Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Translator: Penny
Chapter 58
Agron summoned Baek Woon again.
He decided to explain his plan step by step.
"When the Elder makes potions, we'll sell them nationwide as a special product of the Veilain Fief."
"As expected, Master! What a brilliant plan!"
"Oh, Agron, that's fantastic! I'll make sure the Royal Family buys them in bulk!"
"Congratulations, Count! You've finally found the answer."
Everyone rejoiced at his grand scheme, except for one person.
"..."
Baek Woon wanted to smash the heads of these imbeciles with his staff, one by one.
Their words were so nonsensical, he couldn't tell if they were speaking or just babbling.
"Do you fools think potions just pop out the moment I touch them? Like water gushing from a well whenever you please?"
"Isn't it just a matter of adding water, medicinal herbs, boiling it, and finishing with Daoist Arts?"
"...You, who claim to have mastered all knowledge, sometimes spout such foolish nonsense." Baek Woon scowled fiercely, rebuking Agron.
"My apologies, Elder. Then how is it actually made?"
"Hmph, listen carefully. I'll explain it simply. First, you must create distilled water. Then, boil the medicinal herbs in precise proportions. Finally, use Magic Arts to decompose a Mana Stone, mix it with the herbal decoction, and let it mature."
"How is that different from what I said?"
"...Well... uh..." Baek Woon opened his mouth, then snapped it shut.
Agron's initial description wasn't fundamentally different from his own explanation.
"...Why does your brain only become so sharp at times like this?"
"Huh? Wasn't it useful just now?"
"Please, just shut your mouth."
"This little brat dares to speak to Master like that! Why aren't you making potions already?!"
"Hey, how old do you think I am? Stop calling me a kid..."
"To me, you're nothing more than a clueless six-year-old! A mere Potion Brewer trying to stand up to Master?!"
"Ugh..."
Baek Woon frowned, glancing back and forth between Baek Woon and Elena.
Just as Agron treated Baek Woon with respect as an elder, Baek Woon couldn't treat Elena carelessly because she was his senior.
It was the Eastern tradition of respecting elders, ingrained in his very bones.
"Hmm, I suppose I didn't explain it properly."
Agron stepped between the restless Baek Woon and Elena.
"Elder, you won't be making these potions alone. We'll involve the people of the fief."
"The people of the fief?"
"We'll cultivate the barren land to grow medicinal herbs on a large scale and have them produce potions."
"But... I doubt its effectiveness. It would take years, even for a single person, to learn how to properly mix herbs and brew potions."
Baek Woon frowned, his lips turning down in disapproval.
Even he had spent over five years perfecting his potion-making skills.
Of course, producing the lowest-grade potions would take less time, but even that couldn't be guaranteed.
"That's alright. We won't have each person making entire potions from start to finish. We'll divide the tasks into specialized roles."
"Roles...? What do you mean?"
"For example, we could assign farming and medicinal herb cultivation to those who were previously farmers. Then, we could have one group focus on drying and blending the herbs, while another group handles the process of decocting the herbs in distilled water."
"Oh... that's... revolutionary."
Baek Woon looked genuinely astonished.
Currently, potions were considered unique elixirs personally crafted and sold by individual Alchemists.
They were marketed under names like "Alchemist Roikhan's Stamina Recovery Potion" or "The Flame Alchemist's Detoxification Elixir," each bearing the creator's name.
But Agron's proposal—a Lord mass-producing potions as a specialty product of their fief—was something Baek Woon, who had traveled the world, had never heard of before.
Of course, the Imperial Court produced potions in large quantities, but those were manufactured by court alchemists for the imperial knights.
This was a completely different matter from what Agron was proposing.
"Did you say you plan to make this fief-produced potion a specialty product of the fief?"
"Yes, Your Excellency. It would solve the employment problem, create a specialty product, and boost trade. A win-win situation, wouldn't you agree?"
Baek Woon stared at Agron with genuine astonishment.
And it wasn't just Baek Woon.
Even those who initially dismissed Agron's idea as absurd began to wear expressions of admiration as they heard the specifics of his plan.
The Majordomo, Collector, and Secretary were particularly excited, their faces flushed with enthusiasm.
"Your Excellency, this is truly a brilliant strategy!"
"That's right. Even in Alkeroden, the city of alchemists, they don't mass-produce potions. They're too busy branding and selling their own concoctions."
"If we succeed, this will become a signature product of the Veilain Fief!"
Just as mages are notoriously self-centered, alchemists are a breed obsessed with money.
They believe their own potions are the best, dismissing or ignoring the research of other alchemists.
"It's unlikely anyone else will copy this, but let's register the trademark just in case," Lawrence suggested from the side.
Agron's idea wasn't something easily conceived, nor would it be easily replicated even if someone tried.
First, they needed someone who knew how to make potions, but the problem was that person had to be as open-minded as Baek Woon.
People who made a living off their skills were naturally reluctant to let their techniques be leaked.
"That's a good idea. I'll discuss trademark registration with Luna," Agron said, surprisingly praising Lawrence and chiming in.
Lawrence, now puffed up with pride, straightened his shoulders and took a large bite of dessert.
"We should gather people first, Master," Elena suggested.
"We already have people to clear the fields and cultivate medicinal herbs. Now we need to find someone to handle the subsequent tasks," Agron replied.
"Huh? You've already found people?" Elena asked, her eyes widening.
Agron answered with a matter-of-fact tone, "What about the orphanage children and vagrants?"
After receiving the detailed report from Kopellus, Praman couldn't help but gape in disbelief.
Everything his grandson Belmond had said was true.
He began rereading the document handed to him by the Majordomo.
"A wild boar over 4 meters long and weighing over 500 kilograms... was thrown?"
"That is correct, Your Majesty."
"According to this report, it didn't fly in an arc but fell straight from the sky...?"
"We contacted the other nobles who witnessed the event, and they all confirmed seeing a 'falling' boar."
"..."
He continued reading through the document.
It contained not only Agron's words but also eyewitness accounts that served as irrefutable evidence.
"He pulled out boar tusks with his bare hands? Two of them?"
"Yes... Each one reportedly weighed over 20 kilograms."
"And he felled a Serpent Demonic Beast over 40 meters long with a single blow? Without a weapon?"
Praman continued to question the Majordomo as he read the document, clearly finding the contents unbelievable.
"No... He strangled it to death? A Demonic Beast?"
"That... there are multiple witnesses to that..."
"..."
Praman fell silent, his mouth clamped shut like a mute who had swallowed honey.
This is absurd—
Beyond absurd, it has to be a lie—
Yet there were numerous witnesses and overwhelming evidence.
Count Kopellus had even offered to send people to personally inspect the Demonic Beast's carcass if necessary.
"I wish we could send it to you, but it's over 40 meters long and we've decided to preserve it, so it can't be moved," he added.
Praman set down the paper and rubbed his temples.
"Incredible... absolutely incredible... To think such a hero could emerge from such a small kingdom..."
This was an achievement comparable to the highest ranks of the White Brigade.
At least, if anyone else had ever defeated a massive Demonic Beast with their bare hands.
"Is there any chance this Count Agron might defect to our side?"
"Huh? By 'our side,' do you mean...?"
"To the Empire, of course. He's clearly a talent worth coveting."
Praman had been favorably inclined toward Agron ever since hearing about his rescue of Belmond.
But as he learned more about Agron's exploits, it became clear that this man wasn't just capable—he was an exceptionally gifted individual.
Praman tapped the table thoughtfully.
This Agron wasn't just strong; he was politically astute.
In the end, it was Agron who cornered Duran and cut off his political lifeline. It seems he did it to make Lawrence king... I need to get closer to Agron first.
Whether by chance or fate, Belmond and Agron had already become sworn brothers.
This must be the will of the gods.
Bringing Agron to the Empire is my top priority. If that's impossible, I'll support him as much as possible to make him a key figure in the Kingdom. And if possible, I'll help Lawrence become king.
Having made up his mind, Praman smiled, his face noticeably lighter.
"Ugh, what the hell is this bullshit so early in the morning?"
"Exactly! Fucking Lord thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he's in charge?"
"Bastard! Treating us like this just because we're poor... I'll smash his head with a rock the next time I see him."
The crowd gathered in the courtyard at dawn, shivering in the cold and grumbling incessantly as they rubbed their arms.
They were vagrants who had lived on the outskirts of Kotaru.
Swept up by Agron's policies, they had been forced to become day laborers instead of vagrants.
Of course, not everyone welcomed this new era.
While ordinary citizens living in the outer districts might have rejoiced, the beggars themselves resented their current reality.
They had been living comfortably by begging, causing trouble, dining and dashing, and even resorting to robbery. So, being suddenly told to work diligently was naturally met with discontent.
"Is everyone here?"
At that moment, a group of people approached them, offering morning greetings.
They were the Lord's Knights.
"One person is missing."
"Ah, he's still in the restroom..."
"He hasn't run off, has he?"
"N-no, My Lord... Heh heh heh."
The beggar who answered forced a servile smile, trying to appease the Knight.
Initially, some vagrants had boldly declared, "Who does the Lord think he is?!" and stormed out of the lodging.
Despite their bravado, they were forced to return within two days.
Of course, they weren't exactly in good shape—they were covered in blood and barely alive.
The knights didn't need to repeat themselves.
The first time someone tried to escape and got caught, they were beaten half to death. The second time, they were immediately thrown into prison, with no exceptions.
The problem was that once you were in prison, the only way out was as a corpse.
From that moment on, the beggars began to obey the knights' orders without hesitation.
They might curse and grumble behind their backs, but they'd grin and smile to their faces.
They'd realized that faithfully carrying out the knights' commands was the best way to stay alive.
Still, there were some vagrants who continued to act cocky around the knights.
These men were former mercenaries and underworld figures. But after the Knight Commander nearly beat them to death that day, they became much more obedient.
As the last person returned from the restroom, a knight summoned his superior.
"Commander, everyone's assembled."
"..."
The Knight Commander always concealed his face behind a helmet, making it impossible to read his expression. He spoke sparingly, making it difficult to discern his thoughts.
He slowly moved his helmet, as if scrutinizing each vagrant one by one.
"Today, we'll be cultivating the fields," the Knight Commander announced, his gaze sweeping over them.
The men sighed in relief. This was far preferable to cleaning septic tanks, disposing of monster corpses, or handling cleanup duties.
At that moment, Wolf added, "If you don't cultivate the fields properly... I'll kill you."
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny