The Fourth Research: Drought
Olgoldugolro’s reply carried the first stirrings of civilization. She drew a clear line between the time before socialization and after, separating beasts from thinking beings, and affirmed the coexistence of different intelligent races exactly as I had taught her.
Thanks to her, my research into intelligence has finally advanced.
Basic Reward: Lore of the Mind
Optional Reward: Mental Manipulation — Enhanced
Mental Manipulation — Specialization Path
■ 1st Deep Research: Concentration
— Deepen Mental Manipulation by creating exceptional specimens like Olgoldugolro. Effective for nurturing a small number of superhumans.
■ 2nd Deep Research: Dispersion
— Deepen Mental Manipulation by raising the average across many individuals. Highly effective for promoting racial evolution or mass awakening.
Two.
I choose Dispersion.
Now I can apply Mental Manipulation even to ordinary specimens. I should be able to raise the average intelligence of the rock trolls who follow Olgoldugolro.
Lore of Magic (Mind) acquired!
Experience +10
Transmission Point +1!
20/100 until Level 16
Transmission Points: 22
I cast Mental Manipulation on the rock trolls working at the construction site. Their formerly dull speech changed noticeably.
“Greetings, humans.”
“We are those who received enlightenment from Grun Dark.”
“In other words, disciples of Lord Tellorian.”
…
I never took any of you as disciples, though?
“We hope you humans will also understand Grun Dark’s wish for the coexistence of intelligent beings!”
Traits:
[Super Regeneration]
[Stone Skin]
[Fire Vulnerability]
[Mental Manipulation (Enlightenment)]
Their Intelligence had risen from 6 to 12, and they had been granted a value system. Considering that wild animals possess no [value system]…
The monsters have become people.
With this, the rock trolls gained the ability to distinguish right from wrong according to their intelligence. As expected, [Mind] was a power that arose from the [intelligence] that formed one’s values.
By awakening the Lore of the Mind, I learned mind-based spells. From the cost-effective first-circle [Sleep] to the third-circle [Geas], I now possess the means to interfere with living beings’ minds through magic.
“Hup! Hup!”
“Everyone, work hard!”
“A healthy body houses a healthy mind!”
“Follow the Grey Sage’s teachings!”
…The trolls began spouting proverbs I had never taught them while hurrying the construction. Seeing them work so diligently, I could hardly stand idle.
New Lore acquired: Lore of the Earth
You have learned how to weave the power of the earth into spells. Earth magic specializes in utilizing natural materials.
Level 15.
The level at which fourth-circle spells become available.
Even without the aid of a magic circle.
“Rise!”
“Rise and take form!”
⟨ Stone Shaper ⟩
Using [Stone Shaper] from the Lore of the Earth, I carved boulders into stone blocks, then opened the Lore of the Arcane to transport the materials with [Telekinesis]. During breaks, I carefully inspected the construction site with a crystal orb. Thanks to this, in less than two weeks the aqueduct connecting the entire county took shape.
“Tellorian. I have a question.”
“?”
“Who designed these blueprints?”
Urban was astonished by the precision and sturdiness of the aqueduct. Building an aqueduct for a county of five hundred thousand residents was a massive undertaking. Even if he brought in imperial engineering officers, drafting the plans alone would have taken three months.
“I drew them while planning the construction.”
“?”
“Ideally, we would have invited professional architects, but with the drought upon us, I read some architecture books and hastily drafted them myself.”
Lore of Architecture acquired!
Experience +10
Transmission Point +1!
Level Up!
30/100 until Level 16
Transmission Points: 8
“…Your intellect far surpasses the bounds of humanity. Most dragons would struggle to match you. At best, only the ancient mage-kings could be compared to you.”
Nevertheless, the great project linking the underground lake of the Troll Mountains to Harrington County was completed in a single month. It was the result of my magic, the trolls’ brute strength, and Urban’s on-site supervision.
“Light of mana.”
“Mana, surge forth!”
⟨ Arcane Blast ⟩
BOOM!
The shockwave from my staff completely demolished the supports blocking the waterway. A powerful current gushed into the underground tunnel, flowed through the aqueduct, and reached villages across the county.
“Ooooooh!”
Dried wells filled once more, and the lifeless fields regained their vitality. Children who had been listless laughed brightly as they were drenched by the water.
“Give thanks to the mercy of Countess Belladia!”
“Praise the majesty of the Iron Hammer Count!”
“““Long live! Long live! Long live!”””
The people praised the leadership of House Harrington. Priests offered prayers of gratitude to the heavenly gods, and the lords breathed sighs of relief. Meanwhile, those sensitive to information took careful note of the court mage the Iron Hammer Count had newly recruited.
“Seeing her now, Lady Belladia has grown into a proper young countess. It seems the court mage truly cured her incurable illness, just as the rumors said.”
The exact nature of Belladia’s illness remained unknown. Yet the news that Tellorian had solved a disease even magisters could not cure spread beyond the kingdom, throughout the Heartland.
“And now he’s solved the drought as well?”
“That’s not all. They say Tellorian credited the success to his patron. Such loyalty and humility are rare among spellcasters!”
Mages capable of resolving droughts existed from time to time. But a mage who handed the credit to his liege? That was unheard of.
“Our house needs a mage like that!”
“You boasted about being the top graduate of the Magic University, so why couldn’t you handle the drought as splendidly as Tellorian?!”
Thanks to this, the court mages of neighboring counties suffering the same famine had to repeatedly declare, “I am not Tellorian!”
“Bwahahahahaha!”
The Iron Hammer Count’s hearty laughter echoed through the banquet hall where fountains now flowed. Belladia, dressed to the nines and wearing a diamond necklace the size of grapes, graced the occasion and made the hall even more radiant.
“Teacher is the treasure of House Harrington!”
“Truly perfect, Court Mage!”
“How did you complete such a massive project in just two weeks!”
The count poured champagne into Tellorian’s glass. Yet the mage in grey robes shook his head with a stern expression.
“This is not yet the time to pop the champagne.”
“Is there still a problem, Teacher?”
“This drought was severe enough to dry the banks of the Aster River, the symbol of the Heartland. Do you truly believe it affected only the Heartland?”
At those words, the Iron Hammer Count’s vigilance awakened. If the fertile Heartland had suffered such a drought, what must have happened in the Great Wasteland beyond the border?
“We must prepare immediately.”
For the invasion of starving orcs.
And the greater calamities that would follow.
The Great Wasteland sounded like an uninhabitable wilderness from its name alone. To the dwarf explorers who had come to map it, it had indeed been a land of death. The sun was scorching and the rivers dry.
But that was merely the prejudice of dwarves whose only desire was to exploit nature. The wise orcs, born and raised in the embrace of nature, knew the hidden abundance of this land. That was why they called their homeland the Valley of Plenty.
“Great Chieftain Belkan.”
“Report the scouting results, Warleader Blacktusk.”
“Even the Scorpion Oasis has dried up.”
Yet now…
It had become the Valley of Death.
“This confirms it, Great Chieftain.”
“…”
“Nature has abandoned our race, and our ancestors no longer have the power to protect their descendants! Therefore, there is only one way for us to survive this great drought.”
THUD!
When the massive orc with black tusks stamped his foot, the entire tent shook. A fighting spirit that made even the bravest warriors flinch filled the air.
“We must conquer the Heartland!”
“An invasion is wrong.”
“Great Chieftain! The fertile Heartland was originally ours! The humans only drove us into the wasteland through cowardly tricks! Now is the time to make them pay for their sins!”
Great Chieftain Belkan was a middle-aged orc with a wise countenance. Many orcs thought him soft, but Belkan was not soft.
“Hmm.”
He was merely cautious.
Blacktusk knew this as well.
“The humans’ defensive lines are thick.”
“Hah! So you would rather sit here and starve to death?”
“That is why we must use deception.”
“That is dishonorable!”
“You advocated for war. Not a duel.”
“…!”
Belkan did not raise his voice. Yet his deep tone carried an authority that was difficult to defy.
“If so, then you must become a soldier, not a warrior. A warrior fights to prove himself, but a soldier fights to fulfill his duty. Do you understand the difference?”
…Blacktusk’s brow furrowed. He was not fond of complicated talk. He was the kind of man who would not even listen to the whispers of his ancestors.
“So what exactly are you trying to say?”
“It means there are things we must prepare before we begin the war.”
The Great Chieftain held up three fingers.
“First, a just cause.”
“A just cause can go freeze!”
“Second, internal collaborators.”
“We don’t need cowardly schemes to sow discord!”
“Third, external allies.”
“We orcs are strong enough on our own!”
“…”
Great Chieftain Belkan pressed a hand to his throbbing forehead. It was because fools like these had seized the initiative that they had lost the Heartland and been driven into the wasteland.
But this generation will be different.
The great chieftains who ruled the desert orcs had secretly prepared to reclaim the Heartland over many generations. Now the oppressed would rise and drive the oppressors into terror!
The arrogant humans will witness it!
The Green Tide of terror!
The green wave that will cover the land!
However…
The humans were by no means easy opponents. If they had been, the orcs would never have lost the bountiful Heartland in the first place. Therefore, they needed an opportunity to divide the humans while uniting themselves.
…I will need to create a good cause.
Great Chieftain Belkan began compiling a list of elders he had long disliked. After all, in the coming great war, the old would not be needed in large numbers.
Two weeks later.
The royal palace of Essil.
“…Therefore, we desert orcs are on the verge of extinction due to the drought. We earnestly beg you to generously forget the grudges of the past and show the mercy befitting a great king. O great ruler of the Heartland’s east, the generous Daylen III, sovereign of the Kingdom of Essil.”
The elderly orcs, who looked barely able to move, knelt and bowed before the boy on the swan throne. But they had no idea.
“You lot.”
Of the boy king’s deep-seated hatred toward the orcs.
“You turned my father into soup, didn’t you?”
“That was not us, but the mountain orcs—”
“Guards! Summon the head chef!”
And the hatred that had infected him to the marrow.
“Turn them into ingredients for soup and distribute it to the slums! Ah, and make sausages from their intestines to present at my table!”
The envoy mission became their final meal.
Granted by the age of peace.