Chapter 107: Relic Trade Union

Lucius and Melania visited Viscount Girard’s mansion to discuss the puppet tax.

The Viscount’s first words.

“…Are you sane?”

He threw a disdainful look at Lucius.

“It’s true that there isn’t much precedent for this.”

Besides Sextus and his tutor, three other western nobles were seated around Viscount Girard.

Count Sisik, Viscount László, and Baron Lecouvreur.

It was still fresh in memory how their children had attempted to obtain Gun monsters while being carried by the Kyrgyz people.

―The members of the Arcanorum Trading Company?

The so-called Adelaide faction of the western alliance.

I’ve heard that these four, led by Viscount Girard, monopolize the sale and repair of relics used in the familiar contracts, reaping huge profits.

They also serve as a source of lobbying funds for Lady Adelaide throughout the country, whispered to be an absolutely inviolable commercial zone.

It seems there was a meeting today.

Although it was called a meeting, it was more like a banquet, with everyone lounging on sofas, their faces flushed.

One of them, Count Sisik, raised his voice.

“We can’t stand for any precedent! To associate yourself with such filthy puppets, I feel sick as a fellow noble!”

“The Pandora Federation is stronger than our country. Shouldn’t we learn from them?”

Instead of the enraged Count Sisik, Viscount Laszlo answered, a woman in her forties adorned with a necklace hiding her neck.

“Hmph. How much of a big deal is this so-called great nation beyond the sea?”

Baron Lecouvreur chimed in, glaring openly at Melania, who hails from Pandora, while raising his glass.

“Exactly. It’s just exaggerated rumors. It wouldn’t be much if they were faced with Gun monsters.”

The two tutors agreed.

Presumably, these tutors were sent by the members of this company to educate the heir of the Geden family, Sector.

―Why do I feel that way?

Even without an appraisal, Lucius could clearly see that Melania had more magic power than the nobles in front of him.

Moreover, Melania still didn’t have a fake core, so she had even more potential.

She probably only gave instructions from the protected rear and didn’t really know what a real fight was.

“The puppet spells they use may bring about a new way of doing things.”

“But nobody’s asking for a new way!”

Interrupting, Sextus spoke up involuntarily.

―Those who gorge themselves on vested interests would, wouldn’t they?

Viscount Girard began to summarize the conversation.

“So, Lord Lucius, do you believe these dolls have that much value?”

“Yes.”

“As weapons to contend with the monsters?”

“Yes.”

The four looked at each other and grinned.

“Very well. Then let’s make a deal for ten thousand gold coins.”

“Ten thousand gold coins!?”

Ten gold coins were enough for a prosperous peasant family to live for a year. In other words, it was wealth that could sustain a thousand households for a year.

Despite being a lord, there were still insufficient materials for reconstruction.

The amount they could freely provide exceeded that.

“It would be nice if it were something a poor northern noble could afford.”

“Do you know how high the tariffs on weapons are?”

“You said it yourself, didn’t you? That it’s a weapon that can confront puppet-like monsters.”

The four and Sextus began to laugh mockingly.

“…I’d like a little time to think.”

“Please, take your time. Oh, and one more thing. I assume the technology of our vital relics won’t be included?”

Melania nodded firmly.

Although she applied pupent-making technology to the restoration of familiar relics, they were different things.

“Understood.”

As Lucius was about to leave, Viscount Girard placed his cup down and stood up.

Then he whispered in Lucius’s ear.

“This is what politics is. With money and power, you can do anything. It must have been a good lesson for a kid with just a bit more magic power, right?”

Lucius distanced himself from the unpleasant breath and coldly stared back.

“…Excuse me.”

As the nobles at the banquet snickered, he left the room.

Immediately afterward, laughter and applause leaked from the other side of the door as if clapping.

“Sorry, Melania.”

As soon as they left the room, Lucius apologized to her.

“What for?”

“You said you would make them, and then…”

“Of course, I will. Girard-sama didn’t object to the act itself.”

“But, ten thousand gold coins…”

“I don’t understand the procedures for taking them outside. But, Lucius-sama’s goal is to confirm the safety of the puppets, right? So, you can do it inside the tower alone.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Lucius-sama helped the Kyrgyz people. So, I will support you.”

Melania bowed deeply.

While looking at her head, Lucius finally spoke the words he had held back in his throat multiple times.

“Hey, Melania.”

“What is it?”

“How can the Kyrgyz people leave the tower?”

Melania forced a smile.

“…There’s nowhere else for them to go.”

“They could come to my territory.”

“But there are no Gun monster magic stones outside the tower.”

“Then how about collecting usable magic stones for a while?”

“That’s true… If we had the treasure of the Pandora Federation, the Tower Master’s Heart, maybe.”

“The treasure?”

“The magic stone possessed by the ruler of the Gun monster sitting atop the tower, the Tower Master. I heard that a single magic stone can create tens of thousands or millions of puppets. In fact, clans that have obtained it have been making puppets solely with the Tower Master’s Heart for over 280 years.”

“Is the Tower Master also in this tower?”

“Of course. Each of the six towers is ruled by six Tower Masters. But it’s impossible. Just reaching the top of the fifth floor, let alone defeating the Tower Master, is a feat in itself. Furthermore, only the hero king Zenon, who united the northern continent in the times of chaos and founded the Pandora Federation, has been able to accomplish it.”

“The hero king who founded the country, huh?”

“So, I’ll just take accept your feelings for now.”

Melania smiled and left for her home, and Lucius left the tower with Lauren.

And ten days later.

Lucius was on a small island surrounded by magma.

In front of him was a creature made of lava, resembling a shark, that he had just defeated.

“In a little while, we’ll reach the top of the fourth layer.”

Lucius looked up at the sky, where there was only one rocky platform. Beyond that was just the illusionary sun created by the tower.

―Should I start climbing down already?

Lucius followed the familiar path and returned to the village from the nearest magic circle. Then, he opened Melania’s door.

“It’s finally done!”

As soon as he opened it, Melania came flying out, flapping her wings. She then led him to a workbench, where something about a meter tall was placed.

It was a puppet with no eyes and joints seemingly attached.

From a distance, the puppet Melania used looked so sophisticated that they could pass for humans. However, the puppet in front of him looked nothing like a human.

“A wooden doll?”

“Yes. It’s made mainly from the wood monster Trent that Viscount Girard provided.”

The wood monster Trent was a relatively low-grade monster found almost anywhere. It had high reproductive ability and was frequently hunted due to its interference with cultivation.

However, wood materials were hardly ever used. Materials stripped from monster bodies rapidly decomposed, making them unsuitable for use.

It was unbelievable that something said to be unusable, even as fuel, turned out to be suitable for puppets.

“This is a medium. The puppet takes shape by receiving the owner’s magic power.”

“I see. How do you form a contract?”

Lucius peered at the doll lying on the bench.

“Here.”

Melania, holding the doll with her wings, gestured toward its dangling wooden limbs. The limbs seemed to be made of mere wood and leather.

Melania headed toward a pedestal in the center of the village.

“Although the 【Soul Infusing Ceremonyy】 that connects with the puppets can be performed anywhere, it’s customary to conduct it at the center of the village because it’s a sacred ritual.”

After placing the puppet on the pedestal, villagers began to gather around.

―Looking at it again, curses seem to be rampant.

There were various kinds of people: some with blackened arms, some shedding red tears from their eyes, some with legs like wood, and so on.

Melania had mentioned that some could dispel curses, but it seemed to be a rare spell. Even among the Thousand Dragon Knights that Lucius belonged to, no one possessed it.

“It’s quite unusual for someone outside the clan to have a puppet.”

“I heard he has as many as four fake cores. Is that true or just a rumor?”

“That’s probably an exaggeration.”

Amid the villagers’ bustling conversations, Melania beckoned Lucius.

“It doesn’t matter where, please let blood drip onto the doll.”

Without hesitation, Lucius made a small cut on his palm with his treasure sword and let the blood drip onto the doll. The blood was immediately absorbed into the puppet.

“It’s connected now. Next, please infuse it with the magic power of the fake core. Try not to mix it too much with the magic power of other fake cores.”

“Got it.”

Lucius extracted magic power from the fake core, infused it into his palm, and poured it into the puppet. He could see the magic power blending into the wooden puppet.

And then, something strange happened when he released his arm.

―Connected.

It felt as if he were tied to the puppet lying on the bench with a thread of magic power. His fake core around his coccyx and the puppet’s chest were connected.

“A magic thread?”

“That’s called the basic technique of puppetry, the Thread Technique. How many threads are connecting you to the puppet now?”

“Just one?”

“…I see.”

Melania seemed a little disappointed.

“Even children usually have three or more threads connected. I had seven threads when I first connected with a puppet at the age of three.”

Some villagers began to return to their homes, seemingly losing interest.

“Well, that’s how it is.”

“…Looks like I won’t be able to become a user.”

“It’s impossible for someone outside the clan to have it in the first place.”

Lucius, puzzled, checked the sensation of the thread.

“Is there any advantage to having more threads?”

“It makes it easier for thoughts and sensations to be shared between each other. With just one thread, I don’t think you can understand the puppet’s consciousness much.”

There was also training to assimilate each other’s magic power in the covenant.

―It’s like the Fusion of Same Magic.

It was something that needed to be gradually accustomed to, but it seemed to be determined to some extent by talent in the case of puppets.

―Am I still being drained of magic power?

Even as they spoke, the puppet continued to absorb magic power through the thread.

The puppet also made a creaking sound and began to change.

“It’s becoming more and more human-like.”

Its surface became smooth, the joints gradually disappeared, and its sunken eyes became clear.

Nevertheless, the puppet continued to absorb magic power.

Eventually, even clothes were being made for it.

“Hey, when is it going to stand up?”

“How much magic power is it going to absorb!?”

“What an amount of magic power!”

Voices from the villagers rose in disbelief.

“Um… Lucius-sama? May I ask you something?”

“Of course. What is it?”

“What’s the rank of the fake core?”

“It seems to be a special rank. I heard it from the dwarves, so it’s no mistake.”

“A special rank!?”

“Is something wrong?”

Melania began to panic.

“Puppets grow in rank just like magic cores and fake cores. In other words, a puppet of special rank, not under the control of its owner, is about to be born.”

“Is it dangerous?”

“I-I don’t know.”

As Melania approached to confirm, the doll suddenly opened its eyes and slowly stood up.

The villagers remained silent, nobody spoke, and a vast amount of magic power enveloped the surroundings.

Standing at the center of that magic power was a small puppet.

It looked like a beautiful girl in an ornate black dress.

With silver hair and red eyes, the girl’s features were somewhat familiar.

There was no mistaking that the magic thread was connected to the girl in front of him.

―So there are gothic Loli clothes in this world.

“A special rank puppet…almost human…”

Melania froze, trembling.

The newly risen puppet lightly waved its arm.

“…No…curse…needed.”

Suddenly, something circulated throughout the village.

―What did it do?

Lucius looked around.

Then everyone, as if in disbelief, began to speak one after another.

The leaked words overlapped dozens of times and gradually grew louder.

And finally, cheers filled the village.

“I-I can’t believe it…the curse has disappeared…”

“My arm! My arm is back!”

“I can see! I can see!”

Villagers hugged each other in tears with their families.

Melania was among them.

Immediately, her brother ran up and hugged Melania. Her wings and eyes, which had turned into darkness, returned to normal.

“A dispelling spell?”

The feet of the villagers, who had been wandering around with vacant expressions, stopped.

Gradually, light returned to their eyes as if their vitality was being restored.

“What was I…doing?”

“Where? Here? I remember being summoned by Viscount Girard.”

“Girard! He’s the one who suddenly…”

―Were those vacant people also cursed?

Amidst the voices of joy, the puppet, which had walked slowly, stood in front of Lucius.

“Master…name…”

The puppet knelt down.

The master referred to Lucius, but it was still strange for a puppet to speak.

Melania’s puppet Nocto did gestures but never spoke.

“A name?”

The girl puppet nodded.

“Then, Sol.”

“I…Sol…total…Solar eclipse.”

Because the black dress and shining silver hair reminded him of the image of a total eclipse.

“You can speak. Even though you were just born not long ago.”

It took Lucius about two years after being reincarnated to even manage to speak.

“Master…memory…share…”

“Memory? Could it bememories from before?”

“Silver Strand, One Left.”

Sol spoke Japanese. It seems that she also shares memories from Lucius’ past life.

“Is Sol’s technique dispelling?”

Sol nodded.

“It’s the dispelling technique I was just thinking about… Is it a coincidence?”

Melania, still with red eyes from tears, turned around.

“Puppet techniques are heavily influenced by magic stones. Perhaps the Fairy King had a dispelling technique because he was a puppeteer.”

Come to think of it, when we were talking about curses, I was given a magic stone. Perhaps it was the Fairy King’s consideration of the situation surrounding them. Lucius couldn’t gauge the intention of the fairy king at all.

“I see. By the way, why is my puppeet a girl?”

“Puppets are mirrors of their masters. If the owner is male, the puppet will be female, and if the owner has a bright personality, the doll will have a dark one. But the purpose is the same.”

“The purpose is the same? What do you mean?”

“It’s like when aiming for the top. The destination is the same, but if the owner chooses a detour route for safety, the doll prefers the shortest route without regard for danger. Whether it’s good or bad, the puppet is a mirror of oneself.”

Now that she mentioned it, the cheerful Melania’s doll felt somewhat dark as a boy.

“It seems to be a quite special puppet. While it’s influenced by magic stones and is more likely to become a stealthy type of technique with humanoid puppets, it’s rare to see a healing type like this.”

Melania began observing Sol, who stood expressionless.

“Is it rare?”

She had mentioned something like that before.

“Yes. Above all, she gets too close to humans. To achieve this level, you need a high amount of magic power, skilled craftsmen, and extremely pure magic stones. Even with a first-class magic stone, it’s impossible to reach this level…”

―Was the Fairy King’s magic stone of a high rank after all?

With such a question in mind, Lucius turned his thoughts to the future.

There would be a need to expand the investigation in the future, but there would probably be no problem with safety. They had to somehow deal with the tariffs.

“Shall we climb together tomorrow?”

Lucius looked at the villagers celebrating.

The curse that had bound the villagers for so long had been lifted. They probably wanted to bask in the afterglow for a while.

“No, I’ll go alone. Can I leave Sol in your care?”

“Of course.”

At that moment, the sound of clanking armor rang out.

Turning around, a group of private soldiers rushed into the village.

―What’s going on?

The villagers, who had been in a festive mood, began to flee into their homes one after another in fear.

The soldiers passed by the villagers and approached them.

Then they surrounded Melania.

“W-What’s the matter?”

Melania shielded her frightened brother Mika with her hands.

One of the soldiers raised his voice.

“Melania Ka Kyrgyz. You are being arrested for disloyalty to Viscount Girard.”

Melania looked completely bewildered.

“What are you talking about?”

“You infringed on Viscount Girard’s rights and provided weapons to nobles outside the territory. This is clearly disloyalty.”

From the conversation, they seemed to be Viscount Girard’s private soldiers.

Lucius stepped forward.

“Is there some mistake? I’ve heard about puppet tariffs, but I haven’t heard anything about not being allowed to make them.”

The soldier replied with a trembling voice.

“We received an anonymous tip that puppets made using contract relic techniques were created. As you know, contracts with relics made in the tower are possessions of the Alcanorum Trading Company.”

When Lucius looked back, Melania shook her head.

It was obviously baseless.

Viscount Girard must have been aiming for this result from the beginning as harassment against Lucius.

Lucius bit his lip so hard it seemed like blood would come out, but Melania and Sol were taken away.

“Girard!”

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