Strange Kids

Tokdan narrowed his brows at Petra's provocative words.

But there was no sense of crisis or tension.

On the contrary.

"Wh-what is this! This armor! Where did it come from! Isn't this a genuine ancient relic?!"

His eyes had been fixed on the black horse, missing Petra until now.

Tokdan seemed to recognize the Last Magic Armor from Magrid's Legacy at a glance.

"This smell! No doubt about it! I don't know the exact era, but this rusty iron scent! It's definitely an ancient item!"

Tokdan's neck veins bulged as he shouted.

Petra took a step toward him, reaching to grab his collar.

Of course, I couldn't let it go that far.

"Petra, stand down. It's fine."

"B-but..."

"Lena, handle it."

Lena stepped forward and dragged Petra away.

Heading into a dark alley corner, Petra was clearly in for a scolding.

But Tokdan couldn't tear his eyes from her.

"Where are you taking her? Huh? Can't I get a closer look at that armor? I can't figure out its functions at all. A little research might reveal..."

"Ah, that's a problem."

"Huh? Some backstory?"

My head was spinning.

There was a story, but no way was I spilling it honestly.

Especially since investigating it would expose Petra's undead state for sure.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I couldn't allow that.

"Truth is, it's a heirloom from her family. We can't let its functions leak out."

"A family with ancient relics... Must be quite the historic house. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠And the iron mask too... You don't want to reveal which family, right?"

"Yeah, something like that. You get it."

Tokdan seemed convinced.

Nobles weren't shy about flaunting trivial secrets.

An ancient suit of armor was reason enough.

But Tokdan frowned unusually.

His face screamed utter disgust.

"This is exactly why! This is why the Magic Engineering Research Association exists!"

The purpose of the Magic Engineering Research Association.

Freeing up information privatized by nobles, apparently.

"Nobles hoard it all among themselves—how's progress supposed to happen? Magrid's tech got lost because of those damn noble games, didn't it?"

Tokdan ranted passionately.

He had a lot pent up.

Well, magic book prices alone...

Even average folks couldn't dream of peeking inside.

Now my funds were flowing, but back as a slave trader, the future looked bleak.

Talent was secondary.

Finding out what spells even existed was the real hurdle.

Forcing practice on mismatched magic wasted years—a common tale.

Lack of info bred massive power gaps.

Back as a hunter, the system and info hubs balanced it.

Here? The opposite.

I felt that gap more than anyone.

"I see."

I acknowledged it dryly, despite knowing the divide.

No need to sound like I agreed.

This could get risky.

A dangerous vibe.

Tokdan was straightforward—I saw that.

But this crossed lines.

It could look like denying the noble class outright.

"So the Research Association shares all info? Even your inventions... or spells?"

I probed just in case.

But then a voice called him.

"Professor Tokdan! Class time! You need to head back!"

Tokdan worked as an academy professor.

Class must be starting soon.

"Ugh... Timing! Anyway, Mage Theo, you'll stick around Petronia a bit, right?"

We'd just entered through the gates.

Mages visiting Petronia? Obvious reasons.

"Yeah, thinking of browsing the market. Check out good stuff."

"Haha! Broadening horizons is a mage's duty. Whoever your master is, must be top-notch!"

"Haha, yeah... I guess?"

No master.

But I didn't want to discuss it.

Tokdan looked regretful.

"Staying in Petronia? Let's meet again! If you need help or interest in the Research Association..."

"Sure, I'll visit. Academy, right?"

"Quick on the uptake! Good! Gotta run—class!"

Tokdan vanished like the wind.

What an erratic mage.

Lena approached quietly.

"Theo-nim? Might be overstepping, but... better keep distance from him."

Lena caught his rhetoric too.

Same thought here.

Guy seemed fine, but timing felt off.

And he dodged my question.

No answer on full disclosure.

I had zero plans to share my info.

Couldn't, really.

My abilities weren't even proper magic—exposing them spelled disaster.

"Don't worry. We'll meet again?"

No reason to visit the academy.

Though, teaching those views there? Questionable.

Not my problem.

"So this is Petronia?"

The streets were incredible.

Settling into lodging and shaking off travel fatigue didn't take long.

The black horse reduced user fatigue, after all.

Even at midnight, shops and exchanges glowed like daylight under mana lights.

And system messages had been pinging nonstop since entering Petronia.

The system greedily cataloged new items as we moved.

Hadn't been this active in ages.

Broadening horizons is duty, huh... Not wrong.

Recalling Tokdan, I scanned the streets—and spotted something familiar yet odd.

Rumble rumble rumble—

"Theo-nim! Look at that! Weird things rolling around! Huh? That..."

"Ugh, for such contraptions to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enter Petronia... What was Father thinking..."

"Contraptions? You've seen them before, Petra?"

What caught their eyes: mana-powered automated carts.

Crude exterior, but akin to modern cars.

Structure similar to the black horse, though.

That why no shock?

I'd worried when Tokdan spotted the black horse.

Unfamiliar tech bred fear.

But Petra and Tokdan showed none—just functional awe.

Mystery solved by these street carts.

Similar stuff already exists.

Mine was leagues ahead tech-wise.

These hauled junk cargo only—no passengers.

Not advanced enough for people yet.

"Theo-nim! Magic cities really are different! Things moving on their own!"

"Yeah, wonder what Baron Sellevan would say."

"Seras, today another coachman's family shatters. May this contraption not wreck peaceful homes..."

I took in the streets amid Petra's absurd prayer.

Then shadows rippled—Camilla returned.

"He-het! Master! Back!"

Midnight return for Camilla.

Her face glowed brighter in the night.

Something good happened, maybe.

"Where the hell were you?"

"Set out the dolls you gave me! Still rusty with 10, so practiced!"

"You deployed them all?"

I'd made extras from Magrid's Legacy mana stones—for intel gathering, emergency spares.

Camilla used them all.

"10's not enough! Petronia's huge! Make more! Pleeease?"

"Not hard to make, but... caught and we're screwed? Mages everywhere."

Her puppet mastery improved fast, but exposure worried me.

Intel dolls spotted? Trouble.

Camilla grinned confidently.

"Fine! They won't know they're ours!"

"Sure, but..."

"And get this? Petronia's full of weird kids! If dolls get nabbed, they'll think it's theirs!"

I nodded at her words.

I'd noticed somewhat.

Messages occasionally flagged oddities.

Sometimes saved incomplete; buildings with excessive magic for their size.

Linked to Camilla's 'weird kids,' probably.

But unknown city vibe—letting it slide for now.

"Big city. Weirdos everywhere. Don't pick fights with them, got it?"

"Master, come on! I'm no thug!"

"Still uneasy..."

Her innocent reply felt suspicious.

Couldn't press, though.

Camilla jumped in.

"But... Theo-nim? Where we headed? Petron second-hand magic ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠market?"

Shook my head at Lena's question.

That was a stop.

But first, somewhere better for city intel, good markets, merchant intros.

Pulled a gold card from my spatial backpack.

"That's... the Grand Ferry Merchant Company card, right?"

Deep from the bag: ornate gold-foil card stamped with Grand Ferry's mark and Grandfel's name.

Kept from prior escort gig.

"Yeah, they said drop by. Big guild presence—no way they're absent here."

"Grand Ferry? Yeah! I know 'em! I'll guide! Follow me! So, more dolls..."

"Got it, got it. I'll make more."

Camilla perked at extra intel dolls promise.

Her steps lightened.

Petra lagged, minding stares.

"Human undead! Hurry! Undead gotta move faster at night, right?"

Camilla wouldn't miss that.