Limit Breaking Genius Mage Chapter 468

Episode 468: A Welcome Face

“Huh… I didn’t know you would come back across the continent to find Rito. I know better than anyone that he has incredible talent, but I didn’t know that Asher would come looking for him again. I guess it was a great help when I introduced him to you last time.”

Pale took the two glasses that had contained the first cocktail, now empty.

“A lot has happened in the past two years. There have been fierce battles over rice bowls between information brokers, and there have even been several attempts to kidnap Lito Barslan. After all, a so-called real alchemist is something that no one can help but desire. In that regard, I received help from Count Rodenmeyer.”

“Count Rodenmeyer. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that name.”

Count Rodenmayr was a nobleman of the duchy who had deep connections to Verden in many ways.

The rune ring that heightens the senses of the entire body, it was thanks to the secretary of Count Rodenmaier that I was able to restart Exceed.

It was also through Count Rodenmire's request that I first encountered the Soul Tree. The disappearances in several villages that Gluttony had caused were also the same.

And there was even a time when he received a huge sum of money by winning a competition held by an agency of the Principality of Rivian as promised.

The black-bladed dagger he gave me before leaving the duchy and heading to the Kingdom of Estyria is still in good use to this day.

In fact, Count Rodenmeyer was no different from a nobleman who contributed to Verden's active activities in the Duchy of Liviant.

“By receiving the first place evaluation in the agency that Asher participated in, Count Rodenmire received the mining rights for the silver mine and the magic stone tunnel from the duke. The development project was completed early this year, and the investment is being quickly recovered. Among the current duchy’s counts, he can be said to be the most successful. Although he unfortunately did not receive first place in last year’s agency, he was nevertheless evaluated well and was able to get his hands on several national projects.”

Count Rodenmeyer seems to be on a proper upward trajectory.

Pale wiped the water off the glasses he had just washed.

“Oh, I digressed. Sorry. Anyway, despite what happened, Lito Barslan is completely safe.”

“Are you still in that cabin?”

“They say that such a quirky person wouldn’t abandon his treasure trove even if a knife was put to his throat. It really is. But from what I’ve heard… it seems like you came to me first, not Rito.”

“Because he might have moved in the meantime. And I know that Lito Barslan hates uninvited guests, so it wouldn’t be right to just go and see him just because you know him. I don’t intend to force you to do anything just because I need you.”

Rito Barslan's use of Pale as a mediator to take on alchemy-related requests is simply a hobby.

Not only was intimidation useless, but above all, Verden had his own line.

From the beginning, I had no intention of suppressing the characters in relationships like Pale and Rito.

“That part hasn’t changed at all.”

Pale recalled the first time he met Verden───before connecting him with the request, the answers he had written on the questionnaire asking about his personality.

“When would you like me to set an appointment date for you?”

“As fast as possible.”

"All right."

He took a pen out of the inside pocket of his coat and scribbled on the luxurious letter paper. The flowing, powerful handwriting created the content on the spot.

He then called his entourage.

When Verden first came to Pale's Arrowhead, the bandaged man who had shown him the way to the underground tavern appeared.

Pale handed him a letter that she had sealed herself.

“Send it to Combley Town as soon as possible. It’s an urgent matter.”

“Okay, I understand, Pale.”

A man with bandages wrapped all over his body and wearing old cloth clothes over them answers in a hoarse voice. He then greets Verden and Isabella politely and leaves the underground tavern.

Pale said.

“After I got hold of Northern Gray, I also got a connection with a fifth-tier wizard. He retired early and lives a small life farming in a quiet village near Cohen. Sometimes, when I need to send a letter somewhere urgently, I hire him, and in return, we help him with his farm work or broker the sale of agricultural products.”

Isabella looked curious.

“A fifth-tier wizard would have no problem making a living if he could just settle down in the city, so it’s surprising that he chose to become a farmer.”

“Wouldn’t someone who has experienced the hardships of life need comfort? When I first tried to contact you, you said you didn’t want to do anything that would cause you headaches, so I’m not taking on any other requests except for letter delivery. As an information broker, I should respect that.”

Pale checked his watch.

“I will contact Lito Barslan in the morning. So if you come to see him after lunch tomorrow, you will be a guest rather than an intruder. I would like to make an appointment sooner, but I would appreciate it if you understand my capabilities.”

I expected it would take at least three to four days, but the waiting time was much shorter than that.

Verden, satisfied with the quick turnaround, handed over two checks for 100 million won as an introduction fee.

“It was set based on the price paid the year before last. Isn’t it insufficient?”

“That’s twice the regular price. And I have no intention of receiving any introduction fee from you, Asher. Please accept my favor.”

“I’ll count it as what I received, so take this. If you don’t need it, you can donate it.”

Pale blinked and rubbed his chin with a serious expression.

“Donations are information… I’ve never done anything other than donating to a church to receive a miracle. Now that I think about it, it’s a unique experience. I’ve been feeling lonely lately, so I’ll add the money Asher gave me and some of my own money to donate to an orphanage. Of course, anonymously.”

At Verden's suggestion, Pale said that he would do so sincerely and not jokingly.

Compared to the way of thinking of the duchy's Pale or the kingdom's Fernenna, or the information spread around, it was almost a different species.

“By the way, the words ‘information’ and ‘lonely’ don’t seem to go together.”

“Haha, I’m not familiar with it either.”

Pale collected the two empty glasses that had contained the second cocktail.

“In the beginning, I struggled to survive as an information broker and hoped for stability. But when I actually achieved that goal, it wasn’t… refreshing. Sometimes I missed it. It was like I was addicted to the intensity.”

Crackle. Crackle.

He wiped the glasses he had washed clean with a dry rag and put them back in the cupboard.

“Of course, the peace we have now will never last forever. In a few years, competitors will appear like mushrooms, and I, unable to handle them, may eventually be forced to retreat to the back room. Or I may be killed and abandoned in an alley somewhere.”

Pale knows the fate of Gray's information brokers who are pushed out of the competition. He has seen it with his own eyes and created it.

Of course, Pale said that he would leave this world before losing his precious life, and he talked about the retirement life he was currently envisioning.

Then Verden said,

“I don’t think that’s your ambition.”

"……yes?"

“Don’t you think the Principality of Revan is too small to talk about the end of life?”

At that moment, Pale opened his eyes wide.

Verden, who met his complicated gaze, stood up from his chair with a meaningful remark.

“I’ve seen you off. I’ll come back ‘next time.’”

“I enjoyed the cocktail.”

“Ah…… Ah, yes. I hope you both stay healthy.”

Verden and Isabella headed towards the ground.

Pale, who had been standing still in the empty underground tavern, watched the two people's backs disappear until the very end, muttered absentmindedly.

“The principality is small.”

Suddenly Pale thought of the continent.

A vast world unfolded before my mind like a grassland, incomparable to the territory of the Principality of Liviant.

* * *

After meeting with Pale, Verden and Isabella walked around the streets of Cohen as if they were sightseeing, then rented two rooms at an inn and spent the day there.

A bee shelter.

In the past, this was the inn where Verden often stayed whenever he came from Cohen.

After dawn, the sun rises in the east.

The destination is Cumberland Town.

The cooldown time for <Gate> had not yet passed. Of course, it was not a distance that required long-distance teleportation.

After a leisurely departure from Cohen and a long flight across the vast skies, we arrived in the forest near the town of Cumberland just after noon.

When I first came here, a man named Sam sent by Pale guided me directly to Lito Barslan's cabin.

Now that I knew the way, and could figure out the location with my wide-ranging <Magic Sensing>, I didn't need any more help.

Isabella played with the ends of her hair.

“A high-ranking alchemist who can make magic cores on his own lives in a rural area like this… He must have shut himself in because he has nothing more to learn. It seems impossible to reach that level through self-study alone.”

Isabella's family was one of the most prestigious families in the old Magic Kingdom, and Isabella herself graduated from the academy with excellent grades.

And in order to study the three heirlooms, the byproducts of special entities passed down through the Deiros family, and to spend time with his family, he continued to study on his own.

Thanks to this, Isabella's alchemy was quite excellent, but… … it was naturally difficult to reach a certain level.

There were terrible circumstances that prevented me from continuing my studies.

'Of course, if she does it right, Isabella could succeed in making the magic core on her own… … .'

Not only is the possibility low, but there is a severe lack of materials to invest in it.

Even if it is Verden, it is not easy to secure the limited quantity of mandrake extract again.

“Gaju, is it possible for me to learn the magic nuke manufacturing method from that guy named Rito?”

“Well, I don’t know if they’ll tell you directly if you ask them. But if you volunteer to help, you can learn by watching.”

Verden is not very good at showing off, but he has the basics of alchemy. He can help Rito shorten the time it takes to make a magic core.

However, trying to create a magic core alone by relying only on memories from that time was a reckless act that was no different from gambling.

After a while, brown flowers began to appear clinging to the tree.

Dream flower.

It was a parasitic plant that caused strong hallucinations by sprinkling fine powder on the surrounding area and the sky. It was a trap set by Rito as a countermeasure against intruders.

'The numbers and locations are the same as before.'

It means that it is being managed with care.

Of course, it didn't work on Verden and Isabella, so they ignored it and passed by.

As we flew so close to the ground, a two-story cabin in the middle of the forest came into view.

In the garden surrounding it, rare plants that are very difficult to grow artificially were growing here and there.

dripping.

While Isabella was admiring the level of the garden, Verden came up the steps of the cottage and knocked lightly on the door.

There is no response, but a presence is felt.

Shhhh… … .

A thin stream of smoke rises through the crack in the door.

It seemed to induce a cough, but of course it was impossible to disturb Verden's breathing with something like this.

“It’s not fun at all since there’s no response.”

A voice from inside.

The door soon opened.

“Kkk, it’s nice to see your face.”

Hair that has become gray with age, an unkempt beard, and eyes that look extremely stubborn.

An old man, Lito Barslan, slowly emerged, wearing the same worn and tattered brown robe he had worn before.

* * *

“Come in. Just push away whatever is on your feet. Oh, but that doesn’t mean you can kick it like a goblin’s head.”

The cabin he entered after following Rito was a total mess. Numerous alchemical tools were strewn about.

It looked much more crowded because there were more types and numbers than before.

"eww……."

Isabella followed closely behind Verden. It was only natural, because if she didn't control her strength properly, something would break even if she just brushed past him.

“Shut up.”

Rito picked out three folding chairs that had fallen on the floor, set them up roughly, and plopped down on one of them, scratching his beard.

“I’m not really one to enjoy reunions, but honestly, I’m glad to see you. Who would have thought that the guy I saw a long time ago would come back as a famous person on the continent? And he’d bring a beautiful woman with him who matches my face… Hehe, this is why I can’t stop being interested in the world.”

Lito looked back and forth between Verden and Isabella, shrugging his shoulders slightly. It was a gesture of welcome to both returning and new guests.

“Last time I saw you, I said so. Next time you come, don’t bring something boring, bring something fun like a magic nuke.”

He looked straight at Verden.

“What brings you here this time, Asher?”

“Just like last time, I came to request the manufacture of a magic core.

Verden sat down on the chair, Isabella sitting right next to him.

Rito furrowed his eyebrows and bared his teeth.

“Huh. You… have changed. You have changed. Have you thrown away those empty formalities? Have you felt that you no longer need them?”

“Not similar.”

“That’s quite a change.”

The wizard who had once possessed immeasurable talent was now confident in himself… …. Lito Barslan could guess what kind of dense time Berden had been living through.

“Let me see the ingredients.”

After receiving the materials needed for the magic core from Verden, Rito was the first to open the mandrake extract and smell it.

“This is definitely the real thing. What the heck. Where on earth do you get the extract so easily? Well, the source isn’t really important. What will you give me if I make it for you?”

“Do you have anything else to suggest?”

“There’s nothing I really want right now.”

Contrary to his appearance, Rito is quite wealthy and does not receive any money as compensation.

Verden recalled the memory of passing through the Spider Forest to obtain Rosenflower, who had accompanied Rito in exchange for making a tonic and a magic core made from the heart of a salamander, and dropping a natural golem off a cliff.

“Okay, let me suggest something that might appeal to you.”

Verden used his insight to see through Rito's mind. What he wanted now was 'something new'.

At the same time, Verden, who had thought of several candidates, opened and closed the subspace and offered a reward to Rito, but… … .

“Well, is there anything else?”

All of them were rejected.

It wasn't bad enough as a reward, but it didn't seem very satisfying.

'Then what would be good?'

It was a moment when Verden was troubled.

Isabella, who had been watching the conversation between the two, intervened.

“Then how about this?”

She took out a sample of Lisandro's fruit stored in a transparent cube.

Rito reacted.

“What is that…? Is it a fruit?”

“The name is Lisandro’s Fruit. It is a part of the fruit I received from the elves of the Great Forest.”

“Daesurim??”

Before settling in the Principality of Liviant, Rito had traveled to numerous places, including the Western Continent, the Central Continent, and the Eastern Continent.

Almost my entire life.

However, there were many places I couldn't go to due to practical obstacles.

Beyond the border of the central continent, in the cold north, the silent desert, and the demonic realm, there was also the Great Forest.

“This, this is a fruit brought from the Elf Forest? And directly from the Elves? As for the effect, what is this fruit used for?”

Rito was rarely excited.

Isabella said calmly.

“One of the managers of the Great Forest said that it has healing powers. However, when I tried it myself, I found that it worked in a completely different way than the potion.”

“That, the manager of the Great Forest……!!! Could you please give me just a little bit, just a little bit?”

Isabella took one look at Verden and cut off a small sample and handed it over. Lito, who received it with great care, immediately started checking it out.

“Hey, Lito Barslan? Lito? Can’t you hear me? Um, you’re completely ignoring us. Should’ve just shown us later?”

“Well, I have to go through the verification process anyway. It’s frustrating, so I’ll wait outside.”

Verden and Isabella walked through the forest, wandering around the dirty hut.

Isabella's dark green hair and golden eyes, clad in a black robe with gold trim, blended quite well with the peaceful forest backdrop.

───Oh!!!!!!!!!!

Then I heard a sound almost like a scream from inside the cabin and returned to my seat.

Rito said, looking at the two people.

“When can I start making the magic core?”