Chapter 43 (2/2)

“…”

“…. How did you set it up?”

“What are you talking about?” Yeriel shrugged.

“There’s a rumor going around that ‘Marik’ will be open.”

“It was a prediction based on the current emperor’s nature and a whole.”

“… What? You know that Marik would be a loss for us, right?”

“No.”

Marik’s opening provided a consequential benefit. However, we needed absolute defense for it.

“You should have written down how to handle it.”

“I meant to, but it costs too much money~ and someone spent 200 million~” Yeriel sighed sarcastically.

“We will soon sell the items I bought one by one, which will bring us huge profits. I’ll be able to return the 200 million Elnes within this year.”

In fact, if one were to look at this world like a TRPG, it was my magic’s turn. That was why I didn’t even bother using [Midas’s Hand] when working.

If I used up 4 thousand mana on [Midas’s Hand], I wouldn’t be able to train my magic or use Understanding. Things would be a little different from here on out, though.

I genuinely needed money right now.

“By the way, why didn’t you give me 10 million?” Yeriel murmured as she pouted. “You’re welcome to give it to me right now.”

“… Do you remember what you felt when we went for the relic last time?”

“Where you sold the vase?”

“I intend to take over those emotions soon.”

“No, what? Oh…” Yeriel trembled almost loathingly. “You have no dignity.”

“That’s enough. We’re here.”

We arrived at the tower while we were talking.

I naturally looked up as soon as I got out of the car.

“… Its scale has grown considerably.”

There were only nine university towers on the entire continent. After all, for a building to be considered as one, it had to at least have 70 floors.

Measuring Hadekain’s ‘Yukline Tower’ by eye, it was likely taller than that minimum qualification.

“It’s because they’ve been continuously developing.”

I went into the tower with Yeriel, finding wizards waiting for us in the lobby. “It’s an honor to meet you. I’m the tower’s head, Digerik.”

Digerik was a young man.

I looked at him with [Man of Great Wealth], and he, fortunately, passed with flying colors.

“Nice to meet you.” I shook hands with him, then looked around the tower.

It wasn’t as good as the Imperial University Tower, but its facilities were amazing enough to say they definitely were keeping up with the times.

“We also support specialized magic development research. Among all the local towers, we’re probably the only ones to provide that aside from Iliade?” Yeriel bragged.

Separate from the other eight affiliations, the 9th affiliation, specialized magic, was also known as ‘signature magic.’

Magic under the 9th affiliation adopted its creator’s name. If a wizard invented it alone, it would be named after them. If an entire tower developed it together, then it was given the name of the tower. However, that was simply because specialized magic research consumed enormous resources.

Magic only required a wizard’s brain to be conceptualized, but experimenting and perfecting it required a lot of mana stones, considering one would need to determine which series would suit it the most, all the faults it had, and all the effects it might apply to both the user and the target.

“Yeriel.”

“Yeah?”

“Let’s go to the stables now that it’s done. I need a horse.”

“Already? No, it doesn’t matter, but before that… Can’t you donate the midterm exam papers from the tower… Sir? On a free loan basis.”

Yeriel looked at me with eyes that reminded me of puppies, but I shook my head coldly.

“I don’t have time. However, if there is a wizard conducting a thesis or research in this tower, I’ll correct their paper. Consider it a gift.”

“How can that be a gift?” Yeriel asked innocently, looking genuinely clueless.

“…”

I looked back at the wizards who had been following us, but they also looked like they were avoiding the topic.

The sight made my anger momentarily rise.

Using my [Man of Great Wealth], I chose a person who stood out from the rest of the wizards. He was a cute little kid that reminded me of Allen.

“You. What’s your name?”

“M-me? I’m Panien, a rank 2 wizard.”

“Is there a magic thesis you’re working on?”

“What? Ah, yes, there is-”

“I’ll look over your paper. Think of it as an honor.”

“No, no, I…”

Panien declined audaciously.

He was about to cry, so I let him off the hook.

*****

I came to the horse stables in the meadow behind the Yukline estate, finding a lot of excellent horses stomping on the grass. They seemed to be grazing.

“In the past, fostering horses was a big business, but cars have developed a lot these days… Still, I really like our stallions.”

Yeriel stroked one of the horses’ manes and smiled.

“Keep trying. Horses have different advantages than cars.”

Horses, which could be used in dungeons and mines as long as they were equipped, would soon become highly sought after again.

“I know. I’m having fun raising these guys. It’s not as much as before, but it’s still fairly beneficial for us.”

Tap tap—

Yeriel patted the horse’s back a few times and looked at her watch.

“It’s time for me to go to work now. You can take any of these guys with you~”

“Yeriel.”

I grabbed her as she was about to leave. I took out a luxurious box and handed it to her.

“It’s a gift.”

“…?”

It contained high-end gloves.

Yeriel, blinking vacantly, received the gift with a weirdly distorted expression.

“What kind of trade is this…? Ah, a trade? Yeah, this is definitely a trade… Well, horses are a lot more expensive, but it’s fine. I accept this deal.”

Yeriel was muttering to herself and went straight to the residence. For some reason, she seemed to be in a hurry.

“…”

I soon strolled through the meadow and searched for a horse that wasn’t too old and not too young.

According to my [Man of Great Wealth], the red horse with a soft mane and glossy skin stood out among the herd.

I approached him right away and hopped on his back.

I had never ridden a horse before, but I felt strangely used to it. This was the effect of Deculein’s [Personality].

Clack clack clack clack—

After riding him for a few moments, I thought he was perfect. I prepared [Midas’s Hand].

Of course, horses weren’t items. They were alive.

However, [Midas’s Hand] had a characteristic that used the user’s mana to unlock the potential of the ‘target, which could be alive or an inanimate object.

Of course, it didn’t apply to humans, but horses were treated as items in the game system, so maybe….

I used [Midas’s Hand]. The blue energy from my fingertips enveloped the horse.

Whiiiing—!

He burbled for a moment as he raised his front hooves, forcing me to hold on to him to prevent myself from falling off his back.

——— [Yukline’s Red Horse] ———

◆ Description:

– A high-class horse who grew up eating only good things.

– [Midas’s Hand] upgraded its overall physical ability and unlocked its potential.

◆ Category: Pet ⊃ Ride

◆ Pet Characteristics

– Dash

– Breathing

*Name setting is possible. [Midas’s Hand 4]

—————

“… As expected.”

Honestly, this much was only natural. It would be weirder if it weren’t.

Nodding satisfactorily, I named the horse ‘Red Horse.’ It just so happened that his skin was red, which made the name suit him even more.

That aside…

I was ready now.

I would move tomorrow at 3 AM.

There was still a lot of time left until then, so I steered him to practice horseback riding.

“Giddy up!”

I shouted and pulled on his reins just as I had seen in historical dramas, and the horse ran with great speed and momentum. For a moment, my body leaned back and almost fell off.

Hiiiiing—!