NOVEL NEXT Chapter 39.1
39.1. Request
Afterward, Nord asked Elisio what kinds of things he could create, explaining just how valuable his magical tools were.
Although Elisio was undoubtedly a genius, he had no idea how extraordinary his abilities were or the worth of the magical tools he crafted.
Even after Nord explained all this to him, Elisio still responded skeptically,
“Is it really that big of a deal…?”
he asked with visible doubt.
When Nord inquired further, he learned that Elisio had lost his parents at an early age and had been raised by his grandfather.
Even that grandfather, however, passed away not long after Elisio entered the magic academy.
In other words, Elisio was utterly alone in the world.
He had entered the academy at the tender age of twelve.
Despite his overwhelming talent, Elisio was quite ignorant of the norms of society.
“Elisio, there are countless adventurers who would leap at the chance to forge a connection with a skilled magician, especially one who can make magical tools.
If it’s just gathering materials, plenty of adventurers would take the job for free if they received one of your magical tools as payment.”
“Really?! Is that true?!”
Ignorance is a crime. Nord couldn’t remember when he’d first heard those words, but Elisio’s attitude seemed dangerously close to embodying them.
It was unsettling.
When Elisio looked like he was about to rush off to the Adventurer’s Guild to make a request, Nord stopped him.
Magical tools—especially those meant for combat—were, without exception, incredibly valuable.
More than that, opportunities to obtain them were exceedingly rare.
While magical tools for everyday use could be bought for a fair price from merchants who sourced them from the Alchemist’s Guild,
scrolls imbued with magical power or staffs weren’t casually sold by their creators.
This was because, to magicians, magical tools represented their knowledge and skills made manifest for others to use.
Magicians took pride in their ability to use magic.
With few exceptions, magicians were individuals who had shown a natural aptitude for controlling magical energy from birth.
Afterward, they underwent rigorous training to become mages.
Every magician was, by definition, a “genius,” and they believed their magical abilities made them inherently superior to those who could not use magic.
For such individuals, magical tools were both a testament to their magical prowess and a perceived threat to their status,
as these tools allowed others to mimic the use of magic.
Perhaps for this reason, magicians detested the idea of magical tools being traded freely for money.
They likely felt that their “pride” was being commodified.
The Alchemist’s Guild, which actively sold magical tools and potions to the public,
was considered an eccentric organization among magicians.
Ordinary magicians affiliated with the Magician’s Guild only conducted transactions with individuals they deemed worthy—
high-ranking adventurers or nobles with whom they had personal ties.
As a result, combat-related magical tools were incredibly expensive and scarce.
If Elisio had gone to the Adventurer’s Guild to make a request, it would have been accepted quickly due to its appeal.
But the aftermath posed a problem.
Adventurers, known for their loose lips, would undoubtedly brag about acquiring a magical tool while drunk in a tavern.
Word about Elisio would spread in no time, and he would soon be recognized as a young magician capable of crafting exceptional magical tools.
This alone would have been tolerable, but it wouldn’t stop there.
Newbie adventurers or greedy merchants would swarm him,
clamoring for him to make magical tools, leaving him no time for research.
Worse still, someone might kidnap Elisio, forcing him to create magical tools solely for profit.
When Nord explained these possibilities to him, Elisio finally began to grasp the value of what he was making.
“Th-then what should I do?”
“Just to confirm, are you part of any guild, Elisio?”
“N-no… I’m not affiliated with any.”
With his androgynous face drained of color, Elisio’s pale skin turned even whiter as he answered Nord.
Nord gently placed a reassuring hand on Elisio’s shoulder and guided him to sit in a chair.
Perched on the chair, Elisio—already short—seemed even smaller.
Within the Hamill Kingdom and beyond, many guilds served as mutual aid societies for their members.
These guilds, whether for adventurers, magicians, alchemists, masons, fishermen, blacksmiths, merchants, bakers, or innkeepers,
not only supported their members but also protected their interests by repelling external threats.
Guild members were bound by rules and paid dues but were shielded in return.
“Not being part of a guild means, conversely, that no one will protect you…”
“I’m sorry…”
“No need to apologize.”
Elisio was from a village within a royal territory near the capital.
His parents and grandparents, all farmers, had not been guild members, so Elisio had likely never learned about guilds before losing them.
“In that case, going through a guild and keeping your name anonymous is out of the question.
Elisio, do you know any adventurers you can trust?”
“No, I don’t. Nord, you’re the first.”
“I see…”
To Nord’s inquiry, coupled with a suggestion that he knew someone trustworthy,
Elisio’s answer was, again, a regretful no.
Hearing this, Nord proposed.
“Elisio, if you’re okay with it, shall I introduce you to a trustworthy adventurer?”
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