Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Western Magic Tower's Request (2)
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The western border of Rosan, bordering the land of the barbarians called Altann.
It should have taken at least half a month—no, a full month—to reach, but we made the trip easily using Johnson's teleportation magic.
To receive such VIP treatment as teleportation magic? Honestly, it was quite surprising.
“We'll escort you to your lodgings right away.”
“Could we also trouble you for a meal?”
“……Yes, of course.”
Johnson, looking noticeably pale after expending so much mana on the teleport, nodded.
Well, teleportation is advanced magic, after all.
We passed through corridors and staircases lined with grand, intricate carvings and arrived at a door. When the small door opened, a room far larger and wider than it appeared from outside came into view.
Johnson showed us the room, gave a brief explanation, and then hurried off. Probably to prepare the meal?
“El, don't unpack yet.”
As usual, I stopped El from starting to unpack.
The Magic Tower hadn't accepted my conditions yet.
If they rejected them, I'd have no choice but to head back.
‘I wonder if they'd provide teleportation magic even then.’
Anyway, I could unpack slowly once the negotiations were settled.
“Rest for now.”
“Yes, Master.”
I passed El and Ayla and stood by the window.
The Magic Tower was far taller than ordinary buildings, making everything below look much smaller than usual.
Did living in such high places make mages so arrogant?
‘Still, it's nowhere near as tall as the 63 Building.’
So magic couldn't surpass modern science after all?
Anyway, I stared for a long time at the red earth visible in the distance.
Altann.
The land of the barbarians.
‘Something big is about to happen there soon…….’
*Knock knock.*
As I tried to recall memories, someone knocked on the door.
El rushed over and opened it, revealing Johnson with his still-pale face.
“Theodore.”
“Dinner?”
“……The Tower Master invites you to an evening banquet.”
A banquet?
Looks like I'll get to eat my fill for once.
I'd been eating fish nonstop in Lavata, so I was craving land meat.
My voracious guests would finally fill up on terrestrial meat too. Good news.
“El, Ayla. Get ready…….”
“Theodore.”
“Yes?”
“The Tower Master's invitation is for you alone.”
Me alone?
I glanced at El and Ayla.
Ah, discriminating on food? I don't like that.
“What about the kids' meals?”
Johnson glanced at El and Ayla standing behind me and cleared his throat.
“Naturally, we'll prepare separate meals for them.”
“Then four veal legs, four lamb ribs, four turkeys, and sides as you see fit.”
“…….”
Johnson stared at me with a face gone white, as if he couldn't believe they ate that much.
“Our kids eat a lot, you see.”
“…….”
“Well, we'll leave it to you.”
* * *
I left El and Ayla's meals to Johnson and headed to the banquet hall. The hall lived up to the Western Magic Tower's fame, dazzlingly opulent, though the light from the ruby gems floating in the air felt a bit eerie.
At the end of the long table sat the Western Magic Tower Master, Agni.
Brown hair, red eyes, a beautiful face, and a voluptuous figure.
She was a beauty who could give anyone chills.
‘But I can't let appearances fool me.’
I already knew Agni was a grandma over two hundred years old.
There were rumors she'd made a deal with a demon, but that wasn't true.
She'd simply gotten too close to magic stones.
Half-monster state, you could say.
Her research on magic stones had gone so far she used herself as a test subject, resulting in that body.
‘She's controlling it with her own mana now, but…….’
She hadn't wasted those two hundred years, so she was definitely someone to watch.
“Theodore! I've heard the rumors.”
Agni opened the conversation cheerfully.
“The saint of purification and foe of evil! What an honor to meet the famous druid.”
“No need for flattery. The honor is mine to meet the Western Magic Tower Master.”
“Do you like hook-nosed camel steak?”
“I think I will.”
“Then dig in. We can talk slowly.”
We chatted idly about hook-nosed camels while moving our forks and knives.
“By the way.”
After devouring more than half the steak, Agni's voice turned sly.
Time for the main topic, finally.
“That Johnson or whatever said you had ‘conditions’?”
Poor Johnson. Can't even remember his name.
“Yes.”
“Let's hear them.”
Even for me, this was a tense moment.
I'd gained some fame lately, but I was still just an ordinary druid, facing one of the three great Tower Masters, Agni of the West.
“Three conditions.”
I began speaking slowly and seriously.
The first condition: unlimited supply of magic stones.
Not hard for the Western Magic Tower, which had swept up stones from the Death Swamp all this time.
Second: let me assemble the party as I wish.
A bit intrusive, but not difficult.
Third: hand over all resources from the core except the Black Dragon's bones.
“…….”
As expected, Agni didn't like the third.
“Do you know what's there?”
“Of course not.”
“And you still demand that?”
“It's a gamble.”
I looked at Agni with a calm face.
Truth be told, I had no idea what was in the Death Swamp core.
Just a hunch.
‘It might be wrong.’
Agni eyed me narrowly, then burst into loud laughter.
“A gamble? You're hilarious!”
“…….”
“Fine. Then I'll add a condition too.”
“Let's hear it.”
“In exchange for meeting all your conditions, your reward is one gold coin.”
“…….”
Risking my life for one gold coin?
Ridiculous.
As I moved to stand.
“Whatever comes out of the Death Swamp is yours. We only need the Black Dragon's bones. Everything else is yours. Deal?”
Agni smiled like a devil.
I could see why the demon deal rumors spread—that smile.
“Well?”
Agni was now rolling a single gold coin between the fingers of her left hand.
“……Agreed.”
I nodded with a blank expression. The gold coin rolled precariously from her end of the table to mine.
*Clink.*
I pocketed the coin.
“Then the deal is made.”
“Yes. The deal is made.”
Agni was confident. She figured, aside from the Black Dragon bones, I'd get nothing but magic stone scraps and monster byproducts.
‘But…….’
I'm no fool, and I don't like gambling.
There had to be ‘something’ in the Death Swamp center.
‘Possibly worth far more than the Black Dragon bones.’
Unfazed by Agni's attitude, I stood calmly.
“I'll take my leave. Thank you for the invitation.”
“Enlightening talk. Rest well.”
I bowed and left the banquet hall.
* * *
With the Magic Tower accepting my conditions, it was time for serious preparations.
As expected, the temple opposed this. Priests were essential for places like the Death Swamp, but I couldn't rely on them this time.
‘Meaning purification is entirely on me…….’
I requested two weeks for research from the Magic Tower side.
I figured they'd complain, but surprisingly, they accepted readily. The mercenaries they'd hired would arrive in exactly two weeks.
‘Lucky.’
Even for me, charging straight into the Death Swamp was suicide.
Thorough preparation was key to success.
New totem, new skills, and new plants.
That's what I needed.
New totem.
The easiest.
After all, I was in the Magic Tower.
Better place for special materials?
I politely requested materials from the mages.
“This must be the three-headed serpent's heads.”
I placed the three small glass vials Johnson brought on the table.
Three-headed serpent.
As the name suggests, a venomous snake with three heads.
Left head: neurotoxin.
Right head: hemotoxin.
Center head: antidote.
The three-headed serpents were tiny, hard to spot, but a single drop of their neuro or hemotoxin could kill ten orcs. Infamous for being incurable without the center head's antidote.
The antidote from the center head was precious, usable against nearly all poisons.
But the serpents were so fierce, you had to kill them for even a tiny amount.
“Planning to make poison?”
Johnson asked curiously.
“Of course not. I'm no mage.”
“Then what…….”
“A totem.”
“Totem?”
Johnson looked at me with the curiosity typical of mages sparkling in his eyes.
Ah, totems were unfamiliar to mages, for sure.
Unlike magic circles and incantations artificially wielding mana, druid totems drew on nature's power. Completely different.
“Can I watch?”
“……Do as you like.”
I shrugged and opened the first vial.
“Be careful.”
As I reached for the first head, Johnson warned urgently.
“No worries. I'm used to handling snakes.”
Thanks to that crazy old hag raising dozens of venomous snakes as pets, this was child's play.
“Ooh……!”
“Stay back, it's dangerous.”
“Ah, yes. Y-Yes.”
Ignoring Johnson's admiration, I began disassembling the fangs and venom glands from the head.
*Sizzle…….*
A single drop leaking from the fang melted the tablecloth with a foul smell.
‘Touch it wrong, and it's over.’
Carefully extracting the two fangs from the left head.
“Grahhh!!! Rawr!!!”
A horrific scream assaulted my eardrums.