Chapter 88

Chapter 88. Money is Earned to be Spent (2)

A few days later, in Keter’s office.

Maknun was packing a bundle of luggage as big as a human torso.

“Why is the bottom of this so pointy for no reason?”

What Maknun was stuffing into the bag with irritation was the Supreme Elixir.

This pink liquid, worth a mere sip, was valued at a whopping 50,000 gold. An amount enough to buy a luxurious mansion in a big city.

But its effects were undeniable. Just a single drop could cure any disease or injury and clear a weary mind.

The saying that one could be brought back to life even if their head was cut off, as long as they had the Supreme Elixir, was neither a rumor nor an exaggeration. Of course, it had to be poured on the severed area immediately.

There were also other elixirs that would make one’s jaw drop.

A thousand-year-old Mandragora that restores youth to an aged body.

The Dwarves’ secret elixir, Steel Pill, which makes bones as hard as steel upon consumption.

The Elves’ secret elixir, Nature Pill, which drastically increases elemental resistance and affinity.

There was also a pile of inner cores containing the power of high-level monsters.

“If the world knew what was in this bag, they’d be shocked to death.”

The value of this bag was 3 million gold.

An amount equivalent to five years of the Lilian Kingdom’s defense budget, which commanded 300,000 soldiers and 10,000 knights.

“Brother! I’ve packed everything.”

At Maknun’s shout, two people entered the living room.

Keter, yawning and leisurely walking in, and Luke, whose appearance had changed significantly.

Luke used to have a gentle face, but now there was a sharpness in his eyes. In just a few days, he had gone through tremendous trials and hardships and had grown.

“I feel like I could beat anyone from Sephira now. Except for the Lord.”

“Relax your eyes, Luke.”

“I refuse. I have the right to keep my eyes sharp now.”

“Fine, but don’t come crying if your eyes pop out during teleportation.”

“…That won’t happen.”

Luke, who had relaxed his eyes and returned to his gentle appearance, was startled when he saw Maknun.

“Huh? Lord Daat, what happened yesterday? You’ve changed so much overnight. You’ve even grown taller.”

“Haha. Is it that obvious?”

Daat was pleased that Luke noticed, but at the same time, just thinking about yesterday’s events made him nauseous.

“Brother… I feel like I’m going to burst and die. Please stop…”

Maknun, who had been drinking elixirs like water from morning till night under Keter’s orders, clutched his bulging stomach in agony. But Keter, unfazed, pushed a sticky green liquid towards his mouth.

“Kukuku, drink up, Daat. Seize your destiny.”

“Ugh…”

Although it seemed like Keter was forcing the elixirs down without care, there was a meticulously planned order to it.

Keter had spent the entire day guiding Maknun to fully absorb the elixirs, even though he hadn’t considered Maknun’s small frame.

Combined with medical techniques that boosted the elixirs’ effects by 200%, Maknun had become a completely different person overnight.

Without knowing any aura cultivation or mana breathing techniques, Maknun now had 10 years’ worth of aura and 2 years’ worth of mana within him. His height and bone structure had also dramatically increased.

Though, since his original form was that of a boy, he was now only on par with Luke—

‘You could say he’s regained the 10 years he lost.’

Training is more advantageous the younger the body is, as the period to adapt and change is incredibly short.

Daat had never trained or practiced cultivation techniques in his life. His body had already stiffened with age. Normally, starting training and cultivation techniques now wouldn’t mean much.

But Keter made it possible.

With 300,000 gold worth of elixirs and inner cores. And with the body modification techniques learned from the world’s greatest doctor and Chimera Magician, Franken.

‘Master Franken. I’m putting the medical techniques you taught me to good use.’

Keter would have liked to learn more medical techniques if he could meet Franken again, but unfortunately, that wasn’t possible.

He might still be in Requer, but not on the surface. Franken had gone underground long ago.

‘It’s impossible to find him without knowing which floor he’s on.’

Searching for someone in Requer’s underground was like looking for a needle in a desert, so Keter gave up cleanly.

In any case, Maknun had been reborn. From an ordinary boy, the power of the elixirs had elevated him to the level of a 1-star knight.

‘I can probably raise the others to 3-star without much trouble.’

Of course, what the elixirs could do was only assist physical abilities and increase the total amount of aura.

What was more important was combat sense. And a body trained to its limits.

‘I’ll take care of that.’

I’ll train myself while I’m at it.

Keter left a final instruction before departing.

“Maknun. Lastly, the Birang Tribe will be coming to Requer soon. They’re the ones I sent, and they think of me as their benefactor. Make sure to manage them well so they don’t get any funny ideas.”

“The Birang Tribe? Aren’t they one of the Seven Evil Tribes? Will they listen to me when they even defied the Emperor?”

“That’s why I gave them basic education before sending them. They’ll follow orders.”

“As expected, thank you, Brother. Have a safe trip.”

“Alright, I’m off.”

Keter activated the teleportation magic circle. Just like when he arrived, he was escaping Requer using the power of Akra’s ring.

Whoosh, crimson sparks scattered.

Just before teleporting, Luke shed a tear. The week he spent with Keter in Requer was the hardest week of his life.

Once he returned to Sephira, he planned to lie down and rest all day. Both his body and mind had reached their limits. Keter had also told him to rest properly once the work was done, so he had a good excuse.

But Luke was mistaken. Keter had said that the work in Requer was done, not that everything was done.

The real trials were just beginning.

* * *

“Hmm-hmm, sleeping well, aren’t you?”

Keter’s residence.

Jacques the butler was tending to potted plants as if they were babies. These were plants he had bought with his own money to offset Keter’s rough demeanor.

Though not colorful, they were neat and tidy, chosen carefully to ensure Keter wouldn’t find them distasteful.

Sizzle-sizzle.

“Huh?”

Jacques bent his knee at the strange sound coming from under the plant shelf.

“Where is that sound coming from? Is it from the floor below?”

Just as Jacques was about to put his ear to the ground to find the source of the sound—

Flash!

A flash of light, and a magic circle was engraved on the floor.

“Gasp!”

Jacques jumped back in shock as the plant shelf above the magic circle was flung outward.

“Ugh!”

Jacques threw himself to the side to avoid the flying shelf and pots. Soil rained down on his head.

The circular magic circle ejected everything within it. Not even a grain of sand was allowed. It was a phenomenon to prevent overlap, ensuring that the teleportation location was completely empty.

Bang-bang-bang-bang-bang!

Once the magic circle was completely clear, orange sparks exploded, revealing two figures.

Crash!

Luke, appearing slightly airborne, staggered as he landed, while Keter gracefully stepped down as if descending stairs.

“Ugh…”

Luke immediately grabbed a pillar and dry-heaved.

Keter clicked his tongue as he surveyed the mess in the house.

“Old man, did a war break out while I was gone?”

“……”

Jacques was speechless, torn between relief at Keter’s safe return and the loss of his cherished plants.

At that moment, the door to Keter’s residence burst open, and knights and soldiers poured in.

“Gasp, Young Master Keter!”

A knight who had already nocked an arrow lowered his bow in surprise.

“What’s this? Why are you barging in without a word? And with bows drawn, no less.”

“Young Master, let me explain.”

Jacques, having regained his composure, gestured for the knight to leave.

“As you can see, I’m fine. You may go.”

“Yes… My apologies, Butler Jacques, and Young Master Keter.”

The knight saluted and led the soldiers out.

Luke, having recovered from the aftereffects of teleportation, wiped his mouth and spoke.

“Father, there wasn’t really a war, was there?”

For fully armed knights to enter a family’s private quarters without warning was impossible unless it was wartime.

Moreover, the number of soldiers who followed was ten, an excessive number for a routine patrol.

In other words, it was a patrol squad, but during peacetime, patrol squads typically consisted of three soldiers. The number had more than tripled.

At Luke’s concern, Jacques spoke with an ambiguous expression.

“It’s not a war, but a rather big incident did occur. Just two days ago. Before I explain, I’m glad you’ve returned safely, Young Master.”

Jacques bowed his head to Keter, who casually waved it off.

“Tell me what’s going on.”

“There was an intruder. They tried to free the knights of the Baydant family who were imprisoned.”

“What!? An intruder!?”

Luke was excited, but Jacques continued in a calm voice.

“Calm down. The intruders were all killed, and the servants who helped from within were captured. The increased security is part of the Lord’s strategy to recall knights and soldiers from outside the family due to this incident.”

“Didn’t the Lord formally protest to the Baydant family? It’s not right for families within the same kingdom to fight.”

“The ones who appeared in the prison were assassins. They committed suicide immediately after being subdued, so it’s unlikely they were connected to Baydant. The servants who opened the doors from within admitted to being paid but vehemently denied any collusion with Baydant.”

“So Sephira just got played again.”

Unlike Luke’s anger, Keter spoke as he set down the bag he had brought.

“Not played, but well defended. Judging by the atmosphere, it seems no one died.”

“Young Master is correct. The intruders didn’t even reach the prison. It was all thanks to Young Master Taragon.”

“Oh, so Taragon did something?”

“He noticed the servants’ suspicious movements first, laid in ambush for half a day, discovered the intruders, and subdued them early. The Lord personally praised Young Master Taragon.”

“Given Father’s personality, he probably only praised him. He should have given a reward, something others would want. Right?”

“Given the Lord’s temperament, he probably didn’t give any special reward.”

“Well, that’s that. Did Jairo come?”

“Ah, I was just about to mention that. The trouble he caused Sephira…”

Jairo, the former Southern Sword and master of the Demon Sword Obelisk.

Jacques frowned as he recalled the first time he met him.