There were pros and cons to fighting a Prince over a little piece of ore. The cons were much bigger than the pros. Such as the Prince having some kind very expensive artifact that replicated life saving abilities. Others trying to suck up to him thus bid and participate just to take out other contestants before forfeiting. There were too many cons to just opposing a Prince for no good reason.

Which is why what Kayla did was so baffling.

I withdrew my bid and bid farewell to the Crown Prince. Quickly leaving to go accept the chain mission to protect the mining company as they mined a new metal oriented world.

I quickly made it back to my villa to pack up. Ignoring the groaning Kayla resting in the tub, legs spread out to prevent accidental rubbing.

“When I am gone, I don’t want you talking to any nobles. I don’t care if they talk to you first. Polite decline and walk away. Meditate and study your courses. Come straight home after classes. Do you understand?” I commanded while shoveling survival gear into the shoulder bag.

Kayla lips pursued like she wanted to object but then she bowed her head.

“I understand.”

I nodded and left out, bringing two guards and Linda with me while leaving a message for my Knight Commander to summon fifty more.

We took a portal to that world fort and met up with the Mining Team Leader. I noticed there were several other students. According to their badges, two third years, four second years, and the red head guy from night class plus the lass that I like.

“Good you can make it. The mission will start in ten minutes. Follow me to the airship and we will be on our way to the site.” the team leader said, while spinning around and walking towards a large galley looking ship.

We quickly boarded the ship. I chose to sit on the deck with my two guards. Watching the crew raised the sails and launched us into the air. The world below was a flash of green trees which surrounded the fort, a long brown line snaking through the forest, then nothing but mountains and hidden eddies.

You could barely make out the thin lines of blue through the mighty thick hairs of the trees or the great towering, behemoths called mountains.

This is, indeed, a world full of earth essences. Though nature was prominent, I could feel the life essences drifting through the windshield they kept up to block out the intense currents.

The red head lad came over with the alchemist girl.

“Count Lewis, I didn’t know you were taking this mission otherwise I would have asked to join your team.” Titus said with mixed laugh, stopping a few paces from me.

Mariella looked at me with mixed messages flashing in her eyes.

“Oh, you are here for the spatial ore? Or just any kind of ore?” I asked, throwing Mariella a glance.

Titus glanced between us before speaking.

“Spatial ore. I wanted to create a few spatial objects to sell. How about you?”

I shrugged, “I need it to craft an artifact.”

I closed my eyes, signalling the end to the conversation. My mind entered a special place where it was both aware and not aware of my surroundings. However, I didn’t get to enjoy this special feeling long.

There was some kind of flying beast headed towards us in a swarm. I stood up and walked to the front railing of the ship, climbing up. I pulled out a glowing blue orb with a swirling blue mist.

A card went up in flames, its ashes floating behind me.

I bowed my head in prayer and hundreds of blue birds flew out of the orb. Soon painting the bright cloudy sky dark blue as they cut through the air.

I directed them to devour the flesh and blood swarm. Screeches resounded in the sky but other than the blue of my blue birds, there was nothing to see. The swarm made a looping turn after devouring the prey, dumping uncut crystals at Linda feet.

Linda opened her satchel bag and it began devouring the uncut crystals, leaving behind a polish wooden deck.

The swarm dived back into my crystal ball and I jumped down. Glancing over the fellow comrades looking at Linda with greed.

**

Over the next four days, I dealt with numerous flying threats. Hogging all the beasts crystals for myself. Even though they weren’t that valuable, they could be useful in plenty of enchantments or alchemy recipes. Thus I didn’t allow a single opportunity to go to waste.

When we neared their mining site, the first thing I noticed was that there was a city not far away. The city was fortified with a wall and had archer towers at certain distances. Cannons could be seen poking out from those alcove. If someone was a betting man, then I would bet that they could reach this hilly area.

Second thing.

They dug almost downward instead of digging from a certain direction and snaking tunnels downward. They dug directly downward with what you can call shelves or ramps spiraling downward.

I guess this was the most accelerated method they had in mind. The place is definitely rich in rare ores and gems.

The Manager pointed at a row of housing that didn’t look like much.

“We apologize for the lack of proper housing but we are on a time limit. As you noticed, the distances to the portal and here is a four day journey by airship. By foot, it is more than four times that amount. Accompanying the long trip, we also only have a certain amount of time to dig this mine. Thus the living conditions are… hasty.” He waved at the hole then back at the housing.

He then gestured at a more solid looking building.

“The locals understand our needs and thus if you feel like you want to spend money to sleep with a woman. There is a place for that, however, it isn’t cheap.” He spun and pointed at the dark blue leaf forest. “Over there, wild ferocious beasts occasionally attack. Some to the point of overwhelming our own guard. The tallest we have seen some six stories high. While the strongest has been quite unfathomable and could be ranked at the Grand Level.”

The manager tapped his chin for a bit then spoke, “We need two of your escorts to the ship back and forth. The rest of you have to be on the ground. I heard this kingdom is at war but they are rumors from whores, so we don’t put much stock into that. Either way, we will be gone in a month. That’s all I have to say. You can pick out whose going and who's staying.”

All the students turned to me as if I was the nominal leader or something.

“I’ll stay on the ground. The rest of you can rotate out on the airship.” After speaking, I walked to the barrack.

It’s indeed an open area barrack, very cheap. These lowly bastards.