Chapter 121: The Trade Begins Again

We emerged grinning like demons and immediately began preparations for our trade. When the appointed time arrived, the two visitors from the Magic Tower showed up at the location I had prepared.

‘The training hall, that is.’

This place, originally used as a training hall, was quite spacious. It was built for the Iron Fist and the resident knights to use.

I finished the preparations by placing a beautifully decorated table and chairs in the area. It was somewhat insufficient to be called a venue for a deal with the Magic Tower, though.

“I will introduce myself again properly. My name is Ruan. I am but a disciple of the Tower Master.”

“Oh. I am Rayrn Ophern. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

Clench. Ruan didn’t seem to care as she shook my hand. The only things she and Toden cared about were the Mana and the Iron.

I smiled broadly at them and guided them to their seats.

‘Shall we begin?’

I was the one to fire the first shot.

“I intend to ask for quite a lot from the Magic Tower.”

“From our Magic Tower? You are being quite blunt.”

“I think I possess enough value to justify it. First, I want a Teleportation Magic Circle.”

“What!?”

“Listen first.”

Ignoring Toden’s shock, I continued to list what I wanted. I wanted quite a few things. Among them, three were most important.

-“Installation of a Teleportation Magic Circle.”

-“The best possible deal for processing monster carcasses.”

-“Support from the Magic Tower’s wizards to stabilize the fortress.”

Stripping away the miscellaneous requests, they also focused on the three things I mentioned. To this, I added the final nail in the coffin.

“Oh, and importantly, I would like the Magic Tower to provide the capital required for all of this.”

“Heh… Hehehe.”

“You are not just shameless; you have a hide like iron.”

Toden let out a hollow laugh, and Ruan wore an expression of being fed up. That was fair; the Magic Tower had always been the superior party. Whatever deal they made, they stood on top, and even when selling their own creations, they were the ones in control.

‘Because of the scarcity.’

There was no one as skilled at crafting magic items as them!

Even if other towers knew how to craft magic items, they were not as specialized as the Enchant Magic Tower. Isn’t it obvious just by looking at the fact that the tower’s name is Enchant?

Since their fields of expertise differed, they were the absolute best at crafting magic items.

‘At least, before I appeared.’

But since I was the one putting a brake on their monopoly, that was why they had bent their pride this much. And besides.

‘They have no choice but to accept.’

I was certain of it. They had no choice but to accept the deal I proposed.

Watching the two, who still hadn’t shaken off their shock, I pulled the iron plate I had prepared yesterday from my robe.

Whether they were too distracted or not, they were staring blankly regardless of me pulling out the iron plate.

Then, Ruan stepped up. She came forward with confidence.

“I will be honest. I was thinking of making some concessions.”

“Because there are things I have that you covet? Like the iron. Or the magic item production, for instance.”

“That is correct. It is certainly covetable.”

She hesitated for a moment. Then she took a bold step.

“But this is not it. Toden. What are you doing? Let’s go!”

“……Heh. This is more of a threat than wanting a deal. I will have to remember this incident.”

Scratch. Toden did not stop Ruan as she rose from her seat. It was me who stopped them.

‘This isn’t an act. Their pride must be hurt. They’ve likely never had a deal like this before.’

Of course, I wasn’t intimidated or startled. The initiative in the deal still remained with me.

“Please sit. Shouldn’t we conduct our business?”

“We could sit again if you change your mind.”

“No. It will be the Enchant Magic Tower that changes its mind about needing to make this deal.”

Tap. Tap.

I tapped the iron plate twice with my finger. Only then did the two fix their gazes on the iron plate.

Toden still had a dazed look in his eyes.

‘Smart. He catches on fast.’

As soon as Ruan looked closely at the iron plate, her eyes widened. She had seen the magic circle engraved on the iron plate.

“……Is this an original? Something specially improved? What is the meaning of showing me this?”

She was talking more. She was flustered.

I grinned.

To be shocked by just an iron plate? It was still too early. The engraved magic circle wasn’t everything about this plate. The important thing was something else.

“Before I answer, let’s look at something interesting.”

Press. I gently bent the very edge of the iron plate, which I had marked in red beforehand. Since it wasn’t a very thick iron plate, it bent easily.

But the result was long-lasting.

Wooooom!

In an instant, the Mana contained within the iron plate began to gather in one place. The Mana began to drive the engraved magic circle.

Fwoosh!

Five Fire Arrows poured out and shot straight forward.

Boom! Boom!

The place reached by the arrows wreathed in fire was the iron scarecrow prepared in the middle of the training hall!

Ssssss-

The scorched scarecrow was deeply dented in several places. It was a level of power that would easily kill a person if they were hit.

“……You just engraved it on iron. Are you trying to show off iron scrolls?”

“Of course not.”

A magic scroll containing magic.

There is only one reason why paper is used when making these scrolls.

‘Because it’s easy to make.’

There is nothing easier than paper for engraving a magic circle. However, it consumes a significant amount of Mana.

If the Mana a wizard uses to cast a Magic Missile is 1, the Mana consumed to create a Magic Missile scroll is about 1.5 to 2.

‘That is, if it even succeeds.’

There is always a failure rate.

Especially in the case of paper, if a large amount of Mana is infused, it often tears easily. The scroll, painstakingly made by infusing Mana, would just be ruined.

If the meticulously calculated magic circle is destroyed, the wizard has to make the scroll from the beginning.

That is why scrolls are expensive. And why they are not often utilized on the battlefield.

Because it is cheaper to raise soldiers with the money spent on throwing away single-use scrolls than to waste it.

Because of that, scrolls are not used often. However.

“This is different.”

The iron scroll I made was different. This iron scroll, which was barely the size of a palm.

Tap.

I returned the edge I had bent back to its place.

Wooooom- As the wizard poured Mana back into it.

“Ta-da? Do you feel anything again?”

Swoosh. The Mana in the iron scroll returned to its original state.

“……It is Mana-infused Iron.”

“That is correct.”

It is possible because I utilized iron that holds Mana on its own! Originally, Mana-infused Iron is rare, and it is a task that cannot be done because it is hard to purchase. However, we…

‘We produce it ourselves.’

There is a significant amount of Mana-infused Iron that is treated as precious elsewhere.

-“Huhu. It’s thanks to me, isn’t it? So, the contract…”

It is thanks to the Fire Spirit that clings to me every day wanting a contract.

If I give this spirit twice the Internal Energy I usually do, the spirit produces exactly twice as much iron.

‘Very calculating.’

Now that it has developed a taste for Neigong, it sometimes takes the energy of the spiritist, Manar, as payment.

In other words, as long as the price is right(?), this spirit makes Mana-infused Iron even if it isn’t me. It means I can use the knights’ Aura as well.

Therefore, the production volume is significant. Enough to pump out these iron plates!

“Ha……”

“Something like this……”

Ruan and Toden were stunned for a long time.

Then, Ruan, who had been surprised, asked with a very calculating look.

“It could be used several times. But even if magic can be used multiple times, if Mana has to be infused eventually.”

“Hey. Surely not.”

A sharp question. She pointed out that even if the iron plate is used multiple times, a wizard who infuses Mana into the magic circle is still needed.

‘Wizards are high-level personnel.’

No matter the wizard, Mana is not infinite.

While infusing Mana into an iron scroll, there would surely be situations where they cannot use magic when they actually need it. There are ways to store it in advance, but.

“There is another way.”

To give them another impact, I said.

Swoosh! Boom!

I reactivated the painstakingly charged iron magic circle. The fired Fire Arrow hit the scarecrow again.

“Let’s see it one more time.”

“……Yes.”

“If you can, it’s easier to feel it by stimulating your Mana.”

Swoosh- I gave the iron scroll, its charged Mana now completely burned, to Ruan.

Ruan, who took the warmly heated scroll, flinched.

“Umm…….”

Woom- As I said, she began to feel the iron scroll by pulling up her Mana. And then.

“N-no way……”

“It is as you imagine. This is capable of charging itself.”

She was feeling the Mana flowing, even if it was little by little. It was a flow of Mana occurring because the iron scroll was absorbing Mana on its own.

‘At least 2 days to charge. At most 3 days.’

Because it is an early version, it still had to undergo improvements.

However, if left alone for 2 or 3 days, the magic scroll that was used once will charge itself.

It is not single-use, but multi-use!

Once made, it is a magic item that can use magic without a wizard!

Ruan could not hide her surprise any longer.

“How on earth did you do this!? Is it a double magic circle? No, it’s something different to be called double…… What on earth is different?”

“……Show me, too!”

Toden grabbed the iron scroll in Ruan’s hand as if snatching it. Then he examined it for a long time. As an O-Class, there was no way he couldn’t feel what Ruan felt.

“Heh…… It is real.”

The look in his eyes was blank. Totally empty.

“Then is it fake? Hehe.”

I stayed still for a long time while watching their blank expressions. It was my own consideration, waiting for them to regain their senses.

‘How many minutes had passed?’

“……We will sit.”

Both sat back down at the table they had once bolted from. It meant they would engage in the deal.

‘It’s not just this that is surprising, though. Hehe.’

What I prepared to make a deal with them, and to increase our fortress’s military power, was not just this.

‘I needed more wizards.’

If I could just supplement the wizard power, there were quite a lot of things I could do.

And look.

“Do you think about doing business now?”

“……Yes.”

‘Didn’t two wizards from the Magic Tower come on their own feet and sit back at the table?’

They, too, have now acknowledged it. The superior party in this deal is not the Magic Tower wizard who has lived as a superior from birth; it is me.

And as the one who became the superior.

“Then let’s talk from the beginning. I think I need to reconsider the conditions.”

“T-that!”

“Don’t you think other Magic Towers would covet this? Even if it isn’t the Enchant Magic Tower.”

“……Ah.”

I intended to squeeze them properly.

‘It’s a place that has been eating away at the entire continent, so would it be noticeable if I take a little?’

Far from being noticeable, their granary might even be broken, but isn’t that the Magic Tower’s problem?