Chapter 58: The method to earn a thousand lux

’The ability to use mana...’

Ravian felt that Adrian had a far deeper meaning behind his words, but he simply couldn’t infer that meaning. Was it because he was too young to understand?

Well, Adrian tended to say such things from time to time, so it was not too strange. And he had learned to ignore it if he couldn’t understand what Adrian said.

’So, he is going to make a thousand lux by using the fact that he is a mana user?’

That indeed sounded like a good plan.

Truth be told, Ravian had been a bit nervous when he first heard about this test from Adrian.

During their time together, Adrian had completed several tests given to him by the Duchess. But all those tests were related to practice and Adrian’s skill in using mana. This test, though, was fundamentally different.

He had doubted Adrian would be able to pass this test as easily as he had done with the previous ones, but it seemed like he was worried for nothing.

"So? What are we going to do, exactly?"

Adrian replied without looking back.

"It is rather simple: we will create a problem that can only be solved by a mana user, then we will jump in and offer to help. People will be more likely to accept our services during a crisis—"

He paused midway.

But both of them stopped in their tracks. The scene before them demanded it.

The metallic ringing that was coming from all around them was suddenly drowned out by a buzzing noise as they saw a massive crowd of people circling a particular shop, shouting angrily toward the shop’s door.

The shop seemed to have been built rather recently and seemed to be a weapon shop like the others he had seen around this place.

Just then, the people at the front of the crowd began trying to tear down the board above the shop’s entrance. Ravian tried reading what was written on the board before it was pulled down.

{Velmar’s Magitool weaponry collection}

’Magitool weaponry? What’s that?’

He turned to Adrian.

"Hey, do you know what—"

But Adrian signaled him to be quiet before he could even finish. He was looking at the crowd with an unusual amount of focus. Ravian knew what that stare meant. Whenever Adrian stared at something this way, he was usually thinking hard about a topic.

Just then, Ravian saw him move his hand and grab a stranger’s wrist who was just passing by. It was an action that seemed instinctive.

Adrian turned to the person whose hand he had just grabbed and spoke flatly.

"Do you know why those people are here and what they are trying to do?"

The stranger altered his gaze between Adrian and the hand holding his wrist, and a frown slowly appeared on his face as he spoke in an irritated tone.

"Hey, kid, did your mom and dad not teach you manners? How dare you suddenly grab me like that? I’m busy."

Even Ravian became somewhat tense from the man’s tone and expression. But Adrian didn’t react in the slightest, still staring at the man expressionlessly.

Then, suddenly, the man’s expression twisted in pain as he began struggling under Adrian’s grip, trying to free his own hand.

"You little shit! What the hell—?"

"Are you... not going to answer?"

This time, there was a strange sharpness to Adrian’s tone as he asked that question. The man seemed to have sensed it as well, which prompted his aggressive expression to change.

"I-I’ll tell you what you want to know, so please let go of my hand first!"

Adrian let go of the man’s hand, and the man began catching his breath. Witnessing all this, Ravian could only frown.

’Why is Adrian acting like this? Couldn’t he have asked nicely?’

He was sure Adrian had exerted his strength on the man’s arm, and as someone who had reached the Revelation Phase–the second Phase of the mana ladder–Adrian’s physical strength must be far greater than what his small body looked capable of.

It was clear from the man’s reaction.

The man pointed at the shop being circled by the crowd.

"That shop opened here yesterday, and they sell those accursed magitool weapons. There is no way people are going to allow that shop to establish itself here; this is the place of steel and craft."

Ravian tilted his head. He was only able to understand about half of it. But Adrian was nodding along as if he understood everything. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

"Next question, how desperate are things for the shop owner?"

The man paused and thought for a bit.

"That bastard’s not gonna remain here for long; he is doomed by the time the sun goes down."

"I see," Adrian nodded. "You may go now."

The man clicked his tongue and left, but he continued sneaking glances at them until he disappeared into the distance. Ravian turned to Adrian.

"Hey, are you not going to explain anything? I am completely lost here. What is magitool weaponry, and why do people hate it so much—?"

"Ravian," Adrian cut him off. "It’s too long to explain, and I don’t have the leisure to waste time right now. Answer me this: You said that your Origin ability allows you to perfectly remember anything you see and hear, correct? Does it have any limitations?"

Ravian tilted his head.

’Why is he suddenly asking that?’

But since Adrian had asked that question, there must be a reason behind it. He replied, thinking that.

"No, there is no limitation or cost for this power. And it’s always active, so the things I am witnessing right now are also being stored permanently."

"I see."

That was all he got as a response as Adrian began hurriedly looking around. Soon, his gaze settled somewhere.

"Wait here."

Saying that, he dashed toward somewhere as Ravian watched his back in confusion.

’Seriously, what the hell is even going on?’

Soon, Adrian returned, carrying a few blank pages and a quill in his hands. He gestured for Ravian to follow as he walked toward an empty bench. He sat down and began writing something on the empty pages in a hurry.

Ravian quietly watched him in confusion.

After a long while, he stopped writing and pushed the pages toward Ravian.

"Read through it quickly and make sure to remember everything."

"But," Ravian began feeling somewhat frustrated. "Why do I have to? What even is this? At least tell me something."

Adrian replied after a brief pause.

"This is the method to earn a thousand lux."

***

A man wearing a fancy black coat with a thick brown beard and long hair sat in an office-like room, gazing at the crowd outside the window. Judging from his face, the man looked very tired, but his body was tense as his gaze remained fixed outside the window.

There were several other people in the room, too, all wearing expressions similar to the man in the black coat.

Just then, the room’s door opened, and a young man hurriedly entered, capturing the attention of everyone in the room.

The young man’s forehead was covered in sweat as he looked toward the man in the black coat.

"Lord Velmar, things seem to be getting worse with every passing moment. The crowd outside is becoming violent; they might break down the shop at this rate."

Everybody’s forehead grew sweaty at that news. Well, it was more like a confirmation than news since everyone had considered that possibility.

The man wearing the black coat, Velmar, began grinding his teeth as he punched the wall, leaving a few cracks on its surface.

"Curse those blacksmiths, why are those bastards doing this to me?! I am conducting honest business here!"

Not once had he tried to cut costs during the production process, underpaid anyone, or made any deceitful claim about what he was selling. Since the day he became a merchant, upholding honesty and trust had been his core value.

But despite not hurting anyone, despite not deceiving anyone, or despite being unfair to anyone, he still ended up in this situation, all because those blacksmiths rallied the people and started all this.

Velmar let out a tired sigh as he looked at all the people in the room. They were all the people who had believed in him and followed him to make his ideas a reality, but it looked like he was going to let them down at this rate.

He had spent an astronomical amount of his fortune in this venture; if this failed, then he would not be able to start another venture without taking on an enormous amount of debt. And... he knew what happened to the merchants who started their ventures with debt.

They are never able to escape that pit for their entire lives. Velmar had no desire to end up like them.

He turned to the young man.

"Gather up all the assets in the shop. We are going to escape through the hidden exit. It seems... we don’t have any other choice."

The young man complied and left the room. He returned soon after, carrying several large sacks while struggling because of their weight. He put them down and pushed aside a small table nearby.

There was a door on the wooden floor, hidden beneath that table. But as the young man removed the lock from the door, something strange occurred.

It... opened on its own, and two individuals stepped into the room through it. Everyone tensed up at the sudden entrance of the two individuals.

They were two young boys, looking about ten. One had light chestnut hair and amber eyes, and a charming smile stretched across his face. Though he seemed somewhat confused and lost.

The other was a boy with deep, jet-black hair and piercing grey eyes, looking at everyone in the room expressionlessly.

The chestnut-haired boy suddenly coughed a few times, as if to clear his throat, and slowly scanned the room.

"So, who among you all is the man named Velmar?"