127: They say you need a goal to keep striving.

"Hey! Faydral! Craft-sama, sorry about that. I’ve been spoiling him a bit too much, I suppose."

"Ah, I’m not bothered by it at all."

Kid stuff. Don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about it...

And honestly, he’s not wrong, is he?

But that’s exactly why I don’t want more idiots like me.

Then the door creaks open with a clank. A maid steps in. Behind her, Kyle and a knight guard (….) enter the room.

Faydral stiffens again.

He glances at the three of us standing, raises an eyebrow slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, just saying hello. Nothing much."

"Is that so."

Genelis immediately drops to one knee before Kyle.

"Good day, Marquis of the Frontier. I am Genelis Ing, summoned here by invitation."

"Yes. Thank you for coming all this way. I am Kyle Goldendown von Elquisil, the one who governs this land. I’ve been granted the title of Marquis by the Emperor."

"Such a fine young man for your age."

Genelis thumps the foot of the nervous Faydral beside him, and Faydral, rigid with tension, scrambles to kneel.

Even if he’s bold, he still gets nervous in front of a high noble.

"Ah! It’s an honor to meet you! I’m Genelis’s grandson, Faydral Ing! Please, do remember me!"

"Yes. Likewise, please, have a seat."

Kyle gently guides him to the sofa.

Genelis, perhaps due to age or frequent meetings with high-ranking officials, stays calm. But Faydral? His right hand and right foot both twitch at once—pure nerves.

After sipping tea and exchanging a few casual words, Kyle speaks up.

"Mr. Genelis, I’d like to ask you something. Is it possible to conduct a heraldic aptitude test on everyone participating in the Coming-of-Age Ceremony?"

"What?"

Both Genelis and Faydral widen their eyes.

Yeah, that’s fair.

"That’s… "

"Of course, we’re prepared to offer full compensation."

"I’d love to do it, but it’s not a matter of money."

"Right. I’ve heard there’s something preventing it. Could you tell me what it is? If we can solve it, we won’t hesitate to help."

Genelis exhales.

"Solving it… I don’t think it’s possible."

"In that case, we’ll hold the ceremony as usual. I don’t want to add more people who suffer like Craft did."

"That’s a noble thought."

After another long pause, Genelis straightens up.

"Something I’d rather not talk about much, but the issue is mana."

"Mana? What about it?"

"Yes. The spell to test heraldic compatibility... it devours mana. Even I can only handle two people per day. This territory’s packed with people—how many adults are we talking about? Ten? Twenty? That’s not even close to enough."

Genelis shook his head, grimacing. Kyle’s eyes widened, then he grinned, turning to me.

"Then there’s no problem."

"What?"

"Brother. Please."

"Sure."

I grinned back, laying out mana potions on the table one after another.

"W-wait...! No way! Are those...!?"

"You’re kidding!?"

Genelis wasn’t the only one—Faydral even half-rose from his seat, stunned.

"Still not enough? Then how about more?!"

I laid out every ounce of my magic potion stockpile, filling the table completely.

I don’t usually make or carry this much—using rare materials and magic stones in bulk—but lately, with the insane order volume, I’ve been working myself to death in the alchemy forge.

So I’d drained the production guild’s budget to stockpile a huge amount in advance, drinking them daily. But now that Professor Javir came and the orphans pitched in, I’ve got breathing room. I’ve been cutting back, not using the potions at all lately—so that’s how I ended up with this much in stock.

“…I can’t believe it. But continuous potion use causes poisoning—no, wait.”

Genelis hesitated, then reached for a potion after checking with Kyle.

“‘Identify’… I can’t believe it. You’re telling me… all of these are legendary-grade?!”

Huh. So you can鉴定 the quality of potions you’re not even supposed to handle, Genelis. You’re pretty sharp.

The “Identify” spell gives different info depending on who uses it.

If I cast it on metal, I get alchemy-related details. If Leifan does, he gets smithing-related ones.

"Yeah. So no risk of poisoning. Can I take this, then?"

"Getting something this valuable handed to me? Not a chance. Besides, I’ve wanted to spread the mark’s suitability for ages."

"Thank you!"

"Good job, Kyle."

"Yep! Let’s work hard to get everything ready by the Coming-of-Age Ceremony."

"Right!"

I wonder… will everyone in the next Golden Dorn get their mark suitability checked? Would be nice to see a bunch of talented folks come through.

…Back then, I didn’t realize it. The fact that people with marks would start being churned out like clockwork.

I couldn’t have thought that far ahead because Kyle just kept talking.

“Coming-of-Age Ceremony and festival preparations—we’ll handle those. But the Production Guild has a new request.”

“A request?”

“Yes. We’d like you to build a bridge across the great river flowing north of Goldendawn. It’s as wide as the sea.”

“So. They’ve finally finished surveying the other side.”

“Yes. We had the Adventurer’s Guild help us check out the political situation there. It’s a patchwork of small states scattered across a wide area.”

A patchwork of small states.

I’ve heard that name before. I’ve even talked to someone who lived there.

A bunch of tiny nations, each with its own culture, all still bickering like children.

“Building a bridge there… won’t that just invite war?”

“That’s the thing. There aren’t any countries along the riverbanks at all.”

"Is that so? I thought villages and countries usually popped up near rivers."

"Yes. But the small nations are clustered much farther north than the great river. Seems like there's been a surge in big battles and massive monster attacks lately. Even the strongest of the small nations is drawing people and supplies in."

"Strong nation, huh?"

"Looks like it. Go far enough north, and you hit the sea. There’s a maritime nation there, and—get this—almost everyone’s trained with a blade."

"Damn, that’s impressive!"

When you say "country," most people think of the Kingdom of Maugaria, the Duvatten Empire, or the Zebias Allied Kingdom.

Geographically, the small nations are sandwiched between those three.

West is Zebias, east is Duvatten. And now, thanks to Kyle expanding his territory, Maugaria stretches southward too.

Small nations should’ve been key transit points by rights—but with dangerous frontiers surrounding them and unstable politics in the region, they’ve ended up mostly isolated.

Originally, the final goal Kyle was given when he first took over from Lord Bairoroad was to build a proper road all the way to Golden Horn.

Then, when Kyle was appointed as the Overseer of the Frontier, his new mission from the kingdom was trade with these small nations. If possible, a military alliance too.

King Van prioritizes hunting down monsters who hate humans above all else. That’s why he believes humans—including demi-humans and beastfolk—must unite and stand together.

But then an unexpected river blocked their path—no wagon could pass through, not even one.

And the river itself teemed with dangerous aquatic creatures and monsters.

A skilled adventurer might cross by boat—but only a rare few, and that’s no way to make proper contact.

Which is why we’ve got to pull off the kind of reckless, monumental feat that’s practically insane.

Kyle pulls out a map.

Hand-drawn, crude, not up to the standard of a lord’s cartography. But even this rough estimate and guesswork? It’s still crystal forged by adventurers who risked their lives to make it.

Kyle points to a small nation, far north of Golden Dune, facing the sea.

“We got permission to build a bridge from the strongest of the small nations! No matter what, we’re doing this impossible job!”

A cold bead of sweat rolls down my forehead. I know just how impossible it is.

I swallow hard. Then grin.

“Leave it to me.”

Kyle smiles sweetly.

Comikarize Volume 2, coming out June 12th.

It’s almost here—.