Harmonized Edification
The front courtyard of the Iolid marquis’s mansion was larger than the square in Tamer Territory, and it was packed with people.
“Thank you so much for curing the young master and bringing the lady back to life.”
“Is Count of the Border Region some kind of angel?”
A follower faction has been created! The Iolid marquis family will now provide full support to your Lord and to Tamer Territory.
Messages announcing a rise in Influence kept popping up without end.
“Oh dear... is all of this really necessary? Marquis, forgive me, but could I greet those people later? We really are pressed for time.”
Ho-yeong was relieved, but also growing anxious.
Meeting the Cliad Sect Leader
📍 Location: The remaining hideout
🎁 Reward: Unknown
“When we return to the capital later, I’ll attend as many banquets as you like.”
“Very well. For now, let us go inside the house—no, to the back garden. We’ll need to use spatial movement.”
Seeing that there was an actual rear garden beyond the grounds that surrounded the mansion, Ho-yeong clicked his tongue.
Man, this place is huge. Even getting to the back takes forever. You’d need spatial movement just to reach it.
While they walked, a new notification window appeared.
The Iolid marquis family can now designate a Pioneer.
Huh? Didn’t the old marquis already count as one? Why another?
As if sensing his confusion, Daliha explained.
Ashk Iolid is currently designated as the Pioneer of the Magic Tower faction. Therefore, the Iolid marquis family does not currently have a Pioneer.
Only then did Ho-yeong remember.
Right. That’s how it was. It seemed like a better investment to make him the Pioneer for the Magic Tower than for the marquis family.
One person cannot serve as the Pioneer for multiple factions at the same time. Therefore, someone other than the marquis himself must be designated as the Pioneer among the members of the Iolid family.
Ho-yeong decided to make one of the marquis’s children the Pioneer.
Who should it be? Well, whoever I pick can carry the family line forward and keep serving Tamer Territory. Lucky cookie, fortune cookie!
He was already warming at the thought of drawing every kind of support he could from the Iolid family.
“Master, what are you thinking about that makes you smile like that?”
“Hmm? Ah, I was just happy to think we’ve made such a close connection with the marquis family.”
He brushed aside Peach’s suspicious look with a casual excuse.
“Count of the Border Region, have you found a ‘strategy’ for dealing with those maddened elves? That was why we came here in the first place, wasn’t it?”
“What? Ah, yes. Of course.”
At Sir Demis’s reminder, Ho-yeong came up with a small idea.
Come to think of it, Influence Pioneer has been strengthened by +4 right now. Wouldn’t it help to make Kristian a Pioneer? He’d pick up at least one skill.
Making Kristian, the marquis’s eldest son—the man who had to go with him to the Cliad Sect’s hideout—the Pioneer would strengthen their immediate combat power.
“Count of the Border Region, sir. Please let me join this operation too.”
At that moment, Garza made his request to Ho-yeong.
“Huh? You? You’ve spent the last few years as a shut-in, no, holed up in isolation. Your body must’ve suffered.”
“I’m fine! Perhaps it’s because of the aura you breathed into me, Count of the Border Region, but not only my mana but my energy is overflowing. I want to go with you.”
Seeing Garza brimming with determination, not only Ho-yeong but Peach and Sir Demis were also surprised.
This guy... he’s really been converted. And his specs are the best of the bunch, so should I make him the Pioneer? But would the old marquis allow it? The son who died once and came back to life...
Ho-yeong glanced at the marquis.
“Garza, your spirit is admirable, but if you rush to the battlefield the moment you recover your mana, how worried will your mother be? Stay home and behave yourself.”
The marquis voiced the very concern Ho-yeong had expected.
But Garza did not back down.
“My older brothers are already there. I can’t be the only one holding myself back. I’ve spent enough years shut away in a back room. Besides, you said my brothers have to go to that elves’ hideout, didn’t you? Thinking about them is what makes me restless.”
“What? You’re worried about your brothers? What sort of thing is that now?”
“You’ve thrown brothers who only studied at the Magic Tower or the academy onto the battlefield. How could I not worry? What good is having my mana back if I lose my brothers anyway? Count of the Border Region, compared with those ivory-tower scholars, I’m far more useful since I’ve explored plenty of dungeons. So please, let me help!”
Garza had regained the self-assured temperament he once possessed.
“Father! Our family has received a great debt of gratitude from Count Ho-yeong and Sir Demis. I want to step forward and do my part.”
“Mm... I’m grateful that you’d say that, but as I said earlier, only five of us, including myself, are set to go to their hideout.”
“It’s a shame I can’t go straight into the nest of fanatics, but I’m sure my magic will be of help in some way!”
Ho-yeong tried to rein him in, but it only fanned Garza’s enthusiasm higher.
“Hah... Very well. If you’re saying that much, then come along.”
At last, the marquis nodded.
“Well done, Third Young Master. Your spirit will bring honor to the family!”
Even Demis Ezef looked moved by Garza’s zeal, his face full of pride.
“That was kind of cool, Garza. But everyone? I’m really sorry to interrupt such a moving moment, but... shouldn’t we be getting permission from Her Majesty?”
“Ah.”
At Peach’s reminder, everyone let out a breath of realization.
“Couldn’t we report first and apologize later? The king is probably busy with preparations for the campaign right now, and knowing his personality, if he heard Garza was volunteering, I doubt he’d be angry. He’d probably be pleased.”
“I agree. Since Count of the Border Region is in command, proceed as you see fit.”
Even the exacting Sir Demis showed some flexibility, but one problem still remained.
“And, Master, there’s one more thing you’ve forgotten.”
“Forgotten what?”
“You left the head butler behind, didn’t you? You told him we’d use spatial movement together...”
“Ah.”
Right. The umbrella.
He had completely forgotten Duonoraong.
“Then I’ll go fetch him. I’ll report the matter of troop reinforcement to Her Majesty and bring back the Tamer Territory head butler as well.”
Demis Ezef volunteered without hesitation.
“Would you do that? Sorry to keep making the vice-commander of the Holy Knights run errands for us.”
“Think nothing of it. Then I’ll be off.”
Seeing Demis set out at once without wasting a single moment, Ho-yeong smiled.
“If the marquis had stubbornly refused Garza’s request to join the expedition, Sir Demis would have been deeply disappointed. That man wasn’t just moved by Garza—he was also deeply impressed by the marquis’s resolve.”
“Is that so? He did seem oddly pleased...”
“Yes. Sir Demis will probably also inform Her Majesty of the Iolid family’s loyalty. It’s for the best.”
By the time they finished exchanging remarks, the group had reached the back garden.
“When using spatial movement, it helps to choose a wide place with level ground as your starting point. Do you know why?”
“So it’s easier to set coordinates, I suppose. And to draw the magic circle?”
“Exactly. You know your stuff. Then do you know why it’s even better if the area around it is thick with vegetation?”
“Hmm. I’m not sure about that one.”
Ho-yeong found it odd that the marquis had suddenly started lecturing him on magic, but he played along in silence.
Why is he suddenly dumping TMI on me? Well, there’s time before Demis Ezef gets back, and it’s useful knowledge anyway, so it’s not really a problem.
The marquis looked around the back garden and explained with great enthusiasm.
“Mana overflows in places where the undergrowth is thick and where water flows. Wherever life exists, mana takes root.”
“Ah, I see. So that makes magic easier to activate.”
“Indeed. I’m not sure what happened, but I can suddenly feel the mana and magical power around me much more vividly. I asked us to use spatial movement here because of that. If we use our family heirloom in this place, where mana is flowing most actively, I believe the cooldown will be greatly reduced.”
Only then did Ho-yeong understand.
Ah, so that’s it. Come to think of it, the skill the marquis got was something like Magic Scan. He was just trying it out and finding it fascinating.
When humans and the chosen races are designated as Pioneers, they are promoted to heroes and gain levels and skills.
The ability the Iolid marquis had received was the A-rank active skill Magic Scan.
“At first, I thought I had subconsciously cast a mana-detection spell, but it feels rather different from magic. It is strange, suddenly having such a power.”
Ho-yeong thought for a moment about how to explain skills to him.
That Cliad Sect leader used something like a baptism ability to recruit believers, right? Should I go into the skill business too and make a bunch of followers?
The idea came to him of making other groups into Pioneer-heroes as well, just like the Iolid marquis family had become a follower faction, and using ability grants as the price of obedience.
No... that’d just lead to trouble with rebellion or something. More importantly, that doesn’t suit my personality either.
Ho-yeong looked at Garza.
Yes. Even if it takes a little time, I should bring about true edification.
Watching the young man regain his mana and confidence while shedding all his uglier traits, he chose the more steadfast path.
“Congratulations, Marquis! The extraordinary ability you received is a gift from the angels.”
“What? A gift from the angels?! Like the power and holy relics you received?”
“Yes. It’s a reward for doing many good deeds in the future. As for how that power works...”
With the game system explanation adjusted to fit the situation, the marquis was overjoyed.
“Yes, Garza. The angels will give you a ‘gift’ as well.”
“Me? At this point, Count of the Border Region, you’re beginning to seem like the real angel here. Restoring my mana, communicating with my mother’s soul, and now this extraordinary power...”
“Enough. I’m just a human. I have no intention of becoming like those fanatics who claim to be angels, and I’m not any kind of representative of them either.”
Garza looked thoroughly shocked, and Ho-yeong slowly explained.
“I’m only a messenger for the angels. It isn’t I who gives the gifts; it’s the angels. So you don’t need to thank me. This is all because you proved yourself worthy.”
“I proved myself worthy?”
“You overcame a crisis and stepped forward bravely. That’s more than enough. I’m sure the angels think so too.”
Ho-yeong designated Garza as the Pioneer of the Iolid family.
A hero has emerged within the Iolid marquis family faction!
While he wondered what kind of ability would appear, the status window froze.
Super-positive event detected! The rank of the skill to be granted to Garza Iolid has greatly increased from B-rank to S+-rank!
Ho-yeong had just started wondering if the thing had lagged when a dazzling effect came pouring down on him.
The angel of luck, Minariad, has given this gift in recognition of your actions.
Your Lord did not use skill grants as a way to build authority through his own power. Instead, he revealed the angels’ grace to the world. Rather than using ability grants as bait for personal gain, he emphasized the merit of the person receiving them.
If you give luck to others, happiness will come. If you give happiness, luck will come. That is the seed of joy planted in this world by the angel of happiness and the angel of luck.
The power Garza received was astonishing.
Instead of the B-rank active skill Mana Dispersion, Garza Iolid (Lv. 1) has been granted the S+-rank active skill Mana Absorption!
And that wasn’t the only “luck” Ho-yeong had gained through humility and good deeds.
Positive event detected! More strategies have been added for the important quest Meeting the Cliad Sect Leader.
New ability acquired! You have learned the passive skill Harmony.
When assigning allies to a mission, you can receive recommendations for the most suitable combinations.
You can also determine what kind of synergy the members’ combination will produce.
---