Chapter 116
The next day, someone approached Erich's barracks. Erich immediately got up and grabbed his Dragon Fang.
But, before the intruder even entered—
Startled, Ceres blinked her eyes wide.
"... What is this? Don't swordmasters sleep with their eyes open?"
"Joking around—you're in a good mood, I see?"
Ceres moved her crimson lips and smiled. The contrast with her white teeth made them look even redder.
Soon, she pulled out the core Erich had given her from her bosom.
But unlike before, the core now glowed with a subtle radiance.
"There's been progress. The data retrieved from the research facility helped with the refinement. I succeeded in restoring the core's light."
"That's a good start."
"... Excuse me? A good start?"
"It looks like you'll be able to refine it even better from here."
Ceres's eyes narrowed. She glanced between the core and Erich.
"For example?"
"It's faint right now, but it contains 'Frost', the power of the dead. That's a destructive force for humans to accept. Aura is power born of life. I think it'd be good to make it a bit gentler."
"How do you know that...?"
Ceres couldn't hide her surprise. She'd been thinking the same thing.
The power contained in the core was immense, but humans couldn't physically accept that energy.
Ceres had reached the same conclusion in her own research: until the destructive energy could be transmuted into life-infused power, this core had no practical utility.
And that, she felt, was the key to refining the core.
Restoring the core's light was just the starting line. What surprised Ceres was not that—a mage like herself had considered it, but that Erich, 'just' a swordsman, would know such a thing.
Of course, Erich only recognized it because he'd often seen refined cores, but Ceres would never know that.
Erich replied,
"So—how long do you think it'll take?"
"... Even I'm not sure about that. But there's a lot of material from the research facility, so it'll take more time. There's still much I haven't deciphered."
"Should I assign someone to help you?"
"Would that be of any use?"
Ceres countered. She was implying, what use could non-mages possibly be? But Erich knew well that was just mage arrogance.
'A commander's ability lies in deploying the less capable people where they fit best.'
Erich responded to her question with a smile.
"I'll show you."
"...?"
*
People brimming with ability and talent sometimes fall into a misconception: that those less capable are mostly useless.
But, as a seasoned commander, Erich knew that wasn't true.
No one can do everything alone. As the saying goes, even the thinnest sheet is easier to carry together. There are always ways that surpass lone skill or intelligence.
"Have you finished processing documents 1 through 50 over there?"
"Yes, Captain. I delivered them to Sergeant Kurz."
"Good. Then, next..."
Inside the research facility, the members moved busily. Not all members of the Watch were ignorant.
Some were fallen knights or sons of noble houses, and even among serfs there were some who could read.
Of course, their numbers were few, and even their reading was not perfect, but even that could be handled systematically.
People who couldn't read were tasked with gathering similar-looking documents.
Those who could read would then sort the gathered documents.
Those with better education and deeper thought would be given the organized materials to review in depth and then report to Erich.
Erich would then interpret these and stick the results on the wall in a messy mosaic, making them easier for Ceres to analyze.
As Ceres paused in her reading of the journals, she stared blankly at Erich.
"My goodness... To do all this in such a short time?"
"There's still more to go through, but you won't need to interpret every document."
"Have you ever thought of working in the Mage Tower?"
Ceres wore a faint smile. This was almost the first friendly reaction she had shown.
Compared to before, when she was curt and spoke only when necessary, this was a huge step forward.
Erich smirked.
'It's just they don't know how to use people properly. Give proper orders, and anyone can be useful.'
The reason he could organize the materials so quickly was because he put that experience to use.
Most mages severely lack social skills. The bad reputation of tower-bound mages stemmed from that.
Ceres was no exception.
Though she valued efficiency, she evidently didn't understand the importance of teamwork.
Erich asked,
"Doesn't the Mage Tower conduct research as a group?"
"... That almost never happens. The research results belong to the mage, and in collaboration, achievements get diluted. Only research accomplished alone is praised."
Erich nodded; it made sense. He didn't know much about magical research, but it was understandable if it's about sharing credit.
Even in the Watch, disputes and fights sometimes broke out because people didn't want to share credit.
'People are the same everywhere—Mage Tower or Watch.'
Gazing at the steadily organized paperwork, Erich remarked,
"Isn't it a matter of where you put the value? Whether that value creates progress for the Empire, or simply serves one's personal fame."
"... In the Mage Tower, personal fame is the primary goal."
"But if the ultimate goal is the pursuit of knowledge, then perhaps the Mage Tower ought to open up a little too. It may be presumptuous of me, though."
"That's..."
Ceres fell silent. Erich's deeds and words today seemed to give her something to ponder.
In any case, Erich's work finished in less than half a day. Seeing the fully organized research facility results, Ceres began analyzing them with remarkable concentration.
Afterward, Erich stepped outside—having finished his task, he was heading out to resume his training.
*
[Kuh, kuh-uhk...!]
"Uh, urgh... I'm going to die."
Erich blinked at the scene before him. Frederick and Hrung-ga were gasping for breath in the snow, panting heavily.
Behind them, Mikhail and Barnes were sparring with swords.
- Kaaaaang! Kaang!
Unlike Hrung-ga and Frederick, Barnes had regenerative powers. Thus, Mikhail could strike deeper when facing him.
- Chwak!
Of course, injuries occurred in the process, but Barnes's body healed even those wounds quickly.
Considering that skirting the edge of life and death is the fastest way to advance as a swordsman...
'Barnes will get stronger faster than anyone here.'
Erich smiled faintly. Soon, Mikhail's sword grazed Barnes's side as he barely held on.
Barnes panted heavily, then went down on one knee, steadying himself with his sword.
"You're being too rough with my subordinates, sir Mikhail."
"You have to go this far to gain anything, don't you? Still, this one's quite amusing. His split flesh sticks back together on its own."
Mikhail's lips curled coldly. Under his gaze, Hrung-ga and Frederick averted their eyes.
'... Seems Hrung-ga has been properly disciplined, too.'
Hrung-ga's pride had always soared sky-high—he'd become a guardian warrior and was undefeated in battle.
But seeing Mikhail handle them three-to-one, as if they were children, must've been a massive shock for Hrung-ga.
Hrung-ga shot Erich a strange look.
[... Help me.]
[Didn't you go on about honor, and the Goddess's bosom?]
[That, that Imperial is a monster, Erich. There's no way he's human.]
[Well, of course.]
Erich grinned. For some reason, Mikhail had been supervising even these training sessions in his free time.
It was unexpected for Mikhail, who disliked barbarians, to include Hrung-ga, but it seemed to him like a form of amusement.
Of them all, Mikhail showed the most interest in Barnes.
So Erich guessed, and it seemed Mikhail thought the same.
If Barnes kept receiving focused guidance, he might one day surpass even the level of swordmaster.
'If I have another swordmaster-class fighter, that would be reassuring.'
At last, Mikhail snapped his sword back and called to Erich.
"Isn't it your turn now?"
"... Go easy on me, please."
"Enough complaining..."
- Swish!
Mikhail closed the distance in a flash. Erich swiftly drew his sword and exchanged blows with Mikhail. Their auras scattered in the air.
Golden and blue auras shattered and dispersed in all directions.
Frederick, Hrung-ga, and Barnes, exhausted, watched their battle in awe, as if witnessing a duel from another world. Then Frederick muttered,
"Are these... damn. Can you even call those humans?"
Hrung-ga nodded quietly. He couldn't understand Imperial speech, but he seemed to get the gist.
And so, another day at the camp was drawing to a close.
***
Ceres swept her blue hair back. Countless research logs swirled in her mind, but her head was still filled with earlier events.
'... Opening up the Mage Tower, he said.'
It was unexpected for her to be inspired so deeply by a member of the Watch, whom she'd thought of as ignorant brutes.
Mages are selfish. It's not a matter of character—it's a necessity. If you want to keep your research achievements from being stolen...
Having already once had her achievements stolen, she recalled that time of despair.
And at that time, it was Laurenti, the Tower Master, who had reached out to her. His advice had utterly transformed Ceres's life.
She had discarded all her former frivolous personality traits and vanity, working tirelessly to become an efficient and solitary mage.
Her thirst for revenge was redirected. Even at a young age, the achievements she accomplished were enough to enter the Council of Mages.
However, the mage who stole her achievements had already become a councilor and fiercely hindered her from becoming the youngest member.
Still, Tower Master Laurenti reached out to her again. Claiming her as his prized pupil and affirming her as a deserving mage, he made it possible for her to join the council.
But what plagued her now was what she had witnessed today.
People she found useless had, in unity under one man's guidance, managed in moments to organize a trove of research data that could take mages days to sort.
Ceres searched her feelings.
'Was my goal to earn renown? Or to pursue knowledge?'
All mages claim to seek knowledge. Yet, the thought 'Was that really so?' hounded Ceres.
If the pursuit of knowledge is truly the aim, shouldn't she, like that man, utilize people to see more?
Ceres shook her head. It was her own way of trying to dispel these vexing thoughts.
'For now, I'll focus on this—I don't have much time to stay here.'
Once more, she devoted herself to decoding the material's consistency. And at that moment, her gaze stopped.
A subtle connection kept appearing in the research results.
― Can be used as a sufficient magical energy source.
Ceres's eyes narrowed.
"A sufficient magical energy source"...
But what magic would require such a source?
There weren't many spells that required such vast amounts of external power.
Unless it was a spell to alter the laws of nature, or of such tremendous scale as to cause great anomalies...
Suddenly, a chill ran down Ceres's spine. Perhaps the research they were undertaking—
It might be about attempting something beyond the bounds of common sense.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Hmmm...
My opinion on Ceres is changing for the better.
I hope she doesn't betray Erich...
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】