Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 57: Merlin—The Demigod Covets Your Body
But if your mana pool is vast enough, you could sustain the simultaneous casting of not just one forbidden spell, but two—or perhaps even more.
For mages who have reached the 7th-tier “Archmage” level and beyond, the most critical factor in a duel isn’t raw skill or technique—it’s the sheer size of one’s mana pool.
Gods are gods because they possess a divine essence. This divine essence is the manifestation of the world’s laws, a tangible embodiment of the rules that govern everything. In simpler terms, a god’s essence is effectively a god-level mana pool. And because this divine essence is part of the world itself, a god can unleash god-tier spells endlessly—spells that manipulate the very laws of existence to wreak havoc in battle.
Within the domain of their own rule-based magic, a god’s mana pool is effectively limitless. This explains why demigods, powerful as they are, can never triumph over true gods.
Demigods are divine in nature too. They can wield divine spells just like gods. The only difference lies in the divine essence—a demigod lacks the boundless mana pool that comes with a god’s essence.
But Merlin… Merlin was an anomaly. When Weber and Jones examined his body, they discovered something astonishing: Merlin’s mana pool seemed endless, a vast reservoir with no discernible limits, as if his very being contained a world within.
With such an advantage, Merlin could wield divine spells just like a god, unconstrained even by the rules that normally govern god-tier magic.
“Merlin’s existence absolutely must not be revealed to the gods,” Jones said, a hint of envy in his voice. “Otherwise, they won’t get a wink of sleep.”
“It’s enough that we know,” Weber replied. “I’ve placed a concealment spell on him to help cover his presence.”
Weber glanced at Jones. “You surprised me, old man. I thought that once you realized Merlin’s talent, you’d try to possess him for yourself.”
Jones was silent for a moment before speaking. “Honestly, I did consider it at first. But then… I decided against it.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because I don’t trust you,” Jones said with a faint chuckle. “If I were the only one who knew about Merlin’s abilities, maybe I would’ve gone through with it. But now…” His laugh trailed off, tinged with amusement.
Weber understood immediately. The risks of possessing Merlin were immense. Failure would mean instant death. As demigods, their souls were extraordinarily powerful; Merlin’s body might not withstand the strain and could even explode. Besides, this was their first encounter with someone like Merlin. His mana pool was not just large—it was tied to his soul and body. There was no guarantee it would remain intact after possession.
If a possession succeeded, all that enormous mana would vanish, leaving only the soul’s power. They would have to start cultivating magic from scratch, reduced to a state of extreme vulnerability. One misstep, and enemies could easily kill them.
The safest approach would be to wait until Merlin reached the 7th-tier Archmage level. At that point, his mana could safeguard his soul, making possession far less dangerous. But even then… Merlin’s mana, already infinite at that level, might still overwhelm any host body. Forced possession could fracture the soul, potentially creating multiple consciousnesses competing for control of the body—a logistical nightmare.
“So,” Jones concluded with a sly smile, “I think it’s better to try another approach. Train Merlin to become a God of Magic and then have him help me… perhaps even crush the Goddess of Light herself to claim her divine essence.”
Jones chuckled, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. He had long harbored the desire to overthrow his superior, the Goddess of Light.
“You’d better treat Merlin well,” Weber warned.
“I intend to treat him like my own grandson. Maybe I should even introduce him to my granddaughter—what do you think?”
Weber raised an eyebrow. “I do have a granddaughter, you know…”
“Old man, I knew you weren’t entirely honest!”
Merlin had no idea that the elderly pair he knew were already plotting to have him take on the gods. For now, he only wished that Kaelos would show up, so he could test the power of his newly acquired alchemical equipment.
“New product: Double-layer Milk Pudding is ready for sale. Pricing doesn’t need to be steep—one gold coin for the original flavor, two gold coins for the Arctic Blueberry variant.”
Merlin’s milk processing factory had finally hit its stride. At the Beast Taming Academy, where milk was so plentiful it was often discarded, Merlin had turned the surplus into something far more valuable.
But he didn’t stop there. He planned to launch a line of cream-based products—delicacies designed to extract the wealth of aristocratic students as efficiently as a scythe harvesting wheat. In a continent dominated by hard black bread, soft cream-filled cakes would be a revolutionary treat.
Even more…
Merlin held an oval, perfectly sized milk-flavored bun in his hand, examining its smooth surface with satisfaction. “Excellent. We actually made it. I knew it—wheat is wheat. How could it only ever produce black bread?”
After painstaking effort, Merlin had successfully created the milk-flavored bun—a Chinese-style, sugar-free cake.
He glanced at Stacie, who had been assisting him. After the events of that day, the drained, magic-weakened fatigue that had plagued her was gone, replaced with renewed energy.
“Here, try this.” Merlin popped a freshly steamed bun into her mouth.
Stacie chewed softly, delight sparkling in her eyes. The bun’s delicate, airy texture was a revelation, the subtle aroma of milk blending perfectly with the natural scent of flour. Sweet, but never cloying. This was far superior to the black bread.
“Boss Merlin, what is this?”
“Milk-flavored buns. My latest creation. How does it taste?”
“It’s delicious! Far better than black bread! Soft and fluffy, like clouds, with a rich milky aroma.”
Merlin nodded in satisfaction. “Perfect. This will definitely go on sale.”
“Boss, this will be sold too? How much will it cost?”
Merlin looked at the bun—roughly the size of a baby’s fist. Small as it was, even ten wouldn’t fill anyone.
“One silver coin per bun. One gold coin for a bag of eleven buns, plus a free portion of condensed milk.”
He was going for a “small profit, large volume” strategy. He considered himself almost saintly—offering such a delicious product for so little profit. A single silver coin could make forty or fifty buns, so selling one per coin wasn’t exactly greedy.
“What? That cheap?” Stacie was shocked by the low price. In reality, the pricing was already high—one silver coin for a fist-sized milk bun was generous. Compare that to black bread, which, at the size of an adult’s forearm, could fetch three to five coins.
Stacie hadn’t realized that following Merlin had raised her own spending habits. Lately, she had indulged in lotus-leaf baked chicken and sour-spicy boneless chicken feet almost daily, carefully regulating herself.
It wasn’t just Stacie—other ordinary students could also occasionally buy some snacks. A few days’ wages could snag a lotus-leaf baked chicken, and they could manage.
By paying these students “high” wages while selling them irresistible products like milk-flavored buns, Merlin was simultaneously boosting his income and cleverly “harvesting” their wallets.