49

Knight Commander Arthur of the Black Bear Order had already heard the rumor a month ago that Duke Cronos was preparing to hunt a dragon. It had been a hot topic between him, Knight Commander Marcus of the Cosmos Order and Knight Commander Ares of the Red Lion Order.

“As you know, the dragon’s body is worth a fortune. If the Cronos family takes over the dragon’s body, their power will be even greater than it is now.”

The dragon’s bones and scales were used for manufacturing high-end weapons and armor, and the dragon’s blood and flesh were materials for magic reagents. Even the dragon’s tendons were used to make strings of longbows and crossbows. Therefore, the dragon’s body was a treasure trove in itself, with nothing to throw away.

“That’s why we decided to join the hunt and take possession of the treasure in the dragon’s lair. If Duke Cronos takes the treasure in addition to the dragon’s body, it might cause bigger troubles to the Emperor.”

Nodding a few times, Arthur said in a low voice mixed with concern.

“I see. I’ll do my best to carry out the mission without a hitch. However, participating in the dragon hunt can cause casualties no matter how careful you are.”

“I’m also concerned about that. Do you have a preliminary list of Knights who want to join the Black Bear Order?”

“Yes, there are thirteen Knights we can accept as a regular member of the Order anytime.”

“Great. My deputy, Paul, will stay here in Icarus City until the three thousand troops of the central army are called in. As a countermeasure against possible vacancies, please call in the thirteen Knights to join Paul’s unit and post a request for permission to the Emperor to operate the Order with forty-three Knights for a limited period. I’ll report to him the same content officially. And, let all the apprentices and servants of your Order move with Paul’s army, too. Since it’s rugged mountainous terrain, there’s no way to move on horseback, so leave all the heavy equipment to them and make the Knights carry necessary equipment only. When we get to the site, we’ll leave all the horses and wagons to the village down the mountain and move on foot. Only thirty Knights, including you, will participate in the dragon hunt.”

************

Id’s party was relaxing in a small town adjacent to the highway. The horses were exhausted from the rushed journey, so they decided to take a rest early in the afternoon. There was only a half-day distance left to Kontsevaya, the gateway town before entering the border area, so they did not have any reason to hurry. After an early dinner, the party drank some wine, preparing to part with Benjamin. A one-day walk from the Empire’s border post, Kontsevaya had a branch of the Icarus Wizard Tower. Although it was pretty unusual to make a branch of the Wizard Tower in a mountain town with a population of less than five thousand, the Kontsevaya Branch was established to provide convenience to the sorcerers traveling to Scandia, the number of which has increased rapidly in recent years. Id told Benjamin.

“Tomorrow is the last day of our journey together. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”

Pouring wine into Id’s empty glass, Benjamin replied.

“I should be thanking you. How many times have you saved my life? I spend most of my time researching in my lab, so whenever you need my help, come to the Icarus Wizard Tower. Keep the communication crystal well, and keep in touch with me from time to time.”

After purchasing the communication crystal from Chiron, Benjamin had contacted the Icarus Wizard Tower to explain his situation and ask for help. Having received the report that Benjamin, one of the highest-circle mages in the Icarus Wizard Tower, not counting the three seven-circle Wizards, had suffered in a foreign country, Sirius immediately took action. Alcor, the branch head of the Free City of Greenhorn, the largest city in the northeastern region of the Empire, sent four Knights to Kontsevaya to meet Benjamin and escort him to Greenhorn. This was why Id’s party and Benjamin decided to split ways in Kontsevaya.

“Both Sasha and Lara are now at a critical juncture in their manna training. So, we decided to travel along the Polermone Mountains to concentrate more on manna circulation while traveling. Since the manna saturation in the mountains is much higher than in other places, it’ll help us train. Once we get to the Adelian Marquisate, it’ll be hard for us to concentrate on manna training, so I am going to do my best to help Sasha and Lara establish a manna hall in their body before then.”

Lara’s affinity to manna was much higher than Sasha's. While in terms of her physique and physical fitness, she was much inferior to Sasha and could not beat Sasha in sword spars. However, in terms of operating manna, Lara already reached a similar level as Sasha, who had trained manna circulation for a long time under Id’s guidance. Id, who had broken the last barrier on the top of his head and entered a new phase of manna operation, was advancing toward the State of Harmony that he had theoretically established before. Having complimented the incomplete parts of the manna circulating method he created, Id became convinced that even ordinary people could create a manna hall as long as they put a lot of effort into manna circulation according to his method for a sufficient time. Each had developed differently, but in Id’s view, Sasha and Lara’s bodies were at the state just before a manna hall was built up. Id decided to slow down the party’s trip and create an environment where the two could concentrate on the manna training. Id and his friends did not feel any difficulties traveling in the mountains, and it was even more comfortable for the elf Selena to move through the mountains.

The next afternoon, the party who watched Benjamin enter the Kontsevaya branch of the Icarus Wizard Tower went to the horse market to sell their horses. Horses were nothing but a burden to them who decided to travel along the mountains. After purchasing some camping equipment and enough food for a long stay in the mountains, they left Kontsevaya, heading south. Benjamin went west along the paved road constructed by the Icarus Empire using a lot of human and material resources. Id’s party took the hunter’s path in the direction of the juncture where Pleo Mountains naturally changed into the Polermone Mountains.

As they left the national highway and entered the forest path, they could feel the abundance of manna in the air. After walking about two hours along the hunter’s path, Id’s party prepared to camp at dusk.

“I felt a little uncomfortable after I left the Forest of Elf, and now I realized the reason. The human world certainly lacks enough manna saturation. After entering the forest, I feel better again.”

As an elf, a much more manna-sensitive race on average than humans, Selena felt a more pronounced change in manna distribution than her human colleagues. She has been questioning some sort of uncomfortable physical condition for the past couple of weeks and found out the cause after entering the forest. Id told Selena, smiling at her.

“Right. Though I’m not as sensitive as you, I definitely feel the difference.”

Lara, who was listening to the conversation between Selena and Id, nodded and expressed sympathy. Sasha was the only one who looked unsure. Looking at Sasha’s sour expression, Id told him.

“Sasha, judging from your Aura Blade, I think a manna hall will soon be formed in your body. For the time being, why don’t you reduce your sword training time and devote more time to manna circulation?”

Sasha himself was unsure if he was ready enough to make a manna hall, but he trusted Id. In the more than six years with him so far, his advice has never produced a false result. He knew that his physical sword training was rapidly developing his swordsmanship, but again he decided to follow Id’s advice.

“All right, I’ll spend more time in manna circulation as you advise.”

************

The Free City Greenhorn, the largest city in the northeastern region of the Empire, was the prime trading and transportation hub. The Kingdom of Scandia and the Dukedom of Nirus were within a day’s distance on horseback, and they could reach the Kingdom of Ur in three days. With a population of about two million, Greenhorn was a large city spanning over a distance of twelve kilometers on average between the inner and outer ramparts. The northeastern part of the city was well maintained as a commercial area, and the wide main street from the northeast to the southwest was lined with hotels and inns. However, since a few days prior, Knights and sorcerers have been flocking to the hotels to the point where there were no vacancies. Benjamin entered a suite room on the third floor of Four Seasons, the largest hotel in Greenhorn. It was the room of Regulus, one of the three seven-circle Wizards of the Icarus Wizard Tower.

“Long time no see, Benjamin. I heard you had a pretty hard time in Scandia?”