I Became the Hero While Paving a Flower Path for My Niece - Chapter 36

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Cousin’s Flower Path 036
The next day.
After finishing his morning training, Alex bought some jerky from a shop he’d heard about yesterday and set out on the road.
This time, his destination was the Dungeon Area, where the Lowest-Grade dungeons lay.
“P is for pink! S is for sky!”
While Leo practiced writing his newly learned letters on paper,
Alex and Ibaek fell into conversation.
[Don’t you not need to go to the Lowest-Grade dungeons anymore?]
“I need Lowest-Grade Mana Stones.”
[? Why?]
“To give to Leo. I think four isn’t enough.”
He felt he’d only be able to relax once Leo had ten in his hands.
[That’s nice!]
[Let’s grab twenty to be safe.]
“Sounds good. That way, even if he accidentally breaks some, it’s fine.”
The two Leos grinned at each other, pleased.
Then, as always, they began the Magic Lesson.
[The magic we’re learning today is healing magic.]
“? Healing magic?”
At Ibaek’s words, Alex’s pale green eyes widened.
“A Lich can do healing magic too?”
[Before I became a Lich, I was a Mage.]
[I can’t cast it now, but I know the theory well enough.]
“I see.”
Alex nodded, his expression curious.
[The incantation is “Heal.”]
[This will be a bit harder than other magic. Forming the right image isn’t easy.]
Ibaek continued explaining.
[Unlike Holy Power, which can heal both external and internal injuries, magical healing only works on external wounds.]
[You need Potions to treat internal injuries.]
[I’ll teach you how to make Potions later. Things like Detoxification Magic too.]
“All right.”
Alex listened carefully to Ibaek’s words.
[Have you ever watched a wound heal?]
[The way the bleeding stops, new flesh grows, a scab forms, and then falls away.]
[You need to keep that basic image in mind while casting the magic.]
At that, Alex’s mind turned to the “future.”
In the “future,” many people had died or been wounded—so many that even the priests of the Sollenium Church’s Holy Power had been insufficient.
So countless ordinary people had to rely on herbs and medicine.
Alex recalled the patients who’d healed slowly.
And the healing center destroyed by the Demon Race’s assault, and “Hero Leo” standing in its defense.
He remembered how many tears “Hero Leo” had shed watching people die.
Now he meant to prevent such things from happening again.
“Hum, hum-hum…”
For Leo’s flower path.
[All right. Let’s practice then.]
At Ibaek’s words, Alex drew his sword slightly from its sheath and made a small cut on his left index finger. Just enough to draw a little blood. If he made the wound deeper, Leo would be upset.
Whooom—
The two Circles in his heart trembled and began to spin. Then, following Alex’s will, they moved through the narrow Mana circuits throughout his entire body.
Soon the Mana gathered in his right hand. It felt different from hot fire or cold water.
“Heal.”
Alex opened his right hand toward his injured left finger while speaking the incantation, not forgetting to visualize the wound healing in his mind.
Then a soft, warm light—different from Light—appeared and settled over the wound.
Slowly, the bleeding stopped and new flesh began to grow. No scab formed. This was magic, not natural healing.
[You’re not even surprised anymore.]
[Learning this in one try.]
[A twelve-year veteran novice really is different.]
Listening to Ibaek’s words, Alex examined his left finger. It was so clean he couldn’t even tell where the wound had been.
“This is pretty good. Now even if Leo gets hurt, I can heal him right away.”
Not getting hurt in the first place was most important, but at his age, there was no telling when or where an accident might happen.
“Uncle! Look at this…oh!”
Look here.
He stumbles even when just stepping down from the cart.
Alex deployed Body Enhancement and caught Leo just as he was about to fall.
In doing so, he’d released the reins he’d been holding, but Max—the intelligent, even-tempered brown horse—had the good sense to stop on his own.
“Didn’t I tell you not to jump around in the cart?”
Alex exhaled a breath of relief and adopted a stern expression, which made Leo’s face fall into one of contrition.
“I’m sorry, Uncle.”
“If you get hurt, it’ll ache. You need to be careful, Leo.”
‘Glad I learned Body Enhancement.’
Indeed.
My heart nearly stopped.
“Okay! I understand!”
Leo nodded repeatedly and held out the paper he’d been carrying.
“Look! I memorized all the letters!”
‘Excellent!’
‘They look more like pictures than letters, to be honest, but he’s clearly learned quite a bit?’
Alex examined the paper Leo held. The letters he’d taught were written out in order, clearly and correctly.
“Can I learn magic now?”
Leo asked, his pale blue eyes sparkling with anticipation. His plump cheeks had flushed bright red with excitement.
“Not yet. First, you’ll need to take a test.”
“…A test?”
Leo’s eyes widened at Alex’s words. The only test Leo knew of was the Mercenary Exam.
“I’m going to say letters, and you’ll write down the ones I call out—that’s how I’ll know if you’ve really memorized them all.”
Just hearing the words, Leo felt a flutter of nervous tension rise in his chest.
“A test! Yes! I want to try!”
But if it was something he absolutely had to do to learn magic, he was determined to do it.
‘I can’t run the fastest, but I can do the Fireworks and Rainbow Magic Uncle showed me!’
Leo thought of the complaint Ibaek would have lodged if he’d heard that.
“Good. Then bring me blank paper and a pen.”
“Okay!”
While Leo gathered blank paper and a pen, Alex moved the cart to the roadside.
Then he climbed inside and sat down beside Leo.
“The first letter is Sa. Like in candy.”
“…Sa?”
Leo, pen in hand, furrowed his small brow. Then he began counting on his fingers, murmuring to himself.
“Ga, Na, Da, Ra….”
‘Ha! Looks like writing it down right away is harder than he thought.’
Ibaek and Alex both laughed at Leo’s adorable struggle.
“Sa!”
Leo finally found the answer and wrote the letter on the paper with a satisfied flourish.
“Next is Ma. Like in magic.”
“…Ma.”
Leo began again with a serious expression, counting from Ga, Na, Da.
Ibaek burst into laughter, while Alex smiled quietly to himself.
“Ma! I wrote it, Uncle!”
“Next one is….”
And so Leo continued with a solemn face, writing down each letter Alex called out.
Once he’d written all the letters on the paper, the test was finished.
Alex examined the paper to grade it.
“Hmm.”
Leo watched nervously, his eyes darting between his uncle and the paper where circles were being drawn.
With each circle that appeared, his heart seemed to quicken in his chest.
“You did well, Leo. You only got three wrong!”
Even those mistakes were close—he’d either added an extra stroke or omitted one.
‘Impressive!’
‘Our Leo is quite clever!’
No wonder he’d become a hero before reaching adulthood.
Even thinking about it now filled me with pride, and yet somehow tears came to my eyes.
“Really? Did I do well, Uncle?”
“Then you did amazingly well! The very best!”
At Alex’s praise, Leo’s face shone brilliantly.
“So now I can learn magic, Uncle?”
“Of course. I’ll teach you.”
“Wow! Uncle’s the best!”
Leo, bursting with excitement, started to bounce but then remembered his uncle’s words and simply threw both arms up high instead.
Alex chuckled at the sight, then spoke in a serious tone.
“But as I mentioned before, you might not be able to learn magic.”
“I know. I like swordplay too!”
Alex ruffled Leo’s hair as the boy grinned widely, then tapped the floor of the cart lightly.
“Now sit down. I’ll teach you.”
“Okay!”
Leo quickly sat.
“First, close your eyes.”
“Close my eyes.”
Leo closed his eyes as Alex instructed. His cheeks remained flushed, betraying just how thrilled he was.
“Breathe in and then out.”
“Huff! Hoo!”
‘That’s rather vigorous.’
As Leo’s small belly puffed out and then sucked back in, Ibaek burst into laughter.
“You don’t need to do it that hard. Just breathe normally, like you usually do.”
“Huuu….”
“While you do that, try to feel something new in the air around you.”
“Something new?”
Leo’s eyes opened without him realizing it. Alex smiled and explained.
“Yes. There will be a strange, wonderful feeling you’ve never sensed before. We call that Mana.”
“Mana! I know that!”
When they’d stayed at the Lake House Inn.
Leo remembered his uncle saying he didn’t have enough Mana to demonstrate magic.
“You need it to use magic, right, Uncle?”
“That’s right. Sensing it is the first step to learning magic.”
“I see! Okay, I’ll try!”
Leo nodded vigorously and closed his eyes again, breathing in and then out.
Alex watched him with a smile, then took a seat on the driver’s bench and took hold of Max’s reins.
Max, who had been contentedly grazing on roadside grass, immediately began moving his four legs as if he’d been waiting for this moment.
Some time passed.
The steady breathing sounds from behind gradually became slower.
“Mmmm….”
‘He-he-he!’
‘Leo’s asleep now!’
“It is about time for his nap.”
Alex and Ibaek quietly laughed at Leo, who had fallen asleep without notice.
* * *
‘This place seems ordinary too.’
“Indeed.”
Alex had passed through several villages under the rule of House of Brodelle, but none of them felt particularly troubled.
It seemed House of Brodelle governed its lands rather well.
‘But they’re marrying off their daughter to an old marquess?’
“As long as the territory is in good order, it’s no concern of ours. It’s a family matter, after all.”
‘Fair point.’
‘Besides, the young lord—her betrothed—is still alive!’
As they continued talking, they arrived at their destination: a Lowest-Grade Dungeon Area.
“Wow!”
Leo’s eyes gleamed—he’d never been to a Dungeon Area before.
“Is that a dungeon, Uncle?”
Leo pointed at the dungeon entrance where soldiers stood guard, his face full of wonder.
“It is. Right now it’s dark blue, but it turns red as a Dungeon Break draws near. And the more dangerous the dungeon, the larger the entrance.”
“I see!”
Since Leo was with him, Alex had decided against entering the dungeon and instead planned to just make a purchase. He pointed toward where the shops were.
“Leo, I’ll be back shortly. Wait here for me.”
“Got it!”
Leo, fascinated by the dungeon he’d never seen before, tore his gaze away at Alex’s call and answered promptly.
Amused by his endearing expression, Alex and Ibaek made their way toward a nearby merchant.
“Welcome! What can I get for you?”
“I’d like to buy some Lowest-Grade Mana Stones. How much are they?”
“Mana Stones? We don’t sell those. Actually, you can’t buy them here.”
The merchant shook his head.
‘What? Why won’t they sell them?’
‘But right over there they’re selling plenty of them.’
Just next door, mercenaries coming out of the dungeon were selling Lowest-Grade Mana Stones.
‘Come to think of it, there aren’t any mercenaries here selling mana stones?’
As Alex’s gaze shifted toward the other shop, the merchant offered an explanation.
“All the mana stones that come from this dungeon are bought up by the Count’s shop over there. That’s why you can’t get them here.”
‘Oh… a monopoly?’
‘Wouldn’t that violate antitrust law?’
‘Right, there probably isn’t antitrust law here.’
“Still, at least they’re paying market price for the stones, or everyone would’ve moved to a different dungeon.”
‘Seems they’re paying fairly.’
“I see. Thank you.”
Having heard the merchant’s explanation, Alex left the shop empty-handed.
‘But why monopolize mana stones?’
“Probably to give them to the Count’s Mage.”
Ibaek’s question prompted Alex to murmur his response.
‘Right, you said the next Count is a Mage?’
“That’s right. Mana Stones are a vital resource for Mages.”
So if there was a Mage among one’s family or subordinates, this sort of thing—accumulating mana stones and providing them—was standard practice.
‘I suppose so.’
Ibaek, being a Lich, nodded in agreement.
Mana Stones were an indispensable resource for a Mage seeking to develop their power, whether through research, training, or Circle formation.
“Though places that monopolize like this are rare.”
Most took only about half, since territorial revenue was important too.
‘But if the lord managed to hold out against the Demon Race like that, he’s worth investing in!’
‘He must have talent.’
Alex agreed.
A capable talent who had endured the Age of Destruction was worth the investment.
‘Though Lowest-Grade Mana Stones seem a bit underwhelming, don’t they?’
‘Better than nothing, I suppose.’
“They’re probably also giving him Mid-Low Grade Mana Stones from the Mid-Low Grade dungeon within the territory.”
‘Then that should be fine.’
Ibaek nodded, though he had no head to nod with.
‘So we won’t be able to get mana stones for Leo here. What’ll we do?’
‘Go into the dungeon?’
“No. Since we have Leo with us, we’ll go to the Lord’s Castle and buy them there.”
‘Will they sell them there?’
‘Won’t they have monopolized all the mana stones in the castle too?’
To Ibaek’s concern, Alex replied with a smile.
“There’s a Magic Tool Shop there, so we can buy. Since it’s affiliated with the Mage Tower Federation, they can’t just touch it however they please.”
‘Ohhh!’
‘A Magic Tool Shop! The Mage Tower Federation!’
‘Magic tools from another world! I wonder what they’ll have?’
‘And I’m curious about the Mage Tower Federation too!’
Even through his voice alone, Ibaek’s excitement was unmistakable.
“Leo, let’s head out.”
“Okay! Did you buy anything, Uncle?”
“No. They don’t sell here, so we’re going to the Lord’s Castle to buy some.”
“The Lord’s Castle!”
‘A Magic Tool Shop!’
With Leo and Ibaek both buzzing with excitement, Alex set off toward Brodelle Lord’s Castle.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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