The Road to the mana ore Mine
A week had passed since the ball.
A messenger from the McCreed family, who had hosted the event, arrived in the Abbott region and informed us that their court magician would be dispatched here in three days.
According to Gary and Miracca, who came to report the Kingdom Council’s outcome, this magician in service to the McCreed family had played a key role in proving my innocence.
At the time, Lord Doyle of the Tryon family—my station’s local lord—and Lady Alyssa of the McCreed family had not yet grown close during the ball, so Elina and I were both surprised by the twist of fate.
Incidentally, during that same gathering, I officially informed my fellow academy graduates that I had decided to remain in the Abbott region.
I did feel somewhat guilty toward Gary and Miracca, who had worked so hard in hopes that I could return to my full duties in the royal capital—but both of them just laughed and said, “We figured this would happen.”
Even Vice-Commander Bellows, through Peter, sent his encouragement: “We’ll keep a seat open for you, so go raise hell over there.”
I was truly grateful to have such understanding friends and a superior officer.
With a sigh of relief, I vowed to work in a way that would make them proud—to uphold the honor of a knight.
◇◇◇
The next day.
After finishing my early morning farmwork, I headed to the lake.
As I stepped to the water’s edge, perhaps sensing my presence, the dragon who lived there—Asletica—appeared.
“Do you have business with me?”
“You caught on fast.”
“I’ve lived long enough to know. So, what is it?”
I told Asletica about the mana ore mine.
The mana ore—an element that might change the future of the Abbott region—emitted a unique kind of mana. I figured a dragon, who was sensitive to such things, might have sensed its presence.
—But…
“Sorry, but I don’t know anything about this ‘mana ore.’ Doesn’t seem like I’ll be of much help to you.”
“I see…”
Well, I didn’t expect it to be that easy.
Though Asletica looked apologetic, I reassured him, “Don’t worry about it.”
Still, he did offer one useful piece of information.
“I don’t know if it’s mana ore or not, but I have sensed an unusual kind of mana coming from the direction of that so-called mine.”
“Unusual mana?”
“Yes. I can’t say for sure if it’s what you call ‘mana ore,’ but…”
“No, that’s more than enough.”
So the possibility wasn’t zero.
According to the messenger from the McCreed family, their magician would be arriving in the Abbott region as soon as tomorrow.
I wonder—could there really still be mana ore in that mountain, abandoned for decades?
What do you think about this chapter?
