Chapter 2: I Need More Spells
"Did it work?"
Croyer hadn't expected to succeed on his first try. It seemed his luck was quite good. Moreover, the description of the engraving was rather interesting.
First, the attack would obey his command—did that mean it would develop its own spirit?
Second, it could accumulate Sunflame energy, growing stronger the longer it charged. But what was the limit? How powerful could it become?
And then, it could refine the spell model as it grew. Did that mean it could optimize the spell and become even more potent? Spell refinement was an enormous undertaking, yet this plant could improve on its own just by growing?
Was this the power of nature?
Finally, it could store Sunflame energy, keeping it inside the seeds.
Wasn't that basically… solar energy?
Mages could construct Mage Towers and establish magic arrays to absorb power from the atmosphere, sunlight, and even the Elemental Plane.
But only high-ranking mages could do that.
For a mere First-Tier Mage, it was nothing but a pipe dream.
Yet, according to this description, a simple sunflower could do it?
And it didn't even require constant supervision—the sunflower would absorb Sunflame energy on its own, storing it in its seeds for later use.
If he harvested the matured seeds, wouldn't that mean he could have a steady supply of solar energy? Wouldn't that be like cultivating a whole field of fire-attribute magic crystals?
Solar energy—limitless, ever-flowing.
More reliable than any magic veins or magic crystals, wasn't it?
"This carriage is too slow! Why aren’t we there yet?"
The more he thought about it, the more eager he was to plant the seeds himself and see if the matured sunflowers truly held such wondrous properties.
A regular sunflower bloomed in about sixty days, but this magic plant could shorten that time to twenty days.
With enough magic power and special potions to accelerate growth, it could be even faster—
and he just happened to know of a potion that could stimulate magic plant growth!
Unable to contain his impatience, he knocked on the window and called out, "Robert, how much longer until we reach Reef Island?"
Reef Island—his fiefdom.
A mere one-thousand-hectare island marked on the map—pitifully small for a mage. Normally, a First-Tier Mage would be granted five thousand hectares of land.
With the right connections, one could even secure tens of thousands of hectares.
Yet, Croyer had received only a fifth of the standard allocation.
Not to mention, it was an island—one constantly at risk of invasion by Merfolk.
Its population was pathetically small, barely over a hundred households.
A tiny land, with few people, a poor geographical position, and likely little in the way of natural resources. No magic crystal veins either. It was, in every sense of the word, exile.
No wonder the previous owner had withered away in despair. The sense of loss must have been overwhelming.
From outside the carriage, his butler, who had been driving the horses, promptly responded,
"Master, it will take another day. We won’t be stopping to rest tonight, so we should arrive by noon tomorrow."
Hearing the voice, Croyer immediately recalled the image of a meticulous middle-aged man in a well-fitted waistcoat—the type who exuded reliability at first glance.
And in fact, Robert was indeed competent. He had been purchased alongside his son when the original owner had been selecting knights. Rumor had it he was from a fallen noble family.
He was exceptionally diligent in managing affairs and well-versed in various knowledge.
Moreover, he was deeply grateful to Croyer for saving both him and his son.
Adding to that, the original owner's temperament had been unusually kind for a mage. He treated his knights and subordinates quite well, and their contracts had bound them together.
For all these reasons, Robert's loyalty seemed to be genuine.
Croyer appreciated those who could assist him—especially those he could trust.
Though he was a mage, he still needed capable people to help him manage his territory and establish control as quickly as possible.
He decided to offer a small benefit in return.
With a smile, he said,
"Robert, you've worked hard. Let the knights know that once we reach the territory, I'll prepare a magic power bath for them—to ease their fatigue and strengthen their bodies.
Consider it a small reward for following me here."
He had no qualms about using what the original owner left behind. If it could win over his people, all the better.
A magic power bath only cost a single magic crystal.
As long as they could serve him better, the investment was worth it.
A relationship of mutual benefit was often more stable than one built purely on authority.
Hearing this, Robert sighed inwardly. He thought his young master was too kind-hearted.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been driven out of the Royal Capital by schemers.
He hesitated for a moment before replying sincerely,
"Thank you for your generosity, Master. However, I must remind you that Reef Island's tax revenue is likely minimal. You should reserve some magic crystals for yourself."
A reasonable concern. Magic crystal production in remote regions was nearly nonexistent, and without magic crystals, a mage had no energy source.
‘This butler is really reliable,’ Croyer mused.
Robert was willing to decline the magic power bath, despite its clear benefits. The ritual not only enhanced physical strength but also cured hidden injuries—something knights highly valued when serving mages.
But since Croyer had decided to offer the gift, he couldn’t allow Robert to refuse—especially since he also needed to win over the other knights. Emotional connections were important, but so were material incentives.
"You all need to stay in top shape if you're going to help me," Croyer insisted.
"There have been reports of Merfolk activity near Reef Island. I’ll need your strength.
Robert, just do as I say."
With that, Robert had no choice but to accept.
Deep down, however, he was pleased. A magic power bath was undeniably beneficial.
Serving a generous master was certainly preferable to serving a stingy one.
He resolved to train his son and the other three knights more rigorously so they could better assist Croyer. After all, now that they had left the Royal Capital, their fates were intertwined with his.
...
Over the next day, Croyer poured all his magic power into casting the Star Spirit Engraving Technique, successfully engraving the spell Sunflame Ray onto the remaining eleven sunflower seeds.
The speed was fast because there was no need to construct an external spell model or channel magic power—it was akin to simulated spellcasting.
His understanding of this spell deepened as a result.
However, the Star Spirit Engraving Technique’s description indicated that not all magic plants and beasts could be engraved—only special ones.
So, he decided not to save any seeds.
He could always buy more later.
Special seeds deserved special treatment—all of them would be transformed.
A modified magic plant would surely be more profitable than ordinary crops. And with money, anything was possible.
These sunflowers craved fire energy and nothing else.
He had experimented with Water Arrow and other spells, but they had no effect. The sunflowers simply ignored them.
He also tried other fire-based spells, but none resonated as perfectly as Sunflame Ray.
In the process, he experienced what it was like to drain his magic power completely.
He also reviewed the spells he currently knew—
And realized the original owner’s talent was… mediocre, to say the least.
He had mastered ten First-Tier spells and only two Second-Tier spells.
Compared to other First-Tier Mages, he was below average.
No wonder no teacher had spoken up for him when he was exiled.
If he had been a genius, the Mage Association wouldn't have let him be cast out so easily.
Even worse—he had to learn a spell before he could engrave it.
For instance, he could only engrave Sunflame Ray onto the sunflowers because he had already mastered it.
So, he had no choice but to start studying.
The only consolation was that his mental strength and comprehension were decent, and the original owner had brought several thick tomes filled with First-Tier and Second-Tier spell models.
Plenty of material to study.
Thus, in between studying and engraving, time passed quickly.
At last, they arrived at the dock leading to Reef Island—
Where the former lord awaited his arrival.