Magic Is Learned For Nothing [EN]: Chapter 66

Magic is Learned in Vain – Episode 66

# 66

To the Count’s Territory (1)

-Intelligence 105. Weight 140 kilograms. Overall combat power 1,276. Overall combat power is steadily increasing. But continuing to gain weight is a problem. Agility is too low. The only way to live is to lose weight.

I know, I know. But my intelligence went up by 2. My head feels really refreshed these days.

-Health is the most important thing. No matter how good your brain is, it’s useless if you lose your health. Obesity is the root of all diseases. You need to get rid of that visceral fat first.

I know, I’m working hard.

-Stop just talking and do it. You need to work harder. I recommend getting another staff.

What are you talking about now?

-What’s the weight of your current Jungchul staff [Korean term for a standard-issue, likely metal, staff]?

30 kilograms.

-Two of them?

Do you think I’m stupid? It’s 60 kilograms.

-That’s right. Carry one in each hand.

Ugh, wouldn’t that be too heavy?

-It’s all for you. Around this time next year, you’ll be very grateful to me. Your arm muscles will be bulging like bacon or a drazer [fictional creature, presumably large and muscular].

Ugh, okay, okay.

-Plus, it looks cool.

What does?

-Imagine holding a double staff and doing dual casting. What would women think when they see that?

Oh, that would be kind of cool.

-That’s right. Double staff. The romance of wizards. The hero of women.

Okay. I’ll have to tell Silcut to get me another staff.

-Do that.

Bacon, unaware that Legion and Mark were having an in-depth conversation, called out ‘Master’ several times. Bacon thought he was ‘reviewing’ the sparring match from earlier.

He didn’t want to disturb his master’s contemplation if possible.

But the identity of the uninvited guest who had come was not very good. So he called out carefully several times.

“Huh?”

Only then did Legion acknowledge Bacon’s presence.

“Why? Is there something you want to say?”

Legion asked.

“We have a guest.”

“A guest?”

“Yes.”

Legion tilted his head. Generally, a guest means someone coming from outside the territory. There was no one in the territory who could be called a guest to him.

His social circle was extremely narrow, not befitting the lord of a territory. Naturally, no one from outside the territory had ever come to visit him.

“Who is it?”

“A messenger has come from the Persimmon County.”

“Ah, Persimmon…”

Only then did Legion nod.

He had been thinking that they might do something. Nearly 100 people had gone missing, so they wouldn’t just say, ‘Oh well, maybe they’ll come back if they’re alive.’

He knew they would definitely come; the question was when.

It was today.

“How many are there?”

“One person.”

One person? That was a bit unexpected.

“Okay. Let’s go see what he has to say.”

Legion groaned and got up with his heavy body. Geez, what’s the point of having high combat power?

My knees are aching.

* * *

Legion treated German with the utmost courtesy.

It’s hard to say this myself, but my advantage is that most people underestimate me.

Why is that an advantage?

If my combat power was still 7, or I was an unemployed bum, or I inherited debt from my parents but had no ability to pay it off, spending half my life just paying off debt, or I wanted to get married but had no money and a violent personality, then it could be a disadvantage.

But that’s not me.

First of all, I’m handsome. Well, I’m kind of…decent looking now. Until last year, I was even called a flower boy [a term for a young man with delicate, beautiful features].

I’m still growing, so I’ll get taller.

I can lose weight.

My intelligence is steadily increasing.

I have two powerful summoned beasts. I have twenty-five dedicated servants who would give their lives for me if I asked. Oh, one more, so twenty-six.

I have a lot of money.

I couldn’t spend it all even if I tried.

I have a lot of jewels. My hobby is eating jewels. It’s a hobby that other nobles can’t even imagine.

What could I possibly be lacking?

If people curse me, so be it. If they curse my weight, so be it. Even if they curse me to my face, so be it.

That’s the kind of mindset I have.

Even if that guy is blatantly giving me a look of contempt, I can just shrug it off.

Bastard, it still makes me feel a little bad. I’m the lord, and you’re just a knight.

“You’ve come a long way. But what brings you here?”

Legion used polite language.

“I have come to deliver this to you on His Excellency’s orders.”

German took out an invitation from his chest and gave it to Legion.

Bacon, who had been standing respectfully with his hands folded, was about to burst forward. A mere knight using a mix of informal and formal language with our master. That was infuriating enough, but the bastard was handing over the invitation with one hand.

It was only natural that Bacon’s eyes, filled with MAX loyalty, would roll back.

Legion raised his hand.

Bacon gritted his teeth and stepped back.

German had no idea that the magic of death had passed by the nape of his neck.

Legion took the invitation and read it. The contents of the invitation were simple.

The Count’s family would be holding a ‘Coming-of-Age Ceremony’ this year.

Therefore, all men and women who had turned 19 were invited to the Count’s estate.

The Count’s family had never held a ‘Coming-of-Age Ceremony’ before. At least, not as far as Legion knew.

Something smells fishy.

“Has His Excellency always hosted the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?”

“Originally…no.”

“So, is this the first Coming-of-Age Ceremony being held?”

“That’s not it either.”

“I’m sorry, but please explain.”

German made a blatantly annoyed expression. He was just supposed to come when he was told; what was with all the questions?

“Until now, His Excellency has only gathered the children of his close aides for the ‘Coming-of-Age Ceremony.'”

So, he’s only been taking care of his cronies.

“But this year, His Excellency plans to hold the Coming-of-Age Ceremony with all the children of the nobles. Isn’t that truly benevolent?”

German demanded an answer from Legion.

“I see. Very benevolent. I want to dedicate my whole being to swearing allegiance to him. Ah, I never thought this day would come.”

Words cost nothing.

If it’s just words, I can even lick his ass.

It’s not like I’m actually doing it, so what does it matter? Unless he brings a contract, then things will be different.

I can say as many words as he wants that don’t cost money.

“That’s right. His benevolent Excellency has even taken care of this remote territory. So, you must serve him with all your loyalty.”

“I understand. I will pledge my loyalty to His Excellency with my life.”

German nodded, seemingly satisfied. He had said everything he needed to say, but he didn’t get up.

He seemed to be wanting something.

Ugh, this bastard.

Legion took out a leather pouch from his chest containing 100 gold (ten million won) [Won is the currency of Korea, used here as a comparison to the value of the gold].

He had prepared it just in case. As expected, that’s what he wanted. Just running an errand once for 100 gold. Pretty good money. He’ll be getting it from other territories too!

He’ll be rich after going around the County once.

German received the leather pouch as if it were natural.

“I put a little something in there to help with your travel expenses on the way.”

German opened the leather pouch and checked the amount. He seemed satisfied. The corners of his lips reached his ears.

A whopping 100 gold.

Much higher than the average salary of knights. He put that much in on purpose so that he wouldn’t speak badly about this place when he returned.

“Then I’ll be going. Don’t bother coming out. I’m in a hurry.”

“Oh, no. How can I just send you off without seeing you off?”

Legion made a fuss and called all the other servants and maids. They lined up and watched German ride his horse out of the mansion.

“He’s a disgusting human being.”

“I agree.”

“Are you just going to let him go?”

“No.”

Bacon’s eyes sparkled. If there’s a fun event, please include me.

“Your face is exposed. Just watch. Someone else will do it.”

Legion grinned.

Watching his master’s smile, he wished the knight German good luck.

German was struck by lightning in less than half a day.

While fiddling with the large sum of money in his chest, he was late in discovering the ogre waiting for him head-on.

It was Sepia without her armor.

If the horse he was riding hadn’t been restless, he might have discovered it even later.

At first, he thought he was seeing things.

It didn’t make sense for an ogre to be wandering around on the road.

He had never heard of an ogre wandering around on the street. So, at first, he thought it might not be an ogre.

“A monster. A rather large orc variant.”

German’s peaceful consciousness was shattered by a single swing of the ogre’s mace.

The horse he was riding was completely destroyed.

He realized for the first time that something could be smashed like that by being hit by something. After falling from his horse, he didn’t even think about fighting the ogre.

There was no way that he, a mere 1-star knight who couldn’t even use Aura, let alone Blade, could fight such a monster.

So, he ran away.

He ran away and was caught by the ogre and beaten until he died.

In particular, the experience of going into the monster’s mouth was more shocking than when his parents died. The monster’s sharp teeth and tongue licked, bit, and sucked his whole body.

He lost consciousness.

Every time he woke up, he was in the ogre’s mouth. He seemed to have woken up in its mouth about five times.

The gods gave him a lifeline. The knights of the Alexander family rushed in.

They shouted at the ogre.

“If you don’t put him down right now, we’ll tear your legs apart and kill you.”

Surprisingly, the ogre quietly put German down on the ground.

“Get lost. If you don’t get lost in 3 seconds, my burning rage will not forgive you.”

The ogre disappeared in 3 seconds.

The knights put a cheap potion in the mouth of German, who was half out of his mind and on the verge of going crazy.

“Drink this. It’s the temple’s highest-grade potion that can revive even the dead. It’s worth over 100 gold on the market.”

Actually, it’s not even worth 1 gold.

The one who put the potion in German’s mouth was Lotto.

German grabbed Lotto’s hand and cried. He was sincerely grateful to him.

“I survived thanks to you. I won’t forget this favor.”

“It’s nothing. Ogre invasions are frequent here. The lord told us to follow you just in case. Sure enough, an ogre appeared.”

“Ah, what foresight. Please tell the lord that I am very grateful too.”

“I will. I will definitely tell him. Ah, I hope you will speak well of us to Count Persimmon.”

“Of course. Would I make up stories? Your chivalry, the lord’s altruism. I will tell them all. I have never seen such brave knights except for His Excellency.”

He seemed quite moved.

German thanked them several times.

Well, he had come back from the dead in his position.

Everything was good up to this point. German said that this was also fate and proposed to become sworn brothers. Lotto was dumbfounded.

What the hell is this bastard talking about? Sworn brothers?

“How can we, mere lower-ranking soldiers, stand in the same place as the famous Sir German? I am grateful just for the words.”

Lotto refused as politely as possible.

“Oh, what are you saying? What does the level of martial arts matter in chivalry? It’s the heart. The heart. Isn’t that true knighthood? I have sworn. I will share righteousness with Sir Lotto forever.”

This crazy bastard.

But what could he do?

He couldn’t let his plan go wrong because of himself.

Lotto had no choice but to reluctantly become sworn brothers with German. The dedicated servants who were watching were forcibly holding back their laughter.

Lotto clenched his fist at them.

‘Don’t laugh, you bastards.’

German received a horse and travel expenses before leaving the territory. He had come back from the dead, but he seemed to be in a pretty good mood. He grabbed Lotto’s hand and made him promise several times to come to the County.

He also subtly mentioned his daughter.

She’s 16 this year and quite pretty because she looks like him.

Who does she look like? So what?

Lotto had no choice but to smile while forcibly suppressing the curse that was swirling in his mouth.