Ch.33Summer Break (3)

My teacher and I tilted our cups while gazing at the campfire.

The snacks were just a few pieces of fruit, but they were enough for a light drink.

“Teacher, did you always drink alcohol?”

I’d never seen her drink before.

“I don’t drink often. But that doesn’t mean I can’t.”

Teacher answered as she accepted the drink I poured for her.

Compared to Professor Anette and Professor Ophelia, Teacher was actually quite good at holding her liquor.

But even so, excess is always poison.

“Please tell me if it becomes difficult to drink.”

Better to prevent problems early.

“Of course. And you shouldn’t drink too much like last time.”

“Naturally.”

I deliberately brought just enough alcohol to avoid getting drunk myself.

Teacher extended her cup forward, silently requesting something.

Understanding what this meant, I lightly clinked my cup against hers.

A dull “clack” sound resonated from the wooden cups as the alcohol swirled inside.

The alcohol passed my lips and slid down my throat.

The distinctive heaviness of fermented liquor felt strangely pleasant.

Spending time with someone precious in a quiet, peaceful place, with alcohol to boot—it was absolutely perfect.

I turned my head and gazed at Teacher. Then I poked her slightly flushed cheek.

She slowly turned her head and said, “What?”

Withdrawing my finger from her cheek, I swallowed hard.

It was time to tell her.

The reason I came back.

Teacher might appear nonchalant, but she must be curious.

It’s just my guess, but I’m certain.

If Teacher had done the same thing, I would also be curious but pretend not to be.

“I have something I want to tell you.”

“Oh?”

Teacher suddenly took the container of alcohol and filled my empty cup to the brim. Then she spoke softly.

“If you want to say something, say it. Don’t hold back.”

Her crimson eyes were staring at me.

Her sharp gaze gave the impression she was angry, but strangely, I felt at ease.

“Actually… I ran away from my party. That’s why I came back to you. I had nowhere else to go.”

“I see. Why did you run away?”

Teacher didn’t seem surprised or angry.

As if she had expected this conversation.

“They found out I was a Warlock. Unfortunately, we encountered an S-Rank Monster… and I ended up using Black Magic.”

I had no choice.

If it hadn’t been for me, everyone would have died.

“I understand it was an unavoidable situation. But couldn’t you have killed them all and continued as an adventurer on your own?”

The reason I didn’t kill them.

There was only one reason.

“The party was too precious to me. So I couldn’t kill them.”

To the point where I didn’t care if they discovered I was a Warlock, as long as I could save them.

“At the time, I thought I was betrayed. As soon as it was revealed I was a Warlock, Lael took the Priest’s side.”

“Lael…? That duke’s daughter?”

Teacher’s expression changed immediately upon hearing Lael’s name.

The comfortable look in her eyes vanished completely, replaced by sharpness.

I nodded in response to Teacher’s question and continued.

“But it was all my misunderstanding. Lael wasn’t protecting the Priest; she was hoping I wouldn’t kill anyone.”

Tears welled up in my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.

“Ah, why am I like this? I’m not even sad.”

Looking back, I had been holding it in.

Pretending not to be sad when I was, pretending not to be angry when I was.

I thought that would make things easier for me.

I thought I could forget.

But judging by these tears, that clearly wasn’t the case.

Seeing this, Teacher embraced me, cradling my head.

In Teacher’s warm embrace, I released my confused emotions mixed with tears.

Despite her clothes getting wet, Teacher whispered softly:

“Whatever the reason, if you’re struggling, then you’re struggling.”

“Teacher, I’m sorry for being such a pathetic disciple.”

“Don’t say that.”

After speaking, my heart felt much lighter.

I should have said something earlier instead of holding it in.

Teacher gently patted my back.

Why did Teacher’s touch feel so comforting, even though I wasn’t a child?

“Silly disciple, whenever you’re having a hard time, always talk to me. I’ll listen for an hour or two, however long it takes.”

Teacher is truly the only one for me.

After some time passed and my emotions settled, I started feeling embarrassed.

First of all, the fact that my face was pressed against Teacher’s chest was problematic.

As I noticed before, it was so soft and elastic that it could become addictive.

I wanted to poke her cheek and chest to see which was softer.

But if I did that, even with ten lives, I wouldn’t survive.

“How are you feeling? Calmed down?”

At Teacher’s question, I slowly straightened my posture and answered.

“Yes, I’m fine now.”

Though in a different sense, I was still in a somewhat difficult state.

“But if it was a party, were there other members besides that fox-like duke’s daughter and that damned church person?”

“Yes, there were two more.”

Elin and Derin.

An elf archer and a thief.

“I see…”

Teacher pulled her lower lip with her upper teeth.

She seemed somewhat anxious.

Perhaps she’s worried I might meet the other party members and get hurt again.

If that’s the case, she doesn’t need to worry.

Having poured my heart out today, I feel like I can properly face whatever comes next.

And if things get tough, well, I can always confide in Teacher again.

Maybe over another drink.

I stood up abruptly and spoke.

The sun had set, so it was time to return to the workshop.

“Teacher, let’s go back. We should probably have dinner soon.”

Pleased to see me return to my usual self, Teacher smiled and said:

“Yes, let’s go back.”

* * * * *

In a small village far from the Royal Capital.

Derin, emerging from a tavern, held her forehead.

Surely after being exposed as a Warlock, he would have fled to the outskirts.

The Royal Capital was, after all, where the Church’s headquarters was located.

It was only natural for a Warlock to distance himself from there.

But why wasn’t there any information?

It wasn’t just a lack of information.

There was absolutely nothing. As if he had never been here.

Having failed to gather any information from ten villages including this one, Derin let out a deep sigh.

He wasn’t unskilled enough to die to monsters.

Perhaps Elin or Lael had beaten her to it?

*Sigh*

No matter how she thought about it, that couldn’t be right.

They were probably still holed up in their rooms, crying.

But it didn’t take long for that assumption to be shattered.

Arriving at the village farthest from the Royal Capital and closest to the neighboring country, Derin visited the Adventurer’s Guild. There, she heard shocking news.

“Did you hear the Church collapsed?”

“Hey, is that true?!”

The conversation was between two sturdy middle-aged men who seemed to have been adventurers for quite some time.

Of course, half of what adventurers say is usually exaggeration, so it’s hard to believe outright, but this aligned too perfectly with the current situation to ignore.

The Church centered in the Royal Capital had fallen.

No information about Crow was found in the outskirts.

Wait, did Crow go straight to the Royal Capital?

If that was true, she had completely barked up the wrong tree.

She had gone in the exact opposite direction of the Royal Capital.

With a sigh, Derin looked at the bulletin board with scattered papers.

If only there was a carriage escort mission.

Not only would it be much faster than walking, but merchants tend to be sensitive to information.

She could learn about the Church, and if lucky, even about Crow.

…Found it!

It wasn’t a direct route to the Royal Capital, but it was a request to escort a carriage to the village where everything with Crow had started.

It was slightly disappointing, but this wasn’t the time to be picky.

Derin immediately tore off the paper and handed it to the receptionist along with her ID.

“I’ll take this request.”

“Understood. Please wait a moment.”

After a brief moment, the receptionist returned with a strange expression.

As if she had seen something she shouldn’t have.

“Um… there’s a message for you.”

A message…?

It wasn’t unusual for messages to be transmitted between Adventurer’s Guilds through magical devices, but…

Who could it be from?

Elin? Lael?

Both of them should be locked in their rooms, refusing to eat or drink.

“Yes, please read it.”

“Understood. This is a message from Lael, the leader of the Black Crow party.”

Lael…?

Come to think of it, Lael had been receiving letters from the duchy.

Using her thief skills, Derin had once stolen a peek at those letters, which urged Lael to return home and get married.

So was this a wedding invitation sent out of old friendship?

But that wasn’t it.

“It says: ‘I’m number one. Get ready to receive a wedding invitation…'”

Derin unconsciously clenched her fist.

Number one…?

Lael found Crow first?!

Her plan had completely backfired.

She had intended to find Crow before the other two, but…!

No, it’s too early to be disappointed.

Even if Lael found him a year earlier, with her warrior’s principles, there’s no way Crow would have forgiven her.

So Crow must still be in a pretty devastated state.

…Which means I still have a chance.

“Please leave a message for me.”

“Ah, yes. What would you like to say?”

“Tell her: ‘Don’t cry when you lose…'”

The receptionist’s expression turned to contempt, but Derin didn’t particularly care.

After all, regardless of who arrives first, the final winner is the one who establishes the facts.

…But will that big thing fit in?

Derin fidgeted with the area just below her navel.

It’ll work out somehow, right?