“—Well, that’s pretty much how I ended up getting turned away. Are all mages really that high and mighty?”
“Well, it probably depends on the person, but from what I’ve seen in this town, every mage here seems to be like that.”
In truth, this was the first time I’d really had a proper conversation with someone since arriving in this world.
Whether it was my knowledge or my magic, I had too many secrets to keep, which meant I couldn’t afford to say anything careless.
In situations like this, it was hard to open up to others.
But at the very least, this old man seemed to possess a strength that made me feel I couldn’t win even if I fought him right now.
Perhaps because of that, I found myself unconsciously letting down the guard I’d been keeping up for so long.
“Still… hmm, I see.”
The old man listened to my story attentively.
Because I hadn’t really talked to anyone like this before, I stumbled over my words here and there, and my story was clumsy, to say the least. Even so, he never complained and responded with nods, listening carefully.
“You had a rough time, kid. The mages in this country are trash, so it probably wouldn’t matter how many times you tried; the result wouldn’t change. If you had a letter of recommendation from someone important or, you know, a little bribe, that might be different.”
“A bribe… really…?”
Honestly, that wasn’t something I’d considered. So, the solution wasn’t bowing my head but slipping them some money…
All that pleading I did feels like a complete joke now.
It’s not just the nobles; even the mages are like this. This country is truly rotten.
(But the way the old man said that… there’s something that bothers me.)
Mages in this country… so does that mean…?
“Are you a mage from outside of Lark Kingdom?”
“Something like that. I’m more of a close-combat specialist, so… a magic swordsman, as they’d call it here.”
“A magic swordsman! Does that mean you can use body-enhancing magic too!?”
“Hm? Yeah, I can, more or less…”
It was the magic I’d longed to learn and had tried countless times, only to fail.
No matter how much I tried, carefully visualizing muscles and nerves, I never saw even a hint of the magic activating.
The books at home didn’t include body-enhancement magic. It was probably an advanced skill, above the intermediate level.
Which means… this old man can use the advanced magic I’d been aiming to learn.
“Please, let me be your apprentice! I’ll make sure to repay you properly later!”
At my words, the old man furrowed his brows.
Wondering if I’d said something wrong, I was surprised when he suddenly patted my head.
His fingertips were unbelievably rough.
Just how many years had this man spent swinging a sword?
But despite the hardness of his hands, his touch was incredibly gentle.
“Kids shouldn’t be worrying about that stuff. Save your extra worries for when you’re an adult. And drop the formal speech.”
“Uh… I mean, I’m actually an adult…”
“Where I come from, you’re not an adult until fifteen. To me, you’re still just a kid.”
The old man casually put his hand in his pocket.
Then, he took out a cigar from somewhere, glanced over at me, and lit it.
“Come on. I’ll introduce you to my friends. They’re good folks.”
He stood downwind, keeping the smoke from drifting my way, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit touched by the small gesture.
Without saying another word, he turned and began walking.
His strides were long, and his pace was quick, so if I didn’t hurry, I’d lose sight of him.
“W-Wait a second!”
I hurried after him, breaking into a light jog.
That’s how I met the old man—Kamui.
