Elinor, far from possessing the usual fastidiousness common among women, stooped over the corpse of the octopus monster, rummaging through its remains with determined thoroughness. Jody knew exactly what she sought—a magic crystal. This was undoubtedly a high-tier magical beast; any reward would be substantial.
The two surviving warriors, by contrast, looked thoroughly shaken. The weaker, frail man collapsed onto the sand, while the sturdier, middle-aged man swiftly lifted him and approached Jody.
Five paces away, the elder warrior sank to one knee. Seeing this, the younger man hastily mirrored the gesture.
"Gratitude to you, esteemed mages, for saving our lives. From this day forth, we, father and son, are entirely in your debt!"
Jody, unbothered by formalities, accepted their kneeling bow with composure. Yet a question lingered in his mind: how had these warriors arrived on this forbidden coast, especially when he and Elinor had flown? He resolved to uncover the truth first.
"Were all those slain by the octopus monster your companions? There is no need for such courtesy—first ensure they are properly laid to rest. And tell me, will anyone else be coming to aid you?"
Jody's phrasing was deft, inquiring about both the battle's participants and its context, while subtly demonstrating humanitarian concern. Most importantly, he subtly probed whether additional forces might appear—after all, in a land beyond established civilization, even one more person could shift the balance.
The middle-aged warrior was forthcoming, revealing the entire situation without reservation.
"Master Mage, only my son and I remain alive from this expedition."
Jody noted the man's attentiveness; he answered the most pressing question first.
"My name is Cain, a sixth-tier martial artist. This is my son, White, a fifth-tier martial artist."
Jody studied the younger man. Barely in his twenties, White's attainment of fifth-tier status spoke not of top-tier genius, yet it was undeniably impressive.
Cain continued, a tinge of shame in his tone: "Regrettably, my son's martial talent is decent, and I—without provoking the major powers of the capital—can hold my own. I brought along three former comrades and coordinated with the border defense forces to assist my son in obtaining a magic crystal, a stepping stone for entry into the imperial palace guard. I assumed that, together, we could handle an intermediate magical beast—but we were gravely mistaken…"
Jody understood. A father naturally sought to pave a path for his child, and service in the imperial palace guard was a prestigious position. Talent and strength alone were insufficient; connections and influence dictated survival.
Elinor approached, holding the spoils: a magic crystal the size of a quail's egg.
She held it out toward Cain and White. "Is this what you sought?"
"Far be it from us to covet it!" Cain bowed deeply. "Were it not for your timely intervention, we would surely have perished. We claim no reward."
Jody's senses tingled as he gazed at the crystal, though he dared not confirm his suspicion aloud. "Is this the octopus monster's magic crystal? Let me see!"
Elinor rolled her eyes, thinking: didn't the master give you a larger one? Yet she handed it over, mischievously smearing some residual slime on Jody's clothing.
Jody, however, had no time for humor. Concentrating, he probed the crystal with his mental energy.
Moments later, he fixed Elinor with a serious gaze. "This is a magic crystal?"
Elinor, noting the sudden solemnity in normally playful Jody, quieted herself. "Yes. Is there a problem?"
He refrained from asking her to fetch the larger crystal from their master, aware of the two outsiders. Instead, he inquired cautiously: "Is this truly rare, highly valuable?"
Elinor thought: after three had died and they themselves nearly perished for it, is it not obvious? She simply replied, "Yes."
Jody's astonishment stemmed from his perception: the crystal's composition lay fully revealed to him. It was, in essence… a crystal. The same as in his past life—made of… silicon dioxide.
He almost laughed aloud.
The crystal his master, Lopez, had given him had rested in Elinor's storage, out of his reach until now. Obtaining even a fragment required risking one's life against a magical beast. Its value as a hard currency, even for bribing palace officials, was unquestionable.
Yet caution returned swiftly; ostentation could bring danger. With such treasure, exposure could lead to imprisonment by the world's strongest, condemned to endless labor refining sand with no freedom.
Elinor, noticing Jody's flushed complexion, asked anxiously, "Hey, are you all right?"
Jody steadied himself. "Cough… yes, I'm fine."
Turning his attention back to Cain and White, he said, "I cannot bestow this magic crystal upon you, but I have another proposition: would you consent to become my personal attendants?"
Some mages recruited martial attendants, as spellcasting was ill-suited to close combat; chants required time, and an enemy at one's side could prove disastrous. Martial attendants filled this gap.
In addition, mages were exceedingly rare, commanding respect and wealth. Serving a mage offered considerable material gain and superior resources for cultivation, far beyond most other posts.
Yet for an unranked novice mage like Jody to recruit attendants was unprecedented—yet he had a personal plan, one he had never disclosed to anyone…