Chapter 45: The Sorcerer’s Bargain

I received the report with a reluctant expression.

“So, the infamous mage from the Magic Tower caused a commotion at the mercenary guild?”

“They refer to themselves as spellcasters.”

“What’s the extent of the damage?”

“Half the building evaporated, and over a dozen people were injured. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.”

Josiah Campbell, the security chief, wore a calm expression.

Even though he was delivering highly uncomfortable news.

As the one in charge of the capital’s overall defense, he was the emperor’s closest aide.

So, even in our hierarchical relationship, he had no reason to defer to me.

Of course, his attitude wasn’t particularly offensive.

It wasn’t his fault that the madman had used magic inside the city.

Besides, it’s quite commendable.

Security Chief Campbell had come running to the court first.

Because he knew I was looking for a mage.

After finishing the investigation, he could have just handed the case over to the prosecutor’s office.

There was no need to bother with a report.

Come to think of it, there was something odd.

He wouldn’t endure this hassle without wanting something.

He’s someone with no need for that.

“It seems you have something to say to me separately.”

“Ahem!”

“Please speak freely. As long as it’s not illegal or unreasonable, I’ll listen.”

“You secured the mage with cordyceps pills.”

“Yes.”

“Could I perhaps get a little as well? Lately, my vigor…….”

At that moment, I smiled slyly, my eyes lighting up.

Owing a favor to the emperor’s aide?

It wasn’t a bad investment at all.

Especially if I could win his favor with just a few cordyceps pills.

Moreover, he might become an excellent long-term customer.

“Ah! If you’d mentioned it earlier, I would have prepared some in advance. You look so robust that it never crossed my mind.”

“It’s not that big of a problem yet.”

“I know, I know. Isn’t it natural to want to reach even higher once you’ve grown to a certain point?”

“Hehehe!”

I boosted Security Chief Campbell’s spirits.

This is a sensitive topic for middle-aged men, after all.

How do I know so well when I’ve only experienced my twenties?

The seniors I work with are quite old, so I’ve picked up bits and pieces.

I pulled a luxurious box from the drawer.

It was a set of ten cordyceps pills.

“It’s such a popular item that this is all I have.”

“Ah…….”

“When more stock arrives, I’ll ensure you can purchase first.”

“Th-thank you.”

Security Chief Campbell’s face, momentarily disappointed, brightened instantly.

No matter the price, this man would buy the pills regularly.

Once you experience the effect, you simply can’t quit.

Saying it like this makes it sound like a highly addictive drug.

Let me emphasize again: this is just a tonic good for men, a nourishing supplement.

It’s not a malignant drug banned by the state.

Those are the kinds of things the spellcasters of Nerumeia make.

“Anyway, I need to meet the guy.”

“What do you plan to do?”

“If there’s no willingness to settle, I’ll just send him to trial. Victim compensation comes first, after all.”

Although I’d gotten to meet this rare mage, I had no intention of straying from common sense.

If he doesn’t repent?

Then I’d planned to throw him in prison.

It would be quite troublesome, but I could find a mage through other channels.

Security Chief Campbell nodded with an admiring expression.

“Your Highness’s mindset is truly different. Ordinary people would try to exploit such an advantageous position somehow.”

“You’re too kind.”

Soon after, I headed to the security detention center.

There seemed to be quite a few arrested on the spot, as the inside of the cells was bustling.

Yet, they were all huddled in one corner.

“That’s him.”

It appeared to be due to the spellcaster’s notoriety.

The scene was quite amusing, so I wanted to leave it like that for a while.

Tough guys who could throw a punch were avoiding that scrawny man.

As I entered the interrogation room, I turned back to the security chief.

“Please bring him in for a quick chat.”

“Yes.”

Josiah Campbell nodded readily.

Soon, a man in ragged robes entered the dim room.

His arms and legs were bound with heavy restraints.

Considering he was a mage, the two knights who followed had gleaming eyes.

Ready to slit his throat at the slightest provocation.

I waved my hand lightly.

“It’s fine, so please step out.”

“But Your Highness, the spellcasters of Nerumeia are extremely dangerous.”

When I simply smiled quietly instead of replying, the knights’ expressions twisted.

They seemed to realize who I was only then.

For an ordinary royal, even more protection would be necessary.

However, I was the berserker who had pacified the north and returned.

I could send most foes to their grave with a single punch.

“Understood.”

Though still wearing worried expressions, the two knights withdrew obediently.

Finally, I could speak privately with the spellcaster of Nerumeia.

“Assault causing injury to seventeen people, and destruction of property for half-demolishing the building. Roughly a ten-year sentence, plus about 5,000 gold in compensation.”

I listed the charges while flipping through the documents, but his expression didn’t change at all.

He simply stared at my face.

Then, he soon let out a smirk.

“I can just escape. Why? Think I can’t?”

Restraining a mage is no easy task.

You never know what they might do.

There are countless cases of escapes using bizarre methods.

Yet, you can’t assign highly skilled knights around the clock.

The manpower loss is too great for just one prisoner.

In that case, it’s better to take the money and release them.

But I had no such intention.

At least make him repent.

Breaking people’s limbs just because they said something annoying—that’s way too extreme.

And destroying the building on top of it.

If you cause trouble, paying the appropriate price is only natural.

Trying to slip away using the Magic Tower’s prestige and your own skill?

“I’ll have to return those words to you exactly. You’ll get twenty years, no matter what.”

“Ha! Didn’t you just say ten years?”

“Insolence charge added. Why? Think I can’t?”

From the knights’ attitudes, guessing my identity wouldn’t be hard.

So, he must know I have that much authority.

The spellcaster of Nerumeia mumbled before falling silent.

He seemed to realize that continuing to resist would only bring him harm.

As expected of a mage—quick with calculations.

“What do you want?”

“It’s simple. There’s an epidemic outbreak. I’d like you to treat some employees.”

“That’s not particularly difficult, so why do you need me specifically?”

“I have a lot of enemies.”

The spellcaster sank into deep thought.

In truth, it wasn’t something worth pondering for long.

Where else could you find such a good deal?

It meant exempting the prison sentence entirely.

“May I ask one question?”

“As many as you like.”

“Was that job posting at the mercenary guild yours, Your Highness?”

“Yes. I originally planned to recruit you politely. But someone caused trouble, and it ended up like this.”

“The reward was some kind of tonic. Could I get something else instead?”

“Why? To offset the fine?”

“Yes.”

“It’s possible. But this is something money can’t buy. Are you sure?”

“No matter what it is, it can’t compare to cordyceps pills, right?”

“This is that.”

The spellcaster of Nerumeia froze all movement.

As if trapped in ice.

Then, he soon began trembling and stood up abruptly.

“I-is that true?”

“Why would I lie? But now there’s no full year’s supply. I gave one box to the security chief.”

“Even the remainder is fine. So please give me that. No, I’ll buy it with money!”

His reaction was so intense it was hard to believe he was the same indifferent guy from before.

The reason he’d come all the way from the distant Magic Tower was likely the cordyceps pills.

Planning to head to the western part of the continent via the empire.

“You look quite young—why do you need this?”

I scanned his body with puzzled eyes.

At that, the spellcaster’s expression quickly turned sullen.

“Because of side effects from an experiment……. the function has completely stopped.”

“Oh! Oh dear!”

Now I understood why he’d caused such an incident.

With his stress at its peak, when someone picked a fight, it was bound to explode.

I patted the spellcaster’s back with a knowing look.

“You’ve come to the right place, humbled one.”

“Oh? I sense a strange camaraderie. Then Your Highness as well?”

“No, mine is perfectly fine. Can’t exactly show it, though.”

As I interlaced my hands behind my neck and sauntered around, he stared at me in disbelief.

But I didn’t stop my arrogant stride.

“Hey, you can do it too.”

I took the spellcaster around various places in Perias.

To personally visit the victims and convey apologies.

Only by showing such remorse could a settlement be reached.

To avoid imprisonment, there needed to be clear mitigating circumstances.

“I’m sorry.”

“You think ‘sorry’ is enough after such a massive mess?”

“Here’s a small compensation amount…….”

“Ahem! You should have given that earlier. For us mercenaries, breaking bones is an everyday thing, isn’t it? I’m fine, so don’t worry too much.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“You’re busy, so go on ahead.”

The settlements proceeded roughly like this.

When handed an amount too large to refuse, they accepted the apologies smoothly.

Financial therapy really is the best, after all.

Only after visiting every victim could the spellcaster finally be released.

Come to think of it, what’s this guy’s name?

I immediately flipped through the documents to check his personal information.

A ridiculously long string of text caught my eye.

“Vargas Tezmayer Dustoregian……. Why is it so long?”

“Because I use my master’s surname as a middle name. Just call me Vargas, like my parents do.”

“Alright. Vargas, can you cure that strange illness?”

The employees had been bedridden for four weeks already.

The symptoms were like a mild cold, but no matter how much they rested, they didn’t recover.

After checking around, other patients had already shaken it off and gotten up.

Only the people living in the Carrierus Duchy and the Midias region were stuck like that.

Something that couldn’t happen unless someone had placed a curse.

“This is a curse.”

“Yeah. If it weren’t for something like that, it couldn’t possibly……. What?”

“A curse.”

“Who the hell?”

“We’ll have to find out going forward.”

“Good. I’m counting on you. Humbled man.”

“Why me?”

Vargas looked at me with a puzzled expression.

This guy was changing his tune right after promising.

“Curse removal wasn’t part of the agreement, was it? I agreed to treat an illness.”

“Ah?”

Come to think of it, he might be right.

A curse hadn’t even been mentioned.

But such petty tricks wouldn’t work on me.

“Since no treatment was done at all, then there’s no need to give you the cordyceps pills.”

“Ugh! W-wait. I’ll do it no matter what. I’ll catch the bastard who cast it and make him kneel!”

He should have come out with that from the start.

Trying to pull fast ones where?

“Keep performing well from now on. Then I’ll give you priority purchase rights, just like the security chief.”

“Of course. Hehe!”

I turned away with a wry smile.

I can leave this to Vargas. Now, let’s check out the other places.

You might wonder why I’m so busy when the major issues are handled.

During my absence of over half a year, quite a few problems had cropped up in the business.