Chapter 24

Ricardo and his companions entered the town, carrying the material from the demon tree, and headed for Bernardo's shop, "Belmiran Trading Company."

Tania was sent ahead to the shop to inquire about the purchase of the demon tree Damir's material.

"Now, the catalyst of [Fire] is in high demand, so the demon tree's material should sell without any problem."

Tania returned.

"Bernardo said to bring it in through the back gate where the warehouse is."

They entered through the back gate of Belmiran Trading Company and headed towards the warehouse. There, Bernardo and an elderly man were waiting.

"I hear you managed to subdue the demon tree Damir today."

"Yes, we thought it wouldn't be around the capital, but it seems to have wandered here from somewhere."

Bernardo nodded.

"Ah, in that case, it must have been washed down the river from the Beluka Mountains upstream of the Crem River. We find a few every year."

"Really, that's what I thought."

It seemed Ricardo's guess was correct.

Ricardo and Patrick handed the demon tree's trunk to the elderly man.

"Let me introduce him. This man is Gasparo, the one in charge of this warehouse. From now on, if you bring him the materials for catalysts, he will buy them at market price."

Bernardo introduced Gasparo and explained the rules for selling materials to beast hunters.

Ricardo and his companions were not beast hunters, but it seemed they could exchange the materials for money in the same way.

Gasparo took the demon tree's material and, with the help of a few men who seemed to be his subordinates, weighed it and calculated the amount.

"It comes to five gold coins and nine silver coins."

Ricardo gave two gold coins each to Tania and Patrick, and kept the remaining gold and the demon tree's branches and lightning whip.

"Are you continuing to make magic rods in the capital? By the way, is Master Matou also in the capital?"

In response to Bernardo's question, Ricardo said,

"No, Master Matou is going to the Yorgul territory. But he said he might visit the capital occasionally."

He mentioned the Yorgul territory instead of the capital to avoid Bernardo asking to meet him.

"Oh, that's good. If Master Matou brings his work, I'll buy it, so please let him know."

The capital of the Yorgul territory, Yaro, is about a day's carriage ride from the capital.

Ricardo tied the demon tree's branches and lightning whip to a cart and left Belmiran Trading Company.

On the way, Tania looked at the demon tree's branches and lightning whip and asked,

"Are you going to make a rod from those branches?"

"Yes, that's the plan."

"Why just the branches? What about the lightning whip?"

Ricardo had once tried to make a magic rod from the demon tree's trunk by carving it and applying a magic coating, but it was a failure. The rod, made from living wood, started to lose moisture after completion, causing it to bend or crack.

It seemed only the branches remained straight and uncracked even after drying.

After explaining this, Tania understood.

"What about the lightning whip?"

"I'll use it for practicing magic coating. When you use up your magic power to its limit and then recover, your magic power increases, so it's a two-for-one deal."

"Wow, you use it for practicing magic coating. Can the lightning whip be used for something after the magic coating is done?"

Ricardo was taken aback by Tania's question.

He had never thought about using the magic-coated lightning whip for anything else. He decided to research it later.

Patrick was holding the two gold coins tightly, with a complicated expression.

"Even though Ricardo subdued Damir, is it okay for me and Tania to get two gold coins each?"

"In hunts like this, the catch is divided equally regardless of who made the kill. Otherwise, those responsible for scouting and defense would be at a disadvantage."

Tania, who was listening, was impressed.

"Is that so?"

However, there was a condition. This applied when the party members were of similar skill levels. If there was a clear difference in level, the reward ratio might be adjusted.

On the way back to the Magic Guild, they stopped at a butcher's shop to check the types of meat available.

The butcher's shop sold water buffalo, ground-running birds, and headbutting rabbits.

Ricardo approached the shop owner, who was cutting meat in the back.

"Sir, what do you do with the bones left over from selling the meat?"

A man in his thirties peeked out from the front of the shop and looked at Ricardo.

"Hmm... What? You throw them away, of course."

"Could you give me a little of them?"

The shop owner looked at Ricardo as if sizing him up.

"You're not buying anything?"

It seemed that customers who didn't pay were not welcome.

"Ah, I'll take a piece of tendon meat for one silver coin."

Ricardo bought the cheapest tendon meat and received the bones of the ground-running bird and water buffalo in return.

"What are you going to do with the bones?"

The shop owner asked, looking puzzled.

"I'm going to use them in cooking."

"Really? You're going to eat the bones?"

He was surprised. Looking back, Patrick and Tania also had surprised expressions.

Next, they went to a hardware store to buy a pot. The dormitory only had shallow pots.

"Hey, don't you get meals at the servant's quarters?"

Tania asked, looking worried.

"No, we do get meals, but the servants make them, so they're not very tasty. How about you, Tania?"

"Those who live at the Magic Guild usually eat in the cafeteria. It's not free, though."

It seemed that half of the magicians working there stayed in the dormitory and ate in the cafeteria on the first floor. The meals were cheap, but they charged a proper fee.

"I didn't know that."

Ricardo wondered why the servants didn't use the cafeteria, but then realized it was probably because their wages were too low.

"Hey, are you really going to eat the bones?"

Patrick asked. Tania also looked interested.

"Bones, when properly roasted and eaten, are incredibly delicious."

Ricardo said with a serious face, and Patrick and Tania looked surprised.

"Just kidding."

Tania looked stunned.

"Don't joke with a straight face. I thought you were serious."

"Really, when you joke, at least smile a little."

Tania and Patrick scolded him.

Hearing their voices, Monta poked his head out of the bag and looked at Tania and Patrick with his round eyes, as if curious.

"Quka, ququ" (Rica, what's wrong?)

he asked, worried.

"It's nothing. Are you cold?"

"Qua" (I'm fine)

Tania sighed.

"You're so cute. I wish I had a wise beast like Monta."

"Even if you say that, I won't give Monta to you."

"I know that. But be careful. If people find out it's a wise beast, they might target you."

Ricardo hadn't thought much about wise beasts. He realized he should be careful about using telepathy with Monta in places where there were strangers.

"Seriously, what are you going to use the bones for?"

"I'm going to use them to make broth. It's quite delicious."

"Really?"

He had started doing this because he wanted to eat something delicious. At Alessandro's mansion, he had eaten the meals prepared by Olta without complaint, but he wondered why.

One reason was that Sydney's cooking was terrible, but he also realized it was because he felt a sense of freedom after being released from Alessandro's mansion.

Since then, he had started buying cheap ingredients and cooking the game they hunted.

The dishes were simple, like soups made from bone broth and stir-fries, so they weren't particularly delicious.

Ricardo was particular about seasonings, so his dishes were slightly better than those in an average household.

Even so, the servants were happy with the food. However, the black bread distributed by the Magic Guild was still a source of dissatisfaction.

About a month after Ricardo started living at the Magic Guild, Bernardo visited unexpectedly.

He was led to the dining room of the dormitory, and Ricardo served him the tea he had bought.

It was cheap tea, but that was all he had.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"I was surprised by your sudden visit."

Sitting across the table, Bernardo began to explain the situation.

"Actually, I have a problem and I've come to consult you, Ricardo."

"What is it?"

"I urgently need a magic rod made by Master Matou."

According to Bernardo, the twin princes of the royal family were about to celebrate their birthday in ten days.

The nobles were rushing to prepare gifts.

The steward of the Boniperti Marquis had requested a magic rod made by Yuna Bolta. The marquis, who had seen the magic rod Ricardo had sold before, had said it was good.

"So, he came to my shop with an order."

There were magic crafters in the capital who could make Yuna Bolta's magic rods, but they were already working on other magic tools for other nobles.

"Could you get two Yuna Bolta magic rods for me?"

Ricardo hesitated but decided to accept. He wanted to maintain a good relationship with Bernardo.

"Alright, I'll get them for you."

Bernardo was pleased.

"Thank you. If you're going to the Yorgul territory, would you like one of my servants to accompany you?"

Hearing this, Ricardo remembered that he had said the magic rods were being made by the magic crafter Matou in the Yorgul territory.

He couldn't say it was a lie and that he was making them himself.

"No, that's fine. Master Matou is shy around strangers, so I think it's better if I go alone."

"Is that so? Alright. Here is the travel money and a deposit."

Bernardo handed Ricardo twelve gold coins.

The deposit was ten gold coins, and the travel money was two gold coins.

"I feel bad asking this of you while you're studying for your exams, but it's a request from someone I owe a favor to, so I want to be of help."

Bernardo expressed his gratitude to Ricardo.

Unexpectedly, he would have to go to the Yorgul territory. He didn't actually need to go, but he thought it would be better to do so in case he was asked about the situation there. He had always wanted to visit the Yorgul territory, where the magic portal gate was located, so this was a good opportunity.

The next day, he got permission from the councilor Isarco to go to the Yorgul territory. Perhaps because he had heard about Ricardo's abilities from Tania, he didn't object to Ricardo traveling alone.

Afterward, he informed Tania and Patrick that he would be away and that hunting would be on hold during his absence.

That afternoon, he went upstream of the Crem River alone and brought back three headbutting rabbits. He wanted to provide the servants with food while he was away.

Recently, Sydney and the others had learned to make meat and vegetable soup, stir-fries, and boiled vegetables without his help.

The next day, he took a shared carriage to the Yorgul territory.

The carriage was pulled by two horses, and the passengers included two men who looked like beast hunters, a family of parents and two sisters, and a few merchants.

"Hey, kid, traveling alone?"

A man in his twenties, dressed in leather armor and holding a longsword, spoke to Ricardo.

"Yes, that's right."

"From your outfit, you must be an apprentice magician. Are you on an errand for your master?"

"Something like that."

The man seemed to have deduced that Ricardo was an apprentice magician from the catalyst pouch and the rod on his back.

Hearing this, the older of the two sisters, a girl around eight years old, spoke up.

"If you're a magician, we'll be safe even if a beast appears, right?"

The girl's parents laughed.

"That's right, but this carriage only travels along the road, so no beasts will appear."

"Really? They won't appear?"

The beast hunter laughed.

"Maybe you'll see a devil-faced rat or a headbutting rabbit."

"Really, they will appear?"

Drawn by the conversation, Monta poked his head out of the bag.

"Ah, it's a squirrel."

The younger sister, with sparkling eyes, seemed to mistake Monta for a squirrel because of his appearance.

"Is that your pet, big brother?"

"Yes, his name is Monta."

Ricardo took Monta out of the bag and gently stroked him, making Monta close his eyes in contentment.

"He's so cute."

The two sisters started to watch Monta happily.

As they chatted, the carriage continued on its journey. After crossing the Louise Bridge over the Crem River and entering the Yorgul territory, they stopped by a stream for a break about an hour later.

Ricardo stretched after getting off the carriage. It felt good to move his body after sitting still.

The driver started to water and care for the horses.

The passengers began to eat the lunches they had brought.

Ricardo took a baguette-like bread from his backpack, cut it into bite-sized pieces, and ate it. The fragrant aroma spread, and the simple taste of wheat filled his mouth.

He decided to stop pretending to be a food connoisseur and took out a small ceramic bottle of honey butter to spread on the bread.

After taking a bite, he felt relieved by the sweetness of the honey.

He had made the honey butter after finding butter for sale at the butcher's shop. He had bought butter, honey, and a little salt and mixed them together.

Surprisingly, the butter made from water buffalo milk was cheap. It seemed that because the country didn't have a habit of drinking milk, the excess water buffalo milk was being used to make butter. Since it was made from surplus milk, the butter was inexpensive.

Feeling a gaze, he looked to the side and saw the girl from earlier looking at the honey butter on his bread.

She also had a piece of bread, but it was just plain bread.

"Big brother, what did you put on your bread?"

"This is honey butter. Would you like to try it on your bread?"

"Sure."

The girl held out her bread.

Her parents hurriedly said,

"Stop that."

Ricardo laughed.

"It's fine. I have plenty."

Ricardo spread honey butter on the girl's bread, and she took a bite. Her face lit up.

"It's delicious."

The younger sister, who had been watching intently, tugged on her sister's skirt.

"Sis."

"Alright, open your mouth."

The younger sister opened her small mouth, and her sister tore off a piece of bread and put it in.

"It's so sweet."

Her young voice was heard.

Monta tapped Ricardo's arm with his tail. Looking at him, he saw Monta's mouth open. Laughing at his cute appearance, Ricardo tore off a small piece of honey butter-coated bread and put it in Monta's mouth.

Monta started to eat happily.

He shared a little of the honey butter with the family and finished his meal with them. The parents were very grateful.

He noticed the merchants watching with interest but ignored them.

When everyone finished eating and was about to get back on the carriage, Ricardo's magic detection reacted. He thought it might be a headbutting rabbit, but the reaction was strong. Ricardo looked in the direction of the reaction to the north and took out his magic rod.