Chapter 35: To the Sage’s Forest (2)
by fnovelpia
“There are some useful potions, but…”
Hori stopped mid-sentence and looked at me, her eyes filled with suspicion, as if asking where I intended to use it.
Given what I’d done so far, it was understandable, but I still felt a bit hurt that I wasn’t trusted.
“Since I’m on probation and can’t go to the academy, I was thinking of going out for a while.”
“Out?”
“Yeah, have you heard of the Sage’s Forest?”
Hori, not too familiar with it, thought for a moment before nodding.
“I don’t know the details, but I heard it’s where the great magic swordsman Pierre passed away.”
“Really?”
I thought the Sage’s Forest was related to a wizard, but it turned out to be a magic swordsman.
Still, since it’s called the Sage’s Forest, Pierre must have been more confident in magic than in swordsmanship.
“But why are you going to that forest?”
“I heard there’s a very strong magic beast there, so I’m going to hunt it.”
After explaining briefly, Hori, looking pleased for some reason, rummaged through her desk and said,
“If that’s the case, I have just the thing!”
She pulled out a small red pill from a bottle.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a pill that temporarily greatly increases muscle strength! The effect is incredible, though it has a short duration and some side effects. When I took it, I could move a huge rock!”
“Really? What kind of side effects?”
“Well… it doesn’t leave any lasting aftereffects, but there’s some minor pain throughout the muscles….”
As Hori trailed off, I snatched the bottle from her hand, took out a pill, and dropped it into the cage on the desk.
“Squeak!!”
As the pill fell, the white rat screamed like a retired soldier with trauma, ran to the end of the cage, covered its head, and trembled.
Seeing its almost human-like behavior, I was speechless and stared blankly at the bottle.
“Minor pain?”
“That… 1,291 is a bit of a whiner.”
“……1,291?”
“Just the name!! It’s just the name!! I didn’t kill 1,290 rats!”
“……Is that so.”
Well, it’s not like she killed a person, and I wouldn’t care even if she did kill 1,290 rats.
Considering how many people I’ve killed, it’s strange to be surprised by something like that.
“Anyway, I’ll take this. Do you have any potions to restore stamina?”
“I have a few extra stamina recovery potions I made for supply.”
Though their effects weren’t extraordinary, they would be useful for emergency treatment.
I put the potion bottles, the size of a thumb, and the suspicious pill bottle into my pocket and said to Hori,
“Then I’ll pay you when I get back. If I don’t return in a month, you can take all the money in my dorm.”
“No, I don’t care about the money… But are you planning to be gone for a month?”
“No, I might die. If I die, I won’t need money, so just take it all.”
“Excuse me? Excuse me?”
With that, I jumped out of the window, just as I had when I arrived.
Since it was well past class time, there were hardly any students wandering outside, so I could leave without being noticed.
Like a ninja, I quickly ran to the wall and climbed over it, leaving the dormitory. Only when I reached the broken fountain nearby did I look up.
‘It’s gotten quite dark.’
Looking up at the sky, the boundary between the sunset and the dark blue was clear.
Though I could still travel without a light, it seemed it would soon be completely dark.
‘Now’s the perfect time to pack my bags at the dorm and head out with Silence.’
As I confidently returned to the men’s dormitory, unlike earlier, I noticed a familiar bun hairstyle in the distance.
“You…!”
Jessica, with her hair cut shorter than before due to the duel, was panting, as if she had just been training.
Judging by her condition, it didn’t seem like she had done any serious training. Did she really think she could beat me with that kind of training?
Thinking that, I waved at Jessica as if I were meeting a close friend.
“Hi Jessica!! Were you out for a walk? You don’t look too tired!”
“…No, I was training. I want to crush your annoying face as soon as possible.”
Compared to when we first met, Jessica’s language had become quite rough.
If things continued like this for a few more months, wouldn’t she end up being a foul-mouthed bun lady who constantly swears?
Although that might be amusing, a bun lady should use refined language rather than such vulgar speech.
“Anyway, it looks like you’ll be able to challenge me again soon! Though you’ll lose again, of course.”
“Such cheap provocations won’t work on me anymore. Just wait! In a few days, I’ll teach you some manners!”
“A few days? That’s a bit difficult.”
Hearing something unexpected from me, Jessica tilted her head and asked,
“What do you mean? Are you scared?”
Despite suffering such a crushing defeat a few days ago, she still spoke like that. At this point, I found her more impressive than amusing.
“I’m not scared. I’m just planning to go camping since I have nothing to do while on probation.”
Jessica, seemingly taking my words at face value, scoffed and said,
“Unbelievable…! What kind of probation is that? Anyone who hears you would think you got a reward vacation.”
She then continued with more ridiculous remarks, saying I’d soon be overtaken by her if I stayed so carefree.
It was absurd to hear such things from someone who would return home exhausted after merely sweating a little during training.
“By the way, didn’t you foolishly challenge Sir Peter and lose?”
“…What the f*ck?”
Unable to let such a slanderous accusation slide, I swore instinctively.
Seeing my reaction, Jessica smirked arrogantly and continued,
“Judging by your expression, it seems the rumor was true. I always knew you’d get yours eventually! How could a mere student dare challenge the former Commander of the Royal Knights?! Don’t you know your place?!”
“……Ugh!!”
This insolent bun lady!!
Barely managing to restrain my hand from reaching for my sword, I asked Jessica,
“…Do you believe such nonsense?”
“Oh, are you going to say you didn’t challenge him?”
“No, I’m saying I won.”
“You won? You?”
Jessica, covering her mouth with her hand, laughed loudly, lacking any decorum.
“Hohohoho!! That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard lately! I’d sooner believe a dog killed a magic beast!”
After saying that, Jessica turned her back on me, laughing.
Just before Jessica left, I drew my sword and struck her buttocks.
“Kyaah!!”
Jessica fell forward, hitting the ground face first. Holding her sore buttocks, she slowly lifted her head and spoke.
“This behavior…!! Have you finally lost your mind?!”
“You shouldn’t have turned your back to me. Showing such an unprotected back made me draw my sword without thinking.”
With such a reasonable explanation, Jessica couldn’t refute and could only tremble with anger.
“You insane bastard…!! I will make you regret this!!”
“Then I’ll make you obsessed. With Baldo, of course! Bwahahaha!!”
Just as Jessica had done earlier, I laughed loudly. Behind me, I heard the sound of her grinding her teeth in frustration.
It was a pleasant sound. If I had a smartphone, I would have recorded it and used it as my morning alarm….
I returned to the dormitory, grabbed the backpack I had packed in advance, and headed to the stable.
As I entered the stable, Silence greeted me with a look that suggested he knew something troublesome was coming.
“Silence, we’re going to a dangerous place now!! Oh, but don’t worry too much! If you break a leg, I’ll put you down immediately!”
“…….”
Silence seemed to understand my words and refused to leave the stable, but there was no way a mere horse could resist the strength of a human who had mastered Baldo.
Dragging the reluctant Silence out of the stable, I headed straight to Otar’s blacksmith shop.
By the time we arrived, Silence seemed to have resigned himself to his fate and stood quietly by my side without attempting to run.
Just as I was about to enter the shop, Otar came out, as if he had been waiting for me.
“You’re here.”
Otar said briefly, showing me two katana wrapped in cloth.
I took one of them, unwrapped it, and slowly drew the katana from its sheath.
“…This is good.”
There was nothing particularly special about it, but it was so beautiful that it made me want to test it on a person.
After checking the blade, I sheathed it again and strapped it to my waist.
I did the same with the other katana, not bothering to check its blade.
“Aren’t you going to check the blade?”
“If I see another one like that, I might want to cut someone with it. I’ll be going now.”
“…Yes, though I think it would be better for the world if you didn’t return, come back alive. It’s rare to get the chance to make a sword from the fangs of a beast comparable to a young dragon.”
“…Huh? Well, anyway, understood. Then, I’ll be off.”
Why did he say it would be better if I didn’t return? Of course, it was more beneficial for me to stay alive.
Could it be that he was just embarrassed and said it that way?
Thinking that the old man’s tsundere act was disgusting, I mounted Silence.
“Let’s go!!”
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