The Curse of Being Hated Has Been Lifted

20 – The Path to the Clan

The Redrika Clan was renowned for its mastery of magic, though not as globally acclaimed as the Velocia Clan to which Anna belonged. Still, the Redrika Clan was known throughout the empire as proficient in the use of magic.

Herman Redrika was the seventh child of this illustrious clan.

With a considerable age gap and a capable elder sibling essentially securing the position of the next clan head, Herman could grow up in peace, free from the power struggles that plagued other places.

Growing up, Herman harbored dreams of becoming an inventor.

The inspiration came from an engineer who, during her childhood, had installed a magical heating device in the clan’s castle. Despite the fact that the engineer turned out to be a fraud and ended up in prison, it couldn’t extinguish the flames of her already ignited dream.

Being the seventh child of the clan worked in her favor.

If she were the second or third daughter, even if she couldn’t become the clan head, she would have had to strive for magical training to maintain the family’s prestige. However, Herman was spared from such heavy responsibilities.

Eventually, she started her career as an inventor without even attending the academy. Instead of the brilliant inventor’s mind she aspired to have, she ended up with a physique that reminded everyone more of a blacksmith than a creative genius.

Dreams and reality often diverged.

While she dreamed of being an inventor, her creativity was not remarkable. Despite her exceptional physical abilities and considerable magical prowess, anything creative she attempted often ended in failure or resulted in products with little market value.

Blaming the leniency of her family for her inability to invent, she headed towards the Institute. However, after witnessing the magical gadgets she worked hard on for days being outsold by simple magic charms she created in a day or two, she lost her enthusiasm over six months ago.

“If this guy hadn’t shown up, I might still be lacking motivation.”

Redrika spoke to Logan, her soliloquy carrying a sense of retrospection.

Looking back, the first meeting between Logan and Redrika was fortunate for both.

Redrika didn’t drive Logan away at that time because she needed money urgently, which made anyone look suspicious to her.

“He was quite audacious.”

Now, he was someone who brought in money in gold units from wherever, but back then, he had none.

How absurd it was for someone without money or power to call his ideas merchandise.

It was amusing when he wagered after being told he couldn’t sell goods to someone as suspicious as he was.

If he truly was a bad person, it wouldn’t matter what he did. Instead, the bet was, if his innocence was proven, he would supply her with the items she asked for in the future, only charging for materials.

Until then, it seemed an absurd bet, so she readily accepted. Yet, recently, he came without that usual strange aura, admitting defeat in the bet and presenting just two machines.

“It’s not a bad deal for me.”

Logan possessed something Redrika didn’t have.

Most of the machine-making skills stemmed from Redrika’s mind, but the ideas were Logan’s.

Unlike Redrika, Logan had an eye for the marketability that could turn into money.

To speak kindly, he had great creativity; to speak ill, he had a keen business sense.

Even though the idea wasn’t his, since creating new items resembled invention, he didn’t feel a significant loss by making the machines without charging for labor or technology expenses.

“You’ll pay the balance? You’re not borrowing money to pay, are you?”

The cost of the Mana Condition Analyzer Logan asked Redrika to make was approximately three gold.

Even though it was metal, the price was inevitably high due to the cost of the samples needed to weave the mana circuits inside.

Of course, three gold wasn’t a huge amount for Redrika.

After all, the properly crafted magic swords she made were sold for hundreds of gold.

Among them, the remaining balance was around ten silver, which didn’t make a difference to Redrika, whether she had it or not.

“You earned it with the machine you made.”

Logan soon searched his pockets and presented Redrica with ten silver coins.

“You didn’t take it yesterday? You earned 10 silver in just one day?”

When Redrica first heard Logan’s business plan, she thought it was a venture destined for success.

Measuring mana conditions was an act of no use to the highly skilled, but it was valuable enough for less mature students.

With a fairly high turnover rate, steady profits were expected.

However, she didn’t believe Logan would make enough to earn 10 silver in a day.

At most, she envisioned a profit of about 5 silver per day, a staggering amount that could recoup Logan’s investment in less than 100 days.

Of course, this profit margin seemed high because she didn’t charge Logan for her services, and considering her fees, the actual profit margin wouldn’t be that impressive.

“Oh, more people are using it than I thought.”

“Is it an open run?”

“I think so too.”

Since it had been installed not long ago, the increased usage was likely just temporary.

Probably, after a week, the usage would drop sharply.

“Anyway, take the money.”

Redrica accepted the money Logan offered and casually tucked it away.

To her, the amount was not significantly different from having nothing, so she didn’t feel the need to accept it, but Logan was quite particular about money.

Last time, when she tried to give him a small discount, he insisted on paying a fixed amount, coldly asserting himself.

‘Has he ever experienced unpaid wages?’

“What are you going to make next time?”

Although Logan had only made two types of items so far, his orders were enticing enough to satisfy her creative urges.

This time, I’m looking forward to what groundbreaking creation will come out.

“For a while, there’s nothing for you to take care of.”

“Really? Is that a bit disappointing? Doesn’t this business idea need a machine?”

Apart from Logan’s creative requests, the way he earned money was also one of the small joys.

Although the amount he earned was like dust compared to what she made, the overwhelming amount of money he earned compared to his technology or the way he made money without offering his own labor was similar to the way aristocrats leading their families would do.

“Rather, I don’t plan to do business for about two weeks.”

“To gather capital?”

Since he had used all the money he had in hand to create the machine, it would take time for money to accumulate again.

“No, I’m planning to visit the family this weekend, and I can’t hastily start a business without knowing how long it will take.”

In the Asrian family, Logan was famous as the prodigal child.

“The atmosphere is quite different from last year… When I go to the family this time, won’t the nickname of the prodigal child disappear too?”

In response to Redrika’s hopeful words, Logan spat out sarcasm.

“Even if the family welcomes me, I have no intention of returning to the family.”

Redrika, bewildered by Logan’s icy gaze, awkwardly laughed.

“Take care. Don’t get hurt, and don’t meet any bandits.”

“Thanks for worrying.”

Logan slightly loosened his expression and spoke as he exited Redrika’s forge.

“Since there will be items to take care of after returning to the family, get ready in advance.”

Because he left so confidently, Redrika couldn’t help but wonder, ‘What does he want?’ as he watched him leave.

*******

Time passed quickly.

Five days had already passed since the Mana Condition Detector was installed, marking the return of Saturday.

“Have a safe trip.”

“Take care.”

As the journey was long, Logan had already boarded the carriage early, and there were two people seeing him off.

“All right, I’ll be back safely.”

It was strange that Shohel followed him, even though it was understandable up to Anna. Asking him to leave for not wanting to see someone who came to teach, albeit for Anna, was also peculiar.

So he set off quickly, without putting any farewell token from the family but rented a carriage from the institution, not from the family, as it was not the family’s carriage that came.

Thanks to Anna’s introduction, he could rent the carriage quite cheaply, but the price was much higher than expected, and he had to spend more than one gold out of the two gold coins earned from the Mana Condition Detector in five days.

“Looks like you’re going back to your hometown.”

The carriage driver’s voice was truly warm.

Originally, being a carriage driver meant being eccentric and unreliable.

If you behave oddly to nobles, who are probably eight or nine out of ten when meeting people, carrying luggage or gathering people, you might lose your life.

‘It feels more comfortable than the family’s carriage.’

Since there was still plenty of time until he reached the Asrian Viscount, Logan took out a book he bought with this newfound profit and began to read.