Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Indefinite Contractor Enjoys Marshmallows
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Five days had passed since the Horse Demon Tribe's raid ended.
Kazan's nights had reclaimed their usual biting chill and silence.
But the walls were still bustling with activity.
"Heat Field."
As Daniel chanted the spell, the air around him heated up fiercely.
The frozen snow and ice on the ramparts melted under the warmth, sending steam rising into the air.
The patrol paths and stairs, now cleared of ice, gradually returned to their original state.
Even the clogged drainage channels melted away, allowing water to flow once more.
"Blue Sign Light."
A flash of light burst from Daniel's hand.
The blue glow, like a lamp, illuminated the walls, revealing cracks and fractured bricks invisible to the naked eye.
"These spots here look like they need inspection. Could you check them out?"
"Leave it to us, Sir Daniel."
"Hey! Bring the concrete over!"
The engineers rushed in and got to work.
Daniel moved on to the next site.
"Telekinesis."
With a gesture from Daniel, psychokinetic force lifted the piles of snow from the watchtower roof and dumped them over the wall.
The sight of snowdrifts that would take an entire company two hours of nonstop labor to clear vanishing with a few flicks of his wrist was truly spectacular.
"Clearing the snow this easily..."
"That's why we prioritize mages."
"Magic is awesome."
"I'll leave the rest to you all."
"Yes, Sir Daniel!"
"Thank you for your hard work! Take care!"
The soldiers bowed deeply to the departing mage as he finished his tasks.
Mages typically hoarded their spells like precious treasures, saving them for only the most critical moments.
Daniel was different.
Every night, he came out and used magic to swiftly handle the tedious, labor-intensive jobs.
It was only natural that the soldiers' gratitude and respect soared day by day.
If Daniel were an officer, a fiercely loyal faction within the ranks would have formed around him, maxed-out devotion and all.
Today, too, the people bowed their heads in reverence to the mage running the night shift.
Magic Knight Sir Daniel.
A household name to everyone in Kazan.
He soared through the night sky once more, aiding his struggling neighbors with magic.
Dawn brought a moment of rest.
Daniel, who had the soldiers' rest outpost all to himself, took a sip of the freshly brewed cocoa.
"Delicious."
Those simple words carried two meanings.
The cocoa warmed his body—and it tasted great.
And the marshmallows tasted great.
Before, controlling mana had drained his brain, exhausting his focus at a rapid pace.
Now, things were different.
Mana flowed as naturally as a limb. Magic unfolded precisely as he desired.
The control over mana and spells was perfect. The thrill from that mastery—what a rush!
It was sweeter and more addictive than any delicacy Daniel had ever tasted.
This was why he volunteered for the night shifts.
To Daniel now, night work wasn't a boring, grueling chore—it was playtime.
Playtime where he could indulge in the fruits of his accumulated efforts to his heart's content!
Like skating or skiing on a winter night, Daniel pretended to work while savoring his private marshmallow treat.
The harsh northern night weather was just an option to enhance his fun.
"OK. Break's over. Time to play some more."
Reinvigorated, Daniel stepped out of the outpost again.
Of course, Daniel wasn't volunteering for night shifts solely to savor marshmallows.
He had another angle.
"Sir Daniel, great work as always!"
Patrol soldiers he ran into at the base of the wall bowed their heads.
One held out a thermos.
"Have some mushroom soup. It's cooled a bit, but still warm."
"Thanks. Don't mind if I do."
These moments didn't end after one or two times.
Sometimes soldiers, sometimes officers, sometimes even soldiers' families.
Whenever they saw him, people waved with smiles and occasionally handed him snacks or gloves.
"That mage is so diligent."
"Yeah. Thanks to him covering night shifts, we have fewer night duties."
"That's not all. How many times have we gone to bed late because of surprise tasks during patrols? No worries like that lately, thanks to him."
"Hate to say it, but the mage gets work done right."
"First time I've seen the supply sergeant back off without a fuss."
"You too? Me too!"
"Makes sense. I'd want him too."
"Think the sergeant's the only one? If he weren't with the Magic Tower, every officer would be after him by now."
Night shifts were something everyone in Kazan avoided.
Cold, sleepy, dangerous—the three-D jobs.
Yet here was a jack-of-all-trades volunteering for them, every single day, flawlessly.
Of course public favor would skyrocket.
And that was exactly what Daniel had aimed for.
'Do the jobs no one wants, and the points pile up.'
People were people, everywhere.
A truth learned in his past life.
In other words, the score-building theory from his previous social life applied here too.
Cold weather night shifts?
Everyone hated them—tiring and exhausting.
Take them on yourself, handle them daily?
The results were right in front of him.
Soldiers showed respect, knights trust, civilians familiarity.
Daniel, now the most popular guy around, smiled.
'Good. My back's covered.'
Earning locals' favor wasn't just to make life easier.
This wasn't a company—it was a battlefield.
And mages on the battlefield needed allies to watch their backs.
'Favor is a shield. A living, breathing auto-shield that guards your rear when fighting breaks out.'
Daniel never forgot.
He was a mage here to fight.
On a battlefield where attacks could come from anywhere, insurance was essential basics.
"Alright. Back to it."
Moonlight lit the walls, revealing new tasks.
Eager for another taste of marshmallow bliss, Daniel prepared his magic.
But Daniel's joyful marshmallow nights would come to a forced end after just a week.
"Hard at work again, Sir Daniel."
"...?"
'Wait. What are you doing here?'
Rainer grinned at Daniel's blinking surprise as he waited on the wall.
Daniel had made one mistake.
He'd worked too hard.
From his perspective, he'd just been playing under the guise of night shifts to enjoy his marshmallows, overlooking the influence it created.
Daniel's marshmallow indulgence went beyond simple point-scoring.
Soldiers sent him fervent cheers and trust for handling their tasks.
With more focus on core duties, their performance naturally improved day by day.
It was inevitable that reports reached Kazan's ruler.
"So soldier efficiency is up 30%?"
"Yes."
"Impressive. But it makes sense."
Rainer nodded.
"A diligent guy. He could've slacked off on those chores with no one batting an eye. Not your average talent."
"Still tempted?"
"You think? One guy stabilizes and energizes the whole city. Even my father would want him."
"......"
Syril affirmed silently.
"I'd shower him with gold and jewels to scout him now... but no dice."
"A man who turned down an elixir for duty."
Rainer gave a wry smile.
A guy who refused elixirs. What would it take to win him over?
Still no answer to that puzzle.
"A better gift than an elixir... tough."
"Soldiers might buy it, but officers and knights won't. Hold off until the war ends, at least."
"Ugh. So what do we do?"
Syril ventured to her lord, groaning in frustration.
"Why not keep it simple instead of overthinking?"
"Simple?"
"Yes. Approach it as making a friend, not recruiting talent."
"...!"
"If he becomes a friend, he's on our side either way, right?"
"Friend... A friend?"
A complete shift in thinking.
Not a subordinate—a friend!
Of course, given Rainer's status, friendship came with strict conditions.
Fortunately, Daniel met them all.
'Right. If fast won't work, go slow. Start as friends, gradually make him one of us.'
"Brilliant, Syril. You're the best brain around."
"Honored."
"But friends... disappointing. Would've been easier at the academy. First, close the distance. Any ideas?"
"They need to feel comfortable meeting. If I may suggest—why not visit Sir Daniel yourself?"
"Me?"
Rainer tilted his head at the unexpected advice.
"He works nights without fail. Visit the site under the guise of a night patrol. Bring Frost Red Tea to warm him up, chat casually. It'll naturally shorten the distance and ease awkwardness."
"Indeed."
Rainer's eyes sparkled.
"Not bad. Start tomorrow. Prep it."
"Yes."
Syril bowed to her lord for accepting her idea.
Normally, Rainer's style was gift offensives disguised as bribes to build favor.
But the target this time was a bad matchup.
Gifts wouldn't work on a man postponing elixirs for work—might even backfire.
What was needed now was pure human trust.
And that came only from time and effort.
'For a talent like that, I'll invest as much as it takes!'
Rainer committed gladly.
"Tough night again, Sir Daniel."
"Young Lord? What brings you here?"
"Just a routine night patrol. Heard you were around, so I stopped by."
Rainer shook a steaming thermos.
"Frost Red Tea? Tastes even better on a cold night like this."
"...I'll take one."
"Here."
From that day, a new entry appeared on Kazan's night shift schedule.
[Night Worker - Daniel]
[Site Inspection - Mayor Rainer]
Curiously, these two met atop the walls every night.
The mage worked while Kazan's mayor handed over tea for a bizarre tea time.
Soon, the schedule earned a nickname.
「The Heir and Sir Daniel's Night Shift Date」