[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 61

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Dungeon Guild - Alzass Branch

The branch manager, Krundal, couldn’t hide his astonishment as he looked at the dungeon cores Kaylen had brought.

“This… How many are there?”

Dungeon cores were piled like a mountain on the branch manager’s desk. Each core was substantial in size, making it impossible to estimate their total value.

“I’ve been to a few dungeons.”

“Truly… This is an overwhelming amount.”

“Is it that much? Is it beyond your capacity to handle, Branch Manager?”

At Kaylen’s question, Krundal swallowed hard.

‘I need to answer carefully.’

The profit from dealing dungeon cores with Kaylen had been significant. If he claimed this amount was unmanageable, he couldn’t predict what might happen next.

“This amount is certainly within our capacity. However… due to the sheer value, it might take a few days to process.”

Krundal wiped the sweat forming on his brow and replied confidently, despite his nerves.

Kaylen, observing Krundal’s demeanor, thought to himself:

‘Even the branch manager seems to find handling this volume personally difficult.’

Well, it doesn’t have to be all in gold.

Kaylen then posed a question to the branch manager.

“If it’s hard to prepare the funds immediately, could you help me find an estate?”

“An estate, you say? Of course, that’s possible.”

Had anyone else asked, Krundal might have snapped at them, asking how they dared request such a thing from a branch manager. However, the immense value of the dungeon cores Kaylen brought made him feel rather grateful for the suggestion.

“Are you looking for an estate in the South River District?”

“No. I’d prefer a location in the outskirts of the capital, on high ground, with a spacious garden. Actually, a training ground would be even better than a garden.”

“High ground… with a training ground, you say?”

Krundal asked, somewhat surprised. Most Meisters sought estates in the central districts, equipped with state-of-the-art laboratories. Yet Kaylen specifically wanted a place in the outskirts, on elevated terrain.

‘I need a secure place for the drake.’

It wasn’t feasible to have a massive drake taking off and landing in a bustling city center. However, Kaylen didn’t intend to move completely out of reach either.

‘I need to secure a suitable location where the drake can appear whenever necessary.’

“How large of an estate are you considering?”

“The bigger, the better. If needed, you can use all these dungeon cores.”

“Using all of this… Understood.”

A spacious estate on high ground. Krundal committed Kaylen’s requirements to memory and nodded.

With the matter of payment settled, Kaylen picked up one of the dungeon cores.

“By the way, while clearing the dungeon this time, I came across something unusual.”

[Colony - Caution]

Kaylen handed over a dungeon core with demonic script inscribed on it.

“Hmm… Please wait a moment.”

Krundal pulled a book from his shelf. It was a Demonic Language Dictionary. He carefully matched the letters.

“It translates to ‘Colony’ and ‘Caution.’ Hmm…”

“Why would such text appear?”

“This is the first time I’ve encountered such a case. There is a hypothesis within the guild regarding the word ‘Colony,’ but…”

“What is it?”

Kaylen wasn’t the first to discover the letters inscribed on the dungeon core. Despite how fragmented the cores were, making the text hard to discern, stacking countless shards together eventually revealed the characters.

“In simple terms, the hypothesis is that ‘the dungeon portals sent from the Otherworld are devices meant to establish colonies in the middle realm.’”

“I see.”

“When Emperor Ernstine unified the continent, every part of it was purely human territory… but after the dungeon portals appeared, less than half remains under human control.”

As Krundal touched the crystal orb on his desk, a map of the continent appeared. Half of the large continent was shaded in black. The blackened areas were not contiguous but scattered independently across the land. Among them was the Gigantes Mountain Range, Myorn’s homeland.

“These areas are presumed to have fallen and become colonies after failing to withstand the dungeon portals. Just as the dungeon cores suggest, they may have been converted into colonies.”

“Fortunately, the Dungeon Guild emerged and began managing the situation, preserving the remaining regions. But… I’ve never seen letters like this before.”

Krundal, who had been carefully studying the inscription, spoke again.

“May I report this to the main office? They might have some insight.”

“Go ahead.”

“Thank you. Then, if you return in five days, I will have more information on the estate.”

“Alright. I’ll see you then.”

After Kaylen left the branch manager’s office, Krundal continued to examine the letters on the dungeon core and touched the crystal orb once more.

Crackle–

“This is Krundal from the Alzass Branch.”

– “Yes, Krundal. Transmission received.”

“I’m reporting new characters discovered on a dungeon core.”

– “Can you show us?”

“Yes.”

He held the dungeon core before the crystal orb. The person on the other end immediately fell silent, their voice hardening.

– “Please, show it again. Focus especially on the text following ‘Colony.’”

“Here it is. Based on my analysis, it translates to ‘Caution.’”

– “Hmm… I will report this to the higher-ups and contact you again.”

The communication abruptly ended, leaving Krundal feeling unsettled.

‘Is this inscription really that alarming?’

As he waited for a response, the communication resumed, again without preamble.

– “An investigative team will be dispatched to the Alzass Branch.”

“A-a team?”

– “Yes.”

After hearing the list of names on the investigative team, Krundal’s eyes widened in shock.

‘Is this such a serious issue?’

Among the team members was an individual he never expected to see.

***

Meanwhile, Royen had followed Kaylen to the capital. Having braced himself for mistreatment from his half-brother in his desperate attempt to save his mother…

‘Is it really okay for things to be this comfortable?’

The capital life was far easier than he anticipated.

“Royen, stay in the workshop with the drake for a while. Until we’ve secured a proper residence, this will be the most livable option.”

Although Myorn’s workshop was cluttered with all kinds of objects, it was spacious and comfortable enough for Royen to live in.

"Let me... at least clean up."

"No. Leave it. Don’t touch anything. Everything is placed exactly where it needs to be."

Royen, feeling awkward doing nothing, had offered to clean, but Myorn blocked him firmly.

"If you’ve got nothing to do, work on training the drake."

"Understood..."

As Royen focused on the drake’s growth, Myorn meticulously traced the magical circles appearing on the dragon’s scales. While engrossed in his task, Myorn spoke casually.

"Once it’s trained, you won’t need to stay by its side, right?"

"For a while, yes."

"Then you’ll get bored. There are a lot of books in the next room. Read those if you want."

"Thank you."

Rumble

– How long do I have to stay like this?

"What’s it saying?"

"It’s asking how much longer it needs to stay like that."

"Tell it two more hours, and I’ll bring some meat."

– Meat? Fine, let it know I’m okay with that.

After finishing his interpretation between the dragon and the dwarf, Royen stepped into the next room and let out a small sigh.

‘...This is better than the time I spent at the Count’s estate.’

Though he had inherited the bloodline of the Baldur family, being the second son of the weakened Baron Starn family, he had been sent for education at the Baldur Count family. There, he was often treated with coldness and disdain. Compared to that, this current environment wasn’t bad at all.

However...

"Ugh. I don’t understand a word of this..."

The books in Myorn’s library were incredibly complex, each one more challenging than the next. Though Royen’s body was close to that of an adult, his mind was still that of a child. The content was far beyond his comprehension.

After pulling out a few books and giving up on reading them, Royen simply sat there, stacking the books idly.

How long had he been in that dazed state? Kaylen, who had been out, returned to the workshop.

"Royen, you look bored."

"B-brother! N-not at all!"

As soon as Kaylen entered, Royen sprang to his feet and stood at attention. Even though Kaylen treated him kindly now, unlike the past where his gaze seemed to pierce him with murderous intent, Royen couldn’t help but feel nervous around him.

"‘Applied Studies on Mana Suits.’ ‘The Development and Understanding of Magic Circles.’... Myorn, seriously? Asking you to read these?"

Kaylen clicked his tongue after glancing at the titles of the books Royen had been trying to read.

‘I brought him here to check if there were any issues… but I can’t just leave him like this without proper education.’

Though his body was that of an adult, his mind was still a child’s. As one of the few children of the Myer bloodline, Kaylen couldn’t just leave Royen to his own devices.

‘Let’s see if he has sword aptitude.’

Kaylen lightly activated his six-sword technique. Beneath his clothes, six faintly glowing swords appeared on his back. The glow was so subtle that an ordinary person wouldn’t notice.

However, anyone with sword aptitude would sense the presence of the swords immediately.

Royen, on the other hand, simply blinked, staring blankly at Kaylen without reacting.

"You don't have the talent for swordsmanship."

Kaylen dismissed the six-sword aura and let it fade. Even if Royen didn’t possess sword aptitude, Kaylen could still teach him if necessary. But his attention shifted to Royen’s skin.

"Royen."

"Yes, Brother?"

"When you look at the red tattoos on your body, what do you think?"

"…They’re disgusting. I get startled every time I see them in the mirror."

His hair had turned black, and his body was covered in red tattoos. Each time he washed himself, the sight of them gave him a jolt.

‘It’s no wonder Mother couldn’t recognize me...’

"Is that so? When the dark magic within you was removed, those tattoos could have been erased as well."

"Re-really?"

"It’s still possible now."

"Then, can you—?"

"But those tattoos contain powerful mana of fire."

Royen, on the verge of asking for their immediate removal, hesitated at Kaylen’s words.

"If you ever dream of becoming a Meister, those tattoos will be a great source of strength for you."

"A M-Meister? Me?"

"Yes. What others desperately crave—a unique elemental mana—you already possess within you."

"Me, a Meister? But Father always said I was talentless..."

Royen recalled the disdainful remarks of Baron Starn, his father.

"It’s hopeless, Royen."

"That can’t be! Dear, give him just a bit more time!"

"What’s impossible is impossible. He has no talent for magic."

The ability his father had completely dismissed... now Kaylen was suggesting he could surpass a mere mage and become a Meister? It felt unreal.

"Your father, huh? At least he must’ve taught you the basics of magic."

"Yes."

"What about mana circle formation?"

"I failed… I couldn’t form a proper ring."

Tap.

Kaylen placed his hand on Royen’s arm and sent a small flow of mana into his body, examining him closely.

‘Hmm… this might be...’

After contemplating, Kaylen finally spoke.

"Royen, try casting magic."

"Wh-what? But I don’t even have a mana circle."

"Just follow me outside."

Kaylen led a bewildered Royen out of the workshop. Outside, Kaylen began to teach him a basic first-circle spell, Fire Arrow. However, his method deviated significantly from conventional practices.

"Fire Arrow."

First, Kaylen summoned a blazing arrow of fire, letting it hover in the air.

"Now, think about summoning it exactly like this."

He didn’t instruct Royen to rotate a mana circle or follow the usual techniques. He merely extended his hand and told Royen to think about it.

"Just… think?"

"Exactly."

Can magic really manifest from just thinking about it?

Though Royen was skeptical, he decided to follow the instructions.

‘Come on, fire. Fire arrow, fire arrow, appear!’

He stretched out his hand, focusing his thoughts, and—

Fwoosh!

A flaming arrow, almost identical to Kaylen’s, appeared in midair.

"Wh-what?!?"

Startled, Royen stumbled back and fell to the ground.

"What... what is this?!?"

Unlike the panicked Royen, Kaylen’s expression turned serious.

‘As I thought… he’s using magic like a demon.’

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]