Only My Magic Levels Up - Chapter 73



Only Noblemtl

After returning to Oklanne and resting for a day, Galen and Lilia boarded a carriage heading straight for Mezaia the next day.

“I’m finally going back······.”

Ziaba, who was leaving Oklanie in a different carriage than the other two, muttered half-happy and half-sad.

He had been forced to stay in Oklanye for a while because of an incident that occurred within the parish.

I did some work here, but I couldn’t see it properly. I wonder how much work would pile up when I go back. Of course, if I didn’t go back, the work would just keep piling up.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Anyway, the old bishop’s lament was over, and after saying goodbye, they each went their separate ways.

It took me a while to get there, just like it did to get there.

Arriving at Mezaia as the sun turned red, Galen and Lilia headed straight to the church.

I submitted the report that Jiaba had written first and waited, and before long, permission to meet was granted.

“You both worked really hard.”

The archbishop welcomed them.

Damus, who had personally prepared the refreshments as befitting his outgoing personality, opened his mouth in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

“I wondered what he meant when he said he was going to renegotiate an agreement that had already been concluded, but I understand after reading the report. Things really went in a direction I never expected.”

“I tried to stay true to my role as a director as much as possible, but given the circumstances, I couldn’t help but intervene.”

“I don’t blame them at all. It was the best they could do. But even if it was the best they could do, I can’t help but think about the consequences.”

Galen’s eyes narrowed slightly at the words that sounded meaningful.

Damus paused for a moment, sipping his tea, then continued speaking.

“Duke Galen, how do you wish to handle this incident?”

“How, do you mean?”

“There are two things. One is to inform and the other is to hide. Either way, it will be effective only if you and the church work together.”

“Even if it’s known, is it also possible to hide it?”

“If we close the case like this, it will be covered up. Only four people know that there has been a change in the share of the relics. The three here, plus Bishop Jiaba.”

Galen thought for a moment.

To be exact, he pretended to be lost in thought.

If you include the time spent at the ruins campsite and the time spent riding the carriage back, it was about two weeks.

There’s no way I haven’t thought about how I’m going to get out of church.

Rather, it was surprising that they gave us a choice.

He is employed by the church. He has nothing to say if the church just does whatever it wants.

‘Either you are testing me, or you are feeling uncomfortable treating me carelessly.’

Either way is fine.

Galen opened his mouth.

“Well, I think both are interesting in their own way.”

“···Does that mean it doesn’t matter?”

“The crux of the problem is the relationship between the church and the Steelwall family. I like it quiet, and I like it noisy.”

“hmm······.”

Damus groaned heavily, perhaps because the answer was unexpected.

Next to him, Lilia gently tugged on Galen’s sleeve. Even without saying a word, Galen understood why she was doing that.

Galen glanced at Damus, leaned slightly toward Lilia, and explained in a soft voice.

“The exploration of the ruins was originally the responsibility of the Stillwall family. Let’s leave the earth elves aside for a moment.”

“Isn’t that so?”

“But we played a huge role there, didn’t we?”

“It wasn’t us, it was Brother Galen who did most of it!”

“Anyway, what will happen to the Steelwall family if this fact gets out?”

“Well, are you going to get called incompetent?”

“That’s a good thing. Think of the attitude Lord Veron showed here the other day. He made it clear that he didn’t like the Church’s intervention.”

“Oh, then I’ll be even more embarrassed about having received help from the church!”

“The more our activities are highlighted, the more so. And whether or not we highlight them is up to the church.”

A new agreement to redistribute the relics’ shares in thirds.

If the church were to make this public, the power of the church would be boasted, but the Steelwall family’s reputation would be proportionally diminished.

If it is not made public, it will just end with a safe conclusion that the exploration of the ruins went well and the church was well supervised.

I don’t know why Damus asked Galen for his opinion, but Galen really didn’t care either way.

Because I already ate everything I wanted to eat.

Wasn’t this the request I accepted in the first place because I was curious about the magic of the earth fairy?

I’ve also acquired the Great Earth Restraint, leveled up my existing magic significantly, and unexpectedly gained the ability to advance to the territory.

The goal has already been exceeded.

If you just let it pass quietly, you can just ignore it and not worry about it.

If the Steelwall family goes on a rampage, you can beat them up together with the church. That’ll be a new source of experience points.

“I wanted to hear what you think first and then discuss it with you.”

Damus, who had been listening to the conversation between the two, smiled bitterly.

“You pass the ball to me and tell me to present it first. What a troublesome friend.”

“Shouldn’t we call it consideration? It’s about respecting the church’s choice.”

“I don’t mean to be ungrateful. I won’t say much. If it’s okay with you, I’m thinking of ending this matter here.”

“If Your Majesty so desires.”

“The reason the Steelwall family has continued to complain is, of course, because of financial reasons, but also because they do not like the interference of the church itself.”

“It’s a kind of protest. I won’t show that I’m giving in easily.”

“That’s right. And from now on, they’ll be ashamed to keep their mouths shut. We’ll also bury this incident and save their public image. Since it’s a huge relic, they’ve made a huge profit with just a third of it, so the moderates in Steelwall will be able to speak up more.”

“You’ve worked very hard.”

Galen said with sincerity.

How much of a headache must it be to have the support of the church and the power of the archbishop, yet still have to take political aspects into account when doing business?

Damus just smiled blankly and looked back at Lilia.

“Bishop Lilia, you should watch and learn a lot at times like this. You will have to do it someday.”

“I don’t really want to learn······.”

Lilia cringed as she spoke too honestly.

“If you keep doing it, you’ll get used to it. Would I have been like this from the beginning?”

Damus, who had said those scary words with a compassionate expression that showed he understood everything, looked back at Galen.

“But you know, Duke Galen.”

“yes.”

“The bottom line is that my choice will ruin your chance to become famous.”

“I’m really okay with it. If I wasn’t okay with it, I wouldn’t have said that both of you would be interested.”

“I’m not okay. Even if we let this go quietly, the fact remains that the Steelwall family’s expedition owes the church overseer a life debt. It’s a debt you created, so you must be repaid. The stake was originally yours.”

“yes?”

Galen blinked. Damus looked puzzled.

“But why?”

“No, the word ‘share’ suddenly came up.”

“I’m talking about the share of the relics.”

“That… is mine?”

“Isn’t it yours, of course?”

“I received it under the pretext of being a share of the church. I naturally expected you to give me some of it······.”

“This guy is a mercenary, but he’s strangely naive. Why would his employer touch the extra income that a mercenary earns while on assignment?”

“Is that so?”

“After receiving a request to catch pirates in Belpas, did you give the money from selling the pirate ship you caught to Belpas? It’s the same thing.”

Of course, Damus didn’t bother to add that there are far more lethal employers in the world.

He was a high-ranking priest who knew how to control his desires, and the share of the relics was also a sum of money that was completely unexpected from the beginning.

Even though it was a large sum of money, even for the archdiocese, which amounted to tens of thousands of gold coins, there was talk of readily handing it over.

“Yes, I know you did a great job, but please share it with Bishop Lilia as well.”

“Oh, yes. Of course. Thank you very much.”

Galen lowered his head, looking bewildered. Fortunately, he was able to come to his senses quickly because he had not received the cash right away.

“Anyway, that’s that. Is there anything else you’d like? If there’s anything I can do to make it more convenient for you, I’ll do my best to accommodate it.”

“Even if you say so······.”

Galen scratched his head.

It was a question I received so suddenly, but it was also because I had never even thought about asking my employer for any compensation other than money.

It seems like you’re making tens of thousands of won, so asking for more money is just plain lame.

What is the power of the church, apart from material rewards?

But where would there be a place to swing the baton called the church right now?

All Galen needed now was time to practice his newly learned Earthbinding and Territorial March. All he needed was a place and time to practice.

If we exclude the power of the church… now only Damus remains.

The Archbishop was clearly a man of immense power, rivaling the Jewel Warriors and Magicians.

‘But what is that? Should I ask you to spar? The picture is strange, and the effect won’t be as great as I thought.’

If your opponent has bad intentions, you could get seriously hurt, and your weaknesses could be revealed during the sparring process.

Practice only with family, classmates, or people you can definitely trust.

Damus was one of the highest ranking officials in the entire church, and Galen was not even a member of the church. No matter how casually he spoke, asking for a duel was considered rude.

Even if you ask for it despite being rude, it won’t have a dramatic effect.

Although sparring gives more experience points than self-study, it is still insignificant compared to the experience gained from killing.

To see any effect, you really need to stick with it as if it were a real fight, but it was a bit much to ask Damus to do that continuously. Maybe once or twice would be okay.

‘Because she’s not someone I can get along with comfortably like Lilia.’

In the end, we come to the conclusion that there is nothing to ask for right now.

Galen was about to say that he would think about it some more and then tell me, but his eyes suddenly turned strange.

“Wait, I don’t know if I can ask you this.”

“Tell me.”

“Can you please look after Lilia?”

“hmm?”

“yes?”

Damus and Lilia both questioned at the same time.

“I’ve realized a few things here and there from the ruins. I’m planning to stay in one place for the time being and organize things.”

“But?”

“Then, since Lilia will be staying with us, I wonder if Your Highness could please look after her a little bit during that time… I have a request like that….”

“Does asking me to look after you mean asking me to be your teacher?”

“That’s right. I know that Your Highness is a busy person, but… hasn’t Lilia been self-taught up until now? Both Hwigwang and Bokbok. If Your Highness could teach you a little trick—”

From Damus’ perspective, Lilia is a much more comfortable sparring partner than Galen, and since she is the person responsible for the future of the church, he wouldn’t mind teaching her.

If you think about it, Lilia also went on a pilgrimage right after learning the Miracle of Light. She was such a genius that she had been doing well on her own, but wouldn’t she be able to use it more refinedly if she received instruction from Damus, who was even more skilled?

As Lilia becomes stronger, Galen is also welcome. Not only does the power of her companions increase, but her sparring partner also becomes stronger, so it is also beneficial in terms of experience.

As Galen continued speaking, he thought it was a good suggestion for all three of them.

“wait for a sec.”

Damus’ eyebrows twitched as he raised his hand to cut off Galen’s words.

“What did you just say?”

“yes?”

“Say that again.”

“Your Majesty, please be a little more clever······.”

“No, before that. Didn’t you say it was a blessing?”

“Yes, I said so.”

“Does the blessing really mean the miracle of blessing?”

“Isn’t that so?”

“Bishop Lilia can perform miracles of blessing?”

“Oh… You didn’t know? Wasn’t it written in the report?”

“I never said anything like that!”

Instead of saying anything else, Galen looked at Lilia. Lilia nodded, still a little bewildered.

Papat!

A faintly burning platinum flame enveloped Lilia’s entire body.

“······.”

Damus, who had been frozen with his mouth open, moved after a long time.

He covered his face with his palm and muttered in a weak voice.

“···This is driving me crazy, really.”

That was the most insult an archbishop could utter.