Chapter 178
Chapter 178
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 178
Chapter Title: Even a Treacherous Subject Has His Uses
-----------------------------------------------------------------
For the next three days, Beonald personally demonstrated what it meant for an organization to change when its leader changes.
After confirming his superiority over the mediocre mages here using the power of his magical tools, he proceeded to grasp the personnel details of the mages, including those from the Shadow Studies and Necromancy departments who worked first, as well as the number of slaves. After inspecting the site, he temporarily halted all work and announced he would begin with improvements.
"B-but if the ordered quantities don't arrive...?"
"Our only task is to reach the fated date. A shining fruit does not grow from rotten soil. To change fate, one must cultivate the seed and the land. Even if the stigma of failure is stamped, it will all be mine! You pawns shall bear no responsibility~!"
"...What is he saying?"
"...He says we just need to meet the deadline, and he'll take responsibility anyway?"
"Well then..."
'This... Shadow Studies way of speaking is surprisingly convenient.'
While it was optimized for obfuscation, it was also excellent for speaking in vague generalities. Beonald maintained the concept and immediately dove into the improvements.
The first day was spent entirely on tearing down and rebuilding all the facilities of the slaughterhouse. Normally, they would have lacked manpower or materials, but these were, after all, mages—even if they were rotten. They could use the simple spells of their respective schools, and they were intelligent enough to understand if explained properly; they were people who could earn their keep.
'Well, looking like this, they all came from across the continent to become mages or were excavated talents... They must possess both brains and talent. Moreover, some magic was more efficient than tools.'
"Hmm! 'Bone Blade'!"
"Move it over there, imps."
They were individuals who could only use, at best, beginner-level spells, but even that was something. Thanks to that, in just three days, the production output from the slaughterhouse facilities rebuilt under Beonald's hands exceeded two days' worth of previous production in a single day.
In fact, this was only because the 'materials' entering the slaughterhouse were insufficient to do more work. If possible, they could have tripled production in a single day.
"Do you see? This too is magic. I have manipulated time and fate to construct this phenomenon. It is the magic of weaving people together, improving them, and building civilization upon it, just as one weaves mana."
"A-astounding, sir."
"Indeed... you were no ordinary person."
"You're on a different level from us, who only studied magic."
"We couldn't even process the incoming materials before..."
"With this, we might be able to return to the department soon!"
The mages from various departments, who had been working inefficiently, admired the magic Beonald displayed and looked up to him.
Of course, it wasn't solely these improvement efforts and competence that made the mages follow him.
"Bone Blade!"
There was a young man in his mid-twenties with a plain impression named Luken, a perennial 9th-circle Necromancer who had split off from the Necromancy department and was now butchering meat under Beonald's direction.
He had learned necromancy under a different 'Lich' master than Dalken Dyna, but he couldn't even properly summon a single skeleton, only knowing how to use that 'Bone Blade'. However, his skill in using that 'Bone Blade' was astonishing, so Beonald had entrusted him with cutting meat in the slaughterhouse.
"Oh, it's an excellent technique no matter how many times I see it. Cleaner than some half-baked swordsman or butcher. The surface where the bone and flesh are separated... It's so clean it's breathtaking."
"Th-thank you for the praise!"
'Bone Blade'. Literally, a magic that gathers bones to create a blade and throws it to slash enemies. With just a few small bone fragments, he could create a blade the size of a person and instantly slice through chunks of meat or corpses, demonstrating such proficiency that Beonald had taken particular notice of him.
"By the way, you said you can't use any other necromancy spells... besides Bone Blade?"
"Ah, yes. That... due to my lack of skill... This is the only one I've practiced continuously for ten years since learning it, so I'm familiar with it."
'If you've trained a single technique for ten years, you're already a master.'
Beonald thought that clean cutting power and control ability didn't come from nowhere.
Yet, he couldn't help but feel something was off. If he had learned and trained necromancy for at least ten years, why couldn't he summon a single skeleton?
Even for a talentless 9th-circle mage, it was the most basic of basics, something that just works if the conditions are met. Moreover, this young man had trained a single spell for ten years to the point of achieving delicate control.
"Is that so? Strange. I, too, have some knowledge of necromancy. With that level of mana control skill, if you just mastered 'Soul Control' and 'Undead Binding', summoning a skeleton should be more than possible."
"...Huh? Is, is that really true?"
Luken looked at Beonald with startled eyes and asked again.
He looked as if he had heard a fact he was completely unaware of, which in turn left Beonald bewildered.
Who on earth was his master? Even if he was a mediocre disciple dumped here, if he had been with him for ten years, he should have taught him proper theory. Remembering that his master was a Lich, Beonald's mind flashed with insight.
"Ah, as expected... So that's how it is?"
"What... how is what?"
"Your master was a 'Lich', wasn't he?"
"Yes. Archland, a 2nd-circle Necromancer and 'Lich' who is 327 years old this year."
"Ordinary mages, you see. Because they are human and their lifespan is finite, they take disciples and record wisdom to develop and preserve their school's tradition and knowledge. They pass wisdom across generations, hoping for further development and advancement toward truth for posterity. But... a 'Lich' is not like that."
A Lich. One who has achieved immortality, one who evades death by sealing their soul in a magical tool or specific device. However, since their flesh eventually collapses over time once life activities cease, they weave themselves with their own necromancy to maintain their body.
Having sealed themselves from death, they gain virtually infinite time, so they have no particular need for disciples.
"Even if they take one... it's to prepare for when they might face threats from religious orders or to use 'knowledge' as bait to exploit them as labor for some other task."
"Th-that can't be!"
"It's a more frequent occurrence than you'd think, and most Necromancers who become Liches certainly have the skill. Moreover, among necromancy spells, there are those that scatter a person's perception or resistance... It's a school originally specialized in controlling and binding 'death' and 'souls', you see."
"Then I... have I been wasting my efforts all this time? I... I just wanted to become a powerful Necromancer skilled in necromancy, so I became a disciple, but there was none of that, only this 'Bone Blade'... this single spell?"
At Beonald's explanation, the young man named Luken felt an intense sense of betrayal, as if the world he believed in was shattering.
He wanted to deny it, but then he recalled the attitude his master had shown, and how he had only told him to practice the single 'Bone Blade' spell. He had obediently followed and done all sorts of tasks as instructed... In the end, he was like a donkey endlessly chasing a carrot it could never eat.
"Ha, good heavens...! Haaah! Hahahaha! Then I must be destined to slice meat here for the rest of my life. Hahaha!"
"No, that might not be the case. Because I have what you desire, you see."
"Huh?"
"The strength of your will, capable of focusing ten years of effort on that single thing, has impressed me. Therefore, I intend to give you proper knowledge of necromancy. Now... first, the basic introduction to 'Soul Sight', the most fundamental of necromancy basics. Once you firmly understand and master this, we'll move on to 'Soul Control' and 'Undead Binding', the foundation of undead summoning."
Beonald handed Luken a bundle of a few parchment sheets.
Written on them, translated into Imperial language, was one of the basic theories of necromancy: 'Soul Sight'.
It was an essential process because one must first be able to see and confirm 'souls' to wield 'necromancy'.
"Th-this, you're giving this to me? B-but..."
"It's just the most basic of basics anyway, and it's not even from our school, so it's no loss. I'd like to give you the actual necromancy grimoire, but that's property and can't be transferred. However, it's possible to copy over only the necessary parts like this. And if you bundle them... it becomes another grimoire, you see."
"Th-thank you!"
"Ah, and I've also learned the basics of necromancy theoretically to some extent, so I'll look over it for you later."
"Th-this! How can I ever repay this kindness...?"
"Kindness, what kindness... I simply bestowed it because it was a waste to see talent rotting away. And from here on, it's up to you. Well, I have more work to do, so come find me once you've mastered that part. I'll give you the next thing to learn."
Beonald showed a cool back as he departed, and the expression on Luken's face as he watched him was almost like that of a devout believer who had met a god.
He had revealed the truth about the master who had exploited and deceived him under the guise of teaching, and on top of that, bestowed upon him 'knowledge', the most precious thing in this city of mages, the 'Tower of Truth'. His mercy was enough to be considered divine grace.
'Good. And after he masters that, when he comes seeking the next piece of knowledge, another opportunity for conversation and interaction will arise. Hehehe.'
For Beonald, now that Luken would develop his own capabilities and naturally take his place under him, he couldn't help but smile.
He was someone who understood that, ultimately, whether intelligent or foolish, the principles of human action are the same.
If this was the reaction to a single piece of knowledge now, then by giving more knowledge and maintaining continuous interaction, he would acquire a mage of usable skill level.
'Then naturally, now... compared to this Tower of Truth or his original master, he will of course follow me, and that in turn... becomes my power here.'
In this way, Beonald bestowed knowledge upon the mages here who were neglected or had talent but were being deceived, or reviewed magic theories for them, gaining their trust while steadily and naturally expanding his influence within this Alchemy department territory.
"What's up? The slaughterhouse guys are off again today?"
"They say they need materials to work?"
"How fast do they work that... Good heavens..."
"That... the new mage from the Shadow Studies department is said to be incredibly competent? Ah, right. He came this morning too."
After that, Beonald began reaching out to other facilities and areas. Having already completely transformed one slaughterhouse, his ability was beyond doubt. No one refused improvements to productivity and labor conditions, so they all began to rely on him. In about a month, Beonald had swiftly seized control of half of this slum-like, hellish Alchemy department.
"Hehehe, finally, half of this Alchemy department is in my hands."
"Congratulations, Lord Beonald!"
"Thanks to you, we can meet the material supply quotas while also being able to resume magic research here."
"On the contrary, it would be strange if things went back to the way they were. That damned skull-bowl bastard! He demanded so much dirty work!"
"This place is the true Tower of Truth! The shape the Magic Tower should return to!"
A situation where follower mages, including Luken, had naturally emerged. They were all individuals captivated by knowledge and the power of magic, and since Beonald provided that, they had no choice but to follow.
Moreover, they were all either pushed out from their departments or had failed in magic and been shoved here, so their thirst for power and knowledge was even greater. Beonald didn't need to coerce or dangle bait; they swore loyalty and sought to follow of their own accord.
'Hmm, as expected, even after 500 years, these guys haven't changed either... And since there's no one trying to interfere, it's even easier.'
Outside, they were abuzz with the news of Shadow Studies Head Lirikel's death. Furthermore, they were indifferent to events occurring in this wretched place on the opposite side of the Alchemy department from the start. Thanks to the mages' thirst for knowledge, focused only on their own research or interests, there was no check or opposition.
But where there is light, it draws people's eyes. The rumors of change occurring in this slum of the Alchemy department now began to fly to the originally prosperous 'Alchemy department' on the opposite side of the main road.