Chapter 232: A Small Gain
Ronin spent the next few days in the swamp.
Each night, he would find an elevated slope, use his flame beam magic to dry the ground, and then set up his tent from the space ring.
With Carlos around, he didn't have to worry about monster attacks.
Searching for wild rice was not only boring and tedious but also dangerous.
Navigating a wetland required caution to avoid getting stuck in the quagmire.
It was Ronin's great strength and Carlos's presence that made their search feasible.
Four days flew by, and Ronin, who had initially found nothing, gradually began making discoveries.
He now held a parchment with more than a dozen locations marked as potential wild rice sites.
These locations were primarily along the riverbanks and in shallow waters, surrounded by reeds, cattails, and plants suspected to be wild rice.
Why "suspected"? Because although Ronin knew what rice should look like, he wasn't completely sure these were the seedlings.
He recorded the characteristics of these areas on paper and had Carlos note the locations for a return visit in July or August when the rice would have matured and be easier to identify.
Flying on Carlos's back, Ronin reached the edge of Swamp Town with the sea ahead. The swamp was directly connected to the sea.
The area's strong winds and waves, with seawater continually washing over the shores, made the hydrological conditions near the coast especially complex.
Ronin had thought this estuary would be suitable for a port, but it seemed unsuitable now. He decided to explore further north along the east coast.
"Today is the 19th. My birthday is in a few days. It's time for me to head to Wushanbao."
He looked at the sea and decided against a seaside walk.
"Let's go back, Carlos," he said.
The dragon roared happily, wagging its tail, and turned around.
Although the days were mundane, Carlos took the opportunity to diversify its diet.
The swamp's crocodiles, pythons, and deer proved delicious, especially the level 2 giant python caught two days prior.
Carlos planned to return here whenever possible, as Ronin had said that as long as the creatures didn't harm humans or cause damage, it could do as it pleased with them.
After a quick journey, Ronin arrived back at Swamp Castle, reuniting with Irene, whom he hadn't seen in a while.
The fourteen-year-old girl had grown quickly and now stood at 1.56 meters tall. Dressed in a long skirt, she looked more beautiful than ever.
"Brother, how did you find time to come over?" Irene asked cheerfully, having not seen Ronin for a while.
"I just happened to be passing by. How have you been?" Ronin replied with a smile.
Irene's expression saddened briefly as she mentioned her increased study load in magical potions and herbology with Elrond.
If she tried to slack off, Jenny would notice before Elron did, because he understood clearly—it was a rare opportunity to learn from Elron for free.
Magical alchemy was complex, requiring significant time and resources, and not everyone had the chance to learn from an experienced and generous teacher like Elron.
"Hey, I've recently learned a lot of useful knowledge. I even used my newly acquired herbal skills to heal a middle-aged lady's fall injury!" Irene's sadness quickly turned to excitement, preferring to share positive news with Ronin.
Ronin gave her a thumbs up and playfully ruffled her long golden hair. "It seems the Wubei Territory will soon have another great healer."
Irene clenched her fists. "Don't worry, I will!"
"Haha, then you have to work hard. I'm looking forward to that day," Ronin encouraged, as they laughed and chatted more about her progress and the increasingly strong black tiger nearby, now as powerful as a level 1 Warcraft.
Ronin contemplated breeding a new line of Storm Wolf cubs and wondered if he could find a suitable mate for the black tiger when it matured. This task he considered important enough to engage Carlos, pondering if Carlos could perhaps capture a Storm Wolf alive for this purpose. If not, they might have to settle for breeding with large dogs, though Ronin was unsure about the potential for reproductive isolation.
After leaving Irene, Ronin headed straight to Elron's office.
At the moment, the great doctor was engrossed in documenting his latest developments in magical potions. Upon hearing Ronin enter, Elron looked up and immediately ceased his writing. "My lord, you are here."
"Sorry to disturb you while you're working," Ronin said with a smile, easing into the conversation.
"How did the task I assigned you last go?" Ronin inquired.
"It's already been completed," Elron replied, pulling out five purification spell scrolls from a drawer and handing them to Ronin, who promptly stored them in his space ring.
Ronin was curious if the purification technique might affect Lulans, whose condition bore similarities to Natalia's witch soul power. He had initially planned to bring Lulans to Wushanbao but reconsidered due to his busy schedule. Fortunately, the spell scrolls would suffice as they held the same potency as his personal casting.
"Elron, there's something I need to discuss with you," Ronin began, shifting the topic to another matter of importance.
"Just tell me what you need," Elron responded, his tone light. He was accustomed to Ronin's straightforward manner.
"Would you be interested in serving as the financial officer of Wubei Territory?" Ronin proposed. "Given that spell scrolls are a major part of our income and your magic potions are likely to be successful in the market, it seems fitting for you to manage our finances."
As the territory expanded and diversified its economic activities, managing every transaction personally had become too cumbersome for Ronin.
However, Elron's expression shifted from pleasant to concerned. "God of Light, sir, please forgive me. I really can't take on that role!" He gestured to the numerous bottles and jars that cluttered his workspace. "My commitments to magic potions, herbal medicine, and crafting spell scrolls already consume most of my time. Managing the territory's finances would be too much for me."
Ronin understood; the reasons were indeed valid. Managing finances would divert Elron from his research, demanding both time and interactions with various stakeholders.
"Sir, I think Chahar would be more suitable," Elron suggested after a moment's thought. "He has accurately managed the salaries of everyone in the territory without error, which speaks to his capability."
Ronin had considered Chahar but had reservations due to his less robust background. The role of financial officer involved significant decision-making, and Ronin wasn't sure if Chahar was ready for such responsibilities.
Jenny could also be a candidate, but she was on the verge of a significant breakthrough in her magical studies. Ronin preferred to have another high-level magician in the territory rather than a financial officer.
"In that case, I'll talk to Chahar. It's a shame it will interfere with his aspirations of becoming a butler," Ronin concluded, reflecting on the shift in Chahar's responsibilities.
Elron smiled. "The chief steward already oversees the castle's finances, so managing the territory's finances isn't far off. It's a suitable role for him."
He clearly preferred to focus on creating spell scrolls than on fiscal management.
"Okay, that's settled then," Ronin said, standing up. "I'll head to Wushan Fort tomorrow. If anything arises during my absence, you and the others—Rydar, McKen—can handle it."
---------
Hey guys, VerseX here :)
If you want to support me and the work that I am doing, you can support me on pâtreon. It costs 1 dollar a month, and you get six early-access chapters. I know that it isn't much of an advantage, but I would love your support.
Thank you for enjoying my translation and enjoy.
The link to my pâtreon is: https://www.pâtreon.com/VerseX
You just have to change the â to a