CH 13

I’m having tea in the village chief’s house again, and it tastes especially good after a job well done. Seeing people happy about what I did is very fulfilling.

“Ahh. Well then.”

I say while placing the teacup on the table.

“Yes!”

He responds. Oh? Did I make him nervous? Did I make him think I was going to talk about something bad? I shouldn’t have waited so long to start talking.

“Don’t worry, I just want to talk about how it will be from now on. This village won’t need any more old-style magic crystals for a few years, right?”

“A few years!? Considering the amount, and the fact that they last longer than the normal ones, I would say we will be fine for a few decades! I am very grateful…”

The village chief starts speaking very quickly, but I wave my hand with a smile on my face, and he stops.

“But I was thinking that this isn’t the only village in need of old-style magic crystals. Especially around this remote region…”

“Yes, of course! Everyone in this area desperately wants old-style magic crystals!”

“That is what I want to talk about.”

“Are you going to stay here for a while longer!? If that is the case…”

“Unfortunately, no. I am on my way to see a knight named Kalin to help her develop her new dominion in the borderlands to the north.”

“Ooh! Is that so!? I heard about her and her new dominion from the lord of this region! Apparently she was remarkable in the last war, and could blow away three heavily armored men with one swing of her sword. Despite her thin looking arms, she is so strong you would not think she was a human. That is why her nickname is…”

The village chief excitedly says, before I wave my hand again with a smile.

I’ve heard all the rumors too, so I’ve heard all about my friend and future boss seeming not human and having a very inelegant nickname, and I don’t want to hear it again.

The village chief looks like he regrets becoming so excited, and stops speaking.

I cough and continue the conversation.

“I would like you to speak with your lord in secret about the possibility of buying old-style magic crystals from Kalin’s new domain.”

I say with a big smile.

Developing a new dominion comes with its costs, and I’m sure new sources of revenue aren’t going to be a problem. Well, if Kalin wants me to do something else, I’ll do it too. I’m sure she and this place’s lord will work out a deal with a reasonable workload.

The village chief accepts my request with open arms.

Of course he does. He has all the magic crystals he needs for the time being, so he gets to offer a few spare ones to his lord while bringing in a proposal he knows will make him happy.

“Ah, and I want to write a letter.”

I ask for a pen and paper to further lay the groundwork.

“Use this Master Rust.”

He offers a pen and paper to me politely, and I start writing a letter to another friend from the academy.

He should still be in the country’s army. This whole case is about magic crystals, so people like Rihalzam might want to stick their noses into this. But more important than that is what the army will do. They started using new magic guns during the war, and obviously have a very big interest in military equipment. If a large amount of magic crystals starts making its way out of this land…

I write while I think about this, and hand the letter to the village chief. He already has sealing wax ready.

It’s great how he’s so thoughtful about these ordinary things. Or maybe it would be different if he wasn’t overwhelmed by my transmutation performance.

I use my own medallion to seal the letter with wax, and ask the village chief to send it.

The village chief and villagers ask me to stay at least for one night, but I say goodbye and leave the village.

“Now on to the borderland.”

I’m excited about this land I’ve never seen.