RMA 08

Chapter 8

#1

Medeia felt very pleased after receiving the latest report.

So much so, that when she saw Loras lazing about, she thought, “Well, it’s fine if he rests for a day.” And when she saw Lorelian snapping at the maids, she judged, “The maids ought to take better care of her.”

Had she ever felt this good in recent times?

“Young Master Lawrence has sent in another request.”
“Seems he broke some necessities. He put in an additional request.”

“Fufu, of course. A child who hasn’t even been properly educated can hardly be expected to know how to take care of valuable necessities.”

It was only natural for a young boy to break things and fail to handle them well. He had just one maid, didn’t he? After years of using commoners’ crude goods, he suddenly had noble luxuries in his hands. Naturally, once broken, he would want replacements.

The plan is perfect. All that’s left… is to wait for the lord’s orders.

With a faint smile, Medeia called for the head maid.

Her people were spread throughout the Montemer estate. It was time to send out another request.

“You called, madam.”

“There’s been another supply request from the storeroom.”

“Already? It hasn’t been long since the last… What would you have me do?”

“Do as you’ve done before. I’ll rely on you again. Send [Oliver].”

The head maid bowed deeply. Her duty was to carry out orders, nothing less. After preparing the curse and arranging Oliver’s escort duty, she withdrew.

There would be no failure. This was a direct command from the lady of Montemer herself.

She took the necessary steps and then passed word to Oliver.

“My lady has ordered you to visit the storeroom and check on the young master’s condition.”

“A simple enough task. Understood.”

Oliver, a 4th-Circle magician. Though an outsider, he had caught Edward’s eye and was active as a combat mage.

His family ran a small merchant company that did business with Medeia’s household. Inevitably, Oliver was tied to her, and he devoted himself to his family’s prosperity.

“Ah, and take the documents Young Master Lawrence requested as well. And the necessities.”

“Understood.”

“Deliver them, observe, and report back. That will be all…”

The head maid bowed and left briskly.

Oliver watched her retreating back and thought of the young master, rotting away in that “trash warehouse.”

So, the boy used magic this time. Tsk. If he had stayed quiet, he wouldn’t have drawn such resentment…

What could a mere ten-year-old do? Being born into a great family with neither ability nor backing—what a miserable fate.

Oliver turned toward the lord’s office. He didn’t know what the boy had requested, but surely it was nothing but a futile struggle.

As he walked, he pondered what reward to demand this time, and just how far he could push the trade. For Oliver was no mage who moved without compensation.

#2

“Young master, are you all right?”

“Cough! Ugh… I’m fine.”

“Shouldn’t I fetch medicine?”

“We don’t have money. Maybe… it’ll arrive today.”

Rachel looked at the wheezing Lawrence, her eyes brimming with tears. Watching a child wracked with sickness reminded her of the lady who had once cared for her when she was small and sickly.

Why had her perfectly fine young master suddenly fallen ill?

Now that I think of it, he smashed the dishes and warned me never to touch them…

Even with food, he made a strict division between hers and his own. At this point, it would be strange not to notice.

Rachel replaced the cold towel on his forehead and thought bitterly of how unjust the world was. She and a ten-year-old boy, abandoned in a decrepit outbuilding… and even then, people would not leave them alone, but heaped all sorts of strange things upon them.

Lawrence was no skilled mage; he couldn’t distinguish curses from poisons. But what else could explain such sudden illness?

“Young master…”

“I’m… cough! fine. Just keep an eye out for visitors. Call me right away, understood?”

“Yes. You… have a plan, don’t you?”

“Of course. Ugh…”

His mouth was dry, swallowing difficult. Muscle aches gnawed at his body, chills crept up from within. Text crawled across his vision, disrupting his focus:

[Curse: Afflicted with Weakness]
[Progress: 4%]
[Poison: Suffering indigestion, fever, muscle aches]
[Progress: 12%]

They must have hated me and my mother that much.

Oddly, he felt all right. That hatred fueled him, giving him the strength to fight back even harder.

Just then, the sound of horses and a carriage came through the open window.

They’re here.

“Rachel, I think—cough, cough!—they’ve arrived. Hurry, go down…”

“What about you? Please stay here.”

“No… it’s fine.”

Lawrence staggered to his feet. He had endured this suffering for days, waiting for this very moment. Living with poison and curses had left his body battered.

Bang, bang!

A loud knock rattled the door below. Rachel glanced between her master and the door before hurrying down.

Lawrence, still unsteady, made his way slowly toward the entrance.

“Who is it?”

“Supplies. I am Oliver, the attendant.”

“Ah, yes!”

Rachel quickly opened the door.

Oliver, the 4th-Circle magician, directed men to stack the cursed items and glanced around. Where was the young master?

“Sir Oliver, cough!”

“Young master. Greetings. But you seem unwell.”

“Yes… I think I caught a cold.”

Cough, cough! His hacking coughs came from deep in his lungs. The maid’s worried eyes told Oliver the poison and curses were taking proper effect.

With a pitying smile, he handed Lawrence several books.

“These are the texts and documents the lord ordered me to deliver. I hope they’re of use.”

“Thank you.”

“The rest of the goods are in the warehouse. And the provisions—how were they?”

“They were delicious. I’d love to have more, if possible.”

The innocent boy smiled faintly, coughing all the while. Oliver carefully wrote down the list, then took his leave.

“My duty is complete. I’ll be on my way.”

“Thank you for coming all this way. Please give my regards to madam.”

“Understood. Then, farewell.”

The door closed, and soon the carriage rattled away into the distance.

Rachel watched from the window, then turned to scold her master—only to falter.

“Young master! That was too much—huh?”

“Ahh, I feel so much better now. Hm? What were you saying?”

“Young master…?”

Moments ago he had been deathly pale, on the verge of collapse. Yet now he stood bright-eyed and cheerful. Rachel froze, unable to comprehend, while Lawrence burst into laughter.

“You thought I was truly sick? Well, I was. Poison and curses… really awful stuff.”

“Young maasteer! Are you truly, truly all right!?”

“Of course.”

[Negative Energy]
[Stored Energy: 443]

The energy he had spent on training had been replenished. The poison and curses that ate at his body were converted into energy for growth. His dull skin regained its glow, his lifeless eyes shone once more.

Most importantly, his enemies had been deceived, buying him precious time.

And in that time, he would keep growing stronger. Lawrence turned to the books delivered from the main estate.

[House Eden – Swordsmanship]
[House Eden – Physical Training]
[House Eden …]

The Barony of Eden, known as “madmen of the sword.” For now, they were but a shabby border family. But in the future, they would be recognized as national heroes.

It was they who would produce a long-lost Sword Saint.

That was fifteen years from now—a distant tale. But Lawrence knew the truth: the Eden family’s physical training methods were the foundation that birthed a Sword Saint.

“One thing I want to ask.”

[Speak.]

“This Artifact… can it be removed?”

[Yes.]

“And it won’t disappear?”

[It will remain as an item.]

His curiosity satisfied, it was finally time to focus on becoming stronger.

#3

Scratch, scratch.

Lawrence worked quietly, focused on his task. Rachel begged him to rest, but how could he? Time was more precious than gold.

You must build a strong foundation during growth. That’s only natural.

Why is it that even retired athletes remain far above ordinary people in physical ability? Because their bodies, shaped from youth, remember that training. What you do during growth defines your life.

And for developing physical ability, no method surpassed Eden’s.

“All done.”

[Artifact: Pierced Armor]
[Inscription: Chains of Mana]
[Inscription Rank: 1st Circle]
[Implantation: Possible]

Chains of Mana was a debuff spell that bound the body with mana, greatly increasing fatigue. To outsiders, using it would seem insane. Applying such strain to a growing child could destroy the body.

“Remove Fire Arrow Artifact.”

[Artifact removed.]

Crackle!

The implanted Artifact separated from his body and returned to being an item. In the forgotten warehouse, Lawrence hid treasures and forced himself onto the path of hardship.

“Implant Chains of Mana Artifact.”

[Artifact implanted.]

Crackle!

The new Artifact took hold, and Lawrence dropped to his knees.

[Chains of Mana activated.]
[Negative Energy consumption increased.]

“Yes… this is it.”

A training method none of them knew.

If there were a lottery that guaranteed 100% winnings, wouldn’t you walk the thorn-strewn path to reach it? Certainty could make a human transcend themselves.

Crack!

Lawrence’s frail body screamed in protest, while the Negative Energy devoured itself at a rapid pace.

“Funny thing is, punching someone feels pretty good.”

The potential of Artifacts was limitless. Just as equipping different items in a game could change your class, Lawrence too had the potential to be either warrior or mage.

[Dragon Body progressing.]
[Hatchling: 9.9%]
[At 10%, number of implantable Artifacts will increase.]

He would become stronger.

And when the great Subjugation Campaign came, he would not allow the same tragedy as in his past life.

Lawrence had turned back time to set things right.

The words spoken to him by the dragon were carved vividly into his mind.