Chapter 24 : Snow White (6)

“Ta-da.”

“Is this the ingredient certificate?”

“See the seal here? It proves it’s from the Belmonte Winterhaven Alchemy Guild.”

I examined the ingredient certificate Chris handed me.

“This water is hot spring water that wells up from the depths of the earth and contains the following ingredients:

Sulfur – Essence of the fire element, awakens inner warmth.

Mineral salts – Condensed form of the earth element, strengthens the body.

Pure water – The purest form of the water element, clears the mind.

Breath of nature – Refined essence of the wind element, circulates life.

This hot spring water contains a harmonious balance of the four elements.

Its particularly high sulfur and mineral salt content make it highly effective for recovery and energy restoration.

Certified by Paracel, Branch Head, Belmonte Winterhaven Alchemy Guild”

I nodded.

This would make the rich folks in the capital open their wallets without a second thought.

“Lady Ruina? What do you think?”

“Sir Chris, you move swiftly and smartly when there’s money to be made.”

“I’ve always been like that, Lady Ruina. Now that you’ve seen the certificate, let’s check the other equipment, shall we?”

Chris took me over to a freight wagon.

It was loaded with a ridiculous number of wooden barrels.

I blinked at the long line of wagons.

“Do you have five bodies or something, Sir Chris? How are you planning to move all of this alone?”

“Of course I’ll hire people. Don’t worry, Lady Ruina. Hiring people won’t be an issue.”

“You truly are a merchant, Sir Chris. Very reassuring.”

“The most dangerous part about hiring people is getting stabbed in the back. But if that happens, you’ll be the one to punish them, right, Lady Ruina? No problem there.”

“Suddenly, I don’t feel so reassured.”

Is this guy trying to drag me in as an investor or what?

It kind of feels like it.

“Anyway, Lady Ruina. This is all the new equipment I purchased. Not bad, huh?”

“I can really feel your burning desire to make money. I like it.”

“Now, the important part is the hot spring water we’re going to put in those barrels… Lady Ruina, which
spring did you like the best?”

“Me? I—”

“So this was your plan all along. Sell the hot spring water elsewhere. Your business sense is impressive.”

At the sudden voice, I turned around.

Flora was there.

Curious, I asked the pipe-smoking Flora,

“Is it okay for you to be away from the Divine Grace?”

“What am I, a terminal patient? The Divine Grace was never meant to be used like that in the first place.”

“Ah, I see.”

I honestly thought stepping away from it meant instant death or something.

“That expression says you’re thinking something blasphemous.”

“I always respect my superiors.”

“If you’re going to sell hot spring water, shouldn’t you be taking it from my spring? All the rumors about the healing spring came from mine, after all.”

“Is that true, Lady Ruina?”

“Yes. It’s true.”

All the talk about healing springs was thanks to Flora’s Divine Grace.

If I had to choose one, it had to be hers.

“So you figured out the source of the rumors?”

“Yes.”

“Perfect! Then, Lady Flora! I’ll be making good use of it!”

“Go ahead.”

With that, Flora held out her hand.

Chris eyed her hand carefully, then narrowed his eyes.

“Lady Flora? What does this mean?”

“Judging by your face, you already know exactly what it means, don’t you?”

Chris let out a dry laugh.

“Ha. Charging money just to let us take some hot spring water?”

“It’s my spring, isn’t it?”

“Lady Ruina, this woman is absolutely obsessed with money. I’ve never met anyone trying to sell water before.”

“Sir Chris, are you describing yourself right now?”

That comment was wildly inappropriate coming from Chris of all people.

“Whose side are you on, Lady Ruina?”

“I’m on the side of justice.”

“Fine. Whatever. People will love it just knowing it’s from Winterhaven. There’s no need to pay for Lady Flora’s spring water.”

“You do math really fast, don’t you?”

Unless Flora revealed the truth about her Divine Grace, the healing spring rumors would benefit all of Winterhaven.
So there was no real need to use the actual healing water.

“I feel like a bit of a fraud now.”

There was demand, so they were selling—but knowing the truth while selling ordinary water felt a little sketchy.

At my words, Chris shook his head.

“Whatever hot spring water we use, people won’t actually get miracles. We’re just here to give them a feel-good experience.”

“That’s true.”

“So, Lady Ruina. Let’s get started.”

“With what?”

“Filling those barrels with hot spring water, of course.”

“Ah. Just a moment.”

I went and brought Leon, who was resting at the inn.

“What’s going on?”

“Please help. Strength is your specialty, after all.”

“…Understood.”

We went to a nearby hot spring and began filling the barrels with water.

“Now we just have to repeat this 75 times.”

“Isn’t this a bit excessive?”

“This is how you make the big money.”

“Money is important.”

I grunted as I rolled a heavy barrel up onto the wagon.

Only 74 more to go…!

“All this fuss just to make a bit of money.”

Trailing behind us, Flora clicked her tongue as she blew a long stream of smoke from her pipe.

She looked at us like we were pathetic for crying over our desire to earn.

Chris whispered:

“Lady Ruina. Don’t you think Lady Flora is super mad?”

“I can hear you.”

Snap.

Flora snapped her fingers.

Right after, multiple tree trunks shot up from the ground, forming into humanoid shapes.

The completed wooden figures lifted barrels and filled them with hot spring water.

Seeing that, Chris’s jaw dropped.

Flora smirked.

“If your magic skills are lacking, your body ends up doing the work.”

“Lady Ruina. What do I do? Lady Flora looks so cool.”

“Worship her more.”

“Lady Flora, since you’re being generous, how about giving us a free pass to your hot spring too?”

“Ha ha.”

“Hee hee.”

The hot spring echoed with warm laughter.

Still smiling, Flora opened her mouth.

“Take it for just ten gold coins.”

“Get those filthy vines off my wagon.”

Chris, also smiling, came back to my side and whispered:

“She’s totally money-crazy. At this rate, she’ll try to sell river water too.”

“Again, not something you should be saying, Lady Chris.”

Thanks to Flora’s help, the task was quickly finished.

“Shall we eat!”

Tonight’s dinner was an outdoor BBQ.

Chris was in charge of cooking.

Leaving Chris to skewer the meat while shaking her cooking pouch, I waved the lantern.

Whoosh.

Flames roared up from the firewood.

After completing the fire pit, I sat down on one of Flora’s log chairs and held my hands out.

Warm.

This moment just needs one more thing to be perfect.

“Should I go get some honey mead?”

“Lady Ruina, is your blood made of alcohol or something?”

“I checked once. It’s not.”

“I keep asking for alcohol ‘cause I’m hungry. Just wait a bit. I’ll make something soon.”

Chris finished setting up her cooking pouch and got serious about the BBQ.

Watching her, a thought crossed my mind.

Why did Chris free that cooking pouch again?

Did she give up crossdressing?

Maybe she forgot—but instead of pointing it out, I subtly shifted my gaze.

Leon was quietly staring into the campfire.

I waved my hand in front of his face.

Whoosh.

Whoosh whoosh.

“Whoosh whoosh whoosh.”

“What are you doing?”

“I thought you couldn’t see.”

“If I couldn’t see you waving right in front of my face, I’d be blind.”

“I thought you were deep in thought.”

“I was, for a moment.”

Leon gave a short answer and returned his gaze to the flames.

That was just… something he said to brush it off.

Normally, I’d let it go at that—

“But do you have some kind of painful memory involving fire?”

Instead, I asked the question I’d been holding back for a while.

Leon flinched, then turned his body slightly.

“…Why are you asking that all of a sudden?”

“Every time you look at flames, you get this serious expression. And when I ask, you dodge the question.”

Last time he said something like, ‘I’m reflecting on the mission given to me.’

Leon’s expression hardened at my question.

“Sorry, but… it’s not something I want to talk about with anyone.”

That’s totally fair. I just—well, I wanted to make sure it wasn’t bothering you because of me.

Since I mostly use fire-elemental magic—

“I mean.”

“…As long as it’s not firewood burning like this, I’m fine. I’ve grown used to this kind of flame.”

“Really?”

If that’s the case, I’m glad.

I was worried I’d have to seal away my fire magic and rely only on alchemy in battle.

“What’s with you two? Why’s the mood so serious all of a sudden?”

Before we realized it, Chris had returned with the cooked meat and looked around, puzzled.

Flora answered while puffing on her pipe.

“There’s just stuff. A succubus wouldn’t get it.”

“Lady Flora, I’m not a succubus. I’m human.”

“Let’s just eat. I see now—you honed your cooking skills to an incredible level just to seduce humans, huh?”

“I’m telling you, I’m human!”

We devoured the food Chris made.

“As expected of Lady Chris. Your cooking is amazing.”

“Good cooking is one of the qualities of a great merchant. Food is the easiest way to open someone’s heart. Sometimes, a delicious meal can seal a deal that would’ve never happened otherwise.”

I looked up at the sky.

The sun had dipped past the horizon completely.

While munching on meat, Flora spoke.

“Let me treat you next time. In Belmonte Winterhaven, smoked meat has evolved to an art form. If you eat it at a proper place, you’ll be moved—”

“Of course.”

“You’re the best, Lady Flora. We’re leaving soon, so tomorrow, right?”

And so, while promising tomorrow, we chatted quietly and cheerfully.

We even joked about staying a few more days for another BBQ.

BOOM!

Then it happened—an explosion sounded not far away.

We all stood up at once.

I looked toward the source and frowned.

Flora’s inn.

There, a giant peach tree golem was slamming its fist into the ground.

“An intruder?”

Caught off guard, Flora rushed toward the inn.

I grabbed the lantern and quickly followed her.

Thud!

The peach tree golem, its legs cut, collapsed to its knees.

The inn was half-destroyed.

Guests ran in panic, and as I arrived, I identified the culprits.

A man and woman stood before the peach tree golem.

A woman with a scythe, and a muscular man.

Familiar faces—the mercenaries we met at the open-air hot spring.

The muscle man spoke.

“Reaper, didn’t you say the crazy mage wouldn’t attack if we didn’t provoke her first?”

“The commotion must’ve drawn her attention. If we stay still, she won’t attack—”

“Who are you?”

Flora growled.

A pipe had appeared in her hand again.

The woman with the scythe grinned, stretching her smile wide like she was having the time of her life.

Then she spoke.

“Priest of the Evil God…!”

But before she could finish, Leon beat her to it.

Drawing his sword, Leon gripped the handle with crushing force.

I flared up the fire in my lantern.

Priests of the Evil God…

We’ve run into some real scum.