Chapter 141: A Forceful Request

“Your Majesty, this is a report from Ambassador McNeil.”

“Has another problem occurred?”

“If you call it a problem, then yes. Previously we received a report that the Kingdom of Braden was gathering troops near the border with Holtland.”

“Yes, I remember. Is this a follow-up?”

“That situation has taken a rather strange turn. Recently—though it has already been more than a month—it seems Ambassador McNeil was invited to an evening banquet. The stated reason for the banquet was rather…”

“What is it? Speak clearly.”

“To celebrate the success of a joint military exercise with the Kingdom of Braden… or something along those lines.”

“So the demonstration in Holtland was also shown to Braden… No, that is not quite it. Perhaps they demonstrated it before the assembled troops.”

“In that case, do you think he accepted a request from them?”

“That would be my guess. But do we not have someone planted in the Merchant Guild?”

“We do, but no important information is getting through. We also received a report from Count Arkwright that Leon recently bought a house, yet Holtland seems to know about it.”

“So the request didn’t go through the Adventurers’ Guild?”

“Neither the Lynas guild nor any of the other guilds have any record of such a request.”

“If it was a direct request, we can’t stop it. Still, if he bought a house, it’s unlikely he intends to move to Holtland.”

“He plans to live there with his family, so for the moment that doesn’t seem likely.”

* * * * * * *

Early one morning, my sister woke me by pounding on me and immediately began asking for advice about medicinal herbs.

In short, she wanted me to find herbs that were difficult to obtain. The herbs growing around Lynas could be purchased through the Adventurers’ Guild, so she did not need those.

She said it so casually, but when I told her I knew nothing about herbs that could not be found around Lynas, she said her mana control had improved and that she wanted to practice magic outside the city again.

Since unsavory people might follow us if it were just the two of us, we asked Ted to accompany us. We left through the west gate and, on slightly higher ground near the place we had used before, I created a [Dome!].

“Oh? So this is your Wind Magic [Dome!]. Scott and the others often said that being with Leon was reassuring. What about the whirlwind?”

“I’ll show you after my sister finishes practicing.”

I warned my sister not to put her hand through the opening in the dome, then had her use Water Magic while carefully controlling the flow of mana.

“[Water!]”

Oh! A steady stream of water poured out with about the force of a running tap.

“Sis, stop.”

“Huh… W-wait, stop!”

Ted turned his back and started shaking while clutching his stomach in laughter.

“Practicing continuous mana output also means practicing how to stop it whenever you want.”

“I know that. I was just so happy it worked that I forgot. So, how was it?”

“All right. Next, try making the flow of mana even thinner.”

“Eh? Even thinner?”

“Do you always pour water with the force used to fill a wooden tub? You need to adjust the amount depending on the container—like a pot or a kettle. So, can you make the mana thinner?”

“Of course I can.”

“Thinner… [Water!]”

This time the force was weaker, but the water kept flowing steadily.

“Hey… how long do I keep it going?”

“Can you make the mana even thinner in that state?”

“Hm… I’ll try.”

Gradually the flow of water weakened, then it stopped.

“Did you stop the mana?”

“No, but the water stopped.”

“That is the minimum amount needed for the magic to manifest. Now try using your mana all at once, like the first time—release it in a burst.”

“[Water!]”

This time, a large gush burst out all at once—like a horse…
No, better forget that.

“Now reduce the amount of mana slightly and try again.”

“[Water!]”

On the fourth attempt the spell didn’t activate, so I told her to remember the slightly larger amount of mana she had used earlier.

Watching her magic, I couldn’t quite grasp the difference between using mana in bursts and using it thinly and continuously. Water magic seemed quite different from wind magic.

“Sis, do you want to practice launching a [Water Ball!]?”

“I’m an apothecary. I don’t need to use magic that much, so I’ll pass.”

“Then at least learn how to make a water sphere. It might protect you in an emergency.”

“You mean that thing from before?”

“Yeah. Mine comes from Life Magic, so this is about as large as I can make it, but you could probably create one the size of a medium ale barrel.”

“Alright then. How do I do it?”

I created a water sphere as an example and had her start by making one herself.

Since she could already use Water Magic, it was easy for her to imitate the example directly in front of her.

Next I taught her how to create spheres of different sizes, hold them in place, and release the mana to dispel them when they were no longer needed.

When I explained what situations they could be used in, her face twitched a bit.

I reassured her that unless she wanted to drown someone, she could simply release the mana right before the opponent stopped moving.

Before returning home, it was finally time for the whirlwind Ted had been waiting to see. Since we were near the west gate, I created a five-meter [Whirlwind!] and moved it from side to side while it sucked up a rotten log lying nearby.

“So that’s the small version?”

“When catching birds, it is about one meter tall. For goblins, roughly two meters. For an Armor Buffalo, four or five meters—but much wider.”

As I said that, I increased its height and widened it, turning it into a fat whirlwind.

“Seeing it like this, wind magic isn’t so bad.”

“If you keep practicing, you will eventually be able to use Water Magic freely as well. Most people are satisfied merely to have magic. Even those who practice rarely try to take it any further.”

When we returned to the highway, people and adventurers were making a fuss about the large whirlwind we had created. We ignored them and headed for the west gate.

* * * * * * *

“Today’s visitors are quite lively fellows,” Ted told me.

Following the worried Land, I entered the plain reception room. A man sprawled across the sofa while six others stood behind him.

Even while seated, he raised his chin and looked down on everyone with a scornful expression. I almost admired his audacity.

“I’m Leon. I heard you are from the Mariens Trading Company in Zandra. What can I do for you?”

He didn’t bother standing and simply stared at me.

“We sent you a request over two months ago. Why haven’t you responded?”

“A request…? I’m an adventurer. I review the details and reward before replying.”

“The reward is twenty gold coins. Two million dara.”

“Please wait a moment.”

I took a stack of request forms from my Magic Bag and slowly looked through them.

Mariens Trading Company, Zandra branch. Meat products.
Targets: Shams and Golden Goats.

“Twenty gold coins for Shams and Golden Goats? That is ridiculous. Please leave.”

“You know this is a request from the Mariens Trading Company, and you still refuse?”

“You deal in meat, don’t you? I am busy gathering medicinal herbs. For Shams and Golden Goats, you should ask the Adventurers’ Guild… though at twenty gold coins, I doubt anyone would accept.”

Their mood changed, but their intimidation was about as threatening as a goblin glaring at me.

I considered showing Duke Barland’s identification card and calmly sending them away, but their arrogance irritated me more than their feeble intimidation.

“You dislike receiving a request from the Mariens Trading Company?”

“Twenty gold coins for Shams and Golden Goats? Do I look like an idiot who would accept that? If you want to hire me—or anyone capable of obtaining them—you would need to offer at least two hundred gold coins.”

“Kid, I hear you were part of the dragon-slaying group. You have quite an attitude. Be careful—if you oppose the Mariens Trading Company, driving you out of this backwater town would be easy.”

“Really? That’s a big mouth for a butcher’s errand boy.”

The bodyguards reached for their swords.

Ted, leaning against the door, shrugged and shook his head.

So I have to handle them myself?

Fine.

“I carry identification from Duke Barland. If you apologize and leave now, I will pretend I never heard that.”

The man looked at it and snorted.

“Idiot. There is no way a brat like you would possess identification from House Barland. Showing that forgery to us was your mistake. Teach this fool a lesson!”

He snapped his fingers dramatically.

One of the men stepped forward, grabbed my collar, and lifted me up.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ted and Land draw their swords.

At that moment, I sent a water sphere straight into the man’s mouth.

Behind me I heard the clash of metal as swords were blocked.

The man choking on the water sphere released me, and as I turned I unleashed:

“[Whirlwind!] [Whirlwind!]”

Five whirlwinds caught the attackers and spun them around.

The man who had been lounging on the sofa tried to grab me, but Ted kicked him away.

The man who had lifted me struggled, unable to expel the water sphere blocking his throat. Just before he suffocated, I released the mana.

Then I released the mana from the spinning [Whirlwind!] spells.

“Ted, Land—tie them up,” I said while catching the man Ted had kicked in another [Whirlwind!].

“Won’t this cause trouble later?” Ted asked.

“It’s fine. They insulted my identification, attacked me, and drew swords.”

“That alone isn’t much of a guarantee.”

“Land, please call the guards and give them my name.”

“Hey… seriously?”

“They’ll come if you mention my name.”

After tying up the last one, the others’ faces were already turning pale.

When the guards arrived, I showed them Count Arkwright’s identification card and explained what had happened.

I also told them that I would report the incident to the count myself and ordered them not to let the men escape.

The fools were dragged away shouting things like “I was only asked to do it!” and “Can’t you take a joke?”—until the guards kicked them silent.

“They really took them away,” Ted muttered.

“Wait… Leon, you also have identification from Count Arkwright?”

“Duke Barland asked me to handle some matters and said this card would be easier to use in Lynas.”

Ted muttered something like “That’s not the point,” but I ignored him.