B2 | Chapter 34 - Back in Holden

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B2 | Chapter 34 - Back in Holden

The carriage wheels crunched over dead leaves that had probably been decomposing for months, maybe years. Theodore pressed his face closer to the window, watching the Deadwoods roll past with the kind of morbid fascination that came from knowing something was deeply wrong but not being able to put his finger on exactly what.

Theodore had to admit, the Deadwoods weren't exactly inspiring confidence as a place to wander into, even if you had a carriage and enough strength to turn most casual threats into footnotes. It wasn't that he was afraid—he wasn't, certainly not—but there was something OFF about the place. Mana didn't move like that, not normally. It was subtle, but unmistakable with [Arcane Awareness], like watching water drain toward a plughole you couldn't see.

It was also always inward. And not just directional but intentional almost like it was being pulled.

He'd noticed it before. He had dismissed it then. Because of course he had. There were only so many hours in a day, and when a place radiated the sort of disinterest in visitors that the Deadwoods did, poking around in its business didn't exactly make his to-do list.

He'd been curious about this place for a while now though, ever since he'd first noticed the peculiar way mana behaved around its borders. Most forests had their own magical ecosystems, sure, but this one was different. The mana here moved with purpose and Theodore had become increasingly convinced that understanding why might be important for his broader magical research.

Of course, investigating mysterious magical phenomena while traveling in a wooden box wasn't exactly ideal, but it beat sitting in Ashton's camp listening to the man drone on about profit margins for another hour. Some questions were worth pursuing even when the circumstances weren't perfect.

"Take us deeper."

The driver obeyed, and the deeper they went, the more pronounced the effect became. Mana flowing inward, always inward, like the entire forest was somehow feeding on magical energy from the surrounding area.

It was fascinating, really. Whatever was at the center of this place had to be incredibly powerful to create such a widespread disturbance in the natural flow of ambient mana. Theodore found himself genuinely excited about the possibilities—was it a natural phenomenon? Some kind of magical creature? An artifact?

Twigs cracked under the wheels of the carriage and the horses—dumb animals, bless them—seemed more agitated than before. Not quite skittish, just… twitchy. But they were trained so they continued to do their job.

Something changed.

Theodore sat up straighter, pressing both hands against the carriage window as he extended his magical senses as far as they would go. The mana flow had shifted. Not gradually, not subtly—it had changed direction entirely, like someone had thrown a switch.

It wasn't natural. He was sure of that now. Mana didn't concentrate like this unless something was actively causing it.

As he leaned forward to see mana shifting, the flow of the mana reversed.

"What the hell?" Theodore muttered, genuinely confused.

He blinked. No, that wasn't right. That wasn't supposed to happen. The inward flow began spiraling outward now, and the feeling that followed was less of a shift and more of a recoil. Like the forest had just spit something out, or changed its mind.

Theodore narrowed his eyes and leaned back in his seat, frowning as he tried to make sense of what he was experiencing.

Was there something in here that was consciously directing the flow of mana?

Part of him wanted to press deeper, to find the source of this disturbance and understand what was causing it. But another part of him, the part that had kept him alive, was suggesting that maybe this wasn't the time or place for such investigations. He was alone except for his driver and Roland and the other guards, traveling in a simple carriage with no significant magical protections or offensive capabilities.

If whatever was controlling the mana flow in this forest decided it didn't appreciate visitors, Theodore might find himself in a very uncomfortable situation very quickly.

Theodore sighed, making a decision he wasn't entirely happy with but knew was probably the right one. As much as he wanted to understand what was happening here, he had too many other projects requiring his attention back in Holden. The tournament was coming up, his various business ventures needed oversight, and he had so much more to do.

Whatever was going on in the Deadwoods, he'd deal with it when it became a problem.

"Turn us around," Theodore called to his driver. "We're heading back."

***

The ride back gave him enough time to dig into the question that had been nudging at the back of his mind since the Slime King debacle. Once they were back on the main road heading toward Holden, Theodore pulled out the mana stone he'd recovered from the Slime King and turned it over in his hands. The mana stone gleamed softly. Perfectly inert. No activity, no current, no pulses.

He'd been carrying it around for days now, occasionally taking it out to examine but never finding anything particularly noteworthy about it. Just a high-quality mana stone, the kind you might find in any well-stocked magical supply shop. But that was exactly what bothered Theodore about it.

Because that couldn't be right.

The Slime King had demonstrated the ability to create clones. Theodore had assumed that such capabilities must have come from some kind of unique magical focus or artifact—something that would explain how a creature that was essentially animated slime had managed to learn such advanced magic.

But this mana stone, as far as Theodore could tell through both [Arcane Awareness] and his thermal sensing capabilities, was completely ordinary.

So what the hell did that mean?

If the mana stone wasn't responsible for the creature's magical capabilities, then where had those abilities come from?

The mana stone was supposed to be the key, but there was nothing in it. It didn't carry any residue, no hint of structure. Not a flicker. It was just a battery. 

Theodore held the stone up to the carriage window, letting the light shine through it.

That annoyed him more than he liked admitting. Theodore didn't mind being wrong; he just hated being uncertain. If you told him he was wrong, he could fix that. But this was different.

Slimes weren't known for that kind of magic. Unless the Slime King hadn't developed those abilities independently. Theodore settled back in his seat as the familiar landmarks of Holden's approach began appearing through the carriage windows. It would be good to be home, good to get back to his workshop and his notes and the comfortable routine of productive work.

***

Holden looked—well, it looked different. Better. Which was the strangest part. Holden looked different compared to when he'd first transmigrated. Theodore had lived here long enough to notice the changes that spoke of rapid growth and increasing prosperity.

The roads were busier, for one thing. More merchant wagons, more people moving. The buildings looked better maintained, fresher paint and newer construction mixing with the older structures that had defined the town for years.

Businesses that had left during the guild exodus were now back, and then some. He saw banners he didn't recognize, storefronts gleaming with new paint. Even the dirt roads were suspiciously well-kept, and that alone made him pause.

There were people, too. Far too many people. Not overcrowded, exactly, but… bustling. Theodore supposed he shouldn't be surprised. The soap business had brought unprecedented prosperity to Holden, and prosperity had a way of attracting more prosperity. Merchants who had previously bypassed the town entirely were now establishing permanent operations here. Guilds that had abandoned Holden during its leaner years had returned, bringing skilled craftsmen and new opportunities for trade.

And all of it—every single bit of it—was because of soap.

It was gratifying to see, really. Theodore had put considerable effort into building a foundation for economic growth in Holden, and the results were exactly what he'd hoped for. The town was thriving in ways it hadn't for decades, maybe longer.

Of course, success brought its own complications. More people meant more politics, more competing interests, more potential for the kind of factional disputes that could disrupt the careful balance Theodore had worked to establish. He'd need to keep an eye on that.

Theodore stepped out of the carriage and was immediately greeted by the sight of Jack walking toward him, and—of course—he was smiling.

Which was wrong.

Because Theodore had expected Jack to look like death. The man was in charge of half a dozen projects, the kilns being the most time-sensitive. The fervidite logistics alone should've driven him into a weeklong stupor.

But no. Jack was clean-shaven. Well-rested, healthy, with the kind of relaxed confidence that spoke of someone who was not only managing his responsibilities but actually enjoying them. There wasn't a single ink stain on his robe.

In fact, he was practically glowing.

Theodore stared at him. Suspicious.

"Lord Theodore!"

"You look like someone who just got promoted and had a religious awakening in the same afternoon," he said instead of hello.

"Good to see you back too." Jack rolled his eyes. "How did things go with Baron Ashton?"

"Successful enough. The slime operation is established, the fervidite shipments are secured, and Ashton is sufficiently impressed with our capabilities to agree to very favorable terms."

"Everything's going better than expected? Also, wait, what? Slime operation?"

"Later."

"Sure. Excellent news, by the way" Jack said, and Theodore could hear the sincere pleasure in his response. "The kiln operations have been progressing well in your absence. We've got production running smoothly, and the workers have adapted to the new processes better than I expected. We're ready for the fervidite shipments whenever they arrive—once we have them, we can begin full-scale brick production immediately. For now we've got production running in moderation."

Theodore nodded, pleased but not surprised by Jack's competence. The man had always been reliable, always capable of handling complex projects with minimal oversight. But there was something different about him today, something that went beyond professional satisfaction or job-related confidence.

"Jack," Theodore said carefully, "did something happen while I was away? You seem... unusually pleased with yourself."

Jack smiled but didn't answer. Theodore shrugged.

"Well. I suppose I won't have to fire you today."

"Generous."

Theodore paused.

"I'm glad to hear things have been going well. Because we need to have a serious conversation about some changes to our ongoing projects. Plans have shifted somewhat during my time with Ashton, and there are new possibilities we need to explore together."

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