novelraw Chapter 81 : Magic Powder
Chapter 81 : Magic Powder
Chapter 81: Magic Powder
Serena spoke in a calm voice.
“Stop.”
The feet of the two men who were trying to slip out of the tent would not move.
A mound of earth rose up from the ground and tightly grabbed their shoes.
The dirt covering the tops of their feet gradually hardened, becoming as solid as rock.
‘Had she prepared in advance.’
Robin glanced sideways at Serena and released his hand from the sword.
He wondered inwardly if Serena had made a mistake, but the spirit mage was seasoned.
She must have revealed herself with the intention of capturing the two men who tried to flee.
“Phew… We almost let them get away.”
“…….”
Robin pretended not to hear Serena’s muttering and stepped forward.
The man he faced directly was someone Robin also knew.
The centurion who commanded the personnel left behind at the camp.
Beside him, a decurion under his command was staring at Robin with a flustered expression.
The centurion feigned innocence and shamelessly opened his mouth.
“You barged into the command tent without permission. What do you think you’re doing right now?”
“I apologize for intruding late at night.”
“If you want even a little leniency in your punishment, you’d better free our feet first.”
Robin turned his gaze to Serena.
The centurion and the decurion also looked at Serena, but she only stared blankly without taking any action.
“It seems you have no intention of releasing them. Since it’s come to this, I’ll ask a few questions.”
Robin brought over chairs and seated the two men.
For now, they were also his and Serena’s superiors, and he wanted to resolve things through conversation as much as possible.
It wasn’t as if he was confident in interrogation, either.
“It looked like you were trying to obstruct Count Wilcock. Is that correct.”
“That’s impossible. Not only did you sneak in, now you’re framing us as well. The audacity is astonishing.”
“Show some respect, mercenary. Are you in your right mind, threatening a centurion!”
The shift in attitude was so quick that for a moment it was hard to tell who the traitor was.
‘They’re good actors.’
“Excuse me for a moment.”
Robin stopped the two men who were trying to rise from their chairs and searched their belongings.
Identification tags, wallet, command baton…….
He examined them one by one in detail, but they were all ordinary items.
He wondered what gave them the confidence to act so brazenly, but there was no evidence.
“Robin, come here.”
Serena pulled out a bundle of papers from a drawer beneath the table.
It was the centurion’s handwriting.
It was filled with notes recording his personal routine and traces of strategic study.
The interesting part was the recent entries.
Robin read that section aloud.
“Two days after the main force departs. The rear detachment will be sent to the front lines to transport supplies.”
The faces of the centurion and the decurion drained of color.
Robin continued without stopping.
“A small amount of poison will be mixed into the rations distributed to officers and other persons of interest. The goal is not assassination but to cause confusion. Care must be taken not to exceed a lethal dose.”
“That’s frightening. To think of tampering with food.”
Serena broke apart a rusk she had found in the centurion’s drawer into bite-sized pieces.
She stuffed them straight into the mouths of the centurion and the decurion and watched their reactions.
There was no major abnormality.
Reassured, Serena put one into her own mouth as well.
“It doesn’t seem like this one has poison in it. Want some?”
Did she really not grasp what she had done?
Even though she had uncovered a spy and earned the credit, Serena remained carefree.
Robin shook his head and tucked the bundle of papers into his chest.
“I’ll go get the Admiral. This isn’t something for us to decide.”
“I’ll keep a good hold on them. Go ahead.”
Just before leaving the tent, Robin hesitated.
When he looked back, Serena was sitting in front of the desk, tossing rusks as if feeding a puppy.
Perhaps they couldn’t bring themselves to snatch them up like dogs; the centurion and the decurion merely watched the rusks fall onto their faces.
‘It should be fine to leave her alone……?’
A superior who had been a diligent commander only hours ago had lowered his head.
Fearing he might not endure the humiliation and bite his tongue, Robin hurried.
The incident that occurred during the night was hastily wrapped up with the Admiral’s intervention.
After hearing the situation, the Admiral sent Robin and Serena back.
He left only a request that he would interrogate the centurion and the decurion alone with Collie, and that this matter be kept secret.
With no choice, Robin returned, but he could not easily fall asleep.
The thought that there might be a spy somewhere in this vast encampment made his nerves taut.
In the end, he spent the night wide awake.
An hour after the sun showed its face over the horizon, Serena came out yawning.
“Looks like you didn’t sleep well. I told the spirits nearby to keep watch.”
“Even if the spirits notice something strange, it’s useless if you’re asleep, Serena.”
“…Sharp. When did you come to understand spirits so well.”
Rather than his understanding of spirits improving, it was more accurate to say he had figured out what kind of person Serena was.
Since staying up one night wouldn’t disrupt his daily routine, Robin went to receive breakfast.
Rye bread, potatoes, and cheese, three of each.
‘This is driving me crazy. I can’t help but wonder if it’s really safe to eat.’
After staring at the three portions of food, he took out a pot from his backpack.
He set aside the rations from the distribution center and took out a container filled with powder.
It was an ingredient Mirian had given him as a gift before leaving.
“Serena, pour some water, please.”
When Serena swung her staff, water trickled out of thin air.
When he raised his hand just before the pot filled up, the water stopped.
‘Traveling with a spirit mage really is convenient.’
He added three spoonfuls of the powder Mirian had given him.
A spicy, sharp aroma spread.
‘She said this amount should be about right.’
The powder Mirian had given him was called Magic Powder.
If mixed with plain water and boiled, it became a stew, and if sprinkled over ingredients, it enhanced the savory flavor.
She had said it was a secret technique she had learned while wandering here and there, and she had shared the recipe with Robin.
Since this was his first time using it himself, Robin felt slightly tense.
With the mindset of a head chef responsible for breakfast, he looked at Serena.
“……?”
Serena failed to notice the meaning in Robin’s gaze.
“Fire.”
Only then did Serena understand why he had been looking at her. She slightly jutted out her lips and swung her staff.
Heat rose from the bare ground where nothing should have been.
As it began to bubble and boil, it truly transformed into a stew.
Seeing the magic powder recreate even the thick consistency of a long-simmered stew, Robin sensed success.
When he even tossed in dried fish taken from Count Wilcock’s castle kitchen, it looked quite convincing.
As a delicious aroma spread, Robin raised his clenched fist.
With Serena extinguishing the fire, the red broth stew was completed.
At some point, Imelda, who had been watching from the side, exclaimed in admiration.
“Wow, it looks insanely good! Let’s eat quickly.”
The three of them ladled the stew into bowls and tasted it at the same time.
“Waa…….”
“It’s really rich.”
“…What exactly is this powder.”
The deliciously spicy broth and the savory depth contained within were superb.
The fish added as ingredients were slightly disappointing, but even so, it was good enough to sell for money.
The three of them emptied their bowls, savoring the warmth spreading through their insides with every swallow.
Not long after they finished their satisfying meal, the Admiral came to visit.
“Robin, could you spare a moment.”
The Admiral’s complexion looked darker than the day before.
Even without him saying it, the reason for his visit was obvious.
Robin guided the Admiral into the tent.
“We need to follow the main force. If possible, I would like to go together with you, Robin.”
“So those two really were spies.”
“Once Sir Collie stepped in, they didn’t last long before talking. We must hurry.”
“When are you planning to depart?”
“Right now.”
A blunt answer with not a shred of leeway.
Though the detailed circumstances were unclear, the Admiral’s expression spoke of urgency.
“I’ll explain as we go. Could you make it work somehow?”
For a moment, Robin weighed his options.
The risks he would have to bear once he stepped outside the defensive walls surrounding the encampment.
The tangible benefits he could gain by accompanying the Admiral.
If he were to become a knight, there would be times he would have to head onto the battlefield.
Building experience now would surely be helpful later.
‘Leaving a debt with the Admiral isn’t a bad idea either.’
His hesitation did not last long.
“Alright. But I’ll go alone. Imelda and Serena should stay here.”
“It’s unfortunate, but it can’t be helped. Prepare as lightly as possible and come out. We’ll depart within ten minutes.”
Just before the Admiral left the tent.
Imelda suddenly walked in.
“I’m going too. Admiral, that’s fine, right?”
“It seems your opinion differs from Robin’s, but with Miss Imelda’s abilities, you’re more than welcome.”
“Serena will be coming as well.”
“With a spirit summoner joining us, there’s nothing to fear.”
When Serena entered the tent as well, Robin’s expression hardened.
“You three will need time to talk. I can’t wait long.”
Leaving those words behind, the Admiral went out.
War would be a field of crisis unlike anything before.
Before Robin could open his mouth to gently persuade Imelda, she was a step ahead.
“You’re going to say it’s too dangerous and brutal a battlefield, that you can’t afford to protect me, so I should wait here, right?”
“You know me well. Serena doesn’t need to come either. Don’t risk your lives because of me.”
“I’m not risking my life because of you. And not for Imelda either.”
Serena’s response was unexpected.
‘I thought there’d be resistance from the young lady, but why Serena?’
“Whether it’s the battlefield or Count Betterot’s domain, I was planning to look around at least once.”
“Then you can do that after the war ends.”
“After the war, access will be blocked for quite a while.”
“Of course it will. It’s not like it’ll be blocked forever, so why go now of all times?”
“…If we can go now, we save time, right.”
Perhaps realizing her own words didn’t make sense, Serena’s voice trailed off.
‘Why are you being this stubborn.’
Setting Serena aside, Robin turned his gaze to Imelda.
The entire journey to Runeberg had been to ensure Imelda’s safety.
And now she wanted to go straight into the heart of the battlefield? This was something he could not overlook.
They had come as far as the front line only because he had been assured it would be safe.
“Robin, you’re no longer my servant. And I’m not a noble either.”
“Like I wouldn’t know that.”
“I can take care of myself now. This is my choice, and it wasn’t made lightly. If I stay here, I’ll be plagued by anxiety—wondering if there’s poison in the food, if spies are hiding around. I’d rather help end the war quickly.”
There was no wavering in Imelda’s eyes or voice.
‘End the war quickly? Would us going really make that much of a difference?’
Robin rubbed his throbbing temple.
Imelda’s argument did not end there.
She piled on every justification she could think of.
When Robin remained silent, Imelda delivered an ultimatum.
“…My life is mine to decide. Don’t interfere anymore.”
“…….”
Robin looked at Imelda with an expression of disbelief.
Imelda, perhaps realizing she had spoken wrongly, flinched for a moment, but soon steeled herself.
‘This hurts more than I expected.’
Robin had stayed by Imelda’s side since childhood.
Was this how it felt when a dearly raised younger sibling hit puberty and rebelled?
He understood the words Mirian had once said to him.
“Th-that wasn’t what I meant……. Ah, anyway! Even if Robin stays here, I’m going. I’ll head out first. Pack your things and come.”
Imelda quickly gathered what she needed and left.
In the now-silent tent, Serena rummaged through Robin’s backpack.
“Robin, where’s the magic powder?”
“…The second pocket.”
“Your sister’s quite something. This is a must.”
Having little luggage to begin with, Serena tucked the magic powder into her clothes and started walking.
She did it so naturally, as if it were her own.
“Haa… I don’t even know anymore. Whatever happens, happens.”
There wasn’t much time left.
A longsword, a dagger, various herbs…….
He removed unnecessary items and checked that all essentials were there.
As the backpack grew lighter, Robin’s steps grew heavier.