Chapter 99: I Came Back, But…

When I returned home at sunset, both Mom and my sister were already back. I told them that things had settled down and I planned to start living at home again, which made them happy.

I also explained that sometimes I wouldn’t be home for a few days and they shouldn’t worry about it.

“You’re not doing anything dangerous, right?”

“I’ll be camping out with the people who came to see you on my behalf before.”

“That means sleeping outside the city, doesn’t it?”

They work with Mintz and Scott, and one of them can use Barrier Magic. Being with them is safer than staying here at home. Even if beasts surround us, I can drive them away with [Whirlwind!]. More importantly… what’s your plan for opening your own shop?

“I can become independent in a year and four months, but… the startup funds are the problem.”

“I’m planning to buy a house. You can use the ground floor for your shop.”

“Buy a house—how much money have you been making!?”

Between what I’m carrying and what I have deposited with the Merchant Guild, I should have about 200,000,000 dara. If I buy a slightly larger house, the whole family can live together.

Two hundred million dara… No, I need a drink.

“Yeah, I can’t follow your story at all.”

Both of them slumped back in their chairs, exhausted, so I put ice in some glasses and handed them lightly watered-down drinks.

“I was planning to deposit some into Dad’s account, but I haven’t had time to go to the guild.”

“You came back about half a year ago. That huge amount you brought then…”

“That was just a portion I’d been storing in a magic pouch. You need money to stay safe, so I’ve been saving.”

“‘Saving,’ he says, so casually…”

“Once I was kicked out of the city, I realized I could earn steadily by hunting birds. Ever since then, I’ve been saving up so that when I came back, I could buy a house. Also, I can help you get herbs the adventurer guild can’t stock.”

“That’s nice, but some herbs are deep in the wilderness. You could never get them.”

Heh heh heh… I actually went to the elven village of Faranka, about half a month north of Roxanne.

“Faranka!?”

“Mom, you know it?”

You know I grew up in the elven village of Hernenka, right?

“Well, I know the name.”

“I haven’t heard anything more than that.”

I never told you because I didn’t think you could ever go there, but Hernenka lies seven or eight days south of Elvira, deep in the forest. Faranka is the elven village closest to Hernenka.

“Have you ever been there?”

Don’t be ridiculous. Only strong fighters and mages can make that journey. You first travel to Elvira, return to the Blange Highway, and then head north from Roxanne toward Faranka.

“Then why are you living in this town?”

“Your father was an adventurer. He and his party came to my village, and that’s how we met.”

Uh oh—Mom’s cheeks softened; she’s about to gush over Dad. My sister noticed too and escaped with, “Dad should be home soon, so I’ll start dinner.”

Shock therapy works best in these situations, so I took out a pouch of coins—thump.
It was a leather bag from an adventurer shop, mixed with silver and copper coins, but even so, it had enough impact.

Just as Mom’s eyes began to gleam, Dad returned. Perfect timing. I thumped a bottle of alcohol onto the table as a ‘souvenir,’ and once his expression softened, I served him grilled Chikki-Chikki Bird skewers.

* * * * * * *

After hunting with everyone for about two weeks, I told them I would rest for a couple of days.
The next morning, after a relaxed breakfast, I changed into my nice city clothes.

Dad and Mom were already at work, so they wouldn’t question the expensive clothes.

I took a carriage waiting near the market and headed to the Merchant Guild.

The Lynas Merchant Guild building was less than half the size of the capital’s, but its interior layout was identical, so I knew exactly where to go.

At the cashier counter, I laid out my membership card and thumped down the leather bags from my magic pouch—one, two, three—and asked for deposit and balance confirmation.

Other than the pouch I gave Mom, I had prepared several bags stuffed mostly with gold coins, mixed with some silver and copper.

Altogether it was five bags. I had no idea how much was inside, so I asked them to count.
It should be around 70,000,000 dara left after giving one bag to Mom.

As they opened and counted the coins, one clerk signaled silently to another.
A strong-looking man approached, which was depressing but unavoidable.

Excuse me, Leon. This is quite a large deposit—may I ask what line of work you’re in?

I silently showed my adventurer card.

I usually deposit my earnings through the Adventurers’ Guild, but over the past three years the cash payments kept piling up. I was recently caught in the forced mobilization in Roxanne and earned a great deal hunting beasts, so the amount increased quickly. It seemed unsafe to keep it all in my Magic Pouch, so I came to deposit it. Have I caused a problem?

“Not at all! My apologies, sir—so young, yet you possess a gold adventurer card.”

While they finished counting, I asked how much money I’d need to buy a combined shop and residence.

Depending on the area and size, it would cost between 50,000,000 and 300,000,000 dara for an apothecary to open in a decent location.

A shop with a workshop on the first floor and living space on the second and third would be cheap at 50 million—too cheap, he hinted.

A proper building in a middle-class district would cost around 300 million dara. My savings still weren’t enough.

That made sense—an apothecary couldn’t open in the high-class residential district, but getting a spot on the edge of the middle-class area would be good enough.

The counting finished; the slip read:

• Previous balance: 137,670,000 dara
• This deposit: 71,346,000 dara
• Total: 209,016,000 dara

I’d still need another 100 million.
In a year and four months… that was going to be tight. But I’d try my best.

Leaving the guild, I had the carriage take me to the magic item shop.

Gailstein Magic Goods on Delphine Street stood in what was clearly a middle-class district; the surrounding buildings were impressive.

Since I had no business in this part of town before, I couldn’t help looking around.
The carriage driver kept staring—probably wondering why a kid in fine clothes was here—but seeing my outfit, he opened the door.

Not wanting pointless negotiations, I simply said:

“I want a Rank 8–180 magic bag.”

The clerk’s eyebrows shot up.

“I’m sorry, sir, but a Rank 8–10 magic bag alone costs about 17,500,000 dara. To add 170 hours of time delay, the fee is 17,200,000 more. The total would be 34,700,000 dara…”

I placed four leather bags stuffed with gold coins on the counter.

“There’s 35 million dara in there.”

I took out three gold coins and told him to check.

He bowed deeply and dashed to the back.
Soon, judging by the loud footsteps, the shop owner himself came.

Rubbing his hands together, he said,

“You wish to purchase a Rank 8–180 magic bag?”

I nodded casually.

They served high-quality tea and sweets as I waited.
Eventually, the bag arrived on a polished tray; I completed user registration and locking.

Once I empty my Rank 3 Magic Pouch, I can give it to my sister for work and use this Rank 8 Magic Bag for storing prey.

During the beast outbreak in Roxanne, I learned that a Rank 5 Magic Bag wasn’t large enough. This one should do.

I told them I would return later to transfer the registration on the Rank 3 Magic Pouch, then left.

At home, I moved all the stored food from the Rank 3 Magic Pouch into the Rank 5 Magic Bag. Then I spent a long time transferring bottle after bottle of alcohol, since I couldn’t simply turn the pouch upside down.

* * * * * * *

Your Excellency, here is the report from Roxanne concerning the adventurer named Leon. He was born in Lynas in Olivetan Territory and registered there as an adventurer. He’s nineteen years old, uses Wind Magic, and has 93 mana. His spells include [Whirlwind!], [Tornado!], and a powerful barrier-like spell called [Dome!]. He can certainly fly—he was used in the search for dragons, so his range must be considerable. According to adventurers in Roxanne whom our agents bribed, he normally makes his living hunting large numbers of birds.

Can we contact him? Find out whether he can be hired through the Adventurers’ Guild.

We can submit a request, but he disappeared after the dragon hunt ended, and his current whereabouts are unknown.

Find him. And whose territory is Lynas in?

Lynas is in Olivetan Territory, ruled by Count Arkwright.

Order the count to investigate everything about the man. If possible, recruit him or hire him. He’s valuable, so warn them not to use force.

Chancellor Brighton ordered Marginus to send Count Arkwright instructions to investigate Leon’s whereabouts.

As Marginus acknowledged the order, Chancellor Brighton turned his thoughts to the standoff at the border.

Both kingdoms had stationed troops behind their border towns. The size of the Holtland army was unknown but clearly substantial; if it invaded, one or two territories could fall with ease.

Fortunately, the Adventurers’ Guild had ended its forced mobilization sooner than expected, allowing Duke Barland to send reinforcements.

The current standoff cost money—troop supply, weapons—so a real war was unlikely to start immediately.

Then he remembered—

East of the border lay three viscount territories, followed by two count territories, with Count Arkwright’s Olivetan Territory adjoining the border region.

Count Arkwright was currently commanding the combined viscount forces facing the Holtland army.

Marginus, Count Arkwright should be at the border camp. Send the order immediately to whoever is acting in his place at the estate.