Chapter 213 (2/2)

An hour later, the Magician reached Scorched Ridge with the soil. Within five minutes, this greenish black soil was placed on Link’s table in his study.

“Master Link,” said Ero with notable excitement in his voice, “Master Grenci had told me that it possessed superior anti-magic properties.” He couldn’t help but get excited by this discovery as he’d seen with his own eyes how the magic puppet had turned up this soil in the whole vast field.

Link merely looked at the soil, and there was no change in his expressions at all. It wasn’t that the soil wasn’t good enough for him, only that he’d expected this discovery. He took the soil sample and pretended to examine it closely. Then, he smiled and gave Ero a nod.

“This is good news indeed,” he said. “At least we won’t have to purchase anti-magic bricks from other people to build the Mage Tower now.”

“I’m afraid you’ll have much more than you need for the Mage Tower, Master Link,” said Ero. He greatly admired Link’s calm demeanor, and he knew that he wouldn’t be able to keep his cool if he was Link. Even though Ero hadn’t much to do with this anti-magic soil, he was still thrilled by its discovery as he felt that he’d just witnessed a historic moment!

Yes, with a field of this soil, Master Link could even build a magnificent city here on his estate!

Link merely nodded, then he turned to his clerk Joshua.

“Tell Carrido I’d like to see him,” he instructed.

Carrido was his magic officer, and although his actual level wasn’t high, Link trusted his abilities. He knew that whatever he handed to him would be settled without a problem. Currently, Carrido had become an important helper of his like Lucy and the other mercenaries. As long as the matter was related to magic, Link would always entrust it to Carrido without any hesitation.

Soon afterwards, Carrido arrived.

“My lord, what happened?” he asked.

Link pointed at the soil sample on the table and smiled.

“That giant magic puppet dug that precious thing out of the ground,” he told Carrido. “Come and look at it. It’s anti-magic soil.”

Carrido’s face immediately brightened up. All this time, he’d been working for Link and had seen and learned many things in a short span of time. He knew full well how valuable this type of soil was.

Carrido stepped forward and examined the soil carefully.

“My lord, this is an excellent high-quality anti-magic soil,” he said. “It is of very high purity. We can sell it as it is for ten gold coins per ton, or we could turn it into higher-value products and sell them at 50 gold coins per ton or more. Where was it found, my lord? I’d like to go there and take a look.”

It seemed that Carrido had taken the affairs of the Ferde Wilderness as his own affairs now. Although he was still learning magic, his priorities had slightly shifted now. He found that as a magic officer, there was no need for him to have the deepest knowledge in magic. What he needed to pay more attention to was to properly carry out Link’s affairs and business.

Carrido was highly optimistic about Link’s future, so he was sure that as long as he carried out his duties as Link’s magic officer well, his own future would be bright as well.

“He knows the exact location,” said Link, pointing at Ero. “Follow him.”

“Let’s go, then!” said Ero enthusiastically.

Once he’d seen Carrido, an idea popped up in Ero’s mind.

Maybe this anti-magic soil is my chance to shine as well, he thought.

Ero’s talents could only be regarded as slightly above average. He’d turned thirty this year but was still only a Level-2 Magician. In the future, he estimated that he’d only rise up at most to Level-4, so why should he waste away in the academy? Why couldn’t he come out and have a better future working with the genius Magician Link instead?

With this idea in mind, Ero eagerly took Carrido to the location where they discovered the anti-magic soil. Along the way, he kept asking questions about Carrido’s roles in Link’s estate.

Corrido was no fool; he knew instantly from Ero’s attitude that the Magician had the idea of coming to work with Lord Link in his mind. Although he didn’t mind that, he also felt slightly threatened by this.

I guess I can’t neglect my studies in magic now! Carrido realized. Sooner or later there will be more and more Magicians coming here looking to work for Lord Link. If I don’t upgrade my skills, then soon enough I’ll be squeezed out of the core position in Lord Link’s workforce. Then I’d be in trouble!

With this thought in mind, Carrido suddenly turned to another direction and headed towards Jacker’s camp.

“Hey, you’re going the wrong way!” said Ero, slightly confused by Carrido’s actions.

“I know,” replied Carrido with a smile. “But I think Lord Link would want to know the specific volume of the soil, so I should go find some mercenaries to help us make the right estimates.”

Ero was impressed with Carrido’s shrewdness.

His magic skills are at a lower level than mine, Ero thought. But he seems to be much more efficient and practical than I am. I have much to learn from him.

“Wait for me!” shouted Ero as he quickened his footsteps and tried to catch up to Carrido.

With these thoughts in their minds, the two people naturally worked in a more motivated state and thus got the job done much quicker too.

Seven hours later, a preliminary report about the anti-magic soil was placed on Link’s desk.

“My lord,” said Carrido, visibly excited, “according to our preliminary estimates, the field that contained the anti-magic soil has an area of about 2000 acres and an average depth of more than a hundred feet. We weren’t able to reach the deepest limits where the soil could be found, but it is definitely more than 200 feet. The most conservative estimate of the anti-magic soil’s total weight was about 70 million tons or so.”

Seventy million tons wasn’t a bad figure at all. If the news of this discovery spread out through the kingdom, the price of anti-magic soil would probably nosedive and would probably be sold at the same price as cabbages.

But still, even if the price dropped to a few silver coins per ton, Link would still be able to earn quite a fortune from the anti-magic soil.

Viewed from an individual’s point of view, these numbers might seem large and impressive, but Link’s main goal was to build a magic capital where all things related to magic would be focused here. In that case, he would still need a lot more gold coins.

“In that case,” said Link, “work together with Lucy and set up an exploratory team.” He decided to dig the soil and just sell it as it was. Right now, he still had about 70,000 gold coins left, but the construction on his estate was going on at a rapid pace, and his gold coins were used up at an alarming rate. He must now find a stable source of income as soon as possible.

“Yes, my lord!” answered Carrido. “I’ll see to it immediately!” He then promptly rushed out of the room and went to work straight away.

Link leaned back in his chair. He wasn’t thinking about the soil at all but was instead ruminating about the magnetic island he found in the sea.

The gyromagnetic iron would make a good source of income as well, thought Link. Unfortunately, the island isn’t in my estate’s territory. Once I’ve settled everything here, I must establish a navy troop and colonize the island!

It wouldn’t hurt to earn more gold coins, anyway.