Sick?
"Where did you hear all this?" Sean asked, puzzled.
Probably because he trusted Luke deeply, the other person's好感度 had started at [Friendly] when they met, with the full attribute being [1000/1000, Friendly], at least indicating he wouldn't lie in front of Sean.
"I heard this from a customer before—he's a famous wizard in this city. What he said shouldn't be false," Esmeralda said.
Another wizard...
There really are many capable people in Koga City!
"How's your relationship with that wizard?" Sean casually asked, only to find Esmeralda shooting him a displeased look.
"He's just a customer at our shop. Since he's bought a few things, we keep in touch occasionally..."
"Don't misunderstand—I'm just asking if the wizard is trustworthy." Hearing this, her mood eased, and the status above her head changed accordingly.
Who would've thought? Luke rarely talked about romance, yet he managed to make a girl so infatuated with him. Even after leaving Koga City for years, she still remembers him!
"Well... I'm not sure either. He's always polite when he comes to the shop. He likes studying various magics and alchemy, so he's also interested in industrial forging." Esmeralda could only share what she knew; as for character, appearances alone couldn't reveal it. Having worked in business for years, she felt this even more keenly.
"Does Lord Vigor need him for something?"
"Yeah. Just some knowledge about magic. If he comes again, could you let me know?"
Sean was desperate to find a professional to ask about magic. Otherwise, practicing aimlessly like this would never end. His magic proficiency had reached 60 points now, and he had no idea how much further it could go.
Was it limitless or capped?
Given the current situation, continuing to practice would still increase his magic proficiency, and he could use even more boldly imagined spells. He had even tried the hydrogen bomb that Bachler once used, but its power was far inferior.
Including limitations and levels... there was so much he didn't understand. Finding a wizard to ask would be ideal.
"Of course. Does Lord Vigor also study magic?"
"Just a bit of curiosity. A few wizards came to the town before and helped us a lot." Sean didn't go into detail, but seeing the [Confused!] status above her head, he knew she might be suspicious.
Yet for various reasons, Esmeralda didn't press further. Instead, she asked about his plans.
Sean had been thinking about this from last night until today, considering different routes. Even before entering the shop, he had multiple options, but now he had to choose one.
"I'll stay in Koga City for now. If what you said is true—that nobles from all over the south have gathered here—then visiting Count Hamilton would be pointless. It would only make me a target for the big nobles..."
Sean thought that if they couldn't outmaneuver each other, his presence as a minor noble would make him an easy mark.
Navigating among several major nobles—if he did well, he might gain some benefits; if not, it could even affect his town. So the best approach was to stay out of their sight, continuing to be forgotten as the 'little village chief' in the mountains.
Esmeralda agreed with his view.
"But if we choose wisely, it might bring many benefits to Taylor Mian."
"That's almost like gambling, and in the end, our fate is still in others' hands..."
Esmeralda's thoughts were probably similar to his own at first—thinking they could use wit to mingle among the major nobles for profit.
But who in this world is a fool?
What he could think of, others could too. Though his special ability might help a bit, the final outcome still rested with others; he was just choosing which finger to be.
"Taylor Mian's market has already opened under Miss Hamilton's promise, and the mercenary guild is established. That's a good sign... At least until the next count's heir appears, we can develop steadily. I want to use this time to find a direction for Taylor Mian's growth and accumulate some wealth. Only by developing can I stop fearing interference from other nobles," Sean said.
Perhaps from the moment he contacted the outside world, Taylor Mian Town became inseparable from it.
It was like those strategy games he used to play—starting alone on a deserted island, but once a diplomatic fleet sailed into other regions, it meant connecting with the outside.
Now that the market and guild were in the town, could he just say no?
Even if he could drive them out, the townspeople's hearts had already been affected. Young people who had seen the bustling world would inevitably 'look outward.'
And once the townsfolk had tasted various foods and fruits from outside, cutting them off would be hard!
At this moment, Sean couldn't help but admire the wisdom of his predecessors...
Though isolation seemed foolish, it had preserved a nearly century-old simple folk culture.
In a way, that was truly remarkable.
But Sean asked himself—he wasn't one to endure.
And the situation at the time had forced him to make that choice... Since he chose development, he had to bear the pressure that came with it.
"So, my lord, what do you think we should do next?" This time, Esmeralda didn't address Sean by name. Though she couldn't fully grasp the baron's words, she felt an unusual impression from him.
Perhaps, as rumors said, this baron who broke Taylor Mian's centuries-old isolation had extraordinary talent.
"I'll set up a contact point between your shop and the town. If anything happens on either side, we can communicate... And then..."
Sean hadn't figured out the 'and then' yet.
His goal in practicing and learning magic was clear and simple, but developing the town required careful thought.
That night.
Sean originally planned to stay at a nearby inn, but the siblings directly invited him to stay at Scott's Shop. In the evening, he even had dinner with them.
The elder sister, Esmeralda, was quite virtuous—not a noble lady, but she handled almost everything herself. As for the younger brother, Claude, he was impressive.
From the moment Sean got to know him, the kid kept talking about firearms, even recommending that Sean buy some or introduce them to other nobles. Quite the businessman...
He had been curious about the fruit Sean brought in a basket, but only dared to open it after they became familiar.
"So it's Pachira fruit... Rare. I heard from fruit sellers on the street that there have been a lot of rats lately, affecting many fruit farmers and butchers..."