Chapter 28
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Growth Pill
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A few days later.
Now back in the Black Forest after the count's banquet had concluded.
Cloi came rushing at Jun, foaming at the mouth.
"You... you sold it to the count? The ancient tome? For real?!"
But rather than upset, Cloi was thrilled.
Because the count who bought the tome had announced he would put it up for auction instead.
At an auction house that Cloi herself would be hosting!
Of course, this had been Jun's condition when he sold the tome to the count.
"An auction backed by Count Mordenaine's name! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!!"
So Cloi's reaction was hardly surprising.
Opening an auction house under her own name to elevate the merchant guild's reputation was one of her key goals.
As she beamed with joy, Jun cautiously asked,
"But... are you okay with it?"
"Huh? With what?"
"About Aiden."
Since he'd sold the tome without discussing it with Cloi first, Jun had no choice but to explain everything in detail.
In the process, Aiden's true identity came to light as well.
But surprisingly, Cloi just shrugged it off without much reaction.
"Oh, that's what you meant? I don't really care."
"...Really?"
"What, because of Grandpa?"
"From my position, I had to consider your guild's reputation."
Jun had worried because the Gilenoi Merchant Guild, where Cloi worked, prided itself on political neutrality.
Wouldn't it cause issues if it came out that they were sponsoring the abandoned imperial prince?
To be precise, it was sponsorship for Jun, not Aiden—but outsiders wouldn't see it that way.
Yet Cloi looked at Jun as if he were fascinating.
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No, just... confused. Did you think the Gilenoi Merchant Guild wouldn't know something like that?"
"What?"
"Sure, I didn't know he was imperial royalty. But my family did."
With that, Cloi showed him a letter.
It had arrived a few days ago—a document from her family detailing everything about Aiden.
"This is..."
"If the imperial family is moving, that means money is moving. And if money's moving, merchants are too. Naturally, our guild knew to some extent. We even asked the imperial family directly."
"I see."
Jun had gone to the count for answers about Aiden, but the truth had been closer than he thought.
He felt a bit deflated, but at least the rewards he'd obtained provided some consolation.
'Of course, this scenario is only possible because the emperor is still alive.'
Harboring a thought he couldn't share with anyone, Jun turned his gaze back to Cloi.
She had already shifted to a different topic.
A light subject seemed perfect for sorting out his complicated thoughts, so Jun listened attentively.
"Anyway, that's the biggest issue."
"What issue?"
"No money."
"..."
He regretted asking.
In a word, Jun and Cloi's relationship was that of business partners.
Cloi used her connections and situations to create stages for Jun to shine, and Jun performed on those stages, earning her profits.
'Come to think of it, even getting the [Growth Pill] all traces back to Cloi.'
If she hadn't connected him with Jinovan, none of this would have happened.
The greater Cloi's influence grew, the more benefits returned to Jun.
"Why no money?"
That meant Jun had to care about her finances too.
"You made money while others lost during the goblin subjugation, sold potions and gear like hotcakes in the lord battle, profited from the strategy battle, and now an auction house is coming up? Plus dungeon bids?"
And still short on cash?
If so, it pointed to poor money management on Cloi's part.
"Hey!"
But Cloi glared at him indignantly.
"The goblin subjugation profits were pocket change! During the lord fight, did I just profit? I funded all the soldiers' gear and potions! The strategy battle just covered those losses. The auction hasn't even happened! And dungeon revenues haven't piled up yet! Consider the money I spent bidding on dungeon rights!"
"Hmm..."
"Sigh, yeah, you're right. Thanks to you, we've gained a lot. But it's not all tangible profits—most need time to pay off."
"Something urgent needing cash?"
At Jun's question, Cloi let out a shallow sigh and nodded.
"Everything else is fine, but the auction's the problem."
An auction was a massive event for a merchant guild.
Many guilds poured effort into auctions bearing their name.
Trust was key.
For instance, rumors like "A famous noble participated in that guild's auction!" painted the guild as credible, trading with elite nobility.
Fortunately, Cloi had secured the "famous noble connection" she wanted.
"But it's still a bit lacking. The ancient tome you brought has huge value, but it's just one item."
"You want to escape the image of 'that's all they've got.'"
"Exactly!"
So Cloi wanted a wider variety of items for the auction.
"Luckily, Count Mordenaine's contributions should handle some diversity."
"What? Then it's all set, right?"
"Listen to the end!"
Count Mordenaine had consigned items to the Gilenoi Merchant Guild's auction.
That alone would draw others wanting to list their goods.
With the count's name and the tome's prestige, big names would flock.
Listing there might fetch top prices.
Good so far—but Cloi wanted items directly from the Gilenoi Merchant Guild too.
"That's how we show our auction has real competitive edge. But I don't have the cash for such items."
"Items worthy of auction..."
Jun began pondering seriously.
As silence fell between them, Cloi's eyes sparkled.
Whenever Jun sank into deep thought like this, he came up with great solutions.
"Nothing comes to mind."
"...What?"
"Whoa, don't make that face. You'd think the world ended."
When her trusted ally betrayed her, Cloi's face turned ashen.
Jun hurriedly continued.
"The best I can find are relics from dungeons, but they don't fetch much. Potion recipes are already widespread..."
"Huh?"
"Yeah?"
"What?"
"What?"
"What did you just say?!"
"Whoa, you scared me. I said relics or potion recipes..."
"Potion recipes! Forget relics—they're a dime a dozen like pottery. Potion recipes! Potion recipes?!"
"Uh, yeah..."
At Cloi's reaction, Jun nodded awkwardly.
Dungeons he could access now only yielded low-grade recipes, already common on the market.
For profitable ones, he'd need at least layer 3 or higher.
'In the game, these sold for 1 gold or went straight to storage.'
Later business expansions allowed custom development, but low-grade recipes rarely recouped costs.
But Jun was mistaken.
"Sigh... You're brilliantly smart in some ways, utterly clueless in others."
"Clueless?"
Jun, who hadn't heard that since becoming a mage, looked baffled. Cloi explained with exasperation.
"Potion recipes are like patents."
"Patents? Business stuff?"
"Yes."
"Calling me clueless for not knowing your expertise?"
"Just listen."
"Okay."
Since he'd eventually tie into business, Jun listened quietly.
"You submit the recipe to the imperial family to start the patent. But it doesn't end there. Potion recipes can exploit gaps in others' patents."
"What do you mean?"
"Suppose a mage tower gets a recipe and researches it. Do mages just follow it blindly? No—they experiment with similar ingredients for similar effects and patent those too."
But if another tower gets a similar recipe?
"The acquiring tower gains leverage against others' patents."
-This recipe predates your ancient tomes; how can you claim patent? It already existed!
-Our ingredient ratios differ—ratios! Same potion? No way—the effects vary!
-This has nothing to do with your patent!
They could make such claims.
"It's a tool to expand territories."
Thus, when such recipes hit auctions, mage towers scrambled for legitimacy battles.
"Prices aren't sky-high, but it plants the image of a 'watch-worthy auction' for mage towers."
"This industry's tougher than I thought."
"Obviously. It's a centuries-old economic system. And potions are a pillar of Blackout's industry."
Building those ties would ease Cloi's future potion ventures.
"So, you have potion recipes?"
"Yeah. Know a few spots."
"Phew... Good. Then I'll commission you for them. First official request. Under the Gilenoi Merchant Guild's name."
"Oh."
Jun valued his mercenary corps' reputation as much as Cloi did, so her words pleased him.
"Get me potion recipes. As many as possible."
"A commission."
"A commission?!"
Aiden, rested for days, grinned through his scruffy appearance after hearing Jun's explanation.
"Finally, an official one!"
"Yep."
Previously, Jun sought clients himself; this time, it was official from the client (Cloi, technically).
"The Gilenoi name will surely boost our corps' rep too."
"Right. So, starting now, we train."
"Train?"
"Yeah. Time to refine our forces. You got a [Skillbook] too."
"Ah... yes!"
Aiden nodded eagerly, like a dog eyeing a treat.
'Retriever with a snack.'
If he had a tail, it'd be wagging like a propeller.
Anyway, just as Jun got the [Growth Pill], Aiden received a [Skillbook] in Bisjo City.
The skill was familiar to both.
"Never dreamed I'd get [Charge] like this."
The golem's skill from the Black Forest: [Charge].
With Armor Crush, it suited frontline fighter Aiden perfectly.
His first active skill, aside from passive [Beast Body].
Aiden was itching to test it.
"We'll check your new skill, and I'll prepare too."
Jun thought of the [Growth Pill] in his pocket.
"This has to be the skill."
The [Growth Pill], called a skill growth voucher in communities.
It grew one skill only.
Jun had many skills, but lately he'd acknowledged his limits.
'I'm not someone trained in magic from childhood.'
His Earth knowledge allowed versatility, but depth was shallow.
He could cast up to 3rd circle thanks to [Basic Magic Talent].
But now, knocking on 4th circle's door, that skill hit its limit.
Jun's magical knowledge was amateurish.
Even learning new spells would take time to integrate into combat.
'Even trained 3rd circle mages take 1-5 years for 4th.'
Talent dominated here—unavoidable.
And Jun had been in this world over a year.
'To climb layers, circles are key.'
Early fame issues were somewhat resolved via the strategy battle's hidden stage.
Now, boost personal power.
'So [Growth Pill] goes to [Basic Magic Talent].'
Holding the iridescent pill, Jun brought it to his lips.
It glowed in response to his will, seeping into him.
"Mm..."
No distinct taste.
The light circled his heart, then flowed naturally to his head.
'Weird sensation.'
No physical feel, yet something coursed through him clearly.
Once fully absorbed—
Flash—!
Prismatic light filled the room briefly, vanishing in a blink.
In a game, it'd say:
-[Basic Magic Talent] has grown into [Intermediate Magic Talent]!
But reality had no such prompt.
Changes brewed unseen.
"...!!"
It was enlightenment.
Not creating from nothing.
Existing magical knowledge deconstructed and reassembled in his mind.
Against his will, yet he understood why.
'The level of my magical knowledge is shifting.'
Common sense forcibly rewired.
For example, numbers.
1 is small.
Obvious.
But what does 1 represent?
A speck of dust? A blade of grass? A stray dog? A person?
A village? A city? A nation?
'Is that all?'
No—a continent, planet, solar system, galaxy.
Still 1.
But its scope expands boundlessly.
To Jun, 1 was just a unit before.
Now, with [Intermediate Magic Talent], it was no longer "mere."
His view of magical knowledge transformed.
Yet it felt natural, not alien.
The concepts lingered in his mind already.
He just hadn't applied them to magic.
Or rather, he'd used them sporadically, but not instinctively across all spells.
Flashes of wit became baseline.
No outward change.
But now—
Like a sky-gazer grasping the stars' truth.
He realized the world's vastness.
"Huuu..."
As Jun sorted his enlightenment—
"...Ugh?!"
The changes weren't over yet.