Holan took out a handkerchief to cover his nose and mouth with one hand while holding an ice spear conjured from magic in the other. He approached the corpse of the Slaughter Wolf Demon, using the ice spear to prod its sharp claws.

  "Slaughter Wolf Demon? What's the issue?" Caius asked.

  "If it were just a regular Wolf Demon, it might have simply wandered here from a distant place. But the presence of a Slaughter Wolf Demon confirms that there's a Bloody Land nearby!" Holan stated.

  "Slaughter Wolf Demons serve as the main guardians of the Bloody Lands. They are an advanced variant of Wolf Demons, capable of commanding a pack and absorbing Bloodborne Power to enhance themselves."

  "Hmm." Caius nodded. "Back then, when this Wolf Demon howled, a red glow flew out from the corpses of the surrounding Wolf Demons and was absorbed into its body. It got a lot stronger afterward."

  "That was Bloodborne Power," Holan explained. "A volatile yet incredibly potent force."

  "Yeah, it was really strong. It almost defeated Little Swan..." Caius muttered.

  "Little Swan?" Holan blinked in confusion.

  "Oh, I meant Hilda."

  Holan's brows arched. "Hilda? She was there too?"

  "To be precise, she killed these Wolf Demons. Then, when the Slaughter Wolf Demon entered its second form, I happened to pass by and took care of it with a single blow," Caius said casually, his hands in his pockets.

  Holan chuckled. How did this guy make such a perilous battle sound so effortless?

  "No wonder. I noticed these Wolf Demons had been cleanly severed—I almost thought you used a sword." Then, Holan's expression turned serious.

  She didn't dwell on Hilda's presence; her primary concern was the Bloody Land.

  "So, it seems that a Bloody Land has indeed emerged nearby, likely within Nofalark Forest."

  "What’s the plan now? Are we going to investigate further?" Caius asked.

  "Of course. This is a must. Fortunately, it appears the Bloody Land is still in its early stages and hasn't fully spread; otherwise, the Slaughter Wolf Demon wouldn’t be the only threat."

  "But we don’t have much time. I’ll report this to the City Lord’s Mansion immediately. All surrounding cities will need to enter a state of alert."

  Caius nodded. "Sounds like you've got a lot of work ahead of you."

  "Yeah..." Holan sighed. "I need to accelerate my research and complete the production of magic potions specifically designed against Bloody Creatures."

  "And you might have to get involved as well."

  "How so?" Caius asked.

  "The City Lord’s Mansion will issue a special commission for all adventurers and mercenaries, including missions to investigate Nofalark Forest."

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  "Such special commissions usually come with generous rewards."

  "After pinpointing the Bloody Land's location, there will be tasks to assist the Empire’s army in containment operations, purges, and possibly even war missions."

  "I see." Caius nodded.

  For a mercenary, war was the most lucrative business.

  Unlike merchants who profited from the aftermath of war, mercenaries earned their gold through blood and life, standing on the frontlines. That was the origin of the "soldier" in "mercenary."

  Mercenaries were essentially independent soldiers unattached to any force. When necessary, the authorities would mobilize them as an auxiliary force.

  Sometimes, this meant preventing the spread of a Bloody Land, serving the nation and its people.

  Other times, it meant being cannon fodder sent ahead of the regular army.

  Either way, the money was good—but it wasn’t easy to earn.

  For Caius, though, this was familiar territory.

  He had been deeply involved in corporate wars in his past life.

  As for which side to join? That depended on who paid the most.

  Holan then stood up and said to Caius, "Thanks for bringing back these samples. But... I may not be able to pay your commission right away."

  "Come on, with our friendship, who needs commission?" Caius waved it off generously before grinning. "But I do need a Teleportation Magic Array Plate. One that connects to Hydis Magic Academy. Can you get me one?"

  Holan chuckled. This guy sure knew how to negotiate. She nodded, then took out a Magic Array Plate and handed it to him. "I happen to have one."

  Caius took the plate, examining it with satisfaction.

  This thing wasn’t cheap. A one-time-use, 200-kilometer-range Teleportation Scroll cost 800 gold. The cost of a reusable Magic Array Plate was in the thousands, and a finished product sold for over ten thousand gold.

  The one Holan gave him was even more exquisite, inscribed with a string of numbers—it was a 1,000-kilometer-range plate with three bindable teleportation points.

  That meant Caius could teleport back from anywhere within 1,000 kilometers of Hydis Magic Academy.

  The second teleportation point was set to Pedoro City, 800 kilometers away, while the third remained unbound.

  This plate alone was worth at least 30,000 gold—likely even more!

  And that wasn’t even considering availability; plates of this caliber weren’t easy to buy.

  Most on the market had ranges under 1,000 kilometers and could only bind a single teleportation point.

  Trading the corpses of those Wolf Demons for this Magic Array Plate was an absolute steal.

  Granted, the seven Wolf Demons were worth several tens of thousands of gold, and the Slaughter Wolf Demon alone was worth at least 20,000.

  But Caius had essentially gotten the seven Wolf Demons for free.

  Massive profit!

  "This is my own plate. I’m giving it to you, so don’t lose it," Holan said, amused at how much Caius was enjoying it.

  "Of course! I’ll keep it close to me at all times!" Caius declared.

  Close to him…

  Holan's cheeks reddened slightly before she pushed him toward the exit. "Alright, I have a lot to do. Go mind your own business."

  "Wait, wait, I have something for you," Caius quickly added.

  "What is it?" Holan asked, puzzled.

  Caius waved his hand, and suddenly, a bouquet of beautifully arranged herbs appeared in his grasp, with a fist-sized crystal resting at its center.

  Holan’s eyes lit up with delight as she took it.

  She immediately recognized the crystal—it was the Crystalis Heart of a Crystalith Serpent!

  "So? Do you like it?" Caius asked with a grin.

  Holan accepted it, her eyes curving into crescent moons with joy. But she still teased, "Using materials from my commission to bribe me? You’ve got some nerve."

  Caius laughed. "So, you do like it?"

  "Hmhm~" Holan nodded before tossing him a small pouch filled with task tokens from Yvlan. "Keep up the good work. I’ll have plenty more tasks in the future."

  "Happy to oblige!" Caius caught the pouch, waved, and left.

  As she watched him go, Holan looked down at the beautifully arranged herbs and Crystalis Heart. She smiled, humming a tune as she placed them in the most prominent spot in her laboratory.

  She planned to keep them for now—only using them when necessary.

  Meanwhile, Caius, accompanied by Kiki, left the academy and set off for Ocean City in his carriage.

  He intended to cash in the task tokens and complete the last outstanding mission: [Debt Collection].

  A Gold-rank mission like this was nothing to him now.

  But once accepted, a mission had to be completed—that was part of his professional code.

  He also wanted to explore the inner city, having heard that it offered rare goods unavailable in the outer city.

  With a hefty sum still in his pocket, he had no intention of saving up.

  If he didn’t spend his money, he’d feel restless.