"Oh, if only someone in our territory knew how to prepare acidic soil," Louis said casually.
His fingers tapped unconsciously against the wooden desk behind his office chair, producing a soft, rhythmic sound. On the surface, his words sounded like nothing more than a careless complaint spoken aloud, the sort of thing one muttered while buried in paperwork.
Yet his gaze betrayed him.
From time to time, his eyes drifted toward Silco, who was seated at a smaller desk not far away.
Silco was hunched forward, quill flying across parchment as he tallied the latest fish catches and recorded the output of smoked fish. The dim light of the office lamps highlighted the deep, dark circles under his eyes—far worse than they had been the night before. He had not slept properly in days.
When Louis spoke, Silco froze.
His quill hovered in midair.
Slowly, he lifted one hand and pressed his fingers against his temple, as if trying to force clarity back into his exhausted mind.
Did I mishear that?
No.
He was absolutely certain this time.
That wasn't a hallucination brought on by exhaustion.
After all, no matter how sleep-deprived he was, it was impossible to hear the same hallucination five times in one day.
Yes—five times.
Silco's movements slowed as the realization settled in.
This was deliberate.
Louis wasn't complaining at random. He was hinting at something.
Preparing acidic soil was an entry-level skill for any alchemist. Even the most inexperienced apprentices learned it early in their training.
And Silco was not merely an apprentice—he was a recognized genius in alchemy.
Of course he knew how to do it.
The problem was that he had never revealed this identity to anyone in Red Tide Territory. Not openly. Not officially.
So how did Louis know?
Silco's thoughts raced.
Had he slipped up somewhere? Had he unconsciously revealed knowledge he shouldn't possess? Or was it simply impossible for a genius alchemist to completely suppress his aura, no matter how hard he tried?
As he wrestled with these thoughts, Louis spoke again, still wearing the same helpless expression.
"It really would be great if we could prepare acidic soil ourselves."
That made six times.
Silco finally snapped.
It felt as though Louis were a chanting monk, repeating the same line over and over until enlightenment—or surrender—was forced upon him.
He took a deep breath, steadied his expression, and spoke as casually as he could manage.
"I… know a little," Silco said. "I learned some of it back when I was at the church academy."
The moment the words left his mouth, Silco regretted them.
What nonsense am I saying? he thought bitterly.
Since when did church academies teach students how to prepare acidic soil?
That excuse was flimsy at best.
Yet to Silco's astonishment, Louis accepted it without hesitation.
Not only that—his eyes lit up with sudden understanding.
"Oh?" Louis said with clear interest. "Is that so? Then can you help me?"
The office fell silent.
Even the crackling of the fireplace seemed louder than before.
Silco glanced at Louis from the corner of his eye.
He… believed that?
Louis's expression didn't look like someone who had been fooled by a weak excuse. On the contrary, he looked expectant—almost amused—as if he were thinking:
You've finally admitted it. Now hurry up and get to work.
Silco was speechless.
In truth, Louis had known about Silco's background as an alchemy apprentice for quite some time.
The Frost Blood Red Berry was a special plant that required extremely acidic soil to grow properly. Only in such conditions could it efficiently absorb nutrients from the earth, allowing its fruits to become plump, vividly red, and highly effective in enhancing fighting spirit.
If planted in neutral or alkaline soil, the nutrients would become locked away, inaccessible to the roots. The result would be stunted growth, yellowing leaves, and, in most cases, a complete failure to bear fruit.
Louis understood the theory well enough.
What he lacked were the details.
He knew what was required, but not how to do it—he didn't know the precise ratios, preparation methods, or material treatments needed to produce truly effective acidic soil.
But he knew someone who did.
Silco.
This clever fellow had been hiding his identity remarkably well, choosing to bury himself under endless clerical work instead.
Originally, Louis had planned to wait until Silco revealed himself voluntarily. But the current situation left no room for patience. The cultivation of Frost Blood Red Berries could not be delayed any longer.
Even if it meant forcing Silco's hand, today had to be the day.
The silence stretched.
The firewood popped softly in the fireplace, sending sparks dancing upward.
Silco stared down at the ledger on his desk, his fingers tightening around the quill.
He weighed the pros and cons carefully.
If he continued hiding, Louis would only keep pressing. If he revealed himself, he would likely be burdened with even more responsibilities.
After a long moment, Silco exhaled slowly.
"…Yes," he said at last. "I can do it. But I have one condition."
Louis raised an eyebrow.
"I want one day off each week," Silco continued. "To rest."
This time, it was Louis's turn to fall silent.
Given Red Tide Territory's current manpower shortage, granting a weekly day off to someone as capable as Silco did feel like a luxury—almost a waste.
But then again, Silco hadn't rested even a single day in nearly a month.
If this continued, there was no guarantee he wouldn't simply collapse—or worse, work himself to death.
Louis sighed.
"Alright," he said. "Deal."
Relief flickered across Silco's tired face.
He immediately copied out a detailed list for preparing acidic soil and handed it over to Louis.
Most of the materials could be purchased in the markets of Frost Halberd City.
However, one item caught Louis's attention and made his gaze linger.
Magma essence.
"You really don't hold back," Louis said with a wry smile, looking up at Silco.
"I listed everything according to the most standard ratios," Silco replied with a shrug. "You can use substitutes, but the results will be…"
"Greatly reduced," Louis finished for him.
Silco spread his hands, offering no denial.
Louis rubbed his brow.
Magma essence was expensive—and troublesome.
Red Tide Territory did possess this material. It could be found in the mining region to the northwest.
Extracting it, however, was not simple.
The mining process itself wasn't the issue. Even with crude methods, having residents strike the ore veins with pickaxes would eventually yield usable magma essence.
The real problem lay elsewhere.
According to intelligence reports, several Frost Giants had been roaming near the mining area since early spring.
Frost Giants were among the most troublesome magical beasts in the Northern Territory.
They lived in extreme cold, towered over ordinary beings, and possessed monstrous strength. Their skin was as hard as solid ice, rendering most conventional weapons useless.
Worse still, they could manipulate cold air itself—conjuring blizzards that slowed enemies, numbed limbs, and could even freeze the unprepared to death.
Previously, Louis had chosen not to act.
Red Tide Territory had been focused on agriculture and basic production. There simply hadn't been time or manpower to address the threat.
Moreover, the mining area was far from residential zones, and the Frost Giants had yet to pose a direct danger.
Most importantly, Louis had lacked sufficient intelligence on their weaknesses. Acting rashly would have been reckless.
Thus, he had only sent a few knights to observe the area covertly.
But things had changed.
Over the past month, the intelligence system had continuously provided detailed information on Frost Giants—their habits, vulnerabilities, and combat tendencies.
At the same time, Red Tide Territory's development had stabilized.
Now was the perfect moment.
If magma essence was required anyway, they might as well seize the opportunity to eliminate this hidden danger once and for all—and bring the mining region firmly under their control.
Louis made his decision.
He stood and immediately summoned two knights.
"You two," he said, handing them Silco's list. "Go to Frost Halberd City and purchase everything on this list. As quickly as possible."
"Yes, my lord!" the knights replied, saluting before hurrying off.
Next, Louis summoned Lambert, captain of the knight order.
"Lambert," Louis said calmly, "assemble all knights. Prepare for battle."
Lambert paused briefly but did not question the order.
"Understood, my lord," he said firmly.
"Our target is the Northwest Mountains," Louis continued. "We will subjugate the Frost Giants. Ensure no delays."
"Yes!"
Lambert turned and left at once.
Soon, the knights of Red Tide Territory assembled in full force. Warhorses neighed, armor clinked, and banners fluttered in the cold wind.
With disciplined precision, the force rode out toward the northwest—toward danger, opportunity, and the future of the territory.
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