Chapter 133

Chapter 133: War Advances Technology

Vernel was in a state of euphoria.
He had consumed so much coffee and stimulants that one might wonder if caffeine flowed through his veins instead of blood.
After wandering around naked like a madman, he regained enough sanity to get dressed and stood before Ferda.
Erica was also by his side.
— Did I not conduct research by dissecting living monsters in the past?
— That is correct.
— Then I discovered something. I found the nerve signals used for the physical regeneration of monsters.
Those nerve signals were recorded across more than 100 pages of paper.
Ferda did not even pretend to look at them, naturally.
— Try to explain it.
— So, then… think of it not as the contaminated water in the barrel, but as the inside of a monster’s body!
He struggled to explain himself, gesturing with his hands and feet.
— A monster gets injured. Then it needs to restore that injured part, right?
— Yes.
— To do that, it sends signals to the injured area to concentrate regenerative power, right?
— Yes.
— If it sends those signals, the residual mana flowing in the blood moves toward the affected area. That is how it stops the bleeding and regenerates. We apply this to the barrel of water. If we send a signal that the material mimicking flesh is injured…..
Erica understood and summarized.
— If what you say is true, would the residual mana accumulate where the signal is sent?
— Exactly!
Vernel chimed in with a voice full of joy.
It seemed that the mere fact of getting someone to understand him was overwhelmingly joyful.
— So you are saying you purify it that way?
— Purify? Haha, if it were only that, this Vernel’s euphoria would be third-rate at best! It is not simply purification!
Vernel shouted again with an excited voice.
— Regent-nim! Haven’t we been telling you that we need magic stones? This is literally a technology created by condensing clusters of residual mana! We can extract an incomparably greater amount than when simply extracting materials from monsters!
It was not just purifying contaminated water, but also obtaining materials to craft magic stones.
It was like catching two rabbits from the same hole.
— It was a job that was supposed to take four days.
— Actually, I figured it out on the second day after discussing it with Chancellor Bernard.
— In just two days?
— But why didn’t you report it?
— Even with the theory, I had to craft an object that applied that structure… just saying there is a theory isn’t convincing, right?
Ferda nodded.
He had already heard many lengthy theories from Vernel.
— So I took two more days and created an applied object! This is it!
Vernel brought out an object he had placed behind the chalkboard.
It had the shape of a weight or something similar attached to a chain.
The chain was treated to serve as a mana channel, and complex magic formulas were drawn on the weight.
Seeing that, Ferda felt a little uneasy and asked him.
— Can even low-circle mages manifest magic circles?
— A 3rd Circle who knows how to manifest magic circles is enough. I managed it easily, so as long as they know how to channel mana, it will work.
There was no way he hadn’t considered that.
The 3rd Circle was the same rank as the communication mages accompanying the young lords and ladies, so there was no problem.
— So, does it really work?
Erica asked, looking at the weight.
Even Vernel, who had been excited, calmed down by this point.
— Now we have to test it.
No matter how excellent the theory is, even if an object applying that formula is manufactured, there are countless cases where the object does not work.
It is the moment of greatest frustration for scholars and inventors.
Now was the time to verify it.
Isabella brought water flowing from the Demonic Land in jars to the castle.
Ferda saw what the water flowing from the Demonic Land looked like for the first time that day.
It gave off a strange metallic smell of blood and had a reddish color, similar to when rust detached from iron objects dissolves in water.
But unlike rusty water, one had to keep in mind that this was lethal water in which one shouldn’t even wet a hand.
— L-let us begin, then.
Vernel lowered the weight into the jar of water.
When it reached about halfway, Vernel injected mana into the chain.
Woooong—.
A vibrating wave.
It meant that mana was flowing and the magic circle was activating.
Everyone watching held their breath.
No one wanted this result, achieved in four days, to fail.
After a moment, the murky colored water gradually began to clear.
At the same time, a cluster of red crystals coagulated on the side of the weight.
Vernel lifted the weight carefully.
Red crystals adhered to the weight like flesh and shifted.
The water became unrecognizably clear.
They say you cannot tell solely by what is visible to the naked eye, but this time was different.
It was exactly as it appeared.
— Heavens…..!
— So a method like this exists.
Isabella and Erica, who inspected the water, could not contain their admiration.
— How is it?
— It truly removed the residual mana from the water, just as he said.
— Of course, I couldn’t remove all of it, so some residual mana remains… but it is at a safe level to enter the body. In fact, it poses less risk than drinking groundwater.
Being recognized made Vernel’s chest swell with emotion.
It was not merely something worthy of academic recognition.
What mattered was that the Progeny of Iorga, the Water Phase, had stated it.
Ferda also clenched his fist at her verdict.
‘This was the answer.’
It became a stepping stone to plan further territorial development, beyond merely securing a water source.
‘They say war advances technology.’
The path he was following did not lead to an exit.
Rather, it ventured even deeper.
He was walking toward the massive treasure guarded by the Labyrinth.
Ferda patted him on the shoulder in encouragement for this astonishing achievement.
— Good work.
Then Vernel swayed heavily and collapsed right there.
It was the aftereffect of not having slept properly for four days while clinging to research and invention.
Erica was also vaguely aware of that fact, but she deliberately said:
— A dog that has outlived its usefulness is killed… is that it?
— …That’s not it.
Under the leadership of the Progenies of Iorga, they temporarily drew the water source from the Demonic Land.
Since the water source was in the Demonic Land, in Hestia Village they set it up at a distance and proceeded to extract from there.
Isabella announced the current drinking water issue to the village as a drinking water substitute.
— Water from the Demonic Land, isn’t that dangerous?
— I heard that if you drink contaminated water you can turn into a monster…
— But what can we do? It doesn’t look like it’s going to rain for a while.
— The great water rulers acknowledge it, so it should be drinkable, right?
There was reluctance, but the reaction was that there were no alternatives.
And showing a willingness to obey the authority’s word, the process moved forward smoothly.
As expected, the problem was the nobles.
The ones who announced it there were Ferda and Erica.
— Drink water extracted from the Demonic Land!
— No matter what, that isn’t right, is it? Isn’t that basically telling us to die a slow death?
True to nobles raised with refinement, they jumped and shouted that they would only drink groundwater.
Ferda even gave a demonstration, drinking the purified water right before their eyes.
He appeared to be fine, but even so, it was difficult to calm the heated atmosphere.
— It does not matter if it is Regent Ferda or a legendary adventurer, we cannot drink this water.
— If we turn into monsters after time passes, what will you do then? Will you take responsibility?
They were spreading conspiracy theories to a rude extent.
Erica asked through telepathic communication.
— “Should I just tell them to go die?”
He didn’t say it out loud, but he internally agreed.
They were the type for whom a short and intense word suited better than a boring, pedantic explanation that sounded like boasting of intellectual vanity.
Those energetic faces would surely change in a day, and if he could see those faces, it would be a pleasant situation for Ferda.
Olivia approached Ferda and asked:
— It really is safe, right?
She looked back and forth between Ferda and Erica.
Erica replied:
— Lord Iorga certified it personally.
— That information is trustworthy.
Olivia also drained a glass of water.
— Mmm, the taste is clean.
She ended up instilling confidence with a radiant smile.
Only then did the nobles stop acting like children and begin drinking the purified water.
‘Strange.’
When I drank it, they made agonizing noises, but watching them gulp it down saying it is good just because Olivia drank it is annoying.
He glanced at Erica sideways, and their gazes met.
Thinking the same thing, the two merely nodded without saying a word.
Regardless, the drinking water problem was resolved among the nobles as well.
‘The magic stones issue is also solved.’
Rather, it was easier to collect than from monster corpses.
They say the process was shortened by two-thirds, so the production of magic stones for fuel became twice as fast.
With this, they could prepare for another month.
Ferda also decided to seriously organize his abilities.
‘Red Circle 4-Star and Shadow Circle 1-Star.’
Considering mana quantity alone, it is 5-Star.
‘Yet it is not 5-Star.’
Since he cannot cast 5th-tier magic, he only had to keep in mind that his mana was far greater than that of other 4th-tier Circles.
That was an asset usable as a hidden card.
‘Besides, the Shadow Circle only looks like a shadow at first glance.’
It is not made of blue mana, but black.
Unless you focus properly, you won’t notice that he possesses another circle.
Above all, given that Ferda is a Red Circle mage, no one would think he had a low-tier support circle.
‘Use lightning with the Red Circle, shadow magic with the Shadow Circle.’
Having decided on mana management beforehand, Ferda focused on other elements.
He needed something to counter it, and Ferda had that tool right now.
‘Jibyeol.’
A gift from Lucy Philias.
She named it so, saying that it is not a punishment from heaven, but a punishment arising from the earth.
Outwardly it is no different from a plain staff, and no one would think this is a treasure Lucy Philias gave.
‘Now that I think about it, did she say it absorbs power if you bring a lightning-struck branch close to it?’
Ferda took out the branch he had received from Ahmed Hashim as a token of friendship.
He brought the branch close to the staff.
Then, particles hidden in the World Tree branch could be seen flowing into the staff with the naked eye.
Seureureuk……
It absorbed everything without leaving a trace, and something surprising occurred.
All traces of mana left by the World Tree branch vanished, and it turned into an ordinary branch.
Even more surprising, despite absorbing all those traces, no mana could be sensed from this staff.
Just in case, he channeled mana as before to check its power.
Pajijik!
It was certain.
The power increased compared to before, and it became stable.
‘It was already more powerful than Dark Lightning….’
He thought the Reverse Heavenly Lightning could produce firepower similar to the existing 4th-tier Lightning Spear.
An item that produces magic power a tier higher without side effects is an invaluable treasure.
‘With this, I have one more asset at my disposal.’
The Reverse Heavenly Lightning that can defeat the strongest darkness in destruction.
Shadow arts that deceive the opponent and strike their blind spot.
‘Mmm…..’
How to use this tool was the concern.
Ferda’s fights always begin with a show of force and end with a show of force.
Unlike in the past, where he showed confidence that he could overwhelm them, he now needed a mage’s strategy.
At least to be able to land a final blow when facing Gokma, that man.
Ferda began to investigate.
One month after the incident occurred.
They gathered a tremendous force of 20,000 in total, centered around the Monster Mother.
Of course, not all were lethal monsters.
Half were slow like the Melted with incomplete forms, and the other half took the shape of threatening monsters or beasts.
Even among those in beast form, large monsters like bears only numbered around 200.
Even so, if those things charge all at once, there is no countermeasure.
Erica judged that the sufficiently gathered forces would move.
Olivia gathered all the staff for a final strategy meeting to prepare for total war.
Ferda also participated, listening to the account of preparations for a defensive battle, and asked Count Consilirus how he was doing.
— Count, how is the situation on your side?
— There is nothing to say. I am someone who has waited for this moment.
— No water issues on your side?
— Yes. With what we obtained from the Blue Eye side, we can hold out for another week.
He was receiving external support, but there was sufficient justification to receive it.
Vernel shared the technology, and based on that technology, they said: ‘we are providing it saying we are testing some samples.’
Given that they were supplies for conquering the Demon Land, they were merely fulfilling their duty as allies.
— Regent-nim.
— Why?
— I will say this beforehand. It was an honor to serve you, however briefly. If only we had met a little sooner, it would have been nice.
Ferda wondered why this person was acting like this with such emotional words.
It sounded like the last words of a knight about to die on the battlefield, and irritation flared up.
— Do not say useless things. If you are pushed back, retreat to Hestia unconditionally.
— If this castle falls, I will bury my bones here. To save a hundred people, taking down one more is a knight’s duty. I will take down a hundred more and save ten thousand. So please, protect the people of this Grand Duchy.
— …Understood.
There is no guarantee he will die, but he decided to remember his words clearly.
Just then, Isabella threw the door open and barged in.
— The Demon army has begun to move!
Has what was looming finally arrived?
Ferda thought that and rose from his seat.
But Isabella’s words did not end there.
— But the direction is different from what was expected!
His body wavered.
— What does that mean?
— The thousands of troops that were there are not moving toward us. They are moving in the opposite direction!
— Opposite direction means…..
— They are moving toward the Imperial Capital!!
A situation completely contrary to everyone’s expectations.
Before he could even ask if it was true, Ferda’s communication crystal vibrated with a buzz.
He didn’t know an oily voice could be so welcome.
— Re-Regent! Big trouble!
The Crown Prince, Alexander Arken, shouted in a voice sounding as if the ground beneath him were on fire.