Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 57 Was this truly it? The perfected Soul of Fire?
Turan picked up a small pinch of the substance between his fingers. He rubbed it cautiously, sniffed it, and lightly touched it with his tongue, gathering every bit of information he could on its properties.
Something is… different.
The first thing he noticed was the texture. Although he had ground the three ingredients into a fine powder earlier, the resulting substance was now coarser and grainier.
Furthermore, the pungent stench of urine and rotten eggs that had filled the air moments ago had vanished, replaced by the faint, lingering scent of something burnt. It felt less like a simple chemical reaction and more as if the materials had been swapped for something else entirely while he wasn't looking.
After staring at the powder for a moment, Turan placed it in a bowl and ignited it with magic. Simultaneously, he accelerated his thought processes to observe exactly how the flames reacted.
A spark bloomed over the black powder. Then came an incredibly rapid combustion—and an explosion.
With a thunderous bang, the bowl shattered into pieces, and a haze of gray smoke drifted upward.
"Oh."
To think it possessed this much power from such a tiny amount and a mere spark. While it was far from enough to injure a noble of his caliber, the fact that it could produce such force with almost no mana consumption was a massive advantage.
The first tactic that came to mind was one Orvil had used: placing it somewhere disguised as an ordinary object and detonating it when the enemy drew near. If he distributed it strategically so that one blast triggered the next, he could create a massive explosion with minimal mana.
He could imagine several other applications as well. He could scatter it beside him and use the recoil of the explosion to move at high speeds, drop large quantities from the sky while flying, or use the wind to blow the powder toward an enemy before igniting it.
There was no reason to limit its use to combat, either. In mountainous regions like the Gray Zone where roads were winding and treacherous, he could use the powder to blast through rock and clear paths. It could also be used for mining. It would certainly be more efficient than using direct magic to break stone.
Of course, there was one crucial condition for any of this: he needed a stable, large-scale supply of this black powder—the Soul of Fire.
Sulfur can be found at the eastern hot springs, and charcoal is easy enough to get as long as there are trees… The saltpeter is the problem.
The amount of saltpeter currently in his pouch consisted of only three chunks slightly larger than his fist. Once ground into powder, it wouldn't amount to much.
Had that merchant mentioned that saltpeter came from the Southern Sea? Since heading east from the Siraf Wetlands would eventually lead to the Southern Sea, he figured it might be worth a visit.
*
After processing the remaining half of his sulfur into Soul of Fire, Turan set off toward the east with Bije. He chose to walk again, fearing he might accidentally fly right past the hot springs if he took to the skies.
Of course, the pace of a high-ranking noble was on a different level from that of a commoner. By late night, he had covered a distance that would have taken others three or four days and reached his destination.
"This must be it."
According to the local villagers, the hot spring district was located at the foot of a mountain they simply called the "Back Mountain." They had warned him repeatedly that if he intended to use the springs, he must not be disrespectful to the Monkey King. They claimed the King didn't harm humans without reason, but he would never forgive those who were rude or harmed his fellow monkeys.
The Monkey King, huh?
The Dark Elf Necromancer King had been a powerhouse that Turan would have struggled to face alone, even if Meisa had eventually subjugated him. For a mere monkey magical beast in the countryside to be called not just a king, but a "Great King," felt like a bit of an exaggeration.
Turan climbed the mountain on Bije's back, circling the area to find the sulfur deposits. At the same time, he expanded the sensory range of his relic. It would be safer to gauge exactly how powerful this "Monkey King" was before approaching.
But then—
"Huh?"
At his startled exclamation, Bije, who was gliding above, tilted her head as if asking what was wrong. However, Turan didn't even have the mental leeway to answer her.
A magical beast and a human… both of them are insanely strong.
Judging by the silhouette, the beast was indeed a monkey, but its mana was surprisingly stronger than Turan's, though weaker than Meisa's. While not quite a Mythic-rank beast, it was likely the tier just below—a monster capable of laying waste to several small cities if it ever went on a rampage. That was undoubtedly the Monkey King.
And sitting across from the beast was a mage of a similar caliber to Turan. Judging by the height and silhouette, it was a woman. Her head was tilted back limply, making it look as though she had lost consciousness.
Though the villagers had said the Monkey King didn't harm people, Turan felt uneasy leaving things as they were. It could be a situation like the one with Asiz and Tilly, where the beast was merely guarding the person but didn't know how to help them.
"Bije, sorry, but could you wait up there for a bit? I think I need to check this out alone."
Bije gave a dissatisfied chirp, but she nodded, sensing the serious tone in his voice. Letting go of her legs, Turan immediately cast flight and stealth magic to approach the source of the mana.
This is…
They were deep in a valley halfway up the mountain, in a place where the smell of sulfur was particularly thick. As he drew closer, his night vision revealed the forms of the beast and the human.
The Monkey King was massive, the size of three or four men combined, with a black face and bright red fur. Its skeletal structure and appearance were alien compared to the monkey beasts he had seen before or the common monkeys described in bestiaries. The creature was sitting quietly in the steaming water with its eyes closed.
The woman sitting opposite him also had her lower body submerged in the spring. Since she wasn't wearing anything on her upper body, her tanned skin was fully exposed. With her arms resting on a rock and her neck tilted back, she looked less like she had fainted and more like she was lounging in total relaxation.
She was just taking a bath…
Realizing he had misunderstood the situation, Turan tried to halt his forward momentum.
Suddenly, a sharp beep echoed through the area.
The sound came from a small mirror sitting by the water's edge. Sensing the mana within it, Turan realized it was a magic device—likely an alarm set to trigger when someone met certain conditions nearby.
Startled, Turan backed away, and as the sound ceased, the lounging woman woke up and looked around.
"Hmm? What was that? Did someone come close?"
At the woman's puzzled voice, the Monkey King leaped out of the water and let out a powerful roar. As the thunderous sound echoed through the valley, the woman in the water scolded the beast.
"Don't be so temperamental, Icool. These springs aren't just for us. You there! Come on out, I won't hurt you! This old biddy won't get angry just because you saw a bit of skin!"
Though her appearance and voice didn't seem that old at a glance, the woman's manner of speaking was like that of a seventy-year-old grandmother. When Turan didn't emerge after a moment, she clicked her tongue and stood up from the spring.
"Ugh, I suppose that's enough for today. I won't be able to visit this place often anymore. How can I enjoy a bath in peace when some stranger is peeping…"
Hearing her words, the monkey beast snorted and stomped its feet. It looked as though it were pleading with her not to leave. Turan knew monkeys were generally intelligent, but this beast seemed capable of understanding human speech, much like Bije.
Watching the scene from afar through the senses of his relic, Turan hesitated for a moment before deactivating his stealth a short distance away and approaching them.
"My apologies. I didn't come with ill intentions. This is an area where magical beasts appear, and when I sensed a human presence, I only approached to see if someone was in danger."
Since the woman was still unclothed, Turan kept his gaze fixed on the ground. Of course, since he could read her mana with the Mimic Relic, he was prepared to react instantly if she attempted a surprise attack.
Upon seeing Turan, the woman didn't get angry; instead, she burst into a boisterous laugh.
"Well, aren't you a handsome young man! Don't worry about the apology—if anything, I'm the one who got lucky. Easy now, Icool. Wipe that look off your face. So, you were trying to help this old woman?"
"Yes."
"What a kind-hearted soul. You don't see many like that these days."
To Turan's surprise, the woman walked right up to him, completely unclad, and patted his head. When Turan flinched at her defenseless attitude, she looked down at herself and laughed.
"Is this fellow really as young as he looks? No need to turn your head. I'm over three hundred years old and I've had twelve husbands. Why should I care about showing a bit of skin to a boy younger than my great-grandsons?"
At those words, Turan raised his head and looked her in the eye. Contrary to her words, her face and body looked to be in their late twenties or early thirties at most.
"This old woman's name is Lida. Lida Lavitas. And you?"
As expected, she was a noble of the Lavitas family. It made sense; otherwise, there would be no reason for someone so powerful to be in a place like this.
"I am Turan. I come from Kalamaf."
"Kalamaf? Isn't that way out in the Gray Zone? You've come a long way!"
Even though Turan had given his place of origin rather than a family name, Lida didn't press him. She simply cackled and reached a hand behind her. The Monkey King promptly tossed her a set of clothes, their interaction looking like that of long-time friends.
"Elder Lida… are you soul-bound to that beast?"
"Hmm? No, nothing like that. We're just old friends. I've loved bathing in these springs since a long time ago. This fellow has probably lived here for a thousand years. My great-great-grandfather said he was here even when he was a child."
To leave a beast of that caliber unhunted for a thousand years? After his initial surprise, Turan realized it wasn't a bad strategy, considering the creature's docile nature and immense power. The process of absorbing a magical creature's power was notoriously inefficient; even if four people shared the essence, they would only gain twenty to thirty percent of the beast's original strength.
In contrast, by maintaining a friendly relationship, they could count on the assistance of a high-ranking noble-level powerhouse in times of crisis. Of course, since they were only "friends" and not soul-bound, one couldn't expect too much from the beast.
"So, my dear Turan, what brings you here? If you're here for the springs, this old woman has had her fill, so I'll yield them to you. Though I wouldn't mind if we shared!"
She laughed again, clearly enjoying teasing him. Seeing her act like a grandmother doting on a naive grandson, Turan shook his head and explained his business.
"I heard sulfur could be found here, so I came to collect some."
"Sulfur? Do you have a use for such a thing?"
"Yes. I heard it can be used as an antidote…"
"I suppose there's someone nearby suffering from poison?"
"Not exactly. I just thought I might sell it elsewhere and make a bit of a profit."
Since he couldn't reveal he was making Soul of Fire, his excuse became a bit long-winded. Lida tilted her head as if she didn't quite understand, but then she smiled.
"If that's the case, I know a place where there's plenty of it! Some people pick up bits from the exposed areas, but if you're going to trade, you'll need to mine more than that. Follow me."
Lida gestured for Turan to follow her deeper into the valley and started walking. The Monkey King gave Turan a suspicious glance before following her. The path she led him on was deep and complex; it would have been difficult to find the way alone. Even with a keen sense of smell, it wouldn't have told him the exact path.
A short while later, Turan let out a small gasp as he saw the yellow-stained ground deep within the valley.
"Ah."
He walked over and picked up a yellow stone, realizing it was a solid chunk of sulfur. He suddenly felt a pang of regret, remembering how he had paid a whole gold coin for a tiny amount in Slop City. To think it was just rolling around on the ground here.
Well, thanks to that, I learned about this place. I'll just consider it a fee for the information…
While Turan was busy rationalizing his past purchase, Lida, who had been watching him intently, asked a question.
"By the way, didn't you bring a basket or something to carry it in?"
"I'll have to make one now."
He had originally planned to use his high-capacity pouch, but he felt uncomfortable revealing a relic in front of a high-ranking Lavitas noble. Turan felled the largest tree nearby and hollowed out one side of it, creating a basket shaped like a small boat.
"Oh, can you carry that?"
"This much is easy."
Turan used telekinesis to move the chunks of sulfur scattered around. As hundreds of kilograms of sulfur were neatly packed into the wooden container, Lida clapped her hands.
"You're quite skilled with magic. Especially for your age."
"You flatter me."
"Flattery? When I was your age, I didn't know how to do anything except heal people!"
Lida began rambling like a true elder, wishing the children of her own family were as polite and humble as Turan. Turan listened quietly before posing a question of his own.
"Are all the nobles of Lavitas like you, Elder Lida?"
"Hmm?"
"I mean, looking so much younger than your actual age. Despite what you say, you don't look a day over a hundred to me…"
Before Turan could even finish his sentence, Lida burst into laughter and gave him a hearty slap on the shoulder. The force of it caused the sulfur in his basket to spill out in a heap.
"Oh my, I'm sorry. But you shouldn't say things like that with a face like yours! I can only imagine how many young ladies you've charmed with that tongue."
"I was only stating what I saw."
"Now you're trying to charm this old biddy too."
Whether she was joking or not, Lida stroked her own face.
"Nobles with the Healer and Purifier bloodlines stop aging once their power reaches a certain level. By using the powers of healing and purification together, one can fix the body's time in place."
"Then…"
Turan was about to ask if that meant they could live forever, but then he remembered the memorial he had seen earlier that day. Had he not seen today that even the head of the Lavitas family—not just a mere member—had died?
As if knowing what he was going to ask, Lida answered with a grin.
"The reason we can't live forever is that when a noble dies of old age, it's not actually the body that has aged—it's the soul."
As she spoke, Lida wore a mischievous smile, like a grandmother sharing a secret with her grandson.
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