Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Indefinite Contractor Muddies the Waters
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Enjoy the marshmallow you have now, and save the new one for later.
Daniel's choice ended up causing quite a stir.
<Last night. Daniel's lodging>
"Please take a look at this."
"Eh?"
Daniel pulled out the mid-grade elixir.
Titania's eyes wavered.
"Wait. That can't be... a mid-grade elixir, can it?"
"Yes."
In that instant, the nagging thought in her head—How can I protect Daniel from Rainer?—vanished into thin air.
She'd heard that extreme shock could leave you speechless and your mind blank. This was exactly that.
"For real?"
"Pardon?"
"You haven't taken it yet?"
"That's right."
"Why?!?!?!"
The scream echoed through the communication orb.
It was a perfectly natural reaction.
"I wanted to check it first. If drinking it messes with my duties, that wouldn't do."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
"Doesn't a mid-grade elixir change the quality of your mana?"
"Well, of course... Wait. Daniel, you don't mean...?"
Maybe? For real? This has to be a joke, right?
"Mana control shifts when the mana changes. Can I adjust to that right now in my current state? That's what I wanted to ask."
"My god."
Titania realized what he meant and couldn't hide her shock.
This man... didn't drink a mid-grade elixir just because it might interfere with his work? Seriously?
It was absurd.
Any normal mage would've chugged it down on the spot, adjustment be damned.
To advance even one more step from their current realm.
Wasn't that the dream of every mage, an instinctual craving?
She'd known he wasn't your typical mage, but she never imagined it went this far.
Postpone an elixir because of possible work issues? What was this, a dream?
Since when had she fallen under some illusion magic?
Reeling from the shock, Titania lost her composure for a moment. Only after a long pause did she stammer out a response.
"S-so... the adjustment process... it's pretty tough. In my case, it took about half a month after reaching mid-grade."
"If it took you that long, it'll probably take me ten times longer."
Daniel nodded.
"Good thing I held off. It's a shame, but I should put off drinking it."
"...You're serious?"
"Of course. You confirmed it yourself—this would set back my current abilities. How could I drink it? We've still got a long way to go before the job's done."
"......"
Titania was utterly dumbfounded.
She always had the perfect response ready in any situation, but not this time.
No answers came to mind, no idea what the right move even was.
For the first time in her life, she felt like a complete fool.
"Then I'll hand it back to the Archduke's heir for now. He's trustworthy, and security's solid there."
"...What reason are you going to give?"
"Hm? Just tell him exactly what I said."
"...Yeah. That's not wrong. Not wrong at all."
Her subordinate tilted his head, and Titania clutched hers in frustration.
Right. Not drinking the elixir was a good call.
Strictly speaking, it was a bribe.
Taking it would've nudged him, perhaps unwittingly, toward staying in the North.
But that didn't mean she could relax.
A mage who delays an elixir to avoid work disruptions? That talent collector won't let a gem like this slip away! Hell, even I'd snatch him up!!!
Her mind was pure chaos.
A mage who could suppress his desires for the sake of duty? Daniel, you're the best! But I wanted to be the only one who knew! Why flaunt that appeal to everyone else!?
Push and pull? Is this some game? Ugh, so frustrating!
What if she actually lost him like this?
No! That can't happen!
I won't let anyone steal this rare work-first beast from me!
"Manager?"
With no reply for ages, Daniel tilted his head.
"Did the connection drop? Hello?"
"I'm fine. Sorry, Daniel. Just had something to think over."
"I see."
Titania barely pulled herself together and forced a smile.
"Entrusting it to the heir... yeah. Not a bad idea. Yeah, not bad."
"Right?"
"Yeah. Not bad at all."
She had no clue what expression she was making right now.
Should she be happy? Angry? Her emotions were a tangled mess!
After ending the call, she rubbed her temples.
For the first time, she had a headache—not because a subordinate screwed up, but because he was too competent. It was infuriating and suffocating.
No idea how to resolve this.
"I'm going insane."
Titania clicked her tongue.
<Present day. Kazan Castle Lord's office>
"That's what he said before leaving."
"My god."
Even hearing the report straight from Syril, Rainer couldn't believe it.
Did this even make sense? No matter how many times, it sounded like a lie.
But the item in his hand was genuine.
"He'll postpone taking it because it might interfere with his duties? Those were his exact words?"
"Yes."
"Ha, hahahahaha!!!"
Rainer burst into laughter.
"Incredible. Syril! We've met a truly remarkable man!"
"I agree."
"An elixir everyone covets, restrained by duty alone. Even a knight among knights would struggle with that—a mage pulls it off!"
Rainer meant every word.
Prioritizing the organization's gain over personal desire.
Daniel clearly saw that as a given. How else could he choose to delay the elixir?
Not even many of the knights under him could match that.
It's a first. A temptation this intense. I never felt this at the Imperial Academy, even with those beauties.
His heart raced, unshaken by any seductress before. Amusing that it was a male mage this time, but who cared?
Yes—the thrill was all that mattered!
"Syril."
"Yes, sir."
"Assemble a team and set up an operations headquarters. We're devising a serious plan to recruit Daniel. A talent like him doesn't belong chained to some Magic Tower."
"Understood."
Rainer pulled out a bottle of whiskey and poured himself a glass.
He avoided drinking during work hours, but right now, he couldn't resist.
With each sip, a vision sharpened before his eyes.
Not far off—a future where he ruled the North as Archduke, aided by one magic knight.
"I'm going insane."
He smirked.
In short, Daniel's decision ignited the desires of two titans: a Magic Tower Lord candidate and the North's Archduke heir.
One aimed to protect him.
The other, to steal him away.
If Daniel knew, he'd be floored.
He'd just tossed out a few excuses to savor his marshmallow in peace. How could he have guessed it'd set giants in motion?
"Mmnya. Marshmallow. Cool."
Blissfully unaware, Daniel lay in his lodging bed, shaking off the all-nighter's fatigue.
The lyrics "crushed by the disaster you invited yourself~" floating to mind? No mere coincidence.
The streets of Kazan buzzed with festival spirit.
As night fell, alcohol and song overflowed everywhere.
The Horse Demon Tribe had invaded, yet casualties were near zero. All thanks to one hero.
In war, nothing stirs the masses' hearts like a hero.
In the square, people danced and sang, cheering the hero's name.
"Daniel~ Daniel~ Hero of the defense~"
"Barbarians~ Barbarians~ Tuck tail and flee. Or we'll grill you~"
Songs praising the hero and mocking the Highland Tribe echoed through the streets.
The people laughed and reveled.
On this day, Kazan was a city of celebration, not war.
But... not everyone shared in the joy.
-Scratch, scratch, scratch
An empty hut, its owners out enjoying the festival.
A lone man sat with a small lamp lit, scribbling a report.
His speed and precision rivaled a master scribe—not a skill honed overnight.
The problem was the script on the page.
Any local spotting it would've grabbed a club and bashed his skull.
Letters no Kazan native could read—or even know existed!
That's right.
He was writing in the barbarian tongue.
"Off you go."
-Flutter!
The messenger bird soared into the sky.
Daniel's name was etched clearly on the report tied to its leg.
The bird crossed over Kazan.
Below, revelers drank, singers belted tunes, and soldiers relaxed amid the festival haze.
No one among the merrymakers knew.
That a traitor, blinded by coin and turned against kin and country, had sold out the hero who saved Kazan today—to the Highland Tribe.
One mudfish muddies the waters.
A proverb meaning a single small act can ripple disaster across the whole.
The same held true now.
One Indefinite Contractor's exploits were shaking the entire North.