The Merchant House (1)
The Prode Kingdom was the nation where the Magic Tower’s influence ran strongest across the entire continent. Wherever one went within its borders, people capable of using magic could be found, and in any city of decent size shops selling magical goods for them were easy to come across.
Harryford, the capital, was known as the City of Magic. Even neighboring countries sought the place out when they needed magical items. Even the hostile Gosen Empire made use of it for trade in magical goods.
Kinber’s family ran the Bordan Merchant company, which dealt primarily in magical items in Harryford. For the past five years they had conducted regular trade with the Magic Tower, making them a promising merchant house.
“This is Kinber’s house?”
“It’s enormous.”
Duns and Locke stood with their mouths hanging open, staring in awe at Kinber’s home. Both were commoners who, like Ellen in his previous life, had borrowed money simply to enter the academy. To them, the headquarters of a thriving capital merchant house felt no different from a noble’s mansion.
Come to think of it, this is my first time at Kinber’s house.
Ellen had been close with Kinber in his past life as well. But he had failed out while Kinber graduated, and after that their friendship had naturally drifted apart.
“So I can put all of you up for the night. Come on in.”
Kinber himself seemed excited; it had been a long while since he had come home.
“Oh, Kinber, you’re here! Welcome home.”
“It’s lovely to meet all of you too.”
The moment they stepped through the gate, Kinber’s parents came rushing out to greet them. He had said he would send word ahead, but no one had expected them to come running all the way to the front door.
“Thank you. I’m Locke, a friend of Kinber’s.”
Locke answered their greeting in the most polite tone he could manage.
“Of course. Treat this place as your own and make yourselves comfortable.”
Sena, Kinber’s mother, was the sort of person whose kindness seemed woven into her very nature.
“I’m Ellen, Kinber’s roommate. Thank you for helping us like this.”
At Ellen’s introduction, Bordon’s eyes went round. He was a merchant who traded with the Magic Tower, so he was naturally sensitive to any news from that direction. Hearing the name of the academy’s top prospect immediately stirred his interest.
“So you’re the famous Ellen, are you? Welcome, all of you. Getting suspended once or twice while you’re at school—that’s just part of the experience, hahaha!”
Bordon clapped Kinber heartily on the shoulder and laughed as loudly and freely as his appearance suggested.
“Oh, right—if no one objects, how about a look around the merchant house before dinner? Since you’re all students dreaming of becoming mages, there should be plenty of interesting things.”
At Bordon’s words, Duns’s and Locke’s eyes lit up.
“Yes! I’d really like to see it!”
Duns shot his hand into the air as he spoke. The sight brought automatic smiles to Sena’s and Bordon’s faces.
“Go fetch Milford for me.”
“Yes, sir.”
An employee of the merchant house quickly returned with Milford. Behind the man stood another who looked to be about the same age as Bordon.
A Magic Assistant?
Ellen recognized it at a glance. The man could use mana, but its strength was weak. This was the first Magic Assistant he had seen since his regression.
Well, if you’re a Magic Assistant, you end up working as an officer for a merchant house or as a mercenary.
“What’s the matter?”
“Ah, these children are Kinber’s friends. I was hoping you would give them a tour of the merchant house.”
“I see. Academy students would fall for the words ‘magical goods’ hook, line, and sinker, wouldn’t they? Follow me. I’ll introduce everything properly.”
Milford’s expression mixed welcome with a touch of bitterness, as if he were recalling his own past. He too had been a passionate student during his academy days. Reality had soon raised a wall in front of him, and he had become a Magic Assistant. He assumed these children would walk the same path.
“This way.”
Milford led Ellen’s group into a large warehouse. Inside lay countless magical items.
“This ring has a magic circle for the 2nd Circle spell Fireball engraved on it. Simply inject mana and you can form a Fireball faster than chanting the spell.”
At Milford’s explanation, Locke and Duns could not close their mouths. Every single object was fascinating.
“Uncle Milford is deliberately picking only the top-grade stuff to tell you about.”
Watching their reactions, Kinber whispered to Ellen with a quiet chuckle. Of course Ellen already knew that.
“Even so, there are a lot of excellent items here. The scale of this merchant house is impressive.”
At Ellen’s praise, Kinber lifted his chin proudly.
“It’s grown rapidly ever since we started trading with the Magic Tower.”
“Being able to trade with the Magic Tower in the first place means you were already doing well.”
The compliment left Kinber rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
“But why is that one classified as low-grade?”
Ellen’s finger pointed at a staff lying haphazardly among the rest.
“That one’s still unappraised. Appraising it would cost a fair sum for the appraisers, you see. But the mana output from that staff is so small that it isn’t worth the expense.”
It was Milford who answered. He had clearly been explaining the goods to Locke and the others, yet somehow he had heard Ellen and was fulfilling his role as guide thoroughly.
“I’ve read a book on magical artifact appraisal before, and I’ve seen a staff that looked like that one in it. If it’s all right, may I take a look?”
Milford regarded Ellen with puzzled eyes. Artifact appraisal was indeed performed by people who had studied magic. But because it required specializing in appraisal magic, such people were few. And now a first-year academy student was offering to appraise something. Milford’s reaction was only natural.
“In that case, give it a try.”
Milford assumed Ellen was simply curious after reading a book on the subject.
“Permeate the essence and speak of that which is hidden within.”
⟨ Valuation ⟩
Watching the mana from Ellen’s hand seep into the staff, Milford nearly cried out.
“He actually used appraisal magic?”
He had heard about Ellen from Bordon—the academy’s top prospect, they said. But using magic simply from reading a book? This was something that went beyond the mold of a mere prospect.
“This is a staff called Garin’s Song. It amplifies water-attribute magic. At this level, it should rank as an upper-mid to high-grade artifact.”
“I-Is that true?”
Hearing Ellen’s analysis, Milford immediately picked up the staff.
“Let your power become the source of life and drench the world.”
⟨ Aqua ⟩
Whooosh.
Water poured onto the floor as if someone had tipped over a bucket. The volume was greater than what Milford could normally produce.
“It really does amplify water attributes.”
To use an artifact’s effect, the caster needed to know what that effect was, because they had to incorporate the artifact’s principle into their formula when casting the spell. The test confirmed that Ellen’s appraisal had been a complete success.
“You’re far more impressive than the rumors. I’m sorry—I’d like to show you more of the merchant house’s goods, but I need to go see Bordon right away. I’ll assign another friend to you, so follow him and look around a bit more.”
Milford offered Ellen a word of thanks, then hurried off to Bordon’s office.
“Ellen, you can use appraisal magic too?”
“I just happened to read a book about it. And that staff was described in the book, so it was easy to appraise.”
“We kept calling you a genius, but you really are one, you bastard.”
Kinber, Locke, and Duns all stared at Ellen in admiration. Even if he was only a Magic Assistant, Milford had spent more than twenty years working with magic—and he had just given Ellen the highest praise.
“Bordon, about your son’s friend.”
The moment Milford entered Bordon’s room, he brought up Ellen.
“Ellen, you mean? That kid’s already got rumors circulating in the Magic Tower.”
Bordon nodded as if he already knew everything.
“What I’m saying is, whatever rumors you’ve heard, he’s even better than that.”
“What do you mean?”
Bordon tilted his head.
“Just now, Ellen appraised a staff that had been classified as unappraised.”
“What? Didn’t you say appraisal magic requires specialized study in that field?”
“That’s right. But the boy said he’d read a book on appraisal magic.”
“Haha, that Kinber—he’s made friends with someone even more remarkable than I thought. That’s my boy for you. He’s got a knack for good connections, that one.”
Bordon thumped his own chest, about to continue praising his son.
Thud!
Milford slammed his hand down on Bordon’s desk.
“Is that what matters right now? You need to hold onto that boy.”
Bordon’s eyes had also turned serious.
“Of course. I may not look it, but I’m a merchant. When it comes to judging people, I don’t lose to anyone.”