Chapter 20
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Road to Neokalitz
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Just an insignificant ring.
But because of where it was, no one could have found it.
‘There's no way anyone in the training grounds would be using mana.’
It would be incredibly difficult to discover under normal circumstances.
But one question remained: why hadn't Apel taken it?
‘In my past life, his starting point was definitely the 3rd Training Grounds.’
If nothing had changed, Apel would have come to the 3rd Training Grounds' armory.
‘Am I missing something?’
Something that would make him choose another item over this.
Demian quickly scanned the inside of the armory again.
He was checking if there was a better artifact he hadn't found.
“...I don't feel any particular mana signatures.”
Demian muttered.
Just then.
“Demian, hurry up and pick something. The others are waiting.”
“Yes, sir. I'm done.”
At Raymond's urging, Demian stepped out of the armory.
“Sorry, did I take too long?”
“It's fine. Everyone feels the same way when they go in.”
To them, even the 3rd Training Grounds' armory would feel like a treasure vault.
Apel went in second.
And he came out sooner than expected.
As if he had already decided what to pick.
Demian saw what was in Apel's hand.
It was a seal, about half the size of his palm...
“...Huh?”
“What's wrong?”
“No, it's nothing.”
Demian shook his head.
The seal Apel had brought out.
‘I remember that... it was the crest of some kingdom.’
He didn't know the name.
But he was certain it was the crest of a kingdom that had fallen long ago.
Demian looked at Apel.
‘Could it be...’
He felt there might be a connection to why Apel was learning mana.
One by one, the others followed, each bringing out their chosen item from the armory.
“Oh, you’ve brought out a rather fine spear. I hope you use it well.”
“This is a shield made by a craftsman named Walter, who was once famous in the old capital. It suits you well.”
He commented on each item as the cadets brought them out. Then, Raymond looked at Apel.
Raymond looked at the seal in Apel’s hand with an intrigued expression.
“Hoh, did you know what this was when you picked it?”
“I just felt a sacred power from it, so I brought it out.”
“Sacred power, you say. I suppose it could be. This seal is said to be imbued with the power to ward off misfortune. I hope only good things come your way.”
“Thank you!”
And finally, Demian.
But Raymond looked at the ring in Demian’s hand with a puzzled expression.
“This... is just a ring that slightly reduces your body weight. Are you sure about this?”
“Body weight...?”
“Did you not know? Try it on.”
At Raymond’s words, Demian put on the ring.
The moment he did, he felt his body become strangely lighter.
‘...Is my weight actually decreasing?’
He hadn't known it had this function.
But it was quite...
‘It feels like it's decreased a lot.’
Feeling a lightness as if he'd just taken off his armor, Demian jumped lightly on the spot.
Raymond asked.
“How is it?”
“Yes, it’s... much better than I expected.”
It wasn't as if his strength had decreased either.
His body had simply become lighter.
‘This will let me move faster.’
“I’m glad you like it. Then that will be your choice.”
Until now, no one had chosen this item because its only known ability was weight reduction.
If it had found an owner, that was enough.
But from Demian’s perspective, it was like getting an extra feature.
‘Invisibility and weight reduction. This is definitely an A-rank item.’
It wasn't something that should be rotting away in a training facility like this.
Satisfied, Demian nodded.
“Alright, let's all head out. It's time to request your desired units and finish up.”
Until the very end, Raymond felt a sense of regret about Demian’s decision.
If the boy went to the knight order, he could have soared so much higher.
But Demian followed his own convictions.
[Desired Unit: 3rd Division, Neokalitz Unit.]
After he finished signing, Raymond looked at Demian with resignation and said,
“I’m sure you’ll do well, but... that place is truly dangerous. Please, be careful. Be very careful.”
“Yes, sir. Thank you for your concern.”
“Your notice will be issued in a few days. You can move out after you receive it.”
*Scrape.*
Raymond stood from his seat and extended his hand to Demian.
“You worked hard this past month.”
“You too, Instructor.”
Demian shook Raymond's hand.
Now, finally.
‘I'm heading there.’
Since returning, it felt like one part of his journey had come to an end.
Leaving the training grounds, Demian felt a mix of relief and wistfulness.
But just then.
“Demian!”
Apel approached Demian, who had turned to look back at the training grounds' entrance.
The boy was as radiant as ever.
Apel came up to Demian and asked,
“Why aren't you joining the knight order?”
“It's not where I belong.”
“...”
Apel fell silent.
He sometimes said things that were hard to understand.
He was the same age, but he possessed an absurd level of skill that made it impossible to see him as a peer.
Apel said,
“I received Instructor Leonhard's recommendation and am going to the knight order.”
“A wise choice.”
“Hahahaha, you're really an unpredictable guy.”
Calling it a wise choice when he himself had refused.
He didn't know what to say.
But still...
“The Neokalitz Unit. I heard it’s a dangerous place. Please take care of yourself.”
“Thanks.”
Demian shook Apel's hand.
Did this kid know?
That far in the future, he would become the great general of the Baroque Kingdom.
‘Perhaps... he might become even more of a monster.’
Just imagining what he would become later on was amusing.
Demian watched Apel quietly as he turned to leave.
‘Then I should...’
At that moment.
“Demian!”
With a booming voice, Kyle came running over, his footsteps thudding.
He seemed to have run in a hurry, for he was catching his breath as he spoke to Demian.
“You were going to leave without saying goodbye?”
“We can do it when we meet again.”
“Hahahaha, I see. Alright, take care. See you around.”
“Yeah. I wish you the best.”
Demian turned and walked away, leaving Kyle waving behind him.
And then,
“Is it my turn now?”
“...Ah?”
Diel from the Hamel Merchant Guild had come to find Demian.
* * *
“We are considering 3% of the net revenue.”
Demian had moved to a new location.
He looked at the document Diel had handed him.
It detailed the use of the investment funds provided by Demian.
The classification of the beneficiaries, as well as the synergistic effects expected from the charity work.
Demian was amazed by how neatly everything was organized.
‘...This is impressive.’
Flipping through the papers, Demian glanced at Diel.
She looked a little nervous.
But when her eyes met Demian's, she smiled.
“If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.”
It meant she was prepared.
Seeing the strong confidence in her expression, Demian asked,
“I have no questions about the charity work. If I had any after reading all this, it would mean I hadn't read it at all.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It is a compliment. Besides…”
There was one more reason to hold her in high regard.
If they had thought of him as just a thirteen-year-old investor, they wouldn't have prepared such a detailed document.
It was proof of how they viewed Demian.
Demian asked.
“So, regarding my terms, you're saying it's 3% of the net revenue?”
“Yes. The moment the investment is received, the Hamel Merchant Guild will disclose its financial statements whenever you wish.”
Even transparent management.
He had never heard of a merchant guild that would disclose its financial statements, even at an investor's request.
Demian nodded.
“Let's do that. As for the money... you can receive it tomorrow when you accompany me to the Imperial Bank.”
“Thank you. I will draw up a detailed contract and show it to you tomorrow.”
“Alright.”
Once their discussion was over, Demian stood up.
All of this was just a formality.
Demian was investing in Diel herself. And in the Hamel Merchant Guild, which would become the Wirkeu Merchant Guild.
And the next day.
As promised, Demian went to the Imperial Bank with Diel and handed over the investment funds.
However, it wasn't the promised 300 gold, but 500.
“Th-this is...?”
“It's a reward for the sincerity you've shown me. Please put it to good use.”
“I will amend the contract right now. Could you wait a moment?”
“That's alright. It's just a contract, after all. As long as our trust isn't broken, it's not really necessary.”
That was the nature of contracts.
They weren't very useful when there were no problems.
You only looked for a contract when a problem arose between parties.
“...You truly are a unique person.”
She decided to forget his age from now on.
Wasn't he someone whose eccentric behavior would be hard to understand even if he were a hundred years old, let alone thirteen?
Diel simply smiled faintly and asked Demian,
“Now that you've graduated from the training grounds, you'll be heading to your assigned post... Where are you going?”
“To the west.”
“The west?”
“It's a unit called the Neokalitz Unit, near the Bronserian Forest in the west.”
“The Neokalitz Unit?!”
Diel cried out, startled.
Judging by her reaction, it seemed she had also heard of the Neokalitz.
Demian let out a small laugh.
In contrast, Diel's face turned pale.
“Wh-wh-why there... Surely you didn't volunteer, did you?”
“I did volunteer. I was first in the training grounds; do you think they'd force me to go there?”
“Good heavens.”
Diel looked at Demian as if the sky were falling.
Demian said with a mischievous look,
“Who knows? If I die, that investment money just becomes the Hamel Merchant Guild's.”
He'd said it as a joke.
But Diel's expression hardened.
“I don't appreciate jokes like that.”
“...My apologies.”
The atmosphere turned serious, and Demian immediately apologized.
On the old battlefields, jokes like this were as common as eating a meal.
Diel said to Demian,
“When do you depart?”
“Three days after graduation... so, in two days.”
“Two days... I understand.”
With those words, Diel bowed politely and turned away.
No, she stopped, turned back to Demian, and said,
“The investment you gave us, Demian. I will use it carefully and well.”
With that, Diel turned and hurried away.
Left alone, Demian recalled Diel's stern expression from earlier.
“She has a surprisingly scary side to her.”
*Streeetch!*
Stretching widely, Demian looked toward the bustling streets.
In two days, he would have to live in that wretched forest, clashing with monsters.
“I should eat all I want before I go.”
With the thought of leaving, Demian began to wander around, running through a mental list of the capital's best eateries.
* * *
Two days passed.
Having received his notice, Demian was now truly ready to leave.
“...What are you doing here?”
Just as Demian was about to depart for Erkal, where the Neokalitz Unit was stationed, an unexpected person appeared before him.
At Demian's question, the guy burst out laughing.
“Hahaha, I told you we'd meet again.”
“...Don't tell me, you.”
“That's right. I applied to the Neokalitz Unit too.”
The guy who was a head taller than Demian.
The guy with rock-hard muscles and a charming, hearty laugh.
It was Kyle.
And he had also applied to the Neokalitz Unit.
“You crazy bastard.”
“Hahaha, not as crazy as you.”
It was definitely a crazy thing to do.
Even with Kyle's skill, the Neokalitz Unit would not be easy.
But for some reason.
This feeling wasn't bad.
*Pfft.*
The corners of Demian's mouth lifted.
“Don't go and die right away. I don't want to have to clean up your corpse.”
“Hmph! Don't you worry about that. You'd better not be the one whining about how hard it is.”
Kyle let out a booming ‘Uahaha’ laugh.
He had unexpectedly gained a companion.
It was unexpected, but he didn't feel bad about it.
No, in fact...
‘This reminds me of the old days.’
The times he had spent with his comrades-in-arms suddenly came to mind.
“Shall we get going then?”
“Let's.”
Just as the two nodded and were about to move.
“Wait a moment!”
“...?”
“What now?”
Kyle's brow furrowed at the woman's voice coming from behind.
But the woman who soon appeared looked at Demian and said,
“I'm glad I wasn't too late.”
“...What is it?”
Demian asked, looking at the suddenly appeared Diel. Furthermore...
“What is this carriage for?”
“I had to prepare it in a hurry, so I couldn't pack much. The Neokalitz Unit is a great distance from here. Please take this carriage. Inside, I've placed some snacks for the journey and some items you might need there.”
At her words, Kyle opened the carriage door.
“Wow.”
Just as she said, the carriage was filled with enough food to last quite a while and various items of unknown purpose.
Demian couldn't hide his surprise either.
“When did you get all this...?”
“I worked hard to gather it over the past two days. Please take care of yourself. The investment... didn't you say you would add more later?”
“Eh?”
Diel said to Demian with a slight smile.
Demian looked dumbfounded at that, but.
“Hahahahahahaha!”
He soon burst into loud laughter.
Had he ever seen such a transparent lie?
She was a truly amusing and dishonest woman.
Demian said to Diel,
“See you again.”
“Yes.”
After the brief farewell, Demian and Kyle boarded the carriage.
Now, it was truly time to depart.