“Mom, please save Dad! Please! What crime have we committed to deserve this?”
“Isabel...?”
At first, I thought she might be screaming out from a nightmare, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that she was lost in a dream. In the depths of her dream, she was begging someone to save her parents, her cries echoing with desperation.
“Wuwu! Wuwuwu!”
Soon, tears began to stream down her cheeks as she continued to sob in her sleep. She seemed to be in deep distress, crying as if her heart was breaking.
“...”
Seeing her in such despair made it hard for me to just stand by. I carefully wiped her tears away. Instantly, she began to tremble. What could it be? Perhaps she was trapped in some cold and dark place within her dream?
I considered using fire-based magic to warm her, but then I remembered we were in the crafting room. I decided against it. There seemed to be only one way to provide her immediate comfort.
I gently covered Isabel with a blanket on the makeshift bed she was lying on, then I carefully held her close. I couldn't bear to turn away from the sight of her suffering from both sadness and cold.
How much time passed? Eventually, her tears subsided, and her trembling body calmed down.
“Hmm? What are you doing?”
“What do you mean what am I doing? You were cold, so I covered you with a blanket, and I thought that wasn't enough, so I held you.”
“Get away, you creep! You... you didn't take advantage of me while I was asleep, did you?”
Isabel quickly checked her clothes, but everything was in perfect order, not even a loose thread out of place!
“Thank you for your hard work, Isabel. I really pushed you too hard, didn’t I? I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine, really. I must have slept really deeply without realizing it. So, nothing happened, right?”
Nothing at all had happened, as surprising as that might sound, so there was no need to worry. “Come on, take my hand,” I said, reaching out to pull Isabel up.
She looked at me, her gaze somehow a mix of a glare and something wistful.
“Jared.”
“Yes?”
“I’ve always thought this since the day I first met you.”
“What thought? Are you going to call me a pervert again?”
“No, not that. You really seem to know a lot. Especially about how to benefit not just yourself, but many people in this world.”
“That is true.”
“What is the Eastern Continent like?”
“I told you before. I’ve only heard little bits from previous generations. I don’t really know about the Eastern Continent myself.”
“But the last time, when you conquered the Demon King's hideout, and now with the Master Potion crafting, your ability to make the impossible possible is truly impressive.”
“Thank you for saying that. But really, the Eastern Continent has nothing to do with me.”
I sensed her suspicion; it was as if she felt I came from there but was hiding my identity.
After I obtained my insight, I had indeed shown some strange behaviors. But unless she could read my thoughts or access the system, my uniqueness was something even Isabel could never fully grasp.
“Let’s focus on the potion crafting now that you’re awake. Orders are going to pile up. The potions we worked hard to create could save so many people.”
“Tch... fine. I guess I should act like a professional.”
“That’s right! That’s the spirit, Isabel!”
We plunged back into the crafting of the Master Potion in silence. When the opportunity arises, one must row the boat steadily. Every Master Potion made was a chance to sit atop a mountain of gold.
The crafting of the Master Potion by Jared and Isabel continued for a full month. The potions they produced were immediately sold off, save for a reserve of 10% kept for emergencies. At first, only neighboring countries, led by the Cinders Kingdom, sent in requests for purchases. After all, these were nations suffering directly from flooding and plagues.
However, as time passed and word spread, inquiries began flooding in from all over. It was simple to understand why. Though the northern regions experienced heavier rainfall, other countries on the Nas Continent faced similar disasters.
Requests came in varied forms, and to handle the surge, Jared quickly summoned Arkhenes. Since opening a chaotic conversation window yielded no results, he tasked Arkhenes with organizing the influx.
Even purchase requests came from the Dark Elves on Tartarus Island and Red Goblin Road, Ivanniba! Just a month ago, even thinking of responding to such requests would have been impossible. It had been during the early stages of crafting, after all.
But now, it was feasible! All production processes had been perfectly automated!
[Master Potion Crafting – Lv. 100]
[Max Level Achieved]
[Final cost: 50,000 gold and 10 high-grade magic stones invested, production process fully automated.]
[Dark magic stones are linked to potion crafting. Periodic purification of dark magic stones is essential to prevent overload. Remaining duration: 180 days, 23 hours, 34 seconds.]
This was a true human victory. Though Isabel had fallen asleep, Jared had not once closed his eyes.
Jared had entrusted most matters of the territory to his subordinates and focused solely on potion crafting. Because of that, he reached Master Potion crafting level 100 in just one month! This was something even named crafters from Paradiso took six months to achieve.
Jared’s continuous efforts until reaching level 100 came from being able to automate the curse enchantments that Isabel performed manually through the dark magic stones. Unlike regular light magic stones, dark magic stones had very harsh and wild properties, requiring purification every six months. Aside from that, he would no longer have to trouble Isabel, making them perfect substitutes.
Thanks to this, the treasury of the Crivia Grand Territory had swelled almost fivefold compared to a month ago. The rising demand for the Master Potion naturally pushed the prices higher.
Jared decided not to spend the finances secured from selling the Master Potions but rather to set them aside for now. Even though he had earned an astronomical sum, he clearly sensed that expenditures would surge soon.
Meanwhile, Isabel, who was set to receive 9% of the profits, came to find Jared, bringing up something she had carefully considered beforehand.
“Jared, I have a request.”
“Suddenly? What kind of request? I’m listening.”
“You don’t need to share the profits from the potion sales with me. That income belongs to the territory, and I hope you’ll use it where it’s needed.”
“Why? I promised you a fair reward for your work. It’s not like I asked you to help for free, and you aren’t obliged to give it up.”
“I know. That’s why I’m asking you to fulfill my request instead of sharing the profits.”
“Well, let’s talk more about it then.”
“I want to create a Guild of Sorcerers. A guild where sorcerers scattered across the continent can gather.”
“That’s a good idea. Sorcerers work differently from dark mages.”
Jared nodded. Sorcerers were essential debuffers and were useful in dungeon raids, wars, and many other aspects. One caveat, however, was they could go berserk without proper control.
Understanding Jared’s concerns, Isabel added an explanation.
“I’m not going to accept low-quality sorcerers. What I mean is, I’ll refuse anyone who cannot control themselves.”
“You’re looking for true sorcerers, in other words?”
“Exactly. Ever since the Trancilia massacre, I want to gather the sorcerers scattered across the continent and build that forces up... fully for your aid, Jared!”
This was not something Jared had anticipated. He had no doubt that one well-trained sorcerer could surpass three or four white mages of the same rank. This was proven fact within Paradiso.
Of course, training and managing sorcerers would be challenging, but Isabel was expressing her desire to take on that role herself.
“I’m not talking on a whim. This thought has been with me ever since I regained my new body.”
“Isabel, I truly didn't see this coming.”
“I know what you’ll be worried about. I’ll safeguard my honor and past and ensure the sorcerers are well controlled. I promise I won’t let them harm you.”
“You must have been lonely, thinking of the sorcerers you were with before.”
Jared offered Isabel sympathy. But she simply bit her lip and shook her head, trying to shake off her pain.
“It’s fine. I just want to contribute more to your territory. I want to ensure that I have enough value for you.”
“Alright, I’ll support the establishment of the Guild of Sorcerers and its initial funding without reservation. However, you must take responsibility for managing it well. The moment any sorcerer dabbles in forbidden dark magic or allies with dark orders...”
“At the moment they go rogue?”
Isabel’s eyes gleamed sharply as she interrupted him.
“I will take the lead and do everything to destroy them. There will be no coexistence with the dark order.”
“Don’t worry. I despise them just as much as you do.”
Isabel dismissed Jared's concerns with confidence.
“Good! Then let’s get started without hesitation!”
“What? Starting what?”
Thus, the foundation of the Guild of Sorcerers gained rapid momentum. Other nations on the Nas Continent were unaware of the potential of sorcerers severely diminished since the massacre.
But Jared, who focused on the unique destructive power possessed by sorcerers within Paradiso, understood well that nurturing them would give a critical advantage in many forthcoming wars.
It was a very fortunate thing that Isabel acted ahead of Jared; he felt reassured and happy to know he was not the only one dreaming of a bright future for his territory.
On August 19th, 1415 of the Nas Continent, while inspecting the outskirts of the territory, I witnessed a scene so incredible I could hardly believe my eyes.
With my mouth agape, I couldn’t help but think, was this truly reality? There, along the distant mountain ridges marking the outer borders of the territory, a seemingly endless stream of refugees was marching.
They were pouring into our territory due to floods, plagues, and hardships from neighboring countries, and the number was not just a few. It was at least three or even four times greater than I had expected.
“You’re abandoning your own citizens like this? What madness is this?”
Grabbing my aching forehead, I stared at the waves of refugees overwhelming my sight. These were people who could have avoided becoming refugees. Yet, they were intentionally cast away by their home states as if they were trash.
Having lost their homes and livelihoods, these refugees were now a threat to the rulers who had pushed them away, brimming with the potential to turn against them at any moment.
“It’s those foolish kings of the Bonus and Malus kingdoms... these idiotic bastards!”
I couldn’t keep the curses from bubbling up within me. After that day, I wrote down the names of both kingdoms in my own “Death Note,” a list that would be forever marked in my memory.
End of Chapter 85