Chapter 8: 8: Encounter (V)

'Ah, finally back.'

Horus directly headed to his bedroom as he hopped off the carriage. He was relieved since he has now done with the wolf business in the Glimp Forest. Gil and staff in the estate approached and welcomed him, mentioning that the Count had gone to Flint County to do some business.

'As expected.'

Count Durkton, after all, was the first noble who filed the first ordinance about embargoing tribe hunting in the Kingdom. Of course, its effect will not work instantly; it might take years or so to make the Royal Council approve it.

"Young master, it's Gwen. I have the books."

"Enter."

Horus had asked Gwen once more to gather books from the study. He needed to grind his lessons to prevent himself from flunking his soon-to-be academy career.

"I have everything, but there are only f-few books about mana, but I tried my best to find one, young master."

"Good work."

It would make sense to Horus. The Durktons are an aura-inclined family; even all Durkton Counts are aura-users.

Horus had no idea if the Durkton family had a bias in mages since the county only harbors swordsperson and a few aura-users.

Other noble households hire non-combat mages to help with choir works, but the Durkton Estate doesn't have a mage on the staff list; they are all dullints - a term used for people with no potential in mana or aura - like Horus himself.

He has nothing against choir mages, but he is satisfied since the maids and staff are doing their job satisfactorily.

'Looks like I had to read all this for the rest of the day.'

Horus sighed, staring at various textbooks about aura, alchemy, history, and a few for mana.

The moment reminded him of his weekly cramming session preparing for the board examination for his medical degree. He isn't fond of reading or studying, but the motivation of I-had-to-do-it-or-I-am-fucked keeps him sane enough to finish it all.

It was already morning when Gil had propelled Horus to join Count Glen and Countess Rolina for breakfast. For Horus, it was nearly akin to torture as he barely slept last night, but he roused himself by thinking of having a delicious breakfast.

"Where are your manners?"

The Countess was looking at Horus, disappointed with his lacking, perhaps missing, table manners.

Countess Rolina is Luther's biological mother and Horus' stepmother. Horus had no idea that the Durkton Countess would be a typical fussy noble mother.

"Sorry, I'm hungry."

Horus swallowed as he mumbled. He is in awe since the breakfast is mouthwatering. The boneless fish, the salad with light dressing, the juicy, smoked ham, and the bread pudding; all suited his taste. He feasted without halting, causing Glen and Rolina to observe him in bewilderment.

"So, it is today when you will head back to the academy. I am not hoping that the complaint letters will lessen this year, but I need you to behave for the time being."

"D-dear, let's-"

Glen consorted, only for Rolina to tap a napkin on her bare lips while showing a faint disdain in her brown eyes. Her curly pink hair wobbled as she turned to Horus to continue.

"Why don't you be like your brother Luther, who is doing his finest in the County's knighthood."

'Well, that is good. Luther will become a great Count if he continues that way.'

Glen and Rolina looked puzzled as they noticed Horus smiling while shoving a chunk into his mouth. Horus was relieved since the idea of Luther doing his best would help him live a comfortable and fulfilling life.

"Are you about to do something nasty again?"

"Rolina,"

Rolina calmly asked while showing a dignified look as Glen interjected while looking at her with a wearied expression. Horus, in turn, gulped the glass of juice, then spoke.

"No, I will behave this time. Thank you for the food. It's delicious."

At that moment, Horus stood from his seat, satisfied. Glen and Rolina glanced at each other, perhaps baffled, then turned back to Horus, who started walking back into the hallway.

"Don't forget to take your pills, Hoky."

The Count reminded. Horus gestured his hands as a reply as he continued striding without looking back, heading back to his room.

After a warm, soothing bath, Horus dressed in something plain and comfortable, for he knew he would be on a carriage for 8 hours or so.

Gwen, Merida, and other maids and staff are already packing his things into luggage and suitcases. Horus wondered why they were packing so many things: attires, accessories, some books, and all sorts of cases in compartments. Instead, he just ignored it since he had more pressing concerns.

The Gilshire Academy is by the edge of the Kingdom's capital, Cradell City. The Cradell territory is vast, located south of the Durkton, and it contains the Cradell Palace, where the Kingdom's Royal family resides.

Typically, it would take one from the Durkton Estate 8 hours to get to the academy by carriage. But Horus has to detour in Opal City, the Durkton territory's capital, located by the south of the estate. He had to buy prerequisites the academy had recommended them to get first.

Horus had already decided to bring Gwen, who happened to live in Opal City. Count Glen had also already processed the papers for his transfer from swordsmanship to alchemy. Horus was impressed with how fast it took, considering that transfers typically take a month or two.

As Horus was by the estate's gate, the carriage this time was considerably large than the one he used when traveling to Franz City. It has designated compartments at the back, where the attendants began taking the luggage and suitcases.

"Young master,"

"Young lord,"

Dale, the same young knight who went with him to Franz City, greeted as he bowed. The same coachman did as well while lowering his fedora.

Horus gestured to unbow themselves, hands in his pocket. Horus climbed by the carriage by himself, realigning his sunglasses. Gwen followed as well, shakily climbing as Horus lent his hand to her.

"Is this your first time in a carriage?"

"Y-yes, s-sorry, young master."

Horus and Gwen were seated in front of one another. The carriage's interior was pretty spacious than it looked on the outside. It had the same decor as the carriage Horus had used when he went to Franz City.

"We are moving! Giddy-up!"

The coachman in front of the carriage yelled as the galloping sounds started. The carriage wobbled for a moment as it started moving.

"Don't be so stiff. I don't bite."

"Y-yes."

Gwen, who sat stiffly, answered with her head lowered.

'She still looks nervous. Just what in the world Horus Durkton had done to Gwen?'

Horus was thinking about it deeply, arms-crossed, as he asked a sudden question to her.

"Answer me honestly, please. Did I hurt you before?"

At that moment, the maid started to shake in fear, hands grabbing the leather cover of the seat. Her pale blond hair covered her lowered face, but Horus could see her eyes revealing hints of tears.

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"H-hey, what the? So I did hurt you before."

It almost made Horus panic as he started rummaging in his pockets until he fumbled over a handkerchief and handed it to the maid. The maid then took it to wipe her tear-covered face.

"S-sorry, s-sire."

"N-no, I should say sorry. I won't do it again."

Horus awkwardly mumbled with his eyebrow furrowed, trying to show sympathy even though he knew it was impossible on Horus' face.

'Would that suffice?'

"T-thank you."

It was already midday when they arrived at the edge of Opal City. There were no massive walls surrounding the city, unlike Franz City. Perhaps Opal City doesn't need it since there were no monsters or bandits around the fairly broad lands where it stood. Additionally, the western area of the city, where the city meets the North Glimp Forest, had numerous stations and watchtowers on standby.

The horde of guards at the entrance bowed as the carriage passed by the cobblestone pathway where the towers stood tall.

"Ah, young master, the Opal City is vast. The outer part of the city is mostly residential areas, while the center is where the commercial buildings and establishments reside."

Gwen, who looked more vibrant and full of energy, started to speak. For the record, Horus' small talk to her seemed to work for some reason, but he didn't expect that Gwen would turn out to be a cheerful, chatty maid.

Horus responded with a nod, arms crossed, as his eyes were fixed on the carriage's window, observing the outer part of the city.

"The name of the Opal City is not surprising. The mountains in the city's east are rich in opal and marble. There is a folktale that elders have often taught us. They say that an opal-scaled snake once lived on the Opal Mountains."

"A snake?"

Horus unconsciously asked since the novel never mentioned such a thing. Gwen, in turn, cheerfully answered.

"Yes, young master. They say it's a huge snake with a bird beak. Some say with a horn, but my grandfather, who was once a miner in the mountain, says it was a huge serpent with magma-colored skin. I don't know why he keeps forcing out it's a serpent than a snake since books tell me the two are the same."

'Serpents are often described as monster snakes in rural coasts.'

"Ah, we're here!"

As Horus was about to ponder more, the carriage had arrived at the heart of the Opal City. It is nothing compared to Franz City's plaza with the fountain, for the establishments and the pavements are a mix of even wood, marble, and polished cobblestone.

The roof of the structures reminded him of towering east Asian pagodas in Clay's former world. It was quite a sight; it was much more than the one-paragraph description of the novel has given the city.

There wasn't much of a crowd in the city's central plaza as Horus stepped off the carriage and Dale hopped off his horse. There are armored guards on patrol, galloping horses and carriages, and mage-performers dancing harmonically, bending water and fire at will. The people around wore long, kimono-looking attires of all colors. Some had pointed hats, and some wore decent mercenary attire.

Gwen giggled as she went off the carriage, following behind Horus. She was holding the envelope containing the list of item requirements for the academy.

Most of the items are for alchemy. Even though Horus is technically second-year, he is still mandated to take the first semester in alchemy. For him, it's better to take it than stay in the swordsmanship with Axel.

"Um... first off, alchemy supplies. I think we can get these in the city's alchemy tower nearby."

"Lead the way, Miss Gwen."

Horus uttered, stretching his arms as he yawned. Gwen did so, with Dale naturally following behind them.

After a few minutes of strolling at Opal City's downtown, a three-floored tower with long yellow banners surrounding it appeared in their eyes. Beside it, they arrived at an elongate indoor marketplace stretching hundreds of yaks. This area was bright, almost full of alchemy-powered lamps hanging from the beams on the ceiling.

A crowd of people and various stalls selling potions of all colors and effects, weapons of all kinds, and mana-orb embedded gears and gadgets populated the market.

With Gwen's social and couriering skills, they got the supplies without much hassle. Dale and Horus would often peek at various stalls, but both kept quiet, letting Gwen do all the job.

'How neat.'

Horus was satisfied since he didn't do much than following Gwen. His eyes were all around the market until one stall, perhaps the shabbiest among the stalls, took Horus' attention.

"Young sire, interested in my hand-made micro mana compressors? I made it myself, but people seem to favor the large ones."

The vendor was a tanned young man, perhaps in his early twenties. He wore a run-down engineer attire with an apron and gloves full of scratches with holes in them.

"What is your name?"

Horus asked, looking at the stall's peculiar-looking gears and gadgets made of copper and cheap materials.

"S-sire? I-it's Diopis."

The young vendor answered, forcing a business smile while sweating as he stroked his rust-colored hair while looking at the sunglassed young man. His name made Horus ponder for a moment. Diopis. It's a familiar name.

'Diopis is a bronze-like, common mineral found in this world's canyon mines. It's very conductive of mana and used in all sorts of mana-imbued weapons. It's cheap, but only a few alchemists use it since it's difficult to work with.'

Horus was not satisfied with that idea alone. Diopis a name not just for a mineral. He knew it was a name mentioned in the novel, but he couldn't recall it for some reason. For now, he forced himself to move those thoughts aside.

"It is brilliant."

"E-excuse me, s-sir?"

Diopis stuttered on Horus' remark.

"I never thought such inexpensive materials could produce a mana compressor."

'Creating a single mana compressor is dangerous and usually takes a lot of patience and labor. Its core is a highly reactive mana-compressing mineral. With one wrong step, the mana core will explode; and you waste all your materials.'

Horus was amazed. Mana compressors are usually cylindrical and large. But the mana-compressors Diopis designed are small, thumb-size, and gleamed blue inside. The materials used are copper, shale, and a few Hectocite - a relatively rare, mana-accumulating material. Horus could effortlessly identify the materials thanks to the alchemy books he crammed in all night.

"I'll take twenty of these."

"R-really?! Oh, I mean, sure, sire. It's hundred fifty colts each."

Diopis flinched as he spoke. Then, Horus motioned to Gwen with Dale behind him, watching him still.

"Give him twenty."

"Y-yes, young mas-"

"Thousand."

Horus interrupted, making Gwen move swiftly. She handed the young engineer twenty gold coins with a bright smile on her face. The other vendors and passers-by around them would take a peek at them, but Horus looked unbothered.

"I-It's only a hundred fifty, sire."

"Give more value to your works. You will sell these at a loss if you sell them that cheap. I even bet making one requires a lot of labor."

That statement made the engineer speechless. Without giving him room to respond, Horus began to add.

"Ah, do you accept commissions?"

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