Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Rob (罗伯) |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | Middle-aged 2 |
| Affiliation | Kroya’s household; Reef Island administration 2 5 |
| Occupation/Role | Steward and butler; former nobleman 2 4 |
| Family | Joshua, his son and one of Kroya’s knights 5 |
| First Appearance | Mentioned as Kroya’s unnamed steward 1; introduced by name 2 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Physical strengthening through a mana bath; no rank advancement specified | 10 | Receives the bath alongside Kroya’s four knights. Kroya channels magic through the water into their bodies using a Mage Association secret spell; afterward, all five feel invigorated. |
Background / History
Rob is reportedly a fallen noble. Kroya’s original incarnation purchased him together with his son while selecting knights. Grateful that Kroya had saved them both, Rob became a particularly loyal, knowledgeable steward. Like the knights, he is contractually bound to serve Kroya 1 2.
He accompanies Kroya from the Royal Capital to Reef Island, driving the carriage during their journey. When Kroya promises his followers a mana bath, Rob advises conserving magic crystals because the impoverished island is unlikely to provide much revenue. After Kroya insists, Rob accepts and resolves to train Joshua and the other three knights more diligently 2.
On Reef Island, Kroya entrusts Rob with replacing the castle staff, organizing surveys, and overseeing cultivation. Rob takes encouragement from his master’s enjoyment of farming, believing that life away from the capital may allow Kroya greater freedom 5 10.
Appearance
- Middle-aged, with a meticulous, dependable bearing 2.
- Wears a fitted waistcoat 2.
- Maintains a composed expression when receiving merchants and nobles on Kroya’s behalf 18 22.
Personality
Rob’s loyalty includes a willingness to give unwelcome advice. He initially tries to decline a beneficial mana bath so Kroya can preserve scarce resources, placing his master’s needs ahead of his own immediate improvement. He also treats the territory’s prosperity as essential to Kroya’s advancement—and to the future standing of the household 2 6.
He is attentive to Kroya’s preferences and protective of his time and status. Rob prevents merchants from assuming they can meet the mage directly, recognizes the potential appeal of an elven artifact, and arranges for newly harvested barley to become breakfast bread after checking that it is safe 18 19 31.
His respect for hierarchy can make him overzealous. During the investigation of Elena’s family, he interprets a meaningful look from Kroya as grounds to summon soldiers and guard them like dangerous criminals; Kroya privately considers this excessive. Rob later presents their improved prospects as both mercy and an obligation to serve their lord 32 33.
Abilities & Skills
Household and Territorial Administration
Rob manages the practical work that allows Kroya to concentrate on magical research 5 10.
- Staff recruitment and training: Selects replacement servants and trains young apprentices in cleanliness, prompt service, and obedience. The boys follow orders delivered through an unfamiliar magical voice without delaying their work 5 30.
- Planning: Prepares to survey the island and conduct a census without requiring detailed instructions from Kroya 5.
- Resource verification: Is instructed to check the coconut-tree count independently while Batos supplies the official report 6.
- Castle inspection: Identifies the concealed freshwater spring reserved for the lord during typhoons, enabling Kroya to install the Magic Spring Pearl 10.
- Production oversight: Receives records of how much ore the Kaba Beasts consume and how much refined metal they produce 13.
- Correspondence: Is tasked with arranging delivery of Kroya’s letter to his contact in the Mage Association 46.
Agricultural Oversight
Rob oversees cultivation delegated to him rather than performing Kroya’s magical modifications himself 10.
- Surveys the island with the knights, confirming fifteen coconut trees, one White Ironstone mine, and no other identified mineral resources or magical plants 10.
- Finds suitable planting sites for olives and Sea God Barley, then takes responsibility for planting and tending half of Kroya’s seed supply 10.
- Reports that the first barley crop has ripened in roughly a month rather than the expected sixty days. He has it dried overnight with a magic scroll, checked, and baked into bread 31.
- Identifies Russell’s and Ocross’s families as the barley’s caretakers and summons them for Kroya’s investigation 31.
- Implements Elena’s reward-and-service arrangement after her tears prove useful as a source of natural mana 33.
Trade and Negotiation
Rob represents Kroya in commercial dealings, balancing immediate profit with access to supplies and future customers 18 19.
| Deal | Rob’s contribution | Terms / Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| White iron sale to Sai Liu | Rejects an opening offer of six silver coins per ingot, citing quality and regional value 18. | 231 ingots at seven silver coins each, worth 1,617 silver coins 18. |
| Initial magical sunflower-seed sale | Handles the negotiation and consults Kroya when Sai Liu offers an elven necklace 18 19. | Twelve seeds for twelve gold coins, with the necklace included as a gift 19. |
| Island provisioning | Gives Sai Liu a prepared shopping list, including urgently needed farming supplies 19. | Supplies are to arrive in three days in exchange for the white iron ingots 19. |
| Further seed-and-potion sales | Signs a contract of the God of Order on Kroya’s behalf and requires Sai Liu not to involve the mage in his resale dealings 37. | Thirty seeds and a Sea Spirit Coconut Potion; Kroya receives 80% of proceeds and Sai Liu 20% 37. |
Kroya subsequently authorizes Rob to receive Sai Liu independently and evaluate offers for further potions or sunflower seeds 37.
Political Judgment and Crisis Management
- Noble protocol: Receives Baron Kermoyer with composure and limited deference, reflecting his position as a mage’s representative 22.
- Assessment of official power: Recognizes the Northern Territory Envoy’s authority but reasons that Mage Association membership protects Kroya from being ordered around by kingdom officials 37.
- Restraint under uncertainty: After the mermaid takes Kroya underwater, suppresses the urge to send the knights after him. He orders the group to wait and keep the incident secret rather than attempt a dangerous pursuit 13.
- Security of valuable materials: Stations four knights to guard the recovered Magic Shark core before reporting it to Kroya and arranging its transfer to the laboratory 45.
Relationships
- Kroya — Master and principal employer. Rob’s gratitude is reinforced by Kroya’s generosity and growing trust in his judgment. Kroya delegates household affairs, cultivation, negotiations, and rewards to him 2 5 10 33 37.
- Joshua — Son and knight in Kroya’s service. Rob intends to strengthen his training after receiving the promise of a mana bath 2 5.
- Batos — Former lord placed under Rob’s supervision. Rob guards him during Kroya’s initial inspection and is later assigned to verify his resource reporting 3 6.
- Sai Liu — Merchant and recurring negotiating partner. Rob initially challenges his low offer, later becomes his intermediary with Kroya, and signs their commission contract 18 19 36 37.
- Elena and her family — Subjects whose unusual ability Rob helps investigate and administer. He arranges supervision and offers her father a castle-guard position and her elder brother a barracks apprenticeship in exchange for regular teardrop supplies 32 33.
- Woodstar Curving Vine King — Communication link between Rob and Kroya during business meetings, quietly relaying the mage’s instructions 36 37.
Notable Quotes
“Thank you for your generosity. However, Master, Reef Island likely won't bring in much tax revenue. You should keep some magic crystals for yourself.” 2
“Once you take the potion and the sunflower seeds, how you sell them is your own affair, Mr. Sai Liu. You must not involve our mage in any way.” 37