Chapter 7: City of Calisden
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“Hey, how did you do that back there?”
Inside the rattling wagon, Russell lay on the makeshift stretcher where the wounded had been. The ones who had originally occupied it were either riding on horseback or walking outside—their way of showing respect and caution towards Russell after he had defeated the troll.
Or perhaps they were simply afraid of him for not being human.
After defeating the troll named Nazurek, they crossed the pass. The merchants were elated to have the troll’s body, which was almost intact, rather than having to capture it alive. They said they would be able to reach the city of Calisden before nightfall.
“What?”
“That thing you just did earlier.”
“Earlier? You mean me? And do you have any cigarettes? I feel like having a smoke.”
“You smoked all of them last time! That was the last one! I kept it for myself!”
“Evelyn-nim. Russell-nim is injured.”
Elenora, who was sitting beside him, tending to Russell, spoke up. She had her blonde hair down and exuded vitality from her palms.
“Oh, my bad.”
Evelyn apologized. Elenora scanned Russell’s entire body with her golden, glowing palms. Instead of touching him directly, she started from the tips of his toes, slowly moving up his calves, thighs, pelvis, abdomen, and chest.
It felt as if he could sense her touch, even though her hands were not directly on him. Russell looked up at Elenora, who had her eyes closed, fully concentrating.
Soon, as her glowing hands reached his left arm and right hand, the swelling gradually subsided. His hand and arm soon returned to their original state before the injury, and the throbbing pain ceased.
Russell clenched and unclenched his hand, then rotated his arm. He could move it without any discomfort.
Elenora spoke flatly.
“Your bone was broken. You shouldn’t exert too much force for a while, especially you, Russell-nim.”
“Why?”
“Because you have a lot of muscles. I just examined you, and your entire body is filled with muscle.
‘Can holy power tell you that too?’ As Russell pondered, Elenora continued speaking.
“Russell-Nim’s muscles have a remarkable density. It’s definitely not human-level. It’s more akin to the demi-humans, specifically the Draconian or Kaldir tribes. Their bones are just as strong. Even though you punched the troll head-on, it only broke because your body is so sturdy.”
‘Hmm. It’s comparable to a sub-race? I’ve been running around since I was young, so I don’t know much about it.’ And since he had never met a Draconian or other demi-humans, he didn’t have anything to compare them to.
“But?”
“However, it is currently in a fractured state. “f you exert force while it’s not fully healed, your muscles will swell and push against the bone, breaking it again.”
“How long is a while?”
“It varies from person to person, but it usually takes more than two weeks to recover fully. However. . .”
“I’m different.”
“Yes. Because you manipulate mana.”
Wizards, martial artists, and other schools of thought have their own unique healing techniques when it comes to manipulating mana. Wizards have healing spells like Heal or Cure, whereas martial artists have techniques that enhance the body’s internal vitality, allowing it to heal faster. Elenora had considered this when she spoke.
Elenora said,
“Your mana capacity is also quite large for your age.Excessive use of vitality can conflict with your mana, so I only focused on healing your bones. Still, you should be careful for three or four days.”
“I will.”
“Then, excuse me for a moment.”
“Hm?”
Elenora raised her hands again and gently caressed Russell’s face. She started at his neck and slowly moved over his jaw, cheeks, nose, brow ridge, and forehead.
“It seems his face is uninjured.”
“There’s a small wound on his forehead. Don’t move.”
Oh? Russell tilted his head and remained still. He felt fine, after all. When would he ever get to feel the touch of such a beautiful woman’s hands?
“Hm. . .”
Evelyn, who had been watching, let out an unintelligible murmur, but no one said anything. After a while, when it seemed like it was enough, Elenora removed her hands and stepped back. It felt like she had been there for longer than when she was healing his left arm or right hand.
“That’s it. As I said earlier, you should rest for a day.”
“I got it. Thank you.”
Elenora shook her head as Russell expressed his gratitude.
“No. We should be the ones thanking you. Please accept this.”
It seemed like if they continued talking, the conversation would go the same way it did four days ago when they fought the uruk, so Russell simply smiled.
Evelyn, who had been patiently enduring until then, spoke up again.
“It was mana interference.”
“What?”
Russell questioned her abrupt declaration.
“When you dispersed the flames that the troll breathed out earlier, That was mana interference.”
“Mana interference. . .”
He understood what Evelyn meant. She was referring to when Russell blocked the troll’s fire breath attack with just a flick of his finger, as if he were a dragon.
Her expression was one of surprise. Her green eyes sparkled, and she was panting.
“Mana interference, magic disruption, spell negation—whatever you call it, the result is the same or similar. Nullifying phenomena. That’s what you did earlier. How the hell did you do it? Is there a secret technique in your martial arts? Or did someone teach you?”
“I didn’t really learn it. I just reversed the process of casting magic.”
“That’s what I’m saying. The fact is, it’s incredibly difficult. High-level wizards can fight by understanding the essence of spells cast by others, negating and disrupting them in order to complete their own spells. But you’re not a wizard, are you?”
“Hm.”
Russell silently raised his index finger.
“Fire.”
Whoosh.
A flame ignited on his index finger. Evelyn stared blankly at the flame burning on Russell’s fingertip. Elenora narrowed her blue eyes. She didn’t seem surprised. Evelyn said,
“. . .How?”
“In my own way, I studied the fireball you showed me four days ago.”
“Studied. . . it? How?”
“I kept thinking about it until I fell asleep. And then it came to me.”
Evelyn was on the verge of losing her mind at Russell’s nonchalant words. If humans could use magic that way, humanity would have achieved a magical civilization by now. There would also be no apprentices, students, or disciples running around to obtain a single spell or reagent. Evelyn blurted out.
“Are you serious?”
“What’s wrong with that?”
Russell flicked the flame on his index finger and then deftly manipulated the flames between his fingers. Evelyn’s mouth fell open at his incredible mana manipulation ability.
“No, that’s, huh. . .”
Evelyn, who had been exclaiming in admiration like an idiot, lowered her head slightly. Since there was no other light source except for the lantern hanging from the wagon’s ceiling, her face quickly darkened under her loose hair. Her muffled voice faintly reached the floor from beneath it.
Pure willpower, without any specific medium, can manifest elemental magic. However, to do it without knowing any runes, spells, or hand signs, and with just willpower and mana alone, is impossible without a special bloodline or mana organ. Despite the hypothesis, magic towers and universities have been researching it for a thousand years, but the only way for humans to perform magic based on mana is still to create their own mana orbs or form circles. . .”
She’s going to collapse like that. Russell and Elenora stared blankly at Evelyn. Then she suddenly raised her head. Evelyn’s green eyes met Russell’s.
“Violet eyes. . .”
“Hm?”
“. . .Never mind.”
The conversation ended abruptly. Russell remained silent, while Evelyn appeared engrossed in contemplation. Instead, he circulated his mana to heal his injuries.
As he closed his eyes and gathered his senses one by one, the outside noise gradually faded away. His consciousness soon spread to his left arm and right hand. Thanks to their vitality, the broken bones had healed well.
Russell used his mana to further enhance and accelerate his body’s natural healing abilities. He could feel his bones and muscles becoming even stronger and tougher as the mana permeated them.
Elenora had said that he should rest for three or four days, but Russell thought two days would be enough for him to fully recover.
Elenora, who had been silent, spoke up.
“Russell-nim.”
“Hm?”
“May I ask what your business is in Calisden?”
“Nothing much. It’s just a big city on the way from north to south. I also received a request to escort a merchant group from the previous village to this city.”
“So you’re not here because of any rumors or legends.”
“That’s right. What rumors are there?”
“I don’t know the details myself.However, I heard that there has been some commotion outside the city. Internally as well.”
“Hm.”
Russell suddenly wondered why this blonde priestess was telling him this. Was she attempting to convince him to go with them? Did she suddenly feel sentimental now that it was time to part ways?
“Many eyes are on you. God is also watching over you.”
“Is that true? What did he say?”
“God does not speak carelessly. He simply wants you to realize His meaning by watching.”
“He wants me to figure it out just by looking at his eyes.”
“The gaze of the gods often touches those who bear the hardships of humanity. If you ever need my help, I will assist you.”
“Oh, okay.”
And with that, Elenora closed her eyes and sealed her lips. ‘What the hell? I thought she was going to preach. She just ended the conversation like that.’
With that in mind, the wagon carrying the silent witch, the priestess with her eyes closed, and the warrior looking up at the wagon’s ceiling continued on its way. Behind them, the blue moon followed.
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Soon, the city came into view. The first thing that caught their eyes was the large river surrounding the city, with fields of waist-high grass spread out around it.
Calisden. Calisden was a large city that served as a trade city and a gateway to the northeast.
The outer wall surrounding the city was built seamlessly with large stones, and its height was considerable. ‘I heard that it was built on the ruins of an ancient city that existed long ago. In fact, most of the major cities that humans currently inhabit have inherited the legacies of the ancients.’
There were no other attacks after they defeated the troll. The merchants cheered at the sight of the city, and the mercenaries sighed in relief.
“This escort mission was unusually tough.”
“I’m telling you. Why were the monsters acting up so much when there was something to eat?”
Russell got off the wagon. Since they were almost there, the speed was not as fast as the warning level. Elenora said,
“You can stay lying down if you want.”
“My whole body is aching, so I can’t. The treatment is over, right?”
Elenora didn’t say anything more as Russell rolled his shoulders. Russell walked beside the wagon and gazed at the city.
Despite the late hour, a line of people waited outside the outer wall to enter the city. It wasn’t dark, thanks to the watchtowers and torches rising above the walls, and the light coming from within the city was driving away the nearby darkness.
“Hmm, there’s such a long line at this hour. There must be other gates.”
The merchants tilted their heads. Fortunately, the line was moving quickly. As soon as they verified their identities, the guards, wearing narrow-brimmed helmets and carrying axes and spears, let people in.
The guards were surprised to see the troll’s body, but they didn’t stop them. Russell’s escort passed through without any problems.
The city was bustling even though it was night. Low and tall buildings made of sturdy oak lined the streets, and torches lit on brackets on each wall illuminated the surroundings.
As befitting the largest city in the northeast, there were various races other than humans walking the streets. Dwarves, characterized by their short legs, hurriedly walked around, while demi-humans, possessing the faces of beasts and the bodies of humans, were also present. There were no elves. That was a shame.
In addition, for some reason, there were many armed soldiers patrolling the streets.
“Oh my god, look at that.”
“Isn’t that a troll? Why is it so big?”
“A troll’s body is almost intact. How amazing.”
Russell’s escort received a lot of attention. Of course, it was because of the giant troll’s body that they were carrying in the middle of the procession. It would be difficult to take your eyes off the troll’s body, with its limbs hanging limply and its neck half-turned.
Russell himself was also the target of many gazes. After all, it was hard to see a human of such height. Russell was tall and large that rivaled the demi-humans with a handsome appearance, so the gazes of many young ladies were drawn to him.
Naturally, the crowd parted ways, and people looked at the mercenary and the troll’s bodies with admiring eyes. A few young boys bravely stepped forward, touching the troll’s hand or foot before running away, only to receive severe scolding from their mothers.
Even though they hadn’t done anything, the merchants proudly puffed out their chests, and the mercenaries enjoyed the citizens’ attention while chuckling.
Soon, they reached the merchant guild, and their mission was complete.
The mercenaries received their completion certificates, paid, and were scattered. Some went towards the inn district, while the majority of the others headed towards the shady back alleys or entertainment districts. They all greeted Russell or bowed their heads before leaving.
The others who had gotten on the wagon also said their goodbyes and walked away. Russell bid farewell to Daphne.
“Take care.”
“Thank you, big brother!”
‘Oh, boy.’ Russell chuckled.
As he waved his hand at the girl who had finally called him ‘big brother’, her parents bowed their heads next to her. They soon disappeared into the crowd.
Donovan approached and extended his hand to Russell.
“Thank you, Russell-Nim. We arrived safely thanks to you.”
“It was nothing.”
Donovan handed Russell a heavy purse and a sealed certificate. When he opened the purse, he found it contained many more silver coins than the escort fee he had originally offered.
He then read the certificate, which stated completion of the escort mission and additional rewards. It included the fact that he had prevented attacks by uruks and other monsters, as well as that he had defeated the troll. He crossed out the other monster kills, presumably to signify the completion of the rewards. Only the troll kill remained uncrossed.
“What do you plan to do with the troll’s body?”
“I’m not sure. Is there a good way to do it?”
“Well, it’s rare to find a troll’s body in such good condition. It will probably be interesting to the wizards. If you don’t mind, we’d like to auction it off and sell it.”
“Auction?”
“Yes. The auction takes place tomorrow. You’re in luck, because you’ll probably make more money than if you just sold it.”
“Then let’s do that. Is there a commission?”
“We will handle the commission. After all, we wouldn’t have caught the monster if it weren’t for you, Russell-Nim. We would have had to turn around and go back.”
The merchant said it with a bright expression. Even after deducting the commission, the merchant guild would receive a significant amount of money from the troll. Russell asked,
“I understand. When should I come to the guild to collect the money?”
“Please come to the guild tomorrow evening. Oh, and we will also take care of the armor and weapons you obtained from the uruks.”
Russell nodded. He also greeted the remaining merchants. Dominic and Dawson came up to him, shaking his hands one by one.
“Thank you, young man. I envy your strength.”
“Thank you, Russell-Nim. I hope to see you again someday.”
The only ones left were Elenora and Evelyn. Elenora bowed her waist and greeted him.
“Thanks to you, we were able to arrive safely.”
“I’m glad I could help. Take care.”
Elenora smiled. When a smile appeared on her face, which had always been expressionless, it felt as if the surroundings became brighter. The men’s eyes immediately focused on her.
“Then.”
After greeting Russell, Elenora erased her smile as if it had never been there. Then she turned and disappeared into the distance. ‘Huh, for real. She’s pretty. She should smile more often.’
As the priestess disappeared into the night, Evelyn hesitantly greeted him.
“Um, I also, thanks to you, arrived safely.”
“Yeah. I saw your magic, too.”
“By any chance, do you want to travel together?”
“With you?”
“Yeah.”
“Sorry, but I’d like to travel alone for the time being. Let’s see you next time.”
“Ugh. Okay.”
“Oh, wait a minute.”
“Wha! What is it?!”
Evelyn quickly turned around at Russell’s call. Her bright expression showed her anticipation, but Russell chuckled and continued speaking.
“Your cigarettes are fine, but where do you buy them?”
“. . . Go to the shopping district and look for it. There should be a magic tower on the sign. They probably sell it there.”
“Thanks. Take care.”
“. . .Hmph!”
Evelyn stomped away, and Russell chuckled and turned his head.
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