Have Magic - Chapter 71



Only Noblemtl

Embrace the Magic (71)

There were three items in the box.

On the left was a plain ring without any jewels. It was so plain that even thieves wouldn’t want it.

“It’s a ring… it seems to be an artifact.”

The identity of the artifact could not be determined immediately. However, it was too dangerous to blindly wear a ring whose identity was unknown.

First, I had to check the magic embedded in the ring. Then, I planned to wear it only after I was sure it was safe.

“What is this? It doesn’t seem to be a potion.”

In the middle seat was a bottle containing a clear liquid. Of course, I had no idea what the liquid was.

“It can’t just be water.”

I couldn’t drink it carelessly, even though I didn’t know if it was poison or medicine. It seemed like some kind of precious liquid, but I postponed confirming it until later.

To the right of the bottle containing the liquid was a pocket watch. It was from this pocket watch that the welcome that led to the training began.

“Let’s turn off the welcome first.”

I couldn’t just leave the illusion alone and keep talking. It was getting noisy because it kept talking nonstop.

“Let’s see.”

The pocket watch had one push mechanism and one turn mechanism.

“Hmm.”

I closed my eyes and studied the magic contained in the pocket watch. I could tell immediately that there was no danger without having to look at it for long.

“An artifact containing educational welcome.”

The magic engraved inside was all related to illusions.

There were a ton of runes I didn’t know, but when you look at the context, they were all welcome and relevant.

Click!

I lightly pressed the button that was made to be pressed with my finger.

The welcoming atmosphere of loud chatter and passionate explanations disappeared in an instant. It felt like the surroundings had suddenly become quiet.

“It feels kind of empty.”

After struggling for several days, I finally opened the box. I even checked the contents inside.

But something felt empty. Considering the magic engraved in the box, it wouldn’t have been strange if something more amazing had been inside.

“A ring, a liquid, and a pocket watch.”

I still didn’t know what the ring and the liquid were. Maybe these two things were the reason for the box’s existence.

Rodin took out his pocket watch and ring and closed the box, leaving the unidentified liquid as is.

The state preservation magic on the box will prevent the liquid from spoiling. There is no need to take out the bottle containing the liquid in advance unless you plan to drink it right away.

“Now I have to study the ring.”

The research was never finished. Only the research subject changed from a box to a ring.

“It’s okay. It’s fun.”

Rodin removed the magic he had spread out in the room one by one. He erased the shields, barriers, and even the silencers, completely erasing any trace of the magic that had been spread.

* * *

The next afternoon, the client of the quest requested by Bronn and his party came to the inn.

In the restaurant on the first floor, the client carefully observed Bron and his party.

From the equipment, to the look in his eyes, to the career he received through the mercenary guild. He thoroughly checked to make sure there were no disqualifications.

It was a one-year-long request. Skill was important, but trust had to be the foundation.

‘So that’s how you check it.’

However, Ellis was excluded from the client’s evaluation.

The wizard’s equipment, career, and such were not important at all. The only things that were checked were which circle the wizard was from and whether his status was confirmed. These were the only things that were checked.

Ellis is a 2nd circle magician. Although she is not at the level to be classified as a full magician, her skills are more than enough to work as a mercenary.

“Good. I’ll sign a contract with the mercenary guild tomorrow.”

“You won’t be disappointed. I’ve never given up on a commission I received before.”

“Yes. I have already confirmed your career. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The client left the inn.

Bron and Malone exhaled deeply and slumped back into their chairs.

“Ha, I don’t know why I’m so nervous at this moment.”

“It’s because it’s ambiguous, because it’s vague. Even if we were just silver-plated mercenaries, we wouldn’t be nervous because of the request.”

The ranks of mercenaries go from the lowest wooden plaque to iron plaque, bronze plaque, silver plaque, and gold plaque.

The Mokpae is the most basic rank given to those with no experience and unproven skills. Most people start their careers as mercenaries from this Mokpae.

Ironclad is a rank given to inspectors who have accumulated some experience but whose skills are below the 1st Dena level. Bronn, Malone, and Baker also passed this stage several years ago.

Dongpae is a rank that a 2nd-level inspector receives. Also, when a magician or spirit master first starts working as a mercenary, he or she starts from this rank.

Ellis was still in the same class as the other students because she had not yet reached her level. She had to become a 3rd circle magician to graduate from the same class.

Rodin was already a 3rd circle wizard, but his career as a mercenary was just beginning, so he started from the Dongpae.

The Silver Badge was naturally next after the Bronze Badge. The minimum requirements for receiving the Silver Badge were a 3-Dena level swordsman, a 3rd circle or higher magician, and a spirit master who had made a contract with a mid-level spirit.

Bronn and his party were not yet worthy of receiving the silver shield. They lacked skill and needed to gain a few more years of experience.

“How easy is it to get a 3rd grade? When will it happen?”

“Ellis is 3 circles away? Isn’t she faster than us?”

“How different would it be? It would only be a few months or a few years.”

As I was lamenting my fate, Rodin suddenly seemed amazing. He was a 5th circle magician. With just his skills, he could have received the gold medal right away.

But he was only 14 years old. To say that he was simply talented was not enough.

genius.

There were no other adjectives to describe Rodin.

Whether Bronn and his party saw him or not, Rodin sat in the corner, fiddling with his pocket watch.

I have figured out exactly how to use the pocket watch.

The button, as we saw yesterday, was a device that started or stopped the education that Welcome was conducting. Press it once and Welcome appears, press it again and Welcome disappears.

The hour and minute hands of the pocket watch were devices that set the stages of education.

By turning the hour hand, you could determine the level of the large category, and by turning the minute hand, you could set the level of detailed education.

When the hour and minute hands are aligned to 1, basic level education is provided. I was guessing that it would not be education suitable for children under 10 years old.

And as you go up the numbers, the level of education increases, until eventually it reaches a professional level.

“What? Is that a watch?”

“Yes? Oh, yes.”

“Huh? The timing isn’t right? Are you trying to fix it?”

“No. I’ll just leave it.”

The pocket watch was an artifact with a considerable amount of illusion magic engraved on it. At this level, it could have been at least 7th circle, or perhaps much higher.

However, Ellis did not realize that the pocket watch was an artifact.

Just like the box that contained the item, the magical power was used exquisitely. Since the magical power leaking outward was almost 0, it was difficult for even the most sensitive people to notice that it was an artifact.

“Is it like a relic?”

“It’s an important item. Did you finish your conversation well?”

“Yeah. I decided to go to the mercenary guild tomorrow and sign a contract.”

Now, after four days, Bronn and his party will leave Bontis on a one-year long mission. Depending on Rodin’s decision, the next four days could be their last together.

“You don’t negotiate things like the amount?”

“If it says negotiation is possible, then negotiate. If the amount is written exactly like this, then there’s no point in negotiating.”

“Are you guys the only ones going as escorts?”

“No. I think there are more than 30 people including us. From what you said earlier, it seems like you want to fill it up a bit more, but it’s such a long-term request.”

There were certainly mercenaries who liked long-term commissions. They didn’t have to bother looking for the next commission, and they could earn a lot of money just by completing the commission.

However, most mercenaries did not like too long of a mission. They preferred to finish the missions quickly and then spend the money they earned on extravagant trips to the red-light district.

There was also the issue of trust with clients. After escorting the top for a year, there were many clients who suddenly refused to pay.

“Rodin, have you decided yet?”

“Yes. I’ll think about it for one more day.”

“Yes. There is still time.”

Rodin hadn’t even received his mercenary badge yet, so he couldn’t take on the mission even if he wanted to. Even if he did accept the mission, it would be two days after he received his mercenary badge.

Fortunately, due to the nature of being a wizard, there was no need to take a separate test. As long as the circle was proven, there was no reason for the client to refuse.

“We’re going to stop by the blacksmith shop. Do you want to come with me?”

“No. I’ll stay at the inn today.”

“Okay. Oh! I’ll be back before dinner. Don’t eat alone. Got it?”

“Okay. I’ll wait without eating dinner.”

Bronn and his party rushed out. Ellis, who wondered if there was anything to buy in the blacksmith shop, also went with them.

Rodin ordered another cup of tea on the first floor, drank it, and then went up to his room.

When I entered the room, I examined the ring intently. It had only been a day, but I had already figured out something about the ring.

‘It’s clear that there is an artifact that stores something.’

There were too many runes used here that I didn’t know. There were more runes I didn’t know than those I did know.

The box I opened yesterday, the pocket watch, and even the ring. Unknown runes were pouring out.

The runes known from the four great towers amounted to approximately 10,000 characters.

In comparison, the rune language he knew was just under 8,000 characters. It was about 2,000 characters short of the four great magic towers.

However, yesterday and today, the unfamiliar runes I encountered were over 2,000 characters long. If I could understand their meanings and pronunciations, I could become a wizard who knew as many runes as the four great magic towers.

“Haa, is there anyone who can teach me some runes?”

I was just complaining out of frustration. Of course, I had no intention of belonging to a group like the Four Great Towers.

The nine years I spent in the special forces training camp were enough time for me to belong to an organization. I didn’t want to move under someone’s orders anymore.

“I know it’s not dangerous though.”

The ring was intricately woven with runes that represented the concept of storing something. There was no sign of any magic that would attack anyone.

“Try it?”

I put the ring on my finger and took it off several times.

I couldn’t reach for the artifact because it had too many unfamiliar runes. But it was also difficult to find out more by just looking at it from the outside without wearing it.

“Let’s think about it.”

The decision was postponed.

No matter how much I thought about it, I was too scared to wear the ring. Although I thought there was no danger involved, I felt strangely uneasy.

* * *

The next day, Rodin informed Bronn that he could not join them on the mission. Everyone was disappointed, but they still wished each other a bright future.

Bronn and Malone, Baker and Ellis.

They also knew that they could not be with Rodin forever.

While they were a 2nd-level inspector and a 2nd-circle magician, Rodin was a 5th-circle magician. The difference in skill was too great for them to be tied together and work together.

It was rude for one of them to go together with his master, even though they were not his disciples and their skill levels were so different.

Bronn and his party also didn’t like to piggyback on someone else’s skills because it hurt their pride.

But they didn’t break up right away. The mission Bronn and his party received was to leave on the morning of the third day. Until then, they still had time to spend together.

The next morning, Rodin went to the Mercenary Guild and received a mercenary badge. It was the same badge as Bronn and his party.

“I feel strange.”

“Did you receive the mercenary badge?”

“Yes. Hmm, I guess I feel a sense of accomplishment? I want to change the color from copper to silver, and then to gold. Something like that, that’s what it feels like.”

Even if you have the skills, the path to becoming a Silver Badge mercenary is not easy. The required request points are at least 10, so even if you only receive it for a month, it would take 10 months.

“Phehehe. We were like that too. When we first received the mercenary badge, we thought we had to get the gold badge no matter what.”

“You started with a bronze plaque, but we started with a wooden plaque. It was a killer feeling when we changed the wooden plaque to an iron plaque and the iron plaque to a bronze plaque.”

“There are also high-scoring requests?”

“That? I’d rather not do that.”

The requests are based on a point system, but there were some requests that had particularly high points. There were also a few requests where you could get more than 5 points with just one request.

If you only choose to do those types of requests, you can become a Silver Badge mercenary with just two requests.

“Because of the risk?”

“Yeah. It’s better for you not to do it either. I’m not doubting your skills, but there are quite a few requests that are dangerous even if you have skills. If possible, solve them one by one to raise your level. That’s safe.”

“He’s giving me a lot of advice. When we meet again, Rodin will be a gold-plated mercenary. Who knows? He might even have a platinum plate.”

Rodin threw a party to celebrate becoming a mercenary.

It wasn’t a very grand party, just a lot of food and plenty of beer, and everyone drank to their heart’s content.

Rodin didn’t drink alcohol because he was still young. He took just one sip and then put it down, wondering why he was drinking something like that. It seemed like he wouldn’t drink alcohol even when he grew up.