Chapter 38

Let’s organize things.

Two days ago, there was an attack by a mid-level Fire Dragon, Fire Drake. After a defense battle lasting over half a day, we finally repelled it at night. However, by that point, no messages had been relayed, and we were essentially isolated.

The next day, there were sporadic monster attacks. During this time, a scent to attract monsters was discovered. The issue was resolved, but the soldiers were already in a state of exhaustion.

And today. A suspicious man wearing a deep hood was spotted, and when a subordinate tried to question him, they were killed. Myself and about ten others pursued him, and in the end, only four of us, including myself, survived.

In the meantime, monsters once again attacked the city, this time in an even larger swarm than before, flooding in all at once. The Dragonkin, Zumw, may have known that I was the commander and lured them out.

Barnabas, who had rushed to deliver the message, encountered the Fire Dragon on the road, as though it had been waiting for him.

Could the Dragonkin have controlled dragons…?

And then, the ones who solved everything were two young people, a man and a woman. The woman had pale purple hair and wore a white robe, while the man wore a red cloak and a black military-style outfit.

Although it was an emergency, no one had even asked their names… They even used a rare elixir, which makes it impossible to just leave things as they are. The way they solved things was also extraordinary.

The woman completely blocked the Fire Dragon’s flame breath by herself, and the man single-handedly defeated the Fire Dragon.

The countless monsters that had surrounded us and were closing in were annihilated by the woman’s wide-range attack magic.

Moreover, the Dragonkin who were the source of the trouble were defeated by the man alone, and the woman provided a remarkable magical potion.

According to Baraha, the chief mage of this defensive city, she used a forbidden magic, and it was of an unbelievable power, beyond what was normally possible. Moreover, she even cast an additional incantation that he himself didn’t know.

For Baraha to say that… He is one of the most skilled mages in this country, sent here to defend this city surrounded by enemies.

“…Stett-sama. Lanvalt Heegstett-sama!!”

“……Barnabas.”

In the end, he had lost his horse and returned to the city. Since the Fire Dragon had been dealt with and the danger had passed, the three knights whose horses were safe had headed toward the royal capital. But now, that had become unnecessary.

“Please, rest now. You must be tired.”

“…Yes. There’s no use thinking about it.”

On the desk, there was the dim glow of a magic stone and scattered papers.

The night had passed, and the sound of footsteps was rare now. I could finally get some proper rest for the first time in a while.

The next morning, I was walking around the city. It was to check the safety, but there was another reason. As she was leaving, the woman had mentioned she would be staying at an inn, so she might still be in the defensive city. With a glimmer of hope, I continued my patrol while looking around.

Though I was still unclear from the pain of having lost my arm, I recalled that the Dragonkin had said the man was “not of human descent.” Not a human, but not quite another race either. Could it be… a summoning?

Now that I thought about it, when I jokingly mentioned “gods,” the Dragonkin had spat out, “How detestable, gods.”

In other words, a demon? Does that mean the woman had made a contract with one…!?

Just as I lifted my head, I saw her pale purple hair.

…Found her!

She was inside the magic tools shop. I hurried to open the door.

“Welcome.”

The shopkeeper greeted me, and I returned a light smile.

“Ah, um… you.”

“…Yes? Is it me?”

She turned around, and indeed, it was the woman from yesterday. She had purple eyes and light pink lips. After looking at me, she placed her hands in front of her body and bowed elegantly.

“Are you the one from the other day? I apologize for not greeting you properly due to the hurried circumstances.”

“Huh? No, I wanted to thank you. It was us who were helped, so there’s no need for such formalities…”

“Does it trouble you? Hehe, it wouldn’t do to cause trouble, would it?”

She had a mysterious air about her.

If I hadn’t met her in such a place, she would appear to be a woman of grace and modesty, not suited for the battlefield.

I momentarily became entranced by her, but this was not the time for that. Perhaps she had come to buy more items for what she had given me earlier.

“That’s right, this is a magic item shop. I should buy something and repay you. I’m sorry, but they don’t sell elixirs here, so it will have to wait.”

When I suggested that, the woman blinked a couple of times.

“No, there’s no need for that. I can just make more.”

“Make it!? You made that potion!?”

“Yes.”

I recalled that Baraha had testified that she was a magical item artisan. Was it true!? A first-rate magic user and summoner, as well as a master artisan. I had never heard of such an all-around person. Could she be serving some country or noble?

If that’s the case, I probably shouldn’t ask. It could cause problems if she turned out to be from a rival country. If she had helped us, that could become a matter of concern.

“So this is how you sell high potions.”

She was looking at the display, where empty high potion bottles were arranged in a box as samples. After an order was placed and payment was received, they would bring it from a locked warehouse.

“They’re expensive, so if they were stolen, it would be a huge loss.”

“I see. There are so many kinds of amulets. Just looking at them is fun.”

As a self-proclaimed artisan, she seemed very interested in the items, watching them with a delighted expression.

“If you’re going to buy something, let me know. I haven’t properly repaid you for the potions.”

“You don’t need to worry about it.”

She lightly placed her hand on her mouth and giggled.

…Does she think I’m trying to act like a lover offering gifts? It might be bad if my wife sees this. I have no such intentions, though.

“By the way, where can I purchase a spellbook?”

“Oh, I’ll guide you. By the way, I’m Ranvalt Haegstett. And you are?”

“I’m Iriya … um, are you a noble?”

“Ah, well… please don’t worry about that. I don’t mind, and I’d prefer if you didn’t either.”

“Rather, are you not…?”

On the way, I decided to ask about the Elixir.

“About the Elixir… I don’t know how to thank you for using such a wonderful item. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to remain a knight. Please, if there’s anything I can do, I’ll do it… Anything at all.”

“Items are meant to be used. But yes, the materials for the Elixir are difficult to gather. If you happen to have any materials, I’d be grateful.”

The materials she suggested were items I had in my own estate or in the defensive city. When I said I could give them to her tomorrow, her eyes lit up in excitement. When I suggested Soma tree sap, she clapped her hands together in delight.

It seems I could offer a small return, but the materials and the high-difficulty items… they don’t feel like they match. I haven’t been able to check if I still have stock of the Elixir. After that battle, I may have used it all up.

The magic book store is typically marked with a black sign.

I guided her to the only specialized magic book shop in this city. Usually, they also sell other books and magical items together.

This store has a wide selection, and new releases come in every month, so I visit often. I can’t use magic much, but I simply love it.

“Ah, Haegstett-sama! Welcome! We don’t have any new releases yet.”

“Ah, I’m just accompanying this lady today. She’s someone I owe a great deal.”

Since I had often asked about new releases, they responded before I could. Oops.

Iriya  was glancing at the spellbooks from the side but didn’t seem to intend to buy anything, merely checking the titles.

The spines of the spellbooks have the names of the magic written on them. When you buy one, the magic listed on the title is recorded inside, and you can learn it. There are slight differences depending on the author, so it’s better to find an author whose work suits you.

Then, she stopped at the recommended books section and picked up a book.

“…This book…! Sebirino Osa Arens…!”

Oh! Could it be? A fellow fan!?

“That author has recently started publishing magic books, and they’re very detailed and easy to read. I recommend them as well.”

“Really!? Lord Sebirino… I didn’t know he had written a spellbook too.”

Lord Sebirino? She seems to know the author, even though she doesn’t seem familiar with the book itself.

She happily gazed at the book.

“…Do you know him?”

“Yes, he’s from Egdoarm.”

“…And he’s here, in Chenkaslar …?” This seems to be a complicated matter.

I didn’t want to pry into her benefactor’s life, so I decided to stick to talking about books.

“Can I ask what kind of person he is? I know he’s listed as a court mage in the book.”

“Well, despite being a noble, he’s not arrogant, and he approaches everything seriously. He’s a very admirable person.”

Hearing about the person behind the author I admire was quite exciting.

“Arens Barony is a dangerous land where strong magical beasts appear, and it’s a difficult place to manage. Apparently, he has been working hard for everyone’s sake. He’s a respectable person.”

She spoke about Sebirino Osa Arens with such joy. He must truly be a great person. A clerk, who had been listening to our conversation, called out to us.

“You can send a letter to Lord Sebirino Osa Arens, of course, if you buy his book. There’s an additional fee, though.”

I’m familiar with this female clerk, but I had never heard of this before. I already have all his books!

Apparently, for his writing and research, he wants to gather opinions broadly. When the publisher, Kurohondou, brings new books, they receive the letters, collect them, and send them along.

New releases are typically on the first of every month. There’s almost half a month left.

She happily selected two books: one on purification and one on the wall of fire magic. When I offered to pay, she was flustered and said it was unnecessary, but I insisted, and paid in advance.

She also said she would take my letter, so I decided to write one too. It could be about the inconveniences or good points of the books, magic I want to learn, or simply to offer support. The content didn’t seem to matter. It made me nervous.

She immediately skimmed through the books she had bought and started writing her letter.

Though she thought she couldn’t give it to him, she also asked if I could send a letter she had written previously, if possible.

There was an additional fee, but it seemed they accepted it. I also entrusted my letter to her and left the magic book store.

“By the way, didn’t you want to buy any other magic books?”

“They were all spells I already knew.”

“All of them!?”

That’s an unbelievable amount of knowledge. Even the top mage of this city, Baraha, comes here sometimes to purchase new spells…

Since it was already past noon, I invited her to lunch. Since it was her first time in town, she asked me to recommend somewhere.

Wanting to have a more private conversation, I took her to a restaurant I frequent, which had a private room. The building had a luxurious stone exterior with decorative features and white walls. The entrance was wide, and the private rooms had heavy tables with candles, and paintings hung on the walls.

Women who enter such a place for the first time often look around excitedly, but she simply walked along quietly. She must be used to it. It really felt like I was with a noblewoman.

I ordered some food, and we began talking.

“…I’m sorry if this makes you uncomfortable, but I’d like to ask something for defense purposes.”

“What is it?”

“About the demon that was with you.”

Iriya  didn’t respond immediately. After thinking for a moment, she gave a small smile.

“…I thought you might ask, but you could tell from watching that battle.”

“Also, I heard you mumbling about how annoying gods are. I’d like to know if he has a contract not to harm others. He’s a threat.”

“He has a contract not to kill others without my consent.”

While we were talking, the food arrived. A platter with three types of appetizers was served on a long rectangular dish, divided into three sections.

“Then, there’s no problem. I’m relieved.”

“However, my clause to protect my life takes precedence, so in my case, if I’m in danger, that clause will be overridden.”

“…I see, that makes sense.”

It certainly makes sense to have a provision for emergency situations. It’s not inherently dangerous. Even regular people would sometimes have to take a life to defend themselves.

“So, you made him attack me to finish me off.”

“…You made him?”

So, the enemy’s attack, which I stopped with my sword, was intentionally allowed to happen…?

“His last struggle was carried out more quickly than expected, and it seemed to catch him off guard. I owe you my life.”

As she spoke casually, cutting into her main meat dish, I realized this must be the nature of summoners. It felt rather terrifying.