Ch.4949. Lucky Bastard

The visitors were Chloe and Elin. The two girls were sitting across from each other with a table between them.

“What are you doing? Come in already.”

At Chloe’s urging, Rex stared at them with a dazed expression before slowly approaching the table.

Elin silently patted the chair next to her with her palm. Immediately, Chloe’s eyes narrowed. She pulled out another chair and gestured.

“Why don’t you sit here? It looks cramped over there.”

“…It’s not cramped.”

“It is.”

“That side is more cramped.”

Rex let out a chuckle at the sight of them arguing like children over something so trivial. What did it matter where he sat? The table was small to begin with, so sitting close to either of them would be awkward.

Rex pulled up a chair, placed it in the middle of the table, and sat down.

“Tch.”

Chloe pouted her lips in dissatisfaction, and Elin’s robe rustled slightly.

Rex ignored this and spoke.

“What brings you here?”

Though he was looking at Chloe when he asked, the question was directed at Elin as well.

He couldn’t recall making any plans with them since returning from the dungeon. They might have just come to share a meal, but judging by the atmosphere, it seemed they had specific business.

As he suspected, Chloe answered while twirling her hair with her finger.

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Me too.”

Elin followed up on Chloe’s words.

“Lady Elin, would you like to go first?”

“It’s fine.”

Chloe stared at Elin with a peculiar look before turning away with a light sigh.

‘This is uncomfortable.’

Although they had faced danger together in the dungeon, Elin was still someone Chloe found difficult to approach.

When she came to the inn looking for Rex, Elin was already sitting at the table. Finding it uncomfortable to share the same space, Chloe thought it might be better to wait outside.

Just as she was about to leave, their eyes met, and she couldn’t bring herself to ignore Elin, so she joined her at the table. Even then, they hadn’t exchanged any words.

During the ten or so minutes they waited for Rex to return, only an awkward silence had passed between them.

Now, trying to make a very personal request to Rex in front of such a person made it difficult for Chloe to speak. She took a deep breath and began.

“You gave me advice before, remember? Thanks to that, I’ve got a sense of the direction of my blessing, or how to use it, but training alone has its limitations.”

“I’m sure it does.”

When Rex nodded for her to continue, Chloe fidgeted with her fingers and stammered on.

“So, um… would you spar with me? If possible, once a week, or even just occasionally would be fine. I’ll compensate you…”

Chloe trailed off, lowering her eyes and gauging Rex’s reaction.

Her expression clearly showed her fear of rejection.

Rex found himself smiling slightly. It wasn’t even a big favor, yet she was so nervous.

For Rex, sparring was actually a welcome proposal. Blessing users were rare, after all. Of course, he would have opportunities to cross swords with other apprentices under Berger’s guidance in the future. Still, when it came to experience, more was always better.

“Sure, why not.”

When Rex readily accepted, Chloe’s expression immediately brightened.

“Thank you!”

Seeing that smile made him feel oddly embarrassed. Rex shrugged and changed the subject.

“By the way, what’s this compensation you mentioned?”

Chloe wasn’t a stranger, and he had no intention of accepting payment. If she offered money, he would find a way to refuse. Still, since she had mentioned compensation, he couldn’t help but be curious.

“Huh? Oh, compensation. Well…”

Chloe flinched and hung her head low. Then, in a barely audible voice, she mumbled.

“…I’ll give you…”

“What?”

As Rex tilted his head in confusion, Chloe suddenly jerked her head up and exclaimed.

“Lunch boxes! Every time we meet, I’ll make you a lunch box!”

Her face was as red as her flowing hair. For some reason, she seemed quite embarrassed by the current situation.

Rex wore a puzzled expression at the unexpected offer.

“Why…?”

His first thought was confusion. Why specifically offer to make lunch boxes? There were plenty of other ways to repay a favor.

“Because!”

Chloe, apparently deciding to be bold, began speaking in an excited tone.

“Training with the knight will be tough, right? And since it’s near the lord’s castle, there probably aren’t many places to eat nearby. If I make you lunch boxes, it might help a little… right? Yeah. In other words, we’re helping each other. And, and I’m a good cook. Really…”

She started off confidently, but as she went on, her voice gradually lost its assurance. Her complexion was so red it looked like it might burst, and she was sweating profusely.

“Then I’m grateful.”

Finding her quite pitiful, Rex nodded with a somewhat awkward expression.

In truth, he could easily arrange meals by asking the maids stationed at the knights’ hall. However, Rex chose not to mention this fact, deciding to take a step back for now.

Judging by Chloe’s expression and her wildly trembling pupils, he felt that further objection might lead to something he couldn’t handle.

Just then, laughter came from beside them.

“Pfft.”

Of course, it wasn’t Rex or Chloe who laughed.

“…Elin?”

“What?”

Rex stared at Elin in disbelief. He was at a loss for words at her calm response, as if she knew nothing.

Even someone with poor hearing would have noticed that Elin had just laughed out loud.

Rex carefully turned to look at Chloe.

“…Eek!”

Chloe clenched her fists and trembled with anger. The atmosphere suddenly turned chilly, leaving only Rex feeling awkward in the middle.

“So, Lady Elin, what did you come here for?”

Chloe asked sharply, breathing heavily. Elin took a sip of the wine on the table before bluntly stating:

“I need to move some luggage.”

“Luggage?”

“Yes. Research materials. They’re too heavy for me to lift.”

At those words, Rex closed his mouth and briefly recalled a recent memory. The scene of Elin using magic to pull the massive body of a wild boar monster onto a cart flashed through his mind.

He wasn’t sure what these “research materials” looked like exactly, but they probably weren’t as heavy as a monster.

That doubt vanished as soon as he heard Elin’s next words.

“I’ll teach you how to read and write.”

“What?”

His thoughts froze at her casual tone.

Before he could respond, Chloe twisted her lips and interjected.

“Hmm. You’re offering to teach him reading and writing just for moving some luggage?”

“Yes.”

“Couldn’t you ask someone else for such a trivial task? I know the magic tower has not only mages but also servants who handle menial work. There’s no particular reason to specifically ask Rex, is there?”

“Does there have to be a reason?”

Chloe thought she had pointed out a critical flaw, but the response she received was shamelessly straightforward. She twitched her eyebrows as she looked at Elin. It was impossible to tell what expression Elin wore under the shadow of her robe.

“I just… want to see him often.”

It was an innocent statement, like that of a child.

“Ah.”

Chloe blushed and fell silent. Despite making various excuses, she had ultimately come to Rex for the same purpose.

It was too embarrassing to reveal her true feelings, so she had rationalized it as being for training. In reality, she wanted to see Rex even just one more time. But apart from going to the dungeon, there were no opportunities to be with him. So she had desperately clung to the pretext of sparring, even going so far as to offer to make him lunch boxes.

Compared to her, Elin’s attitude was pure. “I want to see him often.” It was an expression without a trace of pretense. At this point, Chloe felt ashamed of herself.

“Ahem.”

Rex felt equally embarrassed. Still, he couldn’t just stand by and watch their conversation forever.

“Let’s do this.”

Both girls looked up at Rex. Their gazes were truly burdensome. Rex swallowed dryly as he sorted out the situation.

“Chloe, I’ll meet you in the early morning, and Lady Elin, I’ll meet you in the evening.”

His lessons with Berger would start at noon. Though his schedule would be quite tight, if he managed his time well, it was possible to meet them separately.

He would receive lunch boxes from Chloe… and learn to read and write from Elin.

‘That works out well.’

He had wanted to learn to read and write even before leaving the village. Being able to read and write would change so many things.

However, literacy was a privilege of the upper class, so he hadn’t dared to look for a teacher. Cost aside, people with the skills to teach someone professionally were rare.

With Elin readily extending her hand, Rex had no reason to refuse.

His thoughts ended there. Rex scratched his cheek awkwardly and spoke.

“Shall we eat?”

He hadn’t eaten anything since noon. Wearing the training equipment drained his strength, leaving him famished as if his stomach was stuck to his back.

Despite the earlier commotion, both girls had achieved what they wanted. Elin and Chloe nodded with satisfied expressions.

Rex raised his hand to call Wolfram, who had been waiting at the counter.

Wolfram, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation the whole time, immediately brought out the food. As Rex watched the plates being placed on the table one by one, Wolfram suddenly remarked in a flat voice:

“You’re one damn lucky bastard.”

Rex could only respond with a bitter smile.