My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 31

Find the Talent (1)

The Imperial Capital, Darcan.

The heart of the Charlotte Empire, boasting vast territories, and the place where all the empire’s major decisions are made.

“I don’t know how long it’s been since I last came to the capital,” Sian muttered, gazing at the scenery of Darcan.

From Lucia to the capital, Darcan, Sian was able to arrive without any major issues.

Well, to be precise, it wasn’t that there were no issues at all.

“Honestly… I thought Count Crowe would make a fuss.”

Amelia, who was beside him, looked surprised.

Sian nodded at Amelia’s words.

None other than the incident that occurred in Lucia.

The social circles were buzzing about Sian’s beating up of Remington, the second son of the Crowe family.

Naturally, the incident reached Count Crowe’s ears, and it is said that Count Crowe was quite furious.

Remington was Count Crowe’s cherished son, so having his son utterly wrecked, Sian had expected Count Crowe to come and cause a scene.

And as expected, Count Crowe had come to see Sian just now.

But surprisingly…

‘My son has committed a discourtesy! I am truly sorry!’ Count Crowe apologized to Sian instead.

Amelia watched the scene from the side.

‘…… Huh?’ Amelia’s expression at that time was indescribable.

Sian also wondered what was going on, so he quietly stared at Count Crowe.

Perhaps misunderstanding Sian’s expression, Count Crowe said, ‘My, my son is still ignorant of the world! Please… forgive him with your great generosity…’

He even handed Sian a bag of money. The amount confirmed upon receiving it was a whopping 10,000 gold.

‘Uh…’ Sian really wondered what was going on. It seemed to be given as a settlement…

Perhaps because they were the family with the largest granary in the empire, the level of the settlement was extraordinary.

But why would Count Crowe give a settlement? He really wondered what was going on and stared at Count Crowe.

‘I’ve added a little more of my sincerity…!’ Suddenly, Count Crowe added another 10,000 gold. He seemed to have misunderstood Sian’s dazed expression again.

‘Please forgive him…!’ With that, Count Crowe bowed deeply.

A high-ranking noble with the title of Count apologizing like this, especially to someone who hasn’t even received a formal title yet? This was unheard of.

And a settlement of 20,000 gold was frankly excessive.

However, from Count Crowe’s perspective, it wasn’t. If he could escape the crisis of annihilation by sacrificing his pride once, if he could buy it with 20,000 gold, it was an incredibly cheap price.

Of course, Sian and Amelia didn’t know the full story.

‘Why is he doing this?’

‘Well… I don’t know?’

‘Did Isabel say something?’

‘Well… if she was conscious of public opinion, she might have,’ they could only speculate.

Anyway, it wasn’t polite to refuse the money being offered, so Sian readily accepted it.

‘Thank you! Thank you so much!’ Count Crowe seemed moved. Before he could even wonder why he was so moved even after giving the money, Count Crowe disappeared as if he would never show his face again.

‘What, what is going on…?’

‘I don’t know either.’

Sian was able to arrive in the Imperial Capital, Darcan, without any major problems.

“Two people eat it and both die chicken skewers for only 1 silver!”

“Come on, it’s not every day! We have everything except what’s not here, so take a look!”

The streets of Darcan were already filled with a festive atmosphere. The National Foundation Day event, held once every four years, drew not only nobles from all over the empire but also ordinary people who came to enjoy the festivities. An enormous number of people flocked to Darcan.

However, despite the overwhelming number of people, the streets of Darcan didn’t feel crowded. That’s because of the neatly organized roads and the buildings built according to the plan.

“I wonder when Ruben will be like this.”

“It’s already a great development. And it’s not really fair to compare it to the Imperial Capital, is it?”

Sian shrugged.

“But that chicken skewer. If two people eat it and both die, is it okay to eat it?”

“It must be that delicious.”

“Then I’ll buy you one, do you want to try it?”

“…… No. I don’t really like chicken skewers,” Amelia made a queasy expression.

Sian chuckled. Amelia shook her head once and asked Sian, “More importantly, what are you going to do now? There’s a lot of time left until the National Foundation Day event.”

Sian and Amelia had arrived in Darcan earlier than expected. Thanks to rushing from Ruben, they had about a week left.

“If you don’t have anything to do, why don’t you enjoy the festival during that time? You made a lot of money this time, didn’t you?”

“Hmm… should I?” So, it wouldn’t be bad to enjoy the festival during that time.

The National Foundation Day event, which only comes around once every four years, and this year’s event, marking a thousand years, was an event that would go down in history.

Just as he was about to take a step with Amelia, suddenly, the cheerful notification sound of the smartphone rang from his pocket.

Sian took out his smartphone from his pocket, and the screen that appeared read: 《Elodie’s Laboratory Lv.1 Completed!》

“Ah, it’s finally completed.”

“Yes? What’s completed?”

“Just a moment, Amelia,” Sian paused for a moment and launched Mobile Lord.

《From now on, you can research the technologies needed for territory development!》

At the same time, the items that could be researched were listed in a row.

『《Compost Farming Research》

▶Do you perhaps think that farming is just planting crops and they grow quickly? No, right? Right? Hey, no way. If so, repent immediately! Various farming methods to make crops grow well are essential! And the earth’s essence absorbed by the crops must be replenished periodically! There’s a reason why there’s such a thing as fallow land [land left unseeded for a period]. What? Are you asking if fallow land is a rest experience? …… Just research this!

– Required Facility: Fertile Farmland Lv.1

– Research Effect: Farmland Production +500%

– Time Required: 15 days.

– Cost Required: 1,000G

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『《Professional Animal Husbandry Research》

▶Animal husbandry isn’t just raising animals! It starts with selecting the animals that can become livestock! Livestock must be able to consume grass, pests, and leftovers that people don’t want to eat! They must continue to breed through repeated mating! And they must grow quickly! It’s not easy to find such animals… But your territory already has such animals, doesn’t it? It’s not an animal… but still!

– Required Facility: Demonic Beast Ranch Lv.1

– Research Effect: Demonic Beast Growth Speed +500% (Tamed demonic beasts can be used as labor.)

– Time Required: 10 days.

– Cost Required: 2,000G.

『《Soap Research》

▶I’m asking just in case. Have you not developed soap yet? What…? You really haven’t developed it? How could you do that!!!!! This is… this is blasphemy!! You who have not developed soap! Are not qualified to be a lord! Soap is the rule!!!』

– Required Facility: None.

– Research Effect: Hygiene Effect +700% (No more epidemics will occur in the territory!)

– Time Required: 10 days

– Cost Required: 500G

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In addition to this, there were many research technologies that could not only inflate the efficiency of basic facilities such as smelting techniques and ironworking technology but also develop into higher-grade facilities—innovative technologies that could transform a village into a territory.

It was worthy of the name ‘Elodie’s Laboratory’.

But…

“Soap? What is it that’s making such a fuss?” Sian asked Amelia.

“Amelia, do you know what soap is?”

“Soap? Hmm… no. I’ve never heard of it.”

“Amelia doesn’t know either?”

“Yes. It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

Amelia, who had traveled all over the empire, didn’t know, so it had to be something that didn’t exist in the empire.

Sian looked at the screen of his smartphone again. He didn’t know what it was, but it seemed pretty good considering how excited it was.

“Could I sell it?” It seemed like it would be good to make it once.

Moreover, the basic effect of Elodie’s Laboratory Lv.1 was receiving a research speed effect of +10,000%. The time required for soap research was 10 days, which meant that the research originally took 1,000 days.

So, he had sold mana stones, and he had received a settlement from Count Crowe. Now that his pockets were full, there was no reason not to spend money.

Sian selected all the currently available research items, including soap research—about 10 in total—and pressed it. He bought all of them.

Whoosh!

Then an amount of 10,000 gold disappeared.

《Research Staaaaart!!!》

The Mobile Lord’s notification window popped up, going crazy. If this happened, when he returned to Ruben after the National Foundation Day event, Ruben would have undergone another major transformation. It might even have developed into a territory level.

‘This is why I spend money,’ Sian nodded in satisfaction.

Just as he was about to put away his smartphone, suddenly, 《Error: Research cannot proceed.》

Suddenly, an error window started to appear. Wondering what it was, he tilted his head. The Mobile Lord’s notification window popped up again.

《Oh my! Could it be… are there no researchers in the lab?》

《Did you think you could proceed with research when there are no researchers in the lab?》

《No way! That can’t be!》

《Research using Elodie’s knowledge requires talent in magic engineering!》

《Ah! Of course, there is a way even if there is no such talent!》

Ding!

《Soap Research Instant Completion Ticket – 3,000G》

《Compost Farming Research Instant Completion Ticket – 5,000G》

《Professional Animal Husbandry Research Instant Completion Ticket – 7,000G》

《Steel Smelting Method Research Instant Completion Ticket – 6,000G》

《Land Surveying Method Research Instant Completion Ticket – 5,000G》

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Ding!

《When you’re stuck, try spending money!》

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“…… Bullshit,” Sian muttered without realizing it. Bullshit. This was the most bullshit bullshit ever!

How could an instant completion ticket be more expensive than the research cost! What kind of labor costs for researchers were that high?

‘Considering the value of wizards…’ Well, it seemed possible. Anyway, that was not it. And that Mobile Lord’s notification window…

Was it because he had lost the spending battle last time?

Ding!

《When you’re stuck, try spending money, or not!》

Somehow, the taunting seemed to have gotten worse!

“…… Damn it,” Sian sighed deeply. In any case, in order to operate Elodie’s Laboratory, a high-level magician or magic engineer was needed. This was not something that could be easily replaced.

No, there was a way: spending money. Moreover, all future research had to be done by spending money.

So now, in the capital, Darcan, where all the talents of the empire gather…

“Festival my ass!” Sian shouted roughly. “Amelia! From now on, we’re going to find someone to lock up in the lab!”

“Yes? Find someone?” Amelia tilted her head without realizing it. Sian’s words about finding talent, of course, it wasn’t that she didn’t understand the meaning. The problem was, why suddenly?

“Let’s go! We’ll explore the magic towers first!” Sian’s eyes gleamed.

#

The Magic Tower was a place where magicians gathered. More precisely, it was a mutual aid organization for magicians. In simple terms, it was a ‘Magician’s Guild’.

Various activities were carried out in these magic towers: magic research, trading of magic tools, various services using magic, and political activities of magicians were among them.

And there were countless magic towers depending on the faction, and each magic tower had different methods.

And the magic tower at the very pinnacle of all those magic towers, to be exact, it wasn’t a magic tower.

From the Magician’s Guild to the Magic Tower, the only family in the empire that had developed from a magic tower into an untouchable family was the Rothchild family, one of the two pillars supporting the empire.

The current head of Rothchild, Egret Rothchild, was a great magician who had reached the 8th Circle. The best magician in the empire and a skilled person on par with Durak Elanndur, the head of Elanndur.

The only family that could be compared to Elanndur, excluding the imperial family, was Elanndur, a family of swordsmanship, and Rothchild, a family of magic. These two families were the pillars supporting the Charlotte Empire.

Anyway, Sian toured almost all the magic towers located in Darcan over three days.

And…

“There’s no one.”

There was no one. Even though he had been wandering around for almost three days, there was no talent he was looking for.

“There’s no way you could find them that easily.”

“I thought I’d find someone if I looked,” Sian smiled awkwardly. Of course, it wasn’t that there was no one at all. Darcan, the capital where talented people gather, had so many people called geniuses that they were practically tripping over each other, so he actually had hope.

“There’s no way other families would leave such talent alone.” All of them were affiliated somewhere because magicians were truly precious talents. Even magicians who had reached the 1st Circle received love calls from numerous families, not to mention those called geniuses—they were eager to bring them in.

Even if they weren’t affiliated anywhere…

“And who would want to come to Ruben?”

As Amelia said, no one wanted to come to Ruben, located in the Dark Forest.

“Amelia, you walked in on your own.”

“Well… I…” Saying that made her speechless.

“I was going to buy them with money if I couldn’t find anyone,” Sian took out a money pouch from his pocket. Inside the heavy money pouch were 300 platinum coins, a whopping 30,000 gold.

20,000 gold from selling mana stones in Lucia, 20,000 gold given by Count Crowe, and the amount left after spending 10,000 gold on the lab.

With 30,000 gold, he could buy most of the facilities in the current Mobile Lord.

“Did you think that would work?”

It was not enough to buy the pride of magicians. In Mobile Lord, you could buy anything with gold, but you couldn’t buy people’s hearts with money.

Of course…

‘If you give 20,000 gold like Count Crowe… I can tolerate the insult,’ Sian was an exception.

Anyway…

“This is the last place left…”

“There’s still a place to go?” Amelia shook her head as if she was fed up because it had already been three days. There were so many magic towers in the capital. It seemed like it was all a lie that magicians were rare.

Amelia slowly raised her head, and she could see a very shabby magic tower. No, it was so shabby that it looked like it would collapse at any moment.

Generally, magicians were mostly poor due to their tendency to focus only on research. They didn’t know the flow of money well, but that was only in general cases, not the magic towers in Darcan, the capital of the empire. They were the ones who received strong support from their respective families.

But what was this…

“Let’s go in for now,” Sian slowly moved towards the shabby magic tower.

Squeak!

With the scream of rusty hinges, Sian was able to enter the magic tower.

“Who is it?” Then came a gruff voice. Looking there, an old magician full of annoyance was sitting.

“I would like to meet the master of this magic tower.”

“I am the master of this magic tower.”

A magic tower where the master was directly present—this was a passage that could immediately tell the situation of this magic tower.

So, Sian showed a slightly more intuitive money pouch rather than an unnecessary explanation. Then, as if nothing had happened, the old magician’s expression bloomed.

“Hahahaha. I didn’t recognize the precious guest. Come this way.” Even the tone changed. Sian slowly moved following the old magician.

But right then…

Bang!

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard from one side. Before he could even wonder what it was, “Jerry!!! Did you do that strange experiment again!!” The old magician started shouting at the place where the explosion was heard.

“Ah, no, this is… well…” And a young voice was heard from inside.

“Excuse me, just a moment. Could you wait just a moment?” Soon, the old magician disappeared somewhere.

“Why are all magicians so strange?”

“Maybe that’s why they were able to become magicians,” Sian shrugged once. Sian calmly looked around the inside of the magic tower while waiting for the old magician.

Unlike other magic towers, there was nothing special inside. There were a few things that looked like magic tools.

“Hmm?” At that moment, a magic tool caught Sian’s eye. A unique shape compared to other magic tools. He didn’t know the purpose, but the structure inside was quite elaborate.

Sian didn’t know much about magic engineering, but he could tell at once that it couldn’t be implemented with ordinary magic engineering knowledge.

And…

“I don’t know who it is, but their skills are considerable?” Amelia, who had seen quite a few magic tools as a merchant, agreed.

Right then, “Because of you, the magic tower is not left! I can’t stand it anymore!!” The old magician, who had disappeared from sight with a loud voice, reappeared.

And someone was being dragged in the hands of that old magician… 15 years old? Maybe 16 years old? It was a child who didn’t look like an adult at all. Literally, the word boy was just right for the child.

“P, please forgive me just once! I will never again…!”

“Shut up! I don’t even want to see your face, so get out now!!” The old magician grabbed the child and threw it out of the magic tower’s door.

“I took him in because he knew how to make useful things, but what is this…! Get lost! Don’t ever show your face again!”

“W, wait a moment!”

Bang!

The door closed.

“I’m sorry. He was a pitiful guy I took in…” The old magician shook his head as if he had a headache, and then, as if nothing had happened, he smiled and approached Sian.

Sian asked the old magician, “This. Do you know what it’s used for?”

“What are you talking about…” The old magician narrowed his eyes, and after discovering the magic tool Sian was holding, he shook his head. “That’s… a magic tool with the function of purifying the air.”

Then the old magician stretched out his hand slightly. Soon, bluish mana flowed from his hand and seeped into the magic tool Sian was holding.

Beeeee!

Then the magic tool started sucking in the surrounding air and spewed out new air behind it. It felt so refreshing when I put my nose to it.

“As you can see, it’s a more useful item than you think.” The old magician gathered his outstretched hand, and at the same time, the magic tool stopped working.

“I’ve never heard of such a magic tool…”

“Well… because it’s not being sold on the market. It’s something Jerry made.”

Jerry?

“Jerry… are you talking about the child you just kicked out?”

“That’s right,” the old magician nodded awkwardly.

“That child made this?”

“That’s true, but… he usually only makes useless things. He’s just a headache. He’s not someone you should care about. More than that, our magic tower has…”

The old magician quickly changed Sian’s topic, but…

“I would like to meet that child.” Sian’s interest was already focused on Jerry.