If I had to choose my greatest strength, it wouldn’t be summoning magic, necromancy, or even 8th Circle grand magic.
It would be my knowledge of calculating and dismantling magic.
My understanding of magic had always been deeper than other people’s.
Thanks to that, I could cast spells faster, and I was equally skilled at interfering with an opponent’s spell formula and destroying it.
Even after regressing, I was confident that no one surpassed me in those two fields.
After all, returning to a lower level through regression had nothing to do with how deeply I understood magic.
However, my counter-formulas were limited to magic that had not yet been activated.
For example, the moment an opponent unfolded a magic circle to cast fire magic, I could dismantle the formula and neutralize it.
But magic that had already been fired, or completed magic such as barriers and seals, was difficult to erase.
On the way back to the territory, I looked at the Black Magic Sword Loa had given me.
Long ago, the Sword Ghost who wielded this blade was said to have massacred countless people.
The enormous amount of blood soaked into the sword had become a curse, driving anyone who wielded it mad just like the Sword Ghost.
Eventually, the Black Magic Sword had been sealed by an Archmage of the kingdom in the distant past, leaving it in its current state.
‘In other words, I can’t use this sword either.’
Not unless I removed both the seal and the curse.
“Is there any reason to bring back something you can’t even use?”
Yulian glanced at the Black Magic Sword in my hand.
“I heard earlier that everyone who wielded it went insane...... Isn’t it dangerous?”
“It is. But since the Sword Ghost used it, its performance is excellent. Want it?”
“No. My own sword is enough.”
Yulian’s sword was a famous blade called the Northern Sword, personally bestowed upon him by Father when he was appointed as my guard knight.
It had been passed down through our family for generations, but since no one in the family was a swordsman, it was usually handed down to either the Knight Captain or a guard knight.
“True. That one’s good too. Even if its performance has been cut in half.”
I trailed off.
Once the Magic Forge in the Magic Tower opened, I could enchant both the Black Magic Sword and the Northern Sword and draw out their true power.
For now, though, mass-producing scrolls came first.
Even though we had fully repaid what we owed the Loa Merchant Company, our territory still had considerable debts to nobles in the royal capital.
‘If I remember correctly, around this time, they come to pressure us for repayment.’
The interest had already grown larger than the principal.
Back when we had no power, property from the lord’s castle was seized, and some northerners were even dragged away as slaves.
I wouldn’t let that happen in this life.
***
For an entire week, I shut myself inside the Magic Tower and focused on making scrolls.
Yulian delivered the magic ore and paper I needed, and aside from eating and sleeping, I spent all my time working.
It wasn’t boring or exhausting.
I had spent every day like this in my previous life, so if anything, it felt easy.
By the end, I had produced a total of seven hundred scrolls.
We had agreed to conduct regular transactions once a month, but Loa had asked to demonstrate the product and lay the groundwork before the proper sales began.
So I was delivering only what I had made during this first week.
“Here they are.”
Perhaps because it was still morning, there were barely any customers at the Loa Merchant Company’s hideout.
Loa personally came out to greet us, then nearly recoiled when she saw enough scrolls to fill two wagons.
“W-W-W-Wait a second...... Are all of these scrolls?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Of course there is! What are you, some kind of factory? How did you make all of these?”
Technically, the Magic Tower did feel somewhat like a factory.
“Trade secret.”
Loa didn’t press me further.
Instead, she whispered with Erina, who was staring at the scrolls with the exact same expression.
Apparently, the number was vastly different from what they had predicted.
I could hear Erina muttering seriously.
“This is theoretically impossible.”
Anyone who had ever made a scroll would undoubtedly think the same thing.
Because—
“You inevitably have to cast magic when making a scroll. Otherwise, you can’t store the spell inside it. But seven hundred in one week means he cast magic a hundred times a day. Even if they’re only 3rd Circle spells, that shouldn’t be possible. It isn’t as though his mana replenishes endlessly......”
Erina’s eyes briefly flicked toward me.
“Mana is life. Even if an Archmage from the royal capital made these, they would’ve squeezed themselves dry enough to become skin and bones. But Lord Lumio looks completely fine.”
Exactly.
It overturned the very foundations of magic.
That was why I needed a merchant who wouldn’t question me.
After quietly listening to Erina, Loa spoke.
“......It is astonishing, but I don’t care how he made them. I’m not a mage. Just check whether there are any defective products.”
Her expression changed from disbelief to delight.
This was an opportunity for her to make a fortune as well.
“We’ll have to completely change the sales routes we originally planned. Looks like I’ll be busy for the first time in a while.”
I cut into her cheerful complaint.
“Could I receive an advance?”
“Give me a moment...... Seven silver coins each, seven hundred total, so—”
“Four hundred ninety gold coins.”
“You calculate quickly.”
Magical calculations were deeply tied to mathematics.
I was good at that too.
“If that amount is too large, even half would be fine.”
“Are you underestimating us? Of course we can pay that much.”
Loa ordered a subordinate to bring the money.
Then she continued.
“Actually, I was planning to use this batch to establish our sales routes...... but there are so many that I think you can take it easy for a while.”
A forced vacation after only one week.
“Once the sales routes stabilize, how many scrolls do you think you can sell?”
“Hmm...... I can’t say for certain, but perhaps we’ll have trouble keeping them in stock. There are easily tens of thousands of knights in the kingdom alone.”
The more money, the better.
But I couldn’t stay locked inside the laboratory forever.
The Magic Tower could produce Golems to reduce a mage’s workload.
In the long run, everything came back to upgrading the Magic Tower.
“You seem to have something you need money for?”
Loa asked while handing me the bundle of money her subordinate had brought.
“As you know, the territory has a lot of debt. I should resolve whatever I can quickly, one problem at a time.”
Small problems like these accumulated and accumulated until they became a massive snowball that buried the North.
“Five hundred gold coins.”
“You gave me ten extra.”
“Think of it as a bribe so you’ll continue treating us well.”
Erina approached just as she finished checking the scrolls.
“There are no problems with any of them.”
“There aren’t many people who work this cleanly. I need to hold onto you tightly before you go somewhere else.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.”
“......From where I’m standing, I think all sorts of powerful people are going to start clinging to you soon, Lord Lumio.”
Loa chuckled and added,“Take care of your debts. And if you ever need money in the future, come to me. I’ll gladly lend it to you interest-free.”
I appreciated the offer, but I probably wouldn’t have to worry about lacking money anymore.
‘Unlike Loa, money isn’t my only goal either.’
***
Despite that confident thought, I spent another three days shut inside the Magic Tower afterward.
I had nearly forgotten something extremely important.
Namely—
“......Are you really giving something this valuable to us?”
Supplying the Northern Knight Order.
Arhan picked up a scroll and asked in shock.
“I heard one of these costs several gold coins......”
More than a hundred were stacked inside the wagon.
At Arhan’s words, the knights who knew nothing about scrolls opened their mouths wide.
“This little roll is worth several gold coins?”
“It’s called a magic scroll. You use it by opening it like this.”
I spotted several injured knights, so I immediately opened one to demonstrate.
Everyone from a knight with scrapes to one limping on an injured leg became completely fine.
“Holy shit......”
“With these, we won’t have to worry about getting injured.”
“......Lord Lumio, thank you so much!”
Because the North was so cold, even minor injuries tended to linger for a long time.
We had no highly skilled priests either, and every treatment cost a considerable amount of money.
Seeing how happy they were, I felt certain I wouldn’t have to worry about the scrolls failing to sell.
Of course, our knights received them for free.
“Don’t hoard them just because they’re expensive. If you get hurt, use one immediately. If you start running low, report directly to me.”
“Hahaha! I feel as though we’ve gained an army of a thousand men!”
“What’s this one with the different color?”
Among the excited knights, Arhan picked up a blue scroll.
“That contains a 3rd Circle spell that freezes the ground.”
I had no intention of selling offensive magic yet.
Those scrolls were exclusively for our territory.
“Incredible.”
“So I can use magic too?”
“I want to try one.”
“Would we even get a chance? This is the southern gate. Monsters barely come here.”
The knights chatted excitedly atop the southern wall, like children who had received new toys.
“No. Go ahead and try one. They’ll be here soon.”
“What will?”
At Arhan’s question, I looked outside the wall.
This morning, I had received a message from Kamar, who was guarding the road.
“Our creditor.”
No sooner had I finished speaking than figures riding horses began appearing in the distance.
There wasn’t only one.
“......What kind of creditor brings an army?”
“Exactly.”
They had done the same thing in the past.
They arrived with an army composed of mercenaries and stripped our territory bare when we barely had enough food to survive.
We were the ones who owed the debt.
But attaching absurd interest, bringing an army onto a Count’s land, threatening and assaulting people, and plundering the territory was absolutely unforgivable.
Back then, we had no strength, so we had no choice but to accept their ridiculous demands.
‘Not anymore.’
I would repay the debt.
I would even pay the interest.
As long as they didn’t cross the line.
“I am Nasda, eldest son of the Samuan Family. We have come to collect a debt, so open the gate.”
Arhan answered firmly.
“Withdraw your troops. Only Nasda, the eldest son, and one guard knight will be permitted entry.”
“Do you have any idea how much debt we are here to collect? These men are porters.”
“What kind of porters carry swords and spears?”
“You would be wise to open the gate while I’m still asking politely. You people are only working for money anyway, aren’t you? I’ll make sure you’re compensated generously.”
“I have no need for it.”
At Arhan’s firm response, Nasda’s expression sharpened.
“Ha...... This is why there’s no point showing manners to northern barbarians. You bastards never understand when someone speaks nicely.”
“You brought an army onto a Count’s territory and call that manners? What kind of bullshit is that?”
The North hadn’t fallen solely because of external enemies.
Internal enemies had played their part too.
I had already intended to make an example out of someone like this sooner or later.
“......Who are you?”
“Lumio, the lord’s son.”
“The sick son of that beggar Count?”
“So you made a little pocket change through moneylending and forgot your place? You’re nothing but a Baron who bought his title, yet you dare bring an army here and insult the lord?”
I could legally beat him half to death.
“Try them out.”
The moment the words left my mouth, the knights opened the scrolls atop the wall.
The earth below was instantly covered in pure white ice.
I had improved the spell after experiencing Arisa’s magic, so it was fairly powerful.
The mercenaries Nasda had brought had their feet frozen solid in the ice before they could react.
“Was there a mage among the knights?”
Since the spell had been fired from atop the wall, apparently they hadn’t seen clearly.
Just as I expected.
I shouted harshly,“Disarm your army immediately and come inside alone before I kill you. Since you threatened our territory, your guard knight is no longer permitted to accompany you either. If you don’t want your money, then fuck off.”