Ch.32Summer Break (2)

“Are you really going?”

Riano asked, already fully prepared for the water play.

My answer was, of course:

“We have to go.”

Because I need to resolve the grudge that formed in my heart when I was young.

At my resolute answer, Riano let out a deep sigh.

She seems quite reluctant to go swimming.

But she was the one who asked me if there was anything I wanted to do in the first place.

It would be stranger if she refused now.

So in the end, Riano was destined to go swimming with me.

“So where are we going?”

“I’ll take you somewhere nice with no people. Don’t worry.”

“Well, alright. You suggested it, so I’ll trust you know what you’re doing.”

“Yes, just trust me.”

Riano seems quite doubtful of me, but I’m not lying.

When I was young, I used to sneak out and go on adventures all over the place without her knowing.

I got scolded to within an inch of my life each time, but it was still worth it.

The only thing that worries me is that too much time has passed.

But considering that nature doesn’t change easily, I think it should be fine.

“Well then, shall we go, Master?”

I led Riano out of the workshop.

Since I clearly felt how cool the morning air was in the Royal Capital last time, both Riano and I are wearing robes over our clothes.

A black robe over a sky-blue dress—it’s not a matching combination, but when thinking about efficiency, appearances didn’t matter much.

“So how long will it take?”

“About an hour’s walk, I think.”

It took me about two hours when I was young, so that should be about right.

“That’s not as far as I thought. If you get hungry on the way, let me know. I brought sandwiches.”

“Yes, I will.”

Two hours is quite a distance, but for Riano, who travels for deliveries, it doesn’t seem that far.

By the way, Riano’s sandwiches seem to taste better these days.

Or more accurately, my tongue has gotten used to them.

Riano always makes sandwiches the same way, so the taste couldn’t have changed.

Well, either way, it’s good news for me since I have to finish her sandwiches.

After walking for quite some time, as the entrance to the Royal Capital came into view, I asked Riano:

“When was the last time you left the Royal Capital?”

“Hmm…”

Riano furrowed her brow in thought.

If she can’t remember right away, how long has it been?

“It’s been about 10 years, I think?”

“10 years? Why did you go out then?”

10 years ago would definitely be when I was living with her.

I don’t remember Riano ever going out for that long.

“I went out looking for you. Why?”

That makes sense why I wouldn’t know.

But I was surprised that Riano went outside the Royal Capital to look for me.

I always thought she just got angry and disliked me going out.

“When I heard from a customer that they saw you leaving, do you know how shocked I was?”

“I’m sorry.”

At my apology, Riano let out a deep sigh and continued.

“I knew from then you’d become an adventurer… How is it that my bad feelings are never wrong?”

“Did you not want me to become an adventurer?”

“Of course not! There’s a reason adventurers buy so many potions. It’s because they’re always in mortal danger!”

Riano’s words were the absolute truth.

Adventurers always live close to death.

That’s why I always carried more potions than might seem necessary.

Especially since I needed a lot of potions to survive without a priest.

I didn’t know Riano had thought that way.

I feel terrible for causing her so much worry.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. You came back alive, didn’t you? That’s enough for me.”

“Master…!”

As expected, there’s no one like my master.

We passed through the entrance of the Royal Capital and continued walking toward our destination.

Riano’s expression looked happy.

Maybe it’s because she’s outside after so long.

If that’s the case, I’m glad I insisted on going swimming.

“Nothing has changed here at all since 10 years ago, has it?”

“One huge thing has changed, hasn’t it?”

“Huh? Everything looks exactly the same to me.”

“Back then you were alone, but today you have me with you both going and coming back.”

Riano’s face suddenly turned bright red.

Even I thought what I said was embarrassing.

I could feel my face heating up, but Riano’s reaction was even more extreme.

She looked like she might explode any moment.

“Y-you’re good at saying embarrassing things.”

“Well, it’s not a lie. Anyway, it’s over there.”

I pointed to the bottom of a grassy hill, where there was a clear, transparent river.

I was worried someone might be there, but fortunately, there was no one.

Riano and I changed direction and started heading down the hill.

“Wow… it’s beautiful.”

That was the first thing Riano said when we reached the riverside.

It’s definitely beautiful even to my eyes.

It’s surprising that word hasn’t spread about this place.

Leaving Riano behind, I started taking things out of my magic pouch and preparing.

A portable tent, a mat to spread on the ground, and various foods.

Proper preparation is essential for a good outing.

Knowing this, Riano came over and started helping me.

“I can do it by myself.”

“You’re the one who wanted to come play. If you end up not being able to enjoy yourself, what’s the point? Let’s finish this quickly so we can have fun.”

Master, your disciple is touched.

With Riano helping, the preparations finished quickly, and we started playing in the water in earnest.

Splashing water with our hands, trying to knock each other over.

I almost felt guilty for being able to play so carefree.

Pretending to splash water, I gathered mana in my hand and used magic.

The water compressed slightly and flew toward Riano’s face.

Hit by it, she staggered.

“Pfft! Hey! You used magic! Do you want to die?!”

“If you have complaints, maybe you should be talented.”

“What? You’ve got some nerve talking to your master like that! You want to die?!”

Riano charged at me through the river water, and I tried to escape but was eventually caught.

As I felt her slender arms wrap around my neck, I realized my mistake, but it was too late.

My neck was strongly compressed, and I quickly tapped her arm twice.

It was surrender.

Having finally extracted surrender from me, Riano released her arm.

She really seemed like she was trying to kill me.

“No matter how good you are, you’re still below me, kid.”

“Seems that way.”

In truth, I could have escaped if I wanted to.

But that wouldn’t have been fun.

“Disciple, let’s go eat sandwiches. I’m hungry after starving since morning.”

Riano turned her back to me and started walking toward the shore.

I was getting hungry too, so I agreed with eating sandwiches, but…

I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

Showing your back to an enemy during battle.

Master, that’s a big mistake.

I immediately ran to Riano and hugged her tightly around the waist.

“Huh?!”

Riano seemed to sense something and struggled, but I had no intention of letting go.

This disciple can’t let his master go alone, so I’ll go with her.

I leaned backward, falling into the water with Riano.

“Phew, Master, are you okay?”

She would have been prepared, so she should be fine, but…

Why isn’t she answering?

As I looked around slowly, I finally realized that Riano wasn’t there.

Damn, she must have fallen into the water.

The fortunate thing is that the river’s current isn’t very fast.

Considering that people float in water, Riano should be visible somewhere…

Just then, I felt something strongly grab my ankle, throwing off my balance.

I fell into the water with a splash of white spray.

When I hurriedly raised my head above water, Riano was smiling as if she had won.

“How dare you target your master’s back? This is revenge, kid.”

“I was worried when you disappeared.”

“Oh my, how touching that you were worried?”

Riano was backing toward the shore while facing me, probably worried I might attack from behind again.

She looks like she’s going to fall, I thought.

And sure enough, Riano fell backward with a splash of white water.

I knew that would happen.

I approached the clearly annoyed Riano and extended my hand.

“You should walk facing forward.”

“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had to walk backward!”

Riano shouted as she grabbed my hand and stood up.

I know it’s my fault, but instead of walking backward, she could have just let me go first.

But if I said that out loud, I might really get beaten up, so I changed the subject.

“Are you hungry? Shall we go eat sandwiches?”

“Yes, I’m hungry. Let’s go quickly.”

So we came out of the water together and roughly dried ourselves with towels. Then we took turns going into the tent to change clothes.

“How was the water play?”

“What do you mean how was it? I got angry because of my disciple.”

Riano expressed this by taking a rough bite of her sandwich.

Despite her words and actions, her expression was smiling, so I could take that positively.

“Master, are you cold? Should I make a fire?”

“A bonfire? That would be nice.”

As I rummaged through my magic pouch for firewood and kindling,

Riano tilted her head and asked:

“You brought that too?”

“Yes, since there are no trees around here.”

Actually, I brought it to grill fish if we caught any.

But the fish in the water were faster than me.

Still, it’s good I brought it so I can at least warm up Riano.

I gathered the firewood and kindling in one place and surrounded it with large rocks.

Then I used fire magic to light a bonfire.

Riano approached the fire, extending her hands to warm herself.

“Come to think of it, I have one more thing to warm us up.”

“What is it?”

The thing that warms up a cold body the fastest.

The thing that makes your body heat up when you drink it.

I took out a small flask and said:

“Alcohol, of course.”

“Alcohol?!”

Someone told me once.

That drinking after playing in water is especially wonderful.

Is it because Professor Leonhart is a drinker?