Chapter 82
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Goldie the Ether Hound
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Success.
A resounding success.
Look at this. Four legs planted firmly on the ground.
The tail wags like a propeller, floppy ears twitching lightly. Fluff sticks up all over like dandelion seeds, swaying in the gentle breeze.
The very pinnacle of perfection.
Ian crouched down, extended a hand toward this pinnacle of perfection, and said,
"Puppy. Wanna come here?"
"Woof!"
The puppy scampered over and nuzzled his hand. Soft skin and fluffy fur met his palm.
'Wow!'
Here was a soul who had never owned a pet in either of his lives, utterly moved.
'Ah, so this is it.'
This is what it feels like.
He finally knew.
"Hah hah hah!"
It licked his hand. Ticklish, but it felt good.
"Heh heh heh."
Damn. Couldn't help but grin.
Why did something so simple feel this great?
"Puppy. Hand."
"Woof!"
'Holy shit. It knows that too? No training, and it's this smart?'
Ian had completely forgotten he'd programmed it to understand commands without training.
"Sit!"
"Woof!"
"Stand!"
"Woof!"
"Fetch!"
"Woof!"
Ian spaced out, issuing commands left and right like a man entranced.
No, Kez calling from the side went unheard, so entranced was right.
Only after a solid thirty minutes of play did he snap out of it.
'Oh, right. What am I doing?'
Ian shook his head, belatedly realizing how distracted he'd been.
"Hah hah hah!"
"Puppy. Can you stay still for a sec?"
"Woof!"
It didn't listen.
Or rather, it was throwing a tantrum.
From the puppy's view, it was just eagerly wagging its tail and pouncing on its owner.
"Kez. Hold him for a bit."
"Pardon? Oh. Wow, this... this is incredibly soft. Whoa..."
Ian finally pried the puppy off by handing it to Kez, then recalled its detailed info.
Name:Ether Detector
Species:Ether Hound
What jumped out first was the species name.
'Ether Hound?'
Vision Hound, literally an ether hunting dog. Since it took the form of a dog, the species name had shifted accordingly.
Next, performance.
Nine traits and skills in total—more than enough to pass with flying colors.
Of course, real testing would tell the full story.
"Puppy. Come here."
"Woof!"
It recognized its master and leaped right into his arms.
Kez licked his lips, reluctant to let go, but Ian ignored it.
"Let's name you first."
Names are essential.
"Your name is Goldie."
Simple reason.
It was a yellowish dog.
The Ether Detector has been named Goldie.
"Goldie, let's get along from now on."
"Woof!"
Damn, that bark was loud and clear.
What made Goldie great was that it was a dog.
Designed to detect mana better than anyone and crush iron with its jaws, but appearances were dog all the way.
Meant no awkward stares wherever he took it.
Even at the imperial palace.
Not that he brought it to show off. It just insisted on following him everywhere.
"Hey, Left Arm. What's with the dog? You adopting one?"
"Ah, yeah."
"You rascal, it's cute. Hey, dog. Come here."
"Woof!"
Great reaction.
Look at Asteon lighting up like that.
Forgetting all crown prince dignity, he squatted down, grinning wide as he petted Goldie vigorously.
"Man. This little guy's adorable. Never seen a breed like this before."
Of course not. Designed as a K-Sigorzab mongrel.
"What's the breed?"
"No breed. Just a country mutt. Oh, name's Goldie."
"Mutt, huh. Matches me perfect."
"Pardon?"
"The filthy crown prince from commoner days—what else is that but a mutt? Right?"
"Uh, what??"
"Haha. Joke, joke. Why so jumpy."
Asteon laughed heartily and slung an arm around Ian's shoulders. Ian nodded casually but was inwardly rattled.
'Wouldn't you be?'
No one in the empire but the emperor would stay cool with assassination jokes like that.
"Hey, dog."
"Woof!"
"Take good care of your master. He's a precious talent who'll serve the empire till he drops, developing it all the way."
"Woof!"
"What? You know? Kuhuhu, smart pup, aren't ya?"
"Woof!"
'This guy's conversing with a dog.'
At dog level himself?
Fitting the rumors.
Indiscriminate, no front or back.
"Hey, dog. We've got this pretty purebred pup in the royal kennels. Unlike you. Interested? Want me to hook you up with pups?"
"Woof!"
"No thanks? Too much pressure?"
"Woof!"
"Aw, no need to be shy. Talent gets you ahead, no matter who. Like your master."
"Woof!"
"What? Me? Even without crown prince title, I'm talented. Genius, even. Didn't know?"
"Woof!"
Asteon kept chattering at Goldie for a good while longer.
Somehow, it even felt like real communication.
"Left Arm. No worries now. I gave it a stern talking-to. It'll serve you well."
"Ah, yeah."
"So, what's the visit for?"
"Heading to my territory. Tons of work. Might take a few days. That okay?"
"Go for it."
With the cool crown prince's blessing, Ian set off for the territory.
No direct warp portal yet, so travel took time.
Could use warp magic, but best avoided.
Officially, he didn't know it.
If word got out, he'd be dragged everywhere for "research cooperation."
No thanks.
'Gotta build my own warp portal station in the territory no matter what.'
Warp portals didn't make money.
They bled it dry with maintenance costs.
Exorbitant fees meant no logistics revolution.
Ian wasn't thinking that far anyway.
Still, he wanted one in his territory.
Simple reason.
'Convenient.'
Doesn't balance? Money pit?
Didn't care. Not running the territory for profit. Just wanted that 'click' to zip between capital and home.
'Commuting from the boonies to Seoul? Can't pass that up.'
Damn right. No one could.
Money? Pfft. Work-life balance changes everything.
"Right, Goldie?"
"Woof!"
Problem: attracting a magic tower branch for operations.
Not easy.
borderline impossible. No reason for them in a rural backwater.
Sure, grow Landerte County to capital rival, and they'd come begging.
'Ridiculous. How long would that take?'
Too hard, and no desire anyway.
Above all, didn't want to grovel to the money-grubbing tower.
Their demands were predictable.
'Means I gotta run my own warp station.'
Ian stroked his chin. Honestly, no guarantees. But not impossible.
He mastered warp magic, backed by the imperial family.
'What's not to do?'
Not now, though. Focus on reality.
What could he do in this barren field of farmland?
"My lord. You've arrived."
"Yeah. All good while I was gone?"
"Yes. No orders, so nothing done, but now that you're here, I'll step down as acting lord..."
"Nah, no. Keep it up."
"Eh, pardon?"
Steward Wilson wanted to hand over to the new lord, but Ian had no plans to remove his hat.
'Why mess with someone who's run it well so far?'
Territory thrived without a lord for ages—proof the proxy was ace.
"Stick with it a bit longer. I'll pop in sporadically when I can. Pretty busy."
Not laziness.
Just rewarding merit.
'Division of labor, basically.'
Admin whiz handles admin.
Maker makes.
"My lord. Where to?"
"Stroll to the back mountain."
"Ah, yes! Right away! Escort the lord!"
Lord perks: luxury escorts now.
Guards and servants everywhere.
"Nah, no need. Don't follow."
"Pardon? B-but, how can we let the lord go alone?"
"It's fine. Monsters are just goblins anyway."
Ditched the annoying entourage, took only Goldie to the back mountain.
Called back mountain, but vast. Scary enough for occasional goblins, per Wilson.
Perfect.
"Goldie. See that green monster?"
"Woof!"
"Good. Bite it!"
"Woof!"
Goldie has encountered a loitering Goblin!
Goldie: Bite
Goldie has defeated the loitering Goblin.
The goblin dropped dead.
In one Bite.
"Whoa."
Ian was genuinely impressed.
Just testing its combat chops.
'Insane.'
One Bite crunching the neck bone.
'That's... a puppy?'
"Our Goldie's amazing, huh?"
"Woof woof!"
A few more goblins later, Ian realized Goldie's combat power exceeded expectations.
'Strong enough for territory guard duty?'
Good.
Decided.
Goldie: mana detection hound and territory guard dog.
Rank: Guard Captain.
'This should do.'
After thirty minutes of climbing where the slope eased, Ian paused.
"Goldie. Got a job for you now."
"Woof?"
"Sniffing. Mana smell."
"Woof! Woof woof!"
Barking wildly.
Loves it?
Makes sense.
Sniffing mana was an Ether Hound's instinct.
Like stress relief for dogs.
For Goldie, ultimate joy.
How'd he know?
He designed it that way.
"You wanna find it too, right?"
"Woof!"
"Good. Find where mana smell's strongest. Probably underground."
"Woof woof!"
"Vein somewhere in this mountain. Mana stones... uh, Goldie!"
"Woof woof woof!"
"Goldie?"
Goldie bolted off uncontrollably. Arrow-fast, dot-like. Ian scratched his head, stunned.
'Whoa, speedy.'
Where'd it go?
Out of sight.
Well, it'd find it.
'Damn, stamina like a border collie on steroids.'
Ian gave up chasing fast, followed slowly.
Over two hours tracing mana trail, still no sign.
'Around here. Where?'
Another hour, then stop. Trail ended here, but no Goldie.
"Goldie! Where... hm?"
Ian focused. Faint sound.
Scritch scritch scratch!
Digging...
"Goldie?"
"Woof woof!"
Ahead, downslope past ridge—perfect blind spot—Goldie dug furiously with front paws.
"Smell here's strong?"
"Woof woof!"
Nose confirmed.
Goldie's trait 'Ether Detection' has discovered massive mana!
Goldie: Ether Tracking
Target location pinpointed.
Notifications and frantic paws confirmed.
"Move. I'll dig."
Held squirming Goldie, cast spell.
"<Dig>"
Rumble!
Deep pit formed.
Soon, Goldie reacted.
"Woof woof!"
Thrashing wildly.
"Whoa, easy."
"Woof woof woof!"
Calming it, notifications popped.
Goldie is wildly excited from the intense mana scent!
'Ether Tracking' has precisely located the target.
Goldie has discovered a mana stone vein!
"It's... here."
Ian's body trembled. Thought it'd take days at least. Done in one.
Knew it existed, but finding was another matter.
No modern surveys here.
'Jackpot!'
Not just jackpot. Super jackpot.
Same time.
A group of dwarves marched a well-paved highway.
Fields stretching sides, straight road. Human travelers front and back.
And dwarves.
"Been ages since human lands."
"Yeah."
Group leader, Thunderhammer clan dwarf Aindelph, marveled at surroundings.
Knew humans advanced fast. But this fast?
"Road's solid. Impressive work."
"Yeah. Wonder who designed it."
First human world visit in ages, everything novel.
All human achievements.
"So Ian's from this empire?"
"Yeah. Ddol Ddoli said so. Imperial."
"Can't wait to meet him. Curious how great a craftsman."
"Greatest human artisan!"
"Mighty human mage!"
Dwarves nodded. United.
Repay Ddol Ddoli's favor, but bigger drive: meet potential greatest human artisan, the great mage Ian.
"Onward, friends."
"Aye."
Aindelph's group headed to the empire's border city, hearts full of anticipation.
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