Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Indefinite Contractor Gets Attention (2)
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The moon had set and the sun risen.
The east gate walls, which had been bustling with the raid last night and the victory party that followed, were still hectic.
Soldiers were clearing away the damaged sections, while engineers patched the cracked walls with fresh stone.
The medics were busy treating the wounded and dispensing medicine, and in one corner of the wall, piles of Horse Demon Tribe corpses lay stacked up.
Before they rotted, some would be taken to the crematorium, others dragged to the outer moat to be burned.
"That's why I hate dealing with those Horse Demon Tribe bastards."
"Still, the damage this time was light. We got off cheap, right?"
"True enough."
It was tedious, grueling work, but as the price of victory, they bore it willingly.
The soldiers grumbled but kept their smiles as they continued.
"Hey, do you know where that mage guy Daniel is?"
"Huh? You're Jack, right? What's up?"
"Mom said to give him this. To thank him for saving Dad."
"Ah."
The soldiers nodded at the sandwiches in the kid's basket.
To the northerners, the Horse Demon Tribe was an object of hatred and fear.
Whenever they raided, wails would echo from every street corner—it was only natural.
But today was the exception.
No cries of mourning rose from anywhere in the streets.
And that was thanks to a hero from afar.
For those who had nearly lost family members, sending gifts as thanks was the most natural course.
"Here, give it to the mage uncle for now. I'll have it sent to his quarters."
"But Mom said to deliver it personally."
"Sorry, kid, that's not gonna work. He's not here right now."
"Why not?"
"Why do you think?"
The soldier's answer left the kid no choice but to hand over the basket.
A summons from the lord of Kazan carried that much weight.
Kazan Castle, guest quarters.
"Come in, Sir Daniel."
Rainer greeted him with a soft smile, welcoming a guest worthy of such invitation after a long time.
"You worked hard last night. You earned great merit. Seeing the soldiers and knights all praising you made even me proud."
"It's an honor, Young Lord."
"Merit deserves not just praise, but reward. Bring it here."
A servant standing behind brought over a small wooden box.
As the elegant box opened, a neatly packaged glass vial appeared.
Daniel's eyes widened as he sensed the aura from the red liquid inside.
"Take it."
"This couldn't be... a Mid-Grade Elixir?"
"It is."
"As a reward?"
Daniel was flustered.
He had expected some reward for yesterday's deeds, but not something this precious.
Mid-Grade Elixirs were rarities even on noble inventories.
With annual production under 500 in the empire, Daniel balked at the burden.
"Don't feel burdened."
"This is too much."
"Not at all."
Rainer shook his head.
"Kazan is always under threat of invasion. In a place like this, maintaining discipline, morale, and public sentiment is key. That's why we reward merit and punish misdeeds swiftly."
His gaze was earnest.
"Strict rewards and punishments—that's the law here. No exceptions, even for you."
His words carried the weight of a ruler who had long defended the city.
With that, Daniel could no longer refuse.
"...I'll gratefully accept it."
"Good. Use it well."
Rainer's smile deepened as Daniel took the box with the Mid-Grade Elixir.
He hadn't lied.
Strict rewards and punishments were indeed Kazan's way.
He just hadn't mentioned that treasures like Mid-Grade Elixirs were bestowed during grand ceremonies after wars with the Highland Tribes ended.
During active conflicts like now, famed swords or high-grade potions were the norm—but Daniel, on his first northern dispatch, had no way of knowing.
Watching the oblivious mage accept what was essentially a bribe disguised as reward, Rainer spoke.
"Care for some tea before you go?"
A warm tea scent filled the room.
Daniel sipped and was inwardly surprised.
'Wait. Is this...?'
The subtle sweetness and mild bitterness danced perfectly on his tongue.
That alone would mark it fine tea, but a slight boost to mana recovery changed everything.
Black tea with mana potion effects?
Among northern specialties he'd researched before dispatch, this matched one perfectly.
"No way—this is Frost Red Tea? The stuff that's ten gold per cup?"
"About that much."
"Wow."
To think he'd taste something only famed houses with vaults of gold could afford.
Rainer chuckled and lifted his cup.
"Drink freely, no burden. Compared to your feats, a few cups of Frost Red Tea are pocket change."
"...I'll enjoy it, Young Lord."
Refusing seemed rude, so he drank deeply.
He felt his mana, depleted to under half from last night's spell barrage, slowly recovering.
"You're a peculiar fellow."
"Peculiar how?"
"The mages I've seen were all the same. On battlefields, they fussed over appearances, stayed safe in the rear firing spells. But not you. You rushed to the walls before anyone at last night's banquet—even ahead of the knights—and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with the soldiers. Like a knight."
Daniel flinched inwardly.
'No. He's misunderstanding it like this?'
He'd just done his best not to get caught in his lie.
His excuse—"I wore something else for the raid, so no drinks please"—had become reality.
Daniel fell silent.
Silence is golden, especially now.
No need to shatter the powerful man's illusion with idle talk.
"Captain Rood said you fought like a knight. I agree. Who'd have thought I'd meet a mage in ability but knight in spirit? Haha. The shaman said great luck before year's end—and spot on."
"Me, great luck? No way."
"That's how I see it."
Rainer's expression was serious.
"Surviving the north takes more than raw power. It's the spirit to fight together. Those with it—we call them knights, and they defend the city and citizens alongside the soldiers."
He set down his cup and looked at Daniel.
"Like you."
"I just did my duty, Young Lord."
"Humble too—like a knight. Hahaha!!!"
Rainer laughed, refilling Daniel's empty cup.
"I trust you. Keep fighting with us to protect Kazan."
He raised his cup, adding one last line.
"Sir Daniel."
"Haha, that's a bit much."
"I'm serious."
Daniel smiled awkwardly.
Soldiers and knights were one thing, but the top man in Kazan calling him that too?
Last night's exploits must have impressed him greatly.
'Sigh. Just roll with it. How many times have bosses called me nicknames after buttering them up? He'll stop after a few once the flight's booked.'
Daniel didn't know.
Rainer's words weren't mere flattery for a ride—they were dead serious intent to make him a knight.
Another victim of the un-mage-like mage's unwitting charm.
"A Mid-Grade Elixir? This alone makes the northern trip worthwhile."
Back at his quarters, Daniel gazed at the elixir.
At his level, elixirs rarely helped much—but mid-grade was different.
'Won't boost total mana much, but refines the purity.'
Mana quality improves.
Spells that took 10 mana now doable at 6-7?
Power boost goes without saying.
"What a year—jackpot after jackpot."
Thrilled by the windfall, Daniel pulled out his communication orb.
Infusing mana lit it up.
"How have you been?"
Titania smiled in the orb.
Titania laughed.
She couldn't stop laughing and clapping.
She hadn't expected such delightful news from the first report.
She smiled mischievously.
Daniel tilted his head.
She laughed, recounting news from two days ago.
Having endured the north's night chill, Daniel smacked his forehead.
Disgraces unfit for regulars.
Daniel shrugged.
He could picture the Tower's chaos.
The Tower was basically subcontracting manpower to the Northern Archduke's house.
But the dispatched caused incidents? Blame falls on the contractor, not the workers. Someone has to take responsibility.
'And that'll inevitably be one of the Tower's bigwigs.'
Those bigwigs were probably hot-potatoing blame right now.
Are the regulars below them fine?
Daniel's answer: no.
Why, when they're not in the hot seat?
'Who isn't kissing up to the bigwigs? But if that bigwig might get axed? No way they're calm.'
Your promotion patron vanishes overnight?
That's a career dead-end.
For regulars who'd pulled out all stops brown-nosing, it's stock-crash thunderbolt.
Switching patrons now? Too late—others are already lined up there.
You're still a latecomer.
The line between career hell and manageable?
Already slaving in work hell, now politics explodes—most regulars' futures are probably wrecked.
'Phew. Glad I'm an Indefinite Contractor, no such worries. No factions, politics, or ass-kissing for me. Nice job, past me.'
Daniel mentally thumbs-upped his past self again.
Titania's smile vanished in an instant.