FL - Chapter 50: The Mana Marrow Factory

With the anti-insurgency campaign drawing closer, Louis and several knights hauling two heavy chests headed directly to the Mana Marrow factory near the mining zone, which also served as the alchemy workshop.

This factory had been set up by Hilko and the three newly arrived alchemy apprentices.

Calling it a "factory" was generous. It was really a few crude sheds with alchemy equipment from the Southeast Province scattered around them.

The conditions were crude, but they were enough to get the Mana Marrow refinement process into its initial shape.

"Lord, you've come at the right time." Hilko lounged lazily against a wooden post.

With more talent now in Crimson Tide Territory, he wasn't quite so overworked. He looked a touch more alive than before, though still as laid-back as ever.

"The first batch of Mana Marrow has just been refined."

At those words, Louis's interest was immediately piqued. His gaze fell on a heavy wooden barrel.

It was filled with deep-purple powder. A faint luster rippled across its surface. It looked fine and silky smooth, with the faintest shimmer of mana fluctuation pulsing through it.

Louis reached in and took a pinch. The texture against his fingertips was impossibly smooth. He asked with genuine wonder: "So this is Mana Marrow?"

"That's right." Hilko patted the barrel. "This single barrel is worth at least fifty Gold Coins on the market."

Louis's eyes flickered.

Fifty Gold Coins. That was no small sum. It could buy a hundred slaves, or sustain two Formal Knights for an entire year.

And this was only the output of a small-scale trial run.

Thinking of the enormous Mana Marrow vein lying beneath his territory, Louis's heart beat faster with excitement.

But at the same time, he was clear-eyed. To truly scale production, many obstacles still lay ahead.

Mana Marrow mining was fraught with danger in itself. One careless move could trigger a cave-in.

And for now, their equipment and manpower were both severely lacking.

This barrel of Mana Marrow represented an entire week's output.

"Good work."

Louis produced twenty Gold Coins on the spot and handed them to Hilko. Then he gave ten Gold Coins to each of the three alchemy apprentices.

The recipients froze when the coins touched their hands, then their faces lit with excitement. To them, it was a true fortune, and they showered Louis with thanks.

"Thank you, my lord!"

But a moment later, one of the apprentices muttered under his breath: "Though, um. Where exactly can we spend gold coins in a place like this?"

The others fell silent for a second, then burst out laughing.

After the laughter subsided, Louis turned to Hilko to get down to business.

He patted the barrel and asked directly: "Hilko, can this stuff be used to manufacture Mana Flame Bombs?"

Hilko frowned slightly at the question. He thought for a moment before answering.

"Mana Marrow isn't the only critical material for Mana Flame Bombs. We'd also need an ignition core and other components. And Crimson Tide Territory currently has none of them."

"Is that so..." Louis cleared his throat softly, then signaled the knights behind him to open the two heavy chests they'd brought.

The lids were lifted. A thick wave of mana energy surged into the air.

The chests were packed with deep-blue crystals.

These were the crystalline spikes extracted from the Ice-Armored Bears. Dense with staggering energy.

Hilko and the three alchemy apprentices stared, frozen. Their eyes went so wide they looked perfectly round. Their breathing turned shallow and rapid.

"Th-This is top-grade alchemy material!" one apprentice shouted in a frenzy. "Used properly, this could be made into high-tier magical artifacts!"

Hilko regained his composure and asked uncertainly: "You're thinking of..."

Louis patted the chest. "With this added to the mix, can we make Mana Flame Bombs now?"

Hilko blinked. Then, almost dazedly, he nodded.

But the very next second, he jerked his head violently from side to side, his face twisting with disbelief. "No, no. This is far too wasteful! Mana Marrow alone is already precious, and you want to add Ice-Armored Bear crystals on top?

Using two top-tier materials like these to make Mana Flame Bombs. It's practically sacrilege!

If these materials were used in weapons, armor, or magical artifacts, their value would far exceed that of ordinary Mana Flame Bombs!"

Louis merely waved a hand. "As long as it can be done, do it. Get them made as fast as you can. I need them urgently."

Hilko sighed. "Since my lord has spoken, we'll complete the work as quickly as possible."

"I need them by the day after tomorrow at the latest," Louis drew a hard deadline.

Hilko's mouth twitched. He looked like he wanted to say more, but in the end, he just shrugged helplessly and waved for the alchemy apprentices to begin the research work immediately.

Louis stood to the side, watching the alchemy apprentices bustle about with undisguised interest.

Just as one apprentice was carefully pouring the deep-purple Mana Marrow powder into an alchemy flask, the sound of urgent hoofbeats rang out from outside.

"My lord!"

A knight galloped in, flung himself from the saddle, and dropped to one knee. "Duke Edmund's messenger has arrived! He waits at the territory gate!"

Louis let out a long breath. "What must come has come."

He turned, straightened his cloak, and nodded to the knight. "Bring me to him."

Outside the council hall of Crimson Tide Territory, a knight in a deep-blue cloak stood waiting.

He was a Formal Knight, and the emblem of Duke Edmund's house was etched into his armor. He was clearly no ordinary courier.

When he saw Louis approach, he immediately dropped to one knee and, in a voice of unwavering steel, recited Duke Edmund's words.

"Lord Louis Calvin, His Grace Duke Edmund has issued the summons. All lords of the Northlands are to marshal their forces at once and march to exterminate the Snowsworn rebels!"

So saying, he drew from his belt a letter stamped with the Duke's seal and presented it with both hands.

Louis accepted the envelope, tore it open, and swept through its contents.

The tone of the letter was extraordinarily severe. It specified the assembly deadline with exacting clarity and commanded that every Northlands lord must personally lead his troops to the muster point.

Each lord was required to contribute a minimum number of soldiers. Any delay or defiance would be regarded as treason against the Empire.

At the letter's conclusion, Louis's assembly point was marked with particular emphasis. Snowhawk City.

Snowhawk City was a critical military stronghold in the Northlands. And the seat of Count Firth's domain.

Count Firth was also the governor of Snowpeak County, responsible for overseeing every minor territory within the county's borders.

Crimson Tide Territory was, in name, one of the territories under his jurisdiction.

However, since colonization lords enjoyed tax-exempt status, and since the Northlands were, frankly, impossibly vast, Louis had yet to deal with this count in any official capacity.

Louis folded the letter shut and raised his head to the messenger. "I will be at the assembly point on time."

The knight saluted, turned on his heel, and rode off at a gallop toward the next territory.

After the rider vanished into the distance, Louis read through the letter once more, calculating the timeline in his head.

There were still a few days before the formal departure. Time enough to prepare.