BENTOBI DROPPER MAGIC
The coachman Levi was confident that he had lived a fairly honest life.
Levi, whose parents were tenant farmers, sold everything in the house as soon as his parents died, and with the money he bought a shabby cart and an old horse, and headed to the eastern part of the empire, which was considered relatively peaceful.
Levy was a very hard worker. He never stayed more than a day after a deal was concluded, and he went all the way to the eastern end when he smelled money.
As the saying goes, sweat never betrays, his wagon gradually grew wider, and the old horse that looked like it would die at any moment turned into a lively young horse.
He even picked up an orphan who was unusually bright and made him his disciple. In short, his life was sailing along smoothly as he found the right wind.
‘It must have been so.’
Levy wiped the sweat from the reins he held onto his thighs. But the tension hadn’t eased, so his palms soon became sweaty.
“···Is it really okay?”
Levy’s disciple, Freckled Furis, muttered quietly next to him. Levy then glanced behind him.
In a place where there should normally be a lot of stuff piled up, three grim-looking men were sitting alone. The cold sound of metal being ground was irritating to my nerves.
The problem started in the city of Karzan. As I was getting my supplies as usual, these guys suddenly thrust a hatchet at me. They hired me to go to Castle Cassidy.
‘I should have joined the guild even though it was a waste of money on membership fees.’
Levy bitterly regretted not joining a guild to save those few pennies. He even belonged to the ‘Lone Wolf’ guild, which was notorious for being so vicious…
After a bizarre journey where he, the employer, was at the mercy of the men, he arrived at his destination, Castle Cassidy, and waited for inspection.
“Do we have to come all the way to the countryside to find that brat? He’s a trash wizard who doesn’t know how to do anything.”
Levy pricked up his ears to the conversation coming from behind him.
“I’m not trash, I’m a ragtag wizard. And it’s the boss’s orders.”
A deep voice put him to sleep. Levy guessed it was the captain.
“You idiot kids. You can’t even sit still. You should’ve just killed them back then. The boss has been acting uncharacteristically these days… Tsk, but didn’t that brat get killed along with them?”
“They say there weren’t any children among the death row inmates.”
“Anyway, I told you that it’s a chronic disease of our boss to never let go of anything that comes into his arms. Tsk-tsk, sending us to catch that brat. It’s a loss.”
“Everyone, keep your mouths shut and control your expressions. Jacob, you especially need to be careful with your words and actions. This is not Karzan. If you swing an axe because you don’t like the way someone looks at you, you won’t be able to get away with it like Karzan.”
“Jake, stop talking. I know. I’m just asking you to hold back..”
“Don’t worry about anything. Who would dare pick a fight with us?”
“I know. I’m telling you to be careful.”
After those last words, only the cold sound of metal grinding could be heard. Levy swallowed hard and tried to relax.
“Aren’t we in danger too?”
“It’ll be okay. Cassidy Castle is a place that only roughly imitates the checkpoints, and even then, they’ll let you through if you give them a piece of silver.”
Levy answered Huris’ question with a calm expression. I don’t know about anything else, but he didn’t want to show his disciple Huris that he was flustered. That was the last bit of pride for the carriage driver Levy.
“Really? But if we get caught together···.”
“I told you it’s okay. You just have to watch out for one Cassidy Castle.”
“One? Who?”
At Huris’ question, Levy recalled someone from his memories, then shuddered.
“Yes. He’s a famous loser.”
“headsman?”
“Anyway, act naturally. Even if you suffer some losses, you can make up for it.”
I patted Furis’ head as he nodded with a stern face and turned his head forward. The inspection of the carriage right in front of me was over.
Levy wiped the sweat from his palms, pulled the reins, and slowly headed forward.
‘Why are there so many?’
There were usually two people, but this time there were five people doing the checking. Some of them were even soldiers wearing iron armor.
“Hello! Pool!”
Fortunately, the face of the person approaching him looked familiar. Levy smiled brightly and greeted him.
‘Is that your brother next to you?’
There was someone I had never seen before next to the pool, and they looked so similar that they seemed like blood relatives.
“It’s been a while, Levy. Has it been half a year?”
“Haha… I recently had a fever so I took some time off from work.”
Levy felt a pang of guilt when he saw the grass remembering when he had come, but he tried to control his expression and took out the pouch he had kept.
‘It was 1 silver.’
It was a lot of money, but considering my previous peddling, it was an appropriate amount.
“hmm.”
Poole nodded, accepting the silver coin, as if he had the same idea. At that moment, the man next to Poole raised his hand.
“Wait a minute! Brother Pool. Aren’t there twice as many people this time?”
“Well… that’s true, but considering Levy’s last peddling, this is about right. Dylan.”
“Hey, I need to share some with those friends too…”
As the conversation dragged on, Levy’s heart grew impatient and he wanted to leave immediately.
“Here it is!”
Since money was not the issue, Levy took another silver coin out of his pocket and handed it to the man named Dylan.
“Levi, there’s no need for this….”
“Hehe. Brother Pool, shouldn’t we share some with those guys too?”
Levy felt a flash of anger in her eyes as she saw Dylan put the silver coins into his pocket while laughing viciously.
‘Let’s just focus on finishing it safely now.’
Levy smiled again and took hold of the reins, but then the bastard raised his hand again.
“···What is it?!”
“Oh, there’s one more step. Can you guys get off and stand over here?”
Levy held back a scream as he waved at the men behind him.
“Why don’t you hurry up and get off, brothers? These guys are refusing to be searched!”
He gestured behind him, and soldiers in iron armor approached him. Levy swallowed, looking back and forth between the men in the carriage and the sharp spears of the soldiers.
“Let’s get down.”
“Oh, that’s annoying.”
At the captain’s words, the men got out of the carriage.
“Okay, let’s line up.”
The guy waved his hand with a mischievous smile. At that, the man with the scar over his eye gritted his teeth. When another man patted his back, the guy spat and turned around.
‘I’m anxious.’
Levy felt a pang of disgust at the mean smile that Dylan gave him.
At that moment, the guy named Dylan suddenly swung the wooden stick he was holding at the captain’s head. Bam!! With a loud sound, the man fell forward with a thud.
“Jake dare to do it!”
“Jacob! Stop! Shit!”
The man with the scar around his eye glared and pulled out the hatchet from his waist.
“They’re devils!! They’re devils! They’re devil broods!!”
A man named Dylan shouted in surprise, hiding behind the soldiers, and the soldiers stabbed him with their spears without hesitation.
In an instant, the situation reached a critical point. The men seemed to be quite capable, but they were useless against the long spears of trained soldiers wearing iron armor.
‘What on earth has been happening at Cassidy Castle for the past six months…’
Levy closed his eyes tightly, hiding Furis behind him.
***
“Sergeant, we caught three guys at the checkpoint today.”
“Three of them?”
“Yes. Dylan found them. Two of them resisted and were shot dead on the spot, and the unconscious one was locked in a barrel.”
Berman scratched his head at his words.
‘How can beating suspicious people with a wooden club be considered inspection? Those uncivilized guys.’
Tsk- he clicked his tongue. After the last incident, the sheriff’s order changed the search method to a more crude one.
“I told you, you’re so ignorant.”
“···Ahem.”
Berman coughed deeply and stared at me with an irritated look. When I frowned at him, Berman turned his head away.
“But… thanks to the new checkpoint system, problematic people are being filtered out. The people caught today were also wanted… The number of accidents in the castle has also decreased drastically these days….”
“Okay, hold on to this.”
“Just buy a new one.”
“He’s still fine. Hold him.”
Berman grabbed my boot with a trembling face, and I pulled my foot out with force. Boom! With a brisk sound, my foot was free.
“Captain, I need you to give me some supplies.”
“The leader took a lot of money… No, if you earned a lot of money, why do you keep talking about supply? Just buy it.”
“There’s nothing more fucked up than buying work boots with my own money. Okay, over here.”
“···yes.”
Berman grabbed the other boot, and with a bang! both feet were completely free. He threw the rotten boot in a corner and put on the one he had come in.
“Anyway, because of the new checkpoint method, more than a few people were caught… The barrel is full.”
“Of course there would be more than one or two. It would be retarded to just sit there and do nothing while someone hits your head with a wooden club. Oh my – you ignorant bastards don’t know moderation.”
“That… is not it.”
Berman’s mouth twitched, then he gulped heavily. I ignored him and got up from my seat.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
I left the headquarters, leaving Berman behind.
‘···It’s a function upgrade.’
In the case of books of magic, it was not easy for ordinary people to obtain them. Furthermore, it was nearly impossible to save him in such a remote place, but that did not mean there was no way.
‘If you mix the wind series, will it become an air conditioner?’
Summers in the eastern part of the empire were so terribly humid and hot that accidents occurred unusually frequently.
Considering that the city’s upscale bars and restaurants were cool even in the summer, it was clear that air conditioning could be added.
‘But should I have asked first?’
Suddenly, I remembered that I hadn’t asked the mini fridge’s opinion, but I shook my head. After all, wizards are like addicts who can’t stop thinking about books. The mini fridge would definitely welcome the upgrade.
I headed to the most remote area of District 6. There, unlike the other shabby houses in District 6, there was a neat house that didn’t look out of place in District 1.
Even in front of them, a middle-aged man wearing light armor was standing guard.
I habitually looked at the man. He was wielding two knives, each about the length of my arm.
“What’s going on?”
As I approached, the man raised one hand to stop me and asked, “What do you mean, ‘You’re a man?’ I checked the calluses on his hands. He seemed to prefer cutting to stabbing.
“What’s going on? I came to see Jackson. Hey- Jackson!”
“Did you promise?”
The way he asked with his neck stiff, it seemed like he thought he was a knight serving some lord.
‘Retired thugs can’t get rid of their dog-like habits…’
I scratched my cheek as irritation slowly rose.
“Tell them to come in.”
As I was contemplating whether to give him a slap, a rough voice was heard from inside. A middle-aged man stepped aside and opened the door.
The door opened and a room filled with white smoke was revealed.
“Oh my – I told you to ventilate the room.”
“You’d better watch what you say.”
“What the hell, watch your words.”
“Watch what you say···.”
“Yeo-eo-myeong-byeong.”
“stop.”
As the guy frowned and waved his hands, the deep voice came from inside again. He took a step back, and I licked my lips and went inside.
“It’s been a while.”
In front of a fireplace full of ashes, there was a sleek leather chair that didn’t seem to belong in District 6. And sitting in the chair was a huge man covered in fur like a giant bear.
It was Scar’s father, Jackson.
“Oh my… smoke….”
He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, pretending to cross his arms while gauging the distance between himself and Jackson.
“Isn’t it fragrant? Some nobles say that smoking this made them younger. What brings the scoundrel from Castle Cassidy to this place?”
“Mangnani is your nickname. Mangnani Giant.”
Kuh… Jackson let out a heavy breath and slightly raised his body. He moved very slightly, but his spreading presence was extraordinary.
“Huh… That’s right. You’re not a loser….”
A mischievous look lingered in his large, round eyes, visible through his fluffy fur.
“Just stop there.”
“Would you like a sip?”
Jackson asked, handing me the pipe he had in his mouth. When I waved my hand, he put it back to his mouth.
“Anyway, what’s going on?”
“I have a favor to ask.”
“Please… In such a stiff posture?”
“Oh, it’s called a deal.”
“Hmm… When I look at you, it reminds me of my younger self. A young kid with a strong body who doesn’t know the fear of the world.”
I was offended by Jackson’s muttering. I couldn’t agree with it because I had heard rumors about what Jackson had done in his old days and how much of a bastard he was.
“We look completely different, so don’t get us involved. You’re ugly and I’m handsome. Anyway, get me the magic book.”
“Poohahaha! You’re handsome?! This is the first time in a long time that I’ve laughed like this!”
When Jackson laughed, it felt like the ground was shaking. That huge laugh was so annoying that I had to work hard to release the strength in my fists.
‘···If only it weren’t for Scar Abby.’
I waved my hands and then relaxed.
“Haha- That’s right, it’s a magic book… Is it because of the child you recently held in your arms?”
“Have you planted your ears? You said you retired, but I guess you still have regrets.”
“It’s an occupational disease. You know that too. Once you have an occupational disease, no amount of medicine can cure it.”
Jackson beat around the bush, wondering if the Scar guy would play along.
“So can you save it?”
“You can get it. If you have money, you can get anything.”
Jackson made a circle the size of a person’s head with his right hand. It was unclear whether the circle was large because of the size of his hand or because it was worth that much.
“Hmm… I thought you retired? Nova thought you were just sitting in the corner smoking a pipe or something. I bet she’d be really happy if I told her that.”
“It’s just a small hobby, not something worth paying taxes on.”
Jackson answered calmly, but because he was so big, even the slightest flinch seemed big.
‘Even Jackson is shaking…’
The rough orange and nova felt great.
“Nova has been having a lot of trouble lately. The amount of damage caused by the demons is bigger than expected.”
“···I wonder if most of that damage came from you, Aaron? I wonder why Nova doesn’t charge you.”
This time I coughed loudly.
“Ahem… It happened while I was on official duty. Nova is like a knife when it comes to things like that.”
“Anyway, which magic book do you want?”
“Can you be more specific and help me?”
“That’s difficult. The magic book isn’t made of iron.”
Was he teasing me? I scratched my cheek and checked my round eyes. They were round eyes similar to Scar’s, but their depth was different.
“But did you know that magic books are really expensive?”
Jackson puffed out smoke again. Strangely enough, the smoke that had been in a circle dispersed in the middle and formed a circle again.
“I don’t know.”
“Ahem! Then do you have enough money?”
“Do you see this? I am an honorary monk. If you want, I will pray for you. Very earnestly.”
I gently tapped the gold cape. Jackson narrowed his eyes at me, then said, “Whew,” and pushed away the smoke around him.
“Okay, if you believe in God, your ending will always be miserable. Right. He’s Aaron, so how could he possibly not have money? The price of magic books varies greatly, so let’s talk after I get them.”
Jackson waved his hand as if to tell them to leave.
‘So, that means there’s a discount?’
He tapped the gold cape again, but Jackson closed his eyes as if he didn’t care.
It seemed that Jackson was not a member of the Solar Church.
‘I’m going to go to hell with a lot of money in my arms.’
I licked my lips and took a sip.
***
“Come over there and sit down.”
I gestured to the mini fridge, which was staring at me with only half of its face sticking out, and it approached me, hesitantly.
The guy sitting on the edge of the chair glanced at me. I tried to ease his tension by giving him a friendly smile, and his eyes widened.
“That… was it a canoe?”
“Kanna···yo.”
“Oh, right. Why did you give up on the Kanna book?”
“Who said I gave up! …I didn’t.”
“So are you reading a book?”
“no.”
“I gave up.”
“I said no! ···”
As I scratched slowly, I got that usual cheeky reaction. The guy who had been glaring at me with his sharp eyes lowered his head again.
“So, what magic do you know how to do now?”
First, I decided to check out the features it came with.
“You want me to tell you about magic?!···What?”
“no?”
“no.”
The guy shouted, then glanced at me furtively and continued speaking.
“Magic dice and… something that makes you cold and… simple clairvoyance and such….”
The guy spoke forcefully and clearly, as if trying to appeal to the interviewer. Of course, it wasn’t to the level where it could be packaged.
“Dice and clairvoyance? Did you learn magic from some gambling addict?”
“He’s not a gambling addict, he’s a romantic man······.”
The guy answered in a crawling voice, avoiding eye contact.
‘Should I just be satisfied with beer?’
I wondered if I could learn from a book by giving it to a guy who was a born-to-be magician who learned from a gambler, not a book.
“But… still! I said that you learn very quickly!”
As if he had read my expression, the guy continued speaking hurriedly.
At that moment, a voice buried in my memory came to mind.
[How did you learn magic? Why do you ask? Aaron doesn’t have the brain to learn.]
“Well… she’s good at everything… Hana said she’s good at washing dishes too!”
[Pfft! What kind of intellectual is Aaron? Anyway, he was just desperate. He was smarter than everyone else… no, he was a genius.]
“Please… don’t abandon me….”
She was a woman with a star-like intelligence in her eyes that couldn’t even be compared to a shabby mini-fridge, but strangely enough, the two seemed to overlap.
“What do you mean throw it away… Don’t say things that others will misunderstand.”
I hurriedly waved my hand as I looked at the guy with tears streaming down his eyes.
“Is it true?”
‘Was it acting? How clever.’
I clicked my tongue slightly as I watched the guy rolling his eyes while shedding tears.
“Anyway, you didn’t have the opportunity, but it doesn’t mean you didn’t have the will, right?”
It wasn’t just a study guide for kids, it was a magic book that was worth reading, so if he said he didn’t want to study, it would be a big problem. For him and for me.
“Yes! Just order whatever you want!”
As if he had never cried before, he quickly sat up straight and opened his eyes wide.
‘Why does he talk like this?’
I couldn’t help but frown at the way he spoke, which had a strangely weasel-like scent.
“···And there’s something I didn’t say.”
The guy who returned with a dejected look twisted his fingers and trailed off. His acting was top-notch.
“What is it?”
The moment the guy opened his mouth to answer my question.
bang!!
The door opened violently, and a soaking wet weasel ran in.
“Brother! Brother!! We’re in big trouble! All the guys in the barrel have escaped!!”
The weasel fell down in front of me and screamed. The weasel kept checking the door with anxious eyes as if some kind of murderer was chasing it.
Thud thud.
Large raindrops poured in through the open door, wetting the entrance to the hall.
He had a feeling that today was going to be a long day, so he scratched his beard nervously.
“Tsk, let’s talk about career counseling later.”
He poured the rest of his beer into his mouth and stood up.
