“Hmm…”
[Contractor, isn’t that too ugly?]
“Design isn’t that important.”
What really matters is performance.
I stuffed a few prototypes of the items I had been developing recently into my bag. If they work as I imagined, they should help in the fight against the outsiders.
I really hope they work.
It took me a month to make this.
Of course, that’s partly due to simultaneous development… If that one had finished first, it would have been nice to see. I absentmindedly checked the contents of my bag one last time: change of clothes, various tools, and a sufficient amount of gold coins.
“…I guess it’s better to buy anything I need along the way…”
This trip seems like it will be quite long, and it’s tough to carry everything. Anyway, since the Empire’s currency is used throughout the continent, I can just buy small necessities like food and clothes along the way.
“Johann! Sandulbaram is here!”
“I’ll be out soon!”
I replied to Sif’s voice coming from behind and got up. Thinking about it, it’s been a few months since I last went out like this. The last time I left on a trip, I completely wiped the dungeon clean.
Overall, it felt like there were more losses than gains. Getting the mist gem safely was a big win, though. I glanced momentarily at the new item displayed in the workshop before turning my body.
I must complete it before the second semester.
As I thought that and opened the workshop door, a familiar silhouette caught my eye. A cat beastkin girl with neatly tied black hair. Sif, looking familiar, said while carrying a backpack as big as her own body.
“I told you to wait at the door, so let’s hurry!”
“Got it.”
We headed straight toward the Yeomyeong-gwan’s huge door.
“I’ll gather portable food locally, so… did you pack your clothes well?”
“I packed them without any issues. How about you think about your own worries instead? I’m confident I can survive in the desert wearing nothing but my panties.”
“What’s with that metaphor… Don’t worry about me. I’ve done this countless times…”
“Did you say goodbye to your siblings properly?”
“I did. They kept holding me back, telling me not to go…”
Sif scratched her cheek, gazing at the Yeomyeong-gwan, probably looking at the room where Lulu and Terry were sleeping. She must be worried about them.
Sif truly cherished those two; at first, she intended to share a room with them, but due to their stubbornness, they ended up compromising on using a neighboring room.
So, Sif’s room is sandwiched between theirs. She felt really sorry for taking up three rooms. Karina didn’t care much, saying there were plenty of empty rooms anyway… but still, the owner of such a mansion really is different.
“Millia will take good care of them, so don’t worry.”
“I’m worried she might cause trouble.”
“What kind of trouble could she cause in this mansion? After that incident, she must have realized the danger of going outside carelessly, so she won’t go out without permission.”
After getting kidnapped just for going out without thinking, they’ll probably stay inside the Yeomyeong-gwan. If they really want to go out, Millia will have someone like Viola accompany her.
…Though I’m a bit worried about them… I’m sure the ones who would dare to touch them are quite limited.
The moment they do, I’ll kindly show them their own entrails!
Thinking such things, we arrived at the main gate, where Sandulbaram, dressed quite actively, was waiting for us.
“Sir Quartz, you always seem to have women around you.”
“Coincidentally, there’s hardly anyone but women around me.”
“Is that so.”
Sandulbaram looked at me with a somewhat hesitant expression, then turned her body. Her backpack, small compared to her body, swayed dangerously in accordance with inertia.
Upon closer inspection, it looked like an old backpack that had been used for quite a while. If it got caught on a branch or something, it would probably tear apart. I thought I should buy her a sturdy backpack along the way.
“Then let’s set off. We’ll use a portal to get to the eastern edge.”
“The portal… Isn’t it expensive?”
“I have my own portal.”
“Your own portal…”
Sandulbaram looked at me in surprise. Well, having a personal portal is something only a tiny fraction of chosen humans, basically royalty, owns.
Well, technically it’s a public one, so anyone can use it if granted permission, but hardly more than ten people, including Principal Merlin and me, know of its existence.
I might as well use it now. I’ve already gotten permission from Principal Merlin, so all I had to do was take it. I led the two of them towards the entrance of the underground passage I had made near the Yeomyeong-gwan.
———————-
“Ugh… I still can’t get used to the portal.”
Sif touched her forehead as if feeling dizzy. I carefully grabbed her shoulder, fixing her body just in case she might fall.
“There’s no need for this.”
“If you dislike it…”
“No, it’s not like I dislike it…”
Have I fallen into depravity? Why is teasing her so much fun? I turned my face red and glanced at Sif, who was scratching her cheek, before meeting Sandulbaram’s glaring eyes.
“…You’re a lecher.”
Her gaze was piercing. Perhaps it’s not appropriate to show such a tainted scene to still-naïve girls. I removed my hand from Sif’s shoulder and stepped out.
“For now, let’s spend the night in this city.”
“Please reserve a separate room for me.”
“Of course.”
Did I look like someone who assaults women whenever I make a move? It’s unfair, but considering the circumstances of our first meeting, I can’t blame her for thinking that.
Just imagine a guy wrestling with three women in the garden. Who would think he’s a decent guy?
If I were in her shoes, I’d probably mistake him for a man who tries to touch every woman.
“Sandulbaram, have you been through this city before?”
“…Yes.”
“You must know a decent inn then?”
“…Actually, I had to sleep in the woods outside the city due to lack of money…”
To reach the next town in this city, it’d take about two days. No way did she just say she slept in the wild? Considering she’s a half-elf, she probably wouldn’t be attacked by wild animals, but she must have arrived at the Academy quite wildly.
“I got it. I’ll ask someone at the Guild about a good inn.”
“I’ll pay for my room.”
“No. I’ll pay.”
“That’s…”
“Don’t worry about it. Johann has plenty of money, so a few gold coins won’t even faze him.”
“…That’s impressive.”
With Sif’s support, Sandulbaram looked at me with a peculiar gaze. The half-elf probably had this expression because it’s strange for her to owe someone.
“Don’t think too much about it.”
I turned around to glance at the two following me and made my way to the Mage Guild’s counter. It seemed it was exam season, as there were quite a lot of people queuing up in front of the staff. Asking the staff under these circumstances might be a bit tough.
I hesitated for a moment and approached a well-dressed middle-aged man. He was flipping through books in a corner of the Mage Guild.
I tried to get his attention by calling out so he wouldn’t ignore me, even though I was right in front of him.
“Hey.”
“…”
“I have a quick question.”
“…”
He was totally absorbed in his book. Should I ask someone else? After some thought, I conjured up a fireball the size of a ping pong ball.
As it emitted hot air, the man, who had been ignoring me until now, quickly turned his head and stared at me, asking.
“How did you do that?!”
“It’s magic.”
“What kind of magic can exude such energy?!”
[Contractor, looks like you’ve attracted a bothersome person.]
“With the power of the Phoenix, I can do this.”
“The Phoenix… Are you perhaps…?”
His eyes widened in surprise. Then, looking at me with a grateful expression, he shouted.
“Hero of the Western Front, the Crow Hunter, Sir Quartz?!”
“Don’t shout. Everyone’s looking at us.” I raised a finger to signal him to be quiet and stated my request.
“Do you happen to know a good inn around here?”
“An inn, you say?”
Could you please tone it down?
“If you go a little west from the city center, the Golden Sun Inn is famous for its amenities!”
“I see. Thank you.”
“Excuse me, before you go, can I get your autograph?”
The man pulled out a notebook from somewhere, tore a page from it, and handed it to me with a pen.
I thought I’d try to write my signature nicely if I had the time. I scribbled my name in this world’s language on the paper and handed it back.
“Thank you! Now I can proudly show my son!”
“…I hope he likes it. Now I’ll be off, so take care.”
“Enjoy the scenery of our city!”
Leaving the man’s words behind, we made our way toward the inn he mentioned.
And just then, I realized that I’d be catching countless handshake requests because of the rumor that has spread throughout the city that I had arrived.
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