Subscriber of the Gods Chapter 311 - Let's Make a Bet

“Didn’t you come too early? You must have spent a lot of money rushing here.”

“What if we had missed it by coming late? You all saw it too.”

Martelis wore a solemn expression.

“That understanding right on the spot. He invited us to attend, but he might have finished it alone before we even arrived.”

Everyone fell silent at Martelis’s words. It was exactly as Martelis said. The overwhelming comprehension and magic formulas Ethan had shown on the spot were penetrating the core of the magic fortress.

How many people in the world could cast magic just by hearing it?

Simple magic might be possible that way, but this was a magic fortress considered one of the most complex in the continent.

Shouldn’t they come quickly when he said he would set up such a magic fortress alone?

“Certainly, Ethan Whiskers that we saw on the spot was incredible. It was an unbelievable level. If he had just pretended to understand roughly, we wouldn’t have known.”

“He completely grasped the core.”

“But Sir Martelis, it would be better if we actively help with this one. No matter how I think about it, it’s dangerous. Something big might happen if he does it alone.”

“You know, right? If something goes wrong, this entire Whiskers territory might be blown away.”

“If that happens, not only will we all die, but that catastrophe will be a lasting burden on the Tschernkastel family.”

The Tschernkastel mages wore anxious expressions.

A magic fortress is an enormous magic.

Because it’s magic that weaves and interweaves to create a massive fortress, the weaving process was crucial.

Even when numerous mages gather to install magic, mistakes are bound to happen.

Could he install this enormous magic alone?

No matter how they thought about it, it was questionable.

“I heard that Ethan Whiskers has mages he brought from the magic tower. They’re currently selling artifacts imbued with magic, focusing on the magic researched in the workshop operated by the Whiskers family. There’s another service too. I heard they also dye equipment.”

“What? Selling magic?”

“They’re selling artifacts imbued with magic, they say.”

“Isn’t that the same thing? Tch, fellows with no pride as mages.”

“But we can’t just see it that way.”

The Tschernkastel mage had briefly investigated the Whiskers territory on the way here. Of course, they already knew some things about the Whiskers territory.

Because every rumor they heard was extraordinary.

“The mages Lord Ethan brought from the magic tower were those researching non-mainstream magic. They stubbornly focused on unrecognized magics.”

At those words, Martelis’s expression turned serious. Once, the Tschernkastel mages were like that too.

The magic fortress was an incredible magic, but it was also non-mainstream because of that.

It was because the difficulty was so high and the chances of success were too low.

People only focused on installing already-made magic fortresses, not daring to improve them to be newer and more powerful.

Even though the magic fortress had several drawbacks, they couldn’t fix them.

The Tschernkastel mages devoted themselves to research to compensate for such drawbacks.

Everyone said it was useless research.

Just like the mages of the magic tower did.

“The more you dig, the more wonderful things come out, well, well.”

“It’s heartwarming.”

“So you were all here.”

Ethan, who arrived while the mages were chatting, greeted them.

“Let’s all come this way. First, I’ll try it alone.”

“What? You’re doing it alone?”

“How could I ask you directly for help when you came as guests? I’ll just ask a few questions. In addition to that, please just tell me if what I’ve done is in the right direction.”

“Ah, you don’t have to do that. We came to help.”

“We’ll help! We’ve already heard. That Count Ethan has done a wonderful thing. We didn’t know.”

Martelis talked about the mages from the magic tower.

It was quite a touching story. As they were thorough mages, they could fully empathize with them.

Moreover, they had been in essentially the same situation with the magic fortress.

They felt newfound respect for Ethan who had saved them. That’s why they were determined to help. Chancellor Tschernkastel had already permitted it anyway.

However, Ethan shook his head.

“It’s really fine for me to build the magic fortress alone. Or would you like to make a bet with me? Besides this magic fortress, we’re quite in need of manpower. As you can see, we’re short on mages as we keep developing.”

Ethan said.

“And we desperately need veteran mages, not just ordinary ones. With your skills from creating magic fortresses in the Tschernkastel family, you would be of tremendous help to Whiskers’ development.”

“What kind of bet… are you proposing?”

“A bet on whether I can install the magic fortress alone at the center of this Whiskers territory.”

“…”

“…”

At Ethan’s words, the eyes of the Tschernkastel mages lit up.

“Your confidence is really impressive. Of course, you have reason to be confident… but, well, what do you propose as the stakes for this bet?”

One of the Tschernkastel mages said with a slight smile.

“If I win this bet, I’d like all the Tschernkastel mages, including Sir Martelis, to stay here for a few months and support the magical aspects needed for Whiskers.”

“Then if the count loses…?”

At Martelis’s question, Ethan extended his hand.

“Is there something you want?”

“Will you grant anything we ask? If that’s the case!”

The mage looked at Martelis.

“Whenever it may be, join us in researching magic fortresses! That’s our betting condition.”

Martelis said with a beaming expression.

“Not a difficult condition. Yes, I understand. Shall we start the bet right away?”

Ethan stretched his body this way and that.

Then he immediately started taking something out.

They were all things needed to install the magic fortress.

“Ah, I was going to tell you about that core artifact… but?”

Martelis trailed off and closed his mouth when he saw the last item Ethan took out.

It was the melody.

“H-how did you get that?”

“The Chancellor packed it for me to take. Thanks to this, I’d say the energy problem is as good as solved.”

Martelis and the mages were surprised not only that the Chancellor had given that melody, but even more so that Ethan already understood how to use it.

Given the Chancellor’s personality, even if he gave the melody, he wouldn’t have told how to use it.

That means he figured it out by himself after seeing it.

What the drawbacks of this magic fortress were, and how to use the melody to compensate for those drawbacks.

For a moment, the mages became uneasy about having agreed to the bet. Come to think of it, it was Ethan who first proposed the bet.

Had they perhaps fallen into a grand net that Ethan had spread?

But before they could think, Ethan started the real work.

‘The most important thing is selecting the location.’

It needs to be exactly in the center.

Only then can this magic fortress spread throughout the entire territory. But there was no need to match it exactly to the center of the current territory.

“I’m going to adjust the location a bit. The Whiskers territory has enough potential to expand in all directions.”

So Ethan chose the center considering the size of the territory that would expand.

“Y-you’re going to do it here?”

“Levitation.”

As Ethan was about to start working in a slightly off-center open space of the Whiskers territory, Martelis used a levitation spell to see the entire Whiskers territory.

“Huh.”

And soon let out a gasp. If this is considered the center, the territory will expand far beyond.

That was tremendous development. It even felt like money was flowing out just by looking at it.

“How much do you plan to develop the territory?”

“As much as we can expand. That’s my plan.”

Faced with a plan of larger scale than expected, Martelis could only remain silent. Ethan, leaving such mages behind, immediately drew a magic circle.

“Taking this as the center.”

‘Magic fortresses are quite difficult. I need to concentrate.’

Eye of Horus, Sleeping Dragon’s Sight.

“Lyuka.”

“Kyung!”

Ethan even summoned Lyuka. Lyuka, out in the open after a long time, climbed up Ethan’s arm to the top of his head and started transferring mana to Ethan.

When Lyuka appeared, the mages’ eyes widened.

“T-that! Isn’t that an ancient spirit?”

“Indeed, it’s an ancient spirit!”

The Tschernkastel mages were surprised to see Lyuka.

Enjoying such attention, Lyuka sat snugly on top of Ethan’s head and let out a small cry.

‘I need to use everything I have.’

Shaaaaaah-!

Receiving mana from Lyuka, Ethan unhesitatingly drew the magic circle.

This magic circle he’s drawing now is the sketch of a huge canvas.

Starting with this magic circle, he’ll draw the big picture.

Swish-. Swish-. Swish-.

In an instant, the central magic circle was drawn and branches started to spread. There was no hesitation in Ethan’s movements.

“It’s all… already in his head?”

That means the blueprint is already there.

Magic fortresses need to be tailored to the characteristics of each city where they’re installed. Therefore, one can’t simply copy the magic fortress seen in the Tschernkastel territory.

Because it won’t fit the land.

Using the framework of a magic fortress, it needs to be customized to fit the territory, and this was actually the most difficult process.

But this process was already finished.

“Aren’t we witnessing a historic moment right now?”

“I think… no, I’m certain that Lord Ethan can take magic fortresses one step further.”

Everyone was thrilled watching Ethan install the magic fortress.

Even as they watched in wonder, Ethan was rapidly installing the magic fortress.

Completely immersed in magic, without a single stray thought, he was entirely focused on installing the central fortress.

Create one and weave it, create another and weave it. The key was to weave the magics without overlapping. While doing so, he had to fuse the magic circles to maximize the effects of the magics.

The reason Ethan could weave and dismantle such magic was because he had experienced the grave robber job in MePan.

When you have the grave robber job, you receive tremendous rewards every time you dig up the tombs of great figures, and these tombs of great figures are usually plastered with numerous magics.

That is, to prevent grave robbing, they are equipped with numerous devices including magic and artifacts.

Ethan had experience in solving these devices countless times.

If you can solve it, you can also weave it.

Ethan continued to weave magic.

Tens, hundreds.

By the time five hours had passed, hundreds of magics were woven from the center where he first drew the magic circle.

The Tschernkastel mages watched this and smiled faintly.

They knew because they had made it too.

That what they were doing was magic, but at the same time, it was art.

Ethan, sweating as if he had been caught in the rain, picked up the melody.

“This bet.”

And slowly placed the melody on the central magic circle.

“It seems I’ve won.”

Shaaaaaah-!

Energy was supplied to the magic circle, and with a thunderous sound, the magic was cast.

Eventually, the magic that spread from the central magic circle shot straight up into the sky and then spread like a net.

It was the moment when the magic fortress was installed in the Whiskers territory.