Unaware that he had just sparked a merchant war, Lucen sat contentedly, counting the coin rolling in from his board game.
Still, he knew that this wasn’t going to be enough to realize the dream he had for Dorsen. He needed more money, so he needed to create something more.
Lucen wasn’t just planning to make Thornefang a powerful military unit. No, he would turn it into a brand, a name that would echo through marketplaces and battlefields alike.
Every item he created from here on out would carry that name, the insignia. And with it, dominance, not just on the battlefield, but in the economy as well.
’I’m going to create a better ending than all the endings in the game.’ Lucen looked at his own hand and clenched it. "With my own hands."
While Lucen was deep in thought in his own room, somebody suddenly burst into his room. The door slammed open with the fury of an explosion. Robert stormed in, hair frazzled, eyes burning like twin mana stones.
"Lucen! I have transcended your creation!"
Lucen raised an eyebrow. "Have you now?"
"I have finally understood this game perfectly. There’s no way for me to lose anymore. So have a match with me."
Lucen merely shrugged. This wasn’t the first time Robert had barged in without knocking. Ever since learning how to play Territory War, he’d become obsessed with defeating Lucen.
Robert had played with almost everyone in the mansion, even Duke Vardon himself had played with Robert, and had lost a few games to the other party.
"Fine, let’s see how much you improved."
"Hmph, I will show you that you might have invented this game, but I’m the one who has mastered it."
"Sure, if you say so."
The second said those words with that tone, infuriating Robert as he took out his personal Territory War board. Robert set the board down like it was a weapon. Lucen smiled and cracked his knuckles
The two started playing the game, and Lucen quickly noticed that Robert had improved greatly. In fact, his moves reminded him of something.
’Hoh, as expected of a genius. This guy’s moves are like those of a computer. It’s like I’m playing reversi on my laptop against an AI.’
Each move Robert made was supposedly the best move possible.
’He really is like an AI, a pretty advanced one at that. Still, like all AIs, he thinks I would also just make the best move, and he will capitalize on my mistakes. Which means I can manipulate his moves.’
Lucen then placed a piece on an unexpected spot, which surprised Robert for a second, but then the other party showed a smile as he placed down his own piece, making him win more ground.
Robert thought he was winning. Then Lucen placed one piece, and the illusion shattered. Robert finally noticed he had no moves to make, so he needed to skip. Lucen put a piece down.
And just like that, Robert was forced to skip... Again.
Until the board was no longer a battlefield, just a quiet, absolute victory painted in Lucen’s color.
"No! This shouldn’t be happening!" Robert could not believe he had lost.
"Well, I guess I win again. You know, Robert, how about we do something you’re good at for a change?"
"I can’t accept this, I want another match!"
"Fine," Lucen replied, resetting the board. "But while we’re playing... Can we talk?"
Robert scoffed. "Who do you think I am? Not only can I play and talk at the same time, I can perform complex mathematical calculations while casting spells!"
Lucen blinked. "...No need for that. I just want to talk."
"Alright, what do you want to talk about?" Robert asked while placing his piece down.
"I wanted to ask, do you know anything about medicine?"
Lucen asked as he placed his own piece down. He had read numerous alchemy books that Robert gave him, but none of them mentioned medicine.
There were books about herbal remedies and alchemical brews, but nothing that treated medicine as a science.
"Medicine? What is that?" Robert, intrigued by the new word he had heard, asked while placing down another piece.
When Lucen heard Robert’s reply, he knew that he had made a mistake. Maybe the reason why there wasn’t any mention of medicine in the alchemy books was because they didn’t have it in the first place.
But then, what did they call that thing Alpha ate during their fight? Or the stuff healers applied to wounds? That was when he remembered the appropriate word.
"Oh, sorry, I meant remedies."
"Remedies? You mean the stuff herbalists slap on cuts and bruises? I suppose it’s technically alchemy... But really, it’s the crude end of the field. Primitive stuff."
"Aside from remedies, how do you cure wounds or diseases?"
"Huh, the clerics do that job. Those who serve different deities have different ways of healing. Of course, not all deities grant healing abilities. Like Kalderos, his clerics do not have any healing ability."
Robert and Lucen continued playing, their board already approaching the climax as the last few pieces filled the grid.
"Then what do you do, if healing spells don’t work?" Lucen asked, placing his piece down.
Robert tapped his chin. "Depends on the deity. Most clerics can fix wounds and cuts—nothing complicated. As for diseases..."
He dropped his next piece with a soft clack.
"Well, the holy water from the Temple of Naerith can cure most illnesses. But that stuff’s rare. Supposedly takes decades to make a single bottle."
Lucen paused, eyes narrowing. "Decades? Just for one bottle?"
"That’s what they say. Some sacred ritual, sunlight through crystal, blooming flower nonsense. I don’t know, the clerics of that temple make a big deal of it."
Robert shrugged, focused on the game. "Point is, unless you’re nobility, royalty, or dying in a very dramatic way, you’re not getting that holy water. Even then, they assess your worth. Supposedly, even a commoner can get it if they pass the test. I actually heard you failed and weren’t allowed to have any."
"Are there no other ways to cure diseases?"
"In other places, there are clerics from other deities that we don’t have here, who supposedly cure some diseases. Of course, they’re not as effective as the holy water of Naerith... So I guess the other way is through a herbalist, depending on their knowledge, I suppose they could heal some sicknesses."
Robert shrugged again as he placed another piece down and continued talking. "In the first place, anyone with mana or aura would have difficulty getting sick, so it didn’t seem like a problem for me."
Lucen already imagined that a medieval fantasy world wouldn’t have good healthcare, but this was too much. It’s basically telling the people to die if they were weak enough to get a disease that herbs and clerics can’t cure.
’But I can’t do anything about it. I don’t have the knowledge required to make good medicine... I do remember something from an anime I watched about a guy using his science knowledge to create medicine in a stone age world, but I can’t remember the details of how he made it.’
"Hey, it’s your turn now."
Robert’s voice pulled Lucen out of his thoughts.
"Sorry about that," Lucen murmured, placing a piece down.
’I might not have the knowledge to create medicine... but I do know how to make things that help. Even if it’s just small steps, and I’ve got my cheat, my character skills. Gun Knowledge. Alchemy. They’re still at Novice level... But if I can rank them up, maybe I’ll unlock the knowledge of what I need.’
Lucen looked across the table at the disheveled genius burning with pride.
’I also have this lunatic, too. A weaker version of that blue robot cat. Not quite as cute, but way more dangerous.’
"Do you know which towers know a lot about runes?"
"Runes? The grey tower and the black tower know a lot about runes. Why are you asking?"
"I was planning on inviting some specialists on the use of runes."
The second Robert heard what Lucen said, he suddenly glared at the other party.
"Never invite those grey tower b*stards here! If you want someone knowledgeable with runes, I can study up, but if you really need it... Then I would begrudgingly allow you to bring in some of those from the black tower. Just never ever associate yourself with those grey tower b*stards."
Each word Robert spoke was filled with a rather intense irritation. Well, at least there was no bloodlust.
"Why do you hate the grey tower so much? Did they do anything to you?"
"They did nothing, I don’t like them simply because they’re from the Grey Tower. So do not invite any of them here."
"Sure, I’ll keep that in mind... Hey, Robert, after this game, would you like to do some experiments with me?"
Robert, who was focused on the game at hand, suddenly became silent as he lifted his head up to look at Lucen. It was a rather creepy sight from Lucen’s point of view.
"What did you just say?..." Robert’s voice was filled with confusion. "Did you just say you wanted to do some experiments with me? You are the one inviting me? You don’t have anything particular you want to build, or have something in mind already? You just want to do some experiments?"
"... Yes, why are you acting like that?"
"You never invite me to do experiments, it’s always me dragging you somewhere... This is the first time you have invited me to do experiments without a goal in mind. Is this why you were asking about healing spells and remedies? Are you feeling sick or something?"
"No, no, nothing like that. Why are you making a big deal out of this?"
"After beating you in Territory War, we get to do some random experiments. This day seems like it’s going to be the best day." Robert replied like a boy who had been given a new toy.
"Sorry to say, but you only get to do one of those things."
Lucen dropped the final piece with a soft click. Again, Robert had no moves. Again, the board was filled with Lucen’s color. Again, Robert was forced to watch.
"What?!" Robert screeched.