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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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“Sir Jimnis… You’re truly a unique person. Honestly, to the point where I don’t think of you as human. Could it be that you have the blood of another race mixed in? Like an elf.”
“Your words…”
I covered Kayla’s mouth and said,
“Well. Don’t I look quite different from an elf?”
“Aren’t you considered handsome by human standards? If you just cover your ears, it would be believable to say you’re a half-elf. Your physique isn’t very large either. As for height… You’re a bit short for an elf, but.”
The humans in this world are generally short, probably due to malnutrition.
Therefore, even I, who was only of average height on Earth, am considered tall here.
Of course, nobles and knights are exceptions.
Still, they don’t reach the average height of elves, who are almost all over 180cm.
‘Slender and tall.’
Similar to the elves in novels, they are also known as a race of beauty since many of them are considered beautiful by human standards.
Therefore, I smiled lightly and said,
“Thank you for the compliment.”
At my response, Mutre showed a blank expression for a moment and then laughed.
After that, there wasn’t much I could help with.
“From now on, I have to do it alone. I’m sorry to say, but since you lack the knowledge, you’ll only be a hindrance.”
In the worst case, it could collapse and we could all be buried.
“I understand. I’ll just watch.”
Since there was no point in pretending to know what I didn’t actually know, I just watched Mutre do the repair work.
Other than occasionally replacing the lantern, there was nothing for me to do.
However, surprisingly, the atmosphere wasn’t bad.
Mutre didn’t show any signs of discomfort towards me or Kayla, and thanks to that, a not-so-bad atmosphere could be maintained.
In the silence, only the sound of Mutre working could be heard continuously.
Like that, the first day’s schedule ended, and on the second and third day, time passed without any particular problems.
Mutre and I gradually became closer, to the point where we started making genuine jokes with each other, I secretly brought him alcohol a few times, and during our free time, I reviewed several plans for experiments to fix Kayla’s leg.
However, Kayla didn’t get very close to Mutre.
Mutre also had a distant relationship with Kayla.
Rather than disliking each other, it seemed they just had no particular interest in each other.
Like that, about a week passed, and when about half of the repair work was completed, I asked Mutre a question.
“By the way, Mutre.”
“Yes, Sir Jimnis.”
“About this second passage. Is it possibly weaker than expected?”
“…That’s not the case. Except for this part, there are no collapsed areas, right?”
“Is that so? Then, let’s say, hypothetically…”
“What if a backdoor was made from somewhere else to here?”
At my question, Mutre looked at me with peculiar eyes.
“A backdoor, you say?”
“Hmm… It should be fine. As long as it’s not around this newly repaired area.”
“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m just curious, that’s all.”
“What misunderstanding would I have? And even if I have any thoughts, there’s only one human around me who would listen to them.”
That one person was probably referring to me.
‘Then the backdoor won’t be a problem.’
I asked because there were traces of collapse here, so I had a thought just in case.
Based on what I had observed during the past time, although he hated humans, he definitely wasn’t the type to go and talk about it somewhere, so I asked casually and was able to get that answer.
“But if it’s sturdy enough to be fine even with a backdoor, why did it collapse here? Did a Deathworm pass through or something?”
“…I don’t know the reason either.”
Mutre answered half a beat late.
“If you don’t know the reason, couldn’t it happen again?”
“Then I’ll be called here again.”
“Hmm… Is that so?”
He probably wasn’t completely unaware of the situation, but seeing him say that, it seemed he didn’t really want to answer.
Anyway, the territory’s lifespan was only a few months left.
I thought there was no need to pry into what he didn’t want to answer.
After that, my relationship with Mutre didn’t worsen or anything.
We still maintained a good relationship that was hard to believe was between a slave of a different race and a human, and when the repair work was almost finished, new news arrived.
“…Are you saying that Sir Rankbink has returned alive?”
“Yes. That’s right. He returned with Sir Rikinri, his attendant.”
“How is his condition?”
“…Not good. His wounds are so severe… He can’t even properly use mana.”
As for Rikinri, the attendant, he was said to be seriously injured and had lost an arm.
“That’s serious.”
“Is it possible to visit him?”
“I’m sorry, but it seems difficult. Given his condition… If his condition improves a bit later, I will inform you separately.”
Although he somehow managed to return alive, it seemed it wouldn’t be easy to return Mutre.
On the day Mutre finished the repair work, I said to him,
“The territory’s situation isn’t good. You probably won’t be able to return to the Siglen County right away.”
“It doesn’t matter. Here or there… No, I’d rather prefer it here. At least because you’re here, Sir Jimnis.”
Mutre, who smiled slightly, continued,
“It felt like I was being treated like a person for the first time in a long time. It’s been decades… I’m even sad that we can’t be together anymore. But…”
“Why is that?”
“When I return to the Count’s territory, the memories from this time might make it even harder for me.”
“…That’s…”
“You don’t need to feel sorry. It can’t be helped. As long as I have this damn magic engraving, it can’t be helped. It’s not your fault, Sir Jimnis. Rather, it was a pleasant feeling after a long time.”
“Is that so?”
I felt that the time we spent together over the past two weeks wasn’t in vain.
‘If given the chance… he’ll come over.’
I’ll have to find the control method, the ‘whip’, but since I’ll be moving together with Mutre anyway, it won’t be difficult to obtain.
While I was organizing my thoughts alone for a moment, Mutre, who had been hesitating, quietly opened his mouth.
“This is just me talking to myself. Please ignore it.”
“If I were to make a backdoor in the second passage… I would never make it in the place where I did the repair work. That place… will eventually collapse in a few months.”
“It seems the creator intentionally made it shoddy.”
The creator of the second passage was Mutre, who was in front of me.
At his words, I looked at him with a dumbfounded expression.
But that was only for a moment.
“Yes. That’s right.”
He seemed to really dislike humans, especially nobles.
‘No wonder they didn’t let him touch the repair work.’
If the creator himself blatantly made it shoddy… If I had intervened incorrectly, it might have actually collapsed.
I don’t know what kind of treatment he receives in the Siglen County.
Judging from his condition when I first received him, it must not be good.
However, it seemed he had come to strongly trust me, a fellow human.
‘Did I indirectly benefit from it?’
Although I didn’t treat him that well, it seemed I gained more trust than expected because what he usually experienced was the worst.
On this day, I parted ways with Mutre and couldn’t see him for a while.
As expected, it was impossible to send Mutre back.
Rankbink, who had regained his senses, delivered the news that the merchant union was trying to isolate the territory, and the shocked lord sent someone to check, confirming that Rankbink’s words were true.
The mercenaries or bandits hired by the merchant union blocked all the routes leading to the Siglen County, causing the entire territory to be isolated.
‘It’s just as I heard.’
However, this was a fact I hadn’t told them, so the Owalan Barony went into a major state of emergency.
Therefore, the request was postponed indefinitely, and in my case, I was given a break for as long as I had worked hard.
Thanks to my position as an honorary soldier, I could avoid conscription for a while, so it seemed I would have some free time for a while.
‘Even so, the situation will continue to deteriorate, and eventually, another request will come in.’
It’s obvious.
I had achieved results and proved my abilities. In a crisis situation, there was no option not to involve me and my party.
‘I have to do what I can in the meantime.’
Becoming 3rd Class greatly expanded what I could do.
The difference between 2nd Class and 3rd Class is enormous.
Moreover, my vessel had grown about 1.5 times larger than when I had just reached 3rd Class in the first round, so considering my experience and the excellent amplification ability of the staff, I could do things comparable to 4th Class.
‘Although I created a specter, that was an exceptionally special situation.’
The quality of the core material, the shadow of the soul, was too good.
‘The first thing I need to focus on is…’
Of course, it’s Kayla’s leg.
The skeleton is good too, but since I had created a specter, I judged it would be okay to delay it a bit.
‘I have something I reviewed while I had time, so I should try it once.’
I had found out long ago that Denok’s body had good compatibility.
Kayla must have been anxious inwardly, but she didn’t rush me at all.
‘As for the skeleton… If I put my mind to it, I can create it in a short time.’
Looking at the situation, it seemed there would be no time other than now for Kayla’s leg.
Before leaving for our outside residence, I checked the magic circle I had installed in the corner.
‘Today, this part is damaged.’
I repaired the magic circle a bit, and soon the magic circle glowed and the Dig magic was activated.
The one supplying mana was the ruby I had received from the lord, and fortunately, perhaps because Dig was a low-level magic, the ruby was still not losing its light.
‘If done well, maybe I can complete the backdoor with just one ruby?’
With the ruby as a medium, the Dig magic would be activated periodically, and when the magic circle was damaged, I would come and repair it, and then the pit would be made deeper in the same pattern as before.
Even if I lost the ruby in this process, it wouldn’t be a waste as long as the backdoor was completed.
‘It’s about time to change the direction and dig straight.’
Sufficient depth had been secured.
After modifying the magic circle, I headed to our outside residence.
Except for when repairing the Dig magic circle, I practically lived in our outside residence, adjusting Denok’s body and steadily making necessary drugs by combining the reagents Athena had brought.
When I had gathered a certain level of preparation by spending about ten days like that, I called Kayla.
“Did you call for me, Master?”
“It seems you’ll have to stick with me for a while.”
“Is there another request?”
“No. What I was going to do before but postponed, I need to start again. I don’t think there will be time if not now.”
The atmosphere within the territory was unusual.
According to the rumors, they were planning to recall all the mercenaries dispatched to other villages.
In that case, the defense of the villages would become vulnerable, and they were trying to fill that empty space with self-defense forces.
The safety of the villages would be at risk, but from the lord’s perspective, there was no other choice.
Kayla, who heard my words, calmly nodded her head.
Her reaction was different from before, and although I felt puzzled for a moment, seeing her burning eyes, I knew her heart was definitely not calm.
Given the situation, it was speculated that she was trying to show the calmest appearance possible, thinking it might be postponed again.
‘Is she bracing herself?’
I felt a little sorry.
Athena showed a slightly regretful expression when I said I would act with Kayla again.
“I need to learn more from Teacher…”
“I’ll give you assignments, so don’t worry. You’re doing well even now.”
“It’s because of the leg, so I can’t say anything… I hope it gets better soon.”
“Thank you.”
Given the territory’s situation, it seemed Athena also wanted to become stronger as soon as possible.
She seemed to be worried about Thea, who would be left behind if she died.
When I entered the basement of the outside residence with Kayla, she showed a slightly surprised look.
“Is this… the same place as before?”
“Yes. Why?”
“The magical energy seems to have become even thicker.”
“It would be a problem if it was the same. My level has risen, and that guy is here too.”
Where I pointed, there was a translucent piece of cloth floating around.
“That’s… a specter. It looks quite strong.”
Although it had recently absorbed a considerable amount of energy while hunting alone, the opponents were only at the level of beasts or goblins, so it couldn’t achieve significant growth.
Since I wasn’t present, I had instructed it to avoid danger as much as possible, so it was an unavoidable situation.
Still, it helped with my fatigue recovery, so I was satisfied.
Therefore, rather than the specter becoming noticeably stronger compared to the past…
‘I guess it feels different from me.’
Well, I am the master of the specter, and although Kayla is my slave, she is still a separate person after all.
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