NOVEL NEXT Chapter 22
Today is the day for Serelin’s happy tavern date.
‘Still, I have to do what I have to do.’
No matter how much I said I would help, I couldn’t forget the original mission.
So Serelin headed to the Northern Gate, while I came to the Western Gate.
Actually, the wall reinforcement work was all completed yesterday.
Today, I have to check whether yesterday’s work was done properly and, additionally, do some helpful support spells.
‘You could think of it as a sort of alibi.’
It seems better to consider it as a way to avoid the suspicion of really knowing a lot about that fortress.
“Lux.”
Flutter!!
“Ah, don’t run away!”
It seemed like Knight Lux caught on to my plan to set the master key again.
Honestly, I felt a bit hurt since I even gave him my special premium carrot.
‘I guess I need to add a spell that lets the master key stand on its own later.’
With no other choice, I opened the Space of Space and dropped a large mineral.
Mithril, shining with a platinum hue, stronger than iron, and also boasting excellent defense against magic.
But for now, it’s just the base for the master key.
“Observation and alarm should be enough.”
I predicted the support spell would get damaged by attacks coming from the dim fortress, so I buried it not near the wall but in the ground.
It’s roughly like a seismometer.
“Lux, stop sulking and come here. I’ll give you a carrot.”
Just hearing the word carrot made Lux understand quickly and come over.
However, he was subtly eyeing the master key, making me think he would never try to attempt it again.
“This one’s quite a tasty carrot…”
Ptooey!!
“…”
…
This little punk?
I gave him a special carrot, and now he was spitting it out as if he couldn’t be satisfied with just a regular carrot.
I picked up the carrot that fell to the ground with trembling hands and tossed it into the Space of Space.
“…I won’t give you carrots anymore.”
How dare you throw my carrot away? There won’t even be carrot soup broth for a while.
*
To entice the hero, or more accurately, to lure him, I targeted a magic tools shop in the back alley.
But that wasn’t the only reason for my visit.
‘I heard there’s a famous gem crafting expert in Alpharest.’
Over the past five years, I’ve researched and learned various magic and support fields, but there’s still so much I lack.
Gem crafting was among them.
‘I want to make gem-type magic tools quickly too.’
Gems and minerals have a relationship that cannot be denied with magic.
Not only the basic mana stones but also numerous ores and gemstones are used as materials for magic tools.
And since I have the mindset to make things pretty and cool when I create them, gem crafting techniques are incredibly necessary.
So before leaving the mansion in the morning, when I was alone with the hero, I made my request.
[Hero.]
[Yeah, Rui.]
[Could you perhaps come quickly from the Eastern Gate today…?]
[Uh… why?]
[I have something to take care of in the Central Commercial Zone… Since it’s a back alley, I thought it might be safer if you come with me.]
[…Sure. I’ll get there without being late. Definitely.]
I need to hand over the hero to Serelin around 7 PM.
Since I planned to meet around 4, I have roughly three hours under my control.
After finishing the inspection work and research, it was about time to meet the hero.
“Lux, I’m giving you a premium carrot.”
To move quickly, I needed the help of Knight Lux, so I agreed to give him the premium carrot again.
Flutter.
Then Knight Lux approached me with the expression of ‘If you want it that badly…’
“…You’re not talking about me, right?”
That sly thing is more like a fox than a person.
I mounted Knight Lux and headed toward the Central Commercial Zone.
“Lux, you have a good sense of direction.”
I didn’t even pull the reins, yet he guided me effortlessly down the optimized path.
Isn’t this what perfect autonomous driving is all about, like something out of a cyberpunk story?
As I was nearing the Central Commercial Zone, one question popped into my head suddenly.
“…Come to think of it, should I change my clothes?”
The reason was from the reactions of the adventurers and mercenaries from last time.
[No wonder that robe looks fancy… ]
I’m going to a magic tool shop in the back alley. Relatively speaking, there are many low-quality people around.
You might wonder if they would mess with a noble, but that varies from person to person.
‘…Above all, the hero might worry too much.’
Anyway, the pretext for bringing the hero along is ‘escort’.
So the hero will try his best to achieve that goal perfectly.
‘The main event isn’t the magic tool shop but the date with Serelin.’
Therefore, it’s better if he doesn’t concentrate all his effort on escorting or something like that.
I should be focusing on magic tools and gem crafting techniques, and having those people interfere would just scatter my thoughts.
“…I should change.”
Ultimately, I summoned the lab door slightly between buildings and went in.
Then I put on the most decent black outfit that a friend had picked out for me and stepped outside.
My shoulders felt a bit bare, but…
Since it was chosen by a female friend, it should be fine.
*
“Hero! Good job!”
“Thanks to you, I barely survived!”
Several mercenaries cheered for a man.
“Everyone’s support made that possible. I, too, thank you for fighting with me.”
Aswel returned their cheers while sheathing his sword.
If it had been the same schedule as yesterday, he would have had to fight for another three hours, but today he had a prior engagement.
“Then I’ll head off first. Tempest.”
Aswel called, and a white horse that was waiting nearby approached quietly.
He swiftly mounted Tempest and exited the gate at high speed.
‘I’m late.’
I got a bit late because I had to save a mercenary who was in danger at the last minute.
Rui probably wouldn’t get too upset about me being late, but still, just the fact that I broke the promise tortured my heart.
“The Central Commercial Zone is this way.”
Aswel gently maneuvered the reins and guided Tempest down the fastest route.
After about 30 minutes, Aswel arrived at the Central Commercial Zone.
He handed Tempest over to a nearby stable and began searching for his appointment.
“I’m pretty sure I told them to come under the clock tower.”
The clock tower is one of the places where citizens arrange meetings in the massive Central Commercial Zone.
Fortunately, it stood tall and was easy to find.
As Aswel got closer to the clock tower, he suddenly recalled his attire.
Although he hadn’t gotten any injuries or stains from dirt or blood, he still couldn’t say it looked good.
At least he had been fortunate enough to leave his armor in Tempest’s saddlebags.
Thanks to that, there were no people who recognized him.
Tap tap.
Resigned, he brushed off as much dust as he could from his current outfit to make it look presentable.
Then he walked slowly toward the plaza with the clock tower.
He would probably be wearing a white robe as usual.
Thinking that, Aswel scanned the area for someone in a white robe.
But no matter where he looked, there was no one wearing a robe.
“Has she not arrived yet…?”
If something happened at the Western Gate, it’s entirely possible for her to be late.
This was almost a fate unavoidable as a member of the hero party.
‘Still, waiting may be better for me.’
But that hope was swiftly popped by a finger poking his back.
“Hero, you’re late.”
The voice of his appointment.
In the end, she had been the one waiting first.
“Sorry, the battle request got delayed… um…”
He hurriedly turned around and apologized.
Or at least he tried to, but then he stopped speaking mid-sentence.
It wasn’t a white robe. It was the complete opposite, a black outfit.
No, was it a dress? What should he even call it?
But one thing was certain.
No word could perfectly capture what she was wearing.
“…Rui?”
She was looking up at Aswel with her arms crossed, glaring at him.
It was unclear whether she crossed her arms to express her anger or to try to cover her slightly exposed shoulder.
“No matter how much it’s a back alley, there’s still a deadline, you know.”
“Uh, ah, well, the battle dragged on, so I… I’m sorry.”
She sighed softly.
Then she straightened the creased part of Aswel’s sleeve and said,
“Well, since you’re the hero, I suppose I can let that slide. Luckily, the shop hasn’t closed yet. If we head now, we won’t be late.”
“Good to hear…”
“Then let’s go.”
Holding onto the straightened sleeve, she pulled Aswel along.
Aswel, who felt utterly confused by this brand-new sight, finally calmed his thoughts and asked:
“Uh… Rui. Is that outfit…?”
“Oh, I thought it would be better not to stand out. Is it… not good?”
Glancing back as she walked ahead, she asked.
Aswel didn’t dare to affirm that question.
“…No way.”
“Then that’s good.”
If that’s what she thinks, it must be fine.
The hero, Aswel, chose to stop thinking any further. The more he thought, the less he could predict what might happen next.