flavor of duck spread through his mouth. The bun around it only emphasized the taste.

“It’s delicious.”

“I know, right?”

The two of them carried on strolling through the market, their conversation not getting much deeper than duck sandwiches. They didn’t come out to study magic today; Arcus had an errand to run. When he mentioned it to Sue, she insisted on coming along. Arcus’s errands were his top priority, and yet when Sue said she wanted to look around the bazaar, they ended up coming here first. Neither could tell whether that was because Arcus felt like being kind to her or because there was some invisible power imbalance in their relationship.

Arcus was bound for one of his regular haunts, a large vendor of materials for his aethometers and seals. The crown had commissioned him to produce even more aethometers, but for that he would need more Sorcerer’s Silver. He usually ordered materials from this particular shop, and he was here today to inquire after their stock.

“You’re completely out of Sorcerer’s Silver?” Arcus echoed what the clerk told him only moments after stepping inside.

The clerk lowered his head apologetically. “I’m afraid so, sir. We are completely sold out. I can only apologize for failing to meet your expectations when you are such a loyal customer.”

“But why have you sold out so suddenly? I thought I told you I’d need some.”

“You did, sir. Unfortunately, it’s a problem with the supplier.”

“The supplier?”

“Yes, sir. A short while ago, we received less than usual from our supplier. We were able to make do with what we had in stock already, but that sold out completely the other day.”

“You’ve been receiving less?”

“That’s right.”

It wasn’t unheard of for an item to be sold out. The question was how. Sorcerer’s Silver was an undeniably essential product, but you needed very little for seals, and the number of people who actually carved their own was limited. There was no reason demand for the material should outstrip supply. Arcus was mulling over the issue in his mind when the clerk spoke again.

“We’ve never had a problem like this with our Sorcerer’s Silver stocks before. I just can’t think of why this might have happened.”

“Maybe the production of the silver used to make it has decreased?”

“Not from what I’ve heard. They should be producing the same as always. However, I have also heard that there are a small number of retailers buying up the Sorcerer’s Silver at a high price from the wholesalers, leaving less for us.”

If there was no change in production or output, that had to be the reason. Someone was buying it first. That, or someone was throwing their weight around.

“Wouldn’t that make everyone complain though?” Arcus asked.

“Apparently noble folk are involved, so the wholesalers can’t put up much resistance.”

“Right...”

While it was true that meant there was less that could be done about it, it gave rise to another problem. Presumably the nobles in question were using aligned merchants to stockpile silver. What did they want with it?

“Do you know who’s involved exactly?”

“No one knows for sure, but I have heard rumors that it is Count Nadar’s work. They are nothing more than rumors, you understand.”

“Nadar?”

Count Porque Nadar held territory to the west, bordering the Gillis Empire. So it was small retailers with connections to him who were buying up Sorcerer’s Silver at a markup...

“Could he be buying it to preserve his military power?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know much more than what I told you.”

“Hmm...”

The main reason to buy Sorcerer’s Silver was for making seals. It was an important military commodity—any military body would need enough Sorcerer’s Silver to engrave sufficient Seal Arms to outfit its soldiers.

“That doesn’t make sense. If that was his goal, he shouldn’t need so much that it creates a shortage...”

“We don’t know the details. Until the issue is solved, however, we won’t be able to restock very easily.”

Arcus’s only choice was probably to go above the store itself and exert pressure there. He was under a royal command to produce more aethometers. He suspected Craib or Godwald would be able to do something about it if he asked. That, of course, would take time—and might not be without its own hurdles. Arcus would need to get his hands on the silver he wanted before then.

“Where can I get some Sorcerer’s Silver?”

“I suggest you go west to Rustinell, where you will be able to purchase it directly. The lady there owns several silver mines in her own name, and they produce the Sorcerer’s Silver in that county as well.”

“Rustinell. I’ll ask Noah. Okay, thanks. I’ll give it a try.”

“You’re very welcome, sir. Thank you for your continued patronage.”

Only after they stepped out of the store did Sue open her mouth. “Someone’s buying up all the Sorcerer’s Silver?”

“Yeah. No clue why someone would do that, though.”

“The most likely explanation is that they need a lot of it for something, right?”

Indeed. Sorcerer’s Silver wasn’t cheap, so unlike salt or wheat, it wasn’t something you could stockpile easily. If military expansion wasn’t the goal, then the most likely objective was market manipulation; that was illegal and not an easy trick to pull off. The Surveillance Office would come sniffing around if you were too obvious. You’d be punished in an instant.

“Maybe he does just want to improve his military, then.”

Holding a border territory like Nadar’s took frequent, consistent displays of strength to intimidate your neighbors out of any plans to invade they might entertain. Improving your military was a good way to back up a strategy of deterrence. It was either that, or Nadar was playing catch-up with the bordering nations’ armies. Arcus was convinced that Nadar’s objective lay within his military rather than market manipulation. He explained his thoughts to Sue.

“Another possibility is that he’s selling it on to someone else.”

“Selling it on?”

“Yeah. I don’t mean someone else inside the country, but maybe to a different nation—one he’s got a good relationship with or something.”

“Huh. It’s not just people in our nation who’re after our materials.”

“Right! Nadar already trades in foreign currency, you know, like with the Empire.”

“The Gillis Empire? Is that allowed?”

“Depends, but trading in certain items is fine. It turns a profit, after all. There’s economic advantage to be had, too, depending on what you’re exporting. It also sets up a good relationship with the other nation, and even if it’s just superficial, it makes it harder for them to declare war on you. Oh, but trading in Sorcerer’s Silver’s illegal.”

“A deal with an enemy nation...”

The first thing that sprang to Arcus’s mind when he heard about hostile nations (likely because of his dream) was economic sanctions. The prospect that this count might be trading with the kingdom’s largest enemy boded ill.

“It’s necessary,” Sue said. “I mean, we’re at peace right now.”

A small spat between the Gillis Empire and Lainur broke out a few years ago, but there had been no major conflicts to speak of recently. While there were sometimes minor disputes between adjoining counties, the kingdom was generally at peace, just like Sue said.

“Let me ask you a question then, Arcus. This one’s for extra credit!”

Why she was suddenly speaking like a teacher, Arcus wasn’t sure.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied with a sigh. “Go ahead, ma’am.”

“I’ll take away points if you’re gonna be like that!”

“Oh no. What if I fail the class?” Arcus asked, his tone unconcerned.

“I’ll make you my slave temporarily!”

“No fair. This better be a question I can actually answer, then.”

“Oh, you just gave me an idea! Thanks!”

“You’re not welcome, so give it back!”

Sue was unpredictable at the best of times, so Arcus didn’t even want to imagine what she might make him do as her slave.

“Go on, then. What’s the question?”

“Why does Lainur maintain peace with the hostile Gillis Empire? Why does it need to? It’s not just ‘because we like peace.’ Nothing that pathetic.”

Arcus thought Sue must have had some very grandiose ideas about the kingdom if enjoying peace seemed beneath its dignity.

“Because we don’t wanna go to war, right?”

“Okay. And why don’t we wanna go to war?”

“It’d cause a lot of damage, I guess.”

“Fine, but the Empire wants to extend its territory into the southeast, which means it’s gonna try and advance on us one day. So what should Lainur do?”

Arcus was starting to see what she was getting at.

“At some point, the kingdom will be forced to fight with the Empire. Lainur will want to be powerful enough to stand up against it when that happens. That’s why it wants to keep the peace as long as possible, and to that end it can use trade and cultural exchange to keep up a superficial friendship. That’s why it wants the nobles on the border to maintain that ‘friendship’ as best they can.”

“You got it. Well done, Arcus.” Sue gave him a small round of applause.

Now the idea of Nadar striking a deal with the Empire made sense. It also meant that Lainur could get its hands on material and information from the enemy, which would be strategically vital.

“Doesn’t the whole thing with the Sorcerer’s Silver mean the kingdom’s policies are working then? But also, for the border territories where tensions run high, isn’t there a chance they might do something by accident to trigger a fight with the Empire?”

“That’s when nobles get moved somewhere else. They get replaced with another who has no relation to the enemy nation and who’s good at diplomacy. Then they’re the ones on the firing line. That new noble and everyone above him do their best to avoid war, and the accidental trigger doesn’t end up as such a big deal.”

“What a dirty trick...” Forcing a noble to move territories altogether seemed a little extreme. “Wouldn’t the noble complain?”

“Of course they’re not gonna be happy about it, but it’s better than war, right?”

“They wouldn’t really be able to say anything against the king either, I guess.”

It still came across as excessive to Arcus. In a feudal society where one’s land was everything, exchanging territories was almost forbidden. While it’d be no problem for a newer noble who had only just received their land, for one who had spent years cultivating it and governing its people with pride and affection, having it exchanged would cause dissatisfaction, to put it mildly. Arcus had no doubt that the nobles subject to such an order would complain, but that just went to show how imperative it was that the kingdom use such methods to buy time before the inevitable war.

“It’s not all bad. For example, their new place might be even better than the old one, or they could get an order in exchange for going along with it. Or the crown could just find an excuse to say the noble’s not suited for the position—maybe frame them for something—and then take the territory by force.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s just downright tyranny, which is kinda scary to think about. Anyway, you’re saying that this is what Count Nadar has to put up with at the border?”

“You got it.”

“Okay, but what if the new noble they install is untrustworthy? That’d be really dangerous. I’m not accusing anyone of anything, but there’d be a risk of treason, wouldn’t there?”

Sue’s features stiffened suddenly. “That’s why there’s always a loyal martial house backing them, watching them constantly to make sure they don’t double-cross the kingdom. That makes it harder for them to try anything clever.”

“Threatened from the inside, huh?” Arcus didn’t know what to say. It was a little creepy.

Creepy, but effective. Betrayal meant bringing the enemy into your own country, but if that betrayal was foreseen, the fallout could be controlled, and nobles from nearby territories could move to surround the offender.

Arcus suddenly realized something. “You sure know a lot about this, Sue.”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve read up all about it!”

“This is the kinda thing you can just read about?”

“Y-You can learn about anything by reading! Anyway, how come you know so much about this when you haven’t studied?!”

“Hey, I have stud—”

“Huh? What? Does the Raytheft house really have strategic guides like that? D’you know how bad that is?”

“Wh-What? Well...” Arcus faltered.

His knowledge of these matters mostly came from the books the man read. The man was the type to read a book only once before being done with it, and Arcus was the type to remember anything after only seeing it once. As long as the man read the information somewhere, it wasn’t difficult for Arcus to pick it out and store it.

“Anyway, what do you care?”

“Well, y’know. I’m nobility too.”

Arcus let it slide for now. “A deal with the Empire, huh?”

“I dunno if it’s true or not. It was just an idea.” It was then that Sue tensed up, and her tone grew cold again. “Either way, he’s buying way too much Sorcerer’s Silver. Something needs to be done about it.”

Arcus had seen this sharper side of hers before, and it usually came about without warning. It was like there was a chilling wind blowing about her which froze him down to the bone. Then she put her hand to her mouth and narrowed her eyes in thought. There was dignity in that pose which even an adult would find hard to replicate.

“I can smell rotten meat...” she murmured.

Her changing tone and demeanor were weird, but Arcus was more concerned with the matter at hand. “Something needs to be done?” he pressed.

“Yeah. That’s right.”

“And what can you do?”

Sue suddenly looked up with a light of realization in her eyes. “Huh? Oh! C’mon Arcus, what kinda question is that?! Of course I can’t do anything! You’re such a prankster!” she laughed.

“Your dad’s a duke, though. You’ve gotta have some influence?”

“I’ve got nothing! Nothing at all!”

“Huh? What about those guys you had in the shadows when we were—”

“They were just, uh, our servants!” She let out another awkward laugh, clearly trying to lead Arcus off the trail.

As he often did, Arcus found himself deeply curious about who exactly this friend of his was. He learned during their time with Gown that she was a daughter of the Algucia Dukedom, and she didn’t make much of a secret that she had a group of attendants at her beck and call. Each new thing Arcus learned about her just made her more mysterious. Arcus gave her a suspicious look, to which she responded with a glare.

“Keep looking at me like that and I’m gonna squish your cheeks!”

“I was just thinking that you—hey! Quit it! Don’t touch my cheeks!”

“Aaah, they’re always so soft!”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this was how a lot of their interactions ended.

Rustinell. A territory in the west of Lainur, ruled by Louise Rustinell. As a mountainous region, it wasn’t suited for farming, but it did have an abundance of mines, disproportionately for silver. It was said that thirty percent of the silver used in Lainur came from Rustinell.

Arcus had saddled up and ridden out from the capital’s west gate, down the long, long road that led west and over a mountain, until he reached the very edges of the kingdom, where Rustinell waited. Needless to say, he was following the other day’s lead regarding his best shot at laying hands on a fresh batch of Sorcerer’s Silver. He had reported to the Guild and asked them to check with other companies, but none of them had enough to sell; they were waiting for more to be processed. Arcus had received a letter of authorization from the king to requisition the Sorcerer’s Silver he needed for the time being, as well as some funds for the journey, and set off.

His horse held a steady pace along the road. Noah and Cazzy accompanied him as usual, as well as a local guide he had hired to lead the way. Thanks to his uncle’s training, he was well used to horse riding; if for some reason he might need to cast a spell mid-gallop, he would be able to pull it off with ease.

Holding on to the horse’s reins, Arcus surveyed the peaceful surroundings. “I never thought I’d have to go all the way to the source just to get some Sorcerer’s Silver,” he muttered to himself.

“Silver has many applications—kitchenware, decorative plating, and coinage, just to give some of the more common examples,” said Noah.

“How come they’re letting it run short if it’s so important then? Just when we started mass production too,” Arcus grumbled.

After a long period of research, Arcus finally had a set plan for his tempered aether. He had already taught a select few magicians, bound by contract, how to create and use it. Everything needed to increase the mass production of tempered silver (as was its provisional name) even further had only just been put into place.

And now here they were without the raw materials to do it. While Arcus knew life wasn’t always smooth sailing, he felt he encountered choppy waters much more frequently than most.

Cazzy was cackling to himself quietly, as though he had no stake in the expedition. “Is it really that hard? The king’s makin’ you produce these things, so why can’t he just force ’em to hand over the silver?”

“W-Well, I mean, technically he could, but...”

“It might cause issues,” Noah finished.

Making a big show of using the king’s influence to obtain the silver would quickly spread news that the Crown was in need of the metal. It would rouse neighboring nations’ suspicions, prompting them to investigate what exactly Lainur needed that silver for. That, in turn, would risk them finding out about the aethometer. After discussing with the Guild, they decided it was best for Arcus to collect the silver he needed for now and claim that it was for a personal project.

Meanwhile, the Guild had looked into Porque Nadar; he was apparently hoarding silver, but the investigation had fared poorly so far. While they found he had bought in bulk until recently, he’d since stopped, causing a blip in the circulation. The question now was where the silver was going, but that wasn’t something Arcus needed to answer himself.

“This is gonna take forever.” Arcus stretched out his legs and leaned back in his saddle to look at the vivid blue sky.

Noah frowned at him. “Are you sure about that? It is a mere two weeks, including the trip back.”

“Yeah! That’s looong!”

Still, his attendants frowned at him like they couldn’t understand his complaint.

Knowing how fast the planes, trains, and automobiles from the man’s dream could get them there, two weeks inevitably seemed like a long time to Arcus. He was grateful for the guide’s intermittent friendly remarks, which distracted from the monotony of the journey. He’d been guiding people down this road for twenty years, and it showed in the various stories he shared with them.

Arcus looked up at the sun, shielding his face with a hand. “I hate the sun.”

“Yeah, it’s real hot today.”

“Do make sure you’re keeping cool, Master Arcus.”

“Man, I miss air conditioning.” Arcus flopped down on top of his horse.

Cazzy looked concerned. “Hey, ya can’t let your guard down like that, no matter how peaceful it seems.”

“Indeed. Things will only get more perilous from this point onward.”

“How come?”

“Most of the dangers we may face will be direct. Thieves, for example.”

“You mean like bandits?”

“That’s right.”

“I didn’t know there were bandits around here...” Arcus sighed. Ex-mercenaries turning into bandits and causing trouble in their neighborhoods was a common theme in some of the books the man read. As soon as the characters stepped out of the city walls, bandits. If they took a single step into the mountains, bandits. Bandits, bandits, bandits, everywhere. “Bandits...”

Strictly speaking, Arcus didn’t have a clear idea of what bandits actually looked like. As far as the man, who lived in a relatively safe country, was concerned, they were no more than mythical creatures. The closest thing to bandits he could think of were muggers. He had heard there were bandit-like criminals abroad, but he didn’t know much more than that.

“If you are having a hard time imagining them, try recalling the mercenaries hired by Marquess Gaston. They are like that, but even less respectable. They hide in caves, old mining tunnels, or abandoned villages in the mountains and come out periodically to steal.”

“How come you never mentioned them before now?”

Cazzy answered. “The area ’round the capital’s well looked after, ain’t it? They got guards on patrol and stuff, so you’re never gonna see any bandits there. That’s why you don’t gotta be so careful.”

“The situation is different out here in the country. Rustinell is a vaster territory than most, and very mountainous. There are several empty regions which cannot be maintained in such a manner.”

“And that’s where the bandits thrive?”

Makes sense...

“Wait a moment, everyone,” their guide said suddenly, bringing his horse to a stop.

Arcus looked ahead. A man crouched unnaturally in the middle of the road. He was dressed like any other traveler, with a cloak to protect him from the sand and a black hat resembling a knitted beanie. Next to him was a single horse, and on closer inspection, he appeared to be tending to someone who had collapsed.

Noah urged his horse forward while Cazzy brought his to the back, keeping an eye out behind them. Arcus suddenly felt the lantern on his waist shake.

“Hm?”

Gown had gifted him the steel lantern as thanks for helping him. Opening the tiny window in the lantern would summon the elf’s Phantom Pack. Arcus hadn’t touched it though, so why, he wondered, was it behaving like this? He decided to let their guide, Bud, ask some questions first.

“What is the matter?”

“I spotted this young man collapsed on the road, and I was just wondering how to help him.”

“Is he sick?”

“I’m not sure; I’m no doctor.” The traveler turned back to the collapsed man and started talking to him to help him stay conscious. He seemed like the caring sort, helping keep the man comfortable.

At the mention of illness, Arcus got down from his horse. “Can I have a look?”

“A noble boy? Have you any medical knowledge?”

“No, but I know why someone would collapse in the heat like this.”

“Hmm.”

The fallen man wore simple clothes, and his skin was tanned. He must have been a farmer or peasant of some sort, likely from a nearby village. Arcus studied him closely. His skin was saggy and his tongue bone-dry.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-Yes. I suddenly started feeling unwell.”

“Have you had enough salt and water?”

“Plenty of water, but no salt...”

“Right. Heatstroke, then.”

“What is ‘heatstroke’?” asked Noah.