NEC Chapter 58: A New Deal Sealed

For the countess’s encampment by the North Foothill River, there was first a piece of bad news: the young countess had casually promised away the highly valued healing pills, a critical bargaining chip.

No one could object. The young countess had full authority over the camp’s belongings, and more importantly, the pills weren’t even Cloudmist Domain property, they were a gift from her maternal family.

Even if she fed them to birds or fish, the lord could only furrow his brow at most.

Besides, there was precedent. During the Longwind Hills incident, when the team was overwhelmed by the orc Barrier Knight, a single pill couldn’t have reversed that dire situation. Yet the young countess’s inexplicable generosity had secured their survival.

So, they let her be…

After all, after Linda nagged the countess a few times about the earlier pill, the Longwind Hills ordeal ended, and Linda bore the brunt of the countess’s subtle jabs.

In the morning, the countess mused, “Oh, the sun’s so red today, like the flames on that orc!”

At noon, she chirped, “Linda, Linda, if I hadn’t given him that ‘Everchant’ pill, would we be eating such a fine lunch now?”

In the evening, she sighed, “Whenever night falls, I think of the endless darkness when we were surrounded by orcs…”

The maids fawned over the countess, showering her with extravagant praise, making her beam with delight. Meanwhile, Linda’s face stiffened, and she quietly slipped away, barely mentioning noble etiquette lately.

It was unclear if this was the countess’s tactic to skip lessons…

In any case, when the countess made such a generous offer again, despite their heartache, the team’s leaders wisely kept silent.

Sure enough, once the countess made her promise, the other party immediately set off to prepare a thank-you gift. Not long after, Guide Luke galloped back with news.

The other party had thought it over and decided to travel with the Cloudmist team.

This was fantastic!

At the welcoming banquet, Master Locke had subtly expressed interest in recruiting this young mage. After all, someone capable of producing a weapon that “judged” a Barrier Knight, no matter how much luck was involved, wielded undeniable power.

For a noble detached from their family, recruiting them or recommending them to the lord would strengthen their own side while weakening potential rivals.

Externally, talent unused by you would be claimed by others. Noble conflicts could be as brutal as life-and-death wars.

Internally, while the young countess’s inheritance rank held little value, others might seek to curry favor, suppress, suspect, or exploit her. A stronger team was never a bad thing.

Even if the lord later claimed the talent, it would still earn the countess some goodwill.

Of course, Chen Mo, engrossed in his studies, had politely declined the offer at the time.

Now, according to Luke, the young mage needed to report to his instructor and gain approval before deciding whether to accept Cloudmist’s invitation to travel together.

This display of character reassured Master Locke and Captain Paven further.

Luke had already brought back a large sack, and with a few guards, they hauled back over a dozen packages, leaving everyone astonished.

True noble flair, even the countess, who changed outfits daily, had less luggage than Chen Mo after losing gear at Longwind Hills.

Chen Mo remained open and forthright, stating his intentions clearly. He hoped Cloudmist could help him find a mage tower, magic academy, or private tutor to guide his magical training and studies, with costs negotiable.

Then, he opened his “skeleton safe,” spilling out a dazzling array of equipment and devices, inviting the countess to choose.

The servants were dismissed, leaving only the countess, Locke, Paven, and Linda to marvel at the legendary creations of the “Machine King” or “Cyber Lord.”

Chen Mo introduced each item, though Captain Paven was now skeptical of his descriptions. After all, Chen Mo had called the thermite grenade “a bit hot!”

Hot enough to kill a Barrier Knight!

“This… um, a standard weapon used by that lord’s warriors, firing a small projectile from this tube?” Paven eagerly picked up a Type 95-1 rifle, squinting one eye to peer down the barrel. “No crossbow string in here, how does it shoot?”

Chen Mo thought for a moment before offering a tentative explanation. “Uh… gas. It’s propelled by expanding gas…”

Paven nodded instantly. “Oh, blown out, got it. Interesting!”

“Tch, such a tiny projectile? No wonder it doesn’t need a string.”

Clearly, Paven wasn’t impressed by firearms. To the Goldscale Swordsman, smaller projectiles meant less power, just as a mage’s large fireball was stronger than a small one.

This aligned with Blue Star’s weapon systems, 155mm caliber was far deadlier than 5.8mm.

When Chen Mo pulled out a grenade pouch, Paven’s attention snapped to it.

Having used one before with proven results, Paven’s interest was piqued.

“Is this like the one you gave me last time?”

“There’s a big difference!”

Chen Mo explained and gestured, finally helping Paven vaguely distinguish between offensive, defensive, and thermite grenades.

“If…” Paven rubbed his hands. “If I take these… grenades, how many can I have?”

“The countess’s generosity in gifting the medicine twice is etched in my heart. If you want them, take them all. If it’s not enough, I’ll ask the great… uh… Industrial Emperor for more!”

“Didn’t you say Machine King earlier?”

“…Same thing, same thing!”

After dinner, they hosted a grand noble gathering.

Dancers danced, archers competed, scholars recited poetry, and those with no talents could arm-wrestle…

It was clear Cloudmist was eager to integrate Chen Mo into their team’s atmosphere.

Chen Mo, skilled at none of these, not even arm-wrestling, sat quietly watching the show.

After a while, Lady Frost sidled over, plopped into the chair beside him, and whispered, “You find this boring too, don’t you?”

“I hate these occasions. It’s like this at home, and it’s still like this out here. So annoying.”

“I’m so jealous of you, running around on your own. You must have had tons of adventures, right?”

Chen Mo gave an embarrassed smile. “Adventures? Just an ordinary life, really.”

“Liar! The first time I saw you, you were injured!”

“Were you ambushed by bad guys?”

Chen Mo: “…Would you believe me if I said a dog bit me?”

“No way, you’re lying again. How could a dog use a bow and arrow?” The countess puffed out her cheeks, glaring at Chen Mo’s deceitful antics.

“Heh, it was a lickspittle dog!”

“???”

>>> NEXT CHAPTER