Magic Crystal

The red crystal gave off an eerie feeling, so Roland had kept it close to him all along.

Although he did not know how Mister Bronson had sensed its presence through his clothes, now that the other man had discovered it, Roland felt there was no need to keep hiding it.

Besides, he himself was filled with questions about the crystal's origins.

After all, the sight of the Blood Scale Kobold inexplicably bursting into flames that day had been far too bizarre. Even now, recalling it left him somewhat unsettled.

He shook his head lightly, dispelling the image that had surfaced in his mind. Then Roland reached into his clothes, took out the crystal, and slowly held it out.

"Mister Bronson, is this what you were talking about?"

"Th-That's impossible!"

Bronson's pupils suddenly contracted. His gaze locked onto the crystal as his expression shifted rapidly.

From initial confusion, to incredulous shock, and finally to deep suspicion.

"Pardon my boldness."

He drew a deep breath, his voice trembling slightly.

"May I take a careful look at it, Roland?"

"Of course, Mister Bronson."

After receiving permission, Bronson reached out with slightly trembling hands and took the red crystal. Suppressing the storm raging in his heart, he carefully turned it over, examining each facet with intense concentration.

A moment later, he suddenly stopped moving and knitted his brows tightly.

The crystal's texture and luster were exactly the same as the descriptions he had read in the ancient texts of the tower when he was young.

"Where did you find it?"

Bronson spoke hoarsely, deliberately keeping his voice steady.

"It came from an mutated Kobold..."

Roland omitted some details and briefly recounted what had happened that day.

When he mentioned the scales and flames, he noticed a subtle change in Bronson's expression.

"Scales... flames..."

Bronson lowered his head and muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the crystal's surface.

"Mister Bronson..."

Seeing him so distracted, Roland could not help frowning.

"What exactly is this crystal?"

"Phew..."

Bronson let out a long breath. When he slowly raised his head, the turbulence in his eyes had already settled.

He pursed his lips, seemingly considering the right way to phrase it.

After pondering for a moment, he explained softly.

"This is a crystal formed from solidified Magical Essence."

"Magical Essence?"

The unfamiliar term left Roland somewhat confused.

But Bronson did not elaborate. Instead, he handed the red crystal back, forcing a smile onto his lips.

"Come inside first."

He turned and walked into the room, his voice carrying an exhaustion he could not conceal.

"You came all this way to find me. It shouldn't be just to ask about that crystal, right?"

Seeing this, Roland could only temporarily suppress his doubts and follow him into the room.

The door gently closed behind them. The dim candlelight swayed in the cramped space, casting their shadows across the mottled walls.

Roland untied the bundle he was carrying in his left hand, took out the uniquely shaped dagger, and handed it over with both hands.

"Mister Bronson, the dagger you commissioned me to make is finished."

"Oh?"

Bronson, who had been sitting in a chair and massaging his temples, suddenly looked up. He carefully cradled the dagger and examined it under the faint candlelight.

When he raised his head again, an incredulous light flickered in his tired eyes.

"I originally thought Mister Hawk's praise of you was merely flattery. I never expected..."

His fingers gently brushed over the fine patterns on the cylinder at the center of the dagger.

"You actually managed to complete the forging in less than two months, and these patterns..."

Bronson's voice trembled slightly, and a rare hint of excitement flashed across his face.

"Did you carve them all yourself?"

"Of course, Mister Bronson."

Noticing Bronson's strange reaction, Roland frowned and unconsciously took half a step back.

"Is there something wrong with these patterns?"

"No, quite the opposite. You did it too perfectly."

Seemingly realizing that he had lost his composure, Bronson drew a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, but his fingers continued unconsciously rubbing the patterns on the dagger.

"I just didn't expect you to reach this level."

Silence spread through the dim room.

A moment later, Bronson suddenly raised his head. An indescribable yearning glimmered in his eyes.

"Roland, how about we make another deal?"

"A deal?"

"Just like before."

Bronson licked his cracked lips.

"My research has recently reached a bottleneck. As it happens, I need an assistant. In exchange, I can answer all your questions about that Magic Crystal, and..."

Seeing that Roland did not respond immediately, he hurriedly sprang from his chair and stumbled toward the bookcase in the corner.

He roughly rummaged through the yellowed parchment and ancient books, sending dust swirling through the candlelight.

In the blink of an eye, a stack of yellowed ancient books had been piled in front of Roland.

The covers of these books had long since faded, covered in spiderweb-like cracks. The characters engraved on them resembled twisted tadpoles, utterly different from the orderly common tongue of the Golden Valley Kingdom.

Roland narrowed his eyes. From those strange symbols, he could barely make out the two characters meaning "theory."

"As for me..."

Bronson suddenly tugged at the corner of his mouth in self-mockery, revealing a bitter smile.

"The only thing I have to offer is probably that I've read a few more battered books than ordinary people."

He raised his bloodshot eyes, his voice carrying a hint of earnestness.

"So, if you're willing to serve as my assistant for the time being, I can answer all your questions without reservation. What do you think of this deal?"

He gently stroked the ancient books and continued.

"These are books I've treasured for a long time. Believe me, their contents will definitely be of great help to you."

Roland fell silent.

The candle flame danced in his deep-brown eyes, reflecting the struggle in his heart.

To be fair, such a deal might not seem worthwhile to outsiders.

But to Roland at this moment, it was a timely salvation.

Ever since he had inexplicably crossed into this world, the original owner had left him nothing but a malnourished body and the utterly useless status of a freeman.

He was like a blind man with his eyes open, able to piece together only a vague understanding of the world from other people's scattered remarks.

Originally, he had planned to establish himself first, then slowly explore this unfamiliar world.

But after his encounter with the Kobolds, that naive idea had been utterly shattered.

That incident had made him suddenly realize that this world might be far more dangerous than he had imagined. It probably would not give him much time to slowly find his way around.

As for Bronson's vast knowledge, Roland had already experienced it deeply while studying under him.

Having made up his mind, Roland raised his head and asked solemnly.

"Then, Mister Bronson, as your assistant, what specific tasks would I be responsible for?"

"The work is very simple!"

Seeing that Roland had agreed, Bronson unconsciously rubbed his hands together, a barely concealed delight flashing in his eyes.

He straightened his perpetually hunched back slightly. A rare spark of vitality even appeared on his usually lowered face.

"But before that..."

As he spoke, he pointed at the red crystal in Roland's palm.

"I think... I should first answer your questions about this Magic Crystal."

Bronson cleared his throat and began speaking in a steady tone.

"Roland, I imagine you've read the term wizard in those novels meant for entertainment, right?"

"Of course."

After receiving an affirmative reply, Bronson continued.

"What people find most fascinating about wizards are their wondrous and mysterious spells. However..."

He lightly tapped his knuckles against the wooden table. The crisp tapping accompanied his slow, measured explanation.

"Casting spells requires drawing Magical Essence from the environment. However, several hundred years ago, the Magical Essence in the world suddenly vanished for no apparent reason, and wizards consequently faded from people's sight..."

"Then this crystal..."

At that, Roland immediately opened his palm, revealing the faintly glowing red crystal.

He clearly remembered that Bronson had just called it...

A crystal formed from solidified Magical Essence.