Shepherd Wizard

Chapter 98

Translator: Pai_

‘Never come back.’

As Solif read the hidden sentence in the letter from his father, Godis, the room fell into silence for a moment.

Afterward, the three of them tried reading the letter in various ways to see if there were any more hidden messages, but they could not find anything else of significance.

“What does it mean?”

“Maybe Mr. Godis realized that something was off and wrote it for that reason. Or…”

It could also be a double trap meant to evoke sympathy in Solif and lure him into making contact with his father.

Turan swallowed the thought that had surfaced in his mind.

“Sigh.”

Perhaps because he was unsettled by the unexpected revelation, Solif frowned deeply, closed his eyes, and muttered something under his breath.

Meisa looked at him and asked,

“Are you going to meet him?”

“I don’t know. If my father really left that message out of concern for me, then it would only be right to talk to him. But honestly, I always thought that all the affection my parents showed me while raising me was a lie.”

If Varaha had truly raised Solif as a vessel for the god’s possession, that was the inevitable conclusion.

There was no way such questionable educational methods had been imposed on him without his parents’ consent.

“If my parents really loved me, and my father is only chasing me because my mother is being held hostage damn it, would they really go that far? No, they probably would…”

His rambling revealed the complexity of his emotions, so instead of replying, Turan and Meisa simply sat there, listening to his grievances.

However, it was not long before they realized that all this deliberation had been meaningless. A servant arrived and informed them that Godis had left Rida’s mansion.

“He left?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Did he leave on his own, or did Lady Rida drive him out?”

“A mere servant like me wouldn’t know such details…”

Well, what would the servants really know?

Turan immediately went to see Rida and received confirmation that Godis had left of his own accord.

“He must have thought you were the lead he was looking for, but when he found nothing, he left. He couldn’t exactly resort to force while he was here, after all.”

Rida, who had been speaking with a light smile, suddenly hardened her expression.

“But be careful once you’re outside. If they target you beyond Lavitas territory, there is nothing I can do for you. Just as I wield the power of my great house, I must also cherish my family in return.”

It was only natural that she, as a noble, would fulfill her duty of taking care of a guest like Turan. However, she was making it clear that she could not recklessly clash with another great house without just cause, even for a young friend.

When Turan returned to their lodging and shared this news, Solif nodded with a mix of frustration and relief.

“So that’s how it turned out…”

“In the end, we still don’t know what the letter was meant to convey.”

At Meisa’s words, Turan pulled out a few strands of long silver hair from his pocket.

He had secretly collected them after Godis left the room.

“With these, we can track him down anytime if we want to ask him.”

With Turan’s current magic power, using Tracking Magic with someone’s hair as a medium would allow him to detect their location even from thousands of kilometers away.

If he pushed himself a little, he could even trace Godis’s movements after he returned to the Varaha main house.

Hearing this, Solif nodded with a reluctant expression.

“Hmm, let’s save that for later… We’ll think about it once Meisa has recovered. I don’t really know what I want to do right now.”

*

Over the next few days, Turan and his group spent a relatively comfortable time at the Lavitas estate, allowing their bodies and minds to heal.

However, Meisa and Solif found this period rather uncomfortable. One of them could not move her legs and had to be assisted with everything, while the other had to remain disguised as a servant.

Fortunately, exactly one week later, they received a message that the head of the House Lavitas was inviting them.

Turan and his group headed to the central palace of the capital with Rida.

“Come to think of it, Turan, you always carry Misha yourself instead of letting a servant do it.”

As they traveled together, Rida chuckled slyly as he looked at Turan carrying Meisa.

“Huh? Ah, well. This is just more convenient for me.”

Meisa and Solif were not exactly awkward around each other, but there was a certain feeling of being "a friend of a friend", with Turan at the center.

Because of that, whenever movement was necessary, Turan personally carried Meisa, and it seemed that Rida found the sight amusing.

“Men who are too jealous aren’t very attractive.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Turan smoothly responded to Rida’s joke as they entered a massive room deep within the palace.

The first things that caught the eye were the stuffed specimens of various gigantic Magical Beasts and the finely crafted decorative ornaments.

And then, there was something only Turan could see, the flow of magic covering the entire wall.

‘There’s definitely some kind of spell cast here…’

Perhaps due to the magic enveloping the entire residence of the Family Head, Turan had been unable to sense the magic power of Osel, the head of House Lavitas, until he stepped inside.

In one corner, a massive tiger and a lion lay curled up. Judging by the fact that both had magic power equivalent to mid-ranking nobles, they appeared to be the Family Head’s pets.

The reason no other people were present in the residence was likely that Turan’s request to keep this treatment matter confidential had been relayed through Rida.

From beyond a drawn veil at the deepest part of the room, a young boy’s voice was heard.

“I’ve heard the gist of it. You want my power?”

Even though Osel had met Turan’s group before, he casually asked the question as if they were complete strangers.

There was no need to reveal that he knew Osel unnecessarily and expose his own abilities, so Turan politely bowed his head and played along.

“Yes, Family Head. I wish for my companion, Misha, to be healed.”

“You understand what it means for the head of a great house to use their power personally.”

He spoke in a rather weighty tone, but because his voice still carried the youthful timbre of someone who had only recently passed puberty, it was almost enough to make one laugh.

Of course, offending Osel here would be a disaster, so Turan clenched his teeth and held back.

“I am prepared to repay the Family Head’s grace. I will offer gold and silver, as well as grant you the right to use my power once.”

“The right to use your power, huh.”

It was actually not uncommon for nobles to enter contracts where they sold their labor to others.

Such transactions were typically proposed by landless wandering nobles to wealthy landowning nobles.

“However, there are a few conditions.”

“Conditions?”

“The task must not involve harming innocent people, it must have a clear objective and deadline, and it must not be so difficult that it is outright impossible for me to accomplish.”

At Turan’s words, Osel let out a thoughtful hum and stroked his chin, which had yet to grow a beard, before speaking.

“There just so happens to be a task that fits those conditions perfectly.”

“What is it?”

“Wetland reclamation.”

Reclamation likely referred to filling up waterlogged land to turn it into usable ground.

Given that most of the Lavitas territory was wetlands, it was understandable that such a task would be necessary.

“Where and how much needs to be done?”

“The Koloa region in the southern part of the Siraf Wetland. The area to be developed is approximately one hundred kilometers in both width and length.”

Since he had an exact figure ready, it seemed he had already been informed by Rida about Turan’s conditions and had prepared the compensation accordingly.

“It must be a project difficult to carry out even with the family's resources.”

“The range is vast, the terrain is tricky, but more than anything, there are quite a few troublesome Magical Beasts living there. If done alone, it might take several decades.”

If the beasts possessed strong magic power, even nobles from great families would covet them. Osel's mention of them being ‘troublesome’ likely meant that they were not particularly strong in magic power but had special abilities that made them difficult to hunt.

The Magical Beasts of the Siraf Wetland were notoriously known for being hard to catch while also not providing much in terms of resources.

“Do I have to do it entirely on my own, without any support from Lavitas?”

“You’re free to hire people, but the employment costs will be your responsibility.”

After a brief moment of consideration, Turan nodded.

For ordinary nobles, as Osel had said, the task would require at least ten years of effort. However, with the combined strength of three nobles at the level of a quasi-family Head, Turan calculated that it would not take nearly as long.

Even in the worst-case scenario, it would likely only take a few months.

“Very well.”

"I'm glad we concluded our discussion so easily."

Just when it seemed the conversation was over, for some reason, Osel silently stared at Turan for a while without saying anything.

"What is it? If we're done talking, you should leave."

“When will the treatment take place?”

“Obviously, after you’ve completed your task.”

At Osel’s words, Turan shook his head.

“I will need Misha’s help for the wetland reclamation. Please heal her first.”

“And what reason do I have to trust a landless, wandering noble? If you receive the treatment and run away, I’ll have wasted my power without any compensation.”

Osel’s cold response instantly froze the previously amicable atmosphere.

At that moment, Rida, who had been observing from the side, clicked her tongue and spoke.

“Don’t be so rigid, Family Head. A person’s physical condition is crucial when using magic. There’s no need to make things more complicated than necessary.”

“Sister!”

“If you’re going to entrust him with the task, wouldn’t it be better to do so in good spirits rather than with resentment?”

After saying that, Rida glanced briefly at Turan and Meisa before adding,

“Besides, I haven’t seen much, but I don’t think these young ones would go so far as to deceive us. We also discussed things separately, and unless they expect to go through life without ever getting injured, would they really dare to pull such a trick?”

By discussed things separately, she was likely referring to the previous conversation about necromancers.

Osel, who had been bristling at Rida's patronizing attitude, listened quietly to her subsequent words and then sighed, removing the veil with a single gesture.

Revealed before them was a beautiful boy, around sixteen or seventeen years old, the same figure they had seen before.

Osel, the Family Head of House Lavitas, gazed quietly at Turan and Meisa before asking,

“You’re not surprised to see me?”

“I had a rough idea.”

“Hmph.”

Osel scoffed before turning to Rida.

“You’re making things difficult for me, Sister.”

“My apologies, I must have spoken out of turn. From now on, I won’t say a single word in front of the Family Head.”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Though Osel had maintained a high-handed attitude toward Turan’s group, with Rida, he behaved exactly like a boy his age, flustered and desperate.

Their bickering continued until they seemed to become aware of Turan and Meisa’s gazes, at which point they both cleared their throats and fell silent.

After a brief pause, Osel, perhaps to change the mood, spoke again in a dignified tone like before.

“First, I need to test your abilities. Let’s see if you are truly qualified to make such demands.”

The moment he finished speaking, a wave of magic power surged toward Turan and Meisa.

The overwhelming force of a great house’s Family Head, one of the strongest individuals in this world, was being directly projected at them.

Normally, this kind of magic projection did not contain any specific intent, meaning it would not physically manifest in any way. However, the sheer density of the power distorted the very air around them.

Without any tricks, Turan and Meisa responded by unleashing their magic power in full force, meeting Osel’s pressure head-on.

Since Meisa’s true abilities would inevitably be revealed during the treatment, there was no point in trying to downplay Turan’s strength either. Doing so would only raise suspicions.

More importantly, by demonstrating his full power here, he could ensure that his labor would be valued more highly.

Osel remained silent for a long time after witnessing their strength, seemingly caught off guard. Nearly a full minute passed before he finally spoke.

“…Not bad. Very well, I accept your terms.”

Rida’s earlier words had likely played a significant role in Osel’s decision to agree.

For nobles as powerful as them, ordinary magic artifacts were useless for healing severe injuries. In the end, they had no choice but to appease someone like Osel, the greatest healer in the world.

Moreover, considering the level of power both possessed, even Osel had to show them a certain degree of respect.

Seeing this, Rida clapped her hands and laughed.

“This turned out well! Then how about we take care of it right away? As far as I know, the Family Head hasn’t used any magic today.”

“Let’s do that, Sister. Everyone, follow me.”

*

As if everything had been prepared in advance, Osel stood up and led them to a room adjacent to the Family Head’s quarters.

Like the adjacent residence, the walls and floors of this room were filled with the flow of magic power, and in the center were several beds.

“This is the treatment room. It is imbued with power that repels bad energy that brings disease. First, the servant must leave. And do not bring any beasts, as their wounds could worsen.”

“Ah, yes.”

Solif, who had naturally followed them inside, gave an awkward smile and stepped back, taking Bije with him.

Once they were out, Osel immediately cast purification magic over the entire room, likely to cleanse any harmful microorganisms.

Turan wondered whether they were aware of microorganisms' existence or if they had merely learned through experience that this was necessary.

While he was lost in thought, Osel pointed to a bed.

“Lie down.”

Meisa, looking somewhat nervous, lay down on the bed, and Osel retrieved a massive saw from the corner of the room.

It was another powerful magic artifact.

"I'll cut with this. If you don’t want to feel pain, I can knock you out. Would you prefer a hit to the head or having your breathing stopped?”

“I can help with that. That’s fine, right, Misha?”

“Yes.”

“You want to do it yourself? Well, I won’t complain since it saves me the trouble, but it’s not as easy as you think.”

Contrary to Osel’s skepticism, Turan skillfully rendered Meisa unconscious and gently laid her on the bed within moments.

Both nobles of House Lavitas looked at Turan as if he were a strange person.

"My, you both seem quite familiar with this sort of thing.”

Rida remarked. Instead of responding, Turan simply lowered his head slightly, and Osel clicked his tongue.

“Whatever. Let’s get started already. My time is valuable.”

Moments later, the surgery began.

Osel led the procedure while Rida assisted, and Turan stepped back slightly, observing closely in case anything went wrong.

“Let’s start here… Hmm, it cuts easily. As expected.”

As Osel severed Meisa’s lower body, Turan watched with tense focus.

If Osel were to betray them, Turan would have to call in Solif immediately, stop Osel, and find a way to heal Meisa himself.

Fortunately, Osel did not betray them. The moment he completely removed Meisa’s lower half, he immediately used Healing Magic to begin restoring it.

His hands delicately adjusted her internal organs and bones, displaying an in-depth knowledge of human anatomy.

‘So, for the Family Head of House Lavitas, this kind of injury is nothing, huh?’

Although Rida was also assisting in the healing, her involvement was clearly not at the same level as Osel’s direct intervention.

The way the severed area reattached smoothly, as if it were clay being molded, was nothing short of astonishing. Watching this, Turan could not help but imagine what it would be like to fight the Lavitas Family Head.

‘It’d be nearly impossible to weaken his combat abilities with mere injuries. Healing himself would be far easier than healing others…’

Turan had thought that House Lavitas Family Head, possessing both the Healer Bloodline and the Purifier Bloodline, would not be particularly threatening in battle. However, if he could endlessly heal himself regardless of how much damage he sustained, unless he was decapitated, he could be a much more troublesome opponent than expected.

In fact, if his opponent were a lower-level wizard, he could probably recover from injuries even faster.

In a group battle, someone like Osel could turn out to be an even more difficult adversary than wizards with typical combat-oriented bloodlines.

After some time, Osel completed the treatment, let out a small sigh, and said,

“Ever since I inherited the position of Family Head, I never thought I’d have to heal a wizard close to my own level again. Just what are you people?”

“Turan and Misha. For now.”

Leaving a hint that he would share more details if their relationship improved in the future, Turan saw Osel scoff with a "Hmph" but refrain from pressing further.

Dismissing them as if telling them to leave on their own, Osel departed first. About ten minutes later, Meisa let out a groan and opened her eyes.

“Is it over?”

“Yeah. It was simpler than I expected. Want to try standing up?”

At Turan’s words, Meisa cautiously moved her legs, got up from the bed, and stood on both feet.

After bouncing lightly in place a few times, a bright smile bloomed across her face.