Chapter 193

(TLN: We got DMCA nuked So all korean novels will be removed this week If you want to get updated on What might happen join the discord or Kofi If you can )

## Episode 193:

I woke up with a strange feeling.

Sunlight was streaming in from beyond the curtains. It seemed morning had already arrived.

No matter how comfortable and stable the airship was, it couldn’t compare to sleeping in my own bed.

I must have been exhausted because I overslept.

‘Is that… magic power?’

It was the first time I felt such vivid magic power in the training ground. Aura, maybe, but not magic power.

*Rumble!*

I also heard a sound like an explosion.

‘It seems the magic resistance training has begun.’

The use of magic had been strictly restricted, but things were different now. Jericho, the mages dispatched to the northern construction project, and I were all free to use magic.

Of course, I hadn’t mentioned training with attack magic, but I had that much discretion. I was still the Plenipotentiary of House Kalisto.

I called a maid to help me wash up, got dressed, and headed to the training ground.

“Master.”

Hassale was waiting for me outside my bedroom. He was holding documents, so it seemed he had something to discuss regarding the trading company.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. Is it urgent?”

“No, sir. It’s about the airship purchase you instructed me to look into. I thought you might be waiting, so I wanted to report to you immediately.”

“Good work.”

“I expressed our intention to purchase to Master Torum last night, but his response was unexpected.”

I nodded, urging him to continue. Judging by his hesitation, it didn’t seem like good news.

“He said the airship is a strategic asset of Plantier and can’t be sold. I even offered to invest in Plantier for technology development, but he refused.”

“There was a reason they didn’t let us near the engine room.”

I wanted to build something similar. It wasn’t impossible with my modern knowledge and Jericho’s skills.

But I gave up because it could provoke the people of Plantier.

House Walker would need a lot of help from the dwarves in the future. The northern construction project was just the beginning.

‘We’ll need a lot of equipment and facilities to wage war against the demon realm. It’s best to maintain a cooperative relationship with Plantier in the long run.’

We had to find another way. Then Hassale cautiously spoke.

“I came up with another solution last night. I just finished discussing it with Master Torum.”

“What’s the conclusion?”

“We can’t buy the airship, but we can lease it permanently.”

It wasn’t a bad option. But they wouldn’t just lend it to us for free.

“There must be conditions.”

“They said they wouldn’t charge us for using the airship in return for entrusting them with the northern construction project. However, the condition is that House Walker hires all the personnel working on the airship. So I’ve prepared a budget.”

Hassale finally handed me the documents. There were about 50 personnel working on the airship.

“If the annual labor cost is 50,000 gold coins, that means the average annual salary per person is 1,000 gold coins.”

1,000 gold coins here was equivalent to about 100 million won in my currency. It was like employing 50 people with annual salaries of over 100 million won.

“Including allowances and bonuses, we should budget for 100,000 gold coins.”

House Walker’s assets were close to tens of millions of gold coins. Considering the long-distance trade that was about to begin, it was a trivial amount.

“It seems like our family can afford it. What do you think?”

“We’ve spent a lot of money on the northern construction project, but 100,000 gold coins per year isn’t a big expense for our trading company. More importantly, it will save you a lot of travel time, Master. Time is money.”

I nodded in agreement and handed the documents back to him.

“Go and finalize the details with the administrator. Complete the contract today. If possible, discuss technology transfer as well.”

“As you command.”

“By the way, how long does it take to reach your hometown from here on the airship?”

Hassale was taken aback by the sudden question and bowed his head.

“I haven’t calculated it, but it will take at least a month.”

“Calculate it accurately when you have time. You’ll have to go back for revenge someday.”

“Can I use the airship?”

“Of course. Revenge doesn’t always have to be bloody. How about taking over your uncle’s trading company and establishing the eastern branch of the Lucius Trading Company?”

“Master…”

I patted the shoulder of the touched Hassale and headed straight to the training ground.

*Rumble!*

I heard another explosion. The magic power I felt was on a completely different level compared to before.

At the same time, a thick wave of magic power grazed my skin.

‘Sharp.’

I could absorb or deflect the fragments because I possessed magic power, but ordinary people would have been seriously injured.

As expected, I heard groans from various places.

The knights of the Walker Knight Order were gathered on one side of the training ground. They were raising their aura to block the scattering magic fragments.

I turned my head and saw Ophelia wielding her staff on the training stage.

Every time she swung it, Firebolts exploded, creating a thick cloud of dust.

‘She’s really going all out.’

Ophelia’s magic power was greater than I expected. I didn’t know how mages were ranked, but she seemed to be at least vice-captain level if she were a knight.

‘Well, it’s only natural considering she has the title of Flameheart.’

It would be troublesome if she took out her frustration on my subordinates.

Selendis, Freya, and Heinkel, who had blocked the magic, were battered. Their armor was dented, their leather torn.

Their bodies were covered in soot, and I could see burn marks.

‘But it’s best to watch until the end, right?’

I waved my hand, dispersing the magic fragments. Then I gestured for the knights to follow me.

“Enclave.”

The pouring magic fragments started bouncing off the barrier.

“Ugh… We’re saved!”

“I didn’t know magic was this scary. It’s hard to even block the fragments.”

“It feels like my whole body has been bitten by mosquitoes.”

Some knights were bleeding from cuts caused by the fragments. But they didn’t give up and raised their aura even higher.

“Don’t be discouraged. You just haven’t had the opportunity to experience magic.”

“Are we going to be facing mages more often in the future?”

Deneve was indeed clever. I answered yes.

“If we only had to deal with mages, it would be a blessing. When I fought the corrupted Arthur, I had to face a power that mixed mana and demonic energy. Overcoming magic power is the most basic of basics. Of course, I won’t send you to your deaths, but it’s best to be able to protect yourselves.”

Those words changed the knights’ expressions.

Selendis and I had successfully defeated him, but Beatrice was seriously injured, and the Imperial Guard knights were all killed.

Even compared to the weakest Imperial Guard knights, the difference in strength was like heaven and earth.

Naturally, a fire ignited in the hearts of the knights.

“Ugh!”

“Hey! Where are you going?!”

Deneve broke free from the Enclave I had cast. He raised his aura and blocked the magic fragments.

*Clang! Clink! Clank!*

Following his lead, Ionia and Ferguson also left my protective barrier.

Soon, all the knights jumped into the rain of magic fragments.

They were admirable.

I dispelled the Enclave and showed them a demonstration.

“Listen carefully. The first thing you need to understand is that mana and aura are the same power. The same goes for the demonic energy that demons possess. If you trace the origin of power, you’ll eventually find that they all stem from the same root.”

*Swoosh!*

“Ugh!”

The knights in the back row were cut and bleeding. But they didn’t give up and raised their aura even higher.

“Think of these fragments as part of nature, like the air we breathe. Then they won’t attack you.”

It was a difficult concept.

But geniuses could learn ten things from one. Ionia was the first to succeed.

She softened her aura, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

Something amazing happened.

“She’s letting the fragments flow through her!”

“That’s possible?!”

The magic fragments were actually byproducts of magic. Since the mage hadn’t imbued them with any intention to attack, it was easy to let them flow through.

Easy for aura users, that is. It was still dangerous for ordinary people who couldn’t use aura.

The knights had been afraid and tried to resist with their aura, which created a repulsive force.

“I won’t lose!”

Deneve and Ferguson also concentrated. They suffered some minor injuries, but they also succeeded in letting the fragments flow through them.

A short time passed.

The special lecture was a success.

Only after confirming that even the knight at the very back could let the fragments flow through did I turn my attention back to the training stage.

“You’re holding up better than I expected. But this one won’t be easy to block. You’ll need all three of you to barely block it.”

Ophelia started chanting a spell. As time passed, powerful magic power gathered, and a giant fireball formed above her staff.

‘Is that the Fireball that Magic Tower mages use?’

It didn’t look much different from mine. But I couldn’t let my guard down. She was the one with the title of Flameheart.

Selendis stepped forward with her shield. Freya and Heinkel stood behind her, adding their aura.

“Here we go. Try to block it.”

*Whoosh!*

The fireball was launched. It flew towards Selendis in a low trajectory.

‘The magic power is densely concentrated. It seems like she’ll have to block it with a technique.’

Selendis chanted a phrase, seemingly having come to the same conclusion.

“First Technique: Iron Wall Shield.”

The technique activated, and Selendis’s shield turned as red as lava, growing in size.

*Boom!*

The Fireball was easily blocked. But Ophelia smiled.

“That’s a useful technique. But you can’t use techniques every time you fight, can you? You look quite tired.”

She was right.

The reason techniques weren’t used in large-scale battles was because they consumed a lot of stamina and aura. They were only used in one-on-one duels or dangerous situations.

That’s what Ophelia was pointing out.

“Well, I think this is enough for today. Everyone, go get treated. Burns can leave scars if you leave them alone.”

“Is that all?”

Ophelia looked at me with a sullen expression when I intervened.

“I thought a fire magic master would have some new magic, but it seems like that’s not the case. Even Jericho can use Fireball.”

“…This won’t do. Everyone, blame your luck for having a bad master. Here we go again.”

Ophelia closed her eyes and chanted a spell. Even more powerful mana swirled and concentrated towards her staff.

I activated ‘Magic Mimicry’ inwardly.

Of course, I had no intention of leaving my subordinates to fend for themselves. I stood next to Selendis.

“Wouldn’t it be easier to block it using the Frost Sword? Using the weapon’s attribute instead of aura.”

Selendis’s eyes sparkled, and she infused her Frost Sword with aura. I also gave Freya some advice.

“Use Mistilteinn. It has ice attribute, so it will help.”

“I’d rather just shoot an arrow into that mage’s forehead. I definitely learned that casting is her weakness.”

“You can’t do that.”

The moment Ophelia’s eyes blazed red, the magic was complete.

“Fire Wall!”