Magic Is Learned For Nothing [EN]: Chapter 57

Magic is Learned in Vain – Episode 57 (57/502)

# 57

Evolving Lich Mamon

As everyone settled into bed, Legion summoned the Lich Mamon. Emerging from the subspace, Lich Mamon knelt on one knee before Legion.

“I come before my omnipotent master.”

“Omnipotent is a bit much. Just call me Master.”

“How could I dare to address my Master with such casualness?”

“Alright, I get the sentiment, but just make it easy on yourself. It makes it easier on me too.”

“But…….”

“Enough. Just say Master. That’s an order. No need for flowery language.”

“I fear I might harbor disloyal thoughts.”

*Why is he like this again?*

“Alright, alright. Come here.”

Legion sighed and showed Lich Mamon the numerous jewels spread out on the table.

“Ooh, this is mid-grade Mithril, this is top-grade steel, this is high-grade ruby, this is low-grade diamond, this is top-grade cobalt, this is mid-grade jet, this is top-grade blue zircon… It seems impossible to put a monetary value on these.”

Lich Mamon exclaimed, appraising each of the jewels.

The ability to discern the quality of something instantly upon seeing it.

*Indeed, liches love shiny things as much as dragons do. If I had known this, I would have used Lich Mamon sooner. I regret it a little.*

-Can’t be helped. Back then, your intelligence was too low to think of it.

*Shut up, you always bring up my embarrassing past.*

-There’s a famous saying that those who forget the past have no future. So, I hope you take it to heart.

*Is it really necessary to remember that my intelligence was low? What am I supposed to do with that memory? I don’t really understand what Mark’s point is.*

“Mamon.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Your soul vessel is me, right?”

“That is correct.”

“Then you can feel what I feel, right?”

“What do you mean by ‘feel’…….”

“Simply put, are your tastes similar to mine?”

“Since we are different personalities, it is difficult to say. However, it is certain that I am influenced by my Master.”

“Oho! Is that so.”

Legion grinned.

*If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be possible to eliminate the risks associated with strange passive skills? Moreover, Mamon doesn’t die. Could Mamon also get fat? Ahem, that’s not my fault. Anyway! Where else could I find such a perfect test subject?*

“Then, taste the jewels in front of you.”

“Are you referring to these?”

Mamon pointed to the jewels spread out before him.

“Yeah, you don’t need to do things like Mithril or steel, ruby. I already know about those. I need the functions of the ones I don’t have information on.”

“Ah, I understand what you mean. So, I’m just checking them out.”

*I feel a little guilty.*

*Saying it like that makes me feel like a really bad guy.*

“Do not make such an expression, Master. It is only natural for a servant to take risks on behalf of his master.”

*Since when did Mamon’s loyalty become so high?*

-Lich Mamon and Sepia’s loyalty is very high. They are in a heated loyalty competition.

*What are you talking about?*

-It’s exactly as I said. Aren’t they both in charge of teaching their exclusive servants?

*So?*

-As a result, there’s a competition in their pride. It started with teaching their exclusive servants, and now it’s escalated into a heated loyalty competition.

*Ugh, that doesn’t sound good.*

-Just leave them be. They’ll stop when they get tired.

Legion nodded. He didn’t want to get involved in such strange things.

“Then I shall begin.”

*Can’t something be done about that strange way of speaking?*

-Leave it be. If you don’t accept that, he won’t do it.

Okay.

Lich Mamon found a jewel whose exact name he didn’t know and put it in his mouth.

Since he doesn’t have a system that automatically breaks things down like Legion, he just chews it with his remaining molars.

Crunch.

“Low-grade blue sapphire. It increases resistance to dark attributes. I have absolute resistance to dark attributes, so it is an unnecessary jewel for me.”

*Oho, it works! It works.*

“I see.”

Legion nodded with a solemn expression. With this, he could escape the fear of dangerous ‘passive skills’.

After that, Lich Mamon dismantled several more jewels.

Most of them were jewels that improved durability.

*It’s a bit of a waste. If I had dismantled all of those, I would have raised my total combat power by at least 50.*

Lich Mamon held up a jewel with a reddish glow.

It looks very rough. Unless they were professional appraisers, neither Legion nor Lich Mamon could tell what kind of jewel it was.

Lich Mamon swallowed the jewel and chewed it without hesitation.

Crunch, crunch.

Lich Mamon tilted his head.

“Why?”

Legion asked.

“The exact components of the jewel cannot be analyzed.”

“Really? Is that normal?”

“I do not know. The analysis time is approximately 12 hours. It seems that I will only be able to know what function this jewel has after that time.”

“Hmm, it can’t be helped. I understand.”

Legion nodded. Just the fact that he couldn’t immediately know all the functions after dismantling the jewels was quite a gain.

*What was it again? That red and murky jewel.*

*I’ll have to keep it in mind for now.*

* * *

Count Persimmon, wearing a cold expression, twitched his eyebrows. He reached out his long fingers and scratched his temple. It was a habitual action he took when he felt a little unpleasant.

His adjutant, Heinz, swallowed hard and lowered his head.

He had not properly carried out his lord’s orders, so he had nothing to say even if he had ten mouths.

“So… you’re saying that the thirty men you sent to investigate the Mithril mine have completely disappeared?”

Persimmon’s unique, thick voice echoed in the office.

“That is correct.”

“Originally, mercenaries are not to be trusted… but there must have been someone who commanded them.”

“It was 2-star knight Bowl.”

“Bowl, huh.”

As Count Persimmon remembered, Bowl was originally a mercenary. He remembered that he had shown some talent in mana, so he had been specially hired….

Due to his characteristics of getting along well with mercenaries, he was sent on this mission because he seemed well-suited for it.

“Have you not heard from him either?”

“That is correct. He has completely disappeared.”

“Since when?”

“It seems to be after arriving in Alexander Territory.”

“I can’t understand it. Does the Alexander family have the power to erase them to that extent?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Then? How can not even one of them return?”

“It seems they got greedy and entered the Dusselrup Mountains.”

“To find the Mithril mine?”

“Yes, and I suspect they were attacked by monsters. After all, it is a notorious mountain range. It would have been difficult for that level of force to survive in Dusselrup.”

“Hmm, that might be the case.”

Count Persimmon admitted.

Bowl, perhaps because of his background, was always impatient.

He appreciated his eagerness to achieve something, but it seems that this mission was not suitable for him.

With that level of skill, he might have met a high-level monster in the Dusselrup Mountains and ended up in its stomach.

*It’s a bit of a waste, but he should have taken care of his own life.*

“Gather men with a little more skill.”

“Shall we use mercenaries?”

“Yes, let’s spend some money this time. Raise the level by at least two stages. And include three or four knights from within. Hmm, it would be good to send Soul… with them.”

“Soul as well?”

“Yes, since he’s still young, it wouldn’t be bad for him to see the world.”

Soul was one of the most outstanding knights in the Count’s territory.

At the young age of 21, he became a 3-star knight. He now uses the blade freely. If he continues to grow like this, it was not a dream for him to surpass the aura user and reach the Sword Master.

*If he had a lot of luck.*

“I understand. I will take care of it.”

Heinz nodded.

Two days later, thirty mercenaries with decent skills and five knights, including Soul, set off for Legion’s territory.

* * *

Legion and Lich Mamon were facing each other in the room.

Twelve hours had passed, and it was a sunny morning. The air was so clear that even freckles on each other’s faces could be seen.

“So, what was it?”

Legion pointed to Lich Mamon’s skull, which was covered with a hood.

“The jewel I dismantled was a rare mineral called Red Zircon.”

“And?”

“It is a mineral called the Dream Jewel. Because it is extremely rare, the price is unimaginably high.”

“Keep going.”

“The reason it is called the Dream Jewel is because just having it allows you to have happy dreams. The Dream Jewel that appears in fairy tales refers to Red Zircon.”

“It’s a jewel that has a good effect on humans.”

“That is correct. It is especially good to have Red Zircon next to young children. Because they have good dreams. It is also known to have the function of preventing the approach of nightmares.”

*Ugh, it was a jewel with really good functions. How much would that be worth in money?*

“The market price is whatever you want to call it. Because it’s the Dream Jewel.”

Legion felt a pang in one corner of his heart.

He knew the function of the jewel, but it was too precious. How could he not feel bad about throwing it into the mouth of his summon?

“So, what function can you get when you dismantle the Dream Jewel?”

“It grants small wishes.”

“Small wishes?”

“Yes, for example, a child has lost their parents. The child misses their parents so much. They grind up the Dream Jewel and eat it. The jewel grants the child’s wish. At least in their dreams, the child can meet their parents.”

“The ghost doesn’t materialize and chase the child, does it?”

“…….”

Lich Mamon did not answer. He tilted his head. He seemed to be thinking that it really could happen.

“There is also this.”

“What?”

“Alcoholics can use it when they want to quit drinking, and gambling addicts can use it when they want to quit gambling.”

“It’s not possible to use it when you want to have a healthy liver until you die even if you drink alcohol, or when you want to always win money in gambling, right?”

“…….”

This time, Lich Mamon did not answer.

“Master seems to have an excellent talent for destroying innocence.”

His voice sounded a little sulky.

“So, what wish did you fulfill?”

Legion asked.

“Ahem.”

Lich Mamon cleared his throat. Although he was a skeleton, it felt like he was very embarrassed.

“What is it?”

*I’m more curious because he’s acting like that.*

“Ahem.”

Lich Mamon took a little more time and gently took off his hood.