episode_0034

Before setting off, I bought a few things.

‘It’s best to stock up on seafood whenever you can.’

In a port city, it’s a fairly cheap ingredient,

but in other cities, it’s ridiculously expensive.

Gifting it to certain NPCs can skyrocket their affection,

and even selling it fetches a high price.

…With that in mind, I stuffed the seafood into the Sealing Dagger.

“Good.”

“This should be enough.”

I’d gathered everything I could from the port city.

I’d stocked up on enough ingredients,

and packed emergency items for dangerous situations.

‘No need to change my equipment.’

…I was thinking that while waiting when—

“Master!”

“Kain!”

Lia and Alice arrived.

Lia was armed in lightweight, easy-to-move-in clothing, a wooden practice sword, and a magic staff.

Alice wore lightweight, mobile armor resembling a uniform and wielded the Sword of Ice and Flame.

The Sword of Ice and Flame.

A decent magic sword obtained from bandit subjugation.

It’s a good weapon for me,

but it’s even better for Alice.

Until we find something superior, it’s more efficient for her to use it.

‘Alice is our party’s main DPS.’

‘She should have the best weapon.’

…So, I armed myself with a standard good-quality sword bought from a rural village.

“Aren’t you changing your gear?”

“No need.”

“I plan to pick up something better along the way.”

“Something better?”

“Yeah.”

When recruiting Alice, speed was the priority,

so I skipped looting items on the way.

But.

Recruiting the Saintess isn’t as urgent.

We’ll hunt,

and I plan to grab hidden items too.

We’ll get far better gear than what’s sold in shops,

so no need to buy store-bought equipment.

…Hearing that, Alice nodded.

“Leaving right away?”

“No.”

“One more thing.”

“What?”

“Writing letters.”

“Letters?”

“I don’t have time to personally save everyone one by one.”

There are many I want to save,

but I only have one body.

For those who can be helped with just information, items, or money, letters will suffice.

A letter revealing a daughter’s whereabouts.

A letter with a special potion to cure a mother’s illness.

A letter containing two gold coins to repay a debt.

And so on.

With just this information, they’ll manage.

“Good.”

“That’s everything.”

My business in the port city of Kean was done.

So.

Time to take a carriage to the next village.

…I stepped out, fully packed, when—

“Brother Kain.”

“Leaving without a word?”

“Darc?”

“I’m hurt.”

“We brought rare liquor to treat our savior, and you’re leaving so soon?”

Darc spoke while holding a bottle.

‘Huh?’

‘A 15-year-old drinking alcohol?’

This can’t be allowed!

Alcohol is for adults!

…I was about to stop him when I remembered.

‘In this world, 15 is considered adulthood.’

At 15, you can drink, marry—everything.

‘This world doesn’t see alcohol as dangerous for kids.’

‘It’s not illegal.’

Besides, he’s technically not a real child due to the Holy Grail’s de-aging effect.

He can handle a drink.

…I stared at the bottle.

‘Sigh…’

‘That looks delicious too…’

Thanks to the God of Alcohol, drinks here are insanely tasty.

‘Even cheap beer was amazing…’

‘If Darc, a former A-rank adventurer, calls this rare liquor…’

It must be heavenly.

But.

Drinking this would derail today’s departure plan.

‘One day’s delay might be fine, but…’

The real issue is not knowing what the girls would do if I got drunk.

‘Yesterday was fine, but…’

‘Who knows what’ll happen if I’m wasted…’

Them jumping me is one thing,

but drunk me jumping them is the real problem.

‘If I make the first move…’

‘They’d probably cheer and dive into a steamy night…’

That’d be bad.

‘I want my first time to be with my favorite.’

This is my stubbornness.

I’m not splitting hairs over main wives or concubines,

but I want my first time to prove my love to my favorite.

So.

I refused the drink.

“Sorry.”

“I’d love to, but I have too many people to save. No time to waste.”

“Understood!”

“I can’t keep a busy brother held up!”

Darc smiled slightly.

“I’ll store this liquor and serve it when you return!”

“Sure.”

“See you then.”

“Yes!”

Darc left quietly,

and we boarded the fastest magic carriage.

“To Herba.”

“Understood!”

“Herba?”

“A rural village in the middle of nowhere.”

“Isn’t the Saintess in the holy nation ?”

“She is, but…”

“After Herba, we’ll go on foot.”

“Ah…”

“You said we’d hunt along the way?”

Alice nodded, then asked another question.

“No hunting around here?”

“I heard there are plenty of monsters here too.”

“There are, but…”

“Not many carry good loot.”

Some might, though.

In , even the weakest goblins or slimes can drop ultra-rare items.

But.

That’s extremely rare.

Better to aim for guaranteed rewards.

‘The boss near Herba hoards treasure.’

‘Taking it down alone nets tons of good loot.’

The only problem is its strength,

but with Alice’s mana instability resolved, it’ll be easy.

No issue.

…After my explanation, Alice grinned.

“As expected of Kain.”

“You know all the hunting spots.”

“That’s just basics.”

“Amazing.”

“Want to see something even more amazing?”

“Something more?”

“Yeah.”

I froze tinted water into an adorable rabbit shape.

“Kyu!”

“Wooow!”

“How is it?”

“Cute, right?”

“So cute!”

“How did you make this?!”

“Want me to teach you?”

“Can I learn?!”

“With practice, sure.”

Alice grabbed my hand tightly.

“Teach me!”

“Please! Teacher Kain!”

“Alright.”

“I’ll teach you enough to use it in battle by the time we arrive.”

“In battle?”

“Alice, your swordsmanship is near-perfect.”

“But your magic is beginner-level.”

Her mana pool is archmage-tier,

but her actual magic skill is embarrassingly basic.

Still.

She’s a fast learner.

‘Alice’s poor magic is due to lacking a proper teacher.’

She learned basics from books,

but that’s it.

Proper training requires magic schools, towers,

or apprenticeship under a mage—

impossible with her mana instability.

But.

Now it’s different.

Her mana issues are fixed,

and she has an insanely skilled magic teacher—me!

‘Hahahaha!’

‘I’ll teach her everything, even the truths the greatest archmage researched before death!’

The Earth is round.

…A simple truth,

but reaching it wasn’t simple.

Magic is the same.

The truth is simple,

but few mages ever grasp it.

Even the strongest human archmage among Hero candidates only reached it after insane dedication.

But.

I’ve witnessed that truth repeatedly.

I know it all.

So.

I can explain it.

…With that, I shared all my magical knowledge.

I even taught Lia more.

“Wow…”

“So that’s how to make a perfect barrier…”

I felt a chill.

She’s no longer planning to run,

but her barriers improving is oddly unsettling.

‘She won’t imprison me later, right?’

I pushed the thought aside and kept teaching.

I taught them magic’s pinnacle.

But.

Mastering it all in a day was impossible.

“Ugh…”

“I wanted to make cute rabbits… birds… puppies… cats… foxes…”

Alice’s dream of crafting cute animals was a flop.

I could do it easily,

but for her, it was advanced-tier magic.

“It’s not just you.”

“Master’s skill at sculpting lifelike, moving figures is just incredible.”

Ah.

For reference, Lia couldn’t do it either.

She could mimic it somewhat,

but making indistinguishable, lively animal figures was beyond her.

‘Wait…’

‘Was I actually a magic genius all along, despite being a D-rank adventurer?’

I even entertained the thought—

‘Nah.’

‘Not that level.’

My talent is limited to magic art and sculptures.

Maybe because I was originally an artist?

Good at aesthetics,

but practically useless in combat.

‘Pretty trash.’

‘Beautiful yet utterly impractical.’

Looks nice,

but stat-wise, it’s pathetic.

Meanwhile,

Alice was the opposite.

Crude in appearance,

but performance-wise, overwhelming.

“Teacher Kain.”

“Watch what I’ve learned.”

Alice removed her ring.

Then.

With overflowing mana, she conjured countless ice swords.

A frozen wasteland.

A land pierced by endless blades.

This was the domain of Alice, the Ice Sword Saint.

‘Unlimited Blade Works!’

…Saying that might get me sued for copyright.

‘Uh…’

‘What should I call it?’

No good name came to mind, so I shelved the technique’s title.

‘Whatever.’

‘As long as it works.’

I blanked my mind and watched Alice fight.