Chapter 346
Chapter 346
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 346
>Chapter Title: On the Land Where It All Began
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The next day.
After settling breakfast at Viscount Drmusi's estate, we hit the road toward the Arapurkin development site.
"Well then... farewell. Safe travels."
"Viscount, see you again."
"...Yes."
Viscount Drmusi pulled a reluctant face at my casual "see you again."
I got it.
He probably wasn't thrilled.
People don't exactly love the guy who airs their dirty laundry.
But Viscount Drmusi needed to learn this lesson now. What? That ignoring your flaws gets you nowhere—growth comes from facing them head-on.
My promise of future meetings was all for his personal development.
'After-service, right? Yeah, that's it.'
With that, we departed Viscount Drmusi's estate, and the journey proceeded smoothly.
"It's not just the money—we got a pretty good haul."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, the biggest issue was actually food supplies. But with Viscount Drmusi's territory on board, we'll get food and construction materials way easier."
"Mm-hmm."
I nodded along to Evelyn's excited chatter.
She'd rattled off a bunch about trade agreements and such, but honestly, most of it went over my head.
I just figured if she said it was good, it was good.
That said, even I could tell there were some tempting perks.
"The real jackpot, though, is the Sherpas."
"...Sherpas?"
"Yeah, think of them like pathfinders from the Hamern Great Forest. Viscount Drmusi's territory has been gathering magic materials long before the Arapurkin Mountains hit the map. They've got experienced guides—Sherpas—who've been at it for ages."
According to Evelyn, Sherpas were from a minority tribe living at the foot of the Arapurkin Mountains, indispensable for anyone navigating the range.
Before Hamern Great Forest, I might've scoffed, "Guides for some stupid mountain climb?" But now I knew better—their value.
It was all about efficiency.
Even transcendent beings could brute-force most problems, but not everyone at the site was transcendent.
In a way, they were the most crucial manpower for setting up the base camp in the Arapurkin Mountains.
This was something I hadn't considered, so it hit deep.
I'd figured tossing Reilly in would sort it out somehow.
But Sherpas existed?
'Reilly's got it easy now.'
Why?
Learning from a proper teacher beats fumbling around trial-and-error style.
From pathfinder to Sherpa.
'Not bad.'
Here I was, pondering Reilly's future like a doting mentor.
Anyway...
"We're heading straight to the site?"
Evelyn tilted her head at my question.
"Yeah, got somewhere to stop by?"
"Nah, not that. But hitting the other shady lords first wouldn't waste time on the route?"
"Oh, that? True, but there's something I need to check at the site."
"Check what?"
"Well, we need voluntary contributions from the other sites, right? To do that, we gotta know how rough they've had it."
"Mm-hmm."
"Not that we're shaking them down or anything. Just in case—no misunderstandings like, 'Eh? That's all? Where's the sincerity...?' You know? So they don't get offended. If they think we're giving little because we're ungrateful, when really it's because things were tough and we're just scraping by—how bad would that sting for both sides?"
"You're right."
As expected from the one handling the Magic Tower's finances.
Such foresight.
...
After that, we spent the time chatting about what lay ahead.
How we'd deliver justice to the other shady lords, and how much to gauge for voluntary contributions from the other sites.
No need to rush.
We weren't pressed for time.
Two days later, around lunchtime.
"Sir Aster, looks like we're almost there?"
At Reilly's voice, I poked my head out the window.
A chill winter wind whipped through, tousling my hair, and far on the horizon, a silhouette shimmered.
Under the overwhelming jagged peaks, buildings and tents clustered together.
"That's..."
"Yeah, the development site."
Evelyn's words.
Some inexpressible emotion welled up from deep in my chest, spreading through my body.
A kind of euphoria.
Finally, we'd arrived.
...
The Magic Tower.
On that starting ground.
* * *
My euphoria didn't last—Evelyn soon brought up practicalities.
"So, what's the plan?"
"For what?"
She swiped her palm across her face like wiping it down.
"What about your face?"
"Gonna go out like that? No mask?"
"...Ah."
Sharp point.
Revealing myself here meant revealing to the investors too.
In other words...
'The Magic Tower's lord is some fresh academy grad.'
Three of the four big investors—Senior Muspellun, Bellrose, Patriarch Leodis—might be fine. The issue was...
'...Young Patriarch Sion.'
I'd built a solid rapport with Lortel, but if my identity leaked, what would Sion do? No, what about Lortel Patriarch Muhard?
That was a huge burden for me, and not the only one.
'Beyond Lortel, there's Professor Parun, Professor Pelina, and a bunch of minor snags.'
Reveal or hide?
That was the question...
"You're asking that now?"
Truth was, the answer was already set.
If I'd meant to hide, I'd have worn the mask in front of Viscount Drmusi.
Evelyn shrugged like she'd known, at my question.
"Just in case. Thought you might've forgotten."
"Right? Exactly."
"Yeah. But what changed? You've been killing yourself to stay hidden till now."
"Well..."
Why reveal now?
Plenty of reasons, but they all boiled down to one core truth.
"Can't hide forever."
"Fair, but..."
Evelyn cocked her head, unpersuaded, but I didn't bother explaining further.
Nothing grand about it.
Just...
'Magic Tower or Decullan.'
Whichever path, hiding had limits.
Of course, worries remained.
The biggest one...
'...Decullan, naturally.'
We weren't flying the Magic Tower flag openly in Arapurkin yet, but when it surfaced, I'd be a prime target for Decullan.
Fighting a "mysterious lord" versus "Lord Aster" was worlds apart.
Still, why reveal? Simple—same reason: limits to hiding. More precisely, to grow the faction.
A "unknown entity" is tricky for enemies, sure, but awkward for allies too.
And the minor issues...
'Professor Parun and Professor Pelina, obviously.'
Academy troublemaker student as Magic Tower boss?
Hard pill to swallow.
But...
'That's a problem for later.'
For now, focus on being the Magic Tower's center.
Like Shine said, step into the light... do public stuff, whatever.
If needed, leverage the "youngest(?) archmage" title.
Such thoughts swirling when...
Rattle, clunk, clunk...
The carriage slowed, then stopped.
A voice from outside.
"...and the destination is..."
Too low to catch details, but sharpening my senses cleared it up.
Evelyn spoke around then.
"Patrol, I think."
"Yeah. But..."
I listened to the patrol and Reilly, then tilted my head.
"What's up?"
"Something's off—sounds like trouble."
Missed the start pondering, but the patrol's tone was serious.
As I thought that...
Reilly's voice pierced the carriage.
"Uh... Sir Aster? Lady Evelyn? Might wanna come out?"
"What's going on?"
"Well..."
Reilly trailed off.
A stranger cut in.
"The overseer? Mind a quick chat?"
"...Sir Vark?"
"That's me."
Vark... captain of the Gale Wings Mercenary Corps.
A merc captain on patrol?
Something was seriously wrong...
Crunch, crunch.
Footsteps approaching the carriage.
"Mind if I step in?"
Evelyn glanced at me.
I nodded.
No issue.
* * *
The Gale Wings captain in person differed wildly from my image.
Slender for a grown man, sharp facial lines, more scholar than sellsword.
Without the subtle sharp aura, you'd buy him as a scholar.
After boarding, he glanced at the sleeping wyvern, then eyed me.
"And you are...?"
"Aster."
"...Aster? As in Aster..."
Heard from Hickster? Vark's eyes lit with recognition, then dimmed just as quick.
"Could you be the employer we were told to expect?"
"Yes, that's me."
"I see. Pleased to meet you. Vark, captain of the Gale Wings Mercenary Corps."
"Likewise."
First impressions? Solid.
He knew my age and status but kept employer-employee lines crisp.
But that wasn't the point now.
"Sounded like there was an issue from what I overheard. Care to fill us in?"
That was burning me up.
What could hit the site so bad the Gale Wings captain patrols out here?
Vark didn't take long.
"Yeah, should've explained right away. Was waiting to warn the overseer—the site's in danger."
"The site's in danger?"
Evelyn tilted her head, puzzled.
How dangerous to drag him out here personally?
Same for me, but Vark replied flatly, nonchalant.
"The site's under attack."
"Attack...?"
Vark nodded calmly.
Evelyn? Anything but.
"Attack from who? Who the hell would attack...?"
Gale Wings were top-ten continental mercs. The site had Kalia Mercs to match, plus Hamern Great Forest vets.
Who could threaten that?
...
The answer was simple.
Flying monsters...
"Wyverns."
Exactly.