Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Lord Robson’s Magic Talent

After accepting Valentino’s mission, Robson hurried back to the camp.

He’d gotten his reward and accepted the mission, so it was time to put on a good performance.

After all, Valentino wanted to establish an image of being just and decisive. If he failed to complete the Countess’s mission, they’d just be staring at each other awkwardly.

"Sir, you’re back?" Claude greeted Robson with a smile, holding a bundle of fodder.

Claude had been a little afraid of Robson at first, but after getting to know him, he discovered that his lord was actually quite easy to talk to. As long as he didn’t make any major mistakes, Robson generally wouldn’t make a big deal out of things.

This was mainly because Robson didn’t have many men, and they were all under his direct supervision. Maintaining a good relationship with his subordinates was quite important; Robson had no desire to wake up in the middle of the night to find Bo Yang and Claude entering his tent with knives to "say hello."

This situation had its pros and cons. The good thing was that Claude could definitely be trained as a trusted confidant in the future.

The downside, well, it was also obvious.

Claude was just a boy, after all. Once his true nature was revealed, he was punished with horse-feeding duty every day.

"Put the fodder down for now. We have a mission. Pack up immediately. Once everyone is assembled, we’re heading to West City," Robson ordered.

"Huh? Are we going to kill Beastmen? Does this mean I don’t have to feed the horses anymore?" Claude was stunned for a moment, then began to fantasize with a grin.

"Your work hours will increase or decrease depending on your recent training performance. Bo Yang, how many days does he have now?" Robson asked, looking at Bo Yang behind him.

"Five days and thirteen hours, Sir," Bo Yang replied.

"Don’t worry, Sir! The Cavalry we have now can all definitely fight!" Claude declared, pounding his chest in assurance.

Robson didn’t doubt this. It wasn’t that he had that much faith, but mainly because he saw experience-gain notifications on his system panel every day.

Those peasant Cavalry had all transformed into tier-two Frank Knight Recruits.

Of course, the low experience requirement for tier-one units and the good treatment Robson provided were factors, but Claude was the main reason for their rapid promotions.

Back when Robson was training the Peasants himself, it wasn’t nearly this fast. It just went to show that there’s a world of difference between people.

Thinking about how Viscount Luke had actually given such a talent to him, a trace of gratitude even surfaced in Robson’s heart. ’Next time Viscount Luke comes around, I should ask for a bit more of an investment to repay him.’

"Sir, a group of people has arrived outside the camp. They claim to have orders from the Countess," a messenger reported.

"Oh? That fast?" Robson said, surprised.

It seemed Countess Valentino was quite efficient. This was good news.

He didn’t know how long they would be working together, but with a reliable superior, Lord Robson’s own life would be more secure.

The group arrived at the entrance only to find a conflict had broken out.

An old man in a Mage Robe was arguing with a young man clad in armor.

"Delhi! Look at you! You have none of a Mage’s grace! I’ve never seen a Mage like you. You’re an utter disgrace to me," the old man said.

"Master Kosen, this is a battlefield! The most important thing on a battlefield is safety! How can those Mage Robes protect my body?" the young man named Delhi retorted.

"What do you think Mage Robes are for? How are you supposed to cast your Magic smoothly without one!" Kosen snapped.

Upon hearing this, Delhi immediately summoned a Water Giant on the spot.

The towering Water Giant faced Kosen and let out an anthropomorphic roar.

"Even without a Mage Robe, I’m still an excellent Mage," Delhi countered.

"Enough! I am your master!" Kosen dispelled the Water Giant with a wave of his hand, intending to continue scolding his apprentice.

At that moment, Robson stepped forward.

"Everyone, my apologies for not coming out to greet you! My apologies!" Robson said with a smile, looking at the two.

’I had to step in. There’s no telling what methods these Mages might use when they argue. And based on that last scene, if they started a magic duel on the spot, it would be Lord Robson’s property they’d be destroying!’

"Sir Robson, my apologies. My discipline was lax, and you had to witness this scene."

Kosen had noticed Robson’s arrival long ago, but this rebellious apprentice of his was giving him a heart attack. What kind of apprentice summons a Water Giant against his own master?

He suspected he might become the first Silver Mage to die of anger.

"Not at all, not at all. Actually, what your friend here says makes some sense. On the battlefield, swords have no eyes, after all," Robson said with a laugh.

He felt that this Mage named Delhi would surely have a lot in common with Ed.

"See? Even Sir Robson supports my point of view. Sir Robson is a battlefield veteran, which proves I’m right," Delhi said, his face full of pride.

"Shut up! Haven’t you embarrassed me enough?" Kosen slapped the back of Delhi’s head.

After a good while, Kosen finally composed himself and handed a document to Robson.

"Sir, we’ve brought a total of one hundred sets of spellcasting materials and 500 Soldiers. The Countess said that subsequent Soldiers will gradually arrive at your camp," Kosen said.

DING! 500 Frankish Militia have joined your forces.

Robson nodded as he listened to the system’s notification sound.

This was just like in Robson’s previous life—funding never arrived all at once. The subsequent resources would likely depend on his future performance.

"Have Viscount Fuman receive them," Robson ordered.

Although there were only 500, at least they weren’t just fobbing him off with Peasants. Their equipment was complete as well. All in all, it was a decent force.

In any case, Valentino had promised, and she would definitely give him the troops.

"Oh? There are even Magic Crystals among the magical materials?" Robson asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the document.

Magic Crystals were no small matter. Usually, only the developed commercial cities in the south of the continent could produce them, where they were mainly used as cores for large-scale Magic Arrays.

Of course, it had another function: to test whether a person had an affinity for Magic.

Robson had been curious about his own magical talent. After all, compared to the battlefield brutes that were Knights, flashy Magic was clearly more appealing.

Moreover, in this Magic World, Magic wasn’t just used for war. Among the Eastern Elves, Magic had already seeped into every aspect of life.

Of course, this was all just word-of-mouth from Minstrels, and its authenticity was yet to be verified. In any case, the Frank Kingdom was definitely not that advanced.

"Are you also interested in Magic, Sir?" Kosen said with a chuckle.

He had been exchanging pleasantries with Robson this whole time, completely forgetting that the man before him was actually around the same age as his apprentice.

Young people are always curious about new things. When Kosen was young, he had also greatly admired the Knight King.

"Naturally. I was wondering if Master would permit it?" Robson asked.

The title "Master" was quite popular in the Mage Realm. Robson had crammed some knowledge on the subject back when he was at Sunset Fortress.

"But of course. I happen to have one right here," Kosen said with a smile, taking a purple crystal from behind his back and handing it to Robson.

Robson took the crystal.

"Sir, you just need to place your hand on it and feel the heat within. A person with a Magic affinity will experience the joy of Magic Power and feel an extraordinary temperature," Kosen explained.

Robson nodded and, pressing his hand against the crystal, began to feel for the so-called heat Kosen mentioned.

"Uh, why did the crystal turn blue?" Robson asked, looking at the Magic Crystal, a sense of panic rising in his heart.

’This is my first time touching one of these. Is this normal?’

"Hm? Let me see." Kosen frowned and took the Magic Crystal from Robson’s hand, only to feel an intense, scalding heat the moment it touched his palm.

Robson had been able to hold it thanks to his Extraordinary physique. Kosen, lacking this, could only cast an Ice Technique on his palm.

"What’s going on here?" Kosen was also bewildered. He had been a Mage for many years and was only a few years away from becoming a Magic Master, but he had never seen a purple crystal degenerate directly into a blue one.

’This shouldn’t be happening. That’s not what the books say.’ While Kosen was confused, Robson already had his answer.

DING! You have completed Magic Power infusion and have successfully become a Magic Apprentice.

The notification from the system panel sounded, and Robson understood.

"Perhaps it’s old and in disrepair? Or maybe some other problem?" Robson changed the subject.

"Old and in disrepair?" Hearing this, Kosen almost burst out laughing. It seemed Sir Robson truly didn’t understand Magic.

"Hmph! It must be Gutierrez and his cronies trying to fool me with inferior Magic Crystals again. Thankfully, Sir Robson discovered this problem early. If we had only found out when we were activating a Magic Array, it would have been disastrous," Kosen said.

"You’re too kind. As colleagues, it’s only what’s expected," Robson said with a smile.