WM V4C0713

Chapter 0713 Mithril Ore

Translator: Jay_Forestieri

Editor: Tseirp

 

The day after Ryo was introduced to former King Stafford, in the king’s office.

As always, Abel signed documents.

As always, Ryo was sprawled on the sofa, loafing around and reading a book.

 

Nothing had changed.

 

“I am always watching to make sure Abel doesn’t stray from the path of kingship.”

“…I didn’t say anything.”

“I know! You’re thinking, ‘Ryo is loafing around again and not doing any work today,’ aren’t you!”

“I wasn’t thinking that at all, but I guess that’s true.”

“Tch… how underhanded, King Abel!”

 

The same old scene, unchanged, unfolded before them.

 

 

“Next week, I’m going to Whitnash. You’re coming too, right, Ryo?”

“Huh? I-I’m kind of busy with alchemy…”

“Well, I won’t force you, but… I think it would be most fitting for you to go, Ryo.”

“Huh?”

Ryo tilted his head at Abel’s words.

Most fitting for Ryo to go? Hm? Was there really something like that?

 

But a king does not wait.

 

“Anyway, he should be here any moment now, so we’ll hear the rest together…”

Before Abel could finish, there was a knock at the door.

 

The attendant who came in announced.

“Your Majesty, Viscount Kenneth Hayward has arrived.”

“Ah, I’ve been waiting.”

 

And so, Viscount Kenneth Hayward, the chief researcher at the Royal Alchemy Workshop, was shown in.

 

“Huh? Kenneth?”

“Ah, Ryo-san is here too. Perfect timing.”

After bowing to Abel, Kenneth spotted Ryo sitting on the sofa and said.

 

“So Kenneth, too, has fallen victim to King Abel’s tyranny! Even with important research to attend to, Abel must have used his rank and power to pressure you into coming to the castle.”

“If put into words, I suppose that’s what happened… but for some reason, I feel like I’m being accused of something unreasonable.”

“That’s because Abel’s tiny conscience is pricking him. Kenneth, too, should join the Abel Victims’ Association and denounce King Abel’s tyrannical rule!”

“Yeah, no. Stop trying to stir things up, Premier Duke.”

 

Of course, there was no such thing as the Abel Victims’ Association.

 

A noble caught between one person with power and another, wondering how best to move… Kenneth did occupy such a position, but judging from the way he was laughing, he understood it was a joke.

 

“These three items are the ones Ryo-san brought back, correct?”

With that, Kenneth set the things he had brought onto the table.

A bracelet.

A brooch.

And a cylinder about the size of a juice can.

 

“Yes, yes. Loot from the Western Countries.”

Ryo nodded.

They had been obtained during the battle with the terrifying bishops of the Western Church.

 

The concealment bracelet.

The fusion-magic brooch.

And the magic-nullification cylinder.

All of them were alchemy tools.

 

They were indeed things he had brought back… but he had no idea why Kenneth had them.

As usual, they should have been in his bag.

 

When he was blasted away to the ‘Archipelago Region’ by the runaway magic of the Djinn Garwin, the bag was not with him.

He had checked the beach where he was sent and confirmed that the condiments and other things he had kept in the bag were gone, so there was no doubt about it.

 

On the other hand, when he was transported straight to the battlefield from the Western Countries by the Djinn Merlin’s teleportation… the bag had been there.

 

“I think I put the bag on the ground before the battle with Garwin.”

“Yes. After the two of you disappeared, the bag containing these items was left behind on the battlefield.”

At Ryo’s words, Kenneth nodded.

 

Kenneth had recovered it and analyzed it while the two were returning from the Eastern Countries.

 

“Each one is an astonishingly advanced and intricate alchemy tool… I only recently finished the analysis.”

“Even Kenneth had that much trouble…”

 

Viscount Kenneth Hayward was a genius alchemist representing the Central Countries.

No, he would likely become the kind of alchemist whose name would be remembered in history.

And yet these devices were enough to give even him trouble?

 

To be fair, they had been made by Cardinal Sacharias, who seemed to have been the greatest alchemist in the history of the Western Church.

You might call it a doctrine, or perhaps simply a difference in mindset and goals, but the Central Countries and the Western Countries likely had a huge gap in their way of thinking.

In that case, it was only natural that the analysis would take time.

 

“Especially this magic-nullification cylinder… to be honest, I still don’t understand it.”

“What…!?”

“There are several magic formulas I cannot comprehend. The troublesome part is that I cannot test them. Even the dark-attribute magic portion alone is quite difficult.”

“Dark-attribute magic…”

Abel and Ryo muttered in unison.

 

Dark-attribute magic often affects the human mind.

So it was not something that could be casually tested.

 

“But even beyond that, there are several magic formulas for which I cannot tell what attribute they belong to.”

“What do you mean, you can’t tell the attribute?”

“Yes. Since I can’t determine the attribute, I suppose I should call them attribute-less… but I could not understand them myself. Let me see… it would be like finding a sentence in the Central Countries’ language with Eastern Countries’ language or some unfamiliar script suddenly mixed in. Even the grammar is different, so I couldn’t even figure out what was going on.”

“Come to think of it, that’s exactly what it was like.”

At Kenneth’s explanation, Ryo nodded, having previously glimpsed the magic formula on the magic-nullification cylinder.

 

If a Japanese sentence suddenly had Arabic mixed into it, or cuneiform, there would be no way to understand it.

Japanese text flows from left to right, while Arabic flows from right to left… and as for cuneiform, he had no confidence he could read it in the first place.

If all that were mixed together…

 

Yeah, that would be impossible.

There was no way to analyze that!

 

 

“That’s the state of things, so we still haven’t made much progress understanding the magic-nullification cylinder. But we do know one thing for certain: it would be a terrible idea to have anyone test it.”

“Huh? Is that so?”

“Yes. Even setting aside the attribute-less part I mentioned earlier, the dark-attribute portion alone is dangerous. However, for the dark-attribute portion, we requested assistance from Twilight Land.”

“Oh… Rosaria-san.”

Ryo remembered.

 

The dark-attribute magician Rosaria, who had attacked the delegation as one of the assassination cult’s members.

After being captured, she was protected in Twilight Land.

In the first place, there were very few people in the Central Countries who could use dark-attribute magic.

Officially, Rosaria was the only one the Kingdom of Knightley knew of.

 

The ‘Soul Resonance’ hanging from Ryo’s left ear had also been made with Rosaria’s help, using dark-attribute magic.

 

“Since she isn’t an alchemist, it seems it was quite difficult, but there was one point that she was able to determine very clearly.”

“And what was that?”

“That if an ordinary magician used that cylinder, there is a very high chance they would die instantly.”

“Die instantly…”

Abel, who had been silent the whole time, murmured.

Ryo grimaced and said nothing.

To be sure, Bishop Abelardo, who had been using the cylinder, had not been in normal condition.

He had been dripping with cold sweat, and every so often his face twisted in pain.

He had not lost his life, but…

Perhaps that meant even someone with high aptitude would end up like that.

 

“Kenneth, please study that cylinder with the utmost caution. I want to avoid anyone losing their life during the analysis process, or the alchemy workshop taking any damage.”

“Yes, understood.”

At Abel’s words, Kenneth nodded deeply.

 

 

“Setting the magic-nullification cylinder aside, the other two…”

Ryo’s gaze moved back and forth between the concealment bracelet and the fusion-magic brooch.

 

“We’ve mostly figured out how they work. However, mass production is difficult.”

“Mass production?”

“Yes. Marquis Heinlein asked whether mass production would be possible, so I’ve been researching that point as well.”

“As expected of His Excellency the Prime Minister…”

Ryo was surprised by Kenneth’s answer.

 

Indeed, alchemy tools for concealment, or for fusion magic in emergencies, would be highly effective if given to people engaged in intelligence work.

Prime Minister Marquis Heinlein was one of the foremost authorities in that area in the Central Countries.

 

“Kenneth, why is mass production difficult?”

“The parts, I suppose… both the bracelet and the brooch have one other important component besides the magic stone. That component is made from an ore that is not produced in the Central Countries.”

“Not produced in the Central Countries?”

“Yes. It is called Mithril Ore, and there are rumors that it is traded in only tiny quantities on the Dark Continent… something like that. Since I was unable to analyze it myself, I asked for assistance from Viscount Rashata Debuo, the Folklore Officer of the Central Temple, and identified it that way.”

Kenneth reported.

 

It sounded like an analysis carried out by the combined intellect of the kingdom.

 

“I see. The Dark Continent, huh.”

Abel muttered.

 

The Dark Continent was said to be a continent stretching across the vast expanse south of the Western Countries.

Of course, neither Ryo nor Abel had ever been there.

No, come to think of it, was there anyone in the kingdom who had been to the Dark Continent?

 

 

After Kenneth finished his report, Ryo left the office as well.

And where he headed was the Kingdom Magic Corps Headquarters inside the royal castle.

Since it was the headquarters, the highest-ranking person was here.

 

“Hm? Well, if it isn’t Ryo. What brings you here?”

When he entered the commander’s office, the highest-ranking person… Magic Corps Commander Arthur Verasis, called out to him.

The Magic Corps adviser, Ilarion Baraha, who was usually with him, didn’t seem to be there.

 

“Sorry to bother you when you’re busy, Arthur-san. I just had something I wanted to ask.”

Ryo got straight to the point after a cursory greeting.

“I heard that Arthur-san went to the Western Countries when you were young, but have you ever been to the Dark Continent?”

“No, I haven’t.”

Arthur’s eyes went distant as he recalled the past while answering.

 

“In those days, the northern coastal region of the Dark Continent was in chaos. For a time, there was also a period when relations with the Western Church were bad, so the ways to cross over were limited. If I remember right, you could only go from the republic.”

“The Republic of Mafalda?”

“That’s right, that republic. We were often in dungeons near the Holy Capital, so… our ties with the Theocracy were deeper than our ties with the Republic.”

“I see.”

Adult circumstances existed everywhere, huh… Ryo nodded.

 

“Why are you asking about the Dark Continent?”

“Well, I heard a rumor about an ore traded there.”

“An ore traded on the Dark Continent? Ah… I’ve heard of it, though only as a rumor. Something called Mithril Ore, right?”

“That’s it! Even you only heard it as a rumor, Arthur-san?”

“Hm, when it comes to trade, yes. I’ve seen the ore itself, or rather, weapons made from it.”

“What?!”

Ryo was shocked.

 

“Actually, Mithril Ore is probably the most famous ore used as a weapon material. Of course, if you tried to get your hands on it, the price would make your eyes pop out… more accurately, it doesn’t even circulate, so you can’t buy it in the first place.”

Arthur laughed.

 

“I’m jealous. To have been able to see something so precious.”

“Ryo, you’ve seen it too, haven’t you?”

“Huh?”

Arthur said it with a smile, but Ryo had no idea what he meant.

Weapons made from ore that precious… no, he had no memory of seeing any.

 

“Ryo, even after you returned, didn’t you still do mock battles in the mornings?”

“Yes. I do mock battles with Sera.”

“The sword Sera uses is one of them.”

“What did you say…”

A shocking truth, revealed now!

 

 

Twenty minutes later, Ryo was visiting the Elf Autonomous Office in the royal capital.

Sera, the next representative of the ‘Western Forest’, stayed at this office whenever she was in the royal capital.

That said, before Ryo and Abel returned from the Eastern Countries, she had apparently spent most of her time holed up in the Western Forest…

 

And when Sera was in the office, she was usually in the training hall.

 

The autonomous office had been devastated during the royal capital turmoil and abandoned when the royal capital fell, but after Abel retook the capital, it underwent large-scale renovations.

Originally, many of the houses around the office belonged to northern nobles who had defected to the Empire and to Prince Raymond, the king’s younger brother.

Once King Abel’s rule was established and all of those northern nobles were stripped of their power, many of the houses around the office also became vacant.

With King Abel’s permission, the autonomous office absorbed and merged with those properties.

 

The grounds had become four times larger than before, and many defensive alchemical measures had been installed, turning it into a kind of fortress.

Inside one corner of that fortress stood a huge indoor training hall.

Every day, the elves there devoted themselves to training.

 

And the one leading them was Sera.

 

Just as she had once trained up the Rune Knights, she was now training up the elves.

That said, half of the training hall was unusable in the mornings.

That was because fierce mock battles were being held in that half.

 

Yes, fierce mock battles.

 

Mock sword fights between the instructor Sera and a robed magician.

That robed magician was Ryo.

 

 

Ryo came to the training hall, where he always held his morning mock battles, at a rare evening hour.

 

He peeked inside quietly…

 

As expected, the elves had been struck down onto the floor in a pile of bodies.

No, of course they weren’t dead.

Rather, it was a familiar sight to Ryo.

It had been the same in Rune, too.

 

“Ryo!”

Sera spotted Ryo’s face peeking in immediately.

A moment later, she rushed over and hugged him.

 

“What is it? Was the morning mock battle not enough? Should we clear away the ones lying around and continue?”

Sera asked happily.

 

Ryo was a little curious about how they would be cleared away, but he shook his head.

 

“I have something I wanted to ask. About Sera’s sword.”

“My sword?”

The sword Sera held was a wooden practice sword.

The wooden practice sword she used for training.

 

But when she fought against Ryo in mock battles, she used her beloved sword.

That fact alone was proof enough of just how much she was holding back during these afternoon training sessions.

 

“The sword is over there.”

“Let me see it for a second.”

The two of them walked to the back of the training hall.

 

The elves watching them… of course, most of them still sprawled on the floor… did so only with their faces or eyes.

There was no trace of hostility in those gazes.

Rather, there was respect and admiration… or perhaps a little fear.

 

The people here watched Ryo and Sera’s mock battles every day.

 

They already knew exactly how strong Sera was.

After all, she was the one putting them through this brutal training day in and day out.

Yet, here was Ryo, who engaged in serious mock battles with Sera.

Though almost none of them had ever personally crossed swords with Ryo… his overwhelming strength was obvious enough.

 

Faced with such a person, there wasn’t a soul who wouldn’t feel deep respect, admiration, or a healthy dose of fear.

 

 

The two of them reached the back of the training hall.

Sera took the sword leaning against the wall and handed it to Ryo.

Ryo drew the blade.

It was a familiar sword… the one Sera always used for mock battles.

 

“This… is made from Mithril Ore?”

“Yeah. It’s the last one my old party member forged for me.”

Sera’s face grew a little sad.

 

“It’s supposed to be incredibly rare ore, right?”

“Even if Ryo says he wants it, I’m not giving you this sword, you know?”

“No, no, I would never ask for that.”

Sera pouted as she spoke, and Ryo denied it with a wry smile.

 

“Do you happen to know if there’s any leftover ore from when that party member of yours forged this for you?”

“Hmm, let’s see… I’m not sure. The inheritance and keepsakes and all that were passed on to the disciples, so I’d have to ask. This sword alone was enough for me.”

Sera said that, then took the sword back from Ryo and gave it a light tap.

 

“Does Ryo need Mithril Ore?”

“For me, not exactly… maybe Abel? Or the Royal Alchemy Workshop? Well, it seems like the kingdom would be happy if we had some.”

“I see. In that case, shall we go pay a visit to his disciple and ask?”

“Eh! We can actually go?”

“Of course.”

“Is the place far away?”

“It’s in Rune City.”

“…Eh?”

 

 

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