Chapter 106
Chapter 106
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 106
Chapter Title: Bonus Stage (1)
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Radica had been friendly from the moment they first met.
He didn't know why. It could have been her natural personality, or maybe because he'd saved her little sister, or perhaps she had some ulterior motive.
But either way, it wasn't something she'd hand over lightly—not even star fragments, which were treated as treasures among the earth fairies.
It wasn't about whether they could be converted to money or not. There simply wasn't enough of it to go around.
"Doesn't it take decades to gather even the standard amount?"
"That's right. It's no short time for us either. But it's not so long that we can't wait."
Humans might miss one chance and be dead of old age by the next. Fairies, on the other hand, had chances that kept coming. Of course, even rare once-in-a-lifetime opportunities were still precious.
"We keep a reserve stock for the gems, you see. And lately, we got nearly twice the standard amount all at once, remember? What comes in plenty can be spent in plenty."
"Even so, most would choose to stockpile it. You're not asking for some favor, are you?"
"Oh dear, was it that obvious?"
Radica gave a sheepish smile. Galen brushed it off casually.
"I'd have been more suspicious if you'd offered something that precious without strings attached."
"I'd love to just hand it over freely, but the chairman and vice-chairman are honorary positions, you know."
Of course, she could force it through with the authority of a gem-rank, but that wasn't easily accepted in the equal society of fairies.
"So we have no choice but to go the route that avoids backlash."
"You need another feat like winning the tournament and rescuing two golds. I'm starting to worry about what it'll take."
"Don't worry. If you solve a problem none of us could, they'll understand."
"Us?"
It sounded like something Akanksha had said once before. Galen's eyebrow twitched.
"Does 'us' mean all the earth fairies?"
"Exactly."
"We solve something you couldn't, Radica?"
"To be precise, it means you, Galen."
Radica's eyes curved into gentle arcs.
"I told you before, didn't I? A mage is still a mage even as a gem. They just get broader applications, but the essence of specializing in certain fields doesn't change."
And unfortunately, since all earth fairies learned the same magic, if the top expert Radica couldn't do it, no other earth fairy could either.
But someone weaker than Radica, if they specialized in a completely different field, might just pull it off.
"If you won't help, we'd have to find another mage... but in skill, affinity, or trust, I doubt there's anyone better than you."
"You're making it hard for me to say no."
Galen scratched his head and glanced sideways.
"What about Lilia?"
"I'm in!"
The immediate reply came without hesitation. It was half perfunctory anyway—he couldn't even remember the last time Lilia had opposed him.
Galen turned back to Radica and nodded firmly.
"Alright, we'll give it a try. Just don't blame us if we fail."
"Just do your best. Even if it doesn't work out, we'll at least get a clue."
Radica smiled brightly.
"Go tell your little sister. We're heading out right away."
* * *
Back at the campsite, when he explained the situation, Akanksha took it surprisingly calmly.
"To be honest, I half-expected this."
"Really."
"My sister was genuinely interested in you all, but if it was just about meeting you, she'd have come herself—she's that type."
"I thought she wanted me to show her the tournament."
"I tracked you down without even knowing where you were. You just happened to be in Mezaya during festival season, so we killed two birds with one stone."
In short, the real purpose of the invitation was this request; everything else was a bonus. A pretty incredible bonus in the form of star fragments, though.
"Anyway, good luck. Swing by the federation sometime if you need anything, or we'll catch up later!"
"Thanks for everything, Akanksha!"
After resting the entire day following the tournament, they bid farewell to the Red Rock Alliance earth fairies.
"Sorry it's such a remote spot—we couldn't invite you sooner. But stop by if you're ever nearby."
"Or should I pay you back now?"
"No need. The prizes more than cover it... Lilia? What's wrong all of a sudden?"
"Nothing."
Before leaving, they also exchanged goodbyes with some earth fairies from the White Peak Alliance they'd run into by chance. Lilia seemed to pout a little whenever she saw them, for some reason.
"Alright, let's go."
In any case, before the festival fully wrapped up, Radica and the two departed the campsite ahead of schedule.
"The staff will handle the rest."
"That sounds familiar... from Akanksha. You sure you don't need to help?"
"My business is more important. Lushard approved it, didn't he?"
"I saw him sigh, yeah..."
According to Akanksha, both Lushard and Radica were gem-rank mages, but Radica was the stronger one.
Apparently, they weren't appointed strictly by skill.
Well, better the vice-chairwoman gallivanting around than the chairman.
Not that Galen cared much about earth fairy organizational culture.
"Just the three of us, though?"
"I can handle any assistance needed myself. Who else do we need?"
"I mean, three should be enough for a wyvern, right?"
"Oh?"
Even after reviewing all the reports, it was something Radica hadn't considered. It was just too far from earth fairy common sense.
Maybe word had spread among wyverns about some crazy human enslaving their kin, because they were getting harder to spot.
"Kieeeek!"
About two hours later, an unlucky wyvern took the bait.
"Fascinating. Why didn't I think of this before?"
That was Radica's impressed take as she watched it get pummeled.
"If we can just manage the initial mounting, ordinary folk might struggle, but a gold could pull it off with skill."
"Oh, really?"
"A quick burst of force on impact, and even a wyvern could take it. Mastering it like Lilia is another story, of course... but I could manage. Good lesson learned."
As Radica seriously pondered new wyvern regulations for the next tournament,
the subdued wyvern wobbled down to the ground.
Radica simply grabbed its horns and held on—possible even barehanded—and Galen borrowed rope again, as usual.
Soon, the wyvern flapped into the air with all three aboard.
"Head that way?"
"Yes!"
The direction was north-northwest.
Shoooing!
Thankfully, as expected, the wyvern flew decently.
An earth fairy who didn't use earth power at all was far lighter than her small frame suggested—lighter than Lilia, even.
A wyvern strong enough to snatch sheep, horses, even cows wouldn't strain under two women and one man.
It wobbled a bit, but that was just from all the beatings.
"At this rate, we'll arrive by tonight."
"That fast?"
"That's the speed. A full day's mountain trek, done in under an hour."
Of course, wyverns weren't built for non-stop long flights, and clinging to horns mid-air got tiring, so they took breaks.
But the six-day one-way distance was shrinking fast.
"I was gonna explain leisurely since I thought it'd take longer, but better now."
At lunch, when they landed, Radica finally explained the star fragments.
They'd heard how precious they were but not what they did, so Galen and Lilia perked up.
"They're called fragments because they're found in tiny bits, and 'star' because they remind us of stars."
"Do they sparkle?"
"Not the look. It's that mysterious feeling you get staring at the night sky. Or is that just us?"
"We feel it too."
"That's the vibe."
Galen had imagined some meteorite-related artifact, but this was different.
"Star fragments hold a mysterious power. Once tamed, the owner can borrow that power."
"Borrow how...?"
"Literally—add the star's power to your own. More simply, use less of yours and fill the gap with the star's."
"...Is that possible?"
"That's why they're treasures."
To their skepticism, Radica elaborated.
The star's power reacts to ki, mana, holy power—anything.
Humans don't know because the fragments are visually indistinguishable.
Earth fairies, always surrounded by earth power, sense mana reactions in mines and find them.
Humans—warriors, mages, priests—don't mine. And they're too rare anyway.
"Sometimes a tiny bit mixes into a weapon unknowingly. That's a so-called treasure sword—sharper attacks from the unwitting star power boost."
"Ah. So what's the standard amount?"
"More fragments mean more power, but too much is uncontrollable. Max is usually 1:1—half your power, half star's."
"So no need for more than a set amount? Can't use excess anyway."
"Right. Standard amount is tuned for that—enough star power even for gems."
"So, simply put."
Galen cut to the chase after listening.
"Up to half mix means total mana doubles, right?"
"That's a fine way to see it. Same for ki or holy power."
"What about lifespan?"
"Lifespan?"
"Can you use the star's power indefinitely? No limits?"
"Not sure. I've used mine over thirty years."
"Thirty years..."
She looked half that age, but that wasn't the point now.
"Worthy of a holy sword."
Lilia's eyes sparkled as she murmured.
Like other miracles, but blessing duration—channeling holy power for extreme bursts—doubling? Huge.
"Gotta work hard on this request."
Galen's face lit with keen interest too.
With five spells at gold, rotating them evenly made his mana five times a normal mage's.
Mix star power into all? Tenfold. Cheat becomes mega-cheat.
Even if not, doubling his main spell's mana was great.
"Exactly. It's that good, so take one full piece each over halves."
Radica smiled softly, wrapping up.
After eating and resting more, they caught a new wyvern and took off again.
Flying north-northwest,
they reached the destination before sunset.
"We're here. That's it."
A mountain peak towering higher than its neighbors in the distance.
Closer, the terrain sharpened.
A sunken crater like a volcano's, filled with water inside.
"...Why's it look like that?"
Lilia, with sharp eyes, noticed first and narrowed hers.
Moments later, Galen spotted it too.
"Huh?"
Waves churned wildly on the lake.