Chapter 3

"Looks like you haven't been to the brothel recently, huh?"

Saying this, Rika slammed the bribe and cheap sake in front of Margin.

"It's because I don't have money."

"Sure, if you go to the brothel every day without working, you'd run out of money no matter how much you have."

"That's true."

Margin answered solemnly.

"Hey, if you're going to look so sad, go earn some money and go again."

"This, Rika, young girls shouldn't tell men to go to brothels."

The madam knew why Margin used to go to the brothel every day. She was an old acquaintance of the brothel's shrewd madam. However, she couldn't tell Rika because the shrewd madam had made her keep it a secret.

"Madam, I won't be coming here for a while from tomorrow."

"Going somewhere?"

"I'm going to the fishing port to get some fish."

"Is it that time of year already? I thought it was still hot."

"It seems time flies when you get old."

Thump

Margin, who said something unnecessary, got a knuckle sandwich from the madam.

"So, are you going to get the poisonous fish again?"

"Yeah, it's the best time of year for them."

"You know, if you die from eating that poisonous fish, I won't be responsible."

"It's fine, it's fine. How about I bring some back and treat you?"

"No thanks. What if you die?"

"It's fine. The fish is only poisonous in the organs, not the flesh."

"But I've heard many people have died from eating that fish."

"That's because they can't prepare it properly. I have dissection magic, so I won't make that mistake."

"Still, be careful, okay?"

"I know."

"Hey, Margin, can you delay your trip to the fishing port for a day or two?"

The boss came out from the back.

"Sure, I don't have any plans."

"Then come with me to get supplies tomorrow."

"Ugh, when you say 'supplies,' you mean hunting, right? Why don't you buy from the butcher sometimes?"

"Idiot, if I buy from the butcher, I can't sell at this price."

"Then just raise the price a bit."

"If I do, I'll raise the price of your free meals too."

"Even if you raise the price, free is still free, you know."

"Shut up, meet at the gate before dawn tomorrow. Don't be late. If you are..."

The boss cracked his knuckles.

"Got it, got it, don't get so worked up. You already look scary enough."

Thump

Margin, who said something unnecessary again, rubbed his bumping head and reluctantly agreed to go hunting.

---

The two met at the gate before dawn and entered the forest to look for prey.

"Boss, what are we hunting?"

"Boar and Oarcan."

Boar is a monster like a wild boar, and Oarcan is a creature similar to a deer.

"I can handle the boar, but it's impossible to take down an Oarcan with a great axe, right? We need a bow or something."

The boss's weapon is a great axe. Boars attack humans, so they can be taken down with a great axe when they charge. However, Oarcans are cautious and quick, so they need to be trapped or attacked from a distance.

"You can use magic, right?"

"You told me not to use attack magic."

"I said don't use it in front of people."

"Oh, you're not a person, huh?"

Thump

Margin, who said something unnecessary again.

"Ouch, so, how many do we need to hunt?"

"Enough not to arouse Rika's suspicion. We also need to start making salted meat soon."

Oarcan meat is soft and has no strong flavor, making it a delicacy in the lower town when salted. Boar meat, while having a wild flavor, is sweet and delicious when cooked, whether grilled or boiled.

"Got it, let's meet at the square by noon."

"Alright."

Margin separated from the boss to hunt.

He searched for the presence of living creatures, found an Oarcan, and used magic to shoot it in the head, quickly taking it down.

"Five should be enough."

He used dissection magic to separate the Oarcan into materials and meat by part. He applied a maturation spell to the loin section to make it ready to eat, skewered it, and prepared lunch. He had brought salt and gathered mushrooms.

He collected dry branches, started a fire, and began roasting the meat.

As the meat started to cook, the boss appeared, carrying a large boar. He looked like a bandit.

"Pretty quick, huh? Didn't you slack off?"

"I already started roasting the meat. The meat is separated by part, and the fur and horns are removed. Of course, the organs too."

"Alright, then take care of this one too."

The boss dropped the large boar on the ground. Margin used dissection magic to separate it by part and stored it.

"Your dissection magic is still impressive."

"You should buy dissection magic too. I'll give you a discount, 3 million."

"Idiot, I can get it for free by bringing you along. Why would I pay 3 million?"

"Don't assume I'll be in this country forever."

Hearing this, the boss became serious.

"Tabasa's death was a shame."

"Yeah..."

The boss wasn't just using Margin; he had taken him out because Margin was depressed after Tabasa's death.

"You've been in this town for three years now. Time flies."

"Yeah..."

---

Three years ago

Margin woke up in a forest near the capital.

"Ugh... What... What happened... I was fighting the demon king..."

As his consciousness returned, Margin searched his hazy memory.

"The demon king, what happened to the demon king..."

He became more aware and remembered that he was part of the hero's party fighting the demon king. He had used almost all his magic power to attack the demon king and, exhausted, was petrified by a spell cast by his comrades.

He later learned that he had been petrified for at least a thousand years.

Not knowing where he was, he searched for a town and eventually reached the capital. However, he couldn't enter because his money was not accepted and he had no proof of identity. Tabasa helped him when he was in trouble.

"Hey, are you from a foreign country?"

"Yeah, it seems so. My money isn't accepted here."

"Hmm, you have interesting hair color. Tell me about your country. Gatekeeper, I'll pay the entry fee."

"Tabasa-san, is that okay? I've never seen his ID..."

"It's fine. He doesn't look like a troublemaker. Am I not a good enough guarantor?"

"Ah, no, it's fine. Please shake hands."

"Hehe, my hand is more expensive than the entry fee."

"Ah, thank you!"

Tabasa smiled at the gatekeeper and shook his hand. The entry fee was apparently unnecessary. Who is this woman? She's very beautiful and alluring.

"What's your name?"

"Margin. Thanks for helping me, a stranger."

"Don't worry about it. You don't have a place to go, right? Follow me."

Margin followed Tabasa as she led him to what seemed to be a red-light district near the gate.

"Um, Tabasa-san, is this...?"

"Yes, it's a red-light district. Is this your first time?"

"Um... Well, I don't have any money, and..."

"Hahaha, I knew you couldn't even pay the entry fee."

"Yeah, that's true."

Margin scratched his head.

The brothel she led him to was the largest and most luxurious in the district. Tabasa was like a courtesan from old Japan, often turning down customers even when offered a lot of money.

"Tabasa, don't bring strange people here just because you know them."

Ignoring the madam's glare, Tabasa led Margin to her room.

"Don't be so tense. I won't eat you."

She laughed and made tea, smiling at Margin and asking him to tell her his story.

Margin told her about being part of the demon king's slaying party and being betrayed and petrified by his comrades, only to wake up in the forest.

"What an interesting story. You sound like the hero of a fairy tale."

Tabasa seemed to take Margin's story as a fairy tale.

According to Tabasa, the demon king was said to have existed in the mythological era, about 2,000 to 4,000 years ago. Hearing this, Margin checked his status.

What is this? My magic power is showing an error on the status screen.

An average person is born with a magic power of around 10, which increases until they are 25-26 years old. The average adult has a magic power of around 120. If your total magic power drops below 20%, you feel weak and can't stand; below 10%, you lose consciousness; and at 0%, you die.

Those called mages have a magic power of over 1,000, and those called sages have over 3,000.

When Margin was summoned, he had a cheat ability that gave him a magic power of nearly 4,000 and all magic affinities. His body was also ageless, meaning his magic power continued to grow until the demon king was defeated.

So, my magic power continued to grow even while I was petrified.

His magic power had increased so much that it showed an error, displaying 999,999E. His age also showed 999E, meaning he had been petrified for at least a thousand years. As Margin looked at his magic power, he realized something.

"Tabasa, is the demon king no longer in this world?"

"If he were, we wouldn't be able to do business."

Tabasa laughed and answered.

Maybe I was petrified before the demon king was completely defeated, so my age didn't increase, but my magic power continued to grow? Or...

"Hey, Margin, are you listening?"

"Huh? Ah, sorry. I was just thinking."

"Can you really use magic?"

"Yeah, can you?"

"You can buy a magic book to learn, but it's unnecessary here."

"Magic book?"

"Right, if you buy a water magic book and have the magic circle copied, you can use it. Didn't you know?"

"In my world, anyone could use daily magic. We had magic books, but..."

In the country that summoned Margin, magic books were for those who couldn't cast attack spells on their own, like soldiers, knights, and hunters. Daily magic books were unnecessary.

"Wow, you come from an amazing place. Show me something."

"Water? Or sparkling water?"

"Sparkling water, the fizzy kind? Can you really make it?"

"Of course."

Margin filled a glass with ice and sparkling water.

"You... this..."

"It's not poisoned, so go ahead."

Tabasa looked at the cold, fizzy sparkling water in amazement.

After that, Tabasa called the madam and told her that Margin was a mage. The madam warned him not to tell anyone else. She also taught him the country's common knowledge and writing, helped him exchange his gems for money, and arranged for a residence permit, business license, and a contract with a magic book store.

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