Chapter Index

    “Whew~”

    There’s a saying, the curse of knowledge.

    When you pursue too much knowledge and witness the vast truth of this world.

    When you arrive before an endless black sea, unable to even properly understand even a fragment of it.

    The boundless fear, depression, and emptiness that consumes your entire being.

    It’s what astronomers often feel.

    Seen from the vast universe, Earth is merely a “pale blue dot.”

    Compared to such a small Earth, aren’t humans just tiny specks?

    The world is so vast, and information stretches endlessly.

    Our existence as intelligent beings is too insignificant to understand it all.

    “Kuh-hut, kuh-hih~”

    Before there was time to look up at the sky, the object of that fear was the sea.

    Actually, still—that is, even based on the very last point in my memories of my past life.

    It was mysterious and frightening enough to be a staple of documentaries.

    A vast area covering about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface.

    The Mariana Trench, the deepest part, is so deep that you would need to flip Mount Everest upside down and put it in to barely submerge it.

    This fact was even more pronounced in the old days when it wasn’t properly known.

    To the point that there were rumors that there was a cliff at the end of the horizon.

    Ships that went far out often didn’t return, and it’s not for nothing that sailors are so grumpy and everyone is so brawny.

    Living close to death, they had no choice but to become rough and strong.

    “Kih-kik—!”

    And what about the creatures that live there?

    The deep sea is full of fish species that haven’t been properly identified, and even the known ones are bizarre in appearance.

    It’s said to be the shape to withstand high water pressure.

    The fact that a completely different environment exists, incomparable to the land, is nothing short of terrifying.

    That’s not all.

    The sea also has whales, the largest species of creatures.

    As mammals, they have high intelligence, and they lead lives dragging along bodies dozens of times their size, eating hundreds of times their weight in food.

    A being that inspires awe as a living creature.

    Perhaps whales are the true masters of the sea.

    Only something that size could match the sea’s immense scale.

    And now.

    In this vast ocean of a scroll shop, scattering black mist…

    There was a being like a whale swimming freely.

    “Kuh-huh… kih-kik—!”

    It was Nix, who had become a spirit.

    .

    .

    .

    “I’m sorry, I wonder if I wasn’t being too much of a nuisance.”

    “No-! Not at all. I’m delighted to have witnessed such a wondrous sight.”

    The scroll shop owner had this friendly attitude from the start.

    Even when I asked various questions about the magic needed for the exploration.

    Even when I asked if I could borrow the shop for a while because Nix seemed to be drooling too much, saying I would pay.

    She just gently smiled while pushing her glasses up.

    “My lord—! Look, My lord! There’s even magic that reflects incoming magic as is!”

    “Keep your voice down… There’s nobody here, but it’s better to calm down—”

    “Wow— Here’s magic that makes your energy surge—”

    …Let’s just leave it like this for now.

    It was partly because she was overly enthusiastic, unusually so, revealing a darker, more intense side than usual, and her energy was too overwhelming.

    “Kuh-hih—!”

    How could I stop her when she’s having so much fun?

    Her dark eyes sparkled, and her usually pale cheeks were flushed red.

    Nix was going to devour all the scrolls in this shop today, going through the shelves.

    I stepped into the air, wiping away some of her black mist that was flowing like snot.

    “You seem to be very close.”

    The shop owner, sitting at the counter, sipping her tea while enjoying the scene, smiled faintly again.

    “Yes, well. We are.”

    She offered me an empty chair and set up another teacup.

    “I… really appreciate everything.”

    “No, ho-ho. This is my 20th year in business, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen a spirit.”

    “You’ve been doing this for so long? You look quite young.”

    I had a conversation with the shop owner that flowed as naturally as water, as if we were old friends.

    The lament of a merchant came, and the anguish of a magician went, and the story eventually ended with family bragging.

    She had a husband who was a member of the Magic Tower, and while she herself had some magical knowledge, most of the scroll making was done by him.

    Excluding the matters related to the tower master, I also bragged a bit about my connections, and we laughed together.

    I also got to talk about Yuri and Nix, and she gave me some advice as a wife.

    “It was a really good time today. Here’s the payment…”

    “No, it’s okay. Really. I had so much fun too.”

    “Come now, still…”

    Saying that I could not be repaid in material things since I had entertained her with non-material things, the shop owner repeatedly refused the pouch of gold coins.

    After thinking for a while, I went to the back of the shop and brought back a lot of scrolls, besides the ones I originally planned to buy, including the ones she recommended.

    , , , , and various convenience magic.

    I put them all on the counter along with the pouch of gold coins.

    “Surely we should settle this with this, right?”

    “Yes, thank you so much!”

    I slung the packaged scrolls over one shoulder and called Nix back.

    “Let’s go.”

    “Yes—!”

    I thought she might throw a tantrum wanting to stay a little longer, but for some reason, she came back with a satisfied expression.

    “I haven’t seen everything yet, are you okay?”

    “Yes! We can come back next time!”

    Pu-hut-

    The shop owner laughed at that.

    Leaving the shop owner waving her hand lightly, we opened the door and went outside.

    .

    .

    .

    The next day.

    We came out in front of the inn with our luggage packed.

    Especially… Yuri’s backpack on her back was about the size of her body, it looked just like military gear.

    “…Why is there so much?”

    “He-he. Look forward to it—!”

    “Should I help you carry some?”

    “It’s okay!”

    Since she didn’t seem to be willing to answer properly here, I subtly gestured to Eve.

    “What did you buy yesterday…?”

    “…Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.”

    “Then you should have made it more blissful…”

    Should you not at least try to hide your surprise…?

    Once again suffering from the curse of knowledge, I was filled with dread as to what was inside as I loaded the luggage onto the carriage.

    Flop-

    In my case, my main weapon is a magic sword.

    I don’t have any equipment in my hands, and I don’t have much to pack.

    I already used up all the scrolls last night to learn the magic, and I can cover all the potions with skills.

    I could have just come here in my bare body and there wouldn’t have been any problem.

    Eve, who only had simple leather armor, seemed to be in a similar situation.

    This is how many multi-attribute mana users are.

    Since you can handle most things with magic, your hands are always empty.

    She followed me and put a small side bag in the luggage compartment.

    “You don’t seem to have much luggage either.”

    “Reducing luggage is the basic of adventure.”

    “If you know that, you should have explained it to her…!”

    Eve then reached out and touched her forehead.

    “I didn’t think you would have…?”

    “…Sorry.”

    “How did you manage to brainwash her to think only of you…?”

    I loved her, and I disciplined her.

    But I didn’t brainwash her. I simply spent a long time making love to her.

    I made a roughly innocent-looking expression.

    “Huu… okay.”

    “What are you two talking about?”

    Kuung—

    The luggage compartment sank down slightly from the weight of the exceptionally heavy backpack, with an unusual sound, and Yuri also approached.

    “Nothing. Let’s go quickly.”

    “Yes~”

    Where does she get all that strength? I sent Yuri ahead, and when I slightly lifted her backpack, it wasn’t weight a slender girl could lift without even raising an eyebrow.

    Is it because of the training with Eve on top of her usually well-maintained body that she had undergone some kind of spec-up?

    It was a little unfortunate that I hadn’t noticed Yuri becoming this strong.

    ‘The power of love…’

    Seeing her get on the carriage with a determined expression, giving her all with a strong back, I naturally smiled.

    I put the other fellows inside first, and gave the coachman a gold coin.

    “Sir- I’ve already received the payment…”

    “Please take care of us.”

    “…Understood.”

    The first journey after becoming an adventurer. As a beginner, the news of succeeding in a legendary quest has spread, and various rumors are swirling.

    If I can use this money to spread a good reputation, I’ll pay as much as it takes.

    For those guys, the things that matters most after survival are money, alcohol and women.

    Just as I built my name as a special student in the academy, I need to firmly establish my name as an adventurer in the guild.

    Something new is about to begin.

    This excitement that I feel every time is addictive and unforgettable.

    I’m sure I’ll lose a lot, but I’ll gain a lot too. That’s why this anticipation is impossible to hide, no matter how hard I try.

    Tap- tap-

    I brushed off the dirt from my shoes and got into the carriage.

    “Let’s go!”

    Pihi-iing— Dalgrak- Tagdak Tagdak-

    And a little later.

    It occurred to me that this was the first time I had been in a carriage long enough to cross a border.

    And that I get severe motion sickness.

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