“Haap!”
With a spirited shout, a bright yellow light surged forth, ceasing even the faint intermittent vibrations that had been trembling through the tunnels.
“Good. I will sustain the tunnel. Use the golems.”
Upon Clayton’s command, the disciples standing behind him stepped forward in unison, each taking out a fist-sized blue crystal from within their clothes.
‘Magic crystals!’
Logan’s eyes gleamed as he saw them.
As they chanted incantations with eyes wide open, they threw the magic crystals at the collapsed pile of rocks at once.
Grrr-grrr-grrr.
Accompanied by a grating noise, a significant part of the rock pile before their eyes was reborn into ten stone giants, each over 2 meters tall.
“Ooh!”“Truly magic!”
The astonished voices of the onlooking miners could be heard.
Logan watched the magicians with a similar sense of awe.
‘Just creating golems has cleared out several meters’ worth of rock pile.’
Moreover.
“We don’t know the condition of the people. Hurry!”
“Yes!”
As soon as the disciples responded robustly to Clayton’s order, the stone giants, the golems, began to move forward, lifting the rock pile one after another.
Thud. Thud. Grrr-grrr-grrrr.
The stone giants moved much faster than the miners, and they possessed the monstrous strength to easily lift boulders as big as a human body.
As they exhibited their incredible strength without worrying about a secondary collapse, the work naturally progressed much faster than it would have with dozens of human miners involved.
‘Oh…!’
Logan, who had only seen battlefield mages in his past life, was newly impressed by the usefulness of the golem school magicians.
As if responding to his admiration, the golems swiftly cleared the collapsed rock pile, and within not even two hours, Logan was able to face the survivors.
“We’re alive!”
“Ivan! Pomarov!”
“Robel, you’re alive too!”
When the survivors embraced other miners with cheers.
Logan, too, checked on the fallen Hammer’s condition and sighed in relief.
‘Just some bruises and minor internal injuries. He must have passed out from the shock. How fortunate.’
Once his primary concern faded, Logan was freshly astounded by the scene before him.
A mining collapse of significant scale had been swiftly resolved within five hours.
Considering that over three hours of that time were spent on Logan being informed, and on Clayton and the mages coming to the mine for support, the actual time spent on the work was less than two hours.
“Definitely… impressive.”
As the work of lifting the rocks was completed and he saw the golems aiding the victims, Logan couldn’t help but express his admiration over and over.
‘I want it.’
Being a mage of the earth, others might not know, but surely Clayton must have realized that this was a gold mine.
When Clayton had momentarily flinched while using the magic to stabilize the earth and locked eyes with Logan, he realized that Clayton had caught onto the mine’s true identity.
An employed individual with extraordinary skills was aware of his secret.
The best way to mitigate that was to make him a full ally.
‘But how can I deal with a tower elder from the Mage Tower…’
Despite racking his brain, Logan couldn’t find an answer immediately.
All he could do was hope that Clayton would keep the secret to himself.
As Logan was chewing on his lips, lost in thought.
“Young Master Logan, by any chance, would you happen to need a tower for your domain?”
“…What?!”
To Logan’s astonishment, Clayton, who seemingly didn’t fit his fierce appearance, threw out an unexpected suggestion.
“What do you mean… by that?”
Caught off guard by the subject of his concerns approaching him first, Logan couldn’t help but feel perplexed.
“I feel it is about time to become independent. As you’ve seen, my relationship with the current tower master isn’t good. And for Young Master Logan, or rather this domain, it seems to have ample resources to nurture a small tower.”
Clayton’s eyes, sweeping the surroundings, radiated both greed and hope.
‘Own a tower?’
Not many domains within the kingdom had their own Mage Tower.
At first glance, having a Mage Tower seemed beneficial to the domain, but in reality, there were many difficulties.
Normally, mages from towers wouldn’t get involved unless there was a war; typically, they were no more than a money-consuming entity. That’s why, when mages were absolutely necessary, most domains would request assistance from other towers.
But now, with war looming next year?
‘It’s definitely a benefit.’
Logan recalled the giant golems that Clayton had demonstrated at the dam construction site.
While they may not be suitable for combat—a premise he thought applied when facing knights—there were indeed countless ways to utilize such monsters in war.
‘If we have magic crystals, they become much stronger, right?’
Turning his head slightly, Logan saw golems still carrying exhausted and shocked victims in each arm.
Logan pondered various strategies on how to utilize them in war.
It was a question that seemed to have a predetermined answer.
“How much support do you need? Or rather, what do you need?”
Logan was exceedingly proactive in his response, to the point where even Clayton, who had initiated the conversation, appeared taken aback.
* * *
The cause of the mining accident was quickly revealed through Hammer’s frank confession upon waking in the palace.
“You fell asleep using a collapse scroll?”
“…That’s right. I’ve been overworking myself lately.”
Although Hammer turned his head away in embarrassment even while lying down, Logan couldn’t blame him.
After all, he was the one who had overworked him.
“Don’t worry. We can resume construction soon.”
“Better yet, take a week off and fully rest. No, until you fully recover, just completely…”
“I can shake it off and get up in a day… What?”
“What?”
Their gazes awkwardly crossed while hearing unexpected words from each other.
“Did you say… to rest?”
“Did you say… it’s okay not to rest?”
“I, I will rest! I definitely will rest!”
Afraid of the possibility of a different response, Hammer shouted as if screaming for his life.
Logan patted his shoulder, gave a bitter smile, and turned around.
Dwarf, confused by his master’s retreating back, was spinning one hand around his head.
After Logan left Hammer’s room and closed the door behind him, he saw Clayton waiting outside.
During a time when the few healers of the rural domain were too busy attending to the injured miners, Clayton healed Hammer with earth magic.
Though it was not his specialty and merely rejuvenated his vitality, Logan bowed to him once more in gratitude.
“Thank you for your help. Thanks to you, we’ve saved the lives of Hammer and the other miners.”
Clayton’s features softened into a gentle smile in response to the sincere thanks.
“It’s natural to help save lives. There’s no need to thank me for anything so expected.”
“False modesty isn’t necessary. You’ve done a commendable act. I will not only express my thanks but also make sure to compensate you sufficiently.”
“Ha ha. It’s fine. For such a small matter…”
“You don’t have money, do you?”
“Cough!”
Caught off guard in the middle of the pleasantries, Clayton choked and coughed.
“Just using the symbol of your school, golem magic, costs a fortune each time.”
One blow.
“And it’s difficult to justify its combat utility because its cost-effectiveness is so poor.”
Two blows.
“Since it’s not a lineage that can produce artifacts, the tower is always in the red.”
Three blows.
“In the end, supporting large-scale construction like this becomes your specialty, and that’s why the Earth Tower keeps sending you out.”
Blunt words from Logan hit Clayton hard.
“Why, Young Master? Why such talk all of a sudden…”
Seeing that resentful look, Logan chuckled lightly.
“That’s why you mentioned the tower, right?”
“Khem, well, that may be so but…”
Despite looking out of place, Clayton indeed seemed like an honest and good person.
Logan allowed a natural smile to spread without restraining it.
“Then let me ask again. Are you and your disciples, including yourself, Mr. Clayton, suggesting you’ll settle down in our domain?”
“Of course.”
“Hmm, as I’ve said, I welcome it. However, I’m a bit concerned whether you can part with the Earth Tower without any issues.”
“That’s no problem at all. That dog… No, tower master will be pleased. There won’t be any issues, definitely.”
Clayton’s answer was firm, and Logan nodded with a smile.
There was still one crucial question left.
“So, how much support do you require?”
“Ha ha ha. I just need it to be better than what I received from the Earth Tower.”
“That goes without saying. But isn’t there anything else you wish for?”
It was an offer of recruitment that they hadn’t hoped for.
Logan was ready to open his purse strings as much as needed.
But.
“I trust in Young Master Logan’s character and abilities. Just provide me with whatever is reasonably necessary.”
“…Really?”
Praise that even the person in question couldn’t understand.
Logan’s bewildered face and Clayton’s smiling visage were the warm end to their conversation.
* * *
“When did you secretly start developing a mine without telling me! Even the workers there didn’t know what kind of mine it was?!”
Dwayne blocked Logan’s path, his eyes blazing with fire.
The key miners were acquired from the Teslon Palace, and the main house was not informed.
Thinking it better they didn’t know, he had deliberately kept it a secret.
“Aha!”
Logan pretended to remember only then, smacking his palm with an ‘oh’.
“Sorry. I forgot.”
“How could you forget such a thing!”
“It happens. I’ve been busy, you know.”
“Grrr. Fine, fine. Then just answer this: What kind of mine required so much attention? Are the deposits large? Iron? Copper?”
Dwayne ground his teeth, yet Logan was struck with a sudden playful impulse.
“Why do you think it’s one of those? Take another guess.”
“Grrr. Young Master, as the steward in charge of finances, I have a duty to inspect the income for the future of the domain. Please stop joking and just tell me.”
“It could be a silver or gold mine, you know. Who can say? Maybe even diamonds or mithril.”
“That’s impossible! With our standing…”
‘Ah… What’s wrong with us, man!’
Logan, momentarily angered, managed to maintain his composure and casually replied.
“It could be.”
“Don’t kid me. …Really? Could such fortune befall this cursed family…?”
Seeing the demoralized steward, Logan felt a further urge to tease.
“In truth, it’s just a copper mine. Might last for three years of mining?”
“Grrr. I knew it! I knew that’s what it was! Damn, what’s the expected profit?”
“What about one billion gold a year?”
“…Huh? Ah, one million gold a year. But why bother mining for that?”
“Not a million, a billion. One billion gold.”
“Hah. Are you still joking around! What copper mine…”
“It’s a gold mine, sorry.”
“…”
Logan watched expectantly for a reaction, but Dwayne just pursed his lips and glared at him.
“Why are you looking at me like that? It’s true this time.”
“…Really?”
“Yes.”
“Really, really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Truly, really, really?”
“Yeah, really!”
Finally, Logan’s loud affirmation convinced Dwayne, who seemed to have snapped back to reality.
“…Heugh.”
“Dwayne?”
“Waaahhhhhh!”
“Woah!”
The dazed Dwayne suddenly screamed.
“Young Master! You’re not lying, right? If this is a lie, I swear I’ll just grab a knife and end it! You’re telling me it’s really a gold mine?”
“Yes, that’s right…”
“Waaahhhhhh! We’re saved! Praise the ancestors! Praise Maclaine! How can such fortune come to this cursed family!”
‘There you go, cursing us again.’
But Dwayne seemed oblivious as he went on shouting.
“Thank you! Thank you! Young Master, I bow to you! No, double bowing isn’t polite, is it? What does it matter? Accept my bow!”
Amidst his raucous joy, Logan looked at him with delight.
‘I should’ve told him earlier.’
A vassal so joyful over the improvement of the family’s finances, which wasn’t even his own money.
He couldn’t help but feel pleased as a high-ranking noble of the family.
There was just one thing that bothered him.
‘The gold mine is on my private land, right? It belongs to me, not the family.’
And he had no intention of giving the entirety of the profits to the family.
However…
“Now I don’t have to wrack my brain over nonexistent budgets! Funding from Kyrios? Toss it to the dogs! You wretched beasts! Waaahhhhhh! I offer my thanks to the nine supreme gods who watch over the world! I will live honorably from now on!”
Watching the administrator, calling upon gods seldom invoked, roaring out loud, Logan found it difficult to break the news to him.
‘Well, I’ll tell him later. He’s so happy like that.’
With Logan’s smile, a complex and turbulent day came to a gentle close.
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