Chapter 112
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Box or Cat
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Three months remained until the Blackout season opened.
In the meantime, Jun recalled the tasks he needed to handle on the surface.
One of them was the dwelling of Mershar, disciple of the Enchantment King Shylock.
"Mershar. What are your plans?"
"Hmm. Well. I never expected to be dragged out here so suddenly."
Originally, Mershar had planned to go into hiding once he left the Blackout.
He couldn't predict when the culprits who destroyed the Mage Tower might come after him.
But now that he knew his master was alive, he couldn't hide forever.
"For now, I should track down the old man..."
"As much as we'd like to help, we don't know his whereabouts. He moves so quietly."
"I figured as much. I only survived thanks to what he taught me."
But as if to make such worries seem unfounded, an unexpected guest arrived the next morning.
It was Shylock.
"You brat. Making your old master come to you now that he's aged?"
"Old man...? Where the hell have you been until now...!"
He feigned indignation and bewilderment, but Jun didn't miss the moisture gathering in Mershar's eyes.
"A touching reunion between master and disciple."
Master.
The word brought a bitter smile to Jun's lips.
"At least you're in one piece. That's praiseworthy."
"You're looking hale yourself, old man."
"Such an ill-mannered punk!"
Jun watched their reunion for a moment before quietly excusing himself.
They needed time alone for now.
Instead, when he went up to Cloi and shared the news, she set aside her work and came down to the guest quarters.
A short while later.
"So, is the dwelling prepared?"
Shylock shook his head at Jun's question.
"I'll spend my remaining years teaching this fool. I took my eyes off him for a moment, and his skills have gone to the dogs."
He pointed at the artifact Mershar had made.
"Even a mangy stray rummaging through back-alley trash has better memory than you. At least it remembers its turf!"
"Hey, old man! Gone blind in your old age? This delicate mana circuit—what do you mean 'to the dogs'?"
"Tsk tsk! Delicate for what? It can't even handle rough mana from a magic stone."
"Hmph, that's why you're the old man. Out of touch with the times."
"What'd you say?"
"Feast your eyes on this! You think I made it without thinking?"
Mershar pulled out a mana fluid.
"This is...?"
"High-concentration mana. That mage over there named it. Mana fluid."
"Where'd you get this?"
"Found it in the Blackout, where else?"
"...The alchemists, huh."
"Huh?"
Did he know about that too?
Mershar's eyes widened.
"So that's what you made... Tsk. Dispose of it immediately."
"What?! My life's masterpiece?!"
"Masterpiece? It's barely at the level of enchanting a light spell."
"But the mana circuit! The mana circuit! Imagine how much technology advances with circuits this delicate?!"
Mershar's outburst wasn't incomprehensible.
But Shylock was firm.
"That's exactly why it's dangerous. This mana fluid could skyrocket the empire's technology overnight."
"That's what makes it a jackpot! A historic discovery!"
"Tsk tsk... Foolish boy."
Shylock's gaze shifted to Cloi, who had been listening silently.
"Golden Hand's precious gem. Have you heard of this?"
"Yes. Each one rivals at least a high-grade mana stone."
"As a merchant, you know its value."
"...Yes."
Mana stones mined from quarries or dropped by monsters disperse their mana faster the higher the grade.
This creates restrictions on use.
"It won't match top-grade mana stones or cores in efficiency, but anything below that? Fully usable. You can even extract the mana."
He looked at Cloi as if asking if she understood.
Cloi glanced at Jun with a slight chill.
Shylock noticed.
"Worried about excessive technological progress... and the changes it brings?"
"Heh heh. Looks like the kid already filled you in."
"Huh?"
Mershar was the only one in the room who didn't grasp Shylock's words.
"You dimwit disciple. I've encountered mana fluid before."
"Huh?!"
"But I smashed it on the spot."
"Why?!"
"Too dangerous."
Shylock explained.
"The moment this hits the world, the empire gets a tech revolution. Accidents will follow. Mana is a force that evolves humanity when used well—but can bring disaster otherwise."
"You'd ignore progress out of fear?"
An unacceptable stance.
Shylock gave his disciple a wry smile.
"If you feel that way now, imagine how I felt smashing it."
"..."
Shylock's thirst for technology was unmatched—even Mershar knew that.
"But sometimes, you need the eyes to see what you're creating. Back then, it looked like a massive catastrophe."
Jun had anticipated this and discussed it with Cloi beforehand.
"...Damn."
Mershar reconsidered.
High-grade mana stones are easily controlled by the empire due to handling difficulties.
But mana fluid?
Anyone knowing the recipe could wield high-grade mana easily.
Jun had evaluated it thus upon first sight:
'Like handing dynamite to everyone, in Earth's terms.'
Mana was precious energy—but demanded careful handling.
"Of course... that was then. Things might differ now."
"What?"
Ignoring Mershar's confusion, Shylock turned to Jun and Cloi.
"Can you handle this?"
Jun eyed the mana fluid.
'Like the box Zeus gave Pandora.'
Or Schrödinger's cat.
But he couldn't let such a prize slip.
A mana fluid business done right would solve funding forever.
'The issue is the insane risk compared to potions.'
The pie was too big for solo consumption.
Even the Gilenoi Merchant Guild could vaporize if mishandled.
But Jun had connections to resolve it.
Power no one dared touch.
"We'll decide after responding to this invitation."
The emperor.
Serious talk had passed, but Shylock smiled contentedly.
"The current emperor isn't lacking. A deep thinker."
Few could speak of the emperor so casually.
Only possible for Shylock, granted the title 'Enchantment King' by the emperor himself.
"I'll discuss this with Grandfather too."
Too heavy for Gilenoi alone.
Cloi said she'd seek her grandfather's input.
"How's the potion business progressing?"
"Ah, I haven't updated you."
With the rush, Cloi realized belatedly and handed over documents.
"Potions will split two ways: mass-market and premium."
"Premium, huh."
A high-end strategy.
Solid for money and fame, but Gilenoi's Blackout rep wasn't stellar yet.
Would top adventurers and mercenaries buy?
"Name recognition's solved. The docs explain."
"...Ariclotos Church? Partnering with them?"
"Right. Premium potions launch under the church's name."
Like any group, churches ran businesses.
But cautiously—lending God's name.
Ariclotos's decision surprised Jun.
'That stingy pope changed his mind?'
Unlike the game.
"Means we prioritize potion quality. One's your 'Eternal Annihilation Tears'."
Tears that annihilate eternity.
Fatal to common Blackout undead; worthy of the church's name.
"Rename it, but... that's the plan."
Progress was decent; Jun nodded.
That evening, after solid business talks, someone visited Jun.
"Shylock?"
"Yeah, me. Tch tch. Smells like a bachelor."
"..."
Not words he wanted from a lifelong singleton, but Jun opened the door.
"Tea?"
"No. Not staying long."
"What brings you?"
"Here. Take it."
Shylock tossed a ring.
A plain iron one, scratched up.
"This is...?"
"Payment for bringing my disciple back intact."
"..."
"Figure out the use yourself!"
With that, Shylock slammed the door and left.
Jun stared at the ring, bewildered.
No special mana; what was it for?
He took it to Mershar.
"Know anything about this ring?"
"Huh... The old man gave it to you?"
"Payment for rescuing you."
"Heh~ Old man. Pretends otherwise but cares for his only disciple."
Grinning, Mershar pointed at the iron ring.
"Suits a mage like you."
"What artifact?"
"Principle's complex... Borrows spirit power."
"...Spirit?"
"Yeah. Know much about spirits?"
"Some."
Unknown knowledge stirred in Jun's mind.
Reincarnator memories.
"Common spirits are the four elements... but not always."
"Then?"
"This one's the Dream Spirit."
...What even was that for?
Help with sleep?
"Haha, I see your face. Hard to grasp at first."
"Yeah."
"It absorbs thoughts, turns them into dreams, manifests in reality."
"...What?"
What nonsense ability.
"Ah, bad explanation. More precisely, turns dreams into illusions."
"Got it. No physical power, then?"
"Normally."
Normally?
Implying exceptions?
"Mental force housing physical power—that is, mage spells. Follows user's principles; it can cast magic too."
"Wait, you mean..."
"Depending on dreams you feed it, multi-casting becomes possible."