Chapter 2: An Old Country Bumpkin Meets a Wizard
“Let’s call it a day right there. Good work, everyone.”
“Thank you very much!”
I concluded the knights’ training, and they all responded cheerfully. Everyone was covered in sweat. I quickly left the training hall, wanting to get back to the inn and hop into a bath right away.
Ever since the mock battle with the lieutenant commander, Henbrits, I’d come to the Liberion Order’s training hall pretty much every day to serve as their special instructor. The original schedule had been for me to teach a few times a month, but thanks to my old man kicking me out of Beaden, I had nowhere else to go. Everything had worked out so far—Allusia looked genuinely delighted by the change of plans, and so did Kewlny. Also, beyond all expectations, so did Henbrits.
“Mr. Beryl! Thank you for your hard work!”
“A-Aah. You too, Henbrits. You’re really putting in the work every day, huh?”
Immediately after I left the training hall, Henbrits ran after me. When I heard him call my name, I stopped and turned. He held out a clean towel that he’d apparently grabbed just for me.
After our little bout, he’d decided that attaining my level of skill was one of his goals. He now followed me around, regardless of whether we were training or not. I wanted to question what a lieutenant commander of a knightly order was doing acting like that...but Allusia was pretty free-spirited in her own way too.
I’d also learned something about the knights since coming here. The Liberion Order had regular patrols and meetings, but when they weren’t on duty, they generally had plenty of free time. Naturally, wasting that time would ruin their reputation as knights, so most devoted the time to exercise and practice. In other words, as long as there wasn’t a major incident in progress, a knight’s lifestyle largely revolved around constant training.
“I now have a major goal to achieve,” Henbrits said. “So every day is fulfilling!”
“I see. That’s good to hear...” I took the towel he’d offered and began wiping my face.
“Still, I can’t figure out how to move like you do. I need to train more.”
I chuckled. “Well, if the likes of me can manage it, you’ll get there in no time.”
Man, he seemed awfully attached to me now. It wasn’t really a bother or anything, but this kind of positive reception was honestly far beyond what I’d expected. I still hadn’t fully come to grips with being the order’s special instructor, and I certainly wasn’t used to all this attention.
“Master! Lieutenant Commander! Good work today!”
“Hey, Kewlny... Same to you.”
As I chatted with Henbrits, another knight joined in—one of my former pupils, Kewlny, who was also covered in sweat. She wasn’t wearing her plate armor and instead sported simple clothing meant for training. Because of her sweat, the fabric stuck to her skin. She was petite but well-developed, and her feminine attributes were strongly emphasized. I had to avert my eyes. This is pretty bad for my heart...
Kewlny closed in on me rapidly, not seeming to pick up on any signs of my internal conflict. “Have you gotten used to life in the capital yet, Master?”
Cut it out. Stop getting closer. I don’t know where to look.
“Well, I guess I am,” I answered, continually deflecting my gaze from her body. “I haven’t walked around much beyond this neighborhood, though.”
That was true—I mostly made round trips from the inn to the order’s office, so I was only familiar with the immediate area. Honestly, that hadn’t really posed any problems for me. Most of my days were dedicated to training, so I didn’t have time to waste being a tourist, nor did I have much of a reason to take a look around.
“What a shame,” Henbrits said. “Baltrain has many sightseeing spots.”
He did have a point. Baltrain was the Liberis Kingdom’s capital, and it was famous for being the largest city in the country. Each of its five districts had distinct features, attracting many local and foreign tourists alike.
“I’ll show you around!” Kewlny offered enthusiastically, psyching herself up.
Cut it out. You don’t have to get so damn fired up for a simple stroll around town. Well, I could brush off that behavior as one of Kewlny’s virtues. She was so earnest about everything, even being a tour guide.
“Ha ha, I guess I’ll take you up on that,” I told her. “But only after we get changed.”
“Right! I’m totally drenched!”
It was still a little too early to go back to the inn and take a nap. Ever since settling down in Baltrain, I’d somehow or other been frequently accompanied by Allusia, so I’d spent pretty much no time with Kewlny outside of training.
“Kewlny, make sure you aren’t rude to Mr. Beryl,” Henbrits said.
He got a cheerful “Yes, sir!” in response before Kewlny vanished into the changing room. I went and got myself changed as well.
“Master! Thanks for waiting!”
“It’s fine. I wasn’t here for long.”
As expected, I was ready to go before Kewlny. I was waiting right outside the office, somewhat bored with nothing to do, when she came running over wearing fresh clothing that was easy to move around in. Today, I was planning to stroll around town with Kewlny and then visit a restaurant I’d never been to. This was the capital, after all—nobody could blame me for doing a little sightseeing.
“Oh yeah! How often did you visit Baltrain before you moved here?” Kewlny asked.
“Not often. I came a few times many years ago. Traveling here with Allusia was my first visit in a long while.”
Just as I’d relayed, my last memory of Baltrain was from long ago. The dojo was back home in Beaden, so I’d never had a reason to spend half a day in a carriage just to visit the capital. I did, of course, recognize the royal palace, though none of the other sights seemed to jog my memory.
But now, the capital was my temporary residence. Allusia had given me a figure for the income I could expect as a special instructor, so I knew I had money coming my way soon. Considering all this, I wasn’t opposed to spending a little free time (and some gold) around the city.
“Okey dokey!” Kewlny exclaimed. “Let’s check out the western district!”
“I’ll leave our destination up to you. Looking forward to it.”
And so, we headed for the western district, taking a stagecoach that circled the capital’s streets. The more years I get under my belt, the nicer it feels to just take a relaxing stroll. Though I enjoyed having quiet time to myself, being around lively company was good in its own way.
“The western district is mostly a commercial area,” Kewlny explained. “It’s got, like, all kinds of shops.”
I chatted with her as I took in the scenery. Baltrain’s a really nice city. It had a central district where the order’s office and the adventurer’s guild were, as well as four other districts in each cardinal direction. According to Kewlny, the western district was bustling with commerce. You could find a mix of everything from grocery stores, to restaurants, to general goods stores, smithies, and even magic item shops.
“The southern district is dedicated to agriculture, so there might not be much to see there,” Kewlny continued as we got off the stagecoach and started walking through the western district. “The north contains Liberis’s royal palace, while the east is, like, mostly residential. I also live in the eastern district.”
“I see. So I guess the western district is where all the tourists go?”
“Mm-hmm. It attracts a ton of them, but I’d guess the north has the most. The palace is real popular for sightseeing.”
Now that she mentioned it, the royal palace was probably the centerpiece of the entire country. I doubted that normal tourists were allowed inside, but it was more than enough for people to take a look at the outside.
Just walking down the street, I saw all kinds of different shops and people. The energy in this town flooded my vision, and it was a fresh experience to walk down an unfamiliar road while letting my eyes wander everywhere. I’m acting like a shining example of an old country bumpkin. Also, unlike the very famous Allusia and Selna, Kewlny was a completely normal knight who was still working on making a name for herself. That might’ve sounded rude, but her lack of status came with a perk for me—nobody bothered to give her a second look. I was unmistakably a regular old man, so no one’s eyes were drawn to me either. Frankly, it was wonderful to take a walk without having to worry about others staring at me.
In the middle of people-watching, sightseeing, and listening to Kewlny’s explanations, a monotone voice reached my ears.
“Ah, it’s Master Beryl.”
“Hmm?” If I’m not imagining things, then...I just heard my name.
I came to a stop and glanced around to try and locate the source of the voice. There—a robed woman who seemed to be on her way out of the western district. Her glossy black hair was cut evenly at her shoulders, and her somewhat vacant eyes were pointed right at me.
“Mm. It really is,” she murmured. “Long time no see.”
“Master? What’s up? Someone you know?” Kewlny asked, peeking out from beside me.
The black-haired woman paid Kewlny no attention and continued staring at me.
Umm... Who’s that?
A bubble of silent awkwardness formed around me, Kewlny, and this robed woman, seeming to dominate the lively atmosphere of the street.
“Ah!” Kewlny suddenly yelled, popping that bubble after a few seconds. “It’s Fice!”
“Kewlny. Where did you come from?” the woman asked.
“I’ve been here the whole time!”
Only after being called by name did the woman—Fice?—turn away from me to stare at Kewlny. Apparently, Fice hadn’t even noticed the young knight until now.
“Kewlny, is this someone you know?” I asked.
The woman seemed to know who I was, and she was also Kewlny’s acquaintance. I, however, didn’t recognize her at all. I’d better ask Kewlny for an explanation.
“Master... Have you, like, forgotten her?” Kewlny asked, turning an uncharacteristically harsh look at me.
“Uh...”
“How cruel, Master Beryl. So sad. Boo-hoo-hoo.” The black-haired woman joined in, still expressionless and clearly feigning her tears.
I was speechless. Really, I don’t recognize her... The same thing had happened with Selna, but in that case, my last memory of her had been so long ago—she’d left the dojo at a young age, so connecting the dots between her childhood self and her current appearance had been impossible. In contrast, Fice looked about the same age as Kewlny. And, seeing how Kewlny was accusing me of forgetting her, it was highly likely that Fice had attended our dojo during the same period. Still, despite the fact that Fice had recognized Kewlny at a single glance, nothing was ringing a bell.
“Mrgh. Oh well. How about this?” Fice puffed out her cheeks and pulled a sword from her robes.
“Hmm...?”
I did remember this blade—it was one of my farewell swords. That meant Fice had attended the dojo, and what’s more, she’d graduated, mastering everything I could teach.
Crap. It would be extremely bad if I couldn’t remember her now. I dug deep into my memory, deciding not to use her appearance as a reference. Girls grew up a lot in only a few short years, and hairstyles were nothing to go off of either. Though, her hair color probably hadn’t changed much. I bet it was black back then too. Her personality was probably similar as well.
A girl with black hair who speaks in peculiarly short sentences. I gave her a farewell sword. Fice... Wait, Fice?
“Ah... Are you, perhaps, Ficelle?” I asked.
“Correct,” she said, her voice still sullen. “But too slow. So sad.”
It turned out the woman before me was, in fact, Ficelle. Now that I’d figured out who she was, my memories came flooding back.
Ficelle Habeler—one of the pupils to whom I’d given a farewell sword. She’d attended the dojo at the same time as Kewlny. However, unlike Kewlny, who’d left after two years, Ficelle had attended for about five and had graduated after mastering our sword style.
And yet... The Ficelle in my memories was a little more boyish. As a child, she’d given off a completely different impression. Her hair had been shorter, and she’d been very slender. She hadn’t been the type to say much when she talked, so aside from uttering the bare necessities, she’d swung her sword silently the whole time. Her clothing had also been very modest. The Fice before me wore a fine robe that reached her knees, but I didn’t recall the child Ficelle being the type to have clothes like that.
My last memory of her was when I’d handed out the farewell sword. After breaking into a smile, which had been very unusual for her, she’d said, “I have something else to do now.” It’d been like she’d suddenly remembered an urgent appointment, and immediately after, she’d left our dojo.
It’d been some time since then, and now here I was, face-to-face with another unexpected reunion.
“Man, I say this every time I meet my pupils again, but...you’ve grown beyond recognition.”
“Yes, I grew,” Ficelle said. “But it’s still sad that you didn’t notice.”
“I-I’m really sorry about that.”
Even if my pupil had changed completely, forgetting about her—even after I’d given her a farewell sword—was a failure on my part as an instructor. I needed to reflect on that.
“You totally didn’t say that to me...” Kewlny muttered my way.
I shrank back slightly. “S-Sorry.”
I truly am sorry. You’re great exactly as you are, Kewlny.
“Oh well,” Kewlny said, regaining her high spirits. “Anyway! Fice is amazing! She’s proving herself as the magic corps’s ace wizard now!”
“Yup.” Fice nodded. “I’ve been doing my best. Really admirable.”
“Huh? Magic corps?” I parroted.
Why? Why, after learning swordsmanship at our dojo, would she join the magic corps?
I mean, that was, in fact, an amazing accomplishment. Wizards were very rare, even across the world as a whole, so those with the aptitude for magic were naturally few in number. Take, for example, swordsmanship—even if someone didn’t really have the talent for it, swinging a blade around all the time would eventually get them somewhere. But that principle didn’t apply to magic. Without talent, you’d be stuck at zero forever. There was no potential for growth without that innate spark. I, myself, had no talent for magic. Without exaggeration, the only ones who could become wizards were those born with the gift.
“So, after learning swordplay from me, you started training your magic...” I murmured. “You really have been giving it your all.”
“Mm, that’s right,” Ficelle said. “I’ve been making the best of your sword too, Master Beryl.”
“Huh?”
At the dojo, Ficelle had attained more than enough skill to deserve a farewell sword. If she used such high-level techniques and magic in concert...well, that would certainly make her a very valuable asset. Still, it was questionable whether swordsmanship had any direct merit when it came to being a wizard. Talent for the blade and talent for magic were two completely different things, after all.
“Sword magic. I’m best at it,” Ficelle explained.
“Sword...magic?”
What’s that?
“Exactly what it sounds like,” she answered. “Imbuing the sword’s movement with magic to send slashes flying. Wreathing the blade in fire or ice. That kind of thing.”
“H-Hmm. That’s amazing.” In all likelihood, she was casually admitting to having really outrageous capabilities. I didn’t know how to react. “Does anyone else use this type of magic?”
“There are others,” she replied. “Though hardly any of them can truly wield a sword.”
Honestly, I’d figured that was the case before hearing her answer. Magic naturally required talent, but great effort was necessary to nurture that talent. The same could be said of swordsmanship—training was necessary to establish skill. Wreathing a sword in magic was one thing, but the base movement for that attack still involved swordplay. As such, someone more skilled with a blade would naturally be better at it. In a sense, Ficelle was more of a magic knight than a wizard. Not that I’d ever heard of that profession...
Our conversation about sword magic reached a stopping point, and Ficelle changed the subject. “Oh yeah. Why are you in the capital, Master?”
“Aaah, about that...”
I explained that I was now a special instructor for the Liberion Order and that Kewlny was guiding me around the western district for some sightseeing.
Ficelle listened to my story, then abruptly said, “I’ll come too. Haven’t seen Kewlny in a while either.”
“Huh? You sure?” I asked.
“It’s fine. Work is done. I’ll come along.”
“We’ll guide you together, Master!” Kewlny exclaimed.
Ficelle positioned herself at my side. She was already carrying a bag in one hand, probably from a shopping trip, so was it really okay for her to be taking a stroll with me? Well, she’d said it was fine, so I had no choice but to believe her.
Suddenly, my right hand was enveloped in warmth, and I felt the sensation of her palm against my own. “Ficelle?” I asked, staring down at our now clasped hands.
“The western district is busy,” she explained. “The road gets narrow. It would be bad to get separated.”
Ahh... Oh well. I have no real reason to shake her off. “I see. I’ll let you two decide where we go.”
“Leave it to us!”
“Mm-hmm.”
And so, the three of us walked through the streets of the western district with me in the middle. Baltrain’s commercial district lived up to the rumors. The rush of people coming and going made it feel like a blanket of noisy hustle and bustle covered the entire district.
“Books are great. So relaxing.”
“Ugh. I don’t really like studying...”
“Ha ha ha.”
Ficelle’s eyes sparkled as she looked at a large bookstore facing the main road.
“Master! This! How ’bout this?!”
“Mm. I think it suits you.”
“Very childish, just like you. Not bad.”
“Grrr!”
Kewlny tried on all sorts of outfits at a clothing store filled with the city’s latest fashions.
“This is...an accessory shop?”
“Magic equipment. To put it simply, items that have magical properties.”
“Hmm...”
I was intrigued by a store selling bracelets and necklaces and such, all charged with magical effects.
The three of us walked all over, looking at different stores. Sometimes we entered shops randomly and got really lively. Sometimes we quietly took in the sights. All of it was extremely enjoyable. After a while, it felt like it was getting pretty late, but the hustle and bustle in the western district showed no signs of dying down. Judging by the large shadow stretching out beneath me, we’d spent quite a lot of time here.
“Man, this district really has a lot to take in,” I remarked. “Even things I don’t need are eye-catching.”
“Yeah! They’ve got everything from daily necessities to rarities,” Kewlny said. “Shops here cover a huge range of goods.”
Ficelle seemed to agree. “Mm. I also like the western district. There’s lots of stuff.”
After getting a good look around—though the range we could cover in just a few hours was limited—we took a break. At this point, I couldn’t possibly compare Beaden to Baltrain. Normally, I never went sightseeing, and had I stayed in the village, exploring a huge city like this would’ve been practically impossible.
“Hee hee,” Ficelle giggled. “Master Beryl, you’re ogling the place like crazy.”
I gave a chuckle of my own. “Aha... How embarrassing. Well, I am from the sticks, after all.” There was no helping that. Anyone from the countryside would get excited by the city’s sights.
“Master, is there anything in particular you really liked?” Kewlny asked.
“Let’s see...” I thought it over for a moment. “Honestly, there was a ton, but the magic equipment shop was the most interesting.”
“There is depth to the world of magical equipment,” Ficelle said. “I’m glad you’re interested.”
I thought she preferred books, but it seemed Ficelle was even more fascinated by magic items.
“You really like that stuff, huh?” I asked.
“Mm-hmm. I’ve got lots of things,” Ficelle muttered, the corners of her mouth turning up into the slightest smile.
There weren’t many people who could use magic, but apparently, a good number of magical items circulated throughout the city. These items were magical because of what they were made of: a mineral called magicite that naturally accumulated mana. Since the items themselves were imbued with magic, anyone (even those without any talent for magic) could use them.
I wasn’t really familiar with the details. I am, after all, just a swordsman. However, it seemed like magical equipment could solve a wide range of issues, from relieving fatigue, to accelerating the healing process, to offering some resistance against burns and frost. If anything, they sounded like essential items for adventurers.
“That was a great breather,” I said. “Thanks, you two.”
Having hit a good stopping point, I thanked my tour guides. This was a form of entertainment I never would’ve discovered during my daily solo round trips between the inn and the order’s office.
“You’re welcome!”
“Mm.”
They responded to me like polar opposites, but judging by their expressions, they were both pleased. That was good. All they’d done was hang out with an old man on his boring sightseeing walk—the fact that they hadn’t gotten bored or annoyed meant I’d scored full points.
“Right. It’s not much as thanks, but if the two of you have time, I’ll treat you to dinner,” I suggested.
“Huh?! Seriously?!” Kewlny exclaimed.
Even back in the dojo, she’d always been a big eater and big sleeper. She really is a salve for the heart. Never change—you’re just fine as you are.
“That helps. I’m starving.” Ficelle looked down at her stomach, her expression still unchanging.
I nodded. “Then it’s decided. Any recommendations?”
It was my treat, but I was a country bumpkin who’d only just arrived in the capital; I didn’t know any good restaurants and I didn’t know their preferences. Well, at least Kewlny looked like she would eat anything. Ficelle, on the other hand, seemed like the picky type.
“Ah! I wanna go there!” Kewlny exclaimed. “The Regen kebab shop!”
“Agreed,” said Ficelle. “I like that place too.”
“A kebab shop, huh? That sounds nice. I’m looking forward to it.”
Having decided on a menu, the three of us immediately began walking. I’d left for the western district with Kewlny right after training, so I was also pretty hungry. Currently, I had Kewlny to my right and Ficelle to my left. This was an extremely different lineup compared to the last time I walked the city in a group, but it wasn’t bad at all. I kind of felt like a parent...though that was mostly because of Kewlny. Above all else, I didn’t have to worry about people staring and could simply enjoy the sights. It was a little unbalanced for an old man to be accompanied by two young women, but that in and of itself wasn’t really worth any attention.
After walking through the western district for a while, we reached a kebab shop facing the main road.
“Right here! Their boar kebab is delicious!”
“Hmm, boar, huh?” I muttered.
Boars were wild animals that were about as large as the average human adult. Hunters in Beaden brought them back as game all the time. The meat was sometimes rather tough, meaning you really had to gnaw through it, but that was simply part of the experience—the texture could also vary greatly depending on how it was prepared. Boars could be found all over Liberis, so there were many established cooking methods.
“Pops! Three boar kebabs!”
“Coming right up!”
This was apparently the type of restaurant where you could see them cooking from the outside. Kewlny shouted her order at what appeared to be the chef, and the man gave her a hearty reply, stabbing chunks of raw boar meat onto skewers and lining them up over a charcoal fire.
“Ooh...” I stared at the roasting meat. “It already looks great.”
Ficelle nodded. “Mm. The boar here is exquisite. I guarantee it.”
Watching the marinated boar meat dripping its juices into the fire made me even hungrier—the smell of cooking meat and salty-sweet sauce really stirred the appetite. Looks delicious. Big chunks of meat too. One stick on its own will probably be filling.
“Whoa, this place is really packed,” Kewlny said, taking a casual look around.
“Yup,” Ficelle agreed. “Jammed full.”
“Hmm...”
Many people were buying meat kebabs, and I even saw some folks holding skewers and chowing down as they walked. This shop had a dining area, but unfortunately, every seat was taken.
“Kewlny, you live in the eastern district, right?” I asked. “That’s pretty far away. Shall we eat as we walk?”
“Sure!” Kewlny exclaimed. “It’s been a while since I’ve done that!”
“I also live in the east. That works out great,” said Ficelle.
As such, we decided to learn from our great forebears and have our dinner on the go.
“Here you go! Three boar kebabs!”
“Thanks.”
I paid for the food and accepted three skewers from the chef outside the shop. Yup, they looked huge, and they got a lot of points for the charred sauce spotting the meat—the chef really understood how to barbecue. This place certainly lives up to Kewlny and Ficelle’s stamp of approval.
“Okay Master! Let’s eat!”
“Mm. Thanks for the food.”
“Yup, here you go. Let’s dig in.”
Kewlny took a hearty bite, whereas Ficelle nibbled at the edges. They were complete opposites, even in the ways they ate. They hadn’t seemed particularly close or distant to each other during their days at the dojo, though maybe they’d had more chances to interact here in the capital. It didn’t really matter. I wasn’t about to prod into their private affairs, and there was nothing better than people getting along.
“Mm. Delicious.”
I took a bite of the boar skewer. The thick chunk of meat melted in my mouth with surprising tenderness. Hmm, they must’ve thoroughly marinated the boar before cooking it. A chef who could make boar meat this tender was no ordinary man. With each bite, juices seeped out, mixing with the fragrant sauce and coating my tongue with exquisite flavor. Seriously tasty stuff. I felt my cheeks weakening. Ah, this is the life.
“Mmmmmm! Delish!” Kewlny gushed.
“Make sure to look where you’re walking,” I advised.
Ficelle shook her head. “Jeez, Kewlny, it’s hard to watch you sometimes.”
“Mrgh! How rude!” Kewlny complained. “I am a knight, you know?!”
We strolled away from the kebab shop, all the while badgering each other.
“Hm?”
We were making our way to the stagecoach at a relaxed pace and enjoying our meal, when suddenly, we heard a ruckus ahead of us. Somehow, unlike the hustle and bustle of the thriving commercial district, this commotion was really noisy.
A scream resounded over the crowd. “He’s a pickpocket! Someone catch him!”
A pickpocket, huh? We didn’t have any idiots like that out in Beaden. I guess thugs really did come out in the city. I turned to the source of the voice and spotted a man weaving his way through the crowd, running away from a not-too-distant street stall. He repeatedly glanced behind him while cleanly avoiding the people in front of him. That’s probably the culprit. Judging by his behavior, this wasn’t his first time—there was no hesitation in his movements.
“Now, what to do at times like these?” I muttered.
Coincidentally, the pickpocket was running right toward us. Would it be best to catch him? I didn’t approve of his actions, after all. Theft was a crime. That was perfectly obvious.
“Mm. I’ll do it,” Ficelle said. “No need for you to bother with this, Master.”
“Ha ha ha, you sure have a high opinion of me.”
No need to bother? What exactly does everyone see in me?
“Kewlny, hold this.”
“Righto!”
Ficelle handed her skewer to Kewlny, then pulled her longsword from her robe.
“Ficelle, won’t it be bad to use a real blade?” I asked.
“It’s fine. Leave it to me.”
Ficelle paid me no mind and readied her sword. Kewlny seemed to trust her and was acting carefree, standing with a kebab in each hand.
“Outta the way!”
The pickpocket sprinted closer. He was a perfectly normal-looking man with a medium build. He looked somewhat younger than me, and he ran at a significant speed while threatening everyone around him. Judging by his attire, he wasn’t particularly well-off. Well, anyone who cared about their outward appearance wouldn’t go around picking pockets.
Despite him gathering a lot of attention, nobody was making a move to try and stop him. Everyone just watched, as if the situation had nothing to do with them. I guess that’s simply how the big city is. In Beaden, any crime would have the entire village beating you to a pulp, but I suppose that was simply a difference in culture. Nevertheless, crimes had to be punished, regardless of where you were. That was common sense.
“Hah!”
Ficelle exhaled sharply and unsheathed her longsword in a smooth slash. I spied something flying from the edge of her blade and managed to trace it with my eyes.
“Hey! I’m tellin’ ya! Get the hell out of— Ugh?!”
The moment that Ficelle’s attack—the something she’d shot from her sword—reached the pickpocket’s legs, the man tumbled. It was as though he’d tripped over an invisible obstacle.
“What was that?” I asked.
It was probably magic, but as far as I could see, the spell had no lethal force. That’s awfully convenient in cases like these. I watched on like any other unrelated spectator.
“I sent a slash attack flying out like a projectile,” Ficelle explained casually. “It would be problematic to cut off his legs though, so I only sent the force of impact, not the cutting edge.”
She didn’t make it sound like anything special. And I guess, to her, it wasn’t—in her mind, she’d done something that was perfectly natural. However, to everyone else, her attack was something amazing. Magic was crazy.
“Kewlny, take care of the rest,” she said.
“Sure! You hold on to these!” Kewlny passed over the kebabs.
These two are perfectly in sync. Kewlny went to the fallen pickpocket and immediately held him down. She was really light-footed and skilled, and this didn’t look like her first time arresting someone.
“Wh-Who the hell?! Dammit!”
“The Liberion Order. Give yourself up quietly.”
Kewlny’s tone was the same as usual, but somehow, it sounded far more chilling. I was a little surprised she could talk like that.
“You’re amazing, Ficelle.” I wanted to praise her for how easily she’d taken down the pickpocket. “That was nuts.”
“Not true,” she replied curtly. “That was the most basic of basics...” She then pulled her robe around her and turned her face away.
Yup, this old man screwed up.
“Is this the kinda thing you two do for work?” I asked.
“Mm-hmm. The order and the magic corps are under the nation’s jurisdiction. We have the authority to handle cases like these too.”
It was pretty obvious that the order and the magic corps had such facets to them, but I never thought I’d witness it for myself. I’d given a lot of thought to catching the pickpocket, but these two had acted immediately. They certainly lived up to their positions.
“Does this kinda thing happen often in Baltrain?” As usual, I was being a total country bumpkin, but I was curious. This kind of issue was extremely rare out in the sticks. And now that I thought about it, I was honestly quite ignorant regarding public order in the capital.
“It depends on what district of the city you’re in,” Ficelle explained. She’d apparently decided that her part in this mess was over, and she’d gone back to eating her meat. “The western district has many shops and people, so it happens here every now and then.”
“I see...”
Well, many people gathered in Baltrain, so it wasn’t strange for criminals to be among them. After all, not everyone out there was a good person. As a swordsmanship instructor, that idea gave me mixed feelings.
“Master! Fice! Go ahead of me!” Kewlny shouted, leading the pickpocket away with his hands tied behind his back. “I need to bring him in!”
“So she says. You good with that?” I asked Ficelle.
“Mm. I don’t mind.”
Both Kewlny and Ficelle were really accustomed to this. By all rights, Ficelle should be going with Kewlny—even if her attack had only been a long-distance shock wave, she had still been involved. Feels tactless to bring that up, though. Kewlny probably knew that and decided to take him in alone anyway.
Stirred by a sense of parental affection, I said, “Guess I’ll have to treat Kewlny to something again later.”
“You’re spoiling her,” Ficelle retorted.
“Ha ha ha! How strict.” So I can’t treat Kewlny? Guess I can’t. She’s really doing her best, though.
With such thoughts in mind, I watched Kewlny take the man away. It was amazing. She had a firm hold of him, and despite her petite build, she possessed significant strength.
“Shall we?”
“Mm.”
There was nothing else to be done at this point. We couldn’t just stand here all day, so our only choice was to call it and go home.
Ultimately, that was how we’d witnessed a bit of trouble while eating meat on the go.
“What do we do about Kewlny’s kebab...?” Ficelle asked.
“Aaah...”
After staring at the half-eaten meat skewer she’d left behind, we each headed our separate ways.
◇
“Hwaaah...”
The morning light poured through the window, waking my mind. It was still just past the crack of dawn. I got up and looked down at the city from the window, but there was hardly any pedestrian traffic outside. As a younger man, I’d always been the type to go to sleep early and wake up early, but I felt like I’d been losing my grip on that over the last few years. Was this what it was like to get old?
I quickly got dressed and descended from the second floor of the inn to the lobby. This inn had been described to me as cheap, but compared to the public lodgings all the way out in Beaden, it was very well-built.
“Well, it’s pretty rude to compare them,” I mumbled as I walked down the stairs. Even the most rotten of inns in Baltrain’s central district had to maintain pretty high standards. Otherwise, it would be out of business fast.
Seated at the front counter was the inn’s owner. “Good morning, Mr. Gardinant,” he said. “You’re up early as usual.”
“Yeah, good morning. It’s a habit.”
I was thinking of having a simple meal before taking an early morning stroll. After walking around with Kewlny and Ficelle the other day, I figured it’d be nice to learn a little more about Baltrain as a whole. It would be entirely possible for me to come across even more interesting sights.
“The same as usual, please,” I said.
“Right away, sir.”
It’d been some time since I’d chosen this inn as my base. The owner already had a grasp of my routine, so he could prepare my breakfast menu despite my vague request. That felt pretty nice, in its own way. Made me feel like a regular—a regular for nothing more than an inn, though.
“Thanks for the meal.”
A simple breakfast was placed before me, and I smacked my lips lightly at the food, which consisted of bread, bacon, eggs, salad, and milk. Simple though it was, the quality of the ingredients and the overall taste were exceptional. As expected of an inn in the central district.
“Okay, time to get going.”
I hyped myself up—well, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration—and left the inn to take a breather. I started by walking toward a line of somewhat tall buildings. This road was narrower than the main streets, but still neatly paved and maintained, reminding me that I was still in such a glorious city. I figured I would just wander around aimlessly for a while. After all, I still had a lot of time before the knights began their training.
“Mmm, nice weather today. The air tastes great.”
After walking for a bit, I came out onto a large, empty street. Even though this was a main thoroughfare, it was too early for any carriages to be rolling about, and pedestrians were very sparse.
“I guess this part of town is pretty old.”
I hadn’t taken a good look around before this, but none of the buildings seemed particularly new. Judging by the state of their walls, they’d seen quite a few years. This was the central district, so it’d probably been Liberis’s core for ages. It was natural to assume that the city had expanded into four other districts throughout the course of history.
“You there.”
I wasn’t a cultural specialist or a historian or anything, so I had no way of knowing the details of Baltrain’s development. Still, it was a nice exercise to let my thoughts drift in such directions.
“You. Hey! Will you stop already?”
Since I’m already out, maybe it would be nice to visit Liberis’s palace for the first time in a while. Seeing that old castle might jog my memories of the place and move me in some way.
“Don’t ignore me!”
“Whoa?!” I panicked at the sudden, loud voice. That scared the crap outta me! I’d been hearing someone talk for a while now, but I hadn’t even considered that anyone would call out to me.
“Umm... Do you need something, little lady?”
When I turned around, I was somewhat taken aback by the person I found standing there. It was a little girl who looked no older than ten. She had glamorous blonde hair that flowed down to her waist, glimmering in the morning sun. Her white, nearly transparent skin was dazzling, and she was a great image of good health. Also, her clothing boldly exposed her thighs and shoulders. Outfits like this didn’t exist in the countryside. The novelty of her clothes alone tripped me up, but even at a glance, I could tell right away that they were of extremely high quality. Delicate embroidery was dotted here and there along the surface of the fabric, and though the garment itself was somewhat short, you could describe the piece as a robe, which emphasized her sweet figure even more. That was the overall impression I got of her.
“Who are you calling a little lady?!” she yelled. “Good grief... You would be Beryl Gardinant, correct?”
“I am... What about it?”
This girl apparently didn’t like being treated like a child, but she was so young that I couldn’t help it. More importantly, I was surprised that such a little girl would know my name.
“I’m Lucy Diamond,” she said. “I serve as the commander of the Liberis Kingdom’s magic corps.”
“So the little lady’s name is Lucy, huh?”
“Listen to me already! And quit calling me little!”
This little girl is the magic corps’s commander? Ha ha ha, what a great joke. She was dressed like a wizard, so she was probably at the age where she really looked up to them and wanted to be one when she grew up. As a child, I’d been similar—I used to stage fake sword fights with my friends in the village. What a nostalgic memory.
“Gah! I’m not getting through to you!” Lucy shouted. “How about this?!”
She immediately held up her hand. I thought she was just playing around, but...
“Hm...? Whoa?!”
A flame burst from her palm. It scorched the air, unleashing a violent sound that dredged up an instinctive fear. The surrounding area was illuminated by the flames as they grew brighter and brighter.
“Do you understand now?” Lucy asked.
“Uhh... What? Seriously?”
She casually pointed at me with a hand that was quite literally incandescent. No way. Seriously? This kid really is the magic corps’s commander? That organization was under the direct jurisdiction of the nation—Ficelle was a part of it too. They were one of our primary military forces, and they wielded a reputation on par with the Liberion Order.
“Well, you’re obviously not some nobody,” I said.
“Hmph. That’s right, that’s right.”
I had no way of confirming the veracity of her claim, so for now, I simply decided that the girl before me was no child.
“But setting that aside,” I continued, “I don’t think you should be casting fire like that out here in the middle of town.”
“Erk... Mrgh...”
Being a wizard didn’t mean she had license to suddenly stoke a blaze in the middle of the street. What was she planning to do if it spread? I understood her desire to get me to acknowledge her power, but as a regular old man, I couldn’t turn a blind eye to such dangerous acts.
“So, um...Lucy? Did you need something?”
“Ooh, yes, right.”
It turned out that she really hated the “little lady” stuff, so I decided to cut it out. She was still a young girl in my eyes, but it’d be problematic if she suddenly threw a tantrum and burned me. After putting out the fire in her left hand, Lucy got back to why she’d called out to me in the first place, acting like she’d just remembered her purpose.
“I heard about you from Fice,” she said. “I shall be borrowing you for a moment.”
I’d vaguely expected this, based on her knowledge of my name. Guess she has business with me personally. I had no idea what that business could be, though.
“You have time now, don’t you?” she stated.
“Well... I guess I do.”
She’d appeared out of nowhere and immediately demanded my time. Her pushy behavior left me with no room to refuse. Despite being so small, this girl was really haughty and overbearing. How had her parents raised her?
“You’ve been personally requisitioned by the commander of the magic corps,” she said. “Feel free to act more grateful.”
“Ha ha ha. Let’s go with that.”
Oh well. I didn’t have any specific plans for the morning anyway, so it wasn’t a terrible idea to follow Lucy while enjoying the sights of the capital. Though, I had no idea where she was planning to take me. An old man in his forties was now going for an early morning stroll with a girl who looked just around ten. Hmm. I’d agreed and decided to go with the flow, but...didn’t this look pretty suspicious from an outsider’s perspective? If possible, I wanted to avoid being questioned by the knights or the local garrison.
“Also, stop treating me like a child,” Lucy added. “I’m probably far older than you are.”
“Huh?”
Another terrific joke. No matter how I looked at her, Lucy was a little girl. She was, of course, far prettier than any of the girls in the countryside, so she was sure to grow up into a fine beauty one day. She had extraordinary material to work with. Her beauty was different from Allusia’s, but she still wouldn’t have any shortage of prospective grooms in the future. Anyway... Her, older than me? I was turning forty-five this year.
“You don’t believe me, huh?” Lucy asked, her expression more of a bitter smile than disgruntled. “Well, if it looks that way to you, we’ll just leave it at that.”
“Oh come on, how can anyone believe you?”
After giving it some more thought, I realized that her conduct and the atmosphere around her didn’t match what I’d expect from a youth. I’d been focused mostly on her appearance, which had left a rather strong impression, and I hadn’t been able to focus on her less tangible attributes until she’d brought up her age. She’d also used magic earlier, so for now, I decided to recognize her as no ordinary girl. Frankly, I didn’t want to start an argument for no reason, especially when faced with a child.
“Well, enough of that,” Lucy said. “Just as I mentioned earlier, I’ve heard about you from Fice.”
“Oh, you mean Ficelle?” I asked.
“That’s right.”
As it turned out, everyone called her Fice, just like Kewlny did. I never used nicknames for people, so in a way, this was a fresh experience. Ficelle had been one of my precious pupils, but as her instructor, I’d been required to keep a proper distance between us. As such, I called everyone by their proper names.
“Fice has really been enjoying herself lately,” Lucy muttered. “It’s likely because she met you.”
“That so...? It’d be nice if that was the case.”
Lucy’s expression wasn’t that of a little girl by any margin. Setting aside what the truth was, the mystery of her being older than she looked was deepening by the minute.
“From what I hear, you’re Fice’s master,” she stated.
“Mm-hmm. That’s right. I’ve got no clue about magic, though.”
The two of us began walking as we chatted. She hadn’t told me where we were going or what her goal was, but judging by her gait, she had a clear destination in mind.
“Fice’s sword magic is outstanding, you see,” Lucy said. “She does, of course, have a talent for magic, but her swordplay is also considerable. She must’ve had an excellent teacher.”
“I’m not all that impressive,” I casually responded. “Ficelle’s skills are the fruits of her own efforts.”
I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’d had zero involvement in her growth, but a large portion of what Ficelle had gained was thanks to her own talent and hard work. I had no intention of making the outrageous claim that her strength had developed only because of me.
“Now then, I suppose this place will suffice,” Lucy said, coming to a stop.
“Is there something around here...?”
I didn’t know how long we’d been walking. Our destination was sparsely populated by somewhat small buildings—at least, small for the capital. In terms of the central district, this spot was practically deserted. The sun was peeking over the horizon, so quite a lot of time had passed, but there was still nobody in sight. An almost complete silence hung over the area. It was surprising that a place like this existed in the middle of Baltrain.
“I love magic, you see,” Lucy began, turning to me with a mysterious expression. She looked both delighted and anguished. If she truly was the age she appeared to be, it would’ve been impossible for her to make such a bewitching face. “I study and research it every day.”
“I get where you’re coming from. I swing my sword every day too.”
Swordsmanship was relatively simple, but swinging a sword around recklessly didn’t make you a better swordsman. Magic had to be far more complicated in that regard. A wizard’s skill set was built upon the foundational wisdom of pioneers, and modern magical practitioners accumulated vast knowledge by running countless trials. Even now, the art was constantly expanding and developing.
“Perhaps it’s simply my nature,” Lucy continued, “But I want to get a real feel for my growth. I want to test the results of my research. That’s all I ever have on my mind.”
“The same goes for swordsmanship. It’s important to experience your own improvement.”
A small fire popped into existence in Lucy’s left hand. This wasn’t the huge blaze she’d created earlier—it was only about the size of her fist.
“I want to test it.” She maintained her bewitching smile, but suddenly, bloodlust overtook her. “Against a strong opponent.”
“Hm?!”
Was it my intuition as a swordsman? Or my instinct as a human? I immediately jumped to the side as a flame burst into the spot where I’d just been standing.
“Hmm. A fast reaction, just as expected. You live up to being Fice’s master.” Lucy held up her other hand. Matching the movement of her arm, multiple flames formed and took shape.
“You’re not joking, are you?!” I exclaimed.
What do I do? Draw my sword? If I took her words at face value, this was likely just a test of her abilities. I didn’t know what kind of conversation she’d had with Ficelle, but Ficelle was an active wizard in the magic corps who practiced sword magic. Her stories of me as an instructor must’ve caught Lucy’s interest.
However, I wasn’t carrying a wooden sword—my weapon was steel, and it could certainly draw blood. I was sensing some serious aggression from her, and I deduced that she wasn’t throwing around that fire for fun. But how serious was she? I had no way of measuring.
“What’s wrong?” Lucy asked. “There’s no need to hold anything back. Come at me.”
“I’m not in the mood, okay?!”
I wasn’t sure whether Lucy was no longer able to keep up appearances or if she’d simply chosen to throw them away. Her tone was calm, but it looked like she was having a problem keeping her lips from curving into a smile. The disconnect between her ecstatic expression and her childish features made her seem even more lascivious.
Seriously, my life had been nothing but a series of surprises ever since coming to Baltrain. There’d been Allusia, Selna, and now Lucy. Why did so many strong people who’d found great success in life have to get involved with me like this?!
“I’m not as strong as they say,” I muttered.
“What an odd thing to claim.”
Seriously, what’s so odd about it? It ain’t odd at all!
After a short moment’s hesitation, I chose to draw my sword. I’d tried to emphasize that I wasn’t strong, but this was the behavior I’d come to expect from her—she wasn’t going to listen to anything I had to say.
“Let’s begin!” Lucy exclaimed.
“I don’t want to start anything, though!”
Goddammit! Whatever! Spitting out all the complaints I could manage, I kicked off the ground toward her.
“Hup!”
“Whoa?!”
I wanted to close in immediately, swing my sword, and bring an end to this quickly, but a sudden wall of fire blocked my path.
“I’ll be at a disadvantage if I allow you to approach so easily,” she said.
“Magic sure is convenient!” I yelled back bitterly.
From a swordsman’s perspective, the ability to launch attacks from a distance without leaving any openings was a mouthwatering proposition. Watching Lucy mercilessly do just that filled me with respect, awe, and a bit of “What the heck are you doing?!” indignation.
“C’mon! C’mon! C’mon! C’mon!” she chanted.
“Ugh... You little...!”
The battle was an incessant rain of magic, magic, and more magic. Fire coiled around me, icy winds blew past, and thunder shook the air. Using nothing but my legs, I ran through that hellish landscape. Never in my life had I fought a wizard. I’d only experienced combat in mock battles with my pupils and knights, as well as fighting the wild animals and monsters that loitered around the village. Before coming to the capital, I’d never even met anyone capable of wielding magic. As such, being forced into a fight with Lucy was teaching me something—swordsmen had about the worst compatibility possible against wizards.
“Shah!”
I bisected a lump of ice that’d been closing in on me. Holy crap! That was close! A second later and I’d have been a crushed pancake!
“Ooh, you cut through that?! Ha ha ha! This is great!”
“Do all wizards throw out magic willy-nilly like this?!” I complained on impulse as I dodged flames, cut ice, and sidestepped bolts of lightning. Seriously, I doubted a court magician would have such a vast array of effects to put on show.
“Of course not! There aren’t many capable of this much output!”
The battle had begun due to Lucy’s one-sided declaration. Our starting positions had put us within hand’s span of each other, but now, I found myself at a distance, unable to get closer. I spent the entire time desperately fending off the magical bombardment while she remained outside the range of my sword.
If I’d been faced with an attack that had more physical substance, I would’ve been able to cut it down and advance. However, there were many types of magic that couldn’t be physically blocked with a sword. What’s more, the magical downpour assaulting me was incessant. I wasn’t sure whether all wizards were capable of this, or just Lucy, but quite honestly, her magic forced me into a very difficult position.
“I wouldn’t mind a little pity for the elderly!” I yelled.
“Hmph, what’re you saying?” Lucy scoffed. “I told you—I’m older than you!”
The instant I tried to step forward, a flaming flower bloomed from the ground, causing me to stumble. I’d become keenly aware of something—physically defending against magic was hard, but dodging it was even harder. There was no defined “origin” for magic like there was for a conventional weapon. She did hold up her hand before casting anything, but that wasn’t enough to predict when and where the attack would sprout from. The only choice was to dodge after the magic was already mid flight, which was pretty stressful.
“How about this?!” Lucy exclaimed.
“Goddammit!”
Adding to the fire, ice, and lightning, she was now using something like a pressurized water beam. I blocked it with the flat of my longsword and diverted its trajectory. Unlike fire and lightning, water had physical substance, so even if it was magic, it was far easier to deal with using a weapon.
“Hmm, to think you’d be able to handle even that,” Lucy remarked. “Not bad.”
“You sure are acting smug!”
Nobody had asked for a dance with magic projectiles. Given the chance, I’d rather have a wonderful dance with a cute girl. Not that I’ve ever learned to dance.
Anyway, if someone were watching this fight, they’d probably think that Lucy and I were evenly matched. Both of us were lacking the means to deal a decisive blow. I couldn’t get close to Lucy, so I had no way of attacking her. Lucy was incapable of hitting me with her magic, so she couldn’t finish me off.
In all likelihood, she possessed the power to blast magic over a wider range, but this wasn’t a serious fight to the death. In a sense, it was just a test to compare abilities. And also, if she widened the effect of her magic, it would deal considerable damage to the city around us. She understood this well—I could tell she was restricting herself to magic that only targeted a single individual.
“I never intended to get this into it...” Lucy murmured, observing me as I dodged a fireball by leaning to the side. “So, this one’s just for you.”
“Hm...?”
Is now my chance to close the distance? I don’t know what she means by “getting into it,” but she seems to be easing up on the offense. It would be going too far to cut her down, so knocking her out with my hilt would probably be enough to bring a full stop to this meaningless fight.
I was soaking wet from water magic. My bangs were a little singed from all the fire. My clothes were somewhat scorched from the lightning. It wasn’t a good idea to let this battle drag on any longer.
“Wha?!”
The instant I was about to step forward to close the distance, I felt a horrible chill, and the worst of premonitions forced my entire body to dart to the side.
“My goodness... You even dodged that?”
Not even a second later, space twisted where I’d been standing. Holy crap! Way too close! The hell was that?! It wasn’t near as shoddy as fire or water! It was as if something had eaten space itself. I think if my torso had gotten caught in that, it would be a total mess right now. I felt tremendous fear toward whatever magic she’d just used.
“Haaah... Stop! Stop! We’re done!” Lucy cried out.
Just as I was gulping at that previous, unheard-of attack, Lucy abruptly brought an end to this useless tussle—one she’d dragged me into to begin with. She was even acting like she wasn’t the one who’d started it.
“You satisfied?” I asked.
Lucy casually held up both her arms in the air. I’m not satisfied, though! I’m full of complaints! Who the hell is amused by suddenly dragging people into some inexplicable fight?! I’m not a battle maniac, dammit!
“Indeed,” Lucy answered, looking awfully refreshed. “Though I got a little too serious at the end. If you’re capable of dodging that spell, then I’m not capable of striking you down through conventional means.”
“Thanks for the high praise...” My shoulders slumped. Guess she managed to test out her magic experiment or research of whatever. I never wanted to face her again, though.
“Just to ask,” I said. “What would’ve happened if that spell had hit me?”
Fire, water, and lightning could be witnessed as natural phenomena, so even if this was my first fight against a wizard, I had some basis for knowing what to expect. However, that last attack was completely beyond my ability to rationalize.
“Hm? Normally, the affected body part would be blown off, and that’d be the end of it,” she answered. “But relax. I adjusted it so that your body wouldn’t have ended up that way.”
“Uh... Is that so...?”
Scary. Don’t pull that kinda crap outta nowhere! Even if it’s the adjusted version, how am I supposed to know any of that?
“At any rate, you certainly are strong,” Lucy said. “I understand why Fice admires you.”
“Not at all. You’re praising me too highly,” I retorted, shaking my head. “In a fight where anything goes, I’m sure you could’ve finished me off at any moment.”
With as much power as Lucy possessed, she could’ve defeated me many times over. If she’d just drowned this entire area in fire, I’d have been a crumpled heap on the ground after one shot. Though, that was only if her goal was to kill me. When it came to testing things out, like during this fight, that method would’ve been inappropriate.
Lucy giggled. “Hee hee... So you’re not angry?”
“Hm? Aah... Well, let me just say—you were a total pain in the ass.”
“Ha ha ha ha! Sorry about that!”
Someone beyond my abilities had suddenly picked a fight. She’d put me in a disadvantageous position and had even gone so far that one misstep could’ve spelled my death. Normally, the correct reaction would be to scream about how unreasonable she’d been, but somehow, I wasn’t in the mood to do anything like that.
Perhaps it was simple exhaustion. Perhaps resignation. After all, now that the fight was over, it was useless to complain. Maybe I was simply moved after witnessing magic for the first time ever. My mind was a mess of emotions, but for some reason, I didn’t feel angry.
“Well, how do I put it?” Lucy said. “I do know I’m in the wrong for picking a fight. As an apology, please come by the magic institute one day. I’ll be able to make it worth your while.”
“I have no talent for magic, though...” I mumbled. “Well, I’ll drop by if I get the chance.”
The magic institute was something like a training school for wizards managed by the kingdom. All those capable of actually using magic were valuable, so the country poured resources into securing personnel with that talent. As the commander of the magic corps, it made sense for Lucy to have a lot of influence in the institute.
That said, I wasn’t sure how magic could be of any use to a swordsman like me. Still, you could say that I’d formed a connection with the head of the magic corps without suffering any real damage. And now that the capital was my base of operations, it was best to be accommodating. Not that I really did anything here—I was just an old instructor from the countryside.
“Oh right, once my research on new magic advances, I insist you serve as my opponent again,” Lucy said.
“Ah, I refuse outright,” I replied immediately.
“Why?! Didn’t you have a little fun too?!”
“This and that are different matters!” I didn’t have enough lives to take part in such dangerous work.
And so, that was how I met Lucy. It was also how a hell of a morning passed me by.
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