Chapter 175.3
If the main reason behind that is his lack of mana, then perhaps a ‘mana recovery medicine that persistently recovers mana’ will be able to help .
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Such a medicine exists within the knowledge I received .
“You can recover from mana exhaustion just by resting, so medicines are only really used during wartime or to allow the casting of a much needed healing spell . A mana recovery medicine that takes effect immediately is highly sought for in times of emergency, but in this world, there is an abnormal body constitution referred to as ‘Mana Leakage’ . When one is afflicted with Mana Leakage, then his mana will slowly decrease even without doing anything . It was in hopes of treating this body constitution that research in a persistent mana recovery medicine was started, a mana recovery medicine that continuously supplemented mana . ” [Ryouma]
If one just wishes to mitigate the effects of mana exhaustion, then the instant-type will be more than enough . The catch is that one will have to take the medicine every time the symptoms appear . But with a persistent-type, one can take the medicine prior and prevent the symptoms from appearing .
“I just know about the medicine and I’ve never actually made it . It’s possible to change the duration of effect and amount of mana recovered by adjusting the ratios of the ingredients used . So I was thinking it might be possible to modify this medicine such that it could compensate for the mana consumption and allow you to use your spell for a longer time . ” [Ryouma]
“Is that really possible?” [Ox Lord]
“This is just a guess, but I believe it will be a great help to you in your training . During our match, I felt as if your left hand was mostly moving based on your experience before losing the use of your left hand . It felt as if you barely had any training with it . ” [Ryouma]
When I said that, Ox-san nodded before saying anything .
“Exactly . I can maintain the spell for a few minutes at most before falling asleep . And as a debt slave, I couldn’t afford purchasing unneeded medicine in large amounts, so I couldn’t really train . Just being able to train properly is something I would be grateful for, but won’t that strain your finances, Master? I’m sure concocting medicine must cost a lot of money . ” [Ox Lord]
“Ahh, you don’t have to worry about that . ” [Ryouma]
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For the ingredients, I can just use the running mash that I’ve been cultivating all this time for the purpose of preserving fungus .
The market price for them is really high, so even selling them through the guild master has its limits .
Because of that I’ve been starting to stock up on them and frankly I don’t really know what to do with them .
“The concoction process and the experiments will be a great boon to my studies… And I don’t exactly have any issues with my finances . Otherwise I would never have chosen you, Ox-san . ” [Ryouma]
“That’s true . I suppose there was no need for me to worry . ” [Ox Lord]
“Although I’m not so well off that I can afford not to save money, this much expense won’t pose a problem . More importantly, I would be much more at ease if you could use your full potential with that medicine . But if you’re still bothered about it, then why don’t you teach me your chantless casting?” [Ryouma]
“I just learned that by coincidence, but if you wish to learn it, then it would be my pleasure to teach it to you . ” [Ox Lord]
Ox Lord bowed deeply to me . He seemed very uncomfortable, what with his large stature and the confined space we were in .
“Thank you!” [Ryouma]
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I first learned about chantless casting from the street performers I was acquainted with, the sword dancers, Maiysan and Soldio-san . Under their tutelage I was able to learn how to use it, but despite practicing on my own for some time now, I can’t seem to make any progress . Getting some advice should help me a lot .
Also, this doesn’t have anything to do with work, but plans to expand Gimuru have already started, and the centerpiece of the new city is supposedly a fighting arena . I remember gathering treant lumber for that .
If the medicine works well for him and he wants to return to the area, then I don’t mind letting him participate . Although having a strong guard working at the store is reassuring, I want people to work at my store because they want to .
From what I’ve heard from Mr . Moulton during our chats, there are nobles that purchase slaves to create gladiators . As such, if Ox-san feels like going back to the arena, then I don’t mind having him work there instead .
…I told Ox-san that that was also part of the reason I chose him .
“I never thought I would receive such good treatment after becoming a slave . ” [Ox Lord]
I couldn’t tell whether he was laughing or crying, but one thing I knew for sure was that he was grateful .
I’ll accept those feelings . But the one he should really be grateful to isn’t me but Orest-san .
“That man?” [Ox Lord]
“I feel like I can more or less guess what sort of relationship you have with him given your reaction, but the one who recommended you to me is Ox-san . He probably knew about my medicine and my personality . ” [Ryouma]
Mana Leakage and Mana Recovery Medicine are rare, but he is at least the second generation of a large slave company . If we are to assume that he loves people as much as I love slimes, then he is probably taking advantage of his position to be involved with many people everyday . It wouldn’t be strange if among those people one of them were suffering from Mana Leakage or knew something about medicine .
And even if that’s not the case, at the very least, he knew about Ox-san’s technique . If he was thinking of a way to help him use that technique more effectively, then it wouldn’t be strange if he thought of the idea of using a persistent-type mana recovery medicine .
“His excuse for acting dumb was that he couldn’t get rid of a ‘troublesome slave’… But when you think about how he sold you to me this time around, then perhaps he was merely deciding who to sell you to…” [Ryouma]
Just as Ox-san said a while ago, concocting medicine and giving it to someone costs money . There’s the cost of the ingredients, and then there’s the problem of procuring them in the first place, as normal stores might not have some of the ingredients . In the first place, Ox-san is strong enough to be able to work as a guard even with just one arm . It’s unlikely that anyone who purchases him would spend so much money and effort to help him recover . If the person who purchased him thought that he was ‘good enough’, then his skills would have rotted away .
That would be such a waste .
If Ox-san were a slime, there’s no way I would permit that to happen . Moreover, I would certainly want to have a few words with a person who thought that way .
And if I could choose who to give him to, then I certainly wouldn’t pick that person .
“You really love slimes, don’t you, Master?” [Ox Lord]
As Ox-san muttered that it was his first time being compared to a slime, everyone other than me smiled wryly… But anyway, given Mr . Moulton’s standing, perhaps that’s the reason why he wanted to choose who to sell Ox-san to .
On that point, I have some knowledge on medicine . A fact I’ve never really bothered to hide . And I also treat my employees well at my Gimuru branch . Another well-known fact .
In fact it is so well known that there are merchants who think I’m ‘too soft to employees’ or ‘too wasteful’ . Orest-san did say that he investigated me, so it should be safe to assume that he should know that much .
“I can’t say anything for certain, but it always felt like he’s been dropping hints left and right when talking to me . Like when he talked about the slave gladiators . ” [Ryouma]
Just how much of his actions were planned?
The more I think about it, the more I think he’s not a bad person . Still, there’s no denying that the way he does things is roundabout and annoying .
“…No wonder everyone is like that around him . ” [Ryouma]
The way Reinhart-san and the others were looking at me at the time was like they were looking at a new fellow victim .